Alex Rider: Jedi Knight

Jedi Goat

Disclaimer: I don't own Alex Rider or Star Wars.

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Chapter 8: Going Back

A few days later, the group returned to the Jedi Temple. From there Alex, Sabina, Jack and Yassen would take a ship back to Earth, it was decided. Alex now knew it was the Sith who were after him, and Obi-Wan and Anakin agreed that his home planet, where he knew the territory, would be the safest place for him.

Alex stood on the landing platform, feeling a soft breeze ruffling through his hair. Behind him was a small transport for them to take; the others were already on board. He scrutinized the two figures of Jedi approaching from the Temple.

Obi-Wan stepped up and put a hand on Alex's shoulder. "Be careful, Padawan."

"Why couldn't you guys come with us?" mumbled Alex, looking down at his shoes.

"We have a mission. We're going back to Naboo. To supervise and make sure things are running smoothly."

For a moment there was a yawning gap of silence; then Alex raised his head. "Well? You'd better go, then." He spoke as lightly as he could manage, trying to cover up the lump rising in his throat.

Obi-Wan smiled sadly. "May the Force be with you, Alex."

"May the Force be with you, too."

Obi-Wan and Anakin headed back for the Temple. "We will meet again someday, Alex. The Force tells me so," Obi-Wan called over his shoulder.

Alex smiled and held up a hand in farewell. With troubled brown eyes he watched his two friends disappear inside, taking their comforting Force-presences with them.

Alex turned and boarded the ship, lost in his thoughts. As he passed the cockpit, Alex vaguely felt relieved that he was not the one piloting; Yassen would take them back to Earth.

Alex entered one of the back rooms, flopping down on the bottom bunk of the sole bed. He glanced around the bland, darkened room as he pulled himself into a sitting position. Closing his eyes, he cut himself loose from his chaotic life and meditated.

He felt a nudge in the Force. The door opened, and he could almost see Sabina standing there.

"Alex?"

"Come in." Alex spoke without shifting his position.

"I'm sorry. Are you busy?"

"No." Alex looked up at her, patting the place on the bed beside him. "Sit."

Sabina hobbled over and sat, drawing her legs up on the bed and rubbing her bandaged leg ruefully.

They sat in silence for a moment, just glad to be with each other. Then Alex raised his head, an idea coming to him. Sab's Force-sensitive. What if I teach her how to use the Force? It can't be that hard.

"Hey, Sabina," he began awkwardly, trying to think of the right words. Okay, maybe this is kinda hard. How do you explain the Force? "Well, you know how I'm a Jedi, right?"

Sabina nodded. "Jack mentioned it."

"That means I can use the Force."

"Yeah. So?" Sabina was gazing at him curiously.

"Well...you can use the Force too. You're Force-sensitive. I could teach you. If you like," he added hastily.

Sabina stared down at the bed covers. "But those Sith tried to kill you because you were Force-sensitive."

"But if I train you, we'll be strong enough to stop the Sith for good!" Alex said earnestly. When Sabina didn't reply, he touched her hand gently. "We're in this together now. You can't just go back to your life and pretend you don't know anything. I know, I wish I could, too, but…" He trailed off.

Sabina shook her head sadly, drawing away from him. "I'm not sure I can do this, Alex. I'm not like you. I'm just a normal teenage girl!"

"The Sith change everything, Sab." He looked over at her, but Sabina avoided his gaze. "There's no telling what they'll do next. What if they capture you, or even kill you? Please, learn to defend yourself! Then I won't be so worried about you." He stopped; he had said more than he'd meant to, pouring out the strong feelings harbored in his heart.

Sabina finally looked up, and Alex was mildly shocked to see her eyes were brimming with tears. "And my parents and my friends?" she choked out. "What if the Sith go after them?"

"We'll protect them together," he assured Sabina. "Them and Jack, too."

Alex reached out for her, wanting more than ever to make everything okay, to fix the broken threads of their friendship. With a small sob Sabina crawled forward and hugged him.

Alex embraced her warmth against his chest, feeling her shoulders shake as Sabina cried into his shoulder. "It's okay, Sab," he murmured, "We'll get through this mess. Together." Then he closed his eyes and leaned his head against hers.

They remained like that for a long time; but eventually Sabina stirred and they both came to their senses. "Okay," she said, taking a deep breath. "I'm ready for this training."

"All right," Alex gulped, feeling his sense of nervousness returning. Oh, Force, I don't want to mess this up.

Recalling his first-ever lesson in the Force with Obi-Wan, Alex sat down cross-legged on the floor and gestured for Sabina to do the same.

"Okay," he began, struggling to keep his voice calm and steady. "Do you know what the Force is?"

Sabina thought for a moment. "It runs through everything, I think. Sustaining life." Alex nodded encouragingly, but Sabina just shook her head. "That's all I know," she confessed.

"Well, you're right so far," Alex said gently. "But for a Jedi, the Force is their greatest ally." Getting an idea, he unhooked his lightsaber from his belt and held it out in front of him. "Do you know why?"

"Yassen said something about the Force letting you do things…" Sabina trailed off uncertainly.

"He's right." Focusing, Alex let the lightsaber levitate above his palm, drifting in mid-air at eye level. Sabina gasped quietly. Alex allowed the lightsaber to flutter back down, as light as a feather.

He held it out to her. "You try."

"I- I don't think I can," Sabina protested, but she took the lightsaber anyway, staring at the silver cylinder in her hands.

"Focus," breathed Alex.

She scrunched up her eyes for a moment, and then shook her head and shoved the lightsaber back at him. "Nothing's happening. I'm not a Jedi."

"You're not trying hard enough," Alex chastised her as kindly as he could. "C'mon, Sab, focus. You can be a great Jedi. I can sense it!"

"No." Sabina stood up. She turned away, trying to hide the tears that had sprung in her eyes. "You can live in your delusional world of- of spies and assassins and stupid Jedi! I don't want to be a part of it! I want to go home, back to my life!" She wrenched open the door.

"Sab, wait!"

But it was too late; she had already disappeared down the corridor. Alex closed the door and leaned against it, sinking down to the floor. Sabina's hurt words stung him, tearing at his heart.

I was only trying to help! he wailed inwardly, struggling to release his sudden feelings of anger and pain into the Force. A small part of him sympathized with Sabina; I remember being that murderous with MI6 when they first recruited me. But the rest of him was ripped open with anguish. The close relationship they had formed over the last few days was in shreds, shattered remnants of a once-beautiful mirror.

And only now, when she was lost to him, when his heart was a gaping, empty pit in his chest, could he truly realize his feelings for Sabina.

I loved her.

Alex rested his head in his hands, sorrowfully admitting defeat.

To be continued...

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