Sorry it has been so long between updates. I am a teacher and this semester has been much busier than I anticipated.

Chapter 25

The Room of a Thousand Fountains was bathed in tranquility as the two Jedi visitors knelt, only the gentle rippling and babbling of the quiet pools breaking into their silent meditation. Qui-Gon opened his eyes, as Obi-Wan lingered in his meditative state, unwilling to relinquish the deep immersion in the Force that could only come from two delving into the mysterious currents together. The Jedi master watched as his protégé's long-lashed eyelids finally fluttered open.

"Do you find things to be any clearer now?"

"Yes, Master." Obi-Wan said shyly. "I feel better, though I am still not completely certain what to do."

"I sense the Force will reveal those answers in time. Be patient." Qui-Gon placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Shall we move on to the Archives?"

They exited the gardens and began to walk the corridors side-by-side, moving towards their objective in unhurried, reverent silence. Jedi had done the same for millennia through those same hallowed halls before they had been forbidden to them. Imprints of those past Jedi tugged at Qui-Gon as they always did, almost as though they could speak and tell their stories. "Do you sense them Padawan?" he finally asked.

"The echoes, Master?" Obi-Wan responded with sadness coloring his words.

"Yes."

"I wondered if it was only me. You've never said anything about them." Obi-Wan wrapped his arms in front of his body against the slight chill that hung in the emptiness. "It makes me feel as I feel on Dantooine when surrounded by fellow Force presences. They are just not as vibrant as living beings."

"I will admit that it has been nice to have Garen and Siri here," Qui-Gon said. "It was just the two of us for so long."

"Byram and Auren arrive in two days. Will you be able to meet their transport with me?"

"What sort of question is that, Padawan?" Qui-Gon smiled. "Of course, I will be there. I'm glad I will have at least a couple of weeks with them here before I leave."

As they approached the Archives, they slipped behind the roped area and took out the datapad with information from the holocron. Knowing where to look made the task possible. They soon navigated the stacks and found themselves in a back corner of the immense library surrounded by data crystal after data crystal filled with everything one could want to know about lightsabers, a virtual feast of information.

They searched together for hours, not as a senator and a professor, but as two Jedi on a quest of knowledge. Obi-Wan's excited voice finally heralded that their search had come to an end.

"Master!"

"What did you find?" Qui-Gon hurried to Obi-Wan's side; quickly perusing the datapad he was handed. He looked to his padawan with an expression of horrified concern. "Absolutely not."

"What's wrong?" Obi-Wan asked, obviously puzzled.

"These are schematics Padawan. We were looking for information on technique, not a means to actually build one."

"What better way to find out a weapon's weakness than to work with it and train against it?" Obi-Wan protested with his jaw clenched and stubbornness flooding his gaze. Even his posture indicated he was digging in to stand his ground. "If there is even a possibility of a Sith wielding this, shouldn't we be prepared?"

"Not at the expense of usual training. The Sith are far more likely to bear a single weapon …"

Qui-Gon paused as a shudder ran down his spine, and he closed his eyes. There were churnings in the Force, whispers of warning and danger. He hadn't felt a pointed warning like this through the Force since … the transport and the accident that had killed his wife and Obi-Wan's parents.

"I sense it too Master." He opened his eyes to Obi-Wan looking around as though the walls were going to close in on them. "It is near."

"We should go." Qui-Gon quickly packed up their datapads, swinging the bag over his shoulder. "It might only be that a new security measure has been added, but just to be cautious …"

The Force stirred, the vague Darkness they sensed daily intensifying and coalescing around one presence as it entered the Archives, casting a shadow across the Light. Qui-Gon knew only one thing could be responsible … a Sith.

/Padawan./

Obi-Wan's eyes met his and he saw in their depths that he did not have to explain the situation. They made their way to the end of the aisle, glancing around the corner to see if it was clear. Moving forward stealthily one stack at a time, they relied mostly on the Force to determine whether it was safe to proceed.

They looked around the next stack. Seeing nothing, they prepared to move. Qui-Gon grabbed Obi-Wan's arm at the last minute as the sound of boots against marble drifted into their hearing. Pulling their sabers from arm holsters where they kept them concealed, the two Jedi slipped to opposite ends of their hiding place.

Looking around the corner, Qui-Gon was finally able to see the heavily cloaked being emerge from inside one aisle. It moved along the stacks of data as though it had every right to be there, black gloved fingers trailing along, obviously looking for something. Qui-Gon's heart fell as he recognized the place as the location where he had found most of his information on the prophesy of the Chosen One.

/Master? What should we do?/

He looked towards Obi-Wan who had his grip clenched tightly around his saber and the desire to confront etched across his face. Of course the young man he raised desired to confront. Had he not trained him for precisely this – to eradicate the Sith?

/Patience, Padawan./

The admonishment was gentle. Yes, the young knight was frustrated, but wisdom dictated they wait. They knew little about the Sith. How many were there? Would one meeting its end warn others of a Jedi presence … give up the carefully guarded secret of their existence?

Qui-Gon stretched forward a little more. The figure had paused and if he could get to the right angle he might just be able to see a face and at least put a species to their enemy. He stepped from his hiding place, ignoring the mental protest from his padawan, concentrating instead on keeping his breathing even and his feet light. He suddenly froze at the light chiming he knew to be Obi-Wan's comlink. His padawan shut it off instantly, but the damage had already been done.

