He takes a deep breath, trying to relieve the tension building in his shoulders and neck. On the other side of the door, he can sense the sea of unease beginning to grow. Whatever reason they have summoned him here must make them cautious of how he'll react. Ever since he was a young boy, they have been wary of upsetting him. They would refuse to ever talk about his progress with him in the room. Every decision they ever made about him would happen behind his back.

After taking one final moment to calm himself, Anakin pushes the door to the High Council's room open. Sitting in the intimating circle around him is all of its members. Every single one of them is present, which is surprising considering the war currently taking up all of their time. Whatever the issue is with him now requires every member to be here in person.

It should scare him, but it doesn't. This is nothing unusual for the so-called trouble maker.

"Welcome, young Skywalker." Master Yoda greets with a forced smile on his wrinkled green face.

Anakin bows to him with respect, tucking his hands into his dark robes. He stands upright again, studying the faces of everyone around him. The way they are seated reminds him of the Loth-wolves from his Temple Arts class. Their status and power make them tower over him. They glare at him as if he's nothing more than an annoying pest. He can almost hear their snarls of warning and he hasn't done anything yet besides walk into the room. One wrong move and they'll attack in a pack, leaving him in worse wear than when he entered.

You would think after spending time with all of them over the past year that he would be more comfortable in their presence, but he's not. He still feels like he's a burden to them all, something that they have to put up with. They are just waiting for him to slip up and kick him to the curb like they've wanted since he showed up with Master Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan. He thought it would have happened last year, what with the accident, but it didn't.

"You summoned for me, masters?" Anakin asks, making eye contact with the one master he feels semi-comfortable with. Master Tiin gives him a slight nod, a gesture of acknowledgment, and mutual respect. Out of them all, he is the one Anakin would seek out if he ever needed advice. Master Tiin is the only one who has at least attempted to make a connection with him. He knows that he will never replace the master Anakin had before, but he's done his best to step up and take that place whenever the situation called for it.

"Because of your recent knighting, we are giving you your own battalion." Master Windu begins, catching Anakin's attention. "Tomorrow morning, you'll be introduced to your captain and be sent on your way to Sanza. Further details will be given to you on your way, but we thought we should take this time to congratulate you on your promotion."

"Tomorrow morning?" Anakin repeats, furrowing his eyebrows. His voice comes out harsher and higher pitched than he would have liked and he can feel the shift in the room because of it. That was the wrong response. He needs to choose his next words carefully.

"Do you have something more pressing?" Master Windu fires back, studying the young man in front of him. He tilts his head, his gaze hardening. Why is he so surprised by this? Surely Skywalker has put the pieces together that he's needed in this war? He's seen the rest of the knights be shipped out. He can't be that arrogant to think he would not be sent out into the battlefield with them, can he?

Anakin shakes his head to Master Windu's question. He swallows down his fear and anger, hoping none of them have picked up on it yet. They can't find out about her, not again. "No, I just thought that I would have more time to say goodbye to my friends here and to prepare for battle. I didn't realize it was so sudden." He replies, trying to keep his tone cool and even. There is no emotion, there is peace. There is no emotion, there is peace. He repeats in his head over and over. He hopes that answer is enough to calm the judges around him.

"You'll have plenty of time tonight to say goodbye to your friends." Master Ti gently smiles. Her response is sincere, but Anakin has to restrain himself from rolling his eyes. He has no friends here at the Temple. They all know this. They've been informed about this since he was a young boy. It was a subject of worry when he first started training here, which they constantly voiced concern about to Obi-Wan. It's well-known that Anakin is more of an independent person. It's never been that he doesn't want friends, but they've never seemed to want him.

There's only one person on Coruscant who he needs to say goodbye to. They deserve it more than anyone else in the galaxy. They're one of the few people who have reciprocated his feelings. He just thought that they would have more time together before his inevitable deployment. He didn't realize that his recent knighting would make him a general in less than a week.

The rest of the masters remain silent, watching him. But as quickly as that subject stirred alarm among them another thought takes their attention. Their eyes begin darting from one member to the next, asking an unspoken question. Anakin can feel the sense of dread building around them. They didn't call him in here just to tell him he's being sent out to fight. There's something else, something much deeper.

It's something personal and they're fretful about how he'll react, what he'll do.

"Unfortunately, there is more news that we have for you, Skywalker," Master Windu says after clearing his throat. Anakin stands up straighter, trying to keep his mind from racing through the possible topics they might ask him about. They could include several things, involving multiple people. He keeps his mind clear and prays that it doesn't have to do with a certain senator.

