June 2002
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, I'm just borrowing them. The story, however, is mine.
Author's note: The sequel to "A Stranger From The Past" (2nd in a four part series), this was something that I was asked to write and just happened to have an idea for. Please, let me know what you think!! E-mail me: Jademax@hotmail.com Thanks for reading!!
A Glimmer Of Hope
Obi-Wan sat in the suite he shared with his Padawan, looking at the blank data pad before him. Anakin and Senator Amidala were leaving for Naboo in two standard hours and he wanted to send a reply to Sabe with them. What did you say to the woman who held you heart, but should never have received it? He rubbed his forehead with one hand, standing to pace across the floor. He needed to tell her, but he couldn't. Attachment of any kind was forbidden in his order, telling Sabe his feelings would certainly qualify as 'attachment'.
"Master?"
He turned, "What can I do for you Anakin?"
"I sensed your distress. Is something wrong?"
Obi-Wan silently cursed himself for letting his emotions get the better of him. A Jedi should know only peace. "No, nothing. Are you packed for your journey?"
Anakin nodded, leaning against the doorframe and looking at his Master critically, "Are you sure nothing is wrong, Master? Perhaps I can help?"
Obi-Wan shook his head, "Simply trying to write a letter to an old friend, that's all. Aren't you supposed to be guarding the senator?"
"I'm on my way there now."
Obi-Wan waved him away, going so far as to telekinetically push him from the room. He turned back to the data pad, taking a deep breath, and positioned it correctly. Fighting his nervousness he smoothed his hair back, adjusted his cloak and hit the record button.
Senator Amidala let her Captain of the guard and Anakin load her luggage into the bus that would take her, and her protector to the refugee transport. Dorme stepped up to the bus, and she was about to step forward to board when a gentle hand grasped her shoulder. "M'lady,"
She turned, meeting Obi-Wan's gaze, "Master Kenobi?"
He glanced to the bus where Anakin was watching him, a surprised look on his face. Obi-Wan extended a data-rod to her, "Could you please deliver this to Sabe, should you see her?"
She glanced down at the rod, then back to him with a nod before sliding the rod into her inner robe, "I will make sure she gets it."
He bowed to her, "My thanks, M'lady. After you."
She smiled at him as he gestured for her to board and then stepped up into the bus, taking her seat next to Dorme. Anakin and his Master sat across the aisle, Obi-Wan giving his Padawan last minute instructions as the bus lifted off. Padme slid her hand around the data-rod in her cloak. Hopefully, whatever the Master Jedi had said to one of her oldest friends would help bring a sincere smile back to Sabe's face.
Anakin Skywalker looked at the transport that was to take them to the lake country. Queen Jamilla had given her approval for Padme's plan to hide there, and he wasn't too happy. Not only had she reprimanded him in front of the court, but she'd also given him the distinct impression she wished he would just keep his mouth shut. Damn woman, always playing with his mind. He sighed. He was looking forward to being with just Padme again. Perhaps he could make her see what he felt for her; perhaps he could get her to feel the same for him. Turning, he saw her speaking with a heavily cloaked woman, red hair spilling down over her well shaped bosom. "Padme?"
Padme looked at him, "I'm coming Anakin." She turned and engulfed the other woman in a tight hug before picking up her skirt and running to his side, "Sorry, I promised Obi-Wan I'd deliver his message."
"Who was that?"
Padme smiled up at him, allowing him to help her into the transport, "Sabe."
Anakin's eyes widened in sudden understanding as he looked back. The cloaked figure was gone.
Sabe's footsteps were quiet as she made her way through the halls to her room. She'd been staying in the palace as a guest for the last 10 years, a reward for sacrificing so much in protecting the then Queen Amidala. She lifted one hand to her face, softly tracing the lines of the plate grafted to her cheekbone. It was more metal than skin now, more machine than human. She sighed, opening her door, entering her room and then locking the door behind her. She flicked her hood back, fingering the data-rod she'd never expected to receive.
Obi-Wan had written her back.
Sabe went to her desk and placed the rod on the top, taking a seat before it. She ached to play it, to hear what he'd written her. She caught her reflection in the screen and hit the power switch on her holo- projector, erasing it from view. She couldn't look at herself anymore, who would want to? She'd lost most of her looks in that battle long ago and every day she had to face the fact that no one would ever be able to look upon her with anything more than pity. She turned the data-rod in her hand. Would Obi-Wan's message be patronizing, pitying her for her scars? She hoped not. Resolutely, she slipped the rod into the side of the machine and sat back. Obi-Wan's image, different than she remembered, more mature, appeared. Dressed in his Jedi robes, his face sporting a beard, his hair brushing the back of his collar, he was more handsome than she remembered. Even through the holo image she could see his nervousness.
