Disclaimer: See chapter 1
Author's Note: Here's chapter 4! If you're enjoying the story please leave a comment and let me know. Reviews feed the muse and right now she's looking kinda thin...
Thanks:
Zinga6377: No our poor Obi doesn't seem to ever get a break unless it's a bone or a spirit! Awwww, the things we do to the Jedi we love.
Guest: Yes, things have been really hard for Obi-Wan and they are about to get harder...
Please R&R!
And on to the show...
Obi-Wan runs. It doesn't matter to him where he is running only that he is running... only that there is increasing distance between him and the other Jedi. Even as he runs the feelings coursing through his hot veins grows stronger. Obi-Wan wants to strike things. He wants to hurt things. He wants to kill things. Mostly, he wants to kill Anakin.
"No!" he yells as he comes to a stop. "I must... focus," he whispers through clenched teeth. Slowly, bit by bit, breath by breath he fights to push back the dark thoughts racing through his mind. However, no sooner than he begins to make some progress and regain some semblance of himself the pain returns.
Obi-Wan doesn't have time to brace for it. He is immediately seized by the sensation that he is being immolated where he stands. He falls to the ground and begins to writhe and wriggle in the dirt uncontrollably. His eyes squeeze shut so tightly that stars dance behind his lids. He has no choice, but to abandon himself to the pain as it is no longer confined to his torso, but has spread to his arms and back. He is currently incapable of checking for lesions, but he has no doubt that they have spread as well. The torture session is longer and stronger than the previous and Obi-Wan is helpless before it. It is all he can do to simply endure it. Finally, after what seems an eternity, the pain gradually abates. Obi-Wan lies still in the dirt for several minutes. If the next attack escalates as this one had... Obi-Wan is unsure of his ability to survive it. Slowly, he pushes himself up from the dirt, not even bothering to dust himself off. It is getting quite cold and Obi-Wan immediately misses the warm fire that is burning back in the cave with Anakin, but he can't go back. He had barely maintained control when the anger hit him. If he hadn't... If he had hurt Anakin... he would never forgive himself. No, he knows he has to stay away. Internally, he thanks the Force that Anakin is too injured to come and look for him. Obi-Wan looks down at his Jedi communicator and heaves a heavy sigh.
"Anakin."
"Obi-Wan? Where are you? Are you,"
"I'm fine... for the moment," Obi-Wan replies. "Anakin, I... I cannot return to the cave I'm afraid. I need you to keep that transponder transmitting and the moment help arrives I want you to get out here."
"Master, I'm not leaving without you."
"Anakin," Obi-Wan sighed. "For once I need you to listen to me. When the gunship lands I want you on it. Do not come looking for me. It's too dangerous and you know it."
"Obi-Wan, please... Talk to me. What is going on? Tell me where you are!"
"I'm sorry, Anakin. I can't... I can't risk hurting you... Goodbye," Obi-Wan ends.
"Wait! Obi-Wan! Obi-Wan!" Anakin's voice yells desperately over the comm. For just a moment, Obi-Wan feels his resolve waver, but he knows he is doing the right thing. He detaches the communicator and lays it on a nearby stone. He then smashes it under the weight of a smaller rock. Anakin will not be able to track him this way. The only remaining option is to track him through their bond. Obi-Wan closes off his mind, erecting the tightest and strongest shields he knows how. It is his only insurance to keep Anakin away. Now it is time to wait; time to wait and see what the Force has in store for him. And so he sits in the cold, darkness unable to release his emotions... utterly alone... and terrified.
Anakin repeatedly taps his communicator trying to reconnect with his former master, but his efforts yield only silence. He tries to locate Obi-Wan's signal, but even that proves useless. Anakin roars in frustration. If only he could walk! If only he weren't injured he could be out there helping Obi-Wan instead of sitting in a cave utterly useless. He tries once again to reach out over their old training bond and once again Anakin's efforts are violently rebuffed. Suddenly, his holo-communicator beeps.
"Obi-Wan?" Anakin answers excitedly. A familiar figure suddenly appeares in miniature over his holo.
"No, sir."
"Rex, it's good to see you."
