This part of the story takes place six years after the first part, which
was mainly a flashback. I was going to just leave the story the way it
was, but I decided I'd play with it and see what happens. Please let me
know what you think of it. - Tryphaena
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Once again she had been cold and uncaring, mean and resentful. Again, she had felt the satisfaction of seeing his face drop, and that frown appear. She smiled a wicked smile as his eyes flamed with fury. She laughed as he turned away, his face hot with anger, and watched as he stormed away, as usual . . . * * *
Friends. That is what they are. She knew there was no other name for their relationship, but she couldn't help feel that the title was not right. I didn't seem to fit her portrayal of their companionship, it just seemed wrong to call them friends.
Although they had come a long way from that first day he had arrived, some things were not so different. Even now, she could take pleasure in seeing him squirm and not feel guilty. She wondered why he still tried.
If she were truly his friend, why would she have constant pangs of envy? Why was it so difficult for her to accept his sudden arrival and acceptance in a place that she had devoted her whole existence and energy to? These questions perplexed her, and pained her to think of. She knew her feelings were not right, especially for someone who had dedicated their whole to a life of peace. Someone dedicated to a life that forbids such feelings, especially to another person of the Jedi Order.
Raina was quite certain that he knew nothing of her evil thoughts and feelings. She had hid them quite well from day one, and she planned on keeping it that way. She could be cruel, but somehow she knew he didn't take it personally, though he very much should.
She had never been punished by the Jedi Masters and she planned on keeping it that way. Or else she would have to admit to her feelings, which would cause more drama than anyone needed. Especially her and Anakin Skywalker, they did not need it.
Six years had passed and she wondered why she still held these feelings towards her partner in training. By now she should have outgrown her sudden outbursts and occasional nasty looks. Raina just could not help herself; it was an involuntary action that she had not yet learned how to restrain. It seemed that whenever Anakin arrived in the vicinity she would get pissed off, and no matter how hard she tried to fight these feelings she could not win.
How could someone hold a grudge this long? She wasn't sure of that herself, all she knew was that she couldn't hold these feelings of hate any longer. She couldn't hate someone who had only been nice to her since they had first met. Raina wasn't going to be that girl anymore.
~
Since day one, Anakin had put his all into his training and had gotten really good at his technique. She had noticed immediately that he had a lot of talent and he was very precise before he executed any move.
He had surpassed her expectations the very first time they sparred during defense training. Anakin had never slowed down, or diminished in ability. He excelled in class, proving his admittance to be the right decision by the council.
There was no question in her mind as to why she disliked Anakin half of the time, she was just surprised that she had not outgrown her feelings long ago.
Maybe it was because she didn't want to lose her place as the best, or because she couldn't let Anakin out do her. But whatever the reason, she had worked harder in training and her masters had noticed the difference in her. She was working harder, doing better, and trying things that she would've not dared to do before. She had proven herself quite nicely and was now a prime candidate for apprenticeship. All of this was due to Anakin.
Raina was stronger, faster, wiser and more skillful. As much as she hated to admit it, and probably never would to anyone, if Anakin had not come to the temple she would be nowhere as good as she was today.
Once again she was caught up in her problem and she hadn't realized that she was being spoken to. There was a soft nudge on her side, and she glanced in that direction to see two dark blue, piercing eyes staring back. Instead of looking away as she usually did, Raina gazed back intently. She hadn't realized that she was staring so long until she heard a voice from in front of her.
For a moment her eyes darted around in a confused fashion before she realized where she was. The short figure stood before her, and she had to look down to get a good view of him. "Distracted are we?" Yoda said quizzically. She grew hot with embarrassment and shook her head. "Good, pay attention now, please Miss. Jules." She nodded her head in reply as she watched Master Yoda waddled away.
She glanced at Anakin and found that he had a small grin on his face. "You," she said pointing at her unignited lightsaber at him. "Shut up." Which caused him to laugh quietly, and then their lesson began again.
