Star Wars_ I, Jedi - Michael A. Stackpole [50]
“Could be. It’s good I have aptitude in something, because I am useless when it comes to telekinesis. Then again, I’m not certain how adept I am at influencing minds. I remember trying to influence a stormtrooper on Thyferra with disastrous results.”
“Just because you have a talent for it doesn’t mean you will always succeed.” Luke grinned somewhat sheepishly. “When I visited Jabba the Hutt’s den I managed to use it on his Twi’lek aide to get myself an audience. My attempt to use it on Jabba failed right after that. The Hutt may have been stronger-willed, and a Hutt’s thought patterns are a bit further from human than those of a Twi’lek. Success was not guaranteed for me, either.”
I nodded. “I should also take the caution about the dark side to heart as well.”
“Yes, definitely.” Luke released the Holocron and the gatekeeper evaporated. “The dark side is seductive for those who want too much too fast. I was concerned at how easily you managed to make us all see what you wanted us to see, which is why I consulted the Holocron about your ability. I think you should be very careful about how you employ it. I would like you to team up with another student and try to alter the perception of color or simple things that don’t matter, to test your limits. Of course, I want you only to work with that student’s permission and full knowledge.”
“Got it.” I smiled. “However, the temptation to make Gantoris think he’s already dressed when he isn’t does exist.”
Luke laughed lightly for a moment, then withdrew the Holocron from sight. “You still think like a pilot—maybe this room wasn’t a good idea after all. Please don’t do that to Gantoris. Jedi powers are not for playing pranks. Later on testing yourselves against each other will hone your skills, but we have to work together at it. Your rivalry with Gantoris concerns me.”
I held my hands up. “Master, I don’t consider Gantoris a rival. I don’t particularly like him. He reminds me of a pilot I knew when I first joined Rogue Squadron. Bror Jace and I didn’t get along at first, but we grew to understand each other. We never became good friends, but we managed to work together and managed to liberate his homeworld from Isard.”
The Jedi Master lowered his head for a moment. “Gantoris has had a lot of hardships in his life. He managed to keep the people of Eol Sha alive in a very difficult place. We have moved his colony to Dantooine and relieved him of his responsibility for them. Despite that he pushes himself and holds himself to the strict level of discipline that kept him alive on Eol Sha. Here he sees you pushing yourself harder than he does, and your work pays off with surprising successes. He cannot beat you physically. While you failed to raise the rock, you exhibited a power for which he has no aptitude and can’t understand.”
“You’re saying he is having trouble enjoying the freedom he now has because it’s new to him. All the measures for his conduct he would have used before have no value here, so he has seized upon me as a scale against which to measure himself?” I shook my head. “He’s worse off than I would have thought.”
“Maybe you can do things to help him.”
I felt a cold draft seep in through my sweaty tunic. “I can try.”
“You should do.”
“If he lets me. I will do what I can, but if he is not receptive, my efforts won’t work.”
“I appreciate what you will do.” The Jedi Master nodded beyond me toward the communal refresher station. “Go get cleaned up and get some food. It will be a busy day for everyone. If things work the way I intend, more will learn what you have learned and we can move into the next stage of development for Jedi Knights.”
In the several days that followed our conversation, a variety of things became readily apparent to me. The first was that my ability to feel the Force followed a simple pattern: when the pressure was on, I could touch it and use it. When just practicing I found it elusive. I did manage to make nebula orchid blossoms change colors for Kirana Ti, and let Tionne see what she would look like if she changed her hair