A\N: Greetings, everybody and thanks for still reading that. We're sorry we couldn't update earlier.

Besides, The 1st Jedi Princess helped us to improve previous chapters)

FelesMagica

Thanks for reading it! We really try to improve our texts, but it's quit hard for us (and our beta, too) 'cause we're not native speakers,

And of course, Dooku liked Obi-Wan. In AotC he just wanted to show Kenobi the galactic zoo).

Chapter 3

Dooku, closely followed by Obi-Wan, stepped in his apartment.

"Here, your new home, young Kenobi. The last one, I suppose." The older Jedi shrugged his shoulders and came to the sofa. He picked something and turned to Obi-Wan. "This is my home lizard—Mari. If I find out that you hurt her somehow, you will face very big problems. Now, I believe, you want to unpack your things. This room is yours." The Jedi pointed to the left and disappeared in the kitchen.

The room was the same size as the Jinn's place, but it immediately seemed quite… abandoned to Obi-Wan. Not visually, but in the Force. Like previous inhabitant was dead. He had heard that Dooku's Padawan was killed some years ago, so it was true.

The main color of the room was neutral beige. A bed was covered with a thick blanket, chest of drawers near it, where Kenobi put his clothes, a small table on the other side, a desk near the opposite wall. Obi-Wan found some journals, holodisks, and even several girlish hairpins on it. He decided to put all of these in the box and hid it under the bed.

He had just finished putting his possessions to their new places, when he remembered about the model of the ship, which he put on the bed in the beginning.

He was holding it, when Dooku decided to check his new Apprentice. Obi-Wan immediately remembered what Qui-Gon had said about Dooku's temper.

"I'm sorry, Master, I was planning to put it away—" he began, but Dooku stopped him by raising his hand.

"Put it wherever you want, I don't mind. What has Jinn said to you? Certainly, I'm not that severe. Besides, you will have plenty of time to spend here and staring at the walls. Don't waste all the evening, I'd like to speak with you for a while now."

They returned to the common room. Dooku picked up his lizard and stroked her head. She hissed with pleasure. Then, he nodded toward the plate on the low table near an armchair: "Help yourself. I see you're hungry."

"You sensed it in the Force, didn't you?" Obi-Wan asked curiously. Was it the beginning of the new training bond, where Master and Padawan had a connection through the Force?

"No, I heard your tummy-rumbling," Dooku answered very seriously.

Obi-Wan stared at the sandwiches on the plate; finally, the sense of hunger prevailed and he decided to take one of them. Dooku was leniently looking at him, gently stroking his lizard. Obviously, Mari liked it and was making sounds resembling cats's purring.

"Kenobi. I'm just curious, what has my first Apprentice told you about me?" The older Jedi asked after some moments of silence.

Obi-Wan raised his head and stopped chewing his sandwich, then he quickly swallowed it.

"Master Qui-Gon sometimes told me about the discipline and usually set you as an example. He said that you're a strict but fair Master. He didn't tell much about his own apprenticeship."

"Jinn and discipline? When he was my Padawan, he always got himself in different troubles. I see, he possesses such a… nice ability now, too. But speaking of the discipline. Be careful here, if you even accidentally step on Mari, I'll send you back to Qui-Gon."

Obi-Wan was silent as he wasn't totally sure was Dooku joking or not. The lizard stared at him unwinkingly, seemed she was agree with the older Jedi.

Dooku slightly smiled, enjoying the expression on his Padawan's face.

"Of course, it was a joke!" Obi-Wan thought. "I hope."

"Yes, Master," Kenobi answered, visibly relaxing. "I noticed some things in my room. A knitted scarf, some hairpins, a picture on the wall. I think I should—"

"Ah, yes. They belonged to my previous Padawan learner, Comari Vosa. She was killed in action some years ago and never reached her knighting ceremony. If only I can find her killer…" Dooku shook his head. Obi-Wan sensed a quick flash of anger, immediately taken by control. "Besides, it was Comari, who brought Mari. She has never told me where she had found the lizard, but I let Mari live here, too. Sometimes, Master Shaak Ti agrees to look after her, so it's not a problem while we're on missions. Sometimes Mari travels with me, of course, if the mission is not dangerous. One day I'll tell you how she helped me on Matan."

Obi-Wan once again looked at the happy lizard, but didn't dare touch her.

"She is very nice. Master Jinn likes different life forms too. I think he would like her. I'm curious, why he has no pet?" Obi-Wan carefully continued their conversation.

"Well, he had many Padawans, though he was not so lucky with them." Dooku sighed and let Mari go. "As I have heard, you left him and the Jedi in order to help somebody without an assignment?"

"It's true. I really acted stupidly, not as a Jedi is supposed to do! And I'm very sorry. Also, I'm sorry that I've caused such problems to Master Jinn. He explained everything to me before you've come." Now Obi-Wan's voice was trembling: "But they were only children, not much older than myself… And we supposed to do nothing to help them!" He calmed down, pulled himself together, and added seriously: "This won't happen again, I promise, Master."

"You promise, huh? Well, I don't think that you should be blamed for the help, but there are some things you obviously do not understand now. And remember: the Council most likely will not give you another chance. Besides, hasn't Qui-Gon feed you or it's just a fight with your former Master which took a lot of energy? "

Obi-Wan forcedly smiled.

"I'm sorry, it was so recently and it's hard to remember. Besides, I think I should thank you. Your appearance spared me some clips on the back of my head from Master Qui-Gon."

"Well, I see." Dooku chuckled. "You must really drive him out of his wits this time!"

He stood up and added: "I think there was enough new impressions for you today. Get yourself comfortable, young Padawan and have a rest. Tomorrow I'd like to see your skills in the lightsaber combat or lack of them. Jinn has said that you're a good swordsman for your age. Let's see if it's true or not."

"Yes, Master!" Obi-Wan answered, suddenly remembering that his lightsaber was still with Qui-Gon.

Mari angrily hissed at him.