Wait, who? Me?

[Kana Truden]

Outskirts of Aldera, Alderaan
The mountainous outskirts were quiet, serene, beautiful. The crisp, vivid, delicate caress of the wind mixed nicely with the playfully chaotic sounds of water running down the mountain’s side. The grass tickling your skin, the occasional laughter of good friends and the faint sound of ships taking off. If Kana didn’t know better she’d call it paradise.

She hadn’t known these things growing up on Coruscant. The first time she had set foot outside of Aldera was only a few years ago after her boss had taken her with him to this very spot with the intention of showing her that “There is more to Alderaan than just the cities”. Though considering this was a park the whole city aspect remained even if just barely. It was far away enough for the busy sounds of the city to quiet down yet close enough for people to actually visit it. It was quite simply put a place of perfect balance between the chaos and calm.

She had already spent a good part of an hour here. Usually people spent their free time in the cantina, but not Kana, not today. No, that cantina was good for when you were truly down and needed to forget everything, other than that it was pretty shabby. Her thoughts wander off to that night a few weeks ago with the two strangers. It was all a big blind spot but she remembered a few things here and there. The chances of her stumbling upon them again seemed minimal.

After letting a few more minutes pass she decides to call it a day. Sitting around in tranquility is nice and all but there was a limit to when it was for relaxing and when it was just a waste of time. Standing up she brushes her legs clean of grass and dust when something catches her eye. Great, her pants had received another grass stain.

“Nooo.” She bitterly groans as she tries to rub the stain away. It doesn’t help and she furiously tries to rub it even faster before quickly giving up. “Typical. Just typical.”

With a few angry steps she makes her way towards the pathway back to the taxi depot. There was no point in just staying, she had a workday tomorrow. Which come to think of it meant another dull day of people spending their credits on all sorts of electronics they’ll never use. Another dull day of computer spi-

A small thud followed by a louder thud and Kana finds herself planted on the floor. She raises herself with her arms and swipes her hair behind her ears. It appears that in her absent-minded stroll she might have bumped into someone. No wait, she looks around for a few seconds. Yep, she most definitely had. She quickly stands up straight.

“Oh no! I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to- I was- I-” She panics. “I’m sorry, I should have paid more attention.”
In a moment of confusion she doesn’t know whether to back away or approach the man and instead decides to remain still.

"Are you okay?"

[member="Shaw McKeller"]

 

[Shaw McKeller]

"I'm fine, lass," McKeller said with a chuckle. "Are you alright?"

Shaw wore his 'traveling clothes', a well worn tunic and breeches with his armored boots and a leather belt as old as he was. He'd come to Alderaan on a whim, a strange urging. He got them on occasion when he stayed in one place for a long time. It wasn't a pull to move, but to roam. To explore a bit and then return. To get his wanderlust out of his system. As a youth, he wandered the galaxy for the Deathwatch, searching for new opportunities and securing power and support for the violent and militant organization. Secretly, though, he didn't like the job, but put up with it for the travel. He'd seen huge swathes of the galaxy, met distant peoples and aliens, learned of many cultures and ways of life, and yet he'd still not seen it all. It was an odd trait, but one he enjoyed nonetheless.

He'd been to Alderaan before, met its people, learned its culture, though it was decades ago when he was a young Mandalorian warrior. Now, he'd found it changed, in a way. It wasn't better or worse, just... different. Time worked that way, it seemed. Years went by, cultures changed, generational mindsets altered, and life went on. It was just life.

Even with that in mind, though, Shaw still wondered why he was here. Normally, the pulls happened out of pure boredom or when something important may happen. He wasn't bored at the Jedi Temples, but nothing had happened yet. It was strange, in a way. Most strange.

[member="Kana Truden"]

 

[Kana Truden]

"Oh, uh, yeah thanks." She responded awkwardly, he seemed like a decent person. "I think the ground took the worst beating here."

Initiating small-talk was just common decency, right? Leaving would be a sign of disinterest for the other person's well-being.

She brushed what little dust was left on her jacket and gave the man a second glance. He looked... Experienced. Like the kind of man who had seen his fair amount of pain and suffering already. Couldn't say much about his sense of fashion though. A tunic? Really? Not that she could really complain, her black leather jacket and khaki pants wasn't exactly pleasant to the eye either. Besides, something felt wrong about this man. No, not wrong, strange. Beside the tunic that is. But what could it be?

"So, uh, you took the bumping part like a champ." A quiet chuckle made itself out of her system. "Can't say the same for myself though."

 

[Shaw McKeller]

McKeller took the young woman's appearance in. She looked more like a street rat, honestly, but not quite. Less like someone scraping a living and more like... Well, definitely a person scraping by, but not quite. She seemed to radiate a sort of... aura to Shaw. Something that he normally didn't see in people. He tried to figure out what it could be as he spoke.

