Saga The Last of the Old (Dear Diary Challenge 2010 - Completed 1/2/2011)

And the day when Obi-Wan will join Qui-Gon in the Force is approaching, I see. On one hand, I feel glad that Obi-Wan can communicate with Qui-Gon in the Force, but at the same time I'm somewhat sad about what it heralds...

By the way, Obi-Wan's first line made him sound somewhat like an alchemist who had discovered how to turn lead into gold...

 

Wow, eighteen years! Talk about perseverance indeed.

 

Just getting caught up. Sigh... That's what happens.

Loving it, as always!

 

earlybird-obi-wan: nice for Obi-Wan to hear Qui-Gon. Now he will be soon united. That's kind of a morbid way of looking at it, isn't it?

Gkilkenny: And now his job is done and he can live in the Force surrounded by his friends and mentor. Not quite, but I love how you guys are skipping right to Obi-Wan's death.

Valiowk: By the way, Obi-Wan's first line made him sound somewhat like an alchemist who had discovered how to turn lead into gold... It's alive!!!!

Jade_eyes: And it's been a long 18 years I'm sure!

Vadey: Glad to see you! (& Happy Holidays!)

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[b]ENTRY 469[/b] (Part 2)

[i]It is good to see you have persevered my former apprentice.[/i]


At first I thought I was delusional in the heat, imagining voices in my head; and it would be true if I didn?t feel the Force soothing every molecule of my body.

Qui-Gon? Is it you, truly?

[i]Yes, Obi-Wan, I assure you, it is me. Or should I call you Ben now?[/i]

Master Qui-Gon, I have so many questions ?

[i]All in good time, my old friend. Now that you have accepted your destiny fully, you have opened yourself to the Force in a way many of our Jedi brethren would never understand. I will not be an occasional specter in your life Obi-Wan. Now that you have accepted your role in the perpetuation in The Prophecy, we will be able to commune at any time.[/i]

So when I battled my fears in the cave, and accepted my death ?

[i]That was only part of your hindrance Obi-Wan, yes acceptance of your own death was a sequence in opening yourself to greater elevation in the Force. It was your surrendering, to your destiny of preparing young Skywalker for destroying the Sith that was the deciding ? [/i]

I have opened myself to considering it; I have not made it certain Master.

[i]Come now Obi-Wan, we both know that is not the case. Just because you have not spoken it aloud, does not mean it isn?t already represented in your heart.[/i]

I mean no disrespect Master.

[i]None taken my old friend. Do you recall my death on Naboo? More importantly, the moments before?[/i]

How could I forget it Master?

[i] We were separated by contamination shields from the Sith warrior. I meditated while I waited for the shields to run through their cycle. I reflected on my certainty that Anakin was the Chosen One, and that I knew better than the entire Jedi Council. That I was more in tune with the Living Force than they?

Then I foresaw my death at the hands of the Sith before me. I saw you take responsibility for Anakin, for his training, and his life. I surrendered myself to my inevitable death. I?m sorry for the anguish you felt in witnessing it, but you rose above, as I knew you would. You defeated the Sith. You would not back down to them. Ever. And you haven?t since.

Now you will do the same for Anakin?s offspring that I did for you and instill a sense of honor befitting of a Jedi.[/i]

The situations are hardly similar Master, you had trained me since I was a small boy. Luke, like his father is being drawn into the Jedi way without a lifetime of discipline.

[i]The will of Force is to create balance. Obi-Wan, as much as I regret the fall of my former Master, I felt the sin of pride as you deflected his attempt to seduce you to the Darkside. You never faltered, you never even considered it. We were polar opposites the two of us, Dooku- despite his claims of idealism - was a stern disciplinarian, I on the other hand was lax and rebellious.

You Obi-Wan, you are something else. You are the balance that the Force desires. You are the one to instill those qualities of balance into the future of the Jedi.

The journey you began with Anakin, you shall finish with his son.[/i]

 

Obi being a balance -- that's lovely.

 

You Obi-Wan, you are something else. You are the balance that the Force desires. You are the one to instill those qualities of balance into the future of the Jedi.

The journey you began with Anakin, you shall finish with his son.

Oh, very nice - and gosh, I missed the update before this! Bad me!

 

I always felt it was slightly unfair that the prophecy only mentioned one person, and not the others who would play such a major role in it. But then again, prophecies are meant to be taken with some grains of salt, I guess.

Lovely lines here - such a poetic way of summarising what the Force wills.

Is it just me, or does Qui-Gon's Force ghost speak in a slightly different manner from Qui-Gon when he was alive?

 

Jade_eyes: Thanks, I think it's quite appropriate...

