Witness to Balance (A continuation to "To Cope With Change") Please read and respond.

Obi-Wan Kenobi and Qui-Gon Jinn stood together with Master Yoda gazing into the same lake that Qui-Gon had previously used to restore Obi-Wan's youth. Now the lake had been made nearly clear everywhere except for a large picture of the Emperor's throneroom aboard the second Death Star. In silence they had watched as Darth Vader, once known as Anakin Skywalker, brought his son Luke before his dark Master. Luke appeared calm and composed but his nervous eddies in the Force could even reach the three dead Jedi observing him so intently.

Obi-Wan was a bundle of nerves himself as the Emperor smoothly taunted Luke, goading him to touch the very emotions that could lead to the boy's disaster. At one point in his life, Obi-Wan had loathed the Emperor, feeding the dark side with his absolute hate for the man who had brought his entire world crashing down. It had been on the first death star, as he battled the man he had raised from boyhood and found that all his emotions tied up inside of him had been fueling the very fires that he fought against. He had given his life to stop the cycle as much to save Luke and Leia. Now he only wished to stop the evil the Emperor wrecked.

Qui-Gon's eyes flickered onto him, easily catching his aprehension. His Master had always been able to pick up on his emotional peaks, why not in death?

"He can do it," he assured Qui-Gon and Yoda humphed his own agreement.

Master Yoda seemed to have an insight to what was to come from this confrontation. One that Obi-Wan wished he had.

When Luke drew his weapon and aimed it for the cackling Emperor, Obi-Wan's hands squeezed into fists. "Don't give in, Luke," he whispered in a repetitive litany.

Qui-Gon's hand came up to rest on his shoulder and Obi-Wan clung to the setiment. As always his Master had been right. He did need saving, but Qui-Gon could not be his tether. His salvation rested on the two beings now heatedly in battle. One to save, the other to be saved.

"He is too much like you," Obi-Wan remarked to Qui-Gon, when Luke chastend his father, claiming to still feel the good in him.

Qui-Gon smiled and looked down at Master Yoda. "Someone once said that about you."

Obi-Wan didn't have time to smile at the quip, he was too transfixed by the hiding Luke and the hunting Vader. He could feel Luke's turmoil. The boy had set out believing that there was a spark of Anakin to save from Vader, just and Obi-Wan had at the time of the boy's birth. The defeat Luke must be feeling now, he knew all too well. He only hoped that Luke could go beyond his personal feelings and do what he could not.

Then Obi-Wan nearly died for a second time when Vader mentioned Luke's sister and finally pushed Luke to the edge by promising to turn her if Luke did not join him. The boy launched himself at his father, his eyes aflame with fear and hatred.

Luke battered at Anakin until even the Chosen One could not defend himself against his son. Vader's hand and lightsaber was severed and he fell to the ground defeated.

And it was at that moment that Obi-Wan fell next to the lake, tears streaming down his newly smoothed features. "No, please, no. Not again." He thought he had faced everything, that he had no more room for emotion, that even hope had been taken from him. he didn't know how wrong he was until at that moment.

Luke leaned dangerously over his father, his green blade tip just under Vader's mechanical chin.

"Now fulfill your destiny and take your father's place at my side," the Emperor instructed.

And the tide of the Force changed. Luke lifted his right hand, the one Vader had taken from him on Bespin, and then sighted the stump of where he had just taken his father's. Together Luke and Obi-Wan closed their eyes taking in a steadying breath.

Obi-Wan opened them in time to find Luke flinging his lightsaber away. "Never. I'll never turn to the Dark Side. You've failed your highness. I am a Jedi, like my father before me."

"So be it Jedi. If you will not be turned, then you will be destroyed." The

 

Upping. Please read me.

 

UP

 

Upping

 

upping

 

Read me. Seymore Read me.

 

I know I'm getting pathetic, but please read.

 

Upping

 

Upping

 

Pathetically upping.

 

Wonderful viggie Zara! I stumbled onto this just recently, but better late than never. Maybe you should try reposting this on the new board?

 

Well I read that first part or I don't know if that was all but from what I read it was very interesting. I liked it.
And sorry about your upping but you have to do what you must. Well maybe I can get others to read it, who knows, but keep up the work.

 

I remember reading this once before. Well done

 

Sorry you had to up it so many times, but it was very, very good!

JS