Chapter 37
In his quarters on board, Alex tossed and turned on the shabby bed, trying to find a comfortable position. The trip that had flown by previously had now become long and tedious.
The only sound in the small cabin was that of the hyperdrive, it's deep low thrum reverberating throughout the ship. The room was bare except for a small bed, which looked more like a cot than the real thing. A light air current filtered through, giving the room a cool, drafty feel.
A shiver raced down the knight's spine and a flush of goose bumps arose on his chilled skin. Pulling the dingy blanket closer, Alex let out a sigh that came out sounding wheezy. It immediately sent him into a coughing fit that lasted long enough to leave him weak and drained.
Pale, he dropped back on the pillow, his breathing uneven. He had just closed his eyes when the door opened silently and his apprentice hobbled through.
"Master?"
With an effort he tried to hide, Alex sat up and focused on his apprentice and the question her voice had conveyed. "I'm alright," he said quietly.
"Are you sure?" Her voice was soft, but that didn't hide the tender note within.
Alex gave a half nod as he regarded her. For the first time since the whole ordeal they were alone. Really alone.
A small smile crept over his face as blurry thoughts focused on a single thought. "Seventeen," he said almost in wonderment. It hadn't seemed like three years had gone by since he'd taken her as his apprentice.
Meri's lips quirked in something resembling a smile, but her face remained, for the most part, concerned. Uncomfortably she shifted all her weight to one foot, leaving the other barely touching the ground.
Noticing the movement, Alex motioned her over. He patted the side of the bed in invitation and Meri hesitantly sat on the side.
He let his eyes drift down to her swollen foot and found himself shaking his head. "How is it?" he asked with a wheezy breath, fighting not to break into another coughing fit. He could already feel Meri's apprehension through the bond as clearly as he could see the worried look on her face.
"It still hurts, but the bones are healed," she replied softly.
"It's twisted badly," he commented, remembering what he'd learned from his Force reading.
"Yes, Master," she replied simply.
Silence fell again.
Alex's thoughts turned back towards Meri's outright disobedience during the entire mission. Through the haze of his fever, he saw a little more clearly his faults in the matter. If not for disobedience, though, he would be dead right now.
Fighting the urge to sleep, he reached out and brushed the fingers of his apprentice to get her attention.
Startling slightly, she turned her dark eyes on him.
His haggard breathing making it difficult, Alex began to speak. "I may not have made the best decisions regarding you in this mission, Meri, but even so, it did not give you the right to have done what you did," he paused, as his thoughts took another turn, an uncertain path.
"Did you not trust me?"
Meri bit down on her bottom lip as she shook her head, sending her braid swinging. "No, Master! I trusted you," she said emphatically. Then with the smallest of movements, she reached her hand out the small distance to his hand, the ends of her fingers curling around his. "I trust you," she repeated slower and more softly.
The Force around them swelled, flooding light and warmth through their bond.
It shone from her eyes as she looked at him. "I had to do it, Master," she said in almost a desperate tone. "The Force showed me what could've happened, would have happened."
He couldn't say it wasn't so. It had almost happened. What he or anyone else had thought were just nightmares from Meri's past had been the foreshadowing of the future.
His eyes burned and the dim lights in the room appeared much too bright as Alex looked steadily at his apprentice. "Forgive me, Meri, for not listening to you, for thinking light of your dreams," his voice ended in a weak splutter as he fought to get the remaining words out.
The apprentice squeezed his fingers ever so slightly. "Forgive me, Master," she pleaded, gazing at the exhausted face before her.
Alex didn't answer immediately, garnering a despaired look from Meri as she thought her Master was too upset with her to even answer.
Weakened by the fever and his earlier efforts, Alex found speaking difficult and instead reached over the bond and with a feathery touch, affectionately brushed his apprentice's mind.
Giving her a tender smile, the knight finally let his eyes slide closed as he surrendered to his utter fatigue — just in time to miss the confused, yet very worried gaze of his padawan.
***
The star lines jerked to a halt as the rickety ship entered real space around Coruscant. Half the planet lay in dark shadows; the other half was swallowed in the bright rays of its sun.
