Mandatory Disclaimer: Unless your brain is on permanent leave, you'll understand that I'm not Mr. George Lucas, and, therefore, I do not own anything pertaining to the Star Wars Universe. However, I do own copies of all the movies, which is almost as awesome. (Some ideas were also borrowed from R.A. Salvatore's novel version of Attack of the Clones.)

Author's Note: Technically, this is a sequel to my The Final Mission, which is a re-telling of Episode I from Obi-Wan's perspective, but I do feel this can stand alone, so you don't have to read that before you read this one. Thanks are due to

Constructive criticism is as welcome as a spring day in January, so feel free to provide it. Flames are unnecessary and counterproductive, since I will listen to you much better if you treat me respectfully, but I find it challenging to take you seriously when all you do is insult me, which is a juvenile approach to life.

By the way, Jedi Knight Luminara Unduli and her Padawan Barris Offee are present on the return trip from Ansion because they are there in The Approaching Storm by Alan Dean Foster, and, therefore, I decided to include them. Next chapter will really being the mission, in case you were wondering. This is more like a setting of the scene…

Reviews: Reviewers will be the honored recipients of homemade pumpkin pie with vanilla ice cream.

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Assassination Attempts and Assignments

We had been traveling through hyperspace at the speed of light for approximately one hour on our return journey to Coruscant from Ansion when I walked by the main console in the cockpit on my way back from the refresher. As I passed the console, my eyes flicked over it out of habit, ascertaining that we were still on course and everything was running smoothly or as smoothly as things could go while flying.

When I noted that the coordinates for re-entrance to real space were too close to (0,0), or Coruscant's location in galactic cartography, I scowled. Someone had switched the coordinates for exiting hyperspace, and I had a shrewd notion as to who exactly had done so…Still, it wouldn't do well to accuse my Padawan of wrongdoing when I hadn't ensured that he was actually guilty.

After all, Luminara might have received an emergency summons from the Council, and, therefore, she might have determined that it would be prudent to chop off two hours from the journey so that she could reach the Temple sooner and depart on a crucial mission. It was also possible, although not probable, that her by-the-book Padawan, Barriss Offee, had decided to break the rules for once and change the coordinates of our hyperspace exit. Or the nav computer could have contracted a virus of some sort because pieces of technology that we relied on were always betraying us at the most important moments when we least expected it.

With this in mind, I whirled around to face my fellow Jedi Knight, Luminara Unduli, who was reading a holobook in the co-pilot's chair, and inquired, "I'm sorry to interrupt you, but you didn't happen to reset the hyperspace exit coordinates, did you?"

"No." Luminara's keen cerulean eyes shifted from the holobook to focus on mine. "Of course I didn't. The nav computer mapped out that course and there's no reason that I'm aware of to deviate from it."

"I agree, and I didn't imagine that you had done so," I answered before turning to regard Barriss, who was well on her way to becoming a talented healer and who was typing up a report on Anisonian physiology on the cockpit's datapad. "Barriss, you didn't alter the coordinates either, did you?"

My tone was non-accusatory, because it was easier to be so with someone who wasn't your own apprentice and because I was about as confident that she hadn't changed the coordinates as I was that Coruscant was the capital of the Galactic Republic. Unlike my rebellious apprentice, Barriss abided by the regulations that were supposed to govern a Jedi's life, which meant that she, like a proper Padawan, would not have altered the coordinates without her Master's consent.

For a moment, I wished that she had been my Padawan, and Anakin had been Luminara's. Maybe I could persuade Luminara to trade apprentices with me, even if it was only for a mission or two…I shook my head to wipe it of such an absurd notion, as Barriss replied, "No, Master Kenobi. I've been working here the whole time."

With me, she didn't need any other alibi, because she wasn't a true suspect at the time. In fact, she never had been a real suspect, and now I knew the culprit. Since there were only four beings on the cruiser and, as neither Luminara, Barriss, nor I had switched the coordinates, that meant that Anakin must have done so. Well, that was no surprise. Much to my aggravation, my headstrong apprentice made a habit of circumventing me like that.

