Author's Note: I know, only a week since I last updated! I can't promise this rate will be maintained, but I'll do my best to update at least regularly. I had some trouble with this chapter, so to my Gwethil siblings who read the troublesome section. . .THANK YOU! I also owe Almyra a huge thank you for her input. I know I say it somewhat frequently, siblings, but y'all are a huge blessing to me. I hope everyone enjoys the chapter!
Chapter Eleven
Letting the Dust Settle
To say that he was shocked by the Council's request was something of an understatement. Worse still was the amusement that fairly radiated from his sister. She ambled along behind him, Anakin Skywalker still clinging to her hand. Thane supposed he really couldn't blame the poor kid, any more than he could really blame Merit for her reaction to the events in the Council Chambers. He forgot that she was 'unconscious' while the Force used her as Its avatar during the initial meeting with the Jedi High Council.
Fortunately, he already had his arm around her waist as she leaned into him. . .otherwise, she might well have gone charging to confront Jinn. Things already had the potential to get ugly. . .the last thing he needed was for his overly-protective little sister to make matters even worse. That wouldn't have been her intention, of course, but it would have happened. He had tightened his arm around her waist and hissed, "Wait. . .just wait, little sister." And she did as he asked, though she didn't relax. And she wasn't relaxed now. While Thane could sense her amusement over their bond, he could also sense her tension, frustration, and utter fury. Right now, his sister's thoughts on Qui-Gon Jinn were along the lines of 'he's no better than our father!' Thane thought that was a little harsh, considering Jinn hadn't killed his current padawan or the child he intended to take as a padawan (a least, not yet), but he could understand why Miri thought such a thing.
However, their sharing was interrupted as Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi dropped back and bowed to Merit, asking softly, "Knight Solo, I am Padawan Kenobi. I would be honored to learn more of your galaxy." There was a moment of surprise across their bond, and then Merit smiled. Thane was a bit suspicious, as he had seen Jinn say something to the young man, but he would hold his peace for the moment. Especially since he had just seen his sister's smile. . .her real one, not her diplomatic smile.
Perhaps sensing that his Master's instructions might not be welcomed by the newcomer, Padawan Kenobi glanced past Merit to Thane, who nodded reassuringly. Whatever his issues were with Jinn, they were with that man, not the boy now standing on the other side of his sister. The young man asked, "What can you tell me of your galaxy. . . how is it different from ours? And what do you know of the Sith?"
"I have seen very little of your galaxy so far," she replied honestly, "but from what I have seen, they are very similar. I've never been on a planet like Coruscant. . .at least not while it's inhabited." Obi-Wan frowned, and Merit explained, "About ten years ago, the closest parallel we had to Coruscant was bombed. Most everyone was killed. Those who weren't killed had to be evacuated. I was on the team that helped with the evacuation."
"I'm so sorry," Obi-Wan murmured, though Thane wasn't certain if he was sorry for the loss of their Coruscant or because the fifteen-year-old Merit was assisting with the evacuation. Merit smiled at him again, and the young man continued, "Have you at least received a tour of the Temple?" Merit glanced at Thane, who just smiled at her. If the kid was offering a tour, by all means, she should take it, especially if it got her out of their quarters and meeting other Jedi!
"I would like that very much. I have been in your Hall of a Thousand Fountains or Room of a Thousand Fountains, however it's called, but little else," Merit replied. Thane received a quick query. He needed only a second to think it over. . .it was a good plan. . . and sent his agreement back to his sister. She continued, "When our ship arrived in this galaxy, it was on the point of destruction. We chose the safest coordinates, and teleported there. It happened to be the aforementioned Hall."
Good girl. . .she was thinking on her feet. She, they, would have to tell the truth to other Jedi at some point, but now was not the time. Neither of them liked lying, even under circumstances like these; however, that was the other request the Council made: that they make the decision on which Jedi were ready to hear the truth at which time. Speaking of the Council, though, on the other hand. . .if Thane heard one more word about this kriffin' Code, he'd shove it up that person's hindquarters!
