It was like staring in a mirror. I mean, if I wasn't baby faced me, but the original me from before the car wreck, plus a few years. It was the second most disorienting feeling of my life, just barely behind finding out I was a newborn. He looked to be about 6'7" at least, but that could have been exaggerated by the armour he was wearing.
I sat there just staring at him, wondering what the heck was going on until my brain finally restarted itself, and I realized that holy shit that's a damn Mandalorian, I woke up in Star Wars!
Rational me tried to reason out what I was seeing, like maybe this was just a fever dream and I actually was laying in a real hospital after the accident I had. But as the seconds ticked by I started leaning toward this being real. Most of the time, when someone realizes they are probably dreaming, it ends and they wake up. That wasn't happening here. Another fact that discounted this theory was the level of detail in the room and on the two other people occupying it with me. The average person can't just make up a brand new person in their dreams like they are playing the Sims or something. Their brain will pull images they've seen such as from television or people they've actually met. Or, if it does try to make a whole new, original person, their features fluctuate or are murky due to the lack of details. This could explain my doppelganger, but the nurse was completely unfamiliar to me. And the bells and whistles on these machines, as well as the complex characters of the language they were displaying were far past the skills of my imagination.
Nope, it definitely looked like I'd been transported into the world of Star Wars. It also explained that strange calmness from earlier. I must have touched the Force for the first time. I'm Force sensitive? Under normal circumstances I'd be beyond excited. I'm one of the biggest fans of George Lucas's creation, and would give anything to live in it. But, I'd probably have some trepidation if I knew I'd be reincarnated as an infant with a 20-year-old brain. But, I digress.
And then, with no warning whatsoever, I'm being engulfed by gigantic gloved hands and hoisted out of my bed. Now I know why small people hate being manhandled.
Before I know it I'm being carried out of the room and down a long hall by the 'other me'. I'm finally able to make out a doorway we are heading to with a symbol over it that seems to match the language that was being displayed on my monitors. Since I assumed we are in a hospital, I figure the character above the door acts as a room number.
We walk in and see what looks like a recreation of the delivery room that Obi-Wan took Padme to on Polis Masa, and on the operating bed laid a woman with black hair who looked like she'd just run a marathon. And by the smile on her face it looked like she had won and I was the first place trophy.
While she didn't look like my mother, or my first mother I guess, she did look like she could be related to her. Close enough that I figured between her and the mandalorian who looked like my twin, I'd look pretty close to how I did before when I grow up. As my 'dad' handed me off to my new 'mother', she uttered something. A name, my new name, and in that moment I knew I was starting a totally new life.
"Tyris. My little Tyris Kelborn."
As my parents took me home, time seemed to speed up. I don't know if it was my mind trying to preserve my sanity, or if it was the Force stepping in to aid me along. It didn't seem like the latter because I wasn't having that serene feeling I got back in the NICU. It also explained why I didn't remember the actual birth. I would have gone insane before I even realized what the hell was happening.
It almost seemed like I was making jumps through my life. Weeks would pass in the blink of an eye, but I would remember everything that happened. As the days went by, I began to learn more and more about my family and what part of the Star Wars timeline I was in.
My father, Rhydis Kelborn, was the last in a very long line of Mandalorian warriors from the clan Kelborn. It took me a while to realize why the clan name sounded so familiar. Kelborn was the name of Canderous's second in command during the events of KOTOR 2. I thought that was pretty cool.
My mother, Brinna, never talked about her lineage or anything like that. I was able to determine that we currently reside on Nar Shadda. But, based on the size of our home and the cleanliness of everything I've seen, we must live in one of the wealthier districts. Apparently my dad lead a small combat team that sold it services, and did very well considering my current digs. He wasn't around very much though.
Weeks would go by with just my mom and I. She seemed to serve in some kind of accountant/secretary role for the team. She handled the finances and made sure every member got paid, as well as taking calls and making 'appointments'. The mundaneness of the word belied just want my dad did. I don't really know what that is exactly, but I'm positive it's not nice, nor strictly legal.
However, the times he was home, he was good to the both of us. He'd take us out to nice dinners and play with me when he had the time. I played up the toddler act during these times. But sometimes, I'd forget myself. I'd say a sentence that no 2 year old would ever say. Hell, how many 2 year olds talk in sentences at all? My parents would do a double take, and either laugh or look at me with pride, most likely thinking how their kid was so much smarter than their friends' children. I honestly didn't know how to feel in these moments. They were nice people, and took great care of me, but once you have one set of parents, especially for two decades, it's hard to look at anyone else the same way.
