Chapter 26:
Four weeks.
It had been four long weeks since Xanatos' discussion with Anakin about Obi-Wan. And it had continued daily. Anakin found himself frustrated and confused, unable to keep his thoughts straight. The inability to access the Force only fueled his desperate desire to make everything stop. All he could think about was finding a way to make it all go away.
Nearby Obi-Wan watched his Apprentice with worry filled eyes. He could sense the change in the boy's mood. There was a feeling of desperation that hadn't existed before. Xanatos was doing something, and Obi-Wan feared that his apprentice could be lost to him if something didn't happen soon.
The third occupant of the room observed the two Jedi unnoticed. Since Anakin had come, Xanatos' interest in her had waned, and she found herself spending days without an interrogation or beating. She wasn't pleased however with the change of events. Anakin was a few years younger than her, and she felt responsible for the pain he was going through. Maija had found a comradeship growing with the Jedi over the past several weeks that they had been here, and she found herself also worrying over the younger one's state of mind.
"Anakin?" Obi-Wan called his apprentice softly. The boy didn't respond, his eyes focused on the wall opposite him. "Padawan?" Obi-Wan tried again.
The boy slowly turned his head to face his Master. His eyes, red and bloodshot from lack of sleep, rose slowly to meet Obi-Wan's. "Yes sir?"
Obi-Wan noticed the replacement of his title with 'sir' and his concern increased. "How are you holding up, Padawan?"
"Just peachy." Anakin retorted sarcastically, turning away from Obi-Wan again. What kind of stupid question is that? How dare he ask me how I'm holding up! Xanatos doesn't even want him, all he has to do is sit here, while I am tortured and beaten. How does he think I'm holding up?
Weeks of Xanatos' lies and deceptions had been fed into Anakin's mind. Combined with torture, dehydration and Force deprivation, Anakin found himself resenting his Master. The person, who supposedly cared for him, did nothing to help him, or even try. Or so Xanatos had brainwashed him to believe.
"Anakin, you are angry."
The younger Jedi glared at his mentor and replied in a sarcastic tone, "Never, my master. That would be wrong."
Obi-Wan didn't know whether to be upset or concerned. This behavior was not like his Apprentice. Anakin had difficulty controlling his anger and accepting authority, and more than once had lost his temper during inappropriate situations. But rarely did he speak with such blatant disrespect to his Master. He didn't have time to react however, because Xanatos chose that moment to enter.
The door swung open, lights from the hall shining in and casting an eerie shadow around Xanatos. He stood there a moment, studying his prisoners, before striding into the room and coming to stand before Anakin.
"So, my little Apprentice, have you made a decision?"
Anakin closed his eyes, and leaned his head back against the wall. "Xanatos . . . just leave me alone."
"You don't look healthy, Apprentice. Are you sleeping poorly?" Xanatos' voice mocked the boy.
Obi-Wan spoke up, unable to watch the man torment his apprentice any further, "Leave him be Xanatos. He is not well."
Xanatos ignored the older Jedi, his attention focused solely on Anakin. "Is that true, little Apprentice? Are you ill? You look like you need some sleep, and perhaps a nice warm meal. I could give you that; I could make you feel wonderful. You know what you need to do."
Anakin opened his eyes, and found himself staring over Xanatos' shoulder, into the brilliant blue eyes of his Master. Obi-Wan didn't speak, he didn't need to. His eyes said it all. I care for you; I will be here for you. Don't let him do this to you. Be strong!
His gaze was broken by Xanatos' strong hand, jerking his face forward, forcing their eyes to meet. "What do you say, Anakin? Shall we make all this pain go away? I can make it all better."
The apprentice pulled his head back, out of Xanatos' hand. He was strengthened by the trust and love in Obi-Wan's eyes. "I am a Jedi. And I already have a Master."
Xanatos was quick to anger, and Anakin found himself gasping as Xanatos backhanded him. Gingerly he felt his cheekbone, wincing. Xanatos had hit him hard.
"You will join me. If it's the last thing you do." Xanatos ground out.
Anakin shook his head, his thoughts finally clearing. Everything Xanatos had been telling him was a lie, something to feed him to force him to join. "No." He whispered, "I am a Jedi."
