First Knight - Part Twenty-Five
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"So, what's her name?"
Obi-Wan looked over at Auna who was sitting in the pilot seat next to him. She had been waiting at the starport as she had promised. Her ship, though smaller than the one he had flown to Lianna, had a larger and more powerful engine. Once they were spacebourne, she had told him they'd make planetfall on Toola in about six hours.
Obi-Wan, who hadn't realized how exhausted he was until he boarded Auna's ship, had been asleep for the past five of those six hours. Auna had given him the use of her cabin, after asking if he was absolutely sure he didn't want some company. He had thanked her for the offer, but kindly refused. After awakening and, feeling much better for the rest, he had joined Auna in the cockpit.
"Who?" he asked.
"The one ya got waiting at home."
"What's makes you think I have, as you say, one waiting at home?"
Auna shook her head and laughed. "Because, Master Kenobi, I can smell a woman on a man at a hundred meters."
Obi-Wan frowned at her. Auna laughed again.
"I don't mean literally. I can see it in his eyes, hear it in his voice. I know when a man's in love."
"Really" Obi-Wan said dryly as he looked out the window of her ship, hoping she would soon drop the subject.
"I thought love was forbidden to the Jedi?"
He sighed and looked over at her. "If by love you mean romantic love, it is not forbidden. It is just not encouraged."
"Why?"
"A Jedi's life is not an easy one. One must commit oneself totally, both mind and body, to the path of becoming a Jedi Knight. Padawans.." he stopped when he saw her puzzled expression.
"Those of our Order who have not yet achieved the status of knighthood," he explained. "Padawans are forbidden from marrying or from having romantic liaisons for it is believed, and rightly so, that such passions will distract them from their path to enlightenment in the Force."
"Hmmm," Auna said, nodding slowly. "I see. At least I think I see. So, what happens after ya become a Knight? Can ya have a girlfriend then?"
Obi-Wan smiled slightly. "It is not forbidden to become romantically involved with someone once one has become a Knight, but it is generally not encouraged."
"Why?"
Obi-Wan looked hard at her. "You asked me that before. I thought I answered it. Because a Jedi's life is a hard one."
Auna shook her head. "Sorry, but that just don't cut it."
"Excuse me?"
She gave him a shrewd look. "It's just an excuse, and a pretty poor one if ya ask me."
"I don't understand---"
"A Jedi's life is a hard one," she said in a mocking tone. "Sheesh, everybody's life is a hard one, Master Kenobi, unless yar rich or dead." She shook her head. "Ya think I've had an easy life? Huh? Do ya?"
Obi-Wan shook his head no.
"Yar darn right, I haven't," Auna said, her violet eyes blazing in her lovely face, her pointed ears twitching angrily. "But, just because I've had it hard, it don't mean I'm going to go through life alone, ya know what I mean? Don't mean I'm not going to open my heart to someone or let someone open their heart to me."
She shook her head again. "Pah, what a load of mynock crap! A Jedi's life is a hard life! Pah! If ya ask me, a Jedi's life ain't a hard life, it's just an empty one, and I feel sorry for the lot of ya."
Obi-Wan sat in silence for a moment. He reached inside his tunic and pulled out the pedant K'lia had given him.
"What's that?" Auna asked.
Obi-Wan didn't answer. He opened the pendant and pressed the bottom. The tiny holographic image of Onara and Ben appeared in the air. Auna's eyes widened.
"Oh, look at the wee one," she said. "Ain't he a little darling. Is that his mother?"
"Yes," Obi-Wan replied, his throat so tight he could barely get the word out.
As he looked at the image of Onara, her dark eyes sparkling, her lips stretched in a wide smile as she held their son, she seemed to gaze out at him warmly, as if to let him know she had faith in him and that he would not fail her or Ben.
"Who are they?" Then Auna's eyes widened even more. "Oh, is she...?"
"Yes, she is."
"And is he....yar son?"
"Yes."
"And the reason yar out here looking for Sinja-Bau has to do with them?"
Obi-Wan nodded. "Her name is Onara. She's dying. Sinja-Bau is the only one who can save her."
"Oh, stars, why didn't ya say something, Master Kenobi!" Auna hit the control panel of her ship with her fist. "Jareo and his stupid games! I swear, if we had known we wouldn't have---"
Obi-Wan shook his head. He closed the pendant and slipped it back under his tunic.
"What's done is done," he told Auna. "All that matters now is my finding Sinja-Bau as quickly as possible."
"Well, don't ya worry, Master Kenobi," Auna said, nodding her head fiercely. "We'll find her." Then she shook her head as she gazed admiringly over at him. "Stars, who would've thought? A Jedi Knight on a quest to save his lady love. Wait 'till I tell Ziab. This might be worthy of a tale!"
