I'm back! I'm glad you liked the first chapter because this story means a lot to me. For the record, this story diverges into Attack of the Clones, The Clone Wars (2008 series), and Revenge of the Sith. With some alterations of course. You can also read this story and the series on Archive Of Our Own.
As Obi-Wan began to get back up, the door to his chambers opened up. It was Anakin.
"Master, I sensed something happened to you. What's wrong?" Anakin asked full of concern. It was obvious he felt the shift in the force.
Obi-Wan looked at his padawan now knowing what would happen to him in three years from now.
"Master?" Anakin asked again now worried.
"I'm fine, Anakin." Obi-Wan said. The only thing it wasn't the Obi-Wan Anakin was familiar with.
"What are you doing?" Obi-Wan asked Ben getting close to angry as any Jedi could get.
"Are you sure?" Anakin asked. It looked like Ben had to multi-task now.
"I'm sorry, but you're too shaken. I will allow you full control until you manage to recompose yourself." Ben responded.
"It's nothing, Anakin. I just fell." Ben lied. Obi-Wan began to speak up.
"Oh, my apologies, it's just that seeing everyone I ever cared for die and the boy I have tutored for ten years turn to the dark side has made me feel somewhat shaken." Obi-Wan responded sarcastically.
"You fell?" Anakin asked still skeptical.
"I promise you. Once you are able to regain your composure I will let you take control." Ben reassured.
Fine." Obi-Wan said.
"Yes, I fear those Gundarks did a lot more damage than I thought." Ben lied.
An awkward silence began to fill the room. Anakin looked at Obi-Wan like he just lost his mind.
"Right." The padawan began to say slowly. "I also wanted to tell you that Master Luminara requested you to come to the cockpit. We're nearing Coruscant."
A sense of nostalgia overwhelmed Ben.
"Right. I'll be there." Ben said as he got up.
As he walked to the door, he gave his former apprentice a hug. Anakin looked awkwardly at Obi-Wan before awkwardly reciprocating the deed.
"I feel I should do something." Anakin thought as he followed his master.
"Well, that was subtle." Obi-Wan said sarcastically.
"I'm sorry, the last time I saw Anakin was not particularly pleasant." Ben said not being as sarcastic as he meant.
"I'm aware of that, but remember what you were told: "do not arouse suspicion." Obi-Wan said.
The door to the cockpit opened and Anakin and Ben walked inside to greet the two female Mirialan Jedi. Inside was his old friend Master Luminara Unduli and her Padawan Barriss Offee. Ben smiled as he saw his old friend who he had known as an initiate, but repressed a shiver as he saw her padawan. In three years, Barriss would bomb the Jedi temple hangar killing multiple people. On top of that, Barriss would frame Anakin's padawan, Ahsoka Tano, for the crime.
Ben suddenly felt a little solemn as he remembered Ahsoka. Ahsoka leaving the order was definitely a catalyst for Anakin betraying the Jedi. Luckily, Ben and Obi-Wan had plenty of time to prepare.
"Ah master Kenobi," Luminara spoke up drawing Obi-Wan out of his thoughts. "I was wondering when you would wake up. We are arriving at the planet right about now." She said.
With that statement, the blue vortex of hyperspace died down and revealed the thousands of stars in the pitch-black darkness of space. Below was the planet Coruscant, and it was just as beautiful as he remembered it. He could tell his younger self-was now fully composed but decided to let Ben enjoy the sights.
"You can have it back when we arrive at the hangar." Ben informed his younger self.
"Alright." Obi-Wan said.
"Consular cruiser, identify yourself and state your purpose or else." The voice of a clipped Coruscanti accent crackled through the comm channel, as a squadron of CloakShape fighters appeared beside the ship.
Barriss opened the channel and gestured to Ben and Luminara to speak. Luminara spoke up.
"This is Jedi Master Luminara Unduli returning from the planet Ansion and we are requesting permission to land." Luminara said.
The channel was silent for a moment before the voice came back "Copy that. You have permission to land. Welcome back master Jedi."
Luminara sighed and the rest of the trip was silent as Anakin and Barriss piloted the ship through the planet's atmosphere.
They passed through the clouds; they began to pass through the ecumenopolis, dodging many speeders in the process. Then, Ben saw it at last: The Jedi Temple.
