Chapter 8: The Battle of Tatooine
"Go!" Obi-Wan urged to Anakin and Padmé, sensing the heightening danger arising from the newcomer. "Get out of here!"
"But…" Anakin mumbled, but Obi-Wan shoved him to the front of the speeder and forced his hands on the bars.
"Go!" Obi-Wan implored to Anakin as he whipped out his lightsaber and activated it. The blue blade blazed his face in cool, blue fire.
It was a good thing he reacted quickly. With no hesitation, the woman leapt up in the air and came barreling down on him. A primal cry escaped her lips as she slammed her two, blinding red lightsabers into Obi-Wan's electric blue. The lightsabers hissed and crackled upon contact and the red flare highlighted the dark tattoos on the woman's scalp. Obi-Wan recognized them to be of Dathomirian. As the lightsabers charged and sparked, Obi-Wan twisted his blade down and spun to the side, narrowly missing the red blade's stab.
In the corner of Obi-Wan's eye, he saw the speeder zip away in the distance. Everything was all right. Anakin and Padmé escaped. He only needed to occupy her long enough for them to get the generator fixed and fly off this desert planet. No problem at all…
The woman charged again, teeth bearing in unadulterated rage. Her dual lightsabers struck at him, but Obi-Wan managed to block every single one. She slashed at almost every angle, trying to get a blow against him, but Obi-Wan stayed firm and relentless. He blocked her again and again, but he found no escape point. She was incessant and he acknowledged that she was highly trained in the Jedi arts. A skilled and dangerous foe.
He also sensed the aggressive anger followed more aligned with resentment and envy. Something in the way she looked at him was both unnerving and unwelcome. Yet, the personal feeling of revenge baffled him the most. Obi-Wan didn't know why. He had never met her before.
After dueling in a swirl of sand, Obi-Wan caught the woman off-guard by giving her a hard kick to her wrist. The blade slipped out from her grasp, giving Obi-Wan the chance to swing down with little defense. The woman saw it coming and rolled out of the way just in the nick of time. Separated by a few good meters, they both glared at one another, panting under the heat of their lightsabers and the twin suns. By that time, the street was abandoned by civilians, all sprinting away from the lightsaber duel for safety.
Smart of them, Obi-Wan thought. He was certain the woman would have killed anyone that got in her way.
Obi-Wan studied the woman, noting every detail about her in an attempt to identify her. He came up with nothing. She was a complete stranger. "Pardon my rudeness but," he asked. "Who are you?"
The woman only growled. "Someone who is more worthy than yourself, false Jedi!"
Obi-Wan tilted his head. "I see," he murmured. "Well, don't mind me then. I would hate to drag you down to my level."
And that sent the woman into another vicious flight. She stormed at Obi-Wan, lightsabers wielding in a combative arch. Obi-Wan sensed her direction and Force-jumped to the building's rooftop. The woman whirled around, seething as she looked up at the bright suns that radiated behind Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan spun his lightsaber in his hand, positioning himself when she got the nerve to join him on the rooftop.
He was right in his assumption about her. She personally despised him. For what reason was a mystery to Obi-Wan. He had never seen her before and he could not think of a reason for her to hate him. Most peculiar was the fact she called him a false Jedi. The most accurate description for him by far.
As expected, she joined him up on the rooftops as the civilians in the homes screamed in terror at the sight of two individuals fighting with lightsabers. Many probably remembering the massacre years ago as they withdrew from their homes to seek shelter further away. Obi-Wan continued to battle the woman. Her passion behind her offensive strikes were powerful and Obi-Wan struggled to withstand the amount of force she used in her attack. She was supple and quick, but Obi-Wan had not been idle in the past seven years. He kept training and practiced lightsaber techniques. He managed to keep up with her frenzied pace, blocking and parrying each hit. As they dueled, he looked into her mad eyes. She was focused and determined, no hesitation in any of her strikes. It was then Obi-Wan realized she only ever knew one thing and was trained to do: kill him.
Yet, the resentment that spoiled the Force and choking Obi-Wan was difficult to understand. Again, he had never personally met her and yet, she took offense even at the sight of him. That was when he realized his advantage.
