Guest Poster - Padawan Erifia [Topic - I don't like what's going on here.]

Master Gerith and I were taking a fieldtrip to a GAR training facility. He called in a favor. He didn’t tell me anything about it. I was hesitant. I had heard horror stories of what the GAR soldiers went through.

They had to go through extreme muscle training and they had to run dozens of miles a day. I’m not very athletic at all. I know how to fight, but I can’t run or anything like that. Master Gerith had focused more on my saber fighting then he had on the rigorous physical training of the other padawans.

“I don’t understand,” I spoke softly, “Why are you taking me to a GAR training facility Master?”

“Erifia,” He scolded with his voice, and I took a step back away from him.

“Sorry for questioning your wisdom master.”

He lead me to a base. The base was surrounded by shields, and the only entrance was guarded by several GAR guards. My master walked up to them, and he showed them a card, and they moved aside.

They were big men, and they scared me. I gently crossed the threshold. The buildings were large like Coruscant’s and it frightened me. I don’t like tall buildings. I feel so small and so helpless around them. My master walked me up to a large building.

He opened the door but did not enter, “Master!” I said, “Please come in with me. I can’t go in alone.” I looked down from him when I asked him to do that. He spoke, “Erifia. You need to do this alone.”

I walked inside the doors, and there was a woman at the desk, she looked at me, and hit a button, and there was a loud buzz. I jumped at the sound of it. The door opened, and she spoke in nasally tones, “Go in there Honey.”

I walked into the room, and it was layered with smoke, and smells I didn’t like. It was dark, and all that could be seen was a smoldering cigar in the ash tray.

“Sit down,” He spoke in harsh loud tones, and I pulled myself into the large chair. I sat down and shifted uncomfortably and I buttoned my jacket, “You Gerith Gwin’s daughter, right?” Daughter?

I couldn’t correct his mistake, “Yes,” I said meekly. He turned in the chair and looked at me, “You’re enrolled.”

I’m not enrolled! “No sir, I’m not. I… No…” He raised his eyebrow, “Did your father not tell you?” “No sir.”

“You’ll be going through GAR Soldier Training. It will be a month of heavy work.” I looked down from him. He said, “Go to Barracks B; Get some sleep, there will be a lot of work.”

I stepped out of the room so I was always facing him, and then I ran outside and leapt for Master Gerith who wasn’t there. He had left me? Why? What had I done? I sat down against the wall and began to cry.

He enrolled me in the GAR army. I must have been kicked from the temple… I don’t even know what I did… I forced back my tears, and sucked it in, if I wasn’t going to be a Jedi, then I was going to be the best soldier I could be.

If you’ll excuse me, I’ve got to go to the barracks,

No hugs and no kisses,
Erifia Apoc