Valairy_Scot: Thank you too! No worries, I try to keep 'em nice and short for easy catching up!

Valiowk: I agree, but I'm running on the assumption that we've never seen the whole prophecy.

Is it just me, or does Qui-Gon's Force ghost speak in a slightly different manner from Qui-Gon when he was alive?

I hope not! I was trying so hard to keep true to his "voice"...

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[b]ENTRY 470[/b]

I don?t know if it was nostalgia from communing with my former master, or his bad influence ?

[i]*chuckle*[/i]

- But I found myself in a cantina in Mos Eisley radiating a sense of helplessness to the denizens that frequented the place. Oddly enough, I found myself conversing with an old friend ? well not of mine, but of Master Yoda ? a Wookiee soldier from the Clone Wars.

I don?t recall ever meeting him, but he claimed to have recognized my scent. Apparently he was one of the Wookiees that aided Yoda?s escape from Kashyyyk and the clones after the issuing of Order 66. Despite the scoundrel lifestyle he was leading these days, he obviously held great reverence for the Jedi, especially Master Yoda.

When he asked me what I was doing in Mos Eisley, I told informed him that a great shift was on the horizon, and it had been a while since I?ve dropped my robe ? Jedi speak for a good old fashioned scrape.

He chuckled heartily, then informed me that if I ever require transport off of Tatooine, that I would be able to find him and the smuggler he flies with more often than not in a place called Chalmun?s, and he would convince his partner to make an exception without giving away my identity.

The Wookiee left, and I soon after found myself encircled by several local thugs looking to rob a feeble looking old man. I never drew my lightsaber ? no need to bring Imperial attention at this phase of the game ? but stretching my legs, and using the Force, I was able to neutralize the situation through ?aggressive negotiations?.

We Jedi weren?t supposed to crave attention, but it reminded me of the quote, unquote, good old days with Anakin. Part of me, that I really need to bury deep down, hopes I can recapture some of those moments with Luke when the time comes.

Now I?m certain Qui-Gon is a bad influence. [i]*chuckle*[/i]

 

Well, golly, Qui-Gon did Ben some good - he's chuckling, talking about scrapes and aggressive negotitations - why, the man has come out of his funk and gotten his groove on.

'er. Ouch to the above - but I won't edit.

 

Oh that was great! I have so missed some of these wonderful stories while I was MIA.

Wonderful!

 

OMG! Missed out on so much, but just awesome, as always. I can't gush enough!

 

great scenes with Obi and Qui and with Chewie

 

Lovely chapter! It's great to see Obi-Wan chuckling and somewhat happy again!

Regarding Qui-Gon's "voice", I haven't returned to the movies for some years, so it might be possible that my impression of Qui-Gon's voice has been influenced by fanfiction and the like. What do others think?

 

Enjoyed that admission of wanting a bit of excitement again

 

So Chewie knew Ben in advance? Might explain a lot.

Qui a bad influence? Never! [face_tongue

And the 'adventure' with Luke might be a fac cry for the good old times in the clone wars. If only for creaking bones.

 

Takianna: Thank-you! Don't gush too much, we haven't quite reached the end yet!

earlybird: Much appreciated!

Valiowk: Thank-you! And I'll defend myself in stating Qui's dialouge may not have been enough in TPM to capture his voice perfectly... but I'm sure I've been influenced by other sources myself.

Jade: Well, since were just about to reach ANH, saly he's going to be hit with more excitement than he really wants.

Lanna: I'm just assuming to ol' Chewie all Jedi smell the same. Of course Qui was a bad influence! Recall AOTC when Obi-Wan told Anakin to find the bounty hunter, "while I get a drink"... That has Qui-Gon written all over it!

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[b]ENTRY 471[/b]


[i]OBI-WAN![/i]

[i]NO![/i]

My former Master yelling my name, followed by a dream image of Luke ? but with Anakin?s voice ? screaming in anguish tore me from my rest just prior to the sunrise of Tatoo I. It struck me, almost physically, as a reminder of the likeness between the boy I have watched over and his father.

But thankfully I?ve forgone my fears, and no longer mire myself in trepidation in the future of the Skywalker lineage. Yes, the similarities are uncanny, but the reality is that the future is never written by the past. It is dictated by the present.

The so called [i]Prophecy[/i] we of the Jedi Order had obsessed over since Anakin?s arrival should be evident of that. The reality is that it was nothing more than a beacon of hope for the dark times, declared over a millennia ago when the Sith were at their zenith. Based on a premonition born of desperate times, and waved as a slogan to reinforce Jedi resolve. A premonition can not bring balance, or save the galaxy, it takes action and resolve.

