Hello, friends.
As some of you may know, I just rewrote quite a bit of the previous chapters, especially with the crystal caves through the construction ones. At the suggestion of someone (a very good suggestion, I might add), I decided to change that part of the story slightly. It doesn't change the main storyline, as it's all basically still there, but if you don't want to be completely confused in a coming part, I suggest you go back and reread them, although it is not mandatory. Sorry for any inconvenience this might cause you.
- The Awkward Author
"HE DID WHAT?!" Rose cried in an outrage, the whole hangar growing silent at her outburst. Master Ti shot her a disapproving look, and Master Qui-Gon tried to calm her.
"He went and joined with a group of resistance fighters who call themselves 'the Young,'" he tried to explain, sending apologetic looks to the workers of the hangars. "There was a civil war that broke out a couple of years ago on a planet he and I visited on one of our first missions. Obi-Wan believed it was his path to stay with them instead of staying with the Order."
"Rose, where are you going?" Bant called after an annoyed Rose. Rose had turned away and had begun to stomp towards the nearest, fastest ship that was in her sight.
"I'm going to go get the dork before he does something stupid," Rose growled, hopping into a one-seater jet. Master Ti came up, a look of disappointment on her face.
"Rose, I would advise against this. You are letting your emotions for the boy cloud your judgement. Obi-Wan has left the Order, and I'm sure he would like those wishes to be respected," she tried to reason with Rose, but the padawan was already firing up the engines to the dismay of a nearby hangar worker.
"Ah, come on, Master TI. I'm not going to do anything stupid. At least, not more stupid than he's already done," Rose tried to sway her master, but she could see that she was failing. "Please?"
"Well, now that you've said please," Master Jinn quipped behind her. Rose had to stop herself from shooting him a death glare. Master Ti sighed before giving a half-assed, "Very well."
"As soon as you get back, though," she clarified darkly. "We are completing your training."
"Wouldn't dream of anything else, Master!" Rose said, a feeling of relief washing over her. She began pushing the necessary buttons on the panels, readying herself for liftoff.
"You'll find him on Melida/Daan. May the Force be with you, child," Qui-Gon instructed her. Rose set her coordinates for the Cadavine sector and took off, not looking back this time at the Temple. Though she was tired from her training, she was more annoyed at Obi-Wan for abandoning the Order, and she began the three day trek to the planet. On the way over, Rose debriefed herself on the situating of Melida/Daan, and how the two factions were in a civil war against each other that had lasted for centuries. She learned how the children of the planet are fighting against their elders, calling themselves 'the Young,' the group Master Qui-Gon had told her about. Rose thought hard about what she would say to Obi-Wan when she saw him. She wondered how he had changed in the last six years from the child figure into the teen she knew he would be. She pulled out the black rock and whispered one last message into it, hoping he would hear it.
After three days of uncomfortable sitting and stops at shady stations, the violet planet of Melida/Daan came into view, and Rose felt an overwhelming feeling of aggression on the planet below. She began the landing procedure, deciding to land in an isolated area instead of a main city. The land below her was war-torn and burning, the unceasing smell of smoke filling the air. Rose opened the hatch of her jedi craft and jumped out, pulling her dark hood over her eyes in the process. Through the Force, Rose concentrated and allowed it to guide her in the direction she needed to go. Pulling a speeder out of a compartment under her ship, Rose headed out towards the mountain range, following where the Force was leading her. With each passing minute, Rose felt the pull grow stronger as the terrain grew steeper. As she reached the base of the closest mountain, she dismounted the speeder, hiding it in some nearby underbrush.
In addition to her Jedi abilities, Rose discovered she had the ability to manipulate certain elements due to her Varian background – something she was still exploring. For centuries her people had been blessed with special abilities – each unique to the individual. Rose focused onto the Earth, searching for any kind of abnormality in the layout of the mountain – anything manmade. She felt through the ground, slightly overwhelmed by its enormity. She saw one of the cave systems had something off about it - there were small vibrations coming from it. Deciding it needed further investigating, Rose set out up the mountain, its unforgivable terrain making for a difficult climb.
She saw the opening to the cave about a mile up the side of the mountain, but she didn't get very far before she heard rustling behind her. With her sabers and training on her side, Rose was not afraid. She wasn't underestimating the abilities of her possible opponents, but she did not feel fear for the incoming attack. With her emotions in check, Rose continued her climb before she heard the slick schhh of a saber behind her. She quickly drew her own sabers, and just in time, as a blue one crashed down onto her white ones. A hood was likewise covering the eyes of her attacker, but she knew who it was immediately.
"Back off, dork," she said defiantly. The attacker retracted his saber, stumbling back. He moved his hood back to reveal what was only a reminiscence of the face Rose knew as a child. His auburn hair was short and wild, as if he hadn't had it properly cut in years. His stormy blue eyes were both confused and surprised at the same time, but they held all the gentleness they had before. His tan tunic was strung with dirt and mud, and his brown robe suffered a similar fate. No longer were his cheeks slightly chubby nor his body small; he was now a man, one that stood at least five inches taller than Rose. She felt her heart flutter slightly as he opened his mouth to speak, his features still etched with confusion.
