Chapter 13: Breaking Ties
Mace Windu sat with his eyes closed, his strong fingers massaging his temples. He was tired. The past few weeks haven't been easy with the discovery of a new generation of Sith. It sent a wave of upheaval through the Temple as Masters began discussing redesigning the teachings that the younglings, initiates and Padawans would learn. If the Sith were truly back, war was not far behind. What was worse, all this madness culminated with a Jedi Master leaving the Order, becoming one of the newly counted Lost Twenty. And now, he had to listen to the trusted Luminara support the claims of the upstart Sithkiller.
"Let me get this straight," Mace said quietly. "Your Dark Side witches want to help kill the Sith Master."
"Their leader is Darth Maul's mother, so yes. The Sith Lord took her son," Luminara said firmly, crossing her arms, Obi-Wan silent by her side. "The Dark Side seeks revenge, and the Nightsisters are no different."
"And this...Talzin. You said she met with this Sith Lord. How could she not know his name?"
Luminara looked to Obi-Wan, and the young knight stood taller. "She was obviously concealing information. The Dark Side is, by its nature, deceptive. I don't expect her to be different."
"And you expect us to trust this creature?" Master Windu snapped, voice raising in disbelief.
"I said nothing about trust, Masters," Kenobi said softly. "She is not to be trusted at all. But I do believe she stands against the Sith, and I can't help but feel that a Dark Side ally is still an ally."
The Council began to talk loudly among themselves, the feelings in the room ranging from shocked to outraged, and words like "fool", "traitor", and "fallen" were being thrown around. Luminara grabbed Obi-Wan's hand and squeezed it reassuringly. The room silenced when Master Yoda tapped his stick upon the ground. "What say you, Luminara?"
"I agree with Obi-Wan," she said swiftly. "His instincts have been right since the beginning. He sensed the Sith Lord long before he saw him, his search led him to Dathomir, and now he's on the trail of a Sith Master. I didn't speak to this Talzin, but he did, and if she was truly an enemy, we would be dead. Maybe she's using us. I have no doubt that she is, but if she's willing to do that and let Jedi live, we may gain as much from this relationship as she does."
"This seems unnecessarily dangerous," Mace said wearily, and many of the Masters agreed with him. "Mingling with the Dark Side is dangerous."
"So is doing nothing," Kenobi snapped, and the room fell silent, all twelve Master's watching him carefully. "Masters, the Sith are back. Maybe you haven't accepted it yet, but I have. How many more Jedi need to leave the Order like Master Dooku before you take steps to stop them?"
Mace glared at the young Knight. "We did act, Obi-Wan, we sent you and-"
"And it wasn't enough. It isn't enough. We all need to be working on this. We can't just react when they show up, we need to take active steps to stop this! We need to get the Sith Master before he finds a new apprentice, or this will never stop!"
The Masters were silent, and Kenobi could feel the Force around him, the presence of the Masters uncertain, afraid, cautious and apprehensive of the future. They didn't know what to do. Obi-Wan closed his eyes, and he could almost see the rage burning in him. How could the Jedi High Council be this blind, this complacent. A thousand years of peace has made them weak. He stood before them, the Dark Side alive within him, and they couldn't sense it. Only one thing could make any sense out of this, could explain why the most powerful Jedi alive could not sense the darkness raging in him; something was blocking their ability to sense the Dark Side.
"Discuss this, the Council will," Yoda said quietly, grasping his stick tightly, eyes closed and brow furrowed in concentration. "Beyond our sight, is something awry."
Obi-Wan exhaled sharply. "Masters, if you're not going to take action now, then let me. I'll continue the search while you debate the correct path."
Mace sighed and closed his eyes. "Fine, Obi-Wan, keep looking..."
"I need permission to access the entirety of the archive."
Master Windu groaned. "As a Knight, you already have access to-"
"I need to get into the Forbidden Archives." Kenobi felt the Force thrum in his ears, felt the weight of the Masters' heavy gazes, all of them pushing against his mind with the Force, but Obi-Wan's defenses stood strong., his face blank and impassive.
"There is nothing in there for you, Obi-Wan," Mace cautioned, leaning forward and looking at the man intently.
