The Way Things Are Now: Reining Pain (I love that pun!)
By: Alyssa
Disclaimer: I don't own Obi-Wan or any of the Star Wars characters
Summary: Obi-Wan angst. He has been kidnapped to be used in an illegal fighting ring.
Comes after Book 16 of the Jedi Apprentice series, A Call to Vengeance
Obi-Wan tried to think over everything. If he was going to be locked in a cage with a vornskr, there was no way he couldn't fight. They had sharp teeth, a poisonous tail, and most of all, a hatred for Jedi. It would no doubt come after Obi-Wan as soon as it was able, and Obi-Wan could either defend himself, or die.
It was happening again, Obi-Wan realized. He had no power; everything was out of his control. He couldn't decide on what to do, and he couldn't consult anyone either. He was supposed to be fighting in an hour.
"Are you ready?" Mirko's voice came through Obi-Wan's thoughts. Obi-Wan turned and glared at Mirko. Mirko had been able to sneak up on Obi-Wan and Obi-Wan hated that.
"I have an hour." Obi-Wan stated defiantly.
"I thought you might want to check the ring out, seeing how the vornskr has already become accustomed to it." Mirko smiled. Obi-Wan stood to follow Mirko, refusing to admit that he did need to check out the ring.
They walked slowly towards the large metal cage. Obi-Wan could feel fear gaining on him, but he refused to listen to it. He told himself that he was still depressed, and as such, he didn't care about what happened to him. But it wasn't true. Somewhere between the race for his life and his kidnapping, he had forgotten about his selfish woes. Now, more than ever, he wished to be near his Master.
Mirko unlocked the heavy, massive gate and allowed Obi-Wan to enter. He then locked the gate behind him.
"When the vornskr enters, I'll give you the force back. However, as soon as he leaves, I will take it again." He smiled at Obi-Wan. "I couldn't have you escaping now could I?" Obi-Wan looked at him dispassionately and turned to look deeper into the ring. It was big, very big, but Obi-Wan could only hope that he didn't have to do a lot of running. He couldn't rely on his speed. He'd have to climb and think of other ways to elude and injure the animal. He turned towards Mirko again, and spoke with the most calm, calculating voice he could muster.
"Do I get any weapons?" He asked.
"You are allowed a knife since vornskrs have claws and sharp teeth." Mirko answered, noticeably impressed at Obi-Wan's question.
"I'm ready." Obi-Wan whispered.
~~~
"Obi-Wan is strong in the force, I'm sure he has found a way to take care of himself." Mace tried to talk to Qui-Gon as they headed back towards the temple.
"Right now I don't think he has use of the force." Qui-Gon answered quietly, as if he was still thinking about it.
"How is that possible? Someone has found a way to harness the force?" Mace asked with a mixture of amazement and dread. Qui-Gon nodded.
"It's the only explanation. Obi-Wan isn't dead. He's been kidnapped, I'm sure of it. I just can't feel him….." His voice trialed off as they reached the doors.
"I'll assemble the council. Meet there in 10 minutes." Mace told Qui-Gon as he hurried through the door.
~~~
Obi-Wan tried to control his breath, but his heart was pounding. In the last hour the stands around the ring had become packed. All he could hear was a constant yell consisting of bid making, name-calling, and just plain howling. He had yet to see the vornskr. He could hear the people in the closest rows making bids on and against him. Obi-Wan felt his stomach churn and was glad he hadn't eaten.
"The fight will begin in five minutes!" An alien announcer called over a speaker system.
~~~
"We found his robe…." Mace stood next to Qui-Gon in front of the council instead of in his regular seat, "It had blood on it."
Lacking their usual discipline, the masters started to mutter among themselves.
"Blood, there was?" Yoda asked, as a way to silence the others.
"Yes, but I'm sure he is not dead." Qui-Gon answered.
"Feel him, you can?" Yoda asked. Qui-Gon shook his head.
"Qui-Gon believes that the force is being blocked." Mace answered.
"Blocked? What can block the force?" Another council member asked.
"I don't know." Qui-Gon answered.
~~~
Obi-Wan's heart leapt to his throat and he suddenly felt light headed. The vornskr had entered and was growling and snapping its jaws, straining on the end of its chain. It was dark gray in color, with long stringy fur and thick massive legs. It bared its teeth and almost immediately Obi-Wan lost sight of its entire muzzle. Obi-Wan could no longer hear the roar of the crowd, but instead he heard every click of the animal's nails against the cold, metal floor.