"I know those lightsabers," he whispered, tilting his head, his eyebrows coming together slightly. Rose pulled back her hood and revealed her face. He, too, no longer saw the face of the friend that left the Temple six years prior, but instead the face of a woman – a beautiful woman, at that. Her green eyes were even more striking than before, and her delicate facial features were framed perfectly by her blonde hair, which held some beads in it in various places. Rose felt a blush creep up to her face as Obi-Wan looked her over from head to toe, taking her in, grateful that the world was stuck in a permanent twilight.
Obi-Wan took a step forward, his feet moving on their own. Before he knew it, he was swooping Rose up into a large hug, twirling her around, an overwhelming sense of joy filling him.
"I missed you, dork," she muttered into the crook of his neck. He set her down gently, still gripping onto her. A few moments of silence passed between them before they drew away from each other. "Where did you go?" Rose asked with a hand still on his cheek. He seemed to lean into it, basking in the small amount of heat it offered.
"I'm sorry, Rose. When I left the order, they took the rock away from me."
"Oh, yeah, I have something for you about that," Rose looked him square in the eyes and slapped him across his face, a sharp sound piercing the air as her skin made contact with his. He stumbled back, surprised. "That's for being an idiot and leaving me alone."
"Rose, they needed me here," Obi-Wan began, but Rose wasn't listening. She turned her back to him and looked around. The air was too quiet.
"Say it to someone who cares," Rose said, struggling to cap the resentment boiling inside her. She remembered her training and how Master Ti had taught her to control her outbursts. With a deep breath, Rose turned and faced Obi-Wan again. "Come home, Obi-Wan."
"Rose," he breathed, coming invasively close to her. She stood her ground. He put a hand on either side of her face. "They need me here." He repeated.
"You're a Jedi, Kenobi. There's a whole galaxy full of people like the ones here," Rose countered. Obi-Wan opened his mouth to protest, but was cut off by a blaster coming straight at their heads. He pushed her out of the way, the blaster just barely grazing his arm. The two scrambled for cover.
"Melidian forces," he explained as they hid behind a rock, the blasters still shooting over their heads. "Someone must have tipped them off about our base."
"Freaking perfect," Rose mumbled, searching for a way out of the situation. She peaked around the corner of the rock, trying to get a view of who was attacking them. With her sabers out, Rose began deflecting blasts, sending them back in the direction from where they came.
"Come on, now's our chance," Obi-Wan said, grabbing Rose's hand. He led them into the tree line, crouching amongst the brush. He led her to a hidden door in a tree, letting her go down the ladder first before he jumped down after her, closing the hatch behind them.
"All sorts of surprises the past couple of days," Rose mumbled as Obi-Wan pulled out his lightsaber, using it as a light. Rose did the same and the two went farther into the passage. There were vines on either side of them and critters Rose couldn't name scurrying around their feet.
"You're angry with me," Obi-Wan said, breaking the uncomfortable silence.
"Anger isn't the emotion I would choose," Rose said. "Frustration is more like it." Obi-Wan flinched, his eyes never leaving the path in front of them.
"I'm sorry, Rose," he apologized.
"Come home with me, Obi-Wan," Rose tried, taking his hand into hers. "Come back to the Jedi and leave this war behind you."
"I don't know if they would take me back," Obi-Wan said. "I've been away for two years now, and we are so close to the end here. I just don't know what to do, Rose."
"Come on, Obi. For old times' sake," Rose persisted. Obi-Wan sighed.
"I don't know, Rose. Just drop it for now, okay? Either way, we aren't safe here," Obi-Wan led Rose by the hand down the passage, winding them through the confusing labyrinth of tunnels. They came upon a clad-iron door, which Obi-Wan opened with a key card from his back pocket. The door opened to a bustling room full of young children, crates scattered around with various weapons and blasters positioned on top of them.
"So this is where the Young like to play," Rose mumbled to herself, feeling the curious eyes fall onto her and Obi-Wan. A teenaged boy approached them, his brown hair falling over his eyes.
"Who's this, Kenobi?" He asked, eyeing Rose.
"Rose Amaha. She's a friend, Nield," Obi-Wan replied, putting himself between Nield and Rose before a girl a little younger than Rose joined the conversation.
"She your girlfriend?" she teased. "Cerasi - pleasure to meet you." Rose offered a small bow and shook her hand.
"So, you're a Jedi?" Nield said, pointing to the lightsabers at Rose's side.
"Yes," Rose said simply.
"Ah, so she's like you then, Kenobi? A Padawawa?"
"Padawan, Cerasi, and yes, like me," Obi-Wan corrected, gripping the bridge of his nose.
