Beep-beep-beep.
Again, this damned alarm clock! The desire to take it and to throw it against the wall was very tempting. But a Jedi should know no anger…
He stretched his hand, trying to turn off the adverse mechanism, but found nothing. Of course, there was nothing! It was another medical device, connected with his left hand.
It was a memory from the past. By now he'd remembered almost everything about that period of his life. Obi-Wan spent almost a week in sleep, unconsciousness. When he was awake he saw only unfamiliar faces of healers, lots of needles, and medical equipment. Also, he desperately tried to recall something about his past.
He finally woke up and opened his eyes, staring aimlessly at the cell. Obi-Wan recalled his room in the North Wing of the Agricorps. It was decorated to his liking. At the Temple, his room was quite… featureless. He didn't litter his things around (as most young Padawans did), trying to impress Qui-Gon. Not to mention any decorations. In the beginning of the apprenticeship almost everything somehow recalled Master Jinn about his former Apprentice Xanatos and got him mad. So, there was a basic set: a bed, a desk with his textbooks and datachips, a chair, chest of drawers, and old and worn but very cozy armchair, his favorite place for reading. The only bright spots were the light green curtains.
In the Agricorps he did not have the same big room. A bright rug with flower ornament was lying on the wooden bed, a many-colored scrappy blanket was hanging on the left wall—it was a present from Bant, she'd made it herself. Mon-Calamari had been making it in the evenings—that routine work helped her to digress from the thoughts about her dead Padawan. The walls were painted in the favorite light green color by Obi-Wan himself. A holophoto of Kenobi, Bant, Mic and a varactyl on the background was lying on the table…
Obi-Wan tried to turn his head. He again was in the hospital. He was still covered with bandages, but his wounds mostly became the ugly scars by now, thin tubes connected his hands and bags with some medicine. Droid, standing at the door, activated itself and said in a pleasant female voice:
"You awaken. The condition is satisfactory." Then it went away to report this information to somebody.
Obi-Wan sighed. He remembered almost everything with exception of some not so important details. The Rodian healer was right—his memory loss was caused by severe shock and, luckily, was not permanent.
He knew that he once had been living in the Jedi Temple; Qui-Gon had been his Master before… before he took Anakin instead and sent Obi-Wan to the Agricorps, where Kenobi had met Bant and had been enjoying a quite pleasant life, before the pirate attack happened. Then, there was that strange conversation in the Force. He wanted to believe that it was his twisted imagination, but he could not.
One thing he could not understand was Qui-Gon's behavior. Why did he act in that way? What did he want? He hid some facts, though he almost was not lying!
He honestly didn't know what to expect from his former Master now. Was it a sudden sympathy for his previous Padawan or he had another plans for him?
Obi-Wan didn't know what he was going to do. He also didn't know why he was here. His wounds soon would be alright, he almost could reach the Force, though this damned medicine dimmed the connection.
"Young Kenobi, I'm glad to see you alive and almost in good condition. Well, considering your injuring in the beginning…" A familiar voice interrupted Obi-Wan's thoughts. He managed to turn his head and saw the Supreme Chancellor Valorum.
"Chancellor?" Obi-Wan asked politely. "I'd certainly stand up and bow, but it's very difficult with tied arms."
"I believe you." Finis smiled. "I see your memory serves you well, right? It's a miracle that you are alive." He didn't notice Obi-Wan's grimace and continued: "You had been in a coma for a week with such awful wounds. You've lost much blood, terrible wound in the chest… I think that without your Master you would be dead by now. Why are you grinning?"
"Oh, I'm sorry. A week you say? Indeed, I'm lucky—to celebrate my birthday in a coma… Besides, you're right: I shall thank Master Qui-Gon, when I have an opportunity. Can you tell me what's happened? Why am I here and not lying dead on the battlefield? There were pirates, right?"
"Yes. Acado pirates. When I was running to my shuttle, I noticed that you're shot. I thought that you were still alive and ordered one of my bodyguards to take you with us. We managed to escape; Togorians could not follow the fast shuttle. On the board I connected with Coruscant, they sent several battleships, so the pirates were defeated. A medical droid helped you in the space and here, my best healers were treating you. As well as Qui-Gon with his meditations. Sorry, I don't know how this Jedi stuff works."
"I see. I'm very grateful to you. And… What's with the others?" Obi-Wan asked gently.
"I'm sorry. Only some young children ran to the fields and hid themselves from the pirates."
"Indeed, a rare chance. Thank you once again." Obi-Wan was silent for some moments and then asked: "What do you want from me?"
Finis smiled. "I knew that you're very smart young man, even for your age. I need some help. I want you to be my aide. Do you honestly believe that the attack on the Agricorps was accidental? Someone wanted to kill me. I need a special bodyguard."
"It's honor for me, but I can't…" Obi-Wan started. It was not in his plans to be a personal assistant even for the Supreme Chancellor.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't make myself clear. It was not a request, it was a statement. I saved your life and I want a service in return. I know you can manage this. You had special training, you can feel this Force. Do not worry; you'll get everything you need. A place for living, salary. You will help me with some paperwork to pretend to be my personal secretary and to protect me if needed."
"But why me?"
"I can't directly ask the Jedi Council for help. You don't follow their orders, you're not a Jedi. Formally, at least. If I have a former Jedi as a bodyguard—it's a different situation. Nothing can kill a Jedi as they say. Well, almost nothing." Finis corrected himself.
"I'm very sorry, but I just cannot!"
"Well, look at this from the other side. You have nowhere to go. And nobody to help you. Your friends from the Agricorps are dead. You don't know your family. Considering your background, I doubt that you'll find a legal job in the nearest future. And I'm sure you won't accept an illegal one. Of course, I commed Master Yoda about you. He said that they can take you back, not as a Jedi or an Apprentice, I suppose. I think your former Master won't mind to supervise you."
"I think Master Qui-Gon is the last thing I need. So, you leave me with no choice."
Of course, Obi-Wan could run to the lower levels where he could not be found, but there was no point. He could be returned to the Chancellor as well or to the Jedi or even be killed. He still needed some medical treatment. And… he really had nowhere to go, Valorum was right about it. Besides, Qui-Gon hated politics and he would be mad when he learned about it.
"I agree." Obi-Wan finally said.
A/N: Thanks for the reviews! It's always interesting to see people's opinion. Anyway, I hope you'd like this chapter too.