Evil Dreams

[Aramis Rakai]

I was completely exhausted from my day of training with Wei. He had been my mother's master and I was honored to be trained by him as well. I had learned how to touch the Force, how to use it in my favor, and how to move things with my mind.

I had been through a lot in the past week, more than I had ever been for that matter. I had been strung up like a Christmas light and whipped until my body was in shreds. I winced as I removed my shirt and saw the remains of those horrid days. My skin was healing slowly, but my thoughts were still fresh and it made me shudder.

I never knew such pain and agony. I closed my eyes against the memories that were burnt into my mind. I was safe now and I had to make myself remember that. With a deep sigh, I took a shower, placed a new tunic on and brushed my teeth. I believed I would sleep well tonight, but I was wrong...

Where I was, I had no idea. It was dark, dank and I could see a form laying in the darkness on the cold floor in nothing, but a dirty tunic. As I got closer, I could make out long, dark hair and had the feeling...it was a female. The tunic covered her to mid-thigh and she faced the wall. I could feel pangs of hurt and agony radiate from her. I wanted to touch her, to give her comfort, but as I did my hands were like that of a spirit and passed right through her. Who was she?

My focus moved backward and I heard a door slid open, I looked to see three stormtroopers enter. "Hey, little mama, we're back..." One of them chided.

I dark feeling came over me as they closed the door and went to the poor woman. What I saw next would haunt me for the rest of my life...I watched in horror as two of them stood her up and the other beat the living daylights out of her. She did not fight them back, she took the beating as no woman that I had ever seen. The strength in her eyes, made me want to cry out to help her.

I could not stand to watch this woman being beaten by her adversaries, I needed to help her!

I screamed, "Stop!!!" and sat up in my bunk, sweat was pouring off me as I fought for my breath...

[Wei Wu Wei]

Wei woke up in his cabin across from Aramis'. He found his glasses and put them on, the stepped out into the hallway in his pants.

"Aramis? Wei called. "You ok?"

He couldn't believe what was going on. What was the kid's problem?

[Aramis Rakai]

I caught my breath and winced as I heard Wei's voice. "I'm fine, it was...just a dream. Sorry, I woke you."

[Wei Wu Wei]

Wei stood outside the tag-along's door. "Do you want to talk about it?"

He knew from experience and the stories of his teachers that Force sensitive people often had dreams that indicated an event. Sometimes it was about the future. Sometimes it was about a person's past--especially if the person in question was someone they were particularly close to. Anakin Skywalker had dreams of his wife dying in childbirth. Those dreams drove him to the dark side of the Force, turning him into Darth Vader. He didn't need the kid falling to the dark side because of the images that haunted his dreams.

[Aramis Rakai]

I sat in my bunk for a moment in silence as I heard Wei's voice again. He had already done so much for me. He had saved me from uncertain death more than once. The weakness felt from those instances caused me to want more from myself. I needed to show Wei that I was not weak and I needed to stand up more for myself now more than ever.

I slowly walked over to the door and it slid open. I hoped I looked a bit better than I felt. I stood before my mentor in my sleep pants and shirt.

"It was nothing," I admitted as I looked at him for a brief moment. "and again, I'm very sorry for disturbing you."

[Wei Wu Wei]

Wei raised an eyebrow. "If you're sure."

The former Jedi returned to his own cabin door. "Good night."

[Aramis Rakai]

"Good night." I said as I closed the door. I got a drink of water from the faucet and shuffled over to my bunk. I crawled in and lay there for several minutes before I finally closed my eyes and allowed sleep to come again.

They dropped her bloody and beaten body to the steel floor. She lay there with tears streaming from her eyes, but she never lashed out at them...not once.

"What are you doing?" I asked as I went to her. "Kill them...give them no mercy as they have given you none!" I blinked and was suddenly across the room again.

My heart felt heavy as I could do nothing, but watch as they took turns violating her. Something would not allow me to look away, something wanted me to see this putrid, horrible act.

