XANATOS: DETACHED
by ardavenport
~ ~ ~ PART 6
Bruck Chun had planned to get in some extra lightsaber training at the end of the day. He had not seen Kenobi for several days now, so there was no chance of tripping him up so his Master would be free to choose a new apprentice. But the instructors had hinted that a couple of other Knights would be viewing their practice bouts.
He dropped off a galactic history reading assignment in his room when Docent Vant brought him a data pad and showed him his orders.
Suddenly, all of his plans were gone.
"It isn't that bad," the tall blue-skinned woman said, her long head tail twitching.
Bruck stared at the orders in shock. The data pad told him that he would ship out of the Temple the next day. He needed to pack his things.
He was to report to an agrarian world that he had never heard of in the outer Core. To join the Agricultural Corps.
"They can't do this. My birthday isn't for four weeks yet!"
"I know," Docent Vant said. "But the ship leaves with its cargo of seed grain. It can't wait just because you have a birthday."
Bruck wanted to hit her in her patronizing face. He balled up his fist, but knew he couldn't strike a docent. He looked back toward his room. And supposed that he wouldn't have to read that history assignment now.
"This isn't right," he hissed, turning back to her.
Vant smiled, revealing her pointed teeth, her hands folded before her. She shook her head. "Not everyone is meant to be a warrior. The Republic needs healers and farmers, too. With your Force skills, you will be able to treat sick crops. Your talent will help feed whole worlds."
Bruck thought that Vant would need a healer very soon if she didn't go away. He clutched the data pad tightly as if he could crush it and it's orders of . . . . failure. He nodded silently and Vant left him.
Lightsaber practice was out of the question now. Pointless. He inhaled deeply, as he had been trained, trying to keep the panic down. Who could he go to? His instructors? None of them would even think of challenging this order; it would have been approved by the Jedi Council. There was no one who would do that.
He began walking. Out of the Initiates area. But immediately he became aware of a change in attitude in the people in the corridors and the common areas.
They were looking away from him.
They knew. Bruck's heart beat faster. He wanted to shout at them all. Give them a good reason to be afraid of looking at him.
And in a doorway, Bruck saw Kenobi. Talking to the little Calamari girl. Her large, silvery eyes saw him and filled with sadness.
Pity? From fish-girl? he thought angrily.
And when Kenobi turned his head to see him, Bruck saw. . . .
. . . . . the same expression.
Bruck fled.
- ooOo%oOOo%oOOOOo%oOOo%oOoo -
Xanatos looked up from a worktable full of enormous green and purple feathers from somebody's careless molting to find a pale haired boy standing there looking at him with desperate watery blue eyes.
He straightened and raised his brows, waiting for Bruck to speak. The boy swallowed and held up a data pad. Xanatos took it and read the glowing yellow text.
"You're to be assigned to Agri-Corps," he commented out loud. Bruck stood silently, his jaw clinched, his eyes reddened.
"Do you want me to fix this?" Xanatos asked loudly, casually.
Bruck Chun forced out one word past his sorely stressed and damaged pride.
"Yes."
"Pledge it," Xanatos hissed.
Bruck twitched, lowering his eyes. Shoulders hunched, he marched around the large table with its mounds of fluffy debris, but a few bits of down caught on the sleeve of his tunic, bright purple on the off-white fabric. He fell stiffly to his knees, eyes upward. A perfect posture of obedience.
"I pledge myself to your teachings. My Master." Bruck lowered his head.
Xanatos sighed, his chest tightening, his simple, uncomplicated life slipping away.
"I accept your pledge. And your service," he whispered. He could feel the old sickness creeping into him, spurred on by the turmoil in the boy before him. Xanatos shook it off.
"Master Craglar!" he called out. Craglar coughed out his response, a thick flemmy sound. "Could you show my new Padawan around here while I go on a few errands? I need to fix something," he said, waving the data pad.
"Get up," he said to Bruck. He waved him toward Craglar, who pulled his worn robe around his long brown tunic and gave the boy a sour, whiskery look.
"I'll be back soon," he said, patting Bruck on the shoulder. The boy flinched. "Or as soon as I can at least." Chun was looking a bit sick as he left.
Xanatos did not bother with docents or instructors. He went directly to Master Yoda. Walking unannounced into the grand-Master's private meditation chamber. One unsurprised green eye opened to peer up at him. Xanatos threw the data pad down on the meditation pedestal before the tiny, big-eared Council member.
"Bruck Chun had pledged himself to me. And I've accepted him. I told him I'd fix this."
