Title: I'll Be With You, Always (#5 in the Kenobi Twin series)
Author: Kadi-Wan Kenobi
Rating: PG
Archive: Please ask first.
Warnings: None.
Disclaimer: Star Wars belongs to GL and his companies. No money is being made off of this. I'm just borrowing them for fun.
I'll Be With You, Always
by Kadi-Wan Kenobi
Chapter 1
I breathed in the cool sea air, enjoying the peace and quiet. My master, Ava Peddra, and I had just finished with a rather stressful mission. Luckily, it had ended peacefully and now we were on our way back to Coruscant. The only problem was the only spaceport on the planet was on the other side of a vast body of water. So, we were stuck on a hover-ship for 3 days. I felt Master Ava approach me from behind. I glanced at her as she came to stand by me at the railing overlooking the ocean.
"Master?" I asked, breaking the silence. She looked down at me.
"Yes, Padawan?"
"Are you sure the Council won't mind us taking this ship?" I asked, bringing up the debate we had been having ever since boarding. We had decided to take a brand new luxury liner instead of the old clunky one we had taken when first arriving on the planet. It was called The Luxury and for a good reason. It was huge! There was practically a whole marketplace in its center not to mention a grand ballroom and several giant dining halls. Our rooms were the nicest I had ever slept in. Master Ava sighed.
"Kadi, just because Jedi don't dwell on having comfortable things doesn't mean we aren't allowed a small luxury every once in a while." She said for about the billionth time. I sensed she was in a good mood, so I decided to continue.
"Small?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at her. She smiled, trying to keep a stern look on her face.
"Don't push it, Padawan." She said in a fake, stern voice. I laughed which she quickly caught. We stood there, laughing and enjoying just being together as we sailed across the water.
Chapter 2
BANG!
The ship suddenly came to a halt. I flew out of bed and into the dresser. Instincts kicking in, I was immediately on my feet, to which my back protested instantly. Using the Force, I made my lightsaber fly into my hand. Just then, Master Ava rushed in, lightsaber ignited. In the glow of the blades, I saw her eye begining to turn black.
"What happened Master?" I asked, reaching out to see if danger was near.
"I'm not sure." She replied, turning to leave."Get dressed quickly." In less than 5 minutes we were out and heading for the cockpit. As we walked in, we found the Captain and crew rushing about. He looked up as we entered.
"Captain Tels, what happened?" Master Ava questioned politely. The Captain seemed nervous.
"N-n-nothing, everything is perfectly fine. E-engines j-j-just stalled for a moment." He stammered. I frowned. He was hiding something. Master Ava pretended not to notice.
"Thank you Captain. We were just checking." She bowed and left. As we walked back to our quarters, I thought about how he had acted. It was almost frightened. Finally, we arrived. I sat down, not bothering to take off my robe.
"He's hiding something." I blurted out. She nodded.
"Yes. I sensed much fear in him, as I do now from several other crew members."
"What could it be?" I asked, puzzled. "Why would the engine stalling scare them so?"
"That will reveal itself to us in time. Now, I suggest you try to get somemore sleep."
"I think I'm going to sit here for awhile. I'm not very tired." I responded, leaning my head back and closing my eyes. I felt a sense of foreboding. It had been with me ever since the jolt. Shaking it off, I instead thought about seeing Obi-Wan again. I hadn't seen my twin for almost a year, seeing as he was usually away when we were at the temple and vice versa.
I smiled, thinking about our last encounter. We had almost set Master Windu's robes on fire. He still hadn't forgiven us for that incident.
Something didn't feel right. Opening my eyes, I looked around the room. Master Ava was meditating on the floor. As my eyes glanced around the room, they stopped on a glass of water on the table. Don't ask me why. As I stared at it, I suddenly noticed it looked strange. The water in the glass was at a slight angle. Thinking maybe it was my imagination, I took one of my food capsules from my belt and laid it next to the glass. It slowly rolled slightly towards me, confirming my suspicions. Looking up, I found Master Ava watching also, eyes stern. I met her eyes, wondering why the room was tilting. Just then, the door chimed. Quickly, I got up and opened it, surprised to find a steward standing there. Behind him, people were casually strolling down the hall in lifejackets.
"May we help you?" I asked.
"The Captain has requested to see the Jedi in his briefing room immediately." The steward said beforing disappearing down the hall. Locking the door behind us, we made our way through the throng of people towards the meeting.
The feeling of dread was growing bigger by the moment.
Chapter 3
The captain's first officer was in near hysterics when we entered the room. We found the captain and his officers and main crew members gathered around a large table.
"...do you mean there is nothing you can do!?!" The first mate was yelling at who I guessed was an engineer. The captain looked up as we entered.
"Master Peddra, thank you for coming so quickly." He said, motioning for us to take a seat. Master Ava nodded, signaling for him to continue.
