“With six Jedi Masters aboard you would have several choices of a teacher,” Pakmillu pointed out.
“That’s not really how it works,” Obi-Wan told him. It amazed him sometimes how people who had no idea whatsoever of the inner workings of Jedi methodology nevertheless had equally few qualms about expressing that ignorance. “You said Master C’baoth will be arriving soon?”
“He is in fact here,” C’baoth’s voice boomed from across the room.
Obi-Wan turned. There, just entering the room, were C’baoth and Lorana Jinzler. “This is a surprise, Master Kenobi,”
C’baoth continued as he strode casually through the bustle of activity. No one actually had to move to let him pass, Obi-Wan noticed, but there were quite a few near misses. Fortunately, most of the techs were too preoccupied to even notice his passage. Lorana picked her way through the crowd more carefully, looking distinctly uncomfortable. “I thought you’d be on your way back to Sulorine by now.”
“I was relieved of that assignment,” Obi-Wan said.
“There’s something I need to discuss with you, Master C’baoth.”
C’baoth nodded. “Certainly. Go ahead.”
Obi-Wan braced himself. Between C’baoth and Anakin,this was likely to be unpleasant. “Anakin and I would like to join the expedition.”
Out of the corner of his eye he saw Anakin turn to him in astonishment. “We would?” the boy asked.
“We would,” Obi-Wan said firmly. “At least to the edge of the galaxy.”
C’baoth’s lip quirked. “So Master Yoda finally concedes that I might indeed find Vergere?”
“Who’s Vergere?” Lorana asked.
“A missing Jedi,” C’baoth said, his eyes still on Obi-Wan’s face. “Master Kenobi tried once to find her and failed.”
“There was nothing in the voyage mandate about a search and rescue mission,” Pakmillu said, his voice suddenly wary.
“That’s because it’s Jedi business, Captain, and none of your concern,” C’baoth told him. “Don’t worry, it won’t interfere with our schedule.” He lifted. his eyebrows toward Obi-Wan. “I hope you didn’t ask to come along in the hope of assuaging any feelings of guilt.”
“I didn’t ask to come at all,” Obi-Wan said. “I simply do as the Council directs me.”
“As do we all,” C’baoth said, an edge of irony in his voice as he shifted his eyes to Anakin. “What about you, young Sky-walker? You seem unhappy with this change in your plans.”
Obi-Wan held his breath. There were several reasons he hadn’t told Anakin in advance about Windu’s mandate, not the least of them being the fact that the boy still obviously held C’baoth in high esteem. If he’d told Anakin they were coming to Yaga Minor to keep an eye on the man, he would have pressed for further explanation. It wouldn’t have done to disillusion him with Windu’s concerns about C’baoth’s possible involvementwith the Barlok incident.
Fortunately, it was quickly evident that the decision to keep the boy in the dark had been the right one. “I’m not unhappy at all, Master C’baoth,” Anakin said with a clear voice and sense of complete honesty. “I was just surprised. Master Obi-Wan hadn’t told me about it.”
“But you do want to come see the Unknown Regions with me?”
Anakin hesitated. “I don’t want to leave the Republic forever,” he said. “But I was impressed by how you handled things on Barlok, ending the deadlock and all. I think I’d learn a lot just by watching you in your daily activities.”
C’baoth smiled wryly at Obi-Wan. “One thing at least you’ve given the lad, Master Kenobi: a smooth tongue.”
“I would hope I’ve given him more than that,”
Obi-Wan said evenly. “Still, he’s right about how much he could learn from you.” He nodded to Lorana. “As I’m sure Padawan Jinzler would agree.”
“Indeed,” C’baoth said. “And it’s Jedi Jinzler now. She was elevated to Jedi Knighthood three weeks ago.”
“Really,” Obi-Wan said, carefully hiding his surprise.
From the way she’d been talking on Barlok, he would have guessed that event to be years in the future. “My apologies, Jedi Jinzler, and my congratulations. Do I take it you’ll also be traveling aboard Outbound Flight with Master C’baoth?”
