Form VII:Vaapad

Young-ling, Veratrum Rostu.

62 BBY (Before The Battle Of Yavin.) late Republic era.

Veratrum watched the high walls and played with the unshielded saber in her hands. She fiddled with it over and over while she waited for them to collect her from her room. Her room was plain and simple. She had drawings all over of Haruun-Kal. She had drum skins she had been too wary to make drums just yet, as the Order had asked her not to meddle with things that were not hers. Yet they had always been hers back home. Her mother used to play drums all the time, as well as carry on her her back as they looked for food in the jungle. She loved the place here, and the temples but she also still held on too much to the past. Her home planet. And perhaps, other than I it was dangerous. That is why Mace Windu reused to talk about when they got together, to get her new Kyber crystal.

Luminara Unduli had just been by not long before. The Mirialan Jedi Master had always been soft and kind with her. She had come in and painted markings on her chin as well as braided her hair up. She was 8 years old and prepared to go from young-ling to Padawan early, simply because Master Windu had taken a chance on her: taken her to a far-off planet, nearly gotten her killed, and got her a kyber a violet crystal.She was pushing away the memories of some of the other younglings laughing at her lack of being able to light any other kyber crystals in Master Yoda’s collection.

Now Mace was fighting to have her moved to his apprentice, and she would soon be scooped up into the Master’s hall of the Jedi. To her own inner turmoil. She looked at herself in the mirror. She was in soft Jedi robes, her violet orbs glowing with a light behind them, blonde curls forced into many nets of braiding that looped together with gems she had gifted from the Mirialan Master. With the vivid black markings on her chin, she scarcely recognized herself.

The unlit saber remained cradled in her hands. Cold.

Still no footsteps at the door.

Until...

Tap. Tap. A rhythm. Like the curved knuckles of an old friend who knew she wasn’t fond of surprises. Veratrum ran to her bed with a few force leaps and sat there cross-legged, as if she had been this way the whole time. Then the door whispered open without command.

In walked Master Yoda, leaning on his gnarled cane, robes pooling around his feet like old mist. He said nothing at first. Just looked up at her, yellow eyes ancient and steady, resting on her violet irises and the markings on her chin. “Much you see,” he murmured at last. “And much, you carry.” He took a slow step forward, the room seeming to hush around him. The green Master seemed to understand her need for home more than the other Masters. He giggled and looked around her small, almost plain space. “The drums of Haruun-Kal... you hear them still?”

He tilted his head toward the saber in her lap. “Heard them, your crystal did. Not by accident it chose you.”

From beneath his sleeve, he pulled a small strip of sun-dyed cloth. Frayed at the ends, smelling faintly of salt and age. She had years in her eyes thinking of all the times she had been teased. Unable to produce a connection with the force until surviving potion recently and being lead to the violet crystals. She knew it was because the Windu shared unknown blood from her home planet. He just didn’t’ know his roots this leaving him to use a dead tribal name. She knew her tribe. For that she was a lucky little girl, now in more ways than one.

“Today, begin you do. Not just as Jedi… But as self. Windu asks for you, yes. ”

He turned his back to her now, walking slowly toward the door. She leaped from the bed put away her saber in her pocket strap and followed the shorter master. Veratrum walked beside Master Yoda in silence.

The Temple corridors were wide and bright, lined with smooth white stone and quiet lights that glowed gently from above. The floors were cool beneath her boots. Her hands were tucked into the sleeves of her robe, but the unlit saber hilt pressed against her side with every step. They passed other Jedi, most of whom offered Yoda a respectful nod. Some looked at her. A few paused to study her not unkindly, but with interest. She lowered her violet orbs to avoid them. It felt like the halls stretched forever today. She had walked these passages before, but never this far. Never toward the heart of the Temple where the Masters met.

Master Yoda didn’t speak. He didn’t rush her either. His cane tapped gently with each step, the only sound besides their footsteps. Somehow, that made everything feel heavier. As they turned down the final hall, Veratrum felt her stomach tighten. Butterflies began to dance inside it she could visualize them in her mind and itbotheredher a little. At the end stood the Council doors : tall, simple, made of dark wood and stone. She had never seen them up close. They looked older than anything else in the Temple.Two Temple Guards stood outside. Their white and orange masks gave away nothing. They stepped aside without a word.

Yoda came to a stop a few feet from the door. Veratrum did too. He looked up at her. His voice was low.

“The path ahead, yours to choose it is. Enter when ready you are.” He then vanished behind the thick doors. For a moment she saw a long hall of faces she could not name. But knew to be the high council with the highest rank in the order.

She looked at the doors. Her heart beat fast. She could feel the presence of the Masters behind them calm, strong, quiet as mountains of her home jungle Planet. She remembered the boys who ate bark back home until they had sharpened teeth and held her head high. She came from a savage planet. She was indigenous to her planet.She was strong.Without another word she pulled her arms from the sleeves and used the force to push the doors open.

This was it.The moment Master Windu had fought for. The moment she had feared and waited for. She was only eight, but she knew what this meant. To be called forward like this, to be offered a chance to become a Padawan early. it was rare. Even more so when she lacked half the skill some of the other young-lings her age had. As she had never been able to practice with a saber all these years.

She stared at the doors, her hands suddenly damp. Then slowly, she stepped forward. The doors opened with a soft sound. Light spilled out. There was Yoda, little and green with big ears and kind eyes: he talked funny but was really smart. With him here she wasn’t so afraid as he had been by her side the last three years in the order.

Mace Windu was tall and serious with a bald head and strong voice. She knew him well, very well now that they had traveled together. Depa Billaba looked gentle, with long dark hair and calm eyes. She knew that not long ago she was Windu’s padawan. Yaddle looked like a lady version of Yoda, with soft brown hair and a sweet face. Plo Koon wore a mask and goggles and looked like a robot, but he was nice. Ki-Adi-Mundi had a tall head and a white beard, like a wise old thinker. Oppo Rancisis was long and snake-like, always sitting still and watching. Eeth Koth had horns on his head and looked tough. Yarael Poof had a really long neck and looked funny but peaceful. Saesee Tiin had big horns and looked like he could fly a ship fast. Adi Gallia wore a fancy headpiece and looked ready for action. Even Piell was tiny with one eye, but super fierce. They introduced themselves one by one as she stood in their circle and she watched them spinning trying to take in all the names and new faces.