"Sith!" Obi-Wan screeched as the shock struck his arm. He mumbled a few curses under his breath as he swung madly, trying to connect with the round attacker training hoverdroid.
"Patience, Padawan," Qui-Gon said. "Reach out with the Force -- sense its position --"
"I can't do it!" Obi-Wan deactivated his sabre and sank to his knees. "I'm so tired...take me back to my chambres..."
"No," Qui-Gon said flatly. He deactivated the droid and knelt beside Obi-Wan. When he touched Obi-Wan's shoulder, the blind man started violently. "Easy, Padawan -- what's wrong? You're in.. .turmoil... and it's blocking your skills."
"N-Nothing's wrong," Obi-Wan sighed. He lowered his head and thought, Except that I'm blind. Why doesn't he leave me and take a Padawan that will make him proud? Why won't he take the kind of Padawan that he deserves?
"Because the things I saw in you then, I see now."
Obi-Wan looked up. "What things?"
"Your skill as a swordsman was far above anyone in your age. Only Arel was more competent with the sabre."
Obi-Wan sighed. "Yes, Arel was better than me in everything ..."
"Yes, I know." Qui-Gon sighed. He shook his head. "'I'm top of my studies, best with a sabre, quickest with the answers. Master Jinn is the best, just like me.'" He shook his head again. "If I've not heard that a thousand times already from a myriad of different would-be Padawans..."
Obi-Wan grinned and breathed a comforted breath.
Qui-Gon went on, "Most of the time, the training and testing weeds the pride right out of the candidates. Those whom it does not, usually they are purged because they are of the Dark Side."
"But Arel wasn't purged. Why?" Obi-Wan asked.
Qui-Gon sighed. He wished to change the subject, but he realised that his Padawan deserved to know. "The Council put her through another round of tests to determine if she was of the Dark Side. As it turns out, she wasn't."
Obi-Wan blinked. "But... she's prideful, isn't she? Didn't her attack on me prove it?"
"Her pride is just a facade. Inside her, there is much hurt and deep sadness. A kind of humility, if you will. She is a deeply troubled young woman, but she is of the Light. My hope is that Master Yoda can help her."
Silence fell for a moment. "Oh. I just thought she acted the way she did because she had a crush on you." Obi-Wan grinned teasingly.
Qui-Gon shot an exasperated look at his Padawan and sighed. "Am I the only one in the entire temple that didn't feel that?"
Obi-Wan's grin widened. "I think there maybe a galley boy down in the kitchen...."
The tension broken, they laughed together.
Qui-Gon then sensed something coming from Obi-Wan: relief. Ever so slight, but there. Normally, Qui-Gon would have overlooked this as having nothing to do with Obi-wan's Force training, because a Jedi is supposed to let go of his feelings so they don't hinder him in combat.
However, after his meeting with the Council, Qui-Gon Jinn -- the best swordsman in all of the Jedi -- had realised that he had forgotten about the rest of the Force when not in combat.
So, he played a hunch.
Quickly, he picked up his lightsabre. Activating the round droid, he said, "Here! Catch!"
Obi-Wan reflexively reached out and grabbed his sabre. Sensing the beam coming, he parried his sabre to quickly reflect it.
Qui-Gon smiled and turned off the droid.
Obi-Wan froze. His eyes wide, he stammered, "Where... how..."
"I sensed a wall of doubt crumble in you," Qui-Gon said, laying a gentle hand on the blind young man's shoulder. Speaking as a friend, he added, "Don't put it back."
Then Qui-Gon turned from friend to Master and reactivated the droid. "Now, Obi-Wan, continue."
Obi-Wan nodded. For the first time since losing his sight, he consciously reached out and was able to parry all but one of the droid's blows.
Qui-Gon sensed emotional walls begin to crumble as well, and allowed himself to smile.
Thousands of light years away, Yoda allowed Arel some time to be alone and to gather her emotions from a somewhat productive training session. He decided to sit and meditate, to gather his wits as well.
