Rating: G
Disclaimer: The characters and venue of Star Wars belongs to Lucas Films Limited. I receive no profit from this story or its distribution.

At the end of the day after everyone else had gone, Mare slumped tiredly against one of the speeders. "I can't find anything that I would call sabotage--just shoddy repair jobs. That doesn't mean that there won't be failures from them--it just doesn't look as intentional as the circuit interrupter. And," Mare sighed deeply, "I haven't done the most in-depth investigation either. It would take days to really go over these vehicles completely. The interrupter was kind of obvious to find...so I guess I was counting on any other tampering to be not well hidden."

"I tend to agree with you. It doesn't appear that whoever did the other job tried to hide what they were doing. Do you know who specifically might be behind this?" Qui-Gon asked.

"Ha, it would be easier to answer who isn't. Every one of the men who work here--not just in the garage, but on the grounds of the governor's house, dislike Ros."

"I understand what you say about how unhappy they are, but why such strong dislike toward Ros himself?"

"Because he is the government of this colony, the representative of Baroon here--and that's really who they hate. Baroon has forgotten about us and won't let us come home." Mare locked eyes with the Jedi master. "If you really want to do something to help Ros, go to Baroon. Make them accountable for this colony. You'd not only help him, you'd help all of us." Looking away, defeat crept into his tone, "Anyway...it's not the governor personally...it's the office and what it represents. They'd hate anyone who sat in that office."

"Thank you very much for your help and the information. It has been most helpful...and a real education," Qui-Gon replied. "Now, I think maybe we'd better see you home. I don't have a warm feeling about some of your employees."

Mare waved dismissively, "I'm not worried about them. I'll be OK."

"I'd be happier if you would allow me this. I sense a lot of unrest. Besides there is our agreement."

Mare grinned, "Yeah, there is that."

Mare checked over the building and then locked up. "I don't live far away. I usually walk to work. It's easier than trying to procure a vehicle...or keep it from being stolen."

"It seems a nice night for a walk," Obi-Wan responded as he looked into the clear night sky shimmering with hundreds of sparkling diamonds.

"That's one nice thing about this place," Mare followed his gaze. "Not much light. You can see every star in the sky." He pointed at a larger spot of light. "There's Baroon," he said wistfully. "I'd give anything to go home."

Qui-Gon held up his pace to match that of Mace who had slowed down when he spotted his home planet. "But you are going home. Our agreement, remember?"

"Yeah," Mare forced a smile. "I keep forgetting about that."

"I assure you, I will not leave you here. I will not leave you in a place where you may be in danger," Qui-Gon emphasized. "Now, let's get you home."

They continued down the street and turned the corner. Suddenly a rock hit the building just inches from Mare's head. Qui-Gon grabbed him and pressed him toward the ground. "Did you see where it came from, Obi-Wan?"

"No, Master. But I think there's someone over there."

Qui-Gon followed the apprentice's pointing finger and reached out with his senses. As if in confirmation, another chunk of stone came rocketing out of the dark recess Obi-Wan had been pointing toward. Then a figure sprang out and charged down the street.

"I'll go, Master." Obi-Wan yelled over his shoulder as he began the pursuit.

"Be mindful, Padawan," Qui-Gon yelled after him as he helped Mare to his feet. "Come let's find some place safe for you. I need to accompany him."

Obi-Wan could hear the clatter of footsteps on the street to guide him. He kept a watch while he ran, though. He had a bad feeling and he wasn't so sure his target was alone. They were quickly coming to the edge of the small colony. The apprentice doubled his effort, hoping to catch the runner before he entered a tree- covered area beyond the settlement.

Just as Obi-Wan passed the last building a voice called out, "Well, well...you weren't afraid to come alone."

The apprentice froze in his tracks. That voice--familiar but no, it wasn't the same; it was different. But it sounded like...

"Imagine meeting you here, Oafy-Wan."

