Chapter 2
A hologram transmitter flipped on in the hazy morning sunlight that shown through the windows of Obi-wan's room, and his master appeared as a translucent blue figure in front of him. The unsteadiness of the hologram caused the picture to wobble and blink as Qui-gon Jinn spoke.
"Obi-wan, meet me in the gardens. The council has a mission for us." Qui-gon's shining blue image disappeared immediately after he had spoken, too fast for the padawan to acknowledge his master.
Luckily, Obi-wan had been up for a while, meditating in the morning light as he always loved to do. He hadn't expected a mission today, but it would be nice to finally have another story to tell his friends when he returned. If it was anything like what happened on Pijal, he would definitely have them beat. Having a story that was equally as exciting would put their stories to shame.
Obi-wan flipped on his brown cloak, and walked out the door into the temple hallway. At the same time, a familiar blonde padawan walked by and gave him a smile as he fell in step with her.
"Hey, Kenobi," Siri spoke softly through her smile, her blue eyes lit up in the sunlight. "What's Master Qui-gon have you doing today?"
''Actually, the council has a mission for us," Obi-wan spoke, excitement evident in his voice.
"Ah man, and just when I got back from mine. They don't give us much time to train together anymore do they?" siri said with a tiny laugh looking at Obi-wan.
"Yeah, but we both know why they do that," Obi-wan spoke quietly as an unexpected pang of sadness shot through him. Others would simply think that he was only speaking of the fact that the Jedi were always on the move. Normally a jedi bouncing from mission to mission quickly and not seeing friends for months on end was normal, but there was a deeper meaning behind his words. The two padawans had developed romantic feelings for each other when they were younger. Only Master Yoda and Master Qui-gon knew about this, and had been able to convince them to ignore those feelings, but it was obvious that the two masters were trying their best not to allow them to spend much time together.
"Yeah, it still sucks though," Siri spoke sadly. Even though they had put those feelings for eachother behind them, they were still trying to keep each other close, but they were failing. Everytime Obi-wan saw Siri he could feel the rift that had been torn between them. All he wanted was to fix it, but nothing ever seemed to work.
Kenobi stopped walking to look out one of the large winds where the temple gardens stood. Qui-gon sat on one of the stone benches that lined the pathways among the various plants blowing in the light morning breeze, his eyes closed as he meditated. Obi-wan looked back at Siri who still stood next to him, her blonde hair and blue eyes shining in the sunlight.
"Tell Bant I said I'll see you guys later," Obi-wan spoke as the door to the garden opened.
"I will. Good luck, Obi-wan," Siri said as her frown turned into a smirk. They both turned away at the same time, not letting themselves look back, not knowing this would be the last time they'd see each other for many years. Their next meeting would be on their mission to Radnor along with their padawans.
Obi-wan stepped into the garden and an overwhelming sense of peace drifted around him. He could understand why peaceful places like the library and garden were his master's favorite places. He could feel the force flowing through each of the tiny lives that surrounded him. Qui-gon had sensed his padawan's arrival and his eyes were now open and he stood waiting for his young apprentice.
"Good morning, Master," Obi-wan bowed in greeting to his master. "So, what is this mission the council has for us?"
"I'm not sure yet, padawan." Qui-gon led the way back out of the garden and toward the council chamber. The older Jedi was known to rebel against the council, so missions for the two were few and far between. Obi-wan, himself, had been quite rebellious when he was still a youngling. That's why the council had paired the two together. They knew the only way to get obi-wan to follow the code was to have him rebel against someone who disregards it already. He had learned that on Pijal, when he went behind Qui-gon's back in regards to the signing of the treaty. Granted, his actions had almost gotten him killed, but it had taught him and his master a lesson.
Qui-gon came to a hat in front of the council chamber doors and waited to be invited in. Out of habit, Obi-wan reached out with the force, trying to sense the mood inside the chamber before the doors opened. He could sense Qui-gon's unwaveringly peaceful presence in front of him and reached past him toward the council.
