Chapter 10: Loose Ends

The next few days saw Obi-Wan throwing himself into his training in preparation for what was to come. When he wasn't tuning up his lightsaber combat, reviewing the forms and adopting changes to his inexperienced style, he was drowning himself in the Force. Kenobi always took a liking to the Jedi Mind Trick, a Force skill that he was becoming exceptionally good at as a means of negotiating and avoiding combat. Even after the power surge he got from the Dark Side, he still had no desire to fight if he could avoid it.

But Kenobi was curious, and that curiosity led to him experimenting with the Dark Side. It was slowly, at first, for fear of the other Jedi around him sensing that something was wrong, but he quickly realized that none of the Jedi could feel it. The Dark Side was clouding their ability to sense it, and Obi-Wan realized that the real danger of the Dark Side wasn't it's power, it was its ability to conceal itself, to hide in plain sight, just as he was doing around his Jedi brothers and sisters.

Upon realizing this, Kenobi recklessly dove into the Dark Side, letting it fuel him, putting the weight of the darkness behind his use of the Force, and found his powers greatly increased. His mental defenses were greater, not just from his careful focus, but from the Dark Side clouding his true intentions. His Force suggestion was far more effective as well, finding himself easily able to dominate even strong-minded people, if he so chose to. But more than that, his connection to the Force was greater than ever before, the steadfast focus of his Jedi training lending control to the dark power that coiled within him. The Dark Side wasn't disrupting his connection to the Force, as he was told it would, it strengthened it.

Obi-Wan thought he would be impatient to leave for Dathomir, but he found waiting on the Council's decision relaxing; with the decision out of his hands, he had free time for much needed practice, and he found his head-strong nature being curbed into one of methodical patience. Knighthood suited him, he decided, and even though he had dealings with the Dark Side, Kenobi was intent on becoming the best Jedi Master he could be.

When he got the summons from the Council, Obi-Wan was in the training room with Aayla Secura, the two Jedi practicing their lightsaber combat, the training sabers swinging swift and graceful. Several Padawans were gathered around to watch the Sith Slayer fight, and Master Shaak Ti had to push through the excited Jedi to get to the ring.

"Are you enjoying yourself, Kenobi?" she asked sternly, and the Padawans watching the fight went silent, waiting to see if the Togruta Master was about to lecture the Knight, but Obi-Wan just smiled.

"I always enjoy myself, master!" He effortlessly parried three vicious strikes from Secura, who tried to take him when his attention was elsewhere, but Kenobi's focus never left her, and he brought the training saber around and connected with her neck. The Twi'lek glared at him.

"You cheated."

"I cheated? You attacked me when my back was turned!" Aayla growled, raising her saber again, and Obi-Wan smirked, swinging the saber behind his back and raising it over his shoulder, blade angled forward and two fingers of his other hand pointed at Secura, smirking in anticipation.

The two lunged at each other, but just before they clashed, the training blades went flying from their hands as they swung, hit nothing, and both tumbled to the floor. Shaak Ti held the training weapons, face stoic as the Padawans around them erupted in laughter. "The Council has summoned you, Kenobi. Come with me, you do not want to keep them waiting."

Obi-Wan nodded, leaping to his feet, brushing himself off and offering a hand to Aayla, the Twi'lek accepting the help to be pulled to her feet. "Next time, Secura."

"I'll win next time." He flashed her a devious grin and he followed the Togruta Master from the training room. They were silent for a little while, and Kenobi reached out with the Force to gauge what the Master was thinking, but Shaak Ti was unreadable. Kenobi huffed; he wasn't the only one that kept his defenses up.

He was about to say something to break the silence, but the Master beat him to it. "Are you enjoying all this attention?"

Kenobi shook his head. "Not exactly, no. Honestly, I was expecting to be out of here by now. I think some distance will do us all good. Maybe the frenzy will die down if I'm not around for them to focus on."

This seemed to please the Master, and she nodded, a small smile on her lips. "I watched you fight for a little bit."

"O-oh?"

"Soresu is an odd choice for the boy who's ferocious offense killed a Sith."

"W-well, I-"

"It suits you." She smiled at him, and the Jedi looked away, could feel his ears burn. He did not like so much attention. Getting out of the Temple would be a relief. They walked the rest of the way in a peaceful silence, and together entered the Council Chambers, the Masters all seated and waiting for his arrival. Kenobi bowed when he stepped into the center of the room.

