Chapter XXIX – Heaven and Hell – Part I
Deep
in the cavernous rock, Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi
and Senator Bail Organa trekked through various
passageways using the map supplied by Vaarn Nurgh.
The Jedi couldn’t help being impressed at the
Clawdite’s ability to provide detailed directions in
such an environment. The passageways were too
numerous to count and it was inevitable that another
would branch off in some other direction.
Some
areas were identifiable as ones that Reynard had
built due to the miniature lights entrenched into
the rocky walls. However, such was not always the
case and the duo found themselves carefully
following a darkened path more than once. If not for
the Jedi’s illuminated lightsaber, they would have
remained in darkness.
“Where is this map taking us? I thought we weren’t
far from a lab?” Bail inquired, trying to subdue his
uneasiness.
“Perhaps the Clawdite is deliberately taking us on a
less traveled route,” Obi-Wan replied and then
added, “I see a light ahead…”
Bail
didn’t reply, in case someone might hear them, and
followed his friend toward the opening.
It
wasn’t until he heard the sharp intake of breath
that the Senator quickly stopped. He looked past
Obi-Wan at the scenery set before them.
“I’d
venture a guess that this was a favorite secluded
spot of our Clawdite acquaintance,” Obi-Wan observed
as he stared at the vista.
“Breathtaking,” Bail commented.
The
scent and sound of water infused the grotto that the
two men had come upon. Unlike the clammy tunnels and
passageways they’d been walking, this was a
refreshing, almost invigorating area. At the
northern tip of the cave graced a small waterfall,
which poured from an alcove in the rock and emptied
into an oblong pool. The clean, crisp water sparkled
and added to the enhancement of the moss covered
rocks and various small plant life that had sprung
over time. The area was reminiscent of an oasis that
beckoned to the senses and purveyed tranquility.
Obi-Wan took a deep breath and reached into the
Force, his senses tingling from the soothing
ambiance. He stretched out farther with the Force,
wanting to share his experience with his wife.
*Mon
aimé,*
he gently called to her through their bond.
*Beloved!*
she immediately responded.
Obi-Wan felt her agitation and a sudden sense of
dread came over him. *Are you all right?* he
questioned.
*Yes, but we were discovered by some of Reynard’s
forces.* Before
her husband could respond, Sakoya mentally added,
*I met Reynard and he believes me to be Mara Jade. I
believe I convinced him that Xar’ek is my…pet.*
If
the Jedi Master felt uncomfortable with this
information, it wasn’t displayed on his face. He had
complete faith in his wife and knew she could handle
the situation. *Where are you?*
*In a guest suite. Very elegant, I must admit,*
she mentally replied.
*Bail and I are still in the cavern. I don’t know
how soon we’ll get to either of you.*
*The antidote must be found. Xar’ek and I will find
that. Reynard will undoubtedly give me a tour of the
lab so I’ll find a way to access it again.*
Obi-Wan sighed. He knew Sakoya was in a better
position to find the serum and only hoped she
wouldn’t be in too much danger. *Please, beloved,
be careful.*
*You know I will. The Force has guided us to our
tasks, mon aimé, and success is within our grasp.
May the Force be with you.*
*And with you.*
Obi-Wan let go of the mental link and whispered to
himself, “Please be safe.”
Recognizing that his friend was immersed in the
Force, the Senator had walked a short distance away,
further exploring the haven they had discovered. He
was surprised to find glittering stones throughout
and took a closer look.
“Gold?” he questioned aloud, staring at a larger
section. He reached up and ran his hand across the
rough surface. “Yes…I believe it is.”
So
captivated with his discovery, Bail Organa’s heart
skipped a beat as Obi-Wan laid a hand on his
shoulder.
“Looks like gold,” Obi-Wan stated blandly.
Bail
slowly nodded, his eyes on the gleaming wall. “The
Republic could mine this area and make use of the
profit.” He slowly surveyed the cavern and said,
“But such a beautiful place shouldn’t be desecrated
so.”
Mining was the furthest thing from the Jedi Master’s
mind; he had a mission to complete. “I have made
contact with Sakoya. She and Xar’ek are ‘guests’ of
Reynard. He believes her to be Mara Jade.”
“Guests?” Bail looked at his friend in disbelief. “I
wish them luck in retrieving the antidote. I only
hope things don’t get too complicated.” The Senator
shook his head and continued, “I will initiate the
beacon when we are ready. My encrypted communiqué
should have been received, enabling our Republic
forces to be in place soon.”
__________________________________*****__________________________________
Darkness…all around her was an ebony shroud. She
momentarily panicked, recalling images from a past
she had pushed into the furthest recesses of her
mind. Pinpricks of fear rose to her skin, creating
small pimples down her arms. Her heartbeat suddenly
quickened from its dormant pace and thumped in her
chest.
