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CH21
It has been a month since I received my new padawan learner. Kenobi and I settle into a consistent routine. The morning starts with breakfast and a quick overview of the day. Often times he inquires about my council meetings. I share only that which is not more classified. Sorry young one you are not on the council yet. Then he goes to his lessons and I to the endless debates of the council. Evening times we spar and firefek two days ago he nearly landed a blow on Dooku who joins us on rare occasions. He has been holed up in the restricted sections of the archives searching for something. I do not ask, he is far older then I and a well-respected member of the order. Whatever he is looking for I am sure he will share when his search bears fruit. After the spar we meditate and I discuss philosophy with Kenobi. He is very keen at pointing out shortcomings of certain philosophies but he still has much to learn.
I sit now listening to a troubling report from Almas a planet in the mid rim. The planet was once the home of a renowned Sith Lord Darth Rivan. The reports indicate that the native species have become increasingly violent. Originally content to live in their swamps the Hssiss have in recent months been making their way close to human settlements. Many would think this occurrence not worthy of the council's attention. But this could not be farther from the truth. Centuries ago a Darth Rivan built a dark citadel in the midst of one of the swamps, the Hssiss are an abomination, an experiment of mutating creatures to the dark side, and they are like a plague and their bite can be lethal to those with no force abilities if not treated properly to a force sensitive as well. Years ago a few Jedi knights ventured into the swamps to purge the disease. None survived. To monitor the darkness Almas academy was built next to the closest settlement to the dark citadel hundreds of miles away. The academy accepts force users who discover their connection to the force late in life and are heavily monitored by Master Yoda and Master Adi Gallia.
I sigh. Xanatos has been silent. Was this another attempt at undermining the Jedi order?
"Troubling, this is indeed." Master Yoda's ears drooped. He looks as if he has aged a decade.
Master Dooku flicks another nonexistent speck off his trousers, boots folded one over the other as if he were in a senatorial debate. "Yes, well we all knew that it's only a matter of time before Xanatos begins to shake up Dark temples for sith relics. Once fallen the seeker will stop at nothing for more power."
He pronounces the name as if it were not taboo. I run a hand over my scalp in frustration. "We should take care of the problem first. The locals requested our help we should send a Jedi team to assist them."
Dooku laughs nonchalantly, I know better the worse the situation the more humor he will pretend to draw from the whole ordeal. "Take care of the cause and a solution will present itself."
"Vel, vat do you say eh master Vindu? Perhaps it's time for taming of ze darkness?
Master Piel's argument rings true. None have attempted at taming the darkness as I have and this would be the perfect trial to test Kenobi's skills.
"I can join you later if the situation so requires." Dooku offers. I look around for approval which is given to me freely. I have been elected to go and go I shall."
I leave the chamber early and find my padawan in the lunch hall. He is conversing with the Skywalker boy again. Force only knows how he convinced the boy to attend his classes properly but I suppose whatever works is fine. The boy fidgets nervously as I approach and Kenobi gives him a quick reprimand and the boys beginner shields slide in place. Kenobi gives the boy a last roguish wink before greeting me with a bow.
"Master?" The eyes hold a mild confusion which evolves into a quick understanding.
"We leave immediately Padawan." He nods and follows me as we exit the chamber. We make a brief detour for a few belongings and then make our way to the temple's docking pads.
"Where are we headed Master?" He asks when we are finally settled in an old but rather spacious starcruiser.
"Mid Rim, Almas." I start the shuttle and we rise slowly above Coruscant's atmosphere. I let Kenobi plot the jump to light speed as I settle in the copilots chair. The calibration done we use an empty room for meditation and then I have Kenobi practice a mission review.
He types the planets name into his data pad and after he is done reading provides me with a basic summery of the planet.
"An anomaly in itself, Almas is a molten, terrestrial planet orbited by two sun's though receiving little sunlight due to its distance from both. The planet's atmosphere was initially filled with poisonous gases including phosphorus and methane, until Sith Lord Darth Rivan, aiming to settle there, developed the kaluthin grass to alter the atmosphere making it more breathable. As Almas possess no surface water and is sustained by its underground lakes the grass due to its deep roots draws from this water supply. Over the centuries, the kaluthin spread across the planet and created a highly oxygen-rich atmosphere. However, trace elements of phosphorus and methane could still have detrimental effects on those who spent extended periods of time outside without a rebreather."
The description is rather accurate and I commend him although he most likely learned his debriefing skills from his days in the Naboo palace. Then we resume meditation settling opposite one another only feet apart. I study his face now obscured by shadows as the lights in the spare room dims giving an artificial night cycle. It is pail and young yet somehow marked with age in the dimness of the room. His hands are slightly trembling. His posture for meditation is flawless yet he has not accessed the force yet. It is like this in most our meditations. Those sessions when he does enter the force he comes out more shaken then at peace. I can sense it from the disturbance of the dreams he is privy too on the nights when he has communed with the force. I have yet to speak with Master Yoda about this.
I make up my mind to fully understand the problem. To do this I will need Kenobi's cooperation. We still have thirty six standard hours to go so we have more than enough time for what I have planned. I refrained from asking him to open himself fully to the force during his meditations in the temple in the case that he might not have the shielding needed to prevent the younglings from witnessing whatever it is that does not let him commune properly with the force. I suspect it is whatever gave him those scars but it is truly my business now that he is my padawan.
"Obi Wan" His eyes snap open in response.
"I want you to enter into the force revealing yourself fully. We are far enough. Whatever it is that you are holding in, no one will be harmed here if you lack the control to shield it."
His eyes narrow. Ah yes well there is myself but I wish to be witness.
He pails a shade. An internal struggle seems to take place. One that takes far too long for my liking. Then his eyes snap shut and his lips are pressed in a thin line. Sorry young one you are on your way to a planet full of darkness if you think I will let you simply waltz in without first screening you, well you are wrong.
I enter the force as he does. I can sense him. He is entering slowly at first then faster. His basic shields drop and I can sense a release. I prod at his mind weakly and there is a slight shift in his mind. Firfek! He sensed that? The shift was small but enough to catch a second shield. It is like a barrier transparent yet to thick to penetrate. I prod at it even lighter. The hue is a false purple this is not his innermost psyche I can sense it even as he radiates a false communion with the force truly only entering only a basic form of meditation.
Yoda's words of warning echo in my mind. "Flirt with the dark side he did, accidental this could have been need a Vapaad master he does else fall like Xanatos he will."
When did he learn to shield so well? "Obi-Wan I can sense your hesitance perhaps you wish to talk about it before you continue?"
I hear a sigh then acceptance. Dark blue eyes find my own. "Once I ummm, this was before being accepted into the Naboo security force I took a quick job on Hutta." My eyes narrow at the implication that the job was of the books so to speak.
"Got into a fight with one of the local gangsters who sold slaves. Said I would report him and he ahem." The throat cleared but the unsaid truth hung in the air.
"I see." He bowed his head briefly and rose to go.
"You did the right thing." His eyes crinkled in a smile making him appear once more far older than his true age.
"Yes well that got me places." The revelation explained much; His hesitance to enter into the force, his desire to keep to himself and his association of doing good with punishment. Perhaps Master Yoda had been too quick in his assessment. Perhaps all Kenobi truly needed was not a Vapaad master but a push in the right direction. And this I Mace Windu can do.
