Home>Hypatia

Archive: Sure, just let me know
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: Obi-wan, Qui-gon and crew don't belong to me. Damn it.
Summary: Obi-wan and a childhood friend reach an understanding.
Notes: I wrote this the same day I bought a box of tampons and a small Haggan Das Double chocolate Icecream tub. Even the Jack offs were leaving me alone.

Part 1

I honestly think Master Yaddle took me as her padawan because she thought I needed the extra help, not because I was anything special. It's fun living with a young female version of Yoda. She's got a better sense of humor.

Though I wonder what twisted idea she had in her head to assign ME to work with that walking invitation to sin, Obi-wan Kenobi.

Most people thought that the sin I was referring to was sex, either out of wedlock, fetish or deviant practices. I was referring to Homicide.

Every time I have been in Obi-wan Kenobi's presence for more then fifteen minutes I have wanted to kill him... rather messily I might add. Otherwise it wouldn't be as satisfying.

However, I, the ever-obedient padawan to a Sadistic Sith of a master, am now walking to the shuttle bay where the two of us are going on a mission together without our masters to retrieve some information.

Upon arriving I saw Obi-wan Kenobi speaking to his Master Qui-gon Jinn, getting some last minute details. Since Obi-wan has been on a mission without his master before he was technically calling the shots. However, we would be going along rough terrain and much of the journey would be on foot.   There isn't a person in the temple, master or otherwise, that can survive in the wild better then I.

Yaddle looked at the expression on my face and patted my calf, "Worry not. Matured he has."

I swallowed the derisive snort that rose in me. Physically, yes. I said the only appropriate response. "Yes Master."

As I approached, Obi-wan frowned as he looked at me. I wasn't wearing my Jedi Robes.

Despite the fact they supposedly blended in several thousand years ago, they didn't blend in with the world very well today. Besides, the robe's design was too flowing, it caught on brambles easily. I wore a modified version. Still browns, but with more greens blended in so I looked like a moldy leaf pile.

I was also dressed for cold damp weather.

I wondered if Obi-wan had even read anything about the planet.

"Pleased to see you again, Padawan Lyssa" His master spoke as we bowed, "I have heard good things about you."

"I assure you master Jinn, they are all lies." I grinned.

I felt the whack on the shin I knew was coming. I looked down at my master and who was trying to look annoyed at me but was failing dismally. She was amused at my humor no matter what she said.

"Shall we get going?" Obi-wan piped up, "The sooner we start the sooner we finish."

For once, I was in complete agreement with Obi-wan.

We bowed, said our good-byes and walked on board. The shuttle doors closed.   I ticked off the seconds on my fingers... 5...4...3...2...

"Lyssa, I know we have had our disagreements in the past, but keep in mind I am the senior padawan on this trip. I have been on more missions then you have. I would appreciate you not asking me silly questions." He spoke in a clipped, crisp accent you could cut steel with and looked down his nose at me with cold blue eyes.

Right on schedule.

"I rather fancy I have never asked you a silly question, Obi-wan. All of my questions are for a purpose." I replied evenly.

That was about as civil as I could manage. I thought my diplomacy teacher would be proud.

"All right, get in back and strap in. I'll fly us since I am the better pilot. You unpack." With that he turned on his heel and walked to the cockpit.

Well, that went better then I expected. Last time we were left alone for more then ten standard minutes we each walked away sporting a black eye and several injuries. The normal temple punishment of forcing us to spend time together never worked. We always ended up hurting each other more.

Considering how often our conversations lead to physical and emotional blows now, it's a wonder to realize we were once inseparable childhood friends.

I sighed as I walked into the back room and strapped in for take-off. I had once asked Yaddle how we had come to this state of barely able to tolerate each other's company from the loving start we had as children.

"Every step of the way." Was her only reply.

***

Part 2

Our trip seemed to have encountered the padawan trip glitch. One always occurs on a padawan trip anywhere and usually we padawan's waited for it. Once it occurred nothing else went wrong. Halfway to the planet our navigation system failed and the ship dropped out of hyperspace in the middle of nowhere.

Obi-wan knowing far more about ships then I ever wish to, was the one to get into the guts of the system to repair it. Feeling the need to give him moral support, I sat at the tiny table sewing some cloth together while Obi-wan played about in the floor. Not to mention the fact that Obi-wan had banned me from the cockpit and there was nowhere else on the tiny ship to go.

He was covered in sweat and had smears of grime on his face and hands. He looked more like a space pirate then a Jedi knight. I smiled to myself as I imagined him in a smuggler's outfit and blaster at his hip. Yes, he would be right at home there.

He looked up at me, "Don't you have something better to do then sit here and watch me?"

"Like what pray tell?" I asked mildly as I continued to sew some cloth. "You know I know nothing about ships. To me they are just pressurized tin boxes that take me where I want to go."

"Like reading the material for the mission." He replied evenly, "hand me the spanner"

I knew what he was thinking. He thought I was useless since I couldn't help with the ship. I was not technologically inclined. But get dump me in the middle of nowhere without map and I feel like a duck on water.

I picked it up and placed it in his hand then sat back and continued to sew.   We had come to an uneasy sort of truce. We didn't talk unless necessary and kept our insults to things that weren't personal.

"What in blazes are you sewing with that cloth?" He grunted while using his brute strength to toque something into place.

"Something the locals have in abundance over there, but no one else does." I replied, "I figure they must have SOME reason for it."

"What is it?" He leaned against the edge of the flooring and peered up at it. Partly out of curiosity, partly because he needed a break from his work.

"No idea. All I know is it looks like a pile of twigs and it covers the whole body." I replied shrugging.

"Could simply be a good luck talisman." He said ducking back under the floors.

"Even if it is, we need all the luck we can get." I said with a wry grin.

"There is no such thing as luck." He quoted Yoda with a smirk. The man knew more Yoda quotes then Yoda did.

"You might want one as well." I offered amiably. It was the closest to a peace offering he has let me give in a long time.

He snorted, "Probably some sort of traditional blanket. Camouflage, nothing more. I'm not carrying something that heavy in my pack for nothing."

I bit back my tongue. One of these days, I was gonna bite it off and swallow it. I closed my eyes... counted to ten... counted the wrinkles on master Yoda's face... counted the pores on mace Windu's head before I answered.

"Then I will carry it." I said evenly. "Locals wouldn't carry anything this heavy for no reason."

"Religion makes people do even stranger things." He replied

"So does love." I whispered softly to myself, remembering the insane moves Obi-wan had done for his love for a princess. Though they nearly got both of us killed, it was rather touching to watch in an objective way.

His eyes blazed with anger as his head whipped around. "Yes. It does." He ground out viciously, blatantly referring to my desperate moves. No doubt he saw what I did as the ultimate treachery against our friendship. In a way, he was right.

I was about to retort and tell him the defense I had so many times but I knew he wouldn't listen just as always. My saying anything at this point would just start the painful argument all over again. My reason told me that starting our usual fisticuffs with a mission to do and sensitive equipment lying around would not be one of my brighter moves.

I hurt him badly. I admit this. But I felt and still feel I was justified in what I did. Sometimes doing the right thing leaves you with a clear conscience but a broken heart.

By now, after all these years, I was just tired of fighting him.

He saw he wasn't going to get a rise out of me so he turned back to his work, I turned back to my sewing. After a while he climbed up and sighed triumphantly, "There, I think it is fixed." He flicked the switch... and nothing happened.

He got this panicked look on his face. Like he was frightened we would be stuck out floating here in the middle of no where with only each other as company.

At that thought I did the only thing I could think of.

I kicked the machine.

The nav computer then roared to life and we were off again.

I felt inordinately proud of myself as I looked at him and grinned. He simply rolled his eyes and walked away.

I chuckled to myself all the way to my bed. Lyssa 1, Kenobi 0.

***

Part 3

"This way." He said pointing off in a direction that if we went directly on it, we would get there in a few days... small problem... there was a mountain range and two cliffs that way.

"Kenobi, I would suggest we go this way." I said, pointing directly at a swap at right angles to where he wanted to go.

He frowned. That scowl didn't do much for his appearance.

"That's a swamp." he replied

"Yes." I replied. "Very good, now can you tell me what that big round bright thing in the sky is?"

"That's not the direction where we want to go." He replied

"It will get us there faster."

"And HOW do you determine this?" He asked

"Cause the swamp is level ground and is known to have animal paths through it. We'll be through it by this after noon. We can climb over the smallest mountains as we make a crescent over where we are going and miss the cliffs completely." I said in what I thought was my most reasonable voice.

He frowned, "time is of the essence and a straight line is faster then one that isn't straight."

I sighed and tied down the last of the gear strapped to me. "Up and down mountains isn't a straight line and you know this, unless you feel like tunneling through."

He looked to the mountains then at the swamp. "We'll go the way of the swamp. It's less obvious that way to anyone who may be tracking us and we will be sure to get there safely."

He started to walk off in that direction. "Gee whiz, now why didn't I think of that."

His pace stopped for a second and his back stiffened at the taunt. He turned his head to the side and called, "Keep up Junior Padawan."

I sighed and resigned myself to dealing with him. All I wanted was to finish the mission and go home. If that meant swallowing my pride and just going along with him, fine by me.

That night we camped in a plain. It was very dry and the grasses were yellow and brittle. I hadn't spoken to him the entire time was walked there. I kept four paces behind him, making sure to disguise our tracks as we went.

My homicidal urge was rising.

I released my anger to the force. Just because I was two years his junior and didn't do as well in any of the diplomatic classes did not mean I was a poor Jedi.

"Let's start a fire." He said amiably.

"Let's not and say we did." I replied back as I finished pitching my tent

He arched an eyebrow at me, "You know, you are much more pleasant when you don't speak."

