A Greek Beauty

A Greek Beauty
A Lily Pond
Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder
American Day Dream
For over a thousand generations, Luke, the Jedi knights were the most powerful,most respected force in the galaxy. They served as the guardians and guarantors ofpeace and justice in the Old Republic." When Luke failed to ask what had happened to them since, Kenobi looked up tosee that the youth was staring vacantly into space, having absorbed little if any of theoldster's instruction. Some men would have chided Luke for not paying attention.Not Kenobi. More sensitive than most, he waited patiently until the silence weighedstrong enough on Luke for him to resume speaking. "How," he asked slowly, "did my father die?" Kenobi hesitated, and Luke sensed that the old man had no wish to talk aboutthis particular matter. Unlike Owen Lars, however, Kenobi was unable to takerefuge in a comfortable lie. "He was betrayed and murdered," Kenobi declared solemnly, "by a very youngJedi named Darth Vader." He was not looking at Luke. "A boy I was training.One of my brightest disciples…one of my greatest failures." Kenobi resumed his pacing. "Vader used the training I gave him and the forcewithin him for evil, to help the later corrupt Emperors. With the Jedi knightsdisbanded, disorganized, or dead, there were few to oppose Vader. Today they areall but extinct." An indecipherable expression crossed Kenobi's face. "In many ways they weretoo good, too trusting for their own health. They put too much trust in the stabilityof the Republic, failing to realize that while the body might be sound, the head wasgrowing diseased and feeble, leaving it open to manipulation by such as the Emperor. "I wish I knew what Vader was after. Sometimes I have the feeling he ismarking time in preparation for some incomprehensible abomination. Such is thedestiny of one who masters the force and is consumed by its dark side."