His attention was drawn back to the three youngsters behind him, and he rolled his eyes as he listened. Merit was telling this young Obi-Wan Kenobi about their rather embarrassing arrival, drawing a giggle from little Anakin. The little boy waited until a pause in the conversation, and asked, "Miss Merit, is it okay if I don't go with you?" Merit looked at Thane, who nodded ever so slightly, and responded over their bond. A small smile appeared on her face and she knelt in front of Anakin.
"It certainly is. . .in fact, Thane was just telling me over our bond that he was thinking you and he could get to know each other. It's been a while since he had a padawan, and he wants to make sure he hasn't forgotten anything," Merit told the child with a confiding smile. MERIT, he all but shouted at his sister over their bond, don't tell him that! His sister winced a little, but continued, "He also wasn't expecting to become a Master today, so he hopes that's okay with you." When he got his hands on her, he would. . .
"SURE! That would be wizard! Uhm, I will see you later, won't I, Miss Merit?" Anakin asked anxiously. Again, that warm smile he had missed so much appeared on her face as she nodded, and for the second time, Anakin blurted, "Wizard! Bye, Obi-Wan!" With that, he hugged Merit and bounded over to Thane's side, sliding his hand into Thane's much larger hand, looking up at him with bright, expectant blue eyes.
Thane remembered his thoughts when the adult, redeemed Anakin came to him before their journey back in time. . .how Anakin had become more like a sad, wiser younger brother who had kicked a stim addiction. Merit said from where she stood, "You'll be my brother's padawan, Anakin. You'll be part of our family. You can always come to me, because that's what family does." Yes, Thane thought as the two young Jedi headed off to start their tour, that's exactly what family does.
SWSWSWSWSWSWSWSW
It had been a long time since Merit had talked to someone her own age. . .well, aside from Bant and Ral. But her conversations with them had been different. Those were for the purposes of information, and this. . . This was mostly pleasantries. Although, it was still mind-boggling that she was walking through the corridors of the Jedi Temple with the legendary Obi-Wan Kenobi. Even if the young man at her side seemed anything but legendary, with his clean-shaven face, close-cropped auburn hair (and what, exactly, was the reason for that thin braid?). Obi-Wan was quiet while listening to her, polite when he questioned her about aspects of her own galaxy, and well-mannered the rest of the time.
It actually scared her a bit. . .not his manner toward her, but the conversation itself. She wasn't used to having conversations for the sake of having conversations, and wasn't entirely sure how to react. She could hear how stilted her answers were, and winced every time she opened her mouth. Merit wasn't fooling herself. She knew her current companion was on a fact-finding mission. She could also sense that despite his rather impressive shields, he was also deeply hurt by what happened in the Council Chambers. So she wasn't really surprised when he asked quietly, "You, too, believe that Anakin should be trained?" She simply shrugged. It wasn't her call to make and the young man continued, almost to himself, "Then I am the only one who senses that he is dangerous."
"On the contrary. . .everyone senses that he's dangerous, except perhaps for your Master. But that's precisely why he should be trained, Obi-Wan," Merit corrected. Her companion stopped and stared at her in shock. She explained, "He's young, Obi-Wan, terribly young, and he has no idea how to control his power. Right now, growing up as he did on Tatooine, he uses his power on an instinctual level. He needs to learn to control his power. . .more to the point, he needs to learn how to channel it. And yes, his anger with it. That's why I think it's a great idea, to have my brother train him. Our galaxy isn't like yours, Obi-Wan, and we've grown up in a different way." Actually, so far as Merit was concerned, having Thane as Anakin's mentor was a stroke of brilliance.
"So I see," he replied quietly. They walked for a short time, then he observed, "I see what you mean, but I'm still. . .uneasy." Yes, she was certain he was. And she didn't blame him. There was a long silence as each tried to come up with something to say, and at last, Obi-Wan asked, "Will you tell me more of your galaxy? You've really said little about it, and I've told you about the Temple." Merit had to think about that, but he was right. . .she answered questions, rather than telling him about her time.
