Chapter Seven

Kidnapped

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In the deep dredges of space one object stood out in the emptiness. A large cargo ship, easily several dozen times the size of the small cruiser Iris and Obi-Wan occupied. The sheer size of it was intimidating enough, who knew how many criminals were aboard? Or how many innocents kept captive…? They were here as legal parlay, untouchable by law. The fugitive slave traders knew they couldn't outrun the government of Courasant for long, therefore the two of them were sent as a compromising procedure. It was thought to be the safest way to quell the situation, to lay out options before them and settle a treaty for lesser punishment by agreement. If refused, they knew the congress would track them down and punish them by the full extent of the law.

Even so, knowing that they both were untouchable, Iris had doubts it would be that easy.

They stood by the loading bay if their ship, descending down on the landing platform of the criminals vessel. Obi-Wan looked over at her reassuringly. "Everything will be fine. They know this is their best chance to survive."

She nodded numbly. But why did she feel like something was terribly wrong? On every level, this was planned out to work perfectly. It had worked thousands of times before for the Jedi. There was no logical reason for it to not work. Only a fool would refuse the offer they had for them!

The knotting in her stomach would not subside, though. Something just wasn't right, and she knew it…in the deepest part of her mind she could feel something that was telling her to run away, as far as she could and never come back.

She was fidgeting. Twisting her fingers in her palms, shifting her weight back and forth, back and forth…this was so unlike her. She wasn't sure if she felt more afraid or just plain annoyed. Apparently she had lost her mind, the poison had seeped into her brain. She frowned.

Obi-Wan looked at her, frowning too. Silently judging her behavior.

A large, rattling sound echoed through the ship, rocking them so they had to step against the wall to support themselves, or fall.

Silence.

"I guess it's time to rock and roll," Iris mumbled. She stood up, putting her hands on her hips, unconsciously fingering the holsters for her guns. Her expression steeled. Returning to the cold sureness of her usual demeanor. "Let's go."

The hangar door opened, hydraulic pressure blowing air in their faces. It revealed a long hallway sculpted of varying twisted grey metals. It wasn't the usual polished drab of the modern ships she had been in, but looked like a warped assembly of scrap metal. It twisted and curved, haphazardly welded together. Bringing an uneasy eeriness to the place.

They gave each other a quick look and stepped through.

They walked in absolute silence. The only sound was that of their boots tapping on the hard floor.

Iris's eyes darted around the vestibule as they approached the door. There was no key pad to open the it. They waited and moments passed by with another tense look at each other.

It groaned and opened for them, slow and unyielding, to reveal the main antechamber of the ship. It was vast and large, void of equipment or furniture, only more of the ghostly mutated metal that webbed and weaved to form the walls and ceiling.

There was a grunt and loud popping sound as the door snapped shut behind them, sounding like it had been locked from the inside. Iris lurched her eyes towards it, cold suspicion worming through her stomach. Obi-Wan, though, looked at ease. Unmoved by the sound.

They stood again in more unnerving silence.

Iris huffed an impatient sigh. "Not very hospitable greeting to their saviors." she mumbled.

Obi-Wan shot her a warning glance, at the same time they heard footsteps coming towards them, a figure looming around the corner and walking swiftly towards them. Iris clutched the gun tighter at her hip. The action hidden behind her tunic.

"Oh, oh, oh!" It sounded like laughing but failed in attempt. The figure circled and stood before them. In tattered clothing, an older man who seemed nearly too old to be a threat. "Welcome." he stated.

Obi-Wan half bowed respectfully. "We come in peace offering. Thank you for having us."

"Yes, thank you." he said enthusiastically. His eyes darted from Obi-Wan to Iris, his eyes lingering on her.

She noticed the action, though it seemed perfectly innocent.

Obi-Wan stepped forward. "Your options are laid out before you. Your best choice is to dock on the nearest planet in the republic and let us take you in. We will show you mercy for your cooperation. Surely you can see the benefit in abiding by the law…? Your sentence will be reduced and pardoned of all crimes once released."

"Yes, yes." The man nodded, smiling and shaking his head.

