Standard Disclaimer: This story and characters are based on situations and characters created and owned by George Lucas and Lucasfilm Ltd and the "Magnificent Seven" TV, property of Trilogy Entertainment, The Mirisch Group, MGM Worldwide. All other characters are my creations, with a great deal of inspiration coming from my fellow musketeers: Erica, Renee, and Maria. No infringement of any kind is meant with these stories. No money is being made and no copyright infringement is intended.
Many thanks are offered to The Scribe for allowing me to use some of her wonderful pictures. And to Maria for creating some of her own for use on this collage.
Looking
out of the Jedi Academy on Yavin 4 Luke Skywalker
sighed with satisfaction. Since the inception of the Academy three years before
he had seen a number of Jedi graduate and move into the New Republic to judge
and protect civilization. He looked up when he saw a
YT-1200 freighter zooming across the sky followed by a Y-Wing fighter and he
smiled. Some of his favorite students were coming back for the graduation
ceremony. He took a few calming breaths then made his way towards the landing
pad. Mara would already be there. After all, her protégé Ezra Standish would be
flying the souped up freighter.
Chuckling
softly to himself Luke thought about how much the
young smuggler reminded him of his brother-in-law. A
comparison that irritated Han to no end. He made it to the landing pad
just in time to see the exuberant apprentice bound out of the Y-Wing.
"Master Skywalker!"
Luke
smiled and clasped the apprentice's hand. "Hello, young JD."
"Now,
son, how often do I have to tell you? You gotta learn
to calm down! What's the first rule you learned, boy?" Luke carefully
masked his expression, when JD's Jedi Master, Buck Wilmington walked over to them.
JD
straightened up and said in a reserved tone. "For a Jedi there is Only
Peace."
Luke
nodded, "Very good, young one. But I'll let you in on a little secret.
Master Wilmington never learned that rule either."
JD
burst out laughing as Buck sputtered a denial. Luke pat
Buck on the back companionably and walked over towards the rest of the men
disembarking from the freighter. He clasped arms with the large behemoth known
as Josiah. The older man bowed reverently, "Master Skywalker. It is always
a fortuitous event when we are blessed with your presence."
Luke
smiled, "Josiah, I do believe you've been taking lessons from Ezra. It is
simply a welcome visit."
Josiah
smiled and moved aside. Luke exchanged a quiet greeting with Nathan, the most
conscientious of the Jedi in this group. The young man had gone through every
Jedi test with precision and perfected many of Luke's own methods. He was a
talented healer, using the Force to aid his own natural healing abilities.
After
another calming breath Luke turned to his two favorite pupils. One stood off to
the side watching the small gathering, his green eyes were the only thing that
could be seen under the hood of his black cloak. The other leaned against the
landing gear of the freighter, the hood of his brown cloak was thrown back
showing the shoulder length golden brown locks that he took a mild sense of
pride in. His hand never left the hilt of his lightsaber.
Even in this refuge for all Jedi, Vin Tanner still felt it was his duty to stay
vigilant and protect his soul-brother.
Luke
nodded towards Tanner then walked to the black clad Jedi. Even with the man
trying to block Luke's careful probes, he could still sense the turmoil in the
man's soul. "Chris, it is good to see you."
Chris
Larabee threw his hood back and clasped Luke's outstretched hand. "Master."
Two
years before, Luke had found Chris and Buck in Mos Eisley. Buck had been trying to calm Chris' raging anger,
and Luke had stepped in, adding his own power to Buck's to try and control the disturbance
that Chris was causing in the Force. Luke had trained Chris himself, not
allowing any of the other instructors to work with the unstable man. He was
strong with the Force, but anger and hate dominated his emotions. Luke had
almost given up on him when Mara had brought a young bounty hunter to him. She
had said that the young man was strong with the force, but needed guidance.
Luke decided to train him along side Larabee, sensing a connection between the
two of them, before they'd even met. As soon as they were in the same room with
one and other it became obvious to all. They were soul-brothers. Vin was the calming force that was needed to keep Larabee's
anger and hate at bay.
"Well
if this isn't the most eclectic group of religious figures I ever saw!"
Luke
turned around and failing to hide his grin when he saw Ezra Standish swagger
down the platform from his freighter. "Ezra,
welcome!" He smiled when his wife, Mara Jade, embraced the young
smuggler.
