Around the Galaxy in Eighty Days

Chancellor Palpatine was a very busy man. What with being a Sith Lord, running the Republic, plotting to take over the galaxy, and maintaining the picturesque image of evil, he hardly had any time for himself. But the one thing he always had time for was his weekly game of Go-Fish with Jedi Master Yoda.

Ever since Palpatine had taken office as Senator for Naboo they had met on the last day of every week to play. It had started off as a way for him to make the little green fellow stop bragging about how good he was at it and that Palpatine "to chicken to play, he is." With time, however, Palpatine had grown to enjoy the leisure time- in spite of Yoda's tendency to babble on and on and constantly change the rules. This is also why Palpatine had yet to ever win a game.

Today, Master Yoda was unusually quiet as he fiddled with his cards on the other side of Palpatine's desk. "Any Gungans, have you?"

Palpatine glanced down at his cards and stated triumphantly, "Go fish!"

The Jedi grunted and pulled a card from the stack. His frown turned into a grin and he played his two Gungan cards down on the desk. "Any humans, have you?"

"Master Yoda, is something bothering you?" He asked with as much sincerity as he could muster.

Yoda sighed and his little ears drooped. "Hide it, I cannot. Read an article today, I did."

"An article?"

"Yes. Said that make it around the galaxy in eighty days, a person could."

"Ah yes, I read that to." Palpatine said, trying to make small talk. "Didn't it say something about only using public modes of transportation? And I do believe it was the Republic, not the entire galaxy. What's so disturbing about that?"

Yoda slammed his little fist down onto the desk. "The galaxy it was! And impossible this task is!"

"Now, Master Yoda, I distinctly remember that it said the Republic, including the outer-rim territories-"

"Galaxy!"

"-and theoretically, it is possible."

"A theory is all it is." Master Yoda went back to casually shuffling his cards.

"Now wait just a minute!" Palpatine laid his cards face down on the desk. "I think it is possible!"

"Why?"

"Because they said it is. They even made an itinerary and allotted for- " Yoda laughed, causing Palpatine's cheeks to grow pink with anger. "Stop laughing!"

Yoda instantly regained his composure and stared the chancellor squarely in the eye. "Only one way to settle this, there it. Send two Jedi to attempt the task, I will."

"Jedi? You're going to send two Jedi?" Now it was Palpatine's turn to laugh. "Why if there was anything you lousy Jedi could mess up-" Yoda gave him a cold glare. "Uh, I mean: that's a marvelous idea. Why don't you send two Jedi to do it?"

"Good."

"First thing tomorrow morning, you and your Jedi will meet me back here in my office."

"In eighty days, see who's right, we will." Yoda said smugly as he laid down another pair of cards.

"And may the best man win."

"Hey! Man, I am not! Little green thing, I am!"

"You what!" Mace Windu gaped at Master Yoda as they sat alone in the Jedi Council chambers.

"Made a bet with the chancellor, I did."

"Over a news article?" Yoda nodded. "Master, what exactly did you bet?"

"If right I am, forgive me of the incident at his birthday party, he will."

"Well you have to admit, pouring detergent into his water fountains was rather immature."

"Insulted me he had!"

"Whatever."

"Find me two Jedi for this task you will!"

Mace rolled his eyes and nodded. "Wait, Master Yoda. You didn't tell me what would happen if he wins."

"Not important, that is."

"Yes, important, that is!"

Yoda rubbed his hands together nervously. "Eheh, keep the two Jedi, he will."

Mace stared at him blankly in disbelief. "You- you-" Yoda laughed nervously. "Keep them? Master, you can't just give people away! That's not right! Besides, what would he do with them?"

Yoda shrugged. "Know, I do not. But find me the two, you will. Fine it will be," he waved his hand casually, "impossible to make it, it is." With that, Yoda got up and left Mace to figure all this out.

"Now if I had nothing else to lose," he said to himself, "what two Jedi would I want rid of the most?" He sat in deep thought for a moment when two people suddenly came to mind, and a smile spread across his face. "I'm sorry, old friend, but the temple would be so much more peaceful without the two of you."

