Playlist:

❶ "Yoda and the Younglings"—Attack of the Clones OST

❷ "Leaving Port"—Titanic EST

❸ "Holmes and Elizabeth"—Young Sherlock Holmes OST

❹ "The Rebellion Is Born"—The Last Jedi OST

❶ Tascama Yagus raced in from her last day of primary school on Quellor. She had not been able to enjoy the graduation party as much as her classmates because she knew the Jedi Academy information had arrived at her home today. She could not wait to find out when she would leave. And she couldn't wait until she could meet her all-time hero: Luke Skywalker!

A shy twelve-year-old girl, stocky, and with good upper body strength, Tascama's Force-sensitivity had first manifested with Force-sight a few months earlier. Her shoulder-length, brown hair tangled behind her as she ran down the clay path to her family's modest trailer. Sweat plastered her bangs to her forehead in the warm afternoon sun.

Her mother was preparing dinner in the small kitchen when she opened the screen door, kicked the dirt clods from her boots, and raced to the counter. Her little brother Keegan was playing with a toy transport on the kitchen floor, crawling all over the place and getting under their mother's feet. But her dad had not arrived home yet from driving a transport for the city government.

"Where is it, Mama? I know it came today."

"Can't hide anything from you, Tascama," her mom said with a bittersweet smile. "I have it on the datapad."

Tascama quickly ran to the datapad on the kitchen table and read the communiqué carefully.

Welcome, Padawan Tascama Yagus.

Your transport to the rendezvous point has been scheduled.

You will take the transport from the shuttle port on your home planet Quellor

to Mimban Transfer Station tomorrow morning at 0500.

Tascama said, "Tomorrow, Mama."

"Yes, I know. But read the rest."

Please print out your travel chits and

have your identification documents with you at all times.

A uniformed Fleet ensign will escort you from Mimban to the rendezvous point.

Bring one small bag with clothing for five days.

You may bring a few books for pleasure reading,

but do not bring any devices or toys.

The academy will provide all

uniforms, educational supplies, meals, and personal supplies.

Once you arrive at the academy,

you will make a two-minute communicator call to your family.

No other communications will be allowed for six weeks.

After six weeks, you will be allowed one five-minute communication every week.

We look forward to your joining the Jedi Order. May the Force be with you.

Jedi Master Naluma Fau

Academy Administrator

Tascama looked up from the screen with a beaming smile. "Mama, I guess I'd better repack."

"Yes, you'd better take out those devices and toys. I told you they wouldn't be allowed. Dinner will be ready when Daddy gets home. I'm making your favorite."

The next morning when her dad dropped her off at the shuttle port, Tascama ran back to him for one last hug. When their heads met, she couldn't tell where her dad's hair started and stopped. The color melded together.

Her stocky father pulled away from the embrace but held onto her shoulders. "Go on now, Tascama, you're going to be a Jedi. Remember what we taught you. Make Mama and me proud."

Tascama joined in with her father's nightly recitation, counting them off on her fingers.

• Be on time

• Be the hardest worker in the room

• Your attitude determines your altitude

• Be passionate about all you do

• We all make mistakes—learn from them and don't repeat them

• Be teachable

• Always be prepared

• Think before you leap

• Stand up for what's right

• Step up when a volunteer is needed

• Cinch up your saddle when the going gets tough

• And never give up

"Daddy, I'm going to miss you."

"Suck it up. Make us proud. Save the galaxy." Her dad hugged and kissed her one more time before pushing her toward the shuttle terminal. "I love you, Tascama."

Tascama looked back one more time as she handed her travel chit and ID card to the agent at the gate.

❷ Ensign Zofa, a female Twi'lek with orange skin, met Tascama at Mimban Transfer Station as Tascama disembarked from the transport.

After eighteen hours of travel cramped in a tiny seat, the Jedi recruit was exhausted and was sure she needed a shower. She examined a young fleet officer with two tentacles hanging down her back at the terminal. Unfamiliar with the ensign's species, Tascama shrunk back in fear. 

The alien weaved through the crowd and asked another girl who was about Tascama's age, "Are you Tascama Yagus?" The girl shook her head "no" and moved closer to her family.

The new Padawan pushed through the crowd carefully and mumbled, "I'm Tascama." When the ensign continued to ask other passengers, Tascama spoke louder than necessary. "I'm Tascama Yagus."