Reaching out, he felt what was happening at the Temple, both from Qui-Gon and his Padawan. Giving a small, satisfied grunt, Yoda smiled ever so slightly.
Time passed. The training was intensified, now that Obi-Wan knew he could do what his master expected of him. He was eager to test his limits, to see exactly what he could and could not do. As it turned out, there was very, very little he could not do, with the Force helping him! The only true limitation his blindness imposed upon him was that he could not read.
Qui-Gon found himself evolving as well. He made a concerted effort not to always search for the logic in things -- but to go with his heart. To his astonishment, he found Obi-Wan responding better when he included his feelings!
Qui-Gon walked to his Padawan's quarters and closed his eyes. A moment later, he heard the swish of the door opening.
Obi-Wan stood there, dressed and smiling. "Master," he said by way of greeting.
"Excellent!" Qui-Gon smiled. "You are learning to tell identities by Force signature."
"No," the boy laughed. "You're the only one who would come here at such an early hour."
Not quite certain what to make of that, Qui-Gon blinked, startled. Then he cleared his throat. "The reason I am here so early this morning is that we have been summonded by the Council."
The smile fled from Obi-Wan's face. "Let me get my boots,"he said, turning and walking back into his quarters.
Qui-Gon waited at the doorway until the boy reappeared. "I am ready," he said, moving away from the door and letting it close.
The pair walked toward the Council chambres till Qui-Gon took Obi-Wan's arm. "We turn here," he told him.
Sightless eyes blinked in shock. "But the way to the chambres is not this way!"
"Yes... but we were ordered by the Council to meet in the Temple's Antechambre."
Obi-Wan gulped. The Antechambre was a large, cavernous hallway that could potentially hold 3 or 4 thousand people. "Why, Master?"
"That, they would not tell me," Qui-Gon replied with a hint of puzzlement. "They only said to meet them there."
Obi-Wan mused, "That's unusual."
"Very."
"I dont know why, but I'm... uneasy about this, Master."
"As am I, Padawan." He squeezed the blind young man's shoulder. "As am I."
They arrived, to find the entire council save Yoda assembled on overlooks, watching them. Qui-Gon whispered what he saw to his Padawan, who let out a low whistle. "Wonder what this is all about?"
"We have arrived," Qui-Gon said. "What do you wish of us?"
Windu stood. "Jinn. Kenobi. We have watched your training for these last few weeks. It is the wish of the Council that you demonstrate what Kenobi has learned."
"With all due respect, by what means can this be done?" Obi-Wan asked.
Windu nodded and the blue Jedi stood. A light flared, illuminating two practice lightsabres on a raised platform about ten feet in front of the pair. "You will spar," Windu said. "And we will monitor it."
Qui-Gon stepped forward. "But Masters, the boy is not yet ready! He --"
A smaller hand landed on his arm. "Master," Obi-Wan said softly, "I am as ready as you can make me. If we must spar...." He reached in front of him. A practice sabre quivered and flew into his hand. "Then let us spar."
"Are you certain, Padawan?" Qui-Gon matched his soft tone.
The auburn head nodded and the hand never moved. Looking into his sightless eyes as if he could read his feelings there, Qui-Gon sighed. He raised his hand and the other sabre flew into his hand.
Obi-Wan's fingers closed around the sabre. He moved around Qui-Gon and walked fifteen steps away. Then he turned and faced where he had left his Master. "Ready, Master?"
He heard the distinct sound of a low-powered lightsabre powering up. "Ready, Padawan. Yourself?"
Obi-Wan activated his own sabre. "Ready."
"Begin," Windu called.
Neither Master nor Padawan spoke. Parry and thrust, quarter neither given nor asked for. Attacks were countered and launched from both sides. On and on and on the spar went, their strides taking them the entire length of the hall and back. The only sound in the hall was the hum and crash of sabres and the occasional grunt of strain from one or the other of the fighters.
Finally, like all battles, it ended. Exhausted, Obi-Wan stumbled. Instantly Qui-Gon lay the training sabre a few centimetres above his shoulder. "It ... is over," he said, his voice reflecting his tiredness.
