Chapter 10: Evesa's Story (Padawan)
*Coruscant - 24 BBY*
A flurry of yellow and blue clashed over and over again, like two unstoppable forces trying to overpower the other. One relied on brute strength. The other, finesse. Besides the duo currently dueling, a large number of bystanders sat on the surrounding benches. Whenever these two skilled padawans met in the dojo, it was hardly a sight to be missed. One was knowledgeable in all forms of combat. The other was the Chosen One. The two opponents had this unspoken competition within the sparring room since their first duel four years ago. However, outside of the dojo, they had grown to be good friends.
At the moment, it seemed the blue blade-wielder had the upper hand but it would be unwise to count his opponent out. Being seventeen, his strength had increased tenfold since their first duel. Back then, she was able to easily defeat him. Her photographic memory made it easy for her to learn all forms of lightsaber combat and her persistent ambition gave her the drive to practice them all tirelessly for years. Although he was physically stronger than her, she had the skillset to counteract and challenge him in a way no other padawan seemed to.
After another series of brutal attacks from Anakin, Evesa's stamina was beginning to wane. She needed to figure out a match-ending move and she needed to execute it soon. Evesa and Anakin locked eyes as they began to circle each other, both panting from their ongoing exercise. Evesa looked over his shoulder when she caught a familiar face in the large crowd occupying the benches. Her brother was sitting in the second row with an inquisitive expression on his face, clearly using his Force empath abilities to get a read on the two duelers. When he noticed his sister looking at him, he nodded with an encouraging smile. He knew she could beat him, he had seen it many times before. Whenever he was not off-world with Master Plo, he watched most of her training and sparring sessions. Even though she was now eighteen years old, and he was twenty, he would always support her in the parental way he did when they were children living in Lower Coruscant.
Keeping a sharp eye on her opponent, Evesa took a deep breath. Not to help catch her breath, but to help calm her mind. Although it had been eight years since Master Qui-Gon's death, she still remembered and cherished his last words of wisdom to her; "It is important to mediate on the Force and train in the Jedi arts. You have to calm this…" Her mind. "Before you can fight with these." Her hands and her lightsaber.
Master Qui-Gon was right about stressing the importance of utilizing one's mind to fight instead of just relying on physical prowess and that is what Anakin usually lacked. He depended on his brute strength and competitive edge to win a match, unlike Evesa who took the time to study her opponent's fighting style during combat and adjusted her fighting style mid-fight. She realized Anakin's combat form solely focused around Form V which heavily relied upon counterattacks to gain the upper hand. So how does one disarm someone who relies on counterattacks? Use Form III, a highly defensive form of combat. Evesa knew Anakin was impatient and he would eventually get tired of her playing defense, which played right into her trap. The other weakness of Form V was the lack of mobility it inflicted upon the user, at least until the wielder becomes more skilled. Anakin was a fast learner and it was only a matter of time until he mastered Form V. When that day arrived, she would have to get really creative to defeat him. But until then, she would wait and frustrate her opponent until he makes a costly brash attack. That will be the moment she changes to Form IV which utilizes a quick torrent of lightsaber strikes aimed to take advantage of his lowered defenses and bring this battle to a swift conclusion.
Just as anticipated, Anakin sensed her mind was in deep thought and he took that as an opportunity to catch her off guard. Unfortunately for him, she was aware of his intentions. As he suddenly lurched forward and attempted to disarm her, she swiftly dodged his attack and effortlessly performed a rush of acrobatic strikes that discombobulated him enough that when she landed behind him, she was able to easily disarm him and knock him to the ground thus ending the duel. A loud hush came over the crowd of onlookers as they began discussing what they just witnessed.
Evesa pointed her blade down to him, "You are beaten."
"I still don't think you can just switch combat styles mid-fight. It doesn't seem fair." Anakin scoffed, wiping the sweat off his brow.
Evesa playfully rolled her eyes, "Oh please, it's not like I'm using Trakata. That's the forbidden technique." She retracted her blade and offered him a hand, "Besides, if you spent more time studying other combat styles then you too could shift your fighting techniques mid-duel." She pulled him up to his feet with a grunt, "It would certainly make this more of a challenge for me."
"Okay, okay, I get it." He snipped, but thanked her for helping him up, "You jump around so much I can't figure out what your go-to combat style is."
Evesa smirked, wiping away the loose strands of hair sticking to her sweaty face, "Want to know a secret? It's Form VI."
