The Delusions of Dreamers

Eleven

It was dark by the time the group stopped at a cave.  The hollowed-out area was tucked into a huge wall of rock on one side of a trench.  Obi-Wan would have preferred to be up high, but Qui-Gon had insisted on spending the night in the cave.

"I feel disgusting," Satine complained.  She was sitting on a small boulder, warming her hands by the fire they had constructed.  "I haven't had a real bath in days."

Obi-Wan chuckled.  "Well, I think you look lovely, even if you smell wretched."

"Hey!" she scowled at him and threw her shoe at his face.  "At least I don't wreak as bad as you do.  Jabba the Hutt smelled like roses compared to you."

The Padawan's eyebrows shot up, and he leaned back in disbelief.  "Whoa! Now that's harsh, even for the Ever So Violent Duchess—"

"I am not violent!" she shouted and glared at him.  "I am in full support of peace and only peace!"

Obi-Wan shrugged with a smirk.  "Whatever you say... Oh!" he pulled Cad Bane's blaster out of his pocket.  "You might want this, even if you're so opposed to violence." He got up from his rock and placed it beside her before walking back to his seat.  She curled her lip.

The Padawan rolled his eyes.  Stubborn woman.

"Speaking of violence and weapons and whatnot," Satine picked up the gun and fiddled with it.  "Why didn't you and Qui-Gon use your lightsabers back at the palace? When we were trying to escape." She looked genuinely curious.

The Jedi Master glanced up at them from where he was cleaning food.  They had run across an abandoned garden on their way here, so Qui-Gon had taken some gourds and dweezel.  "Because if Jabba the Hutt had found out that Jedi were at his palace, he would assume it was us breaking you out of his prison.  It would jeopardize our alliance and peace with the Hutt clan."

Obi-Wan blushed.  Maybe he should have been more careful about using the Force.

Satine nodded.  "That makes sense." Then she looked down at her dainty feet wearing white socks.  "Thank you, again, for saving me.  I... wasn't sure you would come back."

The Padawan leaned toward her.  "What? Why?"

The duchess turned the blaster over in her hands.  "Well, you just looked so hopeless when you left.  I thought it was... goodbye."

Obi-Wan shook his head.  "Satine, we would never abandon you.  It is our mission to keep you safe, and even if it wasn't my mission, I'd still do it.  Even if you're mean to me." He smiled at her, and she smiled back.  Were those tears in her eyes?

"I didn't really think that you two actually cared about me." The duchess tucked a lock of golden hair behind her ear.  Obi-Wan had to admit that she was beautiful, but he wasn't attracted to her.  Even if he wanted to have those feelings for her, he couldn't.  It simply was not the Jedi way.  However, he could still try to be her friend. "I guess I've never really had anyone." Satine released a laugh.  There was no joy in the sound.  "My parents died when I was young, and my sister, Bo-Katan... well, I haven't seen her in a long time."

Obi-Wan's eyes widened when he saw tears rolling down Satine's cheeks.  Oh, dear.  He honestly didn't know what to do.  But he tried anyway.

"Satine... I'm so sorry." He hesitantly walked over to her and sat next to her.  "I didn't know."

"I know," she sniffed, turning her head the other way.  "It's not your fault."

Qui-Gon smiled up at her from the ground.  "We are here for you, Duchess." She was silent.

"Do you want a hug?" The Padawan asked after a minute.

"No."

But he embraced her anyway, and after a few seconds, she turned to him and buried her head in his chest.  Her shoulders started shaking with the force of her tears.

Some would call the duchess weak for breaking down like this.  But Obi-Wan didn't think so.  He thought she was strong for showing her feelings.  He believed she was brave to strive for peace when fighting would be so much easier.  And he thought she must be very determined because no other little princess would have made it this far.

They sat like that for a long time, Satine tucked close to the Padawan, and Qui-Gon preparing food on the ground.  Then the duchess lifted her head and gazed into Obi-Wan's eyes.  "I'm still going to pretend to hate you, you know."

Obi-Wan chuckled.  He suddenly had the strong urge to do something, but he didn't know what.  "And I'm still going to tease you until you punch me." Satine giggled.  It was probably the cutest sound Obi-Wan had ever heard.

Then something started to buzz, and Qui-Gon pulled a metal disk out of his pocket before placing it on the sand.  A hologram of Mace Windu and Yoda popped out of the device.

Qui-Gon nodded his head.  "Master Yoda.  Master Windu."

The two Masters nodded back, the blue hologram glitching slightly.

"Master Qui-Gon Jinn, nice to see you, it is," Yoda said.  Then the little green man looked to Obi-Wan.  "And you, Padawan.  Duchess Satine."  The duchess quickly wiped the tears from her face.

"How is your mission going?" Mace Windu asked.

Qui-Gon stroked his dark beard.  "Well, we are in hiding right now on Tatooine.  We have run into lots of obstacles along the way, but I suppose that was to be expected."

Obi-Wan almost laughed.  His Master just made it sound like they hadn't almost died several times.

"How are you, Duchess?" Windu inquired.

Satine looked up and hardened her gaze.  "I'm fine.  How are my people?"

"Almost the same as before, they are.  Evenly matched, both sides of the Civil War seem to be.  Unsure of the outcome, we are."

"What about the bounty hunters and assassins?" Qui-Gon questioned.

Master Windu frowned.  "Unfortunately, the galaxy is still crawling with them.  We heard from our spies that many Old Mandalorians have left their planet to find the Duchess... and eliminate her." Obi-Wan cringed.  "We have dispatched Jedi to capture these people, but before then, stay in hiding.  We are doing all that we can."

"Of course," Qui-Gon said.

"Wait for the violence to settle down, we should." Yoda smiled.  "May the Force be with you." Then the hologram disappeared.

"So... we don't get to go to Coruscant?" a crease appeared in between Satine's eyebrows.   "Wouldn't that be the safest place to go?"

Qui-Gon shook his head.  "We can't bring your war to Coruscant.  Really, the Jedi aren't supposed to be involved at all."

"Oh."

Obi-Wan ran his hand through his hair.  "Well, um, what's the plan, Master? Where do we go?"

The older Jedi sighed.  "For now, we just stay here.  Spend the night.  In the morning, we'll look for civilization and discuss the plan."

The Padawan nodded.  "Alright."

And then the group ate a very late dinner and went to bed.  Unfortunately, none of them heard the clatter of metal and the shuffle of little feet outside.