First Knight - Part Thirty-One
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Crossing his arms over his chest, Obi-Wan looked up at the hard blue sky of Toola. It was the day following his finding of Sinja-Bau at Douro's camp. After Auna's somewhat disruptive arrival, Obi-Wan and Sinja-Bau, along with Zaka, had returned with her to the Whiphid's camp. They had arrived just before dawn.
Obi-Wan had left Douro's men amicably enough. The red-haired Gobind had been elected crew-chief and informed Obi-Wan that as soon as the last harvester was filled they would leave Toola. Obi-Wan then told Gobind of the two men who were in the storage shed, sleeping off the effects of knock- out juice. As for Douro, his headless body had been buried and his head...
Obi-Wan closed his eyes, tightening his arms across his chest. Douro's head was why Obi-Wan was standing outside alone, staring up at the sky. All the Whiphids were in Big Yezun's audience tent. Sinja-Bau was sleeping in Obi- Wan and Auna's tent and Auna was making some last minute repairs to her ship.
Obi-Wan had been invited to the ceremony the Whiphids were now engaged in for, as the slayer of Douro, he had been accorded the right to present the Arkanian's head to the Whiphid chief. But Obi-Wan had declined and he had not cared that, according to Zaka, his refusal could be seen as a discourtesy. The Whiphids had Douro's head, their payment for the loss of their loved ones, therefore Obi-Wan so no reason to take any thanks or recognition for what he'd done. Whether one killed in self-defense or to save another, it was still killing. A life, a part of the Force, had been severed from the universe. There was no glory or grandeur in that.
Obi-Wan shuddered as he heard from the tent the howls and ululations of the Whiphids. He could only assume the head was being presented to Big Yezun. Zaka had volunteered to do it in Obi-Wan's place. And why not? Obi-Wan thought. It had been Zaka who had picked the head up from where it had been lying in the snow, put it in a refrigo-box and brought it back to the camp.
Obi-Wan sighed heavily. He was wearing the cape Onara's aunts had given him. It was surprisingly warm and it certainly smelled better than the animals wraps he had been wearing. Actually, he detected a faint scent on it. The scent of honeyroses. And with that, as Obi-Wan closed his eyes, he was no longer on Toola listening to the blood cries of the Whiphids as they celebrated the death of their enemy.
He was on Ahjane, and it was the night of the blessing ceremony. Onara was sitting in the nuptial bed, her thick, dark hair spilling down her bare, slender back, her hands pressed over her eyes, and she was laughing, and her laughter was as lovely as starlight, and Obi-Wan was walking around the room, plucking petals from the honeyroses, their sweetness and softness filling his senses, just as Onara had.
"Master Kenobi!"
Obi-Wan started and opened his eyes. Auna was standing in front of him.
"Where'd ya go, Master Kenobi? I must have called ya three times. And ya sure had the silliest, goofiest smile on ya face." Then Auna narrowed her eyes and nodded knowingly. "Ah, I bet ya was thinking about that lady love of yars. I recognize that look. Actually, I've been the source of such looks myself."
Obi-Wan smiled at her. "I'm sure you have, Auna. Are we ready?"
"Yep, we're ready to blast off this ball of ice. And I tells ya," and she shivered, drawing the animal wraps she was wearing tightly around her. "I sure hope Jareo don't have no need to ever come here again. I've had my fill of ice and cold and snow. Give me a warm beach, some warm water and a warm man." Then she winked at Obi-Wan.
Obi-Wan laughed and, putting his hand on her shoulder, gave her a gentle shake.
"If it were in my power, Auna, I would give you all those things and more."
"Well," she said, tilting her head and blinking her violet eyes flirtatiously, "if ya weren't already spoken for, ya could provide the last part of my wish list."
"Oh, no," he said, laughing louder. "You're too much woman for me, Auna."
"Yeah, ya right, I am," Auna agreed, and she laughed too.
Obi-Wan saw the flap of Big Yezun's audience tent opening. Whiphids were streaming out of it. Obi-Wan's face sobered when he saw Zaka and Big Yezun walking over to him. He straightened his shoulders. Once they had stopped, Obi-Wan bowed to Big Yezun. The chief inclined his head, then turned to Zaka and spoke to him. Zaka nodded his head in time to the chief's words. Once he was done, Zaka looked over at Obi-Wan.
