Listening to the two children speak about the war between their peoples Liera felt the force around them shiver with sadness, anger, and regret. Yet they did an amazing job keeping any hate they felt to themselves, if they even felt hate at all. Mostly she just sensed their conviction and their exhaustion.
They just wanted it all to stop.
Obi-wan chimed in when the other two looked to him for help or guidance and she could feel that the affection they had for him was returned. It was nice to see the three of them supporting one another… now if only they didn't have to do it out of sheer necessity.
"I can see what you're trying to do." She said when they'd finished explaining. "And while I can't say I approve," she saw Nield's narrow eyed glare from the corner of her eye, "I am not in charge here." That seemed to calm the taller boy, until he met her eyes and went still. "But I have been on battlefields as a medic since I was twelve, and I will not let you do this alone without support." And nothing they said could change her mind.
Turning to Obi-wan she reached for her belt and was surprised when it was Haven who answered her intentions. Of her lightsabers it was normally Guardian, the more aggressive of the two, who would allow others to wield them. Well, so long as it was in defense of her or in line with the wishes of the force. But as Haven pulsed with gentle light she couldn't help smiling. Unclipping the weapon from her belt she held it out to the other padawan.
He stared at the weapon in her hand in confusion and awe. "B-but that's your lightsaber! Your lightsaber is your life! You can't just give it to me!"
"Padawan Kenobi," she said gently, "a lightsaber is a part of us but it is not the sum of all we are. I want you to be safe and so does Haven or they wouldn't have offered to be wielded." Taking his hand she placed the lightsaber in his palm and gave him a reassuring smile when Haven pulsed in welcome, making the boy jump slightly.
"It… they feel so alive." Holding the weapon in his hand Liera almost wanted to chuckle at how easily it fit in the boy's palm. She knew she was small and she had no doubt that although he was short now he would be taller than she was when he was older. The bright coppery orange light of his spirit spoke of someone with endless determination, inner strength, and a selfless desire to help others.
"Guardian and Haven are Adegans. They have more of a force presence and a sentience than Kyber, but are much harder to bond with." She stepped back and motioned the other children to as well. "Go ahead and hit the switch, see how it feels."
The boy looked up at her, blue eyes intense as if looking for whatever she may be hiding. Liera left her presence open to him, letting him feel her sincerity and acceptance. The boy's hand tightened around the hilt and he nodded. Thumbing the switch he marveled at the white blade that hummed gently, a soothing sound that always made her feel safe.
"I've never seen a white lightsaber before… what does it mean?" He asked as he carefully waved the lightsaber back and forth to get a feel for how the energy moved.
"I'm told there were more of them back when Adegans were more common and easier to acquire. White is for those who use the light side of the force but don't always follow conventional rules." She grinned. "It's also a color common for healers, or so I've been told."
"They're so… gentle." The boy breathed in quiet awe.
"Haven is my defensive weapon, I use them when I am defending those I'm trying to heal. They like those who help others, protectors and healers." She looked the boy in the eyes. "I think you could be both."
The boy looked startled, eyes filled with uncertainty as he powered down the weapon in his hand. "I… are you certain I can use this?"
"I am, and Haven agrees with me." She stepped closer and put a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Padawan Obi-wan Kenobi," she said softly, "you stayed on this planet because your spirit and the force called you to act, to protect the innocent. I have rarely seen a more worthy cause in need of Jedi intervention than this one. I would be honored if you would help me protect these innocent lives."
The boy's eyes watered, his breath hitching slightly, but he pulled himself together quickly. Clutching her lightsaber to his chest he nodded. "Thank you, Padawan Buraaisuh."
She laughed as she pulled her hand away from his shoulder. "Please, call me Liera."
"Of course, Padawan Liera. Please feel free to call me Obi-wan as well."
Nield snorted in amusement and both of them turned to look at the other boy. "You both sound so… fancy." He shrugged, unrepentant, as Obi-wan rolled his eyes.
"So, what's the plan? I already told you that my master is on her way here but until then I'm at your, and the Young's, service." She tested her connection to the force and winced. "Although I will need some time to heal from my force exhaustion." She sighed. "Meditating somewhere where there is a lot of life would help me, but I have a feeling that such a place would be hard to find at the moment." She looked over the children for a moment before an idea began to form.