"Hello,
Darlin'. So are you going to run away with me this time?" Ezra
asked, he flashed Luke a grin before turning his attention back to the feisty
redhead.
Mara
smirked, "Not in your wildest dreams, Standish."
Ezra
bowed deeply, clutching a hand to his heart. "My Dear, your radiance sees
me through every day. I live in hopes that one day you will leave the most
renowned Jedi Master and join me in a life of debauchery."
Luke
raised an eyebrow chuckling. "Debauchery? Is that
what they call smuggling these days?"
Ezra
smiled, "Only in the Rilen System. On Corillia it is still the most time-honored
profession."
Luke
nodded and turned back towards Chris, only to find that the man had already
left the landing pad. He looked towards Vin and the
young man came towards him quickly. "He's hurting again, Master Skywalker.
It's that time of year."
It
took Luke a moment to think about what Vin meant, then
he nodded. Chris had a dark cloud that hung over him this time of year since it
was only a few weeks away from the anniversary of his wife and son's deaths.
They had died in an Imperial raid not long after the fall of the Empire. The Larabees had been caught in one of the skirmishes between
the Rebellion and the Empire, and Chris hadn't been there. He and Buck had been
making their way home from Tatooine after delivering
some livestock to the water farmers. Chris was always more difficult to calm
this time of year. Hopefully the happiness surrounding the graduation ceremony
would lighten his heart. Especially since young JD was participating.
Turning
to JD, Luke called him over and led the companions towards the living quarters.
"So, my friend, have you completed your testing?"
JD
nodded, trying very hard to keep a calm and collected façade. "Yes,
Master. Nathan and Buck watched over my training carefully."
Looking
back over his shoulder towards Buck, Luke asked, "And the lightsaber?"
Buck
grinned with pride. "As pretty a 'saber as you could make, Master. He
decided to improvise and make on of the double
sabers. Seems he's been practicing with the techniques of
fighting with them."
Luke
nodded. "Very good. Well, the ceremony will take
place tomorrow. Go now JD, and prepare yourself."
JD
nodded and bowed to Luke, then to Buck before turning and walking slowly
towards the meditation chamber.
Ezra
watched the boy walk away then said, "Here is the true challenge. Can the
boy really sit still for the next twenty-four hours?"
Mara
chuckled, "He'll have to. You must have a clear mind, and a calm soul to
go through the graduation ceremony."
******
JD
did make it through the meditation period. When he stood before Luke the next
day he was calm, and at peace with the world around him. He could feel the
various emotions running throughout the room, but did not allow them to effect him as they normally would. Along with the twelve
other apprentices, JD recited the Jedi Law, and presented Luke with his newly
made lightsaber. When Luke activated the two blades,
JD quickly quelled the sense of pride he felt. Making a single bladed lightsaber was difficult enough. To build one that had
blades coming out of each end was near impossible for an apprentice. When Luke
gave him a congratulatory squeeze on his shoulder, JD wanted to shout with joy,
but quickly reminded himself…"For a Jedi there is
only Peace."
The
celebration after the ceremony was loud and boisterous. JD's
six friends crowded around him, congratulating him and teasing him mercilessly
about his time in the meditation chamber. Even Chris was able to give
the boy a firm, pride filled hug and a smile.
"Master
Larabee?"
Chris
turned and looked at the Messenger Droid that was calling his name. He waved
the droid towards him. "What is it?"
The
droid quickly projected its message. Before Chris a hologram of Senator Travis
of the Four Corners system appeared.
"Master
Larabee, you are and your friends are needed in Four Corners. An Imperial
Destroyer has been sighted coming into the system and we are already receiving
demands for one million credits or they will open fire on several
settlements!"
Chris
sighed and looked towards the six men standing near him. "Looks like
vacation's cut short." When they all nodded Chris turned back to the
droid. "Send a message back to the Senator and tell him we're on our
way."
As
a group they went to Luke and Mara to let them know the situation. Luke
promised that he would inform Rogue Squadron and see if the New Republic
Military would be available to help them if they needed any assistance.
Chris
gave Luke a half smile and said, "I don't think that will be
necessary."
Luke
and Mara watched them leave in silence. Then Mara turned towards Luke and said,
"That group of men do more for the image of the
Jedi than all of the others combined."
Luke
shook his head, "All of the Jedi are important Mara. But…their destinies
are intertwined. I just don't know what they are meant to do yet."
-End…for
now.