"Involve your master, it does." Master Yoda pipes up, answering his unasked question.

"What's happened to Obi-Wan?" Anakin immediately asks, scrunching his nose. His chest fills with cold fear at the thought of what might have happened to him. Obi-Wan is the last person he thought they would talk to him about today. After he disappeared on Geonosis almost a year ago, Anakin never heard another word about him. There were rumors of course, but he shrugged those off quickly. Anakin is a person of straight facts. Until they prove anything with a solid reason, he won't believe a single whisper about his former master.

"There's no easy way to say this." Master Tiin says, slightly sighing. He knows that he needs to be the one to say it. Anakin trusts him and believes in his judgment the most. If he should hear this news from anyone, it should be him. "After not hearing from Master Kenobi in so long, we are going to declare him dead later this evening."

"You're giving up on him?" Anakin scoffs, his jaw slightly dropping. How can they do this? After everything Obi-Wan has done for the Order they aren't going to return the favor by at least combing the galaxy for him?

"It's not like that, Anakin." Master Tiin frowns, dropping his gaze.

"You're declaring him dead. How else am I supposed to think of it?" He fires back, his emotions now thrown out the large windows surrounding them. Do they really think that he is just going to lay down and take this? Obi-Wan is not dead. Anakin can feel it as sure as he can feel the sun on his skin.

"Master Kenobi has failed to make contact with any of us," Master Windu says through gritted teeth, stopping himself from giving in to the anger Anakin is radiating. The boy's emotions have always been so strong, almost swaying anyone within the vicinity of him. How Obi-Wan dealt with it with such poise for years is a question that no one will ever uncover. "We don't like this any more than you do, young Skywalker."

"I want to go out there and look for him myself." Anakin declares, tightening his fists at his side. He stands tall, hoping to make himself look older and stronger than he actually is. He narrows his eyes at them, looking for someone to deny him his request.

The group surrounding him hold their breaths. How dare he speak out with such anger? Doesn't he see that they've done all that they can for his master? They've sent out search parties for him. They've tried to contact him on every known frequency but all that came out of it were dead ends.

"Watch yourself, you should, young Skywalker." Master Yoda scolds, pointing his walking stick at him. Anakin quietly scoffs, taking a step back from him. Of course, the master is right. Anakin should watch his emotions in front of them. But he is so upset at their decision to abandon Obi-Wan. Can't they see how wrong it is to leave him out there alone?

"We aren't going to send you on a pointless mission," Master Windu says, side-eyeing Master Yoda. He looks back at Anakin, staring into his fiery eyes. "Master Kenobi is gone. It's time for you to accept this." He curtly says.

"Let me look for myself. Then we'll see if I agree with your decision."

"Skywalker, please." Master Ti says, her voice carrying an air of coolness to the hot flames spewing from the young man in front of her. "You've only just been knighted. I don't think you're ready to go out on a mission like that on your own."

"But I'm ready to lead a battalion of men into war?"

"That is different." Master Tiin says, bringing the attention back to him. "If you would put your personal feelings for Master Kenobi aside, you would see that."

Anakin drops his head in shame, but the boiling bubbles of betrayal and anger remain inside of him. Their words of reason won't be enough to calm him down right now. Master Tiin sighs, sensing the dark traits inside Anakin wanting to explode. He continues his comment, saying, "If we send you to search for Master Kenobi, we would have no idea what you may encounter. You could fall into the hands of Dooku or worse."

"You sent out other Jedi, didn't you? You took that risk with them. Why can't I?" Anakin asks, his voice softer than before. Being angry won't let them see his side. If he remains calm, maybe they'll give him a chance. By acting cool and collected, they might think that he's matured enough to take on a mission this intense.

"You are believed to be the Chosen One." Master Tiin replies. "We can't lose you. Not before your prophecy has been fulfilled."

And that's where the discussion ends. The others quickly chime in, agreeing with Master Tiin. Because he is the Chosen One, they won't risk letting him search for his master, who may or may not be in the hands of Count Dooku. Because of Anakin's prophecy, they are going to keep him on a close leash.

When he is released from the meeting, Anakin storms to his apartment. It once belonged to him and Obi-Wan, but now it's just his. There aren't many belongings in the room. There are a few things of Obi-Wan's that he's collected over the years from their missions. There are also a few of Qui-Gon's items scattered around the room that were passed down to Obi-Wan.

