The Book of Good Tidings Part I
On the primary level of the Jedi Temple's physical training area through a long, often crowded corridor was a series of rooms for the strengthening of the physical spirit. Several large, circular chambers with multiple levels of lighting waited quietly to be put to use.
From within one chamber, soft footsteps echoed against the stone floor and walls. A singular light in the center of the room shown down illuminating the small figure and leaving the rest to shadows.
Bali Tiro turned but did not stray from the bright pool of light. A sharp inhale, followed by a slow exhale sounded from around the chamber just before he closed his eyes.
Watching the nine-year-old with keen interest was his master, Obi-Wan Kenobi. The Jedi silently stalked the shadowed depths of the room. Every footfall, every step laid with the same care he would have if penetrating a deadly terrorist operation to rescue a hostage. It had been his life for four years and although it was a difficult life. One that often threatened to end his, he could not let it go completely. He would walk as a ghost for as long as he was bound to the world of flesh and blood. Seeing the very young apprentice visibly relax the Jedi stopped.
Reaching through the young training bond, he whispered to Bali. Where am I, padawan?
Bali turned slightly and answered softly, "Directly in front of me."
Opening himself to the Force, Obi-Wan allowed the ancient power to envelop him, seeping into his very muscles and bones. He took one step and leapt. The rich brown of his cloak fluttered through the air only briefly before he landed with barely a sound behind the boy. Playful fingers ran up Bali's back causing the startled child to burst into giggles. Before Bali could recover from his happy fit, Obi-Wan had already disappeared into the shadows.
Moving soundlessly along the wall, he watched as Bali easily found his composure and returned to the calm stance. As an initiate, one of Bali's greatest weaknesses was using a lightsaber against training probes. Although he had improved in the last year, the padawan was only moderately good with his vision and terrible at best with a blinder helmet on. He had tried many times to help Bali with the training probe but after repeatedly being zapped the boy had become to frustrated and to afraid to continue the training.
Keeping his shields tight the Jedi paused. Feel the Force flowing through you.
"Yes, Master."
Where am I now?
Bali gave a thoughtful look. He raised an arm and pointed to the shadows. From about a 45 degree angle, Obi-Wan again bounded from the shadows and attacked the boy with more tickles. Before Bali could recover, he was gone.
In the last year, Obi-Wan's life had been turned inside out. He went from not knowing his place in the universe and seeking the most destructive path to find it to knowing without question that he lived solely to train the green-eyed padawan. Yoda had been right, Bali's training was a very demanding mission. He required more attention than most padawans but he was so bright in the Force that he was worth the time.
Bali turned as if sensing his master's presence. Green eyes shown in the pale circle of light searching.
Quietly Obi-Wan moved to a less observed position. Where am I now?
Shifting slightly, Bali answered, "Directly in front of me."
Again Obi-Wan leapt from the shadows but just before he landed, Bali spun to face him. Throwing both hands up, the padawan sent a little Force push. Surprised by it, Obi-Wan was nearly knocked off balance. Were it not for carefully honed reflexes he would have been sent to the floor. Flipping backward, he landed firmly on his feet.
A warm, boisterous laugh echoed through the chamber. "You surprised me, Padawan."
"I'm sorry!" Bali shot back as worry filled his aura.
The young master was taken aback by the little boy's response. "Sorry?"
Bali nodded.
"Why?"
The boy shifted nervously.
Pulling at the edges of his cloak, Obi-Wan turned to better study the apprentice. "Answer me."
Bali frowned. "I'm notI wasn't supposed–"
"To surprise me? To throw me off balance?"
"You're the master."
"All is fair. You beat me at my own game." He smiled but Bali just looked unhappy instead of being proud of his accomplishment. What an accomplishment it was, Obi-Wan thought, more experienced knights often did not fare as well against him.
Shaking his head, Obi-Wan sank to his knees and grabbed the padawan by his tunic yanking him forward until they were nose to nose. "What was the purpose of the game?"
"For me to be more aware of my surroundings," Bali answered softly.
"And?"
Big eyes shifted to the side as Bali considered how to answer. "And to know where an attack is coming from."
"Good. Now what was I doing?"
"Attacking."
"And what did you do?"
"Get attacked."
"Yes, and?"
Bali frowned. "I stopped an attack."
Obi-Wan smiled the moment recognition fired behind Bali's bright green eyes.
"I did good?" Bali whispered.
