Chapter 34 Unworthy
As Yoda hobbled out, it was apparent that the more senior members of the Council, with the exception of the old master, had retained authority over Zak and Ferri's punishment. Along with Yoda, only Obi-Wan, Anakin and Luminara Unduli had opposed an undetermined suspension period; and the three of them left the Council Chamber together, clearly dissatisfied, but knowing there was little they could do. The lightsabers, so carefully placed on the floor went untouched until they had gone when Mace finally took it upon himself to take possession of them. Later, when he felt the pair was ready, he would talk to each of them privately.
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Dena reined in her nervous excitement as she led the way down to the main entrance corridor. And there he was, standing tall next to the Chancellor; it was all Dena could do to prevent herself from rushing right into his arms. Next to her, Master Heth squeezed her arm, "You don't need me for this, Padawan; you and I will find each other later." She said.
Dena put one hand over her master's, "I don't know if I can do this alone." She said.
But Ga'al only smiled at her and patted her arm, "You will be just fine."
Dena doubted that, but she smiled back bravely and took a deep breath as she approached the royal family, "Chancellor Organa, Your Highness." She greeted them with a bow.
Bail and Breha smiled warmly, "And you are Dena; it is so good to finally meet you." Breha replied.
"Thank you." Dena answered and then turned to her parents, "These are my parents, Ovan and Elena Korliv." She said, "Mother, Father; Chancellor Organa and the Queen of Alderaan."
Both Korlivs bowed cordially, "And this is our daughter, Gemma." Breha informed them.
Gemma bowed politely, "It is nice to meet you." She said.
"And this is Boba Fett." Dena finally announced.
Boba bowed politely, "I am pleased to meet you both." He responded.
Ovan looked at him with disapproval, "You are a brawler." He observed as he noticed the partially healed gash on Boba's cheek.
"Only when I have to be, Sir." Boba replied, subconsciously bringing one hand up to touch his face, "My father has taught me that fighting should only be the last resort."
"A wise answer; but I was under the impression that your father was a bounty hunter." Ovan said.
"That is a common error; I was raised until I was ten by the bounty hunter who sold himself to be cloned, but that does not make him my father." Boba countered.
"I see; then the father you were referring to is…" Ovan began.
"The Chancellor, of course; he and the Queen took me in five years ago. He has been more of a father to me than Jango Fett ever was." Boba finished.
"And did he teach you to corrupt young Jedi apprentices?" Ovan asked, narrowing his eyes.
"Father!" Dena exclaimed with a mixture of shock and anger.
"I think you are being unfair, Korliv; I would hardly equate falling in love with corruption." Bail interjected.
"Is that what it is, love?" Elena asked, "Her future as a Jedi is finished because of what they have done."
Dena put a hand to her face and began to cry; Boba put a protective arm around her, drawing her close, "It's alright." He cooed softly and then glared at Ovan, "I love Dena; I fell in love with her the minute I saw her. We both tried very hard to fight it, but it happened anyway."
"Alright, I think it would be best if we all just calmed down; the Jedi have opened a room for us, why do we not all retire there and discuss this in a civilized manner." Bail suggested.
But Ovan shook his head, "That will not be necessary." He answered.
"So you have made your mind up so quickly?" Breha asked, "We had hoped you would get to know him better before passing judgment on him."
Surprising all of them, Ovan smiled, "You misunderstand; I owe all of you an apology for my outburst." He told them, "But I must confess I have heard things about this young man that leave me very much concerned about our daughter's future."
Boba caught a look from Bail and nodded; subtly, he and Bail moved slowly guiding all of them toward the room set aside for them, "I admit," He started, "that I have done some things that I am not proud of."
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Zak stood with his back to the door, hands clasped together behind his back staring out the large window at the traffic. Ferri was seated on one of Yoda's cushions, legs crossed holding his head in his hands. At the clicking of Yoda's stick on the floor, Ferri raised his head, but did not otherwise move; Zak continued to gaze out the window, seeming not to have heard the old master coming. Yoda shook his head, "Such a pair I see before me. Passed into to the Force has someone?" He asked.
Neither one replied and Yoda sighed, "Hard it is to hear when we are wrong; but harder still to face the consequences of our actions." He said.
"We were ready to face whatever the Council's decision was; but we never expected to be shunned like this." Ferri replied.
"Shunned? Shunned?! Think that do you?" Yoda asked.
"What else could you call it, Master Yoda; our masters have been taken from us, and we have been relegated to the kitchens." Zak answered as he turned around, "And we have not even been told how long this will last."
"So, a long time will it last then? Think that do you…hmm?" Yoda asked as he seated himself next to Ferri.
Zak shook his head and turned back to the window, "I'm sure that's the Council's way of telling us that, yes." He said.
"We might just as well cut these off then." Ferri stated, fingering the end of his braid.
