"We're nearly there," Soren said, his voice breathless as he led the Jedi through the low, winding tunnels. All three of them were hunched over as they hurried, but Obi-wan barely noticed the discomfort. Something is wrong, he thought. Kali is in trouble. He glanced at Qui-gon, whose face mirrored the determination that Obi-wan felt in his heart, though he showed no sign of worry.
Finally, Soren stopped before an opening at their feet. He put his finger to his lips and pointed down, indicating the direction of their next move. Qui-gon nodded, and motioned for Soren to stay put. The boy pouted, but did so, and the Jedi slipped through the rock opening, and into the cavern beyond.
The scene that greeted them was chaotic: they arrived just in time to see Jonas thrown backward as an explosion rattled the entire chamber; Kali was lying to one side, blood pooling around her legs, and Non was making a hasty retreat, tossing small explosives across the cavern. Obi-wan felt his heart tighten at the sight of Kali, but he recognized that they had a chance to capture Non, as he didn't seem to know that they were there. Both Jedi raced to follow him, but he turned at the last minute, shaking his finger at them.
"Not so fast, my little robed friends," he chuckled, holding up a detonator. "I have no quarrel with you...don't try anything funny, and I'll make your deaths swift as I made his." He nodded to Jonas, who was still.
Qui-gon raised his palm to summon the Force, but Kali cried out as he did so. "No! Don't!" The Jedi glanced at her for an instant, but that was all that it took. Another explosion rocked the air, and Non vanished in the thickening smoke and falling debris.
Kalinda crawled over to Jonas, her brain refusing to register the pain in her knee, the frightened wails of the Minister's family, or even the mild explosion that had forced Obi-wan and Qui-gon to jump away from Non as he made his escape. All of her attention was on Jonas, whose face was pale and streaked with blood. She looked at the rest of him and almost vomited.
"Jonas?" she whispered, cradling his head in her lap. "Dad?"
His eyes opened, and he looked up at her, a faint smile on his lips. "My beloved daughter," he said softly. "You have made me so happy. I am so proud of you...I want you to know that."
"No," she said, blinking through the tears that were escaping from her eyes. "No, you can't leave me..."
"You are strong, Kali," he replied, his voice calm. "I know that you will be a great Jedi one day. I love you." His eyes lost their shine, he went still in her arms. Moments later, Obi-wan and Qui-gon were beside her, but she hardly noticed as she clutched her father's body to her, rocking back and forth.
Obi-wan set the nav computer's course for Coruscant, and slipped out of the cockpit to check on Kalinda, whom Qui-gon had carried back aboard their transport. She was sleeping deeply, no doubt as much from the Jedi's calming Force influence as from the pain meds he'd given her. Qui-gon was performing a vigil over Jonas' body, which they'd managed to remove from the cavern, though it had been difficult. As he watched Kali sleeping, Obi-wan thought back over their departure from Echothalia.
Soren had been invaluable, as the Jedi were unable to carry out Jonas' body, Kalinda, who was grief stricken and stunned, and the Minister's family, who were paralyzed with fear. The boy had run for help, and returned with citizens and guards alike, who helped to remove the survivors and deactivate the bombs that Non had left.
Non.
Obi-wan felt anger coil within him at the thought of the criminal. He'd had a ship waiting, a derelict-looking thing that didn't even look like it would get off the ground, let alone jump to hyperspace. But, in the end, the Minister's family was safe, and the people of Echothalia could start to rebuild what Non had destroyed.
Kali would not be so lucky. He touched her hand; aside from her knee, she's sprained her wrist, and sustained other minor injuries. She looked very small and fragile in the bunk, and even in the deepest sleep, her face showed no sign of peace. "I'm sorry we didn't come in time, Kali," he said, his voice quiet. She didn't move, and he felt a little foolish for talking to her now. But still. Kneeling beside her, putting his lips to her ear, he whispered, "I promise, I will never let you down again, Kalinda." He kissed her lips, gently, and stood up, taking her hand in his own.
"How is she?" Qui-gon's voice sounded from the doorway, and Obi-wan dropped her hand as he turned to his master.
"Sleeping."
The Jedi nodded. "Hopefully she'll remain so for the rest of the journey." His expression softened. "Her knee is..."