She was too busy focusing on him. If he lured her into a certain area, then he could easily end this duel. Obi-Wan concentrated and remembered a small gap between the dwelling and the next dwelling. If he pressured the woman in that direction, she could slip through the gap and fall. Obi-Wan switched tactics. No longer on the defense, he turned his blade and pressed for attack. His change in style surprised the woman and she attempted to re-engage herself back into the fight, but Obi-Wan prevented her. She tried to somersault her way around him, but Obi-Wan caught her mid-flip and slashed at her clothing. Strands of her uniform dangled, revealing her pale leg. Yet, it didn't slow her down.
Her agility allowed her to miss Obi-Wan's careful assault while also planting her own attacks against him. The two of them wheeled and spun, leaping and dodging as they clashed lightsabers in a relentless search to seek an opening in the other's defense.
It was going to be a long and intense duel.
After a good distance away, Anakin slowed the speeder to a stop in the middle of the desert. Ever since he followed Obi-Wan's command and drove straight out of Mos Espa without him, he got a horrible, nagging feeling that wouldn't leave him alone. It was like a massive weight of dark matter pressing against his heart, trying to blacken it. It was painful and he couldn't help but think that it was Obi-Wan who was being tortured.
So, the speeder bike came to an idling halt in the vast, open desert, making them perfect targets for Sand People.
"Ani? What are you doing?" Padmé asked, concerned.
Anakin gripped the bars of the speeder bike. "We have to go back."
Padmé stared at Anakin, her mouth agape. "You heard what Obi-Wan said," she reminded him. "He wanted us to go."
"I can't leave him there! Not with that… monster trying to kill him!" Anakin fought back the anger that was rising to the surface. Anger would not help in their situation. He needed a clear head. To think of a solution rather than the problem. That's what Obi-Wan always taught him. "I have to go back. I can drop you and the generator off, but I'm going back for Obi-Wan," he decided and he wasn't going to change his mind. "He may have lied to me, but he's the last family I have left. I'm not going to lose him."
Padmé sat in silence, pondering over the decision, before nodding. "All right," she said. "We'll go together."
Anakin whipped his head around to stare at Padmé. "No! I can't endanger your life!"
"We're in this together Ani," Padmé said, undeterred. "Now, turn the bike around and let's save Obi-Wan."
Anakin's admiration for Padmé grew exponentially. He grinned and did as instructed. He guided the speeder bike in a half-circle before hitting on the accelerator back to Mos Espa.
The woman prowled in front of Obi-Wan like a wild beast, sizing him up. They had just managed to separate themselves again, taking stock of their enemy to coordinate the next plan of attack. Obi-Wan knew his best chance was to get her to fall down the gap to make his escape.
To change up the fight, Obi-Wan struck first. His blade nearly caught her wrist, but she spun out of the way and tried to slice his back. Obi-Wan countered it with his own blade, pushing her aside as he backed away, leading her to their final destination. She followed, stalking him as she raised her two blades to fight. They parried, struck and stabbed each other, each narrowly missing the other.
Too close to one another, eyes boring into the other's eyes that they could see their own haughty reflection. It was a terrible dance. A tango Obi-Wan wanted no part of as he spun out of their lock and managed to sear another part of her outfit. Still the skin wasn't touched, but it aggravated her nonetheless. Since the fight began, only Obi-Wan had managed to make those too close of calls. She has yet to singe even a piece of his hair.
She plowed onward, clashing her lightsabers and pressuring it down into Obi-Wan's face. The heat resonated against his face and beads of sweat trickled down from his hairline. But, all he saw was her sardonic grin. "This is the end for you, my dear Kenobi," she said, drinking in the sight of her blade closing in on Obi-Wan's throat. "You were never a match for me."
As he neared perpendicular to her, Obi-Wan flashed her a charming smile. "You're quite right."
His calm demeanor angered her and right when she readied to decapitate him, Obi-Wan let go. He dropped himself, throwing the woman off balance. Gaining her momentum, Obi-Wan snatched her wrists and threw her over himself. He heard her shriek just as Obi-Wan leapt back onto his two feet. He spun around, lightsaber ignited again and raised for defense. The woman was sprawled on the rooftop.
The corners of Obi-Wan's lips twitched upwards. "Lose your footing, my dear?"
His condescending words rallied her back to her feet. She madly charged again, throwing away all her focus and just running in sheer hatred at him. Obi-Wan took that opportunity to raise his hand up and Force-shove her another few meters away from him. She toppled and flopped on her back, groaning from the shooting pains along her spine. Obi-Wan stepped forward, blade twirling in his hand. "It seems you know me far more than I know you," he commented. "Which disturbs me since I enjoy my privacy. Tell me again—who are you?"
