Shattered Mission, Chapter 10

After a light breakfast at a nearby café, Anakin and the two padawans returned to their ship and flew, following the computer's directions, to an estate somewhat smaller than San Hill's, which belonged to his sister. After landing in a small field across the road from what appeared to be a house, Anakin said to them, "I want you to stay near me, and keep your wits about you. Be prepared for anything." "Yes, Master," they replied in unison. The small group left the ship, walked through the open gates and approached the front of the residence. Anakin rang the bell. Almost immediately, the door opened.

"May I help you?" asked the Muun inside, craning his neck to see all of them.

"We are here to see Kumina Hill-Sowder," Anakin stated.

"May I tell her who is calling?"

"You may tell her there are three Jedi here to see her," he said, staring confidently into the eyes of the tall being.

"Please come in," the Muun said, standing back from the door and ushering them into a room just inside. "I will tell the mistress of the house that you are here." He left them and walked away. Oren put his head out into the hallway and watched to see where he went.

Anakin pushed outward with the Force and began searching through the house, "seeing" into the rooms. He took note of the rich, but tasteful furnishings and artwork as he passed through each room, subconsciously comparing this home to the ostentatiously furnished home of San Hill.

"How do you do?" Anakin brought himself back to see a female Muun had entered their room. She appeared to be older than her brother, and a bit shorter, yet still taller than Anakin. He and the two padawans bowed respectfully to her. "It's not every day that I am visited by Jedi Knights. Might I ask the reason for your visit? Has it anything to do with my idiot brother?"

Startled, Anakin coughed a little and replied, "Well, this does have to do with San Hill, if that is who you mean."

She shook her head and moved gracefully to a chair, motioning for them to sit, too. "I might have known," she remarked, disgust evident in her tone. "How that fool ever came to be Chairman of the IBC, I'll never understand. What has he done now?"

"He has continued to associate with Separatist leaders—" At this she huffed and rolled her eyes. "—and he has allowed at least two of them to continue to evade Republic justice, harboring them on his estate and providing for their escape two days ago," Anakin stated. Kumina spat something out in her native language and fumed in her chair. Anakin waited to see what she would do or say next. Her anger seemed real enough.

Finally, she faced him and asked, "So, why have you come to me? Did you expect to find them here?"

Anakin replied, "We believed that your brother would hide them with a friend or relative, and that they would be hidden with someone in the country. It just happened that we started here."

"Do you expect me to allow you to search my home?" she asked, challenging him.

"There is no need for that," he said. "I know they are not here." Oren and Sikka looked at each other, wondering exactly how Master Skywalker knew.

She rose from her chair and eyed him curiously. "Well, I won't ask you how you know that, but you are correct." She began moving toward the door of the room. "Now, if you will excuse me, I have things I must take care of." As she opened the door, she called out, "Jakson, please show these people out." The three of them nodded as they passed her, and followed her servant to the front door and out of the house. After they crossed the road and entered their ship, Sikka asked, "Master? How did you know Shu Mai and Poggle the Lesser weren't there?"

Anakin looked at her for a moment, and then replied, "We will discuss this another time, Padawan. Now we are going to Layneer Hill's estate; he is San Hill's cousin." With that, he turned to enter the cockpit. Sikka turned to Oren; he just shrugged his shoulders.

...

"Put me through to my brother! And don't tell me he isn't there!" Kumina Hill-Sowder waited impatiently after scorching the ears of San Hill's secretary, and grew angrier by the second. It wasn't long before she heard her brother's voice on the comm.

"Kumina! How wonderful to speak with you. It has been too long. We really should—"

"Oh, shut up, San," she spat into the link. "Three Jedi have just left here after informing me that you are harboring two of your former compatriots, Shu Mai and that disgusting creature from Geonosis. Is this true?"

"Why, Kumina, how—

"Oh, don't lie to me, San," she interrupted him. "This is just the sort of thing I would expect of you. You won't rest until you've completely ruined our family name!"

