Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars. Duh
As we stepped over the threshold of the door to the Council chamber, I was sure the sound of my pounding heartbeat preceded Koth's and my arrival.
Is this really happening? I'm actually here, the moment's arrived. I still half expected something to happen that would prevent this from occurring. What are they going to think of me? I mean, I'm way older than is normal, there's no actual way this—
When did I get here? I'm in the middle of the damn chamber. My feet went on autopilot and carried me right to this spot while I was inner-monologuing.
I turned to look at Koth for some reassurance— hopefully without the assholeness this time — and discovered the scariest thing I've seen since Koth scared the shit out of me when we first met. Only, this time, it was the complete absence of him that had me terrified.
I started to panic, and then heard footsteps walking away from me. I turned around, and had my terror only amplified. There was Koth, with his back turned to me, slowly walking to one of the sides of the room. But this wasn't just a normal side — can there be sides in a circular chamber? — because this side was occupied by an object that I'm sure is going to haunt my dreams for many years to come.
The object of my fears? One empty Council chair.
Son of a bitch! How the hell did I forget? Eeth Koth was one of the higher profile Council members as well as one of it's longest serving members. Well, if you don't include the members that could live for centuries. And I was totally unprepared to be alone in the center of 12 of the most powerful living beings in existence right now.
I started looking around, taking stock of the influential heavy weights who all had their attention on me. Plo Koon, Ki-Adi-Mundi, Saesee Tiin, the bearded snake dude whose name I can't remember, the Kaminoan looking dude whose name I also can't remember…
My internal listing came to a halt when my eyes finally landed on Eeth Koth once more. He had his left arm resting on the chair, with his right ankle resting on his left knee cap, and his right hand held up in front of his mouth in a fist. The image of inquisitive nonchalance. However, when we made eye contact, he gave me the slightest nod, but otherwise didn't acknowledge me in any way.
But, that nod was all I needed. It was like I just got thrown back in time several minutes.
"Don't forget, Tyris, you aren't alone in there. You have the Force, through which your mother is watching you, even now."
And so I took a deep breath, and searched for the calming feeling I was quickly starting to become accustomed to. And it came far easier this time than when I tried to discover if Koth wasn't telling the truth. I let the feeling permeate throughout my body before turning back around.
I bowed before the council. "Well met Masters. My name is Tyris Kelborn," I said, trying to make it not sound silly that a small child addressed them in such a formal way. As I straightened, I noticed surprised looks on most of the council members. No doubt they didn't expect a young child to be so well spoken. However, in my heightened state, I sensed that not all the masters' surprise came from my vernacular. In fact, I sensed very intense scrutinization from the master know for stern glares and blunt statements.
"Kelborn? Isn't that a Mandalorian name? You did not mention this in your report Eeth," said Mace Windu, and holy shit he looks exactly like Samuel L. Jackson! I don't know what I was expecting, but, I mean come on, it's Sam Jackson! I half expected every other word out of his mouth to be Mutha Fucka!
"I was not aware of this information until just over a half hour ago," replied Koth. Huh, so that's why he looked surprised when I introduced myself to Bant.
"There aren't many left in the galaxy, and most of them are bounty hunters or common thugs," said Beard-Snake Dude.
"Master Rancisis, please! If we stereo-typed species regularly I'm nearly positive yours would never have been allowed in the Republic. Do not judge the poor child by his culture," scolded Master Adi Gallia.
Tap tap tap.
That noise was quite soft, but it might as well have been a blaster shot into the ceiling for the effect it had on the room. All eyes turned to the wielder of the stick.
"Have silence, we will. The discussion of the child's parentage, saved for another time it will be," Master Yoda said, and his tone of voice belied the fact that we all got the message that no argument otherwise would be brokered. "Commend you, I'd like to, for finding your peace so quickly at the start of the meeting. Meeting twelve Jedi Masters, very intimidating it can be. And with everything you've been through, impressive it is that you have found inner peace at all."
The amount of respect this guy got was actually insane. However, my newfound confidence through the Force had me feeling bold. Let's see how many times I can surprise the Council.
"To be honest, Master Yoda, my one goal for this meeting is to make sure that I don't lose my lunch from all the spinning around I'll have to do to speak to you all. The way the chamber is set up isn't very convenient for the guest," I said, excited to see the different reactions that caused.
Sure enough, I saw the full range. Disappointment, to shock, outrage, indifference, to even a suspect sounding cough that I could've sworn came from Depa Billaba. A loud smack signified Koth face palming at my antics. Amidst all this, my favorite reaction was Mace Windu. It looked like he was trying to swallow one of the Warhead candies from Earth, and it got stuck on the way down.
I knew that if I started laughing at anyone that would be going one step too far, so I allowed myself a smirk but nothing else.
However, Master Yoda had no such reservations and was silently laughing, his tiny shoulders shaking up and down either at me or the reactions of the other Masters, I wasn't sure.
"No, convenient it is not, I suppose. Sure, I am, that manage you will, however," said Yoda.
"Yes, let's get back on track, shall we?" Said Plo Koon, though I could detect some amusement tinging his voice.
Master Windu nodded. "Agreed. So, Tyris Kelborn. Do you understand why we are having this meeting?"
Alright, having-fun-with-the-Council time was over, time to be serious. I had to make sure they decided to keep me around.
"I'm being judged on whether or not I fit the criteria to begin training as a Jedi," I said.
Again, another ripple of surprise worked its way around the chamber. I definitely did not sound my age.
Mace assessed me for a second longer. "Indeed. Do you know the reason for our hesitation."
"It has something to do with my age I'm pretty sure."
"And do you know the dangers age presents when starting training?"
Jesus, what is this, twenty questions? I opened my mouth to answer, but stopped myself. I probably shouldn't know everything.
"No, Master Windu," I replied, waiting for what his most assuredly long winded explanation was going to be. I wasn't disappointed.
"As one grows older, attachments begin to form with others that you grow close to. Normally, in any other circumstance, these attachments are a good, healthy thing for people to have," he explained. "However, in the case of Jedi, attachments can be very dangerous. They can lead to jealousy and anger, such as the loss of a friend, which are of the dark side," He began.
I knew how flawed this was. It was based on the Jedi Code, which was actually a misprint of the original Code where Jedi were encouraged to have families and love one another, just as long as they maintained a level of peace so as to avoid the Dark Side. I'm pretty sure Yoda suspected as much, since the Order was quite lax on personal relationships compared to past iterations. At least with non-romantic relationships, that is.
Before he had a chance to continue, I decided to try and get some gears turning about the unrealism of the Code.
