Twinsabers: The Master
By Blade Malfoy Celebare


Rating: PG-13

Notes: This could possibly become a published work, so NO STEALING! If you want to use any of my created characters, please ask! I'll be more than happy to let you, but I'd like to know where they're going.

Constructive Criticisms are VERY APPRECIATED! Please don't just say you liked the fic. What did you like, what didn't you like, what confused you, etc. Please ^^


Aquel Feamir felt extraordinarily out of place at the Temple. She walked down the pristine, polished hallways with her head bowed and her hood up, hoping that no one would take any notice of her. She so desperately wanted to remain hidden that she utilized a few mind tricks - but in the midst of the Masters, they were useless. No matter how hard she tried, no matter what back ways and byways she took, she was always spotted.

Today was no different.

"Ah, Aquel Faemir, welcome home!" boomed a loud, bold voice, and Aquel shuddered inwardly. Baro Heldekar had spotted her, and he wouldn't let her get on with her business until she had been pestered to near insanity.

"Baro," she said, forcing a smile onto her pale, narrow face. "What a. pleasant surprise. I thought you were away on a mission."

"I was," Baro grinned. The scaly Trandoshan couldn't resist boasting about his endeavors, which was unseemly for a Jedi, to say the very least. "They sent me to Kessel to break up a minor riot. It turned out to be nothing more than a payment dispute, which I settled in the usual republic manner."

"Ah, how nice for you," she said, looking around for an escape rout. Baro was about to launch into one of his political speeches about the nature of Republic laws, and she had heard enough of that in the past few weeks to make her nauseous. She was about to settle into a meditating exercise to drown out some of Baro's prattling when her salvation came marching around the corner.

"Qui-Gon Jinn!" She called, brushing past Baro. The Trandoshan glowered at the older Man as Aquel rushed to greet him; there was no way he would be able to finish his speech now. The human Jedi was always ruining perfectly good conversations.

"Aquel! It's good to see you," Qui-Gon replied, reaching out to give the rescued Jedi a brief, friendly hug. "What brings you back to the Temple?"

"Ah, actually, I wanted to discuss that matter with you," she said, jerking her head back to where Baro was standing.

"Of course," Qui-Gon smiled. "I was just on my way downstairs for a meal. Would you care to join me?"

Aquel allowed herself a relieved smile as she strode past Baro.

"Where's Ben?" Aquel asked as she entered one of the temple's high-speed lifts with Qui-Gon.

"He's downstairs already. I sensed your distress and came to help you," the older Jedi laughed.

"You're my savior," Aquel replied, bowing low with a grin on her face.

Qui-Gon nodded, smiling. "So, what is this matter you wanted to speak to me about, or were you just looking for an escape rout?"

"No," she replied, "I really did want to talk with you. I returned because of a dream, a vision, I think. I believe it was telling me that I ought to return to take on another, to teach them."

Qui-Gon nodded understandingly. "The taking of a Padawan is a great responsibility, and must be decided upon with the greatest of care."

"I think the Force tells us when and who to choose," Aquel replied, staring out of one of the lift's massive plasteel viewpanes. "I felt a strong compulsion to return here, as if someone needs me."

"All will become clear in time," Qui-Gon said as the lift doors slid open. "And now, I think, is the time to meditate over sustenance. I haven't had a decent meal in weeks."

Aquel nodded and followed him out of the lift, but just as the heavy durasteel doors slid shut behind her, she was struck into silence by a sudden stab of dread. They were returning again, the visions, and she was gripped by a deep, unreasoning fear - a terror that wrapped its icy claws about her heart like a vice. She hadn't felt such fear since she had ended her education and become a knight; such emotion was usually easily eliminated with simple meditations. This terror was primal, though, and it ate at her very being. Thoughts of meditation flew from her mind immediately; she had to exercise extreme self-control just to keep from running down the hallways, screaming.

"Aquel," Qui-Gon said, concerned, turning to face her. "Are you all right?" She merely nodded in response, knowing that her fear was so overpowering that every Force-sensitive being in the temple could feel it in some way or another. "You haven't told me everything, and there is another reason for your return," the man said softly, placing both strong hands on her shoulders. "If you need to speak alone to me, away from the others, just let me know." Again, she gave him a numb nod, and he gave her shoulders a reassuring squeeze. With that the terror lifted itself from her heart, and she became rational again - yet how long until the visions returned?

Sensing that the momentary danger had passed, Qui-Gon again moved towards the heavy durasteel doors that opened into the 'mess hall' of the Temple. The two Jedi entered the room, and a few heads turned to acknowledge them, but only one being stood to greet them. The young man was taller than Aquel remembered, his legs no longer so lanky, his face more mature; she was surprised for a moment to see the long braid of a Padawan hanging down his broad back. This man looked old enough - not to mention confidant enough - to have graduated from the Learner phase of his life long ago.