"Nimam? That's the one with a little bit of everything, isn't it?"
"Oh, so you do know the different forms of combat?" She teased.
"Reading it. Studying it. Practicing it. All are different steps." He chuckled as he watched her clip her lightsaber hilt to her belt, "I'm still on step one."
"At least you're honest. And since we're being honest." She used the Force to pick up his lightsaber and handed it to him with a sincere smile, "Once you master Form V and begin to practice other forms, you're going to be a difficult opponent to beat. I can feel the raw power of the Force flowing through you when you fight. Once you learn to control it, you'll be unstoppable. I give it another year or so and then you'll have the winning record, not me."
Anakin laughed, "Oh come on, Eve. Don't start getting sentimental on me now." He playfully punched her arm. They quieted down when they spotted their masters approaching them.
"Well done you two. You put on quite the show." Kenobi smiled, looking around the room as the bystanders began to shuffle out of the dojo.
"Thank you, Master Kenobi." Evesa bowed her head respectfully, Anakin doing the same beside her.
"I am very impressed with how you analyzed Padawan Skywalker's techniques and adjusted accordingly." Master Sember Vey proudly smiled at her padawan, clearly pleased by her performance, "Your acrobatic skills have improved greatly. You certainly have been practicing."
"Thank you, Master Vey." Evesa respectfully bowed her head to her master.
Sember thoughtfully regarded her, "Perhaps it's time to introduce you to Jar'Kai. You duel with an elegance and fluidity that would compliment the method nicely."
"Two lightsabers? I'm in!" She excitedly pumped her fist, giving Anakin a high-five when he lifted his hand to congratulate her.
"Ahem." Master Vey cleared her throat, a stern expression on her face.
Evesa cringed, "Sorry, I meant-yes, Master Vey. Thank you, Master Vey." Her guilty expression changed to one of sincerity as she bowed her head to her master once more.
Master Vey rolled her dark eyes with a smile, "Just when I think you're growing up, you remind me of how young you still are."
"Growing up doesn't have to mean I'm not allowed to celebrate my achievements. Life is such a fragile equilibrium, so if anything, shouldn't I relish these moments even more?" She quipped in response, a twinkle of playfulness in her eyes.
Master Vey smirked at her padawan, remembering how compliant she was four years ago when she first began her apprenticeship. She had such a strong desire to please her master, she would absorb every word that came out of her mouth without questioning it. Now, she had grown up to be a confident and thought provoking, yet still respectful, Jedi Padawan. Her brilliant mind and dedication is what drew Master Vey to Evesa many years ago. Being an academic herself, Master Vey spent most of her time in the field collecting artifacts and ancient texts for the Jedi Archives. Given Evesa's Force gift of a beyond average photographic memory, the Padawan had proven herself to be quite useful in the field. The downside of artifact hunting was the negligible need of a lightsaber which is why Master Vey focused heavily on Evesa's lightsaber training whenever they were at the Temple in between assignments.
"Your tendency to manipulate the Jedi texts to your benefit is showing again. Perhaps a little meditation after you wash up will do you some good." Sember kindly reprimanded.
Evesa's expression slightly deflated, "Yes, Master." She waved goodbye to Obi-Wan and Anakin as she exited the dojo with her master. The duo made their way to the dormitory wing of the Temple, chatting about Evesa's performance during the duel. Although Master Vey hardly used her lightsaber, she was quite proficient in her abilities to wield the blade. She was a Jedi Master after all. Listening to her master's feedback, Evesa was mentally noting every pro and con into the brilliant databanks of her mind. She would use these notes later when she trained, doing everything she could to improve herself because in her mind, if she was not improving, she was regressing.
Once they arrived at the Padawan corridor, Master Vey smiled at her apprentice, "You did good today, Evesa. I am quite proud of your quick improvements and I look forward to seeing how you'll surpass my expectations next time. But until then…" She pulled out a small black box out of her robes and handed it to Evesa, "Happy Birthday, my little shadow."
Evesa's chest constricted upon hearing the old nickname Master Vey used to call her when she first became her padawan. Aside from obediently listening to her master's every word, she was also practically glued to her master's side, so much so, she had the tendency to unintentionally mimic her master's body language and visual cues. What made it even more uncanny was Evesa's strange ability to go unnoticed, almost as if she disappeared from not only sight, but even those with Force-sensitivity could not sense her temporarily. On several occasions, Evesa had accidentally scared Master Vey when this happened when she was younger. It was as if Evesa momentarily became a ghost or…a shadow. At first, Evesa was not aware of when or how she was doing it but over the years, she had learned to control it. Even though she never used this perplexing gift, she had no reason to, Master Vey always kept this strange ability in the back of her mind. There was an opportunity she wanted to offer to her padawan when the time was right.
