Hand of Fate

Chapter 12 / More Complications


"Obi-Wan…? Don't make any sudden moves."

"Oh dear."

At the bottom of a roughly-dug fifteen foot deep hole, the two wounded people were frozen where they'd fallen, looking across the bottom of the hole at the two scrawny yellow Ronks opposite them. The large felines hissed and growled, barring their teeth and switching their tails, eyeing up the easy prey that had just fallen from the sky.

"You've fallen in!" DC-10 uselessly shouted down from above, waving their gleaming metal arms around in a show of distress. "What do I do? Oh no!"

Panicking internally because it was immediately apparent that any second they could be mauled to death, Sabé heaved ragged breaths as pain from falling screamed through her shoulder, knee, and ribs as DC-10 carried on in the background. Think, think. Obi-Wan has a weapon, can he fight them off? Can I even get to my spear in time?

Then Obi-Wan did the strangest thing. Slowly he stood, taking a single step to put himself between Sabé and the threat. He didn't take eyes off the animals the entire time. A hand was raised out toward the Ronks, and the air seemed to grow quieter, seemed to hum with energy. Without understanding, Sabé still understood: Obi-Wan was using the Force to hold them back. "Come here," Obi-Wan said quietly, and even though she had no idea what he was planning, Sabé managed to painfully get to her feet and take a limp over to him where he had an arm out. Confused at the gesture, she hesitated. "Hold onto me." Hold onto him? It was a very choice moment to feel self-conscious, but even as she moved close to him and grabbed on gingerly, even as his free arm held her close at the waist, she was struck by feelings of nervousness to be so close.

His arm tightened around her, his body tensed, and she could sense that he had to work very hard against his physical pain from his previous injuries to do what he did next. He jumped—with the most incredible burst of speed that Sabé could imagine. His other arm came to hold her tightly too. She clamped on hard to him even as they shot upward at a velocity that a human couldn't accomplish. Obi-Wan's Force-hold on the Ronks broke and they leapt forward in a failed attempt to sink their claws in.

Obi-Wan and Sabé landed softly up top on solid ground in a soft, cushioned way that Sabé hadn't totally expected. She did not let go immediately, loosening her grip enough to stare Obi-Wan in the face and regain her equilibrium. They were the kind of close that immediately made her think about certain things, despite all the pain, discomfort, and general hopelessness of the situation. She swallowed thickly, feeling how rapid her heartbeat was. Could Jedi read minds? Could he sense what she was thinking?

"Oh goodness, thank the stars you got out of there!" DC-10 declared loudly. Neither paid the droid any mind.

"Now we're even," Obi-Wan said softly, his arms relaxing away from her but still holding loosely for a span of a few breaths.

It was as if there was a spell in that certain moment. She hadn't a clue what he was talking about—all she could comprehend was his brilliant blue eyes that were locked with hers. "W-what?"

The sardonic sense of humor she remembered him for emerged. "As far as rescues go." He cracked a roguish grin, loosening one arm but keeping her supported with the other.

"Ah." Feeling heat in her cheeks, neck, and chest, Sabé was primly playful to try and cover her sudden flustered state. "We'll see." She tried to remember the last time she'd felt so discomposed like she did at that second.

Obi-Wan was businesslike though, in the most casual and pleasant of ways. "We're both quite banged up now, aren't we?" he asked. "Can you walk?" He saw the way she held her leg gingerly without any weight on it. She made a doubtful sound, craning her neck to try and see the extent of damage done. He helped her over to a nearby fallen tree that was large enough to serve as a bench. Putting any weight onto her injured leg sent shooting pains throughout her entire body, so she limped and depended on Obi-Wan's help to move. Once she sat, he knelt in front of her, examining the wound carefully. She had a hard time not noticing his closeness again. "Hmm. Not broken outright, but possibly micro-fractured," he concluded, a thoughtful hand stroking the stubble on his chin.

Kriff. Just what they needed. "Hit a rock I think," Sabé said through gritted teeth, seeing a deep gash right on the kneecap and shouldering the immense pain. It hurt more every passing moment—a combination of deep bruising from impact and the cut itself. Of all the bad luck to have. Obi-Wan had a focused, attentive expression as he surveyed the wound a bit more then began to rip off a long piece of his tunic to bind it with. Touched by his actions, Sabé watched him quietly a couple of moments. "Weren't you just saying this was an enjoyable break for you?" she finally prompted, a halfhearted attempt to lighten the mood.

He chuckled darkly and briefly, eyes still on his work. "I've changed my mind." Free to look at him without being seen, Sabé's eyes lingered on his face. He had a humble sort of handsomeness to him that in moments was startlingly striking and profound. But more than his appearance, she was drawn to how he was gentle. Thoughtful. A mystery she would quite like to know more about. With care, he wrapped and tied her knee enough to stop the bleeding. One of his hands—warm, strong feeling—held her thigh in place as he did it, and that was difficult not to dwell on for her. "How far would you say we are from the pirate's base?" he asked as he finished up.