Anakin hasn't touched any of them. They remain where Obi-Wan last put them. Everything is just how he left it, even the papers on the counter. Until Anakin has undeniable evidence that Obi-Wan is gone, he won't move them. Jedi aren't allowed attachments or very many belongings, so he respects that these few items aren't his. He doesn't have the right to move them around or give them away.

Anakin is hardly in the apartment before Master Tiin knocks on the door. He groans, tugging at his hair in frustration. Jedi aren't supposed to express their emotions to others so this place has always been his escape. Behind these doors, he has been free to let himself deal with his inner demons. With Master Tiin here, he can't let out his anger at their recent decision.

"Anakin, please let me in." Master Tiin says from outside the door.

Reluctantly, he opens it for him. "Excuse me, Master Tiin, but I'm not myself at the moment. I would like some time to calm myself down." Anakin says through gritted teeth. After spending time with each Jedi High Council member, he has gotten good at weaving through their requests with his words. Usually, his remarks make them go away. Even Master Windu allows him to cool off without much questioning.

But this doesn't work on Master Tiin.

"I know you aren't. That's why I came." He says. He enters the room without Anakin's permission, closing the door behind him. He crosses his arms over his chest, studying the young man in front of him. "You're angry. You're frustrated."

"Yes," Anakin replies, holding back an eye roll. It's not exactly a secret how he feels. He's pretty sure the entire Temple could hear him marching back to his apartment. And if they didn't hear him, they definitely felt the rage radiating off of him. He'll more than likely receive a complaint from the dorm masters about his anger upsetting the younglings yet again.

"I know you don't think of me as your master." Master Tiin begins as he glances around the room. Quickly, he can pinpoint what belongs to Anakin and what doesn't. "But I can't ignore the darkness looming inside of you. What can I do to help? What would Obi-Wan do to help you calm down when he was here?"

"Why don't we go and ask him together?" Anakin fires back as he paces around the room. He bites his tongue, cursing at himself for snapping back. If he becomes calm, Master Tiin will leave him alone. He just needs to cool down, or at the very least look levelheaded.

Master Tiin sighs, shaking his head at Anakin. Yeah, he walked into that one. If there's one thing Anakin doesn't need help mastering, it's his wit. The kid is great at comebacks that leave you wondering how he got the upper hand.

Wanting to help relieve the tension around them, he says, "How Obi-Wan put up with you for ten years is one of the galaxy's greatest mysteries." 

Anakin stops, glaring at the man. Master Tiin quickly composes himself, becoming serious again. Clearly sarcastic comments don't amuse Anakin when he's upset. He'll have to remember that for future references. "You're upset at the ruling of Obi-Wan's death. I understand." He says, going back to the matter at hand.

"No. You don't understand." Anakin scoffs as he scrunches his nose. "Jedi think of each other as a family. We are brothers and sisters. Our lineage is important to us, learning about our master and the master that trained them, and so on. Now tell me, wouldn't a family do anything to get back one of their members?"

Master Tiin remains silent, unsure of how to respond. Yes, Anakin makes a solid point. Because Jedi do not know their real family, the ones in the Order become that family. In fact, a project that early padawans make involve creating their family tree. Of course, no one on there is blood-related, but it doesn't matter to the Jedi. They learn about their great-grandmasters and how many padawans they trained. Even when padawans make their first lightsaber they model it after their master's in respect of them and their lineage. 

How can he defend the Council's decision when the connection of family is deep within the Order's own traditions?

"By leaving Obi-Wan out there, I am abandoning my family." Anakin quietly adds, narrowing his eyes at Master Tiin. He can feel how his argument has shifted Master Tiin's opinion. He hopes that it does him some good, possibly persuading him to rethink that Council's decision.

"Obi-Wan is an adult. Has been for a while."

"Just because he's an adult doesn't mean that he doesn't need our help," Anakin argues. "If I remember correctly, I rescued you from that mess on Florrum. You're an adult. Have been for a while." Anakin mockingly smiles.

"Nobody even knows if he's alive, Anakin. We can't send you out after a ghost when there's a war going on." Master Tiin says, his voice giving away how exhausting the fight is becoming to him. Anakin sighs, keeping his distance from him. The want to fight the fire inside of him is long gone too. He's upset, but not nearly as much as before.

