Obi-Wan leaned against the tree and smiled at the sight before him. A few feet away, Adrina sat propped against a moss-covered boulder on the bank of a babbling brook, sound asleep with a data pad beside her. She had always found peace in the Room of a Thousand Fountains, so finding her there was no surprise. The relief and joy he felt at seeing Adrina mingled with concern. How hard had she been working herself that she would fall asleep in the middle of the day, feet in the water and in the middle of reading a medical journal?

Adrina awoke with a small gasp. She rubbed her eyes and groaned.

"Hello there," Obi-Wan said, smiling.

Adrina's shoulders relaxed. She raised an eyebrow expectantly.

Obi-Wan's smile vanished as he shook his head. He sat down, back against the tree. Adrina's eyes flicked to the open space beside her, but silently agreed with the boundary he established. She drew her feet up from the water and instead swiveled to face him fully. Obi-Wan quietly recounted the tragedy on Floruum before trailing off with a sigh.

Adrina closed her eyes.

"I should have waited for Anakin," he muttered, finally giving voice to the thoughts plaguing him. "I doubted she was a powerful enough duelist and we had never fought together before. We were separated and… Opress murdered her."

"You were right to pursue Maul without delay." Certainly rang clearly in her quiet voice. "You were also right to leave Anakin in charge of Duro. I've read the preliminary reports. He was needed there. There was no good choice."

Obi-Wan scrubbed his face. "Too many dead. Too many good people dead."

Adrina didn't need to say anything. She understood.

Obi-Wan sighed heavily. Tired. So tired.

"When do you leave again for Maul?"

Obi-Wan pressed his lips into a thin line.

"Obi-Wan?"

Obi-Wan made no effort to disguise his contempt. "Chancellor Palpatine feels that Maul is no longer a threat to the Republic, but a personal matter and that, therefore, my priorities must be reallocated."

"And the Council? What do the other Council members say?"

"They agree with the Chancellor. I will be redeployed later today, I imagine. I believe Onderon has requested Republic assistance in restoring their rightful king to the throne. We will be training the loyalist group, rather than fight the battles for them."

Adrina tilted her head. "If successful, that would be…beneficial for the Republic." She paused. "You found no bodies," Adrina repeated. "If decapitation and a tumble down the reactor pit was not enough to kill Maul, I doubt a crashed ship is enough. How do they not see this?"

"I told Palpatine and the Council as much. But they do not agree. They feel my judgment is clouded."

"That's insulting," Adrina muttered under her breath, so quietly Obi-Wan almost missed it.

Obi-Wan squared his shoulders. "Was your meeting with Senator Amidala successful?"

Adrina smiled, though shadows lingered in her eyes. "We created a strategy. Mostly, she created the strategy. We will meet with the rest of her Senate faction later this week. I am tentatively optimistic. We've looked at the budget required and it's no small ask under the circumstances."

"You will succeed."

Adrina's eyes snapped to him. She bit the inside of her cheek. "You think so?"

Obi-Wan smiled. "Without a doubt."

0

Onderon's humidity plastered tendrils of blonde hair to Maelle's face and neck. Her bun restrained as much of her hair as possible, but the humidity-induced frizz presented a frustration. She shoved hair out of her face.

The rebel camp, located deep in one of Onderon's many jungles, occupied the stone ruins of an old monastery. Maelle appreciated its rustic beauty, even if the uneven terrain and scattered chunks of fallen buildings provided numerous hazardous situations.

Entranced by Captain Rex's demonstration on how to dismantle a droid, one of the rebels, Rashiz, stumbled over a rock and nearly fell while delivering Maelle's supply container. Rashiz's eyes barely crested the top of the supply container as it was. Maelle thanked him and smiled at his absent response. She could hardly fault his distraction. Rex commanded attention with his very presence, but when he was teaching it was nearly impossible to look away.

Maelle's eyes flitted briefly to Rex - the most she would allow herself - and turned her attention to preparing for her opportunity to instruct the rebels. Excitement thrummed through her veins. She used to love volunteering to teach first aid classes at the Temple's free clinic in Coruscant's lower levels and to the younglings. She'd jumped at the opportunity to teach again.

"Can you do all that, too?"

