The Archer

Chapter Three: On the rooftop

„(Y/n) (y/l/n), we want you to imagine this scenario."

I met the gaze of the Jedi Master named Ki-Adi-Mundi sitting across the room.

„Think of a person that is very close to you. It can be a friend, a family member – but it should be someone who is an essential part of your everyday life."

They gave me a few moments to think about it. At this point I had already spent what must have been a good hour in this room, answering questions of the few Jedi masters that were doing the assessment.

„They are in danger. How do you proceed? What is the first thing that comes to your mind?"

I swallowed.

Then answered what every sane person would say.

„I try to help them."

„Yes, that seems only natural. Now, please imagine that it is impossible for you to help this person. One might think of an incurable disease, for example – or an accident.... Please share your thoughts with us."

What could I really say to that?, I thought to myself. That scenario seems like a dead end.

I felt like I was getting a headache. Some of their questions and prompts were tough, and I often felt like there was no actual solution to them.

And I couldn't possibly imagine what kind of answer they wanted to hear.

„If that is the case, I would just try to be there for them for the time they have left. Be present. And try to, somehow, accept how it is."

Ki-Adi-Mundi slowly nodded.

„I see. Now, I'd like to extend the situation by one factor. Let us pretend there is a way for you to help this person. He or she will be completely fine. The only requirement for that is that you cannot stay in contact with that person who has been a very close to you. How does that make you feel?"

Even before we started this conversation I had decided to just be completely honest with these people. Besides, I feel like they'd realize anyways if I wasn't.

So I tried to really search my feelings, look at the very core of them and find out how this situation, if true, could actually make me feel.

„Helpless," I answered, my voice just slightly shaking. „It makes me feel helpless at first. Probably devastated, depending on how much this person and their presence in my life means to me. However, the more I think about it," I cleared my throat and noticed my voice was getting stronger, „the feeling of helplessness fades. Because I know what to do. What is right."

„What will you do?"

„I leave," I said without hesitation, and while I said it, I realized I felt completely confident about it.

Wasn't that obvious? What else was there to be done?

„But that would inflict pain on you. It is painful to lose someone you love. Cruel."

„It would be very painful and I would mourn them not being part of my life anymore. I'd miss them, yes. But one thing you said I believe isn't true."

Ki-Ad-Mundi slightly tilted his head, not breaking eye-contact with me.

I noticed I just openly disagreed with a Jedi Master. That's probably one way to mess up a job interview.

I tried to phrase my following words more carefully, and hopefully, more respectfully while keeping my eyes on the floor this time.

„Because, the way I see it, I don't think they would be lost. I would lose them in the sense that they would not be present in my own personal life anymore. But they would still be there, healthy and alive, and hopefully happy. Scenario or not - most of our encounters with people don't last a lifetime. They never do."