Part Two

Obi-Wan never felt so worn and numb in his life, not even when he was holding his Master's dead weight in his arms. His footsteps echoed down the lifeless corridor. His eyes flickering to one dead face to another. Masters, Knights, Padawans, Initiates, Younglings. Gone. Dead by a blaster or a lightsaber. Their bodies were lying on the ground, their life gone from them. He stopped walking and turned around. He stood there watching Yoda stare down at a human youngling of only four or five. A boy with brown hair. His body was cut through with a lightsaber. His brown eyes were still opened. The young and innocent face stared up at them. He was able to see the fear still etched on the face. There were dry tear marks down the boy's cheek. Yoda reached down with his green hand and respectfully closed the boy's eyes.

Obi-Wan could feel their last moments alive through the Force, their pain, confusion, fear, panic. He closed his eyes to try and block it out. They were gone. All gone. His family cut down in a single swoop. He felt like an orphan, parentless and family-less. Alone. He felt a pang in his chest as a Jedi that had escaped the first round joined the others in the Force. He didn't know who it was. All he knew and cared about was that another one of his family was just slaughtered by those who were supposed to be loyal to them.

He wanted to keep his eyes closed. He wanted this to be a nightmare. He didn't want to see the bodies of his family, his friends. Those he knew his whole life, Bant, Quinlan, Garen…He shook his head. Garen wasn't in the Temple at the time. But the other two were. They were there somewhere among the masses of lifeless bodies. This had to be a nightmare. He'd open his eyes and the room wouldn't be filled with bodies and pain. It would be calm, peaceful, and quiet with Jedi walking to and fro.

He opened his eyes when he heard the click, click of Yoda's cane. The vision of his nightmare was still there. The pain, fear, and confusion were still there. The dead bodies and the smell of death lingered. "To the security room, we must go," Yoda spoke quietly. Obi-Wan could detect the pain in his voice. Yoda was one of the strongest Force users of the Order. He would have felt the loss of the Jedi lives more keenly. Obi-Wan did not envy him one bit. He nodded, unable to speak through his own pain.

They continued down the corridor in silence, stepping over bodies of their family. Obi-Wan tried to ignore them. He tried to keep his head forward, but he couldn't help it. He caught sight of something purple off to the side and looked. He immediately paused and stared at the young purple Twi'lek. As if in a trance, Obi-Wan stepped to her body and knelt down. She had a hole in her chest from a lightsaber and she was lying across her Master, as if shielding him. He reached out and touched her still face. Master Tun had a blaster wound on his side. It wasn't a kill shot, but a life threatening shot. He would have bled out and died slowly. He looked around the corridor and saw several clones lying on the ground from a fight. Obi-Wan turned back to the Twi'lek and sighed as he rubbed his beard. She died protecting her dying Master, as any true padawan would have done. As Obi-Wan would have done.

"Know her, did you?" Yoda asked.

Obi-Wan shook his head. "Not well, Master Yoda," he answered softly. "I spoke to her only once years ago." That one time made a huge impact in his life. The way she spoke of Qui-Gon as if he was still alive. She spoke as if she had just talked to him. She knew, knew Qui-Gon did not blame him for his death. The way she spoke with such certainty helped Obi-Wan grieve properly for his Master. Her words helped him and he was unable to thank her. He couldn't even remember her name.

"Padawan Lynn Using, she is," Yoda said, as if he read Obi-Wan's mind. "Master Billus Tun was her Jedi Master." Obi-Wan nodded, remembering. "Strong bond, they had. Tried her best, she did. A great Jedi, she could have been. A role model you were for her. Looked up to you, she did."

Obi-Wan glanced over at Yoda in surprise. He had only talked to her once. He did not understand why he would be her role model. They barely knew each other.

"Made quite an impression on her, you must have." Yoda glanced down with his large brown eyes. His eyes looked as worn, if not more worn, than Obi-Wan.

A feeling of guilt came over him. Was he responsible for her death? Did he tell her to do this that one time they spoke? He remembered his words to her. "I was willing to sacrifice my life for his and I nearly did before I became his padawan." Did she remember those words and decided to protect her dying Master the best she could? Would she have done so despite his words?

He shook his head. "I never knew." He turned back to Padawan Using, his heart twice as heavy. He touched her face again and sighed deeply. She had confused him. He closed his eyes and remembered the only time he spoke to her. She was a curious one, wanting to know about him and Qui-Gon. She had acted oddly. He knew she had somehow saw something he, himself, couldn't see. It was something that surprised her. Afterwards, she spoke with conviction. He could remember her words with such clarity as if she was speaking to him right then.

"You shouldn't fear, Master Kenobi. Your Master loves you too. He is very proud of you. Nothing, not even an unsealed rift, could change that. He wants you to know that he never left you. He is still there. You have no need to feel guilt for his death. He does not blame you, Master Kenobi. He loves you and he wants you to be guilt free and happy. May the Force be with you, Master Kenobi."

He opened his tired, blue eyes and pulled away from her. That was the last thing she spoke to him and, he realized, he never even told her goodbye. "Thank you for your wise words. May the Force be with you, Padawan Using," he whispered respectfully. He stood up, still staring down at the Twi'lek's lifeless body. He wished he could give her a proper funeral. He wished he could give everyone a proper one, but there was no time. "We need to get going, Master Yoda," he said, turning away from the sight of her body. He walked away.

Yoda sighed and turned his back on the Twi'lek. He took a few steps before pausing. He felt something shift in the Force. He turned back around.

The Force ghost of Qui-Gon Jinn was kneeling over Padawan Using's body. There was a frown on his face as he looked up. Yoda nodded a greeting at him. Qui-Gon glance pass Yoda to his former padawan's retreating back. "It is time," he whispered. "I shall teach him the secret of the Shaman of the Whills."

"Agree, I do," Yoda said, nodding.

Qui-Gon glanced back down at the purple Twi'lek. "Tell Obi-Wan she is happy now. Her death was quick and painless. She is with her Master. He should not feel guilty." There was something in Qui-Gon's voice when he said she was with her Master and Yoda knew that a part of Qui-Gon wished Obi-Wan was with him, even if it meant death. He longed to be with his former padawan once again. Yoda stared at his grand-padawan and nodded. The bond between the two had always been strong. He was right, years ago, when he thought Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan would become a strong and beneficial team. They had passed his expectations.

"Master Yoda?" Obi-Wan's voice echoed the still corridor.

Qui-Gon glanced up with the same longing in his eyes that was in his voice and Yoda sighed, knowing it wasn't time for Obi-Wan to be with his Master just yet. He watched as Qui-Gon faded away back into the Force. Yoda stood there, staring at the spot Qui-Gon had knelt. He glanced at Padawan Using one last time before turning away. Obi-Wan stood at the end of the corridor, his face worn and looking years older than he was. Yoda slowly walked over to him. "Come. Linger, we must not," he said as he continued his way to the security room.

He heard Obi-Wan follow him. Two of the last few Jedi alive walked pass the bodies of their fellow comrades in respectful silence.

THE END!