"I've had worse than a bump," he said, the soft burr of his accent showing through. "You seem to have fared well regardless, though."

That was when it hit him. The Temple! He'd seen it at the temple! He'd grown so used to being around the Jedi there that he almost didn't recognize it at first. The Force was radiating off of her. That was the aura. She seemed untrained, unfocused, but it was there and shone through easily.

"What's your name, lass?" he asked with a tilt of his head.

[member="Kana Truden"]

 

[Kana Truden]

"Kana." She says and turns her head away in suspicion. "Kana Truden."

Why is he looking at me like that? Do I know this man? Does he know me? No, why would he ask my name if he knew me?

She turns back towards the man and tries her best at placing him. Maybe she had seen him at the store? There was something about him though, it felt strange yet familiar but she couldn't place him. Maybe she had seen him in store after all, or maybe an alleyway or cantina. Really, it could have been a lot of different places. But none of them made sense. If she had seen him in the store she would have remembered him from his out of place appearance and if she had seen him at the cantina she would remember him as one of the non-regulars and he looked way too clean to be homeless.

"Sorry." She says and gives the man yet another cautious glance. "I feel like I have seen you before but I can't remember where."

[member="Shaw McKeller"]

 

[Shaw McKeller]

"We haven't met, but I think I can guess why I seem familiar," McKeller stated after a moment. "I have a question for you, lass. It's going to sound very odd and strange, but your answer is extremely important."

Shaw put a hand in his pocket and removed it, his hand a fist. He held the fist out, palm up, before him. Inside was a credit of a denomination only he knew, but was clearly labeled, though hidden.

"Tell me, lass. What is in my hand? It's a very odd question, I know, but it's not a game. Your answer is very important here, but you're in no danger. Focus hard, think on it, feel for it. You know how to do it. Deep down, you'll know."

[member="Kana Truden"]

 

[Kana Truden]

With continued skepticism Kana stares the man down. Was he serious? She hadn't played that game since she was a kid. Which when come to think of it made it all the more compelling. What was the worst that could happen?

With a shrug she sets her eyes on the strangers hand. The way he was holding the mystery item seemed to imply it was small enough to fit in his hand obviously. That is of course unless he wasn't holding anything at all and thinking about what he said made the whole situation make less sense. Focus, think and feel it? What? She furrows her eyebrows and closes her eyes as she tries to think of what he could have in his hand. She had to envision it.

Then there it was. A feeling, like a gut feeling that just kept growing. There was something to it, something that just made it so obvious that the stranger was in fact carrying something and that the item he had in his hand was something small. Something small but valuable. What was small and valuable? A lot of things. She groaned, why was this so tiring?

Focusing on the words she tries to build a sort of mental image of it. It was a small and valuable item of... Value. As she puts her mind to work it suddenly sneaks up on her. It's a credit chip! It's valuable, it's small and it's image is practically right there in front of her. Kind of scary come to think of it, but It's got to be a credit chip!

"It's a credit chip." Kana opens her eyes and looks at the man. "I'd say it contains around, I don't know..." She closes her eyes again and gives it a second shot. Focus, think, feel. "Roughly two thousand... One hundred and... Fifty?"

She had no idea where the number came from but it just sort of felt right. Like when you get a crate to fit perfectly in a tight spot.

 

[Shaw McKeller]

Shaw nodded once, slowly, as she finished speaking. He opened his fist and there, laying in the palm of his hand, was a credit chip. The denomination on the side clearly showed that the credit was, indeed, worth two thousand one hundred fifty credits. He pocketed the chip and looked at the girl with a raised eyebrow.

"You're correct," he said quietly. "Have you ever wondered how you can sense when someone is nearby, even if you can't hear or see them? How you seem to sometimes feel peoples' emotions, but you don't know how? It just comes naturally to you, like breathing, but you aren't sure why or even how it works?"

[member="Kana Truden"]

 

[Kana Truden]

Kana's eyes opened wide in surprise. It was a credit chip and the value was the exact amount she had estimated. It was right there, just as she had seen it in her mind. Her eyes jitter as they shift between staring at the chip and the stranger's face. She found herself in a minor state of panic, how was this even possible? Was this some sort of trick? This was way too much to comprehend. To see the chip in her mind was one thing, but to then a few seconds later see the very same chip in the palm of the stranger in front of her? No, that was crazy. How did this happen?

As the man mentions the ability to sense people she can't help feeling familiar with it. Her mind travels back to a job she had landed not long ago. She had sensed a certain doctor's presence just before meeting him but back then she hadn't put much thought into it. In the store she had always had a strange connection to her customers and even then she hadn't put much thought into it. It had truly come naturally to her.

