DISCLAIMER: *tackles Aerin the OC and retakes the Ring* Ah, at last! My One Ring of Unlimited Copyright Privileges, which grants me all rights to Star Wars! Go me! *is jumped by Dally Winston of the Outsiders, who runs off with the Ring* Ah, no! The greaser has it!
Fine. I don't own Star Wars. *sniff*
Many apologies about the lack of updates, I've been dealing with work and college financing. (Upside: I'm finally legal drinking age! Downside: I've been the designated driver at all the parties I've been to!)
Anyway, enjoy the next chapter! I'm procrastinating on my stories from Lord of the Rings and Outsiders as well as my original fic to write this! *cringes from Lord of the Rings readers and their yells of fury*Uh-oh...
The sounds of battle could be clearly heard from ahead in the tunnel. Occasionally, the escaping Jedi could see a stray blaster bolt briefly illuminate the dark tunnel in a flash of red before the energy was absorbed by the rocks. Master Kit's lightsabre was out, but not activated.
The trio rounded a bend in the tunnel, taking only a second's glimpse around before Kit grabbed the teenage Padawans and threw them behind a tall column, standing above them. Luckily for them, the soldiers surrounding the rest of the Jedi hadn't noticed the stray Master and his charges. They were concentrating on destroying the remaining six Jedi, who were too focused on surviving to take note of their hidden comrades.
A frown marring Kit's reptilian face, he crouched down beside Obi-Wan and Zara. "I'm not risking taking you two out there; your Masters would skin me alive. We'll wait back here until there's a break in the fighting, then run. I want you to stay near me so I can protect you. Understood?"
"Yes, Master Fisto." Obi-Wan nodded, trying to appear brave, despite knowing that he looked like a wreck. He was shaking like a leaf, his initial burst of adrenaline from being rescued wearing off. He felt as though he were about to pass out.
Kit looked sharply at the teen. "You look horrible, Kenobi. You're not much better, Taerich. What did they do to you?"
Obi-Wan shuddered. "You don't want to know, Master Fisto."
The alien sighed before glancing back around the pillar. "Looks like we'll be able to run any moment now. Will you two be alright running?"
Zara looked up at the tall Master. "Do we really have a choice?"
Kit smirked. "No, not really. All right, up. We run in three... two..."
The teens were tense, ready to sprint out to their Masters. Neither Qui-Gon nor Cin had seen the duo yet, although Obi-Wan had no doubt that Qui-Gon would be as glad to see him as he was.
"... One." Kit pulled the teens from their hiding spot behind the column and started running, the pair right behind him. The alien's green lightsabre sprang to life, deflecting the incoming blaster bolts.
Cries of fury came from the soldiers, as well as exclamations of joy from the other Jedi. Even from this distance, perhaps eight hundred metres from his Master, Obi-Wan could see the relief in Qui-Gon's face upon seeing his Padawan alive and well. Cin's expression was a near perfect replica of Qui-Gon's, although neither Master could simply stop fighting and watch their Padawans. The soldiers were fighting with a vengeance, desperate to keep their captives from fleeing.
Six hundred metres. Obi-Wan and Zara were relying on the Force to get them the rest of the distance to their Masters. Their bodies were ready to give out. Kit was easily keeping pace with them, protecting them from the blaster bolts that would otherwise have killed them.
Five hundred metres. Obi-Wan glanced worriedly at a particular solider who was pulling something out of his belt pouch. Something small, and not blaster shaped...
Four hundred metres. The soldier threw the object at the running trio. The Force's warning only gave Obi-Wan time to scream, "It's a grenade!" before the explosive went off. The power of the blast threw Kit, Obi-Wan and Zara several hundred metres away from their fellow Jedi onto the hard stone, stunning the teens and knocking Kit unconscious.
Obi-Wan dizzily sat up, only to be knocked back down by the butt end of a blaster. Another group of soldiers had arrived and were tying himself and Zara up. Two moved towards Kit, but the leader of the group barked, "Leave him! Gorig only wants the two original prisoners."
