Chapter 4

Ranzel swept to the edge of the bed, his robes grazing along the floor. As usual he was utterly unhurried. Gently he touched his palm to the red haired woman's head. She was trapped in her mind. Her escape was beyond that which these people understood. But where Ranzel came from, it was an easy process to lead her back to freedom.

He sighed softly. He didn't want to have to use blackmail in convincing this boy to join him. It was the way of the Dark Side. But it was for the good fight, like the Jedi Mind Trick.

Running his hand to her throat, Ranzel could check her breathing, her pulse - even just how strong the Force was that remained within her. It wasn't dulled yet; it was still strong. But it wasn't the same as what he'd felt in Leo. This was just the Force contained in any living being. It was not the Force of a Jedi.

Perhaps that made it easier. She would certainly submit to the healing process a lot easier.

Ranzel lifted his eyes to the lights above him. One of them was flickering irritably. The hospital was decrepit. Ranzel would sure that they wouldn't keep her long. They would consider her as simply a waste of resources…

He'd come here looking just for Leo, without the permission of the council. Earth was pre-First Contact. It was considered unworthy, a useless asset, which in capturing would be far too much effort. But it was yet another home of the Human species. These Terrans were certainly as resilient as any other of their seed.

The Barridian species had been seeded by the Human gene too. They were very close although Barridia was a little drier than this planet. It had a lower population, and far less pollution – but it had managed space travel a millennia ago. When the Jedi Council had begun to take the gifted, they were welcome. Barridia was impressed with the ways of the Force, and pleased to join the ranks of planets which had already donated youth to the Temple.

The Jedi Council and the Union of Planets fought a good war in keeping the Empire on the very edges of this Galaxy – to stop their continuing spread as a plague to the Universe. The Barridians loved their Galaxy as it was, and were willing to fight too.

But the Humans were different. They had not achieved anything more than a walk on their pathetic moon, and hadn't come into contact with any other creature more substantial than their own shadow.

The Empire had spread; their dark tendrils slithering further and further into the depths of their Galaxy. The Jedi were now fighting a war based on even ground, and they were slowly being driven back, destroyed Knight by Knight.

So now, the Council were desperate, and yet they still refused to go beyond the boundaries of what was familiar. They would still not visit the planets which were off limits – and nor would they take on an older Padawan, especially not one at an age like eighteen.

Leo – who was so very full of anger – would be everything the Council was afraid of and more. Ranzel suspected it might be nearly impossible to keep him on the side of the Jedi, but he had a substantial power, which might turn the tide for them.

But if Ranzel thought that now, why was he still intent on training the youth. He had settled on Earth when he saw the orb in his star charts. It was a beautiful marble of a planet, and he was confident it had exactly the Padawan he was searching for.

However, Ranzel was still unsure why he was so determined, especially after discovering Leo's flaws.

"Because you do believe in him..."

Ranzel lifted his eyes. His own master stood opposite him; except he didn't, because he had been dead for a year now. He merely appeared as a spirit.

Jara Melamatar, a tired old Almorelian with his fleshy hair held back behind his head, settled his large, oval eyes on him. He had no mouth, but he seemed to speak anyway. It wasn't like telepathy. No, Jara seemed to have spoken as though to the room.

"If I believe in him, why am I so afraid of his potential power?"

Jara's eyes changed colour. His ears, which were pointed, twisted back slightly. Ranzel identified this as a smile, without thinking about it.

"Why else would you be here?" Jara said, softly.

Ranzel smiled too, and he leant back. "Perhaps it is simply my own stubbornness? I insisted on coming here. Maybe I seek a challenge? Maybe it is pride?"

"You...?" Jara then squealed; a high pitch sound that made Ranzel's ears hurt a little. His eyes went white for a few moments, and Ranzel shook his head.

"There's no need to laugh at me, Master."

"Is there not, Ranzel? You were such a good student."

"So you say."