"Obi-wan, you know the council doesn't like it when padawan's probe," Qui-gon spoke without turning to face him.
"Sorry, mster." Qui-gon's voice had snapped ham back to the chamber's anteroom where they stood waiting. His master was always able to sense when Obi-wan was being too nosy and caught him every time, but that never stopped him.
Finally, the large wooden doors ot the chamber opened, revealing the Council members sitting in chairs forming a circle around the room. A few of the seats remained empty, as some members were on missions themselves, while a few of the masters were present through hologram only. The bright blue light filling their respective seats.
"Good morning, Master Qui-gon Jinn, Padawan Kenobi." It was Master Mace Windu who spoke first.
"Good morning, masters," Qui-gon spoke as he and his padawan took their place in the center of the circle of chairs. Obi-wan felt the watchful eyes of Master Yoda as he stood in the center of the circle.
"Your journey takes you to Mandalore," Mace Windu spoke as a holoprojection of a planet lit up in front of him. "I'm sure you know that the people of Mandalore have been engaged in civil war for many years with currently no end in sight."
Qui-gon nodded silently. The civil war was old news and it hadn't been the first war to occur on this planet. The Mandalorians had a reputation that preceded them and they were best known among the Jedi for the armour they had created during the Jedi-Mandalorian War which could repel lightsaber strikes. Obi-wan had never met a Mandalorian himself, though Qui-gon had told him a few stories of the missions where he had dealt with them.
"You and your apprentice are being charged with the protection of the young Duchess Satine Kryze." An image of a young lady, about the same age as Obi-wan appeared in front of Mace Windu. "An assassination was just attempted and the Duchesses council has asked for us to send you to protect her until an end t the war is in sight. You will be leaving immediately."
"Of course, Master Windu." Qui-gon and Obi-wan bowed to the council and walked out of the brightly lit room. Once they were back out in the hallway, Qui-gon turned to his Padawan. "Obi-wan go get your things and meet me back in the hanger bay."
"Yes, Master." Obi-wan immediately headed to his chambers. He had very few things he actually had to take with him. He threw a few changes of clothing in a small travel bag taht he kept, along with his cloak, before throwing the bag over his shoulder and turning toward the door. A feeling in the back of his mind made him turn back to look in his room. He felt like he was forgetting something, but was sure he grabbed everything. His eyes were drawn to the shelf next to his bed where the riverstone lay in its usual place. It seemed to be calling to him, wanting him to take it with him. He slipped the red and black riverstone into the pocket of his tunci and turned to walk to the hangar bay.
"Padawan Kenobi." The familiar voice spoke from behind him in the halls of the jedi temple. Obi-wan turned to see Master Yoda walking toward him, his gimer stick tapping on the floor with every other step. "Speak with you before you depart, I must."
` "Of course, Master Yoda," Obi-wan stepped slowly next to the older Jedi as they made their way toward the hangar bay.
"Excited for this mission, you are." Yoda looked up to the padawan he walked with. He had trained Obi-wan when he was a youngling and had come to know him very well.
"Of course, Master. I'm sure all padawans are excited for every mission they go on." Obi-wan said.
"Yes, yes. Normal it is, for such young padawans to become excited." A silence fell over the two as they continued to walk. "Remember the Jedi Code, you must, Obi-wan. Forbidden, attachments are."
"Master, if you're talking about what happened with Sirei, I assure you we no longer feel that way about each other." Obi-wan said quickly. He wasn't lying. He no longer had those feelings for Siri, but from what Yoda had seen the day before, it could be taken the wrong way.
"Believe you, I do, Obi-wan. Speak not of Siri, do I. Simply, a reminder, this is." Yoda said. He sounded like he genuinely believed Obi-wan, which was a relief.
Obi-wan didn't think he could stad another lecture from either Master Yoda or Qui-gon about attachments. The two masters were the only ones who knew about his feelings for Siri, and the two padawans had gotten plenty of those lectures after they had found out.