With smooth movements that belied its questionable appearance, the transport made for the shadowed side of the planet. It slipped into the atmosphere, where, despite the fact that it was already night, a steady stream of traffic hummed along the separate airways.
With an experienced move by its pilot, the transport dropped into one of the flowing streams and headed for the tall, brightly lit spire of the Jedi Temple. As the transport touched down with hardly a bump, Meri was attempting to rouse her Master.
The task was proving more difficult than she had anticipated and as a result, Meri was becoming quite worried. She had wanted to alert the healers so they would be available for their arrival, but when she had spoken to Alex, he refused the offer. Instead, he grumbled that he simply needed to get to his quarters and rest in his own bed.
"Mmmph," the knight mumbled as Meri shook his shoulder lightly.
"Master," she murmured softly. "We've arrived."
Slowly, as if awakening from a trance, Alex responded to Meri's entreaties, with bleary and unfocused, sapphire eyes.
Meri waited for the light of recognition to dawn, but it was a long time coming.
Finally, the Jedi dragged himself into a sitting position as he weakly pushed a hand through his wild and unkempt hair.
"What is it?" he asked in a very soft, yet gravely voice. Meri was certain that at any time, Alex would succumb to another coughing fit.
"We have arrived at the Temple, Master," she repeated, looking at him with open concern.
With barely a nod, and obvious effort, the knight pulled himself to the edge of the bed, letting his feet rest on the floor. He began to bend down and reach for his boots, but pulled back sharply with pain marring his pale features.
Meri quickly put a steadying hand on the swaying Jedi's shoulder. "I'll get them," she offered quickly.
Kneeling down at his feet, she reached for the boots and tugged them on his feet.
Once or twice she glanced up and saw that he wasn't even paying attention, his eyes half-closed, his head bowed.
Straightening up, she stood close to the bed in case he needed help rising. As if he sensed her intentions, Alex rocked to his feet. Standing somewhat uncertainly, he tried unsuccessfully to tidy his wrinkled robe and tunic.
The look on his face as the normally fastidious Jedi attempted to straighten his clothing made Meri want to throw her arms around him and give him a hug. The mere thought almost caused her cheeks to pinken, however.
With a haggard sigh, Alex glanced at his apprentice who had been watching him closely. "Come along," he murmured huskily. Though it was obvious he was trying not to sound or appear sick, he was failing miserably.
Meri glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, wondering secretly if he could even walk. Keeping her thoughts to herself, she followed him out of the cramped cabin.
During the short walk to the ramp and his brief conversation with the captain, Meri watched her Master closely. Despite looking inhumanely pale and haggard, the knight held himself erect, seemingly without effort. Yet beneath it all, she sensed through their bond, a tremble, a waver and flicker of the mask held tightly in place.
It wasn't until they were moving through the shadowed halls of the Temple that he faltered. Stumbling, Alex reached out a hand and caught himself on the wall as his apprentice grabbed his arm.
"Master," she breathed sharply.
"I'm alright," he coughed as he straightened himself. "I just lost my balance."
Meri raised one slender brow in disbelief. When he was healthy, Alex was a picture of grace, even with a height that made some clumsy.
"Likely excuse," she muttered under her breath as she pulled her hand away.
Alex turned to look at her, his blue eyes fastening on her face in an intense gaze.
Meri stared back, deciding to be just as stubborn. "What?"
"I am fine," he stated firmly, turning again to move slowly down the hall.
Meri shook her head, and followed Alex. "You need to go to the healers, Master."
"No."
The discussion was closed with the single word, yet Meri continued.
"We're across the Temple from our quarters," she hinted. Her back was beginning to ach and her twisted ankle to throb.
Alex didn't answer.
She sighed and moved to his side, hoping that when the time came, he would lean on her for help.
He didn't.
As they made their way to their quarters, she was lost in her thoughts when she heard a heavy thump behind her.
Turning back, Meri's first thought was that Alex had again stumbled, and this time fallen. However, she was wrong. Her Master hadn't just stumbled.
Alex had passed out.
