Many thanks to those of you who have alerted this story! Oh and an administrative note, the story "Haunted Haunts" is being moved to Category Books Jedi Quest Series. Without further ado, here is the chapter.

Chapter 6: Convenient Conversations

I was in some kind of cave, but it did not look like one. The ceiling was vaulted, and along each wall stood many pillars and statues. However it was larger than anything I've ever seen in my entire … well life. I guessed it must have been some artificially enhanced cavern, judging by its size, regularity of the design, and the obvious signs tools around the lake. I had no idea what I was doing there – that is until I heard a certain voice.

"Hh-You've got more questions than an initiate's first time off Coruscant."

"Qui-Gon," I was not in the mood for dillydallying, "Are you here for a reason, or to be all cryptic. Because if it's the latter, maybe you should have gotten Kreia to come instead…"

Yeah he was a maverick, but I didn't know he chuckled that much, "You seem to possess more confidence than your questions would imply…"

"Why come here at all if you aren't gonna answer? Or do spirits suffer from senility?"

"You are here because first, you need a break; second, you and your friend were the most convenient lot. Not ambitious so that you'd run to Dooku or Palpatine, nor too idealistic to cause unadulterated mayhem where not needed, yet with all the knowledge you could need."

Wow, he knows about Palps? And convenient, how rude! Seriously, they don't suffer from senility but they sure could use some manners, those Force-ghosts. I asked him about Sidious' identity, and also about my apprenticeship, to which I got a rather interesting answer.

"Aren't you forgetting the very words of my Padawan from 'A New Hope' you know, about being more powerful than anyone can possibly imagine? And of course I know about Sidious, where do you think I am?" Now that threw me.

"New Hope? YOU WATCHED NEW HOPE! You sith-sucking, bantha's bastard of a Force-begotten fool descendant of Rand! Why is it always me? Why am I the message boy! You could have told Yo-yo about Hidious DAYS AGO!"

On second thoughts, I admire Jedi masterly serenity, he barely twitched, well, except for the smirk. "How astute, I did not expect you to realise that Atton Rand is actually my predecessor. Your insight serves you well. And of course I watched Hope, that's why it took me this long to do anything, with getting through all the canon about Obi-Wan's future and all…"

Hold your banthas for a second, he dragged through canon about the Clone Wars and so on? I asked him as much,

"How can you stand so many books, comics, junior novels, and insider magazines?" He shuddered, he actually shuddered! "I'm a spirit, and I nearly dismantled the servers which you call 'wookieepedia'… Anyway, the fact that I've read all the materiel is precisely the reason you are here. You see I had feelings for Master Tahl. And well … Obi-Wan's my son…."

Ah that's just great … just great…. And what the Sith happened to the no-emotion mumbo jumbo? "Kenny's your kid?" I gaped at him for a long period of time, "…So that's why you had me come here. So that he wouldn't act all noble-master-like and get his ass killed on the Death Star. Wait, does he even know? …And that still has not answered the question of how you managed to manipulate the whole shabla Council into accepting us!" Seriously one would have thought that after all the shouting, he'd just vanish, and let me stew for a bit. Dang, I hate it when people read my mind.

"Don't think I haven't considered leaving, I had enough impudence from my Padawans to last a life time, but you see, I can't until you awaken. As long as you are asleep, this dream will continue. So as to avoid being called anything worse than I already was, I'll indulge you. Obi-Wan was right, we from the Great Blue Glowy Beyond, as you so aptly put it, cannot interact with the physical realm such as you could, however our control of the Force is nearly unbounded. Masters are far too well disciplined to succumb to simple Force persuade, but if one was to say that something was a good idea, they would not know the compulsion to go play Sabacc at the bar from the will of the Force. I got a couple friends to help me out, got you two onto Nanth'ri at just the right moment, than you handled the rest… simple."

I would have been insulted at that blatant manipulation, had I really had a choice, or if this was a really bad mess, as it was, I chose to pull a Jedi, calm myself down, and listen on.

"Now I don't want you to go gallivanting around the galaxy, knocking off future moffs and getting involved with Palpatine… If you were to terminate Tarkin for instance, Sidious would get another to take his place, and we would not have the advantage of foreknowledge. I give you creative freedom, just use discretion and make sure some good folk survive the coming years. Otherwise keep to your original plan, be as much of a pain in the ass as you can… Oh and no, Obi-Wan is not aware of his heritage, and I'd like it to stay that way, at least until he finishes with Anakin."

Strange request about Kenny, still, I sort of understand, when Obi-Wan's duty to Anakin is fulfilled, he can have the grand "I am your father" moment, no point him getting distracted now, especially not if he would stick his head up his ass about it. And finally some direction, just a few questions though, "Master Qui-Gon, so you don't want me to do anything about Obi-Wan? And why have you not told the Jedi about Sids as I already said?"