The woman snarled as she pushed herself back up. There was a small cut on her lip, a tiny blood dome forming. She must have bit her lip in the fall. "I'm your worst nightmare!" she screamed and she tried to attack again, but her blind rage made her a mess.
It was a flurry of vicious strikes, unrelenting and merciless in her drive to kill him. Obi-Wan kept up, but he knew eventually, one of them was going to tire out and that meant death. Obi-Wan glided himself across the rooftop and pushed near the ledge. He knew the woman's goal. She wanted him to fall just as he planned earlier. But, Obi-Wan was not going to fall for that trick. He kept a steady balance, dodging and jumping out of the woman's slashes.
Then, that is when his ears rang in a joyous thunder. A growling sound of a speeder bike was approaching and when he managed to get time to take a glance, he saw it was Anakin and Padmé coming back for him.
For Force's sake! He screamed internally. I told them to go!
Obi-Wan parried off the woman's latest attempt to cut of his head. For some reason, she was invested in decapitating him. It was an odd fetish to have when killing an enemy. As Obi-Wan moved to distract her from the bike, he heard Anakin's voice echo in his head.
Obi-Wan! Jump on the bike!
Obi-Wan huffed. Anakin, I told you to go! Not to come back! Now, go! Leave me!
I'm not leaving you behind!
Anakin!
Jump when we come alongside!
And Anakin closed his bond. Obi-Wan resigned to it and elbowed the woman's blade away from him as he counter-struck her blow near his shoulder. They battled, the woman closed the world around her except him. Obi-Wan stayed on the ledge, preparing to make his jump. He caught sight of the speeder running alongside the dwellings. He had about ten seconds.
The woman kept up with her ammunition. Her blades spun in a fantastic, deadly show. Obi-Wan swung and parried both attacks and managed to move quick enough to stop her from cutting his leg open. Six seconds.
She roared and charged, but Obi-Wan held firm. Each strike was deflected and all the anger in her was flickering. She was losing strength, but that didn't mean her determination was gone. That was still quite alight. Three seconds.
The woman gave a curdled scream. "Fight me Jedi! Fight!"
Weren't they fighting for the past fifteen minutes? Obi-Wan cared to not argue with her. It was time for him to leave. He looked and saw Anakin riding up and it was time to say goodbye. With a perfect moment, Obi-Wan flicked his wrist and caused the woman to fly backwards, landing uncomfortably hard on her butt.
Obi-Wan deactivated his lightsaber. "I enjoyed our dance, my dear, but I am afraid I need to make my departure."
Obi-Wan bowed and then took the leap of faith. He fell, rushing to the ground when the speeder zoomed in the nick of time. He landed on the generator, right next to Artoo-Detoo, who chirped in glee at his landing. Obi-Wan gave him a tight smile as he clambered up.
That is when he saw the shadow coming down on him.
He turned around to see that the woman made the same leap and landed just at the edge of their cargo. Her balance was wobbly and she threw her arms out to stabilize herself. Obi-Wan heard Padmé shout to him, but he didn't know what she said. Obi-Wan scrambled up to his feet and before the woman could continue the fight, he gave one solid kick to her stomach.
With no hold, the woman flew off the cargo and sputtered out into the sand dunes, whipping up a small sand storm in her wake. Obi-Wan stayed where he was for a minute as he watched to ensure there was no more trouble. Once he believed the threat was subdued, he climbed over the generator and protocol droid to sit in the very back seat behind Padmé. Both she and Anakin turned to him.
"Who was that?" Anakin yelled over the loud sounds. He was worried.
Obi-Wan shook his head and shrugged. "I have no idea," he checked over his shoulders. Mos Espa was no longer visible. "Whoever she was, she'll come back. We'll need to quickly fix the generator and get going."
They agreed and Anakin slammed up on the accelerator. The wind whipped around them and Obi-Wan's ears rang to the sounds of harsh winds and speckled sand. He kept his head down and mouth closed to avoid the sand getting in his eyes and mouth. He listened to the humming of the engines as he thought back to his attacker. The woman was well-trained and her hatred for him was pure. But, what he couldn't get out of his head were her two curved lightsabers. He's only ever seen one curved lightsaber in his life.
He wondered… did his former master and grandmaster sent her to kill them?
