A SITH AMONG THE JEDI

A SITH AMONG THE JEDI

Author: by Ilaria
Timeframe: Post TPM, AU, but the ends deals with ROTS
Characters: Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, Anakin, Mace Windu, Yoda
Genre: drama
Rating: PG
Summary: After the events of Naboo, Sith Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi goes to live in the Jedi T= emple with his father Qui-Gon and his Padawan Anakin, but things will not be easy for them.

Author's Note: this AU basically follows the canon universe. Of course, Obi= -Wan is a Sith and Qui-Gon survived Naboo, but the events of AOTC and ROTS happened as pictured in the movies, but for one exception you will discover while reading the story.

The sequel of “The Jedi = And The Sith”

EXCE= RPTS FROM THE AUDIO JOURNAL OF QUI-GON JINN, JEDI MASTER

Coruscant, Jedi Temple, 3:5:4

Curiosity is no= t an emotion one usually associates with the Jedi.

The Code states “there is no ignorance; there is knowledge”, but there is a gre= at difference between the desire to learn more about a serious matter or the w= ish to discover what is hidden behind a certain event, and mere curiosity.=

This morning, w= hen the ship carrying Obi-Wan, Anakin and myself landed on the Temple platform, I sensed only curiosity around us.

It was not difficult to understand why it was so.

The great hangar was crowded; it seemed that every padawan, knig= ht and master not on duty was there, waiting for us.

Well, waiting f= or Anakin and Obi-Wan.

They were waiting for the Chosen One= and the first Sith ever = to come to live among the Jedi.

News travels fa= st in the Temple, as in every close environment, and I wondered if the assembled Jedi knew th= at Obi-Wan is my son. So far, I have yet to get a definitive answer to this question, but I think I will discover it soon eno= ugh.

As the ship completed the docking and we moved in front of the still closed hatch, I fe= lt a wave of nervousness wash over me, coming from Obi-Wan.

I turned my hea= d to look at him and he offered me a slight smile, before his expression hardened and he completely raised his shields.

Mace and Yoda w= ere there waiting for us when the ramp lowered. Their presence had brought some calm and restraint to the crowd, but I could still feel that all the gazes pointed at Anakin and Obi-Wan.

Anakin pressed = more against my side, a little awed by all that attention. My son instead, after bowing in salute to the two Councillors, looked around himself, eyes hard, = back ramrod-straight, head held high, trying to will everybody into submission.<= o:p>

He looked proud, defiant, in control of himself and the world surrounding him, ready to “lock horns” with anybody daring to cross his path.<= /span>

It was not exac= tly an attitude I would commend. However, the time we have spent together on Naboo before the doctor judged me fit enough to trave= l, taught me to accept my son for what he is.

I am beginning = to understand that he has been shaped by a life of brutal training and hard labour, which is so completely different from how I have been raised I can barely grasp the full extent of it.

I know I cannot change him—I don’t even have the right to try and to presume my ways are better than his.

The only thing I can do is be myself, offer him a different model of behaviour and be there = for him should he decide he wishes = to change.

I am in my quar= ters now, resting on the couch, after having been checked over by the Temple healers. I didn’t feel it was necessary to be examined again, but Yoda was inflexible.

The response has been good; I am recovering well and I will soon be able to start some light exercise to regain my agility and stamina.

I look forward = to it.

I am tired of l= ying down and walking around with my back curved: it makes me feel older than I = am. I need to gain back my form and stamina soon, otherwise I will never be able = to keep up with Anakin!

The boy is currently taking a tour of the Temple with the Crèche Master. He is been shown where the various facilities are located and introduced to the children of his age. Anakin is not going = to live in the Crèche. He will stay here with me as my Padawan, but we all think it will be good for him to interact with his age mates.

It should make = it easier for him to settle into = Temple life if he can learn certain rules from children like him instead of being taught them only by adults.

As for Obi-Wan,= he is in a meeting with the Council. I hope everything is going smoothly. I se= nse no distress or irritation coming from the bond, but it could simply mean my= son is shielding his feelings and thoughts. Obi-Wan’= s shields are strong and unbending like his will, and he might decide to spar= e me any worry should some Councillor give him a hard time.

The image of Ki-Adi-Mundi has just flashed in my mind. I cannot he= lp but wonder how he took the news that he boy he had voted not to accept in the Temple twenty-five years ago, is now going to live here, being a Sith on top of it.

I think some wo= uld call it poetic justice or good payback…I will refrain from doing so, = for goading is unbecoming for a Jedi.

However I cannot help but feel vindicated, for the will of the Force has been accomplished.<= o:p>

Obi-Wan is where he has always belonged: here, at the Temple, at my side= .

ADDE= NDUM-late afternoon

My son has fina= lly returned from the meeting with the Council.

He has told me = everything went well and that it was explained in detail what the Councillors would li= ke him to do.

Obi-Wan will be= a sort of Liaison Officer between the Jedi and the Sith. Basically, my son has the task to ensure a greater collaboration between the two orders to best face the common threat= the Dark Lords’ return poses for all of us. He will have to sort out problems, ask for information, push for more joi= nt missions. Hardest of all, he will have to convince the Grey Order to trust the Jedi. = Obi-Wan isn’t sure he will be able to accomplish it, mostly because the Sith no longer completely = trust him due to the bond he shares with me.

However, my son doesn’t seem too concerned. He says he has good friends among the Sith and he plans to start= his “convincing campaign”, as he called it with a smile, with them.=

I am somehow am= azed by how committed he is to his new job. He is a Sith, trained to distrust the Jedi since early infancy. Yet, he is ready to go against everything taught to him. But perha= ps I should not be so surprised. Obi-Wan is everythin= g but stupid and closed-minded. He has fought and killed the Dark Lord and he kno= ws what a danger looms over the galaxy. He is aware the <= span class=3DGramE>Sith and the Jedi will have more chances to fin= d the Dark Master by combining their strength instead of trying to hamper each ot= her. I can only hope his superiors in the Grey Order will understand this too.

Returning to the meeting with the Council, Obi-Wan told me not everything went smoothly. The= re had been some tension when the talk covered my son’s marital status a= nd the place where his wife should be lodged when she comes to visit her husba= nd.

Obi-Wan’s wife, Lianne = Shinko Kenobi, is a commercial captain, working mostly in the Outer and Middle Rim= s. She isn’t home often, but some members of the Council suggested she wouldn’t be allowed to stay with her husband the rare times she is on= Coruscant.

Obi-Wan didn= 217;t like it at all and pointed out that if his wife is not welcome to stay in t= he Temple, then he t= oo was not and threatened to return to the Sith Temple= .

His statement w= as followed by a heated discussion, for while Councillors want to keep the Dark Lord Slayer here at the Temple, where they can keep an eye on him, some of = them are afraid of the bad example Obi-Wan could give to our knights should he be seen being affectionate with his wife in public.

Obi-Wan almost snorted when he told me this.

“As if the Jedi have never seen some couple kiss and caress!” He exclaimed, as he paced back and forth. “What are they afraid of? The Jedi are drilled from the Cr&egr= ave;che not to form attachments and the teachings of a whole life are not going to = be endangered by me kissing my wife. On the contrary, their convictions might = be strengthened by it because I am a = Sith and thus most of what I do is, by definition, wrong,” he finished with his usual sarcasm.

“How did = it end?” I asked him.

“With a compromise. When I= am here alone, I will live in the rooms they assigned to me on this floor. Whe= n Lianne is on Coruscant, w= e will live in a small apartment in the Guest Hall.

In this way we = will not corrupt any little Jedi should we decide to make love against the corridor’s wall,” my son concluded with a smirk.

“Obi-Wan!” I exclaimed, shocked. “Don’t tell me you did that in the Sith Temple!”

“I did mu= ch worse, Father, but I will refrain from telling you now, you are still too weak…”

I was about to explode in an outraged comment when I saw the corner of his mouth twitch an= d I realized he had been joking.

“Obi-Wan, Obi-Wan,” I murmured, shaking my head and he laughed loudly.

The mere though= t of my son’s laugh makes me smile. I am so happy he feels comfortable eno= ugh with me to try a joke. We have known each other for just a month and yet, thanks to our bond, we have already established a close connection.

I close my eyes, and there, resounding in the Living Force around me, I hear someone laugh. =

I smile for I recognize the laugh.

I have heard it only once, on Hoth, when a scouting ship appear= ed at the horizon, marking the end of our sojourn on that inhospitable planet.

Somewhere, here= in the Force, Lydah Kenobi is laughing.=

ADDD= ENDUM- late evening

The first day b= ack at the Temple is almost ended; I am exhausted but content.

Anakin has been tested by the Crèche Master to check the level of his education and = it has been decided he will be given private tutoring until he catches up enou= gh to be inserted into a normal class.

The boy has nev= er received a formal education. What he knows is what was taught to him by his mother and by his life experiences. I have no doubt he picked up most of his skills thanks to his strong connection with the Force, and I am confident he will soon fill any gaps.

As soon as I fe= el a little better, I will start teaching him the basic principles of meditation= . I suspect it will not be easy to rein Anakin’s natural exuberance, but control and restraint are something he must learn, and we sooner we start, = the better it will be.

Coruscant, Jedi Temple, 3:5:10

Today the heale= rs have finally given me the permission to start exercising again, and I didn’t have to be told twice, as my tired body can attest.=

I have performed some simple katas with Obi-Wan in the middle of= my quarters, as Anakin watched us, wide-eyed.

I suppose our movements looked quite strange to him, and he did not look too convinced wh= en I told him I will soon start teaching him how to perform them.

As for myself, I was surprised by the amount of coordination between me and my son. Perhaps I should have not been, given how well we fought together back on Naboo, but now I understand something I had not reali= zed during the heat of the battle.