Now there was no mistaking that hated nickname. Obi-Wan turned and there leaning against the building...Bruck!

Suddenly the apprentice was 12...almost 13 again...at the Jedi temple. His tormentor in those days was a fellow student, Bruck Chun. Obi-Wan's birthday was quickly approaching and if didn't get selected as padawan by a knight before then he would be sent to the agri-corps. Bruck was in the same situation...his birthday shortly after Obi-Wan's. Bruck constantly harassed Obi-Wan about becoming a farmer instead of a padawan. The two were constantly paired in light saber practice and Bruck always attacked with the ferocity of his anger, while Obi-Wan had tried to keep his in check...not always succeeding. He was also the source of the nickname Oafy-Wan as he ragged Obi-Wan about his presumed clumsiness on the training floor.

Bruck also was responsible for Obi-Wan almost being dismissed from the Jedi temple short of his birthday. After Yoda had supervised saber training for the two a day before Qui-Gon was to visit the temple, supposedly looking for a padawan, Bruck had taunted Obi-Wan enough to draw him into another session...unsupervised. The two had fought to the point of exhaustion and both had sustained minor injuries and burns. However, the tormentor had taken advantage of the fact that there were no witnesses to the sparring match and had gone to the healers, feigning greater injuries that he actually had. Bruck had told the medics that Obi-Wan was responsible and the next day Obi-Wan was notified he was being sent to Bandomeer instead of being allowed to fight for Qui-Gon because of his behavior. Luckily for Obi-Wan a training droid had seen the fight and informed the Jedi council that Bruck had started it.

The apprentice had long put Bruck out of his mind. He stood and stared for a moment as if he had seen a ghost, for in fact that was what Bruck had become to him--just an image of a nightmare that had faded with time.

"What's the matter, Oafy-Wan? Don't you remember me? I remember you. I remember you well." Bruck stalked slowly toward the padawan as his eyes burned with anger. "I remember how you cheated me out of my chance to become a padawan."

"That wasn't my fault, Bruck," Obi-Wan replied smoothly. "That was your fault. You never were able to control your anger. You couldn't have become a padawan. You made the choices that led to what you became."

Bruck was now close enough for Obi-Wan to see his face. It was the same face he remembered...older, of course...but the same features, the same angry eyes that glared at the world. The apprentice knew his former tormentor was his same age, but his face was chiseled with lines at the corners of his eyes and about his mouth.

"Surprised?" Bruck asked as he circled the padawan. "I knew you would be. Most people don't know how old I am and they think I lie about my age. But you know how old I am, don't you. I've had a hard life since I left the temple. A hard one. All because of you." Bruck came to a halt directly in front of Obi-Wan. He looked up and down at the Jedi outfit. "You think you're so great now, don't you? Padawan to the almighty Qui-Gon Jinn...a place I was entitled to." Backing away a few steps he chuckled. "So, someone found the little 'repair job' I did on your speeder, eh? Well, I knew it was a risk...but one I was willing to take." Suddenly his tone softened and he almost sounded friendly. "I couldn't believe it that day you came walking into the garage a couple weeks ago. My old friend, Oafy-Wan, here in the colony. What would pull us together again after all these years? The Force? Yes, you would say that, wouldn't you? The will of the Force Master Qui-Gon would say," Bruck made a mock bow.

"You see, I'm one of the mechanics in speeder maintenance. It took all of two or three minutes to clip that wire and insert that circuit interrupter. And then it was so easy to guide the stupid bureaucrat to that particular speeder. All I had to say was that the others were being repaired. He was even a bigger fool than you," Bruck laughed as he walked back and forth in front of the padawan. Obi-Wan didn't interrupt. He wanted to know, for his own peace of mind if nothing else, what had happened to that speeder. He simply let the former bully rant and rave about his imagined genius.

