A/N: - Star Wars – Denoted communication via bond. All grammar/spelling errors you find in this chapter are mine.

Chapter 3: To Travel Abroad

Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing ever happened.

- Sir Winston Churchill

Morning bloomed cool and clear over the Jedi Temple as it's inhabitants rose to ready for their respective day. Out on one of the many landing pads a ship was preparing for it's run to Tammuz-an and Alderaan. The captain and co-pilot went through their final preparations as Obi-Wan stowed his and his Master's things aboard the Valantyn. Off to the side of the landing pad two young human padawans conversed quietly while waiting for their masters. Each where dressed in the customary attire, their short braids blowing in the wind.

"I can't believe you get to travel with Master Jinn and Padawan Kenobi!" one whispered excitedly.

"Yeah, but we aren't going to the same place. My master and I are going to Alderaan, nothing ever happens there."

"Yes, but… you get to travel with Master Jinn and Padawan Kenobi!" he tried again.

"I'll probably never see them, they'll probably like, meditate the whole time or something."

"Come on Jospa. Don't be so negative. You should talk to Obi-Wan on your trip."

"What if Master Jinn is around?" Jospa asked.

"It's not like he's going to bite your head off!" the other laughed.

"Yeah, but would you have the nerve to talk to him?"

The other padawan seemed to pause a moment looking a bit unsure.

"I don't know," he answered honestly, "he does tend to, ah unnerve me a bit."

The boys quieted down as said master stepped out on the platform.

Mace Windu stepped out into the Coruscant morning sun and squinted slightly. He was followed by Qui-Gon and Knight Shais.

"Captain Benoo will drop you and Obi-Wan off on Tammuz-an," Mace explained to Qui-Gon, "then he'll take Master Shais and her padawan to Alderaan. After that he'll come back to Tammuz-an and wait for your mission to complete. Master Shais, Captain Orden of the Bartilmewe has agreed to bring you back to the Jedi Temple. The end of his trading business should coincide with the end of your mission."

Master Shais nodded her head in understanding, the twi'lek's blue prehensile tentacles moving around her shoulders.

"If we are done here, could I have a word with you for a moment, Master Windu?" Qui-Gon asked politely.

"Of course, the transport has a few minutes before it departs."

Master Shais bowed to the Council member then left to retrieve her padawan and board the ship. They waited for the other master to vacate earshot before either spoke.

"If this is about the transport coming back," Mace started, "then I'm afraid you don't have a choice. I'm not exactly pleased you'll be left on Tammuz-an with no way off the planet for a few days as it is."

"Actually, that's not it Mace. I dueled with Obi-Wan yesterday," Qui-Gon finished looking pointedly at the other Jedi.

"Ah, and how did that go?" Mace said with a twinkle in his eyes.

"I have to admit, he almost got a hit in, close enough to singe my hair."

"Perhaps if you two duel enough, your apprentice will singe off a sufficient amount of your hair that you'll have to get it cut, like your master, and the Council has always suggested," Mace finished with a barely refrained smile.

"My hair is not the reason I wished to speak with you Mace," Qui-Gon said dryly.

"Then by all means, please continue my friend."

"Obi-Wan used a couple of interesting moves on me. One's he could barely control."

"Well," Mace began smiling now, "some things require more practice than others. But I know what you are getting at. Look Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan is old enough and skilled enough that he can, and should, be exposed to other techniques. That is a padawan's job, to learn all he can, then decide for himself what works best for him."

"I do agree with you there. I do not agree, however, on him learning something like Vaapad without my approval. If you wish to instruct him in the basics of it, and Obi-Wan is willing to learn, that's fine. But next time, I will be there. It is my job, as his master, to teach him how to control what he learns."

"Very well then. That is something we may discuss at a later time. For now," Mace said becoming serious, "lets focus on your mission. As you know, you are to guard the delegates, but the Tammuz-an's have been fighting this civil war for generations. They have not asked us to take part in the negotiations, so if a full scale war breaks out, I want you and Obi-Wan off the planet."

"But Mace…"

Mace held up a hand to cut off the argument.

"The Council will not budge on this one Qui-Gon. We are not soldiers, nor are we their soldiers. If they wish to fight a war, it is not our place to do it for them. And as just mentioned, they have not asked us to participate in the negotiations. If war does break out and they put in a plea for help from the Jedi, then the Council will decide the best course of action from there. If the negotiations fall apart, you will leave the planet until a future decision can be made. Is that clear?"

Whether Qui-Gon had any further arguments, Mace couldn't tell, the other Jedi appeared composed enough on the outside.

"Very well. May the Force be with you," Qui-Gon finished with a bow.

"And with you," Mace replied mirroring the gesture.

