The Eye of the Storm (Ena Katsumi's Training)

[WhiteSheWolf]

~As her master congratulated her, Ena opened her eyes and let go of the force. Again, as she listened to Siri’s instructions, it didn’t overwhelm her. It was as if all the force had wanted all these years was for Ena to listen to it, and now that she had, it was manageable. Not easy, not by a long shot but…Ena could still feel the presence of the living creatures in the grove, if she tried, but there was a distinction between her mind and everything else now.~

~Ena beamed with pride at her Master’s words. The Jedi Knight was…proud of her? She didn’t think anyone had been proud of her before. Her smile grew even wider, and her feeling of joy spread through the force naturally lightening the mood of the whole grove. As proof to Siri’s words, though, Ena yawned. She was tired. Bone tired. She felt suddenly as if she could sleep for a week! The girl stood on shaky legs and waited a moment to gain her balance. Then she bowed to Siri as low as she could manage.~

“Thank you, Master Siri. I…I can’t even tell you how much this means. I know this won’t be easy but…” ~Ena swept her black hair behind her ears. There was determination in her eyes now, as opposed to anxiety.~ “I won’t give up. I’ll see you in the morning.”

~Ena bowed again, and turned to leave the grove. Now that she was relaxed and not so afraid, she looked with new eyes on the beauty of the planet, could faintly feel the life force of the small animals as she walked along the path through the dense forestry. Ena smiled again. She would have to remember where this grove was. It would be a good spot to relax. By the time Ena made it back to the temple, she was dragging her feet – exhausted. The combination of exhaustion and the stronger presence of the auras of the many Jedi and padawans residing in the temple almost brought Ena to tears again, but all she had to do was focus on the here and now and the minds of others stayed firmly separate from her own. Now, to find a Master.~

~She wandered the halls, using a bit of the force to guide her meandering until she finally stumbled across one of the Masters. ~

“Excuse me!” She said, bowing, “My name it Ena Katsumi…I’m Jedi Knight Siri Firestorm’s new padawan. She…she said to talk to a Master about getting a room…” ~Ena bit her lip, unsure of the Jedi’s response.~

~The Master smiled at Ena, chuckled – but not in a mean way.~ “Of course, padawan. Follow me.”

~Ena nodded and followed the Jedi to what would be her new room. The Jedi Master wished her a good rest and left her at the door. It was simple, though bigger than what she had ever had at home on Naboo. In the far corner was a bed, and when Ena walked over to it saw there were robes on the end, beige colored robes for a padawan that would fit Ena better than her current attire. She walked over to the closet on one side of the room and saw more clothing hung, all for her size. Ena smiled. This place was already more homey than home had ever been. Besides the bed, a closet, and a small bathroom to one side, most of the room was wide open, with extra cushions that Ena assumed were for her if and when she decided to meditate. Ena thought of showering – but she was simply too exhausted. She slipped off her shoes and fell into the bed, barely awake long enough to get under the covers.~

…

~Ten hours later, Ena woke. As she woke the force woke with her, and it took a few moments to remember where she was, why she was here, and what had happened the day before. She struggled for a moment to focus and regain a calm center, but she did. Then Ena showered and changed into the robes that had been left for her. They were a perfect fit, made Ena seem a little less like a pale skinny adolescent and more like…more like a Jedi. Remembering her Master’s words, Ena combed out her hair, brushed it back behind her ears, and arranged a few cushions on the floor. Then, as she had the day before, Ena sat - legs crossed, hands resting on her knees – closed her eyes, and relaxed her mind and body, letting the force in, waiting for her master to arrive and begin training again.~

 

[Malon]

Siri arrived in Ena's room on time, right after the morning meal in the Temple's cafeteria. With her, she brought a small box of equipment which she sat down on the floor beside her as she took a seat, cross-legged, right across from Ena.

"Today we will continue delving into the Force. Usually, the exercise we are about to preform isn't done until the end of a Padawan's training, but I feel it is appropriate for your situation, if you do it now." Siri explained, opening the box she had brought with her. "This is everything you need to construct your very first lightsaber. A lightsaber is an extension of its Jedi wielder and requires a lot of mediation on the Force to create the one fitting for you."

Siri took out the metal pieces and the power cell of the weapon and set them on the floor in between them until the only things left in the box were a set of about ten different colored crystals.

