Flow of the Force

 Rating: G to PG: fighting and distressing situations.
Story: 9-year-old initiate Obi-Wan Kenobi undertakes a difficult exercise at the Jedi Temple.
Disclaimer: Don't blame me; the Force did it! Honest, George! I promise not to unbalance the Force by
using any of your characters for commercial gain, and I most certainly will not allow them to endorse any crappy products! They're all yours, George!

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The early white  Coruscant sun filtered into the long practice hall set atop the East Wing of the Jedi Temple. As light illuminated the flying dust particles, ten figures shuffled randomly about, while two figures stood impassively still in the center of the room.

Temple Masters Yraine watched and waited, allowing the initiates to flow around her. She was a tall, willowy human with skin so pale and features so dark she looked like an ink drawing.  Beside her, quietly communicating with her was Master Sorol-Tin, a powerfully built, sharp featured Zabrakian. His yellow eyes pierced the room as he paced, taking in the energy signatures of the young Jedi hopefuls.

The initiates' ages ranged from 8-11 standard years of age. They were dressed simply in white overtunics and long padded sparring jumpsuits. 9-year-old Obi-Wan Kenobi sighed and closed his eyes as he leaned against a stanchion which was at least three times wider than he was. He remembered this exercise too well, having been through it only last term.

Obi-Wan looked around in the diffuse light. He remembered a few others from his last time. Mahri-Lan, a lanky 10-year-old Corellian girl who looked at him as though she saw something just beyond him, 9-year-old Bruck Chun, who brooded in the corner, 11-year old Sweirley Lerd, a nervous Calamarian boy who Obi-Wan heard had taken this exercise five times now.  Passing this exercise was prerequisite to the advanced Force use class.

And it was the most frustrating and confusing ordeal Obi-Wan had yet experienced in his Temple training. No clear Objectives, no directions, except for barked orders.

A tandem clap issued from the Masters, and the initiates snapped into line, Obi-Wan near the right end. Bruck, who had apparently brooded too deeply, straggled into the queue and earned the entire group 20 pushups. Rezon, an 8-year old Rodian, glared at Bruck with his inscrutable dark eyes, but Obi-Wan just breathed deeply and threw himself into the exercise. Irritation played at him, but he calmed himself by remembering Yoda's admonition:

"Never allow another to control your energy. Let go of anger and fear, and flow through you the Force will. No one else can control you then; You will be in control."

Obi-Wan began to forget why he was here, why he was doing pushups; the pushups did themselves. Master Yraine clapped twice in the distance. Obi-Wan realized that everyone had stopped except him. He jumped hurriedly up and fixed his eyes on Master Yraine, who appeared amused.

"Master Sorol, I do believe Initiate Kenobi is eager to begin! Such enthusiasm for something as onerous as pushups! "Yraine clapped once. Her dark braids, which were piled high on top of her head, shook slightly. Yraine was already quite tall, and the extra height added by the braids made her even more imposing. "Obi-Wan Kenobi, step up!"

Obi-Wan moved forward with an uncertain glare. Master Yraine was having too much fun at his expense.

"And who wants to face this ball of energy?" Master Yraine continued. "Ah, Mahri-Lan, you appear to be in need of a high-intensity workout! Step up!"

Mahri-Lan floated from the queue to Obi-Wan's side, the picture of serenity. Today, for all the new initiates here, we do the Flow Exercise. The name is unrevealing for a reason. You must find the meaning, because no one else can show it to you. You will not see it unless you are open to it; you will not be open unless you let go of whatever it is that angered you in the lunchroom yesterday or scared you in the middle of the night."

The children all began to shift uncomfortably. Obi-Wan's heart was racing. He could see that Master Sorol was looking at him, noticing. Slowly, deeply taking in breath, Obi-Wan centered himself and calmed his racing heart. A sidewise glance at Mahri-Lan revealed that, despite her early calm, she was doing the same thing.

Master Yraine continued, "When I call you to the front, you will spar at half speed with your chosen opponent, using empty hand techniques. Master Sorol or I will tell you when to stop. At that time, one of you will be asked to leave through the west door to the next part of the exercise. Obi-Wan, Mahri-Lan, BEGIN!

The two initiates bowed to the Masters and then to each other. Mahri-Lan stepped into Obi-Wan, aiming a thumb extended fist into his neck. Obi-Wan moved easily inside the strike, snagging the offending arm and snaking his own shorter arm over the elbow. He had her in a shoulder lock, which he deepened by bending his knees further. Smoothly now, Mahri-Lan unlocked her joints by executing a back flip over Obi-Wan's arm and slammed Obi-Wan to the ground. She had that stare fixed on him again, and it puzzled and frightened him with its intensity. Snapping smartly out of it, Obi-Wan aimed a kick to Mahri-Lan's exposed left midsection, knocking the wind out of her. As she stood jumping up and down to reset her diaphragm, Obi-Wan rolled backwards and came up in a ready stance. Her stare seemed to grow in intensity, her eyes darkening as she approached Obi-Wan. Her kick came with a flash, full-speed, but Obi-Wan was not there at the end of it. He had smoothly circled behind her a split-second before she launched, and landed his own foot in the crook of her knee, crumpling her on her buttocks in a most undignified manner.

