AN: As always if you recognize the character it doesn't belong to me.
And I am sorry it is taking me so long to update, what with moving, starting college, and getting Corneal Ulcers there hasn't been anytime for ANYTHING (You know other than homework, work, and sleeping. And sometimes not even those!)
Obi-Wan was frustrated, there was a price on both his and Qui-Gon's heads. They had nearly been ambushed, he had been forced to follow Den through a garbage chute and through a septic pipe. And the guy was a criminal, he had even admitted it to them. And Qui-Gon trusted the guy! He didn't deny that it hurt that Qui-Gon would trust a criminal more than he would trust Obi-Wan. As though sensing his frustration Lanae reached out and put her hand on his arm, calming him down. He grinned at her, she was a good friend, and more patient than he was.
"Did you enjoy crawling through the septic pipe." He teased her. They were now in a hidden apartment with a friend of Dens named Andra. Although he wasn't sure friend was the right word. The two of them looked like they were going to strangle each other.
"As long as all the grime isn't on my face I'll survive." He glanced at her, before taking some of the grime on his tunic and wiping it on her face. She retaliated by yanking on his braid with a glare.
"So what do you think of Den and Andra?"
"I like them." She grinned for a moment "Even if Den is a bit of a character."
He nodded, he liked Den too, not that he would ever admit it. "I think it's a great things what Andra is doing with POWER." Andra was the leader of a group that was trying to keep the sacred places of Telos out of control of Unify. "Although I admit that I'm surprised that Den is going to help us break into Unify."
Lanae frowned, "I'm pretty sure that there is something in it for him that he just hasn't mentioned yet." Obi-Wan considered that, it did sound like Den.
"I guess we'll see tomorrow."
"Oh you bet we will."
The computers froze, and Lanae felt her insides freeze along with it. That wasn't good. Den stood up, "You three stay here, I'm going to go see what's going on."
Den slipped out the door, Lanae glanced at Qui-Gon. He glanced around "We have to get out of here."
Obi-Wan looked at him surprised "But we can't abandon Den!"
Qui-Gon just shook his head "He already abandoned us."
It was too late though, they could hear footsteps approaching them quickly. "Don't draw your lightsabers." Just as Qui-Gon gave that last command a group of men burst through the door.
Lanae sighed, perfect, just perfect.
They were taken swiftly to a central booking station. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan were immediately recognized as Galactic Criminals. They stopped however when they got to Lanae. She wasn't a Galactic Criminal, but she had been with them when they had been caught in Unify. She grinned at the officers. "You're going to lock me up right."
The officer glared at her, "You were caught trespassing in Unify."
"Well then you might as well lock me up with them, it's not as difficult as you are trying to make it." The officer looked at her. Before turning to his fellow officers.
"She's got a point, just throw the lot of them together." Which they promptly did, ignoring Qui-Gon's request to make contact with the temple, obviously galactic criminals didn't have the right to make their one call.
They spent the night in the cell, discussing what they had learned. Unfortunately there wasn't muchto discuss. All they knew was that Unify had way to many messages about completely pointless garbage, and that Den hadn't actually been looking at Unify files at all. He had been looking at Katharsis files. None of them were sure what he had been looking for, but they intended to find out. If they got out of here.
The door opened and the three of them turned to face the door. Several officers came through. They grabbed her and jerked her painfully through the door. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan both jumped to their feet. "Where are you taking her?"
"None of your business." Lanae began to struggle, but there were to many hands pulling her along. She was rewarded by a jab from a vibroblade. She felt her leg go limp from the force.
She felt herself get thrown to the ground. She immediately jerked herself up, ignoring the fiery pain in her left leg. She found herself face to face with none other than Xanatos.
"I have it from here. Bind her hands." Immediately her hands were pulled roughly behind her back and cuffed together.
Xanatos grabbed her arm and began to pull her along. He pushed her into a speeder without saying a word and began to drive off. She felt a sudden fear. Where was he taking her?
An expensive building it turned out. Again without saying anything he grabbed her and pulled her along behind him. They entered what she assumed were his quarters.
"What do you want with me?" She spat venomously.
He merely smiled, "Oh I'll keep you here for awhile, mostly to remind Qui-Gon of his failure." He reached forward and caressed her face mockingly, "But unlike your friends, you're actually worth something, I hear you're a valuable hostage."
