Chapter Thirty-Eight

While Obi-Wan stood vigil in the waiting area, his comlink sounded. He had assumed the Jedi had vanquished their dark-side foes, minus the Chancellor and a couple of his warriors, who had managed to board their ship, but the truth was, he wasn't sure. When he had discovered the pool of blood that had gathered around Padme's body, he had whisked her away at Force-enhanced speed to receive the emergency care she needed.

Master Yoda was on the other end of the communication, and as expected, sounded troubled and concerned.

Obeying the elder's request to come immediately to the Council Tower, Obi-Wan was confident that they were going to decide what actions would be taken against the Sith, hoping, however, that their meeting would be brief since he did not wish to leave Padmé alone for very long.

The Jedi Knight was surprised to find the room filled with tension, but his concern increased and his previous confidence faltered when he noticed two empty chairs where Master Ki-Adi-Mundi, and Master Koon had once sat. However, his concern heightened as the young Knight then noticed that all of the council members' eyes were fixed upon him, Mace Windu's being the most severe.

Obi-Wan swallowed against his nervousness and positioned himself in the center of the golden inlaid floor, grasping his hands behind his back as he warded off the strong impulse to scratch his nose. Master Yoda soon broke the silence of the room.

"Queen Amidala, recovering she is?"

Is that what this was about? Obi-Wan swallowed again, only this time the lump in his throat seemed permanently lodged.

"I believe so."

"Care for her, you do."

This didn't make any sense! There were Sith escaping the system, and the council was concerned wtih his personal feelings?

"Of course, I do." Obi-Wan answered, casting decorum out the window and giving into his frustration. "But I don't see the relevance of this line of questioning. The Supreme Chancellor is getting away!"

"Silence, Knight Kenobi."

Obi-Wan's attention turned from the kinder, gentler expression of the ancient council member to the more stern features of Mace Windu, and the Jedi did as he was told, although he was still confused.

"You should be expelled from the Order for your actions, but seeing that we are now possibly facing another Sith War, we will be needing every Jedi Knight we have."

"Expelled?" Obi-Wan stammered, unable to conceal the shock in his voice.

"You abandoned your comrades in the midst of battle." Master Windu spoke in low, dangerous tones, leaning forward with his hands clasped between his knees and fixing his gaze upon the younger Knight.

"I had to get the Queen to safety." Obi-Wan replied in his defense.

"What you should have done was stay and help fight the Sith."

"But she would have died!" The young man blurted out, immediately biting his tongue as brows furrowed in the dark-skinned face.

"Better for your fellow Jedi to suffer and for the Chancellor to escape? We lost Master Mundi and Master Koon today."

"Are you blaming me for that?"

"Your selfish actions cost us the lives of two of our most formidable fighters."

Obi-Wan's mouth fell open to reply, to question their abilities if they had been beaten, but he remained passive, turning an imploring gaze to Yoda.

"Attached, you have become. Against the Code, know you this is."

The young man's mouth remained open, but at this point, he felt there was very little he could say because Yoda had spoken the truth.

"Have you become attached to this young woman, Knight Kenobi?" The question was asked by Master Gallia, but Obi-Wan was reluctant to respond. He couldn't lie to them, but he couldn't admit the truth. Either answer would damn him.

"I care for her." He carefully admitted.

"Healer Trell, in what state was Knight Kenobi when he brought Queen Amidala to the Wing?"

Obi-Wan spun around, not having realized that the Jedi Healer had entered the room.

"He was rather frantic, Master Windu, insisting that I do what I could to save her life."

Shocked gray eyes turned to pleading as the Knight looked in the healer's face to ask for his silence -- to not share with the council how Obi-Wan had literally begged the healer to save Padmé, saying something to the effect of how he couldn't live without her.

Thankfully, it was all Master Trell had to say, but Master Windu then took his turn.

"In light of the situation and the knowledge that you have acquired of the Unknown Regions, we are sending you on a scouting mission. There is a vessel waiting at dock 27-A. You will be accompanied by two other Knights. Your mission will be to investigate and discover the location of the Sith training camp and the Dark Lord. You will investigate but not engage, is that understood?"

Was he being demoted? Not engage?!

"Yes sir." Obi-Wan answered, a thunderous frown carried upon his face.

"You will report to the deck officer in the south hangar immediately."

An argument formed in the young man's mind, reasons he should be allowed to visit Padmé one last time before he left, but he knew he was precariously walking the edge of a vibroblade and so he held Master's Windu's gaze for a moment, bowed once, and silently left the presence of the Jedi Council.