Obi-Wan has the uncanny ability to recalibrate his movements according to the person fighti= ng or exercising at his side, which is quite surprising for someone not very k= een to listen to the Living Force.

I smile, for my shields are down and Obi-Wan has overheard my thoughts, and has commented on them with a snort.

It is so beauti= ful to be connected with him like this…I feel a sense of completion and belonging I have never known before.

Of course, I ha= ve shared bonds with my master and then my padawan= , but those ties were different.

First of all, t= hose bonds were not between equals. Secondly they were created for a precise tas= k, for helping to teach and learn.

They were made = to check and control, to restrain and locate, to reprimand and praise, and they were severed at the end of the training.

The bond I am g= oing to create with Anakin will be of this kind, but the one I have with Obi-Wan= is different.

It was not form= ed for any special reason and it will not be severed.

It just exists.=

A gift of the Force, to both me and my son.

Coruscant, Jedi Temple, 3:5:13

Anakin has sett= led well in the Temple= life and is progressing well in his studies. His tutors have told me he is = very bright and inquisitive, and they believe he will soon be able to start attending normal classes.

I have begun teaching him some basic meditation techniques but, as I had fully predicted= , he will need time to learn them. He is too full of energy to stay still for lo= ng periods, and he is much more interested in learning how to use the lightsabre than to learn how to meditate.<= /span>

It is to be expected, I think. Most people believe the status of a Jedi – or a Sith – is defined by= the fact he or she uses a lightsabre. They don̵= 7;t understand that we use a ‘sabre to defend ourselves from blaster fire only because our communion with the Force gives us the speed and the insigh= t to deflect the beams.

The concept of = the Force is very difficult to explain to those who have never sensed it.<= /o:p>

I wonder how Obi-Wan explained it to his wife, and if she is able to really grasp who and what her husband is.

I confess I am = quite curious to meet my son’s spouse. He has told me he married very young, when he was only twenty-one, a few months after becoming a knight. He met h= er on a transport taking him to Corellia and it wa= s, as he said, “love at first sight”.

Captain Shinko = is a few years older than Obi-Wan, and seems to have a great, positive influence= on him.

I look forward = to meeting her. I wish to thank her for the affection she gives to my son, for it is abundantly clear he has known little gentleness or kindness while growing u= p in the Sith Temple.

I remember the = time when I considered Obi-Wan unfeeling because he called Anakin and Jar-Jar pathetic.

Now, after discovering the way he had been raised by the Sith, I am surprised he feels anything at all.

I believe it is almost a miracle they did not manage to completely kill the gentlest part of his being.

And it is a good thing his master is dead, for I don’t really know what I would have d= one to him should I happen to meet him.

It is not a very Jedi-like consideration, but it is the truth.

Coruscant, Jedi Temple, 3:5:25

This is the fir= st entry after several days of silence.

I have been very busy writing a report for the committee Chancellor Pal= patine has instituted to investigate the Trade Federation’s actions against = Naboo.

The Trade Federation has a lot of supporters in the Senate, and they have managed to block Palpatine’s decision to drag Vicero= y Gunray in front of the Supreme Court by claiming the Chancellor, as the former Senator of Naboo, is partial and unfair.

Thus, in order = to placate them and still obtain justice for Naboo= , Palpatine has created a special committee formed by Senators that are absolutely neutral, with the task to review the reports g= iven to them by all the involved parties.

I believe this a complete waste of time, for it does not matter if the Trade Federation was right or wrong when it decided to create the blockade. They were certainly wrong when they invaded Naboo, causing the deat= h of many citizens in Theed, and sending their droid= s against the Gungan army.

There is no esc= ape from this fact and I am worried by how crippled the Republic has become by corruption and excessive bureaucracy.

Sometimes I wish the Jedi could be completely detached from politics. I would gladly leave a= ll the accolades to the Sith to transfer the Templ= e to some far away planet where we could spend all the time in learning all those things we still don’t know about the Force. But I know it is impossib= le.

Yoda is right, = the Dark Side has fallen over the Republic and now more than ever, the Jedi = 211; and the Sith –= must be vigilant.

The Sith…The Grey Order is proving difficult to deal with. =

Obi-Wan reports they don’t believe the Dark Lords have returned.

Their Council believes the warrior Obi-Wan killed on Naboo wa= s just a Dark Jedi. They pointed out with superiority no Sith has turned to the Dark Side since the rift, while more than one Jedi have failed over the centuries.<= /p>

They are right = and no one knows it better than me, since the last Jedi to turn to the Dark Side was my Padawan, Xanatos, while the last Jedi to resign, and thus become one of = the Lost Twenty, was my own Master, Dooku.

I find it someh= ow ironic that the Sith, who always tread near the= Dark Side have never fallen into it, while the Jedi, who strive to stay away fro= m it have failed more than once.

Maybe it is because, being used to feeling some negative feelings, they are more able to control them and prevent them from becoming really dangerous.

Or maybe it is = like walking along a river. If one walks on the shore and slips into the water, = he has no problem stepping away. But if he is walking on the edge of a rocky c= liff and falls down in the water, there is no way he can avoid drowning, for he cannot climb up again.

Since the Sith live very close to the Dark Side, maybe it is ea= sier from them to step back, should they fall in it. They do not feel as tainted= as a Jedi would feel in a similar situation.

A “tainted” Jedi is banished or ostracized, making it difficult f= or him or her to regain inner peace- and making it easier for the Dark Side to tak= e a permanent hold on him or her.

This is an interesting theory, one I would like to discuss with Obi-Wan— but not this evening.

This evening, a= fter dinner, I must try to engage him in some light conversation and distract him from the frustration he has worked up dealing with his stubborn Order.=

Obi-Wan has confessed to me that he was expecting a bit more c= ollaboration, but has found only closed doors. They are suspicious of him and refuse to g= ive the information he asks for. They don’t trust him any more, no matter= how good his service record is.

He is bonded wi= th his Jedi father, and in their eyes it is an unforgivable fault.<= /span>

The Sith Council is as unreasonable as its Jedi counterpa= rt often is. They are even refusing to send more knights on joint missions, so afraid we will try to “convert” them.

I just hope Obi= -Wan will never come to regret our bond. I know he loves being a Sith as much as I love being a Jedi, and I am a= ware this situation is causing him some strain.

He does not see= m to be willing to discuss the matter, and I have sensed nothing through the bon= d to indicate he is regretting his situation.

Perhaps I am worrying for nothing, but having lost him once, I am afraid to lose him aga= in.

Afraid.

Fear.

Be mindful of y= our thoughts, Qui-Gon Jinn. Fears leads to anger, anger to hate and…

But is this rea= lly so?

Or does it give= us the stimulus to work harder to resolve the situation causing us fear?<= /o:p>

Interesting question. <= /o:p>

Perhaps I shoul= d discuss it with Master Yoda, but it might raise questions I don’t wish to ans= wer.

Coruscant, Jedi Temple, 3:6:1

Anakin has star= ted to attend a couple of regular classes today; it happened sooner than expect= ed and I am really proud of him.

This boy is tru= ly unique. It is amazing in how many ways he uses the Force without knowing it= .

All his teachers are impressed, but I have also overheard a couple of masters commenting it = was a mistake to trust such delicate charges to such a notorious rebel such as = myself.

I was not irrit= ated by those comments. I am proud to be labelled a rebel if it is the price I h= ave to pay to keep on doing what the Force tells me to do without compromises a= nd following only my instinct.

Coruscant, Jedi Temple, 3:6:10

I am worried ab= out Obi-Wan; he has closed down on me, and he seldom visits my quarters these d= ays.

Two mornings ag= o I asked him if there is something wrong, and if I could help him in some way,= but he answered he had been having a hard time with his Order.

I did not press= on, because I did not wish to irritate him and I know he does not like what he calls “fussing over”.

However, I am starting to think I should have insisted. I miss the young man I came to kn= ow and love and I know Anakin misses him too.

They had begun = to bond and get close, so much so that Obi-Wan had been helping the boy with h= is homework.

Anakin is conce= rned he might have done something wrong and pushed away Obi-Wan, but I have reassured him it is not his fault.

Coruscant, Jedi Temple, 3:6:13

Today I finally= met my daughter-in-law, Lianne Shinko Kenobi.<= /o:p>

I did not really know what to expect; I was only sure she would be special in some way.=

She had to be to have captured Obi-Wan’s heart and have hi= m wish to marry her at an age when most men desire only to enjoy their freedom and take advantage of the opportunities offered to them.

I was right, Lianne is special.

Petite, dark-ha= ired, and brown-eyed, she isn’tas<= /span> strikingly attractive as a holonet actress, but she posses= ses something more important than a beautiful face and body: she has a beautiful heart.

Despite being a hardened ship captain, used to issuing orders to a large crew, she is a very sweet, gentle lady, able to soothe my often brooding son with just a glance= or a touch.

I have not much experience in matters of the heart, but I was touched by the strong love between the pair, and was honoured they both felt comfortable enough to ope= nly show their feelings for each other in front of me.

The three of us= had lunch in my quarters, while Anakin ate in the refectory with his classmates= . I spent most of the meal listening to Obi-Wan and Lianne= talk about everything and nothing, and my heart rejoiced upon seeing my son’s obvious happiness.

As for myself, I hardly opened my mouth, and exchanged only a few words with Lianne.

She seems to be= a reserved woman and we had no chance to be alone and to talk-- and even if we had, I am not sure of what I could have said.

Let’s adm= it it: I have not the slightest idea of how to deal with my son’s wife. I have never imagined I would one day be a father-in-law, and despite all of = my diplomatic experience, I find myself ill at ease in this situation.

