Chapter 2 An Act of Cruelty
The day dawned clear and bright and simulated sunlight, programmed to mirror the outside weather, streamed through the window, striking Zak in the face and bringing him into wakefulness. He stretched, yawned and then sat up. His packed duffle sat next to the wall reminding him of the impending trip; how lucky he was to have a master who cared so much….well, that was wrong, all masters cared about their apprentices. He hopped out of bed, picked out a set of fresh clothes and walked down to the showers used by the Padawans in the wing. Galyn sat in her usual place in the common area between the girls and boys' shower areas, "Good morning, Zak; I hear you're leaving us for a while again." She said pleasantly.
"Yes, Master Obi-Wan is taking me to Alderaan." Zak answered.
"Alderaan, huh? It's pretty there, you'll like it." Galyn told him.
"Master Obi-Wan says it's going to be a learning experience." Zak replied.
"Oh, it will be; Alderaan is very different from any other place you've been. Are you going up into the mountains?" Galyn asked.
"Yes, I know someone who lives there part of the time; we are going to go exploring together." Zak answered.
"Well then, you had better get yourself properly fitted out with warm clothing, the mountains can be very cold." Galyn said.
"I already did that; Master Obi-Wan took me down to Storage yesterday. I have everything I need." Zak assured her.
"Of course he did; I should have known that he would." Galyn replied. "Listen, the showers are all free right now, so you don't even have to wait."
"Thanks, Galyn." Zak said as he walked through the doorway into the boys' shower area.
Rows of cubicles lined all four walls of the room each one containing a small private area and a shower; all of them open as Galyn had informed him. Zak entered the first one and the door slid shut behind him.
By time he had finished showering and dressing a few minutes later, the rest of the Padawans had begun to file in and chatter filled the room.
"Morning, Zak." Del said as Zak emerged from his cubicle.
"Hello, Del." Zak replied.
"Is it true that you're leaving for Alderaan today?" Del asked.
"Oh yeah, haven't you heard, he's running away." One of the others boys taunted.
"That was uncalled for; what's the matter with you, Ferri? You know what happened." Del remarked defensively.
"All I know is that this little baby has to leave because he can't stand being around us; we have families and he doesn't." Ferri answered.
"Then you don't know anything; Zak was…" Del began.
"Stop it; stop it, both of you. I am not running away, Ferri; Master Obi-Wan decided that he didn't want me to be here right now." Zak explained. "It was his decision, not mine."
"Master Kenobi; I never could understand why he chose you in the first place." Ferri said.
Zak staggered back as if he had been struck and then began to slowly retreat from the shower room.
"That's right, run away you little baby." Ferri taunted again.
By this time, the others boys had become silent and stood listening and watching what was taking place between the three.
"I've heard just about enough from you; you're a bully and you are just jealous because Master Kenobi chose Zak instead of you." Del replied.
Zak continued to back slowly toward the doorway, fighting the urge to turn and run; and the need to cry. Ferri had expressed what he had always felt.
"What about you? I heard that when you thought Zak wouldn't be coming back as a Jedi that you wanted Master Kenobi to choose you as his next apprentice." Ferri fired back.
Zak blinked and looked at Del quizzically, "I…" Del stammered.
Then Zak did turn and rush from the room, out of the common area and down the hallway before Galyn could react. Galyn looked toward the doorway where Zak had disappeared and then into the boys' shower room. She stood up and walked to the entrance to the shower room, "Just what the devil is going on in here?" She demanded, putting her hands on her hips.
"Nothing, Galyn." Ferri answered innocently.
"Don't tell me nothing when I just watched Zak Perrin race out of here. What did you do?" Galyn asked.
There was silence as every boy in the room looked down at the floor and shuffled their feet.
"Very well, since no one here will tell me what you did, then I have no choice to report each and every one of you." Galyn informed them.
"But that's not fair, Galyn; most of us didn't do anything." One of the boys protested.
"No, Khyber; but since you won't tell me who did, then you are covering for him. That makes you just as guilty." Galyn answered.
When they continued to remain silent she said, "Not one of you will speak up and tell me what happened in here; and you call yourselves Jedi?"
"Well, maybe we didn't do anything." Ferri suggested.
"Really; then why did Zak leave here the way he did? He was distressed, I could sense it." Galyn replied.
"Well, you know how sensitive he is, maybe he didn't like the way someone looked at him." Ferri put forth.