"The same reason you did not, the Jedi have to fight their own battles, figure out their own crime dramas. And as for Obi-Wan, he's a big boy, he can handle himself. I don't really have any directives for you besides what you were already planning. Now I sense you are awakening, May the Force Be with You, and good luck…."

With that I awoke, feeling more confident than the last time I outsmarted some folks back home. I had new determination, a new purpose: wreak havoc, addendum: discretely.

Coruscant Prime shone brightly when I got myself presentable and ventured out into the living space. A gentle, yet smog-ridden breeze wafted through the open – absent – window curiously mixing with that of a breakfast being cooked. Master Gallia was up, and looked much calmer than yesterday,

"Good morning Padawan, have you finished your spat with Qui-Gon?"

Wait whaaaat? Is the stern High Councillor actually joking? "You too Master, was I that loud?"

"Some of it was, like the part about him being a quote: 'Force-begotten foolish descendant of Rand!' That's something Mace hadn't come up yet…."

"What? No censure?"

A lough, followed by "For what? It's true…." I was having one quirky morning, Master seemed to go from typical stick-up-one's-rear Jedi to a jolly … I don't even have a name for it. I guess yesterday did a lot more good than what I intended.

"I'd say so," I haven't thought Adi Gallia could snort, "It is one thing to hear of problems, it is one thing to see a planet's population in general misery, but it's quite another to get a first-hand account, and the emotions associated with particular situations." Ah, that mind link, she felt what I did at school. Further discussion was interrupted by the apartment's comm,

"Sunrider / Gallia apartment, Padawan Nik here,"

"The Council requires your presence at o-nine hundred." Well, that Jedi had a really long stick up their rear, judging by the tone of voice, typical holier-than-thaw thing.

"Master Gallia, the Council wants to see us in ninety minutes!" I called from the comm station.

"Probably about the window," what an astute deduction, "And cut the 'Master Gallia' nonsense, it's 'Adi', 'Master Adi' got that?"

I had been in the Jedi Council chamber before – once before – and it hadn't yet lost its appeal to me. Master Windu's voice though, did. If indeed it ever held any. "Explain your actions Padawan!"

Seriously, and that guy preaches to us about emotions? "My actions Master Windu?" I was as curious as I was mocking, for with Mace you could never tell what you were being blamed for.

"Yes your actions. We all felt the Force disturbance emanating from your living quarters, and this morning, your window was found absent." And we trust that guy to lead the Order? He can't even tell who caused a Force-disturbance… Master Gallia – Master Adi – seems to agree with me. "We have also received reports of you using vulgar expressions after training sessions. Explain your actions Padawan, or are you unaware of the dangers of the Dark Side? Of course you aren't, you have been here less than a week, and seriously what possessed us to grant apprenticeship to a teenager?"

He should not have said that, he should not have, "You called those vulgar expressions? How about this: You no-good, Hutt-loving, Sith-facial-tendril-sucking, pathetic excuse for a living being who spends his days polishing his vacant head to a shine brighter than Coruscant Prime – hey that rhymes – A worthy descendant of Vrook Lamar's Force-forsaken echuta bastard of a tookata-spawn uncle …" I would continue, but I'm afraid that if any younglings read this, they would be scarred for life. Suffice it to say that my tirade lasted a good quarter of an hour and included profanities from every single language utterable by the human vocal organs. By its end, Mace was red with fury, Saesee Tiin was paler than Hoth and the others had similar expressions of horror. Yoda I was later told by a little bird, shoved his cane in his mouth to keep from laughing, and Master was laughing full on and trying to remain upright. "…And so it should be noted that this Abeloth's nephew, Ronto breathe, has absolutely no grounds upon which he can claim to be superior or to judge others by. Furthermore, being in a room with twelve Jedi Masters should be enough to silence any critics as to my emotional state," That should hurt, because funnily enough, my voice was level, I did not feel anger, in fact what I felt was amusement and excitement, like that before a battle. "Anyways, the apartment needed a draft, it was too stuffy. And as to what I said that day in the healers, to Mustafar with you. Any further questions?"

Ki Adi Mundi spoke up, "You have a lot of nerve addressing the Jedi Council in this manner…"

Oh I do, do I? "I see no problem, I have not violated a single rule in the Jedi Manual for Anal Followers of the Code (JMAFC) Look, I even brushed my hair for this momentous occasion!"

I was either gonna get myself kicked out of the Order, or I was going to drive them up the walls. Master Windu seemed to want the latter. "Not only do you damage Temple property, but you insult us to our very faces!"

