Chapter 25 The Council's Deliberation
"Well, I sense that young Ferri's regret is certainly sincere." Ki Adi Mundi said when the Chamber door had closed behind Clive Maru.
"I agree, however, it does not change the fact that the boy acted out of confusion; can we trust that he will not do so again?" Mace countered.
"That is very true, Master Windu; and if it does happen again, we may not be so lucky." Luminara Unduli concurred.
"Anakin, what say you?" Yoda asked.
"Ferri acted without thinking based on his negative feelings toward Zak; and those feeling are based on insecurity." Anakin answered, "Afterward, he regretted what he did; I think, almost immediately. But it does not change the fact that Obi-Wan and Zak were nearly killed because of it."
"Insecurity? Sense that did you, Anakin?" Yoda asked.
Anakin looked at the old master, "Yes, Master; it's very deep, but it is there." He replied.
"Hmm…I missed that when tutoring him I was. This failure, mine it is." Yoda said, shaking his head.
"No, Master; I barely caught it. I don't think this was your fault." Anakin corrected.
"Then I wonder if it would truly be fair to send him into the Ag Corps for something that is not entirely his fault." Plo Koon pointed out.
"But do we have another alternative? Even though this flaw was not all of his doing, do we dare continue with his training? This insecurity, this inability to control his animosity so that it does not affect his judgment is now deep seated; he has already shown us what kind of decisions he makes when he is confused. I think it would be unwise for us to allow him to go on with it." Mace countered.
"I agree; perhaps in time, Ferri would learn to control his emotions and make clear minded choices, but what if he does not? Lives could be lost if it happens again." Depa Billaba concurred.
"Master Kenobi, you do not have a vote on this matter, but you do still have a voice. How do you see it?" Adi Gallia asked.
Obi-Wan scratched his cheek and stroked his beard for a moment, "After Zak hit him, Ferri told both Clive and me that he deserved it and he did not blame Zak for being angry. He also stated that he does not deserve to be a Jedi. That being said, I still do not believe he can be completely trusted." He answered.
"Yes, Zak himself said that he no longer trusted him even though he had forgiven him." Stass Allie recalled.
"That is true; trust does not necessarily go hand in hand with forgiveness." Shaak Ti observed.
"Well whatever we decide, I think it is critical that young Cortis be intensively counseled; we certainly cannot send him anywhere unless his problem is dealt with." Stass Allie interjected.
"I concur; sending him away without solving his problems would be dangerous." Ki Adi Mundi agreed.
"Anakin, would you agree to counsel the boy?" Mace asked.
Anakin remained silent for a couple minutes, lips pursed in thought before answering, "Perhaps Master Yoda would be a better choice."
"Master Yoda, are you in agreement with this?" Mace asked.
"Stronger you are in the Force, Anakin; go deeper you can into his nature. Better it would be if you counseled him." Yoda replied.
"I suggest they both serve as counselors; Master Skywalker seems to have a firm grasp on the nature of his problem and Master Yoda has experience and wisdom in his counsel." Plo Koon said.
Anakin sighed, "I must be honest and admit that I don't know whether I would be the best choice here. Ferri's betrayal was against my mentor, my friend, so I am closer to this than any of you. I'm not sure I can be entirely objective." He told them.
"We understand your hesitance, Anakin; but I believe that, along with Master Yoda, you will be able to help Ferri Cortis." Adi Gallia replied.
"Hmm…and perhaps help yourself you can in accepting young Ferri's actions if a deeper understanding of them you find. Agree with Master Koon, I do; two counselors, Ferri Cortis should have." Yoda decided.
Anakin nodded in agreement and the matter was settled.
"Now, his future we must decide." Yoda said.
"If we decide to end his Knighthood apprenticeship, is there another alternative we can consider other than sending him into the Ag Corps?" Shaak Ti asked.
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It took the Council nearly an hour to come to its final decision, the Chamber door opened and Obi-Wan instructed them to enter.
"Ferri Cortis, sense and understand your regret we do; and taken it into consideration we have. A difficult choice this was for us." Yoda said.
Ferri swallowed a lump forming in his throat.
