Part 11 - Geonosis, the Aftermath

PART I - PART II - PART III - PART IV - PART V - PART VI - PART VII - PART VIII - PART IX - PART X

NINE DAYS LATER

Traelyn stood in the main hallway of the Jedi Temple, staring out the large window towards the skyline. A number of enormous battleships were rising into view and heading for space. War had come to the Republic. Or, the Republic had come to war, it was difficult to know which.

She sighed, her thoughts confused. She'd just come from briefing the Council on the death and injury toll from the Battle of Geonosis. The numbers were astonishing. Nothing similar had befallen the Jedi Order in over a thousand years.

Through healing trances and the miracle of Bacta, most of the injured Jedi had left the infirmary, their battle wounds healed. Their emotional wounds were another story, and Traelyn felt the turmoil of emotions that engulfed the Temple. She hadn't slept well, and every night she'd had to put her Padawan to sleep with soothing touches of the Force or else he suffered nightmares from the horrors contained in the dreams of others.

Gently, she touched the flimsiplast she carried in her pocket. She'd found the note in her pocket on board the Thyferra, hastily written and unsigned, but she knew Obi-Wan's scribbling anywhere.

My love,

Today I faced my own death more than once, and I wondered how you would grieve for me. Was that selfish? Perhaps, but I could not die and leave you alone with that kind of pain.

My heart was broken at the sight of so much death today, but now your tender touch and your soothing thoughts have healed me. You have saved me, again.

I love you always.

Silently, Obi-Wan walked up beside her. He noticed she was dressed in her working clothes instead of Jedi robes. The close fitting, tight-sleeved tunic that swirled around her thighs made her look more feminine, he thought, when he looked upon her as a man would. But looking at her as a Jedi, it meant she was working too much if she had not changed to appear before the Council.

"This is so wrong," she said, not turning to look at him. "If we are truly a democracy, shouldn't those systems that vote to leave us be allowed to do so?"

"I don't even pretend to understand politics. What happened in Council?" he asked.

"They said we should prepare for war," she replied. "The Senate has asked for Jedi to lead the clone troops, and Healers for the Medstars. There aren't enough Healers to go around. We've never needed that many before. The clones will have to be treated by medical droids, and perhaps the Jedi, too." She shook her head.

"Not everyone is as mistrustful of emmdees are you are," he said.

"We'll see if you say that after you've been treated by one."

"What makes you think I'm going to need treatment?" he said with a smile.

"Oh, Obi-Wan," she sighed. "You're such an optimist!"

"You're exhausted, Traelyn. I can see that you're not sleeping. You need to heal yourself."

"Master Jeran is threatening to sedate me if I don't sleep tonight," she said ruefully.

"Can I help?" he asked.

"Possibly," she replied with a smile.

* * *

It was very late when Traelyn silently walked the halls of the temple in her bare feet, dressed only in her nightdress. She entered Obi-Wan's apartment and found him sitting in a comfortable chair, freshly showered and wearing a loose fitting robe. He had a bottle of a glowing blue liquid, and he poured her a glass.

"Thank you," she said, and sat down on the arm of his chair, sipping at the brandy. "Felucian?" she asked.

He nodded. "The blue is the best."

She sipped again, savoring the taste on her tongue, and then she downed the rest of the drink with a sigh. Obi-Wan rose from the chair, took her by the hand, and led her to his bedroom.

'It's your turn to be taken care of," he said quietly, unbuttoning her dress and sliding it off her shoulders. His hands caressed her back as they followed the garment on its ride down her body. She looked up into his eyes but he closed them as he kissed her gently, tenderly pulling her close to him.

"Take this off," she said, pulling at the belt of his robe.

He reached behind her and caught the ties on the end of her thick braid, loosening its hold and pulling her hair free. He buried his hands and face in the silky strands, and kissed her neck while pulling her down onto the bed to lie on top of him.

Traelyn was overwhelmed. The tenderness, the gentleness of his touch, the love and care that she sensed in his thoughts were so soothing that she felt her entire body relax beneath the touch of his hands.

His fingers caressed her face, lingering in her hair, and he sent tendrils of Force energy into her mind. She felt her mind wandering, and realized that he was using one of her own Force healing techniques on her.

"Obi-Wan," she whispered drowsily, "How..."

He silenced her with a tender kiss and she faded into oblivion.

* * *

It was still night when she woke several hours later, nestled in Obi-Wan's arms. He was asleep, but came awake as he sensed her consciousness.

"Awake now?" he said softly.

"Mmmmm," she murmured, her face against his chest.

"Ah, Traelyn, I love you so much," he said. "I need you so much, you make me glad to be alive instead of feeling guilty that I survived."

"You must never feel that way, Obi-Wan. You survived for a reason, you know that."

"I wonder sometimes. Why would the Force be with me while someone beside me perishes?" He sighed. "When I was in that arena, I could have sworn that Qui-Gon was with me."

"Perhaps he was," she said.

"Traelyn, that's a nice thought, but I don't think that's possible. He's dead, he's at peace with the Force, not hanging around looking over my shoulder."

"Don't be so cynical, the Force contains many mysteries that not even the great Master Kenobi can understand," she replied. "So tell me, how did you learn that sleep inducing trick?"

He chuckled. "Master Jeran taught me, he said you needed sleep badly."

"Hmmm, after all these years he finally acknowledges that we're sleeping together," she mused.

"Master Jeran is a wise man, and he knows you very well, my love," he said, pulling her closer to him.

"You realize we will probably be separated soon. It may be a long time before we see each other again, if we ever do."

"I know. The sight of those warships this afternoon was very disturbing, worse then when I saw the clone troopers for the first time on Kamino. They were marching into a troopship, and I had a vision of the future. It was very bad."

"It's so hard to believe that we can't settle this without war, after all these centuries of peace. I don't think the Senate realizes the tragedy this will bring to the galaxy," she said sadly.

"There will many deaths and much pain that you will have to endure, and you have a Padawan now to care for who will suffer more than you. I worry about you. Many of the Masters are refusing military assignment," Obi-Wan said. "You could, too."

"No, I cannot," she said. "As long as there are Jedi suffering I have to do my duty. You're going, aren't you? I can sense it."

"My personal feelings do not enter into it," he said. "I will go where the Council orders me."

"As will I," she said. "Obi-Wan? I read that note you hid in my pocket. How could you even ask if I would mourn your death? You're my heart, my being."

He winced, "I don't want you to suffer pain because of me. Promise me you will confide in someone if you are grieving, don't try to endure it alone."

"And if I don't are you going to come back from the Force and haunt me?" she said lightly.

He chuckled. "As you say, there are mysteries..."