Echo - Chapter Two

Moving helped to keep Bail's teeth from chattering. The Prince trudged diligently through the snowdrifts following his leader, Obi-Wan Kenobi. His face was numb, and he long ago ceased to be able to feel his extremities. The young Jedi had not been exaggerating when he said the pair had a lot of ground to cover. Bail was beginning to despair of reaching their objective before nightfall.

He supposed that was why the fighter that shot at them had simply left instead of circling back for a killing strike. After all, it was hardly likely anyone would have survived the crash in the first place and, if they did, without shelter anyone in the craft would be as good as dead once the sun went down.

Bail shook his head and shoved the negative thoughts aside. He was not alone. Obi-Wan, while not a full Jedi Knight, was a Senior Padawan, and a skilled one at that. Certainly, they covered emergencies like this in Temple training? In the Rogue Jedi holovids someone was always doing something amazing like igniting a fire with the Force by looking at something, or jumping out of moving vehicles only to land hundreds of stories down on their feet without injury. While Bail knew the vids were highly exaggerated, there had to be some element of truth to them -- didn't there?

He stumbled, his heavy robes tangled around his legs and in the deep snow. Gloved hands flew out in an attempt to catch the fall, but Bail simply ended up face down in the drift with a loud grunt.

"Your Highness?"

"Wonderful," Bail thought, "A witness to my two left feet. What a way to impress him! At least my red skin can be attributed to the cold."

Obi-Wan turned and retraced a few steps. He found Bail trying to extricate himself from the snow bank. Reaching down, he grabbed hold of Bail's arm to steady him. "Are you all right?"

"Nothing wounded but my pride." Bail waved his free arm toward Obi-Wan in mild frustration. He shook his head, white flakes of snow falling from his black hair and settling on his blue robes. He dusted himself off, looking at his clothes to cover the sudden awkwardness he felt at Obi-Wan's touch. "I don't know how you do it, Jedi Kenobi. I seem to constantly be fighting this robe. You, on the other hand..."

"Well, I'm certain you haven't spent most of your life lightsaber training in your ceremonial robes, Prince Organa. I'm afraid I have you at a disadvantage."

Bail sighed heavily. He looked tired. "We're not going to make it in time, are we?"

Obi-Wan could see the fear in Bail's eyes. He wasn't going to lie to the Prince about their situation but he didn't need the man to panic. "It doesn't look good at this point."

"You'll forgive me if I say that's less than reassuring."

"All the more reason we stop talking and focus on the objective then, Senator."

"Of course." Chagrined by the rebuke, Bail straightened and looked off in the distance. The ruins were visible now, but still quite tiny on the horizon. "And my name is Bail."

Bail strode forward ahead of Obi-Wan, taking the lead. The Padawan couldn't help but be impressed. Bail was a Prince, a man used to a life of privilege and creature comforts. Obi-Wan had hardly expected that Bail would prove to be so doggedly determined, plowing his way through snowdrifts in his finery without so much as a word of complaint. However, after the last three months, Obi-Wan was almost accustomed to being surprised by Bail Organa. It was one of the reasons he hadn't wanted their association to end after the signing of the treaty. He wanted to understand the dichotomy of the man. The need of it was almost compulsive.

Obi-Wan followed after the Prince, contemplating their alternatives. There were few. He had tested his comlink periodically and it responded with nothing but static. It was logical, therefore, to conclude that the orbiter had either been destroyed or its communication signals were being jammed. In either case, there would be no help from that front. Qui-Gon was out there somewhere -- he could feel him in the Force -- but he couldn't depend on his Master to rescue them. Qui-Gon would have his own troubles and had the responsibility of the rest of the delegation to attend to. That meant he and the Senator were on their own with minimal resources, but failure was not an option Obi-Wan was willing to consider. So Obi-Wan Kenobi trudged on, staring at the pattern embossed on the back of Bail Organa's velvet robes and trying to come up with a backup plan.

