::tears streaming down face:: (ok not really) I can't believe it's the
last chapter!! Oh this is so sad. Ok Ok, I'll let you read it. Enjoy!
No Promise Broken
The next morning Qui-Gon woke up relatively late. He made his way to the Medical Ward letting Obi-Wan sleep in a little more. He found Sage outside talking with Mace. To his surprise when Mace walked away she had a smile on her face.
"Where's Obi-Wan?" She asked. "I expected him, not you."
Qui-Gon gave a small laugh. "Still sleeping."
Sage nodded. "You can go in and see her if you want. I need to go before the Council." She hurried off after Mace.
Qui-Gon went in, confused. Last night Z was nearly dead and now he could see her? Going into where she was, he saw Winna checking her over.
The Healer turned around to see who had entered the room. She smiled. "I was expecting Obi-Wan or Bant." She went to the door and in a low voice spoke. "She's fine, but still unable to move. Lucky for us we found out Garmandi had injected her with a drug we had an anti-toxin for. Although we were unable to give it to her until the sedatives from her being in the bacta tanks ran through her system. I just gave it to her a few minutes ago."
Qui-Gon looked past Winna. "Thank you." He walked in to where Z lay.
Her face was still pale and she was shivering slightly underneath the blanket. The bacta had done most of its work healing all her outside cuts and bruises. The only visible mark of what had happened was the backwards Z protruding from the corner of her right eye. It was there in a scar, permanently.
Qui-Gon turned around to walk out. He didn't want to disturb her. But a whisper made him turn around.
"Qui-Gon?" Z said in hardly a whisper.
"Yes." He said softly.
"Where's Obi-Wan?"
"Sleeping, but I can get him for you if you'd like."
She smiled weakly. "That would be good. I need to talk with him."
Qui-Gon nodded and made his way to Obi-Wan's quarters. Knocking first and when he was sure he didn't hear a response he entered. His Padawan was sprawled on his cot; his steady breathing all that could be heard.
He walked over and placed a hand lightly on Obi-Wan's shoulder who in turn jolted awake.
"Easy." Qui-Gon said. "Z wants to see you."
*****
Obi-Wan jumped out of his bed and rushed to the Med Ward. He skidded to a halt and flung the door open, to run into a startled Winna.
"Qui-Gon just wake you?" She asked with a small laugh.
Obi-Wan nodded and flew into where Z was. She was on her cot staring up at the ceiling.
"Z?" He asked.
She turned to him with her head slightly tilted.
"Hey." Her voice was so weak. "You look awful are you OK?"
Obi-Wan rolled his eyes and sighed slumping down into a chair next to the sleep cot. "You sound like Bant. I'm just tired." He looked down at her. "Oh yeah, and I was told to tell you that the devices in our systems have to be taken out immediately. Tonight even. They were also tracking devices. That's how Garmandi, Ona, and Showdow always knew where we were on the different planets and when we were dueling." He stopped realizing Z wasn't paying any attention to him. "Z?"
"I know what you did." She said abruptly looking away with her eyes.
"Who?"
"You, Qui-Gon, and Sage." She looked back at him, a swirl of emotions in her brown eyes. "Thank you."
"No, thank *you*." Obi-Wan sighed. "I have lost so many friends in the past few years, I couldn't loose another as good as you."
"Can I ask you something?"
"Sure, what is it?"
"My memory about everything is kind of hazy." She paused. "Brice killed Garmandi. Didn't he."
It didn't sound like a question to Obi-Wan, but he nodded. "Yes."
"How can someone like that be my father? He doesn't deserve the title!" Z said as loudly as she could. Which wasn't much more than a whisper.
Obi-Wan was a little taken aback by her reaction. "Why would you say that?"
"Look what he has done Obi-Wan. He killed Mik and almost killed me. I am never going to be completely healed. Winna already knows there will be permanent damage besides the obvious scaring."
Obi-Wan looked at her eye where a very clear backwards Z scar was visible. He sighed and pulled his chair closer to the bed. "Z he didn't know Garmandi had you." He said trying to calm his friend. "You didn't see his face when he found out or hear his words when he killed Garmandi."
