|
Anakin stood uncertainly in a small sparring arena. Lavir Ruoy looked rather smug as he unclipped his lightsaber. A large group of Padawans of all ages filled a quarter of the seats and still more were arriving.
Anakin sighed silently. How did I get into this mess? He thought back to lunchtime. Suoicarg and Elbaima had been relating to him all of the latest Temple gossip. Anakin had been rather bored until they mentioned that Lavir had returned.
His friends both gushed over how Lavir's master had successfully convinced the Hapans to send ambassadors to Coruscant. They explained to him in excruciating detail how long the Republic has wanted Hapes to join and how very hard it is to even persuade them to talk.
Anakin was almost grateful when Lavir had approached their table.
***
"I don't have time for a lightsaber duel."
Lavir gestured haughtily. "You can not turn down a challenge. I insist."
"Watch me." Anakin stood up and walked away.
Lavir's eyes narrowed. "Uoytlusn!"
Anakin stopped and looked back at him.
"It's pronounced, Uoytlusni." He said coolly.
"How would you know?"
"I unfortunately speak Huttanse."
"I see."
Suoicarg's eyes were wide and Elbaima was speechless. A group of Padawans passed close to them to leave the dinning hall and Lavir suddenly changed tactics.
"This is merely a sparring match. Surely, you can spare the time." Lavir looked down at Anakin's companions. "Wouldn't you agree? Help me encourage him."
Elbaima thought about it a moment before answering. "It might be fun, Ani. I'm sure Lavir won't go too hard on you."
"I would like to see you spar. This is such a prestigious opportunity." Suoicarg explained.
"You must be a very good and I would be honored to test your skills myself." Lavir cajoled.
Anakin's heart sank. They are assuming I can fight really well just because Master Qui-gon and Obi-wan are teaching me!
***
And now I really wish I'd just kept walking away.
Anakin stood calmly with his ignited lightsaber pointed low to the floor. Lavir gracefully assumed a ready stance with his emerald lightsaber up and ready to counter whatever strike Anakin chose.
For several seconds each waited for the other to attack. Lavir had been trained that Jedi do not attack, instead they defend when assaulted. However, waiting for his opponent to move first was just Anakin's way.
Finally, realizing that they would be waiting forever, Lavir lunged forward. He struck lightly to test Anakin's strength. Anakin was slim and nearly as tall as Lavir, however he was no match for the 18-year-old's muscles.
Anakin chose to parry and dodge before the blow could overwhelm his defenses. He slid to Lavir's left side and struck at his torso. But Lavir skipped backward and swept his lightsaber at Anakin's feet. It was a simple trick, but very effective against a slower opponent. He was unprepared for Anakin's speed.
Anakin's leap to avoid the green blade carried him high into the air. The crowd was surprised. It looked like he had greatly overcompensated or was desperate to retreat. Anakin was doing neither. He descended and alighted nimbly on Lavir's right shoulder. He waited with his blade held still and unthreatening for Lavir to react.
The crowd stared speechless as Anakin balanced calmly on one foot. Lavir stared up at him for a second before retaliating. He swung his saber up with one hand and grabbed Anakin's ankle with the other. Anakin parried the blade and used the Force to remain firmly rooted to the older teenager's shoulder, despite how hard he tried to yank Anakin off.
When that failed, Lavir twisted and flipped away. Anakin had no choice but to release him. Lavir landed in a crouch some distance away while Anakin gently floated to the ground. The horde of Padawans began cheering again.
Lavir began to stalk like a predator. He circled closer and closer in the sparring space. Anakin held his lightsaber loosely and gazed at him with a bored expression. The excited crowd's roar grew louder and louder. In a flash of power and strength, Lavir leaped at Anakin.
He struck out at the younger boy with all of his might and drove his saber's point straight at Anakin. Anakin's lightsaber remained low at his side. Those still sitting in the crowd leapt to their feet and gasped.
Lavir's deactivated lightsaber bounced across the floor and Anakin held his blue blade to Lavir's neck.
Absolute silence reigned. Anakin lowered his saber and switched it off.
Lavir's dark eyes stared at him. He finally stepped back two steps, but either's cold expressions changed. Collectively, the crowd seemed to remember to breathe and began babbling franticly.
