Damage Report
a Star Wars story
by Nermal
"This is where the shield generators were hit. Even though it's not the primary power source, if they take one more hit, the Tritus will not make it through another battle. And here, General," the image of the starship revolved in the cone of blue light from the holoprojector, showing the Tritus from all angles, "large areas of carbon scoring around the ion canons. We must get the damage taken care of as soon as possible."
Obi-Wan nodded mutely. The holoprojector changed images every few seconds in accord with Lieutenant Rayk's speech. As officer in charge of the starship Tritus' damage reports, the ship's lieutenant had summoned Obi-Wan from the military base on Chionos back to the Tritus. Reluctant, but concerned, Obi-Wan had traveled the short distance from the base, to one of the outer docking bays, and came aboard the Tritus early that morning. The damage report the captain had given to him yesterday only began to delineate the amount of damage the ship had suffered in its last few skirmishes. In the few hours he had been there, Obi-Wan had seen the effect of ion canons, deep space battle and strafing runs on the starship. Not just on the holoprojector, either. He and a few of the other officers had opted to inspect the damage up close in order to get a better idea of just how badly the ship had been hit. The last battle had been tough. Imperial forces seemed to get stronger and smarter by the day. Not only had the enemy been able to predict when the Tritus would come out of hyperspace, they had also known each of the ship's weak points. Sighing, Obi-Wan bit back the growing uneasiness and scrolled to the final list of repairs that the ship required. They were extensive, expensive, and absolutely necessary.
Just as this meeting had been necessary. Obi-Wan had to remind himself of that fact again, as he had been all morning. It helped prevent him from looking at his chron every five minutes or checking his commlink for messages. Duty was never a burden to Obi-Wan, for he accepted it with the grace that had been taught to him from his first days as a padawan. Duty, however, encountered close competition when Obi-Wan's bondmate needed him. Leaving Qui-Gon that morning had been more difficult than Obi-Wan could have predicted. Having only spent one night with Qui-Gon since his arrival on Chionos yesterday, Obi-Wan was not quite ready to leave the safe warmth of his lover's arms in the dark hours before dawn. Add to that the worrying fact that Qui-Gon was ill and Obi-Wan was not just unprepared, but unwilling to leave him alone.
/ It's just a cold. A bad cold. / Obi-Wan shifted in his seat. He had been able to keep thoughts of his bondmate at the back of his head, but every so often the niggling worry would creep up on him anew. Qui-Gon still slept when Obi-Wan departed – a deep, exhausted sleep, after waking up numerous times, coughing and sneezing. How happily Obi-Wan had woken up with him, if only to fetch cups of water or tissues, or to rub Qui-Gon's back until he fell asleep again. As much as he was needed here, Obi-Wan could not shake the feeling that he was needed more at the base.
"Besides authorizing the repairs, I fear there is little I can do," Obi-Wan commented. He clicked off his datapad. "Send word to Coruscant and Alderaan that the ship will be repaired and ready to join Fleet Command as soon as possible."
"Yes, General." A murmur of voices from around thetable.
"Also notify the Corellian Temple that our arrival will not be delayed. The Tritus will arrive as scheduled, with a squadron of starfighters."
Another few words of assent from his fellow officers. Obi-Wan rose from the table, nodded, and signaled for the holoprojector to be shut off. "If there is any difficulty, notify me. I will be staying at the base, but am readily available if needed."
Obi-Wan held his breath for a second, but when no comments were forthcoming, he bade the others farewell and left the meeting room. The other officers had climbed the ranks of Fleet Command and had established careers in the Republic military. Taking orders from the Jedi General was not something that came easily to them. Thankfully this time Obi-Wan had chosen the right words for the right situation. He left the room and started down the corridor to his with a sigh of relief. The tension that had built up during the meeting suddenly made his neck and shoulders ache. Still, it was relief that marked his emotions more than anything else. The slight twinge of pain in his shoulder – a reminder of a blaster bolt taken in the last battle on the Tritus – would fade soon enough. It always did. But the anxiety of not knowing how Qui-Gon was faring would only disappear when he saw his love again.