"So long as the feeling is mutual." I replied simply.

He scowled. "You have a point. Starting a fire might cause someone to see us," He admitted grudgingly.

I looked up at him, "Not my reasoning."

"Then what is... your reasoning."

I waved, "Dry Grass, fire, plains fires ripping across the planet. Would you like our barbecued carcasses regular or extra crispy?"

Those were the exact words I had said during the palace fire that we tried and failed to escape from. He had ran in after someone because his emotions were twisting his reading of the force. He wouldn't listen as I ran after him saying she was already dead.

"That was not my fault." He ground out, eyes lit with anger as hot as the fire we were in.

"Yes it was." I replied succinctly.

"If you had listened to me, it never would have happened." He shouted.

"If you had listened to me, we never would have been there." I shot back.

"Fine." He growled

"Fine" I snarled

We turned on our heels and went to bed.

That went well.

Usually when we had this conversation we were three seconds from killing each other. Usually mutual friends and masters had to step between us. This time we walked away of our own volition. Maybe we were maturing.

I sighed and stared at the stars through the small window in my tent. This wasn't how it started. This wasn't how it was meant to be. When we were little, we were friends, we really were. Then something went horribly and badly awry.

I don't know what anyone else would chalk it up to. I put the blame on puberty.

I don't know what happened. We just started arguing. At first it was playful, then it turned ugly. Then one day we each went too far. I don't know who hurt who first.

Then came the Kara incident. The long and short of it was he got a girlfriend I really didn't like or trust. I told him so. We got into another argument. He thought I was jealous of her and was acting on the 'crush' I had on him. Crush I did have, but my sense never abandoned me.

I was right. She assassinated her own brother for the throne, but was killed by her brother's guards. He thought he could have talked her out of it. I thought that one of us should have gone to our masters long before the assassination attempt happened saying that something funny was going on. But Obi-wan was in love and I didn't trust him to stay with her alone.

He really loved her. That is why he was so hurt. I was the messenger of the bad news. I was the one who stood in the way. When reason didn't work I had faked an illness to keep him out of a room when I had a warning from the force. That day while he was tending to my "illness" she had her loyalists simply open fire on everyone at the banquet hall.

He was certain he could have talked her out of it had he been there. Who knows, maybe he could have. We will never know now. He has never forgiven me for my deception.

He thought she was innocent of the accusations of the people running out of the palace in the fire that ensued after the assassination. He rushed inside to prove her innocent. I raced in after him to keep him from dying in the fire.

When he saw proof of her evil deed with his own eyes, he just collapsed into apathy right there. I bodily dragged him out of the burning throne room and under a set of stone stairs to protect us as the palace collapsed around us. It took our respective masters and a rescue crew three days to find us in the rubble.

After that we simply weren't on speaking terms.

I sighed and mulled over the past and present.

I really, really missed his friendship.

I rolled onto my stomach and buried my face in my rolled up cloak to let the tears leak through in silence. I kept him alive because I loved him.

I don't know what hurts the most. The fact I shattered our friendship and his trust because I loved him or the fact that even after all the harsh words between us...

I still did.

***

Part 4

The next week of traveling wasn't any better. He was impatient because all he saw was grass. We were to be in a valley. There can't be a valley if there are no hills.

He swore we were walking in circles.

Obi-wan doesn't deal with boredom too well.

"Talk to me." he said as we walked along.

"I've got nothing to say to you." I replied.

"I've got nothing to say to you, doesn't mean we can't talk." he said. I was relieved, he was still hard to me, but at least the ice was melting. Maybe Yaddle assigned us together for a good reason after all.

"All right, how about you tell me about what it's like to go on missions with Master Jinn." I said, trying to find a neutral topic.

"They range anywhere from utter boredom to nerve wracking." He replied, "It's incredible to see how he manages to make two people who seem to hate each other see how alike they are."

"Ah. That's so different then what I do." I said

"What do you do? I mean, what are you training to be?" He asked sounding vaguely interested.

I smiled, "Search and rescue."

"Ah," he smiled, "Saving lost colonists in over their heads, natural disaster relief, that area?"

I smiled and nodded, "Something like that." I tossed my brown padawan braid behind my shoulder. I hated my hair. There was way too much of it and it was the color of Bantha poo-doo.

I was seriously thinking about pulling a Mace Windu and shaving it all off upon knighting. Then again, female humaniods generally don't have shaved heads.

Plain plumaged bird, that was me. Then again, it had the distinct advantage to being able to blend in. My features were so bland I didn't even have to force suggest anyone to forgetting them.

Obi-wan wouldn't blend in at a holostar convention.

I nodded and grunted at the right places as Obi-wan talked about his master and their missions. It was the secret to a padawan's heart. Ask about their master. Secret to winning over a master Jedi is asking about their padawans. Both sides get this half proud half stupid grin on their faces.

Maybe we could manage to get along... eventually. But not now. I could sense Obi-wan was still deeply hurt by what happened and deeply angry with me, even after six years.

Suddenly he stopped and looked at me.

"Let's not talk any more." The ice in his voice had returned

"Why not." I mentally stumbled over this new development.

"We're about to bond. It's making me vomit," he said flatly

I felt as if someone had rabbit punched me in the stomach. I snarled out something distinctly unladylike in Rhodian.

He looked at me coldly, "Not in this lifetime, I wouldn't touch you with a fifty foot bantha prod."

I wanted to kick myself as he walked off. Force why did we do this to each other? I released a mental scream and several tears into the force.

I trotted after him, trying to keep up.

***

Part 5

"Is this the valley?" He asked looking around.

"According to the map given us and our universal locator, we are standing right here to the centimeter." I said rolling up the paper map. He must have thought I was nuts, using the ancient method of map, compass, and sky markers.

He sighed and looked around, "No village."

"There used to be one here." I said idly.

His head whipped around to look at me, "How do you know that?"

I bent down and picked up a pottery shard, "There are a million of these lying around here. I think we are standing on what was a trash heap."

He closed his eyes and concentrated. His connection to the unifying force would help him determine what really was here better then my investigation could. His eyes opened, "The statue would have been right below us."

I started to assemble our shovels as he cleared the area of debris.

***

We didn't have to dig very far.

Within an hour our shovels hit stone. Smooth stone polished by more then time alone. Carefully scraping away the dirt we stared at it for a while before I hit it with the bottom of my shovel... and heard that it was hallow.

"Well there is one way in," he said pulling out his lightsaber. He fumbled for a bit. His fingers were numb from the whipping cold wind.

I ran my hands along the edges of the smooth stone until I felt an indent... and then pressed in the bumps. There was a distinct click as the stone slid back revealing a black hole below us.

I looked up at him and smirked, "Not all of us feel that Qui-gon-ing a door open is totally necessary."

He gave me a dirty look but tossed a rope at me. "You are going down, you are the only one who can fit."

I nodded and prepared to be lowered down. He set up the pulleys. I fixed a glow torch to my temple he looked at me strangely.

"Look, I can navigate in the dark, you can, but it would be useful if we documented this." I replied flatly.

He looked at me curiously, "Why did you bring that recorder? How did you know we might need it?"

"Force told me to do it. Are you going to lower me or should I jump and hope for the best?"

I could almost hear him growl and the fervent wish to shove me down the hole. I got a perverse satisfaction that I was the one with the controlled temper now.

I'd be lying if I hadn't. Master Yaddle would skin me if she knew.

Obi-wan lowered me down slowly, my hand held torch going first to illuminate the area before I went there. I would rather some big nasty eat that rather then me.

The ground was about one hundred feet below the top. When I touched ground I released the rope and tugged it twice, indicating he could raise it, to keep bad things from crawling up.

I looked around... it was a stone chamber, packed dirt. Something about it didn't feel right. Force shivers were chasing themselves up and down inside of my spine.

I reached for its soothing presence and it wrapped around me as best it could, but something about the force here seemed different. It seemed tainted somehow... almost sad.

"Are you all right?" Came a small voice into my ear. I smiled to myself. Even though I may be down here, I wasn't alone.

"Yes... just getting my bearings. There seems to be a hall way to my left." Was my automatic reply.

"Go there." he said, "I'll watch your back."

I had mounted two cameras... one facing what I did, the other the opposite direction. He could see anything coming at me from behind. Though I am good in the force and can sense danger, it would be nice if someone could tell me how many things wanted to eat me.

I followed the featureless and dank hall. My nose wrinkled at the smell as I walked. There was something familiar about the dank smell. Something very not nice, the most primitive instincts I had were identifying it.

Blood.

Old blood. It was spilled here.

I kept walking.

"Talk to me." He whispered in my ear. Tinny and far away, but there.

"Something very bad happened here. I have a bad feeling about this." I said.

He sighed, "that is our mission Lyssa. We were asked to locate some missing prisoners dating four hundred years ago."

I looked around at the old scorch marks from blasters and nodded, "The dating is right. The carbon scoring indicates that. But these burns here... these don't make sense." I said, "Something familiar about them. I can't place it. They are almost like... Lightsaber marks"

"Keep going, Lee-lee, it will come to you." He said.

I smiled faintly at the use of the childhood nickname. He knew my stomach was in knots now. My strength in the force was empathy, Battles even a thousand years old I could sense the pain from. I could 'carbon' date things just by the emotional residue.

There was a price. Very strong or recent events had a tendency to take me over. Holding a knife a murderer used only years before let me identify the murderer, but I felt the bloodlust of the murderer and the pain of the victim all at once. Takes weeks to wash the sensation of slimey-stickyness from my psyche.

I came to a door. It had been sealed from the outside.

"What do you want to bet is behind door number one?" I said softly.

He chuckled, "Looks like you will have to... Qui-gon the door open." He then grew serious, "Are you sure you are up to this? Will your empathy hold out?"