It was just as magnificent as he remembered it.
"Geez, Master, we've only been gone for a couple of days." Anakin said. "You look you haven't seen the temple in years." Anakin joked.
"You have no idea." Ben thought to himself.
Walking through the main hangar was Jedi Master Mace Windu. A male Korun Human Jedi Master who was considered one of the greatest swordsmen in the order's history due to his knowledge of the forbidden lightsaber fighting style Vaapad.
Accompanying Windu was the Grand Master of the order, Yoda. Yoda was sixty-six centimeters, was over eight hundred years old, and was part of a mysterious species. Considered one of the wisest and most powerful Jedi alive it was no surprise that Yoda would survive Order 66.
As the masters walked through the hangar they were discussing some troubling news. There was an attempt on Senator Amidala's life and she believed that one of the order's former masters was responsible: Count Dooku. Dooku had left the order shortly after the death of his former Padawan, Qui-Gon Jinn, and had grown disillusioned with the Republic. Since he had left, Dooku had been leading a galactic movement that had convinced several star systems to secede from the Republic.
"It troubles me to hear Count Dooku's name mentioned in such a manner, Master," Windu said to Yoda. "And from one as esteemed as Senator Amidala. Any mistrust of Jedi, or even former Jedi, in times such as these, can be disastrous."
"Deny Dooku's involvement in the separatist movement, we cannot," Yoda reminded Master Windu.
"Nor can we deny that he began in that movement because of ideals," Mace argued. "He was once our friend, that we must not forget, and to hear him slandered and named as an assassin…" Mace said before Yoda would cut him off.
"Not named," Yoda cut Windu off. "But darkness there is, about us all, and in that darkness, nothing is what it seems." Yoda forewarned.
"But it makes little sense to me that Dooku would make an attempt on the life of Senator Amidala when she is the one most adamantly opposed to the creation of an army. Would the Separatists now wish Amidala well in her endeavors? Would they not believe that she is, however an unintentionally, an ally to their cause? Or are we really to believe that they want war with the Republic?" Windu questioned.
Yoda leaned heavily on his cane, suddenly feeling weary. "More is here than we can know," he said quietly, his eyes closed. "Shifted the force has but still clouded it is."
Mace dismissed Yoda's response, in further defense of his old friend. Dooku had been among one of the most accomplished Jedi Masters, respected among the order from youngest to oldest. Some would say he was a student of older and more profound philosophies and styles of the Jedi, which included being the master of the elegant Form II lightsaber style: Makashi.
It was a major blow to the Order, both physically and morally, when Dooku had left them, for many of the same reasons the Separatists were currently trying to walk away from the Republic: that the government was too corrupt as well as being too uncoordinated and unresponsive the needs of all individuals of the Galaxy.
It was even more troubling to the Jedi and Senate when a lot of the arguments made against the Republic weren't without some merit.
A low rumbling brought the Korun Jedi out of his thoughts, as he and Yoda looked up to see a consular ship bearing the symbol of both the Republic and Jedi Order slowly guided itself to the landing pad outside and lands without any difficulty. After a few moments, the ramp of the ship slowly opened and clouded the ramp with smoke. Soon, out came Master Luminara and her padawan Barriss with Obi-Wan Kenobi and his padawan Anakin Skywalker behind the two Mirialans.
For a moment, Master Windu was perplexed. He could have sworn to sense five presences instead of four. He began to focus and could sense something was different with Obi-Wan. For a moment it was as though Kenobi was now two people in the same body. It seemed that the Grand Master had also sensed it as well who was looking at Kenobi. As fascinating as this was, the Jedi had more urgent concerns.
"Greetings, Luminara," He said, his voice hard to hear because of the constant streams of airspeeders. "I take it that your mission to Anison was a success?" Windu asked.
"Hello to you too, Master Windu," Luminara replied with a small smile. "And you, as well, Master Yoda." She inclined her head to the Grand Master who smiled back. "Our mission to Ansion was a success, the planet remains allied to Republic with no casualties."
Windu nodded. "Very good, you may retire to your quarters. The Council will call on you to deliver your report whenever you're ready."
With that said, the Mirialan pair bowed their heads in respect to their elders and walked away from the platform and into the hangar where they disappeared into the noises of starfighter engines and electrical sparks.
