Obi-Wan hung his head. "I was beaten Master," he said softly, his voice almost a whisper.
"That much is obvious," Qui-Gon undid Obi-Wan's shirt and the Padawan dutifully removed it, allowing his mentor to see the extent of what the Eeoa'lyn priests had done to him. "But who, when, why?" the older Jedi probed, gently touching one of the stripes on Obi-Wan's shoulder.
The young Jedi grimaced. "The Eeoa'lyn priests caught me on their holy ground," Obi-Wan replied honestly, his eyes glued to the floor. "I-I thought it would minimize the possible repercussions on our mission if, if I just took the punishment quietly and didn't let it go to the courts."
"That was a worthy decision Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon said quietly, and he meant it. Obi-Wan's concern for the success of their mission, even at cost to himself was commendable. "But what were you doing on the Eeoa'lyn holy grounds in the first place? Didn't I specifically warn you to stay away from them?" the Master's voice became very firm.
Obi-Wan swallowed hard, but was not sure what to say. "Yes, Master," he whispered.
Qui-Gon sighed. "You weren't going to tell me about this, were you?" The disappointed edge in his voice cut Obi-Wan's heart.
Obi-Wan understood very well A'lia's fear of displeasing her Master. It was worse than physical pain when Qui-Gon was disappointed in him. At least Obi-Wan knew that his Master still loved him. Even if Qui-Gon was sorely disappointed and upset with Obi-Wan, the Padawan knew he was always loved.
"I-I don't know," Obi-Wan answered miserably. "I wasn't going to lie to you..."
"But purposefully concealing something is a lie of omission Padawan," Qui-Gon pointed out.
Obi-Wan battled back tears. "I'm sorry Master. I'm very sorry."
"You haven't yet told me what you were doing there Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon could tell that Obi-Wan's repentance was sincere, but the Master's voice still had an edge to it. Direct disobedience and lying to cover it up was a pretty serious offence. One he had hoped to never have to deal with from Obi-Wan.
Obi-Wan bit his lip. What was he supposed to say? What *could* he say? "I... I can't tell you Master," he choked out.
"Can't?" Qui-Gon said sharply. "Or won't?"
"Can't." Obi-Wan was truly miserable.
"Obi-Wan..." the Jedi Master started, his tone a warning.
"Please Master, I-I really can't tell you. I would if I could. B-but I promised..." his voice trailed off, wishing now that he could take the promise back, but what was done was done and he was going to have to be true to his word.
"Someone else was there and you promised them you would not tell," Qui-Gon surmised for him, folding his arms.
Obi-Wan nodded mutely; he could not speak.
"Do you think you are doing them a favor by protecting them from the consequences of their actions Padawan?" Qui-Gon considered the bowed head and contrite countenance before him.
"I-I really don't know Master," Obi-Wan shook his head. Lifting his eyes to meet Qui-Gon's, the apprentice pleaded for the wisdom to deal with the complicated problem he found himself facing. Disappoint Qui-Gon, or betray his promise to A'lia. Which was the right thing to do? "I may be wrong, I don't know. I wish I could talk to you about it, I wish you could help me..."
Qui-Gon sighed. "But you promised."
"Yes," Obi-Wan nodded miserably. "I promised." He glanced fearfully at his Master. "Master, you - you aren't going to - to order me to tell you, are you?" Obi-Wan could not disobey a direct order, yet he could not break his word either...
"No, Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon said sadly. "I know the kind of position that would put you in and I will not order you to break your word to anyone. But I fear it was a foolish promise to make Padawan."
There was silence for a moment.
"Was the other party also beaten by the priests?" Qui-Gon asked after a moment.
Obi-Wan shook his head. "No, Master. Just me."
Qui-Gon's eyes softened slightly. "Then it seems to me that you got the short end of all this Obi-Wan."
Obi-Wan said nothing. What was he supposed to say?
"But that does not excuse you for trying to conceal it from me, and unless the circumstances of your disobedience clear you, which it seems there is no way for me to know, it does not excuse you for that either," Qui-Gon's voice became firm again.
Obi-Wan flinched. "What are you going to do Master?" he asked softly.
