Hey! Thanks for all the beautiful reviews! I'm going to try to answer all of them soon, but this is midterm time and i'm barely able to post this (actually i'm taking time away from a paper due tom...soooo this will be short and sweet) Yeah, Obi-Wan's life kinda stinks right now...but then, when has it ever not? Not to worry, I will return him from where i borrowed him safe and unharmed...mostly. evil giggle So, for now, enjoy the story and please let me know what you think...it lets me know i'm not messing up too badly.
Miss Elizabeth Blakeney
P.S. Own Star Wars, I do not. So sue me, you must not.
Chapter 7: An Unexpected and Worrisome Surprise
Qui-Gon, Paxxi, and Guerra had been hiding behind the pile of repair equipment for so long, their muscles were beginning to seize up. Every once in awhile, the Jedi would rise to a half crouch and flex every muscle in his body. Then he would sit back down and wait. They had been there since early morning, staking out the warehouse. All of their information said today was the day Prince Beju was coming to collect the bacta Baftu had promised him.
Qui-Gon's communicator beeped and he pulled it out, activating it in the same movement.
"Jedi-Gon, Kaadi here. Do you copy?"
"This is Qui-Gon. I copy."
"The volunteers here in a abandoned warehouse streets down from you. Fifty of our best runners set to move the supplies out of the Prince's ship. A hundred will distribute them to different places in the city. Sound good to you, Jedi-Gon?" Qui-Gon nodded tiredly.
"Sounds good, Kaadi. We'll be right here, watching Baftu's group, and try to infiltrate." Kaadi agreed and signed off. They were back to waiting.
"Worry not Jedi-Gon. Paxxi and I have always been lucky. Soon the Syndicat will fail. Then, you will be able to look for Oba-Wan. And…and you won't be alone. Paxxi and I have discussed Jedi-Gon. We will go with you to look for him. We do it out of the goodness of our hearts. Not so. I lie. It is our fault Jedi-Gon, that both of you are here. It is our fault that our friend Oba-Wan is in this terrible mess. We must help." The Jedi was truly touched by what Guerra was saying. The hunt for Obi-Wan would most likely take months, maybe years. Moreover, there was the very real chance that he would never be found.
Qui-Gon rested his hand on Guerra's shoulder. He could not say a word. Tears formed in the corners of his eyes, but he refused to release them. Now was not the time. As he always told Obi-Wan, Don't focus on your anxieties, keep your attention on the here and now.
"Jedi-Gon? They are coming."
A Few Hours Earlier
Duenna was jarred awake by the door banging open. She had gotten Obi-Wan settled down from Baftu's treatment after several hours. At first, all he would do was hug his knees to his chest and rock slowly back and forth. Duenna tried often to get him to stop or even notice her, but to no avail. Then, suddenly, he had turned his empty, terrified eyes to her and a single tear had rolled down his cheek. Gathering him up, she hugged him hard, as if she thought she could squeeze the fear and sadness out of him. He had finally fallen asleep after hours of emotional torment.
Baftu swaggered in, and regarded the sleeping figure with a smug smile. Then he turned his evil gaze on Duenna.
"Wake him up, now! Get him ready to go out and be…presentable for royalty. You've got five minutes. Now!" His last outburst woke the sleeping Jedi, who let out a half shriek, half whimper and buried his head in the couch cushions. He did not move or make a noise until Baftu had left. Duenna hurried over and began to straighten the young boy's tunic. As she settled the outer tunic better around the boy's frame, her hand hit something hard. Reaching into the inner pocket, she brought out the dark stone Qui-Gon had given him. Before she could move it far from the boy's body, a hand reached out and firmly grabbed her wrist. Another hand grabbed the stone and pressed it to his heart before returning it to his pocket. Hesitating briefly, as she had no idea what significance a simple rock could have, she then left it alone, and went to get his robe.
Baftu and his entourage entered the spaceport, surrounded by Syndicat guards. Duenna, supporting the frightened boy, walked in the middle of the large group. Looking surreptitiously about the spaceport, she searched for her sons and Obi-Wan's master. They were supposed to be here, where were they? Obi-Wan could not last much longer in Baftu's hands.
She heard the sound of engines in the distance. Looking up, she saw the prince's ship come in and land a few feet from the group. Suddenly, Baftu was right beside Obi-Wan. He grabbed his arm, and began to pull him away from Duenna. The boy let out a shriek, but was quickly silenced by a hard slap to his face. Duenna tried to hang on to the confused boy.
"Don't take him! He's only a boy; he doesn't understand what's going on! Don't take him away from me. Please…" A resounding slap was heard as Duenna crashed to the ground from the force of the blow. Baftu sneered, and dragged the shaking boy over to the descending Prince.
Qui-Gon and the Derida brothers watched as Baftu and his associates strode into the spaceport. Qui-Gon's attention was inexplicably drawn to the center of the group. He could see one person leaning on another, but was unable to see either of their faces. And yet, he could not shake his feeling of familiarity about those two. Suddenly, he saw Baftu stride up to the two people and roughly grab the closest one's arm. He heard a frightened shriek come from the person followed by Baftu's slap on their face. Then all three of them tensed when they heard the unmistakable voice of Duenna.
