One Last Breath
Chapter Seven
"Melody!" Obi-Wan yelled as the weapon fired, and the young girl fell backward into his arms. Slowly he dropped to his knees and lowered his friend to the floor. Melody's head rested across his legs. Yellow blood covered her neck and shoulder. He could feel the wet warmth on his leg as the blood began to seep through the material of his tunic pants changing the tan color to yellow. The unfamiliar projectile weapon the guard used to shoot Melody had hit the young girl's shoulder close to her neck.
"What have you done?" the sentry inside the cell demanded as he glared at the guard who had fired his weapon.
"He tried to attack you."
"He was unarmed. President Hounry wants to release them not kill them," the first guard complained. He continued to berate the other man in his native language. Obi-Wan did not understand what he was saying, but he knew it was not good.
Obi-Wan stared at the two guards for a moment dumbfounded. They were going to release us, his mind screamed. He should have listened to her. He was wrong. "Melody, Mel, can you hear me?" He pleaded.
Melody's eyes slowly fluttered open. She blinked several times before she looked up into his eyes. "I'm sorry Obi-Wan," she rasped. Pain filled her violet eyes. Obi-Wan wished he could access the Force to diminish her pain and lessen the bleeding.
"For what Mel, you have nothing to apologize for," he assured her.
"For avoiding you," she said with a haggard breath.
"Mel, don't worry about it. I'm not mad at you," he told her.
"Obi-Wan, will you do something for me?" Melody asked.
"Of course, anything."
"Ember will be very upset if I have to… to leave like Master Qui-Gon did. Would…"
"Mel, you're going to be fine. You…"
Melody grabbed a hold of the older Padawan's tunic and pulled the material to get his attention. "Obi-Wan, pl… please watch over Ember for me. She will listen to you if you tell her that you're my friend."
"Yes, I'll look after her while you recuperate. You will recover. You will see her again," Obi-Wan comforted her.
The injured Padawan stared up at him, her eyes clouded by fear and pain. The purple orbs began to droop as the two Jedi students gazed into each other's eyes. Obi-Wan could feel her fighting to remain conscious.
"Thank y… you," she stammered and her eyes slowly closed. Her burgundy lashes stood out in contrast against her pale skin. Obi-Wan wondered if her yellow blood was the reason her skin was always so pale. There was so much that he didn't know about her. He hoped one day to have an opportunity to learn about the secrets that seemed to surround her.
Behind him, one of the guards spoke briefly into a Comm unit. Obi-Wan hoped he was contacting a healer to come and help Melody.
Master Sifo-Dyas quickly walked along side Adi Gallia as he, Adi, and Master Yoda walked out of the Council Chambers to meet the Hocha transport that was bringing his Padawan and Padawan Kazala back to the Temple. He knew one of the Padawans had been injured, and he wondered which one.
Sifo-Dyas could not help remembering Padawan Kazala's vision of Obi-Wan's death. Could it have come true? Is the Hocha transport bringing his Padawan's lifeless body?
"Master Sifo-Dyas, your calm center you must find," Yoda spoke from his hover chair.
"I have not sensed him in the Force since he was kidnapped. I don't know if he is alive."
"Help your Padawan, your frustration will not," Yoda admonished. If the small Master had been walking, Sifo-Dyas was certain that Yoda would have thumped his gimmer stick on the stone floor to emphasize his words, as he often did.
"Master Gararr has claimed she cannot sense her Padawan either. Since Melody's vision showed both of them alive and in some sort of cell at first, I believe that you are just unable to sense them. I would not assume the worst if I were you," Adi told him.
Sifo-Dyas nodded his head. He knew they were right, but Obi-Wan had forged a place in his heart in the short time since he had taken over the boy's training. He, like Qui-Gon Jinn, sensed that the young man was destined for greatness. Padawan Kazala had seen the lad defeat a dark Jedi in her visions. Although Qui-Gon was alive in that vision, he felt certain Obi-Wan would survive to become a great Knight one day. That certainty had slowly come unraveled, however, since his Padawan was abducted.
The three Jedi Masters walked through the doors of the Temple's main hangar area. Sifo-Dyas noticed that the Hocha transport was just landing. He could still hear the echo of the vessel's landing gear clanging against the durasteel floor. Mace Windu, in a meeting with the Hocha leader prior to the incident, was just now getting out of a nearby speeder. Sifo-Dyas walked toward the transport.