"Big Yezun say Je-di should not be...." then Zaka stopped as if searching for the right word in Basic ".....ashamed about killing White Eyes. Big Yezun say White Eyes evil. Deserve die. Je-di do good thing. Isn't that what Je-di do?"
Obi-Wan swallowed thickly. "Tell Big Yezun that the Jedi...that we try not to kill if it can be avoided. That life...all life is sacred to us."
Zaka translated Obi-Wan's words. Big Yezun narrowed his eyes and stared at Obi-Wan. Then he spoke to Zaka, his words coming fast and hard. He sniffed scornfully at Obi-Wan and, turning, went back into his tent.
"That didn't sound too good," Auna said. "What did he say?"
"Big Yezun ask how Je-di hope to protect life-bearers and seedlings from beasts like White Eyes if Je-di afraid to kill beasts? Beasts not believe life sacred. They kill. If Je-di not kill beasts, then beasts will kill and kill and kill. Big Yezun say he glad he not Je-di. He say he feel sorry for your life-bearer and little flower. He say if beast try to kill them, you will let them die for fear of killing beast."
Obi-Wan kept his face composed but he felt as if he had been punched in the chest. He looked over at Auna. Her eyes were wide and he saw she was about to say something, but he raised his hand to silence her. Then he turned to Zaka. He cleared his throat.
"What is going to happen to you, Zaka?" Obi-Wan asked, struggling to keep his voice smooth despite the hard beating of his heart, despite the whirling in his mind brought on by Big Yezun's words. "Have you been banished?"
"No, Zaka not banished. Since Big Yezun get White Eyes head, he not care Je- di had weapon." Then Zaka reached up and rubbed the back of his big hairy neck. "But, if okay with Je-di, Zaka still want go back to stars."
"It's fine with me, Zaka. How about you, Auna?"
"Sure, he can come. Just as long as we leave, okay? I'm ready to get off this iceball."
"So am I," Obi-Wan said softly. "I'll get Sinja-Bau and meet you at the ship."
"Come on, Zaka," Auna said as she started marching through the snow to the ship. "You can help me prep her."
Obi-Wan went to the tent where Sinja-Bau was still sleeping. He gently picked her up and, as he carried her to Auna's ship, tried to forget what Big Yezun had said to him. But he could not.
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"What's the matter with ya, Master Kenboi?"
Obi-Wan tore his gaze away from the starless emptiness that was hypersapce. They were on Auna's ship and finally on their way back to Lianna. Zaka was in the rear of the ship, doing some chores Auna had assigned him and which he had been more than eager to do. Sinja-Bau was sleeping in the cabin. Obi- Wan was sitting in the co-pilot seat in the cockpit. He looked away from the window and over at Auna.
"Excuse me?"
"Ya been awful quiet since we left Toola."
Obi-Wan sighed, his hands rubbing along his pants. "It's Douro."
"What about him?"
"I didn't have to kill him, Auna. I could have saved Sinja-Bau's life without having to kill him."
Auna didn't say anything for a moment. "Ya still thinking about what Big Yezun said, aren't ya? Well, are ya sure you could have avoided killing him?"
"Yes. No. I'm not sure." He shook his head and sighed. "I don't know what's happened to me, Auna. I've never felt so...unsure of myself. Not since I was a boy."
Auna shrugged. "Seems plain enough to me what's happened to ya."
"And what's that?"
"Yar in love, that's what." Then, at the look on Obi-Wan's face, Auna snorted.
"What? Did ya think it was going to be nothing but soft sighs and tender kisses? Love ain't for the weak and it ain't for the timid, Master Kenobi. Not real love anyways. Love is the anvil on which we all are beaten. People have started wars for love, killed themselves for love, strove with the devil herself for love."
She narrowed her violet eyes and stared hard at him.
"Ya know, Master Kenobi, I fear ya might have to make a decision, and pretty soon I warrant, that's probably not going to be easy for ya. Hell, it might even be the hardest, most important decision of ya life. It's what I was talking about before. If ya had to kill to save Onara and yar wee one, would you do it?"
Then she shrugged. "Guess that question's been answered because, like it or not, ya have killed. And personally, beating ya self up for killing the likes of someone like Douro strikes me as pretty stupid, but that's just me. If it had been me that killed him, I would have used his head for a ball and kicked it all over Toola. Anybody that kills women and children, in my opinion, don't deserve your fine Jedi sensibilities.
