Chapter 2
Anakin piloted their ship through hyperspace and took the opportunity to meditate on his feelings. He was distraught by the assassination attempt on Coruscant, and he sensed Obi-Wan's confusion over their still stable bond. All of this was troubling, and he remembered all too well what had happened in his former Master's other life. While Obi-Wan had focused on sharing the general occurrences with the Council years ago, Anakin knew much more about the details than any other person. He had often seen glimpses of Obi-Wan's nightmares and had been there every time the other man needed to talk about what happened.
The door to the cockpit opened, and Mace Windu came in, checking briefly if everything was running smoothly and sitting down on the co-pilot's seat. "I've talked to Lama Su, the Prime Minister of Kamino. They are still removing the chips on the second generation," he reported. "They want to deploy the first battalions as soon as the Senate has voted on the Military Creation Act."
Anakin gave him a nod. "That's good," he said and swallowed briefly. "We will need them."
Mace narrowed his eyes, and his expression became thoughtful. "You know more about this attack on Senator Amidala, don't you?"
"It leads to war, Master," Anakin confirmed the suspicion. "It also resulted in me using the Dark Side for the first time. . . ."
"Which isn't likely this time," Mace said reassuringly and with a soft voice. "You are not the same Anakin."
"Yeah," the young man said and took a deep breath. "And my mother is safe. In the other life, she was killed by Tuskens. So, you could be right. But I will stay vigilant. I don't want to end up like my counterpart."
"Do you know who was behind the assassination in this other life?" his Master asked with an approving nod at his attitude.
"It was Dooku. He was the leader of the Separatists then. Obi-Wan found him on Geonosis. . . ." Anakin's voice trailed off.
"Ah, the battle in the arena, I remember," Mace said with concern. "Let's hope we won't find ourselves in that situation. But this just proves how important our mission is. We're going to need that army soon."
"Who knows," Anakin said after a moment of silence. "Things are different. Everything could happen." He just couldn't fight the feeling of foreboding, but he had learned that he had to focus on the present. It was a lesson Obi-Wan had taught him often enough, and he wouldn't disappoint him.
Luan had given her report about the quarters' security measures with a flat tone, carefully avoiding any emotion. She knew that her behavior before had been inappropriate and tried to make up for it now. She did stand by her opinion, though. It was doubtful that the Council would have sent them just to protect Padmé. Obi-Wan would have been perfectly capable of doing so on his own. However, she knew her place, and she didn't want to repeat their previous discussion.
Qui-Gon took in the information with a nod and looked out the window with narrowed eyes. "Are you feeling it, too?" he asked his apprentice, and she closed her eyes, stretching out with her senses.
She nodded. "Something is going to happen," she stated and felt her Master's confirmation over their bond.
"There's still time, though," he noted and turned his piercing look onto her. "Time enough for you to explain your show of defiance, Padawan," he declared sternly, and she flinched.
She looked toward the floor, ashamed of having disappointed him again. They had discussed this often enough on their last mission. She was allowed to voice her thoughts to him, but she should never contradict him in front of other people, forcing him to chastise her. She knew that was the main reason for his lingering annoyance. He disliked nothing more than humiliating her publicly. "I'm sorry, Master," she said. "It won't happen again."
"Not enough, Luan," he replied, shaking his head, and she swallowed at the severe tone.
"What do you want me to say?" she asked with a hint of defiance.
"You could just tell me what got you so distracted that you forgot the basic rules of our relationship again," he demanded.
She heaved a sigh, and her gaze became distant. "I'm still dreaming," she explained, realizing that Qui-Gon was willing to wait as long as needed to get to the bottom of this. "Our stay in the Temple didn't change anything. I've meditated. I tried to let it go. It doesn't work, Master," she said with frustration.
Qui-Gon gave her a compassionate look. "Still the same dream? The one about the woman you think is your mother?"
She nodded, her expression desperate. "I don't know why I keep dreaming about her." She looked away ashamed because she perceived her inability to overcome this as a failure.
He crossed his arms in front of his chest, and she already knew what he was going to say. After all, they had had this conversation often enough over the last few months. "Dreams pass in time," he confirmed her suspicion.
She snorted and replied with a stubborn voice, "I'd much rather dream about you and Tahl. You are my real family!"
"You need to explore the reason why you keep having these dreams, Luan," he said, his tone now forgiving. "Maybe the Force is trying to tell you something."
"I don't want to know anything about her," she refused with a pouting expression. "She left me on a pirate ship when I was just a child. If the Jedi hadn't rescued me, who knows what would have happened." She bit her lip and tried to suppress the surge of negative emotions threatening to consume her.
His eyes widened a bit. "Be mindful of your thoughts, Padawan; they betray you," he admonished her, and she gave him a bitter smile.
"It's difficult," she said after she had regained her calm. "If only I knew why. . . ."
He gave her an understanding nod and pulled her into a hug. "We do not know if that would help. Just do not assume anything. We can't be sure that your parents really left you. We should. . . ." His head shot up.
"I sense it, too," she said with urgency, and they both rushed toward the bedroom with alarm.
