Title: Mad Season Chpt. 2
Date: 2001
Author: Luna
Disclaimer: See chapter one. Daylon is mine and I love her very much so do not steal her please.
Author's Note: Here are some things to think about as you read:
"I need you now \ Do you think you can cope? \ you've figured me out \ that I'm lost and I'm hopeless \ I'm bleeding and broken \ though I've never spoken \ I come undone…" (Lyrics of Mad Season by Matchbox 20)
In Italian, Ben means 'very'. Very what, I wonder?
Okay, you may continue now. (Reviews at the end please?)
*
Obi-Wan felt the loss of her presence abruptly. She was there one minute, and then… nothing.
//Daylon? Daylon! // Panic started to grab at him as he turned around in the pulsing crowd.
"Jaq, have you seen Anya?" he asked, grabbing the other man by the arm.
"No… but we can look for her from up here," he said, pushing Obi-Wan into their private box and pushing the button to elevate them.
"This is good… a vantage point. Do you see her?"
"What was she wearing?"
"White." Obi-Wan muttered, leaning over the railing. Jaq yanked him back.
"Every woman on the planet is wearing white today! What type of clothes?"
He paused and thought back to that morning. "… A dress. Long… high slits on both sides. And sort of transparent. Does that help?"
"Yeah, it might." Jaq looked around disinterestedly. If he could stall Jinn for a while longer, Hash would have Anya all wrapped up and ready to go, and then there would be nothing anyone could do about it.
"Any sign?" Obi-Wan asked. His heart was racing, pounding in his ears. He had to find her! If she isn't detectable in the force, that means that she is either dead or near a force repelling device… She can't be dead.
"Ben… Ben!" Jaq shouted, shaking him.
"What? Did you find her?"
"No. I think that you should let this go and just enjoy the rest of the evening. Get a new girl."
"You don't understand, Jaq. I have to find her."
"No, you don't. Look, just because you got a poor servant doesn't mean that you can't replace her."
Obi-Wan stopped searching and looked at Jaq. "What are you talking about?"
"I'm talking about the fact that Anya was nice to look at, but she wasn't… active. It's not your fault. Someone sold you a dud, that's all."
"What did you do?" His tone had changed to dead serious.
"Nothing…"
"What. Did. You. Do."
"I set up an arrangement, nothing more…"
"You sold her?" Obi-Wan felt as thought he was choking on the words. Sold. Jaq floundered for a moment, searching for a response. But it was drowned out by a loud shout from the crowd.
"Gentlemen, we have a new addition to our wares this evening. Twenty-eight year humanoid female, Anya, starting at twenty eight thousand… Do I have twenty nine?" The announcer rattled.
There she was, standing on the stage in heavy chains.
If his heart had been pounding earlier, it had stopped a moment ago. Slowly it came back to him, each beat counting off the seconds as he reached for the betting panel. One… Two… He punched in the numbers for a thirty thousand-credit bid. Seven… Eight… Other signals went up, each one higher by a thousand. Ten… Eleven… He bid higher, frantically trying to outbid the masses of slave traders. Fifteen… Sixteen… Seventeen…
"One Million credits" a heavy voice called.
Eighteen…silence
Nineteen…he stumbled over the small buttons
Twenty…
"SOLD!"
Obi-Wan's heart tightened in his chest. No, it can't happen, I can't lose her…
"Sold for One Million credits to… Kama."
A great cheer rose up from the crowd.
"Wow, Kama… that's impressive. Too bad she's no good," Jaq stated.
"I have to get her back, Jaq. Tell me how I can undo this." Obi-Wan nearly growled.
"There's nothing anyone can do. No one can reverse Kama's bid."
"I have to try. Where do I go?"
"You have me there, my friend. I've never known anyone to do such a thing…"
"Where does Kama reside?"
"…It is completely unprecedented…"
"Where?"
"…I wouldn't try it…"
"Jaq!" Obi-Wan grabbed the other man by the collar. "Where will Kama go tonight?"
"To the P-Palace," he stammered.
"And where is that?"
"On the South side of the planet, about one hundred miles from here."
Without another word, Obi-Wan dropped Jaq and began struggling through the already departing crowd. He still could not sense Daylon, but he had seen her being loaded into the curtained box of Kama. But that had been from above. Now that he was on ground level, there wasn't much of a vantagepoint to track the caravan by. The top of it's canopy bobbed as the servants below hoisted it onto their shoulders, and it quickly glided out of view. Obi-Wan pushed harder through the throng, but it seemed as though he was making even less progress. By the time he finally broke through to the open courtyard in front of the auction house, Kama's train was long gone. Damn…
"Pardon me, but how might I reach Kama's palace?" he asked a passing patron. The man just laughed and kept on walking. Obi-Wan asked another man, and another. He even tried asking a woman, but no one would say a word. How am I going to do this…Think Kenobi. Jaq said South. One hundred miles… I'll just charter a transport.
