Star Wars: Brothers By Everything But Blood

4: The Living Force

Obi Wan launched himself up to his feet and drew his lightsaber. He raised the glowing sapphire blade in front of him and sliced the creature in half. This must be one of the Vornskrs Qui Gon warned about.

Obi Wan looked around and noticed more of the animals in the shadows, circling him like sharks. There were too many of them for him to be able to kill them all without the Force. He made the logical choice: he climbed the tree. He pulled himself up the trunk as fast as he could. Once he was on a branch high enough away from the creature, he stopped climbing.

He leaned against the trunk and looked down. On the branch directly below him, there was a small, black, scaly lizard. Looking at it made obi wan dizzy. This was what had caused his memory to surface.

There was another lizard near it that was white and furry. The white one looked like what Qui Gon described and there was an emptiness around it. The black one radiated darkness and strong power. The white lizard curled its tail around the black one's and Obi Wan's dizziness faded. the Ysalamiri were counteracting each other. Was the black one a different species? Was it a mutation? It didn't really matter. What did matter was that he had found an Olbio tree. All he had to do was find the plant in the roots and find the ship. And escape the Vornskrs...

Were they night predators? Probably. He hadn't seen any during the day. All he had to do was wait until morning. Did Anakin have that long?! He sighed and resigned himself to the wait. There was nothing more he could do.

-SW-

After a long sleepless night, the Vornskrs finally slunk away into the shadows. Obi Wan was about to leap from his high branch before he remembered he didn't have the Force. He climbed down, took a spade from his pack and began to dig into the hard ground at the trees roots.

He dug until he found a small cavity at the very center of the root cluster. the cavity was glowing with an ethereal blue light. The source of the glow was a beautiful plant. It was incredible that on a Force-lacking planet  such a Force-filled plant could exist. 

The plant was a flower with glowing aquamarine light and a slender white stem. The leaves of the plant were navy with white veins running through.

Obi wan reached his hand into the cavity and dug up the flower. He placed it into a soil filled container and he watched in amazement as the roots anchored the plants in, moving as if they were alive.

He put the container in the pack and ran back the way he had come the day before. It took him some time to retrace his route, but no longer searching it was only one hour instead of four.

When he reached the ship, the ramp was up and the landing lights were on. Obi Wan walked up to the view port and knocked. Rex and Coric jumped at the sound, saw him, then smiled in relief. 

The ramp lowered, and obi wan ran inside. "Prepare to leave! I found it!"

-SW-

Obi Wan sat cross-legged in the closet of the ship, meditating. 

Master Qui Gon? I found the plant. Do I need to do anything more? Obi Wan asked.

After a moment he heard his former master's voice. When you arrive, give the plant to Master Vokara Che. She will know what to do. Well done, Obi Wan. Be well...

 Obi Wan sat in silence in the dark closet, the only light coming from the flower; the only ray of hope that Anakin might survive.

-SW-

The small ship landed outside the Temple and Obi Wan ran through the halls, ignoring the startled and disapproving looks. Many people were surprised to see the usually calm and collected Jedi Master running like his life depended on it. 

When he reached the Halls of Healing he found Vokara Che the container with the flower in it. Her lekku twitched in surprise but she ran off, shouting at Kyra to follow her.

Obi Wan speed-walked to Anakin's room. His friend was deathly pale. The monitors were beeping slowly, long gaps between the beeps showing Anakin pulse.

Obi Wan sat next to Anakin's bed and put his hand on Anakin's forehead. It was cold. Anakin was barely breathing. 

"Come on, Anakin, you've survived worse than this. Don't do this..." Obi Wan begged.

Master Vokara Che came in, clutching a hypo filled with glowing blue liquid the same color the flower had been.

She swabbed the side of Anakin's neck and pressed the hypo to his skin. Nothing happened. The two masters waited with baited breath. Anakin's body jerked and suddenly the pulse monitor flat-lined. The medicine had failed. Obi Wan reached towards Anakin but Master Vokara Che stopped him. "Wait." was all she said.

A minute later, the monitor began recording a strong pulse. Anakin began breathing steadily. Obi Wan exhaled in relief. Master Vokara Che smiled at Obi Wan. 

"He'll be fine, Obi Wan. That particularly flower has strange properties." She clasped his shoulder them left him alone with Anakin.

Obi Wan stroked Anakin's hair and smiled. His friend would be fine.

*875 wor