Star Wars - Jedi Apprentice #1 - The Rising Force Page 3

  With that, the huge Jedi wheeled and strode for the door, his cape streaming.

  Obi-Wan sprang to his feet. I wont turn, he said with certainty.

  But Qui-Gon neither slowed his stride nor turned back. In a moment he was gone, as quickly and silently as he had appeared.

  For a long minute, Obi-Wan could only stare at the empty air in shock. At first, he couldnt quite take it in. It was over. His last chance had played out. There was nothing left for him.

  His bags were packed, sitting on a bench. He had only to pick them up and take them to the transport that would carry him to the planet Bandomeer.

  He lifted his chin. Though he would never become a Knight, he would at least leave the Temple like one. He would not plead. He picked up his bags and headed down the long hallway that led from the battle arena to the landing platform.

  He passed the meditation grotto, the meal room, the classrooms. Places where he had learned, struggled, and triumphed.

  It was all home to him. Now he must leave and head for a future he hadnt asked for and did not want.

  Obi-Wan walked out the door of the Temple for the last time. He tried to push away his deep sorrow and look to the future as hed been taught.

  But he could not.

  Chapter 5

  Qui-Gon Jinn could not get the sight of Obi-Wans despairing face out of his mind. The boy had struggled not the show it, but it was written on his every feature.

  Qui-Gon sat quietly in the star map room. Among all the rooms at the Temple, this was his favorite. The velvety blue ceiling curved above him in a dome. The only light came from the stars and planets that surrounded him, pinpricks against the blue in all the glowing colors of the spectrum. He had only to reach out a hand and touch a planet for a hologram to appear, detailing its physical properties, its surrounding satellites, and its form of government.

  Knowledge was so easily obtained here. But when it came to the heart, so much was a mystery.

  Qui-Gon told himself that he had made the correct decision. The only decision. The boy fought well, but to fiercely. There was danger there.

  The boy is not my responsibility, Qui-Gon said aloud.

  Certain are you? Yoda asked from behind him.

  Qui-Gon turned startled. I didnt hear you, he said politely.

  Yoda walked farther into the star map room. dozen boys fought for you. If you do not choose a Padawan today, the dreams of at least one of those boys will die.

  Sighing, Qui-Gon studied a bright red star. There will be more boys next year. Perhaps then I will choose a Padawan. In his visits to the Temple, Qui-Gon always valued his time spent with Yoda. Now he wished the Master would go away. He did not want to discuss this. But he knew Yoda would not go away until he had made his point.

  Perhaps, Yoda agreed. Or perhaps still reluctant, will you be. What of young Obi-Wan? Well he fought.

  He fought . . . ferociously, Qui-Gon agreed.

  Yes, Yoda said. Like a boy I knew long ago -

  Dont, Qui-Gon interrupted. Xanatos is gone. I dont want to be reminded.

  Not speaking of that one, Yoda said. Of you I spoke.

  Qui-Gon didnt answer. Yoda knew him too well. He could not argue.

  Strong in the Force he is, Yoda remarked.

  And angry and reckless, Qui-Gon said, a trace of irritation beginning to edge his tone. And likely to turn.

  Not all angry young men to the dark side turn, Yoda said calmly. Not if a proper teacher they have.

  I will not take him, Master Yoda, Qui-Gon said evenly. He knew Yoda would hear the strong will in his words.

  Very well, Yoda said. But by chance alone we do not live our lives. If take an apprentice you will not, then, in time, perhaps fate will choose.

  Perhaps, Qui-Gon agreed. He hesitated. What will happen to the boy?

  For the Agricultural Corps he will work.

  Qui-Gon grunted. farmer? Such a waste of potential. Tell him . . . that I wish him luck.

  Too late, Yoda said. On his way to Bandomeer he is.

  Bandomeer? Qui-Gon asked in surprise.

  Know the place you do?

  Know it? The Senate has asked me to go there. You knew this, didnt you? Qui-Gon eyed the small Master suspiciously.

