Chapter 14 It Came as a Whisper

"Hi!" Boba said as he poked his head into Zak's room.

"Hi, yourself." Zak answered, looking up from his data pad.

"Can I come in?" Boba asked.

"Do you need to ask?" Zak replied with a question.

Boba walked in and plopped down in the chair by the window, "No offense, Zak; but you're a mess." He said.

"Well, try falling into a pile of rocks and see what you look like." Zak answered.

Boba's eyes narrowed, "You didn't fall; you know it and I know it." He stated. "Who pushed you?"

Zak's answer came quickly, "I don't remember what happened."

"Who did it, Zak? And I'll make them pay." Boba persisted.

"The last thing I remember is walking out to the place where I fell." Zak lied.

"Well, you're not clumsy enough to fall, somebody pushed you; and when I find out who it was…" Boba trailed off.

"You'll what? Revenge is wrong, Boba." Zak told him.

Boba sat back in the chair looking defeated, "I know, the Chancellor has already talked to me about that; but whoever pushed you shouldn't be able to get away with it. It just isn't right." He said.

"Well, maybe it was an accident; and then he just got scared and ran off." Zak suggested.

"Then he should still have to pay for leaving you there. You could have died." Boba replied.

"Ah, Zak; you have another visitor; should I come back later?" PT7 asked as it came into the room and detected Boba there.

"No, that's alright; I was just leaving." Boba said hastily.

"But you just got here. Why don't you walk down the hall with me?" Zak offered.

"Well, oh; you mean the droid is here to help you walk?" Boba asked.

"Yes, this is PT7; I'd love the company, it would make it easier." Zak answered.

"Oh, well….alright…I mean if you really need me…I guess." Boba stammered.

"That's alright; if you don't want to come, you don't have to." Zak said as PT7 slipped the sleeve over Zak's cast and buckled it securely.

"Well, the Chancellor isn't coming for another hour, so I really don't have anything better to do." Boba replied.

"Oh good." Zak answered as he slipped off the bed and PT7 handed him his crutches.

"Let us see if you can do four trips this time, Zak." PT7 suggested.

"Great." Zak said, making his way to the door.

Boba followed him, hands outstretched, waiting for him to fall, "What are you doing back there, Boba? Can't you keep up with me?" Zak asked.

"No, I…er…that is…umm." Boba replied.

"What?" Zak asked.

"I believe he thinks you will fall, Zak." PT7 answered.

Zak stopped and maneuvered around to face Boba, glared at him and said, "What, you feel sorry for me now? I don't need that, Boba; I'm not going to fall. Now, either walk next to me or leave me alone." He then turned himself back and proceeded down the hallway, leaving Boba standing there lost for words, "Are you coming or not?" He asked without turning around.

Boba joined him then and they walked together for the four trips up and down the hall. Shortly after that, Bail arrived to see Zak, himself, and to pick Boba up, "Well, you are certainly looking better than you did a few days ago." He noted.

"Thank you, Sir; I should be back on my feet in no time." Zak replied.

"Good, glad to hear it." Bail answered. "Well, we should get going; I have some government business to attend to. Boba, come."

"Yes, sir; I'll be in again to see you, Zak." Boba promised as he followed the Chancellor out.

"I hope so." Zak said.

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When Obi-Wan told Yoda what he had learned from Zak, the elderly master immediately called a special Council meeting to discuss what steps should be taken next. Those Council members not at the Temple attended the meeting via holographic image.

"Are you saying that Zak believes Force sensitive younglings were actually murdered?" Ki Adi Mundi asked when Obi-Wan had informed them of Zak's experience.

"Yes, Master." Obi-Wan confirmed, "Possibly by their own parents."

"That is outrageous; we should send Jedi there immediately to investigate this." Mace said.

"Anakin and I…" Obi-Wan began.

"You are too close to this, Master Kenobi; we should send a team that…." Adi Gallia started to say.

"With all due respect, Masters; may I say something?" Anakin interrupted.

"You are a member of this Council, Anakin." Ki Adi said, "You have as much right to speak here as anyone else."

"Thank, Master; I would just like to say that Master Kenobi and I have both already been to Belarid. Master Kenobi knows the place that his apprentice mentioned; wouldn't it be advisable for us to go rather than a team that has never been there and would have no idea where to look?" Anakin suggested.

