Chapter Seven

Healer apprentice Anya sighed as she surveyed the young man floating in the bacta tank. This was going to test all of her healing abilities to get Obi-Wan's eyesight back. If she was honest with herself, she would have to admit that she really didn't think that he'd get his sight back, the damage was just too much. Footsteps sounded behind her, intruding into her thoughts, and she composed her face to reveal nothing as she turned around.

Qui-Gon stared at his apprentice floating in the tank and sighed. "How is he?" he asked Anya.

She cleared her throat and gestured to a small, sound-proof room. "I think we should go discuss Obi-Wan's condition in here," she tried to say tactfully.

Qui-Gon frowned a little but nodded and followed her silently into the room. He folded his arms across his chest and stared at her. "What's his condition?"

"Well..." she hesitated. "He's blind. And that is the one thing that I do not know if I can heal. Other than that, his other numerous wounds will take time; I'm guessing two weeks."

Qui-Gon winced. "Blind?" he echoed in dismay, shaking his head sadly. His padawan hated the Healers wing and he knew Obi-Wan would not be pleased to stay here for two weeks. He knew Obi-Wan could be a Jedi even without his eyesight...but...what if he could never again see the sun? Or see a rainbow on a rainy day?

Anya nodded somberly. "Blind. But there is one thing I can try...It's risky though..."

Qui-Gon toyed with his beard. "Yes? It's probably not as much of a risk as being blind all his life," he said with a deep sigh.

She hesitated again. "Probably more so. It involves this." She held up a small, cylindrical object that had a light at the end of it. "It's called a laser beam and it's similar to your lightsaber, but this is supposed to be able to fix things in the body. No one here has used it before. If my hand shakes...or if I lose concentration..." she trailed off.

He frowned a little. "Perhaps Han'yaie could assist in you keeping your concentration?" He winced as his throat began bothering him again.

She glanced away. "Master Han'yaie....he does not want me to do this. It is entirely your decision. I would ask Obi-Wan, but he hasn't regained consciousness and I need to do this as quickly as possible."

Qui-Gon toyed with his beard for several long minutes before finally replying, "Do it. If it is the will of the Force that he be healed, then he will be."

Anya nodded once and gestured for him to precede her out of the door. "I need to get him out of the tanks right away then..." she had started to say, when she stopped. Her Jedi Master, Han'yaie, was standing there, his arms folded. "Hello, Master Han'yaie," she said weakly. Did she dare risk her master's wrath to possibly save a fellow Jedi's eyesight?

Qui-Gon stepped smoothly between them. "I asked her to help heal Obi-Wan's eyesight. If the Force wills it, she can heal him. If not...then we must follow the will of the Force," he said before Han'yaie could even open his mouth.

Han'yaie did not look pleased, but he was a sensible man and so thought about Qui-Gon's words...and his padawan's actions. She never acted rashly, always moving with the Force in her healing. Could this be done?

He had no idea.

"Then I will do it," he decided abruptly. "Anya can assist me." He turned and barked orders at two other healers. "Get Obi-Wan prepped for surgery immediately! We need to do this now."

They promptly obeyed. He turned back to Qui-Gon. "I need you, Qui-Gon, to stay near us. You will be the one to help us from Obi-Wan's point of view."

Qui-Gon nodded and headed after Han'yaie. "I will be happy to assist however I can."

Soon Obi-Wan was laying, drugged, on an operating table. The Healers didn't give him much anesthesia since he had still not gained consciousness, but they wanted to make sure that he didn't decide to come awake as they were pointing a laserbeam into his eyes. He might startle and his eyes might become permanently damaged—should they not already be so.

Han'yaie adjusted the beam on the cylinder to a very fine, narrow red strip and bent over Obi-Wan. Through the Force, he could feel the damage to Obi-Wan's eyes. Only a neural stimulator could have caused his nerves to sueter together like they did. It would take precision work to use the laser to separate the nerves again. Then it would be up to the Force if the boy would ever see again. "Focus, Qui-Gon," he murmured, most of his attention on his hands and the foggy blue eyes that he was working on.

Qui-Gon reached out to the Force and drew it to him, wrapping it around him like a cloak. He reached out to his padawan, willing him to be healed and surrounding him in love and comfort.

Eight long hours later, Han'yaie straightened slowly. He sighed. "That's all I can do, from the Force and this new device. We'll have to wait until he wakes again, and with his injuries his mind might be shut down to keep him from feeling the pain. He might not even know that he has been rescued. You know what to do, I'm sure, Master Jinn." The Healer purposely used Qui-Gon's title to stress his thoughts. "Though I think you should rest first," Han'yaie added. "It will be okay to leave him for a day to recover more."

