Chapter Nine: Missed Calls
Anakin could barely move. He could do nothing more than lie in his bed, staring at the ceiling.
He'd failed the Trials. It seemed impossible. He was Anakin Skywalker, the Chosen One. He would bring balance to the Force. How could he do that if he wasn't even a Jedi Knight?
The longer he laid in his bed, stewing over his imperfections, the causes of his failure, the angrier he got. He'd beaten the Sith, disarmed him and gone for a killing blow.
And struck Obi-Wan.
Fear assaulted him. Surely, that couldn't be a vision of the future. He wouldn't kill Obi-Wan, no matter how much he hated him.
Anakin blinked. Where had that thought come from? He didn't hate Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan was his master.
*And he failed you,* a voice inside him whispered. *He never wanted you. He took you on only because Qui-Gon made him promise.*
That was true at the beginning, Anakin reasoned. But Obi-Wan had grown to care for him. He taught him well.
*Then why did you fail the Trials?*
Anakin couldn't argue with the voice inside his head. Why had he failed the Trials? If Obi-Wan had taught him all he needed to know, why wasn't he a Knight?
*He wanted you to fail.*
Anakin shook his head, trying to push the little voice out of his ear. Obi-Wan did not want him to fail.
*He knew you would be better than he was. He knew you already were. He's holding you back!*
The voice surged forth with intensity and Anakin cried out. He jumped up from his bed. He needed to talk to someone, get his worries out. It couldn't be Padme; he wasn't ready to face his bride with his failure.
Obi-Wan, then. He could discuss his thoughts with his master, and he would tell him how baseless they were. Anakin nodded resolutely and headed for the long-distance communicator in the main room of his and Obi-Wan's quarters.
He quickly found his master's signal, and sent a message. He waited a moment. When Obi-Wan didn't answer, he sent another. When there was still no answer, Anakin sighed dejectedly. He had to talk to someone.
With a sudden idea, Anakin glanced at the clock. It was early yet, but after state business hours. He bit his lip. It would be highly improper, but he needed to talk to someone…
Purposefully, Anakin grabbed his cape and strode from the room. He needed to talk to someone. Who better than the wisest man on Coruscant?
*
Obi-Wan leaned back into the pillows of his sleep couch. It had been a long battle, but finally, they had driven the Separatists back. They'd begun the long task of taking back Dantooine.
Obi-Wan closed his eyes. Sleep would feel good after such a long few days. Just as he felt himself begin to drift off, the sound of his long-distance communicator buzzing jolted him awake.
Obi-Wan got up and headed for the communicator. It was Anakin, he could feel it. Probably with news that he had passed his Trials, proving Obi-Wan's fears were groundless. He would welcome the news.
Before he could reach the communicator, a short knock on his door announced a visitor's presence. Obi-Wan glanced between the door and the communicator, then strode to the door.
Bail Organa stood there, a triumphant grin on his face. "Obi-Wan, we know where Dooku is."
Obi-Wan returned the smile. At last, the war would die down, if not stop all together. He reached for his cloak and was about to go after Bail when his communicator buzzed again. Anakin.
Obi-Wan hesitated. His duty was to go after Dooku. But his instincts, and the Force, were screaming at him to answer his apprentice's call. "I'll be there in a moment, Bail," he said and quickly crossed the room to answer the call. Anakin had already disconnected, so Obi-Wan swiftly reconnected, and returned his Padawan's call. There was no answer. Obi-Wan blinked and turned off the communicator. He stared down at it, murmuring, "It must not have been too important," before joining Bail in their hunt for Dooku.
Anakin could barely move. He could do nothing more than lie in his bed, staring at the ceiling.
He'd failed the Trials. It seemed impossible. He was Anakin Skywalker, the Chosen One. He would bring balance to the Force. How could he do that if he wasn't even a Jedi Knight?
The longer he laid in his bed, stewing over his imperfections, the causes of his failure, the angrier he got. He'd beaten the Sith, disarmed him and gone for a killing blow.
And struck Obi-Wan.
Fear assaulted him. Surely, that couldn't be a vision of the future. He wouldn't kill Obi-Wan, no matter how much he hated him.
Anakin blinked. Where had that thought come from? He didn't hate Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan was his master.
*And he failed you,* a voice inside him whispered. *He never wanted you. He took you on only because Qui-Gon made him promise.*
That was true at the beginning, Anakin reasoned. But Obi-Wan had grown to care for him. He taught him well.
*Then why did you fail the Trials?*
Anakin couldn't argue with the voice inside his head. Why had he failed the Trials? If Obi-Wan had taught him all he needed to know, why wasn't he a Knight?
*He wanted you to fail.*
Anakin shook his head, trying to push the little voice out of his ear. Obi-Wan did not want him to fail.
*He knew you would be better than he was. He knew you already were. He's holding you back!*
The voice surged forth with intensity and Anakin cried out. He jumped up from his bed. He needed to talk to someone, get his worries out. It couldn't be Padme; he wasn't ready to face his bride with his failure.
Obi-Wan, then. He could discuss his thoughts with his master, and he would tell him how baseless they were. Anakin nodded resolutely and headed for the long-distance communicator in the main room of his and Obi-Wan's quarters.
He quickly found his master's signal, and sent a message. He waited a moment. When Obi-Wan didn't answer, he sent another. When there was still no answer, Anakin sighed dejectedly. He had to talk to someone.
With a sudden idea, Anakin glanced at the clock. It was early yet, but after state business hours. He bit his lip. It would be highly improper, but he needed to talk to someone…
Purposefully, Anakin grabbed his cape and strode from the room. He needed to talk to someone. Who better than the wisest man on Coruscant?
*
Obi-Wan leaned back into the pillows of his sleep couch. It had been a long battle, but finally, they had driven the Separatists back. They'd begun the long task of taking back Dantooine.
Obi-Wan closed his eyes. Sleep would feel good after such a long few days. Just as he felt himself begin to drift off, the sound of his long-distance communicator buzzing jolted him awake.
Obi-Wan got up and headed for the communicator. It was Anakin, he could feel it. Probably with news that he had passed his Trials, proving Obi-Wan's fears were groundless. He would welcome the news.
Before he could reach the communicator, a short knock on his door announced a visitor's presence. Obi-Wan glanced between the door and the communicator, then strode to the door.
Bail Organa stood there, a triumphant grin on his face. "Obi-Wan, we know where Dooku is."
Obi-Wan returned the smile. At last, the war would die down, if not stop all together. He reached for his cloak and was about to go after Bail when his communicator buzzed again. Anakin.
Obi-Wan hesitated. His duty was to go after Dooku. But his instincts, and the Force, were screaming at him to answer his apprentice's call. "I'll be there in a moment, Bail," he said and quickly crossed the room to answer the call. Anakin had already disconnected, so Obi-Wan swiftly reconnected, and returned his Padawan's call. There was no answer. Obi-Wan blinked and turned off the communicator. He stared down at it, murmuring, "It must not have been too important," before joining Bail in their hunt for Dooku.