Obi-Wan was half carried, half dragged into the small cell. As the Phindians set up the mind-wipe droid, he had a chance to study his surroundings. The small, metal room was completely devoid of decoration of any kind, its single purpose to house the terrible machine being readied for use. Use on him. A small shiver of fear traveled down his spine. He hoped desperately that his use of the Force to protect and preserve his memory would be enough. If not, everything he knew, everything he was, would be gone, forever.
Weutta barked an order and the two guards dragged Obi-Wan to the table. He was unceremoniously dumped on the surface and was quickly surrounded by other guards, who began placing monitors on his head and chest. Then the twin metal rods were screwed tightly against his temple.
"Since you will be experiencing our machine, you should at least know how it works, especially since you won't remember it later." Weutta laughed. "These are electro-pulsers. They will help us wipe your brain of every memory you have, rebel!" Obi-Wan paid no attention to the boast of the head of security. He was too busy strengthening the Force walls he had built around his memories. Though he could not touch it, he felt Qui-Gon's stone glow warmly in his pocket. With its help, he would be able to defeat these evil men's schemes.
"Switch on!" The droid turned on the evil machine, and Obi-Wan felt a strange sensation start at his temples and work its way in. It was not pain; it felt like an ocean wave slamming against the walls he had built. Not pain, not yet. As he continued to strengthen weak places in his Force walls, he touched protected memories one at a time.
A young boy is running down hallways, tears of disappointment flooding his eyes. He tried so hard in his classes, but sometimes it seems he will never master this Force. As he turns a corner, he runs into the small Jedi Master Yoda. Hurriedly, Obi-Wan brushed his bangs over his eyes, lest they betray him to the powerful master. Yoda was not fooled, however.
"Sad are you, young one? Bothering you, something is. Tell me you can, young one." Struggling to meet Yoda's eyes, the boy shook his head. He was too afraid to say anything. Yet, Yoda did not dismiss him. He lightly tapped his stick on the floor, waiting patiently for the boy to gather his courage.
"I…I yelled at Bruck, Master Yoda. I…I didn't mean to, but he was…teasing me…and I lost my temper. I also Force pushed him." The boy added quietly. There he had said it, would he be thrown out? Yoda nodded knowingly.
"Easy anger is. Harder it is for one to keep peace. Yet, peace it is that is better. Worth the struggle it is. Wrong it was of him to tease you. But just as wrong was it for you to push him. Young one, remember always, never to match another's anger with your own. Hard it is, yet it is that which proves you are an adult and a Jedi." The boy nodded, taking in everything the wise master said. He did not understand it then, but someday he would.
The sensation escalated to pain, burning pain that threatened to tear down his walls. He struggled to keep them up; without them, he would be nothing. And the memories continued.
He is sitting on the bank of the lake in the Room of a Thousand Fountains. He loves to come here and watch the water cascade into the pool. Such power and yet such grace. Suddenly, a sound near him jars him from his reflections. A young Calmarian has surfaced and is staring at him. She is a few years younger then he.
"Hello." She blinks at him, and then answers.
"Hello. Do you come here often?" He nodes. "Do you swim in the pool ever?"
"I can't swim." The young girl is shocked. She thought everyone could swim.
"Then I will teach you. My name is Bant. What's yours?"
"Obi-Wan."
The pain is white-hot now. It surges repeatedly, threatening his consciousness. If he losses consciousness, he will lose the fight.
"That should be enough, his brain must be cooked by now. Turn it off." The guard's hand reaches for the button when a voice cuts through the silence.
"Stop!" Obi-Wan's eyes move to the left to discover that Baftu has entered the room. Oh great, he thought. I've attracted an audience. As the pain flared up to its highest point yet, he let out an involuntary whimper.
Baftu looks at him and an evil smile contorts his lips. Then he glares at Weutta.
"This is one of the Jedi that have landed on the planet. Trust Terra to have one right under her nose and miss him. I want him renewed, completely renewed."
Weutta argued, "The electro-pulsars have been on for several minutes now. A normal person would be a complete blank by now."
"A normal person, yes. But this boy is not a normal person. He is a Jedi. And I can guarantee he is using the Force to protect himself from the effects of the renewal. I want this droid to stay on until he is unconscious. In fact, I had better supervise, because I'm sure you slugs will mess it up if I don't. If we can have a Jedi hostage, then we will be unstoppable."
Obi-Wan's strength was nearly crushed then, but he refused to give into fear. Instead, he fought to stay conscious, even as the pain caused his mind to go grey. He would not fail; he could not fail. He had to succeed. He would not let Qui-Gon down.
Qui-Gon has just asked him to become his Padawan. He finally feels at home. And he can sense, in the distant future, where this man will be more then a master. He will be a friend, a comrade, and a father.
A scream splits the stillness of the room, as the biggest wave of pain engulfs the young boy. As Baftu watches, the boy's eyes roll back into his head and his body goes limp. He waits for several seconds, wanting to make sure the boy's memories are gone.
Suddenly, alarms shatter the silence. Everyone watches as the boy's body goes into convulsions.
"Turn off. Turn off now!" The droid is shut down, and a guard moves to check the life signs. The boy's body continues to convulse, until the guards are forced to hold the child down. Finally, the convulsions slow then cease, except for an occasional twitch.
Baftu grinned. "Now, young Jedi, you are mine."