Author's note: this chapter has been edited to erase grammar and spelling mistakes
~ 17 ~
The watch
- We are all apprentices in a craft where no one ever becomes a master -
A colorful creature with long arms and equally long flappy ears, resembling a hybrid of a reptile and something amphibian, excitedly waddled and hopped towards the two Jedi, nearly toppling over a chair as it gained speed, the fine, flowy, silky robes trailing after it.
"Ani? Aniiiiii!" it shrieked, arms and ears flapping while jumping up and down.
"What in all seven Corellian hells is that?" Kenshin muttered under his breath, casting a questioning glance at Anakin.
"Jar Jar Binks – a Gungan," Anakin replied, rolling his eyes as dramatically as he could. Clearly, his Master was totally unprepared. Otherwise, he would have known what a Gungan was, that they lived on Naboo, and that Jar Jar Binks was their senator representing the planet next to Padmé Amidala.
"Senator Padmé! Looki looki senator. Thesa Jedi arrived!" Jar Jar screeched.
While the Gungan squeezed Anakin in a tight hug, a stunning, very young woman approached, her mannerisms fit for a queen – or a senator – and came to greet them. She addressed Kenshin first.
"It is an honor to meet you. You must be Master Kano. Thank you for offering your services. But I must warn you that I think your presence here is unnecessary!" she said. The senator then caught a glimpse of the younger, taller man behind the Jedi Master and gave a puzzled look. "Ani? Is that you? My goodness, you've grown!"
"So have you... grown more beautiful, I mean... well, for a senator, I mean," Anakin stuttered awkwardly. His legs and knees felt as weak as a newly sprung leaf. So many years that he had dreamed about her, in secret, never confiding in anyone, not even his Padawan friends! It was this love that he had secretly harbored and now that he saw her again... He took in her scent, her mesmerizing eyes, her thick brown hair neatly drawn up in a basket-like accessory. She was glowing. She was overwhelming. Everything about her was overwhelming and made Anakin's head spin as hard as if he had ingested a bottle of something too strong for his age.
Padmé chuckled. "Oh Ani! You'll always be that little boy I knew on Tatooine."
Kenshin, who had carefully observed the scene, turned his face away to hide a smirk. The senator herself was the reason for the Padawan's fidgeting and jumpiness. As frustrated with Anakin and himself as he was, watching the teenager make a fool of himself was too amusing.
"Our presence here will be invisible, Mylady," he said, quickly recomposing himself. A man clad in a Naboo military uniform stepped forward and introduced himself.
"Greetings, Master Jedi! I'm Captain Typho of Naboo security services. Queen Jamillia has been informed of your assignment. I am grateful you are here, Master Kano. The situation is more serious than the senator will admit."
"I don't need more security, I need answers. I want to know who's trying to kill me," Padmé protested.
"For now, we're here to protect you, senator. Not to start an investigation," Kenshin stated reservedly.
Padmé felt the Jedi's eyes on her and shuddered imperceptibly. All at once she felt uneasy, which was remarkable since she wasn't easy to impress, let alone intimidate. Merely a few seconds passed, in which Padmé had the feeling of undergoing a thorough, full analysis. The man was scrutinizing her, and she felt utterly naked. His presence, if one could speak of one, was the complete opposite of Anakin's bright radiating intensity. He seemed to vanish and blend in with his surroundings. It was then her turn to scan the Jedi Master. He was impressively built and despite the rough appearance, with a large double scar on his face, the rugged clothes, and unkempt hair, he had a strange kind of handsomeness. At the same time, he had something about him she was tempted to call demonic. He was not the kind of being she'd be comfortable encountering alone in the dark. She met his glance and saw something in their glint change, as if he recognized something. "It's true then. You really are the queen that took on the Trade Federation," he said, barely audible. Before she could inquire what he meant by that, Anakin interrupted. "We will find out who's trying to kill you, Padmé. I promise you."