After a while, dad would be gone for longer and longer. He hired more members to the team, moved us into a bigger apartment, and looked like he was making all the right moves. But he looked like a husk whenever he was home. It looked like he wasn't eating right, and he was always tired. Something was wrong, and my mom was worrying herself sick trying to help him.
Then, one day, he left for the last time. It was just like any other time. Then days turned to weeks, turned to months. Ten of them, actually. FInally, one of the guys from the team returned, carrying my dad's S-5 Heavy Blaster. My mom was never the same.
This was one of those chunks that seemed to fly by. Something else happened though. Our money was gone. And not like we weren't making enough anymore and had spent it all, but like someone had literally drained the account of all the credits we had.
A few weeks after that, we were on the streets. The landlords of the rich apparently weren't very empathetic.
My mother did her best to keep us fed and sheltered, but she was a young woman with a little boy who had just recently turned 3. She'd take housekeeping positions and cooking jobs where she could, but nothing stuck or paid very well.
I did what I could to help. You'd be surprised how little attention is paid to a 3 year old. I'd swipe fruit from stands that weren't paying attention and take tips from restaurant tables when nobody was paying attention.
Still, none of it was helping much. We were going longer and longer without eating. My mom had lost a lot of weight and her hair had become very thin. I didn't know this woman all that well, but it was still heartbreaking seeing the difference from the energetic and bright woman from less than a year ago to now.
A little over a year past, until one day I thought my life in this universe was going to be cut short at 4 years. We hadn't eaten more than a few morsels in almost a week, and my mother had fallen ill. I couldn't see a way out of this situation. Apparently our plight was so common on this planet that we were basically invisible.
We were sitting in a back alley, and I was helping her drink from a small cup of water I was able to get from a public bathroom in a local bar that didn't really check anyone at the door.
"I'm so sorry, Tyris. This isn't the life I wanted for you, you deserve so much better," she said, though it came out very soft and weak.
I didn't know what to say, but I knew I had to do something. I knew if I could just get that feeling back from when I first arrived her, I could use the heightened senses it granted to help me pickpocket someone or something.
I was quite tall for a four year old, which was honestly unsurprising considering how tall my dad was, so I wouldn't have a problem reaching a person's pocket. The problem was I was still struggling with the dexterity required to lift something out of said pocket without alerting the target.
I came out of my musings and noticed my mother had fallen asleep. I checked to make sure she had a steady pulse and was breathing before letting out a sigh of relief. While doing this I noticed the bulge of the S-5 within the folds of her clothing. It was literally the only thing we owned, my mom unwilling to sell it and part with the last memento of her husband.
I'd thought of using it several times before to hold someone up and steal a few credits, but the gun was too large for me to point effectively and I was too small for anyone to take seriously, and I didn't know if I could bring myself to actually kill anyone yet.
I was still to small, but we were at the end of desperation. If something didn't give, neither of us were going to live.
I slowly pulled the weapon out of her clothing, making sure the safety was on so that I didn't accidently shoot either of us. When I had the pistol, I made sure the powerpack was connected and that it was still in working condition.
Alright, now it was time to go hunting.
…
…
I hate how cheesy that sounded.
I left the alleyway, awkwardly trying to hide the pistol that was much too large for me. Honestly, it felt like a small rifle in my hands. I had no idea how I was going to pull this off, but the alternative wasn't really a choice at all.
I began to look around the streets trying to figure out who I was going to rob. The trick was finding the middle ground. Someone who looks too ragged probably doesn't have anything worth taking, but someone in nice clothing who looked like they had many things worth stealing probably either had a blaster or even a body guard that tailed them.
I decided to post up in a sparsely used side alley so people didn't start wondering why there was a child just standing around with a blaster.
The minutes turned into an hour. Then two. I began to get incredibly frustrated. I couldn't find a single person that fit my criteria, and I was to afraid to go after anyone I was currently seeing.
This was it. I was gonna have to go back to my mother empty handed. We were both going to die, and I couldn't do shit about it. My second chance and I've already squandered it after 4 measly years. I couldn't believe this was happening.
And then I felt it.
The feeling from four years ago. The calming presence that was enveloping me. Only this time, it was more pronounced, and the effect amplified. My eyesight became so sharp that I was putting the new 4K resolution screens back home to shame. The constant pangs of hunger I've felt over the past year vanished. And the serenity that came with it gave me a renewed hope.