Murmuring my understanding of Barriss' remark, I left the cockpit and strode down the narrow corridor to the sleeping quarters, which was the only other room besides the cockpit in the entire vessel. When we had first boarded the transport for our voyage to Ansion, Anakin had asserted that the Jedi Council had obviously decided to be cheap when they purchased this conveyance, which was why we all had to be cramped into this tiny cruiser. When he had established as much, I had informed him that he should point his finger at Chancellor Palpatine and his tax cuts that had reduced funding for the Jedi. This assessment was greeted with a glower on Anakin's part. Most of my statements recently had been met with a similar expression from my mercurial Padawan.

Bracing myself for what would doubtlessly be another deep and pleasant conversation with Anakin, I opened the door to the sleeping quarters. As I entered, I saw that the young man appeared to be meditating, and I hesitated. Yes, Anakin and I needed to discuss his actions, but it was an occurrence as rare as stumbling across an honest politician to find my high-strung Padawan meditating. The only thing he disliked more about Jedi training than meditating were patience drills, history lessons, lectures on politics, and lectures in general. I was about to depart and confront him later when I detected his eyes twitch. Shaking my head, I took a step forward, and Anakin dropped his charade and opened his eyes as I approached the sleep coach he was sitting, cross-legged, upon.

"You found out about my re-setting the coordinates," Anakin stated as I sat down beside him. He had never been one to hold his sabaac cards near his chest, although in this case it was a boon as it saved me the effort of striving to concoct a non-accusatory manner in which to inquire if he happened to know anything about the alteration in the coordinates.

"Right in one," I observed dryly. "Would that you would show an equal amount of perceptivity in all your endeavors, and both of our lives would be immeasurably less stressful."

Anakin didn't respond, but that was not an aberration. After all, he rarely answered my sarcasm. Perhaps it went over his head or he just didn't share my sparkling wit. Adopting a more serious voice, I continued, "You shouldn't have input those new coordinates without my permission."

"I just lengthened our time in hyperspace a little, Master," protested Anakin, as if he were convinced that was what I objected to, even though we had covered this issue at least one thousand times in the course of his apprenticeship. "We'll come out closer to Coruscant."

"Yes, I am aware of that fact because I can read a holomap, thank you." I emitted a resigned sigh since there was nothing I could do about Anakin's behavior now, of course, for a hyperspace leap couldn't be reset once the jump to lightspeed had been made. Anakin was aware of this fact, and he had chosen to utilize that piece of datum to his advantage to circumvent me so that we could reach Coruscant a few hours earlier. "We cannot exit hyerspace too close to Coruscanti approach lanes―"

"I know." It was as plain as the nose on his face that Anakin was barely managing to refrain from rolling his eyes in exasperation. "We've discussed this how many times before, Master?"

"A conservative estimate would be around one thousand, and that was apparently one fewer times than we needed to," I educated him severely. There were times where I wanted to grab his shoulders and shake sense into him. Honestly, explaining something to my apprentice could be as frustrating and as seemingly futile an endeavor as trying to empty an ocean with a cup with a hole in its bottom. It wasn't that Anakin was stupid. In fact, he was quite bright in an intuitive manner that reminded me of Qui-Gon when he wanted to be. That's what made dealing with him so vexing. If he had been given a wood carving when everyone else had been handed a brain, I could have sympathized with him, but since he was clever, I realized that the only reason he didn't learn the lessons I tried to hammer into his unwilling head was because he didn't wish to.

"Do we need to have this lecture again?" Anakin demanded dully.

"Yes, we do, because you clearly haven't learned anything, my young Padawan," I replied perhaps a tad more sharply than I had intended. Really, though, did he think I enjoyed scolding him? It was a pleasant experience for neither of us, but he forced me to chide him when he repeatedly disregarded my lessons. If he would just follow my directives, life would be so much less complicated for the both of us. "We cannot exit hyperspace too close to the approach lanes. There's too much congestion for a safe flight, and, besides, it's against the law."

"Jedi are allowed to break the law," he pointed out, sticking out his chin stubbornly.

