Because I Said So

Chapter 15

Tahl was waiting for them inside the Temple docking bay, her brows curving into a pert arch as she bestowed a deep bow of greeting upon Master and Padawan descending from the shuttle's aft hatch.

"What a coincidence," Qui-Gon remarked, studying her face intently.

"I hacked into space traffic control and looked up your landing clearance signal," the golden-eyed master explained, throwing one arm about the young Jedi's shoulders in a warm and welcoming embrace.

Obi-Wan tucked his head down and blushed but did not issue any strident objection.

"Of course," Qui-Gon snorted. "What other classified information do you know?"

Tahl Uvain's perfect mouth widened into an alluring smile. "Far too much for your comfort parameters, Qui."

He lifted a brow and strode onward, forcing both his smaller companions to follow in his formidable wake. "Master Uvain is half pirate, half spice smuggler, and half parlour magician, Padawan. Beware her guiles."

Tahl chuckled. "And Master Jinn is no part mathematician, apparently. Come to me if you need help with astronavigation, young one."

"I will, master… and I did solve all the problems, like you said."

It took her a few paces to make the connection.

"Spicy djo! Yes, you shall have it. Tell Qui-Gon to bring you to my quarters later tonight, after the Council has grilled the two of you thoroughly."

The Padawan sent his master a look of purest alarm.

"A figure of speech, Obi-Wan."

"Yes, master."

"And where is your cloak?" Tahl demanded, eyeing the young Jedi critically. "You've left it on board the shuttle."

Qui-Gon halted, folding his arms. "Ah, but he is in for more than one grilling. We must now face the wrath of Master Pakkra, who will be obliged to issue us a new one."

"Oh dear. May the Force be with you," Tahl intoned, parting ways with them at the next intersection.

"I trust all your field equipment functioned satisfactorily?" the quartermaster inquired, his head wavering hypnotically atop his thin neck.

"Yes, thank you." Qui-Gon handed the Quermian Jedi the shipboard emergency kit. "Though we do have an additional requisition to make."

Master Pakkra clasped his hands together in the gesture of patience.

"Padawan." Qui-Gon applied pressure to his student's back, between the shoulder blades.

Obi-Wan gazed up into the redoubtable Quermian's pale face, mortification blooming on his cheeks. "I – ah, I need another cloak. Master."

The head came down to the young Jedi's level, a pair of milky eyes peering caustically at the speaker. "You do not seem to have grown very much in your short absence. No pun intended."

The Padawan swallowed, a combative line appearing between his brows.

Master Pakkra straightened up. "Therefore I assume your other cloak was torn from your back by space pirates, or was shredded by blaster fire in a pitched battle?"

Obi-Wan opened his mouth to reply truthfully, but Qui-Gon came to his rescue. "He is young and has much to learn. It will not happen again." This month, he mentally qualified.

"Really, Master Jinn," the quartermaster huffed as he disappeared into the back storeroom. "Stewardship of the Order's resources is a lesson which cannot be taught too young." He reappeared a few minutes later bearing a neatly folded bundle of russet cloth., fixing the tall man with a penetrating stare. "Be mindful that you do not fail in this duty."

"Thank you, master," Obi-Wan whispered as they escaped Master Pakkra's domain. He clutched the new cloak to his chest like a mewling infant.

"My pleasure, Padawan. I am oath-bound to protect you, and truly I had nothing to lose. My own reputation with Master Pakkra is far from sterling."

"Yes, master." The dimples peeked out from hiding.

"Of course, I do expect his words to sink in and stick. Another such encounter might prove detrimental to professional rapport."

"If you say so, master."

The Council debriefing was extensive enough to qualify as a grilling. Qui-Gon stood close beside his apprentice, sending a steady wave of calming energy to the boy as he manfully attempted to stand without fidgeting or allowing his attention to wander during the entire two hour session.

Courage, Padawan.

It was Obi-Wan's first experience with a lengthy post-mission explication; their first adventure on Telos had ended in injury and a lengthy stay in the healers' ward for the young Jedi, thus sparing him the torment of the Council report. When the pair were finally dismissed, his tenuously-shielded delight all but lit up the circular chamber.

A few of the gathered Masters frowned; old Yoda chuckled merrily in his seat at the place of honor, winking slyly at Qui-Gon just before they made a formal bow and departed.

"Does it always take so long, master?"

The tall man brushed his palm against the lift control, sending them shooting down to the south tower's base. "That was abbreviated for your sake."

Obi-Wan grimaced. "Do we get to visit Master Uvain now?"

Qui-Gon straightened his Padawan's cloak hood. "After a walk in the gardens, I think."

"The gardens? But why-" He stopped short, mouth twisting as the Jedi master regarded him with an all too familiar expression. "Because you said so," he dutifully finished.

