~~A few minutes before present time…~~
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Master Kain, Administrator of the Jedi's contribution to the development of better crop production was patiently waiting in the arrival area at the Agri-Corps shuttle spaceport.
He'd received a rushed communication a few minutes ago, to say that the new arrival was coming on the Sierra and from the information he'd already received a couple of days before, from Master Yoda, he decided to personally be there for this initiate.
Aaron Kain, a retired Jedi Master, who'd spent his life in Jedi service until ten years ago when he'd been badly injured in an accident.
When he recovered he decided to take the position of Administrator of the corps on Bandomeer.
He was in his eighties and even though his species lived to well over a hundred years he felt it was time to slow down and leave the negotiations and missions to the younger masters.
The idea of being out in the country in the fresh air appealed to him and he'd been happy to take up the offered position.
However, Master Kain was very disturbed about this current pick up. He'd received a communiqué from the Jedi council, informing him of the possibility of his arrival.
It appeared to him to be a last minute decision and they were very vague with the information on the boy.
They'd forwarded his records through the net, but insisted that there was a distinct prospect that the boy wouldn't be enrolled at the corps.
The initiates name was Obi-Wan Kenobi and his records indicated that he was more than suited to be an apprentice.
A diligent student with a higher than average midi-chlorian count; with advanced education in most areas, and his grasp of Galactic Law and political strategy was in the highly developed stages.
A notation on the bottom of the boy's records had Master Kain scratching his head and he didn't understand why they'd sent such a capable initiate to the corps in the first place.
Waiting on the concourse he thought back to a conversation he'd had with Master Yoda about the boy.
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"Master Yoda, I have some concerns about this notation regarding initiate Kenobi. It states that his assignment here is temporary, and it's expected that he will be apprenticed to a master prior to his arrival. You indicated that his case is special. After reading his biography, I'm stunned that a boy with his abilities has been assigned to the agri-corps in the first place."
"Master Kain, imperative it was that Obi-Wan, to Bandomeer should go. The one who is destined to be his master, a mission to Bandomeer he has, but listen to the will of the Force in the matter of taking an apprentice he does not! Change his mind I have no doubt, and bring young Kenobi back as his apprentice he will."
"What if this master doesn't change his mind?"
"Change his mind he will, the will of the Force it is." Yoda said confidently.
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As Master Kain watched the shuttle land he remembered thinking that the council were risking a lot on the belief that the master would change his mind, and now it appeared he hadn't.
He didn't like the mind tricks the council sometimes used to get what they wanted and up until now their decisions had been acceptable, but he'd heard rumours himself that some Jedi were beginning to argue that some of their decisions were wrong.
He also knew that Master Yoda seemed concerned about the lad and told him to contact him immediately if the boy did turn up.
Passengers were coming down the ramp now, smiling and waving to their friends and family and he wondered if young Kenobi would be happy to be here. He had a holo- pic of him and he checked each person as they came down the ramp.
The sound of another shuttle arriving made him realise that soon the shuttle port would be swarming with people arriving from all over the planet.
The enrichment zone was quite large and there were several sections hiring workers from all over the galaxy. He hoped that Obi-Wan would come out soon as he didn't want to be caught up in a long queue getting him cleared from the spaceport.
The trip from the main spaceport on Bandomeer to the agri-corps only took a few minutes, which meant he hadn't had time to contact Yoda. He'd hurried to be here to meet the young man.
Master Kain's attention was drawn to a trolley being pushed down the ramp by one of the shuttle's crew. It was a delivery of seeds he had been expecting.
He knew they were coming on this flight so he decided that he'd collect them at the same time saving one of his workers the job of collecting them later.
When Master Jinn contacted him he hadn't given him much notice informing him that the boy was on the shuttle and it had just left.
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Sensing a disturbance in the Force he looked back up to the ramp. Obi-Wan was standing at the top, and around him was a glow that seemed to encompass the boy's aura, yet it was bouncing off him as though he was blocking the Force with an invisible barrier.
There was an agitated sense of gloom in the flow of the Force and he stretched out to find distressed emotions pouring off him. His immediate reaction was that this child should never have left the temple.
He couldn't get the bad feeling out of his mind as he watched Obi-Wan walk slowly down the ramp and his annoyance flared knowing the master that was supposed to take Obi-Wan as his apprentice was Master Qui-Gon Jinn. Kain didn't know him personally, but he'd heard of him by reputation.
Jinn's contact with him was quite abrupt, announcing that he was sending initiate Kenobi on the shuttle.
Kain knew Master Yoda thought highly of Jinn, but his impression of the master's abruptness didn't endear the man to him.
As the boy stepped closer he noticed that he'd been crying. His face was very pale, but his cheeks were flushed and his eyes were red.
The Force swirled around him in an agitated state and he wondered if Master Jinn had noticed the disturbed countenance in the boy.
It sent a flare of displeasure through him to think that a Master of Jinn's reputation and standing would have sent an initiate in this obviously emotional state on a shuttle by himself.
