Guide Me Home

Disclaimer: I don't own a Galaxy Far Far Away or any Sentinels or Guides

Chapter One:

The Unbonded Padawan

Seven younglings lay in a line of beds. Silent and still as death they responded to neither touch nor sound. A ginger-haired teen entered and ghosted between each bed stopping to check on each of the occupants.

"Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi," The young man introduced himself to the head healer, "How long have they been in this state?"

"Two days. They are each in a very deep zone. We've been unable to reach them through the Force, physical stimulation, meditation, or any of our bonded guides."

"Which is why the council sent me," Obi-Wan spoke with a self-deprecating smile.

"How do you intend to bond with so many in such a short time?"

"I have it handled," He fingered a device around his wrist, "But, I will need privacy during the procedure; too many minds in here as it is."

Obi-Wan watched the medical personnel leave the room before turning back to the patients. Once alone he lets out a shaky sigh kneeling next to the first fallen Sentinel. He grabbed the other's hand and lowered his shields and entered the overshadowed mind.

His surroundings were dark and hazy. He sensed a faint presence in the force. A small tooka-cat darts into the shadows. As he follows, it turns and studies him with yellow eyes. The human dropped down on his hunches holding out a hand of friendship.

"It's alright young one. I'm here to help," he reassured, as the feline tentatively made its way closer. Obi-Wan held his breath as a furry head rubbed against his open palm. He felt the cat's shields drop around him. He was allowed into the other's mind. He gritted his teeth in pain as he was overwhelmed by the frightened and confused young mind chanting, "He is safe. He is light. He is balance." Claws sank into his leg with no intention of letting go.

"Peace young one. It is time to go home," Obi-Wan spoke soothingly. He stroked down the feline's back until the grip was loosed. Tucking the warm body against his chest he began to make his way towards the light.

He opened his eyes to find himself with his arms full of a young human girl clinging to him. He tried to place her on the floor, but she gripped him harder. "Mine," She hissed with yellow eyes flashing. Obi-Wan sighed giving up his futile attempts to dislodge her. Gritting his teeth in anticipation he reached for the device on his wrist. He heard the girl gasp as currents of electricity coursed through his body breaking their temporary bond.

"Sleep," he commanded breathlessly. He watched her stubbornly try to keep awake until her eyes finally closed. He placed her back unto her bed, watching her breathing even out, then he moved to the next zoned patient.

He clasped the wookie's hairy hand closing his eyes and lowering his shields once more. Where the tooka had been he found he found a large flame beetle scuttling through a shadowed forest. It appeared to be less inclined to bond then the cat. Obi-Wan could feel sweat beading on his body as he was led in a merry chase through the darkened trees. Every time he'd get close the beetle would erupt into flames causing the human to back away because of the heat. He was wasting too much time; he still had five others he needed to bring back. Stepping towards the fire he pushed his arm through; hissing at the searing pain.

Once he made contact with the hard exoskeleton the flames went out. The bug's small jaundiced eyes squinted up at him. He turned away to get his pain under control, releasing it into the Force. He sensed the insect approach; a front leg nudged his foot. Clutching his injured arm close to his body he turned and used his other one to once again pat the hard back. He trailed his fingers along its body as he turned and walked towards the edge of the forest, the beetle walking beside him.

Gripping the furry hand was in stark contrast to the hard body of the flame beetle. Breaking the bond was as easy as allowing the electricity to enter his body. Getting the wookie to go to sleep took more effort. More sweat was shed in the cause to help as he expanded more of his force ability to get her to sleep. He wiped his sleeve across his glistening forehead once her eyes closed in sleep.

The Thimiar rodent scurried around his feet before finally scampering up his leg and sat up on Obi-Wan's shoulder chattering in his ear. He opened his eyes to find a smiling togruta hanging from his neck babbling into his mind through their bond until he broke it. In the silence, he sent the no longer smiling Sentinel to sleep, before moving on to the next bed.

He lightly touched the Mon Calamari's arm and didn't even have time to close his eyes when he felt his mind being pulled inward. He hadn't had time to completely lower his shield and felt them shredding as he fell with a splash into an icy body of water. He swallowed a lung full of water but before he could even panic from the lack of oxygen, he felt a long tentacle wrap around him. A giant devil squid pulled him up to its large head; a wide sunny eye blinked at him as it swam upwards.

He hacked up water as his head broke the surface. He felt the sea creature in his head; forcing deeper than any of the others. His head throbbed as he led youngling's mind back home. When he opened his eyes, he couldn't move; he was wrapped up in the Mon Calamari's arms. He struggled against the restraining arms until he was able to free one of his own, the blistered and burned one. Reaching over he activated the device sending electricity throughout his body. He was left twitching, still wrapped up in the other's arms, when the last electric wave passed through his body. He still could feel the Sentinel in his mind; his concern for the Guide was easily felt. He didn't break the bond. Twisting up the voltage he gave himself a larger shock than before.

He found himself trembling on the floor staring up into the large, concerned eyes of the other boy. He searched his mind for another presence and found it thankfully empty. "Sleep," He gasped out the force suggestion. Watching the Mon Calamari fall back unto his bed; he closed his eyes concentrating on bringing his own breathing under control.

He pulled himself up by grabbing the side of the bed. Staggering over to the next zoned Sentinel he lowered what was left of his shields. Opening his mind, he bonded with a golden-eyed borgle bat in dark cavern. Climbing out of the mouth of the cave with the bat flying around his head he found himself back in the infirmary. Breaking the fledgling bond and putting the Sentinel to sleep he hurried to the next being in need of his help. Letting out a long breath he released his pain into the Force.

The last two bondings were a blur to Obi-Wan. His shields were fried, his arm was throbbing, and he had fine tremors and a harsh cough that he couldn't shake. After almost being trampled by both a golden-eyed large blue Horax and a Murra Blanca he had more bruises and aches to add to his pains. He finally had the last two under a force suggestion to sleep when the head healer entered the room. The Jedi Padawan stood up, clasping his hand together in his sleeve to hide his shaking and blisters.

"Wake up," Obi-Wan ordered through the Force.

The seven young Sith woke, scrambling to go to the ailing Guide's sides. Their concern soon dissolved into territorial posturing, trying to claim the unbonded Jedi as their own. Obi-Wan sighed internally at the growling and snarling as he was clutched and yanked between the young Sentinels.

His focus was on strengthening his weakened shields as he felt advances from the minds around him. When someone latched onto his abused arm, a hiss of pain escaped his lips, leading to his suppressed coughing to restart with a vengeance. The Sithlings backed off unsure, afraid their touch would cause more pain to one of those their instincts were to claim and protect.

"I'm alright," Obi-Wan tried to sooth once he caught his breath back. Straightening he nodded to the healer, who rushed over to his side. Although bonded the older Sith felt the instinctual pull to protect the Jedi Guide as well. Firmly assisting Obi-Wan to a far bed, ignoring his protests, and lying him down. The healer glared at the others in the room as they attempted to come closer. Obi-Wan quite familiar with force suggestions fought the healer's order to sleep. His weakened and injured state finally succumbing to his exhaustion.

He dreamed of bonding; a true bond. Someone whose mind was a balm against his raw and fried shields. Someone who would protect him and his mind, instead of always fighting and forcing their way in. Someone he could always guide. It was something he would never have. He thought he had it once, but that seemed like a very long time ago.