Part IV
Obi-Wan Kenobi said goodbye to the old woman and her son, who were kind enough to give him a ride to the memorial service, and turned towards the stage.
"Obi-Wan wait," the woman said, "would you like us to stay with you until you find your family? There is a lot of people here."
"No, thank you. I'm supposed to meet them back stage they're expecting me. I'll be fine, don't worry," the boy told them wishing he could believe it himself.
"Young man, I am the mother of five children and twelve grandchildren, worrying is what I do best."
Obi-Wan smiled at the old woman, and decided that he hoped that his mother was as kind and humorous as this woman.
"Take care of yourself Obi-Wan," the woman's son Wol said.
"I will, and thanks again for the ride," Obi-Wan said and turned back towards the stage and started to slowly walked towards it.
On the stage a woman sang a beautiful song about a lonely mans journey through life. If he had not been anxious to find the Jedi, before he ran into Hultz or Avery, he would have enjoyed listening to the beautiful song.
As he made his way to the stage, Obi-Wan looked back and forth through the crowd, to watch for any sign of Avery or Hultz. He could not help but feel as if he should have taken the Jedi Master that he had spoken to over the comm Unit's advice and let the Jedi come to him.
Looking straight ahead of him he could see the entryway to the backstage area, and the security officers that stood near the entrance. On opposite side of the stage from the security officers, Obi-Wan saw a tall man with a beard and long hair watching him intently. A woman with dark skin and dark hair stood just behind him, and was also looking at him. There was something very familiar about the both of them, although the man seemed even more familiar to him.
Obi-Wan tried to quicken his pace, when he felt a hand tightly grab a hold of his shoulder, preventing him from moving forward. As he turned around to see who was behind him he felt something hard jabbed into his back, and he stiffened, he knew that it was most likely the barrel of a blaster.
"Hello, Jedi boy, we've been expecting you," Avery's unmistakable voice said. "Now you are going to walk with us towards the Northern section of this building where it is still under construction. And if you cause any trouble at all, Hultz will kill your Jedi friend. I believe I heard her master call her Siri. Hultz and Siri are waiting for us in the Northern section."
"I don't remember anyone named Siri," Obi-Wan said glancing over at the man and woman who were still watching him.
"Do you want to risk us killing her whether you did know her or not?" Avery asked, pushing the blaster harder into his back. Obi-Wan knew that his back would be bruised, if he survived this.
"Ok lets go," Obi-Wan said letting the larger man lead him away from the stage and the waiting Jedi. Obi-Wan could only hope that the man and woman that were watching him were Jedi Knights, who had recognized him and would come and help him.
* *** * *** *
Siri Tachi stood near the stage watching the beautiful woman sing about the journey of a lonely mans life, and felt a lump begin to form in her throat as she realized that the man that the song described could be a Jedi Knight and that Obi-Wan would never get the chance to be that man. She wondered why she never told him that she did not hate him like she had let him think she had.
She had been with her master when Yoda informed them that Master Mace, had contacted them and told them that a boy, that might be Obi-Wan had contacted him claiming to have amnesia, and not know who he is. He said that the boy was having dreams that he thought may be memories of being a Jedi, and mentioned having a padawan braid.
She had sensed her master's hope after hearing the news, but Siri refused to believe that he may be alive only to find out that it was some sick joke, that was being played on her.
She had refused to believe that he was dead at first after they were unable to find his body, and even though she knew that some Jedi disappear without leaving a body behind when they die, she still could not bring herself to believe it. And when she had finally accepted that she would never see him again, now she finds out that there may be a chance that she could see him again and tell him all of the things that she should have said before. But she refused to raise her hopes enough to believe it.
As Siri listened to the song, she quickly blinked back the tears that threatened to fall from her eyes. She had been so wrapped up in her thoughts of Obi-Wan, that she had not sensed the approaching danger until it was too late, and a large hand suddenly covered her mouth and a blaster was roughly jabbed into her lower back.
"If you want to see Kenobi alive and un hurt, you won't try any of your Jedi tricks."
Siri nodded her head, and allowed the unknown man to lead her away from the stage, with the blaster still dug into her back. She took a deep breath and used the padawan training bond to contact her master.
"Master Adi," she began, "a man is leading me away from the stage towards the part of the building that is still under construction, and told me that if I try anything that they would hurt Obi-Wan."
"We are on our way, Siri don't try to fight him right now," her master told her over the bond.
"I won't Master," Siri said, hoping that contacting Master Adi was the right thing to do.