"I wasn't completely truthfull with you earlier. It wasn't the engines stalling that caused the crash. The engines malfunctioned, causing one of them to explode. The Luxury.....the Luxury...." The captain's voice faded away as he looked around the room.
"This ship will be at the bottom of the ocean in less than 2 hours time. "Another man spoke up. He seemed alot calmer, but I sensed great fear in him as well.
"Have you called for help?" Master Ava asked urgently.
"Yes. There is a storm over the spaceport, so it will take at least an hour for them to send help." The same man replied. "We've started filling up the pods."
"How many people can fit in each?" I suddenly inquired. I knew there was a reason for his nervousness. No lives would be lost if all the lifepods were in working order. He looked at me, surprised at the question.
"We have exactly 50 lifepods, each can carry 25 people." My eyes widened as I did the calculation in my head. There was only enough lifepods for a little over half the population of the ship! Master Ava's eyes darkened.
"You left the dock without enough lifeboats for everyone?" She asked her voice calm and angry. The captain seemed to turn a shade paler.
"Well...um...this sh-ship was su-suposed to be invincible." He said stupidly. Master Ava turned away from him angrily.
"Padawan, go out and make sure each and every one of those lifeboats are filled as much as possible." She ordered.
"Yes, Master." I replied, turning to leave. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Master Ava turn back to the captain.
I was glad I wasn't in his shoes.
Chapter 4
I couldn't believe it. People were strolling through the ship like nothing was happening. Several times, I stopped to ask people to get to the lifepods. Not wanting to start a panic, I avoided telling them the ship was sinking. As I was just about to arrive at the lifepods, I suddenly felt alot of fear coming from somewhere on the ship. Focusing on the source, I found it was coming from the lower classes of the ships. Turning away from the door leading outside, I ran to the lift. As the lift the door opened, I was shocked at what I saw. A guard had turned on the forcefield keeping the lower class passengers from getting to the lifepods. He was guarding the control panel, completely ignoring their cries. I marched up to him angrily.
"What in the galaxy do you think you are doing?" I demanded. He looked down at me, giving me the impression that I was just an annoying little fly.
"Captain's orders. Once the higher class boards the lifepods, I'm to let these people out." He said like it wasn't important. Not able to control my temper any longer, I grabbed his shirt and dragged him away from the gate so the passengers wouldn't hear us. I think he was surprised at my actions.
"The ships sinking! These people have the right to board the lifepods too!"
"The captain-"
"I don't give a sith to what the captain said!" I yelled. "This ship will be at the bottom of the ocean in less than 2 hours . There aren't enough lifepods and you aren't even giving these people a chance to get to them. Now, are you going to let them out or should I?" I asked. He just glared at me. Sighing, I turned and marched over to the panel. Great, there just had to be a password. I didn't have time to fiddle with it. I unhooked my lightsaber and was just about to cut through all the controls when suddenly the Force yelled a warning. Turning around, I deflected a blaster bolt headed straight for my head in the nick of time. I caught a glimpse of the guard running around a corner down the hall.
Chapter 5
I frowned, as I looked down the hall where the guard had disappeared.
Where was he going?
"Excuse me miss Jedi?" I heard a voice say. Turning, I saw the people watching me. I had completely forgotten about them.
"Oh, right. Sorry." Quickly igniting my lightsaber, I sliced through the controls. The gate swung open and I hardly had time to jump out of the way as a wave of people came out.
I stayed back until I was sure everyone had gone through, then headed down the hall. The guard still baffled me.
Why would someone run away from the lifepods?
*****
Ava turned and looked out of the window at the crowds hurrying for the lifepods. The captain still trembled behind her.
She couldn't believe the man! He had actually left the port without half their lifepods. Of course, it had been the owners decision. He had told the captain to leave the pods, but that was no excuse. He was the one who was in charge of the lives of every being on the ship.
Just then, the door slid open and the chief engineer hurried in, carrying the blueprints of the ship in his hands.
"Captain, I'm afraid I have some bad news." He said, trembling as he rolled out the prints on the table. Ava was able to decipher that they were for the engine and surrounding areas. "From the reports from the survivors of the explosion, I realized there was something wrong. Unlike what we previously thought, there is no way one part of the engine malfunctioned and caused a chain reaction that made the engine explode. It's impossible. The engine was specially designed so that if one part malfunctioned, it would be cut off from the rest of the engine and shut down so as not to cause further damage."
"What are you trying to tell us?!" The first mate bellowed.
"The engine was sabatogued." The engineer said. Everyone froze. "Someone rigged it so at precisely the same time, every part would malfunction. It would overload the safety system and result in...well, you know."
"But that's impossible. Someone would have noticed an alteration like that during the inspections before we left the port."
"Yes. It had to have been done after we left."
Chapter 6
I walked down the hall, through the maze of rooms, searching for the guard.