I began to re scan my surroundings, looking for a viable mark. Suddenly, I noticed a hooded figures head snap up and look in my direction, immediately heading this way.
I paid no mind to this, however, because of what I saw in the opening of his cloak when he turned my way. A grey tunic, tan pants, and shin high brown boots that looked pretty sturdy. Pretty common attire for someone living on the Smuggler's moon.
Except everything he wore was clean.
And that was most assuredly not common for those slumming it on the streets.
He continued heading this way, and I knew this was my one chance. I either made this work or went back empty handed, spelling the end of the line for my mother and me.
I tucked myself into a dark corner around the bend of the alley, trying to conceal myself in the shadows. It was late afternoon and the tall buildings cast plenty for me to choose from. I imagined myself blending in with the shadows, hoping my connection with the Force would help me remain concealed.
I could hear the footfalls of the figure approaching, and steeled myself for what was about to happen. In my mind's eye I could see the person walking towards me, and stepping around the corner.
That's when I chose to strike. I stepped out of the shadows, whipping the blaster up and holding it far steadier than a child my size had any right to, pointing it directly at the face of…. nobody.
There was nobody there.
Every fiber of my body screamed danger, everything felt wrong. And then I heard the noise. The most famous sound to come out of the Star Wars universe. And never did I think I'd be so terrified of hearing it.
Snap-hiss!
I slowly turned, knowing that my only chance was to not spook whoever just activated a damn lightsaber.
And I was never more relieved see the eerie glow of grown chasing the shadows cast by the buildings away.
"You're a little young for a stick up, aren't you?" The Jedi said with an amused tone.
I didn't even hear him, so in awe was I of who this was. The glow of the weapon illuminated the recess of his hood, and gave me full view of his face, including the small horns protruding from his forehead and the two pony tails of black hair framing his face.
Holy shit.
Holy shit fuck.
Eeth Koth smirked back at me, obviously finding my look of shock quite amusing. And then his face grew serious.
"Young one, did you see another pass through this alley? I felt a powerful presence in the…. Force…"
I completely ignored him and only slightly noticed that he was staring more intently at me. I finally got my senses back and grabbed at his hand that wasn't holding the lightsaber.
"I need your help, like now. My mother is very sick and I can't make her better, but maybe you could Master Jedi! Please, you have to help!"
Yeah, I hammed it up. I look like a 4 year old kid. I'm gonna use everything I have going for me.
The look on Koth's face turned sympathetic. "Is she far? I'm on a very important mission, but I will see what I can do to help."
Thank Christ I didn't get one of the self righteous Jedi that think themselves above the common prattle.
"She's not far, but we gotta hurry, come on!" I yelled, tugging on his sleeve and running out of the alley, retracing my steps back to where I left my mom.
I hadn't gone far, less than fifteen minutes later we were approaching the entrance to the alley that we had been living in. We passed a fruit stand, and I eyed some of the wares. The merchant eyed me right back, knowing of my history of sticky fingers. I decided to worry about it later, but Koth has other ideas.
"You look like you could use a bite to eat, and I think I wouldn't be remiss to assume that your mother could also use some food, hm?" I nodded. "Very good, why don't you go check on your mother then and I'll bring a snack for everyone and you can introduce me."
I nodded gratefully at him and turned towards the alleyway. As I was running there, though, I started hearing raised voices.
A pit formed in my stomach, and some part of me started screaming at me to hurry!
Just as I was about to round the corner, I heard the cry of a blaster.
No.
I was so close.
Not her, please not her.
I heard Koth activate his lightsaber and call out for me to wait. But I didn't. In a trance like state, I took the finals steps and rounded the corner into the alley.
The first thing I noticed was a group of what looked like Weequay and Rodians standing in the middle of the alley. They were all armed, so I assumed they were the thugs of one many Hutts that called Nar Shadda home.
At their feet, with a still smoking hole in her chest, was my mother.
The next 5 minutes were a blur.
One of them, a Weequay, noticed me at the mouth of the alley and pointed, saying, "Hey, that must be Kelborn's kid! We can't go back to Yalchundda empty handed, grab him!"
They rushed towards, intent on taking me to whoever it was that sent them after us. I didn't even notice though, I was still staring at my mother. Then a figure landed right in front of me, and all hell broke loose.
Koth started deflecting blaster bolts back into the crowd rushing at us, making sure that they only hit non lethal areas.