Yoda rapped Ferri's leg with his stick, "Do that you will not." He ordered sternly.
"Why not? By the time this suspension ends, we'll have to start all over again; and probably under new masters." Zak countered as he continued to stare out the window.
Yoda reached over and hit him in the back of the legs, "Sit down you will if to speak you wish." He instructed.
With a sigh, Zak complied, "Now, this idea, where has that come from?" Yoda asked.
"Well, it doesn't make sense for our masters to have to wait until the Council decides to let us resume training; it could be a year or more." Zak answered.
"And since they agreed with this, then they must think we're no longer worth training." Ferri added.
"So little faith you have in them that you would think this?" Yoda wondered.
"Then where are they?" Ferri wondered, "If they thought we were still worthy of them, they would be here."
"Then perhaps unworthy of them you are." Yoda said.
"We have already figured that out for ourselves." Zak replied dejectedly and then stood up, "And now, it's getting late in the day, and we have four hours of time in the kitchens to put in."
"Five." Ferri corrected as Zak reached down to pull him to his feet.
Yoda nodded, "Understand I do, how difficult this is. But trust in the Force you must." He told them, "If counseling you need, help you I will."
"Yes, Master." Both of them said as they bowed before leaving.
Yoda waited several minutes before he slid off his cushion, "Much work I will have to do." He sighed and then went in search of two Jedi Masters.
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The royal family spent the better part of an hour in the comfortable room allowing Dena's parents to become acquainted with the young man who wished to court their daughter. Dena could not have been more relieved as she listened to the discussion between her father, who was very much concerned for her future, and the young man who would help shape it. As she sat by Boba's side, with his hand firmly gripping hers, Boba laid his whole sordid past out for Ovan Korliv; Dena couldn't help but be amazed as his brave honesty….and Ovan was clearly impressed by it. Feeling his injuries, Bail reclined on one of the cushions and closed his eyes; Boba, it appeared was holding his own. Breha sat down next to him, "Are you alright, Dear?" She asked in concern.
"Yes, I am just not quite myself yet." Bail told her as he patted her hand reassuringly.
"We should go." Boba said, "I'm sorry, Bail; you really weren't up to this."
"Nonsense, I am perfectly comfortable here. This is very important." Bail insisted.
"Not as important as your health, Chancellor." Ovan replied as he stood up, "Besides, I think I have heard what I need to hear."
He smiled and gripped Boba's shoulder, "You have a fine young man here; I am ashamed to say I…well, I may have judged him prematurely." He said.
"I am glad you think so; we are very proud of him." Breha answered, "And we would like to extend an invitation to dine with us before you return to your homeworld."
"That would be very kind, thank you." Elena told her in acceptance.
They walked together to the front entrance; Dena and Boba walking hand in hand together followed by their parents. Moments later, Gemma joined them, dashing in from one of the training rooms where she had retreated when the discussion proved not to interest her, "Walk, Gemma; ladies never run." Breha corrected sternly.
"Oh, Mama; I am not a lady yet." Gemma replied, causing all of them to laugh.
At the doorway, Boba paused and wrapped his arms around Dena, "I told you it would be alright." Dena whispered.
Boba smiled, "Yes, you did; I should have known better than to doubt a Jedi." He replied.
"I know." Dena snickered and then buried her face in his chest, "I love you so much."
Boba tightened his hold on her, "I love you too." He told her and then pulled from her, "Time to go."
"It is alright if you kiss her, young man." Elena said.
Boba looked at her and then to Ovan who smiled at him, "Well, I am certainly not going to stop you."
Boba returned the smile, "Thank you." He answered and then lifted Dena's chin and lowered his head.
Dena put her arms around his neck to bring his head lower and brushed her lips against his. It was a brief kiss, with both of them still uncomfortable in showing their affection for each other to others. Again, Boba pulled away from her, gently and then let her hand slip out of his as he followed his family out. Dena watched, with the fingers of one hand touching her lips. Her mother slipped an arm around her shoulder, "You were right, my daughter; it seems you and he are meant to be together." She said.
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Obi-Wan leaned over on the railing as he watched the younger Jedi practicing on the training floor below. He sighed, remembering how, not too many years ago, he had watched a young Jedi initiate who would become his second apprentice. Just days ago he and that nearly grown boy had stood here discussing his Knighthood. They had a strong bond, born of trust and love, and many missions together. The Council's ruling, a ruling both he and Anakin strongly opposed, now threatened to tear that bond apart. He shook his head sadly, how could he stand by and let that happen?
"We don't." Anakin said with determination as he moved to stand beside his former master, "We can't."
"We may not be able to prevent it." Obi-Wan replied pessimistically.
"Master Yoda said it would be no more than a month; and if he has his way, it won't even be that long." Anakin answered.
