A/N: Thank you for the review. :)

Chapter 6

The cool water eased the ache that had started to return to Obi-Wan's body. He rubbed his thumb along his forearm even though the scar was long gone. All of them were. He wished Qui-Gon would leave. He was bringing back memories Obi-Wan had buried deep. He was bringing back pain that even the water couldn't wash away.

He got rid of the paint and then dressed for bed. He wasn't expecting to find the King standing in his room, but it didn't surprise him.

"You still have the beads in your hair," he stated simply. None too gently, he pulled Obi-Wan to the bed and started removing them. "You want to tell me what's going on with you today?"

"Nothing."

The King's hand rested on his neck when he said, "That's enough lies for today." The threat was clear even though Obi-Wan knew the King wouldn't dare to mark his skin that way. Not after everything he did to keep it flawless.

"Seeing the Jedi brought back memories." Not the whole truth, but he hoped the King would leave it at that.

The hand was replaced by a kiss but that wasn't any more comforting. He wanted to be alone.

"I will have them removed in the morning."

"No," he shook his head, "we need to show them that Beimeni is worthless to the Republic or more will come."

"And you will convince them of this? You know what will happen if they find out the truth."

"When have I ever failed you?"

The last bead slipped from his hair and Obi-Wan saw the King smiling behind him in the mirror.

..oOo..

When Obi-Wan came to, he was still lying on the floor, where he had fallen. His vision was blurred with smoke and the red light of dying flames. His head throbbed painfully, and he couldn't move. Vaguely he could make out voices, but he couldn't decipher words.

He didn't know how long he had been out for. How many had survived the attack? He was willing to bet the answer was "not many".

The voices drew closer and Obi-Wan tried his best not to move. It had been pointless though. One of the voices called out, "this one is alive!" and then he was dragged to his feet.

The group of people scavenging the wreckage of Zehava clearly weren't from Melida/Daan. They had feline features with sharp teeth and claws that dug painfully into Obi-Wan's arm. They wore a deep blue uniform that looked much too regal for the environment they were in.

He could barely register what was going on. Rough hands pushed him forward, causing him to stumble.

"Get on the ship!" The man behind him ordered and then a whip snapped by his ear, just missing him.

He moved on autopilot, unable to think. When he reached the ship, others were already there. He recognised some of the Young but couldn't recall their names. The Elders were all new faces to him but every one of them was covered in dirt and blood, wearing the same dazed and confused look Obi-Wan probably had as well.

Something was clamped around his neck and then the world went dark again.

..oOo..

Neither of them had understood the King's words, but it had been clear they were meant to leave. Qui-Gon wished he understood what Obi-Wan was to the King because he seemed awfully protective of him. The surprise had faded from Obi-Wan's face too quickly for this to have been the first time someone had died for him.

He couldn't help wondering what the King had done to him after they had left.

The pictures he had once had of Obi-Wan lying dead somewhere on Melida/Daan were suddenly replaced by the King touching him and threatening him. He wasn't sure whether these pictures were better than the ones he already had. Surely Obi-Wan was worth more than this. He should be a Jedi, not whatever a Zhelan was. He would have been a knight by now, maybe even a master with his own padawan. Instead, here he was getting dressed up to perform acrobatics at the King's pleasure, like a simple circus performer. He didn't even want to think about what else the King made him do.

But Obi-Wan was alive and Qui-Gon owed him his freedom. Whatever happened on Beimeni, Qui-Gon wasn't going to leave without the boy.

o-O-o

Qui-Gon hadn't spoken since they returned to the room they had been given to stay in. Anakin occasionally spared him a glance as he worked on the translator. Finally, he decided he couldn't just sit around anymore.

"I'm heading to the ship tonight. I don't know whether they'll let us leave tomorrow and the translator could come in handy."

At that, the old Jedi master reacted with a nod. "Make sure they don't see you. I don't know how friendly they're going to stay with us."

"I'll be careful, Master. Like always."

Qui-Gon actually laughed at that. "I didn't think you knew what careful meant."