No! Gorig's still alive! Obi-Wan struggled, but it was in vain. Beside him, he could see Zara being dragged up, wrists bound behind her back. She was hanging listlessly, tears in her eyes.
An enraged cry sounded from behind Obi-Wan. Craning his neck, he could see Qui-Gon, Cin and Master Windu fighting their way towards him and Zara, lightsabres blazing. Obi-Wan could feel his Master's fury through the Force, as well as his desperation to not lose the teens again.
Shouting orders in an alien tongue, the captain raced back up the tunnel that Obi-Wan and Zara had fled from only minutes ago. The soldiers followed him, dragging their captives along. A select few lingered in the back of the group, firing at the Jedi. However, their bolts only glanced off the lightsabre blades that were rapidly approaching.
Straining his neck, Obi-Wan managed to catch one last glimpse of Qui-Gon before he was swallowed by the darkness of the tunnel.
* * *
Cin's cry of rage was only matched by Qui-Gon's as the Masters battled their way into the tunnel's gaping maw. Deflecting the blaster bolts into the remaining soldiers, they sprinted by the lifeless bodies and ran into the darkness, Mace right behind them. For the briefest of moments, Qui-Gon worried about Kit Fisto, but knew Clee and Aerdna would take care of him.
Right now, his main concern was one auburn-haired boy who meant the world to him. That boy would be lost to him if he was not rescued now.
The Force beckoned him further into the tunnel, and Qui-Gon followed it willingly. He could just hear the pounding footsteps of the soldiers who had taken Obi-Wan and Zara ahead of him, and somewhere to the right. He had to rely on the Force to guide him to the missing teens.
That guide suddenly failed. Qui-Gon hissed as his bond with Obi-Wan went cold and numb again, like it had been for the past several days. "No!"
Beside him, Cin skidded to a stop. "Damn! I can't feel Zara anymore!"
"Nor I Obi-Wan." Qui-Gon glanced around. The Masters were at a part of the tunnel where it forked off in two separate directions. Footsteps could be heard coming from both tunnels, preventing the Jedi from determining which way their Padawans were taken.
Mace Windu scowled. "And there are enough soldiers it's nearly impossible to tell which group has your apprentices. I don't know what to do."
Qui-Gon punched the wall in anger before freezing as a faint scream resonated from the right-hand tunnel. Looking at his fellow Masters, he breathed out, "Did you hear that?"
Cin took off running down the right tunnel. "Yes, I did. I'd recognize Zara's voice anywhere!"
Thank you, Zara thought Qui-Gon as he and Mace followed Cin down the tunnel.
* * * * *
Zara would have screamed again, but for the rag stuffed into her mouth. She had started shouting for her Master as soon as the Force-inhibiting collars were snapped onto their necks, biting the hands of the soldiers who tried to silence her. As it was, she was trying her hardest to get the rag out of her mouth to cry out again. Obi-Wan hadn't shouted though; he was saving his strength to fight his captors.
The group of soldiers rounded another bend in the tunnel, coming into a path of green light from outdoors. Glancing out, Obi-Wan could see the large door that he had seen earlier was open, revealing a starship, probably set to fly immediately.
A glance backwards showed no sign of Qui-Gon and the other Masters. Giving up on fighting, Obi-Wan yelled at the top of his lungs. "Master!"
One of the guards carrying him scowled and slapped a broad hand over the Jedi's mouth. "Shut your mouth, you hear?"
Biting the fingers over his mouth, Obi-Wan shouted his Master's name again, earning a slap across his face that temporarily stunned him. However, he didn't let the pain stop him, screaming for Qui-Gon for all he was worth. "Master! Ma-Mmmf!"
The guard that had just barked at him finished jamming another rag into Obi-Wan's mouth. "What part of 'shut your mouth' didn't you get?"
Obi-Wan glared at the man, although hope was springing in his chest. He could hear the sounds of his would-be rescuers running up the tunnel. He knew his Master was close, so close to rescuing him.
