Hi everyone!  I'm finally back with another story!  Actually, I finished writing this story quite a while ago, but I didn't post it 'cause I was planning on going back and changing/editing some stuff.  Since then I have gotten sidetracked with many other SW stories (all five of which are WIPs) and haven't gotten back to it.  I've meant to, several times, but it just hasn't happened.  Considering that, I've decided to post it as it is.  I wasn't going to change anything major, and instead I might write a short sequel.  *shrugs*  That might be a while though, 'cause I'm working on other stuff.

Anyway, this story starts off rather slowly but it does get more interesting (at least I hope it does!) so please keep reading (don't make me beg!)

Any and all typos are my fault and my fault alone...if you see any major ones that completely destroy the meaning of the sentence, please do tell me and I will change them. =D

Enjoy! (I hope!)

Title: Flames of Fear

Author: Erika

Rating: PG-13

Summary: After a particularly traumatic mission, Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi respond to a distress signal that will take them to a planet where Obi-Wan's fears will lead him to believe that he has failed his Master and himself.

Time Frame: Obi-Wan is 16

Spoilers: Minor ones for JA

Category: POV, angst, h/c, drama, no Obi-torture but he does get beat up a bit, non-slash

Disclaimers: The Star Wars universe and all of its characters belong to George Lucas, I'm only borrowing them to have a little fun and I promise to return them unharmed (well, at least mostly unharmed =0). I'm making no money from this and this is written for entertainment purposes only. Any characters that are not recognizable as being part of the Star Wars universe belong to me, but you guys probably figured that out, right?

Feedback: Both positive feedback and constructive criticism are greatly appreciated and will be cherished! (firedrake88@yahoo.com)

Archive: Jedi Apprentice, Early Years, Wolfie's Den, JAFD, The Guardians of Peace, The Temple Library, Telly, and archives who have any of my other stories. Anyone else who wants this, please ask and send me a link to your site so that I can check it out. =D

Warning: Some parts of this are very graphic. The part where Obi-Wan gets beat up is NOT but some other people are wounded and in one part in particular I describe them in detail. Do not read if that bothers you.

Things enclosed in 's are telepathic communication through the Master/Padawan bond.

Flames of Fear

~ Part One: Curtailed Recovery ~

Qui-Gon:

          I knocked lightly on the door to the sleeping chambers that Obi-Wan and I were sharing. The shuttle we were taking back to Coruscant was comprised only of small quarters, an even smaller kitchen, and a piloting-room/control-center. Although my Padawan had almost completely recovered from the severe burns he had sustained on our last mission I had insisted that he spend the trip home confined to a comfortable bed.

          "Come in, Master," the boy called out to me.

          I carefully balanced the trey of food in one hand and keyed the entry release with the other. The door slid open in front of me and I quietly stepped into the small room. Obi-Wan was lying on the bed, attempting to perform a calming meditation but he opened his eyes immediately upon hearing the soft humming of the door.

          "I thought you might be hungry," I explained, glancing down at the food I had brought for him.

          Obi-Wan nodded and grinned, trying to show his usual love of food but I could sense a growing uneasiness within him. The boy was extremely skilled at shielding his emotions from me but despite his best attempts to hide his feelings they were so strong that they had been leaking through our bond.

          My Padawan had been trapped in a fire and had nearly burned to death; the event had left him inordinately quiet and had implanted a deep fear within his soul. Nightmares were not uncommon after such an experience but it had been almost two months since the incident and he was still waking up from them nearly every night. Sometimes the dreams were so intense that he woke up screaming and in a blind terror. In such cases it would take over an hour for him to calm down and I would always sit with him, rubbing soothing circles on his back as he tried to fall asleep again.

          I was worried for him. I wanted to help him deal with the fear of fire I knew he now had but I didn't want to push him either. Obi-Wan was always one to try and deal with his problems alone. It was an important aspect of my Padawan's growth to examine and cope with his troubles on his own. As a Jedi it was a skill he had to have, but Obi-Wan wasn't just a Jedi, he was also a young man. This even had been so traumatic for him that I knew he would need help coming to terms with it and would eventually come to me. Until then – until he felt comfortable talking about what had happened – all I could do was be there for him and hope that it was enough.

