***SEE DISCLAIMERS ON CHAPTER ONE***
~~ personal thought ** Force communication CAPS emphasis
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Chapter 4: Progress Reports
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Darkness.
Footsteps. Getting closer now. Reverberating. A vast chamber, sounds echoing eerily in the pervasive darkness.
Whispering. Too soft to make into words. A swirl of black. Evil maniacal laughter splits the air. Hot breath on his skin. "Now don't you go anywhere, My Little Jedi. I shall return . . . "
A sharp blow, then nothing.
Eyes open . . . Eyes close . . . The darkness remains.
~~ Must escape, must find him. Find him before HE does . . . ~~
But there was no escape, for he found he couldn't move.
**************************
Obi Wan woke with a start. And that was when the pain began.
*************************** ***************************
Healer Bant, finishing up yet another progress report on Knight Kenobi, thumped her data pad in frustration. Somehow knowing her words would be sent not only to the Council, but also to Palpatine's office, gave her a feeling she could only identify as trepidation. The shift of her audience also made her wary. She did not know if it was proper to reveal certain things to the Chancellor. Jedi business, and all that.
Her solution, though not perfect, was all she could come up with: Write a full report for the Council, and simply write a second, very bland and concise, for the Chancellor. Bant knew the man expected all the details, he had practically demanded them in his communication sent to her office, but she had no intention of giving them to him. The Jedi served the Senate, but were not subordinate to them, and not under the Chancellor's command.
Asking the Council what to do would take forever by the time they discussed the matter and put it to a vote . . . Assuming they could come to a consensus at all. And surely she would be made to go to Council chambers and relate the Chancellor's visit to Obi Wan, taking her away from her duties for who knows how long. The Council may call it a 'briefing', but their inquiries were anything but short.
~~ My patient, my business ~~ The usually mild healer thought with a distinct edge of steel.
~~ Just let that snooty Chancellor even TRY to come here and bully me into giving him more details. Maybe I can stick HIM in a bacta tank? ~~
The thought gave her a perverse sense of pleasure. Bant sighed and leaned back in her chair. ~~I love my job, but all this documentation is driving me mad! ~~
And true to his history, her favorite patient had given the healer an awful lot to report on in the past few days. Leave it to Kenobi to surprise her even while unconscious. His case, while extreme for a flesh wound, should have been very straightforward. Heal the wound, revitalize the muscles, then skip off on your merry way, and don't let me see you in here again. But this particular man always seemed to complicate things without even trying.
For some reason, Obi Wan seemed to be in more pain the past day than the previous two. He continued to keep himself in a deep healing trance, but as the discomfort worsened, the man was unable to maintain any kind of concentration. At which point he floated silently awake, arms crossed over his chest, giving Bant the Death Stare than she had known would surface eventually. But she could see in his eyes and the occasional twitch of his facial muscles that he was in more pain than he should have been at this point. The hurt had broken his trance, and she knew that was a bad sign, even if he was stubborn enough to glare at her and pretend nothing was amiss.
At that point, Bant had taken it upon herself to administer a heavy sedative, and immediately Obi Wan had settled back into stillness, arms hanging limply at his sides, eyes closed, the worry lines on his face fading to relaxed smoothness. Even the ever-present furrow between his eyes had disappeared.
Once complacent, Bant and her assistant Orick had removed him from the tank, cleaned the goo off of him, and examined the wound.
The gash was closed, but still an angry red. More than that, an angry red with purple streaking. And the skin for three inches on either side was swollen and hot to the touch. Bordering on mushy, even. Baffled as to how infection could have set in even while Kenobi was emerged in bacta, the healer went about to running some tests on the skin and tissue surrounding the wound.
What she found surprised her.
Thankfully the problem was easily rectified once she identified the cause. Just another thing to put in her report.
Needing to finish her missive, but also feeling an irritatingly persistent need to do ANYTHING ELSE, the healer stretched her legs out and walked toward room 1A, where her Obi Wan lie sedated and still.
What she saw when the door opened was, to say the least, disconcerting.
Obi Wan lay on his stomach, head turned to one side, eyes closed, lips parted slightly, a small snore expelled with his even breathing. The blanket was pulled up to nearly his neck, his arms straight at his sides. Evidently he had not moved at all since she and Orick had moved him from the tank to the bed. This wasn't too worrisome; Bant didn't expect him to have shaken off the tranq quite yet.
What Bant did not expect to see was young Anakin lying in the hospital bed next to her friend. The boy had curled himself around Kenobi, one arm draped over the Jedi's back. The initiate's face was tucked under Obi Wan's chin, calm and still in slumber.
The healer, unsure whether to disrupt her patient, stood her ground and did nothing. Obi Wan seemed to be resting peacefully. There was no sign that the boy's intrusion had disturbed him. Still, the whole situation bothered her.