In his quarters on board, Alex tossed and turned on the shabby bed, trying to find a comfortable position. The trip that had flown by previously had now become long and tedious.
The only sound in the small cabin was that of the hyperdrive, it's deep low thrum reverberating throughout the ship. The room was bare except for a small bed, which looked more like a cot than the real thing. A light air current filtered through, giving the room a cool, drafty feel.
A shiver raced down the knight's spine and a flush of goose bumps arose on his chilled skin. Pulling the dingy blanket closer, Alex let out a sigh that came out sounding wheezy. It immediately sent him into a coughing fit that lasted long enough to leave him weak and drained.
Pale, he dropped back on the pillow, his breathing uneven. He had just closed his eyes when the door opened silently and his apprentice hobbled through.
"Master?"
With an effort he tried to hide, Alex sat up and focused on his apprentice and the question her voice had conveyed. "I'm alright," he said quietly.
"Are you sure?" Her voice was soft, but that didn't hide the tender note within.
Alex gave a half nod as he regarded her. For the first time since the whole ordeal they were alone. Really alone.
A small smile crept over his face as blurry thoughts focused on a single thought. "Seventeen," he said almost in wonderment. It hadn't seemed like three years had gone by since he'd taken her as his apprentice.
Meri's lips quirked in something resembling a smile, but her face remained, for the most part, concerned. Uncomfortably she shifted all her weight to one foot, leaving the other barely touching the ground.
Noticing the movement, Alex motioned her over. He patted the side of the bed in invitation and Meri hesitantly sat on the side.
He let his eyes drift down to her swollen foot and found himself shaking his head. "How is it?" he asked with a wheezy breath, fighting not to break into another coughing fit. He could already feel Meri's apprehension through the bond as clearly as he could see the worried look on her face.
"It still hurts, but the bones are healed," she replied softly.
"It's twisted badly," he commented, remembering what he'd learned from his Force reading.
"Yes, Master," she replied simply.
Silence fell again.
Alex's thoughts turned back towards Meri's outright disobedience during the entire mission. Through the haze of his fever, he saw a little more clearly his faults in the matter. If not for disobedience, though, he would be dead right now.
Fighting the urge to sleep, he reached out and brushed the fingers of his apprentice to get her attention.
Startling slightly, she turned her dark eyes on him.
His haggard breathing making it difficult, Alex began to speak. "I may not have made the best decisions regarding you in this mission, Meri, but even so, it did not give you the right to have done what you did," he paused, as his thoughts took another turn, an uncertain path.
"Did you not trust me?"
Meri bit down on her bottom lip as she shook her head, sending her braid swinging. "No, Master! I trusted you," she said emphatically. Then with the smallest of movements, she reached her hand out the small distance to his hand, the ends of her fingers curling around his. "I trust you," she repeated slower and more softly.
The Force around them swelled, flooding light and warmth through their bond.
It shone from her eyes as she looked at him. "I had to do it, Master," she said in almost a desperate tone. "The Force showed me what could've happened, would have happened."
He couldn't say it wasn't so. It had almost happened. What he or anyone else had thought were just nightmares from Meri's past had been the foreshadowing of the future.
His eyes burned and the dim lights in the room appeared much too bright as Alex looked steadily at his apprentice. "Forgive me, Meri, for not listening to you, for thinking light of your dreams," his voice ended in a weak splutter as he fought to get the remaining words out.
The apprentice squeezed his fingers ever so slightly. "Forgive me, Master," she pleaded, gazing at the exhausted face before her.
Alex didn't answer immediately, garnering a despaired look from Meri as she thought her Master was too upset with her to even answer.
Weakened by the fever and his earlier efforts, Alex found speaking difficult and instead reached over the bond and with a feathery touch, affectionately brushed his apprentice's mind.
Giving her a tender smile, the knight finally let his eyes slide closed as he surrendered to his utter fatigue — just in time to miss the confused, yet very worried gaze of his padawan.
***
The star lines jerked to a halt as the rickety ship entered real space around Coruscant. Half the planet lay in dark shadows; the other half was swallowed in the bright rays of its sun.
