Chapter Six

"We'll be arriving soon."

"Good." Padme looked down at Artoo, running a hand across his dome.

"You'll be taking him with you?"

"He saved us, didn't he?"

"An Artoo unit as a bodyguard," Obi-Wan shook his head, smiling. A moment passed before he spoke again. "My Master and I will be going to speak with the Council after we arrive. I…don't know what'll happen after that."

"You shouldn't worry," Padme offered, and he knew she was saying it just because she'd overheard Qui-Gon telling him the same. "Keeping your mind in the present is the best course of action, right?"

"Right," Obi-Wan nodded, smiling. "I just thought I would tell you. I didn't want to not be able to say goodbye."

"It shouldn't be goodbye, then," Padme suggested. "Maybe just a…see you later."

Obi-Wan couldn't help but smile at that. "All right, then. I'll see you later, Padme."

-

Later on that day, in the Council Chambers of the Jedi Temple, Obi-Wan stood quietly behind his Master as he addressed the other Jedi. Cunning Ki-Adi-Mundi, wise Mace Windu and the diminutive but powerful Master Yoda listened intently to the events on Tatooine. The word 'Sith' surfaced in the discussion and that drop in Obi-Wan's gut, cold dread sneaking up on him, returned.

Though calm on the outside, Obi-Wan could sense Mace was equally disturbed.

"Impossible!" Ki-Adi argued.

Yoda closed his eyes for a long moment. "The Republic is threatened, if involved the Sith are."

Mace shook his head. "I do not believe they could be back, not without us knowing."

"Hard to see, the dark side is. Find out who this assassin is, we must."

"I sense he will reveal himself once more," Ki-Adi supplied.

Mace tipped his head in agreement. "And the Queen is the target. She is still in danger."

"With this Queen you must stay, Qui-Gon. Protect her, you shall."

Obi-Wan found himself nodding in agreement to the order.

"We will use all of our resources to solve this mystery and uncover the identity of the attacker."

The three Masters bowed their heads. "May the Force be with you."

Obi-Wan bowed as well, moving to leave, but when Qui-Gon stayed put, he paused. "Master?"

Qui-Gon stood tall, confident and calm as he regarded the Masters'. "I have encountered a vergence in the Force."

"A vergence?"

"Located around a person?"

Nodding, Qui-Gon continued. "A boy. He has the highest concentration of midi-chlorians I have ever seen. It's...possible he was conceived by the midi-chlorians."

"You're referring to the prophecy?" Mace inquired and when Qui-Gon nodded again, he brought a hand to his chin and took it in. "You believe it's this boy?"

"I don't presume—"

"You do!" Yoda corrected him. "Revealed, your judgment is."

Obi-Wan watched the entire thing happen, frozen as if afraid to move and cause a ripple in the situation. It seemed delicate, like what was being discussed was literally hanging onto a balance.

"I request the boy be tested."

It took every ounce of willpower for Obi-Wan to stay put and to not speak—what he'd say, he had no idea. There was too much happening in this room, this moment...

-

Anakin met with the Council later, and when Obi-Wan stood with Qui-Gon on the balcony just outside the doorway, he finally spoke. "The boy won't pass the Council's tests, Master. He's far too old."

"Anakin will become a Jedi," his Master replied, and he said it in that way of his, like it was the absolute truth of the matter, and it frustrated Obi-Wan more then he should've allowed.

"Don't defy the Council, Master," he pleaded. "Not again."

"I'll do what I must, Obi-Wan."

The young Jedi sighed. "You could be sitting on the Council by now, Master, if you would just follow the code. They won't go along with you this time."

The older Jedi turned to regard his Padawan for a moment before facing the sunset across the sparkling, vast city.

-

"The Force is strong with him."

"He's to be trained, then."

"No," Mace shook his head. "He will not be trained."

Obi-Wan glanced to Anakin, seeing tears in his eyes, while Qui-Gon was taken aback. "No?!"

"There is too much anger in him."

"He's the chosen one!"

"Clouded, this boy's future is."

