In Love and War - Part Nine

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Jedi Master Chreeg Nygee slowly opened his eyes. He looked over to where Master Yoda was still meditating. Yoda had asked Nygee to join him for his morning meditation, but Nygee knew the real purpose of the invitation. Yoda wanted to discuss Padawan Skywalker.

Adjusting his robe about his long, thin body, Nygee settled himself to wait for Yoda to finish his meditation. Three months had passed since he had been assigned to Skywalker. Three months in which the boy had seen fit to challenge and confront him whenever the opportunity arose. It was never done in such a way that could be labeled outright defiance, but there had been enough of these challenges and confrontations that Skywalker knew by heart all Nine of the treatises of the Venerable Master Iztwot Tul'mak, along with most of the codifications to those treatises.

There was one thing, however, Nygee had noted. Whenever he and Skywalker were on a mission, the boy performed his duties admirably. He never questioned Nygee's authority or challenged his opinions when the lives of others were at stake. His concern always lay with those who were in need, and it was only once their mission was over he would revert back to his annoying habit of taxing Nygee's rapidly diminishing patience.

"Strong he is."

Nygee blinked and looked over at Yoda. His leaf-green eyes were open and staring at Nygee.

"Yes he is," Nygee agreed. "Very strong with the Force."

"Challenge it is to train such a one."

Nygee nodded. "I've never trained anyone who could call upon the Force so effortlessly. As the Prophecy foretold, his progenitor was the Force. There is no doubt of that."

"Believe strongly in the Prophecy regarding the Chosen One you do, Master Nygee."

"I do."

"When Master Qui-Gon first brought young Skywalker to us you were one of few Jedi who sided with him in believing he was the Chosen One."

Although Nygee and Qui-Gon had often disagreed on many things, most especially Qui-Gon's disregard for the rules and the Jedi Code, Nygee had shared Qui-Gon's stanch belief the time of the Prophecy was at hand, the Chosen One had come, and he would bring balance back to the Force.

"And now training him you are," Yoda continued. "As believe you should have from the first."

Nygee shot Yoda a sharp, penetrating glance. It was no secret that ten years ago Nygee had been most displeased to learn the Chosen One was going to be trained, not by a seasoned Jedi Knight, or even better, by someone like him who had trained and seen knighted half a dozen padawans. No, the Council had seen fit to give over the training of Skywalker to an inexperienced youth, a Jedi who had only been recently knighted. Obi-Wan Kenobi, Qui-Gon's former padawan.

"Master Yoda," Nygee began, clearing his throat. "It is not so much that I should have trained Skywalker. But at least someone with more experience than Kenobi should have trained him. Skywalker is the Chosen One. There is no doubt of that, and he is powerful, one of the most powerful Jedi I have ever encountered. He could be one of our greatest."

"Or?" Yoda prodded, his gaze keen.

Nygee swallowed in a tight throat. "Or he could destroy us."

Yoda nodded. "Possible it is. Foreseen it I have."

"You have?"

"Among many visions I have had concerning Skywalker."

"Then you see what it is I have to deal with. The boy is arrogant, Master. He is defiant and rebellious. Knight Kenobi did not do a good job with him regarding his training. Skywaler displays all the qualities that could, like a parched, dry field awaiting a single match, blaze into something dangerous."

"True that is. Yet, from what I have observed and heard, you that match are helping to light."

Nygee drew back, affronted. "What do you mean?"

"Criticizing Padawan Skywalker's former master." Yoda slowly shook his head. "Wrong that is, Master Nygee."

"I never meant it as a disparagement of Knight Kenobi nor as a sign of disrespect. I was only trying to show the boy that some of the things his former master had taught him were not---"

"By criticizing Master Kenobi, into question the Council's decisions you call. Not lightly do we assign masters and apprentice."

"Of course, Master Yoda. Forgive me, I didn't mean to suggest---"

"Believe I do your resentment over Master Kenobi having been chosen to train Skywalker, something you yourself craved to do, is what motivates these unwarranted criticisms. Not worthy of a Jedi such behavior is. Stop it you will."

Nygee lowered his head. "Of course, Master Yoda. Forgive me." He raised his head and fixed Yoda with a sharp look. "But, if my methods are not what you and the Council deem appropriate for Skywalker, why was I assigned to him?"

"Say that I did not. One of our finest Jedi you are, Master Nygee. Trained many padawans you have. All of them great Jedi have become. But, correct you are. Skywalker a special case is. Brought to the Temple he was when most initiates would have been too old to train."

Nygee agreed. Anakin had been far too old, but like Qui-Gon he had also recognized, as did the Council eventually, that the boy had to be trained. He was far too powerful to be left to the vagaries of chance.

"Attachments he had already formed, especially to his mother," Yoda went on.

Nygee frowned. "Yes, an attachment which, though he does not speak to it of me, I know he has not severed."

"Misses her he does."

Nygee supposed it was true. Like most Jedi, particularly in the last thousand years of the Order's existence, he had been taken from his family as an infant. It had not always been so, this training of Jedi at such an early age, along with the subsequent severing of family ties, but after the last great war between the Jedi and the Sith, and painfully conscious of the large number of Jedi who went over to the dark side, the Order initiated the new rule that Jedi were to begin their training as early as possible and were to also sever all relationships with their families.

The new rule had helped to lower the number of Jedi who fell to the dark side, but it had also diminished the Order's numbers because some parents, even if told they had a Force sensitive baby, refused to give their child up to the Order. Especially if it meant the child could never see their family again.

"Careful you must be, Master Nygee, regarding young Skywalker."

Nygee looked over at the ancient Jedi. Yoda's hands were folded before him, his long pointed ears moving slowly.

"Assigned him to you the Council did because correct you are. Much anger Skywalker carries inside him. The death of young Ben Lenor affected him deeply. And deeply he still cares for his former master. No good you do in criticizing Master Kenobi or his training of Skywalker."

"Yes, Master."

"The Force another path for Master Kenobi has chosen. But, a Jedi he was and as a Jedi respect him you shall."

"Of course, Master. I will do as you say. But, does this mean I must also modify my training of Skywalker?"

"No. A firm hand he needs. That the Council agrees with you on. But temper firmness with compassion, Master Nygee. That is also the way of the Jedi."

"Yes, Master."

"Go you may, Master Nygee. May the Force be with you."

"And with you, Master Yoda."

Nygee rose from the meditation cushion. He bowed to Yoda and, with a sweep of his robes, left the chamber. As he strode down the corridor, he mulled over Yoda's words.

He still believed the Council had been wrong in assigning Obi-Wan to be Anakin's master. It was true the boy had learned much under the younger Jedi's tutelage, but Kenobi, as a result of his intimate relationship with Senator Lenor had, in Nygee's opinion, set a bad example for Skywalker. The boy already had a dangerous attachment to his mother. What would happen if he were to do as his former master had done and fall in love?

To be continued....