Obi-Wan felt more trapped than he ever had when he was a slave to Delbe. While he did feel better when he was around Master Jinn, he knew the master didn't want him anywhere near him or his padawan, Xanatos.
Obi almost bumped into the big master when he stopped at his door to his flat and opened it up. He waited and had Obi-Wan walk in first.
Xanatos could not have been more surprised. He did not expect the boy to come to their home. Soon he would be more surprised than he would know how to deal with.
Jinn walked briskly over to his bedroom door and opened it. He extended his left arm indicating that Obi-Wan should go in there.
Obi on the other hand hesitated. Why ? Was he going to be locked up already, the boy thought.
"Go in there please. I have to discuss this with my padawan in private. There's a chair and some books. Find something to read, do anything just stay there until I come back."
Obi-Wan was at least calmed by the knowledge that Jinn did not plan to lock him in his room. He sat down and waited. Once in awhile he would get up and go to the door to see if he could here what was going on.
"Master I don't understand why is he hear?"
Qui-Gon wanted to get the first words in but Xanatos would have none of that. He started in on his master right away.
"Listen Xanatos I have to explain something to you."
"Explain what master? The council must be crazy to think we want the boy here to visit with us. When will the healers come and retrieve him. I try not to hold things against him, but he is responsible for our bond almost being non-existent. I think I will leave until they come for him."
Jinn got a little angry with his apprentice because the boy would not let him explain. It was hard enough as it was, let alone to have the boy keep interrupting and making assumptions; assumptions that Jinn would have to correct and his apprentice would more than likely throw another tantrum about.
"Xanatos stop please."
Jinn raised his voice to his apprentice for the first time since they became master and apprentice.
Xanatos stopped abruptly and looked at his master. He was more shocked than Jinn was at the outburst.
"Sorry Master I know I sound like a child and I don't mean too. It's just…."
"Xanatos he won't be leaving. The council masters have seen fit to make me his guardian until a way to break this bond can be found. He suffers from the bond not forming that's why he looks like a ghost."
"Sorry Master for sounding so cold and unfeeling, but I didn't take the time to notice how he looked and I don't care what's wrong with him. I want him out of here."
"Xani be reasonable. You know that I can't go against the council when they minds are truly made up Do you believe that I didn't put up the same argument as you and was just as vehemently. They wouldn't here of it. I have to oversee the boy until something can be done."
"Until then we have no bond. Some little slave boy, with no knowledge of the world around him is connected to you more than I am. Do you wish him to be your padawan master?"
"You know Xanatos that it is not my desire to have him as my apprentice. I am still not convinced he is not of the dark side, but I can't convince the council of that."
"Why not Master? Can't the healers see he has to be from the force of dark or he wouldn't force this bond on you . That's not how it has ever been done in Jedi history. A bond is a mutual joining by both padawan and master. How can the healers be so blind?"
"I do not know but I am unsure why you try to place the blame on me. The healers have searched with everything they have and they find no dark in him, just confusion."
I'd say confusion, I bet the boy can't even write his name or knows the alphabet."
"Why do you keep going back too that Xanatos. We are not here to judge his literacy. I am concerned how this bond is harming us."
"I am too."
"Master, I just mean this boy is too dumb to be a Jedi even if he wasn't too old to train. Master he is from Carrthis, they are noted for their hostility and backward ways. Can Obi-Wan Kenboi be any different than the others from Carrthis?"
On the other side of the door Obi tried to here what was said but he couldn't. All he knew was voices raised to shouts and he was sure he was the reason for it. He walked over and sat on the bed. He did feel better having the master right in the next room and although he knew he was not wanted here by Master Jinn or his apprentice Xanatos, he relaxed a little.
Now long after sitting down on the big bed, his queasy stomach calmed and the dizziness subsided. Obi-wan let himself rest against the master's pillow. He was fast asleep from exhaustion and illness.
Qui-Gon and Xani had finished their outburst with nothing settled. Xanatos left their apartment, on Jinn's own advice. He sought solitude for meditating; something his master assured him would help dispel the anger he harbored right now.
Qui-Gon went to the kitchen for tea. He knew he must go and talk to the boy but he really didn't want too so he prolonged it as long as he could.
//I don't even have a place to put him in this apartment. It is not set up for three people . I have two bedrooms. I could put him on the sleeper couch in the common room but he will probably go to bed early. That would take up the place Xani and I normally spend our evenings. I certainly can't put him in Xani's room, my apprentice might kill him. I guess I will have to get a sleep mat from storage and put him on the floor in my room. No privacy now and constant turmoil with Xani throwing his tantrums and dealing with a boy who is determined to form a training bond.//
Qui-Gon finally felt he could not wait any longer. He would have to go talk with the boy and lay down the ground rules.
