CHAPTER ELEVEN

Decisions

Early morning on Coruscant. The horizon was a faint, gauzy pink, and the last stars were winking out, erased by the beacons of air taxis and signaling towers, as the last illicit lovers slipped from high-ranking bedrooms and the final touches were put on respectable faces. High in the central tower of the Temple, however, the Council was already in session and had been so for hours.

"I don't like this," said Mace Windu bluntly. "I can certainly understand the Chancellor's unease if there's a Sith apprentice running around, but to presume to order Skywalker to chase her..." He shook his head, the morning glow reflecting on his gleaming dark skull. "And this just a few weeks after the so-called Security Act..."

"Disturbing, indeed," Yoda agreed. It was a running point of curiosity in the Temple as to whether the ancient Master ever slept, or only refreshed himself with meditation and time spent listening to the Force.

"The Chancellor is right on one account," the life-sized holopresence of Ki-Adi-Mundi agreed. The only Knight, rather than Master, to sit on the Council, the Cerean Jedi was currently far away on Mygeeto, another of the Outer Rim Sieges, and had not attended a Council meeting in the flesh for over a standard month. "A Sith apprentice is a grave threat."

"He asked Anakin as a friend," Obi-Wan put in tiredly, rubbing his beard. His long, sleepless night spent worrying was making itself felt.

"Friend or no, Anakin's deployment isn't under his jurisdiction," said Saesee Tiin, voice sharp as breaking glass. "It seems often as if young Skywalker values the Chancellor's guidance over that of the Jedi. I would not advise sending him. He's too dangerous."

"Anakin, or the Chancellor?" Agen Kolar asked musingly. An Iridonian Zabrak, he had plaits of rough dark hair and short vestigial horns, his eyes yellow in the smooth honey-colored skin of his face. Although Kolar was a celebrated Master and a good friend, Obi-Wan was reminded, every time that he looked at him, that it had been a Zabrak that had killed Qui-Gon. This was unseemly in a Jedi, and he had managed to place it deep in his subconscious where it did not trouble him, much.

"Both," Saesee Tiin insisted. "Anakin may be the Chosen One, but he has always been the most dangerous and unpredictable one, as well. This mission will bring him too close to the dark side. I do not think it wise."

Although Obi-Wan had often thought the exact same thing, he did not wish to sit here and listen to his former Padawan being abused. "Master Tiin, the dark side is nothing new to the Jedi now. We must all face it, in the war and in ourselves."

"Correct, Master Obi-Wan is," Yoda pronounced. "Still, a point Master Tiin may have. Young Skywalker... dangerous is he. Uncertain is his future."

"He is the Chosen One," Obi-Wan insisted, almost smiling at the irony. A long time ago, it would have been Qui-Gon in his place, and him opposing Anakin in Saesee's stead. Things had changed, as he could not forget. "The Force itself gave life to him."

"Yes, but for what purpose?" Mace asked cuttingly.

That stymied Obi-Wan. "Qui-Gon believed that he would balance the Force," he said at last, carefully. "And with it the way it is now, there is clear need for him."

"Master Jinn is dead twelve years now," said Mace. "And the prophecy of the Chosen One is old and cryptic, locked in the archives, hidden in an ancient holocron. It is simple enough that it is easy to misinterpret."

"Mace, you cannot think that – "

"Masters!" Ki-Adi-Mundi broke in. "We were speaking of Ventress."

"Ventress, yes," said Mace reluctantly. "If there's something the Sith want of us on Muunilinst, they've trapped us neatly enough. They know that we will not risk letting a dark-side spark ignite that deathtrap of a planet."

"Very dangerous, it would be," Yoda agreed, the ends of his long ears curling. "Weapons, and hatred, these things Muunilinst has much of. Let it slip to Separatist hands, we cannot."

With a sinking feeling in his stomach, Obi-Wan said, "Does that mean we've decided?"

Mace sighed. "I know it feels as if we're playing directly into the Chancellor's hands, but it doesn't seem as if we have much of a choice, and it troubles me. If this is a manipulation, it is skillfully done. It would appear to be our own choice – he knows that we would choose to go after Ventress, assuming that she's even there – "

Stunned, Obi-Wan said, "Do you think the Chancellor would falsify such a mission?"

