After months of training herself to wake up with full awareness, Siri found the habit was hard to break. The moment her sleep ended, she felt the rush of chilled air fill her nose, its elements feeding every cell in her body. Before opening her eyes, she knew the grass was covered with a blanket of dew. She knew the creatures in the garden were going about their morning routines, some seeking out breakfast for their families and the nocturnal ones settling in for a day of rest. She knew it was just over an hour after dawn and that the soft morning lighting in the garden would give it a misty, magical appearance.
Above all, she knew she wasn't alone, though the open space next to her belied that fact, physically at least. Obi-Wan had risen earlier, probably off to a Council session, but she felt his presence, a companion to her own in the Force. She brushed his mind and felt a warm return pulse. At least he hadn't left her cold, she thought as she pulled his cloak tighter around her body.
After taking a few minutes to enjoy being amid the lush greenery and the fresh air, Siri stood up. As she stretched her arms above her head to get the circulation going, she let the cloak slip to the ground. She twisted her neck this way and that to get the kinks out, then bent down to pick up the cloak. As she was about to stand up again, she spotted a flash of white on the ground. She picked up the hand-sized blossom, which she recognized as a Flandorian flower, and lifted it to her nose, inhaling its sweet scent. Scanning the area, she didn't see any of the plants nearby; the flower must have been left there deliberately.
Her lips curled up into a smile at the thought of Obi-Wan walking the gardens to find just the right flower. It was a sweet gesture, though a little strange. "He must have a fever or something," Siri mused. She had never been into flowers and mushy things like that, but she was feeling a little playful, so she tucked it behind her ear.
There was still a chill in the air, so she donned Obi-Wan's cloak and found her way back to the main path. A gentle breeze blew against her face, reminding her of how raw it was from the sobbing she did the night before. She couldn't think of a single time in her life when she had allowed herself the luxury of a good cry. It wasn't the Jedi way. "Bury your feelings. They will only cloud your connection to the Force," was a mantra of training for younglings all the way to newly minted Knights. But Siri didn't feel clouded. Releasing all that emotion, sharing it with someone else, lifted a weight that had long burdened her. She hadn't been able to get out any words after her initial breakdown, but none had been necessary. Obi-Wan had been just what she needed. Her friend. Her protector. Her comfort. Siri wasn't quite sure whom he would be next time their paths crossed, but she was grateful for what he had given her.
And now, she wanted to be what he needed. She didn't need the Force to figure out that his mind was occupied with the clone quandary, so she could do her part to help his investigation. She was sure Obi-Wan and the Council had already done some subtle probing to discern Jak's intent, but if he was being directed by dark forces, he would already be able to block their efforts. And, with the Masters being the sticklers for rules that they were, they wouldn't have pressed too much.
Where the Force won't go, Siri thought smugly, a little good conversation - and some eyelash batting perhaps – might just do a little good.
Just as a plan was forming in her head, her foot caught on something and she felt herself stumble. Before she could catch herself, she was face to face with the smooth black pebbles used to pave the garden walkways. When she lifted her head, she was staring at a familiar brown cloak and thick wooden staff.
"Hmm…a little distracted you were, Master Tachi? Not often it is that others are looking up at me."
Siri grinned and stood up, brushing little rocks off the cloak. Not even Master Yoda's condescending mirth could spoil her morning.
"Yes, Master," she said, with a bow. "I suppose I was." She spread her arm to indicate their lush surroundings. "I was so taken by the beauty of these gardens. It's been so long since I've been able to enjoy my surroundings."
"Enjoyed it so much you did , that you decided to take some of it with you, eh?"
Siri lifted a hand to the blossom over her ear and took it out. "I suppose I was being a little fanciful. Pretending I'm a young girl again." She eyed the Jedi leader cautiously. "There's nothing wrong with a little lightness now and again, is there?"
Yoda's shoulders visibly slumped, and a sigh escaped his lips. "During these dark times, the only brightness these moments may be."
Silence passed for a few moments before the aged Master spoke. "On your way you wish to be. Rest you should while have the chance you do."
The Knight acknowledged him with a nod, then a respectful bow. As she turned away, she heard Yoda's distinct voice say, "And tell Master Kenobi to mend the hem of his cloak."
A blush rose to Siri's cheeks, and she quickened her pace, this time being mindful of any obstacles in her path. It wouldn't do to trip again; who knows whom she would run into next time?
As she approached her quarters, her thoughts turned to breakfast. She had just enough time for a quick trip to the 'fresher before meeting Jak – and putting her plan in motion.