"Yes, General. We picked up your signal. Have to admit we were beginning to wonder if you were still out there," Rex says. He doesn't come out and say it, but Anakin knows his Captain well enough to understand his subtle way of his saying he was worried. "We're not far from your position. We should be able to reach you in a just over nine hours."
"That's the best news I've heard all day," Anakin replies with a smile, but it is a weak smile at best and no amount of mirth reaches his eyes. It does not go unnoticed.
"Are you all right, sir? Is General Kenobi with you?"
"He," Anakin hesitated, "Yes, we are both here, but Master Kenobi will need medical attention once you arrive."
"Is his condition serious, sir?" Rex asks. Anakin sighs.
"I hope not," he mumbles to himself.
"Sir?"
"Nothing to serious, Captain," Anakin replies.
"Very good, sir."
"Oh, Rex, we've got droids here, but they haven't found us yet."
"I've never seen you afraid of a few clankers, General."
"Oh, I just didn't want you to get here too late and miss out on all the fun."
"I see," Rex smirks. "Don't worry, sir. The 501st never misses a party."
"See you soon," Anakin nods and ends the transmission. He leans back against the rock wall. "At least something is going right."
Anakin's light sleep is interrupted by a slight tension in the Force. He opens his eyes, immediately alert. He scans the cave slowly, reaching out with his senses looking for any threat. A sudden movement catches his attention, but it is too fast to make out. However, Anakin can sense... a presence.
"Obi-Wan?" he calls out, but he receives no reply. There it is again! Anakin is certain someone is out there. He reaches for his lightsaber and activates it.
"Oh, we don't need that, do we? And here I thought we were friends," comes Obi-Wan's voice. His gentle lilt floats through the cave in echoes making him seem everywhere at once. Anakin scans the shadows, but he sees nothing. Only the voice and a vague Force sense tell him the Obi-Wan is indeed nearby.
"Master, what's going on?" Anakin says warily his eyes still searching.
"You know exactly what is going on!" Obi-Wan snaps. Anakin follows the sound and finds Obi-Wan perched like a pouncing nexu on a rock near the cave entrance; his eyes no longer blue-grey... but golden and bloodshot. Anakin has seen those eyes before. It is the look of someone who has given themselves over to the dark side... but how can that even be possible... This was Obi-Wan... Anakin's grip tightens on his lightsaber.
"Little Ani is scared. He's afraid of his mean, old Master," Obi-Wan mocks. Then his smile fades. "He should be."
"Come on, Obi-Wan. Snap out of this!"
"DON'T TELL ME WHAT TO DO!" Obi-Wan roars. He stands on top of his rock and points an accusing finger at Anakin. "Everyone tells me what to do! You, the Council, that little troll Yoda..." he murmurs looking down briefly. His gaze shoots back to Anakin. "Even Qui-Gon... train the Chosen One, train the Chosen One! He never even considered that maybe I didn't want to train the Chosen One! Maybe I only wanted to be his padawan, but no... No, he had to get himself killed! And his last words..." Obi-Wan whispers, his eyes narrowing in unbridled hatred. "His last words were of you!"
Suddenly, Obi-Wan jumps down off his perch and starts slowly advancing toward Anakin. Anakin, for his part, begins to hobble away from him in short hops. He has no expectation of "running," but he is quite content to keep as much distance as possible between them.
"Obi-Wan, what are you doing?"
"Shouldn't it be obvious?" Obi-Wan replies casually. "I'm about to kill you!" he answers. He leaps at Anakin who manages to get his lightsaber up just in time to block Obi-Wan's crushing blow. Their lightsabers hum and crackle against each other.
"I don't want to hurt you," Anakin says through gritted teeth.
"Die!" Kenobi hisses, a wanton expression on his face. Anakin pulls up his right knee and violently pushes Obi-Wan back. Some distance now between them, Anakin gives another push, this time utilizing the Force. Obi-Wan is thrown up against the ceiling of the cave, down against the floor and then out of the cave. He hits the ground on his stomach letting out a loud "oomf." The wind temporarily knocked out of him, he slowly gets to his feet. He glares at Anakin, his expression barely more than feral. Suddenly, he roars in frustration his rage and bloodlust unsatisfied, but he doesn't advance. Instead he disappears into the darkness. And so, Anakin begins his long night of listening and waiting. He saber at the ready.
