DISCLAIMER: *jumps over Yoda and snatches the Ring* Yay! My One Ring of Unlimited Copyright Powers! Mwahahah- *Mace Windu pokes me and steals the Ring* Aw, curses!!

Until I find a certain Council member, he owns Star Wars. I don't. *hiss*

Thanks for the reviews! You (the readers) make my day!

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The computer beeped a warning, startling the two Jedi out of their restless meditation. Cin looked at the screen. "We're approaching Phindar's atmosphere."

Qui-Gon shifted. "Good." He was stiff from not having moved for several hours, and his anxiety over the missing Padawans was increasing with every minute. The flight to Phindar had taken too long, in his opinion.

Both Masters could hear the sound of the metal shell heating in the atmosphere. Looking slightly worried, Cin tapped a button on the console, before tensing. "We're coming in too fast! We're going to crash!"

Qui-Gon groaned. "This is going to hurt! Brace yourself!"

Both Jedi braced themselves for impact, dreading the possibility that they would crash. They heard the scream of air particles against their steel prison grow louder, the closer they got to the planet's surface. Any moment now, and they would-

The pod crashed into Phindaran turf with a sickening crunch that mangled the pod below the Jedi's feet and knocked out the blue lamp above their heads. The impact jolted both Masters, leaving Cin unconscious and Qui-Gon stunned.

The older Jedi shakily reached up in the darkness, feeling something warm and wet on his brow. With a sigh, and a light Force probe to determine Cin's condition, Qui-Gon began to feel around in the darkness for the hatch. It didn't take him long to find it, just to his left. However, the Ylesian security force had effectively sealed the hatch from the outside, preventing the occupants from escaping. It wouldn't have taken long to free himself and Cin with a lightsabre; assuming, of course, that they had had their weapons with them.

Cursing in Huttese, Qui-Gon sat back, frustrated. He suddenly paused, listening. Were those... voices outside?

He decided it would be worth it to ask for aid. "Help us!" he shouted, hoping that his Force-amplified voice would carry through the metal.

A response was not long in coming. "Who is it?"

"We're Jedi Knights. One of us is hurt, and we can't get out of the pod." Qui-Gon remained still, waiting for their finders' response.

"Stay still, Jedi. We are getting a laser cutter to get you out."

Qui-Gon could have cried from sheer relief, but instead called out, "Thank you!" as he settled in to await rescue.

It seemed like an hour, although it was really closer to ten minutes, before the rescuer's voice came back. "Jedi?"

"Yes, we're still here."

"We're starting the laser cutter now. Don't move." The laser immediately cut into the metal beside Qui-Gon. The Jedi flinched as the sparks illuminated the area beside him, inflicting a slightly uncomfortable heat on his side and lap.

As suddenly as the laser had appeared, it vanished, replaced with brilliant daylight as a generous section of metal was peeled away from the body of the pod. A pair of hands attached to long arms reached into the pod, grabbing him. Qui-Gon took hold of the strong wrists as he was pulled out of the pod and gently deposited on the turf before the Phindarian reached into the pod again for Cin.

Breathing deeply of fresh air, Qui-Gon rolled to his side, where he saw a second Phindarian setting aside the laser cutter. There was something about this alien that seemed familiar to Qui-Gon, but he couldn't place it...

The Phindarian turned to face the Jedi, and Qui-Gon finally recognized him. "Guerra?"

The humanoid paused, startled, before he gasped, "Jedi-Gon?" With a delighted cry, he lifted the Master in a bone-crushing hug. "Ah, Jedi-Gon, it is you! Long time no see!"

Qui-Gon awkwardly returned the embrace. "It is good to see you to, Guerra. However, I'm on an urgent mission right now, and need to get to Coruscant."

Guerra lowered the Jedi to the ground. "An urgent mission? Is Obawan with you?" He looked at Cin, now laying on the grass under the ministrations of the other Phindarian, who Qui-Gon now recongized as Paxxi, Guerra's brother.

"He was, but he's gone missing, as has Master Cin's Padawan. Do you have a com link I can borrow?"

"Sorry, Jedi-Gon, but my com's busted! Not so, I lie! Here you go!" Guerra handed Qui-Gon his com link before turning to help Paxxi with Cin.

"Thank you, Guerra!" Qui-Gon tapped in the code for the Temple, relieved beyond words when Mace Windu's figure immediately appeared. "Mace, we have a problem."

The dark skinned Master looked at his friend. "I figured, otherwise you wouldn't be calling me. What happened?"

"Obi-Wan and Zara have been abducted on false charges of drug possession."