A half-hour later, Siri opened the door to leave, only to be started when she came face to face with Jak and his charming smile. She had to tell herself she was sure it was Jak to keep her heart from quickening, the way it usually did when she saw the original owner of that face. Her eyes met the familiar blue-green ones and she smiled, willing herself to stop blushing like a crechling. "This is not Obi-Wan," was the mantra that ran through her head.
"Good morning, Siri." Jak took her hand and brought it to his lips. "You are looking quite lovely this morning."
"Uh, thank you." Siri had to contort her face to contain the laughter that was bubbling up. There was no longer any danger of her mistaking Jak for Obi-Wan. Smirking inwardly, she thought, "This guy needs to do some more research if he's actually trying to be Obi-Wan."
To Jak, she simply smiled and said, "Shall we go? I'm hungry enough to eat a rancor."
Jak flashed her a grin and held up a basket he'd been holding. "I hope you don't mind, but I prepared some breakfast for us. I thought it might be nice to eat near the waterfalls. No rancor today, I'm afraid."
Siri looked at the basket warily. She could only hope that the clone was better in the kitchen than his progenitor. She shuddered thinking of some of the concoctions she'd had to stomach on their missions together. Even Master Yoda's notorious gruel was more palatable than the slop Obi-Wan and Anakin had put together. And that smell …
A low chuckle startled her out of her thoughts. "You need not be afraid, my dear. It's only some fruit and pastries. Very hard to mess up."
She couldn't help the relief that took hold of her expression. "Sorry if you're offended, but …"
"Who can blame you?" Jak offered her his arm. "Shall we?"
Siri hesitated for a second before taking his arm and following his lead. As they walked, she considered his mannerisms, which were far more open than she was used to – from anyone. Fellow Knights tended to be more reserved in their affections, and those who weren't Jedi were usually intimidated enough to keep their distance. What kind of programming did this clone go through? It certainly was a change from the clone troopers' development and training.
Part of her wanted to laugh out loud at the ridiculousness of her situation, but part of her, the un-Jedi-like part of her, was enjoying the attention.
She decided to take this opportunity to really look at this man who was made out of the same flesh and blood as her friend. Without yesterday's confusion, many of the physical differences between the two were immediately clear.
Jak's hair was the same rich brown as Obi-Wan's, but it lacked the golden streaks bleached by months of missions on sun-beaten planets. Likewise, his skin was a shade or two less tanned, and it was untouched by scars, marks that symbolized a lifetime of action, from the rough, unfettered play of childhood to an alarmingly high number of close calls on the battlefield. If the two men ever had to fight, Siri had no doubts about who would emerge the victor. Sure, genetics counted for something, but how could accelerated aging and just a couple of years of intense training match the training ground of experience and years of accumulated wisdom?
The rush of the waterfalls jolted her out of her reverie. Siri reined in her thoughts and turned her focus back to her mission. She had to think of the right questions to ask. How could she draw on their supposed friendship and get him to confide in her, she pondered, as Jak found a large, flat rock to settle on and started removing containers from the basket.
Before she could open her mouth, he said, "I hear that it didn't take you too long to figure out our little ruse yesterday. I hope you can forgive us for the deception."
Only her innate Jedi discipline could keep the surprise from showing on her face. iWomprats/i What would have possessed Obi-Wan to give away her advantage? True, she hadn't told him exactly what she was going to do, but still – he should know better.
Jak continued, "I will confess that I'm actually glad you figured us out. It would have been hard to hide the truth much longer." He handed Siri a bowl filled with colorful berries capped with peaks of cream. "And now I can be completely honest with you about my intentions."
"Your intentions?"
"Yes." When she looked over, Jak was avoiding her gaze, swirling the cream around his bowl with his spoon. "You see, my … closeness to Master Kenobi gives me some sense of his emotions, which are very strong regarding you. I couldn't help but be intrigued. And then when you showed up yesterday …"
Siri mentally shook her fist and cursed into the Force. "Where are your shields, Kenobi? You've created quite the little predicament for me."
Aloud she said, "I don't know how much you've been told about Jedi, about us …"
"Yes, I know of your Code. And I know how you and Master Kenobi have decided to set aside your love and serve the Order. I have the highest respect for the both of you for that. But here's the thing, Siri." The intensity of his gaze had Siri holding her breath. "I'm not a Jedi, and I'm very attracted to you."
In the Force, Siri felt waves of an emotion she couldn't name, but it wasn't pleasure. Apparently, wherever he was, Obi-Wan had some sense of where the conversation was going. She reached out and offered his mind a reassuring touch, then turned to Jak.
"I am a Jedi, though, and I plan to be one for life." She couldn't bring herself to say she would follow the rules to the letter, but she was being honest with her intentions.
Jak reached over and placed his hand on her arm. With a gentle voice that was so familiar to her ears, he said, "Siri. I may not be a Jedi, but I have a connection to the Force, too. I can feel your discontent. You are questioning the Council's decisions and the direction in which the Order is headed."