Evesa curiously opened the box, her expression a bit perplexed when she saw a necklace clasp. Sember soft laughed, "I noticed the clasp on your mother's necklace was beginning to weaken. I would hate for you to lose it if the clasp broke and it fell off during one of our adventures. I know how special it is to you."
Evesa's eyes began to mist over, "This is incredibly thoughtful, Master. Thank you."
"There's something else." Her master nudged the box closer to Evesa, "Look closely, what do you see?"
Evesa lifted the box up until it was a couple inches from her nose, gasping when she noticed the small Jedi Order crest engraved into the sides of the clasp.
"Now your past and your present can become one. And as for your future…" Sember pulled out a data disk and handed it to her padawan, "I want you to read this before meditating. Contemplate what this would mean for you and your current path. Let the Force guide your thoughts."
"What is it?" She stared at the disk with wide eyes.
"You'll see. One last thing…" Sember gently closed the small black box in Evesa's hand, "With your permission, I would like to take your necklace to get fixed with the new clasp while you wash up and mediate. When you are done, meet me at the front entrance of the Temple and I will return it to you."
Evesa hesitated. She had never parted from her beloved necklace since her father gave it to her fourteen birthdays ago. But she was a Jedi and learning to let go was an integral part of their philosophy. Besides, she trusted Master Vey with her life. Surely she did not need to worry about something happening to her mother's necklace while in the hands of her current mother-figure. Evesa pulled the necklace out of her robes, she usually kept it tucked inside for safe keeping, and unclasped it. She handed it over to her master, noticing the small, yet proud, smile on her lips. Immediately Evesa realized this was a test in letting go of something near and dear to her heart.
"Did I pass?" She smirked.
"I had no doubt that you would." Her master retorted. The duo bid farewell and once Evesa stepped into her room, she immediately undressed and headed for the refresher, eager to wash the sweat from the duel off of her.
As talented as she was with studying and artifact hunting with her master, deep down she had a soft spot for lightsaber training. She enjoyed the adrenaline rush it gave her and the artistry of the duel reminded her of a dance. Some "dancers" were powerful, like Anakin, while others were more elegant, like Yexi. Unlike when she reread something in the Jedi Archives, the dance of every duel was different, forcing her to adapt to her opponent. It was more mentally stimulating to her, like a living puzzle, which forced her to better herself. And that was the goal of a padawan right? To better oneself.
Evesa got dressed in her compression shorts and bandeau, not feeling quite ready to put on all the layers of her Jedi robes just yet. Her dark auburn hair was still damp and she hated it when water dripped on her robes. While her long wavy locks dried, she decided to sit on her ottoman to prepare for meditation. She sat cross-legged with her data pad and the data disk her master had given to her, inserting the disk into her tablet with intrigue. She was surprised to find a message from her master. It started off with Master Vey wishing her a happy eighteenth birthday, recalling the fond memories they shared over the last four years, and how proud Sember was of Evesa. Then it got even more intriguing; Master Vey wrote about the Council of First Knowledge and how they oversaw the curriculum of the Temple and the Order's Jedi Archives. Evesa had read about the Council of First Knowledge a while ago and was familiar with how their main focus was to acquire guidance on matters requiring ancient Jedi wisdom. Master Vey reported to them quite often before and after their Jedi artifact hunting adventures. Evesa was confused as to why her master would take the time to write about something they were both familiar with, but as she continued reading, she discovered why. Master Vey went on to elaborate more about a secret division of Jedi investigators who reported directly to the Council of First Knowledge called Jedi Shadows; they were Jedi Sentinels who specifically trained in stealth and infiltration with the specialized task of searching and destroying all things connected to the Sith.
The letter concluded with Master Vey recognizing key abilities in Evesa that would make her an ideal candidate for a future Jedi Shadow and proposing the idea of redirecting Evesa's training to focus more on that path. Just as she suggested in the corridor, her master asked her to mediated on this decision.
