000
.
Yoda levitated off the bed aware that Qui-Gon was standing just outside the doorway; he glanced back at Obi-Wan who'd rolled over to face the far wall.
Yoda indicated to Qui-Gon to follow him and they both headed out to the garden before he spoke.
"Weighs heavy his heart does. Ready are you to lift that weight?"
Qui-Gon nodded. "I heard what he said and he is right as were you. I shattered an innocent child and made him feel inferior, and unworthy. I was supposed to be impartial, and see each initiate for their own merits. I didn't even look; I just closed my eyes and took Bruck's word for everything. I don't know how I am going to be able to cleanse Obi-Wan's tormented soul."
"Help you I will, for guilty I am also. Years ago while meditating, the force called me to the crèche. A baby I saw there. A great destiny the Force said. A dedicated and strong presence in the order. Take care of him we should."
"A baby? It was Obi-Wan wasn't it?"
"Yes, and directed me to you. Over confident I was that take him you would. Too late it was when returned from Dagobah I did. Failed the Force and Obi-Wan we have. Follow it now we will." Yoda stated.
.
000
.
The next morning Obi-Wan was allowed out of the healers ward. He had to stay on Naboo for a day or so before the Doctor would allow him to travel back to Chandrila.
Padmè took him to the palace where he was housed in a very spacious apartment. It was not something he was used to but being near Padmè made him feel better.
They spent most of the next day together getting to know each other and discussed their future.
The following morning they had a private breakfast together and came to a decision that they were both too young to deepen their relationship.
Especially now with so much going on with Obi-Wan and with her being the ruler of a planet. She hoped they could continue their friendship and wait until she was no longer Queen.
Obi-Wan reluctantly agreed, as he knew his life was in turmoil at the moment also, and didn't want to add any more pressure to his already confused life.
After breakfast they took a slow walk out into the garden. Obi-Wan sensed this walk with her would be the last time, for quite some time.
"Obi-Wan I'm leaving for Coruscant in an hour's time, to make sure the Neimoidian's get what they deserve, and then I have business on Alderaan. I won't be back for a week and I'm sure you will be on Chandrila by then."
"The gratification of being the Queen I suppose; duty comes first." He said.
"Yes, but I wanted to spend as much time with you as I could. My handmaidens nearly pulled their hair out when I told them I was going for a walk with you instead of getting ready."
Obi-Wan grinned. "I can imagine why; surely it takes more than an hour to put on all that paint on your face, and those dresses, how do you find yourself in them?"
"Oh! I seem to remember you thought I looked alright at the dance that night?" she smirked.
"Ha! I bet Lance that you wouldn't be able to smile with all that make up on. That's the only reason I wanted to meet you."
She tried to look indignant, but she couldn't keep a straight face, and a smile lit up his face.
So she burst out laughing. "Oh Obi-Wan, I am going to miss you!" she admitted.
"I will miss you too!" he said as they embraced.
.
Soon he was watching Padmè's ship disappear into the sky and was suddenly feeling a little melancholy. He strolled down to the lake, and sat on a bench overlooking the water. It was so beautiful and peaceful.
Several people stopped to chat to him, and one mentioned that he should be careful as he appeared to be getting sunburned; as his face was quite flushed.
He smiled saying he would be careful and that he was getting tired anyway, and was heading back to the Palace.
He felt fine until he got back to the garden path, but then he began to feel quite hot and unwell.
When he reached the Fountain where the path diverged left and right; he went to take the shorter left path, but he noticed Master Yoda with Master Jinn sitting on a bench along that way.
He definitely didn't want to talk to Jinn, and now that he was feeling slightly unwell he wanted to lie down.
So he went down the other path; slightly further to walk to the doorway, but a path with fewer distractions.
.
The feeling of sickness rose as bile in his throat and he glanced around for a bench to sit on for a few minutes.
Across the pond and through the shrubs and trees surrounding the pond he could see the two Masters, they hadn't moved even though Obi-Wan knew they'd seen him.
(Thank the force they're not following me I really don't want to speak to anyone right now. I'll just rest a while and then return to my room.)
