"So did you enjoy it?" Qui-Gon asked hopefully as he and Obi-Wan walked out of a holovid. He had asked what Obi-Wan had wanted to do and they had found themselves at a holovid depicting the adventures of an archaic warrior fighting hordes of monsters.
"Yeah. Though it was inaccurate." Obi-Wan opened his mouth to begin listing why when he noticed the disappointed look on Qui-Gon's face. He paused and looked up at his master, wishing he could be normal. "I did enjoy it." He assured and Qui-Gon gave him a small nod and then wrapped an arm around his shoulder as they started walking back to the Temple.
Obi-Wan fell silent and sighed as he leaned against his master. He knew Qui-Gon didn't know what to do with him sometimes. He knew there was something that made him different than the other Jedi. He just wished there wasn't.
Obi-Wan wanted nothing more than to be normal. He had lost all of his friends. He had been the subject of ridicule and taunts. He had been given a number of strange looks and had been skirted in hallways.
Obi-Wan knew it reflected back on Qui-Gon, and for that reason alone he wished it was different. Qui-Gon had always been supportive and loving to him. Since they met Qui-Gon alone had always been encouraging him and been by his side, no matter how strange he got. Even as all of his friends slipped away to avoid being associated with him, Qui-Gon put more and more effort into being not only his master, but also his friend.
He didn't know what he'd do without Qui-Gon's calming presence in his life. 'I'd probably go insane...' He thought to himself honestly.
Obi-Wan looked up sharply when Qui-Gon came to a quick halt. He felt Qui-Gon's grip tighten around him and he looked up at his master. He saw Qui-Gon looking intently ahead and so turned and followed the man's gaze. Before them Master Dooku approached. Obi-Wan knew Dooku had trained Qui-Gon, but he had never met the man. He knew Dooku often remained away from the Temple on prolonged missions, as well as being active in the politics of his home world.
Meeting him now gave Obi-Wan a strange sensation. He could typically see a person and instantly see their aura in the Force. However, with Dooku, he felt nothing. Just an empty buzz. By the stiffness he felt from his master, he imagined Qui-Gon felt it as well. Slowly the man's arm lowered from his shoulder and hung by his side. "Master. What a coincidence." Qui-Gon commented and Dooku nodded as he finished closing the gap between them.
"Strange indeed." Dooku said as his eyes remained focused on Obi-Wan. "This must be your apprentice. I've heard much about him." Dooku said and then gave the teenager a small bow.
"Yeah, probably not good things." Obi-Wan commented with a scoff and ignored the flash of pain he felt from his bond with Qui-Gon. He knew it hurt the man to acknowledge how the rest of the Jedi thought of him, but he couldn't do anything about it and couldn't pretend that it was different.
"On the contrary, when I speak to the council they have nothing but good things to say about you." Dooku said in a way that made the hair on the back of Obi-Wan's neck stand up.
"You ask them about my apprentice?" Qui-Gon asked, clearly surprised.
"Of course, Padawan. You and I have so few chances to talk. I like to stay appraised of your life, and Obi-Wan here is a part of it." Dooku said, and of course that made perfect sense. But neither Qui-Gon nor Obi-Wan believed him.
"I see." Qui-Gon nodded swiftly and then motioned in the general direction of the Temple. "Well we were just heading back home. Perhaps we'll have time to catch up, since we're both on planet, Master Dooku." Qui-Gon spoke formally as he took Obi-Wan's shoulder once more and started walking them passed Dooku.
However, the older master stepped over and stood in front of them. Qui-Gon swiftly but subtly put Obi-Wan behind him and looked at the man who had trained him for thirteen years. "We're in a hurry, Master Dooku. Please…Comm me and we'll set up a time to meet." He insisted and felt the Force whispering to him to tread carefully.
"Surely you have a few minutes. I just want to get to know your padawan here." The man looked over Qui-Gon's shoulder at Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan looked up at him levely and then back to Qui-Gon. "Or don't you want me to know about him?" He asked, looking back at Qui-Gon.
Qui-Gon slowly bowed his head and sighed. He then looked up at Dooku and nodded. "Of course, it's just we're in a hurry." Qui-Gon reminded and then reached back and gently took Obi-Wan's arm. "So if you'll excuse us." He brushed them passed Master Dooku and walked swiftly away, not looking back at the man who had trained him. The encounter had just rubbed him the wrong way. He and Dooku had never been close, and he may just be sensitive about his discussion with Mace and Yoda earlier, but he felt like Obi-Wan was in danger.
