~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Exiting the spaceport hangar and entering the busy streets of Melkior, Sari and Obi-Wan could tell they had happened upon a festival celebration of some sort. Wall to wall people packed the main square, and Sari was beginning to feel somewhat claustrophobic.
"What's going on? I can't see a thing!" she yelled to Obi-Wan over the crowd as she struggled to maintain a white-knuckle grip on the back of his tunic. If they were separated, it might be hours before they found each other again.
Obi-Wan called back over his shoulder, "I can't see much either. I'm just following the crowd." Obi-Wan reached out with the Force to get a sense of the mob's mentality and found that although there was anxious excitement pulsating throughout the area, no malicious intent was present. It was as if everyone was desperately anticipating something, or someone, very important.
The Jedi stopped to peer over the hundreds of heads surrounding him, and Sari, still hidden under his hooded cloak, ran right into him.
"Oops! Sorry," she said.
"I think I see a clearing up ahead," he said as he turned around to face her. "I'm going to try and push through the crowd, so hang on tight."
Master Yoda might scoff at Obi's frivolous use of the Force, but the Jedi knight convinced himself that lightly urging the minds in front of him to move out of the way only helped to accomplish his mission sooner. Sari just held on for dear life as they wove their way through the living maze.
While they were moving, a sudden cheer rose up from the masses. Once it quieted, they could hear someone addressing the crowd, but couldn't make out what the speaker was actually saying. With every word, Obi-Wan could sense the excitement building to the boiling point.
Finally, Obi-Wan saw light at the end of the tunnel---- a clearing. As they broke free from the mob, he stopped, causing Sari to run into him once again.
"Sorry!" she apologized, only the Jedi wasn't paying any attention to her. Instead, he stood like a stone staring up at the sight in front of him. Sari's eyes followed his gaze upward, and her hood fell back off of her face. They were standing at the foot of a huge stage that was elaborately decorated with thousands upon thousands of flowers of every color imaginable. Gorgeous glitterstone sculptures were placed around the stage, and the light from the sun reflected off of the iridescent stone making them shimmer in a myriad of pastels. It was a breathtaking sight.
"There!" boomed a deep rich voice. It took a few seconds for Obi-Wan and Sari to realize it was directed at them, but they finally did and glanced at a lone figure up on the stage. Before they could react, a trio of ornately uniformed guards surrounded the twosome. Obi-Wan's hand reached for his light saber at his belt, but was disappointed when he remembered it was hidden under his cloak which was on Sari right now. He'd have to think of something else.
All eyes turned to them, and people struggled to tip toe just to catch a glimpse of the 'chosen ones.'
"There they are!" the voice sounded again pointing over to the Jedi and the teacher. "They will be our chosen couple for this most sacred of days!" Another cheer erupted from the crowd, and the guards smiled and motioned for Obi and Sari to move towards the stage. Terror flashed in Sari's eyes, but Obi-Wan grabbed her hand and gave her a reassuring nod. 'He has it all under control,' she thought.
//What's happening?// Obi-Wan asked himself. There was no danger, he knew that, but there was something else at work here.... something.... elusive.
The guards led them up steps and onto the stage amid the roar of the audience. As they approached the man standing center stage, Sari noted his every detail.
He was quite tall and thin with a long white beard and a skinny nose. He was smiling a very kind smile and his eyes were twinkling with joy. Surely he meant them no harm.
Obi-Wan and Sari stopped next to him, and he held his hands up to quiet the crowd. Almost immediately, silence filled the square. At last, the man began speaking to the people.
"My fellow Melkorians, today is our most special of holy days. It is a time when we rejoice in the blessed gift we have been given..."
//What could he possibly be talking about?// Obi-Wan wondered. //What gift?//
"... a time to resign from the cares of our old lives and celebrate the beginning of a new life... together." The man-- some religious figure of some sort, Obi guessed-- turned to face the couple at his side. "And so it is with great joy that I present to you this very special couple--" He leaned over to ask their names and then continued. "--Ben and Jaira, who are blessed to be chosen as our first couple of the year to partake of the sacred bonding ceremony." Another cheer sprung from the crowd, and Sari and Obi-Wan both turned to each other in surprise.