"We're permitted to break laws when the general good of others requires that we do so," I countered, as we rehashed another lesson that we had covered several times before. "However, that is not the case in this matter. The reason you plugged those coordinates into the nav computer was because you were anxious to return home quicker. That is a selfish motivation. In such an instance, you should adhere to the traffic regulations just like everyone else. Acting on selfish desires is the path to the Dark Side. Jedi control themselves and their desires. We've gone over this as well, Padawan."

"Yes, Master." Anakin conceded the point and lowered his eyes obediently. Now he was the perfect image of a pliant Padawan.

"Don't do it again," I added.

"Yes, Master." Anakin nodded again, and I saw that he would not disobey this direct command.

When he seemed so contrite, it was impossible for me to remain stern or cross with him for very long, and, after maintaining my glare for a moment, I relented. In a milder manner, I asked, "There isn't another reason why you wish to return to Coruscant so quickly, is there? You've been sleeping even worse than usual lately― there isn't a link between that and your wanting to reach Coruscant so soon, is there?"

"No." Anakin shook his head in negation. Feigning casualness a bit too obviously, he wanted to know, "Master, have you read the newsdisk today?"

"I have," I answered. That accounted for my good humor, because who didn't desire to awaken to headlines blaring about all the systems that were planning on withdrawing from the Republic and swelling the ranks of those who had already reneged on their allegiance to the Republic? Even though Anakin, Luminara, Barriss, and I had successfully resolved the dispute between the Balawari nomads and the city folk on Ansion, thereby convincing the Anisonians to remain loyal to the Republic despite the Seperatist attempts to lure Anison into their number by promising the city folk that they would turn a blind eye to how the settlers on Anison abused the native Balawari clans, I still felt that our victory was but a temporary one. Granted, Anison had remained in the Republic, guaranteeing that the numerous systems bound by treaties to the planet and those tied to those worlds by pacts would not withdraw from the Republic. Yet, I recognized that the adversary we faced would just sprout three more heads for every one we severed, and that more systems would continue to challenge the Republic. It might even come to galactic civil war for the first time in millennia, especially if this Military Creation Act was passed before the Senate. I was astonished that Anakin had read the news at all, though, because current political issues induced in him a tremendous lethargy. "Why do you ask?"

"There was an assassination attempt on Senator Amidala of Naboo's life," mumbled Anakin, his cheeks flaming as he mentioned this beautiful and passionate woman. His florid cheeks attested to the fact that his boyhood adoration and devotion to Padme Amidala had not been crippled by a decade of separation. Well, he would have to outgrow his infatuation with her sometime. After all, Jedi could not afford romantic attachments. Of course, he was lucky that he was attracted to a senator that he would probably never have to associate with again, because that made overcoming his crush all the easier. For now, I would look the other way and permit him to conquer his heart without my interference. My involvement would only humiliate him unnecessarily. However, this did explain his sudden compulsion to return to Coruscant. Naturally, he would want to investigate what exactly had occurred if he could…

"I read that, yes," I commented, acting as though we were conversing about any political figure. "She has been one of the most influential voices of opposition to the Military Creation Act in the Senate. Therefore, the fact that those who favor its passage would wish to have her done away with is hardly shocking. Remember that those who inhabit the Senatorial District are often as vicious in getting their way as those who live in the Blackpit Slums. Oftentimes, the only distinction between them is that those in the Senatorial District are more likely to hire someone else to do their dirty business for them." After all, it would be a shame to get blood on any part of their five million credit attire.

"You speak of her as if she's just any other politician!" Anakin gawked at me.

"How would you like me to speak of her?" I arched an eyebrow at him.

"You protected her before, Master," he stuttered. "Don't you have any attachment to her at all?"

"Attachment isn't the Jedi way, and, besides, I've protected countless monarchs over the years."

"She's not like the others, though," insisted Anakin, and I confessed mentally that she did seem to possess some semblance of integrity and she did seem to have the courage to follow her convictions until the bitter end. Still, she was a politician, and that was an occupation that I regarded as being equivalent to being a well-dressed and wealthy bandit.

"She is a politician and you must always keep that in mind," I stated, and Anakin nodded reluctantly, but, even as he did so I sensed that he would do no such thing. Ultimately, he learned by the experience of doing, not by listening, and more was the pity. Yet, he would overcome his attraction to her once he had emerged from his lustful adolescent years, and then he would be able to see her objectively, I told myself. I just had to grant him the benefit of time to come to terms with his feelings.

