Chapter 7 So Close
Zak took one look at Obi-Wan the next morning and shook his head, "You look terrible, Master; did you sleep at all last night?" He asked.
"Yes, some." Obi-Wan answered.
"But not very much." Zak added.
"No, but enough." Obi-Wan assured him.
"You won't be able to rest very well until he comes back, will you." Zak stated.
Obi-Wan sighed, "Probably not; his nightmares have become mine." He replied.
"Then we will have to bring him back." Zak decided.
"Well, I'm ready to get started." Ferri announced as he appeared from the other sleeping room.
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Anakin awoke feeling more clear-headed than he had the day before. He finally remembered where he might find Palpatine; now he only had to figure out how he was going to get there. What he needed was a ship; where he was going to find one would be the challenge. He had thought of going to the Temple to take one of the Jedi starfighters, but he thought Obi-Wan and those two surviving Padawans might have gone back there to hide; and for some reason, he did not want to face any of them…at least not yet. He wondered if he would be able to take Padme's yacht; it would probably be docked on the Naboo landing platform, all he'd have to do is take an air taxi up to the platform. He rose stiffly, feeling the bruises and sore muscles that were the result of the speeder incident the day before. At least his headache seemed to have abated to a dull ache; and he guessed that it would probably be gone by the end of the day. He stretched to ease his stiffness and headed back up to the surface.
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"Return to the Temple for the night, Master Kenobi did not; seen him have you, Chancellor?" Yoda asked.
"Oh, I am sorry to hear that; I hope nothing has happened to him." Bail answered evasively.
"So seen him you have not, then…hmmm." Yoda asked.
"Well, I did see him, yes; yesterday evening as a matter of fact. I believe he told me he was looking for Anakin." Bail replied.
"Know where he has gone do you?" Yoda asked.
"Why would I know that?" Bail asked, again trying to be evasive.
"Hmm….tell you he did that he disregarded a Council ruling?" Yoda asked.
"What went on between Master Kenobi and the Council is really not my concern." Bail answered.
"Know, he should that wrong the Council was; tell him this if see him you do, Chancellor." Yoda said.
"If I see him, I will let him know." Bail promised.
"Found Master Skywalker yet has he?" Yoda asked.
"I do not know how I would know that either, Master Yoda." Bail answered.
"No, you would not, would you." Yoda replied, "For your time, I thank you, Chancellor."
"You may have my time whenever you need it, Master Yoda." Bail assured him, "The Jedi are very important to the Republic."
Bail breathed a sigh of relief as Yoda's image faded; for a moment, he thought Yoda might challenge him concerning Master Kenobi's whereabouts.
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Ferri moved quickly through the early morning crowds, "He's confused; and he keeps…." Ferri began and then shifted to, "How can they still be alive; I know I killed that dark-haired boy, I remember doing it. I don't understand; I have to go someplace to think."
Obi-Wan glanced in Zak's direction and Zak glanced back at him, "It's alright; I know he's talking about me." Zak told him.
Obi-Wan smiled sadly and nodded his head as they continued on until Ferri stopped, "This is where he went to think." He announced.
Obi-Wan tugged on his beard in thought, "He remembered killing you, Zak; you know that don't you?" Ferri pointed out.
"Yes, it was in his nightmare." Zak answered.
"I wonder…I wonder if he didn't kill me then…in his nightmare." Ferri said.
"Most of the faces in Anakin's nightmare are unclear, Ferri; he remembered Zak because Zak spoke to him before he died and his face was very clear." Obi-Wan explained.
Ferri nodded, "So, should we go down here?" Ferri asked.
Obi-Wan shook his head, "It is not safe to take you down there; we will have to find him another way." He answered.
"I can defend myself, Master Kenobi." Ferri replied haughtily.
Obi-Wan looked at him disapprovingly, "Watch your tone with me, Ferri; you are treading on dangerous ground." He warned.
Ferri looked down at the ground, "Sorry." He mumbled.
Obi-Wan shook his head, "I am giving you a chance because I need your help; this could be good for both you and Master Skywalker, but only if you show me that you have changed. Your attitude just now makes me doubt that you will." He told him, "Do you understand this?"
