A/N: Another week another chapter. As usual I don't actually own anything except the OCs and the planet. The grammar maybe wonky and the spelling off. The quote about logic is from Pierre Boutroux.
Let's get on with the show! Or chapter, technically.
Chapter 3: Not as uninhabited as we thought.
After everyone had finished their tasks, they all meet up by Bones and Oddball. Bones had gone through the medical supplies and sorted through what was most important and repacked so that was at the top for easy access.
"General we found some berries, or at least I think they're berries, when we went to collect the water." Trapper held out a tin filled with magenta colored berries. "We don't know if they are eatable though and the only way to check is if someone tried a couple of them."
"We also found a fresh water stream and we filled all the bottles and containers that we could find." Waxer smiled, knowing how important drinkable water is. "We filled enough so that Bones can use some of it to clean wounds and stuff if he should need it."
Bones gratefully took the containers with water from Waxer and wet a piece of cloth to wash Oddballs face from blood and dirt.
"Good work Waxer, Trapper." Obi-Wan nodded. "I'll try the berries when we stop and make camp for the night."
"Hold up just one second." Cody protested. "Who says you're the one who will try the berries, berries that I might add could be poisonous?! You are injured and, if it has escaped your notice, your sternum movies in a way it's not supposed to!"
"I am the only one here who can filter or neutralize the poison, if they are poisonous in the first place, with the help of the force." Obi-Wan calmly explained. "I will have to do it before I get any more painkillers though, otherwise I'll just filter that to."
"I hate when you use logic and sense to win an argument." Cody sighed but smiled slightly sad.
"Logic is invincible, because in order to combat logic it is necessary to use logic." Obi-Wan smiled and took Codys hand in his.
"If you two love birds are done, we are ready to move out." Bones announced with a smirk.
Cody glared at his vod but let go of Obi-Wans hand and went to help Longshot carry the stretcher with Oddball on it. They all made their way slowly towards the forest with Obi-Wan leading the way.
The thing between Obi-Wan and Cody was very new, so new that they hadn't really talked about it yet. They both knew that there was something between them, something powerful, unnamed. Obi-Wan had felt drawn to Cody from the beginning, like Cody was the answer to all of Obi-Wans questions.
'Oh stop it you dramatic old man.' Obi-Wan silently chided himself. He looked up towards Cody, who was leading the group forward, having switched out from carrying the stretcher around an hour ago.
"I think we should stop for the night." Crys advised looking up at the sky, which had started to darken.
"Good call Crys." Obi-Wan smiled kindly.
As Gearshift and Threepwood placed the stretcher with Oddball down; Bones came over to check on him while the rest did their best to set up camp. After a while Bones walked over to Obi-Wan but didn't say anything just started to check his injuries.
"How are you feeling?" Cody asks from behind Obi-Wan, placing his hand on his lower back.
Obi-Wan opened his mouth to answer but was interrupted by Bones.
"Don't lie and/or leaving anything out." Bones glared. "And before you even think about it, lying by omission is still lying."
"I was going to say that I have a hard time breathing and the pain has been manageable. I have been using a force technique to help but I do think that the pain medication you gave me is starting to wear off." Obi-Wan wearily told the still glaring medic.
"I'll go and get you some more but I need you to eat a ration bar first." Bones sighed. "Pain killers are never good on an empty stomach."
A short time later they were all sitting around the make shift fire pit. Obi-Wan looked over to Trapper, "Do you still have those berries Trapper?"
"Yeah, are you going to try them now?" Trapper asked taking the tin with barriers out of his bag and giving it to Obi-Wan.
"I'm still not comfortable with this." Cody grumbled at the same time as Obi-Wan took the tin from Trapper.
"I know Cody, but I'm the only one who can." Obi-Wan smiled kindly and then put three of the berries in his mouth. Everyone was sitting and waiting with bated breath for something to happen. Bones was staring intensely at Obi-Wan in case he had to rush over there if the berries turns out to be poisonous.