"But, since ya have killed, the question now is what are ya going to do? Because, this is a dangerous universe, and ya being a Jedi Knight and all, ya probably know that better than anyone. Ya got Sinja-Bau like ya set out to do and something tells me she's gonna save yar lady love, but what happens after that? What happens when Onara or the wee one's life is in danger again, but the choices ain't so clear? When it really comes down to their lives or yar Jedi principles?"
"Are you saying I can't love Onara or Ben and still be a Jedi?"
"What do ya think?"
Obi-Wan didn't answer. He stared back into Auna's shrewd violet eyes, then looked away and continued his contemplation of the infinite emptiness that surrounded them.
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"Take it, Master Kenobi. It's the least I can do for having delayed you with my little deception. Auna told me the nature of your mission and why it was so important you find Sinja-Bau."
Obi-Wan, Jareo, Auna, Zaka and Sinja-Bau were at the starport of the capital of Lianna. After having landed at the starport, Obi-Wan had immediately made his way over to his ship and began prepping it for take- off. He had only a week to make it back to Ahjane before Onara's time was up and it was a week flying time from Lianna to Ahjane. While he had been preparing the ship, Auna had gone to the starport control center to contact Jareo and let him know she was back. Zaka had remained behind to help Obi- Wan keep an eye on Sinja-Bau. She was now awake and had a distressing habit of wandering away while Obi-Wan was busy getting the ship ready. Zaka had proven a very reliable baby-sitter in that respect.
Now, Jareo was at the starport and he was gesturing towards a large box sitting on a repulsor-cart. Inside the box was a Corellian Engineering Corporation hyperlight stardrive he had brought over from his storage area at the starport. Jareo was offering it to Obi-Wan to replace the stardrive in the ship Anakin had borrowed from Chancellor Palpatine. Obi-Wan hesitated because he didn't feel comfortable with the idea of modifying a ship that didn't belong to him, but the hyperlight engine would get him to Ahjane in half the time.
"The ship is not mine, Jareo," Obi-Wan told him.
"Well, if it'll make you feel any better, I'll have Auna put the original stardrive in the box and you can take it with you," the burly, black- bearded man said. "Once you return the ship, the owner can either keep the hyperlight stardrive or put the other one back in."
That sounded reasonable to Obi-Wan. He turned to Auna. "How long will it take you to install the new stardrive?"
"Not long, Master Kenboi," she said with a wide grin. "I'll have ya out of here in no time. I'll get started on it right away."
She went over to the repulsor-cart. "C'mon, Zaka, you can help."
Zaka joined her and the two of them guided the cart over to the ship.
"While they're working on the ship, Master Kenobi, why don't you and Mistress Sinja-Bau join me in the starport lounge. You both look like you could use some decent food."
"Thank you, Jareo," Obi-Wan said as he took Sinja-Bau's elbow.
Jareo led them to the starport lounge and told Obi-Wan and Sinja-Bau the both of them could order whatever they wanted. It was on him. Obi-Wan wasn't hungry, but he knew Sinja-Bau had only had a bowl of mush at the Whiphid camp. He ordered a large salad for her since she had basically ignored Jareo's request regarding what she wanted to eat.
Just as a droid-waitress brought the salad over, Auna marched into the lounge. There were smudges on her face and worksuit and a deep frown on her face. She stopped at the table the three were sitting at and placed a circular object in front of Obi-Wan.
"Did ya know that was on yar ship, Master Kenobi?"
Obi-Wan recognized the object. It was a tracking device. He frowned as he looked at it. Then he looked up at Auna.
"No, I didn't," he said evenly, but his mind was whirling with the implications. Anakin said he had borrowed the ship from Chancellor Palpatine, but Obi-Wan was certain Anakin was not aware of the existence of the tracking device.
"What do you want me to do with it?" Auna asked him.
"Store it in the ship. I'll take it back with me."
"Will do," she said taking the tracking device off the table. "Yar be ready to leave soon, Master Kenobi. Almost done with the installation of the hyperlight engine."
"Thank you, Auna."
She nodded and turning left the lounge.
"Looks like somebody wanted to keep an eye on?" Jareo said with a shrewd look.
"Yes, it does," Obi-Wan agreed, his brow furrowed.
He sighed. He would worry about the tracking device and what it meant once he got back to Ahjane and Onara was safe. Sinja-Bau finished her salad and, as she ate, Obi-Wan noted she had been very quiet of late. They returned to the starport hanger where his ship was docked. As they approached the ship, Auna walked over wiping all four of her hands, Zaka trailing behind her.