"Master, have you seen my toothbrush?" Obi-Wan sighed and lifted his eyes form the book he had been reading.

"Anakin, what would I be doing with your toothbrush?" His padawan popped his head around the corner.

"It's a simple question requiring a simple answer."

"Yes, I kidnapped it and am holding it hostage until you clean up that room of yours."

"So- that's a 'no'?"

"No."

Anakin came into full view and leaned against the doorframe. "'No' as in you haven't seen it? or 'no' as in in you have?"

"Anakin, I do not know where your toothbrush is." The boy did not move. "What?"

"Um, could you help me find it?" Obi-Wan rolled his eyes and went back to his book. "Oh come on! I've looked everywhere!"

"Did you try the refresher?"

"Of course!"

Obi-Wan sighed again and stood up, setting the book down on the couch. "There is just one thing I have to ask- how do you manage to lose something that you only use in the 'fresher?" Anakin shrugged. "Fine. You looked in your room?"

"Yes."

"Then that leaves the living room and the kitchen because it most certainly had better not be in my room. You look in the kitchen, I'll look in here. Okay?"

" 'kay."

For over an hour, Master and Padawan turned their quarters inside out in the search for Anakin's missing toothbrush. Obi-Wan sighed as he was now surrounded by what once made up the living room. Furniture was turned over and books and pictures were spread all over the floor. From the kitchen there came the sound of breaking glass. "Oh, Anakin." Obi-Wan moaned quietly to himself.

Every now and then, he was reminded of why no one else had wanted to take Anakin as a padawan. The boy was talented- of that there was no doubt- but he was also absentminded, carless, and short-tempered. Obi-Wan saw it and had risen to the challenge, and Anakin was unmistakably just that- a challenge.

Obi-Wan groaned when someone knocked at their door. "Come in. Hello, Master Windu."

"Obi-Wan," Mace's eyes ran over the mess before him as he stepped in, "did something explode?"

"Not yet." Obi-Wan raised one brow in frustration and turned the couch upright.

"Master! Master, I found it!" Anakin came running in, toothbrush in hand. "Oh, hello, Master Windu."

"Anakin."

"Where did you find it?" Obi-Wan crossed his arms and prepared himself for whatever stupid answer that was about to come out of his padawan's mouth.

"Uh, I- well..."

"Anakin!" Both Anakin and Master Windu jumped at Obi-Wan's sudden change in tone- and volume.

Anakin's eyes widened and he swallowed hard. "It was in the 'fresher."

"Was it now? So we just tore this place apart for nothing?" He started towards Anakin. "Do you have any idea-"

"Uh, excuse me?" Mace stepped in. "I hate to interrupt your bonding time, but I have an assignment for you." Obi-Wan and Anakin gave Mace their partial attention. "You two will leave tomorrow on a public transport. You're to, uh, go around the Republic in eighty days.

"Why?"

"Anakin, it is not your place to question Master Windu. Incidentally, Master- why?"

"Well, Yoda made a bet with the Chancellor as to whether or not it can be done."

Anakin laughed. "Of course it can be done."

"You're only allowed to use public transportation systems."

"It can't be done." Anakin turned dead serious.

"Well, Anakin, I guess you had better pack that toothbrush of yours- that we spent forever looking for." Obi-Wan glanced down and saw that Anakin's hands were now empty. "What did you do with it?"

"Uh..." Anakin shrugged his shoulders.

"How did you manage to lose it by just standing there?"

"Well I don't know!"

"Anakin..." Obi-Wan's eyes were filled with anger- no irritation. He was a Jedi. "There is no anger. There is no anger. There is no anger..."

Mace slowly backed away from the pair. "I'm just going to leave now." He made a speedy exit out the door.

Obi-wan slowly rubbed the bridge of his nose, keeping his eyes tightly shut.

"Master?" Obi-Wan did not answer. "Master, I'm sorry." Still nothing. "Master? Please say something."

Obi-Wan let out an exaggerated groan. "This is going to be a very, very long trip."