Chapter 56: Chapter 56 – Instructing The Instructors
Harry Potter, The Jedi That Would Not Die
Chapter 56 – Instructing The Instructors
Harry had been furious when he and three other jedi returned to the site where he had bound Vizsla only to find burned robes. How many more times would he have to deal with that man before he was brought to justice.
He had been even more annoyed when, after months of trials, the governor escaped justice for his part in the deaths of so many.
But that was a story for another time.
The battle had affected him deeply; he wondered about who was really at fault. Was it the governor or Vizsla, was it Dooku for letting the battle start or was it the Council as a whole for not verifying the truth before sending them into arrest the 'culprits'.
He was relieved when, before they set off back to Coruscant, he received new orders, it gave him time away from other jedi to think and analyse the situation.
#Travel to Naboo,# explained Master Adi's hologram. #After the recent assassination of King Veruna the new Head of the Queens Security has requested some assistance in training up their security forces to make sure the same thing cannot happen again. The new queen agreed with the recommendation.#
#We thought the advanced techniques that you know Harry,# explained Plo as his image came to the fore. #Along with the skills of your ranger might be best suited to the situation, especially as, from your experience helping the younglings with their lightsaber skills; you know how to teach patiently without losing patience. Not all the security will likely appreciate having such a young trainer, especially one not connected to their forces.#
"How long will this assignment last?" Harry asked.
#Weeks to months, most likely,# explained Yoda.
#Unless something comes up that requires your personnel attention that decision will be left to both yourself and the Head of the Queens Security to determine when you both think they have learned enough or all that you are able to teach,# continued Plo. #You will receive additional information on your arrival.#
"Understood Masters," he nodded. "I shall head straight there as instructed."
#Your ranger will meet you on Naboo.#
It took Harry a few days to travel to Naboo, it being so out of the way; it gave him time to refocus.
Touching down in the Royal Hanger, he headed down the ramp, Asani in her usual place on his shoulder, to be met by the Head of the Queen's Security.
"Knight Potter, I am Captain Panaka, Head of Royal Security. Thank you for coming to Naboo."
"It's good to be back Captain, it's nice to see you again," he replied using his remote to close the ramp, but in this setting he left the security system on minimum.
"Have we met before?" the captain asked confused.
"Yes, though I am not surprised you don't remember me, it was quite a few years ago and back then I was just a padawan and you were under the command of Captain Megneta. I was here, with my master Aayla Secura, when Theed was targeted by the Death Watch."
"Ah yes, I recall you now, your master was a twi'lek."
"Correct," he nodded. "Shall we?"
"Indeed," the captain nodded leading the way but giving Asani a strange look. "I was glad the Jedi Temple were able to assist us in this matter, our training is good but after the loss of the king, the new queen and I don't want to take any chances. Did your Jedi Council brief you on what you would be doing?"
"They explained that I would be assisting in your security's training but where not more specific than that."
"That is true, but that is only the official reason while you are here."
The captain paused the conversation until they had reached his office and the door had shut. Directing Harry to the seat opposite the desk he sat down beside it before continuing. As Harry sat, Asani jumped down into his lap.
"We do want your assistance training the Security Volunteers and the Royal Security but the main reason you are here is to train the queen's handmaidens."
"Excuse me?" Harry asked incredulously, whatever he had been expecting it wasn't that.
"Knight Potter, my predecessor blamed herself for the loss of the queen's predecessor. It is why she stood down from her position; our security should have been better, we should have been able to stop the assassination and our forces should have been prepared. I am determined not to let that happen again, but I have obstacles in my way preventing me from doing so. Your purpose here is twofold; firstly to help increase the training and skills of the average members of the security forces. You see, I command all our active security personnel but the instructors that train our forces and their students do not come under my authority until they graduate. The instructors are understandably reticent to believe that their teachings are not sufficient. It is only thanks to the queen's authority that I have been able to call you in to assist. I need to prove not only to her but also to them that we need to step up our training and increase the skill levels of, not just the trainees, but also the active personnel. The second reason is the queen's handmaidens. As well as attending to her, will also double up as both body doubles and a final line of defence. If an attacker does get passed all our other security and manages to get close to the queen I want there to be one last surprise there to get passed. The handmaidens are already undergoing a fitness regime to get them up to peek fitness. It is our intention to have then as fully trained as the rest of the security personnel, if not more so."