"I hadn't realized." She says in quiet disbelief. "What's going on?"

[member="Shaw McKeller"]

 

[Shaw McKeller]

"What's going on is something you've had since you were born, but didn't understand it until now," Shaw said calmly, reassuringly. "You are sensitive in the Force. It's why I felt familiar. It's why you can sense things. It's why you can feel things. And if you learn half of what can be taught about your gift, you'll be quite the handful, I think."

McKeller crossed his arms for a moment, then scratched at his beard a little. He felt his fingernails itch at the flesh beneath the facial hair. For those with beards, it was a highly satisfying sensation.

"Enough of my musings, though. Where are my manners? My name is Shaw McKeller. I'm a Jedi Knight of the Jedi Order, specifically of the Jedi Guardians. I'm here on Alderaan on behalf of the Order."

[member="Kana Truden"]

 

[Kana Truden]

"Hello Mr. McKeller." She waves at at the knight as he finishes his introduction. "I'm still Kana Truden."

So his name was [member="Shaw McKeller"] and he was telling her about force-sensitivity. At first she was skeptical, what was the chance that something like this would just happen? She wanted to question it but there was a strange sort of assurance in what he was saying.

Could it really be?

The thought certainly was tempting. Learning how to use the force would be a good way to start anew but at what cost? There would be new rules and a whole new way of living. Then again she didn't have much to go on now either and top it off with that he didn't explicitly tell her he'd teach her. Come to think of it, what did he mean with 'be quite the handful'? That she'd be a pain? Jedi knew how to fight and she don't... Or maybe he simply referred to psychological scars.

"So are you saying I'd be able to learn about the force?" She asks cautiously. "I don't want to assume too much here, but it's an interesting idea."

 

[Shaw McKeller]

"You can learn if you want to," McKeller said with a nod. "You'll be under a set of rules, a code of conduct, but you'll be able to learn if that is your desire. There are many paths to the Jedi and you can pick whichever suits you more."

Shaw grinned a bit at the woman he towered over before he spoke again.

"Or you can stay here if you'd like. Depending on what you want to do, my business on Alderaan will be done and I'll be heading back to Ossus and then Tython."

[member="Kana Truden"]

 

[Kana Truden]

It wasn't hard to put things in perspective, either she could leave and do something with her life or she could stay and do nothing. The answer was quite obvious.

"I'll do it." Kana says determinedly. "If possible I'd like to come with you and learn more about the force."

[member="Shaw McKeller"]

 

[Shaw McKeller]

"Excellent," Shaw stated with a smile. "How soon do you think you'll be able to leave?"

Shaw didn't mind sitting and waiting for a day or two for her to get things sorted, but longer than that and he'd be pressed for time. The woman was strong in the Force, very strong, actually. She'd go far in any aspect of the Order she chose, it was just a matter of time and training. That and life choices.

If she could leave soon, he'd start training her in the Force on the way back to the Order. It couldn't hurt to get her started as early as possible and they'd be starting her training as soon as she got there anyways.

For now, though, Shaw waited for an answer. It didn't hurt to plan ahead, but he was starting to get ahead of himself.

[member="Kana Truden"]

 

[Kana Truden]

Kana's wave of self-confidence quickly falls apart at the mention of leaving. She hadn't actually thought that far ahead yet. She couldn't just up and leave, clearly there were going to be paperwork involved of some sort or at least when it came to the apartment. But packing things? She had nothing of value there beside a few jackets here and there but from what she had heard of jedi they weren't big on fashion. Her mind started running scenario after scenario until she nearly forgot about the present.

"I should be able to solve most problems by the end of the day." Kana says and covers her mouth as if she was in deep thought. "If I take care of it while you're out doing your 'Order business' then I think, with some luck, I might be able to leave by the evening."

The apartment could be rented out then signed over to whoever lived there. Clothing could be packed, laundry could be left and she certainly could quit her job. Maybe it all seem a bit too simple but simple is good when you're about to take on something new.

"In fact yes, I believe so." She let her hand slide down to her sides. "I'll pack my things then meet up with you somewhere."

[member="Shaw McKeller"]

 

[Shaw McKeller]

"My Order business is done, lass," he said with a dismissive wave. "It just finished a minute or two ago."

He scratched at his short beard for a moment in thought. If she could leave today, then maybe they could leave as soon as possible. He'd start the training on the way back to the Order's Temple, so that shouldn't be a problem. He just was itching to get going and, he felt, so was she.

"Can I help you get your things? If you're going to run into problems, as you said you may, I can probably help. I'm fairly good at... convincing people," he said with a smile. He didn't know how to mindrub just yet, but he was a huge mountain of muscle and scars and knew how to convince people on a regular basis. He was sure he'd be able to solve any issues.