Master Tiin walks towards him and Anakin stiffens. The master places his hand on his shoulder just as Obi-Wan would have. The action brings him feelings of loneliness and nostalgic longing. If it was meant to make him feel better, it doesn't. If anything, it's brought down his mood drastically. "Hey, if he's out there, maybe he'll find you. This war will take us all over the galaxy." Master Tiin says, his voice a bit lighter. "I haven't given up hope on him. But by declaring his death, we can focus on the war at hand."

Anakin remains silent, so Master Tiin adds, "Please try to see our reasoning."

Anakin looks into his eyes. "You think he is still out there?" He softly asks. He wasn't expecting this response from Master Tiin, but he won't turn it away. If he believes in Obi-Wan, that leaves a hope that others do too. The more people he can rally to his cause, the better.

Master Tiin shrugs his shoulders, a soft smile on his face. "Why not? He did kill a Sith Lord. He could take on Dooku, couldn't he?" He asks as he opens the door. On that final note, Master Tiin leaves him alone in his apartment.

Anakin sighs, sagging his shoulders. He's still upset about this whole thing, but it isn't a blind rage reaction anymore. He just wants to vent, let his emotions out to someone who will listen and acknowledge his feelings. One person comes to mind and as much as he'd like to ignore the topic with them tonight, he knows she'll pry it out of him. She's always had a way of getting his problems out of him.

xxx

He watches the ships float past her bedroom window. He wonders what it must be like to be a citizen on Courasant now. Are they worried? Or do they live their lives as if there isn't a war because they have the Jedi Order in their backyard? "I'll be leaving soon," Anakin says, brushing through her dark hair.

"For how long?" Padmé asks, tipping her head up to look at his face. His eyes don't meet hers. He is distant, his thoughts somewhere else. His gaze is still out the window but he doesn't stop tending to her. "Ani, when will you be back?" She asks, gently tugging on his shirt to get his attention.

"I don't know." He answers with a slight jump, coming out of his trance. He shrugs his shoulder, searching for what he wants to say. There's so much for them to discuss but so little time left. "The Order is scrambling for knights and masters. We don't have enough Jedi to lead this war. I might be gone for months to fill in the gaps."

She sighs, laying back down on his chest. She tugs the blanket up to her chin, feeling a chill at the thought of him not being here with her anymore. Tomorrow, she will wake and he will be gone. She will have to go about her days without him nearby, worrying about what campaign he'll be on somewhere deep in the galaxy. "When I was growing up, I was told that Jedi were peacekeepers. Not soldiers."

"We are trying to keep the peace."

"This is a funny way of showing it." She softly scoffs, scrunching her nose.

He sits up, narrowing his eyes at her. "What do you want me to do about it, Padmé? If you can't stop this war with words, what makes you think the Jedi Order can? By having us at the frontlines, we can try to ensure less death. We can try to use our training of peaceful tactics to end this with as little death and pain as possible." He says.

She lays still, watching him. Anakin has been known to get riled up at things, but something is different. There's something else he's mad at but he's placing it all on this war. It deserves some of his anger, yes, but she can feel the war isn't the only thing bothering him.

He sighs and lays back again, trying to calm himself down. She didn't mean it like that, he knows this. She's upset at their situation, just like he is. He closes his eyes, muttering under his breath, "I don't want this any more than you."

"I know. I'm sorry." She says, frowning. She doesn't want to fight, especially not tonight. Not when this is could be their last moment together. She reaches out, her fingers tracing the side of his face. "I just don't want to lose you."

"I'm not going to die, Padmé."

"Don't make promises you can't keep, Anakin." She glares, her jaw locked. "If you die out there, I will be the last person to know. They don't know about us. To them, I'm just your childhood friend. I'll have to find out about it through the HoloNet. The HoloNet, Ani. Other people around the galaxy will know that you died before me."

"No, they won't," Anakin replies, shaking his head. "They won't because it's not going to happen. For you, I will keep going. I will do everything in my power to stop that from happening."

She sighs, looking away. He can make that promise all he wants but she knows that he has no control over what happens out on that battlefield. He can't stop people, including himself, from dying. Anakin of all people should understand that. If he could, wouldn't he have saved his mother? Wouldn't he have stopped the death of Obi-Wan?

Anakin pulls her to his chest. She follows, curling up at his side, listening to his heartbeat. It's steady and strong. Does he understand the pain that this causes her? Does he know the amount of stress that has now entered her life? She doesn't know when he will return or even how. He could very much come back from battle in a box.

"I don't want you to go." She whispers, feeling pressure building in her eyes.

"You think I want to?" He softly replies back.