Windu stood up. "So it is. And his defeat was not from lack of skill, nor from any error resulting from his blindness."
The blue Jedi stood as well. "You have taught him well, Jinn. Very well. He may remain as your padawan."
"What?" both gasped as Qui-Gon helped Obi-Wan to his feet.
Windu leaned forward. "My apologies, Jinn. We had to keep you in the.. *ahem*... 'dark' about this so that your emotions would not bleed to your Padawan."
"About...what?" Qui-Gon demanded.
"These last few weeks... all of it was a test. To see whether or not a blind man could still be considered Jedi. You have both passed. What you are teaching Obi-Wan will be documented and used in future trainings."
Obi-Wan grinned. "You mean...I can stay?"
"Yes, Kenobi," Windu finished with a smile. "You can stay."
So that's it, Qui-Gon thought. He needs to know he's accepted...how can I show him in a way he'll understand.... Then he nodded. What I did when he became my Padawan....to do it in front of witnesses... "Come to me, Padawan," he instructed. Obi-Wan did, only stopping when he felt Qui-Gon's large hand on his shoulder. "Undo your braid," Qui-Gon ordered.
Frowning deeply, Obi-Wan obeyed. I don't understand....he was told I could stay...why must I ---
Qui-Gon took the hairs in his hand and deftly rebraided it, tighter than ever. "This is Obi-Wan Kenobi," he declared before the Council. "This is the one I take for my Padawan. I will have no other." And the braid was finished.
The bond was reaffirmed.
"No other," Qui-Gon finished, laying his large hand on Obi-Wan's slim shoulder.
The young man looked up at Qui-Gon, smiling his acceptance and gratitude.
And at that moment it hit Qui-Gon like a runaway speeder. ".....you... can see!"
"I...." Obi-Wan blinked, then his eyes focussed a little more. "I can! I can see shapes...and light!"
Windu called for a healer as Qui-Gon caught Obi-Wan up into a massive hug, which the Padawan returned enthusiastically.
Windu blew the air out of his cheeks and did his best to glare at the holo-suite. "You, Master, can be damned infuriating at times."
"Infuriating, am I?" Yoda huffed, but he was smiling. "Good.... good. Learn something perhaps you shall."
Windu chuckled. "It does become aggravating, though -- I call to give you the news of the test, of Kenobi regaining his sight, and all you can say is 'know it, I do'... Master, is there anything you don't know?"
His ears drooped slightly, as did his eyes. "Mmm..... yes." He turned to see Arel using a stick to sadly poke at the water. "The heart and mind of a female.... I understand not."
"How are things going, Master?"
"Slow," he grunted as he sat down. "Get through to her I cannot. Her wildness I have managed to calm...Reach her emotions I cannot seem to. Very frustrating, it is. Very frustrating indeed."
"I've never had a female padawan, Master. I have no advice for you."
His eyes widened, then closed. "Windu, message pass to Jinn. Luck to both I wish."
"Understood." And the channel was cut.
Yoda sat and sighed, meditating hard. He rose and moved across the swamp toward Arel. "Word from the Temple, I have."
She didn't look up. "Oh?"
"Regained his sight, Kenobi has."
"I'm glad," she said in a flat monotone.
Yoda grunted as he sat beside her. "Glad? Glad sound you not."
She lay the stick down and curled further into herself. "....I didn't mean to hurt him....I just wanted to be Jinn's padawan so badly...."
The green head nodded and a softer grunt came from him. "Know this, do I. Know of your feelings for him do I."
Arel winced and seemed to further withdraw.
"Arel." The clawed hand rested lightly but firmly on her shoulder. "Jinn's Padawan Kenobi is. Choose their masters padawans cannot. Going against the way of things, you were. Tried to impose your will upon the Force, did you."
"I know, Master. And I failed."
"Fail at that, we all do." He settled back and turned away from her slightly. "Failed at that, even I have."
"You, Master?" She was shocked.
