"Concentrate, Obi-Wan. Feel the Force as it flows through your body. Use its power." Came Qui-Gon Jinn's sure voice from the sidelines. The young Padawan's face tensed as he glared at his opponent. She glared back after sending Qui-Gon a somewhat resentful look. They circled each other; estimating, anticipating. Who would strike first?
Obi-Wan lunged forward, aiming for her left shoulder. She parried the attack and, using the Force, shoved him almost carelessly into the opposite wall. Recovering in a matter of seconds Obi-Wan gritted his teeth and continued circling. She twisted around swiftly and went for his calves, he jumped the blow flipped in mid-air, and kicked her legs from under her. Just as she was falling she twisted with impossible flexibility, landing in a push-up position, and then swinging herself forward in a hand stand/flip. Her lightsaber fell to her right, and Obi-Wan was closing in on her from the same spot. He picked up the lightsaber, looked at it for a moment, then threw it casually back over to her. Smiling, she caught it and moved forward. As they drew within five meters of each other, she sprinted straight towards him, flipped over his five foot ten height, landing silently behind him, and put her lightsaber to his throat.
He deactivated his lightsaber and dropped it to the floor. She smiled and moved away, briefly shaking hands before they departed from the area. Qui-Gon stood with a reproving look on his face. As they got within hearing range, Qui-Gon threw them two towels and sat down.
"Congratulations, Zaheda." He said to her.
"Thank you."
Qui-Gon motioned for the two to step outside the arena, where two other trainees were battling already.
"Zaheda, I told you to go easy on him." Qui-Gon muttered to his daughter almost sardonically. Obi-Wan smirked.
"Yeah Zazi, why didn't you go easy on me?" He muttered to her, elbowing her gently in the ribs. Qui-Gon rolled his eyes.
"Either way, I didn't go easy on him, father," She lowered her voice, "you can't blame me: he let me win." She bowed slightly to her master, then turned and walked away, Obi-Wan following at her heels.
When they were out of hearing range of any of the Jedi Masters, they dropped their respectful stance.
"Honestly, Obi. I though you would be more of a challenge." Zaheda sighed. Obi-Wan rolled his eyes and rested his elbow on her shoulder, a sarcastic sign of leadership among the two.
"Zazi, Zazi, Zazi," He sighed, "I could have beaten you to a bloody pulp, but..." He trailed off.
"What?" Zazi asked, shrugging his elbow off her shoulder just to have it set right back on again.
Obi-Wan stopped and eyed her playfully.
"But I wouldn't want to damage my favorite toy, now would I?" He started running before he finished the sentence.
"Why you little..." She followed after him, flashing curses through both of their minds. They got to Obi-Wan's quarters and ran inside. Obi-Wan was grinning like a Cheshire cat. Zazi couldn't help but grin too.
"I am not your toy." She hissed through a grin, eyeing him as he edged his way to the other side of the room.
"Oh, but it's so fun to see you all worked up." Her eyes narrowed and she flew across the room, landing on Obi-Wan, pinning him to the ground with her hands on his wrists and her knees straddling his upper torso.
"Really?" Zazi started, her eyes turning a reddish orange color, "Oh, but Obi-Wan. It's so fun to get all worked up, that's why I let you anger me." Smiling, she stood. Her eyes returned to their greenish orange color.
"I'm gonna get cleaned up, I'll see you at the banquet." She called over her shoulder to Obi-Wan. He nodded and closed the door behind her. It locked with a tight whoosh.
The hallway buzzed softly as usual while the two walked past several different species of alien Jedi. Zazi and Rena stepped into the shower room and picked out a cell where they put their clothes and belongings.
"So did you here?" Rena asked her best friend as they stepped into the showers.
"Here what?"
"Master Qui-Gon took Obi-Wan as his apprentice. It's going to be officially announced at the banquet tonight." Zazi grinned and turned on the hot water.
"So he finally got his wish...no farming in Obi-Wan's future." She heard Rena giggle.
"I dunno, I wouldn't mind seein' him after a hard days work...all hot and sweaty..."
"Rena!!" Zazi scolded, "You know you shouldn't talk of such things!"
"Yes, but I do anyway." Rena responded quietly, fully aware that Zazi would enjoy such things as well. She thought about the two together, and broke out in a series of insane giggles.
"What?!" Zazi almost shrieked.
"Oh, I was just thinking how cute a couple you two would make." Zazi made a growling sound.
"You just wait until I get out of here, friend." They ran back down the hall to their quarters to dress for the banquet.
What a drag, thought Zazi, knowing almost instantly that everyone else thought so by the feeling of agreement that washed over her.
The Jedi Councel had decided to hold a meeting the week before in unknown honor. Yoda was not present for the banquet, neither was Obi-Wan, nor Qui-Gon Jinn.
"I wonder where they are," Rena whispered to Zazi, taking a sip of her drink.
"I have no clue...But something isn't right here..." She stood up suddenly and walked out of the room, heading in the direction of the bathrooms. Instead, as soon as she was out of the banquet's site, she veered around and headed towards Obi-Wan's quarters.
She got no answer when she pressed the call button. So, she looked around, making sure no one was around, and pulled out his key. A copy of it, really, and slid inside. What she saw shocked her, and she couldn't help her sharp inhalation of breath.
