Chapter Text
Obi-Wan woke up refresh and ready to leave the detention centers. Master Sanjo—a bright blue-green Twi-lek—arrived and unlocked the door to Obi-Wan's cell. She greeted the troubled padawan warmly and informed the Obi-Wan that someone was waiting for him outside.
Obi-Wan smiled in hope. Obi-Wan swore before he fell asleep that he would prove his master that he would be a great Jedi Knight—like him. Light on his feet, he followed Master Sanjo from the dark levels of the detention centers, rehearsing the words he was going to say to Qui-Gon.
I'm sorry for disrespecting you Master Jinn.
I'm grateful for what you've done for me. For what you've taught me. And, I'll do better.
I'll become the Jedi Knight you want me to be.
The doors opened and Obi-Wan straightened his back, ready to repeat the speech out-loud when his small grin faded.
Qui-Gon wasn't waiting for him. He wasn't even there.
Leaning against the wall, arms crossed in front of his chest, stood Anakin Skywalker.
Obi-Wan glanced around the room again. "Where's Master Jinn?" he queried.
The Jedi Knight removed himself from the wall, clearly noticing Obi-Wan's disappointment. "Well, good morning to you too," Anakin said and then he glanced to Master SanJo. "I'll take him from here—thanks."
Anakin directed Obi-Wan out of the detention centers, strolling down the corridor, his long legs making it seem like he was more gliding than walking. Sunlight illuminated the marble corridors of the Jedi Temple they walked. As they passed one of the mountain pillars, a dark shadow cascaded on him and Anakin. Right then, a chill breeze caressed Obi-Wan's cheek and it made the boy shudder. He quicken his pace, landing back in the warm morning sunlight.
Relieved to remove the coldness, Obi-Wan thought back to that familiar chill. A whole night spent in a cage, only comforted in an uncomfortable coldness from being so far below ground and away from everyone else. Obi-Wan only desired to come back to the rest of the Order. To come back to his Master.
Obi-Wan exhaled as he nervously looked to Anakin. "Did Master Jinn say anything?"
Anakin dropped his blue eyes onto him. "Not much," he admitted though Obi-Wan caught the agitation in the young man's voice. Qui-Gon was often known to irritate others and it seemed that it affected the older man. "Said he will tell us in the morning—but then he had to go talk to Master Yoda again. So—I offered to take you to class."
"Oh."
Obi-Wan turned away, rethinking. Another meeting with Master Yoda? With the Council? Were they talking about him? Qui-Gon expressed his opinion on his behavior last night. Obi-Wan admitted Qui-Gon was correct in his accusation, but he had hoped that his master would forgive him.
A nudge in his shoulder drew Obi-Wan out of his thoughts and he looked up to see Anakin's gaze on him. Did the Jedi Knight say something? "I'm sorry," Obi-Wan apologized. "I didn't hear what you said."
"I didn't say anything," Anakin said, his crystal blue eyes narrowed in concern. "Are you okay?"
Obi-Wan nodded. "Yes—of course," he claimed, despite his voice quivering briefly.
Anakin cracked a grin. "Sounds real convincing," he teased the young padawan. "You're upset that Qui-Gon didn't come, aren't you?"
Obi-Wan shoulders sagged a little, defeated. "I messed up, didn't I?"
Anakin pressed his hand against Obi-Wan's shoulder and Obi-Wan stopped. Anakin stepped into his line of sight, obscuring the long corridor behind him. His eyes lowered. "Okay…listen here, Obi-Wan," he began, brows knitted. "First—Qui-Gon isn't upset with you. That much he told us last night."
"Second—you didn't mess up," Anakin assured him. "All that has happened? It's not your fault. The Jedi Council were too harsh on you. Qui-Gon was even going to try negotiate your punishment but…"
Obi-Wan waited for Anakin to say more, but the Jedi Knight let his words drift into silence. Obi-Wan consumed Anakin's words, chewed on them as he analyzed what the Jedi Knight said. His master was not upset. He clearly articulated that he was disappointed in him last night, but he didn't want Obi-Wan to receive that strict of a punishment either. Did that mean his Master believed in him? Still held him in regard as a padawan? Worthy of his effort and time?
Anakin brushed his lips with the back of his hand. "My point is that you didn't deserve the punishment," he said. "I'm sorry we couldn't change the Council's mind. You were only trying to help and—"
Obi-Wan shifted in his stance, his gaze faltering from Anakin to the floor. "That's not true."
"Excuse me?"
His insides knotted. He remembered the moment Qui-Gon told him to stay before he chased after his older self. He pictured the scene clearly like it was a holo-video. The moment Qui-Gon turned his back to him, running away, all the turmoil of emotions erupted. It bled into Obi-Wan's heart and better judgement as he remembered the familiar feeling when Qui-Gon turned his back on him once before. Back on Bandomeer. The feeling of worthlessness and abandonment rushed him and he was unable to stay afloat against the onslaught.
Obi-Wan lifted his eyes back up to Anakin. "I didn't disobey to help," he confessed. "Master Jinn was right. I just didn't want to be left behind. After Bandomeer, I always felt—"
"Wait!" Anakin cut off Obi-Wan with his hand slicing through the air between them. He then folded his arms across his chest as he towered over Obi-Wan. "Hold on—Bandomeer?"
Obi-Wan blinked. Did his older self not confide to the Jedi Knight about his past? The questioning look on Anakin's face easily answered his question. "Oh—um, it's a planet," he responded. "A location of one of the Jedi AgriCorps."
Anakin cocked an eyebrow. "AgriCorps?" he murmured. "What happened there?"