"... Come again?"

"I'm serious, Mace. Cin and I tried to figure out what was happening, and were shot by the security officers that took our Padawans. I think they believe us dead. They pushed us into an escape pod and set us adrift. We're lucky that we landed on Phindar near friends of mine. Cin's unconscious from the pod's crash onto the planet, otherwise he'd be talking too."

"I'm awake!" A groggy looking Cin pushed himself up. "What happened?"

Qui-Gon turned slightly away from Mace's holographic image. "We crashed. I'm talking to Mace about our missing Padawans now."

Paxxi carefully moved Cin so that the Jedi was in range of the com link. The younger man wasted no time in desperately begging, "Mace, what do we do?"

"Can you get a ride to the Temple?" The Councilor looked worried, a rare emotion to appear on the dark face.

Paxxi nodded empathetically. "Yes, Jedi-Gon and Jedi-Cin, I can fly you to Coruscant."

"Thank you, Paxxi." Qui-Gon looked back at Mace. "Yes."

"Then leave Phindar immediately and get back to the Temple. I'll send a team to Ylseia to look for your Padawans, in the meantime."

Qui-Gon sighed audibly. "Thank you, Mace. Cin and I will be back at the Temple as soon as Paxxi can get us there."

"Then may the Force be with you two." Mace smiled encouragingly at his friends.

"And with our Padawans," added Cin before Qui-Gon cut the transmission.

The older Jedi looked at Paxxi. "How quickly can you fly to Coruscant?"

"A long time, Jedi-Gon. Not so! I can cover the distance in a day!"

"Then let us be off!" Guerra bent and gave Cin a long arm to hang on to. "Paxxi's ship is only a short walk away from here. We were flying around when we saw this big flaming object come from the sky! We thought we should leave it alone. Not so! We came to see what it was and heard you shout. You were lucky we had a laser cutter on the ship!"

"And we are thankful forever that you thought to help us." Qui-Gon strode beside Paxxi, just behind Cin and Guerra. "We can't thank you enough for what you've done for us."

"Of course you can, Jedi-Gon. Save Obawan and Zara! That's thanks enough for us!"

Qui-Gon smiled at Paxxi. "We will save them, we have no doubt of that. Thank you." He boarded the Phindarian's old, beaten ship, helping Guerra move Cin to a chair as Paxxi readied the ship for takeoff.

They had contacted the Temple. Now things would begin to progress.

Qui-Gon hoped that his and Cin's actions were enough for the missing Padawans. He had told Guerra that he would find them, but the Force offered no guidance.

He touched the bond again, hoping for some answer from Obi-Wan. However, there was nothing. Just a cold, dark void.

I'm coming, my Padawan. Hold on!

************

Obi-Wan judged that it had been at least a full day since he and Zara were re-locked in their small cell. During that time, he had investigated every corner of the stone prison, a difficult task with his left wrist tightly wound in a makeshift bandage. His results were discouraging; the only way out of the cell was through the securely locked door. A set of small grates, too small for even Zara to fit her head through, lined the top walls of the cell, supplying air to the captives. The floor was filthy, particularly around the small hole in the corner that served as a refresher.

The teen rested his head against the cold stone, seated beside Zara on a relatively clean part of the floor. His stomach had been loudly complaining it's lack of nutrients for the last few hours, but there was nothing the boy could do. He was freezing, every part of him hurt, he felt sick from hunger, and... he was scared for Zara's safety. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hates leads to the Dark Side. Those words had been engrained into his memory from his first weeks in the crèche, but now the fear was growing with every minute. What would Qui-Gon do in this situation?

Qui-Gon. The name of his feared-dead Master brought tears to Obi-Wan's eyes. For not the first time, he reached for the bond in his mind, the presence that had always radiated a sense of peace and tranquility. Now, where Qui-Gon used to be, there was only a cold, numb sensation. Obi-Wan didn't know if this was merely from the Force-inhibitor collar around his neck, or if what Korra had said was true.

He never thought that Qui-Gon could have been killed, by anything. He had always thought of his Master as unshakable, invincible, immortal. He had believed, with a childlike faith, that nothing could destroy the legendary Jedi.

That was before he had watched the blaster bolt strike his Master's chest, just above his heart. He had screamed, both mentally and physically, as he watched the man he loved as a father fall before his eyes. He wanted to believe that Qui-Gon could somehow beat the odds and come back, lightsabre blazing, to save him and Zara, with Master Cin right behind him.

