“When do I get my lightsaber?” Alera demanded. She walked alongside Master Dyarron in one of the wide, echoing hallways of the Temple, other Jedi and many droids passing them in both directions. This time, there were more curious stares. The man chuckled to himself as he slipped his hands under the folds of his robes. “In time, Alera Danta.” She sighed and lapsed into silence while they continued down the hall until Master Dyarron stopped in front of a closed door. “This is where I leave you for a time. I shall see you soon.” “Wait, where are you going?” she called after him, her crossed arms falling at the thought of being abandoned in this enormous place, but the master already walked away from her. “Alera.” A Togruta woman, her dark eyes gentle, stepped out as the door slid open and extended one hand to the girl. “Come with me.” Her body tensing, Alera allowed the woman to lead her into the quiet room, the sounds of the busy Temple fading away when the door shut behind them. “Who are you?” whispered Alera, reverence bubbling up inside her at the ethereal presence of the Togruta.. “Shaak Ti, a member of the Council. I sadly missed your initiation as I was on Kamino overseeing a new battalion of clones.” Alera’s cheeks burned at the memory. “Initiation? Is that what that was?” “Indeed. Dalen has not taken a Padawan, so electing you is very important, Alera.” Master Ti continued to guide Alera to the center of the room, where two chairs sat waiting. “Please, sit,” she commanded, voice soft in the quiet room. The women took the chair with its back to the window displaying the bustling city below them. With wary eyes, Alera sat on the other chair, finding herself directly facing the master. “You came from Pantora?” Alera nodded and rubbed her fingers across the bandage on her cheek, which a droid in the medical room had administered. “I am happy to report that the planet is once more under Republic rule. Perhaps you may be allowed to seek out your family.” Alera gritted her teeth at the woman’s heartless words. “They’re all d3ad,” she muttered and leaned against the soft back of her round chair. Her eyes flickered, her face tightening as Master Ti recognized her mistake. “I am sorry,” she murmured, and they sat in silence for a moment, Alera’s eyes trained on the ground to fight her tears. “Are you ready?” Looking up, she asked, “For what?” The final snip filled the room, and Alera glanced up for the first time at the mirror Master Ti had provided her. Her hands moved to touch the rough white ends of her hair, the single small braid falling just behind her right ear. The long locks she had now lay strewn on the ground, the ends just reaching the edge of her chin. “Dalen is waiting for you now,” announced Master Ti, and she held out her hand to Alera once more, and the girl slid her blue hand onto the red one. Together, they let the door reveal the outside hallway, and Master Dyarron turned at their exit. “I wish you all the best, Dalen,” Master Ti said with a smile. “May the Force be with you both.” Master Dyarron nodded at her, and he beckoned Alera to follow him. “Is this my first lesson?” she asked and received a silent nod. “With my lightsaber?” “No.” “Then what is it?” she demanded, voice growing harder as her jaw tightened. “You’ll see.” Biting her lip, Alera trailed behind Master Dyarron’s sweeping robes into the Jedi Archives, shelves of information glowing blue along the floor. Many Jedi walked across the balcony above the library, and Alera watched them with curious yellow eyes. “Alera, this is Master Nu, and she will guide you in my absence,” announced Master Dyarron to a distracted Alera. “Where are you going?” she responded, looking at the kind librarian with nervousness. “To see Commander Derek. We have an assignment.” “Then shouldn’t I come with?” Alera followed him as he attempted to walk away. “I am your Padawan now, Master.” He stopped and smiled at her with heavy blue eyes. “Indeed, you are, but you are not mission ready. I will return soon.” Seething, Alera watched him leave her in the hands of the elderly Master Nu, who waited a moment before approaching the girl. “I see that Master Dyarron has a lot on his hands now, as you are his first padawan. Come, he has carefully instructed me with your first lesson.” The woman laid her hand on Alera’s shoulder, the weight comforting and similar to Master Dyarron’s habit. Allowing herself to be led across the vast room, Alera made one last look behind her shoulder to see Master Dyarron smiling at her before rounding a corner. The small glowing orbs spun around the room at Alera’s command, her hand spinning the metal globe in its slot as it displayed the vast galaxy in the room. Leaving it, Alera stretched out on her back on the floor, her eyes taking in every dot in the room, while the tan fabric of her new robes pooled out underneath her. “Pantora,” she whispered when spotting the marker of her home, as Master Nu had pointed out to her.
Propping herself up, Alera held out her hand to the orb, her blue fingers wrapped in brown fingerless gloves twitching. The metal grated against its holder, and the galaxy swirled around her as Alera’s blue lips broke into a smile. “Master Nu, look!” she cried out to the woman who entered the room. “Very good, Alera,” she replied with a warm smile. “Your master will be very proud.” Warm from the praise, Alera sat up and crossed her legs, her mind clear and her chest devoid of fire. “What’s next?”