"So, Jedi don't have friends?" I asked, hoping people just saw a child asking an innocent question, rather than the ulterior motives I had.
Mace faltered, but only for a second.
"Obviously, we don't expect the members of the Order to be unfeeling and cold. Friendships are common among Jedi, especially so between Master and Apprentice. However, these relationships come with the understanding that one day the other person may leave us forever. These situations must be handled with tranquility and the understanding that this is the Will of the Force."
"Oh, so Jedi can have friends, they just aren't aloud to care when they die?" I asked.
I got a hard glare from Mace, and wondered if maybe I had taken it just a little to far. However, I also noticed Master Yoda giving me an odd look. I tried to use my connection to the Force to figure out what he was feeling. I couldn't get anything though.
"The point is, child, negative emotions are incredibly dangerous for Jedi to have. They are to be purged. We don't expect you to not feel them, but to understand that these feelings need to be let go and never acted upon," Mace finally said, allowing me to breathe a little easier.
I nodded. "I understand, Master."
"And it doesn't appear that he is just saying that," said Koth. "The boy has lost both parents, his mother only two days ago, but other than the moment that the act occurred, he has kept his emotions in check and maintained a peace that is quite uncommon in one his age."
"Given the circumstances, it is quite impressive," Ki-Adi-Mundi spoke up for the first time.
Kaminoan-Looking-Dude finally decided to put his thoughts forward. "It is impressive, but I feel that this is still not sufficient enough information for us to begin to make a decision on. Master Koth, I believe when you said the young one had a high midichlorian count, you never did give an exact number. Perhaps this could help some of the masters come to a decision one way or another."
I liked what he had to say, but the head swaying was a little distracting. And he spoke in a very slow, deliberate manner. Almost like every word started at the base of his incredibly long neck and had to travel the full distance to his mouth before it was heard.
I, like everyone else in the chamber, turned to Koth for his answer. He didn't give it at first, however, and just quietly stared at me in contemplation. Then he sighed, and sat straighter in his chair.
A feeling of dread formed in my stomach. What was he going to say? Was this it? First day here and I'm already going to get kicked out?
"Thirteen thousand."
Oh man, that's it, I'm outta here, it's all…. Wait, what?
"His midichlorian count was over 13,000."
I made sure to keep my surprise off my face. The fact that I was actively channeling the Force helped me keep a neutral face. I wasn't supposed to know what midichlorians are, let alone the fact that the number Koth just gave was over twice as much as the average Jedi Knight.
The masters around the room, though, did not need to hide their astonishment at this new revelation. Open looks of shock were the common theme. Mace even widened his eyes a tiny, miniscule, microscopic…. Shut up, I saw it.
Nobody seemed to have anything to say, and I was impatient to figure out the rest of my life here.
"So…. is that a bad thing?" I asked, glancing around the room.
Mace turned to Yoda. "Master, perhaps we should discuss this new information without the kid present?"
Before Yoda could answer either way, he was beat to the punch by another source.
"Oh cut it out, Mace. Tell the boy the truth, he deserves to know his own circumstances," said Depa Billaba.
"Agree with Master Billaba, I do. Master Koth, the uniqueness of the boys circumstances, explain to him please," Yoda said, making a decision. The way Mace sat back in his chair basically screamed that he did not agree with this decision. I tried to not take it personally, everything I've ever learned about Mace Windu is that he's a hardass with everyone, except maybe Yoda and Billaba. The former because, well, he's Yoda, and the latter because she was his first Padawan.
I turned to Koth with an expectant look.
"The required midichlorian count for the Order to be contacted about possible recruitment is at least 3,000, though those with this low of a count usually are put into the AgriCorps, a place where initiates that lack the required grasp of the Force are sent to help the galaxy in more mundane ways. The average for a Jedi Knight is between 6 and 7 thousand," Koth said. "Thirteen thousand, with no training, and at the age of four no less, is nearly unheard of."
Koth subtly glanced over at Yoda. "It's been over 800 years since we've seen a count this high before training has even started."
I looked at Koth. "So that's what you were hiding when we talked on the shuttle ride over."
"What are you talking about," he asked in confusion.
"When I asked why I was a special case, you said something about how most potential members were much younger than me, but I could feel that you were omitting some of the truth," I stated, matter of factly.
However, this was not just brushed over by Koth.
"You knew I was leaving something out?" I nodded. "How, I even used the Force to mask my feelings, the only way you could have known is if…." His sentence trailed off and he once again was looking at Master Yoda.
When I turned to also look at the small green Jedi, I was surprised at the intensity that he was staring at me with.
"Interesting revelation, this is, hmmm," he said, with his trademarked high pitched hum. "Test this theory we need to. Tell me, young Tyris, sense what the masters in the chamber are feeling, can you?"
I was a little confused about the request, but decided to give it a go. I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath, and focused on opening myself further to the Force. When I opened my eyes, I began focusing on each master to see what I could glean from them.
"Well, Master Rancisis is feeling impatient and Master Billaba feels curious. Master Koth is exasperated, though slightly proud? Master Windu is…. Amused? That can't be right. And I can't get anything from you Master Yoda," I said, worried that what I came up with wasn't going to be good enough. Also made sure to only talk about the Masters whose names I'd heard during the meeting. It wouldn't do to go calling them by names I shouldn't know.
And then I noticed the silence. There wasn't so much looks of surprise, but more of confusion, especially from the ones that I read. Even Master Windu looked a little taken aback.
"Master Yoda, what—"
"An empath," Kaminoan-Looking-Dude said so quietly I almost didn't hear it.
"What was that, Master Poof?" Asked Adi Gallia.
"An empath, the boy is. Feel the emotions around them, most Force adepts can, with a little training. However, sense feelings and emotions, as well as why someone is feeling them, an empath can. Incredibly rare skill, it is. Sensing emotions at such a young age, sign of being an empath it is," Yoda said.
"Hmph, not likely. His overabundance of midichlorians has probably just over developed him," said Rancisis, with one of the most condescending tones I've ever heard in either of my lives.
"Hmmm, just because it turned out you weren't, Master Rancisis, impossible for the boy, it is not." Yoda stated. Rancisis looked properly scolded.
"Master Yoda, I think this may be one revelation to many for one day. I think I speak for the rest of the Masters when I say that I would like some time to sleep and meditate on these recent developments," Even Piell, who up until this point had not spoken, said.
"I second Master Piell. Not only that, but Tyris needs to return to Healer Che soon. He puts on a good face, but I'm pretty sure he needs some food and rest," said Koth.