"All done, Master Kenobi," she said smiling. "Ya shouldn't notice any difference in the handling of the ship, but ya will get to Ahjane a mite faster."
"Thank you, Auna. And thank you, Jareo."
"As I said, it's my gift to you for having played that little trick on you. Now, get going and save that lovely lady of yours."
Obi-Wan bowed to Jareo. He walked over to Auna and took two of her hands.
"Thank you," he said again, but this time he put all the depth of his gratitude into his voice as he looked deep into her violet eyes and gripped her hands.
Auna squeezed his hands back and Obi-Wan was surprised to see tears welling in her eyes.
"Oh, what the heck!" she cried.
She grabbed him with her other pair of hands and gave him a hard, quick kiss on the mouth. She released him and pulled away, her cheeks flaming.
"That's...uh...for yar wee one," she said, glaring over at Jareo who was grinning broadly at her.
Obi-Wan reached over and stroked her cheek. She turned away from Jareo and looked at him.
"May the Force be with you, Auna," he said softly.
"Thank ya, Master Kenobi."
"Obi-Wan."
"What?"
"Call me, Obi-Wan."
Auna shook her head. "Nah, I couldn't do that. But, next time I see ya, and I do plan on seeing ya cause I'd like to meet that lady love of yars and the wee one, I'll call ya by that name."
"Fair enough," Obi-Wan said, smiling.
He turned to the Whiphid and, reaching over, clasped his big, hairy arm.
"Zaka. My friend. Do you still wish to come with me?"
"Zaka will always be Je-di friend. But, if okay with Je-di, Zaka stay here with Auna. Zaka like Auna."
"Yeah, and I like ya too, even if ya are a lunkhead," she said grinning as she dug him in the side with her elbows.
Obi-Wan looked over at Jareo. He smiled and shrugged.
"Auna says he's a good apprentice-mechanic and I could use another bodyguard."
Obi-Wan looked back at Zaka. "Good luck, Zaka. May the Force be with you."
"Thank you, Je-di. Zaka not forget you."
"Nor I you."
"All right, all right, enough with the smarmy good-byes," Auna said quickly. "Master Kenobi's got a timetable to meet."
Obi-Wan smiled at her. He looked over to where Sinja-Bau was standing a little distance from the group. He felt a chill slide down his spine at the look on her face. Her eyes were wide and terrified and she was shaking. He quickly went over to her.
"Sinja-Bau, what's wrong?"
At first she didn't answer. She continued to stare sightlessly into space. Then she finally looked into his eyes.
"Hurry, we must. Hurry, hurry," she cried urgently.
"Why? What's wrong?"
"I see...I see water. No, it's an ocean, but the water is the color of blood." She stopped, then grabbed his arms.
"Red tide," she whispered. "I see a red tide."
Obi-Wan looked down into Sinja-Bau's mad blue-green eyes. He glanced over at the others. Jareo, Zaka and Auna were all looking at him with the same perplexed expressions. Obi-Wan looked back at Sinja-Bau.
"Red tide? I'm sorry, Sinja-Bau, I don't know what you mean."
"The red tide! It comes, it comes. Hurry, hurry we must! They drown in it. They all drown", she cried, dropping her face into her hands and shuddering.
Auna walked over and put her hand on Obi-Wan's shoulder.
"Master Kenobi, now ya know I ain't set much store by what she's said since I met her, but I don't like the sound of that. Ya better get going.
Obi-Wan nodded. He took Sinja-Bau by the arm. She was still shivering and mumbling the words 'red tide' under her breath. As he guided her up the ramp of the ship, he turned and waved goodbye to the others. They all waved back. Once inside the ship, he sealed the door. His inclination was to take Sinja-Bau to the ship's single cabin, but she was so afraid, he decided to take her with him to the cockpit.
He fastened her securely into the co-pilot seat. Getting into the pilot seat, he buckled himself in and activated the ship for take-off. Once he got clearance from the starport authorities to leave, he blasted off from Lianna. Soon he was in the inky blackness of space. He activated the nav computer, put in the coordinates for Ahjane and engaged the hyperlight stardrive. Based on the engine's capacities, the nav computer indicated they would make planetfall on Ahjane in three days.
And, as Sinja-Bau sat next to him, rocking in time to her frantic mantra regarding the red tide, Obi-Wan hoped that three days would no be too late. For, although he had no idea what she was muttering about, there was not doubt it terrified her, and Obi-Wan himself felt a faint, but definite, disturbance in the Force.