"These crystals help focus the blade, and yourself; every lightsaber needs one, though most Jedi design their weapon to hold three. The Force is strong within the crystals used in a Jedi's lightsaber, and by communing with the Force, you can correctly select the three best suited for you."

 

[WhiteSheWolf]

~Ena felt Siri coming before she entered, and opened her eyes as the door opened, curiously examining the small box in her Master’s hands. A lightsaber? Her own lightsaber? Ena had never seen one up close and personal – her mother had been stripped of her lightsaber when she left the Jedi Order. Ena bit her lip. She wasn’t much for combat but…an extension of the Jedi who wields it? Ena let her eyes roam over the various parts. It seemed complicated, for sure, but the crystals were what drew Ena’s attention. Ena reached a hand out, passed it over the set of ten. They were thrumming with the force – she could feel it. It sent shivers up and down her spine. Were the crystals alive? It sure seemed that way. ~

“It’s like…they feel alive. How is that? How do I know which to pick? Do the different colors…mean something? Do you…want me to build my lightsaber now?”

~Even as Ena spoke, her eyes were drawn to the green crystal, as almost as if it was calling out to her.~

 

[Malon]

Siri reach over to her utility belt and unclipped the two lightsaber hilts from their resting place, setting them down beside the material she had layed out earlier. One of the weapons had a long, broad hilt with two emitters; one on each side of the pommel. The other was a standard, one bladed lightsaber.

"The Force is often called the 'Living Force' for a reason. The 'life energy' you feel in the crystals is the Living Force. Call on the Force and question it as one would a teacher. That is how you select your primary crystal. The other two can be chosen out of preference, or the same way you selected your primary one." Siri explained, picking up the long-handled weapon. "This is my first lightsaber and my primary weapon. I built it when I was a few years younger than you. The other lightsaber I have sitting there belonged to my Master when he was alive. It was given to me after his death as a symbol of my commitment to the Jedi Order and the Republic, as well as to carry on his legacy."

She then sensed the uncertainty of her Padawan about constructing the weapon.

"A lightsaber is more than a weapon to a Jedi. It is used in our ceremonies, in meditation, and in training our students. One thing you must learn is that a Jedi must only activate their lightsaber with the intent to kill only if no other option is available. That being said, yes, I want you to construct it now. This will help you learn to trust the voice of the Force and to follow its will.'

 

[WhiteSheWolf]

“Okay,” ~Ena said. Trust in the force. She looked at the parts again. She knew there was only one way to do this – with the force as her ally, guiding her. All she had to do was let it lead her. It had led her here, to Ossus, to her Master and all without any knowledge on Ena’s part. Let’s do this, Ena thought. She closed her eyes, hardly even had to try for the force to come flooding in. What now? Picking her crystals seemed like the most logical first step. She opened her eyes and looked at the crystals again, quieted her mind. Which one? ~

~The force was around her now, and it directed her. It was still a little bit of a struggle to trust it completely, but Ena did so. The green crystal in the box was radiating with the force, Ena picked it up, examined it. Yes. This would be her primary crystal. She returned her attention to the box, let a hand drift over the crystals. The blue called as well – not as strong as the green – and one the end – a silver crystal. She picked the other two up, held them in her hands, listened to the force. Is this right? Yes. . Ena nodded, placed the three crystal next to each other – green in the middle blue and silver on either side. But how do I build it?~

~The force answered that question as well. It surged through Ena, suddenly, spooking the girl – but for once, though she wanted to, she didn’t fight it. Her hands moved without thought, picking up various pieces. The force whispered in her ears, giving her tidbits of information about the purpose of the varying parts; how they would fit together. Ena closed her eyes to better listen, and her hands worked, arranging the parts, the power cells, the crystals on the carpet as the force directed. She was engrossed in the construction; Ena didn’t register her Master’s force presence next to her or even anything outside of her room in the temple. The force was a guide, but Ena had to be receptive to its message. She began fitting parts together, but if she wavered in her focus, thought too much of her own will she would err, and the force would gently nudge her back in the right direction. A pattern began to form the longer she worked, a logical sense that told her ‘this goes here’, and her nimble hands moved across the parts, eyes closed the entire time, twisting a wire here, wiggling the crystals until they sat just so, until everything was in balance.~

