CHAPTER 6

MORE VISIONS

"What I don't understand," Obi-Wan said a few hours later. "Is why someone would want to kill him."
Murak Indoly could only shake his head as he changed position in his seat. He and the older Jedi were in the Council Chamber discussing what had happened.

"And," Obi-Wan went on. "Even though that happened and Esore is an emotional mess, Master Yioda still insists she and those other Padawans go to some planet." The older Jedi looked at Murak. "What is he thinking?"

Murak shook his head again. "Maybe he doesn't think there's a need to worry," he suggested. "Maybe he isn't taking this seriously."

"But why not?" the older Jedi asked. "Does he know something we don't?"

"Maybe."

Obi-Wan looked around. "Where is Luke?" he asked. "He was suppost to be here fior this."

"He went somewhere in the city," Murak replied. "He said he had something important to do."

"What can be more important than this! Somebody tried to kill Master Yoda!"

"I have no idea."

"You couldn't kill him?" the client demanded, fists clenched in anger. "I thought you said you had good aim! I thought you said you never missed a target!"

"I wouldn't have," the assassin defended himself. "That Padawan got in the way! It wasn't my fault she pushed him out of the way the same time I fired."

"WHY DIDN'T YOU SHOOT AGAIN?"
"I only had one shot. Besides did you want me to kill her?"

The client breathed deeply to calm himself. He wasn't ready for this. He hadn't expected Esore to be in the same hallway or save Yoda's life.

"Well next time don't miss," he said simply. "I want this done as soon as possible."

"I'll try," the assassin promised. "He won't avoid me next time."

"See that he doesn't."

Rie the Twi'lek Padawan was just coming out of the rose maze in the garden when she noticed Master Luke Skywalker heading toward the Temple stairs. His face was red and his eyes flashed in anger. She watched him stomp into the Temple without even a galnce in her direction.

What's wrong with him? she thought, as she watched him open the door and step inside. What is he so upset about?

Obi-Wan Kenobi had just stepped out of the elevator onto the first floor when he saw Luke Skywalker come storming into the Jedi Temple.

"Luke," Obi-Wan said went the two were halfway in the front room. "Where have you been?"

The only answer he recieved was; "Get out of my way!"
"Not until you tell me where you've been," Obi-Wan presisted, putting up his hand.

"That is none of your business!" Luke growled.

"What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing."

"Then why are you acting this way?"

Luke gave no answer. He pushed past the older man. He walked toward the elevator and got in.

When he was gone Obi-Wan couldn't help but think. What's the matter with him?

Yoda was once again in deep meditation.

After he and Esore had left the practice room the girl had tried to follow her Master back to their apartment but he had shooed her off.

At first she'd gotten all worked up and insisted that she go with. He had gently, yet firmly, told her he'd been fine. She had calmed down after that and had agreed not to bother him.

After that they'd gone their seperate ways.

Yoda had tried not to go too deeply into the excersize but like before it was no use. He went as deep as he had before if not deeper. For some reason the darkness was even darker but there was also a light. A very tiny light that seemed to drift farther away the more he'd tried to reach it.

The light was beautiful, which was a bit of a comfort. The Force hadn't been very pretty recently. He wanted to touch it but was unable to even graze it with his finger tip. It was just way too far even though it looked close.

Then the light expanded. As it grew longer it grew brighter. Soon it was so big and so bright he had to put up a hand to shield his eyes or risk being blinded.

"Yoda..." a voice said.

"Hmmm?'"

"Yoda..."

"Who are you?"

"Yoda..."

"What do you want?"

A hand rested on his. A soft gentle hand. This hand pulled his one down. Now he could see who it was.

He saw a very beautiful woman right in front of him. She was shrouded in white. Her hair was white, her clothes were white, her wings were white, even her skin was whitish.The only other color on her was her eyes. They were purple. The same deep purple as his Padawans.

Yoda stared at her in awe. He'd never seen anything as beautful as her in his life.

But who was she? What did she want? Why was she in the Force?

"Who-what are you?" he found himself asking.

"My name is Mary," the woman replied, her hair blowing around her body. "I am an Angel from the Moons of Iego."

"Angel? Iego?"

She nodded and closed her eyes halfway. "I have a very important message for you to give top Master Obi-Wan Kenobi."

What?

Master Yoda nodded. He didn't know what she wanted him to tell Obi-Wan but he would do it.

"Tell him that someone important from his past is returning," Mary said, putting her one hand on her chest. "Somebody he respects almost as much as you."

"Who?"

She didn't give a name. "Please," she went on. "Will you tell him?"

He nodded. "Yes, Tell him I will."

She let got of his hand and smiled. "Thank you," she said as she began to drift away. "You won't forget.. will you?"

"No-"

Before she could complete his sentence she vanished and all the light went with her.

Jedi Master Yoda instantly snapped out of his trance. His eyes flew open and he instantly recognized his room in the Jedi Temple. He sat there blinking a moment not sure what had just happened or what it ment. There was only one question on his mind. What was that all about?

Esore was once again in the rose garden. Since it was getting dark and night was a little chilly she wrapped her cloak tightly around her slender body.

She was staring at the dead rose bush.

As she stared at it something came to her mind. It was a voice saying something. A voice from the past. They belonged to someone from the past. A young male vocie was speaking to her.

All things die... Even stars burn out...

All things die...the words echoed in her mind. Even starts burn out...

Her heart filled with dispair once again. "Yoda..."

"Esore?"

Startled at the sound of someone saying her name, the girl turned around. When she saw who it was she smiled in relief. Jay.

The boy also had his cloak wrapped around his body but his hood was down. His pale blond hair gleamed silver in the light of Corescant's four moons. He seemed worried.

"Is something wrong, Jay?" she asked.

"Not really," he said, walking up to her. "I'm worried about you."

"Me? Why?"

Í heard about what happened."

"Oh."

"That was very brave of you."

She nodded. Please don't complimant me. I don't like it.

"Is something wrong?" he asked, his face full of conern. "You seem upset."

"I am," she admited.

"Are you still shaken up about what happened to Master Yoda?"

"Yes," she replied. "He almost got killed."

"Uh huh."

"He almost got killed and he doesn't even care!" she blurted out. "Even though someone tried to kill him it's not bothering him! He still insists we go where he's sending us! It didn't faze him!"

"Why?"

"I don't know," she said, closing her eyes haldway. "I wish I couldn understand him better."

"He raised you and you don't understand him?" he asked surprised. "I thought you would if noone else would."

She shook her head. "He doesn't tell me much about himself," she said. "He liked to talk about other people."

Jay smiled. "I wish most people were like that," he said.

Esore put her hand on his arm. "I wish he would," she said. "Something happened to him. I can see it in his eyes but he won't tell me what it is. When I ask him he changes the subject."

"Hmm," the blond Padawan mused. "I wonder why."

"So do I," she said, crossing her arms. "Maybe he'll tell me someday. When he feels I should know."

"Maybe."

"I hope so."

Jay put his arm around her shoulders and gave her a sideways hug. "I'm sure he will," he said softly. "After all you're his Padawan."

She closed her eyes and leaned against her friends side for a moment. "You're right," she agreed. "I should have more faith in my Master."

Jay smiled and let her go. "And," he sad a bit shyly. "If you ever have problems and you don't want to talk to Master Yoda about them you can always talk about them to me."

Before she could say anything to that he let her got and walked back into the Temple.