Playlist:
❶ "The Abduction" — The Force Awakens OST
⊘ Silence
Naluma fidgeted from the long night of prolonged idleness, while Ben flipped pages with eyes clearly focusing elsewhere.
Around 0500 he broke the silence. "I need to take a leak."
Sighing, she closed her book. "Okay, let's go."
She led him down the hall to the men's refresher. Wary of any attempt to overpower her, Naluma entered the room, standing guard outside his stall.
❶ "Can't a guy get some privacy?"
"Not until he cooperates of his own free will. Privacy is a privilege, not a right."
Zeke entered while she stood there.
"Wait until we depart. Sorry."
Zeke pivoted and grimaced. "If it's okay with you, Jedi Fau, I'll use the refresher upstairs."
While the Padawan dashed out of the room and down the corridor, Ben made a dash of his own for the small window in the refresher unit.
Naluma thrust out her hand and grabbed the boy by his collar with the Force as he wiggled through the opening. "Where do you think you're going?"
"Getting out of this nut house." He squirmed against her grip.
"I can do this all day."
After jerking against her Force-grip a few more times, he sunk his shoulders in.
The Jedi wrenched his arm and dragged him out of the refresher and down the hall. "Cut it out, Ben."
"So, I'm your prisoner?"
"If that's what makes you feel better, go ahead and think that." She quickened her pace as a group of Padawan appeared around a corner. "But it's your own choices that are keeping you confined."
Geryl and Pilar backed against the corridor wall as Geryl murmured, "Who's that? Hope he's not a new Padawan."
Pilar elbowed her friend. "Geryl."
Naluma shoved Ben into the study and set the lock to voice recognition. The boy slid one of the desk chairs next to the soaring pane windows and curled up his feet on the fabric clasping his knees to his chest.
The Jedi flicked a few switches on the windows, activating the outer privacy settings so that Ben could stare at the Padawan in the courtyard, but they wouldn't be able to see him.
⊘ Around 0700, Luke returned with two breakfast trays. Canceled your classes for today. After breakfast, get some rack time. I'll need you in the afternoon if he doesn't break sooner. Any problems overnight?
He thought he was being clever. Tried to escape when using the facilities. She rolled her eyes. He didn't realize I wasn't going to let him out of my sight.
Good to know. Luke nodded his approval of her tactics. You're the only other person I trust with him right now. He may be hurting, but he's also vicious. Don't let your guard down.
Not planning on it. She took a bite of the fried meat. I wonder how long he's going to hold out without food. It's been five days since they tranqued him.
I imagine his appetite will get the better of him in a few hours. Luke smiled in anticipation. Can't you feel the desire?
She nodded. Think I'll play with his mind a bit. Naluma's eyes twinkled as she smirked at Luke. "Master, would you like these zered eggs? I'm so stuffed, I don't think I could eat another bite."
"I'm pretty full, too, Naluma. Go ahead and toss 'em."
Ben's stomach grumbled loudly enough that both Luke and Naluma heard it. When Naluma tipped her tray into the trash, he gave in. "Could I have the rest of your tray?"
Luke crossed his arms. "No. If you are hungry, we have your meal from last night waiting for you."
Ben nodded. "Yes, Master Skywalker. I'd like to eat my meal now."
Can you bring in the meal from last night? Do not warm it.
Yes, master. Naluma headed to the kitchen.
When she returned with Ben's tray, he took a bite, eager to eat. Then he gave a look of revulsion and spit it out. "Hey, you forgot to warm it, dingbat!"
Master Skywalker glowered at him as he said, "Ben, apologize to Jedi Fau and eat your meal without complaint."
Ben glared back at him with agate eyes.
Luke "froze" his plate in mid-air before Ben could upset it on Naluma. She grabbed the plate and returned it to the kitchen.
Ben said, "Hey, I wasn't done with that."
"Yes, you are. Until you display a civil tongue and decent table manners, you will not eat. It is your choice."
"You wouldn't really starve me. My mother won't allow you. She's a senator."
Luke took in a deep breath. "Your mother has relinquished custody."
"No, that's not true. That's impossible."
Luke waited for Ben's anger to dissipate. "Let's get some things straight. First, I cannot make you become a Jedi. That has to be something you decide. It's not that bad. You see those Padawan outside?"
Luke pointed out the picture window to a group of Padawan playing a ball game in the courtyard. "They have all made the decision to surrender their wills and take on the burden of wielding the Force and serving the galaxy."