Maelle straightened. "Do what?" She followed the rebel's eyes to where Ahsoka led the rebels in target practice against destroyers.

"She sure can."

Maelle startled at Rex's silent approach. She blushed at the pride in his voice. "I'm proficient," she clarified and gestured at the medical supply crate she'd been bent over. "But this is my area of expertise."

The rebel thrust out her hand. She tilted her head and smiled. "Lorra Beyera."

After a sidelong glance at Maelle, Rex shook Lorra's hand. "Captain Rex."

Maelle turned sharply back to her work, ignoring the way her test tightened.

"Such a grip," Lorra purred. "You have lovely hands."

The lid slammed closed. Maelle spun around and muttered an apology. Lorra glanced between Rex and Maelle. The corners of her mouth twitched and a sparkle lit her brown eyes, as if bemused by something. Maelle frowned at her.

"Well," Lorra filled the awkward silence. "I'm off to look at lunch."

Rex cleared his throat and shifted so that he squarely faced Maelle. He pulled a small bundle from his back pocket. "Here," he muttered. "Thought you could use this, what with the humidity and all."

Rough fabric slipped into her fingers. Maelle held the black cloth up for better inspection. Not just cloth, she realized, a roughhewn bandana from one of his undershirts. She'd sheared through enough of them to recognize the fabric immediately. "Thank you, Rex. That's very…." She smiled. "Thank you."

Rex colored and rubbed the back of his neck. "It's nothing."

Maelle secured her hair and smiled at him. Such beautiful eyes…

"I should…get back."

Maelle fumbled for words. "Oh, yes, of course. I'm sorry for taking up your time."

"No." He blurted the word sharply, piercing her embarrassment. She stared at him. His tone softened. "It's always my pleasure."

Maelle bit her lower lip to stifle a smile. She nodded. Her eyes followed Rex as he returned to the rebels and gathered his rifle.

Maelle scrubbed her face. "I'm ridiculous," she muttered.

Maelle hummed a song to focus her meandering mind as she readied her station for her practical demonstration after lunch. Judging by the steaming bowl in Lorra's hand as she emerged from the rudimentary mess, her preparation time was coming to an end.

"Take cover!" Rex's shout echoed across the compound.

Maelle's head snapped up. A wave of battle droids crashed through the jungle brush. She sensed the blaster bolt, but was powerless to stop it from colliding with Lorra's chest. Maelle vaulted over the crumbling wall, rocks kicking up under her pounding feet as she raced across the open ground. Blood rushed in her ears, neatly drowning out Rex screaming her name. Maelle threw herself on the ground and slid the last two feet to Lorra. Maelle's lightsaber hummed to life just in time to deflect a blaster bolt.

For a long moment, Maelle stared wide-eyed and gasping at her raised lightsaber. How close she had come to death, once again, at the hands of battle droids… But Lorra's pained gasp and subsequent collapse jolted Maelle from her spiraling memories. Maelle hastily assessed Lorra. The droid's shot hit her right shoulder - a non-fatal injury - though Lorra's pulse was thready. Either the shock or the fall rendered her unconscious.

"Maelle!"

"Rex!" Maelle deflected a bolt. "Help me move her."

"Cover us." Rex foisted Lorra over his shoulders. Together they moved to a covered outcropping. Rex carefully propped Lorra against the wall. "Are you hit?"

Maelle placed two fingers against Lorra's temple. She sensed no injury beside the nasty blaster shot. "Hit? No, no. Just Lorra."

Relief washed over his face.

Maelle cursed under her breath. In her panic, she'd neglected to bring medical supplies. Rex coiled, ready to dash back across the open compound to fetch her bag, but Maelle caught his wrist. Her free hand reached towards her medbag and with a tug of the Force, it came flying towards her through a hail of blaster bolts.

Maelle began a hasty field dressing. She vaguely registered cheers erupting around the compound.

Rex peeked his eyes above the wall. "Looks like they beat the clankers," Rex said.

Maelle made a brief hum of acknowledgment and continued her work. Focus. Focus on your patient. "We need to move her." Maelle stood. Her eyes swept over the compound, searching for wounded. The rebels whooped and cheered, hugging and high-fiving, but Maelle knew too well the celebration's deceptiveness. The adrenaline pumping through their veins disguised any number of injuries, just as it distracted her from her own rising emotions.

