He was careful to keep up. He was about
to leave on his first official mission with
Qui-Gon. The Jedi Knight had been reluctant
to take Obi-Wan as his apprentice.
Even though they had been through battles
and adventures together, Qui-Gon had
been hesitant. Only with their last
adventure, facing death deep in the mining tunnels
of Bandor together, had Qui-Gon made
the decision to accept him as his
apprentice.
Obi-Wan was still unsure of his master's
feelings about him. Qui-Gon was a quiet
man who didn't share his thoughts until
necessary. Obi-Wan knew little about the
mission ahead. He would have to find
the patience to wait until Qui-Gon told him the
details. Meanwhile, he had a crucial
question burning on his lips, one that he did not
dare ask: Did Qui-Gon know that today
was his birthday?
Today he was thirteen. This birthday
was an important occasion for a Jedi
apprentice. He was now officially a
Padawan. Traditionally, this birthday was not
marked by a celebration, but observed
quietly, with reflection and meditation.
Obi-Wan was aware that as a part of
the tradition he would receive a meaningful gift
from his Master.
Qui-Gon had not mentioned it this morning.
Not as they ate, or prepared for the
journey, or walked to the landing platform.
Qui-Gon had barely spoken three words.
Had he forgotten? Did he know? Obi-Wan
was longing to remind Qui-Gon, but their
realtionship was too new. He wouldn't
want his master to think of him as greedy or
self-important, or even worse, a nag.
Surely Yoda would have told Qui-Gon.
Obi-Wan knew that the two Jedi Masters were
in constant contact. Or perhaps the
mission ahead was so important that Yoda had
forgotten, too.
They skirted the last vendor, cut down
an alleyway, and arrived at the landing
platform. The Governor of Bandomeer
had arranged a transport for them in gratitude
for their work. She'd found a small
trading vessel willing to take them on a journey to
the planet of Gala. Obi-Wan knew that
once they got on the ship, the talk would
center on the mission ahead. Should
he tell Qui-Gon it was his birthday now?
Ahead, a tall, gangly pilot loaded transport
boxes onto his ship. Obi-Wan recognized
the long, flexible arms of the Phindar.
Obi-Wan quickened his pace to reach him, but
Qui-Gon put a hand on his shoulder.
"Close your eyes, Obi-Wan," he instructed.
Obi-Wan groaned inwardly. Not now! he
begged. He knew that Qui-Gon was about
to drill him on a classic Jedi exercise:
Attention to the Moment Gives Knowledge. At
the Temple, Obi-Wan had always done
well with exercise. But he'd been distracted
this morning, and could barely remember
anything except his own birthday.
"What do you see?" Qui-Gon asked.
Eyes closed, Obi-Wan gathered his thoughts
as though they had been feathers in a
windstorm. He plucked observations
out of the air, remembering things his eyes had
registered but his mind had not.
"Small transport ship with one deep
scratch in right flank, several dents on underside
of cockpit. Phindian pilot with flight
cap, goggles, and dirty fingernails. Twelve cargo
boxes ready to be loaded, one flight
bag, one medpac..."
"The hangar," Qui-Gon prompted gently.
"Old stone overhang with three docking
bays. Cracks running vertically down the
stone, a green vine trying to grow
three meters down from the ceiling on the left, with
one purple flower four meters down
-"
"Six meters," Qui-Gon corrected sternly. "Open your eyes, Obi-Wan."
His eyes flew open. Qui-Gon's piercing
blue gaze studied him, making him feel, as
always, as though his lightsaber was
dragging on the ground, or his tunic was
stained.
"Are you distracted by something, Obi-Wan?" Qui-Gon asked.
"My first official mission, Master," Obi-wan said. "I want to do well."
"You will do what you will do," Qui-Gon
responded neutrally. He waited, his eyes
never leaving Obi-Wan's face. It was
forbidden for an apprentice to lie to a Master, to
conceal the truth, or even shade it.
Obi-Wan willed his feet not to shift
and his eyes to remain steady on Qui-Gon's.
"Perhaps I'm distracted by something
more personal, Master."
A gleam of amusement suddenly lit Qui-Gon's eyes. "Ah. A birthday perhaps?"
Obi-wan nodded, a grin escaping.
"You would be expecting your gift, then."
Qui-Gon frowned. He had forgotten, after
all! But after only a moment, he reached
into the pocket of his tunic. His large, strong
hand emerged, concealing something
hidden in his palm.
Obi-wan stared expectantly. Masters
usually thought for weeks or months about their
gifts, often traveling to far reaches
for a healing crystal, or a blanket or cloak from the
weavers of the planet Pasmin, who wove
garments of great warmth out of material
so fine it was almost weightless.
Qui-Gon pressed a smooth, round stone into Obi-Wan's hand.
"I found it years ago," Qui-Gon explained. "When I was no older than you are now."
Politely, Obi-Wan stared at the stone. Did it contain some sort of power?
"I found it in the River of Light on my home planet," Qui-Gon continued.
And? Obi-Wan wondered. But Qui-Gon was
silent. Obi-Wan realized that the present
his Master had given him was exactly
what it appeared to be: a rock.
Qui-Gon was no ordinary Master. Obi-Wan
knew that. So he looked at the present
again. His fingers closed around the
stone. It felt smooth and polished. He liked the
way it felt in his hand. And when the
sunlight hit it, he could see deep red streaks
running through the shiny blackness.
It was beautiful, he realized.
He met Qui-Gon's eyes. "Thank you, Master. I will treasure it."
"And did you complete the Padawan birthday
ritual?" Qui-Gon asked. "Only by
remembering the past are we able to
learn from the present."
On his or her thirteenth birthday, each
Padawan must take a quiet time for reflection.
Both good and bad memories must be
consulted and meditated on.
"I have not had time, Master," Obi-Wan
admitted. His mission on Bandomeer had
been full of dangers - he had been
kidnapped and marooned on a mining platform,
among other things. Qui-Gon knew he
had not time. Why was he asking?
"Yes, time is elusive," Qui-Gon said,
unmoved. "But it is best to track it down. Come,
the pilot is waiting."
Obi-Wan trailed after Qui-Gon, fighting
off a feeling of hopelessness. Would he ever
please his new Master? Just when he
felt Qui-Gon had given him the strong base of
his trust, he found himself hanging
free. Now he realized that the only thing Qui-Gon
had ever truly given was a rock.
