Now - Seven Years After the Invasion of Naboo
Somehow even at 32 years old, Obi Wan still felt like a youngling being sent to the creche master for scolding whenever the Jedi Council summoned him. He supposed that actually made sense given that as of late, their reason for summoning him had been to scold him more often than not. He had no doubt that he was once again about to be told off for wasting time and resources on an investigation the council had long since determined was a lost cause.
He remembered vaguely that back in his padawan days his experiences with the council had been universally positive, not that there had been all that many. Mace Windu had even once described Obi Wan as "a promising padawan", which coming from the stern Jedi master was high praise indeed.
It was clear now though that neither Windu nor the rest of the council felt this way anymore. He was a thorough disappointment as far as the council was concerned. He supposed in that small way at least he honored Qui Gon's memory, even if it was about the only way.
Obi Wan walked to the center of the council chamber, feeling the uncomfortable sensation of 12 pairs of eyes staring at him. Only no… that wasn't true. There was one empty chair without even a hologram. Obi Wan looked at it, wondering who was missing.
"Masters, you wished to see me," Obi Wan said, bowing his head respectfully.
"Yes, Knight Kenobi," Mace Windu began. "We have a new assignment for you. But first - you are not to go spreading this information around. You can enlist the help of others as you need it, but they must be similarly discreet. We do not wish to cause a panic."
"Yes, master." A panic? What was there to be panicked about?
Windu nodded, apparently satisfied. "You may have noticed that there's been an uptick in fatalities over the past several months."
"I've heard some rumors," Obi Wan admitted.
"Well, the rumors are true," Windu said. "There have been nine Jedi found dead over the past year and another six are MIA. The average over the past decade has been five fatalities a year. I don't need a protocol droid to tell me that the odds of this happening by random chance are astronomical."
Obi Wan inhaled sharply. He knew that it was not entirely unheard of for a Jedi to die in the line of duty. His own master had after all. But as many as 15 in just the past year?
"That's not all," Mace Windu continued. "Based on autopsies conducted on the nine whose bodies were recovered, we are reasonably certain that at least four were killed by a lightsaber."
Obi Wan felt a brief surge of anger before he released it to the force. "So we have a fallen Jedi then? And you wish for me to bring them in, master?"
It made more sense why the council had wanted him for this mission now. They might have deemed him a lost cause for his obsession with a cold case and failure to move on from events that had occurred the better part of a decade ago, but nobody would deny that he was one of the order's better duelists. He'd been a respectable duelist at 25 when he'd defeated Maul, and since losing Qui Gon, Obi Wan had only become more obsessive with his practice.
So it surprised him when Master Windu answered with a firm, "No."
Obi Wan blinked, confused.
"Let me be perfectly clear. This is to be only a fact finding mission. The individual behind this - you are not to attempt to engage him alone. Nor is any other Jedi. And I am including myself and every other member of this council when I say that."
Obi Wan frowned. He understood that whoever this was had to be dangerous, but this reaction seemed rather extreme to him.
"We originally reached the same conclusion you did," Master Windu went on. "A fallen Jedi, we thought. Most likely one of the number who have gone missing recently. But last week there was another attack. An attack that killed two Jedi masters, one of whom was Master Koth." Mace nodded solemnly at the empty chair across from him.
Okay, he was starting to understand why Master Windu was so concerned.
"The bodies were discovered several days ago on Ryloth. We've been working with local law enforcement to investigate the incident, and we've recently received some footage from a security holocam which has recently been entered into evidence." Windu sighed. "I'll let you watch for yourself."
The blue glow of the hologram illuminated the chamber, and Obi Wan saw the translucent forms of Master Koth and another Jedi - a human woman he didn't know - who seemed standing in some sort of alleyway. The two looked like they were engaged in a rather intense discussion, though there was no audio with the recording. Suddenly both Jedi's eyes shifted to something outside the frame, and they appeared startled. Perhaps even frightened.
Both Jedi drew their lightsabers and a moment later a figure in a long dark cloak entered the frame. He held a lightsaber, and even with the blue tint of the holo, you could tell that it was red.
Obi Wan tensed. His first ridiculous reaction was to think that Darth Maul had returned from the dead. But of course that was impossible.
The hooded figure stood for a moment, just looking at the Jedi. Then, almost faster than the eye could see, he leapt forward, slashing at Master Koth's side with his lightsaber while simultaneously aiming a kick at the other Jedi's chest. She fell to the ground while Master Koth managed to intercept the red blade just in time. He had not even a moment to rest before the enemy swordsman had spun around and aimed another blow at his neck. The Jedi master shifted his weight in a way that brought him just out of range of the blade but also put him off balance.