"Master Yoda is not the Council; and even so, Zak and Ferri do not know it will only be a month, for all they know it could be a year or more." Obi-Wan said, "You saw them when they left the Council Chamber; they were completely…"
"Devastated, I know; I felt Ferri's anguish. I wanted so badly to reach out and assure him it wouldn't be as long as he feared it would be; I hate being a member of the Council sometimes." Anakin replied in frustration.
Obi-Wan sighed, "And I; I am concerned by the time this suspension is lifted, Zak's spirit will be completely broken." He told his brother.
"Yes, Ferri's as well." Anakin agreed.
"Master Kenobi, I've been looking for you; I wondered how Zak and Ferri's meeting with the Council went." Ga'al said as she approached, "I just saw them a little while ago heading for the kitchens."
"That is because they probably were heading for the kitchens." Anakin told her.
Ga'al looked puzzled, "The kitchens? Was that their punishment? Kitchen duty?" She asked.
"That was part of it, yes." Obi-Wan answered.
"Part of it?"
"Their apprenticeships have also been suspended." Anakin said.
"Oh, poor dears; I'll bet they aren't taking that very well." Ga'al replied.
"Considering the suspension is until further notice, no, they are not." Anakin answered.
"Until further notice? You aren't serious!" Ga'al exclaimed.
"Oh yes; completely serious." Obi-Wan assured her.
"Forgive me for being forward, but how could you agree to that?" Ga'al asked.
"We didn't; but the majority of the Council did, so we had little choice." Anakin replied, "Believe me, I can't tell you how upset I am about this right now."
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Ferri and Zak discussed little of their predicament as they helped the cooks prepare the evening meal. The cooks accepted their help without reservation, having been informed by one of the Council members of the sentence handed down to them. When they finished, they carried the prepared bins and trays of food to the waiting hot tables just as Jedi began to filter into the dining hall. Those who knew them stared in surprise to see them, wearing brown aprons and carrying trays, but to their credit, remained discretely quiet. Thankfully, they had all the trays in place before any of the Council members, including their own masters, appeared; and with a collective sigh of relief, they returned to the kitchen to help clean up, only to be ordered back out to help clear tables. As younglings grew into initiates, they were assigned various tasks including a rotation in the dining hall; for them, it was just part of growing up in the Temple, Zak and Ferri had both performed these tasks before being chosen for training, anyone else clearing tables was clearly being punished. The kitchen staff, they realized, had no intention of allowing their punishment to remain private, and had taken it upon themselves to publicly humiliate them. The thought of hauling trays and wiping down tables for a year or more in the company of their comrades, and worse still, the Council Masters who had issued this punishment to them, was almost more than either of them could bear, and then Mace Windu entered the dining hall. At the site of him, the tray Ferri was holding slipped from his hands, landing with a resounding crash when the glassware shattered as it hit the floor. Immediately, Zak knelt down to join Ferri in gathering the larger shards onto the tray. Another kitchen worker appeared quickly with a vac-broom to scoop up the remainder, "No harm done; this happens all the time." She assured Ferri with a smile, "You have not hurt yourself, have you?"
"No, no, I'm fine." Ferri answered as Mace's form appeared above him and he stood up, "My apologies, Master Windu."
"Accidents happen, Cortis." Mace replied and then moved past him.
Ferri closed his eyes and exhaled as Zak stood up, "Are you alright?" He asked.
"No." Ferri answered, "How much worse can this get?"
"Worse, look." Zak replied and pointed toward two Jedi who had just entered the hall.
"Oh, no; I can't do this, Zak; I just can't." Ferri proclaimed upon seeing his master with Zak's.
"It seems we don't have a choice; they have just noticed us." Zak told him.
"Did you drop something, Padawan?" Anakin asked.
Ferri stared at the remnants on the tray in his hand, "Yes, Master Skywalker; I was clumsy and it slipped." He said, trying to sound nonchalant.
Anakin smiled, "It won't due for a Jedi Knight to be clumsy you know." He replied.
"I rather doubt that will be a problem now; if you'll excuse me, I see there are several trays I need to take care of." Ferri answered and slipped away.
Zak looked at them apologetically, "It's alright, Master; he is having a very hard time with this." He explained before turning to join his friend.
Obi-Wan caught his arm, "And you, Padawan; how are you doing?" He asked.
Zak shrugged, "My training has been suspended, permanently for all I know, and I am bussing tables, Master. All things considered, better than I should be." Zak answered, "Now if you will excuse me, I have work to do."
Anakin shook his head, "This can't last, Obi-Wan; he has already decided his training is finished." He said.
"They apparently both do; but I thought Zak, at least, would know better." Obi-Wan concurred.
"Lost faith they have." Yoda told them as he hobbled toward them, "Unworthy of you they believe they are."