Obi-Wan sat in the corner of a dank room. He figured it was a holding
cell built into one of the Republic's ships. He couldn't remember how he'd
gotten there: it was all a blur of colors and strong arms. Tears clouded
his eyes still. The only light filtered in through a small window. It was
storming outside so the cell was quite dark. Rain pattered on the ship,
refreshing the world. Refreshing everything but him. Obi-Wan's thoughts
were currently on his fate but more often, they would turn to Alanae. He
had called for again and again but it was without response. She must have
been taken to another ship.
There was a click and hiss. Obi-Wan looked out from his corner and pulled his cloak tighter about himself. The door opened and in walked a soldier. He closed his eyes.
"Obi-Wan," said a voice, a very familiar voice.
Opening his eyes and looking up he saw who had followed the soldier in: his master, Qui-Gon Jinn.
"Leave us," Qui-Gon ordered the man. Obediently, he bowed and exited the room. Obi-wan closed his eyes and lowered his head in despair. His master would let him go and he'd be forced to become just another of the merchant class.
"Obi-Wan."
He remained motionless.
"Look at me, my padawan."
Obi-Wan forced himself to meet his master's eyes. "You-" he looked at his master. "You called me your padawan."
"Well, what did you expect me to say?"
"Aren't you going to let me go?"
"No."
Obi-Wan looked down.
"All I'm going to say is: you treaded dangerous ground when you fell in love," said Qui-Gon.
"Who told you that?" Obi-Wan asked, shifting guiltily.
"No one needed to. I can feel it in you. Your perception of the Force has somewhat depleted. You focus more energy on her than the will of the Force."
"I know, master."
"Good. As long as you realize the affect this has on you. We'll have to leave soon. Negotiations can not be neglected for long."
"What about Alanae?" Obi-Wan asked. "What'll happen to her?"
"Alanae?" responded Qui-Gon. "Is that her name?" He saw the look of panic in his apprentice's eyes. "Don't worry. I talked to her, as well as the soldiers. We've all agreed on a deal. She'll be let free. She said she'd go to." He thought for a moment. "She said she'd go your home planet. She had heard of good piloting squad she could join there."
Obi-Wan smiled. He could see her as a pilot. "Can I go see her?" he asked.
"It is your destiny to be a Jedi knight. To fulfill that, you have to let her go," replied Qui-Gon. "You will not see her."
Obi-Wan stared at him, absolutely crest-fallen. His master paid no notice and turned to walk out of the cell. He stood and suppressed his emotion, using his Jedi training and followed him.
He allowed himself one last, long look at Crimson Storm. The battered and scorched ship now seemed like an old friend. Seeing it sitting silently, surrounded by newly blooming flowers and sprouting grass, he had to fight to keep a straight face. It meant so much, not only the ship but also the memories. It seemed regal now, as if it knew it had reached its last moments. The script on the side of the ship now seemed to shimmer just a bit in his eyes. Crimson Storm. The name he had read on that desert planet so far away, just as his life was changing.
Turning, he walked slowly into the Republican ship that his master had entered. The door closed behind him, closing on the ship, on the moon, on the only person he had loved. The image of Alanae, so proud, sitting in a dark cell like he had was almost enough to make him weep but he controlled everything that flashed across his face now. His mind wouldn't let him feel but his heart couldn't help but yearn for her.
* * *
Obi-Wan followed his master into a bar. A girl stood on the stage with some unusual instrument that she was playing as she sang. Qui-Gon ordered them a couple of drinks and they took seats off to the side. Obi- Wan let his gaze sweep the room. He tried to be as mindful as possible of the living Force. He had just celebrated his twenty-first birthday a while ago and had been back with his master now for months.
Suddenly, he noticed a small man making his way towards their table. He looked to Qui-Gon, who had seen him too. They waited until he had approached them until Qui-Gon spoke.
"What is it you want?" he asked calmly.
"Uh... um. a-a a m-m-m-mis-s-ster O-o-o-bi-W-w-w-an K-k-k-k-kenob-b- bi?" the man replied with a terrible stutter.
"I am Obi-Wan Kenobi," he said.
The man gave him a device used to record messages and scampered away. Obi-Wan looked to his master before turning it on. Qui-Gon left to get another drink.
