The Negotiator and the Fire Fang

Raiders of the Sand: Plot

Now that they were... friends? Allies? People with a common enemy? Sahrea Shan and Obi-Wan Kenobi were treated like guests in the Tusken camp rather than hostages. They were given a tent (complete with two hammocks and a guard) and were allowed to wander around the area, supervised of course.

Sahrea was still sick from the Velamite bite, but was recovering. It had been a fast acting poison, which were notorious for taking a long time to recover from. It had been hours of sweating, pain, and even vomiting at its worst points.

Kenobi was currently lying in his hammock, relaxing now that Sahrea was finally able to get some sleep.

It was large and surprisingly comfy. It was woven from a rough, fibrous material, but lined with a thick layer of Bantha hair so it was quite soft. There was a wooden table between his hammock and Shan's. A bowl of water for washing was there, along with two cups for drinking. A lantern hung from a post at the top. Kenobi's eyes instinctively darted to the door as the shadow of their Tusken guard slid across the flaps. He had finished his shift and swapped places with a new warrior.

Kenobi closed his eyes and laid there for a while, enjoying the quiet of the camp. In the distance, the faint sounds of the Bantha herd could be heard; the shuffling of feet, the occasional bray. Wind blew through the area. In the camp itself, most of the raiders were resting, but there were still a few out and about. Metal was clinking together from one of the shops. The soft errs of Tuskenese echoed to their tent. Footsteps could be heard walking past.

As he laid there, something began to bother him. It took Obi-Wan a moment to realize the sensation prickling at his senses was one of being watched. He turned his head and opened his eyes.

Shan was awake. She was studying him with an intensity like he had never seen from her before. She usually watched him how one watches a duel; Analyzing each movement, anticipating the next flurry of slashes, hidden excitement behind the eyes. This was different. She was studying him like a code she was trying to decipher. Like if she stared hard enough, she could see the inter workings of his mind. Kenobi rested his arm against his forehead.

"Staring at someone makes it quite hard to rest." he said towards the ceiling, hoping he sounded nonchalant when he was in fact tense. They were about four feet apart, but it felt so much farther.

Kenobi was fighting back the strong desire to close the space between them. To lay down in her hammock, take Sahrea in his arms, pull her in close, and fall asleep next to his Gray. Despite the fact the longing almost hurt, especially after almost losing her for the second time, he didn't move.

"Why did you jump between me and the rifle?" she asked him, Kenobi grateful for the distraction. How much he wanted to be close to her was the last thing he should be thinking about, although he wished she had picked a topic that wasn't in the same category.

"If he was telling the truth, I was going to die anyway, so you getting shot wouldn't have changed anything." she continued. "That was a very foolish decision for a very not foolish person. That is quite unlike the smart and sensible Obi-Wan I have come to know." Her mouth was turned up in a small smile, but her voice was holding onto something. Kenobi knew what it was, but refused to acknowledge it.

She was right though. In that moment, he had done something quite out of character for him. He let his fear get the best of him, chasing away all the logic his years as a general had taught him. Thinking back, there were a dozen other things he could have done which would have been much more effective than getting himself shot.

"Indeed. It is very unlike me." he agreed, trying to find the words to explain what had happened without giving too much away. He rolled onto his side.

"I suppose... I have lost much the last three months. The Order. The Republic. Satine. Cody. Anakin..." his voice trailed on that final name, memory of his friend's betrayal widening the hole in his heart. It was a story he had yet to divulge with the woman across from him.

"I thought you were gone too, but then you cane back. I didn't, couldn't, lose anyone else." This felt awkward, his vague explanation feeling too far much like a confession of how he felt inside, of how important Sahrea truly was to him. Although it was the truth, or part of it anyway, the other half danced on his tongue, threatening to come out. Luckily for him, Sahrea spoke before the words tumbled forth.

"I know you have. You have lost a lot in life. Your strength amazes me." she replied, blinking sleepily at him. Obi-Wan wondered if she knew what he was thinking. Her fatigued expression gave nothing away.

"Anakin was killed in the Jedi Temple when Vader attacked, was he not?" Shan asked, relaying the Imperial lies no one knew better than to accept. Again, guilt clawed its hand around his heart. Guilt for making Anakin feel like he couldn't trust him. Guilt for keeping things from Sahrea. Guilt for the duel on Mustafar. Guilt for being one of the reasons Anakin became Darth Vader.

"Yes." he lied. Shan brushed a lock of hair behind her ear. "What about Commander Cody?" Another stab of pain, this time of sadness, not of guilt or betrayal. One of his closest friends, his second in command, the one who had saved his life and vice versa, over and over again, being forced to kill him. All memories forgotten, their friendship and brotherhood, erased.

"I'm not sure. I would assume he is working for the Empire like the rest of the clones." he explained, holding back emotion from his voice. Shan rolled onto her back.

"I wonder whatever happened to Ice." she mused. "During Order 66, I was able to bypass the bio-chip's programming by confusing him. His orders were to kill Jedi. I'm not a Jedi. That was enough to get him to fight back, to remember. He helped me escape into the air ducts, where I made it to the hanger." she wrapped a lock of hair around her finger.

"I wonder if they ever found out or if he too, is working for the Empire." Her voice was tight. She and Ice had a strong bond, so losing him was like losing Cody.

"No more sad talk." Shan said before he could respond. She sat up on the hammock, her pale hair falling around her face. She was aching beautiful.

"Oh here." Shan said, reaching down to the floor. She straightened back up and tossed a helmet at Kenobi. "I had a Raider grab this for you." Obi-Wan caught it easily. He inhaled subconsciously and blanched at the horrid scent coming from within.

"Uhh, what is that smell?" he asked indignantly. Sahrea gave him a sheepish smile. "Sweat and death. It was on a dead pirate for a few days. In the sun." he took another sniff and held back a gag.

"It is absolutely foul." Shan gave another pained grin. "Sorry. I'll soak it in some Xelric Cactus Blooms over night. Hopefully that can mask the scent a bit." she replied, hanging her legs over the side of the hammock.

"So why was I given a dead man's helmet?" he asked, already knowing the answer.

"It is your disguise when we go to see Jabba." Shan replied simply. "We leave tomorrow morning." Kenobi put the rank smelling helmet on the floor, far away from his nose.

"No. You're not well enough yet." he stated, his voice serious. Shan shook her head, sending her hair unbound flying back and forth.

"We have no choice. The quicker we resolve this whole issue, the quicker we get to go back home, which I very much wish to do." A stab of emotion hit him in the chest at her words. Go back home.

Maybe he hadn't been paying attention before, but that was the first time she said 'home' rather than 'your hut', like it was hers as well. She was no longer a guest. It was her home now as much as his. Sahrea gave him a smile. "Now get some rest. We have a Hutt to visit."