"What would you like to know? It's a hard place. . .not even a veneer of civilization. We, the few Jedi remaining, take care of ourselves and those whom we love, and when we can, we protect people who can't protect themselves. Not people who won't protect themselves, but can't. Big difference. You're shocked by this, I see, and I don't blame you. But that's the reality in my galaxy. There are only four Jedi remaining; two Masters, a Knight, and an eleven-year-old Padawan," Merit said softly. She took no pleasure in seeing the color drain from her companion's face. Instead, she smiled sadly and continued, "We help those we can, and have nightmares about those we can't."
"I am sorry," Obi-Wan said again, and she merely smiled at him. It surprised her. She truly thought he would verbally attack her for that statement, demanding to know how she dared to call herself a Jedi if she didn't at least try to help everyone. On the other hand, that was more like something her father would do. He asked somewhat hesitantly, as if unsure he would be out of line, "If I may be so bold, Knight Solo. . .how old are padawans when they're knighted in your galaxy? You mentioned a moment ago that one of the few remaining Jedi in your galaxy is an eleven year old padawan. . .most Initiates in our galaxy are twelve or so when they're chosen as a padawan."
"There really isn't a time-frame. Most formalities no longer exist. Ami has been a padawan for almost her entire life, certainly as long as I've known her. One of the last things Uncle Luke did before he died was Knight Thane, and Thane was. . .well, I was fifteen or so, which made Thane twenty-two. I was twenty-three when I was Knighted. I can't even say it depends on when we're ready, because that's not true either," Merit explained as they began walking again.
"You were twenty-three? How. . .forgive me, that's not my business," Obi-Wan began, then shook his head. Merit smiled a little. They walked for a little ways, and he said softly, "I'm glad you've seen the Hall of a Thousand Fountains. It is a beautiful room." Merit's smile widened as she thought about her initial introduction to the Jedi Temple. A few days later, she could see the humor in the situation. And poor Bant! To see two people literally materialize and fall into one of the fountains for which the room was named. . .that must have been unexpected. She would have talk to Bant about that after she returned to her quarters, apologize for frightening her, if that was the case.
"It is a beautiful room, so peaceful. And please, my name is 'Merit.' I was knighted two years ago. . .and whenever someone says 'Knight' Solo, I still look around for my brother. I can't imagine how it must be for him. He's only seven years older than I am, and he's. . .well, he's my older brother, my Master. We're just about everything to each other," Merit admitted.
Careful, little sister, Thane warned over their bond, he may just start quoting the Code at you. If he does, you have my permission to thwack him. Merit ignored him, at least for the moment, especially since he was the one who taught her not to try to have two conversations at once. Seriously. He taught her better than that! She had the definite sense that he was mentally sticking his tongue out at her. Overgrown kid!
"When you said not even a veneer of civilization. . .you meant it, didn't you? Nor formalities. So you don't operate by the Jedi Code, without attachments?" Obi-Wan questioned. Well, that wasn't too bad, Merit mentally responded to her brother, he's asking questions, rather than throwing a fit. How are things going with Anakin? This time, she almost winced at the response she got, though there was no anger directed toward the child. Rather, it was directed at Qui-Gon Jinn. Surprise, surprise. After a moment of allowing her brother to cool down, she added, Well, just be careful. We don't want Anakin thinking that you're angry with him. There was a muted agreement from her brother, as if he was trying to do just that.
To Obi-Wan, she replied, "No. The only Code is to stay alive and keep as many of your charges alive as possible. I'm not sure what you mean about attachment. I mean, attachment saved my life and my brother's lives when we were captured by Darth Heinous, Darth Cadeus' apprentice. Two of our friends, actually three, came for us and saved us both. We couldn't have escaped. . .not in Force-suppressing collars and not after being beaten and tortured.
"On the other hand, Uncle Luke and our cousin Ben did stress the importance of being able to let go. My father's inability to let go was what caused him to fall to the Dark Side. He had visions of my sister's death. . .and the irony is, it was he who killed her. He ran her through with his lightsaber because she wouldn't step aside." And for the first time since Allana's death, Merit accepted that truth. Their father had killed Allana. . .not her. 'Bout krething time, her brother snarked at her. As she often did when he got snarky, Merit simply ignored him.
