Wicked Dreams
by epithree

Chapter 20: Heated Mentality

Part I

Dagobah

Qui-Gon Jinn, the Jedi grand master, sat at the unfamiliar controls of the abandoned Slave I. He had spent the last ten standard minutes studying the ship's advanced weaponry system, and he was fairly confident that he now knew the activation sequences.

As far as technological prowess went, Qui-Gon was a fast learner. However, he was quite certain that he'd have a better understanding of the controls if Obi-Wan were there to assist him. His padawan had taught him much in the days of his apprenticeship.

Then Qui-Gon thought about the one they had lost to Palpatine. He grabbed at his chin as the reflection came. Anakin would be able to fly the vessel immediately. After all, he had thwarted the trade federation with a single Naboo starfighter. Qui-Gon attempted to squelch the thought before unwanted feelings arose.

The desired effect was attained as he centered himself through the force. A calm swept over Qui-Gon that he needed desperately. Recollections of Skywalker were counterproductive, especially when he needed to focus upon the task at hand. 'Obi-Wan.' The Jedi master was still trapped at Mustafar. 'I have to save Obi-Wan.'

Slave I's realspace engine began to whine as Eethree neared the completion of his repairs. The loyal droid was now working on the interior of the ship, patching up the repulsorlift unit. Qui-Gon had noticed several indicators lighting up as the last few systems were brought online.

Qui-Gon pondered the current situation much within the last hour. Three dozen elite clonetroopers were on their way to the nearby clearing just outside. If Eethree didn't finish with those repulsors soon, then Qui-Gon might have to engage those clones.

Even though the hyperdrive unit was still damaged, Qui-Gon Jinn had ordered the droid to fix the repulsors first. This way, he could at least get off-planet while Eethree focused on the hyperdrive. Time was running short. Qui-Gon could feel the presence of the clone threat approaching.

'At least they won't see Eethree.' The droid had finished with the exterior repairs. 'That should buy me some time.' Qui-Gon believed that the clones wouldn't approach the ship unless they saw a threat. Standard protocol dictated that they would have to secure the perimeter of the clearing first, before scanning the Slave I. To ensure this belief, Qui-Gon cut the realspace engines, for an abandoned ship posed no danger.

Suddenly, matters became worse. Through the force, Qui-Gon could sense the second ship breaking out of the clouds above. He still could not determine how many people were aboard, due to all of the jungle canopy creatures residing between him and the craft. Nevertheless, Qui-Gon knew that several members of the crew were force sensitive.

Surely the imperial vessel would land near the clone transport and its crew would follow the troopers. What exactly was the dark lord's plan? At least Qui-Gon didn't sense *his* presence.

Now came the hard part. All Qui-Gon could do was wait. Would the clones arrive before Eethree finished the repairs? The Jedi master didn't know, but he had made an important decision. If he had to face the unit of clones, he would not dispatch of them unless it became an absolute necessity. As easy as it was to use his newfound abilities, Qui-Gon would opt to resolve the matter with civility, as he always did.

The Jedi master began to meditate.

Mustafar

Obi-Wan Kenobi unclipped the case of rations from his utility belt. He had trekked halfway across the huge northern caldera, and decided it was time for a much needed break.

The journey had taken the Jedi master all night, and he wasn't sure if the mountainous region on the other side would contain any settlements. Regardless, he *had* to get there. It was his only option at this point.

Day and night upon Mustafar were still hard to distinguish from one another. The slight brightening of the harsh sulfuric clouds is what led Obi-Wan to assume it was daybreak.

He sat cross-legged on the smooth caldera surface and took a large bite out of a nutrient bar. Though he had no knowledge of what the mountains held, traveling across the smooth crater had been a welcome change for the Jedi.

The last time he had been in the vicinity of lava was back at the high canyon cliff. After he had jumped to supposed safety, Obi-Wan still found hot magma rising up through the canyon fissures. Heading north was the only way to avoid those bubbling puddles.

