Hi! I really sry it to sooo long to get this up…sigh…everything is going on now. N e wayz thank you soo much for the reviews… l luved em!! Keep em comin!! And DJ yes u can definitely expect a bit more torture… ::insane laugh::… no im not sane at all…
Problems
Qui-Gon began to tap his foot in inpatients. He peered in the window to where Adi and Sage were sitting at the bar.
How long does it take to get a little information?
Sage and Adi had been talking with their supposed 'friend' on the black market for about an hour. All the while leaving a very annoyed Qui-Gon outside to wait.
It had been a week. One long week since their Padawans had gone missing. The alleyway search provided no clues and neither did the four or five witnesses they had talked with. The one lead they had was based on Qui-Gon hypothesis and even that wasn't going to well.
They had decided to get information on Showdow from the black market knowing his reputation in the scene was widely known. Adi and Sage, having worked with the people since they arrived on Calson, insisted they do the talking.
'Stay out here Qui-Gon. We'll be back in a few minutes' Qui-Gon mocked Sage's words in his head with a small snort. Few minutes… she could have just said few hours.
The Master looked around as different people and aliens walked by hustling about running their daily errands and doing their chores. Street venders sold all sorts of things from an assortment of fruits to old antiques and hand made crafts. Kids ran around playing with each other, laughing cheerfully and helping their parents gather things for the days meals. Everyone around Qui-Gon seemed content and happy. Not a worry or care on their minds.
Suddenly Qui-Gon jerked his focus across the street towards two hooded figures that had caught his attention. Or rather their conversation had.
"So what are we supposed to do now?" One asked.
The other, who was slightly taller, let out a loud sigh. "Showdow wants up to get rid of the Masters."
"What!?" The other one threw up their arms in disbelief. "Is he crazy!?"
"Yes." The taller one retorted with a snort. "You should know that. That crazy carver has some serious problems."
Shaking his head the shorter one went on. "Anyway, how do you propose we do that? This is three Jedi Masters we are talking about here."
"That's what I said." The two began to walk slowly across the street. "He just said be creative. All though I don't think creativity will help us eliminate three Jedi. Not even to mention the fact that they are Masters. I believe one of them is on that Jedi Council as well."
The first one sighed stepping up onto the sidewalk. They stopped walking and faced each other. "We've got to get out of this somehow."
"That's not a good idea. He made it very clear we shouldn't do that." He made a motion with his arm as though he was throwing something. "Look, you need to go find reinforcements and I'll contact you in a little with the rest."
The two nodded to each other and went their separate ways down the street.
Qui-Gon chanced a glance back into where Sage and Adi were… still talking. Rolling his eyes the Master quietly took off after the shorter of the two men.
Keeping a close eye on him through the crowd Qui-Gon thought back to the conversation between the two. Reinforcements… for what?
But that wasn't his main concern. The one man had said a name. A name of a blood carver Qui-Gon knew only too well.
Showdow.
The two spoke of him as though he was out of his mind. Sure he always knew the carver had some issues and he had a reason to, but Qui-Gon didn't think it was possible for him to have gotten worse since he kidnapped Zae-Non about a year ago.
It appears he had gotten much worse. And he had three Padawans in his hands. That carver could do anything he wanted with them…
Showdow did say he would get revenge.
Jolting back to the present Qui-Gon noticed the man had stopped outside of a small busy café and was talking into his comlink.
"Hold on Dev. You're going way to fast here." He said pausing. "Yes I realize you don't have a lot of time, but give me a break." He reached down into his pocket and took out a crumbled piece of durasheet out. He ripped it in half and threw one half to the ground. "Ok repeat that." After listening he nodded. "OK I'll meet you there with everyone else."
He put his comlink back onto his pocket and put the piece of durasheet in his hands up against the wall. He quickly scribbled down something onto it and dashed off down the street.
Qui-Gon began to sprint after him, but stopped abruptly as something caught his eye. He walked over to the wall where the man had placed the durasheet up to write.
He pressed a little too hard. Qui-Gon thought staring at the sandy colored cement.
On the wall was a dull impression of what he had written down.
Qui-Gon bent down a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth and picked up the other half of the ripped durasheet and jolted down the numbers on the wall.
*****
Adi sighed as she looked around the busy street corner. "Honestly. It took longer than we expected, but don't you think he could have at least stayed?"
Sage looked at her raised and eyebrow and laughed. "Qui-Gon? Come on Adi, you know him better than I do. And I know the answer to that is a definite 'no'."
The Council member nodded in agreement and rolled her eyes. They had come out of the bar to find Qui-Gon missing. Not to mention with the bad news that there lead appeared to be a dead end.
"Lets just hope he didn't go to far." Adi said walking down the street scanning every shop for the missing Master. "I'm not in the mood to play hide and seek right now."
"Adi." Sage said gently slapping her on the arm. "He's over there outside of that café." She pointed a little ways down the street. "What is he?…" She trailed off and looked over to Adi a confused look in her eyes.
