Thane Alterran: And so it begins...

[Stealth Muffin]

“Wake up Thane! It’s time!”
The scrawny young Mandalorian pulls himself upright and looks at the source of the disturbance.
“Must you, Lorn?”
“If I didn’t then no one would; you’re not exactly anyone’s favorite person Thane.”
Thane pulls himself out of bed and throws on his training uniform. The smooth, dark material of the uniform feels cool on his skin. Today was going to be an especially exciting day, apart from his lovely wake-up call that is. He crouches at his bunk and pulls out his case, retrieving his lightsaber and other training gear from it. He tightens the belt around his waist and clips on his saber. It was not his favorite weapon by any means, but it was the only one he was allowed to train with. He found it humorous that his swords were considered too dangerous, and yet the children all run around with lightsabers, swinging them at each other for the better part of the day.
He makes his way towards the middle of the compound, where a group of others stand, waiting for the days session to begin. A tall red-haired boy points and laughs at him.
“Well look who it is. Glad to see you could make it here droid boy!”
The rest of the group started to laugh at this statement and jeer at the young man as he walked past them. To them he was droid boy, the “one armed freak”. He had lost his right arm many years ago when his ship had crashed on the journey to the temple. He managed to make it out of the wreckage, but didn’t make it past the rabid Mamien who smelled the blood and burning flesh from the remains. He was saved by the lightsaber he now carried, which belonged to the jedi who was taking him to the planet. He found it in the robe of the jedi, who had died on impact. He managed to fend off the beast, but not before it ripped the arm from his torso. He barely had the strength to move, but managed to seal the wound using the lightsaber. He had passed out from the pain, and woke several weeks later in the temples medical ward.
He was very clumsy after that, getting used to only one arm, losing balance frequently and falling over, always the target of the bullying and the jokes of other children. Today, however, would be different. After 5 years of hard work and perseverance he had made it to this day. the most important day of his life.
“Formation!”
No sooner were the words spoken, then all of the students were lined up in perfect lines, equally spaced all around, like each one had a protective bubble surrounding them. Each set of eyes was staring straight ahead, as though concentrating on some far off object. Frozen, the men were like statues, unable to move from their place.

A tall man, wearing scorched white armor, began pacing in front of them. This was Sergeant Antilles: The Hero of the Battle for Corellia. He had retired from active combat to help train new recruits for the Jedi's new KNIGHT initiative. He was promoted to General and put in charge of the Compound on Bandomeer.

“Listen up men! Today is the last day I will see most of you. You will be moving on to Yavin to start off your careers as the most relentless Fighters in the Galaxy! You are the first of many soldiers who will have the skills and training of both the Jedi and the Mandalorians. I expect to see fear in the eyes of our enemy when your name is mentioned, as I expect to see nothing but respect in the eyes of your Jedi and Mandalorian brethren. And most of all, I expect to see results. I did not spend these five years of my life training you so you could be the average trooper! I made you Men! Soldiers! Warriors! Do not fail me! And most importantly: Do not fail the Republic! Dismissed!”

The Simultaneous thump of each member striking their fist to their chest in salute to the Seargent was the last act of the group as students. Now they were soldiers. Now, they were men.

[Stealth Muffin]

Thane was almost running towards the medbay as soon as they were dismissed, knocking into several people along the way. He was far too excited for this to be bothered with simple apologies and niceties. Within moments he arrived at the appropriate room and walked in. Doctor Brecca was sitting at her desk tinkering with something that Thane could not quite see, but he had a feling he knew exactly what is was.
“I’m ready now.” Thane says in an unintentionally harsh tone.
“Patience young warrior,” replies this has taken me two years to complete, I want to make sure it is as close to perfect as I can get it.”
“Fine,” Replies the impatient young mando’an, “but don’t make me wait much longer.”
He restlessly exits the small room and begins pacing around in the hallway. From around the corner appears Lorn, who precedes to make a beeline towards the hopeless looking Thane.
“What’s wrong buddy? And what are you doing here anyways?”
Thane turns to face the small mando’an boy and glares him down. “I could ask you the same thing…”
“Oh, well nothing is wrong with me!” replies the boy, who now has a gigantic grin spread across his pale face. “I’m just here for my monthly evaluation. But I know you had yours three days ago, so what gives?”
“This.” Thane grunts, holding out his stub of a right arm. “Brecca made me a cybernetic arm. I’m getting it put on today.” Lorn glances at Thane in a somewhat confused manner.
“I never thought I’d live to see the day that Thane Alterran smiled.” Chuckles the shorter boy.
Thane had to pause for a moment to notice he was actually grinning. He could not remember the last time he had smiled, especially around Lorn. Just then the door behind him slid open, and Dr. Brecca stood in the doorway, holding a slightly bulky, cybernetic arm.
“Thane, if you would follow me to the OR: This will take at least four hours, since I only have one Med-droid to assist. However, we expect you to be fully recovered for re-training by sunrise tomorrow.”
"Re-training?" gulped the boy.
"Yes Thane. Did you think it would be as easy as stepping in, having it slapped on and then blundering straight into combat? Silly boy..."
The sullen warrior slumps his head, and shuffles down the hallway after the chattering doctor.