* *** * *** *
Qui-Gon's heart began to race as he looked at his former apprentice for the first time in over six months. The boy looked taller than he last remembered, but other than that looked the same. He wore civilian clothing, and had a force suppressor around his neck. Qui-Gon could see the padawan braid hanging over his right shoulder. And allowed the relief to wash over him at the sight of the boy.
As he and Adi watched Obi-Wan make his way towards the security officers, the boy's eyes suddenly met his, and he suddenly felt uncomfortable as the boy's eyes lingered on him and Adi.
Qui-Gon was about to walk to the security officers to meet his former padawan there, when suddenly he saw a large man put a hand on the boys shoulder. He saw Obi-Wan stiffen, and then the man began to speak to him. They spoke for a few seconds before the man began to lead Obi-Wan away in the other direction.
Qui-Gon started to leave to follow Obi-Wan when he noticed that Adi's attention was elsewhere. Then she suddenly looked at Qui-Gon and told him that her padawan had just contacted her through their bond.
Qui-Gon and Adi immediately headed towards the northern section of the building after Obi-Wan and Siri.
* *** * *** *
Siri stood with her hands chained to the back of a pole in the abandoned section of the Cities musical center that was under construction and therefore without the crowds of people that filled the rest of the building. The man that had forced her here and chained her arms to the pole sat on a nearby chair alternating looking from her to the entryway across the room. She sensed the man's anxiety and wondered what he was afraid of as she tried to pick the lock to the chains that bound her hands.
But she stopped her attempt to free herself when she heard a noise approaching them. At the entry way, a man just as large as the man who had brought her here, walked through, his arm rested on the shoulder of the one person that Siri thought she would never see again.
At first she thought it was some sort of trick, and that it was just a boy made to look like Obi-Wan, but as they came closer so could see the boys features more clearly.
"Obi-Wan," she said. Her words caused the boy to look up into her eyes, and she saw no recognition in his beautiful eyes that seemed to change colors. She noticed that he wore civilian clothes, but still had his padawan braid. He also wore a force suppressor around his neck. And was glad that he did not remember who he was, because she knew that she would not be able to bear to be unable to access the force.
"You know me?" Obi-Wan asked.
"Of course she knows you, Jedi boy," Avery said as he roughly pushed him to the ground. Obi-Wan's knee cracked off of the hard floor as he landed, and he gasped and covered his right knee with his hand. Siri could see the pain in his eyes as he looked back up at the man who had pushed him.
Siri began to use the force again to unlock the chains around her hands and the pole, before Avery said, "I would like to thank you little girl, for your assistance in getting Jedi boy to come here with me," Avery aimed his blaster at Obi-Wan, and said, "now you can watch him die for real."
"No!" Siri screamed, as she finally unlocked the chains, and they clattered to the ground noisily drawing the man's attention away from Obi-Wan.
* *** * *** *
Obi-Wan could feel his heart begin to race as he stared at the barrel of the blaster that Avery held. At least he would know who he was before he died. He was Obi-Wan Kenobi, the Jedi padawan that was thought dead as a result of the explosion.
Suddenly he heard the girl scream "No!" as the chains that held her to the pole clattered to the ground, she took a step away from the pole, and Avery turned his blaster to aim at the girl.
"No," Obi-Wan whispered, quickly getting to his feet and ignoring the pain that the movement caused him. Obi-Wan leaped forward grabbing a hold of Avery's arm as the blaster went off, but to Obi-Wan's relief the girl had quickly got her lightsaber, and deflected the bolt.
The deflected bolt hit Hultz in the stomach. The large man cried out before falling to the ground.
As Obi-Wan still struggled with Avery he heard footsteps running towards him and the same hissing sound that the girls lightsaber had made when she had ignited it.
"You fool," Avery said turning the weapon back towards Obi-Wan.
"Drop your weapon," a man's voice ordered from behind.
"Siri, are you alright?" A woman's voice asked. Out of the corner of his eye Obi-Wan could see the girl nod her head.
"No," Avery said, as he wrapped his arm around Obi-Wan's neck, and pressed his blaster to the boy's head. He forced Obi-Wan to stand and said, "if you try anything at all I will kill him." As they stood Obi-Wan got a look and the man and woman that the voices he had heard belonged to. They were the man and woman who were watching him from the other side of the stage. They both held ignited lightsabers ready for anything. Obi-Wan's eyes were drawn to the man with the long hair and beard. He knew this man somehow, he was sure of it.
"You can't run forever," the bearded man said to Avery.
"But I can get away from here. If you try anything the boy will be dead before you can prevent it from happening. The question here is folks, would three Jedi who could easy overpower the likes of me risk trying anything, and most likely getting Jedi boy here killed?"
"Let the boy walk away and you won't be hurt," the man with the beard said.
