Disclaimer: All characters and places belong to George Lucas except for Keyn and Shen
Disclaimer: All characters and places belong to George Lucas except for Keyn and Shen.

Acknowledgements: Jesus - thanks for giving me this love and talent of writing.

Okay … here goes …

Chapter 2

Keyn hooked his lightsabre onto his utility belt, then strapped a blaster pistol to his hip. He had built the lightsabre himself and knew it from the inside out. He was particularly good with it in a duel, where his instinctive reflexes helped him a lot.

Keyn grabbed a couple of thermal detonators from his ship's equipment locker, then slammed it shut. A spare power pack for his blaster completed the inventory. The bounty hunter armed his ship's security systems then left.

It was exactly one week since he had threatened Senator Jy'are's aide, time for him to carry out the second stage of his assignment. Keyn treaded softly, taking his time. He had spotted the Republic Cruiser preparing to land at Spaceport IV, Docking Bay 64, about five minutes ago.

No doubt, the Senator would have people looking out for her, but, to Keyn, it only added to the thrill of his job. He headed purposefully for Docking Bay 64, lightsabre hanging from his belt. Keyn touched his blaster reassuringly, then set the power settings from 'kill' to 'stun'. Stun bolts were bright blue and took out, rather than killed, other creatures. They drained more power but Keyn did not want to take any chances and get anybody killed.

Just before the transport touched the floor of the Docking Bay, Shen Ly'an sprang to his feet, suddenly alert. The Bothan tensed his muscles as he felt the brief danger warning given by the Force. Qui-gon and Obi-wan eyed Shen curiously, but he only said:

"I sensed danger. We should look out."

Obi-wan raised an eyebrow cynically – he hadn't felt anything. But Qui-gon did not doubt Shen's perceptions for a moment. "We'd better get going," he told the two younger Jedi calmly. They ran to the ship's entrance, reaching there seconds before it slid open. Qui-gon scanned the area, but the Docking Bay appeared empty.

Senator Jy'are stepped out onto the ramp, dressed simply in white robes. "Is everything all right?" she asked quietly, her eyes darting to and fro nervously.

Qui-gon was about to answer when he sensed the faint disturbance in the Force. I feel it too, Master, Qui-gon felt Obi-wan's thoughts through the Bond they shared. Shen had, evidently, sensed it too and was alert at once. The three Jedi stood for a long moment, not knowing what to do. Neither Qui-gon nor Obi-wan could locate the source of the disturbance, but it felt bad. Qui-gon surveyed the area with his eyes and thought of possible hiding places for an attacker.

"There!" Obi-wan pointed at a moving shadow, activating his lightsabre at the same time. Beside him, Qui-gon and Shen immediately unsheathed their blades. Senator Jy'are trembled, frightened. Obi-wan placed a reassuring hand on her arm to calm her, then took a step forward.

Keyn swore under his breath. Jedi! Only they would have sensed him, though they still did not know who or what he was. He didn't really have a choice, once he moved, he'd have to move very quickly and precisely. The bounty hunter took a deep breath, levelled his blaster, and fired a volley of coruscating blue bolts.

Qui-gon Jinn felt, rather than saw, the brilliant blue stun bolts as they raced across the space. He had no time to think, no time to weigh the consequences of his actions. The Jedi instinctively took a step to his side, blocking the Senator with his large frame. In that same movement, he brought his lightsabre up into a 'guard stance' and let the Force guide him.

The first bolt flew at him and it ricocheted off his lightsabre as Qui-gon let the Force flow through him. The second bolt wasn't very far away from the first, but Qui-gon's concentration suddenly snapped unexpectedly. He missed the stun bolt by mere centimetres, and it careened into his chest, slamming him backwards. He collapsed instantly, his muscles numb and utterly useless.

