Chapter 2.3

The next morning, after warming up during a workout and taking a shower, we went to have breakfast. After that, we had two lectures - botany and racial studies. Botany was a new lesson, and we were taught not everything in the galaxy, of course, but only the most common useful and dangerous plants. And where there is the science of plants, there is also the science of animals. So, soon, as it seems to me, we will also be taught zoology.

It's funny, but if you think about it, Anakin Skywalker, immediately taken by Kenobi, was at least deprived of most of all this. He was undoubtedly taught something, to a former slave, but hardly to the same extent. And yet he is here, in the Temple...

After lunch, our group went to the gym, where after a warm-up, the mentor began to teach us again, in the sense of educating us. And this is bad. It means that we have several more lessons of repetition, assimilation, and only then sparring. Hmm.

A couple of weeks after that incident, we started learning another subject - General Technologies. And everything would have been cool for me if it weren't for the way the knowledge was presented. I understand that these are children and all that, but what was it like for me, feeling how time was slipping away, sitting in a crowd of little kids listening to fairy tales about a little repulsor that went traveling through the galaxy?! Damn, a damn repulsor! I was so annoyed that after another sideways glance from the mentor, who apparently sensed something, I spat on this fairy tale and began to meditate.

In general, I couldn't stand it. And after this... lecture, I approached the mentor.

"Umm...uh...um..." I forgot his name.

"I'm listening to you, Rein. Do you have a question? Don't be shy, speak," the man said with a smile.

"Mentor," I began. "My father is a technician."

"Is that so?"

"And he has a very good memory."

"Oh."

"I know what a repulsor is. I know what it consists of, what generators it runs on, the most common types of malfunctions. I know where they can be installed, where they can't, and why. I am aware of safety procedures when working with them."

"That's... " he didn't immediately find what to answer, "very good."

"Now be careful, Leha, the main thing is not to offend anyone. A five-year-old child who is being insulting is much more suspicious than the same child who speaks so connectedly. Especially after that. Or am I overreacting?"

"Mentor, could you give me something to read... well... so that I can... for self-education?"

"Really, personal datapads will only be issued to you in a couple of months..."

"I have money," I interrupted him. "My dad gave them to me. Maybe you could buy me a datapad earlier?"

"You're in a hurry," he patted my head. "The thing is, along with the datapad, they'll also allocate you some free time, and when will you have time to read now?"

Damn, he was right. I already got up as early as I could. By the way, interesting information.

"During meals," I replied. "During jogging. When we walk from room to room. Plee-ease."

"Okay, okay. Hehe, what kind of children have appeared. You'll get a datapad."

"Thank you," I was thrilled.

"Okay, go catch up with your classmates. You'll have a gift for the next lesson."

"I have a chip with money in my bed-"

"Wait, wait, no need for any money. I'll get you the standard one. You'll just get it a little earlier than the others. Now go, run."

And I ran, trying to wipe the smile off my face. That was lucky. I thought at best they'd give me some tablet where they'd download textbooks. But here it is - a datapad. My father had one, so I know what it is. If you try to express it in one word, it would be a laptop. Almost identical in functions, if transferred to the Star Wars universe. Only the datapad is smaller in size and doesn't fold like a book, although maybe there are such ones. And even though I'll get it only a couple of months earlier, two months is a hell of a long time. I hope they don't cut off my access to the holonet.

On the next lesson of hand-to-hand combat, we started sparring again. It was like a day of gifts or something. However, I didn't break anything this time, except for a few good punches. As I lay on the mats after yet another fall, I tried to understand what was going on. I had done everything right - detached myself from reality, almost entering a trance state, constantly feeling the Force flowing around me. But still, I was getting hit and falling to the ground. Ram, at first surprised and even excited, started hissing something lively, but by the end, he was acting uncertainly himself. He clearly couldn't understand what was happening, but even his childish understanding was enough to realize that something was off. Yesterday's strongest boy couldn't be losing so badly in the duel.

"Rein," the instructor approached me, "are you okay? Does anything hurt? Maybe your head? You're not feeling dizzy? Stomach?"

Maybe it was because I had delved too deeply into the trance state? After all, it's said that you need to feel the Force, not meditate during combat.

"Rein?" the man sitting next to me on his haunches shook me by the shoulder.

"Huh? Oh, sorry, coach," I jumped up from the floor. "I was lost in thought."

"Yeah? Maybe that's why you lost?"

"Probably," I lowered my head.

"Let's step aside," he stood up. And clapping his hands, he raised his voice, "Five-minute break." Then, motioning me to follow him, he walked away about five meters from the main group of children. "Explain to me, youngling, what did you want to achieve in sparring?"

"Oh, crap, my head is so thick. The mentor couldn't have missed that I'm not just sick, but trying to work with the Force. Well, it's my own fault - I got carried away," I thought to myself.

"I... um... uh..." I hesitated, but the mentor didn't push me to speak. He just stood there patiently waiting.

"I was trying to meditate," I finally blurted out, trying not to outright lie. After all, I was supposed to be too young to know about how Jedi deflect blaster bolts... Wait, I'm such an idiot. My dad used to be a Padawan.

"My dad told me that Jedi can predict attacks," I said, still not looking up. "Deflect blaster bolts with their lightsabers. So I thought... maybe I could too..."