So tomorrow, I shovel the last mound of dirt on the grave of my trepidations, and Owen?s wishes, and will approach Luke about the truth. My feelings are that he will accept the burden I?m to present him.

 

Marvelous insights about what actually shapes the future

 

So tomorrow, I shovel the last mound of dirt on the grave of my trepidations, and Owen?s wishes, and will approach Luke about the truth. My feelings are that he will accept the burden I?m to present him.

Oh I like that!

 

What Kim said! That was a wonderful line!

 

Love the wisdom in this entry.

So Obi-Wan is going to begin to tell Luke about the galaxy out there that will count on him... if only this didn't simultaneously herald Owen's and Beru's deaths!

 

Love the way these are written! The last one was great, I can't think of the words to describe it... it seems very real, and important. Looking forward to catching up with all the past ones!

 

I've been enjoying catching up on these diary entries. I particularly liked seeing Chewie make a wee appearance with Ben prior to the OT. I love following along with Ben's time as a Jedi "ascetic," as I see him during this period. Awesome job.

 

Uncanny similarities?
I wonder waht happens when he goes to Owen.
Maybe I should wonder more when it is that he goes to Ben now.

 

Thanks everyone, I'm just going to post this while I still have internet in this snowstorm.




ENTRY 472

I remember once when I was a young boy being on a simple diplomatic mission to some sort of peace summit hosted on Alderaan with my Master Qui-Gon Jinn. It was relatively uneventful, and to a child not capable of ascertaining the specifics, rather boring. Instead of strapping me to his side during the proceedings like a servant, he set me upon the children of the attending diplomats. He insisted I enjoy myself, but also made it clear, under no uncertain terms to be wary of the moods of the children, and how the current situation was affecting them.

Children have a tendancy to absorb their ideology from the opinions of their parents. Be mindful of their inherited prejudices ? most adopt their parents? stances without fully understanding them or what they might become because of it.

While the comment might be poignant, it?s a particular memory of those children that have resurfaced.

I was trying to broker peace between two older children, who had begun quarrelling over an issue I don?t recall. Their parents were on opposite sides of the diplomacy issue, and had let their parent?s distain for one another manifest into their treatment of one another.

When my attempts at imitating Qui-Gon?s meditation methods, I found myself thrust into what would become the first in a lifelong succession of aggressive negotiations. I recall trying to keep calm, and forgo using the Force as an advantage. However my negotiations worked too well, for while I neutralized the aggressor in the conflict, the other child decided it was a perfect opportunity to extend the olive branch by use of what I like to call: ?Blame the Jedi?.

Sadly ecstatic that they had formed a bond and found a common enemy, I let them trounce me. Even at such a young age, I could have neutralized the bunch, but sometimes defeat could make a bigger difference than a victory. The children found a common bond in their prejudice against the Jedi, which wasn?t unheard of; Dooku utilized the tactic decades later when establishing Palpatine?s contrived ?sedition?.

To the best of my recollection, which amusingly has suffered over the years, the diplomatic summit ended successfully the following day. Qui-Gon had mentioned some of the representatives getting ?sound advice? from the home front. Again, if memory serves me, several of the parties involved became prominent members of the Separatists.

The point is this: as I lay on the ground, my lip bleeding and ribs sore, never having felt so beaten in my life, did I realize what had been accomplished. One of the larger girls ? please, no snickering ? stood above me proclaiming how adept they were at beating up a Jedi (I?m quite certain that little one had Mandalorian blood in her). She was a large brute that blocked out the sun as she stood over me, declaring me defeated.


I felt that same feeling today. Although the twin suns remained, during the mid-morning, I suddenly felt the brightness in the Force over shadowed. Something was blocking out my sun, and in that instant I was suddenly reminded of that mission almost fifty years earlier.

My intention today was to speak with Luke about his heritage, and my role in his life; but like the Force I served, and loved so dearly; a dark shadow had taken preference.

I hurried into Anchorhead to see if I had received any communications from Bail, or even the ?old folks home?, now on Dagobah, only to witness Luke departing ahead of my arrival. I spoke briefly with one of his friends, Fixer I believe.

Luke had witnessed a space battle just above Tatooine?s atmosphere through his binoculars. A Corellian ship had been neutralized by an Imperial cruiser that resembled the Republic cruisers of old, except in this case, it would seem to dwarf its predecessor in size.

My gut fell, but the amber of my resolve burned brighter.

The Empire was here. The real Empire, not a local garrison.

My plans have changed, because wheth

 

Cool update -- prelude/on the brink of ANH