Why was this kid so attached to her friend? They had spent very little time together. Obi Wan had been away from Temple so long that even SHE felt a bit disconnected from him. His last mission had not even allowed him to correspond with anyone off planet. Anakin had tried to wrangle information about Obi Wan out of her shortly after her friend had left on his first mission, and she knew from his other friends that Anakin had questioned them, as well.
Harmless inquiries really . . . What's he like? What places has he been to? Does he like to pilot? Is he good at saber fighting? Questions that any boy might ask acquaintances of one they admire. Even so, the interrogation had jangled her nerves and set off alarms in her head. She knew it could just be her possessive streak, but somehow it seemed more than that.
And now the boy was in the bed with her patient, his arm casually thrown over the recently infected wound, sleeping like the dead.
No, this wouldn't do. This wouldn't do at all.
Walking quietly over to the bed, the healer briefly touched Anakin's shoulder and gave it a small shake. No response. A harder shake, and Anakin's eyes opened sleepily, his head lifting to gaze at her.
Her tone was serious but not too stern. "Anakin, I would rather you NOT sleep in the bed with Knight Kenobi." She whispered. "We have plenty of other beds here, and . . . " She trailed off as Obi Wan shifted, his eyes opening just enough for a sliver of turquoise to shine through lowered lashes.
"B-Bant?" His voice was soft, shaky, confused, and husky from disuse.
"Yes, Obi . . . I was just telling Anakin that he should move to another bed. Go back to sleep." She shifted his blanket a bit, snugging it around his shoulders. Her hand grazed across his forehead briefly.
Anakin's gaze had moved to Obi Wan, a small look of amazement crossing his features. As if the boy had never heard Obi Wan speak before, or never expected to hear him speak again.
Clearing his throat, Obi Wan grimaced slightly. "N-no, no, Bant . . . S'okay . . . 's not botherin' me . . . " Still heavily sedated, Kenobi's eyes closed and he retreated once more into oblivion.
Anakin lifted his hand to press on Obi Wan's cheek. An action of tender concern that took Bant by surprise.
~~ I am SO confused. What in the hells is going on here?! ~~
"Ok, Ani, you can stay. But please keep your arm off his back if you can. The infection is healing but I would rather there not be any outside pressure on the wound. OK?"
The boy nodded slightly and closed his eyes once more. She had been dismissed.
Sighing heavily, the healer shook her head in consternation and retreated to her desk, closing the door behind her.
**********************************************
TO: Jedi Council
From: Eerin, Bant. Chief Healer, Jedi Healing Center
Re: Knight Obi Wan Kenobi - Progress Report
Esteemed Councillors --
Herein find my official report on Obi Wan Kenobi's medical condition and progress.
As noted in my previous report, Kenobi was brought in with a severe flesh wound to his back. As also noted previously, he was immersed in bacta and expected to heal fairly rapidly. Patient went into shock twice during his first day of treatment. Both incidents were mild. Stabilization was achieved quickly.
Since the last report, Kenobi has continued to heal the flesh wound through bacta and self induced healing meditation. He awoke from trance on First day, 3rd hour. It was evident from his demeanor that pain had increased to a serious level.
After sedating the patient, Orick and I removed him from the bacta and examined the wound.
We found that although the wound itself had closed completely, a serious infection had developed. No sign of infection was present on last examination, four hours previous. The infection affected the wound itself and a large surrounding area.
Upon testing a sample of infected tissue, we found a foreign organism throughout. This organism, Telliridae, is not a common one. It is a manufactured agent, specifically resistant to bacta, and has been illegal in the Republic for several centuries.
The action of the organism is specific. While not initially harmful to a healthy host, upon injury the organism activates. The agent is used by some bounty hunters and a handful of Outer Rim governments in warfare.
Once introduced into the system, it only takes a fairly minor wound to begin the process. The organism slowly infiltrates the wounded area over the first day, incubating. Two or three days later, mutation occurs and Telliridae spreads to healthy tissue, destroying it in the process. I estimated total body failure within 12 hours of activation. It is a very painful death if untreated.
Luckily, this agent responds well to bacta's predecessor, salva. The danger is that few facilities use salva anymore, since it is considered obsolete next to bacta's superior healing qualities.
Thankfully our center keeps a quantity of salva on hand for the less serious wounds, as it is more cost efficient and works just as well on small scrapes and injuries.
I have no clue how this agent was introduced into Kenobi's system. In most cases it is ingested. Once in the bloodstream, the organism can lie dormant for, as my research discovered, several months. Seeing as Kenobi is injured fairly frequently, I would think he has ingested it relatively recently. And purposely, as this is not a biological organism and cannot occur naturally in food or drink.