Qui-Gon sighed again. "If you mean do *to* you Padawan, nothing. It looks as if you have been punished quite enough already. If you mean do about this situation..." Qui-Gon paused. That was a very good question. His father's heart wanted only to help Obi-Wan heal and put it behind them. Obi-Wan was obviously repentant about whatever had taken place and Qui-Gon had already forgiven him. But he felt that duty dictated he could not let this go that easy. He had suffered the consequences of glossing over a Padawan's faults before, and although he knew Obi-Wan was nothing like Xanatos, it had been a painful lesson to learn, and one that was not easily forgotten.
"You are restricted to our quarters for the remainder of our stay here. You will not leave them for any reason until we leave for Coruscant."
"But-" Obi-Wan's eyes widened.
Qui-Gon held his hand up to silence the Padawan. "Yes, that includes not accompanying me to the meeting with the Talteerians. Obi-Wan, what you did was serious. I forgive you, but I cannot excuse your actions."
"I understand Master," Obi-Wan said softly, his heart breaking at the thought of Qui-Gon going to the dangerous meeting alone. If anything happened... Obi-Wan shuddered. It would be his fault. If something went wrong and anything happened to Qui-Gon because he was not there, he would bear the blame forever.
"No, Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon shook his head, clearly reading the young man's thoughts in his face. "You must not think that. I will be fine." The Jedi Master allowed a small smile to pull at his lips. "I will have to be fine now, because I could never punish you so severely as to have such a guilt hanging over your heart," he ruffled Obi-Wan's short hair fondly. He couldn't stay stern with Obi-Wan for too long. He just couldn't. "Now, let's go get that back of yours treated."
************
Qui-Gon took Obi-Wan to the clinic but was called away shortly thereafter, so he left Obi-Wan with strict instructions to go straight to their rooms when the medics were done.
On his way out, Obi-Wan bumped into A'lia.
"Obi-Wan," the other Padawan grinned hello. "Master Fioni sent me to run a message to the head medic. What are you doing here?"
"Um, getting treated," Obi-Wan did not meet her eyes.
"What for?" the young Correlian's dark eyes showed concern.
"Nothing important," Obi-Wan hedged. He did not wish to tell her what happened after she left, it would make the younger girl feel terrible and it couldn't be changed anyway.
"Okay, then after I'm done we can go get a fizzly or something. I can pay," she said proudly. "I've got a few credits saved, and after this errand I've got some free time..." the eleven-year-old invited hopefully. She wanted to thank Obi-Wan for not tattling on her somehow.
"I can't A'lia," Obi-Wan shook his head.
"Oh," the girl's face fell. "You have work to do?"
"Not exactly," Obi-Wan sighed. She was going to find out eventually anyway. "I have to go straight to our rooms. I-I'm being disciplined," he admitted with a touch of embarrassment.
A'lia's already large eyes went even rounder. "B-because you trespassed on the holy ground? Master Jinn found out about that?" her hands began to tremble in terror.
"Shh, don't worry," Obi-Wan shook his head wearily. "I didn't tell him about you."
A'lia looked at him with such relief and gratitude that Obi-Wan wondered if it really had been the right thing to do after all. "Thanks Obi, you're a real friend! W-What'd he do...?" she asked timidly.
Obi-Wan looked incredibly sad. Despite what Qui-Gon said, he was still gravely anxious about his Master going to the talks alone. "I don't want to talk about it right now A'lia. I'm supposed to go straight to our rooms, so I'd better get moving. I'll see you later."
"Okay, and Obi-Wan," she said, catching him before he left. "I'm sorry. I'm really sorry you got in trouble because of me..." her eyes spoke the truth of her words.
Obi-Wan shrugged, and then winced at the pain that caused his still healing shoulders. "Forget it."
A'lia delivered her Master's message to the head medic, then paused to ask one of the nurse-droids a question. "Excuse me, but I just met my friend Obi-Wan Kenobi coming out of here. What was he being treated for?"
"Abrasions and lacerations of the epidermal tissue on his upper and lower-"
Kali, the daughter of the medic who had treated Obi-Wan stopped the droid's confusing explanation, seeing the perplexed look on the other girl's face. Kali was only a year or so older than A'lia, they had met before and were on friendly terms with one another. "In plain basic, that means that Mom applied bacta to some really nasty welts on his back A'lia," she said, rolling her eyes at the droid's high-tech speech.
