Title: There is the Force
Author: Jedikma
A/N: Thankyou to all who reviewed this story and also to those who read and didin't review. As per the reviewers requests I now have the next chapter for you. Please read and review. I would love to hear from you! Hope you enjoy!
The two Master/Padawan teams stood before the Council to give their reports. Siri tried to keep her concentration on the moment, but her mind kept wandering back to the events of the past several days. It had now been close to a week since she and Obi-Wan had gone for their little midnight swim and she couldn't stop obsessing over the possible outcome of that evening.
The trip back to the Temple had been long and unsettling. She and Obi-Wan barely spoke to each other the whole way. What could they say? They had been caught up in something that was seemingly beyond their control. They were on Nohar to do a job, which they did, but the last thing Siri wanted was to be pregnant. The elderly lady had seemed positive that it would happen and finding out if it had happened required the passage of time.
Then there was the explanation to their Padawans. Obi-Wan ended up talking to both of them to spare Siri some embarrassment. She wasn't sure what the outcome of the conversation was, but Ferus seemed to keep his distance. Maybe that was just Siri's imagination. She was trying to keep her distance from everyone. Everyday she found herself releasing worry and frustration into the Force and spending a lot of time in meditation.
"Dismissed the Padawans are. Talk to the Masters we must," Master Yoda said in his commanding voice.
Siri only wished the whole Council wasn't present. Now she and Obi-Wan were left to stand before the Council alone and she felt exposed. No one spoke at first and it seemed the silence would kill her, but she didn't look forward to the inquiry either.
Master Mace Windu was the first to speak. "It seems we owe the two of you an apology for the miscommunication regarding the planet Nohar."
Siri could feel her own former Master reach out to her through the Force. "Relax, Siri, you are not going to be put on trial here," Adi Gallia said to her, but that did not relax Siri one bit.
Siri glanced to the floor. She could feel Obi-Wan shift beside her, but she couldn't look at him. A heavy sigh escaped her lips.
Adi spoke again. "It was unfortunate that you were sent to Nohar and not fully informed as to what your mission was. We had two other Knights to send on that mission, but they were lost in transit. They still have not been found. It was imperative we get two Knights to the planet for the night of the full moons. We discovered you were finished with your other mission and in the Nohar sector and we sent you there.
"It was my job, Siri, to communicate to you the delicate nature of what you were responsible to do but, if you recall, our communication was cut off before I could tell you anything. Obi-Wan had received the other details about the planet from Master Windu but the information about the lunar cycles, it appears, was not included. The fact that you accomplished the mission anyway demonstrates the strong pull of the Force."
Siri absorbed what Adi was saying and shifted slightly. "And if I have conceived, Master?"
"A new member to our Jedi family, then we will have," Yoda said.
Suddenly Siri was aware of the Force signatures of the Council members reaching out to her in a probing manner. It was probable that conception had already happened and Siri had tried to determine this through the Force, but couldn't yet tell. She knew that it was what the Council members were probing for and it only increased her discomfort.
"Siri?"
Siri looked up with a painful expression on her face to see Obi-Wan looking at her with concern. Obi-Wan then turned to the council members. "Perhaps Master Tachi should visit the med clinic now."
"If you would escort her down there, Obi-Wan. I will come down shortly," Adi agreed.
Siri and Obi-Wan had been directed to a private room in the med clinic to wait as she had blood drawn by a padawan learner.
"I'll take this to be analyzed, Master, but I am sure Healer Trin will be the one to come in and talk to you regarding the results."
"Thank you, Barriss." Obi-Wan acknowledged the padawan.
Siri was sitting silently in a chair with her eyes cast to the floor. Obi- Wan turned to Siri, pulled up a chair next to her and sat down. "Siri, you have to talk to me sometime."
Siri felt a sadness wash over her. "I'm sorry, Obi-Wan, I just don't know what to say. I feel as though I've been played with." Siri looked straight into Obi-Wan's eyes and held his gaze for a moment. "You know, Obi-Wan, since we were in a situation that forced us together like that and we were supposed to do what we did, I would understand if you want to take back anything you said to me that night."
"Is that what's been bothering you, Siri, and why you've barely said two words to me since we have left Nohar?"
"This whole thing bothers me," Siri replied as she again lowered her gaze.
Obi-Wan leaned down to look into her eyes. "I don't want to take back anything I said. Do you?"
Siri glanced at him as she shook her head. "No, but how do we know what we feel is real? Naturally, we would say such things since we got so close, under the circumstances."
Obi-Wan took her hand. "It's a little like being intoxicated, don't you think? The feelings were already there, it just took loosening up to admit to them. Siri, I intend to stand beside you through this whole ordeal."
"As much as the Council will allow, you mean."
Obi-Wan let go of Siri's hand at the sound of a knock on the door. In walked Healer Trin, followed by Adi Gallia.
"It is confirmed that you have conceived, Master Tachi. I suppose congratulations are in order," the healer said.
Siri's eyes sparked fire when she looked at the healer. Trin backed up slightly. "I was going to suggest an exam at this point, but perhaps we could schedule that for another time."
"An excellent idea, Healer Trin. I think right now it would be better if you left us to discuss this situation," Master Adi said as she pulled up a chair facing Siri.
"Of course, Master Gallia. You may use the room for as long as you wish." The healer then exited leaving behind the other three.
"Okay, Padawan, let's talk." Adi still often referred to Siri as 'Padawan', even though Siri had not been her student for a number of years now. She meant the term endearingly.
"I don't suppose there is a whole lot to say, Master, except that I don't want to go through with this."
"I would have expected you to say that. You have a way of initially resisting things you dislike, but you always get over it."
