Ilena checked the time. She needed to hurry to the combat arena if she was going to watch Cody’s combat test. Since the jedi are not really allowed much entertainment, the combat tests are the closest thing they ever got to fun. Which is why the combat tests have space for an audience. And with all the new masters looking for padawans, it was guaranteed to be crowded. She entered the spectators’ ring. Yep, it was crowded! Poor Cody, he’s not used to fighting with such an audience. Ilene searched the section for a seat. It didn’t take long to spot Master Koor and the empty seat next to him. He didn’t wave her over like he usually did though. He was too busy talking to a woman sitting beside him. Master Koor hardly ever talks to anybody. I wonder who that is?
For a moment Ilene considered sitting next to her friends . . . or rather Cody’s friends that put up with her because Cody asked them to. Blast them, I might as well enjoy my last days with Koor! She squeezed past the others until she reached the seat next to Koor.

“Ah, Ilene! You made it.” Koor greeted, turning towards her.
“Yes, no thanks to Master Abbot.” Ilene responded. She saw past Koor that the woman he was speaking too was watching her. Ilene meant to turn away and ignore her, but something seemed familiar about this woman.
“It’s good to see you again Ilene, you were only three feet tall last time I saw you.” the woman said. Maybe her face had changed a little, but Ilene still recognized that voice.

“Master Riley!”
“I’m not a master yet, just a knight.” She corrected softly.
“For now, the council could promote you any day.” Koor said.
“Only because the jedi sentinel is more endangered than snowflakes on mustafar,” she joked. Koor ignored her.
“I’m glad to see you two still remember each other,” he said.
“Of course, how could I forget the woman who saved me?” Ilene chirped.
Riley smiled, but only softly. “Master Koor tells me your combat test should be quite the show. He says you are his best student this season.”
Ilene’s jaw dropped, and Koor blushed despite himself. Koor never said anything so praising to Ilene personally. All she ever heard from was “good job, could use some improvement.” To hear that he was boasting about her to guests was probably the biggest compliment he ever gave her . . . ever gave to anyone as far as she knew.
“Did you really say that Master Koor?” Ilene asked. He gave Riley a frown like she wasn’t supposed to have said what she did. But when he turned back to Ilene his face was soft . . . as soft as his face can get.
“It’s the truth. No point in telling her anything less.”

Ilene felt a tug at her heart and she wished with all her might that Master Koor could be her master. But the moment passed and Cody entered the arena.
“What about this one? Is he any good?” Riley asked Koor. Koor shrugged.
“I don’t think he’ll make the cut. Boy is too gentle to take down gizak,” he replied. Ilene wanted to argue that he would make it, but honestly she wasn’t sure. No point mentioning I tutored Cody if he doesn’t pass his test.

“Welcome to the jedi initiate combat trials! The this is the trial of (Cody Kanto). We request that you remain in your seats and do not attempt to assist the combatant. Let the test begin!”.

A combat droid entered the arena, opposite Cody. The droid carried a simple blaster which it drew. Cody turned on his green lightsaber and took a combat stance. He had the wrong foot forward. Ilene warned him about that all last week. Maybe this wasn’t going to go as well as she hoped.
The droid fired and Cody barely blocked the shot. In his stumble he actually corrected his footing. That seemed to help him correct his form. Once he had the correct form he pressed his offense, cutting space between him and the droid. The droid fired again, this time barely missing Cody’s head. Cody flinched and dropped his lightsaber. There was a gasp of concern in the spectators ring. Ilene slammed her forehead into her palm. The droid fired again. Cody ducked so his hands were over his head which was very close to the ground.

“They still use holograms for enemies right?” Riley asked in a concerned tone. Koor grunted affirmatively.  In the old days real combat droids with real weapons were used for these tests. Luckily for Cody, those were replaced by these hologram bots that are incapable of killing. Cody grabbed his lightsaber and ran a few steps back from the droid. The droid shot, and Cody blocked it. Again he drew closer to the droid. This time when the droid shot, he did not flinch. He lifted his lightsaber and cut it in half. The pieces fell to the floor and then the hologram ended with a fizz. There was a silence of surprise from the audience as the program decided his grade. In the past, as long as a student killed the droid that student passed the test. Today the standards were a little different.

“(Cody Kanto): Pass!”

The crowd erupted into applause! Ilene got out of her seat and ran down to the combatant rest area. It didn’t take her too long to find him. He was dripping with sweat, but he had a smile on his face.

“You did it!” Ilene cheered.
“You sound surprised,” he panted with a frown. Then he smiled and she knew he was joking.
“Well dropping your lightsaber isn’t exactly the technique we practiced,” she joked back.
“Congratulations Cody,” Riley said from behind them. Ilene and Cody both turned.
“Thank you . . . uhh”
“Knight Riley,”
“Thank you Knight Riley. It seems the Force was with me today.”
“Indeed. A few of my lessons usually help too.” Master Koor said as he joined. Cody bowed in respect.
“Was I correct in hearing Ilene helped you prepare for this?” Koor asked.
“Yes, she’s a tough teacher but she gets results,” Cody said as he smiled at Ilene. Ilene shrugged.
“Why did you help him? Are you two not competing for masters?” Riley asked. Ilene thought about the question. Riley was right. If Cody failed this test, that was one less person she had to beat for a master. But that was not Ilene’s style.
“He’s my friend. And he helped me study for the knowledge test.”
“Hmm, very interesting. Well we should go, I hear your test is also very soon. Congratulations Cody again. And Ilene may the Force be with you.” She finished with a bow. Ilene and Cody returned the bow. Koor turned to Ilene.
“Hey, remember to stay relaxed out there. It shouldn’t be anything you can’t handle.”
“Thank you Master. I’m ready.”
“And don’t get too cocky out there. Last thing you need is to show off and mess up.”
“Yes Master,”
“. . . And don’t tinker with your lightsaber anymore. Could mess it up.”