"If you choose to not follow," Iris stepped in, her voice sweet but sounding harsh to her own ears despite her effort, "The republic has no choice but to pursue you. There is no mercy for this action, you will be punished by full extent of the law and probated for your crimes even once released. You will be ceaselessly monitored."

"Oh…" He was shaking his head again.

"We offer to escort you to the nearest checkpoint." Obi-Wan said.

The man opened his eyes widely, the trace of nonchalant in his expression fading. Replaced by a hard mien. "It is…unfortunate. But I'm afraid your offers are not acceptable."

Obi-Wan blinked several times. Shocked. "What?"

"It is opportune for you to come to us," he was looking at Obi-Wan, "But I'm afraid you are not needed."

For the first time he took on a defensive stance. "What do you mean?"

"Oh, oh, oh!" He laughed again. His eyes angry with a smiling face. He didn't answer. Instead more men came from the corridor, forming a half circle around them.

Obi-Wan unleashed his lightsabor. "What is the purpose of this!"

One figure walked up behind the old man. The man sidestepped out of the way. Falling back into the half circle while this new man took his place. He was sniggering, a sick smirk on his face.

Iris stumbled back. Her breath caught in her throat. The whole world collapsed around her at that very moment. Everything came together. All the sick dread. The fear. It had been a trap all along.

Her words were barely a whisper. "Dyante."

He gazed at her, his eyes languishly traveling up her body, as if his memory could not fully comprehend her curves until he saw them with his own eyes again. "Ah, sweet girl. You look surprised?" His eyes were dark and smoldering. He fingered the wound in his shoulder she had dug into him, his smiled widening.

Obi-Wan lashed his lightsabor towards him. "Fall back!" his eyes narrowed.

Dyante continued as if he wasn't even there. "I though the poison would have exploded your lungs and heart. That is a shame." He was pacing lazily, " You look so…vital." His tongue forming around the word to make it sound like an obscenity.

Iris's hands were frozen on the guns at her hips. The world was crashing down around her. The deepest, darkest horror was sinking deep into her bones, as she realized what was happening.

She swallowed, finding her voice. "Why are you here?"

He stopped. Looking straight into her eyes. His smile faded, a look of pure menace crossing his face. His voice dropped to a low murmur. "What do you think…Iris?"

Obi-Wan's voice reflected sick horror. "A trap. This was a trap all along."

Dyante drew his knife out of the sheath on his leg. Pointing it towards Obi-Wan. "I'm afraid it's time for you to leave now." He sneered, eyes narrowed. "Go."

Obi-Wan lashed out at him. "You'll die for this! Fight me now, scum!"

Dyante laughed. Short and humorless. "Pathetic Jedi. You will die, here and now, your body cut into unrecognizable pieces!" He launched towards him, the half-circle surrounding them closing in on him too .

"NO!" Iris staggered towards him, standing in front of him and raising her arms defensively.

Dyante paused, only feet away. The others freezing around them.

"I'll go." She panted. "Just leave him alone. Leave the Jedi out of this."

Obi-Wan stared at her, his mouth open in shock. "No!"

"Yes!" She cried out. She eyed Dyante with a desperate gaze. "You swear to never cross their path? Ever again. All of you." she demanded.

He looked at her amiably. "Of course. Swear on my blood." He purred. "They will never see us ever again." his words were thick with suggestion. Iris shuddered.

The men backed away slowly.

Iris whirled around to face Obi-Wan.

"Don't do this." He pleaded. His eyes begging.

She couldn't answer him.

"Iris! No!" He moaned.

"…I'm sorry." She choked. Tears filled her eyes. "You must leave."

He stared at her helplessly.

"Go. Now." Dyante ordered Obi-Wan.

He surveyed the room, taking in the criminals one by one until his eyes finally fell to Iris again. His face was overcome with defeat and devastation. He slowly sheathed his lightsabor. The movement in his body limp and lifeless.

Iris thought she saw tears glistening behind his lashes. Her heart tore, pain seeping into all the broken fissures of her soul. He opened his mouth to speak, but no sound came out. "…."

Her breath buckled in her throat, the tears spilling over her face. She stumbled to him and wrapped her arms around him, burying her face into his robes.

