Anakin spent the next two days and nights in Obi-Wan's room. On the afternoon of the third day, Anakin was beginning to drowse off when he felt a slight tickle in his mind. His brow furrowed as he concentrated on the slight Force wrinkle.
. . . kin . . .
Master?
Ani . . .
Master! Obi-Wan, can you hear me?
Anakin jumped out of his seat and stood over Obi-Wan's bed. He held one of the Jedi's hands while reaching out and touching his Master's forehead. The temperature from the fever had dropped considerably.
"Obi-Wan!" he said gleefully. You're going to be okay! Anakin did not even notice the small crowd that was gathering in the doorway, attracted by the sudden noise and movement. Sekiro peeked around the doorframe, a smile wrinkling his face as he saw Anakin's happiness.
I told you that you'd make it, Master!
So you did, Ani . . . so you did . . .
Obi-Wan's eyelids fluttered and then opened. He opened his mouth to talk but found himself gagging against the respirator. The crowd in the doorway took that as their cue, and several nurses moved into the room. They worked around Anakin, removing the breathing mask and tube from Obi-Wan's throat and then wheeling the respirator out of the room.
"Well," he finally spoke, his voice still slightly hoarse, "it looks like I'm still here."
"Yup," Anakin answered, smiling widely. "Good thing too, or I'd have a hard time explaining to the Council that you were bested by two overgrown felines."
"Anakin, if your smile grows any larger, I think your face may freeze like that." Both Jedi gave a slight laugh. The laughing broke off as Obi-Wan began coughing. Sekiro saw this as a good place to step in.
"I'm glad to see that you are feeling better, Jediya Kenobi."
"Thanks to your people," Obi-Wan said, bowing his head. He coughed again slightly to clear his throat. "I am in debt to you and your village."
Anakin remained quiet, seeing that Obi-Wan already knew who Sekiro was. The Arling Elder began to speak again.
"Nonsense, Jediya. You have come to help us. It is against the beliefs of my people to turn away a Jediya, especially one who is in need. We are anxious for your wisdom to help our terrible situation."
Obi-Wan was not exactly up to dealing with this crisis quite yet. He was still weak and very tired from battling the venom. He was, however, never one to shirk his duties. This is what I was sent here to take care of. I may as well get started.
"I'm listening, Sekiro. Please tell me what has happened."
Sekiro went on to describe the trials that his people had been putting up with for the past few months. According to his account, the Trians had pressed the Arlings out of their homes. The Trians believed that because the Arlings' eyes were light colored, they were not as intelligent as their Trian cousins. The Trians soon forced the Arlings into a mass exodus. When it was decided that the exodus was not enough, Makono, the Trian leader, ordered his troops to began killing the Arlings in order to preserve the "better" race. Any Arlings that had been resisting the forced exodus now fled in terror. The refugee villages that they had set up in the forests were well-guarded secrets. Simply getting the call for help out to the Republic had been a daunting task that had cost a half-dozen Arling lives.
"That's terrible," Anakin whispered as Sekiro lowered his head.
"So you see, noble Jediya, your intervention is sorely needed. The future of my people depends on it." Sekiro twisted his hands around his wooden staff. "You must know, the Trians were not always like this. They are our soul relations. We are linked in spirit. The link has been tainted, though. I don't know how it happened, but once Makono began speaking his absurd beliefs, the Trians began following him. Whether they were bored at the time or if Makono fills a void in their lives, I do not know. What I do know, is that if Makono is removed from the public eye, then relationships on Eloyl stand a much better chance of being repaired."
Obi-Wan nodded his head. "I don't know if I can support an out-right assassination attempt on a public figure, but we will do what we can to help. If you don't mind, I would like to see more information on this 'Makono' character. Then Anakin and I can-" He broke off abruptly in another coughing fit. A nurse shouldered her way past Anakin, who had jumped to his feet, and slipped an oxygen mask over Obi-Wan's mouth and nose. The coughing soon subsided, and he was breathing steadier within a few moments.
"Master, are you okay?" Anakin asked with concern.
Obi-Wan closed his eyes and nodded.
"Jediya Skywalker, your Master is still not fully healed. We must let him rest." Sekiro pulled slightly on Anakin's sleeve, motioning that he should follow him.
"I'm going to stay here again tonight."
Obi-Wan shook his head at Anakin and reached up to pull off the mask. "I'll be fine, Ani. You need to go back to your room and sleep if you expect to be of any good on this mission."
Well, sleep wouldn't be such a bad idea. I haven't slept since . . . since we arrived here. That seems like such a long time ago.
Obi-Wan waved a hand at Anakin, telling him to follow Sekiro. "I promise, I'll be fine. Go on now."
Anakin smiled. He clasped his Master's hand firmly. "Sleep well, Master. May the Force guard you and heal you."