She shrugs her shoulders. "I don't know. I feel like you would be good at this. Planning battles and such. Leading men and giving them the courage to push on. This seems like a new role you could easily slip into."

"I can lead men," Anakin replies. "But I'm not sure I want to deal with everything else. I think what I'll see out there will never leave me."

She remains silent, letting this rest in the air. He's right, of course. What he will see will probably have a lasting effect on him. He will be leading men into battle, watching them fall around him. None of that can be good for anyone's sanity. "Are you taking these missions alone or is Master Tiin joining you?"

Master Tiin, Master Yoda, Master Windu, even Master Plo could be with him. All of these and many more took on the task to finish his training. When Obi-Wan suddenly disappeared, it left Anakin without a master. Rather than subject him to finding a new one, they just tossed him around the Council.

"Even if he offered, I wouldn't want him along," Anakin says, growing rigid. "He's not my master. None of them on the Council are. They were just other Jedi who completed what I would have finished in a year anyway. They don't know me. They don't really care for me."

"I don't believe you," Padmé says, trying to put on a soft smile for him. "They care for you. If they didn't, they wouldn't have finished your training. They want what's best for you, Ani. Maybe you just need to open yourself up to them."

"They don't like me. They never have. They tolerate me because of Qui-Gon and the prophecy he believed I would complete." Anakin grumbles as she sinks deeper into his arms. The memory of the meeting in the Council room today is still very fresh in his mind. Their only reason for holding him back from hunting down Obi-Wan is because he's the Chosen One. Not because they're worried about his safety or what they'll do without him. It's only because of the prophecy, which they didn't even believe when he first arrived. Now, suddenly, it's being used to hold him back.

"There was one person who cared for me. One person who saw me as more than some stupid Jedi legend." He says, his fingers now playing with her hair. "But back then, I was too stupid to realize it. I fought with him all of the time and I turned him away. Now, because of my failure to attempt to connect with him, he's gone."

Padmé turns to look at him. "You can't seriously be blaming yourself for Master Kenobi's death?"

"He's not dead. I wish everyone would stop saying that." He argues, scrunching his face. He tightens his free fist, trying to contain his rage at the topic. "They can tell me all they want about how he's gone, but I don't believe it, not for a second. Obi-Wan could take on Dooku. He could take on anyone. He killed a Sith Lord as a padawan."

"Anakin, no one has heard from him in over a year. Earlier this evening they declared him deceased, ending anymore searches for him." She quietly says. She grabs his hand, working to relieve the tension in it. Anakin gradually opens his hand, letting her rub at his palm. "Besides, maybe death would be a blessing for him."

"How can you say that?" Anakin scoffs, pulling away. "I know that I used to wish that he would leave me alone, but when he finally left, I regretted it. I took him for granted and all I want is for him to come back. He understood me. He listened to me. If I had tried to do the same, maybe he wouldn't be gone. He was a great master and I was too stubborn and arrogant to realize it at the time." He snaps. How could she want such a thing? Death is not something pleasant or comforting. Every time Anakin has witnessed it, it has been nothing but pain and sorrow to everyone involved.

"I only say it because I think that if he's not dead then the situation he's in can't be any better." She clarifies. She wasn't trying to say that she wants him dead. That's the last thing she wants. "But if he's been captured for over a year, who knows what they've done to him. I just don't want him suffering." She says, rubbing his hand again.

Anakin sighs, looking back out the window. Maybe Padmé has a point. Anakin would hate to know that Obi-Wan is in pain. If death would a sweet release from whatever he is going through, then Anakin also wishes him to receive it. Obi-Wan is the last person to deserve pain.

And maybe she has a point, not because he's suffering now, but because of what might happen when he returns. Rumors have spread about Anakin's former master. Most of them about him being dead, which is now the official statement. Some, like Anakin, don't believe it. But that leaves a wide array of answers to where Obi-Wan is and what he's doing. If he's not dead and not captured, then that means that he could be with Dooku, perhaps working with him.

If his master returns to the Temple after working with a Sith lord, then death would be a blessing. Who knows what the Council could do to him? They could tarnish his name. They would probably wipe him from their archives, making him into this mysterious, lost Jedi.

Perhaps they'd even kill him without explanation.

Because all Sith, no matter their reason for joining, are enemies. Right?

"I don't want our last night to be us talking about death." She says, feeling her chest tightening. Last night. Why does she keep saying that? By saying it, it's like telling him that she doesn't believe he'll return to her. "Can we talk about something else? Something happy?"

