Chapter 42
Suspicions
Obi-Wan leaned back into his couch and sipped at his tea. This particular cup contained Chandrillan cherry tea. It was a sweeter, fruiter blend than he preferred, but Vader seemed to like it. So, to keep the young man from whining about how bland Obi-Wan's favorite teas were, he stocked a wider variety than he had in the past.
It was too quiet, he decided. Vader was off somewhere doing Force-only-knew what. And that left Obi-Wan alone in the apartment.
Normally, when Vader was off in class or doing something else on his own, Obi-Wan would find his own way to keep busy. He might meditate, or go down to the gym and exercise, or visit the Archives, or do paperwork, or leave the Temple to visit Dex, or anything that he could think of to be doing something. Because if he wasn't doing something, his mind had picked up the bad habit of drifting back over the more unpleasant things he'd experienced in his life, most notably his Master's death.
But the problem now was that he simply lacked the energy and stamina to keep busy. It was just over a week since he'd been released by the Healers and while he had improved, it still felt like there were invisible weights attached to his limbs. Just walking down to the cafeteria took a ridiculous amount of effort on his part. But at least he didn't need Vader to escort him everywhere and play the part of Human crutch anymore.
His check-up the previous day with the Healers had gone well. They still wanted him to take it easy, but he was now officially given permission to leave the Temple. When he heard that, he was rather glad that he'd failed to mention his visit to Senator Amidala's apartment to them.
Sighing, Obi-Wan drained the last of his tea and very slowly made his way to the kitchen to dispose of his empty cup. His normal stride was now reduced to something approaching a shuffle as it felt like Coruscant's gravity had mysteriously doubled in strength. Force, I feel like an old man, he grumbled to himself, rinsing out his teacup and putting it away in a cabinet.
Obi-Wan then started to work his way back to the couch. However the door chime caused him to veer off towards the door. When the chime rang again, he forced himself to pick up the pace a bit.
On the other side of his door he found several Council Members including Master Yoda, Master Windu, Master Gallia, Master Fisto, Master Tiin, and Master Unduli. Obi-Wan was startled, usually it was only Yoda and Mace that visited him. The other Masters rarely spoke with him outside of official meetings.
"Masters," Obi-Wan blinked, struggling to keep his calm composure. "Come in," he invited, stepping aside so they could pass inside.
The Masters filed in, each finding a seat on one of his couches or armchairs. When they had made themselves comfortable, there was only one seat left, an old wooden chair, the least comfortable one he owned. Obi-Wan swallowed a sigh and sank stiffly down onto the ancient relic that his old Master had picked up from somewhere long before he'd been apprenticed and waited to see what this was about.
"Sorry about dropping in unannounced," Mace apologized, "but we wished to discuss a few things before today's Council session."
And off the record, of course, Obi-Wan realized. "It's alright," he assured them. "What is it that you wish to discuss?"
"Where is young Vader?" Adi Gallia inquired.
Obi-Wan forced himself not to wince at the question. "He failed to mention his plans to me this morning, so I don't know where he is."
Collectively, the Masters looked displeased with his answer. Yoda and Mace seemed a tad more forgiving as they were used to dealing with Obi-Wan and his less-than-predictable ward. The others though were not.
"You don't know where he is?" Kit Fisto frowned, very unhappy with Obi-Wan's answer.
"I'm certain he hasn't left the Temple, he would've told me if he was going to do that." Obi-Wan assured them.
The assembled Masters were anything but convinced. "And you trust him?" Luminara Unduli asked, incredulous.
And then Obi-Wan caught on to his mistake. The Council, as a whole, didn't trust Vader. He was one degree away from being an enemy. They didn't personally know the young man. They only had his reports to go on as to how Vader was progressing. And they took everything with a large does of skepticism.
Obi-Wan swallowed hard and sat a bit straighter. "Yes, I do."
"Are you sure that is wise?" Saesee Tiin all but growled.
"He has yet to betray my trust in him." Obi-Wan replied.
"That you know of," Luminara pointed out. "There are no remaining Jedi witnesses to his conduct on Jabiim after your capture and you were absent for an entire month afterwards."
"There is also his unexplained behavior as he abandoned his post in the Varonat System." Kit added.
