New Beginnings

Chapter 17: Setting Off

Maya POV

The next morning I sat up in bed and rubbed my eyes, I was right on time waking up, as usual, so I got out of bed and got dressed before going to get breakfast. As I was walking down the hall and I heard my name being called I turned around and I say Jay running over.

"Hey Maya."

"Oh hey Jay, what's up?"

"I heard that you might be going going back to Tatooine! Is that true Maya?"

"Ya it's true, but how did you even know that?"

"Maya, nearly everyone here knows.  Is it true that you might be leaving?"

"I don't know Jay."  I sighed. "If I find my parents I might be staying with them so I could be leaving the order, but to be honest I don't know what I'm doing Jay."

"Maya if you leave you won't be able to come back."

"I know that Jay Rendal and Alexa told me about that. If I do leave the order it is my choice and I need to be with my parents. I haven't seen them since I was little! I actually thought they were dead so I need to know what happened. Anyway, I'm going to the mess hall to get breakfast want to join me?"

"Ya sure."  He nodded and we walked to the mess hall.

We came in and went to get a tray and waited in the line. Once we got our breakfast on the tray we went to find a table.

"There is a empty one over there."  Jay pointed out.

"Great."  We immediately went over to it before someone else could take it and sat down. However not long after we started eating I heard a group of padawans at the other table behind us were talking, at first I tried to ignore them, but then I realised they were talking about me.

"That Maya one is probably going to leave the Order, can you believe it?"  One of them said.

"Of course I can believe it, she's Skywalker's padawan, all of his padawans have left at one point or another. She'll probably be like Alexa Arnjard and come back crawling on her hands and knees asking to be let back in!"  They laughed.

"If, or rather when, she does I hope that Master Yoda says no, someone like Maya will never really be loyal to the Jedi or the Republic and doesn't deserve a place with us!"

"Yeah!"  The others agreed.

I looked down trying not to let those other padawans get to me, but they kept laughing and I couldn't take it.

"Maya are you ok?"  Jay asked, noticing that I had become tense.

"I have to go."  I replied suddenly before getting up from the table and storming out of the mess hall! I heard Jay call me back, but I just ignored him. As soon as I was around the corner I felt tears go down my cheeks.

I leant back against a nearby wall and buried my head in my hands. Then I heard my name being called I turned and saw Jay walking over to me.

"Maya are you ok?"

"Ya ya I'm fine." I lied.

"No your not Maya."  He replied shaking his head.

"Then why did you even ask if you knew that I wasn't?"  I snapped.

"Maya calm down."

"I can't calm down! Those other padawans were talking about me laughing at me because they think I'll leave and I'll be skywalker a third padawan to leave! Why....? Why did people here have to find out that I'm going back to Tatooine to find my parents?! Why can't they just mind their own business?! I...I don't know what to do Jay!"

"Maya everything will be fine just don't listen to those meanies! You are far to awesome to have care about anything they say!"

I calmed down a bit and I gave a bit of a laugh.

"Thanks Jay, thanks for making be feel better."

"Your welcome Maya."  He replied as I wiped the tears away.

Anakin POV

Around lunchtime I went and found my padawan, I knew this wasn't going to be easy for her, but if she wanted to find her parents then this was the only way and we had to leave now. When I found her she was sitting on her bed with her knees pressed back against her chest while the few possessions she had were in" the bag next to her bed on the floor.

"Maya?"  I asked coming in.  You ready to go?"  She nodded, though I knew she wasn't.  "You sure?"

"Yeah."  She replied quietly.

"But aren't there a few people you want to say goodbye to?"

I stepped aside to let her see Jay, Rendal and Alexa all standing in the corridor waiting to say farewell to her.

There for a second I could have sworn I saw her crack a smile, but it was gone so fast I wondered if I might have been seeing things. So I helped her off the bed then stood back to watched as she went to hug her friends.

"Goodbye Jay, I'll miss you." She said before giving him a minuscule hug.

"I'll miss you too Maya."  The boy replied then Maya went over to Rendal.

"Take care of yourself, alright?"  He said ruffling her hair a little and she nodded though I noticed a few tears leak from her eyes.

"I will, bye Rendal.'

The last person she needed to say goodbye to was Alexa and I knew this was going to be the hardest person she had to leave today. The girl slowly walked over to the Togruta, as if taking the smallest steps and dragging this out meant that she could stay here for longer and prolong the necessary goodbye. However she eventually came to stand in front of her friend and for a moment they just looked at each other, then Alexa dropped down to Maya's height and gripped her in one of her almost bone-crushing hugs! It was then that the waterworks turned on for both of them! I stood shocked for a few moments as it wasn't often you saw Alexa or Maya cry much less both of them together.

"Oh Maya, please promise me you'll try and stay safe!"  Alexa begged as she held her friend tightly to her.

"I promise! I promise I will stay safe and I promise that no matter what happens I will come back and see you!"  The girl cried and buried her head in Alexa's chest.

"Thank you."  She whispered in reply before starting to gently stroke her back and try to calm her down.  "Now.... Sh.... Things are going to be ok.... We'll see each other again, just like you said, I know we will."

"But it could take forever! I'll miss you too much!"

"And I'll miss you, but we each have own path we must follow.  Mine is here with the Jedi, if yours is with your parents then you will follow it there, but no matter what happens I feel certain our paths will cross again."

I noticed Maya give her a small smile and I wished the two of them had more time to say goodbye, but unfortunately if we didn't leave now we wouldn't have time to make it to the Outer Rim and then start looking for Maya's parents.

"I'm sorry Maya, but it's time to go."

She sighed and nodded, quickly squeezing Alexa one last time before walking back in her room to get her bag then coming out ready to leave.  I felt an unending sense of sadness as we walked to the hangar and boarded the ship, we waved to the others and they waved back just before took off headed for Tatooine.  Sigh.  I hope Maya knows what she's doing.