Evesa put the data pad down and let out the breath she did not realize she had been holding. A Jedi Shadow? This would allow her to continue her artifact hunting except she would be searching for Sith artifacts to destroy, not Jedi artifacts to preserve. This would utilize her scholarly abilities while also giving her the mental stimulation from being in more dangerous environments and a higher probability to use her lightsaber skills. The thought alone made her heart flutter in excitement. But something else caught her attention; Jedi Shadows were Jedi Sentinels. She rarely heard the word "Jedi Sentinel" ever spoken in the Temple since most Jedi Sentinels don't call the Jedi Temple their home. They typically work and live among the citizens of the galaxy as opposed to their Jedi Guardian and Jedi Consular counterparts. The only reason why Evesa knew so much about them was because of Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan. Eight years ago, Evesa showed her new lightsaber to the duo and they had suggested she could be a Jedi Sentinel which ignited a flame of interest in Evesa who spent the next several rotations reading about the lives and philosophies of a Jedi Sentinel. Perhaps they were right?
Evesa glanced around her room and nostalgically smiled at her personal collection of artifacts she accumulated throughout her adventures with Master Vey. Her collectables were nothing like the ancient artifacts her and her master sought to find, they were keepsakes from the people they met along the way. She had a couple stuffed toys and several colorful drawings from children she got to know during their extended stays in the field. The children wanted to give her these gifts so she would always remember them, even though she knew she could never forget them anyway. She also had a decent collection of books, actual hardcover books-not data disks, on her shelf. Nowadays, it was a rarity to stumble upon paper, let alone an actual book filled with paper pages. While exploring in more primitive parts of the galaxy, they came across villages that possessed their own types of library filled with these paper books. These small village libraries was where Evesa discovered not all books were written for scholarly purposes, but for leisure. Her mind was completely blown away when she started reading books about heroes versus villains battling for the fate of their world, princes and princesses falling in love, and many other stories she learned were called "fiction". Upon leaving these villages, the elders of the tribes gifted her a generous amount of these fictional books and Evesa had been reading them every night since then.
Over the last four years, Evesa had come to cherish the time she spent living among the people of the galaxy. She enjoyed returning home to the Temple on Coruscant, mostly because she would see her friends and get a lot of lightsaber training, but she also felt a tinge of sadness upon her return. Perhaps she suffered from wanderlust since she was born and raised on Coruscant. But there was something else besides her desire to travel. She was not sure how to put it in words but to her, the Jedi Temple felt like a home base rather than a home.
With a deep breath, she closed her eyes and began meditating on these emotions. As she worked through her experiences and the feelings they provoke, she slowly released her attachment to these emotions. Being that today was her birthday, she tended to have more underlying emotions bubble up than normal given its tragic connection to her past. After an hour of meditation, she was filled with the peace and serenity only the Force could gift her with. Her brother must have been meditating from his room as well because shortly after she awoke, he sent her a message. Evem and Evesa always had a strong connection but the older they got and the more they trained with the Force, their bond was stronger than ever.
Evesa picked up her comlink and listened to her brother's message; telling her he has a birthday surprise for her, to meet him at the front entrance of the Temple, and wear something nice and "non-Jedi". She was perplexed because the only clothes in her closet were different variations of Jedi robes and whatever clothes the villagers from her adventures gifted her. She did not own anything nice according to Upper Coruscant standards. She did not need to worry for long because as soon as she opened her closet, she found what she could only assume was a birthday gift. It was a beautiful mid-length, sleeveless dark blue dress with a low v-neckline with an even lower v-cut in the back. The torso was form fitting but the skirt of the dress flared out a bit at the waist. The outfit was completed with matching dark blue heels and a black leather jacket with a secret inside pocket to hide her lightsaber in. She immediately knew this gift was from Yexi, it far too stylish to be picked out by her brother. Feeling a wave of excitement wash over her, she got dressed in record time. She ditched her typical intricate braid and went for a simple half-up half-down style, tucking her padawan braid into her hairdo to avoid unwanted attention. After a couple of touches of makeup, she tucked her lightsaber into her jacket, grabbed her comlink and identification card along with a handful of credits, and she was on her way to the Temple entrance.
