RENEGADE (OBI-WAN KENOBI)

CHAPTER SEVEN

"WHAT IF THIS PLAN doesn't work, Master?" Obi-Wan asked, not bothering to hide his frustration with his master.

He'd nearly thrown a fit when Qui-Gon had proposed his plan; he'd bet their ship on a local pod race that was to be conducted the next morning, and on a child racer no less. If they won, they'd be given the hyperdrive generator, no questions asked. If they lost, however, their ship would be given away and they'd be completely out of luck.

Cass had been confused at the plan as well. She, however, had been the one to insist on getting an explanation from Qui-Gon, as opposed to Obi-Wan's plan (which had been to march down to town and take the hyperdrive generator themselves).

It had been a strange kind of role-reversal, with Cass being the responsible one while he lost his temper. But now, as his initial shock and anger was beginning to fade, he was grateful for it. Grateful she had kept him from doing or saying something he might regret.

"A ship without a power supply will not get us anywhere," Qui-Gon said calmly, undoubtedly sensing his Padawan's frustration.

"May I speak with Veneera?" Cass asked lightly into the comm. Though she'd mostly regained the power of speech from the mouthful of burning sand she'd inhaled, it still hurt to speak at a volume louder than a whisper.

"I'm sorry, Cass, but she's with the queen and Anakin. She is trying to get answers from his mother," Qui-Gon said.

This, at least, captured Obi-Wan's attention. "Answers about what?" He asked.

"I'm not quite sure," Qui-Gon sighed, clearly contemplating something. "But there is something about this boy..."

Before either of them could reply, the line clicked dead.

With a huff of exasperation, Obi-Wan slammed the comm link into the control panel with a tad more force than necessary.

"So he suspects the boy is Force-sensitive?" Cass asked.

His mind was racing. How could this boy be so important that Qui-Gon would be willing to put all of them at risk? If there was ever a time for risk taking, it most certainly was not now; not when their mission had failed so miserably, and when the lives of the people of Naboo, and perhaps the entire Republic, hung in the balance...

As though she could sense his pain, Cass laid a hand on his shoulder. "He wouldn't be putting this much faith in him for no reason. Whoever this boy, Anakin, is-he must think he's important."

"More important than us?" Obi-Wan spat.

He knew he shouldn't be taking his anger out on Cass. He was grateful, not for the first time, that she seemed to have the innate ability to read his thoughts, in a way that even Qui-Gon could not.

That being said, it made it much harder to be angry with her.

"I didn't say that," Cass said, though her tone was not unkind.

"All I'm saying is that there must be something behind Qui-Gon's faith in the boy. He wouldn't be throwing caution to the wind like this otherwise. We'll just have to wait for an answer."

That answer came hours later, when darkness had long since fallen. Though he imagined the desert would be quite cool at night, thankfully the thermal system inside the ship had not completely died yet.

He watched Cass, who had curled up to sleep in a chair they'd dragged in from the cockpit. After agreeing that one of them should be awake at all times, should a message come in for them, he'd insisted that he take the first watch. She'd protested at first, but he'd noticed the dark circles that had begun to fall under her eyes. It had taken less convincing than it might have otherwise, and she'd passed out almost instantaneously.