Summary: Young Qui-Gon learns a few lessons – but from who?
DISCLAIMER: Star Wars and all publicly recognizable characters, names and references, etc are the sole property of George Lucas, Lucasfilm Ltd, Lucasarts Inc and 20th Century Fox. This fan fiction was created solely for entertainment and no money was made from it. Also, no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.
Yoda tapped his way slowly down the hall of the Padawan Quarters West Wing of the North Tower. For centuries some 1000 students between the ages of 5 to 13 years had lived here…. Each hoping to someday be chosen as Padawan to a Jedi Knight or Master, and thus earn the chance to become a Jedi Knight in their own right. But each year many of those hopefuls were not chosen and were funneled off into career paths dealing with healing, agriculture and many other areas.
Thus, competition among the 11 and 12 year olds tended to be fierce and pressurized… which was exactly why Yoda was here, in the area, which housed the 8, 9, and 10 year olds. Old enough to talk with they were – too young to be trying to impress anyone with their ‘Padawan Potential’. Most of the children were outside in the courtyard garden play areas on such a beautiful afternoon…. Which was why the whispered childish voices and soft laughter that came to Yoda’s ears attracted his attention.
Yoda stopped beside a side hallway corridor, then followed the sound to the third door down on the left, where the plaque read, ‘Jinn, Q.’. He frowned mildly as the whispers continued beyond the door, which was only partially closed. Quietly he slid it open more, and his eyes widened in amazement. He had never in his life before seen a room in such disarray!
Tunics thrown hither and yon, sashes used as what looked like temporary rope to tie Sith only knew what together behind the bed. The bed in itself was a mass of rumpled sheets and blankets, half of which were on the floor. Boxes and baskets of plants, and stacks of things stood in every corner, under every surface, on every surface. Even the closet was a mass of precariously stacked boxes overflowing with things… and above it all – cages and terrariums and bowls of all kinds, obviously being employed to house creatures and critters of all variety.
Yoda looked around for the source of the children’s voices, and heard a soft laugh from the bathroom area.
"He’s going to bite you if you don’t leave him alone Mace!" Yoda heard in a warning tone, followed by a loud rustle.
"He will not Jinny – they don’t even have teeth! …OW!! OW!! GET IT OFF ME!" he heard in alarm and pain – then a very loud splash and thud against the wall, followed by more splashing!
"Look what you did! You got me all wet!" came one boy’s voice in deep protest.
"I did not! You’re the one who was being mean to him! I’d bite you too! Besides you told me to get him off you…. Is it bleeding?" another voice asked with concern, and there came a deep sigh.
"No…. no thanks to your Sith-turtle though!" one observed sullenly, and Yoda half frowned as he opened the door a little more.
"Just because it’s a turtle - that doesn’t mean they don’t have feelings – can’t be scared enough to bite." A smaller boy with the reddish brown hair and bright blue eyes was telling his slightly older friend – who quickly noticed Yoda and hissed as he caught his breath and froze with an alarmed look.
The younger turned quickly, and did the same, his eyes even wider and more alarmed looking as he swallowed dryly. "M-M-M-Master…YO-Dah!" Mace breathed, both obviously in awe and Yoda raised an eyebrow at them.
"What? Seen me before you have – what kind of look is this. Know you I do – since babies you were - especially the pair of YOU! Into mischief you always are – you * always* it seems, Qui-Gon Jinn…. Now, let me see this ‘turtle bite’ " he said firmly, and Mace very warily held out his finger for Yoda to inspect, and the one sighed at his finger, then at the boy.
"What age have you young man?" he asked and Mace swallowed dryly. "T-T-Ten years Master." He said and Yoda nodded. "And you?" he asked of the smaller one who frowned mildly.
"9 sir…well… I will be 9 in one more month." He added, and Yoda sighed. "Do not try to grow up in such a rush… 8 you are then?" he asked and the child nodded with a dark look at him.
"And this – this creature belongs to -?" Yoda asked sternly and the younger boy sighed.
"It’s my turtle – his name is Solomon. He’s part of my natural science class project. He needs to swim for 20 minutes every day. Did you know turtles can die if they get stuck on their backs? And their shells grow with them? And they can lay eggs? And some of them live in the oceans even?" the child asked, his eyes lighting up as his enthusiasm overpowered his awe, and Yoda smiled mildly now.
"If this creature is your science project – them what are all of these others?" he asked with a gesture back at the bedroom, and the boy smiled more as he came out and went to the nearest cage.
"These are ones that come to me because they are sick or hurt or lost – or I find them. This is K’rino… He’s a blue gill lizard. One of the other initiates tried to catch him and his tail fell off. He’s staying with me until his new one grows back. It’s still kind’a sore there. This is M’tala – she’s a koi goldenrod. It’s a kind of fish. The other fish were trying to eat her because she was so small. She just needs time to grow some." the boy said – going from one to the other until he had introduced each and every one of his roommates, before he turned to find Yoda smiling as if amused.
Yoda was indeed smiling. He had not been listening to the child’s words so much as he had been considering the boy’s aura. Every animal he had touched he had unconsciously given healing and calming energy to, as now he was doing to the plants he was talking about. Yoda lowered his head as if thinking and closed his eyes as he considered the child in his mind’s eye. The Living Force virtually radiated out of him. Undisciplined, uncontrolled – he shone like a beacon of it. No wonder animals found their way to him!
"Jinny is always finding weird things that need to be taken care of or helped. I think he should be a Healer." Mace said teasingly, and Yoda’s eyes flew open. He had just been considering the same thought. Had this 10-year-old picked up his thoughts – even through HIS shields?
"I am NOT going to be a Healer! I’m going to be a Knight – a Master someday even!" the younger growled back fiercely and Yoda abruptly cleared his throat, thus ending the argument before it started, as now 2 sets of eyes stared at him in mild alarm.