Mace had contacted the Council and informed them that one of the Padawans had been shot. He also told them that both Padawans would be arriving at the Temple shortly. The Councilor had told them that Master Ki-Adi Mundy would remain with the Chancellor and Hocha leader to guarantee there were no problems. Unfortunately, the questions that Master Sifo-Dyas and the rest of the Council had most wanted to ask were unanswerable. Questions like which student had been injured and how serious were the wounds had to wait?
From the entrance on the other side of the hangar, Healer Toxia and her Padawan Li-Hahla Warrash entered the large room. They walked with a quick pace that matched that of Sifo-Dyas and Adi Gallia.
Master Mace Windu reached the transport first. He stopped at the bottom of the ramp to wait for the two Padawans. Sifo-Dyas then noticed a movement at the vessel's entrance at the top of the ramp. A Hocha security officer walked through the open doors to stand waiting for the next officer. He was followed by a gravstretcher with Obi-Wan walking along side. Another security officer and the Hocha healer walked behind the gravstretcher.
Sifo-Dyas felt relieved that Obi-Wan was not injured; but he was saddened that Padawan Kazala was the wounded Padawan. He assumed the young girl had gotten in the way of the Hocha's weapon.
The Jedi Healers reached the transport at the same time as the three Council members. Healer Toxia immediately moved to the side of the gravstretcher to determine Melody's condition.
"Obi-Wan, are you alright?" Sifo-Dyas asked.
"Yes Master. They shot Melody with a projectile weapon. I couldn't stop the bleeding." Sifo-Dyas then noticed the yellow bloodstains that covered the young man's hands and clothing. Despite standing next to his Padawan, he was unable to sense his presence in the Force. He also noted that the young man looked very tired.
"I was worried about you. I couldn't sense you through our bond. I still can't." Sifo-Dyas noticed the worry etched in the young man's face. He wondered if Obi-Wan was hurt, but wasn't telling him. "Are you certain that you are not injured?"
"I'm fine. They gave us some kind of Force inhibiting drug," Obi-Wan said glancing at the Healers.
"The wound is not serious," the Hocha healer began, "but she is not responding. I suspect her alien physiology is rejecting our treatments." The Hocha leader's speech was harder to comprehend than the healer's pronunciation.
"That's possible. We'll take care of her from here. Is there anything else that we need to know?" Healer Toxia asked as she quickly examined the wound on Melody's shoulder herself.
"No, she was shot in the shoulder by a Hocha hunting weapon. I've downloaded the information on the weapon and the medication that we gave her." The Hocha healer's green, scaly, three fingered hand held out a data pad to the Jedi Healer.
"Thank you this will prove very helpful," Healer Toxia nodded as she took the data pad from the other healer. The Hocha reminded her of what the tiny Qualarks that roamed the jungles of Sarautix IV would look like if they were larger and possessed some intelligence.
Obi-Wan sat on a chair in the waiting room of the Healers wing. Padawan Li-Hahla had given him an injection to counteract the effects of the Force suppressant and then quickly ushered him out into the waiting room.
Garen Muln and Reeft sat next to Obi-Wan on a bench near the doorway. Melody's friends Élan, Salene, and Siri sat across from them while Masters Yoda, Windu, Sifo-Dyas, and Adi Gallia sat quietly scattered around the room. The girls were talking quietly, while the Masters either meditated or just sat patiently waiting. Obi-Wan, Garen, and Reeft sat in almost total silence until Garen finally asked Obi-Wan what happened.
"The Hocha guards shot Melody with some kind of a projectile weapon," Obi-Wan answered automatically like a droid devoid of emotions. Melody's blood still covered his tunics. He had refused to leave healers ward to change.
"I can sense your guilt and I can see it in your eyes. What really happened? What are you not telling us?" Garen questioned. The younger Padawan knew that his friend was most likely unjustifiably blaming himself for what had happened.
Obi-Wan, sat on the bench staring at the wall across from him. He slowly lifted his eyes to meet the anxious brown ones of his close friend. "Melody was shot because of me. The guards wanted her to go with them. She told me to let the guards take her. I thought they were going to hurt her again… If I had let her go with them, she would be fine. We would both be fine. They were going to release her and then come back for me. They said it's their policy to have their prisoner's examined by a healer before they release them. It's their way to be certain their prisoners are treated well. Garen, it's my fault," Obi-Wan told him. He looked down at the floor again, unable to face the teen beside him who was also Melody's friend. Garen had also once dated her.