The boy seemed to be in a daze and Aaron tried to alleviate the tension by smiling at him.
He knew without a doubt that the first thing he would do when they reached his office was to contact Master Yoda.
"Hello, initiate Kenobi." he said calmly.
The sound of his voice was all it took for the initiate to focus on him and bow respectfully. "Hello Master, yes, I'm Obi-Wan Kenobi."
"It's a pleasure to meet you Obi-Wan; my name is Master Aaron Kain. Let's clear you with the port authorities and then we'll head to the corps. If you would be so kind as to push this trolley for me I will clear a path."
"Yes Master Kain," came the reply as he put his small bag on top of the trolley.
"The shuttle port is getting quite busy and I don't want anyone falling over the trolley in their haste. When we arrive at the agri-corps I'll have someone take that trolley from you and then you can come with me. I want to contact the temple and let them know you've arrived."
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He could sense abject misery and he wished he could tell him what Yoda had said, however, it wasn't his place to step on the council's toes.
He was certain that they would explain themselves to Obi-Wan when the time came. In the mean time he would be safe and he'd make sure he was comfortable until the council sorted this mess out.
"Wait here please, while I have your papers stamped."
"Yes Master."
It didn't take long before he waved to Obi-Wan to bring the trolley over so they could head to the exit gates. It was only a short walk to the corps, but the way the port was filling it would be difficult pushing the trolley without bumping into someone.
Obi-Wan was handling the trolley easily, weaving in and out and avoiding the people, but out of the corner of Kain's vision he noticed several scruffy looking men pointing at the trolley.
He thought he should get closer to Obi-Wan when he saw them, just in case those men were thinking of stealing the contents of the trolley.
They might think that the boy was alone and would be no match for two men.
The Force was still agitated and he tried to attract Obi-Wan's attention. The boy was looking directly in front of the trolley, but was not concentrating on his surroundings; and to be honest he couldn't blame him one bit.
He moved through the crowd towards Obi-Wan, but people were in a hurry to get through the gates before it became impossibly crowded, and were pushing him aside.
He kept his eyes on the two men and tried to attract Obi-Wan's attention.
This place was always busy and the security guards were good at controlling the crowds and keeping everyone honest. However, by instinct bred into him from being a Jedi he rested his hand on his sabre…
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~~ The aftermath of Qui-Gon's call to Yoda.~~
Master Yoda was feeling every bit his eight hundred years; the inner peace that he'd achieved so many times in his meditations was elusive now.
The Force was agitated and unsettled and it didn't bode well for the future. Yoda knew immediately that he and the council had made a mistake relying on Qui-Gon to do the right thing. Sending Obi-Wan to Bandomeer was another mistake.
His ears drooped knowing that he'd been the one to insist that Qui-Gon would come to his senses and recognise that Obi-Wan's place was at his side.
Yoda knew and he suspected that Qui-Gon knew that a fledgling bond existed between him and Obi-Wan, but he refused to acknowledge it.
Every time that Yoda tried to push him into accepting the facts, Qui-Gon would find a way to leave Coruscant.
This time was no different when he'd accepted the mission to Bandomeer. Yoda thought the only way to get them together was to send Obi-Wan on the same ship as Qui-Gon.
He'd seen it in the flow that under Qui-Gon's tutelage Obi-Wan would become a great Jedi, one with great strength and compassion, and who would bind the galaxy together and keep the light of the Jedi from being extinguished forever.
Obi-Wan's aura was distinctive and while darkness was creeping closer it would never totally smother the galaxy if Obi-Wan became Qui-Gon's apprentice.
When the call came in from Qui-Gon; a feeling of impending doom filled him…
Hearing Qui-Gon insist that he was following the will of the Force as he saw it by sending Obi-Wan to the agri-corps, was too much for Yoda to accept and he disconnected the call before he said anymore than he already had to the foolish master.
He sighed and tapped his cane on the floor. It was time to bring young Obi-Wan home and he turned to the council members who'd been privy to his conversation with Qui-Gon.
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ooo
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"Heard Master Jinn you did; send young Obi-Wan to the Agri-Corps he has."
Master Gallia took a deep breath and exhaled. "I had a bad feeling about this from the beginning. We made a grave error in judgement and assumed to much where Qui-Gon is concerned. He's changed over the last few years since his last apprentice turned on him and the order." She said.
"Qui-Gon has built a wall around his heart and it has turned to stone. The compassion that he once possessed has been sucked out of him. First by his own master Dooku and then his last apprentice, and I regret to say that Qui-Gon has proven that he is a failure to the order too." She added shaking her head.
Mace Windu nodded and leant back in his seat. "Master Gallia is right we have been very lenient with Master Jinn. Two months ago we were going to censure him for his outlandish behaviour, but he managed to get himself assigned another mission by Chancellor Valorum and left the temple before we could remove him from active duty. It is time we stop pandering to him."
"Deal with Master Jinn we will when returns to the temple he does." Yoda said quietly.