//Did he say BONDING?// Sari thought in shock.
"Excuse me," Sari whispered to the man. "I think there's been some kind of mistake. We're not--"
"Nonsense!" the man interrupted while still waving and smiling to the cheering crowd. "It's normal for you to be a bit nervous on this of all days, but you'll make it through. And I'm sure your partner here will be quite gentle with you later--- right lad?" he asked Obi-Wan, catching him off guard.
"Oh... sure! Right!" he replied with a shrug. He didn't quite know what else to say.
The man raised his hands again, and the mob hushed. "Let us begin!" Then he motioned off-stage, and several women dressed in flowing white robes brought out several objects. One placed a wreath of delicate flowers on Sari's hair while the other placed a necklace of flowers around Obi-Wan. A third woman pulled out a long piece of silver string, thick like a cord.
"Hold out your wrists," the man commanded the twosome, and they obeyed, both still in shock and unsure of what was happening to them. The woman wrapped the string around Sari's left wrist and then Obi- Wan's, binding them together looking into one another's eyes.
The man began speaking again about Melkorian history and traditions. Sari tuned him out and focused her attention solely on the man in front of her-- Obi-Wan.
"What's going on?" she whispered. "What does he mean by 'bonding'?"
Obi-Wan nudged his head toward the audience, and Sari turned to look. All throughout the crowd, people were paired up and repeating the man's every word. The realization hit Sari like a ton of bricks.
"This is some mass marriage ceremony!" she stated.
"I think you're right," the Jedi replied calmly.
"Well, we've got to do something, don't you think?!"
"What are we supposed to do? I can't pull out my light saber. These people mean us no harm, and if I do anything now, our cover may be blown. No, it's best to just play along for now."
Sari looked at Obi-Wan in disbelief. They were being forced to 'bond', and he was just standing there doing nothing! Her throat began to tighten and her heart to race wildly. What would she tell her parents? True, they would probably be happy just to see her finally take the plunge, but these weren't the exact circumstances she had had in mind when she thought about her marriage.
She looked back up at Obi-Wan's face. He was grinning a handsome lopsided grin and staring right into her eyes. Well..... maybe being bonded to him wouldn't be so bad after all.
They had to repeat some sacred Melkorian vows, and Obi-Wan was surprised to find that he said them sincerely with no regrets. Even though this situation was somewhat laughable, he believed that it was somehow destined to be.
The last woman stepped forward and handed Obi-Wan a small pouch which he took in his right hand.
"And so to complete this bond, Ben will offer Jaira a token of his love and commitment... which has been happily supplied by our city's master jeweler in honor of this occasion."
Sari held out her free hand and Obi-Wan emptied the pouch of its contents into her palm. She gasped as the sun hit the glitterstone pendant, and a rainbow of colors burst into every direction. Once again her eyes met his, and she almost blushed at what she saw there.
"Jaira," the man spoke, "will you accept this token and be bonded to this man, Ben, for the rest of your days together?"
The silence and suspense were hanging thickly in the crowd as everyone awaited her answer. A slight look of desperation even flashed briefly across Obi-Wan's face. He wondered what she would say.
Swallowing hard, she spoke.
"Yes," she muttered, and the crowd went wild. Obi-Wan released the breath he had been holding and smiled from ear to ear. One of the women came to release the cord around their wrists, and then Obi-Wan moved to place the necklace and pendant around Sari's neck. Everyone was clapping and shouting and jumping up and down. Marriage was serious business on Melkior.
The man leaned over to the couple and whispered in Obi-Wan's ear while casting Sari a mischievous grin. Obi-Wan chuckled, and the man stepped back.