That too familiar panic began rising up. Don't think. Don't feel. Keep going.

"I'll take her," Rex stated. He nodded to the boisterous crowd. "You do what you do best."

A ghost of a smile flitted across Maelle's face. Her hand brushed Rex's arm - a silent gesture of gratitude - as she walked past him.

0

Darkness fell quickly over the rebel encampment. The rebels quickly cleaned up the mess left by the droid attack. Maelle flitted from rebel to rebel, not stopping until she assessed each person. Rex always enjoyed watching her work, but there was something about her smile that was too bright, her laughs too loud. Something about the droid attack rattled Maelle more than he expected.

"Food sure smells good," Ahsoka said, coming up behind Rex. She tilted her head towards the Mess, where the generals waited outside the door. "You coming?"

"Yeah." Rex glanced around the compound. "Have you seen Healer Amon?"

"You and your formality," Ahsoka muttered under her breath, then more loudly said,
"Not recently. I think I saw her at the first aid station an hour ago, maybe? Why?" Ahsoka scanned Rex with quizzical eyes.

"No reason," Rex said quickly, already backing away. "Hey, save me a seat, will you? I have to go…do something."

Ahsoka raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms, but Rex saw the corner of her mouth twitch.

Rex jogged away. He could deal with nosy Jedi later.

The first aid station was empty. He exited the hovel and rounded the backside of it on a hunch. Sure enough, Maelle sat in near total darkness amongst a cloister of supply boxes. She perched on a small boulder, mechanically stirring a vat of thin liquid. She stared, unseeing, into its depths.

Rex waited for Maelle to notice him. In the quiet, only the faint twittering of birds in the trees pushing away silence, Maelle had to have heard him approach. Yet she merely continued to stir. Finally, Rex softly called her name.

Maelle paused for a brief moment.

"Are you hungry? Ahsoka is saving us a seat."

Maelle merely shook her head.

Rex frowned. Alarm bells rang. He stepped closer. "Need a hand with…whatever that is?"

"Blood simulator," Maelle murmured absently.

That explained the alarming red color. Maelle was silent for a painfully long moment. Rex sensed turmoil brewing just under the surface, but didn't know how to bring it out - or if he should.

"Want to go a round when you're finished?"

Maelle hitched a shoulder with a non-committal hum.

Rex waited for clarification, but found none forthcoming so he said, "We can take the night off. You've made remarkable progress."

"It won't fix anything," Maelle muttered. Her stirring gained speed and her knuckles turned white.

Rex rubbed the back of his neck. "I don't know about that…"

"'Save her. She's worth more than I am.'"

Rex blinked. "I don't understand."

Red liquid splashed on the ground after a particularly vigorous stir. Maelle dropped the stirring spoon. She closed her eyes with a deep inhale and exhale. Her fingers knotted together in her lap before finally loosening to lay limp.

Finally, Maelle sighed and tucked a wisp of blond hair back into Rex's bandana. She shook her head. "Just memories," she said quietly. She offered him a weak smile. "It's just one of those days, you know?"

Rex nodded slowly, still feeling he was treading uneven ground. "We all have bad days."

"Too true," Maelle murmured. Sorrow haunted her eyes.

"Do you, uh… Do you want to talk about it?"

Maelle shrugged. She took the spoon back in hand and resumed stirring the thick liquid. "There isn't much to talk about. Master Che tells me it's called survivor's guilt," she stated. Her eyes flicked to Rex. "About Geonosis."

"I…see."

Maelle nodded, as though it explained everything, but Rex scrambled to put the scattered pieces together.

"You said your transport was shot down."

Maelle nodded. Her throat bobbed. "I was the only survivor."

Her whispered words chilled Rex to the core. Rex quickly ran through their past battles and came to the starting realization that, since Maelle joined the RMSU, she had never seen direct combat. Even at the second battle for Geonosis, she had remained in the RMSU until the fighting was over. The Blue Shadow Crisis forced her to confront her now understandable fear of transports, but today she'd been thrust into the heart of a skirmish - a minor event for a battle-hardened captain, but not so for Maelle.

