Chapter 72: V.1-C.72│Knighthood II│
The Knighting ceremony was the ceremony in which a Jedi Padawan or apprentice was made into a full Jedi Knight.
An ancient ritual, it was presided over by members of the Jedi High Council or of the other three Councils and led by the Grand Master. This ceremony could be repeated for a Knight who achieved the rank of Master.
To go through with the Knighting ceremony, first one would have to complete the trials.
"Today we have gathered here to grant upon these two Jedi their rightful promotions, their new positions as Jedi." The Jedi High Council had come together today to commemorate the achievements of two individuals.
These two people had been recognized by the Jedi Council as having achieved something great on their last mission and would be granted a new status.
One of these two was an individual known as Quinlan Vos and the other was his young apprentice Aayla Secura who would be promoted to a Jedi Knight at the young age of 19.
While her master, Quinlan Vos would go from another Jedi Knight to a legitimate Master.
"Jedi Knight, Quinlan Vos. You have shown and demonstrated skill and wisdom beyond your position and for this the Council have decided it is you time to become a master." The people who were present were Yoda, the grandmaster and three other members.
These Jedi Masters being Plo-Koon, Yaddle and Depa Billaba.
The Grandmaster Yoda decided to take center stand. "Jedi Knight Vos, selfless actions Kintan you have done. For this I believe, the Jedi believe ready you are to become a Master." Yoda says granting him his new official title.
Quinlan does the correct ceremonial response.
Yoda moves on from Aayla's teacher and to herself. "Padawan Secura, many troubles come across you have. Many triumphs you have also had, completed the trials the Council believes. Your master believes."
"Overcome the dark you have shown completion of the trial of skill." Yoda continues. "Completion of the trial of courage, trial of flesh, trial of the spirit, and the trial of insight."
"For this Jedi Knight you shall be." Yoda finishes now granting Aayla her new official and formal rank of Jedi Knight.
After this event takes place everyone would go back to doing whatever they were doing with Aayla going to Anakin, Vos going who knows where and the other masters that officiated the mission go back to their Council business.
Or whatever business they had after this was done.
[]
"Looks like I have been promoted to a Jedi Knight." Aayla said to Anakin who was within the training room along with Ahsoka and Barriss doing their own things.
Barriss was meditating herself while Ahsoka was having some fun with the droids, specifically training her very minimal lightsaber skills.
Anakin smiles towards Aayla. "Congratulations, I am happy for your achievement."
"Thank you." Aayla cutely smiled back and while this was going on Barriss within her corner was staring jealously at the two.
'Who does she think she is? I knew Anakin first.' Obviously Barriss was unaware of what emotion she was feeling and all she knew was that it made her feel bitter. She was also much more detached now then before and was more prone to accepting herself and her emotions.
So she did not necessarily shun or shut this down but she definitely will not try and project this feeling. 'Anakin will still notice though. He always does.' Well, how could he not when has practically be using these abilities since he was a baby.
It was becoming increasingly harder for him to control it because if he were to put it in gaming terminology, it had become passive meaning there was no on and off switch.
Barriss had noticed they seemed much more intimate then they did before. As if something had changed in the relationship between the two and she didn't like it because of the feeling she had.
As for Ahsoka, she didn't really feel this way even if she too had noticed the change for she was only 7 turning 8 but that didn't mean she was ignorant. She knew a thing or two and would always try and hog as much time as she could with Anakin.
It was not like Anakin was turning her away or not giving her attention but she had grown attached, something that the Jedi try to prevent but it will always happen.
Not unless you are some kind of hermit.
A knock was heard on the door before someone entered, that someone being Jedi Master Shaak Ti. "Well, what do we have here?"
Barriss got up from her meditation, Ahsoka went towards Anakin while Aayla put a little but of distance between herself and Anakin because it could be misconstrued as inappropriate.
Anakin was nonchalant as he couldn't care too much about being seen with anyone in a position that could be taken the wrong way. That wasn't his problem but the problem of the person getting it wrong.
"Hello, Master Ti." Anakin greeted and after he did so the others said their own greetings as well.
"Well, it seems that you have quite the varied group of friends here Skywalker." Shaak said seeing the situation.
"I guess I do." Anakin replied.
Moving away from that subject, Shaak says. "Anyway, I have come to inform you of something very special." Shaak pauses to build some anticipation.
"And that would be?" Anakin asks.
"Your promotion to a Jedi Knight of course." Shaak Ti drops the bomb and the girls in the room all have their own reactions.
Ahsoka is confused but also happy, while Barriss is a little bitter while at the same time excited for Anakin and the most conflicted was Aayla as while she is also excited or happy for him she is also thinking internally.
'I was just promoted to a Knight and Anakin here is younger then me and has only been on one mission.'
"Seeing the expressions on everyone's faces it would seem no one was expecting this." Shaak Ti said.
'I kind of expected this.' Anakin thought internally before saying. "I dont believe I have completed all of the trials yet? Or at least I haven't been informed yet that I will become one right away?"
"That is true, some on the Council are apprehensive about allowing this so a grueling test has been created just for you." Shaak Ti responded. "Your trials will be overseen but most if not every Council member possible, it will also be likely your masters, Qui-Gon Jinn and Mace Windu will be involved."
"I could kind of guess that was going to happen." Anakin said.
"The date of this event should be sometime next month and now that my message has been delivered, what have you all been upto?" Shaak Ti said as if she were trying to imply something.
"Master Ti, we were doing nothing at all, just discussing things about lightsaber techniques and the like." Aayla scrambled to make an excuse up now that things had escalated again.
