More of the Governess' bodyguards rushed into the room but they were of little help now. Governess Valene brought a shaky hand up to her forehead and took a few deep breaths. Everything had happened so fast. She stood to the side taking in the scene before her. Master Jinn kneeling on the polished floor of her mansion with the young Jedi, Obi-Wan, leaning against him, crying over the death of his Master who had just taken her own life only moments after attempting to take Governess Valene's.
She had felt fear when that Jedi charged at her with that glowing blade. A fear that had rocked her to her very being. She hated this feeling. She was ruler of Attica. The daughter of a long line of powerful force sensitizes yet she had been reduced to feeling weak and helpless. That thought sent her anger rising to the surface. She let her hand drop slowly from her forehead and clench into a fist at her side. How dare these outlanders come to her planet and cause her to experience these things.
Master Anny's body was carried out of the mansion. Obi-Wan, his tears spent, stood and watched as they carried the body away. A couple of bodyguards went over to the Governess' side to check on her condition. She waved them off dismissively and instead directed them towards the two Jedi who remained. "I want them escorted to separate holding cells and kept under surveillance. Call back their transport and inform me the second it arrives."
"Governess—" Qui-Gon began but Valene cut him off. She was in no mood.
"I want the Jedi off my planet! Threatening civilians is one thing, Master Jinn. Attempted assignation is another. All things considered I am being lenient. I'm sure this type of crime is grounds for much worse then expulsion."
With that said, Governess Valene motioned for her guards to take them out of her sight. She turned away and walked over to the windows that over looked the city. She closed her eyes and began to concentrate on centering herself. Finding grace, balance and calm. The things she would need to plan her next move successfully. She could hear the footsteps of someone entering the room but didn't turn around.
"Governess!" Doucet said with relief as he moved closer. "I just heard of your attack. Are you alright?" Valene didn't answer him. She didn't give an indication that she was aware of his presence. "Governess?" He moved over to her side and saw that she was in meditation. He backed down and waited. The advisor knew from experience that it was not a good idea to interrupt Valene when she was in her meditations.
After a few long moments Valene opened her eyes and stared out at the view of the city. "Doucet," She said suddenly causing the man to her side to jump slightly. "Send word to Tenedos. The negotiations are off."
Doucet gave a start and his mouth gaped open in astonishment. "Governess, you can't be serious…" He trailed off as she turned her stare towards him. The intensity that burned behind her eyes frightened him. He nodded slowly and began to back away. "Yes…Governess. I'll send word right away." He turned away quickly and hurried out of the room, glad to no longer be under that intense gaze.
Soon after Doucet left, the doors to the room opened again. Governess Valene's body stiffened slightly. She had known when Doucet was approaching. The man had never been very good at hiding his presence but this person she had not been able to feel until they had entered the room and even now she couldn't be sure of who they were. As much as she hated to admit it and never would out loud, the person was just as powerful as she was, if not more.
"I assure you, Governess." A smooth voice said, "Your abilities far surpass my own."
That was a lie. If he had been able to pick up on her thoughts without her knowledge then he was more powerful then she. She turned away from the window and faced her visitor with a pleasant smile. "Xanatos. What do I owe to the pleasure of your presence?"
"I'm afraid I'm not here on a social call." He said with a grave seriousness. Valene looked at him for a long moment, her interest peeking. She crossed the room and moved back over to the chair that she had been seated in while having her audience with Master Jinn and Padawan Kenobi.
"Tell me."
The holding cells were small rooms located in a catacomb-like structure under the city. The stone structures suggested that the place had been built thousands of years ago and had only recently been transformed into a jail with the addition of modern technologies. The only item in the cell was a single cot against the right wall. There were no windows to the outside world, the only light source coming from artificial lighting system coming from the ceiling.
Obi-Wan had no idea how long he had been sitting there on the cot just waiting. It could have been hours. It could have been days. He could remember waking up this morning…or was it yesterday morning? He remembered the sense of duty he felt as he looked out at the sun rising over the buildings of the city. It was almost surprising to how that changed so quickly. How so many bad things could happen such a beautiful day.
