The Sith was moving towards Amira's cell and knew Obi-Wan was with her. He had purposely allowed the brief reunion, knowing the sight of her would take an emotional toll on Obi-Wan. He wanted the Jedi distracted.
He entered the cell to find Amira sitting up cloaked in a robe looking surprisingly defiant and strong but Obi-Wan was not within sight. He circled the room keeping his eyes on her.
She watched him silently. He grew agitated with her and forced her bodily against the wall. She crashed into the metal with a loud thud. Holding her by her throat he questioned, "Where is Kenobi?" She entered his mind, "He's here; don't you sense him?"
He dropped her onto the floor and seemed to be shocked that she had the strength to touch his mind. He turned his back to her and ignited his weapon, "Then you are no longer of any use to me."
He wheeled suddenly and moved his weapon in a downward arc to kill her." Just before the blade reached Amir, Obi-Wan had appeared from above where he had been waiting in the ducting and blocked the deathblow with his own weapon.
Amira realized she had been holding her breath and exhaled. Obi-Wan and the Sith faced each other with lightsabers crossed;sparks and the heat from the weapons filling the small room. The Sith was caught off guard by the Jedi's ability to deceive him.
As he contemplated Obi-Wan, Amira stood up and drew her weapon from beneath her robe and ignited it. She felt amazingly calm and confident as shespoke, "I warned you not to underestimate Master Kenobi, now you will have to face us both."
She lunged at him and drew his saber away from Obi-Wan to fend off her attack. He blocked her easily but this gave Obi-Wan enough time to launch into an aggressive attack of his own.
Amira discarded the robe and watched carefully holding her weapon out in front of her. She knew she wasn't strong enough to match the Sith blow for blow but she could run interference as Obi-Wan needed it.
Obi-Wan and the Sith battled each other in the close confines of the cell. For the most part they were evenly matched in technique and skill but the Sith, able to direct his power anywhere, suddenly dislodged a large piece of metal ducting and launched it at Obi-Wan.
He was knocked off balance. Sensing an advantage he picked up the Jedi and flung him bodily into the wall. Obi-Wan struck the wall and he went limp sliding to the floor. Amira stepped in drawing the attack away from him. The Sith battled her relentlessly knowing her strength would fail her sooner rather than later.
The battle was lightning fast and the Sith fought her out of the cell into the corridor. His lightsaber narrowly missed her and contacted with the wall above her head, as she ducked the sparks fell around her.
She was on the defensive and backed away dodging one blow after another. He hissed at her, "You are beat Jedi, you are no match for the power of the dark side." His saber grazed the top of her shoulder and she fell backward dropping her weapon.
He advanced ready to finish her off, but she reached out and willed her lightsaber back into her hand and blocked another blow then leapt into the air and up into the overhead ducting.
The Sith was surprised and commented her, "Your abilities are impressive; you aren't as weak as I was led to believe. You would make and excellent apprentice." She found herself amused with his statement and laughed, "Sorry, I've already been an apprentice. I'm not quite ready to give up being a Jedi." He replied, "You should reconsider, the Jedi are going to be extinct."
Suddenly Obi-Wan was behind the Sith, "Maybe someday but not today." With a renewed ferocity Obi-Wan attacked. Amira was relieved to see him. She descended from the ceiling and advanced on the Sith.
There was very little room to move in the corridor and the Sith had one Jedi on each side of him. Feeling out maneuvered he leapt up and over Amira's head and disappeared down the corridor toward the hangar bay.
She turned to pursue him but Obi-Wan grabbed her arm and pulled her back, "Wait, we'll rest a moment, he's not going anywhere." They extinguished their weapons and stood in the corridor breathing hard and looking incredulously at each other.
A huge smile spread across his face as he leaned against the wall. Her eyebrows raised in question, "What in the Force are you smiling about?" He shook his head slowly from side to side, "You are unbelievable. You just put up the fight of your life." She nodded, "The fight of our lives and it's not over yet."
He pointed at the slash on her shoulder, "Are you alright?" She turned to examine it frowning at yet another tear in her nightdress, "It's not bad, but I think this garment is shot." She pointed at the gash on his forehead and asked, "What about you, you hit that wall pretty hard."
She stepped forward and used a piece of her torn nightdress to wipe the blood that trickled down the side of his face. She was inches from him and he said softly, "Thank you, it's not too bad." She smiled and said, "Good lets go finish this thing; I want to go home."
She turned to start down the corridor toward the hangar bay. He grabbed her hand again and turned her back around to face him his eyes staring deeply into her own, "Amira…I." She touched his face, "I know Ben."
He waited in the hangar bay. This was where he had intended to fight Kenobi all along. The fact that Organa was still in the fight surprised him but made little difference to him. She was of no consequence. It was only a matter of time before her injuries overcame her and she weakened.
At that moment the Jedi entered the hangar bay and advanced side by side across the metal decking towards him. He waited for them to get closer. Amira and Obi-Wan stopped within a few feet of him and ignited their weapons. The Sith did the same.
The lightsabers hummed with energy and the sound reverberated off the walls of the cargo bay. The Jedi circled the Sith. He seemed very unconcerned that he had been momentarily outmatched in the corridor. With a swift movement he lunged striking at both Amira and Obi-Wan.
There was no questioning his skill with a lightsaber. If the Jedi were going to beat him they were going to have to be patient and wait for him to make a mistake. The three exchanged blows for several minutes and Amira began to grow tired. If she did not withdraw soon she would falter and make a mistake.
