Chapter 28
Aayla walked over to Mace and Tahiri.
Mace: "Aayla Secura, this is Tahiri Veila.
Aayla: "Hello."
Tahiri: "Hi." Mace: "By the way Tahiri, my name is Mace Windu. I think I forgot to introduce myself before."
Tahiri: "That's okay. I recognized you from pictures I've seen. The Empire destroyed most jedi related historical records but Master Luke was able to find some."
Aayla: "Are there any records of me?"
Tahiri: "Not that I've seen, but I'm far from being a historian so it's possible that some exist."
Mace: "I couldn't help noticing that you're barefoot. Is this a common practice among the jedi of your era?"
Tahiri: "No, it's just me. My parents were killed by Tusken Raiders in the desert when I was four. A Tusken named Sliven adopted me and took me into their tribe. They raised me until I was nine. Then Master Luke found me and took me to his Jedi Academy on Yavin 4."
Aayla: "You were adopted by the same tribe that killed your parents?"
Tahiri: "Yes, but it was really an accident. My parents had helped Sliven. So he adopted me when they were killed."
Aayla: "She seems very young to be a Jedi Knight, Master Windu."
Mace: "Yes, she is very young. No more than eighteen I'd say. In our own time she would almost certainly still be a padawan learner, but she is from a very different time and a product of a different order. Also times of war often lead to quick promotions. She may have earned her knighthood in battle similar to how Obi-Wan Kenobi earned his knigthood by defeating the Sith warrior that killed Qui-Gon Jinn."
Superman: "Hal, does your ring function differently now?"
Hal: "Yes. How did you know?"
Superman: "Well before you always had to recharge it every 24 hours and unless I'm mistaken you didn't bring your power battery with you."
Hal: "You're right. The Guardians extended the time limit on the ring's charge. I still have to recharge it occasionally but only once about every six months. And they got rid of that silly yellow weakness."
Johnny: "Uh Spidey, I'm dying to find out how you brought Superman here. I thought you were joking."
Spidey: "I was joking and I didn't do it. I shoot webs and stick to stuff. Traveling between universes is a little beyond the range of my abilities. It's not as if I can swing from universe to universe in the same way I swing from building to building."
Johnny: "Ok, ok. I get it. You didn't do it. Couldn't you have just said something like 'It wasn't me.'?"
Spidey: "Sure, but what fun would that be?"
Johnny: "You know, I'm surprised the supervillains you fight don't suffer brain aneurisms."
Spidey: "Yeah, me too."
Johnny: "So we've established that you didn't do it. Who did?"
Spidey: "Mxyzptlk."
Johnny: "Excuse me?"
Spidey: "Mr. Mxyzptlk."
Johnny: "Who is that?"
Spidey: "A funny little imp from the fifth dimension."
Johnny: "Fine. Then don't tell me."
Chapter 29
Obi-Wan had to shield his eyes as he and Anakin's ship approached Tatooine. The blazing twin suns of the Tatooine system shone brightly onto the desert world producing a tremendous glare as their light reflected off of the planet's sand covered surface. The mysterious strangers who visited the Jedi temple had told Master Yoda and Master Windu that Shmi Skywalker had been freed and married by a moisture farmer named Cliegg Lars. She now lived with him and his son on their farm. Mr. Fantastic had given Master Windu the coordinates of this farm.
When Obi-Wan had first heard that name-Mr. Fantastic-he had wondered who could be so arrogant as to give himself a nickname like Mr. Fantastic. He had later found out that Dr. Richards didn't give himself that name. But as Obi-Wan piloted their ship down to the surface, he thought-not for the first time-that his young padawan may indeed be that arrogant. He worried about that kid.
Of course, Anakin's excessive pride wasn't the only thing that troubled Obi-Wan. Anakin was also far too trusting, especially in regards to Palpatine. He seemed to look up to the Chancellor like a father figure. That alone could be cause for concern, but Obi-Wan found it particularly disconcerting because he had a feeling that there was something very wrong about the Chancellor. However, he didn't know what it was about the man that made him feel that way and he certainly had no evidence to support his feeling. In fact, he wasn't even sure if his sense of the Chancellor's wrongness was a perception he was getting through the force or if it was merely his own instinct.
