Star Wars Rebels - Gleam of Hope (English Version)

The mechanic butterfly

Just as Ezra had expected, he couldn't sleep. In addition to his racing mind, there was Zeb snoring so loudly, he could bearly hear his own thoughts. Defeated, he decided that there was no point in trying to fall asleep right now and instead he wanted to see if Salya was feeling a little better by now. He quietly sneaked out of the room.
"Darn it! Why doesn't it work?", he heard Salya say angrily. She took a deep breath. Apparently she was trying to pick something up with the Force the whole time, but Ezra couldn't quite make out what it was.
"Hey, can I help you?", he asked, approaching her curiously.
Salya winced. She hadn't expected Ezra to be back anytime soon. She laughed a little nervously.
"So ... um ... no, probably not. But you can try it yourself!"
Now Ezra could see what looked like a mechanical butterfly.
"My dad built it to teach me how to take it easy. At the time, it was a problem for me to pick up things without instantly throwing them away. So he built something that falls apart under the slightest turbulence."
She lifted the little device roughly with the force and it fell into several parts, which were all held together by threads. Then she picked it up with her hand and turned a wrench. Everything moved back to its rightful place.
"If you're really good, you can even get the wings to move."
Ezra hurried over to her and took a closer look at the butterfly. "It seems your father was pretty creative", he admired. As she had suggested, he wanted to give it a try!
He stood in front of the butterfly and raised his hand. Then he grasped the dainty device with the force. After her warning that it was easy to break, he was very careful and only slowly raised the butterfly. But at least it didn't fall apart!
Until Ezra got to excited, lost his concentration and the butterfly fell apart after all. Apparently it was harder than it looked ...
Salya had to smile. At least she wasn't the only one who couldn't do it!
"My father said it would be easier if you just empty your head and let the feeling guide you. Don't think too much about what you are doing. But I think it's pretty hard. I can't empty my head that easily ... but once I managed to let it fly for half an hour! My father was really proud! You know, I miss the lessons with him a little. When I was on Coruscant, I looked around the archives without permission. There I foung holocrons, rooms full of them! And such a great library! You can't even imagine that! I saw recordings there of the younglings being taught and tried to imitate what they did. After that I felt a little better. Ah, it probably sounds crazy coming from a me..." She nervously laughed.
"Wow!" Ezra was in awe. Kanan would certainly have given anything to be in these archives again. He was left with a single holocron and tried to teach Ezra as best he could, but sometimes even he still had problems. "The archives must be gigantic! Kanan told me that pretty much all of the Jedi's knowledge was stored there! And I don't think it sounds crazy. Before Kanan taught me, I honestly found the Force a little scary. But learning to deal with it is something very special and I am really happy to have this oppertunity!"
Salya smiled. "I even took a couple of holocrons with me. They should be in a secret pocket in my backpack. It was risky, but I did it anyway." Her face became a bit monotonous. "I think it's scary ... not before, but now I do. The Force can be pretty terrifying now that I know what horrible things I am capable to do with it. It's ... it's scray..." Yes, sometimes she had wished she couldn't do these things. To just be disconnected from the force. Of course it was impossible, she had to live with it. But knowing what terrible things she could do was awful.
"Then I guess I am lucky to have Kanan as a teacher. I know that under his guidance I don't have to be afraid", Ezra thought aloud. "But you have several holocrons in your posession?" The thought made him very uneasy. They could contain knowledge that even Kanan might not have! Now he absolutely had to know what kind of secrets they held!
Salya nodded. "Yes, you are very lucky ..." She wished she was that lucky too ... she tried to push the thought away. "Well, I actually planned on giving you the holocrons as a kind of payment or gift anyway. You can use them more than I do", she said meekly.
"Woah! Are you serious?", Ezra remarked, in case she somehow forgot how valuable they were. Sure, Kanan would probably explode with joy, and Ezra wanted to see them too, but it seemed strange to him to just accept them like that. "You know that we help you without charging any kind of payment, right?"