And here came Master Gallia's part. Before that is related, it should be noted that Master and I planned this meeting out quite thoroughly. "Surely fellow Councillors, you do not believe that a mere Padawan could muster a disturbance capable of shattering a pane of transparisteel? It is far more likely that my – by your comments – wayward apprentice frustrated me to this length? And I do not see any insults, Nik was just explaining in detail what a proper insult sounded like…"

I heard the sound of jaws hitting the floor, and gasps, Plo Koon was the first to break the silence with a chuckle, "I see we have another fierce Master-Padawan team on our hands. Jinn and Kenobi, Kenobi and Skywalker, and now Gallia and Sunrider, what is the Force coming to?"

You got that right, Kel Dor! Though Mace was still grumpy, "And who is going to pay for the replacement of your window Master Gallia? And what disciplinary measures will be allocated to him?"

"You of course Master Windu, if you saved some money on your head polish than the Temple's budget would be in surplus…" I could not resist that opportunity, "And anyway, this point is moot, I know full well that even as we speak a requisition order was sent out and payed for…"

"No it wasn't Padawan!"

"Oh yess it wasss!" And so a serious meeting devolved into a kindergarten-like squabble. After about twenty repetitions, Master Adi decided to shut us up, possibly pitying the others.

"Stop it you two, you sound like two crèche lings! Though privately, my Padawan is right…" I could practically feel Master's evil grin, "And as for that punishment, I was thinking sending him flying with Anakin, I hear Obi-Wan says it's a uniquely disturbing experience." Her next smirk had two meanings, a "go and play with your pal" one to me, and a "See how evil I am" to the Council.

Windu ignored the last statement and began the "No it isn't!" game once more, until he was interrupted by Master Yoda, "Tired I am, by this rout. On a walk I wish to go, yes. Follow me, you two will…" He waved a clawed hand in our direction as he hobbled to the doors, "And your punishment, replace your window yourselves, you will." then came a most terrifying chortle, not even my best Yoda impression could have measured up to the wickedness of his original.

We walked in silence all the way to one of the outer mezzanines bordering the top of the Temple, but once there and out of earshot of any nearby Jedi, Yoda humffed out a not-so-subtle query, "Sense I did, the training bond… Sense I did, that communicate you can through it… puzzling this is, takes many years for a Master and their Padawan to forge such a link…."

I decided to voice my suspicions, for the little green guy was a Jedi Master for centuries and I was basing my opinions off people's imagination and my own guesswork. "I found that peculiar, Master Yoda. I might have a theory, which stems from something I wrote about on Earth. When writing a book about Jedi, I described a Force ability – which I classified as 'Force Syphon' – wherein the user forges mental bonds with other Force-Sensitives in order to obtain their knowledge and experiences. Of course I'm the Padawan here, and I'm sure…" here I put on my best Yoda voice "…that win the Job as the Grand Master of the Jedi, in a Sabacc game, you did not, hmmhmmhmmm…"

Only my experiences with mobility canes gave me the skills to leap aside from the gimer stick swipe aimed at my shins, and block the follow-up. Is it amusing to see a Council Master leaning against a wall, chuckling to herself while her Padawan is being chased by the Order's Grand Master, and using his saberstaff's hilt to parry the green goblin's blows? You decide, though I did not find it funny in the least.

When all the commotion died down, Master Yoda went back to being serious, "Think this, what made you?" So I replied that I was able to learn Force skills and katas at a rate that should not be realistic. The Master stared at me, at least I think he did, and then spoke again, "The Force, a mystical energy field, they call it. At times, agree I must. At others not so. This time, the former is true. Such an ability there is, yet taught it must be. Through the Force you came here, and the Force has granted you what you need to be a Jedi. Yet nearing my ninth century I am, and a Jedi with your character, never have I met. A herald this is, of strange things to come. The Force is shrouded in darkness, yet your future, no less important than that of the strongest among us, though not more. Your path you will follow, for here you are not of your will. Succeed where others will fail, yet fail where others will triumph. Always in motion, the future is. The currents of the Force, change they do, ebb and flow like a river, bubble like the Dagobah swamps, yes. Hope we must, that the Force is with us, yet our judgement maintain. Wise you are, in your impudence young one, wiser than many, yet more foolish than most. Come … come, stew I have, eat yes eat…" I shuddered inwardly, if all the stuff written in fics about Yoda's stew is true, I was in for a really bad day. And sometimes you think if nearly a millennia of Jedi life has driven the poor troll insane, there he went off, the swamp loony from Empire.

It wasn't that bad, Yoda's stew I mean, tasty in fact. After we got out of there – Yoda's quarters are really small, as in, the ceiling is like three feet and a bit, Master went off on her Councillor duties while she gave me free rein until fifteen hundred hours. I pulled my datapad and made my way to the archives, I always liked pictures of them, and I could not resist antagonising Master Nu if I had the chance to, but really I had business there.