Mace walked quietly into the meditation room so as not to disturb Master Yoda, who looked deep in thought. The dark Jedi sat cross legged on one of the cushions and brought both his hands up to lean his chin on. He sat patiently for a long while until the small master finally looked over at him.

"Full scale war is likely to break out while they are there. The Tammuz-an's are not yet ready for the peace they seek," Mace said calmly.

Yoda simply nodded his head in agreement.

"It will not be so easy for Qui-Gon and his padawan to leave. They'll likely get caught in the middle."

Yoda nodded again.

"Are we sure it was right to send Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan?" Mace asked already knowing the answer.

"Will of the Force for those two to go, it was. No other. Very clear, this was to me."

It was Mace's turn to nod his head this time.

"I have sensed the disturbance in the apprentice's mind and it will eventually effect the master. I fear it is a dangerous line they will tread."

"Wait for the appropriate time, fate will not. Be prepared to face the future while facing ourselves, we must. The life of a Jedi, this is," Yoda said with conviction.

"You are right," Mace conceded, "there is no better time to prepare for the future then during the turbulent times. I only hope it doesn't prove too overwhelming."

Yoda sighed, and to Mace, the diminutive master seemed to age.

"Tested, will the master/padawan bond be. Tested to prepare for the future, it must be. Fail, they cannot. Or grave consequences, will it bring. Wait for young Kenobi to be ready, we cannot."

Mace nodded, but said nothing. When Yoda said no more the Jedi closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Perhaps meditation would sooth his own mind.

Qui-Gon took a deep breath and opened his eyes. He wasn't sure how long he had been meditating, but when he walked out of his cabin to the ship's small common area his apprentice was still in the same spot he had left him. It had been after the evening meal, on their third day of travel, when Qui-Gon entered his room to meditate. Obi-Wan had been, and still was, reading some of his assigned books trying to keep up in his studies. Shais' 14-year-old padawan, Jospa Irwin was his name if he remembered correctly, was in the room reading as well. Qui-Gon had to hid an amused smile at the frightened nuna look the boy gave him every time he noticed the Jedi master.

Obi-Wan looked up and smiled at him as he entered the room and Qui-Gon almost met his padawan's smile with a frown. The boy was beginning to show the first outward signs of fatigue. He was paler than normal with slight dark rings under his eyes. It was slight enough that Qui-Gon was sure no one else would notice, but it was easy enough for him to spot.

"Obi-Wan," he said in way of acknowledgment.

Qui-Gon then nodded to Jospa who had looked up at the sound of the Jedi Master's voice. The boy gave a short hello then buried his attention quickly back to his data sheet and Qui-Gon shared a small amused smile with Obi-Wan, who had noticed the strained exchange.

- Into scaring junior padawans now, my venerable Master? -

Before Qui-Gon could answer his brat of an apprentice he felt, more than heard, someone come up behind him.

"Scaring my apprentice again, eh Qui-Gon?" Shais whispered playfully.

"Only after dinner, I assure you," he answered quietly back.

That provoked a sultry smile from the Twi'lek as she sauntered over to sit down next to her apprentice.

The four Jedi sat that way, in comfortable silence, well three in comfortable silence anyway, as the youngest member of the group could barely contain his nervousness. Eventually the ship's lights, except for those in the common area, dimmed to enforce the false setting of night that belonged to star travel.

Obi-Wan was finally close to finishing the book he was reading as he caught himself nodding off. The padawan jerked his head up and had to repress a yawn. Oh but he was tired and The Commodity Interests of the Commerce Guild just wasn't cutting it to keep the padawan's attention. Although he understood the need for commerce, how anyone could find the subject interesting was beyond him. The assignment was like pulling teeth, only worse, and Obi-Wan suppressed a tired groan as he realized he still had another book on the subject to read.

Qui-Gon must have felt his weary frustration as he glanced to his padawan. The Jedi Master casually looked over Obi-Wan's shoulder to see what he was reading, and the young man felt the teasing amusement of his master.

- Come now Obi-Wan, don't tell me that acquisition, refinement and production of raw materials isn't one of your key interests? -

- How did you ever guess Master mine? -

Qui-Gon bit back the smile that was threatening to overtake him.

- I could be wrong padawan mine, but my highly trained and honed Jedi skills of observation couldn't help but notice the glazed look in your eyes as you stared, ah read, the data sheet. -

Obi-Wan almost snorted out loud as he laid the data pad down and rubbed at his tired eyes.

- Perhaps heading to bed early would be advisable, Obi-Wan. We will reach our destination tomorrow evening and the extra rest wouldn't hurt. -

- Yes Master -

Obi-Wan rose without complaint and headed for the quarters he had been inhabiting the last three days. His fatigue must be starting to show if Master Qui-Gon was suggesting sleep over his studies. His Master could be quite ruthless when it came to that area, no matter the subject content.

