Part 4 – Training
The next day Padme, Anakin, and Bruce sat in and watched Chancellor Amedda addressing the Republic, his address being broadcasted across all quadrants.
"My fellow Republic Citizens," Chancellor Amedda said, "It is with heavy heart, that I appear today for it is my sad duty to report the murder of our beloved Chancellor Palpatine," there were many murmurs, some tears, and some cries of outrage, "Last night, a Sith Assassin infiltrated the Chancellor's headquarters and tortured him for information before killing him. Unfortunately, the Jedi Order was alerted, but could not arrive in time to save the Chancellor. The Sith Assassin was driven off by the Jedi, but not before he killed three of the Jedi's finest Masters. In accordance with the Republic Constitution I have assumed the title of Grand Chancellor," he then pointed to Vice Chancellor Organa, "And have selected Senator Organa as my Vice Chancellor," there was scattered applause throughout the room before Chancellor Amedda continued, "Using information obtained through Republic Intelligence, we believe that the Trade Federation is responsible for smuggling the Sith Assassin onto Coruscant."
Bruce leaned in close to Anakin and whispered, "He's doing an amazing job of selling it."
"Without a doubt," Anakin said, "Never mind that we know what happened."
"With the discovery of this mysterious assassin," Chancellor Amedda said, "I am expanding the senate's allotted budget to grow more Clone soldiers. The murderous coward that killed our beloved Chancellor will not escape justice, and neither will the Trade Federation," there were a great many mumbles of agreement from the audience gathered there, "Today, we will honor the great Chancellor with a day of mourning. Followed by his funeral procession which begins tonight."
There was thunderous applause that broke out among the crowd, "Alright," Anakin said as he and Bruce stood up, "It's time. We need to return to the temple. Your training begins today."
"Indeed, Master," Bruce said.
"I'll see you later," Anakin said as he put his hand on Padme's shoulder, and smiled before walking off.
"Today is the day that my training begins," Bruce said, "Little excited, and a little nervous."
"Don't be," Anakin said, "You'll do just fine."
Studies was the first thing that Anakin sought to show Bruce, any Jedi needs to study the ancient texts.
One of the things that Bruce noticed was a little confusing, scholars argue that the first Jedi temple was build on the planet of Ahch-To, some on Tython, others Ossus, Coruscant was among them, and Jedda was another.
The old tales of the reformed Revan, of the final war in which the Sith were 'destroyed', and of the tales of the Jedi that followed.
The whole information was fascinating, the earliest record that he could find was of a Jedi that first came to Coruscant when the Temple about first was constructed.
He had used spare parts from scrap dealers he met around the planet, and a kyber crystal the Order had confiscated from a Devaronian smuggler.
"Excuse me, dear," the Chief Librarian Jocasta Nu said as she walked over with a single record which Bruce instantly turned to acknowledge her, "But I do need that record of Revan."
"Of course," Bruce said as he held out the record to her.
"I think you should find this one to be a bit more informative," Master Nu placed the record down in front of Bruce which Bruce saw was a history of unique force abilities.
"Thank you," Bruce said, "This could be quite informative."
Studying the many unique powers and the Jedi that controlled them was very, very informative: the Nautolan female Jedi that could use her powers to see through solid objects which she used to help medical droids repair seriously damaged organs.
There was the male Twi'lek who used his power of reading an individual's thoughts to single out Sith spies in the Order following the First Jedi Purge and the scourge of Darth Nihilus during the reconstruction of the Jedi Order.
All throughout the records though, there was one thing he noticed, no single Jedi had his ability to share experiences or things he's seen.
That night…
"I assure you Master nothing's wrong," Anakin said, "My promotion is only a few extra meetings. Then there's my new apprentice."
"You mean the man that saved your butt last night," Obi-Wan asked.
"He didn't save me," Anakin said as he entered the library, "He just showed me the way."
"Indeed," Obi-Wan said, "We're just finishing up here on Utapau. As soon as we're done we should be heading back to Coruscant."
"You'll still miss the funeral," Anakin said, "They're going to light the pyres in one hour," he then walked up to Master Nu, "My apprentice?"
Master Nu pointed to a desk on the second level, and went back to delivering a few records.
"I'll be there over the hologram," Obi-Wan said, "How's your new apprentice doing?"
"He just started today," Anakin said as he headed up to the second level, "We'll see when we get up there."
"Hopefully he's doing better than you with his studies," Obi-Wan said.
"I'm sure he's doing just…" Anakin said before looking up and seeing Bruce slumped over in his chair, ancient text pilled all around the desk, "Fine."
"What," Obi-Wan asked.
"You said you hoped he was doing better than me with his studies," Anakin said as he continued walking over to Bruce, "Looks like you got your wish. Call you back," as Anakin hung up the call, he walked over to Bruce, and gave him a slight nudge, "Bruce, wake up."
Bruce sat up, before looking at his master, "Oh," he said with a slight yawn, "Master. I mused have dozed off."
"How many of these have you read," Anakin asked as he picked up one of the records.
"Almost all of them," Bruce said as he turned off the one he was reading.
"I'm impressed," Anakin said, "You seem to be taking your studies very seriously."
"Thanks," Bruce said.
"Come on," Anakin said, "It's time."
"The funeral," Bruce asked.
"Yes," Anakin said, "Come, it's time for your first Force lesson."
Anakin and Bruce walked down to the speeder garage, "This is one thing I'm not looking forward too," Bruce said.
"A lot of us aren't," Anakin said as they walked up to one of the speeders, Bruce noticed a Jedi robe draped over the back.
"Who's this for," Bruce asked.
"That's yours," Anakin said, "Just arrived."
Bruce picked up the robe, and slid it on, "Not a bad fit," he said, "It'll do very nicely."