Before he entered his bedroom he hesitated at the door and listened, for what he did not know. When he walked in he found the little former slave asleep on his bed. Obi awoke startled. He felt the closeness of the master even in his sleep. He hurriedly got up.
"I am sorry for laying down, Master Jinn. I was just tired and.. I well I must have fallen asleep."
Jinn felt the boy's child-like innocence tug at his heart but he set it aside. Now was not the time to turn to mush. He never wanted the boy or the bond and he would hold to that.
"There is no need to apologize for being tired. I know you have not felt well. Last-meal will be in about an hour. I have to go to the storage area and get a sleep mat. You can put it over there at night and roll it up by day. You'll be responsible for that. Also you have classes first thing in the morning."
Obi-Wan was a little taken aback by that. He had never gone to school. In fact he was embarrassed when Master Jinn suggested he get a book and read, he couldn't. Obi-Wan thought he would have to stay in this apartment all the time, not be given full rein to go to class like the others. He was excited and scared both at the same time.
He remembered what Master Jinn said about him hurting someone. Obi really knew he could not control this force within him and he worried about harming another also. Then of course he wore a force collar. Now the thought of classes terrified him . He thought he would be ridiculed and be the brunt of the jokes at this Jedi temple.
Jinn waited to see if he had any questions but Obi-Wan did not say a word.
"Did you understand all I have told you so far?"
"A very little timid voice came from the boy, making Jinn realize how vulnerable this child was."
"Yes Master Jinn. I will do my best to do everything correctly."
Still Jinn would not relent his "strong arm" tactics.
"Well see that you do. I better not here of you harming someone with the force you swear you can't control. It won't work with me young man and you will find yourself in real trouble."
//Why did this force I possess, have to pick this Jedi master for me to form a bond with. I don't think I like him and I know he can't stand to be around me.//
Terror came back to the slave child now. Jinn was his normal cruel sounding self again. The angry sounding Master before him was the one Obi-Wan did not care for at all. The first Master Jinn he met evidently put on a facade of genuine compassion and understanding. This master he saw before him now must be the "real" Master Qui-Gon Jinn; cruel, unfeeling, and stricter maybe than his former Master, Delbe, himself……..……….
PEACE [b]ewen[/b]
Obi almost bumped into the big master when he stopped at his door to his flat and opened it up. He waited and had Obi-Wan walk in first.
Xanatos could not have been more surprised. He did not expect the boy to come to their home. Soon he would be more surprised than he would know how to deal with.
Jinn walked briskly over to his bedroom door and opened it. He extended his left arm indicating that Obi-Wan should go in there.
Obi on the other hand hesitated. Why ? Was he going to be locked up already, the boy thought.
"Go in there please. I have to discuss this with my padawan in private. There's a chair and some books. Find something to read, do anything just stay there until I come back."
Obi-Wan was at least calmed by the knowledge that Jinn did not plan to lock him in his room. He sat down and waited. Once in awhile he would get up and go to the door to see if he could here what was going on.
"Master I don't understand why is he hear?"
Qui-Gon wanted to get the first words in but Xanatos would have none of that. He started in on his master right away.
"Listen Xanatos I have to explain something to you."
"Explain what master? The council must be crazy to think we want the boy here to visit with us. When will the healers come and retrieve him. I try not to hold things against him, but he is responsible for our bond almost being non-existent. I think I will leave until they come for him."
Jinn got a little angry with his apprentice because the boy would not let him explain. It was hard enough as it was, let alone to have the boy keep interrupting and making assumptions; assumptions that Jinn would have to correct and his apprentice would more than likely throw another tantrum about.
"Xanatos stop please."
Jinn raised his voice to his apprentice for the first time since they became master and apprentice.
Xanatos stopped abruptly and looked at his master. He was more shocked than Jinn was at the outburst.
"Sorry Master I know I sound like a child and I don't mean too. It's just…."
"Xanatos he won't be leaving. The council masters have seen fit to make me his guardian until a way to break this bond can be found. He suffers from the bond not forming that's why he looks like a ghost."
"Sorry Master for sounding so cold and unfeeling, but I didn't take the time to notice how he looked and I don't care what's wrong with him. I want him out of here."
"Xani be reasonable. You know that I can't go against the council when they minds are truly made up Do you believe that I didn't put up the same argument as you and was just as vehemently. They wouldn't here of it. I have to oversee the boy until something can be done."
