Chapter 13: Becoming a Padawan
It's been a very long 4 years to get to this point, but now I'm done with youngling training. My 13th birthday was a couple of months ago. After all this time, I made many friends in the Water clan, and we are all being selected by Masters today. Masters are responsible for getting us our first lightsaber hilts, and I will get one after I meet my Master. It will be nice to ditch the training sabers. I wonder what color my kyber crystal will end up being once I search Ilum.
I use force speed to navigate the large trees and forests of Tython. I look down from leaping and see many Jedi, both old and young, practicing. "Hey, Nathan! You know we can't all do that yet!" I look down and see one of my best friends, Dorwill. He was the first person I talked to when I entered the Water clan. He even took time to show me what he knew about Shii-Cho with sticks. When we had free time, we would practice force forms with sticks.
I leap from the tree I'm on and land in front of him. I see the third member of our entourage running up behind him. Her name is Keilara. There was a moment in time when Dorwill and Keilara hated each other. They reconciled their differences, knowing they both came from the same pillaged and ransacked town on Dantooine. After they found that out about each other, they have been inseparable since.
We both wait for her to enter our little conversation. Once she does, I smile at both of them, and they reciprocate. "Today is the day, guys! Show some more excitement! We'll be meeting our Masters today! No more training with these old as dirt youngling sabers too!" They both release happy laughs and join in on the great feeling. I've learned a lot in the 4 years I've been on Tython. What I learned doesn't just encompass force abilities and the history of the Jedi. I've also learned how the republic works.
Right now, the war is at a stalemate, so that's both good and bad. "Who do you think your Master will be, Nathan? I was hoping to get Master Estlea. She has been my inspiration ever since her work during the war on Alderaan." Keilara has good taste. Estlea is one of the people who led the revolution on Alderaan to drive the Imperials out after taking the world. I honestly don't know who my Master's will be. The Masters selecting us are kept from the younglings until the time comes.
I put my hand on my chin and think. Maybe Master Caleb has decided to take me. He was always great at teaching me to control my power. He was the one that taught me to tone down my presence in the force. "If I had to guess Master Caleb might choose me, he has guided me through many of my issues with controlling my power." That was something I learned soon after arriving on Tython. I'm extremely connected with the force, and I'm very powerful compared to my peers.
My development has come a long way, especially with force augmentation. I can leap greater and run faster than most Jedi masters. My physical prowess is much greater thanks to the techniques Caleb taught me. "Who do you think you will get, Dorwill? You always had a great time being taught by Sanmaso. He is one of the strongest Twi'lek jedis in the order." Sanmaso is the one who caught us training saber forms with sticks.
Dorwill has hope in his eyes that's easy to see. Sanmaso might select him. "I heard that Grandmaster Satele had come back from Coruscant." When Keilara said those words, I can't help the grin on my face from turning into a smile. Master Satele made me feel welcomed and accepted me without hesitation. When I caused damage with the force, she was there to comfort me. "Do you think she is coming to select a padawan? I've only seen her a handful of times. I've never actually got the privilege to talk to her." Keilara isn't the only youngling that hasn't met her. Suppose Satele is coming to select an apprentice, then it's probably Leshal. She is pretty talented in the force and is planning to learn double-bladed combat.
We all turn our heads to a Jedi Master as he speaks to all the younglings here. "Today is the day you will all be selected by Masters and Knights of the order. I want the Water clan and Grass clan to follow me. We are meeting up with the other clans." We all fall in line behind one another. I can't wait to meet the Master who will be teaching me till I reach Knighthood.
We follow the Master to an open sparring area used for demonstrations. Today the massive area is being used so Masters can meet their new padawans. I look around, and I don't see Master Caleb anywhere, but I do make eye contact with Master Satele. I give a slight bow, and she gives me a gentle smile. If Caleb isn't here, then that means I won't be his padawan. While disappointing, it's not bad. Any of the Masters up there can teach us. All of them are recognizable and are distinguished among the order.