A wild gasp escaped him. Wrapping his arms around her fiercely. He tightly cradled her into his body.

Silent sobs racked through her chest. "I'm so sorry."

His arms embraced her closer. Holding her for a very long moment before he tipped her face up to look at him. "I will come back to save you." His voice a low and intense whisper.

A chilling growl came from behind them. Dyante folded his arms to his chest impatiently.

Iris didn't look at him. She was gazing at Obi-Wan. She couldn't break herself away from it, trying to memorize his face. Preparing herself for what would surely be the worst depths of hell. Captured. Enslaved. There was no escape….She tried to keep her face strong, smiling weakly at him. Her hand stroked the side of his face. He closed his eyes, leaning into it.

"Thank you for everything." She whispered.

He opened his eyes. They were so full of emotion and words he wasn't able to speak.

He sharply took in a breath and leaned down, his fingers trailing through her hair. His lips tenderly pressed against hers, feather soft, trembling as he felt her lips against his mouth.

It stole her breath away, she gasped against him as he kissed her fervently. His mouth covered hers, frantically tasting every inch of her lips. His tongue grazed her bottom lip. He sighed at the taste of it, savoring the sweetness.

Obi-Wan seized her, his hands burning down the length of her arms and resting at her hips. He pushed into her, thrusting his mouth over hers. His kiss was desperate, full of passion, consumed with this one moment they had together before she was torn away from him.

He parted from her for a brief moment, his eyes blazing into hers. He traced his fingertips along her jaw line, closing his eyes and touching her mouth gently. Bringing down his lips and kissing her softly. It was quick, one last kiss to seal on her lips. To lock the memory deep into his heart.

She stood back from him. Her eyes dazzling. One last trace of happiness and hope fleeting on her face as she smiled warmly at him.

The moment was shattered almost as soon as it had started. An icy cold hand crippling over her wrist, yanking her away.

Dyante clutched her firmly, pulling her away with such force that she stumbled over the speed at which he dragged her away. He snapped her at his side, grabbing her other arm with the same bone crushing force. "Time to go." he hissed into her ear. His eyes darted to Obi-Wan. A cruel smile crossing his face.

Obi-Wan stood helplessly. Watching them drag her away. His fists were shaking at his sides. So forceful that his body shook with the pressure to remain still, to not chase after her. To not kill them all…though he knew there was no way to save her from this. They would kill her if he even dared take a step towards them.

The half dozen men followed after them. Backing slowly, watching Obi-Wan intensely.

Dyante pushed her in front of him, twisting her arm behind her back. He could hear her muffle a groan of protest and agony. He dug his other hand into her shoulder. Yanking her backwards with it.

Iris controlled the tears that were threatening to spill from her eyes. Determined to keep her cool while Obi-Wan watched her. She took in deep, controlled breaths. Working to void her face of emotion…though her soul already felt condemned to hell for eternity. His expression was too much to bear, the excruciating pain that was on his face…she looked away into the distance. It was agonizing.

Dyante slipped his hands around her waist in a sickeningly intimate way, his fingers pushing against her flesh slowly, so she could feel it. Her eyes darted to him, burning with revulsion. His fingers touched the clasp of her gun belt and unhooked the buckle, pulling it off. "These stay behind." he said, throwing them to the ground.

He pitched her into an elevator shaft where she slammed up against the back wall. He threw his body into hers there, pinning her against it. She could barely see over his shoulder as the other men filed into it. The doors closed on Obi-Wan, with it everything she had in this world. Gone forever. She closed her eyes against it, wondering if she really heard a scream as the doors closed shut.

Her eyes seized open. The void gone. Replaced by absolute rage and devastation.

Dyante was there, starring straight back at her. His smile curved into satisfaction.

Her body was quaking with the anger coursing through her body. She could barely speak, her voice course with disgust and hate. "Surely you didn't think this would be so easy?" She hissed.

He reached down into his pocket. Fingering a syringe needle in his grasp and waving it at her tauntingly. "In a few seconds you'll barely be able to move."

She gasped.

