Mistaken: Chapter Three

One of my least favorite places to be was standing in front of the Jedi Council. Perhaps my Master's past disgust with them had somehow influenced me, but I always felt as if they were judging me. Most of them hadn't been on the active-duty roster for years, so I didn't understand how they considered themselves superior to those of us who repeatedly put our lives on the line.

Regardless of my attitude, I had requested a formal meeting with them the morning Padmé and I returned to Galactic City.

Between the two of us, we explained as best we could the appearance, location, and characteristics of the quasar we'd encountered. Along with the information we'd received from Aleen, I felt confident we had provided a detailed and accurate account. Of course, there were those who expected more.

"You're saying the anomaly was not present in the hyperspeed protocols, which you say you followed?"

"That is correct," Padmé replied confidently, meeting Ki-Adi Mundi's intense gaze. "There was no evidence of any sort of phenomenon when we made the jump."

"I'm sorry," Adi Gallia said kindly. "But this is highly irregular. Black holes don't just appear. They develop gradually over time and are quite stationary."

"We realize that," I broke in. I wasn't about to stand there and allow them to second-guess Padmé's navigational skills. "I was sitting right there and witnessed everything myself. Senator Amidala's readings were correct, and the sudden disappearance of the event has been supported by Aleen's astrophysicists. They agreed with our findings."

During the meeting thus far, Master Yoda had been silent and appeared as if he were asleep. I realized, however, that he had established a deep connection to the Force, and could sense his presence. He was searching for answers himself. Once the conversation had lagged, he finally opened his large eyes and looked at me with deep concern.

"What is it?" I asked him.

"Unsure I was. At the ceremony first I felt it. During the event, felt it again, I did. Darkness follows you, Master Kenobi. See it now I can, but in shadows it hides."

Immediately, I strengthened my mental shields. I hadn't felt anything out of the ordinary. At least not like that! I wanted to ask Yoda if he was sure, but I didn't dare question him. Amongst the Jedi in the Coruscant Temple, he was the oldest and wisest of us all.

If what he was saying were true, whoever was responsible was powerful enough to disguise their presence and not be detected. Over my long career, I'd formed nearly as many enemies as I had alliances. However, I hadn't encountered anyone powerful enough to create a black hole in space. This was an incredible theory.

"I don't understand," Padmé stated, looking directly at me. "Is he saying there is one person responsible for what happened? And what about our wedding? Nothing bad happened there."

After taking some time to think it over, one occurrence stood out in my mind. "The thunderstorm. You said yourself that you had checked the forecast beforehand."

"You're kidding. Why? Why would anyone want to ruin our wedding? Or, worse, want to kill us by pulling us into a black hole?"

Honestly, I had no idea, and I reached for her hand to offer some comfort and strength. After this meeting was over, I would seek out Master Yoda in private and see what he thought about all this.

Mace Windu, another council member who was usually outspoken, had been strangely quiet as well. He was deep in thought before suddenly announcing that the Council would meditate on this matter and the meeting was adjourned. However, it was Windu who asked to speak with Padmé and me privately, not Master Yoda.

We were escorted to a smaller conference area beyond the council chambers and sat on meditation cushions with Windu in the center. I took up the appropriate posture while Padmé chose to keep her feet on the floor.

"Master Yoda has informed me of your earlier hallucinations," he began, causing my heart to leap to my throat. I had never mentioned this to Padmé and actually wasn't planning to. I figured what she didn't know wouldn't hurt her. I didn't expect it to come out like this!

"You claimed to have been transported to another dimension, is that correct?"

"Obi-Wan? What is he talking about?"

There was no avoiding the subject now. "It happened a few months ago," I explained frantically to her, smiling while I pretended it was no big deal. "I'm pretty sure it was a hallucination brought on by my anxiety, fatigue, and nervousness."

"What were you nervous about?"

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Windu's lip tilt upward. The sonofabitch was enjoying the predicament he'd just put me in!

"It had been a while since I'd seen you. That's all. Just jitters," I explained, although in her eyes I saw doubt. She suspected I was withholding information and she'd be right. Perhaps I'd have time to explain more later, and not in front of the council's watchdog.

"A hallucination? What makes you think that? Didn't you visit the Healer's Hall? Perhaps you should. Hallucinations are a characteristic of mental illness."

Holy bantha! What was Windu trying to do to me!

I looked at the man squarely while I formed my reply. "No, I didn't visit the healers, because I didn't deem it necessary. My mental state is fine, thank you very much."

His dark eyes narrowed as he studied me. "If that's true, then an outside influence has interfered with your capacities – caused you to lose touch with reality, even if only temporarily. Have you been meditating and exercising?"

What was I? A junior apprentice? "Of course I have," I replied, losing a little of my patience. That was a stretch of the truth, of course, since I'd been involved with the wedding and the honeymoon and all that. Now that it was all over, I could return to my regular routines. Sort of. I was a married man now, so there was that to consider. However, I wasn't about to neglect my health – mental or otherwise.

"The chance of an intruder interfering with your safety is of great concern to the Council, Master Kenobi. Has there been any encounter with the darkness that you were aware of?"

Oh shit.

"Yes," I admitted once my head had cleared. I'd actually forgotten all about her.

As soon as the confirmation left my mouth, Padmé released my hand. "Why didn't you say something?"

Why? Good question! "Because everything worked out for the best and I didn't think it was necessary," I tried to explain, cringing at how lame my excuse sounded. "At first, I thought I'd lost my mind, but then everything became more and more clear. I didn't feel any darkness, although one of the main characters in my so-called illusion was a witch. I had very little interaction with her, though, and haven't seen her again since right after I came back."

"Indeed," the older council member replied, stapling his fingers. "You had contact with this person within your illusion and following your return?"

"Wait. That's right. I'm smarter than this! Within my experience, I met with her inside a bar. Once I'd returned, I spoke with her out on the street. Both times, she was as real to me as both of you are," I said. "She seemed to be some type of escort and was the only one who could explain what was happening. But then after it was all over, she disappeared before my eyes."

Mace Windu always wore an expression that made him appear as if he doubted everything he heard. His face at the moment was typical and I worried he hadn't believed me.

"It has been said that Dathomir witches do not condone the use of the dark side of the Force," he surprisingly announced. "If one of the sisters is suspected of it, they are expelled from the clan and cast off Dathomir. If this witch you met is real and is responsible for putting you and the Senator in danger, she is working alone, and therefore, could be quite dangerous."