A chilly dampness settled over his skin and ruined tunic as he was dragged outside. He shivered as he desperately dragged his heels on the ground, managing to trip one of the soldiers carrying him. Cursing, the man stumbled into one of the guards bearing Zara, making the whole procession pause.
A shout was heard from the tunnel. Looking back, Obi-Wan let out a muffled cry of joy as he saw the Masters run for the ship and their Padawans as swiftly as their legs would carry them. However, the soldiers were also being motivated to move quickly. Grabbing up their teenage burdens, the guards raced up the loading ramp into the ship.
There was a spitting noise beside Obi-Wan as a damp rag fell to the ground. "Master!" screamed Zara, squirming with everything she had. "Master!"
"Get that door shut!" Gorig appeared in the loading area of the ship, looking furious. "Now! Move it, before the Jedi get on here!"
No! Obi-Wan swung his leg up, kicking one soldier who was attempting to close the ramp. The man cursed as he doubled over, holding his midsection where Obi-Wan's boot had made contact with him. However, it wasn't enough to keep the ramp down. Another solider had it up very quickly, sealing the Jedi rescuers out. A moment later, the engines of the starship fired up as the transport moved away from the mine and up into Ylesia's atmosphere.
Gorig smirked down at his prisoners. "Hmm, that's a pity. I guess it'd be too much to hope that your precious Masters were caught in the ignition from the engines. Oh well, not that it matters. Even if they survived, they'll never find you now!"
Obi-Wan glared at the Hutt, wishing for his bonds to break so he could attack the alien. Beside him, Zara was trembling with anger, her voice a low whisper. "Why?"
"Because Jedi are weak and worthless, and they need to be taught that." Gorig shrugged. "You'd think that the galaxy's so-called protectors would be able to figure out that they were being framed. You wouldn't believe how easy it was for our men to slip those hallucinogenic leaves into your packs. If anyone asks, you were smuggling illegal drugs onto Ylesia and we had to deal with you in accordance with planetary laws."
"I hate you." Zara's eyes glittered with a cold rage. "I hate you."
"Tut tut, little Jedi. Doesn't hate lead to the Dark Side?" Gorig laughed cruelly as he slithered out of the hold. "Get comfortable, Jedi. It's a long trip!"
One guard lingered long enough to remove the gag from Obi-Wan's mouth before leaving the hold with the rest of his comrades. The door to the rest of the ship slammed shut, leaving the two Padawans in the cold darkness.
Zara huddled close to Obi-Wan, her anger dissolving into grief. "They were so close. Why couldn't they reach us in time, Obi-Wan? Why?"
Obi-Wan burrowed his face in his friend's hair. "I don't know, Za. I don't know."
The remainder of the trip to their new prison was spent in tears and restless sleep.
* * * * * *
"No!" Cin's scream of rage echoed off the mountainside, not quite drowned out by the whine of the engines taking away Obi-Wan and Zara. "No!!"
Qui-Gon sank to his knees, grief overtaking him. "Obi-Wan..." A tear escaped his eye. "Damn it, no!"
Beside them, Mace drew in a ragged breath as he watched the ship fly away. "We're not going to be able to get back to the ship in time to follow them. We've lost them."
Qui-Gon felt a brief warning through the Force before Cin had grabbed Mace and pinned him against the wall, anger controlling his actions. "No! We can't lose them! We're going to find them! I'll die before giving up on them!"
"Control yourself!" Mace pushed Cin off of him. "I didn't say we were giving up. It's just going to be harder to find them. We're going to look for them. I know you're upset, but that's no way to treat a Council member!"
The fight seemed to leave Cin as he turned away from Mace, weak and shaking. "I know, Mace. I'm sorry, it's just that... We were so close..." The Battlemaster shook with a silent sob, hands clenched into fists. Mace rested a hand on Cin's shoulder, empathy radiating through the Force.
Qui-Gon got to his feet abruptly. "We need to rejoin the others. They need to know what happened. Then we can get back to the ship and go after Obi-" His voice failed him, his throat constricting to the point of choking him. He didn't want to believe that he'd lost his Padawan, after being so close to rescuing him. There had to be a way to find and rescue both Padawans.