"I do not know," Mace answered. "I must consider everything. The Order is beset by foes. This could be the idea of one of his cronies, hoping to get more Jedi out of the way. She nearly killed you last time. I will not risk this without proof."

Obi-Wan opened his mouth in disbelief, but Yoda spoke first. "Master Windu, understand your caution, I do. Too many traps have the Jedi walked into. Too many, killed they have been. All this, we know. And send a team to Muunilinst, we will."

Mace bowed his head. "I stand corrected, Master."

"As to who, the question remains," said Yoda.

"Masters, I suggest a great swordsman – Mace or Kolar, perhaps," Ki-Adi-Mundi put in. "Ventress is a dangerous foe with a lightsaber."

"Yes, but fighting Muunilinst has seen much of, too much," said Yoda musingly. "Another Jedi perhaps might suit better."

"And who might this be?" Obi-Wan asked, bemused.

Yoda, in answer, only looked at him.

"No – you must be mistaken," said Obi-Wan. In truth, he had been expecting another assignment any day – the great General Kenobi was scarcely far from the field – but not one of such...gravity. "You honor me, Masters, but last time she overwhelmed me."

"Last time she used trickery and sprang on you when you were already weakened," graceful, red-skinned Shaak Ti added. "At full strength, you will be a match for her. Your resolve is clear, your body is healed. You have never failed us before."

"And who then am I supposed to take on this mission?" Obi-Wan asked, throat dry. "As it please the Council?"

"You are one of us, you need not ask our leave," Mace reminded him. "Your choice of partner is, as always, up to you."

"I will accompany you if you wish, Master Kenobi," said Agen Kolar.

"As will I," Kit Fisto seconded.

Obi-Wan looked at them. He would be honored to count either of them at his side, but... "I thank you for your offers," he said, "and I wish I could accept them. Still, there is another Jedi I would feel more comfortable with."

"You must do as suits you," Mace Windu said.

Obi-Wan smiled, at last. "Thank you. And the only man I want at my side for a mission like this is Anakin."

A sudden silence fell. Obi-Wan noticed his fellow Masters exchanging uneasy glances, then Shaak Ti spoke. "Your bond is commendable, but... the situation on Muunilinst is very volatile. Skywalker is talented, undoubtedly, but..."

"He is your Padawan no longer," Ki-Adi-Mundi added.

"Yes, Masters, I know." Obi-Wan struggled to keep the faint bite of irritation out of his voice. "Still, we complement each other... we know each other, we are a team. And Anakin will take offense if he is left behind, when it was the Chancellor that asked him to go there in the first place."

"A poor reason to include him," Saesee Tiin observed.

"I cannot leave him, Master. I – I know his mind, and I can control his temper..."

"As you controlled it on Geonosis?" Mace Windu interjected.

"Master, Anakin has learned from that mistake," Obi-Wan said, stung. "He is not the same reckless boy he was. Sometimes I do not know what he has become...but it is not that. I mean no offense, but he is my choice."

Mace and Yoda shared an unreadable stare. "As you wish," Mace acceded at last. "Skywalker will be your partner, then."


Later, Obi-Wan hurried down from the Council chambers, thinking intently. This mission meant that he was likely to be cloistered in the Outer Rim for some time, helping to organize the chaos of conflicting sieges – more precisely, the never-ending battle for Muunilinst. It was a life Obi-Wan had grown used to – fighting, flying, leading troops, sketching out and scraping out victories. He did not particularly enjoy it, but there it was, the life of a Jedi in war, and the life of a Jedi, with or without the war, was the path that he had chosen.

He sighed and turned his steps toward Anakin's quarters, wondering if he had returned yet, and what he would do if he wasn't. As it turned out, his fears were needless. As Obi-Wan turned the corner, Anakin came barreling out of nowhere and only barely avoided crashing into him.

"Master!" said Anakin, burning to a halt.

"Anakin. I see you've returned from your nocturnal prowling."

Anakin had the grace to blush. "Sorry, Master. Have you spoken to the Council about Ventress? The Chancellor was very worried," he added. "Mas – Obi-Wan – I don't care what the Council says, we need to go to Muunilinst and – "

"Patience." Obi-Wan put his hands on Anakin's shoulders. "Think. The Council has agreed to send me to Muunilinst, so you needn't worry about the authoriza – "

Anakin looked crushed and furious. "You? And without me? The Chancellor asked me in the first place, they can't – "

"Anakin," Obi-Wan said. "You didn't let me finish. Perhaps I should have said, the Council has agreed to send both of us."