I drew up my shoulders, "Yes. Get a good shot of this door. There is a strange symbol on it. I can't place it. It's like someone came along and cleared their trail on the force so I can't see who, only that someone did it. We still don't know who did this kidnapping, but at least we can give the families some peace knowing we found them... even if it is four hundred years too late."

I pulled out my purple blade and turned it on, trying to wrap the force around me like a protective blanket. It came, whispering for me to open the door and set those inside free. Strange how the desperate message thought by prisoners so long ago would remain whispering in the stones after all this time.

I thrust my saber blade into the stone and shortly made a door.

I had to immediately step back from the smell. I couldn't breathe. Images of panicked pounding on the wall, screams from women and children, bright red streaks of blaster fire, the fear and the door was melded shut, the shouts for help turning to whimpers then slowly to silence as the people inside died one at a time. The last battle for life that each person fought pounded my senses. It took me a while to let it wash over me then pass by.

This was why I went into search and rescue. I had empathy so strong I could find the proverbial needle in the haystack. Problem was, it was often times too much for me when I was in the middle of a scan and felt someone die.

I pulled out a breather and shoved it in my mouth. Carbon Dioxide. Lots of it.

I stepped inside, making sure the CO2 filter was working properly and felt tears prick my eyes.

Every one of them. All thirty-six men, women and children lay on the floor, dead. From the amount of CO2, they were asphyxiated. The memories imprinted in the stone and in the bodies said the same thing. I shuddered, another method of dying I have experienced second hand. I had about another hour of being able to withstand the psychic bombardment before I had to leave.

All but two looked as if they fell where they stood.

Those two corpses looked different. These looked like they carefully sat down before dying.

Doing a quick head count I saw that those two made thirty-eight.

Creeping closer my eyes widened as I saw what lay besides them.

"Lightsabers." Obi-wan breathed into my ear. "That explains the lightsaber marks you saw on the walls."

"And why the memories in here are so powerful. Force sensitive people tend to leave with a bit more of a bang then others. But why didn't they cut themselves out?" I asked softly... muffled a bit through the mask.

"Check the sabers... see if they are missing something." He said softly

I carefully picked one up and examined it. The casing was all right; the power supply seemed functional. I cracked the case open and saw... no crystals.

Obi-wan said something distinctly ungentlemently in Shavistinian. Something that wouldn't be permitted during their mating ritual and that was saying something.

"Tell me about it," was my reply.

"Take the sabers and mark this place. We've done our part, get out of there before you collapse and I have to carry you out. The republic can do the rest," he said with a slight edge of bitterness.

I understood it. The republic had been asked to do this originally, but they didn't want to waste the manpower to send someone into a no fly area of a planet without real proof of its existence.

A holo of the place certainly is proof enough.

I turned around and quickly walked back to the hole where Obi-wan quickly lowered the rope for me. Once I was on surface we didn't say anything to each other. We just closed the hole and curled up next to each other for warmth.

I don't think either of us slept.

***

Part 6

I think the only reason I didn't ask him why we were going the direction we were going was because I was just plain sick of fighting with him and in shock from the force memories. I didn't want to fight anymore.

Strange how seeing corpses can make you realize how short life is.

I think he chose the direct way back to both spite me and try and get home quickly. I think he figured the cliffs wouldn't be anything we couldn't climb and we could find an easy pass through the mountains.

I watched his back as he walked ahead of me by two paces. I tried not to argue with his camping techniques. If he did something blatantly wrong I simply did it right immediately afterward.

When we hit the cliffs I wanted to cry. They were really... really tall. They were shale... a rock known for it's ability to crumble when you least want it to. When I followed my eyes up the cliff to the skies I saw dark gray.

I looked down and met his eyes as he was preparing his packs for the climb.

"HELL NO" I said flatly... speaking for the first time in two days.

He arched an eyebrow at me, "Why not?"

"Shale! Tall! RAIN!" I sputtered.

"One can rock climb in the rain." he replied evenly, "It looks only about a day's climb and it won't rain."

I stared at him, "Um... yes it will... it's nearly fall and it rains every day here in the fall."

"I'M climbing." He said flatly, and with no small amount of frustration in his voice. "You can try and find a way around. I'll be in the shuttle and dry while you are still wandering at the base."

I bit my lip as I looked at the cliffs. I wouldn't climb this thing on a good day with the sun shining. I knew I was a far better climber then he. This was very chancy for me; it would be suicidal for him.

Once again, I abused his trust and blatantly lied to him to prevent him from killing himself.

"Perhaps I should go in front." I said, "Since I am the slowest, I should set the pace."

I will admit it; I used the force to suggest this to him.

He nodded, "Fine. We climb now."

***

Clinging the shale rock face with all my fingers, toes and the force was not an easy chore. I reached and tried to find a safe place for the next pin. It was mildly discouraging to my ego to know that I could count the number of times I found a good spot the first time on one hand and still have enough fingers for a good handhold.

To add insult to injury, the heavens decided to pour forth their freezing bounty. The Wind was starting to pick up too.

"I do not suppose you could speed things up." Obi-wan called to me from below. He pitched his voice over the thunder and wind yet somehow still managed to sound as if he were chatting at a cocktail party. "It's getting rather late."

The force must hate me.

"No." I said flatly. "Give me a minute to place the next pin."

"I could do this faster." he muttered.

"Yeah... I'd love to see you try." I growled.

I honestly didn't think he heard me.

"Perfectly fine by me." he growled from below me... then started to try and climb around and PAST me.

"OBI-WAN!!" I screamed at him. I suddenly felt as if the Force had dropped a bell inside me and hit it.

Oh shit.

I used all the force I could and plastered myself to the cliff wall, as if I was a bug, the force was a pin and the cliff was the corkboard.

"OBI-WAN LOOK OUT!" I screamed at the top of my lungs.

The foot hold he had slipped from beneath him, and the rocks started to crumble around me. The roar of falling rocks was deafening and the vibrations of it made my limbs tremble. A large chuck of the cliff fell out from under Obi-wan's foot.

I plastered myself there and watched in horror as a rock hit the back of Obi-wan's head and he went limp.

I should have dropped his line. Every rule says I should have dropped his line and saved myself for the sake of the mission. He was unwieldy dead weight that ninety percent of the time caused the other person to fall as well.

I didn't.

I found reserves in me I didn't know I had. I pinned his punk ass to the wall as well and hung on as the world fell apart around me. Either we both survived, or neither of us did.

Love did make us do strange things.

***

It took me a few moments to realize... it was over.

I opened my eyes and looked up. The wind was calming down but the rain looked like it was only going to get worse.

That was the good news.

I had hundreds of meters to the top, a several Kilo wet padawan dead weight attached to my waist that was unbalancing me and the beginnings of what most masters called, "The force hangover" from when you used it beyond your capacity to handle it.

It looked as if it was gonna be a doosy as soon as I stopped using the force.

Writing my body and Midiclorians another in what was to be a long series of IOU's I used the force to scan the cliffs.

About fifty meters to the right and ten down was a cave.

Great glory haleluia, something was finally going right.

"Hang on Obi-wan" I said softly, "We'll be dry shortly. Stay with me, you son of a bitch. I won't let you die on me. You owe me money damn it."

I chanted this as I made my painful way over. After damn near an eternity with my muscles screaming at me, I force swung Obi-wan into the cave. Then I made the last painful stretch to get myself there.

As soon as my feet touched solid ground I collapsed to the floor and crawled over to Obi-wan. His blue eyes were closed and his face was pale. The skin was colder then I would have liked.

I reached desperately for the energy to heal him and felt my heart start to weep because I had no more to give. I had overdrawn as much as my body would allow and then some. I had to get him better by purely conventional methods.

I looked around and saw that we weren't the only ones to inhabit the cave. There were a whole bunch of furred winged creatures that looked like miniature griffins.

My mind didn't register them as dangerous. I recalled they liked to eat fish. That was all I needed. Once safety was established I set to work trying to dry and warm him. I ripped open our packs looking for something... anything dry and warm.

I wanted to cry. Those twig things were the only things that were.

Quickly stripping him and myself without a second thought I wrapped the both of us up in them. From head to toe we looked like a pile of kindling.

I wrapped my body around his clammy one, trying to will my heat into his body. I whispered a prayer to the force as I realized his breathing was shallow and he wasn't warming.

I felt the first foot on me. It felt as if a feliniod was stepping on me... then curling up on top of me.

Then the second one.

The third.

I lost track as they piled into every crack and crevice... and seemed to simply fall asleep on top of us... sharing their warmth.

I sighed in relief as Obi-wan's breathing deepened, his body warmed up and relaxed into normal sleep.

The combined warmth of the mini-Griffins lulled me to sleep shortly afterward.

***

Part 7

I woke up to see a pair of very angry blue eyes looking down on me. They pinned me to the stone below me and if looks could kill I would have been incinerated.

"Care to explain this?" he said nodding to our state of undress. "Really Lyssa, I thought you would have gotten over this obsession a long time ago."

"I did." I replied wearily in my defense. "I was..."

"Save it and get dressed." He snapped and ripped away the covers from my body. I reflexively shrank to a fetal position against the cold but my muscles screamed in protest from their previous abuse.

"Wh... why?" I chattered out as I struggled into my cold damp clothes.

"I have called our masters about our mission and how it is going, or did you forget our weekly check in?" His voice was mild yet dangerous.

I crawled to where Obi-wan was sitting to receive the messages. When the face of my beloved Master Yaddle showed up I nearly cried. Surely she'd understand.

"Padawan?" Master Jinn said curiously, "How is the mission and why does Padawan Lyssa look like death warmed over?"

"Surely I don't look that bad." I answered with my teeth chattering so hard I thought they would crack in my jaw.