When she arrived, she spotted her brother, her best friend, and her master conversing at the top of the staircase. The group greeted her with smiles and plenty of birthday well-wishes. Evesa thanked Yexi for the wonderful outfit, admiring her friend's stunning ensemble as well. When Evesa asked Yexi where she bought their outfits, it turned out she actually sewed them herself. Evesa made a mental note to ask her friend to show her how to make her own clothes later. Unlike the rest of the group, Master Vey was wearing the same Jedi robes she wore earlier, making it known she was not going to embark upon whatever adventure the group of padawans were planning to enjoy tonight. The Jedi Master handed Evesa the small black box she took earlier, opening it to reveal Evesa's necklace. The padawan gasped in amazement when she not only saw the new clasped attached, but her master had also cleaned up and polished the necklace back to its former glory. Just as a mother-figure would do, Sember carefully placed the necklace around her padawan's neck and clasped it in place. Evesa thanked her profusely and gave her an unwarranted hug, but her master did not seem to mind the show of affection. When they pulled apart, Evem offered his arm to his sister, "Shall we go? Our dinner reservations await."
Evesa took his arm, "Where are we going?"
"It's a surprise. It's one of the most sought after restaurants on Coruscant." He grinned as he offered his other arm to Yexi who eagerly obliged, her childhood crush on Evem had only grown over time. Her brother was a handsome fellow; his dark brown hair, green-blue eyes, light dusting of freckles, chiseled facial features, tall and muscular physique, and his mature demeanor certainly entranced her. Evesa could also tell that Yexi's exotic beauty and kind-hearted personality had caught her brother's attention as well. Perhaps in another life, they would not be Jedi and would allow themselves to fall in love, maybe even marry. But just as every Jedi who pledged themselves to the Jedi Code was well aware of, romantic relationships were forbidden.
The group bid farewell and goodnight to Master Vey before descending the Temple staircase. Evesa spotted a classy-looking speeder parked in front, recognizing it from the Temple's collection. The trio climbed in, with Evem in the driver seat, and they were off to join the rest of the bustling traffic rush of Coruscant. They excitedly chatted with one another during their commute, cherishing the rare moment of all three being on Coruscant at the same time. Now that they were all padawans, it was almost guaranteed at least one of them would be off-world at any given time. It was as if the galaxy had gifted them this extraordinary occurrence for a reason and they were not going to waste it.
"So how did you convince our masters to let us out for the night?" Evesa asked Evem, fighting to keep her hair in place as the wind of the speeder relentlessly blew it around.
"Well, Master Plo trusts me and he has faith in our abilities to behave appropriately. He was able to convince Master Vey and Master Ti, although I suspect they're treating this more like a trial to see if we're capable of being responsible on our own."
"If there's anyone we should be worried about misbehaving, it's the birthday girl." Yexi playfully nudged Evesa's shoulder.
"Oh come on, I'm responsible!" She responded, sounding appalled by the accusation.
"I don't know, I remember the dining hall incident when you and I were younglings-"
"That was one time! I was defending your honor!" Evesa interrupted, her cheeks growing warm as she recalled the incident.
"Oh I remember because that's how I got roped into it too." Yexi raised an irritated eyebrow at her best friend, "That was the first and only time I was reprimanded as a youngling."
"Admit it, though. You enjoyed it." Evesa teasing poked her friend in the side, eliciting a giggle.
Yexi could not help but crack a small smile, "Maybe a little."
"What was this dining hall incident?" Evem frowned, casting a quick glance of disapproval in their direction.
"You don't know?!" Yexi gasped.
Evesa quickly clamped a hand over her friend's mouth, "And he never will!"
The two girls laughed, the sound warming Evem's heart. Hearing his sister's wholehearted laugh always brought a smile to his face, but also hearing Yexi's delicate laugh made his heart flutter for a different reason. Having Force-gifted empath abilities made it easy for Evem to sense Yexi's affinity toward him since they were children but he never thought of her anything other than his sister's best friend. But that quickly changed when they grew up and she blossomed into the lovely, warmhearted, thoughtful woman she was today. They both understood how their attraction to each other could not develop into anything romantic though, they were devote followers of the Jedi Code. Perhaps that was the downside of being a strict rule-follower.
Even before Evem parked the speeder, Evesa knew exactly where they were eating. Despite not venturing to Level 2046 since her fifth birthday, she remembered this place as if she was here yesterday. It was engrained into her photographic memory. Although thirteen years had passed since they were last here, the neighborhood looked almost the same. The buildings may seem a little more worn down and the types of vendors in the marketplace were different, but the one thing that would never change was the cozy feeling of seeing the infamous "Desi's Noodles" neon sign brilliantly illuminating the dark Lower Coruscant night. The trio gapped at the infinite line of customers waiting for a table, but fortunately for them, they knew the owner. Evem could sense Yexi's anxiety as they walked past the long line, being the rule follower that she was, she must feel bad for seemingly cutting in line. He gently place his hand on the small of her back and guided her forward, sensing her uneasiness melt away at his touch.