"Obi-wan, how much of the emergency medical course have you completed?"
The boy's eyes widened slightly before a contemplative look came over him. "I… completed the initiate and level one padawan courses."
"And have you done any Living force meditations?" The other children were looking between them, Cerasi openly curious and Nield hiding his behind a stoic expression. It would take time for her to earn the older boy's trust it seemed.
"A… few. My… former master was very strong in the Living force. But I'm… not very good at it." He admitted with a feeling she could only call inadequacy.
"Oh, you lean more toward the Unifying force, then?" He nodded apprehensively but Liera gave him a reassuring smile. "That's handy. I'm attuned to the Living force very strongly so I often don't sense danger until right before it happens. With you paying attention to the currents of the Unifying force we can avert disaster before it happens."
The boy's expression went lax with surprise and she felt a wave of something that was hard to describe. It was like a rolling wave of relief, joy, and hope mixed with a sickly sensation of guilt and uncertainty.
It was obvious that someone had taught the boy to fear his own abilities and when she got her hands on them- there would be a reckoning.
She swore on the force.
"Even if you aren't a master at Living force meditation I can still teach you more advanced field medicine and simple force healing. The kind that my master believes every Jedi should learn, and I completely agree with her." She chuckled at the curious look in his eyes and how his aura brightened.
"Do you have any trouble with visions that I should know about? I know how to pull someone back if they're stuck in the current of the force and can guard your meditation if you need it."
The boy swallowed and the rolling emotions were back before he pulled his shields tighter. "I… no. I'm not having any trouble with visions."
"Obi-wan… you should tell her." Cerasi said, putting a hand gently on his arm. "She just wants to help, right? You should tell her."
The boy deflated in the face of his friend's soft plea. Turning to look up at her, his eyes a dull gray, he let out a sigh. "I have dreams that often come true. Sometimes they feel like nightmares, but other times they feel so real. I've… been having trouble sleeping." He rubbed his hand along his arm, a self-comforting gesture.
"Thank you for telling me. I can help you shield your mind from the nightmares if you like. The visions will be a little trickier but not impossible to handle. At the very least I can help you differentiate between a nightmare and a warning." She looked him dead in the eye as she spoke. "There is no shame in having a strong connection to the Unifying force, Obi-wan. The force flows through all things, big and small, past and present. It connects us all. Even though a strong connection can be a burden, you don't have to carry that burden alone." She let out a small huff of amusement. "I learned that the hard way."
The boy seemed very surprised by her words and again she wondered who in their right mind had hurt this kind child.
"Would you like to meditate now so I can help with those shields?"
"Ah, yes please. I fear I am in need of a long meditation session." He said with an embarrassed blush.
Liera turned toward Nield and Cerasi. "Is there somewhere we can sit that won't be in the way?"
"There's a blocked off area that we don't really go, except to place a guard just in case." Nield said with a shrug, eying the redhead as if trying to ascertain whether or not meditating with the older padawan would be helpful or not.
"Verte is going to switch places with Dilun soon. She can walk you there." Cerasi said as she looked between Obi-wan and Liera. "Are you sure you're up for it though?" Her eyes narrowed slightly and she put a hand on her hip. "You've been unconscious for three whole days."
"I'll be fine, thank you. As a healer I know my own limits, even if I went a bit overboard earlier." She said sheepishly, cheeks turning faintly pink. "What I'm going to be doing with Obi-wan won't require any force use from me. I'll just be joining him for meditation. He's strong enough to help himself, he just needs a little guidance."
The boy in question gave her a skeptical look but she ignored it. Considering the emotions she could feel coming off of him she knew she had her work cut out for her. It was obvious he didn't think much of himself, and she was going to put the blame solely on his former master until she had proof that it was not their doing.
Raising a padawan was a privilege that carried with it a duty to do everything in ones power to teach, protect, and care for the one in your charge. It was an honor to have someone choose to place their trust and future in your hands. The fact that this boy's master had just thrown that all away… it made her beyond angry.