"Uh, oh," Anakin mumbled and he yelled over his shoulder. "Obi-Wan! We have company!"
Obi-Wan lifted his head to see the Nubian ship. It was still stranded in the exact place they left it. The silver covering of the ship giving a blinding reflection of the twin suns. What wasn't there when they departed two days ago was a smaller ship with grey coverings and the size of a small transportation ship. Obi-Wan unclipped his lightsaber. He wasn't going to underestimate any more surprises.
Anakin craned his head back as the speeder slowed. "Obi-Wan?"
Obi-Wan didn't sense any danger. Not yet. "Park the speeder up there," Obi-Wan pointed to a small distance from the ship.
Anakin did as instructed. He pulled the speeder a short distance away from the two ships. Obi-Wan hopped off first. He helped Padmé next, followed by Anakin. "Stay behind me," he said and they did. After witnessing the previous foe, they thought best to stand behind the person with the only suitable weapon.
They crept up, their footsteps silent against the soft sand. Padmé pulled out something from her buckle. It was a tiny knife-head that fit comfortably between her fingers. Anakin had a trickle of fear ebbing against the Force, but Obi-Wan reassured him with a quiet resolve. It was going to be fine.
He didn't sense any danger. Not like he did with the woman he fought against in Mos Espa. Instead, it was a different feeling. One of light, refreshing and oddly, a warm familiar.
The sound of heavy footsteps bombarded the open ramp and soon, Obi-Wan was faced with Captain Panaka.
Who had a blaster aimed at Obi-Wan's head.
"Stand down!" Captain Panaka ordered.
That was certainly a surprising turn of events. Confused, Obi-Wan did nothing but stay in position in front of Anakin and Padmé. "Captain? What is the meaning of this?"
The captain glared. "You're not a Jedi," he said. "You're a criminal and I order you to stand down now!"
Obi-Wan was befuddled. How could Captain Panaka know about his status unless he contacted…
Obi-Wan glanced to the newest ship again. Oh no. Looking closer, he recognized the design and symbols on the ship. It was an unlucky day for him. First a Sith-like warrior and now the Jedi. He and Anakin couldn't catch a break since getting involved with Naboo.
Padmé stepped next to Obi-Wan. Her face was brazen with authority. "Captain Panaka, put your blaster away! There is no need for such force," she insisted. "They have done what we've asked. They got us our much-needed generator."
Captain Panaka didn't remove the blaster. "Padmé, please step away. For your own safety."
Padmé did not move. She stayed next to Obi-Wan. "I will not unless you put your blaster away."
"Yes, Captain Panaka," came a voice from the ramp. "Blasters leave a terrible mess."
Unlike Captain Panaka, the Jedi footsteps were quiet almost like they were gliding on air rather than walking on the same hard metal as others. Obi-Wan sucked in a big breath, expecting it to be one of the Sentinels sent to capture him. To his surprise, the person he saw was not who he expected or ever imagine to see again.
"Garen?"
Garen Muln stepped off the ramp and walked around Captain Panaka. He looked almost the same. His dark hair was buzzed short in the traditional style for padawans, but his braid was much longer, going past his shoulder where it rested upon his right breast. His eyes were much like Anakin's. Bright blue with an energetic charge behind those irises that signaled his restlessness for action. Yet, at the moment, they were somber and distant. He wasn't his usual loose and carefree self. All of his boyish confidence vanished, replaced by a young man burdened with a difficult task and unsure if it could be performed.
But, Garen was still Garen. He put up a front and smiled at his old friend. "It's been a long time, Obi-Wan."
Obi-Wan stiffly nodded, still shocked by his old friend's appearance. "Far more than I have ever liked."
Garen tilted his head in agreement, but then sighed. "It didn't have to be," he said, quietly. "I'm sure you know why I'm here."
He did and Obi-Wan side-glanced to Anakin, who studied Garen with a particular distaste of the man. Anakin didn't trust him. That was no surprise. For him, Jedi and the Sith are the same. Both hunted them and wouldn't leave them alone in peace. To Anakin, they were both bad despite Obi-Wan's attempt to teach him otherwise.
Obi-Wan looked back to Garen and saw that Master Rhara joined him. Her hand rested at her hip. It wasn't touching the lightsaber that dangled on her belt. But that didn't mean she couldn't ignited it in a matter of a second. It was only a warning. Not a promise.
Obi-Wan politely half-bowed to Master Rhara. "Master."