~Ena’s lightsaber hilt began to take shape. It was a unique design, to be sure. The hilt was contoured, and curved ever so slightly in and out. Furthermore, the crystals were visible within the lightsaber; the green primary in the middle, the blue near the emitter at the top, and the silver at the very base. The hilt was also entirely smooth – no knobs or buttons protruded from the smooth metal surface of the hilt. This lightsaber would be controlled with the force; the power level, length, and shape all determined by Ena’s – and the force’s – will. Appropriate, given her extraordinary force sense. ~

~At long last, Ena opened her eyes, and looked at what the force had helped her to create. It was beautiful – and as she watched, the crystals – all three of them – glowed within the hilt. Ena smiled from ear to ear. She understood her Master’s words. This would be an invaluable tool for Ena – as the receptive nature of the crystals would give her a place and a way to focus and ground herself. She stroked the hilt, fingers pausing where the crystals were visible inside. Yes! ~

“I…I think I understand now. A lightsaber represents us, doesn’t it? Feeling this…” ~Ena turned the hilt over in her hands again,~ “I don’t know how my mother ever gave it up. How could she? This feels like life.”

~Ena looked up at her Master, remembered what Siri had said about her late Master's lightsaber.~ "It must be comforting to have his lightsaber with you...like he's always with you still."

 

[Malon]

Siri gazed at her apprentice kindly, and for a moment, dazed off...as if traveling to the past in her mind. She suddenly snapped out of it and smiled.

"Yes, it is comforting. My master, Haar, was as close to a father figure as I ever had. I never knew my parents, as you did. He was a good Jedi, and an even better friend. He died protecting someone he cared about and defending the values of the Republic and the Jedi Order." she said thoughtfully. "Your weapon is unique...a true masterpiece. You have done well, Ena."

Siri stood now, clipping the two lightsabers back to her belt, side-by-side, like they were before.

"You now have a basic grasp on what it means to use the Force. Now it is time for you to learn about what it means to be a Jedi. Over the next couple of days, we will be going over the core values of the Jedi Order. The first is the Jedi Code. Have you ever heard it? From your mother perhaps?"she asked.

 

[WhiteSheWolf]

~Ena thought back, tried to remember the stories her mother had told herself and her siblings about the Jedi.~ “She did say there was a code – well sort of. She never told us what it was specifically. But she always talked of the Way of the Jedi with respect – and she always told me bothers to create harmony instead of chaos if they were roughhousing.”

~Ena grinned at that memory. Her brothers were forever wanting to be brave knights who saved the Republic. Funny how life had turned out…~ “What is the Code?”

 

[Malon]

Siri took the cue and started to recite the Jedi Code for her apprentice;

"Emotion, yet peace. Ignorance, yet knowledge. Passion, yet serenity. Chaos, yet harmony. Death, yet the Force." she recited perfectly.

Years with the Jedi had helped her perfectly memorize every word of the Code, but as she had said many times before, interpretation was the key.

"Now that I have told it to you, I want you to commit it to memory. It is an important foundation on which a Jedi must base her behavior and her decisions, which leads me to your next task; Tell me...what does the Code I just told you mean to you?"

 

[WhiteSheWolf]

~Ena frowned in thought. All of this made her want to talk to mother again; the Code seems rather vague to Ena. What had her mother done to break it? Maybe this exercise would make it seem more concrete. She would take it line by line.~

Emotion, Yet Peace

~Well, Ena had sure experience a good deal of emotion so far in her life. And none of it had caused her peace; well, not until recently. Not until she had begun her training. Perhaps it meant that to be a Jedi, you had to be at peace with your emotions? That was going to be an uphill battle. Or maybe that your emotions didn't affect your judgment, because you were supposed to always be peaceful? It was a lot to expect, Ena thought.~

"So...a Jedi always has to be at peace with their emotions?"

Ignorance, yet knowledge

~Straightforward enough, being a Jedi meant you were always learning; that you were constantly open to new ideas and new techniques...ignorance was choosing not to learn - the opposite of gaining knowledge. Ena had been ignorant to the force, now she was learning about it. Simple enough; a Jedi’s life was one of constant learning. Ena thought she could definitely deal with that...she liked to learn.~

"And then, a Jedi is always learning and open-minded. We should never refuse new lessons – the force is always teaching, I guess."