"But—"

"They should have sent you to the spice mines of Kessel, rather than penalizing you with that ridiculous fine! Then our family would have been shut of you."

"But—"

"You are fortunate that I still have some influence with Senator Krastin. Now, where are they? And don't you dare say 'Who!'" She could faintly hear grumbling at the other end of the link. Finally, her brother spoke. "All right, Kumina. I sent them to our cousin's."

"Layneer?" She paused and counted to ten. "Well, San, you'd better get in touch with him and let him know that these Jedi are probably on their way to his home right now."

"Why do you say that? The Jedi don't know where I sent them," San replied.

"That doesn't matter. I'm sure they will find them. And it would be better if those fools were not discovered at one of our family homes. Do you understand, my brother?"

"Yes, my sister," Hill replied, silently wishing the old woman would just die. But, she was the matriarch of the family and, thus, must be obeyed. "I will do as you ask."

...

As Janelle was grooming Essie in one stall, Cohl entered the barn. She stared at him and said, "I thought you were going to relax on the porch this morning, Cohl. What are you doing here?"

He leaned on the side of the stall and replied, "I thought I would try to help out in some way. I would like to repay you and Willem for taking care of me."

"I don't want you doing any work with that blaster wound the way it is. You could rip it open if you're not careful."

"Well, I'd like to do something," he said, looking around the barn. "Isn't there anything I could do? I very much dislike just sitting around."

She pursed her lips. "Well, you could bring the feed over here to Essie and Shayla. Pop just finished mixing up a fresh batch." She pointed to a large bin against the far wall. "Open up that bin and you'll see a scoop inside. Fill up the scoop and dump it here in these two feed buckets." She showed him two large pails attached to the inside of the stall. "Fill them each about half full." He smiled, glad to finally be earning his keep, and did as she instructed. As he filled the pails, he asked, "Which one is Essie?"

"She's right here," Janelle replied, scratching the mare between the ears, who then lifted her nose into the air and closed her eyes, enjoying the extra attention.

"She's quite large," he observed, running his eyes over Essie's bulk.

"Well, they are large animals, but she's also in foal." At Cohl's questioning expression, she explained, "She's pregnant."

"Oh," he laughed.

"And this one over here is Shayla, her daughter. She was born last year." Janelle pulled on the halter and brought another horse forward. She was quite a bit smaller than her mother. Shayla extended her soft muzzle toward Cohl. "Put some feed in your hand and hold it out to her."

He dipped into a bucket and brought out a handful of the mixture and held it out. Shayla instantly pulled it into her mouth, along with one of his fingers. "Whoa!" he exclaimed, jerking his hand back. "She almost took one of my fingers." Janelle laughed. "Well, she's a growing girl, and she loves her food. It's making her big and strong." She patted the youngster's neck and said, "She'll be taking over the breeding duties from Essie in a couple of years. We've already got some bids on mating her... Essie's getting old and needs to retire and just rest."

Cohl observed for a minute and then said, "You really love them, don't you?"

"Oh, yes," Janelle replied. "They're like part of the family. Here you go, girls." She let the animals get at the feed pails and left the stall. "When they're finished, we'll let them out of the barn." They stood together, watching the food disappear, Cohl marveling at the speed with which it did.

When the meal was finished and mother and daughter were scraping the pails for the last morsels, Janelle entered the stall, motioning for Cohl to follow her. "Here, you take Shayla," she said, handing him a rope which was clipped to Shayla's halter. "Be sure to grab it up close to her chin. And hold it with your left hand; I don't want her pulling on your right side. If she pulls too hard, just let go."

Cohl did as she instructed and they led the animals out into a paddock. Essie plodded along beside Janelle, her ears perked forward, while Shayla pranced in a half circle beside Cohl, eager to get to the field ahead. Janelle opened the gate at the far side of the paddock and unclipped Essie's rope, allowing her to enter the grassy field beyond. As the youngster eagerly pulled Cohl along with her, Janelle grabbed her halter and unclipped it from the rope he held. Shayla ran past her mother and kicked and bucked in her happiness at being able to run.

