Part 38 (2/2)
”Stang, ” said Anakin, and pressed fingertips to his eyes.
”Master Damsin, you picked the wrong time to make a house call. ”
Still holding Taria's hand. Obi-Wan could feel the bright hot pain of the blaster hit. And there was something beneath it, something darker and deeper... ruthlessly devouring her.
Ob, no.
”Obi-Wan, ” she said, her voice soft. ”It's all right. ”
No, it wasn't. But his grief and anger would have to wait. ”Tell us the rest. ”
158.
He and Anakin listened in growing alarm as she filled them in: Chandrila and the widespread panic following the attack, how Mace Windu's battle group was hopelessly outnumbered, and how one of the greatest scientists in the Republic couldn't create an antidote to Durd's bioweapon.
”There's some kind of missing biosequence, ” she said. ”That's what Yoda said, anyway. Something to do with neutralizing the raw damot.i.te. I don't really understand it. All I know for certain is that Doctor Netzl is stuck. We're all stuck and...” The look on Anakin's face stopped her. ”What?”
Anakin's eyes were fierce. ”Obi-Wan-are you thinking what I'm thinking?”
CHAPTER TWENTY.
Obi-wan nodded, the first hope he'd felt in days stirring to life. ”Sufi's herbs. It's possible. At the very least it has to be helpful, surely.
Anakin...”
Anakin turned to Taria. ”Did you bring a comlink?”
”Of course, ” she said, frowning. ”And we need to contact Master Windu on Indomitable, tell him...”
”What kind of comlink?” Anakin demanded. ”Can it transmit bio-info?”
Taria fished in her bodysuit pocket. ”I think so. According to Ban-yaro it can practically fly a s.h.i.+p on its own. ”
Obi-Wan took the comlink from her, and inspected it. ”We must get to the sick house. Not just for you, Taria. There's something Bail's scientist friend needs to know. ”
”You're not making any sense, ” she said, puzzled. ”Did you get hit by a blaster bolt?”
”No. Come on. Can you stand?”
”Of course I can, ” she snapped, pus.h.i.+ng him aside. ”I'm not-oh. ”
Ravaged with disease, her strength depleted, she couldn't get up. And there was no way he could carry her, not even using the Force.
Neither could Anakin. They were both simply too tired.
”Wait here, ” said Anakin, shoving his lightsaber into his s.h.i.+rt pocket. ”I'll go find an antigrav sled. ”
As he vanished into the darkness, Taria looked at the droids on the other side of the s.h.i.+eld. They were still firing their blasters. ”Don't they ever give up?”
Obi-Wan shook his head. ”Sadly, no. ”
”That's aggravating. No wonder you're tetchy. ” She patted his knee. ”Hey. Sorry to be such a bother. ”
A bother? He tucked a wisp of hair behind her ear. ”Don't be silly. Taria, let me see that blaster burn. ”
She took his hand between both of hers. ”In a moment. ” Reading him, her eyes widened. ”Obi-Wan. ”
Even if he'd wanted to hide from her, he couldn't. His self- control was too far eroded, his carefully constructed inner barriers smashed flat. And she was... who she was. She could feel every pain in him, sense every overstretched nerve and sinew.
He made himself meet her shocked gaze. ”Don't scold. I had no choice. ”
Letting go of his hand, she stroked her fingers down the side of his face, tracing every hollow and sharp thrust of bone.
”I could smack you. ”
”And I could smack you right back. Taria, why did you come?”
”Somebody had to. ” She tried to smile at him, and failed. ”Obi-Wan... ”
159.
The pain in her was growing fiercer. What it had cost her, to make this journey. ”How did you fool the Separatists?” he said, to distract her. ”Get through Grievous's blockade and into the city?”
The question provoked an unexpected snuffle of amus.e.m.e.nt. ”That was all Master Yoda's doing. He's awfully sneaky, you know.
With a little help from your friend Senator Organa and some Five Hundred First pilots, I staged a daring gauntlet run of our Republic battle group in a genuine Sep s.h.i.+p, appeared to sustain serious damage, then staged a crash landing not far from Durd's compound.
Tragically, I didn't survive. ”
Now it was his turn to stare. ”You stashed a body in the s.h.i.+p?”
”Yes. ” She frowned. ”D'you know, if he wasn't so charming I think I might find Senator Organa a bit... creepy. ”
Bail had arranged it? My friend, I am sorry. ”Taria, I wish Yoda had sent someone else. ”
”There was no one else, ” she said. ”Things are bad out there, Obi-Wan. ” Then she pulled a face. ”Mind you, they aren't looking too cheerful in here. ”
”That's because they're not, ” he said-and to his shame, he heard his voice break.
”Stang. ” She sighed. Her arms went around him, pulling him close. ”What a mess. ”
”Don't, ” he protested. ”I'm all right. And we must contact Master Windu and...”
She tightened her hold. ”Master Windu can wait till we've something definite to tell him. Hush now. Hush. You're so tired. Hush. ”
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