Guest : Very happy that you reviewed and I hope to keep you interested throughout this story.
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The exploration ship called Sun Seeker was refuelling at a space port a hundred miles away when the distress call came in. It and a several other ships heeded the call, landing in the clearing to give medical assistance to the survivors and assist where they could with food and blankets.
During the night the pilot of the Sun Seeker noticed Obi-Wan running back and forth to the water tank filling buckets up to give to the medics. He sensed a strong force connection in the boy, and although he appeared quite young, he was calm and focused on what he was doing.
The man smiled, taking interest as Obi-Wan worked tirelessly through the night not stopping to rest at all. By early morning the authorities and officials from the Agri-Corps were rounding up those survivors who hadn't been hurt or taken to hospital. They were taking names and those who had been identified were loaded onto a transport to be taken to a safe facility.
The pilot's curiosity peaked as the boy hung back and moved out of sight of the officials. He sensed an overwhelming sadness from the boy and he sensed that he didn't want to be an Agri-corps worker.
He moved quietly over and stood next to Obi-Wan. "Excuse me young man, could you help me?"
Obi-Wan nodded at the pilot. "Yes Sir, what can I do for you?"
"Now that the authorities have set up their own medical area, I need help to dismantle our equipment and take it back to the ship…I would appreciate your help."
"Yes Sir of course I'll help you," he said, sensing the man was force sensitive too and there was something about him that said, trust him.
He helped the crew members stow the equipment in the ship, and then the pilot handed him a sandwich. "Here, I'm sure your hungry, come and sit down and eat."
"Thank you." He said biting into the sandwich.
"You were of great assistance to the survivor's through the night young man, what's your name?"
"Obi-Wan, Obi-Wan Kenobi Sir."
"Your Force sensitive; why are you here on Thyferra?"
"I was assigned to the agri-corps by the Jedi council."
"You don't seem like you're happy with your assignment?" he inquired.
"I didn't have a choice."
"Ah, don't be so sure young man; we all have choices, let me introduce my self. My name is Cass Durron.
I am a retired Jedi Master."
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Obi-Wan's eyes opened wider with surprise. "Master Durron... you were a Jedi?"
"Yes and if I am not mistaken so are you?"
Obi-Wan shook his head. "No I'm not a Jedi; I wasn't good enough to be chosen!"
"And how did the council come to that assumption may I ask?"
"They had no choice, there wasn't a master available to train me and besides I was told that I was too angry and head strong and that I would likely turn to the dark side."
"Really!... I certainly don't sense that in you Obi-Wan, and I have always been a good judge of character.
I am appalled that they would even suggest that to you. No wonder I left the order." Durron said shaking his head.
"You left the order Master Durron?"
"Yes, although they would tell you that I retired. I was fed up with the creeping arrogance overtaking the Jedi. There was a time, when we were a noble race of people with a special gift, a gift to help people. The innocent and the weak depended on us, but that was a lifetime ago, before the republic became a self serving vindictive political arena."
"Oh, are you happy not being a Jedi?"
"I will always be a Jedi, even when I'm piloting this ship. Even when I joined the Sun Seeker I knew I would continue serving the republic and the people of the galaxy; like you were doing when you continued to bring water to help those people in the clearing."
"I didn't know what else to do, they were breathing in so much ash and it was in their eyes too."
He studied the boy for a moment seemingly coming to a decision. "Obi-Wan…I watched you out there; you didn't panic. Your talents are wasted in the Agri-corps, and I would like you to join me here on the Sun Seeker. You are intelligent, and stayed calm and focused on what you were doing. I sense you feel it too; that the force brought us together and it is beckoning me, to take you away from here."
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Obi-Wan felt his heart beat faster at the prospect of leaving this place. "They won't let me leave, just like that?" he said quietly.
"You have a great destiny in front of you; I know it and I'm certain the Force isn't ready for you to be a farmer."
"I always thought my destiny was with the Jedi, what else is there?" Obi-Wan said confusion about his future lacing his words.
"There are many ways to serve the Force, Obi-Wan. Being a Jedi is one way, but being true to yourself and the Force is another."
There was validity in the Masters words; he knew he would never be happy in the corps. This was an opportunity to find out what his destiny held for him.
"Staying here doesn't feel right."
"Then take a leap of faith and allow me to show you what is out there in this galaxy."
Obi-Wan's doubts fled; he did feel comfortable around Master Durron, and he felt the Force fill him with confidence.
"Thank you Master Durron I will, and I thank the force also."
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"Do you still want to be a Jedi?"
"I do, but no reject has ever returned from the Agri Corps as an apprentice."
"Obi-Wan you are not a reject, and do not put your self down like that again. I will train you; and I will teach you every thing I know. You will be my apprentice." he smiled.
He gazed at the old Master, he was very frail looking, and appeared to be very old. "Master…
Are you sure?"
Master Durron laughed. "I know what you're thinking and you're right, I haven't wielded a light sabre for many years, and my exercise consists of piloting this craft, and listening to the younger explorers discussing what planets to explore. Other than that I read, but I do keep up with the news about the Jedi order and having you as my apprentice will give me purpose and teaching you will be my privilege. So if you are willing to do all the work, I will teach you everything I can about being a Jedi."
"Oh yes Master I'm willing; I would be honoured."
"Did you study planetary and navigational subjects at the Temple?"
"Yes Master, I did and I continued to study in my spare time on Thyferra."
"Excellent, you can continue your studies and more, as we travel to all corners of the galaxy."