"I don't want to know." Tears flowed freely down her face onto the blanket covering her.
"Well I think you should know." Obi-Wan said sternly. And with that he went over everything that happened with Brice. Everything from him on Avalin to him asking Sage to take care of her.
"Sage promised?" She asked wide-eyed once he had finished.
"Yes, and I intend to live up to that promise." Sage stood in the doorway leaning up against the framing. "I just got finished speaking with the Council." She paused and came in. She stood next to Z and smiled. "If it is alright with you, I would like to take you as my Apprentice. I'd be honored to finish what Mik started."
Obi-Wan knew if Z could move her face would be all of delight, but it remained still. But her happiness was apparent in her words.
"I'd be honored Sage."
Leaning forward the Master scooped up Zae-Non and hugged her.
With sigh and a grin Sage put her hand on her hips and with her right arm threw back her cloak. There clipped to her belt were two lightsabers. One was Sage's and the other was one Obi-Wan didn't recognize. Obi-Wan knew what Z's looked like and this wasn't it.
When the ship with the healers had arrived a team of Jedi had arrived also to take care of Garmandi; who when Sage had called the Temple wasn't dead. They had gotten Zae-Non's lightsaber back from the dead Master.
Zae-Non glared at the second saber with eyes as wide as they cold be. "That's miks…" She paused. "Didn't I give that to the Council?"
Sage nodded. "Yes you did. They asked me to give it back to you." Her eyes glazed over. "Do you know how Mik received the title of Master?"
Z shook her head as best she could. "No, he never mentioned that."
Sage closed her eyes. "He was a prisoner of war on a hostile planet for five long years. He walked a fine line between life and death everyday." She opened her eyes and fixed her gaze on Z. "What you have survived is no less incredible."
Unclipping the saber from her belt she ran her hands over the curves of Mik's lightsaber.
"This is our way of saying you're never truly alone, just as each rock bear the marks of countless winds and waters we all contain echoes of the people that have matter in our lives." Sage walked to where Z's utility belt rested on a table and clipped Mik's lightsaber next to Z's. "Mik's memory will live on as long as there are people willing to keep it alive." Turning around she leaned on the table and smiled at Z. "Up to the challenge?"
Z smiled back; unshed tears making her eyes glisten. "I always have been."
Feeling awkward in the moment Obi-Wan stood up and went to the door, where he glanced back at Z.
"Obi-Wan wait." Z called out. "Thank you for setting me straight. I wasn't seeing things clearly."
"I've got my own promise to keep." Obi-Wan turned and went out into waiting area. Pausing he turned around and took one last glace at Sage and Zae-Non.
*****
Sage picked herself off of the table she was leaning on and pulled up the chair Obi-Wan had sat in. Sighing she sat down looking into her new Apprentices gleaming eyes.
Staring out she was startled by Zae-Non's soft voice.
"Sage? Are you OK? Some thing wrong?"
"Huh" Sage jolted her head towards Z. "Oh no… I just…" She cut off.
"What is it?" Z pushed.
Standing up Sage went to a closet in the corner and took out two more pillows. Walking over to the bed she held Zae-Non up and she stacked them behind the girls limp body. Laying Z back down she smiled.
"Padawan." The name flowed out so naturally. "There is one little detail we must take care of."
Zae-Non smiled slyly. "What 'little' detail might that be."
"I'm sure you've seen that some of the young people here have a braid." Sage took her hands and tied up part of Z's hair. Leaving a little piece dangle down behind her right ear. "That's the mark of a Padawan learner." Sage carefully split the hair into three separate strands. "One strand represents the Force. One the Master. And one the Apprentice. Together…" Sage began to tightly braid the stands of bright blonde hair together. "Together they form a close and powerful bond. And this also represents the Padawan's devotion to the order." Finishing off the braid she took one hand and put it down into a pouch on her utility belt. She pulled out a bunched up fist and opened her hand slowly. "This was Mik's." A dark green bead laid in her palm.
"How.. how did you get it?" Zae-non asked in bewilderment.