"He never told you?"
"Who?"
"My older self?" Obi-Wan said, reevaluating his decision to inform the Jedi Knight about that particular time when Anakin's mouth thinned into a tight line.
"No," Anakin answered, darkly. He swiftly turned away from Obi-Wan, refocusing his attention on a distant point. Obi-Wan observed how Anakin absorbed the information. His shoulders stiffened into a straight line as he loomed out the window with a flurry of emotional conflictions. It surprised Obi-Wan that a Jedi Knight like Anakin had such an array of strong emotions. It was unhealthy. Master Yoda taught that one needed to let go of emotions, to focus only on the Force. Anakin was not doing that. He did not release the turmoil into the Force. He held onto it, his eyes clouded by a thought that dangerously made Obi-Wan afraid.
Obi-Wan continued watching Anakin with uncertainty. A shift in the Force threatened to knock Obi-Wan off his feet. Power rolled off Anakin that it seemed like Obi-Wan stood in the middle of an ocean, waves trying to knock him off his feet. His toes curled to hold himself in place when Anakin turned to face Obi-Wan again.
"What happened there?" Anakin demanded. "In Bandomeer?"
"It's…it's where I worked before I became Master Jinn's padawan," Obi-Wan said.
"Before? What do you mean before?" Anakin's eyes were puzzled. "Are you saying you weren't going to become a Jedi?"
Obi-Wan nodded. "My birthday was coming up and no one wanted me as a padawan," he clarified, feet shifting in position as he disliked mentioning his beginnings as a padawan. "So…Master Yoda sent me to AgriCorps."
"But—how did you become Qui-Gon's padawan if you were kicked out of the Order?"
"I met Master Jinn before being shipped off to Bandomeer," Obi-Wan explained as Anakin listened attentively. "He didn't accept me as a padawan until we stopped a plot on Bandomeer."
Anakin stared at him for the longest time that Obi-Wan grew uncomfortable. He glanced down the corridor where the Training Arenas were located, wishing to rejoin his classmates. "Um…I should get to class," he insisted. "Don't want to get into any more trouble."
Obi-Wan walked, but was immediately blocked by Anakin. "They can wait," he said, tone sharp and arms crossed. "Qui-Gon didn't accept you as his padawan?"
"Not at first," Obi-Wan said, hated remembering that day when Qui-Gon informed him that he was not suitable to become a Jedi Knight. "But, after Bandomeer he changed his mind about me—"
Obi-Wan didn't get to finish. Anakin exasperated, circling around in thought. "Well…that explains a lot," he mumbled. He stopped, taking a deep breath before diverting back to Obi-Wan. "We should get going," he finally said. "Don't want you to be late."
They walked in silence down the corridor. Obi-Wan snuck a few glances to Anakin, but the older Jedi Knight was lost in his own thoughts. His lips still remained in a straight line, his jawline protruding from the skin that it almost looked like a sculpture. A meld of confusion and hurt burdened Anakin's eyes that Obi-Wan stared on guilty for relaying the message.
As they neared the training arenas, Obi-Wan could no longer bare the silence. "I'm sorry if I offended you."
Anakin merely glanced down at him. "You didn't," he said, voice tensed. "I'm just wrapping my head around it. That's all."
"Wrapping around what?"
"A lot of things to be quite honest," Anakin said and he began listing. "The fact that you were originally an outcast, that Qui-Gon rejected you and that you—older you—never told me about it at all. Any of it."
Obi-Wan understood the silence. His older self must have lied about his past to Anakin, kept the truth about how he originally became a Jedi Knight. But, why? Was he still ashamed of how he became a padawan? Ashamed that no one wanted him? Could he not bear for someone like Anakin to know he was close to failing? Based off Jedi Kenobi's and Anakin's behavior to each other, they seemed close enough to know each other's secrets. But, apparently not.
"Are you mad at him?" Obi-Wan questioned, his eyes warily looking to Anakin, whose mouth twitched down. "For not telling you?"
Anakin roughly shrugged. "Yes and no," he said. "But—it doesn't matter. If he wanted to keep it a secret, then—fine by me! I don't necessarily tell him everything either."
"You don't?"
"Nope."
Obi-Wan's brows crumpled. "I thought you and my older self were close?"
"We are," Anakin assured him with a grunt, his teeth grinding. "Close enough to be tired of each other."
Obi-Wan grew alarmed. "You're not going to…I mean…you're not going to fight again, are you?" Obi-Wan asked, timidly.
Anakin shot a look to Obi-Wan, a single brow arching over a scar that ran over his eye. "What?"
Obi-Wan swallowed, his knees slightly shaking. "I-I don't want this to ruin your friendship with your Obi-Wan," he said. "If I knew you would get upset, I would never have brought it up—"
Anakin suddenly waved his hands dramatically. "Whoa…whoa!" he said, easily and calmed as he rested a hand on Obi-Wan's shoulder. "Don't—don't get yourself worked up over this. Trust me. The topic of Bandomeer won't end our friendship."
"Obi-Wan and I have been through a lot together. Both good and bad and things much worse than a short conversation about your past," Anakin assured Obi-Wan with a comforting, eased smile, "and look—we're still as close as ever! So, don't get worked up over it. It's fine."
"You don't look fine," Obi-Wan challenged.
Anakin half-heartily shrugged. "Well, I'm only a little hurt that he didn't tell me about it," he confessed. "But, it's how you are. You're not really an open person. Very private. But—I thought…never mind." Anakin brushed the concern away. "The point is that Obi-Wan and I have been through a lot together. It'll take a lot more to break us up."