"In motion the future always is young ones. Close not the doors of tomorrow before get there you do! Now – you, Initiate Windu – studies you have to do I am sure of. Go now to them you will – and no more teasing of turtles will there be." Yoda said sternly with a gesture at the door, and the older child eagerly fled the room without even a backward glance.
Yoda turned his gaze to the younger child and was pleased when the boy did not wilt before him, as so often happened. The wizened green Master gestured around the room.
"This will not do young man. Things – a Jedi does NOT need! Things will NOT a Jedi make you. Never in all my years have I seen one so small make such a mess in one room! Outside these creatures belong, live in freedom they must – except perhaps the lizard and your class project. One week will I give you to clean out these boxes and piles. A Jedi you are to learn to be at the Temple here – not a junk dealer or warehouse keeper. Start now you will – your group mother will I speak to myself." He said sternly and the boy sighed, now with a dismal look.
"Yes, Master Yoda." He said unhappily, and watched as the elder left.
Mace padded down the hallway in his pool shoes, swim trunks and towel. When he came to the door, he eagerly palmed the panel.
"Hey Jinny – come on! We’re gonna be –" he called as he entered, and came to a sudden standstill as he stared in amazement. "What happened to your ROOM? Where IS everything?" he asked as his friend came from the bathroom, and the younger gave him a rather upset look.
"Master Yoda talked to my group mother. He said I had a week to clean up my room. When I came back after class the very next day, she had helper droids already in here – just – just…. Taking everything nearly. Not – not all of the animals were ready to be let – let –" he said, and left off, turning away as his eyes filled with tears.
Mace frowned deeply at the younger boy’s back, feeling a strong sense of his pain. He gave a sympathetic sigh as he put a hand to the smaller one’s shoulder.
"It’s not like you could have done anything to change their minds Jinny. We’re just kids. I don’t think Master Yoda was trying to be mean. Or your group mother either. She’s probably scared of him. I know mine sure is. Mine would turn somersaults down the dining room table if he told her to! The animals will be ok… the Force will take good care of them." He tried to reassure, and the younger sighed heavily as he threw himself stomach first on the bed, facing the foot of it and staring out the small window beyond.
"When I get big… I swear I’m not gonna let ANYone tell me what to do -when I know what they want is wrong. Those animals came to me because the Force told ‘em to… They tell us to listen to the Force, but I don’t think SHE did. She even let the lizard go that Master Yoda said I could keep! It’s not fair!" he mumbled, sounding as if perhaps in tears, and his friend sat down on the bed beside him with a sympathetic look.
"Wow…. I’m really sorry Jinny. It’s not fair at all. At least when we get to be Jedi Knights someday, it’ll be our mission to help people – and animals too… They won’t be telling us not to then." He offered quietly, and the younger sniffled as he nodded and wiped at his eyes and his friend sighed.
"Why don’t you still come swimming with me? " Mace asked, and the younger sighed as he shook his head.
"You go ahead… I don’t feel like it." He said in a small, miserable tone and the older boy frowned mildly.
"Please? You know I don’t really know how to float all that well… not like you do. I always do it a lot better when you come…It’ll help you with your spelling?" he offered and the one sighed as now he rubbed at his eyes hard and gave the older boy a rather shy and embarrassed look, and Mace smiled mildly.
"If nothing else, everyone will think your eyes are red because you dared to open your eyes under the water… not even some of the bigger kids will do that." The older boy offered cheerfully, and the younger sighed and nodded as he sat up.
"You won’t tell?" he asked uncertainly and Mace shook his head. "Do I ever?" he asked back and the smaller gave him a grateful look.
* * *Yoda tapped his way down the hallway, hearing the loud shouts and shrieks from the children in the pool on the other side of the wall. He hated supervising the swim tests… he truly did. Just because his home planet, Dagobah, was a swamp planet, did not mean he loved water in all it’s forms! He entered the pool area, and within seconds, as usual, the room fell silent.
"Children, this is the 10 year old 15 minute float test – everyone else out please." Said the loud voice of the woman instructor, and many bodies suddenly splashed their way to the sides and up and out, hurrying off to the locker area… all except for a few whom remained sitting on the side.
Yoda waited as the instructor called off 12 names, and 12 bodies lined up on the side of the pool at the deep end. "Remember students… when I blow the whistle, jump in feet first. You must then float on your backs for 15 minutes, without kicking or using your hands. When I blow the whistle again, return to the side of the pool where you started." She said, and blew the whistle around her neck sharply.
Instantly, 12 bodies leapt into the water, and turned onto their backs. Yoda nodded as he watched, then raised an eyebrow at the child who had stayed poolside, who was now scooting down it to sit near one in the water. // Ah yes, Qui-Gon Jinn… and his friend in the water, Mace Windu.// Yoda thought. Quietly Yoda traveled the length of the wall to stand behind the younger boy.
"Ok… invisible." The younger said loudly to his friend, who smiled.
"I –N –V –I- S –I –B- L-E…. invisible." The one in the water replied, and the younger nodded.
"Ok…Chancellor." The younger called out again, and once more the older spelled the word back to him…. Then a third word, and a fourth,… until finally the 15 minutes was up, and at the second whistle the children all returned to the side, Mace slapping his young friend’s hand with a triumphant grin that the smaller returned eagerly.
Yoda watched them all get out of the water as he wandered over to the instructor.
"Ask may I… Qui-Gon and Mace-?" Yoda started and the teacher smiled and nodded.
"For many years, Mace was afraid of the water… refused to even get into the pool with the other children. There was nothing in his history to suggest a cause – and no one could coax him to… until about 2 years ago when his group happened to come with the younger boy’s group. We were all amazed to see him get in the water at the younger’s urging. When asked, they both said the same thing – Mace was afraid he would sink and drown and the teacher would be too busy to notice. His friend would notice right away if he sunk." She said and Yoda raised an eyebrow and she smiled.