'This is a nightmare,' Obi-Wan thought to himself when hanging onto the little assassin droid, which flew out into Coruscant's night-sky at breakneck speed. He rolled his eyes when he looked around. He had expected to find himself in this situation again, but somehow, he had been exhausted enough to actually fall asleep, and once more, he had realized what was happening far too late to prevent this. When Artoo was about to sound the alarm, he had sensed the kouhuns approaching the bed and instantly had killed the poisonous worms with his lightsaber.
Instinctively turning to the window, he saw that the attack droid was about to escape, and he didn't have any other chance than jumping after it. Again! He shook his head in exasperation and closed his eyes, trying to reach out for Qui-Gon.
"On my way," he heard his former Master's voice over the bond and smiled faintly. Well, he had told him to get a speeder fast.
Padmé had rested peacefully when she was suddenly disturbed by Artoo beeping frantically and the sound of Obi-Wan's lightsaber igniting. The next moment she froze in horror when he lunged himself out of the window, hanging onto a tiny flying droid. What was he thinking?
Luan and Qui-Gon pushed the door open at that exact moment, and with a horrified stare at the window, Qui-Gon had grasped the situation. He gave them a nod and commanded Luan to stay with her while he ran out the door.
"What?" Luan looked into the sky where Obi-Wan was fading quickly and then seemed to remind herself of her duty. "Are you all right?" she asked, and Padmé nodded dazedly.
"He must be crazy," the Senator uttered and shook her head with despair.
"Most Jedi are," Luan replied dryly. "Master Qui-Gon will help him," she then tried to reassure the other woman.
"Hopefully," Padmé replied and heaved a worried sigh.
'This isn't going any better than the last time,' Obi-Wan thought when he was bumping against corners and platforms, desperately trying to hold on to the droid. Speeders were moving around him, fortunately, able to avoid a collision. But if he remembered correctly, there should be. . . . 'Yeah, here it comes,' he braced himself, and a shot destroyed the one thing that prevented him from plummeting down. The droid burst into flames, and he reached out with his senses to slow down his fall. The Force told him that Qui-Gon was almost there, and when he finally spotted the yellow speeder racing toward him, he gritted his teeth. "He could at least have chosen another one," Obi-Wan grumbled and landed on the vehicle's rear, climbing forward to reach the seat beside Qui-Gon.
Feeling transported into another time and place, Obi-Wan couldn't help saying, "What took you so long?" and received a dark glare from his former Master.
"Well, you know, I couldn't find a speeder that I really liked – with the open cockpit and the right speed capability," Qui-Gon replied with a sarcastic voice.
Obi-Wan swallowed at his former Master's words and refused to continue the banter by making jokes about Qui-Gon's abilities with a lightsaber. . . .
They raced through the traffic, and the former Jedi was surprised at how much Qui-Gon must have picked up from Anakin over the last few years. The flight was almost as suicidal as it had been the first time he had experienced it. Remembering all too well how that had turned out, he decided that it was time for a gamble.
"All of this, it's exactly the same," he said, and Qui-Gon just nodded absently, not taking his eyes from the traffic. Well, that was a far cry from Anakin's reckless flying. "If you could steer the speeder just over her, I could jump down," Obi-Wan continued.
"Are you mad?" Qui-Gon exclaimed. "I thought you were joking when you told me to get a speeder fast if this happens. I never expected you to be suicidal enough to actually jump out of the window. And you want to do it again?"
"Just trust me," Obi-Wan replied firmly, and Qui-Gon gave him an exasperated sigh, increasing his speed to catch up with the assassin.
He found the correct position, and Obi-Wan grinned when saying, "If you'll excuse me." Without another word, he just jumped again into the busy sky, and Qui-Gon shook his head with frustration.
The assassin's speeder was still moving with speed, and Qui-Gon tried to tail it when he saw Obi-Wan landing on top of it, desperately trying to hold on. The young man took out his lightsaber and began to slice through the roof, apparently damaging the steering tool in the process. The vehicle swerved and lost height while Obi-Wan strengthened his grip.
Qui-Gon hissed in a breath when his former Padawan nearly lost his balance, but then the speeder floated to the ground, and Obi-Wan jumped down, rushing toward the cockpit and pulling out the driver. The Jedi Master slowly brought his own vehicle down and parked it behind the crashed one.
Taking a deep breath, he dismounted and walked toward Obi-Wan, who was holding a woman firmly in his grip. "Do you know who it was you were trying to kill?" he asked with a commanding voice.
The woman had been injured in the fall and was barely able to speak. "The Senator from Naboo," she answered and slowly lost her balance in Obi-Wan's arms.
Qui-Gon knelt down and took her collapsing body from his former Padawan, who was looking up nervously. "And who hired you?" the Master asked calmly.
"Just a job," she ground out, wincing with pain.
Obi-Wan turned around, and his eyes shot daggers at her. "Who hired you?" he repeated, his voice barely containing the underlying anger. "Tell us! Tell us now!" Qui-Gon looked at him with wide eyes and shook his head, making Obi-Wan aware of his loss of composure. The young man took a step back, once more gazing up with anxiety, and the Master frowned. Something was about to happen, and Obi-Wan knew it.
