Chapter Eight: Gravity
I'm such a fool. She doesn't love me.
Stonewall was walking, though he had no clue to where. His feet moved of their own volition, which suited him just fine as he wasn't certain that his brain could handle much else at this point. I'm a fool, he thought, again and again. Traxis was right. She doesn't love me. I'm a fool. At one point he felt his boot knock into something solid and looked up, only to see a massive statue of some old god grinning down at him; he stepped to one side of the effigy and continued on. At last he noticed the steps that led down the face of the hill and into the city, two guards standing at attention on either side. He gave a nod to them though they each pointedly looked the other way.
May as well look for the others. Replacing his helmet afforded the captain a bit of respite as it sealed him in a familiar world. According to his chrono it wasn't all that late yet, though it was true dark. Torches were placed at intervals on the stairs, casting a flickering light on the steps which he took two, three at a time in his haste. Only when he reached the bottom did he contact Weave again. "Where are you?"
"Er...I'm not sure, exactly," his brother replied, his tone uncertain. "But...stand by." There was a pause; Stone could hear muffled voices for a moment before Weave came back, giving him an address. "It's near the market," he added. "And I hope you're hungry."
After he signed off Stone made his way through Rudral, unaware of anything besides the street names and the sound of his own footsteps; he tried not to think, but it was a vain effort. She doesn't love me and I'm such a fool for thinking it might be otherwise. The thought reverberated in his mind, striking a renewed blow each time.
When he found himself standing at the entrance to an unfamiliar temple he could not recall how he'd come to be there. The sloping steps he'd walked across were discolored and chipped, as was the rest of the building; graffiti had been sprayed along the outer walls and though Stonewall didn't know the Arunai language he could make out several of the lewd drawings well enough. I should check in with Weave again, just to make certain that this is the right place. However, he simply pushed past the broken door and stood inside for a moment until he heard the sound of his brothers' voices, raised like torches against the night. They're here. That's good, at least.
Stonewall made his way through the empty corridors and turned the corner at the end of the hallway, his boots crunching over piles of rubble as he followed their laughter until he reached the inner sanctum of the temple. There was a exposed area – an atrium that opened to the sky – where someone had lit a fire, around which a group of Arunai were seated with his brothers. All of them were laughing at one of Crest's more colorful jokes.
The captain stood in the doorway for several moments before one of the Arunai, a slender woman in a tattered but colorful dress, noticed him. Her spine straightened and she spoke to the man beside her, who said something to an older man seated between Crest and Milo. It was then that Stone's brothers realized he was there.
"Captain!" Crest shouted, leaping to his feet as Stone removed his helmet. "You made it! Here, try this stuff: it's called halla and it's fantastic..." He waved a piece of meat skewered on a stick in Stone's face and started to lead him over to the group, though he paused as Stone hesitated. "You okay? You seem-" He studied his brother and his face changed. Something silent passed between them and Crest nodded and glanced at the others, placing his hand on Stone's shoulder as he steered him towards a seat beside the fire.
"This is Kesin and his daughter, Danu. Her husband there is Marut and there's also Apala, Nandeen and Mithra," he rattled off, pointing to the Arunai who were clustered amongst the clones. "Everyone, this is our captain, Stonewall. Captain, these are our new friends. Guess what we have in common?"
The elder one he'd named Kesin bowed his head. When he looked back up, Stone realized that his eyes were frosted and sightless. "A pleasure to meet you, my boy. Come and share our fire, if you like." The others nodded and smiled at him, their faces illumined by the glow of the fire. One of them had a set of tablas and was striking the drums with a steady, soothing rhythm while another held a rounded, dulcimer-like instrument that she strummed with a light touch.
Nodding, Stone took a seat beside Weave, accepting a mug of something that he couldn't taste. Weave nodded to him. "Glad you could join us," he said in a quiet voice. "Crest made some friends, as you can see, and I think we may get some interesting information for the General as a result of it all."
At the mention of Kali, Stonewall felt something snap inside of him. He looked at his drink and watched his hand clench around the terra-cotta cup until he could see it starting to crack, the pale substance within beginning to drip around his hands. Suddenly the cup was gone and Crest was beside him as Milo and Weave asked the musicians about their instruments. "What's up, brother?"
The familiar but unexpected language of Mando'a was enough to draw out a response from Stone, as he replied in kind. "Traxis was right." Now empty, his hands opened and closed as if of their own accord.
Crest was quiet for a moment before he spoke. "Don't worry about it now, vod. We've got your back." He addressed the others. "Will someone please get this man another drink? We have some serious bucking up to do, guys."
"Crest, who are these people? What did you mean by 'what we have in common?'"
This is going to be interesting. Crestchuckled to himself and indicated the elder Arunai man. "Now that is a funny story...Kesin here was just telling us."
Kesin's voice was clear, despite the myriad of wrinkles that creased his weathered face. "We are all untouchables," he said, forming the word as one might say something mundane. "Myself and my family because we were born to it; you and your brothers, Captain, because you were not born at all."