To be continued...
Crossing his arms over his chest, Obi-Wan looked up at the hard blue sky of Toola. It was the day following his finding of Sinja-Bau at Douro's camp. After Auna's somewhat disruptive arrival, Obi-Wan and Sinja-Bau, along with Zaka, had returned with her to the Whiphid's camp. They had arrived just before dawn.
Obi-Wan had left Douro's men amicably enough. The red-haired Gobind had been elected crew-chief and informed Obi-Wan that as soon as the last harvester was filled they would leave Toola. Obi-Wan then told Gobind of the two men who were in the storage shed, sleeping off the effects of knock- out juice. As for Douro, his headless body had been buried and his head...
Obi-Wan closed his eyes, tightening his arms across his chest. Douro's head was why Obi-Wan was standing outside alone, staring up at the sky. All the Whiphids were in Big Yezun's audience tent. Sinja-Bau was sleeping in Obi- Wan and Auna's tent and Auna was making some last minute repairs to her ship.
Obi-Wan had been invited to the ceremony the Whiphids were now engaged in for, as the slayer of Douro, he had been accorded the right to present the Arkanian's head to the Whiphid chief. But Obi-Wan had declined and he had not cared that, according to Zaka, his refusal could be seen as a discourtesy. The Whiphids had Douro's head, their payment for the loss of their loved ones, therefore Obi-Wan so no reason to take any thanks or recognition for what he'd done. Whether one killed in self-defense or to save another, it was still killing. A life, a part of the Force, had been severed from the universe. There was no glory or grandeur in that.
Obi-Wan shuddered as he heard from the tent the howls and ululations of the Whiphids. He could only assume the head was being presented to Big Yezun. Zaka had volunteered to do it in Obi-Wan's place. And why not? Obi-Wan thought. It had been Zaka who had picked the head up from where it had been lying in the snow, put it in a refrigo-box and brought it back to the camp.
Obi-Wan sighed heavily. He was wearing the cape Onara's aunts had given him. It was surprisingly warm and it certainly smelled better than the animals wraps he had been wearing. Actually, he detected a faint scent on it. The scent of honeyroses. And with that, as Obi-Wan closed his eyes, he was no longer on Toola listening to the blood cries of the Whiphids as they celebrated the death of their enemy.
He was on Ahjane, and it was the night of the blessing ceremony. Onara was sitting in the nuptial bed, her thick, dark hair spilling down her bare, slender back, her hands pressed over her eyes, and she was laughing, and her laughter was as lovely as starlight, and Obi-Wan was walking around the room, plucking petals from the honeyroses, their sweetness and softness filling his senses, just as Onara had.
"Master Kenobi!"
Obi-Wan started and opened his eyes. Auna was standing in front of him.
"Where'd ya go, Master Kenobi? I must have called ya three times. And ya sure had the silliest, goofiest smile on ya face." Then Auna narrowed her eyes and nodded knowingly. "Ah, I bet ya was thinking about that lady love of yars. I recognize that look. Actually, I've been the source of such looks myself."
Obi-Wan smiled at her. "I'm sure you have, Auna. Are we ready?"
"Yep, we're ready to blast off this ball of ice. And I tells ya," and she shivered, drawing the animal wraps she was wearing tightly around her. "I sure hope Jareo don't have no need to ever come here again. I've had my fill of ice and cold and snow. Give me a warm beach, some warm water and a warm man." Then she winked at Obi-Wan.
Obi-Wan laughed and, putting his hand on her shoulder, gave her a gentle shake.
"If it were in my power, Auna, I would give you all those things and more."
"Well," she said, tilting her head and blinking her violet eyes flirtatiously, "if ya weren't already spoken for, ya could provide the last part of my wish list."
"Oh, no," he said, laughing louder. "You're too much woman for me, Auna."
"Yeah, ya right, I am," Auna agreed, and she laughed too.
Obi-Wan saw the flap of Big Yezun's audience tent opening. Whiphids were streaming out of it. Obi-Wan's face sobered when he saw Zaka and Big Yezun walking over to him. He straightened his shoulders. Once they had stopped, Obi-Wan bowed to Big Yezun. The chief inclined his head, then turned to Zaka and spoke to him. Zaka nodded his head in time to the chief's words. Once he was done, Zaka looked over at Obi-Wan.
"Big Yezun say Je-di should not be...." then Zaka stopped as if searching for the right word in Basic ".....ashamed about killing White Eyes. Big Yezun say White Eyes evil. Deserve die. Je-di do good thing. Isn't that what Je-di do?"