We have treated the wound site, which we had to re-open, and it is well on its way to healing. Once the salva purged the Telliridae from his system, Kenobi's wound was re-packed with bacta and it closed again rapidly. The infection had not spread into muscle tissue yet - we must have caught it within minutes of activation -- so there was no need to re-tear muscle that was originally wounded. The purge site is very sore and will cause him extreme discomfort for a day or two.
I assume the Council would like to question Kenobi about this. Please wait until I clear him, he is not yet well and further stress will delay his recovery. I expect him to be functional and relatively comfortable within three days. Please respect my wishes on this, as it is my duty to protect the health and well being of my charges, and whoever did this is most likely far from the scene of the crime by now.
Of course, any other questions you have for me will be answered as promptly as is possible.
Respectfully,
Bant Eerin Chief Healer
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To: Chancellor Palpatine Galactic Senate Building
From: Eerin, Bant Chief Healer, Jedi Temple Healing Center
Honorable Chancellor:
You requested that I keep you updated on Knight Kenobi's progress.
He has suffered a bit of a setback due to an infection at the wound site, but it is under control now.
We expect him to be fairly comfortable and able to receive visitors within three days.
I am sure he will appreciate your eagerness to see him up and around.
Respectfully,
Bant Eerin Chief Healer Jedi Temple Healing Center
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Bant's mouth curled in a devious grin as she hit the send button. She almost hoped the Chancellor challenged her for more information. She would then go to the Council, and she felt certain they would back her up, since she had already taken action. Seeing Yoda tell Palpatine "Our own counsel we will keep on what information we give out," would almost be worth the reprimand she would surely suffer for acting without consulting the twelve honored Jedi. Almost.
************************* ************************
Kristoph Alistair glanced down at the beeping data pad. A communication for Palpatine from the Jedi Healing Center. A furtive look to make sure his boss was otherwise occupied, and he quickly accessed the message.
~~ Infection at the wound site. But it's all fine now . . . ~~
His brown eyes clouded with rage as he reread the memo. His features contorted with suppressed emotion, making him look much older than his 25 years.
By the time the Chancellor's personal assistant had reached his boss' office, the face reflected none of this towering anger. A short knock gained him admittance, and he slipped into the suite with calm, quiet steps.
"Yes Kristoph, what is it?" The Chancellor glanced up from the monitor he had been intently scanning.
"A communication from the Jedi Healing Center, Chancellor. I thought you would want it right away." A knowing look as he handed the data pad to his superior.
Palpatine took the data pad gingerly, and smiled at his assistant. "Yes, quite right." Quickly he read the short message and returned the pad to the man who had taken a casual seat on the edge of his desk. "Seems that Kenobi is going to be well in a few days."
"Wonderful. That is good news, is it not, Chancellor?" His eyebrow raised, and he flicked his dark hair out of his eyes impatiently.
Palpatine studied the man quietly. "Yes. Very good news. I would very much like to know who is responsible for this. I have waited too long for some bumbling nitwit to ruin my plans now." The voice that had started innocuously became extremely dangerous sounding. "It would seem someone has taken a negative interest in the young man. I would know who it is."
Kristoph's face turned thoughtful. "Hard to say, Chancellor. The Jedi have many enemies. And, it could just be some kind of accident. EVERYTHING isn't a conspiracy." His smile was unassuming, and in that moment he looked to be the most trustworthy and innocent man on the planet.
"Yes, yes. That could be. The Jedi would not enlighten me as to the cause of Kenobi's injury. Told me it was 'classified'." The last word was ground out, as if painful to expel. "And that damn healer was instructed to give me a full report, not some vague note about visiting hours." The man was very angry now, realizing he had been thwarted by someone so very low on the food chain.
Kristoph moved to the chair by Palpatine's desk and casually flung himself down. "Well, you could always go to the Jedi Council . . . ?"
Palpatine's look was sharp and disgusted. "No. I do not want to seem unduly concerned. I will just have to visit Kenobi when the little fish woman says I can. And he won't be in the Healing Center forever."
Kristoph simply nodded, knowing his input was not required.
"Contact this Eerin and thank her for her update. A little flattery may put her at ease and induce her to give me more information." The Chancellor's attention returned to his screen as he waved his hand in dismissal.
Kristoph, data pad in hand, bowed slightly before returning to his office. "Yes, my Master."
*********** ***********
Red light filtered through his closed eyelids as he slowly regained consciousness. The first things he noticed, in no particular order, were that his back was on fire, his mouth tasted like the bottom of a sky-cab, a small line of drool leaked from his mouth, and some small furry creature was attached to his neck.
~~ Gah. Please tell me I'm not really drooling. Please, someone tell me this. ~~
But he was. One eye opened slowly, squinted at his surroundings. Realizing he was on a bed in the healing center, Obi Wan finally found some fact that gladdened him.