"Master Feamir," he said, grinning broadly as he bowed, first to her, then to his own Master, Qui-Gon. This was improper, of course, but Qui-Gon didn't seem to care. It had been a long time since last his Padawan had seen Aquel.

"Please, Obi-Wan, let's dispense with the formalities," Aquel laughed, holding out her arms to embrace the young man she had known since his boyhood. Obi-Wan accepted the hug gratefully and returned it, sending a sheepish look over her shoulder to Qui-Gon. The other Jedi merely smiled.

"What brings you back to the temple, Aquel?" Obi-Wan asked, stumbling over the use of her first name. He had been taught his whole life to call his elders by their titles and last names, but of course Aquel wouldn't let him do that. She wasn't exactly what you'd call a traditionalist.

"I thought that I ought to check in with the Masters before they thought me dead," she said, raising her eyes skyward for a moment. Obi-Wan struggled to hide a grin: Aquel was as much of a rebel against rigid council doctrine as his master. "I also wanted to see you again, since I heard you were here. I've been told you two are being sent to-"

"Naboo," Qui-Gon finished. "We're being sent to play the part of ambassadors, to try and head off violent conflict. You've heard of the Trade Federation's blockade against Naboo?"

"Indeed," she said wryly. "Remember, I was born there. I believe the Federation should be done away with, the scoundrels. Legal blockade, my foot," she snorted.

"That's exactly what I think," Obi-Wan said. "I don't think they'll take to kindly to our presence."

"And yet, we must do what is asked of us. We may prevent a full-scale invasion and head off other major conflicts, as well."

Aquel was about to give him a sarcastic retort when another chill crept up her spine; she turned slowly to face Qui-Gon, and what she saw there made her breath catch in her throat. She saw a wraith hovering above his head, his ghost, with a dead look in its eyes and a wicked slash across its torso…

And then, as quickly as she shade had appeared, it vanished.

Qui-Gon turned a concerned look in her direction again. "What's wrong?"

She shook her head fiercely a few times to clear it, and put on a careless voice. "Nothing, I'm just weary from my travels is all."

"Let me get you a drink," Obi-Wan said, casting her a look that made her think that he knew much more than she gave him credit for.

~-~-~-

The following morning Aquel woke feeling more refreshed than she had in many months. The usual nightmares hadn't plagued her sleep, and she was extremely grateful for this. Perhaps she just needed to return to the temple. Maybe the visions were over… that was unlikely, though. The nightmares were part of her very being.

The night before Aquel had gone to see Master Yoda, to meditate and tell him of her travels and her intentions. Jedi usually went to the small alien master first with their troubles, before consulting the rest of the council, and though Aquel was known for her disregard of the rules, she too respected Master Yoda and his opinions. Yoda had agreed to accompany Aquel to the Student Halls the following morning to help her in her search for a Padawan, a job Aquel wasn't exactly looking forward to.


"It's like choosing a thoroughbred Tauntaun," she muttered to herself, making a face in the refresher unit's small mirror as she put up her hair. She had washed out her mid-length silver-blue mane earlier, and it framed her pale face elegantly, like a halo. She examined her thin eyebrows, decided they didn't need plucking, then splashed a good amount of fresh, cool water over her face. She scrubbed her nose, ears, forehead, and high cheekbones thoroughly, clearing away the grime of months-long space travel. When she opened her silver-gray eyes to inspect herself, she found the results of her washing a great improvement. Once again she thanked the force that she was human; fur or scales were probably much harder to keep clean than plain skin was.

Once she was satisfied with her cleanliness (she wasn't usually so meticulous, but she wanted to present a good image to any prospective Padawans she might encounter), she threw her lightweight, off-white outer tunic over her head, pulled on her calf-high boots, clipped her white- handled lightsaber to her durable utility belt, and threw on her rough, brown Jedi robe. One more inspection had her satisfied that she looked enough like a Jedi Knight to garner respect, and she exited her room confidently. Baro had been sent away to attend a meeting of the Republic senate, so even he couldn't ruin her day.

Aquel walked along the outer hallways of the temple, marveling as she always did at the bustle of the populace below. The skylanes were full of all sorts of ships, from transit barges as large as battlecruisers, to tiny two-passenger speeders. She thought of her own ship, an ancient N-1 model that she had customized herself. The little brick-red ship was spaceworthy and quick, and thus had been dubbed the Shield Dodger by Aquel and her comrades. It was a tiny ship, but would easily accommodate a Padawan Learner.

With that thought in mind, Aquel punched in the access code to enter the student's area of the Temple. The heavy doors slid open with a metallic hiss, and Aquel stepped through into another world. The corridors smelled differently here, perhaps because of the energies and youth of its dwellers. The hallway encircled the entire Temple with warren-like corridors branching off the main pathway. Small, compact, but comfortable dormitories lined these inner passages while large outer hallway consisted of lightsaber training rooms, meditation chambers, and common rooms. Scuff marks from hasty feet covered the polished floors, and someone hand hung a sign that said "Do or Do Not, or you get no pie" outside of one of the lightsaber training rooms. Yoda sat before the door of the room, staring up at the sign with a hint of a smile in his eyes.

