Consequences

Chapter 2 - Training

A cool afternoon breeze blows through the trees as I sit on a rock watching Luke train with Yoda. It's been a day since I arrived here, and I'm finally beginning to come to terms with everything I heard yesterday. I'd spent a long time thinking about why this happened. I've never heard of time travel actually happening before, so the only conclusion I could reach is that it has to do with what was happening right before I appeared. I was on the verge of refusing to rejoin the Order, but obviously, the Force didn't like what was going to happen if I did. It sent me here to prevent this future from occurring – that is, if I can even go back. That's not something I'll be pondering right now.

But could I really prevent all this simply by staying in the Order? I shake my head in confusion. That seems more than a little unlikely. I'll have to do more than just stay. I'll have to do everything I can to take apart Sidious's plans before they can culminate, but I won't be able to do it alone. I don't even know what to do.

For as long as I'm here, however long that's going to be, I'll do what I can to aid in the fight against the Empire. I'll stay with Luke to help and protect him however I can. While I'm here, I can also find out as much as possible about the rise of the Empire so that once I get back home, I'll know what to do to prevent this.

Luke is currently doing a handstand, with Yoda balancing on his feet. Luke focuses on a rock and it slowly levitates off the ground before coming to rest on another one nearby.

When I watch, I can't help but think about the lifetime ago when Yoda was training me. It all feels so foreign to me now. I don't know what to do. I want to stay in the Order with Anakin, I really do, but how can I? I understand it now, that the Jedi had become corrupted. I can't help but think back to what Barriss was saying. She was right, in a way. It doesn't justify her actions by any means, but she was right that the Jedi are corrupted, and the Republic will fall.

It's difficult to ignore the surge of bitterness and betrayal rising inside of me as I continue to watch Yoda. I always used to have great respect for him, and to an extent, I still do even now, but... He's one of the most perceptive Jedi who is strongly attuned to the Force. Why could he not sense that I was telling the truth when I spoke to the Council in the chamber of judgement, or at the very least, realize that there was more going than met the eye? Or did he realize that but was too concerned with the opinion of the Senate? Did any of them even bother to look at the evidence before just abandoning me? They must not have. If they had, there's no way they could have done what they did.

Suddenly, Artoo rolls over, beeping frantically, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"What?" I wonder. Distracted, Luke loses his balance and falls onto the ground.

"Concentrate!" Yoda scolds as he hastily leaps clear to avoid being squashed.

I try my best not to burst out laughing right then and there but fail spectacularly. It's certainly the most amusing sight I've seen since I came to the future. Maybe in a long time. It's hard to say which is funnier: the expression of near alarm on the Grand Jedi Master's face as he jumps out of the way with only seconds to spare, or the resemblance of Anakin landing on his head. Yoda hits me with his stick as I desperately attempt to stifle more laughter.

Artoo rolls further towards us as Luke stands up. From what he's saying, it sounds like something might have happened to the fighter Luke landed here in. Still trying to suppress my laughter, I stand up and walk over to the water's edge, along with a worried Luke. Sure enough, the X-wing he came here in has sunk into the water.

"Oh, no. We'll never get it out now," he groans. I can almost concur with the statement. Almost. It's definitely bigger than anything I've lifted before, but there's no reason we couldn't do it together. Besides, I've been in endless impossible situations before, courtesy of Anakin.