Yoda hardly glanced at the pad. He took in a long unhurried breath and let it out again.
"Teach this boy, you can? Much pride has he. Much anger."
Xanatos shook his head sadly. "Nowhere near as much as I. As you well know. And he'll have the benefit of a Master who isn't blind to his faults."
"So sure you are then?" Yoda persisted, his expression sly, challenging. But Xanatos shook his head.
"He's not a killer. I checked."
Yoda nodded, sighing again. "Know best you do, of these things." Tilting his head, he looked up at the dark-haired Knight before him. "Take him. The Force be with you both," he finished, invoking the usual curse of the Jedi.
Xanatos gave him a swaggering bow and left.
He took a lift down to the lower levels again, going to the Temple Custodian Data Center. Having worked with them for a few years, he knew exactly where to go, who to talk to. Yoda had already made Bruck's appointment official by the time he arrived.
He picked out a room for Bruck, arranged for its provision. Made all the appropriate appointments for assessments that Bruck would be required to take, security briefings, new training, new privileges at the Archive. And as a Jedi Padawan, Bruck Chun was now legally an adult in the Galactic Republic, though Xanatos thought that this automatic designation was much too premature.
He collected the schedules and assignments on a new data pad and headed back to the Solid Wastes Recycling Center in the sub-sub-levels of the Temple. It was already late. He would miss his evening walk.
By the time he got there, Bruck Chun was looking thoroughly traumatized. Old Craglar had probably started out with a tour of the liquid waste recycling tanks. He prided himself on not flinching from the nastiest tasks and sneered at anyone who did. Nothing in the Temple could compare to some of the missions he had been sent on in his younger days. He was waving charred droid parts at Chun when Xanatos interrupted.
"All fixed," he announced cheerfully.
Bruck looked as if he'd been thrown a lifeline, but Craglar grimaced his disappointment at having his fun interrupted.
"Thank you for your service, my fine old friend."
Craglar scowled, bunching up the wrinkles on half his face. "You're not even close to being fixed, my fine young Knight," he answered.
"But I'm working on it, my fine old friend."
Craglar's scowl changed to a smirk. He winked.
"The Force be with you then." It felt so much less like a curse when Craglar said it that Xanatos felt as if he had been thrown a lifeline. He bowed deeply and the old Knight returned it.
Xanatos headed Bruck toward the door and they left. He set a brisk pace and Bruck kept up. He was large for his age. He would probably be tall someday. Maybe even as big as Qui-Gon though his new Master hoped not.
When they finally arrived at the Initiates' living area, Xanatos informed the Master there of Bruck's change of status and breezed by to Bruck's room.
"Collect your things. And any learning assignments you have. The droids should have your new room ready by now."
Bruck nodded and disappeared. Xanatos did not need to help, Bruck was only allowed to take what he could carry and the standard necessities would already be in his new room. Jedi Knights were not allowed possessions. When he emerged, he wore a pack and carried two soft bags that looked like they mostly held spare clothes, a corner of a brown robe poking out of one of them.
"Anything left over that you want to give away to the younger ones?" Xanatos asked.
Bruck's pale blue eyes stared back, not quite comprehending the question. He looked over his shoulder. Xanatos supposed that Bruck wasn't used to the idea of giving anything away. He caught a glimpse of some small shy Initiates looking their way. They would probably not miss the big bully and would likely have a good time dividing up his old youngling toys.
"Leave it," he told him abruptly. "Come on." Bruck followed.
They left the Initiates' sleeping area behind and entered the Knights' living area. They descended a couple levels down winding spiral stairs and went down a long corridor of many doors, dimly lit for evening. They stopped at one and Bruck stared at the glowing nameplate.
"This is my room," Xanatos told him. "You can come to me at any time for any reason. Com first if you can. Do you understand?"
Bruck nodded. "Yes."
Xanatos doubted that he really did, but the words would have to do for now. He led his new apprentice down the hall and they descended three levels, passed through more corridors of doors and open areas, and finally they stopped at one door of many. Bruck stared at the nameplate again.
'Bruck Chun: Padawan to Knight Xanatos Son-of-Crion.'
"This is your room." Xanatos waved the door open. They entered.
It was plain and bare with a single big holo-window on one wall, a sleep couch and side table, a small table with floor cushions. Xanatos waved the fresher door open but there was nothing exciting in there.
"You will live in it as my Padawan. And then as a Jedi Knight. Until the day you die."
~ ~ ~ END PART 6