Flicking his commlink on, Obi-Wan walked quickly toward the room that served as both his office and living quarters. He needed a few belongings from his room then he could return to take care of Qui-Gon for the rest of his leave on Chionos. A small burst of static came through the comm as it connected and Obi-Wan paused in the hallway. The voice that answered his call was not his Qui-Gon's.
"Skywalker."
"Ani?" Obi-Wan gave himself a mental shake. He walked a bit more quickly to his office door. Palming it open, he answered Anakin's greeting. "It's Obi-Wan. Is Qui-Gon still asleep?"
"Sort of."
The tension in Obi-Wan's shoulders rose a notch. "Sort of? Anakin..."
"I'm sorry, Obi-Wan, I couldn't comm you during the meeting. I had to take Master Qui-Gon to the med-bay."
"What?" The one syllable escaped before Obi-Wan could check his reaction. Force, the med-bay...
"He's all right, Obi-Wan he just –"
"Is it very serious?"
"No, he –"
"Are you still at med-bay?"
"No, in Master's room and –"
That was all Obi-Wan needed to hear. "Ani, listen, take care of him, and I'll be there as soon as I can."
The comm clicked off as soon as Obi-Wan stopped talking. He threw a handful of datacards, a pile of neatly folded clothing and a few books into small bag and headed for the door. One damage report was all Obi-Wan could handle at a time.
For the second time that day Obi-Wan felt his eyes glaze over. The medical language was just as complicated as the technical jargon he had to endure at the meeting on the Tritus. Obi-Wan blinked, scrolled to the beginning of the paragraph, and started to reread it. He had hurried back from the ship, changed from his uniform into his Jedi tunics and leggings, and settled on Qui-Gon's bed with the datapad.
"I made sure the medic did a complete examination." Anakin nodded toward the datapad and hovered anxiously by the bed.
Obi-Wan looked up for a moment. "I see. The medic checked his lungs? That cough was not getting any better."
"Yes. They said the congestion had worsened, but the infection hadn't spread yet."
"Yet," Obi-Wan murmured and continued to read. Anakin started to say something else, but Obi-Wan held up one hand. He wanted to get through the whole report, not just the write up of the examination. "Infection?"
"A sinus infection." Anakin answered quickly. "I had the medic explain to me. I can tell you –"
"No, it's all right. I'm almost finished." Reaching down to stroke Qui-Gon's hair, he scrolled through the last few sections of the medic's report. Reading it made his head ache and Obi-Wan knew that if Qui-Gon were awake, he would have either laughed at or scolded Obi-Wan for having bothered to look at the whole thing. After having deciphered all the complicated jargon and having read through every paragraph, Obi-Wan turned to Anakin.
"I should have simply listened to you," Obi-Wan sighed. A sinus infection, and a rather serious one at that, just like Anakin had told him, was responsible for his love's misery. Apparently Qui-Gon's temperature was high enough that morning to worry Anakin into taking Qui-Gon to med-bay. Obi-Wan sighed again. Qui-Gon would have to be very ill to let anyone take him to see a medic. "Did they give you the medication indicated in the report?"
Anakin nodded toward the bedside table. "Master took the decongestant. You'll have to administer the antibiotic hypospray. The medic gave Master the first dosage, but he'll need one every six hours." Toying with the hem of his tunic, Anakin took a step closer to the bed. "Obi-Wan, I'm sorry. I didn't think it could wait until you got back, he had such a headache and he could hardly sit up."
"Ani, don't worry. You did well."
"I - I did?"
"Yes. I'm very grateful." Obi-Wan smiled at the relief in Anakin's eyes.
"Can you stay? Or no," Obi-Wan watched Anakin's fingers smooth down the tunic of his uniform, "your squadron needs you."
"I'm sorry –"
"Ani, stop apologizing. I understand. None of us can afford to ignore our duties now."
Anakin smiled shyly. He touched Qui-Gon's arm affectionately then turned to Obi-Wan again. "He's still my master, too. I want Qui-Gon well again as much as you do."
