Chapter Sixty- Eight

"Cian, don't be afraid," Qui-Gon said as he walked towards her. "It's Qui-Gon. I've come to---"

"Stay away!" she screamed. "You killed him. I saw you kill him. Now you're trying to trick me by pretending to be him."

Qui-Gon moved slowly towards her.

"It's not a trick, Cian," he said soothingly. "You're safe now. I've come to take you home."

Cian shook her head, her dark red hair swinging wildly about her.

"I don't believe you. Qui-Gon is dead. I saw him die." She lifted her hands and stared at them, her eyes wide with grief. "I felt him die," she sobbed. "I tried so hard to save him. I tried so hard!"

Qui-Gon reached out to her. Cian stumbled away from him as she backed against the wall.

"Cian, please, take my hand. Don't be afraid. What you saw was an illusion. If you take my hand, you will know I speak the truth."

Cian whimpered, her throat working. She stared back at him, her eyes filling with tears.

"Trust me, Cian. I would never lie to you."

Qui-Gon watched as Cian closed her eyes, tears spilling beneath her lashes, her chest rising and falling quickly. She was so frightened. He longed so much to take her into his arms, but he had to let her come to him.

Cian opened her eyes and then, slowly, reached out her hand. Qui-Gon took it and held it gently.

At his touch, her eyes widened.

"Qui-Gon?" she whispered. "Oh, by the Lady." She ran sobbing into his arms. Qui-Gon held her close as she wept, her face pressed into his chest, her body shaking with the violence of her anguish.

"It's all right, Cian," he said softly as he stroked her hair. "You're safe now. You're safe."

After a time, when her tears were finally spent, Cian looked up. Then he saw a dread realization steal across her face. She pushed away from him.

"Cian, what's wrong?"

She put her hands to her face, shook her head.

"Don't look at me, Qui-Gon. Please, don't look at me."

"Cian...."

"He tried to make me turn. But I wouldn't. I wouldn't. Then he hurt me and then..." She swallowed, took a deep breath. "He....he raped me."

Qui-Gon's heart lurched in his chest. Cian gazed back at him, her eyes swimming with tears.

Qui-Gon moved towards her, but she backed away. She slowly shook her head, then closed her eyes, her throat working.

"When I couldn't stand it any longer," she went on, "I took myself away. But I couldn't escape him completely. I wasn't strong enough."

"Cian," Qui-Gon said softly. "You were strong. You survived."

Cian opened her eyes and stared at him for a long moment. Then, looking down, she clasped her hands before her.

"Is he, is he....?"

"Yes, he's dead."

She looked quickly up. "You didn't...?"

Qui-Gon shook his head. "General Neeshin killed him. But I came very close. I almost turned, Cian."

"Oh, my poor, dear," she said as she gazed over at him. "For me you would have risked so much?"

"Yes, for you." Qui-Gon swallowed heavily. "If Obi-Wan hadn't stopped me, I would have killed him."

Cian rushed over to him. She took his hands and squeezed them.

"No, don't say that, Qui-Gon. You wouldn't have. I know you wouldn't have. You are as I love you. Good and strong."

Then she looked at his tunic and touched the rips in it.

"How did this happen?"

Qui-Gon shook his head. "That doesn't matter, Cian. The only thing that matters is you." He cupped her face with his hands. "Please, come back with me. They're all waiting for you. They want you to come home."

"They?"

Qui-Gon took her arm. He was afraid she was going to pull away but she let him lead her to the wall of the tower. He reached out and, moving his hand across the stones, quickly shaped a window. He felt Cian jerk against his hand as she looked out on the nightmare landscape.

"Don't look at the land, Cian. Look there. At the horizon."

Cian moved closer to the window. There was a break in the dark clouds on the horizon and through it a wall of light shimmered, a rainbow of colors splashing across it. She gazed at it in wonder.

"Do you feel it?" Qui-Gon asked.

"Yes. Yes, I do. It feels safe and warm. What is it?"

"It's home, Cian. Aalea and Obi-Wan, Shiro, Vati and Tydre. They are all there waiting for you to come back to them."

"Aalea and Obi-Wan?

"Yes. They disobeyed Yoda and the Council to come to Jalat to help me look for you."

"And Tydre?" Her voice shook.

"Yes, he's there too. He took care of you, Cian, and helped us find you."

Qui-Gon took her gently by the shoulders and turned her around to face him.

"Come with me, Cian. Please."

Cian looked at him for a long moment. Qui-Gon could see fear and hope warring in her eyes. Then, finally, she nodded. She glanced fearfully at the stairs which led to the outside.

"What about the Beast?" she said, her voice trembling. "I heard it roaring earlier."

Qui-Gon stared at her. Then he realized she was talking about the creature that had attacked him.

"The Beast can no longer hurt you, Cian. But, we won't have to go that way. Just hold onto my hand. And no matter what happens, concentrate on me."

Cian nodded, her eyes gazing somberly up at him.

Qui-Gon touched her gently between her brows.

"Close your eyes and focus on me."

Cian closed her eyes. Qui-Gon took a deep breath and launched himself back along the matrix. He felt Cian's awareness next to his as he found Aalea's tether and sped along it.

To be continued...