Anakin smiles at her, a genuine grin that only she gets to see. "Like what?" He softly asks as he caresses her cheek. "Like a future where you and I are free to be together?"

"Sure." She says. She feels strange giving into this fantasy. Like maybe talking about it will provoke unrealistic ideas and feelings into her head. But just for tonight, she will let him ramble about their pretend life in some dream galaxy.

"Where do we want to live?" He asks. "Anywhere that doesn't have sand, please."

She giggles, closing her eyes. "I've always wanted to go and have a house in the countryside of Naboo." She says. "I want it to be near the water so I can wake up and see the swans floating with their babies in the spring."

"Can I have a little shop to work on all of my projects?" He asks. "I've always been good at fixing things. I could work on people's ships and droids for a living."

"Of course. It'll be right outside the kitchen window so I can call out to you when dinner is ready." She says. She begins to hesitate, afraid of how he'll react to her next addition to their life. "And we'll put the garden right outside the nursery."

He's quiet for a moment and she's worried that she overstepped. They've never talked about children. It's not really an option for them. It's highly frowned upon for a senator to have children without a spouse in the picture. Anakin would be expelled from the Order if it was ever discovered to be him. Children would lead to a messy scandal for everyone involved.

"How many children do you want?" 

"I don't know." She replies. "At least one girl and one boy. A girl because I want to see your extra soft side and a boy so I can have a mini version of you in my arms." 

"I've never thought about kids," Anakin says. "Growing up on Tatooine, I didn't really think about having a family besides me and my mother. Then when I entered the Order, the Jedi became my family. Children of my own just weren't in the picture."

She bites her lower lip, tilting her head to look up at him. "If you could, would you want kids?"

A smile grows on his face. "I would want at least four." He says, his eyebrows rising.

"Four?" Padmé laughs, taken back by his enthusiasm. 

"Why not? As annoying as those younglings can be, they can also be kind of adorable. Especially when they're so eager to see you and learn from you. In our dream world, I would definitely want kids of our own."

"Okay, as long as you promise to help me raise them, we'll have at least four." She grins as he pulls her closer.

"And we'll have at least one boy and one girl. So that our little family is perfect." He cheers, making her laugh harder.

"I hardly consider four children and two adults a little family, but it'll be our family." 

"Yeah. Our quaint happy family. Where we all get along in the countryside of Naboo by the lakes filled with swans." He declares, waving his hand as if he's trying to persuade her into buying this life. And as she lays in his arms listening to him blabber on, she realizes that if it was an option, it wouldn't take much to get her on board. In fact, the more he takes about it, the more enjoyable and pleasant it sounds.

She finds herself falling asleep in his arms, dreaming of their happy place so very far away from their current lives.

xxx

She gasps, feeling the air being sucked from her lungs. Cold wraps around her like a snake, tightening her arms to her body. A hand grabs her chin, tipping it backward. Though she's been trained for decades on how to control her fear, she can feel its tendrils lapping at her. A red light emits just under her neck, making her freeze. "Master Undulli."

She can't speak from the lack of air. Besides that, even if she wanted to speak she's not sure she could. The shock of his presence makes her mind scamble. How? When? Isn't he supposed to be dead?

Her captor kneels on one knee in front of her. He's so close to her face that she can smell whatever cologne he's wearing. Her eyes widen in fear, studying his unforgettable face. How he's changed. "Lost for words?" He asks with a devilish grin.

Suddenly, a blue lightsaber appears out of nowhere. Barriss dives at the man back from the dead. He quickly rises to his feet, deflecting her feverish attack. He is forced to channel his energy to duel the padawan, so he releases the iron grip on Luminara's neck. She loudly coughs, her head hanging low as she tries to steady her breathing again.

"My, aren't you an eager padawan." He comments, easily dodging her swipes. He tucks his left arm behind himself, using only his right hand to hold onto his lightsaber. He looks so relaxed, so confident in himself. It's borderline cocky, something so unlike him. At least, unlike the old him. "Master Undulli has been teaching you well."

"Barriss, stop. You can't take him alone." Luminara calls out, now watching her padawan battle him throughout the room. Already, she can sense Barriss beginning to stumble. Her moves are becoming sloppy and she's barely dodging his jabs. She's lucky that she's swift, otherwise, she wouldn't have lasted this long.

"You have anger." He smiles, backing Barriss into a corner. She starts to fret, watching the walls close around her. "It's faint. You've done well concealing it, but it's there. Use it, Barriss. Let it set you free."