"But you had no way of knowing that," Garen tried to reassure him. "I would have tried to protect her too. And she would have done the same for you."
"Correct Padawan Muln is," Yoda's unmistakable voice filled the room. "Your fault Padawan Kazala's injuries were not. Know the consequences of being a Jedi she does. Blame yourself you should not."
"Yes Master," Obi-Wan nodded somberly. He could feel everyone in the waiting room watching him. Suddenly he felt very uncomfortable.
The hiss of the waiting room doors sliding open immediately moved everyone's attention away from himself. Healer Toxia and her Padawan Li-Hahla entered the waiting room.
"Masters, I must speak with you in my office," Toxia spoke first.
As the four Council members rose to follow the healer to her office, Obi-Wan spoke. "What's wrong? Is Melody alright?"
"Padawan Kenobi," the healer began "my Padawan will inform you of Padawan Kazala's status and answer any questions that you may have. I must speak with the Masters in private," Toxia replied and turned to leave the room knowing the Masters would follow her.
"Obi-Wan, please try to calm down. I'll let you know as much as I can later," Sifo-Dyas told him through the Master/Padawan bond they shared.
"Yes Master," the young man replied through the bond and sat back down dejectedly. The connection he shared with Master Sifo-Dyas was not as strong as the bond he had shared with Qui-Gon Jinn before he died. Obi-Wan often thought about his first Master. How his former Master had died was never discovered. It bothered Obi-Wan that he had not had the chance to say goodbye to Qui-Gon and let him know how much he meant to him.
When the four Masters and Healer Toxia left the room, the heads of the six Padawans turned to Li-Hahla. They were impatiently waiting for answers to their friend's condition.
"We removed the projectile from Melody's neck," the young Apprentice Healer began. "The wound is healing nicely."
When the Padawan paused, Salene stood up. "But," she prompted. Salene's personality often matched Melody's sometimes unjedi-like one.
"But," Li-Hahla continued with an audible sigh, "Melody had an allergic reaction to the medication the Hocha gave her. We almost lost her. She still is not responding to our counter medications very well."
"So what happens now?" Salene glared at the older Twi'lek Padawan. Obi-Wan noticed the fear in Salene's green eyes and the way her hands were balled into fists at her sides. He knew the sometimes-hostile Padawan was afraid she would lose her friend. Obi-Wan was afraid that she would attack Li-Hahla.
"We're making arrangements for a transport to take her to a planet more advanced in medical technology. They will help her."
"Are they sending her home again?" Salene questioned. "The last time they sent her home, she was gone for a year. She was not quite the same when she came back," Salene said. The girl took a step closer to Li-Hahla.
The incident Salene referred to was one that had happened three years ago. Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan were sent to rescue Melody, who had been kidnapped after her Master Garaar was injured. When they found her, Melody had been severely beaten and raped. She had been sent away from the Temple for a long time. Obi-Wan was grateful, however, that she had no memory of what had happened to her. He did not know if she was really going to be sent home this time though. He wondered what the name of her home planet was.
"Salene, I know that you're worried about Melody. I am too. She is always nice to me when she comes here," Li-Hahla told her. "But we don't know what else to do to help her. The healers of her home world can help her; I hope. We are certain though; if she remains here, she will die."
"What about Master Garaar?" Élan broke the silence that had begun to fill the room. "She is on her home world with my Master." Tears swelled in the young girl's eyes.
"We have already contacted her. A transport will pick her up and take her to Melody's home," Li-Hahla assured Élan.
Élan nodded her head. The tears finally began to slide down her rosy cheeks. If Bant had not had to leave on a mission early this morning, Obi-Wan was certain that the Mon Calamari would have consoled the younger girl. His long time friend would have consoled the girl as she had three years ago when Melody was injured the first time.
Obi-Wan had not been in the crèche since Qui-Gon had died, and he entered slowly. He was unsure of what he should say to the toddler that Melody had befriended. Master Ali Alan had agreed to let him take Ember for a walk through The Room of a Thousand Fountains when he had contacted him earlier.
