Master Jinn threw his arms up in absolute confusion.
"Now what should we do? Is that all the places you can think of that my padawan would go, to think, to hide out, to do anything but be around me."
"That's about it and I wouldn't start that sympathy ploy on me that Obi tried earlier on the both of us. It doesn't ever work. It's not you he ran from, it was the circumstance of everything, the pressure, *Master*. Maybe you don't believe it, but Jedi padawans are under a certain pressure and with you as their master, even more so. Take it from me, I know."
"Oh that's poppycock. You make me sound like some tyrant who carries a bull whip. I am no harder than any other master is or should be. I expect my apprentices to do the best they can."
"And what if their best is not *YOUR* good enough, don't meet your criteria as the best they can, then what?"
"Then I encourage my apprentices to strife to be better."
"Sometimes that is easier said than done."
The phrase was barely audible as it was mumbled by the young knight. He made a left turn and checked a small arcade just down the street they turned on.
"No, he isn't here. I allow him to come here sometimes to play the holo-games."
"What do you mean, easier said than done?"
"Oops, sorry I really hadn't meant for you to hear that. I was more or less thinking to myself. But…. well you know sometimes an apprentice, any person really, can't be what you want them to be. Or maybe they are what you want them to be but they themselves don't think they meet your standards. A lot of pressure Qui-Gon, especially for Obi-Wan I think. You must have noticed a certain amount of insecurity about his place with you. I can only imagine it stems from the rift you too had over maledd? Daen"
"The rift as you call it was corrected not long after it happened I never looked back."
Yes, well maybe Obi-Wan could never really look forward because he was stuck in the one little section of your time together. He hasn't not questioned himself, his right to be at your side since then. You know sometimes a person even a young person such as Obi just has to be themselves and if you really care about that person that has to be good enough. Besides I really think that was Obi's problem. I have seen him in a saber duel. I have tasted his expertise with his parry forwards and his aerial maneuvers for someone so short are remarkable. What is the problem you see in him?"
"Actually until Anakin came, I saw none. I saw in my apprentice what you saw; a Jedi apprentice that was loyal, dutiful, and good at what he did. His expertise in saber training did not go unnoticed."
"Did it go un-rewarded, unmentioned?"
Qui-Gon visually cringed. Maybe he hadn't done as much to show the boy he was pleased with him. He shrugged his shoulders.
"You may have a point."
"Wow, the great Master Jinn admitting he is wrong. I wish I could have gotten that on tape."
Qui-Gon rolled his eyes in a fake act of dismay over his former padawan's words.
"Well don't gloat so much, or so fast. I said you *may* be right. I didn't totally admit you were right. That still does not give the boy an excuse to act less than a Jedi. He was jealous and petty. That jealously and pettiness manifested his problems, pushed him to where he felt he had to do something. He did, he stifled our bond. That Vos should never be done by the master or apprentice. It certainly shouldn't preclude him from staying his course to become a Jedi knight… Just his childish ways, no he should have sucked it up and gone on."
"Yes well I am sure that now you understand some of his problems because of the treatment he received from the 'Chosen One', you will be able to work things out. After all, you are supposed to be the best at diplomatic relations. You should also practice what you preach. Seems to me when you arrived here you immediately announced that you had closed off your side of the bond. Had Obi-Wan wanted to attempt a reconnection with you he couldn't have. Not very masterly is it? No more or less than what Obi-Wan did."
"I won't discuss my closing our bond. I had my reasons. As for the mission here, don't bring that up either. I really messed up here didn't I?"
Vos doubted his former master had a really viable reason for closing his side of the bond other than his own stubbornness. He could however offer up words to convince his former master he was not entirely at fault for their mission's failure with Emperor Tolan.
//In that, he and Obi-Wan are just alike; stubborn as mules. //
"I suspect Tolan had his sinister plans before he ever met you. He has someone to back him. He is determined to take over Ceris and I don't think any amount of negotiations by the Jedi, either of us would have helped."
"Then we are at stall mate."
"Would seem that way. Now what to do with that little lost apprentice of yours?"
