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Sleep finally found Sari Zendar, but only after a few tears were shed. She wasn't angry with Obi-Wan. No, she was angry at herself for letting her heart get so involved when she knew it could never work out. Obi-Wan was a Jedi, committed to his calling, unwavering in his devotion to serve others and maintain peace and justice across the galaxy. He would never trade such a life for a simple one of marriage and family.
Before she drifted off to sleep, her purpose was renewed. The children were her main priority, not a doomed romance with a Jedi.... albeit a very handsome, charming, sexy Jedi.
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After a much needed cold shower, Obi-Wan settled in for some long overdue meditation. In quiet times of reflection, matters always seemed to become more clear to him. Only this time, it didn't work.
Sari's face repeatedly interrupted his thoughts. He had realized too late what she was implying when she asked about Jedi and marriage. To her, his answer had brought disappointment. He realized that--- now. She was falling as hard as he was in this relationship, but his words and the truth they held burst any hopes she had. Such confusion had never lingered this long in his mind before. The Force had always guided him to the clear choice. But now... the Force just wasn't a very big help when it came to matters of the heart.
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The next morning, Obi-Wan Kenobi decided to focus on the children and them alone. Sari was apparently not too keen on him at the moment, so finding the children became his top priority. He could sense Sari's presence next door. She was still sleeping soundly, so he didn't wake her. Instead he set out on a quest to buy a couple of blasters and hopefully a little information to go along with them.
Less than an hour later, he had the blasters and the name of a contact at the space station. The lounge bartender had happily shared that information..... for a hefty little sum. Obi-Wan was grateful that he had thought to bring some cold hard cash with him. He just hoped it would last throughout the remainder of the mission.
Sari awoke with a pounding headache. Even after a full night's sleep, the events of the past week had not only caught up with her, but had picked her up and body slammed her against a wall. Of course, she had nothing to take for relief of the pain since she had only had ten minutes to pack her travel bag, so she opted to stay under the covers--- all day if she had to.
The knock on her door sounded like someone was ringing a gong in her ears. Grabbing her head, she threw back the covers with a growl and stumbled to the door. Pushing the open button, the door swished aside to reveal a wide awake and way- too- perky Jedi knight.
"Good morning," he offered with a friendly smile. He had to chuckle at Sari's disheveled appearance. Her hair was matted to one side of her head and sticking out on the other. Her eyes were struggling to stay open as she stepped back to let him enter.
"Good morning," she mumbled, and then she crawled back into her bed.
"You're not much of a morning person, are you?" Obi-Wan teased.
Sari was not amused. "Did you want something?" she muttered from her little nest.
Obi-Wan was startled by her ambivalence, but tried to ignore it. He understood her mood. "I... I brought you something," he stated proudly as he pulled something from his pocket.
"Unless it's something for this headache, I don't want it."
"Are you always this bright and cheerful in the morning?" he teased again. Sari pulled down the covers from her face to glare at the grinning man sitting on the end of her bed.
"I'm only teasing," he added as he threw up his hands in surrender. In his right hand was a blaster. He reached it to her and she took it, gave it a cursory glance, then tossed it on the bed.
"Gee, thanks," she said. "And to think, most girls only get flowers."
Obi-Wan suddenly felt foolish. A blaster wasn't the most romantic gift a man could offer a woman, but in their case, it was necessary. However, flowers might have soothed the rift between them more easily. Sari was trying to distance herself from him... he could feel the conflict within her. Her harsh words did wound his male pride a bit, but he chalked it up to her own wounded pride. She had revealed herself to him, and he hadn't handled the situation very well.
"You'll need it. I also got the name of a contact on Ankara who might lead us to Perrin. So, I've accomplished much while you've been lazing around all morning." He hoped his attempt at levity wouldn't be misconstrued. "Now, you said something about a headache. I can help. Sit up."
Sari glared once again before giving in and following his instructions. He motioned for her to turn her back to him and then placed his hands on the base of her neck. Using firm, slow motions he continued to rub all along her neck and then her shoulders. She moaned at how wonderful his hands felt and gradually began to feel the pain in her head fade away.
"Did they teach you this at the Jedi temple?" she asked, her mood lightening with every touch of his fingers.
"As a matter of fact, yes, they did. It was in a healing technique class I had as a padawan. Is it helping your headache?" He had leaned close to her ear and she could feel his breath as it blew across her neck.
"Yes, thank you," she responded.
"You're very welcome, Sari," he whispered. She could feel herself slipping again... falling under his spell, and she had to stop. Suddenly she turned around and forced a smile.
"Headache's all gone," she announced, jumping up from the bed. "I think I'll get a shower and then maybe go for some breakfast. How about I meet you in the lounge in an hour?"
"All... all right," Obi-Wan muttered, surprised by her quick change in moods. She ushered him to the door and then hastily pushed the close button before slumping against the wall.
"Oh no you don't, Obi-Wan Kenobi. I am not going to let you get to me ever again." And with that solemn vow, she marched to the refresher and jumped right in.
