Chosen
A chime rang, informing Qui-Gon of a visitor at his door. He pulled himself from the tangle of blankets on his sleep-couch and walked slowly to the door. Opening it, he found a younger initiate staring up at him in surprise. The younger girl must not have been any older than ten. Qui-Gon gave a rueful grin, knowing his tunic and leggings were out of place and his traditional ponytail must not have been any neater. "Can I help you?" he asked the smaller girl, who still looked at him with wide, green eyes.
She started out of her reverie and glanced down at the data pad in her hands. "Are you Qui-Gon Jinn?" she asked, reading the information from the pad. The girl looked at him with embarrassment. "If I had known you were still in bed, I wouldn't have disturbed you," she added.
"I am he," Qui-Gon replied, surprised by her last statement. He glanced back in his rooms to check a chronometer. It was almost time for the midday meal, which meant he'd sleep much later than he normally did. He stretched his tall frame like a cat, suddenly feeling stiff and cramped. The girl shied away, her smaller frame looking like a shadow to his taller form and longer limbs. Qui-Gon couldn't help but wonder if she was even ten; she didn't move with the fluid grace of a strong warrior. Even for his long, cumbersome limbs, he had a natural grace that surpassed even some of the masters. He just hoped someday he would grow into those limbs.
"The Council has a summons for you," she said, handing him the data pad. "They would like to see you this evening." She continued to eye him, much to Qui-Gon's amusement. Finally, she seemed to work up the courage to ask him what was bothering her. "Does your master always let you sleep that late? My teachers would be furious if I were in bed that long!"
Qui-Gon gave her a faint, sad smile at that. "No, my master doesn't usually let me sleep that long," he replied, taking the pad from her and not bothering to correct her. The alienation, however unintentional, had already begun. "How old are you?"
"I'm seven years old," the girl replied. "I can't wait to be old enough to be considered for being a padawan. But I don't fight well enough yet, or have good control over the Force. I'm afraid I won't be chosen before I turn thirteen." Her green eyes shone with hope that touched Qui-Gon. He remembered being afraid of being turned away from the Temple. For as long as he could remember, he'd been wholly dedicated to becoming a Jedi. Riley had chosen him at the age of eleven, long before he had to worry about being turned away. The memory hurt.
He smiled kindly at the younger girl. "I'm sure you will learn to fight well and have control. Such things take time, but if you have the dedication, they will be mastered." She gave him a thankful look for the reassurance. "I'm sure you have other duties besides talking to me, though," he added.
She nodded quickly then gave a swift bow. "The Council will be angry if I don't return to run more errands," she agreed. "It was nice to talk with you, although I woke you up." She turned to walk down the hall.
"It was nice to speak with you as well," Qui-Gon replied. He watched her disappear, more painful memories clouding his thoughts.
***
"Qui-Gon Jinn, will you be my padawan?" The average-height man looked at him, his dark brown eyes kindly. "I would be honored if you would have me as your master." His smile was gentle and reassuring. Qui-Gon beamed at the invitation as he pulled off his damp tunic. He had seen Master Giovan before, working with the very young initiates. He'd worked with Qui-Gon as well, many years ago with the first and simplest Force exercises.
"I would love to be your padawan," Qui-Gon replied. He was physically exhausted, having just finished a spar for one of the competitions in the Temple. Although the thought was always in his mind at such functions, Qui-Gon didn't think that he would be chosen as someone's padawan for at least another year. "I have a question, though, Master Giovan."
Riley watched as the boy pulled on a clean tunic and wiped nonexistent sweat from his face. "I will try to answer it for you, Qui-Gon, though I can't promise I can." The boy had dark brown hair and intelligent gray-blue eyes that were currently shining as bright as his lightsaber blade. He always answered that way, as if he were afraid to say something definitively only to find out later he had inadvertently lied.
"Why did you pick me? There are many others who are older than I am."