He turned it on. A holograph of a man, an officer in some kind, appeared.
"We regret to inform the relations and friends of Private Alanae that she was killed in action on-" Obi-Wan didn't hear the rest. He blanked out. Alanae was dead. Gone. Taken from the world. He stared out one of the windows until he could compose himself, fighting against letting it sink in. Only a few moments later did he realize that there was another message. Pressing the button, he watched intently. First, there was a hologram of a woman saying the date at which the message had been recorded; it was standard for military transmissions. Then, a more familiar figure appeared.
The small-scale image of Alanae stood in the uniform of her squadron and spoke directly to him.
"Obi-Wan, I know this will reach you after the news of my end. Do not be sorry for me. Last night I had a premonition. The Force wished me to take this mission, it showed me what I must do and what would happen. Because of my sacrifice this recent siege shall be broken. Through my death, millions more may live freely. My only regret is not seeing you again. I didn't get a chance to say this before we separated so let me say it now: Obi-Wan, I love you now and forever."
Her image fizzed out. He shook it.
"No," he hit it with his hand. "NO!!" He began to loose his grip on his feelings. "Bring her back! Do you hear me? BRING HER BACK!! ALANAE!!!"
He dropped the device on the table and put his head in hands. For the first time in years, he wept. He missed her. He missed her terribly.
The musician on the stage started up a new song. Something made him look up and listen. Obi-Wan knew this was another message. He looked up, as if he could see through the ceiling, through the sky and to the far-off light that was now Alanae.
Can't you see?
There's a feeling that's come over me
Close my eyes
You're the only one that leaves me completely breathless No need to wonder why
Sometimes a gift like this you can't deny 'Cause I wanted to fly
So you gave me your wings
And time held it's breath so I could see, yeah
You set me free There's a will, there's a way
Sometimes words just can't explain
This is real, I'm afraid
I guess this time there's just no hiding, fighting
You make me restless You're in my heart
The only light that shines there in the dark 'Cause I wanted to fly
So you gave me your wings
And time held it's breath so I could see, yeah
You set me free When I was alone
You came around
When I was down
You pulled me through
And there's nothing that
I wouldn't do for you 'Cause I wanted to fly
So you gave me your wings
And time held it's breath so I could see, yeah
You set me free 'Cause I wanted to fly
So you gave me your wings
And time held it's breath so I could see, yeah
You set me free
There was a click and hiss. Obi-Wan looked out from his corner and pulled his cloak tighter about himself. The door opened and in walked a soldier. He closed his eyes.
"Obi-Wan," said a voice, a very familiar voice.
Opening his eyes and looking up he saw who had followed the soldier in: his master, Qui-Gon Jinn.
"Leave us," Qui-Gon ordered the man. Obediently, he bowed and exited the room. Obi-wan closed his eyes and lowered his head in despair. His master would let him go and he'd be forced to become just another of the merchant class.
"Obi-Wan."
He remained motionless.
"Look at me, my padawan."
Obi-Wan forced himself to meet his master's eyes. "You-" he looked at his master. "You called me your padawan."
"Well, what did you expect me to say?"
"Aren't you going to let me go?"
"No."
Obi-Wan looked down.
"All I'm going to say is: you treaded dangerous ground when you fell in love," said Qui-Gon.
"Who told you that?" Obi-Wan asked, shifting guiltily.
"No one needed to. I can feel it in you. Your perception of the Force has somewhat depleted. You focus more energy on her than the will of the Force."
"I know, master."
"Good. As long as you realize the affect this has on you. We'll have to leave soon. Negotiations can not be neglected for long."
"What about Alanae?" Obi-Wan asked. "What'll happen to her?"
"Alanae?" responded Qui-Gon. "Is that her name?" He saw the look of panic in his apprentice's eyes. "Don't worry. I talked to her, as well as the soldiers. We've all agreed on a deal. She'll be let free. She said she'd go to." He thought for a moment. "She said she'd go your home planet. She had heard of good piloting squad she could join there."
Obi-Wan smiled. He could see her as a pilot. "Can I go see her?" he asked.
"It is your destiny to be a Jedi knight. To fulfill that, you have to let her go," replied Qui-Gon. "You will not see her."