Ferri nodded and averted his eyes, "Yes, Master Kenobi." He answered quietly.
"I think we should go in." Zak interjected.
"No, it's too risky." Obi-Wan countered.
"It will be alright, Master." Zak assured him, "I think we will find something important down there."
Obi-Wan sighed, "Alright, I'll trust your instincts; they have not been wrong yet." He decided, "But be mindful; this is not a place to take lightly."
Ferri put a hand to where his weapon should be and sighed, "I forgot I don't have a lightsaber anymore." He said sadly.
"Then apparently you cannot defend yourself." Obi-Wan concluded.
Ferri sighed again and looked once more at the ground, "No, I guess not." He admitted.
"Well, if we are careful, you will not need to." Obi-Wan told him as he put a hand on his shoulder.
Ferri shook his head, "I hope so." He replied doubtfully.
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Anakin headed first to a public wash room to clean himself up; if he wished for any hope of snagging a taxi, he would have to look at least a little presentable. He had to smile when he caught a good look at himself in the mirrored surface above the wash room sink. Blood cakes the side of his head and cheek where it had oozed before his head injury had stopped bleeding, he was covered in surface dirt from his collision with the walkway where he had landed, his clothes were torn and revealed several bloody scrapes which resulted when he had skidded along the pavement. He started to clean his face while he debated what to do about his tattered clothing. A tall Bith entered the wash room, gave Anakin only a passing glance and entered the private area. Anakin smiled and, seeing an opportunity to acquire better attire, moved to the entrance of the private area to wait.
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Ferri made his way through the dark passages of the underground, passing the dregs of society without even glancing at them before stopping at one corner and easing himself down into a sitting position with his legs drawn up. "Why didn't I kill him? I had the chance; I should have. Palpatine will be disappointed that I didn't. And what about those two boys? I know I killed one of them…unless…unless it wasn't him, yes, that's it, it must have been someone who looked like him. But Palpatine will be very displeased that they are not all dead; he said show no mercy, and now he'll think I did. It wasn't my fault that two of them managed to escape. I don't know what to do now; I have to find Palpatine, he'll know what to do. Where is he? I can't think anymore, I'm so tired." Ferri's head slumped forward.
"Ferri? What happened next?" Obi-Wan asked and then glanced around, "We must not linger here too long."
Ferri sighed heavily and lifted his head, "Someone tried to steal his lightsaber." He answered.
"Tried? What did Anakin do, Ferri?" Obi-Wan asked with great concern.
"He didn't kill him." Ferri assured them.
"What did he do?" Obi-Wan asked again.
"I think he crushed his hand." Ferri replied.
"Master, we should hurry." Zak warned.
"Yes, I sense it too; Ferri?" Obi-Wan said urgently.
"He thinks he knows where Palpatine might be." Ferri answered as he stood up, "This way."
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"So you think the Chancellor knows where Obi-Wan is then?" Mace asked as he and Yoda sat in Yoda's meditation room.
"Knew he did where he was this morning; know I do not if he does now." Yoda answered.
"But the Chancellor does know that we have accepted Obi-Wan's decision, does he not?" Mace asked.
"Yes, but know I do not whether spoken with the Chancellor Obi-Wan has. Alone he may still think he is." Yoda told him.
Mace shook his head, "If only he had waited." He said, wistfully.
"Waiting, a luxury he did not have." Yoda replied, "More insistent I should have been that listen to me the Council would."
"It seems we have both made mistakes here." Mace admitted.
"Yes, appear that way it does." Yoda agreed.
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Anakin stood on the taxi platform; feeling only slightly uncomfortable in the tight-fitting clothing he had taken from the only-too-obliging Bith. Granted the Bith had taken a little persuading, but in the end the creature had seen reason and agreed to the change of clothes. After which, he had felt it necessary to render the fellow unconscious; he wasn't sure why he had chosen to spare the Bith's life, but he couldn't think of a good enough reason to kill him either. He washed the rest of the dirt and blood from his face, arms and hands then decided to wash his hair as well; it was matted with blood and caked dirt. When he thought that he was clean enough, he squeezed into the Bith's clothes and pulled his own boots on, covering the fact that his stolen pants were several millimeters short. One thing that he had not taken into consideration was taxi fare; he had been carrying no credits when he collided with the speeder and apparently the Bith had not either. So, as the air taxi pulled up to the platform, Anakin formed a new plan, "I need to borrow you taxi." He said politely as he smiled and ignited his lightsaber.