"Now it is not so much fear, as it is lack of confidence. The younger boy distracts him. Mace swims fine… the movements give him a focus. Floating does not. Yes, I know it is unusual… but I feel he will learn from his young friend to either distract himself, or have confidence in his own ability. I do not feel it is worth holding him back in a younger group – not at this point. He is only 10, Master." She said and he looked puzzled.
"Spelling out words?" he asked and she smiled.
"I believe they are spelling words from the younger’s vocabulary list. A few months ago it was the multiplication tables." She offered and he looked amused.
Quite later that evening, once again Yoda found himself in the 8 to 10 year olds residential area… but this time it was on purpose. Quietly he traveled the hallways until he came again to the door marked ‘Jinn, Q’, and knocked first, then palmed it open. He entered, and stopped as he frowned around the room. Gone were the boxes, the baskets of plants, the cages of animals, the piles of things, the stacks, even the closet contained only tunics and cloak and boots. In fact, the room was absolutely and utterly sterile. On the bed lay a small body, on his stomach, as if he had been lying there looking out the darkened window.
Yoda went over and considered the young boy, who had tears still damp on his cheeks and the blanket beneath him. Gently he ran a hand over the cinnamon colored, collar length, still unshorn hair and the child gave a shaky sigh.
"Qui-Gon Jinn?" he asked, and instantly the eyes flew open with an alarmed look as he shot up and off the bed, then realized who was there and seemed to gulp.
"M-M-Master?" he asked in alarmed confusion and Yoda half smiled for a moment… then looked around the room and back at the child.
"Remember I do that I told you to clean your room… Say I did not that all must go," Yoda observed, and the child suddenly looked away, even as he dropped to his knees with a heavy thud.
"I – I – I did not clean my room as you told me too Master… My group mother did it for me… the very next day after you spoke to me of it." Came his whisper of a voice and Yoda frowned now as he looked around at the emptiness.
"Where is the lizard that was growing a new tail?" he asked, and suddenly the boy’s eyes filled with tears and he just shook his head.
"The turtle?" Yoda asked, and the child again shook his as he bent fully over his knees with his head buried in his arms on the rug, and Yoda sighed very deeply and heavily. Slowly the wizened one went over to the boy and gently laid a hand on his back.
"Sorry I am little one… sorry I am." He sympathized quietly, even as he lifted the boy to his knees and the child tried to curl up to hide the beginning of his tears.
"No, little Jedi, sometimes tears are justified." Yoda said as he hugged the child, and suddenly found the boy’s arms wrapped tightly around his neck as now the child sobbed in earnest. Gently the wizened Master rubbed the small back. Only after quite awhile did the child’s tears slow, then finally cease, and now Yoda drew him to the bed where the child lay down, one hand curled to his chin, his eyes red and features all puffy and pale even.
"I’ll never love anything again. Not ever." The now exhausted child whispered shakily as he closed his eyes and curled up into himself. In a moment his thumb slid into his mouth. Unconsciously the young boy sucked on his thumb, already more asleep than awake and Yoda looked concerned. Lightly he laid a hand on the child’s lower back and could sense the 2-day utter emptiness of the boy’s stomach. A touch to the child’s head told him of the plague of nightmares – visions of cruel fates now met by his former roommates - that haunted the child’s dreams.
Yoda withdrew his hand and scowled deeply. Respect for his position was one thing… but when it had gotten to the point where the young children suffered as a result – that was a different matter. Gently he drew the side of the bedspread up over the small sleeping form, added a soothing touch to the child’s head to prevent the nightmares, and left the room with a grim look.
Mace smiled at his friend who sat on the floor hunched over a box of building pieces, gently pawing through the parts as if looking for one in particular. It was not all that often that the younger boy came to play in his room, not until recently anyway. Some of the other 10 year old initiates did not look kindly on his friendship with the younger boy, and were not exactly reluctant to say so if they found the younger alone in THEIR hallways. Finally the smaller boy sat up with a discouraged look.
"I don’t think there are any more pieces like that." He declared and Mace frowned at the structure that stood nearly 2 feet tall beside them.
"Oh well, I guess they will just have to live without a landing pad then. They can land on the roof and go in." he said, and the smaller boy gave him an amused look.
"It’s a good thing for the Jedi Council that you don’t really build their towers!" he observed dryly, and Mace laughed softly.
"I don’t think they’d mind. You can see better from the top anyway." He offered, and now his friend grinned teasingly at him.
"Yeah – and get blown off by the wind! I think you need to redesign a place where the dignitaries won’t end up falling off the building before we can do any more. Hey, you wanna go play in the garden?" he asked hopefully as he stretched his arms and Mace smiled and nodded agreeably.
Eagerly the boys entered the lush garden full of large trees, uncountable assortments of blooming plants and bushes and large expanse of lawns. It was fairly deserted in the area they chose.
"Hey, watch this Jinny!" Mace exclaimed, running across the pathway and doing 4 consecutive flips across the lawn, and the younger looked surprised.
"Neat! Teach me how?" he asked eagerly, and his friend smiled.
"You just run, and do like a forward roll, only you don’t curl up. You keep your arms straight and your legs straight and over you’ll go. Try it on the grass." He instructed, and the younger did, but did not go all the way over and his friend smiled.
"Run faster, and do it right here by me and I’ll help you." He said, and the smaller did, ending up in a handstand, that his friend helped him try to turn into a flip, only to have the younger land hard on his back on the grass, his legs in the flowers, and both laughed.
"That’s not exactly how it’s done." Mace chuckled as he helped his friend sit up and the younger smiled, still laughing.
"I hope not – that hurt!" the younger said dryly, then suddenly leaned to one side to frown into the bushes beyond.
"What?" Mace asked suddenly, and the one shook his head as he leapt up, now stepping carefully between the flowers, then kneeling at the bushes, then crawling half way into them, and finally coming back out with something cradled in his arms.
"UT-oh… NOW what did you find?" he asked as the one came back to him.