As they approached the front of the line, a familiar looking Sullustan perked up when he noticed them. "Oh my Force, my old eyes must be playing tricks on me. Is that who I think it is?" He waddled over to them, noticing how he had to look up at the grown-up children he once knew. "You're so tall now. Both of you. My, my, how long has it been kiddos?"
"Thirteen years to the day." Evesa smiled, holding back tears of joy. "Did you miss us?"
Desi chuckled, "You said that the last time you were here and the answer hasn't changed in thirteen years." The two lovingly embraced, "Of course I missed you, kiddo. Happy Birthday Evie."
After they broke the embrace, Evem bent down to give him a hug, "Looks like business is doing better than ever, Desi. Any chance you can squeeze us in for some dinner?"
"Your father used to say the exact same thing." He chuckled, "And as I always told your father, you will always have a table here. No reservations needed." Desi glanced past the siblings and stared at the exotic beauty standing behind them, "And who is this lovely young woman?"
Evesa excitedly grabbed her friend's hand and pulled her toward the group, "This is Yexi, she's my best friend. We grew up in the Temple together."
"Well, any friend of the Anful siblings is a friend of mine." He gently shook her hand as they exchanged pleasantries. He beckoned the group to follow him inside and, per tradition, he led them to his best table. "I always leave this table open on this day just in case you two showed up and it finally paid off."
The siblings regretfully apologized for not visiting sooner but Desi quickly dismissed their apologies, he understood how the studies and discipline of being in the Order would make it difficult to visit. He did not take it personally, he was just happy they were here now. While the food was being prepared, Desi eagerly went into the kitchen for a surprise. The siblings figured it was a birthday cake, like he had done in previous years, but they were surprised when he returned with a gorgeous nineteen year old female Twi'lek. At first they were perplexed by this but one look in those familiar dark green eyes triggered the memory of an old friend…Sheva Loss. The old friends happily embraced and Sheva joined the table. She quickly caught them up on what she has been up to since following Evem's advice by taking up Desi's offer to feed and shelter herself and Cemath. Over the last thirteen years, Sheva had developed a passion for the culinary arts so thanks to Desi's mentoring, she was the new head chef at Desi's Noodles.
Just as the siblings were about to divulge on what they have been up to since they joined the Order, a strapping twenty-one year old male Twi'lek entered the restaurant. They knew exactly who it was, his radiant cobalt blue skin and kind brown eyes were recognizable from across the room. Cemath Ertul. Upon seeing their special guests, he enthusiastically ran up to them and scooped them up into a suffocating hug. Evesa almost forgot how amazing his hugs made her feel and how mesmerizing his brown eyes were. Without waiting for an invite, he joined the table and introduced himself to Yexi. Evesa studied Sheva's expression as Cemath briefly chatted with Yexi, no doubt trying to make her feel comfortable and included among the group of old friends. Evesa remembered how jealous Sheva used to get when Cemath would give a little more attention to another female and, from the subtle envious looks Sheva was expressing, nothing had changed.
As Cemath talked about the new security company he managed in Upper Coruscant, Evesa glanced around the table. She was surrounded by loved ones; friends, family, and found-family. She could not be any happier, yet her heart still ached for those who were missing from the table, specifically her parents. Evem must have felt her mood shift because all of a sudden he subtly gave her hand a gentle squeeze of reassurance underneath the table. Just how he used to squeeze their father's hand whenever he sensed his uneasiness. Evesa smiled at her beloved brother and squeezed his hand back, letting him know she was alright. They returned their focus back to the conversation at hand just as Sheva pointed at the trio of Jedi, "So if you're all Jedi Padawans, aren't you supposed to have some sort of braid?"
Evesa voluntarily showed her hidden braid, promptly tucking it back inside her hairdo to hide it. Evem was next as he lifted the dapper hat on his head to reveal the braid tucked into his cap. All eyes were on Yexi as she simply turned around and pointed out the string of silka beads attached to her intricate headband.
"Don't Padawans also carry lightsabers?" Cemath asked, his brown eyes filled with intrigue.
As if rehearsed, the three Jedi subtly opened the fronts of their jackets wide enough so they could show off their weapons without anyone else noticing.