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The rest of the day, Sari made excuses to leave Obi-Wan's company every time she felt herself getting too close to him... physically or emotionally. Inexperienced at love games, Obi-Wan finally gave up trying to figure her out, and they both retired to their rooms early to spend the evening alone.
Obi-Wan decided to contact Anakin seeing that a couple of days had passed since they had last spoken. Luckily the ship had holoprojectors in every room--- to accommodate all of the questionable transactions, he supposed. After a few seconds, Anakin's face filled the projection field.
"Obi-Wan! Where have you been? I've been trying to get in touch with you for days!" Anakin declared.
"It's nice to see you too, Anakin," Obi replied sarcastically. The padawan suddenly realized his lack of proper etiquette and blushed at his mistake.
"Sorry... but Master Yoda wants to talk to you. I've been leaving messages on your lady friend's holo, but I couldn't get a hold of her. What's going on?" Anakin furrowed his brow as he studied Obi-Wan's face closely. "And what happened to your beard?"
Obi-Wan bypassed the last question and focused instead on the first. "Much has happened in the last two days. The short of it is that this man, Perrin, managed to kidnap twenty more children with the help of one of the school's teachers."
"Not Sari!" Anakin exclaimed.
"No-- of course not!" Obi asserted. "It was, however, her class that was captured."
"Oh, man... is she okay?" Obi-Wan marveled at his padawan's sincere concern. Some of his youthful wholesomeness had not yet been chipped away by harsh reality.
"Yes, she's doing well. In fact...," Obi-Wan paused and cleared his throat, "... in fact, she's come along with me to find the children."
"What?!" Anakin's mouth hung open in shock. "You know the council forbids us to involve innocents in our missions, Master. If they find out--"
"They're not going to find out, Anakin," the master stated firmly. "Besides, she's quite capable and determined when she sets her mind on something."
Anakin continued to study his friend's face, looking for clues to his uncharacteristic behavior. "You couldn't tell her no, could you?" Anakin asked with a grin. Obi-Wan was silent for a moment before speaking.
"No... I couldn't," he admitted shamefully. Anakin was grinning from ear to ear now.
"You like her, don't you? .... Oh, yeah, you like her a lot!" Seeing this side of his usually straight-laced, by-the-book master gave the boy a new respect for the man. "What are you so embarrassed about, Obi-Wan? She seems great, and there's nothing wrong with having feelings for someone. Even though we're Jedi, we're still human--- and male. Take me for example. I'm going to marry Padme someday, and I'm not ashamed to tell anybody."
"Not that again, Anakin," Obi-Wan muttered, rolling his eyes. Anakin had a crazy notion that he was somehow destined to one day wed Padme, also known as Queen Amidala of the Naboo. The boy's idealistic view of life and love was not very realistic, but Obi-Wan didn't want to argue that point right now.
"You'll see I'm right one of these days," Anakin replied, " but right now, you need to call Master Yoda."
"Yes. I'll do that... now," Obi-Wan agreed.
"And Obi-Wan?" the boy added.
"Hmm?"
"Don't blow it... with her, I mean. I can tell she means a lot to you. Do something for yourself for a change. The galaxy will go on without you for a while, you know. May the Force be with you." Then he was gone.
"May the Force be with you, Anakin," Obi spoke to the empty room as he contemplated the wise words of his young charge.
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"Think you can right this injustice, do you?" The words of the wizened Jedi master questioned Jedi knight Obi-Wan Kenobi across the vastness of space.
"Yes, I do, Master Yoda. I have a promising lead to the whereabouts of the missing children, and I believe I can succeed in my mission." Obi-Wan held his head up high, attempting to appear confident despite his misgivings.
"Your mission was only to investigate, Obi-Wan, not chase the criminals across the galaxy." Obi-Wan's confidence wavered at the scolding words of the small Jedi.
"Hmmm.... Confusion in you I sense," Yoda continued, "but not about the mission. Concerned about all you are missing, you are. Wondering about your purpose in life, aren't you?"
Obi-Wan's furrowed brow was all the answer Yoda needed. How had the master seen through him so easily?, Obi wondered.
"A job to do have you. Finish training Skywalker, you must. You have taken that responsibility, and your duty it is."
"I know that, Master Yoda. I am fully aware of my responsibilities and will complete the task I have undertaken in training Anakin." Silence filled the air while Obi-Wan waited for Yoda to speak.
"Hmmm....you are a good knight and a wise man, Obi-Wan Kenobi. Qui-Gon trained you well, he did. True to your word you will be. May the Force be with you," Yoda concluded.
Obi-Wan ended the transmission and slumped back in his chair. After the conversation with Anakin and then Yoda, he was more confused than ever about his relationship with Sari and its possibilities. He knew he was obliged to complete Anakin's training, but how long would that take? Months? Years? What would happen in the meantime?
He couldn't think about it anymore. His head was spinning with the possibilities and the impossibilities. Finally, he decided to try to get some sleep. Tomorrow, they would hopefully find the children safe and sound and then be on their way back to Teemar. Maybe then things would become a bit clearer concerning a certain beautiful young teacher and himself. At least he desperately hoped so.
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