Obi-Wan swallowed thickly. "Tell Big Yezun that the Jedi...that we try not to kill if it can be avoided. That life...all life is sacred to us."
Zaka translated Obi-Wan's words. Big Yezun narrowed his eyes and stared at Obi-Wan. Then he spoke to Zaka, his words coming fast and hard. He sniffed scornfully at Obi-Wan and, turning, went back into his tent.
"That didn't sound too good," Auna said. "What did he say?"
"Big Yezun ask how Je-di hope to protect life-bearers and seedlings from beasts like White Eyes if Je-di afraid to kill beasts? Beasts not believe life sacred. They kill. If Je-di not kill beasts, then beasts will kill and kill and kill. Big Yezun say he glad he not Je-di. He say he feel sorry for your life-bearer and little flower. He say if beast try to kill them, you will let them die for fear of killing beast."
Obi-Wan kept his face composed but he felt as if he had been punched in the chest. He looked over at Auna. Her eyes were wide and he saw she was about to say something, but he raised his hand to silence her. Then he turned to Zaka. He cleared his throat.
"What is going to happen to you, Zaka?" Obi-Wan asked, struggling to keep his voice smooth despite the hard beating of his heart, despite the whirling in his mind brought on by Big Yezun's words. "Have you been banished?"
"No, Zaka not banished. Since Big Yezun get White Eyes head, he not care Je- di had weapon." Then Zaka reached up and rubbed the back of his big hairy neck. "But, if okay with Je-di, Zaka still want go back to stars."
"It's fine with me, Zaka. How about you, Auna?"
"Sure, he can come. Just as long as we leave, okay? I'm ready to get off this iceball."
"So am I," Obi-Wan said softly. "I'll get Sinja-Bau and meet you at the ship."
"Come on, Zaka," Auna said as she started marching through the snow to the ship. "You can help me prep her."
Obi-Wan went to the tent where Sinja-Bau was still sleeping. He gently picked her up and, as he carried her to Auna's ship, tried to forget what Big Yezun had said to him. But he could not.
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"What's the matter with ya, Master Kenboi?"
Obi-Wan tore his gaze away from the starless emptiness that was hypersapce. They were on Auna's ship and finally on their way back to Lianna. Zaka was in the rear of the ship, doing some chores Auna had assigned him and which he had been more than eager to do. Sinja-Bau was sleeping in the cabin. Obi- Wan was sitting in the co-pilot seat in the cockpit. He looked away from the window and over at Auna.
"Excuse me?"
"Ya been awful quiet since we left Toola."
Obi-Wan sighed, his hands rubbing along his pants. "It's Douro."
"What about him?"
"I didn't have to kill him, Auna. I could have saved Sinja-Bau's life without having to kill him."
Auna didn't say anything for a moment. "Ya still thinking about what Big Yezun said, aren't ya? Well, are ya sure you could have avoided killing him?"
"Yes. No. I'm not sure." He shook his head and sighed. "I don't know what's happened to me, Auna. I've never felt so...unsure of myself. Not since I was a boy."
Auna shrugged. "Seems plain enough to me what's happened to ya."
"And what's that?"
"Yar in love, that's what." Then, at the look on Obi-Wan's face, Auna snorted.
"What? Did ya think it was going to be nothing but soft sighs and tender kisses? Love ain't for the weak and it ain't for the timid, Master Kenobi. Not real love anyways. Love is the anvil on which we all are beaten. People have started wars for love, killed themselves for love, strove with the devil herself for love."
She narrowed her violet eyes and stared hard at him.
"Ya know, Master Kenobi, I fear ya might have to make a decision, and pretty soon I warrant, that's probably not going to be easy for ya. Hell, it might even be the hardest, most important decision of ya life. It's what I was talking about before. If ya had to kill to save Onara and yar wee one, would you do it?"
Then she shrugged. "Guess that question's been answered because, like it or not, ya have killed. And personally, beating ya self up for killing the likes of someone like Douro strikes me as pretty stupid, but that's just me. If it had been me that killed him, I would have used his head for a ball and kicked it all over Toola. Anybody that kills women and children, in my opinion, don't deserve your fine Jedi sensibilities.
