Revenge

Disclaimer: Belongs to Lucas. I'm still not making any money from it.
Notes: I'm sorry this chapter took me so long. It's got much more dialogue than the other ones, and that always throws me off track. Still from Obi-Wan's POV. Still no beta, so the mistakes 'will' abound. I apologize in advance.
Warnings: One seriously bad attempt at humor.

Chapter IV

Those first few hours of sleep were the only ones I attained on the journey to Coruscant, which proved to be, otherwise, uneventful. Aside from my growing apprehension at meeting with Master Yoda, I had an overly active nine-year-old apprentice to contend with.

Every moment I spent with him drove me that much closer to the dark side. His curiosity was absolutely insatiable. 'Master Obi-Wan, sir! What does this do?' 'How many stars are there in the universe?' 'How long will my braid grow?'

Even worse was when he began to tell me stories. Or explain the complexities and mechanics of the ship.. or his pod-racer. I took as much as I could, with polite mentor-like curiosity, but my lack of sleep had me on edge. Finally, I sent him to go interrogate the captain of the transport. After he'd skipped off down the corridor, I retreated to my room, and stared at the closed door for a moment.

And then I began to laugh. Long and low, feeling the tension that had been building in my shoulders gradually dissolve. "And so the real training begins..."

I have to admit, that despite my fear of expulsion, it felt good to see the Jedi Temple again. It's the only place in the galaxy that I feel comfortable calling home.

As the council has allowed me to officially take Anakin as my padawan learner, they required he be sent directly to a remedial class where they wished to test him on his knowledge of the Force. He would be placed in a group with his equals, accordingly.

At first, Anakin seemed concerned that he would be placed with the toddlers, under Master Wei, but I assured him that he was at least clever enough to be put with the seven-year olds. Honestly, he has strengths I didn't have at nine years. Some that no one has had so young.

Left on my own, there could be no delaying my meeting. Master Yoda would know I had arrived. When I found him, he had just finished instructing a class of older students on the finer points of some kata technique, or another. The ten-year-olds hurried past me, onto their next lesson, and I was left alone with him.

"Much use this room has seen." Yoda said by way of greeting, perched comfortably by the large cracked window. Afternoon sunshine spilled through the broken shades, showing just how much dust the air was filled with. The walls were smoke-stained, from a fire that had happened long before my birth.

"The last time I was here, I was being punished for fighting with one of the other initiates." I bowed slightly, in respect for the wizened Jedi.

"Fighting, was it? An Ar'trenian slug, you put in youngling Kay-Tuu's bed. Sent here for lying about it, you were."

I couldn't help but smile, remembering the stupid deed. "I suppose the time for apologizing has long passed?"

"It has."

"Well, then I must maintain that she 'did' put it there, herself." Thankfully, there was a smile on his face. But, it soon fades to a more somber look, and I'm forced to acknowledge that the time for reminiscing is over.

"A disturbance in the Force, you felt, some days past?" I nodded slowly. I had felt it. Very keenly, in fact. It had kept me from sleeping that night.. Which is why I had gone for a walk in the gardens.

"Much thought I have given it... and come to a worrying conclusion, I have."

"What conclusion is that?" and he turned his eyes to me, concern so clear that I was startled.

"Worse, the disturbance is becoming." I blinked, staring dumbly.

"Worse? Well, it has happened before? I mean, the Force will balance itself, in time." that was practically the universal truth all Jedi were taught from childhood. Even without the prophesied chosen one, there had always been (always would be?) a certain stability to it.

"Much danger, I sense, that in all my many years has not before occurred. And around you, Obi-Wan, it centers." I felt my jaw drop, as my heart began to pound. Me? Was he suggesting that the disturbance was 'because' of me?

"In my meditations, I have seen this. But clouded, my thoughts were, by some unknown presence." I was starting to feel slightly dizzy by this point, realizing I hadn't spoken. Hadn't even questioned the possibility that I might not be involved. And I realized just how suspicious that was.

"Something you wish to tell me, is there?" There's an amount of kindness in his expression, now, that I am used to. And, beyond that, an almost pleading look. But, I retrace my thoughts before I speak. Expulsion.. Qui-Gon.. Anakin...

"No, Master Yoda." My voice is calm. My face neutral. But I'm cringing, inwardly.

He looks at me for a long moment, and I have to resist squirming under the gaze. Under the weight of my own guilt.

"Very well. Here, you will remain, until otherwise ordered." And he stumped out of the room, the door sliding shut behind him, leaving me alone. The humiliation of being (and what else could it be) 'punished' like a naughty youngling, is nothing to the shame I'm feeling for the look of disappointment he gave me.

I keep telling myself it's for Qui-Gon's memory. For Anakin's future. For my own sake. But, if I must lie to remain a Jedi.. what sort of Jedi could I hope to be? How could I train Anakin properly, when I go against the teachings, myself.. And how could I do Qui-Gon's memory honor, by tainting the boy he recognized as the chosen one, with my own disgrace?

I remained in the room until well after dark, when a droid relayed the message that I could go about the temple as I would. I had only just arrived outside my room, when Anakin turned the corner, and began to run at me. Like a blonde, heat-seeking missile.