"Padawan Amaha, if you will, I have a request of you," Cerasi began. "I would like to ask you to speak on our behalf at the meeting tonight. I'm so happy the Jedi finally recognize –"
"Wait, you think the Jedi Council sent me here?" Rose stopped her. She looked over at Obi-Wan, but he only shrugged. "I'm just here to take this dork home. The Jedi don't have business here, from what I've read at least."
"But you are a peace keeper, aren't you?" Cerasi complained desperately. "The peace has been broken here for centuries! Are you just going to let us fall apart and suffer –"
"This is an internal affair," Rose said calmly. "The Jedi do not get involved in civil wars. It's something your people need to sort out for themselves."
"My, you've changed in the last six years, Rose," Obi-Wan stepped in. "You used to be so spirited. If it were you, wouldn't you want help?"
"We were both kids then, but I see only one of us has actually grown up," Rose hissed. "Don't make it about something that it's not." A crowd began to form around the four of them, the curious eyes of children watching their every move. "You think I like this?" she said, lowering her voice so only Obi-Wan could hear it. "I want to help these people, but my involvement would only complicate things for the Order."
"You sound just like Master Qui-Gon. I see they've groomed you into a 'proper' Jedi," Obi-Wan spat.
"And I see you've lost your way!" Rose yelled, her ears beginning to feel hot. "You were the one I looked up to. You were my best friend. And you weren't there. I leave for six years and have to endure Hell on another planet - all in the hopes I get to see my friends when I'm finished, but when I get back, you were gone. 'Left the Order,' they said. 'He isn't coming back,' they tried to convince me. But I knew you better – I knew there was something more to you. All of those quiet conversations and you just leave without even saying goodbye." Rose was screaming at him, pointing an accusatory finger against his chest. Her breath was ragged and heaving, her voice strained. All the years of training to control her rage were gone in a single moment.
"Fine, Kenobi. You want to see action? I'll speak on behalf of you," she said, talking to Cerasi. "But not as a Jedi. As far as they are concerned, the Order is not involved," Rose declared. "We'll leave when the people outside stop blasting at us. Now, someone show me where the food is. I'm absolutely starving." A little girl came up to Rose and held her hand out. Rose felt her facial features soften as she took the girl's hand, its soft texture comforting in her own. The girl led her out of the hangar and into the hallway. It was cold and small droplets fell from the ceiling in an uneven beat, echoing throughout the length of the corridor. The little girl stopped in front of a door which led to the food area. She disappeared behind one of the doors for a few moments, but soon returned to Rose with a plate of meats and native veggies.
"Thanks, little one. What's your name?" Rose said as gently as she could. Her mind was still racing at her outburst.
"Elia," the girl said, spinning her torso from left to right shyly. She began to bite on her index nail and looked up at Rose with big, brown eyes. Rose saw a lot of her younger sister in the little girl. "You come to help Cerasi and Nield?"
"Yeah, Elia," Rose said, staring down at her plate. She pushed the food around with her fork for a moment before diving in. It was pretty obvious the meat was old, as the preservatives had altered the taste of it to something unpleasant, but it was still edible and Rose had never been a picky eater. She could tell the greens were fresh, though, and became fascinated by how they were grown on such a war-torn surface.
"Do you grow your own food?" Rose asked Elia, who was playing with the beads in Rose's hair. The girl nodded and plopped down beside Rose on the bench.
"Cerasi says we should be indifferent," Elia said confidently, crossing her arms.
"Do you mean independent?" Rose said with a laugh – something she felt she hadn't done in a long time. The little girl scrunched her face up in thought before nodding, her face a little flushed.
"How old are you?" Rose asked between bites. Elia looked at her hands before holding up four pudgy fingers, a toothy grin breaking across her face, some teeth missing with the new ones peeking out from beneath. "Four years old! Why, you're practically a woman!"
"My Mommy useds to says that I was her little lady," Elia said. "Whens is Mommy going to come back?"
"I don't know, Elia," Rose said softly. She put a hand on the little girl's shoulder. "I'm sure it'll be any day now."
"Elia, you should go do your chores," a gentle voice sounded from the doorway. Rose turned and saw it was Obi-Wan. The little girl scurried away, her light blue dress bouncing as she went.
"She's a cute one," Rose said, looking after her.
"You do well with children," Obi-Wan sat down beside Rose. "Look, Rose -"
"What did I say about getting sentimental, Kenobi? You won, alright?" Rose said, chasing around a small, round, purple fruit on her plate with her fork. Eventually, she gave up and used her fingers, the game becoming boring.
"Are you really going to speak on the Young's behalf?"
"I said I would, didn't I? Don't have a blazing clue on what I'm going to say, but I've always been good at improvising," Rose said helplessly. An alarm that rippled through the complex startled the two of them. Obi-Wan was already on his feet, rushing out the door. Rose followed in suit, snagging one of the fruits off her plate and popping it into her mouth.