"You are no Jedi now!" One of them laughed.

My stomach felt sick as I was forced to watch this sickening scene before me. This broken soul before me had once been a Jedi....a good person, and it suddenly hit me...this was no stranger...this was my mother.

The scene changed and this Jedi was chained to a wall...dirty and pregnant and in the midst of giving birth! Blood was everywhere as I heard my mother's screams of labor and delivery. There was no one there to help her as she cried and screamed in pain and agony.

I held my ears as the child was born on the cold, hard floor...a girl!

My eyes opened as I sucked in a breath. My heart was pounding and my shirt was soaked with sweat. I could not get the image of this child out of my mind as I sat up and threw my legs over the edge of the bed. I had a half sister out there somewhere!

I was shaken as I wiped the sweat from my brow and quietly stood. I didn't want to sleep anymore, I didn't want to see what would happen next! I was part Inleshat, meaning a full Inleshat needed no more than three or four hours of sleep a night, I could do better than that.

I sighed and walked out of my cabin and went straight to the galley, where I made a pot of coffee. I sat at the table and began downing it as fast as I possibly could.

[Wei Wu Wei]

Wei smelled the coffee and woke up again. He entered the galley and found Aramis drinking an entire pot of coffee.

"You're going to make yourself sick," Wei said.

He walked over and took the coffee from the young man. He was more than upset. He was trying to keep himself awake. Whatever he was dreaming about got to him--badly.

"You're going to tell me what you were dreaming about."

[Aramis Rakai]

I remained silent for a few moments, I didn't want to say anything. I couldn't even hide behind the cup of coffee I had been holding. There was nothing here, but us. There no distractions, nothing.

I shook my head. "You're going to think its stupid." I told him flat out and sighed. "Dreams are what they are, but this...was different."

[Wei Wu Wei]

"I grew up in the Jedi Temple on Corsucant. Green Wigglies and Blue Jigglies were taken to be portents of planets on the verge of being born and rusted nails were representative of conflict and famine."

Wei adjusted his glasses and took the mug of coffee away too. "Anything is worth discussing at least once to get it off your chest. Keeping distressing visions bottled up inside you can be damaging to your inner peace and can lead you towards the Dark Side. You need to get it out there, no matter how stupid it might seem to you."

[Aramis Rakai]

I bit one of my nails. "I saw my mother in this dream." I couldn't look at him, for fear that the emotions I felt would come bursting out. "At first, I didn't realize it was her. I watched her being beaten, I wanted to help this person...she didn't even fight back!"

I could hear the emotion tip into my voice and closed my eyes for a moment. "They beat her horribly and the only thing I could do was to tell them to stop." My voice was more calm. "That was the first dream and that was when I screamed and woke you up."

[Wei Wu Wei]

Wei nodded. "Ok. And this second time?"

He would hold back his opinion until he figure out what pushed him to pump himself with stimulants to keep himself awake.

[Aramis Rakai]

The thought of the second dream, filled my mind with anger and anguish at the same time, if that were even possible.

"The second...these three beat her...and then violated her and when that happened I knew who she was. This was my mother, I was sick and I could nothing to stop them and then, I was thrown into a later time..."

I had to stop as the thought hit me. I stood up, I paced around a couple of times and then hit the table with my fist.

"They got her pregnant!" I said rather forcefully and began to pace around again. "I saw her chained to a wall, beaten, bloody and pregnant...and then she gave birth. My mother gave birth to a girl on that cold, dirty floor and for the sake of the Force...I don't want to know what is going to be shown to me next. I don't want to know...I don't want to sleep to find out, so that is why I'm drinking this coffee. I have seen enough, even not knowing if this half-sibling was taken alive or dead..."

I slumped down into my seat. "I just don't want to know...and my heart tells me this is wrong."

[Wei Wu Wei]

"Of course it's wrong," Wei said. "You saw the events of your mother's demise. It's the fate of most Jedi who get caught by the Empire."