Obi-Wan had no ready answer for that. Merit continued after a moment, "But no. No, we have nothing like that in our galaxy. The emphasis is on survival, even if that means dirty tricks. . .because if you try to fight fairly, the other side will kill you. Fair play, that means nothing to them. So, I don't let it matter to me. There are some weapons I won't use, like Sith lightning, but a kick to the nether regions? I have no problem at all with using those weapons."
"Why not Sith lightning? What exactly is that?" Obi-Wan asked curiously. Merit shuddered. It wasn't just Uncle Luke and Ben who suffered from Sith lightning attacks, but Darth Heinous enjoyed using it as well. She was fortunate (from a certain point of view, at least) that the initial attack knocked her unconscious when they were first captured, but Thane was the recipient of many such attacks during the time they were held captive. The only things she remembered clearly were the beatings.
"Sith lightning, or lightning attacks, in addition to causing incredible pain, disrupt a Jedi's connection to the Force. It also has the effect of causing nerve damage and calcifying bones, making them more brittle. Really not very pleasant, and that's being polite about it," Merit replied. Thane responded with a few phrases that would have forced Uncle Luke or Ben to wash his mouth out. She reminded him of this, and when she returned her attention to Obi-Wan, noticed him staring at her in polite confusion. She smiled somewhat sheepishly and said, "Sorry. Needed to talk to Thane over our bond."
His bright eyes widened with surprise and he asked, "You still have your bond? Even as a Knight?" She nodded. It was far too lonely to consider severing their bond. And, being the intelligent young man he was, Obi-Wan guessed, "Because there are only four of you left?" She inclined her head, smiling slightly at him. In a way, Merit envied the Jedi of now. . .growing up with so many others like themselves. Obi-Wan asked next, "You prefer not talking about your galaxy, because it's so like ours in some ways, and so very different in others?"
"That's. . .probably the best way to put it, really," Merit acknowledged as they started walking again, "In some ways, our galaxies are so very much alike. There are similar planets, some of our ways are very similar. And in others, they are so different. I think your galaxy is better. Before we left, an. . .older member of the family mentioned that they wanted us to come here, not just to warn you, but for us to be happy. I'm starting to understand what he meant when he said that. We will most likely drive your Order insane, but I think we can be happy here."
Another silence fell between them, but this one was more comfortable. The longer they talked, the easier it was for Merit to interact with him. . .the easier it became to simply see her as a young man her own age, rather than the legendary High General and Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi. And then, giving her a hint of that man whom he would become, he asked slowly, "There's a lot you aren't telling us, isn't there? Not because you're trying to deceive us. . .no. No, there's another reason."
"Yes. And maybe one day, I'll be able to tell you everything. I hope so," Merit said softly. He smiled at her then, and she smiled back. As the pair started walking again, Merit dared to hope that along with Bant, she had made a friend in this time. Or, at least, laid the groundwork for making friends. She was further along that path with Bant, and hoped Obi-Wan would be able to forgive her when he learned just what she was keeping from him. If he didn't. . .
SWSWSWSWSWSWSWSW
"Just what did you think you were doing?"
The question was asked in an icy voice, but it had no impact on the individual being questioned. He merely raised an eyebrow at his companion before turning his attention back to making dinner. As he adjusted the controls, he replied, "You should be a little more specific, Qui-Gon. I've had a very busy day. You know how it is as a Council member, always coming up with new rules to make the lives of Jedi harder." The temperature in the room dropped a little more, but Mace Windu really wasn't impressed.
"More specific? You set me up today! You planned all along to train Anakin," Qui-Gon Jinn replied angrily. Mace turned to face him after checking on dinner one last time. He thought briefly about letting Qui-Gon see his Council member face, but decided against it. No. No, what he had to say would be far more devastating coming from the man he had grown up with and known for decades. Even then, Mace had his doubts about whether or not his words would make a difference.
"You are always talking about following the will of the Force, Qui-Gon. Well, that's what we did. The Force spoke to us directly, and that is the only reason the meeting played out as it did. None of us wanted to believe that you would cast Obi-Wan aside the way you did. None of us wanted to see him humiliated like that. The boy has come far since his Initiate days, and he did not deserve to be treated that way," Mace fired back.