When Janelle closed the gate, Cohl said, "My, but she is strong." She nodded, laughing. "I was afraid I was going to have to pick you up off the grass. Here, let me make sure she didn't hurt you," she said, as she knelt and lifted his shirt to check the bandage at his waist. Her fingertips brushed his skin as she gently lifted the bandage, and Cohl found himself slightly unnerved at the sensation, and he caught his breath audibly. As her eyes lifted and met his, she asked, smiling, "Are you ticklish, Cohl?" "No, I..." Her eyes are beautiful... green and... and... Feeling his face getting hot, he blinked and continued, "I'm not. I was just... startled." After a moment, she dropped her gaze and said, "Well, this looks fine." As she let go of his shirt and stood, she turned to him with a puzzled look and remarked, "I am amazed at how quickly you are healing. That was a bad blaster wound, and it's already closed and will soon be just a scar." He said nothing. She shrugged and looped the ropes over her arm. "Well, I've got work to do in the house, Cohl. You're welcome to join me, or stay here if you like."

"I think I'll stay for a bit and watch them," he replied, nodding in the direction of the horses. But he watched her as she walked away from him and into the barn. What was that? He lifted his hand to his face and felt the warmth there. He could still see her face looking up at him as she checked his bandage. He shook his head to clear it. What am I doing? She's just being good to me, and kind. They are both so kind... I feel like I am intruding on these good people, taking advantage of them... Should I leave? Where would I go? I don't know who I am, where I came from... What would I do, walk up to people and say, 'Excuse me, but I don't know who I am. Do you?' Right. I'd be locked away in some hospital or something... Sighing heavily, he dropped his forehead onto his palm and wondered if his memory would ever return.

Finally, he turned to watch the horses, laying his arms on the top of the fence. Shayla was very entertaining, running around the pasture and stopping to stare over the fence at the small rodents and birds that inhabited the area. Now and then she would run up to her mother and scamper away; Essie pretty much ignored her and chomped contentedly at the grass about her feet.

In the house, Willem sat comfortably in the sitting room, reading a book; Janelle was in the kitchen, cleaning up around the sink. She paused briefly, watching Cohl through the window at the pasture fence. She was enjoying having someone else to talk to, and found herself almost wishing that he would stay here and that his memory wouldn't— "Oh, stop it! That's selfish, girl," she muttered aloud.

"Talking to yourself, Janney?"

She whirled around to see her father standing at the kitchen table and smiling. "Oh, Pop, just chastising myself for selfish thoughts." She began scrubbing the sink again. Willem noticed that she kept glancing out the window. He walked up next to her and took a look himself.

"Ah, seems a good man that Cohl does. A good man," he observed. "Mm-hm," she replied, busying herself with wiping down the countertops. "'Course, who knows what he'll turn out to be, once he remembers everything. But, I expect he won't be much different. Goodness comes from inside a body. Likely he's not a criminal... or a serial killer." She stopped and gave him a look. He chuckled and sat down at the table. "Besides, anyone that San Hill is after must not be all bad." Now she laughed and nodded her agreement.

After a few minutes, she joined Willem at the table. "He helped out a little today," she said, looking down at the smooth surface, "fed Essie and Shayla their grains. Shayla almost took off one of his fingers." Willem nodded knowingly. "Ayah, she'll do that if you're not careful." He watched her for a minute; finally, he spoke. "So, Janney, what do you think of him?" Without raising her eyes, she replied, "I like him, Pop." He nodded, and said, "You know, there's a good chance he'll leave once his memory comes back." She raised her head and replied, "I know, Pop, I know. But maybe he won't. Maybe he'll decide he likes it here and stay." They shared a look for a moment.

He stood up from the table. "I think he's a good bit older than you." "Pop, I'll be thirty in a couple of years. What is he, thirty-five, maybe?" He touched her shoulder and said, "No, I'd say he's pushing forty, anyway. I just don't want you to be hurt again, daughter. Be patient." She nodded and gave him a smile.

