From the holo-diary of Aran Liander: Jedi Apprentice

(Sorry this post doesn't have much action, but I have several things I have to set up before that can happen)


981 ARR

After the harrowing events of my first day, for the last week I've been laying low and keeping away from the impervious gaze of the stone-cold stormtroopers. I've been a good little dutiful Imperial boy; I turn my homework in on time, I get good grades, I don't cause a fuss, and I stay out of the hulking Imperial Youth Instructors. If I still had the power, I would have those three thugs carted away to prison long ago; they have done so many horrible things to the weaker students and from their evil glowers sent towards me during school-hours, I have a dark sense of foreboding that they are wanting to get back at me for beating them so badly. The grown ups at the school aren't that much better than the students. They can be quite cruel and vindictive, especially to those not graced in a certain class or skill. One teacher screamed a girl into tears because she couldn't do some of the higher up math; what the barve didn't know was that she was a whiz in history and galactic literature. Some people truly have no understanding and it sickens me to see the treatment of these poor people.
Nothing much happened until today. The day started off badly with Natalie shaking me awake, a frightened look painted across her features.
“Rune...Rune, what's the matter?” For a moment I had been confused-my Master had just been dying in my arms and everything was smoking and bleeding and-. Then it all snapped back into place.
“N-nothing, ma'am. Just-just a nightmare.” I shut my eyes again, whispering.
“I'm sorry to have disturbed you.” I felt Natalie's hand against my face and I resisted the urge to flinch. These people, as well as everyone I'd met outside the Jedi Order, were a lot more physical than I was used to. I felt ashamed that it bothered me so, but I couldn't change the fact that it unsettled me a little. They weren't doing anything wrong- it was completely normal in the regular world- but I wasn't regular or normal was I?
All through breakfast, Natalie stared at me over her cup of caf, as if she was worried that I'd fall from my chair, screaming and crying like I'd lost my arm. The air had been steadily getting colder and I vehemently wished I had warmer clothes to wear to school; however, due to 'Imperial Rules' jackets weren't aloud to be worn on the school's premises. When I'd stepped onto the crowded hover-bus, I saw the Imperial Youth Instructors glaring at me from the back. Keeping my gaze from theirs, burning with embarrassment that I wasn't able to use my Jedi status on these bullies, I sat down and gazed out the grimy window, watching as the cityscape rushed passed me in a blur of gray and silver.
Classes were as awful as usual and I hated myself for having to take notes on their Bantha crap. By the time lunch rolled along, I was so relived that I didn't notice that someone had taken a seat before me at the lunch table. I blinked, sitting back, muscles taut. When I realized it was just the girl who sat next to me in history-Kayla, that's her name, I relaxed and dipped my spoon into the soup which smelled like sour Corellian wine. I tried a bit and nearly spit it back into the bowel, the extremely hot liquid tasting worse than it smelled.
“Rune...I saw what you did the other day when you stood up to those bullies.” I looked back up at her, fighting back the sour-induced tears in my eyes. She smiled and looked shyly down at her hands, folded before her bowl of soup.
“Well...I admired what you did. You are by far the nicest person here.” She looked up at me with ivory blue eyes and smiled again. I felt a strange sense of unease, yet I sensed no dark intent from her. She really did mean what she said. I shrugged and plastered a smile onto my face as I tried the soup again, this time trying to take little sips.
“It was nothing; I just don't like seeing people hurt others. It isn't right.” The girl looked over her shoulder warily and leaned forward.
“I agree; I don't like how much this school has changed since--” Than her face blanched and she looked away, looking ready to bolt. I reached a hand out.
“No, Kayla, it's okay. I agree with you too.” She looked at me with wide, frightened eyes and nodded, sitting down.
“You need to be careful,” she said, glancing askance towards the three thugs who sat across the room.
“Your smart; I can tell, even though you are trying very hard to hide it. And I saw what you did to those three boys- you had such amazing reflexes.” She gave me a significant look.
“They might just try and enlist you into the Imperial Academy. But before they do, they'll want to teach you a lesson for beating them like they did.” Then a squeaky voice shouted
“Kayla! Kayla, come sit with us!” Kayla looked up at me with an apologetic glance, and stood.
“Sorry Rune, but -” she nodded to a glamorous looking girl with glossy brown tresses and too much make up who was waving animatedly towards our table.
“Go ahead,” I told her and Kayla stood up, rushing towards the beauty-queen girl, her long, red hair slashing the air like sheets of fire in an amber sky. The glamorous girl caught sight of me and I looked away, hoping she didn't think I was staring at her. I hardly ever stared at anyone and she was definitely not my type.
Why am I even talking about that?
Anyway, after class, when I got home, I decided to meditate on the questions I had, especially whether or not I should trust Kayla and the worrisome thought that I might get sent to the Imperial Academy. I would rather die than go to that hell-hole of a place.
I had been sitting there for a long time, immersed in the Force for the first time in what seemed like a trillion lifetimes, soaking it all in, when the door opened.
“Rune, what are you doing?” My eyes snapped open and I jerked quickly out of my meditation posture, my face flooding with heat and blood.
“Uhh, nothing, ma'am. I'm just-just tired after school, you know.” I mentally crossed my fingers, forcing my face to remain blank as Natalie gives me a bizarre look.
I really need to be more careful. Maybe I should re-think trusting Kayla. I shouldn't really trust anyone-not even Natalie and Ben who have been so good to me.
Some Jedi Knight I'm turning out to be...I don't know how they do it-did it.
May the Force be with you.

Aran Liander