[member="Kana Truden"]

 

[Kana Truden]

"A few minutes ago? But we were-" Then it hit her. "Ooooh, you were talking about me. Heh, yeah okay." She nods. "Yeah, I mean sure, if you come along and have nothing better to do then I guess we'd save some time! Let's go."

Spoiler: A short explanation of the events that went down

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It was with reluctance that she let [member="Shaw McKeller"] into her home but at least he made the whole thing take up far less time than she had expected. Occasionally a spike of anger would erupt as bitter memories of her past would resurface. Ultimately she was probably able to hide them from Shaw, probably. After packing most of what she absolutely needed into a rather big backpack she left the apartment for what would definitely be the last time.

The landlord on the other hand had his fair share of things to say about leaving personal belongings behind as well as something about waiting patiently before skipping on the contract. However he was able to find it in his heart to let her go as soon as McKeller had entered the room. A month's rent paid upfront and the contract was torn, all is well that ends well or whatever the old saying was. Thank the force for savings.

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...​

The day had passed quickly. Between the packing of things to the quitting of her job and the tearing of the contract to her apartment she had gotten a lot of work done in a very short amount of time. Now they stood at the doorstep to the future she had chosen and it was actually quite daunting. There was no backing down at this point. Shaw seemed like a good man and to waste this gift of hers would be, well, a waste.

With a few shaky steps she approaches the spacecraft that would take them both out of here. She would've liked it if she could have at least named it but she hadn't been on a ship like this in nearly five years and her Spacecraftese had become somewhat rusty to say the least. She looks over at Shaw and smiles at him. Soon they would step into that ship and set course for whatever jedi enclave it was that she'd be part of.

Kana takes a few deep breaths before stepping onto the loading ramp of the ship. This was it, she had no idea what lie ahead but judging by the walking pile of muscles in front of her there was little doubt. She boarded the ship and strangely enough found herself experiencing a strange kind of nostalgia. She had forgotten how cramped these ships could be with their cold metallic surfaces, it felt like home.

"Gotta say, I've missed this. I mean, I didn't expect cramped corridors like these to still feel like home but they do." Kana says happily and looks at [member="Shaw McKeller"]. "So anyway, what comes next?"

She already had a good guess about what came next: Training. Years and years of training, but it's probably best to have the teacher himself tell you that.

 

[Shaw McKeller]

"This depends," Shaw said as he lead the way to the ship's cockpit. "What did you want to learn?"

The Order had changed in many ways. There were padawan classes and training schedules. There were academies set here and there throughout the galaxy. Thing was, though, that sometimes Padawans came to the Order much older. In such cases, the Jedi that found them usually took them on as their own Padawans or, failing that, passed them to those Masters that could take them. In this situation, Shaw figured he'd train the young woman.

The brief time it took to get things situated was fairly easily done. She'd gotten her things in order and, despite a few flares of emotion, everything had come along swimmingly. The landlord wasn't too happy, but McKeller was very convincing and had honestly said very little before the man had changed his mind. Shaw had that effect on people.

"I don't teach by a curriculum or by some book," he said with a chuckle. "I prefer teaching what the student wants to be taught. You'll get a broad education, but outside of that you'll learn what you want to learn. The training depends on you, Kana."

[member="Kana Truden"]

 

[Kana Truden]

"Well, in that case I think the basics would be in order." Kana said with a nod and chuckled back. "There's gotta be more to the force than sensing the value of a credit chip, right?"

She followed [member="Shaw McKeller"] into the cockpit. It was strange seeing this part of Aldera from a cockpit but sometime had to be the first.

"What about sensing other things?" She let her focus set on the knight once more. "The old stories tell of jedi who were able to sense their enemy's movements without seeing them."

 

[Shaw McKeller]

"That is true," he said with a short smile. "That is a skill called precognition. It can be taught, to an extent, but those who are skilled in the ability have a natural talent for it. It's not something that is easily mastered, in all honesty. I, for example, can do it in a way, but not with the Force. Decades of fighting let you read your opponent. I know of some who can predict blows or attacks in the Force, though. It's actually quite interesting to see."

Shaw took a seat in the pilot's chair and gestured to the opposite seat for Kana. The ship was on autopilot at this point, he had little to worry about navigation-wise.

"As for sensing the value of a credit chip, you'd be surprised when you'd need that," he stated with a mischievous grin. "The basics, though. We can start with those. First and foremost, we'll get you to start with finding your center. Meditation, basically. You focus inwards and clear your mind of all thoughts, all emotions. There is only you, the Force, and silence at that point. It will both refresh you and calm you. I use a variation of this before battle, but it's great for other things, too. Why don't you give it a try?"

[member="Kana Truden"]