By the time the first rays begin to creep over the horizon Anakin is feeling the drain on his body from remaining on high alert for so long. Just as he is toying with the idea of taking just a few moments to relax, he senses someone approaching. He readies himself, leaning on the rock facing, lightsaber in hand. Slowly, a figure emerges from the dusty, orange twilight.
"General," Captain Rex says as he holsters his pistols. Anakin powers down his lightsaber. He can see more clones following behind. Anakin reaches a hand out for Rex who immediately comes over and lets Anakin lean on him as they walk out of the cave.
"Are you badly injured, Skywalker?" a familiar voice asks. It isn't a voice he expected, but not one that surprises him either.
"It's not that bad," Anakin replies. Master Windu nods and then looks around. "Where is Master Kenobi?" he asks. Anakin's expression grows grim.
"I don't know. I haven't seen him since," he pauses, "since he attacked me last night."
"Attacked you?" Windu repeats his frown deeper than usual. Anakin shakes his head.
"Something is wrong with him... It is almost like..."
"Like what?" Windu prompts. Anakin sighs.
"Like the dark side of the Force," he finishes. Anakin brow creases as he considers the one thought that had been nagging him throughout his weary vigil. "This has to have something to do with that box."
"What box?"
"The thing we picked up from the Telosian authorities. It turned out to be a box left by Master Qui-Gon's former apprentice," Anakin reports. Master Windu's customary frown grows even deeper more resembling a scowl with each passing moment.
"What was in the box?"
"Nothing. It was empty," Anakin answers. Master Windu doesn't respond immediately. Instead, he silently rubs his chin with his left hand. After several minutes of silence, Anakin feels his patience wearing quickly. Fortunately, the Master speaks before his patience wears out entirely.
"Where is this box now?"
"Still at the crash site I think," Anakin responds. "Master Windu, we need to find Obi-Wan. He's not himself... He... We need to find him."
"This is troubling," Windu says apparently returning to his deep thoughts "and very dangerous, but you are correct, Skywalker. We must find Kenobi and quickly."
"Sir," interrupts one of the clone troopers, "we already have."
Master Windu looks up to where the trooper is pointing and sees Obi-Wan standing on top of the cave's outcropping. He is glowering at them, lightsaber in hand. Windu and Anakin can easily sense the waves of malevolence rippling off of the man.
"How kind, you've brought me toy soldiers to play with," he taunts. "I'm going to enjoy picking you apart piece by piece," he adds with a smile. Master Windu took several steps forward, never lifting his eyes off the seemingly dark Jedi.
"Master Kenobi," he begins and for a second Obi-Wan's eyes light on the Council Member. A deep sense of fear and confusion passes across his face. His blue-grey eyes seem to plead for just a moment, but it disappears just as fast as it came, perhaps even faster.
"Ah, good ol' Master Windu. How are you, Mace? Ruined any young lives lately? Throw out some initiates? Perhaps strangle some younglings? Not matter, I waited a long time to," Obi-Wan starts, but he is cut off mid-sentence as he is seized with another attack; this one exponentially worse than any before. His lightsaber falls carelessly to the ground and his body soon follows. Only Master Windu's Jedi reflexes save Obi-Wan from hitting the hard soil. Windu holds his fellow council member in his arms. Obi-Wan is convulsing wildly, his eyes rolled back, foam frothing in the edges of his mouth.
"Medic!" Windu yells and soon a clone trooper is at his side. Master Windu lays Obi-Wan down and then stands up. He looks down at the medic.
"Get him stable and then get him on the gunship," he orders calmly. He turns to Anakin and Rex. "Captain, get Master Skywalker on board then have a hazard team sent to the crash site. I want that box recovered."
"I'm not leaving Obi-Wan! He,"
"Is being seen to, but we need to get you both to the cruiser's medical facility," Master Windu interrupts, his tone brooking no argument. Anakin nods reluctantly and allows Rex to walk him to the gunship. Not long after, Windu and the medic trooper joins them followed by a pair of troopers escorting Obi-Wan on a stretcher. The gunship's doors close and the group lifts off the surface of the small moon whisking them to the familiar surroundings of the Resolute.