He lunged the needle for her, burying it deep into her neck just as she struggled free from his grasp. She choked, pulling it out as she stumbled backwards. The men all dove for her as she fell to the floor. Her hand fumbling for the knife in her boot. She grasped the handle and thrashed blindly, several men recoiling as she cut through their skin. She cut through the air, feeling it resist against flesh and bone, bodies falling to the floor. She stumbled to her feet, tripping over bodies. Her eyes were already fogging, her body response seeming slow and disoriented. No! Her mind screamed at her, You must fight it!

Something took both her arms and pushed her up against the wall with brutal force, knocking the breath out of her lungs. Dyante's fingers grabbed her face, burning bruises down her cheeks. She clawed at him uselessly. His muscles were like stone.

His face came into clear view in front of her. His ice blue eyes piercing into her. Platinum blonde dreadlocks framing his devilish face. His thin lips drew back into a snarl as his fingers pursed her lips forcefully. "Perhaps I can look forward to you kissing me like that…."

She thrashed wildly in his hold, trying to pry her face out of his hands. "I'll go to Hell before I let you!" She screamed.

He pinned her head back against the wall. "Let me? You no longer have a choice, witch." His other hand dropped to her neck, a vice-like grip closing around her throat. Her hands clawed and pushed at him, but they did nothing to stop him. She could feel her strength slipping away. Her vision blurring at the edges.

He closed in on her. His face pressing against her cheek. He snickered, cruel and mocking at her, whispering in her ear. "You'll do whatever I want, when I want. As much as I want…" he breathed, emphasizing each word to her. He let his eyes look over her, now that he had his body constrained to hers. His wicked smile deepening. The hand around her throat lowered to her breasts, fingering the space between her cleavage. "Perhaps I don't regret not killing you, after all…"

"You disgusting bastard!" She seethed. She shook, her vision now blurring red with her anger. She felt a small wave of glittering energy deep within her, ebbing and flowing like the waves of the sea. She concentrated on it, calling on it in a frantic moment of desperation. Please help me! She silently pleaded. Trying to call it forth to aid her. It washed into her veins unexpectedly, surging forth with incredible force. It wiped away the blurring in her eyes, the slack in her muscles. She gasped as it flowed up into every crevice of her, flexing her fingers to feel the awing energy.

She clenched them into fists. Her head snapping up to meet Dyante's eyes. A trace of confusion surfaced in them, barely reacting to the change in her body before she threw him back off of her. He blundered, his arms waving out to his sides, shock in his face.

She cried out, kicking her leg, her knee crashing into the side of his face. He waived, blood squirting out of the instant cut that gorged into his face. His eyes rolled to the back of his head. Falling to the floor unconscious.

Se panted. Gulping in huge breaths of air. Her fists clenched tightly. Her eyes searched around wildly, expecting another attack. But there was nothing. Silence. She blinked several times, eyeing the elevator shaft, finding that there were only motionless bodies on the floor.

She slowly rose her hands, realizing the blood that was on them for the first time.

There was blood everywhere. Smeared up against the walls, pooling on the floor. She snatched up her dagger lying there on the ground. Had she done this…? Her mind was so foggy, so distant, it was hard to concentrate on thoughts.

A dim ringing caught her attention. Becoming more clear as it repeated over and over. She searched, quickly realizing it was coming fro the door. The lights above it indicated that it the shaft was moving up, slowly clamoring to a different level of the ship.

Her heart jumped in her chest. Unconsciously she contracted her grip around the dagger in her hands. The air in her chest was quivering, threatening to swell and close up. There was an acidic burning in the back of her throat, remnants of the poison still coursing in her blood. She swallowed, trying to quell the burning. She took in a deep, shaking breath. The world blurring around her, swirling violently. She staggered and fell against the wall. Her consciousness desperately wanted to give out, succumbing to the drug pumping in her veins now. She squeezed her eyes shut. "No!"

The elevator chimed at her. Motion stopping as it reached its destination. She rocked on her heels, forcing her eyes open and fixing her grip on the daggers in her hands. She prepared herself for the inevitable forces that were sure to meet her as soon as the doors opened. She held her breath as they creaked open, the gears clicking and whirring as they separated, revealing the chamber ahead.

There was not the brute forces she was expecting. She narrowed her eyes, wondering if her vision was betraying her with illusions.

