Part 4
The days that followed were even worse than the first. Obi-Wan was forced to
remain inside his room most of the day, Master Skyla wouldn't even permit him
to attend classes. During the moments when Skyla did allow him to leave his
prison, anything he said was enough to infuriate her. And why was Master
Skyla not allowing him to leave their quarters? Obi-Wan was unable to come
up with any logical reason for the master's behavior. He felt like a small
animal being kept in a cage.
Obi-Wan lay exhausted on his bed as he looked out the window, watching the
hundreds of spacecraft that crossed Coruscant's darkened sky. Despite the
late hour, traffic still dominated the skyline, casting soft beams of light
to fall into the padawan's darkened room.
Obi-Wan sighed wearily. Why was this happening to him? Had he done something
wrong? And worst of all, Master Qui-Gon still had not arrived, even though
his scheduled arrival at the Temple was two days ago. Obi-Wan had not even
received a single call from him. What worried the weary apprentice the most
was that he still couldn't reach Qui-Gon through their bond. Every time the
Padawan tried, he found only the same eerie silence.
Obi-Wan blinked in surprised when a soft sob escaped him. He hadn't even
noticed the tears that had been silently flowing down his cheeks, dampening
the pillow. He felt so alone, so...abandoned.
/Stop right there, Kenobi!/ he scolded himself, /Your Master would never
abandon you. Would he?/ Obi-Wan vehemently shook he head, /Of course not!
But maybe...,/ He knew he shouldn't be doubting his master, but he felt so
very alone. Why hadn't Master Jinn called? And why couldn't he reach him?
There were so many questions, and so few answers.
The weary apprentice lifted his arm to wipe the tears from his eyes, but
winced at the movement. His left arm was hurting badly, and his right leg as
well. As he gently massaged his injured arm, he thought back to how he had
sustained his injuries.
He and Master Skyla had been eating dinner together in uncomfortable silence.
Several times, Obi-Wan had dared brief glances in her direction, but only
found her eating calmly. Carefully placing his spoon on his plate, he
summoned his courage to speak.
"Master Skyla?" he had at last spoken.
The Master had looked up and displayed a small, kind smile, "Yes?"
Obi-Wan had smiled shyly in return, "I...I was wondering...if you've been
angry at me....," he had begun.
But that simple and innocent question was enough to provoke a nightmare
again.
He still couldn't understand why Master Skyla had reacted so badly at the
question. But, before he could react, the master was yelling again at him,
and was then advancing in the direction of the startled padawan. He still
couldn't quite recall what she had screamed at him, but what he did remember
clearly was the way she had grabbed him by his shirt, and had shoved him
roughly against a wall. He had been pushed with such strength that his small
body had left an indentation in the plaster. Obi-Wan had cried out as a
sharp pain ran through his arm. He desperately clenched his teeth trying to
suppress any further cries, but was unable to do so when Skyla pulled him up
by his wounded arm.
As he was passing by Skyla's quarters, Master Windu heard a padawan's sharp,
sudden cry. He knocked several times at the door, but had received no answer.
Quickly entering a special access code available to Council members only,
Mace Windu opened the door and quickly stepped inside. There, he found
Obi-Wan sitting on the floor with his eyes tightly shut. The young Padawan
was visibly in pain as he cradled his left arm against his chest.
Taken by surprise, the Creche Master had quickly knelt beside Obi-Wan as she
began rubbing his back in comfort and began speaking in soft, soothing words.
But, Obi-Wan was in too much pain to pay attention to what was happening
around him.
Mace approached the small apprentice and knelt beside him. "Are you all
right, Obi-Wan?" he had asked, quiet worry in his tone.
Hearing a familiar voice, Obi-Wan forced himself to open his eyes. A relieved
smile crossed his lips as he recognized the large Jedi Master kneeling beside
him. "Master Windu!" he exclaimed excitedly. Finally, this was it! Master
Windu was going to stop Master Skyla.
Windu smiled kindly at the boy, and then looked at Skyla, "What happened
here, Master Lo'Tren?"
"He tripped and fell. But, I don't think it's too serious," she answered in
her normal soft voice, as she continued rubbing the padawan's back.
"Tripped?" Windu inquired incredulously. He had never known Obi-Wan to be as
clumsy as to 'trip' and hurt himself in such a way!
"Yes. Isn't that what happened, Obi-Wan?" Master Skyla asked as she turned
to face him once again.
