Title: Problem Solved
Author: Clarence (clarence@cix.co.uk)
Archive: RavenD's DPS page
Category: Dead Padawan Society
Warnings: This story is a Dead Padawan Society story.
Spoilers: none
Summary: Bant doesn't get chosen to become a Padawan and instead starts a new
life in the AgriCorp.
Feedback: Yes please, any comments (good, bad or indifferent) are very welcome.
Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me
The authors notes are after the end of the story.
Thanks to Smitty for the Beta which she did while laid low with the 'flu
"But it's just not fair," Obi-Wan said miserably
as he stood next to Bant on the transport platform.
"Obi-Wan, please, you're only making it worse," the Mon Calamari girl replied.
"How can this be the right thing to do?" Obi-Wan continued, apparently oblivious
to Bant's comment. "Do you remember how angry Bruck was when he was sent to the
AgriCorp? What's to stop him using his training to get revenge? What's to stop
anyone doing that?"
"But it doesn't happen. We'd have heard about it if it did. And Bruck is happy
now; he doesn't even complain about the food anymore when he writes to Padawan
Aalto."
"Oh Bant, you would be an incredible Jedi. Why can't anyone see it?"
Bant sighed. She was the one being sent away from the Temple to join the AgriCorp,
so how come she was the one doing the comforting? "The Jedi have been using this
system for centuries," she said. "They must know what they are doing. Trust me,
Obi-Wan, it's all for the best."
Obi-Wan looked unconvinced. "But..."
"Would all passengers for the 'Whirlygig' please board the shuttle on transport
platform G as it is preparing to depart," announced an artificial voice over the
tannoy, effectively silencing Obi-Wan.
Bant turned to Obi-Wan and hugged him. "I have to go now. I'll write, I promise,"
she told him and quickly disengaged herself to run up the shuttle loading ramp.
Once inside she found herself a window seat and looked out onto the platform.
Obi-Wan was still standing there looking up at the shuttle - she kept her eyes
fixed on him as the shuttle lifted off until he, and the Temple itself, were no
more than dots on the distant surface of Coruscant.
__________________
The 'Whirlygig' turned out to be a comfortable passenger liner but Bant
barely noticed. She went straight to her cabin on boarding, put her bag down on
the floor, sat on the bunk, listened to the engines drive the ship into hyperspace
and watched the stars blur in the porthole of her cabin. Only then did she allow
herself to sigh and flop back onto the covers. It was all over - no last minute
appeal, no knight running up the ramp calling her back. For as long as she could
remember she had strived to become a Jedi Knight but in the end it had all been
for nothing as no one had wanted her.
Now suddenly her fate had changed. She'd been flung from a future protecting the
Republic to one nurturing the environment. Bant lay back and really thought about
it for the first time. Actually, now that her choice had been taken away from
her, it didn't seem like such a terrible future after all. Obi-Wan had always
been very dismissive of the AgriCorp but Bant had never thought of it as merely
farming. The AgriCorp went to a planet, improved the soil, saved habitats, repaired
damage caused by pollution and left a revitalised eco-structure behind. What could
a Jedi do that was more important than that?
Bant levered herself off the bunk and pulled the datapad on Balameon from her
bag. She read how the AgriCorp was working with the local agriculturists to create
farmland and forest out of lifeless desert and the more she read the more it interested
her. Maybe not getting chosen was the best thing that could have happened. Perhaps
this was what the Force had meant for her all along.
When Obi-Wan had told her stories of his life with Qui-Gon she had often wondered
if it was really the life for her. But, out of habit, she had suppressed such
doubts. She had been brought up in a culture where the only acceptable ambition
was to become a Jedi. It wasn't until she'd been rejected for that future that
she could *allow* herself to want to be something else.
Finally, Bant smiled and looked forward to arriving on Balameon.
______________________
>From space, the planet Balameon didn't look very promising - mainly
brown with very little blue or green. But that was really only to be expected,
the AgriCorp had only been on planet for a few years. Originally there had been
no green at all.
The 'Whirlygig' only orbited Balameon long enough for a shuttle from the planet
to dock, collect its passengers and return. Then the liner re-engaged its hyperspace
engines and left.
Bant didn't noticed the 'Whirlygig' depart but instead had watched the image of
Balameon grow larger in the viewscreen as she descended toward it. Bant felt her
excitement increase with the apparent size of the planet. Soon she would be starting
her new life there and her days as an initiate would be merely a memory.
When the shuttle eventually touched down, she exited it hurriedly to stand at
the bottom of the ramp and breathe in the air of her new home. She was still looking
around eagerly when a large, tanned humanoid came up to meet her. Bant thought
he had an air of sadness about him which intensified as he spoke to her.
"Initiate Bant?" he asked, surprisingly kindly.
Bant nodded.
"I'm Harmir Felician. I'm here to help you settle in," he said, bending down to
take one of her bags.
Bant was impressed that Harmir seemed to be so sympathetic to her plight. She
decided she ought to tell him that she was actually happy with the turn of fate
that had brought her here.
Harmir quietly led her out of the small spaceport to a nearby aircar and she got
in beside him.
"I'll take you to your new quarters first," he told her as he took off.