Kenshin sighed. In the name of all that was holy, why did Anakin insist on being his most obnoxious self once again! Then it hit him. He would miss Anakin! He would miss having him around, his curiosity, his questions, the bright joy in his eyes when he had fixed something or when he had learned a new move when they sparred. Hell, he would even miss his defiance. He only tried to help. Quinlan's words replayed in his head. Anakin's flaws – many of which Kenshin knew he shared – were numerous, but he was a good person. Anakin had such a pure, sincere passion for life he had never seen in anyone else. Hotheaded, yes, but there was nothing sinister, nothing evil behind it. Anakin was compassionate, caring to a fault. Life as a Jedi would not be easy for him, it already wasn't. 'And I have failed to help him find his way,' Kenshin thought bitterly. Who would become the Padawan's new Master? Maybe Quinlan. Maybe someone else. 'Force, let it be Quin, nobody else would be able to handle that supernova.' By the time the matter would be decided, he would already be gone. His ship, the Kage, was waiting in the hangar, fueled up and ready for departure, the few items he owned already moved out of his tiny quarters and brought on board. He had decided not to leave the Jedi Order altogether, but Coruscant wasn't his place. His place was out there, in the shadows. A new darkness was rising, he sensed it, and he would give it his all,even his life of he had to, to oppose it. It was time to move on.
"We will not exceed our mandate, Skywalker," he scolded the younger man.
"I meant it in the interest of protecting her, of course."
"I won't say it twice: You will pay attention to my lead."
"Why?" Anakin spat defiantly.
"What?!"
"Why else do you think we were assigned to her if not to find her killer? Protection is a job for local security, not Jedi! It's overkill, Master, investigation is implied in our mandate!"
Captain Typho and Dormé, the handmaiden that had followed Padmé like a shadow, exchanged an irritated look. They needed security and assistance, not two idiots bickering like adolescents which they probably were, by the looks of them. In the briefings preceding this procedure, Captain Typho had not found out much about the Jedi Master, but he looked barely older than his apprentice.
"We will do exactly as the council has instructed. And you will learn your place, Padawan."
"Since when do you of all people give a bantha's shit about following the Council's words to the..." Anakin began a retort, before Padmé interrupted.
"Perhaps of merely your presence the mystery will be revealed. Now, if you'll excuse me. I will retire."
Padmé swiftly stood up and went to her bedroom. Dormé quietly followed, the Gungan and Captain Typho stayed.
"I know I feel better having you here!" Typho stated. "I have an officer stationed on every floor and I'll be in the control center downstairs."
"Mesa bustin with happiness seein you again, Ani!" Jar Jar stated as the captain retreated to resume his station.
"She hardly even recognized me, Jar Jar. I thought about her every day since we parted... and she... she's forgotten me completely!" Anakin said sadly and hung his head.
"Mesa seein her happy, more happy than in a longo time!" Jar Jar tried to console the teenager's obvious grief.
Kenshin sensed that Anakin's fondness for the senator was not entirely one-sided. He felt pity the boy couldn't see it and wondered what he could do to relieve Anakin's frustrated mood.
"Anakin – she was pleased to see you! Now, let's check the security," he said. He left to check the security measures downstairs, then came back a few minutes later. There had not been much to check, the Naboo security personnel was obviously perfectly capable, and he, too, began to question why they as Jedi had been sent to guard the senator.
"What's the situation up here?" he asked.
"Quiet as a tomb," the Padawan answered in a cold, professional tone, but Kenshin sensed there was a lot more the boy wanted to say.
"Master..."
All the weight of the previous days came back in an instant and piled up like a dark, stifling fog. Kenshin decided to ignore his apprentice and decidedly turned away. It would really be better to just not talk at all.
"Kenshin! For blasts' sake, look at me! I want to talk to you! I'm sorry!"
"Yeah, I am, too," he sadly replied and still didn't turn to meet Anakin's glance. There were many things he was sorry for. He didn't want to talk. Then again, he owed Anakin an apology. How he had reacted in the dojo... that was simply unacceptable. He was still shocked about himself that he had drawn his live weapon on his own Padawan, even if it was only to intimidate. Hesitantly, he began to speak.