Wei shrugged. "Look, Aramis. The Force brought you these visions for good reason, as much as I hate saying that. You're with me, an enemy of the Empire learning the ancient ways of the Jedi. This is a likely end for you if we can't manage to stay one step ahead of those people."

The former Jedi poured out the coffee. "You needed to see that. Now you know what happened to your mom. You know what you're getting into by staying with me. Yes, it was awful that it happened. But it's over."

Wei yawned. "I still have nightmares about when I came home and found my wife's body laying in my living room floor with a blaster burn in her pregnant stomach. And yet, I continue to go to sleep. I sleep with regularity and I sleep very well. The reason for that is that I also have good dreams about my wife and I wouldn't miss those for anything. I also have an obligation to my dad to find out why the empire killed him, my mom, and my wife."

Wei looked at the tag along. "So what do you want to do about it all?"

[Aramis Rakai]

I watched as he poured the coffee down the drain, I thought of it as my salvation.

I listened to his words as I always did. I found it extremely hard and still did not want to sleep.

"So what do you want to do about it all?"

Deep down I wanted to search for this girl, something told me that she did not die.
"I've always wondered what my mother looked like. I know now and I saw the strength she had in her eyes, the same strength that I hold. I hold it closer to my heart now. But, this child I saw...I think, I need to know more."

[Wei Wu Wei]

Wei nodded. "Then if that's what you want to do, then you're going to need to sleep at night, whatever might come. It's not a good way to live, running from what makes you afraid. Let it come and let it pass. Just don't let them get to you."

[Aramis Rakai]

I rubbed my forehead and sighed. "I've never run from anything, until I took the traits of my birth mother. Everything was always in order, provided and then I got the keys to that mansion." I had to laugh slightly to pass over the emptiness I felt.

"Start a new life..." I said. "Boy, did I ever. I've learned things beyond anything I have ever imagined, and it sickens me to think that I have all this in my life and if that girl survived...what did she gain? Where is she, how was she brought up. She could very well be an enemy to the Jedi..." I didn't even want to go there.

"And now to know this...all I have to do is sleep." I had a deep dark fear that I would be shown everything that I wanted to know.

[Wei Wu Wei]

Wei nodded. "Yeah. And no matter how hard you try to keep yourself awake, you can't stop it. So just remember to take a deep breath. What you are seeing will be things that have already happened or things that have not yet happened. The first one you cannot do anything about. The second one is not certain, so there's nothing to worry about there."

He put the coffee machine back together. "Do not mourn or grieve for your mother. What happened to her was terrible, yes, but now she is reunited with the Force and there she knows no trouble. Be glad for her."

[Aramis Rakai]

I blew out a sigh and nodded. "Why does the Force show us these things? Is it meant to torment us? What good will come out of it?" I finally asked.

[Wei Wu Wei]

"I don't know why the Force shows us these visions. Most Jedi think that it is for some sort of knowledge or wisdom. Sometimes it is meant to help us come to terms with particular events in our lives."

Wei polished the lenses of his glasses. "But the only good that will come out of it is the good you make. Do something with what you have that will make things better."

[Aramis Rakai]

"The only thing I'm good as is messing with engines and talking to animals." I said and rolled my eyes.

[Wei Wu Wei]

"You are more than your skill sets. You are much more than that. Now, just allow these things to happen. Don't worry about what to do with them right away or what will happen. Just process it and reflect on it. The answers come with peace, patience, and a whole lot of time."

Wei pushed Aramis back towards the hallway and out of the galley. "Now, for the sake of learning more about the Force, get some sleep."

The former Jedi hit the lights and went to bed.

[Aramis Rakai]

After closing my door, I stood there for the longest time just staring at my bunk. Part of me wanted to know what happened and another part did not.

Even with Wei's guidance, I still felt reluctant to sleep just yet. Maybe if I kept myself up long enough, I would be too tired to dream when I finally did decide to sleep. Now, that was a plan! There was plenty to do and I had no quite finished taking a look around the ship as long as I did it quietly, I would be fine.