          "Thank you, Master," Obi-Wan smiled and reached for the food.

          I leaned forward and placed the tray in the boy's outstretched arms, not letting go until I was sure he had it.

          My Padawan hungrily drew the tray towards him and began delving into the mashed potatoes and vegetables that I had made for him. "You've been very considerate of me during my recovery, Master," the boy said between mouthfuls, "and I want to thank you for everything that you've done."

          I seated myself at the side of his bed. Smiling gently I reached out and touched his cheek, "I have done no more for you than you would have done for me if our situations were reversed."

          I moved my fingers from his cheek and instead tugged lightly on the boy's braid, infusing my touch with as much love and comfort as I could. The accident had served to show me how uncertain the future really was and had been the cold splash of water I needed to start being more openly affectionate towards the boy. I didn't want anything to happen to him without him knowing how much I truly cared.

          Obi-Wan blushed slightly and stopped eating long enough to cover my fingers with his own, "I know, thank you."

          "I was worried about you, you know," I spoke softly, practically whispering, "When I saw the paramedics bring you in I thought...I thought that I might lose you. While they worked to save you I was overwhelmed with the desire to be doing something for you, instead of just sitting there waiting to find out if you would live or die."

          This was the first time I had directly mentioned the fire and I sensed Obi-Wan's brief flash of tension and anxiety. "Then I thought back to all the times when our lives have been threatened and I remembered that you never give up. I was still plagued with my fear for your life but I knew that you were fighting with all your power to stay with me and that gave me the comfort I needed to make it."

          I wasn't telling the boy this to force him to examine his memories of what had happened but to show him how much I believed in him and to assure him that he would make it through this. "You're strong, Obi-Wan," I said, "and I know that it's hard, but you're a fighter and you'll overcome this like you have overcome everything else that has ever stood in your way," I took and held the boy's hand tightly, "don't ever forget that."

          Obi-Wan squeezed my hand back and ducked his head shyly as a bright blush covered his cheeks, "Thank you, Qui-Gon," he murmured, "I will not let you down."

          A shrill alarm sounded loudly from the piloting room, harshly interrupting the tender moment between my Padawan and I. Anxiety and despair pulsated in the Force to rush through me. The alarm rung in my mind just as the shrieking bell echoed in my ears. I could feel the pain and hopelessness of hundreds upon hundreds of people and the emotions made my chest ache with worry.

          Something was not right.

Obi-Wan:

          The alarm rung loudly throughout the ship but it was nothing compared to the sheer magnitude of wrongness that was slamming into me through the Force. I could not sense anything specific, simply that a dreadful injustice had been committed. With every part of my heart and soul I felt the terrible horror of people that I could not name or place.

          Qui-Gon shot me an apologetic look before rushing off to see what the problem was.

          I knew that my Master would want me to stay in bed so that I wouldn't tire myself out but the truth was that I had been feeling physically fine for almost two weeks. It wasn't my body that needed to heal, it was my mind. Ever since nearly burning to death I had felt different and uneasy. I was changed, nothing felt right to me. I could never truly relax, unless I was too exhausted to think it felt like I was always on edge. Despite my best attempts at dispelling my fear I found myself completely terrified of fire. Whenever I thought of it my heart and throat would tighten and panic would pulsate through me. When I closed my eyes it was the vision of the leaping, cackling red and orange flames that haunted my vision and…

          I determinedly shook my head and banished those thoughts from my mind. Something was wrong, the alarm sounded its warning to us and the Force confirmed it. I couldn't just stay here while Qui-Gon figured out what was happening; my curiosity and the feelings that the Force was swimming in wouldn't let me.

          I set the tray of food on the small nightstand to the right of my bed and slowly climbed to my feet. The doctors and my Master hadn't allowed me to walk very much during my recovery and I found my legs a little weak. For a moment I was forced to simply stand there, wavering slightly, until my body adjusted to the change. As soon as it had, I quickly followed Qui-Gon.

          I entered the control-center and found my Master hunched over a command panel, watching something intently. There was a small furrow of worry just above his nose but other than that the only clues I received that he was extremely troubled were through our bond. As my skills in the Force progressed, so had my ability to read Qui-Gon's emotions but I still wasn't practiced enough to know why he was disturbed – simply that he was.