It hit Obi-Wan so quickly that he almost fell over. He had forgotten how strong the force could be.
~~~
"Obi-Wan!" Qui-Gon called out, attracting the all the Masters attention. He had had been trying to contact his padawan ever since he'd lost contact, and suddenly he had gotten through.
~~~
Startled at his master's voice he almost missed the advance of the vornskr. Sometime after his receiving of the force, the monster had been released, and it was heading right for him.
~~~
*Silence Master! Please!* He heard his padawan yell. Qui-Gon looked at everyone around him with concern.
"Something is wrong; he wants me to be quiet." Qui-Gon told them, dropping his connection with Obi-Wan.
"Listen, you can." Yoda urged him. Qui-Gon nodded and tuned back into Obi-Wan's mental frequency.
~~~
Obi-Wan had just enough time to jump out of the way of the vornskr's sweeping claws. He landed awkwardly with his back to the animal, and quickly swung around. The knife he clutched felt slippery in his sweaty hand, and he quickly shifted it to the left. The vornskr turned and wasted no time charging again. This time Obi-Wan waited patiently, shifting his weight between his legs and getting ready to spring.
The vornskr was unbearably close now, and the crowd begun to murmur. Obi-Wan gritted his teeth and waited one final moment. The vornskr was then close enough to smell, and Obi-Wan over it twisting in the air. He lunged down with his hand and cut as deeply as he could without losing his knife. He landed on his side and had to scramble to get up. The vornskr was temporarily stunned, but so was Obi-Wan. Somewhere in his twist, the vornskr had managed to twist his head and had caught Obi-Wan's leg with its teeth.
~~~
"He is fighting something, and he has been injured." Qui-Gon spoke distantly as he continued to monitor Obi-Wan's thoughts. Mace shook his head and looked Yoda in the eyes.
~~~
The vornskr was getting to its feet again, and Obi-Wan had to act fast. He ran to his left and leaped as high as he could onto the rungs of the cage. He was a good 15 ft above the floor of the cage, but he climbed higher for safety. The crowd behind him was yelling and booing. It was all Obi-Wan could do to block them out. The vornskr ran towards the wall and snapped angrily as it jumped and tried to reach Obi-Wan.
For the first time he was able to think again, and he realized that Qui-Gon was still there. A new determination filled him, and he felt strong and powerful all at once. He had the force, and he could win. He held on with one hand and gripped the knife firmly in the other.
The audience gasped as Obi-Wan let go and fell right on top of the snarling beast.
~~~
The council was still staring intently at Qui-Gon, waiting for more news. They all caught their breath when they heard him choke shallowly.
"What's happened?" Mace Windu asked, unable to wait for the answer.
"He had taken a risk." Was Qui-Gon's cryptic response.
~~~
He was rolling with the vornskr now, using the force to avoid its teeth, claws, and tail as much as possible. He lashed out with his knife, stabbing the animal over and over again. A tooth brushed against the side of his face and a claw nicked his stomach, but he stayed on target. He punched its eye as hard as he could, and while the beast was stunned, he rolled on top of it slashed its throat, jumped up and ran. As he distanced himself he could hear it gargling on its own blood, and struggling to stand.
He turned right as the vornskr was standing up. It howled and scraped the ground impatiently, but it still had some life in it. He locked eyes with Obi-Wan and began to run as fast as it could. Again, Obi-Wan waited, this time with more composure. As the animal approached, he formulated another plan. When the vornskr was spitting distance away, Obi-Wan jumped into a flip in the air.
He landed squarely on the animal's back, looking over its tail. Quickly as possible, he fell down to be lying flat on his stomach. He then reach down and jammed up with the knife, catching the animal in the gut. The vornskr screeched and its tail lashed out suddenly striking Obi-Wan in the back, but it was too little too late. The wound was fatal, and the dying animal walked its last halting steps and fell down. Obi-Wan rolled off the back and lie dormant on the ground. He still had the force, and was able to fight the stunning poison. He stood shakily and looked into the crowd that was cheering loudly. His caught Mirko in the front and Obi-Wan stared at him. I will escape, he told Mirko silently.
*Master….* Obi-Wan managed, before the force was once again taken away him. Without the force, Obi-Wan immediately collapsed and fell unconscious next to the dead vornskr.
~~~
"He has won." Qui-Gon stated, "But I've lost him again." He added.
"So they can control the force." Mace stated everyone's silent thought. The chamber grew silent.
A/N:
So how did you all like it? I wrote it all today because I knew it had been a long time. It's been busy with the holidays and my first job… anyway, how did you all like that one? Please review!