~
Raina slowly made her way to the student hall. Her class had just ended and she had some time to spare before the next instruction of the day. But she didn't want to spend it with her friends, she needed time to think, time to think about Anakin and her predicament.
Settling herself in a quiet corner, she closed her eyes and blocked out the noise of her friends laughing in the distance. She sighed trying to release her tension and drifted into her thoughts.
For as long as she could remember, she had resented Anakin. It was because he was so good and talented, and she was jealous of him. That was it, plain and simple.
Her actions today had struck her as odd. When she had looked into Anakin's eyes, she hadn't turned away. She had let her eyes linger on him and for an unbelievable reason . . . she liked what she saw.
The boy she had hated since she had met suddenly seemed different in her eyes. Raina had never looked at Anakin in any other way, not until today. Today, she looked at him with interest and she had noticed things she had never seen before. Like how intense Anakin's stare was. She felt as if he could read her thoughts and know exactly what he was thinking with his piercing eyes. In those few moments she had drowned in his dark blue eyes, and she was scared that she would never make it back to reality.
The sound of light sneaky feet caught her attention and she knew who it was. She knew what he was going to do, because he had tried time and again to scare her. She was just too clever to fall for it because she had been able to identify his presence long ago. Careful not to grant him the satisfaction of her surprise, she acted as if he was not there and shielded her thoughts out of anticipation; he would most likely attempt to read her thoughts. Raina wouldn't let that happen.
He obviously assumed that she was meditating, which was kind of silly. Anakin of all people knew that during meditation, one was significantly attuned with the force, making it probable that they could sense anything and everything around them. That little fact must have slipped his mind.
Raina anticipated his attack, and for as long as she had known Anakin, he had always been quite predictable. Her ears strained to hear his feathery footsteps, and listened as he drew closer and closer until finally he stood at her side. By now she knew his plan and she considered what her action would be. After a moment of thought she knew.
She sensed his arm move slowly towards her; and his eyes fixed on her, and he was ready to laugh at her reaction. Before he could grab her collar, and with her eyes tightly shut her hand shot up and grabbed his wrist. With one graceful and swift movement she stood and turned his arm so it was pinned to his back. He gasped quietly as she held him in place, and before he knew what was happening, Anakin was on the ground fighting back Raina as she tickled his ribs.
Years of knowing Anakin had finally paid off. She knew his weaknesses and his strengths as well as she knew her own, and his ticklishness was one of them. She attacked all of the right spots mercilessly and he couldn't fight back because he was overtaken by laughter. His chuckling intensified along with the volume of his voice, and soon the duo had attracted the attention of several people passing by. They all stopped what they were doing to see the absurd sight before them; Raina had pinned a howling Anakin to the ground. The laughter erupted quickly and soon Raina and Anakin realized that they had an audience. Raina's forcefulness had diminished and she sat up slowly, followed by a defeated Anakin, they watched as the crowd quieted down and slowly dispersed. Soon the two were left alone in the corner and they exploded with laughter.
But their delight was ended with a dull hello from somebody standing before them. Raina gazed at the head secretary who had a bemused look engraved on her face. She waited impatiently as the two stood quickly and adjusted themselves to appear suitable to their visitor, who apparently wanted something.
"Miss. Jules, Mr. Skywalker." She addressed them with regret in her voice. "You seem to be having fun this afternoon." She stated rather than questioned. As Raina politely listened to Corrine, she noticed that her left eye twitched slightly and that could not be good. After a few seconds of silence, she realized that Corrine was expecting some sort of explanation.
"We're terribly sorry ma'am." Anakin apologized quickly, cutting Raina off. "I was trying to startle Raina, but she knew what I was going to do and turned the joke to me. We lost control of ourselves and had not realized the commotion we were causing." He smiled meekly after that, and apparently his story had been sold to Corrine. The lines on her forehead softened slightly, and her lips parted as the beginning of a smile. But before she could, she stopped herself and the stern look returned.