After his first few shots, Keyn didn't shoot at Obi-wan or Shen. He knew that Qui-gon had failed to deflect the bolt only by chance, and that Obi-wan and Shen were skilled in deflecting blaster bolts. Keyn knew he'd probably never get this close to the Senator again, but if he couldn't kidnap her, perhaps he might be able to bargain for her …

Obi-wan and Shen gripped their lightsabres tightly, their eyes fixed on Keyn's hiding place behind a few crates. "Who are you?" Shen shouted the question.

Keyn remained silent, but he stood up and thumbed on his lightsabre. The bright red blade hissed to life, illuminating the dark corner where he hid. Obi-wan and Shen took an involuntary step back. Keyn sprang out from his corner and charged the two Jedi, lightsabre held high in the air.

He clashed lightsabres with Shen, forcing the Bothan backwards and to the ground. Obi-wan raised his blue lightsabre and attacked with a two-handed stroke, but Keyn blocked it easily. The bounty hunter switched his weapon over to his left hand, then drew his blaster with the other. Shen saw Keyn reach for the blaster.

"Get down!" The Bothan yelled instinctively as coruscating blue bolts hurtled towards the Senator. Senator Jy'are followed Shen's advice without thinking, ducking behind the boarding ramp as the first bolts slammed straight into the hard metal.

Shen activated his lightsabre and went for Keyn's legs, but the hunter leapt into the air, firing at the same time.

The stun bolt hit Obi-wan on his right shoulder, sending waves of energy through his whole body. The Apprentice collapsed in a heap as the stun energy played havoc with his nervous system. Obi-wan struggled to get to his feet but the pain forced him back to the ground. He could barely move – his muscles wouldn't obey him – and quickly lost consciousness.

Shen ducked instinctively, then jumped to his feet and swung his lightabre at Keyn. The bounty hunter barely had time to block the blow, and it grazed the back of his hand. Keyn bit back a cry of pain, instead, aiming a strong kick at his Bothan adversary.

The kick knocked the wind out of Shen, and he flew backwards, landing painfully on his back with a cry of surprise. Keyn immediately deactivated his lightsabre's red blade, then slung the unconscious Obi-wan over his back in a fireman's lift before leaving the docking bay.

Keyn ran furiously, knowing that Shen wouldn't be far behind him. He reached his ship in a matter of minutes, keying in the access code with his injured right hand, the other hand holding his captive. The panel slid upwards and the bounty hunter raced into his ship.

Dumping Obi-wan in the cargo hold, Keyn made it to the cockpit in record time. He scanned the control panels and displays as he flicked switches and pushed buttons that readied his ship for take-off. In minutes, he was leaving the planet behind and preparing for the jump to hyperspace.

Shen snarled in frustration as he watched the heavily-modified ship take off. He'd reached the Docking Bay just seconds after the ship's repulsors had kicked in, but it might as well have been hours. There was no way, the Bothan knew, that he could go after Obi-wan's kidnapper now.

The bounty hunter had made off with Obi-wan, no doubt he would hold the Jedi Padawan hostage to get to Senator Jy'are. Shen sighed. The situation was very complicated. They didn't even have a clue as to who the bounty hunter really was, or where he was going. The galaxy was so vast that it would be nearly impossible to guess where the hunter was headed.

Knowing there was nothing he could do to the pursue the bounty hunter right now, Shen turned around and returned to the Republic Cruiser.

Qui-gon was getting shakily to his feet when Shen returned. The Jedi Master had only to look at the Bothan's face to know that something terrible had happened in the fifteen or so minutes that he'd been knocked out for. To his right, Senator Jy'are was cautiously climbing out from behind the boarding ramp, her eyes darting to and fro, betraying her fear and nervousness. Qui-gon drew on the Force to clear his mind and steady his muscles, then realised that Obi-wan wasn't there.

A jolt of panic shot through him. Qui-gon reached out for his Apprentice through the Bond that connected them, but felt nothing, absolutely nothing at all. It was as though Obi-wan had been blocked from the Force or worse … Qui-gon quelled the thought as quickly as it surfaced. No, Obi-wan had to be alive, wherever he was. And I will find him, Qui-gon vowed.

