Chapter IV:
She-ar-ah was wielding her light saber in almost a dance. The blade burned a dark purple; it seemed to match the color of her hair. Sweat dripped off her brow as she battled her master in a very intense training exercise. As she blocked a blow from her master, she flipped over her master, and pulled out a smaller version of a light saber and cornered her master with a grin on her face.
"Do you yield?" She asked, enjoying every moment of her victory.
"She-ar-ah!" The stunned master Lynar said to her padawan. "What is this?" She said, clutching the dagger out of She-ar-ah's hand. "Where did this come from padawan?"
"Calm down master, it's just a light dagger." She-ar-ah didn't seem to notice the severity of the matter. Her master looked at her in complete shock. She-ar-ah began to feel bad. "It's uh...an ancient weapon." She continued.
"Yes I know, an ancient sith weapon." Her master answered, sounding very angry.
"I... I just thought it would be practical in a fight master...I"
"She-ar-ah, a weapon of this kind kills it's opponent by surprise. That is not the Jedi way of fighting." Lynar scolded her student.
"Yes master, sorry master." She-ar-ah obliged, still not understanding why it was so bad.
Lynar looked at her padawan, she noticed She-ar-ah breathing hard and looking pale. "Padawan? Are you alright?"
She-ar-ah began to notice how tired she really was, she also felt a pain in her stomach. "Just a little woozie master."
Concern crossed the middle-aged woman's face. "Why don't you get some rest She-ar-ah, we'll discuss this weapon at another time."
Rest sounded so good to the apprentice. "Yes master." With that she walked towards her quarters.
As she walked up the stairs, pain in her stomach worsened. 'What the force is going on?' She held her midsection, and groaned in pain. She began to feel dizzy, and stumbled down the stairs. Agonizing pain came from her stomach, and now her head. Darkness swirled around her, and threatened to consume her. She cried out, but her voice was so weak. She then cried to the only person she wanted to rescue her, the one she loved.
/Obi Wan/. She moaned through their bond /help...me/.
**
Obi Wan Kenobi sat in the cockpit of the Naboo Cruiser. He was waiting for Qui Gon to return with another pathetic life form. 'Too bad we couldn't trade the stupid Gungan for this new one'. Obi Wan thought to himself, already annoyed by the clumsy creature's return. Suddenly he felt a pain in his stomach, and heard the cry of the woman he loved.
/Obi Wan...help...me/. It was in a soft tone.
/She-ar-ah?/ He called through the bond, but received no answer. He grew very afraid. Pain continued to grow in his own stomach. He held his mid section and winced. /She-ar-ah?/ the pilot Ric Olie noticed the young Jedi looking like he was in pain.
"You ok?" The pilot inquired.
"I uh...I need to make a transmission." Obi Wan stated, rising to his feet, looking very concerned.
"But you said no transmissions of any kind sir." The pilot reminded Obi Wan.
'Damn it!' He was torn, he wanted to find She-ar-ah, but he knew he couldn't endanger the mission. He paced around the cockpit for a moment. "Never mind." He told Ric. He closed his eyes to try and see She-ar-ah, to see what was wrong. But nothing, she might be unconscious, or worse...suddenly something brought him back to his reality.
"Qui Gon's in trouble!" Captain Panaka stated as he burst in with Padme and some boy Obi Wan didn't recognize.
(*Author's note: I always wondered why Obi Wan didn't sense that Qui Gon was in trouble, now we know.)
Obi Wan cursed himself for not sensing his master's trouble. He watched in horror as Qui Gon fought someone dressed in black. It almost looked like the opponent was wielding a light saber. 'What the force?' He pointed out towards the battle. "Over there, fly low." He commanded the pilot. As he watched his master fight this menace, his thoughts returned to the pain he felt from She-ar-ah. 'What happened to her?' He looked very troubled by the idea of the two people her cared about most in mortal danger. Padme noticed the look of dread on his face, but he didn't notice. As he rushed past her to see if his master was ok, all he could think about was how much he needed to get home.
**
Three days after her fainting ordeal, She-ar-ah now found herself in the council room. Their eyes seemed to burn into her flesh, she was afraid, but she wouldn't let them know it. She faced Mace Windu and Yoda. She took note of Mace's face, it seemed to be the angriest, but also the only one that showed concern. 'Maybe Obi Wan was right.' She-ar-ah thought to herself. Mace was the first of the council to break the unbearable silence.
"How are you feeling today Padawan She-ar-ah?" He asked in a flat tone.
"Better my master."
"See through you we can." Yoda cut her off.
Tears came to her eyes. "Yes my masters, I...I feel empty."