The apprentice's blue-green eyes opened wide in surprise. Of course that
wasn't what had happened! He was about to tell Master Windu the truth, when
Skyla's gaze suddenly stopped being kind and instead turned somber and
menacing. Her dark eyes glowed soft yellow, and Obi-Wan found himself once
again controlled by the indescribable fear.
Nodding slowly and without taking his eyes from Skyla's, he answered quietly,
"Yes."
Mace frowned in confusion. There was something strange in the way Obi-Wan had
looked at Skyla. He looked...frightened. But even so, Obi-Wan had confirmed
Skyla's explanation, and there was very little that Mace could say to
contradict it. "All right. Do you think you can stand?" the Council member
asked as he gently reached for the injured padawan.
As Obi-Wan was assisted to his feet, he seemed to snap out of a trance and
answered, "Yes. Don't worry about me, Master Windu, I'm fine."
"Why don't you go to bed, Obi-Wan?", Skyla suggested softly.
The padawan nodded without taking his eyes off the floor. "Good night,
Master Windu, Master Skyla," he bowed to the two masters as he continued to
hold his injured arm against his chest. He had then left the room.
Obi-Wan allowed another sad sigh to escape him. He should have told Master
Windu what had really happened. As a Jedi apprentice, he wasn't supposed to
allow fear to control him. 'Fear leads to the Dark Side' Master Yoda and
his own Master had repeated that to him many times. Obi-Wan Kenobi was
determined not to allow that strange, cold fear control him any longer.
/You sure are a good Padawan, Kenobi,/ he told himself sarcastically, /Master
Qui-Gon would be so proud of you,/ he continued to torture himself.
Obi-Wan gingerly touched his left arm near his wrist, and winced. Moving it
slowly, he realized just how much it hurt. Surely, it had just been twisted.
If not, he wouldn't have been able to move it at all. New tears welled up in
his eyes at his injury. What had he done to deserve this?
//Master,// he sent sorrowfully through the oddly silent bond, //Come back
soon....please!//
*****
Qui-Gon's concentration wavered from the negotiations as he felt the faint
call from Obi-Wan. The Master couldn't distinguish what the message was
about, but he could feel the anguish that his Padawan was sending through it.
//Padawan?// he inquired, //Obi-Wan?//. But there was no answer. The bond
between them was silent, worringly silent. Qui-Gon didn't like that at all.
He wasn't that far away from Coruscant, so to lose his connection with
Obi-Wan was highly improbable. Even if he were at the end of the universe, he
knew he would still be able to sense Obi-Wan's presence.
"Master Jinn?"
Qui-Gon quickly raised his head as he heard his name being called. Realizing
that every person was staring expectantly at him, he apologized quickly, "I'm
sorry, gentlemen, for my lapse in concentration. May I please be excused for
a moment? I need to make a call."
"Of course, Master Jinn," the leader of one of the parties acknowledged. He,
like the others, was a bit confused by the unexpected reaction from the Jedi
Master.
Qui-Gon stood, and bowing low, walked out of the room. He quickly strode
down the long corridors of the building, his mind racing. Why was he unable
to reach Obi-Wan? And did he feel so much anxiety through their bond? Upon
reaching the Communications Room, he asked a young lady to connect him with
the Jedi Temple. In seconds, he was speaking with Master Skyla.
"Hello, Skyla. I'm sorry for calling you so late, but may I speak with
Obi-Wan?"
Skyla's features darken for a brief moment, but they soon changed to a kind
expression, "I'm sorry, Qui-Gon, but he's asleep right now."
"Asleep?" the Jedi Master asked, surprised, "That's not possible! Can you
check and see if he's still asleep, please? It's important."
Skyla nodded reluctantly, not looking very happy. Pretending to open a door,
she quickly moved out of Qui-Gon's field of vision, but then appeared a few
moments later. "I'm sorry, Qui-Gon, but he's still asleep."
Qui-Gon was not fooled. He had easily seen through her pretense, and was
highly surprised by her actions. Frowning, the confused Master asked, "Skyla,
is this some kind of a joke? Why were you hiding?"
Skyla's features darkened and her eyes began to glow. Qui-Gon's own blue
eyes widened in surprise at the sight.
"Qui-Gon," she chuckled in a low voice, "he's not asleep, but he soon will
be. And, I'm afraid he won't be waking up again."
"What?" but the communication had already gone dead. What was going on?
