The Shadows, three Jedi, Two Minbari Warrior Caste, and a Wormhole - Part 3

By Sunraven

Shi-Alyt Branmer walked into the guest quarters preceded by Neroon.  He came up to the Jedi and gave them a warrior's bow.  "I am Branmer of the Star Riders Clan, Shi-Alyt of the Warrior Caste."

The small green being hobbled up closer and said, "Yoda, I am, Master Jedi.  This is Master Jedi Qui-Gon Jinn and his Padawan Learner, Obi-Wan Kenobi.  Thank you, I do, for your kindness to strangers in need."

Branmer looked down at Yoda thoughtfully for a few seconds.  The inner power coming from this small person was unbelievable!  The last time he felt something like this, it was with Dukhat, and it had been no where near as strong.  "It is only courteous to give aid until we have determined whether you are an enemy of the Minbari Federation or not."

"Which is it, I wonder?  Yes, or no?  Enemy or not?"

"You have not offered us any injury.  You surrendered your weapons without question.  You have openly shared information on your technology with us.  These are not the behaviors of an enemy."

"Ahh, but behaviors can be deceiving, often you will find.  For though gave up our weapons freely we did, weaponless we are not."

Branmer decided to accept the implicit challenge, and if he could have looked in a mirror right then he would have seen a familiar sight.  Star Rider brown eyes were lit up like a bonfire at the challenge and mystery he'd been presented.  

"But you are only three, and we are an entire ship full of trained warriors, the most deadly of our race.  Of course we would have no serious worries."

"Size or numbers, deceiving they can also be.  The assumption of safety because of either indicates a lack of wisdom.  Perhaps it is us who should feel safer."  There was a gleam in Yoda's eyes during this.  He obviously sensed a worthy adversary (albeit a friendly one) in Branmer.  

At that comment the Shi-Alyt broke out laughing.  When he had caught his breath again, he bowed to Yoda and said, "I don't believe I've ever been accused of a lack of wisdom before.  A lack of warrior abilities once upon a time, perhaps, but never a lack of wisdom.  You have intrigued me, Master Yoda.  Is it true that you are almost 900 cycles old?"

"864 years old am I.  But it is not age that gives me my power.  My ally is the Force, and that is the true source of a Jedi's power.  Come, sit with me and talk.  More I would like to learn about your people.  The repairs to the ship will not hurry, and it is good to pass the time this way."

"I would like that very much.  But first my Alyt has a request he would like to make." 

"Yes.  Since we are both from warrior castes, I thought it would be, ah, interesting, to set up a series of competitions between your Jedi and my warriors.  The arts of war are their own language, and it would benefit us all to compare the different dialects."  He looked Qui-Gon over arrogantly and said, "You seem to have some minute knowledge of how to handle a pike.  A contest in that would interest my warriors greatly.  I have some small skill in handling a blade, though it is not a weapon that is used often in my clan.  Perhaps I might try out your light saber fighting as well?"  Some small skill was an understatement, of course.  Neroon had taken personal training for years in handling the large two-handed Rethcail swords of the Windswords clan.  

Qui-Gon eyeballed him back, his blue eyes intense.  "The pike fighting will be fine.  However, Alyt Neroon, the light saber is the weapon of a Jedi.  I do not think a non-Jedi can activate it."

"Activate it from a distance, I can, Qui-Gon.  No problem that will be if that is what you wish to do."

"Well, then perhaps we can arrange something.  But I will have to show you some things about the light saber.  They are not metal blades, and they can do a great deal more damage than one."

"Then we are even.  A denn'bok is not a normal pike, and when used by a master, it can do a great deal more damage than one.   I will have to instruct you, as well, to minimize the potential damage to you."

Qui-Gon bowed to acknowledge the point to Neroon.  "I will look forward to your instruction.  Shall we go over here and discuss the details of this contest?  Let's leave the Masters to their philosophical discussions."  They bowed to Master Yoda and the Shi-Alyt, then they and Obi-Wan moved to the far corner of the room. 

Branmer watched the three of them move away, then said to Yoda, "Though they do not look similar, Yoda, somehow I think your Master Qui-Gon and my aide are a great deal alike in some ways."

"Yes.  Love a good fighting contest, do they both.  Understand yet they do not that true power lies not in skill of arms, but instead in the inner forces of the spirit."  He turned to Branmer.  "Once I believed as they did.  But lived too long have I to be deceived any longer."

"I have not lived a quarter as long as you, my friend, but because I walked between the warrior's path and the religious path, I have found out the same thing."

