PART 1
Jedi Temple
Suite 1506 (Jinn/Kenobi residence)
0:18hrs (12:18am)
Obi-Wan Kenobi sat on his bed, propped against the wall, reading a book filled with short horror stories. He had been sitting there for over an hour, since his Master had been awoken by the council for a briefing. Qui-Gon Jinn had muttered under his breath about how important sleep was to a man of his age, then he'd left.
Obi-Wan looked up from his novel briefly, he thought he'd heard something. He shrugged his shoulders and continued to read. The Jedi Padawan suddenly gave a start as large hands clamped on his shoulders
"AHH" he exclaimed, then looked up into the midnight blue eyes of Qui-Gon Jinn who was trying hard to suppress a laugh. "Master, you scared the Hell out of me."
"If you read horror novels past 24 hours I wouldn't be surprised." The tall, stoic Jedi Master picked up the discarded novel and gave it a quick once-over. Obi-Wan was curious as to why the council had summoned Qui-Gon at so late an hour.
"Master, what did the council want at this hour of the night?"
Qui-Gon's amused expression faded and he sat in the chair next to Obi-Wan's bed. "We're leaving on a mission tomorrow. They were contacted later tonight so they had no choice but to call at this hour. We are going to a supposed haunted castle on the planet Airené called Chillingham Castle."
The Padawan slowly inclined his head, he had heard of the place before. The building was over 800 years old and supposedly haunted by the spirts of the people tortured and killed there during a civil war.
"The castle has been a museum for the past five decades," Qui-Gon continued, "But there have been two murders all within the past week. The first casualty was an eight-year-old girl, the second was a twenty-three year-old man. The people of the planet believe the castle's evil spirts are to blame for the killings. We are going to the castle with the father of the child, the fiance of the man, and a thirteen-year-old Sanderai psychic."
Obi-Wan was not surprised to hear that a psychic would accompany the group, but he was startled that they would send one that was so young.
"This girl is the only psychic who has dealt with these types of forces before, that is why she is coming with us," continued the Jedi Master, "She has also completed her Demoiselle training, that is why she is even being permitted to join us. Her name is Alexis Brélis, she is the cousin of Kyra Dulais."
Obi-Wan straightened. Kyra Dulais was a Sanderai warrior who had aided them in attempts to rescue each other. Obi-Wan was unaware that the young woman had any surviving family. Qui-Gon stood from his chair and gave a small yawn.
"We leave first thing tomorrow morning, good night Padawan."
"Good-night Master," answered Obi-Wan. Qui-Gon flipped off the lights and went back to his room.
Obi-Wan lay on his bed staring at the ceiling, something told him that this mission was far more complicated than it appeared.
* * * * * * * *
Jedi Transport
10:37hrs
Qui-Gon Jinn had the same feeling as he made his way back to the quarters he shared with Obi-Wan for the duration of the ride to Airené. He knew that his apprentice was interested in the supernatural, he hoped that Obi-Wan had some kind of idea as to what went on in Chillingham.
When Qui-Gon stepped through the door he found his apprentice sitting by a window reading his horror stories again.
"Don't even try it," the Padawan said to his Master without lifting his eyes from the page.
Qui-Gon smiled at his apprentice and wished he hadn't come to discuss so serious a subject. "I have a question. Do you know anything about the ghosts of Chillingham?"
Obi-Wan's mood sobered as he put his book down. "I know of two ghosts Master, the first is known as the Radiant Boy. He was locked up in a closet in the Pink Room, he died in there. When they found his skeleton, his teeth and knuckles were no longer there. He'd tried to claw and bite his way out."
Qui-Gon sighed and shook his head, it was a very disturbing story. "And the other ghost?" the Master questioned his apprentice.
"The other one is of one of Chillingham's torturers, his name was John Sage. He had injured his leg causing him to have a limp leg that dragged across the floor, that's how you knew he was coming. He was always devising new ways of killing people, I think he's one of the most evil spirts in the place." Obi-Wan bit his lip and Qui-Gon could tell by the look in his eyes that he intended to say something but wasn't sure how.
"Do you believe in ghosts Master?"
Qui-Gon was taken slightly aback by the blunt question. "I do not believe that spirts are behind the murders here, but that someone is trying to make is appear as so."
Obi-Wan shuddered so did Qui-Gon. It was as if a chill had passed through him, bringing cold to every part of him.
"Something tells me you should not have said that." Qui-Gon did not find it wise to disagree.
* * * * *
Airené legislative building
Conference room
14:30hrs
Obi-Wan Kenobi looked around the circular table at the beings that were to accompany himself and his Master to the castle. The first figure was a human man with short brown hair and blue eyes, he had a medium build and could be no older than 35 standard years. The second was a Sanderai female, the blood red braids and the daja across her back betrayed her. She had brown eyes and the rest of her hair was a rust coloured red, sharply contrasting the blood red of her braids. She looked about 25 standard years.
