by Джуд Уотсон
Kad turned at last. His pale blue eyes burned with fervor. "So you see no one here is held against their will. They can leave at any time at our next docking port. We are working on a renewable fuel that we can produce on the ship, but we haven't been able to perfect it. So we must still stop occasionally. We hope one day to be completely self-sufficient. We will not ever need to have contact with another world. Until then we must deal with the tiresome demands of the Senate. I consider it demeaning to the intelligence of all who live aboard this ship. Nevertheless, I will cooperate."
"You will allow us access throughout the ship?"
Kad nodded. "I will arrange a tour so you can get an overview. After that, you are free to wander on your own."
"We can speak to any of your followers?"
Kad frowned. "I do not use the word followers."
"These beings are here because of your philosophy?"
"A philosophy they have adopted as their own." Kad raised an eyebrow."And what about the Jedi? How different are we from you? Yet the Senate does not send envoys to investigate you, I notice."
"We are very different. We lead lives of contemplation but also engagement," Obi-Wan said in the even tone he adopted when he was irritated. "We do not isolate ourselves and abandon the galaxy."
"Yes, you still believe you can dogood," Kad said carelessly. "Everyone on this ship felt that way once."
Obi-Wan sensed that disengaging was a good philosophy to adopt at that moment. He knew it was fruitless to argue with Kad and knew that Kad's carelessness was studied. He was goading Obi-Wan. No doubt he knew that Obi-Wan's calm was also a mask.
"I am sorry you consider this process demeaning," Obi-Wan said carefully. "But I'm sure you must realize that there are family members throughout the galaxy who have to deal with the sudden disappearance of their loved ones. Communication has been infrequent."
"That is because no one understands our vision," Kad said impatiently. "Everyone here is an adult, capable of making their own decisions. Now, I suggest that you and your follower proceed to the bridge, where I have arranged for one of us to give you a tour of the ship. Take the turbolift to Level four and you will be met there."
The doors opened again. A frail old man walked slowly into the room. His scalp gleamed in the light, and his hooded eyes were dull. It took Obi-Wan several seconds to remember Vox Chun. He was startled at how much he had aged.
Vox Chun's dull gaze suddenly blazed into rage. It was obvious that his hatred of Obi-Wan had not diminished with the years.
"Father, the Jedi team is proceeding to the bridge for a tour," Kad said quickly. Obi-Wan saw that he wanted to forestall any outburst.
Obi-Wan nodded at Vox Chun, who did not return the greeting. He kept his burning gaze on Obi-Wan as he and Anakin crossed the room and walked out the doors.
The doors shut behind them. Anakin looked up at him.
"Why do they hate you?"
"Old history," Obi-Wan said. "Missions can leave grievances behind. I do not think it will affect the present."
Anakin nodded, but Obi-Wan could tell he was not satisfied; he believed that old grievances would affect this mission.
The trouble was, so did Obi-Wan. It was not the first time that Obi-Wan found it inconvenient to have such an astute Padawan.
Chapter 14
Anakin trudged alongside Obi-Wan, wondering about the title of Padawan Learner. That implied that he was supposed to learn, didn't it? How could he learn when he never had the full story?
Yoda was full of riddles. Mace Windu spoke in hints and allusions. Even his Master deflected most talk of the past, except for affectionate or respectful references to his old Master. Sometimes it seemed to Anakin that everyone at theTemplespoke a different language from the one he knew. It was at such times that he missed his mother's warm clarity. But remembering Shmi brought back an ache so deep it never went away.
"At least we'll get a tour of the ship," Obi-Wan remarked as they waited for the turbolift. "You'vebeen wanting to explore it."
"But we'll have a guide," Anakin said. "They probably won't show us the whole thing. Wouldn't you rather explore on your own?"
"Sometimes it is helpful to see what your opponent wishes you to see," Obi-Wan said, stepping into the turbolift. "It can indicate what he is trying to hide."
Anakin stood quietly as the levels ticked off. He was still out of sorts from first being ignored in the meeting between Obi-Wan and Uni, and then not being told the truth by Obi-Wan. He had felt the dark anger from both Vox and Uni, the man Obi-Wan called Kad. Those two held more than a simple grievance against his Master. Why didn't Obi-Wan trust him enough to tell him the truth? The turbolift doors opened and Anakin got another surprise. Obi-Wan broke into a broad smile at the sight of a slender woman standing waiting for them.
"Is it Andra?" he asked.
The woman looked just as surprised and pleased."Obi-Wan Kenobi!"
Obi-Wan and the woman stepped forward. Andra grasped Obi-Wan's hand. "I have never forgotten you."
"What a surprise to see you here," Obi-Wan said. "I imagined you would be ruler of Telos by now."
Andra's face darkened. "The Telos I fought for is gone. My life is here now."
"Yes, Kad told me how it deteriorated."
"We call him Uni now. Yes, we defeated Offworld, but other equally powerful concerns took over. I watched my beautiful planet deteriorate for the second time. I could do nothing. My rage and frustration turned to deep sorrow. It was as though I was in a dark place with no way out. Then I met Uni." Andra shook her head as if to dislodge dark memories. "Uni gave me a reason to live." She looked over at Anakin and smiled. "And who is this?"