Ensign Zofa turned to her. "Oh, good. Let's go. We've got a tight connection."

When they reached the terminal, Zofa handed Tascama a small booklet. "Induction manual. Know it backward and forward before we arrive at the rendezvous point."

Looking at her escort with wide eyes, Tascama vowed to memorize it before they reached Chalcedon four days later.

As the Elenium and the Falcon landed on Khalkha, Naluma made an announcement over the academy intercom. "All hands on deck. All hands on deck. Two vessels to unload. Shuttle first—turn that ship around fast. Shuttle first."

Before her announcement had concluded, the Padawan streamed out of the building, running toward the landing field. Luke's crew exited first, carrying or levitating two crates each.

Naluma directed the Padawan as Luke continued the turn-over procedures on the shuttle. After the last crate was off, Naluma crept into the cockpit, sneaking behind Luke in the pilot's seat. He was completing the log report as the hyperdrive purged its excess energy back to the holding tanks.

❸ Naluma glissaded behind his seat and whispered in his ear, "Long cruise, Farm Boy?"

Luke turned to her with a large smile. "Oh, yeah. You are a sight for these sore eyes." As Luke took her in his arms, he kissed her with tenderness. He then examined with Force-sight and asked, "Not yet?"

Naluma shook her head and murmured, "Definitely not ... I'm sorry, Luke." Naluma's scrunched her eyes together feeling his disappointment across their bond.

"It's not your fault. Just not our time yet," Luke said as he caressed her. He kissed her on the forehead. "Besides, we can have some more fun trying. I'm here for the next few weeks at least ..."

Naluma smiled. "Well, your being here more than one day at a time should improve our odds."

Luke hugged her. "Any day I get to spend with you is a great day, no matter what we're doing."

❹ They were interrupted by Padawan Laohmer. "Masters, excuse me, please, but the shuttle is unloaded. What should we do now?"

Naluma said, "Have the rest of the second-years unpack the food crates in the kitchen—put stuff away in the pantry and long-term coolers. Laohmer, you can strip the bedding off the bunks in here and grab the dirty linens from the refreshers and galley. Put a set of new linens at the foot of each bunk in the cabins and replace the other linens. The rest of the Padawan should unload the Falcon."

"Yes, Master Naluma."

After Laohmer left, Naluma asked, "Now, what were we doing?"

Luke answered with a kiss until they were interrupted by Tandolleau and Wei'ahtt.

Wei'ahtt cleared his throat to get their attention. "'Scuse us, Masters," Wei'ahtt said. "We've got to prep the shuttle for launch."

"Can't a guy get a moment with his girl?"

"Get a room," Tandolleau said with a wink.

"Are you two ready? Any questions?" Naluma asked.

"We've got it down, Master Naluma," Wei'ahtt said. "Is the vid loaded yet?"

Naluma giggled. "Oh, yeah, that's why I came aboard. Got a little distracted."

"What vid?" Luke asked.

"An induction vid. We're making good use of their six-hour flight—induction vid, basic training, and diagnostic testing," Naluma said as she transferred the vid from her data stick to the shuttle's vid computer.

"Can I watch?"

Tandolleau said, "It's pretty long. We don't have that much time right now, Master."

Naluma activated it to test it. The Jedi Academy logo flew in accompanied by intense music. Naluma's voice came in over the music, "Welcome to the Jedi Academy. You have taken your first step into a larger universe." She stopped the video after that.

"Hey, I wasn't finished. Play back the whole recording."

"Haven't got time right now," Naluma said. "We can watch it tonight in the study."

Luke whispered in her ear, "I had other plans for us tonight."

"As you wish," Naluma said with a wicked grin.

Did you know . . .

● Since the Jedi Academy is not snatching infants from their cradles anymore, there is a wide age span of Padawan the Force leads the Jedi to while they are on missions.

● This is the first time they have made the Padawan wait to start an academic year together.

● Tascama may seem like a girl who doesn't make mistakes, but I hope you can trust me that she won't stay that way for long. 

Tell me what you think . . .

● What do you think it would be like arriving as a Padawan for your first year at the academy?

● What does Tascama's fear of her Twi'lek escort indicate? How about her fear of the older Padawan?

● How would you feel attending school with either much younger students or much older students in the same level?