Obi-Wan crawled out from the wreck while coughing. He had no idea where they'd crashed; he had been meditating when the engine began to collapse. He hoped Sandra would tell him where they were. Slowly he sat up next to a tree and checked his body for injuries. When he couldn't find any broken bones or any other injuries, except for bruises, he looked up and noticed the councillor. The tall man carefully sneaked away into the forest. Before Obi-Wan thought any more about it, he reached out into the Force and grabbed the councillor. The man fell down unconscious; obviously the Jedi had done a bit too much. He muttered as he rose and dragged the councillor back to the wreck. Then he tied him to a thick tree with a piece of his clothing. If they didn't leave this place, they would be able to watch him all the time.
"Obi-Wan!"
Sandra was on the other side of the wreck with the pilots and he quickly climbed over onto her side. Once again, he understood why people thought of Delmerians as the most beautiful creatures in the universe. Even though she was now covered in blood, it was hard not to notice her grace.
"The pilots are badly injured, one's got a big wound in his back", she said and looked worried. Obi-Wan quickly inspected the mentioned pilot and sighed.
"I don't know about you, but this is not the first time I curse myself for not practicing healing", he said and tore off his coat. "There's nothing we can do, I'm afraid."
Sandra nodded solemnly and began to use her own clothing for the two other pilots.
"Always the pilots", she muttered as she rose. "Where's the councillor?"
"On the other side", Obi-Wan answered. "I tied him to a tree, but we have to guard him."
"And except for that, we need to survive this", Sandra muttered. She leaned her back against a tree and scrubbed off some blood using her clothing.
"We need to build some kind of a shelter, find food and try to construct some kind of communicator", Obi-Wan agreed. "Except for that, all we can do is to wait."
Sandra sighed and looked around. Suddenly she stopped and looked in behind a tree.
"There's a house over there", she said. "Maybe they can help us."
"We can't leave the pilots and the councillor here", Obi-Wan answered and looked at the still unconscious man. Sandra wrinkled her forehead.
"We can't leave him since he can block himself from the Force", she agreed. They stood silent for a while, before Obi-Wan sighed.
"I can go and have a look", he said. Sandra nodded and looked at him when he left. He stopped and smiled at her.
"Hey, I've always survived, right?" he smiled. Sandra smiled back and waved at him as he disappeared.
As he stopped at the old wooden door, he took a deep breath before knocking. Only seconds later an old man opened the door. His blue eyes gave Obi-Wan a piercing look.
"Yes, Jedi?" he said. Obi-Wan twinkled in surprise.
"I… I just wondered if you could help me and my companions?" he asked. The man looked irritated.
"I won't help Jedis", he said bitterly. "Since Dooku came, you've only been trouble. You will cause the Republic to fall."
With those words he slammed the door into Obi-Wan's face. The Jedi looked surprised, before he sighed and walked back through the woods towards the ship.
"How did it go?" Sandra asked as he approached her. He shook his head.
"Not good, the man who lived there didn't trust Jedis. He said that we would bring the Republic to its end."
Sandra rose and looked irritated at the house.
"I guess I'll have to speak with him", she muttered and walked away. Obi-Wan rushed after her and grabbed her arm.
"What?" she asked and looked at him. He shook his head.
"You can't receive trust through violence, you know that", he said. She pulled back her arm.
"I will not let the pilots die thanks to some man who can't trust us!" she hissed.
"We need to stay away from him", Obi-Wan said and shook his head in sadness. "There's nothing else we can do."
Sandra seemed like she was about to continue the arguing, but then she sat down on the ground with a sigh.
"I just wish we could communicate with Coruscant", she said and pulled up her knees.
"Well, we have to build something", Obi-Wan said and sat down next to her. "We can use parts of the ship."
Sandra stood up and looked at him.
"What are we waiting for then?"
"That you return to common sense?" he answered with a grin as he stood up. She laughed and looked at him during a long time. For a moment he thought she would kiss him, but then she turned away.
"What do we have to do?" she asked.
"Well, we need to find parts that we can use and then make some kind of plan for how to build it", he answered.
"Can't we use the communicator in the ship?" Sandra suggested. Obi-Wan nodded.
"It might work, at least as a base."
He crawled into the wreck and heard Sandra follow him. As he crawled into the cockpit, he continued to think about that look she'd given him outside.
"Found anything?" she asked from the other room. Obi-Wan didn't answer immediately; he continued to look through the parts.
