11

Lieutenant Reed was delighted to have an opportunity to finally test out his new weapons upgrades. Now that several of Grievous's shields had been rendered useless by the Klingon attack, Malcolm's pinpoint laser-guided torpedoes made short, dramatically explosive work of the Invisible Hand's aft command tower. The resulting debris and carnage brought a dreamy smile to the armory officer's face.

"I've been waiting to do that all week," he said, as though he'd just spent a romantic evening with the love of his life. Captain Archer, who refused to have his injuries treated until they were out of harm's way, found Reed's customary reaction to blowing things up both strange and amusing in equal measure.

Despite Malcolm's half-hearted protests, they didn't hang around long enough to enjoy the rest of the show. The leader of the Klingon armada was bound to be upset once he realized Obi-Wan had manipulated him, and having seen quite enough conflict for one day, Captain Archer made a command decision to put as many light-years as possible between Enterprise and the battle now raging in Klingon space.

Three days later, Enterprise had returned to neutral space, but the captain had yet to return to the bridge. Battered and bruised, but eager to resume active duty, he had spent most of the last seventy-two hours constantly nagging Doctor Phlox to discharge him from sickbay. So far he had been unsuccessful, despite repeated, if hollow, threats to maim Phlox's pet animals when the Denobulan's back was turned if he didn't give him the all clear.

Early on the fourth day of Archer's recuperation, the doctor was still keeping a beady eye on him, when the arrival of an unexpected visitor forced the captain to postpone his ingenious escape plan – namely, run for the door, warp five, try not to hit stuff. Well, it hadn't failed him yet.

"I thought I'd come and check up on you," said Obi-Wan, moving to the bunk where Archer was sitting, dressed in a pair of loose pants and a sleeveless white vest. "Given your reasons for defying Grievous, I can't help but feel party responsible for your condition."

Archer rotated his neck to loosen the muscles, then, smiling, said, "Partly?"

Obi-Wan grinned. "Well, you will be glad to know that we will cease to be a burden on your crew for much longer. Commander Tucker informs me that our starfighters are very nearly flightworthy. He and Anakin have become quite a team when it comes to tinkering with broken gaskets and so forth. It almost seems a shame to separate them."

Archer hesitated, then said, "You know you're both welcome to stay on Enterprise as long as you like. There's no rush. T'Pol expects the temporal vortex that brought you here won't close for another couple of months at least."

"Thank you, Captain, but—"

"Jon. Call me Jon. I think we're past being formal with one another."

Obi-Wan graciously inclined his head. "Jon … But we really must report back to the Jedi Temple. I have a seat on the Council. I'd hate to be replaced." His clear blue eyes narrowed as he smiled again. "And I know there's a special someone Anakin would like to catch up with, too. Not that he'd admit it …"

"Well, my offer stands," said Archer. "If you're ever in the neighborhood, feel free to call by."

Obi-Wan began to leave, but turned back before he reached the door. "Oh, before I forget … I heard about your extraordinary exploits aboard the Invisible Hand; I've decided to give you a small parting gift. What the Temple Masters don't know, shouldn't cause them undue stress."

Obi-Wan deftly extracted a small sapphire jewel from inside a fold of his baggy robe, and handed it to the captain.

"Thanks," said Archer, holding it up to the light. "What is it?"

"A focusing crystal," said Obi-Wan. "Jedi use them to construct their lightsabers. You really did miss your calling. I took the time to dictate further instructions on how to build one to your armory officer. He … seemed very keen to hear what I had to say."

Archer shook his head, stifling a smirk. "That doesn't surprise me. It's a good job you've only given me one of these" – he rolled the crystal between his fingers – "or in a few months, everybody in Starfleet would've been running around with something called a Reedsaber."


Most of the bridge crew congregated in Shuttle Bay 2 early the following day to say farewell to the Jedi.

Charles Tucker, his overalls covered in grease, emerged from beneath one of the wedge-shaped Jedi starfighters and joined the rest.

"Well, they're refueled and ready to go," he said, wiping his hands on a rag. "So I guess this is it."

Obi-Wan addressed the whole group. "Anakin and I would like thank you all once again for everything you've done for us. The Republic owes you a great debt."