Yaddle looked at me long and hard before asking, "Found more than the thirty-six I presume?"

Obi-wan nodded, "Yes, we found two Jedi among the dead. This makes it our jurisdiction?"

Qui-gon Jinn nodded, "Yes, now it's a matter of ours since one of our own was killed. Lyssa were the Jedi killed with the others?"

I wrenched my attention back to the meeting, Backlash was making my mind drift. I answered with the first thing that popped into my head, "No. the Jedi felt to only be three hundred years old. The style of the lightsabers are dated to then. I think they were looking for the villagers as well, or someone found them and decided to bury their bodies where another mystery grave was."

Obi-wan stared at me, "Masters there is another matter at hand, Lyssa's insubordination towards me. She's been antagonistic this entire trip while it was clearly stated that she was to follow my lead. She deliberately countermanded orders."

Yaddle nodded, "What say you in your defense."

I stared blankly at the stone floor in front of me, my body wracked with shivers I tried to hide. I was numb and my voice sounded as if it came from very far away. "He wanted to climb shale in the rain."

Master Qui-gon Jinn arched an eyebrow. "Padawan is this true?"

Obi-wan frowned, "yes, but one can rock climb in the rain."

Yaddle snorted, "Recall I, someone who failed Geology. Shale dangerous, given to crumble, especially when wet. Slippery it is. Dangerous to climb in best of conditions."

"What happened Lyssa?" Master Qui-gon asked softly

I told the tale. His trying to pass me on the cliff, the rock-slide, Obi-wan being struck on the head, my use of the force to save both our lives, the finding of the cave and the griffins. I was nearly falling over by the time I was finished.

Qui-gon Jinn turned to his padawan and asked, "Is this true?"

I turned my weary head to look into the eyes of a very shocked Obi-wan Kenobi. His mouth was partially open and his blue eyes were very very wide. It was as if he was looking at me for the first time. I turned away from those beautiful eyes. I was so tired, I no longer cared what he thought.

"Padawan Kenobi." Yaddle said, "Answer please."

"Uh... yes. It's true. I didn't remember until now, the blow to my head must have..."

Qui-gon sighed, "Padawan, I suggest you take a very long look at the girl beside you. Perhaps now you are ready to listen to her. Padawan Lyssa?"

I looked up at him, "yes Master Jinn."

"You realize you broke every rule in the book by not dropping that line." He said sternly.

I nodded wearily. "Yes."

"Thank you." He whispered with a small smile. I looked up at him and smiled wanly.

"When the storm stops and we have a clear half day we can make it the rest of the way to the top. It's a shorter distance then going back down." I said automatically.

Yaddle nodded, "Good, rest now you must. No hurry there is for you to come home. One piece I would rather have then many pieces. More then one padawan a master may not have."

I smirked, "That was a bad joke Master. I hate you."

Yaddle chuckled, "So long as mutual, the feeling is."

They blinked out and the screen went black. I knelt there shaking a bit from cold on the inside and outside. The Numbness was over and I was feeling my body start to recover because now I had the energy to shiver.

"What happened with Kara?" Obi-wan asked, "What made you suspect her?"

"Can we not talk about this now?" I sighed.

"Please, I need to know." He whispered.

"I overheard her boasting how the guards would never touch her because she had a Jedi for a lover. He's sacrifice his life to save her in her bid for the throne." I sighed, "I tried to tell you but you wouldn't listen. So I faked being ill to keep you out of that chamber. For the mission, for your reputation and for your life. I never meant to hurt you. Right now I don't give a shavit if you understand or not. Come stick pins in me tomarrow, I'll be more responsive."

Obi-wan sat very still next to me. Then I felt a hand rest on my shoulder, "I'm sorry that I didn't trust you. My pride got in the way."

I nodded slowly, then was hit by a sudden wave of dizziness. When my vision cleared and my senses returned I noticed that I was once again lying wrapped up in the blankets, my cold clothes had been removed and there was a warm body at my back.

"Ob.." I started then felt fingers on my lips hushing me.

"You have reaction sickness." He whispered. "You've drained yourself nearly to the point of death to save me. You should have dropped me."

"And have your death as well as your heart on my conscience. No thanks." I snorted.

He chuckled, "Go to sleep."

I obeyed him.

***

The next morning I woke to the most heavenly scent in the galaxy. I opened my eyes to see that Obi-wan was cooking on our little stove and was making breakfast of crunched up nutritional bars and a few spices I carry in my pack. My stomach then gave such a yowl I scared a few of the gryphons who returned to nest in the cave.

He laughed and looked at me, "AH! You are awake and ravenous. Right on schedule."

I smiled wanly and crawled over to where he was cooking, making sure the blankets were wrapped firmly around me. I still wasn't sure of my welcome. Given how he was constantly stirring the porridge more then necessary, I'd say he was nervous too.

"I... I forgot how you liked your porridge." He said softly, "Alderaan sweet spice or Malistaire Wigroot?"

"Does it really matter?" I asked laconically, "It tastes like shavit no matter what you do to it."

He gave a flicker of a smile to the joke and poured it into two bowls. We sat in silence with the sound of clacking from the griffins. He finished his meal and placed the bowl down before I managed to lift the first spoonful to my mouth.

The spoon slipped from my fingers and splashed into the bowl. I swore softly and stuttered some apologies. Obi-wan simply moved to my side and helped me clean up. My trembling fingers wouldn't let me handle anything.

"Sorry," I sighed again.

He smiled and continued to clean me up with a cloth, "It's all right. I should have remembered the shakes were coming."

"What did you get your bout of reaction from?" I asked as he finished mopping up and started to feed me.

"Bringing fifteen children through a wartorn city without being caught, then running back in for my master and carrying him to safety after fighting a losing battle all day." He chuckled, "My master was about to kill me for running in after him. I remember receiving the lecture all the way out of the city."

I chuckled at the mental image of the tall Jedi master slung over his shorter apprentice's frame giving the apprentice a calm lecture on the rules of engagement.

"I bet Yoda thanked you though." I smiled as I took another spoonful when I felt in enough co-ordination of my body to do so.

Obi-wan smiled brightly, "Much the same way my master thanked you."

"Funny how we Jedi tend to disobey council regulations that way." I chuckled.

He gave me another few spoonfuls while we sat in silence. My tremors were starting to die down. Finally he spoke again. "Thank you."

I shrugged, "What was I to do? Drop you to your death and not have the chance to say 'I told you so' until after I joined the force as well?"

He shook his head, "No. Not for that. Thank you for always looking out for me, even when I am not looking out for myself."

I shrugged, "You might have been able to talk..."

He shook his head, "No. I realize it now. I only saw what I wished to see in her and in you."

I took his hand in mine, "For what it's worth, you were right about the patte."

He snorted, "Can't you give me my moment of high drama?"

I tossed my braid behind my shoulder imperiously, "You spoiled my moment on Amnar."

He swatted the side of my head, "You deserved to be tossed into that pond."

"And you ruined a very good speech." I retorted with my arms crossed.

We giggled a little at the memory of a happier time together. He sighed and leaned back after he finished feeding me. "Lyssa. We veered far off course on our friendship so long ago. It's amazing how far astray we went."

I nodded, "Yes, it is. Yet we got there, every step of the way." I replied thickly. "I was too hurt to make you hear me."

He sighed, "I was too proud to listen. Do...do you suppose we could try again. Possibly go back? I know we have a long way to go before our friendship is repaired so we don't make the same mistake again."

I nodded, "We will make it back. Every step of the way."

He smiled, "Perhaps we can make something neither pain nor pride can break."

I looked at my fingers, "I have to ask. If our positions were reversed, would you have dropped me?"

He shook his head, "Of course not. You still owe me money."

I picked up a piece of the porridge and threw it at him.

***********(sent 8-12)

For one week it rained. We heard several more rumblings in the cliff as it fell to pieces around us. The rain washed away the tears over the years we hurt each other, the whipping wind howled away the harsh memories.

Inside the cave, it was warm. The griffin family adopted us somehow, always sleeping on our blankets. In return for the soft place to sleep we awoke to find fresh fish laying beside us. Obi-wan appeared shocked at this at first, but when he saw me "talking" to the things through the force he calmed down.

I enjoyed communing with the animals and seeing their thoughts. Life is much more direct for them. The higher intelligence animals are a joy. Often times Obi-wan linked with me so he could talk to them as well.

"Is this what I miss out on with the Unifying Force?" He asked once when I was chatting with one of the fuzzy little children.

"The Unifying has it's advantages. You can sense the future better then I can." I chuckled as I played tug of war with a towel and the baby griffin.

He nodded with a smile, "Yes." A Nearby adult started to squawk at another. The female responded, then the adult male pounced. "Are they fighting?"

I felt the primitive waves of lust rolling off the two and chuckled, "Mating."

His eyebrows shot to his hairline, "Really? Is it the season?"

I grinned, "Apparently." The scene was catching and many of the adults started initiating mating rituals. The emotions and urges rolling off them suddenly made it distinctly uncomfortable for me to be there.

He touched my shoulder when I started getting edgy and fidgety, "Are you all right?"

I nodded, "Yes, it's just the griffins seem to be somewhat projectively empathic."

His face became a comical mask of surprise and humor, "So, you are..."

"Experiencing the urge to merge. Why do you think my rooms are in the highest tower of the temple. I didn't want to be neighbors with anyone." I smiled shyly

His eyes grew wide and a look of absolute horror crossed his face, "You mean, you felt it every time I..."

I nodded and turned away walking to the mouth of the cave, hoping the noise of the rain would drown out some of the mental noise. Oh yes My dear Obi-wan, I felt it each time you fell in love with someone else and each time you made love to someone near by. I felt exactly how much of his heart he was giving them. I felt what he meant to them.

