Thank you to the 14 people who reviewed the last chapter. You guys are the greatest and here is chapter 28. I hope that you like it and reviews, as always, are much appreciated. Also, I forgot to mention this in the last chapter: Cad Bane escaped after he was captured in chapter 26. Sorry I didn't mention that in the last chapter but that is what happened.
Chapter 28
Obi-Wan was about three-fourths of the way to the holocron vault, wondering how Bane got out of jail since he had been arrested after he took the senators hostage and killed a senator, when the sensors began a blackout like last time. He knew that Anakin wouldn't be far behind him once he saw the blackout as well so he continued onward toward the vault while at the same time hoping his apprentice was doing all right herself. When he neared the area where he and Anakin decided to go after the droid, he was just in time to see Bane and the droid split up.
Unsure of whether Bane saw him or not, Obi-Wan leapt out of the ventilation shaft as the laser grid fell and dashed after Bane into the vault with his lightsaber in his hand. Bane whirled around eyes flashing with surprise. "I am surprised to find you here, Jedi," he sneered removing his blasters from his holster.
"I am not all that surprised to find you here, bounty hunter," Obi-Wan replied casually igniting his lightsaber and quickly blocking the blaster bolts that flew at him from the bounty hunter's blasters. The bounty hunter made his way deeper into the vault still firing at Obi-Wan and he dashed after him moving his blade to block the blaster bolts.
Bane was getting frustrated as Obi-Wan drew closer to him still blocking blaster bolts before he dashed around the corner and Obi-Wan hurried after him. Blaster bolts were flying everywhere and some holocrons were hit with the bolts that missed Obi-Wan or the Jedi Master deflected but the hits weren't enough to completely destroy the holocron so that was a good thing.
Bane cursed angrily before pulling out something before activating it and tossing it at Obi-Wan. It started blinking rapidly in midair and Obi-Wan caught it with the Force before sending it flying it back just as it exploded. Thankful it wasn't an actual grenade, Obi-Wan coughed as the smoke filled the area and tears appeared in his eyes.
He stretched out with the Force to determine where Bane was heading and headed in that direction going around the smoke created by the smoke grenade Bane had tossed. Bane was smart though and tossed several more of those smoke grenades as he ran effectively blinding Obi-Wan.
But Obi-Wan had the Force and so he was able to navigate his way through and around the smoke created by the smoke grenades. Bane seemed to have noticed that as well for Obi-Wan could hear him cursing in front of him as the two of them continued their chase throughout the vault. It seemed that Obi-Wan was driving Bane away from his target location and the fact that the Jedi Master wasn't stopping despite all of Bane's attempts to get him to stop was frustrating him greatly.
Obi-Wan, sensing the oncoming explosive, dodged out of the way and the thermal detonator began to blink rapidly. The Jedi Master swore and barely managed to get out of the way as the detonator exploded causing the vault to tremble and several holocrons fell to the ground. Some shattered while others merely bounced and rolled.
Obi-Wan shook his head. Bane certainly is determined, he thought stretching out with the Force to determine where Bane was. He sensed the bounty hunter, after tossing the thermal detonator, had made his way back the way they had come but in a roundabout way that took him around the explosion. He was now nearing the location of the holocron he was looking for.
Obi-Wan was determined to head him off there and dashed toward that location in the vault.
The explosion came from within the holocron vault and Anakin, who was traveling through the ventilation systems in the direction the droid he had seen had taken, staggered back and barely managed to avoid falling. Once he regained his balance, he began moving again before stretching out with the Force.
Master, where are you? He called worried since he had felt his former master's danger but didn't feel through the Force that Obi-Wan was injured, which was a relief.
The holocron vault fighting Bane. I could use a little help, Obi-Wan's voice said.
Anakin glanced in the direction the droid had been flying but decided his former master was more important than a droid that was heading who knew where. He turned around before hurrying back the way he came and making his way toward the vault where his former master was fighting Bane.
Upon reaching the vault, Anakin leapt down into it before gazing around at the smoke-filled room. The explosion had come from within the vault so Anakin figured that was the cause of the smoke. Igniting his lightsaber, he dashed into the vault before stretching out with the Force to determine where his master and Bane were. Both of them seemed to be heading toward the center of the vault so Anakin resolved to meet them there.