"Or so we've gathered," Weave added. "No one's exactly sure but the theory is sound, if not particularly comforting."
Crest watched as Stonewall sipped from his mug and nodded. The others told him of their experience in the marketplace, but the captain hardly said more than a handful of words in reply. Not that he's chatty under normal circumstances, but I can tell that something's really wrong this time. He took a deep swig of sampah, the barley drink that had been sweetened with honey. "But that's not why we're so excited," he added. "I mean, being on the lowest rung of a foreign society is exciting and all, but at the end of the day, it's not worth getting bent out of shape over."
"Easy for you to say." Milo spoke up from his place beside the tablas player, whose movements he'd been watching with interest.
Stone sighed and looked at Weave, a question in his eyes. The other clone straightened and spoke to Kesin, who gave one of his broad smiles. "Your brother tells us that you have come here seeking information," he said. The clone captain answered in the affirmative and Kesin continued. "Then it seems that you have come to the right place, for no one has more information than those who no one sees."
At this, Stonewall looked up, his brow furrowing. "I'm sorry?"
Kesin chuckled, though it was his daughter, Danu, who answered. "No one notices untouchables, even as we do the most menial task in front of them. We are forbidden from coming into contact with anyone in a higher caste – even so much as an accidental touch – though there are many of us, more so than almost every other caste which means that our eyes and ears are everywhere." She paused and glanced around the fire at the others before she continued. "We would help you, but for a price."
Crest watched as Stonewall nodded to himself, taking another swig of his drink. "And what price would that be?"
Danu's eyes lifted. "You serve the great Jedi Knights, correct? We ask that you speak with them on our behalf; I know they have the queen's ear and could perhaps talk to her."
"Regarding?"
Clearing his throat, Crest felt everyone's eyes turn to him. "Oh, nothing much, Cap," he said. "Just looking into changing society." The music paused, then started again after a moment.
Marut laughed. "Nothing so extreme. My wife has the notion that we should be given a representative in Parliament. It isn't a bad idea, just unlikely. Those who have power are not eager to share it. In their eyes we are as different as birds from fish and could never live in the same place."
"Well, we may not get another chance as good as this one," she replied, looking at Stonewall. "If these men do indeed have the ear of the Jedi and the Jedi have the ear of Queen Sita..."
Stone was quiet for a moment before he nodded again. "Can you provide us with information about the high priestess, Neerja? We have reason to believe that she's spreading misinformation and lies. But we'll need proof," he added, looking at Danu. "Solid evidence, not just word-of-mouth."
"And if we provide this, you will speak to the Jedi for us? You will convince them to talk to the queen?" Her voice was quick and eager and the others around her sat up, attentive.
"We'll do our best," he replied, though the words were quiet. "Of that I can promise you. However, there's no telling what the Jedi will do." All of the clones looked startled at the edge to his voice, though Kesin merely nodded and placed a hand on his daughter's shoulder.
"That's his way of saying, 'yes,'" Crest interjected. "He's a man of few words, our Captain, but he makes them count."
Though Danu was frowning, her father nodded. "It is more hope than we had before and for that we are grateful."
For a moment, Obi-Wan watched Kalinda leave before he turned away from the panoramic cityscape to make his way to their quarters. She truly doesn't trust me any longer. The realization struck him like a blow. Will she ever let me back in?
Again he tried to picture Kali and Stonewall but he found it a difficult image to swallow, as he had never tried to imagine her with anyone else. I suppose she could simply be seeking the company of a younger man, though that doesn't seem like her. She'd said something that bothered him, a question that he wasn't sure he knew the answer to. Why does it concern me? Why indeed.
The shared quarters were devoid of anyone so he was spared further contact with the others, at least for the time being. But even as he lay in bed, watching the glow of the city beyond his window, sleep refused to come, kept at bay by persistent memories from their shared past: the bubble of her laughter at a murmured joke when they were children; the first brush of her lips to his in the Archives back at the Jedi Temple at sixteen; the warmth of her skin against his own as they lay tangled together countless times in the years since. She knows me so well, sometimes better than I know myself. No matter what else in my life has changed, I've always known she was there – as I've tried to be there for her in my own way, even if it was not how she would have liked.
His arm stretched out to the empty place in the bed beside him; again he was reminded of their last mission to Aruna, of the happiness they'd shared. We have so much between us...was I wrong to set it aside? Even for duty? Under normal circumstances, Obi-Wan did not like doubt, especially when it came to his own motivations and if he was honest with himself, the doubt had started with what she'd said to him their first time here. She was right: no matter how much I've tried to pretend otherwise, I can't deny my feelings for her are stronger than I would like. My reaction to her 'death' on Japarran is proof enough of that. Indeed, he had been almost numb with shock and grief when a report had come through that she had perished during the course of that mission nearly nine months ago.
And now, alone as he was in the late hours of the night, he found that he was still questioning his past actions and their repercussions until the very first traces of dawn edged over the horizon. Perhaps I was wrong. Perhaps there is room in my life for love, after all.