"What I did in the dojo... I lost control. My behavior was unworthy of a Jedi, let alone a Jedi Master. I have failed. Just as I have failed to be a Master and mentor to you. I am truly sorry."
There, he had said it. It was done. He crossed to the opposite side of the room, bringing as much distance between himself and his still-to-be student as he could, and pretended to take a great interest in the Coruscant traffic flowing past in the distance.
Anakin's face tightened with remorse, his eyes brimming with unshed tears. "I should have... Master, I know I shouldn't have lied to you! I never listened to you, and I didn't trust you where I should have, and I'm so sorry for it," he said, his voice cracking with emotion.
Kenshin's expression softened, a mixture of regret and understanding in his eyes. "We both made mistakes. I hope we both will learn from them."
Anakin's desperation was palpable, his eyes wide and pleading. "I can learn to listen, Master. I will try!" he begged, his voice trembling with sincerity.
Kenshin sighed deeply, a weary sadness in his gaze. "For the sake of whoever will train you from now on, I do hope you will!"
Anakin's shoulders slumped, his face falling into a mask of dejection. "So you've given up on me completely. You really won't give me another chance?"
Kenshin's eyes flashed with a mixture of frustration and pain. "How many times did we have this conversation? You are not at fault! I'm a terrible teacher, you said it yourself. I tried, I failed. I should never have accepted our assignment to begin with!"
Anakin's voice was barely a whisper, raw with regret. "I didn't mean it when I said that."
Kenshin's expression was one of resignation, his mouth a thin line of acceptance. "But I do!"
Anakin's eyes widened with a mix of hurt and anger. "It's because you hate me, then!"
Kenshin's face contorted with a sorrowful frown, his voice steady but filled with regret. "I don't hate you. Never did. I... I have failed you. From the start, I was not the master you needed. I can't be who you want me to be; I don't even know what that would actually mean. All I know is that as a master I have failed to provide what you need."
"You were the first one to at least try," Anakin said with a quiet voice dripping with regret. No other Jedi had ever asked how he felt. Granted it hadn't led to a more successful outcome, but he had at least asked. No Jedi but Kenshin had ever hugged and comforted him in a moment of distress. He had not forgotten that moment on Giju. No other Jedi had ever admitted how the Jedi Code and all the oppressive rules he was expected to live by were actually not easy to understand at all. The High Council was obviously not letting him take the trials just yet, or anytime soon as it seemed. So be it. But there was only one Master he would follow. One Master capable of teaching him what he needed to learn.
"You needed a friend, and I only tried to be a teacher," Kenshin continued. "I saw but couldn't provide what you needed. You called me a hypocrite. And again, you were right. I preached about control while I had no control about myself. I am as blinded by my pain as you are by your arrogance."
"If we're both blind, maybe together we can learn to see."
As brash and sure of himself as he was, Anakin's greatest quality was his ability to love and care. And deep down he began to understand that for all of Kenshin's faults and flaws and everything he blamed his Master for, the true issue wasn't his Master's fault at all but purely his own. Kenshin had shown questionable behavior for sure, but he was also always quick to recognize his errors. And he was right about one thing. The first person to hold him back was himself.
"Maybe you're not the Master I need. But you're the one I want!" He said defiantly.
Kenshin just stared at him. 'Get your shit together,' Quinlan had said. 'You're totally capable if only you practice what you preach,' Quinlan had said. Loving someone, and allowing oneself to be loved. There were few things Kenshin was more afraid of. Loving someone and being loved would mean he had to stop hating himself. It would mean to let go. Loving someone would mean to hurt, all over again, when the moment of losing them came. But Anakin had no one, he needed a friend, a brother. 'You are needed,' Quinlan had said. To be a Jedi meant to confront one's fears.
'Believe in yourself.' Those had been the last words his beloved Master had had the breath to say to him.
Anakin still stood there, awaiting his answer, his eyes fixed on him. Kenshin finally met his glance.
"You're not making a wise choice," he replied.