"Do you think I am stupid?" Avery asked. Obi-Wan bit his tongue to stop from answering the question.
"No," the woman said.
"I am a Vardelli, we are not weak minded people that you can force us to do what you want us to with your Jedi mind tricks," to illustrate his point Avery hit Obi-Wan with the butt of the blaster in the stomach causing the boy to double over in pain as much as Avery who still had his arm around his neck would allow him to move. "If you try anything like that again, I will kill him."
Obi-Wan desperately tried to catch his breath as Avery forced him to walk forward towards Hultz who sat with his back against the wall. "Can you get up?" Avery asked glancing behind him to make sure that the Jedi were not doing anything.
"Yeah," Hultz said as he slowly got to his feet.
Obi-Wan knew that the two Jedi Masters and the female padawan were behind them as Avery led him and Hultz to the back of the building where no one else was around. Up ahead of them he could see a door that he assumed leaded outside of the building. He assumed that it was most likely Avery's escape route, and wondered if the man had seen him in the crowds of people, or if he somehow knew where Obi-Wan was going to be at. Suddenly he remembered Azia; if she had somehow gotten herself untied she may have contacted Avery. He should have contacted the local authorities to go and get Azia.
Obi-Wan silently berated him self, as they reached the door. Hultz hit the control button to open the door, causing the large doors to slide open. Avery pulled Obi-Wan through the door way behind Hultz. After punching the control to close the doors, Avery moved the blaster away from Obi-Wan and blasted the control panel, and then moved it back to Obi-Wan's head.
Obi-Wan was sure that the Jedi would be able to get through the door; but he knew that Avery and Hultz now had the opportunity they needed to escape.
A freighter sat on the ground a few meters in front of them. The engines were running and the ramp was down. "Hultz, get in the ship," Avery ordered the injured man, whose pace had begun to slow. Hultz nodded and slowly climbed up the ramp, as a screeching sound could be heard behind them.
Avery turned around, and Obi-Wan could see the Jedi Knights cutting through the door with their lightsabers. Avery then quickly pulled Obi-Wan up the ramp with him. They reached the top of the ramp as the Jedi finally got through the doors. Avery suddenly pushed Obi-wan, and he rolled down the ramp. Obi-Wan looked up at Avery in time to see him aim the blaster at him and pull the trigger.
Obi-Wan Kenobi said goodbye to the old woman and her son, who were kind enough to give him a ride to the memorial service, and turned towards the stage.
"Obi-Wan wait," the woman said, "would you like us to stay with you until you find your family? There is a lot of people here."
"No, thank you. I'm supposed to meet them back stage they're expecting me. I'll be fine, don't worry," the boy told them wishing he could believe it himself.
"Young man, I am the mother of five children and twelve grandchildren, worrying is what I do best."
Obi-Wan smiled at the old woman, and decided that he hoped that his mother was as kind and humorous as this woman.
"Take care of yourself Obi-Wan," the woman's son Wol said.
"I will, and thanks again for the ride," Obi-Wan said and turned back towards the stage and started to slowly walked towards it.
On the stage a woman sang a beautiful song about a lonely mans journey through life. If he had not been anxious to find the Jedi, before he ran into Hultz or Avery, he would have enjoyed listening to the beautiful song.
As he made his way to the stage, Obi-Wan looked back and forth through the crowd, to watch for any sign of Avery or Hultz. He could not help but feel as if he should have taken the Jedi Master that he had spoken to over the comm Unit's advice and let the Jedi come to him.
Looking straight ahead of him he could see the entryway to the backstage area, and the security officers that stood near the entrance. On opposite side of the stage from the security officers, Obi-Wan saw a tall man with a beard and long hair watching him intently. A woman with dark skin and dark hair stood just behind him, and was also looking at him. There was something very familiar about the both of them, although the man seemed even more familiar to him.
Obi-Wan tried to quicken his pace, when he felt a hand tightly grab a hold of his shoulder, preventing him from moving forward. As he turned around to see who was behind him he felt something hard jabbed into his back, and he stiffened, he knew that it was most likely the barrel of a blaster.
"Hello, Jedi boy, we've been expecting you," Avery's unmistakable voice said. "Now you are going to walk with us towards the Northern section of this building where it is still under construction. And if you cause any trouble at all, Hultz will kill your Jedi friend. I believe I heard her master call her Siri. Hultz and Siri are waiting for us in the Northern section."
"I don't remember anyone named Siri," Obi-Wan said glancing over at the man and woman who were still watching him.
"Do you want to risk us killing her whether you did know her or not?" Avery asked, pushing the blaster harder into his back. Obi-Wan knew that his back would be bruised, if he survived this.