Passion, yet serenity

~This seemed similar to the first line about emotion. Ena thought of her mom. Her mom had to leave the Jedi to be married and have a family...or at least, she had chosen to leave. Did that mean Jedi weren't allowed to love? But hate was passion too. Perhaps they were supposed to be at peace with everything...again, serenity was the opposite of passion. So, she had to choose being calm over acting passionately?~

"I'm not sure about this line...Jedi shouldn't act on their passions? But the drive to use the force, to help people, is a passion, isn’t it?”

Chaos, yet harmony

~Hmm, Ena thought, again with the opposites. Didn't you need good and evil to make harmony? There had to be a balance...or that's what Ena had thought. So there was chaos, but a Jedi should remain in harmony. The Jedi Way was to keep all things in balance. Yes, that made a little more sense when she thought of it that way.~

"Considering Jedi are peacemakers...this would mean we are to keep the peace, and not cause more chaos...but try to bring balance, I think."

Death, yet the Force

~This made the most sense, somehow. The Force was everywhere, all around her, but it was a cycle, between life and death. The force was a part of both. And because of that, there was nothing for a Jedi to fear from death, because they had the force. Death wasn’t an end…just a continuation of the Force. The last line was rather comforting...it implied that death was not the end, but just a different path.~

"And last but not least…If the force is what waits after death...than death isn't as scary. Jedi shouldn't fear death."

~Ena glanced up at her Master. Was her explanation on the right track? Interpretations were all different…but what was Siri expecting? Ena was fairly confident in her answers – they were truly what she thought, after all.~

 

[Malon]

Siri nodded her head as her Padawan gave her interpretations. She was pleased with the responses given and felt her Padawan's certainty; both good things.

"Good. I am pleased with your interpretations. Allow me to expand your knowledge on each line so that you can understand them more fully.

"Emotion, yet peace. We Jedi are living beings, with a heart, a spirit, people that we care about, etc. We, as living beings, also have emotions; love, anger, grief, fear, and excitement to name a few. No emotion is bad, nor is it wrong to feel them, but as a Jedi, you must learn to harness and control your emotions. Emotions of any type can cloud your judgement, make you act rashly or without serious thought. That is why the Jedi teach peace. Transcend your emotions and let peace reign in your life.

"Ignorance, yet knowledge. You nailed this one on the head. Every being has some form of arrogance. Even the Grand Master of the Jedi Order isn't perfect in this respect. The Jedi Order was founded on knowledge. It is our job to educate ourselves and others, as I am doing to you by training you in our ways. Jedi are always learning. Even those Jedi beings that live to 900 years of age are still learning from the Force. No one has ever learned it all except those that have become one with the Force, like my Master has. Always remind yourself that you aren't all-knowing and then strive to learn more.

"Passion, yet serenity. It is okay that you didn't understand this one fully. Allow me to explain; Emotions are what give beings the ability to feel. However, when you experience intense emotions, passion in other words, or a stressful situation, such as the intense fear of the Force you had yesterday, you have to find ways to check those emotions and keep them contained. If you don't, you risk becoming a tool of the dark side of the Force.

"Chaos, yet harmony. It is the nature of the universe that things go crazy sometimes. As a Jedi, you must take things in stride. To put it in a phrase you will remember from yesterday; 'Focus on the here and now'. Do not concern yourself with the future or the past. Staying in the moment, and taking things in stride is how to eliminate chaos from your life.

"Death, yet the Force. Again, you nailed this one. Death is a natural part of life. You should rejoice for those who transform into the Force, when they pass. I know this seems difficult to take; it was for me. When my master died, it was as if I'd lost my father and a good friend. I admit that I cried, but remembering this tenet brought me great peace. My master is always with me, even now, while I'm talking to you. Not because I carry his lightsaber, but because when he died, he became one with the Force; and now he too helps me whenever I call on the Force. Like you said; death isn't the end. It's just a new beginning."

She paused, allowing all of the information she had divulged to sink in.

"Do you understand? If you have questions, ask them now."

