He shook his head again and pulled the hood up over his head, walking down the ramp and into the dark cave-like structure. He ignited his lightsaber, using it and the Force to guide him through the dark. He didn’t feel anything but darkness around him. He heard a noise behind him but before he could turn to meet it, he was stunned and unconscious.
I had been asleep…although it was very uncomfortable when I heard a lot of noise. Too tired and weak to even open my eyes I just stayed still, fearing more torture. “Finally, I have both Kenobis in my care. This should be interesting.”
My eyes snapped open suddenly, traveling to the figure chained beside me, whose face was covered with the black mask. He turned his head to look at me but didn’t get very far. I figured the mask and the way he was chained inhibited his movements. Asajj left the room for a few minutes. “Some rescue this turned out to be, Kenobi” I said jokingly.
“You don’t have to rub it in Skywalker.” He replied with no trace of humor. “How are you?”
“I’ve been better.” I said, not wanting to make him feel worse. Really, I was horrible: the wounds from the arena battle were infected and sore, the torture scars were painful each time I moved, and I was pretty sure I had a few cracked or broken ribs. Asajj returned before we could continue our conversation.
She tapped a few buttons on the torture control panel and I could tell she raised she amount of voltage. Each time she had tortured me, I kept back the cries that threatened to escape but now, the pain was too great NOT to cry out. Over my own screams, I heard Obi-Wan’s voice. “Let her go!” He struggled to free himself from the chains but he was prohibited from using the Force.
Siri paced back and forth in the ship. “It’s been three and a half hours. I say we go get help.”
“Maybe we should give him another half-hour. He could have run into trouble” Anakin said.
She continued pacing. “Fine, if he’s not back within thirty minutes, we will contact the Jedi and ask for clone troopers.”
Anakin sighed. Siri stopped pacing and placed her hand on his shoulder. “I’m sure your sister is all right. She’s strong like Obi-wan; they’ll both be fine.” She smiled at him even though she was equally skeptical.
“Your wife and I have had a lovely time; it’d be a shame to let her go so soon.” Asajj smiled smugly. She pressed the button again. Obi-Wan’s anger was nearly at the boiling point.
“Your deal is with me, not with her, so let her go.” Obi-Wan said angrily.
Asajj stepped over to me and slapped me on the cheek. “Your wife is very strong; she’s survived several days of this. I wonder if you are as strong.”
“I’m sending word. I don’t want to think of what might be happening to them right now.” Siri said as she prepared a transmission. “This is Jedi Knight Siri Tachi; I request to speak with the Jedi council.”
A Jedi answered her. “The Council is in session, but I can…”
“This is an emergency; I need to speak with them now.” She said firmly.
“Yes, Master Tachi.” The Jedi muted the communication as she rolled her eyes and waited.
“Master Tachi, news for us you have?” Yoda asked as the transmission was transferred to the Council chambers.
“Yes, Master Yoda. Obi-Wan went in after Petra about four hours ago and he hasn’t returned. We haven’t heard anything from him or her. What should we do?” Siri asked worriedly.
Yoda stroked his chin in thought. “Wait for help, you must. Clone troopers we will send.”
“Thank you Master Yoda. We will wait for reinforcements. Tachi out.” She closed the transmission and leaned back in the chair.
“So help me Asajj, if I ever get out of these chains…” Obi-Wan began.
“Or what? You’ll kill me? Ooh, I’m shaking.” Asajj said sarcastically.
A battle droid entered the chamber. “We detected a transmission from the Jedi ship to Coruscant; they’re sending reinforcements.”
“Typical of the Jedi: sending backup.” Asajj shook her head.
“You can do whatever you want with me, just please let her go.” Obi-wan said, pleadingly.
“Somehow I doubt that.” Asajj replied.
“Obi-Wan, I’m not worth your life.” I said, not wanting to leave Kenobi in her hands.
“Well, now that I think about it, I really only wanted Obi-Wan. Now that I have him, you are no longer needed.” Asajj said, looking at me. She waved her hand and my chains released, dropping me to the floor. I winced and sucked in a breath. She nodded to the battle droids. “Take her outside and leave her there. The other two will come after her.”
The battle droids, five of them, picked me up by the arms. Everything inside me screamed to fight to stay but the physical strength was not there. I locked eyes with Obi-Wan and I saw tears sliding down his cheeks. The battle droids dumped me outside of the cave entrance, the cold evening air making my sides hurt worse. I looked up and saw a ship sitting several hundred feet from me before I passed out.