"Master Obi-Wan!" I was immensely relieved that he didn't tackle me. It looked for a moment, as though he would.

"What is it, Anakin?" there was certainly a sense of unrepressed enthusiasm about him.

"They're going to let me train with the twelve-year-olds!" Well, I certainly hadn't expected that. I've had my doubts, like the rest of the council, but it's times like this when I have to wonder.. Perhaps this child truly is the chosen one.

"Anakin, that's wonderful!" Yet, I'm finding that somehow, I'm not so pleased as my expression and tone is.

After he's settled into his new room, scattering half-finished mechanical projects (that I can't begin to fathom) around, I left to go find an old friend of mine.

I'd first met Ynin Tstee when I was five, and to date, I've never met a more bizarre creature. Ynin is a Raawl. A species so high in midichlorian count that the Jedi have been, actively, negotiating with the planet for millenniums, so that every century, they be allowed to take one infant, and train him/her in the ways of the Jedi. As they have no hands, or even arms, they're useless as warriors. But their concentration, and feel for the Force, make them invaluable anyway.

Ynin has the ability to see into the past. Farther back than master Yoda's birth. On occasion, he can see into the future, though rarely. It's my hope that he'll be able to, today. To help unravel my attackers true identity.

When I reached his apartments, it's to find he's resting, peacefully, music filtering from somewhere, I can't identify. He looks so serene, that I almost turn to leave, but he speaks, voice as ethereally eerie as I remember it.

"I haven't prepared to read the future for you, just so you can leave before I've had the chance." And then he opened his eyes (all three of them) practically holding me in place by his gaze. Raawls, I might mention now, drink blood. There was something about their eyes, glowing red orbs, that held you transfixed, letting you know, suddenly, how they caught their prey. But Ynin had never hunted anyone. His meals were brought to his apartments, which was where he stayed at all times.

He smiled, slowly, closing his eyes again. "It is good to see you again, Obi-Wan Kenobi. I hope you'll forgive me, my moment of curiosity." Shaking myself out of my stupor, I timidly closed the distance between us, sitting a few feet from him.

"Of course. So you know why I'm here then?" I never had been able to decide whether it would have been more rude to stare, or to avoid looking at him. I always settled somewhere in between, facing away, while I cut my eyes to him. He was taller than I was, when we both stood, with a scaly head that changed into fuzz-like black hair, from the neck down.

"I know partly, of why you're here. You came for the future. The details, I do not know... As so often is the case." and he waited for my questions.

"I need to know who my next padawan learner will be." I'm hoping, desperately, that there is no other padawan. Then I'll know that it was lie. Perhaps it had all been an attempt to confuse me. Drive me to the dark side. I forced myself back to the present, watching as Ynin made a quiet humming noise, rocking just slightly.

"A young man, I see... Light of hair.. Strong with the force... a prosthetic hand..." I could swear my heart stopped for a moment. That was Him. That had to be Him.

"Luke.. his name is." Ynin didn't open his eyes, thank goodness, but I could tell that was all he was able to gather about that.

A young man? The council almost forbade Anakin be trained.. And yet they'd allow me to train one, already grown? but I trusted Ynin's visions. They had never yet proven to be wrong.

"There is more you wish to know?" he almost seemed impatient, now. It had been brought to my attention, years ago, that to read the future took immense concentration, and even then.. there was no guarantee on how long it could be seen.

"Tell me about the Sith lord, Darth Vader." For a long moment there was silence, and then to my unpleasant shock, he opened his eyes, staring straight at me.

"Death and despair shroud him in darkness. Anger, and fear.. And lust for power. He will be your end, Obi-Wan Kenobi." and then his eyes closed again.

"That is all I will see." I knew, well enough, that that was my cue to leave. I bowed low, thanked him, and left.

I made my way slowly to the elevators. Ynin's apartments were on the ground floor of the Temple, and my own room was many stories up. As I walked, I went over all he had told me. I should have asked him if Darth Vader, and this Luke were one in the same.. But that would have been a waste of time, most likely. It was obvious they were.

I pushed the button to take me to the 63rd floor, relieved when the doors shut, so I could slouch against the wall, without drawing suspicious looks. My mind kept showing me images of him. Of Luke. That first night, in the garden.. And then my dream, which persisted in my thoughts, as clear as an actual memory. I was ashamed to find myself flushed from these images. And I had my suspicions that this would be another sleepless night.

TBC...

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Poor Obi-Wan.. Anyway, Chapter five will be back to Anakin's POV. I'm thinking our conflicted antagonist is going to visit Obi-Wan on Coruscant. And Obi-Wan.. well, he'll have mixed feelings about their encounter. As always.
Anakin's going to be looking into his own mystery. Namely, why the heck he's in the past.

Did Anakin really 'defeat' the Force? Is Obi-Wan ever going to figure out the 'Truth'? Tune in next week, when we get to hear Senator Palpatine say, "And I would have gotten away with it, too, if it weren't for those meddling Jedi!" And then they rip off his mask, and it's Chewie, the wayward Wookie.. but you saw that coming.

I apologize for that :P