Upon nearing the terminal where the Clawdite was seated, Ahsoka gestured to Jenica. "Go that way and we'll come at it from both sides," she whispered.
Jenica nodded before making her way around the consoles to come at the Clawdite from the other side. The Clawdite was talking and didn't seem to notice the approach of the two Padawans.
"Bane, are you there? Do you copy? The Jedi are on to you. You need to get out of there. Do you copy?" The Clawdite was saying.
There was a moment of silence.
"I didn't know you already knew that, Bane," the Clawdite retorted.
Another pause.
"We should pull out while we still have the chance."
Another pause.
Ahsoka nodded to Jenica before the imposter could reply and the two Padawans ignited their lightsabers before pointing them at the Clawdite. The Clawdite leapt to its feet before igniting Nu's lightsaber and blocking the blow aimed at it.
"You may look like Madame Nu but you certainly can't fight with a lightsaber like her," Ahsoka said.
The Clawdite snarled out a curse in its own language but it knew that Ahsoka was right. It still tried though but, in the end, Jenica managed to disarm it and Ahsoka pointed her blade at the Clawdite's throat. "Now who hired you and what are you doing here?" she asked.
The Clawdite glared at the Padawan but said nothing.
Ahsoka sighed. "I should have known you wouldn't tell us anything," she said before she glanced at Jenica. "Can you go find Master Windu?"
Jenica hesitated eyeing the Clawdite worriedly.
"I'll be fine," Ahsoka assured her friend as she removed the blaster from the Clawdite's holster.
Jenica nodded before she dashed out of the archives. The Clawdite glared at the young Togruta but Ahsoka ignored the glare as she waited for Jenica to come back.
Obi-Wan skidded to a halt in the center of the holocron vault where Bane was pocketing a holocron before he whirled around and began firing at Obi-Wan without saying a word. Obi-Wan's lightsaber deflected the blaster bolts and he sensed Anakin's presence was nearing them. He blocked another blow before watching as Anakin, lightsaber ignited and in hand, joined in the fray.
"I do not even know why I am wasting my time fighting you two," Bane said coolly pulling out another grenade from his belt and activating it before tossing it to where it landed in between Anakin and Obi-Wan forcing the two of them to dash out of the way as it exploded and smoke began to fill the air.
Obi-Wan coughed before covering his mouth as he strained to see where Bane went while using the Force to pinpoint Bane's location. He's heading toward the main doors leading into the vault, he sent through the Force to his brother.
Let's go head him off, Anakin sent back.
Obi-Wan nodded and the two of them ran toward the doors to the holocron vault.
Jenica used the Force to determine where the Jedi Master was and, once she got his location, she dashed into the communication center breathless. Master Mace Windu glanced at her before frowning. "What brings you here, young one?" he asked.
"We, Ahsoka and I, c…caught a Clawdite…impersonating Madame Nu…in the archives," Jenica gasped out.
At that moment, the sound of beeping came to them as a droid emerged from the grate beneath one of the communication consoles near where Windu was standing. "Oh uh…hey guys…I was just…ah…testing the access hatch. Works great," the droid said and Jenica quickly realized the beeping was coming from the droid.
Windu seemed to have sensed the same thing for he lashed out with the Force and sent the droid flying back into the hatch. Just in time too for, not even five seconds later, the droid exploded.
"Come, let's go speak with the Clawdite the two Padawans caught," Windu said. "And hope we can make any sense out of all this."
"What was that?" Anakin exclaimed when the explosion sounded.
Obi-Wan caressed his beard. "I would say it is a distraction so that Bane may escape the Temple without being noticed," he said.
Anakin nodded in agreement as the two of them emerged from the vault into the archives where Ahsoka was standing guard over Jocasta Nu with her lightsaber ignited. Anakin raised his eyebrows at his apprentice who shrugged. "It's an imposter," she said by way of explanation.
"Clawdite, right?" Obi-Wan asked walking over to join Ahsoka although Anakin noticed he was doing the same thing he was and looking around for anyone who might have sneaked out of the vault.
"Did you see anyone leave the vault, Ahsoka?" Anakin asked turning his gaze back to his apprentice.
"Well, there was one person. He was wearing a Jedi robe but I sensed something was wrong. I would have gone after him, master, but I didn't want to leave the Clawdite alone and Madame Nu hasn't regained consciousness yet," Ahsoka said sounding upset as if she was afraid she did the wrong thing.
