Chapter III

Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi had been summoned to the High Council Chamber, located at the highest point of the center tower of the Temple. The room's design was simple, but elegant. The windows that surrounded the circular room were made from transparent armor and were decoratively sectioned off from top to bottom and around with dark, non-reflective durasteel. The adjustable lighting, embedded in the durasteel that surrounded the top of the lowest windows, was used only when the daylight no longer shone through. The windows started out tall and wide, a few feet from the floor, and grew smaller as they reached the top of the dome. Twelve chairs, cushioned red, of all different shapes and sizes surrounded the outer most part of the room and were affixed to the ornate flooring that consisted of a wider circular design and a smaller circular design inside that. The smaller of the two circles is where the Jedi stood to be addressed by the High Council. They always faced its two most senior members, Master Mace Windu and Master Yoda.

Obi-Wan entered the room and took his place in the center and bowed respectfully to the High Council members. His apprentice, Anakin Skywalker, did not accompany him.

"Obi-Wan," said Master Windu, "the council has called for you to go on a fact finding mission."

"Of course, Master," Obi-Wan replied. "And the details?" he questioned.

"Know of the transport stolen from the Galactic City Spaceport, do you?" asked Yoda.

"Yes, Master." he replied. "I thought Master Ry-Gaul and his apprentice were leading that investigation?"

"They are, Obi-Wan," said Master Windu. "They have traced a former docking bay worker believed to be the informant in the heist to the home of his sister on Kothlis. He was there but by the time Master Ry-Gaul arrived, the informant had already left the planet."

"Told Master Ry-Gaul, the sister did, of woman the informant is to marry," said Yoda. "Here on Coruscant she is."

"And I am to locate this woman for Master Ry-Gaul?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Yes," replied Master Windu. "The informant's name is Pietro L'mar. He was a frequent patron of a bar called the Cosmic Cove on the lower level where this woman supposedly lives and works. If the story of his engagement to this woman is true, we believe she may know where he is hiding. According to L'mar's sister, her name is Madelaina."

"If true it is, easy to find she should be. The key this could be to finding the others involved in this crime as well," said Yoda.

Master Windu handed Obi-Wan a datachip that contained the information he needed and a copy of L'mar's identification from his file at the spaceport. "You should be able to make short work of this assignment, Obi-Wan," he said.

"Yes, Master Windu," Obi-Wan replied. "I will find her and if she has the information Master Ry-Gaul requires, I will obtain it for him."

"May the Force be with you, Obi-Wan." said Master Windu.

Obi-Wan bowed to the council members and took his leave.

He returned to his quarters where he had left Anakin with meditation exercises to practice while he was gone. He wanted to review the datachip and head out as soon as he was familiar with the information that he was provided.

Anakin came out of his meditation when Obi-Wan entered the common room. "Have we a new mission, Master?" he asked Obi-Wan.

"I have a mission, Anakin," Obi-Wan replied.

"What do you mean, you?" Anakin asked.

"I mean, I have a mission and you are to stay here and work on your meditation exercises and saber techniques while I am out." Obi-Wan told him.

"I don't understand. Why can't I go with you? Where are you going? How long will you be gone?" Anakin was clearly agitated.

"Be at peace, Anakin. Calm yourself." Obi-Wan said gently.

Anakin took a deep breathe in and let it out. He was outwardly calm, but he was still upset that he could not go on a mission he knew nothing about.

"Anakin, it's really not much of a mission at all," Obi-Wan explained. "Master Ry-Gaul is helping local authorities investigate that transport hijacking that took place last month and has traced one of the men thought to be involved to Kothlis, but lost track of him there. I have been given information on a woman who may know where this man is hiding now. Master Ry-Gaul does not want to waste three days' time traveling back to Coruscant to find and question this woman, so I have been assigned to do so for him. Since the only place we know to find her is in a bar on the lower level, you cannot go with me. At 16, you are too young to be permitted on the premises."

"I have been in bars with you before, Master. It's never been a problem," Anakin retorted.

"Yes, Anakin, but those were bars on the upper level of Coruscant and on other planets where the laws are different. The law pertaining to age on the lower level of Coruscant is different from the upper level because of the clientele the lower level attracts. You can accompany an adult in the upper level bars, but you cannot drink in them. On the lower level you're not allowed in at all.

"Just because we are Jedi, Anakin, does not mean we are above the law. So, I must insist that you stay here. Besides, I really don't expect to be gone that long. I have the information I need. All I have to do is go there, find this woman and see if she knows where this alleged informant is. It's really rather simple."

"What if something bad happens? I just don't like it when you go on these simple assignments alone. Somehow you seem to find trouble or it seems to find you," Anakin told him.

"Honestly Anakin, is there something in the Force that is telling you that I am in danger if I go alone?" Obi-Wan asked exasperatedly.

"There never is, Master, at first. But then something bad always seems to happen. I could wait outside."

"Nothing bad is going to happen, Anakin, and I don't want you hanging outside a bar on the lower level. Now, on with your exercises. I will not be long."

"Yes, Master," Anakin replied. "May the Force be with you,"

"It is Anakin. Do not worry."

Obi-Wan smiled at Anakin and took his leave. It was a simple mission. A simple mission that would prove to be more a bit more challenging than he would ever foresee.