However, the anger in Obi-Wan's voice seemed to have done the trick. The woman said," It was a bounty hunter called. . . ." Qui-Gon jumped back when she was hit by something, and her head jerked back. Instantly, Obi-Wan was on the move again, jumping up the nearest wall with the Force, almost flying onto the roof. Qui-Gon watched with astonishment that the woman's face lost its features in death, and he sighed. She was a changeling, which didn't make things easier. He carefully took out the toxic dart that had killed her and stood up. Obi-Wan was gone, and it was too late to follow him.
"Go back to Republica 500, Master," he received the young man's message over the bond. "I lost the bounty hunter anyway. I will meet you there."
It was already late in the night, but neither Luan nor Padmé had been able to go back to sleep. The Senator was restlessly pacing in the vast common room, and her eyes repeatedly drifted toward the sky. Luan wondered if she really thought that Obi-Wan would be coming back from there. If Qui-Gon had found him, they would just enter through the door like ordinary people did. Luan shook her head. She still couldn't get over the fact that Obi-Wan, a Jedi Master, had just recklessly jumped out of the window. If that had been Anakin, his former Padawan, she wouldn't have been surprised after everything her friend had told her about his stunts. But Obi-Wan? His Force-presence was always so calm and level-headed. She wondered if his bold move resulted from his attachment to Padmé and decided to ask her Master later.
The Padawan let out a breath of relief when she felt Qui-Gon's presence arriving and turned around to the door. It opened, and he walked in without Obi-Wan. Padmé was at his side instantly. "Where is he?" she asked, her anxiety rising even further.
He touched her shoulder and smiled tiredly. "He is all right. He should be here any moment. We lost each other at the end of our chase." He turned toward Luan, and the girl jumped up from where she was sitting, trying to keep the relief at seeing her Master in check. His eyebrows raised, and she looked to the floor. She really had to work on her emotions. He chuckled and walked over, taking her in his arms. "It doesn't mean you have to hide them entirely," he whispered, and she returned his hug, happy to have him back.
"What happened," Padmé asked when the Master took a step back.
"I prefer to wait for Obi-Wan," he said and reached out with his bond. "He will be here any minute," he reassured the Senator, who was fidgeting nervously. He took out his commlink and added, "I have to inform the Temple that we are going to need a clean-up crew." He walked onto the balcony, and Luan heard him giving swift instructions to the Temple guard.
When he came back, the door opened, and a visibly ruffled Obi-Wan came in. Padmé dashed toward him, and he pulled her into an embrace, briefly leaning his head onto her shoulder. Luan saw him whispering something into the other woman's ear, and Padmé slapped him gently. "How could you?" she let her built-up frustration out. "Jumping out of the window? You could have been killed."
He sighed and shook his head. "I knew that Qui-Gon would come to rescue me," he justified his actions.
"Not a moment too soon," the Master grumbled, and Obi-Wan shot him a reproachful look.
"Well, I did it before," the young man said defensively. "I knew that you would arrive the moment she shot me out of the sky."
Padmé gasped. "She shot you out of the sky?" she repeated, her gaze incredulous. "And you knew that would happen?"
Luan had to suppress a giggle when she saw the hint of exasperation in the young General's eyes. Qui-Gon gave her a wink. They were aware that Obi-Wan could have slowed down his fall enough to survive even if Qui-Gon hadn't come to his rescue. But for Padmé, this had to be terrifying. So, Qui-Gon stepped to their side and said with a firm voice, "Padmé, he is still a Jedi, who can cope with a fall. And I was there. Let us be glad that nothing happened and move on."
The young Senator gave Obi-Wan an annoyed look and said, "Do not do that again!" Then she turned toward Qui-Gon, deliberately asking him instead of her partner, "What did you find out?"
Obi-Wan rolled his eyes slightly and sat down on the couch, giving in to his exhaustion, and Qui-Gon began to give a report of what they went through. When he had ended with his former Padawan rushing after the bounty hunter, who had killed the assassin, he turned a questioning gaze toward Obi-Wan. "Was that a Mandalorian armor I spotted?"
The young General nodded. "It was," he confirmed with a sigh. "I am fairly sure that it was Jango Fett."
"The bounty hunter, who works for Dooku?" The Master's eyes widened at that piece of information.
"Yeah," Obi-Wan verified and rubbed his face. "How about that? Dooku could be after the assassination attempts after all. . . ."
Padmé's eyes narrowed. "You don't really believe that," she cut in before Qui-Gon could react. "He is your friend. Why would he want to kill me?"
"He is a Sith," Qui-Gon simply stated.
Luan observed how Obi-Wan seemed to sink deeper into the couch and couldn't help but sympathize with him. He was obviously tired, and the revelation that his friend could be behind this had to be disturbing.
"Let's not jump to conclusions," the young man decided and leaned forward. "I am going to contact him in the morning before you have to report to the Council."
Qui-Gon gave him a nod. "Do we have to expect another attack tonight?" he asked, and Luan began to put the pieces together. What happened today must have already happened in Obi-Wan's former life, which explained his unusual agitation.
