We had spent six months following the same training routine: running, sit-ups, planks, and all kinds of physical exercises.
But compared to my companions, I seemed to have grown much more.
Honestly, that didn’t surprise me.
The Force has its favorites—cough!—
I already had about ten centimeters on them before; now I was nearly a full head taller, which was difficult even for me to believe.
As training continued, we became increasingly close, and I was able to observe the qualities that made each of them special.
For example, Efi, the most cheerful of the group.
She was incredible with machines and droids.
She could access their memory banks and program small routines that we frequently used for pranks.
I still laugh when I remember the time we used a cargo droid.
We programmed it to pull down the pants of a merchant who always tried to pay us less for our goods.
The idiot thought the droid was going to help him load his cargo.
We watched from a distance.
The fool was already yelling at the droid to load the crates onto his transport when it approached him and, without warning, yanked his pants down in one swift motion.
We hadn’t accounted for how much strength the droid would use…
Or for the embarrassing scene it would create.
The poor bastard ended up hanging from what appeared to be his underwear, screaming for help while everyone stared.
It was glorious.
Unfortunately, I still don’t know how my mother discovered we were responsible, and ever since then we stopped that kind of mischief…
For the time being.
Then there was Ali, the shyest among us.
Most of the time, we had to drag her into our pranks, but she was always the one who laughed the hardest afterward.
In front of other people, she remained the same quiet little girl.
She was extremely agile and possessed excellent coordination.
After me, she was the best at the obstacle course.
In addition to the clan’s traditional spear, we also had a special bow that generated laser arrows from an energy cell, similar to a blaster.
It required no physical ammunition.
The arrows were created entirely from energy.
She wanted to specialize in that weapon, and honestly, it suited her abilities perfectly.
I was interested in it as well.
I imagined myself as Hawkeye, hitting every target with perfect accuracy.
With my Observation Haki enhanced through the Force, it would be a perfect addition to my long-range arsenal.
Val…
All I can say is that she will become an exceptional warrior and leader.
She possesses an unbreakable mind and emotional intelligence far beyond her years.
She can raise anyone’s spirits with only a few words.
She also has a special connection with wolves.
Her mother is one of the mercenary captains aboard a ship that carries out missions across the galaxy.
She often told us stories about escort jobs, fugitive hunts, and the many worlds they visited.
Yes.
Exactly what you’re thinking.
The women of those races.
What can I say?
It’s a fantasy of mine.
I’ve always wanted to touch and stroke those strange head-tails and admire those alluring Twi’lek figures up close…
Cough!
Cough!
Let’s get back on topic.
There’s still plenty of time before I begin studying alien anatomy for purely scientific purposes.
And then there was Alf.
If I had to explain it with a simple analogy:
I would be Han Solo, and he would be my Chewbacca.
He was incredibly strong for his age, loyal, and brave.
He always said he would be the group’s “tank,” taking every hit and protecting everyone else.
I remember the day Ali tried to break my obstacle-course record.
She slipped while climbing a wall made of logs and fell backward, headfirst.
I saw everything in slow motion.
I tried to react, but I was too far away.
Then he appeared.
Alf jumped with all his strength and managed to cushion her fall with his own body.
From that day on, he earned the nickname “Brave Alf.”
Not many people would risk their own well-being for someone else without hesitation.
He ended up with sore arms and bruises all over, yet he kept smiling while comforting Ali.
That’s the kind of person he is.
As always, we finished our routine at the training grounds and prepared to head home.
I said goodbye to each of them and continued on my way.
This time, however, I decided to stop by the marketplace.
It had been a while since my last visit, and I wanted to see if anything interesting had happened.
The place was more crowded than usual.
People were gathering in groups and speaking in hushed voices.
Some appeared worried.
Others seemed nervous.
Quietly, I moved closer.
Thanks to my physical abilities, I managed to slip behind a cargo wagon without being noticed.
Villager 1: Did you hear?
The duke’s daughter was born on the planet Kalevala.
They named her Satine Kryze.
The pacifist faction now has an heir.
Villager 3: “The situation on Mandalore keeps getting worse. I don’t think the planet can survive another large-scale war. I only hope it doesn’t end in a civil war.”
Villager 1: “I just hope it doesn’t affect our people here on Concordia and that our clan continues to prosper.”
I froze.
My mind immediately began working.
I already knew I was living before the Clone Wars because the Jedi still existed.
I had heard merchants speak about them and had listened to rumors concerning senators of the Republic.
That meant the Empire had not yet been born.
With this new information, I could narrow down the timeline.
The birth of Satine Kryze gave me a clear reference point.
If my memories were correct, it was approximately fifty-five years before the Battle of Yavin.
That meant there were still about twenty-three years before the events of the cinematic canon officially began.
That was a long time.
Enough time to prepare.
I had never intended to involve myself so deeply in history.
Saving Padmé.
Preventing Anakin’s fall to the dark side.
Exposing Palpatine as a Sith Lord.
Preventing the destruction of the Jedi Order…
Although, if I were being honest, among the Jedi I was more interested in Ahsoka Tano, Barriss Offee, and Aayla Secura.
Yes.
Women.
Only women.
To hell with Obi-Wan and Yoda, that old green man.
Though I have to admit that Count Dooku was always one of my favorite characters.
He was the only one who truly saw the corruption of the Senate and the decline of the Jedi Order.
The problem was that he chose the easy path.
He became a puppet of the dark side instead of leading a genuine revolution.
Knowing the timeline gives me an advantage.
I will search for allies.
People who suffered.
People who were betrayed.
People who stood on the brink of the dark side.
Perhaps I can change some destinies.
But for now, I won’t plan too far ahead.
I’ll keep training.
And when the time comes…
I’ll be ready.