"Ani!" A cheerful voice called out as loud footsteps came to a halt just behind Anakin. "Where are you going?"
"To my quarters," he said as he kept his pace steady never bothering to glance back.
"That's no fun," Padawan Sora Tann said as she leaned against his shoulder. A ripple of laughter danced playfully in her voice. She brushed her five jointed fingers through her rich red hair, then took a deep breath. "I have been duly elected—actually I lost the coin toss—to invite you to join a group of us in the gardens this evening."
"I have to prepare," Anakin said blandly. He wanted to be alone. There were too many voices whispering in his head and they were all his own.
Sora leapt in front of the youth, trying to block him.
Without hesitation, Anakin lightly gestured, sending a Force push knocking Sora out of the way.
She stumbled catching herself against the wall. "That wasn't very nice." Undaunted she jogged to catch back up with Anakin's increased pace.
"You shouldn't have been in my way," he said coldly.
Sora stopped. "I was just going to ask if you wanted to join us for discussions. We're going--"
Anakin turned, his expression softening, realizing he had overstepped his boundaries.
"I'm sorry. My thoughtshave been elsewhere." He grimaced with the realization he had mimicked Obi-Wan's earlier response. "My Master and I have a new assignment. I have a lot of preparing to do before our transport leaves early in the morning." He started to turn and walk away again.
"You are never at the Temple. Always traipsing around the galaxy on one mission or another," Sora said, momentarily slowing Anakin's escape. Her pale orange eyes pleaded softly. "When you are here all you want to do is play with broken droids. You never socialize with any of the other padawans." A chipper tone entered her voice. "Did you know we share our experiences with each other? There's a bunch of us. It helps us learn from each other's mistakes and lets us know we are not the only ones in the temple having problems." She paused. "Hang around with us a while, you might find us more interesting than a broken down droid."
Hardly, Anakin thought.
"If you keep refusing, we might stop asking."
Anakin frowned. Obi-Wan had tried to get him to be more social during his stays at the temple. There had always been some good excuse not to. At the moment, though, not one popped into his head.
"When I get back," he sounded unsure, "maybe."
"Besides," Sora breathed as she approached him.
Anakin bristled, preparing himself for that all too often asked question: How does it feel to be the chosen one?
"We're all dying to know what it's like having a Sith killer for a master."
For a moment, all Anakin could do was stare at her stupidly. The question had taken him by surprise as he suddenly realized the animosity he had felt from so many other students at who he was had nothing to do with this girl. Sora wasn't looking at him as the fabled Chosen One.
He couldn't help the smile of relief that leapt to his lips. Then surprised himself with his own words. "He's rather boring."
Sora playfully elbowed him in the side, making him laugh loudly. "You're teasing."
"No," Anakin giggled, "I'm serious."
Sora tagged alongside Anakin, as they both fought to hold back the laughter until they neared his living quarters. Sora straightened herself out. "So you want to hang out when you get back? We'd all love to hear about your assignment with your boring Master."
"Sure," Anakin said slowly, waving a little goodbye to the red haired padawan before he entered the apartment.
_________
Anakin had stared at the data pad until his head hurt.
As with most missions, he just didn't understand the rationale behind many of the disputes. From the information he had, Cath looked like a beautiful planet with rich resources enough for everyone to share equally. But once the planet had been at war over who should control its resources.
The youth frowned. Growing up on Tatooine he had nothing except his name and mother and he was happy. With calm acceptance Anakin realized he would never understand the need to accumulate wealth and power. He had found his place in the universe, be it penniless slave or in service to the Republic as a Jedi.
A casual flick of his wrist sent the data pad to the end of the chair of one of the diplomatic cruiser's private cabin. Then he stretched out on the couch. A loud sigh filled the room as he sat back up. Sleep would not be forth coming.
The dull throbbing in the back of his head was making him restless.
It was more than that, though.
For a long time he just sat there staring at the empty couch across the small cabin.
A sense of warning that lingered in the headache gave him no escape. It seemed the calm of the temple had kept the warning in check, but since the Jedi had stepped onto the transport that safety net was gone.
Carefully drawing the folds of his cloak tighter--as the transport felt unusually cold--he wandered out into the corridor.
The Jedi apprentice decided that if he and Obi-Wan were going to be trapped on the ship through the better part of the next day they were going to have to talk.
Granted, Obi-Wan wasn't exactly the most forthcoming person he had ever met, but it was unlike his master to keep anything of importance from him. And right now, his master's slow withdrawal was something of importance in the padawan's book.
