CHAPTER 3
Obi-Wan's mind was racing as he ushered the Senator and his daughter into the space port.
"I think it would be best if we could get you off the planet as soon as possible. Do you have a transport we could use?" Obi-Wan asked, feverishly searching for ways to get the Senator's daughter out of the space port safely. He was interrupted by the condescending reply of the Senator:
"Of course we have transports, boy. We might not be important enough for an ACTUAL JEDI, but we do have at least one ship that we can use!" the Senator's reply was dripping with icy disdain of the teen in front of him. Obi-Wan would have his work cut out for him if both the Senator and his daughter held the same opinion of him.
"I meant no disrespect sir. Perhaps you could show me to this ship so we can get your daughter off the planet as soon as possible." Obi-Wan was trying to be as diplomatic as possible. It seemed to be working, because the Senator just turned around and started walking off to another part of spaceport.
"After you milady," Obi-Wan said with a bow.
"I have a name you know. Tara Yahrai. Use it. I don't want to be 'milady' for the entire trip."
Despite her abrupt manner Obi-wan could sense that she didn't like her father's way of dealing with people and would probably be more co-operative than her condescending kin. Things could definitely be worse.
"Of course, Miss Yahrai," With that they followed the Senator to the ship.
It was a class Bohememaya ship, nothing out of the ordinary to bring unwanted attention to it. Its sleek design would definitely prove useful for dodging anything that tried to track them. The interior was small, but not cramped. The ship was called The Silver Sands and wasn't equipped with weaponry, so it wouldn't stand a chance if attacked. Obi-Wan wasn't very happy with the choice of vessel. It was good for a pleasure cruise, but not this type of mission.
Handing his daughter's bags to the young jedi to load, the Senator went to his daughter and began to lecture her about what would happen when the "incompetent jedi boy" finally got her to Couruscant. Obi-Wan stood on the ramp of the ship until they were done talking to smoothly swoop down, pick up Tara's luggage and usher her into the waiting ship.
Obi-Wan was on alert as he pulled The Silver Sands out of the landing bay. Ominous warnings kept swirling through his mind, it made it so much harder for him to stay calm and centered but he couldn't lose focus and disappoint his master. Not after everything they'd been through. The council trusted him with the great honor of senior padawan. He couldn't let them down. He could handle a simple mission like this; he didn't need to call them. What would he say? He "had a bad feeling about this"? Somehow the ginger haired teen didn't think that would really fly with them. No, he decided he didn't need to call for help or backup. /come on Kenobi. You can handle this. Just do it/ he silently chided himself. Shaking his head he double checked the co-ordinates and went into the back room to meditate.
"Don't tell me to wait. I need to find him!" it seemed as if nothing could calm the usually stoic Jedi master now.
"Qui. Calm down. You're going to wear a hole in the carpet. You're acting like an initiate! Get a hold of yourself!" Mace called to his friend from his spot behind the controls.
"Sorry Mace I can't seem to help it. He told me he had a bad feeling about this and I told him to stop focusing on his anxieties. He kept thinking something was going to be wrong, and now it has. Obi-Wan's in trouble and it's all my fault because I told him he was just getting nervous about his first solo mission." The large master sighed heavily. Everything was going so wrong. Just yesterday it was completely the opposite. Life would never cease amazing him with how fast it could change. He sat on the nearest bench with another sigh. Mace was right. Pacing didn't help anything.
"We all make mistakes Qui-Gon. It just seems that everything you do is bigger than normal," Mace said. He knew the situation was nothing to joke about but he couldn't help it.
" 'Bigger than normal'? How is everything I do 'bigger than normal'!"
"Oh, I don't know Qui, we'll start with the fact that you look like your seven and a half feet tall. Now let's move on. All of your accomplishments seem extraordinary. That's why you're a hero even to the Jedi. Keep walking down the hall of your life and your mistakes, well, no offense, but they tend to be catastrophic." Mace paused and glanced at his long-time friend.
"Gee, Mace, what a comforting thought that is right about now," Qui-Gon snapped. "Catastrophic. That's really what I want to hear!"
Just then the calm rhythmic tapping of a cane announced the presence of Yoda.