"This is my Padawan, Anakin Skywalker."
Andra gave him a warm nod of greeting. Anakin liked her immediately. He felt a kind of warmth and acceptance from her that reminded him of Shmi.
"So you have your own Padawan now," she said, the smile still on her face as she glanced at Obi-Wan. "Qui-Gon must miss you."
Obi-Wan's bright gaze dimmed. "Andra, Qui-Gon is dead. Three years now."
Her smile vanished, and sorrow filled her eyes. "I did not know. I am so sorry. The galaxy is diminished without him."
"Yes," Obi-Wan said. "That is exactly how I feel. But what about Den? Still getting on your nerves?"
"I'm afraid so," Andra said ruefully. "I married him."
Obi-Wan laughed. Den and Andrawere an odd match, but Qui-Gon had seen how much deep love there was between them. "Is he aboard the BioCruiser as well?"
"Of course. He was resistant at first. But he came to see the truth of Uni's teachings." Andra paused. "You must be the Jedi come to inspect us. I am to give you the tour."
"I can ask for no better guide," Obi-Wan said.
Anakin hurried forward as Andra turned to walk down the corridor with them. "How do you two know each other?" he asked her. Better to ask Andra than Obi-Wan. He'd get a more complete story.
"Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon helped our world when it was dying," Andra explained. "A mining corporation called Offworld had secretly bought up our national park spaces and had begun to mine them. I was part of the underground then-"
"A one-woman underground," Obi-Wan said admiringly.
"True, I didn't have many followers at the time," Andra said ruefully. "Just a thief and gambler short on ethics and long on charm. He became my husband, Den. Despite the fact that we were outlaws, Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon trusted us. They exposed Offworld, and the people got control of our sacred spaces again. Or so we thought. In the end, we lost the battle."
Andra stopped in the middle of the circular bridge. "But I'll never forget what they did for us."
"And what you did for us," Obi-Wan pointed out. "You saved us from execution."
"Execution?" Anakin asked, staring at Obi-Wan, wide-eyed.
"Xanatos was a terrible enemy," Andra said softly.
"Xanatos?" Anakin asked.
"A story for another time," Obi-Wan said firmly.
Andra nodded, understanding that Obi-Wan wished to change the subject. She gestured at the busy workers surrounding them and the banks of controls. "As you can see, our bridge is more complicated than most starships'. The BioCruiser is made of different components, some of them originally designed to run differently from others'. Here is where everything is coordinated. Already our scientists have discovered a number of technological breakthroughs. The size and complexity of the ship is unprecedented."
"Do you have a defense system?" Obi-Wan asked.
Andra nodded."State of the art. We have a valuable treasury aboard. Each of us brought all our assets aboard when we joined. We use that money for research and development. Eventually, we want to be a fully self-sustaining ship, as though we were a floating planet."
"Most planets are not fully self-sustaining," Obi-Wan pointed out. "They depend on trade and the free exchange of information."
"When you open your doors to the galaxy, you invite corruption to overtake you," Andra said, shaking her head. "I have seen it happen on Telos. I have talkedto many aboard who have seen it happen on their own worlds. Criminal gangs grow more powerful every day in the galaxy. More and more, giant corporations gobble up natural resources. They just move on to the next planet ripe for exploitation. I believe that Uni is right. This," Andra concluded, spreading her arms to take in the ship, "is our greatest hope. Now, let us proceed. We have much to see."
Anakin had never seen such a fascinating ship. It was crowded with beings from all over the galaxy, and there seemed to be plenty to do. Most of the beings worked at least part of the day, either in the tech centers, scientific labs, or service industries. There were all kinds of restaurants and cafes, with food from many worlds. There were game rooms and libraries and music rooms. One whole area of the BioCruiser was devoted to theCollectionCenter, where plants, flowers, and animals from many worlds were kept. Anakin could not imagine ever being bored. He wasn't sure how he felt about Uni's philosophy, but he thought living aboard a ship would be outstanding.
The tour took several hours. Andra left them at their quarters.
"I hope you can tell the Senate that we wish no harm. All aboard are here of their free will," she said to Obi-Wan.
"I hope so as well," Obi-Wan answered politely.
Andra cocked her head. "Ah. I had forgotten how noncommittal the Jedi can be."
"We reserve our judgment until we can speak plainly," Obi-Wan said. "We enjoyed the tour, Andra. Thank you."
"I'll tell Den you're aboard. I'm sure he'd like to see you." With a last friendly wave, Andra headed off.
As soon as she was gone, Anakin turned to Obi-Wan. "Who is Xanatos?"
The question seemed to startle Obi-Wan. But Anakin had sensed something when Andra had mentioned the name. He had felt something from Obi-Wan, something he wanted to know more about.
"Not now," Obi-Wan said.