"Obi! What the---!" She rushed forwards, to a bound and gagged Obi-Wan, quickly untieing the ropes.
"What happened?" She asked frantically.
"Zazi, you...you have to get out of here..." He stood up and searched for his lightsaber, all the while, telling Zazi to leave.
"Why? Who did this?"
"He's here, Zazi...I can't let him take you...it would put both of us over the edge. Zazi, you have to leave...NOW!"
"Why?! Both of who? What happened?"
He calmed down and shoved her out the door, following quickly. As soon as they reached her quarters, he drew his lightsaber, motioning for her to do the same. They rushed in to find him searching through her computer.
"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU!!!" Zazi screamed to the intruder, rushing forward to see what he was looking at. He was searching her documents. Her journal, her stories, her scientific reasearch. She about went crazy, and would've pounced the man if it weren't for Obi-Wan holding her back.
It wasn't until Zazi had obviously calmed down until she realized Obi-Wan was still holding onto her, preventing any movement whatsoever. She looked over her shoulder to find his eyes locked onto hers, pleading for forgiveness.
"Wha--what are you doing, Obi...Let me go!" She struggled, only acheiving his grip to tighten. That's when she heard what he was whispering, "Please forgive me lover, please forgive me..."
Zazi began to curse at him, struggling more persistantly, silently raging in the way that she raged. She didn't see the dark haired man at the computer stand up and walk over to the two.
And all went black.
She woke up suddenly, her previous encounters rushing back to her in a stream of violent adrenaline and anger. She jumped up and looked around. A room. It had a window in it, and what Zazi saw made her cry out in anguish. What she saw was the orange sky of her home planet, Demeathorn, and it's lush blue vegetation.
"No!" She whispered weakly, "It...It's just an illusion...this can't be Demeathorn. No..." She sank to the floor, sobbing. She didn't bother looking up when the door whooshed open. She ignored him, stood, and walked back over to the window, searching for some trademark of a hollogram, and finding none.
A hand on her shoulder...She shrugged it off and moved away.
"Zazi--" Began Obi-Wan, before he was cut off by her sharp, firm, clear voice.
"You or anyone here are not to call me Zazi...my full name is Princess Zaheda Fullurn Telecrest...you are to address me as proper." Point one for her, as she felt his hurt eminating from him.
"Is there any use in trying to get you back the way you were?" He whispered, touching her arm softly.
She jerked her arm away from him and continued to look out the window.
"I don't know what the hell got into you, but what ever it was, I don't care for it in the least. You...of all people Obi-Wan...know how personal my documents are. I can't believe you!"
"Zazi, please listen to me. I need your help." Obi pleaded, his big blue eyes full of sorrow.
"Fine, but make it quick." Zazi muttered, futilely attempting to avoid those very eyes.
"Zazi," He began, choosing his words carefully, "before I met you, I wasn't the greatest person. I made some mistakes. One of them, above all, involved the dark side of the Force."
"What?!?!"
"Listen to me. I was taken from my planet before I was even born, just to be trained at the Jedi Temple. I was never even told the name of my homeworld. Then, Xanatos, a fellow Trainee, older than me, of course, offered to show me my history."
A look of anguish crossed Obi-Wan's face fleetingly. Zazi felt a sudden urge to embrace Obi, but quickly suppressed it.
"Xanatos began teaching me the ways of the Dark side. Without realizing it, I became evil. I-did something unforgiveable then." He lowered his voice to a whisper, "I murdered a fellow Trainee."
"Obi!" Zazi breathed, reaching forward to touch his cheek delicately. He relaxed at her touch and took a deep breath.
"Zazi, the only one who knew of my secret was Xanatos. And as your father probably told you..."
"Xanatos betrayed both the light and the dark side of the Force. He was evil, yet still good. He was my father's Padawan Learner." She finished, eyes wide.
"Xanatos blackmailed me into getting you to him. He sees something in you, Zazi: a power of some kind. This power; even I can feel it, and it grows stronger the closer you are to home."
"It is my planet's power. A power passed down from generation to royal generation. The power of Telekineticies. I could be described as the most powerful woman in the galaxy when it comes to the mind. I can move things, move people, and destroy all with my mind. The Telecrest family has been hunted to near extinction." The truth dawned on Zazi in a flash of light.
"Zazi," Obi looked into her glittering eyes, "I didn't want you to stop being my friend. If you knew what I had done, you never would have wanted to talk to me again. I just know it! Xanatos promised your safety, and he will take you back as soon as possible. He just wants information. Zazi, please..."
"Obi...You-you betrayed me. I don't think I'll ever be able to trust you again. Ever. But...I am willing to forgive you. My instincts tell me what you say is true. I will, for now, stay by your side."
"Thank you, Zazi. You are a true friend." Obi sighed, leaned towards her, and kissed her breifly. As he walked to the door, she spoke up once more.
"Obi, I think I will never understand you. You call me a true friend, yet you couldn't trust me with your deepest secrets. I wrote mine in documents, and I let you read them, but you...You mean too much to me. I wish you had told me, Obi. I would have understood."
"I know, Zazi. I know..."