Shattered Mission, Chapter 6
Anakin and Sikka sped through hyperspace on their way to meet with the Jedi Council on Coruscant. Submerging his fear for his old master, Anakin had coached Sikka in entering the hyperspace coordinates and sending the ship on its way through the dark void. Now he was standing beside and slightly behind her, watching her make entries in the ship's log. She sat back and looked up at him, pleased that he had let her fly the ship. "What now, Master?" she asked, eager to learn more.
He bent over the console, checked the status of their flight, and replied, "There's nothing more to do now, Padawan. Just check the instruments now and then, and listen for alarms. The ship's computer keeps us on course." He straightened and looked down into her young, open face. He placed a hand on her shoulder and said, "I'm going to meditate for awhile. Don't touch anything, and come get me if an alarm sounds, all right?"
"Yes, Master. I won't touch anything." She watched his expression change as he turned and headed for the small compartment behind the cockpit. He was worried about something. "Master?" she called after him. He turned around and waited for her to speak. "Is there something wrong? Why are we going to Coruscant?" He watched her for a moment, trying to decide if he should tell her what he had felt in the Force. Her friend was on Muunilinst, too. Finally, he sighed and came forward. Sitting down in the co-pilot's chair, he faced her.
"Something has happened on Muunilinst, Sikka. While I was meditating on Endor, I lost contact with Master Kenobi." He looked down and continued, "He and I are very close, and I can always feel his presence in the Force. It just disappeared, and I can't feel him anymore." As understanding dawned on her face, fear crept into her eyes. He touched her hand. "I don't know about your friend, Sikka; I don't know what he feels like, so I can't tell if he is all right."
She dropped her gaze and said nothing for a moment. Then she whispered, "He's my best friend." Anakin stood and touched her hair. "We don't know what has happened, Padawan. They may be fine. We are going to Muunilinst to look for them after I meet with the Council." He knelt beside her and turned her face toward his. "When Obi-Wan was my master, he used to tell me to stay in the moment, not to worry about the future. And that is what we are going to do. Do you understand?" He smiled a little, and she nodded, the corners of her mouth turning up slightly. "Good," he said, rising. "Remember, come get me if an alarm sounds, or if you are unsure of anything." She watched him retreat to the aft compartment.
Grumbling, the two Muun-doh natives arrived at the edge of the cliff. Peering over the side, they could see the Jedi Master on the canyon floor. "Well, is 'e dead?" one asked the other. "Yah, 'e must be," came the reply. "No one could survive that fall." They both looked behind them; a Muun officer was watching them, hands on hips as if he expected them not to follow his order. "Hmph, guess we has to go down. Come on." As they slowly descended the cliff face, using roots and rocky outcroppings for support, one stopped and asked, "What if he's alive? Them Jedi's tricky, ya know." They were about halfway down. The other looked down nervously and replied, "Yer right. Hold on." Securing his purchase to the wall, he pried loose some rocks and handed them to his fellow. "Here, hit 'im with these and see if he moves." They both threw several rocks at the still form. "There, see? He ain't movin'. He must be dead. One of mine bonked 'im on the head and 'e didn't even bat an eye." "Yah, an' look. There's blood around 'is head. If 'e ain't dead, 'e soon will be. What say we wait a bit and see if he moves. Then we c'n go back." The other agreed, so they clung to the cliff wall watching the still form below.
They were unaware of other eyes watching them, waiting for them to leave.
When the ship entered normal space near Coruscant, Anakin contacted Padme via commlink.
"Anakin," Padme said warmly into the link her sister had just handed her. "Where are you? Are you on your way?"
"No, my love," Anakin replied into his headset, unhappiness evident in his voice. "We're orbiting Coruscant. I have to meet with the Council." She waited for him to continue. "Something's happened to Obi-Wan." She caught her breath. "What happened, Anakin? Do you know? Where is he?"
"I don't know. I just know I can't find him in the Force. I can't feel him. And neither can Master Yoda or Master Windu."
"Oh, no," she breathed into the link.
"Obi-Wan and Oren are supposed to be on Muunilinst, looking for some Separatist leaders. Their last contact with the Council put them there."
As if she had known something would happen to keep him away and in danger, Padme asked, "Are you going there to look for them?"
He heard the frustration and worry in her question and felt terrible. "Very likely, my love. I have to find him, you know that. He's my brother."
"I know, Anakin," she answered, tears welling in her eyes. "Just, please..."
"You know I will come back to you, Padme," he said, softly. "I won't fail you. And I won't fail Obi-Wan. I love you, Padme. Good-bye."
