Star Wars - [Jedi Quest 06] - The Shadow Trap (by Jude Watson)

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Star Wars

Jedi Quest

Book 6

The Shadow Trap

by Jude Watson

source: IRC

uploaded: 09.I.2006

CHAPTER ONE

Anakin Skywalker hated being between missions. As far as he was

concerned, having free time was highly overrated. How many times could he

perfect his Jung Ma movement in dulon training?

Countless times, his Master, Obi-Wan Kenobi, would say.

Anakin pulled his outer tunic over his head and tossed it on the

grassy bank of the lake. He took three quick steps and dived into the

clear, green water. Without a mission, he just felt aimless. There was much

to do at the Temple, of course. Being a Jedi meant that training never

stopped. Perfecting his battle mind, bettering his grasp of galactic

politics - these were all necessary tasks between missions. Usually, Anakin

tried to use his time at the Temple well. But this time... this time, all

he wanted to do was swim.

He chose a time when the lake was deserted. For some reason, this was

at midday, when most Jedi students were deep in study or training, and Jedi

Knights were busy as well, perfecting the ideal battle skills that Anakin

should have been perfecting.

All Anakin knew was that he could not wait to dive into the cool,

green water. He felt his mind calm as he swam underwater, playing with the

rays of light that penetrated beneath the surface. He and his Master were

not communicating well. Ever since his mission to Andara, there had been

distance between them. Obi-Wan had said he was deeply disappointed in him.

Although it was not in the character of a Jedi to dwell on the past, Anakin

remembered that comment like a knife in his heart. It haunted every moment

of their time together.

In the past he had sometimes felt irritated at Obi-Wan's corrections,

his need to always show Anakin how he could have done something better, or

more patiently, or more thoroughly. Now he missed them. He saw them now for

what they were - a dedication to him, a need to help him be the best Jedi

he could be.

Anakin broke the surface and shook off drops of water. He was close to

the waterfall now, and he paused to feel the cool mist on his skin. With a

few quick strokes he swam to the bank and hauled himself up to sit

underneath the spray.

And, just like that, it happened.

The vision came, and the peaceful scene before him fell away. The

rushing water became a rush of air so intense that it hurt his ears. Images

came and went so quickly they were like pulses of light: a massive fleet at

his command; a revolt of hundreds of slaves as they shouted his name;

striding through the dusty streets of Mos Espa and reaching the door of his

old home. The images stopped and froze only once. His mother's face as he

clasped her against him. He touched the slave cuffs at her wrists and they

fell to the floor. He heard the clang.

And then there was an explosion of light and sorrow, and he knew he

had lost Shmi, had lost, in fact, everyone he loved, including Obi-Wan.

The One Below remains below.

Suddenly Anakin felt the grass underneath his fingers, springy and

soft. He heard the sound of the waterfall. The explosion of blinding light

fractured and mellowed into the cool greens of the water.

It was the third time he had had the vision. Before, it had come late

at night, when he was close to sleep. The first time it had been almost a

dream. The second, it had been clear and sharp. But this time it was

insistent. It seemed to cling to him like a sticky web he couldn't escape.

What did it mean? Why did the vision of liberating slaves come to him?

He hadn't had that thought since he was a young boy on Tatooine. He often

dwelled on his mother, of course, dreamed of freeing her from her harsh

life. Yet this vision was so real. It felt as though he really had the

power to do it. He saw now the difference between a dream and a vision.

Who was The One Below?

Anakin shook his head, watching as water droplets hit the skin of his

forearm. He felt troubled and weary. Swimming every day wasn't enough to

clear his mind, calm his heart.

It was time to tell Obi-Wan about it.

On Andara, Obi-Wan had faulted him for acting without regard to his

instructions. Anakin had known that a fellow Jedi Padawan, Ferus Olin, had

disappeared. Instead of telling Obi-Wan, he had gone off with the group he

was investigating. Anakin had thought that he would find Ferus by

continuing with the mission. Obi-Wan had disagreed when he found out.

Anakin had never seen him so angry. He had felt that Anakin had violated an

essential core of trust between them.

It had not mattered at all that Ferus had been found safe, and that

the mission had been successful.

It made no difference to the Jedi Council, either. Anakin had been

asked to appear before the full Council and accept a reprimand, a serious

failing for a Padawan. He and Obi-Wan had been on several missions since,

but things between them weren't the same. They had lost a rhythm Anakin had

not been sure was there, until he had lost it.

Reluctantly, Anakin slipped back into his tunic with one hand and,

with the other, contacted his Master on his comlink. Obi-Wan answered

immediately.

"It's Anakin. I need to speak to you about something. I don't wish to

interrupt you, but - "

"I'm in the Room of the Thousand Fountains." "I'll be there in a few

minutes, then."

Anakin shoved his comlink back into his belt. He couldn't remember the

last time he'd felt free to tease his Master, or the last time Obi-Wan had

made a joke. Lately he'd begun to wonder if Obi-Wan still wanted him as his

Padawan at all. It was not unheard of for a Master to step away. Unusual,

yes, but not every pairing was the right one. It was considered no shame on

the Padawan if a more appropriate Master was needed. But Anakin would feel

the shame.