Obi-Wan thanked the force that he had not encountered lava all night. And that wasn't the only benefit of entering the caldera. The Jedi master found the terrain to be surprisingly cool as well. 'Boy did I need that.' After absorbing all that heat in the last few days, Obi-Wan relished the temperature change.

The conversion of heat into raw energy through the force had served him well. However, suppressing his sweat glands, a technique he had learned from Yoda, had become tedious.

'Yoda.' It was the first of many thoughts assaulting Obi-Wan's mind. He still had trouble understanding how, but the force had granted Obi-Wan passage to Dagobah. 'Perhaps the whole journey was one huge vision.'

Whether it was real or not, he had left his mentor upon the northern shoreline of the cave's river. Obi-Wan hoped with all his might that his actions at Dagobah had helped Yoda return to the light.

The whole experience had been an ordeal. Not only had he been torn away from Yoda, but the force-induced vortex had stripped young Anakin away from him as well. 'Anakin.' The thought was powerful.

Obi-Wan desperately missed the young boy. His unbridled innocence triggered something in the Jedi master. When Anakin had become his apprentice the first time around, Obi-Wan's passion to teach never truly ignited. 'How could I have been so foolish? The carefree innocence was there, but I only looked at Anakin as a chore.'

It wasn't entirely true, but Obi-Wan had picked up the habit of torturing himself needlessly. When the force had sent him back to encounter young Anakin again, Obi-Wan couldn't believe what he had realized. 'I never praised the boy. I only gave him harsh criticism.'

'Stop!' Obi-Wan scolded himself. These musings were fueled by pointless emotions. Swallowing hard, he moved on to the next thought process. 'Qui-Gon.' Although he was still mad at his master for stranding him upon Mustafar, Obi-Wan knew that he was in danger.

It was hours ago, just before he left the high cliff, that Obi-Wan had sensed a dark presence. The elusive signature had obviously come from off-planet. Now, connected to the force once more, Obi-Wan confirmed his suspicion. He just knew that Sidious was headed for Dagobah.

Qui-Gon had told his apprentice that the dark lord would undoubtedly start to hunt for them, and this knowledge terrified Obi-Wan to the core. Especially due to the fact that he had no way of helping. Or did he?

'No,' Obi-Wan quickly thought. 'I already tried to contact Qui-Gon through our force bond. It didn't work.' Then, he realized something. Just because he hadn't received a response didn't mean that Qui-Gon never got the message. It was possible that Obi-Wan just wasn't strong enough in the force to receive a telepathic message from such a great distance. Qui-Gon was a different story, for he was the new grand master of the Jedi, outranking even Yoda.

He had to try. 'No! I have to do,' he corrected himself. Even though he wouldn't know if it worked, Obi-Wan would go through the motions of warning his master.

Obi-Wan Kenobi drank the water supplied by his rations case, and then clipped it back to his belt. He stared off to the horizon, watching the high peaks spew lava into the air. Using the force, he concentrated. "Qui-Gon... hear me," he spoke aloud.

After repeating the phrase, Obi-Wan followed up with specifics. "Sidious is coming to Dagobah." The short, concise sentence was quite enough to attempt. The more he said, the less likely it would traverse the vast distance through the cosmos.

The Jedi master stood up. It was time to continue his journey across the caldera. As he took the first few steps, he tried not to think about the fact that Qui-Gon had turned his ship into a pile of slag. And although he still harbored some anger towards his master, Obi-Wan felt relieved about sending the message.

Part II

Dagobah

Qui-Gon Jinn was deep in meditation when he sensed another ship land upon Dagobah. The force told him that it was an imperial shuttle. There was no doubt that the occupants would follow the troopers' path to the clearing. Baffled by the fact that members of the crew were force sensitive, Qui-Gon searched for answers. What he found was quite unexpected.

'Qui-Gon,' the force seemed to respond. 'Hear me.'

"It's Obi-Wan!" Qui-Gon actually said aloud. His padawan was contacting him again. 'Go ahead my padawan... I hear you.'

Thinking Obi-Wan had heard the response, Qui-Gon waited for information. 'Sidious is coming to Dagobah.'