'Ok, where is he?' I thought, stretching out with the Force. 'He couldn't just vanish.'
I turned a corner and stopped, staring at yet another hall leading to several other halls and hundreds of rooms.
'On second thought, yes he could.'
Leaning against the wall, I groaned. I wasn't sure what to do. Master was probably wondering where I was. Sighing, I glanced at the hall, then headed back for the briefing room.
*****
The guard peered out of one of the rooms, watching the retreating form of the Jedi. That had been close. He was sure she was going to find him.
Making sure the coast was clear, he shut the door and locked it before turning toward a com unit in the center of the room.
Walking over, he quickly punched in the number he had been given.
The dark, robed figure of his master appeared instantly.
"It's done?"
"Yes. The Luxury will be on the bottom of the ocean in less than 2 hours."
"Good. Very good. I am pleased. Now, I want the Jedi dead."
"Yes, my lord. THey shouldn't be a problem."
"Don't fail me." The robed man hissed threateningly, then cut the transmission.
The guard nodded, smiling wickedly as he checked his blaster.
Adjusting the small force inhibitor on his belt, he headed for where he would put his plan into action.
Chapter 7
I fought my way through the crowds on the deck, trying to get to Master Ava. The briefing room had been completely empty when I got there, so I had assumed they had gone out to help witht he lifepods.
//Master?// I called over our bond, looking for a glimpse of a dark brown robe or tan tunics.
//Padawan?// She answered, just as I spotted her down the deck. We finally got to each other and made our way inside, where it was empty and quiet.
"What's happening?" I asked, feeling that something was wrong.
"The engines were sabatogued after we left the dock." Ava said, quickly telling me what she had learned from the engineer.
"So that person is still onboard?"
"Yes."
I bit my lip, thinking of the guard that had shot at me.
My master noticed. "What's wrong? Did something happen that I should know about?"
I hesitated for a moment, but she gave me 'the' look. I instantly told her what had happened, making sure not to leave anything out.
She frowned. "That is definitely strange. He may or may not be related to the sabatogue, although I believe he is connected somehow. Keep an eye out for him. If you see him, tell me immeditately."
"Yes mas-"
I was cut off as the Force suddenly warned us of danger. We jumped out of the way just in time to avoid a large light fixture as it crashed to the ground, directly where we were standing seconds before.
Chapter 8
Our lightsabers were out in an instant. We stood back to back, searching for the attacker.
//I can't sense him.// I said, nervously shifting the comforting weight of my saber from one hand to the other.
//Neither can I. We will have to be extra catious.//
//Yes master.//
Just then, a barrage of fire came at us. We managed to block it easily. The guard who had attacked me earlier dropped down from the ceiling, shooting wildly.
I managed to jump to the side, just missing being shot. I turned and saw him pull out a vibro whip. My master charged at him, trying to get close enough so he couldn't use it. I was right behind her.
We dodged and blocked the whip and blaster shots as one, the Force flowing between us. Meanwhile, the angle of the floor was changing at a greater speed.
Using the Force, I flipped over the guard's head, trying to get behind him and out of the way of the whip. The ground approached quicker than I expected and I hit it with a thud, the wind knocked out of my lungs. My lightsaber flew out of my grasp. The blaster fired, the bolts hitting my left leg, making me cry out. Gripping my leg, I looked up to find the blaster pointed straight at my head. Master Ava's eyes widened in horror and she struggled to untangle her lightsaber from the whip.
The guard grinned as he slowly pulled the trigger. At the last second, my master dropped her saber and threw herself in between me and the blaster. With a groan, she fell to the ground, the blaster fire catching her in the chest.
"NOO!" I screamed. "Master!!!"
The guard smiled evily as he aimed his blaster once again.
I looked at him, then over at my saber. Suddenly, I found myself flinging my saber at him with the Force. The white blade flew at him and hit its mark. The guard stopped, his face frozen in shock, then fell back with a thud,a hole through his heart. My lightsaber rested beside him. Shaking, I turned back to my master. I let out a gasp as I saw the blood flowing from her chest.
"Master?" I said, pressing on the wounds, trying to stop the bleeding.
"Padawan." She whispered, struggling to breathe. "It's...too late..for me."
"No!" I yelled, tears welling up in my eyes. "You're going to be fine."
"Kadi. I want you...to go and get...on one...of the life..pods. Save yourself."
"No! I won't leave you!"
"Padawan, I mean it. Go now!" She suddenly began to cough violently, blood coming out of her mouth.
I was openly crying now. "Don't leave me Master."
Ava smiled weakly. "I'd stay if I could, but it's my time....Besides, I'll always be...with you...even if....you can't see me."
Her eyes began to cloud over.
"Master, no!"
She caressed my face softly. "I'll send you an angel....you'll never be alone...I promise."
"Master..."
"I love you....my daughter." She said faintly.