"Welts? Like, like he was hit with something?" A'lia asked, alarmed.
Kali nodded. "A lot," she said with a shudder. "His Master brought him in. I don't know what happened exactly, I'm not supposed to hang around when Mom's with patients, but I think I heard something about his being punished-"
A'lia's soft eyes were wide with horror and she dashed out of the room, waiting to hear no more. The only thing she could think was that Master Jinn had beaten Obi-Wan for his part in their little misadventure earlier and that's why Obi-Wan wouldn't talk to her about it.
Her feet flying, she ran all the way to Jinn and Kenobi's rooms and pounded on the door.
Qui-Gon opened the door and found a nearly hysterical, out of breath little Padawan facing him.
"Shouldn't have - shouldn't have hurt Obi!" she shook her head, tears beginning to spill down her cheeks. "It wasn't his fault Master Jinn, it wasn't!"
"Shh, shh, A'lia, calm down and come in," the big Jedi ushered the frantic child inside and sat her down on the couch. "Now, what are you trying to say?"
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry Master Jinn!" she sobbed. "This is all my fault! I didn't want Obi-Wan to get in trouble, honest!"
"So, you're the companion he wouldn't tell me about," Qui-Gon said softly as the pieces came together. He had suspected as much.
The little girl nodded miserably. "I-I know I shouldn't have been there Master Jinn, but-but those kids dared me..." her voice trailed off, she knew it was a stupid excuse. "Obi-Wan followed to try to stop me, he didn't do it to disobey, I did. It's my fault, not his. I-I begged him to promise not to tell... I-I didn't know you'd beat him for it..." she was sobbing so hard now that her words were barely legible.
"Hush, child, hush," Qui-Gon soothed softly, pulling the sobbing Padawan into his big arms. "I'm glad you have come forward and confessed, but you have things a little turned around. I did not beat Obi-Wan; I would *never* beat Obi-Wan that way, no matter what he did. He was beaten by the Eeoa'lyn priest for trespassing, apparently after you separated. So, yes, he did suffer because of your wrongdoing, but you must not think that I could ever do such a thing to him, no more than Master Drenba could to you."
Obi-Wan had heard the commotion in the other room and now stood quietly in the doorway, watching his Master and little A'lia. He was glad that A'lia had come forward. It was better this way he was sure, and besides, the secret had been wearing on his conscience.
Qui-Gon motioned for Obi-Wan to come in and the Padawan obeyed.
Obi-Wan was not wearing a shirt now, for comfort's sake, and A'lia averted her eyes from the sight of the cruel marks that the bacta had not yet finished taking away.
"I'm so sorry, so sorry," she murmured miserably.
Obi-Wan gave her a quiet smile to let her know that he forgave her and sat down cross-legged on the floor by his Master.
"A'lia," Qui-Gon said, gently, but with a firm tone. "You knew what you did was wrong, yet you tried to hide it from your Master, and even got Obi-Wan to try to hide it from me. This got Obi-Wan into trouble he did not deserve. I know you know the need for taking responsibility for your actions, so why didn't you tell Master Drenba about all this?"
"I-I know it's the wrong reason," A'lia stammered, starting to cry again. "B-but I was afraid. I want so much for her to love me, to want me and accept me... now she won't. She's told me not to accept dares before, but I did anyway. Now she'll - she'll send me back to the Temple!"
Qui-Gon shook his head, smiling sadly at the needless terror that was tearing A'lia apart. Now at least he understood why Obi-Wan had agreed to silence for her. His Padawan knew far to well the feeling of anxiety that came when one thought their Master did not want them, or did not care for them.
"She will not send you away A'lia, and she will not stop loving you," Qui-Gon assured. "She will be distressed by your actions, naturally, and may find it necessary to discipline you, but that does not mean she does not love you."
A'lia shook her small head sadly. "You don't understand Master Jinn... I know..."