This brave child deserved someone who would put him and his needs above their own, who would show him the affection he was clearly starved for.
"If you're sure." Cerasi said with a small frown.
"I am." Besides, she needed to work on her own shields. They had been torn apart by whatever it was that had brought her there in the first place.
Cerasi disappeared beyond the fabric they had been using to keep the medical area separated from the rest of the sewer and came back a moment later with a girl who was around the age of ten, if Liera had to guess. "Verte, this is Liera, she's the Jedi who promised to help us. I need you to take her and Obi-wan with you when you switch with Dilun."
The little girl's blue eyes went wide. "Did you know you glow?" Were the first words out of her mouth.
Liera laughed at the scandalized look on Obi-wan's face and grabbed at her middle to try and keep herself standing upright as her shoulders shook with mirth. "Yes, young one, I know. All the people on my planet glow." She said truthfully. "And they all have special eyes like mine." She gave the girl a mischievous grin.
"Special how?" Nield asked, eyes narrowed. Cerasi and Obi-wan shared a look but she didn't dwell on it.
"I can see in the dark, much like a nocturnal animal can. Night time is like the middle of the day for me, but that also means my eyes are sensitive to bright lights." She shrugged at the fascinated looks she was getting. "It's perfectly normal for me so it can be a little hard to explain."
"That would be pretty handy." The boy said. "Being able to see in the dark means you could ambush the Elders, but the glowing kind of gives you away."
"I'm not very good at sneaking anyway. My combat style is a mix between Ataru and Soresu." When the children around her didn't seem to understand what that meant, besides Obi-wan, she pressed her hand against her forehead for a moment. Of course they wouldn't know that those were, they weren't initiates. "Ataru is a very aggressive lightsaber form that uses a lot of acrobatics, flips and high jumps." She explained. "Soresu is a defensive form that uses small movements and requires a lot of endurance." She slipped her hair behind her ear as she looked between the four kids.
"Aren't you a Jar'kai user?" Obi-wan asked, eyes wide as he looked down at Haven then over at Guardian who was hanging from her belt.
"I am. I'm naturally ambidextrous but it was still a lot of hard work."
"We can talk about that kind of thing later, at the war meeting." Nield interrupted, bristling slightly. "You're supposed to be helping Obi-wan right now."
Liera held back a sigh and nodded. "Of course, if Obi-wan and Verte are ready to go?"
"Oh, right! This way!" The little girl said with a bright grin.
It didn't take long to navigate the winding sewer to the out of the way spot. Thankfully, due to some blockage up the way, the area was dry and fairly clean.
Looking down at her pale colored clothes she wanted to sigh at how dirty they'd become. As a medic she frequently had to deal with bodily fluids and wasn't averse to them the same way someone who hadn't dealt with that kind of mess might be. But this wasn't just body fluids. It was festering filth that would bring about sickness. She wondered if she could convince the kids to find somewhere else that was a little more clean…
"Dilun." The little girl whisper shouted down the tunnel. A child who was standing near the end jumped slightly, turning and lifting their blaster as they did so. Once they saw Verte and Obi-wan they quickly lowered it. Though they gave Liera a narrow eyed look of distrust.
"Time to go back?" The child asked.
"Yep. Marji saved you some food." As the little girl came forward she gave the other child a quick hug. "I'll be fine, big brother Obi is with me and she's really nice." She promised.
Liera pretended she couldn't heard them, turning away to give the kids a moment to encourage and reassure each other.
"Okay. Be safe." The other child said, spirit tinting vaguely pink with joy and affection.
Ah, now that was just adorable.
"Is over here alright?" Obi-wan asked her, pointing to a small raised area that would seat them both.
"That's perfect."
Once they were situated, Verte standing guard and Obi-wan sitting across from her, she took a deep breathe and let it out slowly. "I want to get my bearings for a moment and test what I can handle, then I'll reach out to you. Is that okay?" She asked the younger padawan.
"Of course. Don't overdo it on my account." He said quickly, concerned.
She smiled. He was such a kind boy. "I'll try not to, promise." She didn't tell him not to worry about her, or that his concern was unwarranted. It wasn't up to her to dictate someone else's emotions. And she had the feeling that trying to wave off his worries would only concern him further.