"I love you too." I sobbed as her hand went limp. "No.....please...."
Chapter 9
Kadi opened her eyes, the sound of rushing water reaching her ears. Turning her head, she saw the water beginning to fill the room. She felt as if she was dreaming, not fully comprehending what was happening. Turning back to her dead master, she closed her eyes again, wanting everything to just go away.
*Padawan, go now!*
Kadi jumped up, the cry shaking her back into reality. Looking at her master for the last time, she limped as quickly as she could out of the room. Her leg throbbed painfully as she made her way back to the deck. Screams filled the air as the ship began to sink. Once again, Kadi felt like she was in a dream. Her body seemed to move by itself, moving through the crowd, away from the approaching water. In the distance, she could just make out the lifepods floating in the darkness, waiting for the inevitable. Suddenly, a large explosion ripped through the ship, causing it to break into several pieces. Kadi was thrown back, hitting her head against a wall, knocking her out.
*****
Geret, one of the many volunteers from the port, looked at the wreckage in horror. All that remained of one of the greatest ships on the planet was bits and pieces floating on the waves. And the bodies of the dead. He surpressed a shiver as he watched another group of volunteers in charge of collecting the...deceased. Thank the gods he only had to find survivors.
He swept the surface of the water with the light, calling out for anyone alive to answer them. No sound came.
He sighed sadly. "Alright boys, lets head back. There's nothing here." His men just nodded quietly, several bowing their heads in respect for the dead.
Suddenly, he got the strange urge to go near a large piece of wood from the ship, probably once a wall of something. Geret shook his head, pushing the feeling away. The shock of this was beginning to get to him. The feeling just increased as they began to make their way back.
"Stop!" He yelled. The other gave him strange looks. "Turn around. There is something I need to see."
They did what he said, but continued to look at him like he had gone mad.
Ignoring them, he focused the beam on the wood again. As they got closer, he noticed there was a lump of some sort on top of it. He could soon make out the body of a girl. Carefully making sure not to capsize the boat, Geret managed to grab one of the persons hands and drag her onto the boat.
He lay her on the bottom of the boat gently as they sped back to the ship.
His eyes widened slightly in surprise. A Jedi. And by the look of it, she was badly wounded.
"Go faster." He snapped, covering her with a blanket.
Chapter 10
Obi-Wan slowly followed his master into their quarters. Their last mission had wiped them both out. He hadn't slept for over 36 hours and neither of them could wait to get some much needed rest and relaxation. Eyes half closed, the Padawan walked to his room, dropping his bag on the floor. Not even bothering to take off his boots or robe, Obi-Wan fell onto his bed, asleep before even hitting the mattress.
A loud chime suddenly filled the silent quarters. Obi-Wan groaned, opening one eye as he listened to his master walk to the com-unit. Since his door was closed, he couldn't make out what was being said, but his master's voice became urgent. A feeling of dread filled him. Forgetting his exhaustion, Obi-Wan sat up. He was about to get up when Qui-Gon entered his room.
"What's wrong?" He asked as his master sat down on the bed beside him.
"That was Master Windu." Qui-Gon said slowly. "He just received word that Master Peddra has been killed and Kadi-Wan is injured."
Obi-Wan opened his mouth to speak, but no words came. He instantly reached out to his sister over their bond, but found himself blocked. Kadi's shields were up stronger than he had ever felt them.
"Kadi is scheduled to arrive in a few hours. Mace thought it best that the people closest to her should be there."
Obi-Wan nodded numbly. His master pulled him into a hug, sending love and reassurance over their bond.
Chapter 11
The master stood by the door, taking in the scene of the infirmary room. Kadi lay in the bed, tear streaks on her face. She had finally gotten to sleep. Waking up to find her master was truly dead had devastated her. Obi-Wan had held her as she cried until she finally tired herself out. Now he was asleep in one of the awful chairs that healers had for visitors of their patients. He had refused to leave. Qui-Gon was in front of the Council at the moment, trying to figure out what to do about Kadi.
Slowly, the Master walked over to the bed, looking down at the girl. Tears came to her eyes.
"I am so sorry Padawan." She whispered.
"Ava?"
Turning around, she saw Master Quegrtan standing there. "I shouldn't have left her."
"It is the will of the Force. You know why."
"Yes." She turned to stare at the Padawans. The Force flowed between them with a pureness that no other Jedi possessed. "They have no idea how special they really are."
"One day, they will learn." He sighed. "They are so young. Neither deserve what is to come."
"I can only hope I have prepared her enough to get through it."
Quegrtan lay a hand on Ava's shoulder. "She's in good hands."
"Yes, I know."
Kadi tossed suddenly, crying out.
Ava lay a hand on her Padawan's head, soothing her with the Force. "I'll be with you always." She whispered.
"Come, it is time to go." Quegrtan said softly. Ava nodded. Together, the two Masters faded away, leaving no sign that they had been there.