"A'lia, look at me," Qui-Gon caught the young girl's eyes. "I know that Master Fioni Drenba is a strict woman, but you've got to look deeper than her outward appearance and actions. She loves you A'lia, I know this."
"I-I can't face her," A'lia cried, holding on tightly to Qui-Gon and burying her small face in his tunic.
"Obi-Wan and I will go with you," Qui-Gon said gently but firmly, picking the little girl up and placing her on her feet. "But you have to tell her the truth."
"Yes, Master Jinn. I know," A'lia said with a resigned sigh. Drying her tears, she tried to muster a bravery she did not feel and let Qui-Gon take her to hers and Master Drenba's room.
Fioni listened in silence as A'lia told her the whole story through a stream of controlled, but unstoppable tears. "Go to your room A'lia. I will discuss this with you further in a moment," Fioni said sternly when she finished.
The little girl hung her head and obeyed.
"Thank you for your help Master Jinn," Fioni said to the big Jedi. "I am sorry that A'lia got your Padawan into trouble. I shall deal with her about this."
Qui-Gon nodded, but stopped Fioni with a hand on her arm. "Master Drenba," he said, his eyes soft. "Do what you feel is right, but... be sure to tell her that you love her."
"She knows that," Fioni said factually.
Qui-Gon shook his head. "No, Fioni, she doesn't. Maybe she should, but you must remember that she is just a child still. She is insecure and admitted to me that she is afraid that you will reject her if she does not please you. I know you care for her Fioni, but *she* doesn't."
Fioni looked shocked at the thought that A'lia would think she could be so harsh and petty.
"It's not a reflection of what she thinks of you," Qui-Gon put in. "She respects you and loves you with all her little heart, that's why she so badly craves the assurance that you feel the same. Obi-Wan and I went through much the same thing in the beginning. I thought that *of course* he should know that I cared, but I was looking at him as an adult, not as a child. And children need to be *told* they are loved."
"Thank you Qui-Gon," Fioni nodded slowly. "What you say is true."
"Then we will leave you to talk with her," Qui-Gon said. He and Obi-Wan both bowed, and left.
"A'lia," Fioni said softly, looking with pity upon the downcast, trembling girl who sat upon the sleep-couch in the other room. "What you did was wrong. It is foolish and dangerous to do something you know is wrong simply because someone else goaded or dared you to do it. That is not the path to true courage. True courage is in standing *against* such people."
"Yes, Master," A'lia whispered, her face pale.
Fioni sat down on the sleep couch beside her student. "But A'lia, before we discuss this any more, there is something I need to tell you. Something I should have told you before this."
A'lia stiffed. This was it. Fioni didn't want her anymore, she regretted taking such a worthless Padawan...
"I love you A'lia," Fioni said gently, wrapping her arm around the little girl and drawing her close. "That is why I want you to learn to be the best Jedi you can be."
A'lia melted into her Master's arms, sobbing out all the pent up emotions and anxieties that had been balling up inside her for months.
Fioni held her close, stroking her short hair and letting her cry. "It's okay honey, it's okay."
******************
"Thank you Master," Obi-Wan said quietly as they walked back to their own rooms. "For helping A'lia. I tried to tell her that Master Drenba wouldn't reject her, but she wouldn't believe me."
"She'll believe it from no one but her Master Padawan," Qui-Gon said softly. "Obi-Wan," he asked as the door swished open to admit them. "If you knew that Fioni would not do as A'lia feared, then why did you agree to not tell what happened?"
Obi-Wan chewed his lip thoughtfully. "She - she was so scared Master, and so sad... I just didn't want her to hurt anymore. I suppose I went about it in the wrong way, but I knew how she felt and I..." Obi-Wan's voice trailed off as he realized he had just admitted that he had once felt that Qui-Gon did not care about him.
Qui-Gon laid one big hand gently on the boy's shoulder. "I know Obi-Wan," he nodded softly. "I'm just glad you know how I feel now."
Obi-Wan nodded. So was he.
"Well, Padawan," Qui-Gon said presently. "I think you'd better get changed if you're going to accompany me to the meeting with the Talteerians," he said with a twinkle in his eye.
Obi-Wan's face lit up brightly. "Yes, Master! Right away!"
THE END
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