          "Master?" I made my presence known, since he obviously hadn't noticed me due to his preoccupation. I knew he would be displeased that I was on my feet but surely he would be able to see that I was fine.

          Qui-Gon slowly lifted his gaze from the command panel and fixed it on me instead, boring into me with the intensity of his silent reprimand. He didn't say anything, but he didn't have to. In his eyes I could read his disappointment towards my lack of patience but also a deeper worry.

          I lowered my eyes and bowed my head slightly, "Forgive me Master," I said, "but I have almost fully recovered and you know it. If something is wrong I want to be able to help you and I can't do that from my bed."

          My Master nodded and a small smile traced his lips, "I know, Padawan. I have been overly concerned for you, that is all." Even in his voice I could hear a subtle difference and knew that something was terribly wrong.

          "What happened?" I asked, unable to restrain myself.

          Qui-Gon sighed heavily, "We have received a priority one distress signal from the nearby planet of T'Cilfnoc," he informed me, gesturing for me to stand next to him, "have you heard of that planet, Obi-Wan?"

          I moved forward until I was at my Master's side, "No, Master," I admitted.

          "The planet is home to two neighboring tribes that have been at war for hundreds of years. No one really knows the root of their conflict. They are so violent towards each other that all outside parties have all but cut off contact with them for fear of becoming involved in a fight that is not their own. The distress signal is from the Ritnal. Their troops are practically surrounded and they have suffered heavy casualties. They have two small medical facilities but with no way to receive reinforcements they are shorthanded and in need of assistance. They are asking for all help that anyone is willing to offer them."

          I sat down in the chair next to Qui-Gon's, "Master," I began, "we will reach Coruscant within six hours. This is a heavily populated system and there are many ships traveling through it at all times. We should advice the nearest medical vessel."

          My Master nodded, "Yes, we should," he agreed but the heaviness in his voice worried me.

          "What is it?" I questioned, touching his arm.

          Qui-Gon met my gaze squarely and in the blue depths of his eyes I could read his concern, as well as his desire to help these people. "You don't understand, my Padawan," he murmured, "no one wants to become involved in this planet's affairs. I doubt that anyone else will answer their call."

          Without taking my eyes away from my Master's I considered this new piece of information. This tribe had asked for help to heal their wounded and despite the situation on their planet they deserved someone to respond. If people were dying we couldn't simply ignore their cry and return home. If no one else would help them, we had to.

          "Then we must go, Master. There are only two of us but if we can save even a handful of people then it will be worth it." Perhaps this would help distract me from my own worries. For the last month and a half I had been doing nothing but lying around and that had given me all too much time think about what had happened and to let the fear grow inside me. Helping save people's lives would give me something to work towards and focus on.

          A flash of pride shown in my Master's eyes but when he spoke I could hear the hesitancy, "You've been through a terrible trauma, Obi-Wan," he cupped my check gently, "and I wanted to give you some time at the Temple to recover. The situation on that planet is dangerous – our lives would be at risk."

          I covered his hand with mine and smiled, "Our lives are always at risk, Master, it's part of who we are and what we do."

          "I know," he conceded, "but even Jedi need to rest every once in a while Obi-Wan. Are you sure?"

          I infused our bond with my conviction, wanting him to know that I truly wanted to help, "People are dying, Qui-Gon. We can help them. I can't let my own worries interfere with that."

          My Master gently took hold of my chin and raised my head until our eyes were locked. Silently he gazed into the depths of my soul while probing the surface of our bond.

          I stayed completely still. I knew what he was doing. He wanted to make sure that I truly wanted this – that he wasn't somehow pressuring me into it or that I wasn't doing it out of some desire to please him. He was worried about me and he needed to know that this wouldn't adversely affect my recovery.

          Finally he nodded his agreement, "Very well then," he said, releasing his hold on me and easing back out of my mind. "I will drop out of hyperspace and tell them that we are on our way. We should arrive in less than a half hour."

          "Good," I smiled and leaned back in my chair.