Anakin's reassurance eased Obi-Wan's mind. He no longer felt he burdened Anakin or accidently ended a friendship. If Anakin was telling the truth, his comments about Bandomeer will not affect the bond Anakin shared with his older counterpart. The worries retreating, he happily continued his way to the training arena to learn lightsaber combat skills. Anakin strolled beside him, easily staying ahead of Obi-Wan by a few inches.
When they arrive at the training arena and Obi-Wan heard voices of his classmates on the other side, he went to press the button to open the door, but he stopped short. He turned back around, staring at Anakin in a new shade of light.
"I didn't get the chance to say it last night," Obi-Wan said, turning away from the door to look at Anakin. "Thank you for standing up for me."
Anakin just nodded. "Anytime."
And, Obi-Wan knew Anakin truly meant it.
Obi-Wan opened the doors to the training arena, quietly sneaking in with Anakin. They stepped inside quietly, alerting no one to their presence. Obi-Wan spotted all of his classmates huddled in the front of the training arena. They all had their training sabers out as they circled around Master Unill, his fiery red hair noticeable amongst the crowd.
"Master Unill is teaching?" Anakin said, repelled by the notion. "He's not even a good swordsman."
Obi-Wan examined the Jedi Master as he prepped the young padawans in his care on the Jedi Ready stance of a certain lightsaber form. He appeared to know what he was doing and Master Yoda passed the course to him for the day. He must have some talent in sword-fighting.
Obi-Wan went to join his fellow padawans, pulling out his training saber when Anakin grabbed his elbow. "Come on," Anakin urged, pulling Obi-Wan out of the training arena. "I've got a better idea."
Qui-Gon sat with Master Yoda and Master Windu in private.
Dawn rose over the city of Coruscant, waking the citizens to another fine day. But, for Qui-Gon, it was another day of turmoil. He didn't forget what he learned last night. Jedi Kenobi and Anakin's soldier behavior and the Sith Lord's emotions towards his padawan all scratched the back of his mind. It was all Qui-Gon could think about since he woke up. He kept trying to piece all the information he got from various sources, but it all remained in a heap. He still could not get a concise picture of the Sith Lord or his plans for his padawan. One moment he wants him dead and then next, he wants him kidnapped from the Temple.
Though Jedi Kenobi and Anakin provided some information to help clear the fog, they still held back a lot of information that would help Qui-Gon and the Jedi Order to capture the Sith Lord. Whatever their reasons were to withhold the information, Qui-Gon began to believe that he was involved somehow. That the future events that led to all three to return to the past involved not only Obi-Wan, but himself as well. And it stressed Qui-Gon more than he would like to admit.
"Spoke to the bounty hunter, I did," Master Yoda began, thankfully pulling Qui-Gon out of his dark thoughts. "Hard to see through his memories, it was."
"How jumbled were they?" Qui-Gon questioned, his lips barely parted as he spoke.
Master Yoda's forehead folded into many wrinkles. "Very," he replied. "Done well, by a master of mental manipulation."
"There are very few who can accomplish that feat," Master Windu revealed. "That'll lower the number of suspects."
"Except we are dealing with a Sith Lord that is from the future," Qui-Gon reminded his old friend.
Master Windu grinned. "Yes, but not hundreds of years into the future. Perhaps, twenty years?" he said, looking to Qui-Gon for confirmation on the age. Qui-Gon tilted his head in agreement. Jedi Kenobi seemed to be in his thirties or late twenties at the least.
"Meaning the Sith Lord is alive now," Master Windu concluded. "If he has the power to manipulate the mind in future, it can probably manipulate the mind now."
"We cannot be so sure," Qui-Gon countered. "The Sith Lord could possibly be a young individual, who has yet to gain the ability. To strengthen it to that degree."
Master Windu's dark gaze hardened. "Is that what those two told you?"
Qui-Gon inhaled deeply, absorbing the claim to ponder. Hands tucked in the sleeves of his robes, he stayed quiet for a moment. "They said very little of the Sith Lord's description," he admitted to the two Jedi Masters.
"But, more, they shared," Master Yoda detected between Qui-Gon's words, encouraging him to share the secrets he learned from the Jedi Kenobi and Anakin.
Qui-Gon hesitated, but conceded with a short nod. "They spoke of the conflicted feelings," he said. "Those feelings I sensed and shared with you, Master Yoda."
Master Yoda bobbed his head, remembering their previous talk. "Love, you felt," he recalled. "Uncommon, for a Sith."
Qui-Gon agreed. Sith Lords do not feel love. Or kinship. Or happiness. They suffer. That was what the Dark Side brought. Fear, anger, hate and suffering. Yet, Qui-Gon felt the Sith Lord's emotions quite clearly and it held an affection a father would have for a son. But, at the same time, he felt a massive wave of guilt that drowned the other emotions. Guilt for the failure to save his friend that lathered pain over the guilt. It consumed him to the point it darken his world. There was no escaping it for the Sith Lord. The mixture of love, guilt and pain all rested over his blacken heart. And all those feelings stirred when connected to Obi-Wan.
"According to the older Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon supplied to the two Jedi Council members, "that emotion is misplaced."
"Misplaced?" Master Yoda uttered, intrigued.
"Apparently, Obi-Wan reminds the Sith Lord of a friend," Qui-Gon explained, uncomfortable with the idea of a Sith Lord projecting a kinship feeling to his own padawan. "A friend who died long ago."
"That doesn't explain why the Sith Lord is targeting your padawan," Master Windu interjected. "Why he wants to kill him."