"Empty is not a feeling." Mace piped in.
"I'm sorry, but it's all I feel." She whipped the tears with the sleeve of her tunic.
"Know why you are here do you?" Yoda asked her in a harsh tone.
"Yes." She hung her head.
"Shamed the code you have." He continued.
"Yes." It was all she could say.
"Emotions like these can lead to the dark side She-ar-ah." Mace answered, stopping Yoda from saying whatever he was about to say.
"I'm aware of that my master."
Mace looked at her, no one noticed the tears forming in his eyes. "Would you care to explain what happened?"
She-ar-ah looked around the room, she wished the floor would swallow her up. "I don't know what to say masters, except that I love him." The council exchanged glances. "What we did was the most beautiful thing I've ever experienced, I've never felt more at one with the force. I will not lie to you about my feelings for him."
Mace and Yoda exchanged glances. "Who was the father She-ar-ah?" Mace asked in an angry tone.
"I...I cannot tell you."
The council looked at each other in shock.
"What was that?" Mace asked, in a very angry tone.
"I cannot tell you, I know this is very disrespectful, but I won't destroy his dreams as well."
"A Jedi is he?" Yoda asked.
She-ar-ah swallowed hard, and put Obi Wan out of her mind, so they wouldn't suspect him. "No." She answered.
"She-ar-ah, hiding him will not help you." Mace told her in almost a fatherly tone.
She-ar-ah thought hard about what she would tell them. "He's not a Jedi, he's in the senate." She lied to the council.
"The Senate?" Mace looked at her confused.
"I met him on a trip to the senate with my master, I fell in love with him." She continued, not sure if the council would buy it.
"Not Kenobi the father is." Yoda asked.
"No, Obi Wan is my only friend. He helped me through all of this, but he didn't know about the senator. I couldn't tell him."
Mace looked at her, he wasn't sure if he believed her or not, but before he could respond the council's aid stood at the door. She cleared her throat to get their attention.
"I'm sorry my masters, but Master Qui Gon Jinn, and padawan Obi Wan Kenobi have an urgent matter to discuss with you." The aid stated with a bow.
'Obi Wan's back?!' feelings of happiness and dread flooded She-ar-ah's thoughts, but no one in the council noticed except Mace Windu.
"Tell them we will be with them shortly." Mace told the aid, which left the council room with a bow.
The council then turned their attention back to She-ar-ah.
"Discuss this in depth later we will." Yoda said. "Find a fitting punishment we shall."
"Yes my masters." She said with a bow.
**
Obi Wan paced outside the council room, he hadn't been able to contact She-ar-ah through their bond for the past three days, and it worried him. He knew she was alive because he could sense her along the force matrix, but something was wrong, she was blocking him out of her mind. He could sense a great sorrow emulating from her.
"Be still Obi Wan." Qui Gon chided.
"Yes master." Obi Wan said as he sat next to his master. He then began to fidget.
"Where is your concentration?" Qui Gon looked at his padawan, worried.
"Not where it belongs master." Obi Wan said, giving a textbook answer.
The council's aid came out to them, they rose to greet her. "The council will see you as soon as they are done with a present matter."
Just then, the door to the council room opened. To Obi Wan's surprise, She-ar-ah walked through it.
"Oh let me see if they're ready for you now." The aid told them, when seeing She-ar-ah.
"Thank you." Qui Gon told the aid.
She-ar-ah avoided eye contact with Obi Wan as she past them.
"Padawan She-ar-ah, how are you?" Qui Gon said as she past by.
'Damn it, leave it to Qui Gon.' She thought as she turned to him. "Master Qui Gon," she bowed "Padawan Kenobi." She said, still avoiding eye contact.
"She-ar-ah?" Obi Wan questioned, sounding very concerned. "You were speaking with the council?"
"Yes I was." She answered in a flat tone. She was trying to keep him away, even though every part of her wanted him to hold her.
"Without your master?" Obi Wan grew very concerned.
"Yes Obi Wan, is that ok with you?" She snapped at him.
"The council will see you now." The aid broke up the conversation between the apprentices.
With that She-ar-ah bowed to them. "I'm glad you both returned safely." She turned to leave.
Obi Wan watched her go, his heart was hurting 'what happened while I was away?'
"Obi Wan?" Qui Gon called.
Obi Wan continued to stare at the door She-ar-ah left from.
Qui Gon was concerned. He knew something happened, it probably wasn't good. "Obi Wan?" Still no response. Qui Gon cleared his throat, and called louder. "Obi Wan!" With that the young Jedi snapped out of his trance.
"Coming master." They entered the council room.
