And So It Begins ... (Sameer Aryan)

[Navaria Tarkin]

Navaria had chosen a training room that spent more time empty then it was filled with training Jedi. It felt right for Sameer. Every room has its own vibration or acoustics that is specific to its design. Almost like arranging the furniture in the room by means of Feng Shui. Sometimes that helped newer students that had no real knowledge of the Force and help them to sense it better. Granted, Sameer was able to follow her instructions in Yog's but that was only a small sample of what the Force could do. Now, it was time for the more serious training.

These thoughts continued on while Navaria faced the large window overlooking Coruscant. The sun was hanging in the lower recesses of the sky, signaling that it was still early morning. And if that didn't alert what the time was, the massive rush hour traffic that circled the main buildings of the planet did ....

[Sameer Aryan]

Ever since Sameer had arrived to the Greater Jedi Order, it was the first time that he walked through its hallways with as much assurance. His new Master had somehow managed to give him confidence.

As he passed through, Sam saw the rooms filling up rather quickly. Everyone smiled at each other, and there was a certain camaraderie going on. Not only did the Padawans seem hard-working but also like nice and friendly people.

Soon, young Aryan arrived where his Master had asked him to meet her.

"Greetings Master Tarkin!", he said enthousiastically.

[Navaria Tarkin]

A smile played against her lips. Sameer was in a cheerfully contagious mood.

"And a good morning to you as well, my Padawan. I presume that you have settled in and found suitable quarters?"

[Sameer Aryan]

"Yes, a long time ago!"

Sameer looked around. The sun's orange rays spread across the room's wooded furniture, giving it an antique look. This calmed Sam down, as he awaited for his Master to start his first lesson.

[Navaria Tarkin]

Sameer was eager yet patient. A good combination.

"Please have a seat."

Navaria said, smiling lightly.

"Tell me .. have you anymore questions since last time we spoke?"

She finished the sentence by sitting down on the chair that was placed center, in front of the window. There were at least a dozen empty seats that Sameer could choose from.

[Sameer Aryan]

Sameer sat down where he thought was nearest to his Master. He knew he sometimes had problems concentrating, rarely but he did.

"No", he replied, "Well none that I can think of right now but if I remember any, I'll ask you."

[Navaria Tarkin]

"Very well then."

She replied, smiling momentarily before getting down to business.

"From what we accomplished in the bar. I would like you to clear your thoughts again and focus your mind only on being receptive to the Force. This is always the first step in learning what you can do when being immersed within its power."

[Sameer Aryan]

Sameer nodded as his Master's words resonated in his ears.

This is always the first step in learning what you can do when being immersed within its power...

The young Aryan made himself comfortable before he shut his eyes. He found it easier to clear his thoughts today because there was less noise than in the Bar and Grill. Sam took a deep breath and did what he had been told to do.

[Navaria Tarkin]

She waited patiently until Sameer was in a completely relaxed state where his mind was connected with the Force.

"Can you also focus on me again? To look upon me with the Force."

Navaria let down her blocks once again so it would be easier for Sameer to accomplish this. This was a basic technique in recognizing other Jedi and gauging how strong their energies were.

[Sameer Aryan]

Navaria's voice was the only thing Sameer heard and felt by now. He was completely concentrated on what his Master was telling him but even more on the Force. It was a strange feeling.

He then concentrated on his Master as he had done previously. Aryan saw once more the blue aura he had seen in the Bar and Grill, but this time he felt more relaxed. It all seemed slightly easier.

[Navaria Tarkin]

She nodded to herself as Sameer found it much a much simplier task this time.

"Now focus on yourself. I want you to see your aura and the Force that surrounds you. When you do that, try and put into words what you see."

[Sameer Aryan]

Sameer focused on himself as directed. He could perceive a blue-ish aura surrounding him as well but much thinner, barely 3mm around his skin.

"I see a thin blue 'crust' around me. Just like yours, but not as 'thick'. I also see lightblue particles in the air, it's like a blue fog...it kinda gets thicker around some things...", Sam told his Master, a confused look on his face.

[Navaria Tarkin]

How she knew that confused look well. The Jedi had the same one on her face as Master Solo taught her for the first time ... thought for different reasons.

"Well ... your ability in the Force has only just begun. It is why your aura is not as strong. But ... there are other things that you can see that have nothing to do with your Force potential.

As the other blue specs that you see ... what you are witnessing is the Force, simply put. The Force binds the universe together and is created by living things. It is everywhere. Jedi can project the Force to inanimate objects and move them."

Reaching into her pocket, Navaria produced a cred in her hand and caused it to levitate into the air. That should produce an interesting effect in Sameer's mind while being connected to the Force.

[Sameer Aryan]

Sameer paid close attention to the specs as Navaria was explaining to him what they were. When she finished talking, he saw the shape of the cred float in the air. It seemed to have an aura as well, yet he knew it couldn't be coming from it directly. Sam made the link between his Master's last sentence and the cred.