Harmir flew the aircar away from the spaceport and toward a lush valley. Curious,
Bant looked down at the land passing beneath her and consulted her datapad.
"Didn't this all use to be desert?"
Harmir looked toward her. "Uh, yes, this is one of the first areas we started
on three years ago. It has been a great success."
Bant smiled up at Harmir. "It is an incredible achievement. I hope that I can
look back on somewhere in three years time and say that I helped to do something
similar."
She turned back to watch the scenery and so missed Harmir's look of shock.
_______________
"These are your quarters. I hope you'll like them," Harmir said. He had
brought Bant to a large building on the outskirts of a small town near the valley
and had led her down into the basement.
Bant looked around. Instead of a single room, it appeared to be a suite. Although
windowless, the quarters were more spacious than she had been expecting.
"They look wonderful, I'm sure you've never had any complaints."
"Ah, umm, no, we never have. Umm, settle in, have a shower. Take the rest of the
day off and I'll show you round tomorrow," Harmir said looking at the ground.
"Thank you."
Harmir turned to leave then hesitated. "Initiate Bant," he said looking back at
her. "You do know that once the Temple has made a decision it can't be changed.
That I have to follow my instructions."
Bant smiled - Harmir had a good heart to worry about a disappointed initiate.
"I understand."
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be, I think I'm going to be very happy here."
Strangely, Bant's assurances did little to cheer Harmir up. If anything, it made
him look sadder.
"Well, I'll leave you. See you tomorrow," he said and closed the door behind him
as he left.
Bant set about unpacking the little she had brought with her but even after she
had finished there was little difference in the rooms. It was fortunate, Bant
thought, that the quarters were already brightly decorated and welcoming. However,
she was determined to make an impression on them and wondered if the AgriCorp
would let her bring some plants in. It was while she was looking around that she
absently scratched her arm and noted that her skin was drying out and she really
needed to bathe.
Bant quickly undressed and headed for the shower cubicle. Once inside she set
the controls to high and settled in to enjoy the feeling of water on her skin.
She turned slowly under the spray and decided that, once she had finished her
shower, she would head into the town and wander around to get to know the place.
Ah, this was just what she needed, she thought, but the journey must have tired
her out more than she had realised as suddenly she could barely keep her eyes
open. Maybe she would have a rest before exploring. Bant fumbled for the shower
control. The water had done its work and she felt good. Tired but good. So very
tired. So very, very tired...
----------------------
In a nearby room, Harmir adjusted a valve as a tear slid from his eye.
This had been his worst ex-Jedi initiate induction ever. If only things could
have been different. But exceptions had been made in the past and had led to a
few 'problems'. Harmir was proud that he had been specially chosen to do this
job - not many people could be relied upon to do their duty regardless how unpleasant
and difficult it got. So Harmir comforted himself with the thought that although
his work, and that of others like him, would never be publicly recognised, he
was, in his own way, protecting the Republic.
---------------
Standing among his farm buildings Keygi Patagon watched the cargo aircar carefully
descend and land. He smiled - you could set your chrono by Harmir when he was
on his rounds. Keygi liked Harmir; they had both been with the project on Balameon
since the start and Harmir seemed to share Keygi's determination to stay and work
until Balameon was a green and pleasant land.
"Hi, Harmir," Keygi said cheerfully as Harmir got out of the aircar. "I understand
you've got some of that high performance fertiliser in?"
Harmir hesitated but then turned and pulled out one of the sacks from the back
of the aircar.
"Yes, this batch is particularly special," he said and stroked the bag fondly.
"I nearly changed my mind and sent it back, but I've sworn to obey and here it
is."
"I'm glad you didn't," Keygi replied. "We can't get enough of it as it is. I never
known anything to work so well. It grows anything anywhere; we'd never have reclaimed
that desert without it."
Harmir nodded and handed the sack over.
Keygi opened it and inspected the contents. "Hey, this looks different, what is
it this time?"
"Fish meal."
------------------------
"Master, I've got a communication from Bant!" Obi-Wan said excitedly waving his
datapad at Qui-Gon.
"I'm glad to hear it, Obi-Wan. How is she settling in with the AgriCorp?"
"She says she thinks she's found her calling - she's already helped to develop
one of the best natural fertilisers they've ever had!"
"That is good news, Padawan. I always liked Bant and if she couldn't be a Jedi
then I'm pleased that she is happy with the alternative."
Qui-Gon watched his Padawan read Bant's message with obvious delight. Suddenly
Obi-Wan looked up.
"Master, if we ever travel near to Balameon, could we visit?"
"Unfortunately, the Council has guidelines that restricts contact to letters only.
But it's one of their restrictions that I've never understood or agreed with so
I think we could make an exception if we are ever in the area."
"Thank you, Master," Obi-Wan said and went back to reading his letter. He had
missed Bant so much and really wanted to see her again someday. Then he would
get a chance to see the life that had been so nearly his as well.
**********
Authors Notes: Arguably this is a Dead Initiate story, but TPTB decided that it
fit within the remit set by the DPS.
As for why Obi didn't meet the same fate, I think that the Council was still trying
to get Qui to take him. However, had Qui delayed much longer then Obi would have
been transferred to somewhere quite different.