"You called, Masters?"

"The Council has sanctioned your request to go to Dathomir," Mace drawled, hard eyes looking at the Knight. "We are sending Master Luminara with you. We believe she will be a great asset on your mission."

Kenobi smiled at this. Thank the Force they were sending Luminara and not someone like Quinlan. He was going to need someone predictable when the very planet was soaked with the unpredictable Dark Side. Though, Quinlan wouldn't have been a bad choice either. "Thank you, Masters. I will not fail you."

"What do you know of Dathomir, Kenobi?"

"You got my report, Masters." Kenobi looked up at the Jedi, all of them observing him carefully, and he realized that he was being judged. He closed his eyes and calmed himself, clearing his mind. "The Sith was a Zabrak, so I spoke to Agen Kolar about it. I assumed that he was Iridonian, but Agen said that the Sith was, without question, a Nightbrother from Dathomir."

"What know you of the Nightbrothers, Obi-Wan?" Yoda asked, and the young Jedi shook his head.

"Not much. As you know, the Jedi Archives are sealed on the subject. I had to go to the Senate Archives to find what I needed." Obi-Wan huffed. "It wasn't much, though, and I feel like I'm going into this situation blind."

"What do you need to feel educated on the subject?" Plo Koon asked, and Kenobi met his shielded eyes.

"I need to know the nature of the Dark Side on the planet. If I am going there, I cannot be unprepared." The Masters whispered amond themselves, and Obi-Wan nearly rolled his eyes. The request for knowledge shouldn't be controversial.

"Dathomir is a nexus of the Dark Side," Mace said after the other Masters had settled. "The people there are strong with it, but we have reason to believe that their relationship with the Dark Side is very different from the philosophy of the Sith."

That was interesting. "In what ways?"

"We don't know. Don't be deceived, though, it is just as dangerous and corrupting as it always is. The Dark Side is seductive, and this is no different."

Kenobi frowned. That wasn't what he needed to hear. "I understand."

"Careful you must be, Obi-Wan," Yoda cautioned, the Master's face grim. "Strong in the Dark Side, Dathomir is."

"I will be, Master."

"Be prepared for anything, Kenobi," Mace warned. "This is a dangerous place you are going to. We would not send you if we didn't think you could handle it, but you must be vigilant. Exercise patience and caution."

"Your faith in me will not be misplaced."

The little Grand Master nodded. "May the Force be with you."

"And also with you, Masters." The Knight left once again, his heart beating in excitement. He'd be out in the field soon, and he couldn't wait. He had been patient and content the past few days, but now knowing he was cleared to go, he couldn't wait to get out. Dathomir would be an education, in both the reemerging Sith and his own connection to the Dark Side. The Council had said it themselves: the Dark Side practiced by the Nightsisters was different than what was practiced by the Sith. Sure, they insisted that the Dark Side is still just the Dark Side, but Kenobi didn't believe it. He had felt it, he knew what it could do, and he didn't feel like any less of a Jedi for it.

He'd have to be careful in his practice of it with Luminara around, but like what happened at Naboo, it was possible that the Dark Side of Dathomir would be so oppressive, the origin of the power could not be sensed. Regardless, he would be off soon. He'd have to tie up loose ends before he left.

He entered his room and quickly packed for the mission, throwing extra robes and his datapad into a bag. He looked to the wooden box on his desk, and went to open it, looking at the lightsabers within. He laid his hand on one of the pieces of the Sith Lord's weapon, and before he could think otherwise, he threw the saber into his bag. Regardless of what happened, he was going to keep that weapon. His blue eyes darted to the other weapons in the box, and he picked one of them up, closing the box on the other piece of the Sith weapon.

Qui-Gon's lightsaber was much heavier than Obi-Wan's, built for the heavier attacks that the Jedi Master preferred. He couldn't help but think of his former Master, and the old feelings of betrayal slowly crept back into him, and bitter anger gripped him. There was no repairing that relationship; Qui-Gon had doomed it when he was willing to throw ten years of close friendship away for a boy he had only just met. Still, he couldn't help but wonder about his recovery, and at the very least, he should have his lightsaber back.