"Ok lets go," Obi-Wan said letting the larger man lead him away from the stage and the waiting Jedi. Obi-Wan could only hope that the man and woman that were watching him were Jedi Knights, who had recognized him and would come and help him.
* *** * *** *
Siri Tachi stood near the stage watching the beautiful woman sing about the journey of a lonely mans life, and felt a lump begin to form in her throat as she realized that the man that the song described could be a Jedi Knight and that Obi-Wan would never get the chance to be that man. She wondered why she never told him that she did not hate him like she had let him think she had.
She had been with her master when Yoda informed them that Master Mace, had contacted them and told them that a boy, that might be Obi-Wan had contacted him claiming to have amnesia, and not know who he is. He said that the boy was having dreams that he thought may be memories of being a Jedi, and mentioned having a padawan braid.
She had sensed her master's hope after hearing the news, but Siri refused to believe that he may be alive only to find out that it was some sick joke, that was being played on her.
She had refused to believe that he was dead at first after they were unable to find his body, and even though she knew that some Jedi disappear without leaving a body behind when they die, she still could not bring herself to believe it. And when she had finally accepted that she would never see him again, now she finds out that there may be a chance that she could see him again and tell him all of the things that she should have said before. But she refused to raise her hopes enough to believe it.
As Siri listened to the song, she quickly blinked back the tears that threatened to fall from her eyes. She had been so wrapped up in her thoughts of Obi-Wan, that she had not sensed the approaching danger until it was too late, and a large hand suddenly covered her mouth and a blaster was roughly jabbed into her lower back.
"If you want to see Kenobi alive and un hurt, you won't try any of your Jedi tricks."
Siri nodded her head, and allowed the unknown man to lead her away from the stage, with the blaster still dug into her back. She took a deep breath and used the padawan training bond to contact her master.
"Master Adi," she began, "a man is leading me away from the stage towards the part of the building that is still under construction, and told me that if I try anything that they would hurt Obi-Wan."
"We are on our way, Siri don't try to fight him right now," her master told her over the bond.
"I won't Master," Siri said, hoping that contacting Master Adi was the right thing to do.
* *** * *** *
Qui-Gon's heart began to race as he looked at his former apprentice for the first time in over six months. The boy looked taller than he last remembered, but other than that looked the same. He wore civilian clothing, and had a force suppressor around his neck. Qui-Gon could see the padawan braid hanging over his right shoulder. And allowed the relief to wash over him at the sight of the boy.
As he and Adi watched Obi-Wan make his way towards the security officers, the boy's eyes suddenly met his, and he suddenly felt uncomfortable as the boy's eyes lingered on him and Adi.
Qui-Gon was about to walk to the security officers to meet his former padawan there, when suddenly he saw a large man put a hand on the boys shoulder. He saw Obi-Wan stiffen, and then the man began to speak to him. They spoke for a few seconds before the man began to lead Obi-Wan away in the other direction.
Qui-Gon started to leave to follow Obi-Wan when he noticed that Adi's attention was elsewhere. Then she suddenly looked at Qui-Gon and told him that her padawan had just contacted her through their bond.
Qui-Gon and Adi immediately headed towards the northern section of the building after Obi-Wan and Siri.
* *** * *** *
Siri stood with her hands chained to the back of a pole in the abandoned section of the Cities musical center that was under construction and therefore without the crowds of people that filled the rest of the building. The man that had forced her here and chained her arms to the pole sat on a nearby chair alternating looking from her to the entryway across the room. She sensed the man's anxiety and wondered what he was afraid of as she tried to pick the lock to the chains that bound her hands.
But she stopped her attempt to free herself when she heard a noise approaching them. At the entry way, a man just as large as the man who had brought her here, walked through, his arm rested on the shoulder of the one person that Siri thought she would never see again.
At first she thought it was some sort of trick, and that it was just a boy made to look like Obi-Wan, but as they came closer so could see the boys features more clearly.
"Obi-Wan," she said. Her words caused the boy to look up into her eyes, and she saw no recognition in his beautiful eyes that seemed to change colors. She noticed that he wore civilian clothes, but still had his padawan braid. He also wore a force suppressor around his neck. And was glad that he did not remember who he was, because she knew that she would not be able to bear to be unable to access the force.
"You know me?" Obi-Wan asked.
"Of course she knows you, Jedi boy," Avery said as he roughly pushed him to the ground. Obi-Wan's knee cracked off of the hard floor as he landed, and he gasped and covered his right knee with his hand. Siri could see the pain in his eyes as he looked back up at the man who had pushed him.