"That object that's floating is emitting an aura, but it's also linked with you, I can see it! So it means that you're using the Force the make it levitate, right? So if many Jedi concentrated on the Force together to lift a bigger object, it would be much easier for them, because their force would be combined?"

[Navaria Tarkin]

"Yes. I link between myself and the Force caused the object to float. Of course, that is a really watered down explanation to what is occurring. You can see was is truly happening better the way you are doing it now."

Navaria smiled at Sameer's deductive reasoning.

"Yes. Exactly. If one pools their energy together, much more can be accomplished but you should know, any Jedi, any ... Padawan, can lift a giant boulder. It just requires you to unlearn what you already know."

[Sameer Aryan]

"Unlearn what I already know?", he repeated, "How so? And why?"

Sameer was wondering what his Master meant, yet he was also distracted by the cred. He focused onto it until he "saw" the Force that linked him to the object. He could "feel" the cred.

[Navaria Tarkin]

"I have a better question. Why do you not tell me what the cred looks like to you?"

[Sameer Aryan]

"Okay! Well, I um...."

Sameer didn't know where to start or even how to describe what he was seeing. He took a deep breath and tried to calm himself.

"The cred looks exactly the same...", he paused, "... but it doesn't look solid. More like a gas or something; as if my hand would pass through it. The shape is the same, yet the color is completely different..."

[Navaria Tarkin]

"The color is different? Describe it to me."

This was going well. Sameer was answering without questioning which was essential for a Padawan to learn at first. He would soon learn that her proding was pushing him in a certain direction.

[Sameer Aryan]

"It's a very light shade of blue. A lot like the color around me."

[Navaria Tarkin]

"Excellent. You are now seeing what I have been trying to tell you. Very simply, you are witnessing the Force binding that object to myself.

Now, I want you to focus on the blue aura surrounding the cred and try and bring it towards you. You will not have to fight against my control, so do not worry about that.... Just concentrate but not upon the object to move it. Relax ... listen to your heartbeat and feel your lungs taking in air and releasing it. Do not think about the actual thought of moving the cred.

Do not force the motion. Ask for the motion ..."

[Sameer Aryan]

"Alright..." the young padawan replied unsure of himself.

Ask for the motion? To whom? Sameer felt a bit lost, he didn't know how he was supposed to move the cred. He realized he was thinking too much and he should simply follow what Navaria was telling him to do: concentrate and relax.

Sam felt the air enter and leave his lungs, and it helped him calm down. Suddenly, a sentence popped up in his head: "Do not force the motion. Ask for the motion ..." "Ask for the motion..." he repeated. Sameer asked the Force, his "ally" as he had heard people call It so often, to move the cred for him. It seemed to work.

[Navaria Tarkin]

The cred teetered back and forth, still hovering above her hand. She could feel Sameer's mind trying to wrap around the object and pull it towards him, relying on the Force but without using force. The longer that he did so, it started to level out first and then begin to pull towards him.

"Good. Keep concentrating. Focus on seeing the Force and working with it."

At that point, Navaria completely let go of her control. Sameer was the only one lifting the cred, but she did keep her hand out, making him think that she was still holding onto the cred as well. It was a simple test to see what power he held and what measure of control she had to work with too.

[Sameer Aryan]

Sameer felt a shift, something changed but he didn't know what. He could see Navaria's hand still extended but he felt that he was using more energy, more concentration. As Sam was fully connected to the Force, the cred became stable. It stopped teetering. It moved gently towards him.

I'm lucky Navaria's helping me with this! I'd never be able to do it by myself!, he thought.

[Navaria Tarkin]

Good. Sameer still believed that she was helping him. It would be a good lesson for him when this was over.

"That is it. Good."

She gently coaxed.

"Bring it to your hand."

[Sameer Aryan]

Sameer felt encouraged by Navaria. He kept concentrating. He could now see the cred moving a bit faster towards him. It slid so smoothly in the air. Moments later it was in Sameer's left palm. The Padawan squeezed it, as if to make sure it were real and then opened his hand back.

[Navaria Tarkin]

"Is it really that difficult to believe that the cred is in your hand, Sameer?"

She leaned forward, placing a hand underneath her chin to study her Padawan.

"Why is that?"

[Sameer Aryan]

"I've got no clue!", he replied looking back at the cred in his hand, "I guess it's because it didn't look real while it was moving...it didn't look solid..."

[Navaria Tarkin]

"No. That is not it. You did not believe that you actually brought the cred to your hand."

She paused purposefully.

"And brought it there yourself I might add. You lack in confidence."

[Sameer Aryan]

You lack in confidence.

Navaria's words were harsh on Sameer's ego. He knew since long that he had a confidence problem, but he didn't appreciate hearing it from others, specially not from his Master. He thought that it made him look weak.

"Yes, I do have a confidence problem, but rubbing it in my face is not going to help me!", he half screamed.

Anger had taken over him but Sameer soon realized that it was wrong. It led to the Dark Side, and he knew it fair well. He calmed himself down and excused himself.