"I disagree." Kenobi crossed his arms and met Master Windu's gaze. "How can we be expected to fight the Dark Side if we can't identify it. I need to learn more, we need to arm ourselves with knowledge if we're going to defend against the Sith!"
"Dangerous, knowledge of the Dark Side is, Obi-Wan," Yoda cautioned, but Kenobi shook his head.
"No. Ignorance of it is much more dangerous. If we stay ignorant of the Dark Side, Masters, we're going to lose everything. How can we fight an enemy we can't recognize?" His blue eyes observed the Masters and saw the disapproval on their faces, and he had his answer. With a sigh, he hung his head, closed his eyes. "There is no ignorance, there is knowledge. I pray you remember this when you make your decision."
"Many Masters feel similar, Obi-Wan," Master Plo Koon drawled, and Mace glared at him. "Many wish to teach their Padawans to fight the Dark Side. Many have asked for you to teach them."
"It requires discussion," Master Windu hissed, and Plo Koon nodded in agreement.
"Permission, I will give you, Obi-Wan," Yoda said softly, and the other Masters looked swiftly to the tiny Master. "But be cautious. Delve not too deep into the Dark Side." Kenobi nodded, and no Master said a word. When nobody spoke against the decision, Yoda nodded. "May the Force be with you, Obi-Wan."
Mace put his tired face in his hands. "When the Council reaches a decision, we'll let you know. Just...ugh, don't do anything stupid."
The two Jedi bowed and left the Council chamber, walking in silence to the elevator. "So, that went well," Obi-Wan said as the elevator closed behind them. Luminara chuckled.
"You are starting to sound a bit like Qui-Gon." She smirked as the young Jedi tensed. "It's not bad. You are bucking against the Council, though, which we should all expect. You come from a line of Jedi that are a bit...unconventional. Dooku disagreed with the Council often as well."
"I complied with them, but if we can't change our tactics..." He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "What if the Sith have evolved? We thought they have been gone for a thousand years, but they may have just been in hiding. The Sith we are dealing with may no longer be the bold, brash warriors of the Old Republic. If they have changed and we do not, we have already lost."
"I do agree with you, Obi-Wan." She smiled. "Maybe this is what the Order needs."
"Maybe." The elevator opened, and the two walked out into the hall, Jedi Knights and their Padawans milling about. "Why do you suspect Dooku left?"
Luminara shrugged. "Dooku has always been at odds with the Council, something your Master seemed to pick up as well. The Council hasn't taken open steps against the Sith, and in the wake of what happened to his own student, I can't imagine he was pleased. After all, he and Qui-Gon are very close."
"I never met him. Qui-Gon spoke of him often, though." He sighed, looked around at all the Jedi walking around the halls, Padawans and initiates walking closely to their Masters and teachers, and Obi-Wan couldn't help but feel a bit jealous. He knew what he needed to do, but he was still afraid of it. He missed having a Master, missed the close connection to Qui-Gon that he had felt with him for so long, desperately wanted to have him to fall back on, but that door had closed when he was cast aside. Kenobi wondered if Qui-Gon was better, if he got permission to train Anakin.
Rage gripped him so suddenly that he had no time to burry the feeling before Luminara's bright blue eyes darted to him, looking at him with concern as she sensed the emotional upheaval. "Obi-Wan," she whispered, laying a hand on his arm. "What is it?"
Kenobi bit his lip and shook his head. "I'm alright. My master and I just...left on poor terms."
Her eyes softened. "I heard about the boy he brought, yes. I had not considered your place in this." She moved closer to him, wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly, and Kenobi felt emotion well up inside him. "Time will heal this if you allow it to, Obi-Wan. I'm here if you need me."
"You better be. If there weren't rumors about us before, you better believe there will be now, because everyone is staring." She held him tighter.
"That's alright. Let them." Kenobi chuckled softly held her as well. With all the turbulence that surrounded him, he was lucky to have a friend like Luminara Unduli. Maybe she was right. Things might turn out alright, given enough time. He kissed her cheek as he let her go.
"What's next for you?"