"I know him better than that. He is not that sensitive; someone here did or said something that hurt him." Galyn answered. "And since none of you are willing to tell me, then you will all have to account for it. Those of you with masters will have to explain to them why you are keeping this secret; the rest of you can explain it to Master Windu. Personally, I find your behavior reprehensible." She turned and went back to her place, entering the names of every boy in the room into a data pad so that their masters would be notified. She then contacted Master Windu. By the time the boys had finished showering, their masters and Master Windu would be waiting for them.
Zak sat on the bed numb and in shock. He had not been surprised at Ferri's remarks; he had always been a bit of a bully, but to learn that Del had….he put his head in his hands waiting for the tears to come; but surprisingly they didn't and after a moment, he looked up to see his master standing in front of him.
"What's wrong?" Obi-Wan asked, concerned.
"I…nothing I can't deal with." Zak told him.
"I sense your distress; I sensed it all the way from the Council room. What happened to cause it?" Obi-Wan asked.
"I'm alright now; I was just thinking about my family, that's all." Zak lied.
Obi-Wan sat down on the bed next to him, "I think there is more to it than that." He said.
Before Zak could answer, there is a knock on the door, "Zak, it's Master Windu; may I come in?" A voice requested.
"Come in, yes; Master Windu." Obi-Wan replied.
The door slid open; Mace stood in the doorway for a moment before entering, "I thought I sensed your presence here, Obi-Wan. I understand there was an incident down at the showers." He said.
"How did you …Nothing happened, Master Windu." Zak claimed.
"Oh, but something did; Galyn contacted me." Mace countered. "She said you ran out of the shower like something was chasing you; she sensed your distress, I can still sense it."
"Come, Zak; something happened, bad enough to hurt and send you running." Obi-Wan added.
"I can't; it's not that bad, I shouldn't be such a baby." Zak answered.
"A baby? Where did that come from? Did someone down there call you a baby?" Obi-Wan asked.
Zak said nothing, but nodded slowly.
"Why, Zak?" Mace asked.
Zak sighed, "Because I'm going to Alderaan." He told them.
"And that would make you a baby?" Obi-Wan asked.
"Yes, he said I was running away like a baby." Zak explained.
"Running away from what?" Mace asked.
"From all the families visiting here." Zak answered.
"Well, I am appalled that we have Padawans here that would be that insensitive. You do understand that none of us think you are running away, Zak; don't you?" Mace asked.
"Yes; I guess so." Zak replied.
"Well, you are not running; after what you have just recently been through, it would be wrong to expect you not to be effected by the presence of other families. That is the reason why Master Obi-Wan wants to take you somewhere else until they have gone. This does not make you a baby and it does not mean you are running away." Mace explained. "Right now, I want you to tell me who said this."
"I can't." Zak answered, looking away from him.
"Zak, the boy who said that is a Jedi and should be made to understand that it is wrong for a Jedi to even think such a thing, let alone hurt someone by saying it." Obi-Wan told him.
"Listen to me, young Perrin; if you do not tell us who said it, all ten boys will be given the same discipline assignments. Since none of them would talk, they will all receive some punishment." Mace said, "If I do not know who did the taunting, I will have to…"
Zak sighed, looked past Mace and cut him off, "It was Ferri." He said quietly.
"Ferri; that does not surprise me. I had hoped that he would change once Clive Maru had chosen him." Mace replied, shaking his head.
"He wanted Master Obi-Wan to choose him; Not Master Maru." Zak said.
"Who told you that?" Obi-Wan asked.
Zak looked down at the floor, "Del." He answered.
"Why did he tell you that?" Obi-Wan asked.
"I don't know; Del was…Del is my friend. I don't think he wanted Ferri's words to hurt me." Zak replied.
"Well, that would make sense." Obi-Wan decided.
"Hmm; and I am sure Del was telling the truth. I have heard talk among the others boys that Ferri was disappointed when you chose Zak over him." Mace confirmed.
"Zak, you started to say that Del was your friend. What else happened, Padawan?" Obi-Wan asked.
Zak continued to look at the floor.
"Zak, come on." Obi-Wan urged.
Zak shook his head, "It doesn't matter." He said.
"Did you find out that he wanted to replace you after you were hurt?" Obi-Wan asked.
"Yes, Ferri told me." Zak admitted.
"I see there is no end to Ferri's cruelty. Clive will have his hands full trying to straighten him out." Mace said. "Well, he and all the other masters should be down at the showers by now. Come on, we might just as well get this over with."
"I don't think I want to go back down there." Zak told them.
"I think you should." Obi-Wan told him.
