VIII. Upon Waking
Darsha Assant had heard Obi-Wan's master bring up Nejaa Halcyon's name over the communicator. The Knight was one of her own Master's closest friends. Curious, she went in search of him--and found him quickly enough, sitting near that level's south-facing entrance. He smiled when he saw her, and made room on the bench for her to join him.
"Did you have something to do with my sparring partner's disappearance?" she asked playfully. "I overheard Master Jinn say your name, and then Obi- Wan ran out like he was on fire."
Nejaa laughed briefly. "Has your sparring partner mentioned the visitor in the Temple?"
She frowned up at him. "I think he said something about a stranger. A human woman, right?"
A curt nod. "She's an odd one. Seems she scared half the Council right out of their enlightened minds. She popped out of thin air in the middle of one of their sessions."
"Come on!" she giggled.
"Hey presto, just like that." He ruffled her hair affectionately. "Master Windu's still tied up in knots over her...."
* * *
"Help me, Obi-Wan!" Qui-Gon roared over the shriek of wind and engine. "Grab her other hand!"
The noise and light of the aircar split the blackness. Cathleen must have fallen for some distance to have reached this far; but had they not caught her, she would have tumbled uncounted klicks more before hitting bottom. The craft swayed and yawed wildly as she hung, twisting and struggling, from the pair's hands. Hefting her aboard, Qui-Gon heard a crack, and knew that her shoulder had popped out.
Not caring that blood from her face was smearing over his tunic, Qui-Gon wrapped her close. She clung to him, sobbing and shuddering. Wave after wave of her terror ripped through him. "It's all right, it's all right," he crooned to her over and over. "I've got you, I won't let you fall." Finally, despite the pain of a broken nose and dislocated shoulder, she dropped into a shocked slumber.
"Back to the Temple, Obi-Wan. Take us home."
* * *
Now that she knew it was there, it was easy to spot the holocam peeking from one corner in the infirmary. Cathleen told herself that she ought to be offended by it; but at present, knowing someone was watching her was comforting.
"Good morning." She turned her head to see Master Qui-Gon sitting on the other side of her bed.
She smiled at him. "I feel like I've been here before."
A chuckle was his only response.
"I think I've used up my quotient of miracles, Master Qui-Gon. How did you...?" Cathleen shut her eyes, biting her lip, and felt the Jedi Master's hand close around her own; a swell of calm washed away the sudden panic attack.
"You have a very unique Force signature. Once I learned to feel it, I couldn't miss it. It radiates on an entirely different level, almost another dimension."
He was temporizing, she could tell from the way he went on. "I'm not that original, Qui-Gon." She looked at him skeptically. "You could have made a mistake, you know."
"Of course not," he declared. "Jedi Masters never make mistakes." An old, old grief swam in his eyes, belying his sardonic tone.
She cursed herself for saying exactly the wrong thing.
"Get some sleep, now, Cathleen."
* * *
Qui-Gon Jinn watched her relax into sleep. This woman had burst into the galaxy, and into his life, already holding a deep affection for him. The Jedi Council had ordered him to do everything necessary to discover her purpose. He doubted that any of them regretted that decision as much as he did now. Oh, he had been as unobtrusive as possible in his investigation after learning of her private nature--and yet....
And yet. The bitter irony was that he had saved her life through an intrusion far more invasive than any holocam.
The generosity of his own character urged him to return her respect, even her affection. As Cathleen slipped deeper into slumber, Qui-Gon reached out through the Force to cushion the inevitable nightmares.
Her presence slipped away. Alarmed, he called the emdee droid over.
"Everything is normal, sir," the droid assured him upon examination. "Her lifesigns are nominal. She is merely asleep." Qui-Gon felt for the pulse at her wrist. It was beating slowly, but strongly. Her pulse in the Force, however, had vanished.
* * *
Cathleen woke slowly, pleasantly. Coruscant's primary was just peering over the edge of the infirmary room's window. Everything looked like it was made of gold. Qui-Gon was gone; in his place was a lightly snoring Padawan. She smiled at the way the morning sunlight gilded his elfin features.
As if aware of that she was watching him, Obi-Wan jerked awake. "Oh." He yawned. "You're back, then."
She let that incomprehensible comment slide by, and sat up. She stretched, expecting at least some tenderness in her shoulder. Then she touched her face, pleasantly surprised at the lack of pain. If the sticky-sweet taste in the back of her throat was any indication, they must have dunked her in bacta.
It hit her then: Master Qui-Gon was gone. He wouldn't interfere with this. Hopefully, Obi-Wan wouldn't, either.
She put on her cajoling face. "Obi-Wan, would you take me to see Master Yoda?"
"What? Are you sure you're feeling up to it?" His face was a mask of concern.
Masks. "Yeah. There's some things I should have told him a long time ago."