"What?" she asked. "What did he say?" Obi-Wan put his hands around her waist and pulled her close.
"He said that I can kiss you now." And with that, Obi-Wan Kenobi pressed a warm and tender kiss to the lips of his new bride.
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After the 'ceremony,' Obi-Wan and Sari were whisked away to the finest hotel in the city, compliments of the BCC--Bonding Celebration Committee. Sari hadn't said a word since the 'kiss', and Obi-Wan was getting a little nervous about her reaction.
//What is she thinking?// he asked himself. True, he could perform a mind touch, but he had told her he wouldn't do that again after the incident on Ankara. So then he would have to suffer through like every other human male on his wedding night, wondering if she would really accept the situation they now found themselves in.
//Wedding night!// The realization hit him all at once like a zap from a training saber. Maybe that's why she had been so quiet. He found himself fretting over what was to come and knew she was probably thinking the same thing. He had absolutely no idea of what to say or do once they were alone.
The friendly guards flanking the couple stopped in front of two huge ornate wooden doors.
"Here you go!" one of the men offered with a grin and a wink. "Your very own luxury bonding suite. The best Melkior has to offer."
Sari felt her face heat up instantly and dared not look at Obi-Wan. He shyly thanked the men and accepted the key and the pats on the back they gave in return. One of the other men leaned close to the Jedi and whispered, but still Sari could hear every word.
"By the looks of her, I don't think you'll be getting much sleep tonight, buddy, if you know what I mean!"
It took a few seconds for Obi-Wan to grasp the actual meaning of the man's word's, but once he did, he felt himself freeze in terror. He glanced at Sari out of the corner of his eye and saw that she was just as embarrassed as he was.
//How rude!// she thought. Part of her almost snapped back at the jerk, but the rest of her was still too petrified about being alone with Obi-Wan.
Finally the men turned and left, chuckling down the hall, no doubt sharing more snide remarks, Sari thought to herself. Once they turned the corner, the 'newlyweds' were alone in the hallway. A few moments of awkward silence passed before Sari got up the nerve to speak.
"Well... are we going in? Maybe we can decide what to do next," she offered looking up at her new 'husband' with her big blue eyes. Her beauty left him speechless. "Obi-Wan? Are you in there?" she teased as she waved a hand in front of his face. He blinked and then moved to unlock the door.
Swinging open the doors, they were stunned by the elegance of the room.
"Wow!" Sari exclaimed.
At the center was a huge round bed covered in plush white pillows and blankets, with a sheer white curtain draping down from the ceiling. The twosome noticed it at the same time and glanced at each other offering sheepish grins. Beautiful glitterstone statues lined the walls, sparkling from the candles which were placed all over the room, flickering their mystical light and creating an ethereal ambiance.
Off to one side was a small round dining table filled with all sorts of delicacies. Obi-Wan's stomach grumbled as he realized they hadn't eaten since much earlier in the day. He made his way to the table.
"I'm famished! How about you?"
"Yes!-- Yes, I am," Sari responded, relieved that his attention was turned away from the large bed for the time being. She undid the cloak and tossed it onto a chair, then walked over to the table and began stuffing her face with an assortment of goodies. She was so hungry! At first she didn't even pay attention to what she was eating, but then she noticed something familiar.
"Are these amora fruits?" she asked, holding up one of the small round crimson fruits in front of her and examining it closely. Obi-Wan stopped chewing and looked at the fruit.
"Yes, I believe so," he said nonchalantly before continuing his attack on the treats stacked on the table.
Sari gulped and slowly placed the fruit back on its plate. Did he know about amora fruit? It was common on Teemar, but only used on special occasions.... as an aphrodisiac. He noted her sudden silence and looked at her questioningly.
"What is it?"
Had he eaten any of the fruits? She had eaten ten, at least, so it wouldn't be long before they took effect. She had only eaten them once before, when she was just a teenager, and then it had only been two. But now--- TEN?! Maybe she should just lock herself in the refresher until the morning. Fifteen minutes is how long she figured she had before...... before all of her hormones broke loose.