"Barriss, don't listen to him," Luminara calls out, her energy beginning to return to her. She wiggles her wrists, trying to free herself from the cuffs. If only they weren't locked behind her. She attempts to stand, trying to hop to her feet from her knees. If she had her lightsaber, she could cut these handcuffs off and protect her padawan.

Barriss gasps as her back hits the wall. She's tucked into the corner, trapped. The only way out is to get through him. She raises her lightsaber above herself, protecting herself from his slice downward. She groans as his lightsaber presses hard down on hers. Closer and closer, the blades lower down on her. Fear flashes across her face as she looks into his eyes. Will he really kill her? Dark side users are known for their violence, but even against padawans? 

Thankfully, he's had enough. This meager fight has lived its purpose for him. It's shown them that he means business and is not to be underestimated. He raises his left hand, pulling her up from the floor with the Force. A scream escapes her as she hangs in the air. "You've fought well, young one. I have no intention of killing you but remember this moment. The fear, the anger. Let it fuel you in the future."

She nods her head quickly. Her whole body trembles from the adrenaline and fear coursing through her. She just wants him to put her down. As if hearing her silent plea, he tosses her aside, making her collide with the wall. It's not hard enough to make her unconscious, but it does daze her. Her head spins as she tries to find her balance on the floor. She tries to push herself upright, but she can't tell which way is up. 

Luminara struggles against her restraints, trying to free herself to save her padawan. She watches Barriss lay on her back on the floor, rubbing at the side of her head. Whatever he has done to her has injured her. Usually, Barriss can make a stronger comeback. 

He walks closer and closer to her, the dark cloud hovering around him like a sickly fog. He bends down to her level again, this time removing his hood. His honey locks fall over his shoulders and his face is as hard as stone. "I'm not going to hurt you or your padawan." He states, his face blank of any emotion. "I just want some answers."

"I thought you were dead." She says, her voice coming out more confident than she feels. "Instead, it seems that you've gone to the dark side. So, unfortunately, I can't share any information with you, Obi-Wan." She spits, scrunching her face as if his name is sour. 

His name causes Barriss's head to shoot up. Now that she knows his identity, she feels more awake. She's only met him once, before Geonosis. Just recently, it was announced by the Council that he was killed by Count Dooku. They stated that he sacrificed himself to protect the secrets of the Jedi and was declared a hero. Now that she knows the truth, her blood boils. They sent out multitudes of Jedi to find him. How could he abandon the Order? They were his family. They cared for him and he just abandoned them.

"The information I'm seeking has nothing to do with our insignificant war." He says to Luminara, waving the response off. "It involves a person, someone very close to me. All I want to know is where they are."

"If it's a Jedi you want answers about I won't tell you that either." She says, a smile making its way onto her lips. She will not fold to him. It will take a lot more than threats to make her talk, especially about her fellow Jedi. If Obi-Wan wants to know about them, it can't be good. He will just use them for whatever dark plans Dooku has. She will stand her ground and die for her Order if necessary.

He copies her smile, tilting his head to the side. She feels a bolt of fear run down her spine. Never has he looked so sinister. "We'll see about that, won't we?" He replies, sarcastically cheerful. He rises to his feet, raising his left hand. Luminara's eyes never leave his as his eyebrows furrow. Barriss rises from the floor, her hands instantly going to her neck. Small gasps come from the padawan as she is yanked to his side.

Obi-Wan holds Barriss in the air beside him as he ignites his lightsaber again. He places it near Barriss's neck, his glare never leaving Luminara's. He gradually moves the lightsaber closer to her. Barriss groans, feeling the heat burning her skin. It's not enough to kill her, but Luminara knows that it's scarring her. The red light glowing on his face only makes this seems more menacing. "You care for your padawan, don't you?" He asks as Barriss coughs and squirms in the air. "You don't want anything bad to happen to her, right? You want to protect her and keep her safe. You are her guardian."

Luminara frowns, pain entering her. "Of course." She softly replies, getting a lopsided grin from Obi-Wan. He turns off his lightsaber, now softly petting Barriss's head. She whimpers, his darkness striking through to her core. Luminara pinches her eyes shut, turning her head away. "I'll tell you what you want. Just don't kill her." She whispers.

"What I want is to keep my padawan safe as well." He says, his grip loosening on Barriss. She still struggles in the air, but it's easier to breathe. Whatever her master has agreed must please him. Obi-Wan walks forward, having Barriss follow him. He glares down at Luminara. "You know, I was hoping this could have been a much more civilized conversation."