She-ar-ah was wielding her light saber in almost a dance. The blade burned a dark purple; it seemed to match the color of her hair. Sweat dripped off her brow as she battled her master in a very intense training exercise. As she blocked a blow from her master, she flipped over her master, and pulled out a smaller version of a light saber and cornered her master with a grin on her face.
"Do you yield?" She asked, enjoying every moment of her victory.
"She-ar-ah!" The stunned master Lynar said to her padawan. "What is this?" She said, clutching the dagger out of She-ar-ah's hand. "Where did this come from padawan?"
"Calm down master, it's just a light dagger." She-ar-ah didn't seem to notice the severity of the matter. Her master looked at her in complete shock. She-ar-ah began to feel bad. "It's uh...an ancient weapon." She continued.
"Yes I know, an ancient sith weapon." Her master answered, sounding very angry.
"I... I just thought it would be practical in a fight master...I"
"She-ar-ah, a weapon of this kind kills it's opponent by surprise. That is not the Jedi way of fighting." Lynar scolded her student.
"Yes master, sorry master." She-ar-ah obliged, still not understanding why it was so bad.
Lynar looked at her padawan, she noticed She-ar-ah breathing hard and looking pale. "Padawan? Are you alright?"
She-ar-ah began to notice how tired she really was, she also felt a pain in her stomach. "Just a little woozie master."
Concern crossed the middle-aged woman's face. "Why don't you get some rest She-ar-ah, we'll discuss this weapon at another time."
Rest sounded so good to the apprentice. "Yes master." With that she walked towards her quarters.
As she walked up the stairs, pain in her stomach worsened. 'What the force is going on?' She held her midsection, and groaned in pain. She began to feel dizzy, and stumbled down the stairs. Agonizing pain came from her stomach, and now her head. Darkness swirled around her, and threatened to consume her. She cried out, but her voice was so weak. She then cried to the only person she wanted to rescue her, the one she loved.
/Obi Wan/. She moaned through their bond /help...me/.
**
Obi Wan Kenobi sat in the cockpit of the Naboo Cruiser. He was waiting for Qui Gon to return with another pathetic life form. 'Too bad we couldn't trade the stupid Gungan for this new one'. Obi Wan thought to himself, already annoyed by the clumsy creature's return. Suddenly he felt a pain in his stomach, and heard the cry of the woman he loved.
/Obi Wan...help...me/. It was in a soft tone.
/She-ar-ah?/ He called through the bond, but received no answer. He grew very afraid. Pain continued to grow in his own stomach. He held his mid section and winced. /She-ar-ah?/ the pilot Ric Olie noticed the young Jedi looking like he was in pain.
"You ok?" The pilot inquired.
"I uh...I need to make a transmission." Obi Wan stated, rising to his feet, looking very concerned.
"But you said no transmissions of any kind sir." The pilot reminded Obi Wan.
'Damn it!' He was torn, he wanted to find She-ar-ah, but he knew he couldn't endanger the mission. He paced around the cockpit for a moment. "Never mind." He told Ric. He closed his eyes to try and see She-ar-ah, to see what was wrong. But nothing, she might be unconscious, or worse...suddenly something brought him back to his reality.
"Qui Gon's in trouble!" Captain Panaka stated as he burst in with Padme and some boy Obi Wan didn't recognize.
(*Author's note: I always wondered why Obi Wan didn't sense that Qui Gon was in trouble, now we know.)
Obi Wan cursed himself for not sensing his master's trouble. He watched in horror as Qui Gon fought someone dressed in black. It almost looked like the opponent was wielding a light saber. 'What the force?' He pointed out towards the battle. "Over there, fly low." He commanded the pilot. As he watched his master fight this menace, his thoughts returned to the pain he felt from She-ar-ah. 'What happened to her?' He looked very troubled by the idea of the two people her cared about most in mortal danger. Padme noticed the look of dread on his face, but he didn't notice. As he rushed past her to see if his master was ok, all he could think about was how much he needed to get home.
**
Three days after her fainting ordeal, She-ar-ah now found herself in the council room. Their eyes seemed to burn into her flesh, she was afraid, but she wouldn't let them know it. She faced Mace Windu and Yoda. She took note of Mace's face, it seemed to be the angriest, but also the only one that showed concern. 'Maybe Obi Wan was right.' She-ar-ah thought to herself. Mace was the first of the council to break the unbearable silence.
"How are you feeling today Padawan She-ar-ah?" He asked in a flat tone.
"Better my master."
"See through you we can." Yoda cut her off.
Tears came to her eyes. "Yes my masters, I...I feel empty."
