We landed not many hours later, luckily without incident. I still wasn't sure what the Queen had in mind, but she had Jar Jar led our small group to the swamp edge that I remembered. We waited while he swam to contact the Gungans in their underwater city.
He shortly returned, saying the city was deserted and we would have to look elsewhere, and assured us he knew where they were – another place, well hidden, a "sacred place."
Jar Jar was right; we found the Gungans and were escorted to Boss Nass' presence. The Queen began to speak eloquently about the need to free her people. I sensed she was making little headway. The Gungans and the Naboo were not on good terms, and the Gungans saw no need to risk their safety for the Naboo.
I was surprised when Padme pushed forward and announced she was the Queen, and the Queen only a decoy. I nodded. All the pieces were falling in place, now. Obi-Wan was confused, but hid it well, merely glancing at me to see if I was surprised or if I had known that.
The Queen dropped to one knee to make her plea. Appealing to the Gungans as she did, with humility and respect made the difference. The Gungans and the Naboo became allies.
The plan was made and revealed. It was a sound, though risky plan. The Gungans would fight the Trade Federation's droid army while the Queen and her band would sneak into Theed palace and capture Viceroy Gunray. Up until then, only the Queen and Gungans themselves knew of the Gungans army and war capabilities.
Naboo pilots would try to take out the Droid Control ship controlling the Federation's army. If they were unsuccessful, a captured Viceroy would be forced to deactivate the Droid Control ship in orbit.
One way or the other that droid control ship had to be destroyed or deactivated. Without it, the droid army would simply stop in its tracks. Until then, the Gungan army would have their hands full.
Once destroyed, the fighting would be over. The prison camps would be emptied, and the Naboo and Gungans would be free once again, and hopefully learn to live as friends, not indifferent neighbors.
I did warn the Queen that our mandate from the Jedi Council was simple protection of her person; Obi-Wan and I were not allowed to intervene in the fighting on other side's behalf as the actual dispute was still being debated in the Senate. She only nodded.
I turned to Obi-Wan with a smile and put a hand on his shoulder.
"Despite our mandate, I'm sure circumstances will compel us to fight unless we are very lucky. There will be a battle ahead of us, but you are fit and ready," I told him. "I have no fear on that score. If we are forced to fight in defense of the Queen – Obi-Wan, I would rather have no other Jedi at my side. You have lost none of your skills."
"I am ready, Master," he said, his eyes shining at me. He was hoping we would avoid a fight, I knew, as did I, but he did not fear one. He was ready, as if the past five years had not scarred him.
We let the Gungans do their job of battling the droid army, as the Naboo, Anakin, Obi-Wan and I threaded the secret passages to enter Theed. We emerged into the great hangar itself, which is where I told Anakin to hide himself. He was too young to be involved in a battle, for my bones told me we would shortly be.
It came sooner than I expected.
The Naboo fighter pilots had run for their ships and hurtled into space. Now that they were off, we headed for the palace and the final step of our plan – capturing the Viceroy.
We were nearly to the great doorway, Obi-Wan and I near the rear of the group, when the door slid open and we were confronted by the Sith I had met before. I had described him to Obi-Wan, so he, too, knew what we faced.
Red and black tattoos covered his face, and yellow eyes gleamed from within the hood of his dark cloak. Clothed entirely in black, humanoid, he was like a dark version of a Jedi. Similarly clothed, but so opposite in his approach to the Force – he fed on darkness and we fueled ourselves with light.
As much as we respected and honored life, he revered death and destruction. I could feel his cold hate – a roiling, stormy wave of ice advancing to meet the warm glow of the Force that Obi-Wan and I tapped into. Where the two waves crashed, I almost expected to see steam rise.
This was no dark Jedi, no pathetic creature who had lost touch with the goodness of life. This was evil, this was hate, and this was Sith. There was no doubt in my mind.
"We'll handle this," I said calmly to the Naboo. I didn't have to look at Obi-Wan, for I felt him beside me, strong and sure. Confident. The past was truly gone and this was now. We were together again, in synch, ready to face what we must.