"Mik and I were very close friends. As young Padawans we traded beads and when we became knights we decided to keep them as remembrance of each other." Sage took the bead and slid it onto Z's braid. " The story of the past is always written in the present Z. Decide what you will preserve and what you will leave behind." Clipping the bead at the end of the braid she let the neatly intertwined hair fall to the girl's shoulder. "Done."
*****
Smiling at the new team through the window Obi-Wan thought of his Master. It seemed as though his Master had come to ease with this. Just because Tahl was gone didn't mean he was alone. Sage was right. No one is ever truly alone. Obi-Wan felt Qui-Gon had realized that he would always be there. Even in the tough situations.
~Your right Padawan you were always there. And I'm not ever alone. I'm sorry.~
Obi-Wan blushed as he turned around. Down the hall stood his Master.
~Not while I'm here your not.~
Walking over to his Master he smiled.
"Shall we get some breakfast?" The graying Master asked.
Obi-Wan nodded with a smile. "Master is something wrong?" He asked seeing something in his Qui-Gon's eyes that he couldn't quite place.
"Obi-Wan." Qui-Gon said rather seriously. "I'm proud of the way you handled everything that has happened. You handled it more responsibly than I did when Tahl was missing."
Obi-Wan was at a loss for words. "Thank you Master." Was all he could come up with.
"I've got no doubt in my mind you'll become a knight." He placed a hand on Obi-Wan's shoulder. "And you'll be a great one. You'll do well my Padawan. You'll do well."
Epilogue
"Blast those damn Jedi!" The carver hissed angrily at the dead form of Garmandi.
He watched as the Jedi team that had arrived on the planet lowered the body onto a hover bed and carried him away.
From his perch on the rooftop Showdow looked up at the clear starry sky. "They killed my partners, kept me from getting great pay, and so many years ago cause my misery..." Clenching his fists in rage the alien's eyes narrowed as an evil flame burned in them. "They'll pay… especially that stupid Kenobi brat. Him and Z. If I could have them in a room for just an hour…" A smile. "I'll get them, but for more than a lousy hour."
He looked up to the departing ship. "Enjoy your freedom Jedi scum. You won't have it much longer."
He stood up and began to make his way to the stairway leading to the roof. Walking down the stairs the Carver's anger mounted as he thought of all the pain, misery, torture the Jedi had cause him. All the hurt and suffering. It would never be at peace. Not until he could get revenge. Make them pay for what they did.
"Jinn, and Ketsew will pay for that year… and Gallia if I can get her too…"
Anger now unmanageable Showdow reached the bottom of the stairway on the bottom level of the building and turned to the wall. Punching out with all his rage he hit the wall clear in. He now had a view of the street in from of the building.
"Whoa, bad day?" Came a familiar voice from the door.
Showdow looked over to his red headed friend. "What are you doing here?" he spat.
"I'm looking for you." The man came step out of the carver's way to the street. He went on as they began walking to the ship hanger. "I just finished that job I took…" he paused at the look on Showdow's face.
The carver laughed. "Yeah, so did I. And thanks to those stupid Jedi I'm not getting my pay this month."
"Garmandi and Ona…"
"Dead." Was the flat reply.
A low whistle. "Ouch"
"That's what they are going to be saying."
Showdow's partner smile curled into an insane grin. "Revenge. Sound like fun."
A mischievous smile. "What makes you so sure I'm going to get revenge."
"You wouldn't let them get away with that."
"Jedi. The most powerful beings in the galaxy. I don't think so." He glanced at his friend as he put the ramp down to his ship. "Dev, we have a lot of work to do."
Getting on his ship the carver looked out across the sky again. One of those planets would be the Padawans downfall. "Now when and where to get them is the problem… what to do when that is accomplished. Now that's going to be all my pleasure. And all their pain."
END
~~~~
Well that's all… it's done!! I so can't believe this! Ok ok I gotta calm down. N e wayz please review… duh that was predictable.
NOTE OF IMPORTANCE: THERE IS A SEQUAL TO THIS! but nvm that right now…other notes on next page…
AND A PREVIEW OF THE NEXT BOOK… ::wink wink:: please check it out!