He ran to the nearest shuttle station and asked for a flight to Kama's palace.
"I'll pay handsomely."
"I'm sorry…but the area around the palace is a no-fly zone. No one is allowed there unless Kama sends for them personally."
Disgusted, Obi-Wan left for the street. He would just have to get there himself. The only problem was that he was poorly supplied, without directions, and unfamiliar with the territory. So it will be challenging…
He went back to Jaq's compound to retrieve his lightsaber. Next to it was Daylon's, which he picked up and clipped on his belt, next to his own. She would need it when he found her. Orienting himself against the stars, he set off.
**
Daylon sat in the back of some sort of vehicle, restrained, gagged, and blindfolded. The force collar was still tight around her neck. She was helpless. At the mercy of the Kama; whoever he was. She tried mental calming exercises to loosen herself from the collar, but it wasn't working. Twisting her neck back and forth almost got her gag off—almost. A rough hand tightened it before it fell. So she kept time in her head, reducing her heart rate to it's calmest—30 beats per minute—and counting off of that. When the vehicle stopped, she had amassed five hours and thirty-two minutes. But since she had no way of knowing their speed, she had no idea of how far they had traveled.
She was pulled by her arms to her feet and pushed over rough ground to what sounded like a large hall, judging by the echoes of footsteps on a smooth floor. It was hotter than it had been, so perhaps they had traveled south…
As they moved forward, she could hear drums and some sort of pipes playing. A blast of heat indicated a large fire, and from their concentric movement around the heat, it was in the middle of the room. Finally the blindfold and gag were taken off. She was forced to her knees. Looking up she could see a figure in a chair, but it was hidden in shadows, and indiscernible.
"Kama?" she ventured.
"Yes. I am Kama. And you are Daylon Terra, Jedi Knight. Correct?"
Daylon was shocked. She thought no one had known of their mission. Apparently she had been wrong. She nodded.
"Speak when you are spoken to."
"Yes." She said softly. The voice… there was something odd.
"Have you enjoyed my planet?"
Daylon puzzled for a moment longer and then figured it out. It was a woman! The great Kama of Eros was a woman!
"Answer me." Kama demanded, her voice hard.
"Yes, Eros is lovely."
"But have you enjoyed it?"
"…Yes."
"No," Kama yelled. "That is incorrect. I know that you have not enjoyed it. It has not yet fulfilled you. Do not lie to me, you will only hurt yourself."
"How do you know? How did you know about the mission?" Daylon spoke up.
"Silence! I ask the questions here." She paused, as if deliberating something. "You are particularly strong willed. That may serve you well in the Republic, but here on Eros, I am the only woman with power. Do you understand?"
"I have no power here. I don't know what you mean."
"I was like you a long time ago… I was a servant to the first Kama. She took me in, made me who I am. She recognized in me the promise of a ruler of men… I see that talent in you. You could rule many men. Any men." She paused again. "You could. Prepare her for the ceremony."
"Wait! What is this? Explain yourself Kama!" Daylon tried in vain to distract the woman from her purpose as two men carried her to the left. She was still calling out when they dumped her in a room full of other women and removed her chains. Daylon considered running, but one look at the heavily armed guards stationed at every doorway made her think twice. She would just have to bide her time. All of the women were watching her. There were twenty of them, all dressed in elaborate gowns. They were silent for a second, then the room erupted in chatter.
"So she's the one."
"She doesn't look like the one."
"If Kama says she is, she is."
"We need to hurry, there's a lot of work to be done." Hands touched Daylon gently. They lifted her hair, tugged at her dress, and tilted her face. With some difficulty, she was undressed and placed in a large bath, where the women washed her—despite her protests.
"What exactly is going on here?" she asked when the chatter died down.
"We are preparing you for the ceremony."
"What ceremony?"
"The ceremony of the Equinox. Every fifty years an apprentice is chosen and inducted."
"And I'm that apprentice?"
"Yes. You are very lucky you know…"
"What if I don't want to be Kama's apprentice?"
The women looked shocked.
"Why wouldn't you? It is an honor," one stated with a tone of reverence.
"Maybe for you, but I am a Jedi. I cannot be the next Kama."
Here the women laughed, but did not reply. They rinsed and dried her, applying aromatic balms and salves to her skin. Then they carefully combed out her hair. Surprisingly, Daylon was starting to feel warmth and comfort from these women. Something about them put her at ease.
"It is very long, your hair." A woman commented.
"I've been growing it since I was a child." It was long—nearly past her bottom. When she was young it had been straight, but by the time she reached twenty it had thickened and started to grow in waves.
"We will just trim it a bit…"
"And give you some layers…"
"And a conditioning treatment!" The women laughed.
"What's wrong with the condition of my hair?" Daylon asked.
"Nothing… it just looks a little…worn. That's all."