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"Well, Master Jinn!" Doman Beruss' full-jowled face was flushed with excitement. "If I didn't know you Jedi better, I would think you actually enjoyed that."

Qui-Gon helped the rotund senator down from the cockpit of the fighter. After a harrowing high-velocity chase and several close calls, the Jedi had managed to take out one of the two attackers that destroyed the shuttlecraft. A series of rolls and sharp banks, followed by a dive that Doman was certain they wouldn't recover from, resulted in the other attacker slamming into the remains of an ancient building. Qui-Gon had then turned the craft back toward the area where he had directed the guards to take the remaining members of the delegation. Efforts to contact the orbiter still resulted in static.

"There is no emotion; there is peace," Qui-Gon said flatly as he folded his arms into the sleeves of his dark brown robe.

"Qui-Gon, you do have a dry wit!" Doman Beruss laughed and slapped the Jedi Master on the back. "So, tell me, what shall we do next?"

"You, Senator, will remain here with the delegation."

"Qui-Gon, if you think I'm going to just sit here on my..."

"That is exactly what I think, Doman." While Qui-Gon didn't find much to trust about any politician, Doman Beruss was one of the few that kept his word. Over the years he had had many occasions to work with the Senator and the two had a congenial rapport. "I am still unable to contact our ship. I need to determine its status and who attacked us, if I can."

"What about your Padawan and Bail Organa?"

"Obi-Wan is capable of taking care of himself and the Alderaani Prince," Qui-Gon responded evenly. He walked beside the Senator to a nearby building.

"And what shall I tell our companions?"

"Tell them that I have been updating the Council and the Supreme Chancellor at scheduled times each day regarding our status. If I do not report at the appropriate time, a team will be sent."

A guard ran forward to meet the pair. The Senator turned and bowed to Qui-Gon. "Then may the Force be with you, Master Jinn."

"And with you, Senator." Qui-Gon bowed in return before leaving. Face grim, he strode to the fighter. It was time to find out what was going on.

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Obi-Wan scowled as he looked southward. The dimming of the light in that direction was not entirely due to the time of day. While he and Bail had made good progress over the last two standard hours toward their destination, it seemed nature was not to be denied.

"Your Highness."

Bail turned and tried to smile. He could hear the tightness of concern in Obi-Wan's voice. Whatever he was about to be told wasn't positive. He retreated into the comfort of banter to hide his fear. "Are all Jedi so formal in the middle of nowhere? I told you, my name is Bail."

"Bail," Obi-Wan pointed to their left, "I think our situation just became more complicated."

Bail looked off into the distance and swallowed hard. "I supposed that's not a good sign, is it?"

Obi-Wan shook his head.

"Well, what does the Jedi Handbook say to do in such a situation?"

Dropping the emergency pack off his shoulder, Obi-Wan thrust it toward Bail. He responded in a deadpan tone to the Prince's nervous joke. "It says, get to work."

The area they were walking through was fairly flat with compacted snow. Obi-Wan unhooked his lightsaber from this utility belt and ignited it, the hum and snap of the blue energy beam singing in the cold air. A few graceful flicks of his wrist sliced through the snow leaving a crosshatch pattern on the ground. He switched off the weapon and returned it to his belt.

"This is not an ideal location. The wind from that storm is going to cut through here with little to shield us. However, I don't think we have time to find a better spot. We need to move the snow from the interior and stack it..."

"I've done this before!" Bail's dark eyes shimmered with recognition and he nodded vigorously. Now that Bail had a purpose, he seemed to set aside his worries and focus on the task. He moved to stand next to Obi-Wan. "My family has a getaway in the mountains. My sisters and I used to build snow shelters and forts when we played. We pretended they were castles. Mind you, that was a long time ago, and I never slept in one -- mother would have had a fit -- but I know the basic construction." The Prince looked down at the cuts in the snow. "The blocks you've cut are awfully big."

"That's where being a Jedi comes in handy. I do the heavy lifting with the Force. You put it together."

