Prologue II

22 BBY, Jedi Temple; Garden Lobby

IN A HOT SUMMER'S DAY,

all the young padawans gathered around the tree, by the shade. Yoda sat and told the great stories about how the Bantha connected with a Jedi. Under the shade was a swift wind that cooled the padawans.

"My young padawans, remember my lesson. Patient like this tree, always be. Might howl the wind however it wants but stand your ground and do what is right." He spoke in a calm, caring sound. His coarse voice was now memorable around the students.

Even legendary.

He was now of age, but wise he was. As he kept teaching, Kema paid close attention, to every word he said.

Kema as a young padawan was usually quiet, shy at times but also goofy around Kai and Jysell. All who were cruel towards each other but deep down they all loved each other. They had a sense of bond that was inseparable and even the teachers would have problems separating them.

"Hey Kema, do you even get what he's saying?" Kai whispered close to her. Never understanding fully what Yoda had spoken.

"Shut it Kai, master Yoda's speaking," she cut him off quietly as Jysell began interrupting.

"Y'all can't wait for my power, I will be able to take down-"

"No one cares Jysell!" Kai instantly hissed, he was always mean. Always bullying the other padawans but he and Jysell butted heads over who was the better one. "I'll be the best out of you all!" she claimed. "Mark my words,"

"Children, calm yourselves. Quiet," Yoda spoke inside their heads.

"How'd he do that?" Kai wondered, so did the other three.

Clearly the three friends were critical to each other, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. Kema was courageous, brave and wise. Kai was strong, hard-headed and a warmonger. Jysell was strong-willed and order oriented.

The rest of the Jedi Garden was usually pavement with steps leading back to the temple surrounding it. The Jedi would usually sit on the steps and watch over the children as they ran around and blew piles of leaves with the force. However most of the time they would be with one of the Grandmasters, learning about the force. Some of their time would be spent training with their own masters.

"She's magnificent! Isn't she?" fellow Jedi Yu'sarai smiled over to Xido. She was Jysell's master and often bragged about her status.

"Who?"

"Jysell!" she watched over, "so is Kai but Kema is - sheeesh!"

"Excuse me?" Xido stood blocking her view. She felt offended, Kema had been through it all. Separation from her parents and a tough beginning she knew Kema in and out.

"I don't mean to be disrespectful. Kema really doesn't have the force but Jysell is growing," she explained.

"Well, we all started out like that," Xido laughed. "But Ilum is the final test, if they can pass Ilum then maybe you'll be wrong," she crossed her arms in a bitter grunt.

"What if she doesn't make it?" she inquired.

"Kema?" she glanced at her, "I'm certain she'll be alright, she knows bravery that most of us adult never knew. Ever!"

Kema was gifted but didn't really have her force tuned, she was off-balanced and Xido was often called out for it. However, she knew Kema was different from any other Jedi, braver, more courageous, maybe even smarter.

"That's crazy," she shook in denial. "she'd have to be one with the force to be that good. I almost died just trying to get through the place!"

Just as the day progressed Xido was visited by Sapienza. The man was a philosophy of the Wookies, smart, sheek and wise. He was elected Senator of Pantoine, a place where galactic refugees found a home. His presence was almost holy, being a respected man he was. He provided many people with a place to stay, but when asked to be Prime Minister he chose to wait.

[He can't speak the Galactic Basic but I'll translate it]

"Sap, hi? What are you doing here?" Xido almost coughed, as she bowed her head slowly.

"I want you to stand by me, we're discussing in the Senate building," he explained. Turning his eyes to Yoda, he sent the message. "And he needs to show as well,"

"Why what's happened?"

"I don't know, but in the direction we're going I'm afraid there's going to be a war!" He replied quietly keeping the grounds safe from the word. The Separatist Crisis had been going on for a while, where hundreds of systems defected from the Republic.

"There's word that the Separatists are creating a droid army," he began as the two walked inside the temple towards the exit. "And with them gaining systems, it's not looking good!"

"An army?" she stopped.

"Not only that, we seem to have an army as well!"

War was imminent. All Jedi cleared the lobby and headed to their areas, while Yoda, Xido, Sapienza and some few other Jedi accompanied them to the Senate. The Padawans were sent to Yu'sarai

-

"Alright children gather 'round," Yu'sarai called up all the children. Waiting patiently she fastened her sabre to her belt. "Infront of you is your new training grounds, you have passed your common tests but this here will test if you have the guts to survive war!"

All the kids went dumbfounded on the big space. There were many walls and bumps, several parkour courses and mazes that required the force to get through.

"Let me remind you," she began to close. "The force is the energy within you, it connects you with your environment. So take a look at this map and get familiar," she pointed forward near the window where the course's map displayed onto a screen, "because there isn't going to be any more clear maps, once you become Jedi!"