She glared at him.
He laughed, "No answer? Hmm, perhaps I should skip the hostage, you would be worth just as much as a slave, particularly when you get older." She continued to glare at him.
And he leered at her, "But first, I'll allow you to watch Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan die. Won't that be pleasant?"
Lanae refused to let the fear she felt show on her face. Xanatos laughed at her. Again he grabbed her roughly before hooking the cuffs on her arms to a shelf. It forced her into a kneeling position. She refused to answer him, refused to give him the satisfaction of knowing that she was afraid.
He got close to her all of a sudden. "It's no good, I can feel your fear. There is no escape for you, and there is no escape for your friends."
He left her then, as he left she heard him lock the door, locking her alone with her fears.
They had taken her. Obi-Wan was filled with fear. Lanae was gone, and there was nothing he could do about it.
"I'm sorry." He looked up, what was Qui-Gon talking about, it wasn't his fault. "If it weren't for me, both of you would be safe back at the temple."
Obi-Wan shook his head, "Neither of us would regret this. We came because we felt that this is where we were supposed to be."
Qui-Gon looked at him sadly, "Even though you're cold, hungry, and imprisoned, and she is missing somewhere, no doubt in equally dismal accomodations."
"We both made the decision to come."
Another sad smile, "I've been very hard on you lately. Especially since Melida-Daan."
Obi-Wan shook his head, "No more than I deserved."
"No Lanae was right, I should never blame you for doing what you feel the force is telling you is right. I understand that now. When we get back to the temple, I'll help the council see that too. You are on probation right now, so you can't be my apprentice, but do not doubt that you are my padawan. I know that." Qui-Gon paused, "He's here."
Moments later Obi-Wan felt it too, there was a dark presence rippling out towards them. And then the door opened to reveal Xanatos,
"What a pleasure seeing you both here." Qui-Gon just stared at him. And Xanatos continued "Of course, it is with great sorrow that I am here to inform you that you're trial has taken place, and that you have both been found guiltily."
Obi-Wan glared at him, "We deserve to be present at our own trial, that's not fair!"
Xanatos laughed, "Life's not fair, hasn't anyone told you that. Particularly not for a little girl with red hair."
Obi-Wan felt his insides go cold, Xanatos had Lanae.
Xanatos grinned cruelly "Imagine her distress as she watches the two of you die in front of her, of course that will seem like a cake walk to being sold as a slave. The judges were touched by her plight, kidnapped at a young age and brainwashed to think that helping you was the right thing to do. It's only by the quick intervention of Telos that she won't be permanently damaged by your cruel machinations. The judges decided the best course of action was to put the young deluded girl in my ever so tender care." The cruel smirk never left his face.
Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan said nothing. And Xanatos smiled cruelly, "But all that will have to wait, we have an execution to attend."
Xanatos strode out and a dozen men poured in. Obi-Wan sat frozen, the three of them were going to die. For a moment he pitied Lanae, at least his death would be short and quick, Lanae's would not.
The injection hurt and Lanae could feel the substance travel through her body, it caused her muscles to go weak and her limbs to become heavy. She glared at her captor, and Xanatos smirked "We wouldn't want you to try something foolish now would we?"
Lanae glared, "If you think that's enough to stop me think again."
Xanatos laughed and gestured for a soldier to grab her and take her to a platform. She was left there as Xanatos strode past her to the front of the platform. He turned toward her, "Now watch as your two miserable friends die,"
An inkling of horror permeated her brain, he was trying to destroy Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan, her presence was to remind them of their failure, they would die and leave her in the hands of this monster.
She struggled to pull herself away from the man in front of her, fighting the hopelessness that threatened to overwhelm her. She watched as a squadron of men appeared surrounding Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan. The two of them were led to a cage, Lanae quickly examined it, they cage would be hoisted into the air. Once in the air. She shuddered, they would be beheaded and their heads would roll down a slant until they faced the mob of people. The mob roared loudly, and Lanae shivered in revulsion, how could the people stand to watch this? What was wrong with them?
Lanae continued to pull herself away fighting the drugs in her body. She struggled to get away from this madness, the inevitable horror of death. Her eyes were locked on Obi-Wan as he was led to the cage.