~~ I'm out of that bacta tank. Thank the Force! ~~
Now, what about this fuzziness against his neck? Peering down, he saw Anakin lying next to him, fast asleep, the boy's hair nuzzled against him.
~~ What the . . . ? ~~
** Anakin? **
No response. Not a flicker. Not even a hitch in breathing.
** Aaaaaanakin! **
The small boy sat up, suddenly wide awake, but obviously confused.
"Huh?! What!?" Anakin shook his head a bit to clear it, then slid off the bed. He tossed himself in the chair at the bedside and put his forehead in his hands. "Oh, man . . . Oh, man . . . "
"Anakin?" Obi Wan surreptitiously wiped the wetness from the side of his face as he rolled onto his side. A wince and drawn breath betrayed his still fairly severe pain upon moving. "Anakin, are you ok?"
Eyes peeked at him from under the fingers clasped to the boy's head. "I dunno. I feel kinda spaced out. Groggy."
"You and me both. Stress can do that to a person. And I don't know about you, but recent events have wrung me out quite a bit." Obi Wan looked at Anakin pointedly, the question he hadn't spoken clearly reflected in his eyes.
Anakin nodded, averting his eyes. "I guess you want to know what happened, huh?"
Obi Wan rolled back onto his stomach, relieving some of the pressure from his back. "Yes, Anakin, I do want to know what happened. But not right now, we can talk about it later. Right now I'd like you to fetch Healer Bant for me, if you would be so kind."
~~ A reprieve! ~~ "Yes, Master, I'll do that right away!" The boy scrambled out of his chair as if a herd of stampeding banthas were pursuing him.
** Oh, and Anakin? **
The initiate skidded to a halt just before the closed door. He turned to Obi Wan, his eyes a bit wild.
** For now, I think it best that you don't tell anyone about this . . . Thing . . . we seem to have between us, ok? ** He smiled gently at the boy, reassuring.
A nod. ** s-s-sure, Master. I won't. ** Then he was out the door and down the hall hollering for Healer Bant to "Come, Master Kenobi is awake!"
~~ Why did I just tell the kid that? ~~ Obi Wan wondered. He sighed, wincing at the pain the small discharge of air caused. ~~ Oh well, Master Qui Gon always told me to follow my instincts . . . ~~
Kenobi knew he could have asked Ani to buzz the Healer's desk to request Bant's presence. He was glad the boy was too agitated to think of this, the few minutes alone afforded him time to relax and order his thoughts.
He closed his eyes and snugged his head deeper into the pillow and waited for his salmon colored friend to arrive.
******************* *******************
"Very disturbing, this is." The small green master paced the Council chamber, his gimmer stick thwacking on the smooth stone beneath him. He made his way to his cushion and sat heavily.
"Yes. I would not have predicted such a thing." Mace agreed, nodding sagely.
The Chamber was nearly empty, official meetings having been long over for the day. Mace Windu, Master Yoda, and Depa Billaba sat in a tight circle, pondering the news revealed in Healer Bant's report.
"Surely this proves someone other than Anakin Skywalker is behind this. I find it impossible to believe that the boy would even know what Telliridae is, let alone how to obtain it and use it." Depa's gold studs twitched between her eyebrows as the smooth caramel skin of her forehead creased in consternation. "To be perfectly honest, I myself have never heard of this particular agent before."
"Very obscure, it is. Not considered practical for use on a solitary target. To witness their victim's death, most assassins prefer. Very strange, this is." Yoda retreated into thought. His concern for Kenobi had ratcheted up several notches since reading the report.
"Even so," Mace's velvet voice mused aloud, "Skywalker could have been used to deliver the agent, just as he was used to deliver the wound. That seems the most practical conclusion to me."
"Yes, yes." Yoda resumed pacing. "Someone is using the boy to harm Obi Wan. Felt the presence in his mind, I did. Not Anakin, something Other. How this intrusion came into being, I know not. But I feel whoever or whatever it is, take control of the boys actions, it can. And leave Skywalker with no recollection of his activities."
Thump, thump, thump, the stick made a steady, hypnotic rhythm reverberating through the large domed chamber.
"Very disturbing." Depa shook her head. "Yet, ingenious. It would be a simple matter for Skywalker to slip the Telliridae into Kenobi's food or drink. The two have spent some time together since Obi Wan's return. And he would have no reason to distrust the boy."
Mace heaved a sigh and stared at the floor. "I don't think it will yield anything to ask the boy. He will have no memory of doing it, and there is no way to pin down when it might have happened. How would Anakin get the Telliridae? Whoever is behind this would have to get it to him somehow. And that means . . . "
The three councillors traded sober looks.
Yoda nodded gravely. "Someone with access to the Temple, it must be."
