"We must hurry." Shaak Ti didn't meet anyone's eyes, least of all Obi-Wan's.
Luminara, rubbing her wrists where the shackles had chafed at, seemed dazed. "I… This is not a good idea."
Siri gave a hiss of impatience as she massaged feeling back into her legs. "And what's your plan? Who will we leave behind? Will you be the one to tell of their 'noble sacrifice', because you were too stubborn to change the plan?"
Obi-Wan could tell she was nervous; the blonde Jedi was often terse, but almost never just downright rude. Realizing he was left to play peacekeeper, he stepped forward and spoke. "Master Tachi, that is unnecessary. Master Unduli, this is what we must do."
He held each of their gazes. "Nobody gets left behind, because we are all children of the Force. We are equals, and we will walk by one another's side. We will not walk away from anyone."
The blue-eyed Master turned away, not wanting to debate any further. "Master Ti, do you have our weapons?"
The Togruta shook her head. "I was unable to penetrate the weaponry chambers. I had hoped we could do it on the way out, as it is near the emergency exit. However…" she drew out three small blasters.
"These are standard weapons for ARC troopers. They can be messy to use, and are designed for killing." She handed one to each of them, a serious look on her scarlet features. "That being said, these are for self-defense only. I understand your ability to use the Force is compromised, but you can only take the Force away from the Jedi. I will protect you from the blaster bolts to the best of my abilities, but just in case, you will have these. It would be foolish to go unarmed."
With that, the elder Master opened the smooth durasteel door, taking them out of the frying pan and into the fire, in a rather literal sense. Flames from stray blaster bolts having hit some inflammable material licked at the sides, their orange color coinciding with the bright red of bolts still being fired from all sides.
Shaak Ti swore; it seemed strange to here the language more suited for a rugged smuggler than a beautiful Togruta come out of her mouth. She ignited her lightsaber, and immediately started deflecting the bolts.
Obi-Wan squinted, trying desperately to overcome the effects of the Force-blocking drug. Through the haze, he could make out the vague outlines of what looked like an entire platoon of standard battle droid units. He took aim of his blaster and shot one right in its midsection: He had no regrets about doing that; the droid was not sentient.
Beside him, Siri was also firing, her expression deep in concentration. In the few seconds the Jedi Master could spare watching her, she took down several of the beige-colored machines, and was well on her way to destroying a third when he realized that a blaster bolt was flying towards his heart.
In the laughably short time he had before impact, he realized that he didn't need the Force to find that place of numbness, the point where everything was crystal-clear, and events weren't moving at the speed of light.
Still, he would often wonder later on, if he had been able to access the Force, would he have seen the future?
Would he have been able to stop Siri from leaping in front of him, from absorbing the bolt into her chest?
These thoughts did not occur to him as he knelt by the fallen Jedi's side, oblivious to the fires raging around him.
Siri gave a slight moan as he cradled her. "Why did you listen to me?"
He hesitated, not wanting to answer, but knowing that she deserved a response before passing into the Force. "No one gets left behind."
She gave a bitter laugh. "You lie. Every day, Padawans were sent to the AgriCorps; now, they are sent to war. Every minute, another Jedi's body is left on a burning battlefield, as mine will be left here. If none are left behind, then it is because none move forward."
Her breath caught, and for a moment he thought she was gone, but then she gave a blood-filled cough and continued. "What was the real reason?"
It was a good question, perhaps too much so.
"I loved you, and I'd like to think that I feel differently now. I don't."
The next part of this already-complicated confession would be the hardest.
"I loved –love– Luminara too, and I'm arrogant enough to fear a galaxy without my presence. I could see no one to leave behind."
She coughed again, a sound like nails scraping the side of a ship. "At least you're honest."
Obi-Wan stared down at her, not wanting to spend her final moments with tension that burned like nearby flames between them. "Why did you save me from the blaster bolt?"
She tried to lift a shoulder, and was unable to complete the simple gesture. In a raspy voice she replied "I'm not really sure. I suppose because you're a Council member. I am below you, and so it is my duty to risk my own life for you."
His airway constricted, and for a moment he could identify with her pain. That was why she had willingly stepped in front of him, knowing she would probably die? Was he really only Master Kenobi to her?
Her pale lips opened again and he leaned forward, not wanting to miss what he knew might very well be her final words. "That's not the only reason. Obi-Wan-"
She broke off to choke out some more blood, and then continued her speech: "Obi-Wan… I still love you, damn it."
Siri's lips brushed him, and she was gone.
……………………
Gradually he became aware of other voices; that other lives went on.
"Master Kenobi!" In a single fluid movement, Shaak Ti grabbed his shoulder, hauling him to his feet, all while deflecting several blaster bolts. "We must get out! Our mourning must wait." In her dark eyes, the ginger-haired Jedi could tell that she felt for Siri's death, but how could she? He doubted the Togruta Master had ever felt anything even close to love.
Obi-Wan closed his eyes, ignoring the bolts that whizzed around the hall. If I don't get out of here, her death will have been in vain.
With a sudden jolt, Obi-Wan realized that he, Shaak Ti, and Luminara were moving away from Siri's body. Wordlessly, he turned around and moved to her death-site.
Behind him, the red-skinned Master hissed in impatience. "There is no time for this!"
He didn't turn around as he picked up her lifeless form. "No one gets left behind."