"Mmm." He nodded, then turned back to face her. "Think me perfect, do you? Young once, I was. Headstrong I was."
"Headstrong you still are," she said gently.
His eyes widened and his ears shot straight back, then they came forward as his eyes closed nearly all the way and he began to laugh. He laughed so hard he ended up on his back. Arel just goggled.
When he had some measure of control, he sat up again. "...Cheeky you are!" he said, pointing his stick at her. He chuckled and wiped his eyes. Then he took a couple of deep breaths and sighed, serious again. "Why so important to be Jinn's padawan, Arel?"
"Because I was the top in the class in everything. I ... I didn't fail in anything! And neither did he, so I figured we would be the unbeatable team!" She sighed and curled her knees to her chest, wrapping her arms around them and resting her chin on her knees. "But all I turned out to be was a failure."
Yoda studied her closely. He reached out to her with the Force. Suddenly realisation shot across his face as the final piece of the puzzle that was Arel clicked into place. "Perfection you seek," he said in a near-whisper. "When perfection achieve you not, failure you see....." He nodded slowly. "Yes.... yes! Understand I do!"
She turned to face him. "Well then...could you please explain it to me?"
He nodded again. "Knew this about you already, did I. The motive behind it, knew I not. Arrogance, assumed I. Pride, assumed I." Yoda edged closer. "None of these, it is. Loneliness, it is. Desire to be accepted, it is. Desire to be loved, it is." He gave an amused chuckle. "Much alike, you and Kenobi. Much alike." He pointed a claw at her. "Difference is this -- his own merits, Kenobi seeks. Best he can be, he seeks. Perfection, you seek. Love and perfection to you be the same. Wrong, you are. Very wrong."
Arel hung her head. "Am I?" she asked. "You don't understand. You can't understand. You've never made a mistake!"
A sharp bark of amusement escaped the Jedi Master. "Think so, do you? Listen not, have you been!" He shook his head and moved even closer, laying his clawed hands on her shoulders and forcing her to look at him. "Motive that drives you, wrong I was about. Mistake, that is."
"Your first, then."
Now he openly laughed. "My first.... my first! Child.... latest of many it is! Mistakes I have made aplenty!"
She blinked in naked surprise. ".....what?"
"Young I was once. Yes... young and impulsive. Many, many padawans have I trained. Many have I seen fall. Many have I seen leave the order." He sighed and lowered his eyes, releasing her. "Many have I outlived." He looked at her again. "Many things am I, child. Perfect .... I am not. Perfect no living thing is." He raised his stick and poked her shoulder lightly with it. "Perfect you will never be. To seek it, depression will you find. Nothing else."
Silence fell as they sat there, each alone with their own thoughts.
At long last, Arel asked softly, "Master Yoda?"
"Yes, Arel?"
"I.... I need to return to Coruscant."
"Hmmm?"
"I need to return to Coruscant." She took a deep breath. "I... I need to make things right with Obi-Wan."
"Mmmm." He nodded. "Ready are you indeed. Made you ready as I can, have I." He stood with a grunt. "Very well. Contact the transport, will I."
Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan stood side by side, watching the transport touch down. After a long few moments, the ramp descended. Yoda came down, grumbling as usual. This made both of them smile slightly.
Arel came down behind him, slowly. Her eyes locked on Obi-Wan's now-sighted ones, and she chewed on her lower lip. Spreading her hands to show she was unarmed, she moved toward him. "O...Obi-Wan."
"Arel," he said in acknowledgement. There was no emotion in his voice or his face.... or his eyes. He seemed completely closed off.
Opening her heart and mind, Arel sent waves of remorse -- sincerely felt -- toward Obi-Wan. "Words cannot say how sorry I am, Obi-Wan. What I did to you.... the reasons I did it....."
He interrupted her by holding up a hand. "Arel, we are not enemies."
Relief flooded over her and she visibly relaxed. "Thank the Force... Obi-Wan, listen ---"
"No," he said, interrupting her again. "This time you listen. Well."