**********************
To Be Continued......
~~ personal thought ** Force communication CAPS emphasis
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Chapter 4: Progress Reports
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Darkness.
Footsteps. Getting closer now. Reverberating. A vast chamber, sounds echoing eerily in the pervasive darkness.
Whispering. Too soft to make into words. A swirl of black. Evil maniacal laughter splits the air. Hot breath on his skin. "Now don't you go anywhere, My Little Jedi. I shall return . . . "
A sharp blow, then nothing.
Eyes open . . . Eyes close . . . The darkness remains.
~~ Must escape, must find him. Find him before HE does . . . ~~
But there was no escape, for he found he couldn't move.
**************************
Obi Wan woke with a start. And that was when the pain began.
*************************** ***************************
Healer Bant, finishing up yet another progress report on Knight Kenobi, thumped her data pad in frustration. Somehow knowing her words would be sent not only to the Council, but also to Palpatine's office, gave her a feeling she could only identify as trepidation. The shift of her audience also made her wary. She did not know if it was proper to reveal certain things to the Chancellor. Jedi business, and all that.
Her solution, though not perfect, was all she could come up with: Write a full report for the Council, and simply write a second, very bland and concise, for the Chancellor. Bant knew the man expected all the details, he had practically demanded them in his communication sent to her office, but she had no intention of giving them to him. The Jedi served the Senate, but were not subordinate to them, and not under the Chancellor's command.
Asking the Council what to do would take forever by the time they discussed the matter and put it to a vote . . . Assuming they could come to a consensus at all. And surely she would be made to go to Council chambers and relate the Chancellor's visit to Obi Wan, taking her away from her duties for who knows how long. The Council may call it a 'briefing', but their inquiries were anything but short.
~~ My patient, my business ~~ The usually mild healer thought with a distinct edge of steel.
~~ Just let that snooty Chancellor even TRY to come here and bully me into giving him more details. Maybe I can stick HIM in a bacta tank? ~~
The thought gave her a perverse sense of pleasure. Bant sighed and leaned back in her chair. ~~I love my job, but all this documentation is driving me mad! ~~
And true to his history, her favorite patient had given the healer an awful lot to report on in the past few days. Leave it to Kenobi to surprise her even while unconscious. His case, while extreme for a flesh wound, should have been very straightforward. Heal the wound, revitalize the muscles, then skip off on your merry way, and don't let me see you in here again. But this particular man always seemed to complicate things without even trying.
For some reason, Obi Wan seemed to be in more pain the past day than the previous two. He continued to keep himself in a deep healing trance, but as the discomfort worsened, the man was unable to maintain any kind of concentration. At which point he floated silently awake, arms crossed over his chest, giving Bant the Death Stare than she had known would surface eventually. But she could see in his eyes and the occasional twitch of his facial muscles that he was in more pain than he should have been at this point. The hurt had broken his trance, and she knew that was a bad sign, even if he was stubborn enough to glare at her and pretend nothing was amiss.
At that point, Bant had taken it upon herself to administer a heavy sedative, and immediately Obi Wan had settled back into stillness, arms hanging limply at his sides, eyes closed, the worry lines on his face fading to relaxed smoothness. Even the ever-present furrow between his eyes had disappeared.
Once complacent, Bant and her assistant Orick had removed him from the tank, cleaned the goo off of him, and examined the wound.
The gash was closed, but still an angry red. More than that, an angry red with purple streaking. And the skin for three inches on either side was swollen and hot to the touch. Bordering on mushy, even. Baffled as to how infection could have set in even while Kenobi was emerged in bacta, the healer went about to running some tests on the skin and tissue surrounding the wound.
What she found surprised her.
Thankfully the problem was easily rectified once she identified the cause. Just another thing to put in her report.
Needing to finish her missive, but also feeling an irritatingly persistent need to do ANYTHING ELSE, the healer stretched her legs out and walked toward room 1A, where her Obi Wan lie sedated and still.
What she saw when the door opened was, to say the least, disconcerting.
Obi Wan lay on his stomach, head turned to one side, eyes closed, lips parted slightly, a small snore expelled with his even breathing. The blanket was pulled up to nearly his neck, his arms straight at his sides. Evidently he had not moved at all since she and Orick had moved him from the tank to the bed. This wasn't too worrisome; Bant didn't expect him to have shaken off the tranq quite yet.
What Bant did not expect to see was young Anakin lying in the hospital bed next to her friend. The boy had curled himself around Kenobi, one arm draped over the Jedi's back. The initiate's face was tucked under Obi Wan's chin, calm and still in slumber.
The healer, unsure whether to disrupt her patient, stood her ground and did nothing. Obi Wan seemed to be resting peacefully. There was no sign that the boy's intrusion had disturbed him. Still, the whole situation bothered her.