  Hmmm . . . Yoda said. I knew it not. But more than coincidence this is. Strange are the ways of the Force.

  But why send the boy to Bandomeer? Qui-Gon asked. Its a brutal world. If the weather doesnt kill him, the predators will. Hell need all of his skills just to stay alive - never mind the Agri-Corps!

  Yes, so the Council thought, Yoda said. Good to grow crops Bandomeer may not be. But good place for a young Jedi the grow it is.

  If he doesnt get himself killed, Qui-Gon growled. You must have more faith in him than I do.

  Yes my point that is, Master Yoda said, chuckling. Listen ha rder you must.

  With an exasperated sigh, Qui-Gon returned his attention to the stars.

  Study the stars you may, Qui-Gon, Yoda said as he left. They have much to teach you. But will it be what you need to learn?

  Chapter 6

  The Monument was an old Corellian barge, pocked and scarred from meteor hits. It was shaped like a crate, and attached to the front of it were a dozen cargo boxes push to Bandomeer. It was the ugliest, dirtiest ship that Obi-Wan could have imagined.

  If the exterior was ugly, the interior was foul. Its battered corridors smelled of miners dust and the sweaty bodies of many species. Repair ports were left open, so that wires and pressure hoses - the ships guts - spilled out as if from an open wound.

  Everywhere on the Monument enormous Hutts slithered about like giant slugs. Whiphids stalked the corridors with their moldy fur and tusks. Tall Arconans with triangular heads and glittering eyes moved in small groups.

  Obi-Wan wandered in a daze, his bags in hand. No one had been at the entry port guide him. No one even seemed to notice him. He realized gloomily that he had left behind the data pad Docent Vant had given him. On it was his room number.

  He looked for a crew member, but he could only find miners being transported to Bandomeer. Obi-Wan trudged on with gathering despair. The ship was strange and frightening. It was so different from the hushed, gleaming hallways of the Temple, where he could hear the sound of the fountains wherever he walked. He knew every corner of the Temple, knew the fastest route to get from the arena, where they practiced tumbling and balance, to the pool, where he would dive from the highest temple . . .

  Obi-Wans steps slower and slower. What was Bant doing now? Was she in class, or a private tutorial? Was she swimming in the pool with Reeft and Garen Muln? If his friends were thinking if him, they would never imagine what a horrible place he had landed in.

  Suddenly, a huge Hutt blocked his path. Before Obi-Wan could say a word, the Hutt grabbed him by the throat and threw him against a wall.

  What do you think youre doing, slug?

  Uh, what? Obi-Wan asked in surprise. What had he done wrong? He was just trudging down the hall. With a sense of unease, he noticed that two particularly evil-looking Whiphids stood behind the Hutt. B-Bandomeer, he stammered.

  The Hutt studied Obi-Wan as if here were a morsel of food. The creatures huge tongue rolled from its mouth and slid over its grey lips, leaving a trail of slime.

  Thats not a ships uniform youre wearing, and youre not Offworld.

  Obi-Wan looked down at his clothes. He wore a loose gray tunic. He suddenly realized that the Hutt in front of him wore a black triangular patch that showed a bright red planet, like an eye. A silver spaceship circling the planet became the iris of the eye. Beneath the logo were the words Offworld Mining. The Whiphids wore the same symbol.

  He must be from that other outfit, a Whiphid said.

  Maybe hes a spy, the second Whiphid growled. Whats he got in those bags, you think? Bombs?

  The Hutt pushed his huge grotesque face close to Obi-Wans. Any miner who doesnt work for Offworld is the enemy, he roared, shaking Obi-Wan roughly. You, slug, ar
e an enemy. And we dont allow the enemy on Offworld turf.

  The Hutts fingers were like slabs of meat. They tightened around Obi-Wans neck, strangling him. Choking, Obi-Wan dropped his bags and grasped the Hutts fingers. His lungs burned and the room spun.