Skyla's eyes were dark, not yellow, and they certainly didn't... /Kiza!/ the
Jedi Master realized in alarm, /No! Obi-Wan!/
The days that followed were even worse than the first. Obi-Wan was forced to
remain inside his room most of the day, Master Skyla wouldn't even permit him
to attend classes. During the moments when Skyla did allow him to leave his
prison, anything he said was enough to infuriate her. And why was Master
Skyla not allowing him to leave their quarters? Obi-Wan was unable to come
up with any logical reason for the master's behavior. He felt like a small
animal being kept in a cage.
Obi-Wan lay exhausted on his bed as he looked out the window, watching the
hundreds of spacecraft that crossed Coruscant's darkened sky. Despite the
late hour, traffic still dominated the skyline, casting soft beams of light
to fall into the padawan's darkened room.
Obi-Wan sighed wearily. Why was this happening to him? Had he done something
wrong? And worst of all, Master Qui-Gon still had not arrived, even though
his scheduled arrival at the Temple was two days ago. Obi-Wan had not even
received a single call from him. What worried the weary apprentice the most
was that he still couldn't reach Qui-Gon through their bond. Every time the
Padawan tried, he found only the same eerie silence.
Obi-Wan blinked in surprised when a soft sob escaped him. He hadn't even
noticed the tears that had been silently flowing down his cheeks, dampening
the pillow. He felt so alone, so...abandoned.
/Stop right there, Kenobi!/ he scolded himself, /Your Master would never
abandon you. Would he?/ Obi-Wan vehemently shook he head, /Of course not!
But maybe...,/ He knew he shouldn't be doubting his master, but he felt so
very alone. Why hadn't Master Jinn called? And why couldn't he reach him?
There were so many questions, and so few answers.
The weary apprentice lifted his arm to wipe the tears from his eyes, but
winced at the movement. His left arm was hurting badly, and his right leg as
well. As he gently massaged his injured arm, he thought back to how he had
sustained his injuries.
He and Master Skyla had been eating dinner together in uncomfortable silence.
Several times, Obi-Wan had dared brief glances in her direction, but only
found her eating calmly. Carefully placing his spoon on his plate, he
summoned his courage to speak.
"Master Skyla?" he had at last spoken.
The Master had looked up and displayed a small, kind smile, "Yes?"
Obi-Wan had smiled shyly in return, "I...I was wondering...if you've been
angry at me....," he had begun.
But that simple and innocent question was enough to provoke a nightmare
again.
He still couldn't understand why Master Skyla had reacted so badly at the
question. But, before he could react, the master was yelling again at him,
and was then advancing in the direction of the startled padawan. He still
couldn't quite recall what she had screamed at him, but what he did remember
clearly was the way she had grabbed him by his shirt, and had shoved him
roughly against a wall. He had been pushed with such strength that his small
body had left an indentation in the plaster. Obi-Wan had cried out as a
sharp pain ran through his arm. He desperately clenched his teeth trying to
suppress any further cries, but was unable to do so when Skyla pulled him up
by his wounded arm.
As he was passing by Skyla's quarters, Master Windu heard a padawan's sharp,
sudden cry. He knocked several times at the door, but had received no answer.
Quickly entering a special access code available to Council members only,
Mace Windu opened the door and quickly stepped inside. There, he found
Obi-Wan sitting on the floor with his eyes tightly shut. The young Padawan
was visibly in pain as he cradled his left arm against his chest.
Taken by surprise, the Creche Master had quickly knelt beside Obi-Wan as she
began rubbing his back in comfort and began speaking in soft, soothing words.
But, Obi-Wan was in too much pain to pay attention to what was happening
around him.
Mace approached the small apprentice and knelt beside him. "Are you all
right, Obi-Wan?" he had asked, quiet worry in his tone.
Hearing a familiar voice, Obi-Wan forced himself to open his eyes. A relieved
smile crossed his lips as he recognized the large Jedi Master kneeling beside
him. "Master Windu!" he exclaimed excitedly. Finally, this was it! Master
Windu was going to stop Master Skyla.
Windu smiled kindly at the boy, and then looked at Skyla, "What happened
here, Master Lo'Tren?"
"He tripped and fell. But, I don't think it's too serious," she answered in
her normal soft voice, as she continued rubbing the padawan's back.
"Tripped?" Windu inquired incredulously. He had never known Obi-Wan to be as
clumsy as to 'trip' and hurt himself in such a way!
"Yes. Isn't that what happened, Obi-Wan?" Master Skyla asked as she turned
to face him once again.