"Lightsaber techniques, is it?" Shaak questions.
Nodding her head furiously, Aayla confirms not realizing that Shaak Ti had a teasing nature. "Yes."
"You must practice alot then... I imagine very often with Skywalker yes?" Shaak Ti said.
"Of course, we go at it alot of the time. After coming back from the mission I was assigned, we have practically been at it every day." The insinuation went right over Aayla's head and so did it for Ahsoka and Barriss as well.
"Right, I thank you Master Ti for your time." Anakin decides to put an end to her teasing before anyone catches on.
"Trying to get me to leave now are you? Want to get back to your saber training, do you?" Shaak says suggestively once again going over everyone else's head other than Anakin.
"We do-" Aayla tries to respond but is cut off by Anakin as he once again tries to get Shaak to leave politely.
"I think that is enough, dont you see there are children around?" Anakin says to the confusion of the girls not including Shaak.
"Ok, I can see that I am disturbing something and it seems that Skywalker here seems to disagree with my presence." Shaak plays up for some pity or sympathy so she could stay.
Being the oldest, Aayla assumes control over Anakin and allows her. "Yes, you may stay."
'Well, I wont be too bothered by her stay as long as she doesn't try anything funny.' Anakin was aware that Shaak Ti may try something suspicious but didn't mind it too much considering her isolationist behavior.
Surely, by being so closed off it affects her state of mind and ability to think.
Not to mention the emotional impact that could have, in the end however there are always exceptions to the rule and she clearly was one so she may not need a close relationship with anyone.
"Padawan Skywalker, why dont you have a spar with me. I would like to test my skills against a form that I dont get to test all so often." Shaak offers.
Anakin takes her up on the offer. "Sure, I dont mind proving that I am better at combat." Leaving no room for any more back and forth banter he dives in using the perfected Form VII that Mace had created.
Aayla having seen this fight would go on to continue watching while Ahsoka would go back to her corner and practice her basics because Anakin was adamant in her becoming perfect in even that. While Barriss having mostly nothing to do went back to meditation.
Barriss did secretly think to herself however. 'Yes! Score. With Master Ti here to distract Anakin, would he and Aayla no longer be close to each other.'
She took her victory, no matter how small it was.
[]
"Today we have gathered here to test whether or not Padawan Skywalker has the capacity to become a Jedi Knight." When in an official setting, it was here that Qui-Gon and Mace were not able to determine whether he would pass or not.
No matter what they would say or report it was now up to the other Masters on the Council.
Cant be biased now could they.
An audience had actually been accrued due to some of the infamy Anakin has built within the temple and outside of it as well.
There were many interested parties here to see the progress of a very great prodigy, strange in his development, his methods and intellect great enough to help build a business and forethought to help a slave rebellion that somehow put him on a throne.
Many people look at Anakin and see someone of either great talent or great fortune and luck.
In fact, all of the council members that could be present were present. Of course Qui-Gon and Mace were here to not only fully confirm their own judgements and put to rest their own reservations but also participate in the test.
"Everyone gathered here today have requested to see what the Jedi are capable of through the efforts and exploits of one of our recently joined members. The youngest and perhaps most talented is to perform some trials today to evaluate his performance." A Jedi announcer said, not one of the masters themselves or anyone well known.
This was done because of the entertainment for their guests but it would also become an example of what the Jedi are capable of.
Some of what was pushed for here today was slightly manipulated through Palpatine because of his interest in the young Skywalker, but he also wanted to see his progress in other things as well.
Just how well does the supposed 'Chosen One' perform.
Others within the senate had also taken this opportunity to see a person of great interest within their current political climate. Some of their motives were either between benevolent or down right malevolent.
Being broadcasted to everyone, Palpatine wanted for the world to see the power someone whom is Force-sensitive could possess but he also wanted to put pressure on the child.
This was in hopes that it would make him slip up and resort to using the dark side of the Force unintentionally. From what Palpatine currently understands is that the boy is learning under two masters Mace Windu and Qui-Gon.
Unorthodox in practice but this only opened up even greater opportunities for Palpatine. If only Anakin was actually a child.
One without experience, without maturity or even without the simple knowledge that he possessed of Palpatine's insidiousness.
Among the spectators other than including the usual Jedi Masters and Palpatine, there was Aayla, Ahsoka and Barriss seated within their own group. Looking all around people would also be able to spot many, many Jedi spread throughout this event.
Another factor to account among the crowd was that some business moguls and other political figures were here to watch the event.
'Why did this have to become a spectacle.' Anakin was against such a display, especially when it didn't really help him gain anything. In fact he was seething inside that Sidious had done this because now he would be unable to recieve any money.
The more greedy side of himself wanted every metaphorical cent, but it would be impossible to monetize for himself as anything made from the viewing will either go towards the senate and, or the Jedi.
Equally split halfway at least between the two.
What this event would lead to supposedly was the Republic gaining even greater trust with the Senate and Jedi, but it would only have the opposite effect for the Jedi.
While temporarily the Jedi may get a boost in reputation, others may start to see and maybe even fear the power the Jedi wield but the Order would not see this. This is exactly what Palpatine is hoping and has planned for.
"Ladies, gentleman and all those in-between, I introduce to you our star for this event." The Jedi announcer introduces. "Anakin Skywalker, Jedi Padawan."
The crowd doesn't burst into cheers except those who are young within the audience and those who were very close to Anakin. Most of the older Jedi more indoctrinated or just overall not that interested in this event only applauded on instinct with some clapping.
Other political and economical figures followed suit in a more calm approach to the topic.
"And now for our first event." The announcer said. "The trial of skill."
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