Her jaw shut with an audible snap and she nodded slowly, her eyes wide.
"We are not enemies, Arel," he said slowly and carefully. "This is my forgiveness to you. However!" He held up a hand again to block the flow of words that threatened to come from her opened mouth. "However... after what has happened ---- no longer are we friends, either."
With that, the young man turned on his heel and left the transport area.
Arel sighed and lowered her head. It was no less than she deserved, and everyone there knew it. "I accept this, Obi-Wan," she whispered. ".....I have no choice in the matter."
Years passed.
In a small bar in a small town on a small planet on the outskirts of the Frederation, Obi-Wan sat staring at his drink. He let his mind wander where it would, and it inevitably wandered to the past and to the future.
He looked around the dingy bar and sipped his drink. The future... his future... was here. On this isolated dirtball of a planet far from the centre of nowhere. He didn't understand why, but he knew it to be true.
A vibration in the Force caught his attention. He looked up to see a tall woman walk into the bar. She ordered something obscenely healthy and turned....looking right at him.
Arel.
Much had happened since the two last spoke. The Federation, the death of his mentor and... his too-recent failure with the man the Skywalker boy had become.
She walked over to his table. "Is this taken?"
"Yes," he said, smiling at her. "By you."
She laughed and sat down. "It's been a very long time, Obi-Wan."
He nodded, sipping his drink. "Yes. It has."
"Long enough time to bury the past?"
"The past is always with us, Arel. It is the one thing in our lives that cannot be changed."
She nodded. "And the regrets never fully go."
"Why are you here, Arel?"
Arel sighed. "I wanted to make things right between us, Obi-Wan. The silence has stretched too long."
"I agree. At the time, it suited the situation."
She nodded in agreement. "But the situation was resolved long ago," she finished. "And now that you are without Anakin ---"
The look he shot her was plain. "I do not wish to discuss that."
"Obi-Wan..."
"It's a closed subject, Arel."
Arel sighed and sipped her drink. "I have a question for you."
"Ask it, then."
She met his clear blue eyes, and a pang went through her as she remembered how they had stared when she had taken the light from them. ".....am I still not your friend?"
Obi-Wan did not answer for a very long time. He nursed his drink and considered long and hard. Finally he looked at her. "Arel.... To relive that horrible time would be pointless. It happened. It is over. Let's move on."
More silence. Finally, Arel asked, "Tell me about Master Jinn.... what was it like to be his Padawan?"
That question broke the ice. They exchanged stories for the better part of three hours. He told her of beginning his training under Qui-Gon and finishing it under Yoda -- which brought a fond smile to her face as she remembered the little being's Masterhood of her. In exchange, she told him of her isolation on Dagobah, and of how she continued as Yoda's ersatz Padawan on Coruscant until Master B'Raya had formally Chosen her.
At the close of this exchange of stories, Arel realised her drink was quite gone. She smiled and asked, "Obi-Wan....one final question. Why this forsaken planet?"
Obi-Wan drained his glass and answered with a smile. "The forsaken planet is outside the main Federation space lanes. Here can be found an intriguing bunch of people -- the indigenous species are immune to the Force."
"Makes you practice your people skills, doesn't it?" Arel teased lightly.
He laughed and squeezed her hand. "And besides all of that, I feel here is where I need to be."
Arel shook her head. "I'll never fully understand you, Obi-Wan. But, if you feel your Destiny lies here... I wish the best for you." With that, she stood to leave.
"Arel?" He stood as well.
Wordlessly, she turned back to face him.
"Would you.... care to remain with me?"
Her smile was sad. "My Destiny lies elsewhere, Obi-Wan. I am glad we are friends once more.... that was the only regret in my life, and I am grateful that it is now in the past."
"Where it belongs," he finished, giving her a quick hug. "May the Force go with you, Arel."
"And with you, Obi-Wan." She broke the embrace and smiled tenderly at him. As she lay the credits for her drink -- and his --- on the table, she chuckled and turned to him one last time. "Tatooine ---what a name for a planet!"