"We shall let it go this time. But do not do this again." Her eyes darted between the two and Corrine remembered the reason she had come. "Now. You two have been asked to meet with Master Kenobi immediately concerning . . . Well, he will tell you what this is about. Let us hurry now, we are already off schedule." She nodded in the direction they were to go and started her brisk walk.
The two stood there for a moment, looking at each other questionably, they then realized that Corrine was far ahead of them and they followed her as quickly as they could. Whatever this was about it had to be pretty important. It did save them from severe punishment though, so Raina blocked it from her mind and reflected on what had just happened.
A giggle escaped from her mouth causing Anakin to look at her curiously, she shrugged and laughed a little louder. He nudged her before doing the same. At that moment Raina realized that she hadn't had any feelings of dislike towards Anakin all day, and it set off more giggles from her. She was very happy and she wanted to stay that way.
~
The Jedi Temple was huge and it took the three of them at least ten minutes to get to the Council room, which was all the way across the temple from where they had come. The whole way Raina had teased Anakin how easily she had overtaken him, pinned him down, and embarrassed him in front of a lot of people. He laughed along with her and at one point his face had turned hot with embarrassment, which caused another outburst from her.
Corrine had turned around twice with a disapproving look on her face. Which only silenced them for a short while before they started up again.
As they neared the more important part of the temple, where the real business took place, she stopped them. "Do I have to tell you to be quiet?" She asked sternly. They shook their heads compliantly, "Good, because I was not expecting you two to behave like this! Especially at your age and rank. Now please quiet down, there are several meetings going on as we speak." Her voice quieted to a whisper and she let her stare linger to show Anakin and Raina that she meant business.
But as soon as she turned around, the two giggled quietly. Raina had to admit that this afternoon had been fun, and it didn't bother her that her companion was Anakin. She was starting to wonder why she had disliked him for so long. But she quickly disapproved of that thought, and pushed it out of her mind.
As they neared the large dark blue, trimmed in gold, double doors ahead, Obi-wan Kenobi appeared from the left of them and Corrine dismissed herself quickly. Raina watched him approach and noted how comfortable and regal he looked. He was growing his hair and a beard and she thought it suited him well.
Though he looked comfortable in his garments, his face seemed tense and his eyes showed he was troubled about something. His shoulders were rigid and his smile wasn't as friendly as he meant it to be. She glanced at Anakin who seemed to notice the anxiety and worry that his master projected.
The aura troubled Raina and without warning she received a telepathic thought from Anakin. 'Something's up wait for him to tell us or it'll only annoy him more'. She shifted her weight and nodded her head in reply. Anybody could understand the seriousness of this situation, and she wasn't going to embarrass herself again today.
"Hello Raina, Anakin." Obi-wan addressed them stiffly, "By now you have guessed that this is . . . unusual." He paused with uncertainty, and then cleared his throat "We have been called upon by the council with a special request. They have asked that we solve a quite mysterious case that has taken place on-"
For as long as She had known Obi-wan, Raina had never seen him so distressed and anxious. He had always been a man she admired and respected, and seeing him like this bothered her greatly. It wasn't normal to see the people she looked up to in times of immorality and trouble. Inside it bothered her, but she didn't speak. Not the right time.
She knew that Anakin felt her stress; he seemed attuned with everything around them. And the air was full of tension and unhappiness, and the worst part was that she had no idea why. But she knew that something bad was happening in the galaxy, something very bad.
It seemed that the more she fretted she felt a comforting ambiance, and it was coming from Anakin. He was there by her side feeling her heartache, and trying to make it go away. Soothing her as best he could, without being noticeable to anyone. She was startled to find this and she had no indication as to why he was behaving this way.
Why would he treat her, of all people so nicely? When all she had ever been to him, was unpleasant and temperamental. It was then that she knew his friendship was true to her, and it caused her more guilt and pain. He didn't deserve her nasty treatment, and she didn't deserve his affection.
There was a commotion growing from behind the large doors, and the three of them could sense the tension. "Uh, The Council has asked that we travel to Abhor and try solve some strange disappearances. Of course, the Council will explain in more detail as I have only heard a piece of the whole story." He ended this way and the three stood quietly for at least a minute.