I just hope I d= id not offend her with my silence, for I never meant to. I don’t want Lianne to feel ill at ease with me and I don’t = want her to even think I don’t like her. I do…it’s just I don’t know how to show it to her. The cold, polite, diplomatic manner= s I have been taught and practiced my whole life are not good here. I need to be more relaxed, more open, I think.

I will meditate= on it this evening, since Obi-Wan has informed me he and his wife will eat din= ner in their apartment in the Guest Hall, where they will be staying for the ti= me of Lianne’s leave.

They moved there after lunch, with the promise to meet me again at later time—but I gu= ess I won’t see them till tomorrow.

Obi-Wan’s shields have been firmly in place for the= whole afternoon. No stray thoughts or feelings have reached me, but I have been fighting the desire to smile and whistle for the whole time. I just hope no= body noticed me as my control slipped and I hummed all the way to the training h= all where Anakin was awaiting me.

ADDE= NDUM-late night

The good mood of this afternoon has completely disappeared, to be replaced by guilt and sadn= ess.

I have just returned from a walk I took to the Guest Hall with a weary heart and mind.<= o:p>

I don’t w= hy my steps took me there when I decided I could use a walk to relax my tense back, but it was probably the Force that lead me there, so I could overhear= a conversation between Obi-Wan and his wife.

They were sitti= ng on a bench in the small garden reserved for the guests; my son’s head resting on Lianne’s shoulder, as she care= ssed his hair.

It was a very intimate scene, and I was about to turn around and leave them their privacy, when Obi-Wan spoke.

“I feel so alone, Lianne. The Sith no longer trust me, and the Jedi don̵= 7;t want to have anything to do with me.”

I froze at his words and taking the quick decision to remain, I hid behind a tree.

“Why do y= ou say so, my love? You told me the Jedi Council offered you this position.= 221;

“I know, = but perhaps they did it just to do a favour for my father. Or perhaps, the Coun= cillors truly wish to have a “Sith expert” = among them, but the common knights and masters don’t share their eldersR= 17; beliefs. Since my arrival, nobody has talked to me; they all disappear when they see me coming. I tried to break the ice by going into the training roo= m and asking if someone wished to spar, but they all refused. Politely, of course, but they refused.”

“I see. C= ouldn’t your father help you to be accepted? It looks like he is a very nice man. <= span class=3DGramE>Reserved, but very kind.”

I felt like smi= ling at her comment, but Obi-Wan’s next words stilled my lips.

“My fathe= r is a master. I cannot go to him and ask him to help as if I was a boy bullied = by his classmates. He has more important things to do, and I am a Sith. It isn’t our w= ay to ask for help. Asking for help means we have failed or been unprepared. It’s a show of weakness and the Sith are never weak. I will resolve this problem by myself; it’s just that= it would be easier if the Jedi stopped behaving as if I didn’t exist.= 221;

Obi-Wan and Lianne fell silent for a while, then stood up and wal= ked hand in hand toward their rooms.

As they passed = by, I could feel their love, but also his sadness and her worry.

I waited until = the door closed behind their backs, then I quickly returned to my quarters.

And now I am he= re, trying to ponder what I have heard.

Obi-Wan feels alone.

Why did I not r= ealize it before?

After all, I kn= ew the Sith no longer t= rusted him, but I did not notice he had troubles with the Jedi.<= /p>

Why hadn’= t I?

The answer is simple: I did not see anything amiss because my son made sure I would not.<= o:p>

As he said to h= is wife, Obi-Wan will never admit he has a problem.

He has been tra= ined not to show any weakness since an early age—and the lessons had been reinforced by the beatings his master gave him to be sure he would not forg= et them.

“My father is a master,” Obi-Wan’s= words echo in my mind.

My father is a = master.

Oh Force! Does = he believe I would judge him as harshly as his master used to do?

Does he suffer = in silence because he thinks he would lose my approval and my love should he l= ook less than perfect in my eyes?

Does he see me = as master and not as his father?

Is he afraid I would punish him?

Is his respect tinged with fear?

Let’s thi= nk back to the conversation I overheard…

Obi-Wan had no trouble telling Lianne he has a problem. He was= not concerned about sounding “weak” with her. She is a woman and his wife and according to the laws of nature, the male wishes to looks especial= ly strong in the eyes of his mate. So why did he not have such concerns with h= er?

Again, the answ= er comes so easily I am surprised I did not realize it before.

He loves Lianne and she loves him.

She shows her affection to him openly and Obi-Wan knows she lo= ves him for what he is.

I…I have never shown him my affection.

Since the momen= t I woke up in that bed on Naboo and we discovered = our bond, he has been the one sending feelings my way.

Reassurance, concern, merriment, irritation, amusement, boredom.

Instead I-I nev= er sent anything to him.

Moreover, during our mission I tended to treat him as a padawan,= and judged him harshly on a couple of occasions.

I never behaved like a father. Or better, I never openly behaved like a father with him.

Aside from that moment when I thought I was dying, I have never told my son “I love you.” I have never embraced him. I have never patted his back.

My reserved nat= ure, my Jedi restrictions against attachment have blocked me. Since we returned = to the Temple, I have behaved as a strict Jedi Master, perhaps in the unconscious effort to prove to my denigrators I am worthy to train the Chosen One. And Obi-Wan, w= ith his harsh Sith disci= pline drilled into him, has done the rest.

We have grown a= part because we have both been afraid, albeit for different reasons.<= /span>

This situation = must change. Soon. I cannot leave Obi-Wan alone.=

I must tell him= . I must show him I care.

But how?

Coruscant, Jedi Temple, 3:6:14

The night broug= ht me counsel.

I believe I have found a way to show Obi-Wan how much I care for him.

This morning, a= s I stood up, my eyes stopped on the wooden box resting on my bookshelf. The box containing the stones I bought as presents for Obi-Wan= ’s naming days.

It has always b= een there, in front of me, but only now I realize it is time to give it to my s= on.

But not today. Lianne’s leave is short, only a few days long, = and I don’t wish to intrude on their too-brief time together.

It must be hard= to love each other so much and not be able to be together more often. However, people do it all around the galaxy, so the separations must not be so unbearable.

I wonder if the Code considered this when it forbade attachments: being in love does not necessarily push people to commit mistakes or rush actions. Jealousy and possession are not automatic consequences of love.

Perhaps the Councillors should leave the T= emple more often and spend some time among the common people to see how the rest = of the galaxy lives. Or perhaps, they should have a better look at the Sith.

According to Obi-Wan, many Sith a= re married but, as I have reported in a previous entry, none of them have turn= ed to the Dark Side. This is more food for thought for the Council.=

I cannot help b= ut wonder if they are really going to read the reports Obi-Wan has been writing about the traditions and the rules of the Sith = Order, or if they will just skip over them and then throw them away as rubbish.

Is it only me, the notorious rebel, who feels the Jedi need to ch= ange? That we need to evolve because we have been stagnating for far too long?

Yoda and Mace, = the leaders of the Council, have been instrumental in bringing Obi-Wan into the= Temple, but why?<= o:p>

Are they really ready to learn? To change? Or do they just want = to keep the only Dark Lord’s Slayer alive close to us?=

I remember how happy I was, back on Naboo, when I realized Yod= a and Mace had expressed the desire to train Obi-Wan in the Jedi’s ways, but now I no longer feel so.

Obi-Wan is a Sith — and he should= remain one.

The only thing = he needs to learn, and I hope to be able to teach h= im, is that he can relax his guard now and then. That there is nothing wrong in being a little more compassionate and a little less harsh = with himself and others.

Coruscant, Jedi Temple, 3:6:19

Lianne has left this morning, and I have n= ot wasted any time in talking with Obi-Wan, for the strain between us has last= ed already too long.

I asked him to = come to my quarters after Anakin left for his classes, and brought the wooden box into the living room.

When my son arrived, I was sitting on the couch with the open box resting on my knees.<= o:p>

I patted the cushion at my side and encouraged him to sit near me.

“Come, Obi-Wan, there is something I wish to show you.”

He did as I ask= ed and looked down at the object in my lap.

“I made t= his box twenty-five years ago,” I began, speaking slowly and very clearly= , as my fingers caressed the polished wood. “It was a time when I could not concentrate and meditation failed to bring me any peace. However manual work seemed to help, so I dedicated myself to building this. I chose the wood, c= ut it, glued it, polished it and poured into it all the anguish I was feeling = back then.” I raised my eyes and locked them with Obi-Wan’s. “I made this in the months after you were taken away from me, my son,= and this wood is imbued with the tears I shed during those heart-breaking days.”

Obi-Wan swallow= ed hard, but did not comment, so I continued with my story. “The stones = you see are my gifts for you, one for each of your naming days. Jedi are not allowed many possessions, but I have hand-picked each of these rocks on the planets I visited along the years — all of them except this one.̶= 1;

I picked the black-red river stone that had started the collection. “I found this = one on my home planet long before you were born. It is a Force-sensitive stone,= and had things gone as I had hoped, I would have given it to you the day you wo= uld have been chosen as a Padawan learner. It was n= ot possible, so I am giving it to you now.”

I offered him t= he stone on my open palm, as Obi-Wan watched me, silent, his lips reduced to a thin line.

“Please, Obi-Wan, take it. Take the entire box. It is my gift. It made me feel close= to you when I chose these rocks. I hope one day you will feel as close to me w= hen you look at them.”

“I feel c= lose to you, Father,” Obi-Wan murmured.

“No,̶= 1; I answered, “you see me as a master, not as your father. Otherwise you would tell me what is bothering you.”

His head snapped up, “I am not bothered.”

“Yes, you are!” I insisted, gripping his shoulders, = and pressing the stone I was still holding against his flesh. “You don’t speak to me. You don’t share your thoughts. The bond is s= ilent, inactive.”

Obi-Wan did not react, impenetrable and I hung my head.