The young man stood up and shook his head. "The danger should be over for now. But it never hurts to stay vigilant."
He took Padmé's hand, and they disappeared through the door wishing the two Jedi a good night. When they were alone, Luan approached her Master and asked, "Dooku? Do we really think that he would do such a thing? I thought he is on our side?"
Qui-Gon shook his head. "I really don't know, Padawan. If it were any other Senator, I wouldn't put it past him. We still don't know what his plans are aside from helping Obi-Wan destroy Sidious. But Padmé? No, I do not believe it. It would seriously disrupt his relationship with Obi-Wan, which seems to be very important for him."
Obi-Wan awoke from a surprisingly restful night in the early hours of dawn, and a glance toward Padmé showed him that she was still sleeping peacefully. He got up and put on his clothes, clasping his lightsaber to his belt. He wouldn't do that on an ordinary day, but he decided that he needed it with everything going on. He walked out and felt Qui-Gon sitting on the smaller balcony adjacent to the upper common room – the same balcony Obi-Wan had had his argument with Anakin in another lifetime. The young man shook his head and tried to rein in his emotions. It was still challenging for him to deal with events that intersected with both of his lives. The balancing act between expecting things to turn out the way they had before and being prepared for changes was exhausting, not to mention the onslaught of memories that always ensued when things seemed to repeat themselves.
He hid his Force signature from his former Master, not ready to talk to him yet, and snuck down to Padmé's private office. He let the door slide shut behind him and turned on her communication device, patching in the code he used to call Dooku. They had established a persistent connection over the past years and the young man knew that the early morning hours were ideal for reaching his unlikely friend. It didn't take long, and the former Jedi's hologram appeared in front of him.
"Obi-Wan?" Dooku asked with surprise. "I didn't expect your call. I've heard what happened on Coruscant and assumed you would be busy searching for Padmé's attacker."
The young General swallowed tightly and gave the Sith a nod. "I am," he confirmed. "However, the investigation brought up some disturbing results. . . ." At Dooku's questioning glance, he continued, "We apprehended the assassin yesterday, and unfortunately, she was killed before we were able to get the name of her employer," He leaned forward and directed a piercing stare at the other man. "Is Jango Fett still working for you?"
Dooku's gaze showed his disquiet at the sudden shift in the Force. "He is. . . ." he replied hesitantly.
"Exclusively?" Obi-Wan's eyes became icy.
"I'd say yes," Dooku acknowledged keeping his answer vague. "However, he has several other customers, and I haven't given him an assignment in quite some time. So, he currently could be earning his keep by doing some errands for them."
"Who?" Obi-Wan asked, and his voice was laced with bitterness.
Dooku flinched slightly at the uncommonly rigorous tone. "I wouldn't know, but if I had to guess, I'd say he has multiple contacts, the Black Sun. . . . maybe several other crime syndicates. He worked for the Trade Federation once, the Banking Clan. I remember that he has ties with the Techno Union, too. . . ." Dooku looked at the other man, his eyebrows lifted. "Do you have proof that he is involved?"
"The woman was killed by a man in Mandalorian armor," Obi-Wan explained. "I am fairly sure it was Jango Fett."
"He's not the only Mandalorian in the Galaxy," the former Jedi pointed out.
"Yes, but he was the one who was responsible in my former life and things. . . . They are just too similar, Dooku," the younger man stated.
"Well, he doesn't work on my behalf if that is what you're thinking," Dooku assured without having been asked the question, and Obi-Wan saw genuine annoyance at being suspected in the older man's eyes.
The General heaved a sigh of relief. "Well, I had to ask," he explained. "You were the one who gave him the order in my former life and when I saw him yesterday. . . "
"I understand," the former Jedi replied. "Jango may be working for other people, but his loyalty is to me. I am going to find out who gave him the assignment and put an end to this."
"I need the identity of his employer. Otherwise, they will just hire another assassin to finish the task," Obi-Wan said firmly.
"Jango won't give them up easily. He is a man of honor. I am going to tell you as soon as I have results," Dooku promised.
"Thank you." Obi-wan rubbed his face tiredly and looked up again.
Dooku gave him a concerned glance. "Is there more to this than meets the eye?"
"It was the beginning of the Clone Wars in my former life," the young man replied flatly.
Dooku hissed in a sharp breath, and Obi-Wan instantly knew that he wouldn't give him the usual Jedi speech about things not necessarily repeating themselves. "You should make sure that the first batch of soldiers is prepared," Dooku met his expectations. "The Separatist movement is still small, but they have expanded their network in the last few months. Nute Gunray was seen on Ord Cestus and Muunilinst recently. I also know that there must have been multiple meetings on Geonosis involving the major players."
Obi-Wan didn't show his surprise at that information. The few bits were already more detailed than what Republic intelligence had come up with. His suspicion that information on Coruscant was manipulated by the Sith seemed to be valid. He really had to work on an own network to get the intelligence he needed.
He heaved a sigh and shook his head. "We still don't know who is the leader behind the Separatist Alliance. It would be easier if things were similar to my former life. They remain a mystery to us. We don't know anything about their motives or plans."
