Part 39 (1/2)
He felt something deep inside him break. Hiding his face against her, he let himself go.
Stunned, Anakin stood in the shadows and watched Taria Damsin comfort Obi-Wan. Watched how she held him, how she stroked his hair and rubbed his back, her hands moving, her voice a soft, ceaseless murmur. He saw how Obi-Wan surrendered to her voice and her touch, how unguarded he was within her embrace.
They're lovers. Or they were. He never told me. I never guessed.
Lost in each other, they were oblivious to the droids-and to him.
All those lectures about not needing anyone, about the importance of staying emotionally detached? And look at him. Look at him.
He's drowning in her. He loves her.
And what did it mean? That everything Obi-Wan had said was a lie? That he was living a lie, denying his feelings, enforcing the Order's ban on love not because he believed in it, but because he wasn't strong enough to defy it?
It felt like a betrayal. It was a betrayal.
Padme.
Saying something, his low voice indistinct, Obi-Wan eased himself free of Taria Damsin's arms. Then he cupped her face with his hand, and kissed her lightly on the lips.
Cold to his core, Anakin kicked the antigrav sled into motion and with a whining of servos pushed it forward. ”Sorry to take so long, ”
he said, crossing into the pale pool of light cast by the plasma s.h.i.+eld and the generator. ”You know how it is. Couldn't find a sled I liked. ”
Obi-Wan stood, his face carefully blank. ”Anakin. ”
”We should get moving, ” he said, guiding the sled closer. ”I have to get back to checking the generators-and Devi's going to need a break soon. ”
Obi-Wan slid Master Damsin's comlink inside his s.h.i.+rt. ”Yes. Of course. ”
Between them they helped her onto the sled and returned to the sick house, where Teeba Sufi stared at them, astonished.
160.
”A new patient?” she said, unable to hide her dismay. And then she saw the lightsaber at Taria's hip. ”Another Jedi? Where did she...”
”I'll explain everything later, Sufi, ” said Obi-Wan, easing Master Damsin onto a cot. ”Is there still some greensickness medicine left?
All I need is a drop. A smear will do. It's very important. ”
Teeba Sufi's lips pinched tight. ”Why do you want it? There's not enough to waste, Teeb. ”
”Sufi, I promise-this won't be a waste, ” said Obi-Wail. ”Please. ”
”All right, ” Teeba Sufi said grudgingly, and withdrew to the cupboard at the back of the room.
Obi-Wan pulled out Master Damsin's comlink. ”It's secure?” he asked her.
Deathly pale, she nodded. ”And priority coded for Master Windu. ” As Obi-Wan flipped the comlink open, she s.h.i.+fted her gaze.
”Anakin? Are you all right?”
This wasn't the time or place to talk of love and lies. ”I'm line. Just tired. ”
He hadn't fooled her. ”Yes, ” she murmured. ”I can see that. ”
The comlink crackled, a secure channel established.
”Indomitable, this is Ken.o.bi, ” said Obi-Wan. ”Do you copy?”
”Obi-Wan, this is Mace Windu. What's your status?”
Anakin closed his eyes. For once it was good to hear Master Windu's deep voice.
”We're holding on, but our grip is fast slipping, ” said Obi-Wan. ”Durd's droid army will break through our defenses very soon.
Master, Taria Damsin's reached us and has explained the situation. We might have an answer to Doctor Netzl's dilemma. Stand by for a biotransmission. ”
”Standing by, ” said Master Windu. Not even distance and decades of severe Jedi training could keep the suppressed excitement from his voice.
Turning, Obi-Wan looked at Teeb Sufi, who was hovering behind them with an almost empty bottle of herbal muck in her hand.
”Thank you, Sufi. Anakin...”
He took the bottle from her, unstoppered it, and with enormous care dripped a little of the foul stuff onto the fancy com- link's bioscan plate. The comlink hummed, then beeped. Obi-Wan hit the transmit switch.
”Got it, ” said Master Windu. ”Patching it through to the Temple now. ”
”Tell Doctor Netzl that whatever the active ingredients are, they've proven effective in counteracting damot.i.te poisoning. ”
”Will do, ” said Master Windu. ”Obi-Wan, I won't mince words-we're getting pounded up here. Without wore s.h.i.+ps we won't break Grievous's blockade. I don't know if we'll get to you before Durd's droids do. ”
”Understood, ” said Obi-Wan. ”Durd's weapon is destroyed. That's what matters. ”
”We're not pulling out yet, Obi-Wan, ” Master Windu retorted. ”So sit tight. And let me speak to Master Damsin. ”
Taking the comlink, Taria Damsin cleared her throat. ”Master Windu. ”
”I ordered you to lay low until we could arrange an extraction. ”
”Yes, Master, you did. ”
”Now I've got three potential Jedi hostages in play. ”
161.
”Master Windu, none of us will let it come to that. ”
”Taria...”