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Obi-Wan looked out the window as Auna piloted her ship over the barren, white landscape that was Toola. He had never been to this planet, but he knew it was home to a species known as the Whiphids. Huge, massive creatures with long, yellow-white or golden fur, they had prominent, hairless faces, exaggerated cheekbones and foreheads, two large tusks that protruded from their lower jaws and huge arms with three-fingered hands that ended in sharp claws. Some of them had left their homeworld and were often employed as bounty hunters, hunting guides and bodyguards throughout the galaxy.
"Auna."
"Hmmm," she replied, her gaze fastened outside the window.
"Have you had any dealings with the Whiphids?"
Auna snorted. "Dealings? What do ya mean by dealings?"
"Have you interacted with them? Had cause to come into contact with them?"
"Oh, I though you meant something else. Yeah, sure, a couple of times, whenever Jareo feels the need, which ain't too often, to come to this ball of ice."
"And?"
"And what?"
"Are they friendly? Hostile?"
Auna tilted her head. "Hmmm, well that depends."
"Depends on what?"
"Well, the Whiphids love nothin' better than a good hunt. They'll track a prey for days and days. Their favorite prey is the mastmots. And their favorite way to kill them, and mind ya, these mastmots are huge beasties, is with their bare hands and tusks. But, they ain't shy about using weapons, though it's mostly spears, sabers and clubs."
"I see. But you didn't answer my question."
"Oh, yeah. Well, despite the way they look and all, they're pretty easygoing. As long as ya don't bother them, they don't bother ya. And they do take care to figure out, on first meeting ya, if yar prey or not."
"And how do they do that?"
"Well, if ya talk and ya seem to be pretty good company, they won't eat ya."
Obi-Wan nodded. "That sounds reasonable."
"And they never eat children."
"Glad to hear that," he said dryly.
Auna looked over at him and grinned. "But, I don't think we'll be running into any Whiphids."
"Why?"
"Douro messed with a few of them last time he was here. Let's say there ain't no love lost between them."
"Messed with them? How?"
"Well, he hired some of them to crew his ship last time he was here ice harvesting. Took them off planet, bought them back and refused to pay them. The Whiphids attacked his base camp and killed a few of his men. So, Douro, well, he...".
Auna looked over at him, her eyes sick, "...before he left Toola he wiped out one of the Whiphid camps. Killed a bunch of them, including women and children. Nasty business. And, well, like anybody who's sane, the Whiphids set great store by their women and young ones."
Obi-Wan felt a chill go down his spine, partly because he wasn't looking forward to trying to get Sinja-Bau away from such a man, and partly because he couldn't imagine what he would do if someone were to kill Onara and Ben.
"Anyway," Auna said, breaking into his thoughts, "if Douro is smart, he's keeping as far away from the Whiphids as he can."
"You don't sound like you think that's what he's doing."
Auna, her four hands busily working the controls of her ship, looked over at him.
"Remember what Jareo told ya about Douro, Master Kenobi. He's crazy. Crazy don't mean smart. Let's hope for ya sake and mine that he's just here to get his ice and leave. Because if he's stirred those Whiphids up again...."
Auna stopped and looked away from him. Obi-Wan understood. It was going to be hard enough dealing with Douro; they didn't need an angry tribe of Whiphids involved. He looked at her sensors.
"Are you sure you know where he's harvesting?"
Auna nodded. "Douro's superstitious, like Jareo said. He always does his harvesting in the same area. Thinks it brings him luck."
She pointed out the window towards what Obi-Wan could see was a line of ice- crusted ridges jutting out of the ground.
"He should be camped near that line of glaciers. We'll be there in about twenty minutes."
Obi-Wan felt his body tensing and immediately made himself relax. He would need all his wits about him if he was going to be successful in getting Sinja-Bau away from Douro. He just hoped that despite all the ominous warnings from both Jareo and Auna about the Arkanian's irrationality, Obi- Wan would be able to accomplish his goal without any violence or, worse, bloodshed. Suddenly, a claxon went off in the ship.
"Flark," Auna hissed.
"What's wrong?"
"A weapons lock. Somebody's got a weapons lock on the ship."
Obi-Wan looked out the window. He could see nothing in that blinding expanse of white. He looked back at Auna. Her face was tight as her four hands flew over the controls.
"Hold on," she cried.
The ship rocked from a blast to their port side. Auna skewed the ship to the right. Obi-Wan grabbed the arm rests of his seat. Auna then veered to the left. Another blast shook the ship.
"Flark, I can't shake the lock!"
Obi-Wan was about to suggest something for her to try, when he felt and heard an explosion from the back of the ship. As Auna frantically tried to keep the ship level, Obi-Wan watched through the window as the ground rushed towards them.