"And when you and Qui-Gon showed up here to try to piece together what happened, I found out. Nothing is secret in this hole in an asteroid. I knew that I had succeeded in hurting you. Too bad Master was able to find you and help you remember. Too bad indeed. I rather fancy the idea of you wandering in the heat, banged up and not remembering who you are. I wonder how far you would have gotten on your own," Bruck rubbed his chin as he stole a glance at the apprentice. "I guess we'll never know now, will we? But enough reminiscing. It's been fun strolling down memory lane with you...but that's not what I lured you out here for."

"What did you lure me out here for then?" Obi-Wan questioned calmly.

"For the same thing I hoped to accomplish with the speeder crash." Bruck shook his head. "Those speeders have always been unreliable. I should have expected it to perform no better for me." Bruck came to a standstill just in front of Obi-Wan and the hate returned to his dark eyes. "You took what was rightfully mine. I should have been a padawan. I'm living in this hellhole instead...all because of you. You will pay." In a swift smooth move Bruck drew a light saber and ignited it. The blade glowed bright red. "Yes, I kept my light saber when I left the temple. What did I turn in? A useless handle. I doubt those trusting fools ever even checked to see if it was a working light saber. But now...no more of those low power sparring matches like Master Yoda used to oversee. Now it's the real thing." Bruck lunged at Obi-Wan.

The apprentice executed a summersault over Bruck's head, simultaneously withdrawing and igniting his own light saber. He came down in a defensive stance.

"Oh, very good Oafy-Wan. Not bad for such a klutz. What else can you do?" Bruck lunged again. Obi-Wan blocked the blow easily and side stepped. Bruck turned and attacked again instantly. Again the blow was easily deflected. It began to dawn on Obi-Wan. He hasn't fought a light saber duel since we sparred at the temple. He is still fighting at the skill level he had then.

Suddenly a tall figure stepped into the small area of light where the combatants were. "What's going on here?" Qui-Gon asked, clearly surprised to see someone else wielding a light saber.

"Oh, Master Qui-Gon Jinn," Bruck executed an exaggerated bow. "I should have known you would have to come rescue Oafy-Wan. He can't take care of himself--he never could."

The nickname registered in Qui-Gon's mind and he remembered the stories his apprentice had told him about his encounters with Bruck at the temple. And the light dawned for him too. "Bruck. Are you the one who put that circuit interrupter in the speeder?"

"Brilliant, Master," Bruck said sarcastically. "You really are as smart as everyone says. If you are so smart, why did you pick such a dunce for a padawan?"

"Come on," Qui-Gon replied. "This is over. Let's go back and..."

"No!" Bruck exclaimed. "I should have been your padawan. Thanks to both of you--look at this miserable life I live. You'll both pay." He dove toward Qui-Gon who easily sidestepped his charge. Then Bruck turned again on Obi-Wan and began hacking at him with the saber...just hammering away again and again. All Obi-Wan had to do was hold his light saber up to block the repetitive blows.

"Come on, Bruck. You haven't trained in years. You can't win. Just give it up," Obi-Wan said calmly.

"No! No! You won't win against me again. I won't let you!" Bruck turned and ran toward the trees. Obi-Wan started to give chase, but Qui-Gon grasped his arm. "Let him go, Padawan."

"But, Master..."

"I know, Obi-Wan. He's guilty of a crime. But chasing after a crazed, armed man in a dark forest is not a smart thing to do. He can't go far. It's too far to the next colony. He'll have to come back. We'll look for him in the day light."

"But the Force will guide us in the dark."

"Yes, it can, Padawan...but will it guide you in the darkness of your soul? You still have strong feelings about Bruck. You have to let that go. We'll go after him when we can do it with clear heads and hearts. Let it go for right now." Obi-Wan had to admit Master Qui-Gon was right. He thought he had been over Bruck's torment...but he realized some bitterness still burned in his soul. He had to come to terms with that. The apprentice allowed himself to be led back to their quarters for the night.

******