"What exactly are we waiting for Master?" Anakin inquired, because it was odd the way there were waiting. He didn't need to ask, he just wanted to hear what Obi-wan had to say.
"For the council to calm . . . for them to call us in, now be patient." Again they stood in silence for another minute when finally the large doors opened. A tall figure immerged with a blank look on his face that was all it took for everyone to realize that something was not right.
"Please join us, we must talk about this . . . complicated matter." His voice was dull but you could detect a slight hint of ire. His eyes were cloudy, his body as stiff as Obi-wan's had been.
"Of course, Master Windu." He turned away when Obi-wan finished speaking, and then he followed him into the room. They didn't need to be told, they just followed as expected.
Raina's mind raced with concern and question, events such as these rarely occurred, especially none that involved her. She followed Anakin soundlessly, not knowing what to expect behind those doors.
The room was quite dark, which was unusual. The large, spotless windows were covered with shades, but there was a small glow coming from the far corner of the council room. The plain and quaint chairs were positioned at their regular place, along the curvature of the room, which left a large, open space in the heart of the room.
Master Windu took his place alongside Master Yoda without saying a word to any of the three. Master Kenobi made his way to the center, so that everyone could see and hear him. But, as to custom and rule, the two young Jedi stayed back behind until they were called upon.
The room was indescribably silent for far too long before anybody addressed the situation.
"We have called upon you three, to go on a unusual and highly confidential mission." Boomed Mace Windu, killing the silence in the room. "There is a lot at stake, especially with so little an amount of information that we have access to." He paused and shut his eyes slowly, as if deep in thought.
Raina looked up at Anakin, who looked very confused and yet interested at the same time. She turned her attention back to the silence of the conversation.
"What we know is . . . very little, and if accurate, information. There had been a large number of reported disappearances on the virtually unknown planet of Abhor. We have reason to believe that a malicious cult, that could be linked to the Sith, is behind these abductions. All we know for sure, is that these disappearances happen at night, but not to any specific gender, race or life form." The words spoken struck hard, "What we need are highly capable spies to find out all they can, and infiltrate any bases or lairs that are linked to the case."
Raina stood in complete shock. She had no idea that it would be this serious.
"Now, do you accept this mission." Mace stated, although Obi-wan had no choice but to accept. It wasn't a question, it was an order.
"Yes." Obi-wan answered seriously. "Why have you chosen these two to accompany me?" he added, referring to Anakin and Raina.
"As we speak, all the Jedi are spread across the galaxy on their own assignments. We know that it would be very difficult for you to handle this alone. It wouldn't be impossible, but we want to encounter this safely." Mace replied.
"Chosen, we have, Anakin Skywalker and Raina Jules." Yoda spoke up unexpectedly; he had been quiet throughout the whole explanation. "Shown a great deal of talent and ability, these two have. Ready, they are."
"When will we be departing Master?" Obi-wan questioned. She strained her ears to hear this.
"Tomorrow morning. If we sent you now, you would arrive on Abhor at nightfall. We don't want anything to happen to you before you have a chance to divulge some clues." Master Windu explained.
"Much to be done, there is. Prepare, you must." Yoda told the three. "Any other questions, have you?"
Everyone looked towards Raina and Anakin who had been silent for the duration of this meeting. Of course they had questions, but none that mattered to the Council. They would simply ask Master Kenobi as he got more information.
"No Master." They spoke simultaneously.
"Very well then. We will call you before you depart. Have a good evening." Mace dismissed. They bowed and moved aside, waiting for Master Kenobi to exit the room first, out of respect then followed him to the small lounge.
He stopped and was silent for a few moments. "You two are going to need a lot of rest. Pack your things and meet me at 7:00 in the dinner hall, we will discuss this then. He bowed and so did they and then he left the two alone and confused.
Everything had happened so fast all day; they didn't know what to expect next.