I slipped back out into the hallway, careful not to make any noise that would wake Wei. Barefoot, I padded silently back into the galley and opened the cabinet door that held the coffee. I couldn't make any, so my other option was to take it in the form it was. I grimaced at that idea, grabbed a huge spoon from one of the drawers and opened the canister. I also grabbed a bottle of water from the cooler and stood over the sink with my spoonful of straight coffee.

"Here goes nothing..." I told myself quietly and poured the coffee granules into my mouth, I gagged and quickly washed it down with the water.

I winced and hoped that I hadn't wakened Wei, so I quickly put the lid onto the container and left the galley. I made my way through the darkened hallway and down a ladder that led to the mechanical room. I was impressed to say the least as I turned on the lights, Quay'Na had done many of her own upgrades to this area and knowing this would give me more information while I was flying.

I sat the coffee container down and began looking over the engines and electrical systems. Now, this was my place.

I stayed down there for hours, while taking my coffee fixer several times. I was tired, but I wasn't sleepy and that made everything worth while. I finally sat down after memorizing many systems within the engine, I don't know how long that took, but I was proud of myself for doing so and proud of my mom for having the ability of making this ship the way she wanted it.

I loved to be within the grease and the grit of an engine and I knew this would be my place, my salvation. I yawned and put the coffee container under some old rags I found and placed it on a shelf. This would be my new home and I smiled at the thought as I grabbed a broom and did anything I could do to stay awake, just a bit longer.

[Wei Wu Wei]

Wei watched the kid eat the spoonfuls of coffee and work with the systems and mechanical parts of the ship for a while. He didn't get it.

"So when was it you were planning on going to sleep?" Wei asked.

The Force nudged him to wakefulness just as he was on the verge of true sleep. Apparently his tag-along was not intent on obeying him. At least not right away.

"Did you at least make enough improvements on the ship that we won't have to do maintenance for a while?"

[Aramis Rakai]

I nearly jumped out of my skin when I heard Wei's voice. "Wei...didn't know you were there." I said once I caught my breath.

"I've just been tinkering, I guess I lost track of time. I wasn't really tired, so I thought I'd get to know this ship a little more." I added.

I walked over to one of the consoles. "There is nothing that needs to be redone, the pilot here knew what she was doing. Her upgrades will be more than beneficial."

[Wei Wu Wei]

"I expect I wouldn't be tired either if I ate spoonfuls of coffee to keep myself up."

Wei pulled the can of coffee out from under the dirty rags. "Are you trying to make your heart explode? If you need an adrenaline rush, I can always just fight you or train you until you drop, but there is no avoiding this. Now go to bed. If I have to weld your door shut and cut you out every morning, you will sleep. Am I clear?"

[Aramis Rakai]

My eyes widened as I saw Wei retrieve the hidden coffee can. I could not look at him as he spoke.

"...you will sleep. Am I clear?"

I nodded. "Yes, Sir." I put the broom down and headed back up to the cabins. I sighed deeply as the door to my room closed behind me. My bunk did not feel welcoming, it felt dark and antagonizing as I collapsed onto it and closed my eyes.

"Don't hurt my child!" I heard her scream as I watched in horror the wicked man who took my mother's baby that was still attached to her by the umbilical cord and rip it away.

The bloodcurdling scream rang through my ears and clung to my mind as I took it all in. The crying child, held by one leg was taken from my sight through an open door.

Another man approached my mother, her broken form...devastated. "We have what we needed, Jedi!" He seethed as I saw him unholster a blaster.

No, no, no!! I tried to scream, but it was too late as I saw the energy bolt being fired from the weapon right into my mother's head.

"NOOOO!!!" I screamed in anguish as I saw the annihilation of my own mother. I could not help, but to feel the pain she suffered at her death. I was sitting straight up in my bunk, gasping for breath as the images replayed in my head.

Don't mourn...she is with the Force...

I prayed to the Force to remain calm, and to let this horrible feeling go...but, I could not.

