What if the thing you wanted most in life had been denied you? And as a consequence you did something terrible, something that meant you could never return to that life -- how would you make amends? Correcting that horrible mistake is an underlying theme of Avalon's heartrending story, "Cast My Soul to the Sea."

In an alternative twist to the Jedi Apprentice series, Qui-Gon Jinn does not take Obi-Wan Kenobi as his Padawan, and consequently the boy disappears, only to reappear at the side of a group of vicious, murdering pirates -- pirates that have captured the Jedi Master, and are expecting Obi-Wan to force Qui-Gon to reveal important information to him. And to make sure that Qui-Gon Jinn does not survive his torture. But Obi-Wan has another plan in mind.

Avalon's characterization is excellent. Her rendering of a 17-year-old boy, tortured by his own demons and those created by others, is crisply drawn and completely recognizable. Qui-Gon Jinn displays emotions that illustrate a Jedi Master coming to grips with the pain he has caused, while enduring the pain inflicted by his captors. The villains in the piece, aside from the pirates, are revealed as those that all beings face at one time or another -- pride, envy, guilt and anger. Obi-Wan's and Qui-Gon's acceptance, separately and finally, together, of the fate these emotions have brought about makes for a powerful, emotional story, an outstanding addition to the Fan Fiction Archive. I hope to see more from this fine writer.