Another Path
Part One
By Galatyn Renner
For Zo
Author's Note: Obi-Wan Kenobi, Qui-Gon Jinn, Anakin Skywalker, and the Jedi Council belong to The Plaid Guy: George Lucas. Erena Nabis and Var belong to me.
Qui-Gon Jinn was back, his only explanation being, "I couldn't leave the boy." Although overjoyed, Obi-Wan was galled by the fact that Qui-Gon hadn't been referring to his former apprentice. He had been referring to Anakin Skywalker. There were stories of Jedi Masters in the Archives who had miraculously come back from death before, but they were ancient ones. Qui-Gon had broken centuries of tradition, and he hadn't done it for Obi- Wan.
Obi-Wan 'knew' why. Qui-Gon had told him that it was to prevent a great evil he foresaw in Anakin's future. An evil that, Obi-Wan sensed, stemmed from his own training of the boy, a Padawan he did not want.
Qui-Gon had not said this, of course, but Obi-Wan knew. Knew too well. But now Qui-Gon was here and, upon being returned to life, had immediately taken Anakin as his new Padawan. Which meant that Obi-Wan was a Knight. A Knight that had already dealt with and accepted the fact that he had an unwanted apprentice to train. A Knight that now had no apprentice.
Obi-Wan had been given much advice on this subject. His elders told him that taking a Padawan too early could stunt a Knight's own development. Many advised him to wait a few years, go on a few missions alone. But Obi- Wan decided, firmly and irrevocably to disregard all well-intentioned advice on the subject. 'Perhaps a bit of Qui-Gon has rubbed off on me,' he thought ruefully. Obi-Wan had prepared himself for a Padawan and a Padawan he would have, one of his own choosing this time.
Now Obi-Wan had only to find one. He went first to the Register of Initiates to find those turning thirteen within one standard month. Obi-Wan wanted, if possible, to save one of these children from the fate that had almost been his. Only five had already been reassigned to various 'careers' on other planets. Obi-Wan knew they would all be in the sparring arena. He turned his steps in that direction.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Erena Nabis threw open the door to her room and stalked inside, wiping the sweat from her eyes. Her roommate, woken from her meditation, glanced up at Erena from the floor. "Any luck?"
"Nothing happens through luck, chance, or accident, only the will of the Force. But the answer to your question is no, I haven't a Master, Var. I don't really want to talk about it now. I've got to get out of these clothes" Erena disappeared into the refresher, and Var settled back into her trance, then someone knocked on the outer door. She gave up hope of ever achieving inner peace, and went to answer it.
She opened the door and recognized (who wouldn't) Obi-Wan Kenobi. Var would have turned to goo then and there if his next words hadn't been: "May I speak to Initiate Nabis?"
Var found her tongue. "She's in the refresher, sir. Shall I tell her you were here, or would you like to wait? She might be awhile"
"No, tell her I was here, and that I'd like to speak to her about. . . her dueling."
"I'll tell her, Jedi Kenobi."
"Thank you." And he left.
A few minutes after Var closed the door, Erena came out of the refresher wearing clean robes and toweling her hair. "Was someone here? I thought I sensed an unfamiliar presence."
"Yes, actually: Jedi Kenobi, wanting to see you about your dueling."
"And you didn't come and drag me out of the refresher? Var!" Erena began pulling on her boots and trying to comb her hair at the same time.
"I didn't think you'd want to meet a prospective Jedi Master like that."
"You have a point. Help me fix my hair?" The long mass, now brushed smooth, hung sopping down Erena's back.
Var went over to help her. "You shouldn't have let it get so long. It'll just have to be cut it off if someone chooses you."
"Hurry up, Var. He's probably on his way to ask someone else right now."
"Stand still, Eri." Var finished twisting the hair up into a sleek knot and stepped back to look at Erena. "You look perfect. Take your 'saber."
Erena clipped it on her belt and flew out the door. Technically, Force running wasn't allowed in the halls of the Jedi temple, but Erena drew on her powers for a bit of extra speed.
She finally caught sight of Obi-Wan in a hallway leading to the gardens and, as there no one else in the hallway, she stopped about three paces behind him and said, "Jedi Kenobi."
He stopped, turned and Erena bowed, "You wished to speak with me, sir?"
