Weary as they were, the boys fought until they could hardly move. By the time they crept from the training room, both boys were badly burned and bruised. Neither had won, and both had lost. As Obi-Wan headed to his chamber, Bruck took a lift to the upper rooms of the Temple, where the healers practiced their arts. He limped into the medic‘s chambers, pretending to be more hurt than he was. His clothes were slashed and singed from the practice sabers, and blood ran from his nose. When the medic saw him, their first question was, "What happened?" Bruck gasped, "Obi-Wan Kenobi . . . " and then pretended to faint. One of the healers looked at him, then said brusquely to a droid, "Go notify the Masters."
Obi-Wan Kenobi was bandaging his burns in his room when he got the bad news. He was trying to imagine ways to impress Qui-Gon in the morning. He considered ways to improve his fighting skills – anything he might say or do to convince the Knight that he was worthy to become a Jedi‘s Padawan Learner. But then Docent Vant brought a data pad and showed him his orders. Suddenly all his plans and dreams were shattered. "Here now, it isn‘t that horrible. " Docent Vant said. She was a tall blue-skinned woman with an elegant headtail that twitched nervously. Obi-Wan stared at the orders in shock. The data pad told him that he would ship out of the Temple in the morning. He needed to pack his bags. He was to report to the world of Bandomeer -- some planet he‘d never even heard of , out on the Galactic Rim. There he would join the Agricultural Corps. "But I don‘t understand, " he said numbly. "I still have four weeks until my birthday. " "I know, " Docent Vant said. "But your ship, the Monument, leaves tomorrow, with a thousand miners aboard. It can‘t wait just because you have a birthday. " [...] The shock and despair made him feel sick. He raised his gaze to Docent Vant. "I could still be a Jedi Knight. [...] Tomorrow Qui-Gon Jinn will be looking for a Padawan. Master Yoda said that I should fight for him. " Docent Vant shook her head. "That was before the Masters heard of the beating you gave initiate Bruck. Did you really think the healers would not tell what you had done?" In dawning horror, Obi-Wan realized what had happened. Bruck had set the trap, and he had walked straight into it. He wanted to protest, to say that he was innocent. It had been a fair fight. And healers? Surely Bruck had not needed healers – except to back up whatever story he had told. "This is not the first time you have let your anger get the best of you, " Docent Vant said. "But let us hope it is the last. " She nodded briskly. "Now, try not to look so sad. You will need to pack your bags and say good-bye to your friends tonight. The galaxy is a big place. They will want to see you before you go. " She left, closing the door softly behind her. Obi-Wan was left alone [...]. There was nothing else to do but pack his bags. Obi-Wan felt too devastated and ashamed to say good-bye. [...] There was nothing he could say or do to clear his name. Because the truth was that if Bruck had set the trap, he had walked into it willingly. Blindly and without thought, perhaps. But it was his own will that led him there. What kind of Jedi would he make if he could fall for the tricks of a bully like Bruck?
--Jedi Apprentice 1: The Rising Force, Dave Wolverton (May 3, 1999)