Obi-Wan had thought the Masters would stop them then. It was too fast, faster than he had gone before, but the Masters were like stone. In that second Obi-Wan had looked up, Mahri-Lan used her low position to kick his legs out from under him. He landed right on top of her and she heated up quick, punching Obi-Wan off her while grabbing his wrist.

All at once, Obi-Wan was head over heels, his wrist and shoulder burning, confused. Mahri-Lan was looking past him again, in Master Sorol's general direction. Obi-Wan could read nothing in those black eyes and the anger began to rise in him as he struggled to free himself. Mahri-Lan's balance shifted slightly, and Obi-Wan twisted away, throwing himself onto her, furiously beating, but she calmly rolled away. Her hands slipped around one of Obi-Wan's mad swings and suddenly he was flying through the air, hitting the ground several feet away with a loud grunt.

Master Yraine called stop to the match. Sorol-Tin padded silently behind Mahri-Lan, as she bowed to Obi-Wan, who was limping up to face her. The two bowed to the Masters and Mahri-Lan spoke softly in answer to something Obi-Wan could not hear. Sorol lead the dark-eyed Corellian girl away quietly.

The room seemed to hold its breath, as Yraine scanned the initiates on the sidelines. Obi- Wan breathed heavily and took this time to stretch and calm himself. His face was red with more than just exertion.

"Bruck Chun! Step up!" Yraine barked. A small tow-headed child snapped his lowered head to attention and leapt to the center of the practice floor with preternatural speed, as if to make up for his lassitude at the beginning of class. After bowing to Master Yraine, he faced Obi-Wan and bowed only slightly, his jaw set and eyes narrowed. This was also Bruck's second time at this exercise, but he was still clearly frightened and confused by it. Obi-Wan studied Bruck's tight features; he could see right through this fearful boy. It helped Obi-Wan to relax, to realize how tightly his own jaw was set and his own mind locked. Obi-Wan was uncertain as well, but he began to realize that it could be a blessing. Certainty can be a trap. The word was "open."

Let it go...let it go...he chanted in his head in the voice of Yoda. Always Yoda's voice calmed him. The words had meaning, but the rhythmic repeating of them had even more. The message was so simple that it allowed him to stop thinking, and just do.

"Begin!" Master Yraine barked in her sharp alto, more harshly than before. Bruck flinched and hesitated at the sound. Obi-Wan did not hear it, but he was already moving.

Bruck launched a strike at Obi-Wan's midsection, overextending as Obi-Wan slowly stepped back. Bruck landed on his face, stunning himself slightly; then he fell into a rage, kicking at Obi-Wan's shins, which were never where he aimed. A full 30 seconds into the fight, Bruck had not managed to touch Obi-Wan even once.

"Hold!" Master Yraine called. "Initiate Chun, are you aware of what you are doing? Calm yourself and take a look at your fellow initiates!" Her eyes burned into Bruck.

Everyone on the waiting line looked pained, as if they had bad headaches. Rezon the Rodian was still inscrutable, but his head hung at a cocked angle, suggesting pain.

"You are projecting your unworthy emotions, Bruck! A Jedi must always have control. How can you control a situation or use the Force if you have no control over yourself?" Yraine, for all her harshness, now spoke sincerely and with great gravity. Her voice was soft but firm, with the Force behind her words.

Suddenly, Obi-Wan saw her for what she was--a seeker like himself. In that moment, he saw her pale-skinned dark eyes reflecting his own spirit, saw the Force through her. It must have been obvious, because the aching sideliners were now staring at him.

"Now, initiates Chun and Kenobi, again. Begin!" The same harsh chopping voice again.

Bruck maintained his balance this time, punching straight, and Obi-Wan danced clear, returning with a tow kick to Bruck's punching arm. Locking the weakened arm, Obi-Wan circled to take Bruck's balance, dumping him on the floor. As Obi-Wan attempted ground control, Bruck twisted into a side roll away, aiming a stomp kick at the back of Obi- Wan's knee. Obi-Wan fell hard on his back and Bruck leapt at him, anger rising again in slow waves. Obi-Wan felt it, but accepted it into him as a friend, as Yoda had taught him. The anger broke up into the Force and Obi-Wan saw through the Force that Bruck was
attacking again.

The attack seemed impossibly slow, so Obi-Wan decided to use the more complicated defense, "drawing the bow", since he knew he had the time. He executed each part of the technique deliberately, and Bruck ended face down in a shoulder, elbow and wrist lock. Bruck was also howling in pain. Obi-wan didn't hear anything or see anything until
Master Yraine clapped once and called "Stop!"