“Of course she will,” C’baoth said before Lorana could answer. “She’s one of the chosen, one of the few among even the Jedi whom I trust completely.”
“You don’t trust even Jedi?” Anakin asked, sounding surprised.
“I said I trust her completely,” C’baoth told him gravely. “Certainly there are others I trust. But only to a degree.”
“Oh,” Anakin said, clearly taken aback.
“Fortunately, you and your instructor are among that somewhat larger group,” C’baoth said, a small smile touching his lips. “Very well, Master Kenobi. You and your Padawan may accompany me to the edge of the galaxy, provided you make your own arrangements for returning to the Republic.”
“Thank you,” Obi-Wan said. “The Delta-Twelve Skysprite we’ll be using for our return is on the surface, ready to be brought up and loaded aboard.”
“Good,” C’baoth said. “You’ll stay here aboard Dreadnaught-One. Captain, you’ll arrange quarters for them.”
“Yes, Master C’baoth,” Pakmillu rumbled. “I’ll have the quartermaster—”
“You will arrange quarters for them,” C’baoth repeated, a subtle but unmistakable emphasis on the first word.
“These are Jedi. They will be treated accordingly.”
Pakmillu’s mouth tendrils twitched. “Yes, Master C’baoth.” He stepped to one of the consoles and tapped at the keys with his flippered hands. “And Jedi Jinzler?”
“I’ve already reserved her quarters near my own,”
C’baoth told him. “Deck Three, Suite A-Four.”
“Very well,” Pakmillu said, peering at the display.
“Master Kenobi, you and Master Skywalker will have Suite A-Eight on Deck Five. I trust that will be acceptable.”
“It will,” C’baoth said before Obi-Wan could answer.
“You may now assign someone to escort them to their quarters.”
From behind them came a sudden crinkling sound of tearing metal. Obi-Wan spun around to see that a large sheet of secondary conductive grid had come loose from the wall and was hanging precariously over a bank of control consoles. He stretched out with the Force C’baoth got there first, catching the sheet in a Force grip even as it came the rest of the way loose. “Jedi Jinzler: assist them,” he ordered.
“Yes, Master C’baoth,” Lorana said, hurrying off.
“Captain Pakmillu, you were going to find an escort for our new passengers?” C’baoth continued in a conversational tone, even as he continued to hold the grid floating in midair.
“That won’t be necessary,” Obi-Wan said. “I studied Dreadnaught deck plans on the trip here. We can find our own way.”
C’baoth frowned slightly, and for a second Obi-Wan thought he was going to insist on an escort anyway, as befit proper Jedi treatment. But then the wrinkles smoothed and he nodded. “Very well,” he said. “Captain Pakmillu is hosting a First Night dinner in the senior officers’ wardroom at seven. My fellow Jedi Masters will be there. You’ll attend, as well.”
“We’ll be honored,” Obi-Wan said.
“And you’ll need to stop by the Dreadnaught-One medcenter,” Pakmillu added. “The Supreme Chancellor’s representative has instructed that all personnel be given a complete examination, including the taking of analysis-grade blood and tissue samples for shipment to Coruscant. Apparently, there’s some concern about hive viruses or potential epidemics.”
“We’ll get ourselves checked out,” Obi-Wan promised.
“Until tonight, then.”
He nudged Anakin, and together they made their way across the room. “Master C’baoth certainly seems to know what he wants, doesn’t he?” he commented.
“Nothing wrong with that,” Anakin said firmly. “If Master Yoda or Master Windu talked that way to the Chancellor and Senate once in a while, maybe more things would get done.”
“Yes,” Obi-Wan murmured. “Maybe.”
The grid was heavy, and flexible enough to be difficult to get a grip on. Fortunately, that wasn’t a problem for a Jedi.
Stretching out with the Force, Lorana lifted it back into position, holding it in place while the techs hurriedly worked at its fastenings.