::gasp:: no reviews… =( ::one tear::
So I hope it's not just me or has fanfic been down for the past like 4 days? I was late on updating n e wayz cause Friday I went to prom… ::big grin::… and im only a frosh too! And then I was at my dance concerts ~~ plural… all weekend. 3 shows! It was crazy…lol good thing did happen though. We had a 3 ½ hour wait and I finished this book! Its looong… well longer than the last… =). Well next chap is up…
Between Master and Padawan
Showdow stared into the boy's blue-gray eyes and said two simple, agonizing words. "She's dead."
The corner of Obi-Wan's mouth twitched. Anger flamed in his eyes and his white skin flooded with pink.
"Yeah right." He said through gritted teeth.
The carver deactivated the energy shields around the boy. "You doubt me?"
He glared at him with ice-cold eyes. "You told me she was dead before."
Showdow shrugged. "So I lied then. I'm not now. Come on Kenobi, you cannot possibly think she could have survived that. Her insides were burning through those nasty cuts of hers." He crinkled his nose. "You can still smell her flesh." He hissed.
Obi-Wan looked down to the floor and slowly began to rise. Despite all his injuries he got to his knees.
The persistence of that kid amazes me sometimes. Showdow mused to himself. He's a lot like Zae-Non. She never gave up.
The boy's eyes glazed over as he thought about everything. He then closed his eyes and let out a long heavy sigh.
Showdow smiled. "Your Master won't come. You know it too. It is written in your tears."
Obi-Wan ignored his comment.
"You will believe me soon enough boy. Soon enough."
"How can you tell what is in ones tears?" The youth asked abruptly.
"Because… I love to watch them fall." Showdow laughed walking over the Padawan. "Especially when it's for a cause like this. Revenge is always so sweet."
Obi-Wan narrowed his eyes. "Revenge is only something to satisfy your need to let out anger. And-"
Showdow cut off the boy by giving him a hard kick in the stomach knocking the air from his lungs. Obi-Wan collapsed to the ground with a gasp and clutched his stomach. He could see the pain blurring the boy's vision as he struggled to get a hold of the air he just lost.
Showdow laughed callously and delivered another hard blow to the youth's chest. He snickered in the laugh to follow.
He was enjoying himself far too much.
"Oops." He spat. "Did I hear a few ribs break there?" He kicked him again in the chest causing another crack and a pained whimper from the boy. "Steel toed boots. Don't you love them Jedi?"
Showdow turned to the door as he heard Dev call from the hallway. Rolling his eyes he turned back to the boy wheezing for breath.
He delivered one last kick as hard as he could. He looked down to the boy's scrunched up face. It was gritted in pain and hatred.
"Does little the Jedi Padawan want to get his own revenge?" The carver taunted. "To bad you cannot even get up."
The boy stared up at him nothing but anger, pain, and pure abhorrence in his dull gray-blue eyes.
"I thought Jedi couldn't hate." With another crooked smile he bent down next to Obi-Wan. The boy tried to pull away fear now adding to the mixture of emotions swirling around in his eyes. "There is always an exception for everything isn't there Kenobi."
He put the energy shields back up and went to the door. Glancing back to the form gasping for air fire lit up his eyes. "I will be right back. I just need to get something. Or maybe a few things."
*****
Qui-Gon shielded his eyes from the sun and peered out across the bleak desert.
Some randez vous spot. He thought dourly.
As he took in each new thing around him he became more and more sure that this was a trap. The Force screamed a warning at him.
Jumping off of his swoop he gazed upwards at the high cliff on his right. It stretched out into the desert as far as he could see.
"This is where the coordinates say?" Adi asked looking around at the emptiness the surrounded them. "Sage are you sure?"
Sage nodded with uncertainty. "This is definitely where they say, but I can see why you doubt this. There is absolutely nothing here but a bunch of sand and rocks.
Mace sighed. "This couldn't possibly be where your Padawan's are, but we should have a look around while we are here."
With a nod to each other the four Master's fanned out in different directions looking around for any clue. As small as it could be or as far off. Anything would do.
Qui-Gon wandered away from the cliff out towards the open desert. Watching the sun recede beyond the horizon line; the dipping rays brought a sense of loss to the vulnerable Master. Nineteen day since they had arrived on Calson. Eighteen days since Obi-Wan was lost to him.
Eighteen…
Qui-Gon's eyes widened as he let out a small gasp.
His Padawan was eighteen now… eighteen five days ago.
How could he have forgotten?
His Padawan's birthday was always a unique event. And turning eighteen was always important: it marked the end of your teenage years.
The graying Master closed his eyes and tried desperately to squash the anger welling up inside at himself.