Shen strode up to the elder Jedi, frustration written clearly in his violet eyes. His ears flickered as he reported, "The bounty hunter took Obi-wan. He left about ten minutes ago."

Qui-gon drew deeply on the Force, gathering his wits and clearing his mind. The stun bolt's energy had rendered his muscles totally useless and sent tendrils of pain along his nerves. The only reason he could stand was because he drew energy from the Force.

Finally, he asked, "Is it the same one who threatened the Senator's aide?"

Shen hesitated, Qui-gon sensed uncertainty in the Temple initiate. "He … used a lightsabre to attack us."

"Was he trained?"

"I … think so. He fought very quickly and he seemed to know his strokes well," Shen's voice wavered. Clearly, he was distracted by Obi-wan's capture.

Qui-gon shook his head to clear it. "We'd best contact the Temple and ask to speak before the Council. The situation has become a lot more complex." He turned to the badly-shaken Senator Jy'are, "I think we should return to Coruscant."

The Senator nodded numbly, in a state of shock, Qui-gon realised. The Jedi Master strode into the Cruiser and went to the communications console. He activated a high priority code, and was immediately patched in to the Jedi Temple.

Amazingly, it was Master Yoda who answered Qui-gon's call. The short, wizened Jedi stood solemnly in front of Qui-gon in holographic form. Qui-gon wasted no time in explaining the situation and what had happened, concluding his report, "We presume the bounty hunter who kidnapped Obi-wan is the same one who delivered the threat to the Senator's aide. He wields a lightsabre and is adept in using it, according to Shen."

Master Yoda listened attentively throughout the whole report, blinking his heavy-lidded eyes sleepily. After Qui-gon had finished, Yoda told him, "Return to the Temple, you must. Seek an audience with you, the Coucnil will. May the Force be with you."

Qui-gon nodded in acknowledgement, then bowed, ending the transmission.

"What are our instructions?" Shen asked in a low voice as he entered the Comm. Room.

"Return to Coruscant immediately, with the Senator. The Council will brief us on our next course of action," Qui-gon answered. Shen nodded and left the room.

Qui-gon sighed and sat down on a nearby bench. He blamed himself for not preventing Obi-wan's capture, blamed himself for getting stunned. In truth, though, Qui-gon had no idea why he'd failed to block the stun bolt. It had been fairly easy, but his concentration had snapped unexpectedly at the last moment. He pushed his thoughts away. They wouldn't do him any good, Obi-wan had already been captured and he could do nothing to change things. Qui-gon knew he had to work quickly to rescue his apprentice. The bounty hunter would make his demands soon, and Obi-wan was definitely not going to benefit from them.

Either way, I'll have to get back to Coruscant first then maybe I can get the bounty hunter's name from there, Qui-gon resolved.

Individual stars became bright, blurred streaks as Keyn's ship entered hyperspace. The bounty hunter took a few deep breaths to calm himself, then examined his injured right hand.

It was quite a deep wound, reaching down further than the bone. However, the lightsabre's intense heat had cauterised it immediately, so there hadn't been any bleeding, though the pain was worsening. Keyn could hardly move his fingers or wrist without incurring a sharp, searing pain.

He went to the equipment locker and took out the First Aid Kit. The bounty hunter slapped a bacta patch onto his hand, binding it tightly with a length of bandage. It still hurt, but the wound would heal fairly quickly. Keyn replaced the kit, then headed for the cargo hold to check on his prisoner.

Obi-wan Kenobi stirred, then opened his eyes. His whole body seemed to be on fire from the stun energy, and he could barely see. Someone pulled him to a sitting position and let his back lean against a large box.

The Jedi apprentice drew on the Force, clearing away his pain and confusion. He realised that someone was standing in front of him.

