Thanks for the Reviews! Harriet ( Hmm, that's a long story and I wasn't really able to put it in this chapters so I sent it to you by email. Hope you understand it, if you don't then tell me and I'll explain further. Enjoy this chapter, and thank you again!) Padawan Anika (Welcome to the party Arien! I'm glad you like everything so far. I would have uppied like a week ago but FF decided it didn't want to work for a while. Oh well, hopefully, *Crosses her fingers* I'll have the next chapter up by 2 or 3 days at the MOST! Maybe even tomorrow. It's finished but I'll be waiting on reviews, lol. Enjoy!) Shen Panda (NO WAY! You have to review this chapter! Oh well I guess, I certainly hope you'll get to the next one…I'm not telling you why either AHAHAHAHA!  ..Noooo can't say I'd be a major fan of LotR. I've seen it but I'm not a BIG fan, just a fan. I can't remember that line. I know the scene, just not the line lol. Anyhew, happy reading!)

I'm not going to say a thing about this chapter cept lots of saber action going on here for a while. Enjoy, and Happy Reading!

Here's the summary for the shortie fic that I'm not sure about. Tell to me post it or delete it. Thank you! Qui-Gon's in the wrong place at the wrong time..with the wrong person. Now, after Jesi is recognized from a past alias and she makes an excuse using him for the center,  he and Jesi have to lead a raid on a Pleasure Escort auction and those with it. No romance as always. Pre-The Line, Post-Nothing Left to Have by about a month and a half. Of course there is humor in there, it wouldn't be one of my shorties if there wasn't right? Lol. Tell me to post or not!

The other shortie I will most certainly post. *Isn't going to give summary yet….Ahahahahaha!* I'm just going to tell you it starts out funny, then gets a bit more serious but not too dramatically much. Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, and Jesi are all key players. Mainly Obi-Wan lol. Poor little bugger.

Ch. 13 Treading Dark Waters

"Getting a bit slow in your older years, eh Master?" Grifth asked twisting his saber in his hand watching Windu on the other side.

"And it seems you've just become more talkitive, Trace." Mace said lowly.

"That's not my name!" Grifth boomed striking out.

Windu blocked it easily and the one following it to his ribs. He locked their sabers together and pushed off of him with the Force causing him to tumble back. He sprang up again quickly ready for any attack but there was none.

"Are we having a soft moment?" He growled. "I never recall the end in a sparring match in the middle of the night!"

"Why do you fear what you were, Trace?" Mace said pointedly.

Grifth was becoming angry and unfocused by these questions plaguing him.

"I fear nothing!" He snapped rushing forward but Windu simply slid the blade aside with his own and forced him to by pass.

"You feared something, that's why you turned." Mace stated.

"I turned because of you. Because I hated you with all I was!" Grifth panted.

"You didn't then."

"I did!"

"Not then."

"Don't tell me what I felt old Jedi! You know nothing." Grifth shouted striking out.

When Mace blocked it he struck again, and again, blindly. He went for his stomach, but was parried. He moved for his leg but he blocked. He tried for his neck but Windu ducked. Chest, block. Side, clash, block. Strike down, parry. Circling he struck out with all his power but was only met by the sizzling of blades together causing an eerie maroonish color surrounding them in the scent of sweat and burning blades.

"You can't win here. Give up Trace. We can still help you." Mace said over the sizzling.

"Fool, no one can help me. Xanatos can only aide me in my journey."

"Why him?"

"Because he's becoming more powerful than even you." Grifth growled twisting out of the clash striking again to be block then he disappeared, leaping into the rafters and catwalks above them.