“I am awa= re it is my fault, my son. I don’t know how to express my feelings, but = you must know I love you for what you are, praises, faults, everything. You must not be afraid I will find you weak, for it will never happen. Do you understand?”

In a desperate attempt to reach him, I channelled all my love into the bond and for the fi= rst time since the day we arrived at the Temple, Obi-Wan truly smiled at me.

Then, suddenly,= he pulled me into his embrace as my mind was overflowed with his feelings.

His joy upon finding who I was, the happiness at the bond’s discovery, the thrill = he had felt at the idea to come to live at the Temple and widen his knowledge of the F= orce. His sadness at my perceived lack of warmth. His conclu= sion — based on what he knows of the Jedi Code — I did not wish to g= et close. His determination to behave as he thought I wanted him to.

“Forgive = me, Father,” he said in the end, head bowed.

“No, you forgive me. We talked about your life, but I did not really listen. I cring= ed when you showed me how brutal your training was, but I did not realize how = much it influenced your growing up and your emotional state. I didn’t think you would come to see me as one of your masters, and thus be somehow afraid= of me.”

“I didn’t either, Father. I have realized it just now,” Obi-Wan sm= iled sadly. “When I grew up at the Sith Temple= , I was the only trainee without a family. I used to watch my age mates leave f= or brief vacations with their parents, but since it hurt so much, for they had what I could never have, I preferred not to observe how they interacted with their families. So I never came to make a distinction between a real father and a father figure. My ma= ster was a very hard man. He beat me often, but he also was my only source of comfort.”

My son paused a= nd looked into my eyes. “I loved him, and I think he loved me back in his own way. I was broken-hearted when he was killed by a bounty hunter. I was twenty, and had been a knight for a few months. I had just met Lianne and it was a blessing she was on Coruscant on extended leave as her ship was refurbished during that period. I had alr= eady decided to ask her to marry me, but my master’s death pushed me to propose to her sooner than planned. Being with her has taught me what love, gentle love is, and she has taught me I can lower my guard now and then. However Lianne is a woman, while you are an old= er man, Father, and in my mind you are like my master.”

Obi-Wan swallow= ed hard and pressed on. “I am brave on the battlefield. I have never been scared during an assignment and I have never let fear paralyze me, but in m= any things, I am still that little boy growing up at the S= ith Temple, and whose only praise for a job well don= e was the lack of a beating.”

Reacting out of instinct, I pulled him into an embrace, trying to show him my affection. His muscles tensed at my unexpected move, but then he relaxed, as his arms rose= to hug me back.

My poor Obi-Wan. This is worse than I thought.

I believe it is= a miracle he has became such a confident young man with such up-bringing.

I cannot help b= ut wish I could thank Lianne for what she did for him. = For the positive influence she had and has on him. It is really a blessing they married so early, for she has given my son the only tenderness he has ever known. The next time I see her, I will put aside= my Jedi Master’s proper behaviour and embrace her as a father-in-law. I = will tell her how grateful I am for what she did and that I hope she will always= be at my son’s side.

Today’s t= alk has helped us a lot. Obi-Wan and I have reached a better understanding of <= span class=3DGramE>ourselves and each other.

We have meditat= ed together for several hours, both of us with our shields lowered, as thoughts and feelings travelled back and forth in our minds.

We have so much= to learn about each other, but we are so fortunate to have our bond to help us= . We just have to let go a part of our control and learn to be ourselves, at lea= st when we are alone.

After our medit= ation had been completed, we waited for Anakin’s return and had a late lunch together in my quarters. Then, since my Padawan= had the rest of the day free, we spent some time sitting on the carpet, as I to= ld both Obi-Wan and Anakin about the stones in the box, narrating the details about the missions during which I had acquired them.

It has been a v= ery interesting afternoon indeed, one that cemented the connection between Obi-= Wan and myself, and between Anakin and my son.<= /o:p>

Coruscant, Jedi Temple, 3:6:21

Obi-Wan is slowly learning to open to me.

Today he talked= to me about how saddened he is by the behaviour of his Sith friends. He is hurt by their lack of trust= .

The Sith Council knows he has always been loyal and dutif= ul, while his agemates have known him since he was = in the crèche.

“I expect= ed them to give me the benefit of a doubt or at least to try to understand what happened to me. Instead, they have simply cut me off,” he said to me,= as we walked side-by-side toward the Room of the Thousand Fountains.

“Then, Obi-Wan, they are not real friends. A real friend is seen in the moment of need. I am sure that in due time, when you are more settled in Temple life, you will be able to make n= ew friends. There are several knights and senior padawans= of your age.”

Obi-Wan nodded,= but it was clear he was not convinced by my words.

I remember what= I overheard him say to Lianne. He thinks the Jedi= are avoiding him, but I don’t think it is really so. Perhaps they are just intimidated by him. Obi-Wan is not an imposing m= an, but he has a way of moving around that makes him look bigger than he is. He= has a long confident stride that screams “move out of my path” and a very dominating way of looking around himself.

Jedi are traine= d to avoid conflict as much as possible and I am not surprised they are avoiding Obi-Wan if they think he is ready to pick a fight.

I need to tell = him he must tone down his intensity a little. I just have to find the right occasion to introduce the topic.

Coruscant, Jedi Temple, 3:7:21

Another entry after a long time of silence.

Anakin’s training has been keeping me extremely busy. I had forgotten what a time-encompassing task training a padawan is, especially when the apprentice in question is so gifted, and has such an unusual background.

This morning I = had a meeting with Master Yoda and Master Windu to discuss Anakin’s progress, but we also ended up talking about Obi-Wan= and his life at the Temple.

“Anakin is doing well, all considered,” I answered Yoda’s initial question. “He is a willing student in class, and I have been teaching him the rudiments of meditation. He has troubles with his concentration and needs t= ime to reach the mental discipline the initiates of his age have. But he is wil= ling and eager to learn and before long I will be able to start him in lightsabre training.”

“I see,” Mace commented then. “Has the boy shown fear, impatience = or anger?”

“Yes, he has,” I replied, seeing no reason to deny the truth, for the pointed looks my old friend gave me made it clear he knew about Anakin’s outbursts. “He had a fight with two classmates and he is fearful he won’t be able to see his mother again. As for his impatience, as many children, he has the tendency of wanting everything now.”<= /span>

“How did = you deal with these problems?”

“I didn&#= 8217;t. Sith Knight Kenobi did. He has been teaching An= akin simple exercises to improve his control and they seem to work.”<= /o:p>

Mace stared at = me, shocked. “Forgive me Qui-Gon, did I under= stand well? Are you telling me you are letting a Sith train the Chosen One?”

I locked my eyes with my friend’s. “Yes, I am. Obi-Wan is a great teacher and fo= r a boy as young as = Anakin it is easier to learn how to control his emotions than to release them into= the Force. Also, Sith Knight Kenobi can understand = Anakin because he knows what the boy is experiencing. Anakin knows Obi-Wan is married and he is aware he was sad to see his wife = leave. He is aware my son is worried about what might happen to his spouse. But An= akin is also aware Obi-Wan performs difficult katas eve= ry day, without losing his concentration, no matter how sad or worried he is. It= 217;s a powerful example for the boy.”

Mace and Yoda t= hen exchanged a look I could not decipher.

“May I as= k a question?” I wondered in the following silence.

“Yes, Qui= -Gon, you may.”

“Why did = you ask Obi-Wan to come to live here at the Temple? And please, tell me the truth this time.”

“Lie to y= ou, do you say we did?” Yoda replied, flattening his ears.

“Yes and = no. I believe and understand when you said Obi-Wan impressed you when you touch= ed his mind on Naboo, but it appears you do not wi= sh to retrain him as you made me believe. Which is a good thi= ng, by the way. Obi-Wan does not need to be retr= ained. He is a great Sith a= s he is. He just need to learn to listen to the Living Fo= rce and to his heart a bit more. However, my son could teach us how to better contr= ol our emotions during a dangerous situation, such as a fight.” I looked pointedly to Mace, whose lightsabre fighting st= yle, the Vaapad, was created by him as a way to cont= ain and channel his aggressiveness.

“To allow= him to be close to you a position we offered him,” Yoda said, sliding down his chair to hobble around the room.

“But why, Master? Why did you wish me to become attached to my son when you forbade m= e to do so twenty-five years ago? I don’t think you and the Council just w= ish to make amends for a past mistake.”

“No, right you are. Other reasons we have.”

“We wante= d to keep the Dark Lord Slayer away from the Sith and close to us. Close to Skywalker,” Mace intervened.

“What?= 221;

“Do you k= now the entire text of the Chosen One’s prophecy, Qui-Gon?”

I shook my head= .

“The prop= hecy says one day the Chosen One will be tempted by the Darkness, but that a ‘Grey Warrior with cloudy eyes and a golden sword’ will guard o= ver him.”

My eyes widened= . A grey warrior with cloudy eyes and a golden sword. Ob= i-Wan is always dressed in his grey uniform. His eyes are blue-grey like a cloudy sky and his lightsabre = is yellow.

“You think Obi-Wan is the Chosen One’s guardian?̶= 1;

“Yes, we = do. Nothing happens without a reason, and there have been too many coincidences= in the mission that brought you, Obi-Wan and young Skywalker together.”<= o:p>

“The boy’s discovery; the bond with your son; the Dark Lords’ return= . Will of the Force, all of this, it = was,” Yoda declared.

I could only no= d at their words. I have always known the Force had been at work during my last mission, but I was not aware of the extent of its implications.<= /span>

“So you w= ant Obi-Wan to come with Anakin and me when we will start going on missions? You want him to watch over Anakin.”

“Yes, we = do. Sith Knight Kenobi is a very good field operative and= you worked well together on Naboo,” was Mace’s calm response.