"Thank you, Anakin." He smiled lightly as his apprentice turned and followed Sekiro back down the hallway. Once she was sure the Jedi Knight's breathing was satisfactory the nurse followed them, closing the door and turning off the lights on her way out.
I will sleep well, Obi-Wan thought as he let his head sink back into the pillow. Before he could further develop any thoughts, he had drifted off into a deep and dreamless sleep.
* * *
The trio of shadowed figures silently crept through the village, making their way towards the medical building. Wraith-like, they slipped into Obi-Wan's room through the window. They made their way into the room completely undetected.
One figure stood on each side of the sleeping Knight's bed while the third figure reached into a small pouch that was hanging from his waist. He pulled out a syringe and checked the level of the liquid inside. Satisfied, he carefully inserted the tip of the needle into the I.V. line and began injecting the drug. It was intended to leave Obi-Wan completely helpless so they could smuggle him out of the village without incident.
All three smiled. The figure to the left of Obi-Wan shifted his weight slightly, accidentally jarring a small table. The brief noise was enough to cause the Jedi to stir.
Obi-Wan's eyelids fluttered drowsily, but as soon as he sensed the foreign minds his eyes snapped open. Something about the I.V. in his arm didn't feel right. He reached over to pull it out, but the figures on either side of him quickly pushed his arms down against the bed. He opened his mouth to yell for help, but one pale, four-fingered hand clamped down before he could make a sound. Obi-Wan continued to thrash around, trying to kick his assailants but was hampered by the blankets and his own weakness.
Anakin! he finally called out. But before he could act further along his mental bond with the Padawan, his vision began to swim. The last thing that he focused on before he lost consciousness was the dark eyes of the lead Trian that stared down at him.
* * *
Sekiro was not sleeping. He was not exactly fully awake either. Too worried about his people to rest, he was sitting cross-legged on the couch, quietly meditating. From his vantage point, all he had to do was open his eyes and he could look right into Anakin's room. Anakin was sleeping in Sekiro's quarters in the med center. The main reason for the sleeping situation was because Anakin wanted to be as close to Obi-Wan as possible. Also, the village was hard pressed for space, for more refugees made their way there everyday. Sekiro himself had given up his own small hut to a family who needed it much more than he did. That was why he was living in the med center.
The young Padawan stirred and murmured in his sleep, causing Sekiro to open one eye to peer into the room. Anakin tossed and turned on the sleep couch, the sheets long ago thrown to the ground. The boy's restlessness soon calmed, and Sekiro had managed to settle back into his meditation when a cry from Anakin called him back to reality.
"Master!"
"What is it, Jediya?" Sekiro unfolded himself from the couch and walked over to Anakin.
The frantic Padawan was hurriedly pulling on his cloak as he rushed for the door. "Obi-Wan! He's in trouble! I have to go help him!"
Before Sekiro could offer any form of protest, Anakin was out the door and running down the hall. Sekiro hurried as best as he could to keep up, but his slight limp and his wooden staff slowed him down. The boy was soon out of his sight.
"Master!" Anakin called as he ran into Obi-Wan's room. He skidded to an abrupt halt as his eyes took in the empty bed. "Obi-Wan!" he called out again.
Sekiro slowed to a stop outside the room and stood in the doorway. His eyes held a sadness as he watched the boy dash furtively around the room. The injured Jedi was nowhere to be seen. The bed sheets were mangled and twisted. The metal pole that had been holding the IV bag full of liquids and medicine was lying on the floor, the bag's contents spilled out in a puddle. The IV line itself was ripped.
Anakin looked around in hopeless disbelief. What do I do now? Where do I go from here? He glanced up at the open window as a breeze rifled through the billowing curtains. Something just outside the window had caught his attention. He walked over and pushed the curtains aside.
"What is it?" Sekiro questioned.
"It is a message, from an enemy of yours, and quite possibly my enemy as well now."
Sekiro hurried over to the window and looked outside. The moon illuminated a simple message that had been acid-burned into the ground. We have the Jediya. Now truth and purity will reign.
Anakin glanced over at Sekiro. A dark shadow had seemed to pass over the Arling man's face. "Truth and purity . . . it was the Trians, wasn't it?"
"I'm afraid so, young Skywalker. I believe that it appears as if has Makono arranged this abduction. I deeply regret calling you here. I fear that your Master is in grave danger."
"No, Sekiro, you were right to call us here. Although, now it is Makono who should fear."
"What do you mean?"
Anakin turned and began walking out of the room. He glanced over at the shelf by the door, spotting a long, silver handle. His hand closed down over top of Obi-Wan's lightsaber. He shut his eyes and held the weapon next to his heart before carefully clipping it to his belt. The Padawan turned to answer over his shoulder as he strode out of the room.
"Makono has obviously never dealt with Jedi before."