Why was this kid so attached to her friend? They had spent very little time together. Obi Wan had been away from Temple so long that even SHE felt a bit disconnected from him. His last mission had not even allowed him to correspond with anyone off planet. Anakin had tried to wrangle information about Obi Wan out of her shortly after her friend had left on his first mission, and she knew from his other friends that Anakin had questioned them, as well.
Harmless inquiries really . . . What's he like? What places has he been to? Does he like to pilot? Is he good at saber fighting? Questions that any boy might ask acquaintances of one they admire. Even so, the interrogation had jangled her nerves and set off alarms in her head. She knew it could just be her possessive streak, but somehow it seemed more than that.
And now the boy was in the bed with her patient, his arm casually thrown over the recently infected wound, sleeping like the dead.
No, this wouldn't do. This wouldn't do at all.
Walking quietly over to the bed, the healer briefly touched Anakin's shoulder and gave it a small shake. No response. A harder shake, and Anakin's eyes opened sleepily, his head lifting to gaze at her.
Her tone was serious but not too stern. "Anakin, I would rather you NOT sleep in the bed with Knight Kenobi." She whispered. "We have plenty of other beds here, and . . . " She trailed off as Obi Wan shifted, his eyes opening just enough for a sliver of turquoise to shine through lowered lashes.
"B-Bant?" His voice was soft, shaky, confused, and husky from disuse.
"Yes, Obi . . . I was just telling Anakin that he should move to another bed. Go back to sleep." She shifted his blanket a bit, snugging it around his shoulders. Her hand grazed across his forehead briefly.
Anakin's gaze had moved to Obi Wan, a small look of amazement crossing his features. As if the boy had never heard Obi Wan speak before, or never expected to hear him speak again.
Clearing his throat, Obi Wan grimaced slightly. "N-no, no, Bant . . . S'okay . . . 's not botherin' me . . . " Still heavily sedated, Kenobi's eyes closed and he retreated once more into oblivion.
Anakin lifted his hand to press on Obi Wan's cheek. An action of tender concern that took Bant by surprise.
~~ I am SO confused. What in the hells is going on here?! ~~
"Ok, Ani, you can stay. But please keep your arm off his back if you can. The infection is healing but I would rather there not be any outside pressure on the wound. OK?"
The boy nodded slightly and closed his eyes once more. She had been dismissed.
Sighing heavily, the healer shook her head in consternation and retreated to her desk, closing the door behind her.
**********************************************
TO: Jedi Council
From: Eerin, Bant. Chief Healer, Jedi Healing Center
Re: Knight Obi Wan Kenobi - Progress Report
Esteemed Councillors --
Herein find my official report on Obi Wan Kenobi's medical condition and progress.
As noted in my previous report, Kenobi was brought in with a severe flesh wound to his back. As also noted previously, he was immersed in bacta and expected to heal fairly rapidly. Patient went into shock twice during his first day of treatment. Both incidents were mild. Stabilization was achieved quickly.
Since the last report, Kenobi has continued to heal the flesh wound through bacta and self induced healing meditation. He awoke from trance on First day, 3rd hour. It was evident from his demeanor that pain had increased to a serious level.
After sedating the patient, Orick and I removed him from the bacta and examined the wound.
We found that although the wound itself had closed completely, a serious infection had developed. No sign of infection was present on last examination, four hours previous. The infection affected the wound itself and a large surrounding area.
Upon testing a sample of infected tissue, we found a foreign organism throughout. This organism, Telliridae, is not a common one. It is a manufactured agent, specifically resistant to bacta, and has been illegal in the Republic for several centuries.
The action of the organism is specific. While not initially harmful to a healthy host, upon injury the organism activates. The agent is used by some bounty hunters and a handful of Outer Rim governments in warfare.
Once introduced into the system, it only takes a fairly minor wound to begin the process. The organism slowly infiltrates the wounded area over the first day, incubating. Two or three days later, mutation occurs and Telliridae spreads to healthy tissue, destroying it in the process. I estimated total body failure within 12 hours of activation. It is a very painful death if untreated.
Luckily, this agent responds well to bacta's predecessor, salva. The danger is that few facilities use salva anymore, since it is considered obsolete next to bacta's superior healing qualities.
Thankfully our center keeps a quantity of salva on hand for the less serious wounds, as it is more cost efficient and works just as well on small scrapes and injuries.
I have no clue how this agent was introduced into Kenobi's system. In most cases it is ingested. Once in the bloodstream, the organism can lie dormant for, as my research discovered, several months. Seeing as Kenobi is injured fairly frequently, I would think he has ingested it relatively recently. And purposely, as this is not a biological organism and cannot occur naturally in food or drink.