"I never saw him even move."
"He must have kicked it out of Lavir's hand."
"No way!"
"Well he didn't raise his lightsaber until afterwards!"
"That is the The Padawans quieted at once when they saw Lavir lift one hand. "You are quite skilled in acrobatics, Skywalker. However, I noticed that you rarely employed your weapon."
"I don't enjoy dueling."
"I can see that. Training with Master Jinn and Knight Kenobi must be exhausting." Lavir stepped away and turned to address the crowd, but then stopped and glanced back at Anakin.
"How old are you?" He asked off-handedly in a quieter, yet still audible, voice.
"Thirteen. What business is it of yours?"
Anakin was becoming increasingly irritated. And why exactly are we having this conversation in front of an audience?
He almost missed the shocked reaction of the crowd. Lavir was stiff and spoke very clearly. "How long have you been a Padawan?"
Anakin decided that not answering would be more trouble than it's worth. "About three months."
Lavir raised one dark brow, but the rest of his face remained stony. "You have neither the appearance nor the resonance in the Force of a new Padawan." His voice was strained.
Then he announced loudly, "I would greatly enjoy a rematch. You have potential with a lightsaber and hope you will use it more in our next duel. In the mean time, I must brush up on my acrobatic skills."
The crowd was pleased and clapped wildly.
They didn't even wait for me to answer. It would never occur to any of them that I wouldn't want to. I'm sick of this. Without a word or a look back, Anakin left.
***
"Anakin, I'd like to introduce Etaicerppa." Suoicarg waved one elegant hand to the lanky teenage Bith.
"Hi, have a seat!" Anakin smiled in welcome and slid over to make room. There were nearly a dozen Padawans crowded around the large table.
Etaicerppa gratefully sat down with them. Since the duel with Lavir, Anakin had discovered many Padawans wanted to be friends with him and would smile and greet him in the hallways. Once Anakin would have quickly become friends with everyone he met. But the three years he struggled while enslaved by pirates, living on his own and running from a Sith had taken their toll. Anakin had to frequently remind himself that silence and caution was no longer necessary for survival.
"Ani, I told Etaicerppa what a good mechanic you are and he needs your help." Suoicarg explained.
The shy Bith ducked his head. "I attend a ship repair class in between missions with my master. The teacher has discovered a problem with one of the shuttles. I was wondering if you could help?"
"Sure, is that okay?"
"Oh yes, if you can assist us the teacher would be most obliged and you wouldn't be doing my assignment for me. My class is the tenth hour. When can you come?"
Anakin thought for a moment before he remembered that the next day would be a Council lesson. He'd already received a holo-message explaining that his lesson would not take place until the afternoon. "Tomorrow is fine. Can you meet me here to take me to your class?"
"Yes! That would be excellent. I am most grateful." He self-consciously ducked his head again.
***
Anakin followed his new acquaintance uncertainly. The ship repair bay was large and reeked of oil and engine fluid. Anakin thought it was the greatest smell in the world. Except for maybe Padme's perfume. It was very hard for him to restrain himself from immediately examining the nearest ship.
The teacher looked up at them as she finished helping two students. She was human and much older than Qui-gon, with gray and white hair. Her kind face had deep smile lines. "Good morning."
"Master Reh-caet, this is Anakin Skywalker." Etaicerppa said happily.
"Welcome Anakin, I have heard much about you. Etaicerppa has told me that you are a skilled mechanic." She led him to a shuttle by the far wall. It was a standard two-passenger ship typically flown by Jedi on short trips to the other Core worlds but no farther then the Inner Rim.
She opened an exterior panel to show him. "This ship has been out for some time due to the nature of the last users' mission. At one point they unexpectedly ended up flying out to the Mid Rim and the ship was damaged in a fight."
Anakin noticed she gave no names and wondered if she wasn't allowed or if she didn't know herself. He concentrated on the mass of wires she pulled out.
"They fixed what they could, but had to rely on the locals to patch together a temporary repair for the rest. I have shown this to several other Masters, yet none of them had ever seen such an unusual kind of repair. I'm not even sure how to remove it without cutting out and replacing the entire cooling system."