She cleared her throat and shook her head, letting other thoughts go in favor of dread. "Three miles maybe." She'd shouldered injuries before, and would do what she could, but she was realistic enough to realize that this specific injury was really going to slow them down. Risk assessment was already flying through her mind as far as being out here in the open. Both of them wounded, both less than full capacity. Low supplies, no clean water access except what Demi had given them, and Sabé had been stripped of all her weapons and first aid. Three miles would take half the day at best. All day or more at worst. "I think I'm going to have severe problems walking, Obi-Wan."

He smiled easily, his eyes almost twinkling like he already knew what to do. "Not to worry, my friend." He patted her uninjured knee. "But first, I must do something." He rose then and left Sabé to watch him, wondering.

He went to the edge of the hole where DC-10 remained, photoreceptors taking in the pacing and growling Ronks below. "What is this hole, Master Kenobi?"

A thoughtful silence. "I believe it's a trap the villagers—or another nearby village—created," Obi-Wan theorized. "They've weaponizing these animals against their enemies." He looked around then selected another fallen tree nearby and in a show of incredible power, focus, and strength, he moved it with the Force, gently placing it like a straw into a drink down into the hole. He stepped back a few feet even as the Ronks climbed out. In the light of day, they were even more underfed than they'd appeared at first glance. One of the Ronks immediately ran away into the jungle underbrush, but the other one remained for a second, a low growl emanating from its throat as Obi-Wan maintained eye contact, positioned between the wild animal and Sabé. The Ronk then retreated with a lash of its tail into air, crashing sounds in the foliage fading as it fled far away.

Obi-Wan returned to Sabé, whose small but curious frown prompted him to explain. "Jedi must honor all lifeforms whenever possible. They were imprisoned. Now their fate is their own again." Her expression softened. She hadn't quite thought of it that way. Without any transition, he reached for her hand to help her up. Sabé took it and got up, all her weight on her good leg. She remained vastly curious and puzzled as to whatever his plan was. Then he took his robe off with a graceful swirl, further confusing her. He neatly folded the garment up and put it into the pack Demi had given them, which Sabé still carried. She watched him without understanding at all. Then he surprised her even more with his next instructive: "Now. Hop on."

She almost did a double-take at the command, and thought she misheard. "…'Hop on'?" she repeated incredulously.

"Have you got a better idea?" he challenged. He gave her an expectant look and turned around, presenting his back to her. In turn, Sabé's facial expressions went on quite the journey: from disbelief, to confounded and insulted, to realization that he was absolutely serious and had a point, to something like defeated reluctance. Not a situation she had anticipated. It seemed undignified somehow to ride the back of a Jedi the way schoolchildren liked to carry each other around in moments or horseplay, but the alternative was hobbling around with the spear that Demi had given her as a staff. Sabé also wondered about his injuries, but supposed she was lightweight enough that he could carry her without too much pressure from her knees digging into his ribs. Either way. She was embarrassed at herself for getting hurt, but very aware she couldn't make it far in her current condition. So given no other real options, she unhappily accepted her fate.

"This just keeps getting more and more bizarre," she mumbled, circling her arms around his neck from behind and then letting out a frustrated breath before jumping. His arms hooked around the back of each knee and she grimaced hard—any movement caused her knee so much pain. But otherwise, it was all good.

"Shall we?" Obi-Wan asked breezily, giving the impression that this was entirely normal.

And so they did.

With DC-10 following, Obi-Wan carried Sabé without complaint using the nearby river as their guide toward where the pirate's base was. After about thirty minutes, Sabé began to suspect Obi-Wan was using some sort of Force-influenced ability to carry her without breaks. She could feel that he was breathing hard, but he didn't ever seem to tire. Or maybe he was just in that impressive of fitness level. Respect grew, even as her ego remained embarrassed.

Obi-Wan asked her questions about the pirates along the way:

How many of them? About twenty.

Did they have multiple ships? Yes, she'd counted five smaller and one larger one.

What weapons did they have? She'd noticed blasters, knives, and electrostaffs.

What was the base general layout? It was in an abandoned old religious site that was carved into the side of a mountain by the river. A cave was there in the side of the mountain and a passageway provided access if a ship wasn't flying directly into the cave.

Was it possible to tell how long they'd been on this planet? Not long from the looks of the way they were squatting.

After those and a few more questions, they remained quiet. After awhile, Sabé rested by laying her head against Obi-Wan, letting a cheek press into the fabric it found. The rhythm of his steps, the ambient sound of the jungle, and the steady whir of DC-10's gears almost made her feel like she could doze off. Last night's lack of sleep was starting to catch up with her. As she drifted mentally, she found herself wondering about Obi-Wan in a more personal way as her head rested on him like that. She knew Jedi were forbidden attachment and many of them remained strictly celibate, only touching and being touched in businesslike, necessary ways. Had Obi-Wan ever been given to romantic notions? In her view of him, he seemed by-the-book and it didn't totally fit that he would be one to pursue a love affair or indulge in casual sex. Although when she thought back to when she knew him last, some moments always seemed to feel romantically leaning to her. Perhaps her memory was foggy and her bias—that old crush of hers—was influencing the way she remembered things. She remained undecided.

