Chapter 2

(3,657 BBY - 6 years old)

Voices from the hallway interrupted my morning meditation. To be honest, at the age of six it didn't take much to draw my attention away from meditating. I shifted my right foot, trying to keep my balance, and struggled for a moment to block out the soft murmur of voices.

"If only Mariatu could learn some restraint. If she cannot learn to control her emotions..."

I started at the mention of my name and completely lost my balance. I crashed to the floor and a moment later the door of the meditation room flew open.

"Youngling, are you alright?" Master Shadra Nise knelt beside me, a look of concern on her face. I nodded and tried to ignore the pain in my elbow. I blinked back the tears that were more from embarrassment than pain and looked tentatively up at the tall Zabrak standing in the doorway, Master Joran Khen-jo, Lore Keeper of the Telosian Academy and my history and culture instructor. He sniffed disdainfully and gave Master Shadra a meaningful look before turning on his heels and exiting the small meditation room.

I hung my head and pulled my knees to my chest. "I messed up again, didn't I Master Shadra?"

"Oh my dear Mariatu, you are still young. You have much to learn, but learning takes time and you, youngling, have many years with which to learn." She looked around the meditation room. A slight frown creased her forehead and she said, "Why are you not with your clan?"

"It was too noisy," I said in exasperation. "Kendara breathes too loud when she's meditating and X'ri fidgets the entire time. They kept distracting me." I lifted my chin to a stubborn angle, daring her to say something.

Master Shadra Nise raised an eyebrow and with an amused smile said, "And what about Tes'lee and Grif?"

I rolled my eyes, my defiance forgotten. "Tes'lee is perfect, of course, and I think Grif was sleeping, at least I think that was him snoring."

"Mari'," she said with a chuckle and put her arm around my shoulders. "They are your family."

"I know, but can't they meditate quieter?" I crossed my arms and scowled, feeling completely justified.

"It is not the noise that surrounds you that inhibits your meditation, but the noise within." She stood and pulled me to my feet. I tried to understand what she meant, but couldn't quite wrap my head around it.

"Come, there's someone I want you to meet."

It was a long time before I remembered her words, and even longer until I understood.

She was a tiny thing, at least a head shorter than me and all skin and bones. Her hair was a filthy mess, all tangled and matted and the color of mud. She was pale as the snow outside, her face and hands smeared with dirt, her clothes an indistinct gray color and threadbare to the point that calling them clothes was questionable. But it was her eyes that I remember most; those startling, bright green eyes. In those eyes I saw horror beyond imagining and indescribable terror.

Master Shadra and I stood in the doorway to the large bathing room adjacent to the nursery where Jedi Fosterer Cora'lyn was fussing over the child, trying to convince her to take a bath.

"Shadra, thank the Light! What am I supposed to do with her? She won't even let me touch her."

"Calm yourself, Cora', all will be well." She smiled down at me and said, "Mariatu will deal with this situation." She motioned me into the room. "Come, Cora', let us retire to the nursery." She crossed the room slowly, took the bewildered Cora'lyn by the arm and led her to the door. She paused momentarily and said over her shoulder, "Come to my chambers when you are finished."

The door swung closed and I froze, unsure what to do with the wild looking child sitting on the tiled floor half a dozen paces from me. I could feel the fear emanating from her. The unshed tears in her big green eyes made me want to wrap my arms around her and tell her it would be all right, but when I stepped towards her she flinched back and a wave of fear hit me like a wall, knocking me back a step.

She wouldn't let me near her, so I sat down right where I was. I crossed my legs, put my hands in my lap, and meditated. At first all I could think about was her. What had happened to her? How did the Masters find her? Who was she? After a while, a long while, the questions faded and a quiet calm came over me and I waited.

"Why are you glowing?"

I opened my eyes when I heard the quiet words and the pale blue light around me faded. She was looking directly at me and she seemed more curious than scared, though her whole body was still tensed with wariness.

"It's the Force," I answered, more than a little surprised myself that I had managed that level of meditation.

"Can you do it again?"

I shrugged, "I'm not very good at it."

"Oh," her voice was full of disappointment. She scratched her head absently and I could hear her tummy growl.

"Are you hungry?"

She eyed me suspiciously and nodded slowly.

"We're not allowed to dinner if we're dirty." I tried to explain, but she didn't seem to understand. "If you want to eat, you have to clean up first," I said slowly, pointing at the bathtub.

Her eyes filled with tears and I had to strain my ears to hear what she said next. "I don't know how."
I tried not to show my dismay. "I'll help you." I stood and slowly walked over to her. I held out my hand and to my surprise and relief she took it. "I'm Mariatu."

She stood and looked up at me shyly, "I am called Z'myra."

"Come in, youngling."

I opened the door to Master Shadra's chambers and entered.

"Come in, come in," she waved me towards an empty seat then sat across from me. "So, youngling, how did it go?"

I took a deep breath and the words seemed to tumble out of my mouth. "Good, I think. Z'myra is all clean now, but boy was she dirty and I couldn't fix her hair so we had to cut it. Can you believe her hair is the brightest red I've ever seen! Oh, and she ate. But Fosterer Cora'lyn wouldn't let her eat much; she said it would make her sick. And Master Brynn did a medical scan; she said Z'myra will be okay after a couple of weeks resting and eating proper. Then Fosterer Cora'lyn helped me get her settled into the dormitory. She gets the bed next to mine." I took another deep breath before continuing. "So where did she come from? What happened to her? I think she is hurt, but maybe more on the inside than on the outside. I know she's all bruised and has lots of scratches but she keeps crying and she looks so sad."

"Whoa, slow down," she held up her hands to halt the flow of words coming out of my mouth. "You did well. She seems to trust you so I want you to stay close to her. She will join your clan. Tell the others to give her time to warm up to them. I don't want her overwhelmed." Master Shadra looked out her window and off into the distance. I followed her gaze but could only see the haze of snow falling beyond the transparisteel.

"But where did she come from?"

Master Shadra returned her attention to me, "I cannot answer your questions because I do not know. Master Khen-jo found her sitting on the front steps just outside the courtyard early this morning. Until she was with you she spoke not a word and would let no one touch her. The Force is strong in her but she was so consumed by pain and fear she was becoming a danger to herself and those around her." She paused and looked directly into my eyes. For a long moment she said nothing. I sat still, caught up in the intensity of her gaze.

"You did a good thing this day, Mariatu. You saved that little girl's life."