Thicker Than Blood

Chapter 9

"I knew Ahsoka was involved in this."

I stared at Obi-Wan, feeling the blood pounding in my head, clenching my hand into a tight fist. He knew. He knew, he knew, he knew. How did he know? Why didn't he tell me?

He looked down, sensing my baffled frustration mixed with pained betrayal. "I'm sorry, Anakin," he said quietly. "I wanted to tell you, but I was afraid you wouldn't be able to concentrate if you knew the full picture. The Council thought it best if you didn't know."

"How ... how did you know?" I whispered, flinching as the world completed a series of full rotations around my head.

"The instructor on Dagobah – the one who was overseeing her training there – called me to say she had gone missing. Then the Council had received a message from Felucia in which the people said they thought Ahsoka was behind the attacks. What they said was only confirmed when we first arrived here because I sensed Ahsoka's presence." He glanced up at me, his blue eyes sorrowful. "I am sorry I didn't tell you."

I gazed unseeingly at the dirt. If I had known, I would have been prepared. If I had been prepared, I could have done something sooner. If I had done something, I could have saved Ahsoka. I could have saved her.

Obi-Wan gently placed his hand on my arm. "You couldn't have done anything more than you already have, my friend."

"No, you don't understand!" I shouted, straightening up with such haste that the world lurched unsettlingly. "You don't know what's going, Obi-Wan, and you can't!" My breath was coming in short gasps. "I have failed time and time again, and I can't look after you! I can't save you, and I can't save her! Whatever I do seems to end in failure!" Guilt came crashing down on me like a tidal wave, and my fire was snuffed just as quickly as it was kindled. All I could manage was a broken, "I can't do it."

Obi-Wan got to his feet stiffly and stood in front of me, keeping his eyes low. Then he spoke softly, "I believe you can." His eyes flicked up to meet mine. "You need to, as well."

I watched him doubtingly for a few moments before I sighed quietly. "I hope you're right. W-we should get moving," I said vaguely, feeling my head pounding. What was wrong with me? The Chosen One shouldn't have limits like this! I should be better than this.

I glanced across to see how Obi-Wan was doing, cringing when I saw two of him. That droid must have got me on the head harder than I thought. The burn mark on Obi-Wan's face was all dirty and he seemed to have gained an extra graze or two, but he seemed alright besides that.

"Which way should we go?" I asked vacantly, trying to keep my voice steady and my vision unblurry.

He watched me apprehensively. "Maybe we should go back to the ship."

"So that I can check you over? Great idea."

He laughed slightly. "That wasn't what I had in mind, but I'm sure we can add that to the list."

We argued for a bit longer until I conceded, and we headed back to the ship. I could feel any willpower that I once had slipping away from me, and, in any case, I figured I should check out that bomb. A spark of hope ignited in me. If I could get rid of the bomb, then Ahsoka would be free to move around as she wished and we could get out of this mess. With her by our side, we could take on Maul and ... and win. But could we? "You think you can protect the ones you love, Skywalker?" I couldn't take them anywhere near Maul. The thought slid into my mind, taking the front seat, invited or otherwise. I couldn't do it. "Mark my words, Chosen One, I will not be appeased until I have blood. I want revenge on your excuse of a master, and I intend to get it." I couldn't take Obi-Wan to face Maul because I didn't know what he would do to my friend. And, if we did manage to rescue Ahsoka, I couldn't bring her straight back to Maul, either. The only way I could take on Maul and win would be to –