No Promise Broken
The next morning Qui-Gon woke up relatively late. He made his way to the Medical Ward letting Obi-Wan sleep in a little more. He found Sage outside talking with Mace. To his surprise when Mace walked away she had a smile on her face.
"Where's Obi-Wan?" She asked. "I expected him, not you."
Qui-Gon gave a small laugh. "Still sleeping."
Sage nodded. "You can go in and see her if you want. I need to go before the Council." She hurried off after Mace.
Qui-Gon went in, confused. Last night Z was nearly dead and now he could see her? Going into where she was, he saw Winna checking her over.
The Healer turned around to see who had entered the room. She smiled. "I was expecting Obi-Wan or Bant." She went to the door and in a low voice spoke. "She's fine, but still unable to move. Lucky for us we found out Garmandi had injected her with a drug we had an anti-toxin for. Although we were unable to give it to her until the sedatives from her being in the bacta tanks ran through her system. I just gave it to her a few minutes ago."
Qui-Gon looked past Winna. "Thank you." He walked in to where Z lay.
Her face was still pale and she was shivering slightly underneath the blanket. The bacta had done most of its work healing all her outside cuts and bruises. The only visible mark of what had happened was the backwards Z protruding from the corner of her right eye. It was there in a scar, permanently.
Qui-Gon turned around to walk out. He didn't want to disturb her. But a whisper made him turn around.
"Qui-Gon?" Z said in hardly a whisper.
"Yes." He said softly.
"Where's Obi-Wan?"
"Sleeping, but I can get him for you if you'd like."
She smiled weakly. "That would be good. I need to talk with him."
Qui-Gon nodded and made his way to Obi-Wan's quarters. Knocking first and when he was sure he didn't hear a response he entered. His Padawan was sprawled on his cot; his steady breathing all that could be heard.
He walked over and placed a hand lightly on Obi-Wan's shoulder who in turn jolted awake.
"Easy." Qui-Gon said. "Z wants to see you."
*****
Obi-Wan jumped out of his bed and rushed to the Med Ward. He skidded to a halt and flung the door open, to run into a startled Winna.
"Qui-Gon just wake you?" She asked with a small laugh.
Obi-Wan nodded and flew into where Z was. She was on her cot staring up at the ceiling.
"Z?" He asked.
She turned to him with her head slightly tilted.
"Hey." Her voice was so weak. "You look awful are you OK?"
Obi-Wan rolled his eyes and sighed slumping down into a chair next to the sleep cot. "You sound like Bant. I'm just tired." He looked down at her. "Oh yeah, and I was told to tell you that the devices in our systems have to be taken out immediately. Tonight even. They were also tracking devices. That's how Garmandi, Ona, and Showdow always knew where we were on the different planets and when we were dueling." He stopped realizing Z wasn't paying any attention to him. "Z?"
"I know what you did." She said abruptly looking away with her eyes.
"Who?"
"You, Qui-Gon, and Sage." She looked back at him, a swirl of emotions in her brown eyes. "Thank you."
"No, thank *you*." Obi-Wan sighed. "I have lost so many friends in the past few years, I couldn't loose another as good as you."
"Can I ask you something?"
"Sure, what is it?"
"My memory about everything is kind of hazy." She paused. "Brice killed Garmandi. Didn't he."
It didn't sound like a question to Obi-Wan, but he nodded. "Yes."
"How can someone like that be my father? He doesn't deserve the title!" Z said as loudly as she could. Which wasn't much more than a whisper.
Obi-Wan was a little taken aback by her reaction. "Why would you say that?"
"Look what he has done Obi-Wan. He killed Mik and almost killed me. I am never going to be completely healed. Winna already knows there will be permanent damage besides the obvious scaring."
Obi-Wan looked at her eye where a very clear backwards Z scar was visible. He sighed and pulled his chair closer to the bed. "Z he didn't know Garmandi had you." He said trying to calm his friend. "You didn't see his face when he found out or hear his words when he killed Garmandi."