He didn't stop until they were on a lift heading back up to the top level of the streets. As they rode up Obi-Wan glanced at him, clearly trying to make sense of the encounter. "He was your master." Obi-Wan state and Qui-Gon nodded slowly.
There was a moment of silence between them and then Obi-Wan grabbed his arm lightly. "We won't be like that, will we?" He asked and Qui-Gon realized Obi-Wan was afraid of them drifting apart just like he had with his own master.
As he was not only Obi-Wan's master, but also his closest friend, he could imagine why the idea would frighten his teenage apprentice. He turned, took Obi-Wan's face into his hands, and kissed his forehead. "Of course not, My Obi-Wan." He assured as the lift came to a stop. They stepped off and started walking back to the Temple.
"Dooku and I never saw eye to eye, even when we were a team. After I was Knighted it was more of a relief to be apart, than anything. There was never much love between us. You and I are nothing like that. Are we?" Qui-Gon asked and Obi-Wan gave a small smile and shook his head.
"No, Master." Obi-Wan answered honestly and Qui-Gon felt a wave of remorse fill him as he saw the trust and love in Obi-Wan's eyes. He hated having to lie to his student, to someone he loved as much as he did, but he had no other choice. He had to protect him and it would be easiest to do that if Obi-Wan didn't know.
"Right." Qui-Gon said and then wrapped an arm around Obi-Wan's shoulder and kept them walking. He tried to shake the encounter with Dooku away and focus on what he had to do. "Now is probably a good time to tell you…The council has assigned us a unique mission." He said and Obi-Wan stopped walking to look at him.
"What do you mean?" He asked and Qui-Gon glanced at a few of the pedestrians passing them and then looked back down at his apprentice.
"They are sending us into the Unknown Regions. To map it and make contact with more of its inhabitants." Qui-Gon lied smoothly. Obi-Wan looked up at him intently, clearly knowing something wasn't right about what he had said. However, Obi-Wan trusted Qui-Gon more than his suspicion and nodded slowly.
"Why us?" He asked as he started walking again.
"They believed we would be suited because of our strengths as both negotiators as well as warriors." The master explained and smiled, glad that Obi-Wan had bought the ruse. He reminded himself it was for Obi-Wan's own good, and then moved on. "They want us to leave as soon as we can. I thought you might enjoy a night out before, though. I don't know how long we'll stay away from the Temple." Qui-Gon explained and Obi-Wan nodded a little, not looking too upset about the prospect of leaving.
Qui-Gon thought it might be good for him to be away from so much of the speculation he faced from his fellow padawans. It might be an opportunity for Obi-Wan to start fresh.
"We have a ship outfitted for you. It has enough supplies to last for years, a mobile medical bay, exercise arena, as well as quarters for you both. You should be quite comfortable while you're traveling." Mace explained quietly to Qui-Gon as he stood in the man's room while he packed the few belongings he had he couldn't live without. A few mementos was all he took besides several changes of clothes.
"Say we do find the Pratiri…What do you want me to do?" Qui-Gon asked and looked at his old friend.
"Trust in the Force. That is all you can do." Mace answered and glanced to the door where they heard Obi-Wan on the other side, tinkering in the kitchen of the apartment.
"And if we don't?" Qui-Gon asked. "I can't keep him speeding through space indefinitely. He needs stability. He needs more than that."
"Wait for us to contact you. Yoda and I will try to dispel any potential danger for him here, but that could take some time. Whoever is the cause of the darkness Yoda has sensed is cloaking themselves well. All I know is that if they decide to reveal themselves we'll need Obi-Wan." Mace said and absent mindedly tossed a stone up and down and rolled it in his palm. "Pratiri or not…He's the most powerful Jedi I've ever seen."
Qui-Gon nodded as he glanced to his door as well. "We should go. I feel that if we don't leave now something will happen to him." Qui-Gon said and quickly closed his bag and went to leave the room.
Mace reached out and stopped him though. "Good luck, Qui-Gon. Be careful who you trust." Mace warned and then embraced Qui-Gon quickly. Qui-Gon hugged him back and then they left his room.
"I'm ready, Master." Obi-Wan informed, motioning to the bag he had sitting on their kitchen table. Qui-Gon nodded and smiled.
"Great. Well, we should be on our way then." He said and motioned for Obi-Wan to follow him. They walked out of the apartment with Mace following behind them when suddenly Qui-Gon paused as he felt a powerful warning in the Force. The other two felt it as well and all three turned and faced the window overlooking Coruscant.
