The Negotiator and the Fire Fang

Broken Spirits: Pt. 2

"Can we be done now?" Anakin Kenobi complained to his mother as the blade of his silver lightsaber sucked back down into its purple hilt. They were practicing their saber training in the backroom of their hut, as they did every morning. Sahrea gave him a disappointed look.

"Not quite yet." she replied, watching as Coda practiced one of the more basic lightsaber combinations. The orange blade cut through the air as she slashed forward. Sahrea smiled.

"Good job. Now sit, both of you. Time for your Force lessons." she said. Anakin let loose a groan as he plopped onto the floor in a heap of grumpiness. His auburn hair flopped onto his brow as leaned back.

It struck her that he looked more and more like his father each day. They had the same jaw, same nose, same stature. The only thing she could claim on her son was his grey-green eyes, the same as hers. However, she didn't know where he got his impatience from. Certainly not her or Obi-Wan. If Shan had to guess, it would likely be her own mother, Verenda Polia.

Her father Kendo would always tell her stories of their youth, how Verenda had left Dantooine to become a Gray Jedi; The time they had gotten trapped in an old Sith temple; The time they almost froze to death on Delphinios. Verenda was always rushing head first into danger, never wanting to hang around for too long. Always moving.

That's why her parents worked so well. Her father was an anchor for her mother. He brought her down to earth, kept her grounded. Her mother, on the other hand, breathed life into her father. She pushed him outside of his comfort zone, making him try new, exciting, and, if the stories were to believed, potentially dangerous, things.

"Now. I'm going to give you an option." Shan said, sitting cross legged before her pupils. "We can either move forward with our discussion on lightsaber forms or we can do a question and answer day." Anakin rested his elbow on his knee and his chin in his hand, looking as opposite of thrilled as one could be. Coda on the other hand was eager to learn. She sat down quickly and watched her mother with wide blue eyes.

"Question and answer." her son muttered dully. Sahrea shook her head at his disinterest.

"Alright. Who wants to go first?" Coda's hand shot up immediately.

"You always tell us that the Dark and Light are just as powerful as each other." she stated. "If that's true, why does the Dark Side always seem stronger?" She and Obi-Wan had just begun her lessons, so their daughter was still pretty new to all this. They had both decided not to push the Force on their children. When they wanted to learn, they would ask. This included Luke Skywalker. Obi-Wan could have raised Luke as his own, but instead gave him to Beru and Owen. As Master Yoda had said, when the time was right, Skywalker would come to them.

"Good question Coda." Sahrea started, trying to collect her thoughts. She would have to explain it a way that wasn't too complicated for her.

"You're not wrong. When looked at from a distance, the Dark Side does seem to be stronger than the light. Even history seems to show this." she explained.

"In reality, it is just more flashy. The Sith are about using negative emotions. They are offensive. They give a hundred percent in hopes of overwhelming their enemy quickly. This is a useful technique if your opponent falls immediately. If they don't, that's where the Light has an edge." Coda was leaning forward, soaking up everything the Gray was saying, where Anakin was about to fall asleep.

"The Jedi withhold their energy. They don't blow it all at once. They are about stamina and defense. They use it in little increments, hoping to outlast their opponents. That is part of the reason why Jedi refrain from violence. Rest while you can." Shan paused as a speeder pulled up outside. Her heart seized, just like it did every time anyone came to their door. But she relaxed as the familiar feel of Obi-Wan's aura washed over her.