The End
Author: Kadi-Wan Kenobi
Rating: PG
Archive: Please ask first.
Warnings: None.
Disclaimer: Star Wars belongs to GL and his companies. No money is being made off of this. I'm just borrowing them for fun.
I'll Be With You, Always
by Kadi-Wan Kenobi
Chapter 1
I breathed in the cool sea air, enjoying the peace and quiet. My master, Ava Peddra, and I had just finished with a rather stressful mission. Luckily, it had ended peacefully and now we were on our way back to Coruscant. The only problem was the only spaceport on the planet was on the other side of a vast body of water. So, we were stuck on a hover-ship for 3 days. I felt Master Ava approach me from behind. I glanced at her as she came to stand by me at the railing overlooking the ocean.
"Master?" I asked, breaking the silence. She looked down at me.
"Yes, Padawan?"
"Are you sure the Council won't mind us taking this ship?" I asked, bringing up the debate we had been having ever since boarding. We had decided to take a brand new luxury liner instead of the old clunky one we had taken when first arriving on the planet. It was called The Luxury and for a good reason. It was huge! There was practically a whole marketplace in its center not to mention a grand ballroom and several giant dining halls. Our rooms were the nicest I had ever slept in. Master Ava sighed.
"Kadi, just because Jedi don't dwell on having comfortable things doesn't mean we aren't allowed a small luxury every once in a while." She said for about the billionth time. I sensed she was in a good mood, so I decided to continue.
"Small?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at her. She smiled, trying to keep a stern look on her face.
"Don't push it, Padawan." She said in a fake, stern voice. I laughed which she quickly caught. We stood there, laughing and enjoying just being together as we sailed across the water.
Chapter 2
BANG!
The ship suddenly came to a halt. I flew out of bed and into the dresser. Instincts kicking in, I was immediately on my feet, to which my back protested instantly. Using the Force, I made my lightsaber fly into my hand. Just then, Master Ava rushed in, lightsaber ignited. In the glow of the blades, I saw her eye begining to turn black.
"What happened Master?" I asked, reaching out to see if danger was near.
"I'm not sure." She replied, turning to leave."Get dressed quickly." In less than 5 minutes we were out and heading for the cockpit. As we walked in, we found the Captain and crew rushing about. He looked up as we entered.
"Captain Tels, what happened?" Master Ava questioned politely. The Captain seemed nervous.
"N-n-nothing, everything is perfectly fine. E-engines j-j-just stalled for a moment." He stammered. I frowned. He was hiding something. Master Ava pretended not to notice.
"Thank you Captain. We were just checking." She bowed and left. As we walked back to our quarters, I thought about how he had acted. It was almost frightened. Finally, we arrived. I sat down, not bothering to take off my robe.
"He's hiding something." I blurted out. She nodded.
"Yes. I sensed much fear in him, as I do now from several other crew members."
"What could it be?" I asked, puzzled. "Why would the engine stalling scare them so?"
"That will reveal itself to us in time. Now, I suggest you try to get somemore sleep."
"I think I'm going to sit here for awhile. I'm not very tired." I responded, leaning my head back and closing my eyes. I felt a sense of foreboding. It had been with me ever since the jolt. Shaking it off, I instead thought about seeing Obi-Wan again. I hadn't seen my twin for almost a year, seeing as he was usually away when we were at the temple and vice versa.
I smiled, thinking about our last encounter. We had almost set Master Windu's robes on fire. He still hadn't forgiven us for that incident.
Something didn't feel right. Opening my eyes, I looked around the room. Master Ava was meditating on the floor. As my eyes glanced around the room, they stopped on a glass of water on the table. Don't ask me why. As I stared at it, I suddenly noticed it looked strange. The water in the glass was at a slight angle. Thinking maybe it was my imagination, I took one of my food capsules from my belt and laid it next to the glass. It slowly rolled slightly towards me, confirming my suspicions. Looking up, I found Master Ava watching also, eyes stern. I met her eyes, wondering why the room was tilting. Just then, the door chimed. Quickly, I got up and opened it, surprised to find a steward standing there. Behind him, people were casually strolling down the hall in lifejackets.
"May we help you?" I asked.
"The Captain has requested to see the Jedi in his briefing room immediately." The steward said beforing disappearing down the hall. Locking the door behind us, we made our way through the throng of people towards the meeting.
The feeling of dread was growing bigger by the moment.
Chapter 3
The captain's first officer was in near hysterics when we entered the room. We found the captain and his officers and main crew members gathered around a large table.
"...do you mean there is nothing you can do!?!" The first mate was yelling at who I guessed was an engineer. The captain looked up as we entered.
"Master Peddra, thank you for coming so quickly." He said, motioning for us to take a seat. Master Ava nodded, signaling for him to continue.