 

[WhiteSheWolf]

~Ena couldn't help but let a little sigh of relief out at the slight praise. Her master had helped her so much already, Ena didn't want to let her down in anything. As Siri went through the deeper explanations of each line, Ena couldn't help but think, 'easier said than done.' Especially for the ones regarding emotion. Ena had always shied away from her emotions, drawn away from them or simply given in when she was anxious of afraid. Life had been easier that way. But as a Jedi she had to learn how to embrace and rise above her fears...especially fears like yesterday, and when she had first landed on Coruscant.~

~Ena chuckled a little at Siri's wording of Chaos, yet harmony. Why yes, the universe WAS quite a crazy place. Ena followed the curvaceous lines of her new lightsaber hilt. Taking things in stride, going with the flow. Yes, that made sense, for sure. But again...saying and doing were different things...the code seemed to make sense. It would take time to tell if Ena could put the tenets she thought she understood into practice. But she still was wondering; how could one break the code? What had her mother done?~

"Master Siri...I think, well I think I understand. But what would it mean to not follow the Code? Are Jedi not allowed to have families?"

~Clearly her thoughts revolved around her mother. Ena didn't want to think of her mother as a bad person, or even a bad Jedi really...now that she knew the Code Ena could see parts of it in the way her mother had raised herself and her siblings.~

 

[Malon]

Siri understood her Padawan's concern about this matter and thought for a moment before giving her response.

"I will be honest; Jedi having families is looked down upon by the Jedi Council, and is considered forbidden. Relationships of this nature must be explored with great care and caution so that anger, grief, or greed doesn't set in. Love is not forbidden. To love another is dangerous, as it leads to attachment, but if treated carefully and with a sound mind, love is acceptable.

"Attachment is leads to the dark side. A Jedi's life is one of personal sacrifice and that sometimes means giving up marriage and family life to protect the Republic and our Order. Some Jedi chose to leave the Order to pursue family lives, others keep it hidden. My personal feelings on the matter is that I do not need marriage. The Order is my family. I loved my master like a father, but I didn't let it lead to attachment. So when he died, I didn't fall to the dark side, because I didn't allow the loss to control me. I just accepted it and moved on." she explained.

"It will take some time to understand this tenant; it was hard to me to understand at first, too, but the answer will come in time."

 

[WhiteSheWolf]

~Ena nodded. So it wasn't that what her mother had done was wrong; it just didn't agree with the demands of a Jedi's life. Surely it wasn't a golden, glorious path as some of her siblings might have thought. Being a Jedi was a sacrifice, it was hard work. But there was just as much to gain, well, in Ena's opinion, at least.~

"I guess I don't really know how I feel about it now. I've definitely never been in love," ~She chuckled, the idea of it sounded a little ridiculous,~ "and I have my family but...I wouldn't say I'm that attached to them. I lived with my parents and siblings, but that's all. I don't know how I feel about them, even now. Especially now." ~Ena hesitated. She wasn't sure how her Master would respond to her next words...but something told her she was supposed to be honest with Siri, that hiding things was only going to hinder her training.~ "Part of me wants to go back to Naboo and shove this in their faces. See? I can be someone. Then they wouldn't ignore me anymore. And I know some of my siblings would be jealous...I almost...want them to be. But I know that's not how I should feel."

~Ena frowned and looked at the ground. She wasn't proud of her feelings, not at all, but she couldn't seem to make them change, either.~

 

[Malon]

Siri's face was serious and firm, neither accepting nor rejecting her apprentice's words yet.

"Take good care not to feel that way. A Jedi's path isn't one of glory or self-satisfaction. Nor are we to gloat about what we have learned or become. It's hard to let go of those carnal desires, to be recognized, to be praised, to have others be jealous of us, but it must be done. In your private time, train yourself to let go of those feelings. In doing that, you will have shown your family that you have become more than they expected. Not only that, but you will have risen above your emotions yet again."

 

[WhiteSheWolf]

“Yes, Master,”

~It was the only response Ena could think to give. Ena didn’t need to look at her Master to understand the seriousness of the small lecture; she felt it via empathy, through the force. Ena knew her feelings weren’t those of a Jedi, or of the Code she had just learned and interpreted. But she also knew she couldn’t change overnight. So much had already changed over the past 48 hours. Ena didn’t want to whine, though – she didn’t want to let Siri down. She closed her eyes for a moment and focused herself inward. Her feelings could wait until she was by herself, like Siri had said. Once she was focused, Ena looked back to her Master, awaiting the next instruction.~

 

[Malon]

Siri took the look as her apprentice awaiting her next instructions and dove into the second lesson of the day.

