Chapter 20: Remembrances

Part 3

Obi-Wan was true to his word. In the early morning, Atel was awakened by a gentle jostle and the seemingly-overloud noise of "Good morning, Padawan." She had tried to turn over, her whole body aching to get just a few more moments of rest when her Master whispered into her ear, "You were snoring again last night."

She sent him a death-glare, "I do not snore." But Obi-Wan's face said otherwise, the cheeky grin pronouncing to all that she did indeed make unsavory sounds in her sleep and everyone in the cabin knew it. She rolled her eyes and growled, "I'm getting up, Master. Just give me a few moments, please."

Rubbing her eyes, she realized that the two men were already dressed and waiting for her. Her Master looked tired, as if he hadn't gotten much sleep and Jinn looked worse, but they seemed more serene somehow. As she shuffled into the refresher to clean up, she hoped that they both had come to terms with what this day would bring. For their sakes, she wished the journey would never end, but for her own, she would be glad to be home at last.

When she was finally ready, her Master informed her that they would be going down to the gym to spar. He had arranged for one of the small rooms to be available for an hour or so, enough time for a brief, intense workout. She was elated to hear that he was willing to spend some of this unsettling day with her, practicing lightsaber drills.

She was less happy to see Obi-Wan pick up Jinn's lightstaff along with their sabers on their way out the door. The rules were clear-cut; the Standards for Jedi Behavior were very specific about evidence. No matter whether it pointed to innocence or guilt, it was to remain untouched. It was certainly not to be handled lightly or used in personal activities.

But she did not protest. Her Master was aware of the rules and the penalties for violation and she certainly was not going to remind him of something that he already knew. Besides, it would not do to spoil the little time the two men had together. Better to keep quiet for now; it would be over soon enough.

And so a short time later, in the tiny exercise salon, the Jedi began to spar.

Master Jinn sat on the bench at the far side of the room, his face impassive, and watched them with intense concentration. In the few moments between sets, Atel could feel him studying their interactions, listening to the lessons that her Master would impart, and the calm way he corrected her mistakes. Jinn was difficult to read, however. She wasn't sure if he was enjoying the training exercises or thinking of his long-ago times with Master Obi-Wan.

But she was delighted. She had always loved these sessions, the give and take of saber duels and the care that her Master showed in her training. Today was no different. Obi-Wan was focused on the here-and-now as he had not been in many days. And she reveled in it.

It was some time later when Atel, soaked with sweat and breathing heavily, flopped onto the other end of the bench. One of the most grueling saber matches she had fought with her Master in quite a while, and except for a slight amused sparkle in his eyes, he was standing there, patient and unflappable, waiting for her to start again.

"Let me... let me catch my breath." She leaned forward, gulping air for a moment, trying to alleviate her body's desperate need for oxygen. Finally, she waved one hand, indicating defeat. "I admit it, Master. I need to practice more. Dusty files and investigation don't mix well with lightsaber drills." Taking another deep breath, she conceded, "Give me a minute, please."

Looking over at Master Jinn, Obi-Wan nodded back toward the panting Padawan. "Should I? Or do you think she needs a further lesson?" The laughter in his voice was barely contained and he was grinning.

Jinn looked past him at the frazzled Atel and just shook his head, huffing slightly at the sight. His mouth quirked upward as he reminded Obi-Wan, "An enemy would not allow her any breathing space."

Obi-Wan chuckled, then shifted back to her and grabbed her hand, pulling her up. "Right then. Padawan, time to show me that you haven't gone soft in the week since we were at the Temple." Grinning, he spun his lightsaber in an infinity loop, and settled into first position. "And that your old Master hasn't gone soft as well."

Still puffing, Atel sent back a tired smile. "Never, Master. I'm sure you fight better than anyone else at the Temple." She tilted her head toward Jinn. "And maybe even better than Bendu Champions."

A low rumble of amusement from Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan mock-glared at him. "Perhaps, said Bendu would like to show my young Padawan how it's done."

"I would be delighted... to show all the young Padawans here how it is done."