“What’s that?” Anakin nearly shouted as he stood up, looking out the cockpit window. Siri pulled out some binoculars and adjusted them for night.
“It’s a person; it’s Petra.” She said. Anakin was out the door before Siri finished my name and ran over to me.
Anakin picked me up and carried me back to the ship. “Let’s go.”
“But what about Obi-Wan?” Siri asked.
“Petra’s barely alive; Obi-Wan can hang on a couple of days.” Anakin laid me down on a bunk and started the engines.
“Anakin, we can’t leave him!” She argued.
“I love Obi-Wan too, but Petra is more important to me.” He set the coordinates back to Coruscant and configured the hyperspace coordinates as the ship left the planet. Before Siri could object any further the ship was in hyperspace and we were on our way back to Coruscant.
“Malee, how is she?” Anakin asked as he made his twentieth trip to see me in the infirmary.
Malee shook her head. “She still has a high fever and her wounds won’t heal. We’ve tried everything to bring her fever down and we’ve tried healing her wounds but she just won’t recover. I finally was able to sedate her. But other than that, I don’t know what else we can do for her.”
“Maybe this is connected with Obi-Wan still being with Asajj. Petra knows he’s there.” Anakin observed. “The Council is gathering clone troops and tomorrow morning we’re going back for him.”
“Something needs to be done. If I can’t heal her wounds or bring her fever down, she’ll die.” Malee shook her head again sadly. I started to toss and turn and moan in pain, Obi-Wan’s pain adding to my own. I was unaware of what Malee and Anakin were saying, but I was aware of what Obi-Wan was going through. Malee sedated me again, my body relaxing somewhat and me drifting back into a painless sleep.
“We’ve been surrounded by clones!” A battle droid exclaimed.
Asajj closed her hand into an angry fist. “Evacuate; this Jedi is not worth our surrender.” She bent down next to Obi-Wan. “It’s been lovely but we really must be going. Don’t think this is the last time we’ll see each other, Obi-Wan Kenobi. I assure you, this is only the beginning.” And with that, she turned out of the chamber and into a waiting ship.
Siri motioned to the clone troops to follow her into the cave. They did so quietly and slowly. She ignited her lightsaber and let the Force guide her to Obi-Wan. They met a couple of battle droids, which she killed quickly. She untied Obi-Wan and pulled the mask off his head. “Petra, is she all right?” He asked wearily.
“She’s back on Coruscant; but I think it’s time you join her.” Siri said, supporting him. A trooper supported Obi-Wan on the other side and they walked back to the waiting ship. They laid him down on a bunk and he passed out. The clone troopers filed back onto the ship and they left for Coruscant.
“Come on, Petra; please respond to this.” Malee pleaded as she injected me with another fever reducer. She dabbed my forehead with a cool wet cloth but it wasn’t making much of a difference. She was about to administer another pain reliever when they brought in Obi-Wan.
“He’s not as bad as Petra is. He just has a few bruised ribs and some other injuries. You two better leave.” Barriss said to Anakin and Siri. Anakin started to protest but knew that his presence wouldn’t help any. He and Siri left in silence. Anakin went to Padme’s apartments but he just paced back and forth there. Padme got nothing out of him so she just let him be.
Barriss was able to heal Obi-Wan within a few minutes. “How’s Petra doing?” She asked.
“She’s still not responding to the medication.” Malee replied. “She…” Malee trailed off when she saw my vital signs. My fever started going down, responding to her recent dose of fever reducer. Malee looked at Barriss and started to heal my injuries again. This time, she was able to heal them.
“Obi-Wan being rescued must have helped.” Barriss observed. Malee nodded and smiled as my eyes fluttered open.
I opened my mouth to talk. “Shh, don’t talk. You need your rest. Obi-Wan is here beside you.” Malee said, putting her hand on my shoulder.
“I’m thirsty” I said hoarsely. Malee nodded and brought me back a glass of water. She helped me to sip it. Painful as it was, I hadn’t had a drink of water in several days. I drank the whole glass of water and two more. She let me drink more quickly than she should have and my stomach cramped as a result. She gave me a pain reliever and told me to lie back and rest. I wanted to get up and go to Obi-Wan’s side but the pain reliever started taking effect and I fell asleep once more, though this time, I was more peaceful because of obi-Wan’s presence.
