Hell was in many different places.

Obi-Wan had thought it to be when he had to break it off with a woman he thought he loved. Surely nothing could have been worse than being burned by the blue ice in Siri's eyes, or drowning in the gentle hazy sadness that had flowed like a mist around Luminara!

He knew better now, although inside he felt rather un-Jedi-like. Inside he was afraid.

Afraid it would get worse, although he couldn't imagine how.

Siri's voice broke through his musings. "We should not have gotten into this situation. Why did none of us see this as a trap?" Her words alone would have been harmless, but the sharp tone in which she spoke told that she was seeking someone to blame.

Obi-Wan knew that projecting her anger was her own way of dealing with it, but under the circumstances, it seemed even more inappropriate than usual.

"Sir- Master Tachi, there was no way we could have known this to have been a trap." He hoped his voice was level.

From across the prison cell that shouldn't have had one person in it, let alone three, he heard her take a sharp breath. "Yes, there was! How come none of us felt it to be a trap?"

A different, softer voice spoke up. "We were distracted." Although Obi-Wan couldn't see, he was certain that Luminara's eyes were upon him, boring into his soul. "Why, I cannot say." Her words were level, as a Jedi's should have been, but they concealed a deep meaning.

"Perhaps if we hadn't tried to negotiate things with the 'contact' when she pulled out a blaster, we wouldn't be in this situation!" Indeed, things had gone downhill quickly, and Luminara had taken a rather –mild­- approach, but did Siri really have to push her like that?

"We are Jedi, Master Tachi. The lightsaber is our aid in defense."

"And I suppose that it's interchangeable with words? Of course, having a blaster pulled on you is the norm during wartime! In fact, we don't we start teaching the Clones all of the fine subtleties of the art of fighting with language! Force knows it'll always get us out of a delicate situation!" She was about to continue, but Obi-Wan realized that even while chained to a wall, with Force-suppressants being injected daily, the Mirialan Jedi could still do some damage, if she was pushed enough. He still cared deeply for her, but, like all Jedi, the war had kneaded her temper thin.

"That isn't going to help anything. We should be focusing on-"

"Stop, Master Kenobi." Luminara's words were beginning to reveal the frustration he had known to be there from the start. "I can speak for myself. Master Tachi, our words have always been the greatest power we posses. Are not they what separate us from the non-sentient animals? Anyone can fight with their body, but not all can weave a spell with their words enough to avoid a potentially deadly situation."

"And they certainly worked well here!"

Obi-Wan listened in silence, knowing that interfering could have deadly consequences. He sighed, trying to resist the perverse desire to say "Ladies, ladies, stop fighting!".

Truthfully, he saw no escape. Whoever was behind their imprisonment –Grievous, or Dooku, he suspected, although there wasn't any real proof– obviously had experience with Jedi. The Force-Suppressants were injected into the three Jedis' bloodstreams about every five standard hours, and the cell they were in showed no signs of escape: The single door was activated from the outside, and inside had not even a speck of dirt in it, just four, smooth walls, and an equally bland ceiling and floor.

That didn't mean that the Master was unable to see hope in the situation: He had brought a transmitter with him that sent a tracking signal to a platoon of Clones stationed on Shili's closest moon. It had been, like his com-unit and lightsaber, removed upon his capture, but surely that would alert the Troopers to his capture? After all, he was sure it had stopped transmitting by now.

Right?

He quickly pushed away the doubts, lingering shadows of the Padawan he used to be. They would be rescued. The 501st had never failed under such circumstances. Rex was known for joking that the pressure doubled as luck, despite the Jedi's constant reminders that luck didn't exist.

The camouflaged door slid open, startling the general out of his reveries. One of the mute servants entered, a syringe clutched in her red hand.

Wait a minute…

She pulled off the headdress covering her face, revealing familiar Togruta features.

"Master Ti!" Three voices echoed the same words, in almost perfect unison.

She shook her head in warning as she put a slim finger to her lips. "Careful. I had to knock out a servant in order to come here, and I can't be certain I wasn't recognized."

She raised her hand, and Obi-Wan expected her to release them from their shackles. Instead, the door slid shut, albeit the customary click of a lock.

"Shaak?"

When she looked at him, her face was hesitant. "I am truly sorry, Masters."

He felt bile rise in his throat. "What are you talking about?"

"I searched for all other options… I'm sorry. But I can only rescue two of you."

It was as though someone had kicked him in the stomach; all the air rushed from his lungs. Obi-Wan opened his mouth to speak, but Siri beat him to it. "One of us will have to stay behind? Why?"

The Togruta Jedi sighed. "Discretion. This is one of the highest guarded prisons, as you know, and groups of more than three aren't allowed, unless at least one of the members is Separatist leader. Also to leave with such a large group would doubtlessly draw attention."

Siri gave a short laugh of disbelief. "You're worried about us escaping because of a foolish rule? We are Jedi! We will all come, or none of us will go."

Shaak's face darkened. "Master Tachi, you have no right to call what our plan of action is."

"Why not? If it is our plan-"

"No." For the first time since the Togruta's arrival, Luminara spoke up.

She turned to face them, her usually-luminescent eyes dimmed slightly by darkness. "We should stick to Master Ti's plan."

"Why?" The blonde Jedi's voice held tension and more than a hint of challenge in it, making Obi-Wan wonder how much she knew about what was going on for the duration of their relationship.

"It is not wise." The Mirialan didn't elaborate, and Obi-Wan got the feeling she wasn't going to.

"That's not an excuse. No one gets left behind." Siri's voice was tight, daring anyone to argue with her.

From outside came the muffled sound of blaster bolts. Shaak Ti frowned, her eyes darting around the small enclosure. "There is little time. Master Kenobi, your decision?"

Mentally, he groaned. The Togruta was older than him, and had been on the Council considerably longer. Why did she have to turn to him for judgment?

Because, whispered a small voice inside his head, you are a Jedi too, and your opinion must be the deciding factor.

Obi-Wan closed his eyes, and mentally cursed the voice, although he knew that would do little good.

Reopening his eyes he looked over the three female Jedi.

Shaak Ti- A fellow Council Member, and wise beyond belief. So beautiful that enemies assumed she was as delicate, and yet, she'd lift her saber as quick as any of the considerably less attractive Jedi, if that was what the situation called for.

Then there was Siri- his only experience of being in love when he was younger, and so much more innocent. As faithful as she was sharp, and her keenness could be compared to the finest of vibroblades.

Last- but nowhere near least!- was Luminara. His elder perhaps, but a close friend, one amazingly intuitive to his emotions.

Love was forbidden by the Jedi Code, but not caring.

Perhaps that would be his downfall.

"Nobody can get left behind." Maybe he wasn't making the decision for the right reasons, but he had to think it was the right choice. If he didn't…

(But that wasn't happening; why think about it?)

"We will take Siri Tachi's suggestion. We are all leaving."

Master Ti fixed him with a piercing obsidian stare, and opened her mouth to protest.

Something must have been said that even Obi-Wan didn't know of in their silent battle of gazes, for she wordlessly relented, and released them from their shackles.

A/n: Many apologies for not updating! Thankfully, the next part should be up much sooner, as I have planned it out, and actually have one scene done already.