SCARS
by ardavenport
#### Part 2
Obi-Wan started awake and stared up at the unfamiliar ceiling, gray with a line pattern. He turned his head. Sleep faded away completely, banished like fog in daylight, and he put his hand to his face and his fingers collided with smooth plastoid.
"Obi-Wan."
Now his Master hovered over him.
"Aaaah - - " The mask held his lips in place, immobilized as if entombed in the plastoid..
"Don't speak." Qui-Gon's fingertips lightly touched the mouth hole. "You must let your injuries heal."
Obi-Wan nodded and got up. The change in orientation shockingly awakened all his repaired injuries. The bruises were not much worse than what he might get in a bad scuffle and did not cause him too much difficulty, but he suddenly felt the line down his face when the skin had been spilt to the bone by the Lurimee clan leader's weapon. It did not quite hurt, but he could feel it in the slightest motion, even with the mask on. And under that was a soreness in the upper roots of his teeth on one side, so pervasive that it felt like all of them were being regrown, not just three.
The fresher was through a door nearly invisible in a wall almost the same color until it opened, whisper-quiet. It was longer and larger than any fresher he had ever seen for any single room in the Jedi Temple. There was a full body soaking tub and a standing shower for water, sonics, air, cleansers and medicinal washes. He took a moment examining the controls before using the waste elimination apparatus which could have accommodated dozens of different species besides simple Human.
Finishing washing up, he stared forward at a wall mirror, the pale body drape drooping from his narrow shoulders. The mask was dull white with small red and blue square and triangle indentations under and above the eyes, lining the chin, dotting the cheeks. Perhaps the droid used them to line up its equipment. Stepping forward, he touched the part of the mask over his injuries. With a quick inhale he pulled his hand away from the enlivened line of nerve pain as if he had accidentally pulled apart the medical droid's hard work putting his face back together. He looked at himself in the mirror, his blue-eyes staring out from the holes in the mask like holes in the wall of a cage.
Behind him, Qui-Gon Jinn tilted his head into his frame of view. Obi-Wan hastily pulled back and away from the mirror and faced his Master who smiled and offered him a bundle.
"I thought you might like to get dressed. You have to sleep in the med unit, but you still have the liberty of the Temple."
Obi-Wan took it and Qui-Gon withdrew, the door silently sliding closed after him. The very last thing he wanted to do was parade his masked face throughout the Temple, but he did not want to spend all his time as a prisoner of the med unit either. There were replacements of all his usual clothes, boots, underthings, pants, tunic, tabards, obi, belt and a robe. After he put them all on, he thought they felt a little loose, the robe a little long. Qui-Gon had commented that he was growing out of his clothes and he obviously took the liberty to do something about it. Obi-Wan covered his head with the brown robe's hood, hoping to conceal his injury as much as possible, but the mask's blank face looked ominous under its shadow.
Emerging from the fresher, he found his Master waiting. Qui-Gon held out to him two items. His lightsaber and a flat comp screen. Flushed with relief and gratitude, he took the lightsaber first and put it on his belt. Taking the screen he tapped out:
THANK-YOU.
"I have reported on what happened to the Council, but if you have anything to add you may record that as well."
Obi-Wan tapped out his confession.
I DID NOT SEE ANYTHING. I DID NOT MIND YOUR INSTRUCTIONS WHEN WE ARRIVED. I ALLOWED MYSELF TO BE DISTRACTED BY - - -
Qui-Gon's hand stopped him, his smile understanding. "Neither I nor Master Tahl expected any physical hostilities. And we should have eaten before going. That is my mistake. I do not believe that you would have been so distracted had we done so."
The selections on the Embassy buffet tables had been delicious, and at the time, Obi-Wan had felt proud for pacing himself well and not filling a plate with one of everything right away. On reflection that seemed terribly conceited now.
Qui-Gon laid a hand on his shoulder and guided him toward the door. "Your most serious error was in blocking Fration Ninst's attack with your face, though you were successful in protecting Turmst's son, so there is at least one fewer injury for the Lurimee clans to avenge. Master Tahl has been assigned the task of assisting the Lurimee in fnding a more diplomatic way of settling their disputes."
Obi-Wan did not know the names of the Lurimee mentioned, but the female who had thrown the spiked ball at Turmst's son had been wearing a long sable robe with several gold and silver chains of rank hanging from the sleeves. If their senior diplomats were attacking people, the Lurimee would need all the help that Tahl could give them.