Yoda glances around the room, probably seeing if anyone had any objections. Nobody spoke up, so he nodded.
"Break for the rest of the day, we shall. Reconvene tomorrow, we will. However, Council only, that meeting will be. Stand before us in two days time, Tyris Kelborn will. Show you back to the Halls of Healing, Master Koth will. Come and get you, a Padawan will, to show you to your room. Adjourned, this meeting of the council is. May the Force be with you."
This was echoed by the rest of the masters. Gradually, everyone stood, and began to converse with one another. It wasn't long before Master Koth stood before me once again.
"Let's go dik'ut, I don't want Vokara to come looking for us," said a tired looking Master Koth.
I looked up at him. "What did you just call me?"
The word sounded vaguely familiar, and I was pretty sure it was an insult.
"It means idiot," he laughed. Of course it does. "It's from your native tongue. I thought you'd appreciate it."
"Ha. Haha, ha." I abruptly stopped and started patting all my pockets. "Oh damn, that was my allotment of ha's for the day. Pity, that joke deserved so many more…" I said, shaking my head in sarcastic regret at the end.
"Alright smart guy. You better watch yourself," he said, with a small smirk. And with that we entered the turbolift.
I'm so happy that's over with.
Master Koth dropped me off at the Halls of Healing, and left as quickly as possible so as to not incur further wrath from Healer Che. Bant was excited to see me back and we were able to talk some while I was being treated. Unfortunately, I needed fluids and I was going to be tube fed for the first two days until my stomach got used to having a normal amount of food in it again. And, even in a hyper-advanced society like this one, there's still only one way to get fluids and nutrients directly into your blood stream: needles and tubes.
It took just over a half hour for me to finish my meal. The sky was beginning to darken outside. If this was Earth I'd say it was between 6 and 7 at night. Which probably is pretty accurate, considering Coruscant's night and day cycle is very similar to Earth's.
Bant helped me back out into the reception area after she got me unhooked from my tubes. I was going to have to return here several times a day for the next two days to receive my meals. As I sat waiting for whoever was going to show me my room, I finally realized how dog tired I was. My limbs felt incredibly heavy, and I thought I was going to have to tape my eyelids open to stay awake. It reminded me of our two-a-day conditioning practices for basketball while I was in college. We would have to get kicked out of the trainer's room because we'd fall asleep while we were taking ice baths. Do you know how hard it is to fall asleep while taking a damn ice bath?
However, all of my fatigue went flying out of my body when the entrance to the Halls whooshed open and in walked one of the most famous faces in the entire Star Wars universe.
"Hey, Bant! I'm supposed to pick up a youngling from here and show him to a room," Obi-Wan Kenobi said, flying into the Halls without any of the preamble that a character of his caliber deserved.
Suddenly, a stapler just up and lifted off the reception counter and flew straight at Obi-Wan's head. I was about to shout a warning when he just nonchalantly grabbed it out of mid-air without batting an eye, like it was an everyday occurrence.
"No shouting in the Halls, Kenobi!" Che shouted from somewhere in the back.
Huh, maybe it did happen every day.
Bant was stifling her giggles behind one of her hands from where she was standing at the reception desk. She gestured towards me, and Obi-Wan and I locked eyes for the first time. He gave me a small wink before looking back towards where Che's voice had come from.
"Isn't it a little hypocritical for shouting at someone because they were shouting?" Obi-Wan hollered in reply, a twinkle of mischief in his eyes.
"What was that Kenobi? You'd like extra training sessions with Master Bondara? That's so dedicated of you, I'm sure I can help get that arranged!"
Almost immediately a look of panic came over Obi-Wan's face, and before I knew it I was being lifted out of my chair by my arm and led out of the Halls. Bant was no longer trying to hide her laughter, and loud guffaws could be heard coming from the reception desk.
"Goodnight, Bant! Thank you for everything today!" I called before Obi-Wan had me halfway down the hallway as he beat his hasty escape.
When he felt safe enough he slowed down to a normal pace, before stopping and finally turning towards me. Though I was in slight awe about meeting this man, I didn't miss the amused stares he was getting from most of the people we just hurried past. However, this was huge! Not only was this man one of the few bright spots about the prequel trilogy— at least in my opinion — but he also was still wearing his Padawan braid. He was immediately Knighted after the events of Episode one, wherein he defeated Darth Maul. So we were definitely pre-Episode 1. I probably wouldn't have a firm grasp on the timeline until the events of that movie started.
"Sorry about that, but you don't understand how brutal of a slave-driver Bondara is. I may have pushed her to far this time," he said, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand, staring absently at the floor. Eventually, whenever he was done imagining whatever tortures Bondara was going to come up with, his eyes focused on me. "My apologies. I am Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi, and I'm here to show you where you'll be staying for the time being," he said with a bow.
I returned the bow. "It is nice to meet you Padawan Kenobi. My name is Tyris Kelborn, thank you for assisting me."
Obi-Wan started waving his hands back and forth. "Please, Obi-Wan is fine. No need to be so formal."
"Alright then, Obi-Wan. Where are we heading?" I asked
"Well, we've got a bit of a ways to go."
"What, why? I feel like I'm just gonna keel over right here," I whined, actually sounding my physical age.
"Well, we are currently in the southwest wing, which has the Halls and the Jedi Council chambers, along with our main hangar bay. The dormitory is located in the northeast wing, directly on the other side of the temple," he replied.
I groaned loudly.
"How did you get stuck with being my guide? It seems like a pretty mundane task for a senior Padawan," I said.
"Well, master Qui-Gon and I are in between missions right now so I wasn't doing much to begin with," he replied, before giving me a calculating gazy. "Have you ever been told you don't really speak like someone your age?"
I rolled my eyes. The years until I was old enough that people would stop saying that to me could not go by fast enough.
"Once or twice," I said absentmindedly. "If it makes you feel any better, I turn five in a few days."
"Oh? That's great! What day?"
I opened my mouth to answer, but had nothing to say. I never really paid attention to the date on the days we celebrated because the date system in a galaxy where each planet has a different year-length was so confusing. So, I decided to just go with a version of the truth.
"I'm actually not quite sure. We weren't always able to celebrate on the exact day, so we'd just celebrate the next time we found food. I just know that by this time next week I'll be five."
I definitely did not realize how depressing that was until I saw the concerned look on Obi-Wan's face when I looked over.
"Anyways," I said, wanting to change the subject, "can you show me around a little bit on the way to my room."
"Of course! Anywhere specific you'd like to see?" He asked, all too eager to change the subject from the doom and gloom or my life before coming to the Temple.
