Amira stirred and opened her eyes. She was being looked over by one of the white uniformed soldiers from her dreams. He asked, "Are you alright? Can you stand?" She nodded weakly, "Yes, what's happening?" He replied, "I was instructed to look for survivors, but you are the first one I have found."
She looked around slowly and gasped at the carnage; so many Jedi. She fought the urge to cry. She asked, "There are no other survivors?" He replied, "Those that survived the main battle boarded ships and took off in pursuit of the retreating forces."
Her head pounded and she raised her hand up to touch it. He pulled her hand down, "You need to have that blaster burn looked at. Please come with me to the forward command post, there are medical personnel there." She nodded and allowed the trooper to support her as they walked towards a waiting ship.
They arrived at the forward command post a few minutes later and she lay on a cot being treated by a medic. Through her conversation with the trooper she had learned that these soldiers were clones and they were the new Army of the Republic. They were obviously very effective, as the battle had turned.
She asked the medic, "Who is in command?" He replied, "Master Yoda commands the clone army." She asked, "Where is Master Yoda?" He shook his head, "I do not know for certain but it is rumored that he and a few other Jedi have gone in pursuit of Count Dooku." Her injury was still causing her dizziness so she lay back on the cot to wait out a wave of nausea.
The battle with Count Dooku was over. Obi-Wan and Anakin were wounded. Anakin had lost his hand in the battle and Obi-Wan suffered wounds to his leg and arm. Master Yoda had fought Count Dooku with amazing strength and agility but had not been able to prevent his escape.
Obi-Wan lay on the floor trying to control his pain. Now in the quiet aftermath his thoughts went back to Master Sirom's words. Amira had fallen in battle. He fought the grief that ripped at his heart. He hadn't seen her in four years and she came to Geonosis to risk her life to help the Jedi, to help him; she could not be gone.
Yoda approached him, "Help you need to stand." Obi-Wan shook his head, "No I can stand." He slowly made his way to his feet and Anakin did the same clasping his injured arm.
Amidala entered the hangar bay and rushed to Anakin. They embraced. As Obi-Wan watched his padawan with the Senator his grief began to ebb forward. Yoda went to signal the ship that they were leaving.
Obi-Wan faltered and would have fallen but Amidala and Anakin were at his side supporting him. She carefully took his arm, "Wait Master Kenobi, wait until we can get you a stretcher. You should not try to walk."
Obi-Wan was clearly distressed. Anakin knew why. He locked eyes with his master, "I am so sorry." Obi-Wan did not respond. They led him over to Yoda and helped him on to the ship.
Before getting on board Amidala looked at Anakin and asked, "What is it?" Anakin replied, "Do you know Queen Amira Organa?" She nodded, "Of course, she used to be a Jedi didn't she?" He replied, "Yes, she was here today, fighting in the arena with the Jedi. She did not survive."
She inhaled sharply and put her hand on Anakin's shoulder, "I'm sorry; you must have lost so many friends today." She saw the sadness in his eyes and she wrapped her arms around him. He whispered, "Obi-Wan loved her." She pulled back and looked up at him, "No, Ani…oh no."
At the command post they were treated for their injuries. He lay unmoving on the cot. The Senator's wounds were dressed. She glanced over at Obi-Wan. Never had she seen him like this. Even Qui-Gon's death had not affected him so profoundly.
He was emotionless, unresponsive, closed. She walked over to Anakin and kissed him lightly, "How are you?" He nodded, "It will be alright, I'll be fitted with a prosthetic hand, stronger than the original."
She smiled weakly, "I am going to check on Obi-Wan." He nodded and watched her walk over to his master and sit down next to his cot. She took his hand and caressed it, "So many Jedi were lost today. I cannot fathom the pain you must feel."
His eyes opened and focused on her, conveying his sadness, "You and Anakin love each other." It wasn't a question but a statement. It would be pointless to deny it. She nodded, "Yes, we know it is wrong but we could not help it."