"Look, it’s a little tiny thing…" the smaller boy said as he gently pet the black furred thing in his arms, and the other boy bent over to peer at it with a deep frown.
"It’s a dead kitten Jinny. Must be from one of the temple cats that had a litter in there. Put it down." He said, and the younger frowned.
"It’s not dead Mace…. Look- " he said, and indeed the furry ball weakly moved it’s head and opened it’s eyes, and now Mace looked concerned.
"You can’t keep it Jinny. Lets go give it to the free-time teacher." He suggested, and the younger boy gave him a suddenly dark, stubborn look.
"I’m NOT giving it to ANYone. You have to promise you won’t tell." He said sternly, and Mace considered his friend for a long moment with a sympathetic look. He perhaps more than anyone else knew well how upset and hurt his friend had been at the ‘cleaning of his room’ by the group mother.
"I won’t tell… but what if SHE finds it Jinny? A cat isn’t like a turtle or a spider or a fish that can live in a box or a tank. They have to be out and walk around and climb things… Do cat-stuff. They meow even. You need things to keep a cat. A place for them to go to the bathroom for one. Food they can eat." He said in an urgent tone… frowning at the look of stubborn determination on the younger’s face.
"Well, it doesn’t need all of that right now. Right now it’s just really, really dirty, and hungry and cold. All I know is that if somebody doesn’t take care of it right NOW – it’s going to die real soon… and I can’t let that happen. Poor little kitty…" he said as he pet it gently and Mace sighed.
"Oh, alright – come on. Lets take it upstairs before someone sees you with it. I cannot believe I am letting you talk me into this! I just know we’re both going to end up in BIG trouble!" he growled, and they smaller boy smiled at him gratefully.
"Thanks Mace, you’re my best friend you know." He said, and the older boy rolled his eyes in exasperation, then considered the younger, and tentatively reached out to pet the small ball of black fur.
"No, I’m the only one dumb enough to let you talk me into stuff like this is all. You know they’re going to kill us both when they find out don’t you?" he asked seriously and the smaller boy frowned mildly at the cat, then at his friend.
"There’s a big difference Mace. They might yell at me, and at you… make us do extra chores, not let us play… maybe even make us do really icky things… But they won’t actually kill us. If nobody helps this little thing – it really WILL die…. And it is just a baby now. Even if SHE finds it in only 2 weeks – a month maybe… by then it WILL be strong enough to live with the other temple cats. If I were this cat, I’d really hope whoever found me had the guts to save me – even if they did get in trouble for awhile for it. It’s better than dying because nobody cares about you." He whispered to the small animal, and his friend considered him for a long moment and smiled softly… then took off his cloak and put it over the younger’s shoulders and fastened it at his neck and drew it closed in front.
"You are something else Jinny… you are really something else. Someday - I don’t know… I can just see you now as a big ole’ Jedi Master, dragging home all kinds of gods only knows what’s and who’s from your missions. You’re gonna drive the Council nuts. But… I guess if I were this cat… I’d be praying somebody like you would be the one to find me. I think you should name him ‘Midnight’… he’s black enough." He said and the smaller boy smiled as he nodded with a thoughtful look as under the cloak he gently pet the small animal.
"We’ll have to sneak it some meat and milk from our dinner for him to eat tonight." The younger observed and Mace smiled as they headed for the door.
"Us? Now it’s ‘us’ is it? I still think I must be crazy to let you get me into this" he observed dryly, and the one smiled broadly and nodded.
"It’s always US, Mace, you know that." He replied and his friend laughed and shook his head.
"CHILDREN? NOT one of MY children!" exclaimed the obviously indignant group mother who stood in the council chamber with Yoda, a rather large and burly man clad in Jedi Knight tunic, and the Mistress of Supplies. Yoda raised an eyebrow at the Knight, who smiled mildly.
"Certain you are of this?" the wizened one asked and the man nodded with an amused look.
"Oh, most definitely sir. I was sitting in the corner where it was dark … It was about 1 when I heard footsteps coming. I waited, and sure enough it was 2 children, both in their cloaks with the hoods up. They just walked right in as if they were perfectly at home with the whole process. The smaller one went straight for the meat, took out a handful and put it in a little bag he’d brought. The larger one got out the milk and poured a half of a cup of it into a container and put the lid back on. He even wiped up what was spilled on the counter. That’s when they saw me, when the older boy went to throw away the temprag he’d just used. He froze and gasped, the smaller one looked over and said ‘oh SITH! Run!’ and they both took off like shots. I caught the little one just before he got to the door, but the little demon kicked me in the shins like you would not believe, bit me on the wrist as hard as he could - then shoved me backwards into the wall! Some tiny child no less! A real little fighter that one is I tell you Master." He said with a barely suppressed chuckle, and the group mother scowled at him.
"That does NOT mean it was one of MINE! I am NOT the only one to have children of about that size!" she said and he smiled.
"No, but I was able to follow the elevator, and it did stop at only that floor. By the time I got out, I heard running down one of the halls to my right. But I did not try to chase the child any farther. All I can tell you, is it was a boy, a human boy, about as tall as my belt, a little more, with reddish brown hair and blue eyes. My guess is he was over 6, and definitely under 10. Just a little one…. But certainly a feisty little one I have to admit." He said with definite amusement, and Yoda nodded.
"Very well Knight Templar. Thank you I do for your assistance in this matter. See the healers I would have you do for the biting and kicking please." He said and the one smiled.
"I have already done away with the injuries Master … But when you do catch this little fighter of ours – I would like an opportunity to speak to him, if you would not mind." He said, and Yoda smiled with a nod, and watched the one leave, and Yoda looked back at the list of names on the datapad in his hand.
"None of mine have ever been known to cause trouble Master Yoda, not even one. Now Al’issa … she has that Jinn boy who is always into something or other … but that would be down the hall way to the left. Unless of course, the child in question ran to the right in the hopes of misleading his pursuer." She observed and he nodded with a thoughtful look.