"True," Obi-Wan reluctantly conceded.
"And you have yet to ascertain his activities during his unauthorized absence before your mission to Ansion." Adi reminded him. "The timing of which is highly suspicious."
"Suspicious how?" Obi-Wan frowned.
"Less than a month before the outbreak of war, Vader disappears and gives only a vague excuse of 'a personal matter' to explain it." Adi elaborated, and her suspicion was laid bare. She was suggesting that Vader's conveniently timed absence allowed him time to meet with Dooku or some other conspirator.
Why is she bringing this up now? Obi-Wan wondered as he listened with slowly mounting dread.
"And then there is his odd behavior leaving Varonat and speedy location of you on Riflor." Adi continued. "You share no training bond which might explain away his behavior. So the only conclusion that I can draw is that someone told him where you were."
Looked on in that light, Obi-Wan had to admit that the ideas that Adi strung together were damning. It made a terrible sort of sense, though Obi-Wan didn't believe it. The problem was, he didn't have anything to say, any evidence to refute what Adi was implying.
Obi-Wan glanced over at Mace and Yoda, neither of which had said a word since the discussion began. They remained ominously silent, neither helping nor hurting Obi-Wan's position. And the tense quiet spread, smothering, and feeding the tension in the air, as Obi-Wan groped for something, anything, to say.
"So do you have anything to say, Obi-Wan?" Master Windu asked, finally breaking the silence.
"There really isn't anything that I can say." Obi-Wan sighed wearily. "I trust him and, despite the unexplainable absences, I see no reason to question my trust in him."
That was a risky statement to make. If they disagreed with him, if they felt he could no longer do his duty properly in this issue, they could change the arrangement. Perhaps they might assign some other Master to look over both their shoulders and make sure they behaved. Or worse, they might move to separate them, passing Vader off to a new Master.
"Bold words," Adi murmured after a lengthy silence. "Let us hope that your faith is not misplaced."
"Hmm," Yoda grunted, "a theory I have to explain Vader's finding of Obi-Wan on Riflor."
Obi-Wan glanced sharply over at the ancient green Master. And you waited until now to share it? "Oh?" He inquired with polite interest.
"A bond you must share." Yoda pronounced.
"But Master Yoda how is that possible?" Kit frowned. "Obi-Wan did not initially form a training bond with Vader. Nor has he reported forming one at any time."
"True," Mace interjected, "but a latent bond is another matter."
That startled them all into silence as they grappled with the implications of that idea. Obi-Wan was more shocked than the rest of them, seeing as it had directly to do with him. But then when he forced himself to sit back and consider it, things began to make a great deal of sense.
It certainly explained how Vader had found him so quickly on Riflor. Also, if there was a bond, Vader's behavior made sense; he acted just like a real Orphaned Jedi Padawan who'd suddenly had his Master returned to him. Had Obi-Wan been in a similar situation with Qui-Gon, he'd probably have acted in the same way.
"Is it possible for such a bond to form between…?" Luminara trailed off dubiously.
"Well why not," Saesee mused. "Bonds are not exclusively formed between Jedi. They are possible between any two individuals with enough Force potential."
"But is that the case here?" Adi asked, focusing her blue eyes on Obi-Wan.
The strange incident just before his old friends had come to visit him in the Healer wing suddenly sprang to mind, and Obi-Wan found himself nodding. "I think so."
"Is Vader aware of this?" Kit wondered, tugging on one of his many lekku.
Obi-Wan again thought back to that strange occurrence in the Healer wing and the week that had followed. "I believe he does, though he has not spoken to me concerning it."
"Really?" Mace asked, surprised.
All of them were aware of Vader's aversion to mental intrusion. Even light scans could set him off into panic if he wasn't expecting it. The idea that he knew of a bond – a permanent sort of mental contact – and wasn't upset by it, wasn't demanding that it be dissolved, was difficult to believe.
"Test him, you should." Yoda suggested. "Call him here."
Obi-Wan nodded and reached out for that vague tingle he'd noticed, but then forgotten about, in the Healer wing. He found it easily enough and traced towards it's source. This time there was no 'brick wall' to block him, no reflexive barrier to keep him out.
(Padawan?)