No…there was only one.

One man who stood at the end of the hallways. Shrouded in the darkness. Wrapped in black robes. He faced the ground, as the doors opened, he slowly lifted his head to look up at her, hands laced into the torn sleeves at his arms, his face hidden in the shadows of his hood.

She tried to formulate words, but even her voice was too heavy with exhaustion to utter even a whisper. Her vision was failing her. One the edge of desperation she clutched the daggers in her hands, thrusting them upwards into a fighting stance. Grimly realizing her last chance for vengeance was standing before her. She heaved one foot in front of the other, her footsteps quick and lithe to any onlooker, but inside each movement felt like an immense struggle. She swiftly approached the lone assassin, not one moment in hesitation as she plunged her dagger towards him.

He effortlessly sidestepped out of the way of her attack, just the fringe of his robe being sliced at the tip of her blade. Her back was to him, as he loomed over her figure like a dark shadow. She dropped to her hands, twisting her leg out in a smooth arc to knock him off his feet. This too he easily avoided, even as she winded her body up in a lightning fast uppercut. Both blades cutting through the empty air at the side of his face and chest.

She whirled around and relentlessly swung her daggers at him. Each attack he met with unparalleled speed and grace, dodging with incredible ease.

She swung back at him with the last of her strength, feeling it slice through open air. She faltered backwards. The weapons slipping from her grasp and clattering to the floor. The breaths in her lungs were shaking, swelling with the acidic poison. Her vision was blurring into blackness. Her hand clutched at her chest painfully, looking up at the dark figure that was surveying her intensely.

He stood before her, looming in dark shadows, the hooded face looking down on her.

Was her mind playing tricks on her?

The horrifying visual before her was utterly chilling. She narrowed her eyes at it. Calculating the image and its familiarity. In the back of her mind she dimly felt her knees give out and buckle to the floor.

It can't be…

The figure that haunted her relentlessly was standing before her, faceless in the shadows. But she knew, she knew behind the darkness were eyes that burned like an inferno, a face carved in crimson and midnight with a crown of horns. The face of a killer, a soulless monster.

Her eyes slowly widened in disbelieving horror. For a brief, terrifying moment she realized he stood before her. Real as the blood on her hands, the air that she was breathing. The fate of her captivity and brutal abuse was momentarily a fleeting concern. Nothing compared to how her mind collapsed around him. Here. Now?

Her lips were trembling as she tried to whisper.

"…Impossible."

Her vision faded out. Engulfing her in complete darkness. The last bit of strength dying from her body. Her eyes rolled back as she waived, falling forward.

He was there in an instant. As if he had never moved. He caught her before she fell, his gloved hands wrapping around her delicate shoulders.

It was like electric shock that ran through him, shuttering down his spine as his hands touched her. He kneeled there, frozen for a small moment from the jolt. It ran up and down his arms, humming to the current of her heartbeat, finally connecting the two from the blood tie he possessed of her. Like a key turning in a lock, twisting around his heart.

He leaned back, reflecting on the site before him. So completely broken from the assault plunged into her chest…the poison that was the remnant of that attack still flowing in her veins, The blood that had called to him, flushed with toxic venom, tainting the purity of her life force. …and now the narcotic drug dulling her consciousness, the harsh bruises streaked across her neck and face…

The edges of his mouth pulled into a grimace behind the shadows of his hood.

Still…even with the rampant damage to her physical body there was so much…life. When any other human would have looked haggard, withered…she was…vivid. luminous.

He pulled her up off the ground, cradling her shoulds and the back of her knees in his arms. Effortlessly, she seemed to weight next to nothing to his muscular frame. Her face was…peaceful. He mused. Looking over the calmed expression on her face, her long hair sweeping over her forhead, arms hanging limply down her sides. Artaficial, of course. Even in knowing this the Sith lord felt absorbed by the serenity on her face…

His awareness flooded over her. Over the weight of her in his arms, the feeling of her close to him. It was a foreign thing for the Sith to hold any living creature in his hands, not without death polutting it. It was a first for the assassin. An odd feeling. One that confused him…and fascinated him.

He turned, walking towards the alcove to the further depths of the ship.