Redemption's Price: A Star Wars Story

Chapter 11

Luke, in contrast to his sister, sat with Padawan Tori. Trying to distract the child wasn't going to be an easy task. Having taken her to the arts district, food market and other tourist sites in Hanna City, he was slowly running out of ways to entertain a padawan.

"Master Skywalker, you promised some training; what did you have in mind?"

Looking at the young girl, Luke felt the pressure of being a teacher. "I want to show you the future." He said as he squatted to Tori's eye level.

~~~

It was late into the night when Senator Organa and I arrived at Hanna City's Presidential Medical Facility. It was a quiet night, but enough staff were on shift to show us to the waiting area where two security guards waited. Sitting next to the sleeping figure of Kaider, I gently woke her.

"Hey," Kaider said as she thirdly opened her eyes and yawned.

"I'm glad you're here," I replied, smiling. "Any news?"

"Other than my cool new accessory," Kaider remarked, lifting her robes to show the unobtrusive tracking anklet, "and these two wonderful guards, nothing. I've been here for," Looking up at the timepiece on the wall, she shook her head. Dismayed at the time. "I've been here for 3 hours."

As those words left Kaider's mouth, the door slid open, allowing Doctor Harter Kalonia through. She looked tired but in good spirits. Looking directly at Leia and me, still dressed in our evening attire, Kalonia smiled reassuringly. "It took a lot longer than usual. As I explained, Sephi biology is a little more complicated than humans. But, it went well, and now she's resting. Of course, she'll be in pain, but with a few days of complete rest and a few rounds of bacta therapy, Master Rena should feel a lot better."

Standing, Kaider smiled and bowed. "Thank you."

As we were escorted to the recovery room assigned to Rena, Kalonia approached Leia. They were well acquainted and probably the only non-droid medical professional that Leia trusted with this. "There were complications?"

"A few, but she should be fine," Kalonia replied quietly. "Why, is something the matter?"

"Senator Navi wishes to visit," Leia replied somewhat worriedly.

"I don't think it would be best just yet. She's fragile, not just in body."

~~~

"She looks so young," Rena exclaimed as she gingerly made herself comfortable in the hospital bed. The morning sun gently settled on the eiderdown.

"The same could be said for you, too," I replied with a rye look to my former master. "Senator Organa assured me Doctor Kalonia is highly skilled, an award-winning medical practitioner. So you are in safe hands."

"Appart from being far too late to use that as reassurance, I know. But, I feel," Pausing for a moment, Rena struggled to find the right word. "Better? Yes, I suppose I do feel better."

"Well, wait for the bacta bed. That will blow your mind." Padawan Tori exclaimed as she joined us.

"Oh, okay," Rena replied in her unsure manner.

"Master Skywalker...

Hearing that name, Master Skywalker, once again triggered a memory. With a glance at Rena, I could see she had also remembered something she hadn't shared with me. She looked absent for a moment, so much so that Tori looked at me worriedly.

"Are you okay?"

Forcing a smile, Rena nodded. "Yes, of course, Tori, tell me again."

Nodding, Tori happily retold her adventures around Hanna city, the future Jedi temple, and a tour of the medical centre they were currently at. Her eyes were glassy with joy. "I saw so much, my brain feels a little tired, but there were people that were so different."

"Welcome to the galaxy," Rena remarked as Tori leaned back like a child on their mother, with Rena running her hand through Tori's thick hair. The dreamy feeling radiating off the young padawan seemed to find its way into Rena's long-ago hardened heart.

~~~

With her eyes closed, Rena let the almost water-like, somewhat sticky/slippery bacta cover her. The feeling of overwhelming fatigue seemed to surround her too. She felt herself observing her past, helpless to hide from memories she didnt wish to relive.

There was a buzz in the temple grounds; one of the masters had been killed. The council had called for an urgent meeting. Padawan Zahava Rena had seen the look of profound sadness overcome Master Zenssi'kunn. "I'm sorry, I must conclude today's class. I need to attend a council meeting."

"What is it about?" "Please tell us," many of the younglings and padawans asked as the master began to gesture for her students to leave.

"You will know in time." Master Zenssi'kunn replied with a sad smile.

She was sad; why was she unhappy. At the time, she hadn't even persisted. It was a commonly known fact that the Jedi practised detachment. But there were a few in Zenssi'kunn's circle that allowed such emotions. They believed that without some level of attachment, there could be no connection to the force and its guidance in helping those in need.

The following vision of memory came from meeting the small child named Anikan Skywalker, that name again. He was so small, and the council were so hard on him. After finishing her dining hall duties one evening, Rena decided to visit Skywalker. She had noticed he didnt many friends.

"Hey, sky guy," Rena said from the door. "Rumours say..."

Before she could finish the sense, Skywalker had his answer. "That I'm the chosen one? If you're here to make fun of me, do it already."

"Well, that is quite the rumour. I don't usually give much credence to that kind of talk."

Putting his tinkering down, Skywalker swivelled on his chair. "What then?"

"A scurrier says you love pod-racing."

"So what if I do?"

Pulling a data pad from her pocket, Rena pressed the play button and a sliced and jacked live feed of the holonet pod-racing channel started to play. "I thought, if you wanted, we could watch some together. You're from Tatooine, well I don't remember much, but I was born in Hradreek. No one else here knows anything about pod-racing."

The smile on the padawan's face told Rena all she needed to know. "You can call me Ani," He said as he moved tinkering parts from his bunk.

"You can call me Zahava or Zav."

~~~

Back in the privacy of Senator Organa's apartment, I made my scheduled holo call to Kheb. Stepping back, I watched as the blue light formed into the figure of Master Brata. It was early morning, and the older master would have just led the morning prayers. "You look well, Master Brata."

"As do you, Master Skou. Does this call carry good news?" Brauta replied with a smile and a look of knowing.

"It does, she's well, and the New Republic doctor seems very optimistic."

With a small smile, Master Brauta nodded.

"She is with Senator Organa; she agreed to giver her story," I added.

"Her story?" A sudden stricken look came over the holographic figure. "You must... no, she should be careful. As you have sensed in vision, it is filled with pain. Be there for her, guide her; she has avoided this path for so long, I worry it may take over her."

I understood, on a small level. The fallen Jedi Order had taught that attachments would lead to the dark side, yet in my experience, it was the attachment of my mother and her former padawan that had brought Kaider out of the dark side's grasps. "I will," I assured the elder Jedi.