Chapter Five: The Revelation
Anakin was meditating when Obi-Wan arrived. That alone was enough to worry his master. Anakin hated meditation. He was a man of action. But there, in their quarters, Anakin sat, legs crossed, eyes closed. Obi-Wan watched his peaceful face for a moment. Was he wrong to oppose the council? Was Anakin ready?
He bit his lip lightly, trying to justify his decision to himself. Anakin was impulsive and irrational. He had a strong connection to the Living Force, true, but he showed a remarkable lack of restraint. But where those faults were, there were a dozen more strengths. Anakin's kind nature, his intuition, his mastery of many aspects of the Force would all contribute to making him a great Jedi Knight someday, possibly, Obi-Wan believed, the greatest of all Jedi.
*Someday*. But Obi-Wan, try as he might, could not believe that that day was so near.
Anakin looked up as if on cue. There was deep confusion in his eyes. He stood and rushed to his master's side. "I'm glad you're back, Obi-Wan. I've placed extra security around the governor and he has assured me he is quite safe, but I'm still relieved to see you, Master."
He smiled, trying to alleviate his apprentice's fears. "What has you so worried, Ani?"
Anakin swallowed and told Obi-Wan what happened in the hallway. "He couldn't stop himself, Master. He didn't want to die, I read that plain in his eyes. And I couldn't move to stop him. It was as if I was tied or frozen. I told my body to move, but it wouldn't listen."
"It scared you."
"Yes, Master." He admitted his fear quietly, then plunged back into his explanation. "That is why I believe the Sith are present. Who else could be so strong as to stop a Jedi in his tracks and make a man throw himself from a fifth story window?"
"This is disturbing news. I agree, the Sith must be present. I shall contact the Council."
Obi-Wan did so immediately informing them of the situation as plainly as he could. The council members looked grave. "Very serious this is, Obi-Wan."
"I agree, Master Yoda."
"You must find who is behind this assassination. Do you believe it was Mawat?"
"No, Master Windu. Mawat's deceit seems to have died years ago. I now believe him to be an honest man."
"Still, strong his motive is."
"If Melida/Daan falls to the Separatists, it will create a disturbing precedent for other systems so far into the interior. This mission must not fail, Obi-Wan."
"Yes, Masters. I understand."
"May the Force be with you."
"And you, Masters," Obi-Wan said, then ended the communication with a short bow. He turned to Anakin. "Something isn't as it seems here."
"I know." Anakin looked down at his hands, folded in his lap. "Do you truly believe your old friend Mawat?"
"I do. Mawat is no stranger to deception, but I know him to be honest in this situation." Anakin seemed to be battling asking something else. Obi-Wan smiled. "You can ask me anything, Anakin."
"What happened last time you were here? I spoke with Nield and he told me you were a great hero, but… Why would Master Qui-Gon leave you on a war torn planet alone?"
"He didn't leave me. I left him." At Anakin's incredulous look, Obi-Wan nodded. "I found a cause here I believed in, friends I could not abandon, no matter what my duties as a Jedi said I had to do. So I remained, while Master Qui-Gon returned to the Temple."
"You left the Jedi?"
"Yes. I gave Qui-Gon my lightsaber and my farewells, and remained to fight in this war. Later, I realized I was meant to be a Jedi and help solve conflicts like the one here all over the galaxy. I was lucky Qui-Gon took me back."
"Why didn't you ever tell me?"
"I didn't want to give you cause to doubt my commitment to the Jedi- or to you."
"I would never doubt your commitment, Obi-Wan. You've been like a father to me all these years."
"Love, Anakin, doesn't banish all doubts. Especially in yourself."
Anakin looked away from his master, spoke so softly he could barely hear. "I'm sorry I reacted so harshly on Coruscant."
"As am I. I know you're a gifted student. No one knows your talents more than I do, Anakin. But the time you spend as a learner is to hone your talents as much as it is to gain new ones. I can't help the way I feel on this subject."
"I won't fail you, Master. When I pass the trials, you will see that I am ready for Knighthood. You've trained me well, better than Master Yoda himself could."
Obi-Wan grinned and tugged on Anakin's braid affectionately. "It's late. You should get some sleep. I will give a report to Nield on the situation, and see you in the morning."
"Yes, Master."
Obi-Wan left the room, heading for Nield's office. The door was open and Obi-Wan peaked in, only to find it empty. A feeling of foreboding crept into his stomach, and he turned to the glass doors across the way, the ones that led to the garden.
Obi-Wan rushed out and ignited his lightsaber. But before he even reached Nield's doubled over, bleeding body, he knew it was too late. The governor was dead.