I knew exactly where I wanted to go, but I shouldn't know about it yet. So, instead I said, "How about you show me your favorite place to go while you are here?"
He smiled and gave me a nod.
I never really thought about how big the Temple must be until I was actually walking through it. We did eventually make it to the destination I asked him to show me; the Room of a Thousand Fountains. He even showed me the spot that him and Bant would go to to go swimming sometimes. I knew that I would be spending a lot of time in here, assuming the Council didn't decide to kick me out.
The sun was just winking out of sight when we finally reached our destination.
"Alright, this is where I bid you a good night, Tyris. It was very nice to meet you. Your belongings from Master Koth's ship have been brought here, as well as a fresh set of clothes. There's a shower as well, so that you may freshen up before you turn in for the night. There are always Knights and senior Padawans walking the halls at night, so if you need anything, just stick your head out and flag one down. Someone will be by in the morning to bring you to breakfast."
I again thanked him, and with a parting bow, he was gone. I was a little confused about what he meant by belongings, however. I didn't have anything except the clothes on my back and….
Oh. As I walked into the room (which I assumed was for important delegates staying at the temple since it was more posh than I would expect a room that a Jedi lives in) I saw my father's S-5 on the side table. I slowly walked over to it. It had been cleaned, but the power pack had been removed, rendering it a fancy paperweight.
I was relieved actually. The last time I had touched this weapon I had killed several people. It would probably be a while before I was willing to use it again.
I took advantage of the facilities. I don't remember the last time I was able to take a shower until the hot water ran out. Any time my mother and I were lucky enough to break into an empty apartment and use the shower, we had to do it as fast as possible and get out in case we had set off any alarms.
I exited the bathroom and took a look at the clothing they had provided me. Someone must have just said that a 4-year-old guest needed clothing, but forgot to add that I have measurements that more closely resembled a 7-year-old. The clothing itself was fine. Just a plain brown tunic, tan pants, and brown boots. Basically a child's version of what Eeth Koth had been wearing when I met him. The sleeves were too short, so I rolled them up so it didn't look as ridiculous. The pants barely reached my ankles, but it didn't matter, because the boots would cover the bottom of my legs, so no one would notice that anyways.
Just as I was thinking about maybe going to sleep extra earlier tonight, a soft tone emanated from the door to the halway. I wasn't sure who it was, and I was really hoping it wasn't someone coming to say I needed to check in here or take some stuff there.
I was quite surprised, though, when I opened it to find Koth waiting at the door.
"Master Koth, I didn't expect to see you again until I was to come before the Council."
He gave me a surprised look. "I think that's the first time you've ever called me Master," he said.
I shrugged. "You've done more than I could have ever asked of anyone for me. I know I haven't been the easiest kid to be around, but I really do owe my life to you. I suppose I figured it was time to start showing you the proper respect.
He placed a hand on my shoulder. "I only wish that I could have done more for you, Tyris. I didn't know your mother, but from what you have said, I'm sure she'd be immensely proud of how you have handled everything that's been thrown your way," he said, with a small, reassuring smile. "Speaking of your mother, are you still up to having her service tonight?" He asked gently.
Crap. I was so exhausted I had forgotten. Every part of my body screamed at me to say now, that one more day wouldn't make a difference. But she deserved better than that. She had endured so many hardships for the both of us. I wasn't going to make her wait one more day before she could truly be at peace.
"Yes, Master Koth. It's time that her body was put to rest."
He nodded once at me. "Here. Jedi don't really do formal wear, but I figured this was better than nothing," he said, as he pulled out a small black robe, much like the ones the full fledged Jedi wore. I nodded my thanks.
"One last thing I need to ask. Are you ok if this is an open service, or would you like to keep it private?"
"What do you mean?" I asked, confused about the question.
"One thing you need to understand about Jedi is that even though we are supposed to avoid attachment, we cherish all life. Anytime the Force is snuffed out of a living being, all Jedi mourn. What I'm asking is if it would bother you if other Jedi joined to watch the service."
I almost immediately said no. They didn't know her like I did, no one did. But as I thought about it, I realized how selfish that thinking was. No, no one else knew her like I did, but it was so rare to find anyone anywhere that that of life as so precious that they would mourn those they had never known. I would not deny those who valued life above all else the chance to mourn a life lost.
"Everyone is welcome," I said in a quiet voice. "My mother would've loved to have it that way."
Koth looked slightly surprised to hear my answer, but nodded with a smile. "I will let Master Yoda know." He did so by pulling out a comlink and having a short conversation. While he was doing this, I stuffed my feet into my too small boots and tried on the black robe Koth gave me. It was the only thing that actually fit me well, which made sense, since Master Koth had seen me enough to be able to tell if something would fit me just by looking at it. I figured I'd give it until a decision was made on whether or not I'd be staying, and then ask for clothes that actually fit.
I walked back to the entrance of my room and saw Koth finish up his conversation.
"Come," he said. "We are going to retrieve your mother's body and walk it to the meditation balconies, which is where the service will be held."
I gave a nod and followed him out the door. I decided to leave the hood of my robe down so that no one would mistake me for an actual Jedi.
We made the long trek back to the Halls of Healing, which, naturally, is where the Jedi had their morgue. It was a very small morgue, situated behind the room where I was going to be getting treated for my malnourishment. It only had three bays to store bodies, probably only there so there was a place to preserve them until whatever service was being planned. When we arrived, we were greeted by Healer Che. It seemed that Bant was off for the night.
She gave us a nod when we entered, and motioned us to follow her. We strode through the treatment room and reached another automatic door towards the back, which opened into the morgue. However, I was incredibly surprised to find what looked like a floating gurney, on which laid…. My mother. And not how I had last seen her.
She looked like she did back before my dad went missing. Full of color and life, a smile never far from her face. I don't know what kind of makeup they had in this universe, or if Master Che used some Force healing technique that just repaired all the cosmetic damage. She was even wearing some nice clothing, a style that she may have even picked out herself had she been able to. Man, I didn't think the water works would come this easy.
I glanced up at Che, but she seemed to be avoiding making eye contact with me, possibly out of embarrassment. Well, that just wouldn't do. I reached up and grasped her hand until she finally made eye contact with me. Once she did, I decided to use some of my previous knowledge of Star Wars to try and convey my gratitude.
I moved in front of her until we were facing each other, and then extended my hands toward her, open fisted, with my palms facing each other.