Mace turned to face the duo in front of him. "It's good to see you two are okay, were there any complications on the mission?" Although it sounded like a typical way to start a conversation, Obi-Wan could tell Windu was suspicious with him.
"No problem," Obi-Wan replied casually. "Just a small run-in with your typical bounty hunters here and there. That and a nest of Gundarks."
Mace cocked an eyebrow. "Gundarks?" He asked, noticing Anakin's face flushing with embarrassment. He would have to read that report sooner than expected.
"As it warms my heart to see you two, a new mission you have." Yoda said entering into the conversation. "Nearly assassinated, young Amidala was. Assigned to her protection, you are. Report to her apartment at the Senator's Complex as early as possible."
Both Obi-Wan and Ben could feel Anakin tense up with emotion through the force. His concern for Padmé was still strong as before. Nevertheless, he bowed to the two.
"Understood, Masters," He replied. "We'll be there as soon as we can."
The lights over Coruscant slowly began to dim, gradually replaced with the natural lights of the few twinkling stars that could get through the nearly continual glare, as Obi-Wan and Anakin stood in the turbolift of the Senator Apartment Complex. Ben pondered on the last time he saw the senator.
The last words she ever said to him echoed in both Ben and Obi-Wans' heads.
"Obi-Wan… there is still good in him. I know there is… Still…" Padmé said shortly after giving birth to her children with Anakin.
Her last words almost distracted both Kenobi's from the Clawdite assassin and her attempt to kill the senator.
Ben was haunted by that memory while Obi-Wan felt uneased by it. He hadn't experienced it (hopefully never), but he still had Ben's experiences with it. He remembered every emotion the man had. Not to mention, Ben's beliefs were so radically different from his own. This entire ordeal was almost getting him from the fact he saw the woman he was supposed to protect die and the fact he was next to the man responsible for killing him, her, and the entire order.
"Master? Master, are you in there?" Anakin asked breaking Obi-Wan out of his trance.
"Oh yes. Sorry, Anakin I sort of dozed off." Obi-Wan said.
"You never doze off. Do you need help?" Anakin asked full of concern. It was clear that Anakin was freaked out by his master's recent strange behavior.
Obi-Wan sighed. "Anakin I'm alright. I'm just a little tired from Ansion. Once this is all over, I'll get some rest and feel better." Obi-Wan said firmly.
Anakin looked like he was about to say something, but didn't. "Alright, I understand." He said.
The rest of the lift was punctuated with an awkward silence.
The lift door opened and Obi-Wan entered into the corridor, followed closely by Anakin. Across the way from them, a door slid open and a well-dressed Gungan, wearing red and black robes, stepped into the corridor opposite of them. The three stopped to study one another for just a moment before a wide grin emerged on the Gungan's face.
"Obi!" Jar Jar Binks cried, his ears flapping. "Mesa so happy to see yousa again."
The feeling of seeing the Gungan had both Kenobis mixed. Obi-Wan was a little annoyed at seeing him again while Ben was a little glad about seeing the Gungan after so many years.
Obi-Wan smiled at Jar Jar. "Good to see you again, Jar-Jar, but may we be able to see Senator Amidala, please?" Obi-Wan asked.
The Gungan's face took a more serious expression. "Shesa been expecting yousa. Follow mesa please." His head bobbled a bit more and led the two Jedi down the hallway of the apartment.
"So you're a diplomat, Jar Jar?" Anakin asked wanting to ease his anxiety about Padmé.
Jar Jar nodded, still not knowing who the young Jedi was. "I am parten of de official Naboo delegation. Boss Nass appointed mesa."
Obi-Wan mused, "It's not like battle, is it?" he asked.
Jar Jar shook his head grimly. "Sometimes itsa worse!"
Standing in the room, awaiting the Jedi's arrival were three people. One was, Dormé, wearing the typical but still elegant Naboo handmaiden dress. The other was, Captain Typho, wearing the new military garb of the Royal Naboo Security Forces with a stiff cap. Finally was, Padmé, wearing one of the elegant dresses Ben remembered she would constantly wear.
Both Ben and Obi-Wan noticed Anakin. They noticed that all of his attention was on Padmé.
"Senator." Jar Jar announced. "Desa Jedi have arriven."
