Chapter 7

The sleek Coruscanti ship pulled into the docking bay with a perfectly executed landing. Cort stood with his hands clasped behind his back, pinning the cape to his sides. He was not fond of the formal wear that his councilors suggested he wear for the arrival of the Jedi, but if anything it may convince the citizens watching any of the numerous news stations that yes, the planet was still under his control. The cape was secured with a brooch that was engraved with the royal Alonian crest, the same that had been on the seal of Obi-Wan's datacard. A slim gold band encircled his head, a more casual take on the elaborate crowns and headdresses of other royal families.

As the ships loading ramp came down, the Alonian military stood at attention, with two flags raised: one for Alonia and one with the symbol of the Jedi. A robed figure walked down the ramp, followed by a smaller one who had noticeable excitement in his step. A silver and blue astromech droid rolled down after the boy. The robed man bowed his head to the prince as he approached and the towheaded boy followed suit. Cort stopped in front of them, but instead of returning the formal gesture, he embraced the Jedi in a welcoming hug. Than the two men stepped back to look at each other and observe how time had changed them both. The boy looked between the two of them curiously, and then turned his attention to the prince.

"You're that guy who was in the holoprojection," he observed. He stepped forward and held out his hand. "I'm Anakin Skywalker."

"Pleased to meet you, Anakin," Cort said, shaking the outstretched hand. "You must be Ben's Padawan that I heard about."

"Word travels fast, doesn't it?" Obi-Wan said, putting his hand on Anakin's shoulder. "It's great to see you, Cort! I was having trouble picturing you in your father's place, yet here you are."

"Yeah, and I was having a hard time picturing you as a Jedi Knight," the prince countered amicably. "Trip any Jedi Masters lately?" he asked with a cock-eyed grin.

"No, not lately," he smiled, the Padawan snickering in the background.

Cort gestured towards the archway that led out to the palace hall. "Let's walk for a little bit," he suggested. "Ray will get your bags," he said, motioning for an attendant to come forward.

"There isn't much," Obi-Wan told the man. "Just our two bags, and they're right outside of the cockpit."

The two men conversed with each other as they walked for the palace, filling each other in on past events and current news. Anakin and R2-D2 tagged along, with the first eagerly listening to the stories being exchanged. The entourage had left them, and Cort was noticeably more at ease without all of the formalities hanging in the air. Onlookers stared as the group passed, for most had never seen their leader in such a good mood, let alone in the company of Jedi!

His surroundings gaining the better part of his attention, Anakin walked ahead of the absorbed pair to gaze around him. The palace was beautiful and elaborately, but not gaudily, decorated. Ornate statues telling old myths and historic events were carved into the walls and supporting columns. Glass ceilings allowed light to pour in, illuminating the marble decor. The hallway he was walking down opened into an enormous atrium room. In the center was a pond with a statue rising out of it. The figure was a willowy girl, clad in a simple gown. Out of her back sprung glass and silver wings that reminded Anakin of the transparent fins of a fish he had seen on Naboo. Her arms were outstretched and water rained upwards from the palms of her hands until it was pulled by gravity to sprinkle the pond beneath her. Anakin wandered over towards the pond, and stared at the creatures swimming beneath its surface. This palace is wonderful, he thought. It reminds me of Theed.

He turned back to look at his Master and the prince. Never in the time that he had known Obi-Wan had he seen him talk so much. Then, a shining object hanging at the waist of the prince caught his attention. He got up from his place at the edge of the pond and sauntered over for a closer inspection. It is a lightsaber! he observed. But why would the prince have one? He's not a Jedi!

Cort wasn't completely distracted from his surroundings with the conversation, however. He unclipped the lightsaber at his hip and held it out to Anakin. "Here," he said. "You can look at it if you want to. I built it myself."

Anakin took the weapon, holding it carefully. It was well built, and like the palace he was standing in, the lightsaber was a work of art in its own. Its silver casing was engraved with Alonia's royal crest on the bottom of the handle, the detail of the crest being inlaid with gold. The handle itself was contoured to fit Cort's grasp perfectly. The part of the handle where the blade would spring from extended outwards, with silver tendrils intertwining like vines.

"It's wonderful," the impressed Padawan said, handing the blade back to its owner. "But you're not a Jedi, are you?"

"Well, kind of . . ." He wasn't quite sure how to explain his Jedi status, so he looked at Obi-Wan for help.

"Cort used to train with me," Obi-Wan explained. "It wasn't often, usually only when Qui-Gon visited the Raifens and took me with him."

"My parents knew I was Force sensitive," Cort intervened, "but I was not permitted to formally enter training like others. I was needed here so that I could learn the duties that would be mine when I took my father's place. My father, however, didn't want my talents to go to waste, so he contacted Qui-Gon Jinn, an old friend of his. I learned simple meditation skills, how to control my emotions so as not to be tempted by the Dark Side, and lightsaber fighting. Qui-Gon didn't really want to teach me about lightsabers since I would never be able to fully complete my training. My father insisted, though, using the explanation of self-defense. I later read books on my own to teach myself how to build a lightsaber. It took me a long time until I got it right, but this," he said, holding up his lightsaber, "is the finished product."

Anakin nodded his head in understanding. "That makes sense."

"Cort is actually extremely talented with a lightsaber," Obi-Wan said to Anakin.

"Maybe later, we can both get in some practice," Cort offered.

Before Obi-Wan could agree, Anakin piped up with an enthusiastic question.

"Can I watch?"