Qui-Gon quite agreed. That tidbit of information did not match up to what Jedi Kenobi and Anakin theorized. But, the next part did. "Despite the misplaced affections, Darth Tyranus blames Obi-Wan for the friend's death."
"How so?" questioned Master Windu, interest peaking behind those dark irises.
"They did not share those details."
Master Windu reclined in his seat, mouth a straight line while he thought. "They believe Darth Tyranus came back to eliminate the very person he feels is responsible for the death," Master Windu's dark eyes flicked back to Qui-Gon. "In hopes to prevent the friend's death from occurring?"
"Possibly," Qui-Gon answered, quietly. "I-I don't know."
Master Yoda's ears perked at the declaration. "Questioning the Sith Lord's motivations, you are?"
Qui-Gon pinched the bridge of his nose, retreating in his mind for a moment to reaffirm himself of what he believed. "There's too many complications in the matter," he finally said. "The bounty hunter had no intentions to kill Obi-Wan. Just kidnap and deliver him to Darth Tyranus." Qui-Gon dropped his hand, inhaling deeply. "The older Obi-Wan and Anakin believe he may try to kill him, but Darth Tyranus…"
"Unsure of what he wants, he is," Master Yoda finished for Qui-Gon. "But, important to getting what he wants, Padawan Kenobi is."
And that is what bothered Qui-Gon the most. Darth Tyranus' random acts and his involvement in Obi-Wan. His padawan's fate was tied to Darth Tyranus. Through the Force, he sensed how closely intertwined his padawan and the Sith Lord lives were that it angered Qui-Gon. He desperately wanted to believe it to not be true. Yet, the Force mocked him. He had no choice. As long as Darth Tyranus believed Obi-Wan to be instrumental in his goal, the danger Obi-Wan's fate remained.
Even worse, Darth Tyranus held a kinship link to Obi-Wan. Only family could feel kinship and Obi-Wan didn't know his family. He was taken away from them as an infant. The closest sense to a family Obi-Wan had was with Qui-Gon. Even before they became Master-Padawan, Qui-Gon knew Obi-Wan admired him. And the admiration grew into respect and a love that Qui-Gon knew would not be approved by the Jedi Council. Masters and Padawans were supposed to be teacher-student relationships. Not father-son.
But, Obi-Wan was not the only one to blame. Qui-Gon grew an attachment to Obi-Wan as Obi-Wan did for him. At first, it scared Qui-Gon. The last time he developed those similar paternal feelings was with his last apprentice, Xanatos. And, it ended in a spectacular disarray.
With Obi-Wan, the boy seemed to lighten Qui-Gon's days since Xanatos' fall. Obi-Wan brought hope to Qui-Gon once again. The bond between him and Obi-Wan grew deeper to the point Qui-Gon began to see his padawan as a son.
Qui-Gon readjusted his robe. "The indecision of the Sith Lord will make it difficult to see the endgame."
"Focus on the Sith Lord, we should," Master Yoda insisted. "Lead us only in circles, an indecision will," Master Yoda informed the two Jedi. "To know Darth Tyranus' endgame, learn of his identity, we must."
Master Windu nodded his consent to the idea. "Agreed. Once we know the identity, the easier it may be to determine his plans; thus, prevent the death of your padawan," he added to Qui-Gon, who unconsciously glanced away at the mention of Obi-Wan. "Based off the provided evidence, it is most likely that the Sith Lord is someone Padawan Kenobi is already close to."
Qui-Gon's heart clenched. Surprised by Master Windu's deduction, Qui-Gon tried to digest what Master Windu proposed. Someone Obi-Wan already knew. Obi-Wan had a few friends: Bant and Garen were the two he remembered as being very close to Obi-Wan. Then, there was Qui-Gon himself. And, Master Yoda. They were the only two Jedi Masters outside Obi-Wan's old clan that Qui-Gon would considered to be close.
Qui-Gon's heart pounded mercilessly in his rib cage. Each pulse sent a wave of dread that coursed through Qui-Gon's whole body. Could it possibly be? He pondered again. The complicated emotions, the indecision, mind manipulation and the sense of kindship all began to point to a particular person.
Very suddenly, Qui-Gon rose from his seat. Master Yoda and Master Windu turned in surprise by the action. "Sense trouble, do you Qui-Gon?" Master Yoda spoke, his beady eyes piercing straight into Qui-Gon's soul.
"No," Qui-Gon tried to waver away their curiosity. "I've forgotten the time. I must attend another matter. If you please excuse me abrupt exit."
Master Yoda bowed, promising to speak with him soon. Master Windu said nothing. His dark pupils bore into Qui-Gon, the intense gaze violating Qui-Gon. Almost like the Master of Vaapad suspected something from him.
Qui-Gon quickly left Master Yoda's quarters feeling like a wool blanket had been draped over his head, blinding and suffocating him. With it everything clearly presented to his face, it was too hard to dismiss.
Jedi Kenobi has been distant from him since they met. He remembered how the young man tried to flee from him, blocking his attempts to connect together with the Force. The Jedi Knight constantly refused to give him the Sith Lord's name or even a physical description. And, the Sith Lord held a strange affection to his padawan—a kinship. Yet, still emitted a deep resentment against Obi-Wan for the loss of his friend.
The pieces of the puzzle were coming together quickly. The snaps of pieces coming together brought aches in the old Master's bones. Qui-Gon roughly stroke his beard as he strode down the long corridor. Despite the aversion, Qui-Gon knew it could be possible. The more he thought, the more he began to believe in the dark truth.
The Sith Lord was him.
Qui-Gon's lungs collapsed when he respired against the wall. His heart begged for it not to be true, tugging on his soul for safety, but his mind overran with thoughts of him with yellow eyes, cloaked in black and wielding a bright crimson blade the contrasted the night.
