The Guardians

Rating: K
Summary: Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi are sent to find out the truth from miners reports of another possible candidate for the Jedi.
Notes: This story is a sequel to Initus.
Disclaimer: All canon characters are owned by the Great Flanneled one, and now Disney. All others are mine. I make no money off this.
Timeline: 43 BBY

Speech: " "
Training bond communication: /
Internal thoughts: italics

Chapter Three

Another one gone. Darna shook her head as she gently covered one of the villagers. Even though most were unkind to her ever since…, but she still cared for everyone. During times like this she held her head high, but it still hurt.

"Mama," Rihcada ran over to join her. They were at the edge of the village, and were ignored for the time being.

She turned and opened her arms at the same time letting her youngest fall into her embrace. "Thank the Power you're safe."

Instead of pulling away, the girl burrowed deeper into the embrace. "Mama, Kuracito Magrat says there's a sedt in the village."

Darna felt her blood run cold. She tightened her arms around the girl. "There can't be." The last scare they had was with the child she produced.

"But…."

"What is it, child?" Darna pulled her away and held her by her shoulders.

Rihcada's wide eyes brimmed with tears. "He was nice. He helped me heal."

How? Darna knew all the stories. The sedt cared nothing for others, only themselves. Looking around, she found most of the villagers who survived were now crowding around something, better yet, someone. Malevolence pulsed around them.

Turning back to her youngest, Darna squeezed her shoulders, "Stay here, child. It'll be safer."

"Mama?"

Darna ignored her daughters question by focusing on what she said. She could feel the anger grow as she neared the gathering. She pushed her way through only to find one very seriously injured older man, who was either asleep, or something worse, and another who looked to be just old enough to hunt on his own. They wore curious clothing. It was nothing she ever saw before in her life.

The boy, for want of a better word, held his hands up in supplication. His hair was very short and dangling down from his right ear looked like a braid. That's not what bothered her. She gulped in surprise. What came out of his mouth was the strangest sounding language she had ever heard. Was that even possible?

Their priestess pounded the end of her staff on the ground. "You are sedt. Sedt are to be destroyed."

Without thinking Darna put her hands on her hips. "Why?"

Several gasped.

"Who would dare challenge me?"

Darna took a deep breath and pushed her shoulders back while taking a step forward. She placed herself in front of the wounded man. "Priestess Redan, they are wounded. They need help."

Redan rolled her eyes. "I should have know it'd be you. Rihcad can't protect you now for your insolence."

"He never protected me." Even though fear flowed through her veins, she frowned and took another step forward, "I protect myself." Darna indicated the two behind her, "The older one is gravely wounded, and the younger is worried that he won't be able to protect himself. We always hold out our hand in hospitality whenever one travels from village to village."

"You would dare to stand up for a sedt?" Redan held up a hand and closed it into a fist.

Darna's eyes went wide as she felt an invisible hand close around her neck closing off her lungs. With desperate fingers she scrabbled at the invisible, constricting vice.

"No," the younger of the two strangers stood up and put himself between Redan and Darna then raised his hand. He did something and the hold on Darna's neck broke. She collapsed to the ground, gasping for air.

Most, if not all took several steps back while holding their weapons out before them.

"See?" Redan gave Darna a dismissive wave. "I told you she was helping the sedt. Now we have proof."

"Mama?" Rihcada pushed through the crowd, but was stopped by Redan's staff. It kept her from moving any closer, while her other hand was open and towards the younger of the two strangers.

Darna looked up, rubbing her neck. "Please," her voice hoarse. "I don't think he can understand you."

Redan shook her head. "It doesn't matter if he can or not." The priestess looked to the biggest hunters. "You know what to do."

The men gave her a grim look then nodded. Darna also knew she wasn't welcome anymore in the village. She would be cut off from her children for some time to come. Taking a shuddering breath, she rose to her feet and helped carry the larger of the two strangers out and into the forest. The younger one, who saved her life, followed with a frown on his face.

Darna felt her heart go out to the younger of the two. I don't blame you for wanting to help your friend. Even with her own grief of not seeing her children again, she still felt bad for the two individuals.

The two hunters gave them what Darna thought was pity, then disappeared into the forest. At least she wasn't alone. The last time that happened…she closed her eyes, not wanting to recall those painful memories. Pushing the images from her mind, she turned back to her two companions. The younger was now kneeling down and rummaging through a bag. After finding what he was looking for, he unwrapped what turned out to be strips of cloth and then several square packages. It was obvious that the older man was cared for, almost like how an adult child cared for their aged parent.

Darna took several steps and knelt down beside the two. She tapped the younger one on his shoulder to get his attention. When he looked at her she tapped her chest, "Darna."

He gave her a small smile. "Obi-Wan."

What an odd sounding name. He handed her the cloth as the injured one before them let out a soft groan. Obi-Wan said something then leaned forward and placed a hand on his forehead.

I would be worried too if this was Rihcad. She frowned then closed her eyes. Even though it'd been close to ten years since he died, she still missed him greatly.

Obi-Wan opened his friend's clothing and checked the bandages. One cloth was stained red. With gentle hands, he removed that particular one. Pulling out something from his bag, he fiddled with it and then removed its top and gently tipped it over. Clear liquid came out of it and splashed onto one of the strips of cloth. He rubbed the moistened material onto the worst injury with gentle hands.

It was obvious that he was in Obi-Wan removed his hand Darna placed her own on the exposed wound and closed her eyes. Concentrating, she tried to ease the tightness of the muscles. A few moments later he relaxed. Her eyes flew open when she felt a hand on hers. The man before her, even though it was obvious he still hurt, smiled and said something in a soft voice.

Darna may not have known what he said, but she understood its meaning. "You're welcome."