"You did good." Another thing Obi-Wan knew was that while Bali might be a little slow in his studies, he worked very hard and was improving. He may never be a great Jedi Knight but he would always do his best. And yet the one thing that completely amazed Obi-Wan was the completely unfettered way the boy reached for the Force. Bali easily accepted it as a part of him. Training did not always improve his awareness of the Force sometimes it hindered the ease of which he connected to it. As the boy's master, Obi-Wan had to find new ways to approach training so not to block that natural instinct that so many Jedi spent their lives learning to trust.
Bali grinned. "I could feel you, but not you, something was moving in the room. The Force bent telling me someone was there. Something was happening and that I should pay attention."
"What else did you feel?"
"You weren't going to hurt me. You just wanted to tickle me." With that the nine-year-old erupted into laughter as the master attacked him with tickling fingers under his armpits. Bali's joyful squealed rang out as he was ripped off the floor.
Obi-Wan stood and looked around the chamber. "Bali?" The boy's giggles echoed against the stone walls. "Bali?" He looked out past the two little booted feet that stuck straight up in the air and felt the wiggling, giggling padawan at his side. Fingers tightened on the boy's tunic and he continued to search for his padawan. "Where did you go?"
"I'm here," an upside down Bali bubbled.
"Where?"
"Right here!"
Obi-Wan spun around still searching for the lost boy. "Well, I guess I'll just have to go to the cafeteria and eat all the ice cream by myself."
"I want ice cream," Bali called out from near the floor, still laughing.
"Must be hearing things," the elder Jedi teased and walked to the chamber door.
Bali continued his laughter as he reached back and grabbed Obi-Wan's leg to hold on for the ride.
At the door a familiar feeling in the Force caused Obi-Wan to pause. He exhaled slowly and then palmed the controls. The door slid into the wall leaving the upside-down apprentice and his young master facing a brown haired man. Obi-Wan gave a small smile. "Garen."
The knight grinned warmly and rushed forward engulfing Obi-Wan in a wampa hug. Joy danced in Garen's eyes when he pulled back and studied his childhood friend's bearded face. "You've gotten old."
Obi-Wan wasn't quite sure how to respond so he didn't.
"The last time we sat down and had a nice long conversation you were two months into a coma. It was a nice talk." Fire lit Garen's eyes. "But you don't have an excuse for the last five years."
"I'm sure if I thought about it I could come up with something."
Throwing his head back in a deep laughed, Garen said, "When Bant told me you had returned to the land of the living I just couldn't believe it. I had to request some down time at the Temple to see it for myself." Garen smiled and playfully punched his friend's shoulder.
"Master?" Bali asked softly.
Garen tilted his head to note the little, inverted padawan. "I thought she was joking. You got a pet."
Obi-Wan frowned at the nickname for padawans. Always following their master's like a faithful shleu hound.
"Master?" Bali asked patting Obi-Wan's leg. "I think I'm going to throw up or pass out."
"We wouldn't want that," the Jedi said gently turning his apprentice right side up and placing him firmly on his own two feet, Obi-Wan tousled the boy's hair. He then fixed the flame tipped padawan braid so it cascaded over the boy's shoulder.
Flushed cheeks added to Bali's cherubic appearance as he looked curiously up at the knight and smiled.
"Bali," Obi-Wan said resting a protective hand on the boy's shoulder, "I would like you to meet Garen Muln, a friend."
The little apprentice bowed. "Nice to meet you, Knight Muln."
Garen smiled and greeted the little padawan. "You too, Bali."
"Have you known Master long?" Bali quickly asked.
Obi-Wan spoke up quickly, "Garen is to me what Awar is to you."
"Oh." Bali smiled and looked up at the brown haired knight. "You get master in trouble a lot too."
Looking from the small apprentice to the proud master, Garen teased, "Now wait a minute. I seem to remember it was always the other way around."
Obi-Wan led Bali out into the moderately busy corridor where the apprentice quickly fell into place at his master's side as the two older Jedi walked down the hall.
"I'm sorry, but do you remember the famous corridor race?" Obi-Wan asked.
Bali scrunched his nose and tried to listen carefully to the friendly argument brewing between his master and the other Jedi.
"It was your idea!" Garen laughed.
"But I wasn't the one who organized it."
"No, but you were the one who got caught." Garen slapped Obi-Wan across the back. "I really did feel sorry for you cleaning the main corridor with that little brush."
"Not sorry enough to confess your part."
"I'm not stupid." Garen turned back to see Bali's wondering look. "I bet you didn't know your master was a real troublemaker?"