"I picked you because the Force seems to be leading me in that direction. You are intelligent and graceful, Qui-Gon, an excellent fighter for your age. That is a good thing for our pairing, since sparring has never been my strong suit. There is little you need to learn and little I could teach you about that. However, you are impulsive and strong-willed, am I right?" Riley smiled slightly as Qui-Gon shifted nervously at that. "I know that you have broken rules when you think it is necessary. I can teach you how to use the rules to your advantage, as well as know when it is truly time to break them. I can teach you how to trust another being when you need to and learn from you mistakes. I can also teach you how to lose gracefully. Sometimes when you lose, padawan, you win." He winked broadly at Qui-Gon. "You will go far, my padawan, and train a great man to be a Jedi Master, if you learn what I will teach you. You are intelligent and brave, Qui-Gon Jinn." Those seemed odd words, but Master Giovan had the talent of seeing through the haze of the future, seeing what the Force choose to reveal to him from the possibilities.
He had felt completely pleased at his master's words. Riley wanted to teach him of the Force, as well as himself. Qui-Gon knew that their bond would hold firm forever, even if they had disagreements or difficulties. He was Riley Giovan's padawan, even if not officially. He had been chosen.
Forever.
Qui-Gon sat outside of the Council chamber waiting to be called in. The memory of being chosen had been replaying itself over and over for some time now, and he couldn't help but feel like the world 'forever' was painfully hollow. Either that, or it didn't mean what Qui-Gon once thought it did. Forever seemed to have come and gone, and Qui-Gon was still here without master or bond. The thought tore at him, and he let the pain wash over him and flow from him. If he did anything else, the Jedi was afraid it would control him. The emotion was too strong for Qui-Gon to control.
All in all, the day had been disturbingly uneventful. Not sure what he'd been expecting, Qui-Gon had felt certain that there should have been more references to Riley's death. However, the only think that had even remotely alluded to it was the initiate and her questions about what his master allowed him to do. The rest of the world had been rather unaffected by the passing of a Jedi Master. Qui-Gon decided wryly that it would have been more appropriate had lightning struck the Temple or earthquakes shaken it. That would have been a fitting reaction to his death.
A page interrupted his morbid musings by tapping him on the shoulder and indicating that Qui-Gon was allowed to enter the Council room. Pushing the thoughts aside, Qui-Gon stilled his mind and followed the page in, trying not to worry about the future the Council had planned to place before him.
A chime rang, informing Qui-Gon of a visitor at his door. He pulled himself from the tangle of blankets on his sleep-couch and walked slowly to the door. Opening it, he found a younger initiate staring up at him in surprise. The younger girl must not have been any older than ten. Qui-Gon gave a rueful grin, knowing his tunic and leggings were out of place and his traditional ponytail must not have been any neater. "Can I help you?" he asked the smaller girl, who still looked at him with wide, green eyes.
She started out of her reverie and glanced down at the data pad in her hands. "Are you Qui-Gon Jinn?" she asked, reading the information from the pad. The girl looked at him with embarrassment. "If I had known you were still in bed, I wouldn't have disturbed you," she added.
"I am he," Qui-Gon replied, surprised by her last statement. He glanced back in his rooms to check a chronometer. It was almost time for the midday meal, which meant he'd sleep much later than he normally did. He stretched his tall frame like a cat, suddenly feeling stiff and cramped. The girl shied away, her smaller frame looking like a shadow to his taller form and longer limbs. Qui-Gon couldn't help but wonder if she was even ten; she didn't move with the fluid grace of a strong warrior. Even for his long, cumbersome limbs, he had a natural grace that surpassed even some of the masters. He just hoped someday he would grow into those limbs.
"The Council has a summons for you," she said, handing him the data pad. "They would like to see you this evening." She continued to eye him, much to Qui-Gon's amusement. Finally, she seemed to work up the courage to ask him what was bothering her. "Does your master always let you sleep that late? My teachers would be furious if I were in bed that long!"
Qui-Gon gave her a faint, sad smile at that. "No, my master doesn't usually let me sleep that long," he replied, taking the pad from her and not bothering to correct her. The alienation, however unintentional, had already begun. "How old are you?"
"I'm seven years old," the girl replied. "I can't wait to be old enough to be considered for being a padawan. But I don't fight well enough yet, or have good control over the Force. I'm afraid I won't be chosen before I turn thirteen." Her green eyes shone with hope that touched Qui-Gon. He remembered being afraid of being turned away from the Temple. For as long as he could remember, he'd been wholly dedicated to becoming a Jedi. Riley had chosen him at the age of eleven, long before he had to worry about being turned away. The memory hurt.
