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By Root 299 0

that had left her arms sore and burning. They had moved to a high-walled balcony, two hundred flights above ground level, beneath the constant stream of traffic go-ing to and from the nearby skyhook way station. The balcony had been shielded, but Master Unduli had dropped the fields so that the sounds, the smells of burned fuel, the winds funneled by massive buildings, and the glare of passing advertising banners were a mul-tisensory assault. Along with the slightly sour odor of her own sweat and the physical exhaustion she felt, it was nothing less than overwhelming.

"Sit," her Master told her. "Do your Rising Medita-tion to a height sufficient that you can see over the wall to observe the small bakery directly across the way. For the purpose of this exercise, consider that it is vitally important that you be able to tell me how many pastries are visible in the window."

Barriss tried, but, of course, the balcony’s floor held her fast.

After a few moments, her Master said, "Is there a problem, Padawan?"

"Yes, Master. I am trying, but-"

"By saying ’try,’ you limit yourself. Jedi do not limit themselves by choice."

Barriss had nodded meekly. "Yes, Master."

"I need to know how many pastries there are in that bakery window. This is of primary importance. Con-tinue. I will return later."

And so saying, Master Unduli left.

But, of course, the pressure was too great. Barriss had not been able to levitate even a hair’s thickness from the floor. She was still trying, her rear and thighs numb from the cold ferrocrete, when Master Unduli finally re-turned, hours later.

"I failed, Master."

"Yes? How so?"

"I could not manage to levitate."

Her Master smiled. "But was that the lesson, Padawan?"

Barriss stared at her, confused. "What?"

"One can fail at a task but still learn the lesson, Barriss. The first time I sat on this balcony trying to do Ris-ing Meditation, all that happened was that I got sore. A Jedi does not put limits on herself, but there are limits, and you must find them, and understand how to deal with them. Have you ever heard the story of the old man’s river crossing?"

"I do not recall it."

"At the bank of a wide river on this world, long be-fore it was as it is today, an old man sat by the water, meditating. A second, younger man came along and saw the older one.

’What are you doing?’ the younger man inquired.

" ’I am working on the ability to walk on water, so that I may cross the river,’ the older man said.

" ’Ah. And how is it going?’

" ’Pretty well. I have been at it for forty years, and in another five or ten I believe I will have it.’

"’Ah,’ said the younger man. "Well, good luck to you.’

"He bowed, then walked to a boat tied up nearby, climbed in, cast off, and rowed across the river." Master Unduli looked at her. "Do you understand the mean-ing of this story?"

Barriss thought about it for a moment. "If the impor-tant thing was crossing the river, then the younger man was wiser than the older one."

"Precisely. Why spend decades learning how to walk on water when there is a boat moored right next to you?" The Jedi paused, then asked, "What was most vi-tal in this exercise with which I tasked you?"

"How many pastries were in the bakery window."

"Exactly."

Barriss felt incredibly stupid as she suddenly under-stood what her Master meant.

Master Unduli smiled. "I see you comprehend at last."

"I could have simply stood up and looked over the wall," Barriss said. "What was important was not how I got the information-only that I got it."

Master Unduli nodded. "There is hope for you yet, my young Padawan..."

Barriss smiled at the memory. Then she took a deep breath, exhaled, and let her mind clear. A second later she floated upward from the floor, and hovered, weight-less and free, in the air...

13

Jos had to admit that the formchair was comfortable. Ergonomically speaking, it did exactly what it was sup-posed to do: relax him somewhat, but not enough to make him drowsy. He had heard that the chair was equipped with biosensors that monitored heart rate, pulse, beta and theta wave activity,