"I love you, Anakin," she whispered, and broke the connection.
After they landed at the Jedi Temple, Anakin left Sikka at their new quarters, so she could refresh herself with a shower and gather whatever she might need for their next mission. He hurried to the Council chamber and walked in. Masters Yoda and Mace Windu were seated in quiet discussion. His old friend Master Tru Veld rose and embraced him briefly. "It's good to see you, Anakin," he said quietly. "And you, Tru," Anakin replied. He turned to the oldest of the Jedi and bowed. "Master Yoda."
"Master Skywalker," Yoda greeted him. "Glad to see you, I am. Heard from Obi-Wan, we have not. Have you?"
Anakin shook his head. "No, Master Yoda. Are we sure they are on Muunilinst?"
"Yes. Made certain, Master Windu did," Yoda answered, waving his gimer stick at Mace.
"Obi-Wan's ship is registered as having landed there, and we have confirmed that it is still at the spaceport northeast of the capital city, Harnaidan," Windu explained. "So, they haven't left, at least not in their ship."
"I won't believe they are gone, not yet," Anakin said. "I would know if Obi-Wan was dead; I would feel it."
"Understand, I do," Yoda replied. "Very close, the two of you are. To Muunilinst, you go, look for your old master."
"Thank you, Master Yoda." Anakin bowed, preparing to leave.
"Take your apprentice, will you, Anakin? Hmmm?" Yoda asked.
The young master paused and replied, "Yes, I intend to. Is that a problem?"
"Young, she is and danger you may encounter," Yoda warned.
"I know there is danger there. I will let nothing happen to her, Master Yoda," Anakin said, with certainty.
"Know this, I do," Yoda said, smiling confidently at the young man as he turned to leave again.
"Anakin." Recognizing Windu's voice, he faced the dark-skinned master. "Find Obi-Wan if you can, but if you cannot find him in three days, you must stop searching and complete his mission. You must apprehend Shu Mai and return her to Coruscant."
Incredulous, Anakin exclaimed, "Three days? Master Windu—"
"The Council has decided this, Master Skywalker," Windu interrupted. "The Separatist leaders must be brought to justice. Even if it was a trap for Master Kenobi, she may yet be there, believing herself safe for awhile." Anakin remained silent, collecting himself. Windu's visage softened. "We understand your concern for Obi-Wan, Anakin, and we believe you will find him. May the Force be with you."
Yoda climbed down from his seat and approached Anakin. He raised his hand and touched Anakin's, craning his neck to see the young master's face. "May the Force be with you, Master Skywalker."
Looking down at the old wizard, Anakin smiled a little. "Thank you, Master Yoda. The Force be with us all." Then he bowed and left the chamber.
A great clattering from above startled the padawan from his restless sleep in his dark prison. Sitting up, he shook pieces of straw from his hair as best he could, and listened. Some very large, hoofed animals were treading on the wooden floor above his head. He assumed they were the draft horses, being brought in from outside and put to bed. Soon it was quiet again and he was left alone. His arms ached from sleeping with his wrists bound behind him.
He got to his knees and breathed deeply, centering himself and calling the Force to him. Once again he tried to contact his master without success. He was also unsuccessful in trying to meditate, to bring peace. There was too much pain, too much pain and anger and guilt. Sighing, he opened his eyes and fell back against the bales, thinking. I'm sorry, Master. It's my fault you're dead. It must be. I must be unlucky, or stupid. Or too slow, or... or something. How can I lose two masters? I'll bet no one else has had two masters and had them both die. I must be a failure at being a Jedi... He looked around and smirked. A good place for a failure to die, a hole in the ground under some stupid animals. Maybe they'll forget about me; I hope they do and just let me die here... But if I do get out of here, I'm just going to go away. I'll leave the Order. I'm no good to them anyway... A thought struck him. I'll miss Sikka, though... Cee...
En route to Muunilinst, Anakin kept searching the Force for Obi-Wan, but could feel nothing of his former teacher. Once, when he opened his eyes, he could see Sikka looking at him hopefully. When he shook his head, she sighed and turned back to the pilot's console. He watched her for a moment, an idea forming in his head.
"Sikka, have you felt Oren in the Force before? Would you recognize him?"
Surprised, she took a moment to digest his questions. "Yes, I did, with Master Kenobi, a few months ago. We didn't know where he was, and Master Kenobi tried to find him , but he couldn't. So, he held my hand and I was able to see so much more."
