"Master?"

Obi-Wan saw a dark figure, standing no more than 30 feet away. He stood up, pacing rapidly through the grey hallway. With each step he took, his heart beat even faster, filled with hope.

"Qui-Gon, is that you?" He sounded desperate.

"Obi-Wan?" The Jedi's deep voice was full of sorrow, and his eyes sparkled with sadness.

Suddenly, the image faded.

"Obi-Wan!" This time, the voice was feminine. "We're about to reach Coruscant, sir."

"Thanks, uh..." He couldn't remember the pilot's name.

"It's Maya, sir."

"Right. Thanks, Maya."

Obi-Wan turned and looked out the window, trying to hide his watery eyes. It was a beautiful view, but all he could think about was his lost friend. They said he was the first Jedi in about a thousand years to defeat a Sith in one-on-one combat. But he did not care about that. Now he would be welcomed as a hero, but he was not one. If he truly was, he would have saved his Master.

He felt a mixture of anger, regret, and sadness. But above all, he missed his longtime friend and mentor, who was also his only family.

Now, he was truly alone.

The spaceship landed, and the hooded man got out, not without first thanking the pilot again. On the way to his old quarters, he received a few congratulations, which he politely thanked, even though deep down he knew that he didn't deserve them.

He finally got to his room. He got inside and locked the door, to make sure that he was not disturbed. This was the room he had lived in since he was a kid. So many memories attached to this room, yet no one to share them with.

He sat on the white bed, with his back hunched and his arms resting on his legs, thinking about Qui-Gon's last words to him. Was he really worthy enough to train young Anakin Skywalker? His Master thought so; he didn't. Obi-Wan never thought he was worthy of being a Jedi. He had many doubts throughout his training, and he wasn't exactly the best at handling lightsabers.

But if Qui-Gon truly believed in him…

No. Stop. I have to stop thinking about him, and focus on the mission. I have to go to the Council and…

The young Padawan broke down in tears. He hadn't cried like this since he was separated from his family, and now it was happening again. He felt hopeless, as if he was falling in some sort of pit. There was a strong, burning pain on his chest, ready to burst, and let all the hatred and the anger come out. He just couldn't take it anymore.

He clenched his fist so hard that his nails left marks on his palms, and hit the wall again, and again, and again. He didn't feel any sort of physical pain, despite the fact that his hand was already bleeding. Because of the thick walls the room had, no one could hear his desperate screams.

So many questions were inside his head. Why did it have to be his Master? Why not him? He didn't have anything to lose anyway. And what was he going to do now?

In that moment, a new question popped into his head. Did he really defeat Darth Maul? Everyone kept telling him that it was an amazing achievement for him. What if he was still alive?

He would devote his life to find him, that's for damn sure. He started thinking about all the horrible things he'd do to him once he'd find him. Now, every single thought disappeared and there was only room for one word in his head:

Revenge.


Obi-Wan barely slept that night. That night at Naboo still tormented his dreams. He got up early in the morning, his hand still wounded. He put on his usual clothing and left for the Council to meet Yoda.

The Council room was dark, and no one was there but Obi-Wan and Yoda.

"Master Yoda, I do believe we should search for Darth Maul. He is a wise and dangerous opponent, and should be dealt with immediately."

"Hmm? Dead, I thought he was."

"We are not certain, Master Yoda." Obi-Wan was trying to hide the sadness in his voice.

"Track him down, we will. But afraid I am that too emotionally involved in the mission you are."

He knew he'd say that.

"That is no trouble, Master Yoda. I will not be blinded by my personal feelings, I assure you."

Yoda stood still, analyzing the newly promoted Jedi Knight that stood in front of him. After a few seconds, he decided:

"Trust in you I do, Obi-Wan Kenobi. Arrest the Sith, you must."

"Thank you, Master Yoda. I assure you I will complete my mission. May the Force be with you."

"May the Force be with you."

He came back to his quarters.

Was he really going to arrest Darth Maul? He wasn't sure, but he needed to get going right away. According to a message he received from Mace Windu, Darth Maul had been spotted in Geonosis.

"So much for keeping a low profile" Obi-Wan said to himself.

He grabbed his lightsaber, hung out in his belt and went on one of the shuttles, ready for his mission. He had a lot of time to meditate in his flight, and frankly, it was the first moment of true peace that he had achieved since Naboo. He had time to put his thoughts together, and decided not to kill Darth Maul. That was not the way of the Jedi.

No, he would simply go up to the tower where Darth Maul had been seen, and arrest him. He needed to cleanse himself of all the emotions that could get in the way of his mission. Forget about the pain, the hatred, the anger, and most of all, forget about Qui-Gon. This was not some sort of personal revenge mission; this was for the sake of the galaxy. A Jedi Knight should not be so selfish.

He tried to concentrate on all the lives he could save by arresting Darth Maul, instead of how good it would feel to take revenge. After all, Qui-Gon was already gone, and sooner or later he'd have to accept that.

Obi-Wan was so deeply concentrated in his meditation, that he could barely notice the rocket that hit the ship. He stumbled forwards, trying to grab onto the seats of the ship, but as it got hit again, Obi-Wan had no choice but to jump. He leaped out of the window, falling on his back, and feeling an immense pain throughout his whole body. He opened his eyes slowly, and all he saw was flames, smoke, and the face of the man he most feared.