A/N's –

For real. I love my reviewers. Want to see something cool? Go back from the beginning, skim the chapters… and you'll understand stuff you didn't understand then :D Also – Arkken, I've deemed, definitely played by actor Jeremy Irons.

Since started adding the hits view for your private whatever, I am astonished to say that within 3 days, the hits for this story has tripled the amount of reviews its accumulated. WOW. That's… wow.

Anyway – onwards! Love, Spazzy.

Chap 16

Obi-Wan felt his throat close up.

"No," he shook his head, staring at the man before him in emotion. He looked backwards, to his master. "No, master… it… can't be-"

Master Palamin stood, turning to regard the council.

"Let me take him for a few moments to explain. I think it would be best if I were the one."

Mace nodded stiffly as he clasped his hands on his lap. Arkken turned, and motioned for Obi-Wan to lead the way. Obi-Wan began walking, numb. He didn't remember how he got there, but before too long they walked side by side in the gardens.

For a few moments, Obi-Wan regarded the supposedly dead master. The orange sunlight bathed the master in an otherworldly glow with the edge of night colored the rest of him in descending blue shades of darkness. He looked to be in his fifties, with short graying dark hair and beard. Surely, the master was aware of the scrutiny, but he said nothing and simply walked on.

Finally, beside a small pool and circle of craggy rocks, they stopped. Arkken sat heavily upon the stone, seemingly weary. Obi-Wan sat, cross-legged before him.

"Do you have… /any/ idea what agony Spire as gone through because she believes you dead?" Obi-Wan stammered, shaking is head as some unknown emotion clogged his voice, making it hard to speak.

The master said nothing, rubbing his hands together.

The boy was shaking, eyes tearing fiercely. "I tell you this, master, that your… death drove her to the dark side," he conveyed, watching the elder master's lips quiver, "And she loved you so /damn/ much, that she couldn't stay a sith because she felt that you wouldn't be /proud/ of her, that she couldn't tarnish /your/ memory-"

He paused, bringing his fingers to massage the bridge of his nose. He brought his face up again, eyes blazing.

"She feels pain everyday, because she feels she /failed/ you, let you die-"

"I know," Arkken said hoarsely. "I know. I've always known, and lived with it… lived with the knowledge that we did this, I did this."

They sat in silence for a few minutes, the force swirling around them in a maelstrom of emotion and pain. Arkken took a deep breath, and began.

"Do you know the story of this?"

Obi-Wan wrapped his arms around himself, the dying sun chilling the gardens. "She told me about the Ondari, how there were political issues, and that you and she were separated, and that she felt you die."

The elder Jedi's eyes closed and he swallowed hard.

"Yes. It was… the most difficult thing I have ever had to do."

Obi-Wan knew the answer before he asked it. "You cut the training bond."

Arkken shook his head, running his hands through the hair at his temples.

"I had no choice. It was… set up this way. We had a mission on Jaongar II that Karin was not aware of, a separate mission dictated to us by Master Windu and the Council-" he paused gathering his thoughts. When he began again, his voice was soft and steady. "The minority of the people on Jaongar II were telepaths, while the majority were normal humanoids. In reality, the oppression of the telepaths had led them to become... violent. They hated each other…"

"Is this why my master went along on the mission?" Obi-Wan inquired.

"Indeed," Arkken nodded, "Qui-Gon is a very gifted negotiator. After a time, we were able to meet with a secret sect of leaders – those who wanted peace. But they knew that the telepaths did not trust the Jedi, would never listen to a Jedi, because they were threatened by us."

"So?"

"So… we had to fake my death."

"Right," Obi-Wan said skeptically.

"It's not that easy," Palamin breathed, the buzzing of nighttime garden animals and insects filling the silence. "It's never easy."

"Why did you cut the bond, Master Palamin?" Obi-Wan almost begged, his eyes wide and open with emotion. "Why do that to her? I thought you two were close-"

"We were closest in the order!" He defended testily, "The most gifted master and apprentice the force had blessed in years, Yoda said-"

"Then /why?" the boy pleaded-

"Because they had to believe I was dead! The council deemed it was the only way to successfully place me in the environment undercover," Arkken mused, eyes narrowing. "And the only way they would believe-"

"Was to sense the pain of it through Spire," Obi-Wan murmured, making the connection.

Arkken's eyes were red with unshed tears as his gaze bore into Obi-Wan.

"Her… shields weren't developed enough, she couldn't … couldn't hide that kind of pain…"

"And the council used that against her… my master used that against her," the padawan growled, anger touching his voice. "She said that Qui-Gon led her in circles, through a maze, while "trying" to get to you-"

"It – it wasn't meant to end like it did," Arkken almost whimpered, voice cracking, "She was supposed to go back to the temple, and they were supposed to tell her everything after she was off planet, away from the telepaths," the first tears escaped their confines and glistened in the starlight, "but she ran, she wasn't supposed to run-"

The master doubled over, shoulders shaking.

"She ran," his muffled voice retold, "She ran before the Jedi could get to her, and then she was just.. g-gone, and we tried to reach her, we did-"

"Shhh," Obi-Wan shushed quietly, stuffing his anger into a place where it could be dealt with later, and rising on his haunches and wrapping his small arms around the quivering master.

"Force," the master said shakily, raising his head and rubbing at his face, "I loved her so much, and to know that she suffered in vain, suffers in vain-" he shook his head, nose inches from Obi-Wan's, "It kills me. To know she will never be the Jedi she should have been, that this pain drove her to the dark, its –"

"Repairable," the boy whispered, placing a small hand on the master's shoulder. Arkken's bloodshot eyes regarded the boy with disbelief.