He shook his head, "No, it's not wrong. If I had…" He stopped and closed his eyes trying to hold down the wave of grief. She touched his face and said, "I know, Amira Organa was killed today, you loved her."
His eyes closed in response. She whispered, "I am so sorry." She stayed with him until he fell into a light sleep. She let go of his hand and turned to look for Anakin. She saw him talking with a Jedi healer on the other side of the medical staging area.
She started across towards him and stopped suddenly in her tracks. She thought she was seeing things. A Jedi, human, brown haired, female was talking with one of the clone soldiers. She held her breath and moved towards her hoping beyond all hope. As she got closer the Jedi turned around. The woman was bandaged across the front and side of her head. She called out, "Queen Organa?"
Amira spotted the Senator and smiled. The two women walked towards each other and embraced. The Senator squeezed her tightly barely believing she was real, "Queen Organa it is good to see you.
Amidala stared at her speechless. Amira asked, "What is it?" Finding her voice, the senator said, "Master Kenobi." Amira asked, "I was just trying to find him, have you seen him?"
Amidala nodded, "He was wounded." Amira tensed, "Is he alright?" The Senator replied, "He will recover, but…" "but what?" Amira asked. Amidala sighed heavily, "He thinks you were killed."
She shook her head, "There was a lot of confusion. I was shot but it just grazed me. Where is he?" The Senator turned and pointed to where Obi-Wan was being treated, "He was over there but I don't see him now." Amira placed her hand on Amidala's shoulder, "I will find him." She walked out into the sea of wounded.
She did not find him among the wounded. She began asking the medics if they had seen him. After several frustrating minutes she found Master Yoda and Master Windu. They were very surprised to see her.
Master Yoda said, "Queen Organa in the battle you were. Feared you lost we did." She replied, "I had to come Master Yoda, my Jedi family was in trouble." Master Windu asked, "Does Alderaan know their Queen is safe?" She replied, "I am no longer the Queen. I abdicated; my brother Jade is King now."
Yoda nodded, "Much you gave up, much you risked." Tears came to her eyes, "Others have risked more…all." He nodded, "Yes, terrible losses we had this day. Let the wounds heal we will, plan the next move carefully we must."
She nodded her agreement then asked, "Master Yoda, I wish to help in what ever way I can. Tell me what you need." He replied, "Jedi Organa there is someone who needs you now. In the meditation tent behind me he is."
She looked past Yoda at the tent, "Obi-Wan". He simply nodded. She moved past Yoda and pulled back the tent flap. He was standing alone facing away from her. He seemed to be deep in meditation.
She entered the tent and closed the flap. She took a couple of steps towards him and she spoke his name softly, "Ben" His body straightened and he slowly turned to look at her. He didn't seem to believe his eyes.
She continued, "You alright? He shook his head and his eyes remained riveted on her; his voice barely a whisper, "No…" She closed the distance between them and wrapped her arms around him. His arms slowly encircled her, drawing her to him.
Neither spoke as they held each other. After several moments he pulled away to look at her. He scanned her face and looked into her eyes, "How? They said you were dead." She nodded, "It was a close call but I am ok."
He looked at the bandage on her head and he smiled weakly, "Forget to duck?" She shrugged her shoulders, "Skills could be a little rusty." He pulled her again into his arms, "You survived…so many did not."
He squeezed her tightly, "What made you come here?" She replied, "In my dreams I saw this place. I saw the Jedi being killed. I could not remain on Alderaan as its Queen. You were facing so much, the Jedi were facing so much."
Unable to hold back the tears stinging his eyes he cried. He buried his face in her hair at the base of her neck and cried, "I thought I lost you. I looked for you among the survivors, tried to sense you but all I saw were dead Jedi everywhere…so many are gone."
She remained silent her own tears running down her face onto his shoulder. They held each other in the solitude of the tent and cried for all the friends that were lost that day.