"To do that, Rain, you need to learn to sense the Force. And you won't be taught that for several months," the trainer said. And after a pause, he added, "One and a half months, to be precise. Without that, at best, you won't be able to do anything. At worst, you could harm yourself and those around you."

"But I can do it!" I exclaimed, hoping I sounded childish enough. "Kor Chu-tal taught me meditation when he brought me here. I can feel the Force!"

"Well... well, well..." the mentor said, clearly surprised. "That's interesting. And how long did it take you to learn to meditate?"

"Um... four days," I tried to remember. "Is that slow or normal? Rama and Palatt studied for about a month, but with a teacher like me, it's... I mean, it's hard to believe that I'm so special, but then again, I've long realized that I'm not the center of the universe."

"Hmm," the mentor said thoughtfully.

"Slow, right?" I said, pretending to be sad.

"Well, it depends. Some take longer to learn," he said. "But not at four years old," he finally added. "So what should we do with you?" he muttered to himself.

"Understand and forgive?" I couldn't help but quip.

"What?" the man coughed. "I meant, what do we do about your training?" I dropped my head again and even kicked my foot. "Never mind, let's continue the lesson. We'll talk about this later."

"And Rama and Palatt can sense the Force too," I added, trying to blend in more and not stand out.

"What? Well, you know... And they... No, that's all. It's time to continue the lesson. We'll deal with you later."

The conversation resumed only in the evening before bed, with our group's curator. He called me, Togrut and Tisspianca over and led us to a hallway where he sat down on one of the stone benches. As you may have guessed - they were made of stone. After a moment of silence, he looked at us and asked, "How long have you been meditating?" And before I could answer, he added, "I already know about you," and smiled, waving his hand at me. "But what about you younglings? How long have you been doing this?"

After a brief pause, Palatt answered for both of us, "Four months."

"And how long did you study?" the man asked another question.

"Uh... a month," I replied, feeling embarrassed. "Slow, huh?"

"You've done very well, younglings, very well," nodded the curator. "You've managed to meet the standard for your age. As far as it's even possible." I was completely confused. What about my result? Was I really that good? I'm stuck. Of course, I'm good with my adult consciousness, unlike these children. It's much easier for me to concentrate on something.

"The problem is that you jumped ahead of the game," the curator continued. "It's like learning to dance without learning how to walk first. Right now, you have a very high chance of breaking your legs while dancing. Just one mistake..." - He pursed his lips.

Maybe that's why I can't learn to dodge blows? While a beginner relies on instincts, I engage my brain. So, if an ordinary youngling has to obey their instincts, I have to awaken them. So, think about it, Leha, is this good or bad?

"What do we do now?" I asked the man. The snake-people with the redskins seemed to slump after the curator's words, as if they had done something wrong and were caught. So, I had to take the conversation into my own hands.

"Learn, little one, learn," the blonde smiled. "Very soon your group will be disbanded. You'll be housed in groups of five in a room and provided with some things. Like a datapad... and an alarm clock," the blonde smiled. "And, of course, you'll have personal time, which you can spend on sleep or choose an additional subject for study. Beyond the standard program. And the program itself will change. You'll finally start to learn the mysteries of the Force."

"And what's the point of this conversation?"

"I didn't understand, Master Spock, what should we do now? Or do you mean that we don't have to do anything?"

"Well, you can do nothing," the Jedi grinned, "but we don't want to let everything run its course, do we?"

"No, we don't," I sighed.

"Then let's start by finding out what you've already learned."

First, he questioned Rama and Pala. It turned out that the children were still trying to slow down the movement of the Force inside their bodies. Honestly, I thought they had already passed this stage. But there you go. After their words, the happy curator explained that we were on the right track - meditation was created for this purpose, to come into balance with the Force. It was only later that meditation was adapted for other purposes, but beginners are taught this - to calm the Force inside themselves. However, these two vertebrates seem to be struggling with this. As I understood from Spock's explanations, first, younglings are taught to feel the Force and use that feeling, and only then meditation, which allows them to work directly with it. And if that's the case, then the dancing analogy is incorrect. We'll probably spend the rest of our lives walking with a limp. It won't affect walking itself much, but we won't be able to learn another dance. Or it will be difficult.

When the curator began questioning the boys, I was about to downplay my achievements so as not to stand out, but as soon as he started explaining what meditation was and what it entailed, I started to reconsider. Maybe it wasn't such a bad idea after all. On the other hand, I didn't want to push myself too hard and risk burning out. I hadn't come that far yet.

"Well, Reine," the blonde boy said to me, "let's find out what you've accomplished."

"Uh, well..." I hesitated, unsure of what to say. Should I confess everything, or keep some things to myself? "I've been using the Force to strengthen my body," I finally admitted, hanging my head in shame.

"So you can control the Force within your own body?" the Jedi nodded. "Well, you've always been a talented kid." After a moment's pause, he continued, "It's too late to do anything about it tonight, but let's go to the meditation hall tomorrow and you can show me what you can do. By the way, when did you start practicing?"

"Before bed. About two hours a night. And in lectures, whenever I can," I replied.

"Two hours a night," the man repeated thoughtfully. "And lectures don't count. Interesting. Well, it's getting late. You should all go to bed now." He paused before adding, "You know... never mind. Go to bed."

He didn't tell us what would come of all this.