She rubbed her cheek, but Rex noticed the tear she brushed away with a strangled laugh. "I never learned their names. That's the worst of it, you know? I tried to find out after the battle, but the wreckage…the bodies…"

Rex folded himself onto the hard ground beside Maelle. Her eyes grew distant, caught up in painful memories.

"'She's worth more than I am.' That's what he said before he threw me out of the transport."

Understanding dawned.

"He threw me onto an outcropping - the only chance any of us had to survive the crash. And they saved me. Me. He was my patient. I should have saved him. I should have saved all of them. I'm a Jedi." The stirring stopped with her ending snarl. "Those men are dead because of me. I could have… I could have pushed them all off. I could have… I could have saved them if I was stronger, faster… It should have been me on that transport."

Rex closed his eyes. Hers was an account he'd heard too many times from far too many of his men. The details changed, but the basis was always the same. Too many more would add their own stories to the anthology before the blasted war ended.

Maelle twisted slightly and tugged down the back of her shirt, exposing a sliver of scarred flesh along her shoulder blades. "Flaming debris landed with me. They could have healed the burn, but I made them let me scar. As a reminder of my failure. Of their sacrifice."

Anger bubbled up within Rex, hot and bright. He spun Maelle to face him and gripped her hands tightly. "Listen to me very carefully, Maelle," Rex said in a harsher tone than intended. Maelle stared at him, wide-eyed. "Their deaths are not your fault. It's the Separatists' fault. They were the ones who shot down your transport. The Separatists, not you. None of us were prepared for that day. You could have made a thousand different choices that day and the outcome may not have changed at all. And I promise you that even knowing it would be their death, they made it without regret and they would make the decision again. Just like you ran headlong into a hail of blaster fire to save Lorra Beyera."

Maelle bit her lower lip - which distracted Rex far more than it should under the circumstances. She hesitated. "You can't know that."

"I can."

Tears glimmered in her eyes. "I never wanted anyone to die for me. I'm not worth it."

Rex tightened his grip on her hands. "You are to me."

Surprising bitterness colored her words "Because I'm a Jedi."

Because I love you. Rex swallowed the words. "Because you are my friend."

"Friend," Maelle echoed.

"Yeah," Rex laughed awkwardly. "I'd like to think so, anyway."

Maelle smiled at him, almost sadly, before her eyes dropped to their joined hands. Rex never imagined a pair of hands could fit so perfectly within his, nor look so right. A sigh slipped through her lips and guilt sliced through him. Rex dropped her hands and scrambled to his feet.

Rex rubbed the back of his head. "Let's eat, yeah? You'll feel better after you eat."

Maelle stared up at him. The flicker of longing in her eyes was surely a trick of the dim lighting. But she stood and covered the vat. "Yes," she murmured. Maelle rallied her smile.

They walked in silence to the Mess. Maelle touched Rex's arm as they reached the entrance. Shadows lingered in her eyes, but her smile held nothing but peace. Her mouth opened and closed, but no words escaped. But Rex didn't need words to know what she wanted to say. Thank you.

So Rex offered her a smile in return. And together they ate, surrounded by boisterous laughter and tall tales.

0

Vibrant graffiti decorated each wall. Flickering lights illuminated the vulgar murals and gang signs, and cast the striped exam room in stark relief. The clinic - once delightfully chaotic - was no more than an empty husk. Adrina clenched her jaw. Countless lives had been saved here in this clinic. Yet now it was only another beautiful light snuffed out by the consuming darkness of greed and war.

"We will see this place restored."

Adrina turned at Padmé's quiet promise. She smiled weakly. "It was never beautiful - functional, rather than pleasing to the eye. But this…" Adrina's eyes swept over the desecrated clinic. Her throat constricted. "You believe the funding will come through?"

Padmé contemplated for a moment, but she spoke with resolve, "Yes. I do. There are some in the Senate who still care about matters beyond lining their pockets, who value saving lives no matter their political value. Bail Organa and Mon Mothma are good people. They want to help as much as they can. I know they are looking forward to this meeting."