~ There is part II of Jealousy, and this chapter is quite a change from the first. Please Review, so I'll know whether or not to continue writing. Thanx!
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Once again she had been cold and uncaring, mean and resentful. Again, she had felt the satisfaction of seeing his face drop, and that frown appear. She smiled a wicked smile as his eyes flamed with fury. She laughed as he turned away, his face hot with anger, and watched as he stormed away, as usual . . . * * *
Friends. That is what they are. She knew there was no other name for their relationship, but she couldn't help feel that the title was not right. I didn't seem to fit her portrayal of their companionship, it just seemed wrong to call them friends.
Although they had come a long way from that first day he had arrived, some things were not so different. Even now, she could take pleasure in seeing him squirm and not feel guilty. She wondered why he still tried.
If she were truly his friend, why would she have constant pangs of envy? Why was it so difficult for her to accept his sudden arrival and acceptance in a place that she had devoted her whole existence and energy to? These questions perplexed her, and pained her to think of. She knew her feelings were not right, especially for someone who had dedicated their whole to a life of peace. Someone dedicated to a life that forbids such feelings, especially to another person of the Jedi Order.
Raina was quite certain that he knew nothing of her evil thoughts and feelings. She had hid them quite well from day one, and she planned on keeping it that way. She could be cruel, but somehow she knew he didn't take it personally, though he very much should.
She had never been punished by the Jedi Masters and she planned on keeping it that way. Or else she would have to admit to her feelings, which would cause more drama than anyone needed. Especially her and Anakin Skywalker, they did not need it.
Six years had passed and she wondered why she still held these feelings towards her partner in training. By now she should have outgrown her sudden outbursts and occasional nasty looks. Raina just could not help herself; it was an involuntary action that she had not yet learned how to restrain. It seemed that whenever Anakin arrived in the vicinity she would get pissed off, and no matter how hard she tried to fight these feelings she could not win.
How could someone hold a grudge this long? She wasn't sure of that herself, all she knew was that she couldn't hold these feelings of hate any longer. She couldn't hate someone who had only been nice to her since they had first met. Raina wasn't going to be that girl anymore.
~
Since day one, Anakin had put his all into his training and had gotten really good at his technique. She had noticed immediately that he had a lot of talent and he was very precise before he executed any move.
He had surpassed her expectations the very first time they sparred during defense training. Anakin had never slowed down, or diminished in ability. He excelled in class, proving his admittance to be the right decision by the council.
There was no question in her mind as to why she disliked Anakin half of the time, she was just surprised that she had not outgrown her feelings long ago.
Maybe it was because she didn't want to lose her place as the best, or because she couldn't let Anakin out do her. But whatever the reason, she had worked harder in training and her masters had noticed the difference in her. She was working harder, doing better, and trying things that she would've not dared to do before. She had proven herself quite nicely and was now a prime candidate for apprenticeship. All of this was due to Anakin.
Raina was stronger, faster, wiser and more skillful. As much as she hated to admit it, and probably never would to anyone, if Anakin had not come to the temple she would be nowhere as good as she was today.
Once again she was caught up in her problem and she hadn't realized that she was being spoken to. There was a soft nudge on her side, and she glanced in that direction to see two dark blue, piercing eyes staring back. Instead of looking away as she usually did, Raina gazed back intently. She hadn't realized that she was staring so long until she heard a voice from in front of her.
For a moment her eyes darted around in a confused fashion before she realized where she was. The short figure stood before her, and she had to look down to get a good view of him. "Distracted are we?" Yoda said quizzically. She grew hot with embarrassment and shook her head. "Good, pay attention now, please Miss. Jules." She nodded her head in reply as she watched Master Yoda waddled away.
She glanced at Anakin and found that he had a small grin on his face. "You," she said pointing at her unignited lightsaber at him. "Shut up." Which caused him to laugh quietly, and then their lesson began again.
~
Raina slowly made her way to the student hall. Her class had just ended and she had some time to spare before the next instruction of the day. But she didn't want to spend it with her friends, she needed time to think, time to think about Anakin and her predicament.