"Pfff. You Jedi with your sense of honor! Of course I know! But if they help you ... besides, they could possibly help you with your training and thus harm the Empire. Then I contributed at least a small part to it!" She laughed. "It was supposed to be a little surprise, actually. Besides, what should I do with them? I know them inside out! Some of them are of no use to one without a teacher who can explain it further. The only thing I could do with them would be to sell them on the black market and they are definitely too precious for that! Plus, I've taken enough money from my Imperial account to last for a while."
While Ezra was happy that Salya actually wanted to give them the holocrons, a brilliant or maybe crazy idea occurred to him! "If you really want to harm the Empire and you don't have a teacher, why don't you ask Kanan if he can teach you?"
Salya blinked at Ezra, somewhat perplexed. Kanan ... train her? She didn't know if this was supposed to be a joke or if he really meant it. "I... don't think that would be possible. I'm far too deeply connected to the dark side and too impulsive for that. I mean ... hopefully I'll get over this somehow, but it can take years - if anything ... and ... I'm sure Kanan wouldn't want it. He already has to deal with one Padawan and then another have another one who has a connection to the dark side?"
And yet Salya imagined for a brief moment what it would be like if Kanan taught her and that she would finally get the chance to become what she always had wanted. For a moment she had a dreamy look on her face and then turned away from Ezra. "Even if I wanted to, I don't know whether that would be possible ..."
Ezra knew it was going to be difficult. But Kanan was the best teacher he could ever imagine! If anyone could help Salya, it would be him! And Ezra saw how much she wanted someone to guide her! He would do it himself, but he obviously lacked a lot of experience. "He gets along with me and I too can be impulsive sometimes!", he argued. "In addition, he would certainly never turn away a force user seeking help. And earlier he said himself that he still sees hope for you!"
Salya touched her shoulder. She was really unsure. Part of her said she should try. Wasn't it exactly what she'd always wanted?
But another part told her that it would be dangerous and that she should just get to safety. "But do you really think he would want to teach me? A Sith? He said that he still saw hope for me, but not that he would wantd to help me. Of course, I would love to have someone to guide me ... I might even need someone. But I'm not sure if Kanan trusts me enough... " However, that wasn't a reason not to at least try. And if it did work, she would have regained most of what the Empire had stolen from her!
Herselves, a future, her will, her freedom ...
"Then give him a reason to trust you! I mean ... why not? He was worried, but you agreed to hand over your weapons. You never tried to hurt us or break anything. He even left you alone and sees that still nothing bad has happened! You saved me several times and helped us out with the fuel! You also want to give the holocrons to us. That sounds like a lot of reasons to trust you, if you ask me", Ezra said, smiling.
Salya blushed a little. But it seemed like she actually did something right this time. "You're right ... just my past weighs heavily ... I don't think he trusts me one hundred percent. But maybe ... it is worth a try?" She sounded a little unsure. Kanan, understandably, didn't fully trust her.
"The rest will come with time! I mean, look at me and Zeb! In the beginning he just left me with the Empire and now we share a room and everything. Maybe give Kanan a little time and he'll trust you at some point", Ezra encouraged her. Because despite everything, he trusted her completely. He had no idea if it was because he had too little experience with the dark side? But he had faced inquisitors several times before, so he already knew something! He just had a good feeling with Salya and he trusted this feeling. In fact, it was never wrong.
Salya sighed. "I don't even know if I dare to ask him. How am I supposed to do that? Just walk up to him and ask: '' Hey, can you please, please accept me as an apprentice?'' '' She felt a little shy at that moment.
"I could ask for you! He's used to me asking uncomfortable questions." Ezra tried to crack a joke to loosen up the situation, but was sure that he would succeed.
Salya laughed a little. "Why doesn't that surprise me? But to be honest, it would be so much easier ... and if you can really convince him, I really owe you something", she said. It wasn't usually her way of sending others. But it was better if Ezra, who knew Kanan well, asked him!
"No problem! I like doing it! And I'll do it immediately, then the matter is done!", Ezra decided and made his way into the cockpit before Salya could change her mind.