"I know." With a slight nod, Obi-Wan whispered. They had kept their voices low while they talked, but Obi-Wan felt the need to speak even more quietly all of a sudden. "I know you do, Ani." Qui-God stirred in his sleep, making a soft, sighing sound, and Obi-Wan moved to soothe him. The room remained quiet as Obi-Wan gently smoothed the blankets. When Anakin took a step from the bed, Obi-Wan looked up.
"I should go." Anakin moved away from them hesitantly.
"I know. It's all right."
He wanted to thank Anakin again, but Obi-Wan could not think of words that would sound just right. Qui-Gon needed looking after right now; Anakin had taken care of him while Obi-Wan was on the Tritus. There. That was it. Obi-Wan sighed, smiled wanly, and rose from the bed. He offered Anakin another thank you as they walked to the door, but kept the rest of his thoughts to himself. When the young man had gone and had reassured Obi-Wan that he would stop by as soon as he was free, Obi-Wan sat back down on the bed. Another sigh escaped his lips and he closed his eyes, one hand resting on Qui-Gon's warm body.
"I am grateful Anakin looked after you, but I wish it had been me. I know it's selfish. I can't seem to help it." Obi-Wan shuddered and bit back a sob. He had hardly whispered the words, yet it hurt him so much to say them. The emotion behind those words had been haunting his heart ever since he arrived at the base. Finding his lover ill proved more difficult than Obi-Wan could have imagined. "I need it to be me, taking care of you, holding you, comforting you. I'm so sorry, Master."
Obi-Wan's words grew louder and Qui-Gon stirred in his sleep. He curled closer to Obi-Wan, seeking his warmth. After a few minutes of gentle petting Qui-Gon opened his eyes. A bleary look at Obi-Wan had him closing and rubbing them.
"Good morning, love." Obi-Wan smiled despite the anxiety that clutched his heart. Qui-Gon still looked tired, his eyes glassy and his expression dull.
"Obi?" The name came out in a harsh, painful whisper.
"Yes? Do you need anything?" Obi-Wan frowned, touching a finger to Qui-Gon's lips. "Hush, Qui. What is it?"
Instead of speaking again, Qui-Gon edged his fingers over Obi-Wan's sleeve. He rolled to his side and struggled to sit up. Obi-Wan urged him back down, but when he began coughing, Obi-Wan slipped an arm beneath his shoulders and eased him upright, rubbing his back until the spasm abated. Again, Qui-Gon touched Obi-Wan's tunic. The expression on his face softened. "Haven't seen you in this in so long."
The sob rose in Obi-Wan's chest again. His fingers moved over Qui-Gon's as they clung to the sleeve of his tunic. The last time he wore his Jedi outfit had been on Coruscant, in the Temple. "They're more comfortable," Obi-Wan laughed shakily. He squeezed Qui-Gon's hand. "How are you feeling?"
Qui-Gon shut his eyes and shook his head. The answer that had started to form on his lips became a sigh. "Tired."
"Of course." He knew the question had been silly, even superfluous, but it made Obi-Wan feel as if he had done something for Qui-Gon. As if the asking, in some small way, took away the helplessness. "You need to rest. Here," Obi-Wan helped Qui-Gon lean against the carefully arranged pillows, "sit up, but rest. And if you need something to drink – hot or cold – I'll get it for you, love."
"Don't think? Think? HuhKESHah! HeptTSHH!!" Sneezing weakly, Qui-Gon turned away from Obi-Wan. He snuffled loudly and held the back of his hand to his nose. "Ehh?HehKISHoo! Shhishhuh!" A ragged cough interrupted the breath Qui-Gon took and he turned farther away from Obi-Wan. Qui-Gon resisted the touch of Obi-Wan's hand on his back, curling in on himself even more when the cough died down as a chain of sniffles led to another small sneezing fit. "Heh?ESHHAhh!! Huh... ESHH! HuhESHshoo!!"
