Part 3 (1/2)
Tragically, during Ki-Adi-Mundi's mission, Sharad Hett wasSharad Hett's last request was for Ki-Adi-Mundi to take fifteen-year-old A'Sharad back to the Jedi Te
Obi-Wan said, ”Your father was a great Jedi, A'Sharad Hett Your loss is our loss”
A'Sharad Hett bowed his head in return Through his breath mask, his reply came out as a low rasp ”Thank you, Master Kenobi”
”He talks!” Anakin said Obi-Wan glared reproach-fully at Anakin, who quickly added, ”Sorry It's just that, well, he hadn't said a word up till now”
”I doubt you let hi of reht now, not bothering A'Sharad Hett”
”The boy does not bother me, ” A'Sharad rasped in a flat, lifeless tone ”He is from Tatooine To hear him speak of our ho”
Obi-Wan smiled at this ”As you were, then,” he said ”But just for ten more minutes”
As Obi-Wan left the balcony, he heard Anakin resu ”So, did you ever watch the Podraces? Believe it or not, I won the Boonta Eve Classic ! I think so that wasn't you, right? Hey, did you ever see a krayt dragon? ”
More than fifteen minutes passed before Anakin finally returned to his quarters, where he found Obi-Wan seated in a chair, waiting for him
”Sorry I'm late, Master,” Anakin said as his door slid shut behind him ”You know A'Sharad Hett's teacher, Ki-Adi-Mundi? Well, he ca on a mission to Malastare ! But the reason I'm late is that when Ki-Adi-Mundi found out that I know all about the Podraces on Malastare, he wound up asking me a whole lot of questions about the Phoebos Run That's the biggest race they have on Malastare, and”
Obi-Wan re for Anakin to finish
”Andanyway,” Anakin finished, ”I just wanted to help”
”I'm sure Ki-Adi-Mundi appreciated that,” Obi-Wan said ”I also hope you have found a new friend in A'Sharad Hett He seeain”
Obi-Wan was about to repri his e, a certain sadness about in his eyes Anakin said, ”I was just thinking about A'Sharad Hett, wearing thatable to touch things with his fingers or feel air against his face Why would anyone do that?”
”You know more about Tuskens than I,” Obi-Wan said, ”but I believe it's simply their tradition”
”But he's a Jedi now”
Obi-Wan shrugged slightly and said, ”Then I suppose it's his choice”
”Well, I know I could never live like that”
”No one's asking you to, ” Obi-Wan said with a grin ”However,” he continued,you to keep up with youras it is reed?”
There was a moment of aard silence, and then Anakin replied, ”Yes, Master”
Obi-Wan wasn't sure, but he thought he detected a hint of resentment in Anakin's voice He hadn't considered that Anakin, because of his experience on Tatooine, hed, then said, ”Please don't think it gives ine what it was like for you to grow up as a slave, and I”
”Do you ever ht Obi-Wan off guard, but he recovered fast to answer, ”No No, I don'tI never knew her, not really I was still an infant when I arrived here, at the Temple”
”Then maybe we can make a deal,” Anakin said, and Obi-Wan could tell that the boy was trying to keep his voice fro ”You won't feel sorry for me because I was once a slave, and I won't feel sorry for you because you don't ain, Obi-Wan was not quite sure how to respond, but he decided it was not the ti personal attachments and actions Instead, he rose from his seat and said, ”You have reminded me, Padawan, that we have much to learn from each other For now, please trust that I do not feel sorry for you about your past, or for anything else”
”Then it's a deal,” Anakin said, extending his hand to Obi-Wan
Obi-Wan still questioned the logic of Anakin's deal, but smiled as he shook the boy's hand anyway ”The hour is late,” Obi-Wan said ”Perhaps to stories”
Io to Malastare too!”
”Patience, Padawan,” Obi-Wan said ”Patience”
CHAPTER FOUR
Reflecting on his apprenticeshi+p with Qui-Gon Jinn, Obi-Wan Kenobi knew that he had not always been the most obedient student In fact, he had even been occasionally foolhardy Now, ten years after Obi-Wan had begun training Anakin Skywalker, he appreciated Qui-Gon as a teacher even arding the Jedi Code, he also had been patient and generous, two attributes that Obi-Wan found hi
So He had recently turned twenty, and despite Obi-Wan's training, Anakin still let his eet the better of him The faintest praise could htest criticism would make him petulant and resentful Obi-Wan was evennight on Tatooine
More than once, Obi-Wanas an infant
It didn't help that every Jedi at the Temple are of Qui-Gon's assertion that Anakin was the Chosen One of prophecy This made Anakin the focus of more scrutiny than any other Padawan in recent history Although Anakin never claimed to be the Chosen One, it helped even less that he appeared to enjoy the attention he received because of his association with the prophecy Ever since the Battle of Naboo, even Supre interest in the boy
Initially, Obi-Wan considered training Anakin as his debt to Qui-Gon However, over the course of tiard Anakin as so more than his own personal responsibility Anakin - impossible as he could be - had become Obi-Wan's friend
After a mission to Ansion, Obi-Wan and Anakin had just returned to Coruscant when the Jedi Council instructed the There, they were scheduled to meet with a Galactic Senator who had recently survived an assassination attenuards to protect the Senator
As a lift carried the two Jedi to the skyscraper's uppermost floors, Obi-Wan noticed that his tall apprentice was nervously fidgeting Obi-Wan said, ”You seee”
”Not at all,” Anakin said as he s Jedi robes
Unconvinced, Obi-Wan said, ”I haven't felt you this tense since we fell into that nest of gundarks”
Anakin scoffed, ”You fell into that nightmare, Master, and I rescued you, remember?”
”Ohyes,” Obi-Wan replied, and then he chuckled at the hed too, but Obi-Wan sensed that his apprentice's anxiety was increasing as they ascended the skyscraper ”You're sweating,” Obi-Wan observed ”Relax Take a deep breath”
”I haven't seen her in ten years, Master”
Obi-Wan grinned and shook his head The Galactic Senator whom they had been instructed to protect was Padm e Amidala, the former Queen of Naboo Amidala had been in her teens when she had been elected Queen, and was only a few years older than Anakin Obi-Wan are that Anakin hadof a crush on A so so jureeted by their old friend Jar Jar Binks, a lanky Gungan they had met just before the Battle of Naboo Because Obi-Wan noore a beard and Anakin had grown considerably taller, Jar Jar did not recognize the Jedi at first, but then he locked onto Obi-Wan's eyes and said, ”Obi? Obi ! Mesa so sain, Jar Jar”
Jar Jar turned and called out, ”Senator Padme ! Mesa palos here ! Lookie, lookie, Senator Desa Jedi arriven”