Obi-Wan knew she was weakening; the hours of torture were catching up with her. He moved in front of her forcing her behind him and engaged the Sith alone. He seemed to smile and hiss, "She is weak Jedi; it is inevitable; you will not be able to prevent her destruction."
Obi-Wan lunged and said, "You have to get through me first." He began an exceptionally aggressive attack and drove Obi-Wan back towards the wall. Cornered, Obi-Wan jumped up to a second level of decking that hung suspended above the main hangar bay floor.
He followed him but Obi-Wan had the upper hand having landed first and attacked driving him back a few feet. He lashed out blow after blow. Amira looked up at the battle raging above her and knew she had to use what little strength she had left to reengage.
She sprang upward and landed on the other side of the Sith. Again he was flanked and had to battle both Jedi. He entered Obi-Wan's mind and projected an image of Amira's body, broken and bleeding on the floor of the hangar bay, "This is her destiny Jedi, She will die, and you will be powerless to stop it just as you were powerless to save your master."
Amira felt the reaction in Obi-Wan and knew his concentration was broken. She intensified her attack to draw the Sith away from him. She was a moment too late and he slashed through Obi-Wan's tunic burning his side and sending him backward onto the platform and his weapon onto the floor below.
He turned back towards her, "Now Jedi Organa I grow tired of toying with you." He fought her mercilessly. She blocked every blow but grew weak. Obi-Wan, back on his feet, willed his lightsaber back into his hand.
He was several feet away from Amira, he ran towards them hoping to draw him away from her. In the seconds it took Obi-Wan to arrive she had collapsed to her knees under the onslaught, unable to sustain the battle any longer.
The Sith ripped her lightsaber out of her hands and she was beaten. Her eyes looked past him and locked with Obi-Wan's conveying her sorrow. He moved to strike her down but Obi-Wan had arrived to draw him away. Once again he had to defend himself,leaving Amira forgotten on the platform.
Her body was failing her quickly. She could no longer stand and breathing had become difficult. For most of the battle she had been able to block the pain from her injuries and fight on pure adrenaline but now the hours of torture had caught up and she was overwhelmed.
She crumbled onto the platform unable to continue helping Obi-Wan. He was battling the Sith with amazing skill and intensity. He thrust and slashed and blocked determined to destroy him or die trying. The Sith's weapon grazed Obi-Wan's thigh stunning him for a second.
He continued his attack driving Obi-Wan back step by step. Amira watched unable to get to her feet. Her heart screamed out; she could not bear to see Obi-Wan destroyed.
She closed her eyes and summoned the Force. On the floor below…her lightsaber moved, imperceptibly at first. Then with her last ounce of strength she willed it back into her hand. She ignited it and hurled it at him.
Her lightsaber spun towards the Sith and he was momentarily caught off guard as he ducked. It was all that was needed. Obi-Wan saw his opening and cut him down with one downward slash of his weapon. It was over.
Obi-Wan collapsed to the platform on his knees exhausted. He slowed his breathing and looked up to find Amira. She was several feet away motionless on the platform. He made his way to her and leaned over her, "Amira?" She did not respond. He felt for her pulse, it was weak but it was there.
He moved to lift her and she mumbled his name, "Ben" He tried his best to smile for her, "At your service your highness." She coughed unable to take a full breath, "You defeated him." He shook his head, "No…We defeated him.I couldn't have done it alone."
She opened her eyes and smiled at him, "Told you we were a good…team." Her breathing was shallow and she had a hard time speaking. He lifted her into his arms and said, "Don't talk, save your strength."
He limped his way down a set of stairs to the hangar bay floor and gently laid her down on the deck. He could feel herslipping away. he found himselfangry that she had lied about the seriousness of her injuries. She whispered, "If I had told you how bad it was you would have insisted on facing him alone."
He knelt on the floor beside her and gripped her hand tightly, "You are right; I would have kept you out of it. …Why?" She smiled weakly; "You needed me, whether you knew it or not you needed me." He replied softly; "I still need you."
Her eyes closed and she whispered, "I'm sorry Ben." He raised her hand to his lips and kissed it gently. He stood and went to retrieve her lightsaber and his robe. When he returned she was no longer conscious.
She was running out of time and without urgent medical attention she would die. He covered her with his robe. Then he smoothed the hair from her face, "I will be right back." There was a control panel on the wall. He limped over to it and pressed the switch to lower the hangar bay door.
He would take her back to Maceve Island and hope the Macavens could treat her injuries. The door descended, opening the back of the ship up to the warmdesert air. Standing just outside were Dumaas and several other Macavens.
He approached Obi-Wan, "Master Kenobi you have defeated the dark one?" He looked at Dumaas and nodded, "We did but not easily; Jedi Organa is badly wounded."
Helooked beyond Obi-Wan to glance at Amira lying on the floor and then back to Obi-Wan, "We can help. My people have been at war a long time and have become skilled battlefield medics." He looked Obi-Wan over and said, "It looks like you could use our help as well." He nodded wearily, "Thank you, your assistance is greatly appreciated."
In the next few moments several Macavens swarmed over to Amira and began attending her. They inserted a breathing apparatus, placed her on a hover stretcher and transported her to a waiting shuttlecraft. Obi-Wan climbed into the shuttle and they began the journey back across the Macaven Sea.