"Wise choices? Now where would be the fun in that?" Anakin replied with a timid smile.
He carefully reached across their bond and felt his Master answer. His relief was met with acceptance and the determination to trust, and finally, love. The love of the brother Anakin had never had and always wanted. Together, they would make it. Together, they would face whatever challenges the galaxy threw at them.
All at once, Kenshin's expression became one of alarm and shock.
"I sense it, too" Anakin said breathlessly.
Both Jedi exploded into motion and burst into Padmé's chamber. The dim lighting cast long shadows, and the air was thick with tension. Anakin's lightsaber ignited with a snap-hiss, casting a blue glow across the room as he sliced two Kohouns in half. Their segmented bodies fell to the floor, twitching briefly before going still.
Kenshin's eyes locked onto a hovering droid outside the window, its mechanical limbs clutching the remnants of the poisoned creatures' transport. Without a moment's hesitation, he leaped THROUGH the glass, shards flying in all directions. The night air rushed in, and Kenshin disappeared into the abyss beyond.
Anakin didn't skip a beat. "Stay here!" he commanded Padmé, his voice firm and urgent. Security personnel were now flooding in, their blasters drawn and eyes wide with alarm. Anakin bolted out of the room, his heart pounding. He needed to get to a speeder!
Charging wildly across the city's air lanes, the glow of Coruscant's endless skyline blurring around him, he spotted his Master as a small figure plummeting towards the depths of the lower levels. Anakin's breath caught in his throat. He had seen Kenshin do incredible things, but a fall from these heights would be fatal, even for someone like him.
Desperation fueled his actions. He directed his speeder towards the falling black dot, frantically avoiding collisions with other vehicles zipping left, right, up, and down. The cityscape became a dizzying maze of neon lights and towering skyscrapers. Just as Kenshin was about to disappear into the abyss, Anakin maneuvered the speeder beneath him. The impact of Kenshin landing on the speeder jarred the vehicle violently, but Anakin managed to keep control.
"Thanks for the lift," Kenshin commented dryly, his voice steady despite the chaos. He pointed ahead. "That way!"
Trusting his Master's instincts, Anakin pushed the speeder in the indicated direction. The wild bantha chase that ensued led them through Coruscant's congested traffic lanes, their speeder weaving and dodging in a high-speed ballet of near-misses and sharp turns.
The chase ended abruptly as they crashed in front of a nightclub, the Outlander, their target slipping inside. The neon sign flickered overhead, casting eerie shadows on the bustling street. They leaped from the speeder, the adrenaline still coursing through their veins, and dashed into the club. Inside, the thumping bass of the music reverberated through the floor, and colorful lights played across the crowded dance floor.
Finding the changeling in the club hadn't proven much of a challenge. Her distinctive features stood out even in the dim, pulsing lights. But before they could get anything out of her, a sharp hiss cut through the air. A projectile struck her neck, her eyes widening in shock before she crumpled to the ground. Her final words died on her lips.
Anakin and Kenshin's heads snapped up just in time to see a figure in Mandalorian armor putting away a gun and rocketing off, the flames from the jetpack illuminating the scene briefly before the figure disappeared into the night. Out of reach of the Jedi.
Once more, Anakin and Kenshin stood before the entire High Council. The grandeur of the chamber seemed to press down on them, the air heavy with the weight of judgment. This time, they were in the company of Obi-Wan Kenobi. Master Windu's stern gaze swept over them as he asked, "Before we begin—as for your apprentice and your pending request—are you still wanting to lay down your duties in his training?"
Kenshin and Anakin shared a glance. Anakin's heart pounded in his chest.
"No," Kenshin finally said, his voice steady. "We will continue as Master and Padawan as it is."
"Very well, it is settled then," Windu stated, managing to make it sound like an insult. Anakin didn't care. Relief washed over him, knowing that the one person who mattered most was on his side. He had known it before, but he had needed to hear it, and Kenshin had spoken the words for the entire Council to hear.
"Find this bounty hunter you must, Master Kano. Help you, Obi-Wan will," Yoda continued, his voice calm and authoritative.