Luckily, there was not time for a lecture now. The hangar bay doors opened in front of them. It was filled with droids and Jedi all going about their business. The inconspicuous ships the Jedi flew lined the edges of the bay allowing a clear path in between for landing and take off. Obi-wan spotted his master standing with Master Windu next to one of the many identical ships that stood waiting for its passengers. Yoda and Obi-wan joined the two other jedi next to the ship.
"Now remember, you are only there to protect the Duchess," Mace Windu continued speaking to Qui-gon as Obi-wan and Yoda arrived, "do not get involved in the war in any way. Once an end to the war is in sight and you believe that the Duchess is safe, immediately return to the temple."
"Of course, Master Windu." Qui-gon nodded his head to the two council members who stood in front of him, then turned to his apprentice. "If you are ready, Obi-wan, take your things on board and meet me in the cockpit."
"Yes, master." Obi-wan took both his and his master's small bag up the short silver ramp of the vessel. The ship was only big enough to hold a crew of about five and inconspicuous enough that no outsiders would realize that it would be carrying Jedi. That was one of the things Obi-wan had come to learn quickly. The Jedi did their best to hide the fact that the were Jedi. Obi-wan set the small bags he carried in one of the empty bunkrooms that the ship ahd and made his way to the cockpit.
The pilot sat in his chair performing his routine checks and tests before take off. The flipping different switches and flashing buttons reminded Obi-wan of when he first learned to fly,although now, after this incident with the fighter on Pijal, he hated flying. Obi-wan sat down in the co-pilot's seat and began looking through the ship's databases making sure everything was in order before Qui-gon boarded the ship.
Qui-gon Jinn watched as Obi-wan walked up the ramp of their ship. Obi-wan was growing to become a great Jedi and he was truly proud of him. He was like the son Qui-gon would never have and he truly loved him in that way. Obi-wan still had a while until he was ready for his trials, but Qui-gon could see that a great destiny lay ahead for his padawan. The Jedi Master turned back to the two council members who stood with him, waiting for further instructions.
"Goodluck, and may the force be with you, Qui-gon Jinn." Mace Windu spoke.
"And with you." Qui-gon answered before the Jedi walked away. "Any words of advice, Master Yoda?"
"Hmmmph. Trust your padawan's decisions you must," Yoda said calmly. "Tested on his mission, he will be."
Qui-gon looked curiously at the small green Jedi. Yoda always seemed to know more than he let on, and everyone guessed it was simply because he had lived for hundreds of years. He and Yoda had never seen eye-to-eye, as was his problem with most of the council, but he could sense that what Yoda said now, needed to be heard and understood.
"Of course, Master Yoda." Qui-gon nodded his head to the ancient Jedi and walked up the ship's ramp. His padawan turned to look at him from the co-pilot's seat as he entered the cockpit. Excitement shined his young padawan's blue eyes., the same excitement Qui-gon had once felt on his missions with his master Dooku when he was younger.
"The ship is ready for take off, master." Obi-wan said.
"Good, let's get going then," Qui-gon said. He rested his hand on the top of the copilot's chair and watched as they passed by the sentients and other ships as they left the hangar. Obi-wan turned back to the front of the ship and began flipping a few switches helping the pilot ready the ship.
The coruscant skyline opened up in front of them. The suns shining brightly on the mile high buildings that covered the surface of the planet and sparkling on the speeders that zipped by. The blue Coruscanti sky slowly faded to black with pinprick stars spotting here and there as they left the planet's atmosphere.
"Activating hyperdrive," Obi-wan looked at the pilot who gave him a quick nod, letting him know that he was clear to go. "Coordinates have been input. Ready to engage. Just waiting for your signal, master."
"Go ahead, Obi-wan."
The pinpricks turned to long streaks of blue and white as the ship shot into hyperspace. Qui-gon turned to leave the cockpit. It would not take them long to get to Mandalore and he wanted to meditate. Obi-wan could handle the ship himself for now.