“Well, I don’t think it’s so strange that you had a dream with me in it,” Anakin began. “After all, we met last night right before you went to sleep.”
“Don’t flatter yourself. You’re not so terrific that I’d have a dream about you for no reason,” Tahiri retorted, her irritation showing in her flashing eyes.
Now she’s upset with me, Anakin thought with wonder.
“Don’t be annoyed, Tahiri,” he said. “I just thought that might be one explanation.”
“And what about the river, the storm, and the fact that my dream has always taken place here, on this moon, when I’ve lived in the desert all my life?” Tahiri asked in exasperation.
“Well, you said yourself that you can hardly remember anything about your life before the Sand People adopted you. Maybe you’ve been here before,” Anakin suggested.
“Been where?” Luke Skywalker asked his newest student as he walked up behind her. Tahiri whirled around to face the Jedi Master.
“Nowhere,” Tahiri huffed. She kicked back her chair and stalked from the table.
“Making friends so soon, young Anakin?” Luke asked with a smile. Anakin gave a feeble grin and then he, too, rose and left the table. He wanted to find Tahiri to apologize for whatever he’d done wrong. The girl talked too much, but she was his new friend and he didn’t want to hurt her feelings.
There was no time for Anakin to talk to Tahiri before the bell rang for the first class of the Junior Jedi Academy. Anakin walked into the Grand Audience Chamber and looked for her. He spotted her blonde hair in the third row and quickly slid in beside her. Tahiri pretended not to see him. Anakin tried to apologize, but she just stared at the large block walls to her left. Guess I’ll try later, Anakin thought. The large assembly hall walls were dark green blocks of stone. Polished wooden benches were set in rows. In the front of the room was a small platform. The students filed into the rows.
They spoke quietly as they waited for Luke Skywalker to enter the room. Some had never heard the Jedi Master speak. But even those who had were excited. Luke Skywalker was their hero. Luke walked silently into the room. He stepped onto the platform and began to speak to the newest and youngest class of the Jedi academy.
“The Jedi Code: A Jedi’s promise must be the most serious, the deepest commitment of his or her life. A Jedi’s strength flows from the Force, and a Jedi uses this strength not to seek adventure or excitement, for a Jedi is passive, calm, and at peace,” Luke explained.
The room was quiet as Luke Skywalker spoke. Tahiri even stopped running her bare feet along the smooth classroom floor. Anakin could feel the excitement in the room. Each of the twenty Jedi candidates was thrilled by Luke’s words.
“A Jedi knows that anger, fear, and aggression lead to the dark side,” continued Luke. “A Jedi uses the Force for knowledge and defense, never for attack. For a Jedi there is no `try,’ only `do.’ Believe and you succeed. Above all else, know that control of the Force comes
only
from concentration and training.”
Luke Skywalker stopped speaking and stood studying the students. He met each one’s gaze, pausing for a moment when he reached Anakin. He could already sense the power of the Force in the boy. It was so strong for one so young, he said to himself. Luke understood Leia and Han’s worry. When the Force was strong it attracted attention from evil men and women, who might want to use Anakin to serve the dark side. He would have to keep a sharp eye on his nephew. Then Luke moved on to Tahiri. He had a special place in his heart for the young girl. Tahiri was from Luke’s home planet of Tatooine. Luke had been a farm boy, raised by his aunt and uncle, Owen and Beru Lars. Luke had hated the desert planet. It was so hot and dry, and he had been bored-that is, until he met two droids that his uncle had purchased. Their names were See-Threepio and ArtooDetoo. The droids had come to Tatooine in search of the Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi.
They had a message for him from Princess Leia of Alderaan. She was being held prisoner by Darth Vader. Vader was an evil man who was overseeing construction of the Death Star-the Empire’s battle station. Luke followed ArtooDetoo to Obi-Wan, and the Jedi told Luke about his family. Obi-Wan said that Luke’s father had been a Jedi Knight and had been killed. Obi-Wan promised to train Luke. And that was how his life as a Jedi Knight had begun.
Luke looked at Tahiri. She was an orphan. Although no details were known about their deaths, her parents had been killed on Tatooine. Tahiri had been raised by the Sand People as their own. But Luke understood that Tahiri had never been one of the Sand People. She had been just as bored on Tatooine as he had been. On a recent trip to the planet, he and the Jedi Knight Tionne had immediately sensed the power of the Force within her. Tahiri was meant to be a Jedi Knight, Luke knew. But he also knew that someday Tahiri would have to make a choice. He had promised the Sand People that he would return Tahiri to Tatooine when she was ready to decide whether she wanted to remain with them or continue her training as a Jedi Knight. Luke hoped that she would choose to stay at the academy, but that would be her decision.