Chapter 30
The Gran bounty hunter trembled as he faced the holographic image of his employer. The man had an uncanny ability to send chills up and down his spine in spite of the vast distance and numerous star systems that currently separated them. The ominous figure was speaking to him now.
"Did you complete the task I gave you?"
Marz Hak: "Yes, Lord Sidious. The human woman is dead."
Sidious: "Are you sure of this?"
Marz Hak: "Yes, Lord Sidious."
Sidious: "For your sake, she had better be. If I find that you have failed me, I will have each of your three eyes gouged out. And that will merely be the beginning of your suffering." "NOOOOOOO!!!"
Obi-Wan heard-as well as felt through the force-Anakin's exclamation. Anakin rushed into the cockpit.
Anakin: "Something terrible has happened!"
Obi-Wan: "What is it, Anakin?"
Anakin: "I don't know exactly. Suddenly-through the force-I felt a flash of tremendous pain. Coming from my mother. Then her force presence vanished. Completely. Is she dead, Master?"
While he was speaking, tears had begun to flow down Anakin's face.
Obi-Wan thought he knew the answer to that question-and suspected that Anakin did as well-but he hoped that they were both wrong.
**********************************
Obi-Wan landed their ship on the outskirts of the Lars moisture farm. They landed in the midst of a small dust storm. As soon as the ship touched ground, Anakin was rushing down the landing ramp. Anakin pulled the hood of his jedi robe over his head and covered his face with his sleeve as he waded through the storm. At any other time, he would have been thinking about how much he hated sand, but he gave no thought to that now. When Anakin emerged through the cloud of dust and sand, he saw a familiar humanoid droid staring at him.
Anakin: "Threepio! What has happened to my mother?"
C3PO's golden eyes blinked twice.
Threepio: "Master Anakin? Is that you?"
Anakin: "Yes. What happened?"
Threepio: "Oh, dear. I think I should let Master Lars tell you."
A rough looking middle-aged man walked up to where C3PO and Anakin stood. He looked at Anakin with an appraising eye.
Cliegg Lars: "You're Shmi's son, aren't you?"
Cliegg Lars invited Anakin and Obi-Wan into his home. The first thing Anakin did was rush into the master bedroom. Shmi was still lying on the bed. But it was too late. He sank to his knees by the bed, and sobbed uncontrollably. After some time-he wasn't sure how long-Anakin got up and joined the others in the kitchen.
While his future daughter-in-law Beru served everyone glasses of cold blue milk, Cliegg and his son Owen told them the tragic story.
Cliegg: "A Gran sneaked onto the farm in the middle of the night."
Owen: "Gran can see in the infrared spectrum."
Cliegg: "They can see as well in the dark as we can in the light."
Owen: "He came into the house while we were all asleep."
Cliegg: "He found our bedroom. I had happened to wake up just then so I saw him. He pulled out his blaster and shot Shmi in the throat. He could have easily gunned me down too, but he didn't. It's like the monster came into my home specifically to murder my wife."
Then Cliegg finally lost the composure he had been struggling to maintain for the sake of the kids, and began to sob quietly.
----------------------
Chapter 31
Anakin: "I'll kill him!"
Obi-Wan: "I know how you feel Anakin, but Jedi do not seek vengeance."
Anakin: "How could you possibly know how I feel!?"
Obi-Wan: "Qui-Gon was like a father to me."
Anakin: "And you killed his killer."
Obi-Wan: "Sometimes killing is the only option. But it must never be our first choice. Jedi seek justice not vengeance. Vengeance is of the dark side. And once you start down that path, it may be impossible to turn back."
Anakin: "So we just do nothing!?"
Obi-Wan: "No, I didn't say that. We will find the killer and take him back to Coruscant to stand trial."
Tahiri Veila, Spider-Man, Superman, Green Lantern, Mace Windu, Aayla Secura, Wolverine, Beast, Iceman, Professor Charles Xavier, and the Fantastic Four were gathered in the Fantastic Four's planning room. Reed Richards had just finished the mission briefing when Prof. Xavier received a telepathic message from Scott Summers aka Cyclops. The X-mansion had been attacked, and some of the students had been kidnapped. Xavier quickly relayed the message to Logan, Hank, and Bobby.
Xavier: "I'm sorry gentlemen-and ladies-but we're going to have to excuse ourselves. We have another matter to attend to."