Vader strolled through the halls of the Jedi Temple, a datapad in his left hand and an apple in his mechanical right. As he meandered back to the apartment he skimmed over the material he'd picked up from the Archives and munched on his snack. Though his eyes were glued to the datapad screen, he didn't run into anything or anyone. The Force was his guide, if he was about to stumble into something solid it warned him.
His selected reading material was a digital copy of some ancient text titled The Force and It's Connections. At first glance it looked like this text might contain some information that would explain the mysterious bond he'd fumbled over. But so far, all the reading had done for him was bore him. It was written in an outdated, dry style that was difficult to read through. He was getting ready to give up on it.
There was a rising tingling sensation in the back of his head and – (Padawan?)
Vader froze mid-step, his mouth half-way through taking another bite of his apple. For a moment he couldn't think, couldn't move. And then a group of passing Initiates, giggling over some joke, broke the startled spell. Feeling a little embarrassed at his reaction, he moved to stand along the hallway wall.
It's just Obi-Wan, he chided himself. Don't be such a baby. (What?)
(Where are you?) Obi-Wan asked curiously.
(In a hallway, heading back to the apartment.) Vader sent back.
(Oh good.) Obi-Wan replied with slightly strained cheerfulness. (Half the Council decided to stop by for a visit and they wish to see you.)
Vader felt a knot of dread start to tie itself up in his insides. (Really?)
(Yes.) Obi-Wan confirmed. Then there was a calming wave of reassurance. (It will be alright.)
(I'm coming, I'm coming.) Vader swallowed, leaning heavily into his Master's support for a moment before continuing on his way.
His reading and snack all but forgotten, Vader trudged down the hallway, feeling the knot of dread tighten and grow. When he reached the apartment he shared with his Master, he tucked his datapad under his arm and palmed the door open with his left hand. And, as Obi-Wan had said, half of the Jedi Council was visiting in the common room.
The aged troll, Master Yoda, and the dark-hued Human, Master Mace Windu, were there, of course. And joining them were four others. There was Master Kit Fisto, the green amphibious Nautolan with enormous unblinking black eyes and a mass of lekku (the Twi'lek term for head tentacles) for hair. Then there was the fierce-looking horned Master Saesee Tiin, an Iktotchi with phenomenal piloting skills. Next was the chocolate-skinned Human, Master Adi Gallia, a Corellian with a very strange headdress that made it look like she had lekku of her own. And finally there was Master Luminara Unduli, a Mirialan with startlingly blue eyes, oddly colored skin that looked somewhere between tan, gold, and pale green, and a vertical stripe of black, diamond-shaped tattoos on her chin.
Forcing himself not to squirm or fidget under the combined weight of their gazes, he walked over to stand at Obi-Wan's shoulder. He noticed that the visiting Masters had taken up all the nice, comfortable seats, leaving Obi-Wan with the crappy wooden chair that no one ever used. Vader wasn't sure he was happy about that. Didn't poor beat-up Obi-Wan deserve one of the nicer chairs?
"You wished to see me?" Vader murmured, bowing slightly.
"Yes," Master Windu nodded gravely. "Now that you're here, I believe Master Tiin has something he wishes to discuss."
"I do," the Iktotchi Master agreed, leaning forward a bit. "It has fallen to me to decide who will field-test the new Eta-2 fighters we've received. After much consideration I must ask, would you be willing to test them on your next deployment?"
Vader was having a really hard time keeping his jaw from hitting the floor. Seriously? Is he serious? Really?
"Hmm," Obi-Wan considered for a moment, stroking his beard. "We would be more than happy to," he agreed.
Vader nodded his consent, somehow holding back a wide smile. You're supposed to look calm and dignified when facing the Jedi Council. No grinning like an idiot allowed.
"Well that's settled then. As soon as there are Astromech droids available for your use, you are cleared for flight." Master Tiin declared.
"Thank you Master Tiin," Obi-Wan replied.
Vader nodded again, too busy trying to contain his excitement to come up with an appropriate verbal response.
"To business we must be getting," Master Yoda sighed and slipped down from his seat on one of the couches. "Grateful we are for your time. May the Force be with you."