"Speak to the children myself will I, tomorrow at the noon meal." He said, and she nodded and bowed, before leaving him alone with the Mistress of Supplies, who quickly took her leave as well. // Meat and milk… unusual things for children that age to be sneaking from the kitchen … // Yoda mused to himself.
* * *Mace Windu hurried down the left hallway, turned 2 corners and down another hallway, palmed the pad beside the door, and quickly entered the room, startling the younger boy who was sitting on the bed with the cat seeming to be only a dark shadow in his lap.
"What’s wrong?!" the younger demanded at his friend’s scowl, and Mace paused for a moment, clearly struggling with his anger.
"Because of you and that Sith cat of yours – none of the 10-year-olds get to go on the trip to the Museum next week! None of the 9-year-olds do either! Master Yoda said that until the students who were raiding the kitchen last night confess to what they did… None of the whole middle age group gets to go on ANY field trips at ALL! Why did you have to BITE the guy Jinny!? You can’t just bite a KNIGHT and not expect something AWFUL to happen to you! They might even decide to send you away – declare you untrainable!" he demanded hotly, and the one gave him an upset look, now gently stroking the animal in his lap.
"I was scared… I didn’t mean to." He breathed and the older boy sighed deeply.
"Great… just great. You get scared and because of you and that stupid cat, everyone on my floor is going to blame me. They’re going to find out it was us Jinny, and then all the other kids will be mad at us. YOU may not care – but I do!" he growled darkly, and now the smaller boy sighed down at the cat and seemed somber as his shoulders sagged.
"This was all your big idea Qui-Gon Jinn! Whatever happened to having the guts to stand up for that - that THING! All it ever does is eat and sleep and go to the bathroom and get bigger and bigger! It’s only been here 8 weeks and already it’s as big as some of the other temple cats! Besides – temple cats do NOT have long fur like Midnight does. It’s probably some dangerous offworld THING somebody tossed over the temple wall because THEY were smart enough to get RID of it! Now everyone is getting punished … Some help you are! If it’s an animal you’ll do anything – but then when it’s other kids – all of a sudden you’re to scared to say something!" he stormed hotly, and the younger boy gave him a hurt look.
"I’m sorry Mace. I didn’t think they’d punish the whole age group." He whispered and his friend scowled still.
"Yeah, well they did. And when the other kids find out, they are NOT going to be very nice about it. Especially if they all miss out on the field trips! I’m not going to tell on you Jinny. I promised you I wouldn’t … But I just hope you decide to do the right thing." He said, and turned and stormed out of the room in a huff, and the younger child sighed deeply as he turned back to the animal in his lap and gently stroked the long, soft fur, until it began purring loudly in it’s sleep.
The young boy tried to wait quietly by the large fountain in the courtyard of the play lawn. This was one of the few and only open air sections of the temple at all. He knew that Master Yoda and some of the other Council Members often choose to stroll casually around the lawn on a nicer day … which this was one of. The boy sighed. It was hard to sit and wait when your stomach was full of butterflies and it felt like you had a lump in your throat the size of a Bantha. His hands were sweaty and yet as cold as if he were on the planet Hoth itself, and all he could imagine was scene after scene of impending gloom and doom. Finally he heard the voice of the diminutive Master coming! He turned, and suddenly found Yoda and a much older child before him, this one with his hair cut and a padawan braid that hung down just past his shoulder even. The small green Master cocked his head at the small boy with a rather curious smile.
"Ah … I sense, waiting for me are you young initiate?" he asked, and the boy could only gulp and nod, eyes wide, and Yoda seemed amused.
"Very well. Wait here please, a few others I must see first." He said, and again the child nodded, feeling frozen to the spot even as his breathing quickened. It seemed like forever to the child… and when Yoda did finally come back – it was not with the older boy – it was with 3 of the other Council members at his side!
"Now, young man … wish to speak with me did you?" Yoda asked, and the child before him just stared soundlessly, eyes wide.
"Speak up young man –" insisted one of the council members rather sternly and the boy suddenly gulped.
"I – I – I j-just wanted to tell you … that, um, um …" he stammered, blushing hotly as he tried to think of something – ANYthing to say now … And it did not help at all that Yoda looked so amused!
"I just wanted to tell you that thanks to my friend Mace Windu’s help during his float test, I got a good grade on my spelling exam Master!" he said breathlessly, and Yoda seemed to suppress a chuckle.
"Can you spell – invisible – for me?" he asked, and the boy turned positively crimson.
"I – n- v – i – s – i – b – l – e … " he breathed, wishing with all his might that he could be so now, and Yoda seemed satisfied as he nodded.
" Very good little one … is that all?" he asked and the boy nodded quickly, bowing lowly and staying that way until the group had left. Yoda considered the child, but let the others draw him away and along the path.
"Very unusual child. Is there some concern with his ability to spell?" asked one, and Yoda smiled and laughed softly to himself.
"No, actually he seems to do well at it." He said, giving only a mysterious smile as the others all raised curious eyebrows at him.
And indeed, twice more the next day the Qui-Gon Jinn tried to talk to the wizened Master. Once, he could not seem to find the words – due to the very large, tall, Jedi Master who stood at Yoda’s side with a rather amused look… And the second time was in the dining room, where just as Yoda noticed him standing at the elder’s elbow, 3 of the other Council members showed up to sit down with the ancient one, and the child’s voice seemed to evaporate entirely under their curious looks at him.
For two more days the young boy tried, still unable to ever seem to get more than a second or two alone with the ancient Master, or there were curious eyes staring into him intently. And now the day of the tentatively cancelled field trip was only 4 days away! He even considered just writing the Master a long note and signing his name, but somehow that didn’t feel right either.
