Coruscant.
One of the most populated planets in the galaxy, it is also my home.
The Jedi Temple is here. I hope that someday I will be able to show Sabe the Temple, but I'm not sure I'll be able to. I believe she'd like the Room of a Thousand Fountains. Right now, with her standing next to me as we fly over the Temple, I feel as though I could take on at least five Sith Lords. She told me she loved me, right before we entered the atmosphere.
"Obi-Wan, we'll be getting off here. Find Anakin, would you? I think he's in the cockpit," Qui-Gon's voice came quietly from my right. I nodded, and gave Sabe's hand a subtle squeeze before I went to find him. When I got to the cockpit, Anakin was standing next to the pilot, asking him questions about everything.
"Anakin, we're getting off at the Jedi Temple. We're almost there, follow me." He turned towards me, a huge grin lighting up his face.
"Okay, Obi-Wan!" I turned and left, and he trotted after me. Once we got out of earshot from the pilot, I stopped, knelt down, and took him by the shoulders. I looked straight into his eyes, and he squirmed. I knew the feeling. When I was a youngling and one of the Masters did this to me, to tell me something important, it felt like they could see right into my core.
"When we get to the Temple, do not wander off on your own. Its like a maze in there, and we're going straight to the center of it. Stick close to either me or Qui-Gon, alright?" I asked.
"Yes, sir," he said. "Sir?"
"What?"
"Will the tests be hard?"
"No, of course not. You'll be fine." I told him roughly. I got up to go, and he stopped me again.
"Not mine. The ones you'll have to take. I know you'll pass, but will they be hard?" I turned back around.
"Probably quite a bit harder than yours. Come on, Qui-Gon's waiting." I put a hand on his shoulder and guided him to Qui-Gon and through all of the halls until we got outside of the Council chamber. Qui-Gon took Anakin into the chamber and I waited outside. How did he know that I would pass? Those tests are hard, testing a Padawan on everything he's learned since he was a youngling, and he knew I'd pass? What is this kid?
"Obi-Wan, come in, please," Qui-Gon's voice sounded from my comm. I pressed the button to open the door and it hissed open. I stepped inside the Council room, which never failed to awe me. The room was completely glass, except for the pillars that held it up. The most respected Jedi held their court here. All told, it could be quite an intimidating place. It was intimidating Anakin, I saw. I stood and listened as Qui-Gon told them of our journey, of the nonexistent negotiations, and how he found Anakin. Then I had to tell them what had happened on the ship while Qui-Gon wasn't there. As I told my story, I had to remember to call Sabe the Queen and leave out all the bits of Sabe that might sound like I had been breaking the rules (Which I had been). Anakin was dismissed and he went to stand outside.
"Yoda, what do you think should be done with the boy?" asked Master Windu. Everybody in the room turned to look at the small, green, wrinkly Jedi. He was very old too.
"Too old, he is. Trained, he cannot be," said Master Yoda. This is it then. Yoda's word was law.
"Can he not be tested, at least?" questioned Qui-Gon. I had to restrain myslef from giving him a look that he gave me often. The look said: The matter is closed, why are you still questioning and protesting?
I'm ashamed to admit, I sort of spaced out during the discussion that followed. I wondered what Sabe was doing, if a youngling had invaded my room yet, and why my Master always has to go against the rules and the Council's decisions.
Quick thing, about the whole youngling-invading-my-room thing: Before we left to go to Naboo, I had been in the sparring room with Garen and I came into my room and there was a little boy in there, looking through my stuff. He stammered an apology and left. He was about four or five, I think.
I told Qui-Gon I was going to take Anakin to see Padme, since they'd become friends. He said it was all right, and we left. Anakin talked the whole way about what he was going to do once he became a Jedi and how he was going to see every single planet there was to see. I didn't have the heart to tell him that he was too old to become a Jedi, so I listened to his never-ending tirade of words. Padme wasn't in when we got to her room (most likely pleading Her Majesty's case to the Senate), but Anakin and I were allowed to stay and talk with Ric, the pilot or the handmaidens. I made my way to stand next to Sabe in her handmaiden's robes.
"Is Her Majesty not here because of a Senate meeting that she had to attend?" I asked. I looked at Anakin, who was busy talking animatedly with Ric, and slid an arm around Sabe's waist. She smiled and leaned up against me. We were both watching Anakin tell Ric about his Padracer and everything he'd ever seen that could fly, when all of a sudden, I felt a little tickling in my Force connection. Over the tickling, I heard Sabe's voice, saying, "I wish he and I could have one..." I jumped, startled. Sabe looked up at me, and asked, "What is it?"
"Did you say something?" I asked quietly. She shook her head. The voice came again. That's weird... was what it said.
I realized what it was, and I nearly cried out. Sabe gave me a strange look. I quietly explained.
"When a person who is Force sensitive becomes very clse to one who isn't, sometimes a 'Force connection' happens. The Force sensitive one can occasionally here what the other is thinking. It happens more often when they are romantic. I've never heard it happening, though, just in accounts from historians."
"Well, better not read my thoughts too often, Obi-Wan Kenobi," she lectured me in mock severity. "I may have some secrets to hide."
I smiled, and Anakin got up and yawned. He was ready to go, I could see. I told Sabe we had to leave, and we did. He was half asleep and walked excruciatingly slow the whole way back to the Temple. When we go there, Qui-Gon said we'd be leaving for Naboo again the next morning.
"Why?" I asked him after Anakin had curled up on a spare sleep couch in Qui-Gon's room.
"The Queen wants to personally oversee the expulsion of the Trade Federation, and as the Queens Protector's, we're to go as well. No arguing," he added as I opened my mouth. I glared at him, and then stomped off to my room.
Acting like a kid again, Obi-Wan?
No, I just don't want to leave right when we got back.
That's not true.
Qui-Gon's going to be watching me even more closely, and I don't want to be replaced so easily as a Padawan!
He probably has his reasons...
Of course he does, he always does! But even if he does, it doesn't mean he can defy the Council again, leave me as a Knight with no help from my old Master, and risk everything for a boy we know hardly anything about!
You got along fine with him earlier.
Doesn't mean I like him.
I hate mental arguments. They make my brain hurt.
(((A/N: Reviews please!!! Do you like it?)))