"I see," Harry said, nodding his acceptance. "How is this going to work?"
"I understand from the Temple that you have a way of moving from place to place secretly."
"I do," he confirmed. "Though I would like to keep that as secret as possible, it's not sensitive information, but just like the training handmaidens are receiving its information that I would prefer people not to gossip about."
"I understand and that is fine by me; it suits our purposes as well. What I intend is for one day a week you will assist in the training of the Security Volunteers, the second you will help train the Royal Security and the others we are going to say you have set aside for assisting myself with working out different scenarios and ideas to make the security more efficient as well as doing some jedi business or affairs that requires you to review some weekly reports or similar, I'm sure you could think up something better than I for that."
"And what will I really be doing?"
"I have set up a secret training facility that the handmaidens are currently using, the other days we will travel there using your means and train the handmaidens. Not just in fitness but in hand to hand combat, use of a blaster and anything else you and I think will be useful."
"I understand, though may I ask, why did you call the Jedi for this? Surely your own trainers could be trusted?"
"They likely can, but I am not willing to take any chances," he replied. "If there are any dissidents or similar amongst the trainers they will then know about the training. You are an outside party and are very unlikely to be involved in any plots against us. This way as fewer people that know the better."
"I see. When do we begin?"
"Tomorrow, I understand you have someone else joining you to assist?"
"Yes, my Antarian Ranger Alema. She should be here later today. Here is her security file so you can confirm that you are happy for her to work with us," he stated, handing over a memory chip. "She currently has no knowledge of this assignment. After I get your approval, there should be plenty of time to bring her up to speed before we begin."
"At first glance I can see no problems, but I will give you a firm answer later today," he explained studying the record on his workstation. "I have been instructed to extend an invitation to you to dine with the queen and the Council later if you are amenable."
"Certainly, when should I be ready?"
"Three hours from now, would you prefer to have quarters in the Palace or do you want to stay aboard your ship?"
"My ship as it will cause less disruption and be harder to tell when I am not on-board, which should be better for our cover story."
"I was hoping you would say that," he nodded. "Very well, I shall see you in a few hours. I have granted you clearance to move anywhere within the Palace, its grounds and the city except for restricted areas like the Royal Apartments and the Throne Room which will require you to accompanied."
"Understood," Harry nodded, standing. "I shall see you later."
"Just one thing Knight Potter."
"Yes captain?" he said turning back.
"Can you leave your pet on the ship, although she seems well trained the Royal Palace is not really the right place to have an animal running around."
Several hours later saw Harry in his best jedi robes walking towards the entrance ramp of the Raven. Seeing Panaka approaching on the view screen he decided it was a good time to show off a little.
Outside the Raven, Captain Panaka waited for the arrival of the jedi. He had pushed the ships external communications panel near the hatch and the jedi had said he would be right out, but thus far the hatch had shown no signs of opening.
"Shall we go captain?" a voice from behind him asked, making him jump and spin around, drawing his blaster. He soon realised he was barrel to nose with the jedi.
"How did you get out here?" he demanded. "Did you come out through the docking hatch?"
"No," he replied quite calmly. "I apparated, like this."
With the slightest pop, he disappeared, leaving the captain staring at empty space.
"Over here," came the same voice from behind him.
"Is this what your Council meant when they said you could move secretly?" the captain demanded, slowly stowing his weapon.
"Yes, though I can only apparate when I know where I am going. It can be dangerous if I have never been there before."
"I see," the captain replied slowly. "We will talk more about this later," he decided, not liking the idea of anyone, not even a jedi, jumping from place to place without him knowing. "Can I ask you to leave your laser swords behind please? No one, other than Royal Security is allowed into the queen's presence armed."
"Very well," Harry replied after a second. "One moment please."
He disappeared again leaving the captain alone.
"I don't know how he does that but I already hate it," Panaka muttered under his breath.
"Shall we?" the jedi asked as he reappeared, an amused smile on his face.