"They are sweet with a hint of tartness to them." Obi-Wan explained after a while and everyone breathed out a sign of relief.
"What is wrong with you?!" Cody snapped at Waxer who had started to laugh almost hysterically.
"I'm sorry, I'm so so sorry." Waxer had tears running down his face due to laughing so hard. "But General, your tongue and mouth are almost glowing magenta."
Everyone turned and looked at Obi-Wan and started to laugh. The berries had stained Obi-Wans tongue and teeth a glowing magenta, which looked absolutely hilarious. Here was the famed Negotiator and dignified Jedi Master with magenta color glowing from his face.
As the night went on and it got darker, they started to notice that the flora and fauna on this planet where very different from many others. Trapper was the first to see that the berries still in the tin started to glow the darker it became. When he pointed this out to the rest of them, they saw that it was not just the berries but all of the flora and fauna all around them.
"It's so beautiful." Obi-Wan whisper was heard by the others and they made noises of agreement.
"I wonder what makes them glow?" Crys asked fascinated.
"There could be a number of explanations to that question." Obi-Wan began. "Sadly, I can't really tell you, I was not the best at flora and fauna studies at the temple. Now my former Master could probably have given you an in-depth lecture on it."
"Who was your former Master? If you don't mind me asking." Longshot asked.
"His name was Qui-Gon Jinn and he was one of the most stubborn men I have ever known. Always arguing with the council and doing what he felt was right and blamed it on 'following the will of the force'." Obi-Wan laughed.
"'Was' general?" Crys asked carefully.
"He died a long time ago." Obi-Wans smile turned sad.
"What happened?" Waxer wondered.
"You don't have to tell us." Cody quickly reassured.
"Over a decade ago, when I was still a padawan, we got a mission to negotiate with the trade federation about the blockade they had put around Naboo. It didn't go exactly like planed and we ended up escaping the planet with the Queen. On our way of planet, we were hit and our hyperdrive was damaged, damaged enough that we could not make it to Coruscant." Obi-Wan took a pause to drink a little water. "We ended up on Tatooine and my master went in to a nearby town to try and find a compatible hyperdrive. A few days later he returns with a hyperdrive but instead of getting on the ship he turns around to go back into town because he has 'unfinished business'."
"Do you want another stim, General?" Bones asks as Obi-Wan pauses again, having notice the small flinch. He administrates it after a nod from Obi-Wan.
"Anyway, a couple of hours later this sand covered kid runs onto the ship saying that Qui-Gon is in trouble and said to take off. I rush to the cockpit and see Qui-Gon in an intense saber-battle with a black clad figure. I order the pilot to fly low and go to open the hatch, my master jumps on to the ship to get away from his opponent and we fly off. When he has had time to breath he turns to the kid and says 'Anakin Skywalker, meet Obi-Wan Kenobi'." Obi-Wan laughs at the looks he's getting from his avid listeners. "So we get back to the temple and Qui-Gon tells the council about the black clad figure, who he thinks is a Sith. The council does not believe him and we are sent on our way to keep protecting the Queen as she goes back to Naboo. A long story short we meet up with the black clad figure on our way into the palace of Theed and Qui-Gon and I stay back to fight him. After a long battle me and Qui-Gon are separated by some forcefields and I'm forced to watch the Sith stab my master trough the chest. After the forcefields go down I defeat the Sith and then I run over to my Master. He died in my arms, his last words to me was him making me promise to train Anakin, which is a decision I have never regretted." Obi-Wan finishes his story.
"I'm sorry about your loss." Cody squeezes Obi-Wans shoulder.
"Yeah we're sorry General." The others agree.
Before anyone can do anything, else Boil asks, "I thought you said this planet was supposed to be uninhabited?!"
"It's supposed to be." Obi-Wan answer confused.
"Then who are they?" Boil asks nodded to the ones surrounding their camp.
A/N: I'm so mean for leaving you with a cliff hanger! Sorry, well not really but please don't kill me.
As usual feedback and constructive criticism are welcome but be kind about it.
Until next time
XOXO
RL