Chapter XVI – Sleeping
with the Past
After guiding the hover-chair into the bedroom,
Obi-Wan lifted Mara’s unconscious body out of it and
lay her on the bed. Sakoya was right beside him,
covering her daughter with a blanket. She knelt
beside Mara and gently massaged the woman’s
forehead.
“I
used to sing her to sleep…she liked stories too,”
Sakoya commented, her voice full of melancholy as
she recalled the past.
At a
loss for words, Obi-Wan didn’t quite know what to
do. Instead, he veered the conversation in another
direction. “What happened at Security Headquarters?”
The
Jedi bowed her head and said, “They didn’t believe
me, which considering her condition is good.”
“Sakoya…” Obi-Wan said slowly and deliberately.
She
sighed, she knew that tone of voice and knew what
her husband was referring to. “I know, beloved. I
haven’t forgotten all the wrong she has done. She
must atone for her crimes.” Sakoya shook her head,
her red hair covering her face. “But this allows me
a little time with her, even if it’s silent on her
side.”
“Come,” Obi-Wan tenderly took hold of her arm and
helped her stand, “come and lay down and recuperate.
You need to heal yourself emotionally and
physically.”
She
reached up and stroked his goatee as her eyes bore
into his own. “Before I immerse myself into such a
deep trance I must tell you one thing.”
He
lightly wrapped his arms around her and said, “You
can tell me whatever you wish, but you will still
slip into meditation.”
Little by little, Sakoya’s lips curved upward into a
smile. She placed her forearms onto his chest, her
hands performing a light massage and craned her neck
to whisper in his ear.
Obi-Wan bent his head forward to hear his wife’s
words.
“I’m
with child,” she whispered.
The
Jedi Master’s eyes lit up as he straightened his
body. He began to quiver and soon after elation set
in. “I-I’m,” he swallowed hard, “going to
be…a father?” he barely kept his voice at a
whisper. “Are you sure?” he asked.
Sakoya nodded and smiled. She had hoped he would be
receptive to the news and was relieved to see him
smile back at her. “Yes, I’m sure.”
“But…”
Sakoya chuckled and stroked his face. “I have felt
it – through the Force. I’m certain we’re going to
have a baby.”
Obi-Wan was such a mixture of feelings he couldn’t
even mumble coherently.
Sakoya kissed him and playfully said, “I have to do
as my Jedi Master instructed me and take care of
myself. Will you be all right?”
“Y-yes,” Obi-Wan answered as if he were out of
breath.
Just
as Sakoya was about to break out of his embrace,
Obi-Wan pulled her tightly to him. “Thank you,”
he whispered into her ear as he nuzzled her hair.
“No,
thank you, beloved.”
__________________________________*****__________________________________
Vaarn had decided to take advantage of Garen’s
preoccupation with the tavern wench and imbibing
spirits and decided to find out what the vermin was
hiding. Rheu would keep an eye on Garen wherever he
went but Vaarn was being impatient. Reynard would
want another update and soon. If he kept coming up
empty-handed, there would be a price to pay. A price
the Clawdite wasn’t interested in paying.
As
Vaarn stepped outside, he was greeted with the foul
weather that had been plaguing the fair city for a
better portion of the morning. Although it was now
early afternoon, he grunted his irritation and
stepped out into the street, looking around for one
of the white hestan drawn carriages that were
normally so abundant and found not a single one.
“Oh, this just makes my day,” he growled and set off
on foot down the cobblestone street.
After walking over half of a kilometer, Vaarn
decided to turn the next corner and the possibility
that he would finally run across some mode of
transportation. He lifted his head to the sky and
glared at the ominous clouds and sheets of rain that
crashed down on him. “Cursed weather,” he barked as
he lowered his head again. It was then that he
caught sight of a carriage not far ahead but he was
more focused on the occupant than the carriage.
“Why
would a Jedi be out in this weather? I wonder if
he’s found or seen Mara? Garen said she was here and
I wasn’t sure if I should believe him or not.” Vaarn
thought for a moment. “Then again, he could have
just gotten caught in the rain…”
Since there were no other carriages to be found,
Vaarn tried to catch up to the one carrying the Jedi
but it was no use and now the Jedi’s back was to him
so he couldn’t be seen. He groaned in frustration.
Mara was here – in Kuryn – and he had no idea where.
“Maybe the Jedi will help now,” he mused, rubbing
his chin.
By
the time Vaarn arrived at his hotel there wasn’t any
part of his body that was dry. He went directly to
his room, stripped off his soaked clothes, and
headed for the fresher.
Emerging from a real shower, not a nature induced
one, the Clawdite walked over to the window in his
bedroom and was happy to see the rain subsiding.
Turning quickly on his heel, he walked briskly over
to the closet, grabbed some clothes and dressed.
“Much better,” Vaarn said to himself as he donned
his dark green tunic shirt and black pants. “Time to
pay a visit to some Jedi.”
