The miniature holographic instructor had proven itself a Force sent angel. After each lesson, they would go over his mistakes with a patience no living being could match. When he failed to understand something, the toy sized holodroid could project visual examples alongside its explanations. If he couldn’t follow that, it would offer an alternative explanation, using fresh imagery and new metaphors or analogy. No matter how many times he failed to understand, the tiny artificial instructor would offer a fresh interpretation until, finally it clicked.

  With each passing lesson, the need for multiple explanations waned, according to the holodroid it was compiling a profile on the best methods to teach him. Its aid was not restricted to correcting and explaining his mistakes, Des could see the influence it was having on each new lesson. They were increasingly hand tailored to suit his way of thinking,

  As the days past his need for his new instructor also waned. The teaching profile it generated gradually became honed to a level so sharp it could penetrate even the thickest skull. His self study once more sped up, it could never match his earlier pace but he wasn’t really learning then, just covering previously held knowledge.

  In the past Des had felt like a fraud, though none had said anything he knew his rate of learning had been noted. He could guess how it must look to the Jedi. That was why he had been allowed access to the archives before anyone else, but it was a privilege he had not earned.

  Now however his progress was genuine, while he was no genius, with the holodroids cultivated lessons, Des felt smarter than he had at any point in either life.

  To add to his joy, nine days after his Force guided revelation, he was able to synchronise his breathing with the Force. Shofo had been right, the key was to focus on his connection, given enough time in that meditative state his breathing had aligned of its own accord, or maybe it was the force that aligned to him, he couldn't say which was true for sure.

  Either way he had achieved the first step. It almost felt as if the lesson on patience was being reinforced. When he had tried to push ahead, he got nowhere, yet when he gave up that hope, he progressed faster than he could have predicted.

  The next step was to forge his own pattern, but what did that even mean? At the time he had assumed that he would be controlling the Force to match a pattern of his devising. Now, that seemed like the wrong mindset, more likely, it would be the Force guiding him.

  He sought out Shofo, she had given him the tip that had proven the key to the first step. When she exited her room, Des could have sworn the doors closed behind her faster than was normal, but something in her countenance told him she would not be answering questions about it.

  Instead he asked her about forging a breathing pattern. Unfortunately, Shofo had no advice for him. She explained that Force synchronised breathing had been taught to her as an early control exercise, forging a pattern had never been a part of those lessons.

  His next port of call was Knight Casin. The Twi’lek had no answers for Des, but he did congratulate him on his progress. He then assured Des that Jenk and the others of the Council of First Knowledge would be informed.

  Des returned to his room, checking his schedule he looked for any changes, anything that might signify a future lesson to direct his path. There was none so far, which was hardly surprising, it had not been long.

  It was the following day before he got an answer, at the end of a class on the Jedi code, Master Jenk appeared, while the others were leaving he indicated to Des to remain seated with a simple gesture and waited, once they were alone he spoke.

  “Initiate Cane. I was informed of your progress, congratulations. I wish to see it with my own eyes, then we will discuss your path forward”.

  With a sense of relief Des gave a yes Master. Sinking deep into meditation he sought that sense of unity with the Force, the newly familiar state of mind where his breathing and the Force would harmonise.

  Des had no idea how long it took but shortly after achieving the feat the old Rodian Masters voice drew him back, “good. You have already begun to forge a pattern”. Des’s surprise must have been obvious, because Jenk continued, “you were unaware, I see. It is subtle but, your influence is noticeable”

  “Influence Master? It doesn’t feel like I’m doing anything”.

  “Aware of it or not, the Force is responding. So long as you continue your practice while maintaining your intent to alter the pattern, it is only a matter of time”.

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  Des nodded, accepting the Masters guidance and resisting the urge to ask how long it would take. “Shall I continue meditating Master Jenk”?

  Shaking his head the old Rodian replied “That will not be necessary, no, but before I go there is one more thing I would discuss with you”.

  Des inclined his head signaling him to continue.

  “I have noticed a pattern in your academic work, you favour the technological and the mechanical. Not surprising given your talents but I would encourage you to not neglect the other branches of science”.

  With only a moment of self reflection Des knew this to be true. When new modules became available within his holopad he would gravitate straight to the technical knowledge. More so now that he knew about his latest ability.

  There was something that confused Des, so he asked “Master Jenk, I don’t understand. Does it really matter which order I study in”?

  “No, but you are fast approaching a point where traditionally, initiates are afforded the freedom to choose the path they wish to study. I suspect without prompting you would focus almost entirely on machines. Am I wrong”?

  Shaking his head Des answered, “no, Master”.

  No self reflection was needed to know the truth of Jenks words but, Feeling a need to push back he added “I like tech, it's interesting and with my Mechu-deru needing knowledge, doesn’t it make sense to focus on technology and play to my strengths”?

