~Chapter Three~

Obi-Wan Kenobi stood before the Council with Jyana Falson slightly behind.  He longed to hold her hand, but it was either inappropriate before the Council, or she probably wouldn't be welcome to it.  He could sense a little fear.  He whispered to her, "You should banish your fear, Jyana."

"My fear is with reason."

"But unhealthy."

"From a certain point of view."

He looked back at her and sighed at the distant look in her eyes and the serious look on her face.  "Master Yoda, members of the Council," he said looking forwards towards Yoda and Mace, "I present Jyana Falson."

As Obi-Wan stepped aside, she looked at him and probably it was the first time she had really got a good look at him.  He had a few grey hairs in his short, still Padawan cut.  The braid still had evidence of his natural color, a light brown, but near the top there were a few greys.  The short ponytail had grey in it too.  He's getting older.  She then looked towards Yoda and dropped to her knees and bowed her head out of humility and respect.

"Gone you were.  Long time I have seen you not, young Falson," Yoda addressed.

Ki-Adi-Mundi looked at Yoda.  "Too long.  Is she a Jedi or a Sith."

"She is a Jedi.  I trained her myself," Mace spoke up.

"Though well trained, she possesses many of her father's qualities.  Those of a space pirate," Depa Billaba stated.  Mace had also trained her, but she had a fear of pirates because space pirates killed her family when she was very young.  It was Mace who rescued her from the same fate that her family had faced.

Adi Gallia, a Corellian who understood her people well, looked over at Depa and replied, "But as a Jedi, she won't hurt anyone without reason."

Really?  Obi-Wan thought to himself.  The he heard Jyana say in his mind, Sorry but I did feel there was reason.  Before Obi-Wan could ask What? she said I felt threatened.

A smile crossed Yoda's face.  "See through you we can, young Falson."

She looked at him and raised her eyebrow, yet kept her mouth closed.

"There is a reason that you and Obi-Wan can communicate through the mind as you just did," Mace continued, "Have you realized what that is?"
"This she does.  Know that Obi-Wan should."

Should I? he thought to himself, thinking really hard of why.

Oh nuts, Jyana thought.  Darn people think that telepathy means that you should be much closer to that person.  If they only knew that some people just can read minds very well.  It's usually because the people are related.

We're not related, are we? Obi-Wan sent back.

Hmmm…

"Reason then you must…" Yoda started.  Marry him, was what he intended to say.

"Master Yoda, pardon my interruption," Jyana spoke up with strength, "There are much more important matters to discuss.  Don't let my stubborn pride be a distraction for y'all.  The Sith are becoming stronger and that spells certain doom for our Order."

Whispers went on behind her.  "Impossible," Ki-Adi-Mundi said.

"Nothing in the universe is impossible.  I stand as a living example."        

"Know this you do," Yoda asked, not too upset at being interrupted, "How?"           

"I wear black so I can be a good spy for my masters.  My half-brother Keldin, your previously turned Jedi Knight, Padawan, he is the same."

Half brother?  Obi-Wan couldn't help but be surprised.

"With age, wisdom comes not, Miss Jyana," Yaddle, a Jedi Master of the same species as Yoda, spoke up with a soft voice and compassion, "Wisdom I sense.  Of which most is hard."

"Most wisdom of the Jedi that you learn on your own missions is hard, Master Yaddle."
"Stand up you must young Solo.  Not much your humility is, but seen it is," Yoda said.

She obeyed.  Obi-Wan noticed how gracefully she rose and how her whole demeanor had changed.  Her fear, he felt, was gone, but he sensed that it would return soon, just he didn't know when, nor why, yet.  She held herself with a confidence now that he himself didn't even possess.  She always had something over him.  The confidence sprouted from stubborn ethnocentric assurance in her being correct.

"As a Jedi Knight," Mace stated, starting the questioning, "How have you found justice served?"

Jyana looked across the cityscape behind Yoda and quietly and thoughtfully replied, "It depends usually on which situation is at hand.  Sometimes there's nothing that you can do.  Sometimes justice is best served by knowing when to fold one's hands."  At which she folded her hands, concealing them into her cloak's large black sleeves.

Obi-Wan shuddered.  To think she learned that the hard way.  So much has changed since she left me.  If she had stayed she would've never known that.  Maybe that's a reason why she left.  I still wish she hadn't.

"I have also learned something that the masters have never let us know.  Something Master Mace never taught me, something Master Yoda has never taught anyone, Qui-Gon wouldn't teach ever, and Obi-Wan, once he knows, probably will never tell Anakin."  She looked at each one that stood present that she addressed.  Obi-Wan was startled at the slight smirk on her face as she was speaking.  Is what she knows that amusing?

"What would that be?" Mace asked cautiously, reading her face. 

"The deepest and darkest secret of all the Force lets you see."

Yoda looked up knowingly.  "Tell us you must."

A broad smile crossed Jyana's face, laughing at herself.  Obi-Wan noticed how beautiful the smile was and shook his head away from her.  He hadn't seen her smile in a long time.  He didn't realize it could spark such a nerve in his senses.  Jyana looked at Yoda.  "The universe has a sense of humor."

All of a sudden, the room was silent of everything known.  The truth of her words echoed through the chamber and sent a chill down Obi-Wan's spine, probably not the only one with that feeling.  He didn't really want to think of that.