Visions of his master's death flashed in his mind. Though him and Master Anny had only been a Master and Padawan team for only a month, the two had come value one another. His master's constant presence in his mind had become comforting. To have it ripped away so suddenly hurt. Now that part of his mind was just numb with shock and he had so many questions. Why had Master Anny to attack the Governess? Now that they were being sent back to Coruscant, what would happen between Attica and Tenedos? What would happen to him when they returned to the Temple?
He knew that was a selfish question but it was still present in his mind. To be a Jedi Knight was a life goal of his since he could remember. All that could be taken away now. If his training wasn't picked up by another master he would probably be sent off to Agri Corps. A bitter taste entered his mouth as he thought about it. All those years of training at the temple wasted on farming.
He heard movement coming from outside the heavy door to the cell. It was the first sign in a while that there was other life down here. He stood up from the cot and waited to face whatever it was on the other side of that door. His lightsaber had been confiscated when He and Master Jinn had been arrested leaving him with no way of defending himself.
The heavy door scraped against the ground as it was pushed open, the sound echoing through the catacombs. "Obi-Wan?" The young Jedi was surprised to see Jibril standing on the other side of the door. He was even more surprised by how much her manner had changed. During the few times that he had been around her, Obi-Wan had always felt a certain amount of hatred emitting from her. Her tone of voice when she spoke was crisp and impatient. None of those things were present now. She was emitting calm and peaceful waves of the force and her tone of voice was quiet and comforting. It was familiar to him in a way. Not really to any particular event but a feeling that was from long ago.
Obi-Wan watched attentively as she entered the cell. She stood in front of him for a moment looking him over. He could see unshed tears brim her eyes and was about to ask her what was wrong when she suddenly lurched forward and wrapped her arms around him. He stood there frozen by the sudden action. Completely lost as to what to do next.
He had little time to figure out his next move as Jibril pulled back and cupped his face with her hands. "I'm sorry." She said through the tears that ran down her cheeks. He couldn't tell if she was laughing or crying. "I can't begin to imagine what you think of me but I have been waiting to do that for twelve years." She took a deep breath and looked into his eyes. "My boy. My son." She pulled him into another hug.
Obi-Wan's brow furrowed as her words sunk in. He gently pushed her away from him. "What do you mean 'son'?"
"You are my son." Jibril said. She took his hands in hers. He could clearly see that sadness in her eyes "I know that it has been a long time since you've seen me. You were only a few days old when they took you from me."
Obi-Wan shook his head. "No my parents are Almena and Conor Kenobi. They live on Alderaan."
"No, no, no." She cupped his face with her hands again and looked him dead in the eyes. Pleading with him to see the truth. "You are my son. I was a padawan at the temple when I met your father. We found love but the Jedi took you from me because they saw you as a mark of shame that could run their status."
Obi-Wan took her hands down from his face. His head was reeling with all this new information. He didn't want to believe it, couldn't believe it but he felt no deception coming from Jibril. "I want to speak to Master Jinn." He moved past her and moved towards the cell door.
"He's gone, Obi-Wan." He heard Jibril say. He stopped and looked over his shoulder to her. "The transport arrived a little over an hour ago. He left on it."
Obi-wan looked out ahead of him. "He wouldn't leave me here."
Jibril walked up behind him and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "But he did."
Obi-Wan shrugged off her hand and took off into the catacomb.. He went off into uncharted parts of catacombs where the lighting was limited. He turned down tunnel after tunnel only going deeper and deeper into the underground tomb, unsure of where exactly he was running to but just needing to run.
He finally stopped as he came to a dead end. Out of breath, he dropped to his knees. He looked down at the ground which he could barely make out in the dim lightening, the revelations that he had been running from catching up to him. He was illegitimate child. A mark of shame on the temple. And now they had abandoned him here.
He was so deep in his thoughts that he didn't even sense the person come up behind him till a hand grasped his shoulder. It wasn't Jibril. This hand was larger, stronger. He heard a voice. One that he only heard in dreams. "I've been waiting for you little one."