Chapter 8 is up! Alright, so just a couple notes: I will be editing the existing chapters as soon as my new beta, FallenHero93, finishes betaing the chapters. Also, as of right now there will not be a chapter next Monday unless I can three chapters finished by then. If all else fails I will have Ch 9 up by next Saturday. Have a great week, and don't forget to R&R! :)
Obi-Wan felt a growing apprehension coil in his gut as they drew closer to Naboo. His mission was coming to a close.
At the temple things had gone far better than they had the first time. Obi introduced Anakin to the Council, holding Yoda's and Mace's eyes the entire time up until he announced the boy's title of the Chosen One. At this there was a gasp throughout the chamber, and the Grand and Head Masters both straightened in their seats. Yoda and Mace, remembering Obi-Wan's words from so many years before, accepted Anakin for testing almost at once, their decision prompting the others to agree. The boy was excited and warmed by such a welcoming attitude towards him. Obi-Wan smiled his pleasure and told Anakin to wait outside fir him.
When the door closed behind the boy the smile dropped from Obi-Wan's face, and he turned to face the Council; he could feel his Master's concerned gaze on him but ignored it.
"Obi-Wan? Negative emotions I sense from you," Yoda commented, his tone also laced with concern. Mace leaned forward surreptitiously.
"My apologies, Master Yoda."
"What troubles you, young Padawan?" one of the other Council members, Depa Billaba, asked. "I sense from you sorrow, fear, and... guilt?"
Now Qui-Gon's forceful gaze intensified. It took all Obi-Wan's training to keep from flinching. "I do not deny it. It is true that I am conflicted, but there are many conflicting factors. Have you told them?" he asked Mace Windu who nodded.
"That you travelled back through time eight years ago? Yes, Master Windu did indeed tell us this," Council member Yarael Poof replied dryly, "including that such information was given at your bequest. If I may, what prompted you to tell us now?"
"So, you believe him?" Councilor Ki-Adi-Mundi inquired.
"Of course," Depa responded before the ornery Poof could grouch again. "There is plenty of evidence to support your tale."
Obi-Wan nodded. "That is good. As for why now—well, I must admit that it was a hasty decision on my part while we travelled back from Tatooine."
"The Zabrak," Qui-Gon realized.
"Indeed."
"The Dark Force user?" Mace questioned.
"He is a Sith apprentice." A clamor built up in the room, a strange reaction from the otherwise quiet members, until a sharp 'clack' echoed through the room.
"Silence," Yoda ordered. "Continue."
"The Zabrak we encountered on Tatooine is a Sith apprentice called Maul by his master. He was sent to assassinate the Queen of Naboo—and to retrieve Anakin for the Sith. I could not allow this to happen, and so, as my Master informed you, I held him off until the others were safe." Until my Master and Padawan were safe. "As we fought he implied that his Master had travelled back through time just as I had and that they had suspected Anakin had as well."
"And has he?"
Obi-Wan looked at Mace, weighing the decision in his mind. To tell them is to encourage them to use Anakin to learn of the future. It is to ostracize the boy, and to make him nothing more than a tool. "No. He has not. At least, not that I think."
/Obi-Wan? \ his master asked through their bond, but once again Obi provided no answer.
"How so," Mace inquired out loud.
"Anakin was always very in tune with the Unifying Force, his visions coming at an early age, though not quite as early as mine. It is possible that he remembers me from dream-like visions he has had in this life."
Mace nodded. "Perhaps."
Yoda spoke up. "Any more to say have you?"
Obi-Wan straightened. "I mentioned diligence before. It is imperative that your guard does not slip now that the Sith have revealed themselves. We cannot let them know we know more than we should—a feat harder than you might think, so be wary—but since they think Anakin 'remembers' more than he does it will be easier to gain some leeway with the enemies."
The Councilors nodded thoughtfully, sharing their thoughts through their Councilors' Bond. After several minutes Yoda, who had never taken his eyes off the younger man standing before them, dismissed them. "Tell all you will you have, Kenobi. Guilt I still sense in you, but earn the right withhold secrets you have. Choose your paths wisely you must. To Naboo you must go; captured the capital the Trade Federation has. With Queen Amidala save her kingdom you must."
Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan nodded.
"May the Force be with you."
Now, on the ship heading for Naboo, Obi-Wan meditated in his quarters. He could sense that, whatever happened next, some things would be coming to an end. What that meant he was not entirely sure, but he trusted the Force above all else.
Upon arriving things repeated themselves with obnoxious precision, and he found himself wanting to cover his ears; a glance at Anakin revealed that the boy was just as uncomfortable with the "quoting". Then Maul revealed himself.