"Sari, what's wrong?" Now he was getting a little concerned.
"Did you eat any of those?" she asked pointing to the amora fruits with a trembling finger.
"Um... no, I don't think so," he answered taking her shaking hand into his. "Are you okay?"
"Uh, right now I am, but in about fifteen minutes.... I don't know."
"What are you talking about? Is the fruit bad? Are you going to be sick?"
She giggled nervously. "You have no idea!" All of this cryptic talk was confusing the Jedi.
Sari slowly slid her hand out of his even though the warm strength of his touch was starting to speed her heart rate. "I think I need to use the refresher," she said. //Whoa! He is so handsome!// she thought as she turned to go to the refresher. //Maybe fifteen minutes was a bit of an overestimate// she realized and then ran the remainder of the way, locking the door shut behind her.
A completely bewildered Obi-Wan Kenobi stood, mouth agape, staring at the refresher door. Qui-Gon had been right. The ways of a woman made absolutely no sense.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Yes, my lord?" Gustaf Perrin asked as he bowed before the shadowy figure displayed on the holoprojector in front of him.
There were only two people in the galaxy that he was willing to submit to. His very strict disciplinarian father was one, and this dark, hooded man was the other. The man exuded an awesome evilness that demanded obedience--- or else. Perrin had not lived this long by being stupid. He never wanted to find out what exactly the 'or else' might be.
"Have you disposed of the alien scum?" The contempt for non-human lives was heavy in the lord's cackling voice.
"We are scheduled to make a sale and delivery very soon, my lord."
"See to it that the wretches are sold by tomorrow. If not, then eliminate them---- for good. The fewer of their kind we have in this galaxy, the better for humans everywhere."
"Yes, my lord. As you wish," Perrin replied. The holo faded out and the man was gone.
Perrin shook his head and pursed his lips. If the sale fell through and he had to 'eliminate' the children, he would lose out on a huge profit. Uneasiness settled in his stomach. Should he have trusted Deek, a man so young and inexperienced, to set this deal up on his own? Would the buyer show? The scheduled delivery time had already passed. It was now night on Melkior. The children were crammed securely into the abandoned warehouse, but if the local authorities caught wind of this operation, things could get nasty. He'd give it until noon tomorrow, and then...... he'd be rid of the brats one way or another.
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Obi-Wan had gone back to eating several minutes after Sari's hasty departure to the refresher. He assumed it was perhaps some type of female problem that got her so upset. After examining one of the fruits she had gotten so worked up about and finding no faults with it, he ruled out food poisoning. No, it had to be nerves or the like, he was sure of it.
Inside the refresher, Sari was contemplating her current situation. How had she gotten here, in this mess, to begin with? A little over a week ago, her life had been 'normal' and tame. Teach all week, plan and grade all weekend.... nice and simple-- just as she liked it. Order and predictability were her steadies.
However, now her life had been totally turned upside down, right side up, and then upside down again. Her students were kidnapped and soon to be sold into a life of slavery. She had met a Jedi knight, fallen head over heels for him, and now here she was...... bonded to him for life! To top it all off, the amora fruits were working in high gear. Her hormones were running rampant, yearning to bust loose on the man in the next room, but she couldn't let it happen. Not now. Not this way.
It was all too much.
Obi-Wan's keen hearing instantly heard the muffled sobs coming from the refresher. If there was one thing he couldn't bear, it was a woman crying. He walked quietly over to the door and placed a hand on it.
"Sari, are you okay in there?" he asked sincerely.
//Oh, that voice!// Sari thought. //Down, girl!// she ordered. Even though she had been attracted to Obi-Wan since day one, she couldn't be sure that the feelings she was experiencing right now were genuine or brought on by the fruit. Sniffling, she tried to recompose herself before answering.
"Yeah," (sniff, sniff), "I'm all right," she replied softly.