Leaving the med unit, Qui-Gon led him back to the medical theater where he lay down of the examining table to allow Zee-Zee-Ten to remove the mask and change the dressing. Qui-Gon waited patiently at his side, holding his new robe.
After that his Master took him to the Temple's gardens. The artificial lighting changed with the outside day of Coruscant and Obi-Wan could see that it was late afternoon. He had apparently slept all day. None of the other Jedi glanced their way as they passed, but Obi-Wan still imagined their eyes looking his way, at his face. Settling on a bench together, they sat among the greenery in semi-seclusion off one of the paths.
Qui-Gon did not seem inclined to speak for a time as the day-lighting faded. Low illumination along the paths slowly came on in the increasing twilight. Finally, Obi-Wan tapped out in glowing letters on the comp screen:
I FAILED TO FOLLOW YOUR TEACHINGS. I WAS NOT MINDFUL OF THE HOSTILITY AT THE RECEPTION BEFORE THE FIGHTING STARTED.
"You have already said that. You will do better next time. How do you feel?"
Obi-Wan peered up from inside his mask, under the edge of his hood.
I AM BETTER.
Putting an arm around his shoulders, Qui-Gon shook his head, a sympathetic smile on his face. "No, not yet. But you will be."
### ### ### ### ### ###
The next day started out with a morning healing meditation. Qui-Gon took the other bunk in the room in the med unit for the night and he was up, washed and dressed before Obi-Wan even awakened. It was not necessary for a Master to stay with a wounded Padawan, but it was not uncommon either. After that came a liquid breakfast and another treatment from Zee-Zee-Ten. The droid said he was doing very well and there would be no scarring. His face was less sensitive, but his growing teeth were now a constant dull sore and the mask had to be modified to accommodate where they would emerge though there was still a plastoid barrier between his tongue and the still healing inside of his lips.
Because of his injury, he was barred from any physical training, but he could still attend classes. As they approached the lecture room, Obi-Wan noticed his Master's expression change, first to surprise then displeasure. Bant Eerin, Master Tahl's Mon Calamari Padawan and one of Obi-Wan's friends from their days as Initiates, appeared from the gathering crowd of Jedi.
"Obi-Wan!" She hurried to him, her silver eyes wide with concern. "I'm sorry I did not come to see you earlier. We did not return until late and I was told you were resting." She reached out and he took her warm, moist hand. "I was told you would be well."
I WILL BE WELL. I AM GLAD TO SEE YOU.
"I was told that Master Tahl had been assigned to assist the Lurimee in repairing the peace among their clans," Qui-Gon observed, interrupting their reunion.
Bant nodded. "She left for their home world this morning." And left Bant behind again as she went out on another mission.
Qui-Gon glowered above them. Though Tahl was a kind Master and Bant always spoke well of her teaching, she did not include her apprentice on many missions outside the Temple. It was her right to do so as her Master, but Qui-Gon did not approve and Obi-Wan knew he had spoken to her about it. The older man's expression cleared and smiled.
"Ah, then you may assist me with Obi-Wan's healing training."
Bant looked surprised and then doubtful. "Thank-you, Master Qui-Gon, but Master Tahl assigned training for me while she was gone. I must attend to that first."
Qui-Gon casually shrugged off Tahl's instructions. "I'm sure there will be time and I'm sure that Tahl won't mind if you help with Obi-Wan's healing," he invited. "And you are already attending some of the same classes." He gestured to the lecture room door that people were filing into.
Bant wavered a moment. Padawans usually did not train with other Masters unless their own Masters had already approved it. Obi-Wan squeezed her hand and looked at her earnestly from behind his mask. It wasn't really fair for Tahl to leave her behind though he was sure his gentle and trusting friend would never say so out loud. Bant's silver eyes returned his look.
"I would be honored to help you and Obi-Wan, Master Qui-Gon.
### ### ### ### ### ###
Bant's 'assistance' quickly turned out to be mostly minding Obi-Wan whenever he was not in the med unit and Qui-Gon was busy elsewhere. Nobody had said to Obi-Wan that he could not be out of the med unit alone, but either Qui-Gon or Bant or both were always conspicuously there. It was simple when Obi-Wan and Bant went to the same classes or during his healing meditations, but more awkward when he was asked to wait for one or the other of his minders.
DID QUI-GON ASK YOU TO STAY WITH ME WHEN HE WAS NOT AROUND?
Bant briefly averted her eyes, but always truthful, she nodded, admitting the truth. "Yes."