Qui-Gon tensed and both his and Mace's hands went to their belts for their sabers, however, it proved ineffectual as something broke through the window and landed on the floor. Realizing what it was Qui-Gon turned and immediately covered Obi-Wan's body with his own.
The room erupted and debris started falling on them. When it was over Qui-Gon's ears were ringing and he patted Obi-Wan down to feel for injuries. The teen had none so he turned and looked at Mace, who had a few burn marks but looked relatively unharmed as well.
What was strange, though, was when he looked through the rest of the room. Their furniture was blown to pieces, and what parts weren't already decimated were burning brightly. The walls were scorched and crumbled and the ceiling was falling in places, no doubt causing great concern to the Jedi who inhabited the floor above them.
Qui-Gon realized they weren't hurt as much as they should have been and looked back down to Obi-Wan who was holding his hands out, projecting a shield in the Force that had protected them all. One that was far stronger than a Padawan his age should be able to muster.
"Come on. You must leave. Now!" Mace shouted and pulled the two of them to their feet.
"Master?" Obi-Wan asked, clearly confused.
"Now!" Mace ordered and Obi-Wan silenced obediently and they raced out of the devastated apartment. Mace ushered them to the lift and passed the mass of Jedi who were trying to figure out what was going on. "Everyone leave this level and convene in the main hall!" He shouted to the group. When they were situated into the lift Mace looked them over and then nodded and swiftly left to handle the situation in the hall.
Obi-Wan looked out the lift, breathing heavily. "What was that about?" Obi-Wan asked and turned to look up at Qui-Gon. Qui-Gon was silent as he didn't know what to say to him. "Master?" Obi-Wan asked and still Qui-Gon didn't answer. "Qui-Gon, someone just tried to kill us. Why?"
Qui-Gon looked out the window and sighed and shook his head. "I don't know." He answered and avoided looking at Obi-Wan because he was certain his apprentice knew he was lying to him. The lift came to a stop and Obi-Wan was about to step off to get to their ship, but Qui-Gon stopped him. "Padawan." He said and sighed deeply. "There may be instances on this extended mission when you will question me, but just remember that everything I do, I do with you in mind. But I cannot always tell you the reasoning behind it."
"I trust you, Master." Obi-Wan answered honestly. Qui-Gon smiled a little and then led them off the lift and onto the Jedi docking level. After a quick inquiry to the dock master they were led to the ship Mace and Yoda had outfitted for them.
As they walked onboard Qui-Gon handed his bag to Obi-Wan. "Can you please settle everything while I take off?" He asked and Obi-Wan, the ever diligent padawan, nodded and quickly left to do just that.
Qui-Gon went to the cockpit and started warming up the engines, but as he did so he opened the communication line and input Mace's private code. The master answered, clearly flustered, and no doubt dealing the explosion that had taken place. "Qui-Gon, tell me nothing else has happened."
"We're on the ship and about to take off." Qui-Gon said and quickly continued. "Mace, I believe Dooku was behind the attack." He said and Mace was silent for a moment.
"Are you certain?" He asked and Qui-Gon sighed.
No, he didn't want to even consider the option that Dooku was behind an attack on him and his apprentice, but his encounter with him just beforehand was suspicious. "No, but we encountered him earlier in the evening and he bore an unusual interest in Obi-Wan and he would have known we were going right back to the Temple. As you know the attack happened soon after…He could have easily contacted whoever threw in the device."
"That is a serious accusation." Mace stated.
"I know. It is just a feeling I had…Of course I don't expect you to just apprehend him. Just, make sure he's one of the people you keep an eye on. I have to go, before Obi-Wan hears me." Qui-Gon said and then he and Mace quickly parted ways.
Qui-Gon lifted the ship and directed them through Coruscant traffic and then up into space, then he directed the ship towards the Unknown Regions. He glanced back out of the cockpit and worried about what the next few years would mean for him and Obi-Wan. Setting in the coordinates for hyper drive he leaned back against the seat and sighed. "Well…here we go."
So what lies in store for our favorite Jedi duo in the Unknown Regions? Was Dooku behind the attack or was Qui-Gon just being paranoid?
Thanks for the reviews folks! I'm glad you liked the beginning so much and are sympathizing with Obi-Wan. He'll have a rough time of it on his journey.
Reviews / constructive criticism is always appreciated. :)