He turned to Obi-Wan and said something.

Nodding, Obi-Wan rummaged around in his bag again. This time he pulled out a very strange object. For a few moments he tapped it and then spoke in a very odd accent, "My Master thanks you for your help."

Darna's eyes widened. She wanted to demand why she was now able to understand him, but his words made her think twice. "Master? Are you a slave?"

Once her words were translated Obi-Wan winced, then shook his head. "No. I am a Jedi Apprentice, a Padawan, and Master Qui-Gon Jinn," he indicated his injured friend, "is overseeing my Jedi training."

The only thing remotely similar was when girls were picked and then learned how to be a priestess.

Darna frowned. There was nothing dark about the two who were before her. How could they be sedt? Sedt destroyed what was good. Yet, here Obi-Wan was, caring for his injured companion. "Why are you here?"

Obi-Wan looked from Darna, to Qui-Gon, and back to Darna again. He pressed his lips together and then finally began tapping the thing he had in his hand. He glanced over to Qui-Gon again and said something. Actually it sounded more like he asked a question. Maybe he was asking permission to answer her.

"We're looking for answers."

Obi-Wan opened his mouth to continue, but was stopped when Qui-Gon took the object from him. The older Jedi frowned as he did something to it. "We heard about ones that guard villages—"

"Guardians?" Darna shrugged. "What about them?"

"Are these guardians have strength beyond what they should have?"

"You mean like the priestess? Women who are gifted in such fashion are very rare. Almost all don't really have any abilities, but Redan does."

"Just women?"

Darna nodded. "Yes."

"What would happen if a man has those gifts?"

Darna shuddered, then frowned. "Those are sedt. Sedt are to be destroyed."

Obi-Wan indicated the object. Taking it, he asked, "Is this why we were surrounded?"

This time Darna looked down. "Yes. Priestess Redan wanted to have both of you killed."

Obi-Wan sighed, then ran a hand through his short hair. "And you were tossed out of the village because of it."

"It's all right Obi-Wan," she placed a hand on his shoulder. "I knew it would happen eventually."

"Why?"

Darna stood up. She looked down at the two. "I don't wish to talk about it," then walked away.

"Master," Obi-Wan began, "I fear I've made her angry."

Qui-Gon gave the woman who helped them a long look before finally answering, "Don't be so sure. Under her anger there's something lingering."

Obi-Wan nodded as he set the datapad back down and continued to work with the bandages. "She's sensitive."

Qui-Gon placed his hand over Obi-Wan's, forcing him to stop for the moment. "She would never have been trained. She's not that strong in the Force."

"But strong enough to ease this," Obi-Wan opened another bacta package and squeezed some of the thick liquid out and then dabbed it around the ugly wound. He then covered it with a clean bandage. "As soon as we find out about who these guardians are, I'm getting us out of here." He sat back on his heels once finished. "What about these sedt? I've never heard of it before."

Qui-Gon winced as he shifted against the tree. "I'm not sure. It makes me wonder…."

Obi-Wan looked up from putting the bandages back into his bag. "About what?"

"If their priestess are Force sensitive. I was compromised for most of the attack. Were you able to sense anything?"

"Um…it felt like cold eddies swirled around the middle of the settlement. Not wind, but something different…elusive." When he was finished he moved to sit down.

The trees shuddered and a buzzing sound filled the air like before. Obi-Wan barely had any warning through the Force to react. "No," he pulled his hood over his face and then leaned over to cover Qui-Gon's bandaged chest. Time seemed to stretch and then it snapped back. The buzzing continued for some time until it stopped. Obi-Wan raised his head and then tugged the hood off.

"Master?" he turned to look back at Qui-Gon. He had managed to pull his hood over his face, but there was a red mark just above his beard. "Are you all right?"

Qui-Gon reached up and touched the stinging spot. "Not sure. You might want to run a test on this."

Obi-Wan reached over for his bag and looked through it again. "Great, it's not here."

"Did you leave it in the ship?"

Before Obi-Wan could answer, Darna appeared. She had several marks on her smooth skin. It looks like she had been bitten by whatever the creatures were. "Will you be okay?" Obi-Wan asked her.

She looked nonplussed. "Yes. This has happened to me before."

Sensing movement, Obi-Wan jumped to his feet and lowered into a crouch, arms spread out. Reaching out with the Force he felt caution, but not danger. A man, the same man who first came to the village before they were attacked stepped from behind one of the large trees.

"Darna?"

She made a hand movement, which made him stop. A moment later he came towards them again. The two started talking. From Obi-Wan's perspective it looked like an argument. The man placed a hand on her shoulder and she shrugged it off, pointing a finger at him.

Eventually he left, but came back with the carcass of a dead animal.

Darna came up to him and helped pull the body into the clearing. There the two began to skin the animal. Obi-Wan placed a hand on Qui-Gon's arm, getting his attention. "Master, I'll help them."

Not waiting for Qui-Gon's answer, Obi-Wan rose to his feet and came over to the two. He let his cloak drop to the ground, then lowered himself to his knees and pulled out a blade from his utility belt so he could make the process go faster. It was bloody, but soon it was prepared. Obi-Wan wiped the animal's blood onto the grass and then on a scrap of material the man handed him. When his hands were clean and thinking it would be easier, he pointed to his chest and introduced himself.

"Semo," the man answered.

The body roasted over a fire for the rest of the day. That evening, and after having eaten Obi-Wan checked on Qui-Gon again. The older Jedi looked to be sleeping, which was good. Feeling they were safe for now, Obi-Wan bunched up his cloak and used it as a bit of a cushion for his head. Just as he drifted off to sleep he could hear the two natives talking quietly, and then grief surge through the Force accompanied by weeping.

TBC….