"Shortly?" Anakin asked, discouraged. "I keep hearing that word. Why won't you tell me now? Is there some reason I can't know?" Again, he felt frustrated. It was hard to penetrate Obi-Wan's reserve.
Obi-Wan studied him for a moment. "No," he said finally. "There is no reason you can't know. Xanatos was a former apprentice of Qui-Gon's. He turned to the dark side. He used the Force to build his own power. He was the head of the Offworld Mining Corporation and laid waste to whole worlds. Life meant nothing to him."
"Is he still alive?" Anakin asked.
"He died on Telos," Obi-Wan answered. "He preferred to take his own life rather than surrender to Qui-Gon." He studied Anakin for a moment. "Now let's clean up and go out for the evening meal."
Anakin went into his quarters. He felt a buzzing in his head, as if his thoughts were so numerous and confused that they could not register. He could not take in what Obi-Wan had told him. He could not imagine that such a thing could happen. How could a Jedi turn to the dark side? How could a Padawan betray his Master? If he hadn't heard the story from Obi-Wan, he would have refused to believe it.
At last Obi-Wan had shared something real with him. There were times, especially early on, when Anakin questioned Obi-Wan's motive in taking him on as Padawan. He knew Obi-Wan had done it because it was Qui-Gon's wish. Was he a burden to Obi-Wan? Just a promise made to a dying friend? More than anything, Anakin longed to have the kind of bond with Obi-Wan that his Master had had with Qui-Gon. There were times when that closeness seemed very far away.
Chapter 15
Alone in his cabin, Obi-Wan splashed cold water on his face. When he raised his head and gazed into the small mirror over the sink, he was almost surprised to see his mature face. He had been plunged back into his boyhood twice today. It left him feeling rocked and tentative, as though he was once again that thirteen-year-old boy.
Seeing Andra was a pleasure. It brought back a satisfying memory. The mission on Telos had been treacherous, but Obi-Wan remembered it as a time when he and Qui-Gon had begun to rebuild the bonds between them after he had left the Jedi and his Master for a short time. They had worked together in the old rhythm, and for the first time since Obi-Wan had left, Qui-Gon had truly welcomed him back. He had made Obi-Wan feel that their bond was strong and would grow even stronger. As it did.
But Kad… Uni, Obi-Wan corrected himself. That confrontation had been less pleasant. He still remembered the hate in Kad's eyes, the sound of the table splintering as the rod came down, the knowledge that this boy wanted to kill him. And how he had waited for the blow, defenseless, feeling that in some way if the blow fell he would at last be at peace with Bruck's death. He would have paid a debt.
He had never told Qui-Gon about that moment. It was not the way a Jedi should think, or feel. He should have felt peace with the outcome of his battle with Bruck. But, Obi-Wan thought, staring bleakly at his mature reflection, twelve years later he still had no peace.
He wrenched his mind back to the present. He had noted his Padawan's admiration of the workings of the BioCruiser. There was much to admire. But Obi-Wanwas disturbed by Uni's philosophy. To his mind, the BioCruiser held a gathering of disillusioned idealists. Uni's philosophy of withdrawal was based in anger and bitter disappointment. He did not like the change in Andra. He remembered her as a fierce defender of her planet. Had Uni caught her in such a low time in her life that he had tapped into her bitterness and sense of futility?
Obi-Wan had been on missions that had seemed hopeless at the start. He had seen criminals win, of course. He had seen civil war tear worlds apart. But he had also seen beings band together to fight for their planet and succeed against impossible odds. Uni's philosophy did not impress him. Uni was a cynic hiding behind a veil of idealism.
He was also disturbed by the idea that all who joined the BioCruiser donated their wealth to the treasury. Andra had said this offhandedly, but Obi-Wan had to wonder who controlled such vast sums and who had access to them. Kad? His father? He still did not trust Vox Chun. Despite his supposed rehabilitation, Obi-Wan did not forget his part in the plundering of Telos. He was surprised that Andra could. She seemed to have left her healthy skepticism back on her home planet.
Still deep in thought, Obi-Wan fetched Anakin and suggested the nearby cafe for the evening meal. He would like a chance to observe the inhabitants of the BioCruiser when they were relaxed and at ease.
Anakin was soon engrossed in his food, which was fresh and delicious. Food meant less to Obi-Wan as he grew older. He had come to realize what a good Master Qui-Gon had been, in small ways as well as large ones. Qui-Gon had treated him as a Jedi, but never forgot he was a growing boy. If he hadn't had Qui-Gon's example, Obi-Wan wondered if he'd be as sensitive to Anakin's needs as he tried to be.
Obi-Wan ate methodically. He glanced casually around the crowded room, but he was alert and attuned to every gesture. He watched carefully how the various diners interacted with one another.
Suddenly a tall man plopped down in a chair opposite him, a wide grin creasing his rugged face."So. What are the odds?"
Obi-Wan g
rinned back."Den!"
"It's good to see you again, my friend. If someone told me you'd end up on this rust-bucket, I never would have taken the bet." Den grinned amiably at Anakin. "Hey there, kid. I heard you like big ships."