"That is the second time you have said that, Mace. I did nothing to Obi-Wan, I did not cast him aside, as you keep saying, and I did nothing to earn this!" Qui-Gon retorted. Mace could only stare at the other man in utter shock. He believed it. He really believed what he was saying. Of course he did. He was Qui-Gon Jinn, and the only person who ever listened to the Force. Mace sighed, rubbing at his forehead. He had planned to start dinner earlier, wanting to think through today's events. However, a quick comm call from Thane Solo interrupted those plans, warning him that Qui-Gon was on the warpath. Mace had only said, 'let him come,' then let Thane get back to his work.
So now Qui-Gon was in his quarters, demanding to know what he had done wrong. The Councilor answered, allowing his fury to shine through, "And that is why you will not train Anakin Skywalker. You trained and raised Obi-Wan for thirteen years. . .yet when this child comes along, you dismiss that boy as if he is nothing to you. Then again, you never wanted Obi-Wan. You're getting what you want, only thirteen years later. If this boy is really the Chosen One, he should have a Master who will remain committed to him no matter what happens. That Master is Thane Solo."
"Dammit, Mace. . .Obi-Wan is a grown man! Anakin is a little boy, whose future I was trying to secure!" Qui-Gon growled. Mace allowed a tight smile to cross his face. Maybe after this confrontation was over, he would comm Thane Solo and see if he or his sister would like to join him for dinner. He would need to speak with mature adults. If both couldn't come, due to taking care of Anakin, the other would be more than welcome. Actually, for that matter, even young Anakin would be welcome.
"Your responsibility is still to Obi-Wan, but you can't see that. You only look at Anakin and see the Chosen One, see your potential legacy to the galaxy as the master of the Chosen One! You already have a legacy, and it's a great one!" Mace fired back. He opted not to tell that he had seen shatterpoints around Anakin, Obi-Wan, and both Solo siblings. Instead he shook his head, adding, "Every word you speak, every time you try to justify your behavior, you convince me further that you would not be a good master for Anakin. At this point, I would place that boy in Obi-Wan's care more readily, and Obi-Wan hasn't even been knighted yet!"
"At this point, I would let you!" Qui-Gon retorted. Mace didn't even have time to raise his eyebrows. . .let them? Qui-Gon barreled along, "As it is, you've placed the Chosen One with an unknown Master, the son of a Sith who has evidently torn apart their galaxy!" Mace had no idea how he figured that out, but right now, that was the least of his worries. And he would deal with that later, when he had more leisure time. The last thing he wanted to do right now was to listen to a Qui-Gon Jinn rant.
"Let us? You might want to rethink that, Master Jinn," Mace snapped, moving them back into the territory they should have been all along. He could tell from his crèche mate's expression that he noticed the change in address. Good. He continued, releasing his irritation into the Force, "Now, you've realized that the Solo siblings' father is a Sith. Yes, he is. And that is another factor in why we chose Thane Solo as Anakin's Master. He has seen the disease that is the Sith, and he would be better able than anyone to guide the child. Further, given his rather unorthodox upbringing and training, he is also far more qualified to teach a powerful youngling who was born into slavery."
That silenced Qui-Gon, if only for a few minutes. That was all Mace needed. . .it was his turn now. He continued, carefully drawing that much-needed serenity around him "Now, as we mentioned in the Council meeting, before you returned with Queen Amidala, Obi-Wan, and the child, we received a visit from the Force, using an avatar. Yes. The Force spoke directly to us, Qui-Gon, in the Council Chambers, and if it makes you feel any better, told us much the same thing you have been telling us for years. Much the same. . . although, it would seem that you didn't go quite far enough."
That. . .conversation was the wrong word for it, as was discussion. It was more of a lecture than anything else, but it was still quite enlightening. Enlightening in the sense that they were all padawans who made a serious error in judgment, an error that threatened the lives of all, and the Force was a Master schooling them all. Which was, when he stopped and thought about it, the correct way to look at it. The Force was Master and Mistress to them all.
After a moment, Mace went on, "In any event, you have what you wanted: Anakin will be trained, and if Obi-Wan performs on the Naboo mission as well as the Force indicated to us, he'll soon be knighted. . .and you'll be rid of him, just as you wanted." Qui-Gon's eyes narrowed, but Mace didn't care. This was his task, as set forth for him by the Force itself. It had told him what he was to do if Qui-Gon Jinn's pride was stronger than his desire to do Its will.