By: Alyssa
Disclaimer: I don't own Obi-Wan or any of the Star Wars characters
Summary: Obi-Wan angst. He has been kidnapped to be used in an illegal fighting ring.
Comes after Book 16 of the Jedi Apprentice series, A Call to Vengeance
Obi-Wan tried to think over everything. If he was going to be locked in a cage with a vornskr, there was no way he couldn't fight. They had sharp teeth, a poisonous tail, and most of all, a hatred for Jedi. It would no doubt come after Obi-Wan as soon as it was able, and Obi-Wan could either defend himself, or die.
It was happening again, Obi-Wan realized. He had no power; everything was out of his control. He couldn't decide on what to do, and he couldn't consult anyone either. He was supposed to be fighting in an hour.
"Are you ready?" Mirko's voice came through Obi-Wan's thoughts. Obi-Wan turned and glared at Mirko. Mirko had been able to sneak up on Obi-Wan and Obi-Wan hated that.
"I have an hour." Obi-Wan stated defiantly.
"I thought you might want to check the ring out, seeing how the vornskr has already become accustomed to it." Mirko smiled. Obi-Wan stood to follow Mirko, refusing to admit that he did need to check out the ring.
They walked slowly towards the large metal cage. Obi-Wan could feel fear gaining on him, but he refused to listen to it. He told himself that he was still depressed, and as such, he didn't care about what happened to him. But it wasn't true. Somewhere between the race for his life and his kidnapping, he had forgotten about his selfish woes. Now, more than ever, he wished to be near his Master.
Mirko unlocked the heavy, massive gate and allowed Obi-Wan to enter. He then locked the gate behind him.
"When the vornskr enters, I'll give you the force back. However, as soon as he leaves, I will take it again." He smiled at Obi-Wan. "I couldn't have you escaping now could I?" Obi-Wan looked at him dispassionately and turned to look deeper into the ring. It was big, very big, but Obi-Wan could only hope that he didn't have to do a lot of running. He couldn't rely on his speed. He'd have to climb and think of other ways to elude and injure the animal. He turned towards Mirko again, and spoke with the most calm, calculating voice he could muster.
"Do I get any weapons?" He asked.
"You are allowed a knife since vornskrs have claws and sharp teeth." Mirko answered, noticeably impressed at Obi-Wan's question.
"I'm ready." Obi-Wan whispered.
~~~
"Obi-Wan is strong in the force, I'm sure he has found a way to take care of himself." Mace tried to talk to Qui-Gon as they headed back towards the temple.
"Right now I don't think he has use of the force." Qui-Gon answered quietly, as if he was still thinking about it.
"How is that possible? Someone has found a way to harness the force?" Mace asked with a mixture of amazement and dread. Qui-Gon nodded.
"It's the only explanation. Obi-Wan isn't dead. He's been kidnapped, I'm sure of it. I just can't feel him….." His voice trialed off as they reached the doors.
"I'll assemble the council. Meet there in 10 minutes." Mace told Qui-Gon as he hurried through the door.
~~~
Obi-Wan tried to control his breath, but his heart was pounding. In the last hour the stands around the ring had become packed. All he could hear was a constant yell consisting of bid making, name-calling, and just plain howling. He had yet to see the vornskr. He could hear the people in the closest rows making bids on and against him. Obi-Wan felt his stomach churn and was glad he hadn't eaten.
"The fight will begin in five minutes!" An alien announcer called over a speaker system.
~~~
"We found his robe…." Mace stood next to Qui-Gon in front of the council instead of in his regular seat, "It had blood on it."
Lacking their usual discipline, the masters started to mutter among themselves.
"Blood, there was?" Yoda asked, as a way to silence the others.
"Yes, but I'm sure he is not dead." Qui-Gon answered.
"Feel him, you can?" Yoda asked. Qui-Gon shook his head.
"Qui-Gon believes that the force is being blocked." Mace answered.
"Blocked? What can block the force?" Another council member asked.
"I don't know." Qui-Gon answered.
~~~
Obi-Wan's heart leapt to his throat and he suddenly felt light headed. The vornskr had entered and was growling and snapping its jaws, straining on the end of its chain. It was dark gray in color, with long stringy fur and thick massive legs. It bared its teeth and almost immediately Obi-Wan lost sight of its entire muzzle. Obi-Wan could no longer hear the roar of the crowd, but instead he heard every click of the animal's nails against the cold, metal floor.
It hit Obi-Wan so quickly that he almost fell over. He had forgotten how strong the force could be.
