« on: November 20, 2005, 11:06:27 pm »
And here comes the latest Master Slask/Padawan Sune vignette.
Enjoy!
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Cold Appraisal
There was a slight chill in the afternoon air.
"He is a great fighter." Master Slask hissed.
"I know that, Master." His student responded. Both sat upon the picnic table where they'd taken meals throughout the summer. They'd have to do that indoors, soon.
Slask regarded his student. Over many years he'd learned to read human expressions. Slumped shoulders, downcast eyes, the resting of elbows on knees...he knew what they meant. He also knew that, right now, he should say nothing more.
The wind whistled through the clearing. It tugged at Marissa's hair.
"The second time, he let me use the Force." She informed, finally.
"I see." He said. The man he'd chosen to teach Marissa to fight with her hands was an exacting instructor. Initially, Slask's padawan had taken to the lessons with typical enthusiasm. There'd been a tension growing of late, however, between the Jedi student and the burly human warrior. The tension had finally released. Marissa had bruises.
"I should have beat him, then." She said.
"Why?" Slask asked.
Marissa's eyes studied the picnic table. Normally, Slask did his best to condition her to meet the eyes of her challenger. Right now he was not her challenger.
It was some time before she spoke.
"I had the Force. I could...see what he was about to do. Feel it. But it didn't matter."
Slask scratched his knuckles and waited.
"It shouldn't have mattered how fast he was." Marissa continued. "I should've been able to block him, I should've been able to see what he was about to do and stop him."
Slask nodded.
"He was stronger and faster. He beat me. That isn't supposed to happen."
"Because he is not a Jedi."
"Yes." She declared. She wiped something out of her eye. "Because he's not a Jedi."
The wind calmed for a moment, picked up again. A bird call echoed from up the hill.
"Jedi aren't supposed to think that way." She said. "I'm not supposed to feel that way. I'm not supposed to think I'm better than him."
"Why?"
"All are one with the Force. I hear it more clearly than many people, but that doesn't make me better."
"There are many Jedi who feel as you do." Slask responded. His thoughts drifted for but a moment. His mind recalled incidents of haughty arrogance, even complacency, displayed by creatures in the robes of the Order.
"I don't want to feel that way." Marissa declared. "But I do."
"Changing your own perceptions is a challenge."
Marissa sniffed. Tears were running down both cheeks now, though she did not sob.
"Master..."
"...you wish to be alone."
Marissa nodded.
"I will still be here when you return." He advised as warmly as his reptillian tounge would allow.
His padawan rose without another word, stuffed her hands in her jacket pockets, and walked off into the woods.
Slask watched her go. There was sympathy in his heart.
Curiously, there was also pride.
End