With a snarl Xanatos turned, and called to the guard standing outside the door. When the guard entered Xanatos looked at Maija, his eyes sparkling with greed and malice.
"Untie her, and bring her to me." He said, gesturing at the young girl.
The guard obeyed quickly, dragging Maija across the room and positioning her only a few feet from Anakin. She struggled but the guard brought a baton down across the back of her head with a sharp crack. Maija let out a cry as she fell to her knees, staring silently at the floor.
Xanatos turned to Anakin again, a cruel smile playing on his lips.
"So, Anakin, you want to be a Jedi? You have a choice to make. Either you join me, or this one dies."
Anakin's head shot up, his eyes searched Xanatos' face, searching for some proof the man was joking. He searched in vain. Bringing his gaze back to rest on Maija, he saw her eyes, they held fear. His gaze moved to rest on Obi-Wan. What do I do? But Obi-Wan couldn't hear the question, nor could he give an answer. This was Anakin's decision, and Anakin's alone.
"So, what will it be little Apprentice?"
Anakin struggled with his decision. He couldn't give in, could he? But he couldn't have her blood on his hands.
"You have three seconds!"
"Xanatos … "
"Two"
" … please"
"One"
"Don't do this … "
"Times up."
Xanatos turned, pulling the blaster from his guard's belt and pressed it against Maija's temple. At the same time he grasped her hair, jerking her head back so Anakin was forced to see her face. Anakin's heart stopped, and his breath caught in his throat. He moved to yell, but no sound would come. Time seemed to freeze for just a second.
The dark Jedi pulled the trigger, the shot killing her instantly. Her body fell forward; her head landing face down only inches from where Anakin sat.
Anakin jumped, scooting back as far from the dead body as he could, inching away from the blood that began to pool on the floor before him. His breathing was ragged, eyes glazing. He started to hyperventilate.
It wasn't the first time Anakin had seen death. But it was the first time he had seen someone brutally murdered just feet before him. And the first time someone had died as a direct result of his decision.
"Do you see, little Jedi. You could have stopped that. Look at what you did. An innocent girl died because of you. You failed. That's your job, isn't it? To protect the innocent? And you let her die. Because you are selfish. You killed her."
The words were cold, cruel, and Anakin shook his head, trying to block them out. "No, no, no … I didn't do it. I didn't kill her."
"Yes, you did. So now what? You can't go back to the Jedi, you have failed."
It was here that Obi-Wan spoke up. "No, Anakin! Don't listen to him. You have not failed; the Jedi will not abandon you for this. Stay strong, do not listen to him."
His plea was cut short as Xanatos once again whirled, shoving the blaster into the older Jedi's face. "Shut up, Obi-Wan." He turned back to Anakin, "So what shall it be, will you join me?"
Anakin shook his head, he was in shock. The boy didn't know what to say, what to do. A sharp blow to the face brought him back to the situation at hand. He opened his eyes again to see the blaster pointed against Obi-Wan's forehead, pushing the older man into the wall behind him. Obi-Wan had his eyes closed, in a meditative state, he appeared to be preparing for death, should that be the choice.
"Well, young one, shall you join me? Or shall another have to die for you?"
Anakin shook his head. It was happening too fast.
"Anakin, do not do this. I am prepared; you cannot accept the darkness to save me." Obi-Wan spoke quietly; his voice was strangely calm for someone about to die.
"Stop!" Anakin cried out, his voice raw. "Don't kill him."
"Anakin!" Obi-Wan's voice was sharp, "Don't do this! Do not dishonor my teaching in this way!"
"Shut up!" Anakin yelled at his Master, "Just shut up! You can't die for me." He turned stormy blue eyes to his captor, "Don't hurt him. I'll do whatever you want, just don't… don't kill him."
"Anything?"
Anakin nodded miserably. The gleam in Xanatos' eyes was unmistakable and the boy looked away. Xanatos smiled.
"Unchain him and lock him in my ready room. Then clean up this mess." Xanatos gestured at Maija's dead body. With a triumphant glance at Obi-Wan, he strode from the room.
As Anakin was led, dazed, from the room, he found he could not bring himself to look at his Mentor's eyes. He left the room, head down, but he could feel Obi-Wan's disappointed gaze on his back as he left.