Anakin Skywalker scavengered his way through the massive anthology of the Jedi Temple archives, a frown plastered onto his features. Anakin abhorred doing research. He was a worrier not a professor for Force sakes but his master would disagree, of course. This particular assignment was especially eating away at his nerves and the rather rowdy group of young padawans currently abiding near by did nothing to alleviate his bad mood.
Obi-Wan and he were being sent on a mission to arbitrate a boarder dispute between the two government factions on Ansion. One of the faction was well known and had been representing Ansion in the Senate for the last couple hundred years. The other faction was quite ambiguous and Obi-Wan wanted to get more information about the leaders of said faction that were known to have very anthropocentrism based views. Obi-Wan said that the boarder dispute was most likely an excuse to start a war over values. Anakin, from the scraps of information that he had gathered, was certain that it was a boarder dispute for a reason. Everyone wanted the arable soil that the North Eastern quadrant of the planet offered. After all good soil meant good crops. Which led to better trade, which in turn lead to better economy and so on and so forth.
If Anakin was honest with himself, however he didn't care much about the root problem of this mission. It was his master's job to handle the political side of things. Anakin wanted to fight, a chance to use his lightsaber a little more. But even that wasn't occupying his mind at the moment. He had more important things on is mind. Like his reoccurring nightmares of his mother.
The dreams had started some time ago and after a brief interval had started again that night. Anakin was puzzled and concerned. The dreams – nightmares more like – were so vivid and real that he didn't know what to make of them. Could they be visions? He had had nightmares before as a child but the same dream never came back more then twice. Anakin had first went to Obi-Wan, seeking advice. Obi-Wan was astute and Anakin trusted him. Now he thought that he should have known better. Obi-Wan had proven to be the archetype Jedi, offering his padawan nothing but apathetic Jedi platitudes. He would like to tell Obi-Wan that these dreams weren't just nightmares but visions, however that would be a useless allegation that would most likely only earn him another one of Obi-Wan's many lectures. Anakin wasn't even sure if his assumption was correct or not. He needed more time to think it over. Though he feared knowing the truth as much as not knowing. What if these dreams of death were true and were, after all, visions? Anakin shivered trying to banish the thought.
He would like to absolve Obi-Wan and blame his friend's coldness on his Jedi training. After all when you're raised by someone like Yoda….But it didn't matter somehow. Master Qui-Gon had been raised by the Jedi too but he was warm and compassionate and wouldn't treat Anakin like he had no idea what he was talking about. Nether would be accentuate so much on Anakin's rank as a mere padawan every ten minutes as Obi-Wan seemed to do lately. Qui-Gon knew his power. Qui-Gon would understand. Qui-Gon would appraise the situation fairly, Anakin was sure. Or at least he liked to believe that. He was tired of the arid Jedi mantras. Some of them didn't make sense whatsoever. Anakin, if he was to be honest, would have to admit that he felt some of the Code was anachronistic. Sure the Jedi Order had existed for hundreds upon hundreds of years but in the end why didn't they adapt to the rest of the galaxy? After all…just because the Jedi were suppose to be acetic didn't mean that they had to deny themselves everything. Anakin knew that his disregard for some of the Jedi teachings was a big factor in the acrimony that sometimes spurred to life between him and Obi-Wan. But Anakin couldn't help it.
The attachment rule gnawed at him especially. He wasn't allowed to see his mother. Or Padme. Anakin wished ardently that he could at least be allowed to speak with Padme, kind, gentle, aesthetic Padme. At least he could visit with the Chancellor. It seemed that Palpatine was the only one who fully understood him and took time to listen to his woes.
Anakin always went to Palpatine now. He knew that Obi-Wan wasn't exactly happy about his relationship with the Chancellor but it seemed that his master had given up his vague attempts at stopping the connection. So now whenever Anakin felt especially ambivalent or was faced with an adversity that he had a hard time tackling on his own he would direct his concerns to Palpatine who always responded with alacrity to Anakin's requests for a sympathetic audience. Palpatine's adulation pleased Anakin and boasted his self confidence. Palpatine said that it was about time that the Jedi accord Anakin the title of Jedi Knight. Anakin, of course, agreed fully with that opinion. Obi-Wan was holding him back, Anakin could feel it. For some reason his master just couldn't face the fact that the apprentice had bypassed the master in many an area, Palpatine was the only person Anakin could share these feelings with. The Chancellor's office had quickly become a sort of spiritual asylum for the young padawan.
Finally feeling frustrated Anakin stopped in his assiduous quest for the information that he had been sent to find and grabbing the files that he felt would be advantageous marched out of the archives, stopping only for a few minutes to pick up a stack of references on the autonomous anarchist planets in the Outer Rim that were beyond the Republic's grasp that he had set aside earlier to use later for his latest Galactic Politics paper, and made his way to the apartment that he shared with his master.
Anakin walked into his shared quarters with Obi-Wan and immediately sensed that his master was at home. Good. At least there was some luck to be found that day. The young padawan took off his cloak and headed for his bedroom. Stepping over several of his droid amalgamations, Anakin palmed open the transparisteal door that led to the small balcony that connected his room to his master's.
Obi-Wan was there as expected, shooing away the birds that had taken an interest in the plant at his feet. Anakin grimaces at the avian squawks and squeals that filled the area before reaching out a hand and Force pushing the birds hard enough to have some of them crash into walls of nearby buildings. The birds seemed to panic and flew away, leaving the Jedi Knight and his plant in peace at last.
Obi-Wan turned to face Anakin with furrowed eyebrows. "You didn't have to hurt them, Anakin."
"Hello to you too, Master," Anakin replied, trying not to roll his eyes. "I was only trying to help."
Obi-Wan's features softened. "I know you were."
Anakin watched as Obi-Wan returned his attention to the plant. "Master, why do you bring it out here? You know the birds are drawn to it."
Obi-Wan shrugged. "I needed to aerate it. It was getting yellow and sickly."
Anakin would have suggested getting rid of the plant but it was one of the few things that Obi-Wan had inherited from Qui-Gon so Anakin showed interest in the ailing shrub, though his concern was nothing but an affectation.
"So, Padawan, how did your research go?" Obi-Wan inquired as he tended to the plant.
Anakin leaned against the railing with a frustrated sigh. "Master, I don't know if it's just me but there wasn't much there that we hadn't already been given by the council."
Obi-Wan didn't seem too disappointed. "Ah well…then we have all we need."
"Master! I just spent four hours in the archives trying to find this information. Tell me there was a good reason for all my work."
"Well I only thought that if we augment our knowledge then our mission looks more auspicious."
There was something in Obi-Wan's look that made Anakin highly suspicious. "What's the real reason, Master?"
"I also wanted to make sure you had actually read all the mission information before we leave."
"Master! I can't believe you don't trust me!"
"I trust you, Padawan. I was just trying out my rather – avant-garde – style of teaching."
Anakin couldn't help but roll his eyes at Obi-Wan's self-satisfied expression. Avant-garde indeed.