"This has been hell for both of you," Obi-Wan whispered, his voice low and soothing, wise beyond his years. "If you could see her again, just to see her, knowing she would never be a jedi, would you?"

"Yes," the master gasped, "To see her again, it's the only thing I dream of anymore," he shuddered hard, eyes closing to damn the flow of warm, salty tears – "All this time on Jaongar, in the field, its been… empty. Its all I live for, that hope t-that I can tell her how much I care, once more..."

Obi-Wan nodded, and looked over the elder's shoulder to see the tall silhouette of his master, the short shadow of a small master and the bald head of Windu in the darkness. A boy of only thirteen, Obi-Wan Kenobi gently grasped the back of Arkken's head, fingers sinking into soft hair, and brought the suffering master's head to his shoulder. His hand cupped the back of Arkken's skull and he murmured wordless comfort as the weight of Karin's master's head settled limply on his shoulder. His sea green eyes regarded his master's tall form as he spoke-

"Its going to be alright, shhh… Its alright…."

0ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo0

Qui-Gon had an arm wrapped tightly around Arkken as they made their way out of the gardens. Obi-Wan strode purposely ahead towards Windu.

"Well, that was the most heartless plan I've heard of, Master Windu," Obi-Wan seethed in a rare show of anger, his smaller legs working harder to keep up with the taller man.

And Mace did not move to his defense like Obi-Wan suspected he would. Just a resigned sigh – "I know." Obi-Wan spun, blocking the dark-skinned master's path.

"Tell me something, in honesty, master – That you honestly want to reunite Spire with her master, that you don't want her just for her skills, or knowledge of the sith?"

Windu's eyes were tired.

"I just want to make up for a mistake, young Kenobi. It's the least we can do now," he revealed in a flat tone, and moved around the boy, walking into the temple. Obi-Wan stared after him, rubbing his thumb over his fingernails beneath his robes. A gust of wind blew his at his robes, and he looked down. The bright eyes of Master Yoda stared up at him.

"A great Jedi Knight you will become, Padawan Kenobi," he whispered, before grasping his gimmer stick and hobbling after Windu.

"Padawan," Qui-Gon said softly, "I'm asked Master Arkken to dinner, do you mind?" asked the master as they paused beside the boy.

"Not at all. I will be along shortly, if I may, master," Obi-Wan replied with the calm voice of a dignitary, hiding the emotions he felt.

"Of course… padawan," the tall master responded, distracted. Obi-Wan watched the two head to the lifts. He, on the other hand, headed in the opposite direction. His robes swished silently on the smooth marble floors of the temple as he rapidly descended a flight of stairs into the large chambers of the Temple Library. He'd often come here in his childhood when he'd needed time alone. The Library was vast, and offered hundreds of isles of books and datapads. And as such, it offered plenty of space for the boy to find solitude.

Deep into the history section, Obi-Wan cast a quick glance over his shoulder. Determining he was alone, he reached into his robes, and retrieved the communications device that Rynik had given him. He fiddled with it for a moment, examining the device. He activated the recorder after he was sure it was safe.

"…Rynik?" Rynik its… its Obi-Wan," the boy said with a hushed tone, his eyes peeking out from behind the shelving to scan for intruders. "I have really important news and… I need you to send a ship…"

0ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo0

Obi-Wan was doing dishes later than evening when he felt the communicator at his waist come to life, vibrating in a pattern of three jolts. He made sure to shield his thoughts and excitement from his master, and turned, looking over his shoulder. Arrken and Qui-Gon had shared a quiet meal with Obi-Wan, and afterwards, the two elder Jedi had turned on a holovid, talking quietly. He had watched out of the corner of his eye as Qui-Gon gently touched Arkken's brow, and the scruffy Jedi tilted, asleep. A warmth blossomed in Obi-Wan's stomach when he watched Qui-Gon gently lay the tired master down, placing a large hand on Arkken's forehead. Despite his faults, his master could be a creature of care when he tried.

His master then retired to his room, and Obi-Wan quickly dried his hands and hurried to stand outside the quarters. Seeing that he was alone in the quiet night corridor, he removed the communications device from his belt and struggled to turn it on. After a few attempted and buttons, Rynik's low voice burst into the air.

"Rynik!" Obi-Wan said gleefully, a grin splitting his face, but then the smile died when he realized he was listening to a recording.

"-Wan, this is Rynik, I hope you're receiving this is due time. Distance makes it impossible to communicate in real time, so we have to send messages –"

A pause,

"I got your message through to Lord Khas, and honestly I couldn't read his reaction, but oh man kiddo, this is big news. I'm going to see if I can arrange a ship, we'll see. Times… are tough right now for us, we don't have a lot of ships to spare. Its so frelling complicated –"

Static, another long pause,

"Even if we manage to get you and the master here, I don't know what Spire'll think of it, that is if we can bring her home to Ghan, she's…. off world, with the Knights trying to solve this conflict and… yeah. Uh, I, I gotta go, Obi-Wan – I'll send word soon!"

And then the message abruptly ended.

He just stood there a few minutes, breathing deeply. She was so far away, but he could feel her, the way her mind touched his, he could still feel it within. If only he knew what was going on, if only he could be there –

The young padawan wandered the temple hall while shrouded in darkness. He found himself on the top tier of one of the four encircling towers that surrounded the high council chambers. He gently slid the security door open, bracing himself against the blast of wind that battered him in the face. The sounds of speeders bounced off the Temple's walls, and he closed his eyes to it, to all of the external.

I'm closest to her, here, he thought, turning his face to the sky.

But I'm not close enough.

But soon.