That wasn't good enough for me.
The calm feeling was gone, replaced by the most red hot, boiling rage I've ever felt in my life. I usually hate being angry, I hate how it feels. But this… this felt right. Justified.
In that moment, my serenity was replaced by power. More than I'd ever felt before. I knew without a doubt I was not the predator in this alleyway, and it was time to make myself known.
With a roar, I brought my blaster to bear with a fluidity that was not conducive to my lack of formal training. The weapon felt as light as a feather, and seemed to be a part of me, an extension of my rage. I didn't even blink as I pulled the trigger.
Round after round left my gun, nearly every shot finding it's mark. As the bodies began to drop, Koth looked over at me in shock.
In his surprise, he failed to notice a Rodian towards the back of a group lining up a shot on him with a long range rifle. Even in my immense rage, I had a moment of clarity that told that if that Rodian got a shot off, Koth wouldn't react in time.
No, no more. These guys wouldn't take another life. No more killing, just dying!
On instinct I dropped my blaster, thrust both my hands forward, and pushed.
A wave of Force energy was sent down the alleyway, sending the thugs flying into the back wall. Once everything settled, they all lay still.
I smirked. But, as the rage began to recede, I saw the destruction caused by what I did. And then I saw something else. On top of the pile of bodies. I couldn't comprehend what I was seeing. An emaciated body, with…. dark hair. Black hair. A woman.
My mother.
Then everything went black.
Beep.
Beep.
Beep.
My eyes snapped open.
No.
No!
I paid no attention to my surroundings, nor the beeping or the sharp pain on the side of my head. No, there was no disorientation this time when I came to. I remembered everything prior to my black out with sharp clarity. The anger, the death, calling on the Force…. My mother.
How could I could I be so careless! Was she alive? She was close to death before I, in my bloodlust, lost control and tossed her against a wall along with our attackers. The woman who raised and cared for me, even during the most terrible times, always only had my well being in mine. And I repaid that by dashing her against a wall. What kind of person does that? What kind of monster did I turn into?
As the self loathing and the anger began to churn in my gut, that feeling returned. The righteous anger. The feeling of rightness, of vindication. It was the attackers fault. I only responded in kind. The feeling of power was returning, the feeling of being able to fix things, to destroy those who have wronged me.
I should get up, go back and find those thugs. And why stop there? They were sent by a Hutt. Yalchundda. I'll kill everyone involved in this!
As my thoughts turned more and more dark, I could feel the pressure in the room rising. This power that I could command, unlimited! Right at my fingertips! No one would harm me or mine again!
"I'm so sorry, Tyris."
My mind blanked.
My mother's… voice.
"This isn't the life I wanted for you."
At first, the voice only escalated my dire mood.
They took her from me! The most precious thing in my life. For I knew she was gone. Maybe it was the power I was calling on, but I knew it. The last of my family, the last person in the universe who cared for me, was gone.
I would have my pound of flesh as recompense.
"You deserve so much better."
And then 20-year-old-brain me finally broke through the temper tantrum 4 year old me was having.
Stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid!
My mother wouldn't want this for me! I'm sure she'd rather be dead than see her child of less than 5 years of age turn into a murdering psychopath! It would break her heart if she could see me now.
The rational part of my brain also realized that I was actively call on the Dark Side. There were some things that I'm sure the books and movies didn't get 100% right about the actual Star Wars universe, but the allure of the dark side of the Force was not one of them. It was pure, unadulterated power. Strong, unlimited, and, most tantalizing, easy.
But, both of my mothers raised me better than that.
I took a breath. In the nose, out the mouth. I imagined that with every exhalation I was releasing my hatred and anger, knowing that it would do nothing but get me killed. I started focusing on the feeling of serenity I experienced just before meeting…. Koth!
I sat bolt upright, my negative emotions forgotten, and finally took a look at my surroundings. It was a medical room. A lot like the one my mother gave birth to me in. Only, it was much more compact, built more for convenience rather than comfort.
"Very impressive, child."
"What the hell?!" I hollered as I flew out of the bed and whipped around, coming face to face with Eeth Koth once more. He was sitting in a chair that just so happened to be in my blind spot from how I was lying in the medical bed. "C'mon man! You went through all that trouble to save my life, and now you're trying to end it with a heart attack?!"
The asshole Jedi - and failed - to cover up his amusement at my reaction.
"You don't really speak as most children your age," he said.
I gave him a hard glare. "Yeah, well you kind of have to grow up really fast when you're living on the streets of Nar Shadda."