Keyn grabbed a ration bar from a nearby locker, and tossed it to Obi-wan. Obi-wan barely managed to catch it, but his mind and vision cleared sufficiently, allowing him to make out the black-clad bounty hunter standing in front of him.

"You'd better eat," Keyn said matter-of-factly, "Then tell me who you are. And don't try anything funny."

Obi-wan nodded numbly. He wasn't hungry but realised that he might not get to eat for quite some time. The ration bar might have been poisoned, but the bounty hunter clearly wanted him alive, and didn't seem the type that would use poison when a blaster would do – or a lightsabre, Obi-wan reminded himself.

Keyn waited until Obi-wan had finished eating before asking, "So who are you?"

"Why should I tell you?" Obi-wan gathered enough of his wits to answer.

Keyn shrugged. "Suit yourself. I have ways of making people talk." Obi-wan noticed the bounty hunter's bandaged hand and thought, Good, Shen got him.

"Who are you? And where are we?" Obi-wan volunteered a question of his own.

"You should know," Keyn's voice was cold, emotionless. "After all, I know who you are, Jedi. No doubt your master will come to rescue you?"

Obi-wan didn't know who the bounty hunter was, but he kept quiet. The less the hunter knew about him, the better.

Keyn smiled grimly. "Qui-gon Jinn is your master, that much I know. But talented as he is, he won't be able to find you before it's too late. Jedi are valuable. I know many creatures who would pay a lot for you."

The Jedi Padawan controlled the fear that shot through him. He had to remain calm and out think is adversary. "I'm Obi-wan Kenobi," he finally said. "Now you know my name, tell me yours."

"They call me Keyn," was the brusque reply.

Obi-wan nodded and tried to sound enthusiastic, "Great, now we know each other."

Keyn shrugged again. "Perhaps we do, Jedi. But don't even think of attempting to use the Force to trick me. I have ways of punishing anyone who doesn't co-operate."

Obi-wan had often thought that bounty hunters were shallow-minded, greed-driven creatures, but Keyn was certainly none of those. His strong mind would be difficult, or even impossible, to trick using the Force. Obi-wan knew he had to outwit Keyn, but how he would do it, he didn't know.

The bounty hunter dragged Obi-wan to his feet and held the Jedi's hands tightly behind his back. Keyn shoved Obi-wan violently into a cage and slammed the barred door shut. Obi-wan watched him leave, but the hunter soon returned with a cage containing two small, furry creatures. As Keyn neared Obi-wan, the young Jedi felt a deep fatigue settle over him like a think blanket, blocking out his perceptions. Obi-wan struggled and tried to reach out for the Force, but there was just an empty void. It was as though the Force had ceased to exist at all. He slumped to the floor, totally exhausted.

Keyn set the creatures down beside the holding cage. He didn't seem affected by the creatures in the same, strange way as Obi-wan was.

"Jedi are always hard to capture and harder still to be contained. But let's see what you can show me," Keyn told Obi-wan. There was no trace of emotion in his voice. The bounty hunter turned and left the cargo hold.

Obi-wan put his head in his hands. He didn't know what was happening, and definitely didn't like it. These creatures must somehow repel the Force, he realised after some time. He had read about them in the Temple; they were called Yslamari – he recalled. Obi-wan had always been taught to rely on the Force, to draw on it in times of weakness. He hadn't realised how much he depended on it until he could no longer touch it. The Force had become like a sixth sense to him, and without it, he was equivalent to being blind. It was the Force that gave the Jedi strength, and Obi-wan was a Jedi. He just didn't have the Force anymore, and he didn't know what to do about it.

The knot of fear in his stomach tightened. He couldn't use the Bond to tell Qui-gon where he was, but Obi-wan thought desperately, Master, I need your help. It reassured him, steeled him for the interrogation that Keyn would ultimately carry out to wrench important information from him …

Thanks for the reviews, they're always welcome.

Next chapter should be up soon … in about four days … I hope. :)