Darsha Assant had heard Obi-Wan's master bring up Nejaa Halcyon's name over the communicator. The Knight was one of her own Master's closest friends. Curious, she went in search of him--and found him quickly enough, sitting near that level's south-facing entrance. He smiled when he saw her, and made room on the bench for her to join him.
"Did you have something to do with my sparring partner's disappearance?" she asked playfully. "I overheard Master Jinn say your name, and then Obi- Wan ran out like he was on fire."
Nejaa laughed briefly. "Has your sparring partner mentioned the visitor in the Temple?"
She frowned up at him. "I think he said something about a stranger. A human woman, right?"
A curt nod. "She's an odd one. Seems she scared half the Council right out of their enlightened minds. She popped out of thin air in the middle of one of their sessions."
"Come on!" she giggled.
"Hey presto, just like that." He ruffled her hair affectionately. "Master Windu's still tied up in knots over her...."
* * *
"Help me, Obi-Wan!" Qui-Gon roared over the shriek of wind and engine. "Grab her other hand!"
The noise and light of the aircar split the blackness. Cathleen must have fallen for some distance to have reached this far; but had they not caught her, she would have tumbled uncounted klicks more before hitting bottom. The craft swayed and yawed wildly as she hung, twisting and struggling, from the pair's hands. Hefting her aboard, Qui-Gon heard a crack, and knew that her shoulder had popped out.
Not caring that blood from her face was smearing over his tunic, Qui-Gon wrapped her close. She clung to him, sobbing and shuddering. Wave after wave of her terror ripped through him. "It's all right, it's all right," he crooned to her over and over. "I've got you, I won't let you fall." Finally, despite the pain of a broken nose and dislocated shoulder, she dropped into a shocked slumber.
"Back to the Temple, Obi-Wan. Take us home."
* * *
Now that she knew it was there, it was easy to spot the holocam peeking from one corner in the infirmary. Cathleen told herself that she ought to be offended by it; but at present, knowing someone was watching her was comforting.
"Good morning." She turned her head to see Master Qui-Gon sitting on the other side of her bed.
She smiled at him. "I feel like I've been here before."
A chuckle was his only response.
"I think I've used up my quotient of miracles, Master Qui-Gon. How did you...?" Cathleen shut her eyes, biting her lip, and felt the Jedi Master's hand close around her own; a swell of calm washed away the sudden panic attack.
"You have a very unique Force signature. Once I learned to feel it, I couldn't miss it. It radiates on an entirely different level, almost another dimension."
He was temporizing, she could tell from the way he went on. "I'm not that original, Qui-Gon." She looked at him skeptically. "You could have made a mistake, you know."
"Of course not," he declared. "Jedi Masters never make mistakes." An old, old grief swam in his eyes, belying his sardonic tone.
She cursed herself for saying exactly the wrong thing.
"Get some sleep, now, Cathleen."
* * *
Qui-Gon Jinn watched her relax into sleep. This woman had burst into the galaxy, and into his life, already holding a deep affection for him. The Jedi Council had ordered him to do everything necessary to discover her purpose. He doubted that any of them regretted that decision as much as he did now. Oh, he had been as unobtrusive as possible in his investigation after learning of her private nature--and yet....
And yet. The bitter irony was that he had saved her life through an intrusion far more invasive than any holocam.
The generosity of his own character urged him to return her respect, even her affection. As Cathleen slipped deeper into slumber, Qui-Gon reached out through the Force to cushion the inevitable nightmares.
Her presence slipped away. Alarmed, he called the emdee droid over.
"Everything is normal, sir," the droid assured him upon examination. "Her lifesigns are nominal. She is merely asleep." Qui-Gon felt for the pulse at her wrist. It was beating slowly, but strongly. Her pulse in the Force, however, had vanished.
* * *
Cathleen woke slowly, pleasantly. Coruscant's primary was just peering over the edge of the infirmary room's window. Everything looked like it was made of gold. Qui-Gon was gone; in his place was a lightly snoring Padawan. She smiled at the way the morning sunlight gilded his elfin features.
As if aware of that she was watching him, Obi-Wan jerked awake. "Oh." He yawned. "You're back, then."
She let that incomprehensible comment slide by, and sat up. She stretched, expecting at least some tenderness in her shoulder. Then she touched her face, pleasantly surprised at the lack of pain. If the sticky-sweet taste in the back of her throat was any indication, they must have dunked her in bacta.
It hit her then: Master Qui-Gon was gone. He wouldn't interfere with this. Hopefully, Obi-Wan wouldn't, either.
She put on her cajoling face. "Obi-Wan, would you take me to see Master Yoda?"
"What? Are you sure you're feeling up to it?" His face was a mask of concern.
Masks. "Yeah. There's some things I should have told him a long time ago."