The X-men got up and left. Then the Fantastic Four and the others got ready to leave themselves. Everyone boarded the Fantastic Four's spaceship. Ben and Hal- the two most experienced pilots among them-took the pilot and co- pilot seats, and began the pre-flight preparations. Reed opened the roof of the hangar using a remote control that he had installed into the ship's control panel. Then they lifted off and soared up into the New York skyline. Reed touched the hangar remote one more time to close the roof behind them. Once they had exited the atmosphere and entered the vacuum of space, Reed activated another device that opened a transdimensional temporal portal directly in front of the ship.
Spider-Man: "Cool."
Tahiri: "Wow!"
Mace: "Very impressive."
Hal piloted the ship through the portal, and the group of heroes took a very short journey to a galaxy far far away.
Chapter 32
Obi-Wan and Anakin borrowed the Lars' landspeeder, and went into Mos Eisley. They park the speeder and go into a drinking establishment to ask questions. There is a myriad of aliens in the cantina but no Gran. All of their questions go unanswered as well. Either nobody here knows anything or they are unwilling to talk. The two jedi decided that they'd be able to cover more ground if they split up. So Obi-Wan entered another dive to question the denizens there, and Anakin walked down the street in the opposite direction.
************************
After he had been walking for about a half hour, Anakin saw a Gran walking down the street. A consuming fire of hatred burned in Anakin's heart. Without thinking, he leapt into action. He ran towards the Gran without bothering to reach for his lightsaber. The Gran saw the furious jedi running towards him and screamed for help. Anakin, using telekinesis struck the Gran down with a vicious blow to the throat, crushing his windpipe and silencing him forever.
A human woman who had witnessed the attack, came running out of a nearby hovel and knelt over the fallen Gran.
Woman: "What have you done?!"
Anakin: "He murdered my mother."
Now a crowd had gathered in the street near the slain Gran. One of the onlookers, a male Ithorian, stepped forward to confront Anakin.
Ithorian: "Liar! Dr. Tnek would not harm anyone. You're the murderer!"
Now several members of the crowd began to chant "Murderer" at Anakin.
Anakin: ".uh. A Gran murdered my mother. He's a Gran so-"
A female Shistavanen-a canine biped species often called Shistavanen Wolfmen-interrupted Anakin now.
Shistavanen: "So you just assumed he was the same Gran and killed him in cold blood. What kind of jedi are you?"
Anakin stood there speechless. The murderer chant was getting to him. It infuriated him and he wanted to deny it, but he was beginning to realize that it was true. That incensed him even more. Finally, after several long moments that seemed to Anakin like hours, he turned and walked away without saying another word. The crowd parted before him. None of them was eager to tangle with the angry young jedi.
***************************
Athan Veila was one of the many patrons in the pub that Obi-Wan Kenobi had entered. He was sitting alone in a corner booth, and dining on a meager serving of ghoba rice and a very tough piece of bantha steak. Veila observed the bearded jedi milling through the crowd. The jedi seemed to be asking questions. Athan wondered what could have brought a jedi to Tatooine. Whatever it was, he was sure it must be a matter of great import. But he was equally sure that it didn't concern him so he went back to eating his meal.
Obi-Wan was beginning to get frustrated. So far his search for the murderous Gran had been fruitless. None of the people he had questioned had been able to give him any useful information. And he sensed that they genuinely did not know anything. One thing was obvious. This Gran had not been bragging about his deed. Gran criminals-at least the exiled ones-were almost always insane. This was due to their dependence on having the company of other members of their species. Left alone Gran usually either went insane or died of loneliness. Gran also like to converse. The fact that this one was being so tight- lipped about his recent activity indicated to Obi-Wan that he might be working for someone else. Someone that the Gran feared so much that his fear of his employer kept him silent. Regardless, it was apparent that he wasn't going to accomplish anything here.
Obi-Wan started to head for the exit. But just then he noticed a young man who was choking. A piece of the man's bantha steak was lodged in his windpipe, cutting off his supply of air. The man was gasping for air and franticly gesturing for help. None of the people near him seemed to notice or they just didn't care. And Obi-Wan doubted whether he could make his way through the throng quickly enough to render assistance by conventional means. So instead he used the force to gently levitate the potentially lethal morsel out of the man's trachea. With the chunk of food removed, the man began to breath normally again. "Well" Obi-Wan thought while scratching his beard contemplatively, "at least I accomplished something worthwhile here".