"With all due respect, I think it's a little different this time, Master." Siri could feel her tone of voice becoming increasingly irritated.
"I am not sure that is so, Siri. With every mission, a Jedi takes risks and many things happen all the time. You know that the mission comes first. You are a servant of the Republic and therefore subject to the requests of the Republic. If you had had the information about the lunar cycle would you have refused to do the job knowing that many lives were at stake if you did refuse?"
"Of course not, Master, but being prepared would have been nice."
Adi continued to hold steady eye contact with Siri, until Siri shifted slightly in her seat. This was an old tactic of Adi's when confronting her former student on anything. Siri had learned to hold her own gaze many times, but she found herself out of practice at this moment.
"What is really bothering you, Siri? Has something happened?"
"No, Master," Siri said, but she began to tap her foot, an old nervous habit that Adi knew very well.
Adi then took her gaze off of Siri and looked to Obi-Wan, who remained motionless. Realization began to dawn. "Something did happen between the two of you, didn't it?"
"Since it's Obi-Wan's baby, Master, I would guess so!" Siri's voice dripped with sarcasm.
Adi looked again at Siri. "The two of you have experienced a deep bond."
Siri just rolled her eyes as she looked away.
"I see," was all Adi could mutter for the moment. The room was very quiet for what seemed like an eternity to Siri before Adi decided to speak.
"Oh, Siri, Obi-Wan, I am sorry about that. I have to say it does surprise me a bit, knowing that the two of you have a knack for getting on each other's nerves." Adi grinned at the thought. "I remember a time, Padawan, when you would storm around and complain about the 'lame' things Obi-Wan Kenobi did. Getting you to cooperate with Obi-Wan was one of the biggest challenges I ever had with you."
Adi let out a breath and sat back in her chair. "I know someone who would not be surprised by this, however, and that is Qui-Gon Jinn."
At the sound of his Master's name, Obi-Wan looked up at Adi Gallia. "Qui- Gon?"
"Yes, Qui-Gon once told me, after trying to get the two of you to stop bickering and work together, that you would be the two most likely to fall in love one day. I thought he was joking, but he was quite serious. He obviously saw something the rest of us did not."
Adi then turned serious again. "Of course, you understand that there is nowhere you can go with these feelings. You both have made a commitment to the Jedi Order and therefore are not free to make any other commitments. Furthermore, you are not free to enjoy the benefits that such commitments would allow."
"Yes, Master, we are well aware that attachment is forbidden," Siri answered, but she felt a strange sadness inside. "It does not help us that we are now expecting this baby."
"You two are among the most dedicated Knights in the Order. If it helps, I think this is a burden you will both handle well. Matters may seem complicated, but I know you will adjust. You will have this baby and give him or her to the Jedi to raise, just as your parents gave you to the Jedi. You will not interfere with the upbringing of the child and you will never hear the child address you as 'mother' or 'father'. I know you will approach everything like the Jedi you are and have been trained to be." Adi's words were stern, but there was an element of compassion in the tone of her voice.
"Suppose there is more than one baby, Master? Or suppose the baby is not Force sensitive?"
"I think you know the answer to that, Siri. Any Force sensitive baby will be put in the nursery and if one is not Force sensitive, we will find a good home for him or her. I know of several couples that would love to adopt a child.
"I know you both may feel that this all seems somewhat harsh, but it is our way. You have been to many planets and experienced many cultures. Right here in the Temple you come in contact with beings that do things very differently than you do. As Jedi, we embrace compassion, but we also have to abide by certain codes for reasons that are best for all of us.
"Obi-Wan, I don't see why you can't be as involved as much as you want in this pregnancy, as long as it doesn't interfere with any of your duties to the Jedi. I must stress to both of you, again, that I expect you to conduct yourselves as Jedi, no matter how deeply you may feel about each other or this child."
"Yes, Master," Obi-Wan and Siri said in unison, as if they had never graduated to the level of Knight.
Adi stood to leave the room when Siri spoke. "Master?"
"Yes, Siri?"
"Don't you think everyone will find it strange when I am walking around the Temple nine months pregnant?"
"Siri, you aren't concerned about what people will think are you?"
"It's crossed my mind that I should exercise some sense of humiliation."
Adi smiled. "The fact that you are in the Temple nine months pregnant should tell them that you are still a member of the Jedi family and that you have a right to be here. You should know by now that you only need to feel guilty if you have done something wrong. As for being pregnant, you are not the first Knight to find yourself in this condition and you won't be the last. It is a situation we handle depending on the being and the circumstance."
Adi then left the room and Obi-Wan and Siri were left alone once again.
Siri let out a heavy sigh and moved uncomfortably in her chair aware that Obi-Wan had said so little during Adi's visit. She wondered what could possibly be going through his mind after the whole exchange.
Obi-Wan broke the silence with hesitation in his voice. "Do you mind if I'm involved in this pregnancy, Siri?" he asked as he reached over and picked up her hand.
Siri liked the feel of his warm hand in hers and she detected a hint of longing in his voice. She looked at him with a small grin on her face. "As long as you don't get on my nerves," she said, in a teasing manor.
Obi-Wan smiled in return. "I don't know if I could make that promise."
"Obi-Wan," Siri asked as she gave him a curious look. "Aren't you upset about all this and not getting all the information about Nohar? Don't you think it would have been different if we knew what we were in for?"
Obi-Wan gently laced his fingers through hers. "Well, I suppose I could have brushed up on romance before we got there, but I can't help but feel you would have spent the evening getting frustrated about where I put my elbows, how fast I was moving and generally being in your way."
For the first time in a week a smile graced Siri's face and she began to laugh. "I hate to admit it, but that is probably true."
Tbc