"I am going to give you a test now, Ena. It is your first as a Jedi and you will use everything you have learned thus far to accomplish it. I want you to go into the forest and befriend a gokob. This might take a day or two, as the gokobs around here are very...reclusive, to say the least."

Siri took out a datapad and handed it to Ena.

"Use the information on that to deduce a strategy of befriending the gokob. Remember the Code and everything you've learned about the Force to help you. For the sake of your mission, don't use your lightsaber unless your life is in danger in those woods. The sight of one will frighten the little gokobs. When you have befriended one, meet me at sun-up near the entrance to Temple. Understood?"

 

[WhiteSheWolf]

~A test? Ena listened. Befriend a Gokob…Ena took the datapad from Siri and started to read even as her Master continued her instructions. The datapad said a Gokob was a hairless rodent, native to the forests of Ossus. Well, she had always been good with nature; this couldn’t be too hard. She nodded to herself, and her Master.~

“I understand. “ ~If she was going to be in the forests for any amount of time, Ena would need food and water…and she’s rather be over-prepared than under.~ “Is there anywhere I can get provisions?”

~The determination had returned to Ena’s eyes, flowed through her in the force. She would succeed in this. She would show that she could live the Code, not just interpret it.~

 

[Malon]

Siri thought about this for a moment and then nodded when the answer came to her.

"Provisions can be gathered from the cafeteria on the first floor. Food and water will be provided there. Anything else you need will have to be taken from this room." she replied.

 

[WhiteSheWolf]

"Okay." ~Ena stood, lightsaber hilt in hand, and bowed.~ "Thank you for this mission! I will see you...in a few days, at Sun-up."

~Ena clipped her lightsaber into her belt, liked the weight of it. Assuming her Master had no other comments or concerns for her, Ena would begin to collect things from her room in preparation for her mission.~

 

[WhiteSheWolf]

~Ena started to collect things from her room in preparation for her mission. She pulled her backpack from closet; the same one she had brought with her when she first arrived. She packed away another set of robes in her bag – if she didn’t change at some point, at the very least they could be used as a blanket, or even a way to carry the gokob – but there wasn’t really much else in her room she could take – besides her lightsaber, of course. Ena hurried down to the first floor cafeteria. Almost as if the chefs had known she was coming, they had several water bottles and travel food packets ready and waiting for her. She thanked the staff of the cafeteria, stowed the food away and walked out of the main doors of the Temple.~

~It was a little amazing to Ena how different everything looked now that she was – at least in part – in control of the force. Not in control of; in harmony with. It was still taking some getting used to, because she could feel the presence of most of the Jedi and padawans in the temple, as well as the animals beyond in the back of her mind. But now she just had to take a moment and focus herself, and the barrier between her mind and everything else remained distinct. As she trotted down the steps of the temple, she wondered, Which way should I go? She didn’t know much at all about Ossus…had no idea what creatures, friendly, dangerous, or otherwise thrived in the jungles. She looked at the datapad her Master had given her. It said that Gokobs preferred to live in the treetop canopies of the dense jungles. So she would definitely have to do some trekking. ~

~Physicality had never exactly been a forte. Ena bit her lip. She hadn’t even started yet! The Grove. That’s where she would go, at the very least for a starting point. It had been somewhat deep in the forests, and would make a reference point for further travels. The datapad had said that the Gokobs liked to scavenge food from kitchens, so if Ena absolutely failed at managing the jungle she could always just wait for one by the dumpsters of the Temple. Once she arrived at the grove, she shrugged off her backpack and sat down.~

“How am I supposed to find a little hairless rodent in this?” ~Ena sighed, looking around at the trees and dense foliage surrounding her. Well…her Master had said to use everything she had learned so far. So, the force? Siri knew Ena wasn’t exactly comfortable with harnessing it, so it would make sense if Ena was supposed to use the force for this task.~

~Ena closed her eyes, breathed in the force, focused, and extended her senses – slowly. Very slowly. She tried not to think about the fact that if she lost control, her Master wouldn’t be there to stem the tide and help her through it. I can do this. She thought. As each new presence revealed itself Ena investigated to try and detect if the animal/insect/creature was a gokob. The jungle was teeming with life – the farther she extended the force the harder it was to focus on keeping control. And there were no gokobs to be found! Reclusive, indeed. Right! The canopies. The live up… Ena sent the force up instead of just out. Sure enough, about a klick from where she sat, in the treetops, were gokobs. Bunches of gokobs. Ena inhaled deeply and drew the force back into her. She sighed as the pressure of minds faded to a bearable level, got up, and headed deeper into the jungle.~

