Chapter V
Obi-Wan returned to the Temple and went straight to his quarters. He desperately needed to meditate before speaking to the council. Anakin was not there and Obi-Wan concluded that he must have gone to one of the training rooms in the Temple to practice his saber techniques as Obi-Wan instructed before he left. Obi-Wan was thankful to have the time alone. He removed his cloak and sat cross-legged on the floor. He took in a deep breath and entered a light meditation. He felt the Force begin to flow around him. He started to replay the events that took place in the bar when he felt the Force slowly ebb and heard the door's buzzer. He knew it was Anakin and opened the door for him with a wave of his hand and got up from the floor to greet him.
"I finished the practice exercises you assigned, Master. I'm happy to see that you've returned in one piece," Anakin announced as he entered the room.
"Thank you, Anakin," said Obi-Wan sarcastically and walked over to the table to pick up and scan the data pad he left there earlier.
"So you were able to get the information the council was looking for?" asked Anakin.
"Not yet, Anakin." Obi-Wan did not look up from the data pad.
"Why not, Master? Was the woman you were looking for not there?"
Still scanning the data pad Obi-Wan replied nonchalantly, "Yes, she was there."
"I don't understand. She didn't tell you what you needed to know?" Anakin asked.
"No, she didn't." Obi-Wan looked up from the data pad.
"Why not, Master? Was there trouble? There was trouble wasn't there? I knew it Master. I told you, you should have taken," Obi-Wan had interrupted Anakin.
"Anakin," Obi-Wan said once and then again a little firmer. "Anakin! I did not run into any trouble. I just need to return tomorrow to get the information I need."
Anakin looked at him puzzled and said, "Oh."
At that moment the door buzzed again. Obi-Wan walked over to open it and let his guests in. He bowed and said, "Master Yoda, Master Windu, please come in."
As the pair entered the quarters, Obi-Wan turned to Anakin and said, "You are relieved of your training for today, Anakin. You may return to the dormitory. Meet me for breakfast at 0800 tomorrow. After that we'll do some training before I head out again."
Anakin bowed to Obi-Wan and said, "Yes, Master." He then turned to the two councilors, bowed and said, "Good evening, Master Yoda, Master Windu." Both inclined their heads to Anakin in acknowledgement of the well wishes and then Anakin took his leave. Obi-Wan could tell that he was put off that he was not permitted to stay for the impromptu discussion about the mission, but the boy would have to learn to deal with disappointment.
Obi-Wan closed the door and turned to the Masters and said, "Please, have a seat."
Jedi didn't need much so there wasn't much in Obi-Wan's quarters. The small common room had only two brown upholstered, cushioned chairs with a round metal table in between them with nothing on it. It was equipped with overhead lighting that could be adjusted to comfortable levels. Neutral carpet covered the floor and a tall long window stretched the back of the room. There was a small square table with two chairs outside the tiny kitchenette and there was a small bedroom and a fresher.
Master Windu and Master Yoda took the only two chairs in the common room and Obi-Wan stood before them as he would if he were in council chambers.
"Alerted to your return to the Temple, were we. Report to the council, you did not," Yoda scolded.
"Were you able to get the location of the informant Obi-Wan?" Master Windu asked.
"No, Master, not yet. I'll need to return tomorrow when the bar opens to get what we need," Obi-Wan replied.
"The woman you were looking for wasn't there?" Master Windu asked.
Obi-Wan had been hoping Master Windu would have taken that for granted and not asked, but he replied honestly, "Yes, Master, she was there."
"Why didn't you get the location from her? Didn't she know?" Master Windu asked.
"I'm sure she knows of L'mar's location but she refused to tell me anything," Obi-Wan replied.
"She refused?" Master Windu questioned in disbelief.
"That's right, Master," said Obi-Wan.
"Why?"
"She demanded something in return." Obi-Wan was now uncomfortable with the discussion.
"How much money did she want Obi-Wan?" Master Windu inquired.
"None." Obi-Wan replied.
Master Windu and Master Yoda looked at each other and Master Windu looked back at Obi-Wan and asked the inevitable question that Obi-Wan did not want to answer. "None? What did she want?"
Obi-Wan felt his face flush and he began to sweat. He looked down at his boots, took in a deep breath then looked up again and answered point blank, "Me."
Master Yoda's eyes widened and his ears drooped at the news. Master Windu arched an eyebrow and asked, "You?"