The Room of the Thousand Fountains wasn't far from the lake. He

hurried down the wooded trail. Illumination banks overhead created an

impression of sunlight streaming through the green leaves. Anakin wished he

could enjoy the peace that the Jedi found on these shores.

His Master was sitting on a favorite bench, his eyes closed. No doubt

he was meditating or listening to the fountains that were often compared to

the delicate chiming of bells.

Without opening his eyes, his Master spoke. "You sounded disturbed."

Anakin sat next to him. Obi-Wan opened his eyes and sent him a

penetrating glance. "I've had a vision," Anakin said. "It's come three

times, and I need to make sense of it."

"Visions do not always make sense." Obi-Wan swung around to face

Anakin. "Tell me about it."

Anakin outlined the vision. It was still so clear in his head that he

had no trouble remembering the details.

"The One Below remains below," Obi-Wan murmured.

"Do you know what that means?"

Obi-Wan didn't answer. "Yoda should hear about this."

"Hear about what, I wonder," Yoda called, heading toward them and

leaning on his gimer stick. "To find you, I come, Obi-Wan. Expecting a

problem, I was not."

Obi-Wan smiled as he rose. "Not a problem. A vision has been troubling

Anakin."

"A vision, you say?" Yoda swiveled to fix Anakin with a curious look.

He settled himself on a rock and rested his hands on top of his stick, his

posture for listening.

Once again, Anakin related the vision, leaving out his feelings about

it. He knew that Yoda would want to know only the details.

Strangely, Yoda repeated the same thing that Obi-Wan had. "The One

Below remains below," he murmured.

"Do you know who that is, Master Yoda?" Anakin asked.

Yoda nodded slowly. "Know her well, I do. Master Yaddle, it is."

"Master Yaddle was imprisoned for centuries on the world of Koda,"

Obi-Wan explained. "The Kodans gave her that name, The One Below."

Anakin nodded. He had known about Yaddle's long imprisonment, but he

had never heard that name. Yaddle was the same species as Yoda, and sat on

the Jedi Council. She was a revered Jedi Master. He was surprised that

she'd been a part of his vision.

"About to leave on a mission to Mawan, she is," Yoda said. "A

troubling one, I fear. Debated, we have, which Jedi team to send with her.

The answer, perhaps your vision is."

Anakin felt a rush of disappointment. He realized at that moment that

he had been hoping that the vision meant he needed to travel to Tatooine.

He had imagined that he would be able to step out of his dreams and free

his mother in reality. "I thought perhaps the vision meant I could somehow

help the slaves on Tatooine," he said hesitantly.

Yoda and Obi-Wan both shook their heads.

"Careful you must be. Difficult to interpret, visions are," Yoda said.

"A map, a vision is not."

Anakin hid his impatience. Wasn't Yoda interpreting his vision for

him, and telling him where he needed to go?

Obi-Wan sensed his confusion. "Visions of freeing slaves are not

surprising," he told Anakin. "That desire rests deep within you. It is

natural that it would rise up in some form. To follow a vision literally is

often a mistake."

"But isn't following Yaddle also literal?" Anakin asked.

Yoda made a slight gesture with his gimer stick, an acknowledgment of

Anakin's point. "A warning, the vision is." He turned to Obi-Wan. "Grave,

the situation on Mawan has become."

Obi-Wan nodded. "It is a sad situation. I knew the planet when it was

thriving."

"Open now, this world is," Yoda said.

"Open?" Anakin asked.

"Mawan was torn apart by a civil war ten years ago," Obi-Wan

explained. "The planet was decimated by the conflict and was never able to

set up a government afterward. The capital city completely lost its

infrastructure - its roads deteriorated, its space lanes went unmonitored,

and finally its power grid went down completely. Much of the housing was

destroyed, too. A majority of the citizens were left jobless and homeless.

Many moved to the country, but a famine devastated the population there.

The absence of government, security, and hope left a void that criminal

elements rushed in to fill. It's now an open world, where anything can

happen without fear of the law. Criminals from throughout the galaxy have

set up operations there. There is no safety for the citizens."

"Too busy, the Senate has been," Yoda said. "But ignore Mawan, they

can no longer. Ripples of evil, open worlds have. Affect the galaxy, they

do. Asked the Senate has for a Jedi presence to help establish a

provisional government committee. To have the trust of the Mawans, a

diplomat we need."

"A diplomat, yes, but also a warrior," Obi-Wan remarked. "Someone who

can convince the criminal gangs that it is in their best interest to leave

the planet. I can see why you chose Yaddle."

Yoda inclined his head. "Our most able diplomat, she is. Accomplished

in the ways of the Force. But assistance she needs. Help her, you and your

Padawan must, for important this mission is. As goes Mawan, so go other

worlds. Growing in the galaxy, the dark side is."

"We are ready, Master Yoda," Obi-Wan said.

Anakin nodded. But he felt a dread he did not understand. Even hearing

the name of the planet had created a sour feeling in his stomach. Usually a

mission excited him, no matter how difficult or dangerous. Yet he knew that

he did not want to go to Mawan.

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