"I wasn't completely truthfull with you earlier. It wasn't the engines stalling that caused the crash. The engines malfunctioned, causing one of them to explode. The Luxury.....the Luxury...." The captain's voice faded away as he looked around the room.
"This ship will be at the bottom of the ocean in less than 2 hours time. "Another man spoke up. He seemed alot calmer, but I sensed great fear in him as well.
"Have you called for help?" Master Ava asked urgently.
"Yes. There is a storm over the spaceport, so it will take at least an hour for them to send help." The same man replied. "We've started filling up the pods."
"How many people can fit in each?" I suddenly inquired. I knew there was a reason for his nervousness. No lives would be lost if all the lifepods were in working order. He looked at me, surprised at the question.
"We have exactly 50 lifepods, each can carry 25 people." My eyes widened as I did the calculation in my head. There was only enough lifepods for a little over half the population of the ship! Master Ava's eyes darkened.
"You left the dock without enough lifeboats for everyone?" She asked her voice calm and angry. The captain seemed to turn a shade paler.
"Well...um...this sh-ship was su-suposed to be invincible." He said stupidly. Master Ava turned away from him angrily.
"Padawan, go out and make sure each and every one of those lifeboats are filled as much as possible." She ordered.
"Yes, Master." I replied, turning to leave. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Master Ava turn back to the captain.
I was glad I wasn't in his shoes.
Chapter 4
I couldn't believe it. People were strolling through the ship like nothing was happening. Several times, I stopped to ask people to get to the lifepods. Not wanting to start a panic, I avoided telling them the ship was sinking. As I was just about to arrive at the lifepods, I suddenly felt alot of fear coming from somewhere on the ship. Focusing on the source, I found it was coming from the lower classes of the ships. Turning away from the door leading outside, I ran to the lift. As the lift the door opened, I was shocked at what I saw. A guard had turned on the forcefield keeping the lower class passengers from getting to the lifepods. He was guarding the control panel, completely ignoring their cries. I marched up to him angrily.
"What in the galaxy do you think you are doing?" I demanded. He looked down at me, giving me the impression that I was just an annoying little fly.
"Captain's orders. Once the higher class boards the lifepods, I'm to let these people out." He said like it wasn't important. Not able to control my temper any longer, I grabbed his shirt and dragged him away from the gate so the passengers wouldn't hear us. I think he was surprised at my actions.
"The ships sinking! These people have the right to board the lifepods too!"
"The captain-"
"I don't give a sith to what the captain said!" I yelled. "This ship will be at the bottom of the ocean in less than 2 hours . There aren't enough lifepods and you aren't even giving these people a chance to get to them. Now, are you going to let them out or should I?" I asked. He just glared at me. Sighing, I turned and marched over to the panel. Great, there just had to be a password. I didn't have time to fiddle with it. I unhooked my lightsaber and was just about to cut through all the controls when suddenly the Force yelled a warning. Turning around, I deflected a blaster bolt headed straight for my head in the nick of time. I caught a glimpse of the guard running around a corner down the hall.
Chapter 5
I frowned, as I looked down the hall where the guard had disappeared.
Where was he going?
"Excuse me miss Jedi?" I heard a voice say. Turning, I saw the people watching me. I had completely forgotten about them.
"Oh, right. Sorry." Quickly igniting my lightsaber, I sliced through the controls. The gate swung open and I hardly had time to jump out of the way as a wave of people came out.
I stayed back until I was sure everyone had gone through, then headed down the hall. The guard still baffled me.
Why would someone run away from the lifepods?
*****
Ava turned and looked out of the window at the crowds hurrying for the lifepods. The captain still trembled behind her.
She couldn't believe the man! He had actually left the port without half their lifepods. Of course, it had been the owners decision. He had told the captain to leave the pods, but that was no excuse. He was the one who was in charge of the lives of every being on the ship.
Just then, the door slid open and the chief engineer hurried in, carrying the blueprints of the ship in his hands.
"Captain, I'm afraid I have some bad news." He said, trembling as he rolled out the prints on the table. Ava was able to decipher that they were for the engine and surrounding areas. "From the reports from the survivors of the explosion, I realized there was something wrong. Unlike what we previously thought, there is no way one part of the engine malfunctioned and caused a chain reaction that made the engine explode. It's impossible. The engine was specially designed so that if one part malfunctioned, it would be cut off from the rest of the engine and shut down so as not to cause further damage."
"What are you trying to tell us?!" The first mate bellowed.
"The engine was sabatogued." The engineer said. Everyone froze. "Someone rigged it so at precisely the same time, every part would malfunction. It would overload the safety system and result in...well, you know."
"But that's impossible. Someone would have noticed an alteration like that during the inspections before we left the port."
"Yes. It had to have been done after we left."
Chapter 6
I walked down the hall, through the maze of rooms, searching for the guard.
'Ok, where is he?' I thought, stretching out with the Force. 'He couldn't just vanish.'