[Wei Wu Wei]

Wei at last could sleep peacefully without too much worry over the young man in the cabin across the way. Of course Wei worried over how he would handle the visions, but that would all be dealt with later.

The Jedi Knight had dealt with similar visions and dreams after his wife's death. He saw her refuse the Stormtroopers who insisted on searching the house. They didn't believe her when she said he was out. They shot her. Nothing so torturesome as what Quay had experienced, to be sure. Still it stung Wei with remorse, grief, and feelings of inadequacy and guilt. He should have saved her.

Still it was past. Now Wei had to grapple with what he was going to do with his future. He insisted he did not have one, but for some reason he was still waking up every day and accomplishing something.

He lived to see the sun go down again and expected nothing out of his day. Who knew what Aramis would become.

[Aramis Rakai]

I finally used the Force to bring calm again, though it was not easy. The vision of my mother being shot and my baby sister being carried away by her foot haunted me.

Again and again, I tried to sleep..to get some rest and still that vision kept replaying in my dream. What did it want?

Finally, after waking in a cold sweat yet again, I trudged to the 'fresher. I had nowhere to turn now, I had done as much as I could for what Wei had requested and I had failed. Now, I was desperate, I could either go for stimulants to keep me awake, at which did not go well; or go the opposite way and choose sleeping pills to drug myself enough to not care about the dreams. In my medicine cabinet, I had found both.

I was tired, I was hurting and I felt haunted. I rubbed my forehead and looked at the chrono. It was early, late...who really knew. I grabbed the bottle of sleeping pills. I had never taken sleeping pills before and looked at the directions. Two were a regular dose, so five would knock me out for a while.

Aramis, don't do this!

"Oh, quit! Can't you see what this is doing?" I asked out loud and popped five pills into my mouth and washed them down with water. "We'll see who wins this time!"

[Quay Na's Spirit]

I watched in horror as my son popped five sleeping pills. He was hurting and I wanted so badly to help him, but if I showed myself his pain would only worsen. I knew why the Force would not leave him be, it was his sister.

I watched him as he sat on the floor by the sink getting more drugged by the moment. There were rules that even spirits had to follow through the Force and a lot of the time was that we were not to interfere.

I tried to speak to his mind, but the drugs were working on him and I was worried that he may have gone overboard on his dealings with the situation. When his chin hit his chest, he woke up and his eyes looked glassy. His hand went to the side of the sink as he tried to pull himself up, but his grip lessened and he knocked the bottle over and all the pills went flying and he hit the ground.

At this point, I did not care about what the rules were...I went to Wei.

Master Wei! Please wake up! Aramis needs you! I pleaded to the sleeping man.

[Wei Wu Wei]

Wei opened one eye and looked out across the room. "What's the matter with Aramis?" Wei asked. "Is he into the coffee again? Maybe he wet the bed?"

The sarcasm was apparent in his voice. Wei was irritated. He wanted to sleep. And now his Padawan was contacting him about her son.

"Quay, I know what he's seeing. I know it's bothering him. I also know he's going to wreck his heart with coffee. Honestly, whatever he's up to now--" he didn't finish.

"What's he doing now?" Wei asked.

[Quay Na's Spirit]

He thinks if he comes to you, he will fail you again. So, he's taken five sleeping pills to dull his dreams, dreams that I caused...

Quay's blue casted form, suddenly disappeared.

[Wei Wu Wei]

"Only five?" Wei asked mostly to himself. Quay was gone again.

Wei turned over onto his back and looked at the ceiling. He was an alcoholic now thanks to the fate of his wife and father. He couldn't blame Aramis for wanting to find some way to rid himself of the visions. Still, it only took Wei one time to realize that going to bed drunk and waking up with a hangover was not a great idea. So he learned to measure himself as his tolerance increased and eventually found the fortitude not to vomit and leave himself feeling like a Gamorrean left a vibroaxe in his skull.

"Well, if he's taken the pills now, there's nothing to do but wait for them to wear out of him. I'll have to see to him later."