"I am a Jedi, not a polished trinket." She muttered, somewhat insulted.
"That may be, but things do change."
In a flurry of movement, Daylon was smothered by many of the girls, who were all doing something to her. A few worked on her face, others on her hair, and still others on her hands and feet.
This is so embarrassing…I am not a doll!
"There! You are finished!"
"Except for the dress of course,"
"Oh, yes, the dress!"
Many of them flitted off to somewhere, returning a moment later with a handful of fabric. It turned out to be a dress—very simple and white.
"Why white?" she asked.
"It is a symbol… of your purity."
"My purity?"
"Yes. Your untainted and untapped inner self."
She wasn't quite sure what to make of that. But there wasn't much time. In a moment, guards came and re-shackled her. They took her back to the hall with the fire. There were many people there… women and men, standing beside each other as equals, something she had not seen before on Eros.
"Daylon Terra, stand before me." Kama's voice echoed. She did as she was told. "You have been chosen. Do you accept?"
Daylon prepared for a vehement 'no', but when she spoke, she lost control of her own voice. She heard herself saying yes instead. No, I meant no! No!
Kama gestured, and a man brought out a cup filled with a red liquid. Against her will, Daylon picked up the glass and held it high.
"Kama te u shala mek tan. Te u shala nuy pa, u shala ker. Kama se, Kama se, Kama se!"
Daylon found herself repeating the chant, and raising the glass to her lips.
"Drink, and consummate the pact!" Kama shouted. Daylon winced. There was nothing she could do to fight it. She drank the entire glass. As soon as the last drop had disappeared, she was given back control of her body—and then she passed out.
**
Obi-Wan slashed through the dense underbrush, a saber in each hand, checking the sky every now and then for navigation. It was nearly dawn, and he hadn't stopped for one second. He couldn't stop. He figured that if he covered three miles an hour through the mess, he could reach the palace in a day and a half. Longer if he stopped. Every second counted, so he decided against rest. He would have rest after he found Daylon and got her out of whatever place she was in. He hated to think what was happening to her. She's been bought by Kama—the ruler of a sex-obsessed planet. No doubt he's bound her into servitude. And with a force restraint, she can't do a thing to protect herself…
He had to stop dwelling on that thought though. He needed to concentrate. The sun poked through the treetops now, filtering down to where he was. Hours ago the jungle had started to wake up, and every animal that could make a sound did so, much to Obi-Wan's dismay. At least they aren't paying attention to me, he thought. The last thing he needed was an alien predator hunting him. At that thought he sent out a brush in the force, detecting a large number of small animals, but nothing more. He felt like a child again, asking Qui-Gon when they would get to wherever they were going. "Patience, Obi-Wan," his master would say. Patience…
Hours later, drenched in sweat and at the point of exhaustion, Obi-Wan detected a multitude of life forces. They were centered in one location… some sort of dwelling. Kama's palace came into view a few minutes later. It was very large, surrounded by high plaster walls. Security guards patrolled the perimeter, along with a surveillance system. He reached out again, looking for Daylon's distinctive feel in the Force. Come on, come on… be there Daylon, please…yes! There she was, calm and clear.
//Daylon, can you hear me?//
There was a long pause. //Yes.//
//Are you all right? Are you hurt?//
//No, I am fine, Obi-Wan.//
Something about her absolute calm frightened him. A Jedi was supposed to maintain a sense of serenity… but not like that.
//Where are you?// He asked.
//In the palace. Second floor, East wing. //
Again, her tone seemed unreal. As though she couldn't care less if he was there or not. He had read something in the Temple Library once about some sort of medical condition… psychological really, in which a hostage begins to sympathize and even care for their captor. Stockholm Syndrome, he believed it was called. Although he had no idea who or where Stockholm was, it did seem probable. But not with a Jedi. So what was it?
As he pondered this, he slipped to the base of the outer wall, careful to avoid the surveillance detectors. From there he could see the far corner, and the sensor on it. The device was mounted on a moving platform that swept the area in a regular pattern—one cross took eight seconds, then it paused for a second and a half, and returned, taking the same eight seconds. He timed it and jumped. He didn't make it quite to the top, so the last few feet had to be quickly scaled, but he climbed over the edge before the camera spotted him. Crouching so that the guards wouldn't see, he started to move. Remembering what Daylon had said about the East wing, he crawled that way. The first tree he came to was used as a ladder to reach the ground of the inner courtyard. Once there he sighed with relief. One part down, two to go.
The house itself was divided into three sections; a large central building, and two wings. The East one was on the left. There were no windows on the first floor, but the second was lined with arched window-spaces opening to a narrow verandah that wrapped around the entire floor. Beyond that were doors. Glass doors. Obi-Wan used the exotic plants as a cover to reach the wing, where he jumped o the second floor. His hand strayed to his lightsaber.