"Hello Sabe. It's been a long time. The Senator was kind enough to deliver your message and, in return, I hope to send this with her for you. I hope this finds you well. It has been a long time since we spoke, my friend, and I find myself at a loss for what to say."
She smiled as he ran a hand through his hair, a very uncharacteristic Obi-Wan gesture.
"You surprised me by sending me a message after 10 years, and to be frank, I'm not sure how I should respond. I'm flattered you still think of me. I have missed speaking with you; our discussions were never forced as some of those I have had of late. You never felt you had to be formal with me and for that I am grateful. I am currently on a mission to find the bounty hunter who is trying to assassinate Senator Amidala, but I hope to be done soon. My Padawan, Anakin Skywalker. Do you remember him?" his smile was wry, "Of course you do. He's grown now, and very strong in the Force. He will protect her, with his life if need be. When this is all over, I hope to see you again."
"Sabe, my dear selfless Sabe, do not be ashamed of your scars. They are badges of honor, to be worn with pride. You did your duty, to the best of your ability, and in doing so saved the life of your friend. You are beautiful, your soul is beautiful, do not hide beneath the hood. I hope to see you soon, and when that happens, I find myself wishing that you do not hide from me. I will be thinking of you while I'm searching, and will contact you again when I come back. May the Force be with you, Sabe."
She reached out and froze the image, his smile roguishly breathtaking as he reached for the power switch to stop recording his message. She made to touch his image, but stopped herself. She missed him. Obi-Wan Kenobi, Jedi Knight, the man who held her heart. She smiled, a true smile with no trace of sadness as she left the hood back and shut off the holo. When Obi- Wan contacted her next she would leave her hood back, as he'd asked. If he wasn't ashamed of her appearance, she wouldn't be either. Head high, her spirit renewed, she unlocked her door and strode from her room.
The time between now and his next message would be a long one, but she vowed to face it proudly, and with patience. She'd waited this long, she could wait until eternity to see him smile again.
END
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, I'm just borrowing them. The story, however, is mine.
Author's note: The sequel to "A Stranger From The Past" (2nd in a four part series), this was something that I was asked to write and just happened to have an idea for. Please, let me know what you think!! E-mail me: Jademax@hotmail.com Thanks for reading!!
A Glimmer Of Hope
Obi-Wan sat in the suite he shared with his Padawan, looking at the blank data pad before him. Anakin and Senator Amidala were leaving for Naboo in two standard hours and he wanted to send a reply to Sabe with them. What did you say to the woman who held you heart, but should never have received it? He rubbed his forehead with one hand, standing to pace across the floor. He needed to tell her, but he couldn't. Attachment of any kind was forbidden in his order, telling Sabe his feelings would certainly qualify as 'attachment'.
"Master?"
He turned, "What can I do for you Anakin?"
"I sensed your distress. Is something wrong?"
Obi-Wan silently cursed himself for letting his emotions get the better of him. A Jedi should know only peace. "No, nothing. Are you packed for your journey?"
Anakin nodded, leaning against the doorframe and looking at his Master critically, "Are you sure nothing is wrong, Master? Perhaps I can help?"
Obi-Wan shook his head, "Simply trying to write a letter to an old friend, that's all. Aren't you supposed to be guarding the senator?"
"I'm on my way there now."
Obi-Wan waved him away, going so far as to telekinetically push him from the room. He turned back to the data pad, taking a deep breath, and positioned it correctly. Fighting his nervousness he smoothed his hair back, adjusted his cloak and hit the record button.
Senator Amidala let her Captain of the guard and Anakin load her luggage into the bus that would take her, and her protector to the refugee transport. Dorme stepped up to the bus, and she was about to step forward to board when a gentle hand grasped her shoulder. "M'lady,"
She turned, meeting Obi-Wan's gaze, "Master Kenobi?"
He glanced to the bus where Anakin was watching him, a surprised look on his face. Obi-Wan extended a data-rod to her, "Could you please deliver this to Sabe, should you see her?"
She glanced down at the rod, then back to him with a nod before sliding the rod into her inner robe, "I will make sure she gets it."
He bowed to her, "My thanks, M'lady. After you."