"Full warrior caste you are not?  Yet hold high rank in the Warrior Caste you do."

"Yes.  I chose the path of a priest by the right of my mother, who was Religious Caste.  But a friend of mine who lead my people was killed by mistake by people much like your Jedi there.  Humans.  And a Holy War was proclaimed.  I was consumed with the madness along with the rest of my people, and chose to change to a warrior's path.  I did things, ordered things done, that I would have abhorred as a priest.  But they were necessary during a war.  Or so I told myself.  I have this highest warrior rank because I was very good at taking lives."  His voice was bitter.

"Seen many wars, I have in my long life, Branmer.  Always justified were the reasons by the people involved.  But realized, I did, that the most honorable warriors were the ones who felt the regret you feel for every life taken.  And the greatest peacemakers as well.  One in the same, they were."

Branmer smiled.  "Thank you.  So, tell me about this Force that gives your people your power."

 "Surrounds us and is in us is the Force, and in every living thing.  The basic energy of life at the cellular level, it is.  It binds all living things together.  Speaks to us, it does.  In our dreams, in our feelings, and sometimes in our thoughts.  Learns to control this, does a Jedi Knight.  Through discipline, training, practice, and meditation."

"Are all of your people from where you come from able to feel the Force?"

"No.  Only those who have a high metachlorian count in their bodies can be Jedi.  Metachlorians are organisms, in symbiosis with our bodies and spirits they are.  All living things have them, but those with high metachlorian counts, only those can be Jedi, and can learn to sense and use the Force."

Branmer looked thoughtful for a moment.  "If this is the energy of life you are talking about, Master Yoda, then there must be two sides to this Force, as there is in all sentient beings.  The dark and the light side, you may say.  The balance of the two is where true power comes from.  When one is more powerful than the other, then one must dominate.  It is the way of things.  My people see it as three sides of a pyramid.  The light side, the dark side, and the gray side.  The Warrior Caste chose to follow the dark side."

Yoda's expressive ears dropped, and his green eyes widened.  "The Dark side of the Force is what you speak of.  In my world, the path to the Dark side is easy, seductive it is.  Quick and easy power it gives.  But to once start along that path, then forever will it dominate your destiny.  Jedi spend many years training learning to balance the Light side and the Dark side, but with the Light more dominant.  Part of the Trials to go from Jedi Padawan Learner to Jedi Knight involve facing the Dark side in yourself, and accepting it as yours.  In doing this you gain the ability to choose not to be dominated by it.  If that was not done, then recognize it you can not when the Dark side becomes prominent." 

"My people have an order similar to your Jedi, but without your Force.  It is called the Anla'Shok, and they have a trial that is similar to what you just spoke of.  It is called Mor'dha'dhum, or the death of fear.  Each of the warriors must face their innermost fears in order to not be forever paralyzed or dominated by it."

Right then Neroon, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan came up to their superiors.  Neroon bowed, fist to palm, and said, "My apologies for interrupting what appears to be an interesting conversation, Shi-Alyt.  We have put together a contest agenda, and I would like to go implement it with your permission.  I will give you the details once the schedule has been arranged.  Also, I would like to take our guests to a training room to begin the instruction on the use of the denn'bok.  I can also learn about their laser swords as well."

Branmer looked at Neroon fondly.  It was good to see him as his old self again.  "I suppose we should go and make sure you all don't get too enthusiastic.  Also, didn't you say that you had to be there in order for my Alyt to use your Jedi weapon, Master Yoda?"

"Yes, be there I must for him to use it.  And be there, I should anyway, to make sure kill someone they do not."  Qui-Gon looked at his teacher.  He could swear it was another joke coming from him.  Yoda was unusually comfortable around these people.  Hmmm.


Branmer's strong laugh was heard echoing down the hallway as they left to go to the training room.  Neroon stopped and gave the contest agenda to Sub-Alyt Chakur to turn into a schedule, and asked Sub-Alyt Sorat to choose a few self-restrained warriors to participate in the games.

In the vaulted training room, Neroon turned to Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan and asked, with a challenge in his voice, "Would you like to warm up with some unarmed sparring first?"

Qui-Gon answered, "Yes, I'd like that."  

Obi-Wan only nodded grimly, determined to trounce this arrogant stranger if he could after his comment about children guarding leaders.

"Which one of you will go first?"  Neroon smiled.

Branmer broke in to the conversation.  "Neroon, I believe I would like a little warm-up as well.  Master Qui-Gon, to me.  Neroon, please take Padawan Obi-Wan."  He turned to Yoda.  "Unless, of course, you would like to go against me, my small friend?"