Anakin was meditating when Obi-Wan arrived. That alone was enough to worry his master. Anakin hated meditation. He was a man of action. But there, in their quarters, Anakin sat, legs crossed, eyes closed. Obi-Wan watched his peaceful face for a moment. Was he wrong to oppose the council? Was Anakin ready?
He bit his lip lightly, trying to justify his decision to himself. Anakin was impulsive and irrational. He had a strong connection to the Living Force, true, but he showed a remarkable lack of restraint. But where those faults were, there were a dozen more strengths. Anakin's kind nature, his intuition, his mastery of many aspects of the Force would all contribute to making him a great Jedi Knight someday, possibly, Obi-Wan believed, the greatest of all Jedi.
*Someday*. But Obi-Wan, try as he might, could not believe that that day was so near.
Anakin looked up as if on cue. There was deep confusion in his eyes. He stood and rushed to his master's side. "I'm glad you're back, Obi-Wan. I've placed extra security around the governor and he has assured me he is quite safe, but I'm still relieved to see you, Master."
He smiled, trying to alleviate his apprentice's fears. "What has you so worried, Ani?"
Anakin swallowed and told Obi-Wan what happened in the hallway. "He couldn't stop himself, Master. He didn't want to die, I read that plain in his eyes. And I couldn't move to stop him. It was as if I was tied or frozen. I told my body to move, but it wouldn't listen."
"It scared you."
"Yes, Master." He admitted his fear quietly, then plunged back into his explanation. "That is why I believe the Sith are present. Who else could be so strong as to stop a Jedi in his tracks and make a man throw himself from a fifth story window?"
"This is disturbing news. I agree, the Sith must be present. I shall contact the Council."
Obi-Wan did so immediately informing them of the situation as plainly as he could. The council members looked grave. "Very serious this is, Obi-Wan."
"I agree, Master Yoda."
"You must find who is behind this assassination. Do you believe it was Mawat?"
"No, Master Windu. Mawat's deceit seems to have died years ago. I now believe him to be an honest man."
"Still, strong his motive is."
"If Melida/Daan falls to the Separatists, it will create a disturbing precedent for other systems so far into the interior. This mission must not fail, Obi-Wan."
"Yes, Masters. I understand."
"May the Force be with you."
"And you, Masters," Obi-Wan said, then ended the communication with a short bow. He turned to Anakin. "Something isn't as it seems here."
"I know." Anakin looked down at his hands, folded in his lap. "Do you truly believe your old friend Mawat?"
"I do. Mawat is no stranger to deception, but I know him to be honest in this situation." Anakin seemed to be battling asking something else. Obi-Wan smiled. "You can ask me anything, Anakin."
"What happened last time you were here? I spoke with Nield and he told me you were a great hero, but… Why would Master Qui-Gon leave you on a war torn planet alone?"
"He didn't leave me. I left him." At Anakin's incredulous look, Obi-Wan nodded. "I found a cause here I believed in, friends I could not abandon, no matter what my duties as a Jedi said I had to do. So I remained, while Master Qui-Gon returned to the Temple."
"You left the Jedi?"
"Yes. I gave Qui-Gon my lightsaber and my farewells, and remained to fight in this war. Later, I realized I was meant to be a Jedi and help solve conflicts like the one here all over the galaxy. I was lucky Qui-Gon took me back."
"Why didn't you ever tell me?"
"I didn't want to give you cause to doubt my commitment to the Jedi- or to you."
"I would never doubt your commitment, Obi-Wan. You've been like a father to me all these years."
"Love, Anakin, doesn't banish all doubts. Especially in yourself."
Anakin looked away from his master, spoke so softly he could barely hear. "I'm sorry I reacted so harshly on Coruscant."
"As am I. I know you're a gifted student. No one knows your talents more than I do, Anakin. But the time you spend as a learner is to hone your talents as much as it is to gain new ones. I can't help the way I feel on this subject."
"I won't fail you, Master. When I pass the trials, you will see that I am ready for Knighthood. You've trained me well, better than Master Yoda himself could."
Obi-Wan grinned and tugged on Anakin's braid affectionately. "It's late. You should get some sleep. I will give a report to Nield on the situation, and see you in the morning."
"Yes, Master."
Obi-Wan left the room, heading for Nield's office. The door was open and Obi-Wan peaked in, only to find it empty. A feeling of foreboding crept into his stomach, and he turned to the glass doors across the way, the ones that led to the garden.
Obi-Wan rushed out and ignited his lightsaber. But before he even reached Nield's doubled over, bleeding body, he knew it was too late. The governor was dead.