The Book of the Master and Padawan Part VII

"I'm dying."

"I am pretty sure you are not."

"No, Master," Bali sniffled as he laid his head back on the pillow. "I am dying."

Obi-Wan laughed gently as he pulled the warm covers up to the nine-year-old's chest. "You just have a case of the Kiberian flu."

The apprentice twisted in the covers and groaned softly. He sniffled before breaking up into a coughing fit. A whimper escaped from the pale boy with the irritated red eyes. He tugged on the blanket, shifting around to get comfortable.

Feeling sorry for his miserable apprentice, Obi-Wan sank to the edge of the sleep couch. "It will only last for a day or two." Gently he pressed his calloused hand to Bali's warm forehead. "You should be feeling better tomorrow."

"Not if I die first."

"Try not to be so optimistic, Padawan."

"Yes, Master."

Obi-Wan was treated by a little smile before Bali started coughing again. Then the apprentice curled up into a little ball on his side. The Jedi master adjusted the covers lightly then gently massaged the boy's small back, offering strength through their bond. Wishing he could do more to alleviate the apprentice's discomfort.

"Master?" Bali asked tiredly.

"Yes, Padawan?"

"Does this make me weak?"

"It is just the flu. You will be back to your old self in a few days."

"No, Master." Bali shifted so his weary green eyes met his master's. "Does getting sick make me a bad Jedi?"

Obi-Wan paused at the innocent question. "No, Padawan. It just proves you are mortal."

"Master?"

The master lightly brushed his fingers through the boy's short spiked hair. "If Jedi never became ill, there would be no healing center and Bant would have nothing to do but pester me."

Bali giggled, then coughed.

"You need to rest now, Padawan." Then offered a light sleep compulsion, after all, Bant had said Bali just needed a good night sleep and he would feel much better in the morning.

"Yes, Master." The boy sighed loudly and let his long lashed eyelids slide closed. He mumbled something between sniffles.

The little apprentice was going to be fine, Obi-Wan told himself. Bant had promised that it was just a short-lived case of the flu. Still the young master did not retreat from the sleeping boy. He thought he should be there just in case his padawan needed him.

Obi-Wan smiled at the thought: His padawan.

For a long time, he just studied the small form curled up next to him who shifted slightly in his sleep. Bali was just a little boy who depended on him to guide him to knighthood. Every lesson was fraught with worry. Obi-Wan was certain that he was not doing it right and yet, the apprentice seemed to be getting along all right. Bali struggled terribly with his studies and he had spent many hours working with the boy. Many of the apprentice's instructors had praised Bali's improvement.

Carefully, Obi-Wan found the thin padawan braid, partially tucked under Bali's chin and pulled it free allowing the ginger tip to lap over the light blue sleep tunic.

Bali sniffled and coughed before burrowing deeper into the covers.
"Yes, Master," the little boy murmured in dream.

____________________

The Book of Evil Plans

The shrouded figure of Darth Vengier glided into the lush office and quickly bowed before Sidious. "My Master," came the soft hiss.

The Sith master turned to face the kneeling figure. A sharp exhale of breath the only sound in the room. "Another attack on Senator Amidala would be too suspicious," the Sith reasoned out loud. "We will have to find another way to deal with her. For now, I have a new mission, my apprentice. Bail Organa will be returning shortly to Coruscant. "Apparently his diplomatic mission to the Aveniar has failed. You have come through your adventure well, my apprentice."

"I do only as I am told, Master."

"Yes." Sidious turned back to the rainy gray sky that had possessed so much attention earlier. "I am certain he will have a great many things to discuss with various committees about his mediations with the Aveniar. We cannot allow this. Besides, he had your properties and holdings confiscated in that whole clone debacle and you are dying to pay him back."

"Yes, my Master," Vengier's mechanized voice hissed.

Sidious moved to study the still kneeling figure. "You failed to kill Kenobi on Xim. Do so again and it will cost you your life. I am not in the mood for any more of your games Vengier."

There was a long silence as Sidious' attention fell back to the falling rain. From that vantagepoint the dark lord could clearly see the upper levels of the Jedi Temple. Sidious silently laughed, basking in the glow of plans finally coming to fruition. A few minor annoyances remained but they would soon be soundly dealt with.

If it had not been for intricate back up plans, the discovery of the clone factories several years ago would have permanently crippled the Sith. It was merely a stumbling block to overcome.

The enjoyment of the moment quickly ceased with a sharp pain. Sidious quickly pressed a gaunt hand against the wounded abdomen. Kenobi would pay dearly for this.

The lightsaber wound had been treated and the young physician that healed the injury had met with a most grisly fate. Vengier had eviscerated the young man and left his entrails spread about the primary entrance of the Senate building as a reminder of how dangerous and uncertain these times were.