"Don't take him! He's only a boy; he doesn't understand what's going on! Don't take him away from me. Please…" Qui-Gon had to hold down both Paxxi and Guerra as Baftu's slap echoed across the way. Then his gaze and concentration were fixed on the pathetic figure being manhandled over to the Prince's ship.
Prince Beju walked regally down the ramp towards the man who had sworn to help him keep his rightful throne. As he walked towards the Phindian he knew as Baftu, he noticed he was dragging a huddled, hooded figure.
"Welcome to my planet, Prince Beju! I hope your trip was not too tiring?"
"It was well enough. I am not interested in exchanging small talk with you Baftu. I am here for the bacta, and to see if your…governmental system works as well as you say it does."
"I understand, Your Highness. You asked to see a person who has been renewed, Prince Beju? I have a special surprise for you. You remember you told me that your mother had requested Jedi help and that you wanted to be rid of that threat. Well, you will be glad to see half your threat has been…renewed." With that, he pulled the hood off Obi-Wan's head and thrust the boy down on his knees.
Obi-Wan kept his head lowered, hoping the men would leave him alone, that everyone would just leave him alone. He didn't know anything, all these people, the questions, he just didn't know. He felt hard fingers grab his chin and force his head up, up until his eyes met those of some man he had never seen before. His sad, empty blue eyes met hard, mocking ones.
"This, this is one of the legendary Jedi we hear so much about? Ha, if I had known it was going to be this easy, I would not have worried so much about them. Poor boy," he continued, with no hint of pity, "so you cannot remember anything? Not your name or the name of your master? Oh, this is interesting." With a laugh he released Obi-Wan's chin and allowed the boy to sink, mentally, deep within himself. He felt so alone.
Qui-Gon's heart stopped when Baftu threw Obi-Wan's hood off. His eyes locked unblinkingly on his apprentice and his heart seemed to drop straight into the core of the planet. There was his Obi-Wan, lost and alone in a world so empty Qui-Gon could not comprehend it. When Beju thrust the boy's face up, Qui-Gon saw the side of his face, which was turning an angry red color from the slap he had received to shut him up. Guerra gently touched his shoulder.
"So sorry I am, Jedi…" He could not continue. His voice was cut off by sobs that fought their way to the surface. His friend was doomed to live an empty life; his life had been taking from him. He would never become the Jedi he dreamed…use to dream of being. Both Guerra and Qui-Gon forced their attention back on the Prince and Baftu.
"My Prince, if you would allow me to escort you to headquarters, we can finish discussing our plans and wait for night to fall so we can begin to load the bacta onto your ship."
"We do need to discuss some things further, Baftu. But I have to return to my planet soon, as my mother requires me to see her for some conference. If I miss, she will become suspicious, and we cannot have that. You must start loading the bacta immediately!"
"Your Highness, if we start loading the bacta now, my people may start a revolt. The reason I am able to give you so much is that we have a false shortage of many things to keep the people in line. If they see that this is in fact false, we could have a revolt on our hands!"
"I thought you said you have these people in your control. You tell me of all your shortages and the blockade. I see before me the result of one who goes against you." The Prince tossed his hand in the direction of the crumpled Jedi apprentice, the words dripping with smugness. "Yet, now you tell me you fear you can't control your people. This does not fill me with assurance of our future, Baftu. It truly does not." Baftu's eyes narrowed, and then he glanced down at the Jedi boy. He had destroyed a Jedi; surely, he could keep his people in line.
"You are right, Your Highness. I will have my men begin immediately. Now, if you will follow me, I can take you to see the treasury."
"Approved. But bring the boy with us. I enjoy seeing one of the interfering Jedi like this."
Qui-Gon watched as they walked off, Baftu keeping a firm grip on Obi-Wan's arm. He, Beju, and Obi-Wan boarded a speeder, while the rest of his party filed into two others; the guards were left to begin the loading. While Paxxi and Guerra donned the stolen silver coats of the guards, Qui-Gon contacted Kaadi.
"The Syndicat has started loading the bacta. Hurry! Baftu and the Prince are heading to headquarters." With that done, the three of them scuttled backwards and hurried off to Syndicat headquarters. Qui-Gon put on his guard coat as they walked. He had to reach his Padawan soon. He shook his head; he had to focus on helping Guerra and Paxxi as well.
So the search for Obi-Wan has begun and ended...and begun again. I'm sooooo evil! Not to worry, I've said this is a relationship building story, so...I'm mean come on...they have to be reunited so we can get on w/ the construction of a better relationship already. Truthfully, I cringe during most of the first books, I love reading about a good master/padawan relationship between the two, so the opening books aren't my idea of a fun time had by all. Well...I'm putting off the paper. Off the purgatory, hope to see you soon!