Mace looked up into the shadows. He was gone before he even saw a shadow. He depowered his saber, and with that last hint of blue went the last hint of hope for his former apprentice.

~~~~~~~~~

Adi and Kigal ran into the lighted entrance of the healers wing. Healers suddenly swormed them seizing the child from Adi. Siri quickly found her way to her Master.

"Did you get the little girl here safely Padawan?" Adi asked placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Yes Master. She's now with her brother with the rest of the Council."

"Good, good. You did well." Adi said with a smile. Siri returned it and they looked at the group of healers bringing the boy to examination.

"Missing a few, you are." Yoda said making his way towards them.

"Master Windu was seperated from the three of us. We should go back." Adi said suddenly.

"Fine is Master Mace." Yoda told her motioning down the darkened corridor to the shadowed figure approaching. "Missing still two, you are. Never returned, did Jesi and her companion. Related, hmm?"

"Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan went to find Jesiana. I thought they'd be back by now…Master Yoda, Trace is working with Xanatos. He's here." Adi told the small master.

"Knew this I did not, hinted to it the Force did. Listen to it, none of us did. Senses coming back, hmm?" Yoda said.

"Jesiana must have reversed the system before, or if, anything happened. Everything is still hazy though Master, to me any way." Adi told him.

"I'm still uncentered as well." Siri added in.

"In time, things will return. As for now, three children have we to protect. Configure a group to search for our missing, we will." Yoda said moving towards the room in which all of the healers and the infant boy had disappeared.

Mace stopped at the entrance of the wing looking in. Something wasn't right still…He could do nothing of the feeling and entered further following Adi and Siri behind Yoda.

~~~~~~~~~

Qui-Gon had paused when he heard Obi-Wan but broke into a dead run when the clash of sabers echoed through the tunnel.

//I'm coming Obi-Wan.//

Obi-Wan was too focused to reply…Or at least that's what he hoped was keeping the youth from replying.

Jinn skidded to a stop in the large entrance. The sudden entrance made Xanatos pause in his collision of sabers with Obi-wan. The younger Jedi didn't hesitate and black lashed from the clash sweeping his saber towards his stomach. Xanatos skidded back away from it becoming angry and cutting down at the Jedi Apprentice.

By this time Qui-Gon had gotten over his initial shock and rushed forward, his green saber blade blowing to life. Over the many battles Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan were in together they were able to read eachother's movements like a novel. The slightest eye set could change the entire course of the fight for better or for worse.

Obi-Wan quickly slid under the blade that Xanatos swept over him and rolled around the back off him bringing his full attention away from the Master nearing. Xanatos went half way for the fall turning and striking out, but he took the advantage that Obi-Wan gave him by pushing of the red blade. He spun around parrying the green glow striking from behind. From here on was a simple game of balance and readiness for him. They two Jedi were too balanced in a way. Each would strike in turn rather than both at one time that could easily mortalize him.

The red blade swept back and forth between them blocking in turn each attempt. They were both using more and more force with every blow but this did not tire him in the least. It was something of a rush to him, giving him the extra boost he needed.

This was getting tiring, he disliked being on the defensive. It was about time to start fighting a little more…resourcful.

He threw off Jinn's blow and ducked from Obi-Wan's turning as he did so completely and ending up on the further side of the apprentice. He struck out but Jinn had pushed the student out of the way blocking for him. Xanatos pushed off his blade stepping forward and thrusting his elbow into the Master's chin causing him off balance. He turned, setting his foot directly behind Jinn's and spun readying to stab forward. To his annoyance Kenobi intercepted him before the maneuver was even complete.

Qui-Gon, in that case, used his own advantage. With Xanatos's foot right behind his, he threw his heel into the Dark Jedi's shin and spun forcfully throwing his other knee into the back of his leg just above his knee. This caused the muscle spasm he wanted, a dead leg.

Xanatos dropped to one knee about to strike up but the crystal blue blade of Kenobi and the emerald green of Jinn where on either side of his neck, waiting for anything.

Xanatos paused and the three just breathed heavily in the silence.

"Yield." Jinn ordered.

"I'd rather die a thousand deaths than yield to the likes of you." Xanatos spat hitting away Obi-Wan's blade and ducking under Jinn's.