"This is sick!" Kai led the young padawans inside, running all around the course looking at places he could jump from and slide under. "See you losers at the finish line, when I'm first!"

For Kema this was a lot to take in, she'd never been inside of a building this big. The ceiling was almost a half a dreadnought high and all the courses seemed too big. "What's wrong Kemmy, is the course too big for you?" Jysell and Kai cackled.

"No way," she shied, holding her arms she began to walk backwards. "I'm just hoping you guys can actually make it without me,"

"Well just to let you know, I'm getting out of here as a Jedi!" Jysell rid her robe revealing a padawan's fit that was ready for war. "Don't be vulnerable,"

"Padawans get to the tower, we'll start there!" she pointed to a staired wall that had a platform where Yu'sarai could watch down at the padawans. After turning the course's electricity and it's air on, the course was ready for training. All the students were registered on to the towers computers, with the body data. Heart, breathing and sweat rates.

"On your marks, set, GO!" she blasted and the kids ran through the course.

The first set of the course required the padawans to run through a maze repelling as many droids as possible. Kai blasted through the maze, running each turn he could get but after a while, he would be surrounded. "Kai, not good! Patience is key." Yu'sarai shouted.

Jysell jogged and after getting stuck she called out to the force to show her the way. Although she was cornered, she used an unorthodox move...force grip. One by one as they came, she strangled them with the force. Almost in anger, it seemed. "Jysell! Not good," she checked her heart rate as it skipped the charts. "Calm down, anger isn't the way!"

"Well I'm winning anyway," she uttered as she ran off.

"Hey slow down!" Kai tried to catch up as he was cornered by droids, "someone help!"

Kema entered the maze in a patient jog just as Xido had taught her before. She studied the paths properly and with her wisdom, it was working quite well. She felt the air around her, felt the subtle noises (apart from Kai screeching) and ran off towards his cry for help. Yu'sarai noticed clearly; while checking her rates. Kema jogged calmly, she moved her feet carefully but with courage. As a droid turned the corner to hook her down, she would jump to the wall running towards the droid and dropkicked the droid to the floor.

Yu'sarai was impressed!

Pausing for a second, Kema was surrounded. She stood still, patiently waiting until one of them made a move. This was her chance to call out on the force, so she did. Closing her eyes she concentrated hard. Something moved. A twitch tingled in her head and urged her to jump!

She jumped and the force deleted gravity for about two seconds. When she opened her eyes, gazing below she saw two droid clash into each other. In happiness, she hung in the air, but it was short-lived. Falling back down she fell on the droids and disconnected them. She faced the other droid and slipped under its feet running towards Kai.

As a droid looked back and paid attention to the oncoming threat, it was swept off its feet before it could act. Throwing blows and elbows she took the droids on one by one until Kai was free to force push the last droid.

"Hey buddy, you ok?" she offered her hand to him.

"Yea, thanks!" he smiled. "But you're getting distracted!" he cackled as he swept her feet. She collided with the floor, while he ran away dying of laughter. "Remember...don't be vulnerable!"

"Ugh," she sighed. Before she knew it, time was over! The alarm blared over the maze and the doors closed. "What? Already?"

"Playtime's over kids, Kai we have a lot to speak about." she hopped off the tower, "you too Jysell."

-

"And as the first act of this authority," Chancellor Palpatine briefed. "I will create a grand army of the Republic, to counter the increasing threat of the Republic!" he stated as the senate chamber began to clap. He had just been awarded with executive power which kept the Senate below him. In basic sense he was now Emperor.

In Sapienza's chamber, the door slammed hard. "This is not good, not good at all!" he worried pacing around the room. "What are we supposed to do now?"

"I guess we just allow it, the Separatists are increasing system by system and if we fail to unite the galaxy this might be a bad one." she sat by his desk spinning his chair round and round.

"Allow it?" he barked. "Kema this is a war we are talking about. Millions might die, civilians, refugees people who haven't even heard of this Kamino supply of clones!" Apparently the Republic had now had a clone army created for them, at this point Civil War would begin. "We need a new chancellor," he whispered.

"Did you hear the crowd, back there?" she paused to look at him dead serious. "Those are fanboys and fangirls of the chancellor he's here to stay."

"Is there a way we can stop this?" he stopped pacing and groomed his fur heavily. "If this war begins, I'm not part of it!"

"Then do you want to leave the Republic and be rid of hundreds of riches?"

"Well no, but..." he sighed. "There billions of people in Patooine, people who just want a normal life. If war ever touches that planet, it may never stop!"

"Then we do what we can to stop that!" she smiled in assurance.

"I hope you're right!" he sighed.