Ben looked at the floor as he worried at a spot on the floorboard with his toe. "Sounds pretty boring to me. Why would anyone struggle to learn this power and then use it only for others?"
"You will learn that there is peace, even joy, in serving others above yourself."
The boy snorted. "Not likely." He turned his chair back to the window and rested his feet on the sill.
Luke searched around his bookshelves and found another ancient book. With the Force, he grabbed the boy and the chair and dragged it toward himself. "I don't want you to make a decision without knowing the facts. First of all, Jedi are honor bound to the Jedi Code."
He opened the tome to the front page and pointed to the Code.
There is no emotion, there is peace.
There is no ignorance, there is knowledge.
There is no passion, there is serenity.
There is no chaos, there is harmony.
There is no death, there is the Force.
"Furthermore, a Jedi bestows unconditional love on all beings. Not hypocritical love, but one that abhors evil and clings to good. Not self-serving love, but one that sacrifices himself for the good of all because he knows that they are better than he. Forsaking laziness, he is the example of industriousness. A Jedi, above all, is patient."
"So this is how you display love to me, by taking away my food and locking me in a room?" Ben said with his eyes glaring.
"Love is shown in many ways, Ben. Sometimes out of love for someone, you must do things for them that may not be pleasant. Because I love you, I care about the person you are turning into. Because I love you, I cannot allow you to continue down this path of selfishness. Because I love you, I cannot allow you to harm others to fulfill your own lusts. As we discussed last night, exile is always an option."
Luke gave a small shake of his head. "Ben, take your time. This is a big decision."
Ben huffed and looked out the window, turning his back to the Jedi Master.
"In the meantime, I think it would help you to understand what the Jedi have done in the past. Today, I want you to read this book. When you are done, I will assign you an essay to further contemplate the Jedi of history." Luke handed him The Jedi Order and the Clone War.
Ben scowled at him for a few long moments before taking the book from him. While Luke moved to his desk to handle paperwork, the boy curled up in an overstuffed leather chair and read. He sniffed and rubbed his nose, tears falling down his face as the true impact of his situation hit him.
An hour later his stomach growled.
"Ben, when you are ready to apologize to Jedi Fau and treat her with the respect her office deserves, you can eat."
"All right."
Luke sent through the Force to Naluma, Bring some emergency rations. Ben's going to apologize.
When the Jedi entered with a tray a few minutes later, the boy marked his spot in the book and stood up with respect. "I apologize, Jedi Fau, for disrespecting you. I ask your forgiveness."
She forced a smile. "I forgive you, Ben." Then she handed him a package of MREs.
Ben took them, about to complain. He stopped right before he spoke one word and then schooled his attitude. "Thank you for bringing this meal, Jedi Fau."
"You're welcome, Ben." You've worked miracles, Luke.
It's just the beginning.
Naluma asked aloud, "Need a break?"
"Thanks. Won't be long." Luke stood. He's supposed to read that book. Don't let him do anything else.
Later that evening after another meal of military rations, Ben looked up from his book. "I'm done."
Luke approached him and picked up the text. He paged to a part three quarters of the way through the book and then flipped through a few pages. "All right, draft a sketch of Jedi Knight Qui-Gon Jinn, Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Jedi Master Mace Windu. Compare and contrast their Jedi qualities and abilities. Explore the common theme they all exhibited in their deaths." The Jedi Master grabbed his datapad from his desk, unlocked it, and handed it to the boy.
Ben grumbled when he took the datapad, but he did not damage the device. He worked long into the night on the essay, hunting through the book for additional information. Half way through the night, Ben collapsed on the desk while writing the essay.
Luke and Naluma rotated duties in the earlier that night. She slid the datapad from beneath Ben's head and saved his work before she laid him on the couch by the window and covered him with a blanket.
Did you know ...
● Books were rare in the galaxy, but some existed to preserve history should databanks be destroyed and power became unavailable.
● When Luke canceled classes, the other Padawan knew something important was happening in the study with the strange boy, even though they did not know what yet. Ben was gaining a bad reputation before he had even met anyone.
Tell me what you think ...
● Why did Luke choose those three Jedi for Ben to study?
● Where will Ben run into problems on the assignment?
● Should Luke have exiled Ben without giving him an opportunity to reform? If he did, would he have violated the Jedi Code?