Obi-Wan's hand still rested on Qui-Gon's back. When the sneezes finished, he moved it to gently stroke away the tension from Qui-Gon's shoulders. He leaned closer, helped Qui-Gon settle back down against the pillows, and handed him the tissues. This was the hardest thing for Obi-Wan. Seeing Qui-Gon wince from the sharp pain in his sinuses and press two fingers to his forehead in an attempt to ease the ache; listening to the harsh coughs that came from Qui-Gon's chest, sometimes so persistent that nothing helped until the tickle was forced out; watching Qui-Gon lean back against the pillows, limp, and close tired, fever-dull eyes. Knowing there was nothing he could do to fix any of it.
"All right, dear?" His whisper did little to hide the concern he felt and Obi-Wan could not bring himself to correct it. Carefully Obi-Wan touched his hand to Qui-Gon's forehead.
"Hurts," Qui-Gon mumbled. He shook his head when Obi-Wan started to pull his hand away. "Not your touch," he sniffled then coughed softly before leaning closer to Obi-Wan, "my head aches."
Obi-Wan hushed him quickly, pressing his lips to Qui-Gon's forehead, and then stroking it with gentle fingertips. The skin felt warm to his touch, too warm, and the rising concern he felt choked Obi-Wan. It was so unfair that he had to spend the morning listening to a list of damages that could be fixed without him there while his bondmate suffered. Obi-Wan wanted to make Qui-Gon better, wanted to order the healers to make him well again, just like he would order the mechanics to fix the ion cannons or remove carbon scoring from the Tritus. Jaw-clenched, Obi-Wan let out a slow breath. He forced himself to relax and to make the ache in his shoulder stop. Tension, stress, worry – they all make the old wound there start to throb again and he had no time now to worry about himself. Obi-Wan stroked Qui-Gon's forehead again, more gently than before, and reached over to hand his sniffling lover another tissue. "Here, love, it's all right."
Qui-Gon fumbled for the tissues, his fingers clumsy as they brushed over Obi-Wan's. He took the tissues, but his hold on them grew lax and his breath suddenly hitched. "ehh! huhCshh!! EhChshhishh!!" Qui-Gon jerked forward with the sneezes, one following right after the other, the second more powerful than the first. Obi-Wan reached up to brush Qui-Gon's hair back from his face. He halted his hand as Qui-Gon took an expectant breath and the sneezy look hovered on his face once more. "Heh? eh – HehCHishhSHOO!" The dazed look faded from Qui-Gon's face after a few seconds and he sank back onto his pillows with an exhausted sigh.
"Bless you." Obi-Wan smoothed the hair back from Qui-Gon's shoulders, finally handing him the tissues, and petted Qui-Gon as he wiped his nose.
"Still congested?"
Qui-Gon nodded. He had started to blow his nose, paused, wiped it again with a stuffy, sniffing noise and put the tissues down. Lines of illness and fatigue had formed around his eyes, still present after they drooped shut and Qui-Gon's head rested heavily on Obi-Wan's shoulder.
"Rest, Qui-Gon," Obi-Wan encouraged him with a kiss to the forehead. If only he could take away all the pain and illness with those words, Obi-Wan thought and kissed Qui-Gon again. If only it were as easy to do the things he wanted, as it was to do the things he needed.
"Obi?"
"Yes?" Obi-Wan looked down and adjusted the blankets as Qui-Gon cuddled closer to him.
"Feel so much better with you here. Was so cold when you left." A small shiver made Qui-Gon tremble. He buried his face in Obi-Wan's neck, warm lips pressing to the skin there. "But now? so much better," mumbling sleepily, Qui-Gon kissed Obi-Wan again. "Thank you."
Qui-Gon dozed off before Obi-Wan could answer, but even if he had not, it felt as if Obi-Wan could never come up with the right words. He wanted to thank Qui-Gon, for letting Obi-Wan take care of him and giving him the chance to make something better. Obi-Wan sighed. Closing his eyes, he prepared himself for a few hours spent in bed with his Qui-Gon. He was determined to get everything on both damage reports remedied as soon as possible.
The End
Belongs to GL.