His gesture seemed to have surprised and impressed Master Rhara. Obi-Wan withheld his need to growl out that he wasn't an uncivilized man. He knew when to show respect despite his years away from the Temple.
Master Rhara took in Obi-Wan appearance and then looked down at Anakin, who moved closer into Obi-Wan's shadow to blend. "Obi-Wan Kenobi," she finally spoke. "You look far better than I imagined."
"Then you should have seen me earlier," Obi-Wan quipped and he looked to Garen. "I guess this isn't a social call?"
Garen shook his head. "The Council requests your presence."
"And if I decline?"
Garen only looked at his friend with deflated hope and exasperation. "Don't make this difficult, Obi-Wan," he said, tired. "I don't want to hurt you."
"I've heard that before," Obi-Wan remarked. "I still carry that scar on my arm from Master Sifo-Dyas."
Master Sifo-Dyas was a famed Jedi Shadow who cornered Obi-Wan and Anakin four years ago. They managed to escape, but Obi-Wan received a burn from Sifo-Dyas' lightsaber across his arm in the Jedi Shadow's attempt to cut off his arm.
"Then let's not start a fight," Garen pleaded with his friend. "Especially in front of the Naboo government. There's no need for bloodshed."
"Accept your defeat, Kenobi," Master Rhara added, taking one step closer. "Your days of running are over."
A spike of fear shifted the balance of the Force. For a moment, Obi-Wan thought the female warrior returned, but then he soon concluded that it came from Anakin. Obi-Wan reached back and placed a steady hand on his shoulder. He gently squeezed it to ensure all was well despite the situation. Garen and Master Rhara were correct in that their days of running were over. There was no place to go. Tatooine's desert provided no coverage and he wasn't interested in starting a fight with Padmé and Captain Panaka standing there. The possibility of them getting injured was too high. And Anakin. He would also be caught and Obi-Wan couldn't guarantee his safety if they drew blades.
There was only one solution.
Obi-Wan was prepared to surrender to Garen, when Padmé stepped forward confronting the two Jedi. "These two are in my services," she declared. "You have no authority to arrest them."
Master Rhara, Garen and Captain Panaka all blinked. Master Rhara gathered her wits the quickest and gave Padmé a small smile. "I'm sorry, but these two fall under the Jedi jurisdiction. Not the Naboo government. And certainly not from a handmaiden."
Padmé persisted. "I am Padmé Amidala, Queen of Naboo, and I grant Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker sanctuary," she declared. "If you wish to arrest them, then you must provide the proper documents through the Senate courts to obtain a warrant for their arrest."
Obi-Wan and Anakin both had the same exact expressions on their faces. They were stunned. Anakin for learning Padmé was actually the Queen of Naboo and not the simple handmaiden he thought. And for Obi-Wan, he was surprised by her resilience to protect them. Two days in Mos Espa and a near death experience bonded the three of them together far quicker than he's ever experienced with others.
To the others, Garen and Master Rhara were dumbfounded. Captain Panaka only looked graved and disappointed in her choice. Everyone was unsure what to do next or how to respond to Padmé's declaration. They all looked at each other, daring the other to start first.
In a long moment of silence, Padmé took it as a victory. "Then we will fix our ship and carry on our way," she concluded. "If you wish to still arrest them, then get your warrant."
"Y-Your Highness," Master Rhara started, still startled by the handmaiden's news of being the actual Queen. "The Jedi is separate from the Republic. We have no obligation to the Senate. Kenobi is convicted of treason against the Jedi Order and is required to face his crimes in front of our High Council. You're sanctuary status holds no value. This is a Jedi matter. Not a Republic matter."
Padmé bore up at Master Rhara, her brown eyes narrowed in challenge. "I will not let you arrest them," she declared. "If you insist in arresting them now, I will file a complaint in the Senate about the Jedi Order's blatant disrespect and needling into political matters. I'm sure that will gather some unwanted attention for the Order."
Master Rhara frowned. "You are a naïve girl to place your trust in Kenobi."
"That is where you are wrong," Padmé argued, her tone still even and not once raising her voice. "I placed my trust and my life in Kenobi's hands. And so far, he surpassed everything I expected. He's done more for our planet than the Jedi have."
