The five of us looked around at the knights and Masters before us. A shared feeling seemed to radiate between us. Mixture of
anxiety and excitement. "Then someone spoke, it was Obi-Wan.
"Padawan Skywalker, you will be under my tutelage," Obi-Wan said with a straight posture and regal tone. Anakin stepped forward and bowed. "Knight Kenobi, it will be my honor to be under your instruction."
Then Luminara Undulli stepped forward. "Padawan Offee, you will be under my tutelage as a Padawan and as a fellow Mirialan. Barriss straightened her shoulders. "Master Undulli, it will be my honor to learn from you, a Jedi, and as a fellow Mirialan." Then Barriss gave a respectful bow and stood next to her new master.
Now I was nervous about who was gonna be Derren, Seris, and my instructors. Then it happened.
An'ya Kuro then stepped forward. She looked at the three of us for quite a while, then spoke.
"Padawan Cain, I would be honored to instruct you, but I don't think I am the right fit to help you reach your greatest potential. Just know I am always available should you choose to see any instruction I can give."
I bowed respectfully. "Thank you, Master. I will remember that."
She then looked to Seris. "Young lady, you would be a perfect student for me." That made Seris smile somewhat smugly. "That's why I'm not gonna be your Master."
Then Seri's eyes opened slightly in surprise. "Why not, Master? If you're perfect for me, shouldn't that mean..."
Then Master Kuro raised her hand. "Child, you need a master that will help you grow in new ways than you're used to, and not one that will stick you to what you already know. I want you to grow into the woman and Jedi I know you can become. I'm humble enough to know this about myself, and just like Cain. Should you seek some extra guidance, I will always be available to you."
Kuro then smiled at Seris, and Seris nodded back. Then Kuro's expression got more serious as she looked towards Derren.
"Derren Talvos, I will be your Master, and you my Padawan learner. She said coldly." Derren just smiled nervously. "Master Kuro, you're saying it like I don't have a choice."
"You don't have a choice."
Derren's smile disappeared in confusion. "What?"
"When Master Yoda asked me to proctor your trials, I told him I want you as my student. He agreed with no problems whatsoever."
I felt Derren start to radiate nervousness, and what felt like fear, from our connection.
"You are a talented individual, Derren, but you seem to have a lack of motivation, so the council has agreed I'm the right Master to teach you into knighthood."
Derren just smiled and bowed respectfully. "Master Kuro, it will be my honor to be under your instruction." Then he stood beside Master Kuro.
I could tell Derren accepted that he was stuck somewhere he didn't want to be. I agree with Kuro completely. Derren is basically a genius, and if he took things seriously, he might be one of the few people outside of Anakin in the future who could give Sidious a run for his money.
Master Shaak Ti then stepped forward.
"Padawan Seris Vhalan will be your Instructor through your padawanship. Do you accept my calling?"
Seris gracefully bowed. "Master Shaak Ti, it will be my honor to be tutored." Then Seris went to stand before her new Master.
Then there was I, and I was completely by what happened next. Master Fay, Plo Koon, Windu, and Quinlan Vos stepped forward.
Then Mace Windu spoke first. "Padawan Cain, it has come to my attention that you possess the sight to see shatter points. I would like to take you under my instruction to learn from me, but I understand others seek to instruct you. So, from time to time, should you seek to learn how to refine your sight, I would be available to teach you."
That's actually amazing to hear. I wouldn't mind learning from Mace Windu, but his teaching style isn't completely suited for me. Not to mention he believes too much in the Republic than the Force, so he is a little too rigid to change. Not to mention the corruption of the Republic needs to be stopped. When I need to go to Mandalore or Kamino, I doubt he will believe me if I need him to. Besides dueling and learning how to use Shatterpoint, he's not the best fit for me.
Then Mater Plo talked. "Padawan Cain, I believe you have great potential, and I would be honored if you let me take you under my instruction for your padawanship."
Now, Plo Koon is a master I would like to have. Which surprised me cause I can't remember whether he had an apprentice after he became a master. I wonder why, but that's good, honestly. I feel like I can trust Plo Koon. I felt like he was Uncle Iroh and Piccolo mixed into one, more Iroh than Piccolo, though.
Then Master Fay spoke. "Padawan Cain, I have seen you grow and shine since you came to our temple. I cannot teach you the art of combat and lightsaber forms, but what I can show is all forms of the Force. Should you be taught by another Master, I will still offer my guidance." Fay said, bowing.
Okay, now I'm really confused. The way they are talking to me makes it sound like I have to choose, but that's not how this works.
Quinlan Vos then spoke. Padawan Cain, I am not here to be your Master."
Well th, at was surprising. Then why was he here?"
I am the one who found you and brought you to the temple all those years ago with Master Kuro. I was told you wanted to know about your history. I can tell you some, but I don't know much myself, because I don't know much either. Here is a data chip filled with my mission debrief, along with my holo communicator frequency. I will answer any questions I can."
He then handed me a data chip with a cloth; it looked like something was wrapped in it. "This was left with you when I came to retrieve you."
It was a necklace. A black tiny carved gem was hanging from it. "What is this?"
"It's a krayt dragon pearl."
My eyes widen. This was found with me? These things are expensive, not to mention they are extremely rare. You would need to find the right Krayt dragon that's old enough and kill it. Which, if you did it close only very few people have ever done. There was also a tiny flat metal ingot in the cloth. It had words carved on it. They were hard to make out, but I believed it was in Mando'a?
"Thank you, Master Vos, and can you tell me what these words say? I can't make them out."
Quinlan only stared at the ingot and then at me. At "Padawan Cain you should discover that on your own. I believe it will do you much good." He then bowed and left the room.
Well, that was no help, and why was he so secretive?