"What you have done, your act of betrayal is unconscionable for a Jedi, and cannot be tolerated in our Knights. While you feel great shame and remorse for this, the Council feels that you are not suitable for Knighthood. You freely admitted that you were confused and did not think your act through; we nearly lost one of our best Knights and his very promising student because of your confusion, and we will not take the chance that it will happen again. Therefore your rank as Padawan will be taken from you." Mace told him.
Ferri fought to hold back his tears, "I...I understand." He mumbled, "I will be ready to go as soon as possible."
"No, you are not ready to be sent anywhere even if that was our decision. You will begin immediate counseling sessions with both Master Yoda and Master Skywalker." Ki Adi told him.
Ferri looked up, puzzled, "If that was your decision? I…I don't understand." He replied, "What else could you do with me?"
"There are many other functions for the Jedi here at the Temple. You will remain here, an unKnighted Jedi, to serve where you are best suited. In time, you will know where your place is." Adi Gallia explained.
"But…I…I can't stay here, not after….I can't." Ferri sobbed, "Please…"
"It would be very easy for us to send you away; but it is more important for you to face everyone after what you have done rather than hide away from it; even if our ruling had been to send you away, you would be required to remain here until your counseling was concluded." Stass Allie explained, "Do you understand this?"
Ferri nodded and then looked at the floor, "Yes, Master." He whispered.
"Good; for a short time, Master Maru will still be available to you. Once you become comfortable in the company of your counselors, then he will be free to take another Padawan. And because you are no longer an apprentice, you must lose your braid, you understand that do you not?" Eeth Koth continued.
Ferri closed his eyes against the tears blurring them, "Yes, Master." He repeated hardly audible.
Master Koth nodded, "It will be done here, in private; are you ready?" He asked.
"Right now?" Ferri's shoulders began to shake as he fought unsuccessfully to control his grief.
Clive put a hand on each shoulder, "Come on, now; best to get it over with." He said gently.
Ferri nodded and tears streamed down his cheeks; Mace came forward, "It saddens me to do this, Ferri Cortis; you had great potential. But in allowing animosity and jealousy to cloud your judgment to the point that two lives were nearly lost, you have exhibited an unacceptable flaw. It is with great regret that I take your braid, and along with it your rank; I am sorry." He said as he quickly snipped the braid at its source just behind Ferri's ear.
Ferri's knees buckled in he collapsed to the floor, sobbing, "Get up now; it is time to face the consequences of your actions." Mace told her sternly, "It is still possible for you to make amends."
Ferri let Clive pull him to his feet; with tear reddened, swollen eyes he looked up at Mace, "H...How?" He asked.
"By proving yourself." Mace answered.
"I…I don't…I don't understand." Ferri replied.
"Find your place here, Ferri. Your hopes for Knighthood are finished, but there are other things you can do to help the Order; find where you belong." Stass Allie explained.
"I…I don't know where to start." Ferri said.
"Start with counseling; talk with Master Skywalker and Master Yoda and find your true self underneath your insecurity." Adi Gallia answered.
Ferri nodded and then watched with renewed sorrow as the dark-skinned master placed his severed braid in a metal bowl and set it on fire. As the last hair burned away and the little flame burned itself out, Ferri sighed in resignation, accepting the knowledge that his path to Knighthood had come to a dead end; an important bridge had been burned with his betrayal and now he would have to find a new path. He nodded again, "I think I understand." He replied.
"Good; you will be notified when it is time to begin your counseling, until then, you are dismissed. May the Force be with you, young Cortis." Mace said, "Master Maru, if you would stay for just a moment, Ferri, you will wait in the antechamber for him."
Ferri nodded once more and slipped out of the Chamber; as the door slid shut, Mace turned his attention to Clive, "You understand that the Council does not find you culpable in the actions of your apprentice." He said.
"I should have been able to sense his deception; even if the Council does not hold me responsible, I must find myself culpable." Clive answered.
"Then share this burden with you I must, Clive Maru; tutored young Ferri I did, as I have done with all younglings. Blind to his insecurities I was and it led to this; more vigilant we must be to ensure that happen again, this does not. Ruined Ferri Cortis was by my negligence and lost a promising Knight we have." Yoda replied.
