The Old Republic Holocrons

The Starlily

A continuation of sorts from the last one-shot. Revan (Will) has recently been assigned to Arren Kae and receives his first lesson as a Padawan...

Will rarely visited the gardens of the Dantooine Jedi Enclave, not because he didn't appreciate the beauty, but because plants were absolutely boring. The green leaves, the various-sized flowers, pollen, the smell. He sneezed into his oversized robe as he entered the humid greenhouse with his datapad in hand. Rows upon rows of plants from different worlds lined the shelves. An old Jedi was working on one of the plants with a dropper.

"Young Will—it's a rare day I see you here." He returned to dropping water onto the plant. "Does Master Kae require something? The formulas aren't ready to be recorded, unfortunately."

Master Kae was his first master and he was her first student. Since the Council thought he was mature for his age of eight years, they thought Master Kae could tolerate teaching someone as young as him. Will thought she'd go easy on him because he had only recently been made a Padawan, yet she had a lot of expectations...

He shook his head. "No, Master. I'm here for my studies."

"Master?" The elder chuckled. "I'm no Master, young one."

Ah, whoops.

"Sorry, Nemo, I—"

He waved a wrinkled hand. "Don't apologize, many forget. I'm happy sitting here studying the fauna, making treatments for sick younglings, and the like. Being a master is overrated."

Will shuffled closer to the old man—giving the workstation a curious look. The desk had a top that could be lifted. Magnifying instruments pointed at the petal of one of the flowers while the leaves were being soaked in an unknown substance. Nemo sat at his desk and made a note in his datapad.

"So, you're here for your studies? Is Master Kae busy today?"

He glanced to the side.

"Well, no, not exactly..."

Master Kae tested him that morning and it happened to be on the various fauna found on the inner world's aboral planets. Yesterday afternoon, his eyes misted as he read the passages about Alderaan's weeds and it didn't help that Joa and Yonis asked him for help with their lessons. He'd rather help them than read about stupid weeds.

When he failed the test, Master Kae raised her eyebrow. Her pale, blind eyes always seemed to meet his gaze—perfectly symmetrical soft features wrinkled as she gave him a concerned look. That look disturbed him at first when he was younger, it almost felt strangely intimidating even though Kae had the kindest face, yet he got used to it. But he could tell that she was disappointed in him.

"You got most of the questions incorrect. This is unlike you. Did you study your assignment?"

He kicked the table leg while looking into the corner of the archives.

"Um...a little."

"Will." Oh, no. It was that tone. She knew he lied. "You didn't read it at all, did you?"

His voice was small.

"No."

A sigh.

"Why not?"

"It—" Will huffed. "It wasn't interesting."

"Hmm..." His master crossed her fingers in front of her. "Then what do you find interesting, Padawan?"

Was it a trick question?

"The...the Force?" His voice was more confident now. "History. Stories. I like stories."