"Oh, I am well aware of this."
Huh. I totally forgot that Koth hailed from Nar Shadda. In fact, if I'm remembering correctly I'm not much older than he was when he was discovered by the Order.
We sat there in silence for several seconds, sizing each other up. Or, at least as much as a little kid could size up a Jedi Master.
"What is your name?" He asked, finally breaking the silence.
"It's Tyris," I answered, trying to figure out where this was heading, and what I was going to do from here on out.
"Well met, Tyris. I am Eeth Koth, Master of the Jedi Order."
Another short silence ensued after the introductions. I thought about what I was going to say next. I'm pretty sure I know the answer to my next question, but I knew I had to ask it any ways.
"Is my mother…"
He nodded. "I'm deeply sorry for you loss, Tyris. I wish I could have arrived sooner," he said, with genuine regret displayed on his face.
"It wasn't your fault," I said in a quiet voice, staring at the floor. The next question was one I was dreading to ask.
"Was it because… I mean… Did I…?" I couldn't seem to get the words out. Though, it seemed Koth was able to see what I was getting at.
"No, young one. Your mother passed the moment she was shot. You had nothing to do with it."
While I won't say I'm relieved, it was a start, knowing that I wasn't the cause for her death.
"Her body is secured in the cargo hold, and will be preserved until a service can be held."
I gave him a look through narrowed eyes. "You make it sound like you're going to be sticking around for awhile," I said
He looked at me a moment. "You are quite perceptive for a child, Tyris, even for a Force-sensitive one. But, no, my time on the Smuggler's Moon has come to an end."
"So, what now?" I asked, with a hint of trepidation in my voice.
"Well, that's what I am here discuss with you right now. I know the events of the last day have been traumatic, we need to talk about what happened."
I nodded, but decided to let him start the conversation.
"When we first met, do you recall the circumstances?"
I snorted. "Yeah, I tried to stick you up and you somehow ninja'd yourself behind me."
Koth smiled. "Yes, though that is not what I wish to discuss. Do you know why I decided to approach the alleyway that you were hiding in?"
"I don't know, you saw a credit chit on the floor?" I snarked, wanting him to get to the point that I was pretty sure he was trying to make.
He rolled his eyes at my antics, but otherwise ignored my comment. "You called on the Force. Enough so that I could clearly sense it halfway across the market district. No easy feat for one young."
"Yeah, I'm pretty awesome," I said. Right after saying this, however, I realized I was being so sarcastic because I didn't want to face the fact that my mother was dead, and so I was bottling it all up for an epic uncorking at a later date. Oh, that'll be fun.
"Not the point. I was sent here based on rumors of a dark side force user causing trouble for some of the higher ups in the government." I snorted at the word 'government'. That word was synonymous with the Hutts on Nar Shadda. "But, you clearly don't match the description, and your presence in the Force at the time was far lighter than his would have been. Which leads me to the next topic. Do you understand what you did in the alleyway with the thugs? And what you almost did here upon waking?"
I sighed. "I called on the dark side of the Force."
"Wrong. You gave in to the dark side of the Force. It guided your hand as you used that blaster, and gave you the power needed for the Force Push you used."
I shrugged. "I understand that. That realization is what helped me reject it this time just a few minutes ago. You still haven't answered my question though. What now?"
He gave me a calculating look before standing from his chair. "I won't force you to come with me, but I can't in good conscience leave a child to fend for himself on one of the most dangerous planets in known space. On top of that, I took a sample of your blood and did a midichlorian count while you were out. It's high enough that I'd like to take you before the Jedi Council and ask their advice. Again, you can say no at any point during this."
"Like, I'd be trained as a Jedi?"
"While you're older than what is strictly allowed, exceptions have been made. I will trust the wisdom of the council on this matter."
I eyed him. "Were you an exception?" I doubted that most Jedi raised since just after birth would be a sympathetic with me unless they could relate to my situation.
"...Your perception may get you into trouble one of these days," he laughed.
And so I agreed. He showed me around his ship. An ETA-type transport shuttle, which had S-foils that folded down that immediately reminded me of the old Lambda-class shuttles from the original movies. He said it was called the Prism.
So, while the events leading up to this left a hole in my heart, I was excited to get away from this God-forsaken - Force-forsaken? - planet, and really get to experience the Star Wars universe. It wasn't even until I ran into Koth in that alley that I realized what era I was in. I could further narrow it down to either before or after Episode 1, since if the Clone Wars had already broken out, I'm sure I'd know about it.
