Master Fisto points to the people lying around them. "Why would Padawan Barriss attack you?"
Obi Wan closes his eyes, searching for an answer in the Force. "She resents her Master."
"Why?" Adi questions, scrutinizing him. "Why so?"
"Because.." Obi Wan did not know the answer.
Master Yoda breaks into the interrogation. "Rest, Master Kenobi must. Medical wing, yes, bring Master Unduli and Padawan Barriss." He gestures for the Council members to 'get moving'.
Adi Gallia picks up the fallen Padawan, closing down her lightsaber and giving it to Master Yoda. Kit Fisto lifts up Luminara and follows her to the med wing. Obi Wan and Yoda trail behind, silence between them.
"Happened, what, exactly?" Yoda implores, looking up at his companion.
Obi Wan chose his words carefully. "I noticed some.. difficulties between Luminara and her new Padawan. Given the history between them, I thought I might try to be peacekeeper."
Yoda snorts, dubious. "More, I sense, there is. Complete story, I demand."
Obi Wan swallowed. "Er.."
Yoda looks up at him, knowingly. A glint comes to his eye. "Tell me full tale, you do not, force you to eat mashed muja fruit, I will."
Obi Wan stares in shock. "Umm.."
Yoda cleared his throat. "Ahem."
"Okay, so Luminara has had problems with her Padawan for a long time, but she wouldn't admit it until now, today, so I confronted her Padawan and got my arse kicked," Obi Wan bursts out, suddenly embarrassed.
Yoda chuckles. "Padawan Barriss beat you, exactly how, like to know, I would."
Obi Wan turns pink. "Her Master taught her well."
Yoda cocks an eyebrow. "Why resent her, does her Padawan?"
Obi Wan looks down at his feet. "I don't know, Master. Only Luminara does."
Yoda twitches an ear as they round the last corner. "Ask her, you will. Tell me, later, you will."
Obi Wan merely nods, lost in thought.
They enter the med wing. Bant, Obi Wan's childhood friend, rushes up to meet them.
Without asking any questions, she directs them to rooms, and the two patients are placed in them separately. She takes Obi Wan aside, shooing away the Council members like bugs. They stand, unsure of what to do, in the midst of the busy healing center.
Bant looks at his arm, inspecting the damage. "Lightsaber burns?" she asks, pointing at his arm with a flipper.
He nods. She brings him into a more private room and places a bacta patch on it. "It will heal in a few hours. Meanwhile, you can tell me what happened."
Obi Wan took a deep breath. "You know Luminara and Barriss?"
Bant nods. "The former came in a few times to help. She was nice, kind. Her apprentice seemed a bit on the grumpy side, though."
"Apparently, they haven't been getting on so well. I mean," he takes a breath. "I mean, Luminara is one of the friendliest people I know. Why her own Padawan would hate her so much, I can't understand."
"Could it be that she misses her former Master?"
"K'ol Shum'a?"
"Yes. They were a very competent pair."
"I see." Obi Wan considers this information. "Bant.. Barriss used the dark side today. I don't think-"
Bant interrupts. "Haven't you heard?"
He looks up at her, startled. "Heard what?"
She leans forward. "Heard that K'ol Shum'a is suspected of having been a dark side practitioner?"
"What?" His tone is of pure shock.
"Yes. It was in the records, so I hear. I also heard it from the Temple grapevine. Just after he died, those closest to him felt a wave of the dark side in the Force. It was like an explosion."
"Hmm..."
Bant lays a fin on his uninjured arm. "I will speak to the patients and give you the details later." She rises. "You are free to go, if you wish. I must resume my duties now." She gives him a small smile. "Good luck." She stepped out the door, ready to attend to another injured person.
Obi Wan sits there, pondering. At last, he stands up and walks, decidedly, to the door.
As he wanders into the waiting room, questions buzz in his mind. Why would a Padawan agree to a Master she didn't want? Why would she attack her own Master?
He settles himself in a chair, beginning his vigil. It is a time for silence and understanding.
His head tilts drowsily as he slumps in his seat, chin dropping into his chest. His breathing deepens and evens out as he falls into the precipice of sleep..
"Ara?"
his voice echoes, all alone. "Ara?" No one answers
him. He is alone. He races forwards, feet slapping
against the cold, stone floor. The darkness reaches for him, long
shadows casting on the walls from the dim light. Two
solitary figures stand in the biggest cavern. They are holding
lightsabers, one blue, one green. Both are wearing cloaks, covering
their faces from his sight. In the slow, agonizing moment that
follows, he knows what will happen. He knows he will be too
late. The one holding the blue 'saber brings their
glowing blade down on the other. He watches, in helpless horror, the
shape crumple to the floor, motionless. He cannot move.
His limbs seem frozen to the ground. He stares, powerless, as the
remaining being strides across the floor and disappears into the
shadows. At last, his frozen brain commands his legs to
move. His knees buckle, but he keeps going, his legs strengthening
with every step. At last, he reaches middle of the room. He kneels
down, fingers trembling as he reaches to pull back the hood. He
stares down in shock, unable to comprehend what is before him. His
face pales, eyes rolling back. He sways, and drops to the ground
beside her. Luminara. The figure, the killer, stalks
silently from the edge of the room. They stride past him, slowly,
robes brushing across his face. Interlocked triangles pattern across
her face, eerie blue eyes flashing, just visible under her
hood. The prophecy is complete. The dark one has
risen. Barriss Offee.