Qui-gon Jinn tossed and turned in his bed, wresting with both the sheets and his conscience. He had to tell Master Yoda the truth, and at this rate, it would be too late before he even got to! Even if he was convinced they would send him away… he could not stand to see the others punished when they hadn’t done anything wrong! Desperately he tried to think of a way… There had to be a way… but the hour was so late and he had already had several nearly sleepless nights behind him. Finally exhaustion overtook his worry and the child feel asleep, where now a dream came to him.
Quietly, silently, the young boy carefully balanced the box before him as he snuck down the hallway. This early, there was no one around, not even HERE. His hands sweat from nervousness and his stomach flip-flopped with butterflies by the thousands… but he was convinced this was the only right course of action to take. He stopped when he came to the huge, tall, ornate double doors at the end of the hallway. He’d seen this doorway before – but only in pictures.
Gently he set the box down, heaved the door open with his shoulder, slid the box inside, slipped in as well, and let the door shut silently behind him. The lights were off, but the rising sun still shone vividly across the open expanse of mosaic tiled floor before him.
The Jedi Supreme High Council Room.
Now what? If he just stood here, chances were high, some aide of some sort, would come early and just make him leave… dismiss him as some troublesome child who didn’t know any better – who couldn’t possibly have something worthy of bothering the Council over… And maybe that was true, but he also knew this was probably the best place to get Master Yoda to listen to him. Well – at least he could bet the diminutive Master would not yell at him here. Nobody yelled here – surely no one would EVER yell here.
And as for the others… well, yes they would be here too most likely… but sometimes you just have to face your fears and try to let them go… do what was right anyway. It may not be easy… The boy swallowed hard as he blinked back sudden tears. He wanted so badly to be a Jedi Knight, and now he had thrown it all away - to help one cat. He took a deep breath and slowly let it out. It had been his choice… his decision… now came the other end of making that choice, and he would do his best to act like a Jedi when it came to that part as well.
For a long few minutes he just gazed around the room. After all – if they kicked him out for not admitting to it when asked to in the dining room – this would be the only chance he had to ever see this infamous room. Slowly he walked around the circle of seats, silently reading the name plaque attached to the arm of each. At Yoda’s he stopped, gently running a finger over the red velvet lining of the chair’s cushions.
Carefully, he turned around and perched on the edge of the chair. For a moment in his mind’s eye he saw dignitaries, kings, queens, Knights and Masters all standing before him… heard the voices pleading for help, for justice, for settlement and peace. Suddenly he jumped up. Well, maybe they would send him away… but he was going to do it anyway. He just had to make sure they knew it was his fault, and not Mace’s - even if it was the last thing he ever did within these temple walls. Now if only his knees would stop shaking!
More carefully now he investigated the furnishings and short expanse of wall in the room. There – there against the far center wall he felt himself drawn to a large stone-like table covered with a long, floor length expanse of fancy white brocade cloth. The table- top was decorated with all kinds of strange objects, ancient looking items, and an enormous clear crystal starburst that seemed to shine from within it, even as it hung unsupported over the center of the table.
Gently he touched a lower spike of it, and smiled as a sudden sense of peace came over him. Yes, what he had come to do was indeed the right thing. Quickly now he slid the box under the table and crawled in as well, pushing both as far back into the darkness as he could get. There he drew himself into a meditative posture. Meditation was not his strong point, but he would try. Maybe focusing on the crystal he knew hung over his head would help. Almost anything that would help calm him right now, surely could not hurt. Slowly, gradually, he pictured the crystal above, let himself sense the energy within it, remembering the peace and calm of his brief touch... and slowly he let himself flow into and merge with it. // This is so easy! // was his last conscious thought.
Eventually though, he felt himself being separated from the bright white light – pushed away even, and with a feeling of loss he once again noticed the hardness of the tile floor beneath him, heard voices beyond the cloth, and opened his eyes to blink in confusion at first. Suddenly he remembered! How long had passed? Who was out there? He dared not try to peek. He needed to wait – even if it took hours … until they were done with every one else.
"Please! Your attention, please Ladies and Gentlemen. I know we have all had a very long day. Several important issues have been resolved here today – thank the Force. Now in just a few moments we will adjourn –" came a low, deep, stern voice. Without hesitation the boy shoved the box out from under the table as fast and as hard as he could, quickly crawling out himself, where he paused to find all eyes suddenly glued on him. Instantly he felt minds crowding his, not in anger, but still rather alarming. With a gulp, he stepped backwards, recalling to his mind the soothing image of the crystal’s energy, and saw surprise slowly register on the faces before him.
"My, my… haven’t we seen you just recently? What is your name young man?" asked a surprisingly youngish woman from one side near him, and he gulped again, momentarily unable to remember his name.
"J-J-Jinny…. I – I – I mean – Qui-Gon Jinn." He finally managed, and saw her mouth turn up at one corner.
"And how long have you been under there?" she asked and he looked confused as he blinked several times.
"I came early… after breakfast. I – I need to tell the Master Yoda and the Council something. I didn’t think anyone would let me if I just asked. I don’t know what time it is now. I was meditating." He said, the last lowly, and she seemed to smile more, as did several of the others.
"This would not have to do with missing lunchmeat would it young man?" asked another, and the boy hesitated, feeling Yoda’s eyes boring holes into him. Briefly, he closed his eyes, drawing the white light close and into his very center, even as he nodded. The Council members all watched as this small child drew the Light of the Force into his being, then opened his eyes of such clear blue and now he strode confidently over to Yoda and knelt on one knee before him.
"Master, I apologize for not having the courage to stand up in the dining room when you asked who had raided the kitchens… and bit the Knight. It was me… and I was afraid to say so. The others should not be punished for what I did wrong. I understand why I should not be allowed to be an initiate anymore." He said clearly, in a somber tone, as he met Yoda’s gaze fully.
"You do, do you… explain to me why you should not then?" Yoda observed and the child smiled a little.