Qui-Gon opened his eyes immediately. 'Strange,' he thought. The message was clear, but Qui-Gon still couldn't feel his padawan through their force bond. 'Perhaps Obi-Wan's messages are getting through, but he cannot receive mine.'

He considered the warning. If Sidious were coming, Qui-Gon should have sensed it, for the dark lord's force signature was unmistakable. Its shadowy countenance had been etched into Qui-Gon's mind on that fateful day. The day he and Yoda were defeated by Sidious.

Was Obi-Wan's claim accurate? Was Darth Sidious actually aboard that shuttle? Qui-Gon wasn't sure, but he knew one horrible truth. If the dark lord was somehow masking his dark side presence, then he wielded more power than Qui-Gon had ever imagined.

The contemplation about Palpatine was cut short. Qui-Gon sensed the first of the clonetroopers arrive at the clearing. Slave I's exterior tinting was activated, so Qui-Gon was able to peer out the transparisteel viewport above the control panel. Brushing foliage aside, the clone commander motioned to his men. His orders were to create a perimeter around the clearing, at the edge of the surrounding jungle.

A thin Dagobah mist clung to the surface and the soft rains had stopped. 'It figures,' Qui-Gon thought cynically. 'The rains stop now.' Any form of the jungle rain would have ruined visibility for the clones, and given Qui-Gon the advantage.

As the clones spread throughout the clearing, Qui-Gon could sense each being glowing within the force. The troopers all looked alike behind those t-shaped visors, but each man was unique. Qui-Gon coaxed the tendrils of their luminosity, trying to calm the alert legion. If he could make even one of them drowsy, then it would be worth it.

Qui-Gon counted twenty-four clonetroopers making up the perimeter. The remaining dozen were assembled near the spot where the commander had entered the clearing.

The Jedi master left the cockpit to check on Eethree's progress. The droid was nearly done with the repulsor system, and beeped to Qui-Gon that it would take seven more standard minutes to complete the appointed task. "By the stars," he muttered. Heading back to the cockpit so he could watch the clonetroopers, Qui-Gon wondered what would happen in those seven long minutes.

Lord Sidious exited his special class imperial shuttle with tremendous confidence. As he touched the muddy surface of Dagobah, a gleeful smile formed across his wretched face. The royal guards flanking him took no notice, for his mouth was lost among the shadows created by his dark hood.

Palpatine's elite protectors were assembled around him in a diamond formation, one in each direction. Another crimson-clad guard walked ahead of the group, while a sixth followed.

Now exiting the shuttle, a pair of bounty hunters watched the imperial group. When Sidious reached the path that the clonetroopers had forged through the jungle, Boba Fett and Dengar began to follow. Both of them had serious doubts about working for Palpatine, but they had gone too far to get out of it now.

Admiral Cagi and his co-pilot remained on the shuttle, along with one royal guard and half a dozen engineers. Once Sidious reached the clearing, their orders were to repair the nearby clone transport that had landed before them. It had taken minor damage when it plowed through the jungle canopy.

The imperial group had only taken a few steps into the jungle when Palpatine stopped. The royal guard directly ahead of him turned around and offered a palm-sized holoprojector and comlink.

"Get me the commander," Sidious ordered his crimson protector. The holo appeared instantly and the comlink crackled.

"Yes, my lord," came the voice from the comlink. It was the clone commander, who was up ahead at the clearing.

Palpatine addressed the clone by name, and wasted no time getting to business. "Commander Kotaza... report." The words were spoken eerily.

"We have formed a perimeter around the clearing," the commander announced rather quickly. Talking to the emperor gave him the chills. "Group one is assembled and ready."

"Good," the emperor hissed. "What have you found?" Sidious knew that the commander had more to say.

"We have found an abandoned ship at the far side of the clearing... firespray class my lord." The commander hoped that Palpatine would be pleased. He wasn't.

"Destroy it immediately." The command sent shivers through the trooper.

"It shall be done my lord," commander Kotaza responded. Then, the emperor cut the transmission.