"What about Senator Amidala?" Obi-Wan chimed in, his concern evident. "She will still need protecting."
"Handle that, Padawan Skywalker will," Yoda said, his gaze shifting to Anakin.
Hearing her name, everything in Anakin's head became a fast-turning swirl. He barely heard what else was said afterwards and didn't even notice how Kenshin began to argue with Mace Windu, insisting that Anakin was indeed capable of protecting the senator and escorting her back to her home planet of Naboo. A few hours later, his head still hadn't stopped spinning as he followed Padmé and her droid R2 onto a space freighter, disguised as refugees. The hum of the ship's engines did little to calm his racing thoughts.
Meanwhile, Kenobi and Kano had also begun working on their own quest. A check in the library had yielded no results, and Obi-Wan had resorted to asking an old friend. He freed himself from Dex's snug embrace, who promised to be with him momentarily, and settled into a booth, choosing a pint of Jawa juice. He then waited for his assigned partner to arrive.
Obi-Wan had talked to Kenshin Kano only once, not too long ago actually, just a few months before, when the young Master had sought his counsel, being at a loss as to how to handle his even younger charge of a Padawan, Anakin Skywalker. Obi-Wan was glad that now, finally, Master and student seemed to have found a way to accept each other and forge a bond.
From what he had seen to this point, Kano appeared to be a decent person despite his doubtful reputation, and not as bad of a Jedi as some of the Council members would make him out to be. Even among the Jedi, gossip always found its way around and usually painted overly dramatic pictures of things. Yet he couldn't help it—Kano had something slightly unsettling and creepy about him, something he hadn't noticed—at least not to such an extent—during their first encounter. Obi-Wan didn't become aware of his presence until the man sat down in front of him at the table. How a being could mask their presence to such an extent was beyond him. His eyes wandered over the still fresh, double scar going down his face, courtesy of the unknown Sith opponent he had faced a few weeks prior, giving him a predatory appearance. Obi-Wan glimpsed a darkness that hadn't been there before.
"Ah, and what do I think?" Obi-Wan retorted and then paused. It wasn't darkness he had perceived—it was pain. "You're still not well, are you?" he offered, concern replacing suspicion. Even without being able to sense it in the Force, it wasn't hard to see that the man was worn and exhausted, and in some amount of discomfort. Which was not at all astonishing, given the horrendous injuries he had suffered in his confrontation with the mystery darksider.
"When have I ever been," Kano cut him short, his tone flat. "We're not here to discuss my physical condition."
"Well, last time I saw you, you didn't seem in constant pain at least. You shouldn't be on duty when you're not fully healed yet. You're not doing yourself any good leaving the healer's ward earlier than prescribed, which you obviously did."
"I appreciate your concern. But which side are you on, really? The Council sends my Padawan—an impulsive teenager—off with an admittedly attractive female senator he is obviously enamored with, while at the same time providing me—one of the better secret agents the Order currently has—with a watchdog." Kano said with now unconcealed hostility, spitting the last word like a curse. "Anakin is more than capable of getting this job done, but you must admit—something here smells fishy." Kano's exotic accent and the tone of his voice gave his words a more aggressive edge than Obi-Wan felt comfortable with, especially since he couldn't quite see where this unexpected enmity was coming from.
"The Council's decisions surely don't always reveal their logic at the first glance, I admit, but I'm not sure I understand what you are saying, Master Kano."
Obi-Wan remembered how Mace Windu had said something along the lines of Kano wandering dangerously close to the dark side, but he always chose to see for himself. Especially since Windu's opinion seemed a bit tainted by the aversion he obviously held against both Master and apprentice in this case. He remembered all too well how hard he had to battle and argue to see to it that Qui-Gon's dying wish was respected. Mace had held a special animosity against young Skywalker ever since. As for Kano, Mace seemed to downright hate him with a very un-Jedi-like passion. Of course, a Jedi didn't hate, especially not one of their most revered Masters, and Obi-Wan chose to use different words.
