Obi-wan entered the tiny room above the council chamber and looked around. He had once again beaten Mace and Yoda to the chamber. He settled himself into his customary chair. Instead of the contorted sprawl he usually worked himself into, he was leaning back half dozing. He heard the door open but didn't look up to verify the identity of the beings that entered. This was the most protected room in the temple. If someone unauthorized made it this far he was dead anyways.
"See! Told you I did, that beat us he would!" "Yes, Master Yoda I realize that. But I never said I disagreed with you!" Obi-wan chuckled at the antics of the two masters. They never changed. They always fought like a bonded couple. The argument continued at the masters remained oblivious to the knights amusements. "Disagree you did not! But agree with me you did not! Silent you remained!" "Yoda I nodded!" "Tell I could not that nodded you did. A sneeze I though that was." "Yoda I did not sneeze!" "Know that I do now!" At this Obi-wan was unable to contain his good humor and began to laugh out loud. That didn't affect the argument in the least. They were used to having Obi-wan start laughing at them. "See even Obi-wan thinks the idea of my sneezing is funny!" Mace yelled. Obi-wan sat up at that. "Hey now! Don't you start dragging me into your squabble! It is bad enough when I wind up in them from the beginning!" "A squabble this is not!" Yoda yelled at the same time that mace thundered, "We are NOT squabbling!" That set Obi-wan off again and he all but fell over laughing.
The two masters looked at the laughing knight with nonplused looks on there faces. They quickly began laughing even harder each time he looked up at the serious expression on their faces. When the knight began turning red and gasping from laughing, Yoda decided to take pity on him. "Good it is to see you laugh again Obi-wan." Mace nodded his agreement. "Yes you have been far to high-strung as of late." Obi-wan looked up and managed to get himself under control. "It's good to laugh again. There hasn't been much reason lately." The masters nodded. "True this is." Yoda replied. "Speak to you we must about the reason." Obi-wan sat down in the chair and leaned forward. "Yes?" Mace crossed the room from the doorway where they had been standing, to sit in the other human sized chair in the room. "We have a mission for you." Obi-wan sat back. "Yes?" "We need to send you with Master Jinn and Padawan Skywalker." Obi-wan raised an eyebrow." "why?" Mace smirked internally. That action alone showed the confidence the knight held in himself. Any other being even Obi-wan's erstwhile master would be too nervous in the face of the council to just lift and eyebrow and ask why they were being sent on a mission. He paused a moment and then explained. "We believe that your ability will be necessary. Obi-wan cocked his head. "Really?" "Yes really. We intend to tell Qui-gon at his council session in…" He checked his chrono. "Oh Bugger! In a few minutes!" Yoda wiggled his ears from his perch on his chair. "Go we should. Tell Jinn and Skywalker we will. Talk to you later Obi-wan I will." Obi-wan nodded. "Yes Master Yoda."
The two masters moved to the lift entrance leaving the same way they entered. Squabbling. "Why didn't you tell me what time it was?!" " Though you knew I did!" "Well Obviously not or …" The lift door closed on the argument. Obi-wan stared across the room thoughtfully. Why was he being sent on this mission really? He doubted it was solely because of his 'talent'. And why did Qui-gon want to talk to him? **Questions, questions. And not an answer in sight. Oh well only one thing to do. Wait and find out. Why do I think I will find out more than I wanted in ways I never imagined?**
Qui-gon stood in the middle of the chamber waiting to be told his next mission. But he was distracted. He couldn't help but wonder if Obi-wan would actually talk to him as he requested. They had been away so long that he had no way of predicting the knights actions. He had no clue as to how Obi-wan would react to such an odd request. A cough from Yoda brought him back to the here and now. He could worry about Obi-wan later. He was here for a reason. He forced all thoughts of Obi-wan from his mind and focused on Yoda. But it was not the green master that spoke. It was Mace. "We have a mission for you." Qui-gon looked the dark skinned master in the eye. "Yes?" "We need you and your Padawan to guard Senator Amidala. She is believed to be in danger." Qui-gon digested this. "Who is believed to have threatened her?" Adi Gallia spoke up. "The Chancellor believes it to be miners form the moons of Naboo. We agree with him on this." Qui-gon noticed an odd look passing between Mace and Yoda at that comment. Adi continued, "But the Senator believes it to be Count Dooku." Qui-gon was surprised at that. "Did you tell her he is a former Jedi" Mace answered that question. "Yes we did, but she does not take our word for it." "Will we be assigned to find out who is behind the attacks?" "Peripherally. The Jedi assigned to work with you will also have a mandate to find out who is behind the attacks. And you will be able to help him. However your primary mandate is to protect the Senator." Qui-gon nodded. " May I ask who will be assigned with us?" Yoda spoke up. "Decided we have not. Know you will when he arrives. Until then dismissed you are." Qui-gon bowed as did Anakin. The both walked out.
After exiting the chambers Anakin turned to Qui-gon. "Who do you think will work with us?" "I don't know pad wan. But I hope whoever it is can work with us." Anakin looked up at Qui-gon, though it was a much smaller distance up than it was at 9 when he first saw his master. "Why wouldn't they work with us?" Qui-gon turned and began heading toward their quarters. "Because, Anakin, the majority of the temple does not particularly like me." Anakin followed. "Why is that Master?" "Because I am something of a rogue. But mostly because of how I treated Obi-wan. He is very respected here. Especially now." They stopped and waited for a lift. "Why now Master?" Qui-gon smiled sadly. "Because he has become something of a hero. He's been out on the outer rim working undercover. He has managed to root out more potential problems that anyone realized existed. And in doing this he has save the galaxy much strife. And now that he has been called home…" Anakin broke in. "Called home? I thought his mission was just up." " No Anakin. After much debate the council decided that Obi-wan was too much at risk. The called him home in the middle of and operation." "Why?" "That my young apprentice is a question that only the council, and Obi-wan know the answer to." They boarded the lift and headed down 12 floors. "Now we had best get our selves together and get ready for this mission." Anakin sighed. "Yes Master."
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Sidious looked at his console and laughed. **Send Jinn and Skywalker eh? Little good it will do them. Though I suppose they thought they were being very clever sending two of them to do the work of one Jedi.** The dark shrouded figure leaned back in his chair. Every thing was going to plan. All he had left to do was sit back and wait. The darkness was growing. All that was left was taking out the trash. Little did the Sith lord know that a wrench was about to be tossed into his plans. While the dark was growing strong, so was the light. And it is in the nature of light to disperse darkness.
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EEPS! I'm sorry it took so long for this chapter to come out. Darth Real Life attacked with a vengeance. So I have been a bit tied up. I want to thank everyone who reviewed any of my stories. You guys are the reason I keep writing. With out feedback my stories have a tendency to die. But have no fear the series will be completed. I have several people on TF.N that would hunt me down if I ever stopped writing these. So as you can see it is in my best interest to keep writing. Till the next time I have free time. Thanks all!
~Meri