To be continued....
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"So, what's her name?"
Obi-Wan looked over at Auna who was sitting in the pilot seat next to him. She had been waiting at the starport as she had promised. Her ship, though smaller than the one he had flown to Lianna, had a larger and more powerful engine. Once they were spacebourne, she had told him they'd make planetfall on Toola in about six hours.
Obi-Wan, who hadn't realized how exhausted he was until he boarded Auna's ship, had been asleep for the past five of those six hours. Auna had given him the use of her cabin, after asking if he was absolutely sure he didn't want some company. He had thanked her for the offer, but kindly refused. After awakening and, feeling much better for the rest, he had joined Auna in the cockpit.
"Who?" he asked.
"The one ya got waiting at home."
"What's makes you think I have, as you say, one waiting at home?"
Auna shook her head and laughed. "Because, Master Kenobi, I can smell a woman on a man at a hundred meters."
Obi-Wan frowned at her. Auna laughed again.
"I don't mean literally. I can see it in his eyes, hear it in his voice. I know when a man's in love."
"Really" Obi-Wan said dryly as he looked out the window of her ship, hoping she would soon drop the subject.
"I thought love was forbidden to the Jedi?"
He sighed and looked over at her. "If by love you mean romantic love, it is not forbidden. It is just not encouraged."
"Why?"
"A Jedi's life is not an easy one. One must commit oneself totally, both mind and body, to the path of becoming a Jedi Knight. Padawans.." he stopped when he saw her puzzled expression.
"Those of our Order who have not yet achieved the status of knighthood," he explained. "Padawans are forbidden from marrying or from having romantic liaisons for it is believed, and rightly so, that such passions will distract them from their path to enlightenment in the Force."
"Hmmm," Auna said, nodding slowly. "I see. At least I think I see. So, what happens after ya become a Knight? Can ya have a girlfriend then?"
Obi-Wan smiled slightly. "It is not forbidden to become romantically involved with someone once one has become a Knight, but it is generally not encouraged."
"Why?"
Obi-Wan looked hard at her. "You asked me that before. I thought I answered it. Because a Jedi's life is a hard one."
Auna shook her head. "Sorry, but that just don't cut it."
"Excuse me?"
She gave him a shrewd look. "It's just an excuse, and a pretty poor one if ya ask me."
"I don't understand---"
"A Jedi's life is a hard one," she said in a mocking tone. "Sheesh, everybody's life is a hard one, Master Kenobi, unless yar rich or dead." She shook her head. "Ya think I've had an easy life? Huh? Do ya?"
Obi-Wan shook his head no.
"Yar darn right, I haven't," Auna said, her violet eyes blazing in her lovely face, her pointed ears twitching angrily. "But, just because I've had it hard, it don't mean I'm going to go through life alone, ya know what I mean? Don't mean I'm not going to open my heart to someone or let someone open their heart to me."
She shook her head again. "Pah, what a load of mynock crap! A Jedi's life is a hard life! Pah! If ya ask me, a Jedi's life ain't a hard life, it's just an empty one, and I feel sorry for the lot of ya."
Obi-Wan sat in silence for a moment. He reached inside his tunic and pulled out the pedant K'lia had given him.
"What's that?" Auna asked.
Obi-Wan didn't answer. He opened the pendant and pressed the bottom. The tiny holographic image of Onara and Ben appeared in the air. Auna's eyes widened.
"Oh, look at the wee one," she said. "Ain't he a little darling. Is that his mother?"
"Yes," Obi-Wan replied, his throat so tight he could barely get the word out.
As he looked at the image of Onara, her dark eyes sparkling, her lips stretched in a wide smile as she held their son, she seemed to gaze out at him warmly, as if to let him know she had faith in him and that he would not fail her or Ben.
"Who are they?" Then Auna's eyes widened even more. "Oh, is she...?"
"Yes, she is."
"And is he....yar son?"
"Yes."
"And the reason yar out here looking for Sinja-Bau has to do with them?"
Obi-Wan nodded. "Her name is Onara. She's dying. Sinja-Bau is the only one who can save her."
"Oh, stars, why didn't ya say something, Master Kenobi!" Auna hit the control panel of her ship with her fist. "Jareo and his stupid games! I swear, if we had known we wouldn't have---"
Obi-Wan shook his head. He closed the pendant and slipped it back under his tunic.
"What's done is done," he told Auna. "All that matters now is my finding Sinja-Bau as quickly as possible."
"Well, don't ya worry, Master Kenobi," Auna said, nodding her head fiercely. "We'll find her." Then she shook her head as she gazed admiringly over at him. "Stars, who would've thought? A Jedi Knight on a quest to save his lady love. Wait 'till I tell Ziab. This might be worthy of a tale!"