"I do not wish to be rid of Obi-Wan! I believed. . ." Qui-Gon began, but stopped. Mace would have smiled. He knew that expression. He'd seen it on the faces of the other Councilors after the scolding they all received from the Force. At last, he said in a controlled voice, "I regret that my actions caused pain to Obi-Wan, but I will not be ashamed of the actions I took. As I told you. . .Obi-Wan is a grown man, but Anakin is a little boy." Mace sighed under his breath. He still didn't understand, then. Well, it was not for Mace to teach him.
"Then I hope you can accept the consequences of those actions, old friend," Mace said simply. Qui-Gon frowned, and Mace continued, "For now, I have a dinner to cook. I'm sure by now, Obi-Wan has finished giving Knight Solo a tour of the Temple. He may even have some of the answers you seek." The Force hadn't told him about that, but Thane Solo had. Still, he took the smallest pleasure in seeing Qui-Gon flush. Good. Maybe next time, he would think about the possible consequences of his actions. . .
But Mace wouldn't count on it.
SWSWSWSWSWSWSWSW
His conversation with the strange new knight ended up serving two purposes. . .first and foremost, he gained the information that was requested. Secondly, though no less important, it gave him time to push his turbulent emotions behind a wall, to be dealt with at a later date. Senior Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi further sensed that this situation was as strange for Knight Solo as it was for him. Perhaps even awkward, although they each had their own particular reasons for feeling that way.
She did seem rather uncomfortable with him. . .almost shy at times. However, as he thought through their conversation, he did understand her point about training Anakin. At this point, it would be far more dangerous not to train him. Even so, that really didn't calm his unease. In truth, while she seemed like a very pleasant young woman, Obi-Wan was relieved when the tour ended, and he could safely retreat to his quarters and start sorting through his feelings to release them into the Force.
Obi-Wan accompanied Knight Solo back to the quarters she shared with her brother (and, apparently, Anakin as well), and then returned to the quarters he had shared with Master Qui-Gon for the last thirteen years. Both Knight Solo and her older brother invited him to eat with them, but in truth, Obi-Wan was not very hungry (besides, even as he declined their offer, Master Windu commed the quarters, inviting them to eat with him). He. . .had much to consider. Knight Solo seemed to understand this, for she smiled gently and told him that the invitation would always be open to him. For that, he was grateful.
Master Qui-Gon wasn't in their quarters (a fact for which the young man was deeply grateful), so Obi-Wan quietly padded into his own room. He lowered himself to his knees, sliding into meditation. It was his hope that the meditation would make it easier for him to release his emotions into the Force. However, that was not to be, not today. The Force seemed as chaotic as his emotions.
Struggling to contain his frustration and anxiety, Obi-Wan decided to make the attempt to be productive. Rather than focus on events of the last few hours, he instead chose to focus his attention on reviewing what they had learned during this mission, particularly about the Gungans. He once more rose to his feet and went into the common area, retrieving a data pad along the way. Jar Jar Binks had trailed along with Queen Amidala and her entourage, which was only fitting since they were both from Naboo. He was working on his notes for his formal report when Master Qui-Gon returned.
Without looking up from his task, Obi-Wan said, "If you like, Master Qui-Gon, I will begin our dinner after our briefing about my conversation with Knight Solo." He wasn't entirely sure how to address his long-time mentor, not any more. The meeting with the Council had thrown everything he thought he knew into disarray, and he was trying to ascertain how the pieces fit back together. As he finished his updates, he turned to face the older man.
Master Qui-Gon looked as discomfited as Obi-Wan felt, saying, "That won't be necessary, Padawan." Obi-Wan didn't say anything, though he privately wondered if he was, indeed, still Qui-Gon Jinn's padawan. His mentor looked away briefly, then looked back, saying, "It was never my intention to. . .to demean you, Padawan, or to cause you pain. I only wanted to. . ." His voice trailed off and Obi-Wan rose to his feet, inclining his head ever so slightly.
