The Jedi And The Warrior

Farewell At Last

Flyra stood upon the landing platform from which the Queen and her escort were about to depart, and she was shivering. It was not cold, nor was it windy, but she found herself shivering anyway, as she watched pilots darting around the ship, readying the cargo. A dangerous mission, but one she admired Queen Amidala for undertaking.

A good queen. A fearless leader. Naboo was lucky to have her.

And Padmê was lucky to have Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan to guard her. Flyra had a feeling there would be more than simply the Trade Federation waiting for them on that peaceful planet.

A tug on her arm, and she looked down. A boy stood at her elbow, dressed in Jedi robes though looking unaccustomed to them. He had to be no more than ten, and he peered up at her shyly.

"Are you the one?" he asked, and she frowned.

"What do you mean, little one?" she replied, folding her arms across her chest.

"Are you the one he looks for, when he's by himself? Obi-Wan?"

She stiffened, unable to help her glance towards the ship where she knew he directed the pilots. When she looked back at the boy, she noticed the newly-washed pinkness of his skin, how his clothes had been newly tailored, his hair newly cut.

"And who might you be?" she asked, avoiding his question.

The boy lifted his chin. "Anakin Skywalker," he said. "Master Qui-Gon says I'm to be a Jedi."

She went still. That name. The letter had warned her of it, and she had barely registered when Obi-Wan mentioned it because she had been so wrapped up in seeing him again, and then so wrapped up in what he had said to her. The final straw, his words, the last push that made her decision. The end of a portion of her life.

You know what I have to do.

She wished she could have told the sixteen-year-old Obi-Wan who had carried her through the snow what he would one day be. He would not have believed her.

She forced herself to smile at the boy at her elbow. "Nice to meet you, Anakin Skywalker," she said, extending a hand. His small, warm palm slipped into hers. She shook it. "I'm sure you will make a valuable asset to the Temple."

He smiled his thanks, and she almost asked him what he meant, about Obi-Wan. Are you the one he looks for when he's by himself?

But from the mouth of the ship, out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Qui-Gon stride out onto the landing platform, followed closely by Obi-Wan. She made to approach him, but they were deep in conversation.

"It is a disrespect to my own judgement, and a disrespect to Anakin, Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon was saying, "and borne only of the Jedi's own arrogance."

She glanced around for Anakin, but he was gone from her side, and she spotted him running over to badger a group of pilots off to the left. Obi-Wan trailed close to his master as Qui-Gon made his way to the last pile of boxes to be loaded onto the ship.

"It's not disrespect, master, it's the truth!" Obi-Wan argued.

"From your point of view," Qui-Gon returned calmly.

"The boy is dangerous," Obi-Wan retorted as they neared the boxes. "They all sense it, why can't you?"

Qui-Gon spun on his heel to face his Padawan. "His fate is uncertain," he said, his voice carrying an edge to it. "He's not dangerous. The Council will decide Anakin's future — that should be enough for you. Now get on board."

She had never heard Obi-Wan speak to his master in that way — nor had she ever heard Qui-Gon rebuke him. But Obi-Wan did as he was told, turning away from Qui-Gon and heading for the ship. He was halfway across the platform, robes sweeping behind him, when she stepped forward.