At the same time, droidekas rolled into the hangar and began firing at the Naboo. Blaster bolts flew through the air, the sound of hot ozone turning the air acrid and bitter. Obi-wan and I ignored that battle, letting the Naboo handle that as we faced the Sith, a Zabrek I now recognized as he shrugged out of his cloak.
We advanced, shrugging out of our own cloaks and igniting our lightsabers in readiness. The Sith ignited his two-bladed one and we stared at each other, waiting that final impossibly long second before true battle engages.
The Sith moved first.
Obi-Wan somersaulted over the Sith and attacked from the rear as I from the front. Even with two of us against one, it was an even battle. Obi-Wan and I found our rhythm and we drove the Sith into another room, though the Force whispered he was directing the battle, leading us to a place of his own choosing.
If so, he had chosen wrong, for we had him trapped, with nowhere to go but empty air.
Obi-Wan feinted from the left and I darted in from the right, but the Sith somersaulted to a catwalk crossing the immense space. Obi-Wan and I leaped after him and the battle resumed.
Suddenly, Obi-Wan was flying backwards into empty air, taken off balance and kicked into space. I had no time to worry about him, not in battle. I trusted Obi-Wan to save himself, I had to. I gathered the Force and backhanded the Sith and knocked him flying, following him. We battled ferociously; out of the corner of my eye I could see Obi-Wan regain the catwalk and come flying after us. A hint of a smile touched my eyes; I had known he would save himself, yet I was still relieved to see him.
I fought with furious, hard blows, taking the battle to the Zabrek. I was so focused on the fight that I failed to see where our fight had led us. I had chided Obi-Wan in the past for having too tight a focus, and now I had done what I had so often warned him against.
I would have to acknowledge my error to him after the Sith was defeated, or ignore his next lapse. It was only fair. Obi-Wan was always too well aware of what he considered his "failures," and I more often than not his lack of experience. It would do him good to know that even his master – a Jedi master – could get distracted or so deep in concentration that he lost the necessary field of focus.
I only had a brief time to think this, the few terribly long and incredibly short seconds spent trapped between energy gates. We had fought into a service passageway and not taken heed of the safety buttons to deactivate the laser gates cycling on and off.
I had just a few seconds more to catch my breath, for I was breathing fast now and almost winded. I was far more experienced, but the Sith was younger, and it was a hard battle.
The enforced pause allowed me to rest and I knelt in meditation. The air was red with shimmery currents of the energy blocking us all from each other, for I had seen Obi-Wan pumping desperately to catch up to me, only to skid to a sudden stop, trapped several gateways behind.
I could sense his anxiety and barely contained energy as he tried desperately to regain my side, all but urging me to wait for him to catch up.
The Sith was the first free; I the second when the gates opened. I rushed forward and we resumed fighting, with Obi-Wan staring anxiously on, for he had not had time to clear the passageway. He had barely stopped from barreling into the last energy gate, thankfully, he had.
The shock of lightsaber against lightsaber continued and my arm was tiring. The Sith swung, I ducked, and he came around in a full swing and pierced my chest. The shock of the killing blow took my breath away, and as I fell to my knees, I saw Obi-Wan's anguished face. I stared at him, willing strength into him as I slowly collapsed.
You have to continue on. You have to live. Win this battle, and live, Obi-Wan. Live, for me, for yourself. Live, for I love you.
I would be everlastingly thankful that I had been reunited with Obi-Wan before my death – to know that my long mourned padawan was alive and that he was okay. That the promise in a fine young man had been realized in the fine man he now was.
He was a good man and a good Jedi. My padawan, my friend, and my dearest hope for the future. My legacy.
I crumpled to the ground as Obi-Wan surged forward and the clash of lightsabers told me that Obi-Wan was fighting well, holding his own. I could barely see, but Obi-Wan seemed to be possessed with unusual strength and I realized he was pulling rage from within.