Qui-Gon crunched down. No, he cannot let his mind be occupied with fear. He must center himself. Think with a clear conscious. Release the anxiety—the fear—into the Force. Rebalance. Regain. Do not center on the fear. Center on peace.
Another moment later, Qui-Gon felt rebalanced and the Force gently nudged him in security. Everything will be as it should. Trust in the Force, he reminded himself. He will speak to Jedi Kenobi and Anakin in regards to it as soon as possible.
Situated, Qui-Gon stepped away from the wall to return to his apartment when he had to suddenly twist to move out of another Jedi's path. The Jedi stopped abruptly, surprised by the sudden movement of Qui-Gon dancing to avoid collusion. But, his face burst into pure joy.
"Master Jinn! Long time no see!"
"Master Unill," Qui-Gon greeted the Jedi Master. "Good to see you."
Master Unill bowed his head in respect, his hair looking fiery in the sunlight. "It's good to have our maverick Jedi back to the Temple," he said. "I do hope everything is all right. That nasty situation at the hanger."
"The situation was very under controlled," Qui-Gon replied, thinking of how Jedi Kenobi and Anakin easily handling the situation in the matter of minutes. "How are things with you?"
"Very well," he said. "My padawan—Zeek—is coming up to his trials soon. Had to leave him to teach a lightsaber course, but I feel very confident that he will do well."
Qui-Gon nodded, but he could empathize that feeling. He never had a padawan that took the trials. "It's a wonderful achievement, I'm sure."
"And, how is your padawan?" Master Unill questioned. "I hope everything is all right with Obi-Wan."
"Yes," Qui-Gon lied as he had no intention of informing the master what he knew. "He's seen better days, but all is well."
Master Unill didn't catch the lie. He smiled in relief, a hand over his heart. "Good! You know, I was a bit worried," he disclosed. "When Obi-Wan didn't show up, I thought something happened to him—"
Qui-Gon froze. The circulation to his heart iced as Master Unill's words pinned him to his spot. "I'm sorry," he started, leaning closer to Master Unill. "What did you say?"
Master Unill's relief tensed in his face, his mouth fluttering to a frown. "I said that…what I meant was that I was worried when your padawan didn't show up to class," he explained. "I thought something happened to him at the hanger. But, you said he was all right."
Qui-Gon gave him a stiff nod. "Yes! Yes—he's quite all right," he said. "I-I just forgot that I allowed Obi-Wan to skip the class. After everything that happened, I thought he could use the rest."
Master Unill's face relaxed again and the big smile returned. "After what I heard, he deserves it. You both do," he said and he patted Qui-Gon's hands. "It's good to have you home, Qui-Gon."
Qui-Gon thanked Master Unill and walked in the opposite direction of the master. Once he knew he was out of sight, Qui-Gon pulled out his comlink and dialed for Anakin. He got no answer. He tried again. No answer.
Fear's tendrils linked up to his legs, looping around his ankles and grounding him to a halt. His padawan did not go to class. Or, he didn't make it to class. Qui-Gon punched in his comlink again, waiting with bated breath for a voice to calm his worries. Only silence mocked him.
Heat ran the back of his neck as he pondered a scenario as to what happened to his padawan. He should have arrived to his class. He wasn't alone. Anakin was with him. The Jedi Knight volunteered when Qui-Gon could not collect his padawan from the detention centers. Obi-Wan was safe! He had Anakin with him.
Yet, why did he not attend class?
Where did he go?
With silence mocking him, Qui-Gon dialed his last hope to the comlink. Within seconds, a cultured, articulate voice echoed through the speakers. "Yes?"
"Obi-Wan?" Qui-Gon asked.
"Yes," the voice confirmed. "Is everything okay? You sound worried?"
Qui-Gon's fingers dug into his comlink. "Something has happened," he answered. "My padawan is missing."
A brief pause hung the conversation as static played in the background. "Do you know who released him from the detention centers?" came Jedi Kenobi's reply.
"Anakin did."
"Anakin?" Jedi Kenobi's voice responded, his tone suddenly lighter. "Oh…then your padawan is fine."
"Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon voice became sharp and urgent, very uncontrolled. Something he loathed. "Anakin was supposed to take him to his lightsaber lessons. I just ran into Master Unill. He said Obi-Wan wasn't there."
Qui-Gon could hear Jedi Kenobi breathe on the other end. "You believe something has happened?"
"After everything that has happened?" Qui-Gon challenged.
"Did you try contacting Anakin?"
"Several times. No response."
Qui-Gon heard Jedi Kenobi mull through the speakers. "All right, I'll come back," he said. "I'll search around the training arenas. See if anything is off."
Qui-Gon pressed his speaker button. "I'll meet you there."
Qui-Gon spotted Jedi Kenobi walking down the corridor, his robes sweeping behind him, polishing the marble floor. Jedi Kenobi had his hood up, concealing his identity from any eyeing Jedi Knights. But, many of the Jedi he passed ignored him, choosing to focus only on the person beside them and not the one passing.
Once Jedi Kenobi approached him, the young man lowered his hood, revealing strands of his auburn hair in disarray.
"I've been waiting." Qui-Gon stated, not liking that he had to wait ten minutes for Jedi Kenobi to arrive.
Jedi Kenobi's blue-green eyes, much like his padawan's, flickered up apologetically. "I'm sorry," he said. "I was outside the Temple, trailing up a lead."
"What lead?"
They began their walk down the rows of training arenas, heading to the one that Obi-Wan was supposed to be in that morning. Jedi Kenobi tried to tidy his hair, brushing his fingers through to push the strands out of his eyes.