She smiled at him as he gestured for her to board and then stepped up into the bus, taking her seat next to Dorme. Anakin and his Master sat across the aisle, Obi-Wan giving his Padawan last minute instructions as the bus lifted off. Padme slid her hand around the data-rod in her cloak. Hopefully, whatever the Master Jedi had said to one of her oldest friends would help bring a sincere smile back to Sabe's face.
Anakin Skywalker looked at the transport that was to take them to the lake country. Queen Jamilla had given her approval for Padme's plan to hide there, and he wasn't too happy. Not only had she reprimanded him in front of the court, but she'd also given him the distinct impression she wished he would just keep his mouth shut. Damn woman, always playing with his mind. He sighed. He was looking forward to being with just Padme again. Perhaps he could make her see what he felt for her; perhaps he could get her to feel the same for him. Turning, he saw her speaking with a heavily cloaked woman, red hair spilling down over her well shaped bosom. "Padme?"
Padme looked at him, "I'm coming Anakin." She turned and engulfed the other woman in a tight hug before picking up her skirt and running to his side, "Sorry, I promised Obi-Wan I'd deliver his message."
"Who was that?"
Padme smiled up at him, allowing him to help her into the transport, "Sabe."
Anakin's eyes widened in sudden understanding as he looked back. The cloaked figure was gone.
Sabe's footsteps were quiet as she made her way through the halls to her room. She'd been staying in the palace as a guest for the last 10 years, a reward for sacrificing so much in protecting the then Queen Amidala. She lifted one hand to her face, softly tracing the lines of the plate grafted to her cheekbone. It was more metal than skin now, more machine than human. She sighed, opening her door, entering her room and then locking the door behind her. She flicked her hood back, fingering the data-rod she'd never expected to receive.
Obi-Wan had written her back.
Sabe went to her desk and placed the rod on the top, taking a seat before it. She ached to play it, to hear what he'd written her. She caught her reflection in the screen and hit the power switch on her holo- projector, erasing it from view. She couldn't look at herself anymore, who would want to? She'd lost most of her looks in that battle long ago and every day she had to face the fact that no one would ever be able to look upon her with anything more than pity. She turned the data-rod in her hand. Would Obi-Wan's message be patronizing, pitying her for her scars? She hoped not. Resolutely, she slipped the rod into the side of the machine and sat back. Obi-Wan's image, different than she remembered, more mature, appeared. Dressed in his Jedi robes, his face sporting a beard, his hair brushing the back of his collar, he was more handsome than she remembered. Even through the holo image she could see his nervousness.
"Hello Sabe. It's been a long time. The Senator was kind enough to deliver your message and, in return, I hope to send this with her for you. I hope this finds you well. It has been a long time since we spoke, my friend, and I find myself at a loss for what to say."
She smiled as he ran a hand through his hair, a very uncharacteristic Obi-Wan gesture.
"You surprised me by sending me a message after 10 years, and to be frank, I'm not sure how I should respond. I'm flattered you still think of me. I have missed speaking with you; our discussions were never forced as some of those I have had of late. You never felt you had to be formal with me and for that I am grateful. I am currently on a mission to find the bounty hunter who is trying to assassinate Senator Amidala, but I hope to be done soon. My Padawan, Anakin Skywalker. Do you remember him?" his smile was wry, "Of course you do. He's grown now, and very strong in the Force. He will protect her, with his life if need be. When this is all over, I hope to see you again."
"Sabe, my dear selfless Sabe, do not be ashamed of your scars. They are badges of honor, to be worn with pride. You did your duty, to the best of your ability, and in doing so saved the life of your friend. You are beautiful, your soul is beautiful, do not hide beneath the hood. I hope to see you soon, and when that happens, I find myself wishing that you do not hide from me. I will be thinking of you while I'm searching, and will contact you again when I come back. May the Force be with you, Sabe."
She reached out and froze the image, his smile roguishly breathtaking as he reached for the power switch to stop recording his message. She made to touch his image, but stopped herself. She missed him. Obi-Wan Kenobi, Jedi Knight, the man who held her heart. She smiled, a true smile with no trace of sadness as she left the hood back and shut off the holo. When Obi- Wan contacted her next she would leave her hood back, as he'd asked. If he wasn't ashamed of her appearance, she wouldn't be either. Head high, her spirit renewed, she unlocked her door and strode from her room.
The time between now and his next message would be a long one, but she vowed to face it proudly, and with patience. She'd waited this long, she could wait until eternity to see him smile again.
END