I had never thought of this scenario to test his control – my death with him helpless to intervene – it would have helped him had I made him face such a scene as this, but it was too late.
Obi-Wan would have to battle both the Sith and his rage by himself; I could not help him.
Find your calm center, Obi-Wan; I implored him, my eyes hazy. Don't let my death in front of you allow you to give in to your rage. You are a Jedi, Obi-Wan. Remember who you are. Now, now is the time to be the Jedi I know you are.
I was too weak to do more than think the thoughts – I couldn't send them through the bond and I doubt if I had that Obi-Wan would have heard, in the heat of battle.
I groaned as Obi-Wan went flying out of sight, down into that hollow core of the room. I was ready to die, now, for my padawan was dead. For the first time that day, I had tears in my eyes, for I had witnessed my padawan's death. I had just found him again, and I had just lost him again.
At least, we would soon be united in death, forever together. These would be the last tears I would shed, ever. My tears, always, were for Obi-Wan, never for me.
I felt the Force being gathered in that room, the snap-hiss of an ignited lightsaber – my lightsaber – and the sound of a body being cut in two. It meant nothing to me. I was ready to join my padawan in death, in the Force.
Forever together: a father and his son, two companions-in-arm, and two friends - bound by something greater than blood: bound by love.
I heard the soft thump of racing footsteps and felt myself gathered in shaking arms. It could only be Obi-Wan holding me. But he was dead! I had seen my padawan die. I must have missed something as I lay dying, and I remembered the surge of the Force and the sense that my lightsaber was being called to another hand.
Obi-Wan had saved himself. The Council had to see what I had already seen. Obi-Wan was ready. He was a knight in all but name.
I knew now I would never see his knighting ceremony, never hold his padawan braid in my hand, or stand by his side, knight to knight. At least I had told him how much I loved him. That, at least, was not left undone. I shuddered, for what if I hadn't told him? He would never have known.
"It's too late," I whispered, forcing my eyes open to look upon his face for the last time.
There were so many regrets in me. Chief amongst them was knowing how much time I had lost with Obi-Wan and how little time I had to get reacquainted with him before my death. Knowing the pain of abandoning him a third time, and Anakin for the first. It wouldn't be easy for them, but the path was clear in my mind.
I struggled to reach him; it was all I could do to touch a finger to his tears and brush one from his face.
"Train him, Obi-Wan. He is the Chosen One."
"Yes, Master," he mumbled as his tears dripped on my face.
There had been so many tears lately. I had hoped they were behind us. They were only behind me and I would not be there to comfort Obi-Wan ever again. He didn't need my comfort, for his shoulders had always been strong enough to bear his own burdens. He was strong, but he had always accepted the comfort I offered him, for the burden was always lighter when shared.
Forgive me…I love….and my eyes closed upon darkness.
Obi-Wan was, again, alone.
Epilogue
Death was not my final end. My study of the teachings of the Whills allowed me self-knowledge within the Force, after my death. I was one with the Force, yet aware.
It wasn't until some time later that I knew I had, after all, held Obi-Wan's padawan braid in my hand as my body was reduced to ashes. It was perhaps the greatest gift my padawan had ever given me, next to his love and trust.
Obi-Wan had insisted that a least a part of it be placed there, even if his knighting ceremony had not yet taken place. Yoda had grudgingly agreed, and cut off a few inches of that freshly decorated braid with my own lightsaber, now Obi-Wan's.
Obi-Wan had carefully placed it within my hand and curled my fingers over it, before kissing my hand in final farewell.
I am so glad that I told him how much I loved him. At least, I left him with that, when I left him behind, again, until the day we would be reunited in the Force. I left him my love, and the Chosen One.
The future is his, now. I have no part in it. My story is over, and the future is out of my hands. It is now in Obi-Wan's capable hands.
Author's note: On another forum I was persuaded to pretend the epilogue never happened, so the sequel carries on from here with characters intact. It shall start out in Obi-Wan's POV as Tears of the Force II. I am currently working on a prequel to this story.