0.1 | video.

[t65]

Who: Luke Skywalker
Broadcast: Fleetwide (Accidental)
Action: Marsiva
When: 2/16

[Luke Skywalker is sitting pensively in front of one of the wide windows on the Marsiva's Hospitality Deck. Rather than staring out into the darkness of space, he's bent over a tiny silver disk in his hands. It's open, revealing a series of wires, something mechanical and complex. Lacking any proper tools of his own, Luke is replying it with careful fingers and, occasionally, teeth.]

[Lacking any proper supplies, he's forced to improvise. At one point, he removes the glove on his right hand. There's a burn over the back, but the flesh cracks open to reveal more wires and mechanistry. Luke pulls some wires out, breaks them and inserts them into the disk. It seems to cause some of the fingers on his hand to twitch irregularly, but the disk is repaired. He presses a button, and a little blue holograph of a smiling couple appears.]

[He stares at it for a little while.]

[Finally, Luke notices that he's being recorded.] Hello, there. How long have you been on, hm? [He reaches over and turns off the feed.]

[Actually wait. A second later, Luke turns the feed back on.] I suppose if all of this is being recorded, I ought to introduce myself. I'm Luke Skywalker. It's a pleasure to meet you. [His smile kind of... twitches.] All of you.

Comments

[t65]

Fourteen seems... so young. But I heard children started training even younger. [He finds it kind of baffling tbh.]

Oh, you made yours? I had thought they were passed down. My father had wanted me to have his...

[But anyway, it's #anakintime.] He sounds like a wonderful teacher. I never would have guessed... but I'm glad. I'm glad he has so much faith in you and others, especially. It's something I strive for, myself.

[resnipstance]

Not really. I mean, I was three when I was found and brought to the Temple, and that's about the cut-off point.

[Ahsoka nods at Luke's question.] That's right. It's kind of a ritual-- Obi-Wan didn't take you to Ilum? I guess if Anakin wanted you to have his, that makes sense, but...

[Oh. Ahsoka freezes for a microsecond. That sentence brings forth a mental image of Obi-Wan holding a dying Anakin as he tells Obi-Wan to give his lightsaber to his son. She shakes her head firmly, trying to clear it. She's been watching too many soap operas here. That's not going to happen. She looks back at Luke, trying to recover.]

... Good. You remind me of him, too. I know he's a bit shaken up at the moment, but-- give it some time. He'll definitely be proud.

[t65]

I'd heard. What happens when- when someone older than three is sensitive to the Force?

No, he... didn't have time. [He's only somber for a moment, though.] What is Ilum like?

I do? [starsineyes.gif] Well- thank you. I hope he's alright...? He seemed... in a hurry, when we spoke.

[resnipstance]

Usually? Not much. The Order won't take them in. And without any training, a person could go all their life being Force-sensitive and never know it. [Much like Luke spent the first two decades of his life.]

["He didn't have time," is kind of an ominous statement, but Ahsoka doesn't want to dwell on that. She concentrates on the question Luke asked, instead.] Ilum? ... Cold, for the most part. Mostly snow and ice. But it's home to a kyber crystal cavern, so... [So they go there. She shrugs.]

As for Anakin... he'll come around. He's had a lot on his plate lately. ... We all have.

[t65]

That... seems like a terrible waste. [He kind of cringes, not wanting to insult her Order or lie about his feelings.]

You mean you don't make your crystals?

[He smiles calmly, voice one of quiet conviction,] I know he will.

[resnipstance]

[Honestly, Ahsoka isn't sure how she feels about it herself.]

Well... the Code states that Jedi are not supposed to have attachments. We're supposed to have compassion and love for all living things, but be able to let them go when the time comes. If you can't let go... you can become trapped by anger, or hatred, or fear. Which in turn leads to the Dark Side. The theory goes that if you wait too long to instill these values in younglings, it's too late.

But that said... I've seen even exemplary Jedi turn to the Dark Side. And then there's Anakin, who came to the Temple six years too late and is the most attached Jedi I've ever known... and he hasn't turned to the Dark Side. Plus, there's Master Sunrider and Vima. Mother and daughter. And they're amazing Jedi. So... between you and me, I'm-- I'm not sure anymore if the Council is actually right on that one.

[t65]

[Luke listens and quietly considers this. He takes a little bit to respond, trying to think of how to phrase it. Finally,]

The greatest Jedi I ever knew would have been lost to darkness if not for their attachments. I'd have to agree with your instincts as well. From what I have seen myself, it seems that fear, rather than love, is the most dangerous thing to a Jedi. I wouldn't count attachment as a weakness.

[And then the self-confident posture resides, a little, and the boyish smile and sloped shoulders return,] But I might be a little biased. Ben only started training me when I was nineteen.

1/2

[resnipstance]

Nineteen?!

[resnipstance]

That's-- that's insane! Why wait so long?

[t65]

[He dips his head, a little bit bashful, a little bit amused. With perhaps more humor than is strictly appropriate for Ahsoka's apparent horror, he says,]

I never asked. I suppose he was waiting for me to be ready; I would have been hopeless at three.

I'M SORRY

[resnipstance]

Well, that's kind of the point. Everyone's hopeless when they first start out...

... I guess ... Obi-Wan knows what he's doing. I'm sure he had a good reason. Whatever it was.

u monster.

[t65]

[He's still smiling.]

No, no, I think it was more likely he was trying to keep me safe. That, and I don't think my aunt and uncle would have appreciated it.

that's me

[resnipstance]

... Your aunt and uncle? Why not?

[Anakin never talks to Ahsoka about his family on Tatooine. She's a bit curious to know what they're like.]

[t65]

Well... they didn't want me to end up like my father. They thought he was too reckless, and didn't want to encourage me. I was desperate to get off planet and always asking about my parents; I can understand their concern. [Now. Not then, but, you know, now.]

[resnipstance]

[Ahsoka grins.]

Anakin is pretty reckless. It's true.

But then again, so am I. Sometimes I think that's why Master Yoda assigned me to him. You know, taste of his own medicine.

[t65]

[He grins.] Then it seems you're evenly matched.

Is that how it worked, then? Padawans were... assigned by Yoda? [More things to do when he has more people to teach than his sister.]

[resnipstance]

Oh-- not usually, no. Not at all.

Usually Jedi are supposed to choose their own padawan. I was an exception. I'm still not really sure why.

[t65]

[He sighs, a little.] You know, the more I hear about the Old Order, the less I understand.

[resnipstance]

[Ahsoka smiles despite herself.]

... Sorry. I guess it must all sound a bit strange to someone who didn't grow up with it.

[t65]

No, no, it's not that bad. [Her smile is immensely reassuring. Some part of him still expects the quiet disappointment of Yoda and, occasionally, Ben.] I knew so little before, and it turns out I know even less than I thought. But perhaps that means this is just an opportunity for me to learn.

[resnipstance]

[She can't help but be cheered by his optimism.]

Yeah! That's the spirit!

[t65]

[And her cheer cheers him in turn, like an endless loop of brightly-colored G-rated cartoon characters high-fiving.]

You know this means I'll start coming to you with questions eventually. I hope you know what you're getting in to.

[resnipstance]

"Eventually"?

[I mean, isn't that what you've already been doing for the last twenty minutes?]

[t65]

[He starts laughing.] Eventually, I'll come to you with even more questions.

[resnipstance]

[Ahsoka chuckles also.]

I think I can hack it. It might be a nice change of pace, being the teacher instead of the student, for once.