That brought Anakin up short. "...Oh. Sorry. All right." In an instant, the rage on his face was gone, and he was agreeable and smiling again. Falling into step beside Obi-Wan, he said, "Well, the dream team remains together. I wouldn't have it any other way." His voice was tender, teasing, sincere.

Obi-Wan wondered if Anakin forgot that he was a Padawan no longer, or if he granted him the title from their deep and abiding respect and love. He smiled. "The Force knows you would have brought down the heavens if they split us up."

Anakin didn't return the smile. "Yes, I might have."

They turned a corner into a broader avenue through the Temple, vast and airy, supported by columns that vaguely resembled lightsabers. "And still," Anakin went on, "they had to send me. I was the one who brought it to their attention." He seemed desperately hopeful.

"Yes, Anakin." Walking side by side, they navigated the gentle curves of the corridor, which twisted back and opened into a wide, high-ceilinged chamber. Slashes of sunlight cast the silhouettes of passing Jedi as shadows on the tiled floor. "Still," Obi-Wan continued, "you must know that the Council holds some doubts."

Anakin frowned. "Why?"

Obi-Wan sighed. Honesty was always the best policy, but with Anakin, it could often be a touchy subject. "They...are concerned about the Chancellor's knowledge of the affair," he settled finally. "It seems odd that he should have access to it before even the Jedi heard."

Anakin scowled. "Let's not go through this again, Master. It was good of him to tell us so promptly."

"Yes, it was, and that worries me," Obi-Wan answered. "We don't know enough of the matter, but he does know that if there is a Sith apprentice on the prowl, the Jedi will take any risk to track them down. Muunilinst is a very dangerous planet."

Anakin glared at him. "You are not accusing the Chancellor of trying to kill us."

"I'm only saying we don't have the entire story, Anakin," said Obi-Wan, trying to defuse him. "All we know of it is what the Chancellor has hand-fed us."

"You don't trust Palpatine," said Anakin. All the warmth in his tone had fled, replaced by a chilly, distant courtesy. "He is a good man. He works with the Jedi, remember? We are his elite strike team. He has to be honest."

"Anakin, the Jedi are nobody's elite strike team!" said Obi-Wan, more disturbed than ever. "We are our own entity, and we have existed much longer than he. He may work with us, but he can never presume to command us."

Anakin stared at him in frosty condemnation. As if explaining to a youngling, he said, "We are at war. The Jedi are pledged to serve the Republic. Chancellor Palpatine is the head of the Republic. Therefore, he has the authority to send us on missions."

Obi-Wan shook his head in disapproval. "The Jedi are not his personal firing squad," he murmured. "And I dislike his attempting to try."

"Then we have nothing to say for the moment, Master," said Anakin. His tone was icy and aloof, and in a way, worse than if he had raged. "I will speak to you later, when weleave for Muunilinst. Soon."

He turned his back and walked away. Obi-Wan, as he watched him go, could only mutter, "Well, that did not go well."

Obi-Wan decided to keep quiet the news that he and Anakin had quarreled. For one thing, it was no one's business save theirs, and if the Council heard of it, they would try to reassign his partner to someone less tempestuous, more controllable. In a dark corner of his mind, Obi-Wan wondered if they would be right to do so, and grimly concluded that they probably would.

Still, though. As much as he admired Shaak Ti's calm, Agen Kolar's skills, Mace Windu's sheer presence, there was only one Jedi, flaws and all, that he wanted. He and Anakin were closer than friends, knew each other more intimately than brothers, could literally read each other's minds, and were utterly unstoppable in a fight.

Still, as much as Kenobi and Skywalker were admired by the public, the Council had tried to finesse the issue. After Geonosis, and the way Anakin's control had completely deserted him, they had tried to avoid giving him missions in which that situation might arise again. Obi-Wan knew that they had a healthy respect for his former Padawan's power – as did all the Jedi – but they feared that black rage.

The time for rest had ended. The Clone Wars certainly hadn't. It was time to return to the front lines, and if they died there, then so be it. A true Jedi did not fear death, but embraced it as a part of life, and rejoiced for those who were taken into the Force. Even grief was an attachment, and attachment clouded judgment. He had learned these words by heart ever since he was old enough to talk.