We have treated the wound site, which we had to re-open, and it is well on its way to healing. Once the salva purged the Telliridae from his system, Kenobi's wound was re-packed with bacta and it closed again rapidly. The infection had not spread into muscle tissue yet - we must have caught it within minutes of activation -- so there was no need to re-tear muscle that was originally wounded. The purge site is very sore and will cause him extreme discomfort for a day or two.
I assume the Council would like to question Kenobi about this. Please wait until I clear him, he is not yet well and further stress will delay his recovery. I expect him to be functional and relatively comfortable within three days. Please respect my wishes on this, as it is my duty to protect the health and well being of my charges, and whoever did this is most likely far from the scene of the crime by now.
Of course, any other questions you have for me will be answered as promptly as is possible.
Respectfully,
Bant Eerin Chief Healer
**********************
To: Chancellor Palpatine Galactic Senate Building
From: Eerin, Bant Chief Healer, Jedi Temple Healing Center
Honorable Chancellor:
You requested that I keep you updated on Knight Kenobi's progress.
He has suffered a bit of a setback due to an infection at the wound site, but it is under control now.
We expect him to be fairly comfortable and able to receive visitors within three days.
I am sure he will appreciate your eagerness to see him up and around.
Respectfully,
Bant Eerin Chief Healer Jedi Temple Healing Center
************************
Bant's mouth curled in a devious grin as she hit the send button. She almost hoped the Chancellor challenged her for more information. She would then go to the Council, and she felt certain they would back her up, since she had already taken action. Seeing Yoda tell Palpatine "Our own counsel we will keep on what information we give out," would almost be worth the reprimand she would surely suffer for acting without consulting the twelve honored Jedi. Almost.
************************* ************************
Kristoph Alistair glanced down at the beeping data pad. A communication for Palpatine from the Jedi Healing Center. A furtive look to make sure his boss was otherwise occupied, and he quickly accessed the message.
~~ Infection at the wound site. But it's all fine now . . . ~~
His brown eyes clouded with rage as he reread the memo. His features contorted with suppressed emotion, making him look much older than his 25 years.
By the time the Chancellor's personal assistant had reached his boss' office, the face reflected none of this towering anger. A short knock gained him admittance, and he slipped into the suite with calm, quiet steps.
"Yes Kristoph, what is it?" The Chancellor glanced up from the monitor he had been intently scanning.
"A communication from the Jedi Healing Center, Chancellor. I thought you would want it right away." A knowing look as he handed the data pad to his superior.
Palpatine took the data pad gingerly, and smiled at his assistant. "Yes, quite right." Quickly he read the short message and returned the pad to the man who had taken a casual seat on the edge of his desk. "Seems that Kenobi is going to be well in a few days."
"Wonderful. That is good news, is it not, Chancellor?" His eyebrow raised, and he flicked his dark hair out of his eyes impatiently.
Palpatine studied the man quietly. "Yes. Very good news. I would very much like to know who is responsible for this. I have waited too long for some bumbling nitwit to ruin my plans now." The voice that had started innocuously became extremely dangerous sounding. "It would seem someone has taken a negative interest in the young man. I would know who it is."
Kristoph's face turned thoughtful. "Hard to say, Chancellor. The Jedi have many enemies. And, it could just be some kind of accident. EVERYTHING isn't a conspiracy." His smile was unassuming, and in that moment he looked to be the most trustworthy and innocent man on the planet.
"Yes, yes. That could be. The Jedi would not enlighten me as to the cause of Kenobi's injury. Told me it was 'classified'." The last word was ground out, as if painful to expel. "And that damn healer was instructed to give me a full report, not some vague note about visiting hours." The man was very angry now, realizing he had been thwarted by someone so very low on the food chain.
Kristoph moved to the chair by Palpatine's desk and casually flung himself down. "Well, you could always go to the Jedi Council . . . ?"
Palpatine's look was sharp and disgusted. "No. I do not want to seem unduly concerned. I will just have to visit Kenobi when the little fish woman says I can. And he won't be in the Healing Center forever."
Kristoph simply nodded, knowing his input was not required.
"Contact this Eerin and thank her for her update. A little flattery may put her at ease and induce her to give me more information." The Chancellor's attention returned to his screen as he waved his hand in dismissal.
Kristoph, data pad in hand, bowed slightly before returning to his office. "Yes, my Master."
*********** ***********
Red light filtered through his closed eyelids as he slowly regained consciousness. The first things he noticed, in no particular order, were that his back was on fire, his mouth tasted like the bottom of a sky-cab, a small line of drool leaked from his mouth, and some small furry creature was attached to his neck.
~~ Gah. Please tell me I'm not really drooling. Please, someone tell me this. ~~
But he was. One eye opened slowly, squinted at his surroundings. Realizing he was on a bed in the healing center, Obi Wan finally found some fact that gladdened him.