Mace nodded. "Come, Cin. Standing here isn't going to do anything for Zara or Obi-Wan." He set off down the tunnel, Qui-Gon and Cin following him.
It was a very sombre trio of Masters that exited the tunnel minutes later. All three hesistated upon seeing the scale of the carnage before them, before quickly moving to the remaining Jedi. "You killed the remainder?" questioned Mace.
Knight Aerdna glanced up from where she was tending to Kit's wounds. "The ones who didn't die here fled. Where are the children?"
Cin lowered his head, fists clenched as he tried to keep the tears at bay. Qui-Gon forced himself to whisper, "We were too late. They're off-planet now." He tried to ignore Garen's soft cry of horror at his friends' fate.
Kit glanced up from where he laid on the ground. "Oh, no! I'm sorry, this was my fault. I should have protected them better."
"It wasn't your fault, Kit," assured Mace. "None of us are to blame. However, once you are fit to move we will be getting to our ships and following the transport that has the Padawans on board."
"I'm ready now!" Kit carefully got to his feet, using Aerdna and Garen as human crutches. "What are we waiting for?"
"Precisely nothing." Clee started briskly jogging towards the exit. "Ms. Taerich is not going to be pleased to hear this."
"Ms. Taerich?" Cin looked confused. "Zara's on that transport!"
"Not that Ms. Taerich, Cin. Zara's mother was a prisoner here. We found her while rescuing Garen." Clee glanced back at Cin. "She was the one who kept our apprentices alive while they were in here."
"Sith," muttered Cin as he ran ahead with Clee. "This is not going to be pleasant."
Clee and Cin's prediction came true several minutes later when the Jedi had escaped the mines. Most of the other prisoners had fled in every direction possible, with the exception of Dorlea Taerich who had faithfully waited outside the exit for her daughter and the other Jedi.
"Gone? What do you mean?" Dorlea gripped a tree behind her, pale-faced and trembling.
Mace forced himself to look the thin woman in the eye as he said, "We were too late. They had the teens on their transport and were taking off by the time we got there."
Dorlea looked hard at Mace. "But you're not giving up, are you?"
"No," spoke up Qui-Gon. "We're going after them. Even if we have to go to the farthest reaches of the galaxy, we'll find them."
Dorlea nodded. "You'd better. And I'm coming with you."
Knight Aerdna hesitated. "Are you sure? It will be dangerous."
"And it concerns my daughter." Dorlea stared at the Jedi. "I know I technically have no claim on Zara, but she was my child before she was a Jedi. I will come with you, whether you like it or not."
Mace sighed, thinking, before muttering, "So that's where she gets her stubbornness from. Fine, Ms. Taerich," he added, speaking out loud, "you will accompany us. But you will listen to whatever we say and follow directions exactly. Am I clear?"
"Very, Master Windu." Dorlea set her jaw firmly. "Which way is your ship?"
"You will come with myself, Master Rhara and Padawan Muln. Masters Fisto, Jinn and Drallig and Knight Esniki have a second ship. We are hidden over here." Mace set off into the jungle with his Jedi team as Qui-Gon strode in a different direction towards the second ship.
Knight Aerdna gripped Kit's shoulder as the four Jedi rapidly moved through the trees. "Are you sure we'll be able to find them, Master Jinn?"
"There is no other alternative, Knight Esniki. We will find them, no matter what." Qui-Gon glanced up through the leaves of the trees as he jogged towards the ship, to where the transport holding his Padawan had flown away only minutes ago. I've already failed you once, Obi-Wan. I'm not going to lose you again, I promise. Just hold on until I get there!
* * * * * *
Yeah, I know I'm evil for leaving you with another big cliffhanger. *evil giggle* But at least I updated, right? Right? *crickets chirp*
Please review! Thanks! Also, there's a new poll on my profile with various endings to this story. I have one in mind, but I'd like to know what you guys think. Go vote! (After you review, of course.)
Xaja