Allowing a tendril of dark Force to reach out and brush the masked Sith's mind, Sidious relished in Vengier's brutal murder of the young man. The sound of the ginger haired healer begging for mercy rang playfully through the master's mind. Sidious tasted the blood lust that drove Vengier's need to wrap delicate fingers around the man's still beating heart and to crush it in a powerful grip. More so, it was the young Sith's need to mentally replace the healer's face with that of Kenobi's satisfying some dark desire.

Soon Sidious thought, Vengier would deliver a most prized heart. One of such strength that it still left the dark lord reeling. Sidious had not expected the Jedi to fight him so. Any other creature would have die at the lightest thought and yet Kenobi had lived.

Not for long.

Yet the dark lord had gained certain sought after information from the tortured Jedi's mind. Nochian Spex had not given him the prophecy.

Instead the dying Master prognosticator had delivered the information to Kenobi's padawan.

Sidious studied Vengier for a time while silently revising plans. The apprentice had turned out to be an adequate replacement for Maul. No one would be as good as Maul, Sidious admitted. The young man's lifetime had been spent grooming him for the battle with the Jedi. A battle that was inevitable, a battle the dark lord was certain Maul would win without question.

Then to be defeated by a mere Jedi padawan.

The Sith lord had never felt the fires of hate burn so brightly as it did that moment when the bond with the young Sith was severed.

For a little while, Darth Sidious had believed no living creature could know such hate. Forced to draw back into the shadows again to plot and plan. The first stage had been a partial success and had maneuvered the dark lord into a position of great authority and power. Stage two was quickly moving toward fruition. At least until that pesky padawan turned knight showed up and robbed Sidious of the clone factories. In the ruins of that plan the dark lord discovered another with as much hate boiling within, as there ever could be one.

"Rise, Vengier."

The masked Sith straightened but remained silent under Sidious' scrutiny.

Sidious turned back to the Coruscant skyline before speaking. "Our young Senator has provided us with an opportunity we shall not waste."

"Yes, Master."

News of Senator Amidala's desire to free young Skywalker's mother from slavery had sparked the dark lord's attention. The youth in Qui-Gon Jinn's care was moving closer to adulthood, more powerful with every passing day. Sidious could feel the Force flowing around Anakin Skywalker from halfway across the planet. Soon the boy would be ready to take his rightful place at the dark lord's side.

The anger and tenuous grip on the side of light was all the boy had left and Sidious' gentle stroking of the youth's jealousy was only bringing the youth closer to his eventual fall. Severing his bond from his mother would break that hold on the light.

The fall of the Jedi would all but be guaranteed with young Skywalker at the dark lord's side.

Soon Vengier would be replaced, but for now Vengier was adequate. The pain and need for revenge so powerful that Sidious was impressed enough to save that last dying spark, the one that pesky Jedi had nearly snuffed out years ago.

"Now, my apprentice, you will take care of Organa before he can cause me anymore trouble. I will also see to it that Kenobi and his padawan will be present. Deal with them."

"Yes, Master," Vengier bowed.

"Fail me again and I will take more than your identity from you."

____________________________

The Book of Menacing Conversations

Soft footsteps moved through Padmé's apartment until they stopped just before the grand window. Anakin exhaled deeply as he stared out into the rainy afternoon. His master had yet to return from the Temple.

He needed to apologize.

Anakin knew he should never have been so sharp with his master. Still he was uncertain at why he had acted so, bothered by the fact that he did not understand why he felt so irritated recently.

Of course, his dislike of his master's former apprentice had always been there, lurking like a dark shadow in the background. Qui-Gon never treated him poorly and had always gone out of his way to make him feel like he belonged. And yet, since Tarsis there was just something about how his master sometimesacted. Sometimes it was just a look. Other times it was how the master did not look at him. Seemingly distracted by some phantom of his past.

Anakin still hated the sadness that always crept into his master's aura at the mention of Obi-Wan Kenobi. He also sensed that his master held a lot of regret and wish for change, but at what expense?

No matter what, Anakin thought dully, he was not going to allow his master to do him the way he had done his former apprentice. As soon as Qui-Gon returned from the Temple he would speak with him. He would fix everything.

The young man sighed loudly as he stared out into the rain. Once, the falling water had amazed him, but now it just made him gloomy. He longed for warm sunlight and the familiar golden glow. Tired of the grayness he turned his attention back to the apartment. Briefly his gaze swept along the neat common room. It looked as if there had been no battle fought within the elegant chamber. An empty space drew his notice. There had been a small, beautiful table where only a void remained. It had been broken, he understood when Obi-Wan had been thrown against it.

It had been such a nice little table.

Something swelled within him that he could not quite place. Not that he really tried as his thoughts returned to the battle against the Sith, or more importantly, the attack on Padmé. It was mere luck that Obi-Wan and his padawan Bali had made it to the apartment to help her.

Of course he was grateful, he would never forgive himself if something had happened to his angel. Still, he hated that she was saved by them.

Anakin was not going to allow that to happen again. He had sworn to protect the young Senator and that he would do.