"Sure, Mister; no problem." The pilot replied, "Where to?"
"No, you don't understand; I want your taxi. Get out, NOW." Anakin ordered.
"Uh…alright…sure, whatever you want." The pilot answered as he slid across the seat and half leaped and half fell out of the taxi onto the platform, "Just tell me where I can find it again, alright?"
"Umm…no, I don't think so; then you'll have the authorities after me." Anakin told him, "You just stay right where you are for awhile and maybe I'll let you know where it is when I'm finished with it."
"That's fine, sure, whatever you want." The pilot repeated, "Just don't stick me with that thing, I've got a family."
Anakin blinked and shook his head; what was it about those last words that confused him? "I won't as long as you wait here for awhile and don't say anything to anyone." He instructed.
"I will…I mean I won't…I mean I'll do it…won't say anything, I mean." The pilot stammered.
Anakin smiled as he hopped into the vehicle, "I'm sure you won't." He replied as he gunned the taxi and headed for the Naboo landing platform.
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Zak, with lightsaber drawn and powered up, leading the way and Obi-Wan covering the rear with his ignited weapon, they moved swiftly through the passages as Ferri directed Zak which way to go. Several times beforehand, they had been forced to use threats in an effort to get up to the surface until Obi-Wan felt it necessary to draw weapons. At once, the denizens of the underground had given way in respect to the deadly lightsabers and let them pass. Unwilling to risk any further attacks, Obi-Wan and Zak kept their weapons drawn and ignited all the way to the surface.
"I've got to clean myself up, or I'll never be able to get a taxi." Ferri mumbled, taking the lead once again and heading for the public wash room, "I must be a real mess by now."
Obi-Wan and Zak followed from a short distance with Obi-Wan keeping his Force sense attuned to any threat that might still emerge from the underground passageway they had just come from. After a few minutes, a wash room appeared within sight and Ferri headed to it. Once inside, he went to the sink and looked toward the mirrored wall and smiled then turned the water on and began to wash his face. After only a moment, he stopped and looked toward the door. Obi-Wan turned his gaze to the door as Zak continued to watch Ferri, "Master, he's…" He started to whisper.
"Yes, someone must have come in after him." Obi-Wan's whisper cut him off.
Ferri shook the water from his hands and moved furtively to the wall next to the private area doorway; stood there for a moment and then moved into the doorway, "You have something I need." He said, "I don't want money, you fool; I want your clothes….no? Are you sure?" Ferri put his hand to his belt and then raised both of them together, "Are you positive? Yes, I thought you might change your mind."
Ferri kicked at something, presumably the poor unfortunate's clothes, "Now, turn around; don't worry, I promise not to kill you." He said and then raised his hands and brought them down.
"You don't think he…?" Zak whispered.
"I hope not." Obi-Wan answered as he watched Ferri 'drag' the fellow into the private area.
Obi-Wan followed him in and there, lying in the corner, bound and gagged with strips of Anakin's discarded clothing, was a struggling Bith. Obi-Wan knelt down and quickly untied him.
"Crazy! He was crazy; he stole my clothes! Why would anyone want my clothes? I'll have him up on charges; I'll have him locked away! He won't get away with this." The Bith raved.
Obi-Wan sighed and waved his hand in front of the Bith's face, "You don't remember what happened." He said Forcefully.
"I don't remember what happened." The Bith repeated.
"You were hit from behind." Obi-Wan told him.
"I was hit from behind." The Bith repeated.
"Was it right to do that, Master?" Zak asked.
"I don't know; but I don't think Master Anakin should be locked away, do you?" Obi-Wan asked.
"No, but only because he's not himself." Zak answered.
"Exactly." Obi-Wan replied, "And I did not know how else to convince our friend in there otherwise."