52 Days of Disaster - Day 14
Star Wars: From my ongoing project, in which the awkward Jedi Master and her new student really aren't going to settle down anytime soon.
“Master, I want to know.”
“Then ask what you want to know.” Mez-Jid didn’t even bother to look up from her datapad.
“Master, if there weren’t any war or anything, would have taken me as your apprentice?”
“No,” she still didn’t take her eyes off the small screen.
“Oh. Thank you.”
“Sit.”
Jacob remained standing.
“Jacob, you’re a Healer,” she explained, saving her work and finally laying the pad aside. “I’m Intelligence, I’m espionage. My missions are not the sort of thing that you should ever have been introduced to, except maybe - maybe - as part of a cleanup crew. Your aptitudes are worlds apart from my own, but that has no bearing on why I would not have taken you as an apprentice.
“I wouldn’t have taken you because I would never have taken any. Jacob, you’re a child. For all that becoming a Jedi Padawan confirms legal adult status upon you, you’re still just thirteen - all of you are, at the oldest you may be chosen you’re just barely skimming the edges of that age. You’ve had no real life experience, for all the wisdoms of the Temple. Taking an apprentice into this line of work is the worst possible thing I could do, and I should say that I’m sorry for it.
“I chose you out of pity, out of knowledge for the potential you should have had but that was stolen when the master who wanted to pick you - and there was another, my Padawan - was killed in action. I would have chosen a Healer anyway, as well, if I were ever going to leave Intelligence.”
Jacob stared at the table. A tiny part reflected that this was the most he’d ever heard his master say in one moment. He had a feeling it would be the most he’d ever hear her say ever.
“Hey, Padawan?” Mez-Jid waited until she had the boy’s full attention. “I never said I regretted picking you.”
Jacob smiled, just barely, just faintly.
“Of course, this does pose a fun little ethical dilemma for you, and
I’d like you to meditate upon it and come up with a response for me by tomorrow morning.”
“Oh?” Curiosity.
“How would you choose between a war, and not having me as your Master?”
Jacob paled.
“It’s been a long day. I’ll see you in the morning, my Padawan.”
And with that, she went to bed.
“I’d choose not having you as my Master.”
Mez-Jid opened one eye, and it was only the whole ‘Jedi don’t glare’ thing that meant she wasn’t glaring. That and the difficulties inherent in glaring with only one eye.
“It’s not morning,” she announced, rolling over and closing the eye again in an attempt to go back to sleep.
“It’s five-thirty, Master,” Jacob chided gently, and his master opened both eyes.
“You woke me up. At a stupid hour, which is nonetheless late enough that I should get up after this conversation, to inform me that given a choice, I wouldn’t be your master?”
Jacob leant back, and opened his mouth to apologise-
Then snapped it shut.
“That’s precisely what I’m saying.”
Mez-Jid gave him a long considering look, then nodded sharply.
“You’re learning. Go get the caff started while I get dressed.”
Jacob blushed and scurried out of the room. Mez-Jid shook her head as he left.
“Master, I want to know.”
“Then ask what you want to know.” Mez-Jid didn’t even bother to look up from her datapad.
“Master, if there weren’t any war or anything, would have taken me as your apprentice?”
“No,” she still didn’t take her eyes off the small screen.
“Oh. Thank you.”
“Sit.”
Jacob remained standing.
“Jacob, you’re a Healer,” she explained, saving her work and finally laying the pad aside. “I’m Intelligence, I’m espionage. My missions are not the sort of thing that you should ever have been introduced to, except maybe - maybe - as part of a cleanup crew. Your aptitudes are worlds apart from my own, but that has no bearing on why I would not have taken you as an apprentice.
“I wouldn’t have taken you because I would never have taken any. Jacob, you’re a child. For all that becoming a Jedi Padawan confirms legal adult status upon you, you’re still just thirteen - all of you are, at the oldest you may be chosen you’re just barely skimming the edges of that age. You’ve had no real life experience, for all the wisdoms of the Temple. Taking an apprentice into this line of work is the worst possible thing I could do, and I should say that I’m sorry for it.
“I chose you out of pity, out of knowledge for the potential you should have had but that was stolen when the master who wanted to pick you - and there was another, my Padawan - was killed in action. I would have chosen a Healer anyway, as well, if I were ever going to leave Intelligence.”
Jacob stared at the table. A tiny part reflected that this was the most he’d ever heard his master say in one moment. He had a feeling it would be the most he’d ever hear her say ever.
“Hey, Padawan?” Mez-Jid waited until she had the boy’s full attention. “I never said I regretted picking you.”
Jacob smiled, just barely, just faintly.
“Of course, this does pose a fun little ethical dilemma for you, and
I’d like you to meditate upon it and come up with a response for me by tomorrow morning.”
“Oh?” Curiosity.
“How would you choose between a war, and not having me as your Master?”
Jacob paled.
“It’s been a long day. I’ll see you in the morning, my Padawan.”
And with that, she went to bed.
“I’d choose not having you as my Master.”
Mez-Jid opened one eye, and it was only the whole ‘Jedi don’t glare’ thing that meant she wasn’t glaring. That and the difficulties inherent in glaring with only one eye.
“It’s not morning,” she announced, rolling over and closing the eye again in an attempt to go back to sleep.
“It’s five-thirty, Master,” Jacob chided gently, and his master opened both eyes.
“You woke me up. At a stupid hour, which is nonetheless late enough that I should get up after this conversation, to inform me that given a choice, I wouldn’t be your master?”
Jacob leant back, and opened his mouth to apologise-
Then snapped it shut.
“That’s precisely what I’m saying.”
Mez-Jid gave him a long considering look, then nodded sharply.
“You’re learning. Go get the caff started while I get dressed.”
Jacob blushed and scurried out of the room. Mez-Jid shook her head as he left.