Epilogue
Standing before a glass window that looked into a large, sunlit room in the Queen's Palace that had temporarily been converted into a medical ward, Yoda and Mace Windu grimly stood- or hovered as Yoda's case may be. With furrowed eyebrows, they watched from behind the glass as Obi-Wan, on a makeshift bed, propped up against a mountain of pillows so he could sit up, conversed with the odd young woman they had become accustomed to seeing at his side, Buffy Summers. She was currently sitting in a chair with her back to them, but they could see Obi-Wan's face. The secretive smiles he sent her way, even as they argued, did not go un-noticed by the two Masters.
"Conferring upon Obi-Wan the level of Jedi Knight, you believe was a mistake, Master Windu?" Yoda asked his fellow Councilmember in his croaky, wizened voice. He already knew that Windu didn't, but the sight before them had been troubling his friend.
Mace sighed. "No. The boy has earned the right. However," his voice dropped before he continued, "As I'm sure you're aware, their growing attachment is becoming a concern to me."
Yoda smiled. "Unfamiliar with our code, the girl is. But the behavior of our newest Knight, inexcusable."
"Then you agree that whatever fate we decide for the girl after she has faced our examination, they be separated?"
"Said that, I did not. Clear, her future is."
Mace turned sharply to his elder. "Surely you don't plan on continuing to allow this?"
"Their paths have been crossed. Unwise it would be for the Council to interfere."
"Attachment is forbidden in the code for a very serious reason, Master Yoda. We can't run the risk of Obi-Wan, whose future holds so much promise, to turn to the Dark Side."
"So sure are you, come to that it would? Hmm?"
"I haven't your foresight, but the threat remains." Wearying of the direction their conversation had turned, Mace tried one last time to reason. "We also run the risk of other Jedi feeling they can bend the code to their needs."
Yoda smiled once more, completely unfazed. "Worry too much you do, my old friend. By the girl and Obi-Wan, only a good relationship has so far been formed. Responsible, he is and will continue to be. Faith you must have."
"But the girl?"
"Strong she is."
Mace gave up. "It was an impressive feat the boy accomplished- destroying the droid command ship."
"Most impressive. Unable to stop Qui-Gon from training him now, hopeless it may be."
Mace arched an eyebrow. "And I suppose you remain equally unworried about the dangers that presents? Even if he is the one the Prophesy speaks of…"
"The Chosen One the boy may be; nevertheless, grave danger I fear in his training."
"Then why allow Qui-Gon the opportunity?" Mace made no effort to hide his confusion.
The smile gone, Yoda replied, "Graver still, the danger in not training the boy. A padawan he will become, but carefully monitor his progress we must."
"I agree."
They stood there silently for a while, watching the scene before them- Yoda in quiet contemplation, and Mace with growing trepidation.
"Always in two, the Sith come…" Yoda said quietly after a spell. Mace could sense the older Master's worry. He was forcefully reminded once more that the only one able to sense the evil still, was the girl currently working very hard at helping their newest Knight to abandon the code he had sworn to follow.
"But which did they destroy? The Master or the apprentice?" He quietly inquired, not really expecting a reply and grudgingly admitting to himself as he did so- and to Yoda who was listening to his thoughts- that the task had been impressive from the girl. Not to mention Obi-Wan who they had agreed deserved Knighthood after becoming the first in over a thousand years to defeat a Sith. But Yoda was right, it was possible that the one defeated had merely been the padawan. A more significant evil could still be lurking…
Yoda just responded with a shake of his wrinkled head.
The thought of Yoda being completely in the dark worried Mace even more than the thought of having to test the girl. "But what of the new Chancellor?"
"A good lead, it is. Follow it, we will. Perhaps assigned to monitor Chancellor Palpatine, send Obi-Wan we will."
"You're counting on the girl being with him to detect his presence?"
"Count nothing, will I- changing too rapidly events are." Yoda turned away from the glass and began hovering back down the hallway they had come, "Only to wait and see, can we."
In A Hell Dimension Far Far Away…
Disclaimer: Star Wars is property of George Lucas. Buffy is property of Joss Whedon.
A/N: So endith the first book…