[Junior Jedi Knights] - 03(10)

“I knew that this moment would come. That you would learn that I was the cause of your parents ‘ death, and that I made a promise to save your life, which bought you six more years, but years of not knowing your own history. Still, I don’t think I could ever have prepared myself for the hatred you must feel for me. Perhaps I am as weak as Vexa believes me to be, after all.”

Tahiri studied the Raider who had been a father to her, the only father she remembered. She thought of her parents, whom she’d just learned had been very much in love, and who had died because of a misunderstanding. Her fingers caressed the thumbprints of her pendant, and then she spoke.

“I don’t hate you, Sliven,” Tahiri began. “You didn’t strike my parents down. And those who did thought they were protecting you. My parents cared for you because they chose to, just as you chose to care for me. And I know now that you cared,” Tahiri added. “One other thing: Caring doesn’t make you weak-it’s what made my parents ‘ love strong, and what makes my friendship with Anakin strong.” Tahiri paused to understand the jumble of her thoughts before she continued. “What I choose to do now isn’t on your shoulders, Sliven,” Tahiri stated. “You bought me my life, and now what I do with that life is my decision. I’ve accepted, not because I had to, but because I know it’s the right thing for me to do. I owe you thanks for my life, and for being the man I know as my father. And if I survive, I want your thumbprint in a pendant next to those of my parents.”

Anakin met his friend’s gaze. He was surprised by her ability to understand Sliven’s motives. There was no anger in her voice, only acceptance and peace. Sliven rose and nodded at Tahiri before he left the two Jedi candidates alone. It was clear that Tahiri had deeply moved him. Anakin reached over and touched Tahiri’s shoulder as he watched crystal tears run slowly down her face. They were sad tears, but at the same time they were good. Tahiri now knew who she was, and in the knowing she was free to become a Jedi Knight, if she chose.



Massive hands gripped the front of Anakin’s Jedi academy jumpsuit and hauled him to his feet. He shook his grogginess off like a bad dream and prepared to fight. Tahiri, too, was ripped to a standing position. Anakin’s ice blue eyes swept over the situation. They were surrounded by Raiders, who growled and snarled madly.

“Tahiri,” he said roughly, “are you all right?”

“Fine,” Tahiri replied in a voice still coated with sleep. Together they were pushed toward Sliven, who sat alone in the sands.

What is going on? Anakin thought, trying to control the confusion he felt at their treatment.

“It must be time,” Tahiri replied.

Anakin saw that pale pink scribbles of dawn had bathed the golden sands in soft rose. Some wake-up call, he thought grumpily. Sliven nodded once at Anakin and Tahiri, then allowed five Raiders to take them to their waiting banthas. The large animals stood silently, their long, shaggy brown coats curling down to the sand. The Jedi candidates were barely settled aboard Bangor when a loud grunt signaled the banthas to ride. Anakin noted that Tahiri didn’t look back at Sliven as they started across the dunes with a dull kick of sand. He didn’t see Tionne watching as they raced off, a small humanoid Jedi Knight surrounded by a crowd of Raiders. If Anakin had seen Tionne, he would have been alarmed at the look of worry and fear written across her features. A day passed, then another. The only sounds in the desert were the crunch of ban.tha hooves. The terrain stretched out endlessly as Bangor followed the five Raiders deeper into the desert. The group stopped twice each day-once during the sweltering heat of midday to sip water and eat brown lumps of food, which tasted vile and which Anakin didn’t want identified, and at night, when the suns set and the desert became so cold that his fingers grew numb.

Then Anakin huddled with Tahiri beneath the thin blanket the Raiders provided. That afternoon, the group had climbed quickly through low, sand-colored mountains. Anakin had sensed fear in the fierce Raiders. He’d been too hot and tired to ask Tahiri ‘what they could possibly be afraid of. Now, as they lay against Bangor for warmth beneath the dark covers of the night sky, Anakin was once again too exhausted to talk. He watched Tahiri scratch her bantha’s scruffy neck. The creature stared at Tahiri with soft brown eyes, and Anakin could sense the bond between them. He fell off into a dreamless sleep. Thoughts of how he and Tahiri were going to survive in the desert without food and water slid unanswered to the sand. They would wait in this spot until tomorrow. There was no water in the Dune Sea. Not that Anakin had expected any as they traveled through the sea-a vast desert expanse that stretched thousands of kilometers. It was hard to believe that an area could be more barren than the desert and the Jundland Wastes.