He rolled down and under springing up blocking Obi-Wan's attempt at his chest. While the blades locked for just an instant he slid one of his hands away from the hilt and through Obi-Wan's arm. The blades detangled and he put his other arm on the other side of Kenobi's and pulled and pushed at the same time with the Force and anger in his muscles. A snap echoed out along with a sudden voicing of pain.

Kenobi's saber dropped from his now limp hand and Xanatos moved to stab into his exposed back. Qui-Gon was there too quickly however and blocked, hitting the ruby blade away and kicking out into his chest forcing him to release the apprentice and stumble back.

Xanatos allowed a smirk at the small victory over the apprentice. Qui-Gon stayed only a step or two infront of the now temporarily crippled youth.

"Should I make that permanent?" Xanatos asked between heavy breaths.

"You won't have the chance." Qui-Gon said lowly.

Xanatos chuckled turning with more grace than Qui-Gon recalled him having spinning the red saber over his head and striking out of the Master. Qui-Gon blocked rolling off the attack and swiping towards his knees. Xanatos hopped back and stabbed forward only to be dodged. Pulling the Force into his muscles he pushed a hand out sending the Jedi flying back nearly 3 meters.

The Dark Jedi turned on the youth who was still squated down, his crippled arm next to his chest and his saber in his other hand. Xanatos struck out right near the hilt of the blade making the youth have to stammer back, but he couldn't in his position. It was fall back, or get his good hand cut off. Obi-Wan fell back. Using this Xanatos brought his blade down hard.

"No!" Qui-Gon shouted rushing towards them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jesi ran down the dark corridor as quickly as she could. It seemed to take her forever to get out of the water system and it was taking even longer to get to the computer controll room. Finally she flew into through the still open door and rushed towards the back to the lap top. Opening it she looked at 4 digital numbers. At the moment they read, 12:43. She had exactly 12 minutes and 43 seconds to stop this.

With a haggered sigh she went past the numbers into the computer's memory. After a few moments she nearly groaned aloud at what she saw. Every link in which this gas was being given was sent to another computer in the corridor. She'd have to go to every one and shut them down. When she did that the gas would be elimanated by it's opposite.

She also discovered that the gas was in a cycle, a barrier. It circled around only one area, exactly from it's origin around 20 feet in diameter. The opposite and stabilizer would take up the same cycle extinguishing it.

Hopefully, as a last resort, she could at least get it to only one or two rooms in which the explosion would occur.

Jesi jumped back up and out the room but back tracked suddenly. She looked at Macrus's fallen form. Near his head was the com link she had forgotten he had. Rushing forward she grabbed it, seeing it was still operational and fit she clipped the radiator to her side and put the head set on.

"Hello? Can anyone hear me?" She asked switching through the frequencies as she ran out of the room.

~~~~~~~~~~

"Hel-o…Any-e ar me?" Mace was the one that heard it first and he looked to the side of the room to the chair Jesi had sat in nearly an hour ago.

"Hello? Anyone.." Standing abrutly he caught the eyes of the rest of the room. Yoda, Ki-Adi-Mundi, and Knight Kigal looked at him as he quickly crossed the room.

Mace tipped the seat over and a com link dropped down. Picking it up quickly he replied, "Repeat yourself."

Kigal frowned looking at him.

Jesi nearly stopped she was so surprised. She snapped out of it and kept running to the end of the corridor. "This is Stafferi. Who is this?"

"Master Windu."

Jesi grunted. "Listen to me. The men that are here, they changed the operation computer. An explosive gas is in the air here, and it's going to explode by a small spark in each room in.." Jesi looked at the timer near her. "..11 minutes and 57 seconds. Understand? You have to evacuate everyone in the levels above me."

Mace frowned as did the other three in the room. "Where are you?"

"In the control corridor, lower level." She replied. She sounded like she was running.

"That's right below us." Ki-Adi pointed out the obvious.

"Are you sure we have to evacuate? You can't stop it? We could send help-"

"I think I can stop it, but I'd rather be a whole hell of a lot safer than sorry. Don't send help! Do Not Send Anyone Down Here! Every system has to be shut down one at a time and I can do it faster alone." Jesi told him.

"Jesi, listen, if you even remotely think that you won't make it out of there, just go. Everyone will be out of here." Mace told her firmly.

"Got it Master Windu." Jesi told him.

"Evacuate the wing." Windu ordered. Ki-Adi and Kigal left the room.

"Master Windu!" Kigal suddenly said coming back. "I think I know a way to get a visual on Cpt. Stafferi. Would you like me to try..er, do that?"

"Yes, hurry."

"I need the link." Kigal said opening his hand. Mace threw it to him and the young knight was out the door in an instant.

Yoda and Mace looked at eachother.

"Chaos, this has become." Yoda said softly.

"We can beat them." Mace replied firmly.

Yoda simply nodded before exiting into the wave of people. Windu soon followed.