"Why? I already know what they will think." Zak answered.
"Really? Learned to read minds have you?" Obi-Wan asked.
"They are going to think I went running to you." Zak replied.
"Well, it doesn't matter; you are coming down there with us, I am not giving you a choice." Obi-Wan said.
Zak nodded and stood up, waiting for them to lead the way.
Several masters stood behind their Padawans and those without masters stood in front of Galyn when they arrived. At the sight of Obi-Wan and Mace, every boy's gaze turned to the floor…except one, Ferri.
"Galyn, you told me there was a problem here." Mace started.
"Yes, Master." Galyn answered and then waited for Mace to ask her to explain.
"Alright, start from the beginning, Galyn." Mace prompted.
When she had finished, Mace turned to the boys, eyeing each one of them in turn, "So, you think that is acceptable to hurt another; especially one of your own comrades." He said.
The boys, except Ferri, looked down at the floor again.
"Well, speak up; is that what you think?" Mace demanded.
"No, Master Windu." Khyber mumbled.
"Who said that, Khyber is it?" Mace asked.
"Yes, Master." Khyber confirmed.
"So, you think whatever was said to Zak was wrong?" Mace asked.
"Yes, Master." Khyber answered.
"You do; well if that is the case, then why are covering for the one who said it?" Mace asked.
Khyber shrugged and looked back down at the floor.
"I see; you all think you owe more loyalty to him than you do to Zak who has done nothing wrong." Mace surmised, "In that case, all of you will be given disciplinary assignments and then maybe you will come to a different conclusion.
"As for you, Ferri; it seems that you have a much larger lesson to learn." He finished.
Ferri glared at Zak, "You little womp rat; you had to go run off and tell your master didn't you." He said.
"Ferri, what's the matter with you? I thought you were better than that." Clive said as he grabbed Ferri's arm and turned him. "Just what did you say to him?"
"What difference does it make? It was the truth." Ferri answered defensively.
"No, it was not." Obi-Wan spoke up, "Zak is not running away from anything; he is coming with me to Alderaan. I made the decision to go; he did not even want to leave. Do you have any idea of what he has been through?"
Ferri dropped his gaze, "I still don't understand why you chose him instead of me." He said.
"Is that what this is all about? Your jealousy? Then you should know why I did not choose you." Obi-Wan replied.
"Well, I do; we have a lot to discuss, Ferri." Clive added.
"Yes, Master." A subdued Ferri replied.
"Master Windu; with your permission, I would like to decide what disciplinary measures to take." Clive requested.
"Of course, Master Maru." Mace consented, "And that goes for the rest of you, Masters; I will leave it up to you to discipline your Padawans as you see fit."
He then turned to the small group standing with Galyn, "As to you; I will deal with you myself. You will report to training room ten in one hour; but, Del, you will remain here. I wish to speak with you. The rest of you are dismissed."
When only the four of them remained, Obi-Wan put his hand on Zak's shoulder and turned him back toward his quarters, "We have a journey to make; come, Padawan." He said.
"Yes, safe journey, Obi-Wan; and may the Force be with you." Mace replied.
"Thank you, Mace." Obi-Wan answered.
"Umm…Master Kenobi; could I speak to Zak?...please, it's really important." Del asked.
"Of course, Del; Zak, would that be alright with you?" Obi-Wan asked.
"Sure, why not." Zak answered.
"Listen, I just wanted to say I was sorry; Ferri was right, I did want Master Kenobi to take me in your place." Del admitted.
"But we were friends; why would you do that?" Zak asked.
"I was worried about not being chosen…I'm still worried about it; but I should never have approached Master Kenobi about it. I'm sorry." Del answered.
"It's alright, Del; I understand." Zak assured him.
"Then, we can still be friends?" Del asked tentatively.
"Yes, as long as you promise not to do that again." Zak replied.
"Promise." Del vowed, "Never again."
An hour later, they were aboard the small transport and preparing to leave when Jerod appeared with a pair of lined trousers, "You nearly forgot these, Zak; I checked the records to confirm your size. Your legs would probably get numb without a pair of these." He explained.
"Thank you, Master Malian." Zak said, as he took the trousers.
"You are very welcome, Zak….Master Kenobi, have a safe trip." Jerod answered and then left the ship, but stood watching as Obi-Wan lifted it up and maneuvered it toward the hanger door.
"Well, here we go; are you still excited, Padawan." Obi-Wan asked.
"Yes, Master, very excited." Zak answered.