"Sidious wants to see you, my apprentice," Xanatos emphasised the last part and glanced at the older male with a pointed glare, who in turn seemed completely unaffected by it. Obi-Wan had the feeling he should not only be careful around Dooku, but that he should win him as some kind of ally, it could help him to stay alive.

Eventually the ginger haired Jedi nodded with a neutral expression. His new 'Master' gave him the instructions on which door he had to knock and how he had to behave and then he was send on his way. Upon rounding the corner he heard the black haired male hiss, "What have you said to him?"

"Nothing of importance."

"I am his Master, not you," Xanatos hissed.

"Careful Du'Crion, don't forget with whom you are dealing here," there was a frightening cold tone in his voice that sent shivers running down the young Padawan's spine. He ignored this however and slowly walked towards the door, behind which he would meet this Sidious person. The Force screamed another warning at him, but once again he ignored it. He had a mission to fulfil and the Force would protect him, right? As an answer the Force around him became warmer for a moment and it was as if it had wrapped a cloak around him. Feeling suddenly surer of himself again, Obi-Wan knocked at the door and stepped into the room when a voice called for him to enter.

The room was large and darkened. Curtains were drawn shut and there was only one light source. It looked like a round ball that illuminated the desk it was hovering above in a red light. The light barely reached the ground next to the small wooden desk. A couch and a few armchairs were the only furniture in the room.

A hooded figure was standing near the window, with its back to Obi-Wan. The Jedi Padawan guessed that it was a man from the posture and stature. He took a calming breath and stepped forward until he stood in the middle of the room on a round carped on which he kneeled. "Lord Sidious," he greeted the man.

"Such fine manners," a cold voice said venomously and the hooded figure turned around. Obi-Wan could not make out the man's face nor did he recognize his voice. The only feature of his face that could be seen, were the evil yellow eyes. "So, you are the infamous Obi-Wan Kenobi."

He furrowed his brow, "Infamous, my Lord?"

A cold chuckle echoed from the blank walls, "Oh yes, my dear boy. Xanatos and Dooku have told me a lot about you and your... achievements. I was a little surprised however when Xanatos just named you his apprentice... Tell me, do you truly want to join the Sith?"

Both Dooku AND Xanatos had warned him about this man, though the latter had warned him not to lie. "I do not want to be a Jedi anymore, but I do not want to give up on the mastery of the Force either," he cleared his throat and forced himself to look into the hard yellow eyes before him, "I do not know if I want to become a Sith, for I have no knowledge on what it means to be one. The Jedi are not very... keen on sharing information about the Sith, my Lord."

Something sparkled in these cold eyes and Obi-Wan suddenly had the desire to run. "It was smart of you not to lie to me, young Kenobi." He started circling the still kneeling ginger haired Padawan. Sidious only stopped when he had completed one round, coming to a halt in Obi-Wan's blind spot. He was not quite sure where exactly Sidious was standing, if he was right behind him or a little to the side. The Sith Lord had made no noise while moving and the young Padawan did not dare to look or use the Force to locate his position.

"I feel fear in you and there is anger too..." the cold voice was very close now. "How about we see what else is hidden in that mind of yours?"

Before Obi-Wan could so much as decipher the words for their meaning, he felt the other's hands land on his shoulders. Not a moment later, agonizing pain ran through his whole body, while Sidious mind forced itself in Obi-Wan's. The last thing the ginger haired male remembered was the loud scream that escaped his lungs and then there was only painless darkness.


(Meanwhile on Coruscant in the Jedi Temple)

Qui-Gon's gaze ran over the twelve Council members, who were seated in a circle around him. They had called him to review his current physical status and the long haired Jedi silently prayed that he would soon be able to return to field work. Temple life simply was nothing for him, it was too stiff and too boring. He knew Obi-Wan thought so too, which could very well have been his fault. Speaking of his Padawan, he wondered how the teenager was faring on his mission.

"Qui-Gon, would you be so kind to explain your condition to the Council?" Mace Windu's voice broke through his line of thoughts.

"Certainly," took a deep breath and fixed his gaze between Yoda's and Mace's seats. "As I have already pointed out, I-" he broke up abruptly when a wave of pain flooded his mind. He barely registered sacking to his knees in front of the whole Council, before an even stronger wave of pain erupted in his head, this time accompanied by darkness. He would have screamed, but the pain was numbing, it felt like his head was exploding from the inside out. His whole body was on flames, every nerve overwrought. His body couldn't keep that up much longer, he was aware of at least that, but there was nothing he could do. He had already given up and prepared for facing the coming darkness, when something in his mind was literally torn out and then the pain stopped.

He was breathing heavily while cowering on the floor. His eyes were shut tied, but he did not need to look to know that Mace and Yoda's hands were on him, trying to soother his mind and to calm his body.

"What was that?" Adi Gallia's voice vibrated through the chamber and to Qui-Gon's ears it sounded as if she was shouting right into his ear.

He felt movement above himself, but didn't dare to open his eyes just yet. Hesitantly he examined his mind, he felt Yoda doing the same and to his shock he found that the source of this agonizing torture had been the bond he shared with Obi-Wan. Upon this realisation he noticed that the bond had been brutally severed, as if someone from the outside had grabbed it and pulled it apart, until it couldn't take the pressure anymore.

"Easy Qui-Gon," the dark skinned Master's voice said while the long haired male was slowly being hoisted up to sit on the floor. Instead of lying there, curling into a tight ball. He opened his eyes a little bit and felt the Korun Master's presence against his back, but in the next moment he pushed himself away from his long time friend and vomited the content of his stomach on the floor.

"The bond is broken," he gasped out when he had his breathing under control again. He was heavily leaning against Mace, who had completely shed his Council member aura to be the friend and help Qui-Gon needed.

"What are you talking about?" the Korun Master required.

Yoda was petting Qui-Gon's knee while his other hand rested on the unsettled stomach of the older male. The other Council members were kneeling in a circle around them, offering support and comfort through the Force.

"My bond with Obi-Wan... it is broken, right after... right after a strong wave of pain crashed my system." His world was spinning and he shut his eyes again. Almost immediately a hand was laid over his closed eyes.

"Are you telling us that your Padawan had been in great pain and then the bond was destroyed?" Plo Koon wanted to know. Qui-Gon nodded weakly. His mind was starting to work normally again, only to be clouded by worry for the teenager.

"How is that possible? There is nothing in the temple that could inflict so much pain and... darkness... to have such an effect on somebody who shares a bond with you," Adi Gallia said. That caught Qui-Gon's attention.

"What do you mean there is nothing in the temple that could cause this? Obi-Wan is on a solo mission that the Council assigned him on." The Council went deadly silent and gazes were exchanged. "What? What is it?" the tall Jedi Master asked impatient and worried.

"Qui-Gon," Mace began, "the Council did not send your Padawan on any mission..."


Thank you for all the kind reviews! ^^

I really appreciate the comments and feedback.

I don't know if I have already mentioned that, but this story is going to split at some point. (This point is going arrive soon). From there on, there will be a 'good' way and a 'bad' way. I plan on updating both ways in one chapter, would that be alright with you guys?