Chapter 10 – Return
"Anakin. Anakin," Obi-Wan's still whispery voice called out.
"Yes Master," Anakin replied, coming up alongside Obi-Wan's bed.
For the first time Obi-Wan was able to truly focus his vision on his surroundings. He was back onboard the transport they had used to travel to Icis. Some sort of yellow liquid was slowly traveling down a long, thin tube and into his arm. His bodily readings danced on the computer console next to the bed, the first true sign that he was out of danger.
"What…what happened?" Obi-Wan asked. He was still very weak.
"Cranner and Saya saved you," Anakin said sheepishly.
"Don't be so modest young man," Saya Vil remarked, coming up behind Anakin. "It was you who saved him," she said, facing Obi-Wan for the first time. "If I hadn't been there myself I wouldn't believe it was possible."
The excitement in her voice peaked Obi-Wan's interest, as it was a tone he had never heard her speak in before. He slowed turned to regard Anakin and waited.
"It was nothing," was all Anakin would say, strangely unable to meet Obi-Wan's eyes.
"Not exactly so my boy," Cranner Zib's voice boomed over the intercom. Obi-Wan guessed that he must be the one flying the ship. "It was amazing. As I said, remarkable tool that lightsaber is, at least in your hands. Able to extract Hydera mineral without blowing you into tiny bits."
Obi-Wan started at this news. He knew how dangerous and difficult it was to extract the Hydera minerals. From what he knew of the Icis expedition, they had used pinpoint laser technology to extract the Hydera from the planet's asteroid belt. How Anakin had accomplished the same feet was beyond him.
"You've been busy then Padawan," was all Obi-Wan said though, despite his curiosity.
"So it would seem," was Anakin's only reply. However, he did seem to loosen a bit at the humor in Obi-Wan's voice.
Saya Vil looked at both Jedi and simply shook her head.
"I thought I'd seen Jedi do some amazing things. Of all that, this exchange right here is the most amazing."
Anakin simply stared back at her, while Obi-Wan smirked slightly.
"Discipline prevents my Padawan from bragging about his exploits, or running over here and embracing me in some sort of grand hugging fiasco," Obi-Wan said, causing Anakin to blush slightly.
"Well I have no such modesty," Cranner Zib boomed over the intercom once more. "After that amazing feet, he managed to pilot us all back to this transport on that snow sled of yours. I must say I've never gone so fast in my entire life, and have no wish to repeat such an experience. Of course, it was better than when he sent us screaming through the asteroid belt of the planet just ahead of the planet blowing apart. That was one time I wish my scientific findings had been wrong."
"I don't," Obi-Wan said. "I suspect we'd still be down there without that 2 day prediction."
"Easy to say for a man who was unconscious through the whole thing. The way my stomach feels right now, I think I would have preferred to take my chances with a dying planet," Cranner responded.
"I can certainly relate to that feeling, having flown with Anakin on many occasions."
"It think it's terrible that you tease him that way Master Kenobi," Saya Vil remarked, though she was trying her hardest not to smile at the exchange between Obi-Wan and Cranner.
"Perhaps you're right," Obi-Wan said, his voice losing some of the energy it had just possessed. "At any rate, I'm glad to see that you and Dr. Zib are safe."
"Thanks to you and your apprentice," Saya responded. "We are forever in your debt."
"You did well to remain alive as long as you did," Obi-Wan responded. "Even after we found you, many of the things you contributed inevitably helped us all escape the planet alive. Let's just call it even shall we."
"Who's being modest now," Saya remarked with a slight smile on her face.
"Master Yoda did say I need to work on that," Obi-Wan said in response.
Saya was about to continue with the back and forth when she noticed Anakin nervously standing close to Obi-Wan's bed. She took the cue and began to move toward the cockpit.
"Let me see if Cranner needs any help getting us back to Coruscant. You two probably have a lot to talk about," she said as she moved out of the room where Obi-Wan was convalescing.
"Thank you Saya," Obi-Wan said.
He watched her exit the room before turning to his Padawan.
"You are troubled by something?" he asked. Obi-Wan couldn't always read Anakin's emotions, at least not as well as Qui-Gon had been able to read his, but he didn't need their Force bond to notice Anakin's demeanor. He looked like a frightened child.
"You almost died," Anakin blurted out.
"Yes," Obi-Wan said calmly.
"And you're so calm about it," Anakin said, beginning to pace around the room in a clear sign of agitation.
"There is no death. There is only the Force."
Anakin stopped pacing and regarded Obi-Wan as though he had just lost his mind.
"I assure you I am quite sane Padawan. It is in the most difficult times that we must turn to the Code for support," Obi-Wan said.
"I know all this." Obi-Wan recognized Anakin's "not another lecture" tone.
"I know that you know. I merely said it for my own benefit," Obi-Wan said. "What else is troubling you Padawan?"
"I saw you lying there, dying, and all I could feel was fear," Anakin admitted, unable to look Obi-Wan in the eye as he uttered the words. "I don't want to ever feel that way again."
"I don't want to ever feel that way again either."
Anakin didn't smile at Obi-Wan's attempted humor, so the Jedi Master tried a different tact.
"You must not be afraid of your fear Anakin. You must embrace it, let it flow through you, and then let it go. Your fear can sometimes be your greatest strength, but it can also be your greatest weakness. It is how you choose to meet it that will determine which."
"I don't know if I can do what you say Master," Anakin responded.
"All in time young one. All in time."
"I'm glad you're going to be alright Master," Anakin said.
"As am I Padawan. This mission has challenged us both. We shall be stronger for it. I thank you for saving me."
"Master Yoda always says, 'everything has its role to play.' I guess my roll is saving you."
"Ah. I see your quick wit has returned."
"It never left," Anakin said, smiling for the first time during this exchange.
"How fortunate for me then," Obi-Wan remarked dryly.
Anakin moved out the door in order to allow Obi-Wan to get some rest. As he gazed back over his shoulder, Anakin saw that Obi-Wan was fast asleep. He stared briefly at Obi-Wan's sleeping form and shook his head. He loved his Master dearly but deep down he felt he could never follow Obi-Wan's advice. He would never be able to embrace his fear. Instead, he vowed that he would steel himself so that fear could not touch him. He was strong. He could do it. He would do it.