"Daylon?" he whispered. //Daylon, show me where you are.//
There was no answer. He passed the first door, which was closed and locked. As were the second, third, and fourth doors. But the fifth was open. Billowy curtains hung in front of the opening, blowing in with the breeze. He checked—there was no one in there. Still, he drew his lightsaber to his hand, deactivated but ready. He parted the curtains with his left hand and walked in. The only thing he had time to notice was that it was dark and cool inside, before he saw Daylon, in a fighting stance. Then everything went black.
Daylon let her foot fall back to the ground. It was a shame to have to do that to him, but it was oddly satisfying to see the look of recognition on his face followed by the look of sharp pain as her foot had made a solid connection with the side of his head. He had fallen with a muffled thump and the clank of his lightsaber against the floor. She snapped her fingers and two men dragged him away.
**
Obi-Wan woke up in darkness to a dull throbbing in his head. In his whole body, really. The last thing he remembered seeing was Daylon… He couldn't see a thing now. He tried to sit up, but couldn't. A soft yet strong fabric held his wrists and ankles to… a chair. He was sitting up in a chair. Something else was missing… but it was hard to think clearly through the fog in his mind. The pain had blinded him … No, it was something else. He was blindfolded. But he still couldn't see… The force. I can't feel the force. Kama must have put one of those collars on him. Now fear joined the pain. If he couldn't use the force, how could he get out? He tried to move again. It wasn't working. "Control what you can, Obi-Wan." Qui-Gon's voice spoke clearly in his mind. He started to asses his physical condition so that when he was untied he could make an efficient escape. Tightening his muscles one by one gave him a pretty good picture of his body. His legs were fine, but fatigued—the same went for his arms, chest, and back. His shoulders were killing him. There were numerous scratches and cuts from the jungle, but nothing serious. His neck and head were extremely tender though. Strange. I don't remember injuring my face… Then he remembered Daylon… and the soft current of air by his left cheek. He looked left, and then his vision was skewed as his head snapped right. She had kicked him. That was why he could hardly move his jaw.
"I'm sorry, Obi. I thought you were one of them." Daylon said. From the sound of her voice, Obi-Wan figured that she was standing across the room. Her footsteps came closer, tapping the hard floor. For the first time, he realized that he was barefoot and shirtless.
"Your shirt was a mess, and your boots were wet, so I took the liberty." She explained.
"Why…?" His voice was low and rough, as if it hadn't been used in a while.
"I told you. You were a wreck."
"No. Why am I restrained?"
"Kama's order. I tried to tell her that it wasn't necessary, but—"
"Her?"
"Yes, she's a she. Shocking, isn't it." She walked around behind him and brushed her fingers on his wrists. He struggled a little. "You want me to untie you."
"Yes."
"I can't. Kama's guards are right outside."
"That doesn't matter. Just do it."
"I'm sorry…"
He sighed. She wasn't herself. "Take the blindfold off then." He said. There was a pause as she deliberated it.
"Not yet."
This was maddening to him. It was like she was toying with him.
"Oh, but you like to be toyed with. I can tell."
"Daylon, stop this insanity." He pleaded.
"Insanity? I think not. You came to me, didn't you? You should abide by my rules. Rule number one: do not be rude. You are a guest here."
"A guest? A prisoner!" He shouted. She moved—he couldn't tell where, but she did.
"Fine. If you want to be a prisoner, you shall be a prisoner. …Your focus determines your reality I suppose."
"Daylon stop it!" he yelled. This wasn't her… it wasn't her.
"I think you need more time. You're still clinging to what you think is going on. I need you to forget that. I need you to forget everything. When you do, I'll be back." She turned and walked back the way she came.
"No, don't go! Daylon, don't leave me here!"
He shouted after her until he was hoarse, but she didn't return. The eternal darkness afforded by the blindfold was unbearable. He tried to bide his time, but the darkness was always there. There were periodic bursts of defiance, during which he pulled against his restraints and shouted to anyone who could hear. He was alone thought.
//No one to hear you scream. But keep fighting if you want. I'm kind of enjoying it. You are a very strong man Obi-Wan. But each minute you get weaker.//
"Stop it! Get out! Get out of my head!" he shouted. He couldn't stand the silence, but having her in him like that, taunting him… it was torture.
//Torture? I could show you torture.//
"No!"
//Are you sure?//
"Yes!"
// All right. Tell me, what do you want right now?//
"To get off this fucking planet!"
//Oh my. Whatever happened to keeping a civil tongue in your head?//
"Whatever happened to keeping your tongue out of others' heads?"
//Touché.//
And just like that, she was gone. He was alone again. It was a long time before she returned… six days at least. By that time, Obi-Wan was so tired… the only rest he enjoyed was when he blacked out. He figured that was probably from the hunger, since he hadn't eaten in days. Someone brought him water every once and a while, and he was let up under heavy guard once a day to relieve himself, but aside from that, his world had been brought down to himself, the chair, and the blackness. All he wanted was food, a shower, and a bed. He didn't care in what order, just as long as he got them. He couldn't remember being this worn ever. He couldn't remember much, period. His thoughts were a tangle of snatches of sentences, strung together with sounds of familiar voices. But it was all inside. Outside, it was cool and silent.