~~~~~~~~~~

Obi-Wan brought his blade as quickly as he could across his own chest to block the strike. Xanatos's strength weighed down on his one hand and the two criss-crossed blades neared his chest.

"Impaled by your own weapon, what a shameful way to die." Xanatos said pressing down harder.

The burn that rocked through Obi-Wan's chest was horrible. His own blade's heat combined with Xanatos's burned his skin under his tunic and gradually began to cut into him. Nearly half the width of his own blade was burning into him before Xanatos was suddenly thrown off forcfully. Obi-Wan's threw his blade away from his chest and focused on breathing, and accepting the pain.

"Such anger." Xanatos mocked as he rolled to stand away from Jinn who glared at him fiercly.

It was Qui-Gon who attacked this time sweeping out his blade towards Xanatos's side. The Dark Jedi blocked but he wasn't quite ready for the series of powerful attacks that followed.

Strike, stab, fall back, stab, cut, swipe, fall back. All Qui-Gon could think of was attacks and all he wanted was to not be plagued by his former apprentice anymore. He'd come here and tried to distroy too many lives that meant so much to him. He wasn't going to do it again. No, this was it. This was the last time he'd ever see him again.

Qui-Gon drove him to the edge of the walk in his attacks. Below by nearly 30 feet was the hard water that moved so swiftly.

"You think this is the last you'll see of me?" Xanatos growled as their blades crossed between them. He was nearly on the edge now.

"You're dead wrong. I'll be seeing you again." He snapped thrusting his foot into the Jedi's stomach and pushing himself back, off the ledge. He tumbled through the air and hit the water with a slap. Qui-Gon truly wondered if he survived that one..but he always did now didn't he?

He turned his attention back to Obi-wan who was still on his back near the wall. Jinn hurried to him depowering his saber.

"Obi-Wan?" He asked quietly.

"I'm f-fine." Obi-Wan said with a shudder.

Jinn frowned. He wasn't fine. "Obi-Wan, slide into a healing trance, you won't be able to feel me move you then."

Obi-Wan nodded shallowly and his eyes slipped closed. When his breathing evened out and his tense body relaxed a little Qui-Gon clipped his saber on his belt along with Obi-Wan's and gathered the youth up rushing away with him into the shadows above the still rippling water.

** Nearly 6 minutes later **

"I think I got it…" Kigal said tightly still typing through the computer he had powered up. "..I got it!" He exclaimed. Mace and Adi quickly came behind his chair leaning forward looking at the screen.

"What do you mean? She's not there." Adi said.

"The only functional surveillance down there is the main corridor one. She's probably in one of the rooms." Kigal told her pointing at one of the doors on the side.

Silence stood then Jesi ran out of one of the doors to the next one.

"There. See?" Kigal said before she disappeared again.

"Do we still have contact with her?" Mace asked.

"Yes sir." Kigal said flipping a switch. A vocal reading line showed on the screen. "That line below it is her heartbeat, IGPG customary."

