ℝ𝔼ℂ𝕂𝕃𝔼𝕊𝕊 ➵ o. kenobi {my only hope; book 2}

【 FIFTEEN 】

     ʟᴀᴍᴀ ꜱᴜ'ꜱ ᴀꜱꜱɪꜱᴛᴀɴᴛ, ᴡʜᴏ ꜰɪɴᴀʟʟʏ ɪɴᴛʀᴏᴅᴜᴄᴇᴅ ʜᴇʀꜱᴇʟꜰ ᴀꜱ ᴛᴀᴜɴ ᴡᴇ, ᴄᴀᴍᴇ ᴛᴏ ɢᴇᴛ ᴜꜱ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ꜰɪꜰᴛᴇᴇɴ ᴍɪɴᴜᴛᴇꜱ ʟᴀᴛᴇʀ. I was grateful that she didn't ask any questions about Obi-Wan and I were on the floor when she arrived, or even why my eyes were bloodshot. I didn't feel much up to having to invent another cover story for these Kaminoans. She seemed confused, but simply asked if we were okay, then led us back across the glass catwalk toward the outer section of the building we'd arrived in.

I hadn't told Obi-Wan the whole story. How could I? If what I had seen and felt was true, then Anakin had just taken a major step toward the dark side--an occurrence Obi-Wan had been fretting and losing sleep over for the past couple of days. Telling him that he was right would ruin him... and I couldn't do that to him. I'd simply opted to tell him a very vague version of the story--that Anakin was in a lot of pain right now. That his mother had just died, and that he would need lots of support from us.

I tried to keep my mind off of the boy as Taun We led us down a series of hallways. I took note of each turn we made, how far we walked down each corridor, but this place was like a labyrinth. I didn't think I would be able to navigate my way out of here if I tried. Especially with the state my mind was in. I was in shambles after what I'd witnessed. Anakin... murdering people? It seemed impossible. Was the sweet, innocent boy I'd known ten years ago really that far gone? I had to convince myself that it was just a fluke--that there was no way Anakin had done that on purpose. He'd just been in a lot of pain, like I had with Padmé's attack and Qui-Gon's death, only no one had been there to keep him on the side of the light. Of course, pain didn't excuse what he'd done, but at least there'd been a reason... or so I hoped...

"Here we are," Taun We said suddenly as she came to a stop in front of a simplistic black and white door, interrupting my thoughts. She pressed a button next to the door, which emitted a faint buzzing sound, like a doorbell. From behind the door I could sense two life forms, one of which was older and bigger than the other.

"Jango Fett and the clone she mentioned," I whispered to Obi-Wan under my breath, who nodded in agreement.

The door hissed open, revealing a young boy identical to the ones we'd seen in that arena, training on the computers. He glanced from the Kaminoan to Obi-Wan and I, confusion flickering in his brown eyes. "Boba," Taun We said kindly, "is your father here?"

The young boy nodded curtly. "Yep."

Taun We blinked courteously. "May we see him?"

"Sure." Boba looked Obi-Wan and I up and down before turning around, calling out to the other person in the room. "Dad, Taun We's here."

I quickly read the young boy's emotions, and was instantly hit with a feeling of immense distrust, with a twinge of curiosity. He knew something was up. We'd have to make this trip quick.

Obi-Wan seemed to agree. He squeezed through the door frame right away, following the boy into the room. I was right behind him, crossing my arms under my cloak, and taking up the rear was Taun We, gliding behind us respectfully as usual. As I walked through the narrow hallway, I noted my surroundings, in case we needed to make a quick escape, then regarded the man in front of me as we emerged into the main part of the small living quarters. He was walking from the back of the complex, tugging at his sleeves as if he'd just gotten done changing. Obi-Wan and I bowed toward him simultaneously as Taun We smiled at him. "Welcome back, Jango," she greeted. "Was your trip productive?"

Jango nodded toward Taun We, but barely glanced at her as he approached Obi-Wan and I. "Fairly," he replied. He waited expectantly in front of the two of us, waiting to be introduced.