The other Jedi had by now managed to stand and aimed a blow at their enemy's shoulder. He dodged it easily without so much as looking at her and then swung the red blade around in a wide ark, decapitating both Jedi in one swift movement. Only then was the cloaked figure facing the holorecorder so that Obi Wan could make out a black mask and two glowing eyes.
After the blue light from the holo faded, Obi Wan just stood there, shell shocked. How silly had he been to fear this was a resurrected Darth Maul when clearly this was someone far worse. He could think of nothing to say to adequately convey the horror of what he'd just seen.
Two Jedi masters, one a council member, and they hadn't even managed to put up a good fight against this new enemy. Or any fight really. They hadn't managed a single blow - unless you counted the one the Sith had avoided without even looking.
No one seemed to want to be the first to say something. After several seconds passed, it was Yoda who finally spoke. "For seven years, a question we have asked. And now, an answer we have. The apprentice Darth Maul was. Believe I do that the master we have discovered."
Then - Six Weeks After the Invasion of Naboo
Obi Wan watched as the muddy water circled the drain. The physical evidence of weeks spent in captivity washed away just like that. If only the thoughts in his head could be so easily banished. His back ached from weeks spent sleeping on a lumpy cot, but more than that there was a pain deep in his soul that Obi Wan wasn't sure would ever heal.
He knew that if he were a better Jedi then he would have already released those feelings to the force just like mud down the drain, but Obi Wan didn't think he could bear to just let go of his master like that.
When finally the water ran clear, Obi Wan shut off the faucet. He quickly dried himself and dressed in the clean Jedi robes he'd been given. They seemed a size too big, but they would work for now. Actually, Obi Wan realized, they probably were the size he'd worn five weeks ago. It was he that was smaller.
He glanced in the mirror and saw an unfamiliar face look back at him. It was harder, more angular. His hair was longer now and he now sported a short beard and mustache. He searched in the bag he'd been given for a razor and was about to shave it away when he decided against it. He didn't feel like the same person who had first come to Naboo, so he didn't want to look like the same person either. Instead, he opted for merely re-braiding his padawan braid. He no longer had a master, but somehow that made it feel all the more important.
Once he was done with that, there was nothing to do but wait. He went ahead to the throne room supposing it might be better to wait there rather than be here alone with his thoughts.
Padme was already there when he arrived, accompanied by her usual entourage of guards and handmaidens. He felt a deep kinship with them all now after having spent weeks imprisoned side by side. Padme, though only a child, had stood strong through it all, never surrendering to the trade federation's demands. Obi Wan had more respect for her than for the entire galactic senate combined. And maybe the Jedi Council too, he thought bitterly.
"Hi, Obi Wan," Padme said, not bothering with formalities. Her face was painted in the traditional style of the Queen of Naboo, but it did not entirely hide the look of deep pain and worry she wore.
"Padme. Your highness," said Obi Wan. He bowed. Not because it was proper - he had no capacity to care about propriety at the moment - but because she actually deserved his respect. He tried for an encouraging smile but was pretty sure it turned out as more of a grimace.
"It's so weird seeing all of you clean again," Rabe remarked, and suddenly they were all laughing. It was one of those things that wasn't really all that funny, but then when they all looked at each other they couldn't help but to laugh until they were crying.
"At least Obi Wan left the beard," Padme managed through giggles. "I hardly recognize you, Panaka."
At that moment, Senator Palapatine (now Chancellor Palpatine, Obi Wan reminded himself) walked in, and the mood instantly turned somber once more. He was followed closely by Master Windu who had served as the leader of the counter invasion force.
"Your highness," Palpatine addressed Padme, "Let me first express my most sincere condolences for the personal suffering you and your retinue have been subjected to over the past several weeks."
"I did only what was required of me to serve my people," Padme answered, using the even, almost droid-like voice she used when conducting official business as the Queen. "My suffering was no greater than any of theirs and far less than many. You have my gratitude for your part in putting an end to this tragedy. As do you, Master Windu. I will see to it that a memorial is erected to honor Master Jinn and any other Jedi who have laid down their lives for my people to have their freedom once more."
Obi Wan wondered how she managed to come up with such eloquent words to say when he was struggling just to stand there and listen.
"I only regret that we could not put an end to this tragedy sooner, your Highness," said Master Windu.
"Indeed," Chancellor Palpatine agreed. "I fear the wheels of democracy have grown far slower than is needed to effectively serve the Republic's citizens. Correcting this will be my top priority as Chancellor."
Master Windu turned to Obi Wan. "Padawan Kenobi, the galaxy owes you a great debt of gratitude also."
Obi Wan just nodded, unable to think of anything to say.
"Your victory against the Sith as well as your courage in the face of this ordeal are the mark of a true Jedi," Master Windu continued. "With that in mind, the council has voted unanimously to promote you to the rank of Jedi Knight."
