Study Break

"The explanation, like all good propaganda, is stirring and stilted, and not particularly accurate, and gummy as the hook from a top-40 song, sticky in your mind in the sleep-deprived noontime when the world takes on a hallucinatory hyper real clarity."

Anakin re-read the sentence. It wasn't sinking in. There was nothing in the sentence he could even comprehend. Where did they dig this stuff up? Lifting his cup of coffee to his lips, he realized he had gone through yet another cup. These late nights were killing him.

Padawan studies were something he wasn't very interested in and staying up late to figure out what this even meant, was beyond him. Training, physically using your body was what he was interested in. Pouring over material for a test he had to take tomorrow took away from his time in the gym.

Sighing to himself, he rose and went to the wall unit to the coffee dispenser. Pouring another cup, he let the steam waft towards his nose. The smell was wonderful, but he wasn't sure he could stomach another cup. He should've been studying all along. It would make this easier.

Sitting back at his pile of books, Anakin began to read again....."The explanation, like all good propaganda....blah, blah, blah." Anakin slammed the book shut and rubbed at his over tired eyes. He wouldn't get it now and he would just have to fail. There was nothing else he could do.

"You awake?" a gentle voice came from the doorway.

"Yes master," Anakin said and turned a bleary face towards his master. "Trying to study."

"Shouldn't you have already done this?" Obi-wan asked and took the book right in front on Anakin. "Ahhh yes, diplomatic studies. It's a very important class."

"I don't understand why I have to learn it," Anakin seethed. "There is nothing in this book to help me. I'm a jedi, we negotiate with lightsabers." Anakin set his cup of coffee down rather hard and several drops of it rained on the flimsy strewn about the table.

"There is more to negotiating then lightsabers," Obi-wan said sternly. "It's about reading each other right and knowing what each side wants."

Anakin looked up at his master. "Oh," Anakin said rather mockingly. "I forgot I was talking to the great negotiator."

"Don't start this Anakin," Obi-wan said patiently.

Anakin simmered. His mind a whirl of the many things he wanted to say to his master. He opened his mouth, stopped, opened it again, but thought better.

"Yes master," was all he could manage.

"Good," Obi-wan said and sat down across the small table from his padawan. "Now let's get started. I'm sure we can get something into your head by tomorrow."

"I wouldn't count on it," Anakin said dejectedly. "I'm not even sure I know what half the words in these books mean. I don't think I'll ever be able to learn it."

Obi-wan peered over the book he was holding. "There it is again, Anakin," he stated. "The downtrodden boy from Tatooine has returned."

This late at night, Anakin didn't think this was such a nice comment. He sneered at Obi-wan. He was sure if he looked at the master long enough, he could pierce a hole in him with his eyes. His master just looked at him blankly with almost a smirk on his face.

"It's not funny," Anakin said, a catch in his voice. "There are somethings I'm not good at doing. Yes, I can put a ship back together piece by piece, but reading about what goes into politics and everything, I can't do. That's your job."

Obi-wan smiled at his padawan. He knew Anakin was touchy and he looked as though he hadn't slept in a couple days. "I apologize," Obi-wan said trying to placate the teen. "I've overstepped my bounds."

Obi-wan rose laying the book back on the table. "Maybe you should get some sleep," he suggested.

Anakin sipped at his coffee, his eyes never leaving his master. "I'll try," Anakin said.

Obi-wan went to the door and turned to look over his shoulder, "I think you're doing well. I don't think you could ever disappoint me," with that Obi-wan swished the door open and left.