That broke the reverie, and Master Sorol returned from the other room without Mahri- Lan. A few nods and meaningful looks at Master Yraine and a question in Obi-Wan's head, "Do you see it?" Echoed sharply and he snapped his head to Master Yraine, who was already holding his hand and leading him away...

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Obi-Wan knew what came next. he had been here only four months ago. Without hesitation, he stripped to his underclothes and picked up his A99 Aquata Breather from the initiates' equipment shelf. He applied it carefully to his nose and mouth and stood
ready at the side of the exercise pool. A large man in swimming shorts sat on a platform just next to where Obi-Wan was waiting, but he seemed almost invisible.

Master Yraine had that look. It was Mahri-Lan's look, just past him, but also straight into him. He had been too afraid to meet Mahri-Lan's gaze, but he felt warmed by Yraine's eyes. They seemed familiar, wise and infinite. At once, he felt loved beyond the mere protectiveness that the Temple Masters showed for their charges, and he had never even
met or seen her before.

Suddenly, the sharp Master returned, barking orders. "Initiate Kenobi, you will go underwater. You will keep your eyes open, and you will swim no more than 10 laps across the pool. You will keep in mind what you have learned this day, and you will see what the Force shows you. Now go!"

Obi-Wan jumped feet first into the deep water, watching the bubbles from the gas exchanger, feeling the light dimming. It was not his imagination. The lights were so dim he could not make out the sides of the pool. He swan straight ahead, straining his pupils to open to the available light. A stirring of panic rose as he realized he could not see at all.

Then Yoda' s voice came again: "See with you heart, Obi-Wan. Your eyes, they will deceive you. Don't trust them. The light is in you and around you. The Force it is; your way it is."

Obi-Wan began to see patterns floating before him. Patterns of energy, he thought. He reached out to one and pulled it into a new shape, adding his own energy to it. He saw himself becoming the energy and letting it go to rise to the surface. It was all so serene and so easy.

At that moment, a large portion of the pool's water rose in a great wave, rolling Obi-Wan helplessly into its depth. He was disoriented and suddenly very afraid. The Aquata Breather could not match the pace of Obi-Wan's ragged, frenzied breaths. He began to drown, and all he could do was flail wildly, guessing frantically at the surface. He heard a dull plunge, and arms were tightly wound around him. The surface showed and Obi-Wan's last sight was Master Yoda standing over him.

Obi-Wan awoke sickly, at the poolside, the large man working at him, breathing for him. He coughed wetly and gasped for air. Master Yraine sat in a chair beside him, calmly watching, a faint smile playing on her impossibly contrasting features. The warmth again.

"What did you see, Initiate Kenobi?" she asked with perfect equanimity.

Obi-Wan wanted to say "My own death," but he knew that wasn't it. He told her how he had touched the energy and made the wave...  Obi-Wan continued, "After the man brought me up, I saw Master Yoda. Was he here?"

Yraine asked that question that enrages new initiates. "What do you feel?"

Obi-Wan didn't know what he felt. He looked into Yraine's eyes, seeking the Force he had felt. He began to see a great golden glow around Yraine, whose shape was now indistinct, and that glow was the warmth Obi-Wan had felt. It flowed to him, touching him and filling him.

"Master Yoda," Obi-Wan breathed.

Yoda now stood in Yraine's place, still glowing fiercely. He nodded slowly. One nod from Yoda was worth a thousand words from anyone else." You spoke to me in the pool. I felt you near me in the sparring exercise. I thought I was just remembering your words. You were speaking to me the whole time."

Obi-Wan felt cleansed. A door had opened for him and he would not see it closed again. He was closer to the Force than he had ever been, and there was no way to explain it to Yoda, but Yoda already knew.

Epilogue:

Yoda sat in the Temple garden, regenerating his strength from the morning's strenuous use of the Force in projection of identity, when he felt Mace Windu approach. Mace took a seat beside Yoda and said nothing. He was also drained; it showed in the way he dropped hard to the grass and relaxed, focusing on a point in the trees.

"My friend Mace, a rough class it has been today. Made it, only two did this time. " Yoda's breath flowed deeply in and out of him as he spoke. "Young Kenobi, not only saw through me, but created a large Force kinesis he did. The Force he knew deeply."

Mace's eyes cleared, focusing on Yoda's weary form. "Indeed, the other initiates felt it, and we had to stop the training while several of them recovered. That is unheard of for an initiate of that young age. Has it happened before?"

Yoda kept his gaze straight ahead. "Only once before that I know has it happened. My last Padawan. Know him you do."

"Master Qui-Gon Jinn." Mace looked puzzled. "He never told me that before. He never talked about his Force-flow experiences."

"The ones who feel it most deeply rarely do." Yoda closed his eyes and continued his steady breathing, slowing to a meditative rhythm.