Chapter 3, Part 4 (Gonick)

*the scene opens in total darkness. Slowly, lights come on, but it's still quite dim. The scene is revealed to be a small, round room with a door on one side. Gonick is unconscious in the middle of the room, but soon comes to and sits up. He blinks once, twice, then sits up, then stands.*

Gonick: Oy... my head....

Gonick, having reclaimed his focus: Hm. Certainly is a round room. *more loudly, calling* Edward? Sparc? Emma?

Gonick, puzzled: Huh. Oh well, may as well try the door.

*he opens the door, and leaves the room. The door leads to a corridor, and then to a larger, square room. As Gonick enters the room, it immediately becomes very bright, though there are no obvious light sources. Gonick shields his eyes, and hears a door close behind him. The light dims to more normal levels, and a holographic image is in the middle of the room. The image is of a human female, dressed in simple tan robes. Gonick walks up to her.*

Hologram: I was once known as Aislin Avari, Jedi Master. But that was in times long since past. All that remains is this hologram, and my holocron.

Gonick, curiously: Holocron?

Aislin: A Jedi artifact. A tool of learning, and of teaching. I am being projected from the memory of one, but only in the role of judge.

Gonick, puzzled and perhaps a tad worried: Judge? Of what-

Aislin, interrupting: Do you know what your sin is, Gonick?

*Gonick, for his part, looks stricken*

Aislin, continuing: It's pride. There is no fault in self-confidence, but when one believes so strongly in one's self that they believe themselves infallible, they doom themselves, and those they care about.

Gonick, somewhat recovered, and a bit miffed: I know I'm not infallible!

Aislin: True. You are not completely lost. But the knowledge of your fallibility is only intellectual. You think of it as you would consider the possibility of rain, or the chance of a circuit to overload. You think yourself fallible, but you do not feel fallible.

Gonick: So what? You're saying I need to learn humility? This isn't a seminary, Sweetcheeks. If I need to fix something, I fix it. If I need to know something, I learn it. The only boundaries I have are those I would place upon myself.

Aislin: While it is true that the universe has endless possibilities *bzzt* not all *bzzrt* failure to *bzzat*

*Aislin's hologram has begun to flicker*

Gonick, annoyed: Dammit! Doesn't anyone charge the batteries around here?

Aislin, distorted and badly flickering: Ent.... neu.... trans...

*the Aislin hologram flickers a few more times and finally disappears. Soon afterwards, the lights return to their original dimness.*

Gonick: Well that's just spiffy.

*Gonick notices a small indentation on the floor where the Aislin hologram was standing, and realizes that it is a holo-emitter*

Gonick, to self: Hello hello. We'll just get you charged up and back to spec.

*He feels around on the floor, and removes a panel that housed the holo-emitter matrix*

*Several scenes go by, each showing Gonick fiddling with ancient circuity, and failing with each attempt. He also seems to be growing somewhat annoyed.*

Gonick, to nobody in particular: Aw, come on! I can do this! I certainly don't intend to hang out in this gorram fracking library for the rest of my life...

*the montage continues, with annoyance giving way to frustration, frustration giving way to deperation, and desperation finally spiralling into defeat*

Gonick, almost sobbing, to self: There's nothing wrong with this. The power flow is nominal. Every wire is perfect. The emitter crystal is flawless. It should work. But it's not. Without the heuristic protocols built into the library's systems, I can't turn on the lights, let alone open the doors. I can't fix this.

*Gonick begins to slump over onto the floor, but the lights return to about half what they were before, and the hologram of Aislin Avari shimmers back into existence*

Gonick, slowly realizing: There was no malfunction, was there?

Aislin: No. But now that you have experienced failure, that would doom yourself and those you seek to protect, you have once again internalized your fallibility.

Gonick, relieved: Heh. I guess I've learned my lesson, huh?

Aislin, as a door opens on the far side of the room: In this room, you will receive my holocron, as well as my lightsaber. You have proven yourself a worthy recipient of my knowledge, as well as a compassionate leader.

Gonick: One thing, before I go.

Aislin: Yes?

Gonick, curiously: How do you know? I mean, the test was pretty clearly intended for me. And I didn't say anything non technical when you were out. So how do you know me?

Aislin, with an impish smile: Now now, Gonick. You don't expect me to reveal all my secrets, do you?

*She fades out*

Gonick, amusedly: I suppose not.

*Gonick enters the small room behind the door on the far side of the room. It is a small, round room very similar to the one he awoke in. There are two pedestals in the room, one with a pyramidal object on it, and the other with an odd metal cylinder. The pyramidal object emits a soft blue glow, and the metal cylinder is quite obviously an electronic device. Gonick picks up each one, and puts them carefully into his bag. The pedestals sink into the floor, and a platform much like the one from earlier rises from the ground. Gonick steps onto it, and it carries him upward.*

*scene ends*