Obi-Wan's head turned and he locked eyes with her, he gave her a sad smile, before it was quickly replaced to a quiet stoicism. Her struggle to get off the platform increased, she had recognized that look in Obi-Wan's eyes. He knew they were going to die, that all three of them were going to die. She returned his sad smile.
She felt someone sneak up behind her "Shh, come on, we need to get to the speeder" She turned, and stifled a gasp of disbelief, Dan was crouched behind her. He grabbed her up in his arms and hurried the two of them to his speeder.
She glanced behind her, Xanatos was standing their imperiously watching Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon being shoved into their cage, to engrossed in his victory to notice Lanae's escape.
Lanae allowed Dan to put her in front of him on the speeder, curling herself into a small ball so he could control the speeder. They waited nervously for the chance to spring into action. Andra was further forward, she noticed Qui-Gon notice her. Lanae breathed a sigh of relief, Qui-Gon knew that there was a chance to save the two of them and he would take it.
Lanae watched as the cage door slowly swung open and several speeders came forward to prod the two Jedi. Andra's speeder sprang forward and Qui-Gon jumped onto it. She felt Dan fly their speeder forward agilely and Obi-Wan followed Qui-Gons lead landing on the back of their speeder and using his lightsaber to block any blaster fire headed their way.
She paid little attention as Dan flew the three of them through the streets of Telos, all she knew was that for the moment they were all safe.
She let Obi-Wan carry her up into Andra's secret entrance. Her limbs were still heavy and weak. She felt exhausted, fighting the drug had taken its toll on her and she felt herself slowly losing consciousness. The last thing she remembered was Qui-Gon and Andra slipping into the hide out as she rested her head on Obi-Wan's shoulder.
"So, Den, care to explain what makes Katharsis so interesting?" Qui-Gon's voice was cold, and Obi-Wan was secretly glad that he wasn't at the receiving end of the glare that accompanied it.
Andra whirled around on Den. "You weren't even bothering to look up Unify?" A flash of betrayal crossed her face.
Den stuttered. "I wanted to see if it was possible to rig Katharsis." He looked stubbornly at Andra, "You already knew I was a thief, you shouldn't have trusted me."
Andra looked at him coolly. "Well, I won't make that mistake twice." Den flinched.
Qui-Gon stepped in quietly, "And what did you find?"
Den gave Andra another look, "It's already rigged." He paused "By unify. They pick the winner of the games. A small mistake on their competitors bikes to give them the edge they need."
There was a contemplative silence. And Qui-Gon was nodding thoughtfully. "We might be able to use this." He turned to Andra, "Do you think you can call up POWER? We could use some help to tie Katharsis to Unify and Unify to the destruction of the Sacred places of Telos."
Andra shifted uneasily and it was her turn to look ashamed. "I may have been a little dishonest earlier." She hesitated momentarily and glanced at Den "I am POWER, there isn't anyone else left."
"Oh, so little miss Integrity isn't as perfect as she acts." Andra glared at Den.
"I needed your help, the Sacred Pools are being destroyed and no one would do anything."
"Oh, so as long as I have a good reason can I lie all I want?"
Obi-Wan finally spoke up. "Oh give it a rest Den, we need to figure out a plan. Preferably one that won't get us thrown into jail again."
Den glared but both he and Andra moved back from their confrontational stances.
Qui-Gon stood there for a moment, looking thoughtful. "Two of us need to go check the Sacred Pools, we need hard evidence if we want even the slightest chance. The rest ofus will stay here and get Den into the winners box for Katharsis. He'll have to open the doors for us to get our evidence rolling.."
Obi-Wan nodded, "I'll go in the group headed to the Sacred Pools." Qui-Gon looked as though he was about to argue so Obi-Wan continued. "I'm young, and if either Andra or Lanae comes with me we can pass us off as two siblings taking a hike. It's actually probable." He looked at Qui-Gon, almost daring him to try and keep him here.
Qui-Gon nodded. "Fine, I suggest Andra go with you, she knows the countryside, Lanae will stay with Den and I.
He gave Obi-Wan a small reassuring look. "I trust that you'll get everything we need." Obi-Wan felt a thrill at the word trust. Maybe this was going to work after all.
AN: If you want to make a poor girls day Review! I love feedback!