"So now that you're all Jedi-in-training, does that mean you have superpowers and can move things with your mind?" Desi inquired as he began to clean up their empty plates.
The trio laughed but Evem took the lead on explaining how the Force worked and debunking the notion they had superpowers. When the friends asked to see them use the Force to move things around the restaurant, they declined by saying they were disciplined to not wield the Force as if it was some party trick. The group continued talking into the evening, but the trio of padawans eventually decided it was time to head out. After thanking Desi for a wonderful dinner and bidding him goodbye, the group left the restaurant with Sheva and Cemath.
"You don't have a curfew, do you?" Sheva questioned as they all strolled to their parked speeders.
"Technically, yes, but our masters granted us a later curfew for tonight due to the circumstances." Evem tentatively glanced at the chronos on his wrist, "Why do you ask?"
A playfully wicked smile crossed Sheva's face, "There's this new cantina that just opened up on Upper Coruscant. What's it called, Cemath?"
"79s. My company helped set up their security systems and we rented them a few security droids." Cemath checked his own chronos, "It's usually pretty busy by this time of night but I'm on their VIP list as thanks for the work we've done for them. I can get us in if you're interested?" He expectantly eyed the group, waiting for an answer.
Evem hesitated, "Uh, I don't know about that. Padawans drinking alcohol is typically frowned upon in the Order-"
"Why?" Sheva defiantly placed her hand on hip, "You're all eighteen or older, right? That's the legal drinking age on Coruscant so what's the problem?"
"It's not an issue of age, it's in regards to our beliefs as Jedi." Yexi calmly rebutted, her masterful diplomatic tactics at work.
"Okay?" As always, an annoyed expression crossed Sheva's face whenever someone contradicted her, "So what I'm hearing is they disapprove of you drinking but it's not actually against the rules?"
"Technically she has a point." Evesa chimed in.
"I don't think it would be wise, Eve." Yexi gently coaxed her friend to reconsider.
"I say we let the birthday girl decide." Sheva countered, crossing her arms.
Evesa hesitated, contemplating her friends' words, "How about we compromise? We'll go with you to 79s for a little bit but we won't be drinking tonight. Deal?" She offered with a hopeful smile.
After a brief debate, everyone agreed. About twenty minutes later, the group strolled up to the trendy cantina and stepped inside without having to wait in the never-ending line of patrons waiting to get in, all thanks to Cemath's VIP status. The intense smell of alcohol burned through the padawans' senses and Evem immediately started getting a headache from all the different emotions he was sensing. Although he was skilled in turning his Force-gift off and on at will, sometimes he got overwhelmed in certain environments and it took a bit more focus to block everyone out. Evesa was in a similar situation, her over-stimulated mind was racing as her eyes erratically scanned around the large two-story cantina filled to maximum capacity.
Thanks to Cemath's connections, they were quickly escorted to a large booth along the railing on the second story, giving them a decent view of the crowd below them. Feeling slightly relieved they were no longer forced to push through the dense crowd of customers drinking and dancing on the bottom level of the cantina, the trio of padawans instinctively checked to make sure nothing was pickpocketed off of them. Shortly after being seated, a pretty Twi'lek waitress was introducing herself to them and taking drink orders; two alcoholic drinks for the Twi'leks and three nonalcoholic drinks for the padawans. Cemath was not kidding about the VIP treatment because the waitress returned a couple minutes later with their drink order and thus began an interesting round of conversation.
Since Evesa and Evem had not seen their friends in thirteen years, they never witnessed their behavior while under the influence of alcohol. As it turned out, Sheva was far more pleasant to converse with when she had a drink in her hand. Her typical defensive, jealous attitude was completely washed away after one drink and a confident and cheerful woman was now laughing and joking at the table. Cemath on the other hand was pretty much the same as always; cheerful, tactful, friendly…perhaps too friendly with the alcohol though.
A few more rounds of drinks later, Cemath slung a friendly arm around Evesa's shoulders and began commenting on how nice it was to see her again and how beautiful she was, making her cheeks grow warm. No one else seemed to hear him though as they were deep in their own conversation. Evesa politely thanked him and exchanged a couple friendly compliments about him as well, he had grown up to be quite handsome himself. He was pleased at hearing her kind words, his wide grin beaming as he finished off another drink.
"So…" He gestured his head toward Evem and Yexi who were sitting a lot closer now than when they first sat down, "What's their story?"
