Chapter 15
Obi-Wan Kenobi was thoughtful as he strode to his ship on the landing platform. The confrontation with his Padawan had concerned him deeply. He had half expected that Anakin would throw a fit when he learned he was being left behind, but Obi-Wan had not been prepared for Anakin to lash out in the way he had. For a moment, the boy stopped being his sweet, but cocky and impulsive apprentice, and became a monster. Something had been lurking behind his eyes. There was anger, yes, that was certain, but there was also something indefinable. Pride? No, Obi-Wan had seen Anakin be prideful before. But this was very different. For the first time, Obi-Wan had actually been afraid of his gifted Padawan. It hurt him that he would be afraid of this little boy. No, maybe it wasn't that he was hurt so much as his pride was wounded. It had been embarrassing to be contradicted by his Padawan in front of the Council. Suppose they thought he was incapable of teaching Anakin? He had been doing it for ten years, but what if they decided that Anakin's training should be passed on to someone else?
He analyzed his feelings with the cool impartiality of an onlooker. He must truly care for the young man if he became that upset at the thought of losing him, yet if he was honest with himself, he knew that he was truly jealous of Anakin's powers. That one so young should be so talented seemed almost unfair. Obi-Wan shook off these thoughts, but as he did he remembered Yoda's words to him. Obi-Wan had been telling the Jedi Master of his concern over Anakin's cockiness. Yoda replied that this was becoming common among the Jedi. "Even older, more experienced Jedi." At the time he had not though much about that comment, but now he wondered. Had those words been directed toward him?
He smiled slightly when he heard a chirruping welcome from his astrodroid. "Hello R-4. I'm glad to see you too." He adjusted his seat as the ship's canopy lowered. It had been too long since he had flown this ship. He would have to relearn it. Each ship flew and handled differently. Some people would say that once one learned to fly, that skill stayed forever, but for Obi-Wan, if he did not stay in practice, he had to learn to fly over and over. His Padawan on the other hand- Obi-Wan pushed that train of thought away and shifted as his ship lifted from the landing platform. He could not deny that he had little love for flying, but in life one must get used to unpleasant things. The ship connected to its booster and moved out of the path of the skylanes. He smiled slightly as he punched in familiar coordinates. "The missing planet just south of the Rishi Maze." He enjoyed the whimsical sound of the words until he realized he was talking to himself. He was too used to --- never mind.
The ship shot into hyperspace: he would not need to bother with it for a while. He took a few deep breaths and began to concentrate on the job ahead of him. He must find more about the creation of this clone army. Perhaps to some, it would seem that the Jedi should have tried much sooner to find out why this army was created. After all, it had come to light at the most interestingly convenient time. But, the Jedi had their own sense of timing. There had been more important things to worry about at the time, but now that the immediate was taken care of, they were ready for some answers. Obi- Wan was scarcely aware of the stars streaking past. He shook himself when R- 4 beep and squeaked. "Alright, R-4, alright. We're close I suppose." He typed a few commands into his control panel as watched as the planet of Kamino came into view. "Welcome back!" he said dryly.
Obi-Wan Kenobi was thoughtful as he strode to his ship on the landing platform. The confrontation with his Padawan had concerned him deeply. He had half expected that Anakin would throw a fit when he learned he was being left behind, but Obi-Wan had not been prepared for Anakin to lash out in the way he had. For a moment, the boy stopped being his sweet, but cocky and impulsive apprentice, and became a monster. Something had been lurking behind his eyes. There was anger, yes, that was certain, but there was also something indefinable. Pride? No, Obi-Wan had seen Anakin be prideful before. But this was very different. For the first time, Obi-Wan had actually been afraid of his gifted Padawan. It hurt him that he would be afraid of this little boy. No, maybe it wasn't that he was hurt so much as his pride was wounded. It had been embarrassing to be contradicted by his Padawan in front of the Council. Suppose they thought he was incapable of teaching Anakin? He had been doing it for ten years, but what if they decided that Anakin's training should be passed on to someone else?
He analyzed his feelings with the cool impartiality of an onlooker. He must truly care for the young man if he became that upset at the thought of losing him, yet if he was honest with himself, he knew that he was truly jealous of Anakin's powers. That one so young should be so talented seemed almost unfair. Obi-Wan shook off these thoughts, but as he did he remembered Yoda's words to him. Obi-Wan had been telling the Jedi Master of his concern over Anakin's cockiness. Yoda replied that this was becoming common among the Jedi. "Even older, more experienced Jedi." At the time he had not though much about that comment, but now he wondered. Had those words been directed toward him?
He smiled slightly when he heard a chirruping welcome from his astrodroid. "Hello R-4. I'm glad to see you too." He adjusted his seat as the ship's canopy lowered. It had been too long since he had flown this ship. He would have to relearn it. Each ship flew and handled differently. Some people would say that once one learned to fly, that skill stayed forever, but for Obi-Wan, if he did not stay in practice, he had to learn to fly over and over. His Padawan on the other hand- Obi-Wan pushed that train of thought away and shifted as his ship lifted from the landing platform. He could not deny that he had little love for flying, but in life one must get used to unpleasant things. The ship connected to its booster and moved out of the path of the skylanes. He smiled slightly as he punched in familiar coordinates. "The missing planet just south of the Rishi Maze." He enjoyed the whimsical sound of the words until he realized he was talking to himself. He was too used to --- never mind.
The ship shot into hyperspace: he would not need to bother with it for a while. He took a few deep breaths and began to concentrate on the job ahead of him. He must find more about the creation of this clone army. Perhaps to some, it would seem that the Jedi should have tried much sooner to find out why this army was created. After all, it had come to light at the most interestingly convenient time. But, the Jedi had their own sense of timing. There had been more important things to worry about at the time, but now that the immediate was taken care of, they were ready for some answers. Obi- Wan was scarcely aware of the stars streaking past. He shook himself when R- 4 beep and squeaked. "Alright, R-4, alright. We're close I suppose." He typed a few commands into his control panel as watched as the planet of Kamino came into view. "Welcome back!" he said dryly.