Chapter Sixty-Seven
***indicates telepathic communication***
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Obi-Wan watched as Qui-Gon closed his eyes. The Force matrix was a concept he had never really understood nor mastered. Qui-Gon was only one of a small number of Jedi who could safely traverse it. Through it, a Jedi could send his awareness anywhere in the universe, able to transcend both space and time. But, it was also very dangerous, for one could easily become lost within the matrix.
Qui-Gon had taught Aalea how to move through it when she was just a child. Ten years ago she had used it to find Qui-Gon on the distant world of Dyran. But, as a result, she had nearly died. That was when Obi-Wan had bonded with her and saved her life.
He looked down at Aalea who had also closed her eyes. He reached out to her through their bond.
***You don't have to spy on me, Obi-Wan. I'm not going to disobey him***
***I'm not spying, Aalea. I'm monitoring***
He felt her smile at him.
***Monitoring is just a fancy word for spying. Now, don't distract me anymore. I have to concentrate***
Obi-wan sighed. Then, looking down, he saw Aalea reach out blindly with her other hand. He grabbed hold of it and held it. Her fingers gently squeezed his.
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Qui-Gon's consciousness sped along the shimmering web of the matrix. Glowing threads of energy flowed past him. He sought desperately for any sign of Cian's Force signature. He sensed hours had gone by since he had first entered the matrix. He knew he could not remain much longer within it without endangering Aalea. She was still tethered to him, but she was not as strong as he and the longer she remained within the matrix, the weaker she would become. Focusing his awareness Qui-Gon continued his search.
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Obi-Wan was worried. It had been hours since Qui-Gon and Aalea had gone into the matrix. He was still holding her hand but he noted that as time had gone by, it had grown colder. He reached out to her through their bond and, as he had done 10 years ago, gave her some of his life Force. He felt her fingers stir faintly within his hand.
Obi-Wan looked over at Shiro and his wife. Vati, whom Obi-Wan knew was very ill, had not moved from her chair. Her eyes were closed and her wrinkled hands lay folded in her lap. Shiro had sat by his wife the whole time. Obi-Wan sensed the First Minister was as bemused by the whole thing as Obi-Wan was. Tydre, who sat in a chair in a corner, his eyes closed, had not stirred either.
Obi-Wan caught Shiro's glance and he could see his own apprehension reflected in the First Minister's eyes.
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Qui-Gon gasped. There! He had found her. It was just a tendril among the millions of filaments flickering along the matrix, as fragile as the strand of a spider's web, but it was Cian's Force signature. Qui-Gon focused on it and sped his awareness along it.
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Aalea shivered. She was growing tired but she was determined not to let go. Qui-Gon was very far away from her now, her Force tether to him so tenuous it was nearly non-existent, but she could still sense him.
Suddenly she felt him speeding away from her. It could only mean one thing. He had found Cian. Aalea took a deep breath and, as she felt Obi-Wan channeling his life Force to her, directed all her awareness towards maintaining her connection to Qui-Gon.
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A landscape took shape within Qui-Gon's inner awareness. Desolate and barren, it stretched before him, a geography out of nightmare. A range of iron-black mountains belched clouds of dark smoke. Red lightening scoured the earth. Soot and ash blanketed the ground. As Qui-Gon manifested his awareness into physical shape, he saw small deformed creatures scuttling away from him.
This was where Cian's awareness had fled to escape Rukal's torment of her and, as Qui-Gon looked about him, he wondered why Cian had created such a horrendous place in which to hide. Then, his stomach turning, he realized this was Rukal's doing. He had left this horror in her mind; an emblematic representation of his violation of her. Qui-Gon firmed his jaw, his eyes grim. Cian had not been strong enough to completely escape from Rukal. But she was here. He could feel it.
His eyes searched through the gloom. Then he saw it. Far off on the horizon, underneath the roiling, tortured sky, a solitary silver tower. He ran towards it.
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As Qui-Gon made his way through the cimmerian landscape, he sensed that something was following him. He peered through the gloom but saw nothing. His hands itched for his lighsaber.
He stopped for a moment and tried to visualize it. Nothing happened. He could only surmise that since he was in Cian's consciousness, there were some things he would not be able to do.
Qui-Gon continued toward the silver tower. Black clouds boiled overhead and a sharp wind blew against him. Just as he was making his way over a small hummock, the creature struck.
It plowed into him from behind, knocking him to the ground. Qui-Gon rolled on his side as he tried to get from under it. It was heavy and the thick mustiness of its fur filled his lungs. He pushed it away and leapt up.
Qui-Gon's stomach twisted. The creature which faced him was four-footed with a body like the were-lions of Xiu. It had a wide mouth which was filled with three rows of razor sharp teeth. But what really caused the bile to rise in Qui-Gon's throat were its features. They were humanoid and the face was that of Rukal.
Qui-Gon backed away. The creature growled as he did so. It inched forward, its massive head low, its human face twisted with blood-lust, the muscles in its powerful haunches flexing and rippling under its mustard-colored pelt. Qui-Gon knew the creature was nothing more than another representation of Rukal's torment of Cian, but it was still dangerous. What happened in the Force matrix had repercussions in the real world. If the creature killed him here, he would die there.
Qui-Gon searched around for anything he could use as a weapon, but saw nothing. He again tried to visualize his lightsaber, but was unsuccessful. The creature growled, then, lightning quick, sprung at him.
As they tumbled to the ground, Qui-Gon drove his arm into the creature's chest. It snarled and slavered as it tried to sink its teeth into Qui-Gon's neck. Shifting under it, Qui-Gon brought his arm up and pressed it against the creature's throat.
His muscles bunching, Qui-Gon then twisted and rolled on top of it. The creature ripped at his tunic with its claws, but Qui-Gon did not lessen his hold. As he pushed harder against its throat, the creature roared, its three rows of teeth snapping at his face.
As Qui-Gon slowly strangled the creature he found it disturbingly satisfying. He knew the creature wasn't real, but it had Rukal's face and that was enough for Qui-Gon. He pressed harder and watched as the life slowly dimmed in the creature's dark orange eyes. Finally, it lay still.
Qui-Gon stood. He took a deep breath and quickly checked himself for injuries. He had a few scratches on his chest underneath the tears in his tunic, but nothing significant.
Turning around he wondered if there were more such horrors lying in wait for him. He hoped not. He didn't have much time. He ran quickly towards the silver tower. Upon reaching it, he noted there were no doors or windows in its smoothly glowing sides. He placed his hands on it. He could feel Cian's life Force in the stones.
"Cian" he cried. "Cian."
There was no answer. Qui-Gon pounded on the sides of the tower. It was no use. If Cian was inside she either couldn't or wouldn't hear him.
Qui-Gon took a deep breath and concentrated. He moved his hand slowly across the tower wall. A door formed within the stones.
Stepping inside Qui-Gon saw a flight of stairs leading to the top of the tower. He ran up them.
When he reached the top he found himself in a large chamber. It was windowless. It was also completely empty except for a single silver chair.
Cian sat in it, clad in a long white gown. She stared at him, her dark gray eyes wide.
She leapt from the chair and backed away from him.
"No!" she gasped. "Go away!"
To be continued...