Interview with the Master

By Cory Holmes (drgn.fire@home.com)

All characters, situations, places, and other things like that belong to George Lucas. No infringment intended.

It was early in the morning when I got the call from my editor. My proposal was reviewed and accepted, by all parties. To say that I was surprised would be an understatement. To the best of my knowledge, and I'd checked the background of this story before proposing it, the head of the Jedi Order had refused all invitations at interviews, even before his marriage to Mara Jade.

But for some reason, he'd accepted this one, with little or no prodding from any of the markers that I thought I'd have to call in to get this. I knew that this interview would make or break my career in journalism. I know I've done some other big stories, but none at all would even begin to compare with this one. None of my other stories were about a hero of the Rebellion. They weren't about the man who single-handedly took down Darth Vader and the Emperor, effectively ending the Empire as a major threat, and paving the way for the New Republic to come into being. They weren't about the lone Knight who took it upon himself too not only defend the galaxy from harm, but also to rebuild the Order of the Jedi from the ground up.

When I got in contact with the Jedi Academy on Yavin IV to get my schedule for my visit and interviews, I spoke with the Jedi Knight Kam Solusar, Master Skywalker's second-in-command at the Academy, though that is most certainly not his title. I would later discover that he and his wife, Tionne, administrated the Academy. 

It was explained to me that I would not only be doing an examination and interview with the Master, but it would also be about the Academy and Jedi training there. When I complained that that wasn't my proposal, that all I wanted an audience with the Master himself, Jedi Solusar informed me that this was a condition on the interview set down by Master Skywalker himself. 

Then I took it before my editor, trying to get her to change it. She told me, in terms that can't be repeated here, that I would take the condition and get the story. She then reminded me that no one else had managed to secure even the interest of the Master for any sort of interview before, and if my complaints were to blow it even before it had a chance to get started...

Calling on Jedi Solusar for a second time, this time groveling in all the correct places to please my editor and to hopefully rescue the project before it was shot down in so many different ways. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the Jedi had no hard feelings towards me, and that my stay there was still on. I had originally thought that I would only be there for a few hours, a day at the most. But when I was told of all that was going to be shown to me for my report, I hastily informed him that I couldn't possibly squeeze all that into one day. He looked at me oddly before telling me that my visit was going to be for a week, not just one day, and that I would have plenty of time to get all my material. For what was the first time, and most definitely not the last, I wondered about the wisdom of taking this assignment.

I was then told that I would be able to ask any question I wanted, of any of the trainees currently present, as well as the teaching staff, within certain limits. Those limits being that I was to leave questions about the content of the training and the methods of instruction strictly alone, and I could accept that. I was also to ask anyone before questioning them, which was also understandable. When I was agreeing to this, another idea suddenly struck me. It must have shown on my face, because the Jedi before me suddenly asked me what I was thinking about. I took a deep breath, prayed to whatever gods and higher powers were watching over me that day, and asked if, during my stay, I could have a word with Mara Jade Skywalker, the Master's wife.

Alone.

While the other man only stared at me, I suddenly got nervous and launched into my reasoning why I should be allowed to do that. When the Jedi got a far away look on his face, like he was reading something over my shoulder, I got very nervous. I knew that my job was now riding on this, and I may have just blown it with that one question. I was about to ask, or beg, whichever it took, if I could take that idea back when he suddenly agreed with me, saying that she wouldn't mind it all. 

At first I thought that he was playing me, only trying to sooth my feelings, when it occurred to me that he never spoke to the Master's wife, not in person, and didn't put me on hold to ask her on another line. It took a few moments for my brain to catch up to what my eyes were showing me. Then I asked if the Master had no problems with that portion of the interview, and the Jedi chuckled at me.

"Mistress Skywalker is her own woman. If she wants to do this interview, nothing would stop her. Not that the Master would ever try, mind you." I asked him why. If this interview was as important as it was appeared to be, why wouldn't he object if he thought it a poor idea? "Would you want to get in her way?" was the response. I mentally reviewed all I'd heard about Mara Jade, both before she married Master Skywalker and after. 

I said no, very quickly.

The rest of the call went very smoothly, my trip was planned out, to the satisfaction of both parties, and the proper arrangements made.

Both the night before and during the trip to Yavin IV, I had much difficulty sleeping. Actually, it was rather difficult to do anything save wonder about what I was going to be shown by the Master of the Jedi.