"I didn’t understand when I came, but I think meditating under the crystal helped a lot. You always tell us, fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering. I was afraid. I made others afraid they would not get to do things they have earned the right to do. It seems to me the bigger wrong was in letting others have fear and anger made in them, because of something I did. I did not mean to do that when I took the meat, or didn’t stand up, but it’s what happened anyway. It’s what happened because of me. I have to be responsible for what I cause. Even if it was not what I intended to cause. Everyone is connected to everyone else…. I saw THAT in the crystal. It’s like a big giant spider web that goes all over the whole universe and has every single thing that is alive as a part of it. It was so beautiful Master. I’ll never forget it, no matter where I go." He said softly, and Yoda considered him with kind eyes.
"Tell me, little Jedi, why did you take the meat and milk?" he asked gently and the one half smiled.
"I – I found a sick kitten Master. And when my friend told me I couldn’t keep it… I let myself get stubborn and angry, because of all the other animals and things the group mother took away before. I wouldn’t listen… and I even talked my friend into helping me bring things for the cat to eat. But – the cat got too big to just eat what little parts we could save from our dinners, so I started taking the meat and milk to feed it. It’s not just that I was angry Master Yoda… the cat needed help or it would have died very soon. I didn’t think my group mother or the free-time teacher would think it was important enough to save… so I didn’t want to take it to them. I should have trusted them, and I didn’t." he said simply, and sat back on his heel with a shrug of admittance, and Yoda closed his eyes for a long moment, then opened them to consider the child before him.
"To find anger and mistrust in one so young…" Yoda said as if disappointed and the boy now hung his head and as he nodded, a cloud of misery seeming to descend upon him finally. A long silence filled the room as now the child seemed to give himself over to a life of unrealized dreams.
"Tell us little Jedi, were you not afraid to come here? Come before us?" asked another of the council members, and the boy lifted his head as now he sat fully on the floor, tears bright in his eyes as he nodded.
"Master Yoda told the whole rest of the age group that no one could go on any field trips until whoever had done it came forward. My friend that helped me – he said I should call him if I decided to tell. But more than what Master Yoda said, more than what my friend said, even if everyone hates me for the rest of my life and you send me away as untrainable… I wanted you to know the truth. I knew I shouldn’t keep the cat… but the Force told me it would die if nobody took care of it. It was just a baby then. I know sometimes babies are taken back by the Force… but it just didn’t seem like it absolutely had to be that way then for the kitten. There was still a choice. My friend warned me that we would get in trouble. But I told him, if I were the cat, I would hope somebody with enough guts to do something to help me …. would be who found me. THAT part wasn’t wrong. No, helping the kitten was not the part that was wrong. It was the getting angry part that was wrong, and the taking things and not admitting it that were all wrong. I should be responsible for a choice I made. Even if I was afraid to come – I knew it was the right thing to do." He replied, as now the box shifted and he crawled over to it.
"Open the box please, and lets see this animal you think worthy of such a great price." Said another member, and the boy smiled.
"His name is Midnight. And he’ll be a really good temple cat for you. He sleeps most of the day, and hunts for things at night… He’s caught lots of mice in the last few days when I didn’t have much to feed him besides parts of my dinner… and he likes it if you pet him." He said as he opened the box, and the cat popped it’s head out curiously, saw the boy, and instantly jumped into the his lap and began purring loudly as the child pet it. The Council members all seemed to consider him for a long moment, then exchanged long looks as if conversing among themselves.
"Master Yoda? You seem most familiar with this entire situation. I do remember you telling us about the group mother’s overzealous application of your instructions. I think it should be up to you to decide the consequences of this young man’s actions." Said the man in the chairman’s seat, and the others all quickly nodded with amused looks. Cautiously, the child glanced at Yoda, and was rather surprised to find the one gazing at him openly, a small smile hinting at the corners of his mouth.
"Come to me, little Jedi," he said as he beckoned with one finger, and now the child rose to go and stand before him, his eyes glued to the floor. Gently Yoda lifted his chin so their eyes could meet.
"Chose you did the more difficult path, in helping the creature. Perhaps one you were not prepared to travel it was at the time. The demands did exceed your resources and lead to more poor choices." He said gently, and the child nodded, tears bright in his eyes.
"Now, now…in coming here, it is courage you have shown, courage beyond your years I would say. Proud of you I am. Mistrust I am deeply sorry we did teach you. Both your group mother and myself do apologize for this." He said and now the child frowned.
"You did nothing wrong Master." He said, and Yoda smiled gently.
"When fear we inspire, wrong we MUST be doing Jinny. It is NOT my wish that you fear me. May the gods save us all from the day when it is our own Jedi whom fear us. Respect us yes, fear us - gods forbid." Yoda said seriously, as he leaned forward, turning the boy so he was facing the empty tiled floor in the center of the room. With one hand Yoda pointed at the floor before them.
"We are your council little Jedi, and someday stand before us you may, in that circle upon the floor as a Knight, perhaps even as a Master. When that day comes – trust between us there will need to be. Trust that must come, starting from now." He said and the child frowned mildly at him.
"Don’t you think I should be sent away Master Yoda?" he asked bravely, and Yoda chuckled softly.
"I think we will let you continue this responsibility you have chosen already. A good lesson responsibility is, at any age… A challenge it will be at times. As for your ‘Temple Cat’ – never have I seen one with a coat like that, nor that large so young… Teach you responsibility well I think he can … only - provide you we will with the proper equipment and food for your – friend.” He said and the child frowned.
”The group mother will never let me keep a cat in my room Master – not ever! I do not think she even likes animals!” he said with deep uncertainty, and the ancient one looked amused as he half shrugged.
”More important it is that you learn the lesson of being responsible for those ‘strays’ that you adopt Qui-Gon Jinn. You are of the Living Force… and attract them you might. An important lesson this is for you to learn early in life. This Temple Cat will not be the last of them. Speak myself I will to your group mother, so the past misunderstanding there will NOT be again. I will tell her – it is a special lesson the Council itself has decided and set into motion for you.” He said, and the boy raised an eyebrow at him, even as several of the others concealed smiles behind their hands or bit hard upon their lips.
