Chapter 1

Obi-Wan entered the hanger and saw that the ship he would be boarding already had its ramp lowered and the engines were already warming up. Pattering of small feet sounded behind him, and with a grin, he turned around, scooped up the child, and gave him a hug.

"I want to go with you daddy." Blue eyes looked into grayish blue, silently pleading.

Obi-Wan shook his head and kissed the top of the boy's short copper hair. "This mission is not intended for seven year olds. Besides, I shouldn't be gone for very long." He set him back down on the floor and the two walked hand in hand toward the ship.

Down the ramp of the ship strode a dark haired man with a young girl riding on his back. "The ship is all ready to go, Obi-Wan. Have you seen Master Jinn?"

"He's a few corridors back talking with Master Tahl, his daughter, and son-in-law."

"Probably giving him tips for the mission. Honestly, Obi-Wan, one would think this mission is going to be extremely complicated." He helped the girl slide off his back and then rolled his shoulders.

Obi-Wan cocked an eyebrow at him, "Not complicated? You might be eating your words later, Xanatos."

"Perhaps." He looked down at the girl and gave her a hug. "You should get to bed now, Raven. Why don't you walk back with Kenshin."

Raven scrunched up her face, "He has cooties."

The men chuckled and Kenshin glared at Raven.

"Well I don't want to walk with you either!" Kenshin retorted and looked imploringly up at his dad. "Can I go with you next time?"

"When you're older. Now, Bruck will look after you while I'm gone. Don't give him any trouble."

Kenshin crossed his arms and scowled. "I'm not a troublemaker."

"So you say." Said a new voice behind them. "Really, I don't see why you dislike me so much."

Obi-Wan turned to look at the speaker. "Because he sees you more than he sees me." /How are the plans coming for the Tatooine mission?/

Bruck shrugged his shoulders. "I can't blame him for that." /The Council is hard to convince. They might be on to us./

Obi-Wan's cheek twitched but his face remained passive. "Time goes by quickly. I shall request some down time after this mission."

Kenshin's face split into a grin and he hugged his dad. "Really?"

Obi-Wan smiled and ruffled Kenshin's hair. "Really. Now, get off to bed, you have classes in the morning."

"Yes, dad." Kenshin hugged his dad one last time and headed out of the hanger, walking past Xanatos and Raven who were chatting with Master Tahl.

Bruck and Obi-Wan walked a couple of feet away from the ship and continued their conversation away from the others.

"If anything goes wrong, contact me on the Orcin secure link. Do not do anything without my authorization!"

Bruck nodded his head. "Understood. May the Force be with you all on your mission."

Obi-Wan nodded his head and then headed for the ship. As he boarded the ship with Xanatos and his Master, Qui-Gon Jinn, he suddenly had the feeling that he would not be back for a long time.

Kenshin stood as still as a pillar beside the hanger door as he watched Obi-Wan, Xanatos and Qui-Gon board the ship, didn't even move a muscle when Bruck laid his hands on his shoulders.

The ship rose from the hangerbay floor, slowly maneuvering in the hanger toward the large doors that slowly opened like the mouth of an asteroid snake. Once the ship reached the open doors, it sped quickly out of sight.

"Come along, Kenshin. Time for bed." Bruck said, but Kenshin did not budge.

"I'm not tired." Kenshin replied. An unknown fear had gripped his heart as he had reached the threshold of the hangerbay doors. Now this same fear kept him rooted where he was. Frozen, unable to summon his father back, unable to keep him from leaving.

Bruck sighed and watched Master Tahl leave the hangerbay with her daughter, son-in-law, and Raven. It was going to be a long night.