ℝ𝔼ℂ𝕂𝕃𝔼𝕊𝕊 ➵ o. kenobi {my only hope; book 2}

【 NINE 】

     ɪ ꜱᴛᴏᴏᴅ ꜱʟᴏᴡʟʏ. How had I not sensed his presence? How long had he been standing there? Perhaps he just wanted to talk to me about his conversation with Master Yoda and Master Windu, but there was a chance... no matter how small... that he wanted to talk about something he'd overheard. Me defending him to his apprentice, perhaps? Did he want to rub it in? To tease me about the words I'd said after how much we'd been arguing lately? Maybe tie that back to the way we'd left things ten years ago?

After my recent conversation with Kera, I couldn't think of anything I'd like to do less than talk to Obi-Wan about my feelings.

Yes?" I asked, almost a little too sharply, as we ambled slowly into the next room.

"Don't be feisty. If we're to work together, we need to be able to have a civil conversation," Obi-Wan hissed at me. "I only meant to discuss our mission."

I felt an angry blush rise into my cheeks. "What of it?"

"I've just finished discussing plans with the Council. Anakin and your sister will be on a shuttle in half an hour. We must see them off, but after that, we're free to begin our mission," Obi-Wan explained.

"Any ideas where to begin, Master Kenobi?" Kera asked, glancing meaningfully at me. "My old apprentice and I were just discussing on the way here possible directions to go from here, but neither of us could think of any."

There had been no such discussion, of course, but I wouldn't dare say that in front of Obi-Wan. Besides, that would just beg the question of what Kera and I were talking about, and that was the last thing I'd want to discuss with him.

I knew what Kera was doing. Trying to lead me onto the path of being a little more respectful to the man, especially after we continued to go head to head. But on top of that, she wanted to hear his thoughts.

To be honest, I did hope he had some. Because while Kera's remark that we'd discussed this matter on the way here hadn't been true, I did truthfully have no idea where to go from here.

"As a matter of fact," Obi-Wan replied in an equally respectable manner, "I do have an idea. And what I hope is a reliable one, at that."

"Is that so?" I queried, prompting him to go on.

Obi-Wan dipped his head toward me in acknowledgement, a little smile on his face, his blue eyes twinkling in amusement. "I have an old friend. A source. One I hope will help us discover the source of this dart." He pulled it out of his pocket again, examining it in the morning light. The rays of sun peeking through the window illuminated the foreign metal; it was a lot easier to see now in the light of day, but I was still just as confused as to where it had come from. I'd never seen a dart like that before.

"An old friend?" I queried, hoping he would elaborate, but at that moment, Anakin and Padmé emerged from Padmé's bedroom, carrying a couple of her suitcases and wearing their refugee disguises, ready to depart.

"Ready?" Kera asked. When the two of them nodded, she smiled. "Then let's get going."

The shuttle ride to Anakin and Padmé's platform was quick, but seemed much longer due to the tense silence that filled the cabin. Anakin sat next to Obi-Wan, fiddling with a stain on his white fabric poncho, and Padmé was seated surrounded by one of her handmaidens and Captain Typho, who were discussing matters in low voices. I sat near the back of the cabin with Kera for most of the ride, but as we neared the platform, Padmé and Anakin stood to get ready to leave, so I got up as well, ready to say my goodbyes.

It felt strange almost to say goodbye to Anakin and Padmé; Anakin because I'd only just been reunited with him, and Padmé because I hadn't been separated from her in over ten years. The two of them seemed just as reluctant to say goodbye, and put it off for as long as possible; while Anakin had a quick conversation with Obi-Wan about some ground rules for the mission, I noticed Padmé's quick emotional exchange with her handmaiden and Captain Typho.