Trying to ease the tension in the room she continued, "I guess that's why I'm here.  To make people laugh.  I know I make myself laugh."

"That's your point of view," Ki-Adi-Mundi said.

She looked at him.  "I'm sure we all have learned that many of the beliefs that we cling to and claim as dear depend greatly on our own point of view."

"True that is," Yoda said, "Points of view, though, not all correct they are.  Hmmm?"
"Agreeable."

"Always right you are not, young Falson."

"True, Master Yoda.  Though I do admit, I like to think I am."

Obi-Wan laughed to himself.

"Funny find you, Obi-Wan?"

"Yes Master," he mumbled embarrassed.  Ops.  Never laugh in Council Chamber.

"The same you both are."

Jyana's smile vanished.  She knew what Yoda was getting at.

"What are your suspicions regarding the Sith, Jyana?" Mace asked, quickly changing the subject.

Thank you Master.  "That Supreme Chancellor Palpatine is working with them, somehow.  I don't know for sure but that there's something about him I don't like."

"You've met a Sith?"

"The Master.  He is called Darth Sidious.  He didn't know who I was at the time, or he would've probably done something terrible to me, I think.  He had an apprentice killed 10 years ago.  By a Jedi Padawan, my instincts tell me."

"That was Obi-Wan."

Jyana looked at him and they exchanged a glance of understanding.  Ah so that's how Qui-Gon died.  A noble death, much like my mother.  She looked back at the members of the Council and finished, "Darth Maul, he was called.  If Darth Maul could destroy one of our best fighters, it means the Sith are well trained.  Their pride is their weakness, one of the only common things we have with them, and that is truly how I believe Obi-Wan destroyed him, not to underestimate his training and power of course."

Obi-Wan smiled.  Jyana didn't want him to feel badly at all because she has much more insight than many Jedi ever develop.  She was very thoughtful, but she still hurt him in other ways that he wouldn't ever admit out loud.

"Your insight is well developed," Mace praised.

"I was taught by the best," she returned, "Now I have learned through my sneaky little ewok counterpart that Darth Sidious has a new apprentice and they are plotting revenge big time.  I recommend everyone to watch his or her back at all times.  The days ahead, I feel, ain't going to be too pretty."

"In the life of a Jedi, pretty things shouldn't be gotten used to."

"I've learned that too, Master, unfortunately.  My mother taught me that."

"Your mother, like her you are," Yoda observed.

"In ways, Master Yoda.  As a woman, I am doomed to look like my mother." 

Doomed?  What does she mean by doomed? Obi-Wan thought.

"But there are certain ways I am not like her.  Those ways I am more like my father, following the ways he taught me so that I don't fall like she did."  Like a one-night stand with Darth Maul long before I was conceived, later getting her killed.

"Help your father you do."

"As long as I feel it is right to do so.  I love him very much."

Obi-Wan looked down at the ground.  That's why she won't get close to me.  She needs her father's permission first, I need it first… But don't I already have it?

"Attached you are," Yoda felt.

"As a Jedi, it is not wise to get too attached to your family," Ki-Adi-Mundi stated.

"Nor anyone," Jyana replied while raising an eyebrow.

Obi-Wan took a deep breath. She may be afraid she's going to lose me.  She'll never lose me.  I'll always be there for her if she needs me.  That's a promise I made to her a long time ago, and I will never break it… never…

"Never the less, with Obi-Wan must you go," Yoda stated.  Jyana tensed up.  Obi-Wan looked at her and sighed.  "Stay with him you must.  Promise Qui-Gon you did.  Break that you must not."

Good-bye to my own life.

"Yoda, too young she is," Yaddle started.

"Obi-Wan, watch over her you must.  Want her, the Sith does.  Get her, they can not."

"I will Master," Obi-Wan said, glancing over at Jyana and noticed a small tear trickle down her cheek.  He did his best to resist the temptation to wipe it from her eye.

I'm trapped now.

I won't hurt you, I promise.  Trust me.

I'll try.  I'll try.

"That is all.  May the Force be with you."

Obi-Wan bowed, as did Jyana.  He took her hand gently, and took her outside, no matter how much inwardly she protested his touch.

When they were gone, Yaddle repeated, "Yoda, too young she is."

"Much time there is not."

"Do you realize she will not give in without a fight?" Mace asked.

"A fight, there must be.  Win though, Obi-Wan will.  This I foresee."

"There is so much of her mother in her," Depa stated.

"No.  One thing excepted," Yaddle thought aloud.

"A major thing," Mace said, "Her father taught her not to follow her mother's lifestyle.  He wanted the best for her in every area."

"Marry Obi-Wan she will, eventually.  Disagree on that I cannot.  Scared of him though she is."

"There is no need for that," Ki-Adi-Mundi said.

"All women have the same fear at this point in their lives.  She has developed it too strongly," Mace said.

"A noble fear that is," Yaddle mused, "Too young she is."

"No.  She's getting too old."

"Much younger, Obi-Wan will get not," Yoda stated.

"Love, I believe, will see them through, Master Yaddle.  Although they both haven't realized it yet, love does exist there.  They will be together through everything, thus making each other more powerful.  They more they fight it, or one of them fights it, the more they become a weakness for each other."

The Council all agreed.  They certainly hoped Jyana would not defy them again, and that she wouldn't hurt Obi-Wan in that process.