Anyways, I sat down in the copilots chair, strapping myself in as best I could, giddy for my first jump to Hyperspace.
"Are you ready?" Koth asked, glancing at me out of the corner of his eye.
"Only one way to find out.." I responded.
Coming out of Hyperspace wasn't as smooth as I expected it to be. The movies and books don't really do a good enough job at explaining the absolutely massive deceleration you experience when reverting to normal space. The inertial dampeners do a good enough job at making sure your insides don't turn to jelly, but my unpreparedness resulted in me almost smacking my head on the console in front of the copilots chair. It's pretty odd hearing a Jedi Master snort.
However, I quickly forgot about the embarrassing end to my first Hyperspace journey. Out the main viewport was our destination. And man, the movies never quite did it justice.
Coruscant might as well have been the center of the Star Wars universe. Its importance far outstripped any other planet that has ever been introduced. No matter the military strength of any faction, whosoever flew their flag over this planet was universally recognized as the main superpower in the galaxy.
On top of all that, it truly was a marvel to see. The criss crossing patterns of the lights reminded me of crop circles back on Earth. And the glow of the billions of lights on the planet made it look like a floating crystal in the middle of space.
"Here we are, capital of the Republic," said Koth
"What can I expect when we land?" I asked, wanting to be prepared for the flurry of activity that was sure to occur when we arrived at the Temple.
"Well, before we do anything or meet with anyone, I'm taking you to the Halls of Healing. You're severely malnourished, and Healer Che would skin me alive if she knew I brought a child in your condition to the Temple and brought him to the council before taking him to see her. It will just be a quick fix though, then we'll be meeting with the council. Though I doubt your condition can be fixed so quickly, so we will most likely make a return visit after the meeting.
I leaned back in the chair, still trying to process what was happening. I was going to the Jedi Temple. It's taking all my willpower and then some to not nerd all over Koths ship.
"Are they expecting us?" I asked
"Yes, I spoke to Master Yoda, the Grand Master of the order, while you were still unconscious. He agreed this was an important matter and so has called the Council to order. They will be expecting us when we arrive."
Woah. I mean, I'm sure getting a potential new apprentice for the Order is a big deal, but Yoda big? There's something else going on here. Let's see what Koth is willing to divulge.
"Grand Master? Is it normal for kids not in the order to meet with him?"
Koth laughed. "If Master Yoda had his prerogative, he'd only meet with children. He thinks the rest of us adults take everything to seriously and overcomplicate things. And he's normally right."
Well, that didn't tell me anything. Time to be a little more direct. But… I also wanted to try something. I am Force-sensitive…. When in Rome, right?
I started taking deep breaths. I focused on the calm feeling I've associated to the Light Side the times I've tapped into it. I kept my even breathing going for five minutes, and still had felt no difference. Frustration started to creep in. However, this time, as soon as I became aware of it, I immediately purged the emotion. My mother deserves better than me acting like a child. Well… A smaller child I guess.
The second thoughts of my mom crossed my mind, the feeling returned. Everything felt right. It's like the world was dull before, and now it was vibrant and full of color. This was it.
I focused on keeping the feeling from fading, and when I was confident I wasn't going to lose it, I turned to Koth and asked my question.
"Why am I a special case? You said so yourself, I'm older than what is normally permitted for someone to begin training in the Order. Why am I meeting with the highest authority figure at the temple?" I asked. "I'm pretty sure that most new members are not given an audience with the council."
Koth paused. "While it is true that most new members of the Order do not meet with the council, they are usually less than one year of age. Nothing would be gained from either party during a meeting like that. The few times that an older child has been brought to the temple, they are normally met by some council members to determine if it is safe to train them."
A perfectly good answer. One that would withstand any kind of normal scrutiny. Good thing I'm not scrutinizing normally.
By the time he finished answering my question, a feeling of wrongness was permeating me. The Force was telling me that what I was just told was not the whole truth. Koth was hiding something about my circumstances.
Well, it was cool to find out that I could do that, but it honestly didn't help me in any way other than letting me know that Koth was omitting some of the full story. I couldn't grill him about it, nothing I could do would force him to tell me. Not that I would ever force a Jedi Master to do anything.
I turned my attention back to what was happening outside of the viewport. During our conversation, we had approached the planet and now we were making our final descent through the atmosphere of the planet.
