My Two Jedi

Part VI

I don’t know how I managed to get to my rooms without being seen. I have a
lingering fear that I did some things that are forbidden to me, but that I have
blocked them out. But however I managed it, I was in my rooms, hurriedly
washing and about to don my robes of state when the summons came.

“His Lordship the Alton of Alpha requests your presence,” Lorleem intoned in his
irritating formal voice. As usual, he had just let himself in without knocking,
as was his right; servant outranks slave any day.

I opened my mouth to tell Lorleem whe where His Lordship could put his requests
from now on, and a few other choice things that I’d been meaning to say for
quite some time. But wisely, I did not actually say them this time, either.

“Please inform His Lordship that I will be with him immediately,” I said
instead, as I took up the unwieldy hood to begin the lengthy process of getting
it properly settled.

“Very good, miss,” Lorleem replied. But he didn’t actually leave. I sighed as
I realized he probably had orders not to return without me. With an angry
grunt, I yanked the hood down, not caring at all for if if the tassels were
straight or the pleats flat, and pushed past Lorleem into the hall.

I stalked down the hall, my anger at the Alton and rage at the universe in
general lending me speed. Lorleem trailed behind, barely able to keep up in the
uncomfortable shoes that were currently in fashion for men at court. As I
neared the Alton’s door, stealing myself to face him once and for all, my steps
faltered.

Obi-Wan was at the far end of the hall.

I couldn’t go to him, not with Lorleem on my heels and the Alton just before me.
Neither could I run away. I knew not which of the two I truly wished to do, but
with that revelation came another – that it did not matter. My wishes did not
matter. They had never mattered since the day the Alton chose me to be his
court telepath. Or really, since the day I was chosen to be genetically
reprogrammed for telepathy. I was trapped, imprisoned, as surely as a rachik in
a cage. And like that small animal, my future depended on the whim of my owner,
who might pet me one day but kick me the next. Everything depended on the
Alton’s continued good graces. And he had treated me well, I had to admit. For
a caged animal. That I had glimpsed freedom in the arms of a Jedi did not
change my only hope for the future.

Turning my eyes, and my mind, from the distant figure, I stepped into the
Alton’s chamber, prepared to be properly obsequious. Even if I still burned
inside.

“Ah, Meera,” the Alton said as he rose from his desk and approached me. “Did
you sleep well?”

“Yes, your Lordship,” I red, md, my tone light. Though it took all my will, I
managed to not pull away as he reached out to touch my arm.

“Good, good. Then may I ask…with whom?” His voice growing into a growl, the
Alton twisted my arm roughly, and I cried out. For once I was glad of my hood,
for as he loomed over me, his fingers digging cruelly into my flesh, I knew he
could not see my expression, for even my eyes were covered. And for that I was
grateful, as I was sure that if he could, he would read there my guilt. As it
was, I had perhaps a slim chance of getting out of this alive.

“Your Lordship, I’m afraid I don’t know what yean,ean,” I lied. “I was alone
last night, in my rooms, hoping that you would call for me…”

“Lying whore! I did call for you, just an hour ago, and you were nowhere to be
found. Lorleem looked everywhere!” The Alton shook my arm for emphasis. “You
were with that Jedi, weren’t you? I saw you talking to him last night.”

I was too shocked even to cry out again. The Alton had figured out the truth.
The stupid, drunken old bastard had figured it out. And now all was lost.
Surely he would kill me now. Or worse, turn me in for a replacement, so the
Committee could mind-wipe me and send me to some much less savory position as a
shell of my former self. I began to sob.

“Good morning, Your Lordship. Oh, is this a bad time?” Obi-Wan’s voice sounded
behind me.

My heart lurched hopefully in my chest. The Alton pulled me roughly around to
face the door. And possibly my savior.

“You! Jedi scum!” The Alton pointed one pudgy finger at Obi-Wan accusingly.
“I accuse you of trespassing on my property!”

With apparent calm, Obi-Wan just stepped closer to my captor. He waved one hand
through the air slowly. “You will let Meera go,” he said softly.

The Alton blinked. Then, to my utter amazement, he said “I will let Meera go,”
and abruptly released me. I stumbled, but Obi-Wan caught me by my good arm and
steadied me.

“Are you all right?” he asked me anxiously.

I nodded while rubbing my arm. My discomfort was of minor importance right now.
“He knows!” I whispered urgently, my back to the Alton, who continued to simply
stand there, blinking.

“I heard,” Obi-Wan whispered back. Then with an encouraging wink, he turned to
Lorleem. “You were mistaken,” the Jedi said to the servant. “Meera was in her
quarters this morning. You just overlooked her. She must have been in the
bath.”

“I…I was mistaken,” Lorleem repeated. Then he turned to the Alton. “Your
Lordship, forgive me, I was mistaken. Meera…”

As Lorleem continued to repeat the words Obi-Wan had somehow implanted in him,
my Jedi turned once more to me. “Meera, tell me. Do you wish to stay here?”

“Of course not,” I replied easily, “but what choice do I have? The Alton owns
me.”

“That can be changed. You must decide. Would you rather stay here, or come
away with me?”

“Come- You are asking me to go with you? Why didn’t you say so before?” I’m
somewhat ashamed to admit that at this point I was less than happy with my
golden Jedi lover.

“I’ll explain later. But now, I must know your decision.”

I did not hesitate. “Please, Obi-Wan, take me away with you.” I did not care
where or how or at what cost. I began to feel the first inkling of real joy. I
might actually escape this day alive. How my Jedi might accomplish this feat, I
knew not; I only knew that I trusted him with my life.

Obi-Wan felt the trust I broadcast to him, and smiled at it, at me. Then he
turned to my owner. “Alton of Alpha, you have accused me, a Jedi Ambassador, of
a crime for whi hav have been found not guilty. Do you concede this?”

The Alton, who had stopped blinking in blank submission, was now blinking in
conscious fear. “Y-y-yes. I concede.”

“Then by your own laws, you must grant me an appeasement.”

“What appeasement do you request, Ambassador? Anything which is within my power
to grant-”

“I request Meera G’Nal.”

I gasped right along with Lorleem and the Alton as I finally understood what
Obi-Wan was trying to do. He must have really been paying attention in those
negotiations. But would it work? There were ways to get around the laws.

The Alton knew this, too, of course. Drawing himself up like the legislator he
was, he intoned “I have heard your request and offer you goods in excess of 150%
of her value, as per Amendment 341 of the-”

“So that you may continue to mistreat her?” Obi-Wan interrupted, his eyes
narrowing threateningly. “I think not. How do you think the Telepath Committee
would respond if they knew just how their product was being utilized on this
world, Your Lordship?”

That got him. “You wouldn’t.” The Alton tried to look unmoved, but I could
sense the fear in him.

“Try me,” was all Obi-Wan said.