Meanwhile in the ruined gunship, Obi-Wan blearily started coming to. He determined that he was laying on a very hard surface and he felt like he was spinning. At first, he heard only a rushing noise in his ears. Finally, he was able to distinguish the distant plunk of blaster fire hitting the sides of the light-armored gunship from the hasty movements and communications amongst the clones that were in the compartment with him.

Where... ?

He thrashed feebly where he lay and then felt an immense amount of pain. Then he ventured an attempt at opening his eyes and immediately regretted it. His head had already been aching, but peeling his eyes open just a crack had allowed a dim light to seep through that sent his head reeling in even more pain. He gasped as his mind immersed him in the river of torture that he was now feeling from the rest of his body. But that didn't matter right now. Had his little stunt worked?

Raider, who was crouched over Obi-Wan, digging through his pack for gauze and bacta pads, noticed the General thrashing and gently pushed him back on to the deck.

"General, don't try to move, sir. Our gunship crashed on Geonosis. You took a spill."

Obi-wan continued to attempt to sit up. He blearily opened his eyes despite the pain that it caused him. They were glazed over and divulged a bewilderment that was incompatible with Jedi-caliber situational awareness. But he could just make out the markings on Raider's helmet that distinguished him from his brothers.

"Raider..." he grunted hoarsely at the middle of the three Raiders that were swirling above him. Despite the fire in his ribs, he continued but struggled to find his voice and his grunts betrayed the amount of discomfort that he was in. "Rest of crew?" he inquired, hoping that Raider would understand the fragment.

"Sith, sir! Take it easy" Said Raider, incredulous at the force he had to use to subdue the General and keep him from further injuring his broken body. "We lost Juice, our pilot, but the rest of us are actually OK. I think we need to concentrate on getting out of this hole and meeting up with General Skywalker and General Mundi."

Obi-Wan looked relieved and then determined before trying to speak again. But his world suddenly went hazy yellow and he felt his head being gently lowered back to the steel deck before darkness claimed him once again.

"Waxer! Boil!" called a clone commander to his troops that were gathered around the rendezvous point and defending their zone against enemy fire.

The two clones of interest trotted forward and their Commander addressed them privately.

"There's a downed gun ship five clicks east. We believe its General Kenobi's. I need you to get out there and check for survivors."

Waxer and Boil had served under General Kenobi before when the Republic liberated Ryloth. They were more than eager to do him another service and rescue their brothers from the fire that was now raining down upon the pile of twisted smoking metal that they could see in the distance.

"Yes, sir!" They said in unison. And they made a run for it through the barrage of bullets.

"Master Mundi, come in" cackled Ki-Adi-Mundi's com-link in the form of Anakin Skywalker's deep, deliberate voice.

"Yes, Skywalker" he acknowledged as flamethrowers from his squad finished off the last remaining bugs that were blocking their descent to the rendezvous point near the foot of a forested hill.

"Ahsoka, Rex and I are almost to your location. We've blown the wall and the fortress has been compromised. I suggest that you and I regroup our squads and make way to the landing zone together." He paused so slightly that only a Jedi would sense his dismay. "Obi-Wan was shot down."

"I see" replied Master Mundi, momentarily a little shaken at the news of his fellow Council member and good friend. "Regrouping is a good idea. Send me your coordinates. I can see the landing point from here and it does not look good. Stand by, Skywalker, we'll be with you in moments." Ki-Adi-Mundi was not the type of Jedi to pause as Anakin had.

"Yes, Master."

Meanwhile, Obi-Wan had managed to open his eyes again and he was attempting to use to the Force to dissipate the fog that clouded his vision. Once he did slightly, he persued a more effective commanding stance.

From across the aisle of the ship, Raider noticed the General beginning to stir again and rushed to stop him from hurting himself more.

"General! Please rest, sir! You're only making it worse!" Raider had every intention of assigning able men to carry to General to safety. He wasn't expecting to have to order the men to simultaneously subdue him physically.

Obi-Wan could feel throbbing and burning pain and heard the distant voice of someone pleading with him. He couldn't make out what was being said but he could feel the fire in his limbs and he noticed that it was very difficult to breathe. But somehow, he managed to sit up. He had to. He would not allow the mission to be compromised simply because his body felt the need to take respite.

Realizing the futility of his medical advice, Raider sighed and helped the General sit up a little higher and lean against the side of the gunship.

"Raider?" Obi-Wan couldn't make out which clone was right beside him so he ventured an educated guess.

"Right here, sir" replied Raider wearily.

The General was still extremely disoriented, but he would most likely pass out again soon anyway, so he might as well humor him.

"No more naps for me Raider," grunted Obi-Wan, "Can you help me up?"

Raider's mouth fell open. Leave it to General Kenobi to make a remark like that about his near death.

Raider let out a long sigh of reluctance.

"Sir," he began, "It's in the best interest of your health if you stay-"

Obi-Wan uncharacteristically injected a hint of impatient iciness in his is interruption of Raider's medical recommendation.

"-what, prostrated? I'm going to manuever myself to a standing position whether to you help me or not. If you want to help me, then help me up. I'm getting up off this deck one way or another."

Raider gazed into the General's cloudy grey eyes. The Jedi Master was dripping with blood, sweat and grime but his jaw was set. Raider couldn't help but feel that all his extensive and grueling medical studies were now obsolete.

"Very good, sir" said Raider even though he knew the idea of the General not staying immobile was anything but.