"Is there anything I can do to help?" came his next query.
//If you only knew!// she chuckled over her tears. She could think of plenty he could do, but in the morning, she'd be so ashamed of herself.
"No, I don't think so."
//Why do people always try to act like nothing is wrong when it's so obvious that the contrary is true?// the Jedi asked himself.
"Sari, I can hear you crying, and you've been in there for over fifteen minutes. I'm worried about you. Why don't you come out and we can talk about it, whatever it is." He was starting to think that maybe he should have whipped out his lightsaber and carved a path for them out of that ceremony. She didn't seem to be warming to the idea of the whole bonding thing.
Bonded?! He had never thought about marriage before, and now within a week of meeting Sari, they were forever joined together. Needless to say, his life had taken quite an unexpected turn.
"I don't think that's a good idea," Sari said from the other side of the door.
She was being very frustrating.
"So, are you going to stay in there forever then?" he asked with a hint of sarcasm in his voice. Sari could tell he was getting a little angry, and that made her feel guilty. He really had done so much for her and the children. He was wonderful. But did he really care about her?--- especially enough to be bonded? Or was he just out to complete a mission no matter what?
The thoughts of him and the children overwhelmed her, and she began to cry again.
"No! I am not going to stay in here forever," she snapped in response. "But if I come out there right now, we might both be sorry."
"What are you talking about? You're not making any sense at all."
Through her tears, Sari decided to attempt an explanation of her behavior.
"Do you know what amora fruits do to people? They act as an..... aphrodisiac. And I ate about a dozen of them!" (more tears)
An aphrodisiac? Realization slowly dawned on the Jedi.
"So, let me get this straight--- You locked yourself in the refresher because you're afraid of me?" he asked.
"No!.... because of ME, or rather what I might do to you." Even though her voice trailed off at the end, he had no trouble catching the meaning.
"Oh!"
"Not only that, but the kids---- who knows what is happening to them as we sit here in this luxurious room eating bon-bons! We're wasting time... time we don't have."
She was right. They had gotten sidetracked, much to his shame. The children's rescue was the purpose of this mission, and continuing down this current path would not accomplish that mission. He had to refocus.
But first---
With a wave of his hand, the refresher door slid open to reveal a surprised Sari Zendar huddled in the middle of the floor. Her eyes were wide with astonishment, and the man crouched down beside her enveloping her in his strong arms. She nestled into the warmth of his chest and felt the release of her stress and hormones. As she sobbed for the next few minutes, Obi-Wan gently rubbed her hair, placing sweet kisses on her head and whispering reassuring words.
"You're right. We do have to take care of the children right now. But it's going to be okay, Sari. I promise."
Even though she had the slight urge to push him down on the floor and kiss him until her lips fell off, she was enjoying just being in his comforting embrace even more. She could definitely get used to this!
"Let's get cleaned up, and then we'll be off to find those kids of yours. I just need to get a few things together, and then we'll be good to go. All right?" he asked as she pulled away and looked into his face.
"You're an angel, Obi-Wan Kenobi, " she said with admiration in her big blue eyes.
"No, not me," he replied, a little embarrassed by her comment. "An angel wouldn't be wondering what it would be like to pop a few more of those fruits and try out that bed!" A roguish grin spread across his face, and he shot her a sly wink before he stood up and offered his hand in assistance. She accepted and replied with her own flirtatious comment.
"Jedi Kenobi, if only you knew how close you came to getting your wish!" Then she reached up on her tip toes to place a quick kiss on his cheek, but his Jedi reflexes alerted him to her intent, and he turned and caught her lips on his. After the kiss ended, Sari was a bit wobbly and almost fell over. Obi-Wan caught her in his arms and gazed deep into her eyes.
"I'll take a rain check, Miss Zen--- I mean, Mrs. Kenobi." One last grin and he carefully let her go so that he could gather the supplies they would need. Tonight was going to be a long night.