__________________________________*****__________________________________
“Ben? You okay?”
“Hmm? Oh, yes, Cela, I’m fine,” Obi-Wan responded
although he looked dazed.
“And…Sakoya?” she added.
“Quite well I believe, once she’s recuperated that
is.”
“You…look…rather strange, Obi-Wan,” Xar’ek commented
as he eyed the Jedi with some confusion.
“Just the commotion of late. Nothing to worry
about.” The Jedi Master didn’t want to divulge what
Sakoya had told him, not unless he had her blessing
to share such information. He looked over at Xar’ek,
Sakoya’s ex-companion and Mara’s father, and
couldn’t help feeling remorseful. He knew the
Corellian still harbored feelings for his former
partner and the news of her pregnancy would be
difficult mainly due to the fact that Obi-Wan was
the father. Still, he had his own emotions to
overcome. He recalled when not so long ago Sakoya
had brought up the issue of children to him. At the
time, she had taken him by surprise and he didn’t
know how to respond. Now, however, she was carrying
their child and he felt a mixture of elation and
uncertainty. He considered Luke and Leia to be the
children he would never have and his love for them
was endless. But now…now he was faced with impending
fatherhood and the prospect paralyzed him.
Obi-Wan glanced back at the closed door behind him,
where his future lie in the bedroom beyond, smiled,
and turned back again. Walking over to the desk, he
sat down and tried not to glare at Xar’ek while he
asked the Corellian, “So when did you arrive?”
Xar’ek ignored the question and instead asked, “You
sure about having both of them in there? What if
Mara wakes up?”
“Xar’ek,” Obi-Wan tried to be gentle, “Mara is in a
coma.”
“SHE’S WHAT?” he bellowed.
“She
slipped into a coma not long ago. That much I was
able to determine.”
“Ok,
someone fill me in on what the hell is going
on here!” he demanded.
Obi-Wan overlooked Xar’ek’s outburst and looked at
Cela who had slumped down in the oversized armchair.
“Cela?”
The
teenager sniffled and wiped her nose with the back
of her hand. “A-a coma?” She sniffled again.
“I’m
sorry, Cela. We’ll just have to try and get the
antidote in time.” Obi-Wan tried to assure her.
“Will you two stop acting as if I’m not here!”
Xar’ek was beginning to seethe.
“Sit
down, Xar’ek!” the Jedi ordered.
After glancing from the girl to the Jedi and not
getting any further response, Xar’ek went over to
the divan and roughly sat down.
Obi-Wan offered introductions. “Cela, this is
Xar’ek. An old friend of Sakoya’s.”
“And
Mara’s father,” Xar’ek added, wanting to make sure
Obi-Wan understood his right to be there.
Cela
looked at the Corellian in surprise. “H-her
father?”
Xar’ek nodded. “Yes.”
Cela
shook her head, not knowing what to say but feeling
sorry for the man at the same time.
Xar’ek turned away from the girl and focused on the
Jedi. “What’s this about an antidote?”
“Mara came in contact with a toxin,” Obi-Wan
answered. “Apparently, she was here for a smuggler’s
deal and it didn’t go as planned.”
“You
know anything about this toxin?” Xar’ek asked.
The
Jedi barely shook his head. “We’re here for our
honeymoon so we have nothing to utilize for testing
purposes.”
“Mara’s ship?”
“She
keeps it tightly controlled,” Cela replied.
Xar’ek turned toward the girl. “I’m sorry, you
are…?”
Cela
glanced uneasily at Obi-Wan who nodded to her and
then back to the blonde haired, gray eyed man.
“Mistress Mara’s…slave.”
“Slave,” he repeated. “You’re her slave?” he asked
in amazement.
Cela’s cheeks grew warm and reddened. “Yes,” she
said meekly.
“But
no more,” Obi-Wan said coolly.
“Can
we start from the beginning?” Xar’ek asked, feeling
a headache coming on.
__________________________________*****__________________________________
His
annoyance was bubbling to the surface as Rheu
continued to ‘watch’ Garen. So far, the man had
danced with more than one waitress, all of them
looking ridiculous on the dance floor, and then he
had begged for credits from the Clawdite to go and
gamble. Reluctantly, Rheu had given in and now they
were sitting at one of the roulette tables where
Garen was quickly sinking into debt.
“Haven’t you had enough yet?” Rheu complained.
“I’m
off a bit, but I’ll catch up quickly. You don’t have
to babysit me,” Garen remarked while eyeing the man
controlling the table.
“As
a matter of fact I’m not, but I want my credits
back.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll get them back and more.”
Rheu
didn’t find himself comforted by Garen’s last
statement. He was tempted to drag the man by his
collar out of the tavern until his wandering eyes
halted on a dark haired beauty sitting a few meters
away.
“Better company awaits,” he snidely commented and
got up from the table.