I turned a corner and stopped, staring at yet another hall leading to several other halls and hundreds of rooms.
'On second thought, yes he could.'
Leaning against the wall, I groaned. I wasn't sure what to do. Master was probably wondering where I was. Sighing, I glanced at the hall, then headed back for the briefing room.
*****
The guard peered out of one of the rooms, watching the retreating form of the Jedi. That had been close. He was sure she was going to find him.
Making sure the coast was clear, he shut the door and locked it before turning toward a com unit in the center of the room.
Walking over, he quickly punched in the number he had been given.
The dark, robed figure of his master appeared instantly.
"It's done?"
"Yes. The Luxury will be on the bottom of the ocean in less than 2 hours."
"Good. Very good. I am pleased. Now, I want the Jedi dead."
"Yes, my lord. THey shouldn't be a problem."
"Don't fail me." The robed man hissed threateningly, then cut the transmission.
The guard nodded, smiling wickedly as he checked his blaster.
Adjusting the small force inhibitor on his belt, he headed for where he would put his plan into action.
Chapter 7
I fought my way through the crowds on the deck, trying to get to Master Ava. The briefing room had been completely empty when I got there, so I had assumed they had gone out to help witht he lifepods.
//Master?// I called over our bond, looking for a glimpse of a dark brown robe or tan tunics.
//Padawan?// She answered, just as I spotted her down the deck. We finally got to each other and made our way inside, where it was empty and quiet.
"What's happening?" I asked, feeling that something was wrong.
"The engines were sabatogued after we left the dock." Ava said, quickly telling me what she had learned from the engineer.
"So that person is still onboard?"
"Yes."
I bit my lip, thinking of the guard that had shot at me.
My master noticed. "What's wrong? Did something happen that I should know about?"
I hesitated for a moment, but she gave me 'the' look. I instantly told her what had happened, making sure not to leave anything out.
She frowned. "That is definitely strange. He may or may not be related to the sabatogue, although I believe he is connected somehow. Keep an eye out for him. If you see him, tell me immeditately."
"Yes mas-"
I was cut off as the Force suddenly warned us of danger. We jumped out of the way just in time to avoid a large light fixture as it crashed to the ground, directly where we were standing seconds before.
Chapter 8
Our lightsabers were out in an instant. We stood back to back, searching for the attacker.
//I can't sense him.// I said, nervously shifting the comforting weight of my saber from one hand to the other.
//Neither can I. We will have to be extra catious.//
//Yes master.//
Just then, a barrage of fire came at us. We managed to block it easily. The guard who had attacked me earlier dropped down from the ceiling, shooting wildly.
I managed to jump to the side, just missing being shot. I turned and saw him pull out a vibro whip. My master charged at him, trying to get close enough so he couldn't use it. I was right behind her.
We dodged and blocked the whip and blaster shots as one, the Force flowing between us. Meanwhile, the angle of the floor was changing at a greater speed.
Using the Force, I flipped over the guard's head, trying to get behind him and out of the way of the whip. The ground approached quicker than I expected and I hit it with a thud, the wind knocked out of my lungs. My lightsaber flew out of my grasp. The blaster fired, the bolts hitting my left leg, making me cry out. Gripping my leg, I looked up to find the blaster pointed straight at my head. Master Ava's eyes widened in horror and she struggled to untangle her lightsaber from the whip.
The guard grinned as he slowly pulled the trigger. At the last second, my master dropped her saber and threw herself in between me and the blaster. With a groan, she fell to the ground, the blaster fire catching her in the chest.
"NOO!" I screamed. "Master!!!"
The guard smiled evily as he aimed his blaster once again.
I looked at him, then over at my saber. Suddenly, I found myself flinging my saber at him with the Force. The white blade flew at him and hit its mark. The guard stopped, his face frozen in shock, then fell back with a thud,a hole through his heart. My lightsaber rested beside him. Shaking, I turned back to my master. I let out a gasp as I saw the blood flowing from her chest.
"Master?" I said, pressing on the wounds, trying to stop the bleeding.
"Padawan." She whispered, struggling to breathe. "It's...too late..for me."
"No!" I yelled, tears welling up in my eyes. "You're going to be fine."
"Kadi. I want you...to go and get...on one...of the life..pods. Save yourself."
"No! I won't leave you!"
"Padawan, I mean it. Go now!" She suddenly began to cough violently, blood coming out of her mouth.
I was openly crying now. "Don't leave me Master."
Ava smiled weakly. "I'd stay if I could, but it's my time....Besides, I'll always be...with you...even if....you can't see me."
Her eyes began to cloud over.
"Master, no!"
She caressed my face softly. "I'll send you an angel....you'll never be alone...I promise."
"Master..."
"I love you....my daughter." She said faintly.
"I love you too." I sobbed as her hand went limp. "No.....please...."
