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Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Sarah stood before the Jedi Council. Anakin had just stepped off of his ship back from Naboo when they had called and requested their presence. He glanced at Sarah as soon as he walked in, and she looked away quickly. Confused, he turned his attention to the Council.
He had always associated the Council Chambers with complete tranquility, but it now felt tense and stressed. He could feel something odd emanating from Sarah and Obi-Wan, and he could not place it, nor did he like it.
As soon as they were all assembled, Mace Windu spoke, "This war is going to progress rapidly. Disruption has already spread to the Outer Rim. The Council has decided that it is necessary to spread the Jedi out as much as possible."
"Need to be split up, you do," said Yoda.
Obi-Wan opened his mouth in surprise and protest, but Mace held up a hand, "The Council feels as though your Padawans are ready to take on missions of their own. They are still Padawans, but we need their skills for separate missions."
There was an uneasy feeling passed silently amongst the Council Members at these words. Mace continued, "Obi-Wan, your mediating skills are greatly needed on Kamino. We feel that it will be the next target by the Separatist forces, and your skills are essential."
Obi-Wan nodded, if a bit reluctantly. Mace turned to Anakin, "Anakin, your piloting skills will be necessary for Raxus Prime. We have information of an advanced weapon that could be potentially disastrous."
Anakin's face was resolved as he took his mission. Mace finally turned to Sarah, "Sarah, a crisis has arisen on Queyta, where we believe that Jenna Zan Arbor has been secretly developing weapons. Your analytical skills are necessary for this mission."
Sarah accepted the mission with a nod. "May the Force be with you," Mace told the three Jedi. Anakin and Sarah gave respectful bows and moved to leave, but Obi-Wan remained upright. He signaled to Anakin and Sarah's curious glances that he wanted further words with the Council.
They stepped out of the Council Chambers, Obi-Wan watching them go. As soon as the door slid shut behind them, Obi-Wan turned to the Council. "I do not think that this is a good idea. They have not completed their training."
Yoda looked at Obi-Wan compassionately. "Ready for this, your Padawans are," he said. "Great skills they have, needed greatly these skills are now. A critical time this is."
Obi-Wan took a deep breath. Mace spoke, "The Council recognizes your concerns, and we will try to ensure that there will not be separate missions for too long, but at this point, it is necessary. Your different aptitudes are needed in different places."
"I understand Masters," he said bowing. With one last glance around the Council, he exited. He found Anakin and Sarah waiting just outside in silence. He did not know what to say to either, and so, he simply began to walk, and they followed.
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A short while later, Obi-Wan had gone in search of the supplies and equipment that he would need, and Anakin and Sarah were left alone. As soon as Obi-Wan was gone, Anakin rushed to Sarah, but she held back. "Anakin -"
"Oh no," he said exasperatedly, knowing that something bad was coming. He flopped heavily onto the sleep couch and sighed. She sat next to him and looked at him.
"Anakin, this already isn't working."
He rolled his eyes, "Actually, I thought it was going just fine."
"This isn't about us anymore."
"Then what is it about, Sarah? The war, right?" He sneered contemptuously.
"As a matter of fact, it is about the war." She looked sadly at him. "We can't do this. We're Jedi. It should have never have started in the first place!"
"But you let it," he said, giving her a hard stare.
"Anakin, we're not even going to be on the same planet. You don't know what could happen, we could both die tomorrow."
He rolled his eyes again, "Obi-Wan talked to you, didn't he? He probably gave you his kriffing speech about how 'a Jedi knows no love' and all of that other bantha fodder he always comes up with."
"Don't be ridiculous." She glared at him.
"You're the one being ridiculous."
"And you're the one acting like a first year initiate!"
"That's because I thought that we were good. I thought that everything was going well, and now you're turning around and saying that it should end."
"I'm saying that it should have never started in the first place!" She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down.
"Sarah Walterr, the perfect Padawan, as always." He could see that she was hurt by the statement, but he did not apologize.
"I'm trying to make this easier," she said.
"How is saying that it was all a mistake making this any easier?"
"I never said it was a mistake."
"Yes you did. You said it with the look in your eyes." He looked at her briefly and glanced away.
"Everything is going to change now," she said.
"I knew that this would happen. I knew that Obi-Wan would get in the way like he always does! I shouldn't have gone back to Naboo!" He said this in anger, wanting to throw something but restraining himself.
"I can't be with you, and be a the Jedi that I want to be." She said resolutely. "I love you, Anakin. But we both pledged not to do this! We pledged to do our duty, to restore peace to the galaxy." She put her head in her hands and tryed to control her raging emotions. She glanced briefly up at him.
It was as though the argument was forgotten when he saw the misery in her eyes. He moved closer to her and brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, and his hand lingered on her face. "I love you too Sarah. I'll never be able to fully accept it, but I love you to the point where I will bury these feelings. Not by choice, but because I care enough about you to do it."
"We have a choice in all things we do," was all that she could bring herself to say.
Sarah's comlink buzzed then, and she knew that it was time to leave Coruscant. Anakin tried to hide his sadness, but he knew that she noticed it. She stood quickly and he stood to. He walked her to the door, but before she could leave, he grabbed her arm and pulled her into a tight hug.
She rested her head on his shoulder and soaked up the warmth of the embrace. "Promise me you'll be safe," he said to her.
She pulled out of the hug and looked at him. "I think this is the right thing to do."
"It's not," he said.
She gave him a small smile and grabbed the bag to the door. She lingered a moment by the door, but with a deep breath, she stepped out, glancing back once to see him standing there, suddenly looking older and somehow smaller. "See you soon," she said, trying to be optimistic.
He did not say anything, he simply watched as she turned and walked away. When she was out of sight, he leaned against the wall, trying to sort through what had just happened. After a moment, trying to suppress a range of emotions, he went to his room to pack his own bags.
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Obi-Wan greeted Sarah at the hangar where she would leave. When he saw her, he knew what had happened without having to ask. He put his arm around her shoulders and led her to the starfighter that she would be taking. "You did the right thing, Padawan."
She nodded and swallowed, not knowing what to say. "Be safe," he said, as she slid her bag under the pilot's seat. "Anakin and I will be in touch. I have a feeling that we will be back to being a team before long."
She stepped into the ship, and he stood back. He watched as she fumbled with the controls for a bit. He knew that on top of everything else, flying was not what she particularly wanted to do at the moment. Finally, she seemed to work it out, and before closing the hatch, she smiled.
"May the Force be with you Padawan."
"May the Force be with you Master."
He stood and watched as she rose up into the sky and out of sight. He knew that she would be able to handle it. The mission at hand would keep her from distractions and thinking too much about Anakin. He headed back to their quarters to find Anakin before he left, but on the way back, he stopped briefly by Siri's apartment. He wanted to say goodbye, but she did not answer. Her neighbor came around the corner and informed him that she had been sent on an immediate mission the night before.
He felt terrible at the way that they had said goodbye, but he tried not to dwell on it. He needed to see Anakin off safely, and then concentrate on his own mission.
The future felt even more clouded than it had before, and he did not like the feeling at all.
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A/N: I want to apologize for butchering the events of the war. I know that I have the places and battles out of order, and I am sorry! In any case, thanks for reading, and feedback is always most appreciated!
"The Anti-Siri Foundation:" I am sorry that you are so against Siri...I think it is a shame.