Child of War

Sabotage

A white light stabbed my eyes as I slowly shifted back into consciousness. My whole body hurt. Looking to my right, I found Master Kenobi seated beside me.

"We've got to stop meeting like this." My voice was weak.

He turned and, as his eyes met my gaze, I saw his shoulders relax. "You're awake."

"Yeah." I cringed as I forced myself to sit up. Nothing was broken, just bruised. I had a few cuts but nothing too serious. "I seem to make a habit of visiting the medbay."

Obi wan leaned back a bit in his chair. "That's not something to be proud of."

I shrugged, which hurt my whole chest.

Obi wan stroked his beard. "Why were you down there anyway?"

I bit my bottom lip. "Well... I was helping out with inventory."

"Why?" He raised an eyebrow.

"To be helpful." I tried.

Obi wan didn't buy it.

"Okay, fine." I conceded. "Old habits die hard. I can't just throw away my old life. Sometimes I have to do things that aren't 'the Jedi way.' Sometimes... I just have to DO something, without the Force, without Master Yoda - something... normal."

Obi wan nodded slowly.

"What?" I asked when he stared at the wall behind me in thought.

He took a deep breath. "Nothing. It's just that the Council found it suspicious that you were down there when the bomb went off."

"They think I did this?" I watched Obi wan's expression, hoping I had misunderstood him.

He just nodded.

I leaned back on my hands in disbelief. "You know I could never do this."

"Of course I do." He insisted. "But there is no evidence proving your innocence."

I stared intensely into my lap before an idea popped into my head. "Kell."

"What?" Obi wan asked.

It was then that I realized that I had said it out loud. "Von Kell. He works down there. He was with me the whole time."

Obi wan nodded. "I'll talk to him. Meanwhile, you rest."

I nodded and slowly lowered myself back into the cot.
————
Jarris came to visit me the next day. He gave me a hard time about almost dying all the time. It was a joke, but I could tell that he meant it, at least a little bit. I understood his concern. I didn't like being in there anymore than he liked visiting me.

I sat on the edge of my bed as the medical droid examined me. I didn't have any serious injuries, but the Jedi had insisted on keeping me there over night.

Obi wan approached through the crowded room. He waited for the droid to finish looking me over. As I suspected, there was nothing wrong with me.

I hopped off the cot, which the droid immediately rolled away to use for another patient. "Did you find Kell?"

Obi wan nodded. "He testified to the Council. You're all clear."

"Thank you." I gave a slight bow. "Now, let's get out of here. We'll just be in the way."