"To old, am I, to fight for points any more, Shi-Alyt, only for my life will I fight now.  But use you and your warriors, I will, for a demonstration in the use of the Force during the contests."

 
Obi-Wan rotated his neck around to loosen the muscles as he and Neroon walked over to a sparring mat.  Having an opponent with an unknown fighting style was always a challenge.  He could tell by the way the warrior carried himself that he was extremely experienced in unarmed combat.  He watched while Neroon took off his armor and placed it neatly to the side of the mat.

"The rules of sparring in my world are simple, Padawan Obi-Wan.  There are two of them.  Stay on the mat if possible, throws off do not count, of course.  And do not hit for lethal purposes as that implies a lack of restraint.  I am unsure how much training you have had at your level..."

"Lack of restraint, huh?  I can take whatever you choose to throw at me, Alyt Neroon.  Shall we proceed?"

Neroon looked at him, a smile starting on his face.  "Arrogant, aren't you?"  And he rushed the Jedi suddenly, preparing to quickly tackle him to the mat.

Obi-Wan used the Force to somersault over the Minbari's crouched body and landed on the mat facing him, but on the opposite side.  Then he smirked.

Neroon looked at him, nodded, and went after him again.  But this time he stopped in mid lunge with a gracefulness that belied itself in such a big man.  He jumped up vertically and snagged Obi-Wan in the middle of his somersault and slammed him to the mat with a force that took the breath away from the young man.

"First fall is mine!"  While he was speaking, the Jedi sprang up from the mat, grabbed the warrior's arm, and sent him over his head to fly almost off the mat. 

"Second fall!" He yelled, and flipped up and over to grab Neroon's legs.  Those he flipped up, sending the Minbari into a long roll from which he came out of without difficulty.  Obi-Wan just stood there and smiled a tiny smile of triumph.  

That smile was his mistake.  Now Neroon was going to get serious.  He had been holding back because he didn't wish to damage the Human.  But although annoying, this youngster was very skilled, and could probably take it.   

He moved out towards the Human and feinted that he was going to grab his arm, then scissored the Jedi's legs out from under him while pushing downward with one tremendously strong arm.  Obi-Wan smacked flat on his back on the mat, and Neroon was on him with his hand in ready position to tear out his larynx, and his knee and full weight pressed on the young man's chest.  Since the Padawan was stunned from the fall, he couldn't think to use the Force to lift the Minbari off of him.  

"My match, I believe."  Neroon got up, then helped a stunned Obi-Wan up.  "Not bad, Human, for a beginner.  However you never really had a chance.  I've killed over fifty thousand of your species.  Fortunately for you I have no desire to kill one more."  

Branmer, who had finished his match with Qui-Gon, overheard that.  "Neroon, would you go get a denn'bok for Master Qui-Gon to use while you instruct him.  Also, get one for his Padawan as well.  I will instruct Obi-Wan myself." 

Just then, Obi-Wan bowed to Neroon respectfully.  "Thank you for warming up with me, sir."  

Then the Padawan turned to his Master as Qui-Gon asked, "How was your match?"  

"He fooled me into a pin, Master.  He feinted by apparently coming after my hand, then dropped me with full force to the mat with a scissors move!  My head is still spinning."

"What did you learn from this, though?"  Qui-Gon persisted.

"Well, one thing I learned was if I'm dealing with an experienced fighter, I'll be wary of any obvious moves from now on.  And I won't gloat or smile if I do well.  That just angers them enough to give them the edge.  How did your match go, Master Qui-Gon?  I would have liked to watch it."

"I'm afraid that I learned the same things as you, my apprentice.  And worst, Master Yoda was watching my match.  He just shook his head in disgust when it was over."  He said ruefully.

"Do not chastise yourself too much, Master Qui-Gon," Said Branmer, who had overheard.  "You did quite well against me.  Not even Neroon has been able to throw me more than three times a match for decades, and he is one of the best of the Warrior Caste.  You did so four times."  The older man rubbed his shoulder.  "I expect I will be feeling this tomorrow."  He sighed.  "This is a younger man's game, Master Yoda, is it not?"

"Admit that, I will not."  Said the testy Dagoban.  "Still trounce the younger Jedi, I can, if I choose to exert myself."  Then his ears drooped a bit.  "Though trouncing them takes much more toll now than before."

Branmer laughed and reached down and patted Yoda on the shoulder.  "As I said, a young man's game it is."

Neroon brought in the other two denn'boks and they settled themselves to learn some pike fighting.


Part 4:  Whack!  Pow!  Whammy!  Holy Jedi!