Office hours [all day]

[sith_happened]

Talking with Ben was as effective as beating his head into a brick wall, Anakin reflected sourly, especially if he tried to turn the subject to what his grandson had up to while he'd been home. He'd gotten much better with a lightsaber in the intervening time, and if Anakin were a talkative man, he would have pointed out how much that worried him.

"You wished to speak with me about something?" he asked Ben as he sat down and gestured to the other remaining chair.

[OOC: For...myself. Open after!]

Comments

[momslilassassin]

Ben sat down on the very edge of the chair and messed with his braid. "How did Jedi become Knights in your era?" he asked.

[sith_happened]

"After they stopped being teenagers, you mean?" Anakin replied a little sharply. He didn't like how young Jaina and Ben were to take on this kind of responsibility.

[momslilassassin]

"Yes," Ben said, rolling his eyes. "After they spent the requisite ten years rolling ice balls all over Hoth and were all as old as Yoda, how did they become Knights?"

[sith_happened]

"Tone," Anakin cautioned. "There were four trials. Most Jedi passed them in a formal set of exercises set up by the Masters, but my master and I both passed our trials in the field." He held out his hand and began ticking off points on his fingers. "There was the Trial of Skill, proving that you knew how to use the Force and your lightsaber in a way that wouldn't get you killed. My battle with the Dark Jedi Asajj Ventress was my Trial of Skill. Obi-Wan faced and defeated the Sith Lord who'd killed his master for his."

[momslilassassin]

Ben nodded. Going up against Jacen had been an incredibly stupid idea, but had certain fit the requirements. Fighting Tahiri probably counted, too.

[sith_happened]

Anakin had paused for Ben to offer his own example. When it was obvious that wasn't coming, he pressed his lips together, then continued. "The second trial was the Trial of the Flesh, where you overcame great physical or mental hardship. It's not intended to have an order of maimed Jedi, but they wanted to test that you can detach yourself from your feelings. My Trial of the Flesh was losing my arm in a lightsaber duel with Count Dooku."

[momslilassassin]

Ben still wasn't feeling like sharing. He nodded again, figuring that losing his mom and the two times he'd been tortured all counted for this particular trial.

[sith_happened]

Anakin's frown deepened. "The third trial was the Trial of Courage, when you'd take a mission with low odds of survival, go against a stronger enemy, or fight in battle. For our family, we call that Tuesday."

[momslilassassin]

Ben's lips quirked up. "So that one you'll give me, huh?"

[sith_happened]

"I've heard what you did with zombies," Anakin said, inclining his head. "That one I'll give you. The final trial is the Trial of the Spirit, and is generally considered the most difficult. You look inside yourself and find if you're strong enough to be Jedi. I...didn't like what I saw."

[momslilassassin]

Ben frowned. "So you didn't pass your final trial?"

[sith_happened]

"Liking what you see isn't required," Anakin said. "Only looking. I was a very stupid young man and didn't want to admit I had weaknesses, even to myself."

[momslilassassin]

Ben gave a little shrug. He knew who he was, good and bad parts. It was only now that it occurred to him that this might make him unique among his family members.

"After you passed the trials, what happened?" Ben asked.

[solo_sword]

Sometime later in the day, Jaina found herself at her grandfather's office, knocking lightly and just hoping she'd get through this in a decent mood.

[sith_happened]

Anakin glanced up from his computer. "Hello, Jaina."

[solo_sword]

"Enjoying your summer vacation yet?" she asked, stepping inside.

It was kind of weird that she hadn't really been here since the zombies. It felt like just way too much had happened.

[sith_happened]

"Rory's finished with classes," Anakin said with a nod. "As soon as I finish grading exams, it'll be nice to relax."

Like Anakin knew how to relax.

[solo_sword]

"You mean it'll be nice to pretend you're relaxing," she corrected, taking a seat.

[sith_happened]

"If I get approval, I'll be teaching flight again this summer. That's relaxing," he argued.

[solo_sword]

"Probably not so much for the students," she pointed out. And then, just because she could, she added, "That's the class where I technically first knew John, you know." Not that they'd talked.

[sith_happened]

Anakin's nose wrinkled up. "Do you want a plaque or something?"

[solo_sword]

"No, just stating something I don't think you knew."

She paused. "Though a plaque would be nice."

[sith_happened]

"No plaques," Anakin declared. "Any suggestions for flight scenarios?"

[solo_sword]

Jaina shrugged. "The ones I've been doing lately are... maybe a little on the advanced side," she admitted. "Wedge and Jag have sent me a few simulations based on Vong battles, but you throw a newbie at something like that and they wouldn't last, sim or not."

[sith_happened]

"It still takes me a bit to get used to how the Vong fight," Anakin agreed. "I was thinking of heading back to the Clone Wars for a few simulations, before the tactics got too complex."