"I don't remember what to say, but my mother once told me this was how you showed someone you respected them on Ryloth," I said, not having to fake the nervousness in my voice. My memory was pretty shaky on this, but I was pretty sure I had it right.
Her mouth dropped open in disbelief, and I knew that I had remembered correctly.
"Kei'nata tun, child. I respect you as well," she said, in a very raspy voice. After she said this, she placed her hands, palms touching, between mine. I closed my hands around hers as best I could, and squeezed, trying as hard as I could to make her understand how much everything she had done for me meant. It seemed to work, because it seemed like she was tearing up.
I gave her a nod, and let go of her hands. Turning back to Koth, I said, "Let's go."
The gurney worked exactly as you would expect. I was at the front, pulling it along, while Koth was at the back, making sure we didn't bump into anything. There was zero resistance due to the repulsor engines that kept it afloat. It was a lot like a funeral back home, where several people would carry the casket to the front of the service.
In no time, it seemed, we were arriving at our destination. There was a quiet murmur that could be heard, probably from the Jedi that decided to attend. The meditation balconies were situated at the base of the middle tower of the temple, which housed the Hall of Knights. We rounded the last corner and left the interior of the Temple, and stepped out on the Balconies. I was almost struck dumb by what I saw.
I figured a few people would come. Master Koth wouldn't have asked if he didn't think anyone else would come. But there was no room whatsoever, except for a path between some of the Jedi that had been left that led towards a circular area that contained the funeral pyre. It was so packed I was worried someone was going to accidentally bump someone else and turn on their lightsaber.
Master Koth quietly cleared his throat behind me, trying to get my attention back to why we were here. I gathered myself and we made our way down the path towards the pyre.
When we made it there, Koth motioned me to stop towards the middle of the circle.
"This is it, Tyris. If you have anything you want to say before we light the pyre, say it now."
I looked at my mother, who honestly looked like she was just taking a peaceful snap. You'd think I should come up with something heartfelt and meaningful. I was trying to come up with the words, when I realized that having to think so hard about it probably meant it wasn't heartfelt. So I said what came to mind. Something I knew I'd never be able to say enough.
"Thank you, mom. I love you. I promise I'll make you and dad proud."
I nodded at Master Koth, who indicated for me to wait where I was. He and Vokara guided the gurney up to the pyre. The pyre was a very tightly wound mass of dark sticks and twigs, made almost to look like a cradle. It had a 'bed', where the body would be lain, while the edges of the pyre rose above the bed, so that when the fire really got going, the effects it had on the body would be blocked from view.
Apparently, the gurney they were using worked a lot like the emergency ones EMT's used back on Earth. They situated the gurney so that it was over the bed of the pyre, and then began to lower it until the whole gurney was resting on the pyre. Then, after what seemed like some fiddling by Che, they pulled the gurney apart, gently sliding my mother's body onto the pyre, and then removing both halves of the gurney. These were placed aside, and then Master Koth and Che retook their places to my right. An eerie silence settled over the balcony, until one of the hooded figures surrounding the pyre stepped forward and approached me. From under their robe they pulled what looked like an old fashioned torch, and handed it to me.
I held it up with both hands. The damn thing was almost as big as me! However, I held it steady, and the hooded figure produced a flint and steel, using it to light the torch. When the torch caught fire, it threw enough light on the figure for me to make out it's face. It was Mace Windu. After he made sure the torch wasn't going to falter, he nodded to me, and returned to his place.
I looked back at the pyre and noticed a hole at the base, where the torch was to be placed so the fire could start in the middle and burn everywhere evenly. I approached the pyre, and careful not to burn myself or set my robe on fire, slid the torch as far into the hole as possible, and then returned to my original spot.
As the fire began to catch, it illuminated the first row of Jedi directly around the pyre. I took a look around and realized that it seemed most of the council members were in attendance. I even noticed Yoda and Yaddle, the two small statured Jedi standing next to one another.
It wasn't until five minutes later, when the pyre had become a small inferno, that I noticed I had tears streaming down my face. I raised one of my sleeved arms to wipe the moisture away. Not much longer after that, I felt a hand fall upon my left shoulder. I turned to see who it was and was greeted by the smiling face of Bant, with Obi-Wan right beside her. And, to my great surprise, their masters, Kit Fisto and Qui-Gon Jinn, were standing right behind them.
I gave Bant and Obi-Wan a nod, and then turned my attention back to the pyre.
Over the next half hour, the fire burned bright and fierce. I let my tears run freely, and thought about all the times I was happy with my mother, and all the times she truly showed me how much she loved me. I would miss her greatly, but knew that she would want me to move on with my life, and find true happiness.
Just before the last of the fire went out, I glanced around, and it seemed there wasn't a dry eye on the balcony.
I felt Koth's hand once more on my shoulder.
"We will make sure her remains are taken care of. You need to rest. Bant and Obi-Wan will take you back to your room," He whispered in my ear.
I felt Bant tugging me towards the path that we had used to enter the area containing the pyre. With one last glance at the pile of ash that remained, I turned and walked with Bant and Obi-Wan back into the temple.
It seemed like seconds later that we were at the door to my temporary room. Numb wasn't the right word for how I felt. I was definitely mourning, but it wasn't crippling like I thought it would be. I thought at first that maybe It was because she wasn't my first mom, but I discounted that theory quickly. That woman had done everything in her power to make sure that I had a good life and that I made it to where I am now. I loved her as much as a child could love his mother.
Bant bent down and gave me a hug, and I made sure to give her a squeeze.
"Thanks for everything, Bant. I don't think I could've gotten through everything today without your help," I said.
"Nonsense. Not even five yet and you're already one of the strongest people I know," she replied. I kind of cheat since I'm technically way older than five, but it was a nice compliment nonetheless. "And thank you for sharing tonight with us."
"I should be thanking you guys. It definitely helped having others there, even if we've only known each other for a day," I said.
"It's definitely been a fast friendship," Bant said with a smile. "Now, you've got an important couple of days coming up, you need to get some sleep. I will see you tomorrow."
She said back up and gave my right hand one last squeeze. I felt a hand on my left shoulder and looked over to see Obi-Wan standing beside me.
"Remember, you are not on your own anymore. Do not be afraid to ask anyone here for help. I'm glad I got to meet you, Tyris Kelborn. Something tells me you are going to shake things up around this Temple," he said with a laugh.
I looked up at him. "You think the Council will decide to let me stay?"
"I can't presume to speak for the Council, but I think you have the makings of a fine Jedi. I know Bant feels the same as well. Goodnight, Tyris," he said. And with that, him and Bant made their way down the hall, probably to their own rooms.