"This way," the captain said, though he sent a glare at the jedi who he knew was enjoying his confusion far too much. If he had not passed the security check with flying colours he would have barred him access to the queen now.
Harry was seated at the long table opposite the Governor Bibble who remembered him from his last trip. Also at the table were several other important people of Theed and of course the currently empty throne at the head of the table one space along from him where the queen was to be seated.
A few minutes later the queen entered and they all rose to their feet.
It was only when she did so that Harry for the first time saw the extensive makeup and dress of the monarch. To say it was flamboyant would have been an understatement; her dress was a richly decorated red gown with gold and black fur adornment and lining. She wore an extensive headdress that was more like a helm of gold with red additions, a bright red jewel was on her forehead and, most excessively, a large form behind her headdress that had her hair combed over it and secured behind so it provided a backdrop to the face and headdress. The former of these was painted a bright white with red lipstick. It almost looked like she was a doll that a kid had dressed up and had applied makeup to; unfortunately he knew he could not say so. He assumed all of this was to hide how young the queen was; she was the youngest queen Naboo had ever elected, only fourteen years old, he did not want to imagine ruling an entire planet at fourteen, he had enough trouble even staying alive at that age with all the attempts on his life. He had probably been in at least ten life or death situations by then, and that was only a quick estimate.
"Please be seated," she stated as she settled herself in the throne.
As interesting a sight as the queen was, this was also the first chance Harry had to look at some of the handmaidens. Two of them trailed after the queen as she entered and now flanked her, they both wore simple orangy yellow dresses with hoods that partially hid their faces but he was still able to see some of them. They were probably no older or at least not much older than the queen herself. He really hoped that they were all volunteers, if they weren't he would not be at all happy training them. The only training he wanted to do at fourteen was for quidditch, duelling and the Triwizard were unfortunate necessities. He would have to speak to Panaka in the morning about it.
"Your highness," began Sio Bibble. "Please allow me to introduce Knight Harry Potter of the Jedi Order."
"Master jedi," the queen nodded.
"Your highness," he bowed in response. It felt strange to be referred to as 'master' jedi when he was in fact only a knight, but he remembered it was how many outside of the Order refereed to any jedi who was a knight or above.
"How are you enjoying your time on Naboo?" she asked as their first course was brought forth and laid before them.
"Greatly your majesty," he replied. "It has been one of my favourite planets, so much like my planet of origin. I am glad to be back."
"I was not aware that you had visited before?" the queen replied, raising her brow slightly. She was good at hiding it but Harry could tell that this conversation had just gone from small talk that she was obliged to do into something that actually interested her, albeit only a little.
"He was here during your predecessor's reign your majesty," explained the governor. "During the cultural exchange with Alderaan and Mandalore. It was Knight Potter's former master who saved the old king and Senator Palpatine during the Mandalorian bomb attack."
"Ah yes," the queen nodded in recognition. "I was told there were two jedi present for security, I was unaware you were one of those assigned for protection."
"My master was your highness," he explained. "I was a free extra. Padawans usually journey with their masters during their training. It's usually the best way of gaining experience of the wider galaxy whilst still having the safety net of a more experienced jedi to oversee us."
"I see," she replied. "How long have you been working on your own, if you do not mind me asking?"
"My first mission without my old master was some years ago now, but I became a fully-fledged jedi knight less than two weeks ago."
He could have predicted the captain's reaction down to the second. He went from quietly interested and observant a few meters away from the queen, his eyes slowly roaming the room for potential trouble to locked on Harry in less than a quarter of a second.
"How long?" he demanded.
"Less than two weeks," he replied, not stopping his eating. "I assure you I am fully trained. I passed the Trials of Knighthood and have in fact a greater range of combat techniques available to me than most Jedi."
"There is a difference between being trained and being experienced," the captain countered.
"I am more than willing to prove that I am both, should her highness or yourself wish me to captain," he offered.
The captain paused for a moment, Harry knew he knew how skilled Jedi were, he was obviously not so confident now that he could beat a jedi.
"An interesting idea," remarked the queen, much to the captain's horror. "If we want our security forces to learn from this jedi we cannot let them think that we do not trust in his ability to do the job."