"I'm sorry Navaria. It's just that I'm trying to deal with it...but everytime someone talks to me about it, it brings me back to the starting point. All the work I put into it is washed away."

[Navaria Tarkin]

His outburst was ... not expected. The emotion and pain coming from Sameer was so intense. It felt like a lifetime of pain just hit her across the face.

Navaria's tone in her observation held no such intent as to put down Sameer. Through his entire outburst, she merely sat there calmly, waiting for the situation to pass. Eventually, he was able to bring himself under control.

"Sameer. If you are going to learn, you must take criticism. It is just part of the process."

She stood up and sat next to him.

"And you can do it. You do not need to start over. You alone move that cred and you can do it again. All you need is faith in yourself and your abilities."

Placing a hand on his shoulder, Navaria squeezed his shoulder with a firm reassurance.

"I believe that you can do it too."

[Sameer Aryan]

Sameer didn't want to take Navaria's advice at first. Criticism was something he couldn't take. He looked at her as she came and sat beside him and realized that she was simply trying to help. He thought about what she said:

It's true that you only get better by finding your weaknesses, and usually others can see them better than you...and if Navaria can have faith in me, why can't I?

Sam looked at the cred in his hand. His determination to lift it appeared in his facial expression. He stared at the cred and concentrated on the Force. He was ready to spend as much time to lift the object as it would require. The Padawan closed his eyes, still "asking for the movement". Soon, he saw the cred lift in the air.

"Yes!", he exclaimed. "I got it Navaria! I got it!"

[Navaria Tarkin]

She smiled, a proud, wide toothy smile.

"See. As I have said. Faith and belief in oneself can accomplish anything. Perhaps now you can trust me?"

Navaria question, with a raise brow, though the look of genuine pride was still in her eyes.

[Sameer Aryan]

Sameer looked at Navaria, surprised by her remark.

"I do trust you. I simply didn't trust myself. Never have...but I think that I will, from now on.", he told her, his voice lowering with every word he spoke. "Thanks for the lesson though; I appreciate it."

Sam had something else to add, but his "pride" was holding him back.

[Navaria Tarkin]

Her eyes narrowed with a combination of worry and confusion.

"I sense that you are holding back something from me."

Navaria's voiced lowered to be softer, trying to not sound forceful so Sameer would open up.

"I thought that you trusted me? Unless ..."

She frowned.

"... it is about me."

[Sameer Aryan]

"About you?!", Sameer exclaimed, puzzled. "What would I have to say about you?", he couldn't resist but to laugh, "unless you want me to tell you that you're the best Master down here, but it wouldn't be true since I haven't talked to any other Master but you!"

Sameer took back a serious expression, all of a sudden. "Actually, I was going to say that you were right about the whole 'you can do it' thing. I usually don't admit being wrong, but this time I was." The Padawan laughed again. "Damn, this is hard!"

[Navaria Tarkin]

She smiled, trying to hide her embarrassment from making that incorrect leap in logic.

"My apologies Sameer. But, at least you learn a valuable lesson and with time you will not have to keep convincing yourself that you can do it.

I am proud of you today. Not only because of what I said, but that you are mature enough to know when you are wrong."

Navaria joined in the laughter of the situation.

"Much like I did."

[Sameer Aryan]

Sameer couldn't resist to laugh out loud.

"Sorry", he mumbled, still laughing his lungs out, "but the 'I am proud of you today' sounds so mother-like, or big sister-like! Don't get me wrong here, it means a lot to me, but it was funny the way it came out. "

[Navaria Tarkin]

Navaria wasn't upset in the least.

"In a way, you are my children. A Master Padawan relationship can be seen as such. More importantly, I take great care in teaching since we are part of the same Order. Siblings in a way. I guess those motherly, and or sisterly, instincts come naturally to me."

She smiled.

"And I think we are done for today. Unless there was anything else?"

[Sameer Aryan]

"Nah! I'd rather have you as a big sister, since I don't have any! And, sure, I think we're done too, because I don't have any questions."

Sameer jumped off his seat and stretched his arms a bit. Sam's muscles were tense from sitting for so long; he felt a bit sore.

"So when's my next lesson?", Sameer asked. He couldn't wait for his next training session, it was obvious.

[Navaria Tarkin]

"Tomorrow. Early. For combat. In the meantime, your assignment is to practice with telekinesis, honing your control.:

She stood up, clasping her hands together.

"Until tomorrow (http://www.sw-fans.net/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=30352) then?"

[Sameer Aryan]

"Sure."

Sameer started walking towards the door and stopped to look back at Navaria.

"You coming?"

[Navaria Tarkin]

"No. I have other duties that require my attention. I will see you tomorrow."

And then she added informally.

"Take care of yourself, Sameer. The Force be with you."

[Sameer Aryan]

"Okay", he simply replied.

Sameer walked away, directing himself towards the Bar and Grill.

[Navaria Tarkin]

Cleaning up a few things, data-pads and notes, Navaria exited the room and headed towards the Council Chambers.