Master Reh-caet stepped back and smiled. "I would greatly appreciate it if you can take this mess out. Then my students will repair it themselves."
"I'll do my best." Eagerly Anakin dug his hands into the wires and searched for a circuit board. Master Reh-caet went to assist another Padawan. Etaicerppa and his class partner were assigned this ship and watched Anakin curiously. Despite the fact that she had no visible mouth, she answered in a pleasant voice. "Greetings Anakin, I am L'latyrev."
She reached out a branch-like hand with pencil thin fingers. Anakin shook it in surprise that she knew that ancient human custom and hoped his grasp didn't hurt her.
"Pleased to meet you, too!"
"You have an unusual accent. May I ask why?"
"Uh, well. I wasn't raised here on Coruscant." Please don't ask where or why. Anakin hoped.
She nodded politely and Anakin sighed with relief. Anakin returned to his dilemma. What is this odd thing? He twisted the tiny device's wires out of his way to get a better look.
Without warning Anakin swiftly Force shoved the two Padawans across the room and flipped backwards in the air. He landed lightly and braced himself.
"GET DOWN!"
The explosion rocked the room knocking the nearest students to the floor. The flash of orange briefly blinded everyone. Those with the quickest reflexes had taken cover behind the other ships in time and now stood up in shock.
A green and orange inferno hung suspended in the air. Even the smoke and sparks were frozen. Anakin stood stiffly near it with his palms held out and his eyes closed.
"Get them out!" Anakin said through clench teeth.
Instantly, Master Reh-caet used the Force to slam open the entrance doors and bellowed. "Out! Run to the Efas Stairs!"
The stunned Padawans obeyed immediately and poured out of the hanger bay. Master Reh-caet herself stopped near the door and called out to Anakin.
"Several Masters are on their way, is their anything I can do to help you!"
"Just GO!"
She didn't hesitate to follow her startled class.
***
The Jedi Council was in a special session with Supreme Chancellor Palpatine in the Council Spire. He had specially asked to speak with the entire Council and he had graciously offered to go to them.
"This is becoming increasingly serious." Palpatine's voice carried softly in the room.
"We have been preparing for some time now." Master Windu consoled him.
"That is a great relief. However, many of my recent efforts have failed. To use the recent disagreement on Duro as an example, they decline all offers of help. They politely but firmly turned away a team of negotiators and they have now even rejected your guidance." He gestured to the Jedi Masters surrounding him.
Yoda nodded gravely. "Prefer battle they do."
"I am greatly distressed to say that these refusals are becoming more and more common place. The people do not want peace." Palpatine's words dripped with sadness and grief.
Before the Supreme Chancellor had finished speaking all of the Jedi stiffened visibly. Palpatine noticed and looked at Master Windu expectantly.
"Something urgent has occurred. We must continue later. My apologies, Chancellor." Quickly, Mace followed Master Yoda and Master Eeth Koth out of the chamber. The rest remained to try to alleviate the Chancellor's concerns and schedule another discussion at a later date.
***
Smoke billowed at Anakin's feet and he hardly dared to breathe. The explosion in front of him was still moving, but very slowly. At first he'd instantly blocked it and his shield held the fire back. However, now Anakin was getting tired and the flames crept closer and closer.
Anakin squeezed his eyes even tighter.
<Steady, Anakin. Help is on the way.>
Qui-gon's voice carried over to him through the training bond. Anakin felt a little guilty that he didn't think to call out for help. I gotta remember that they are there.
<Yes you should. Focus, Ani.> Obi-wan instructed him. <Master Yoda is almost to you. Just keep going a little longer.>
Anakin shuddered as the mass of burning gasses and fire began to approach him a little faster. I don't think I'm doing this right. He recalled how Master Yoda had halted the Sith's energy ball months ago.
Maybe there is another way. Carefully, Anakin took a breath of the decreasing amount of clean air. The fire is just too big, I've gotta get rid of some of it.
Anakin concentrated on what Master Eeth Koth had taught him over the last four weeks.
***
"Absorbing energy is an effective way to remove a danger. However, that energy does not need to be completely dissipated. Rather you can convert it. This ability allows you to form a conduit and power an object. For example, fire a blaster with a dead energy pack or wield an uncharged lightsaber."
