"She’s just in here" The figure on the infirmary bed sits stock still her bandaged eyes turned to the wall, her plastered hands resting in her lap. She makes no move to even glance in the direction of the open door where the pervading smell of detol and disinfectant is stronger, nor does she seem to hear the shriek of a toddler from the waiting room. She sits still and silent, not acknowledging the people there. *** Smell of smoke and blood. "Master? Where are you? I can’t find you anywhere. The ship's on fire Master, why won’t you come?" *** "Sara?" That is An-Paj inquiring nicely, his hand on her shoulder as a presence that she can feel. The only movement is her quiet breathing and the way her body stiffens automatically to any touch. *** "Master? The smoke is getting thicker Master and I can’t breathe! Master? Master? Where are you?" *** There is a cough from behind him as the older Jedi walks up accompanied by a much younger man. Sara can feel herself being examined but she doesn’t care anymore. Her master is dead so why worry? *** "Master I can’t find you!" "I’m here padawan." Coming through the smoke looking like she is dragging something with her, oh the captain. Running and stumbling through the corridors to reach the air-vents and then onto the corridors. *** "Where are the escape pods?" "I beg your pardon Sara?" Silence from her and the unseeing face turns away to the wall. Through the glimmers of the force Sara ‘sees’ An-Paj shake his head at the visitor. There is a scrape at the doorway and a familiar scent – Qui-Gon Jinn. Her head stays the same way. Short brown hair flops over where the healers have let it grow long. She knows that if she ran her hand over her head some of it would be stubble where they shaved it, the rest would be long and fine. She doesn’t have the energy. *** Master? Master? *** "Qui-Gon!" "I apologise if I am disturbing you An-Paj, I had come to see Sara. Master Adu, it has been a long time since I have seen you." So that is who it is. "Too long Qui-Gon. How is your apprentice?" "Xanatos is fine." *** "There Master there…see it?" "I see it padawan." The captain groans and her Master shifts the burden with her hand. Sara smiles grimly at Ash-ka, her Master, and continues their stumbling walk through the smoke. *** "Hello Sara." That is Qui-Gon trying to make polite conversation in front of An-Paj. Sara doesn’t move, she just sits impassively on the bed. Remembering everything while people talk around her. The other Master must have sat down because the chair squeaks like it always does and then comes that feeling of papery skin on hers as the old woman takes her hand. //Not my master// Sara snatches her hand away and folds them neatly on top of the blankets. *** "Here Master we’ve made it." Almost crying in relief as she punches the code in to open the door, Sara takes the weight of the captain and slides him inside. Giving her Master a cocky grin Sara slips in besides him. "We are not out of the woods yet padawan" Ashka smiles. "What could go wrong now?" she asks innocently. There is a beep from beside the door. Then it slides shut…to fast for Ashka to get in, too fast for Sara to get out. "MASTER!" Sara almost screams as the door closes but Ashka looks unruffled. "I’ll get the next one, padawan." She assures her. Smoke fills billows out of the hall but Ashka only smiles. Sara is thrown back into the seat as the capsel breaks free. *** "So she will regain her sight," the papery-skinned one is saying. "Oh yes." An-Paj again. Sara trembles but nobody notices. *** Up by the window now, waiting to see her Master come out in the pod but there is nothing…nothing until suddenly a blasting flash of light throws Sara against the wall and casts her into blackness but not unconsciousness. Scrambling up and shaking her head the only thing she can see is her Master smiling at her as the pod cast off, sadness in her eyes. Then her own screams fill her ears. *** Only now does Qui-Gon notice Sara trembling and the white, terrifyingly sad expression on her face. Adu-reil stands with the announcement that she will take Sara as her padawan until another younger master can be found. Sara stills but doesn’t make a sound. *** "Master?" she says grabbing at the blankets twisted around her torso. "Shhh" A voice but not her Master’s voice. A cool, broad palm on her forehead pushing her down on the bed again. "Who are you?" she whispers, her throat flaring in agony after the brutal treatment it had received. "My name is Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn," comes the soothing voice. "My Master," she manages to cough out, "And why can’t I see?" "The explosion of the ship seems to have blinded you." Another voice, this as light as the other but with something underneath. "I want my Master," she whispers, turning her face to the wall. "I’m sorry Sara." Qui-Gon again, "Yours was the only pod we picked up." //Master...// *** They’ve left, all of them. Leaving the door open in what they hope will make a refreshing breeze but instead the smell of detol and disinfectant pervade the room. Sara shivers but not because she is cold. Her Master is gone and now they want another to replace her. She turns her face to the wall but does not cry. //Master?// Tears //Master?// |
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| Lost But Searching By Kit |