Destiny Eclipse/Chapter XIV

--17 ABY--

Kroprulu – Entrance Hall
Commander Minious sat in his chair, staring lazily out the window to the endless bounds of space above their heads. He had always been bored with this part of the weekly ritual for the Council – approving who was to become Sith, and who were to be rejected and trained as Dark Jedi. He had been debating with the Council for weeks if not months to try and install a droid processing system, with those not chosen by a Master left to be Dark Jedi.

He stopped himself from yawning as the next initiate – a startlingly beautiful young woman, of about fourteen by the looks of her – entered the room. Lord Tontie begun the proceedings, asking her to list her name, gender, planet of origin, and other such tidbits of information that the Council would store in her file.

Tontie then examined a midichlorian sample that had been taken earlier, and nodded in approval.

“Tell me, how best do you think you shall serve the Empire?” He asked.

“I wish to serve in the navy, or as an instructor. I have spent much time learning from my father before his untimely death, and know much about Echani combat.”

“Very well. It just so happens we have a Dathomiri Witch awaiting her final stages of training in the arts of combat, and you may be able to assist,” Tontie said, referring to Darth Minious’ Apprentice Ackin who was nearing her trials.

Darth Minious stiffened, allowing an Initiate, especially one of such a young age assist in training of an Apprentice, no matter how skilled had never been heard of in all his time on the Council which stretched back to the Order’s founding’s. Tontie must have been impressed readily by her midichlorian levels.

“Tell me,” Darth Minious interceded, “You mention your father was an Imperial. Do you hold any biases towards alien species? As you may or may not have realised, our Council contains many near-humans, including myself, and to hold such a bias, no matter what your upbringing would be most unseemly.”

The young woman paused, thinking hard about her answer, “I hold no biases to those who hold none to me,” she said, finally.

Satisfied with her answer, Tontie spewed forth the answer most commonly heard, the answer that would mean she would be trained as a Sith. Judging from the historical significance she already held, Darth Minious knew he would watch Eriaté Sulla’s training and life in the Sith Order with much interest.

Dantooine – Caves
Xander pressed his back up against Vikro’s, the two fighting fiercely against the smugglers who had made their homes in these jewel caves. Thousands of years ago this set of caves had provided jewels for Jedi’s lightsabers when the academy on Dantooine had prospered. Now it was stripped bare by any pirates or smugglers who chose to make home in them.

Xander dodged a blaster bolt, blocking another on his blade. The sheer number of smugglers had overwhelmed Vikro and him, as they had originally been told there would only be a small number.

As five smugglers charged the pair brandishing vibro-blades, Xander was forced to roll to the side, away from Vikro. He sliced through the legs of two smugglers, killing a third with a clean strike through his chest. The smuggler fell away, his last breath gurgling in his lungs.

Xander tried to get up, but a smuggler pushed him back down, holding his gun to Xander’s chest, knocking Xander’s lightsaber away.

“Don’t move Jedi,” he snarled. Xander turned to call for Vikro, but a bright blue blade appeared through the man’s chest, signifying that Vikro had already found him. As the smuggler was pulled away by the force of gravity, his rifle went off, sending a bolt flying into Xander’s chest. Xander threw up his hand instinctively, summoning the Force as if it could aid him in this impossible task.

Moments later he felt intense heat in his palm, but nothing more. He opened his eyes, and glanced at his palm. Not even heat blisters told the tale of the blaster bolt that had hit it moments before. For the first time he noticed the quiet, and realised Vikro had defeated the rest of the smugglers.

Vikro stood above him, holding out Xander’s lightsaber for him, a curious expression resting on his face.

“That’s a rare ability Xander, not many Jedi can perform it. It isn’t one that can be learnt, but is inherited. Your mother’s family must have been blessed with it, as I never knew the Vos family had it in them.”

Xander gazed at his palm, “But what does it mean?”

“Whenever a lightsaber, or any energy for that matter, strikes your body, all you need to do is summon the Force to that area before it is hit, and that energy will be transformed from destructive to helpful. You can use it to empower your lightsaber, or replenish lost stamina.”

Xander breathed in wonder; unable to understand how he had been blessed with such an obviously rare ability. “How do you know so much about it? Can you perform it?”

Vikro chuckled, “By the Force no. I can perform the more common form of it, much as many people can perform the common form of Force Shove. I am able to block energy for a time and redirect it, but I cannot absorb it as you can.”

The two paused for a minute and then, realising where they were, stood and brushed off their clothes.

“Come,” Vikro said, “We should tell the locals that their smuggler problems are finished with.”

Jedi Temple – Padawan Quarters
Lyn and Xander sat in their room staring at the wall in silence. Both had recently returned from fairly dangerous missions – Xander from Dantooine and Lyn from Mon Calamari. They had rarely spoken of it, but they both knew that soon Lyn was going to be promoted to Jedi Knight, within the next three or four years.

“Mon Calamari was chaos,” Lyn said, breaking the silence, in an effort to forge a conversation, “We spent most of the time under water, which meant we couldn’t use our lightsabers. Kavar did most of the talking, though the Quarren didn’t seem to want to listen. We were attacked a few times whilst in their city, so we were able to use our lightsabers, but when we were leaving we were pretty much defenceless. At one point a blaster bolt missed my head by a fraction of a centimetre.

“What’ll I do Xander?” He said, turning to Xander, his eyes full of worry.

“What do you mean?”

“When I become a Jedi Knight, I won’t have Master Kavar looking out for me, I’ll have to fight on my own. And even worse, when I get my own Apprentice I’ll have to look out for them! I could have died yesterday, and it was only by the Force that I didn’t. I can’t die Xander. I have so much I want to do. Don’t you?”

Xander’s thoughts turned to his parents, back home in Mos Hurga. His Grand-Mother’s grave, defiled, and needing to be rebuilt. So much of the Galaxy he hadn’t visited.

“You shall do everything you want to and more during your time as a Jedi,” he said, “Once you become a Knight you’ll have nothing holding you here for long periods, and I’m sure the Council will allow you to travel as far and wide as you want. And as for having no one to fight alongside, there’s always me,” Xander said with a grin.

“Thanks Xander,” Lyn said grinning, “You always know just what to say.”

“Maybe I’m just gifted,” Xander teased, but at his own remark, he fell silent, brooding.

“What’s wrong?” Lyn said.

“When I was on Dantooine with Vikro, I discovered another thing making me different from the rest of the Jedi,” Xander said, miserable, “I can use the ability Force Absorb, which Vikro says is really rare in a Jedi. I don’t want to be rare! I want to be normal! To fit in!”

“But you do fit in,” Lyn said, “Look around us next time you’re in the cafeteria, there are creatures of every species imaginable. I even heard they brought in an infant Barabel for training the other day. We are who we are, and that makes us unique. You have your abilities that make you unique, and I have mine.”

Xander pondered this as he gazed out into the milling hall, “You’re right Lyn,” he said, turning and grinning. “Thanks.”

“Any time, my friend,” Lyn said, clapping Xander on the shoulder, “Now, what do you say we go get something to eat?”

“I’m famished,” Xander said, agreeing, and hopping off his bed. The pair wandered down the hall, navigating between Jedi pupils, intent on hitting the cafeteria just in time for lunch.