"This power must be handled with great care for it is easy to overwhelm an object and it burn out or even cause it to explode."
***
The flames were brushing against Anakin's palms now. Automatically, he began to absorb it. I need to send it somewhere. What's in here that I could use? He tried to cracking open one eye and immediately regretted it. The stinging smoke and bright fire hurt and prevented him from seeing anything.
Finally, Anakin opted to redirect the energy into the nearest ships. He probed the other vessels carefully for their power cells and hoped that he didn't overload them. At least they were all off, so they wouldn't explode.
Anakin desperately held his breath. His lungs begged for air, but he didn't dare risk choking on the smoke and losing his concentration. But passing out won't work either. Please, someone get here soon!
***
Jedi Masters do not run in the Temple. At least that's what the Padawans always believed having never seen a Master actually need to run. Master Reh-caet's class was understandable surprised when Master Windu and Master Koth leaped down the Efas Staircase. However, seeing Master Yoda slide down the banister on one foot left them stunned speechless.
Yoda picked up speed and passed the other two Council members. At the end he flew off and sailed above the small crowd of Padawan's heads. They ducked instinctively, and were glad they did when they saw Mace and Eeth Koth leapt over them as well.
They were only a little more prepared when Master Qui-gon and Obi-wan came barreling around the corner.
***
Even before the Jedi Masters entered the hanger bay, Anakin could sense them reaching out to him. The flames and dangerous gasses completely surrounded Anakin from view.
Master Yoda came close to him with Mace and Eeth flanking either side. Eeth Koth's eyes went wide as he recognized instantly what Anakin was doing. His short tan horns turned white in surprise. Obi-wan slid into the room followed by Qui-gon. They stopped behind Yoda and waited expectantly.
Mace turned his head. "Tell him to be still."
Qui-gon reached for the training bond. <Don't move, Ani.>
Qui-gon then nodded to Mace. Cautiously, they pushed away the fire around Anakin.
"Back up slowly." Obi-wan told him when the path was clear. Warily, Anakin complied.
"Your grip, release to us." Yoda ordered him. Anakin waited until he was sure they had control before letting go completely.
Anakin took a deep breath as he felt the Jedi Masters and Obi-wan all work to build a shield surrounding the entire explosion. Once it was steady, the Council members held it up allowing Qui-gon and Obi-wan to see to Anakin.
Obi-wan stepped up behind him and rested his hands on Anakin's shoulders. "Are you hurt?"
Anakin opened his eyes and watched the lack of oxygen begin to gradually snuff out the fire. "I don't think so." He said hoarsely.
Qui-gon walked in front and scrutinized him. Anakin was shaking from fatigue, but wasn't burnt. He lifted Anakin's chin. "How about your eyes?"
"I closed them in time."
The last of the flames went out and the Masters dispersed their shield.
"We will examine this incident ourselves. Take Anakin to be treated." Mace ordered them seriously. He and the others looked very grim.
"Can you walk back?" Qui-gon asked Anakin quietly.
"Of course." Anakin looked vaguely insulted as the left the hanger bay.
They moved slowly down the passage and were relieved to see that the class of Padawans was now gone. Anakin's breathing was shallow and unsteady.
Sensing their worry Anakin spoke up quickly. "I don't need to go to the Healers. I'm sure I can walk home just fine."
Obi-wan looked stern and Qui-gon was unconvinced. "Really!" Anakin insisted.
"Very well. However, if you stumble even once on the way you will go see them." Obi-wan decided in his favor.
Qui-gon didn't speak, but watched Anakin intently the entire journey. When they arrived successfully, neither Jedi were sure if they should be relieved or even more concerned.
<Is he truly unharmed?> Obi-wan glanced at the teenager. Anakin went quietly to his room and collapsed on the bed.
<I could not sense anything serious. However, he may be very clever at hiding his injuries, even from us.> Qui-gon replied.
"Hi!" Anakin said to the second Padawan. She was very tall, thin and he could tell that she was female, but she looked like she had no face. I just know I'll be spending hours trying to find out what species she is.
© 1998-2002 Dragon's Library maintained by Ulrike Großmann