I nodded in understanding, then frowned as a sudden thought crossed my mind. Anakin would not be ready to go on missions for at least a year, maybe more. What would Obi-Wan do till then? Languish in the Temple?

“Masters,= ” I said after a while, “I think you should send S= ith Knight Kenobi on a mission with some other Jedi until Anakin is ready to be= come an operative. Obi-Wan is a very active man. He h= as taken part in more than forty missions since he became a knight. It would b= e a waste of potential to keep him grounded for a year or so.”=

“We thoug= ht about that, but we think it is not prudent since our knights do not trust him,” Mace commented, turning his head away.

“What?= 221; I exclaimed surprised.

“Qui-Gon, you are the master of the Living Force! Don̵= 7;t tell me you did not notice it!?”

“Well, I noticed some knights are awed by Obi-Wan, but I did not think it was a gene= ral problem.”

“Instead,= it is,” Yoda said, looking out the window.

“But why?”

“Because he has slain a Dark Lord. Because it is difficult to forget one-thousand years of mistrust. Because Sith Knight Kenobi is such a powerful figure and so strong in the Force. = Do you realize, Qui-Gon, that after Anakin he has = the highest midi-chlorian count ever registered? It’s even higher than Yoda’s.”

“I didn’t know,” I murmured, before I turned to face Yoda, my eyes accusing. “And you didn’t allow him to be trained as a Jedi even knowing it?! You had to be aware the Sith would find him and take him away! Or maybe you have even done it on purpose, because you had foreseen Obi-Wan’s future role…”

Yoda ignored my last speculation and said, bowing his head, “Wrong we were, Qui-Gon. Scared we were. Too powerful the boy was.”=

“You were ready to commit the same ‘mistake’ with Anakin, but the Dark Lords’ return has pushed you to reconsider. Yes, now I understand. I understand the Jedi Order needs to be strong against the Dark Lords’ = threat, and since the Grey Order isn’t keen to collaborate with us, at least = we have managed to bring the most important Sith onto our side. I understand and, in a certain way, I even approve of it = 212; but Obi-Wan is suffering and it isn’t righ= t. He is paying too high a price for saving my life and being different. He deser= ves better than stagnate in the Temple and being treated like a plagued man. We might approve, or not, of the fact he = is more emotional than the Jedi, but the fact remains: he is what he is. It mi= ght not look like anything touches him, but deep inside he is hurting because h= is order has all but banished him. You say our knights don’t trust him? = Then give them a good example. Give Obi-Wan a class to teach. Maybe a Junior Padawan lightsabr= e class. He is good with children and they are probably less prejudice= d. Show the Order you trust him. I think you owe him, Masters,” I conclu= ded my long speech with a bow and waited for their reaction.<= /p>

Silence fell on= the room, as Yoda and Mace mentally communicated and I calmly sustained their g= aze.

Finally Yoda nodded, and Mace spoke for both of them. “You are right, Qui-Gon. We will find him a class to teach — and we= will apologize for not thinking of it sooner,” he smiled. “Thank you= my friend for showing us the right way and for demonstrating, once again, what= a great addition you would be to the Council.”

I shook my head= and smiled back. “I don’t think you would appreciate having me here= . I would probably question every single decision you made.”

We laughed together, then I left and went in search for Obi= -Wan. I found him in one of the gardens, meditating, and I asked him if he wanted= to come with me to the practice room to do some katas together.

He agreed and followed me, clearly eager for a workout.

The room was crowded when we arrived and for once in my life I was happy it was so. The = more people who watched me and Obi-Wan exercise together, the better.=

We shed our rob= es, boots and socks and started with some simple katas to warm up.

As I moved, I w= as aware of the many eyes staring in our direction, but I soon forgot them, as= I immersed myself in my connection with the Force and my son.

As usual, our coordination was perfect, and it never faltered even when the katas became more complex and faster, even when Obi-W= an started an exercise I had never seen before. I simply let the Force guide my steps and movements.

Our bare feet touched the mat at the same precise moment, our = arms stretched and bent as if we were one, our breaths came out in the same rhyt= hm.

It was…exhilarating to feel the Force envelope us, shimmer around us. It= was as if my major synchrony with the Living Force mingled with Obi-Wan’s strength in the Unifying Force to create = a perfect blend of our abilities.

It was an amazi= ng experience, for both of us, and my son has expressed the desire to repeat it soon.

As for our audience, by the time we ended our exercise, all present in the room were staring at us and even if nobody commented on our performance, it was clear they were impressed.

I can only hope this will be the first step toward convincing the Jedi to accept Obi-Wan an= d to make him feel welcome.

Coruscant, Jedi Temple, 3:7:23

A couple of hou= rs ago Mace Windu asked Obi-Wan to teach the lightsabre class for Junior Pada= wans, just the one I had suggested.

I was present a= nd I cannot express my joy when I sensed my son’s pride at having been ask= ed to perform such a task.

He accepted, thanked Mace and the Council, promised he will do his best to honour their trust and agreed to start the class tomorrow. Then, once we were alone agai= n, he panicked.

“I don’t know how to teach teenagers! They will tear me apart as soon as= they realize it! I must learn how to. Now. Father, do= you have any books about the topic?”

I shook my head, amused by the way he was pacing back and forth.

Was this the sa= me fearless warrior who had faced and killed a Dark Lord?

“You migh= t go to the Archives. I am sure Master Nu will be ab= le to help you.”

Obi-Wan looked = at me and nodded. “Good idea, Father. See you later.” And speaking so he bolted from the room, his grey robe whirli= ng behind him.

Once alone, I laughed briefly, for no matter how concerned my son can be, I know he is ha= ppy to have been given a task inside the temple.

He is used to having responsibilities entrusted to him and he is missing them. I hope teaching will be enough to keep him content until we are able to return to = work in the field.

ADDE= NDUM- afternoon

I have gone to = the Archives, searching for a meditation book I remember I read when I was a bo= y, and that I would like to give to Anakin.

While I was in = the Archives, perusing the titles, Jocasta Nu stopped by and told me.

“Sith Knight Kenobi has just finished raiding the lightsabre teaching and practicing section, did you k= now that?”

“Raiding?= ” I thought in dread. Master Nu is very protectiv= e of “her” archives, and has no qualms in using her sharp tongue if = one does something meeting her displeasure.

I just hoped Obi-Wan had not been at the receiving end of one of the lectures she gave me over the years.

“Yes, he = has checked out every single book in that section but, contrary to someone I know,” and she looked at me meaningfully, “he has not taken them away without alerting me, nor has he taken all the books from the shelves at the same time. Instead he has gone back and forth all the time, reading a b= ook and putting it away in the proper place before taking another.”<= /o:p>

My eyes widened= : Jocasta Nu was practically glowing!

I stalled, not knowing what to say, but I was spared from having to comment by a Padawan looking for a title he could not find. Master= Nu went away with him and I left the Archives with the meditation book tucked under my arm.

As I returned t= o my quarters, a smile appeared on my lips.

It seems Obi-Wan has managed to win another supporter here in the Temple. I have no doubt Master Nu will praise him with everybody willing to listen. = It is a known fact that the Archive Master is a bit eccentric, but it is also true that she is widely respected.

This is truly a good day for my son; things are starting to turn in the right way.

ADDE= NDUM- late evening

Anakin was not impressed by the book I gave him. He hoped it was about ships or lightsabres, not meditation.

Fortunately Obi= -Wan was with us and helped me to make the book more appealing. He read the first chapter to Anakin, then explained to him what it meant, before they tried the described technique in the living room.

It worked; Anak= in did very well. I am not surprised. He worships Obi-Wan and would do anythin= g to please him. I am his master but my son is his hero, for both of them are different from the other people living here at the Temple. They both are struggling to get accepted.

I thanked Obi-W= an for the help, but he joked, telling me he was only practicing for his first lesson tomorrow.

Coruscant, Jedi Temple, 3:7:24

Obi-Wan held his first lesson today.

He was very ner= vous when I saw him this morning and he threw me a dirty look when I greeted him with a “May the Force be with you”.<= o:p>

However, he was much more relaxed and quite satisfied when I met him at lunch. He wolfed do= wn his meal and talked animatedly about his students. He looked like a child w= ith a new toy, but I know his happiness is deeper and less fleeting.=

Obi-Wan likes to teach and I am sure he will do a great job.

My conviction is supported by the fact that two padawans stopped= by our table as we were eating in the refectory and greeted my son before they acknowledged me.

It is the first= time this has happened; usually people talk with me and bow to Obi-Wan just beca= use he is with me and it would be impolite not to consider him, but he is basic= ally ignored.

Today, instead,= I was the one ignored — and never happier to feel so.=

But I am also saddened that I did not notice sooner that Obi-Wan was<= /span> being cast aside.

For a Jedi Mast= er who is so keen to say he is strong in the Living Force, I truly did a bad j= ob in being aware of what is happening around me.

My mistake was = the same one I have admonished my padawans to be mi= ndful of: I concentrated too much on my anxiety regarding my relationship with Obi-Wan to listen to the Force.

I must not comm= it this mistake another time.

I cannot be this blind again nor can I allow myself to take things for granted, especially n= ow that I am training a child of such potential as Anakin.

Coruscant, Jedi Temple, 3:7:30

Things are real= ly going better for Obi-Wan. As some would say, the ice between my son and the Jedi has been broken, and it has happened quite naturally, I think.

The padawans he is teaching talked about the lessons to t= heir masters. The masters went to watch the lessons, approved of what they saw, = and went to talk with Obi-Wan- well, most of them did. The older masters, whose mentality will be harder to change came to pay t= heir appreciation to me! As if I have to be praised because Obi-Wan is. . . well, Obi-Wan.

I told them I h= ave little merit in what my son has become, and that they should talk with him,= not with me.