Aayla walked over to Mace and Tahiri.
Mace: "Aayla Secura, this is Tahiri Veila.
Aayla: "Hello."
Tahiri: "Hi." Mace: "By the way Tahiri, my name is Mace Windu. I think I forgot to introduce myself before."
Tahiri: "That's okay. I recognized you from pictures I've seen. The Empire destroyed most jedi related historical records but Master Luke was able to find some."
Aayla: "Are there any records of me?"
Tahiri: "Not that I've seen, but I'm far from being a historian so it's possible that some exist."
Mace: "I couldn't help noticing that you're barefoot. Is this a common practice among the jedi of your era?"
Tahiri: "No, it's just me. My parents were killed by Tusken Raiders in the desert when I was four. A Tusken named Sliven adopted me and took me into their tribe. They raised me until I was nine. Then Master Luke found me and took me to his Jedi Academy on Yavin 4."
Aayla: "You were adopted by the same tribe that killed your parents?"
Tahiri: "Yes, but it was really an accident. My parents had helped Sliven. So he adopted me when they were killed."
Aayla: "She seems very young to be a Jedi Knight, Master Windu."
Mace: "Yes, she is very young. No more than eighteen I'd say. In our own time she would almost certainly still be a padawan learner, but she is from a very different time and a product of a different order. Also times of war often lead to quick promotions. She may have earned her knighthood in battle similar to how Obi-Wan Kenobi earned his knigthood by defeating the Sith warrior that killed Qui-Gon Jinn."
Superman: "Hal, does your ring function differently now?"
Hal: "Yes. How did you know?"
Superman: "Well before you always had to recharge it every 24 hours and unless I'm mistaken you didn't bring your power battery with you."
Hal: "You're right. The Guardians extended the time limit on the ring's charge. I still have to recharge it occasionally but only once about every six months. And they got rid of that silly yellow weakness."
Johnny: "Uh Spidey, I'm dying to find out how you brought Superman here. I thought you were joking."
Spidey: "I was joking and I didn't do it. I shoot webs and stick to stuff. Traveling between universes is a little beyond the range of my abilities. It's not as if I can swing from universe to universe in the same way I swing from building to building."
Johnny: "Ok, ok. I get it. You didn't do it. Couldn't you have just said something like 'It wasn't me.'?"
Spidey: "Sure, but what fun would that be?"
Johnny: "You know, I'm surprised the supervillains you fight don't suffer brain aneurisms."
Spidey: "Yeah, me too."
Johnny: "So we've established that you didn't do it. Who did?"
Spidey: "Mxyzptlk."
Johnny: "Excuse me?"
Spidey: "Mr. Mxyzptlk."
Johnny: "Who is that?"
Spidey: "A funny little imp from the fifth dimension."
Johnny: "Fine. Then don't tell me."
Chapter 29
Obi-Wan had to shield his eyes as he and Anakin's ship approached Tatooine. The blazing twin suns of the Tatooine system shone brightly onto the desert world producing a tremendous glare as their light reflected off of the planet's sand covered surface. The mysterious strangers who visited the Jedi temple had told Master Yoda and Master Windu that Shmi Skywalker had been freed and married by a moisture farmer named Cliegg Lars. She now lived with him and his son on their farm. Mr. Fantastic had given Master Windu the coordinates of this farm.
When Obi-Wan had first heard that name-Mr. Fantastic-he had wondered who could be so arrogant as to give himself a nickname like Mr. Fantastic. He had later found out that Dr. Richards didn't give himself that name. But as Obi-Wan piloted their ship down to the surface, he thought-not for the first time-that his young padawan may indeed be that arrogant. He worried about that kid.
Of course, Anakin's excessive pride wasn't the only thing that troubled Obi-Wan. Anakin was also far too trusting, especially in regards to Palpatine. He seemed to look up to the Chancellor like a father figure. That alone could be cause for concern, but Obi-Wan found it particularly disconcerting because he had a feeling that there was something very wrong about the Chancellor. However, he didn't know what it was about the man that made him feel that way and he certainly had no evidence to support his feeling. In fact, he wasn't even sure if his sense of the Chancellor's wrongness was a perception he was getting through the force or if it was merely his own instinct.
Chapter 30
The Gran bounty hunter trembled as he faced the holographic image of his employer. The man had an uncanny ability to send chills up and down his spine in spite of the vast distance and numerous star systems that currently separated them. The ominous figure was speaking to him now.