"I don't want to know." Tears flowed freely down her face onto the blanket covering her.
"Well I think you should know." Obi-Wan said sternly. And with that he went over everything that happened with Brice. Everything from him on Avalin to him asking Sage to take care of her.
"Sage promised?" She asked wide-eyed once he had finished.
"Yes, and I intend to live up to that promise." Sage stood in the doorway leaning up against the framing. "I just got finished speaking with the Council." She paused and came in. She stood next to Z and smiled. "If it is alright with you, I would like to take you as my Apprentice. I'd be honored to finish what Mik started."
Obi-Wan knew if Z could move her face would be all of delight, but it remained still. But her happiness was apparent in her words.
"I'd be honored Sage."
Leaning forward the Master scooped up Zae-Non and hugged her.
With sigh and a grin Sage put her hand on her hips and with her right arm threw back her cloak. There clipped to her belt were two lightsabers. One was Sage's and the other was one Obi-Wan didn't recognize. Obi-Wan knew what Z's looked like and this wasn't it.
When the ship with the healers had arrived a team of Jedi had arrived also to take care of Garmandi; who when Sage had called the Temple wasn't dead. They had gotten Zae-Non's lightsaber back from the dead Master.
Zae-Non glared at the second saber with eyes as wide as they cold be. "That's miks…" She paused. "Didn't I give that to the Council?"
Sage nodded. "Yes you did. They asked me to give it back to you." Her eyes glazed over. "Do you know how Mik received the title of Master?"
Z shook her head as best she could. "No, he never mentioned that."
Sage closed her eyes. "He was a prisoner of war on a hostile planet for five long years. He walked a fine line between life and death everyday." She opened her eyes and fixed her gaze on Z. "What you have survived is no less incredible."
Unclipping the saber from her belt she ran her hands over the curves of Mik's lightsaber.
"This is our way of saying you're never truly alone, just as each rock bear the marks of countless winds and waters we all contain echoes of the people that have matter in our lives." Sage walked to where Z's utility belt rested on a table and clipped Mik's lightsaber next to Z's. "Mik's memory will live on as long as there are people willing to keep it alive." Turning around she leaned on the table and smiled at Z. "Up to the challenge?"
Z smiled back; unshed tears making her eyes glisten. "I always have been."
Feeling awkward in the moment Obi-Wan stood up and went to the door, where he glanced back at Z.
"Obi-Wan wait." Z called out. "Thank you for setting me straight. I wasn't seeing things clearly."
"I've got my own promise to keep." Obi-Wan turned and went out into waiting area. Pausing he turned around and took one last glace at Sage and Zae-Non.
*****
Sage picked herself off of the table she was leaning on and pulled up the chair Obi-Wan had sat in. Sighing she sat down looking into her new Apprentices gleaming eyes.
Staring out she was startled by Zae-Non's soft voice.
"Sage? Are you OK? Some thing wrong?"
"Huh" Sage jolted her head towards Z. "Oh no… I just…" She cut off.
"What is it?" Z pushed.
Standing up Sage went to a closet in the corner and took out two more pillows. Walking over to the bed she held Zae-Non up and she stacked them behind the girls limp body. Laying Z back down she smiled.
"Padawan." The name flowed out so naturally. "There is one little detail we must take care of."
Zae-Non smiled slyly. "What 'little' detail might that be."
"I'm sure you've seen that some of the young people here have a braid." Sage took her hands and tied up part of Z's hair. Leaving a little piece dangle down behind her right ear. "That's the mark of a Padawan learner." Sage carefully split the hair into three separate strands. "One strand represents the Force. One the Master. And one the Apprentice. Together…" Sage began to tightly braid the stands of bright blonde hair together. "Together they form a close and powerful bond. And this also represents the Padawan's devotion to the order." Finishing off the braid she took one hand and put it down into a pouch on her utility belt. She pulled out a bunched up fist and opened her hand slowly. "This was Mik's." A dark green bead laid in her palm.
"How.. how did you get it?" Zae-non asked in bewilderment.
