The Kenobi Underground

Part V

Framing Motives

…………………………

He watched his fellow padawans practically dance together with blades humming past flesh/scales/leathery hide, crackling against each other and sometimes, though it was rare, disengaged from its owner's hand. Everyone was rather intense.

He walked the hall, peeking in on each. His master had been called up to Council and, oddly enough, he hadn't been brought along. It was Qui-Gon's duty to show him how things worked within and without the Jedi. He'd been in those meetings before, however, and took this time of respite to heart.

"Padawan Kenobi," came a voice he didn't know, perhaps only in an echo of a memory, but not much more than that. He turned to see a femalesque figure standing rigid and perfect before him in the hall, "You're Qui-Gon Jinn's apprentice?"

"Yes, I am," he answered simply.

"I'm Cynn. You and I have been paired for this coming trial."

"Really," he started, face neutral as ever, "How do you know?"

"I just came from the postings," she answered without much flurish, "Are you busy? Would you mind a romp in a salle to prepare?"

"Actually, I'm waiting for my master to be dismissed from Council."

"Ah, yes. The Masters are being called together. Mine is with Council as well."

"Do you know how long they will be?" he queried.

"For half the day."

Obi-Wan frowned at this, though he knew he shouldn't. He supposed he would have just meditated or practiced a kata if he knew this an hour before.

"Well?" came her monotone voice through his thoughts.

She sent off these vibes that were strange. She seemed to be looking toward him, but not at him. He shifted slightly to the left. Her eyes did not follow. Was she blind? He blinked.

"You think you can defeat me just because I'm blind?"

He started at her question, mouth opened to retort or explain.

Then came a wry smile from her, "Don't get so uptight, Padawan Kenobi. Either you want to prepare for next week or you do not."

His stubborn streak sparked in him at her curt words, "Let's get to it."

"Yes. Let's," she stated, stepping around him and to an unoccupied salle. She threw the shielded door shut as soon as he entered. He only tensed, forcing himself to relax.

She shrugged her robe off and laid it neatly on the floor, while Kenobi did the same.

---

"Are you confident she can be trusted?" the High Okew's voice filtered from the other side of the bench.

Lore considered this, thinking on the odd encounter she'd had with the esteemed albeit laconic padawan.

"You waited too long to answer. You do have doubts."

"No, it's not that, High Okew."

"Then what?"

Lore's response was automated, "She just might have some ulterior motive."

"Such… as?"

"I'm not quite sure. I know she's trustworthy in the fact that she'll keep our existance secret, but she wouldn't have taken the job out of the kindness of her heart."

"Then what? Did you ask why?"

"Yes, but she didn't answer."

"Couldn't we have gotten someone else? Could we still get someone else?"

"No," the padawan cut the other short, "She's the only one who's immune to these kind of charms."

"Ah, but Kenobi is singular in that respect."

"So is Cynn."

"You had better be right, Lore, or the Order will be destroyed forever if not maimed terribly."

"I know," she breathed, looking out onto the expanse of the pond, dimly lit for night had fallen.

---

Kenobi grinned as he disarmed his opponent. He was a bad one at that. He had some sort of talent for it.

The look on her expressive face was priceless.

"We'll try that again, Kenobi," she grounded out, retrieving her sabre with a Force call.

"You are a worthy sparring partner, Padawan Cynn," he commented, "Don't be discouraged. It's just a habit of mine. "

"…see about that," she mumbled, igniting the blade once more.

Sweat glistening across their skin, the two began the combat, offense, defense, tactical, called katas. Kenobi found himself closing his eyes, taking in the hue of the Force, submersing himself in it. He'd done this a few times before, but with this blind competitor, he found himself curious as to how much more in tune one must have to be in order to do it all of the time and still be this successful.

"You're cheating," he heard her say over the sound of the two blades as they collided, locked. They were both only a few inches from the weapons.

His eyes had been shut for so long that he forgot to open them at her words, "How so?"

She growled. Right? That sounded like one, "You have your eyes closed, Padawan Kenobi."

"So?"

"Why?"

And she pulled back, he could sense the next swing better than he could have seen it coming, blocking it, "I'm learning, Padawan Cynn. I'm not cheating."

Cynn jerked her conciousness from the Force for a moment, seeing Kenobi now in his almost placid expression and as the braid stuck to the 'legendary sweat' on his throat. She took a leap to the side, dropping to a knee, blocking an aggressive attack, using her leverage to shove him back.

That was one thing he wasn't expecting, opening his eyes as he swallowed some air and stepped back, taking his defensive stance, meeting diamond coloured eyes staring right back into his. He blinked.

Mistake.

And she had his lightsabre across the salle, hitting a wall within a moment.

He followed its descent and then shot her a glare, "You cheated."

She found a grin saturating her mouth, "It's a habit."

"But you looked," he almost accused her, feeling silly suddenly, keeping laughter under his breath.

"I'm learning," she retorted, charging down her sabre.

"We'll see about that," and the smile that came to his face made her falter.

"Sith," she muttered.

---

"I heard the new frame's been made."

"It is. It's blue this time, new picture."

"How much?"

"You've got to be kidding. You need some sort of reservations for it."

"Come on. Can't you just…"

"No, I'm sorry."
"Listen, I've been suspended. I need this to tie me over. I'll pay extra."

"It's a special series, limited edition Kenobi holoframe. You have to understand…"

Padawan Bekki breathed with a nod, "Alright. Do you have anything else left?"

"Not much. After the fright the intelligence compromise brought, everyone went stellar and bought what they could."

Bekki groaned, "Great."

"Well, we do have the drinking mug, but you bought that last revolution."

She considered this, staring at Okew Vender Liro who wore a classic Kenobi cap from three revolutions previous, finally giving in, "Alright, alright. I want it. How much?"