Obi-Wan groaned in pain and hobbled onto the awaiting transport behind his Master, Qui-Gon Jinn, who had also been scuffed up in the skirmish they had survived only by the skin on their teeth.
Once they were both safely aboard the transport ship - named the Sen Shakal - the long-haired Jedi Master turned to face hiss young Padawan.
"You are okay, I take it?" his deep commanding voice asked, not harshly, but out of sincere concern- almost paternal in manner - for his young ward and apprentice.
The young Padawan lifted his tunic and revealed to his Master the burn from a blaster gun on his torso, in between the bottom of his ribcage and the top of his right hipbone. He had already kicked off his boots and so, with great pain, he bent forward and showed the Jedi Master the second blaster burn on the outer part of his left calf.
"Master, I think we've done better, wouldn't you say?"
Qui-Gon nodded, showing the bruising on his ribcage and the blaster burns on the upper part of his left arm.
Within moments the medic droids were in to inspect their wounds. For this the two Jedi thanked their lucky stars.
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Obi-Wan returned to the Jedi Temple with his Master that evening and he was so shaken up. He had made his jokes and had his moments early with Qui-Gon on the transport but now he realized truly that he and his Master both could have died on that system and what would have happened then?
So he limped sorely into the Temple apartment corridors and gently rapped on the door of Siri Tachi, his closest friend, hoping that she would answer his calls.
She did, sleepy and her blond hair disheveled. But she was wide awake when she saw that it was a wounded Obi-Wan Kenobi at her door.
"Obi-Wan! What happened to you? Force almighty, come in."
He hobbled inside and slumped onto the edge of her bed, waiting for the burning of his wounds to calm down before he spoke to her. He lowered his head onto his awaited palms and rubbed his eyes out of frustration.
"Siri, Qui-Gon and I- we almost died today on Kiffex. We were attacked by rogue Kiffar bandits."
She sighed, "Oh, Obi, you're all right, though, aren't you?"
He smiled, "Well yes, of course. These physical wounds will heal. I just thought, while we were fighting those bandits, what it would be like to die so far away from the Temple and the Jedi Council. I was scared, Siri."
She put her finger to his lips, "Don't be scared. Master Yoda says that death is only the soul fully cleaving to the Force and forever being apart of it."
The youthful and stern Padawan groaned, slamming his palm against his thigh - which sent shockwaves of pain throughout his body- and crying out, "Siri, don't quote Master Yoda! I know the Jedi Code. But I wasn't scared of dying. I never have been particularly afraid of death. I was scared of dying without getting to see you, without saying the things I need to say."
The blond girl sighed, looked down at her bare feet, "Obi-Wan, what're you talking about?"
He smiled sadly, leaning forward to be closer to her, to see into her blue-green eyes and to read her soul's reactions, "Siri. You are my dearest friend. My closest, my most trustworthy friend. And all I could think of on Kiffex was what would happen if I couldn't tell you..."
She looked up briefly, but shook her head, her blond hair tossing back and forth with the motions, "Obi-Wan." There was a certain sternness in her voice that made the young man beside her pause.
But he knew he had to make her understand that he truly cared for her and the best time for that would be now.
He leaned forward- calmly, gently - and Siri watched, paralyzed, with concern as he bent down and brushed his lips against hers with his whispered, "I love you, Siri Tachi."
She shook her head ever-so-slightly, trembling from the nerves as she shakily tucked a blond hair behind her ears, "You know that's impossible. It could never happen. Not within the Jedi. I- I think you should retire to your apartment now, Obi."
He smiled sadly, his own blue-green eyes gleaming in adoration at her, "As you wish." With great pain, he rose to his feet and hobbled to the door.
As he crossed the threshhold, he turned around to face the girl he loved, folding his arms into the sleeves of his flowing Jedi cloak, "I'm sorry to have barged in on you."
She nodded, looking at him from around the edge of the door, "Good night, Obi." Without waiting for another word of explanation, she closed the door and Obi-Wan was left to walk alone back to his apartment.