So Wei did the only thing he could do at the moment. He rolled over and went back to sleep.

[Aramis Rakai]

I slowly came out of my drugged state and had noticed somehow I had crawled over to the bunk and climbed in. My mind was still cloudy as I rolled over and closed my eyes again.

I felt nothing, my mind was calm. I had suffered no more dreams and was quite glad to know so. Wei wanted me to sleep, so I slept. He didn't tell me how to do, just to do it and I did.

I slowly got to my feet and stumbled into the fresher. I noticed the pills all over the floor and picked them up. I popped a couple of stimulants and walked back over to my bunk. I still felt really foggy and knew that would pass once the stimulants got into my system.

Until then, I laid back down and closed my eyes. I think, I was back to sleep within moments.

[Wei Wu Wei]

Wei woke up at last and decided to go check on the tag along. He opened the young half-Inshelat's door with a simple gesture and aid of the Force. Wei was surprised to find pills scattered about the room.

Without a word Wei grabbed Aramis by the waistline of his pants and one arm. He dragged his young charge into the refresher and flung him into the shower. Then he turned it on with water ice cold and let the kid sit in it until the arctic bath woke hum up.

"Quay, you better feel better for me having done this."

[Aramis Rakai]

It did not take long for the feel of ice water running over me to jolt me awake from my half-drugged state. My gills opened up and my fins appeared out of their hidden sheaths within my forearms and legs.

"What the..." I gasped as the freezing cold water ran over my head. I clumsily stood, turned off the water and looked at Wei. Wiping my face with my hand, I finally asked in an aggravated tone. "What did you do that for?" I was not happy as the cold water dripped off me.

[Wei Wu Wei]

"Because you frightened your poor mother when you drugged yourself into sleep."

Wei was annoyed. "Look kid, If it were up to me you could go ahead and drug yourself into oblivion. Glitterstim, Deathsticks, I could care less. I'm an alcoholic for crying out loud! But your mother comes back from the dead to check in on you and she's scared to death! Again! So she wakes me up and I find your room looking like the police raided a drug house."

The former Jedi crossed his arms over his chest. "You can get out of the shower, clean yourself up and then you can clean up your room. Then we're drilling Form I until you can't think of anything else."

Wei left a towel just beyond the shower for him. "When you're done, come find me."

[Aramis Rakai]

My eyes widened to the mention of my mother as I listened to Wei's reprimand. I didn't know what to say, but figured whatever I did say would not matter in the least. I was truly beginning to know where I stood.

"Look, you told me to sleep, so I did." I finally said. I could begin to feel the effects of the stimulants. "I did what I did, so I would not dream...that's all."

[Wei Wu Wei]

"Idiot," Wei said. "If you can't face your own mind and your own fears, how do you expect to face what's outside of you? The path to inner peace begins with the mastery of the self, Aramis. And this is something we're going to have to work on together. I don't care what you're afraid of. Fear is the path to the Darkside. When you let your fears reign over you and you do what is quick and easy to calm those fears, you start to lose. And trust me, if you become a Sith in my midst I will kill you. Now get ready to train. Tonight you'll sleep without drugs whether you like it or not."

[Aramis Rakai]

I blew out a sigh as he left. We had gotten along really well until those stupid dreams began. I had to get a grip on what was going on.

I did what he told me to do, I took my shower, got cleaned up and then picked up all the pills that were scattered about and threw them away. I then took out my mother's lightsabre and studied it. She had used this to defend herself, she did not give in even before she died.

I would rather die than to become a Sith, it was not in my blood and I had a lot to learn. I slowly clipped it to my belt and slipped on my boots. The door slid open and I went looking for Wei.

I found him in the galley and went over to him. "I apologize for my actions, Wei. I don't know what I was thinking, I am an idiot and everything else you could possibly say. I have dishonored my mother and myself and I just want you to know that it won't happen again. I want to learn the right ways, I truly do and I can't do that without you."