  “Hmm, playing to your strengths holds wisdom yes”, Jenk paused for a significant moment, seeming to consider his next words. “However, too often a person becomes defined by their weaknesses. It is a trap that has cost Jedi lifes. Diplomats who neglected their saber training only to be cut down by a sith no more skilled than a talented padawan, or a Battlemaster dead to poison while surrounded by weeds that could have cured him. remember Initiate, a Jedi seeks balance”.

  The Masters reasoning made sense but something felt off. For no apparent reason Des thought Jenk had made up the anecdote about a battlemaster dying to poison. Unwilling to challenge the Jedi on it, Des put his suspicion aside and nodded his acknowledgment.

  “Good, then I will take my leave Initiate, meditate on what we have discussed”

  With that, the Master was gone, so Des also made his exit, heading for his mid day meal. He was distracted the whole way back thinking over the conversation he had just had. ‘Why did I think Jenk made up that story? Why would he make up a story like that’? Des spun the thoughts in his mind but all he could come up with was ‘if Mechu-Deru is truely of the dark side, maybe, the danger is more subtle than I thought. The master was right, I would have focused entirely on tech if he hadn’t said anything’.

  That thought brought Des’s stride to a stop. He could almost feel the colour draining from his face as a different question bubbled to the front of his awareness. ‘Was I always interested in technology’?

  Standing alone in the temple corridor Des searched his memories for an answer, yet, he could find nothing definitive. In his first life there was technology, from video games to the internet, he had used them all, he was even the de facto tech support for his parents any time the PC crashed or the DVR needed programing, but, was that interest, or was it just utility?

  He lost track of time as he searched his past life for a smoking gun. Some memory he could point to, to dismiss the creeping fear that the dark side might be influencing him, that it might have been influencing him since the moment he woke up in this galaxy far far away.

  It was only when it occurred to him how odd he would look to any passerby that he snapped out of his self scrutiny.

  Resuming his walk he tried to take a mental step back, ‘I’m not thinking about this rationaly, like a propper Jedi should ‘.

  Invoking the Jedi within his mind brought forth all the rhetoric and teachings he had been soaking up for the last year. In that moment all the lectures on self awareness and self control made any danger, whether real or imagined seem very slight, just one more thing to be aware of.

  The thought settled his mind considerably. What little worry was left over was worn away by the days physical training and then meditation. By the time he went for the evening meal he felt centred once more.

  It was during that meal Shofo asked him “Are you joining group meditation tonight Gramps”?

  Des hesitated a moment in answering, so Jason used the gap in speech to pile on, “come on Des. Meditation is easier when you’re there”.

  Des was sure they were just trying to get him to socialise more. He smiled, without them pushing him, he would be hermiting himself away, lost in the Force or whatever new piece of knowledge he was studying today.

  “Sure, I’m in”. And with that nightly group meditation became a standard part of his routine.

  As the days passed Des worked consistently on his breathing meditation, never noticing improvement but holding faith that his patience would be rewarded. He followed master Jenks advice on his studies, doing his best to not prioritize tech related subjects.

  The group meditation was rewarding at first, with each session Des’s ability to sense the emotions of the others improved. He could not identify the source of any emotion, but he could sense the feelings more consistently with each session.

  It was when others from clan salamander started joining that Des began to grow uncomfortable. Sensing their wariness of him, that slight feeling of distrust, became a constant of each session, at least at first. As the days became weeks and the festival of the stars came and went, the wariness and distrust transformed, first to sympathy, then to Pity.

  It was at that time Des first heard the expression ‘Timing Out’. Unsure what it meant he asked his friends. Shofo and Krit both gave little reaction, both turning to check if the others held an answer. Jason on the other hand looked sad and maybe a little guilty.

  “You know what it means?” Des asked not liking the look Jason was directing at him.

  “Its”. Jason hesitated a moment before continuing “not something we have to worry about for a long time. Not for Years” he added, as if that was some unfathomable distant future they would never encounter.

  “But what is it, and how come me and Krit haven’t heard of it” asked Shofo

  “You wouldn’t have heard it, you two are both in the top of the class, you won't time out”.

  At this point the meaning seemed obvious to Des but he still wanted to hear it. “Jason, please tell me what Timing out means” he tried his best to hold a poker face, to not show the growing distress.

  “It’s when you’re not strong enough to become a Jedi Knight, it would take too long, you'd be an old man by then. So they send you off to be a farmer instead”.

  Des did not think that was the whole story, but it probably wasn’t far from the truth either.

  ‘Not everyone can become a Jedi Knight, but, with all these abilities and powers I was given, they wouldn’t give me a weak ass connection to go with them, would they? That would just be cruel’