pronker

Part Thirty-Nine

Anakin thought of Kuki, Dormin, and the rest, Qikal limping into battle to lead them in guerilla warfare against droids, trying to hide behind naynabo trees that the droids would incinerate ... "Not long," he said solemnly.

"I have an idea, a new approach. The emotional appeal of the Ohma D'un atrocities vid was vitiated by the fact that they as a people are inured to seeing butchering, dismembering, disem--- "

"Please, Master, don't ... " Anakin twitched his tunic higher on his neck to hide the discoloration there.

"--- I'm sorry, I must continue, terrible things such as those mentioned. I am reluctant to say it, but their lack of interspecies contact may have led them to consider the Gungans as less sentient and therefore more difficult to relate to than humans or humanoids." And am I ever going to have a private debriefing with Mace about suggesting that tactic with a provincial populace like Trow's.

"Racism."

Obi-Wan rubbed his sunburn. It was tolerable today. "Isolationism."

"We've seen it before, Master, even on Naboo. It was under the surface, but it was there. Queen Amidala broke through old prejudices when she knelt in the forest that day to ask for the Gungans' aid." My wonderful Padmé. When I see you again, will you hate me?

"Before the page comes for us, Padawan, you need to know that I shall mention the army but briefly and move on to my main point: Count Dooku."

Anakin snugged his glove, fingering its clasps. "So you've decided to sell personalities to Strenghis. I came to the same conclusion today, but it's the Supreme Chancellor's character which should be emphasized. His integrity and personal sacrifices for the Republic are positive. Dooku's abandonment of Jedi principles and alignment with that Grievous thing are negative. I'm surprised at you, Master."

Obi-Wan pursued his logic. "Anakin, Dooku's betrayal of our Order's training will resonate with a leader who yearns to train his own conscripted forces. As Trow's President is one leader expected to kowtow to another, Dooku will not appeal to Strenghis. And while I, I, respect our Supreme Chancellor's integrity" --- but not so much since Geonosis --- "what exactly has he sacrificed?" Anakin's closeness to Palpatine grated on Obi-Wan at times, although he tolerated it. Anakin always seemed more self-confident when he returned from their meetings. Obi-Wan shared Anakin's mentoring with Master Yoda, Master Drallig, and Anakin's other teachers. He only had to stretch a little to include a commoner, no, a non-Force sensitive, he corrected himself, like Palpatine.

"He lives simply, he has no family, he exists and breathes for the Republic, Master. And he is a good friend, a, a, good example of loyalty." I am the closest thing he has to a family. They had discussed Palpatine before; it had never gotten rancorous. Anakin didn't want to have to balance one relationship against the other.

You are a good example of loyalty, young one. But I will prevail here. I must. I refuse to allow our new status to change our standards. "I'm sorry, Anakin. I will negotiate as explained. The Republic needs that base and Trow needs protection. You're still learning, my dar--Padawan; it's all right, no one expects you to put a thirty-six year-old head on twenty year-old shoulders."

"Yes, Master." It was the tone that belied the words. Obi-Wan heard low voices from within the chamber. Surely Strenghis was not malicious, but that didn't amount to much in the galaxy's scheme of things. Innocent intentions could get this planet blown apart as much as if a planet-destroying blaster has blown it into oblivion, if such a weapon were possible. A new beginning to this mission, that's what he and Anakin needed. All the aberrent events placed into context, into safe history where they could be examined when mellow evenings allowed time for reflection, safe at home in Temple's hush. Safe at home. Obi-Wan didn't feel reflective when he and Anakin crowded together in a snap-up regulation tent.

Time to get this show on the road. "Padawan, before we must go in, there's time to say the Respect-for-Master's-Authority." And then things will approach normal. The way that they should be.

"No, Master, I will not."

"What?" Now? He pulled this now? The crux of their mission was now. The Billaqori's impression of the justice of the Republic's cause superseded any power struggle between Padawan and Master, between adult and --- near-adult. "We'll discuss this later. After you've said the Respect-for-Master's-Authority, long version, short version, I don't care." The Respect-for-Master's-Authority, like its release, had been crafted for both formal and urgent situations. Since they were in no dire circumstances, Obi-Wan wouldn't have minded hearing Anakin verbalize the longer, formal one. It would have soothed his ruminations on their future more.

"No, Master. For your greater good, I refuse." Serenely.

"My greater good doesn't apply here, but if you want to put it in those terms, my greater good would be best served by completing this mission successfully. Say it, Padawan, now."

Anakin pleaded, his dignity undiminished. "Master, hear me out." He didn't say 'please.' "After last night, I had an epiphany."

Kriff. He's had another epiphany. "Anakin, I don't want to hear it until we are back at Temple, inside our own quarters, which you will be seeing a great deal more of in the near future, I assure you. If you choose not to comply, given all that we've gone through to reach this point, I will refrain from disciplining you until after the Council's debriefing. I recognize that this mission, especially the detour that neither of us wanted --- "

--- but I dreamed of wanting it, Master, or something like it ---

" --- has been trying for us. For both of us. We'll need to see the soul Healers, we'll need to --- "

"I don't want to see the soul Healers."

"Not even for the Tusken incident?" I like the new direction in our relationship, but we have some issues to iron out.

Anakin faltered. "Yes. I do. For that, of course I do." He firmed his jaw. "But not for the detour. And not for last night, and all the other nights that we will share. And not for refusing your authority now, because I know better than you. The Force sent a dream to show me that we are together as equals, or something will happen ... s-s-something ... We're meant to be together. All the time." Padmé could cope, he had confidence in her. She knew all about compromising. It was in her job description.

The door opened.

The river simmered.

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