Part 35 (1/2)

Lips pursed, she rinsed the medicine cup and set it to drain. Then she flicked him a glance. ”Have I really been a help to you, Teeb?”

”Yes. An enormous help. ”

”Is that because...” She caught her bottom lip between her teeth. ”Obi-Wan, I'm different, aren't I?”

The Force give me strength. ”We're all different, Greti. ”

And that made her scowl. ”You know what I mean. ”

If only he didn't. ”Greti... ”

”Bohle tells me all the time I shouldn't feel things so hard, ” she said, drying her hands on the front of her grubby tunic. ”But I can't help it. Born this way, I was. ”

Obi-Wan swallowed. ”I know. ”

She looked at him, so hopeful. ”Teeb-when you go, can you take me with you? Somewhere I can learn about being different?”

He should have seen this coming. He should have prepared himself for it. ”Greti, I can't, ” he said, his throat painfully tight. ”There are-ways of doing things, where I come from. Rules. ”

”Oh. ” She jerked her chin up. ”I'm not good enough?”

He made himself meet her glittering, wide-eyed stare. ”It's too late. ”

”Oh. ” Her lips trembled. ”But-I'm good enough. ”

Waifs and strays. Qui-Gon. ”Greti, you're better than good enough. It's been an honor, teaching you what little I know. ”

”Then why can't you...” The child bit her lip. ”Rules. ”

Aching, he shook his head. ”I'm sorry. ”

In the lamplit gloom behind him, a woman s.h.i.+fted on her cot and moaned. Greti's stare s.h.i.+fted. ”That's Teeba Yancy, that is, ” she said. ”I didn't think she felt right, before. ”

Obi-Wan turned. It might not be admirable, but the distraction was a relief. ”Then we'd best get her right, hadn't we?”

Together, using the Force, they brought down the woman's spiking fever. Then they checked each patient, cot by cot easing discomfort, changing bandages, and applying Sufi's dwindling ointments and salves. Obi-Wan spent the longest time with Rikkard, struggling to ease the man free of his damot.i.te poisoning. With Jaklin refusing to leave her cottage, Torbel desperately needed its other leader.

But the toxic smoke had soaked deep into Rikkard's flesh and bones. Wanting to spare Greti, Obi-Wan pushed himself so hard he came close to collapse, but he couldn't break the damot.i.te's vicious hold.

Greti patted his arm. ”Teeb, Teeb, it's hurting yourself, you are. Don't. We need you. ”

145.

Biting back a groan, he pulled himself free of Rikkard's suffering. And then, breathing hard, he saw that Arrad was awake and watching him from the next cot.

”It's all right, Arrad, ” he croaked. ”Your father will be fine. ”

Arrad's sunken eyes closed, hiding his fear and doubt.

”Obi-Wan, ” said Greti, tugging his sleeve. ”Come and sit. ”

Too tired to argue, feeling ill and s.h.i.+very, he let the child chivvy him back to his empty spot on the floor and settle him there with his shoulders pressed to the wall. Then she fetched him half a cup of water and stood over him until he drank it.

He handed the empty cup back to her. ”You're very bossy. ”

”That's because you won't listen. ”

”Said the girl who fights tooth and nail against taking her medicine!”

With a swift, sly grin Greti dropped to the floor beside him and slid her arm through his. Letting her head fall against his shoulder, she sighed.

”It tastes bad. ”

”True. But that's no excuse. ”

Greti giggled. ”Now who's bossy?”

”I'm the grown-up. It's my job. ”

She scoffed at that, but then fell silent. After a while she sighed again. ”Obi-Wan... if it's too late for me, that's not your fault. I do understand. Rules are rules. ”

It almost broke him, that she'd try to ease his guilt when he'd condemned her to this barren exile.

”Yes, Greti. They are. ”

But we disregarded them for Anakin. Why can't I do the same for her, when she's a natural-born healer and we're in desperate need of her skills ?

”Obi-Wan, ” she said. ”Maybe I could...”

But then the droids started firing again, blaster bolts booming, and her thought was lost in a wave of barely suppressed fear.

Obi-Wan took her hand. ”It's all right, Greti. Anakin won't let the s.h.i.+eld fail. And help will come. Believe me. It will come. ”

She was so frightened. He could hear the whimper, trapped in her throat. But like a Jedi, she refused to give in to her fear. ”I believe you, Obi-Wan. ”

Stang. What a waste. ”Good girl, ” he said. ”Now close your eyes and meditate, just like I showed you. ”

Trusting him, she closed her eyes. When he was satisfied that he could leave her for a little while, Obi-Wan let himself sink into the Force.

Show me what's out there. Show me what's to come.

But the future remained elusive. All he had left was his faith-and his faith was starting to wear horribly thin.

Dry-mouthed with tension, Ahsoka stood on Indomitable's bridge and watched Gold and Arrow squadrons engage the enemy. The pilots' fierce joy resounded through the Force, waking echoes of joy in her. More than anything she wanted to he out there with them, 146 only she wasn't a good enough combat pilot. Not yet. But Master Windu had promised her she'd see plenty of action once the blockade was broken and they could hit Lanteeb soil, and that eased her disappointment.

If the blockade is broken, that is. If we get to touch dirt.