Imperial Honor: Restoration

                                                                                 

Chapter 1

Our light sabers make those weird electronic noises that send an eerie, tingling sensation through my body. Our feet scatter pebbles across the rocks. The air radiates heat and sizzles from our light saber's impacts.

Eeth twirls, but instead of his light saber coming from the side, it comes down from above.

I block it, and then use the Force to shove him back. Still in mid-pose with the light saber at about a forty-five degree angle to the ground, he slides backwards, sending small rocks clattering down the ravine, eventually splashing into water.

We're near the top of our waterfall, possibly for the last time.

Eeth obviously knows what I'm trying to do, and maneuvers himself away from the waterfall. Nothing subtle – just dodges to the side.

I leap up, flipping myself over him, using the Force to stabilize myself. How did I fight before I knew I could do this? I bring my light saber down, hoping to force him towards the water fall again, but he blocks my attack, rather than side-stepping it.

We continue to trade blows, Eeth struggling to stay away from the water fall; I continue to press him. He continually frustrates me by not turning his back towards the edge. A simple Force push will not do it.

So I side-swipe him.

I take a half-step back, and make to lunge at him with the water fall on my right. He braces for an impact, and then I use the Force at a ninety degree angle.

Pushing out with the Force is easy, and can almost be done without thought – in fact, it probably is. But I don't simply push out with the Force – I imagine it coming from a spot about a meter to his right, shoving him sideways. It's easiest to imagine the Force coming from you; your hand, your chest, even your foot. However, I had noticed that wasn't really necessary. You can imagine the Force – the energy, I suppose – coming from anywhere.

So I pictured it coming from a spot less than a meter from his side, surprising him, and knocking him down into the water fall's pool.

"You're all wet, Master Eeth," I say, smiling down at him.

He just laughs, and leaps up to the top of the cliff next to me.

"Well done," he says.

His light saber is out, so I turn off mine.

He paused, looking at me for a moment.

"It seems like a long time ago, but I was once in your position," he said. "An apprentice, with many years of study, about to be made a Jedi Knight. In those days, member of the Council did the job. I've done it a few times, although Yoda usually preferred to do the job himself. Make one final check of the – the apprentice. I've been thinking of this for a while now. I know you have a contention with me doing things in the old way – but sometimes the old ways are best. Kneel."

A bit startled, I do as he commands.

"Having completed the trials set before you – having trained at my side and far distant from me-" He ignites his light saber, and holds it over my head. "I, Eeth Koth, sole surviving Jedi Master, declare you to be a Jedi Knight."

He deactivated his light saber, and I slowly stand. Behind him, I can see the shimmering image of Odana Ano, and two human males in Jedi robes. One had long, blond hair; the other short brown hair. Both were bearded.