"Agreed, your highness," nodded the governor, much to the captain's annoyance. Harry sensed that the captain and governor did not agree on several matters and suspected that their security force was one of them. "If you are sure you are agreeable to being tested master jedi?"
"But of course," Harry nodded, finishing his starter and putting down his cutlery. Most other conversation and eating at the table had stopped when their conversation became the centre of attention. As such he had been the only one eating for the last few minutes. Never let anyone say that he could not learnt to remain calm and collected in the face of a large group of people. "I would not have come here unwilling to prove myself. Though I feel obliged to point out that as well as my knowledge in combat techniques, I have been helping train the younglings at the Temple for several years now, which helped contribute to my taking the Trials of Knighthood several years earlier than most padawans. Such things are not done often and I would not want any here present to think that I did not earn my early knighting."
"I suggest that as soon as we are finished here we journey down to the training fields," offered Babble. "There Captain Panaka can set a challenge for our young jedi prodigy."
"An excellent idea," replied the queen, much to Panaka's dismay. Harry was sure he could see a hint of mischief in the queen's eyes. Her face was still perfectly straight but he could recognise the 'Dumbledore Twinkle' anywhere.
"Very well your highness," the captain nodded reluctantly, suddenly wondering if he had made a bad move in asking for the jedi's assistance.
The rest of the meal proceeded well with polite conversation but most were looking forward to what would come afterwards.
The headed to the Training Fields at a leisurely pace, giving their meal time to settle. A few security volunteers were their doing target practice against some targets and looked quite surprised to see the royal entourage. Harry made note that he would have to get them testing against moving targets as well as ones that fired back.
The captain had decided to test his skills in several smaller tests rather than just one fight which was what most imagined it would be.
"First, let us see how accurate you are with a blaster," he announced as the queen and the others looked on with interest. He held up two blasters allowing him to choose his weapon.
Picking the blaster on the left, the same style that the Palace Security used with ascension- guns fitted to them, he gestured for the captain to take his shot first at the targets at the other end of the field. The targets were at medium range, an easy distance to hit a bull's-eye with.
The captain easily, with less than two seconds aim, hit the centre of the target before gesturing for Harry to do the same.
Harry could have shown off at this point and flicked the blaster up and just fired off a shot but he was not familiar with this model of blaster so he would be cautious.
Mirroring the captain's actions he hit the centre of the target.
"Longer range?" he asked the captain who nodded after a seconds thought as the pair walked back another twenty five feet.
They repeated the same performance again, each managing the centre of the target.
Harry suggested they fall back another fifty feet, which the captain agreed to, though not overly happily. This time the captain failed to hit the centre, Harry still did. Aiming at a stationery target with time to spare was easy. If it had been moving or if he had had to fire quickly it would have been harder.
"One point to our jedi," remarked the governor.
The captain, after sending a look at the governor, then suggested a rapid fire test at close range; hitting multiple targets in rapid succession.
Some of the other security volunteers on site rapidly began moving some of the targets. Harry sped the process up by levitating four of them simultaneously. He did feel like he was showing off a bit but he wanted to get his point across that he was capable of the mission and if he did so by moving targets rather than embarrassing one of his employers, all the better.
This time the pair were each given two pistols and a line-up of targets whilst the governor timed them. The captain managed to hit every target, only missing the centre once and only just.
Harry managed to match his effort, his speed was slightly higher but he too was off centre on one target and another was very close to being so. No matter what people might say the jedi there omnipotent in combat.
Harry could tell by now that the captain was getting a little frustrated. Initially this had started just out of annoyance that someone so junior had been sent, but it had now become a bit humiliating for the man who was being matched and then beaten at every turn by this outsider.
Lastly the captain decided that he had to resort to hand to hand combat. Harry really felt sorry for the captain at this point as there was no real way that he could not win without either pulling his punches, which was a bit difficult to make it look convincing or letting the captain knock him down a few times, which would also likely look fake when the captain observed him now versus in training.
The captain hadn't managed to land more than one punch on Harry, after ten minutes, and that was because Harry had let him, whereas the captain had been hit multiple times and all there, even the queen who he was sure was no expert in combat, could see that the only thing stopping Harry from taking out the captain was an attempt to preserve his dignity.