Qui-Gon took a moment, before folding his arms in front of himself and calmly replying, "I will train him, then."

Obi-Wan's mouth dropped open momentarily, and he looked to the back of his Master's head in surprise. Yoda merely shook his head. "An apprentice, you have."

"Obi-Wan is ready," Qui-Gon said without hesitation, and Obi-Wan stepped forward. He brushed past the surprise, and the blind sight, and stood straighter, looking into the eyes of Yoda.

"I am ready for the trials, Master Yoda."

"Ready so early, are you?"

"He's headstrong," Qui-Gon admitted. "He has much to learn of the living Force. But he's more than capable. There is little more I can teach him."

"Our own counsel we will keep on who is ready. More to learn, he has."

Mace merely leaned forward, quietly interrupting the conversation. "Now is not the time for this."

The fate of Anakin was to be decided later, and so Obi-Wan stepped back into the shadow of his Master as the Council continued their deliberations of the Naboo crisis.

-

Later, back on the landing dock, Obi-Wan quite clearly spoke his mind. "The boy is dangerous. They all sense it! Why can't you?"

Qui-Gon spoke to Obi-Wan with finality in this voice. "His fate is not dangerous, only uncertain. The Council will decide his future, that should be enough for you. Get on board."

Reluctantly, Obi-Wan boarded the Naboo spacecraft with Artoo.

-

A few days later…

"Yousa no tinken yousa greater den da Gungans. Mesa like dis. Maybe wesa bein friends…"

Boss Nass' words were the catalyst for the movement that followed on the surface of Naboo, hidden away at the moment from the Trade Federation. It didn't take long for Padme's plan to go into motion and with the help of the Gungan's, it started to look like the outcome would be optimistic.

As everyone filtered to their designated positions, Obi-Wan stayed with his Master, hoping to explain why he hadn't himself informed him of Padme's identity. But Qui-Gon beat him to the punch.

"I wonderedwhen she would choose to reveal herself," he admitted rather simply. "I suppose this was the opportune moment."

Obi-Wan nearly choked on his tongue. "You knew, Master?"

"Yes," he nodded.

"Why didn't you—?"

"She was disguised for a reason, I had to respect the decision."

"So…you're not disappointed that I didn't tell you?"

"You kept her trust by not telling me. I believe that was necessary."

Obi-Wan did his best to not let out a big sigh of relief. "Yes, Master."

"But, my young padawan, I sense the concern you have for her." His Master looked to him not with chiding eyes but simply of…understanding? Obi-Wan couldn't quite interpret it. "Do not let it define your actions. Attachment is—"

"Forbidden," Obi-Wan finished in a practiced tone, nodding. "Yes, Master, I agree. My concern for her is only in relation to my duties."

"Good." A rueful smile could be seen beneath his beard, and before Obi-Wan could move to the treeline where the rest were, his Master placed a hand on his shoulder and said in a quiet voice. "Personal …matters can wait until after this situation is resolved. We must keep our minds in the present. After, we'll talk."

Torn between worry and relief at finally being able to voice his thoughts, Obi-Wan bowed his head. "Y-Yes, Master."

Just as he had done a moment before, Obi-Wan moved to the treeline, only to stop and regard Qui-Gon once more. "I'm…sorry for my behavior, Master. It wasn't my place to disagree. I am grateful you think I'm ready for the trials."

Qui-Gon looked at him for a long moment. "You have been a good apprentice. You are much wiser than I. I sense you will become a great Jedi Knight."

-

Just as they were getting ready to leave for Theed, the speeders arriving to transport them, Padme approached Obi-Wan a little ways away from the group.

"Obi-Wan…" she grabbed his arm, and the contact kept him glued to the spot. Her eyes were wide, filled with concern, and so he spoke before she had to.

"Don't worry about me."

She swallowed back whatever it was she'd intended to say. It sounded simple, if only it actually was. "Only if you don't worry about me either."

"It's my job to, Padme."

She squeezed his arm, and smiled. "Try anyways."