Obi-Wan was determined to not let the same mistakes happen again, so instead of being the good apprentice and following his Master's lead he leapt forward and engaged.
Maul smirked. "I see the boy has informed you of your Master's—previous demise. How fortunate that I can take my revenge for an event that hasn't even occurred yet."
He snarled and shoved him back with his 'saber, barely aware of Qui-Gon's presence beside him, even frantic with concern—for the fight, for Anakin, for him—as Qui was. "It appears your own Master has not left you entirely in the dark, either, Maul." A vicious side swing had the Sith Apprentice stumbling back out of reach.
There was a slight pause as the Force users breathed, then Maul looked up directly at Obi-Wan and grinned before pivoting on a dime and shooting off.
"No!"
The two Jedi were in hot pursuit all the way to the catwalks where they re-engaged the enemy. Obi, seeing his opportunity, took Qui-Gon's place so that it was the Master, not the Padawan, who was kicked down to the catwalks below.
Obi-Wan fought hard, his blue blade a blur against ruby, creating in the spaces between a mirage of violet—a blatant mockery, he thought, to the blade Mace Windu would wield in a few years' time. Much to his dismay he found himself being lead towards the melting pit just as easily as they had been the first time around, but there was nothing he could do. He chased the hated Zabrak through the corridor until red ray shields moved into place shutting him off from both his opponent and Qui-Gon.
/Wait for me\, his Master thought through the Training Bond.
He glanced back to the man who had stood by him through his apprenticeship, intense regret and sorrow shining in bright, dark grey-green eyes. /I am sorry. I cannot watch you die again.\ With that he turned back to face the pacing Maul, opening up to the Force and flooding with peace. He knew, then, with a surety brought on by years of prescience, that two men would die that day—and neither one would be Qui-Gon. Somehow, he felt he had always known.
Jedi Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi surged forward the moment the ray shield terminated, his 'saber already igniting and crashing into Maul's driving him back until they were in the room with the melting pit; Qui-Gon's cry rang in his ears. He realized as Qui remained stuck behind the last shield that the older man would not be able to defeat Maul if put in the same position Obi-Wan had been the first time, age, agility, and insufficient skill enough to turn the tables in Maul's favor in that circumstance. Due to this Kenobi was forced to make a decision.
The moment the shielding dropped Kenobi Force Pushed Qui-Gon back inside just in time for the shielding to resume.
"No! Obi-Wan!" Qui-Gon shouted.
Obi-Wan ignored him, finally letting loose, using the Force to guide his strokes, barraging the Sith from seemingly all sides while slowly gaining ground. "I will not watch my Master die, Sith," he spat angrily, eyes blue fire. Not this time.
Blood and sapphire clashed once more before both pulled back, Maul's face a sneer and Obi's contorted with determined rage. Both stabbed forward—and both met their mark.
"NO!"
Obi-Wan twitched his blade cutting a neat line from Maul's two hearts to his groin, then shoved the stunned Zabrak backwards with his foot. As the 'saber staff slid out of the center of his own chest it deactivated, and he collapsed to the cold ground.
"Obi-Wan!"
A familiar presence slammed to its knees beside him, large hands reaching out to cradle him against a quivering chest. It took Obi a moment to realize that the quivering was being caused by crying.
"Oh, my Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon sobbed against his head, tears splashing across paling cheeks and dimming eyes.
"It's alr-right, M-Master," he stammered as numbness crept into his limbs. Pale grey eyes pinched with pain gazed blurrily up at the weathered features of the man he had always thought of as 'father'. "You d-didn't die, so it's all ok-kay."
Another broken sob rattled from Qui-Gon's chest causing Obi-Wan to frown as much as he was able.
"What's wr-rong? Now you c-can train An-ni, just like y-you want-wanted." He noticed belatedly that he was shivering. Why was it so cold?
His Master's chuckle was humorless and grieved. "My dear, foolish Padawan, I never wanted to train anyone but you."
Obi-Wan's vision was going black, his body shutting down, but he could not let go just yet; confusion held him fast. "N-Not the f-first t-t-time. Y-You made m-me prom-mise t' t-train Ani," he slurred. "Y-You were dyin' so I had t' promise." The numbness had taken over, cancelling his need to shiver.
Another sob wracked the large body. Obi-Wan couldn't die, not for him! He couldn't die thinking Qui-Gon had once more forsaken him for the slave boy with potential. "You are my son, Obi-Wan. I can't—" /I can't lose you!\
Obi's face softened into a peaceful smile. /It's alright, Master; you won't.\
The Padawan felt the Force steal over him, welcoming him with open arms. Gladly he accepted, ready to enjoy the rest waiting for him. He breathed out one last time—
And breathed in once more on the floor of the East Training Salle on Coruscant.