Anakin's Fortress - Book II (temporary cover)

Twenty-five - Contretemps

In the face of difficult Jedi, remember their actions do not define your worth.
Year 12

——————

Kat
A week later

That's it, screw this. Obi-Wan has had me picking locks for hours now and I'm over it. My fingers hurt. My back hurts. I've picked every type of lock multiple times.

I throw my makeshift lock pick down and stretch. The suns are almost to their highest points and for a moment, I enjoy their rays on my skin. Owen keeps telling me to protect my skin—and I do...sometimes. If I age, I age. I doubt my life expectancy is very long anyway.

"I didn't tell you it's time to stop," Obi-Wan says over his shoulder when he hears my footsteps. Luke is doing drills with Kenobi's lightsaber...and I'm picking locks.

"That's alright. I'm done."

The old Jedi turns to look at me with a deep frown. "It should become second nature to you."

"It is." I'm not lying. The harder ones could take more practice, but I could do that anytime.

He narrows his eyes; I just stare without emotion.

"I'll be the judge of that."

I cock my head. "Weird, I didn't know you were a part of my brain. Could you search around for my sense of time? It's really quite terrible."

"Ha-ha," he says dryly, then shifts to Luke who has stopped to listen. "Keep going."

Luke nods and holds the blade up again.

"I'm gonna go get some grub," I mutter.

"Kat, go back to the locks."

"No thanks," I say with a shrug and work my way toward the house.

"I'll be right back; keep it up," he says to Luke and follows me.

"Kat."

I sigh and turn around, but keep walking backward. "Yes?"

"We'll have a break soon. If you don't want to work on the locks anymore today, fine. But there's more to do."

"Nah, I'm okay." I squeeze my left hand into a fist, the pain becoming familiar. "I'll take a break now."

"Well the quicker you learn, the quicker you can be back with your lover."

I come to a halt, my whole body stiffening. Is he serious right now? He's been a jerk all week, giving me small, menial tasks I could learn in my sleep. Now he's going to imply I'm ready to leave?

"I say this with the most respect possible, but fuck you, Obi-Wan."

His mouth drops open. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me. Fuck you and your Jedi Order. You think I'm lonely? That I can't go a few weeks without Anakin? I go without him all the time. Your biases are showing," I snap and turn to the house. "You want me to learn, Master Kenobi?" I call over my shoulder. "Let's learn."

"Uncle Owen," I call out to him, bent over trying to fix something. "May I borrow the speeder? I'll make sure it's filled up and taken care of."

"Sure, just take Kenobi with you."

"I plan on it," I say and shift toward my little sleeping area for my travel bag and canteen. Anakin shipped me a crate of some of my older components yesterday, and I stashed some in my bag in case I ever have to leave quickly. My money might be mostly worthless here, but these parts aren't. Most of them are ones I have newer generations of—I've been collecting them for Tatooine specifically. I throw on my light tan cloak and run outside.