A Heart Full of Stars ★ Obi-Wan Kenobi

Chapter 3

Callisto - 35BBY

Obi-Wan was hungry, very hungry. He had been locked up there for two days. For two days he hadn't eaten. For two days he hadn't seen any light other than the lamp that dimly lit his cell. He would have loved to lie on the floor and sleep. Just sleep. 

But he couldn't, hanging from the ceiling. He couldn't touch the floor. At first, his arms had hurt terribly, not muscular enough to support his full weight for many hours. But now he didn't care. He simply couldn't feel them anymore. His legs were tingling, and his eyelids were heavy. But he had to stay awake for two reasons. 

The first was that he was going to get a stiff neck, and he was in enough pain as it was, with all the cuts and wounds from the laser guns that had hit him. 

The second reason was that he'd felt Qui-Gon's presence, but also Maoya Lenn's - if he wasn't mistaken - and another power, stronger and more imposing, without being hostile, that he hadn't felt for a long time. 

In his life, he had only met one person with such a developed sensitivity: Koral Nova. She and Maoya had surely come to help Qui-Gon free him. Though reassured, Obi-Wan felt ashamed. All this, only because he'd let himself be taken by droids. Besides, he had sensed the presence of the three Jedis over an hour ago. 

How come it took them so long to find him? Had they been captured too?

-Is it here?" a female voice asked from behind the door, snapping Obi-Wan out of his thoughts.

-You're the one who brought us here!" another, deeper voice protested.

-I'm not the one with a connection to this guy!

-Are you sure about that?

-What are you implying?

-This is the first time you've found someone so easily. I wouldn't be surprised if you're looking forward to finding this Obi-Wan.

-WHAT?! I've just gotten better since our last rescue mission! Besides, you know that feelings are strictly forbidden by the Jedi Code.

-This is the first time you've ever obeyed the Jedi Code!" the deeper voice laughed.

-Will you two stop arguing all the time? I'm sick of it after a while!" a voice Obi-Wan recognized immediately shouted.

-We're not arguing, we're expressing ourselves," replied the first voice.

-Stop eating already!" replied Qui-Gon.

-But I'm hungry! And it doesn't bother anyone!

-Yes, it does bother me!

-Do you intend to free your Padawan instead of telling me what to do? And besides, you don't have to tell me what to do, Maoya is my master.

-Your master orders you to give her a chip," the second voice added.

Obi-Wan laughed, which made him move and all his muscles protested with unbearable pain.

-GET ME OUT OF HERE!" he finally shouted.

-OBI-WAN!" exclaimed Qui-Gon as if he had just remembered his Padawan's presence.

He opened the door, using the force, and untied Obi-Wan, who collapsed to the floor.

-MY ANKLE!" he shouted at the top of his voice.

-Well done! He's twisted his ankle now! And we'll have a hell of a time getting him back to the ship!" Koral exclaimed, clapping loudly.

-Stop making so much noise!" Maoya scolded her.

-Oh, it's okay... As you may have noticed, there's no one here. It's even it is even surprising...

She was cut off by the sound of a laser gun and then Maoya's scream. The latter had taken a laser right in the arm.

-You were saying?" she cried as she pulled her Padawan to safety, into the room where Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon still were.

The lasers were blazing, and the defenceless Jedi hid as best they could in the small grey room. The droids were too numerous to be stopped by force. Without lightsabers, the Jedi were helpless. Suddenly, Koral squinted and shouted:

-My saber! It's close!

-Call it," Maoya ordered.

-I can't get it! It's too well tied; I don't know where.

A laser slammed into the wall, inches from Koral's face.

-Does anyone have an idea how to get out of here?" shouted Obi-Wan.

Maoya stood up, as her Padawan looked on in surprise and concern. She reached out a hand and closed it over her saber, igniting it and declaring:

-It seems I'm still better than you, Koral.

-I never said you weren't.

-Shut up and grab your lightsaber. It should be easier now.

It was indeed, quite simple. Koral and Qui-Gon lit their sabers. Obi-Wan was too hungry and his ankle too sore to fight. They began to decimate the droids one by one, cutting them into pieces.

-Who took my lightsabers?" someone shouted from down the hall.

You could hear his lively footsteps reproaching himself for the fight. When he turned and Maoya saw his face, she shouted:

-Koral, take Obi-Wan, we'll take care of him.

-What?! There's no way I'm leaving you alone!

-I didn't ask for your opinion! Go!" Maoya insisted.

-Who is this guy again?

-It's General Grievious," Qui-Gon replied gravely.

Koral knew the name. It reminded him of the murder of many Jedi. With four arms, he was a formidable opponent. She knew nothing more about the famous General, but Koral knew that it was dangerous to let Maoya fight him, with Qui-Gon. But it was even more dangerous to let Obi-Wan lie on the floor in agony while she fought.

So the Padawan sighed and turned on her heels. She grabbed Obi-Wan, who was busy emptying a bag of chips and helped him to his feet.

Slowly, they reluctantly walked away from the fight.

-You shouldn't worry so much," Obi-Wan murmured in a weak voice.

-I have good reason to worry," Koral retorted.

Once outside, Koral helped Obi-Wan sit on the floor, leaning against the wall. She took out her microphone and sent a message to the droid she'd left on their ship.

-R4-D6, locate me and bring the ship here.

The droid responded with a series of beeps that she didn't understand at all, and she cut off communication. She then sent a message to Maoya.

-Maoya, we're safe. The ship is coming. Hurry and get out of there, alive and well, preferably.

-We're on our way," the Jedi replied.

She and Qui-Gon arrived quickly after the ship. They joined their Padawans and took off for Coruscant.

General Grievious had escaped, but Maoya was fine, and that's all Koral cared about.

When they arrived on Coruscant, Obi-Wan was taken to the Jedi Temple hospital where he stayed for a few days.

After this episode, Koral and Obi-Wan passed each other in the corridors of the Jedi Temple, but only had time to smile at each other and exchange a "hello", increasingly awkward for Obi-Wan and confident for Koral.

A year after the rescue mission, they stopped bumping into each other by chance, both being constantly on missions.