Most of his companionship has been mutually casual. There have been a few more serious but mainly they parted as good friends. I felt him give his heart on a platter to that blonde senate aid and her casual acceptance of it. My heart was in pain for him while I waited for the fall, when it came my heart wept blood.

I remember one time he thought it was a casual affair and she fell head over heals. My heart went out to that girl as she gracefully gave up her hold on him. She wept when he left. I cried with her.

I felt it all and never said a word until Kara. By then I couldn't bear the strain any longer.

I felt a hand on my shoulder again, "I'm sorry for that hurt. I should have realized that was why you told me. It wasn't out of your own hope but out of a need to ask me to stop hurting you."

I shrugged, "It's done and in the past. Hopefully now we've learned better."

He cocked his head to the side as he watched me shiver and shift from foot to foot. "I had no idea you were at the mercy of other people's emotions so much."

I chuckled, "Why do you think we ended up in fist-fights more often then not? You got mad enough to hit me, I felt it as well, confused it as my own desire to pound your head in and it ended up in a nasty feedback loop."

"Is it that way with all powerful emotions if both sides feel it?" He asked curiously.

I nodded, "Yes. That is why Master Yaddle and I are the closest master-apprentice pair in the temple, and you and your master are a very close second. We both are well suited, we both have more empathic ability then we know what to do with so the bond is strong. Surely you noticed it when we were children and very close friends. It was why we frequently didn't even need to finish our sentences, the other knew the ending."

He smiled, "What about love?"

I looked at my feet and sighed sadly, "I wouldn't know. I've never had my heart reciprocated." My heart always belonged to him.

By now the griffins had finished their mating and were quickly falling into post cloital sleep. I turned away from him. I hoped that he would let that statement lie as it was. I felt his eyes on me as I walked away and as I lay down to sleep.

**********
He was spending a lot of time in meditation lately. The rain would come pouring down just outside the cave and he was sit near the edge, watching the rain fall and listening to the sound of it hitting the rocks. I had to wonder what the subject of this intense meditation was.

His eyes opened upon seeing I was watching him, "No peaking!"

I smirked and knelt beside him, "Figured you solve your troubled waters by watching them fall?"

He chuckled, "Something like that. I am trying to decide our fate, and why I am so readily accepting of this change in our relationship. I've freely just accepted your friendship back, no hard feelings. Makes me wonder why I was angry with you in the first place."

I shrugged, "Could it be you are just tired of fighting?"

He frowned, "No, it's something more... personal."

I knelt beside him and looked at him closely, "Do you know what went wrong with our relationship?"

"No, I can't say what started it all for me."

I sighed, "maybe it was many little things that added up?"

He shrugged, "I don't know, and I don't care right now. All I care about is the fact that I... am starving. What's to eat?"

"Fish."

He rolled his eyes, "I'd give anything for some salted Bantha Jerky"

I rocked my head back in laughter, "I thought I would never hear those words pass your lips. Ever."

"Niether did I." He smirked, "I think many a negotiations would end more successfully and much quicker if only we could lock all parties in the room and make them eat Salted Bantha Jerky until they agreed."

"I think we would be violating many ethics codes, including a few laws on the humane treatment of prisoners." I laughed.

He made a face at me and poked me in the ribs. "How would you have solved the Kirst-ley situation?" It was a question I always got wrong in the diplomatic courses.

I grinned, "Made them climb shale in the rain."

************

"I barely know you anymore." He said as we polished our boots, trying to prevent the leather from cracking. The rain was still pouring down, I would have been worried we'd run out of food if it weren't for the griffins bringing us fish and the occasional vegetable when I could convince them of it.

"So long as the feeling is mutual." I smirked.

He sat back, "I am trying to figure out why I didn't trust you in the first place. Why did I ignore a fellow Jedi and good friend."

I paused in my cleaning, "Yoda said something very wise to me once."

"When does he not?" He elbowed me in the ribs.

I shoved him back, "No, it was when I went to him asking for advice. He simply sighed and said, 'Eliminate misunderstandings between people, one thinks the force would. It does not.'"

He sat and thought for a good long while, finally he looked at me and sighed, "I really don't know what went wrong. This really disturbs me."

I chuckled, "Ever think we aren't meant to know?"

"Pardon?" He asked, "That goes against every..."

I shrugged, "True, but then again we've broken every other rule in the book."

He chuckled, "True enough. I don't think my knees have recovered from that scrubbing the south tower steps."

I laughed, "Your first attempt at homicide. I remember it well."

He swatted at me, "I didn't want to kill you, I just wanted to maim you a little."

"I'm ugly enough as it is. Please don't make it any worse." I snickered as I dropped my boots and my fingers went straight for his ribs. It had the desired effect, he twisted about and lay writhing on the ground, yelping like one tortured.

His fingers immediately shot out to the insides of my elbows in self defence and I jerked my arms back giggling like a mad woman. Next came a wrestling match where we each tried to overpower the other and get the other one at our tickling mercy. Liberal applications of the force were used until we agreed it was illegal.

Finally superiority in strength won out and Obi-wan had me pinned beneath him. When the laughter died down I found I was staring up into those beautiful changeable eyes. So close they simply filled my vision. I could feel his breath on my lips. All I would have to do is tilt my head up. So very close...

I turned my head away and closed my eyes to avoid temptation. I had abused him enough over the past several years. I wasn't going to do what started this whole mess. Last time I completely misinterpreted those eyes and taken a kiss.

"Now we know how it all started," I said with a heavy heart. "I did."

I felt his lips on my temple. I sighed, savoring the simple touch. Relief flooded through me. I didn't feel disgust rolling off him like the last time. Maybe this time the ending would be different.

"Look at me." I heard him whisper in my ear. The warm puffs of his breath stirred the hair near my ear and I shivered again, this time a tear trickled out. So very close... My heart was pounding with hope, maybe I could have understanding this time.

I didn't hold a single hope for love returned. I just wanted him to understand and... I don't know after that. I just didn't want to go back to fighting. I'd take totally being ignored, or passing acquaintance with some feelings of unease. Just not anger and disgust. Not again.

I turned my head and looked back into those breathtaking eyes. "I loved you."

"Lyssa..." He started

"I still do." I whispered with despair evident in my voice that even years of jedi training and needed control couldn't hide. But I wanted him to know the utter truth, no more misunderstandings or secrets between us.

His eyes registered surprise, "After all the things We've said and done to hurt each other? That is the most vicious and malevolent thing that you could say to me."

My mouth smirked but my eyes continued to weep, "I know. That's why I saved it up. I lost you. I can never have you back."

He nodded, "No, we can't go back can we?"

I nodded miserably and accepted my fate.

"Perhaps we should push forward then?" He smiled into my eyes. Oh that heavenly inviting smile was a heartbreakingly beautiful thing to see. My pardon and salvation were in those eyes.

"Thank you for forgiving me," I sighed in relief.

Before the moment could become too awkward he rolled off me but pulled me on top of him. I felt the tears start to prick again but fought to keep them back.

"Oh no you don't. You have nearly ten years worth of hurt inside you that needs to come out. I think you are long overdue for a good cry." He wrapped his arms around me and refused to let me move.

It may seem odd in an objective sense, to find comfort here. But I think it was his peace offering to me, to let me know that no matter how I feel about him, whether it's love or friendship, he'd accept it and understand.

***********

The journey home was an anticlimax.

We fell back into the easy patterns of childhood and new friendships, re-asking the old questions. What are your favorite meals, color, where do you like to go when tired. We were starting out at square one again. The slate may be scratched a bit and cracked, but at least it had been washed clean.

We went home, gave our report and were about to separate outside the Chamber halls. I didn't want him to leave and it be all over. Not yet! I wanted to learn more about my old/new friend.

But I will admit it, I was too terrified to make that first move. He knew how I felt about him. I didn't want to seem too forward or pushy or do anything that might frighten off my chance at friendship again. I could tell he was confused as to where I stood in his life. I wanted him to decide that without any influence from me.

"So, this is it. Seperate missions once again." He smiled.

I nodded, "Yes, I'm off to help Mace Windu find a religious archeological site."

Obi-wan nodded, "I am to Denabe."

I thought, very volatile situation there. Of course they'd send him and his master. They are the best we have. "Obi-wan...I..." I started, when he looked up I stopped. What could I say that wouldn't offend him?

"Yes?" He asked, tilting his head to one side.

I bit my lip, "Be careful out there. I won't be there to save you again." Was my only reply. I wanted to say a lot of other things but held my tongue. Nothing too much. Mustn't do too much.

"Lyssa," He said just as I turned to walk away, "When we get back, do you want to find a Holo somewhere?"

I stopped in my tracks, "That would be wonderful. Until then?"

He chuckled, "Good, Until then. Write me."

I thought my heart was going to explode with happiness. "Sure." I replied and walked away, my step lighter then ever.

***********
It's been two months since Lyssa and I have been in the same place at the same time. I spent most of that time alternating between intense negotiations and intense Meditation. Surprisingly, my master left me pretty much alone to do this.

I spent countless hours on my knees trying to solve how I felt about her now. I know how she feels about me, she was brutally honest. That deserved honesty in return. That was all she had ever been with me, honest. Whenever she lied, it was because I never listened to the truth.

How did I feel about her now? I don't know. Even after two months of meditation I still don't know. All I know is I really missed her friendship. I am hoping today will give me a clue.

I am in the cafeteria, eating with all our mutual friends at the table we staked out since we first arrived. Bant, Reeft, Siri and Greft. Add me and Lyssa to the mix and we were known as the 'council headache.' Whenever all six of us were together as a group something always happened. Usually we all ended up scrubbing floors wearing stupid grins on our faces.

"Hey Obi-wan, I heard that you and Lyssa are actually talking now," Bant said as I sat down next to her, one large silver eye examining me.