"Your performance in the training room was. . . impressive."
"Thank you, sir. It was only against remote."
"I noticed. And when I questioned the other Initiates about it, they told me that no one would spar with you because they were afraid that you would beat them and ruin their chances of being chosen. Which leads me to believe that you are indeed formidable against sentient opponents."
"My skills are only adequate, Jedi Kenobi."
Obi-Wan expected her to add something like, 'Yours are far superior'; try to flatter him into choosing her. He knew how desperate she must be, nevertheless, Erena schooled her emotions well. "I wished to discuss your training," Obi-Wan said, tucking his hands into his sleeves, attempting to look as well as sound enigmatic.
"Indeed" Erena's heart leaped, but she kept her features impassive. 'I am a stone,' she thought calmly. 'A clear pool with no ripples marring its surface
"Where will you be sent?"
'He means if I'm not chosen', Erena thought. "Bandomeer."
Obi-Wan's surprise was palpable. "And this. . . pleases you?"
Erena thought a moment. "I am at peace with it. This is the will of the Force for my future. But, as Master Yoda says: " When in doubt, quote Yoda. Erena turned to him with a smile, "Always in motion is the future. I still have four more days."
"So you believe you 'will' be chosen?" Obi-Wan wanted to know.
"With all my heart. My gift is Force Sight, and when I know things, they happen. Why else would you have asked to see me?"
"So sure are you." When in doubt, quote Yoda. "How do you know your assurance is not merely blind faith?"
"It is. But blind faith in the Force is never misplaced."
'Never will I find a Padawan more wise, more confident, more frank', Obi- Wan thought. At the same time, though, a small voice whispered in the back of his head: 'those 'virtues' could also be attributed to arrogance, ignorance and rudeness. She needs training'. "Your blind faith will not be in vain, Erena Nabis. You will be chosen. I shall speak to the Council this afternoon on your behalf." He turned to go.
"Why?"
"Because you remind me of myself and because I have too much of my Master in me." Obi-Wan walked off abruptly.
Erena bowed deeply to his retreating back. "Thank you, Obi-Wan Kenobi," she whispered, "you were my greatest hope."
The End, For Now. . .
Author's Note: Obi-Wan Kenobi, Qui-Gon Jinn, Anakin Skywalker, and the Jedi Council belong to The Plaid Guy: George Lucas. Erena Nabis and Var belong to me.
Qui-Gon Jinn was back, his only explanation being, "I couldn't leave the boy." Although overjoyed, Obi-Wan was galled by the fact that Qui-Gon hadn't been referring to his former apprentice. He had been referring to Anakin Skywalker. There were stories of Jedi Masters in the Archives who had miraculously come back from death before, but they were ancient ones. Qui-Gon had broken centuries of tradition, and he hadn't done it for Obi- Wan.
Obi-Wan 'knew' why. Qui-Gon had told him that it was to prevent a great evil he foresaw in Anakin's future. An evil that, Obi-Wan sensed, stemmed from his own training of the boy, a Padawan he did not want.
Qui-Gon had not said this, of course, but Obi-Wan knew. Knew too well. But now Qui-Gon was here and, upon being returned to life, had immediately taken Anakin as his new Padawan. Which meant that Obi-Wan was a Knight. A Knight that had already dealt with and accepted the fact that he had an unwanted apprentice to train. A Knight that now had no apprentice.
Obi-Wan had been given much advice on this subject. His elders told him that taking a Padawan too early could stunt a Knight's own development. Many advised him to wait a few years, go on a few missions alone. But Obi- Wan decided, firmly and irrevocably to disregard all well-intentioned advice on the subject. 'Perhaps a bit of Qui-Gon has rubbed off on me,' he thought ruefully. Obi-Wan had prepared himself for a Padawan and a Padawan he would have, one of his own choosing this time.
Now Obi-Wan had only to find one. He went first to the Register of Initiates to find those turning thirteen within one standard month. Obi-Wan wanted, if possible, to save one of these children from the fate that had almost been his. Only five had already been reassigned to various 'careers' on other planets. Obi-Wan knew they would all be in the sparring arena. He turned his steps in that direction.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Erena Nabis threw open the door to her room and stalked inside, wiping the sweat from her eyes. Her roommate, woken from her meditation, glanced up at Erena from the floor. "Any luck?"