Obi-Wan would no longer argue with Padmé about her ability to take care of herself. He and Anakin watched in amazement how Padmé effectively shut down Master Rhara with a few simple words and veiled threats. Anakin only goggled at Padmé. The boy who was now completely infatuated. While the show of defiance was respectable and welcomed, Obi-Wan knew Padmé wasn't going to win in the end. A quick call to the Council and a word in with the Senate, Obi-Wan and Anakin would be arrested the minute they landed on Coruscant.
Rather than drag Padmé and Naboo through his scandal, Obi-Wan sacrificed himself. "It's all right, Padmé."
Padmé turned. "What?"
"I'll surrender to them."
"You will not!" Padmé murmured angrily.
Obi-Wan gave her a tiny, hopeful smile. "I'll be okay, Your Highness," he said in his best attempt to sound assured. "I won't let the Order drag you and the rest of Naboo into my problems. This is my fault. My consequences."
"Obi-Wan—"
"I'm thankful for everything you've done," Obi-Wan said to her. "And I appreciate your loyalty, but you have more important things to focus on. Your planet is in trouble. The people are looking to their Queen to save them. Padmé—let us go. Save your planet. We'll be okay."
Padmé wanted to argue. He could tell by the way her mouth went into a straight line. But there was a sadness in her eyes that knew he was right. She looked on with a doleful quietness. "The Naboo will always be your friend," she finally said, accepting defeat.
Obi-Wan bowed before her, as one did for royalty. He urged Anakin to do the same. Anakin bowed. When they both rose up, Obi-Wan caught a sliver of a tear leaking out of Anakin's eyes.
It was indeed a sad day. They had finally been captured.
Obi-Wan moved around Padmé and surrendered his lightsaber to Garen. "I trust you to take care of it," he said to his old friend.
Garen accepted the lightsaber. "I'm sorry it has come to this."
"Not as sorry as I am."
Master Rhara revealed a pair of Force-negative binders and passed them to Garen. With heartache, Garen locked the binders on Obi-Wan's wrists. Next, Anakin sniffled as Garen moved to collect him. Anakin jerked away, running back to Padmé. "Padmé!"
Padmé struggled to breathe for a moment from Anakin's abrupt departure from Obi-Wan. But she composed herself and addressed him. "Yes, Ani?"
Obi-Wan first thought Anakin wanted to go with her. To take up her sanctuary, but then Obi-Wan saw Anakin pull out his mother's bracelet and place it in Padmé's hand. "I want you to have this."
Padmé blankly stared. "Oh Ani… I can't accept this."
"Please!" Anakin begged her. "The Jedi will take it away from me and I want you to have something to remind you of me."
Padmé stayed composed, but her Force signature was wavering. A flight of emotions overcoming her. She slowly closed her hand around the bracelet. "Then I shall treasure it forever," she said. "I am glad to have met you Anakin."
"I'm glad to have met you too."
They stared at each other a little longer, Anakin trying to memorize every detail of her until Garen snuck behind him and placed him in similar binders. Obi-Wan and Anakin were lead away from the Padmé and Captain Panaka and up the grey ship's ramp.
"Obi-Wan! Anakin!"
They both turned to see Padmé again. "May the Force be with you," she said to them.
That got both Obi-Wan and Anakin to smile. "May the Force be with you as well," Obi-Wan replied.
Master Rhara pressured Obi-Wan to continue walking. Obi-Wan and Anakin ascended into the dark, cool interior of the ship before they were directed into a cell block that looked similar to the one Qui-Gon put Obi-Wan in on Ithor. Garen was nice enough to put him and Anakin together. Once they were both inside the cell, he raised the shields and Obi-Wan and Anakin found themselves in Jedi custody.
Garen walked, but stopped briefly to say one last parting statement. "I am truly sorry it has come to this Obi-Wan."
"Ease your conscious, Garen," Obi-Wan said as he made sure Anakin was buckled. "I do not have any vindictive feelings toward you. You perform your duty and I shall perform mine."
Garen was thankful. He gave a small head salute to Obi-Wan, like they used to do as younglings and left the cells. Silence ruled the cell block as Obi-Wan and Anakin sat as prisoners, contemplating what the Council planned for them upon arrival.
None of scenarios looked good. Especially when Obi-Wan dreaded the idea of seeing Qui-Gon and Dooku once again.
About thirty minutes later, there was a rumble and a short hiss. They were taking off and in a matter of a couple days, Obi-Wan and Anakin would find themselves in a whole new type of dangerous terrain.
The Jedi Order.