Qui-Gon turned from Vos and didn't allow him to see his look of concern. Vos still believed Obi hid somewhere. Jinn was beginning to get a nudge through the force and their weak almost shut off bond, that told him something entirely different than what Vos thought.. Something was wrong. Obi just didn't' come up missing that fast and shouldn't' have been that difficult to find.
Qui-Gon decided to hide his growing suspicions of foul play a while longer. He would let Vos guide him around the city a little longer before he pressed the panic button…..
Vos was pleased with himself to have gotten his former master to open up so much where Obi-Wan and their relationship was concerned. All that had to be put aside when they turned the next corner and found themselves on the same little back street Obi-Wan had been, by the water way.
There before them was the same group of Tolan's army going through houses and businesses searching.
//But for what,// thought Vos as he was more familiar with what went on on the planet. Master Jinn was at first oblivious to difference in the soldiers activities.
Vos only had time to think it and not voice it to his master when they were attacked from behind. Evidently there was more than one group of soldiers doing the searching. While the two Jedi watched the proceedings of the first group of Tolan's men, the second group launched an attack on the unknowing Jedi. Jinn and Vos both had ignored what was behind them in favor of questioning what those in front of them did. Now they had to battle their way free ……..
Qui-Gon swung around and ignited his saber. He used both hands and with all the strength he was born with and gifted from the force began swinging. To some if they witnessed the battle they would think the master swung blindly but he knew his target. One solider had his blaster drawn and focused on his former apprentice.
I just found the young man again. Taking him from me isn't going to be as simple a blaster shot from some kid-called- soldier still wet behind the ears. [/i]
It was not a death blow. Jinn was conscious as to the soldier's young age and his heartfelt duty and loyalty to do as his commander, master, Emperor Tolan dictated. The Jedi master was most precise with his aim. He meant to injure the young man, not kill him but more importantly disarm him. His saber lashed out but only to hit the soldier's arm, his aimed target and it caused him to drop the blaster. As it should be as the master intended. There were only three left, no two. Vos grabbed a hold of one of his attackers whirled him around, then used the hilt of his saber to knock the other guard out soundly but not deadly either.
The remaining soldiers chose not to engage in battle further when they witnessed how handily Jinn and Vos disarmed the first two. The ran off into night.
"Well I see you did not heed all my teaching Quin."
"And which one do you speak in reference of, Master Jinn?"
"Ever alert on what is going on a round you. Had you been, you wouldn't have allowed Tolan's men to sneak up on us."
"Maybe you too never needed your own lesson. I don't see you announce they were here until you felt the air from the blaster shot whizzing by your ear."
This time Quin was able to see the smile on his former master's face.
"Very well, you have a point. I would like to find out why we were attacked though."
"Best way to do that is go to the emperor. It was then they made the same turn Obi-Wan had. The turn that put him on the main street; the turn that needed up costing Padawan Kenobi his freedom.
[### At the emperor's private compound.###
"Lord Sidious, you have my assurance Master Jinn and his group will be gone tomorrow morning. They have been duly warned. I had planned to keep the young one and Vos as hostages until things were settled.
"Your plans won't do now. I have plans of my own and they include me keeping the boy. I am all too familiar with Master Jinn and he won't leave with one Jedi missing especially his own apprentice. Now we or should I say, you will have to come up with something better than that. They will have to be escorted off this planet and if not, they die."
Now the emperor was worried. He would hold hostages, but to kill a Jedi might get him in more trouble, to kill an entire diplomatic group of Jedi was just too much to think about.
"I don't know m'lord. That could get the entire federation on our backs."
"You think that bothers me, the idea of the federation coming out here? No, my men can handle them if they choose to fight. Maybe the boy isn't worth fighting for. Not to that degree."
"The boy no, but if you kill the entire entourage of Jedi, I don't' see how Valorum will be convinced not to send ships and a lot of them, Jedi as well."
"Yes I see your point, still the boy will remain with me and I want Jinn and his Jedi away, far away from here. Once they are off world my ships stationed in the atmosphere around your planet will not allow another to land."
The emperor was dumbfounded. He did not know what to do.
"Your excellency I don't know how to accomplish both. Jinn will not leave with knowing where his apprentice is."