"Enough," she called after the fifteenth minute. "I think our young jedi has proved that his skills are more than up to the task. I trust you have no more objection captain?"
"None your highness," he replied a bit reluctantly.
"Then I suggest we return to the Palace. Official duties will not wait forever I am afraid."
Alema arrived late that night; she had had to detour around an ion storm which had delayed her arrival for a bit but she was ready to go the second that they touched down on the planet.
The following day Harry and Alema turned out on the Training Fields for their first day teaching the trainees. Today would be a smaller lesson, only thirty or so Security Volunteers, Panaka and their instructors, the latter of whom who clearly held a low opinion of someone else coming in to do their job and were sending the captain looks that said as much. They clearly had not heard about their test the day before or did not believe the results. They were all older men, definitely grey of hair and well set in their ways. This would not be an easy task.
"Alright listen up!" addressed one of them. "With the permission of the queen, Captain Panaka has recruited the help of Knight Potter or the Jedi Order and Explorer Ani of the Antarian Rangers to provide you all with some additional training."
The volunteers who had not already been looking over at them were now and Harry could guess the majority of the thoughts going on in their heads. They ranged from:
What does the captain think this boy could possibly teach us.
To…
I'd really like to get that twi'lek and show her some REAL training.
Though admittedly it was not hard to guess.
"Now some of us do not believe this training to be necessary," continued the instructor. "But in light of the death of the late king, the queen has agreed with the captain's plan. I'm sure you will all prove how little this training is actually not needed," he finished before turning to them. "Knight Potter, the class is yours."
"Thank you," he replied before moving forward. "Some of you know I visited these training fields yesterday. It gave me an opportunity to see some of your training and gave me some initial ideas. I observed your target practice and saw that it was quite limited."
He knew that had irked the instructors not to mention one or two of the trainees.
"I observed your target shooting. Accuracy against a fixed target is good, but if an assassin or thief or whatever is running away from you, or worse towards you, that won't be much use.
Pulling a remote out of his pocket he clicked one of the buttons and a target drone flew across the field towards him, shortly followed by fourteen others. Pressing another button the first remote started moving away from him, weaving and dodging calmly as it did so.
Drawing the blaster he had borrowed he turned it on the drone, on the lowest setting, and fired after it a dozen times. All of his shots found their mark on the remotes lowest avoidance setting, time to see how the class did.
"Let's see how you fare against a moving target. Can we have a volunteer please?"
Several hands went up. The group in front of them were between seventeen and twenty two in age and he could tell more than one of them was more than a little cocky. This should bring them down a peg.
What followed was half an hour of target practice were only sixty percent of the shots hit the target, and the average went down steeply over a distance greater than ten meters. He then turned the remotes up and the average fell to below thirty percent.
He then increased the difficulty again and made the remotes move completely randomly without retreating and added two more to each test. The accuracy went down to less than five percent and by this point the trainees and their instructors thought that the test was getting unrealistic.
"This is silly," one objected. "If we were shooting at a person the target would be much bigger and not as manoeuvrable."
"True," he agreed. "Firing at a person would be easier than a target, but what if it's not a person but a droid you're firing at. Some are smaller than these remotes."
"And why would that happen, you're supposed to be training us to shoot at hostiles, why would we be firing at droids?"
"You've clearly not heard of assassin droids," contributed Panaka. He was still not happy with Harry after his defeat the day before but the jedi was more than proving his point about the training that went on. "But if you think you can hit a human target, why don't you try to hit Knight Potter before he gets close enough to kill you."
"Yes sir," the recruit said eagerly, clearly not hearing the warning tone in the captain's voice.
Harry, after exchanging a nod with the captain, jogged one hundred meters away before calling back.
"On your word captain!"
"Cadet, are you ready?"
"Yes sir," he replied taking aim at the distant form of Harry.
"Three…Two…One…Begin!"
Harry started at a causal jog, at that distance there was little chance of him not being able to dodge.