A young Boba, now positioned behind the pack of imperials, had heard the exchange. His eyes went wide behind his helmet. 'That's my ship!' He dared not say this aloud, for he had heard tales of the slightest annoyance causing the dark lord to unleash his wrath.

Dengar realized this too, and he wondered how Boba was going to save his ship without speaking to Palpatine.

Part III

Dagobah

The commander addressed the formidable team that Sidious had assembled for the mission. "Okay clones! We have direct orders to destroy that ship." Not a single clone knew why they had been ordered to do this. Regardless, a clone would never question the command of a superior officer.

The elite team of clonetroopers, put together by Sidious himself, awaited further instructions. "All guns along the perimeter... open fire on my command." Their leader paused a moment. "Group one... set up the rocket launchers."

The three dozen troopers all prepared themselves. Hailing from the emperor's top five legions, the talented group would get the job done.

Twenty-four clonetroopers along the perimeter took aim with their impressive weapons. Some held blastech rifles, while others had quad turret laser cannons strapped over their shoulders.

Twelve others, designated group one, started to assemble the rocket launchers. These clones had been members of the famed 501st. Their leader, commander Kotaza, watched his men with much pride.

Legion alpha was ready to take action.

"Oh no," Qui-Gon whispered as he sat at the controls of the Slave I. His next sentence was spoken much louder. "I have a bad feeling about this." Eethree bleeped in agreement from the engine room.

The Jedi master had been spying on the clonetroopers through the tinted cockpit viewport. A moment ago, Qui-Gon had seen the commander making a holo communication, and he didn't know who was on the other side of that transmission. Nevertheless, it had made the Jedi uneasy.

Now, the weapons of the twenty-four perimeter clones were aimed squarely at the Slave I. And the group of twelve on the far side of the clearing had begun to construct rocket launchers.

The clone commander was about to bark one final order at his men. Time was of the essence, as several warnings assaulted Qui-Gon through the force. The mystical energy field was shrieking with urgency. It wanted Qui-Gon to take action, and he complied.

"Eethree!" Qui-Gon yelled. "All power to the forward shields now!" The loyal droid obeyed just before the bombardment. Time decelerated to an amazingly slow pace as Qui-Gon centered himself through the force.

Red laserfire began to protrude from the nozzles of twenty-four separate weapons. Slowly, the condensed beams of light energy made their way towards the ship.

Qui-Gon felt the force flow through him like never before. He now had access to powers he didn't fully understand. His mere thoughts were controlling the speed of the threatening red bolts.

The Jedi master quickly realized that the force had afforded him with an opportunity. The extra time was a sign. He *had* to use his powers to their full potential.

The shots from the six closest clones had reached the Slave I, impacting against the forward shields. Qui-Gon suddenly knew what to do next. He gazed out at the center of the Dagobah clearing.

The next eight bolts hit the shields, and caused no damage. However, time was speeding up. His attention now focused upon the feat he was about to perform, Qui-Gon could no longer control the speed of the approaching laserfire.

Ten more tallies struck the forward shields, many of them fired from the quad laser cannons. The Slave I jostled slightly, but the shields held. Qui-Gon's gaze was stirring up power. The mists at the center of the clearing began to swirl.

Qui-Gon was amazed by the fluidity of his powers. He didn't even have to motion towards his target like all Jedi were trained to do. He only needed to *look* at the area.

All the shots from the first volley of laserfire had already come. Qui-Gon could sense the clones preparing for another round of blasts. The firing studs on their weapons simply needed to be pressed. Now was the time.

Qui-Gon stared at the central area of the clearing. He mentally siphoned all of his power towards that single spot. Suddenly, the tiny vortex he had created was augmented into a ball of pure energy.

He noticed that the clonetroopers were ready to launch their rockets as well. 'Perfect timing,' Qui-Gon mused as his energy ball grew larger.

Then, it happened. The Jedi master snapped his fingers, and the magnificent ball of mental heat detonated. The triumphant force explosion proved to be Qui-Gon's most impressive use of power yet.

~to be continued