We all watch the head trainer of the younglings take center stage, so to speak. Master Max has been a tough but fair teacher. He taught me all about Jedi discipline. "All these Masters and Knights are distinguished members of our order! Today is the day you will meet the one who will guide you and teach you about the galaxy outside of Tython. Be warned, padawans, there is a war, and you will have to fight." This is the first time Max has called us padawans.
He takes a deep breath for the next part of his speech. "Once you have met your Masters. You will head to Illum with them personally to find your kyber crystals. I will now let all the Masters take the time to talk and meet with their new padawans before heading out to Ilum." We all clap at the climax of Master Max's speech in respect of him. He even cracks one of his rare smiles. Seconds later, all 13 and 14 year old's spread out waiting for our Masters to greet us.
I see that Leshal is standing in a group of friends in front of me, looking right at Master Satele. I look at all the Masters and Knights as they begin to move. I notice many of the padawans around stiffen as the notable jedis introduce themselves to their padawans. I look at Satele and see that she heads right in Leshals direction. It's awesome she gets the Grandmaster for her teacher. I can see the light in Leshals eyes light up, and once Satele gets close, she bows. "It's nice to meet you, Master Satele!" However, Satele just walks past her and continues in my direction.
Many of the padawans between Satele and my location become stiff. She passes them up as well, and soon I find her standing in front of me. I instantly give a customary bow. "Greetings, Grandmaster." She takes one hand from behind her back and places it on my head.
I tilt my head up and look at her with happiness and respect. "Come, my new padawan. We have to get you to Ilum." I straighten up and smile at her. I didn't think Satele would choose me to be her padawan. I guess that's why Caleb didn't show. She turns around, and I follow her lead. We leave the same way many Masters and Knights do once they get their padawans. I follow her on the path that leads to the landing pads. "What do you know about Ilum Nate?" She uses the shorter version of my name just like she did when I was just starting here on Tython.
Ilum is a cold snow world like Hoth. What makes it special is the abundance of kyber crystals. "Ilum is the largest producer of kyber crystals in the republic. It's a planet where most attacks and combat occur in space near it. The weather is very difficult for actual ground combat, but that doesn't stop the Imperials from attacking and setting up bases whenever they can." She nods her head at my words.
We reach her personal ship, and she presses a button on her belt to open the ramp. "Have you decided on which forms to learn other than what's been taught about Shii-Cho?" I have decided on Niman, just like Master Satele. I also want to learn Ataru and Shien to help in its development.
I walk into her ship right behind her and answer fast. "I'm going to study Niman, as well as Ataru and Shien. Master Caleb has taught me a lot about force augmentation, and I know these three will compliment each other and my physical abilities." Master Satele chuckles to herself at how I reason my choices.
We reach the cockpit, and I help her fire up the engines and make sure everything is green. "You have made good choices, my padawan. Once we are done on Ilum, we are heading to the republic fleet. We will be on station there for about a week, in that time, our first lightsaber lessons will start. Speaking of lightsabers, I have a gift for you." We finish launching into space and inputting the coordinates for Ilum. Once done, Satele gets up and grabs a box from one of the tables behind us.
She brings it to me and waits. This must be the gift. I quickly open it and notice it's a single-bladed lightsaber hilt. Already constructed and ready for a kyber crystal. "All Masters do this for their new padawans, but I made sure I got what I thought you'd like." It's truly unique and special. I can feel that Satele spent a lot of personal time assembling these parts and making this hilt.
[A/N: Picture of what the hilt looks like.]
I stand up and actually hug her. She gives me one back, and I pull away. I take it out of the box and see how it feels in my hand. It's perfect. Enough room to grow into it and the perfect size right now. I'm still growing. I'm at 5'9 right now. Once I'm done growing, I'll be around 6'1 or 6'2. "We should be arriving at Ilum in a couple of hours. Until then, let's talk about my role in the republic." This is important information, and I can't wait to learn it. However, I'm still thinking about Illum. Here I come, kyber crystal. I can't wait to search for it.
[A/N: I'd like suggestions on a color. There are the main ones, but unorthodox are welcomed. The one I can imagine the main character wielding will be the choice.]
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