Her
eyes sprang open in spite of the fear of what she
might see.
Quiet
encircled her. She moved her head to the side to get
a better view of where she was when confusion set
in. Where am I? she wondered, her eyes
darting all around the room. She began to sit up and
then slid back down onto her back again. Her body
felt tired and unresponsive but she didn’t
understand why.
Closing her eyes to the slight glare of the lights
in the room, she felt her body begin to relax.
Although she couldn’t sense any discomfort in her
surroundings, she did feel the sensations flooding
it, adding more to her confusion.
“Love? Adoration?”
she barely whispered, dissecting the emotions
reverberating throughout the room. “By the Force
– where in the hell am I?”
__________________________________*****__________________________________
“Coming in low and out of sensor range,” Luke
quipped.
“Got
it,” Cela replied.
“You
have Xar’ek’s ship yet?”
Cela
nodded an affirmative. “Just located its signature.
Let’s get this party started.”
Luke
smirked at his counterparts comment but said
nothing. The more time he spent with this young
lady, the more he was moved by her spirit, yet
gentle nature. Her concern was concentrated not on
herself, but those whom she considered friends,
which included Mara Jade. Luke’s own tolerance of
people and situations often chafed his sister, only
because she wasn’t as adept as he was. But as he
came to know Cela, he found her attitude refreshing
and uplifting and enjoyed the camaraderie they
shared.
“Xar’ek’s ship is just under a kilometer away.
Should we land near him?” Cela inquired to her
co-pilot.
Using
the navigation computer, Luke searched the terrain
for a suitable place to land. He didn’t want to be
too far since they had to travel by foot nor openly
detectable by Reynard’s security.
“I
found a place to land but it’s farther away than I
had hoped,” Luke answered.
Cela
shrugged with indifference. “So we have to walk.”
Luke
chuckled. “Let’s set the ship down.”
“Luke?” Cela suddenly said, her tone serious, “I-I’m
sorry I took you away from the investigation.”
He
eyed her thoughtfully and replied, “I have a feeling
we’ll find some answers here.”
__________________________________*****__________________________________
Minutes had passed, perhaps it had been hours or
days – she couldn’t be sure. She still didn’t have a
clue where she was but albeit slowly, her memories
were providing much needed answers.
She
was still lying on her back in the comfortable bed
she had awoken in, feeling somewhat dazed. Her mind
no longer felt quite as foggy but her limbs felt
cumbersome when she tried to move them. Then there
was the strange sensation, a type of pressure on her
hand, she didn’t understand. Turning her head to one
side, she glanced at the offending hand and saw the
protrusion caused by an inserted needle. Her eyes
followed the small tube that traveled from her hand
to an intravenous drip dangling from a hook on the
metallic stand.
“What the hell is going on?”
she whispered as bewilderment and aggravation took
hold.
Renewing her determination, she struggled to prop
herself up on her elbows. After a small respite, she
pushed herself up into a sitting position.
__________________________________*****__________________________________
Having landed Mara’s ship and activating the
security, Cela and Luke set out on their trek across
the rocky terrain. They walked in silence for quite
a while, focusing instead on climbing over boulders
and navigating through rock passageways. It was an
arduous task and it didn’t take long for the sweat
to appear nor did the scorching sun help matters.
“You
need a break?” Luke inquired, glancing at his
perspiring counterpart and offering her some water.
Cela
gratefully accepted the liquid and washed it down
her dry throat. “No,” she said, taking the water
bottle from her lips.
By
the time Luke and Cela had reached Xar’ek’s ship,
the sun had already caused sunburn to appear on both
of their faces and Cela’s arms. They decided to seek
refuge beneath the ship where cooler shadows
lingered.
“You
alright?” Luke asked, his face illuminating his
concern.
Cela
lightly touched her arm, which caused her face to
express the stinging sensation she felt. “I’ll be
fine. This sun is just hotter than I thought it
would be.”
“Here,” Luke handed her the water container, “drink
up. We have to stay hydrated.”
“Do
you know how to get into Xar’ek’s ship?”
Luke
gazed at her quizzically. “No, I don’t. Why?”
“We
may need more water.” Cela sighed heavily and shook
her head from side to side. “This was a stupid
idea,” she chastised herself. “We don’t even know
where we’re going.”
Luke
smirked at the teenager and lightly snickered. “This
wasn’t a stupid idea, Cela. The Force will guide us
– trust me.”
Cela
rolled her eyes as she threw her head back. “Trust
you? I tried to kill you, remember?”
she retorted. “It’s me you should worry about
trusting!”
“I’ll
keep that in mind,” he replied, grinning.
“You’re not so bad, Skywalker,” Cela remarked, her
cheeks beginning to flush a pinkish color.