Ilene did not respond this time. The care on Master Koor's face and in his tone was making her choke up. There was nothing she wanted more than to go out there and fight for the right to be his padawan. But no matter how she did, that just wasn’t an option. She would make him proud today though. That’s the least she could do.

“May the Force be with you Ilene,” Koor said as he gave a deep bow.
“Thank you Master Koor . . . for everything” she whispered. Koor nodded, smiled, turned on his heel, and left. Cody shuffled around towards the exit.
“Can’t wait to see you in action. Knock ‘em dead!” Cody cheered. He bumped her fist and followed Master Koor out. Ilene took a deep breath and tried to clear her mind.

This is it! Like Koor said, keep it cool and under control. This is not a sparring session where you push the opponents limits. This is not practice where you have to go through all the motions a dozen times. This is a test. Destroy the enemy as effectively and as quickly as possible. One last obstacle between me and my future master. Let’s do it!

The program called her, so she made her way into the arena.

“Welcome to the jedi initiate combat trials! The this is the trial of . . .”
Suddenly the recording cut off, and Master Abbot’s voice replaced it.

“Welcome everyone. I’m sure you all know Ilena Zephyr. The latest pupil of Master Koor. I am sure you also know that this test is almost an insult to any swordsman with such training. So I have decided to make things a little interesting, so that we all may learn a lesson or two. Ilena, do you agree to this challenge?”

The crowd murmured to itself, just as surprised as Ilena. She paused. Figures Master Abbot would get his hands on my test. Why can’t he just leave me alone? Then again, if making Master Koor proud is what I wanted to do, beating Master Abbot at his own challenge would do better than anything I could come up with in the test. Besides, he called me a coward. He’s probably expecting me to wimp out. Well he’s got another thing coming!
“I accept your challenge!”
He smiled. “Very well. Let the test commence!”

The crowd cheered. Ilena’s nerves jumped. Whatever Abbot did, he was clear that her test would not be like the others. She didn’t know what to expect now.
Three droids carrying blasters entered the arena. Ilena swallowed and calmed her mind again. I can handle 3. Just as long as it doesn’t go up to four.

The droids fired at the same time. Ilena rolled to avoid the shots. These droids were clearly better trained than the one Cody faced. Ilena drew her blade and began the slaughter. The droids really didn’t have much of a chance. Between Ilena’s movements to keep them all in each other’s way, and her odd attacking patterns that just didn’t make sense to droids, they could not keep up. Ilena slayed all three droids faster than Cody killed his one. The audience roared in applause. Ilena soaked it all up. Take that Abbot! No way I’m going to be stuck here with you.

Before she could even turn her lightsaber off, three more droids entered the arena. This time they carried vibroblades. Ilene rolled her shoulders. Now this is a challenge! But Master Abbot is still going to be disappointed. She charged the droids, destroying one before they could get in formation and surround her. She dodged another and took out its arms. From the corner of her eye she could see two more droids entering the arena. Uh oh! She quickly killed the last of the former group of droids. Another droid entered the arena.  He probably means to overpower me with numbers! She ran to the edge of the arena so it would impossible for the droids to surround her. That didn’t stop them from trying. They marched towards her with robotic apathy. Ilene dug her feet in. Nothing I can’t handle. I can do this. I can do this. No way I’m going to let Abbot have the satisfaction of seeing me fail.

As the droids entered her reach, she struck them down. But seemed to always be more waiting to get her. After an unknown number of droids fell, Ilene started to feel tired in her muscles. Defense is never going to win. I have to attack! Slowly, she made her way away from the edge. It felt like she was killing a droid with every step, but she continued in her daring dance, until she was close to the entrance they came from. Now that she could kill them before they were out of each others way, it was much more manageable. She grew confident, daring. She chopped this way and that. The droids fell to pieces. She kept going. Until mid way through a full force swing, she realized something different about the specific droid she was attacking. It wasn’t a droid. It was a surprisingly droid looking person. She tried with all her might to stop the swing or change the direction, but it was too late.

The lightsaber went right through the throat. The person gripped their wound and fell, dead. Ilene froze in horror. I killed someone! I killed someone! Then the hologram person faded, and the space was empty. She heard a metallic clicking by her. She turned just in time to see the droid turn its blaster on her. It fired and the shot burned like nothing Ilene had experienced so far. The force of the shot knocked her knee out from under her. She screamed out in pain. A shower of more shots hit her so that she fell on her back. Above her she heard the recording say
“(Ilene Zephyr) : Fail”

He did it. He beat me. And me made a fool out of me too. No master wants a murdering padawan. I’ll be masterless. A masterless nobody.

A droid stood over her, and aimed right for her face. She didn’t have the strength to stop it.