Chapter One – Technical Difficulties
"Quickly Anakin, we are running out of time," Obi-Wan Kenobi scolded his young apprentice. Anakin raised his eyebrows quickly glancing sideways at his master, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. Sounds of lasers firing rapidly coupled with the continual mechanical sounds of approaching droids filled the ears of the two young Jedi. They had been sent on an assignment to retrieve stolen plans for a re-draft of the constitution of the Republic when they were ambushed by droids, under the orders of the fledgling Separatist Movement. Currently they were hiding in a control room fortunately with the facilities to temporarily shut down the droids, enabling and escape route. However, they had encountered a problem, the main controls had been blasted resulting in Anakin trying to short circuit the entire transmission mainframe; he was using the opportunity to extract something out of his master, his cheek and lack of respect for authority shining through at the tender age of thirteen.
"Master, see what happens when we do things your way? We get trapped in a faulty control room with droids shooting at us," Anakin said, with a slightly lighthearted tone in his voice of which Obi-Wan did not pick up.
"Anakin, will you please focus on the task at hand, there is only so long before they realize that we are in here," he said, peeking out of the broken blaster door. The entire room was in complete shambles, previously falling subject to a few angry Separatists, the bodies of the native peoples of the planet littering the floor.
"If you had allowed me my light saber we could both be out there pro-actively fighting for freedom rather than hiding, as I repeat in a faulty control room with droids shooting at us," Anakin continued, fiddling with many different wires beneath the main control panel.
"And like I have said to you before, you do not have the concentration or discipline yet to handle such a sophisticated weapon, you have no focus! Remember the disaster we had last time you decided to bring it out," Obi-Wan said bitterly, remembering how a simple task of temporarily protecting the senator from the Meon System had turned into a black out of one whole district in Coruscant, all because Anakin had got saber happy showing off to the amphibious party. A terrible embarrassment on Obi-Wan's part. Anakin thought the whole thing was one massive joke.
"That was a month ago, the council barely even recognized the mistake. Besides it wasn't my fault the electrical box was – oh here we go!" Anakin said connecting two wires. The reaction was instant. All of a sudden there was an over load in the transmitting systems and the sounds of hundreds of metallic parts dropping to the floor.
Obi-Wan breathed a sigh of relief. Turning around he looked at the boy. In four years he had grown rapidly almost taller than Obi-Wan. He was rake thin, despite his enormous (and expensive) appetite. His light brown eyes laughed wildly seeing the obvious release of tension in his young master. Anakin's skills had far surpassed anyone's expectations. He quickly grasped an understanding of how to use the force and the extent of his abilities of which were ever growing. He had fast reflexes unmatched by anyone, a thirst for knowledge; he craved improvement always wanting to be better than the next person. He had a drive not known to some Jedi. Anakin was shaping up to be a Jedi with a strength and power no one had ever seen. However, on the flipside to his eagerness and talent were his ever-present and all consuming flaws. He was arrogant and cheeky, he did not respect authority and continually challenged Obi-Wan and did things without consulting his master. These flaws emerged as rapidly as he grew challenging Obi-Wan as a master, as well as a friend.
"My point master, is that I think I have learned my lesson," Anakin continued standing up coming face to face with his master, a grin dancing on his lip refusing to leave, "I truly, truly believe that you should give me my light saber back," Obi-Wan sighed.
"You are the most stubborn person you know that don't you?" Obi-Wan said in retaliation shaking his head.
"Well I did learn from the best!" Anakin said chuckling slapping Obi-Wan's back playfully. Obi-Wan rolled his eyes and began checking the hall, making sure it was clear.
"Lets get out of here. Took you long enough to knock out the transmitter," Obi-Wan mumbled as the two of them crept out of the control room heading for the hiding place of their ship; package safe amongst the folds of Obi-Wan's cloak.
Making their way back to the Jedi temple after arriving in Coruscant Obi-Wan appraised his young apprentice. He tried continually to figure out the boy, figure out how to make him more responsive, make him understand that a large part of being a Jedi was being responsible – not reckless and selfish. He saw many dark traits in Anakin forming and he didn't really know how to handle them. Spending his whole life within the Jedi Temple Obi-Wan had known no other life. He could not understand the concepts of possession, wealth, selfishness and reckless behavior. Was he the one missing out on some essential part of life by not understanding all aspects of human existence? Was he missing out on some vital emotions forbidden by the Order? For instance; love, lust, pain, want; were these emotions and more important in the growth of a human? He could not understand how Anakin continually dwelled on these feelings and emotions, unable to let completely go, after all Obi-Wan had and he had turned out all right hadn't he? Was it because Anakin had lived a life full of his mother's love; an emotion that was dangerous beyond all belief, was that why he could not let go, could not focus or control himself? Was this experience of love, something he would always carry with him, to be his downfall?
"Master, you are thinking very hard. Is there something troubling you?" Anakin asked, breaking Obi-Wan's reverie. Turning his head to face the youth driving the speeder (Obi-Wan had initially objected to the thirteen year old driving the speeder; A because it was illegal; B Anakin was at his most dangerous and most reckless when he was behind the controls of some mode of motorized transport; yet caved when he realized the only way to have him move was to threaten him with a light saber and that didn't appeal to Obi-Wan a great deal) it took him a moment to realize that he had been there all along.
"Master?" Anakin repeated, chuckles and giggles flitting throughout his eyes.
"Oh yes, just thinking about the new draft for the constitution. I feel it weighs very heavily on Palpatine as Chancellor, wouldn't you agree?" Obi-Wan quickly responded distracting the curious youth who no doubt knew that was not what he was thinking about.
"I think the Chancellor is a good man, I do not see the problem with him having more responsibility over the Senate. I think someone as strong as him is good for the Republic," Anakin responded focusing on the halted traffic ahead of him; clearly frustrated and already searching for an escape route.
"Is that so? I think having someone in charge like the Chancellor undermines the whole concept of the Republic. Fair enough he is a good man but having all these unconditional emergency powers as well as the ones they propose in this draft could go to his head. Absolute power corrupts absolutely," Obi-Wan said thoughtfully, scratching his beard.
"How do you mean?" Anakin asked slightly distracted looking over the edge of the speeder. Obi-Wan did not notice this obvious diversion tactic and continued to rattle on.
"Well there have been so many instances in history where those who are given unlimited powers in a constitution like the Republic albeit emergency powers; have let that power go to their head. Slowly the individual in charge reorganizes the entire constitution to suit their wants and needs, all the while claiming it is in the name of – AHHHH ANAKIN!" Obi-Wan screamed as Anakin viciously and suddenly directed the speeder from the lane of traffic and into a sharp descent down. Anakin was laughing wildly as his master clung for life to the door of the speeder; he was not fussed by the situation at all.
"Anakin, how many times do I have to tell you?! I hate it when you do this it is so da-aangerous!" Obi-Wan bellowed whilst Anakin sharply brought the speeder upright making a tight turn to the left, melting into another lane of traffic the Jedi Temple only minutes away.
"Come on master, we just cut at least half an hour out of our travel time," he responded continuing to laugh at Obi-Wan's sweaty face and sharp breathing.
"I do not care!" he bellowed catching his breath, "Next time I am driving, I knew I shouldn't have let you arrange to get the speeder," he continued wiping the sweat beads from his brow. The laughter on Anakin's mouth did not subside, "Or maybe next time we should take public transport," he then muttered, Anakin too preoccupied with is own amusement to care what he said.
(A/N: Thank you for the review and adding to lists. Hope you like it! Xoxo)