you must.”
Obi-Wan bowed to Yoda, accepting the order. He knew that Yoda was fully aware of his fatigue. Although he wished that the Master would grant him reprieve, he accepted the wisdom of all of Yoda’s decisions. Great and small.
Obi-Wan tightened his blindfold. He pushed away his fatigue, willed his muscles to obey. He tried to forget that he was fighting Bruck, or that his chance to become a Jedi Knight was almost past. He concentrated instead on the image of the image of the Togorian pirate, it’s orange-striped fur covered by black armor.
Obi-Wan could sense the Force flowing around him, within him. He could feel the living Force in Bruck, the dark ripples caused by Bruck’s anger. His impulse was to match that anger with his own. He had to resist it.
Obi-Wan assumed a defensive stance as Bruck lunged. He let the Force guide him as it had done earlier. He blocked the next blow easily. Then he jumped high to avoid another blow and landed behind a pillar. Lightsabers smashed together, sputtered and burned, then whisked apart. The air felt thicker, clogged with the energy of the battle.
For long minutes, the two students fought as if in a graceful dance. Obi-Wan leaped away from every attack and blocked every jarring blow. He did not try to hit Bruck.
Let him see that I’m not clumsy, Obi-Wan thought bitterly. Let him see that I’m not stupid. Let him see it over and over again.
Sweat began to drench Obi-Wan’s clothes. His muscles burned. He could hardly breathe fast enough to get the air needed. But as long as he did not attack in anger, the Force remained strong with him. He tried no to think about the fight. He lost himself in the dance, and soon he felt so weary, he did not think at all.
Bruck fought slower and slower. Soon, Obi-Wan did not even need to leap away from Bruck’s weary attacks. He merely blocked them, until finally Bruck gave up.
“Good, Obi-Wan,” Yoda called. “Learning you are.”
Obi-Wan switched off his lightsaber and hung it on his belt. He used the blindfold to wipe the sweat from his face. Next to him, Bruck was doubled over, panting. He did not look at Obi-Wan.
“You see,” Yoda said. “To defeat an enemy, you do not have to kill. Defeat the rage that burns in him, and he is your enemy no longer. Rage the true enemy is.”
Obi-Wan understood what Yoda meant. But Bruck’s glazed glare told Obi-Wan that he had not defeated his opponent’s anger. Nor had he won the boy’s respect.
The two boys turned to Yoda and bowed solemnly. A vision of his friend Bant rose in Obi-Wan’s head. One of the best things about beating Bruck would be telling her about it.
“Enough for one day,” Yoda said. “Tomorrow, a Jedi Knight comes to the Temple seeking a Padawan. Ready for him you must be.”
Obi-Wan tried to hide his surprise. Usually when a Knight came to the Temple in search of a Padawan, rumors beat the arrival by days. That way, is a student wanted to earn the honor of becoming the Knight’s Padawan, he or she could prepare mentally and physically.
“Who?” Obi-Wan asked, heart racing. “Who’s coming?”
“Seen him before, you have,” Yoda said. “Master Qui-Gon Jinn.”
Obi-Wan’s hopes rose. Qui-Gon Jinn was a powerful Knight, one of the best. He had been to the Temple before to look at apprentices. Each time, he’d left without taking a new Padawan.
Obi-Wan had heard rumors that Qui-Gon had lost his last apprentice in a tremendous battle, and had vowed never to take another. He came to the Temple very year only because the Council of Masters asked him to. He would spend a few hours watching the pupils, studying them as if looking for something no one else could see. Then he would leave, empty-handed, to fight the darkness alone.
Obi-Wan felt his hopes dim. Qui-Gon gad rejected so many students. What made him think that he would be able to please him?
“He won’t want me,” Obi-Wan said in defeat. “He’s seen me fight before, and he did not chose me then. No one will.”
Yoda squinted up at Obi-Wan with wise eyes. “Hummmph! Always in motion the future is. One cannot be sure, but I have sensed… a kinder destiny for you.”
Something in Yoda’s tone made Obi-Wan wonder. “Will he choose me?” he asked.
“On Qui-Gon that depends — and you,” Yoda said. “Come back tomorrow and fight for him with the Force as your ally. Perhaps accept you he will.” Yoda put a comforting hand on his arm. “either way, it matters not. Leave the Temple soon you shall. But tell you I must, to lose such an apt pupil, I am sorry.”
Startled and pleased, Obi-Wan looked at Yoda. The Master’s eyes glowed as he blinked at Obi-Wan. A compliment from Yoda was as rare as an expression of regret. That was what made his opinion so highly prized. At that moment, Obi-Wan felt that even if he didn’t become a Knight, he had earned Yoda’s respect. That was a great gift.
Yoda turned and walked from the training room, the echo of his small feet thumping on the floor. He rounded the doorway into the hall and was gone. The lights powered down automatically and the room grew dusky with shadows.
Behind Obi-Wan, Bruck began to laugh. “Don’t get your hopes up, Oafy. Yoda is just trying to make you feel better. The Masters won’t be able to push you on anyone. There are plenty of better candidates than you.”
Obi-Wan stiffened in anger. He felt tempted to point out that Bruck was not one of those better candidates. Instead, he headed for the doorway.
He had taken a single step when something hard hit him in the back of his head. The sound of the blow against Obi-Wan’s skull echoed through the room. Bruck had thrown a training probe.
As Obi-Wan spun to face Bruck, the bow powered up his lightsaber. Its red light cut through the gloom.