"But, since ya have killed, the question now is what are ya going to do? Because, this is a dangerous universe, and ya being a Jedi Knight and all, ya probably know that better than anyone. Ya got Sinja-Bau like ya set out to do and something tells me she's gonna save yar lady love, but what happens after that? What happens when Onara or the wee one's life is in danger again, but the choices ain't so clear? When it really comes down to their lives or yar Jedi principles?"
"Are you saying I can't love Onara or Ben and still be a Jedi?"
"What do ya think?"
Obi-Wan didn't answer. He stared back into Auna's shrewd violet eyes, then looked away and continued his contemplation of the infinite emptiness that surrounded them.
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"Take it, Master Kenobi. It's the least I can do for having delayed you with my little deception. Auna told me the nature of your mission and why it was so important you find Sinja-Bau."
Obi-Wan, Jareo, Auna, Zaka and Sinja-Bau were at the starport of the capital of Lianna. After having landed at the starport, Obi-Wan had immediately made his way over to his ship and began prepping it for take- off. He had only a week to make it back to Ahjane before Onara's time was up and it was a week flying time from Lianna to Ahjane. While he had been preparing the ship, Auna had gone to the starport control center to contact Jareo and let him know she was back. Zaka had remained behind to help Obi- Wan keep an eye on Sinja-Bau. She was now awake and had a distressing habit of wandering away while Obi-Wan was busy getting the ship ready. Zaka had proven a very reliable baby-sitter in that respect.
Now, Jareo was at the starport and he was gesturing towards a large box sitting on a repulsor-cart. Inside the box was a Corellian Engineering Corporation hyperlight stardrive he had brought over from his storage area at the starport. Jareo was offering it to Obi-Wan to replace the stardrive in the ship Anakin had borrowed from Chancellor Palpatine. Obi-Wan hesitated because he didn't feel comfortable with the idea of modifying a ship that didn't belong to him, but the hyperlight engine would get him to Ahjane in half the time.
"The ship is not mine, Jareo," Obi-Wan told him.
"Well, if it'll make you feel any better, I'll have Auna put the original stardrive in the box and you can take it with you," the burly, black- bearded man said. "Once you return the ship, the owner can either keep the hyperlight stardrive or put the other one back in."
That sounded reasonable to Obi-Wan. He turned to Auna. "How long will it take you to install the new stardrive?"
"Not long, Master Kenboi," she said with a wide grin. "I'll have ya out of here in no time. I'll get started on it right away."
She went over to the repulsor-cart. "C'mon, Zaka, you can help."
Zaka joined her and the two of them guided the cart over to the ship.
"While they're working on the ship, Master Kenobi, why don't you and Mistress Sinja-Bau join me in the starport lounge. You both look like you could use some decent food."
"Thank you, Jareo," Obi-Wan said as he took Sinja-Bau's elbow.
Jareo led them to the starport lounge and told Obi-Wan and Sinja-Bau the both of them could order whatever they wanted. It was on him. Obi-Wan wasn't hungry, but he knew Sinja-Bau had only had a bowl of mush at the Whiphid camp. He ordered a large salad for her since she had basically ignored Jareo's request regarding what she wanted to eat.
Just as a droid-waitress brought the salad over, Auna marched into the lounge. There were smudges on her face and worksuit and a deep frown on her face. She stopped at the table the three were sitting at and placed a circular object in front of Obi-Wan.
"Did ya know that was on yar ship, Master Kenobi?"
Obi-Wan recognized the object. It was a tracking device. He frowned as he looked at it. Then he looked up at Auna.
"No, I didn't," he said evenly, but his mind was whirling with the implications. Anakin said he had borrowed the ship from Chancellor Palpatine, but Obi-Wan was certain Anakin was not aware of the existence of the tracking device.
"What do you want me to do with it?" Auna asked him.
"Store it in the ship. I'll take it back with me."
"Will do," she said taking the tracking device off the table. "Yar be ready to leave soon, Master Kenobi. Almost done with the installation of the hyperlight engine."
"Thank you, Auna."
She nodded and turning left the lounge.
"Looks like somebody wanted to keep an eye on?" Jareo said with a shrewd look.
"Yes, it does," Obi-Wan agreed, his brow furrowed.
He sighed. He would worry about the tracking device and what it meant once he got back to Ahjane and Onara was safe. Sinja-Bau finished her salad and, as she ate, Obi-Wan noted she had been very quiet of late. They returned to the starport hanger where his ship was docked. As they approached the ship, Auna walked over wiping all four of her hands, Zaka trailing behind her.
