Chapter Four
Saying Goodbye
Siri Tachi sat at a table in the cafeteria with Bruck Chun and Niela Anta-Sheck eating the morning meal.
As they ate Bruck told the two girls about the sparring match that he participated in the day before, in which he nearly defeated an older student. Siri only partially listened to his tale. Her mind drifted to where Obi-Wan lay in the recovery room of the Healer�s wing.
When Siri heard about what he had done to Qui-Gon on Melida/Dann, she had tried to hate him for it. She told herself that if Obi-Wan could leave the Jedi order without caring how his decision would affect everyone else, then he wasn�t worth a second thought, but her heart told her other wise. She had ignored her feelings that told her that Obi-Wan would not act contrary to the Jedi Code without good reason. She sat half listening to Bruck�s account of the sparring match, which changed every time he told it. Siri wished she could sit together with Bant, Reeft, and Garen, and find out how Obi-Wan was doing.
Abruptly a loud buzzer penetrated the noise of the students, knights, and masters who were engaged in various conversations. The buzzer would get the attention of the knights and students, letting them know that an announcement over the intercom would follow.
Most of the noise subsided instantaneously as the voice of Docent Vant rumbled through the cafeteria. �May I have your attention, please, would initiates Bant Eerin, Reeft, and Garen Muln please report to the Healer�s ward? I repeat would Bant Eerin, Reeft, and Garen Muln please report to the Healer�s wing immediately?�
Silence filled the cafeteria as everyone in the room, turned their gazes to the three initiates. Siri had a feeling that something had happened. It was too much of a coincidence that three friends would have to report for a physical at the same time and on the same day, when their best friend also happened to lay in the recovery room of the Healer�s wing.
Siri watched as the three friends shared a concerned glance amongst them and slowly rose from their seats, disposed of their trays of food, and left the room.
�Sounds like they�re in trouble,� Bruck smirked, as conversations in the cafeteria resumed. �They were probably causing trouble in the Healer�s wing, while they were visiting Obi-Wan last night.�
�Yeah, I heard that the Healer had to kick them out of the recovery room,� Niela agreed.
�Siri, you�re awfully quiet today, how was your morning?� Bruck asked, taking a bite from a piece of fruit.
�It was fine, nothing really exciting happened, although I must admit that your sparring match with Padawan Aalto, yesterday was quite interesting to watch,� Siri remarked, taking a sip of juice.
Siri smirked when Bruck frowned; Siri�s sparring class had ended early, and they were allowed to watch the other classes in progress for the same period of time. Before Bruck could make another comment, the buzzer again rang indicating another announcement.
�May I have your attention please,� Docent Vant�s voice again requested. �I�m sure you�re already aware that yesterday, Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi was involved in an accident while riding in a lift tube. In addition to the incident in the lift tube, he was also trapped in the fire in the healer�s wing.� Siri�s stomach suddenly began twisting into knots as Docent paused and took a deep breath before continuing. �Early this morning, due to complications from his injuries, Obi-Wan Kenobi died and is now one with the Force.
�The death of Padawan Kenobi has come as a shock to all of us. The entire schedule of classes for today, for all Initiates and Padawan�s will be postponed. Masters Adi Gallia, Even Piell, Ki-Adi Mundi, Tahl, and Depa Billaba will speak with anyone who feels that they need to discuss this matter with someone. Services for Obi-Wan will be announced after his Master, Qui-Gon Jinn is found and notified.�
The cafeteria became eerily quiet as the announcement ended, and Siri felt her stomach lurch as if someone had just punched her. She wanted to scream, to run out of the cafeteria, to run to the Healer�s wing, to see for her self if it was true, but her legs and feet felt frozen to the floor. She had risked her life crawling through the ventilation shafts to save him. He couldn�t just all of a sudden die, after we were told that he would be all right, could he?
{Master,} Siri called to Adi Gallia through the training bond that they shared.
{I�m here, Padawan. Are you ok?} the Councilwoman asked through the bond.
{Is it true Master? Is he really dead? Please tell me that he�s not dead?} Siri pleaded desperately.
{I am very sorry Siri, but I can�t tell you that,} Master Adi told her somberly through the training bond.
Niela looked at Siri with sorrow in her gray eyes and asked, �Are you all right Siri?�
�Come on Siri, you can�t seriously be upset over Oafy-Wan. You two weren�t exactly the best of friends you know.� Bruck taunted her with a sneer showing on his thin lips, that Siri suspected was contiguous on the dark side of the Force.
�Bruck give her a break,� Niela commanded, �None of us especially liked him, but it�s still terrible that he died.�
�Yeah, I guess you�re right,� Bruck smiled. �I would much rather have seen Oafy-Wan get sent back to Agri-Corps again.�
�You�re rotten,� Niela laughed along with him, �Truthful, but rotten.�
Siri could feel her anger build as the two students sitting across the table from her ridiculed a boy who would never again have an opportunity to defend himself. In the past Siri had found it easy to join Bruck, Niela, and their other friends in taunting Obi-Wan, instead of admitting that she had a crush on him. She longed to be a true friend of his, the way Bant and he were friends. Now she would never get that chance. She felt like her world was falling apart around her. She had never known anyone close who died and she did not like the aching emptiness in her heart.
She stared at her friends who were still chuckling over Bruck�s comment, and felt disgusted by them. Siri stood up to leave, no longer wanting to share the same table with the two of them.
�Are you going to go talk to your Master about poor Oafy-Wan?� Bruck asked with a sadistic chuckle.
�Maybe I am, or maybe I�m going to the Healers ward,� Siri yelled, �and stop calling him that! His name is Obi-Wan! If I�m not mistaken, your thirteenth birthday is approaching and no one has chosen you for a Padawan. Maybe you�re the one who should go to Agri-Corps, not Obi-Wan,� Siri told him, as she turned, and quickly left the cafeteria.