"I know," Obi-wan interrupted. "I know."
Qui-gon put a hand on the Padawan's shoulder. "Come on, Obi-wan. Let's have something to eat. You must be hungry."
Though he didn't feel hungry in the least, Obi-wan nodded, and glanced at Kali one last time as they exited the cabin.
"But Kalinda-"
"I said, I don't want a blasted 'mechno' anything."
"It could take months for you to get use of this knee back, and it will never be truly healed. With a prosthetic, you will be fully recuperated in a month or so, at most. But if you choose not to...well, it will make everything that much harder."
Kalinda glared at Adi Gallia, the Healer who was in charge of her care at the Jedi Temple. "I don't care." Her jaw was set and her eyes were locked on the Jedi Master's.
The Healer sighed, and shook her head. "Very well. Now, lay back; I'm going to apply the bacta ointment. I've mixed in some callendia leaf extract, so it may sting a bit."
She wasn't kidding, Kali thought, clenching her teeth as the pain needled into her left knee. It had only been five days since the disaster on Echothalia and she had spent the entire time either in a bacta tank or on one of the blasted examination tables. Aside from the quick briefing that she had given Master Windu, she hadn't had much time to think about the mission, which, truth be told, was a blessing. It was as if part of her mind had blocked out the memory altogether, and she was careful not to let her thoughts dwell too long on...
No, she thought, shaking her head. No, I will not think of him now. I can't...it's too much. Even so, she felt a tear escape and trickle down her cheek, which she swiped at quickly. After several more minutes, Adi Gallia looked up, giving her a tight smile.
"All done. Let me wrap it up, and you can be on your way."
Kali frowned. "No bacta tank?"
"No." The Healer finished wrapping the injury, and removed her gloves, tossing them in a red container by the door. She pressed a button on the comm, and a girl's voice answered.
"Yes, Master?"
"Siri, would you please bring me a set of crutches to exam room eight?"
"Be right there."
Adi turned to back to Kalinda. "You have a difficult path ahead of you, Kalinda, but you seem resolute. I hope that you have thought this decision through."
Kali remained silent.
Moments later, the door opened, and a slender, blonde girl about a year younger than Kalinda entered the room, carrying the requested crutches in her right hand. Her eyes widened briefly as she took in Kali's bandaged knee, but she handed the objects to her Master without comment, merely nodding as the Healer thanked her.
Several minutes later, Kali was clumsily navigating the corridors of the Temple with the unwieldy crutches, her face burning as passing students stared at her awkward passage. Just as she reached the door to her room, her comm unit beeped, and she cursed under her breath.
"Padawan Halcyon," Mace Windu said. "Your presence has been requested in the Council chambers, immediately."
"Yes, Master," she replied with a sigh.
It was another twenty minutes before she managed to make the journey that shouldn't have taken more than five, and she was nearly breathless when she finally arrived at the top of the center spire that housed the Council chambers. She made her way to the center of the room, facing Master Windu and Yoda, the most senior members of the Order, and tried to calm her racing heart.
"Master Gallia tells us that you refused the prosthetic," Mace Windu began without preamble. "You realize that decision will impact your abilities as a Jedi?"
Her face flamed, but her resolve was deep. "Yes, Master Windu."
"Chosen the more difficult path, you have," Yoda said, his large eyes fixed on her. "But for what reasons, do you know?"
She frowned. "I don't want a prosthetic anything, Master. No synthflesh, no droid parts, nothing. I just...I just feel that it wouldn't be right. For me." She glanced at Adi Gallia, whose expression was guarded. "Why is it an issue, Masters?"
"Kalinda," Adi said, leaning forward. "You have come through a very difficult ordeal. Perhaps you need some time to reflect, to consider-"
"Are you all deaf?" she snapped. "What part of 'no' don't you understand?" The moment the words left her mouth, her stomach dropped to her feet and she tried to stammer out an apology.
Mace Windu raised his eyebrow, but let the comment slide. "We brought you here to discuss what is to become of your training."
At these words, Kali felt the knot in her heart unclench slightly, and she felt hopeful. However, the feeling was dashed with the Master's next words. "Unfortunately, there are no Jedi currently seeking a Padawan at this time. We've contacted some of them who are in the field, but haven't yet received a reply. We will advise you when they respond." He leaned back in his chair. "In the meantime, it is recommended that you participate in classes here, in addition to your physical therapy."