On the downside= , if I call it so, Anakin is making my life impossible. He has been listening to= the padawans talk about Obi-Wa= n’s lessons and wants to be included in them.

I have been try= ing to make him see he is not ready to be inserted into that class, but he refu= ses to listen. Today he had another temper tantrum and I sent him to his room, telling him to meditate on his mistakes, even if our training bond tells me= he is just sulking.

ADDE= NDUM- evening

Obi-Wan and I h= ad an argument regarding Anakin.

It started afte= r I allowed my Padawan to come out of his room and = Anakin demonstrated how little good the punishment had done him by begging Obi-Wan= to include him in his class.

Obi-Wan did not react well to the boy’s whining and pleas and sharply ordered him to cease such shameful behaviour at once.

His tone was ha= rd and harsh and Anakin started crying.

Obi-Wan command= ed him to stop but managed to make the boy cry even harder. Then, to my absolu= te horror, I heard my son’s mental voice say //I will give you a good reason to cry// and I saw him raise his hand, ready to strike Anakin.

I rushed forward and I managed to block his arm just in time, before my distraught Padawan could even notice what had almost happened.

I then calmed Anakin and sent him to his room, as Obi-Wan paced back and forth, his irritation echoing in the bond.

As soon as we w= ere alone, my son faced me. “Why did you stop me? The boy needs to learn = some discipline.”

“You are right, but not in this way. He must be taught in a different way.”

“Father, Anakin is a loose cannon. He has too much raw po= wer. If you do not manage to bend him to your will now, you will not be able to control him when he is older. You are too gentle, too understanding with hi= m. He must respect you more. No Sith padawan would shame his master by begging and whining in front of him.”<= /o:p>

“I know. = Sith trainees do not cry or have temper tantrums. The= y are too scared of their masters to even think about it. You showed me why, my s= on. But do you really think it is the right way? Respect must be earned, you cannot oblige one to respect you by beating him into submission.”=

“I respec= ted my master,” Obi-Wan crossed his arms over his chest and stared at me = with defiance.

“Are you sure, Obi-Wan? Is it not that you are confusing respect with fear?” I asked him gently.

“My master was a hard man, but he taught me well.”

“So you t= hink I should whip Anakin’s back as your master did to you when you were ten?”

Obi-Wan stood silent for a while, then he shook his head. R= 20;No. Anakin would not understand why you whipped him. He would take it as a punishment, not as a lesson. His upbringing has been too different from min= e. Beating him would cause only resentment in him, not a desire to do better. = It would not teach him anything.” My son nodded with his head. “You were right to stop me.”

Our conversation was then interrupted by a call from Mace Windu, asking for a clarification of one of the various reports I wrote about the Trade Federation crisis, and by the time I finished, Obi-Wan was ready to retire to his quarters.

So I have been = left alone to think of the complex man my son is. I have watched him teach both Anakin and his students. I know he is patient and gentle. I have seen him repeat time and again an exercise or an explanation with no sign of irritat= ion or impatience. And yet he was ready to strike Anakin without a second thoug= ht. He would have done it had I not stopped him.

I find it so ha= rd to reconcile these two sides of my son, but I must not forget what he is. <= o:p>

He is a Sith.

He Force-choked Watto when he refused to hand us A= nakin.

He is a man who thinks his master was right when he whipped him as a child of ten.

I cannot deny t= hat I find it disturbing—very much so.

I love my son, = but I realize once more I don’t really know him.

I am aware that inside him there is a gentle, compassionate streak. It comes out with his w= ife, who he loves with all himself and touches with the same grace he would use = with a delicate Alderaanian porcelain. It comes out with the padawans he is= teaching, or with Anakin as he helps the boy with his homework.

It comes out wi= th me, when he listens to my memories of his mother and his eyes take on a sof= t, far away look.

But around it, shielding and containing it, there is his hard side; the unforgiving, unben= ding side shaped by a life spent training as a Sith.

I am not sure I will ever come to fully understand him, although I swear I will never stop trying to do it.

Coruscant, Jedi Temple, 3:8:2

Obi-Wan’s recent behaviour with Anakin has bothered= me in the last days because, in the back of my mind, I harboured the worry my son might end up beating one of the students should they not be up to his idea = of what is the proper way to behave.

I know he is aw= are Jedi and Sith are tr= ained differently, and I know he can control himself very well— and yet I cannot banish this thought.

His relationship with Anakin has not been ruined by his reaction to the boy’s temper tantrum. Anakin has realized his mistake and has accepted Obi-Wan’s reprimand, as harsh as it was, as deserve= d.

I am glad it en= ded so well, for it would have been very sad had their blossoming, unofficial, teacher/apprentice relationship been ruined. Not to mention the implication= s it could have had on Anakin and Obi-Wan’s fu= ture. If my son is really the Chosen One’s Guardian, then his place is and always will be near Anakin...for the best and the worst.<= /p>

I have read the prophecy of the Chosen One and it states the Grey Warrior will guard over t= he One, but the ancient word used in the text has several meanings. It means protect, watch over. But it also means control, to be in alert. In other wo= rds, Obi-Wan is meant to protect Anakin, but also to prevent him from falling to the Dark Side- even by killing him, should it be necessary.

I have no troub= le admitting I shivered upon reading it, because I cannot think of anything mo= st terrible than seeing the two people I love more in my life fighting each ot= her.

Coruscant, Jedi Temple, 3:8:7

Today Obi-Wan demonstrated to me and to Mace Windu the extent= of his control, and took a giant step in improving his relationship with the J= edi.

In truth I am s= orry to admit I was more concerned than the other master that he would lose his restraint when challenged, but then Mace had not witnessed the episode involving Anakin.

Everything happ= ened in the afternoon while Mace and I were walking in one of the corridors discussing Anakin’s training program.

Suddenly, we sa= w a padawan running in our direction and Mace frowned at = that unbecoming behaviour.

“Padawan-” he started to say, but the young woma= n did not let him speak.

“Master <= span class=3DSpellE>Windu, you must come to the training arena. Padawan Chun and the Sith are going to fight!”

“What?= 221; I asked her.

“They are going to fight! Padawan Chun has been insulting= the Sith Knight. He is furious because the Council chose = him to train the Junior Padawan l= ightsabre class. He said-” The girl fell silent and looked at her boots.

“What did= he say, Padawan?” Mace prompted her to conti= nue.

“He said = the Sith was given that position only because he is Master Jinn’s bastard, and Bruck should be the o= ne teaching that class.”

I turned to loo= k at Mace, full of urgency. “We must go there, quickly.”<= /span>

Mace did not se= em very alarmed, just angry. “Bruck Chun is a disgrace. We should have discharged him years ago. It will do him well to l= earn a lesson from Obi-Wan.”

“What are= you saying, Mace? My son could really hurt him. He doesn’t like to be challenged.”

Without waiting= for his answer, I ran toward the training arena, all the while sending calming waves to Obi-Wan through our bond.

When I arrived,= I found that a small crowd had gathered in the room, watching the scene that = was unfolding in the middle of the practice area.

I elbowed my way though the assembled people until I got closer and was able to see what was going on.

Obi-Wan was pacing back and forth near the supine form of a white-blond young man, who was wriggling and thrashing on the floor.

“What happened?” I asked to a young Mon Calamari knight. =

“Padawan Chun tried to attack Sit= h Knight Kenobi with his lightsabre, Master, but = Kenobi has pinned him down to the ground using the Force. Bru= ck has been trying to stand up for several minutes, but he cannot break the ho= ld Kenobi has on him.” The girl smiled briefly, then= sobered and added, “Bruck has been peltin= g Kenobi with insults, but he hasn’t be able to break his concentration.”= ;

“Well, it seems you should give your son more credit,” Mace’s voice said, causing me to turn around to see him standing just behind my shoulder. “His control is perfect.”

I nodded wordle= ssly as Mace stepped forward and walked toward the middle of the arena.

“Let him = go, Sith Knight Kenobi. I think Pada= wan Chun has already embarrassed himself enough.”

Obi-Wan obeyed = and with a small wave of his hand, released his hold on the other man.

Bruck Chun stood up and tried to speak, b= ut Mace was faster.

“Be silen= t Padawan Chun, I am aware of what happened here. You insulted Sith Knight Kenobi, Master Jinn and ev= en the Council by implying we made a choice based on personal favouritism. Go to y= our room and meditate on what happened here today. Maybe you will understand why you are still a Padawan and why we didn’t= entrust that class to you.”

“Yes, Master,” Bruck Chun walked away, his head= bowed in mortification as he passed by the silent crowd.

Once he was gon= e, I returned to concentrate on what was happening in the room.

Mace apologized= to Obi-Wan, and my son insisted it was not necessary. Then my friend changed topics.

“Did you = come here to spar, Knight Kenobi?”

“To train with the droids, Master Windu. Nobody but my st= udents are willing to spar with me — and they are= not yet ready to give me a good workout.” There was no bitterness in Obi-= Wan’s voice, just acceptance.=

“Would you like to spar with me, then? Do you think I will be able to make you sweat?” Mace inquired, his tone slightly challenging.

“It would= be an honour, Master Windu. Your fighting style, t= he Vaapad, has often been discussed at the Sith Temple. I will enjoy breaking through it.”

My son smiled, feral, and a murmur of disapproval rose from the crowd at Obi-Wan’s perceived haughtiness.<= /p>

Only I knew Obi= -Wan wasn’t boasting or being arrogant. I had seen him fight, and I was aw= are he had the skills to beat Mace.

With an unbefit= ting thrill of anticipation for the spectacle I was about to see, I walked away = from the crowd to sit on the stands, soon imitated by the other Jedi.=

Obi-Wan and Mace removed their robes, powered down their lightsabres, bowed to each other in salute and then took a combat stance.

Their two blade= s, one purple, one yellow, sprang to life and the duel started.