“I
try,” he quipped.
Although the ship shadowed them somewhat, Cela gazed
into his blue eyes, unable to stop herself from
staring.
“You
sure you’re okay?”
Luke’s question brought the teenager out of her
stupor. She quickly blinked and looked away and then
asked, “Any idea where to go from here?”
Luke
sensed the uneasiness coming from Cela and didn’t
want to add to it any further. From his sitting
position, he managed to stand up partially, having
to remain hunched over under the ship, and moved out
into the sunlight. Taking hold of the
electrobinoculars attached to his belt, he lifted
them to his eyes and peered out into the landscape,
making the necessary adjustments and then continuing
his survey.
“Well?” Cela prodded.
“I’m
not sure. I’m picking up some static. My guess would
be that’s where Reynard is.”
“Because of the static?”
Luke
nodded. “The static is likely interference from his
security. There’s nothing else out here as far as
technology.”
It
was Cela’s turn to nod. “I’ll agree with that.”
Luke
moved the electrobinoculars away from his eyes as
Cela emerged from beneath the ship and joined him.
“Let’s go,” he said, smiling.
As
dusk began to settle in, it brought with it cooler
temperatures and a much-relieved duo that had
experienced too much sunlight this day. Their
reddened skin radiated with heat, which combined
with the wind that now circled them caused their
bodies to shiver.
Their
water was gone as well as the meager food they had
carried with them. There was little daylight left
and Luke knew they needed to find a way into
Reynard’s stronghold soon. He recalled a trip long
ago to Tatooine, to visit his grandmother’s grave –
the memory of the cold desert at night reminded him
of their present situation.
Let there be no sandstorms,
he silently hoped as he tapped into the Force,
allowing it to guide his way.
__________________________________*****__________________________________
As if
hearing Luke’s private thoughts, before long the
wind shifted and began to howl, like an animal in
pain. Dirt and rocks churned within the vortex and
struck out at the intruders, leaving a gritty
residue among the many pinpricks of pain. The light
of day was quickly vanishing and Luke reached out to
Cela, pulling her close into him and acting as a
shield for her.
Wordlessly, the two struggled against the elements
viciously attacking them and plodded toward the
mountainous rock that would, if nothing else,
provide much needed shelter.
For
what seemed an eternity, they walked blindly in the
raging storm. The wind’s intensity had more than
doubled, nearly knocking the duo to their knees more
than once. Thankful for his Jedi robe, Luke used it
to cover them both against the continuous onslaught.
Unfortunately, it also hindered them as Cela
suddenly tripped and fell, taking Luke with her.
“Eeeeeeeee!” Cela cried out as she crashed to the
ground.
Landing on top of the girl, Luke immediately moved
off her and asked worriedly, “Cela, are you
alright?”
Cela
winced and tried to breathe but each breath she took
was more painful than the last. She could feel that
something had stabbed into her side and it burned
with pain. “I-I don’t know, I-I do-don’t think so,”
she said with a shaky voice. “My side hurts really
bad,” she added on the verge of tears.
“Don’t move,” Luke warned and quickly searched his
clothing for any kind of light so he could examine
her wound. “All I have is my lightsaber and that’s
not going to be very easy in this situation.”
“Easy?” Cela asked in utter confusion.
“The
light from my saber would help but not in such a
cramped area. Not to mention it would make quick
work of my robe.”
“Oh.”
Luke
maneuvered the best he could without disturbing the
robe covering them very much. “Take my hand and
place it where you’re hurt.”
Cela
grappled for his hand and when she finally found it,
dragged it to her right side, down by her waist.
“You’re sure?” Luke apprehensively asked.
The
girl tried to take a deep breath but the resulting
immediate pain made her wince as tears stung her
eyes. “Y-yes,” she shakily replied.
If
Luke was worried before, he was more so now. Cela
had guided him to an area that was definitely wet
but also present was something hard and jagged. He
could only assume a sharp rock had embedded itself
into her side.
“Cela…” Luke swallowed hard as his hand gently
passed over the area, “you have a rock shard stuck
in your side. I don’t have anything to stop the
bleeding so I don’t dare pull it out.”
The
girl groaned and began to cry. The pain had been
increasing to the point of agonizing and she soon
found herself feeling dizzy as well as nauseous. “I
feel like I’m going to throw up,” she admitted.
Not
knowing what else to do, Luke reached into the Force
and then covered most of Cela’s body with his own,
sending her as much comfort through the mystical
energy as he could.
It
must have sufficed, a short time later her breathing
quieted and became less harsh and more rhythmic.
Luke
knew he had to do something but what? He was no
medic and although he knew basic first aid this was
more complicated than that.
He
ran his fingers through his hair and hoped the storm
would end – soon.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
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