Luminara shrugged. "More missions, I suspect. I have been keeping an eye on a few initiates, I may be taking a Padawan soon. There is another Mirialan in the group, and we traditionally teach our own. I'll have to see if she has potential." Kenobi nodded.
"A good plan."
"I take it you will continue your pursuit of the Sith."
"I will, yes. Master Yoda opened up the Forbidden Archive to me, so I'm going to take advantage of that." Lumina looked concerned for a moment and took his hand.
"I understand the need for knowledge, Obi-Wan. You made your case well. But don't get lost in the dark. You are troubled, I felt your anger. It could be dangerous for you if you dig too deep in that state."
Kenobi smiled softly, closing his eyes and nodding. "You're right. I'll meditate on these things before I go."
"That isn't enough. Talk to Qui-Gon, clear the air between you two. Resolve this matter so you can approach the Dark Side with a clear head."
"...I will." It seemed like a good idea. He was reluctant, naturally, but Obi-Wan responded to reason, and Luminara was being nothing but reasonable. "Thank you for everything, Master Luminara. I'm glad I was with you on Dathomir."
"I was as well. Be well, Obi-Wan." She let go of his hand and left down the hall, ignoring the staring Jedi as she went. Apprehension gripped Obi-Wan. He did not want to see Qui-Gon, though he couldn't figure out why he was so resistant. He felt the cold creep into his mind, but it wasn't the rage and power that came with the Dark Side; it was...a warning. But Luminara made her case, and made it well. He had to see his former Master. Taking a deep breath, Obi-Wan headed toward the infirmary.
The healers had informed him that Qui-Gon had been released a few days ago, that he was still recovering, but was in no danger at all, though he had been confined to the Temple for the remainder of his recovery. That gave Obi-Wan the distasteful task of searching for the renegade Master, his restless nature certainly keeping Qui-Gon from staying in one place for long. It was hardly worth it to even find him at this point, but he did tell Luminara he would find his old Master, and he didn't want to disappoint her.
Just now, he was searching through the Academy, the large floor of the Temple that housed the younglings and initiates and the classrooms where they would complete their basic training. It was possible that Qui-Gon would spend his time teaching, since he could do little else, and since the Master had fought with a Sith Lord, Kenobi thought it likely that other Masters would wish for him to share what he had learned with the future Jedi.
After all, Obi-Wan himself had been asked several times just that afternoon for exactly that. From lightsaber combat to detecting the Dark Side, Masters and Knights stopped him in the halls and asked him to teach the students. He declined, of course, but did promise to return at a later date when his mission was not so pressing.
It was Qui-Gon that found Obi-Wan, calling out to him from across the spacious room and the knight turned to face the old Master, walking toward him slowly and using a walking stick to support himself. "I'm relieved to see you have returned," Qui-Gon said softly when he reached his former student.
"And I'm glad to see you up and about." Kenobi pointed to his walking stick. "You look like Master Yoda, but much taller and less green."
Qui-Gon chuckled. "Much less wise, I assure you."
"Oh, I know that. When did they let you out?"
"The day you left. Did you find anything on your mission?"
"Y-yes, I did..." It was much more awkward than Obi-Wan thought it would be. His gut feeling the last time he saw Qui-Gon was right; his time with the Master was over. All that was left was the rift between them, and it wasn't just on his end. Through the Force, he felt that the Master felt exactly as he did, but instead of the betrayal that Kenobi felt, Qui-Gon felt guilt. "Um...are you here teaching?"
"No, no, I'm..." The Master cleared his throat. "I'm waiting for Anakin."
Kenobi's eyes flashed dangerously, but his defenses were up, and Qui-Gon didn't sense the betrayal and anger. He was caught off-guard with Luminara; it would not happen again. "Oh? What for?"
"He's on a fast track through the basic training. He..." The Master looked away. "The Council gave me permission to train him."
"That was fast." Obi-Wan smiled, but there was malice behind it, and even those without Force sensitivity could see that. "Did the Council completely lose their minds while I was away? It was less than a week!"
"Obi-Wan, please."
"They said he was dangerous, Master Yoda said he was dangerous. Does that mean nothing anymore?"