          Qui-Gon turned to key something into the command panel, "Don't you think that you should go change, Padawan?" I must have looked perplexed for he quickly added, "Unless you actually want to go down in a medical robe," his tone was teasing and a small smile teased at the corners of his mouth.

          I looked down at the loosely fitting clothes that the hospital had given me and realized that changing probably was a good idea. "I'll be back in a few minutes," I said, standing up and making my way back towards the sleeping chambers.

          "Obi-Wan," my Master's voice stopped me and I turned around to see what he wanted.

          "Yes?"

          "To put the wellbeing of others before your own at a time like this shows how true your heart is. It is an honor to have you as a Padawan."

          I was struck speechless. My Master was a very warm man but he didn't express his feelings very often. Usually the sparkle in his eyes and the gentleness of his hand on my shoulder were the only signs of his caring and I was uncertain as to how to respond to this.

          "Thank you," I stuttered, my cheeks reddening with the heat of my blush. "I've learned from the best."

~~~~~~~~~~

          "We can't thank you enough for coming," the young head medic greeted us, "we were afraid that no one would. We've been cut off from the rest of the troops for nearly two months but have managed to hold out by stationing ourselves in secret underground compounds."

          As she spoke the doctor quickly ushered us through the entrance of the hidden medical facility and shut the cleverly camouflaged door behind us. "Unfortunately the Mintra captured some of our men and now know the locations of all our compounds. One by one they have been destroying them. Those who escape are heavily wounded and are sent here. We do not have enough people to treat all the injured and are overcrowded since we can't send any of them home."

          The doctor rushed through the dark halls of the compound and in my present condition I had to struggle to keep up with her and my Master. "With all the patients we have we are using more power then this compound was ever designed to generate. That's why we've had to cut off the west wing," she gestured vaguely about her, "and reroute power to the other sectors."

          For almost five minutes we jogged along in complete silence and darkness until finally we entered one of the powered sections of the compound. The sudden onslaught of light blinded me momentarily but when my eyes adjusted I almost wished that they had not.

          "In order to maximize space we have had to turn the recreational gym into another place to treat patients – there's simply no room for them anywhere else," I the doctor whispered but I was distracted by what I was seeing, not what I was hearing.

          We were standing at the foot of a large room filled with rows upon rows of medical beds with horribly wounded patients. The walls were lined with injured people, some were standing but most had fallen to the floor due to the pain they were feeling. My eyes were flooded with images I knew I would never forget. Some of the patients were covered with horrible burns that had singed their skin black and mired them with streaks of blood that seeped through their charred flesh. Others suffered from blaster shots that riddled their bodies so badly that I could barely tell that they were human. Still others had been wounded in hand to hand combat and were coated in layers of their own blood and sweat.

          Of their own volition, my eyes zoomed in on one patient in particular. He was lying on one of the small hospital beds just a few feet away from me. He had sustained what appeared to be some sort of centralized burn on his chest and was shaking convulsively. A constant moan of pain was being wrenched from his lips and even as he desperately called for help he huddled up into himself in an effort to stop the agony. His clothes were drenched in more blood than he possibly could have lost and with a start I realized that most of it wasn't his own.

          "Please!" he cried out, his voice thick and breaking, "someone help me…please…" his words faltered and lost their strength, filtering into a half silence. His body began to spasm uncontrollably and coughs tore through his body as he wheezed and fought for breath.

          I took half a step towards him but stopped when I felt a gentle hand rest on my shoulder. I glanced at my Master who shook his head sadly, mutely telling me that it was already too late for this man.

          My eyes fell back to the doomed patient. He had nearly fallen off the bed due to the force of his spasms and the strength of his coughs. His eyes were wide and bloodshot; his face was red and streaked by blood of his fallen comrades. For a moment he went completely still but then he heaved and coughed with a violence so great that blood sputtered from his mouth and rolled down the side of his face.

          Unshed tears glistened in my eyes, blurring my vision slightly as the man took one last deep breath and then slumped down onto the bed lifelessly. I stood, frozen in place, unable to wrench my gaze away from his body. What a horrible death. How could anyone have done this to him? How could people be so cruel and heartless as to continue fighting this war when this was the only result? What could possibly be so important that the people of this planet would continue slaughtering each other? How could something like this ever have happened?

TBC…