"Yeah, what happened?" Siri said leaning back and crossing her arms. "Lyssa came to visit me when I was in six weeks ago and she actually looked happy."

Greft frowned, his multitude of face wrinkles making him look very formidable, "Obi-wan and Lyssa talking again? When did this happen?"

"Two months ago, they were assigned on a mission together and both of them came back alive." Reeft informed his best friend

"Why the sith wasn't I notified?" Greft complained bitterly

Siri snorted, "That's because you are constantly the one who informs us of all the gossip. See what happens when you know everything? No one tells you anything."

Bant nodded sagely, "It would be good to have the six of us together once again."

"Here she comes!" Greeft said cheerfully, "Hey Lyss! We got a seat for you right here!"

Lyssa caught the movement with her eye on the way in and motioned that she would be getting her lunch then coming over. Lyssa had always simply eaten an hour later or an hour earlier then I did, just to avoid making our friends choose over us. Another thing I have to thank her for.

She plunked down in her old usual seat, Between Greft and Reeft, across and one seat left from me. A shy smile hovering at the edge of her lips as if not quite sure of her welcome.

"So, you didn't kill each other." Siri said, "What a shame."

"You are just sad you lost the betting pool." Bant said hitting Siri on the bicep.

"I know. I had my money on Lyssa." Siri pouted.

I rolled my eyes, "Thank you so much Siri. Nice to know how much confidence you have in my fighting skills. Tell me, who was it that landed on the matts two times out of three? Or is your memory failing you due to all those trips to kiss the floor?"

Siri picked up a roll and threw it at me. I caught it with ease and ate it with a flair.

"Actually, we all had our money on her." Greft said chuckling. "We were just betting on HOW you would lose. I had my money on abandoning you on an unknown rock."

"Respect," I toss my hands up in the air, "I get no respect."

"Nor should you." Reeft grinned at me.

"What is this, pick on Obi-wan day?" I asked testily.

"We need a special day for that?" Lyssa deadpanned softy while eating a forkful of salad.

Every single one of us burst out laughing. Lyssa always made an excellent straight man in a comedy routine, dropping small comments that would send us all reeling with laughter. Oh how I missed this. I missed seeing that tiny smirk in her mouth and in those beautiful golden-brown eyes.

It was just like before we started getting angry. The table was full of laughter and lunch seemed far too short. We all agreed we needed to go out somewhere together, for old times sake.

One movie turned into one fun night out where we snuck into the temple slightly tipsy and long past curfew. We were all summarily disciplined and assigned to gardening in the Meditation Park that no one goes to...at the same time.

If I didn't know better, I'd say the council was just glad we were back together, even if we were going to force them to renew their migraine medication.

It was perfect.
****************

It's been four months since the cliffs and I've never been happier. Lyssa and I are getting along swimmingly, like we never had a harsh word between us. At least, that's how I feel when we are together.

I've given up meditation on a daily basis to try and think things through. The answers should just come to me.

It's so easy to forget she loves me. When I am with her, I can't sense it at all, just her enduring friendship. The same friendship that caused her to run after me into a burning building and stop me from plunging to my death.

I haven't realized how much I missed her easy companionship until now. Maybe it was time for me to get closer to her.

When I arrived at her quarters that she shared with Yaddle I heard laughter inside. When the door cycled open I saw Lyssa blind folded, kneeling on one of the multitude of floor pillows and a hand hovering over a small houseplant. Siri and Bant were there watching her.

"What's going on?" I whispered to Bant.

"Lyssa is proving to us that plants talk by telling me what I did last night. The only thing in the room was this plant." Bant grinned. Let me tell you, when a Calamari grins... they GRIN.

Lyssa barked a laugh then lifted her blindfold, "Bant you little witch! He's a full master and three times your age!"

I could see Bant blush under her scales. "I... How did you get that out of it!"

Lyssa grinned, "Plants pick up emotion and absorb it, not as good as a rock but still decent. I just picked the residue apart. My guess is, you were pining after him last night."

Bant hung her head and swallowed, "You won't tell..."

Lyssa placed a hand on bant's shoulder, "You kept my secret in good faith. I will keep yours."

I blinked, Bant knew. By the look on her face, so did Siri. The three girls shared a small secret smile before starting to break up. I felt a small stab of jealousy, my friends all knew Lyssa better then I did.

Siri walked past Lyssa on her way out and gave Lyssa a hug. I heard Siri whisper something but I couldn't tell what it was. Lyssa simply smiled and hugged back a little tighter. When they pulled away, Siri gave Lyssa a peck on the cheek.

Lyssa then turned her attention on me, "Hey."

"Hey yourself." I smiled, "You really didn't get that from the plant did you? If you did I am farther behind in my delicate sensitivities studies then I thought."

Lyssa chuckled, "Anyone with half a brain can see Bant mooning over Master Illis."

"You never answered my question." I wagged a finger at her. This was the first time we have been alone since the incident in the cliffs.

"Nor am I going to answer it." She tilted her chin at me defiantly. "Woman must retain a few secrets."

I gave a very undignified snort and lay down on the floor. There were no chairs or couches in this apartment. Everything was low to the ground for Master Yaddle's purposes. Lyssa had taken to painting the walls with simple black and white designs. It was a very soothing atmosphere these two created.

"Do you have any plans this evening?" I asked

She shook her head, "Other then, 'avoid getting arrested again' not really no."

I grinned, "I have heard of this new restaurant in the south side, I was thinking you'd go with me."

She smiled, "Great we can call the others. Getting Bant out would do her a world of good."

I shook my head, "It's Kashyyk food. You know only you, me and Siri like eating tree bark."

She rolled her eyes, "Oh then I will call Siri. Oh no... she can't come, she has a midnight practice session with Master Adi."

I grinned, "Looks like it's just you and me then. Get dressed in Civilian clothes, I am tired of wearing brown and looking like a loaf of bread."

A slow smile spread on her face, it wasn't big, but I had a feeling it was one of the few I have ever seen that were completely untainted by sadness.

"So long as you don't wear that black outfit that caused that riot, I'm fine with it." She tossed out as she walked into her rooms. "I'll meet you in half an hour."

I stood up and called back, "Here is a good place, Men change faster then women... and why aren't you showing me out like a good polite hostess."

"I operate on my master's rules. First time you are a guest, second time you are family... show yourself out." I heard float back

"Fine." I sniffle, "I know when I am not wanted..."

Then came the force shove out the door.

When I finished getting dressed and came back to her rooms I saw Bant in the room not looking happy at all. Her scales were dull, she carried her head as if it weighed too much and a big fat tear was rolling down her cheek. Lyssa had one arm around Bant and was comforting her silently. On the table in front of them was a box of the dark chocolate iced delight, a bottle of spirits and fixings for a sundae.

Lyssa always believed Soul comfort involved copious amounts of Chocolate, Alcohol and whipped cream.

I rushed to my best friend's side and wrapped my arms around Bant. Her shoulder's heaved and she gave a shudder. I felt an overwhelming wave of concern for Bant and wondered why she didn't come to me.

I heard the door open behind me and sensed Siri step in. Silently Siri plucked me on my sleeve and waved me out the door. I have Bant a final hug and a kiss to the top of her head before I followed Siri, wondering what was going on.

"I thought you had a practice session with Master Gallia?" I asked more sharply then I cared to admit

"Lyssa called me, and Master Adi let me go saying close friends who need you don't come around very often. " Siri said once the door shut behind us. "Apparently Master Illis found out."

I winced, we all knew what it meant for Bant. If the master decided to tell, Bant's secret would be out. No matter what Bant's master decided to do, this would be on her record. Not to mention the embarrassment poor Bant will feel.

"So why did she go to Lyssa?" I asked, "Why not me?"

Siri stared me down with her sharp green eyes, "Lyssa has had more experience with this then you have."

I lowered my eyes to admit my defeat. "Why did Lyssa call you?"

Siri smirked, "My lover just happens to be a Mind Healer. If this has to be on her record, we can have the report of a Mind Healer attached saying if this was love, lust or merely a fancy that will fade."

I winced, "Any of those isn't good."

Siri sighed, "But knowing is better then not knowing at least according to the council."

I watched as Siri's Lover, Andi smiled at us briefly before kissing Siri on the temple and walking into the room. Siri had been held hostage about three years ago and was so traumatized she had to go into intensive therapy. One of the healers that worked with her was a beautiful black haired beauty of a female I had been flirting with. Just my luck those two women got together.

"I hope she says Bant will be alright." I said softly

Siri nodded, "I hope Andi's meeting with Master Illis brought Bant some good news. Like he won't tell anyone as long as Bant gets help."

I snorted, "There is no helping who you love."

Siri blinked and sighed as she looked at the door, "I am glad you realize this now."

****************

It's been a month now and Andi is ready to give her report. None of use really know why it took so long. All six of us were waiting in what had become known as the war room. Rooms at the Temple are notoriously small and most of the time they can only fit four people conformably. Seven is bending the laws of Physics.

Lyssa's apartment with Yaddle was the only place big enough to handle all of us merely because there was no furniture, only floor pillows surrounding a low tea table. Yaddle never seemed to mind at all that her apartment has now become a central meeting place for our little group.

Andi sat down next to Siri looked across the table at Bant. Lyssa and I each grabbed one of Bant's hands.

"I have good news and bad news. Which do you want first?" Andi said smiling, her brown eyes warm with compassion.

Bant nodded, "The bad news."

Andi sighed, "In my utmost professional opinion, you are incurable. I'm sorry Bant, you are in love."

I choked, "Incurable? Why do you refer to love as some sort of disease or mental defect? It's..."

Andi looked at me, her frown deepening, "Do you want the good news or not?"

Bant squeezed my hand to silence me, "Yes... please."