"You did the right thing," Obi-Wan said. "The Clawdite would likely have tried to attack you, assume your shape and then escape the Temple that way. And I would like to know why it is here anyway."
"So would I," Anakin agreed. "But shouldn't we try to find Bane first?"
"Yes we should. Ahsoka, remain here while Anakin and I try to track Bane down."
"Yes Master Kenobi."
Anakin and Obi-Wan dashed out of the archives before beginning their search for the bounty hunter that stole the holocron from within the vault.
Unfortunately, Cad Bane managed to elude them and Obi-Wan was understandably frustrated. Bane seemed to have the uncanny ability to have backup plan after backup plan to where even someone who knew of what was going to happen would be hard-pressed to actually stop him from succeeding in his mission. He was definitely a dangerous and cunning enemy, just as dangerous and cunning as he had been the first time around.
"Blast it," Anakin growled glaring at the speeders and airtaxies that flew past in the lanes above, in front of and below them, "he could be anywhere."
"Calm down, Anakin," Obi-Wan said gently feeling his former apprentice's anger as he gently rested a hand on the younger man's shoulder. "If he's still on Coruscant then I'll track him down."
Anakin gazed at him before slowly releasing his anger into the Force. "I'm sorry master,"
he said.
Obi-Wan raised his eyebrows. "For what?"
Anakin sighed. "For getting angry," he said.
"Anakin, everyone feels angry but you were able to control your anger and that's all that matters. You don't need to be sorry that you're human," Obi-Wan said gently.
"But a Jedi isn't supposed to feel anger," said Anakin gazing at the traffic, "and I want to be the best Jedi ever."
"I know Anakin," Obi-Wan said gently remembering his former apprentice had told him that before. He thought about Qui-Gon's words about how he should tell his former apprentice that power is not the same as greatness. He was going to talk with his apprentice earlier but the war prevented him from doing so and he figured now was as good a time as any.
"You do know I am already very proud of you, right?" he asked.
Anakin nodded although he looked briefly startled by the change of subject. "I want to make you prouder still, master," he said. "After everything you've done for me…"
"I know," said Obi-Wan. "There is something I feel you should know a piece of advice if you will. Power does not equal greatness, Anakin."
Anakin narrowed his eyes.
Obi-Wan continued to examine his brother as he thought about the first time around; Anakin's desire to be powerful was one of the reasons as to why he fell to the dark side and Obi-Wan was determined to convince Anakin that he could be great without being powerful "Just remember that," he said gently.
"I will Master," Anakin replied; there was faint confusion in his eyes though. . "So what are we going to do now?"
"The Jedi Council still has to decide," said Obi-Wan. "But they will not let him get away, not when he has a holocron in his hands."
"What's so important about this holocron, master?" Jenica's voice asked and Obi-Wan glanced over his shoulder as Jenica walked over to join him with Ahsoka just behind her. The Clawdite was being taking away by the clone troopers and Mace was talking quietly with Yoda at the entrance to the temple.
"If combined with the kyber crystal then contains the names and locations of all the Force sensitive younglings across the galaxy," Obi-Wan replied before he stopped to think about what he was saying.
"How did you know that, master?" Anakin asked confused. "I mean, how did you know what the kyber crystal did?"
Obi-Wan could have kicked himself for his slip of the tongue. The only reason he knew that was because of his knowledge of the future, the future he was forbidden to talk about with anyone especially Anakin. He quickly thought about how he could erase his former apprentice's suspicions.
"I talked with Master Bolla Ropal before about it," he lied easily.
Anakin, eyes narrowed, nodded and Obi-Wan was relieved when he felt Anakin's suspicion fade away. "All right," he said.
Yoda walked over to join them at that moment. "Calling a council meeting we are, Obi-Wan," he said.
"All right, Master Yoda," Obi-Wan replied before another thought crossed his mind and he asked, "And may I talk to you in private before the meeting?"
Yoda nodded and turned around before walking back toward the entrance to the temple.
Later that day, just before the council meeting was scheduled to begin, Obi-Wan met with Yoda in his meditation chamber. He sat on the meditation dais before crossing his legs as Yoda also took his seat. "Wished to speak to me why did you, hmmm?" he asked.