On the seventh day he heard the door swing open and footsteps venture toward him.
"Daylon?" he croaked. His jaw still hurt.
"Yes, it's me. How are you feeling?" she asked. Her voice was soft and low.
"Like hell. I want out…"
"Shhh, you shouldn't think of that now. I brought you something."
He heard an object being set down on the floor next to him. Daylon stood behind him. She reached down and touched his face… almost a caress. Carefully avoiding the sore side, she tilted his head back slightly. He was too weak to fight her.
"Open up."
Obi-Wan did as was told, and was rewarded by an apple. He bit into it eagerly, driven by painful hunger. Daylon turned the fruit as he continued to eat, small streams of juice dripping off his chin and onto his chest. In minutes it was gone.
"Good?" she asked. He r only answer was a delirious groan. She picked up another apple and fed it to him in the same fashion as before. She moved for another, but he shook his head.
"Water."
"I only have juice."
"It doesn't matter."
She tipped the cup to his lips and he drank the entire glass.
"Thank you." He breathed.
"More?"
"No." His answer was not intentionally laconic, but he couldn't think of what to say.
She leaned down close to his ear. "What is it that you want?"
"I should ask you the same thing."
"I have what I want. What do you want?"
He remained silent.
"Funny," she said, walking around him, "I seem to remember you asking for food, a shower, and a bed. We've done the food."
Something in her voice changed. It was almost malicious, but playful, and it made Obi-Wan tense.
"Would you like a shower?" she asked. Suddenly Obi-Wan was under a stream of hot water. He was still bound and blinded, but not to the chair—to the wall. He sputtered under the spray.
"How did…we get here?"
"I brought us here. It is part of the new me. What do you think, Obi?"
"This… wasn't…exactly…what I had…in mind."
"How about a wash?"
Something light and smooth splattered across his chest. Soap bubbles… Followed by a rough cloth. She washed his arms and shoulders, going very slow and being careful not to aggravate the bruises there. She moved to his chest and stomach… it was making Obi-Wan very nervous. He felt the brush of her fingers at the waist of his pants.
"Stop."
"Excuse me?" she laughed.
"No further."
"You are in no position to be giving orders. But… all right, I concede. Besides, you need a shave."
He could still hear the water, and he was still quite drenched, but now he was sitting again. And Daylon was sitting—straddling—his lap. She spread warm lather on the lower portion of his face.
"Up or down?" she asked.
"Down on my face, up on my neck."
She started at his left temple and worked her way over. Obi-Wan guessed that she was using a straight razor from the feel of it. Without his sight, his tactile sense had been enhanced greatly, so that every motion, every slight touch, was felt in amazing clarity. This should have been and aid to his situation, but at the moment he considered it a curse. Each time her hand came in contact with his face it was like a bolt of lightning. And to further confound the circumstances, every few minutes or so she would scoot up his legs nearer to his chest, to keep from sliding off. He had never had to fight so hard for control. As she finished up, she came back to his chin, and he caught himself trembling slightly. Before he could stop she nicked him.
"Look what you made me do. You're bleeding." She said softly. She sent him a mental image of what she might do to soothe the small wound. That would have been more than Obi-Wan could have endured, and he shook his head.
"No? Well, what about that bed…"
Now, completely dry, he was lying on a very soft bed. Tied to the headboard, of course. Great, he thought.
"Daylon?"
No reply. She didn't seem to be in the room. Just great…
**
Daylon smiled as she watched him squirm from her chair across the room. She didn't want him to know she was there yet. It had been a new and strange thing to see him in the holding room, after six days of being left to his own. The hunger and exhaustion had taken a heavy toll on him, not to mention the psychological effects of the blindfold and force-collar. When she had walked in he had barely possessed the strength to look up. And when she had given him food—even though for all he knew, that food could have been poisoned—he didn't fight. He had been broken. She had taken him down to his basest needs, so that he wouldn't even think of trying to escape. Now he was really hers. Helpless… totally helpless. And now that he had gotten his first three wishes, Daylon was curious to know what else he might want.
He was truly a prize to behold. Stretched out on her own bed, turning his head this way and that… looking for her, no doubt. For a moment, she considered leaving him there for a few hours. Until she retired to bed herself. But no, that would be unnecessary punishment. He had been very good about everything so far. Better than the others… What others? She had never done this to any other man. So where had that distinctive memory come from? It wasn't hers, yet it was without a doubt there. She could see hundreds, all different, some human, most not… But she wasn't a part of the images. They weren't hers. They must be Kama's. Not mine… She tried to recall her own memories, but a searing pain lanced across her mind. Kama's smooth voice followed like a balm, easing her discomfort. "It is a temporary side-effect, dear. Nothing more. Please, continue."