With a growing sense of alarm, Siri opened her mouth to object, but Jak held up his hand. "Please – let me finish."
"Even in the short time I've been here, I've made observations about the Jedi and the Council in particular. The Masters refuse to let go of the old ways, convinced that the answers lie in the past. I feel this is a mistake, even Master Kenobi sometimes feels this is a mistake. But it is not my place to comment on Jedi matters, and Master Kenobi – well, let's just say he's far too humble to disagree publicly with those he has been brought up to revere."
Siri felt a lick of anger rising to the surface, but a soothing presence in her mind kept her in check.
"You're different, though. You aren't content to follow the will of others simply because they have walked this planet longer than you have. You have it in you to go off and make it on your own."
His words brought Siri back to the time she ihad/i been on her own – her undercover mission to infiltrate a slave ring. She'd had only the Force to guide her, as most of her friends had been lead to believe that she left the Order. Nights had been the worst time. The quiet and darkness made it easier to get lost in her feelings, anger toward the slaver, pity and despair for the unfortunate beings who'd been captured, especially for those whose captivity she had played a role in.
The mission, which served as the trials for Siri's elevation to Knighthood, had been eye-opening. When she returned, it had taken time to adjust to living with rules and restrictions. In a way, the structure had been a comfort; in other ways, it felt stifling, as if the Masters had expected her to be the same dutiful Jedi she was before she left. She saw her peers walk around the Temple and wondered how any of them would have handled being part of a slave ring – or even if they could have. Sometimes she would even get angry when listening to other Knights talk about visiting some cave for their trials, something that seemed so trivial compared to what she'd been through.
Time passed and her feelings of discontent had mellowed. She had grown to realize that each being had his or her own set of circumstances to live with. All they could do was live with an open heart and listen to the Force for guidance.
Of course, the war was again sowing these seeds of doubt in the Council. But this time she was older and wiser, she hoped. And she wasn't alone.
She turned to Jak and projected what she hoped was a stern look. "You flatter me. I like to think I don't need assistance to get things done. But I chose to be Jedi. I chose to serve the galaxy and be a guardian of the peace. I chose to live this nomadic life and go where my services are required. Yes, I sometimes have trouble with rules, and I'll admit that I break them from time to time. But, as long as it's in my power to stay, I will never leave the Order." She hoped that would end the discussion.
"Of course," Jak replied smoothly. "Your dedication is admirable, and I hope you find contentment in your decision."
The corners of his mouth turned up and he brushed his fingers against the line of her jaw. "I would still like the opportunity to know you better, though. We should be great friends, I think."
"Friends, then." Siri gave him a shy smile. "You have to understand, though – the way you look- it's just a little bizarre..."
Jak's face broke into a broad grin. "Yes, it must be so strange for you. My face is one you've known for most of your life, yet we've barely been acquainted."
"Tell you what: I'll try to be as unlike Master Kenobi as possible." He reached into the basket and pulled out three muffins. Siri's eyes widened as he started tossing them into the air in a cascading pattern, catching and tossing, over and over. "I will be silly." He took a bite out of the muffins, without missing a beat. "I will be expressive." A split-second's hesitation on his part caused one of the muffins to hit the ground, but his smile didn't go away. "And I will make mistakes."
Siri couldn't help the laugh that rose out of her throat, and she clapped. "You're very …. entertaining."
"Entertaining?" He looked injured. "That's all you can come up with? How about handsome? Appealing? Charming?"
"Oh, you've got the charm, all right." Siri shook her head. "That's what makes you dangerous."
Jak plopped down on the rock next to her and looked directly into her eyes. "You know, don't you, that I could never hurt you. It's not in me." Siri looked briefly with her sense and saw nothing but sincerity. She was tempted to probe further to see what she could dig up, but decided to save that for another time. Instead, she simply nodded.
"So then, you'll get together with me again. To improve our friendship. Nothing fancy, just a simple drink. I'm dying to get out of this place."
Siri hesitated. Being with Jak for too long made her dizzy. She wasn't totally immune to his charm and attention, and his resemblance to Obi-Wan wasn't something she could just overlook. On the other hand, it would be another chance to find out what he's up to. A little alcohol might smooth the way. In the Force, she felt a warning touch; it wasn't hard to tell what Obi-Wan's opinion was. But they might not have a chance like this again. She would just have to be cautious.
"OK," she relented. "But you have to behave. No trying to get me to run away with you."
He gave a mocking bow, "Of course, milady. I will be the perfect gentleman, the perfect friend."
As Siri smiled at Jak, she could almost hear Obi-Wan's thought in her head: "I have a bad feeling about this."