"All done, Master Kenobi," she said smiling. "Ya shouldn't notice any difference in the handling of the ship, but ya will get to Ahjane a mite faster."
"Thank you, Auna. And thank you, Jareo."
"As I said, it's my gift to you for having played that little trick on you. Now, get going and save that lovely lady of yours."
Obi-Wan bowed to Jareo. He walked over to Auna and took two of her hands.
"Thank you," he said again, but this time he put all the depth of his gratitude into his voice as he looked deep into her violet eyes and gripped her hands.
Auna squeezed his hands back and Obi-Wan was surprised to see tears welling in her eyes.
"Oh, what the heck!" she cried.
She grabbed him with her other pair of hands and gave him a hard, quick kiss on the mouth. She released him and pulled away, her cheeks flaming.
"That's...uh...for yar wee one," she said, glaring over at Jareo who was grinning broadly at her.
Obi-Wan reached over and stroked her cheek. She turned away from Jareo and looked at him.
"May the Force be with you, Auna," he said softly.
"Thank ya, Master Kenobi."
"Obi-Wan."
"What?"
"Call me, Obi-Wan."
Auna shook her head. "Nah, I couldn't do that. But, next time I see ya, and I do plan on seeing ya cause I'd like to meet that lady love of yars and the wee one, I'll call ya by that name."
"Fair enough," Obi-Wan said, smiling.
He turned to the Whiphid and, reaching over, clasped his big, hairy arm.
"Zaka. My friend. Do you still wish to come with me?"
"Zaka will always be Je-di friend. But, if okay with Je-di, Zaka stay here with Auna. Zaka like Auna."
"Yeah, and I like ya too, even if ya are a lunkhead," she said grinning as she dug him in the side with her elbows.
Obi-Wan looked over at Jareo. He smiled and shrugged.
"Auna says he's a good apprentice-mechanic and I could use another bodyguard."
Obi-Wan looked back at Zaka. "Good luck, Zaka. May the Force be with you."
"Thank you, Je-di. Zaka not forget you."
"Nor I you."
"All right, all right, enough with the smarmy good-byes," Auna said quickly. "Master Kenobi's got a timetable to meet."
Obi-Wan smiled at her. He looked over to where Sinja-Bau was standing a little distance from the group. He felt a chill slide down his spine at the look on her face. Her eyes were wide and terrified and she was shaking. He quickly went over to her.
"Sinja-Bau, what's wrong?"
At first she didn't answer. She continued to stare sightlessly into space. Then she finally looked into his eyes.
"Hurry, we must. Hurry, hurry," she cried urgently.
"Why? What's wrong?"
"I see...I see water. No, it's an ocean, but the water is the color of blood." She stopped, then grabbed his arms.
"Red tide," she whispered. "I see a red tide."
Obi-Wan looked down into Sinja-Bau's mad blue-green eyes. He glanced over at the others. Jareo, Zaka and Auna were all looking at him with the same perplexed expressions. Obi-Wan looked back at Sinja-Bau.
"Red tide? I'm sorry, Sinja-Bau, I don't know what you mean."
"The red tide! It comes, it comes. Hurry, hurry we must! They drown in it. They all drown", she cried, dropping her face into her hands and shuddering.
Auna walked over and put her hand on Obi-Wan's shoulder.
"Master Kenobi, now ya know I ain't set much store by what she's said since I met her, but I don't like the sound of that. Ya better get going.
Obi-Wan nodded. He took Sinja-Bau by the arm. She was still shivering and mumbling the words 'red tide' under her breath. As he guided her up the ramp of the ship, he turned and waved goodbye to the others. They all waved back. Once inside the ship, he sealed the door. His inclination was to take Sinja-Bau to the ship's single cabin, but she was so afraid, he decided to take her with him to the cockpit.
He fastened her securely into the co-pilot seat. Getting into the pilot seat, he buckled himself in and activated the ship for take-off. Once he got clearance from the starport authorities to leave, he blasted off from Lianna. Soon he was in the inky blackness of space. He activated the nav computer, put in the coordinates for Ahjane and engaged the hyperlight stardrive. Based on the engine's capacities, the nav computer indicated they would make planetfall on Ahjane in three days.
And, as Sinja-Bau sat next to him, rocking in time to her frantic mantra regarding the red tide, Obi-Wan hoped that three days would no be too late. For, although he had no idea what she was muttering about, there was not doubt it terrified her, and Obi-Wan himself felt a faint, but definite, disturbance in the Force.
To be continued...