The other Masters rose and repeated Master Yoda's farewell. Obi-Wan repeated the old phrase back to the Masters and he and Vader gave slight bows of respect. Then they strode from the apartment off to the Council Room to do whatever business they had for the day. And now, out from under their scrutiny, Vader finally allowed himself to smile.
I get to fly an Eta-2!
Obi-Wan sighed in relief after the door snapped shut behind the other Masters. Running a hand over his face, he leaned back in the wooden chair and let the tension slowly drain out. Well that was unpleasant, he sighed.
Glancing over at Vader, he saw that the young man had melted into one of the open couches and was now munching on a half-eaten apple he'd been carrying with a dreamy sort of smile on his face. Of course he's happy, Obi-Wan grumbled. The new Jedi Starfighter that he's been fantasizing about he flying is now all but his.
"So how has your day been?" Obi-Wan asked, stiffly getting up from the wooden chair and shuffling over to a more comfortable, cushioned armchair.
Vader made no reply. It didn't even look as if he'd heard the question in the first place. He just half-laid on the couch and stared up at the ceiling with a dreamy, contented expression. Clearly he was day-dreaming about flying again.
Obi-Wan decided to try a different angle of attack. (So how has your day been?) He repeated.
The young man started, blinked dazedly for a moment, and then fixed Obi-Wan with a rather sour look. "Hey, I was in the middle of a good day-dream."
"I could tell," Obi-Wan smirked slightly, "now would you kindly answer my question?"
Vader took a large bite out of his apple as he considered his answer. "Fine for the most part," he shrugged. As he chewed on another bite of his fruit, something seemed to occur to him. "Hey Obi-Wan?"
"Yes?" Obi-Wan replied.
"Do you…um…could you…" Vader stammered, unsure of how to ask the question he had. (Could you explain this?)
While the question was vague, Obi-Wan understood perfectly what he wanted to know. "Yes I can. In fact that was part of the discussion that you missed." Obi-Wan shifted in the armchair to make himself more comfortable before continuing.
"There are several types of Force bonds, the most common of which is the training bond between a Master and a Padawan. The type of bond that Master Yoda believes is involved here is called a latent bond. In the past such bonds were common, but they have become increasingly rare." Obi-Wan explained, which is another reason why the other Masters are reluctant to believe it.
"So how is this 'latent bond' thingy different from a training bond?" Vader asked, now sitting up straight on the couch, leaning forward in interest.
"For one it is not consciously formed by either of the involved parties. Instead it spontaneously forms over time between two Force-sensitives who are closely associated with each other. And unlike a training bond, which is meant to be severed at a certain point, a latent bond is only broken by the death of one of those involved." Obi-Wan answered.
"Hmm," Vader took another bite of his snack and chewed it thoughtfully. "So I'm stuck with this?"
"Yes," Obi-Wan nodded. "Does that bother you?" He asked worriedly.
There was a long pause as Vader finished off the last of his apple. "No, not really. Does it bother you?"
"No," Obi-Wan shrugged. "I was more worried that you would have a problem with it, given your history."
"Ah," Vader sighed, rising off the couch to go dispose of the apple core. When he returned from that little errand, he dumped a deactivated datapad on the caf table and settled back down on the couch. "Well, I'll get used to it."
Obi-Wan was startled at how easily Vader brushed it off. To think that a young man who used to reflexively attack others who tread too closely to the borders of his mind would be perfectly fine with a bond just a few years later was hard for him to believe. And yet that seemed to be case here.
"So why didn't you bring this up earlier?" Obi-Wan asked after some contemplation. "I know you picked up on the bond before I did."
Vader shifted uncomfortably. "Stuff just kept getting in the way."
"Well, 'stuff' only gets in the way when you allow it to." Obi-Wan pointed out. "And in times like these, if you put something off for too long, then you could miss your chance forever." He warned.
The young man swallowed and stared down at his hands. "Right," he muttered, rising to wander off into his room.
Obi-Wan exhaled wearily and rubbed his eyes. It seemed he'd given his young apprentice something to think about, just as he'd hoped. But would it be enough to get Vader to open up on his own about some of his more risky secrets? Or would he have to be more direct and ask him? Obi-Wan hoped it would be the former, rather than the latter…