Chapter 40: Fresh Blood
The oldest Padawan herded his fellows to Rey while smiling in a relaxed manner; he bowed and addressed, “I'm very sorry for my fellow Padawan's rude behavior, Master Skywalker.”
Elise and Damion both bowed quickly and, in unison, said, “We're sorry, Master Skywalker.”
Esher appeared nervous once more and also bowed, “I'm sorry, Master Skywalker.”
Rey held back her desire to scream, hunt Finn down, and bash his head in. Rather, she maintained her calm and wise expression and gestured to them, “No need for that, and you all can just call me Rey.”
They all rose, and the oldest youth spoke up, clearly the leader of the bunch, “Thank you for taking the time to see us, Master Rey. We've all really wanted to meet you.”
She watched the blond-haired youth bow slightly in acknowledgment and continued, “Now, I'm sure you know who I am, but I haven't had the chance to learn much about you. How about you introduce yourselves.”
The blond youth responded to this, not nearly as nervous as his peers, “Thank you. My name is Walter Koch. I was Finn’s first Padawan and had been with him for seven months. My grandparents were laborers at the Jedi Temple here on Cursuant, and I've had the chance to learn about the Force from them while I was young.”
Next, the girl spoke up, surprisingly calm now, “My name is Elise Windsor. I was Finn’s second Padawan and have learned from him for five months. When I demonstrated I was Force-sensitive, my parents hired me tutors for the Church of Force; I learned a great deal from them.”
After she was the black-haired boy, likewise having settled down quickly, “My name is Damion Morgan. I was Finn’s third Padawan and have been with him for four months. My great uncle was a Jedi and left some texts within my family.”
Last was the youngest, who seemed to have a hard time breathing but got out, “My name is Esher Walton. I'm Finn’s fourth Padawan. I've been with him for two months. My family found some Jedi texts on the black market for me when I demonstrated force sensitivity.”
Rey was left feeling a bit numb after hearing their robotic responses. She could tell they all came from wealthy backgrounds and remembered that they had all been recommended to Finn by the Chancellor. Undoubtedly, they had powerful political backing that helped to keep them hidden from the clutches of the First Order. Their difference in upbringing, as well as them only being a few years younger than her, made Rey feel a bit awkward. Still, she took in this information and felt relieved that they at least had some previous training.
The Jedi's expression became a little more relaxed as she responded, “It's nice to meet you. Now, what are the issues you're having?”
Damion and Elise both pointed to each other and blurted, “He/She!”
Walter elbowed both of them into silence as he spoke up calmly, “We had a disagreement on how to perform some lightsaber stances of Form VI. Master Finn told us to be very careful while practicing, and we encountered many areas where we weren't sure what was correct or not.”
Rey cursed on the inside hearing this, and her desire to smack her friend upside the head grew manyfold. Form VI was a lightsaber fighting style she had found notes regarding within the Jedi Sacred Texts. It was supposedly invented only recently by a great Master known as Mace Windu, though it was truly brilliant. The technique not only required a strong connection with the light side of the force but also had one channel of Dark Side energy through three bodies. It was essentially a bane to Dark Side users. Fin had great anger left in him from his youth but also great willpower.
Rey had thought this technique suited him well but had never guessed he would teach it to children with less than a year of training. Padawans were surprised to first learn the basics, and then only after they were fully paired and in tune with themselves would they choose the lightsaber Form that most suited them. Her eyes grew cold as she spoke seriously, “You are not ready to learn Forum VI. Finn is still new to teaching and must have been over-eager. For the next few years, you should focus on your basics.”
Damion spoke up at this, looking shocked, “A few years, but we've already made so much progress.”
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Rey shook her head sternly and reprimanded, “Form VI touches upon the dark side and requires a unique temperament and a firm grasp of the force. Fin is suited to this path. Rather than chasing power blindly, you should focus and identify your own strengths.” In a firm voice, she finished, “From here on out, you will not practice Form VI; it's too dangerous.”
Elise blurted out at this, “But…” However, Walter stopped her by putting a hand on her shoulder.
He looked a bit disappointed but responded, “We understand. Would you please guide us on how to practice? Most of our time has been spent on lightsaber training these past few months.”