Tightening his grip on the weapon in his hand, Obi-Wan left his room for the infirmary.

Kenobi didn't know what to expect when he got to the medical wing, but he wasn't expecting the old Master to just be...sitting there. But there he was, and Obi-Wan almost left as soon as he saw him, nearly unable to stomach facing him. Instead he just stood there, torn between leaving as fast as he could and rushing to the Master's side. It was Qui-Gon that made the choice for him when the old Master looked up, gasping softly when he saw his apprentice.

"Obi-Wan."

Qui-Gon pulled himself out of bed, his legs shaking when they hit the floor, and Kenobi had to rush to the Master's side to catch him before he fell. "You are an idiot," he snarled, getting the injured man back into the bed, pulling up a chair and sitting beside him.

"I didn't know if I would see you again."

"...I almost didn't come." Obi-Wan looked down at the lightsaber in his grasp and held it out to its owner. "I thought you should have this back."

Qui-Gon caught the lightsaber and the younger man's hands between his own. "Thank you. For everything." Obi-Wan couldn't reply, just looked away from his former Master and took his hands away, tightly clutching the hem of his robes. "I heard you're a Knight now."

Kenobi nodded. "The Council believes that only a true Knight could defeat a Sith."

"They may be right."

"They may be wrong."

Qui-Gon looked at him sternly. "You? Doubting the Council? Has the entire world gone mad?"

"I think it has."

"You are ready, Obi-Wan." He gripped the young man's shoulder, and the Knight tensed up. "You were ready a long time ago."

Kenobi shook his head, knowing that if Qui-Gon had any idea about what was eating at his former Padawan, he wouldn't have thought that. "You get what you want now, right? You get to train Anakin."

"The Council hasn't decided on that matter yet." Qui-Gon smiled. "I suspect they will get to it when they're done fawning over you." That made Obi-Wan feel significantly better, like it was justifying his importance over Anakin. His chest puffed in pride.

"Well..."

"I saw the footage the other day. Your assault was impressive."

"Alright, alright, enough." He bit his lip, but couldn't help but feel extremely proud. "It's all anyone is talking about."

"Mm, that's mostly true." The Master smirked. "Master Plo Koon has been here to visit nearly everyday, and all he can talk about is his new little protégé." Qui-Gon rolled his eyes. "If I have to see one more picture of Ahsoka Tano, I may lose my mind."

"It's a great relief to hear that someone has a life outside of me."

Qui-Gon smiled softly. "Will you take a Padawan?" Kenobi shook his head.

"I don't think I'm ready for knighthood, so I'm certainly not ready to teach. I'm taking on a mission for the Council. I'm going to hunt the Sith."

The Master was quiet for a moment, looking at the young Knight before him, and he slowly nodded. "That is extremely dangerous."

"I know."

"Do you know how long you will be gone?"

Obi-Wan shook his head. "The Council doesn't think it will take very long, but I'm not so sure. My investigation has given me a name and a place. I head for Dathomir as soon as tomorrow."

"A name?"

"He was called Maul." Qui-Gon seemed to hold his breath, his hand unconsciously drifting to the wound in his side. "I found where he came from, so I should be able to trace him to his Master. This Sith Lord needs to be found before more appear."

"I suppose there is nobody better for the job," Qui-Gon said softly. "Dathomir is said to be soaked with the Dark Side. Be mindful."

"I don't fear the dark, Qui-Gon."

"Even so. You are young, headstrong, and you haven't been a Knight for long. You must be cautious. I don't want to lose you to the Sith."

"Trust me, Qui-Gon," Kenobi sighed. "That isn't going to happen."

The Master's eyes looked at him for a long moment and Obi-Wan felt his presence in the back of his mind. There was nothing to be seen, though; all his feelings were safely hidden away. Qui-Gon nodded. "I believe you. Please come back safely, Obi-Wan."

"I will." Kenobi stood and smiled softly at his former Master. "Take care of yourself. The longer you're here, the more you need to listen to Master Plo talk about his favorite youngling."

"As good a motivation as any. Goodbye, Obi-Wan. May the Force be with you."

Kenobi nodded, turning from the Master and leaving the infirmary, and he couldn't shake the feeling that his time with Qui-Gon Jinn was over.