Closing her eyes she fell into the vastness of the force. Everything around her was different than she remembered. It was like a darkness has slowly begun twining around the light and slowly coiling tighter- as if it was preparing to strangle the life out of it. She shivered slightly in fear but carefully took the emotion and carefully laid it in a sealed box for later. When she had more time she would examine her emotions, come to terms with them, and then let them go.
Once she felt settled enough and secure in the fact that she could touch the force without pain or exhaustion she reached out to Obi-wan. His bright coppery orange spirit darkened for a moment, as if startled, before it slowly began to brighten again. Carefully, warily, he reached back.
It was very telling about the treatment he'd received that he found reaching for another force user something to be wary of.
'Hello, Obi-wan. Will you let me inside your shields? I'm afraid they're too strong for me.'
The boy's defenses tightened before he slowly released them and allowed her inside. While he was doing that she had carefully opened herself to him, allowing him to get a full read on her in the force.
'Woah.' His mental voice was strong, but she was prepared for it. 'You feel like… like…' The sensation he shared with her was of sitting in the shade a large tree, cool wind on his face, and the sound of water gently lapping. There was a sense of life, peace, and serenity about it.
She giggled. 'You should feel me when I'm angry.' She teased. 'Would you like to see how I feel you?'
There was a long moment of quiet thought before he sent his assent.
Liera carefully crafted the vision around them, letting Obi-wan get used to the idea of sentients being colored orbs of light. Then she let him see himself as she saw him. A beautiful coppery orange with the smoothed edges of a trained force user. There were faint ribbons of color that represented his connection with others and a dull patch that represented his pain. He jolted, alarmed, but she quietly sent waves of soothing calm toward him.
'You are not shadowed because you are dark.' She explained carefully. 'It means your spirit is wounded, and anyone else in your position would be the same.' If they weren't then she had to wonder if something wasn't wrong with their head.
'I'm going to help you shore up your-'
As she was speaking she felt someone reach out to her with admonishment. Both she and Obi-wan winced at the sensation, connected as they were.
'Should be resting!' Came the stern yet exasperated voice.
'I am helping.' Sending complex thoughts was still a little difficult with the distance, although with Obi-wan's connection to the Unifying force it seemed she was able to reach much farther than usual.
Her master reached along their bond until she could touch Obi-wan's mind. Before he could snap his shields closed the woman sent him a wave of calm acceptance and apology for scaring him. 'We are near.'
'We?' She asked. But it was to no avail. The connection with her master was lost as Obi-wan drew back.
'Who was that!?' He asked her, inner voice filled with panic.
'My Master. I told you she was on her way here to help.' She drew back from the connection a little so as not to overwhelm him but stopped when he panicked and tried to pull her back.
Funny how an inner mind was so much more honest than words alone. She could feel his sense of fear at being abandoned, at being unwanted and unloved.
She wrapped him in as much quiet acceptance and friendly affection as she could. 'I'm not going anywhere, Obi-wan. I just thought you might want a moment to collect yourself.'
'Sorry…' He sounded so defeated.
'Don't be. Everyone needs a breather once in a while. There's no shame in being overwhelmed and needing to take a moment to reassess whether or not you're okay with something. Sharing like this is very personal, I wouldn't want to intrude on your privacy.'
He relaxed now that he knew she wasn't upset or about to leave.
Liera placed her fury in the box, the dark ugly brown rock now had a companion in the scarlet shard she set next to it.
'Alright. I'm going to show you how to establish shields that should hold up while you sleep. And, if you aren't opposed, we can form a temporary bond.'
The boy felt surprised. 'But, I thought that bonds were really hard to form?'
What? Who in their- no. She would think on it later.
'Not for me.' She said honestly. 'I form bonds very easily. Some might say too easily, but I am very careful to make sure those I form them with have given me their full permission.' Although somehow all but two of her bonds had snapped. It must have been her closeness with her master and padawan-brother that allowed her to still be connected to them. 'The bond will let me help you if you have a nightmare or a particularly powerful vision. I can use the Living force to anchor you so you don't get swept away.'