The trainees blaster bolts were flying around him, it took almost ten shots before he had to dodge the first time, though his accuracy increased as he continued on his dead straight line towards him. He started dodging properly when they were within fifty meters and he could see the frustration of the trainees face. Going in for the kill he drew his lightsaber and ignited it, but did not use it to defend himself before going into a Force Sprint. He saw the look of panic on the trainees face as he became a blur before he nipped around behind him and gently touched his lightsaber to the trainee's neck, giving it the slightest of marks.
"You are dead recruit," remarked the captain. "Still think this is a pointless exercise? Don't worry, a little bit of bacta will heal that up nicely."
The captain moved directly in front of the trainees and addressed them.
"I know some of you think that this training is pointless but Knight Potter has just proved how easy it is for one with greater skills to get passed you. With his help we are going to make that much harder for any future opponents. He is not doing this to embarrass you, he is not doing this to insult our training methods, he is doing this to help us become better. Hate or resent him if you want to but listen to what he is saying and heed his lessons."
The recruits were a bit more receptive after that. Some smart-aleck said that only a Jedi could be that good, so the test was repeated with Alema. It took her longer but she too made it all the way to the recruit and was less gentle than Harry with her 'kill stroke'. They got them shooting at the targets at various ranges before they ran out of time for the day, it had been a sobering lesson for the Trainees and a bitter blow for the Instructors, some of who had looked angry and others of whom had looked very dejected by the end of the day.
The following day with the Royal Guards was similar except they already had a better level of training, but they too struggled to hit the remotes when they started to move more quickly.
It was the third day that the pair were most interested in as that was going to be their first chance to properly meet the handmaidens.
"You look pensive Master," Alema remarked as they left his ship and headed towards Panaka's Office. For once Asani was on his shoulder, they had been told that the training area was outside in a hidden valley some distance from the city. She had been getting very restless on the ship and had taken to clawing at him when he returned at the end of the day This would give her a chance to run around outside for a bit, though Panaka would likely not approve it was either this or fear of being clawed to death.
"I am unsure," he corrected. "They have been reportedly being undergoing physical fitness training and under Panaka rather than those Instructors so I am at the very least expecting the training to be better, how good they are I feel will depend on how far into the training they have come."
"Hopefully it will give me a chance to do something at last. It's been so boring just watching the Security Volunteers and the Royal Guards shoot at targets."
"We'll do some hand to hand with them next week," he replied. "We should be more involved with the handmaidens."
They reached the captain's office and were admitted. As Harry predicted he gave Harry a look when he saw Asani but evidently decided to let it slide.
"So how will this work?" the captain asked
"You will both hold onto me and I will transport us as far out of the city as I can. As I cannot apparate where I have not been this will have to be a series of jumps. Next time I can do it in one. You will need to tell me where to aim after each jump. This might be a bit unpleasant but just hold on."
With some trepidation the captain put his hand on Harry's wrist whilst Alema wrapped her arm around Harry's and they popped away.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Really sorry for the VERY long delay in posting everyone but I have had a long series of setbacks involving everything from illness, financial problems, betas and most significantly major writers block with this last little arc before we get to the time of the early movies.
First I want to let you know that this last little arc before we reach the time of the Phantom Menace is still stalled out. I have a lot I need to achieve with one small arc before we hit PM and I honestly cannot think how to achieve it and I have been stuck on it for the last several months. It was delayed a little longer because I almost has a beta come on board but after sending him my notes for this arc and what I needed to achieve with it he has gone quiet and I have not been able to communicate with him since a while before Christmas so either something has happened to prevent him coming back to me or he had decided that he does not want to work with me anymore.
The above has delayed progress on these chapters by a few more weeks as I did not want to do anything else on them until I had heard back from him in case I needed to re-write anything but I now believe I cannot wait any longer. As such it seems I no longer have a beta again so if anyone wants to get exclusive early access to my writing and to help guide the stories course (or possibly even write their own chapters to go within the story) give me a shout as I am well and truly stuck up a creak without a paddle at the moment.
The only reason I am posting this chapter now is because I realised how very long it has been since I last posted and because I am reasonably certain that the first part of this arc will not change regardless of how the end will turn out.
Hope you enjoy this chapter and any beta'ing or consulting help would be appreciated.
Thanks
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