In the beginnin= g, it looked like Mace was clearly superior to Obi-Wan. He attacked and pushed forward as my son defended himself and backed away from the blows raining d= own on him.

Then, slowly but surely, the match turned to be more even. Obi-Wan stopped retreating but he= ld his ground as his movements became more attuned with Mace’s.

I realized in a flash that my son was synchronizing himself with his opponent’s rhyth= m, exactly as he does when we execute katas together. However, this time his coordination with Mace had a different, dangerous intent. Obi-Wan was learn= ing to move, to think like Mace in = order to discover his weak points.

For several long minutes, the match went on looking like a choreographed dance, so much in synchrony the two men were. They charged and retreated, side-stepped and pivoted, leapt and jumped, parrying each other’s blows with ease.

Gradually, Obi-= Wan became more and more aggressive and daring and Mace responded with all his potency in the Vaapad form, going after my son = with everything he had, only to be deflected and attacked again.

As the duel increased in speed, their blades moved with such quickness, it was almost impossible to follow them.

Mace was strong= er than Obi-Wan, but my son was quicker, so much so, there were moments in whi= ch his blows seemed to come from four different directions.<= /p>

I could sense O= bi-Wan’s aggressiveness fuel his moves as he fough= t, but also his absolute control. It was like he was walking on the edge of a precipice: only one step forward and he would fall into it, but his balance= was absolutely perfect. He was fighting like a Sith, always on the edge of the Dark Side, draining from its power to get stronge= r, but never giving into it, never letting it dominate him.<= /p>

The match continued, for what had started as a sparring session had transformed into a contest between two men who had never found someone able to keep up with th= em — until that moment.

The news of the duel spread like wildfire across the Temple, and the stands filled with an awed and quite-taken audience.

I could sense t= he general mood of the onlookers, and most of them believed Mace was going to = win. The only exceptions were Obi-Wan’s studen= ts, Anakin, who was now sitting at my side barely refraining from openly cheeri= ng my son, and myself.

Anakin’s = eyes were wide as saucers and became even wider with each blow Mace struck and Obi-Wan parried.

I suspect my Padawan finds Mace Windu = somehow more intimidating than the Zabrak he saw Obi-Wa= n face on Tatooine and Naboo. I wonder how my Mace would take it. Perhaps I will tell him what Anakin thinks just to see his reaction-- but only after he recovers from today’s lo= ss.

Oh yes, because= he was beaten.

I can still see= the stunned look on his face as Obi-Wan, after managing to jump and land exactly behind him, grazed his torso with his lightsabre even before Mace had the time to turn around.

Had the weapon = been at full power, Mace would have been diagonally cut, from shoulder to hip. T= his time instead, he simply fell to the ground, the tip of Obi-Wan’s ‘sabre pressed against his back.

A stunned silen= ce followed Obi-Wan’s victory, before a thun= dering applause erupted as my son helped Mace to stand, and the two of them shook hands.

The stands empt= ied, and the crowd flooded onto the training ground, commenting on the match and trying to copy some of the moves they had seen. Obi-Wan was surrounded by h= is students, but also by some of the younger knights, including the Mon Calama= ri knight I had talked to before, all of them wishing to know how he had manag= ed to execute that last move.

Anakin wanted to join them, but I stopped him, telling him to wait for the evening, when he = will have Obi-Wan all to himself.

The real reason= behind my refusal is I did not want him to claim my son’s attention in that moment. For the first time since Obi-Wan’s arrival, the Jedi were making him feel welcome.

One of his admirers, a female knight with short blond hair, went to the changing room = and brought him a towel for his face and neck. Another knight, a young man with dark ha= ir, went to retrieve his robe, and many others stopped by to ask to examine the hilt of his lightsabre or to pat his back.=

And my son was = in the middle of that crowd, smiling with happiness and a little embarrassment= as he was asked again and again how he had managed to “kill” Mace = Windu, and his students claimed aloud that he was the greatest swordsman of the Order.

Yes, the Order.=

And they had not meant the Sith one.<= o:p>

Things are changing— Obi-Wan is no longer a stranger.=

He is one of us= , as he was always meant to be-----

“Are you ready to go, Master?”

Qui-Gon Jinn’s startled fingers switched off the audio player before he could realize what= he was doing.

His recorded voice ceased to flow into the room, a= nd he turned toward the door, exclaiming, “Just a moment, Anakin.”=

“All right, but remember it will take some t= ime to walk to the Council Chambers.”

“Is that a polite way to remind him I’m slow?” Obi-Wan’s voice intruded and= Qui-Gon smiled at the easy banter between the two men he = loved most.

It was so beautiful to see them get along so well, especially now that the dread to see them engaged in a fratricide duel had vanished forever.

The Jedi master sighed and looked at the audio pla= yer still in his hand. He did not know what had pushed him to listen to that particular section of his journal just now.

Was it because, in those records dating back to thirteen years before, there were already the seeds of what would happen th= at very day?

Qui-Gon shook his head= and concentrated on getting ready before Anakin decided to bust the door down. = His former Padawan has learned many things along the years, but patience had not been among them.

“Master?”

“Father?”

Qui-Gon smiled at hims= elf and answered, “I’m coming.”

He threw a last glance at the mirror checking that= his almost-white hair and beard were in order and moved to the door.=

“I’m here,” he said, looking at = the two men waiting for him in the middle of the room.

Anakin was dashing in his new brown robe and beige tunics and trousers, his long dark-blonde hair neatly tied back with a leat= her thong — at least for today.

Obi-Wan instead looked almost regal in his grey uniform. His short hair, waist-long braid, well-trimmed full beard and the small patches of silver near his temples made him look very solemn.

The only things marring that perfect picture were = his son’s pallor, the dark shadows under his eyes and his too thin frame. They were an unwelcome reminder of the terrible evening when he had almost = lost Obi-Wan at the hands of Darth Sidious.

Qui-Gon tried not to t= hink about it, but he could not avoid it, for the scene that had shocked him when he had arrived in Palpat= ine’s office would be forever imprinted in his memory.

Qui-= Gon had been present when Anakin had burst into the J= edi Temple claiming Chancellor Palpatine was the Da= rk Lord they had been searching for, and he had heard Mace Windu order the young man to wait in the Council Chamber as he and three other masters went to arrest the Chancellor.

He h= ad watched as his former Padawan, dressed in his u= sual dark brown that made him look too much like a Dark Lord, had walked toward = the Council Tower, and he had felt a shiver run along his spine.

Some= thing was wrong, but he had not realized what it was. The Dark Side of the Force = had fallen on the galaxy, clouding his sight, clouding the Jedi’s sight…but not Obi-Wan’s.=

Qui-= Gon thought of his son and remembered the many times = he had insisted Palpatine was dangerous, and that Anak= in should not be allowed to be close to him. If only Obi-Wan was there, he would certainly know how to help Anakin, for he knew the man he called “brother” better than anybody.

But General Kenobi was away, on Utapau, as his batt= alion of clones destroyed the late General Grievous’ army.

Qui-= Gon went to the Council Chamber, wishing to be near A= nakin, but when he arrived, he discovered the young man was not there.<= /span>

The = aura of desperation and fear, fear= strong enough to cloud any judgemen= t, that he sensed in the room made him cry out with his mind, hoping to reach the y= oung man through what remained of their training bond.

//No, Anakin! Come back!//

Rece= iving no answer, Qui-Gon rushed toward the lift, but a mental voice stopped him in mid-stride.

//Wh= at is it, Father? I feel your distress.//

//Ob= i-Wan! How can you hear me? Where are you?//=

//I = am breaking into the atmosphere just now. I left Comma= nder Cody on Utapau to deal with the remaining droid= s. The Force indicated to me that I had to return as soon as possible.//

//It= did so indeed. Obi-Wan, Anakin has discovered Palpatine is the Dark Lord we have been searching for. Mace Wind= u, Kit Fisto and two other masters have gone to ar= rest him. They told Anakin to stay behind, but he followed them. He is not himse= lf, Obi-Wan. You know of his dreams about Padmé…What if Palpatine manages to convince Anakin he can = help him “save” his wife? It could be a too great a temptation for him.// Qui-<= span class=3DSpellE>Gon shook his head. //We should have never allowed hi= m to marry her…//

//I don’t remember him ever asked for our consent…he told us when everything was done and there was nothing we could do, since reporting him = to the Council was out of question.//Obi-Wan’s v= oice had carried a hint of his usual sarcasm. //Now stay calm, Father, I am going straight to the Senate Building. I will be= there in a minute or two.//

//Be careful, my son.//

//As= usual.//

The = mental contact was broken, and Qui-Gon stepped into th= e lift, musing again about the Chosen One’s prophecy, Anakin, and Obi-Wan.

Leav= ing the lift, he was directed toward the Temple exit when a sudden, unbearable pain brought him to his knees.

//Ob= i-Wan!// He cried out with his mind, as his breath came in uneven gasps and his heart pounded in his ears. When the pain subsided, Qui-Gon rose, staggering, to his feet and went to the hangar, climbing the first speeder he found. =

He s= ped into the heavy Coruscant traffic in the directi= on of the <= st1:place w:st=3D"on">Senate Building, all the while trying, in vain, to contact his son.

Once= he arrived, Qui-Gon, lightsab= re in hand, ran to Palpatine’s office, only = to skid to a halt when he saw the corpses of Kit Fisto, Agen Kolar, and Saesee Tiin lying across = the corridor.

His = heart pounding, Qui-Gon advanced more slowly toward t= he office, needing to know what had happened there, but also dreading what he might find, because the Force, for the first time in his life, was mute.

He e= ntered the room and there, among the smoking furniture and pieces of transparisteel tinklingto the floor from a shattered window, were Anakin and Obi-Wan.