"You always were one to seek negotiation before violence," Luminara replies, her eyes darting to Barriss. What has happened to him? How has Dooku taken one of the Order's most pure souls and spoiled it? He's taken what was once light and bright and made it heavy and dark. This is not the Obi-Wan that the Order remembers. When they say that he is dead, they are not wrong. Only no longer does it mean physically. Whatever moral soul he used to have is gone. "I'll answer what you want, just put Barris down."

"Alright." Obi-Wan replies. "But if she makes a move to attack me, I can't guarantee that I won't kill her."

"Fine," Luminara says. She looks to Barriss, sending her a wave of relief but it does nothing. Obi-Wan drops the padawan, letting her catch her breath on the floor. She rubs at her neck, her burn being her main concern.

He towers over Luminara, glaring down at her over his nose. He tucks his left hand behind himself, standing tall. "I want to know where Anakin is." He says, his voice hard and cold. If she didn't recognize him, Luminara would have mistaken him for Dooku. Already, Obi-Wan acts and sounds so much like the fallen Jedi.

"Knight Skywalker is currently onboard the Resolute. He's headed to Bancar." She says.

"Knight Skywalker?" Obi-Wan repeats, arching his eyebrow at her. Did he hear that correctly? He hasn't jumped forward in time about six years, right? Because he's pretty sure he just heard Luminara use the title 'Knight' for someone who was a padawan a year ago.

"He's not a little boy anymore. He's an adult." She snaps through gritted teeth, hearing the surprise in his voice. 

"He's nineteen." Obi-Wan fires back, tilting his head in disapproval. He huffs, crossing his arms over his chest. "I wasn't knighted until I was 25 and I had to kill a Sith Lord." He grumbles, mostly under his breath.

Luminara pauses, taking him in. Strange. That's not the response she was expecting from him. She thought he would be happy, perhaps even excited to hear that the padawan he supposedly cares about has passed his trials. After all, Sith can be excited too. This would be a situation she would have expected that from him. "Times are changing, Obi-Wan." She says to him and herself. The man in front of her is not the Obi-Wan she knows and she needs to accept that. She must stop assuming that he will react as he would have. 

"Indeed," Obi-Wan says, locking his jaw. He furrows his eyebrows, this new development concerning him. They've already knighted Anakin? What is that about? There's no way he's had time to complete his trials within this past year. There must be a reason why they did this. Obi-Wan adds this to the list in the back of his mind, saving it for another time.

"Is there anything else you want answers to?" She asks, her voice filled with caution. She doesn't want to overstep and upset him more. The last thing she needs to have him attack her and Barriss again. After what he's done to them, she doubts she can put up much of a fight.

"Oh, there's plenty of questions I have." He says, tugging on his beard. "But none of them you can answer. You are more clueless about the plan unfolding in the galaxy than I am. You've served your purpose here though and that's what matters."

Luminara furrows her eyebrows in confusion. How should she take that response?

"I heard the statement about my death and, well, you can see I'm very much alive." He says, gesturing to himself. "I know you're going to go back to the Order to report that you've found me. I doubt they've warmed up to Anakin much in the past year, so I want you to make sure that he gets the message that I'm out here."

"I'll see what I can do. Skywalker can tend to be. . . a free spirit." She replies, looking for the right words. She thought about calling him disobedient, but if someone told her that Barriss was disobedient she would be offended. Again, she's trying not to make Obi-Wan mad. Best to compliment him and his padawan every chance she gets.

"Hmm, yes. That's one term for it." Obi-Wan mumbles under his breath, thinking of all of the times Anakin didn't follow his commands. Calling him a free spirit is being kind. Obi-Wan looks at the two of them, his face void of emotions again. "For your cooperation, I'm going to let the two of you go. I can't guarantee these results again if we ever run into each other in the future."

"Noted." Luminara quietly says.

Just as quickly as he appeared, he disappears. Barriss works to free Luminara but both of them are extremely puzzled. Obi-Wan is now a Sith yet he let them live with few injuries. And on top of all of that, he didn't ask for any of their war plans.

All he seems to want to know about is Skywalker, and that is worrisome.

Luminara does proceed to tell the Council once she and Barriss return to their troop. The two of them are instructed to keep this a secret from everyone, including Anakin. After the call ends, the Council finds itself in a strange position. They are also puzzled by this new development and find that they really only have one main concern. 

What does the Obi-Wan want with the Chosen One?

~~~~~~~~~~

My next planned update is for January 9th