Peace over anger.Honor over hate.Strength over fear.
Twelve-year-old Obi-Wan Kenobi desperately wants to be a Jedi Knight. After years at the Jedi Temple, he knows the power of the lightsaber and the Force. But he cannot control his own anger and fear. Because of this, the Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn will not take him on as a Padawan apprentice.
Now Obi-Wan is about to have his first encounter with true evil. He must face off against unexpected enemies—and face up to his own dark wishes.
Only then can his education as a Jedi truly begin.
Obi-Wan sparred with another Jedi apprentice, Bruck Chun, under the supervision of Yoda. Throughout the battle, Bruck grew increasingly angrier, as did Obi-Wan, but Obi-Wan eventually emerged victorious, tiring his opponent to the point of defeat. Yoda dispensed sage advice, but neither apprentice paid attention. After their Master left, Bruck taunted Obi-Wan into another, unauthorized, battle. Both boys fought until they were exhausted. Obi-Wan left the training area and returned to his room, but Bruck traveled up to the infirmary, muttered Obi-Wan's name, and pretended to pass out: his plan all along was to discredit Obi-Wan.
Later that evening, as Obi-Wan bandaged his wounds, his clan Master, Docent Vant, arrived with shocking news: Vant's datapad detailed Obi-Wan's orders to report to the freighter Monument for transfer to the Agricultural Corps. Obi-Wan protested the decision, claiming that he could still become a Jedi Knight, but Docent was firm, and finally Obi-Wan conceded. He packed his bags, and after a tearful encounter with his Mon Calamari friend Bant, he went to bed in a state of despondency, in a world that now lacked meaning for him.
The next morning, Obi-Wan prepared to leave. The medics healed his burns, and he traveled down to the refrectory for one last meal at the Temple. During breakfast, he said goodbye to his friends Garen Muln and Reeft, as well as Bant. All three tried to reassure him, but he was unaffected by their consolation. It was the taunts of Bruck Chun and his friend Aalto that struck closer to home. Although Reeft broke the mood with some timely, food-related humor, it was clear that Obi-Wan felt that there was no hope remaining.
However, on top of one of the Temple's tallest towers, in the Room of a Thousand Fountains, Yoda was arguing on his behalf. Although Mace Windu was originally skeptical, the testimony of Advanced Jedi Training Droid 6, a witness to the fight, swayed him. Yoda said that both Bruck and Obi-Wan would be allowed to spar for Qui-Gon Jinn that afternoon.
Later that afternoon, Obi-Wan and Bruck sparred. Obi-Wan was fighting well, but because this was his last chance to be claimed as a Padawan, he suddenly attacked furiously, defeating Bruck. He went to Qui-Gon Jinn, sure that now that he had proven himself, Qui-Gon would accept him as a Padawan. However, Qui-Gon disapproved of his aggressive fighting style, and rejected him, saying that Obi-Wan would be at too great a risk for the dark side. Obi-Wan silently left the Temple, sadder than ever before.
Meanwhile, Qui-Gon entered the Map Room, upset by the memory of Obi-Wan's expression. Yoda approached and confronted him, saying that if he did not take Obi-Wan as a Padawan, Obi-Wan's dreams would die. Qui-Gon prevaricated, saying that perhaps he would choose a Padawan next year. Yoda chided him for his reluctance, and reminded Qui-Gon that he too fought angrily as a boy. But Qui-Gon still refused to take Obi-Wan. Yoda warned him that if he did not choose an apprentice, he might end up with one anyway. Qui-Gon enquired as to Obi-Wan's assignment. Yoda replied that he was to work with the Agricultural Corps on Bandomeer, a statement that surprised Qui-Gon, who was just assigned a mission on the same planet. Yoda responded that Bandomeer is a good place for young Jedi to learn, and left Qui-Gon with the advice that he too still had more to learn.
Both Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan left for Bandomeer on the Monument, which also carried miners from the Offworld Mining Corporation and Arcona Mineral Harvest Corporation. Due to mutual animosity, the two companies kept to separate sides of the ship, but when Arcona Mineral Harvest's thermocons went missing, Obi-Wan and his Arcona friend Si Treemba went searching for them on Offworld's side of the ship. Si Treemba was caught by Grelb the Hutt, and Obi-Wan had to reveal himself to rescue him. This worsened relationships between Offworld, Arcona Mineral Harvest, and the two Jedi.
En route the Monument was attacked by Togorian pirates, and Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon worked together to defeat the criminals, though Qui-Gon was injured and many Offworld slaves were killed. The Arconas, however, hid and remained safe. To replace the slaves killed during the attack, Jemba the Hutt stole all the dactyl on the ship, forcing the Arconas to serve him or starve. Obi-Wan and Clat'Ha convinced the Arconas to wait before agreeing.
The damaged ship landed on an island on an unknown planet. While the tide came in, the crew and passengers fled into a cave system in the hills. Qui-Gon figured out Jemba had hidden the dactyl in the cliffs and went to recover it. Grelb and a group of Whiphids were lying in wait and shot at him as he climbed, but they were driven off when the native predators the draigons attacked them.
Qui-Gon successfully collected the dactyl, only to feel Obi-Wan's summons in the Force. He used the Force to tame a draigon and rode it down to the caves where the Arconas had grown increasingly sick. Yet other draigons began to swarm the caves. Qui-Gon sent a warning to Obi-Wan, who jumped over a gloating Jemba to fight off the draigons at the mouth of the cave. Qui-Gon brought the dactyl to the Arconas.
Grelb tried to shoot Obi-Wan in retaliation, but he missed and shot Jemba, who died. Grelb himself was eaten by draigons. Qui-Gon and the miners helped Obi-Wan defend the caves until the draigons flew off a nightfall. Clat'Ha bought out the Offworld contracts of Aggaba the Hutt, who was left in charge when Jemba and Grelb died, and his workers, freeing them.
At dawn the ship continued to Bandomeer where Qui-Gon learned the planet didn't need Jedi assistance after all. It was all a ruse, set up by Qui-Gon's former padawan Xanatos.
- ISBN 9780590519229; May 3, 1999; Scholastic Inc.; US paperback