"Nothing happens through luck, chance, or accident, only the will of the Force. But the answer to your question is no, I haven't a Master, Var. I don't really want to talk about it now. I've got to get out of these clothes" Erena disappeared into the refresher, and Var settled back into her trance, then someone knocked on the outer door. She gave up hope of ever achieving inner peace, and went to answer it.
She opened the door and recognized (who wouldn't) Obi-Wan Kenobi. Var would have turned to goo then and there if his next words hadn't been: "May I speak to Initiate Nabis?"
Var found her tongue. "She's in the refresher, sir. Shall I tell her you were here, or would you like to wait? She might be awhile"
"No, tell her I was here, and that I'd like to speak to her about. . . her dueling."
"I'll tell her, Jedi Kenobi."
"Thank you." And he left.
A few minutes after Var closed the door, Erena came out of the refresher wearing clean robes and toweling her hair. "Was someone here? I thought I sensed an unfamiliar presence."
"Yes, actually: Jedi Kenobi, wanting to see you about your dueling."
"And you didn't come and drag me out of the refresher? Var!" Erena began pulling on her boots and trying to comb her hair at the same time.
"I didn't think you'd want to meet a prospective Jedi Master like that."
"You have a point. Help me fix my hair?" The long mass, now brushed smooth, hung sopping down Erena's back.
Var went over to help her. "You shouldn't have let it get so long. It'll just have to be cut it off if someone chooses you."
"Hurry up, Var. He's probably on his way to ask someone else right now."
"Stand still, Eri." Var finished twisting the hair up into a sleek knot and stepped back to look at Erena. "You look perfect. Take your 'saber."
Erena clipped it on her belt and flew out the door. Technically, Force running wasn't allowed in the halls of the Jedi temple, but Erena drew on her powers for a bit of extra speed.
She finally caught sight of Obi-Wan in a hallway leading to the gardens and, as there no one else in the hallway, she stopped about three paces behind him and said, "Jedi Kenobi."
He stopped, turned and Erena bowed, "You wished to speak with me, sir?"
"Your performance in the training room was. . . impressive."
"Thank you, sir. It was only against remote."
"I noticed. And when I questioned the other Initiates about it, they told me that no one would spar with you because they were afraid that you would beat them and ruin their chances of being chosen. Which leads me to believe that you are indeed formidable against sentient opponents."
"My skills are only adequate, Jedi Kenobi."
Obi-Wan expected her to add something like, 'Yours are far superior'; try to flatter him into choosing her. He knew how desperate she must be, nevertheless, Erena schooled her emotions well. "I wished to discuss your training," Obi-Wan said, tucking his hands into his sleeves, attempting to look as well as sound enigmatic.
"Indeed" Erena's heart leaped, but she kept her features impassive. 'I am a stone,' she thought calmly. 'A clear pool with no ripples marring its surface
"Where will you be sent?"
'He means if I'm not chosen', Erena thought. "Bandomeer."
Obi-Wan's surprise was palpable. "And this. . . pleases you?"
Erena thought a moment. "I am at peace with it. This is the will of the Force for my future. But, as Master Yoda says: " When in doubt, quote Yoda. Erena turned to him with a smile, "Always in motion is the future. I still have four more days."
"So you believe you 'will' be chosen?" Obi-Wan wanted to know.
"With all my heart. My gift is Force Sight, and when I know things, they happen. Why else would you have asked to see me?"
"So sure are you." When in doubt, quote Yoda. "How do you know your assurance is not merely blind faith?"
"It is. But blind faith in the Force is never misplaced."
'Never will I find a Padawan more wise, more confident, more frank', Obi- Wan thought. At the same time, though, a small voice whispered in the back of his head: 'those 'virtues' could also be attributed to arrogance, ignorance and rudeness. She needs training'. "Your blind faith will not be in vain, Erena Nabis. You will be chosen. I shall speak to the Council this afternoon on your behalf." He turned to go.
"Why?"
"Because you remind me of myself and because I have too much of my Master in me." Obi-Wan walked off abruptly.
Erena bowed deeply to his retreating back. "Thank you, Obi-Wan Kenobi," she whispered, "you were my greatest hope."
The End, For Now. . .