With smooth movements that belied its questionable appearance, the transport made for the shadowed side of the planet. It slipped into the atmosphere, where, despite the fact that it was already night, a steady stream of traffic hummed along the separate airways.
With an experienced move by its pilot, the transport dropped into one of the flowing streams and headed for the tall, brightly lit spire of the Jedi Temple. As the transport touched down with hardly a bump, Meri was attempting to rouse her Master.
The task was proving more difficult than she had anticipated and as a result, Meri was becoming quite worried. She had wanted to alert the healers so they would be available for their arrival, but when she had spoken to Alex, he refused the offer. Instead, he grumbled that he simply needed to get to his quarters and rest in his own bed.
"Mmmph," the knight mumbled as Meri shook his shoulder lightly.
"Master," she murmured softly. "We've arrived."
Slowly, as if awakening from a trance, Alex responded to Meri's entreaties, with bleary and unfocused, sapphire eyes.
Meri waited for the light of recognition to dawn, but it was a long time coming.
Finally, the Jedi dragged himself into a sitting position as he weakly pushed a hand through his wild and unkempt hair.
"What is it?" he asked in a very soft, yet gravely voice. Meri was certain that at any time, Alex would succumb to another coughing fit.
"We have arrived at the Temple, Master," she repeated, looking at him with open concern.
With barely a nod, and obvious effort, the knight pulled himself to the edge of the bed, letting his feet rest on the floor. He began to bend down and reach for his boots, but pulled back sharply with pain marring his pale features.
Meri quickly put a steadying hand on the swaying Jedi's shoulder. "I'll get them," she offered quickly.
Kneeling down at his feet, she reached for the boots and tugged them on his feet.
Once or twice she glanced up and saw that he wasn't even paying attention, his eyes half-closed, his head bowed.
Straightening up, she stood close to the bed in case he needed help rising. As if he sensed her intentions, Alex rocked to his feet. Standing somewhat uncertainly, he tried unsuccessfully to tidy his wrinkled robe and tunic.
The look on his face as the normally fastidious Jedi attempted to straighten his clothing made Meri want to throw her arms around him and give him a hug. The mere thought almost caused her cheeks to pinken, however.
With a haggard sigh, Alex glanced at his apprentice who had been watching him closely. "Come along," he murmured huskily. Though it was obvious he was trying not to sound or appear sick, he was failing miserably.
Meri glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, wondering secretly if he could even walk. Keeping her thoughts to herself, she followed him out of the cramped cabin.
During the short walk to the ramp and his brief conversation with the captain, Meri watched her Master closely. Despite looking inhumanely pale and haggard, the knight held himself erect, seemingly without effort. Yet beneath it all, she sensed through their bond, a tremble, a waver and flicker of the mask held tightly in place.
It wasn't until they were moving through the shadowed halls of the Temple that he faltered. Stumbling, Alex reached out a hand and caught himself on the wall as his apprentice grabbed his arm.
"Master," she breathed sharply.
"I'm alright," he coughed as he straightened himself. "I just lost my balance."
Meri raised one slender brow in disbelief. When he was healthy, Alex was a picture of grace, even with a height that made some clumsy.
"Likely excuse," she muttered under her breath as she pulled her hand away.
Alex turned to look at her, his blue eyes fastening on her face in an intense gaze.
Meri stared back, deciding to be just as stubborn. "What?"
"I am fine," he stated firmly, turning again to move slowly down the hall.
Meri shook her head, and followed Alex. "You need to go to the healers, Master."
"No."
The discussion was closed with the single word, yet Meri continued.
"We're across the Temple from our quarters," she hinted. Her back was beginning to ach and her twisted ankle to throb.
Alex didn't answer.
She sighed and moved to his side, hoping that when the time came, he would lean on her for help.
He didn't.
As they made their way to their quarters, she was lost in her thoughts when she heard a heavy thump behind her.
Turning back, Meri's first thought was that Alex had again stumbled, and this time fallen. However, she was wrong. Her Master hadn't just stumbled.
Alex had passed out.