Anakin ignored the mockery and slipped into his cloak. The temperature had sunk dramatically since the sun set.

"I shouldn't be long," he said and then he paused in front of the door.

"We're going to save him, aren't we?"

Qui-Gon's expression sobered. "We are."

Anakin slipped out of the room. It was on the first floor right above the entrance to the palace. Rather than risking the stairs, he climbed out the window and waited for the guards to pass before dropping to the ground.

The oasis looked completely different at night. Rather than being covered in beige the people walked the streets in bright pinks, purples, and blues. In the fire light, their hair was golden, like Anakin's had been before he moved to Coruscant.

Street musicians played a fast upbeat tune that various young girls and boys danced to. Golden coins changed hands at a market that hadn't been there when they first arrived. Anakin wasn't surprised that Beimeni came to life at night. It was just too hot during the day.

He stuck to the shadows, keeping out of sight as he got closer to the edge where their ship stood. Once he was past the busy streets, a good hour of walking passed before the vegetation thinned out until only the most stubborn little blades of grass stuck out of the sand. Here the light of the city was too far back to see anything but pure darkness. Not even the stars provided light to see and there was no moon either. He pulled a glow rod out of his utility belt and continued the last few metres towards the ship.

The sound of chatter and laughter was what let Anakin know he was going the right way. Clearly the clones were having a good time.

As soon as he entered the ship, the sound of voices died. They were replaced by Rex's "General." And a salute from them all.

"Stand down," he replied, "and don't mind me. I'm just here to pick up some things."

He walked past them and started searching for what he needed.

"We received a transmission from the Chancellor for you. We tried to contact you, but we couldn't get through."

"Our coms are fried. I think the Chancellor might want Beimeni as a prison for Separatists. It's deadly out there." Even as he said it, he knew it wasn't true. Yes, Beimeni was ridiculously hot, but for some reason Anakin didn't think he had ever felt better.

Rex smiled at the joke anyway.

"Show me the transmission."

The Chancellor's image appeared in blue, and Anakin felt hot just seeing all the layers the man was wearing.

"Anakin, I expect a report on your mission as soon as possible. I needn't remind you how important Beimeni is. You are a great Jedi. I know you can handle this responsibility. Don't let me down."

The message cut out. He wouldn't send a reply with bad news, but he didn't know how they were going to convince the King. It wasn't like they could occupy the planet without him on their side. It wasn't the Republic's way.

Qui-Gon should be trying to find a way to get the King on their side, instead he was so preoccupied with Obi-Wan, that he was risking everything.

Anakin took a deep breath. Wouldn't he do the same in his position? He knew that he would because he had.

On Geonosis, the day the war started, he should have been with his Master to face Dooku. Instead, he had thrown his common sense out the window when Padmé fell from the ship. Qui-Gon hadn't even tried to stop him, and Anakin still wondered whether he had meant to face Dooku alone.

To this day, Anakin couldn't help wondering whether Qui-Gon was tempted to join his former master.

"Would you like to send a reply?" The Clone's voice disrupted his thoughts, bringing him back to the ship.

"Not yet. If he contacts you again, tell him you haven't seen us. We're still negotiating with the King."

o-O-o

Anakin had spent most of the night travelling to and from the ship, so Qui-Gon snuck out of the room to let him sleep.

The sun had already risen, and the last vendors were packing up their goods in the market. Qui-Gon stood by the windows that had been closed again to keep the palace cool. From here he could almost see the edge of the oasis.

"Did you sleep well?"

Qui-Gon startled, turning a full circle until he spotted Obi-Wan. The boy was sitting in the archway next to the one Qui-Gon was looking out of. Why hadn't he sensed his presence?

"I didn't mean to scare you." He smiled the way he used to when he was feeling smug about something. Despite his carefree approach, Qui-Gon could see the haunted look in his eyes and the occasional nervous glance to the door behind him, where the King's room was.

"I slept very well, thank you." It was true. Qui-Gon couldn't remember the last time he had slept so well.

