A Heart Full of Stars ★ Obi-Wan Kenobi

Chapter 12

Coruscant - 22BBY

-Kenobi," the young woman greeted him.

-Master Nova," he replied politely.

As Obi-Wan removed his cloak and sat down opposite Koral, she watched the sky through the slats of the blinds. It was a small, dark room, furnished only with two soft red armchairs. She stood staring at something outside, which did not surprise Obi-Wan. She had always enjoyed watching ships enter the stratosphere. He took this moment to detail her. It had been many years since he had been alone with Koral. In fact, they hadn't really spoken since Siri's death five years before.

Koral was not really the same. She had longer hair. He had known her for years with short hair, but she had stopped cutting it regularly after they returned from their mission five years earlier. Now it was cut to a bob and framed her thin face. She wore a red strapless top, which allowed Obi-Wan to make out the many thin black tattoos she now sported. Her right arm was encircled by a snake with many subtle and varied details, a small black moon was drawn on her collarbone, and she had a tiny spider on her cheekbone. Obi-Wan had heard of a huge dragon tattooed on her back recently, but he'd never had a chance to see it.

She stepped away from the window and looked into Obi-Wan's blue eyes. There was a scar across her left eye, a painful reminder of the fight they'd had years before. Obi-Wan had felt so much pride when he'd managed to hurt Koral, who'd thought herself so much superior, so much better than him in battle. Now that scar was just a trace of Obi-Wan's regret. It was shim who had angered Koral. Before that, she had merely parried his blows, being careful not to hurt him. But he had not shown the same courtesy, and that injury had caused the fight to end and Obi-Wan to wake up in a hospital bed, remembering with dismay Siri's death and his own betrayal. Koral had never forgiven him, and he had never forgiven himself. He pushed these bad memories from his mind and refocused on his interview.

This was where it all came down. Ever since the Council had offered him membership and the title of Jedi Master, he had dreaded the moment when Koral would decide his fate. Fate was perhaps a bit of an exaggeration, but he needed the approval of the entire council to be able to join. Nevertheless, he was well aware of the animosity that Koral Nova had towards him. When their friendship had ended, they had been very polite to each other at first, but as time went on the relationship had soured and the only words they exchanged now were jibes.

-Do you think you have what it takes to be a Jedi Master?

She didn't care, Obi-Wan knew. He knew she was asking the question to introduce the subject as politely as possible, so she could surprise him by denying him the rank of Master later. He knew what to answer and how: with the utmost propriety. But out of temerity or stupidity - he didn't know what made him say that - he immediately retorted:

-Undoubtedly.

He wanted to prove to Koral that he deserved to be on the council and that he was not as insignificant as she seemed to think.

-I'll be the judge of that, but self-confidence is still a quality a Jedi must have.

She hadn't taken the defiance as hard as Obi-Wan might have thought. The important thing was to remain courteous throughout the rest of the interview and not to offend Koral. He had to stop himself from answering anything stupid at all.

Nevertheless, the stupidest, most reckless answer, the one most likely to offend Koral, suddenly came to mind and he cursed himself by replying:

-Why are you asking me if you are going to be the judge?

Koral sighed but did not take note of this ignominy. She straightened up and the light from the blinds shone on her scar. Obi-Wan, who hated the sight of it, immediately looked away, which Koral noticed. A slight mocking smile stretched her lips. She probably thought he was weak for feeling so much regret over something that had long passed and that he could not change. So, to avoid losing face, he held Koral's gaze while trying to ignore the scar.

-We're not going to pretend that we're capable of being cordial to each other," she said suddenly. When we stopped talking, I thought we'd make up quickly, but I grew up and you grew cold, and even if we'd wanted to, nothing could have been the same, and nothing would have been much fun.

She was right, Obi-Wan was convinced, but the mere idea of admitting that Koral was right seemed unbearable.

-I didn't come here to find out what you think of me and why you've been so awful over the last few years. I don't care what justifies your rudeness, Master Nova. I came here because there is a war going on and I want to be a part of it as a Jedi Master. It is the Council that I hope to belong to, and it is the Council that I wish to help. So, if you wish, you may keep your philosophical musings to yourself and continue this interview.

-Don't worry, Kenobi. I don't think I need to teach you "why I'm rude". And I think you already know why I'm so "awful". I saw you looking at my scar.

Obi-Wan was silent. He had missed his chance to become a Jedi Master, he knew. Koral would never give him a place on the Council after that. And it was his own fault. The young woman had only tried to be polite, and he, stupider than ever, had hurled the worst ignominies at her.

-However, I'm not going to go back on my decision," said Koral. On the way here I already knew what my answer would be, and here it is: I know you, Kenobi. I know you to be serious, true to the code, and a good Jedi in general. An indispensable asset to the Council. But this meeting has proven that we are now completely incapable of having a constructive conversation.

And to think Obi-Wan believed it for a moment. At least he knew that Koral didn't think he was a bad Jedi. That was the only thing that still comforted him.

-I see," he sighed as he stood up.

-Kenobi," Koral interrupted him. I'm not finished.

He looked at her curiously. What insult was she going to add now?

-I've decided to leave the Jedi Council. To leave my place with... Master Kenobi. Don't you like that title?" she said with a smile.

-I... I can't let you do that.

-Don't worry, Kenobi. I'm not doing it for you. You're just in time. I have decided, regardless of your desire to join the council, to retire from my position as Jedi Master. I intend to complete one last mission, and then you will not see me again. Or at least very rarely. Welcome to the Jedi Council, Master Kenobi.

With that, she stood up and left. Obi-Wan wasn't sure what to make of this interview. Despite all the taunts he'd thrown at her, Koral had agreed to let him join the Council and... She herself had left it. He turned around, hoping to quickly find something clever to say, just to have the last word, before Koral got too far away. But he saw her with a young boy, barely younger than she was. Big black eyes, a square face, a straight nose, a slight beard and long, wavy, sparkling black hair. Long hair looked so much better on him than on Obi-Wan... No, he wasn't jealous. He went straight for a haircut, but it had nothing to do with this boy with much better-looking hair than him. Nothing at all. He just liked the change.

The way Koral had spoken to him never left his mind. That was perhaps what had struck him the most. Not only had she been particularly cordial, but she spoke surprisingly well. She spoke better. He realised that she had simply grown up and that's what happened when people grew up, they learned. That night he went to sleep thinking that he didn't mind this new way of talking.