Chapter XXVII –
Truthfully speaking… – Part I
Padmé Skywalker appeared on the viewscreen opposite
the Jedi Master and genuinely smiled.
“How
are you doing, Padmé?”
“Better, Ben,” she replied, giving the Jedi what
Anakin deemed her ‘political look’.
“And
Leia?”
“She’s…adjusting.”
Obi-Wan hung his head as guilt overcame him.
“Obi-Wan?” Padmé mildly prodded.
The
Jedi raised his head. “I apologize, my friend.”
“There’s no need. We’re both suffering…”
Obi-Wan again took notice of the veiled stance of
his friend and it felt like he’d been stabbed in the
chest. He took a deep breath and said, “Bail told me
he updated you on our mission. I have already given
my report to the Council…but I wanted to check on
you.”
“It’s been…difficult…but I’m kept busy by the
Senate.”
Pragmatic Padmé, a term of endearment the Jedi
Master often thrust upon his friend. He could see
that she was hurting deeply, it was evident in her
eyes and her aloof demeanor did nothing to alter
that perception. In an effort to alleviate her pain,
she immersed herself in her work. “I promised Anakin
I would look after you. A task I would have
undertaken even if he hadn’t asked.”
“I’m
not a flower who is going to wilt, my friend. His
death…” Padmé still had a hard time acknowledging
the truth. She took a moment to close her eyes,
fighting against the new wave of tears that
threatened her and tried to compose herself. When
she opened them again, she said, “I can’t imagine
life without him…but my family can help me cope.”
Memories of a conversation with Anakin so long ago
drifted into her mind, but there was one part in
particular that now stood out…
“I have to know that with or without your family,
you will go on.”
Padmé remembered saying those words to her husband
long ago and she knew there was no way she could
give up. Anakin would always wait for her. Trying to
smile, Padmé said, “I hope you and Sakoya consider
yourselves part of my family.”
Obi-Wan could hear the distress she tried to hide in
her words and it filled him with despair. “We do,
Padmé. Once this is over Anakin will get a proper
funeral.” The Jedi Master couldn’t bear to add,
‘even without a body’.
“Yes, he would want his family together to remember
him.”
At a
loss for words, he softly said, “May the Force be
with you, Padmé.”
“And
with you, Obi-Wan. I’ll see you when you return to
Coruscant.”
__________________________________*****__________________________________
After a lengthy discussion, Obi-Wan conceded to his
wife and no longer fought against her decision to
travel with Xar’ek to Ord Mantell. Zula’s
proposition had been to transport the Senator and
anyone else who would like to accompany him to
Reynard’s stronghold but Xar’ek was adamant
regarding taking his own ship. Obi-Wan admitted it
would prove more beneficial to be aboard a vessel
that wouldn’t be suspect and the Jedi would be right
beside Bail the entire time. Still, Xar’ek’s strange
behavior made the Jedi Master take notice. Although,
he supplemented himself with the knowledge that if
anyone could handle Xar’ek Tinsir it was Sakoya.
Having spoken to the doctor who cared for Vaarn,
Sakoya was able to obtain a floating platform that
would enable them easier transport of Mara onto
Xar’ek’s ship. The Corellian insisted on his
daughter traveling with him and Sakoya. An offer the
Jedi Knight considered was perhaps out of a sense of
guilt.
Luke
was still waiting for the autopsy report before he
launched his investigation – if there indeed was one
to perform. He, along with everyone else, made sure
both ships were stocked with fresh supplies and
Obi-Wan himself had inspected Zula’s ship –
treachery was the last thing he wanted to worry
about on this trip.
__________________________________*****__________________________________
“Be
mindful of your thoughts, Luke. May the Force be
with you,” Obi-Wan told his nephew as they readied
to depart.
Embracing his uncle, Luke replied, “And with you.”
Obi-Wan stepped aside as Sakoya wrapped her arms
around the young Jedi. “Follow your instincts and
check in with your mother. She needs you more than
she knows,” Sakoya said with a gleam in her green
eyes.
“I
will,” Luke promised.
Sakoya then approached Cela and hugged her tightly.
“Don’t worry, everything will turn out,” she said
reassuringly.
Cela
felt the sting of tears in her eyes but held them in
as she wrapped her arms around the woman who had
been so kind to her. “Please be safe,” Cela
whispered.
“You
couldn’t be in better company with these three,”
Sakoya softly uttered as she nodded to Luke, Han,
and Chewbacca. “May the Force be with you,
kitling,” she whispered and kissed the teenager
lightly on her forehead.