Several minutes later, I was looking at one of the coolest buildings in any fandom that's ever been created: The Jedi Temple. It looked like a giant, three dimensional trapezoid. On its face stood 5 spires, standing tall on the otherwise mostly flat surface. The four smaller towers were situated at every corner of the structure, with the tallest me right in the middle. Most people mistakenly assume the Jedi Council resides at the top of the middle tower, but I knew better. They were actually located in one of the shorter tower's at the southwestern end of the Temple. Coincidentally, that same tower also contained our landing pad.
Time both moved slowly and flew by while I was staring at the temple. I felt like some event was going to occur that was going to keep me from actually setting foot in this place, and then all of a sudden Koth was asking Temple Control for permission to land, and we were touching down on the landing pad.
I was frozen to my seat, even as Koth rose and got ready to exit out of the rear ramp. I heard him pause at the exit of the cockpit. I'm sure he could sense my anxiety, it was rolling off me in waves.
"Come, Tyris. I can't guarantee that this meeting will go as you are hoping, I can guarantee that you will be well taken care of and won't be forgotten. We must hurry to the Halls and get you checked out so that we may meet the Council."
I finally rose out of my seat. "What will be done with my mother?"
A look of sympathy crossed his face. "She will be moved with the utmost care to our morgue, where her body will be preserved until tonight, when we can hold a service for her. Is this agreeable to you?"
I nodded, not sure I'd be able to find my voice in this moment.
And so we disembarked, heading down the ramp, and seeing two hooded figures waiting for us at the entrance to the temple. Probably two Padawans who weren't on mission that had been assigned to watch over the landing pad.
Koth nodded at them as we entered the temple. Technically, we were almost directly below the chambers the Council used to convene, so I thought it was a tad silly that we were going elsewhere first. Luckily, the Halls of Healing were also located in the southwest wing of the Temple, so we didn't have far to go.
On the way there, we came across many Jedi going about their business. Some greeted us with a nod, or even a friendly wave in some cases, but many others were too engrossed on their tasks to pay us any mind.
Koth had to keep placing his hand on my shoulder and steering us to our destination. I just couldn't help it, I wanted to examine every inch of everything around me, drink in the fact that I was standing in this famed place. It was cut short, however, when we walked through a door into a room that was well lit with soft pastels coloring the walls. Behind a counter off to the side stood a… it was a Mon Calamari! Wow, they look way better in real life than the puppets did in the original trilogy. The Mon Calamari's movements looked fluid and natural, though I kept expecting them to turn and yell 'It's a trap!'.
Wait a second… A Mon Cal in the Halls of Healing? Was this….?
"Greetings, Padawan Bant. It is good to see you again," Koth said with a slight bow.
"Master Koth, I am happy to see you in good health," the Mon Cal responded.
Bant! Holy shit! This is the Bant! Best friends with Obi-Wan! This also confirmed that the universe I was in was following the lore of the Star Wars Legends universe. It also helped the timeline a little. She was still a Padawan, so it was either before episode one or directly after.
Someone clearing their throat brought me out of my nerdgasm, and I looked up at Master Koth, who had an expectant look on his face. He nodded towards Bant.
"Oh! I'm so sorry ma'am, how rude of me. My name is Tyris Kelborn, it's a pleasure to meet you," I said. This sounded way cooler in my head, but 4-year-old voices kind of put a damper on coolness factor. However, I did notice Koth start out of surprise in the corner of my eye.
"I'm impressed. Most human adults, let alone children, cannot tell the difference of gender in my species," Bant said, with what I could sense was amusement in her voice.
I decided to turn the charm factor up to 11. It's never too early to make friends, right?
"Ma'am, an elegant creature such as yourself could only be of the female persuasion. I'd never mistake otherwise," I said, laying it on pretty thick.
Her mouth fell open, and for a second I was worried that I had offended her. Then she tuned to Koth and, with a bark of laughter, said, "Oh. My. Force. He's the most adorable thing I've ever seen!"
Still got it.
Koth rolled his eyes. "Maybe so, but he is in poor condition and need to be tended to before we meet the council."
Bant gave me a once over and widened her eyes. She immediately stepped out from behind the counter and with a quick "Come this way" led us through a door into the actual medical room.
"Master Che! Please come quick!" She shouted towards the back of the medical room.
Bant ushered me to one of the many beds that lined the room and had me sit on the edge of it. She started activating the equipment around, presumably getting medical readouts and vitals.