Settling herself in a quiet corner, she closed her eyes and blocked out the noise of her friends laughing in the distance. She sighed trying to release her tension and drifted into her thoughts.
For as long as she could remember, she had resented Anakin. It was because he was so good and talented, and she was jealous of him. That was it, plain and simple.
Her actions today had struck her as odd. When she had looked into Anakin's eyes, she hadn't turned away. She had let her eyes linger on him and for an unbelievable reason . . . she liked what she saw.
The boy she had hated since she had met suddenly seemed different in her eyes. Raina had never looked at Anakin in any other way, not until today. Today, she looked at him with interest and she had noticed things she had never seen before. Like how intense Anakin's stare was. She felt as if he could read her thoughts and know exactly what he was thinking with his piercing eyes. In those few moments she had drowned in his dark blue eyes, and she was scared that she would never make it back to reality.
The sound of light sneaky feet caught her attention and she knew who it was. She knew what he was going to do, because he had tried time and again to scare her. She was just too clever to fall for it because she had been able to identify his presence long ago. Careful not to grant him the satisfaction of her surprise, she acted as if he was not there and shielded her thoughts out of anticipation; he would most likely attempt to read her thoughts. Raina wouldn't let that happen.
He obviously assumed that she was meditating, which was kind of silly. Anakin of all people knew that during meditation, one was significantly attuned with the force, making it probable that they could sense anything and everything around them. That little fact must have slipped his mind.
Raina anticipated his attack, and for as long as she had known Anakin, he had always been quite predictable. Her ears strained to hear his feathery footsteps, and listened as he drew closer and closer until finally he stood at her side. By now she knew his plan and she considered what her action would be. After a moment of thought she knew.
She sensed his arm move slowly towards her; and his eyes fixed on her, and he was ready to laugh at her reaction. Before he could grab her collar, and with her eyes tightly shut her hand shot up and grabbed his wrist. With one graceful and swift movement she stood and turned his arm so it was pinned to his back. He gasped quietly as she held him in place, and before he knew what was happening, Anakin was on the ground fighting back Raina as she tickled his ribs.
Years of knowing Anakin had finally paid off. She knew his weaknesses and his strengths as well as she knew her own, and his ticklishness was one of them. She attacked all of the right spots mercilessly and he couldn't fight back because he was overtaken by laughter. His chuckling intensified along with the volume of his voice, and soon the duo had attracted the attention of several people passing by. They all stopped what they were doing to see the absurd sight before them; Raina had pinned a howling Anakin to the ground. The laughter erupted quickly and soon Raina and Anakin realized that they had an audience. Raina's forcefulness had diminished and she sat up slowly, followed by a defeated Anakin, they watched as the crowd quieted down and slowly dispersed. Soon the two were left alone in the corner and they exploded with laughter.
But their delight was ended with a dull hello from somebody standing before them. Raina gazed at the head secretary who had a bemused look engraved on her face. She waited impatiently as the two stood quickly and adjusted themselves to appear suitable to their visitor, who apparently wanted something.
"Miss. Jules, Mr. Skywalker." She addressed them with regret in her voice. "You seem to be having fun this afternoon." She stated rather than questioned. As Raina politely listened to Corrine, she noticed that her left eye twitched slightly and that could not be good. After a few seconds of silence, she realized that Corrine was expecting some sort of explanation.
"We're terribly sorry ma'am." Anakin apologized quickly, cutting Raina off. "I was trying to startle Raina, but she knew what I was going to do and turned the joke to me. We lost control of ourselves and had not realized the commotion we were causing." He smiled meekly after that, and apparently his story had been sold to Corrine. The lines on her forehead softened slightly, and her lips parted as the beginning of a smile. But before she could, she stopped herself and the stern look returned.
"We shall let it go this time. But do not do this again." Her eyes darted between the two and Corrine remembered the reason she had come. "Now. You two have been asked to meet with Master Kenobi immediately concerning . . . Well, he will tell you what this is about. Let us hurry now, we are already off schedule." She nodded in the direction they were to go and started her brisk walk.