Darth Sidious was an impatient man and that impatience finally came out. He grabbed for the emperor's throat. Tolan's men stepped up to stop him and they were stopped by Sidious' red guard.
"I don't care how you do it, but you damn well better do it or the deal is off. I want the Jedi off your planet in the morning without the knowledge that we have the boy. I don't care what you do to convince Jinn to leave.Maybe convince the Jedi the young one met with a horrible fate, out in the city, alone at night. Oh, and don't keep the other Jedi hostage. Send them all on their way."
He released the emperor who immediately attempted to breathe again.
"Yes, yes an excellent idea. I will put my men to work on it right away. All they need is someone close in size to the boy and a way to make positive identification impossible. Yes, it will be done by in the morning."
####AT the Compound#####.
"Hey Qui-Gon wait up. I forgot to thank you for saving my life… If you hadn't gotten that one with the blaster aimed at me, I might not be here right now."
"Thank you excepted but not necessary. I remember a few times during your apprenticeship with me, you saved my hide. Just returning the favor."
Jinn saw Quinlan nod his understanding but couldn't see the smile on his former apprentice's face because of the darkness of night.
"Yeah, you are right. I remember that as well. O.K. I take my thank you back."
Vos couldn't see his master either, but he heard him chuckle.
//Seems lately I remember a lot of things, good things about Vos' apprenticeship with me. Things until now I didn't realize were so important to me. //
Both focused on the task at hand
Vos stepped up ahead of Qui-Gon and rang the bell to the Emperor's private dwelling. Just above them, a curtain was ever so slowly pulled back and a hooded figure stood in the twilight to see who the visitors' were. That hooded figure was Darth Sidious and just over across the room from him, in a chair, tied up, and mouth taped shut was Jinn's present apprentice……
################
Does sound like what the Bulenese tried to do convince Jinn Obi-Wan was dead. Only this time there will be a body. Will the master still be as gullible as before. Let's hope not!!!!!!
See ya next week. Enjoy the holidays if you celebrate Easter, upcoming Passover, or just having a quiet weekend.
PEACE ewen
"Now what should we do? Is that all the places you can think of that my padawan would go, to think, to hide out, to do anything but be around me."
"That's about it and I wouldn't start that sympathy ploy on me that Obi tried earlier on the both of us. It doesn't ever work. It's not you he ran from, it was the circumstance of everything, the pressure, *Master*. Maybe you don't believe it, but Jedi padawans are under a certain pressure and with you as their master, even more so. Take it from me, I know."
"Oh that's poppycock. You make me sound like some tyrant who carries a bull whip. I am no harder than any other master is or should be. I expect my apprentices to do the best they can."
"And what if their best is not *YOUR* good enough, don't meet your criteria as the best they can, then what?"
"Then I encourage my apprentices to strife to be better."
"Sometimes that is easier said than done."
The phrase was barely audible as it was mumbled by the young knight. He made a left turn and checked a small arcade just down the street they turned on.
"No, he isn't here. I allow him to come here sometimes to play the holo-games."
"What do you mean, easier said than done?"
"Oops, sorry I really hadn't meant for you to hear that. I was more or less thinking to myself. But…. well you know sometimes an apprentice, any person really, can't be what you want them to be. Or maybe they are what you want them to be but they themselves don't think they meet your standards. A lot of pressure Qui-Gon, especially for Obi-Wan I think. You must have noticed a certain amount of insecurity about his place with you. I can only imagine it stems from the rift you too had over maledd? Daen"
"The rift as you call it was corrected not long after it happened I never looked back."
Yes, well maybe Obi-Wan could never really look forward because he was stuck in the one little section of your time together. He hasn't not questioned himself, his right to be at your side since then. You know sometimes a person even a young person such as Obi just has to be themselves and if you really care about that person that has to be good enough. Besides I really think that was Obi's problem. I have seen him in a saber duel. I have tasted his expertise with his parry forwards and his aerial maneuvers for someone so short are remarkable. What is the problem you see in him?"
"Actually until Anakin came, I saw none. I saw in my apprentice what you saw; a Jedi apprentice that was loyal, dutiful, and good at what he did. His expertise in saber training did not go unnoticed."