"Story? There's no story to tell. They're just friends." Evesa waved her hand nonchalantly.
"I've been watching their body language all night, there's definitely something going on between them." He chuckled mischievously, "When a handsome guy like Evem and a stunning beauty like Yexi are friends with that kind of chemistry, they're definitely more than 'just friends'."
Evesa glanced over at her brother and best friend, noticing how Evem's arm was casually resting along the back of the booth and how Yexi was ever so slightly leaning into him. Evesa was very much aware of their feelings toward each other, and she kind of felt bad for them because she knew they could never truly be together unless they left the Order. She watched as Evem leaned down and whispered something in Yexi's ear that made her laugh, making his smile grow. The two of them would steal glances at each other and share these knowing looks whenever they had similar thoughts about something that was just said. Evesa had never experienced the sensation of falling in love but she could see what it looked like when she watched those two together. She never really thought about falling in love herself but a coveted part of her wished someday she would find someone who looked at her the same way her brother looked at Yexi. Someone she could share special moments with and laugh about the silly little things with. It all sounded so wonderful…and forbidden.
"Coruscant to Evesa. Do you read me?" Cemath waved a hand in front of her face to snap her out of her daze.
"I'm sorry, what?" She blinked up at him.
"You okay? You kinda zoned out on me for a bit." He laughed as her cheeks turned pink in embarrassment.
"I'm okay, just got lost in thought." She let out a small yawn, "And I'm pretty tired. Lots of lightsaber training earlier and it kinda wore me out."
Cemath's eyes softened, "Did you wanna leave? I'm sure you have a lot going on tomorrow and you probably wanna get some rest."
Evesa nodded, "Yes but I've had a wonderful time, though. We should get together more often. I miss this." She smiled up into his handsome face, staring into those captivating brown eyes of his.
He wholeheartedly agreed with her, his smile growing at the idea of seeing her again. Cemath offered to pay for everyones drinks, not taking no for an answer, and once the tabs were settled they all headed outside. Evem and Evesa exchanged com codes with Sheva and Cemath so they could keep in touch and hopefully plan another outing sooner than thirteen years. After a friendly round of goodnights, they went their separates ways.
As the trio headed toward their speeder, the numerous billboard screens that flooded the Upper Coruscant skyline suddenly turned to the local news station with the breaking news that another planet, Geonosis, had withdrawn from the Republic and sided with Count Dooku's Confederacy of Independent Systems. Everyone on the sidewalk had stopped to watch the news report, countless whispers of concerned citizens flooding the padawans' senses. The group hurried to their speeder and quickly departed for the Jedi Temple. This was the seventh planet to leave the Republic since the Separatist Crisis began, not to mention the numerous amounts of other star systems threatening to withdraw as well.
While they sped through traffic, their typically lighthearted conversations turned serious as they continued discussing the current political issues regarding the growing number of star systems who were planning on breaking away from the Galactic Republic. Evem mentioned how the recently elected Senator Padme Amidala, along with Senator Bail Organa and Senator Mon Mothma, were taking initiatives to compromise with those threatening to leave the Republic but to no avail.
Hearing about the former-queen of Naboo always left a sour taste in Evesa's mouth ever since the events of the Naboo Crisis. It brought back the memories of the Confederation's blockade and siege of Naboo which prompted Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan's involvement. The same situation that forced Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan to face off with a Sith Lord on Naboo, the fateful duel that costed Qui-Gon his life. All of those events occurred under Queen Amidala's rule and she held a slight bitterness towards her for that. She knew it was foolish to hold a grudge against a person who was not truly at fault, but so much instability had risen across the galaxy since the Battle of Naboo. There were even rumors going around about a new Military Creation Act currently being drafted in the Galactic Senate. Many citizens across the Galactic Republic were concerned about the repercussions this bill would bring if it were to pass in the Senate. Some conspiracists even predicted a great war was on the horizon. This made Evesa wonder how this would impact their future as Jedi. They were trained to be peacekeepers. What would become of them if a great war did break out?
A/N: Debating if I should return to the present timeline with the Bad Batch (it's been a while) or just power through to the inevitable...the Clone Wars. I'm really excited because this is where a lot of the big plot points are going to start coming into play. I'm sure a lot of readers have wondered "when will this story really begin?" and yes, most of this story has been exposition but I promise it was necessary (you'll see!). Thank you for reading and I wish everyone a wonderful weekend! :)