~
Hera leaned back in the pilot's seat and looked at Kanan. She clearly saw that he was deep in thought. "Hey ... what's on your mind? Is it about our guest? "
Kanan sighed in resignation. "Yes. I just don't know ... it contradicts so much of what I've learned. I just don't know what to make of it... ", he confessed. He definitely wouldn't tell Ezra that, because you didn't want to hear that from your master. But he could talk to Hera about it.
She nodded understandingly. "Actually, she seems like a nice girl. With a troubled past. But I think you can better assess how it is. I know the matter stresses you, but are you feeling alright? You've been watching her for so long and you seem pretty drained", she said with a soft voice. She didn't like seeing him so helpless and wanted to change that.
Kanan sank deeper into the co-pilot's seat. "Maybe I am a little", he admitted. Due to the Force, he was able to stay on his feet longer than others without feeling exhausted. But it didn't help him organize the thoughts in his head. Everyone expected him to know what was best. But actually he had no idea either! "I'll rest as soon as we sort this out. So far I have had a hard time taking my eyes off her. Even if she doesn't want to, her power is unstable and she could injure herself or others. And I just can't allow something to happen to the others. Or you."
Hera lied a hand on his his shoulder and looked sympathetically. "I understand that. But you have a crew that supports each other, you have me. We stand behind you, come what may. And so far nothing has happened, has it?" Hera smiled. "I understand your concern. But I ... we support you, understood? You don't have to do everything by yourself." She tried to have a strengthening effect on him. She believed that it was exactly what he needed right now.
Kanan couldn't help but smile too when she looked at him like that. She always seemed to be doing just the right thing to cheer him up. What would he do without her?
But still...
"I would like to help Salya, but I don't know if I can ...", he explained. He wasn't even sure if anyone could help the girl ...
Hera smiled. "Is the situation really that hopeless? It looks like she's really trying to fight it."
"That's true. And she already got further than I thought would be possible. But there is still so much anger and sadness inside her ... I don't know if she will ever get over it. Who knows if I'll only make things worse if I try to help her?" Kanan found he was getting very pessimistic. Something he always tried to avoid. Maybe he was more exhausted than he wanted to admit to himself ... But how could he sleep soundly when that decision still had to be made? If only he could have asked a master for advice like the old times!
Hera put both hands on his shoulders now and looked at him intently with her bright green eyes, so that Kanan lost all other thoughts. "I don't think you can make it worse! I think she needs someone to point her in the right direction. Who gives her back her trust. She just needs someone to guide her and stand by her."
Kanan continued to look her in the eyes. He just couldn't look away. "Maybe you're right", he said and decided to believe what she was saying.
Suddenly the door slid open and Ezra stumbled in. "Kanan! Can you please teach Salya!?"
It was only after he burst in that Ezra realized that he might have disturbed Kanan and Hera at something. At least the two looked a bit like it ...
Hera took a step back. She tried to hide the fact that she somehow felt caught out. "What was that?"
"Well, we talked a bit and a few things came up. For example, that her parents were both Jedi and trained her before they were caught by the Empire! And that she stole a couple of holocrons from the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, which she wants to give to us!", Ezra explained, who had almost forgotten what he had just seen, he was so excited.
"Wait! Wait a minute! Holocrons from the Jedi Temple?", Kanan asked. He couldn't believe it!
Ezra nodded. He seemed to know how valuable they were.
Hera widened her eyes. She suspected that they were very valuable, but she could only measure the true value by the reaction of the two. "And her parents were Jedi? So the lightsabers we found... they were theirs?", ehe concluded.
"Yes! Exactly! She didn't steal them! They tecnically belong to her! Somehow...", Ezra explained.
In fact, that made Kanan feel much better. He had found the thought of someone using the lightsabers of dead Jedi repulsive, but in such a case everything looked very different. Even if he was admittedly surprised. Salya's parents were both Jedi, they had a child. That was absolutely against the codex and they would have been kicked out of the order had the case been known. Order 66 might have gotten in the way. Kanan was definitely not judging them. He himself knew how quickly one could turn away from the codex ...