”As for the rest, I must tell you, there is a certain Knight that wishes a few words with you. I promised him, send the one to him we would." Yoda added, and the child’s eyes grew wide as he gulped and looked alarmed at the wizened one’s words.
Yoda tapped his way down the hall, this time to the training room observation bay. He entered to find 3 of the other Council members already there.
"Yes, what so urgent could be that I must come this instant?" he asked grouchily, and they all smiled.
"You need to see this Master Yoda. Look –" the young councilwoman said with a nod at the view before them, and Yoda turned and instantly frowned deeply.
"Who is that who has brought such a little one into the training area?! And to give him a blade?! Even if it is a training blade…." He started in outrage, then grew still as he watched the small child meet the knight’s blows strongly, with expertise, as if he had been doing it for many years already, and the wizened ones eyebrows crept slowly upward, then even higher.
"Who, who is that?" he asked softly, and all three chuckled softly.
"THAT, dear friend, is your Little Jedi, Qui-Gon Jinn. He told Templar he has never even been allowed to HOLD a training blade yet. The child is a natural Master Yoda. Totally untrained and already look at him. You should have been here a little bit ago. He reached out for the Force again, had Templar backing up just about as fast as he could go. A 6-ft Jedi Knight had to do a 12-foot somersault over the head of a 9-yea-old to avoid capture. Funniest thing I’ve seen in a LONG time!" one of them chuckled, and Yoda gave him a deeply surprised look, then turned back to the window to watch as now the Knight let the child attack him.
"Amazing, simply amazing…" another observed as they all watched, and the Councilwoman sighed softly.
"Oh yes, that one will indeed become a Knight… I’d bet money on it today even. Tell us Master Yoda… we all know you have been known to meditate under that crystal representation of the Spirit of the Force yourself…. What did the child experience under there?" she asked, and Yoda gave her an utterly innocent look, and the others all laughed softly.
"No, really Master… It is not exactly a secret that you have been known to do so… what did he see? He was even able to reach out for the Force in front of all of us… In the Council room… and Templar says he does it all the time… Yet his teachers say they have not noticed such a thing in the past…. What happened? What does one see from under there?" another one asked him, and now Yoda’s features softened and he gave a fond sigh as his eyes grew distant.
" It is not the crystal itself, but the energy the crystal has absorbed from its many, many centuries of being in the presence of the Council. And yet… Not for all is such vision. Many I have known who try the same, and feel nothing, sense nothing, see nothing. He is too young to have understood very much." He said, frowning, as once again the tall Knight was skittering away from the steadily advancing child.
"Then again… perhaps the Force senses some special receptiveness in him itself." Yoda mused, shaking his head with an amused look as now the Knight leapt high and over the boy, only to have the child very nearly corner him as he landed, and all 3 laughed softly.
"Alright! Alright, Little Jedi! I surrender!" cried the Knight as he dropped to his knees, breathing hard, and the child laughed brightly as he raced towards him, and his former opponent caught him and hugged him warmly.
Mace sat on the bed in the younger boy’s room, watching as his friend carefully fastened a purple collar around the cat’s neck. The animal did not even try to get away, instead purring as if in encouragement, until finally the boy smiled and hugged it affectionately.
”There you go Midnight. Now everyone will know who you are.” He said happily as he rubbed it’s ears and the purr got even louder. Mace smiled uncertainly as he watched, then shook his head as if in disbelief and the younger gave him a questioning look.
”What’s wrong? You’re not still mad at me are you?” the younger asked, and Mace looked away and down at his lap as he shook his head and seemed uncomfortable for some reason. In a moment the younger came to him with a concerned look.
”Then, what’s wrong Mace? Something is.” He stated matter of factly and now the older boy sighed deeply, and met his gaze.
”I’m really sorry I got mad at you Jinny. When I told you you should do the right thing… I never even dreamed you would go to the whole COUNCIL. Why didn’t you come and get me? I would have gone with you… I SHOULD have gone with you. You’re younger than I am.” He said softly, and the smaller one half smiled.
”And you’re the one who told me NOT to keep Midnight. You weren’t the one who made the choice to do something he should have to tell them. Besides, it’s ok. Master Yoda never even asked me who my friend was who helped. I told him my friend said no. And – I don’t blame you for getting mad at me… I would have to if I wasn’t going to get to go to the museum. How was it anyway? Was it as neat as you thought it would be?” he asked and the one sighed and shook his head.
”I felt half sick to my stomach the whole time we were there – just thinking about you going to the council room all by yourself. Even if it did turn out alright – you didn’t know that when you went there. I – I …. Look Jinny, next time you do something like that – come and get me – come and tell me – don’t go by yourself like that. What if they had sent you away? I’d feel bad the whole rest of my life. I just can’t believe you actually went to the Council is all. We are friends – I should have been there with you.” He said softly, and the younger smiled mildly.
”Mace …. I don’t think you have to worry about this being the only time I ever get into trouble. I kinda doubt it will be the only time I ever end up there because of it either. Next time I get into real trouble – I’ll tell you. Who else would I tell anyway?” he asked and the older boy gave him a fond smile and nodded.
”ANYtime you need help Jinny – or need someone to come rescue you – you’d BETTER call me!” he said sternly, and now the younger laughed softly.
”I will Mace, I promise…. But you may be sorry you said that someday –“ he warned, and now the older smiled broadly as he shrugged.
”If we’re going to be Jedi together Jinny – we might as well start helping each other now. It IS what Jedi do, you know. They help each other when one of them needs it.” He observed and the younger smiled and nodded with a far-away look to his eyes for a moment.
”OK, but I’ll tell you what…. Whichever of us gets on the Council first – same thing goes? Right?” he asked, and the other laughed as he nodded.
”Yeah right…. One of US on the COUNCIL?” he asked, and now both children laughed soundly and deeply, at such an outrageous picture.