I looked over, Lyssa had a tiny smile on her face.

Andi leaned back on her heels, "Master Illis is incurable too."

Bant's eyes flew open and her mouth dropped, "Wh...what?"

Andi laughed, "He's waiting for you, Bant. I suggest you go to him before he wears a hole in the carpet."

Bant gave a cry of pure joy and wrapped her arms around my neck, I returned her hug with enthusiasm before she turned and hugged Lyssa.

"I told you everything would be all right." Lyssa said to Bant.

Bant covered her face with her hands and everyone in the room felt her joy echoing in the force. It was a heady drink for most of us, bonded close by friendship. Lyssa, with her intense empathy looked drugged.

Bant babbled incoherently for a while before getting up and practically floating out the door. Reeft and Greft thumped each other on the back before wandering off to practice together. That left Siri, Andi, Lyssa and I.

Siri and Andi shared a deep kiss. Apparently Bant's joy echoed their joy. I gave a wolf whistle. They parted and gave me a face.

"No Obi-wan. I have told you a thousand times." Siri grumped, "You cannot watch."

"Please." I whined, "I won't say a word."

"You'll just bring the camera." Lyssa muttered.

"Shhhh" I tried to hush her, "That was supposed to be my retirement fund!"

Siri merely force levitated a pillow and whapped me upside the head. "It's good Bant got him. They will be very good for each other."

Andi nodded, "Yes, it's a good match."

Lyssa simply smiled, "I better go. Master Yaddle is waiting for me."

I looked up at Lyssa as she stood, "You knew all along, didn't you?"

Lyssa cocked her head to one side, "One does not get assigned to work with nearly every master in the temple without learning a few things about them. I knew Bant would have a happy ending."

With that she walked out.

When she was gone Siri sighed softly, "But not everyone can."
*****************
It's been eight months now.

I've had a wake up call. I need to decide and fast.

Just now while I was talking to her, I saw her do something that nearly brought tears to my eyes.

The hope I had seen kindling in her eyes the past few months was dying.

Oh she's happy, happier then I have seen her in a long time, but hope is slowly draining from her eyes. A person can only hold their breath for so long. I just feel a sense of urgency to try and figure everything out.

I need to be fair to her. After all she's done for me, it's the least I can do for her, even if I can't give her what she wants.

So here I am, sitting out in the middle of the gardens meditating. I decide that an axiom in the world outside should hold true now. That life must be lived forward but can only be understood backward.

These past eight months, I look for a pattern. I recall her actions, her expression, everything she's said and done and can only conclude one thing.

Once again, she's taken the entire burden and placed it on her shoulders.

She's never casually touched me. She always stands at least one meter away and never in direct line of sight. She never comes to me alone, there is always at least one other person there, most of the time, there are two. Whenever I have seen her alone, I've always been the initiator.

Holding her breath indeed.

She's given me all the space I could wish for to let me sort myself out. I placed myself in her shoes and imagined watching my every move and breath around one person. It was a work so monumental it had my head spinning. It could only be a labor of love.

I sighed deeply and sank further into my trance. This wasn't a question of how she felt. It was a question of how I felt.

I let my mind drift back to the moment I shoved deep into the recesses of my memory because it burned me; the moment she kissed me. We had been in a rare moment of actual bonding. We had a tickling/wrestling match. I pinned her after a while and we laughed as we looked into each other's eyes. I remember her leaning her head up and our lips locking together.

I forced myself to remember how I acted. I had leapt back from her as if she stabbed me. I shouted at her demanding to know what she thought she was doing. She sat up slowly and inclined her head so her hair hid her face. She gave a steady apology before standing up and walking out the door.

I replayed the memory and froze it at the moment I leapt away. What did I feel at that moment?

Fear. Fear had ripped through me in that moment. And that fear lead to an anger that lasted for six years. It was over riding and powerful sensation. Why? What was the source of that fear?

I disciplined myself and tried to piece apart the emotion. I was afraid of losing her friendship. She meant a lot to me, she still does. She was the person who I leaned on for strength during that interminable probation when I was thirteen.

She had the guts to stand up to Qui-gon when I was down from an exercise and injured in more then just pride. Little Lyssa, barely past twelve was giving Qui-gon a lecture as good as any I had gotten.

No matter what happened, I could always count on her being there. I was terrified I would lose it. So I pushed her away.

That made no sense whatsoever, there had to be more.

I tried to recall what was going on at the time. Reeft had a friend among the Healers, later they became lovers and there was an absolutely bitter break-up. The friendship was gone. The break-up happened just weeks before she kissed me.

I was scared out of my sixteen year old mind that this would happen to us. So I vowed to myself never to let myself fall in love with a friend and was horrified that Lyssa wouldn't comply. If I wasn't allowed to love her, she wasn't allowed to love me.

I stopped that thought and froze it. I loved her when she kissed me. My mind came to a screeching halt at that. Her kissing me forced me to realize that I broken my vow to myself to never to fall for a friend. I became angry at realizing that. I was hurt when I thought that our friendship meant so little to her she was willing to risk it all for a simple fling.

So I yelled and struck back. She had tried to hand me her heart and I crushed it in the hopes it would end her fancy for me. I thought the entire mess would go away then.

It didn't go away, I blamed her for that too.

Teenagers never were able to deal with change very well.

That was when I decided to prove that the kiss meant nothing to me by finding others. She remained annoyingly single. I remember inwardly sneering at her for hoping for something that I would never give her.

Then came Kara. Lord of the Stars I was head over heels in love with her. Lyssa gave the final insult by not trusting her. That drove me deeper into Kara's arms and tipped me over from anger into hatred.

That Hatred lead to six years of suffering for us both.

I stopped my walk down memory lane. It's frightening how ugly you can look when you turn on the harsh light of hindsight.

It's a wonder she saved my life at the Cliffs, much less said she still loved me through it all.

I mentally shuddered at the memory of her saying she still loved me even after all I had done. Lord of the stars I didn't know what I was saying when I said that was the Cruelest thing she could tell me. Now I know.

Blinking back tears a few more realizations hit me. I loved her even while I was angry at her. The other women were my feeble attempts to find a replacement. Even Kara, I thought I found Lyssa again in Kara.

Love did drive us to do strange things.

I loved her and I didn't want to see it. So I wove an illusion of her betrayal to prevent me from seeing it. Lyssa helped me with that illusion by playing the part I desired of her.

Oh force she HELPED me! Taking all the pain, all the hurt and all the blame.

Moaning, I buried my head in my hands, not quite sure I wanted to face this ugly part of myself anymore. But it was there and a part of me. It was like death. I couldn't run from it, I couldn't hide from it. It was always there smiling back at me with its rancid face. The only thing I could do was smile back.

I swallowed thickly and flopped back to lie in the moss as the moon sailed overhead. While this had been a helpful meditation in respect of my figuring out what my motivations were for actions I committed years ago it didn't help me with my original question.

So how did I feel about her now?

Right now I felt...tired.

I was tired of thinking. Emotionally drained, I didn't want to analyze this anymore. I decided to have a simple mental vote.

I recalled the mental image of that kiss before it turned sour and let myself relive it. My hands had pinned hers down by her head so I could feel the silk of her hair on my knuckles. I rose and fell with each breath she took. I could feel every inch of her body pressed against mine as our lips melded together.

I blinked when I felt my libido suddenly sit up pertly and have a look around..

Did I love her? I'm not sure if I understand what love is anymore. My experience has been limited to what I've seen from her and the love of friends and my master.

How can I not care for a friend who has done so much for me over the years, even when I wasn't aware of it. She's always given me what I both wanted and needed. When I couldn't have both she always chose wisely and gave me what I needed.

I stared at the stars and smiled into the night. I wanted her, I needed her and she was my friend. I don't think I could really do all that well without her in my life. She's helped me through every major crisis I have ever had.

I laughed into the silence of the night. Did I love her still, right now?

Perhaps she can help me figure that out.

***********

Those of us who are in my age group and padawans have this tradition that's been sacredly handed down to us from generation to generation. Some civilian schools have a fraternity, we have our Midnight sessions.

It's a tradition to help keep our battle skills sharp and at the ready. We each fight with a different style and take turns at night leading the midnight sessions. Mine is known as "Obi-wan's Acrobatic Hour." I tend to never keep my feet on the ground.

I would go, stand in the middle of the ring, and singingly or in groups my esteemed friends would come and test their mettle against me. The same for the others.

Bant has a tendency to stand her ground and let the battle come to her. You can't pry her away from her stance with a crowbar.

Siri's Suicide Series is a stitch. Siri has no real specific fighting style except for one thing. If she is in a situation where she can't get herself out of it with her life intact she will cheerfully run herself up on your blade for just one good shot at your neck. People rarely have a victory with her, usually it's a mutual kill or she wins.

I was nervous as a boy on his first date waiting for Lyssa to arrive. Today was her day in the center. Her series was called appropriately, "Lyssa's Wild Kingdom". Her battlefield was littered with any old junk we could find tossed into the room. Only two rules, no actual killing is allowed, no matter how provoked it is. Secondly, Win if you can, Live if Lyssa lets you.

I was working myself up into knots of worry. What if I was merely convincing myself I might love her? Do I say anything now? Do I wait until I am sure? How will I know if I love her? What should I do if I wasn't?

What did I do if I was?

Lyssa walked in, smiled and greeted everyone. Her eyes lighting up at the sight of the strange objects we dug out of "store" rooms everywhere. The temple is really a house for packrats. We keep everything just in case we need it.

There were no trumpets. There was no fanfare, the world didn't turn it's self upside-down. I just looked at Lyssa and didn’t see the little girl from my memory but a grown woman complete with curves that needed a caution sign. I knew.

I loved her.