"The bounty hunter is a regular at a bar," Jedi Kenobi explained. "I went to the bar."
"This early in the morning?" Qui-Gon questioned.
Jedi Kenobi chuckled. "Don't act surprised, Master," he said. "You know that the nightlife in Coruscant doesn't always end when the dawn arrives."
It was true. The nightlife of Coruscant did not necessarily end at the crack of dawn. Many businesses kept their doors open until late morning before closing its operations for a breather. Then, when the sky turned dark once again, it reopened with the same promising mixture of thrill and desolate. Qui-Gon understood the nightlife, but he rarely participated. Occasionally, he would go to have a drink with some friends outside the Temple, but since acquiring a new padawan, he's stayed at home, focusing on raising Obi-Wan right.
But, what intrigued Qui-Gon was that Obi-Wan knew about the party lifestyle. He never envision Obi-Wan as someone who would grow up to be a drinker. Even Jedi Kenobi did not act like someone with a dire need of a drink. He presented a noble appearance, one unsuited to be a lurker of dive bars or raging clubs.
Qui-Gon brushed his curiosity aside to focus on the more important issue: his missing padawan. "I still have yet to get a hold of Anakin," he informed Jedi Kenobi. "Do you know if he picked up his comlink?"
"Anakin has it," Jedi Kenobi assured Qui-Gon. "He's just not great at answering."
They passed doors of training arenas, eyeing the top of the doors to find the exact one. While, keeping a close eye for any signs of disruptions and using his Force senses to alert of any disturbances, Qui-Gon snuck glances to Jedi Kenobi, observing him. Though they were close enough to brush hands, Jedi Kenobi still managed to keep a distance between the two. He shared no connection to him, no willingness to be close to him like his Obi-Wan tried to obtain. Jedi Kenobi accepted the space and peace between them and wanted nothing more. And, it increasingly disturbed Qui-Gon.
Something happened. Something terrible that made his padawan become detached. Was it his turning? Did Obi-Wan push him away? Was walking beside him—as a Jedi—too much for Jedi Kenobi to bear?
Qui-Gon took another quick glance at Jedi Kenobi. Is it possible that they returned to not only save Obi-Wan from the Sith Lord, but to save him as well? Is that why Anakin wanted to follow him everywhere? To keep tabs and check he would not be consumed by the Dark Side? The jagged pieces of the puzzle bore into Qui-Gon's mind that it spiked up his apprehension. And, Jedi Kenobi felt the altered Force presence.
"Don't worry, Master," Jedi Kenobi's voice rang, bringing Qui-Gon back to the search. "Anakin wouldn't let anything happen to young me. Trust me. He may be reckless and emotional, but he would sacrifice his life to save others."
"As a Jedi would do."
"True," Obi-Wan agreed, "but Anakin is known to go a little overboard with it."
Qui-Gon cocked an eyebrow at the statement. "What do you mean?"
Jedi Kenobi dragged his fingers over the walls, pausing briefly before continuing. "That nickname he told you. The 'Hero with No Fear'?" he said to Qui-Gon, who nodded. He remembered the nicknames. "It was given to him because he held no fear in regards to his well-being. Anakin will go to great lengths to help people, especially for those he loves."
"Love," Qui-Gon muttered as he eyed Jedi Kenobi. "Dangerous of you to admit that about another Jedi Knight."
Jedi Kenobi shrugged. "It's easy enough to see," he said, his eyes trailing the long line of doors. "But, Anakin doesn't let it cripple him. At least, not yet."
Qui-Gon folded his arms, stepping closer to Jedi Kenobi. "You show concern?"
Jedi Kenobi stopped, his shoulders hunched as his fingers tapped the wall. He had gone oddly quiet, a passive stance that made it hard to read the younger Jedi. His auburn hair contrasted dramatically against Jedi Kenobi's face that had grown a shade whiter. "I have yet to see what happens when he loses," Jedi Kenobi shared, voice lowered forcing Qui-Gon to concentrate harder on the words. "And, I do not wish to know."
Qui-Gon straighten, his tall presence casting a shadow over Jedi Kenobi. "You worry it may lead him to the Dark Side?"
Jedi Kenobi did not say anything, but Qui-Gon knew he was right in his conclusion. "Have you brought this to the Council's attention?"
"I did—once—a while back," Jedi Kenobi replied and he breathed deeply, his shoulders lifting and dropping in one heap. "But, not recently. I figured—as long as I'm there, looking after him, he'll be okay. I'll be able to keep him from going down that path."
"I've seen what the Dark Side does to good people," Jedi Kenobi rounded his eyes to Qui-Gon, looking squarely at the Jedi Master. "I will not let Anakin go astray."
Qui-Gon did not know if Jedi Kenobi was subtly referring to him in the first part of his speech. Was the Jedi Knight pointing out that he—Qui-Gon—was going to fall to the Dark Side? Was that why Jedi Kenobi feared for his friend? That he may lose Anakin to the Dark Side like he lost him?
"Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon began, tentatively. "I want to ask you a question."
Jedi Kenobi hesitated to a stop. He turned, but not fully, still standing in a diagonal position from Qui-Gon. The Jedi Knight mirrored his own stance, folding his arms across his chest in an act of defense, preparation to shield himself if necessary.
Qui-Gon took a deep breath. "The Sith Lord," he started again, "is Darth Tyranus—"
A crashing wave of the Force nearly bowled over Qui-Gon. He immediately sensed the presence of his padawan, which lifted one of the great weights off his chest. But, at the same time, it came crashing back down when he sensed that his padawan was in pain.