"Jesi? Can you hear us?" Mace asked, the vocal line moving as he did.

After a moment Jesi replied, "Yes, but I can't concentrate when you're talking in my ear."

Windu grunted.

"Master Jinn!" Kik'Rin exclaimed from across the center building lobby. "What happened?" She asked rushing towards him, several other healers stood from their seated possisions following.

"Long story. You must help him." Qui-Gon said urgently.

"We had to evacuate the healer's wing, I can't bring him in there." Kik'Rin explained.

"Bring him over here." She ordered. Qui-Gon followed and put his apprentice gently onto an open area of ground aware of eyes on them. Masters tried to distract the younger children by suddenly starting a story or something else.

"He's in a healing trance then?" Kik'Rin asked looking Kenobi over.

"Yes."

"This doesn't look too serious for now. The four of us can help him until the threat is gone." Kik'Rin said glancing at the 3 with her.

"What threat?" Qui-Gon questioned. The Twi'lek just motioned towards Mace and Adi and closed her eyes.

Qui-Gon stood hesitantly and hurried to them. "What's going on? Why did you eva-" He stopped himself looking at the screen seeing Jesi run across it.

"Xanatos and Trace remodeled the system Jesi disabled. A gas is being pumped into the air down there and it will explode in…" Mace glanced at the time. "4 minutes and 13 seconds."

Qui-Gon's stomach turned. "Then what is she doing? Get her out of there."

"She's disabling the systems one by one. That's the only way to stop it." Adi told him.

"It's not going to hurt anyone now, get her out!" Qui-Gon demanded.

"Qui-Gon, keep it down." Jesi said over the mic.

He looked at the screen.

"Jes-"

"Shush." She ordered.

Qui-Gon looked at Adi and Mace who could only shrug slightly.

~~~~~~~~~

Jesi focused herself further on her task. Exactly 4 minutes and 9 seconds left…she had 4 rooms to go, that's about a minute per room. She could do this.

She typed in the last command and the running of air compressing inside the computer stopped. The dim glow of the threatening heat inside vanished and she ran to the next room.

She did the same again, leaving with 3 minutes and 43 seconds left.

She did the next on even faster and ran with 2 minutes and 57 seconds left.

She cursed herself as she entered the next room. Her hands were shaking making her mistype a few times. Whatever Xanatos had given her was wearing off.

She shut the system down with one minute and 56 seconds left.

She ran into the last room only to be thrown back out. She slid along the floor of the main corridor a few feet and shook her dazed head. Grifth stepped out of the room looking at her, flexing his fist that had connected with her jaw.

"Nice to see you Jesi."

"You're not going to be seeing anything if you don't let me in that room." Jesi snapped getting up.

"I can deal with that. I'm not afraid to die." Grifth smirked swinging at her again.

"You should be, you'll be roasting in the depths of hell." She spat ducking and throwing her knee into his stomach.

He groaned and she ran past him but he spun around grabbing her throwing her into the wall and pinning her there.

"You've been too much trouble for me." He growled. Jesi eyed his saber at his belt and shifted…how long did she have left now?!

"I don't have time for your rambling." She snapped kicking her heel into the top of the saber, near the clip. It broke off and skidded away. Jesi then threw him off with her foot again and dove for it. He followed suit and struggled over her to gain it but she already had it turning over and ignited it pointing it into his chest.

She grimaced as his blood from his mouth dripped onto her and pushed him off letting go of the hilt and standing quickly…which she shouldn't have done as her balance and strength suddenly slipped away.

~~~~~~~~

Qui-Gon let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding when the blade went through Trace. He glanced at Mace and Adi put her hand on his shoulder, but he did nothing. Qui-Gon understood he had already come to terms that Trace was already truly gone before now.

He looked back to the screen to see Jesi stand…but then tumble back down into a crumpled heep.

No…

She looked as though she were trying to move but couldn't.

Jesi, get up. He silently ordered.