"Master Yoda," Aquel said by way of greeting, bowling low before the aged Jedi.

"Aquel Faemir, welcome," Yoda said, turning to face her. "Glad I am, to see you. We feared you were injured."

Aquel smiled despite herself at Yoda's familiar dialect. "It takes quite a lot to injure me. I'm a tough old bird. Besides, you know me, I enjoy hiding."

"Hope I do, that you do not enjoy solitude," Yoda said. "A great responsibility, a Padawan is. Trust, must you have, yes, and knowledge. Yes, and a patience! A master must have patience. Have you these things?"

Aquel sensed a test of sorts, or at least an indication of how good of a Master she would make. "I trust the Force with all my heart, and I have enough knowledge to teach another. I'm still learning, though. You once taught me that one can never have enough knowledge, and that we gain new knowledge each and every day, if we are open."

Yoda nodded approvingly. "Taught me something new, you did," he said seriously.

"What's that?" she asked, puzzled. What could she have taught Master Yoda?

"Taught me you have, that a wild little girl can remember her lessons."

"Ah, you caught me off guard," Aquel replied, smiling.

"And I have also seen what I need. Come, follow me," Yoda said, motioning for her to enter the training room. "See we will, perhaps one of these will become your student, Hmm?" Aquel followed Yoda unquestioningly and took a seat in the darkened room. A few moments after she had seated herself, two young Jedi entered the room. They strode to the center of it, bowed to each other, and ignited their training lightsabers. Aquel had a flashback of sorts, remembering a particularly painful training session in which a rival student had severely burned her arm. She half-winced and instinctively sent healing thoughts to the boys.

The two young potential Jedi fought fiercely, more fiercely than Aquel would have liked. They were trying too hard to impress her, and neither was really concentrating on what mattered the most. She muttered the old mantra under her breath, mentally sending the thoughts to the students. 'A Jedi must know neither fear nor hate. A Jedi must not be ambitious nor selfish. A Jedi must adhere to the will of the Force.'

Yoda shot her a sidelong glance and muttered, "Forgot one, you did."

She nodded apologetically. "I didn't think it applied to this situation."

"Correct, you are, but never must you forget."

Aquel again felt like a mere student in Yoda's presence, rather than a Jedi Knight of 55 years, and she watched the rest of the match in silence.

After watching numerous lightsaber exercises, examining meditations, scrutinizing consciences and monitoring the thoughts of students for hours, Aquel began to think that choosing a Padawan would prove impossible. Though many of the students performed admirably, she didn't feel any special attachment to any of them. She was looking for the one who had called to her in her visions, the one who needed her, but if that one was here at all, she hadn't seen them. It was terrible, seeing the crestfallen faces of the youths she overlooked. None of them were right, and she was afraid of making a fatal error… losing a pupil to the Dark Side was the worst thing that could happen to a Jedi Master.

As she walked slowly back to her room, ready to meditate for a few hours before allowing herself to sleep, she let her mind wander back across the years. She remembered her own childhood, and how lucky she had been in her studenthood. She had been chosen as a Padawan at the young age of nine, at the most opportune time. Children from the ages of eight to eleven had the most potential for learning, and being taken on by a Knight at such a young age only meant more years of experience and training outside of the temple. Aquel's first master was Cheryen, an aged and wizened old woman with a talent for future-sight and true empathy. She trained Aquel for eight long years, passing on her knowledge to the youth. Aquel was a quick learner with a sharp memory and soon possessed a wisdom that few her age could claim.

The memory of Cheryen's death still haunted Aquel. Just after Aquel's seventeenth birthday the Council sent the pair on a diplomatic mission to a volatile arms manufacturer on one of the core worlds. The dictator there hadn't taken very well to the idea of the Republic interfering with their black-market trade and sent assassins to dispose of Cheryen and her apprentice. Cheryen, slowed with age, was slain with a vibroblade. The only physical reminder of the encounter for Aquel was a deep gash on her right thigh, but the flames of her master's funeral pyre burned an indelible mark of pain into her mind.

And now would she choose one to instruct, to lead into a bond that would forever tie them together? Would she bear responsibility for one as special as a Force adept, even after death? How could she be trusted with that sort of responsibility?

Aquel Faemir had a sudden realization just before she banished all thoughts for sleep; All Jedi someday faced an event that left them scarred for life. What would Obi-Wan's future hold?

A/N: Well? What d'you think? Keep in mind, this is chapter one. There are supposed to be questions ^^ Please tell me if anything confused you so I can be sure to clear it up in the later chapters. Expect the next chapters very soon! I've got chapters 2 and 3 typed, after all.