Saga Living with Legends: A Dear Diary '07 Entry, AotC Era ~ Gasp! An Update 5/3!!!

Title: Living with Legends
Author: DancesWithBlasters
Timeframe: Pre-AoTC onwards
Characters: OCs
Genre: Humor, sort of Action/Angst
Summary: Follow Padawan Sarama Baka as she navigates her way through the darkening galaxy towards her future. Just beginning to grow up, she is faced with the horrors of the Clone Wars, pesky diplomats' sons, and her own fear of helplessness and inability.
Notes: This was written for the Dear Diary '07 Challenge. And Master Coda does not belong to me, but to my talented friend Star-Foozle! Big thanks to her for lending me him.

Well, this is my response to the challenge. Or at least my first entry for it. Hopefully, I will keep it up the whole year, though I do kind of doubt it. Anyway, this post is pretty much an introductory entry, so readers can get to know a little about the main and character. Still, I hope you enjoy!

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Dear Diary,

You are a possession. But I guess that's okay, because Lena got you for me, and she asked her master about it, and Master V'Raak said it was fine. Lena's wonderful; she always knows what I'm going to say. I'm sure you couldn't find a better friend, or padawan in the entire galaxy, even if you searched high and low.

Well, I'm Sarama, so you know. I guess you would know, because I'm writing in you. Or do you? Do you know? Either way, it doesn't matter, because I going to fill you in anyway. My full name is Sarama Avani Baka (most of the time people just call me Sara), and I'm a sixteen-year-old Jedi padawan. I was born on Alderaan, then found by the Jedi when I was three, and have been here ever since. Not exactly the most fascinating story ever, but it's my life. In any case, I like reading, music, and taking holos.

I always feel so idiotic saying things like this because they never seem like me. After all, beings are too complicated for a few words strung together to explain them, who they really are. Yes, I am Jedi, but I am more, or maybe less, than a Jedi, I am a person. I am more than a person; I am a learner. I am the one you can see mouthing along to a song, but never sings along above a whisper. I am the one who doesn't hear the music, or the silence, when she's reading. I am the one who can imitate Master Windu almost perfectly. I am the one who gets queasy, but never full out space sick. I am the one who is fascinated by politics, but thinks all politicians are dirty liars. I am the one who Master Nu doesn't dislike or snap at like she does everyone else. I am the one who jiggles her foot up and down when she's nervous. That is who I am, among many other things.

So, it's officially winter now! The solstice just past, so we've still got a good deal of winter to go. Not that you would be able to tell just by looking at Coruscant; you can't ever find snow here. It's too dirty, and gray. I don't think I'd ever want to see the kind of snow that could fall here. It'd gray, too, gray, and tired, and dark. But you can feel winter in the frigid wind that knots up your hair, and turns your cheeks and ears red as it blows by. Sometimes you can even feel it as deep as your bones. It's awful, really, really awful. I hate winter. It's just so cold! I have to wear all these extra layers of stuff, and it's so bloody uncomfortable. The material is always scratchy, but it would be really disrespectful or something like that to go around itching myself all the time. And I can't exactly go around freezing my butt off, so I'm forced to deal with it. But worst of all, everyone gets sick. You can constantly hear these snuffling sounds coming from just about the whole planet

Most people think Jedi are supernatural or something, but we do have Healers for a reason. They are total gifts of the Force. While many normal Jedi are too stubborn to actually accept their help at first, they really are incredible. We probably wouldn't have half the number of Knights we do without them. If that isn't awesome, I don't know what is. S

 

I agree, I don't think any of the entries should be too long, after all you're going to be doing this regularly all year long...

Most people think Jedi are supernatural or something, but we do have Healers for a reason.
How true!

 

Eee! It's up!

I liked this alot, Dances. I don't think Sarama's annoying or has a short attention span at all -- she's just keeping a diary, so the entries are bound to be a bit shorter. It's realistic that way: I don't know many people actually write huge blurbs in their journals every day. Plus, as ale said, you're gonna be doing this for a while.

Very nice work, I look forward to the next entry. Keep me updated, cheers, and Happy New Year!

 

correllian_ale ~ Well, I don't know about the regularly, or the whole year bit, but I agree with the rest! LOL! Thanks for the compliments, it means a lot to me. Your diary was ownderful as well.