"Empty is not a feeling." Mace piped in.
"I'm sorry, but it's all I feel." She whipped the tears with the sleeve of her tunic.
"Know why you are here do you?" Yoda asked her in a harsh tone.
"Yes." She hung her head.
"Shamed the code you have." He continued.
"Yes." It was all she could say.
"Emotions like these can lead to the dark side She-ar-ah." Mace answered, stopping Yoda from saying whatever he was about to say.
"I'm aware of that my master."
Mace looked at her, no one noticed the tears forming in his eyes. "Would you care to explain what happened?"
She-ar-ah looked around the room, she wished the floor would swallow her up. "I don't know what to say masters, except that I love him." The council exchanged glances. "What we did was the most beautiful thing I've ever experienced, I've never felt more at one with the force. I will not lie to you about my feelings for him."
Mace and Yoda exchanged glances. "Who was the father She-ar-ah?" Mace asked in an angry tone.
"I...I cannot tell you."
The council looked at each other in shock.
"What was that?" Mace asked, in a very angry tone.
"I cannot tell you, I know this is very disrespectful, but I won't destroy his dreams as well."
"A Jedi is he?" Yoda asked.
She-ar-ah swallowed hard, and put Obi Wan out of her mind, so they wouldn't suspect him. "No." She answered.
"She-ar-ah, hiding him will not help you." Mace told her in almost a fatherly tone.
She-ar-ah thought hard about what she would tell them. "He's not a Jedi, he's in the senate." She lied to the council.
"The Senate?" Mace looked at her confused.
"I met him on a trip to the senate with my master, I fell in love with him." She continued, not sure if the council would buy it.
"Not Kenobi the father is." Yoda asked.
"No, Obi Wan is my only friend. He helped me through all of this, but he didn't know about the senator. I couldn't tell him."
Mace looked at her, he wasn't sure if he believed her or not, but before he could respond the council's aid stood at the door. She cleared her throat to get their attention.
"I'm sorry my masters, but Master Qui Gon Jinn, and padawan Obi Wan Kenobi have an urgent matter to discuss with you." The aid stated with a bow.
'Obi Wan's back?!' feelings of happiness and dread flooded She-ar-ah's thoughts, but no one in the council noticed except Mace Windu.
"Tell them we will be with them shortly." Mace told the aid, which left the council room with a bow.
The council then turned their attention back to She-ar-ah.
"Discuss this in depth later we will." Yoda said. "Find a fitting punishment we shall."
"Yes my masters." She said with a bow.
**
Obi Wan paced outside the council room, he hadn't been able to contact She-ar-ah through their bond for the past three days, and it worried him. He knew she was alive because he could sense her along the force matrix, but something was wrong, she was blocking him out of her mind. He could sense a great sorrow emulating from her.
"Be still Obi Wan." Qui Gon chided.
"Yes master." Obi Wan said as he sat next to his master. He then began to fidget.
"Where is your concentration?" Qui Gon looked at his padawan, worried.
"Not where it belongs master." Obi Wan said, giving a textbook answer.
The council's aid came out to them, they rose to greet her. "The council will see you as soon as they are done with a present matter."
Just then, the door to the council room opened. To Obi Wan's surprise, She-ar-ah walked through it.
"Oh let me see if they're ready for you now." The aid told them, when seeing She-ar-ah.
"Thank you." Qui Gon told the aid.
She-ar-ah avoided eye contact with Obi Wan as she past them.
"Padawan She-ar-ah, how are you?" Qui Gon said as she past by.
'Damn it, leave it to Qui Gon.' She thought as she turned to him. "Master Qui Gon," she bowed "Padawan Kenobi." She said, still avoiding eye contact.
"She-ar-ah?" Obi Wan questioned, sounding very concerned. "You were speaking with the council?"
"Yes I was." She answered in a flat tone. She was trying to keep him away, even though every part of her wanted him to hold her.
"Without your master?" Obi Wan grew very concerned.
"Yes Obi Wan, is that ok with you?" She snapped at him.
"The council will see you now." The aid broke up the conversation between the apprentices.
With that She-ar-ah bowed to them. "I'm glad you both returned safely." She turned to leave.
Obi Wan watched her go, his heart was hurting 'what happened while I was away?'
"Obi Wan?" Qui Gon called.
Obi Wan continued to stare at the door She-ar-ah left from.
Qui Gon was concerned. He knew something happened, it probably wasn't good. "Obi Wan?" Still no response. Qui Gon cleared his throat, and called louder. "Obi Wan!" With that the young Jedi snapped out of his trance.
"Coming master." They entered the council room.