-----------
Obi-Wan looked out the window as Auna piloted her ship over the barren, white landscape that was Toola. He had never been to this planet, but he knew it was home to a species known as the Whiphids. Huge, massive creatures with long, yellow-white or golden fur, they had prominent, hairless faces, exaggerated cheekbones and foreheads, two large tusks that protruded from their lower jaws and huge arms with three-fingered hands that ended in sharp claws. Some of them had left their homeworld and were often employed as bounty hunters, hunting guides and bodyguards throughout the galaxy.
"Auna."
"Hmmm," she replied, her gaze fastened outside the window.
"Have you had any dealings with the Whiphids?"
Auna snorted. "Dealings? What do ya mean by dealings?"
"Have you interacted with them? Had cause to come into contact with them?"
"Oh, I though you meant something else. Yeah, sure, a couple of times, whenever Jareo feels the need, which ain't too often, to come to this ball of ice."
"And?"
"And what?"
"Are they friendly? Hostile?"
Auna tilted her head. "Hmmm, well that depends."
"Depends on what?"
"Well, the Whiphids love nothin' better than a good hunt. They'll track a prey for days and days. Their favorite prey is the mastmots. And their favorite way to kill them, and mind ya, these mastmots are huge beasties, is with their bare hands and tusks. But, they ain't shy about using weapons, though it's mostly spears, sabers and clubs."
"I see. But you didn't answer my question."
"Oh, yeah. Well, despite the way they look and all, they're pretty easygoing. As long as ya don't bother them, they don't bother ya. And they do take care to figure out, on first meeting ya, if yar prey or not."
"And how do they do that?"
"Well, if ya talk and ya seem to be pretty good company, they won't eat ya."
Obi-Wan nodded. "That sounds reasonable."
"And they never eat children."
"Glad to hear that," he said dryly.
Auna looked over at him and grinned. "But, I don't think we'll be running into any Whiphids."
"Why?"
"Douro messed with a few of them last time he was here. Let's say there ain't no love lost between them."
"Messed with them? How?"
"Well, he hired some of them to crew his ship last time he was here ice harvesting. Took them off planet, bought them back and refused to pay them. The Whiphids attacked his base camp and killed a few of his men. So, Douro, well, he...".
Auna looked over at him, her eyes sick, "...before he left Toola he wiped out one of the Whiphid camps. Killed a bunch of them, including women and children. Nasty business. And, well, like anybody who's sane, the Whiphids set great store by their women and young ones."
Obi-Wan felt a chill go down his spine, partly because he wasn't looking forward to trying to get Sinja-Bau away from such a man, and partly because he couldn't imagine what he would do if someone were to kill Onara and Ben.
"Anyway," Auna said, breaking into his thoughts, "if Douro is smart, he's keeping as far away from the Whiphids as he can."
"You don't sound like you think that's what he's doing."
Auna, her four hands busily working the controls of her ship, looked over at him.
"Remember what Jareo told ya about Douro, Master Kenobi. He's crazy. Crazy don't mean smart. Let's hope for ya sake and mine that he's just here to get his ice and leave. Because if he's stirred those Whiphids up again...."
Auna stopped and looked away from him. Obi-Wan understood. It was going to be hard enough dealing with Douro; they didn't need an angry tribe of Whiphids involved. He looked at her sensors.
"Are you sure you know where he's harvesting?"
Auna nodded. "Douro's superstitious, like Jareo said. He always does his harvesting in the same area. Thinks it brings him luck."
She pointed out the window towards what Obi-Wan could see was a line of ice- crusted ridges jutting out of the ground.
"He should be camped near that line of glaciers. We'll be there in about twenty minutes."
Obi-Wan felt his body tensing and immediately made himself relax. He would need all his wits about him if he was going to be successful in getting Sinja-Bau away from Douro. He just hoped that despite all the ominous warnings from both Jareo and Auna about the Arkanian's irrationality, Obi- Wan would be able to accomplish his goal without any violence or, worse, bloodshed. Suddenly, a claxon went off in the ship.
"Flark," Auna hissed.
"What's wrong?"
"A weapons lock. Somebody's got a weapons lock on the ship."
Obi-Wan looked out the window. He could see nothing in that blinding expanse of white. He looked back at Auna. Her face was tight as her four hands flew over the controls.
"Hold on," she cried.
The ship rocked from a blast to their port side. Auna skewed the ship to the right. Obi-Wan grabbed the arm rests of his seat. Auna then veered to the left. Another blast shook the ship.
"Flark, I can't shake the lock!"
Obi-Wan was about to suggest something for her to try, when he felt and heard an explosion from the back of the ship. As Auna frantically tried to keep the ship level, Obi-Wan watched through the window as the ground rushed towards them.
To be continued....