He leant back against the bench and lifted his hand up to wipe his brow; that's when he noticed the rash on the inside of his wrist. He pulled his sleeve back and spots covered his arm. Lifting his tunic there were spots on his stomach as well.
.
"Now what's wrong with me?" he mumbled to no one in particular.
He felt lethargic and nauseous and he honestly didn't feel he had the strength to stand let alone head toward the healer's wing.
(Force I need help!) He thought gazing through the trees but he couldn't see anyone now.
He tried to get up but his legs felt like jelly and gazing back the way he'd come, his vision blurred up, and he couldn't make out anything clearly.
Closing his eyes he opened up to the force, he tried to clear his mind and draw some strength into his failing body.
He knew he needed help; there was no way he could even get up off the bench now. If he could just call out loud enough, maybe Master Yoda would help him.
He attempted to call out but he felt sick, and had to hold his stomach.
"Oh please some one 'help me,' he projected out with his thoughts, as he put his head down and was literally sick.
.
000
.
Yoda and Qui-Gon were talking about Obi-Wan when he appeared at the junction of the path. They hoped he would make his way down toward them, yet before either one could speak, he turned away from them and headed in the opposite direction.
"Do you think we should go after him?" Qui-Gon asked.
"Saw us he did, but if wanted to speak to us, then come this way he would have." Yoda answered.
"How am I going to make things right if he won't even give me a chance?" Qui-Gon said as they watched the young man walk further and further away.
"A solution will present itself, trust in the force we will; fail us it will not." Yoda stated.
"What's he doing?" Qui-Gon asked as Obi-Wan slowly sat on a bench.
"Sense a disturbance in the force I do!" Yoda said.
"I sense it also, what's happening?" Qui-Gon questioned as he widened his connection to the force.
.
(Force I need help!) "Oh please some one 'help me') the words slammed into Qui-Gon's mind as though some one had pushed them at him.
Qui-Gon jumped to his feet. "Master, there's something wrong he is calling for help!"
"Yes, hurry you should, call for medics I will, go to him quickly!" Yoda stated.
Qui-Gon bolted down the path; he got to Obi-Wan just as he bent over being sick.
He grasped his shoulders and steadied him. "Obi-Wan, what's wrong?"
.
A flushed face rose as their eyes met. Heat radiated from the young mans shoulders as Qui-Gon waited for him to speak. His mouth opened, but abruptly he was being sick again, all down the front of Master Jinn's trousers and boots.
"S-orr-" the word was disjointed and incomplete and Qui-Gon quickly said. "Don't worry you're ill; we'll get you to the healers."
"He is burning up," he said as Yoda arrived.
"On the grass lay him." Yoda stated. "Healer on his way, a hover stretcher they are bringing."
Qui-Gon laid the unresponsive boy on the ground and wrapped his robe around his shaking body.
"Master Yoda, he has a rash on his neck and arms, and he lifted Obi-Wan's tunic. His chest and stomach were covered in red spots too. It looks like Nerf-pox, but that's impossible."
"Yes, high temperature, rash and nauseous; all signs of Nerf-pox." Yoda said shaking his head.
"How did he get Nerf-pox our younglings are inoculated for it?
"Another thing we neglected to check." Yoda said.
"What do you mean?" asked Qui-Gon.
"Nerf-Pox effects force sensitive's more severely than others and all Jedi initiates are inoculated for it in the crèche and again when apprentices they do become. Had the final vaccination Obi-Wan did not."
.
Obi-Wan remained unconscious while the doctor examined him and took a blood sample.
"It does appear that he has Nerf-pox; I'll do a blood test to confirm it. We will begin him on a dose of antibiotics and some cream for the rash. Now that I know he is force sensitive, we should keep him calm and keep the room dark."
An hour later the healer confirmed that it was indeed nerf-pox's and they inserted nutrient tubes to prevent the nauseous and dehydration.
"It will be a few days before the worst of it is over and he will have to remain here until the rash goes. It can be quite contagious till then."
"Thank you Doctor, I will remain here with him." Qui-Gon said.