I must be doing something right if they think so highly of me. Coming out of my thoughts, I entered my room. Taking my boots off, hanging my robe, and removing my clothes, I at last crawled into bed. I allowed myself to finally decompress after the events of the last two days. I'd come to peace with what happened to my mother, but I still doubted I would have a very restful slumber tonight. Though, that didn't stop me from almost falling asleep the second I laid upon the bed. I can't believe I'm spending the night in the Jedi Temple. Hopefully it's the first of many.
I sat up in my bed, ramrod straight, gasping for breath. I could still hear the echo of the blaster shots from my dream ringing in my ears. I checked the holo-clock on my side table to see that it was 0527 Galactic Standard Time. Coruscant ran on a 24-hour day/night cycle, so it was very easy to adapt to. The only difference with Earth was that they always used military time. I'd gotten to bed at around 11:30 last night, so I slept on and off for six hours. Much better than I thought I was going to get.
I knew I wasn't going to be able to go back to sleep after that, so I got out of bed and headed to the bathroom to get ready. After getting showered and dressed, I decided I might as well take a look around the temple. It was just after six, so I figured I had at least an hour before I should go to the Halls for my 'breakfast'.
And so I spent that hour walking around the halls of the Temple. I left the robe that Master Koth had given to me since I didn't want to presume I was allowed to wear full Jedi garb outside of the funeral. I got a few questioning looks from others that were traveling the halls, but I was generally left to my own devices. I thought about heading to the Room of a Thousand Fountains, but figured I'd want to spend a lot time there, so I decided to wait until after I saw Healer Che. Instead, I checked out the main hall, stuck my head inside some empty classrooms, and even glanced around the huge library. I tried to commit the location of everything to memory, I recalled that one of the first things a Jedi youngling was expected to do was memorize the layout of the Temple, so I figured I might as well get a head start since I don't have much to do.
Before I knew it, it was seven in the morning, so I left my current location— the Jedi Museum, definitely a place I was going to be frequenting if I started training— and headed to the Halls. It wasn't far, I was already in the Southwest wing of the Temple.
I arrived, and was very surprised to see different faces manning the Halls. Behind the reception desk was someone I recognized immediately. It was Barriss Offee. I recognized her so easily because Star Wars Medstar, which she featured heavily in, was one of my favorite books in the EU, and so when the Clone Wars came out and featured some episodes of her, I was very excited.
I approached the desk and told her that I was here to get an IV for fluids and nutrients. She nodded and took me back into the medical room, where I saw the second surprising face. I guess Vokara Che was taking a day off. The new healer looked a lot like Master Adi Gallia, but had darker skin and violet eyes. She introduced herself as Stass Allie, and the name rung a bell. She was a cousin of Adi Gallia's, and a member of the Healing Circle of Jedi or whatever the hell it's called. She took Gallia's place on the council for Revenge of the Sith.
After the introductions, they got me hooked up on one of the beds so I could get started. Nearly a half hour later, I was leaving the halls with instructions to return in four hours for my next treatment. And I knew exactly what I was going to do with those four hours.
I turned one more corner and found myself at the entrance to my destination, the Room of a Thousand Fountains. I really need to come up with a nickname for this place.
The sound of the waterfalls in the room greeted me as I walked in. It truly was one of the most beautiful places I'd ever been to. I chose a path to follow and just started walking around. I was careful not to make too much noise because there were some Jedi in here that I assumed were getting some morning meditation in. Off to one side of the room, which was massive by the way, I found a small waterfall with a pool at the bottom of it. The water was so clear that if the falls weren't disturbing the surface I would think it was just a glass viewing port to the bottom.
There was a small cliff that overlooked the falls that looked like a prime diving spot. But, that's not what I was here to do, at least not today. It was also a prime looking spot for something else.
What the hell, just because I wasn't a recognized Jedi yet didn't mean I couldn't try my hand at meditation. So, I took a seat right at the edge of the cliff, looking directly at the falls, with the pool below me. I knew there were several different types of meditation that Jedi practiced. The regular meditation, where you just sit and center yourself, moving meditation, which I knew was a favorite of Obi-Wan's, and floating meditation. Yes, it was actually called that.
Well, I didn't know any of the movements for the moving meditation, and I wasn't ready to risk falling on my face in public yet, so I just went with simple meditation. I crossed my legs while I was sitting and placed my hands on my knees. I closed my eyes and decided to focus on the noise of the falls hitting the pool, letting the ambience wash over me. I thought that I would be bored, but this was rather pleasant, especially when I reached out and was able to find the Force one more. It was so much easier now than it had been on the ship with Koth. I wasn't much for idleness mostly, but this was definitely something that I could get used to.
I tried to deepen myself in the meditation, opening up completely to the Force. Man, was it elusive when you first started out, but once you got started, everything else just felt natural, instinctual even, like this is what I was always meant to do.
And then, at a certain point, even with my eyes closed, I could see. I thought it was just me imagining things, but it was so damn vivid it had to be real. But, it wasn't seeing in the traditional sense. I knew that my eyes weren't what was supplying the information to my brain, but it was still interpreting the info I was getting as images. I saw all the Jedi that were meditating in the room with me. But, it went even further than that. I saw the younglings, yawning as they grabbed their breakfast, starting a new day of studies and training. I saw the bustle of Jedi going about their duties, and even some being sent on missions outside of the temple, taking off from the same hangar bay I entered at. I saw Obi-Wan getting some lightsaber training in with someone who looked a lot like Quinlan Vos. I couldn't seem to find Bant, however. I did see Qui-Gon conversing with a female jedi on one of the meditation balconies, though. Eeth Koth was in the hangar bay, looking over the Prism. He might be sent back out soon for his original mission. And I found Master Yoda, sitting in his famous room, with the blinds closed, meditating on his chair. Suddenly, his eyes opened, seemingly looking straight at me, a slight smirk on his face.
The action startled me so, it broke my meditation.
Though, the webbed hand on my shoulder might have had something to do with that as well.
I glanced up sharply, surprised to see Bant standing over me. Maybe that's why I couldn't find her during my meditation. I wasn't paying much attention to myself. Which, now that I think about it, is pretty stupid considering the hazards of being a Jedi.
"Bant, what's up?" I asked, wondering why she disturbed me. I'm not the most knowledgeable of Jedi etiquette, but I was pretty sure it was considered rude to interrupt another's meditation unless it was urgent.