"I'm saying the Council doesn't trust me!" Kano replied. "And the feeling is mutual. The question is: can I trust you?"
In the same instant, Obi-Wan felt something in the Force grasp at his mind and examine it before he could even think of raising a shield to protect himself. It was a power greater than his, with a dangerous, threatening feel to it. It wasn't taking possession of him, simply scrutinizing him. Yet, it began to hurt ever so slightly, like a mild headache. Then, as quickly as it had come, it was over, and Kano's glance was now softer and less hostile. Obi-Wan had the feeling of having passed a test he had not signed up for and briefly shivered as he understood what had happened. Searching another's feelings was one thing. A forceful mind probe was an entirely different matter. Violent in nature, it was a technique that was not taught and, although not explicitly forbidden, frowned upon within the Jedi Order. It took quite some ruthlessness and aggressive energy and was not something he'd have expected from a fellow Jedi, someone who was supposed to be a brother in the Force. For a moment, he was so taken aback that he let his composure slide.
"What in the name of... Are you mad? This was absolutely unnecessary! In the future, I want you to stay the blazes out of my mind, do you hear me!" he spat, his voice rising with indignation.
"By your standards—yes, I am crazy. And I needed to know your true intentions."
"All you had to do was ask!" Obi-Wan scathingly replied.
"And I would not have known if you speak the truth."
"I can only hope you never did that to your apprentice! How did you even learn this?" Obi-Wan asked, a hint of incredulity in his voice. Force help me! This man is a total freak, he thought to himself.
"I can only hope you never did that to your apprentice! How did you even learn this?" Obi-Wan asked, a hint of incredulity in his voice. Force help me! This man is a total freak, he thought to himself.
There is no emotion, there is peace, Obi-Wan reminded himself and made his best effort to settle back into his usual, calm state of mind. He needed to be able to think clearly and remain objective, despite his fellow Jedi choosing to behave like the irritating human equivalent of a hyperstorm. When briefing Obi-Wan in private for this particular quest, Windu had referred to Kano as a 'demon', and Obi-Wan had thought it to be the Korun's admittedly peculiar sense of humor. He now realized Windu had meant what he had said in every sense of the word.
"Now, let's get civilized and focus on the task at hand, shall we?" he said mildly indignantly and gave a quick summary of what he had gathered in the archives, which wasn't much. "You were the one who found the dart and saw the assailant. How do we proceed?" Obi-Wan finished his reportings.
Part of the question answered itself since Dex was now done with whatever he had been occupied with and squeezed his voluminous body onto the free seat next to Kenshin. Both Jedi listened to Dex's analysis of the strange dart they had placed on the table. Kamino. Cloners. Obi-Wan had never heard of the system before.
"Nothing of this makes sense," Kano said bleakly. "Someone wants to see the senator dead. There's a Kaminoan weapon. An assassin in Mandalorian gear killing the first assassin. A powerful Sith, obviously commanding over our fallen Jedi Ventress, and we have no idea of their identity."
After having searched the archives again and consulted Master Yoda along with his class of younglings, they were still none the wiser when they met again a day later.
"Information erased from the archives. Why would a Jedi be inclined to do that?" Obi-Wan wondered exasperatedly.
"Not everyone has as well-meaning and pure of a heart as you, Kenobi. Not even amongst the members of our venerable Order."
"Master Kano, are you mocking me?"
"Not at all. They put statues of twenty lost Masters in the archives for everyone to see and yet they never learn. Doesn't that tell you enough?"
Obi-Wan began to wonder how a man that young could carry so much bitterness and disillusion within him. But he had a strong feeling it was better not to ask.
"The dark side warrior you faced—do you think he was the Master? The Sith Lord we have been trying to find for over a decade now?"
"It's not like they looked very hard. A few months back, I had a run-in with Ventress. A fallen Jedi. First time I met her. And I found out she works for Dooku."
Obi-Wan's eyes went wide. "Dooku? You think your opponent was Dooku? But that's impossible! Dooku would never..."