"And that is how I know it is not pride." Jara said, firmly, smiling again. "But perhaps…you must be careful it is not pride and recognition you seek." There was a warning in the old Knight's tone.

Ranzel took a moment to understand what he had missed, and Jara crossed around the bed to stand beside him. "You will do well, Ranzel. I do not, nor have not ever doubted you."

Just as suddenly as he had appeared, Jara faded out, as though he were a hologram that had just been turned of. Without turning, Ranzel knew why.

Leo had just walked into his mother's room.

"How did you follow me here?" Leo hissed, staring down at the older man.

Ranzel looked amused. He quirked his eyebrow in the other's direction quickly, and then looked back down. "Since I arrived here first, I would endeavour to ask the same question of you."

Steps heavy with his fury, Leo marched into the room and made his way to the side of his mother's bed. Ranzel stepped back defensively, letting the boy take the dominant position.

"How did you know I was coming here?" His voice was laced with venom, and it was soft, as though he was making an effort to not simply lash out at the other man.

Ranzel concentrated on the Force, tried to set calming waves about the youth.

"I know a lot about you, Black." Ranzel replied steadily.

"Do you? And just how do you know?" Leo's eyes burned in the reflection of his red hair, and then a spark of something that might have been understanding shot behind his eyes. "You're not…"

"No, I'm not your father. But I do have an interest in you."

Ranzel stepped forwards now, aware that he had his hand back on the situation. He reached his hand out over Leo's mother's forehead.

Leo stepped back instinctively, and then looked as though he might object when Ranzel touched his mother. He clamped his mouth shut though.

"Manila will die if she stays here," Ranzel said after a few long moments, lifting his firm eyes once more to Leo's. "You know that, don't you?"

Steadying his breathing, Leo could only reply, "Yes." He couldn't show just how afraid he was for his mother, but his broken voice betrayed him. "How did you know her name?"

Ranzel lifted his free hand to the book that was set on the monitor beside her bed. It said 'Manila Black' in bold Times New Roman. "We have the medicine to help her," Ranzel went on. "You must believe me."

The stranger looked so much as though he was telling the truth that for a moment Leo might have believed him, until he remembered the terrible yarn that Ranzel – if that was even his real name – had wove for him back at the house.

Leo leant forwards and slapped Ranzel's hand away from his mother. "I can't believe you. I can't believe in aliens, of Galactic Councils, or whatever the hell else you were talking about."

"Can you not? What can you believe in?"

"Solid evidence; I only believe in what I see."

"Then you will never be able to use the Force."

"Well good." Leo looked down at his mother, but then something happened. A noise as he had never heard before sang in the air in Ranzel's direction. He leant back from the bed and turned in Ranzel's direction, his mouth open as though to say something. But he came face to face with something he'd never seen before.

It looked like a sword, but it seemed to be made of coloured energy. And it hummed.

"What…what's that?" he said, disbelievingly.

"It's a lightsaber; A Jedi weapon."

"It's real…?"

"As real as you and me," Ranzel answered, bringing it away from Leo, who had reached out as though to touch it. "It is a dangerous weapon. One strike from it on full power can sever almost anything."

Leo realised he hadn't been breathing, and his mouth had fallen over, like that of a basking shark.

Looking amused, Ranzel powered down the lightsaber and hung it at his belt.

"Will you believe me yet?"

Leo wanted to, but he still wanted more. "If you're from space, you have to prove it to me."

"You must decide now." Ranzel insisted, softly. "I do not want to risk detection by your agencies. I will only leave in the shuttle once. Do you understand? If you intend to come with me, we must organise your mother's movement, and take her with us. I can provide a private ambulance, and we will transport her to the shuttle."

Leo bit his lip. It was a big decision to make. But if this man was as true as the blade he held at his hip…maybe his mother did have a chance.

He couldn't deny her that, could he?

And if Ranzel did turn out to be just another crazy old coot…well, he wouldn't have lost anything but a little time.