Garen didn’t even bother to look up, he was so
enamored with his game.
Rheu
Skeutrn had wooed many women with his handsome
features and he considered this just another
conquest. His tanned and muscular toned body matched
with silky dark hair and deep blue eyes tended to
make a woman take notice and willingly want to share
his bed. There are definite advantages to being
able to shift forms, he silently admitted as he
confidently ambled over to her, flashing a
flirtatious smile.
The
woman greeted Rheu with a pearly smile from her
burgundy lips and dark eyes that matched her hair.
She wore an enticing black dress that showed off her
long shapely legs and ample cleavage, which didn’t
escape the Clawdite’s notice. With deliberate care,
she slid her lithe form off the chair, which placed
her directly in front of Rheu, and then silently
beckoned him with her forefinger to follow her.
They
ventured into a darker area of the casino area and
Rheu assumed she had led him to such an area for one
reason.
He
was wrong.
Once
they were out of view from the other patrons, she
quickly turned on him by jamming her knee upward
into his groin and then proceeded to pound her elbow
into his back as he doubled over in pain.
However, she wasn’t finished yet.
In
her hand was a small electronic device that she
thrust into his shoulder and activated. He couldn’t
even scream as the electricity surged through his
body, numbing his senses.
Regan Sile grinned maniacally and stepped over the
writhing man. Looking back over her shoulder she
acerbically stated, “Mr. Sindre is most
dissatisfied. This is but a warning,” before
sauntering away.
Rheu
moaned in pain as his body coiled into itself while
constantly shifting from his human male form to
Clawdite and back again.
The
exotic beauty brushed past Garen and quickly
commented, “Your friend was magnificent,” and then
she disappeared into the tavern.
Garen looked up from the roulette table, momentarily
confused, shrugged, and then went back to his game.
__________________________________*****__________________________________
“So
this is her ship,” Xar’ek commented, impressed with
the vessel as he strode through its bowels.
“She
adores this ship. She even made some modifications,”
Cela explained.
“Really. What is its true name?” the Corellian
pleasantly inquired.
Cela
didn’t answer at first but after a glance at the
Jedi Master she relented. “Conquest.”
“Hmm, interesting…” Xar’ek replied as he continued
to peruse the cockpit.
“Xar’ek,” Obi-Wan sounded disgruntled, “we came here
to give Sakoya the solitude she needs to delve into
her trance. Of course the aura of negativity that
was present wouldn’t have helped her.”
“Who’s negative?” Xar’ek retorted with a smile.
The
Jedi sighed and took a deep breath. “I’ll start at
the beginning.”
__________________________________*****__________________________________
The
door chime to the Celestial Penthouse sounded
but Sakoya was already into her meditation and
unaware of the beckoning.
A
minute later, the durasteel door slid open and one
of the resort’s employees stepped inside. He stopped
to listen for any sound, conversation or otherwise,
and only when he was met with silence did he venture
farther in.
He
slowly made his way through the vacant suite until
he stopped before the closed bedroom door. Pressing
his ear upon it, he listened as before and again was
greeted by silence. He opened the door and
cautiously went inside, his gaze floating around the
room. With silent footsteps, he crept toward the bed
and looked at the two unconscious bodies that lay
upon it.
“So
what Garen said is true – you are here. Strange to
find you in these quarters though. I came in here to
poke around…nice bonus I must say, Vaarn stated
in a hushed tone and then smirked and added, If
they’re not related, then I’m insane.” He
withdrew a small hold-out blaster and aimed in on
one person in particular. His finger rested on the
trigger and slowly began to pull back. One shot.
That’s all it’ll take. My revenge will be sated.
Vaarn’s gaze shifted from one red-haired woman to
the next but ultimately rested on the face of Mara
Jade. He roughly shook her slumbering form but she
failed to awaken.
Not
quite understanding why she didn’t wake up
immediately, Vaarn tried again. He knew that this
woman’s reflexes were almost instantaneous and she
should have felt him entering the room right away.
Again, there was no response and her inaction
puzzled him. At least until he espied a light orange
tinge on her right hand, about one and a half
centimeters in circumference. “I know that mark.
I’ve seen the test results,” he ruefully remarked.
“Looks like you’ve been exposed, a pity.” The
trigger was almost at the point of releasing its
deadly laser when suddenly Vaarn relaxed and lowered
the weapon. “There’s no honor in killing an enemy in
such a way, especially one as worthy as you. If you
survive, we’ll finish this eye to eye.”
__________________________________*****__________________________________
Fulfilling one half of her assignment, Regan hailed
one of the snow colored carriages and set off for
her next destination, the Maquisic Inn.
Even
with Kuryn’s beauty surrounding her, she sat
contentedly in the carriage and paid no heed to the
bustling activity of the city. Street vendors
approached the open carriage eager to sell their
wares but she ignored them, much to their dismay.
Her mission was clear and deviation was not within
her parameters.
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