"Did you complete the task I gave you?"
Marz Hak: "Yes, Lord Sidious. The human woman is dead."
Sidious: "Are you sure of this?"
Marz Hak: "Yes, Lord Sidious."
Sidious: "For your sake, she had better be. If I find that you have failed me, I will have each of your three eyes gouged out. And that will merely be the beginning of your suffering." "NOOOOOOO!!!"
Obi-Wan heard-as well as felt through the force-Anakin's exclamation. Anakin rushed into the cockpit.
Anakin: "Something terrible has happened!"
Obi-Wan: "What is it, Anakin?"
Anakin: "I don't know exactly. Suddenly-through the force-I felt a flash of tremendous pain. Coming from my mother. Then her force presence vanished. Completely. Is she dead, Master?"
While he was speaking, tears had begun to flow down Anakin's face.
Obi-Wan thought he knew the answer to that question-and suspected that Anakin did as well-but he hoped that they were both wrong.
**********************************
Obi-Wan landed their ship on the outskirts of the Lars moisture farm. They landed in the midst of a small dust storm. As soon as the ship touched ground, Anakin was rushing down the landing ramp. Anakin pulled the hood of his jedi robe over his head and covered his face with his sleeve as he waded through the storm. At any other time, he would have been thinking about how much he hated sand, but he gave no thought to that now. When Anakin emerged through the cloud of dust and sand, he saw a familiar humanoid droid staring at him.
Anakin: "Threepio! What has happened to my mother?"
C3PO's golden eyes blinked twice.
Threepio: "Master Anakin? Is that you?"
Anakin: "Yes. What happened?"
Threepio: "Oh, dear. I think I should let Master Lars tell you."
A rough looking middle-aged man walked up to where C3PO and Anakin stood. He looked at Anakin with an appraising eye.
Cliegg Lars: "You're Shmi's son, aren't you?"
Cliegg Lars invited Anakin and Obi-Wan into his home. The first thing Anakin did was rush into the master bedroom. Shmi was still lying on the bed. But it was too late. He sank to his knees by the bed, and sobbed uncontrollably. After some time-he wasn't sure how long-Anakin got up and joined the others in the kitchen.
While his future daughter-in-law Beru served everyone glasses of cold blue milk, Cliegg and his son Owen told them the tragic story.
Cliegg: "A Gran sneaked onto the farm in the middle of the night."
Owen: "Gran can see in the infrared spectrum."
Cliegg: "They can see as well in the dark as we can in the light."
Owen: "He came into the house while we were all asleep."
Cliegg: "He found our bedroom. I had happened to wake up just then so I saw him. He pulled out his blaster and shot Shmi in the throat. He could have easily gunned me down too, but he didn't. It's like the monster came into my home specifically to murder my wife."
Then Cliegg finally lost the composure he had been struggling to maintain for the sake of the kids, and began to sob quietly.
----------------------
Chapter 31
Anakin: "I'll kill him!"
Obi-Wan: "I know how you feel Anakin, but Jedi do not seek vengeance."
Anakin: "How could you possibly know how I feel!?"
Obi-Wan: "Qui-Gon was like a father to me."
Anakin: "And you killed his killer."
Obi-Wan: "Sometimes killing is the only option. But it must never be our first choice. Jedi seek justice not vengeance. Vengeance is of the dark side. And once you start down that path, it may be impossible to turn back."
Anakin: "So we just do nothing!?"
Obi-Wan: "No, I didn't say that. We will find the killer and take him back to Coruscant to stand trial."
Tahiri Veila, Spider-Man, Superman, Green Lantern, Mace Windu, Aayla Secura, Wolverine, Beast, Iceman, Professor Charles Xavier, and the Fantastic Four were gathered in the Fantastic Four's planning room. Reed Richards had just finished the mission briefing when Prof. Xavier received a telepathic message from Scott Summers aka Cyclops. The X-mansion had been attacked, and some of the students had been kidnapped. Xavier quickly relayed the message to Logan, Hank, and Bobby.
Xavier: "I'm sorry gentlemen-and ladies-but we're going to have to excuse ourselves. We have another matter to attend to."