  Using all his strength, Obi-wan managed to pry the Hutts fingers from his throat long enough to gasp a breath. He stared into the cruel, blank eyes of the Hutt, trying to summon his Force powers.

  Leave me alone, Obi-Wan gasped, struggling to breathe. He let the Force carry the command to the Hutt, to batter his will, change his mind. This was not like fighting another student. He sensed a cruelty without conscience. There were no rules here, no Yoda to call off the fight.

  Leave you alone? Why? the Hutt roared with cruel amusement.

  Im getting off to a good start, Obi-Wan thought despairingly.

  The last thing he remembered was the Hutts fist coming straight at him.

  Chapter 7

  Obi-wan woke on a cot in a warm, well-lit room. His vision was blurry, and his head swam. A medical droid leaned over him, applying flesh glue to his cuts, checking for broken bones.

  A young Human woman with reddish-brown hair and green eyes stood across the room, watching him. Didnt anyone ever tell you not to tangle with a Hutt? she asked.

  Obi-Wan tried to shake his head, but even a tiny movement rocked him with pain. He took a long breath. He called on his Jedi training to accept the pain as a signal his body was sending. He had to accept the pain, respect it, not fight it. Then hed have to ask his body to begin to heal.

  Once hed centered his mind, the pain seemed to ease. He turned to the woman. I didnt seem to have a choice.

  I know what you mean. The woman flashed him a brief grin. Well, you survived. Thats something. She walked closer to his bedside. Youre lucky I found you when I did. Youre not one of ours.

  Ours? Obi-Wan asked. He squinted at her. She wore an orange worksuit with a green triangle on it.

  Were the Arcona Mineral Harvest Corporation, the woman responded. If you dont work for us, why did the Offworlders beat you?

  Obi-Wan tried to shrug, but pain shot through his shoulder. Sometimes it was hard to respect his bodys signal. You tell me. I was only looking for my cabin.

  Youre a though one, the woman said cheerfully. Not everybody could withstand a pounding by a Hutt. Did you come on board looking for a job? We could use you at Arcona Harvest. Im ClatHa, chief operations manager. She looked young to be running a mining operation - perhaps twenty-five.

  Have a job, Obi-Wan said, trying to feel his mouth with his tongue. He was relieved that all his teeth were still in. Im Obi-Wan Kenobi. Im with the Agricultural Corps.

  ClatHas mouth fell open. Youre the young Jedi? The ships crew has been looking everywhere for you.

  He tried to sit up, but ClatHa briskly pushed him back. Stay down. Youre not ready to get up yet.

  He laid back and ClatHa withdrew. Good luck to you, Obi-Wan Kenobi, she said. Watch yourself. Youve stepped into the middle of a war. Youre lucky to be alive. You may not be so lucky next time. She turned to leave, but Obi-Wan touched her hand.

  Wait, he said. I dont understand. What war? Whos fighting?

  Offworlds war, ClatHa answered. You must have heard of them.

  Obi-Wan shook his head. How could he explain that hed lived his whole life in the Jedi Temple? He knew more about the ways of the Force than the ways of the universe.

  Offworld is one of the oldest and richest mining companies in the galaxy, ClatHa told him. And they didnt get that way by letting others compete with them. Miners who get in their way tend to die.

  Whos their leader? Obi-Wan asked.

  No one knows who owns Offworld, ClatHa said. Someone who has been around for centuries, probably. And Im not even sure that we could prove he or she is responsible for the murders. But the leader on this ship going to Bandomeer is a particularly ruthless Hutt by the name of Jemba.

  Obi-Wan repeated the name in his mind. Jemba. It might have been Jemba who had beaten him. Ruthless? In what way?

  ClatHa glanced over he shoulder, worried that someone would hear her. Offworld used the cheapest labor possible. Out on the Rim world, in places like Bandomeer, half of Jembas workers will be Whiphid slaves. But thats not the worst, ClatHa said. She hesitated.

  Whats the worst? Obi-Wan asked.

