Chapter 2:
In the hangar Obi-Wan headed towards his designated ship, which he had selected primarily because it was small but comfortably roomy, and was well equipped with a medical bay. He was morbidly aware of the fact that he would very likely be in need of the medical bay, whether for himself or Xanatos, he was still unsure of. Waiting patiently near the ship, arms folded in the billows of his robe, was Garen, his young apprentice rubbing her eyes as she stood quietly beside him. Obi-Wan smiled slightly; leave it to Garen to haul his Padawan out of bed before sunrise just for a chance to look at a ship.
"I see you've chosen to inspect the StarCatcher before I leave," Obi-Wan called out to his long time friend; in reference to the ship he had been assigned.
Garen nodded half-heartedly, "It'll be fast enough for you … it's in good condition, and has adequate room for three."
"Three people?" Obi-Wan was confused for a moment, before he suddenly realized what Garen was saying. "No Garen. I won't have it."
Garen sighed, spreading his arms as he spoke, "Listen, you can't go up against him by yourself. What if you get hurt? You'll need someone to cover you. I can do that."
"What about your Padawan?" Obi-Wan asked, nodding towards Willow.
"She'll stay with Bant, I've already spoken to her." Garen said, speaking of their long-term Calamarian friend. "Having a Healer as a guardian for awhile would be good for Willow; she needs that kind of training before we go on missions. Anakin's not going with you, if you won't take him, at least take me."
"We've discussed this already - Anakin was supposed to be staying with you! That can't very well happen if you're off getting killed with me." Obi-Wan snapped. He was about to continue but Willow's gasp stopped him.
"Master?" The young girl looked back and forth between the two friends, her eyes wide. "Master, you promised me if you left that you'd return!" Her voice was full of fear and a trace of betrayal. Her eyes dropped, "You promised."
Garen glared at Obi-Wan with a look that clearly said, 'see what you did'. "I do not plan on breaking any promises I made, young one. Don't mind what my cynical and foolhardy friend says. Master Obi-Wan is being pessimistic as usual." He turned his gaze back to the other Jedi and, without looking at Willow, spoke, "Stay here Padawan. Obi-Wan and I need to talk alone." With that he grasped his friend's arm and pulled him away.
Once they were out of earshot of the young Padawan, Obi-Wan snorted, "You're making promises you can't keep Garen. She's young; she doesn't need to lose her Master less than a year after she's been taken. Look at her! Turn and look at her and tell me if you want to be the one that makes her cry when you don't return, because you insisted on going with me!"
Garen turned and gazed at his padawan of three months. Dark brown curls framed her face; she had an innocent look that caused her to appear younger than her eleven years. Even from here he could see the intense silver eyes that stared back at him, willing him to stay behind. For a moment he allowed his mind to wander, wondering where the bright silver eyes had come from, before he pulled himself back to the current situation.
He sighed, "I don't know, Obi . . . I'm torn. Either risk losing my best friend to that bastard, or possibly leave a young girl master-less. What will you have me do?"
"I'd have you stay here to teach her." He looked away for a few moments before catching Garen's eyes again, "and to comfort Anakin when … if … I don't return. He has a lot of raw power that needs to be harnessed and trained. I wouldn't trust his training to anyone else but you."
Garen nodded slowly, realizing that his friend was right, as much as he hated to admit it. He grasped Obi-Wan's shoulders, giving them a squeeze. "May the Force be with you, my friend."
"And with you. Take care of my padawan." Obi-Wan replied.
"I will."
"He'll try and follow me."
"He'll be here waiting when you return."
Obi-Wan nodded and then turned to walk up the ramp into the ship. As he began to take off, Willow ran up to stand beside her Master, grasping his hand tightly. She couldn't be sure, but over the noise of the engines she thought she heard Garen whisper, almost as though he were praying.
"Come back to us alive my friend … oh Force, let him come back to us."
The words sent a shiver up her spine, and as wrong as she knew it might be, she thanked whichever deity may be watching over them that her Master had chosen to stay behind.