Siri began to use the force again to unlock the chains around her hands and the pole, before Avery said, "I would like to thank you little girl, for your assistance in getting Jedi boy to come here with me," Avery aimed his blaster at Obi-Wan, and said, "now you can watch him die for real."
"No!" Siri screamed, as she finally unlocked the chains, and they clattered to the ground noisily drawing the man's attention away from Obi-Wan.
* *** * *** *
Obi-Wan could feel his heart begin to race as he stared at the barrel of the blaster that Avery held. At least he would know who he was before he died. He was Obi-Wan Kenobi, the Jedi padawan that was thought dead as a result of the explosion.
Suddenly he heard the girl scream "No!" as the chains that held her to the pole clattered to the ground, she took a step away from the pole, and Avery turned his blaster to aim at the girl.
"No," Obi-Wan whispered, quickly getting to his feet and ignoring the pain that the movement caused him. Obi-Wan leaped forward grabbing a hold of Avery's arm as the blaster went off, but to Obi-Wan's relief the girl had quickly got her lightsaber, and deflected the bolt.
The deflected bolt hit Hultz in the stomach. The large man cried out before falling to the ground.
As Obi-Wan still struggled with Avery he heard footsteps running towards him and the same hissing sound that the girls lightsaber had made when she had ignited it.
"You fool," Avery said turning the weapon back towards Obi-Wan.
"Drop your weapon," a man's voice ordered from behind.
"Siri, are you alright?" A woman's voice asked. Out of the corner of his eye Obi-Wan could see the girl nod her head.
"No," Avery said, as he wrapped his arm around Obi-Wan's neck, and pressed his blaster to the boy's head. He forced Obi-Wan to stand and said, "if you try anything at all I will kill him." As they stood Obi-Wan got a look and the man and woman that the voices he had heard belonged to. They were the man and woman who were watching him from the other side of the stage. They both held ignited lightsabers ready for anything. Obi-Wan's eyes were drawn to the man with the long hair and beard. He knew this man somehow, he was sure of it.
"You can't run forever," the bearded man said to Avery.
"But I can get away from here. If you try anything the boy will be dead before you can prevent it from happening. The question here is folks, would three Jedi who could easy overpower the likes of me risk trying anything, and most likely getting Jedi boy here killed?"
"Let the boy walk away and you won't be hurt," the man with the beard said.
"Do you think I am stupid?" Avery asked. Obi-Wan bit his tongue to stop from answering the question.
"No," the woman said.
"I am a Vardelli, we are not weak minded people that you can force us to do what you want us to with your Jedi mind tricks," to illustrate his point Avery hit Obi-Wan with the butt of the blaster in the stomach causing the boy to double over in pain as much as Avery who still had his arm around his neck would allow him to move. "If you try anything like that again, I will kill him."
Obi-Wan desperately tried to catch his breath as Avery forced him to walk forward towards Hultz who sat with his back against the wall. "Can you get up?" Avery asked glancing behind him to make sure that the Jedi were not doing anything.
"Yeah," Hultz said as he slowly got to his feet.
Obi-Wan knew that the two Jedi Masters and the female padawan were behind them as Avery led him and Hultz to the back of the building where no one else was around. Up ahead of them he could see a door that he assumed leaded outside of the building. He assumed that it was most likely Avery's escape route, and wondered if the man had seen him in the crowds of people, or if he somehow knew where Obi-Wan was going to be at. Suddenly he remembered Azia; if she had somehow gotten herself untied she may have contacted Avery. He should have contacted the local authorities to go and get Azia.
Obi-Wan silently berated him self, as they reached the door. Hultz hit the control button to open the door, causing the large doors to slide open. Avery pulled Obi-Wan through the door way behind Hultz. After punching the control to close the doors, Avery moved the blaster away from Obi-Wan and blasted the control panel, and then moved it back to Obi-Wan's head.
Obi-Wan was sure that the Jedi would be able to get through the door; but he knew that Avery and Hultz now had the opportunity they needed to escape.
A freighter sat on the ground a few meters in front of them. The engines were running and the ramp was down. "Hultz, get in the ship," Avery ordered the injured man, whose pace had begun to slow. Hultz nodded and slowly climbed up the ramp, as a screeching sound could be heard behind them.
Avery turned around, and Obi-Wan could see the Jedi Knights cutting through the door with their lightsabers. Avery then quickly pulled Obi-Wan up the ramp with him. They reached the top of the ramp as the Jedi finally got through the doors. Avery suddenly pushed Obi-wan, and he rolled down the ramp. Obi-Wan looked up at Avery in time to see him aim the blaster at him and pull the trigger.