Despair grew on his heart. It would never happen. Not even the Force could have saved Qui-Gon Jinn's life. It remained to be seen if the Padawans could escape on their own.

Footsteps sounded outside. Obi-Wan nudged Zara's shoulder. "Za, wake up. They're here."

The girl's eyes blinked as she came out of her light doze. "No, don't want to." Her voice sounded so childlike that in another situation, Obi-Wan might have laughed. However, he merely felt like breaking down again.

"I'm sorry, Za. But they'll hurt us if we aren't ready to go, and by us I mean you."

Zara nodded before lowering her eyes. "I was having such a nice dream. I dreamt that Cin and Qui-Gon came charging through the door with the entire Jedi Council behind them and destroyed those Hutts. Cin had just reached me and was about to rescue me when you woke me up." Tears sparkled in the girl's green eyes. "I wish I could stay asleep in that dream and never wake up."

"Me too." Obi-Wan placed an arm protectively around Zara's slender shoulders as the cell door opened. He looked up, staring coldly at his captors. Today's entourage of guards consisted of Gorig, in all of his slimy repulsive glory, with a new assortment of soldiers.

"Sleep well, my little slaves?" Gorig laughed at his own statement, the fat under his lips jiggling with his chuckles.

Neither teen answered, their faces expressionless.

Gorig shrugged, undeterred by the lack of response. "Well, me beauties, you'd best look lively. Korra demands to see the two of you at once."

Obi-Wan considered making a smart comment back, but thought better of it when he saw the way Gorig's eyes lingered on Zara. The girl slightly flinched, pulling her knees to her chest.

Gorig chuckled again evilly before he slithered away from the door. A handful of the waiting soldiers filled the cell in his wake, jerking the Padawans to their feet. Electro-cuffs bound the teens' wrists behind their backs again before the convoy out of the cell and moved down the hallway towards Korra's throne room.

All too soon, the two were forced through the large doorway and shoved by two guards to their knees, close to Korra. Gorig slithered behind the Jedi, close enough that both could feel his hot putrid breath on their necks.

"Ah, my two Jedi pets." Korra's voice boomed throughout the room, making both teens flinch. "Ready to accept your fate, are you?"

Neither answered.

Korra scowled. "Answer me!"

Zara looked up, anger in her eyes. "Never," she hissed through her teeth.

That earned a disappointed sigh from the Hutt. "Pity. It would have spared you a lot of pain in the future."

"What more can you do to us?" Obi-Wan's voice was a soft, angry whisper. "What more can you possibly do to hurt us?"

The Hutt laughed. "Oh, you'd be surprised, little Jedi. You don't know what pain is yet. You haven't even tasted the edge of agony."

Both teens glared. Korra chuckled. "The demise of your precious Masters was only the beginning."

"Why?" Zara glared at the crime lord.

"Well, I wasn't going to tell you... but, since you'll never escape me alive, there's no harm." Korra moved off of his throne to circle the teens. Gorig silently moved out of the way, as did the guards.

"One of your deceased Masters was Cin Drallig, correct?"

The teens nodded, tersely.

"And the other... Qui-Gon Jinn?"

Another nod.

"Ah, yes. I recall those names clearly. I have engrained them to my memory ever since I was a young Hutt, twenty years ago. I remember the day when they tore down my brother's hovel on Nal Hutta, killing him and everyone inside. I only escaped through a chance break in the fire, taking my little nephew Gorig with me. I watched, hidden, as the two Jedi Knights in charge of the raid walked through the ruins, destroying everyone and everything they came upon. I saw Drallig drive his lightsabre through my brother's uppermost heart. They stood there and laughed as my brother breathed his last.

"I swore that I would get revenge for my brother's murder by the esteemed Jedi Knights. I have waited twenty years for this day, when my revenge on the Jedi can finally take place. And now, look here. I have the treasured apprentices of the same Jedi who killed my brother in my possession, waiting for me to do whatever I wish to them!" Korra, who was now in front of the Padawans, reached his huge paws and gripped both chins, ignoring the disgusted squirming from his captives. "Revenge is a powerful weapon, my Jedi pets. You may not believe in it, but you should. It is the source of power that you high-and-mighty Jedi proudly refuse to touch. Rest assured, you won't be so righteous when I'm finished with you." He held onto the teens' faces for a moment longer, enjoying their obvious discomfort, before releasing them.

"Now, for the question of what I am going to do to you." The Hutt slithered back onto his throne. "What do you think I'm going to do to you?"

Obi-Wan said nothing, trying not to think about the lingering effects of Korra's touch. Maybe the Force will be merciful and have him kill us. Then we'll be with our Masters.

