The words from Master Windu -- "first solo mission as a Knight" and Adi Gallia's "congratulations" were echoing throughout his brain. The words that had followed --"spice miner rebellion" and "Naboo" had immediately caused a reaction somewhere deep inside him, and he hadn't heard anything else after that.
Why in the blazes was the Force doing this to him? Back to Naboo? He didn't want to go back to Naboo! Naboo was the source of all of his current problems! Whether it was the death of his Master occurring there, his injury, or recovery -- whatever had happened, he knew that all he wanted to do was stay away from the wretched planet and forget.
But a little voice inside his head, that curiously sounded a lot like Master Yoda, was telling him that it had been four weeks now, and he was not getting better. Meditations were not helping. The healers had been at a loss...at least until today.
Healer T'Pal had suggested a life-bond had begun forming. Perhaps something had happened on Naboo that he wasn't aware of. Perhaps while he was unconscious, one of the handmaidens...
No. This is ridiculous. They wouldn't. Would they? But what else could have happened?
The baritone voice of Master Windu continued to drone on and on about the specifics of the mission, but Obi-Wan Kenobi was lost.
The look on his face however, was not. Yoda hadn't missed it. The new Knight wasn't paying the least bit of attention!
A sudden thought had occurred to Obi-Wan that had not occurred before. Something had to have happened during his recovery. And who was with him during that recovery? Queen Amidala herself.
His brows furrowed in concentration. He had been in her bed...and the way she so confidently had exposed his bare torso. There was no embarassment at all on her part. It was almost as if she was familiar with his body.
But she hadn't said anything. She didn't do anything...that he could remember. Surely, she wouldn't have done something that he couldn't remember!
A rapid and forceful tapping of Yoda's gimer stick on the council floor brought his attention back to the conversation proceeding without him.
"Accept this mission, you will?" Yoda's knowing glare swept over him, causing him to blush from the humiliation of being caught not paying attention.
"Yes."
If the increased tugging apprehension he now felt was any indication, perhaps returning to Naboo would be the only way he would find the answers he had been seeking.
As the small ship he was on made its way to the planet, the almost painful burden he bore began to ease somewhat, and in its place was now a warmth he could not explain. A soothing salve to the ache he had suffered for the past four weeks. He realized that his suspicions had been right. The solution to the problem was on Naboo..and he was suddenly quite nervous about that fact.
Healer T'Pal entered the Jedi Council Chambers and curtly bowed before the Masters seated there.
"Wish to speak to us, you do?"
"Yes Master Yoda. I have come to report my findings on a mind healing session with Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi."
"Proceed." Master Windu sat back in his chair and steepled his long fingers in his lap.
"Knight Kenobi has been suffering from the ramifications of an incomplete life-bonding process. During our session, I discovered a fairly new-formed bond that had to have been established at least four weeks before. Knight Kenobi suspects that the events on Naboo are somehow responsible."
"When discover this, did you?"
"Our session was held this morning."
"And you waited until now to tell us?" Master Windu was no longer appearing comfortably at ease and it put Healer T'Pal on alert. She decided to explain her actions quickly.
"I spent the rest of the day researching Force bonds. Although this particular bond is fresh, it is strong. I recommendbond elimination therapy as soon as possible before the bond has a chance to grow or complete. In the meanwhile, it is also my recommendation that Knight Kenobi needs to remain on inactive duty and there should be no mention to him of Naboo or anything that occurred there."
Master Windu turned to Master Yoda at that moment and uttered two simple words. "Uh oh."