Obi-Wan miserably hunched down in his robe and squinted in the pouring rain. The day had been a long one, filled with meeting after meeting on how best to hold the elections peacefully. There were some people, supposedly put there by the government, who opposed the elections. They mobbed anyone foolish enough to openly support the new government and the people lived in fear of their families being the next to be attacked. The meetings were good for Anakin, who had patience issues, but for Obi-Wan they were a nightmare. Boredom led to thinking, which led to the note. And the note made Obi-Wan's stomach flutter. It was all too much, too fast. After contacting the council and assuring them that the mission would continue, he had wanted to run. He couldn't face Xanatos now, not in this fragile state. But he would do his duty, even though it would probabaly be the death of him. He shivered.

Suddenly, a black figure stepped out of the shadows. Xanatos! was Obi-Wan's thought, and he ignited his lightsaber, but the figure drew back his hood to reveal a man with brown hair and warm hazel eyes. Obi-Wan let out a relieved sigh. Not Xanatos. Most definitely not Xanatos. When he spoke, his voice was warm and inviting, just like his eyes.
He eyed their lightsabers.

"Might I ask assistance from the esteemed jedi without getting skewered?"

"Depends on what you're asking," said Anakin, his voice filled with hostility. His master had been uneasy since he had recieved that note, jumping at every shadow and snapping at his apprentice. Anakin had crept into his room while he was making "dinner" and read it. It made no sense whatsoever to him. And Obi-Wan would not explain it.

Obi-Wan shot a look at his apprentice, who actually listened to his master and fell silent. "Possibly. What is it you are asking?"

The stranger moved closer. "I am the leader of the Resistance. We have been doing the things we do not to make a statement, but to prevent a dictatorship from forming. If the elections go on, Xanatos deCrion will become the new leader of Telos. The elections are a scheme to help him to power, and we are trying to stop it. We are going to attempt to remove him from office in three days."

Obi-Wan was shocked. Here they were, complete strangers, and the leader of the resistance was telling them their plan, gambling on the fact that they would help. "Assassination?"

The man grimaced, "Possibly. Unless you would help us to take him into custody."

"Are there any charges against him?"

"No. We are trying to find proof that he is trying to take power, but we have found nothing. We can find no record of his earlier crimes against the planet."

"Since I don't yet no your name, how can I know that I can trust you?"

He grinned. "Zecan. Zecan Durhan."

"I am Obi-Wan Kenobi and this is my apprentice, Anakin Skywalker. We will help you to the best of our abilities."

"Thank you. You have no idea how much this means to the people of Telos." Zecan looked very relieved.

"You're welcome."

Zecan turned and led the way down the alley, motioning for them to follow. Obi-Wan and Anakin did so, the latter much more reluctantly.

"Are you sure we can trust him, master?" Anakin asked in a low voice.

"No. Be on your guard, but don't show it. If he is leading us into a trap, it will reveal itself sooner or later."

"Master, who is Xanatos?"

Obi-Wan's breathing quickened as he heard those words. "An old acquaintance." He replied. Am I turning into Qui-Gon, keeping my secrets clutched to my chest?he wondered. Anakin seemed unsatified with the answer, but was unable to question Obi-Wan further because the sound of blasterfire suddenly started as they rounded a corner. A few blocks away, many men were swarming the entrance to a tall, black building.

Obi-Wan quickened his pace to match Zecan's. "Would that be your headquarters?" he asked.

"Yes. That would be the headquarters. This will be a lot more difficult than I thought. Xanatos and his men have found us."

























Though the calm, stoic jedi master on the outside, Obi-Wan's first reaction was one of panic. He wasn't ready to face Xanatos, but he would have to. He commed the temple. Master Yoda picked up on the other end. Obi-Wan began his report. "Xanatos is trying to gain control of Telos once again, and had begun an attack on the headquarters of the resistance. The resistance are opposed to Xanatos and are trying to arrest him. Permission to engage?"

The reply was garbled. "Xanatos...resistance...engage...you...death...ready."

"Umm... Master Yoda? Your transmission is garbled. I can't understand you."

"Cautious...engage."

"I'll take that as a no."

"Permssion grant-" The line went dead. Obi-Wan tried comming the temple again. Nothing. No transmissions would get through. Just perfect. I'm going to get killed and no one will ever know. At least I'll be with Siri.

Master? Anakin interrupted his thoughts.

Yes?

What did he say?

We are to engage.

Yes master. Umm... Master?

Yes, Padawan?

Can you please not give up before we even start?

Anakin's words got through to Obi-Wan like only Yoda's had. There were still people here who needed him. He could not give up yet. It was time to face his old demons. And part of him still shrank from his duty.

Zecan shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "Will you help us to drive out Xanatos?"

Obi-Wan swallowed. "Yes." He had a feeling he was sentancing them all to doom.

The man smiled."Excellent."

"You're welcome."

--------
Their boots echoed on the bright white floor of the corridor. The resistance headquarters was a maze, and the two jedi would have gotten lost if it weren't for Zecan and the force. There was a darkness, though, dirtying the clean-smelling walls and growing as they went further inside. Suddenly, they rounded a corner and came face to face with a patrol of uniform-clad Offworlders. A feeling of Deja Vu rushed over the elder jedi. Here he stood, facing Xanatos' minions with someone he would die for and someone he had just met, but would also die for. Grief washed over him in a wave as the patrol opened fire.

Anakin and Obi-Wan blocked the blasterfire as Zecan hit the enemy with blasterfire of his own. The sight made Obi-Wan think of her[i]. The guards were all dead in seconds. Jedi had once more killed. Zecan led the way further up the hallway. He turned another corner, the jedi on their guard even more now as they jogged through the headquarters.