[Wei Wu Wei]

"Good for you," Wei said.

Though he accepted the apology, he was mildly annoyed that apologizing was just about the only thing the kid did with any sort of eloquence.

"From now on you must have the most serious mind and the most resolute resolve. If you get knocked down, don't get upset. Don't even make an excuse. Just get up and keep doing."

Wei snapped on his lightsaber. "Form I, Shii-Cho. It's very basic. There are six strike zones: The head, the torso, the left arm, the right arm, the left leg, and the right leg. All of our attacks will be focused on hitting one of these zones. All of our defenses will be to protect these zones. In Form I we are concerned with disarming an opponent by either destroying his weapon or severing the weapon hand. Killing is not a primary concern in Shii-Cho."

The former Jedi took the basic stance. "Stand with feet shoulder width apart, knees slightly bent, with the lightsaber held in front in the middle of your body. Your hands should start in front of your middle and the tip of your blade should point at the opponent's nose."

[Aramis Rakai]

I am going to die...my thoughts chided me as I took the stance in front of Wei. I did exactly as he told me and prayed I would not get an ear lopped off.

[Wei Wu Wei]

"Stay there," Wei said. "You need to get used to that feeling. Keep your back straight, and don't let your rear stick out. Everything needs to be following along this center line."

Wei indicated Aramis' vertical axis. "You need to be perfectly balanced and grounded so that you are difficult to move. The only time you need to give ground in combat is when you are setting up your opponent. So stay in that stance, whatever you do."

Wei gave Aramis a light shove to see if he would move.

[Aramis Rakai]

I felt grounded, but it was not very comfortable. I centered on my core as I straightened my back slightly and pulled in my abs.

The light shove sent me off balance just a bit, but for the most part I stayed in place.

[Wei Wu Wei]

"Not bad. Now just stand there."

Wei watched him for about ten minutes. "When I was a youngling--that is, about six or so years old--our teachers in Form I had us hold this stance for an hour on our first day. Then we did the aggressive stance for an hour right after that."

The former Jedi circled his pupil, making a few small adjustments to Aramis' posture. "This is more of a ready stance. See how it makes you a broad profile? It also helps you to make an opening move from any position. Some forms wil have you take up a sidelong stance. It makes you harder to hit, but it only offers you one side of your body at the ready for combat."

Wei bent Aramis' knees a little more. "If you want, I can brew some of that coffee you're so fond of and place two hot mugs on your knees while you hold that stance. That was remedial training meant to punish little ones who were out of line during class."

[Aramis Rakai]

"I think, I've learned my lesson on that. I'm going to stay away from the coffee for a bit." I answered as I stared straight ahead and kept my mind on my posture.

[Wei Wu Wei]

Wei clapped Aramis hard on the shoulder. "Good. Stay there. I'll be back after a while."

Wei went off to do some research and meditation for about twenty minutes.

[Aramis Rakai]

This was hard. My arms began to ache and every once in a while they could begin to dip down and I would bring them back up. The lightsabre was not heavy, but after a while it weighed more than I could imagine. I would remain strong. I needed this, I needed the discipline. I could only think of the wrongs I had done and in doing so would remind me of what was right. I had opted for an easy way out and for this...I was punished. Never again would I opt for this, for it was not the way of the Jedi.

The exercise brought many things to my attention. What my responsibility was and what it had to be. I would remain strong not only for myself, but for my master. He was my master in every way, even though he denied the title. I would not deny him and I would not fail him again.

I closed my eyes and focused on the good things that I had done and I asked forgiveness for the things I had done wrong. I prayed for strength and renewal, and hope.

[Wei Wu Wei]

Wei came back at last. No headway yet, but he figured something would make itself known.

"Haven't you fallen down yet?" Wei asked.

He motioned for Aramis to stand. "Stretch thoroughly and then get right back into stance. Take 15 minutes to stretch your legs."

[Aramis Rakai]

"Yes, Sir." I breathed heavily. My legs were aching as I stood up and began stretching. I did exactly as he told me and was back in the stance fifteen minutes later.

