Part 17 (1/2)
It was a moment before he could trust his voice.
”There you are! I was beginning to think you'd gone off somewhere for a nap. ”
Sunken-eyed, Anakin dredged up a smile. ”Ha-ha. You all right?”
”I'm fine, but Arrad's not, ” he said. ”We were caught when the refinery blew. ”
Anakin raised an eyebrow. ”So if it's not cras.h.i.+ng vehicles it's exploding factories? Obi-Wan...”
”I know, I know. I'm incorrigible. And quite possibly a bad- luck charm. ” Greenish-gray smoke eddied around the plasma lights.
”Anakin-the burned damot.i.te...”
”It's toxic, I know, ” said Anakin. His ghastly smile returned, just for a moment. ”And I thought we were in trouble before. ”
He didn't want to say it, or even think it, but he had to. ”I'm not sure how soon, but things are going to get worse. Whatever's hunting us? It felt you. ”
Anakin's face went still. ”I didn't have a choice, Master. The s.h.i.+eld collapsed and the storm-I couldn't let it...”
Master. ”I know you couldn't. I'm not angry. If anything, I'm astonished. Anakin, what you managed...” Obi-Wan shook his head. ”I'm not certain that Yoda himself could've held this wretched storm back the way you did, for as long as you did. You saved the village. ”
”Yeah, ” said Anakin, scowling now. ”Just in time for everyone to drop dead from damot.i.te poisoning. Obi-Wan, this thing hunting us...”
”I don't know. But as soon as this storm clears we've got to get out of here. ”
”And go where?”
”I don't know that, either, ” he said, fighting the soft touch of a dangerous fear. ”Any suggestions?”
”Obi-Wan... ” Anakin dragged his forearm across his filthy, sweaty face. ”We're going to have to invent a new word for the kind of trouble we're in. ”
”Perhaps we can have a small compet.i.tion. ”
”And the winner gets to live? That sounds like a plan. ”
Despite everything, Obi-Wan felt himself smile. Things could always he worse. I could be stuck here on my own. ”Anakin, I must get to Arrad. There's a chance I can save his life. ”
”Then go, ” said Anakin. ”It's not like we have to be secret Jedi anymore. ”
”Can you go to the power plant? Jaklin says Rikkard and Devi are there, trying to make sure we don't have another grid surge. They could use your expertise. ”
Swaying on his feet, Anakin nodded. ”Sure. Does Rikkard know his son's injured?”
”Jaklin says he does. ”
73.”Do you want me to tell him you're...”
”No. Don't say anything, ” he said. ”I don't want to get his hopes up. I might not be able to help Arrad at all. ”
”If anyone can, you can, ” said Anakin. And because he was Anakin, and so tired, and had only ever pretended to learn that lesson of distance, gave him a swift embrace. ”We'll get through this, Obi-Wan. It's what we do, remember? We survive catastrophe, even if it's by the skin of our teeth. ”
Yes, we do. I just wish we didn't get quite so much practice at it.
Refusing to worry, he made his way across the village square to the sick house as Anakin headed for the power plant. There he found Teeba Brandeh and another woman, short and broad and busy with bandages. She had to be Teeba Sufi, who'd once worked in a hantibba medcenter.
Thank the Force for small mercies.
Sufi turned, hearing his boot heels on the wooden floor. ”What do you want, Teeb? Are you hurt? If you're not bad you'll have to wait.
It's only bad cases we're treating here. ”
He could see that. There was Arrad, a motionless heap on one cot. And sitting by another was the little girl Greti. That must be her mother, then. Bohle. The woman was long and thin and fever-restless beneath her blanket. He counted another eight injured villagers in the room, which smelled of antiseptic and urine and fresh blood and fear.
Greti sat a little straighten ”That's Teeb Yavid. He's my friend. ”
”I've come to offer my a.s.sistance, Teeba Sufi, ” he said, closing the door behind him. ”Jaklin told me Arrad was sore hurt in the explosion. ”
”You tried to get him out, I'm told, ” said Teeba Sufi, raking him head-to-toe with a fierce look that reminded him piercingly of Vokara Che. ”Got most everyone else out, too. That was well done, Teeb Yavid. ”
Obi-Wan crossed the floor to Arrad's cot and stared down at the unconscious young man. Both arms and his right leg were roughly splinted. A red-soaked bandage was wrapped around his head. Bruising blotched the right side of his face and his bare chest was punctured in a score of places, sc.r.a.ped and bruised to a raw, weeping mess.
Stang. This is bad.
Dropping to a crouch, he laid fingers lightly on Arrad's wrist. The boy's pulse was racing, trying to outrun death. ”Actually, Teeba Sufi-it's not Yavid, ” he said, very softly. ”My name is Obi-Wan Ken.o.bi. ”
Teeba Sufi's surprise rippled through the Force. ”And you're a doctor?” she said, uncertain.
He turned to look at the women and saw little Greti staring, her old eyes so wide. ”No. I'm a Jedi. And I believe I can help this man...
if you'll let me. ”
CHAPTER TEN.
”Jedi?” Teeba Sufi stepped back, her face abruptly stiff with fear. ”Greti-go. Get out. Find Teeba Jaklin and...”
”Teeba Jaklin knows!” Obi-Wan said quickly. ”Please-I'm not here to hurt Arrad or anyone else. 1 truly want to help, if I can. ”
Teeba Brandeh, just as surprised, touched her companion's arm. ”He ran into the refinery to get people out, Sufi. He tried to save Arrad. ”
Sufi turned on her. ”He's Jedi, Brandeh! You know what they are, you know what they're capable of. They enslave minds. They turn free men and women into beasts for the Republic! Look at him! Hardly a mark on him, and Arrad broken to pieces!”
Teeba Brandeh hesitated.
74.The child Greti stood. ”I don't know anything about Jedi, but I think Teeb Yav-Teeb Ken.o.bi-is a good man. ” She thumped her chest with one small fist. ”I think that in here. Where I feel things. ” She hesitated, then took a small step toward him. ”Teeb Ken.o.bi... ”
He found a smile for her. ”Obi-Wan. ”
”Obi-Wan. ” Her answering smile was shy and trembling with hope. ”Can you heal my mother?”