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eemingly deep in concentration； was counting softly。
〃Excuse me for a moment；〃 the Padawan said。 He stood up and； to Obi…Wan's plete shock； stepped out of the speeder。
Obi…Wan lurched over to the edge and stared down； watching Anakin drop… about five stories； before landing atop the roof of a familiar speeder that was zooming beneath them。
〃I hate it when he does that；〃 Obi…Wan muttered incredulously； shaking his head。
Zam Wesell skimmed close to the buildings； staying to the side of the main traffic lanes。 She didn't know whether the probe droid had successfully pleted its mission； but she was feeling pretty good at that moment； having outwitted a pair of Jedi。
Suddenly her speeder shook hard。 At first she thought she had been hit by a blaster bolt； but then； surveying for damage； she came to know the truth of the missile； and to know that it… that he…had somehow landed on her speeder。
Zam backed off on the throttle； then slammed it out full； lurching the craft ahead。 The force of the sudden acceleration nearly dislodged Anakin； sending him sliding back to the tail； but he hung on stubbornly and； to Zam's dismay； even began crawling back toward the cockpit。
With a sneer； Zam hit the brakes； hard； and Anakin went sliding and bouncing past her。
But the stubborn young Jedi caught one of the twin front forks of the speeder and hung on yet again。
Zam accelerated and reached out her blaster pistol； letting fly a series of bolts in Anakin's general direction。 The angle was wrong； though； and she couldn't score any hits。 And there he was； crawling back stubbornly toward the roof despite all of Zam's evasive maneuvers。 Her Clawdite form came back； suddenly and briefly； as she lost concentration； but she recovered quickly。
The bounty hunter cursed under her breath and swooped back into traffic； trying to formulate some plan for ridding herself of the troublesome Jedi。 She went back into her evasive； traffic…dodging maneuvers yet again； entertaining the thought of moving in close to some of the heavier traffic and letting the exhaust plume smoke the fool atop her craft。 She had almost convinced herself to do just that when suddenly a glowing blue blade of energy sheared through the top of her speeder and plunged down beside her。 She looked up to see the stubborn young Jedi cutting through the roof。 Swerving all about； she fired off a shot at him； then another。 Finally； to her relief； a shot took the lightsaber from his hand； though whether she had taken the hand； as well； or just the weapon； she could not tell。
Obi…Wan had finally caught sight of Zam's speeder； with Anakin scrambling atop it； when the lightsaber tumbled from the Padawan's grasp。 Obi…Wan gave a shake of his head and dived his speeder toward the street； angling for an interception。
Anakin's hand plunged through the hole in the roof； and Zam lifted her blaster pistol in his direction。 He didn't reach for her； just held his hand there outstretched； and before she could fire； some unseen force yanked the pistol from her hand； throwing it right into the Jedi's grasp。 〃No！〃 the bounty hunter yelled； gasping in astonishment。 She lurched in her seat； letting go of her speeder's controls to grab the pistol desperately with both hands。 The pair struggled over the weapon； the speeder dipping right and left； and then the pistol went off； hitting neither opponent； but blowing a hole in the flooring of Zam's speeder； cutting some control pipes in the process。
The speeder careened out of control； and Zam fell back over the controls； desperately but futilely。
They dived and spun； sidelong and head over。 Screaming； both hung on for dear life as they spiraled toward the street。
Finally； at the last possible second； Zam gained some control； enough to turn the impending crash into a spark…throwing skid along the broken permacrete of this seedy section of Coruscant's belly。
The speeder bounced up on edge and slammed to a halt； and Anakin went flying； tumbling along the street for a long； long way。 When he finally got control； he saw the assassin leaping from the speeder and running down the street； so he climbed back to his feet and started to follow。
The splash as he stepped in one dirty puddle woke Anakin to the harsh realities about him。 This was the underbelly of Coruscant； the smelly and dirty streets。 He slowed…the assassin was out of sight anyway…and looked about curiously； noting the many lowlifes； mostly nonhumans of quite a variety of species。 Many beings were panhandling up and down the street。 He shook it all away quickly； though； reminding himself of the real reason he was here； and of Padme and her need for security。 Spurred by images of the beautiful Senator from Naboo； the young Jedi sprinted along the broken sidewalk； catching sight of the assassin moving through a crowd of ruffians。 Anakin charged right in behind； pushing and shoving； but making little headway against the press。
He spotted the assassin at the last second； before the helmeted killer disappeared through a doorway。
Anakin shoved through； finally； and glanced up to see the glare of the gambling sign above the establishment。 Undaunted； he started again for the door； and then stopped as he heard Obi…Wan calling。
A familiar yellow speeder dropped to a resting place on the side of the street。 〃Anakin！〃 Obi…Wan walked toward the young Jedi； pointedly holding Anakin's dropped lightsaber in his hand。
〃She went into that club； Master！〃
Obi…Wan patted his hand in the air to calm the Padawan； not even registering Anakin's surprising use of the feminine pronoun。 〃Patience；〃 he said。 〃Use the Force； Anakin。 Think。〃
〃Sorry； Master。〃
〃He went in there to hide； not run；〃 Obi…Wan reasoned。
〃Yes； Master。〃
Obi…Wan held the lightsaber out toward his student。 〃Next time try not to lose it。〃
〃Sorry； Master。〃
Obi…Wan pulled the precious weapon back as Anakin reached for it； and held the young Padawan's gaze with his own stern look。 〃A Jedi's lightsaber is his most precious possession。〃
〃Yes； Master。〃 Again； Anakin reached for the lightsaber； and again Obi…Wan pulled it back； never letting Anakin go from his scrutinizing stare。
〃He must keep it with him at all times。〃
〃I know； Master；〃 Anakin replied； a bit of exasperation creeping into his tone。
〃This weapon is your life。〃
〃I've heard this lesson before。〃
Obi…Wan held it out again； finally relinquishing that awful stare； and Anakin took the weapon and replaced it on his belt。
〃But you haven't learned anything； Anakin；〃 the Jedi Knight said； turning away。
〃I try； Master。〃
There was sincerity in his tone； Obi…Wan clearly recognized； and a bit of regret； perhaps； and that reminded Obi…Wan of the difficult circumstances under which Anakin had entered the Order。 He had been far too old； nearly ten years of age； and Master Qui…Gon had taken him in without permission； without the blessing of the Jedi Council。 Master Yoda had seen potential danger in young Anakin Skywalker。 No one they had ever encountered had been stronger with the Force； in terms of sheer potential。 But the Jedi Order normally required training from the earliest possible age。 The Force was too powerful a tool…no； not a tool； and that was the problem。 An unwise Jedi might consider the Force a tool； a means to his own ends。 But a true Jedi understood that the Force was a partner on a concurrent course； a mon pathway to true harmony and understanding。
After Qui…Gon's death at the hands of a Sith Lord； the Jedi Council had rethought their decision about young Anakin； and had allowed his training to go forward； with Obi…Wan fulfilling his promise to Qui…Gon that he would take the talented young boy under his tutelage。 The Council had been hesitant； though； and obviously not happy about it。 Yoda had seemed almost resigned； as if this path was one that they could not deny； rather than one they would willingly and eagerly walk。 For the whispers spoke of Anakin as the chosen one； the one who would bring balance to the Force。
Obi…Wan wasn't sure what that meant； and he was more than a little fearful。 He looked up at Anakin；