The X-men got up and left. Then the Fantastic Four and the others got ready to leave themselves. Everyone boarded the Fantastic Four's spaceship. Ben and Hal- the two most experienced pilots among them-took the pilot and co- pilot seats, and began the pre-flight preparations. Reed opened the roof of the hangar using a remote control that he had installed into the ship's control panel. Then they lifted off and soared up into the New York skyline. Reed touched the hangar remote one more time to close the roof behind them. Once they had exited the atmosphere and entered the vacuum of space, Reed activated another device that opened a transdimensional temporal portal directly in front of the ship.
Spider-Man: "Cool."
Tahiri: "Wow!"
Mace: "Very impressive."
Hal piloted the ship through the portal, and the group of heroes took a very short journey to a galaxy far far away.
Chapter 32
Obi-Wan and Anakin borrowed the Lars' landspeeder, and went into Mos Eisley. They park the speeder and go into a drinking establishment to ask questions. There is a myriad of aliens in the cantina but no Gran. All of their questions go unanswered as well. Either nobody here knows anything or they are unwilling to talk. The two jedi decided that they'd be able to cover more ground if they split up. So Obi-Wan entered another dive to question the denizens there, and Anakin walked down the street in the opposite direction.
************************
After he had been walking for about a half hour, Anakin saw a Gran walking down the street. A consuming fire of hatred burned in Anakin's heart. Without thinking, he leapt into action. He ran towards the Gran without bothering to reach for his lightsaber. The Gran saw the furious jedi running towards him and screamed for help. Anakin, using telekinesis struck the Gran down with a vicious blow to the throat, crushing his windpipe and silencing him forever.
A human woman who had witnessed the attack, came running out of a nearby hovel and knelt over the fallen Gran.
Woman: "What have you done?!"
Anakin: "He murdered my mother."
Now a crowd had gathered in the street near the slain Gran. One of the onlookers, a male Ithorian, stepped forward to confront Anakin.
Ithorian: "Liar! Dr. Tnek would not harm anyone. You're the murderer!"
Now several members of the crowd began to chant "Murderer" at Anakin.
Anakin: ".uh. A Gran murdered my mother. He's a Gran so-"
A female Shistavanen-a canine biped species often called Shistavanen Wolfmen-interrupted Anakin now.
Shistavanen: "So you just assumed he was the same Gran and killed him in cold blood. What kind of jedi are you?"
Anakin stood there speechless. The murderer chant was getting to him. It infuriated him and he wanted to deny it, but he was beginning to realize that it was true. That incensed him even more. Finally, after several long moments that seemed to Anakin like hours, he turned and walked away without saying another word. The crowd parted before him. None of them was eager to tangle with the angry young jedi.
***************************
Athan Veila was one of the many patrons in the pub that Obi-Wan Kenobi had entered. He was sitting alone in a corner booth, and dining on a meager serving of ghoba rice and a very tough piece of bantha steak. Veila observed the bearded jedi milling through the crowd. The jedi seemed to be asking questions. Athan wondered what could have brought a jedi to Tatooine. Whatever it was, he was sure it must be a matter of great import. But he was equally sure that it didn't concern him so he went back to eating his meal.
Obi-Wan was beginning to get frustrated. So far his search for the murderous Gran had been fruitless. None of the people he had questioned had been able to give him any useful information. And he sensed that they genuinely did not know anything. One thing was obvious. This Gran had not been bragging about his deed. Gran criminals-at least the exiled ones-were almost always insane. This was due to their dependence on having the company of other members of their species. Left alone Gran usually either went insane or died of loneliness. Gran also like to converse. The fact that this one was being so tight- lipped about his recent activity indicated to Obi-Wan that he might be working for someone else. Someone that the Gran feared so much that his fear of his employer kept him silent. Regardless, it was apparent that he wasn't going to accomplish anything here.
Obi-Wan started to head for the exit. But just then he noticed a young man who was choking. A piece of the man's bantha steak was lodged in his windpipe, cutting off his supply of air. The man was gasping for air and franticly gesturing for help. None of the people near him seemed to notice or they just didn't care. And Obi-Wan doubted whether he could make his way through the throng quickly enough to render assistance by conventional means. So instead he used the force to gently levitate the potentially lethal morsel out of the man's trachea. With the chunk of food removed, the man began to breath normally again. "Well" Obi-Wan thought while scratching his beard contemplatively, "at least I accomplished something worthwhile here".