Jedi Kenobi must have felt the presence of his younger self as well for he too turned his head in the direction of where the Force emitted the boy's presence. Without a word, they both hurried to one of the further training arenas near the end of the corridor.
Jedi Kenobi reached the door first, pressing the button to open the door. The door slid with a sharp hiss, presenting Jedi Kenobi and Qui-Gon a fine picture of young Obi-Wan running to the opposite wall where a discarded training saber rested. In the middle of the training floor stood Anakin, his blade ignited and at ease as he waited for Obi-Wan to fetch his blade.
"You use too much of your energy on flips," Anakin's voice resonated the walls of the training arena. "You're quickly tiring yourself out."
A breath of relief escaped Qui-Gon's lips at the sight of Obi-Wan. He was alive. He was safe. Jedi Kenobi was correct in his claim that Anakin would not let anything happen to his padawan. They were both alive and practicing lightsaber techniques in an empty training arena.
He watched Obi-Wan collect his training saber and return to where Anakin stood. Qui-Gon noticed the thin layer of sweat that plastered Obi-Wan's face, giving him a sickly appearance. The roots of his hair were well wetted and his chest kept heaving as he stood ready to fight Anakin.
Obi-Wan lit up his saber, the pale blue glowing his skin ever more. Anakin twirled his blade, a fast motion that it appeared like a blur to Qui-Gon. Before Qui-Gon could pull his eyes away from the whirlpool of the blade, it slashed at Obi-Wan. His padawan jerked and blocked Anakin's attempt to hit him, pressuring the young Jedi's blade away from him. They were at a blade lock.
Anakin's lips curled. "Good…much better," he congratulated the padawan. The corners of Obi-Wan's lips twitched upward. The padawan was proud of his accomplishment at stopping Anakin's fast blade from striking him. But, Anakin's curl grew into a confident smirk. "However, you made another mistake."
Qui-Gon spotted the mistake before Obi-Wan did. Though Obi-Wan blocked Anakin from striking his arm, he left himself vulnerable. Obi-Wan's blade was underneath Anakin's blade. All Anakin had to do was add more pressure to lower Obi-Wan's blade and then jab him in the chest, effectively killing the padawan if they were not fighting with training blades.
Seconds later, Anakin carried out what Qui-Gon predicted and Obi-Wan yelped back at the sting of the training blade, jumping back to recover. Anakin discharged his weapon. "You need to keep track of all your vulnerabilities when fighting," he addressed the padawan, "because your enemy will."
Qui-Gon caught Jedi Kenobi humorous expression. "Give him a break, Anakin," Jedi Kenobi voiced, announcing their presence to duo. "He's only fourteen years old."
Anakin grinned at their arrival as Jedi Kenobi walked further into the training arena. Qui-Gon followed, eyeing his padawan, who bowed respectfully to his master. His padawan's face was beat red, flushed from the exerted energy and the shame of being caught not in his classes.
Anakin met the two halfway and Obi-Wan hurried over to join the group, choosing to stand between Qui-Gon and Anakin. Qui-Gon immediately noticed the contrast between his padawan and Anakin. Obi-Wan looked exhausted, fatigued to the point that if he sat down, he would not be able to get back up. Anakin, however, showed no sign of exhaustion. No beads of sweat glistened along his hairline like it did for Obi-Wan and he stood relaxed while Obi-Wan had to use a lot of effort to keep himself from buckling.
"How long have you been standing there?" Anakin asked Jedi Kenobi.
"You didn't sense us? You're losing your touch, Anakin," Jedi Kenobi teased and Anakin dropped his chin, annoyed at the jab. "We weren't there for very long. Just enough to see you torture my younger self."
"Think of it as payback for all those years," Anakin remarked, moving his gaze from Jedi Kenobi to Qui-Gon. "What did the Council say about the bounty hunter? Any new information?"
The reminder of the bounty hunter and the danger his padawan was in reminded Qui-Gon the previous emotions he felt when he discovered Obi-Wan missing. The emotions restarted, tingling the strings of his heart and his eyes narrowed seriously at Anakin as he disregarded the Jedi Knight's question. "You were supposed to take Obi-Wan to his lessons."
Anakin's easy grin faltered. "Well—I did," he defended. "But, Master Unill was teaching and he's not a very good instructor—"
"You were supposed to take Obi-Wan to his classes regardless who was teaching," Qui-Gon said, irritably. "I trusted you to take him to his classes as told. To take care of him in my absence."
Anakin face tensed, his skin tightened along his jawline. "I am taking care of Obi-Wan," he responded, tersely. "He's already improved on his ready stance and his blocking techniques. He wasn't going to learn that with Master Unill! Obi-Wan learned a great deal today from me than he would have with a week with another Jedi!"
Though he remained composed outside, Qui-Gon emotionally reacted to Anakin's insolence. No Jedi has ever rudely countered him in the manner Anakin did. In fact, Jedi Knights do not correct or criticize other Knights in regards of their padawan's teachings. A Master and their padawan's teachings was a private matter that only involved the Council if it needed the High Council's attention. Yet, Anakin seemed to have kicked away that social norm and went straight to the gut, calling out that he was better at strengthening and shaping Obi-Wan.
Qui-Gon reexamined the young Jedi Knight in a particular new light. He now understood Jedi Kenobi's concerns. The boy was emotionally violate, despised being told he's wrong and what to do. Qui-Gon felt a prickling sense of anger radiating from Anakin, stemming from the idea of obedience. The young man did not take kindly of directions from others.
