Obdurate Heart – XI

I'm glad you've all enjoyed thus far! I hope things aren't going too slowly. I'm starting to wonder about the next few chapters though—let me know first thing if you think it's getting mundane or boring. Thanks!

"The average pencil is seven inches long, with just a half-inch eraser—in case you thought optimism was dead."

-Robert Brault

"Obi Wan, what has come of your arm?"

Obi Wan shook off his daze quickly and met Qui Gon's eyes before hurriedly searching down at his bandaged wrist. Self-consciously, he felt a hand over it and cleared his throat. "I…believe I rather allowed Maul an opportunity I shouldn't have."

"Well are you alright?" his master continued as he surveyed the damage with his own eyes.

"It isn't anything serious." Came the reply, and Obi Wan hid the arm back down at his side in shame. "It should not have happened. It will not happen again."

Qui Gon hesitated for a moment and nodded slightly, scratching his beard. "It concerns me that he shows violence towards you."

"With all due respect, Master…what else could you have expected?" Obi Wan pointed out, turning to look over the same railing he had been standing by a few days prior. He found that coming to such secluded places did his thinking some good. Little had he expected his master to already be here on this occasion.

"I didn't say that it surprises me." Qui Gon said. "Only, that it concerns me. You know Obi Wan, I've been thinking about this. Have I put upon you something that you don't feel up to handling?"

Obi Wan blinked a few times and let his mouth fall open a ways, trying to come up with some reasonable answer. He couldn't admit to something like that. He was not incompetent. He couldn't let Qui Gon down. He asked of him such simple things. Even if truly, despite how he would justify it, he did not like this particular task in the slightest. "No, Master, of course not. I will do what you would have me do, nothing less." He assured quickly.

Qui Gon did not press the matter further. "Alright then. In that case…might I ask how it's going? Aside from that, naturally." He made a slight gesture towards Obi Wan's arm.

How was it going? How was it going? Obi Wan didn't know how to answer such a question. In his opinion, it was going nothing if not terribly, but he didn't want to put it as all that, especially when the reasons were completely his fault. "It goes fair, Master…"

"I see." Qui Gon said with a bit of a smile. "And I don't suppose he was any more inclined to lean in our favor?"

"Certainly not." Obi Wan shook his head and peered over the railing again, rubbing his bruised wrist. "Though…he did seem willing to toss politics of sorts."

"Nothing diplomatic, I'm assuming." Qui Gon said knowingly, studying his apprentice in a calculating manner.

"Well it is only to say that I did not expect him to speak to me, barring insults and death threats. I'm not entirely sure how to combat that issue." Sighed the young Jedi, professing himself freely, as Qui Gon was the only one privileged to hear it.

"So why combat it?" Qui Gon opposed as he joined the other's side.

Obi Wan furrowed his brow. "I'm not sure I know what you mean."

"I don't think it's a crime just to talk to a criminal." Qui Gon argued back casually. "If he is so adamant about speaking, perhaps you should engage him. You might even be able to hound out some kind of information, don't you think?"

Obi Wan paused for a long while as he thought about this. Shouldn't he be supremely averse to debate anything with a Sith? The Sith were infamous for an ability to weed into one's mine and corrupt it with some wicked persuasion. And Qui Gon was suggesting that he offer ample opportunity to do just that? That kind of reliance could be as damning as it could empowering. "Are you certain that is wise, Master?" he asked.

"Your mind is firm, Obi Wan. I trust you to do well in all things, especially the more challenging of them. Whatever the case, you cannot disappoint me. Unless of course you consider yourself liable to turn to the Dark Side over this." He jested dryly. Obi Wan gave him a look. "All the same, I feel that you have a power to exert over him more so than any other."

"And what power would that be?" Obi Wan queried warily.

"The power to enrage him the furthest." Qui Gon nodded. "He knows it was you who defeated him, and likewise I'm sure he rather resents that you are in charge of his captivity. He has reason to despise you more than any of us."

"Comforting." Obi Wan swallowed.

Qui Gon chuckled lightly and continued. "While anger is a dangerous emotion, it can also be a helpful one. Perhaps he will divulge to you something that, in a composed state of mind, he would be wise enough to keep secret."

"Yes, I suppose you're right, Master." He nodded slowly. It was worth a try, wasn't it? After all, what would Maul say to negotiators? Those to whom he had no personal attachment with? Whether he liked it or not, he was already the closest to Maul, and had done as much completely unbeknownst to himself.

"Anakin's been asking about you." Qui Gon noted in a seemingly arbitrary fashion.

Obi Wan looked over at him. "…About me?" he repeated.

"Yes, actually. Believe it or not, the boy is more fond of you than you think. He continuously asks me if you're finished with your task." Qui Gon informed with a sigh.

"I'm sure he just wants to know about Darth Maul. He's curious for trouble." Obi Wan decided after a brief period of thinking.

Qui Gon shook his head. "He said that he spoke to you the other day, and that you were rather in a sour mood."

Obi Wan lowered his head slightly in guilt. "Well I…I didn't mean to be." He confessed. In truth, he hadn't meant to treat the boy as a nuisance. It was just that…well that was exactly what young Anakin Skywalker had a tendency of being. His guilt receded a little at that thought.

"He wanted to learn the tale of Maul's defeat. I'm assuming that he asked you about it. I told him the story in great detail, but I think he'd much rather hear it from you." Qui Gon went on.

Obi Wan nodded distantly, heaving a small sigh himself. "Yes, I…don't see why I couldn't, some time." He submitted gently. "I haven't hurt his feelings, have I?"

"Oh, Obi Wan, don't fret about it." Qui Gon gave a kind smile, and then added sarcastically, "I'm sure he's quite used to you by now."

Obi Wan blinked at him and furrowed his brow.

"I'd best be on my way, Padawan. I'm going back to Coruscant in the morning to update the council on the situation and make plans for the negotiators. Master Yoda himself may even want to accompany." Qui Gon uttered as he stretched his shoulders back and suppressed a yawn. "In the meantime I have an additional task for you."

Obi Wan grimaced inwardly at the idea of another expectation on his shoulders, but insisted upon taking it without complaint. "Of course, Master."

"Learn to take a joke. And smile, once in a while. You're beginning to bring me down." He grinned and swiped a hand over his apprentice's head affectionately, making him duck a bit and glare at his master good-naturedly.

"I'll certainly try." Was Obi Wan's reply.