Mind over Matter

Ch. 1, Ep. 1

I frantically reached for my second saber as I heard Echo run around the bend. The only thing standing in the way of me and my Jedi Knight title was one last exercise.

All I needed was my brother next to me, and there we was. 

Echo and I had been training for this moment as long as we could remember, we had practically perfected it. Our dynamic was unmatched when we teamed up against other padawans and temple guards, sometimes even masters.

"On your left," he shouted.

I finally reached my second saber from my belt, the one my master had given me, and I ignited it just before a temple guard would have won the exercise. A deflect in the front, behind, above the head, and finally a kick to the stomach, and it was over.

We had done it. I looked at Echo. Once two young Twi'leks without a home, turned Jedi Knights.

It was surreal to say the least. I had lost a lot. My family, to the Hutts. My planet, to slave traders. My home, my safety, my childhood and innocence, ripped away from me, over what, my metabolism? My Lekku?

I had lost my master. She was the best Jedi, in my opinion, of course. Green skin similar to mine although she was Miliarian. Myra Lynn. She believed in healing, in forgiveness, and above all else, she believed in me. 

Everyone always believed in Echo.

He was quiet, thoughtful, proper, he didn't let his emotions show, or cloud his judgement. I was... different... from Echo to say the least. I used rage when training with my saber, I was openly impatient and impulsive, I was quick to pick a decision and act. I wasn't a traditional padawan.

For all my Jedi life, it was just me and Echo. Knighthood would change that, hopefully.

---

"Jar Kai? That's unusual" a female voice said behind me. It was unusual for me to be startled, yet here I was, jumping and turning as fast as possible from my training dummy.

"Oh shit! Um yeah, my master taught me," I said uneasily. I deactivated my shoto blade and clipped it behind my back, then I took my newest blue saber and clipped it to my side. 

"Sorry," she apologized. "I didn't mean to bother you. The names Nessa. You can call me Nes if you need to, though," she rambled.

She was a Togruta. Her marking were swift and thin, and traveled down her arms. Her montrols were a deep blue and white, and her skin was a pale lavender. She must have been a new Knight as well. As I analyzed her our eyes locked, and I felt a pull in my gut. I quickly looked away. Thank the maker my skin was too dark for me to blush.

"I became a Knight a few weeks ago, I've been attempting to gather the newest ones and become acquaintances," she continued. 

Nessa's skin however, was not. Her cheeks turned a soft pinkish purple.

"Anyways, uhm," sche cleared her throat, "a few other new Knights and I were going to go study up on battle plans in the archives later today, if you'd like to come you can," she said.

"Can I bring a friend?" I asked.

She got uneasy. "Another Jedi, or civilian?" She inquired.

"Jedi. My brother, Echo." I verified.

"Oh, of course!" She seemed relived at the title I gave him.

"Well Nes, I guess I'll see you soon," I gave a smile and walked away. 

Brother was an oversimplification. Echo and I had been raised together by slave traders. Somehow we managed to stay together throughout all the trading. When Jedi Knight Plo Koon freed our colony on Tatooine, he saved me and Echo. We were soon told that that's was his final test before earning his rank up to Knight from Padawan. 

I walked down the hallway to find my brother.