TITLE: The Slave.
CHARACTERS: Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon, Mace Windu. OC's
TIMEFRAME: Obi-Wan is thirteen JA # 5 in the beginning. AU after that doesn't follow the JA books
RATING: T Torture, Obi angst… Warning Torture indicated.
DISCLAIMER: Star wars belongs to G.Lucas and Jedi Apprentice books belong to J.Watson I am just playing with them for fun.
preface: Chapter one: A slave in the making.
Obi-wan moaned and opened his eyes, his head was pounding, and his arms and legs were radiating pain. He blinked several times trying to focus. (What happened) he thought as he tried to remember what he had been doing. Abruptly his vision cleared and he was staring at the face of a large Zygerian, he recognised the human species, from his cultural classes in the Temple. His memory rushed back, he had argued with his Master. He wasn't in the Temple any more, he was on Melida Dann. Obi-Wan closed his eyes. (Oh force what happened, Cerasi died, and I was arguing with Neild. Neild blamed me for her death!... where am I?) He opened his eyes again and the same pale skinned red haired, ugly as a Hutt, Zygerian, was staring at him.
'Who… who are you… Obi started to say, but he was silenced by a punch to his stomach. It knocked the breath from him, and he gasped for air.
"Silence boy!… I will do the talking… you will listen." The Zygerian snarled, as he grabbed Obi-wan's jaw squeezing it tightly. The pain in his face was excruciating, and he thought the man was trying to break his jaw.
He probably would have except another Zygerian screamed abuse at the first. "Guntha" you Bantha brain, don't damage the merchandise"
Guntha growled… however he let go of Obi-wan's jaw. Obi-wan was confused and scared, the last thing he remembered was arguing with Neild. He looked down to see why he couldn't move, he was strapped to some sort of rack. His shirt and boots had been removed. He looked up and his arms were stretched high above his head and strapped in the same manner as his feet. The second Zygerian leaned in close to Obi-Wan, and as Obi-Wan started to speak the man shoved a large sponge in his mouth gagging him.
Then he rested his hand on Obi-wan's head, and began to smile. "Now you will listen, and I will talk. That's the way it's gonna be from now on." The man with bright red hair declared.
Obi-Wan struggled in his chains, thrashing about trying to dislodge the sponge from his mouth, as the man leaned over to the table and picked up a metal object and pressed it into Obi-wan's side just under his ribcage, it was a tagging gun, and he pulled the trigger. A thin electronic tag lodged into Obi-Wans body. The pain shocked Obi-Wan into stillness.
"Now boy just in case you don't understand what this is, let me demonstrate".
The man picked up a small electronic device, and pressed a button on it, a burst of pain radiated through Obi-Wans side causing him to cry out. "The sensors on this device will go off, if you are more than ten metres away from your designated area. So I suggest that you stay where I put you" The man stated as he put the device in his pocket. Obi-Wan squeezed his eyes shut and tried to ease the pain with the force, however his head hurt too much and he couldn't concentrate.
"I suppose you are wondering where you are 'boy' so I won't keep you in suspense any longer" the red headed man sneered. "You are on a Slaver ship…. my ship to be exact…. you belong to me now. I bought you on Melida/Dann, and I gotta tell you, that you were a real bargain too. You were practically given to me" he laughed. "Do you know how much a boy with your muscles and looks can get on the open market? 20,000 credits would be a minimum price. Yet all you cost me was 200 credits. I can by 4 Banta's for that" he laughed again. "You're not even worth the price of a Banta" he sneered.
"The guy that sold you to me wanted me to make sure I told you that, and also who it was that sold you. The guy's name was Neild. He said he didn't care what I did to you, so long as he didn't have to look at your traitorous face ever again. So just in case you have any thoughts of denying that you are my slave….. here boy… I presume you can read, so read this…" The man held up a signed document of ownership, and on it was Neild's signature, sold for the price of 200 credits to Gerota. Obi-Wan was horrified, and he closed his eyes and the mission to Melida Dann flashed before his eyes.
Earlier on Melida/Dann;
Obi-Wan and his Master Qui-Gon had come to find Master Tahl. She had been kidnapped, and after a lengthy search it was Obi-Wan who found her. Qui-Gon quickly got her on board their ship and was adamant that they were leaving the planet, and would not be staying to help negotiate, for a peaceful settlement.
"Please Master don't leave them without some indication that the Jedi will come back and help" He cried.
Obi-wan was devastated, his Master had refused to help the young people on the war torn planet of Melida Dann. He was more concerned about Master Tahl, than he was about a whole planet full of people. Obi-Wan had been asked by the younger generation of the planet, to help them end the war. They had begged Obi-Wan and Tahl to help them make the Elders see that this war was pointless. However, now the Elders were turning on the young.