___________
In the quiet dining area, Anakin picked up a small, bright green gelatinous bosi fruit sitting on a nearby table. One bite nearly halved the fruit as the spicy sweet taste tickled his senses and warmed him with memories of home.
"A growing boy like you needs something better than that candy. Here, try this."
Sitting at the bar was a short, round Dilurian with a friendly smile. Beady black eyes watched as he pushed a plate of dull brown leaves toward the tall youth. "Go on," the creature said, "it may not look as tasty as bosi, but it's certainly more healthy."
"No thanks," Anakin said, swallowing down the last of the fruit. He looked at the dark purple robes of the man and quietly reminded himself to show proper respect to the Dilurian. He just might be an important dignitary. "I don't often get candy'."
"So when no one is looking, you eat up as much as you can?" The gray skinned creature laughed boisterously as he picked up a brown leaf between three fat fingers and gobbled it down. "My third wife was like that, never let me have anything good. So I got rid of her!" The Dilurian burst out laughing.
Anakin smiled politely, not really understanding.
The Dilurian stuck his thick hand out and shook Anakin's. "Where are my manners," the little creature began. "Name's Te-hut. And you, young Jedi?"
"Anakin Skywalker."
"Sounds familiar." Te-hut's features darkened with thought, then quickly brightened. "Of the battle of Naboo? Oh, we are blessed to have a great hero attend the coronation on Cath."
"Are you attending the ceremony?"
"Well of course, everyone on this transport is on their way to the coronation," Te-hut smiled.
Anakin sat down on a stool next to the small Dilurian.
Te-hut took another leaf and nibbled on it. "This will be such a blessed occasion. That is why you are here, Jedi, to bless the ceremony."
"I am here as an official witness for the Senate."
"Whatever your reasons, you will be welcomed as an honored guest." Te-hut's smile faded as he stared at Anakin intently. "You are too young to be a knight," he stated with a low voice as he raised a bushy blue eyebrow.
"I am a padawan."
"Where is your master?"
"Somewhere about the ship." Probably in the cargo hold, it was the furthest place from him and still be on the ship, Anakin mused.
Te-hut chewed quietly on the leaf, studying the boy's passive face. "It would benefit you to enjoy the peace of the journey. I have a feeling there will be no quiet once we reach Cath." Then he smiled warmly. "But I am keeping you, young Skywalker. You obviously were going somewhere."
Anakin stood and respectfully bowed. "Thank you for your company."
"No, thank you, Jedi Skywalker, for spending blessed minutes of your time with such an unworthy creature."
_______________
Guided by the Force, the bright, shining thread lead Anakin to the cargo hold.
In a less insulated section of the ship, a fine whine from the hyper drive engine gave Anakin pause. A small chuckle escaped him. A little fine-tuning would fix that in a heartbeat. Maybe after they had landed he would take it up with the pilot about making some minor adjustments.
His thoughts were quickly drawn from sounds of the hyper drive to the taciturn figure of his Master sitting quietly between two large shipping containers.
An odd place for meditation, Anakin thought as he approached. Although Obi-Wan appeared to be meditating, the disturbed nature of the Force told the youth otherwise.
He did not need the Force to see past the calm exterior to know his master was unwell.
The frustration was radiating off Obi-Wan. Everything inside Anakin told him to probe further. Discuss the source of the problem.
Help.
"Don't," Obi-Wan warned.
Anakin straightened himself out a little. "I thought I had shielded--"
"Stay out of my head."
"Yes, my Master." For a moment Anakin wanted to say more, but stopped as he sensed their bond tighten, pushing him a little farther away. "Is there something wrong?" His tone was even, belying the fear that moved through him.
"No," Obi-Wan answered dully as his fingers pressed to his temples.
Stifling a soft growl at the sight, Anakin stepped to attention. "Will we have to wear masks the entire time on Cath?"
At this sudden change of subject Obi-Wan opened his eyes and stared at Anakin for a moment. "Our hoods with be sufficient."
"Nothing in my research explains why they insist on being masked."
"Some traditions they keep secret."
"Secrets," Anakin huffed. "They're not the only ones," he said softly as he turned and marched back out of the cargo hold.
Obi-Wan sighed loudly as he watched Anakin slip a little further away. Withdrawing deeper into the safety of the storage area, he buried his face in the folds of his cloak.
Just a few days.
That's all he had to survive.
Yet, the speed he was unraveling, a few days might just be too late.
Anakin had to be told.
Unfortunately, the ability to explain the situation had long since escaped his grasp.