Obi-Wan snickered at that. "So certain are you?" And then he gestured toward the lightstaff, inviting Qui-Gon to join him.

With a regal nod, Jinn rose to his feet and scooped up the weapon, twisting the long handle a bit, almost as if he were gauging its weight. Then grasping it tightly with both hands, with a slight whisper of the Force and one thumb pressing on a small red circle, he pulled outward. Before their eyes, the staff disengaged - into two lightsaber handles.

The silence in the room was almost palpable. Astonishment, momentary confusion and above all, an itch to try it for themselves, this was indeed a weapon that called for exploration. But there was no time for that now.

Clipping one of the sabers to his belt, Jinn turned the other on, the glowing green blade bright with energy. As he moved to meet Obi-Wan in the center of the salon, Atel stepped backward, out of the way, and sat down.

She was glad for the respite but, more importantly, she was curious to see just how two of the best swordsmen of the age would spar. She didn't have long to wait.

As soon as her Master indicated that he was ready, the Force gave a tiny tremor of warning and then Jinn was on him, attacking with such ferocity that Atel couldn't believe that the match would last more than a few seconds. But Obi-Wan was not to be defeated so easily. He inched away, his lightsaber glowing high then low, meeting the other in a great shower of brilliance. As he neared the wall, he suddenly stepped backward, half-crawling up, using momentum and his ability in the Force to shiver across the surface and down again.

He landed at Jinn's left side. Obviously he knew of the Bendu's weakness; the merest whisper of hesitation in Jinn's swing allowed Obi-Wan to move away. Now her Master had more room to maneuver and he began to parry swiftly, deflecting all but strongest of thrusts. As he twisted around, Atel could see the absolute concentration in his face, the frown deep-cut, the grey eyes vivid with the reflected glow from the sabers. Another lightening-swift maneuver and it seemed almost as if both men were encased in luminescence, blue and emerald a complex pattern of joy and blinding energy. In her mind's eye too, she could see the Force's currents as it surged and spun around the two men, their use of the living energy fluctuating with need.

It seemed an eternity in the fiery tempest of the saber dance.

Then a tear in the woven light and Obi-Wan was flying over Jinn's head, sword slashing down even as he soared. But the salon's bulkhead was too low for such aerials. Instead of sailing across the air in a graceful arc, he thrust one leg straight up and pushed against the ceiling to increase his speed downward. He tucked abruptly, then hit the floor and rolled away. In the blink of an eye, he was standing upright again and, graceful as a felinoid, his lazersword angled to meet the green blaze of Qui-Gon's saber.

It was Jinn's turn to shift backwards, seemingly on the defensive but really using movements and his own sense of the Force to draw out his opponent and make her Master reach just a little too far. But Obi-Wan was no longer a Padawan Learner. Experienced with a decade of Knighthood behind him, he had learned to know his own strengths and his weaknesses. He would not be caught unawares, even by Qui-Gon Jinn.

Obi-Wan began to grin, the frown long-gone now, as he matched saber movements with Qui-Gon. The thrust and parry of their blades was almost too fast to follow, the brilliance of green and blue making ghosts of light in the air. But it was clear that they were both enjoying the fight; Jinn's half-smile matched Obi-Wan's joy.

Atel could feel the exhilaration pulsing between them. The Force seemed to sing with it. But it also brought her a kind of forlorn regret, almost grief. Master Obi-Wan had never connected like that with her, never shared such intensity in fighting or studying, or frankly anything. It was almost as if he had hidden something from her, perhaps even from himself, and only now was it coming out as the two men sparred.

It hurt to watch. She looked down abruptly at her small hands, clenched and beginning to ache. She did not remember closing her fists but she opened her fingers deliberately, trying to tamp down the sorrowed emotions. She stared at the skin, so calloused and rough with training. Her Master had helped train those hands, the kindness and patience of a decade of service seen in the flesh.

Now she was filled with regret. She knew that her time with Master Obi-Wan was coming to an end. The whispers of trials and Knighthood had not gone unnoticed but she was not sure she was ready to leave him. They had so much more to accomplish, so much more to talk about, so much more to share.

It might already be too late. Lost moments, lost chances.