She knew that nearly everyone in the cafeteria had heard her out burst and they were probably staring after her. She didn�t look back. She ran from the cafeteria as tears began to slide down her cheeks. �It�s just not fair, Obi-Wan was a good Jedi despite what happened on Melida/Dann.� Siri�s heart screamed as she ran down the hall to find her Master.
*** * ***
�Unsure of this plan, I am,� Yoda told Mace Windu as they sat in one of the meditation rooms.
�What choice do we have? We must find out who is trying to kill Obi-Wan and why. They may try to go after other Padawans, or Initiates.�
�Hmm, unknown the culprit�s motives are, but sense danger to other students, I do not.�
�I tried to contact Qui-Gon, but I couldn�t get through to him,� Mace said.
�Keep trying, you will. Informed of this situation, he must be.�
�I will,� Mace affirmed.
* *** *
Qui-Gon Jinn gave the pilot that had brought him to the Temple, his thanks, and quickly exited the vessel. He saw Knights Cal-I-Vaun, and Hoola standing near the exit. He was not surprised to see the two security officers in the hangar.
�Master Qui-Gon, Master Mace has been trying to reach you,� Cal-I-Vaun told him.
Qui-Gon noticed the sadness the other man�s eyes, and felt an ache begin to burn in his chest. �Is the Temple on lock down, because of the intruder?�
�Yes. There may be an intruder inside the temple,� Hoola answered.
�No, there is an intruder. He is very cunning, and will be hard to catch. He always has a back up escape route,� Qui-Gon told them.
�Thanks for the advice,� Cal-I-Vaun said. �Master Mace and Master Yoda wish to speak with you in the Council Chambers. They thought that you might return.�
�Tell them that I will speak with them after I see my Padawan. I am going to the Healer�s wing.�
�I believe they want to see you first sir,� Hoola told him.
Qui-Gon could see a sadness usually not found in the older man�s eyes. Cal-I-Vaun like Hoola was normally a jovial person, always trying to find the good in people by looking on the bright side of things. Qui-Gon felt a sense of dread wash over him. �I have to see Obi-Wan.�
Qui-Gon hurriedly made his way out of the hangar, moving toward the Healer�s wing. Once outside of the entrance he stopped. His feet suddenly felt heavy, and he was afraid of what he would find when he entered the Healer�s wing.
Through the glass doors, he could see the blocked off area and the damage caused by the fire. Fear clutched at his heart. He began to berate himself for not being there to help his Padawan, when he needed him the most. Now he feared he was too late.
�Qui-Gon,� Adi Gallia spoke stepping from the lift tube.
�He didn�t survive did he?� Qui-Gon asked quietly, almost too quietly for the Councilwoman to hear him. Qui-Gon noticed the same wounded look in Adi�s dark eyes as that of the security officers he had met in the hangar. He felt a lump beginning to form in his throat so large that he thought he would suffocate.
�Qui-Gon, why don�t we go and speak with Mace and Yoda?�
�No! I need to see him first. I need to say goodbye. I didn�t get to say goodbye to him before I left.�
Adi sighed and nodded her head saying, �His friends Bant, Garen, Reeft and Siri are saying goodbye right now. The Mind-Healer thought it might help for them to say goodbye to him in person.�
Qui-Gon nodded and slowly turned. He started to walk down the hall. The glass doors slid open to allow them passage and they could hear the sound of voices coming from a nearby room.
Qui-Gon could not believe that Obi-Wan was really gone. He remembered how hard the boy had fought to become his apprentice, and how he had continually pushed the boy away, refusing to take him as his Padawan. Now he could not imagine not having the boy at his side.
Qui-Gon stopped outside the room, listening to the voices coming from dim interior and looked through the door. Obi-Wan�s friends were standing in the room, along with Tahl. Garen Muln stood closest to the sleep-couch where Obi-Wan�s motionless body rested. Tears cascaded down the boy�s cheeks as he spoke to his fallen friend.
� . . . I will miss you Obi, you were a great friend.� The boy�s voice whimpered. He put his hand on Bant�s shoulder for a moment before he joined the others standing on the other side of the room.
�Obi-Wan,� The young Mon Calamarian began, her face streaked with tears, �I don�t know what to say. The Temple won�t be the same without you. I just can�t believe you�re gone. You were fine the other night after the fire; they told us that you were fine. Why did you do this to me? Why did you leave us? I didn�t even get to tell you that I was sorry for assuming you knew that the lift was malfunctioning. I�m sorry Obi-Wan,� she whispered. �I�m sorry,� she said aloud. �Do you hear me? I�m sorry! So you can open your eyes now Obi-Wan. Wake up!� she yelled as she began to shake Obi-Wan�s limp body.
�Bant,� Tahl consoled grabbing the hysterical girl by the arm and leading her out of the room. Under different circumstances, Qui-Gon would have been amused to see the sightless Master leading the young girl out of the room.
Siri, Reeft, and Garen followed them out of the room; each one looking up at Adi and Qui-Gon as they walked through the door and down the hallway.
For a few moments Qui-Gon remained in the hall staring at Obi-Wan. From the doorway, his Padawan appeared to be sleeping peacefully. Finally after taking a deep breath, Qui-Gon slowly stepped into the room and approached the sleep-couch. He could see the bruises from the malfunctioning lift tube on Obi-Wan�s pale face.
Although he knew what he would find, Qui-Gon reached out with the Force to search for the boy�s life signs. �Obi-Wan,� he choked, turning to look behind him at Adi. Mace now stood beside her in the doorway. �Why?� Qui-Gon asked as a tear slid slowly down his cheek.
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