"Did it go un-rewarded, unmentioned?"
Qui-Gon visually cringed. Maybe he hadn't done as much to show the boy he was pleased with him. He shrugged his shoulders.
"You may have a point."
"Wow, the great Master Jinn admitting he is wrong. I wish I could have gotten that on tape."
Qui-Gon rolled his eyes in a fake act of dismay over his former padawan's words.
"Well don't gloat so much, or so fast. I said you *may* be right. I didn't totally admit you were right. That still does not give the boy an excuse to act less than a Jedi. He was jealous and petty. That jealously and pettiness manifested his problems, pushed him to where he felt he had to do something. He did, he stifled our bond. That Vos should never be done by the master or apprentice. It certainly shouldn't preclude him from staying his course to become a Jedi knight… Just his childish ways, no he should have sucked it up and gone on."
"Yes well I am sure that now you understand some of his problems because of the treatment he received from the 'Chosen One', you will be able to work things out. After all, you are supposed to be the best at diplomatic relations. You should also practice what you preach. Seems to me when you arrived here you immediately announced that you had closed off your side of the bond. Had Obi-Wan wanted to attempt a reconnection with you he couldn't have. Not very masterly is it? No more or less than what Obi-Wan did."
"I won't discuss my closing our bond. I had my reasons. As for the mission here, don't bring that up either. I really messed up here didn't I?"
Vos doubted his former master had a really viable reason for closing his side of the bond other than his own stubbornness. He could however offer up words to convince his former master he was not entirely at fault for their mission's failure with Emperor Tolan.
//In that, he and Obi-Wan are just alike; stubborn as mules. //
"I suspect Tolan had his sinister plans before he ever met you. He has someone to back him. He is determined to take over Ceris and I don't think any amount of negotiations by the Jedi, either of us would have helped."
"Then we are at stall mate."
"Would seem that way. Now what to do with that little lost apprentice of yours?"
Qui-Gon turned from Vos and didn't allow him to see his look of concern. Vos still believed Obi hid somewhere. Jinn was beginning to get a nudge through the force and their weak almost shut off bond, that told him something entirely different than what Vos thought.. Something was wrong. Obi just didn't' come up missing that fast and shouldn't' have been that difficult to find.
Qui-Gon decided to hide his growing suspicions of foul play a while longer. He would let Vos guide him around the city a little longer before he pressed the panic button…..
Vos was pleased with himself to have gotten his former master to open up so much where Obi-Wan and their relationship was concerned. All that had to be put aside when they turned the next corner and found themselves on the same little back street Obi-Wan had been, by the water way.
There before them was the same group of Tolan's army going through houses and businesses searching.
//But for what,// thought Vos as he was more familiar with what went on on the planet. Master Jinn was at first oblivious to difference in the soldiers activities.
Vos only had time to think it and not voice it to his master when they were attacked from behind. Evidently there was more than one group of soldiers doing the searching. While the two Jedi watched the proceedings of the first group of Tolan's men, the second group launched an attack on the unknowing Jedi. Jinn and Vos both had ignored what was behind them in favor of questioning what those in front of them did. Now they had to battle their way free ……..
Qui-Gon swung around and ignited his saber. He used both hands and with all the strength he was born with and gifted from the force began swinging. To some if they witnessed the battle they would think the master swung blindly but he knew his target. One solider had his blaster drawn and focused on his former apprentice.
I just found the young man again. Taking him from me isn't going to be as simple a blaster shot from some kid-called- soldier still wet behind the ears. [/i]
It was not a death blow. Jinn was conscious as to the soldier's young age and his heartfelt duty and loyalty to do as his commander, master, Emperor Tolan dictated. The Jedi master was most precise with his aim. He meant to injure the young man, not kill him but more importantly disarm him. His saber lashed out but only to hit the soldier's arm, his aimed target and it caused him to drop the blaster. As it should be as the master intended. There were only three left, no two. Vos grabbed a hold of one of his attackers whirled him around, then used the hilt of his saber to knock the other guard out soundly but not deadly either.