"I will help him as much as I can until he is able to continue without me." Clive assured them, "It's just a shame that his post cognitive talent will be wasted; I wish I had been able to help him before it was too late."
"Useful still that gift may be; impossible to say which way the Force will lead him now, if learn to trust the Force he does." Yoda said.
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Zak was standing at the viewing window watching the traffic when Obi-Wan entered the room.
"It's over for him, isn't it." Zak said without turning.
Obi-Wan sighed and nodded, "Yes, the Council felt that the risk of continuing his training was just too great." He replied.
Zak looked down at the floor, "I'm sorry for him; what will happen to him now?" He asked.
"He will remain here so that Master Anakin and Master Yoda can counsel him." Obi-Wan answered.
"That will be very hard for him; he will have to face all of us now." Zak said.
"Yes, but the Council decided that it would be better in the long run for him if he did; he understands this and he agreed it was right." Obi-Wan told him.
Zak fingered his braid, "They cut it off, didn't they." He surmised.
"Yes, Master Windu did; and then burned it." Obi-Wan told him.
Zak shook his head, "Poor Ferri, I think I know how he must feel; did they have to take it?" He asked.
"Yes, but, Zak, you must understand that Ferri's braid was taken because he lost his apprenticeship; if you had lost yours while you were being held captive, that would have been very different."
Zak considered this for a moment before nodding.
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After Clive Maru had been dismissed and the Council meeting called to an end, Anakin started to follow the other Council members out of the Chamber.
"I sense that to speak with me you would wish, Master Skywalker." Yoda said from his seat.
Anakin hesitated, "It can wait, Master Yoda."
"Can it? Important it is, Anakin, to discuss how best to detect insecurity in a youngling to prevent young Cortis' failure from happening again." Yoda replied.
Anakin shook his head and smiled, "How could I think I could hide anything from you?" He asked, "I just thought that if I could find Ferri's deeply hidden insecurity, I might be able to sense it in a youngling before it takes over the way it did with Ferri; and it could be dealt with before it's too late." He suggested.
"Wise you have become; suggest to the Council I will that meet with all younglings you should regularly." Yoda agreed, "A great commitment this would be, Anakin; ready for that are you?"
"Yes, Master; I want to do it; it's something that is important to me and I think it's also very important to the Order." Anakin answered.
"Yes, yes; important it is. Present it the Council I must and agree with it they will; you are growing, young Skywalker." Yoda told him.
"I am trying, Master." Anakin replied.
"And succeeding, Anakin; and succeeding." Yoda said.
Anakin left the Council Chamber with the feeling of absolute certainty that he was where he should be. He was a Jedi and, although because of his family, the Temple was no longer his home, it was where he belonged and where he and his family would always be welcome. Hoping to catch Obi-Wan and Zak before they left, he walked swiftly toward the lower Council room. Obi-Wan was seated with one leg propped up on his knee while Zak stood in front of the window with his back toward them.
"….will happen; we can only hope…" Obi-Wan was saying, "Oh, hello, Anakin."
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt." Anakin replied and backed out.
"No, no; Zak was just wondering how Ferri will react. I told him that we can only hope that he will be able to put this behind him and move on." Obi-Wan answered, "Did you present your idea to Master Yoda?"
"Yes, and he wants to present it to the Council at the next meeting; he agrees it would be a very good idea." Anakin told him.
"I thought he would." Obi-Wan said.
Anakin came in and sat down, "So, hopefully we can prevent something like this incident with Ferri from happening again." He said, "How do you feel, Zak?"
Zak turned around, "Fine, I'm fine; why does everyone keep asking me that?" He replied irritably and then sighed and looked at the floor, "I'm sorry, Master Anakin."
"Not so fine, I take it." Anakin surmised.
"Zak feels badly because of what happened to Ferri." Obi-Wan told him.
"Oh, you don't think it was fair then, Zak?" Anakin asked.
"It was my fault." Zak answered as he continued to stare at the floor.
Anakin and Obi-Wan looked at each other incredulously, "What?" They asked in unison.
"It was his jealousy of me that started this; what did I do to make him jealous? I…I didn't mean to." Zak continued.
"Oh dear, sit down, Padawan." Obi-Wan instructed and, as Zak sat down and buried his face in his hands, continued, "Look at me."