...

Anakin's ship touched down lightly near the manicured hedge which bordered the home of San Hill's cousin, Layneer Hill. "Let's go," Master Skywalker said as he, Sikka and Oren descended the ramp. With the padawans right behind him, Anakin rounded the end of the hedge and headed toward the house, which was at the end of a fairly long drive. Before they were halfway there, the door opened and a Muun came out and waited. Anakin slowed as he realized who it was. "Well, this is interesting," he said quietly. "What's he doing here?"

"Ah, Master Skywalker, we've been expecting you," San Hill said, with exaggerated courtesy. He stopped and his eyes widened briefly when he saw Oren standing behind Anakin. That must be the boy! Quickly, he gathered himself and continued. "I was just speaking to my sister. She said you had been to see her."

"Yes, we have," Anakin replied, guardedly. "Interesting that we should find you here."

"Interesting? Well, I suppose you might think so, but this is my cousin's home. I am here often." Anakin's smirk told everyone present what he thought of that statement. "At any rate, we have something for you, something that should please you." He turned and held his hand out toward the door, through which issued Shu Mai and Poggle the Lesser, handcuffed to each other and scowling. Shu Mai glared at Hill. Oren and Sikka gasped, but Anakin was not surprised at all.

Raising his eyes to Hill, he said, "How convenient that you were the one to find them." He turned to his companions. "Sikka, you and Oren take these two to the ship. Secure them in the cargo hold." "Yes, Master," she replied. He watched as they walked away with their prisoners between them; then he turned back. "Don't think this absolves you of any other charges, Hill. We have yet to find Master Kenobi, but when we do, rest assured we will return." With that, he spun on his heel and returned to his ship, leaving a glowering San Hill behind him.

Oren and Sikka were standing by the door to the starboard hold when Anakin entered the ship. "Are our prisoners secured?" he asked Sikka. "Yes, Master, but not very happy," she replied, with a little smile. "Very good, Padawan. Oren, make sure the door is locked tight. We don't want any trouble from them." Anakin watched as the young man locked the door, nodded and then the three of them went to the cockpit. "Okay, now you can take us back to the IBC. We'll contact the Council to let them know we've been successful."

"Yes, Master Skywalker," Oren replied, easing into the pilot's seat. Anakin motioned Sikka to sit in the co-pilot's seat and he sat behind her. He was pleased that Obi-Wan's padawan handled the ship competently and appeared not to need his assistance. Obi-Wan has taught him well, he thought as Oren powered down the engines on the IBC landing pad.

Through the front window, they could see Sergeant Camin wave and shake his head. "No luck on finding Obi-Wan," Anakin muttered. "Master?" Sikka inquired. He replied, "All right. I'd like you two to set up a couple of data pads with Master Kenobi's picture and description. We'll have to start our own search soon. You can use the aft console. I'm going to contact the Council and let them know we have Shu Mai and Poggle." As the padawans left the cockpit, Anakin set the holocomm to Jedi Council's private comm code and started the transmission. Minutes passed and finally, the image of Padawan Janir Hathon appeared. The boy rubbed his eyes, leaned forward and blinked at Anakin. "Master Skywalker?" Instantly, Anakin realized it was the middle of the night on Coruscant and he sighed. It's always the wrong time. Resigned, he replied, "Hello, Janir. It's nighttime, right?" "Yes, Master. Most everyone is asleep. I can go wake someone, if you need them now." "No, it's not an emergency, Janir. I will contact the Council later. Any idea when they will be there?" The boy looked off to the side to check the time. "Umm, about three hours, I think." "Thank you, Janir." He cut the transmission and scowled. More delays. Maybe we should just take them back ourselves... we'd be back in two or three days. But I don't want to leave here. If there's any chance of finding Obi-Wan soon...

He sighed and went aft to join the two padawans.