Disclaimer: All characters belong to the well known George Lucas and I'm not making any profiet from this story.
Chapter 23
The Master and the boy rushed on board and Obi-Wan jumped to the controls.
"Ready for takeoff."
Qui-Gon stood behind Obi-Wan griping his seat tight.
"Careful, Obi-Wan. We need to hurry, but we don't need to overheat everything on the way. We won't have time to land and let the cruiser cool off."
Obi-Wan, practically ignoring the Jedi Master, lifted the space craft off the surface of Melida/Daan and burst out of the atmosphere.
"Going into hyperspace," Obi-Wan instructed.
He pushed a few buttons, pulled back on a control, and the two of them watched the stars blur into a white light.
* * *
Mace Windu and Yoda were walking back to the counsil room when Mace spoke up about the troubles that had been caused latly. He stopped to look at something written on a wall in spray paint.
"It must be a student causing all of this; our securtiy wouldn't let anyone but the students come through here..."
Mace's voice slowly drifted off as he heard the sound of running people approaching. When the soldiers noticed Mace and Yoda, they stopped running and bowed before the Jedi Masters.
"According to the present conflict, I suggest that the two of you come with us," a soldier said.
He was dressed in a white helmet, and a black outfit covered with plastiod- armor. All five of the slodiers were armed with advanced blasters, and breathed and talked through breathing masks which muffled their voices.
"What's the situation?" Mace asked looking at the soldier who appeared to be the leader.
"The threat on Master Yoda has become much more complicated. I'm afraid we may have to have to take both of you to a private fighter and escorted off the planet."
Mace and Yoda exchange unsure glances, then follow the soldiers to the fighter.
* * *
"Prepare to land," Obi-Wan called out as he approached Corescant's loading dock.
He excellently landed the craft and followed Qui-Gon outside.
"I've got a bad feeling about this," Obi-Wan muttered as he walked down the fighter's loading ramp.
"I sense it also, a dark presense in the Force, it's all around us."
Slowly Qui-Gon glanced to his left to see five soldier-type people dressed in white plastiod-armor leading Master Mace Windu and Master Yoda to a seperate fighter.
"There, them. I've believe the dark feeling is coming from those soldiers." Qui-Gon pointed to them.
"I think your right. Lets go find out why they are taking Master Yoda and Master Windu to that cruiser."
On the long walk to toward the soldiers, the question Obi-Wan had asked Qui-Gon fizzed into his mind again. Would Qui-Gon ever take him back as an apprentice? Would Obi-Wan ever even become a Jedi? The thoughts surged through his mind until he thought his head would expload. Was Qui-Gon being truthful when he said he wasn't sure about taking Obi-Wan back as an apprentice? Obi-Wan shook his head infaticly. There was no way Qui-Gon wouldn't take him back! They were meant together. Then Obi-Wan felt the river stone Qui-Gon had given to him for his thirteenth birthday. He could feel it through his tunic. He could feel it hit his chest with every step he took. He could also feel that it was cold. Obi-Wan's heart fell to a million pieces. He stopped walking dead in his tracks. Qui-Gon turned to face him.
"What are you doing?"
For a few seconds Obi-Wan didn't answer him. Qui-Gon waited also, then asked again.
"Obi-Wan, what are you doing?"
He touched the stop on his tunic where the stone was.
"It's cold."
Qui-Gon looked confused.
"What is?"
"The river stone you gave me. It's cold. It has never been cold before, it's always warm."
"Obi-Wan, we don't have time for this. Right now we need to find out where thoses slodiers are taking Master Yoda and Master Windu."
"But-"
"Now!"
Obi-Wan was shocked. He had never heard Qui-Gon rasie his voice how he had just done. Obi-Wan started walking again, following Qui-Gon. He had to rush to keep up with Qui-Gon's fast pace steps. One soldier held up a hand.
"Who are you?"
"That doesn't matter. Where are you taking these council members?"
"That doesn't matter," the soldier said, mocking Qui-Gon.
He answered back harshly.
"I am a Jedi Master myself and I have the absolute right to know where you are taking these council members."
The soldier who appeared to be the leader pointed to a cruiser across the dock.
"There. They are being escorted off the planet for safety reasons. We are taking extreme precations."
Obi-Wan felt confused, but he tried very hard to keep his feelings to himself. He looked to Qui-Gon for a reasonable explanation. Qui-Gon answered for him.
"I don't believe this ship is neccesary."
Qui-Gon waved his hand infront of the soldier.
"You will leave us now."
"We will leave you now."
The soldiers marched away. Mace breathed a sigh of relief.
"Thank you Master Qui-Gon. We are most appreciative."
Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan both bowed before the Masters.
"I've never seen soldiers dressed like that..." Obi-Wan's voice trailed off once he felt Qui-Gon's eyes gaze upon him.
"Obi-Wan has a question to ask of the council."
He looked at Obi-Wan directly, silently ordering him to speak to Yoda and Mace.
"I would like to request a meeting of the council members."
"Oh, confused on where you belong, are you?"
Obi-Wan nodded.
"Then have an important meeting, we must."
Yoda closed his eyes and let the few strands of hair he had on his head blow in the cool breeze of Corescant.
* * *
"How could you let them use a simple trick on your weak mind, fool?"
The soldier shrugged before his Master in command, Darth Sidious.
"Nevermind that! I should never had sent a stormtrooper to do the job of a real man!"
Sidious waved his hand and the stormtrooper fell to his knees, holding his throat, and gasping for air.
"Now that that's been taken care of, trooper forty-seven, you've been promoted."
Trooper forty-seven looked down at the trooper who was gasping, and saw him motionless, the took a step forward and bowed to his Master.
"General forty-seven, go find Master Yoda. I put this mission in your hands."
*This is the end of Chapter 23 of my version. The next is soon to come! Don't miss Chapter 24!*