Being left in a room with Master Jinn, even with the presence of his own master, Jospa felt his anxiety increase. Obi-Wan got up without a word from anyone and left the room, then soon after his Master left to fix tea and, naturally, had to go to the dinning area to do it. Master Jinn intimidated most of the young initiates and padawans, without trying he knew, but he admitted, he was more intimidated than most. A fact his Master was well aware of and she left him to fend for himself!

Jospa risked a side-glance over at the Jedi Master. He was calmly sitting there with his attention focused on the pad in his hands. He looked, for all purposes, like he hadn't a care in the world. Steady, he ordered himself; Master Shais will be back in a moment. Jospa had actually wanted to get to know Obi-Wan a little on their trip, but hadn't built up the nerve. The senior padawan had kept to himself the last three days. Obi-Wan and Master Jinn seemed to hardly speak to each other let alone anyone else.

After what seemed like an eternity, which in reality was probably a couple of minutes, his Master did finally return. She had a mug in each hand and casually handed one to Master Jinn then turned to her student.

"It's getting late Jospa, perhaps you should retire for the night."

"Yes Master," the boy replied and let his relief openly flood to his master.

The twi'lek smiled to the other Jedi as her student left the room.

"It's a good thing your port of departure is tomorrow or my padawan would be a nervous wreak by the time we reached Alderaan," she said casually.

Qui-Gon took a sip of his tea before he responded.

"I'd try and talk to the boy, but I fear that would do more damage then good. He carries enough anxiety to rival a nuna."

The twi'lek laughed at that.

"Well, you are frightening, for a human, yes?" Shais said wrapping her hands around the warm mug.

Qui-Gon started to take the bait and provoke the twi'lek by reminding her that he was not the one with tentacles growing from his head, but he realized it would only send the playful female into more laughter. Instead, he went back to reading.

It wasn't long after the exchange that a familiar ripple in the Force made Qui-Gon shudder. The Twi'lek looked over to the Jedi Master with her cerulean eyes.

"Pardon me," Qui-Gon said politely as he rose and left without another word.

Qui-Gon almost sighed, as his knock received no response from inside. Their last night in the Jedi Temple, and the first night on the transport, Qui-Gon had not felt his padawan's nightmares and he had been hopeful they had stopped. Whether they had for a short while, or his apprentice was getting better at blocking his distress, the master didn't know.

A quiet cry from inside made Qui-Gon push formalities aside and he opened the door. Obi-Wan was breathing hard and beginning to thrash in his sleep. Something he hadn't done since the violent nightmares of his youth. The Jedi Master restrained the young man's arms and tried calling his name.

"Obi-Wan! Obi-Wan wake up!" he called sternly.

Eventually the padawan's eyes snapped open and he turned confused, frightened eyes up at his Master. Qui-Gon didn't let go of his apprentice's arms, but lessened his grip. It seemed to take the young man a while to orient himself to the waking world and as soon as he turned clear eyes up at the Jedi Master, Qui-Gon finally let go.

"Master?" Obi-Wan, breathed in a voice that barely shook.

It took Obi-Wan several breaths to calm his racing heart. There is no chaos; there is harmony, the padawan had to repeat to himself over and over. Qui-Gon sat patiently on the side of the sleep couch while his apprentice calmed himself.

"Master, I'm sorry…" Obi-Wan began.

"Hush padawan," Qui-Gon cut in.

Qui-Gon's tone was gentler then Obi-Wan had heard in a while. The voice, the padawan remembered, his Master used on him when he was worried.

"Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon said gently, "you know I do not interfere in your private doings. I know you are a responsible young man and I trust you to come to me when you have a problem. But this cannot go on young one. I had hoped you would have placed your trust in me as well and come to me before now. I cannot help you otherwise."

In that moment, Obi-Wan felt guilty. Of course he trusted his Master. More than anyone else he had ever known.

"I'm sorry Qui-Gon, I do trust you, and I had meant to come to you. It's just…"

"Just what?" Qui-Gon tried to prompt.

"You have so much to worry about as it is, especially recently. I was just hoping I could overcome… whatever this is, on my own."

"Obi-Wan, I am never too busy that I do not have the time for my padawan. As your Master you are my first priority. Now come," the Jedi said standing up, "we have a lot to talk about and I think tea would be in order. And after you tell me all about these dreams of yours, you will return to bed, and I promise you will sleep peacefully until the morning."

So Obi-Wan confided in Qui-Gon as they sat in the dinning area drinking tea. Although Obi-Wan was sure the dreams would return, telling it all to his Master felt like a weight being removed from his shoulders. And, true to Qui-Gon's words, when Obi-Wan returned to his slumber, he slept peacefully until the artificial morning.

TBC…