Kenobi Chronicles

Episode 4 (part 2)

The burns on Kenobi's shoulder, arm, and leg had soon sent his system into shock. Cal Kestis had lost no time in injecting him with some needle full of a pink liquid and then dragging the old Jedi towards the nearest turbo lift with Haja muttering grumpily behind them.

As Cal dragged the ever-weakening Kenobi through the Daiyu streets, Kenobi's eyesight began to blur. He found it harder and harder to stand as they hid in alleyways and ran across the open streets.

"What the blazes did you stick me with?" Kenobi asked as they once more waited behind a large pile of crates and metal boxes.

Cal answered him, but Kenobi couldn't understand what he said. It sounded blurred and hazy, like he was speaking to him through a wall. Kenobi grimaced as he was dragged into the open light. The rain had passed, and now the lonely Daiyu sun beat down on them. The smells of the city made Kenobi sick to his stomach.

Then all at once things grew dark—like someone had turned off the light. And Kenobi lost consciousness.

When he woke up, he was staring at a grey and tan ceiling, a pillow beneath his head, and a thin blanket laid over his body. He slowly sat up, and waited for the dizziness to leave him.

"Master Obi-wan Kenobi," a voice said from the doorway. Kenobi looked up to see a face he vaguely recognized. It was one he had not seen since he had served on the Jedi Council. Eventually the name came to mind, and he could not help the smile that spread across his face.

"Master Cere Junda—what a surprise," he tried to stand and greet her, but the dizziness came to him again.

"Don't bother, General. Please lie down. Cal says you took quite a beating down there." Cere entered the room.

"I wish that were true—" Kenobi said a laugh tugging at the corner of his mouth. He gave in and laid back down. "However, I am afraid he is being quite generous. It was really only a few bounty hunters—and the easily disposed of sort, at that."

"That's not true, Cere." Cal entered the room so loudly, Kenobi's brow drew up in pain. Cal however didn't notice. "They were some of Cad Bane's hired hand."

"Cad Bane?" Cere looked at Kenobi. "How did you get mixed up with them?"

Kenobi managed to open one eye and look at the two others in the room. His head felt like it was splitting open.

"He has a child, a force-sensitive girl—the daughter of a friend of mine." Kenobi explained, but tried to keep it vague.

"Cad Bane, bounty hunter—kidnapping children?" Cere thought out loud to herself. "That is odd."

"Maybe they're resorting to other methods—" Cal offered. Kenobi opened both eyes to look at the young Jedi.

"Other methods?" Kenobi repeated. "What do you mean by that?"

"Don't you know of the Lost Children? The ones stolen from their homes and trained to be sith?"

"Of course, everyone has. But why resort to bounty hunters if the Empire could simply storm in and take them without any explanation?" Kenobi tried to sit up again. Despite his condition, he needed to think.

"Well, maybe that's because of us." Cal gave Cere a smirk. The boy looked quite young whenever he smiled. He almost reminded of Kenobi of—

"We've been finding the Lost Children, Master Kenobi—and taking them back." Cere's voice was grave. "We have not recovered all of those taken. But easily placed ambushes—quiet retrievals—we take them, and then return them to their parents by way of the Path. Many children have escaped capture through them."