The apprentice's blue-green eyes opened wide in surprise. Of course that
wasn't what had happened! He was about to tell Master Windu the truth, when
Skyla's gaze suddenly stopped being kind and instead turned somber and
menacing. Her dark eyes glowed soft yellow, and Obi-Wan found himself once
again controlled by the indescribable fear.
Nodding slowly and without taking his eyes from Skyla's, he answered quietly,
"Yes."
Mace frowned in confusion. There was something strange in the way Obi-Wan had
looked at Skyla. He looked...frightened. But even so, Obi-Wan had confirmed
Skyla's explanation, and there was very little that Mace could say to
contradict it. "All right. Do you think you can stand?" the Council member
asked as he gently reached for the injured padawan.
As Obi-Wan was assisted to his feet, he seemed to snap out of a trance and
answered, "Yes. Don't worry about me, Master Windu, I'm fine."
"Why don't you go to bed, Obi-Wan?", Skyla suggested softly.
The padawan nodded without taking his eyes off the floor. "Good night,
Master Windu, Master Skyla," he bowed to the two masters as he continued to
hold his injured arm against his chest. He had then left the room.
Obi-Wan allowed another sad sigh to escape him. He should have told Master
Windu what had really happened. As a Jedi apprentice, he wasn't supposed to
allow fear to control him. 'Fear leads to the Dark Side' Master Yoda and
his own Master had repeated that to him many times. Obi-Wan Kenobi was
determined not to allow that strange, cold fear control him any longer.
/You sure are a good Padawan, Kenobi,/ he told himself sarcastically, /Master
Qui-Gon would be so proud of you,/ he continued to torture himself.
Obi-Wan gingerly touched his left arm near his wrist, and winced. Moving it
slowly, he realized just how much it hurt. Surely, it had just been twisted.
If not, he wouldn't have been able to move it at all. New tears welled up in
his eyes at his injury. What had he done to deserve this?
//Master,// he sent sorrowfully through the oddly silent bond, //Come back
soon....please!//
*****
Qui-Gon's concentration wavered from the negotiations as he felt the faint
call from Obi-Wan. The Master couldn't distinguish what the message was
about, but he could feel the anguish that his Padawan was sending through it.
//Padawan?// he inquired, //Obi-Wan?//. But there was no answer. The bond
between them was silent, worringly silent. Qui-Gon didn't like that at all.
He wasn't that far away from Coruscant, so to lose his connection with
Obi-Wan was highly improbable. Even if he were at the end of the universe, he
knew he would still be able to sense Obi-Wan's presence.
"Master Jinn?"
Qui-Gon quickly raised his head as he heard his name being called. Realizing
that every person was staring expectantly at him, he apologized quickly, "I'm
sorry, gentlemen, for my lapse in concentration. May I please be excused for
a moment? I need to make a call."
"Of course, Master Jinn," the leader of one of the parties acknowledged. He,
like the others, was a bit confused by the unexpected reaction from the Jedi
Master.
Qui-Gon stood, and bowing low, walked out of the room. He quickly strode
down the long corridors of the building, his mind racing. Why was he unable
to reach Obi-Wan? And did he feel so much anxiety through their bond? Upon
reaching the Communications Room, he asked a young lady to connect him with
the Jedi Temple. In seconds, he was speaking with Master Skyla.
"Hello, Skyla. I'm sorry for calling you so late, but may I speak with
Obi-Wan?"
Skyla's features darken for a brief moment, but they soon changed to a kind
expression, "I'm sorry, Qui-Gon, but he's asleep right now."
"Asleep?" the Jedi Master asked, surprised, "That's not possible! Can you
check and see if he's still asleep, please? It's important."
Skyla nodded reluctantly, not looking very happy. Pretending to open a door,
she quickly moved out of Qui-Gon's field of vision, but then appeared a few
moments later. "I'm sorry, Qui-Gon, but he's still asleep."
Qui-Gon was not fooled. He had easily seen through her pretense, and was
highly surprised by her actions. Frowning, the confused Master asked, "Skyla,
is this some kind of a joke? Why were you hiding?"
Skyla's features darkened and her eyes began to glow. Qui-Gon's own blue
eyes widened in surprise at the sight.
"Qui-Gon," she chuckled in a low voice, "he's not asleep, but he soon will
be. And, I'm afraid he won't be waking up again."
"What?" but the communication had already gone dead. What was going on?
Skyla's eyes were dark, not yellow, and they certainly didn't... /Kiza!/ the
Jedi Master realized in alarm, /No! Obi-Wan!/