While Qui-Gon sat with the sick boy, Yoda contacted Senator Mon Mothma and found out that Obi-Wan had come in contact with a young friend of Lance's who had a slight case of Nerf-pox a few weeks ago, so that explained where he picked up the disease.
He also contacted the Queen and confirmed that they all had been inoculated for the disease.
Morning came, but Obi-Wan couldn't tell as the blinds were closed tightly and the room was shaded in dark shadows.
He gazed at the tubes inserted in his arm and realised he was back in the healers.
He assumed it was night, but he knew the moon should be full and that alone would give a shaft of light in the room.
He was on his side facing the window and he raised his hand to pull the heavy curtains back using the force.
.
A throat clearing sound made him stop and he rolled over to see Qui-Gon sitting on a couch in the corner near the door.
"I would advise against doing that." He said calmly.
Obi-Wan presumed he meant using the force frivolously to open the blinds.
His irritation rose. "Oh that's right 'a Jedi' shouldn't use the force for menial tasks! 'Well I'm not a Jedi so if I want to use the force to open the blinds I will!" he snapped as he lifted his hand, opening the blinds.
.
The dazzling rays of the morning sun shone directly on Obi-Wan's face. His eyes stung and he groaned in discomfort closing them, and put his arm over his face.
Qui-Gon used the force; pulling the blinds closed again.
"They're closed now Obi-Wan." Qui-Gon said calmly.
He felt like such an idiot, in his irritation in seeing and hearing Qui-Gon, he'd thrown all commonsense away and acted blindly.
He realised there must have been a reason why the blinds were closed so tightly, yet instead of asking 'why' he just presumed. He removed his arm from his face, but he didn't look at Qui-Gon.
"Thank you." he murmured.
Qui-Gon sensed the flair of embarrassment radiate off him; he imagined it was hard for Obi-Wan to admit to thanking him for anything.
He'd hoped that they could have begun a conversation, but silence filled the room.
In the distance a tapping sound could be heard somewhere down the hall. It got louder and louder until the door swung open and Yoda hobbled in.
He levitated onto the bed ignoring the silence that reigned supreme. "Feeling better are you?"
"Better than before, but I don't feel well. What did the doctor say is wrong with me?" he asked.
"Contracted Nerf-Pox you have."
"Nerf-Pox?... that's impossible, I was vaccinated for that when I was a Jed…when I was a child." he corrected.
Qui-Gon heard him almost say 'when he was a Jedi,' and it hurt him to think that it was his fault that Obi-Wan felt embarrassed to say the name.
"Obi-Wan your vaccinations were never completed, you had the first inoculation when you were a baby and then the second when you were nine, the third one is given when you turn twelve and it is usually given when you become an apprentice." Qui-Gon explained. "You never had the last vaccination."
Obi-Wan didn't look at him, but said. "That figures, why waste credits on someone that you are going to get rid of anyway!"
Qui-Gon knew that telling him that he made a mistake; was just going to rile him further.
However Master Yoda didn't feel that way.
"Unfortunate mistake it was young one." Yoda admitted.
"Pl- eease," he punctuated. "Don't make me laugh; I'm sure it was 'unfortunate' that I was even born at all."
"You seem to have a good life at the moment." Qui-Gon commented quickly.
Obi-Wan glared at him and turned his head away.
"I mean that you have a good job, you are in the service of a very well respected Senator, and I know she thinks very highly of you! And her son Lance, he seems more like your brother than your charge." he added.
Obi-Wan sighed. "Yes, at least someone thought I was worthy. I do have a good job with very nice people. I managed to survive and be important to someone; Master Jinn!"
Both Yoda and Qui-Gon could feel the swirling emotions. He was nervous, and he didn't know how to react to them. He was hiding behind his disillusionment and his desolation.
So he hit out with angry words, trying to make them feel as bad as he did.
Qui-Gon could see that it was pointless trying to explain and apologise to Obi-Wan. He knew it was all an act to keep from losing what control he had.
.
So he would try a different tact.
"So it appears that the perception that you want me to believe, is still the one Bruck chose for you. 'An angry young man'... Bruck on the other hand hid his anger well, and when you calm down; I will tell you what happened to Bruck. However, at present he is still controlling your life even after all this time."
tbc...