Obi-Wan stared at him, absolutely crest-fallen. His master paid no notice and turned to walk out of the cell. He stood and suppressed his emotion, using his Jedi training and followed him.
He allowed himself one last, long look at Crimson Storm. The battered and scorched ship now seemed like an old friend. Seeing it sitting silently, surrounded by newly blooming flowers and sprouting grass, he had to fight to keep a straight face. It meant so much, not only the ship but also the memories. It seemed regal now, as if it knew it had reached its last moments. The script on the side of the ship now seemed to shimmer just a bit in his eyes. Crimson Storm. The name he had read on that desert planet so far away, just as his life was changing.
Turning, he walked slowly into the Republican ship that his master had entered. The door closed behind him, closing on the ship, on the moon, on the only person he had loved. The image of Alanae, so proud, sitting in a dark cell like he had was almost enough to make him weep but he controlled everything that flashed across his face now. His mind wouldn't let him feel but his heart couldn't help but yearn for her.
* * *
Obi-Wan followed his master into a bar. A girl stood on the stage with some unusual instrument that she was playing as she sang. Qui-Gon ordered them a couple of drinks and they took seats off to the side. Obi- Wan let his gaze sweep the room. He tried to be as mindful as possible of the living Force. He had just celebrated his twenty-first birthday a while ago and had been back with his master now for months.
Suddenly, he noticed a small man making his way towards their table. He looked to Qui-Gon, who had seen him too. They waited until he had approached them until Qui-Gon spoke.
"What is it you want?" he asked calmly.
"Uh... um. a-a a m-m-m-mis-s-ster O-o-o-bi-W-w-w-an K-k-k-k-kenob-b- bi?" the man replied with a terrible stutter.
"I am Obi-Wan Kenobi," he said.
The man gave him a device used to record messages and scampered away. Obi-Wan looked to his master before turning it on. Qui-Gon left to get another drink.
He turned it on. A holograph of a man, an officer in some kind, appeared.
"We regret to inform the relations and friends of Private Alanae that she was killed in action on-" Obi-Wan didn't hear the rest. He blanked out. Alanae was dead. Gone. Taken from the world. He stared out one of the windows until he could compose himself, fighting against letting it sink in. Only a few moments later did he realize that there was another message. Pressing the button, he watched intently. First, there was a hologram of a woman saying the date at which the message had been recorded; it was standard for military transmissions. Then, a more familiar figure appeared.
The small-scale image of Alanae stood in the uniform of her squadron and spoke directly to him.
"Obi-Wan, I know this will reach you after the news of my end. Do not be sorry for me. Last night I had a premonition. The Force wished me to take this mission, it showed me what I must do and what would happen. Because of my sacrifice this recent siege shall be broken. Through my death, millions more may live freely. My only regret is not seeing you again. I didn't get a chance to say this before we separated so let me say it now: Obi-Wan, I love you now and forever."
Her image fizzed out. He shook it.
"No," he hit it with his hand. "NO!!" He began to loose his grip on his feelings. "Bring her back! Do you hear me? BRING HER BACK!! ALANAE!!!"
He dropped the device on the table and put his head in hands. For the first time in years, he wept. He missed her. He missed her terribly.
The musician on the stage started up a new song. Something made him look up and listen. Obi-Wan knew this was another message. He looked up, as if he could see through the ceiling, through the sky and to the far-off light that was now Alanae.
Can't you see?
There's a feeling that's come over me
Close my eyes
You're the only one that leaves me completely breathless No need to wonder why
Sometimes a gift like this you can't deny 'Cause I wanted to fly
So you gave me your wings
And time held it's breath so I could see, yeah
You set me free There's a will, there's a way
Sometimes words just can't explain
This is real, I'm afraid
I guess this time there's just no hiding, fighting
You make me restless You're in my heart
The only light that shines there in the dark 'Cause I wanted to fly
So you gave me your wings
And time held it's breath so I could see, yeah
You set me free When I was alone
You came around
When I was down
You pulled me through
And there's nothing that
I wouldn't do for you 'Cause I wanted to fly
So you gave me your wings
And time held it's breath so I could see, yeah
You set me free 'Cause I wanted to fly
So you gave me your wings
And time held it's breath so I could see, yeah
You set me free