Note: A slight change. Sentences within '/' indicate thoughts via bond.


Part 4

The Ischila.

Obi-Wan drew in a deep breath, dusting the mental cobwebs that had accumulated around old, classroom memories of ancient artifacts, the legends surrounding them, and the beings involved in the propagation of such legends. The Ischila had been among the most prominent that he had heard - and the vaguest.

They were taught to question facts and ascertain the truth or otherwise of the things they came across - but questioning ancient legends was different. The stories surrounding them were uncertain enough - how did one verify legends?

He stared at the tiny thing that danced about his eyes, trying to assess it. He remembered descriptions of it - even then, reality was very far from what he had learnt. As if in contradiction to the size of the legends surrounding it, the Ischila itself was remarkably small - only the size of a child's marble. And much more colourful. Deep blue and green shades, entwined with purple and orange swirled through its depths as it whizzed around him, seemingly unable to stay in one place.

So small, was Obi-Wan's first thought as he stretched out towards it, through the force. Somehow, he didn't think of taking it in his hand - he felt instinctively that it would evade his grasp. So very...small - and beautiful.

/Appearances are deceptive, padawan./

/So I've learnt, master. From you./

A brief smile was his answer. /What do you remember of the Ischila?/

Obi-Wan bit his lip. /I retain bits and pieces of lessons learnt years ago - not much, I'm afraid. I do remember, however, that the Ischila is not of Coruscant, or our surrounding worlds./

/Indeed. It is even believed by some that the Ischila is not of this galaxy, at all./

/Not of this galaxy? How is that possible?/

/Only a belief, padawan. And those are based on some of the powers possessed by that marble you see, floating around your head./

/I have read something to that effect - but we were not given elaborate explanations. What kind of...powers /

There was a pause, and Obi-Wan felt his master approach him slowly. "Again, we have only vague references to them...aside from personal experiences. And those differ from person to person."

"Then...the Ischila can channel the Force?"

"Some do not believe this to be - but some of the Council think so, yes. Possibly because when one tries to sense it through the Force - what did you feel?"

Obi-Wan drew a breath, and closed his eyes, continuing on his probe. He sensed the little marble-like object barely a few feet from him. He could sense its movements...but that was all. It flickered into his conciousness - but seemed to vanish almost instantly.

"I can't..." He frowned, from the effort. "I can't pin it down." There it was again - a brief spike of anxiety, travelling, apparently, down his throat. /Why can't I sense it? I should be able to./

/The Ischila is capable of shielding its presence./

Obi-Wan opened his eyes in surprise. /Then...it is a sentient being?/

He could hear his master produce something akin to a sigh. /That, again, is a point of debate, padawan. Some say that it is - while others argue that the technology involved in its production is so intricate that there is no knowing what exactly it is capable of. And there are others who say that it has nothing to do with the Force at all - that what one sees of the Ischila is merely the outward exhibition of its complicate mechanism. Suffice it to say that it's behaviour, sometimes, reflects that of a sentient being.He paused. It chooses to reveal itself differently, to every person confronting it./

Obi-Wan had bowed his head, apparently deep in thought, but he suddenly raised his eyes. /I take it that you've confronted it, then./

A pause. /Yes./

/And...?/

/It was...an experience to remember./

Obi-Wan sensed his master's reticence, and had a brief image of himself knocking futilely, against an unyielding steel door. /You're not going to elaborate, are you?/

Qui-Gon pondered over a response appropriate enough - and one that would not bruise the apprentice's feelings. /I wish I could, padawan. As it is, what I tell you may not be of enough help - especially, considering succeeding events./

/Very mysterious, master. I haven't known you to be this reticent in years./

/One rarely gives out all the answers to the one being examined, padawan./

"Ah." Obi-Wan breathed deeply. He had had an inkling of what was coming - and he had been right. "I see. It is a test, then?" What kind of a test, though?

Qui-Gon pursed his lips, strolling along the training-mat. "We face our trials everyday, Obi-Wan...out on missions, inside the Temple - every standard day, every hour. Each experience teaches us something - something for the future. Something that may, in later years, determine the very essence of our existence. A lesson learnt now, may tip the scales - it may aid us years from now. We do not often recognize it's significance when such an experience is offered to us...it seems rather pointless. Nevertheless, it has it's uses."

Obi-Wan raised his eye-brows. True, he was used to his master's unorthodox way of unravelling the facts of life - yet, it seemed that this was an extraordinarily roundabout way of doing it. "Yes." he answered, determined to be patient.

Qui-Gon seemed to understand the apprentice's feelings. "It doesn't make much sense, does it?" he asked, quietly.

The padawan hesitated. "It does - and it doesn't."

"I'm glad. I couldn't make anything of it at all - until much later."

"Tell me."

"Your path will, I hope, be easier - if my own experiences count for anything." Qui-Gon sighed, and walked back to the apprentice. "The Ischila is a complex mechanism, padawan. It's origins are lost in the mists of time - it is said that the Ischila - many of them - were created by a tribe of extra-ordinary skills, called the Irraba. At least, that is what the Temple records say - and we have no reason to doubt them. And there are others who, as I said earlier, believe that they are not of this galaxy at all - but that argument is for another time and place. The Irraba seem to have been something like the Jedi - they were force sensitive, and had elders who possessed considerable skill in the Force. How or when they died out, it is not known - but die out, they did. The Ischila is all left of them, now - their legacy."

