Part 22 (1/2)

92.”I've said I'll help sift through what's left of the refinery, ” said Anakin, after a moment. He still wasn't convinced. ”See if I can repair any equipment the blast didn't destroy. Rikkard won't give up on the idea they can make that quota. He's going back down the mine and taking as many villagers as he can with him. I've told him he's crazy, but he won't listen. ”

Of course he wouldn't. Rikkard was driven by duty and desperation. ”He's trying to save his village, Anakin. You can't blame him for that. ”

”I don't, ” said Anakin. He sounded unbearably sad. ”But it's a fool's errand and he knows it. From the minute that storm closed in, these people never stood a chance. ”

”If it wasn't for you, these people would all be dead and dying now. How are you feeling this morning?”

Anakin dragged his fingers through his dirty hair. The light filtering through the storm s.h.i.+eld glinted on faintly golden stubble, picking out bruised shadows beneath his eyes and in the subtle hollows of his cheeks.

”I've been better, ” he said, shrugging. ”And worse. You?”

”I have a headache, ” Obi-Wan admitted. ”Which meditation hasn't banished. Also a nasty aftertaste in the back of my throat. ”

”So do I, ” Anakin said slowly. ”You don't think...”

”I think we've been breathing toxic smoke for hours, ” he retorted. ”But I doubt we're going to drop dead from damot.i.te poisoning.

We're Jedi-we can ameliorate the worst of the smoke's effects. But still-be careful poking around that refinery. No heroics. Be sure to wear protective clothing. ”

”Says the man who diced with death in an unstable power plant, ” said Anakin. ”Devi told me all about it. Obi-Wan, you're lucky you didn't go up in a ball of burning plasma. ”

”Lucky?” He pretended offense. ”Luck had nothing to do with it! Now off you go. I'll join you as soon as I can. ”

Many of Torbel's women and children still mingled on the square outside, eating and gossiping and gaining strength from community.

A few men stood with them, but it seemed most had already returned to the mine with Rikkard, or were sorting through what was left of the refinery. Obi-Wan looked for Greti but couldn't see her. He saw Teeba Jaklin, though, standing with Sufi and Brandeh. They didn't notice him, paused on the charter house step, welcoming the daylight on his face. And that was fine. They'd only bombard him with questions he wasn't feeling up to answering yet.

He made his way to the sick house-and found Greti there, silent and hopeful by her sleeping mother's side. She was the only one in the room who was not a patient. Seeing him she stood, fingers twisting in her fraying, patched tunic.

”Teeb Ken.o.bi!”

”Obi-Wan, ” he said, joining her. ”How are you, Greti? How's your mother?”

Greti stepped aside. ”You tell that to me. ”

He dropped to a crouch beside the cot and laid his palm against Bohle's thin face. Her color was better. Her breathing, too. And he could barely feel any pain inside her. Gently he inspected her injured hand. The wound looked clean, as did her arm. She didn't stir at his touch.

”Teeba Sufi's given her brew to keep her sleeping, ” said Greti. ”She says folk get better right fast if they're let sleep without care. ”

Just as gently Obi-Wan laid Bohle's arm back to the blanket. ”That's very true. ” He smiled. ”Your mother's going to be fine, Greti.

You don't have to worry anymore. ”

The child's chin lifted. In her eyes there were questions, and courage, and hope touched with fear. ”I did some of it, didn't I? I helped make her better. How did I do that?”

He could lie. He should lie. This little girl didn't need to know she could have been a Jedi-possibly a great one-and likely would have 93 been, if life weren't so unfair.

”Teeb? Obi-Wan?” she persisted. ”Did you do something to me?”

”No, ” he said quickly. ”No, I promise. All I did was show your mind how it could think in a different way. ”

Greti's fingers twisted in her tunic again. ”I felt strange, ” she whispered. ”Warm and strong. I felt like I wasn't inside my own skin, like I was on the outside watching. ”

”And did that frighten you?”

She hesitated, then nodded. ”Yes. ” And then she shook her head. ”But no. I mean-I liked it. I want to do it again. ”

”And maybe one day you will, ” he said, after a moment. ”Who can tell?”

”You're a Jedi, ” she said. ”Can't you?”

He let her see how sorry he was. She deserved so much better than this poor village on Lanteeb. ”I wish I could, Greti. ”

She went very still, and her eyes filled with shadows. Then she nodded. ”You'd best look in on Arrad, Teeb. His father was here before, he sat with him all night, but he's back down the mine now. ” Her face twisted. ”I hate the mine. ”

”I'm sure you do, Greti, ” he said, aching, and did as he was told.

Teeba Sufi returned while he was checking Arrad's progress. ”I saw you come in here, Teeb Ken.o.bi. Think you can't trust me with your handiwork?”

There was a teasing note in her voice that belied the sharp words. Obi-Wan looked up from Arrad's splinted arms. ”He seems well enough. Has he spoken yet?”

”Opened his eyes a few minutes, ” she replied. ”He knew his name. Knew his father. That's enough to be going on with. ”

Nodding, he glanced at the other cots. ”I see you have three fewer patients, Teeba. ”

”On their feet and gone home, yes, ” she said, well satisfied. ”Not dead, which is a mercy. And these five I'll keep asleep another day and then they'll be s.h.i.+fting, too. ” Moving close enough to take his chin in her fingers and tilt his face up, she pursed her lips.

”Headache's bothering you, is it? Mouth tastes like fowl splodge?”

He blinked. ”I'm fine, Teeba. ”

”Ha. ” She let go of his chin and stepped back, scornful. ”Like to think anyone who's not you is a fool, is that it? I'd heard Jedi were haughty. ”

Haughty? ”Teeba Sufi...”

”Born and raised in damot.i.te country and you think I can't see a man touched green?” She glared. ”If that's not haughty you tell me what is. Sit where you are. ”

So he sat, feeling like a scolded youngling, and watched Teeba Sufi rummage in the supply cupboard and return to him with a stoppered bottle and a measuring cup.

”You're going to feel worse before you feel better, Teeb, ” she said bluntly, pouring a measure of thick brownish liquid into the cup.

”And you won't be the only one. ”

”The toxic smoke, ” he said, feeling his nerves tighten. ”How bad will it get?”

”Hard to say, ” she said. ”Your belly's empty?”

He took the measuring cup she held out to him. ”I haven't eaten yet, no. ”

94.”Good. It'll work faster that way. ”