Opening Lesson
Obi-Wan was concerned about Anakin. Well that wasn't a surprise to anyone that knew him. Typha-Dor was a mess to say the least. Anakin had been captured and he'd fallen into a gundarks that they'd fought out of. Looking Siri who was piloting the ship taking them back he said: "I'm going to check on the Padawans now."
"Sure," Siri nodded. "I think Anakin is brooding in the back."
"That wasn't his fault," Obi-Wan protested.
"Not about Typha-Dor you nerfherder. It's probably about Master Yaddle's near death and the bombing that ensued."
"We assured that wasn't his fault and that future is in motion."
"Obi," Siri rolled her eyes. "Where'd you think he learned it from?"
"I beg your pardon?"
"You tend to blame yourself for mishaps and everything that goes wrong," Siri bluntly said. "Just saying."
"I do not."
"Sure you don't," Siri snorted shooing him away. "Go on and be a mother hen to your poor Padawan."
"I'm not that bad," he muttered as he finally turned away and walked down the corridor leading to the room in which Anakin was in. He'd been meaning to speak with him especially once the toxicology test had come back from one of the capitals of Typha-Dor. Being drugged wasn't pleasant and he wanted to assure that whatever the drug had done or what he'd done under the drug's influence wasn't his fault.
"-wondering why I didn't tell Obi-Wan what happened at the prison camp," Anakin said rather defensively.
"Yes, I did wonder. But then I figured it out. You were afraid to tell Obi-Wan because you enjoyed it. You enjoyed feeling nothing. It even overcame your loyalty," Ferus's voice answered.
What?! Obi-Wan paused for split second before breathing out quite a bit of his frankly justified anger. Without waiting for Anakin's response to rather ill informed and rude assumption he walked into the room startling both boys and causing them to stare at him.
"Anakin," he greeted his Padawan before turning a rather cool gaze to Ferus who looked nerf caught in the headlights. Ah so they'd sense his anger. Good. He wasn't in the mood for flippancy or false piety.
"May I ask when you became an expert in psychology and biochemistry?" He asked crossing his arms his barely simmering anger being held back by decades of Jedi discipline deciding to cut to chase. "I must compliment Master Tachi for having quite a versatile Padawan. A PHD or perhaps a MD in psychology and a PHD in biochemistry at such young age is commendable."
"In fact," he pulled out his comlink not even let the boy get in a word edgewise. "I'll just call her myself to express my thoughts and congratulations."
In the stunned silence of both Padawans he pressed the call button and was immediately answered back.
"Obi-Wan," Siri's voice rang out with concern. "Is it Anakin? The doctors said there was a possibility-"
"Ah no," Obi-Wan said slightly amused even as his anger stayed steady. And she complained about him being a mother hen? "Is the auto navigation on?"
"Yes." Siri's voice took a suspicious tint. "It is. I've plugged it into Coruscant."
"Excellent because I'm in need of your assistance," he said.
"On my way," she replied as she cut off communications. Obi-Wan quickly pocketed the comlink and turned his gaze back to Anakin. His Padawan looked slightly taken aback and anxious...over what? Being lectured for doing things while under coercion and drugged? Surely he didn't think that he was that callous? Even Master Windu and Master Mundi would make allowances for that. They did for Padawan Nim Pianna posthumously and he knew for a fact they'd do it for Anakin. The Jedi did knew that being drugged and forced to participate in activities while drugged weren't the person's fault.
"What's going on?" Siri entered into the room looking apprehensive.
"I was just going to congratulate you on having such a versatile Padawan. I wasn't aware the tender age of what is it? Sixteen? Well never mind. In either case I wasn't aware that he'd achieved advanced degrees in biochemistry and psychology. I mean why else would he be lecturing my Padawan on how he liked being drugged against his will." He barely made it through his preamble without a hiss.
"What," Siri's voice was glacial her eyes icy blue looking Rhen Var's ice spires. She turned to her apprentice looking she'd been craved from stone. "Would you like to explain what this is about Padawan Olin?"
Whatever he'd been expecting it certainly wasn't the tables being turned on him. He stared at them dumbfounded and for once since Obi-Wan had known him remained silent. Obi-Wan joined her in glaring at him making the boy squirm uncomfortable realizing that he was on the spot.
"Ferus!" Siri's voice cracked like a whip as she crossed her arms. "Now!"
"I confronted him about his conduct on the mission and we started talking. He then asked a rhetorical question if I was wondering what happened. I said I had but I figured out that he liked feeling nothing and that's why he didn't tell Master Kenobi what had happened in the prison," Ferus said quickly clearly wanting to get out the position he found himself in. Well it was a bit late for that backtracking.
"Note the word being used Padawan Ferus Olin and that is prison!" Siri snapped livid. "He was coerced and drugged Padawan! Of course he'd like the feeling of nothing. His mind was in an altered state of consciousness. I wasn't aware being Jedi meant that we were able to ignore physiology of our species and overcome a chemical reaction with that the power of the Force alone! May I remind you that's not how the Force works."
Ferus continued to looked stunned while Anakin reasonably startled and backed away slowly. Not that Obi-Wan blamed him. Siri Tachi was quite a force to be reckoned with when angered. Still he was lucky she was shouting and not him even through he had the right considering he'd questioned his Padawan's resolve while he was drugged. That fact couldn't be stated enough.
"So in other words you're shaming him for something he felt or did while being an altered state of consciousness!"
"He should've reported it!" Ferus screamed making Obi-Wan raise an eyebrow. Was he really falling back onto protocol at time like this? Certainly it would've been better if he'd been honest instead of hiding behind protocols.
"That," Obi-Wan cut in before Siri could continue to rip him a new one for dodging the question at hand. Shouting at each other rarely solved anything it just left them exhausted and with hurt feelings. "Is for me to do corrections not you. Anakin was drugged against his will. I found out when the doctors in the capital examined him on my behalf. You're gravely out of line youngling for insinuating that he enjoyed it."
"Agreed," Siri said having calmed down belated realizing he was giving her a chance to calm herself. "We'll continue this talk when we get to the Temple and you will learn to either think before you speak or keep your mouth shut. Come on, Olin."
"Y-Yes Master," Ferus stammered out as he scrambled to follow her. Obi-Wan watched them leave before turning his gaze to Anakin.
"Master, I-"
"I nor will anyone else in the Temple hold you responsible for being drugged and doing things during a state of altered consciousness," Obi-Wan interrupted.
Anakin sagged with relief which relieved Obi-Wan greatly. He didn't want shut off Anakin when he already had issues such as not having friends save for Tru and Darra.
"I agree with Padawan Olin you should've reported it in but that assumption he made was out of line," Obi-Wan continued. "I'm responsible for your care and it's hard to care for you if you don't tell me what's wrong."
"I'm sorry Master," Anakin meekly replied looking contrite. "I'll do better."
"Good," Obi-Wan nodded. "Now lets mediate on the matter so we can see if we come a better solution on how to deal with issues like this."
His apprentice groaned but got into position knowing there was no escape from Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan allowed himself a secret smirk at his Padawan's impatience and impulsiveness as he settled in for a mutual mediation. He needed to release his own annoyance and anger at Olin. This issue would be resolved with Master Tachi and the hope was that it would be a one off affair. Or at least Obi-Wan hoped it would be.