The last member of the party was without a doubt Alexis Brélis. She shared the emerald green eyes of her cousin, but had raven black hair with the blood red braids. She seemed to answer to the name Lex also. Obi-Wan could understand that Alexis seemed quite formal for her, so she would naturally offer a contraction.
Lex opened up the meeting by thanking the Master/Padawan team for coming and for their speed. Then she turned to the man and asked him to relate his story. Obi-Wan was amazed at the professionalism the thirteen year old was showing.
The man stood nodded toward Lex.
"My name is Jaim Marlin," began the man, "I came here with my eight-year-old daughter Juliet, her class was assigned Chillingham Castle as a school Galactic History project." Obi-Wan sighed, he could sense what was coming next.
"About half an hour into the tour," Jaim continued, "We had stopped by the Gray Room, I assume Juliet wandered off because when we were told to move on I noticed she was gone. We all searched the castle, nothing. By the next day local authorities were called in and the search widened to the surrounding moors." Jaim stopped for a moment, Obi-Wan could see that he was preparing himself to retell something very painful. "Three days later I received news they had discovered my daughter's body in the gray room, lying in the middle of the floor. They were baffled, the Gray had been searched many times."
Jaim took a shuddering breath and continued. "When I got to the castle I received a coroner's report: there was no physical reason for my child to be dead. Yesterday, Demoiselle Brélis came to see the body and nearly fainted. We saw a pale, normal body. Lex saw her..gutted."
The man sat back down and put his face in his hands, great sobs racking his body. Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon exchanged glances, each of their eyes showing nothing but sympathy towards the grieving father. The Padawan saw his Master give a small shudder as he turned back towards the others.
What is he feeling? The bond told Obi-Wan nothing, Qui-Gon's shields were up.
Lex stood again and asked the Sanderai woman to tell her story. Lex sat back down and the woman stood.
"My name is Sandretta Latrey, I came here with my fiance, Cody, for a getaway, We were also on a tour but while the guide was talking, Cody started to fade away. He reached out to me, but he disappeared and..."
Sandretta never finished, she instead sat down and started crying. Obi-Wan knew that she would have much preferred to preform this 'emotional outburst' in private. But her grief was too great.
Lex stood and turned to the Jedi. "They searched for days until they found his body in the Pink Room, again with no physical cause of death. But when I saw him, I saw dismemberment and other wounds." Lex spoke some words in Sanderai to Sandretta, who turned to Jaim and whispered in his ear.
The two of them both left. Lex swung her chair to face the Jedi. "Obi-Wan," she began, "You believe that the spirts of Chillingham are behind this. You believe it deeply don't you?"
Obi-Wan nodded and looked at his Master. //How does she know all this//
//Maybe she is a real psychic after all//
"Yes Master Jinn, I am a real psychic." She smiled at the Master and Padawan's stunned expressions, then her mood turned serious again. "Obi-Wan could you please leave the room for a moment?" Obi-Wan was stunned, what did this girl have to say to Qui-Gon that she couldn't say in front of him?
"Qui-Gon may repeat what I've said to you if he wishes," soothed Lex.
"Padawan, go on."
Obi-Wan shrugged. He turned around and left, the door closing silently behind him.
* * * * * *
Qui-Gon watched Obi-Wan leave then turned back to Lex. Her face was very grave.
"You don't believe one word about this ghost business do you?"
Qui-Gon was once again taken aback by the same blunt question his Padawan had asked him last night. He chose his words carefully. "It's not that I don't believe, I just don't think that this is the case here." That was a load of fodder and you know it Jinn
Lex seemed to know it too as she gave him a sceptical look, one that would rival her cousin's. "Obi-Wan and you both had a chill after you said that the first time?"
"Yes."
"He said he had a feeling you shouldn't have said that?"
"Yes" How does she know all this
Lex gave him one of those all knowing looks again. "I think he's right. Evil spirts don't like people who don't believe. They love showing to people that they are here, the methods they choose to demonstrate this can be very sinister. I hope you are not faced with the travesty Jaim and Sandretta faced, the ghost needed to teach them a lesson for their doubts."
The young psychic paused and threw a look to the closed door where Obi-Wan was waiting. "I saw the way you acted to their grief Master Jedi, I can tell you care very much for him. For his sake, keep your mind open. I don't think you want to loose him"
Lex walked past him and back out the door, leaving Qui-Gon standing alone in shock.
Was Lex threatening him....or was her cryptic speech a warning.
The girl was right about one thing: he did NOT want to loose his apprentice. The boy was a son to him and the prospect of life without him was unbearable.
He would do whatever was necessary to keep Obi-Wan safe.