When Zak remained in the same position, Obi-Wan sighed and lifted Zak's chin, "Look at me; did you deliberately flaunt anything in front of him?" He asked.
"No." Zak answered.
"Did you brag about your abilities to him?" Obi-Wan asked.
"No." Zak admitted.
"Did you brag to him after I chose you to be my apprentice?" Obi-Wan asked.
"No." Zak replied.
"Then if you did none of those things, you cannot blame yourself for Ferri's jealousy." Obi-Wan told him.
"Listen, Zak; Ferri's jealousy is much deeper than that. He's very insecure, and all he has to do is look at you, get a sense of your inner strength, and then look at himself to see that he's missing it." Anakin explained.
Zak shook his head, "Then maybe I should have hidden it." He said.
"No, you should not have; you couldn't. You are what you are, Padawan; it is certainly not your fault that someone else coveted your talents. You must never hide who you are for fear that someone will become jealous; you cannot control the feelings of others no matter how hard you try." Obi-Wan told him.
"But then this would never have happened." Zak pointed out.
"Maybe not; or it could be that Ferri would have found another Padawan to be jealous of and the whole terrible incident would have happened to someone else and maybe, in that case, the outcome would have been more serious." Obi-Wan replied.
"Isn't there anything I could have done, Master?" Zak wondered.
"I don't think so, Zak; you did nothing to cause Ferri's jealousy and you tried everything you could to dispel it." Obi-Wan assured him.
"Ferri caused his own problems; you can't blame yourself for the decision he made, Zak." Anakin added.
"Can I help him?" Zak asked.
"Right now, Master Yoda and I are going to try and help him; for the time being, at least, I think it would be better if you left him alone." Anakin answered.
"Alright, if you think that's best." Zak agreed.
"How are you feeling now?" Obi-Wan asked.
Zak nodded, "A little better." He replied.
"Good, shall we go scrounge up something to eat then?" Obi-Wan asked.
"Sure, alright." Zak answered.
"Why don't you join us, Anakin?" Obi-Wan offered.
"No, I promised Padme I'd explain this whole mess to her; she still doesn't know exactly what happened. But I'll talk with you before we leave the Temple." Anakin said, "And you hang in there, Zak; it's going to be alright. But no matter what happens, always remember that it was not your fault."
"I will, Master Anakin." Zak promised.
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Anakin reached out through the Force for his family as he left the Council room and located them in the day care quarter. When he arrived, Padme was watching from a short distance as the twins interacted with the other toddlers, "They fit in so well here, don't they, Anakin?" She said as she watched them float a ball from one child to the next.
"Yes, it's one of the reasons why I'm so glad we made the decision to move back here. I want them to grow up understanding what they are whether they decide to join the Jedi or not." Anakin replied.
"But you could teach them that." Padme pointed out.
"Yes, but being with other children who have the same abilities will help them realize they aren't freaks." Anakin told her.
"Like the people on Belarid believe?" Padme asked.
"Yes." Anakin confirmed.
"So, can you tell me what happened on Myrkr now?" Padme asked.
"Well, I did promise; there was animosity between Zak and that other apprentice, Ferri, which caused Ferri to lead Obi-Wan and Zak into a trap." Anakin began.
"Surely the animosity was not on Zak's part." Padme said.
"Oh no; that was all Ferri because he was jealous of him…." Anakin continued until he had related the entire turn of events to her.
Padme shook her head in disbelief, "And they are going to allow this boy to remain here?" She asked.
"Yes, and I agreed with that decision. He regrets what he did; I could feel that, they all could. He will never be a Knight, though. Master Yoda and I are going to do our best to help him so that he can find out what path he should take now." Anakin replied.
"And how does Zak feel about all this?" Padme asked, "He's so sensitive; he blames himself doesn't he."
"You know him almost as well as I do; yes, he did until Obi-Wan and I talked through it with him." Anakin answered.
"Well, I hope you can help this boy, but I would be lying if I told you felt sorry for him." Padme said a little harshly.
"I know; it's been very difficult for me to feel sorry for him too; but I've seen what's buried beneath that jealousy and I really think I can fix it." Anakin replied.
Padme smiled, "You always were good at fixing things, Annie." She answered.