"Calm yourself you will, padawan of mine," Yoda stated in an admonishing tone.
"Sorry, master" Qui-Gon said, looking properly ashamed for not controlling his emotions better, "I think I'll go meditate for a while."
"A good idea that would be. A clear head you will need for this mission," The small green master replied as Qui-Gon headed down the hall to his quarters.
Obi-Wan couldn't ignore the sudden intensity of the warning signals the force was slamming into his mind. It was screaming something wrong. The ship lurched sickeningly. Obi-Wan leapt up and raced to the control room of the ship. Confusion washed over him - the only thing that could have made them stop would have been… a collision? Out the window there was a pirate ship Obi-Wan recognized as Letharion. They were known for setting traps in space and waiting for a ship to hit and then boarding in the ensuing vulnerability. The Silver sands jerked again, and Obi-Wan knew that they were caught in the Letharion's tractor beam and there wasn't much time to get the Senator's daughter out.
Rushing to Tara's room, Obi-Wan opened the door and was greeted by being immediately latched onto by a nearly hysterical Senator's daughter.
"Oh my goodness! Obi-Wan, what's going on? Is something wrong? What's happening?" her words were coming out all in one frantic breath of nervous rambling.
"Please miss Yahrai, keep calm, I promise you will be fine, all right? I need you to get to the escape pod, alright?" Obi-Wan said in a soothing voice.
"E….escape…pod? things are that bad?" Tara asked, almost in shock, staring at her jedi protector wide-eyed.
"I can't be sure miss, but I want you to be safe. Can you get there on your own?" He replied, sending calming waves to the terrified girl clinging to him.
"Yes. Yes, I can." She said, nodding slowly.
"Good. I need you to go there now, alright?" Obi-Wan said, looking her straight in the eyes, making sure she understood the importance of what he was asking her to do. She nodded again and slowly let go of Obi-Wan's robes and gathered a few of her possessions and made her way to The Silver Sands' only escape pod.
Almost as soon as Tara was settled in the pod she found the doors sliding shut on her. She was about to ask what was going on when Obi-Wan strode into view. He pressed the comm button and began to explain the situation.
"We hit a pirate trap. They'll be boarding this ship soon. I'm going to protect you as long as I can, but there isn't enough room in that escape pod for both of us. Even if something should happen to me, you still need to launch this thing, okay?"
"What? No! that's-that's…I can't do that!" she protested.
"It's my job to protect you. That's what I'm going to do. Okay?" He said, slightly exasperated. He didn't want her to act the hero. He just wanted to get her out of here.
"No! Jedi padawan Kenobi, I will not leave you here!" she said stubbornly. All she got was a glance of stormy blue-grey eyes, and three words:
"You have to" With that Obi-Wan ended the transmission and took up his guard in front of the escape pod. If the Letharion didn't take over the ship, he'd let her out and apologize. The chances of the Letharion's not taking over the ship were nearly six-hundred to one.
Through the small viewing glass in the escape pod Tara watched Obi-Wan ignite his lightsaber and take up guard outside her door. With baited breath she heard the rumble of marching down the corridors and her jedi protector do his valiant best. Deflecting the torrent of laser bolts that came their way. Over and over she saw him twist and leap, not letting a single bolt get past him. Past him, she realized as she watched him take a bolt to the shoulder. She could tell he was getting tired, and was about to open the escape pod hatch and drag him in, when suddenly she realized it was being released.
Obi-Wan used the last of his strength when he applied the force to launch Tara's escape pod to Courascant. He then let the darkness he had been battling carry him into sweet unconsciousness, where he could feel no pain.
Tara Yahrai would be haunted by the image of Obi-Wan falling under the pirate's fire, until he is found again.
Squeee! I got another chapter out! Yay! I love all of my reviewers a ton, but I recently was sent a petition that said some author got frozen for answering reviews. So, know I read it and that I thank you so incredibly much and I really, truly appreciate it. Um…yeah. I just started high school, so my already my chapters will be
E...V.…E…..N…...S….…L….…..O……...W….……E….………R. sorry. Nothing I can do about it. Please review!
