Christa dropped to her knees and crawled into Maldrea's hut. The gravel and sand hurt her skin, but she didn't care, she needed to get Han.
"Maldrea!" she called, then pulled the curtain aside and crawled in.
Han sat on the floor, banging cups together. Maldrea towered over him.
"I already know why you're here."
"Maldrea, I'm begging you-" Christa sniffled. "Something terrible is happening, I need you…"
She pulled Han into her arms and hugged him, sobbing into his hair. The child dropped his cups and squirmed from her grasp to get them, blissfully unaware.
Christa stayed on her knees, looking at Maldrea from the floor where she kneeled.
"IF I don't get him out of here, away from Runei… something bad is going to happen. He'll kill him."
"I know," Maldrea answered. "The man is dangerous. Lethal. Deadly. If he learns about Han, there's no telling what he will do to you both. The extent he will go to use you."
"He can't find out!" Christa exclaimed.
Maldrea nodded. Christa felt fever coming on so she laid on the floor.
"Now isn't the time, young lady…" Maldrea cautioned.
"I'm trying…" Christa said. "Not to do this…" she felt her breath in pants.
Maldrea stooped, pulled her head to her knee. "I will take Han," she said.
Christa grabbed her arm. "You'll take him to Correlia?" Christa asked. "Keep him until we come for him?"
"We?"
"Give me time. I will come back."
Christa sat up again, and pulled Han into her arms. She held him. "I promise, I will come back to you. I will do everything in my power to bring your father with us. Maldrea, you must leave now."
Han whined.
Obi-Wan flew to Runei, something wasn't right. He felt it in every fiber of his being. He heard her cries in his dream, heard Han. He left the temple early to avoid the questioning eyes of his colleagues. He would go to Runei. He needed answers…
Obi-Wan landed near the lounge. It was closed, as it was early morning. So he pushed his way through its two doors, passed the empty bar, and walked to Christa's suite. He found her in bed. Her eyes were blank as she gazed emptily at nothing. As though she were shell shocked.
He pulled her into his arms and stared into her face. Surprised to see him, she flung her arms around his shoulders. "Obi-Wan…" she cried.
He pulled her into a sitting up position, and held her hand. She wanted to tell him about Dooku. But what if her confession got them both killed? She'd never met an evil Jedi before… what will he do?
"Something's wrong. I sensed it." He gripped her fingers.
"Han," she choked.
He gave her a questioning glance. "Where is he?"
Christa covered her face with her hands. How could she tell a lie this big and still look him in the face? He wouldn't' understand, he'd try to fight that evil old man. What if he lost? What if he were killed?
"Gone," Christa cried.
"Then we'll get him, and bring him to the temple. I spoke to the Council, they agreed to have him."
But weren't the Jedi under the threat of being destroyed? The Republic? Why bring her son there? Why put him in that type of danger?"
"I can't-" she sobbed.
He held her by the shoulders. And shook her.
She merely thought the words… dead.
And he let her go.
"And where we you when it happened?" he accused.
"I was booked last night, and…"
"Booked? I told you not to do it."
"You asked me not to do it, you didn't tell me to do anything."
"And while you were away, something happened to Han?"
Christa nodded.
"Who did this to him?"
Christa dared herself to even think his name. She shook her head. "I don't know," she wailed.
Obi-Wan resisted the urge to strangle her, and left the suite.
His chest heaved in violent anger. But it wasn't the Jedi way. This anger he felt, swelling within him made him want to kill… maim, get revenge.
He climbed into his starfighter and sat at the controls, brooding… the panel trembled as the energy emanating from him threatened to tear it asunder with the force.
Would Christa tell him what happened? The truth? He knew she lied about something, but would she lie about that? Most certainly not. She loved them both too much to concoct such a story.
But Obi-Wan wouldn't hear it. He couldn't. He might kill her and everyone else at the lounge, if it meant he'd get the person who did this.
Obi-Wan pressed a button on the control panel, and the ship rose. He didn't even know where he'd go next. To drift in the black, empty space of the celestials seemed appropriate. It was exactly how he felt inside.