"Tyris, do you know what time it is? We've been looking everywhere for you," she said with a stern look on her face. Or, I assumed it was a stern look based on her tone. I still had a long ways to go on reading Mon Cal facial expressions
"What, why? I just sat down like ten minutes ago. I still have at least three hours before I need to be back at the Halls," I stated, wondering what was going on.
"Three hours? Tyris, it's almost 1500 hours. You are three hours late for your appointment!"
That struck me dumb. I didn't believe it until I glanced out the window and noticed that the sun was way higher than it was when I arrived. Six damn hours. Holy shit. Six hours of meditation, and it felt like it was six minutes.
"I was… meditating… I had no idea how long it had been," I said weakly, not knowing what else to say.
"Wait, you came straight here after your session this morning?" I nodded. "I've heard of Knights and Masters losing time when fully immersed in the Force, but you're so young." She placed her hand on her chin, something I assumed she picked up from one of her human friends, because I don't think that was a Mon Cal behavior.
"Well, this is something for the Masters to figure out. You've got a very irate healer to go see," she said, ushering me off the rock and towards the exit of the room.
I couldn't believe this. That long, just sitting there! And I wasn't even stiff! In fact, I felt great. Amazing, even! Like I was going to burst with energy. I realized I'd drawn the ire of easily the scariest Jedi I'd met so far, but for some reason I couldn't help but be in a chipper mood.
At least, until we walked into the Halls.
There was no one in the reception area, which made sense, since Bant was probably the one that was supposed to be there. However, I didn't think about it to hard on account of the invisible hand that was trying to rip my ear off!
"Ow! What the h— OW!" I started yelling, following the invisible tugging hand to try and lessen the pain. It was leading me towards the medical room, and after figuring that out, even in my pain, it didn't take me long to figure out what was going on.
"Ow! Master Che, please! It— it wasn't my fault! I don't even know wh—," but before I could finish what I was saying, a much stronger pull caused me to stumble through the door and land square on my face.
"Ah, Mr. Kelborn, it's so nice that you finally deigned us important enough to stop by," came a voice to my right. I rolled over off of my face and saw Vokara Che standing before me, arms crossed, with a very unamused look on her face.
I sweatdropped. "Listen, I didn't even think I could meditate to begin with, let alone that I'd lose six hours of my life!"
This seemed to throw her off a little, and she glanced at Bant for confirmation, who only nodded. She returned her attention to me, giving me one last look before sighing.
"Whatever, get on the bed so I can take your vitals. Padawan Eerin, please get his fluids prepared."
I peeled myself off the floor, rubbing my nose, muttering about troublesome healers, and receiving a smack on the back of my head for my troubles. I hopped on the bed and waited for Vokara to check my condition. And waited. And waited some more.
I was a certified nursing assistant in my previous life, and 90 percent of that job was taking vitals of patients, so I knew that it did not take this long, especially with all the advanced tech in this universe. She just kept staring at the screen that was displaying my vitals.
Finally, she glanced at me and then pulled a comlink out of one of the pockets in her robe. After chatting on it for a minute or to, she put it away and then walked over to Bant and started talking to her.
Great, did I do something else that pissed her off? I really wasn't looking forward to anymore Force abuse. Seriously, is there a Force Younling Protection Services? I sighed, and decided to try and figure out what the hell happened while I was waiting. I'd certainly heard of long meditation sessions before. I'm pretty sure there were stories of masters meditating for months, or even years, on end, saturated in the Force, not needing any outside stimuli or nourishment. But I wasn't even five yet, it shouldn't have been possible.
But, there was something that was poking the back of my mind, some piece of information that I knew I had, but couldn't seem to grasp. I kept trying to figure it out, it was right on the tip of my…
The Temple. It was the Temple. Well, not the Temple itself, but where it was built. There was giant spire that the Temple was built around that was incredibly strong in the Force. With that epiphany came clarity. I understood now why it was so much easier to tap into the Force while at the Temple, when it took me several minutes just to feel it while on the Prism with Master Koth. And the Room of a Thousand Fountains was situated very close to the spire. Maybe...maybe my proximity to the spire paired with my inexplicably high midichlorian count caused me to immerse myself in the Force far deeper than I was prepared.
Not long after this realization, I heard footsteps approaching the medical room from the reception area, and was surprised to see Stass Allie enter.
"Healer Che, what was it that you wanted to show me?" She asked after walking into the room.
"Thank you for coming so quickly Stass. Will you please pull up the vitals you took on Tyris this morning on this datapad?" She asked, walking over in front of my bed and handing a pad to Allie.
Allie did so and then handed the pad back to Vokara.
"Thanks," she said, examining the datapad. "That's what I thought. Now, look at this," she said as she gestured at the monitor that was displaying my current vitals.
Allie squinted at the monitor for a few seconds, before quickly looking back at the pad to reaffirm what she had recorded this morning.
"How is this possible? This morning he had a high heart rate, hypertension, low blood sugar, and a poor RBC. Now, even though his BP is a little high for his age, everything is nearly in normal range. Even after we got him back on solids we shouldn't have been seeing readings this good until next week," she said with some confusion.
"I concur. Regardless, I think we should still give him the IV for this session, but I don't see any reason he can't have a regular supper tonight," she said, to which Allie nodded. "Bant, go ahead and take care of him from here. Master Allie and I need to go meet with Master Yoda."
And with that, the two healers swept out of the room, leaving Bant and I alone. She came over and started hooking the tubes up to give me my fluids.
She glanced at me before sighing. "Why do I get the feeling that you're going to give me no end of stress, little one?"
Later that night, I enter my room and begin getting ready for bed. After my session at the Halls I decided to explore the temple some more, deciding that six hours of meditation was more than enough for one day. Around 6:30, I returned to the Halls so that Bant could show me to one of the refectories, which was the Temple's version of a cafeteria/restaurant. Apparently, there were several throughout the Temple on different levels that offered different selections. I couldn't pronounce the main course of what I ate, though it tasted a lot like roast beef, with a side of hawk bat eggs.
We didn't dine alone, however. Obi-Wan joined us, along with, surprisingly, Quinlan Vos. I remember vaguely that they were friends, but never read anything that really went into detail on their friendship.
I didn't participate much in the conversation, other than introducing myself to Quinlan. I was still mulling over everything that had happened today. After we finished I told them that I was tired, and left to return to my room. It was almost 9 now, and I knew I should get enough sleep so that I didn't look like death in my meeting tomorrow. When I had got back to my room there was a Padawan waiting at my door who told me I was to appear before the Council at 10 the following morning.
After brushing my teeth, I came out to the main room and removed my clothes and tossed them in the hamper that was by my bed. Another set had been delivered at some point during the day. Unfortunately, it looked like they were the same size as the last ones. Damn.