~About a half mile later Ena leaned against the trunk of a tree that had to be at least 5 times as wide as she was. It was humid, and sticky even this far into the jungle, and Ena wasn’t used to much exertion. It showed. However, as she briefly let her force sense extend out, she could sense the gokobs above. Presumably, they were waiting for sun-down to sneak out into the forest and scavenge food. That was no problem for Ena – she was good at waiting. She forward to the tree she had sensed the gokobs in, high above. She reached into her pack, and took out one of the food packets she received from the kitchen. This one was sort of a granola bar, easy to carry and full of nutrients. Hopefully it would be useful bait. Ena broke the bar up into tiny pieces and made a little trail to a cluster of bushed nearby. Ena set out one of the extra shirts she had packed next to the last morsel of food, and then hid herself a in the bushes behind. Now to wait.~

~Ena waited until dusk. She tried meditating at first, but after a time she fell asleep and napped for a few hours. She woke to darkness and the rustling of tiny feet on the forest floor. Had they taken the bait? She extended the force, and sure enough a gokob was nibbling at the beginning of the food trail she had made. Yes! She watched it, both with her eyes and in the force, as it made its way steadily towards her hiding spot. It paused at the odd texture of Ena’s shirt, but there was food on the shirt, so the gokob scrambled onto it and began nibbling. Now the hard part. Ena inched her way out of the bushes, quiet as could be. She got a fingertip on the edge of her shirt. The gokob sat in the middle, om nomming away. Ena’s foot crunched a twig. The gokob looked at Ena. Ena looked at the gokob. Both of them squealed, and Ena leapt, throwing the cloak from her bag onto of the small rodent in panic. The rodent shot out from under the cloak, terrified, and sprayed what had to be the nastiest, most disgusting liquid stink Ena had ever encountered directly on her before bolting into the jungle.~

“Oh darn it…” ~Ena glowered. That had been stupid. She had been so close. Ena took a whiff of her shirt. Yuck. Great. Just great. Without even thinking she reached out into the force. The gokob she had frightened was up a tree a yard or so over. Ena walked over to the tree, looking up in the dark.~

“I didn’t mean to frighten you…” ~Just like Ena had always been receptive to other’s emotions, now she let her own out, trying to get across to the frightened animal that she was sorry.~ “Really…it’s okay. Just come back down…look! More food?”

~Ena set another piece of food from her pack at the base of the tree, and sat down a few paces from it, in plain view. She relaxed her mind as much as she could, set her hands palms up on her lap.~ “See? It’s okay…”

~Ena sat in silence for another half hour, exuding calm towards the small creature. At long last, she heard it climbing back down the tree, nibbling at the food at the bottom. Ena looked at the animal, whistled softly at the rodent. It looked up at her, and froze. Ena was motionless. The gokob stayed. Ena reached in her pocket and grabbed another bit of food – extended her hand flat on the ground. Said nothing, did nothing. After a few minutes, the rodent, curious, was sniffing at her fingertips. Then it was on her palm, nibbling. It tickled. She waited until the gokob was thoroughly invested in the food on her palm, and then reached over with her other hand and gently stroked the hairless rodent. It looked up at her, and she let the force move through her, ensuring the rodent of her good intentions. It went back to eating. Ena smiled. Patience, always. The gokob squeaked at Ena. ~

“You’re still hungry?” ~She reached in her pack, fetched some more food, and as the gokob saw that the food was in her bag, it scurried into her backpack. She chuckled. With the gokob thoroughly befriended, all she had to do now was walk back to the temple. Surely a little nap wouldn’t hurt…~

~The young padawan woke with the gokob nibbling on her hair as the first rays of the sun peeked over the horizon line. Shoot! She was supposed to meet her Master at Sun-up! Ena lured the gokob onto her shoulder with a little bit more food and collected her bag before setting off at as brisk of a pace as she dared. By the time she made it back to the steps of the Temple, the sun was mostly risen in the sky. With the rodent still clinging to the fabric of her shoulder, Ena trudged closer to the entrance in search of her Master.~