As the Sith whirled around, Qui-Gon slipped down another aisle to the sound of a saber hissing into existence. He quickly moved to a vantage point where he could keep the Sith in sight.

/Move Padawan. It's coming your way./

The figure stalked gracefully towards where the sound had come from, bathed in a red glow, head raised like a predator sniffing the air for the scent of its prey. Qui-Gon breathed in relief when he saw Obi-Wan's gaze meet his from a different aisle.

/Padawan … we move on three./ He saw Obi-Wan's grip cinch around his saber once again as he nodded. /One, two … wait./ He held up his hand.

The echo of a set of footsteps trailed another rushing tide of blackness, and a second cloaked figure joined the first and spoke.

"What happened?"

"I heard something," the first whispered.

"There is nothing here, Acutus." The second pushed back the hood of his cloak, revealing the horned head of a zabrak painted in crimson and black. Qui-Gon dropped his head, sensing a great burst of anxiety along his bond with Obi-Wan.

"It would be hard to sense anything with the residual presences haunting this place," the one named Acutus sneered as he extinguished his saber. "I will personally burn this abomination to the ground when we are in our rightful place."

"Have you found what Master Sidious is looking for?"

"No." The Sith resumed running his hand along the stacks. "There are gaps," he murmured. "Someone has taken what was here."

"And you think a Jedi took them," the zabrak mocked, letting out a bark of what could pass as laughter. "Master Sidious will only tolerate your paranoia for so long."

"Master Sidious would do well to listen to me for once."

The demon lunged forward and in a powerful surge of Darkside energies, was thrown back against the stacks. Acutus gripped his throat firmly, lifting him until he hovered off the floor. The zabrak made no struggle, seeming to know the other would not kill him.

"The only reason you still live Maul is because Master would be greatly displeased if I killed you … and I do fear his wrath." He lowered him to the floor, making a show of smoothing out the zabrak's cloak. "However, when he has grown tired of your incompetence and you are no longer useful to us, rest assured that I will put an end to your wretched existence."

"I would watch your back, Acutus."

Derisive laughter erupted from the cloaked figure. "Do you think I fear you?" He pressed his face close to Maul's, lowering his voice. "You have no where near that much power." Pausing, he lifted his head as though listening to a distant, unheard melody. Pushing Maul roughly away, Acutus turned on his heels in a swirl of black.

"Come, Master Sidious summons us … and we don't want to keep him waiting."

The two Sith departed, Maul trailing behind the other. The Force stilled in their wake, the Darkness seeming to mourn their departure. After a few moments the two Jedi emerged from where they were hidden.

"Master," Obi-Wan breathed out.

"Let's not speak more of it here. We should go."

Qui-Gon opened the door to Obi-Wan's apartment, hurriedly shutting it behind him and Obi-Wan. As they began to quickly pull off coats, Garen and Siri appeared from the sitting room.

"Do you have any idea what time it is?" Siri chided.

"I tried to call and you turned your comlink off," Garen continued. "Then we tried Qui-Gon's comlink and it was already off …"

"Not now," Qui-Gon snapped, immediately regretting his harsh tone of voice. It definitely was not his normal epitome of patience. He turned to Obi-Wan. "Padawan go sit down. I'll get something to drink …"

"I'll get it," Siri interrupted, noticing something was wrong for the first time. "You go rest as well."

The three men sat down in the sitting room, waiting in silence. Qui-Gon knew Garen was eager to hear what had happened to ruffle them so, but wanted to wait for Siri. She returned with glasses and a pitcher of cold water. Qui-Gon poured a cup and pushed it into Obi-Wan's hands. "Drink this, Padawan."

"What happened?" Garen asked, finally giving in to his impatience.

"We were in the Archives at the Temple." Qui-Gon held a hand up, stopping the coming question. "It's not important how we got in there right now." He paused. "We encountered two Sith."

"Are you certain?" Siri asked.

"Absolutely no doubt they were Sith," Qui-Gon said.

"One of them was the one that kills Master in my visions," Obi-Wan said softly as he looked down, seeming to study the carpet. He looked up sharply. "Did we do the right thing in not confronting them Master? Should we have tried to end the threat tonight?"

"I did not sense we were being prompted to face them after the second arrived. A confrontation undoubtedly would reveal that Jedi exist. We know little of their plans and numbers, other than there are at least three, a master and two apprentices. You heard the one – they believe the Jedi are extinct. That still gives us a great advantage."

Qui-Gon stood abruptly. "I need to go speak with Master Yoda."

"You can use my office," Obi-Wan said.

"No." Qui-Gon nodded. "It is best I don't contact Dantooine from your residence. I will return to my apartment."

"Master," Obi-Wan protested as Qui-Gon prepared to leave. "Perhaps you should stay here tonight at least."

"I agree," Garen added.

"I'll be fine." Qui-Gon turned to Siri. "May I speak with you for a moment?"

Siri followed him to the door. "I would appreciate this news not making it to your father until I have had the opportunity to speak with Master Yoda," he whispered as he put on his coat. "I assure you that all elders will be informed by this time tomorrow."