Anak= in was kneeling and embracing Obi-Wan’s still fo= rm, rocking back and forth as he whispered again and again, “Please don’t die Obi-Wan, don’t die my brother…”

Qui-= Gon lost no time kneeling down at their side. “What happened?” he asked, his finger searching blindly for Obi= -Wan’s pulse.

R= 20;Palpatine attacked him with his blue lightning…= he had stepped between the Dark Lord and Master Windu = after I…” Anakin’s voice died and he lower= ed his tear-streaked face.

“After you what, Anakin?” Qui-Gon pressed him, as his fingers dialled the emergency code that would alert the Healer’s Hall at the Temple that medica= l rescue was immediately needed.

R= 20;After he cut my arm,” a third voice answered, and both Qui-Gon and Anakin raised their heads to see Mace Windu tower o= ver them, a grimace of pain marring his face.

R= 20;Master…I-” Anakin started, Windu stopped him.

R= 20;I know, Anakin, I know.” Then the Korun mas= ter knelt and observed Obi-Wan’s still form. “How is he?”

R= 20;I don’t know. The pulse is strong, but I cannot sense any activity in h= is mind…I believe he has slipped into a coma.” Qui-Gon murmured, his fingers caressing his son’s bearded cheek, as he mental= ly urged the healers to be quick.

R= 20;Palpatine went after Obi-Wan with a vengeance, when he interposed himself between me and him,” Mace’s voice softened a= s he looked down at the unconscious man. “He deflected the blue bolts using his hands or his body. It is because of him I am still alive.”

Qui-= Gon swallowed hard and asked, “What happened next?”

R= 20;Darth Sidious continued his attack; he was especially violent because he wanted Obi-Wan to stop talking...”

R= 20;Talking?”

R= 20;Yes…to me.” Anakin answered, “Obi-Wan kept on telling me to remember w= ho I was…who I am…that I am a Jedi…and that he loves me…= that I am his brother… I-I told Palpatine to s= top, to let him go, but he did not listen to me. So I killed him. I severed his head…it’s&= nbsp; over there.”

Qui-= Gon nodded, as he briefly looked in the indicated direction. Everything was clear—well, almost.

R= 20;Anakin, why did you cut Mace’s arm?”

R= 20;Because he was going to kill Palpatine before he could = tell me how I could save Padmé from death.= 221;

R= 20;But you killed him yourself-- why did you?” Mace Windu prodded him.

R= 20;I told you. He was killing Obi-Wan.”

R= 20;So you chose your brother over your wife?” pressed Qui-Gon, knowing that the answer was very important.

Anak= in closed his eyes briefly, and when he opened them again they were clear and sure. “No. I chose to be a Jedi, as Obi-Wan told me to. I chose to do my duty.”=

Qui-= Gon and Mace exchanged a look before lowering their e= yes on Obi-Wan’s unconscious form.

He t= oo had done his duty. The Chosen One had been tempted by Darkness, but his guardian, the Grey Warrior, had broug= ht him back to the right path—a path he would never again forsake. =

The = will of the Force had been accomplished, but Qui-Gon= hoped the salvation of the galaxy had not come at the expense of his son’s life.

Force be blessed, it had not been the case. Obi-Wan had been in a coma for two weeks as his system recovered from the electrical overload it had received. The shock had damaged some of his nerves which had caused problems with his legs, problems Obi-Wan had worked hard to overcome= , as today the lack of a walking stick demonstrated.

“Father?”

“What? Oh sorry, I was distracted,” Qu= i-Gon looked at his son, embarrassed.=

“We had already guessed that, Master,” Anakin interjected. “Now let’s go; I don’t think you want= to be late just today.”

“Oh no, Padawan = mine, I could never be late. It is this day, that is, thirty-nine years later.= 221;

“No more bitterness, Father,” Obi-Wan = said, before the three men moved to the door and left the room.=

They walked slowly along the seemingly deserted Temple, adapting = their pace to Obi-Wan’s measured steps.

“Where is everybody?” asked Obi-Wan, looking around the empty hallways.

Anakin smiled. “I think we will meet more pe= ople as we get closer to the C= ouncil Tower.”<= /o:p>

Obi-Wan’s face f= lushed crimson. “Don’t tell me they are all there?!”<= /span>

Qui-Gon nodded. “= ;Of course they’re there. Today is a very special day, for all of us.R= 21;

“I know, I know. It’s just I can barely accept it’s really going to happen.”

Qui-Gon and Anakin did= not answer, but the younger man squeezed his brother’s shoulder in silent= understanding.

The small party turned a corner, entered another hallway and, just as Anakin had predicted, they found it crowded.

Masters, knights, padawans, initiates: they were all there, and it made Qui-Gon remember the long-past day he, Obi-Wan and Anakin= had returned from Naboo.

Qui-Gon exchanged poli= te nods with those he was more familiar with, and his heart constricted when he thought of all the Jedi he had known in his life who were not there today.<= o:p>

The Clone Wars had caused the deaths of too many J= edi, but at least the Order still existed. It had not been wiped away by Palpatine’s machinations as the Sith Order had.

Darth Sidious had alwa= ys known the Sith would= not be blinded by the Dark Side as had the Jedi because they were more familiar wi= th it. So, the Dark Lord had started= a systematic campaign to eliminate the Sith, one = by one if necessary, and the Grey Order, victim of its suspicious and mistrusting nature, had refused to ask for help from the Jedi. Their ranks had become thinner and thinner, even before the Clone Wars started to claim the life o= f Sith and Jedi alike, until the moment there were no l= onger enough masters to take care of the trainees in the Sit= h Temple. The children had been sent back to their families or had been transferred to the Jedi Temple, as the Grey= Order agonized and then died.

Obi-Wan Kenobi, the Grey Warrior, was the last of = the Sith&#= 8212;and it was he whom all the Jedi had come to honour today.

Jedi Council was waiting for him, as he proceeded between two win= gs of people, his numerous friends patting his shoulders and squeezing his arms, while his father and his brother followed him, their eyes bright with emoti= on.

When the doors of the lift opened, Mace Windu was there to meet them.

“Thank the Force you’re here! We were beginning to worry.”

“I am sorry Mace, but crossing the whole Temple took more = time than predicted,” Obi-Wan murmured to his friend.

The Korun master nodde= d, then reached out with his new prosthetic arm. “C= an I help you?”

Obi-Wan straightened his back, proud and defiant as usual. “No, thank you, Master Windu.” He answered, very formal. “I am perfectly able to walk into that room= and kneel by myself.”

Mace smiled and nodded, “All right.”

The Council Chamber doors slid open, and the four = men entered, looking around at he changes made in the room. The chairs were emp= ty and had all been pushed against a wall, to make room to host the selected g= roup of persons who would attend the ceremony.

Obi-Wan walked to the middle of the room, where he stood, facing the twelve councillors standing in line in front of him, while Qui-Gon and Anakin moved toward the back of the= room. Anakin went near his wife, Padmé Amidala Skywalker, and their newborn twins Luke and <= span class=3DSpellE>Leia, while Qui-Gon flank= ed Lianne Shinko Kenobi, who was holding two year old Ben Kenobi in her arms.

Qui-Gon bent to kiss h= is daughter-in-law’s cheek and to caress his grandson’s reddish ha= ir, before he exchanged a bow with Bant Eerin, Garen Muhl and Siri Tachi, Obi= -Wan’s closest friends at the Temple.

Then he turned around to face the assembled master= s, and noticed with surprise that the chairs in the room numbered thirteen, not twelve and he wondered briefly who would take that seat. But then all his questions were forgotten when Obi-Wan slowly knelt and Master Windu stood before him.

“Sith Knight Kenobi,” his strong voice echoed in the room. “We are here toda= y to ask you to join us as a full member of the Jedi Order. Since you have come = to live with us, you have consistently proven your value and it is thanks to you th= at the Jedi Order still exists. Will you do us the great honour of accepting t= his offer?”

Qui-Gon watched his son raise his bowed head and nod. “Yes, I will.”<= /p>

Mace stepped aside as Yoda took his place and igni= ted his lightsabre. Then his voice echoed in the si= lent room, as he declared the millennia-old traditional litany.

“Obi-Wan Kenobi, by the right of the Council,” the old master grazed Obi-Wan’s<= /span> left shoulder with the powered-down lightsabre. “By the will of the Force,” Yoda moved the ‘sabre to the kneeling man’s right shoulder. “Dub thee I do Jedi Knight of the Republic,” and with a quick sweep of his wrist he cut away the long b= raid Obi-Wan had grown since he had become a Sith Kn= ight, eighteen years before.

His heart full of emotion, for his son was now a J= edi as he had always dreamed, Qui-Gon moved forward= . He wished to help Obi-Wan to stand up, but Mace Windu stopped him with a quick shake of his head, as Yoda switched off his lightsabre and spoke again.

“Knight Kenobi, such dedication seldom in my life I have seen. Unfair the Sith Council was. Recognize your talents they did not. Decided this Council has; remedy this injustice we will. Rise, Jedi Master and Sith Knight Kenobi. To take your place on the Council, welcome you are.&#= 8221;

Qui-Gon’s eyes w= idened in stupor as Obi-Wan’s equally surprised thoughts reached him through the bond.

Yoda smiled and added, “The best of two worlds you are, Obi-Wan. A tragedy it would be if the Sith wisdom within you die= s. Many things to teach us you have. Ready to learn, we are.”

Thus speaking, all the twelve councillors bowed th= eir heads, welcoming and honouring their new member.

Qui-Gon smiled, then c= rossed the room and walked toward his still kneeling son. He helped Obi-Wan to sta= nd and pulled his smaller form into a strong embrace, as around them the room exploded into long, interminable applause, and a new era dawned for the Jedi Order.

<= o:p>

THE END

<= o:p>