"And then you found him?" Anakin asked. "You sensed him?" She nodded. "All right. We're going to try the same thing." He motioned to her and they faced each other. Taking her hand in his flesh one, he said, "Now, center yourself and stretch out with your feelings." Sikka felt the familiar peace of the Force within her and began to reach outside of herself. Suddenly, she felt as if she had been hooked by a passing meteor. Sensations and feelings were flowing through and around her at lightspeed. She gasped and jerked her arm.
It's all right, Padawan, I'm here. Just relax and let everything flow.
Obeying him, she let go of the surprise and fear that had surrounded her for a moment and did not try to interpret what she felt. Letting everything pass by, she realized that she could feel her master and his sense of her. You're with me, good. Now let me know if you can sense your best friend. She opened herself up just a tiny bit and instantly felt very strong emotions, worry, fear, love. My, such intense love! It caught her up in its intensity, and she realized these emotions were part of Master Skywalker's being. She could feel his fear and worry were for Master Kenobi, and maybe just a little worry for her, too. The love she felt was, of course, for his wife Padme and his children, Luke and Leia. And for Master Kenobi!
Stay focused, Padawan, he admonished her. In awe of her master's strength in the Force, she let the feelings go and tried to bring up her memory of Oren's Force essence she had felt before. There it was; now she had to search and sift through everything around her.
Minutes passed... Master? I think... Yes, it's him! I found him, and he's alive!
Yes, I have him too, now. Good job, Sikka. I'm going to contact him. Leave now and watch the ship.
Yes, Master. He let go of her hand, and she almost fell out of her seat. Everything seemed so small again, as if her world had been reduced only to the space of the cockpit. She blinked hers eyes a few times and then checked the readouts on the console. She could see nothing out of order, so she quietly watched her master contact her best friend through the Force.
...
"Janney, he's sweatin' somethin' fierce," the old man's voice called out to her. "I think he's got a fever."
The young woman hurried from the house's kitchen into the spare bedroom where their patient lay. "Oh, dear," she replied to her father, "it looks like we weren't able to stave off the infection." She reached for the pan of cool water and dipped a cloth into it. "Pop, I'll try to cool him off with this; you go get the fever pills and some water. Hopefully, they will help."
As she held his head still and placed the wet cloth on his hot forehead, she saw his eyes flash open and stare at her; he muttered something. "What did you say?" she asked, as she bent low to listen. He wrenched away from her grasp, his breathing short and gasping. "Huh...huh... huh!" She grabbed his head again and held his face toward her own. Fevered eyes popping open again, he stared at her once more. "Please, slow down, try to relax, friend," she insisted, gently. His free hand moved toward her face, his mouth opened, closed, then opened again and she heard, "F-For...Fors...Force...a-angel...?" Then, eyes rolling back, he fainted.
Puzzled, she pulled back and regarded him. Angel? Force angel? Is that what you said? What in the world does than mean? Her father returned with the fever pills and a glass of water.
As she continued refreshing the cloth in the pan of cool water and applying it to his face and forehead, he asked, "What happened? I heard you talking. Did he say something?"
Nodding her head, she replied, "Sort of, I guess. I think he said, 'Force angel?' Or, maybe it was fourth angel. What do you think that means, Pop?" He shrugged and handed her the pills.
"All right, let's try to get these down him," she said. "I hate to wake him, though. Here, lift his head." With that, the old man hefted the invalid's shoulders and the woman placed the pills in his mouth. Body reflexes took over when she poured the water after the pills, and he swallowed without waking.
"Okay, good. Here, Pop, fill this pan up again with cold water, please? I'll continue trying to cool him down."
...
His side on fire! Falling... grey sky ... falling ... black fingers? Roots! Grab them! Head pain! Darkness...
A memory: Cool water, soft hands, blessed sleep.
Movement near him, a voice: "Good morning."
He cracked his eyes open and waited a few seconds for them to focus. Someone was leaning over him. "Hunh?" he croaked back to the person. "I said, good morning." "Is it?" he squeaked, blinking his eyes. "Is it what?" Trying to clear his throat, he asked, "Is it morning?" "Yes, it is. You had a good sleep last night, after your fever broke." He focused in on the speaker and saw that it was a woman. He didn't recognize her.
"Where...?" He looked around the room. "You're in our home, in the North Lands. You've been badly hurt. But, we're taking care of you. Don't worry, you're safe here."
He stared at her for a moment. "Th-thank you." He looked down at himself and found that he was in bed, lying on his back with his arms at his sides, outside the blanket covering him. Well, one arm anyway; the other was in a sling, lying over his middle.
She put out her right hand and said, "My name is Janelle Sumter. This place is our ranch, and it's a long way from where we found you." When he said nothing, she asked, "And you are...?