Some of what people kept on telling me sank through, I was not required to upstage the Skywalkers and their heroics, and I was not mandated to single-handedly save their sorry shebs. I however, was in charge of making sure I could survive, and see if I could be a major pain in the backside to the evil bad guys. I was not about to start changing things like the Clone Wars, I might – crucial word 'might' – prevent the utter devastation to the Order, and I might attempt to stop Alderaan going boom, but that's pretty much it.

I was always considered a good chess player, with a grasp on tactics and sneakiness, and I had an evil plan forming. The seppies would attack the Republic in any case, so the clones were necessary, but I sure could use some loyal ones. But for that, I needed Bardan Jusik. The guy, younger than me by about a year, was featured alongside Omega Squad and was a clone sympathiser, and as Sithly as it sounds, I could use him. But first I needed to meet him, hence the Archives and the terminal.

I could have submitted a legitimate request into the database, but where would be the fun in that? And anyway I needed to practice. So with no hesitation, I sliced the network. And that's when Obi-Wan decided to pay a visit. Seriously that guy has terrible timing!

"Padawan Sunrider, I see you have discovered our – wait, how did you get the clearance for that?"

Life with moronic teachers and computers told me that the 'Alt-tab' route works only on the weak-minded, or utterly stupid. As a Jedi Knight was bound to be neither, I just thought I'd be cheeky, "Courtesy of a few slicing lessons, that's how… You see, I need to be prepared for any eventuality. For instance, my Master and I are on a hypothetical undercover mission where we cannot use our Jedi status to obtain information, how else to get it if not by slicing it? And what better place to start than the Jedi Temple mainframe, I hear it is meant to be the best in the business…."

Honestly I was expecting a Winduy comment akin to 'Padawan, slicing is against the Code, go and clean the freshers…' but instead I got a dry chuckle, "You better not become friends with Anakin then, or the Council will have one big headache…" and then more softly he added, "What's worse, is so will I."

"So, Kenobi, I see you have considered what I said the other day on the ship."

"That is correct, in fact that was what I wished to discuss," He actually wished to discuss it? Wow, I'm like 'Negotiator the Second' or something.

"By all means…" I waved him on, shamelessly continuing my perusal of the accommodation listings.

"I have meditated, as you recommended, on what you told me, and honestly I feel disturbed. Much of what you have said makes sense, however it goes against what the Order has taught us. I am divided between listening to what the Force is telling me, and trusting the wisdom of the many generations of Jedi Masters who have shaped the Order over the millennia."

Oh great, I should have known what I was getting myself into. Consequences and actions, Nik, remember that. "It happens, Master Kenobi. You would have figured out some of what I told you by yourself, but it would have been rather too late by that point. I assure you, my motives weren't all that noble, as I would rather live in an unknown galaxy with free rein than with people who eat, sleep and breathe Code and rules." Closing down the terminal, turned to face my interlocutor. "Have you ever seen non Jedi younglings on field trips for instance. Or have you infiltrated a school of some sort? Of course you have, well do you remember how they act? The instructor tells them not to do something, and they do exactly it. Many people are like that, it is sentient nature. Tell me, how many times has Anakin wished to go flying. Forget it, remember the garbage pit races? Remember what you tell him? Remember what effect your lectures have? It would have been far more effective if you would come with him, maybe tell him how to keep himself safe. There is more than one teaching method, and Anakin is not one of your Temple zombies with a Sabacc face and hardly any spark of life, let alone adventure."

"…A Jedi must put others before oneself. A Jedi is to have the fullest commitment, the most serious mind…"

I slapped myself, "Why aren't Jedi robots? They don't have emotions, and they do not have to fear the Dark Side? Live a little. Remember all those crazy things you did with Qui-Gon! Take the proverbial stick out of your not-so-proverbial ass! And above all, don't lecture me on Jedi this and Jedi that!" My patience was low that day, really low. I stood up and briskly walked off. I just could not stand the Jedi righteousness thing.

It was about two hours after my conversation with Kenobi that found myself balancing on a very small ledge outside the Jedi Temple, and holding up a pane of transparisteel while Master was figuring out a way to hold it in place. "Master Adi, do you think Yoda knew who caused that disturbance?"

"Of course he did. He knows everything! I half expect that he made us do this ourselves for that reason." Hard to argue with that, Ow! That hurt. Maybe we should just leave this window as it is….

Thanks for reading. It sure is interesting to write. I wonder, am I making this too easy for Nik?

Anyways, keep on reading, and May the Fiction Be With You!
Clean word count: 3,880 | Latest Version: 23/01/13 UTC -8