*Sorry for the short chapters, I'm just not very good at writing long ones….*
*Obi-Wan may seem very bitter, but can you blame him? And yes, Anakin is much sweeter here than in the Jedi Quest books and the movies. I just like him that way.*
Anakin knew that if Obi-Wan walked away right now, Qui-Gon would never be the same again. He couldn't let that happen to his master.
"Obi-Wan!" he called out after him, "Don't you want to know who framed you?"
The receding figure stopped in his tracks. Without turning, he replied to Anakin's inquiry.
"You never said that someone else framed me. I thought that it was King Renon."
"No, he said that he was blackmailed into blaming you..."
Obi-Wan turned around quickly, a strange expression pasted onto his face. "And you don't know who it is?"
Anakin looked at Obi-Wan intently. "No. That's why we need your help. If you would only come back to the Temple with us..."
Obi-Wan met Anakin's gaze, then looked over to the still silent Qui-Gon. A change overcame some part of him, then he nodded slowly.
"Very well."
*________________________*
The trip back to Coruscant was one of the (seemingly) longest that Anakin had ever taken. The tension between all three passengers seemed to grow with every passing moment. At some point, Qui-Gon excused himself and retired to his quarters, leaving Anakin and Obi-Wan alone.
Obi-Wan spoke first, breaking the long silence. "So, what planet did you come from?" he said softly, starting a polite conversation.
"Tatooine." Anakin replied, grateful for the break of silence, "I left there when I was almost two years old. Where are you from?"
Obi-Wan seemed to be lost in thought for a moment, then answered as if it were an afterthought. "Coruscant. My mother was a senatorial aide."
"How do you know that?" asked Anakin, intrigued. A Jedi did not usually know about their parents, as attachment was forbidden for a Jedi.
"I read it in my file once, long ago." With that, the impromptu conversation was over, as the once-Jedi again dropped back into the realms of his mind.
Anakin sat there a while, just gazing out the window, watching the stars go by. He thought about his family, and where they were now. He wondered what his life would have been like if he had grown up with them, instead of the Jedi.
He pondered this a moment, then let it go. It was not good to dwell on the what-ifs and the could-haves. He needed to focus his mind on what was going on right now, at this moment.
If only Qui-Gon would talk to him. So many things were going on right on, and Anakin felt lost in the thick of it.
This mission was driving a rift between them, and Anakin could sense their bond weakening. It wasn't either of them's fault, it was just Qui-Gon's reencounter with his old Padawan that changed everything. Not to mention the scandal that implicated Obi-Wan.
Anakin felt himself yawn, and he knew that he was tired. The day had been long, and tomorrow would be even longer. He got up carefully, and with one last look at the thoughtful Obi-Wan, left the lounge and headed to his own
quarters for some much needed rest.
*_____________________*
Coruscant was ever the busy city-planet, teeming with both organic and mechanical life. The planet's actual surface was buried deep underneath the high buildings, hundreds of stories down. It had been ages since the surface had seen
sunlight, but that was the nature of technical advancement.
Even among the many elegant buildings that dared to touch the sky, the Jedi Temple stood out. With tall, crowning spires that reached a kilometre high, it was home to the thousands of Jedi who defended the Republic from harm.
Anakin was pleased to see it again. He knew that with the help of the Council of Masters, they could solve the mystery of the unknown blackmailer.
But, even as he thought this, he felt doubt. The Council had made the mistake in the first place, what would stop them from making another one?
He quickly eradicated those thoughts from his head. If he did not believe in the Council, he did not believe in the Jedi.
The ship set down gently, and Anakin could see Master Adi Gallia and her former Padawan, Jedi Knight Siri, waiting for them.
Anakin swiftly grabbed his one travel bag, and waited for his Master and Obi-Wan. They all walked out in silence, Anakin in front.
"Welcome back, Master Jinn." said Adi Gallia softly.
Qui-Gon offered a nod. Anakin could tell that he was still shaken by his re-encounter with Obi-Wan. "Hello Adi."
Beside the tall Master, Siri gave a gasp. "Obi-Wan?!" she exclaimed.
Obi-Wan, still perfectly calm, suddenly stopped in his tracks. "Siri?!" he exclaimed as well.
Then Siri did something most unexpected, especially in her character: she ran forward and enveloped the taller man in a hug. Obi-Wan was taken aback for a moment, then returned it. It had been long since he had had human contact.
Anakin could sense his Master's unease, in watching his former Padawan embrace the younger woman so easily, as if nothing had happened in the past years. Today would be a long day, Anakin could tell.