Bali shook his head.
"How long ago was that?" The knight asked before turning his attention to the other beings in the corridor and smiling at all the pretty females they passed.
"Seven years," Obi-Wan answered. He tugged at his cloak drawing it a little tighter before folding his arms in the billowing sleeves of the heavy brown material.
The action did not go unnoticed by Garen but the knight said nothing, quickly returning his attention to his search for pretty Jedi.
"Master?" Bali asked softly
"Yes, Padawan?"
Garen looked from master to apprentice and smiled again.
"Is Knight Muln the one who dared you to run naked through mmhrmhmm."
A very red faced Obi-Wan sighed but kept his hand firmly over Bali's mouth. Girlish giggles echoed through the corridor. Feeling a flush that threatened to make him spontaneously combust, he glanced about expecting to spy a couple of padawans. Instead, he found Adi Gallia and her cousin Stass Allie smiling rather wickedly at the embarrassed Jedi.
"I forgot all about that incident," Adi nearly purred before turning as to slowly walk away. Over her shoulder, she added rather breathily, "I have this sudden desire to intensely review some old security recordings."
"I honestly didn't know they had installed security cameras the day before," Garen swore but his grin gave him away. Quickly turning his attention to a still muffled Bali, he inquired, "How did you know about that?"
An unintelligible series of muffled words spewed through Obi-Wan's large hand. Only the last word was recognizable. "Bant."
"She seriously needs a hobby," Obi-Wan huffed releasing his apprentice.
"I thought you were her hobby," Garen teased. "Speaking of our happy healer, I will say she has been considerably more cheerful since you returned to the land of the living."
Obi-Wan straightened, sobering slightly. "I can't imagine Bant ever unhappy."
"Well, you weren't exactly around for a while."
Looking back at his patently waiting padawan, Obi-Wan addressed Bali. "Why don't you go on ahead to the cafeteria. I'll be there shortly."
Bali looked from him to Garen worriedly.
"I promise you. I just want to talk to Garen alone for a few minutes."
"Yes, Master." Bali bowed and then started down the hall.
"Remember," Obi-Wan called out, "don't over do it and make yourself sick."
Bali nodded and took off.
Turning back to Garen, Obi-Wan said nothing, instead folded himself deeper into the warmth of his cloak.
"Funny," Garen began as he started walking again trying to seem oblivious to Obi-Wan's chills, "how free Bant is with information when it isn't about her, isn't she?"
Obi-Wan studied his friend. "Why don't you enlighten me."
Garen stopped. He was a little taller than the ginger haired Jedi but in many ways they stood eye to eye. "After that Doygan submission dart freak out you had, Bant said you never came back to the healing center."
"It wasn't the dart that freaked me out as you say," Obi-Wan corrected.
"It wasn't the dart? Bant said it took four large knights to keep you from trying the claw that thing out of your chest. I would call it a freak out."
"It wasn't the dart that kept me from the healing center."
"Then what was it?"
"Something else," Obi-Wan said in a tone warning not to push the subject.
"Well, whatever, she said she kept getting requests from the Council for reports on what kind of injuries you were suffering on missions. The whole time she knew you were getting injured but couldn't figure out how you were treating your wounds."
"Deep healing trances."
The knight nodded, understanding all too well. "She said she kept sending you messages only to have them bounced back unread. You really scared her."
Obi-Wan glanced away. In the dark years after Naboo, he had thought no one cared and that there would be no one to miss him.
It seemed he was wrong.
"Good old Bant, though, she faithfully checked medical communications from the field several times a day to see what Jedi had been injured or worse killed during the reporting period. She figured if you were coming in injured she would be right there to help. Or," he paused, "she wanted someone to be there if they brought you back dead." Garen did not stop there. "She begged Masters Yoda and Windu to intervene. I think she drove them both crazy. Supposedly Mace threatened to ship her off to Tatooine after he found her in the master level men's locker room holding his clothing hostage until he listened to her."
Obi-Wan gave a little laugh at the imagined sight that had caused.
Garen pressed a hand to his friend's shoulder. "First thing, when you get the chance, I want you to get down on your knees and kiss her webbed toes. Got it? She at least deserves that."
"And more."
Slinging his arm across Obi-Wan's shoulder, Garen led him back through the hall again. "Second thing I want you to do is join me and Bant tonight in one of the lounges to partake in a couple of bottles of Corellian sweet ale."