Unlike himself, Qui-Gon had always been good with children. Obi-Wan remembered the man dragging him to the Crèche numerous times before he died. He had hated it. Obi-Wan had thought their time would have been better spent practicing his katas and forms or dueling together. Now he wished he had time to sit with Qui-Gon in the crèche and listen to him tell the children stories that he had learned when he was a child or had made up. Sometimes the Master would also sing to them. Obi-Wan was surprised to learn how much the Jedi Master had enjoyed spending time with the children.
"Obi-Wan," Ali Alan greeted him with a smile as the Padawan entered the room. The sounds of children's laughter and the clanging of blocks filled the room. "I'm glad that you're here. Ember is eager to go for a walk." The man looked like he was ready to take an early retirement.
"Are you alright?" Obi-Wan asked. For at least the fifth time that day, he wondered if it was a good idea to speak with the little girl.
"Yes. Ember is angry today and because she's angry, little Qui-Gon is angry. I assure you they're quite a handful at times."
Obi-Wan nodded, he wondered what Master Qui-Gon had been like at that age. He imagined that his first Master had been a handful like his namesake. "Why is Ember mad?"
"She wants Padawan Kazala. It seems Melody promised Ember that they would spend some time together before she was to leave with Master Garaar."
Obi-Wan nodded once more. Telling the young girl what had happened to Melody would not be easy.
"Ember, he's here," Master Ali-Alan announced. The room quieted momentarily and a little red haired girl stood up, quickly toddling toward him. A boy, who appeared about a year older, rose to his feet and glared at Obi-Wan with his arms crossed over his chest. A frown covered the youngster's face.
When the little girl reached them, Obi-Wan knelt down on one knee to speak with her. "You must be Ember D'on," he said. When she nodded, he continued. "My name is Obi-Wan Kenobi. Are you ready to go for our walk?"
"Can I-Gone come too," Ember asked with a glance back toward the frowning boy.
"Not today. I need to talk to you alone."
"What about Melly? Can't leave, she gonna come see me today. She might come when I'm gone."
"I'm a friend of Melody's. She asked me to speak with you. I thought we could go for a walk through The Room of A Thousand Fountains," Obi-Wan told her.
"I like Room of Fountains," Ember smiled up at him. Her green eyes sparkled in the light of the Crèche. As Obi-Wan stood up and took her tiny hand in his, he noticed Master Qui-Gon Jinn's namesake take a step forward as if he was going to try to prevent them from leaving. However, he seemed to reconsider, and he stopped and stayed still. Obi-Wan and Ember walked out of the large room hand in hand. The young girl suddenly seemed very happy as she practically skipped down the corridor leading toward the lift tube.
Obi-Wan sat on a bench in the Temple gardens with Ember sitting on his lap. While they had walked through the paths in The Room of a Thousand Fountains, the girl had begun to cry. Obi-Wan thought it would be best to sit down with the girl. He tried to remember all the times that Ali Alan or Qui-Gon had comforted him or told him something that he may not have wanted to hear when he was younger. "Melody wanted me to come and see you," he finally began.
"Master Ali Alan say Melly went on mission. He no say when she come back. You know when she come back? I made picture of her home world that she always talk about."
Obi-Wan took a deep breath and said "Ember, Melody got sick while we were on the mission."
"I want to see her. Picture make her feel better. She bring me chocolates from Galania when I sick." The girl squirmed in his lap trying to get away to go to the healers. Obi-Wan could not help but wonder if Galania was the correct name of Melody's home planet.
"I'm sure she would really like that, but she is very sick and she was sent away to special healers who can help her get better."
"She gonna leave and never come back like Master I-Gone did," the girl sobbed.
Obi-Wan closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "I don't know," he admitted. Unshed tears rimmed his own red eyes as the young girl wrapped herself in his arms and cried into the material of his tunic sleeve. Not knowing what else to do, Obi-Wan moved his hand in small circles on the girl's back as she cried. After crying for a few minutes the girl repositioned herself on his lap, yawned and laid her head down on Obi-Wan's chest. He began to rock her slowly back and forth while continuing to rub her back. Without conscious thought, the young man began to sing a child's song he remembered Qui-Gon singing to the children that he used to visit. Within minutes, the young one fell asleep in his arms. He continued to hold her for nearly an hour before he carried her back to the crèche.
To be continued…