Qui-Gon stared at Obi-Wan, frowning thoughtfully. Though he nodded at the master healer he knew that he wouldn't get any rest with the suspense of not knowing about his padawan's eyes. "I'll sit with him. I'll step out to grab something to eat first..." he said automatically, but then frowned, hoping that there would be something in the dining hall soft enough for him to eat.

Han'yaie laid a hand on his shoulder. "I have some stew that you can have. I can't eat it all. It's in my office. Why don't you go on in and eat it?"

Qui-Gon nodded gratefully. "Thank you very much." He stepped out and headed for Han'yaie's office. He spied the stew still steaming hot at his desk and sat down to begin eating it, knowing he would need his strength in order to help his padawan heal his eyesight.

After a few minutes, Kyran knocked softly and poked his head in. "Han'yaie said you'd be in here," he said, fighting to keep exhaustion from his tone. He had been sitting beside Lana's bacta tank all night, not sleeping as his wife's leg healed. She was due to be released later that afternoon.

"He's pretty smart, our Chief Healer," Qui-Gon said around a mouthful of stew, trying not to wince as he swallowed.

Kyran chuckled. "Sometimes I think he's the Grandfather of all the Jedi."

Qui-Gon smirked, and then frowned, realizing he had nothing to drink. He grabbed a spare cup sitting nearby and filled it with water from the sink in Han'yaie's office.

"How's Lana?" he asked after he'd taken several long swallows from the glass.

Kyran smiled tiredly. "She'll heal quickly. The bacta has repaired most of it already. She should be out soon." He grew concerned. "I tried to find you but someone said you were with Obi-Wan in surgery. What happened?"

"Obi-Wan was hit in the eyes with a neural stimulator," Qui-Gon informed him heavily.

Kyran winced. "And?"

"We had to use a new method of surgery to try and repair his eyes. I had to be there to help Obi-Wan's body heal itself," he said, taking another bite.

"So Obi-Wan still hasn't woken, then?" Kyran inquired, sitting up straighter in his concern.

Qui-Gon shook his head negative. "I'm going back as soon as I finish totry to help bring him around."

Kyran frowned. "Need help with anything? Want me to report to the Council for you? They called me, wanting to know what was going on."

"The Council can wait, but you can inform them if you like. No, I'll be fine. It's not like I'd be able to rest knowing he's in that condition anyway."

Kyran nodded as his comlink beeped. "Josel here," he answered promptly, rolling his eyes, knowing whom it would be.

"Master Josel, how is the situation with Obi-Wan and your wife Lana?" Mace Windu's voice came over the comm. "Is there any improvement?"

Kyran glanced over at Qui-Gon, still slurping on stew. "Lana should be released soon, Mace. Obi-Wan..." he hesitated. "You need to talk to Qui-Gon to get all of that."

Qui-Gon scowled. The last thing he felt like doing was talking to the Council. He sighed. "I'll report to the Council chambers immediately. This information is best conveyed in person," he said as he put down his spoon.

"We'll be awaiting your arrival," Mace said, taking it in stride. "Come on in without reporting to the junior aide. Mace out."

Qui-Gon turned off the comlink and sighed. He stood up, knowing he wouldn't have time to finish his meal. The Council could comm at most inconvenient times, he reflected ruefully. His throat was sore from eating and the last thing he felt like doing was a lot of talking. "I guess I'll be going; you should see to Lana."

Kyran nodded, but hesitated. "You want me to come with you?"

Qui-Gon shook his head. "I'll be alright." He sighed a little. "Besides, they're probably not that pleased that I only contacted them once during the mission."

"I'll look after Obi-Wan until you get back then," Kyran said as he stood. "Return quickly, my friend. May the Force be with you." His eyes twinkled.

Qui-Gon smiled slightly and headed out of the office, giving the stew a last lingering look before heading out to go to the Council chambers. He bypassed the junior aide and headed on in. He bowed formally. "I came as soon as I could."

Yoda smiled at him encouragingly. "News have you on Obi-Wan?"
Qui-Gon sighed a little. "Han'yaie has performed the operation to help him recover his eyesight. We won't know for certain if he'll be able to see again until he awakens. I will have to help bring him around so we can know that information."

Mace gazed at him for a moment. It seemed as if his old friend wanted so badly to say something, but then he glanced around at the other masters and only commented, "And you?"