  ClatHas dark eyes flashed. About five years ago, Jemba was Offworlds chieftain on the plant Varristad, where another startup mining firm was also working. Varristad is a small planet, without any air, so the workers all lived in a huge underground dome. Someone or something pooped a hole in that dome, instantly destroying the artificial atmosphere. A quarter of a million people were killed. No one was ever able to prove that Jemba did it, but when the other company went bankrupt, he bought the mineral rights for practically nothing. He made a huge profit for Offworld. Now well have to deal with him on Bandomeer.

  Obi-Wan said, Are you certain it was intentional? Maybe it was an accident.

  ClatHa looked unconvinced. Maybe, she said. But accidents follow Jemba the way stink follows Whiphids - accidents like the one that happened to you. So take care.

  There was something she hadnt told him. Obi-Wan could sense it - old pain and fear, the desire for revenge. Who did you know on Varristad? he asked.

  ClatHa opened her mouth in surprise. Stubbornly, she shook her head. No one, she lied.

  He locked eyes with her. ClatHa, we cant let this continue. The Monument isnt Offworlds ship! They cant just go around beating people up.

  ClatHa sighed. Maybe it isnt their ship, but Offworlds miners outnumber the crew thirty to one. The captain wont be able to do much to protect you. So if I were you, Id stay off their turf. Youre welcome on our side of the ship any time She headed for the door, then turned and flashed a grin that made her serious face suddenly look young and mischievous. If you can find it.

  Obi-Wan grinned back. But he still struggled against ClatHa acceptance of the injustice. He didnt understand it. He had grown up in a world where disputes were mediated and resolved. No obvious injustice was allowed to stand.

  ClatHa, this isnt right, he said gravely. Why should we have to stay off their side of the ship? Why should you accept that?

  ClatHas face flushed. Because I dont want them on my side of the ship! Obi-Wan, listen to me, she said urgently. Accidents happen around Jemba. Drilling rigs blow and tunnels collapse and people die. I dont want his corporate spies and saboteurs on my side of the Monument, any more than he would want mine on his. So just accept things the way they are. Its better for everyone.

  She left the room, the door swinging shut behind her. The edges of the door seemed to vibrate strangely. Obi-Wan realized that the heat he felt wasnt just because he was angry at injustice. His body was on fire. He tried to accept the fire and the pain, but dizziness overcame him. He fell back on his cot, head reeling, while the room spun.

  Chapter 8

  Obi-Wan dreamed that he was in the Jedi Temple, walking among the star maps. He reached out and touched the star closest to Bandomeer, one of a pair of giant red lights. A hologram appeared, and a Master long dead announced, Bandomeer the place where you will die if youre not careful.

  He woke in sickbay, with tubes in his arms and an oxygen mask over his nose and mouth. For a moment he thought he was still dreaming - Qui-Gon Jinn was standing over him. Then the Jedis large, cool hand rested on Obi-Wans forehead, and Obi-Wan realized he was awake.

  H-how? Obi-Wan whispered.

  Qui-Gons hand dropped, and he took a step back. Dont try to speak, he said gently. Youve had a bad fever, but Ive taken care of it. Your wounds turned out to be worse than what the medics could handle.

  Is it really you? Obi-Wan asked, struggling to clear his clouded brain.

  Qui-Gon smiled. It was the first time Obi-Wan had seen him smile, and he realized that Qui-Gon was not all coolness and judgement. Yes, its really me, he said.

  Did you come to look for me? Obi-W
an asked hopefully. He would not have asked such a blunt question, but he was too weak to puzzle out why the Jedi was here.

  Qui-Gon shook his head. Im on my way to Bandomeer as well. Im on a mission for the Galactic Senate. Our missions have nothing to do with each other.

  Still, were together, Obi-Wan said. You could show me -

  But Qui-Gon shook his head once again. No, Obi-Wan, thats not why Im here. Our destinies lie along different paths. Now is the time for you to get to know the people that you will serve. You must forget about me. You must serve the Jedi in ways other than as a Knight. There is honor in that, too.