Dooku chuckled. "Yeah, it would be easier if I were still the one commanding them, wouldn't it?" His expression became thoughtful, and he looked up with a mischievous shimmer in his eyes. "It would be, wouldn't it?"
Obi-Wan smiled when he realized what was going through his friend's mind, and he nodded. "Oh yes, it would be much easier indeed."
"Let me get back to you on that," Dooku finished their discussion, and without any formalities, he ended the transmission.
Obi-Wan looked into the sky, where the sun had risen in the meantime, and couldn't help but laugh. Wouldn't that be an irony in the Force? To beat the Sith at their own game?
"We suspect that the bounty hunter Jango Fett is behind the attack. However, Dooku assured us that he didn't give the order, which means we don't have an inkling as to who could be behind this." Qui-Gon concluded his report to the Council and bowed slightly. It was odd being back in the Council chamber on Coruscant. But because the Supreme Chancellor had requested the mission, they were still responsible for it. It would have been overly complicated anyway to report to the Alderaanian Council when he was here, on Coruscant. He noticed that Luan was fidgeting nervously at his side and realized that this was her first report in front of the High Council.
He had given a brief account of their findings, leaving out the more provoking details. However, with Obi-Wan's permission, he had told them that this had happened before and that it could be the start of a war. His request to include the High General in this session because of that fact had been flat-out denied. He wondered if they had done so purely out of spite. Obi-Wan's and the High Council's strained relationship would be a tremendous problem if there really was a war looming on the horizon.
"And you are sure that Dooku is telling the truth?" Master Tiin asked, doubt clearly visible in his face.
"I am, Master," Qui-Gon replied. "He wouldn't lie to Obi-Wan, and my former Padawan told me that the Force confirmed his sincerity."
"Well, we can't rely on his assessment as he is not a Jedi," Master Billaba, who had been appointed after Adi Gallia had been reassigned to Alderaan, muttered just loud enough for the others to hear.
Ignoring her interjection, Qui-Gon remained calm. He wouldn't grace such an assertion with a response. Everyone who had been present during Obi-Wan's resignation knew better, even if they didn't want to admit it. However, he had to suppress a grin at seeing the uncomfortable looks the other Councilors were giving her. Master Billaba had consciously decided to stay on Coruscant even after Mace Windu had asked her to support his efforts on Alderaan. For Qui-Gon, that was reason enough to just brush aside whatever she had to say on the matter.
Master Mundi seemed unsure how to react, which gave Master Yoda the chance to speak up, "Try to talk with Fett, Dooku will?" he asked, and Qui-Gon nodded.
"He promised us that. But I suggest continuing our own investigation. I don't suppose that a Sith's word will be enough for the Council to finalize their report for the Chancellor and. . . It would be hearsay anyway, as Dooku won't report to us but to Obi-Wan."
Master Mundi glared at him, recognizing his carefully veiled provocation, and looked around to get a feel for the other Councilor's opinions. Then he sighed. "You're right," he agreed. "You should stay here and find out who is behind these attacks."
"What about Senator Amidala?" Qui-Gon asked. "She will still need protecting."
"Handle that your Padawan will," Yoda declared before a new discussion could start.
"Padawan," Master Mundi addressed Luan directly. "Escort the Senator to Alderaan. She will be safer there."
Qui-Gon gave the girl an asking look, and she took a cautious step forward. "With the Military Creation Act being discussed in the Senate, it will be difficult to get Senator Amidala to leave the capital," she added for consideration, and Qui-Gon hid his proud smile. Luan had talked with Padmé at length the evening before, and her assessment was on point.
"Until caught this killer is, our judgment she must respect," Yoda said, and Qui-Gon sensed that he was insisting not only to protect Padmé but also to release Obi-Wan from the burden to protect her himself.
"Qui-Gon," Master Mundi decided, "Take your Padawan to the Senate and ask Chancellor Organa to speak with her about this matter."
At the apparent dismissal, Qui-Gon and Luan bowed and left the chamber. Outside, the girl let out a relieved breath.
"You did well," Qui-Gon reassured her with a pat on her back. He led her to the turbolift, but before they could enter, the chamber doors opened, and the Councilors streamed out. Respectfully, they moved away, letting them pass. Qui-Gon chuckled into his beard when Master Billaba shot him a dirty look, and Luan gazed at her with an innocent expression that no one really believed.
A hand landed on Qui-Gon's shoulder, and he turned around, a bit startled. Master Plo Koon was standing behind him and gestured them to follow him. Surprised, they followed the Councilor, who had been unusually silent during the session. He led them back into the chamber where Master Fisto was the only one who had remained behind.
They sat down, and the men laughed when Luan gave the seats a quick look and, deciding against them, sank to the floor. Qui-Gon having no qualms about occupying a Council seat, chose Master Dillaba's place with a grin, which didn't go unnoticed by the other two Masters.
Master Koon sighed deeply before saying, "We'd like to meet with General Kenobi."
Surprised by their request, Qui-Gon leaned forward a bit. "He is always available for the Council."
"We do not want to meet him in an official capacity," Master Fisto explained their intent. "Master Tiin will see him tomorrow anyway. We just want to talk to him."