"A point you have, Master Skywalker; quicker the truth we will see if handle this you and Master Kenobi do." Yoda concurred.

"That is settled then; Master Kenobi, you and Master Skywalker will travel to Belarid immediately to discover what you can." Ki Adi said.

"There is one other thing, Masters." Obi-Wan added.

"No, your Padawan you cannot take." Yoda stated firmly.

"You want to take your apprentice back to Belarid?" Stass Allie asked.

"He has asked me to take him; I believe it is his right to go." Obi-Wan answered.

"You want to put Zak, who has not even fully recovered yet, into a potentially dangerous situation like that?" Mace asked.

"I believe this is his decision to make; I will be with him at all times, there will be no danger." Obi-Wan persisted.

"Master Kenobi, you are still without the use of the Force; how could you protect him?" Master Knoth asked.

"I can protect him; I can protect them both until Obi-Wan's Force sense returns." Anakin assured them.

"And young Perrin's decision this is to return to Belarid?" Yoda asked.

"Yes, Master; you must understand, Zak shares a kinship with them. He feels tied to them because they are from Belarid and because they were Force sensitive like he was…is." Obi-Wan explained.

"We shall trust your judgment on this, Master Kenobi. When do you plan to leave?" Mace asked.

"I'd like to give Zak two days to get some of his strength back. Hopefully by that time, our Force sense will also have returned." Obi-Wan answered.

"Very well, we will allow your apprentice to accompany you." Mace concluded. "If there is nothing else, I would say this meeting is over."

Obi-Wan walked with Anakin in the direction of the Temple speeder bay; he wanted to let Zak know the Council's decision that he be allowed to return to Belarid, "Thank you, Anakin." He said.

"For what? All I did was to assure the Council that we would be the best choice to go to Belarid." Anakin replied.

"Well, without that, they would have never agreed to let either me or Zak go." Obi-Wan told him, "Especially now."

Anakin put a hand on his brother's shoulder, "It will come back; I know, I've seen it." He said confidently. "And Zak?" Obi-Wan ventured.
Anakin shook his head, "I don't know that yet." He answered.

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Zak hobbled gamely down the hall next to PT7; he was on his fourth round and he was bound and determined to reach the goal of six set by the therapy droid. He had decided that he would be ready in two days when his master and Master Anakin left for Belarid; he would not be left behind.

"You are doing very well, Zak; do you feel stronger?" PT7 asked.

"Yes, I think so; at least it seems like I am. It's easier doing this now than it was this morning." Zak answered.

"Ah, then that means you are getting stronger." PT7 told him encouragingly. "You may even be strong enough to leave within the week."

"I have to be strong enough to leave in two days, PT." Zak replied.

"Aha, you still wish to leave for Belarid then?" PT7 asked.

"I am going to Belarid; there is no wish." Zak corrected.

"Well, we shall see." PT7 answered.

Zak let PT7's last comment go; he would be leaving for Belarid in two days whether PT7 thought he was ready or not. He was just completing his fifth round when he spotted Obi-Wan coming down the hall toward him, "Hello, Master!" He said.

"Well, you're certainly looking better." Obi-Wan replied.

"Yes, Master; I'm up to six rounds already." Zak answered proudly.

"You have only done five so far, Zak." PT7 corrected.

"I know, but I'm going to do six." Zak said.

"That's good, because the Council has agreed to let you come with Master Anakin and I to Belarid." Obi-Wan informed him.

"Master Kenobi, may I remind you that Zak may not be ready to leave this medical center in two days?" ND25 said as it joined them.

"I think he will be; but why don't we just wait and see?" Obi-Wan answered.

"Very well, we shall see. Zak, I believe you have one more round to complete and then I will check to see how you are doing." ND25 replied before continuing down the hall to its next patient.

"Boba came to see me." Zak said as he turned back down the hallway for his last round.

"Yes, the Chancellor thought he might." Obi-Wan answered, slowing his pace to walk with his apprentice.

"He knows I was pushed; did you tell him?" Zak asked.

"No, Zak; but Boba is very smart and he knows you well enough to know you could not have just fallen." Obi-Wan replied.

"Well, I'm not going to tell him Terak did it; he wants revenge." Zak said.

"That is a wise decision." Obi-Wan told him.