Starrie ~ I knew I wasn't going to write anything too long for these entries, because like you said, i wanted to keep it realistic. I know for one, I wouldn't even have written as much as Sara did. But it's good documentation of history, ain't it?

 

Goodness, people! Your response to this thread is overwhelming! No need to rush over here and review, honestly!

That was of course sarcasm, but there is a point to this post. I will be doing a PM list, so please inform me if you wish to be on it.

PM List
Star-Foozle
Spike2002
slow_dawn
Star_Angel

 

Nice entry. I enjoyed Sara's thoughts on healers.

We're people, not droids, or ideals to look up to and hide behind. It's a fact that Jedi just as mortal as the next person.

Loved that!

Edit - PM list please?

 

slow_dawn ~ I love your username and icon! And your writing. I read some of it, but lurked.

Anyway, thank you for the lovely compliments. As for the Healers, I just thought that in cannon you see a lot of people who dislike them, so I thought they needed some apperciation. I'm not a doctor, nor am I planning to be, but I really respect the profession, having family in it.

As for the other part, it just seemed like an important issue to cover.

 

I really like your OC's voice, Dances. Very authentic--actually the diary I had a couple years ago started very similarly. It'll be fascinating to see life the Jedi way through the eyes of a teenager.

 

Great start! I like the perspective of this OC, giving some flavor to the life of a regular Jedi in training rather than just the heros.

 

This was amazing Dances. I?m always in awe by the way you write your OC?s and this isn?t an exception.

Great job on this and until we know how thing will go with the update index in the home thread, could you add me to the pm list. Thanks.

 

furrylittlebantha ~ Thank you! I'm glad to know it sounds realistic. I tried to put a real teenage girl voice into it, which, seeing as I am one, wasn't incredibly difficult, but I also wanted to sound like she was maturing, so it was a little hard to keep up. I think a person Sara's age would certainly see the Jedi and their lifestyle in a different way, especially since she is one.

PadawanKayla ~ Thank you very, very much! I thought that not every Jedi was going to be an Anakin Skywalker or a Obi-Wan Kenobi, and that some of them are pretty much normal people. So I tried to have Sara protray that almost normalcy, and take on the galaxy.

Angel ~ You're the amazing one! I know I can always count on you to be an awesome reviewer, and a great friend. You deserve all the praise in the world. BTW, I didn't review on your diary yet, but I did read it, and it was a very dramtic beginning. I can tell I'm going to like Misty already. I'll be sure to add you to the temporary PM list.

 

Very nice beginning.

I love the little characteristics you included about Sarama.

Looking forward to more

 

KELIA ~ OMG!!! I've lurked on your writing before, and I am soooo honored you review a fic by little ole me! Thank you for the wonderful comments. I put in those little things, because I myself hate having to describe myself in the whole "My name is such and such and I'm this many years old, and I have a brother and my hobbies are this." I always feel like that isn't actually me. Some of the things Sara wrote I actually stole from RL. The foot thing is something my brother does, though not really when he's nervous.

 

I will hopefully get up a post this weekend, but I may be busy, so sorry. I'll try and be consistant, but it's expect sporadic updates. The muse is tempermental.

 

Author's Note: And here it is! Unbeta-ed, though because I knew I would never bother to PM Spike because I'm lazy.

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Dear Diary,

Well, so much for on time. I swear, Master Traylin has it out for me. I'm a great student, and she knows it, but she doesn't tolerate any misstep. So, guess how I spent my free time last week? Not hanging out with my friends who're in the Temple at the moment, not reading or sparring, nope. I was working with initiates. Oh, the joy! Now, I remember being a whiny little annoying kid, but I never realized how annoying up until now.

Every minute they had a question. It was always "Why?" or "How come?" or "But, I don't get it." So, being the good soul that I am, I tried to answer them. But some of them were impossible to explain, because there are some concepts young minds just can?t grasp, Jedi or not. Take the differences in genetic make-up between species, and why it?s impossible to cross-breed certain things.

Don?t get me wrong, they were adorable, and most of them were wonderful, but I just don?t get how you get our stade, solemn Council Members from such whiny little kids. I don?t even know how someone like me grew from kids like that.