"Good," Anakin said as he entered the speeder, and flew off.
The temple would have allowed them to be buried at the temple, but as they were Masters, a funeral pyre would be a more appropriate funeral.
As they arrived, they noticed they were quite a ways away from Galactic City, probably so the Republic could mourn separate from the Jedi.
As they arrived, Master Yoda, who was broadcasting via the holographic projector was finishing up his speech, "Live through us, forever they will," he said.
Shaak Ti walked up to the pyres, and touched the torch to the wood underneath the deceased Jedi.
Anakin put his hand on Bruce's shoulder, "It's time," he said, "Focus, think of nothing else," Bruce cleared his mind, and closed his eyes, "Reach out, what do you feel?"
"I can feel… confusion," Bruce said, "Sadness… despair."
"Good," Anakin said, "Where can you feel it?"
"Mostly in me," Bruce said, "But I can also feel it around me. It's all around," he opened his eyes, "It's like water."
"Indeed," Anakin said, "That's the force. Emotions, experiences, it's all connected."
"I get it," Bruce said, "That's how it works."
"Indeed," Anakin said, "Now where is the emotion the strongest?"
Bruce looked around before noticing Master Secura standing with her arms crossed, her face heavy with despair and grief.
"With Master Secura," Bruce said.
"She had a close relationship with Master Fisto," Anakin said.
"Master Skywalker," Master Yoda said as they looked down to see Master Yoda looking up at them.
"Master Yoda," Anakin said, "This is unexpected."
"Wondering if I could talk to your new apprentice, I was," Master Yoda said.
"I'd welcome it," Anakin said.
Master Yoda gestured down the stairs which Bruce followed him down, Master Yoda took his seat on the edge of the terrace overlooking the city ad Bruce sat in front of him.
"Your hood, remove it," Master Yoda said, "Your face I wish to see."
Bruce lowered the hood to reveal his face to Master Yoda, "There's not much to look at, Master Yoda," Bruce said, "You've probably seen a lot of people like me."
"Seen your face, I have not," Master Yoda said, "When you first arrived outside the Chancellor's Office, sensed you, I did."
"You knew I was there," Bruce asked.
"Yes," Master Yoda said, "Saved young Skywalker and Master Windu, you did. Difficult, is the path you've chosen to walk. Taken to studying the past, I heard you have."
"Those that don't know history are doomed to repeat it," Bruce said.
"Indeed," Master Yoda said, "Hold the wisdom of the ancients, you do."
"Maybe," Bruce said, "It's hard to believe I'm actually here. That I'll be learning from Anakin Skywalker."
"And this power, I heard of," Master Yoda said, "Heard of it, I have not."
"I've never known I've had it before yesterday," Bruce said, "I never knew I could use the force before yesterday."
"Learn, you will," Master Yoda said, "The right person to teach you, Skywalker is."
"I look forward to learning from him," Bruce said, "And hopefully, you have some things to teach me as well."
"Has something to teach you, everyone at the temple does," Master Yoda said, "In your future, great things I see."
"Thank you, Master Yoda," Bruce said.
"Return to honor the dead, we must," Master Yoda said as he walked back to the pyre with Bruce.
"You're making friends left and right," Anakin said, "And I've only known you for two days."
"What can I say," Bruce asked, "I'm naturally charming."
"Indeed," Anakin said, "It seems we now have other problems though."
"What problems," Bruce asked.
"Our problems," Master Windu said as he walked over to them, the holographic project hovering above his projection's head.
"Come," Anakin said, "Away from prying ears."
Bruce, Anakin, and Master Windu walked away from the pyre to the edge of where the funeral was taking place.
"You made it to Mustafar," Bruce asked.
"Yes," Master Windu said, "You were right Bruce. Viceroy Gunray has fled, along with the heads of the Separatist leadership."
"What did you find," Bruce asked.
"I'll tell you what we didn't expect to find," Master Windu said, "A full-fledged droid factory."
"Still operating," Bruce asked.
"Fully," Master Windu said, "We encountered some resistance, but very lightly."
"If those are anything like the ones we discovered on Geonosis then who knows what they could have done with it," Anakin asked.
"The question we should be asking master is what have they done with it," Bruce said, "How many droids were those factories able to produce?"
"Tens of thousands an hour," Anakin said.
"If you found it still operating then what did they do with it," Bruce asked, "Tens of thousands times twenty four hours."
"They could have made millions of Super Battle Droids, Destroyers, and B1 and B2 Battle Droids," Master Windu said, "And now that they're gone…"
"They probably have enough droids to invade a small planet," Anakin said.
"They could set up somewhere among the untouched independent systems," Bruce said, "Sit back for only a few weeks, and restart their droid making program."
"If they haven't already," Anakin said, "Not to mention how many engagements we're already involved in among the Outer Rim."
"We have no idea where the Separatist leaders are," Master Windu said, "We have no idea how many droids they have. We don't know how many factories they have. We don't know how many planets are still loyal to them. We don't know what kind of fleet they have. We don't even know where to start looking."
"I other words," Bruce said as he leaned against the side wall, "We're back at square one."
"The war's not over," Anakin said.
"Not by a long shot," Master Windu said.
"We have a lot of work to do," Bruce said, "One thing the Republic needs now are more Clones."
"And more Jedi," Anakin said, "We need to step up training."
"That we do," Master Windu said before looking at Bruce, "Tomorrow, you begin training Bruce how to use the Force, how to use a lightsaber, and you need to get him into a discipline."
"Agreed," Anakin said as he looked at Bruce, "We begin as soon as you wake up tomorrow."
"I'm not afraid," Bruce said, "I'll happily begin as soon as I'm able tomorrow."
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