Luan gave a scoff at that and then looked to the floor again, feeling her Master's admonishing gaze. However, Plo Koon bent over a bit and caught her attention. "Padawan?" he encouraged her to voice her thoughts.
At a nod from Qui-Gon, she took a breath and said, "You're two members of the High Council. He is the High General of the Republic and a former Jedi. I believe that any meeting between you three will be of the utmost importance. Otherwise, you wouldn't request it in these dire times. We're looking at a potential war, and the Chancellor hasn't made up his mind about the Order's role in it."
Qui-Gon smiled and gave the two Councilors an inquisitive look. "I wonder why the Council didn't react to Obi-Wan's claim that this could result in a war. We were dismissed without them addressing it."
Master Koon let out an exasperated breath. "Because they do not believe it. They think that the efforts Obi-Wan is making in forming an army are obsolete."
"Master Mundi. . . ." Qui-Gon started but was interrupted by Kit Fisto.
"Master Mundi, as opposed to most of them, has accepted the fact that we need to be prepared for war. That's why he is coordinating the procedure on Kamino. He wants to make sure the Clones are ready. However, he hasn't solidified his position in the Council yet. Many voices find him too lenient when it comes to separating the Order from what Obi-Wan is doing. Master Billaba even suggested forbidding Obi-Wan entry to the Temple to visit his friends." The Nautolan Master snorted. "As if he would regularly come here . . . We haven't seen him for at least six months. Bant Eerin and Quinlan Vos meet with him from time to time, but they go to Republica 500 or who knows where. He is avoiding us as much as the Council is trying to limit his access."
Qui-Gon's eyes narrowed at that. He knew that there had been no official meetings for the last few months between Obi-Wan and the Council, but it surprised him that the young man would avoid the Temple. It was, after all, the only home he had known for a long time.
"We would like to speak with him," Master Koon circled back to the matter at hand. "Discuss the situation and try to ease tensions. But the Council didn't choose us as their representatives despite us volunteering. Which means. . . ."
"You can't just call him and set up an appointment," Qui-Gon stated. "Well, let me talk to him, and maybe I can find a solution for that."
Both Councilors gave him a grateful nod, and Qui-Gon pulled Luan up from the ground, pushing her toward the door. The Force was different in the Temple, and it began to grate on his senses. It was time they got back to Obi-Wan's quarters.
Padmé was angry, and Obi-Wan decided to flee the bedroom when he realized that her annoyance was directed at him as much as at the Council and Bail. He threw an asking glance toward Luan to make sure she stayed to support the furious Senator. The Padawan gave him a nod and helped the other woman pack while he went to the common room.
He sat down on the couch and let out a deep breath, dealing with his exasperation at the situation. He didn't like that Padmé was forced to leave Coruscant. He knew how strong her opposition to the Military Creation Act was, and letting Jar Jar vote on it instead wasn't an ideal solution. But he was glad that she would be safe on Alderaan. Bail had asked her to go with Luan to the Temple because the Jedi would protect her, which was a great relief for Obi-Wan. He also knew that the tension between them would disappear the moment she had to say goodbye. She would never leave him for an extended amount of time without making up with him.
He looked out onto the balcony and was surprised when he saw Qui-Gon sitting on the steps with a deep frown on his face. Something was bothering the Jedi, and Obi-Wan gave in to his curiosity. He stood up and joined his former Master outside, leaning on the balustrade and giving him an appraising look. After having waited a while without Qui-Gon acknowledging his presence, he cleared his throat and asked, "What is it?"
The Master's head turned toward him with a quizzical expression. "The Force. . . ." he stuttered. "In the Temple it . . . and the Senate building, Republica 500. . . Everywhere but here, in these quarters. . . ."
Obi-Wan gave him a knowing nod. "I wondered how long it would take you to notice it," he stated and moved over to the steps, placing himself at his former Master's side.
"What is this?" Qui-Gon questioned, his voice trembling. "Why is this the only bright spot in the whole building? What did you do?"
Obi-Wan chuckled at the flood of questions. "Somehow the Sith have. . . I do not have the right word to describe it, but I decided to call it manipulation. They manipulated the Force on Coruscant, and it must have been going on for centuries. It's barely perceptible, but it is there. If you felt it once, you can sense it everywhere."
"I wouldn't have if I didn't live on a planet like Alderaan, where the Force is pure," Qui-Gon said with surprise.
"Yeah, no one who lives here can detect it – not without guidance. It's too subtle, but I think it is the reason why the Jedi here can't see what you on Alderaan can. Their mind is clouded, but it's not their fault," Obi-Wan explained flatly.
"How do you. . . uhm. . . purge it?" the Master asked, inhaling the fresh air as if it helped him get a sense of the clean Force.
"It's tiring," Obi-Wan said quietly. "Every morning, I am flooding the Force with my Light to dispel the invisible cloud," he sighed. "Nevertheless, during the day, it returns to its state of manipulation, and sometimes in the evenings, I can barely breathe because ever since I found out about it, it feels oppressive, and it weighs me down."
"Why won't you tell them?" Qui-Gon shook his head with disbelief.