"Kanan ...", said Ezra, turning back to his master. "You have to teach her! She's a little lost, but I know you can get her back on track! She wants to change, she just needs a little help. Our help."
Hera's gaze wandered to Kanan. "I think Kanan needs time to decide", she said sympathetically.
Kanan looked up at her gratefully, for she had come to his aid in his speechlessness. He would have to take a little time, indeed.
"I think it is overdue for me to rest in my room for a moment before I can make a decision", he informed the two of them and stood up. He wasn't sure if he would find sleep, but at least he could think about it in his room or meditate if he had to.
"All right. Are we still on course?", Ezra wanted to know. Because if Salya should actually stay - which he strongly hoped! - then they wouldn't have to drop her off on some planet anymore.
"Actually, we wanted to distribute food supplies to a few war refugees there anyway. So we stay on course", Hera explained. She didn't want to seem like she assumed that Kanan wouldn't bring himself to take care of Salya. It was just a precaution.
Kanan just nodded and left the room so that he could sort his mind in peace. Talking to Hera before Ezra stepped in had helped. But now he needed some rest and time to himself.
"Is ... is everything all right with him?" Ezra asked carefully to Hera.
~
When Salya was alone and uneasy, she tried to distract herself a little by concentrating on something else, so she kept practicing with the butterfly. She sat cross-legged on the sofa and focused on the device. For a short time she even succeeded!
Kanan stepped into the common room and intended to go straight to his room, but an interesting metal structure drew his attention elsewhere and he found himself watching Salya.
She sensed he was there. The butterfly was still intact at that point but then his presence made her more and more nervous and in the end it fell apart. Salya's eyes widened, startled.
"I'm sorry. It wasn't my intention to scare you", Kanan apologized quickly. He had just been curious what she was doing. "Apparently you are quite technically gifted", he stated.
Salya smiled sheepishly. "Thank you! The technology is not a problem for me! It never was. My father taught me all of this! Well sadly with the force it's a whole other story... I always had a bit of control problems. When I was asked to lift something, it usually flew halfway through the room. So he built this device for me that falls apart if you don't concentrate enough."
"Hm ... interesting. May I have a look?" In fact, Kanan had heard of some Jedi who liked to build small devices in their spare time, but mostly they limited themselves to devices that they did not need in their skills. This Device, on the other hand, should train force skills. Kanan was really curious.
Salya nodded. "Of course!" She handed him the small device with a shaky hand. "Sorry, I had to get my backpack for that ...", she explained guiltily.
Kanan smiled. "Don't worry! They are your things after all, you are not forbidden to take them. I'll give you your lightsabers back later, I promise. After all, they must mean a lot to you", he replied and took a closer look at the device.
At first he just examined it in his hand. But then he wanted to know how he could influence it with the Force. He picked it up and gave it an uneasy swing just to see how it reacted. The device fell apart. But with the threads it was easy to put back together. He tried again, resolving to serioulsy concentrate on it this time.
The mechanical butterfly flew in the air and soon its wings were flapping. Kanan watched Salya's reaction and made a little fun of it flying the butterfly once around her head before using the Force to gently set it down on her lap.
Salya's eyes widened with excitement and she giggled. "I've never managed to let the wings flap, but what else would I have expected from a Jedi Knight?", she said happily. "I like to build small things. Mostly the ones that helped me sneak out of the Empire unnoticed. For example, interference sensors or something with which I can send impulses to electronics, which then opens doors for me. Like my staff! I definitely got that from my father", she said while watching the butterfly.
Kanan smiled. Actually, he didn't like being called a Jedi Knight because he had never officially been named one. But she didn't know any better.
But when he saw Salya being so happy and enthusiastic ... then the dark side was completely gone and ... yes, it gave him hope that she could still be saved. For how could a girl who giggled so happily be rotten on the inside? It was going to be hard work!
Kanan realized that he had already made a decision. His old master would probably think of him to be crazy.
"I will try to ... - no, I'm going to teach you, Salya", Kanan said, remembering Master Yoda's words that there was no trying. He would do it. No matter what would become of it.