I just had the most disturbing thought. Stars, imagine Master Windu as a youngling! Force, that?s a frightening idea. I think maybe he was born full grown, with his perpetual frown already planted on his face. But of course, he had to have been young once, long ago. He would?ve had hair. Mace Windu must once have had hair. Unless he?s actually not a human, Master Windu actually had hair once. Oh, that?s just too weird now! Hmm, I wonder what it looked like. Maybe Master knows. Although the hair was probably all gone by the time Master Coda (that?s my master) was brought to the Jedi.

I?m not entirely sure I would even want to hear about, to tell the truth. It would kind of ruin Master Windu?s image as the Big Bad Council Member who will Kick Your Butt. Okay, that was admittedly rude of me. Though he totally would. And I really respect him for that. He?s done a lot of stuff for the Order, and he?s an amazing mentor. He deserves only praise, but that reverence and admiration are hard to find when he?s glaring the holy hells out of you.

You know, I would be in huge, huge, huge, gigantic trouble if anyone ever read this. I?m pretty sure this would offend just about the whole Order. Particularly Master Windu, of course. And the Creche masters. So it?s good no one can find this. I think. About no one being able to find it, not it being good. I am really hoping no one ever reads this.

And if you?re peeking through this and chuckling to yourself about my bout with the Jedilings, Master, don?t! At least I can cook and bake without seriously damaging the Temple kitchens! And, I had the patience to deal with the young ones, which is more than you could have said at my age. And if you aren?t, well, you?re a wonderful master, even with your lack of culinary skills.

Anyway, my master and I are headed off for a mission in a week or so, to a planet called Nefitiu, in the Mid-Rim. The government and this rebel faction are settling their dispute and the Republic is sending Jedi to protect their representatives, and keep the peace. Hopefully it won?t be terribly hard. It sounds like we?re mostly going along as symbols of the Republic and peace and all that good stuff. And probably because we have scary looking lightsabers and are hyper sensitive to threats because of our ability to feel the Force.

Truly, I?ll be glad to get off Courscant again. The Temple is home, and I love it, though I?m not supposed to be attached, but getting some place where things actually grow always calms me. Courscant is so crowded and brimming with life everywhere you look, that it?s exhausting to be here too long. As terrific as it is to be with my friends and fellow Jedi, I don?t really like our capital planet all that much. Whenever I?m here, I feel as if I were stuffed into a tiny corner of some enormous package, and trampled by a h

 

I think maybe he was born full grown, with his perpetual frown already planted on his face.

I?ve asked the same question more then once

I loved this, Sara is an amazing character.

Fantastic job on this Dances

 

Nice work.

Probably comes from being alive so long. It must be horrible standing by and watching as all your friends become one with the Force, leaving you behind. Master Yoda sure has seen a lot. It makes me sad.


Hmm, I've never thought of Yoda like that, but it must be true.

I also enjoyed your character's musings on the masters as younglings.

Also intersting is that you've got the character thinking about her past--this could prove interesting for her development as a jedi.

 

Yes, an update!

And if you?re peeking through this and chuckling to yourself about my bout with the Jedilings, Master, don?t! At least I can cook and bake without seriously damaging the Temple kitchens! And, I had the patience to deal with the young ones, which is more than you could have said at my age. And if you aren?t, well, you?re a wonderful master, even with your lack of culinary skills.

Dances, you rock, did you know that? This post totally made my day.

I love the commentary on Windu and Yoda. And yes, those younglings can be a handful! Sara's right, she does have more patience with them than Coda did at her age...which gives me an idea. Dang! I don't need any more plot bunnies!!!

Lovely work as usual, buddy. Keep it up, and can't wait for more!

 

I just wanted to say that I love you three! I couldn't possibly have better reviewers.

Angel ~ LOL! I wanted to get a realistic kid's version of Master Windu. Since Sara grew up seeing him, this is how I thought of him. And to put in a little humor, as this story gets a lot more serious as the year progresses.

slow_dawn ~ Thank you! I'm glad I got you thinking. As for your suggestion, that's definetly interesting. I'll keep it in mind as I keep writing.

Starrie ~ I'm glad you liked Sara "talking" to Coda. Your comment just about made my day as well. And I want to know what plot bunny just bit you! One grabbed me, as well. We should do a collaboration on a piece with Sara and Coda, say when she gets introduced to her future mentor, when Coda's padawan scouting, or whatever it is Knights do. Whaddya think?