"I see."

"In the beginning, the Ischila were many in number, floating around in all parts of the galaxy - a collector's item, and with intrinsic value. The word 'Ischila', literally means, 'Jewel of the Light' - though they were sometimes referred to, colloquially, as Jewel Marbles. Eventually, though, as the Jedi grew into power, it was determined by the Council that the Ischila could not be left in the hands of the unscrupulous - they were systematically acquired by the Temple, and placed into safe-keeping."

Light began to filter, as it were, into Obi-Wan's mind. Pieces of information he had gleamed in dusty data-pads seemed to align themselves together, with what his master told him. "The Ischila...influences the mind."

"That is an understatement." Qui-Gon paused. "In some way, it actually draws out the power of it's user's mind - magnifies it manifold, and...redirects it towards the one out of whom such power was drawn. For an ordinary mortal, it contains a great deal of power, in the beginning - and then, ultimately, destruction. For a Jedi...the stakes are considerably higher. We possess abilities - abilities that are not in evidence among other life forms. What could cause moderate damage in their hands, would cause immeasurable destruction, in ours. The Ischila would reflect goodness - but it has a natural tendency to magnify...the dark."

Obi-Wan stared at his master, astonished at the implications, yet fascinated by it. "The...dark side?"

Qui-Gon nodded slowly. "For this reason, the Ischila is always locked away in the Temple's Artefacts section, and is almost never displayed - in the wrong hands, it could cause havoc. But sometimes..." he paused. "On rare occasions, the Council grants permission to a select one or two, to confront it. It requires a minimum of four members to approve it for a Knight - in your case, it was six, as you're an apprentice - even then, it required me to...swing the vote, as it were."

Obi-Wan stared at the ground, thoughts flashing through his mind at random. The Ischila. Power. The Mind. Magnify. Redirect. Destruction. Me.

"Why?" he asked, finally. "Why me? Why now?"

This is becoming more difficult, was Qui-Gon's brief thought, as he looked at the slender nineteen year-old, blue-green eyes intent on the little marble dancing around them. Was I wrong in bringing this up, at this time? Perhaps I should have waited until he attained Knighthood...

/I don't think Knighthood would make much difference. A test is a test, regardless of when I face it./came his padawan's voice.

Blast his shielding. /If you were a Knight, your education would have been complete. You would be surer of yourself./

/Are you implying that I'm not, at this point?/

/No, padawan. Merely that I did not want you to.../

Quite suddenly, the picture assumed clarity in Obi-Wan's mind. His master wished to know if he could confront darkness. He was strong in the Light, he was much above his peers as far as combat skills and other abilities went, he was well on his way to become an accomplished Jedi. But would he be able to battle his inner demons...especially when they manifested themselves outside? Would he be able to battle...the darkside?

"I will never fall, master." the words were quiet, vibrating with fervour.

"I merely wanted to prepare you for...the possibility of other forces influencing you."

Master and apprentice looked at each for a long moment, each trying to assess the effect of the words on the other.

/I do not doubt your inherent loyalties, padawan. Never think that I do. That was not my intent./

Obi-Wan felt his master's faint sense of guilt, and an abundance of affection, over their bond. He let the feelings wash over him, revelling in their warmth.

/I know that you did not intend to./Obi-wan paused, trying to gauge his master's emotions more accurately. /You want to ensure...my safety. To know that I will be protected./

/Yes. To know that you will be safe, no matter what the temptation - what the influence. To give your sub-conscious the gift of knowledge - that it is possible to win over evil. That if it can be done once, it can be done again./

Obi-Wan blinked. Blast. Were those tears, prickling away behind his eyes. /Are you so certain that I will face all this?/

Qui-Gon's eyes were distant, apparently looking at nothing. /Times are uncertain, my padawan. We are Jedi - and we are often required to face the unthinkable, win over impossible situations./

/You never had to face the darkside./

A chuckle. /I have faced my demons many times, padawan. And the Ischila played a large part in my being able to overcome them. It gave me a strength that very few things or memories did./

/And yet, even the Jedi confront the Ischila very rarely - few are allowed to./

/That is true./

Obi-Wan felt his master's hand on his own. Their fingers were laced together, in a firm grip.

/You see, my Obi-Wan...the more the power - the harder the test./

Obi-Wan closed his eyes, feeling oddly overwhelmed. Trust his master to come up with something like this. The more the power...

"What must I do? Take it with me on a mission?"

"The Ischila cannot be allowed off the Temple complex, padawan. No, your test will be much more simpler. You will fight it."

Obi-Wan's eyes flew up in surprise. "Fight it."

"Yes. With your lightsabre."

"That's it?" His tone was incredulous.

"Remember that this is the Ischila, padawan. The 'Jewel of the Light' is capable of more surprises than a band of Cordian pirates put together."

Obi-Wan smiled. "Indeed."

/You will be fighting with more than your lightsabre, Obi-Wan./

Obi-Wan stared at his fingers, interlaced with his master's own, for a long moment. He hasn't let go.

When the apprentice spoke a few moments later, his tone was final. "I'll do it."


A/N: Thanks for all the comments -) Am glad you're enjoying this!