Adi looked over at the Master to have confusion filling her own eyes.
Qui-Gon stood their facing the old building and was just staring at the wall and then periodically down to a piece of durasheet in his hands. Adi peered over to her friend.
Sage put her hands on her hips, shook her head, and sighed. "That it. He's lost it."
Adi let out an exasperated sigh and stalked over to her friend. "Qui-Gon, unless there are directions as to where our Padawans are mysteriously carved on that wall, would you mind telling us what in Sith's name are you doing?!"
Qui-Gon looked down at the sheet, then to the wall again. "Actually, this may have directions to our Padawans." He gave them a mischievous smile and held up the durasheet. "Coordinates."
Sage's jaw dropped. "How in the stars and moons?!"
Qui-Gon quickly told them about the two men's conversation and he following the one. After he was finished he look at Sage curiously. "Sage, are you OK?"
The color had completely drained from her face. "Showdow?" She whispered softly. "No…"
Adi put a hand on her friends shoulder. "Don't worry Sage. We'll-"
"Don't worry!?" Sage spat stepping back. "Adi, how in the Force am I not supposed to worry!? Showdow almost killed her once and now that he has her again he probably will!"
"Not if we get to them first." Qui-Gon said.
"But are you sure those are coordinates for a planet?" Adi asked.
Qui-Gon shook his head. "Not necessarily a planet, but the way they were talking about them. These definitely lead somewhere."
The three Jedi went to the town's library and stopped outside of the tall reddish-brown structure.
Adi went in first and held the door open for her companions. She looked around at the marble entryway. A unique star like pattern was carved in the ceiling made out of glass, so sun shown in lighting up the hall. The walls echoed the many footsteps that patted over the peppered colored floor. To their left and right huge cases filled with thousands of book raised up towards the high ceiling.
Adi followed Sage who went directly towards a row of computers. She sat down at one and brought up a search engine.
"Qui-Gon, give me the sheet." She said putting her hand back. Qui-Gon placed the sheet in her hands and she quickly typed in the numbers. She sighed as something appeared on the screen. "Well, these aren't for a planet." She tried a different search engine and after about ten minutes turned around with a smile on her face. "They're on planet. And not to far from here either."
Relief swept over Adi. "Force, thank you!" She whispered softly.
"There always is the possibility this could be a trap." Qui-Gon said.
"There isn't much more to go on right now is there." Adi said. "Besides our 'friends' that are supposed to be getting rid of us don't have the element of surprise on their side. We'll just have to be really careful."
Qui-Gon sighed and looked at her with tired eyes. "You're right. We don't have much of a choice."
Adi looked at her two friends and realized how tired and pale they both looked.
I must look just as bad She thought to herself realizing how tired she really was.
With a sigh Adi decided to bring up the point. "I probably look the same, but you two look awful. Maybe we all should get some rest before we go on."
"All three of you do look awful. And yes you should get some rest." Adi's eyes widened as a familiar voice rang out behind her.
*****
Showdow watched as the last of the fuel flowed from his speeder. With the intense sun of the desert it was roasting in the speeder's engine. Not the best thing for his get away vehicle. If he needed to get away and turned it on it would mostly likely blow up on him.
Picking up the new can of fuel Showdow began to pour it into his speeder. Looking down he sighed with annoyance as his comlink beeped.
Standing up he unclipped it and turned it on. "What!?" he asked harshly.
"We have problems…"
It was Dev. Showdow waited in silence for his friend to continue. He felt his eyes narrow as he stared out towards the horizon line.
After a few moments Dev went on. "I found the Jedi."
"And…"
"And one was following Garn after I spoke with him in town."
The carver hissed into the comlink as a reply and demanded. "What did you do!?"
Dev hurriedly went on. "I gave Garn the wrong coordinates for the randez vous spot. I'm… I'm pretty sure the Jedi got them. We are planning to ambush them at that spot."
Showdow snickered "This is an… unfortunate twist. But nothing we can't handle."
"Um…" Dev hesitated to go on. "There is one more thing…"
Showdow gritted his teeth. "What?"
"We have four problems to deal with now."
"Another one!?"
Showdow cut off his communication and gripped the comlink in his fist. Balling it into his death grip he felt it crunch in his hands. After studying the broken piece in his hand he threw the shards over the edge of the cliff he was on and watched them land on a small ledge a little ways down.
Walking back to his speeder the carver kicked the fuel can towards a rock. It clanged and ricocheted off a rock and sailed off the cliff banging each rock on it's way down.
Showdow walk over to his speeder and leapt onto it. With four of them now he couldn't trust his friend to do the job. He would never be able to get rid of them all.
If he was to have all the fun he wanted he had to get going on the kids soon.
"Stupid Padawans." The carver mumbled to himself. "I better get started on the girls. Not to mention get Kenobi's 'gift' ready. Tomorrow was going to be a big day for the boy."
::evil grin:: I luv cliffhangers… n e wayz as I said before keep the wonderful reviews comin! lol. Alrite then… Till later~
Peace Out