So reassured, Daylon stood and walked over to the bed.
"How do you feel, Obi?" she asked, seating herself next to him. "Better?"
"Yes. Much."
She looked down at his face, still bleeding slightly. The breeze blew the long curtains, creating the soft sound of fabric. The silence between them for that moment was familiar, even if the circumstances were not. It was broken by Obi-Wan's low voice.
"Am I supposed to sleep now?"
She laughed. "Not unless you want to. I would never force you to do anything you didn't want to, Obi. Remember that."
"I will."
"So what do you want to do now?"
He paused to think, and choose his words carefully. "If you really meant what you said, then you wouldn't be forcing me to stay here."
"All you have to do is ask."
"I did ask!"
"No, you tried to tell me what to do. You have to ask. But—" she said, cutting him off before he could ask the obvious. "We are going to play a little game. You have to ask nine requests—one for every day you have been here." She straddled his waist again. "And you must use every last one. No more, no less."
Here she bent over and lightly sucked on his chin, right where the cut was. Then she moved to his lower lip. Obi-Wan tried to turn away, but she held him there.
"Daylon, stop." He breathed.
"Is that your first wish?"
"No—"
"I didn't think so. Proceed." She continued to kiss him lightly. Obi-Wan struggled to think clearly. He had to start basic if he was to use all nine questions.
"Will you take of the blindfold?" he asked.
"Yes…master."
That word was heard so often in the Jedi Order as to be ordinary, but when uttered by her, it made his heart beat faster. She slowly lifted the covering from his eyes. At first he couldn't see at all, the light was so bright. But after a moment he adjusted, and could now see his captor. She looked like a goddess, with the light coming from behind her and giving her an ethereal corona. A goddess, and at the same time a temptress, as well as a tormentor and his best friend. Her continued kisses along his neck and jaw, combined with the mixed emotions he felt, clouded his train of thought, making it even harder to think of the next request.
"Will you remove the Force-collar?"
"Yes," she replied, not moving anything but her hands to do the job. Her face hung inches from his. He heard the click and hiss of the locking mechanism being deactivated. When it finally released its hold on him, it felt like an ocean being dropped on him. Everything he had missed for so long came rushing back. The light felt warm, the breeze smelled of life, he could hear every creature for a mile around. He could see Daylon's aura in the Force. It was so familiar… yet slightly different. Daylon had always evoked a sense of golden violet heat, but now it seemed golden green.
"Don't like it?" she asked.
"I'm not sure,"
She kissed him full on the mouth, roughly at first, but then softer.
"How about now?"
She drew herself inward and caught their bond in the Force, throwing her entire soul into it. The thin cord that ran between them swelled with white-hot emotion. Obi-Wan could feel everything she felt, see everything she wanted him to see… it was like a holo-vid played at triple speed. He could see how she saw him at that moment, how she controlled him… the bond drove deeper, pulling up older emotions and memories from her mind. All were shared, with an overwhelming sense of love. It was beautiful and shocking to him that so much was in her. The visions changed now to an incoherent jumble of light and Force. The sense of it all changed too, from affection and love to desire—her desire for him. It crossed his mind that the whole thing might be a trick, one of the effects of Kama's influence over Daylon. But somehow he knew that the bond had gone deeper than Kama's spell… it had tapped into the true her, and it was very real. She was still there, even though Kama tried to mask over it. Obi-Wan's heart was pounding, his head pulsing in time. It felt like he was about to pass out, though he knew he wouldn't. The blinding power of the bond subsided slightly, allowing him to see once more. Daylon was still sitting comfortably on him, gazing down with a mix of tenderness and teasing.
// Is this you? // He asked in awe.
// Yes… //
Her simple answer—the affirmation to all that he wanted—made him want to scream with joy. She wasn't gone! She was very much there with him, at that moment… and she loved him. As she kissed him again, he responded in kind. They parted only when Obi-Wan presented his next request.
"Will you untie me?"
"Finally..." She waved her hand to the side, and he was released from his bonds. His arms' first free action was to encircle Daylon. He knew that the extenuating circumstances made what they were doing technically wrong, but it felt right. Holding her… kissing her… it was an almost spiritual experience. He had never felt the Force as strongly as he did now. It flowed between them and around them, illuminating everything in a golden haze.
This feeling—this sensation—he never wanted to be without it again. Which was why he had to get her out of here. The longer she stayed, the less chance she ever had of leaving.
"Daylon… May I have my lightsaber?" he asked, trying to catch his breath.
"Certainly."
She never broke eye contact with him, as the saber floated across the room and clipped onto his belt. Her breathing was also ragged. A part of him wanted to make love to her right then, but reason won out, and he continued his plan to escape.