"Good," Adrina murmured. She signed and rubbed her forehead. "If onl-" She frowned. "Did you hear that?" Adrina's lightsaber flew into her hand, though it remained deactivated. Another moan echoed faintly from the back exam room. Padmé nodded. "Stay behind me," Adrina instructed Padmé under her breath. They crept down the hallway, every sense on alert. Louder, she called out, "Identify yourself."

Silence met Adrina's command. Adrina ignited her lightsaber. Slowly, they came to the room at the end of the hall. Scavengers had long since stripped the panel of valuable wiring, rendering the door permanently open. Adrina stepped first into the room, her lightsaber illuminating the darkness.

Padmé gasped. Slumped in the corner, pallid even in the poor lighting, lay a critically injured man. Shaking fingers struggled to grip a blaster. "Lor Dmee," Padmé breathed.

Recognition lit Adrina's eyes. She raised an eyebrow at Padmé. "I'm surprised you know a famous bounty hunter." She glanced at the man in question, whose glassy eyes still pierced her. "I know the name, and now I know the face it accompanies."

Padmé smirked. "I keep apprised of many things."

Adrina inclined her head. She turned back to Dmee. "I am Healer Skywalker. With your permission, I will treat your wounds."

Dmee glared at her, even as he lay riddled with blaster burns and struggling to remain conscious. Adrina respected his strength, to keep a blaster trained on her despite his injuries.

"It is your life, Mister Dmee." Adrina raised an eyebrow, but stayed in the doorway. "Or death, in this case."

The blaster clattered to the floor. "Fine." Pain rendered his consent nearly inaudible, but it was sufficient.

Quick, light footsteps echoed off the walls. Padmé whirled on the intruder, a pretty young human woman. How had she slipped past Padmé's security protecting the entrances?

Dmee gasped what might have been a name. The woman barreled around Adrina and Padmé. She dropped to Dmee's side, tears streaming down her face. She gripped his dirty face between her small hands. "Who did this?" she demanded. "Was it Papa?"

"Step aside, ma'am," Adrina said.

The woman whirled as if just noticing her witnesses, shielding Dmee with her body. "Who are you?"

Adrina gave an impatient sigh. "Healer Skywalker. Step aside."

The woman glanced at Dmee, but reluctantly moved. "I'm Sh…," she cleared her throat. "Shy." She grimaced at her obvious lie.

Adrina began her work with quick fingers.

Romantic drama between a crime boss and socialite held no interest to Adrina in the face of a medical crisis, but Padmé studied her with interest. "Sheena…." Padmé searched her brain. "Sheena Yirk. We met at a charity gala last year."

Sheena paled. "No one can know I was here," she pleaded.

"He is ready to be transported," Adrina declared, pushing to her feet. She monitored Dmee's shallow breathing and thready pulse.

"Transported?" Sheena gripped Dmee's hand. "He can't go to the hospital. They'll kill him!"

Adrina raised an eyebrow.

"Papa has men everywhere. He must have found out about Lor and I. He can't go to the Galactic City Medical Center."

Adrina pressed her lips together. She raced through her options. "Then we will take him to the Halls of Healing." Sheena's mouth fell open.

Padmé cleared her throat. "Are you sure about this, Adrina?"

Adrina levitated Dmee as carefully as she could. "I daresay my patient will be quite safe in the Jedi Temple."

"Y-yes," Sheena stammered. "Yes, of course."

Later, Adrina would chuckle at Captain Typho's exasperated sigh when Adrina and Padmé emerged from the clinic with two strangers in tow. "You'll have to pass my apologies to Senators Organa and Mothma," Adrina said softly as she gently laid her patient in the speeder.

Padmé touched Adrina's arm. "They will understand." She smirked. "And I believe I may be able to use this in our favor."

Adrina smiled. Sheena clambered into the speeder beside Dmee and they shot into the sky.

0

Obi-Wan only wanted one peaceful night's rest, but as it had too many times before, his comlink foiled his attempt. Rolling over in bed, he glanced at the device and sighed. Early morning. At least he managed to snag most of the night's sleep.