"We won't forget it," Anakin thought to add.

"Pleasure workin' with you, Skywalker," said Trip, shaking the young Jedi's hand. "You've given me a lot to think about as regards modifyin' these 'ere shuttle pods."

R2-D2 trilled and beeped contritely, revolving his blue dome.

"Artoo says he's sorry for all the trouble he's caused you," Anakin relayed to Trip. "He's been missing the company of a certain protocol droid back home."

Trip looked as though he was about to make some kind of snarky retort, but thought better of it, and smiled tolerantly. "Ah, don't worry about it. I think the little guy and I are finally startin' to see eye to eye. We just got our wires crossed early on."

"I'm glad you feel that way, Trip," said Archer, beaming, "because Artoo has elected to remain onboard for a few weeks to study our behavior. You being the chief engineer, I thought he might be most at home in your quarters."

Trip went so quiet and pale that a casual observer might have thought he'd suffered a spontaneous stroke. Mouth open, he stared, dumbfounded, at Archer, who managed to keep his face straight until T'Pol decided to ease Trip's torment.

"I believe the captain is deceiving you for comic effect," she whispered, leaning toward him.

Jon, Malcolm, Hoshi, Travis, Obi-Wan and Anakin all burst out laughing.

"That ain't funny, Cap'n," said Trip seriously, as Archer wiped a tear from his eye.

Once the frivolity had subsided somewhat, Jon shook both Jedi's hands.

"Have a safe journey," he said sincerely.

"And the same to you," said Obi-Wan. "Space is a big place. One never knows where he'll end up next. All we can do is go boldly into the fray."

"I couldn't agree more," said Archer.

Obi-Wan turned to T'Pol, who still seemed oddly flustered by the directness of his gaze. The Jedi found himself wondering just how much the poison from Sasha-Kinn's virus gun had actually influenced her actions earlier. Through the Force, he sensed a great deal of emotional conflict behind the pokerfaced façade she presented to the world at large.

He decided it would be best not pry.

Instead, Obi-Wan raised the palm of his right hand and formed a V shape by separating his fingers.

"Live long and prosper," he said kindly.

T'Pol came as close as she ever did to cracking a grin, and Obi-Wan was sure he saw a trace of color rise in her cheeks. Then again, perhaps it was his imagination playing tricks.

"You've been doing your homework, I see," said T'Pol eventually.

Obi-Wan smiled, sighed – and then decided it was time to leave.

"Come along, Anakin," he said, strolling toward his starfighter at a leisurely pace. "There's a mug of jarva juice at Dexter's Diner with my name on it."

Anakin frowned as he climbed the ladder up to his cockpit. "I was hoping to pay Padme a visit first, Master."

Settling into his own cockpit and strapping himself in, Obi-Wan gave a canny chuckle. "Yes, I'm sure Senator Amidala will be thrilled to know her number one advocate is still alive."

Powering up his internal systems, Anakin countered, "It isn't like that, Master. We're just good friends."

"Yes, good friends indeed. I don't doubt it, Anakin," said Obi-Wan, as Trip used a magnetic crane device to carefully insert R2-D2 into the wing-socket of Anakin's ship.

Thanking Trip with a wave, Anakin quickly closed his viewport hatch to stifle Obi-Wan's not-so-subtle allusions about his love life, and then taxied toward the shuttle-bay doors.

Before Obi-Wan could follow suit, however, Jonathan Archer stepped forward. In a loud, clear voice, he said, "Obi-Wan. May the Force be with you."

Obi-Wan turned in his seat and smiled down at him. "I'd say the same to you, Jon. But apparently, it already is. Take care, my friend."

And with that, the Enterprise crew retreated to an air-tight observation room, where all they could do was watch quietly as their two mysterious guests took flight, soaring directly into the turbulent blue vortex that would return them to a galaxy far, far away.

THE END


Author's note: Well, that's it. I hope everybody enjoyed it. If you persisted all the way to the end, I'd greatly appreciate a comment to tell me what you thought. It might not be as good as money (damn that J.K. Rowling!) but it'd make me very happy nonetheless.

A special thanks goes out to all my regular reviewers. You know who you are. Thanks for inspiring me to complete the first story I've ever written that actually has a plot. Take care.