"May I have your lightsaber…"
It too came flying to his belt, and found residence next to his own.
"Five down, four to go." She whispered. Her aura in the Force became more green… a sign that Kama was taking more control.
// Save me, Obi-Wan. //
He looked at her; looked into her. She was crying out for him… trapped underneath Kama.
// I will. //
It was an odd phenomenon, to be held captivated by her body, but have to escape it to save her soul.
"My boots?" he asked. They were on his feet before he even saw them.
"And?" she prompted. Her eyes were pleading for him to hurry.
"A shirt."
It was done.
"And…"
"May I have my freedom?" he asked.
She sat back, a smug smile on her face, but horror in her eyes.
"That was only eight, Obi. You lose."
"Wait—I wasn't finished. My ninth request is… that you come with me."
Her eyes lit up, and her aura returned to violet, as Kama left her.
"Yes! I will!" she said.
"No, you won't."
The two were no longer in the bedroom, but at the foot of a great staircase. At the Zenith of which was the throne of Kama.
"I will not be so easily defeated as that, Kenobi." She said, slowly walking down the mountain of stairs. She was richly dressed, and carried herself very elegantly. As her face came into the light, something sparked familiar in Obi-Wan's mind.
"Mai Lin…" The missing secretary.
"Correct, Jedi. I was wondering how long it would take you to figure that one out. I am she… she is me." She laughed at her little rhyme.
"But… how?" he asked.
"I just changed my appearance. It is no large matter." Here Kama demonstrated her abilities, by morphing into a tall blond woman, where before she had been small and redheaded. "I can even change my gender."
Now she transformed into a man and walked further down the stairs before changing back to her original state. "I may even duplicate myself, as to be in two places at once." The one woman became two. The first stayed where she was, but the second moved towards a servant near by and walked into her body. The girl's entire appearance changed, from her facial expression to her posture. "This, as you may have guessed, is how I controlled you, Daylon. By replicating my personality over your own."
"But why?" Daylon asked.
"Why does anyone do anything? For amusement; adventure. A change of scenery. You probably want the whole story…" A look to Obi-Wan's stern expression confirmed the assessment, and Kama continued.
"Well, about a year ago, I decided to take a hiatus from Eros. So I ventured out into the universe, where I learned of many things… The republic, the Jedi… the Jedi particularly interested me, so I took a position in the Senate on Coruscant, so that I might… observe your peculiar clan. I became Mai Lin, secretary, because serving is what I do best," here she broke her monologue with a wicked grin.
"I listened carefully to all the tales of the legendary Jedi abilities, professional and otherwise… So I figured that my next conquest would be a Jedi Knight. Or Master, if I could get one. But it was difficult. You and your Force shielding… After months of failure to even come close, my quest became tedious, and I returned to Eros."
"But you were reported missing by Senator Maltheson…" Obi-Wan lead.
"Yes, and suddenly people were looking for me. Just my luck though, who should come to my planet but a superb Jedi Knight," she grinned at Obi-Wan. "Unfortunately you brought along Daylon here, which might have ruined my plans. I knew that I could never get you while she was around, so I just…"
"Used me!" Daylon spat. The look of contempt on her face was like stone. Kama turned her back.
"Borrowed you…Just for a little while. I was going to let you go once I had had Kenobi." She turned to face them again. "But you and your dammed bond got in my way! So you will just have to stay here until I figure out how to sever it."
"You can't keep us here." Obi-Wan stated, his hand moving to his lightsaber.
"I can keep her—" Kama pointed her finger at Daylon, who promptly collapsed. Obi-Wan bent over her to find that she was only unconscious. "Which means that I get you. It's a two for one deal."
"No." Obi-Wan picked Daylon up and shifted her onto his left shoulder, while his right hand activated his saber. "You will release us immediately."
Kama laughed. "Silly man." At this she chuckled harder, closing her eyes momentarily. That was all Obi-Wan needed. He used the force to run before anyone saw him, and he was in the rear courtyard in seconds. The wall was going to be a challenge though… it was to high to jump, but he couldn't scale it with Daylon on his shoulder. Focusing nearly all his energy on her, he lifted her up to the top of the wall and set her down gently. By now the security guards were entering the courtyard, and they started to fire stun bolts at him. Obi-Wan levitated his lightsaber behind his back to deflect their shots while he jumped and climbed the wall. He called his saber back to his hand, picked Daylon up once more, and dropped off the other side, into the jungle. He could hear an alarm blaring in the background, and Kama's voice yelling in fury, but none of that was important. The only goal in Obi-Wan's head was to get to a spaceport before being apprehended. No one was firing at them any more, so he belted his weapon and held tighter to Daylon. Dropping her would not be optimal. He ran through the underbrush, shafts of late afternoon sun filtering down to light the way. Branches, leaves and thorns whipped his arms and chest, tearing through his thin tunic. Daylon's backside was exceptionally well protected by her leather trousers, though, and she did not stir. Force, Daylon, where did you go? She had withdrawn to someplace inside, where he could not even reach her through the force to get her to wake. So he carried her. The trip to Kama's palace days ago had taken him a day and a half, trudging nonstop. He ran for hours. By the disappearance of the sun, Obi-Wan guessed that it was nearing the hour of eleven. His muscles had stopped burning a long while ago, but now they ached. He had the help of the Force, but even that was not enough to entirely put off the overwhelming fatigue that threatened to overtake him. Just a bit further… Let's see… my usual running speed is about eighteen miles per hour… but that is on a smooth surface, under good conditions. Factor in the uneven ground, plants, Daylon, my poor physical shape… Maybe I am going nine, perhaps ten miles per hour… One hundred miles to cover, seven hours past, at least three to go. Three hours… I've run longer that that already, I can do three hours. Qui-Gon and I would race for prolonged periods of time, though I'm not sure exactly how long… I'm sure it was more than three paltry hours. Come on Kenobi, suck it up… think of home. Coruscant. The Temple… you can do this.