Rey’s not riel flared at this, causing the Padawans to recoil a bit, though she calmed down and nodded, “Of course, how about you all take a seat. I'll explain how my Padawan and I train.” For the next ten minutes, Rey lectured on the basic scriptures, techniques, and skills she thought were most practical. Having taught Fama for a while now, she had learned a thing or two about teaching, though she was still confronted with many questions.
The youth were not excited by the idea of meditation, mind exercises, and occasionally levitating objects. Damion even objected, complaining, “How is any of that supposed to help us be Jedi.”
Rey eyed the boy and asked mystical, “And exactly is it that you believe a Jedi to be.”
The boy crossed his arms and responded with a confidence that teetered on arrogance, “Jedi are warriors. They fight against the dark side for the sake of peace.”
The Master grasped her forehead with her hand and wondered if Luke had felt this annoyed while teaching her. Rey looked at the boy and asked, “Is that what Finn has been teaching you?”
Damion was about to speak up but was stopped by Walter, who responded, “Master Finn is not the best with the philosophical aspects of the force. He has told us a Jedi's duty is to pressure balance in the Force, and you would teach us more as to what that meant.”
Rey glared at the group, regretting her decision to dub Finn a knight so quickly. His skills had progressed at a reasonable rate, but his wisdom was clearly lacking. She put this out of her mind for the moment and spoke firmly, wanting her next words to sink in, “This is not just philosophy; a Jedi is more than a person who swings around a lightsaber. It is a belief in a code. We may fight, but only for the sake of defending others. If you think being a Jedi is just about battling evil and being a hero, then you should consider joining the Defence Force instead.”
She wanted to tell them that even when fighting evil, it would be difficult to tell where the darkness ended and the individual began. That you would be constantly in a state of worry that you were making the wrong choice. That you would long to use your power to solve every inconvenience but shouldn't, even couldn't. It would make you worried, frustrated, and at times angry. Yet, you would always have to stay in control.
Once she had spoken, it was Elise who first spoke up defiantly, blurting, “But you've done all sorts of stuff. You blew up Star Killer's base and killed Snoke. Isn't that what being a Jedi is all about.”
Rey felt pain in her heart and couldn't help thinking of her Godfather. When comparing their behavior, pasts, and dominers, he seemed far more like a Jedi than she. After a moment of self-reflection, she responded earnestly, ignoring the inaccuracies of the girl's claim, “Indeed, I did. And I am a very poor Jedi for doing so. That is because the Jedi Way and doing what's needed to survive are often very different. I have put my past behind me and am trying to be a better Jedi every day. I hope none of you will have to walk down the same path that I have.”
A solemn silence fell over the group, and it was again Walter who took the lead, “Thank you for the guidance.”
The others all mirrored this, responding, “Thank you for the guidance.”
Rey felt like she might have been a little too stern with them and decided to offer some reassurance, “It is hard to understand, but in time everything will become clear. You may face many roadblocks, but there is nothing you won't be able to overcome. With training and diligence, I'm sure you will all become very fine Jedi.”
She still felt conflicted over accepting them but discarded these worries. At the moment, the New Jedi Order needs fresh blood. They might not be perfect, but neither was she. They would learn and grow together. And when problems arose, they would tackle them together. With this outlook at heart, Rey was able to relax a bit.
It also just so happened that after finishing this line and seeing the youth's bright faces, the door to her room was thrown open. A familiar and worried voice called, “Master, are you alive.”
Rey couldn't help feeling joy bubble up inside her as she called, “I'm alive. Come to the study.”
The green-skinned girl looked ecstatic and raced to her mentor's side, ignoring the guests. She cried, “I was so worried about you. Poe wouldn't let me see you. Then they dragged me to daycare.” She looked up with big eyes and asked, “Are you really ok?”
Rey smiled and rubbed the girl's hair, responding, “Of course I am…” She paused, taking in her Padawan's cuteness, and added, “Now say hellos to you, fellow Padawans. These are Finn’s students.”
The girl continued to hold onto her Master as though scared she may disappear, though she did look over to the youth. After a moment of analysis, she spoke out blatantly, “Aren't they too old.”
Damion and Elise both appeared a little sour, while Esher grew nervous once more. Only Walter stayed calm and smiled as Rey responded, “They are, but if Finn sees talent in them, I won't stop him from teaching them.” She then nudged the girl and added, “ Now I said, say hello.”
Fama put her judgment behind her, nodded to her fellow Padawans, and said, “Hi, I’m Fama.”