"It's the air," Obi-Wan said and Qui-Gon wasn't sure whether he was mocking him or not.

Without realising it, he looked Obi-Wan over for signs of injury. From what he could tell, the King hadn't taken his anger out on him last night. He looked better than he had yesterday. He was still dressed in white, but he wore a closed shirt, and his skin was free of the paint. He looked like Qui-Gon remembered him now.

Obi-Wan closed the book that was resting on his lap and put it aside.

"Why are you really here?"

Qui-Gon slid down the wall to sit next to Obi-Wan. The boy moved away from him with another nervous glance towards the door.

"What are you so nervous about?"

"Weren't you paying attention last night? The King is a jealous man."

"He wouldn't shoot a Jedi."

Obi-Wan threw him a sidelong look. "You think too highly of yourself."

"Perhaps," he agreed, although if the King was prepared to shoot a Jedi for talking to Obi-Wan, he was indeed the naive child Qui-Gon took him for.

"How did you become his…" Qui-Gon wasn't sure which word he wanted to use to end that sentence but Obi-Wan took his meaning.

"You haven't answered my question yet."

"I told you last night."

Obi-Wan narrowed his eyes critically. "But I don't believe you told me everything. Beimeni is useless to the Republic. It's way out of any critical systems, it has no valuable resources, it's too hot to build a base on, so I'll ask again. Why are you here?"

Qui-Gon was speechless for a moment. He had forgotten how clever Obi-Wan was.

"Well," he cleared his throat, "if I'm honest, I've been asking myself the same thing. The Chancellor sent us personally and he couldn't emphasise enough how important Beimeni is to the war."

He watched Obi-Wan's reaction carefully. There was something there that he couldn't quite place.

"I don't know what he could possibly think to find here. I don't trust politicians and the Qui-Gon I knew wouldn't waste his time on the whim of them either. Since when are Jedi the Chancellor's errand boys?"

"You should mind the way you talk about things you don't understand."

Obi-Wan huffed angrily. "What is there to not understand? Jedi are peacekeepers and now the Chancellor has you rallying planets for a war you're supposed to be generals in? How can you defend that?"

Qui-Gon had to stop himself from snapping back. Obi-Wan was bringing up all the things he had criticised as well, it was strange to have to defend it now. "You're not a Jedi, Obi-Wan. There is more at stake here than you know."

He regretted the words as soon as hurt flashed across the young face in front of him.

"And whose fault is that, Master Jinn?"

"I didn't mean-"

"Save it." He stood up abruptly and walked away.

Qui-Gon hurried to keep up. "I'm sorry."

"I don't want your apology. I want you to leave me alone."

Qui-Gon followed Obi-Wan all the way to the library at the bottom of the palace's centre tower. His apology had been weak, it wasn't even close to everything he had to apologise for. He just didn't know how.

"But I owe you an apology."

"You don't owe me anything. The past should stay in the past."

"Can't we talk about this?"

When Obi-Wan turned to face him again, he had tears in his eyes. "I don't have the strength to talk about it."

Qui-Gon didn't have a response to that, but he didn't need one. Obi-Wan's face went completely neutral. A trick he had no doubt perfected over years of living on Beimeni. Then Qui-Gon saw what Obi-Wan appeared to have already sensed.

"Kakiye soru?" The King asked, he was watching them closely from the other entrance to the library.

Obi-Wan smiled as he turned into a smooth bow, with his palms together. "Yoru Jedi al rynok tesje." He paused as the King raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Exo korot resha."

The King looked at Qui-Gon as he considered whatever Obi-Wan had said and then he nodded, "Resha tije. Al pjat, sci toja."

"Exo koro," Obi-Wan bowed his head again and quickly ushered Qui-Gon out.

"What did he say?"

"He wanted to know what we were talking about, so I told him that you wanted to see the town. He gave us permission, but I must be back by the fifth hour."

"Why?"

"That's none of your business. We'll be back before midday anyway. You know this is the sixth time I've saved your skin so far. At some point I'm just going to let you get out of your own messes."