He conversed with himself in this manner for some time, until he finally reached the city. It was two thirty in the morning when he staggered into the spaceport and up to the droid at the counter.
"Welcome to Mik's Off-Planet Transportation Service, I am TC-14. How may I help you?"
"I need transport to Coruscant, it is very important." He gasped.
"I am sorry sir, but the next ship to Coruscant does not leave until 9 AM." The droid politely replied.
"I need it to leave immediately."
"I'm sorry sir—"
"Where is the pilot?"
"Asleep sir, in his office."
"Where is that?"
"Down the hall, sir, but I'm afraid that—"
"Thank you," Obi-Wan said brusquely before stalking down the hall to the pilot's office. He pounded on the door.
"What! What, I'm sleeping, go away." A muffled voice shouted.
Obi-Wan knocked loudly with his fist again, and did not stop until the door was opened.
"What the hell do you want?" The pilot sneered.
"My name is Obi-Wan Kenobi. I am a Jedi Knight, and I require an immediate transport to Coruscant."
"Oh do you now? Well too bad." He turned to slam the door, but Obi-Wan stopped him.
"It would be considered a favor to the Republic—you would be well rewarded."
The man looked up. "Rewarded, you say? How much?"
"10 to 15 thousand credits. Twice the standard rate." Obi-Wan's face was lined with urgency, and the pilot saw this.
"Well, how about in two hours…"
"No. Right now. I will not offer again."
The man realized that the Jedi meant business, and sighed in resignation.
"Follow me."
They walked down a long passageway, until they came to the hangar door.
"Your lady friend… she a Jedi too?" he asked, eyeing Daylon's legs hanging over the front of Obi-Wan's shoulder.
"Yes. We are—were—on a mission. But it has ended rather poorly, and now we need to get off this planet. As soon as possible."
"I see, I see. We'll be up and into space within twenty minutes."
Twenty minutes… Obi-Wan thought. Twenty minutes until safety. Twenty minutes until he could let down his guard. Twenty minutes never seemed so long.
**
"So you did find Mai Lin?" Mace Windu asked, his forehead a wrinkled with inquiry.
"Yes, Master. She was Kama. Actually, Kama had posed as Mai Lin, in order to… see the galaxy." Obi-Wan explained. It had been three days since their arrival on Coruscant, during which he and Daylon did nothing but recuperate. They had barely spoken to each other…
"No purpose to the mission, there was then." Yoda grumbled. "A waste it was."
"Not a waste, Master. We did learn more about the political structure of Eros…"
"This is true," Yoda conceded.
"Yes. The information will be an asset to the Republic's Database." Master Windu said.
"What say you, Daylon?"
She looked at the green Jedi Master with great respect, but her eyes belied that she did not wish to speak.
"The council sees that the mission was a success, and that you are both exhausted. Go, rest. May the Force be with you." Mace said, a small twinkle in his eye. Daylon and Obi-Wan bowed, turned, and left the council chambers. In silence, they walked to the door of their quarters. Once inside, Obi-Wan flung himself on the couch.
"I have never been so tired…"
"…In your entire life." Daylon finished, sitting down across from him. "Somehow, I doubt that."
"Yes, well you did not run a ten hour marathon with a Jedi on your back." Obi-Wan chuckled. It was meant in jest, but Daylon didn't laugh.
"Thank you, Obi-Wan."
He waved it off.
"No. You saved me back there. You saved me from myself." She said.
"I saved you from Kama." He corrected.
"Obi, those emotions… they were mine."
"Yours." He ventured.
"Yes… Kama amplified them, and projected them physically, but… what we shared through our bond…"
"It was real."
"Yes." She looked at him, nervously expecting him to either leave or laugh at her.
"I would never laugh at you." He said earnestly.
"I… I—"
"I love you."
Fin…