"They do not believe that a war is coming, Qui. What would they say if I told them that the Sith manipulated the Force over generations to prepare their revenge – to keep the Jedi in a state of ignorance? That no one has ever felt it – not even Master Yoda, but that I am the one who found out?" He shook his head and took a deep breath. "No, they have to detect this on their own. There is no way they would believe it otherwise."
"Master Yoda should be able. . . ." Qui-Gon began and trailed off.
"He lived on Coruscant longer than this is happening. The Sith must have done it gradually. He barely leaves the Temple. For now, he can't see it, but you're right. If anyone is going to feel it, it will be him."
"That's the reason why you're avoiding the Temple," Qui-Gon stated.
"It's not the only reason, but yes, it is a great part of it," Obi-Wan responded with a distant look. "To feel it in the Temple is so much worse than here or in the Senate. It just reminds me how blind we were. . . .are. . . "
Qui-Gon nodded with understanding. "They did this?" He still tried to piece it together. "It's part of a sophisticated plot then. This means that the Sith Master is just another one in a long line. That's not just a scheme to gain power. . . ."
Obi-Wan rubbed his face and shook his head. Even Qui-Gon hadn't grasped what they were facing yet. The Jedi Order would need a long time to conceive the entire extent of the Sith's plan. And it was already too late. They had slowed down the political development, but their enemies had planned this for centuries, and Obi-Wan knew that they must have put contingencies in place.
He noticed Qui-Gon shifting slightly at his side when he didn't answer and heaved a deep sigh. "No, they have only one goal – destroy the Jedi and remain the only Force-users in the Galaxy. Winning the war won't be enough. They are going to erase us, our history and our teachings. . . ."
"And they don't need the Clones to do it," Qui-Gon added with a bitter voice. "That was only one of several ways to destroy us."
Obi-Wan's gaze became distant, and he nodded slowly. "One way to eliminate many of us in one fell swoop. I didn't stay long enough in that other life to even have an inkling about their real endgame. But before I left, Darth Vader was roaming the Galaxy, searching for the few survivors, and he slaughtered them just as he has slaughtered the younglings in the Temple."
"You never say his name," Qui-Gon said with a sad voice. "You're talking about Sidious and Dooku, but you never talk about him."
"It still hurts," Obi-Wan replied with a soft voice. "It's easier to remember the other Sith, to put the blame on his Master – the one who seduced him. But he was doing his Master's bidding without questioning. He was truly evil, and my beloved brother, my Padawan, he was gone long before I fought him on Mustafar and created the machine that was Darth Vader."
"Do you know what Sidious was doing while his lapdog was chasing Jedi?" The Master leaned toward him, his eyes persistent.
Obi-Wan swallowed when he realized that he had shown the Council his memories but that he had ended with Luke's delivery to Tatooine. He never had told anyone about what had happened after – about his loneliness, the continuing Jedi purge, his efforts to help Bail Organa in building the Resistance. . . .
"Bail Organa told me once that Sidious had raided the Temple and brought all the artifacts and scripts into the Imperial Palace. Bail also had teams of. . . rebels, who reported that ancient Jedi sights were plundered – that Darth Vader was the one who dealt with the Jedi there, and when he was finished, excavation crews occupied the scene and took everything of interest back to Coruscant."
"Erasing any remaining trace of the Jedi Order's existence," Qui-Gon concluded. "I'm beginning to understand why you are in turmoil at the prospect of heading into this war again. . . . It was the beginning. . . ."
Obi-Wan couldn't suppress a snort at that. "The Beginning? No, Qui-Gon. That wasn't the beginning. That was only the start of the last stage. We should have put a stop to this long ago. The Jedi Order should never have let it get that far. I should never have let it. . . . Now, we can just play their game and hope that a small part of us will be able to survive, that the Jedi teachings won't be utterly destroyed, that there will remain a part of the Light. . . ."
His former Master gave him an incredulous glance at that. "When did you decide to accept that this is happening again and you can't stop it?" he asked, not able to fight the accusation in his tone.
Obi-Wan froze for a moment at hearing it. Then he straightened himself and said, "The moment I realized that it would be futile to try to prevent it. To do that, I arrived much too late in time. Maybe if I had landed in this time a Millenium ago, I could have prevented the Sith from rising. But. . ." he gave Qui-Gon a sharp look. "That's not what the Force expects me to do. The Force sent a Guardian to preserve the Light. Because both sides have to exist, and the balance was lost in my former life. That's my purpose, Qui, not to snuff out the Darkness but to enable Anakin and Luan to bring balance. That's why I agreed to assume this role as General – as commander of the Republican army. Or do you think that I liked the war that much that I wanted to do live through it again?"
He took a deep breath and stood up, releasing his growing agitation into the Force. "Being the leader of an army is the last thing a Jedi should be forced to do. It corrupted me. It corrupted every one of us. It pushed more of my fellow Jedi to the brink of Darkness than I want to admit. It destroyed Anakin! But I know what awaits me. I won't be surprised by the life-and-death decisions I will have to face in this war. And I will have some sort of influence on how this will play out. And maybe I will be able to protect the Light – to keep it alive. . . ." His voice broke, and he gave Qui-Gon an almost pleading look. "Your job is to shield Anakin and Luan from the horrors that will come with this war. You need to keep them away from it. So, that they won't be corrupted and can restore balance when this is over."