Qui-Gon went to reply, when Jedi Kenobi cut between the two, erasing the tension that almost settled between the two. "Anakin, you must look at it from our point of view," he advised the young Jedi Knight. "Did you consider how Qui-Gon would react when he learned his padawan didn't show up to his lessons?"
Anakin went to retort, but his mouth hung open in hesitation before he quietly acknowledged. "I'm sorry," he apologized, ashamed as he eyes fluttered to Qui-Gon. "It was not my intentions to worry you Qui-Gon. I just wanted Obi-Wan to learn from a better swordsman. Someone better than Master Unill. I thought I could give him pointers instead…"
Qui-Gon sensed the sincerity in Anakin's voice. The young man did not mean to worry Qui-Gon. In fact, the young man emitted a powerful rush of disappointment that it nearly overwhelmed Qui-Gon's senses. He suddenly felt sorry for the young man and Qui-Gon did not mean to dishearten him with his strict words. He was just worried about his padawan, afraid that he lost Obi-Wan to another bounty hunter.
Though Qui-Gon would never admit it out-loud, he agreed with Anakin's assessment on Master Unill's swordsmanship skills. He was not talented in the art of wielding a blade and Qui-Gon knew of padawans that could probably easily defeat the Jedi Master. And, again, Qui-Gon would not admit it out-loud either, but from what he witnessed, Obi-Wan did improve in his reflexes on blocking and his ready stance position.
Qui-Gon resigned. "All is forgiven," he said to Anakin, "but, inform me the next time you decide to detour from Obi-Wan's schedule."
Anakin's face brighten and the Force reversed back into a positive, more tranquil stance between the four of them.
Qui-Gon inspected his fatigued padawan. "Obi-Wan, grab your robes," he ordered, gently directing Obi-Wan in the direction of his robes. "You'll need to visit a refresher."
Obi-Wan nodded fervently, agreeing on the need to refresh himself. He ran off to where he discarded his robes, lifting it up with a stiffness of an old man. Qui-Gon shook his head as he eyed Anakin, knowingly. "How hard were you on my padawan?"
Anakin simply shrugged. "Not too hard," he said, before his bright blue eyes danced to Jedi Kenobi. "Nothing Obi-Wan wouldn't have done on me."
The cheeky comment brought a rise from Jedi Kenobi. "I'm sorry? But he looks like you made him fight through five droid armies," he jabbed his thumb in the direction of Obi-Wan. "I don't recall you ever finishing up a lesson looking like that."
"Probably because I was simply better," Anakin cockily jested.
Jedi Kenobi's brows rose higher. "Oh really?" he questioned. "You care to prove that theory?"
Anakin snorted. "Come on, Master," he said, his grin widening at Jedi Kenobi's remark. "I don't want to hurt you."
"But you're okay torturing my younger self?"
Anakin chuckled, shaking his head as if finding Jedi Kenobi's quips comical. "All right," he gave in. "But, I'm warning you now. I won't hold anything back."
"And I the same," Jedi Kenobi responded, removing his robe and tossing it aside.
An upheaval in the Force jolted Qui-Gon the moment the two decided to spar against each other. That prickling sensation electrified him, shooting every nerve as the Force gathered strongly in the training arena they stood.
Obi-Wan returned to the group, glancing from Jedi Kenobi to Anakin, obviously feeling the great shift of the Force. "Master? What's going on?" he asked Qui-Gon.
"Obi-Wan just challenged me to a duel so that I can wipe his—" Anakin began to answer, but Jedi Kenobi jumped in, effectively cutting off Anakin's speech.
"We're just going to spar a little," Jedi Kenobi answered as he squatted down to be eye-level with Obi-Wan. "May I borrow your training saber?"
Obi-Wan glanced from his training saber that rested on his hip to his master for guidance. He was unsure to give his weapon away as Qui-Gon remembered that he often repeated to Obi-Wan that his weapon is his life. For now, it was safe to pass it onto his older self. Qui-Gon nodded his approval and Obi-Wan handed his training blade to Jedi Kenobi, who thanked him graciously as he took his position in the training arena.
Anakin was already set to go. His own training saber in his hand, still unignited, as he waited for Jedi Kenobi to be ready. Qui-Gon ushered Obi-Wan to the far side of the room to give the two Knights space to fight. Normally, he would care little to watch a fight as frivolous as this one, but after feeling the massive Force shift and remembering how they took out a small army of droids on their own with ease, Qui-Gon couldn't help his curiosity on how the two fought.
He and Obi-Wan stayed in the corner, a safe distance away from where Jedi Kenobi and Anakin prepared to begin their sparring. Jedi Kenobi stepped up, moving the padawan's training saber into position, when Anakin coughed, his eyes flashing from Jedi Kenobi to Qui-Gon's direction.
"What?" Jedi Kenobi questioned Anakin's gestures and Anakin's nudged his head in their direction again. Jedi Kenobi relaxed and looked over his shoulder to them. "Oh—I'm sorry," Jedi Kenobi called. "It would be safer if you two weren't in the room."
Safer? Qui-Gon found the comment questionable. What did he mean by safer? How much of the space were they planning to take to fight each other? The training arenas were large enough to have at least two to three sparring fights to occur simultaneously. They needed the whole room?
A surge of the Force urged him to listen to Jedi Kenobi. "We'll be in the viewing room," Qui-Gon informed the two Knights. And, he and his padawan exited out of the training arena to climb up the ladder to the viewing room that Masters and Knights used to sit and watch initiates practices their lightsabers or to watch them duel for a chance to become a padawan. Qui-Gon has sat in many of these viewing rooms. And, it turned out, he'll be sitting in one again.