He smiled kindly at the younger girl. "I'm sure you will learn to fight well and have control. Such things take time, but if you have the dedication, they will be mastered." She gave him a thankful look for the reassurance. "I'm sure you have other duties besides talking to me, though," he added.
She nodded quickly then gave a swift bow. "The Council will be angry if I don't return to run more errands," she agreed. "It was nice to talk with you, although I woke you up." She turned to walk down the hall.
"It was nice to speak with you as well," Qui-Gon replied. He watched her disappear, more painful memories clouding his thoughts.
***
"Qui-Gon Jinn, will you be my padawan?" The average-height man looked at him, his dark brown eyes kindly. "I would be honored if you would have me as your master." His smile was gentle and reassuring. Qui-Gon beamed at the invitation as he pulled off his damp tunic. He had seen Master Giovan before, working with the very young initiates. He'd worked with Qui-Gon as well, many years ago with the first and simplest Force exercises.
"I would love to be your padawan," Qui-Gon replied. He was physically exhausted, having just finished a spar for one of the competitions in the Temple. Although the thought was always in his mind at such functions, Qui-Gon didn't think that he would be chosen as someone's padawan for at least another year. "I have a question, though, Master Giovan."
Riley watched as the boy pulled on a clean tunic and wiped nonexistent sweat from his face. "I will try to answer it for you, Qui-Gon, though I can't promise I can." The boy had dark brown hair and intelligent gray-blue eyes that were currently shining as bright as his lightsaber blade. He always answered that way, as if he were afraid to say something definitively only to find out later he had inadvertently lied.
"Why did you pick me? There are many others who are older than I am."
"I picked you because the Force seems to be leading me in that direction. You are intelligent and graceful, Qui-Gon, an excellent fighter for your age. That is a good thing for our pairing, since sparring has never been my strong suit. There is little you need to learn and little I could teach you about that. However, you are impulsive and strong-willed, am I right?" Riley smiled slightly as Qui-Gon shifted nervously at that. "I know that you have broken rules when you think it is necessary. I can teach you how to use the rules to your advantage, as well as know when it is truly time to break them. I can teach you how to trust another being when you need to and learn from you mistakes. I can also teach you how to lose gracefully. Sometimes when you lose, padawan, you win." He winked broadly at Qui-Gon. "You will go far, my padawan, and train a great man to be a Jedi Master, if you learn what I will teach you. You are intelligent and brave, Qui-Gon Jinn." Those seemed odd words, but Master Giovan had the talent of seeing through the haze of the future, seeing what the Force choose to reveal to him from the possibilities.
He had felt completely pleased at his master's words. Riley wanted to teach him of the Force, as well as himself. Qui-Gon knew that their bond would hold firm forever, even if they had disagreements or difficulties. He was Riley Giovan's padawan, even if not officially. He had been chosen.
Forever.
Qui-Gon sat outside of the Council chamber waiting to be called in. The memory of being chosen had been replaying itself over and over for some time now, and he couldn't help but feel like the world 'forever' was painfully hollow. Either that, or it didn't mean what Qui-Gon once thought it did. Forever seemed to have come and gone, and Qui-Gon was still here without master or bond. The thought tore at him, and he let the pain wash over him and flow from him. If he did anything else, the Jedi was afraid it would control him. The emotion was too strong for Qui-Gon to control.
All in all, the day had been disturbingly uneventful. Not sure what he'd been expecting, Qui-Gon had felt certain that there should have been more references to Riley's death. However, the only think that had even remotely alluded to it was the initiate and her questions about what his master allowed him to do. The rest of the world had been rather unaffected by the passing of a Jedi Master. Qui-Gon decided wryly that it would have been more appropriate had lightning struck the Temple or earthquakes shaken it. That would have been a fitting reaction to his death.
A page interrupted his morbid musings by tapping him on the shoulder and indicating that Qui-Gon was allowed to enter the Council room. Pushing the thoughts aside, Qui-Gon stilled his mind and followed the page in, trying not to worry about the future the Council had planned to place before him.