Obi-Wan stood calmly in front of the Council. The child in his arms,
Juliet's child, didn't move, didn't fidget or cry out. It seemed as though
she understood, although she was less than a year old, the importance of
this hearing. He glanced down at her and, having thought she was asleep,
was startled to see her intense emerald eyes staring at him. Again, he
reminded himself to focus, not to let this one get screwed up.
".the importance of this child to you, however, we cannot be sure that this has not affected your judgment," Mace Windu was saying.
"Bant tested her, and Qui-Gon as well. She has been approved for training," Obi-Wan said, trying not to sound too passionate. It was a challenge.
"Perhaps train her you would if not read she was," Yoda said.
"I would do no such thing. Simply because she's important to me does not mean I would train her if she was not ready. That would only hurt and humiliate her." Obi-Wan searched for words, anything to convince the Council.
Mace Windu leaned forward intensely. "Obi-Wan, please try to understand. We know how close you were to your Padawan, but we cannot allow that to affect the training of this girl."
"I won't tell her, if you want," Obi-Wan offered. After all, he could just be taking an interest. Taking an interest didn't make you a parent's former master, didn't mean you were the child's godfather.
"But still take an interest, you would," Yoda said, his eyes wide and penetrating. Obi-Wan was not ready to back down, not now, not ever.
"Master Yoda, with all do respect, I remember Master Tahl taking an interest in Bant. Does that mean that Master Tahl was Bant's godmother?" Obi-wan retorted, as much as he dared retort. Mace sighed and looked at Yoda.
"You can see how this is a very difficult issue Obi-Wan. We understand that you were very hurt when your Padawan died--" why wouldn't he use her name, Obi-Wan wondered "--but this child is not her. I believe your judgment may be affected--"
"Obi!" Mace fell silent, and all eyes fell on tha child.
"You said she could not speak," Plo Koon said accusingly.
"She hasn't spoken before, Master," Obi-Wan said, just as surprised to hear the young girl's voice ring out. She looked up at him with those emerald eyes.
"Thinking right!" she said. Obi-Wan smiled at her.
"Well, I don't suppose her opinion matters much, does it?" Obi-Wan asked, trying not to beam at the child.
"Perhaps it would not hurt to train her," Mace said, somehow convinced by the child's shriek.
"Yes. Train her we will, but tell her you must not. Learn to keep your tongue, you will. As will she."
Once he was alone, Obi-Wan began punching the air in a sad recreation of Juliet's victory dance. Some of the other Padawans saw him, and they laughed. Anza laughed, too, and baffled the masters for the first of many times in her life.
".the importance of this child to you, however, we cannot be sure that this has not affected your judgment," Mace Windu was saying.
"Bant tested her, and Qui-Gon as well. She has been approved for training," Obi-Wan said, trying not to sound too passionate. It was a challenge.
"Perhaps train her you would if not read she was," Yoda said.
"I would do no such thing. Simply because she's important to me does not mean I would train her if she was not ready. That would only hurt and humiliate her." Obi-Wan searched for words, anything to convince the Council.
Mace Windu leaned forward intensely. "Obi-Wan, please try to understand. We know how close you were to your Padawan, but we cannot allow that to affect the training of this girl."
"I won't tell her, if you want," Obi-Wan offered. After all, he could just be taking an interest. Taking an interest didn't make you a parent's former master, didn't mean you were the child's godfather.
"But still take an interest, you would," Yoda said, his eyes wide and penetrating. Obi-Wan was not ready to back down, not now, not ever.
"Master Yoda, with all do respect, I remember Master Tahl taking an interest in Bant. Does that mean that Master Tahl was Bant's godmother?" Obi-wan retorted, as much as he dared retort. Mace sighed and looked at Yoda.
"You can see how this is a very difficult issue Obi-Wan. We understand that you were very hurt when your Padawan died--" why wouldn't he use her name, Obi-Wan wondered "--but this child is not her. I believe your judgment may be affected--"
"Obi!" Mace fell silent, and all eyes fell on tha child.
"You said she could not speak," Plo Koon said accusingly.
"She hasn't spoken before, Master," Obi-Wan said, just as surprised to hear the young girl's voice ring out. She looked up at him with those emerald eyes.
"Thinking right!" she said. Obi-Wan smiled at her.
"Well, I don't suppose her opinion matters much, does it?" Obi-Wan asked, trying not to beam at the child.
"Perhaps it would not hurt to train her," Mace said, somehow convinced by the child's shriek.
"Yes. Train her we will, but tell her you must not. Learn to keep your tongue, you will. As will she."
Once he was alone, Obi-Wan began punching the air in a sad recreation of Juliet's victory dance. Some of the other Padawans saw him, and they laughed. Anza laughed, too, and baffled the masters for the first of many times in her life.