Crawling into bed, I wondered if I was actually going to be able to get to sleep. There was so much on my mind. Am I going to go into a coma every time I meditate? And what about the weirdness of my body apparently fixing itself in a matter of hours? What were they going to say tomorrow?
And then I was opening my eyes to the sound of the alarm I had set for 7:30 in the morning. Huh, guess I was more tired than I realized. I got out of bed and began getting ready for the day.
After I got dressed and groomed, I left and grabbed breakfast at the refectory that was close to the dormitory section of the Temple. I ate alone this time, which didn't bother me. The one thing that was weird, however, was the fact that I didn't have a smartphone that I could look at YouTube or check Facebook with. It wasn't bad, I just was so used to having that expensive piece of technology on me that it was a little unnerving, almost like I thought I had lost it or something.
By the time I finished breakfast, it was a little after 9, so I left the refectory and began the long walk to the southwest wing of the Temple. The whole way there my mind was going a mile a minute, thinking about how in the next hour the course of the rest of my life would be decided.
Before I knew it, I was at the turbolift that would take me up to the council chambers. It was only 9:40, so I waited and watched people bustling about to kill the time.
"Good morning, Tyris."
I glanced to my right and saw Obi-Wan was the owner of the voice.
"Morning, Obi-Wan. How's it going?"
"I am well, going to meet Master Qui-Gon in the hangar. We are being sent on a long term mission. To your people's home planet, Mandalore, actually. How are you doing?"
Huh, this must be when they go protect Satine from the Death Watch.
I sighed. "I'm freaking out actually. I'm about to meet with the Council to find out if I'm to become a Jedi or not."
A sympathetic look crossed his face. "Tyris, regardless of how this meeting goes, I have a feeling that you are going to go on to do some great things. Don't stress too hard about events that you have no control over. The Council is thinking of you first and foremost regarding their decision, and will try to do whatever is best for you. I'm sure everything will work out." He placed a hand on my shoulder and smiled at me. "I must go now, and you should as well. I look forward to seeing how you've grown the next we meet. May the Force be with you." And with that, he left.
I turned to the turbolift and hit the call button, and nearly jumped out of my skin when the bell sounded and the doors opened immediately. Man, Obi-Wan's right, I need to chill the hell out. Showing up as a nervous wreck wasn't going to do me any favors.
I entered the lift and hit the button to take me to the chambers. I used the time in turbolift to call on the Force and center myself. The whole way up, I took deep breaths and thought of everything that could go right, rather than work myself up again by thinking about everything that could go wrong. By the time the lift doors opened to the antechamber I felt far more confident than I did when I entered it.
I stepped out of the lift, and approached the Padawan that was on duty by the large door.
"Tyris Kelborn here to see the Council," I stated, happy that my voice didn't shake at all.
He nodded, and pressed a button on a control panel by the door. Probably announcing my presence. And then the doors opened.
I walked through, trying not to make awkward eye contact with any of the Masters as I approached the center of the room. I did, however, glance at Master Koth, who gave me nothing more than an expressionless nod.
Once I was I was in the middle of the room, I faced Master Yoda and bowed.
"Good Morning, Masters," I said respectfully.
"Hmmm, much better, you look, Tyris Kelborn. Trust, I do, that your health is improving?"
"Yes, Master. Healers Che and Allie have taken great care of me," I replied.
"Not much their doing, according to them," Yoda said cryptically. "But, some other time, broach that topic we may. Convened, we are, to decide if Jedi training, you will receive."
I waited in anticipation, for the series of comments that was sure to come. This meeting would most likely take even longer than the last.
"Agreed, unanimously, we have, that trained in the Jedi ways, you are to be."
Or not.
What? Just like that? No build up, no preamble, no incessant questions, no hard stares, no snide remarks from Snake Beard Dude?
"Unanimously?" I asked in surprise. It took all of my willpower not to look over at Rancisis.
"It is the thought of the Masters that you possess the maturity to succeed in the training despite being older than most. I don't mean to sound insensitive, but your lack of attachments outside of the Order made the decision easier," Said Master Windu.
It was like a weight being lifted off my shoulders. I felt like I'd been holding my breath for the past two days, and I could finally breathe easy again.
"What was it that made you confident I could do the training?" I asked, curiosity getting the best of me.
"The night of your mother's funeral, it was. Unknowingly, tapped into the Force, you did. For your age, more powerfully than any expected. Confirmed, you did, our suspicions of your empathic ability, when you shared with all present your emotions. Regret and anger, expected they are of a child losing a parent. However, felt neither of these, you did," said Yaddle. It was the first time I'd heard her speak, and she sounded….. Exactly how you'd expect a female Yoda to sound.
"Instead," continued Plo Koon, "You shared sadness at losing your mother, but, more importantly, acceptance, as well as happiness that her suffering was over. An incredibly mature outlook for one so young."
"You are a very surprising young man, and have the workings of a promising Jedi," said Master Koth, with a hint of pride in his voice.
"Made this decision lightly, we did not. Training to be a Jedi, easy it is not. Many hardships, I see on your path forward. Way of the Jedi, this is. Only more difficult, things will get from here," said Yoda.
I stood there dumbfounded for a few seconds before I realized they were waiting on me to say something.
"Thank you, Masters. I swear I will do my utmost to uphold the traditions and values of the Order," I said, with a deep bow.
Master Yoda gave a nod, before glancing around the Chamber. "Have anything further to add, does anyone?" There was silence,and then Yoda turned back to me. "And you, Initiate Kelborn. Any questions, have you?"
I smiled, and asked the only question that was important at this point.
"Any way that I can get some clothes that actually fit?"
AN: Well holy damn. That ended up being a little longer than I had planned. Just a few things to talk about. Thank you Cf96 and marcoskowla for the reviews, even just small encouraging words are a huge motivation.
In regards to my Clone Wars reference with Obi-Wan right before the second meeting, the way I look at it, Clone Wars had been airing for four years before Disney announced Episode 7 and retconned the Expanded Universe, so I'm going to be including the Clone Wars in my fic. I like Rex to much to not have him in it.
Also, in regards to my SI's knowledge of the Star Wars universe: If I have to look it up while I'm writing, then he will have to find out that info from some other source in universe. Anything I know off the top of my head, he will also.
As for updates, I'm shooting for every Sunday, but the chapter will go up whenever it is done. However, I am a coach for football and basketball, have a full time job, and am married, so there may be times when I don't update on time. Sorry in advance. Thanks!
Teee-Jay