~~~
"Obi-Wan!" Qui-Gon called out, attracting the all the Masters attention. He had had been trying to contact his padawan ever since he'd lost contact, and suddenly he had gotten through.
~~~
Startled at his master's voice he almost missed the advance of the vornskr. Sometime after his receiving of the force, the monster had been released, and it was heading right for him.
~~~
*Silence Master! Please!* He heard his padawan yell. Qui-Gon looked at everyone around him with concern.
"Something is wrong; he wants me to be quiet." Qui-Gon told them, dropping his connection with Obi-Wan.
"Listen, you can." Yoda urged him. Qui-Gon nodded and tuned back into Obi-Wan's mental frequency.
~~~
Obi-Wan had just enough time to jump out of the way of the vornskr's sweeping claws. He landed awkwardly with his back to the animal, and quickly swung around. The knife he clutched felt slippery in his sweaty hand, and he quickly shifted it to the left. The vornskr turned and wasted no time charging again. This time Obi-Wan waited patiently, shifting his weight between his legs and getting ready to spring.
The vornskr was unbearably close now, and the crowd begun to murmur. Obi-Wan gritted his teeth and waited one final moment. The vornskr was then close enough to smell, and Obi-Wan over it twisting in the air. He lunged down with his hand and cut as deeply as he could without losing his knife. He landed on his side and had to scramble to get up. The vornskr was temporarily stunned, but so was Obi-Wan. Somewhere in his twist, the vornskr had managed to twist his head and had caught Obi-Wan's leg with its teeth.
~~~
"He is fighting something, and he has been injured." Qui-Gon spoke distantly as he continued to monitor Obi-Wan's thoughts. Mace shook his head and looked Yoda in the eyes.
~~~
The vornskr was getting to its feet again, and Obi-Wan had to act fast. He ran to his left and leaped as high as he could onto the rungs of the cage. He was a good 15 ft above the floor of the cage, but he climbed higher for safety. The crowd behind him was yelling and booing. It was all Obi-Wan could do to block them out. The vornskr ran towards the wall and snapped angrily as it jumped and tried to reach Obi-Wan.
For the first time he was able to think again, and he realized that Qui-Gon was still there. A new determination filled him, and he felt strong and powerful all at once. He had the force, and he could win. He held on with one hand and gripped the knife firmly in the other.
The audience gasped as Obi-Wan let go and fell right on top of the snarling beast.
~~~
The council was still staring intently at Qui-Gon, waiting for more news. They all caught their breath when they heard him choke shallowly.
"What's happened?" Mace Windu asked, unable to wait for the answer.
"He had taken a risk." Was Qui-Gon's cryptic response.
~~~
He was rolling with the vornskr now, using the force to avoid its teeth, claws, and tail as much as possible. He lashed out with his knife, stabbing the animal over and over again. A tooth brushed against the side of his face and a claw nicked his stomach, but he stayed on target. He punched its eye as hard as he could, and while the beast was stunned, he rolled on top of it slashed its throat, jumped up and ran. As he distanced himself he could hear it gargling on its own blood, and struggling to stand.
He turned right as the vornskr was standing up. It howled and scraped the ground impatiently, but it still had some life in it. He locked eyes with Obi-Wan and began to run as fast as it could. Again, Obi-Wan waited, this time with more composure. As the animal approached, he formulated another plan. When the vornskr was spitting distance away, Obi-Wan jumped into a flip in the air.
He landed squarely on the animal's back, looking over its tail. Quickly as possible, he fell down to be lying flat on his stomach. He then reach down and jammed up with the knife, catching the animal in the gut. The vornskr screeched and its tail lashed out suddenly striking Obi-Wan in the back, but it was too little too late. The wound was fatal, and the dying animal walked its last halting steps and fell down. Obi-Wan rolled off the back and lie dormant on the ground. He still had the force, and was able to fight the stunning poison. He stood shakily and looked into the crowd that was cheering loudly. His caught Mirko in the front and Obi-Wan stared at him. I will escape, he told Mirko silently.
*Master….* Obi-Wan managed, before the force was once again taken away him. Without the force, Obi-Wan immediately collapsed and fell unconscious next to the dead vornskr.
~~~
"He has won." Qui-Gon stated, "But I've lost him again." He added.
"So they can control the force." Mace stated everyone's silent thought. The chamber grew silent.
A/N:
So how did you all like it? I wrote it all today because I knew it had been a long time. It's been busy with the holidays and my first job… anyway, how did you all like that one? Please review!