The shocked silence was uncomfortable but she endured it with quiet serenity. He didn't need her righteous anger right now. He needed her stability.
'…the Living force can do that?' She felt his harp pain and grief, along with a vague sense of betrayal.
'It can. But… if I'm being honest not everyone with a connection to the Living side of the force can do this. Some can do it naturally,' like herself, 'while others need a special class to learn. All mind healers learn how to do this, so do most force healers.' She waited a moment. 'I'll only do it if you want me to. This is something that can help but it's not the only way, just the easiest.' If she had more of a connection to the Unifying or Cosmic force she might have been able to help him more…
But there was no changing how she interacted with the force. It just was.
'If- if you're fine with it. I… I need help.' He admitted.
'That's what I'm here for.' She smiled. 'To help.' Reaching deeper she held out her metaphorical hand.
Obi-wan took it.
Once they had established a bond she went to work helping him shore up his shields. Once he caught on to what she was doing he joined her and in no time at all he had shimmering shields that should help keep him rooted in the present. It also had the added benefit of allowing her to sense when he was having trouble and bringing him back if he needed her help.
'Your turn.' He said when they were finished.
'Excuse me?' She asked. It seemed it was her turn to be surprised.
'Your shields have holes in them, they look really unstable…' A gentle brush of concern ran over her shields and she winced. 'Wh-what happened? Was it… was it a darksider?' He asked hesitantly.
'No.' She didn't want him to think that there was a rampant darksider around, it would only worry him further. 'I'm not sure what happened. I don't remember much before I woke up here. But I know that whatever affected me wasn't dark. Just too powerful for my shields.'
'Like an old artifact or something?' His curiosity was bright, an insatiable desire to know everything.
'Something like that. It was in an old temple.' Old and abandoned, or so she'd thought.
'…there's an old temple here on Melida/Daan?' He sounded incredulous.
'…no. There isn't.'
He seemed to sense that she wasn't comfortable talking about it and quickly dropped the subject. 'Oh, well, uh, we can still work on your shields.'
She thought about it for a moment. 'I would appreciate the help. But don't tire yourself out.' She was the older padawan and should be setting a better example. But, well, desperate times and all that.
Obi-wan was very adept at shielding and with the two of them working on it the holes were quickly closed. When the last one was finally sealed she felt a weight off her mind and realized that she had been feeling all of the pain, anger, and hatred that had suffused the air and ground of the planet. It was no wonder she'd felt weak, trying to heal and combat the rampant negative emotions at the same time.
'Thank you, Obi-wan. I needed that.'
There was a flash of embarrassment, accomplishment, and pleasure at being helpful before he quickly pulled the emotions behind his shields.
She let him feel her amusement and gratefulness before pulling away. 'It's time to go back now. I think we've been at this for almost three standard hours now.'
Obi-wan agreed and they both slowly pulled themselves out of their meditation.
Opening her eyes she blinked a few times before stretching. Standing she bent back until she heard a small crick and the muscles relaxed.
"Wow, you're really bendy." Verte said, much to Liera's amusement.
"My people are bendy to begin with, then I was trained as a Jedi." She snickered as Obi-wan groaned and stood up, stretching and shaking out his limbs as well.
"Can you bend like that Obi?" The girl asked.
"Uh, kind of. She's probably more flexible than I am." He shrugged. "I really need to go back to doing my stretches…" He muttered.
"If you want we can stretch together. Maybe even spar, if we find the room for it." She offered. "What style are you most familiar with?"
"My master… former master was teaching me Ataru." He said with a shrug, shuffling a little in discomfort.
"I can help you keep up your training if you like. Or I can teach you some Soresu. Knowing how to defend yourself and others around you can only help."
He brightened in the force and she could feel a faint echo down their fledgling bond.
"I'd like that. I'd really, really, like that."
"Then that's what we'll do." She would teach him as much as she could. For his sake and the sake of the children he had chosen to protect.
But when the chits were down she knew what her duty would be. Obi-wan was too young to give his life for a cause, even one as righteous as this.
She only hoped her life would be enough if it came down to it.