Obi-Wan hurried in the direction of his quarters. He had some things to pack, and preparations to make, and he doubted he had much time left to do so. He expected to be dispatched before nightfall.


The Coruscanti sunset cut bloody ribbons into the horizon, and the shadows were long and deep as two Jedi took their leave on the Temple's hidden platform. They were seen off by a small honor guard of Masters – Yoda, Mace Windu, Shaak Ti, and Agen Kolar. Obi-Wan and Anakin were dressed alike, in simple tunics, high boots, and plain brown robes, utility belts, and lightsabers. Two Delta-7 starfighters, an upgrade from the 6-line, hung at the edge of the platform.

R4-P17 had been loaded into the astromech socket of Obi-Wan's wing, and R2-D2 into Anakin's – he flatly refused to use any other droid. The six Jedi stood close together, speaking in soft voices. Yoda's hoverchair brought him to the level of the five others.

"Good luck," said Mace. "Go well."

"Contact us when you reach Muunilinst, when you are safe," said Shaak Ti.

"We await your success," said Agen Kolar.

Yoda sat with his eyes closed, as if searching through the Force, perhaps hoping for a flash of elusive insight. At length, he opened them, and gazed around at his fellows. "Difficult to catch, Ventress will be – in more ways than one. Stretch you it will, require terrible things...of both, I think." He paused. "Skywalker."

"Yes, Master?" said Anakin.

"Be mindful. A trap, this yet might be. School your feelings, you must."

Anakin bowed his head. "Yes, Master."

As Anakin and Yoda spoke, Mace turned to Obi-Wan. "I know that you are unsure about this, as Ventress managed to catch you last time. But you can call the clones should you need them. Your only task is to rid us of her. She is too dangerous."

Obi-Wan swallowed. "I understand, Master."

"In this way, although we obey the Chancellor's wishes, we retain some control," said Mace. "I know that Muunilinst is the most dangerous of all the Outer Rim Sieges, and I apologize. But that is why we are sending you. You have a gift for this."

Obi-Wan blinked.

"Yes," said Mace, and his stern, dark face almost relaxed into a smile. "You are the one we trust, Obi-Wan, and we will abide by your judgment. Even if we do not agree with your choice of Skywalker as partner, we trust you to have it work."

Obi-Wan blinked again, then nodded. "Yes, Master."

"You may say that." Mace Windu finally smiled, but almost immediately, was serious again. He grasped Obi-Wan's hand. "May the Force be with you."

"Yes, Master. And with you." Obi-Wan turned away at the same moment Anakin bowed to Yoda. As the last of the daylight began to fade, the two of them stepped into their starfighters, punched the cockpits down, and fired the sublights.

As the four Jedi Masters watched, the Deltas launched at the same moment, and drew matching trajectories away, almost close enough to scrape the other's paint. "I hope this wasn't a mistake," Mace said quietly, as the two starfighters melted into the twilight now shrouding the city. "I have the utmost faith in Kenobi, but Skywalker..."

"Trust you must have, that the boy will take the right path, even if uncertain his future is," Yoda answered. "And trust that handle Ventress, the two of them will."

Mace nodded. "Yes, Master," he said. "We must all learn to trust."


The twin starfighters streaked upwards, navigating a dangerous path between the frenzied streams of traffic. Their engines whined as their pilots pushed them, in tandem, straight up. After some precision flying, they broke free of the airlanes and soared into the darkening air trimming the tips of skyscrapers.

Here, weather drones regulated the climate precisely, and atmospheric scrubbers recycled the exhalations and wastes of billions of beings. Seen from above, Galactic City was a glittering, grimy jewel, sprawling away as far as the eye could see.

The faint pinpricks of stars began to grow visible as the starfighters continued to climb, pitching and banking in exact synchronization. Their running lights scored the darkness with brief, evanescent flashes, and orbital mirrors slashed reflected ribbons across triangular wings. Readout screens flashed, sentry shields were deactivated, and the starfighters shrieked into orbit. And then, all in a rush, they were free, and Coruscant was receding behind them.

Matching hyperdrive rings had been stationed just outside the planet's gravity well. The starfighters reached them at the same time. Their pilots entered identical coordinates into navicomputers, and watched with the same blend of excitement and dread as durasteel clamps fastened onto their wings and sent them reeling away into the extra-dimensional, illogical world of starfire that was hyperspace.