"It's about what Cad Bane stole," Obi-Wan replied. "I want to prevent what happens next, Master Yoda."
"Why?"
Obi-Wan sighed. Can I tell Master Yoda what Sidious is planning? He asked in the silence of his mind knowing his former master heard him.
'The Force is not forbidding it. As I told you before, if the Force didn't want you tell someone something then I very much doubt you would be able to say anything about whatever it was the Force wanted you to keep silent about,' Qui-Gon's voice replied.
Obi-Wan turned his gaze to Yoda. "Master," he began, "innocent children are in danger. The first time around, Cad Bane delivered the holocron to Count Dooku's master along with the kyber crystal," Yoda already knew Sidious's name even if he wasn't sure as to whether the name belonged to Dooku's master or not, "and he used it to kidnap children from the list on the holocron. I would like to prevent that from happening."
Yoda nodded. "Do with these children what does Dooku's master?" he asked.
Obi-Wan shook his head. "The first time around, we never found out," he said.
"Talk about something else you wanted to, yes?"
"Yes Master Yoda. I wanted to ask permission to go, ahead of time, to the places Cad Bane is going to strike," Obi-Wan replied calmly.
"Know when he will attack we do not."
Obi-Wan was silent for a long moment. "After the Battle of Devaron that's coming up," he said finally remembering the briefing Anakin gave the council after the failed attempt to regain the holocron. "That is where we found Bane last time because Bane needed to take the Kyber crystal from Master Ropal in order to activate the holocron. If the holocron cannot be retrieved by the end of the battle then may I have permission to head toward the places where Bane is going to strike?"
"Remember where he will strike you do?" Yoda asked observing him calmly.
"I only recall three planets, Master Yoda, and it is the first planet I remember that I am most concerned about. Glee Anselm," Obi-Wan replied remembering that Mace had been the one to discover that Bane was going to kidnap a child on Glee Anselm but, unfortunately, they had determined that too late. Knowing that was where Bane was likely to strike first, Obi-Wan decided to be there first to help the family of the child Bane was going to try to kidnap.
"The other planets?"
"Rodia and Naboo."
"I see. Head there after Glee Anselm Bane will?"
"If things happen as they did last time, yes."
"Very well. If retrieve the holocron we do not by the end of this battle you have spoken of then permission you have to go to Glee Anselm."
"Thank you, Master Yoda," Obi-Wan replied with a slight incline of his head.
A/n what do you think?
Blaze: okay I lied
Darth: what did you lie about this time?
Blaze: I have decided that I will be doing "Cargo of Doom" at least in part since the "Children of the Force" episode is going to be a bit shorter than I thought it would be
Darth: considering what Obi-Wan's planning on doing, I can see that
Obi-Wan: out of curiosity, where's Siri?
Blaze: your girlfriend is going to be the one to undertake the mission to Rodia instead of you but I won't go into detail about that. It's just going to be briefly mentioned at the end of the next chapter
Anakin: Obi-Wan and Siri sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G. First comes love, then comes marriage then comes a baby in a baby carriage
Obi-Wan: (bright red with embarrassment) Anakin, shut up!
Anakin: (grins) why not? Have you two even kissed yet? Or gone on a proper date? Did you propose at all?
Obi-Wan: (glowers) didn't I say a couple of chapters ago we decided against marrying because there was no point?
Anakin: oh right. Still, Obi-Wan and Siri sitting in a tree…
Obi-Wan: Anakin, if you do not shut up then I'm going to tell Master Windu about what exactly happened to his Mustang
Anakin: (stops singing) you wouldn't!
Obi-Wan: (raises eyebrows) try me
Mace: what happened to my Mustang?
Anakin: okay, okay, I'll stop
Obi-Wan: good
Mace: what happened to my Mustang?
Obi-Wan: (points to Palpypie) he spray-painted it pink and then crashed it
Mace: WHAT?! (Ignites lightsaber)
Palpypie: ahhhh! (Takes off running)
Mace: (chases after Palpypie)
Anakin: (sighs with relief and goes to spray-paint Mace's other Mustang purple)
Obi-Wan: (sighs) he never learns
Blaze: (laughs) sorry about the long author's note. Please review and I will post chapter 29 as soon as I possibly can but I doubt it will be anytime soon