Obi-Wan watched and listened with a foreboding sense of deja-vu as Queen Amidala once more explained her plan for defeating the Trade Federation and capturing the Viceroy. Unlike before however, when he and his Master silently agreed, Obi-Wan chose not to stay silent.
When the Queen revealed her idea to enter the palace on the waterfall side, Obi-Wan snorted.
Padmé looked up from the palace hologram to glance at him curiously. "Do you have something to say Padawan Kenobi?"
"Yeah. Your plan is well-conceived and all that." The young Jedi barely refrained from rolling his eyes upward. "But you didn't account for the fact that the Viceroy will probably have plenty of droids still left in the palace and I hardly think a handful of guards and girls are enough to get through them all. I say we all stay here and fight with the gungan army and once the droids are defeated, move in on the city together and stay…together."
The young woman glanced from the young Jedi to the Master, obviously unsure of how to reply , until the Master, shaking his head in disbelief, urged her to continue.
But once more, she was interrupted by the padawan learner.
"Excuse me, your highness. I think that Master Qui-Gon should stay with the gungan army."
"Master," Obi-Wan continued, turning to face the taller mentor who now revealed a look of utter mortification. "I can accompany the queen into the palace. I really think that Anakin and you should stay here and help the gungans."
Qui-Gon glared at his padawan and without saying a word, turned to the queen. "We will both accompany you, your highness."
"But…" Obi-Wan managed to get out before Qui-Gon's icy stare silenced him.
"Both of us, your highness." He repeated gazing down at his padawan sternly.
With steps that echoed in Obi-Wan's memory, he found himself frantically trying to figure out how to stop their meeting with that Sith. It's not like he could order Qui-Gon around, but he would if he had to.
Suddenly, the hangar doors slid open to reveal the menacing Sith warrior that he now knew as Darth Maul.
He heard Padmé voice the words, "We'll take the long way" when Obi-Wan got an idea.
"Master. I really think we should stay with the queen. We can meet up with our tatooed friend here another time. Or better yet, let the queen and her guards take care of this Sith monster and we can take the long way around. Come on." He stated confidently, pulling on the sleeve of Qui-Gon's robe as he turned and began to walk in the direction that the queen and her guards had gone. His progression however, was stopped by a firm grip on his shoulder.
"Padawan!" The older man hissed. "What is wrong with you?"
Qui-Gon's eyes widened even further as Obi-Wan turned his attention back to their now-stalking and obviously impatient opponent. "If you'll please excuse us for a minute."
The absurdity of his statement didn't occur to Obi-Wan until the Sith's blade came to life and Obi-Wan realized with despair that they had no choice but to fight.
Quickly removing his robe and grabbing his own lightsaber, he moved in perfect sync with his Master as they began the fatalistic duel.
A mantra consisting of a series of "No's" played through Obi-Wan's mind as the fight progressed.
No! No! I cannot allow this to happen! I must do something! His inner voice screamed.
But before he knew it, they were on the catwalk that led up to the energy fields where he would be blocked off from Qui-Gon, and he realized that if he was going to do something, it had to be now.
With a loud cry, Obi-Wan rushed forward toward a surprised Maul and slammed his body fully into the horned being with such force that it sent them both flying off the catwalk together.
As he fell, Obi-Wan grimaced from pain, realizing that with his desperate move, Maul's saber had pierced his shoulder. But despite the pain, he held onto the being with all his might. He could hear his Master's anguished cry above him.
A smile soon crossed Obi-Wan's face as the air rushed by his and Maul's struggling and free-falling forms.
Better for me to die than Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan thought as he closed his eyes and prepared to become one with the Force.