"It's a pleasure to see you again, M'Lady," Obi-Wan said, trying to ignore the memories of her death plaguing his mind.
Behind him, Anakin stares at Padmé, who glances at him, but doesn't say anything in return. She took Obi-Wan's hand into her own. "It has been far too long, Master Kenobi. I'm so glad our paths have crossed again… but I must warn you that I think your presence here is unnecessary." She said in her professional tone.
Obi-Wan shrugged nonchalantly. "I'm sure we can handle it."
"We?" Padmé thought confused. She then noticed the young man behind Obi-Wan. He looked familiar, but she couldn't put her finger on it.
"Ah, yes, your Padawan learner…" Moving in front of him, she managed to get a good look at him and her expression was now one of suspicion. "Ani? My goodness, you've grown."
The two looked at each other for a long moment with the room waiting to see who would speak first. Anakin finally spoke up.
"So have you… grown more beautiful, I mean… and much shorter… for a Senator, I mean." He said trying to be suave, but sounding completely awkward.
Everyone in the room tried to fight back their smiles, as Padmé laughed and shook her head. "Oh Ani, you'll always be that little boy I knew on Tatooine."
This embarrassed Anakin and he looked down at his boots. Obi-Wan and the others began to move towards the sitting area, while Anakin rolled his eyes and muttered about what he just said.
They each take their own seats, Obi-Wan and Anakin on the sofa and Padmé and Dormé in their respective chairs. Both Typho and Jar Jar remained standing.
"Our presence will be invisible, M'Lady, I can assure you." Obi-Wan assured Padmé.
"I'm very grateful you're here, Master Kenobi," Typho added. "I am Captain Typho, head of Queen Jamilla's security service. I have been assigned the protection of the Senator, as well, but the situation is more dangerous than the Senator will admit." He said introducing himself.
An annoyed look formed on Padmé's face. "I don't need more security, I need answers. I want to know who is trying to kill me." She said.
Anakin's head snapped to attention. "We will find who's trying to kill you, Padmé," the Padawan insisted. "I promise you." He said. As soon as he said that, Anakin awaited a scolding from Obi-Wan and bit his lip in frustration.
Obi-Wan was about to, but Ben spoke up.
"We should start by being less strict." Ben said. Obi-Wan reluctantly agreed.
Instead, Obi-Wan agreed by nodding his head. "Anakin's right, while we have been assigned to protect you, that doesn't mean we can't investigate the whereabouts of this assassin of yours." Obi-Wan said with Ben feeding him the words. He felt Anakin's shock and agreement through the Force, but he didn't comment on it.
"Perhaps with your presence, these mysteries surrounding this threat will be revealed," Padmé smiled at both Jedi before getting up. "Now, if you excuse me, I will retire for the evening."
Everyone gave Padmé a slight bow as she and Dormé left the room and into Padmé's small bedroom.
"Well, I know I feel a lot better having you here. I'll have an officer situated on every floor and I'll be at the control center downstairs." Typho said as moved towards the Jedi pair.
"What levels are above this one?" Obi-Wan asked. He knew of course, but he wanted to keep Anakin informed.
"A speeder garage only, accessed by this stair," Typho explained, showed Obi-Wan the door on the far wall leading to the roof, while Anakin walked by Jar Jar.
"Mesa busting wit happiness seein yousa again, Ani." Jar Jar said exuberantly.
"She didn't even recognize me," Anakin said disappointed while staring at the door Padmé left through. He shook his head and turned to the Gungan. "I've thought about her every day since we parted, and she's forgotten me completely."
"Why yousa sayen that?" Jar Jar asked.
"You saw her," He said before getting cut off.
"Shesa happy." The Gungan assured. "Happier den mesa seeing her in longo time."
Anakin shook his head and was about to reply, but then he saw Obi-Wan approach him and decided to hold back his tongue.
"Come along, Anakin," Obi-Wan said. "Captain Typho wants us to check out the security here. We have much to do."
Anakin bowed. "Yes, Master."
Meanwhile, Padmé began to think about what Anakin had said and was starting to question her feelings towards him.
Well, here it is. I apologize for the lack of action for this chapter. Luckily, if you've seen Attack of the Clones you'll know what scene is next. Please leave your thoughts in the review section.