"Nothing? Oh, you are quite wrong, my little pets. I have plans for you." Korra smiled evilly. "Gorig!"

"Yes, my Lord?" The younger Hutt came up, grabbing both Padawans. Obi-Wan cringed involuntarily as the Hutt's massive hand gripped the back of his neck. Beside him, Zara closed her eyes and tried not to think about the hand moving down her back.

"Take them to the factories. Get them started on that Force-sensitive spice producer. If they misbehave, well..." The Hutt's beady black eyes took on a cruel glint. "You know where to bring them."

"Yes, my Master." Gorig bowed and lifted both teens under his arms, in the same demeaning position as the day before. Both struggled instinctively but were unable to escape the iron grip. Obi-Wan hissed slightly as his sprained wrist, already abused from the electro-cuffs, was pinned under the muscular arm, but Gorig paid him no heed. Instead, the Hutt left the room and moved down the hallway, in the opposite direction from the teens' cell. The soldiers outside formed a circle around the Hutt, keeping pace with the calm slithering.

Neither teen spoke, waiting with a sense of dread as to where they were being taken. They were soon taken out of the hovel that Korra commanded, struck instantaneously by high humidity in the air and blazing sunlight.

Obi-Wan looked around him, absorbing his surroundings. He knew that Ylesia was a tropical planet, but hadn't expected the heat to be this intense. He could see green around him, in palm trees and other tropical flora. It seemed sick to him that such a beautiful planet could be so overrun with corruption and crime that the Hutts sponsored.

He grunted as he was suddenly thrown on his stomach onto a closed-in transport. Zara landed on top of him. The doors slammed shut, sealing the teens in complete darkness. There was the sounds of people talking outside, the mild bouncing sensation of soldiers jumping onto the back of the transport, then the engine started under them and the transport moved away, taking its passengers to what they feared would be a grisly fate.

Obi-Wan twisted slightly. "Zara?"

"I'm all right." The girl moved off of her friend. "You?"

"Fine enough." Obi-Wan attempted sitting up, but was thrown down as the transport jerked around a corner. He decided it would be worth his while to just remain still.

Zara spoke again, he voice filled with fear and anger. "Why would he lie about our Masters like that? Cin would never do that? Did that mission even exist?"

"It did." Obi-Wan rolled to his friend, landing back-to-back with her. He managed to intertwine his fingers with hers. "Qui-Gon told me about it a few months ago. Master Cin had just been Knighted and was requested to go on that mission to Nal Hutta with Qui-Gon and his then-apprentice Xanatos to take down a Huttese crime lord named Kibbik. Qui-Gon said it was one of the worst missions he'd ever done, since the Hutt had an entire army protecting him. In the end, they'd had to call for back-up from the Temple to destroy the crime chain. The Hutt himself came at them with various weapons, and Cin ended up having to kill him instead of bringing him back to the Republic for trial.

"Qui-Gon said that he'd always feared another Hutt in the hovel had escaped, but Xanatos was wounded, as were several other soldiers, and they needed to return to Coruscant. They had enough information to bring down several other crime rings as well as Kibbik's, but Qui-Gon never forgave himself for not going back to ensure no one else could continue the legacy of crime that Kibbik ran. Believe me, Korra was just trying to undermine our love for our Masters with that little tale."

Zara squeezed her friend's hand. "Thanks, Obi. Cin never told me about that mission. I guess he felt guilty about having to kill that Hutt instead of taking him prisoner."

"That was probably it."

"I wonder where they're taking us?"

"I don't know. I am glad that we're being kept together, though."

"Me too. I think I'd die if they took you away from me."

"Same here. I hope we stay together." Obi-Wan turned his head, brushing it against Zara's. "Hopefully the Force will tell Master Yoda what happened, so he can organize a rescue. Wasn't he Cin's Master?"

"Yeah, he was. I don't know if their bond was completely severed though."

"I hope not."

There was silence for the rest of the bumpy ride, until the transport came to a halt. A moment later, and a soldier opened up the back of the transport, momentarily blinding both Padawans.

When their eyesight recovered, they could see a tall steel building rising up before them. It was backed against a mountain. Smoke rose out of tall chimneys. But what seized Obi-Wan's heart in horror was the countless slaves milling around the mountain and factory; emaciated, filthy, and broken of spirit.

The soldier smirked when he saw the effect the factory was having on his prisoners. "Welcome home, little Jedi."

***********

Yes, I know, bad author for leaving you another horrible cliffhanger! Oh well, mwahahaha!

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Xaja