It was a strange peaceful contented feeling. It felt as if the clouds had passed and warm sunshine was radiating from inside of me. Everything was clear now. Yes, I felt guilty about what I had done to her, but now I felt I could finally get things right.

I stood there as she walked up to me, smiling brightly. I was struck dumb. Did she always glide like that when she walked?

"Hi Obi-wan." She smiled as she looked up at me.

"H... Hello." I was helpless as I stared at her. I felt as if I was falling off a cliff and not particularly caring if I ever hit ground.

Her brows knitted faintly as she looked at me. Nothing telling, just a very faint look of puzzlement.

"So are you ready to be beaten?" She asked tilting her head to one side, "Last time I wiped the floor with you so badly your master had to come help you."

I bowed to her deeply. "I will do better this time I think." Inside I celebrated, perhaps all she needed was a little encouragement.

At the end of the session I was disheartened. I had done everything other then strip down and jump her. I got in close while fighting. I brushed against her every chance I could and always looked into her eyes.

Nothing affected her, it was like she never saw what I was practically throwing myself at her. When She wanted me to help her with a position I stood behind her, wrapping my arms around her to guide her movements. The first time I did this she accepted. The Second time I tried to show her the move she frowned slightly.

The third time I attempted to show her the move, a small smirk appeared on her mouth as she said dryly, "I think I get the general idea." She then stepped away from me and did the move flawlessly.

At the end of the exercises as usual, the newest padawan was sweating and injured in four places, looking half dead. As us senior Padawans exited we murmured encouragement and hints. As Lyssa took her turn she placed her hand on the lad's shoulder and smiled at him. The boy seemed to cheer up and some tension released from his shoulders.

Lyssa was about to walk out the door when she turned to look at me. Her brows knitted once again before she turned and walked away.

*********

"Obi-wan, can I ask you a favor?" Siri said when she sat down in the gardens at lunch. Reeft and Greft were there with me, chatting with each other while I scanned the entrance for any sign of Lyssa.

"Sure." I replied absently as I leaned over to look at the door trying to see if I could catch her.

"Ease up on Lyssa." Siri said softly.

I faced Siri with much surprise. "What?"

Siri sat down across from me and held my eyes firmly, "Brother, you are going about five hundred thirty seven an hour in a forty zone."

I blinked, "Siri, what are you saying?"

Siri took great glee in using her knife to hack apart her bread. "Lyssa hasn’t noticed your... difference in attitude towards her yet."

"huh?"

" The rest of us have noticed." Siri said

"Siri." I said rubbing my temples, "your allusions have left me lost as to the meaning of this insane conversation."

Siri sighed, "Alright, I'll spell it out for you. You haven't had a relationship that has lasted more then six months. You always want everything immediately and when you get it you don't want it anymore. We don’t want this to happen to Lyssa. We just got her back, we aren’t going to let you drive her away again."

I winced. "My, you don't varnish your opinions."

"I call them as I see them, slab brain." Siri muttered as she wolfed down a lump of cheese. "Now be a good boy and repeat after me... I will not hurt Lyssa."

"I will not Hurt Lyssa." I repeated obediently

"I will wait an appropriate amount of time before chasing after her, I will take it slow. I will make damn sure I really love her before saying I do." Siri said waving her knife inches from my nose

"I will wait an appropriate amount of time before chasing after her, I will take it slow. I will make damn sure I really love her before saying I do."

"Good!" Siri said inordinately cheerfully. "Now one last warning. Should you break these rules your testicles are mine to crochet an oven mitt."

I felt the blood drain from my face. I crossed my legs as I imagined Siri taking the testicular tubing and calmly doing just as she said... while I was still alive.

"I'm surprised you were the only one to warn me." I said.

Siri chuckled, "Reeft gets your brain since he always wanted to know how you passed Psychology. Greft gets to have your digestive system so he can eat all he wants without gaining weight."

"What does Bant Get?" I asked horrified

Siri grinned wolfishly, "She gets to punch through your chest cavity, pull out your still beating heart and display it on her desk as a warning to others."

I paled significantly. Good God almighty when BANT started to make threats upon someone's person it was indeed serious. "All of you knew all along didn't you?"

Siri nodded, "You may think you fool your friends but we know you better then anyone. I was the first to know."

Obi-wan smirked, "Why? Did you beat it out of her?"

Siri shook her head, "No, because for the longest time I had a terrific crush on her."

I heard a soft distant thunk as my jaw hit the ground. First I was going to shut up, then I was going to pass out.

"What?"

Siri smiled wanely. "Yes, when I finally got the courage to ask her, she sat me down and told me why she couldn't accept. Her heart was yours and it wouldn't be fair on me."

"When was this?" I asked softly

"When she was seventeen." Siri sighed as she picked at food. "I was practically begging her to let me near, saying I didn't care. That was when Lyssa simply smiled, put a hand on my shoulder and whispered, 'I know.'"

I sat utterly still, not quite knowing what to make of that. "So..."

Siri smiled, "Oh calm down Oafy. I'm not still pining after her. One look at Andi and what remained of that craziness went up in smoke."

I sighed with relief. Andi was a wonderful person and she as quickly becoming part of our charmed circle of friends. She and Siri were doing wonders for each other.

"Yes." Siri said smiling

"What?" I asked puzzled wondering what question she was asking.

"Yes, I and the others will help you." Siri said calmly, “She’s going to be a skittish as a virgin mare around you and you will need some serious help in corralling.”

My head was spinning from her mercurial temperament, not to mention the lightning speed of this conversation. But how on earth did she know that...

"We’ve known you both for years Obi-wan. We KNOW. We are your friends." Siri said squeezing my hand. "Besides, Lyssa deserves a happy ending too."

"Th… Thank you." I gasped out.

Siri waved me off, "Think nothing of it, for I certainly think nothing of you."

She said the last rather loudly. It was then that I noticed Lyssa approaching from the side. Again, I was in Siri's debt.

"Since when was he worth wasting brain power on?" Lyssa asked laughing as she sat down next to Siri. I had a flash image in my mind of firebrand Siri at fifteen offering herself to a wise Seventeen year old Lyssa.

Then I imagined Lyssa eventually wearing down. Siri would have made Lyssa forget about me. Through Siri's typical perseverance and patient nature, Lyssa would have come to love Siri. I blinked back the image.

I caught Siri's eyes across the way and saw Siri's imperceptible nod.

I mouthed a thank you to Siri while Lyssa settled down on the ground. Siri smiled back.

I will be forever in Siri's debt.

***********
“So when are you going to just jump Lyssa?” Greft asked while we were studying in the library together.

He question was so unexpected I nearly tripped over my own feet. “What?!”

He nudged me with his elbow as he looked up from his notepad. “It’s not like it’s a big secret. We’ve all seen you mooning after Lyssa.”

“It’s true.” Reeft said as he climbed into the seat opposite from me and dropped his pile of reference pads on the table. “We have, so when is the big day?”

I glanced around, hoping no one had heard that would tell Lyssa. “I don’t know, not for a while yet.”

“Why in Sith hell not?!” Bant asked as she climbed into the seat beside me on the other side of Greft and added her stack to the pile.

“I want to go slow with her, she’s been bitten by me so many times it’s going to take a while to convince her it’s alright to come out.” I said softly, realizing I was likening Lyssa to a wounded animal.

Master Illis, who was coming with the second half of Bant’s contribution to the research project, piped up, “True, it will take quite a lot of convincing.” He leaned down and rubbed his cheek against Bant’s in the Calamari, equivalent of a kiss to the cheek, “I’ll see you tomorrow, call me if you need any help.”

I had the joy of watching Bant’s large lids flutter down to half mast with happiness and pleasure, “I will, Thank you.”

After the master left all of us at the table turned shavit eating grins on Bant. “What?” She asked innocently

“How sly of you.” Reeft teased waving his stylus at Bant, “Getting your master to agree to leave you in the care of master Illis while your own goes on mission.”

“I had absolutely nothing to do with it.” Bant said indignantly. “I didn’t ask my master to name Master Illis as my back-up master.”

“Now gentleman, Master Illis is an experienced master.” I tried to reason, when in reality I was setting up the two clowns.

“In many ways, I’m sure Bant has found out.” Greft commented right on queue. Causing Bant’s jaw to drop in indignation.

“But Bant is one of the most sensible Padawans to come through the temple in an age and wouldn’t dream of using their relationship to get out of any duties or disobey his orders. I’m sure the only worry that her master has about those two is that she wouldn’t allow herself to have any fun with him while under Illis’ charge.” I defended.

“Thank you, Obi-wan.” Bant said graciously as she began to pick through the pile of books

I turned back to my notes, “You are welcome Bant, for I am sure that is what your master meant when he said you might begin to enjoy calling Illis ‘Master’ just a little too much.”

Bant didn’t even look up, Just gave me a good whack with the data slate she had in her hands before turning back to her work. “You are right.”

“About calling Illis ‘Master’?!?” Greft said in mock horror

Bant smiled, “No! About Lyssa. Obi-wan did do a number on her. Poor thing.”

“Going to take a long time to repair the damage slowly,” Greft commented

“Years.” Reeft said definitively, “Yes, Years to get this all straightened out if Obi-wan takes the slow but steady approach.”

I looked up at that comment, “If?”

My three friends looked at each other rather conspiratorially before glancing back at me. “How do you treat a wounded Animal?” Bant said.

I frowned, “You have two options depending on the Animal, and the wound. You could coax them slowly using the voice, the force and body language into trusting you, and treat them, or you could…”

I stopped myself in my tracks as I looked at my friends as they stared expectantly back at me.

“Ambush them.” I finished my thought.

Bant nodded, “I think this wound is rather serious.”

“And she’s had it for long enough.” Greft chimed in.
~*~*~*~*~ - TBC