"It does mean something, and I will be mindful of it." He held his head up higher. "I can train him to control his emotions. He will learn."
"How?" Obi-Wan hissed, glaring at the Master. The spacious room was empty with classes in session, and the two Jedi stood on the far side of the room, tucked away into the shadows and out of sight, so caution was not at the forefront of his mind. "How do you expect to be able to train him to do that when you failed to do it with me."
"Obi-Wan, you are a model Jedi, you-"
"Have you seen what I have become?!" His defenses were up, but Kenobi couldn't keep the anger back. It gripped him hard and wouldn't let go, but his Jedi training was keeping the Dark Side at bay, coiling and hissing within him, but ultimately controlled. Of course the Master didn't see. None of them did.
"You are better than this, I trained you better than this."
"Did you? I told you I wasn't ready! My training is not complete, I needed more time with you! You didn't listen, the Council didn't listen, why couldn't any of you see that?!"
"There was nothing more I could teach you! I meant that!"
"You could have taught me to control this." Kenobi staggered back, clutching his robe tightly over his heart. "I wasn't ready to deal with being thrown out. Qui-Gon, you tossed me aside like I was nothing! And for what? A dangerous boy too old to train."
"His potential-"
"Is greater than mine," Kenobi snarled. "We all know it."
"That isn't my doing, Obi-Wan." the Master growled, and Kenobi's blue eyes narrowed.
"No, it isn't, but it is your doing that you brought him along to replace me." The Knight stepped closer, blue eyes glinting dangerously. "Here's a thought for you, Qui-Gon. Maybe the Dark Side I was sensing didn't come from just the Sith Lord. Maybe what I was sensing was coming from Anakin."
"Jealousy doesn't suit you, Obi-Wan. You are talking about a child. I will hear no more of this."
"No, I'm sure you won't, you have never heard any of what I had to say on the matter." The two men glared at each other, and Kenobi could feel the rift between them growing deeper. There was no going back, not anymore. Neither man moved or said anything, simply glaring at each other as they both reached out to the Force to read the other, only to be met with iron defenses on both sides. The classes let out, and the large hall was flooded with younglings and initiates and Padawans, and the Jedi knight smiled bitterly.
"I'm going. I don't want to be here when your little protégé shows up."
"That may be best. He was already concerned about being the cause of the rift between us."
"Oh, how considerate. I hope you let him know it was your doing." Obi-Wan smiled, backing away from the Master. "Hopefully little Anakin will be a better student for you than I was." Kenobi bowed mockingly. "Goodbye, Qui-Gon." He didn't wait for the response; he just turned and left, his long stride carrying him quickly from the hall. It seemed like so long ago when he first had these feelings for his Master, and at the time, he had felt guilty, ashamed that he did not have more control, nearly sick with the chill in the Force. But no longer. Now he was more used to it, thrived on it. The anger pumped cold fury through him, and the frozen feel of the Force became a comfort, a temper on the boiling rage within him, a reminder to be controlled and patient in his seething emotions.
The Jedi would have him believe that the things he was feeling, the sense of betrayal and loss, the anger at being replaced, was wrong, should be repressed and forgotten. But Obi-Wan was right, he was tossed out like he was nothing by a Jedi he...what? He respected Qui-Gon, loved him as a friend, a brother, a father, and saving him drove him to tap into the power of his rage. He was attached, that could not be denied, which is what made this hurt as much as it did. All of this was rejected by the Jedi, and he was supposed to strive to avoid all of this. What was he supposed to do then? These feelings were real, justified, and Obi-Wan would not be denied this, told he was wrong for being wronged.
The Dark Side became a comfort. There was no guilt for feeling this way, no rules to keep him from confronting the wrongs done to him. The Jedi would have him burry his feelings, forget his anger, forgive his Master, but he wouldn't, not when he was treated like he didn't matter.
Kenobi bit the inside of his cheek, eyes narrowing as he strode through the Temple to the Library. He needed to begin his research, and with knowledge of the Dark Side would come the understanding he needed to control it, to keep it hidden from the Jedi, and to use it effectively against the Sith. Nothing would stand in his way.