The force whispered something, and Obi-Wan jumped into Zecan, knocking him behind a pile of storage crates. Anakin moved with him, just in time. A smooth voice was heard yelling something as a squadron of about fifty men turned the corner, led by a figure in a black cape.

"Xanatos," Obi-Wan gasped. Seeing the dark jedi once more made Obi-Wan feel like an apprentice again. [I]No. No. No. NO! Anakin put his hand on his master's shoulder.

"Master?"

"I'm okay Anakin. Now listen to me. We are going to engage. Get the troops and let me deal with the leader. He will have a lightsaber. And if I tell you to run, you will run, understood"

Anakin looked at the group of Offworlders, sizing them up. "Yes master." Obi-Wan nodded and turned to the other crouching figure. He simply said one word.

"Engage."

The three men leaped out from behind the crates, lightsabers and blasters blazing. The soldiers were surprised for a moment, then returned the fire. Anakin and Zecan ran for the men. Obi-Wan ran for Xanatos. His smile sent chills down Obi-Wan’s spine.

"Hello Kenobi."

They clashed lightsabers. Obi-Wan drew back for another blow, trusting that Anakin could handle the soldiers. He slashed at the former jedi's legs, but the blow was blocked. Xanatos and Obi-Wan traded blows, each sizing each other up. Then Xanatos lunged. Obi-Wan did a double black flip, evading the blow.

Xanatos laughed. "Why don't you just surrender now?"

"Why don't you?"

"Because I actually have something that I haven't managed to lose."

Obi-Wan was thrown of balance. His focus wavered for a second and he was thrown back, crashing into the wall. He lay there, stunned.

"Oh, yes, I know all about poor Siri." Xanatos advanced on him, continuing. "It seems you just weren't good enough to save her, just like dear Master Jinn. You weren't good enough to save him, either. You just can't do anything right, can you Kenobi?"

Obi-Wan jumped to his feet in a rage. "You don't deserve to speak either of their names! You don't even deserve to live! You take without giving, kill without regret, and try to take power out of greed! I hate you!" With every word, he rained another blow on his enemy.

"Getting a bit angry, aren't we? Jedi aren't supposed to hate."

"I don't care! I-" he paused.

"Going a little sithly?"

"You're one to talk!"

"At least I left the jedi before I started murdering people! You don't deserve to call yourself a master, just like your precious Qui-Gon!"

"You don't deserve the ground you stand on." Obi-Wan countered, somewhat more calmly. Now Xanatos was in a rage, ferociously raining down blows on the jedi, while Obi-Wan had found his center and calmly countered every blow.

"At least I admit it!"

Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow. "Admit what? You'd never admit that anything you've done is wrong! You do it all out of revenge and greed, yet that is justified because it is you doing it, not your enemy! I've changed my mind. I don't hate you, I pity you."

The dark jedi cursed under his breath. He had been so close to turning Kenobi to the dark side, soclose. But he would never show his disappointment. Things would be very unfortunate for him if he did.

"Well, Kenobi, let me tell you something! I am a sith lord! I have all the power in the galaxy, and you pity me[i]! If anyone should be pitied, it is you, shackled by the jedi code! The one you loved died, and you were too weak to save her! If you had been of the dark side, if [i]I had been there, she would still be alive! You fool!"

Obi-Wan's first thought was, Xanatos, a sith? and then he accepted it. But the second part, about Siri, could that be true? No! That can't be the way! And the voice inside his head was so forceful that Obi-Wan was almost convinced.

"You are a failure Kenobi. You couldn’t save Qui-Gon, you couldn’t save Siri, you couldn’t even get your apprentice to obey you. If it weren’t for you, this war wouldn’t have even started. And soon your brat and the entire jedi order will join our precious master”

"NO!" Obi-Wan’s control cracked. Then he exploded. Anger filled him, the same anger from when he had killed Magus. He attacked Xanatos viciously, and was driving him towards a corner.

He drew his lightsaber sideways in an arc that should have cut the handle of Xanatos' red lightsaber in half, followed by his neck, but missed because a stray blaster bolt suddenly struck him in the shoulder. The jedi was half spun around and thrown to the floor by the force of it, and his lightsaber was ripped from his hand with the force. He growled and summoned it back. Light exploded from the 'saber where two very stubborn wills were locked in battle. Obi-Wan finally brought it back to his hand with a gasp and ignited it. Xanatos cleaved downward, at Obi-Wan’s wrist. The jedi tried to move out of the way, but his shoulder was too weak and it was too late. The red blade severed his lightsaber hilt and sliced his hand. Then it moved to rest against his neck. Xanatos kicked him in the ribs, and fiery pain consumed Obi-Wan's body. He doubled up, gasping. A band of reinforcements appeared at the end of the hallway, replacing the four soldiers still standing. They surrounded Anakin, and Obi-Wan shook his head weakly in response to Anakin's questioning stare.

"Now, little jedi, drop your lightsaber or your master dies."

Obi-Wan knew Anakin would give in. He would not allow that. With his remaining strength, he yelled in Anakin's mind one word. Run! Obi-Wan suddenly jumped up, crashing into Xanatos and clearing the way for Anakin and Zecan to run. Anakin actually obeyed, running lightly past with a doubtful glance at his master. Xanatos threw him back, holding him against the opposite wall with the force. His silky voice was the last thing Obi-Wan heard as the stun bolt hit his good shoulder. "This was a trap, Kenobi, and you walked right into it. Now, after the apprentice!"