He nodded to her, which she took as her cue to leave. As she turned, Kalinda lost her grip on one of the crutches, and it clattered to the smooth stone floor of the chamber with an echo. None of the Jedi Masters moved to help her as she struggled to pick up the crutch, cheeks burning. Finally, in a moment of desperation, she managed to use the Force to pull the crutch closer to her, where she could grasp it easier, and she made her way at last out of the tower.
Obi-wan entered the Healer's wing, several datapads in his grip. He stopped one of the junior Healers, asking about Kali, but the Rhodian boy shook his head, gesturing to one of the exam rooms. Obi-wan searched the wing, but saw no sign of her, so he decided to check her room. As he exited the wing, he nearly ran over Siri, a fellow Padawan.
"Watch where you're going, Kenobi," she said, her green eyes narrowing at him.
"Sorry," he replied. "I guess I'm just preoccupied." He held up the datapads. "Did you hear your Master mention anything about Kalinda? She's not in the Healers' wing."
The blond girl shrugged. "She got called to the Council about an hour ago-Adi had to go up after she finished bandaging her knee." She grimaced. "It looked pretty bad; I think she's foolish for not going with a prosthetic."
Obi-wan stared at her. "A prosthetic? I didn't realize it was so serious."
Siri nodded. "I only caught a glimpse, but it wasn't pretty." She tilted her head at Obi-wan. "But you were with her, right? You saw?"
"I did...I just..." he sighed. "Any idea where Kali might be, now?"
"How should I know?"
Obi-wan nodded. "Well, thanks anyway, Siri." He turned to walk off, but Siri called his name, making him pause and face her. "What is it?"
Her cheeks grew pink, and she shook her head. "It's nothing, Obi-wan. Go find your friend."
It didn't take him very long. She was in the Room of a Thousand Fountains, seated on a mossy boulder, her left knee extended before her; a set of metallic crutches was discarded on the ground next to the boulder. He could sense her grief and sorrow the moment that he approached, though it wouldn't have taken Jedi powers to detect such emotions from the dark-haired girl who sat alone, gazing at the rushing waterfall that filtered into the pool before her.
"Kali," he said by way of greeting, coming to stand beside her. She glanced at him; seated as she was, she was almost at his eye level. When she didn't answer, he held out the datapads. "I thought you were still in the Healers' wing, and that you might want something to read...so, I brought you these." She glanced at his hand, then took the pads from him, placing them on the boulder next to her without looking at them. "They're about the Sith wars," he added with a smile. "Really dry stuff just as you like."
"No one's going to continue my training," she said, her voice barely audible above the rushing water.
"Is that why you were summoned to the Council?"
She glanced at him, a trace of familiar wry humor in her voice. "Word travels fast here, doesn't it?"
"But...are they dismissing you from the Order?"
"No," she replied. "According to Master Windu, they have placed requests with several Jedi in the field, but no one is really looking for a Padawan right now. They'll let me know." The last part was tinged with sarcasm.
Obi-wan swallowed, and scuffed his boots against the verdant moss. "So, in the meantime, you'll be here?"
She nodded. "I'm to take classes and focus on recuperating," she said. "And then, we'll just see, I guess." She turned to him fully, he could see that her eyes were red-rimmed and swollen. "I don't know what I'm going to do."
Embrace her, Obi-wan's mind screamed at him, but all he managed to do was pat her awkwardly on the back. "You'll manage, Kali; the Council will figure it out. You're strong."
She pulled back, and looked at him as though he had slapped her. "How can you say that? Do you have any idea..." Her words broke off, and she shook her head, turning to slip off of the rock. As she tried to find her footing, her injured knee bumped against the boulder, and she let out an involuntary hiss. Obi-wan moved to help her, but she pushed him away. "Just leave me alone." He could see tears sliding down her face, and her hair was tangled as she bent to retrieve the crutches, but there was venom in her voice.
Silently, he stood and watched her slowly make her way out of the room, the crutches squeaking as she limped. He glanced down, and saw that she had left the datapads on the ground. He grabbed at them roughly, and strode towards the opposite side of the room, to the corridor beyond.