~~ I'm out of that bacta tank. Thank the Force! ~~
Now, what about this fuzziness against his neck? Peering down, he saw Anakin lying next to him, fast asleep, the boy's hair nuzzled against him.
~~ What the . . . ? ~~
** Anakin? **
No response. Not a flicker. Not even a hitch in breathing.
** Aaaaaanakin! **
The small boy sat up, suddenly wide awake, but obviously confused.
"Huh?! What!?" Anakin shook his head a bit to clear it, then slid off the bed. He tossed himself in the chair at the bedside and put his forehead in his hands. "Oh, man . . . Oh, man . . . "
"Anakin?" Obi Wan surreptitiously wiped the wetness from the side of his face as he rolled onto his side. A wince and drawn breath betrayed his still fairly severe pain upon moving. "Anakin, are you ok?"
Eyes peeked at him from under the fingers clasped to the boy's head. "I dunno. I feel kinda spaced out. Groggy."
"You and me both. Stress can do that to a person. And I don't know about you, but recent events have wrung me out quite a bit." Obi Wan looked at Anakin pointedly, the question he hadn't spoken clearly reflected in his eyes.
Anakin nodded, averting his eyes. "I guess you want to know what happened, huh?"
Obi Wan rolled back onto his stomach, relieving some of the pressure from his back. "Yes, Anakin, I do want to know what happened. But not right now, we can talk about it later. Right now I'd like you to fetch Healer Bant for me, if you would be so kind."
~~ A reprieve! ~~ "Yes, Master, I'll do that right away!" The boy scrambled out of his chair as if a herd of stampeding banthas were pursuing him.
** Oh, and Anakin? **
The initiate skidded to a halt just before the closed door. He turned to Obi Wan, his eyes a bit wild.
** For now, I think it best that you don't tell anyone about this . . . Thing . . . we seem to have between us, ok? ** He smiled gently at the boy, reassuring.
A nod. ** s-s-sure, Master. I won't. ** Then he was out the door and down the hall hollering for Healer Bant to "Come, Master Kenobi is awake!"
~~ Why did I just tell the kid that? ~~ Obi Wan wondered. He sighed, wincing at the pain the small discharge of air caused. ~~ Oh well, Master Qui Gon always told me to follow my instincts . . . ~~
Kenobi knew he could have asked Ani to buzz the Healer's desk to request Bant's presence. He was glad the boy was too agitated to think of this, the few minutes alone afforded him time to relax and order his thoughts.
He closed his eyes and snugged his head deeper into the pillow and waited for his salmon colored friend to arrive.
******************* *******************
"Very disturbing, this is." The small green master paced the Council chamber, his gimmer stick thwacking on the smooth stone beneath him. He made his way to his cushion and sat heavily.
"Yes. I would not have predicted such a thing." Mace agreed, nodding sagely.
The Chamber was nearly empty, official meetings having been long over for the day. Mace Windu, Master Yoda, and Depa Billaba sat in a tight circle, pondering the news revealed in Healer Bant's report.
"Surely this proves someone other than Anakin Skywalker is behind this. I find it impossible to believe that the boy would even know what Telliridae is, let alone how to obtain it and use it." Depa's gold studs twitched between her eyebrows as the smooth caramel skin of her forehead creased in consternation. "To be perfectly honest, I myself have never heard of this particular agent before."
"Very obscure, it is. Not considered practical for use on a solitary target. To witness their victim's death, most assassins prefer. Very strange, this is." Yoda retreated into thought. His concern for Kenobi had ratcheted up several notches since reading the report.
"Even so," Mace's velvet voice mused aloud, "Skywalker could have been used to deliver the agent, just as he was used to deliver the wound. That seems the most practical conclusion to me."
"Yes, yes." Yoda resumed pacing. "Someone is using the boy to harm Obi Wan. Felt the presence in his mind, I did. Not Anakin, something Other. How this intrusion came into being, I know not. But I feel whoever or whatever it is, take control of the boys actions, it can. And leave Skywalker with no recollection of his activities."
Thump, thump, thump, the stick made a steady, hypnotic rhythm reverberating through the large domed chamber.
"Very disturbing." Depa shook her head. "Yet, ingenious. It would be a simple matter for Skywalker to slip the Telliridae into Kenobi's food or drink. The two have spent some time together since Obi Wan's return. And he would have no reason to distrust the boy."
Mace heaved a sigh and stared at the floor. "I don't think it will yield anything to ask the boy. He will have no memory of doing it, and there is no way to pin down when it might have happened. How would Anakin get the Telliridae? Whoever is behind this would have to get it to him somehow. And that means . . . "
The three councillors traded sober looks.
Yoda nodded gravely. "Someone with access to the Temple, it must be."
**********************
To Be Continued......