"Better. Come along."

Qui-Gon led the way along his favorite footpath, Obi-Wan trailing behind as yarbanna fronds brushed their shoulders and the gravel crunched gently beneath their boots. The river's song chimed faintly in the background, a melodious burbling eroding time's foundations. They walked slowly, contemplatively, to the still center of the meditation labyrinth, where the Force was a susurration in their blood, a quiet swelling in their breaths.

Here they were both young, but a pair of relative newcomers on a path stretching back a thousand generations into history. Qui-Gon knelt, and waved his apprentice down beside him. They were silent for an immeasurable span of breaths.

"I meditated during the return journey," Obi-Wan told his master. "As you said."

"Good. And what have you decided about Doctor Gre'ez?"

The Padawan studied his hands, resting lightly upon his knees. "I do feel sorry for him, master. I .. I feel sorry for him because he was led astray by his own cause. He chose evil thinking it would do good – and then his evil transformed into something much worse than he imagined… far beyond his control. That would be awful."

The tall man nodded. "Awful indeed. But some would say still a thing of his own choosing. Wherefore do you feel pity, then?"

"He was so… remorseful. When we accused him." Obi-Wan frowned. "It was his own wicked doing that brought such suffering, including his own, I know - but nevertheless..."

Qui-Gon waited for the rest.

"I feel sorry for him because... he knew where he wanted to go, master – but he didn't know the way. And perhaps he didn't have anyone to show him." The boy shyly lifted his eyes to Qui-Gon and then dropped them again, tugging at a blade of soft grass.

The Jedi master returned the wave of gratitude and affection cresting through the Force; though authority was of necessity unilateral between master and student, the benefit and privilege of their relationship was mutual.

"These are all good reasons for compassion," he replied, gravely. "We must hope that Doctor Gre'ez finds peace before all is done."

His apprentice did not ask the obvious question about the medic's fate. They sat in silence a while longer, and then Obi-Wan broached another topic. "Master? You said… before, I mean – you said that nothing happens without a reason."

Qui-Gon sighed. Ah, yes. "And yet it is difficult to see why the mines collapsed the day they did? Not even the man responsible for the destruction intended such suffering. And so it appears to be a tragedy without purpose or cause."

The Padawan twisted the grass between his fingers. Qui-Gon reached sideways to still their fretful motion. "It is a living thing, Obi-Wan. Do not abuse its patience."

Slender hands disappeared within the new cloak's voluminous sleeves.

"When we were inside the mines," the tall man continued after a moment's pause, "You followed my directions without question, did you not?"

"Yes."

"Did you suppose that they were dictated by irrational whim, or that I had a reason for each and every one of them?"

Obi-Wan blinked, brows lowering. "You had a reason, of course."

"Even though it was not apparent to you. Even though, in point of fact, I had deliberately blinded you to much of what I saw."

His apprentice swallowed and nodded, expression somber.

"Tell me this: while you obeyed my directions, what lead did I follow?"

This puzzled his young friend. "Your own."

"Did I?"

Obi-Wan's bright intelligence leapt swiftly forward. "Well. The Force? But you weren't blindfolded, master. I mean… well. Is it..?"

"Yes, it is the same, sometimes. Someday you will stand on your own, without my guidance. " He smiled at the pang of alarm this seemed to inspire in his student. "And yet there will still be occasions when you must obey without question, and occasionally without any inkling what the reason may be. But that does not mean there is no reason, simply that you are blind to it."

They sat, brooding upon it for a space of heavy seconds.

"So you don't know the reason why the all those people perished?"

"I may never know. But I do not therefore doubt that some purpose penetrates and binds all things together. It is not our role to know all things, Padawan. We come to serve. The will of the Force."

The burden of this calling seemed to settle momentarily upon young shoulders, bending the boy forward beneath the weight of destiny. Qui-Gon reached out hand, impulsively, and fingered the tiny braid where it hung behind his Padawan's ear.

"However, for the time being, I will settle for absolute unswerving obedience to my personal whim."

The heavy weight lifted, replaced by a more welcome and palpable fealty. The boy's eyes danced, with mingled relief and mischief. "I come to serve, master. I wish to be an inspiration to all other Padawans."

"Perhaps we should meditate further on the meaning of obedience, Obi-Wan."

"Alas, Master Uvain is expecting us. It is time to go." The boy scrambled to his feet, eagerly gesturing toward the path and the meandering route to the exit.

"And why of a sudden does food take precedence over wisdom, my young friend?"

Obi-Wan's brows rose delicately. "Because I said so, master," he drawled.

And then dashed away, his instinct for self-preservation in that moment taking precedence over both wisdom and food.

"Brat." Qui-Gon grumbled, and set off after him at a dignified pace, the Force seeming to chuckle quietly in his ear.

Finis