"I believe I could use some light", he answered. Sandra shook her head.
"Why don't use your lightsaber?" she asked. He turned towards her.
"To ignite it in here would be extremely dangerous, I could melt something important or cause an explosion", he answered. Sandra nodded.
"I could hand out some parts that I believe will work, so we can see them in the daylight", he continued. Sandra nodded once again and backed out to give him some space as he began to hand out parts. She placed them in rows on the grass and looked at them, before she heard someone clear his throat behind her. As she turned, she saw the old man from the house.
"I believe I should help you get away, so you won't disturb me anymore", he said and placed down buckets with water and salves. Obi-Wan popped his head out from the ship with a smile.
"Thank you so much", he said. The man smiled guilty.
"My wife fell in love with a Jedi and left me", he explained. Sandra and Obi-Wan looked at each other in surprise.
"I can understand why you didn't want anything to do with us then", Obi-Wan said as he looked back at the man. "Was the Jedi Count Dooku?"
The man nodded solemnly.
"He's not in the Order anymore", Obi-Wan continued. "It's about ten years since he left us. Once again, thanks."
The last he said as he jumped out of the ship. The old man smiled again and then sank down next to the pilots.
"Is there anything else I can help you with?" he asked.
"Well, we need to find something to eat", Sandra answered as she looked at the parts on the ground. The old man scratched his neck.
"I'm afraid I don't have a lot, but you can take it if you want", he said. Obi-Wan quickly shook his head.
"There's no need for you to give us food if you have very little", he said. "Just tell us what plants and animals you shouldn't eat and we'll find food ourselves."
The man nodded towards a green plant.
"You should be able to eat that one, I guess."
As the Jedis turned away, Obi-Wan leaned towards Sandra.
"What does he think we are? Cattle?"
Sandra smiled at him and grabbed his arm. Obi-Wan quickly looked down at her grip and smiled at her, a smile that he really shouldn't use but he knew her too well. It was that kind of smile that she always loved to see him wearing.
"Sure, I can eat anything…"
She yanked back her hand by the tone of his voice and instead turned towards the plant. Carefully she took a bite.
"It tastes like… well, I'm not sure how to describe it", she said and chewed. Obi-Wan smiled.
"Puke?" he suggested. She looked annoyed.
"No, but…"
She didn't manage to finish the sentence before she fell down on the ground, coughing. Obi-Wan sank down beside her, smiling a bit.
"I told you", he said. "Always trust my instinct."
She carefully raised her head and looked at him. That was when he saw it; fear. She hadn't expressed that amount of fear in a lifetime.
"It… is poisonous."
Obi-Wan gasped and quickly rose, turning towards the old man. The man smiled victoriously.
"Idiot!" Obi-Wan called out and reached for his lightsaber. "Do something! Now!"
The old man just laughed.
"Do you not realize that I did it on purpose?" he asked. "I hate you Jedi-scums."
Then he was gone, as if the very air had taken him. Obi-Wan stared at the spot next to the pilots. He now saw that the pilots were all dead, none of them had been cured by the old man; just poisoned.
"What can I do?" he called out. As he heard Sandra trying to stand up, he turned around and sank down beside her, holding her in his arms. She looked up on him.
"Who would ever… think it would end like this?" she asked. He felt his eyes burning as tears tried to emerge from them.
"No", he whispered. "You can't give up. Sandra, listen to me!"
She shook her head, mumbling his name. As he heard her saying it, he released his tears.
"Please, don't leave me", he managed to whisper. Sandra slowly raised her shaking hand and wiped away some of his tears. It was just too much for Obi-Wan. Why hadn't he told her the truth before? He hugged her, held her close to his body, and carefully kissed her. As he felt her respond, he carefully ended the kiss. It couldn't last, he knew it.
"Don't leave me", he whispered. She looked at him.
"Obi-Wan, it was my fault", she said. "You… you have to move on."
"Don't say that!" he answered. "I had a bad feeling about that plant, I should have stopped you."
He reached for the bottle of water that had survived the crash. It was meant to be saved for the future, but Sandra needed it right now.
"Here, take some water", he said and helped her drink. As he pulled away the bottle, she whispered:
"I choose it myself."
He met her beautiful eyes, shaking his head.
"Stop it! It was all my fault."
He held her closer once again.
"Oh stars, what would I be able to do if you died", he whispered as tears continued to fall from his eyes. As he released her, he saw how she closed her eyes. He felt his heartbeat stop.
"Sandra? Sandra?"