A.N.: Hello again. I'm so sorry for not updating in a while. Darn writers block hit me and wouldn't go away. But I finally did kick it out, after a long battle and details I won't go into...so, if your still interested, here goes...
"A little early for the welcoming party, isn't it?" remarked Obi-Wan dryly as he and Derin ran into the common area, joining Qui-Gon and Anakin at the cockpit door.
"The Tarprins are not known for their patience," replied Qui-Gon seriously, as the door opened, "That was our only warning shot."
Jar'quian Boz, the human pilot, looked back expectantly as the two Jedi Masters entered the cockpit.
"About time," the short man rasped, looking back out the window at three approaching Tarprin fighters, "Bloody Tarprins...no sense o' decency."
"I wouldn't say that," replied Qui-Gon, masking annoyance, "We aren't dead."
"Yet," said the co-pilot.
"This is strange," commented Obi-Wan, looking at a view screen, "All their fire power is concentrated in the middle ship, " he glanced up, "Hardly any in the flanking ones."
Qui-Gon shot him a questioning look and turned back to the ships.The middle ship did look more formidable then most classes he had seen.
"Anakin, stay where you are," he called, as a slight disturbance distracted him.
Obi-Wan turned to see the young padawan pull his foot out of the doorway. The boy was sending glares worthy of a Sith Master in the direction of Qui-Gon's back. Beside him, Derin stood, barely peaking into the room. Spotting Obi-Wan she shifted her eyes to the ships, frowning worriedly.
/I have a bad feeling about this, Master/ Obi-Wan heard suddenly./A really bad feeling./
Obi-Wan frowned as well.
/You are not alone, little one/ he thought to her.
Immediately, Derin's face fell and a look of fear clouded her eyes.
"Turn the ship!" she yelled, "Turn the ship now! They're..."
But it was to late. A green grow erupted from the ship on the right and stretched into a long ribbon covering the ship on the left. With impossible speed it struck the small transporter, which spiraled in reaction. Obi-Wan grasped the counsul for dear life. Someone screamed and a sudden blast of pain erupted through the training bond.
"Derin!" he called, his voice lost in the mass of confusion, "Derin, answer me!"
He repeated the call through the training bond and breathed a sigh of relief when he heard a weak /I'm fine, Master...hit the table...stupid place to put it!/
The ship rotated one last time, jarring to a stop.
"They've got us in a tractor beam," said Qui-Gon, standing up from his grasp of a chair, "Obi-Wan, are you alright?"
"Fine, Ma-" Obi-Wan stopped as he almost slipped, "I'm fine, Qui-Gon."
Qui-Gon paused to study his former padawan's face for a second. He, too, had noticed the slip and Obi-Wan's hasty cover-up. Suprisingly, he felt a bit of sadness because of it.
Quelling his feelings he called out, "Ani, are you hurt?"
"No, Master," called back the padawan from out of sight. Obi-Wan then heard, "Come on, Derin, lean on me."
A minute later, both padawans appeared in the doorway. Derin was propped up slightly by Anakin and clutching her side. Through their bond he could feel repeated waves of pain. Jumping up, he hurried over, taking Derin from Anakin.
"Lie down," he ordered, more concerned about her well-being then anything else at the moment. He refused to lose his first padawan so early.
"I'm fine, Master," said Derin, trying half-heartedly to pull away, "Really."
"Derin, I need to make sure of that," replied Obi-Wan, trying to find a balance between sounding concerned and sounding insistent.
"But I-"
"It's best to do what he says, little one," interrupted Qui-Gon, suddenly on her other side. The Jedi Master glanced over at Obi-Wan, "He knows what he's talking about."
Before Derin could reply, both Jedi's had lowered her to the ground. Carefully, Obi-Wan pulled up her robe on the one side until an already darkening bruise could be seen.
"I don't think anything is broken," remarked Qui-Gon looking over at the wound.
Obi-Wan glared up at him. Using the Force, he checked for himself, only to see Qui-Gon was right.
"The best I can do is alleviate the pain," he said, looking down at Derin. The young woman nodded, and grimaced as she took in a breath.
"I understand," she said, through gritted teeth.
Reaching out with the Force, Obi-Wan used the bit of healers training he had been given at the temple. When he opened his eyes, he saw that Derin's face had relaxed, though the bruise looked uglier then before.
"Master," said Anakin as Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan helped Derin up, "Incoming transmission."
"Put it up," ordered Qui-Gon.
The co-pilot stretched up and flicked a red switch above his head.
"You have invaded Tarprin space," a voice announced over the speaker, "Per orders we have fired a warning shot and a crippling shot. You have not returned fire. Prepare to be boarded. Any attempt to fight on board will result in the immediate destruction of your vessel...You are now prisoners of the Tarprin Empire."
"And for you Jedi aboard," a different voice began, "Should any lightsabers appear, the royal family will be killed."
With that the message ended. The padawans both looked expectantly at their masters, wondering what to do next. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan looked at each other, knowing what the other was thinking. The plan was not going right, again.