With that thought, she looked up again to see her Master sweep out, his leg connecting with the Bendu's. But even as Jinn tumbled gracefully to the floor, he grabbed onto Obi-Wan's tunic, trying to pull him down as well. The Jedi began to fall forward but, at the last moment, he was able to use one leg as leverage and remain half-kneeling. Clearly the victor, he held his blade close to the older man's throat; a wide grin wreathed Obi-Wan's face as he demanded, "Do you yield?"

"Padawan, do you think you've won?" Even though it seemed he had lost the battle, sparkling amusement and a hint of triumph held in the blue eyes of the Bendu.

Obi-Wan let out a sharp snort and shifted his blade closer to Jinn's skin. "Of course. I have my saber at your throat. Could there be any other answer?"

"Look down." Chuckling, he nodded toward Obi-Wan's torso. There nestled in the stomach of her startled Master, was the unlit half of the lightstaff, its handle clearly seen. Apparently, the match was a draw. They had both lost and they had both won.

With a great bark of laughter, Obi-Wan turned off his lightsaber and collapsed next to Jinn. "Good match, Master. I haven't had such a saber bout like that since you left. You were always the finest swordsman at the Temple."

"You have done well since I last crossed blades with you." Jinn's brilliant blue eyes burned intense with pride and satisfaction of seeing his Padawan Learner become such an accomplished Jedi.

Obi-Wan's grin made him seem years younger. "Merely practicing what you taught me, Master." With that, he scrambled to his feet, and leaning forward, offered one hand to the Bendu. Even at Jinn grasped it and was pulled up, Obi-Wan's smile grew wider, cheeky and teasing. "And adding a few things of my own since that time."

Qui-Gon just shook his head, "So I see."

With one hand extended, Obi-Wan indicated the gleaming handle still attached to the Bendu's belt. "Your latching mechanism is quite intriguing. I'd like to try it if I may. And perhaps get a few lessons of lightstaff technique."

"That might be wise, Padawan."

As the two Jedi gathered before him, Jinn pulled off the saber, and with an exaggerated movement, shoved the other half of the staff into a small latch-lock, twisting it. With a subtle snick, the weapon became seamless once more.

Placing it gently into Obi-Wan's hands, he reminded him, "Although from what I've seen, you don't need much instruction. Your battle with Anakin proved that."

"It is best to be prepared. And I still have much to learn."

Jinn bowed slightly, acknowledging the wisdom of such caution.

Pointing toward the center of the lightstaff, Qui-Gon began to explain, "Its most vulnerable spot is dead-center and you would be well-advised to try and disable it at that point. Although the staff can split into two sabers, often a hit at its centerpoint can fry some of the circuitry of one or both blades." He nodded toward Obi-Wan. "You were able to do this quite well with Anakin's staff but, with a more experienced individual, you might have had a great deal of trouble. Most suitably-trained users will try and protect its center, knowing the vulnerability. Caution is key with this weapon. Remember that, Obi-Wan."

Atel stood silently, watching her Master treasure this time together, gathering the memory to hold to him when the Bendu was gone. The connection between the two was palpable, the learned lessons of a lifetime holding true. In the shimmering now of the Force, she could almost see beyond Obi-Wan's worn face and shoulder-length ginger hair to the ghostly image of a waist-length braid - as if he were a Learner once more and she was merely a spirit intruding on the moment. She was not even there to them.

Suddenly she needed to get away, to regain her center.

She began to sidle back, away from the two, hoping to reach the door without notice but Obi-Wan called out, "Padawan, where are you going?"

Before he could protest further, she replied, "Forgive me, Master but I will be right back. I need to use the 'fresher."

He shook his head, sighing at the interruption. "Don't be long, Atel. This may be important."

With a slight bow, she turned away even as the murmur of lessons continued.

"The long handle can get in the way of your swing. Jedi are used to a much smaller device, one that can be pulled around easily with one hand but swiveling something this large sometimes requires two hands. That is a liability, especially if you are being attacked at more than one position. Here..."

With an audible sigh, Atel slid through the door and it closed behind her.