Making
8th day, 8th month,standard year 24933
It's morning. The lights have been on for a few minutes now. I can hear people getting up. The Temple never sleeps.
Yoda and that man are coming to speak to me today. What am I going to tell them? What are they going to tell me?
I want to see my friends. Tahl, Clee, Binn, Mace, Somti...where is everyone? They might be worried,news will have reached them by now...Tahl especially,and she always seems to get terrifically worried at the slightest thing.
Hang on, I know why she isn't up here making a fuss-it's because she's expecting to be chosen by a Master. Before me and my Master left for Avino, she smiled and said by the time she got back, she would be a Padawan too, and I couldn't boss her around any more.
Why am I in the Healer's anyway? I'm fine. Well, technically. There's a bruise on my arm and a few scratches, but apart from that, I don't see why they're keeping me here.
Is there something I don't know about?
Hang on, I recognize that yell. Tahl's here.
*****
She's gone now. I was glad to talk to her. I was
right,she was worried. And Yoda and-well...let's start at the beginning.
First, Tahl practically ran into my room, leaned over me and grabbed my hand.
"I'm alive." I said.
"Thank the stars! I was terrified. Don't you ever, ever do that to me again,Qui-Gon!"
"I won't." I said.
"What happened?" she said. (She always talks fast,but today she was talking faster than usual.)
"I'm fine." I said. "I don't know why they're keeping me here. And my Master...is dead."
She let go of my hand, and then suddenly grabbed it again.
"Dead?"
"Yes." I said. I suddenly felt like I was going to be sick. She noticed.
"I'm so sorry." she said. She looked guilty, and I realised why-while I had lost a Master, she had gained one.
"Tahl-were you chosen?"
"Yes." she said, nodding and blushing. "Master Thea."
"I knew she'd choose you! I knew it'd be her!"
"Yes, she's been so nice...just think,soon I'll have a braid-" she reached out a hand and flicked mine "and be going on missions..." She stopped abruptly right there. "Oh, I'm so sorry, I said that without thinking.."
"It's all right." I said. "You don't have to refrain from saying the word 'mission' around me."
She didn't really answer,but moved closer to me. "Do you want to talk?"
"Sort of." I said. "I...I can't remember a lot about what happened. Most of it seems like a blur."
"There's something important you want to tell me." she interupted. "Tell me. I won't have you bottling things up until you burst."
(I'm glad she's my friend....)
"I heard Yoda talking with someone." I said. "They want to assign me to a new Master."
She frowned. "So soon? That seems a bit..."
"I'm sure there's something I'm not being told." I said. "It's a funny feeling, and it won't go away."
"Well," she said. "Maybe..." Then she stopped, hearing the unmistakeable sound of Yoda coming down the corridor.
"Oh, banthas," she muttered.
"You're not supposed to be here, are you?"
"No, not really. Master Thea had me practising katas in the gym...I sort of sneaked away..."
"She'll be disappointed." I said. "A Master who just chose a Padawan doesn't expect her to go running off without asking permission."
She scowled. "Thanks a lot. Like you wouldn't do the same. If you weren't in a hospital bed, Qui-Gon, I'd hit you."
And then,Yoda and the man I'd heard last night chose that moment to walk in. Tahl gave a sort of nervous grin at them.
"Padawan Wildstar." the man said smoothly "I believe your Master is wondering where you are."
"Yes." Tahl stammered,rising to her feet. "She will be. See you later,Qui." She hurried out of the room.
I looked at the man. He was tall. His face was nice, but I couldn't read his eyes. He wasn't really looking at me, actually. I think he was trying to look anywhere but me.
"Young one." Yoda said. "my former Padawan this is. Qui-Gon Jinn, meet Master Dooku."
He held out his hand,and I shook it.
"How did you survive being Yoda's Padawan?" I asked. (Yes, it was cheeky...but I thought Yoda did smile a little. He's not completely humorless.)
The man laughed and ruffled my hair. "This lad will heal quickly." he said.
"Hope he will, I do." Yoda said,and he hobbled off, leaving me and Master Dooku alone in the Healer's room.
"Master Yoda has requested I take an apprentice."
I nodded.
"And I want it to be you. Judging from Yoda's
praise (he's praised me?) you're one of the most promising students in
a while.
Will you accept?"
And there was plenty I wanted to say...that this didn't feel right, that I felt like I was being disloyal, or something, to Master Karshan. But whatever I felt, I said "Yes."
I don't know if I did the right thing.
"I'll see you tomorrow." he told me. "You'll be offically my apprentice in a few days. Don't worry about a thing."
I like him. I honestly do. But I have a bad feeling about this, and I don't know why.
I feel sort of...lost. My Master is dead, suddenly
I have a new one, and I'm in the Healers while I'd rather be with my friends.
I think they're about to serve dinner. I must go.
*****