The Sun Seeker lifted off and Obi-Wan felt in awe of Master Durron's capabilities. He piloted the ship with ease and seemed to enjoy his vocation in life.
Gazing out into space, Obi-Wan felt an undeniable ache in his heart knowing that he was leaving his last connection to the Jedi order as Thyferra grew smaller as the ship sped through space.
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"Master, may I ask you something?"
Durron had a glint in his eyes sensing Obi-Wan's burning desire to understand why he thought he was worth training.
"You may ask me anything, padawan?"
"Well I know you said I was connected to the force, and that I stayed focused when the volcano erupted. But I was scared." He said gazing into Durron's eyes to find a reaction, but there was none.
"At the Temple if I showed as much fear as I felt on Thyferra, they would have said 'Fear leads to anger, and hate, and the dark side'. I...I was just wondering why you didn't say anything about my fear, and how did you know that I wasn't angry and hot tempered?"
Durron thought before he spoke. "Tell me Obi-Wan, were you happy being at the Temple?"
"Oh Yes Master, it was my home, I felt safe….well most of the time anyway."
"Most of the time?" Durron inquired.
"When I was younger I was so sure of my place, I felt confident that I was going to be a Jedi.
I wanted to be a good Jedi and help people. I felt like I had a destiny to be a part of making the galaxy a better place to live." He said.
"As I reached the age of choosing, I began to worry about the lack of masters and knights coming to the Temple to select apprentices. More and more of my friends were being assigned to other sections of the order like the medical corps and even the exploration Corps." He said.
"I began to have bad dreams, about failing to be chosen, and I guess it made me angry because I seemed to always end up fighting and being punished." Obi-Wan explained.
"Did you start the fights, Obi-Wan?"
"No, but there was this one boy and he was always picking on me."
"Do you know why?"
"One day I was running late for class and tripped over the step going in. I knocked him over. I didn't mean too and I apologised to him, but after that day he was determined to make my life miserable, and he succeeded." He thought about Bruck for a moment.
"He told lies and hurt anyone who got in his way, and yet he is an apprentice and I was sent away." he remarked sadly.
"Obi-Wan listening to your story I feel that it wasn't anger or fear of the dark side that made you worry." He said.
"Firstly I sense a great deal of desperate need in you, not anger but a need for the real you to be seen. You have lost confidence in your self and you're insecurities rule you. You doubt your own capabilities, and that leaves you vulnerable to attack."
Obi-Wan was confused. "Vulnerable to attack, I don't understand?"
"You call your self 'a reject,' and you don't accept praise without feeling doubt rise within you. You say you feel unworthy because you were scared. Of course you were scared, a volcano erupted and killed many people. You had every right to be frightened. Nevertheless my boy, you are worthy and together we will prove it."
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000
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Qui-Gon knew he'd made a monumental error in judgement taking Bruck as his apprentice. Although he wanted to blame everyone but himself; he knew it had been a decision that no one forced upon him.
Yoda, Mace Windu, Adi Gallia, and even his friend Tahl told him that his obstinacy had cost him his true destiny and he would regret his decision for the rest of his life.
As the months wore on he did regret it and now no matter how much discipline he metered out to his current padawan it was always the same.
Bruck cheated in his exams, lied to get his own way and continued bullying. Younger initiates complained about Bruck and no matter how much time Qui-Gon spent working with his padawan to show him the error of his ways, nothing seemed to get through to the young man.
He was at his wits end when he heard about the eruption on Thyferra, and he couldn't deny that he wanted to go there and find Obi-Wan. He hurried to the hanger, knowing that Yoda and a team of healers were heading there to help with the injured and search for survivors.
"Master Yoda, I must speak with you?" He said as he caught up to the small Master who continued on toward the ship.
"I heard about Obi-Wan Kenobi…is it true, that he was caught in the eruption on Thyferra?"
"Concern you his fate does not! Or perhaps want him to be dead do you?"
"No…No.. Master I don't want him to be dead. I made a mistake; I know I made the wrong choice. I should have listened to you. Please let me come with you?"
"An Apprentice you have Qui-Gon! Made your choice you did!" Yoda berated.
"Yes…..yes I know…. I am a fool… you were right Master. I was too stubborn to listen to the will of the force. I have tried everything with Bruck and I cannot seem to keep my patience with him. He is unruly; he picks on other padawan's and he is on detention constantly. I don't know what to do with him. Sometimes I think he didn't really want to be a Jedi he just didn't want Obi-Wan to be my apprentice."
"Too late now, to realise the truth it is Qui-Gon….Too late"…. Yoda shook his head and hobbled up the ramp turning at the top.
"Work harder with your apprentice you must, leave the past behind, you should. Find Obi-Wan alive I will, and bring him home to the temple!" Yoda declared.
"Do you have a Master in mind for him?"
"Obi-Wan Kenobi, my apprentice he will be, if the council do not agree with me taking an apprentice, step down from the council I will.!" Yoda stated emphatically as he disappeared into the ship.
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000
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When he arrived on Thyferra, Master Yoda felt grief and pain assault his senses from so much death and destruction. Stretching out he couldn't feel Obi-Wan's aura and yet spent every waking moment searching for him. The records and dormitories were burned and none of the survivors recalled seeing Obi-Wan after the eruption.
One of the section leaders remembered him, yet in all the commotion could not remember seeing him after the eruption, or the next day.
Days turned into a week and in the end Master Yoda returned to the temple saddened at the loss of one who should have been a Jedi.
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Tbc…