Finally, they reached a bend in the river where a large stone head was carved into the mountainside that steeply shot up out of the more quickly-moving water. Beneath the huge stone facial features, a cave mouth was visible.

"I assume that's the place," Obi-Wan said. They had stopped while still well-concealed inside the shade of the jungle. Sabé confirmed, and Obi-Wan finally set her down onto a rock formation. There she delicately stretched sore muscles and grimaced against new pain in her knee from moving again. She felt a fraction colder after losing the body-to-body warmth, even though it was hot in the jungle.

He was thinking, tapping a finger against his chin as his brow furrowed. "I'll scout ahead," Obi-Wan finally said, eyes on the close and seemingly quiet base. "Maybe I can steal a ship and come back for you two." He sent a glance to DC-10 and then Sabé. "Is that all right with you?"

Sabé's mouth was in a wan line. "I don't see another good option really."

Obi-Wan seemed to have a fraction of hesitation left, but her approval pushed him to ignore it. "Stay vigilant. I'll be back as soon as possible."

Sabé nodded and set to work trying to get a little more comfortable on the rocks. She glanced around, assessing the situation as safe, then watched Obi-Wan steal through the jungle until no longer visible. She worried, and told herself worrying was no use.

"He is certainly very helpful," DC-10 said, and Sabé sighed long through a tired smile. Yes, helpful was a good word. She was just ready to get off this kriffing planet before something else went wrong.

"Your gears okay, DC?" she asked, trying to assess her droid. She'd never been the droid type, then had been given one soon after becoming a commander. It was true what they said: every droid had its own distinct personality quirks. Sabé was still learning DC's all these years later.

"Oh yes Milady Commander. I do look forward to getting all this dust and dirt off my casing, though."

Sabé gave a soft little genuine laugh. "You and me both." Just then, she heard a twig snap, and immediately she knew something was absolutely wrong. Pulse hammering, she made to get up into a crouch as fast as possible and grab her spear, trying to figure out where the sound came from even as DC gave a startled little sound. And then Sabé heard a sound like tttwwwipt! and felt a sudden prick in her neck. Hand flying to slap the skin there, she found an object and pulled it away. Even as her vision swam and began to fade, she saw a dart—poison or tranquilizer, she had no way of knowing—and she let out a soft helpless sound because her vocal cords no longer seemed to function. Obi-Wan! Her last thought before the darkness swallowed daylight whole.


Obi-Wan had been creeping closer to the riverside cave under the cover of trees and foliage to get a better sense of how many pirates were holed up when a startlingly clear voice rang out across a plane that wasn't physical: Obi-Wan! He immediately turned around, all but at a run, trying to be as quiet as possible. When he could sense significant sized lifeforms ahead, he slowed down and remained watchful, creeping close to assess the situation. He saw about ten Nikto pirates, and one of them was holding an unconscious Sabé like a sack of hubba gourds.

A bipedal humanoid species of intimidating size and strength, Nikto were reptilian in appearance and had subspecies variation. Some had facial horns, some had facial fins, and their leathery skin could be red, green, or brown. Obi-Wan saw that these particular Nikto were various colored skins and facial features, but they were all armed to the teeth and he was vastly outnumbered, especially if he wanted to ensure no harm came to Sabé in a rescue attempt. Blast. He watched DC-10 be prodded along with arms up and Obi-Wan thought hard for a long couple of tense seconds. His anxiety had increased incredibly, and he was briefly kicking himself for the lapse in judgment of leaving Sabé behind as frustration set in at the odds stacked against him. These were all feelings and thoughts that would not serve him or allow him to hear the Force as clearly. Maybe he'd underestimated these pirates. A bit rashly, he did not center himself or respond to the situation at hand—he reacted. He decided to attempt to beat the pirates back to the entrance of their fortress to gain some semblance of an upper hand, or perhaps take them by surprise.

Obi-Wan began a rushed, quiet race against the Nikto then, his heart hammering harder than it should.


Author's Notes: Hi guys! Apologies for the shorter chapter but hey… better than nothing right? Who is gonna rescue who this time, hmm? I'm taking bets :P

I'm sure wherever you're reading from, the current public health debacle is affecting you. I live in a major US city and everything is shutting down quickly here. I'm staying home for the next who knows how long and I'll be writing a little more than usual - fanfiction has this lovely way of providing comfort and escape in hard times like these. Sending you love and hopefully lots of chapters to give you something to do wherever you are! Stay safe.