I concentrated hard and pushed myself even more this time.

[Wei Wu Wei]

Wei again corrected Aramis' posture, but there was less to fix. Muscle memorization was an incredible thing.

"I hope you're prepared to do this for an hour four times a week," Wei said. He went back to his history to figure out more.

[Aramis Rakai]

He had to be kidding, but for some strange reason I did not think so. After he left, I had to really concentrate on the position I was in. About ten minutes later, one of my legs began to cramp.

I tried to ignore it, but then they both began to cramp. I began to breath it out, but it was not helping much. I squeezed my eyes shut, and grit my teeth as my arms began to dip downward.

Unfortunately, it was not ten minutes later that I ended up on the floor in a heap. I grit my teeth even more and I tried to rub the cramps out.

[Wei Wu Wei]

Wei heard the dull thud that signaled Aramis losing his posture. He decided not to go check on him right away. It gave him cause to reflect on his Jedi training. How many times had he fallen over during those first few days? His body ached, and despite his best efforts to strengthen his body with the Force, eventually the monotony and inevitable weariness broke his concentration until he broke down and collasped.

He always got back up, though. His teachers admired him for that. For as long as he could remember, all he wanted to do was to be a great fighter with a lightsaber. Maybe it was the hum of the blade, or the bright color. Maybe it was knowing that as a master in lightsaber combat he could make himself invincible to serve and protect others.

As much good as it would do Aramis to master his stance, Wei couldn't help but feel that the kid might take it more as a punishment than anything. He'd give Aramis another few minutes then let him take a real break.

[Aramis Rakai]

My first feeling that I really noticed was the frustration for falling. I let that pass. I stretched my legs for a moment and got right back up. My body was aching, my legs were still hurting, but I refused to let this get the best of me.

I had to be strong. I flicked the lightsabre back on and returned to the stance. I had to think of other things, besides the pain.

I closed my eyes and thought of the Force and the ocean and how both would swirl around me. I gently tapped into the Force and allowed it like the ocean to wash over me, cleanse me.

[Wei Wu Wei]

Wei re-entered the room and motioned for Aramis to relax. "Go ahead and take a break. It's been nearly an hour and you need to rest."

The former Jedi stood relaxed with arms crossed over his chest. "How did you feel?"

[Aramis Rakai]

I was never so glad to be able to take it easy and flopped down onto the floor. I could feel sweat trickle down my back and took in a deep breath and blew it out.

I rubbed my chin thoughtfully. "I felt pain in my legs, but then I looked past that. After I fell, I felt frustration, but then let it pass over me. This last time...I tapped into the Force and kind of sunk into it as I would the ocean." I shook my head. "Sounds crazy, I'm sure. But, it helped me to stay focused and the time passed quicker."

[Wei Wu Wei]

"Every Jedi has a trick like that. After a while you learn to be still and focused like that all the time."

Wei watched him on the floor. "Go get some water. I need to use the navigational computer. We're going to Endor."

[Aramis Rakai]

I nodded as I slowly walked to our water cooler and got me a cup of water. "Endor? I've never been to Endor." I said as I finished my drink.

"I've read about it, but I've never been."

[Wei Wu Wei]

"We will go tomorrow. Be sure to rest. You'll need to be at your full potential."

Wei instructed Aramis to walk around the ship to let his legs stretch and get used to moving again after being so tense for so long. Wei could only hope that the boy would be better about handling his problems in the future.

[Aramis Rakai]

My leg muscles were tense as I continued to do as Wei instructed. I could not wait to get going, I had had more than my share of this place and was eager to be on our way.

As I walked I felt a strange sensation between myself and this ship. It felt as if it were a living and breathing thing to me...almost part of me or extension. This ship was my baby as it had been my mother's before and I would take care of it as so.

I smiled as I ran my hand along one of the bulkheads. This was now my ship, handed down to me and I would make my mother proud. No more running from things, no; I would face everything as it should be.