Qui-Gon looked at the boy with scorn in his eyes. "Master Tahl is my main concern, and she requires medical treatment. These people did not ask the Jedi for help, as a matter of fact all they have done is to injure Master Tahl" Qui-Gon snapped.
"But Master, they had no way to ask for help, as their communication building has been destroyed. They asked me to help them, and they asked Master Tahl to help them".
"I do not know that Padawan! as she is unconscious, and you might be just saying that just so I will forget about her, and get involved in a war we didn't start. I am taking Tahl back to Corruscant and you are coming with me."
"No Master, it isn't right…I was taught that the good of many, outweighs the good of one, they are dying and they need help?" Obi-wan cried. His Master turned his back on him and hissed "If you do not get on board Padawan, I will take it as a refusal to obey me. I will leave you here to suffer the same fate, as those people who decided that Tahl's life should be forfeit for theirs".
"Please Master I cannot leave them at the mercy of the Elders without at least trying to help them." Obi-wan declared as he stood his ground.
"So be it then! I knew it would end like this. You have betrayed me just like Xanatos did, I knew you would. I told Yoda you were too angry, and that you were just like Xanatos. You have made your choice Obi-Wan. I wash my hands of you. I will not return for you, as it is quite clear to me that you were never meant to be a Jedi." he sarcastically yelled. He got to the top of the ramp, and slammed his hand on the closing control.
Obi-wan moved back as the blast of the ship taking off rocked the ground. He was standing out in the open, and a sharp pain shot through his head. Qui-Gon had ripped the fledgling bond they shared. Obi-wan knew then that Qui-Gon didn't want him, and had always begrudged taking him as his Padawan. He came back to reality as blaster fire whizzed past his head. He realised he was without cover, and so he ducked and ran for the nearest building.
Inside were many of the Young; hiding from the Elders. Among them was Cerasi and Neild two young people Obi-wan had befriended earlier, they had spoken to Master Tahl before she had been injured, and apparently she had indicated that the Jedi would send help. When Obi-Wan asked them to help him find Tahl they did. So now Obi-Wan told them that he was staying to help, and that Master Tahl was injured, however he hoped she would be able to tell the Jedi when she and Qui-Gon got back to the Temple. He didn't mention to Cerasi and Neild that he didn't think Qui-Gon would send anyone. He just prayed to the force that Master Tahl would recover and would tell the Council that they had asked for help….
The Young knew they couldn't stay in the building for long, so they tried to escape through a back door, however they were surrounded by the Elders, and in the ensuing battle the young were captured. Obi-wan escaped and hid, and after dark with his skills with the Force and the Young's determination, they escaped and re grouped. Over the next few days that followed, the young gained the upper hand in the war with Obi-Wans help, peace was restored.
Obi-Wan found out who the troublemakers were and they were arrested. The conflict on Melida /Dann gradually decreased. However in one last battle before the ringleader was arrested, Cerasi who was Neild's closest friend was killed, and in his grief he blamed Obi-wan. He screamed at him, and accused him of not protecting her. Obi-Wan felt guilty too and was trying to apologise to Neild for not being quick enough to save her. Neild didn't want to hear any apologies and began to punch Obi-Wan. He was so hysterical that he kept punching him. Obi-Wan felt responsible anyway, and so he just let Neild punch him. Only Neild went too far and angrily hit Obi-Wan over the head with a steel bar knocking him unconscious.
Neild was so distraught and because Cerasi was dead he wasn't thinking clearly. He just wanted to punish Obi-Wan for allowing her to die. Obi-Wan had a nasty gash on his head and was unconscious. Neild stared at him and decided he would make Obi-Wan suffer. So he put him in his speeder and unbeknown to anyone else, he took him to the Space Port. Neild had heard that slave traders frequented the local tavern, and in his rage he wanted Obi-wan to pay for Cerasi's death. So he sold Obi-wan to a slave trader. However before he sold him, Neild cut of Obi-Wan's Padawan braid, and removed his utility belt and sabre, so no one would know he was a Jedi.
End of past events....
"Now 'boy' I am going to remove the sponge, however I do not want to hear one word out of your mouth, if you do not want a repeat performance of this jabber I suggest you keep your mouth shut." he jabbed Obi-wan once more. "Do you understand?"
Obi-wan nodded his head. but did not utter a word, he knew he was beaten, he was a failure as a Jedi
and he had been betrayed by the ones he left the Jedi for. Neild had sold him into slavery, and he had disobeyed Qui-Gon because he thought those people needed his help. Now he was on his way to a life of slavery, and no one would care. Cerasi was dead, for all he knew Master Tahl may be dead, and Qui-Gon hated him. Apparently had always believed that Obi-Wan was just as bad as his former apprentice. What a fool he was….. what hope was there left for him….. 'None'