Obi-Wan stepped back to kneel in the snow. The look of intense curiosity and anticipation that graced Bail's face as he watched was so open and trusting, almost boyish. It was accentuated by the fact that his hair was being whipped wildly around his face by the wind. For an instant, Obi-Wan felt a flash of attraction. He had an urge to reach up and touch Bail's face, but he pushed it down and closed his eyes instead.

Years of training made finding the clarity of center Obi-Wan required a simple matter. After a few deep breaths, he felt the oneness of being that came from touching the great river of the Living Force. It was humbling and thrilling at the same time; the rush of completeness and harmony, the assuring comfort of a greater power than one's self flowing continuously through the Galaxy. He focused his being on that great connection to all living things, letting it wrap around and through him, and then used his body as a tool to direct that power.

Bail's breath came out as a soft hiss as the first block rose up into the air. He stood there for a moment staring at it, stunned. When he tore his eyes away from the hovering square of compacted snow to Obi-Wan, he realized he was being an idiot. The Jedi's face was set in a grim expression of exertion and concentration. "I'm sorry!" Bail quickly moved to the block to the edge of the area, pushing it down lightly until it was just off the ground. "It's in place now."

The block dropped with a dampened thud.

Obi-Wan's eyes flicked open, and he exhaled slowly before speaking. "Use the largest as bottom supports and keep the thing as small as possible. Leave two blocks off to one side. I'll cut them into smaller pieces and use them to close the entrance. It will be a bit cramped and chill inside, but our body heat should keep the temperature above freezing."

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Qui-Gon stepped carefully, his mind open as he picked his way through the ruins. The remains of the destroyed fighter were littered over the area. He wasn't completely sure what he was looking for, but then he didn't have to be. The Force had guided him here and it would direct his eyes to what he needed to see.

"There. Near that tower." The pull of disturbance, of discord in the harmonic resonance of his being told Qui-Gon there was something in that direction. He strode across what was once a balcony and jumped half a story to the icy surface below. In no time, he found what had drawn him there. A large section of the enemy fighter's fuselage lay in open view.

Blue eyes missed nothing as they traveled over the thing. Though the former serial number was incomplete, and much of the paint scorched away, the large symbol behind them was distinct.

Qui-Gon's eyes narrowed and he spoke his thoughts aloud. "The Commerce Guild?"

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Moving the blocks took a large amount of Obi-Wan's energy. Surrendering himself to the Force opened him to more than just its power, it heightened his senses and attuned him to disturbances in the flow of time and space -- ripples, Master Yoda sometimes called them. Master Jinn often used this ability during negotiations to detect the emotions of those present and thereby guide the participants away from arguments. But Qui-Gon was a Jedi Master with many years of experience, not a Padawan. For Obi-Wan such things took a large amount of focus and concentration. The effort usually left him exhausted and in need of stasis to restore himself.

Obi-Wan felt particularly tired as he knelt on the snow. There had been a strange restlessness -- a shadowy and indefinable something -- flowing through this connection to the Force. An echo of evil seemed to surround everything on the planet. It drained him and made him feel vaguely anxious. He remained motionless for long moments after the last block had been placed, trying to set aside his feelings of unease.

"Jedi Kenobi?" Bail had to shout to hear himself. The velocity of the wind had increased dramatically over the last standard hour as they worked on the snow shelter. Snow had begun to fall, lashing harshly against exposed skin. "Are you all right?"

When Obi-Wan remained still, Bail began to be concerned. He moved forward and dropped to the ground in front of the Jedi, eyes searching for a sign that Obi-Wan had heard him. "Obi-Wan? Can you hear me?"

Bail felt inordinately relieved when the blue-gray eyes flicked open. "I'll be fine, Bail. Get in the shelter now."

Biting his lower lip, Bail hesitated. Obi-Wan looked pale, his light skin had a gray tinge that made the Prince nervous. "Are you sure? Let me help you up."

Obi-Wan could see Bail's concern and apprehension, his genuine want to bring some kind of comfort. It was touching. "I'll be right behind you. I just have to cut the last blocks and fit them over the entrance to seal us in."