 

And here it is! Unbeta-ed, though because I knew I would never bother to PM Spike because I'm lazy.



You don't need me anymore *sniff*

 

I do though, I do! I was re-reading my post, and there were lots of mistakes I didn't catch on my own! From now on, I'm never going to post unbeta-ed. Bringing my work to you is an essential part of my writing, because not only does it give me a second opinion and improved techinal stuff, like spelling/grammer, but it also gives me time away from it, so I can re-evaluate! PMing is just a hassle, because I need to switch from my old hunk of junk computer to the newer one, which is my brother's after I e-mail myself the document because I can't copy and paste into here on the old computer for some reason. I thought it was fine, so I just skipped a step, but now I realize that was a baaad idea!

 

OK, I forgive ya

 

Yay! Thank you! I actually just PMed you something.

 

And I PMed you back with the betaing

 

Early update! (Kinda) It's not terribly exciting, but hey, that's life, even in a GFFA. There'll be more things happening to weeks to come. This being a whole year, I may readjust the timeframe and move it back a little, to pre-AOTC. Anyway, enjoy!

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Dear Diary,

I hate space travel. Not only do I get nauseous, but also sitting for days in a ship is boring. I don?t crave adventure, but I don?t like just staring at bulkheads for ages either. There is absolutely nothing interesting about the make-up of this ship. I know because I?ve been studying it all yesterday and this morning as well. I know the beings and droids who built it put a lot of work into its design and construction, but I seriously doubt they were forced to stare at it?s inside for hours on end, or they would?ve at least decorated it.

This is supposed to be a good exercise for my patience, I guess, but it doesn?t really seem to work. True, my patience has improved tenfold since I became a padawan, but it has nothing to do with space travel, believe me. My master and I have been going on missions together for four years now, and yet I still dislike the flying part just as much as I used to. Well, it?s less the flying that bothers me, and more the monotony.

Not that I don?t try doing things. For example yesterday, after being introduced to the Republic ambassadors, and (Master Deol would?ve been proud) conversing politely the situation we?re going to be dealing with a bit, I read. Unfortunately, this is proved to be difficult because I tend to loose to any attention span that I might have while traveling, so I spent the grand total of about fifteen minutes at my datapad before starting to pace. Then, my Master got out the training droid, and I did a little saber practice, but then the crew started staring, looking at us like we were crazy to try something like that inside a walled space, so that was out, in respect for their nerves.

And I did meditate. I meditated for hours and hours. But you can?t spend the whole time meditating; it?s simply a fact. I love meditation, really. I feel truly connected to the Force, when I slip deeply into meditation. The best I can I describe it as it?s like I?m a drop of water in this ocean of living beings, and I?m spreading and expanding and plunged deep into galaxy. It clears my mind, allows me to focus, and reminds that I am only the tiniest part of the whole scheme. However, life has to be spent, at least most of the time, in a conscious state, seeing as how we have bodies. Otherwise I?m sure quite a few people would just crawl into a cocoon and never come out.

I?ve found talking to the pilot of government ships, if they?re willing to talk that is, can actually prove to be surprisingly entertaining and informative, so I made my way up there, plopped myself down in the co-pilot?s seat and struck up a conversation. He was a nice guy, apparently he?d chauffeured around Jedi before, so he didn?t start panicking or cursing or bowing down. Which is nice, because if there?s something that annoys me, it?s misconceptions about the Jedi. We are not all powerful, nor evil, nor perfect. We simply are, much like everyone else.

Anyway, we traded stories about the places we?d been to. Mine contained more gore, but also more stuffy meetings, whereas Ohnen (that was his name) did all this crazy, awesome stuff. But on the other hand, I?m not completely sure he was in his right mind, because he let my fly for a while. Who entrusts the lives of several high name politicians to a total stranger? How did he know I wasn?t a terrible pilot? I am, in fact, a horrible pilot, but no one else was anywhere near us, so I just had to fiddle with the controls once in a while. And I?ve gotten a lot better over the years. I remember the first time I flew, I was so kriffing scared, and my hands were shaking like mad afterwards.

I thought I was going to crash and hurt someone, and I was clutching onto the controls so hard, I couldn't even feel my fingers any more. I'm definitely better n