CHAPTER 5

I KNOW THE TRUTH, MASTER

When Esore stepped into the hall she was still confused. It doesn't make sense. Why didn't he tell me? Why did he hide it from me? Was he trying to protect me?

She looked down the hall. She saw Obi-Wan Kneobi and her Master farther down the hall. They seemed to be in an intense conversation. Maybe I should confront him about it... but not in front of Master Kenobi. He might try to stop me or him from staying anything on that topic. I should wait. Wait until-

Suddenly an image entered her mind. It was of Master Yoda. He was being hit by a giant ball of fire. She knew when it was coming.

She saw a flash of light out of the corner of her eye. It seemed to be a few hundred feet away. She knew what it was. She knew what it ment.

The girl sprinted forward. She did not want that vision to come true.

Look out, Master! the words hung in the Grand Master of the Order's mind like a scream even though there was no voice to speak them. He knew where it came from. Only one person could do that. Esore. She was close by.

He looked over his shoulder.

He saw the girl come diving at him. Before he could say anything she'd grabbed him up and the two went spinning and tumbling head over heals across the floor.

Obi-Wan saw what happened but sensed something coming and jumped out of the way. The next instant the whole wall to his right exploded showering stone and dust everywhere.

The Jedi Master looked out the window. He saw someone fly off into the sky.

What? Who was that!

Obi-Wan would have gone after whoever it was but was more worried about Master Yoda and Esore. He turned his attention to them.

He saw the girl's curled up on the floor, her arms, head, and chest covering her Master protectively.

Hmmm... She's very loyal... She'd give her life for him...

He ran up to them.

"Esore?" a voice said.

The girl refused to open her eyes. For all she knew she was dead and an old long dead Jedi was calling her name.

"Esore, it's all right," the voice said again. "Open your eyes."

The girls eyes opened slowly. She saw Master Obi-Wan kneeling down beside her and the remains of the blown up wall from over his shoulder. I-we're still alive!

Something in her arms let out a yelp. She sat up and let it got. "Sorry, Master," she said to Yoda.

"All right it is," he told her.

"Are you two alright?" Obi-Wan asked, directing his question to both her and Master Yoda.

"Yes," the small Jedi answered for them both. "Fine we are." He looked at the girl. "Right, Padawan?"

She nodded. "We're fine."

Luke, who had heard the sound, came running around the corner. "W-what happened?" he asked, when he saw the wall. "Why is the wall like that?"

"Somebody tried to kill Master Yoda," Obi-Wan replied, looking at the younger Jedi.

"Is he alright?" Luke asked.

Yoda looked up at Skywalker. "Fine, I am," he replied. He gestered at his Padwan with his walking stick. "Saved my life she did."

Luke looked at Esore. The girl noticed his eyes were cold and very...dark. "That's a relief," he said, but something in his voice said it wasn't. He looked at Obi-Wan. "How did she know this was going to happen?"

"I saw it," Esore spoke up. "In a vision a few seconds before it happened."

"How are we sure you weren't the cause of this?" Luke suddenly demanded.

"What?" the girl said, standing up. "I wouldn't want to kill Yoda! He's my Master!"

Luke's eyes grew colder. He didn't say anything. He just turned around and stomped away.

Esore watched him go. What did I do wrong?

Obi-Wan put a hand on her shoulder. "He hasn't been feeling well lately," he told her. "Don't let him get to you."

The girl wasn't sure that was the reason. She's seen it in his eyes. Something was wrong with him. Very wrong...

Awhile later Esore and Master Yoda were in one of the sparring rooms fighting eachother in a mock battle. The old Jedi noticed the girl didn't seem very into the fight. She seemed preoccupied by something.

Finally she stopped. "I'm sorry, master," she said, sighing. "I don't feel like praticing anymore."

He understood and stopped. He put his lightsaber away. "Fine it is," he said. "Troubled you are."

"Yes," she said, sitting on the floor. She put her still lit lightsaber in front of her face and let the pure white light reflect off her retinas. "I am very troubled."

Yoda walked up to her and stared beyond the lightsaber and her face. In the sword's light her face looked ghostly. He could see her eyes clearly. They sparkled sadly.

"What is wrong?" he asked.

Esore turned off her lightsaber and let it fall to the floor. She lowered her head and started at him. "I know," she said carefully. "I know about you..."

What? he cocked his head. "Know what about me?"

"That." here she looked away. "That you... that you..."

"That I what?"

Sher turned her face back to his, her violet eyes brimming with tears. "That you..." she tried again. "That you... died."

So she knows. He stared at her a moment then said. "Oh."

"What do you mean 'oh'?" she asked, staring at him in surprise. "You died! Why didn't you tell me you died?"

He locked eyes with her. An answer so simple lay there. "Because you never asked". his eyes said as well as his mouth.

He's right, you know, said a voice in her head. You didn't ask. It never occured to you. You didn't ask. You just assumed he had never died. You thought nothing about it. Most of what he told you was before the trouble with Darth Vader.

Esore looked at her Master. He seemed to be waiting for her to say something. "I'm sorry," she finally said, putting her hand on her lap. "I am very sorry."

He reached up and patted her on the shoulder. "Okay, it is," he said softly. "Know you did not."

She closed her eyes and nodded. She put a hand on her face. It was wet. Why am I crying? He died before I was even born.

"Crying you are," he said flatly.

She nodded. "I'm sorry, Master," she said. "I cannot help it... Please.." her voice caught. "Please let me cry.. just this once..."

"Okay it is to cry," he said, his hand resting on her shoulder now.

She opened her eyes and looked at him in surprise. "It is?" she asked. He nodded. "But I thought..."

"Okay it is," he said again. "Help it you cannot. Let yourself cry... Just this once."

Suddenly something came over her. She couldn't hold it back anymore. She reached over and hugged him close. 'Thank you, Master," she said, closing her eyes again. "I just couldn't... Promise me you won't die."

Yoda remembered his vision. He couldn't promise her that. He might be dead soon. He could try, though. He could try for her, Obi-Wan, and everyone else. After all; the vision might be wrong and the only thing that will happen is him getting hurt.

Maybe he could make that promise after alll... "Yes," he said, returning her hug. "I promise."

Note:

They aren't in love or anything. (Though I have a hard time not putting that kind of stuff in here). Esore is just a very emotional person when it comes to people she loves. She's worried about him and that's all.