I put the necklace on and focused back on the master before me. "Master's I, am confused, I thought I could only have one master, but so many masters want to instruct me. Do I choose?
Yes, Padawan Cain, you choose the path you will take; only one can truly guide you down your path." Yoda said.
I don't believe that for a moment. If Revan and Luke can have multiple teachers, then so can I.
Master Fay can help me understand the living and cosmic Force.
Master Windu will make me into a great duelist and help me understand Shatterpoint and maybe even teach me Vaapad.
Master Plo is a good balance of dueling and Force understanding. He will also give me the freedom I need to make moves to stop Palpatine's plan.
I made my decision.
I bowed to the Masters. Thank you, Master's. I am truly honored to be wanted by so many Masters of the order. I hope I can continue to live up to your expectations. Master Windu I, would like to practice dueling with you sometime and learn how to better my understanding of shashatterpoints. Master Windu nodded and bowed. "I understand, Padawan Cain. I look forward to our sessions in the future."
"Master Fay, I would love it from time to time if you could instruct me on the ways of the Force and how to listen to it better." Master Fay smiled and nodded. It would be my honor, Padawan Cain."
I then bowed to Master Plo. "Master Plo, it would be my honor if you took me under your tutelage."
Plo bowed back. "The honor is mine, Padawan Cain."
I then stood beside Plo.
After that, we were dismissed. Master Plo said we would discuss my training plan tomorrow. So I gathered the others and we snuck out of the temple, and went to one of the restaurants near the temple.
It wasn't a fancy but it was somewhere we could go to celebrate us becoming padawans. Then Seris asked the big question no one bothered to answer.
"Cain? How are we gonna pay for this?". That made the others look surprised. Derren still had some cake on his face. While Anakin was enjoying this galaxy's version of steak.
I smiled. "Why are you worried you didn't ask questions when you were stuffing your face with that ice cream?"
Seris blushed. "Look, you don't have the credits. I can use my emergency card, which my grandmother gave me."
Anakin and Derren looked surprised to hear. "Wait, ice princess, you got money? Are you rich or something? Derren said.
"She might be royalty, actually.", Anakin said.
When the server came with the check, the bill was 500 credits. I put down a credit chip card, and paid for it instantly, the way everyone looked at me with surprise on their faces.
"Cain ho,w do you have money?" Seris asked
"That's a trade secret, my dear Seris.", smirked.
Then the server, a human female, spoke. "You're. Dawnstar. I love your Dune series; my father and I did it once a month together. I can't wait for your next book to be released."
Oh shit, well cat's out of the bag.
"Wait, why do I think I heard that book somewhere before?" Anakin said.
"Your Dawnstar?" Seris said, raising her voice. "But how?"
I could then feel her excitement through the force. Is she happy? No way is she a fan of my books? I wonder if I can get out of this with that.
"Seris, if I get you first edition physical leather copies signed by me, will you not ask any questions?"
Her ears started twitching. I can tell she is excited from hearing that.
"You're going to make physical copies?"
"Yes, a collection, only 1000 physical copies signed by me for each book. I can get you the first three books, and you will get the fourth one before anyone else."
"Wait, really?"
I nodded. "Yes, but on these conditions. You cannot ask me about what will happen to the characters, and you cannot ask me about how I am writing these books."
Seris nodded," Deal."
Everyone smiled, looking at Seris wh,o looked star-struck. The walk back to the temple, Seris kept asking me questions about why certain characters did things. Why didn't Paul's mom stay to guide him in ruling the galaxy, and more? I answered all her questions with ease. It was nice to see a talkative Seris.
Later that night, in my Padawan quarters. I began to meditate and enter the void world. As the Force lights began to brighten the void, I began to search the galaxy of Force lights until I found who I was looking for. Then the light came into focus, well, not so much a light but a sphere of mist.
Then Mother Talzin appeared like a fore, and she gazed at me. "Welcome back, child. Did you come here to gaze into the beyond shadows again? Or will you heed my warning this time?"
I bowed. "Thank you for saving me last time. If not for you, I don't know what would have happened to me."
Talzin just stared at me with her expressionless face. "If that is all you came here for, you may leave now."
"No, that is not all I came here for, Mother Talzin." Then, in an instance, I was surrounded by the green mist. Talzin was inches from my face.
"I never told you my name. Who are you, child, and what do you want?"
Okay, Cain, I need to be careful what I say next. This lady was already burned by Sidious, and doesn't trust outsiders to begin with. I need to be careful.
"I have come to seek your instruction to be my Master in the mystical arts of the Force."
Talzin only paused for a moment. I could tell she was reading my intent.
"Why should I teach you a boy for one? And a child that shines as bright as you do in the Force? What will I get in return, and how do I know you won't go back on your word once you get what you want?"
That's a fair question, and I don't know what I can actually give her that she may want. Then a thought hit me, it was crazy, but it might just work.
"Please read my mind and memories, Mother Talzin. If you do that, I believe you won't question teaching me, but you will demand to teach me."
She gazed at me with slight amusement.
"Bold words for such a young boy."
"Cain, my name is Cain. Please use it."
Talzin paused. "Ok, Cain. I shall look through your memories, and if I don't like what I see, you will not gain anything."
I nodded. "I understand."
Then Talzin placed a finger on my head, and in a moment, my eyes closed, and so did hers. A flash of memories then appeared in Talzin's mind, my life as Jasen, my memories of Star Wars, legends, and canon, but I could tell that even that was too much for her.
She pulled away, breathing hard, and looking away from me. "What was that? Another universe, another world. This galaxy and its lives were stories, two different timelines, The Ones, Abeloth?"
Then she looked back at it with an analytical gaze on her face. "Who and what are you?"
"I'm someone who wants to save this galaxy's future, and to do it, I need your help. Will you please be my master?"
Talzin just stared at me.