"That is correct," Obi-Wan replied.
"And you were unable to persuade her otherwise?" Master Windu asked.
"It did not go without effort, Master Windu, but Madelaina is a very aggressive young woman and quite intelligent. She does not respond to Force persuasion," Obi-Wan told him.
"Why didn't you take her into custody then? You should have brought her before the council to be questioned."
"I considered it Master Windu, but I didn't feel it was the right move to make at the time. I sensed a conflict in her between betrayal and doing the right thing," Obi-Wan explained.
"You believe this to be because of the nature of their relationship?" Master Windu asked.
"Yes Master," Obi-Wan replied. "They were engaged to be married. She ended the relationship when he told her he was leaving and couldn't tell her why or when he'd return. My feelings tell me that he told her where he was going and most likely made her promise not tell anyone," said Obi-Wan.
"Sense that she was involved in this robbery, do you?" Master Yoda asked.
"No, Master Yoda, I got no sense of that at all. In fact, my feelings tell me she didn't know he was involved in the robbery." Obi-Wan said.
"I see. So what is your next move, Obi-Wan?" asked Master Windu.
"Give in to her demands, you must not. Clear, your mind must be when dealing with this woman," Yoda warned.
Obi-Wan could feel his embarrassment begin to rise but said respectfully, "I have no intention of giving in to her demands, Master. I will give her this time to think on it and go back tomorrow and talk with her again. If then, she still refuses to tell me L'mar's whereabouts, I will take her into custody and bring her before the council." Obi-Wan told them.
"Alright Obi-Wan, but remember, we need this information as quickly as possible." Master Windu reminded him.
"I will remember, Master Windu." And Obi-Wan bowed to him and Master Yoda. He walked them to the door and wished them goodnight. He breathed a sigh of relief as soon as he was alone.
As soon as they were away from Obi-Wan's door Master Windu said, "I sense this woman as the source of confusion in Obi-Wan."
Yoda closed his eyes for a few moments and looked up and replied, "Sense it as well do I, Master Windu, but fear not. Do the right thing, Obi-Wan will." And with that, the two walked off to attend to other business.
Obi-Wan retired to his bedroom to get some rest. He lay on the bed and closed his eyes. Sleep would not come to him. He could not get Madelaina out of his mind. He could not make sense of what he was feeling. He began to wonder if this is what people meant when they spoke of love at first sight. But Obi-Wan didn't believe there was such a thing. How could you possibly fall in love with a person you didn't know? It wasn't possible. Love at first sight was nothing more than a strong physical attraction, lust really. Is that what he was feeling? Jedi do not feel lust. It is a negative emotion that leads to other negative emotions. Lust is greed and that leads to jealousy. And he felt jealous when he watched Maddie and Robin start up the steps. It should have been him, not Robin. No, it definitely wasn't love. He cared for her, but Obi-Wan cared for the welfare of all beings. These negative feelings had no place in his life and he needed to rid himself of them.
He closed his eyes and started off with a light meditation. He could feel the chaos form in the Force as he once again played the events of the evening in his mind and he could feel the jealousy burning. It was dark and pushing against the light. As he felt the Force swirl around him, he heard it whisper, "Let go, Obi-Wan." He remembered how Robin told her he would always be there when she needed him and he meant "needed" in all things, not just when she was physically frustrated. Obi-Wan felt the truth in his words and he remembered when Robin told her they were friends forever. He was sure they had already been friends for a long time and would remain friends for a long time to come. He had no reason to be jealous. He didn't even know this woman and she would always be well cared for. With that memory, he did as he was taught long ago. He did exactly as the Force commanded and let go of the jealousy. He felt it absorb into the Force and the lust and greed followed behind it. He was left with a feeling of only affection toward Madelaina and realized that it was amusing that she thought him handsome enough to proposition him. The bartender did tell him that many men tried and failed for her affection, but he had it without giving any effort at all. His mind calmed. The chaos drifted away and the Force flowed gently around and through him. He was finally centered and at peace. He would go back and focus only on the task at hand and if Madelaina still refused him, he would do as he was instructed and bring her before the council. He would use a warning to do so only as a last resort, but he would not walk away without the whereabouts of Pietro L'mar or Madelaina in tow, if necessary.
Now that he was at peace, he fell into a light, dreamless sleep.