Obi Wan managed a dull, "Thank you, master." He'd envisioned this moment so many times but never like this. If he was being entirely honest he had had moments where pride got the better of him and he dreamed of receiving what was known amongst the Jedi as a battlefield promotion. It sounded great; you do something spectacular, everyone admires you, and you get to skip over months of studying. But even in his wildest fantasies, it had always been Qui Gon there, smiling at him and cutting away the padawan braid.
Master Windu nodded. "So with that out of the way…"
"Wait!" Obi Wan interrupted, remembering the thing that he absolutely had to say. Now everyone was staring at him though, and Obi Wan just wanted to sink into the ground.
"Yes, Kenobi?" Mace Windu raised an eyebrow but said nothing of the interruption.
Obi Wan knew that this was probably the only day of his life that he could get away with such rudeness in the presence of a member of the Jedi High Council, a queen, and the Supreme Chancellor to boot. Well he supposed he'd better take advantage of it then. He took a deep breath. "Qui Gon had one last request before he…" Obi Wan swallowed, struggling to complete the sentence. "Before he died," he finally managed to mutter.
"And what was this request?" Master Windu inquired.
"It was…" Breathe. "He wanted me to train the boy he met on Tatooine. Anakin. I promised I would."
There was a moment's silence. "I see," Master Windu finally said. "And do you feel ready to take on a Padawan?"
No, he thought. He hardly felt like he could take care of himself right now. "Yes," he lied, and Windu's eyes narrowed at him. "I mean… I think I could figure it out and I have friends who would help and… and I promised Qui Gon," he finished rather lamely.
"I see," Master Windu repeated. "To be honest, Kenobi, you're not really the issue here. As a Jedi Knight, you may choose to take on a Padawan if you wish. It's the boy that gives me pause. I won't deny that he might very well have the strongest connection to the force of any being in the galaxy. You ran the M-count yourself, so you know that, but you also know that there is far more than that to being a Jedi. The boy is nine years old, and his life hasn't been a happy one up to now. Without having actually met the boy, I can only really guess, but I find it unlikely that he would be able to adapt successfully to a Jedi way of life. The council will discuss the matter, but you shouldn't get your hopes up."
Obi Wan didn't know what to say. On one hand, he understood what Master Windu was saying. Agreed with it even. But on the other hand he had made a promise to his dying master. Even if he could manage to ignore his promise to Qui Gon (he couldn't), he couldn't possibly just abandon the boy who had so selflessly risked his own safety and well being to help them. Sure, he had initially been incredulous at Qui Gon's wish to return to Tatooine for the boy, but that was before Qui Gon had fully explained the situation. Now, his sense of basic decency rebelled at the thought of leaving Anakin on Tatooine. Surely that could not be a course of action the council was considering. Though they could have gone back for Anakin anytime in the past five weeks and chose not to, a small and painfully honest voice reminded him.
Obi Wan was trying to figure out a way to say all this without sounding excessively accusatory when thankfully Padme cut in with her carefully crafted words.
"Surely, Master Jedi, you can not be suggesting that Anakin is to be left on Tatooine where, I will remind you, he is currently enslaved. Anakin has done me a great service and at great personal risk. If the Jedi Order will not see to it that Anakin makes it safely off Tatooine then I will see to it myself."
Chancellor Palpatine's eyes widened. "Your highness!" he exclaimed. Then softer, "Padme, my dear… think about what you are saying. You are the leader of a sovereign planet. You can not interfere in this situation. Were you to buy the boy's freedom, you would be participating in the slave trade, and were you to obtain the boy's freedom through force, it would be regarded as an act of war. I beg of you to reconsider this course of action."
Obi Wan wanted to roll his eyes. Only a politician could manage to turn freeing a child from slavery into a bad thing.
"The Chancellor raises a fair point, your highness," said Master Windu. "Legally speaking, even the gamble Master Jinn made was highly questionable and…"
"Qui Gon did the right thing!" Obi Wan exclaimed, interrupting for the second time in the span of a few minutes, but he didn't even care anymore. "And I plan on honoring my master's memory even if I have to leave the Jedi Order to do it."
Mace Windu sighed. "Please calm down, Kenobi. There will be no need for that. I will see to it that the boy is brought to the temple and tested. He will have someplace safe to stay long term. Beyond that, I really can't promise anything.
"I understand. Thank you, Master," said Obi Wan, placated for the moment. He still had every intent of training Anakin, and if the council refused… well, he would just have to cross that bridge when he came to it.
AN: Anyone know how to get the formatting work when pasting text into the doc manager? All my bold and italics keep going away when I click save and it's super annoying.