The remaining soldiers chose not to engage in battle further when they witnessed how handily Jinn and Vos disarmed the first two. The ran off into night.
"Well I see you did not heed all my teaching Quin."
"And which one do you speak in reference of, Master Jinn?"
"Ever alert on what is going on a round you. Had you been, you wouldn't have allowed Tolan's men to sneak up on us."
"Maybe you too never needed your own lesson. I don't see you announce they were here until you felt the air from the blaster shot whizzing by your ear."
This time Quin was able to see the smile on his former master's face.
"Very well, you have a point. I would like to find out why we were attacked though."
"Best way to do that is go to the emperor. It was then they made the same turn Obi-Wan had. The turn that put him on the main street; the turn that needed up costing Padawan Kenobi his freedom.
[### At the emperor's private compound.###
"Lord Sidious, you have my assurance Master Jinn and his group will be gone tomorrow morning. They have been duly warned. I had planned to keep the young one and Vos as hostages until things were settled.
"Your plans won't do now. I have plans of my own and they include me keeping the boy. I am all too familiar with Master Jinn and he won't leave with one Jedi missing especially his own apprentice. Now we or should I say, you will have to come up with something better than that. They will have to be escorted off this planet and if not, they die."
Now the emperor was worried. He would hold hostages, but to kill a Jedi might get him in more trouble, to kill an entire diplomatic group of Jedi was just too much to think about.
"I don't know m'lord. That could get the entire federation on our backs."
"You think that bothers me, the idea of the federation coming out here? No, my men can handle them if they choose to fight. Maybe the boy isn't worth fighting for. Not to that degree."
"The boy no, but if you kill the entire entourage of Jedi, I don't' see how Valorum will be convinced not to send ships and a lot of them, Jedi as well."
"Yes I see your point, still the boy will remain with me and I want Jinn and his Jedi away, far away from here. Once they are off world my ships stationed in the atmosphere around your planet will not allow another to land."
The emperor was dumbfounded. He did not know what to do.
"Your excellency I don't know how to accomplish both. Jinn will not leave with knowing where his apprentice is."
Darth Sidious was an impatient man and that impatience finally came out. He grabbed for the emperor's throat. Tolan's men stepped up to stop him and they were stopped by Sidious' red guard.
"I don't care how you do it, but you damn well better do it or the deal is off. I want the Jedi off your planet in the morning without the knowledge that we have the boy. I don't care what you do to convince Jinn to leave.Maybe convince the Jedi the young one met with a horrible fate, out in the city, alone at night. Oh, and don't keep the other Jedi hostage. Send them all on their way."
He released the emperor who immediately attempted to breathe again.
"Yes, yes an excellent idea. I will put my men to work on it right away. All they need is someone close in size to the boy and a way to make positive identification impossible. Yes, it will be done by in the morning."
####AT the Compound#####.
"Hey Qui-Gon wait up. I forgot to thank you for saving my life… If you hadn't gotten that one with the blaster aimed at me, I might not be here right now."
"Thank you excepted but not necessary. I remember a few times during your apprenticeship with me, you saved my hide. Just returning the favor."
Jinn saw Quinlan nod his understanding but couldn't see the smile on his former apprentice's face because of the darkness of night.
"Yeah, you are right. I remember that as well. O.K. I take my thank you back."
Vos couldn't see his master either, but he heard him chuckle.
//Seems lately I remember a lot of things, good things about Vos' apprenticeship with me. Things until now I didn't realize were so important to me. //
Both focused on the task at hand
Vos stepped up ahead of Qui-Gon and rang the bell to the Emperor's private dwelling. Just above them, a curtain was ever so slowly pulled back and a hooded figure stood in the twilight to see who the visitors' were. That hooded figure was Darth Sidious and just over across the room from him, in a chair, tied up, and mouth taped shut was Jinn's present apprentice……
################
Does sound like what the Bulenese tried to do convince Jinn Obi-Wan was dead. Only this time there will be a body. Will the master still be as gullible as before. Let's hope not!!!!!!
See ya next week. Enjoy the holidays if you celebrate Easter, upcoming Passover, or just having a quiet weekend.
PEACE ewen