The two stood there for a moment, looking at each other questionably, they then realized that Corrine was far ahead of them and they followed her as quickly as they could. Whatever this was about it had to be pretty important. It did save them from severe punishment though, so Raina blocked it from her mind and reflected on what had just happened.
A giggle escaped from her mouth causing Anakin to look at her curiously, she shrugged and laughed a little louder. He nudged her before doing the same. At that moment Raina realized that she hadn't had any feelings of dislike towards Anakin all day, and it set off more giggles from her. She was very happy and she wanted to stay that way.
~
The Jedi Temple was huge and it took the three of them at least ten minutes to get to the Council room, which was all the way across the temple from where they had come. The whole way Raina had teased Anakin how easily she had overtaken him, pinned him down, and embarrassed him in front of a lot of people. He laughed along with her and at one point his face had turned hot with embarrassment, which caused another outburst from her.
Corrine had turned around twice with a disapproving look on her face. Which only silenced them for a short while before they started up again.
As they neared the more important part of the temple, where the real business took place, she stopped them. "Do I have to tell you to be quiet?" She asked sternly. They shook their heads compliantly, "Good, because I was not expecting you two to behave like this! Especially at your age and rank. Now please quiet down, there are several meetings going on as we speak." Her voice quieted to a whisper and she let her stare linger to show Anakin and Raina that she meant business.
But as soon as she turned around, the two giggled quietly. Raina had to admit that this afternoon had been fun, and it didn't bother her that her companion was Anakin. She was starting to wonder why she had disliked him for so long. But she quickly disapproved of that thought, and pushed it out of her mind.
As they neared the large dark blue, trimmed in gold, double doors ahead, Obi-wan Kenobi appeared from the left of them and Corrine dismissed herself quickly. Raina watched him approach and noted how comfortable and regal he looked. He was growing his hair and a beard and she thought it suited him well.
Though he looked comfortable in his garments, his face seemed tense and his eyes showed he was troubled about something. His shoulders were rigid and his smile wasn't as friendly as he meant it to be. She glanced at Anakin who seemed to notice the anxiety and worry that his master projected.
The aura troubled Raina and without warning she received a telepathic thought from Anakin. 'Something's up wait for him to tell us or it'll only annoy him more'. She shifted her weight and nodded her head in reply. Anybody could understand the seriousness of this situation, and she wasn't going to embarrass herself again today.
"Hello Raina, Anakin." Obi-wan addressed them stiffly, "By now you have guessed that this is . . . unusual." He paused with uncertainty, and then cleared his throat "We have been called upon by the council with a special request. They have asked that we solve a quite mysterious case that has taken place on-"
For as long as She had known Obi-wan, Raina had never seen him so distressed and anxious. He had always been a man she admired and respected, and seeing him like this bothered her greatly. It wasn't normal to see the people she looked up to in times of immorality and trouble. Inside it bothered her, but she didn't speak. Not the right time.
She knew that Anakin felt her stress; he seemed attuned with everything around them. And the air was full of tension and unhappiness, and the worst part was that she had no idea why. But she knew that something bad was happening in the galaxy, something very bad.
It seemed that the more she fretted she felt a comforting ambiance, and it was coming from Anakin. He was there by her side feeling her heartache, and trying to make it go away. Soothing her as best he could, without being noticeable to anyone. She was startled to find this and she had no indication as to why he was behaving this way.
Why would he treat her, of all people so nicely? When all she had ever been to him, was unpleasant and temperamental. It was then that she knew his friendship was true to her, and it caused her more guilt and pain. He didn't deserve her nasty treatment, and she didn't deserve his affection.
There was a commotion growing from behind the large doors, and the three of them could sense the tension. "Uh, The Council has asked that we travel to Abhor and try solve some strange disappearances. Of course, the Council will explain in more detail as I have only heard a piece of the whole story." He ended this way and the three stood quietly for at least a minute.