A slight warning on the Force drew the young man's attention toward the door before the potential intruder could sound the chime. Dully, Anakin watched as Sirceé magically appeared, quickly gliding across the common room to the door. The young Jedi allowed his hand to casually hover just above the silver cylinder at his belt. The assistant carefully checked the view screen.

In the moment of hesitation, Anakin sent a tendril of the Force out, reaching easily beyond the door and felt fear mingling with anger before vanishing into relief. He noted the strange mixture of emotions but also noted the apparent lack of concern by the guards, both Senate and Jedi alike.

Sight of Jira's blond locks brought up a frown as he returned his attention to the rainy day.

Sirceé spoke in a quick, soft tone, "The Senator is in a holo conference but she should be finished shortly." The hooded assistant motioned toward seating in the common room. "You are welcome to wait."

"Thank you," Jira said in a surprisingly soft voice.

Unmeaning to, Anakin brushed against Jira's mind. It was just as noisy and cluttered on the inside as the brightly dressed woman was on the outside. Just as he retreated to a safe distance he noticed somethinghidden. By the time he could react to it, the feeling was gone.

After Sirceé had left the room, Jira moved toward the semi circular couch in the center of the room and flopped into the firm cushioning. Roughly she pushed back her long hair and tried to calm her expression when her attention fell to Anakin watching the rain by the window.

"I wish they wouldn't schedule rain," Jira complained in a very chipper tone. "It just makes my hair go all frizzy and I can't do anything with it. You probably don't have that problem, being short and all." She broke up into none too soft giggles. "I mean your hair is short. You are actually quite tall. Does it run in your family?"

With his back toward the rambling woman Anakin rolled his eyes but made no attempt to answer, as Jira seemed to not need to catch her breath.

"Why is it they cut your hair like that? I would think that funny little tail thing on the back of your head would bother you."

Still Anakin watched the falling rain.

"Is that something just the kids have to wear?"

Anakin cringed.

"I mean that Master Jinn, he has his hair tied back. Well it is really long though."

She was giving him a headache.

"I have never seen a gray haired Jedi before. Of course I haven't seen too many Jedi before either."

Maybe he could use a Force compulsion to shut her up. Just as he started to turn, unperturbed by his silence, Jira continued.

"Of course I just love the color of Master Kenobi's hair. I've often seen him in the Chancellor's office. He has pretty, long eyelashes too. I like that." For a brief moment, she was mercifully silent. "He's not very friendly though. Do you know why?"

"Master Kenobi," Anakin began agitatedly but stopped. He noted Jira leaned forward slightly to better take in any secret he could offer her. Realizing just how much this loud, annoying, abrasive human being was really getting on his nerves an evil plan was quickly formed. If she annoyed him, then his master's precious ex-padawan would hate her. Offering Jira a warm smile, Anakin sat down on the chair across from her. "Master Kenobi," he began with a gentle tone, "is one of those strong silent types."

"Really?" Jira perked up.

"He's quite shy," Anakin said as he leaned forward to offer her a great secret. "He embarrasses really easy, but don't tell anyone I told you that," he whispered. "He thinks no one knows and hides behind that hard shell."

Jira nodded conspiratorially. "Do you know him well?"

"Since I was nine."

"Wow," Jira said with a bright gleam in her eyes. She leaned forward, half whispering as she spoke, "So what do you suggest I do to get his attention?"

Briefly Anakin felt sorry for the annoying blond, but she was making it too easy. "Be bold," he said evenly. "He respects that in women."

Jira pouted and looked confused. "I tried but I had this sudden urge to go file some reports and I don't remember what happened."

The Jedi apprentice smiled warmly, adding a small amount of Force compulsion to his words. "Just keep trying. The bolder the better."

"The bolder the better," she repeated.

"He can't help to ignore someone like you."

Jira blushed.

"You girls are having just to much fun in here," Padmé said with a laugh as she entered the room.

Anakin stood up quickly, a flush rising to his cheeks. "Senator."

Padmé ignored Anakin and turned his attention to Jira. "Miss Thelo?"

The woman rose and bowed slightly. "The gift is here," she said as she handed over a data pad and a card key.

Padmé started to smile but quickly found her composure. "Thank you very much."

The Jedi apprentice studied the two women, disturbed that he was out of the loop on some secret.

"The Chancellor is expecting me in the office shortly," Jira said before quickly retreating.

"Miss Thelo?"

"Yes, Senator?" Jira asked turning back.

"You will give the Chancellor my regards and I hope he is recovering from the Kiberian flu."

"I am sure he will be up and around in a day or so," Jira replied, then allowed her gaze to fall to Anakin. She smiled warmly. "Thank you, Jedi Skywalker. I will act on your advice."

Anakin bowed formally and watched the blond quickly exit the apartment.

For a few moments, Padmé seemed enthralled by the contents of the data pad. Then ever so slowly she focused her attention on the young man silently studying her. "That was a cruel thing to do," she said finally. "You should not set someone up like that."

"I do not think there is much that can upset her."

"I'm not talking about Jira."