Qui-Gon nodded. "My throat is still recovering, but other than that I feel perfectly fine."

"Concerned the Council is," Yoda said unexpectedly. "Know do you the one responsible for Obi-Wan's condition?"

"Was it an enemy of yourself or the Jedi?" Ki-Adi Mundi added quietly.

"Obi-Wan made a personal enemy," Qui-Gon sighed heavily. "Z'aherin was a killer who'd burned several victims to death that Obi-Wan brought to my attention. I would not have noticed him had my padawan not pointed him out to me."

Yoda and the Council glanced at each other at that, yet it was Mace who was the one to speak. "Did you apprehend this Z'aherin?"

Qui-Gon grimaced. "No. I was unable to go after him. My padawan was unconscious and Lana was also injured. We had our hands full and had to allow him to escape."

"Out there still he is?" Yoda wanted clarification.

"Yes, Master Yoda." Qui-Gon said tucking his arms in his sleeves.

"This concerns us," Ki-Adi Mundi said, the other members of the Council nodding in agreement. "But we will let you back to your padawan in the Healer's Ward. You are dismissed."

Qui-Gon bowed and left the chamber wondering just what the Council was going to do about the missing murderer. He swallowed,wincing at the ache in his throat. He had to see about Obi-Wan.

To his surprise, Han'yaie met him at the door. "Obi-Wan just stirred, though didn't wake. I was about to send someone after you," the elderly Jedi said as he led Qui-Gon to Obi-Wan's recovery room. Obi-Wan was laying on his stomach to keep the risk of reinjuring the half-healed skin on his back down to a minimum. The boy was still out cold.

Qui-Gon sat down in a chair next to the boy's bed and gently took one of his hands. He reached out to the Force, drawing it around himself. Obi-Wan?he sent.

Obi-Wan thought he heard his master calling for him in the darkness where he had hidden himself. He responded with barely a flicker. He had been lured out so many times only to be hurt more and more. Could he trust this to be his master? What did he believe? That he was rescued? That his mind was playing tricks on him? What?

Padawan...Please wake up. I need to know if the procedure on your eyes was successful. Han'yaie has worked to try to restore your eyesight,he informed the boy.

Obi-Wan wanted to believe it was his master...but the pain...oh, the pain...Prove it,he sent daringly. Prove you are Qui-Gon and not...he trailed away.

Qui-Gon responded by sending a warm wave of love and comfort to the boy. Please Obi-Wan, wake up. I need to see that you're alright.

It had to be his master. It had to be. Obi-Wan forced himself to swim toward consciousness. He immediately regretted it as the pain from his back slammed into him and he let out a low moan filled with his emotions.

Shhh. It's alright...Qui-Gon gripped his padawan's hand. I'm right here. I know it hurts.

Z'aherin...Obi-Wan said, squeezing his eyes shut, scared beyond words that his sight was permanently gone. He didn't want to open them to find that he would never see again.

Qui-Gon winced. I'm sorry, padawan. I wasn't able to capture him yet. I was most concerned about getting you home safely. Lana also was injured so we had to leave.



Obi-Wan's mind refused to want to think about what Z'aherin's escape meant so it settled on the other piece of information that he had received. Lana's...hurt? How? Is she okay?

She's doing fine now. She's out of the bacta tank. If you wake up, I'm sure we could arrange for her to come visit.



I'm awake,he groggily protested, keeping his eyes firmly closed.

I need you to open your eyes Obi-Wan. Han'yaie worked for eight hours trying to get them operational. We can't let fear rule our lives, Padawan,he said sternly.

Obi-Wan sighed inwardly. His master, as usual, had a point. Slowly, he opened his eyes. At first, all he was met with was blackness, and his heart sank. Right as he was about to tell his master that it had not worked, sight slammed into him and his master's worried face swam close to him. "I can see," he croaked out of a very sore throat.

Qui-Gon sighed in relief and squeezed his padawan's hand in relief. He smiled a little, unable to come up with a reply. Words could not convey how relieved he was that his padawan's eyesight had been restored. He sent another wave of love and comfort to the boy in reply.

Obi-Wan grinned at his master. Suddenly, it seemed as if things could not be more right. That was, until Han'yaie walked in and ordered him back into the bacta tank. He groaned.

"Just think Obi-Wan, it could be worse," Qui-Gon said, grinning as he released his padawan's hand.

Obi-Wan eyed the healer standing firm in the doorway. "It's worse," he muttered, letting himself be wheeled out of the room. "Much worse."

-- The END of part two--