They sat together in a med unit meditation chamber. It was as plain as any other chamber in the Temple, pastel walls and patterned floor with cushioned platforms for seating and louvered windows that muted the artificial daylight panels. "You're supposed to have someone with you while you are being treated here. But it is not because they think you are not capable. It is just a rule."
Obi-Wan shrugged amiably. There were lots of rules in the Jedi Order. Bant lowered her eyes again. They had plenty of time together since he was limited to only a couple of light classes a day with a lot of rest time in between. They had talked a lot over the past two days . . .
. . . about his treatment; he did not like it, especially the soreness from his re-growing teeth, but he would endure. They mimed the drama of Jedi patience and perseverance and the subsequent mirth and suppressed laughter for him tripped an alarm and brought the medical droid to his room in the med unit.
. . . about his temporary liquid diet. She sympathetically took a sip, but could not hide her wince. It did not taste bad, but was only sustenance which was surprisingly unappetizing after a few days. Obi-Wan very much wanted the use of his mouth back.
. . . about Tahl leaving her behind. Tahl was a wise Master, but she was very grateful that Qui-Gon had included her in his recovery. Back in the med unit room her silver eyes had shifted briefly toward the empty bunk that Qui-Gon slept in and Obi-Wan detected a trace of envy in that look.
. . . about what Bant saw when the Embassy fight broke out. Blood had sprayed everywhere whenObi-Wan was hit, the bright red color especially disturbing to the young Mon Calamari girl.
. . . about the hours of arguing, cajoling and shouting that Tahl that joined to calm the opposing sides among the supposed 'diplomats' after Qui-Gon left with Obi-Wan. Both Tahl and Bant had to draw their lightsabers more than once, but the threat had been enough to make the combatants back down without much damage.
. . . about their healing sessions. Extending the Force to each other was curiously intimate and wondrous. Obi-Wan and his Master were the same species and gender, so the largest difference between them was mostly between old and young, injured and whole. But Obi-Wan felt like he had been introduced to a whole new perspective when the traces of her senses flowed to him through the Force, and Bant felt the same. Winna Di Uni said that Bant had a natural talent for healing and that she would speak to Tahl about extra training for her. Bant had been very pleased when Qui-Gon said he would do the same.
Obi-Wan could tell when Bant wanted to say something but was shy of speaking.
QUESTION?
Bant hesitated only a little.
"Will you have a scar, like Tahl, when they finish tomorrow?"
Z-Z-10 SAID, NO. I WAS TREATED RIGHT AWAY BY THE EMBASSY MED-DROID. TAHL DID NOT RECEIVE MEDICAL HELP WHEN SHE WAS FIRST HURT. And when she was blinded, her blindness another scar that could not be healed.
"Do you want a scar? I've seen Jedi keep theirs when it looks like they could be fixed easily."
NO.
Obi-Wan shook the comp screen to emphasize his feelings. He did NOT want to walk around branded with battle scars blazoned across his face and did not understand why anyone would.
Another hesitation. "Do you know why Master Qui-Gon has not . . . " She touched the middle of her pinkish-tan face between her nostrils where she did not have a nose, but a Human would.
Obi-Wan would have laughed out loud if he could, but he knew better. He had heard the story after a fight on a mission where Qui-Gon got a messy bloody nose, but their assailant fared much worse.
QUI-GON WAS HURT ON A MISSION WHEN HE WAS A PADAWAN AND THE MEDICAL DROID WAS NOT PROGRAMMED FOR HUMANS, SO HIS MASTER REPAIRED HIS NOSE. QUI-GON THOUGHT IT ANNOYED HIS MASTER, SO HE KEPT IT THAT WAY.
Bant grinned but it quickly faded and she touched her face again under one eye. "I do not think that Master Tahl is trying to annoy anyone," she finished sadly.
SHE CAN'T SEE THE SCAR. IT PROBABLY IS NOT IMPORTANT TO HER. He touched the smooth plastoid on his face. AND THIS IS VERY VERY VERY UNCOMFORTABLE. I WOULD NOT DO IT FOR A SCAR THAT I COULD NOT SEE.
Bant did not look reassured. "The scars that cannot be seen may need to be healed the most."
The door to the meditation chamber opened. Qui-Gon and Winna entered. Winna's eyes went to Bant first, as they always did, as if she did not approve of the girl being there without her Master, but Obi-Wan had not heard Winna say anything out loud about it.
They took their positions, the pedestals pushed together in a close square so they could touch. Qui-Gon extended his hands first.
#### End Part 2