Qui-Gon's whole body seemed to shiver at his words, and his eyes were full of terror. "How?" he stuttered, and Obi-Wan felt how much he strained to regain some kind of calm to form whole sentences. "When did you decide that this was your purpose?" he asked. "We haven't found anything regarding the Guardian's role. How can you be sure that this is what the Force wants you to do?"
"Because the Force didn't send me back a Millennium ago," Obi-Wan simply replied. Then he shook his head as if scolding himself for the short answer. "I raged against the Force when I realized that this scheme has been planned for generations, that everything I did just led us back onto the same path. Over the last two years, I tried to find a way to not repeat the same mistakes, but first, the Order made a turnaround on progressing. Then Systems began to break away from the Republic to uphold their principles or pursue their individual goals. I fought and fought, but everything stayed basically the same. And finally, I realized that preventing all of it couldn't be my purpose. There had to be another reason why I was here. I started to influence the outcome – prevent the biggest mistakes we made in my former life – mistakes like commanding an army as Jedi and not questioning the Clone soldiers' status. We never pointed out that it was just another form of slavery and that the Republic had banished that centuries ago. That the Jedi condoned this by being part of that army. . . . That's why I fight so hard to give the Clones their basic civil rights. To preserve some resemblance of Light. . . ."
He observed Qui-Gon taking in his words and weighing them in his mind. Then the Master stood up and placed a hand on the younger man's shoulder. "It sounds reasonable," he stated and heaved a sigh. "Maybe that's what the Force wants from you, Obi-Wan. But it never wanted you to bear this burden alone. It would have helped if you had shared your thoughts with us. I am glad you did now." He looked around, taking in the sensation in the Force once more, and admitted, "Well, maybe someone has to feel that to accept that we are already lost. But there are seeds in the Order. . . . there is some opposition to the Council's current course."
Obi-Wan contorted his face into an expression that showed his resignation clearly. "If you believe so, Qui," he said, his tone flat. "I haven't seen any. They even seemed to have forgotten that they wanted to work with me. The first request for a meeting came three days ago, and they're sending Master Tiin of all people. Aside from Bant and Quinlan, no one tried to talk to me, and I've given up asking for a conversation about a year ago. It was more rewarding to work with you and Mace because it led to results."
"The decision to send Master Tiin was not undisputed, my Padawan," Qui-Gon replied. "Master Koon and Master Fisto had volunteered to meet with you but were outvoted. They ask for a private conversation now."
Obi-Wan gave him an incredulous glance, and after having pondered on it for a moment, he nodded. "You should invite them for dinner then. I am going to purge the Force once more before they arrive. Maybe an accomplished Master like Plo Koon will be able to catch up. It would certainly be a breakthrough."
Qui-Gon smiled and took Obi-Wan's hand. "If all of what you said is true, we should try to open as many minds as we can. I promise to help you with that."
Obi-Wan chuckled and pulled a surprised Qui-Gon into a hug. He whispered, "Thank you, Master," and pulled away. "I think Padmé and Luan are ready to leave. We should escort them to their transport," he said when he felt Padmé getting restless over their bond.
"Quinlan will meet us on Ossus," Siri informed Garen, who was making tea in the galley. "It was a bit complicated. Master Tahl instantly agreed, but she had to coordinate with the High Council because Master Vos is still stationed on Coruscant. He is going to bring Aayla Secura, his former Padawan, with him. Master Mundi doesn't like the fact that we are going to a Separatist world right now. They expect that an attack on the Republic is imminent."
Garen frowned at that information. "I know that the Senate is pushing the Military Creation Act, but I thought that this was a preventive measure?"
She nodded and took one of the cookies he had assembled on a plate. "Someone tried to kill Padmé, and according to Obi-Wan, that ultimately led to the war in his former life. Master Mundi seems to take that quite seriously."
"But the High Council doesn't," Garen assumed with frustration.
"Hmm," she confirmed his suspicion, chewing on the cookie. "I talked with Quinlan about it. He seemed annoyed because they are sending Master Tiin to meet with Obi-Wan. However, it could work to our advantage that the Jedi Order's role in such a war isn't determined by the Senate yet. We are still independent, and even if we are part of the Republic, we can always claim that our goal is to protect everyone in the Galaxy."
He scoffed and placed two mugs on the table. "As if anyone would believe that. The Council obeys every order the Chancellor gives them. We can be glad that Bail Organa is the one pulling strings and not Sidious."
She gave him a contemplative glance. "You're right, we really can be glad about that. . . . I wonder if that was how Obi-Wan felt in his former life."
"I don't think he realized it before it was too late," Garen said with a distant look. "He once told me how blind he was. These were difficult times, and the Jedi would have had enough to do with setting up that army. There wasn't a General Kenobi then," he shook his head. "Well, there wasn't a General Kenobi who was independent of the Order. The Jedi would have had to take command, and I can see why that was a mistake."