Halfheartedly, Cela let Sakoya go and watched as the
Jedi husband and wife reunited. “I hope I can
find that kind of happiness someday,” she said
under her breath.
*Be
safe, mon
aimé,* Obi-Wan
told his beloved through their mental bond as his
arms enveloped her.
*We
will be,* Sakoya assured him, resting her head
on his chest.
The
minutes passed slowly, too slowly for one person as
he loudly cleared his throat.
The
two Jedi took the not so subtle hint and parted, but
Obi-Wan continued to hold the hands of his beloved.
*I love you.*
*And
I you,* Sakoya silently replied.
Reluctantly, they let go and turned toward their
respective vessels.
“Very subtle,” Sakoya snapped as she walked past
Xar’ek and up the ramp.
Obi-Wan turned around just as his foot touched the
ramp to Zula’s ship and watched his wife disappear
into Rogue’s Curse, the Corellian’s ship.
How aptly named, he silently said to himself.
With a slow shake of his head, he cleared the
negative thoughts that had crept in and centered
himself on the mission ahead. Turning back again, he
proceeded up the ramp.
Han
glanced at Luke out of the corner of his eye and
said, “Xar’ek better watch himself.”
“Yeah,” Luke chuckled, “because if Sakoya doesn’t
knock him out first Obi-Wan will.”
Cela
joined in the laughter alongside Han and laughed
even more when Chewie grunted his assessment.
__________________________________*****__________________________________
For
Zula, Bail, and Obi-Wan, their voyage through the
expanse of space toward Ord Mantell remained quiet
and calm. However, the same could not be said of
their companion ships occupants.
Sakoya stretched her body as she finished her
meditation session, restoring the blood flow to her
legs that had been curled up beneath her. The more
movement she did the more lively she felt. She
glanced over at her daughter who appeared as still
as stone. An intravenous drip dangled from a hook on
the metallic stand beside her, supplying her in
intervals with much needed nutrients. Sakoya was
grateful that Xar’ek had kindly offered his spacious
quarters to mother and daughter and taken the other,
more sparse quarters on the ship. “I suppose he’s
not a scoundrel all of the time,” she said aloud.
Sakoya turned her head as the door chimed and Xar’ek
coolly strode in. “How’s our girl, Red?” he asked in
a playful tone.
Sakoya glared at him as she straightened up, turned,
and folded her arms across her chest. “Our
girl is no worse for wear. However, barging in like
that is not acceptable, Xar’ek, regardless of our
past!”
“It
is my ship,” he derisively reminded her.
“Your ship, yes, but these are not your quarters on
this journey!” she heatedly rebuked.
“I
announced myself!”
Sakoya’s eyes widened in disbelief. “You chimed
once and then entered. I’d hardly call that
announcing yourself!”
“If
I want to see my daughter then I’m going to see
her!”
Sakoya’s eyes narrowed and her voice shifted to a
much lower tone. “Tell her that when she awakens and
see what kind of response you get.”
Xar’ek refused to offer a retort and just stood
there with his arms crossed over his chest, as if
mimicking Sakoya’s stance.
Sakoya continued, “I am not your partner anymore. I
haven’t been for a very long time. Now unless you
want things to get very uncomfortable I suggest you
use better manners.”
The
fire Xar’ek saw in her eyes reminded him of the old
days. Her temper was one of her characteristics that
he loved so much. She wasn’t afraid to stand up for
herself or those close to her and in a battle that
temper, in his mind, was an asset. Dormant feelings,
long since buried began to resurface and he felt the
heat building in his chest; the wild thumping of his
heartbeat, his mind ablaze with memories of the
past. Obi-Wan doesn’t deserve her! She’s too good
for that old fossil! She belongs with me and I’ll
show her just that! Before he could stop himself
he took the step separating them, embraced her
tightly, and then kissed her ardently.
Sakoya reached into the Force and used it to push
the Corellian away. Shocked by his actions, she
watched as he flew backward into the wall and then
fell to the floor.
“Don’t…ever…do…that…again,” she spat, teeming with
rage. She could feel the power of her anger rising
within her but knew better than to give in to the
temptation. Quickly, she turned around, refocusing
her attention on her daughter. “Please, leave,” she
managed to say while taking a deep breath.
More
than embarrassed, Xar’ek got to his feet and
shuffled toward the hatch. He turned, as if to say
something, but then thought better of it and instead
left the quarters.
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