"Of course. You have always done what you must, what the Force requires of all of us. Do you have any preference for dinner?" Obi-Wan inquired, padding toward the kitchen. Since it seemed Master Qui-Gon didn't want his report on his meeting with Knight Solo immediately, it would be a good idea to start dinner. He briefly regretted not taking up the mysterious knight on her dinner invitation, as nothing seemed appropriate for tonight. He observed, "Perhaps I could go to Dex's and bring dinner back?"
"Dex is fine, Padawan. What did the girl tell you?" Master Qui-Gon finally asked. Obi-Wan inclined his head and folded his hands in front of him, explaining what Knight Solo had told him about their galaxy, including their rejection of any code but staying alive and keeping their charges alive. For reasons he didn't fully understand, the Force urged him to keep the last part of their conversation, when Knight Solo admitted there was something she and her brother weren't telling them, to himself. Obi-Wan listened. And it seemed his mentor was processing the information he had provided. At last, he said, "I don't trust either of them. Keep your eyes open when you're around either of them, Padawan, and your shields up."
Obi-Wan almost smiled at that, but kept his face straight. He bowed and retrieved his cloak, then departed from their quarters. So, Master Qui-Gon didn't trust them. Obi-Wan wasn't certain if he trusted them, either, but he simply didn't know either of them. As he was leaving, his troubled thoughts were interrupted by a very welcome face. . .his fellow Padawan and long-time friend, Bant Eerin. Bant was walking in the direction with her Master, when her eyes lit up. Master Fisto gave her a little nudge, advising, "I'll catch up with you later, Padawan. . .good to see you home, Obi-Wan."
"Thank you, Master Fisto. I'm heading over to Dex's to get dinner, Bant. . .would you care to accompany me to the speeder lot?" Obi-Wan asked, smiling for the first time since their return to Coruscant. Bant agreed with a broad smile of her own, and the two former crèche mates walked in that direction together, catching each other up on everything that had been going on. To his surprise, Bant was the first in the Temple to have met Master Solo and his sister.
She barely bit back a giggle as she explained the circumstances of that meeting, when the two literally appeared out of nowhere and landed in one of the pools. Listening to Bant, Obi-Wan couldn't help but laugh as well, especially when she told him about Knight Solo's first words to her, "Uhm, we come in peace?" Obi-Wan could just picture the scene. . .the brother and sister standing in the pool, dripping wet. Since she was the first person they met, too, Bant often was chosen to assist the newcomers.
Once he could speak without chuckling, Obi-Wan had to ask his old friend, "What do you think of them, Bant? You've spent time with them, after all." He didn't mention the fact that Master Qui-Gon distrusted the pair. . .much less what he believed was the reason for that distrust. Nor did he mention that he was no longer sure of what his status was, much less what happened in the Council Chambers. Right now, that was simply not something he could contemplate.
"I like them both. I've actually spent more time with Merit than I have with Thane, but I like them both. I took Merit over to talk to Chancellor Valorum, and often brought food to them both. She. . .something Thane said made me think that she wasn't like this before. He said that she tends to become more like herself when they reach a new place," Bant explained. More like herself? Bant continued, "Based on what Thane said, because they're always having to hide from their father, Merit develops this protective shield around herself. . .she acts much older than she is. But when they reach a new place, she relaxes and acts more like herself. I don't know how much of their past you've learned, Obi, but they come from a very dark place."
"So I gathered when I talked to Knight Solo," Obi-Wan answered quietly as they reached the speeder lot. So Bant liked the pair. She didn't say whether she trusted them or not, but she did like them. That was a point in their favor. He smiled at his dear friend, saying, "Well, I thank you for your company and your insight. Hopefully, I'll see you again before we leave for Naboo." The two friends exchanged a brief hug, then Obi-Wan eased into the speeder he normally used.
One other thing Bant had told him. . .while she spent most of her time with Merit Solo, her Master spent about the same amount of time with Thane Solo. When Obi-Wan had the opportunity, before they left for Naboo, he would speak to the Nautolan, and see what his thoughts of the new Master were. The Force was telling him right now that regardless of what happened with Master Qui-Gon, these new Jedi would be very important in the coming weeks.