After another moment's hesitation, Bail nodded. Obi-Wan was a Jedi after all. He might be a Padawan, but he was old enough to be nearing Knighthood. He had to trust his companion knew his limitations.

Bail stood and went to the small domed shelter. The clearance was so low that sitting brought Bail's head close to grazing the top. The two packs Obi-Wan had salvaged from their fighter were pushed to one side leaving just enough room for two full-grown men. It was going to be a very tight fit, and Bail wondered how he would feel once Obi-Wan sealed up the entrance. He had never been terribly comfortable in tight spaces.

There was a sudden change in the light outside, a bright flare of blue. Not long after, Obi-Wan appeared next to the entrance carrying three smaller cut blocks of snow. "Look in the packs and take out the emergency lantern," he said to Bail as he set down the blocks. "When I bring the others, I'll seal us in from the inside. We'll need light."

Obi-Wan disappeared again, and Bail fished around in the packs, hunting for the lantern. When he found it, the Prince twisted the ends between his hands to break the seal on the luminescent gel contained within. A dim green glow filled the small shelter.

When Obi-Wan returned he set down the second set of blocks, got down on his hands and knees, and crawled into the opening. Turning to face the outside, he reached out and began stacking up the smaller blocks to seal the entrance. He used the Force to levitate the last block and wedge it into place

.

Bail watched the entry seal up with an increasing sense of panic. Though he knew intellectually he was perfectly safe, his emotions insisted otherwise. He was going to suffocate in this tiny place. He would freeze to death in the night. The storm would cover their tracks, and Qui-Gon Jinn would never find them. He would die on this frozen wasteland of a planet, and his body would never be found. He had willingly built his own coffin.

As soon as the final block was in place, Obi-Wan turned to face the Prince. Bail was trembling violently with the force of his fear.

"Bail." Keeping his tone even, Obi-Wan continued speaking as he crept closer. "You're safe here, Bail. We can leave at any time."

Obi-Wan reached out and clamped a firm hand down on Bail's right shoulder. He next words were an order. "Senator Organa, open your eyes and look at me."

Bail's dark eyes snapped open. He watched as Obi-Wan reached for his lightsaber and held it up between them.

"All we have to do to get out is activate this." Obi-Wan let go of Bail's shoulder and placed one of the Prince's hands on the hilt of the lightsaber. He pushed upward and to the left until it rested flush against the blocks that formed the shelter. "We'll both make the vents now."

Obi-Wan activated the blade. It sliced easily through he blocks of snow, causing them to glow slightly. He almost immediately turned the 'saber back off. Moving the hilt to the right, he turned it on again. The resulting holes in the snow let cold air into the small shelter. "See? Nothing to be afraid of."

Bail flushed and looked embarrassed. He took his hand from the lightsaber and began to pick at his robe. "I'm sorry," Bail said quietly. "I didn't think it would bother me so much."

"It's all right." Obi-Wan hooked the lightsaber back in its place on his belt. "Claustrophobia is a common enough thing. I've experienced it myself. It's nothing to apologize for."

After a few moments, Bail spoke again. "I thought you said only Master Jinn was allowed to use your lightsaber."

Obi-Wan's mouth quirked in a grin. "Well, I suppose I can make an exception for you in this situation."

Bail continued to frown. He was still uneasy. Obi-Wan decided that having something to do might help. "What else is in the pack? Do we have rations? Water? I'm sure you're hungry after our walk."

Taking one of the packs, Bail produced a few flat packages of rations and laid them on the floor of the shelter. "I'm afraid the concierge didn't stock us very well. Perhaps I should file a complaint."

Obi-Wan opened the other pack and found a thermal blanket, two containers of water, another lantern, and some first aid supplies. The Prince's habit of joking about serious situations had not gone unnoticed. There was something charming about it, and he decided to play along. "Well, at least he made sure to give us a picnic blanket."

Bail rewarded him with a smile.

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