While Bant was getting me prepped, I heard footsteps coming down the aisle between the rows of beds. A few seconds later, a light blue skinned Twi'lek entered my field of vision. If she were human, I'd assume she was in her mid to late thirties, but I have no idea if the aging process for Twi'leks was at all similar to humans.
"Master Koth," she nodded in greeting to him. "Padawan Eerin, what's the prognosis?"
"The patient is severely malnourished, Master. Dehydrated, low blood sugar, and his hypertension seems to imply a serious lack of sleep," Bant replied.
Wow, they could tell all that and there was nothing hooked up to me?
"Also, it appears that due to severe lack of food, the ingestion of a significant amount in the last day is causing the patient to have stomach cramps."
So what? I had a stomach ache. Just cause I look like a child doesn't mean i had to whine about anything.
Che whirled on Koth. "What took you so long getting here? And why didn't you monitor his food intake if you knew he hadn't been eating right? Did you even think about setting up an IV to get him fluids?"
Koth took several steps back, raising his hand in a placating manner. "Master Che… I… I was focused on my findings and I… didn't think…"
"You're damn right you didn't think. Now, go continue your lack of thought out front where I don't have to hear the wind whistling between your ears anymore," she said, turning around and dismissing with a small wave of her hand.
I couldn't contain the snort that came out of me. If I was remembering Koth's history correctly, I'm pretty sure he's far older than Healer Che, but you wouldn't have been able to tell with the major dressing down she just delivered.
"Oh, wrecked!" I snickered.
Koth gave me a glare, and as he turned to walk back into the reception area, he threw a small wave at me. I was a little confused at first because it didn't look like a parting wave. At least, I was confused until I felt what strangely felt like a flick on the nose with no apparent source.
A…. a Jedi Master just used the force to flick a laughing child. The absurdity of the situation made me laugh all the harder. Until I got cuffed on the back of the head.
"Enough, child, your mirth is making our job difficult. Sit still while we make sure you don't wither away in front of the Masters," Che said sternly.
And just like that, I was reminded that in a few short minutes I would be meeting with arguably the most important group of people in the galaxy.
I entered the reception room a while later to find Koth waiting by the door.
"How do you feel?" He asked
"Better than before, still not great. But I'm not sure if that's due to my health or my nerves about meeting with the Council."
Koth gave me an appraising look. "It is quite unnerving how your visage and your mannerisms do not seem to correlate in the slightest."
I once again just shrugged it off. "I'm just a pretty smart kid, I guess."
He laughed. "Yeah, the fact you understood even half of what I just said only proves that point."
What? I wasn't going to waste energy trying to pretend I'm a normal little kid. I'm not. And besides, I'm in the Jedi Temple. If people had to take bets on where the smartest 4-year-old was, I'm pretty sure the safe bet would be in the Order.
We arrived at an elevator that was just down the hallway from the Halls. Koth pushed the call button and waited quietly next to me. The fifteen or so seconds it took to arrive felt like a lifetime. This is crazy. I'm seconds away from having my fate decided in this galaxy.
We stepped into the elevator, and I think that Koth could tell I was having a private freak out. He placed a hand on my shoulder and looked me in the eye.
"Remember, you don't need to try to impress anyone. Just answer their questions truthfully, and be confident in yourself. If they ask something you aren't comfortable answering, you are under no obligation to answer."
Wow, his speech was actually making me feel much better.
"But, keep in mind, they will be the ones to decide your future at this temple."
Thanks asshole.
He looked at me one last time as the elevator doors opened and we stepped towards the door to the council chamber.
"Don't forget, Tyris, you aren't alone in there. You have the Force, through which your mother is watching you, even now. And I will be there as well," He said with a reassuring smile.
I nodded at him, grateful for the support. I looked back towards the large doors, took deep breath, and stepped forwards, watching as the doors slid apart.
Here we go.
…. I hope they don't notice I haven't brushed my teeth.
Well, there you go. What do you guys think? Let me know in the reviews. I've chosen to go with the Legends version of the Star Wars universe. There's just so much more lore and backstory for me to use. The first two chapters are pretty heavy on the exposition. Going forward, we should get a lot more of the fun stuff, as well as meeting lots of familiar faces. Like I said, this is my first story I've ever written. I was actually reading the fic The Spider under the Avengers section and wondered why there wasn't a good SI fic for Star Wars, and decided to see if maybe I could provide that for people. Don't hold back on the criticism though, it'll only help me in the long run. Thanks guys, see you next time!
-Teee-Jay