Chapter Five

Inside the small cell that passed for guest quarters, Obi-Wan pushed the door closed and turned to stare at Siri who stood quietly in the center of the sparse room surrounded by only a narrow cot, chair and desk. "You are going to make us very unwelcome, very quickly," he said sternly, half feeling as if he were lecturing Anakin.

The blond haired Jedi spun about and incredulously glared at the calm man. Her offense to his remark plainly visible in the hostile stance she took. Her hands clenched in and out of fists. "You have not seen–"

"I am quite aware of their intimidation tactics," he said folding his arms across his chest in a well-worn fashion. Sighing, he closed his eyes. Siri may have been a lot of things, but he truly believed that if she were picking a fight it was for a reason. "If there is something wrong–"

"No," she said quickly. The harsh lines of her expression softened. "I have just seen too much."

For an instant, as brief in passing as it was, Obi-Wan thought he saw something uncertain flutter in Siri's usually bright gaze. Concerned, he took a step closer and pressed a comforting hand to her warm shoulder. He expected her to pull away, but after a second of tenseness, she relaxed. "Siri–"

"Don't do me like Adi," she grumbled turning to stare at him. "She is always asking me what happened. Maybe I don't want to talk about it."

"About what?"

Siri's yes widened briefly, the mask she often hid behind losing its focus and revealing that she realized error. "Nothing."

"Maybe you should talk about it."

She pulled away from him, crossing the small gray room they were to share. "We have a mission–"

"Siri."

Abruptly turning, she glared at Obi-Wan, frustration bleeding into her expression. "Leave it be."

"You brought this up."

She bit back. "You are just like your master, listening to no one but himself."

"It is not the first time I have been accused of that," he said quickly, not wanting to hear her other thoughts vocalized. "Besides, he listened to the Force, himself and then no one else. If you are going to insult his honor, do it correctly."

When she opened her mouth to say something more, Obi-Wan realized that he too had said more than he had intended and quickly busied himself. He carried his pack to the small desk and chair in the corner opposite the private fresher unit.

In the warmth of the room, Obi-Wan pulled the flowing material of his reddish brown cloak free of his shoulders and gently folded it over the chair back. Behind him, the soft creak and shift of cloth drew his attention.

Turning, he noticed that Siri had planted herself in the center of the narrow cot that made up the final piece of furniture in the room. She brushed her fingers over the drab material of a second unfurled bedroll at the foot of the bed. Squeezing the combination of weaves, she checked the firmness of the non-existent mattress. "Hmm, not the most comfortable," she said softly, "but it will do." Grinning, as if oblivious to the conversation moments ago, she glanced up meeting Obi-Wan's concerned gaze. "So where are you going to sleep?"

"The floor apparently."

Siri leaned back against the wall, seductively crossing one leg over the other and with one of her booted toes, pointed toward a wide space on the floor. Whatever had been bothering her was now hidden behind her eyes and sealed away under tight mental shielding. "I could share," she lightly teased, "but it would be a little crowded. It is an awful narrow bed. A tight squeeze."

Ignoring her game, Obi-Wan sank to the chair and took a moment to take in the drab room. It was no more interesting than the snowy surroundings outside, save that it was warm. "This is a common quarters," he dully stated. "Generally, two share the room, one on duty and the off. They do not need two cots, just two bedrolls."

"How do you know so much about them?" she asked, straightening.

He leaned into the wooden back of the chair, propping his elbow on it. "About eleven years ago, Qui-Gon and I were assigned to see to a trade dispute on Duram. It was under the watch of a local protectorate." He stared at her for a time, his own thoughts drifting to the memory of his master who had once seemed so invincible. Pushing the uncalled images to the side, he trudged on through the tale. "Members of the Forthian Federation were trying to bring the Banese trade route to a halt through terrorist attacks so they could seize control and charge their own route fees. The Banese implored the Senate for Jedi intervention. They did not trust the Y'Begaar, believing they were aligned with the Forthians and turning a blind eye to the ongoing attacks. It was to everyone's best interest that we worked with the Y'Begaar. They were no more conspirators with the Forthians than we were. They had been placed to sheriff the region and had been investigating the terrorist attacks for some time and were closing in as well as possessing a detailed dossier on the Forthian sect responsible for the attacks."

"What did they do to them?" Siri expectantly asked jumping ahead in the story.

"Most members of the sect were killed during the raid on their compound. It was shoot to kill except for the highest-ranking officers. They were to be taken alive." He was quiet for a few moments, but in Siri's waiting gaze, he sensed she knew what he was going to say next. "Those that survived underwent questioning until they revealed everything they knew or died." There was another pause then he continued to speak from a place where he had stripped such memories of emotion and all that remained was a mental report of only facts. "Qui-Gon convinced the Y'Begaar Magistrate to turn over what was left of the survivors to the Republic for trial."

Siri fingered the edge of her cloak. "Oh." Anger flushed her aura briefly. "Why didn't you say anything? Why didn't you agree or disagree? Why didn't you argue out in the corridor?"

"What am I supposed say? I cannot judge them even if I disagree with their ways."

"They are wrong."

"From a certain point of view. In their culture, what they are doing is not considered wrong."

Her expression softened as her gaze turned from the other Jedi to the walls of the room.

Obi-Wan remained quiet for a time realizing he should have been a little more understanding instead of just snapping at her in the beginning. He knew she was still struggling to find her footing as a knight and her place in the Jedi Order. Her time undercover had made the transition from apprentice to knight extremely difficult. He could appreciate it; after all, he was still struggling even after six years of knighthood.

Of being a master.

"I will try to be" her voice trailed off.

"Less antagonistic?"

She grimaced. "Yes, if that is how you want to put it."

"Yes."