Ten hours later, we emerged from hyperspace. Since we were a Jedi ship, the Coruscanti police in charge of monitoring the space lanes that entered the capital world did not challenge us when we left hyperspace closer to the planet than we should have. As we were Jedi, we were also granted clearance to land much faster than the average civilian, which meant that we were able to land at the Temple docking bay only an hour and a half after we dropped into real space from hyperspace. By Coruscant traffic standards, that was excellent time.

Our legs leaden after an extensive voyage, my apprentice and I parted with Luminara and Barriss and headed back to our quarters. After dropping our bags off in our rooms, where we could unpack them later, Anakin and I trudged down to the dining hall for dinner. When we arrived, Anakin's mood was not lifted when he discovered that the entrée was nexu fish, which was a Mon Calamari dish.

"It's still moving," he complained, spearing at the seafood with an expression of tentative distaste inscribed upon his every feature.

"That means it's fresh," I told him, putting a forkful of nexu fish into my mouth and savoring the tang of the blend of sweet and sharp. Whoever had marinated it had done a spectacular job.

"I thought rations and protein bars were hard to swallow," grumbled Anakin. With a revolted look, he shoved a small amount of nexu fish down his throat, not bothering to chew first, and washed it down with a gulp of muja juice. A hopeful glint shone in his eyes abruptly. "Hey, maybe I can get the attention of a rectory droid, and it can bring me something else."

"The only other meal in this place is Master Yoda's special order stew, and even organisms that would follow him to the gates of death would rather not share a meal with him, since his food tends to cause nausea," I responded. In fact, the sight or smell, even from a distance, had been enough to cause more than one Jedi to vomit in the middle of the dining hall.

"I wish they would let me have special orders," Anakin griped, eating his meal grudgingly.

"If you get to be as good as Master Yoda, they'll cater for you, too."

"I can hardly wait." As he established as much, my Padawan gave up the prospect of consuming anymore of his food and shoved his platter away from him with more vehemence than the task required, strictly speaking.

"Don't talk so loud," I warned him. "The chef might overhear."

"And he'll do what, Master?" pressed Anakin. "Force-feed me more of this gunk?"

I was about to remind him that one ought to behave righteously because it was the moral path, not out of a fear of punishment, when my comlink buzzed. When I checked the incoming frequency, I discovered that it was from Mace Windu.

"Yes, Master Windu." I spoke into the comlink with just enough volume to be heard over the babble filling the dining hall.

"Obi-Wan, the presence of you and your Padawan is requested in the Council room immediately," Master Windu informed me briskly as soon as I answered. "We have a new assignment for you both."

"We'll be there in just a couple of minutes, Master," I promised him, and, satisfied, Mace Windu cut the communication. As I stowed my comlink back in my belt kit, I glanced up at the youth seated across from me at the table. "We've been summoned to meet with the Council now. They have a new mission for us."

"A new assignment already?" echoed Anakin, his eyes gleaming with exuberance. "Wonderful. We haven't even been debriefed about the Anison one yet. It must be really important."

"All assignments are crucial even if they may seem boring, Anakin," I remarked as we both rose, exited the dining hall, and hurried down the hallway to the nearest bank of turbolifts that would carry us up to the tower that housed the Council chamber. "The current Seperatist threat only makes this truer, and we can trust Luminara and Barriss to handle the debriefing just fine without us."

"Sometimes you sound like a protocol droid, Master," mumbled Anakin as we stepped into the turbolift and he pushed in the button for the top floor, shooting me a glance that pleaded with me not to be such a stick in the swamp.

He has a horrible tendency of making me feel as old as the universe, I noted as I reflected upon all the worlds I had seen mentioned in the headlines recently, trying to surmise which one my apprentice and I would be dispatched to. I recognized that I would learn the answer to this in a couple of minutes, but contemplating such matters helped to focus my mind before a mission, and so I did it anyway. At any rate, it was something amusing to do while riding a turbolift, and such entertainment devices should not go underappreciated.