"Until then we have no bond. Some little slave boy, with no knowledge of the world around him is connected to you more than I am. Do you wish him to be your padawan master?"
"You know Xanatos that it is not my desire to have him as my apprentice. I am still not convinced he is not of the dark side, but I can't convince the council of that."
"Why not Master? Can't the healers see he has to be from the force of dark or he wouldn't force this bond on you . That's not how it has ever been done in Jedi history. A bond is a mutual joining by both padawan and master. How can the healers be so blind?"
"I do not know but I am unsure why you try to place the blame on me. The healers have searched with everything they have and they find no dark in him, just confusion."
I'd say confusion, I bet the boy can't even write his name or knows the alphabet."
"Why do you keep going back too that Xanatos. We are not here to judge his literacy. I am concerned how this bond is harming us."
"I am too."
"Master, I just mean this boy is too dumb to be a Jedi even if he wasn't too old to train. Master he is from Carrthis, they are noted for their hostility and backward ways. Can Obi-Wan Kenboi be any different than the others from Carrthis?"
On the other side of the door Obi tried to here what was said but he couldn't. All he knew was voices raised to shouts and he was sure he was the reason for it. He walked over and sat on the bed. He did feel better having the master right in the next room and although he knew he was not wanted here by Master Jinn or his apprentice Xanatos, he relaxed a little.
Now long after sitting down on the big bed, his queasy stomach calmed and the dizziness subsided. Obi-wan let himself rest against the master's pillow. He was fast asleep from exhaustion and illness.
Qui-Gon and Xani had finished their outburst with nothing settled. Xanatos left their apartment, on Jinn's own advice. He sought solitude for meditating; something his master assured him would help dispel the anger he harbored right now.
Qui-Gon went to the kitchen for tea. He knew he must go and talk to the boy but he really didn't want too so he prolonged it as long as he could.
//I don't even have a place to put him in this apartment. It is not set up for three people . I have two bedrooms. I could put him on the sleeper couch in the common room but he will probably go to bed early. That would take up the place Xani and I normally spend our evenings. I certainly can't put him in Xani's room, my apprentice might kill him. I guess I will have to get a sleep mat from storage and put him on the floor in my room. No privacy now and constant turmoil with Xani throwing his tantrums and dealing with a boy who is determined to form a training bond.//
Qui-Gon finally felt he could not wait any longer. He would have to go talk with the boy and lay down the ground rules.
Before he entered his bedroom he hesitated at the door and listened, for what he did not know. When he walked in he found the little former slave asleep on his bed. Obi awoke startled. He felt the closeness of the master even in his sleep. He hurriedly got up.
"I am sorry for laying down, Master Jinn. I was just tired and.. I well I must have fallen asleep."
Jinn felt the boy's child-like innocence tug at his heart but he set it aside. Now was not the time to turn to mush. He never wanted the boy or the bond and he would hold to that.
"There is no need to apologize for being tired. I know you have not felt well. Last-meal will be in about an hour. I have to go to the storage area and get a sleep mat. You can put it over there at night and roll it up by day. You'll be responsible for that. Also you have classes first thing in the morning."
Obi-Wan was a little taken aback by that. He had never gone to school. In fact he was embarrassed when Master Jinn suggested he get a book and read, he couldn't. Obi-Wan thought he would have to stay in this apartment all the time, not be given full rein to go to class like the others. He was excited and scared both at the same time.
He remembered what Master Jinn said about him hurting someone. Obi really knew he could not control this force within him and he worried about harming another also. Then of course he wore a force collar. Now the thought of classes terrified him . He thought he would be ridiculed and be the brunt of the jokes at this Jedi temple.
Jinn waited to see if he had any questions but Obi-Wan did not say a word.
"Did you understand all I have told you so far?"
"A very little timid voice came from the boy, making Jinn realize how vulnerable this child was."
"Yes Master Jinn. I will do my best to do everything correctly."
Still Jinn would not relent his "strong arm" tactics.
"Well see that you do. I better not here of you harming someone with the force you swear you can't control. It won't work with me young man and you will find yourself in real trouble."
//Why did this force I possess, have to pick this Jedi master for me to form a bond with. I don't think I like him and I know he can't stand to be around me.//
Terror came back to the slave child now. Jinn was his normal cruel sounding self again. The angry sounding Master before him was the one Obi-Wan did not care for at all. The first Master Jinn he met evidently put on a facade of genuine compassion and understanding. This master he saw before him now must be the "real" Master Qui-Gon Jinn; cruel, unfeeling, and stricter maybe than his former Master, Delbe, himself……..……….
PEACE [b]ewen[/b]