"You summoned me, Masters?" Obi-Wan said, rubbing his eyes as he entered the Council Chamber. None of the dispatched members were present, as they usually were via hologram. Only Masters Mundi, Koon, Windu, and Yoda were in attendance, but they exchanged glances before a hologram of a disheveled Duchess Satine shimmered in the center of the dark room. Obi-Wan's hand went to his beard, eyes narrowing.

"This is a message for Obi-Wan Kenobi. I've lost Mandalore. My people have been massacred and Almec is now the prime minister. I can't explain everything now, but Almec has the support of the crime families. Obi-Wan, I need your help." Armored men surrounded Satine and her message flickered out.

"Your thoughts on this, Master Kenobi?"

Obi-Wan took a moment to absorb the message he just witnessed and gather his thoughts. "Satine has been at odds with the Death Watch for years. According to a report from Padawan Tano, they are no longer in league with the Separatists. If there was a takeover on Mandalore, it was most likely an independent act, Death Watch alone. However, I am troubled by the mention of the crime families. What interest would crime families have in Mandalore? The families are not known for their cooperation."

Windu raised an eyebrow. "What is it you are suggesting?"

Obi-Wan hesitated. "I believe Maul is resurfacing. I believe he is raising his own army through the crime families, as he did the pirates. I believe he is using Mandalore - and Duchess Satine - as bait. A taunt."

Master Koon tilted his head. "What evidence supports this?"

Obi-Wan bowed his head. "No evidence," he admitted, "Only a strong feeling. I trust the Force."

Master Mundi sighed. "Without involvement from the Separatists and without evidence of Maul's return, this is an internal affair for the Mandalorians. I am afraid we cannot help."

Obi-Wan dropped his arms, incredulous. "We cannot just hand Mandalore over to these crime families!"

"I'm afraid Duchess Satine's decision to keep Mandalore neutral makes this situation difficult. If she indicated a willingness to join the Republic, perhaps the Senate could be persuaded, but she gave no such indication."

No, even in a dire crisis, Satine would never abandon neutrality.

Yoda turned sympathetic eyes to Obi-Wan. "Understand your feelings, I do. But to take action, support from the Republic Senate, we will need."

Obi-Wan wanted to howl with frustration. "You know what the Senate will decide. They will not send aid to a declared neutral system."

"At this time, nothing more can we do."

Obi-Wan couldn't believe what he was hearing.

Obi-Wan allowed his voice to carry. "There is no emotion; there is peace. There is no ignorance; there is knowledge. There is no passion; there is serenity. There is no death; there is only the Force." Obi-Wan's eyes pierced each and every Council member. "Those words are drilled into the mind and heart of every Jedi that passes through these halls. But we have neglected to honor and uphold the second half of the Jedi Code. 'Jedi are the guardians of peace in the galaxy. Jedi use their powers to defend and protect, never to attack others. Jedi respect all life, in any form. Jedi serve others, rather than rule over them, for the good of the galaxy. Jedi seek to improve themselves through knowledge and training."

Obi-Wan gestured to the still hologram of Satine. "Duchess Satine has pleaded with us for aid, to save her people, yet what are we doing? Discussing politics. We may not be able to afford to send many, but we have some resources we could reallocate. Jedi use their powers to defend and protect. Jedi serve others for the good of the galaxy. Had we received this message three years ago, this never would have been a discussion. We support democracy. We support the Republic. But our first obligation must be to life, to the Code to which we have sworn our lives."

"We serve at the will of the Senate," Windu stated. "We are no longer merely peacekeepers. Our obligations have evolved."

Master Mundi nodded gravely. "There are political considerations that we simply cannot ignore. Perhaps we might have responded differently three years ago, but circumstances have changed. Legally, we cannot interfere."

Obi-Wan shook his head and began walking towards the door.

"Where are you going, Obi-Wan?" Windu called after him.

Obi-Wan half-turned. "I am going to uphold the Code while you play politician."

"Do not allow your feelings for the Duchess to cloud your judgment," Windu warned.

"I assure you," Obi-Wan said icily. "They are not. Had this plea come from another system, from someone I did not know, I would still support sending aid. Will another go in my place? I would willingly step aside."

Silence met his offer.

Obi-Wan swept from the room. The Council may have forgotten the Code, but he had not. And he would not abandon Mandalore in its time of need.