Chapter 9
Kadi opened her eyes, the sound of rushing water reaching her ears. Turning her head, she saw the water beginning to fill the room. She felt as if she was dreaming, not fully comprehending what was happening. Turning back to her dead master, she closed her eyes again, wanting everything to just go away.
*Padawan, go now!*
Kadi jumped up, the cry shaking her back into reality. Looking at her master for the last time, she limped as quickly as she could out of the room. Her leg throbbed painfully as she made her way back to the deck. Screams filled the air as the ship began to sink. Once again, Kadi felt like she was in a dream. Her body seemed to move by itself, moving through the crowd, away from the approaching water. In the distance, she could just make out the lifepods floating in the darkness, waiting for the inevitable. Suddenly, a large explosion ripped through the ship, causing it to break into several pieces. Kadi was thrown back, hitting her head against a wall, knocking her out.
*****
Geret, one of the many volunteers from the port, looked at the wreckage in horror. All that remained of one of the greatest ships on the planet was bits and pieces floating on the waves. And the bodies of the dead. He surpressed a shiver as he watched another group of volunteers in charge of collecting the...deceased. Thank the gods he only had to find survivors.
He swept the surface of the water with the light, calling out for anyone alive to answer them. No sound came.
He sighed sadly. "Alright boys, lets head back. There's nothing here." His men just nodded quietly, several bowing their heads in respect for the dead.
Suddenly, he got the strange urge to go near a large piece of wood from the ship, probably once a wall of something. Geret shook his head, pushing the feeling away. The shock of this was beginning to get to him. The feeling just increased as they began to make their way back.
"Stop!" He yelled. The other gave him strange looks. "Turn around. There is something I need to see."
They did what he said, but continued to look at him like he had gone mad.
Ignoring them, he focused the beam on the wood again. As they got closer, he noticed there was a lump of some sort on top of it. He could soon make out the body of a girl. Carefully making sure not to capsize the boat, Geret managed to grab one of the persons hands and drag her onto the boat.
He lay her on the bottom of the boat gently as they sped back to the ship.
His eyes widened slightly in surprise. A Jedi. And by the look of it, she was badly wounded.
"Go faster." He snapped, covering her with a blanket.
Chapter 10
Obi-Wan slowly followed his master into their quarters. Their last mission had wiped them both out. He hadn't slept for over 36 hours and neither of them could wait to get some much needed rest and relaxation. Eyes half closed, the Padawan walked to his room, dropping his bag on the floor. Not even bothering to take off his boots or robe, Obi-Wan fell onto his bed, asleep before even hitting the mattress.
A loud chime suddenly filled the silent quarters. Obi-Wan groaned, opening one eye as he listened to his master walk to the com-unit. Since his door was closed, he couldn't make out what was being said, but his master's voice became urgent. A feeling of dread filled him. Forgetting his exhaustion, Obi-Wan sat up. He was about to get up when Qui-Gon entered his room.
"What's wrong?" He asked as his master sat down on the bed beside him.
"That was Master Windu." Qui-Gon said slowly. "He just received word that Master Peddra has been killed and Kadi-Wan is injured."
Obi-Wan opened his mouth to speak, but no words came. He instantly reached out to his sister over their bond, but found himself blocked. Kadi's shields were up stronger than he had ever felt them.
"Kadi is scheduled to arrive in a few hours. Mace thought it best that the people closest to her should be there."
Obi-Wan nodded numbly. His master pulled him into a hug, sending love and reassurance over their bond.
Chapter 11
The master stood by the door, taking in the scene of the infirmary room. Kadi lay in the bed, tear streaks on her face. She had finally gotten to sleep. Waking up to find her master was truly dead had devastated her. Obi-Wan had held her as she cried until she finally tired herself out. Now he was asleep in one of the awful chairs that healers had for visitors of their patients. He had refused to leave. Qui-Gon was in front of the Council at the moment, trying to figure out what to do about Kadi.
Slowly, the Master walked over to the bed, looking down at the girl. Tears came to her eyes.
"I am so sorry Padawan." She whispered.
"Ava?"
Turning around, she saw Master Quegrtan standing there. "I shouldn't have left her."
"It is the will of the Force. You know why."
"Yes." She turned to stare at the Padawans. The Force flowed between them with a pureness that no other Jedi possessed. "They have no idea how special they really are."
"One day, they will learn." He sighed. "They are so young. Neither deserve what is to come."
"I can only hope I have prepared her enough to get through it."
Quegrtan lay a hand on Ava's shoulder. "She's in good hands."
"Yes, I know."
Kadi tossed suddenly, crying out.
Ava lay a hand on her Padawan's head, soothing her with the Force. "I'll be with you always." She whispered.
"Come, it is time to go." Quegrtan said softly. Ava nodded. Together, the two Masters faded away, leaving no sign that they had been there.
The End