He looked at the vocal line and motioned for Kigal to get out of the chair. He did and Qui-Gon took his place leaning forward.

"Get up Jes." He told her.

She shifted hearing him.

"Get up." He demanded.

Jesi grunted through the line and tried to at least sit up.

Qui-Gon looked at the time lift…33 seconds..

"Get Up Jesi. Now. Get Up and Run." He ordered.

Jesi groaned and the heart beat on the screen faltered a beat then returned. What was wrong with her?

"Jesi Stand Up! Get up!" Qui-Gon ordered looking at the time…30..

Jesi got onto her hands and knees and gently pushed herself up. She swayed slightly and looked down the corridor, then into the room.

"No, come back. Run Jesi, it's too late." Qui-Gon told her.

She glanced down the corridor again. She took a step towards the other end but then turned suddenly back towards the room.

"Don't!"

"Something's wrong.." Was all she said before she ripped the ear piece out of her ear and let it dangle on her shoulder.

"Jesi!" Qui-Gon demanded an answer as she disappeared into the room.

"Master Windu! We're missing one of the children!" Apalla exclaimed standing suddenly. "Intiate Jayce Rigbei is missing."

"You just discovered this now?!" Adi exclaimed.

"I'm sorry! He was just here!" Apalla shouted.

"Where was he last?" Mace demanded.

"..In the healers wing."

Adi motioned for 2 knights to come with her as she ran back.

"Adi!" Mace called but she didn't slow.

21 seconds.

Qui-Gon watched the time and the screen willing it not to show what he dreaded to see. Flames.

Don't show it.

He glanced back at Obi-Wan…He needed the Healer's wing..Jayce was still in there..Stop it Jes. What if she didn't make it back out? What would be tell Obi-Wan? …No, she'd make it out. She'd been in worse than this he was sure. She'd make it.

14 seconds.

~~~~~~~~~

Jesi tried to keep her eyes focused on the screen. It continued to blurr in and out and she shook her head. She had enough time. She had to do this, something was wrong. She had to.

She glanced to the side. There was a small window in which she could escape if it came too late. She could do this.

10 seconds.

She suddenly realized something as the screen froze infront of her and it felt like a cold hand had slid down her back.

~~~~~~~

Adi and the group were just now beginning to shadow out in the wing.

"They're coming!" Someone watching for them yelled.

"They have him!" Another shouted.

Relief filled the air.

Qui-Gon's eyes were still glued to the screen…8 seconds.

Jesi get out of there.

7

6

5

4

She wasn't going to do it in time.

3

This can't be happening.

2

What would Obi-Wan do when he found out?

1

She is  a mother to him…She has children again.

0

Qui-Gon Jinn closed his eyes as the screen suddenly went black just after a bright light ripped through the room he was watching. A rumble came from the Healer's Wing and the sound of stone crumbling matched the sound of the screams. Heat pressed into them, but not a lot. Flames shot up from the back of the wing and then died quickly, when they could only hear the crackle of the wood splintering from the crashing of stone and the heat of the blast.

When things quieted, except for the cracking of wood someone neared the wing. "It's only the back part. Nursery maybe." They announced.

So it was just that room. She had turned the other's off enough to lower the damage. She did what she had set out to do.

"Get the fire droids up!" Mace ordered.

People bussled around him but Qui-Gon just looked at the screen. He was shocked yes. Sad, yes. Mourning even, yes. But most of all he was afraid. Afraid of how he was going to tell Obi-wan.

His eyes slid to the youth still with 4 healers around him between the rushing people. He was oblivious to what had just happened. How his life had just changed, for the lack of, this time. He was in darkness, in bliss…for now.

To Be Concluded…

Last Chapter will be up in no time. What do you think? I kinda feel sorry for Jesi now…Crud.. *Sigh* Tell me what you think!

Till Later,

Elli

P.S. Get the tissues out for next chapter! *Has been writing it…* WHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!! *Bawls like a baby!*