"Mik and I were very close friends. As young Padawans we traded beads and when we became knights we decided to keep them as remembrance of each other." Sage took the bead and slid it onto Z's braid. " The story of the past is always written in the present Z. Decide what you will preserve and what you will leave behind." Clipping the bead at the end of the braid she let the neatly intertwined hair fall to the girl's shoulder. "Done."
*****
Smiling at the new team through the window Obi-Wan thought of his Master. It seemed as though his Master had come to ease with this. Just because Tahl was gone didn't mean he was alone. Sage was right. No one is ever truly alone. Obi-Wan felt Qui-Gon had realized that he would always be there. Even in the tough situations.
~Your right Padawan you were always there. And I'm not ever alone. I'm sorry.~
Obi-Wan blushed as he turned around. Down the hall stood his Master.
~Not while I'm here your not.~
Walking over to his Master he smiled.
"Shall we get some breakfast?" The graying Master asked.
Obi-Wan nodded with a smile. "Master is something wrong?" He asked seeing something in his Qui-Gon's eyes that he couldn't quite place.
"Obi-Wan." Qui-Gon said rather seriously. "I'm proud of the way you handled everything that has happened. You handled it more responsibly than I did when Tahl was missing."
Obi-Wan was at a loss for words. "Thank you Master." Was all he could come up with.
"I've got no doubt in my mind you'll become a knight." He placed a hand on Obi-Wan's shoulder. "And you'll be a great one. You'll do well my Padawan. You'll do well."
Epilogue
"Blast those damn Jedi!" The carver hissed angrily at the dead form of Garmandi.
He watched as the Jedi team that had arrived on the planet lowered the body onto a hover bed and carried him away.
From his perch on the rooftop Showdow looked up at the clear starry sky. "They killed my partners, kept me from getting great pay, and so many years ago cause my misery..." Clenching his fists in rage the alien's eyes narrowed as an evil flame burned in them. "They'll pay… especially that stupid Kenobi brat. Him and Z. If I could have them in a room for just an hour…" A smile. "I'll get them, but for more than a lousy hour."
He looked up to the departing ship. "Enjoy your freedom Jedi scum. You won't have it much longer."
He stood up and began to make his way to the stairway leading to the roof. Walking down the stairs the Carver's anger mounted as he thought of all the pain, misery, torture the Jedi had cause him. All the hurt and suffering. It would never be at peace. Not until he could get revenge. Make them pay for what they did.
"Jinn, and Ketsew will pay for that year… and Gallia if I can get her too…"
Anger now unmanageable Showdow reached the bottom of the stairway on the bottom level of the building and turned to the wall. Punching out with all his rage he hit the wall clear in. He now had a view of the street in from of the building.
"Whoa, bad day?" Came a familiar voice from the door.
Showdow looked over to his red headed friend. "What are you doing here?" he spat.
"I'm looking for you." The man came step out of the carver's way to the street. He went on as they began walking to the ship hanger. "I just finished that job I took…" he paused at the look on Showdow's face.
The carver laughed. "Yeah, so did I. And thanks to those stupid Jedi I'm not getting my pay this month."
"Garmandi and Ona…"
"Dead." Was the flat reply.
A low whistle. "Ouch"
"That's what they are going to be saying."
Showdow's partner smile curled into an insane grin. "Revenge. Sound like fun."
A mischievous smile. "What makes you so sure I'm going to get revenge."
"You wouldn't let them get away with that."
"Jedi. The most powerful beings in the galaxy. I don't think so." He glanced at his friend as he put the ramp down to his ship. "Dev, we have a lot of work to do."
Getting on his ship the carver looked out across the sky again. One of those planets would be the Padawans downfall. "Now when and where to get them is the problem… what to do when that is accomplished. Now that's going to be all my pleasure. And all their pain."
END
~~~~
Well that's all… it's done!! I so can't believe this! Ok ok I gotta calm down. N e wayz please review… duh that was predictable.
NOTE OF IMPORTANCE: THERE IS A SEQUAL TO THIS! but nvm that right now…other notes on next page…
AND A PREVIEW OF THE NEXT BOOK… ::wink wink:: please check it out!