The other masters voiced their agreement and then Master Gallia asked Yoda about Obi-Wan.
"Have you contacted the agri-corps; does Master Kain know that Obi-Wan will be returning to the temple?"
"Knew he did that a possibility it was, contact him again I will, and go to Bandomeer to bring Obi-Wan home. Made my decision I have, Obi-Wan Kenobi my apprentice he will be." Yoda stated.
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ooo
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Qui-Gon made his way to where the three men were arguing and stepped in-between the one who had his hand on his blaster and a white haired man who was poking the third younger man in the chest with his finger.
Qui-Gon made a point of moving his cloak to the side to show his sabre on his belt.
Most people on Bandomeer knew a Jedi when they saw one and Qui-Gon hoped that his presence would diffuse the situation.
"Gentlemen, may I be of any assistance?"
The white haired man was the first to speak. "Oh good a Jedi, will you tell these men to get out of my way and leave me alone. This one accused me of stealing his bag; but I can assure it's mine!" Pointing to the bag in question.
The other man took his hand off his blaster and pointed to a trolley in the corner that still had bags on it. "His bag is still on the trolley this one is my sons and I told him it was, but he won't listen."
Qui-Gon glanced over to the trolley, and it was full of bags.
"Sir there is an easy way for us to solve this problem and then we can all be on our way. We can open the bag to see whose clothes are in it."
The white haired man was angry and adamant. "I told you it's mine and I have no intention of spilling my clothes out all over the ground!"
Qui-Gon was getting more irritated and he wanted to leave these people to their own petty squabbles, but he didn't want to be responsible if anything happened.
"Please wait here a moment while I look at the other bags." Qui-Gon said and went to the trolley.
At the bottom was a bag identical to the white haired man's bag and Qui-Gon handed it to the son and asked him to open it, which the younger man did.
Once it was open the white haired man gaped at the contents, it was his. He apologised profusely when he saw his clothes in that bag.
Qui-Gon left the men to go about their business and took several calming breaths as he headed back to the small room to think about his conversation with Yoda.
He'd been taken back when Yoda cut him off. He'd never heard such irritation coming from the small Master and he thought back to the days when he was ready to become a Knight.
Yoda was the one who defended him against his own Master Dooku, and he wondered why he would bring up his old masters antics now. He didn't understand why Yoda was championing Obi-Wan so much, until Yoda's words sunk in and he realised what he'd done.
Obi-Wan was just like him. In need of a friend and Yoda had been there for them both and Qui-Gon had done to Obi-Wan what his own Master had done to him.
Yoda's words repeated themselves over and over. ("As is your indifference to Obi-Wan's plight, a great Jedi I foresee him becoming under your tutelage. Nothing but darkness do I see now with your decision.) Yoda means I will go down the dark path not Obi-Wan.
Qui-Gon closed his eyes and opened up to the Force. It was always there waiting for him and yet it felt different somehow. The Force was beckoning him to reflect on his life. It was something he never did, for it always brought up bad memories.
However, the Force seemed insistent and so he obeyed. It was a few minutes before he found his centre and abruptly his past flooded in like a tidal wave. It hurt, but he accepted it this time instead of pushing the past away.
Everything he'd accused Obi-Wan of being, his master Dooku had done to him and years ago, Qui-Gon had sworn on the oath of the Force that he would never sink to that level himself.
He felt mortified by his own callousness and asked the Force to forgive him. It was then that he felt the Force move through him and an image of Obi-Wan came to mind.
The boy glowed within the light of the Force and Qui-Gon sensed the deep love and commitment Obi-Wan had for the Force and he could sense how much it loved him in return.
He'd seen it while they were defending the passengers on the Monument, only then, he'd pushed that image to the back of his mind and thought only of his moment.
It wasn't long before disturbances in the Force made the image of Obi-Wan shimmer and then fade away pulling Qui-Gon out of his meditation.
He felt a shiver run up his spine and he rose quickly to look around, but nothing seemed out of place.
He stepped out through the door and gazed off into the distance toward the agri-corps. Unbearable heat rose within him and panic threatened to overtake him, but he clamped down the emotions that were vying to surface.
There was an urgency flowing through the Force and he knew without a doubt he'd made a terrible mistake. He hurried to a secluded spot and took out his com-link.
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"Hello, my name is Master Qui-Gon Jinn, and there has been an error made; an initiate has been sent to the agri-corps by mistake his name is Kenobi, Obi-Wan Kenobi. Has he arrived yet, can I speak to him?"
"Hello Master Jinn, my name is Officer Justin. Master Kain has not returned from the shuttle port with the young initiate yet."
"As soon as he arrives, please have him contact me. Tell Master Kain that I will arrive on the next shuttle and Obi-Wan will be returning to Coruscant with me as my apprentice. Here is my com-number." Qui-Gon said quickly.
"Yes Master Jinn, I will be sure to have him contact you as soon as he returns."
"Thank you Officer Justin."
Tbc...