[Stealth Muffin]

“Begin!”
Thane leaps into the air about 10 feet, flips, and bolts down toward his opponent, who looks up in disbelief. The boy manages to block the initial strike, but is knocked on his face as the agile Thane lands into a roll and then kicks back into his opponent. The red-haired Padawan scampers away from a now advancing Thane, and stands in a rickety position. Thane tosses emerald blade from his left hand, into his right hand. While he favored his right hand for lightning fast devastation, his right arm, now fully cybernetic, was his entertaining hand. No Padawan had ever survived this tactic, as simple as it was. He charges in like a mad animal, head pointed and roaring like a crazed wompa. The ginger haired boy, the one who used to tease him for only having one arm, who mocked him because he was different, the boy who was so popular. Now he stands in front cowering in fear.
The predator is now prey, Thane says to himself with a wicked grin beneath his helmet. He raises his right arm to strike and the other boy drops to his knees and rolls forward. With too much momentum to stop, a surprised Thane tries to turn, but he cannot react quickly enough as he is knocked down by a hilt blow to the back of his neck. Angrily he stands, noticing a scratch on his arm, from the collision with the floor. He spins in a mad fury, and marches angrily at the boy. Throwing his lightsaber on the ground, he reaches out at the boy and rips away the saber from his grasp with the force. Not slowing in his pace, he grabs the boy by the collar of his shirt with both hands and screams out, “Look at my arm! You’ve destroyed it!”

He releases with his left hand, his right arm more than capable of sustaining the boy midair, and calls the boys saber to his hand. Thane tosses the boy on the ground and ignites the blue blade, swinging down with all his might. His expression changes in a heartbeat as he realizes he is no longer standing on the ground, nor holding a lightsaber, or wearing any armor. He looks over to Grandmaster Kantos levitating him in midair, and using the force to disarm and disrobe him while being suspended over the training floor. Several girls giggle and blush as he is left hanging in the air wearing only his unmentionables. He looks at master Kantos in embarrassment and apologizes, “Master Kantos, please forgive my outrageous behavior, I have acted in anger and put myself to shame.”
“Very well, young Thane, apology accepted.”
“Can you put me down so I may re-dress myself, sir?
“Momentarily,” replies the wizened Bothan, “first I will have words with you and your fellow students.” He hovers Thane above the rest of the group, to which Thane responds by placing his hands over his crotch in an awkward manner. “I will now explain to you why I have chosen to humble young Thane in this manner.” Thane and the others listen to the old Master go on about Anger and its path to the dark side. Thane ignores this, as he has every time he is lectured on anger. He knows that it is a dangerous path, but accepts this. He always knows when he goes too far, and will restrain his anger if he must.

Master Kantos finishes his lecture and returns his focus to Thane. “My young student, you have so much to learn about the force and its influence over your emotions. I hope one day you will learn you will not always have control over your anger. Sometimes it is just too strong.”
The old Jedi lowers the boy to the floor, and redresses him with the pieces of still floating armor, placing his helmet in his hands. “There,” he chuckles, “I hope I didn’t embarrass you too much.”
The group of warriors dissipates, leaving Thane alone in the room. He turns towards the training floor and reaches out with the force, calling for his lightsaber to return. Within seconds a rattling sounds appears, and a small silver handle is hurtling towards him through the air, but suddenly it stops moving and just hovers in mid-air. A somewhat irate Thane looks around to seek out the source of this inconvenience. Out of the corner of his eye he sees a gangly tan hand reaching out towards his saber. He turns to face this prankster, only to find himself staring at Nov’as Olan One of the most respected duelists in the Jedi Order. He had always wished to meet Master Olan, and maybe even become his Padawan, even though it was impossible for a Mandalorian Knight to train as a Jedi Padawan.
“I see you are an excellent Duelist young warrior,” Said the old twi’lek with his odd accent and quirky grin. “Would you like a chance to test your skills against an old fighter such as myself?”
“It…It would be an honor, Master Jedi.” He said as he bowed his head in respect. “I can only hope to be a worthy opponent, as I cannot hope to match my meager technique with one who has studied as long as you.”
“Stand up, Alterran, Sucking up won’t help you win!”
Thane looks up in surprise as the graceful, yet gawky looking twi-lek tosses him his lightsaber. Thane tosses his black helmet to the side as the old Jedi ignites his Indigo blade and moves into a strange, almost unbelievable stance. The old, tan, twi’lek had his back turned to Thane, which caused the young man to look on in confusion. “On My Mark!” shouts the Jedi, “and… GO!”
The Twi’lek gracefully leaps up and over Thane in a simple, yet elegant move, landing only a few inches behind the boy. Thane spins around, only to come face to face with a blazing, blue, blade shining brightly in his face. The Jedi reaches forward and gently pushes the stunned Thane backwards. The young Mando’an stumbles backward, still in awe of the old Masters agility and speed.
“And that, Young Thane, is what I will teach you.”
“You’ll… Teach…… ME?!” A now wide-eyed Thane exclaims, fumbling to find the words to speak.
“Yes. That IS what I said isn’t it?”
“Yes… But, what about the councils’ decision on disallowing us to be Padawans?”
“You just leave that to me young one, and remember who’s on the council.” He said with a grin.
The Jedi then spun around and walked out of the room, leaving a speechless Thane standing alone in the training room.