Fifteen minutes later, Zak was back in his room and being helped into bed by his master. PT7 removed the protective sleeve and placed Zak's broken leg back in the sling, "We will continue in the morning, Zak, with six rounds again." It said.

"Why not eight?" Zak asked.

"We will continue with six rounds, no more." PT7 answered sternly.

ND25 entered just in time to hear the end of that conversation, "You will do as PT7 instructs, Zak." It said.

"But I have to leave in two days; tell them, Master." Zak pleaded.

"I trust PT7's judgment, you should too." Obi-Wan answered.

"Alright, Master, then I will too." Zak told him.

"Well, you are doing very well, Zak; I am pleased with your progress. Will you need anything before I go to check my other patients? Otherwise, I will come back in an hour to check on you again." ND25 asked.

"No, not right now; thank you, ND." Zak answered.

"Very well, I will see you an hour." ND25 replied.

"Six rounds tomorrow morning and we shall build on that." PT7 confirmed before leaving.
"Alright, six rounds." Zak agreed…reluctantly.

When both droids had gone, Obi-Wan handed Zak another data pad and then collected the other two, "Oh, Master; she didn't send me another one." Zak said.

"Yes, but this one is important; it's a history of Belarid." Obi-Wan answered, "Read it, study it and see if there is any clue in there to explain why the Belaridians started killing their Force sensitive younglings."

"Yes, Master." Zak replied, taking the data pad and beginning to skim over it.

"I thought that one would interest you." Obi-Wan commented.

"Yes, Master." Zak repeated, clearly distracted.

Obi-Wan smiled and sat down in the chair near the window; he would wait, until he apprentice grew tired, until he was asleep. He did not have to wait long; Zak's eyelids drooped and the data pad fell into his lap. Obi-Wan stood up, retrieved the data pad and set it on the bed table, "I'm sorry, Master; I'll finish it in the morning." Zak slurred, as he struggled to open his eyes to look at Obi-Wan.

Obi-Wan patted his shoulder and touched his cheek lightly, "Tomorrow will be soon enough." He replied.

"Yes…I…prom…ise…to…" Zak trailed off.

"I know; goodnight, Padawan." Obi-Wan said as he stroked Zak's forehead and then turned to leave.

"'Night, Master." Zak answered.
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Anakin was standing in the speeder bay, waiting for him, when he returned to the Temple, "So, how is Zak tonight?" He asked.

"Better; ready to go." Obi-Wan answered.

"That's good. Will he be ready?" Anakin asked.

"Oh, I think so. I don't think wild banthas would keep him from going." Obi-Wan replied.

"The Chancellor contacted Master Yoda; he wants Boba to come with us." Anakin said.

"I don't think that's such a good idea. Zak said he's out for revenge; it would cause trouble if he went after Terak." Obi-Wan told him.

"Only if he found out it was Terak." Anakin pointed out.

"Anakin, Boba is smart enough to figure it out." Obi-Wan said.

"Well, we'll just have to see to it that he doesn't." Anakin replied.

"You sound as if you agree with the Chancellor." Obi-Wan deduced.

"I do; Boba could be very useful; I think he could get access to things that we couldn't." Anakin answered.

"Well, I have to tell you, I don't like it; however, you do have a point." Obi-Wan conceded.

They walked together to the living quadrant and parted company, each heading for their own quarters, "May the Force be with you, Obi-Wan." Anakin said.

"And may it be with you, Anakin." Obi-Wan replied.
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It came as a whisper in the early hours just before dawn. Obi-Wan felt the faint stirrings of his awakening Force sense and it brought him out of his peaceful sleep. First, the quiet rustlings of his sleeping brother, then gradually, others added to it; Master Yoda, Mace and the rest of the Council members, the many other Jedi whose names he did not know and then, finally, very faintly, his own Padawan. "I told it would be back." Anakin's voice said. "I know." Obi-Wan answered. "Can you feel Zak?" "Yes, faintly." "Good; we'll go see him in the morning."
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Zak awoke briefly, feeling the faint presence of his own Force sense, but much weaker than before. He reached out, and even though there was so little for him to reach out with, he could feel the patients in the rooms nearby, ND25 making its ceaseless rounds and PT7, who had shut down for the night. With great concentration, he attempted to reach out to the Temple, to his master….however, the distance was too great and he failed, "It's alright; it will get better, I know, it will get better." He said to the empty room before falling back to sleep.