"What exactly are we waiting for Master?" Anakin inquired, because it was odd the way there were waiting. He didn't need to ask, he just wanted to hear what Obi-wan had to say.
"For the council to calm . . . for them to call us in, now be patient." Again they stood in silence for another minute when finally the large doors opened. A tall figure immerged with a blank look on his face that was all it took for everyone to realize that something was not right.
"Please join us, we must talk about this . . . complicated matter." His voice was dull but you could detect a slight hint of ire. His eyes were cloudy, his body as stiff as Obi-wan's had been.
"Of course, Master Windu." He turned away when Obi-wan finished speaking, and then he followed him into the room. They didn't need to be told, they just followed as expected.
Raina's mind raced with concern and question, events such as these rarely occurred, especially none that involved her. She followed Anakin soundlessly, not knowing what to expect behind those doors.
The room was quite dark, which was unusual. The large, spotless windows were covered with shades, but there was a small glow coming from the far corner of the council room. The plain and quaint chairs were positioned at their regular place, along the curvature of the room, which left a large, open space in the heart of the room.
Master Windu took his place alongside Master Yoda without saying a word to any of the three. Master Kenobi made his way to the center, so that everyone could see and hear him. But, as to custom and rule, the two young Jedi stayed back behind until they were called upon.
The room was indescribably silent for far too long before anybody addressed the situation.
"We have called upon you three, to go on a unusual and highly confidential mission." Boomed Mace Windu, killing the silence in the room. "There is a lot at stake, especially with so little an amount of information that we have access to." He paused and shut his eyes slowly, as if deep in thought.
Raina looked up at Anakin, who looked very confused and yet interested at the same time. She turned her attention back to the silence of the conversation.
"What we know is . . . very little, and if accurate, information. There had been a large number of reported disappearances on the virtually unknown planet of Abhor. We have reason to believe that a malicious cult, that could be linked to the Sith, is behind these abductions. All we know for sure, is that these disappearances happen at night, but not to any specific gender, race or life form." The words spoken struck hard, "What we need are highly capable spies to find out all they can, and infiltrate any bases or lairs that are linked to the case."
Raina stood in complete shock. She had no idea that it would be this serious.
"Now, do you accept this mission." Mace stated, although Obi-wan had no choice but to accept. It wasn't a question, it was an order.
"Yes." Obi-wan answered seriously. "Why have you chosen these two to accompany me?" he added, referring to Anakin and Raina.
"As we speak, all the Jedi are spread across the galaxy on their own assignments. We know that it would be very difficult for you to handle this alone. It wouldn't be impossible, but we want to encounter this safely." Mace replied.
"Chosen, we have, Anakin Skywalker and Raina Jules." Yoda spoke up unexpectedly; he had been quiet throughout the whole explanation. "Shown a great deal of talent and ability, these two have. Ready, they are."
"When will we be departing Master?" Obi-wan questioned. She strained her ears to hear this.
"Tomorrow morning. If we sent you now, you would arrive on Abhor at nightfall. We don't want anything to happen to you before you have a chance to divulge some clues." Master Windu explained.
"Much to be done, there is. Prepare, you must." Yoda told the three. "Any other questions, have you?"
Everyone looked towards Raina and Anakin who had been silent for the duration of this meeting. Of course they had questions, but none that mattered to the Council. They would simply ask Master Kenobi as he got more information.
"No Master." They spoke simultaneously.
"Very well then. We will call you before you depart. Have a good evening." Mace dismissed. They bowed and moved aside, waiting for Master Kenobi to exit the room first, out of respect then followed him to the small lounge.
He stopped and was silent for a few moments. "You two are going to need a lot of rest. Pack your things and meet me at 7:00 in the dinner hall, we will discuss this then. He bowed and so did they and then he left the two alone and confused.
Everything had happened so fast all day; they didn't know what to expect next.
~ There is part II of Jealousy, and this chapter is quite a change from the first. Please Review, so I'll know whether or not to continue writing. Thanx!