"Impossible? Now you're the one mocking me, Kenobi! Impossible is nothing. I couldn't see his face, but my opponent was exquisitely proficient in form II, a form hardly anyone practices. My investigations told me that our esteemed Count is one of those few. If it was him, I will find out. Whoever he was, for all his power and just like the Zabrak you killed years ago, he was still just an apprentice. A pawn in a game I cannot yet see. The rule of two is no longer in place. There is something larger and more sinister at work than we have imagined."
"How do you know?"
"I just know. I sense it. Believe me, I have explored depths of darkness no one would willingly want to come close to. I know the stench."
That, Obi-Wan had no trouble believing. He decided to brew some tea. A good cup of tea often took the edge off things, promoting a more calm, settled mood to discuss and draw the right conclusions. He took one hot, steaming cup for himself and put down another in front of the other Jedi, who absently murmured a thank you and stared at it, retreated into himself. Obi-Wan wondered what was going on in the mind behind the dark, brown eyes that shone with a grueling intensity and deep sadness at the same time. He hadn't forgiven Kano yet; he still felt assaulted from being subjected to a mind probe. However, he acknowledged that there was a whole lot he didn't know about the young Jedi, only that it was clear he had been through a lot - possibly more than he could cope with.
"Master Kano..." Obi-Wan began again.
"It's Kenshin," the younger Jedi interrupted him. "You addressing me by formal title and whatnot, it's giving me the creeps."
Obi-Wan snorted. Kano didn't strike him as someone to be creeped out by anything much. Coming from a person like him, those words had something rather comical.
"What?" Kenshin looked puzzled.
"Nothing," Obi-Wan replied. "I'm just coming to appreciate your sense of humor."
"Didn't know I had one," Kenshin replied in his usual flat manner.
"You must know, Dooku was once my own Master's mentor. He was the one to train Qui-Gon Jinn. I have a hard time believing he'd be behind such vicious schemes. Ki-Adi-Mundi thinks him to be a political idealist, and Master Windu himself said, it wouldn't be in his character to assassinate anyone. I don't mean any disrespect, Kenshin, but all things considered, I don't know what to think of your theory."
"And I don't know where these laserbrains get their delusions from!" Kenshin replied. "Dooku may have been the picture-perfect Jedi once, but people can change. And a Padawan is not always a reflection of their Master. Just look at me. Yoda trained me, if only for a brief time, and we can both agree that..." he trailed off and his expression became blank. "Let's put it that way, that we have nothing in common."
Obi-Wan couldn't help it and smirked. "What an unusually diplomatic choice of words."
"Don't get used to it," Kenshin replied scoffingly but with a small smile.
Finally, they decided that Obi-Wan would go to Kamino and find the bounty hunter, while Kenshin would follow their other trace and go to Serenno. Homeworld of Count Dooku, leader of the separatist movement. Amidala had already suspected Dooku. And informants in the spy's network had discovered traces and strange payment patterns linked to the Techno Union and the Trade Federation connected to Serenno. Obi-Wan preferred not to know in detail how Kenshin had acquired that intel. Most likely by less than legal means. The Trade Federation. An old enemy for Kenshin. To hell with what the leaders of the Jedi Order liked to think within their ivory spires. He would find out what was going on here and who was behind it, and he would take them down. If this involved giving the TF some grief, even more so a reason to hit hard and relentlessly.
He got to his ship, exhaustedly slumped into his pilot's seat and welcomed the opportunity to take a much-needed nap. He would let Roku, his astromech, do most of the piloting through the long journey through hyperspace. He had not gotten to enjoy much rest yet when he suddenly screamed and jolted awake. Pain, terrible pain. He gasped and fought to take back control of his breathing as the gleaming, blinding terror transformed into a dull, equally difficult-to-pinpoint sense of doom. Had he had another nightmare, a premonition? It was hard and painful, and still he forced himself to confront and examine what had just assaulted him. It was the only way to overcome it. And quickly, he realized the pain wasn't his own! He hastily dropped out of hyperspace, reset his course to Naboo, and gave it all the Kage's engines could.