He sat up and rubbed at his face, blinking and looking around the room as if for the first time. Only then did he recognize it as the same place where he and Kali had spent many hours together, years ago on their first trip to this world. I don't believe in signs. But I do believe in another chance. Perhaps she will, as well.
After Stonewall left, Kali spent a restless night alone in the garden. She had given up on meditation some hours ago and was currently attempting to access the Force in order to perform simple tasks that she had been able to do with ease since her earliest memories. An hour passed and she found that she was covered in a sheen of sweat from her vain efforts to lift a fallen branch approximately the size of her arm. Provided she used every ounce of her concentration she could levitate the object a few centimeters off the ground, but it was difficult, nearly impossible. Fear clawed within her chest like a living thing attempting an escape, though she was able to tamp it down.
What is wrong with me?
Finally she noticed that dawn was coming; recalling the Parliament session that she and Obi-Wan were supposed to attend she decided to at least change into a fresh set of clothes. The palace was quiet now, almost peaceful, though she felt nothing but turmoil and the throb of fear and sorrow. He's never left me like that, she thought as she made her way to her room. But I've never given him reason to. Though she knew it was a futile effort, she tried to reach him through the Force.
Nothing.
At the entrance to the suite that the Republic group was sharing, she paused. Even if he's in there, I wouldn't know. After several more deep breaths she opened the door and stepped in the room to find it empty. She entered her quarters, glanced at her chrono and realized that she had time for a shower; several minutes later she was standing in the pulse of water, hot as she could tolerate it.
It helped a little.
When she stepped out of the 'fresher and began to towel off, her mind was a bit more clear, though she still felt a knot of anxiety in her stomach. Looking around her room, the realization struck her that it was the same set of rooms where she and Obi-Wan had stayed during their last mission here. This place...it was the beginning of the end for us, wasn't it? As much as I've always hoped that a relationship would work out between us, it didn't. I'm not sure they ever could, now. I loved him, but all it brought me was pain.
The thought was a fleeting one, followed immediately by an image of Stonewall's face from the night before and she felt her chest tighten again. Do I love him? I don't even know. Kali stood in the middle of her room and tried again to reach Stone through the Force, more out of habit than because she thought it would be effective. Her eyes closed and she pushed every bit of her focus towards his familiar energy. Stone, I'm sorry.
"What are you doing?" Obi-Wan's voice brought her attention back to the moment and she whirled around to face him, her breath short in surprise.
"Blast! You scared the kriff out of me," she said, narrowing her eyes as she clung the towel around her torso.
As he looked at her she realized he was trying not to laugh, which only stung her ire further. "My apologies," he said, lifting his palms up. "After I knocked, banged on the door and shouted your name for almost ten minutes, I decided that I should make sure that you were still alive." His head tilted as he regarded her; naturally, he looked refreshed and awake.
At least one of us got a decent night's sleep. "I'm here," she said at last. "That's really all I know at the moment."
"What were you doing?" The concern was evident in his voice, though it was more than his usual attentiveness.
Suddenly all-too-aware of the fact that she was almost nude, Kali clutched the towel around her midsection and tried to appear as calm as possible. "Nothing, Obi-Wan. May I please get dressed? I don't want to be late." She nodded to the chrono against the wall.
However, he remained where he stood, his eyes on her face. "Something's wrong. Kali..."
"I'm fine," she said at last. "Ben, I'm fine. Please leave." Her nickname for him slipped out as if on its own accord and she saw his expression grow more thoughtful, though he nodded and turned to the threshold. She dressed as quickly as she could before peering outside her door to survey the empty room. A few steps across the living space brought her to the entrance to the servants' quarters, though after several moments of rapping against the door she realized that their room was empty.
She nearly called Stone on her comlink, but decided to contact Weave instead. "Where are you guys?"
There was a slight pause before she heard his reply. "We're in the city, General. It's a bit difficult to speak now, but I think we're on to something." His voice took on a wistful tone. "You're about to go to the Parliament meeting, aren't you?"
Despite herself, Kali smiled. "That's right."
"Well, I'll be there in spirit." Another pause before he spoke again. "General, is it okay if I report back a bit later? Like I said, I think we're on the right track here."
"That's fine, Weave." A question had lodged in her throat but she found that her mouth would not form the words.
But Weave was kind, far kinder than she felt she deserved. "We're all here, General," he said, his voice hushed. "In one piece." She nodded to herself as he signed off. A throat cleared behind her and she turned to see Obi-Wan holding a cup of steaming tea.
"You look like you could use this," he said as he handed her the mug. Their fingers brushed as she took it from him. "Their tea is excellent, still." His voice held a trace of sorrow. "Some things haven't changed, at least."
It was piping hot, fragrant and rich; for a moment she was nothing so much as grateful. "Thank you," she replied, meeting his eyes. "I suppose we should get going?" He nodded and they made their way out of the room.
Thanks to SerendipityAEY for the title to this chapter!