He had been so caught up in trying to find Obi-Wan he had forgotten one of the most important days of the boy's life.
Reaching out to the Force Qui-Gon lowered his mental shields he had held tight for so long. Letting his anger go in a deep breath the Master gasped in quickly as he felt another presence in the Force.
Obi-Wan!
Qui-Gon jerked his head to his right and stared down the cliff side out into the desert. But before he could take a step a sudden and unexpected wave of pain slammed into him. Knocking the un expecting Jedi to the sand beneath him.
Keeling over from the immense pain that shot through his stomach and chest the Master had to concentrate on not passing out. Gathering the Force he accepted the fire raging all over and pushed aside the blurriness clouding his vision.
As rapidly as it had come, it stopped.
Qui-Gon heard his friends running towards him, but he did not look up. Still hunched over he turned his head back to where the wave had come from. What was the carver doing to their Padawans?
"Qui-Gon?!" Adi knelt down next to her companion and placed a hand on his shoulder. "What in Sith's name happened? Are you all right?"
Qui-Gon turned to meet her troubled gaze and shook his head. "It's not me." Pausing he turned again towards the cliff. "It is Obi-Wan."
After helping him up Sage and Adi steadied the now distraught Qui-Gon. Even though the happening had been quick it seemed to have drained his energy from him.
Still peering down the cliff side the Master straightened himself as much as he could. Slightly dizzy he blinked a few times to clear his sight and looked up bemused at the blue sky.
What was that insane blood carver doing to his Padawan? That kind of pain could only be inflicted through an acid of some kind. Acid or drug.
How could he let Obi-Wan go through with this? But the most important question is why?
Why did that dumb carver insist on wanting to kill their Padawans? After all it was the Master he had blamed the downfall of his life on.
*****
Mace followed Qui-Gon's gaze down the cliff side and turned back to his friend; who was now eyeing him with question.
The dark skinned Master nodded. "All right. Lets head south."
Putting an arm around the weakened Jedi Mace helped his unsteady college towards their swoops. Watching Adi and Sage straddle theirs he let go of Qui-Gon once at his swoop.
Immediately upon releasing Qui-Gon leaned forward onto the swoop and put his head down. His hair falling in front of his face.
Mace took a step forward before noticing the gray Master's shoulders shaking slightly. Reaching out a and the Council member lightly put a hand on the crying form's shoulders.
"Qui-Gon." He said sensitively. Not getting an answer Mace frowned slightly. "Come on, old friend, you can tell me."
Qui-Gon turned his head and peered through his hair that waved in the slight breeze that was cooling the dusk. "That was…" trailing off his words caught in his throat.
Mace stepped forward again. "What did you feel?"
Straightening himself the vulnerable Master wiped a tear falling slowly down his pale cheek. "I could tell exactly what he was feeling. His pain, emotions. I could hear his thoughts." He glared down the cliff side again. "Mace, he truly thinks I betrayed him."
Mace could only stare blindly until he thought of the right words to say. Obi-Wan Kenobi thinking that his Master had betrayed him? He could not think of it. Even on Meild/Dann the boy did not give up hope.
Sure the boy doubted Qui-Gon decisions sometimes, but never thought he would leave.
"I'm going to admit I have no clue what you three are going through. I never had a Padawan taken from me. I can only imagine what you three think everyday, the different emotions you go through and that is almost too much." He paused and looked to his friend. "Qui-Gon you know Obi-Wan would never believe that you betrayed him."
"Well he does!" Qui-Gon almost yelled. "If I had only helped him deflect the blaster fire. If only I had stayed by his side!"
Adi jumped off her swoop followed by Sage and the two made their way over.
Adi shook her head. "It is not a matter of what you could have done Qui-Gon. Right now what matters the most is what you can do now."
Qui-Gon's eyes were fixed down the cliff side in a deadly stare.
Sage went over and blocked his view. "You know just as well as we do that deep down Obi-Wan knows the truth. He knows that you did not and never would betray him or abandon him. You proved that to him on Bandomeer when you first took him as your Padawan. And on Meilda/Dann when you took him back."
Qui-Gon nodded in defeat. "But what could make him think such a thing?"
Mace noted this comment made Sage cringe before talking. "I really hate to put it in these words, but Showdow has them. And we barley know what he is capable of."
Adi nodded. "A bit blunt, but you are right and that is why we better get going. We can't just stand around and wallow in this. We don't have the time."
Qui-Gon nodded.
Mace looked out to the desert. "We have no time for anything."
With a final nod the four mounted their swoops and headed down along the edge of the cliff with one thing in their minds.
To get Obi-Wan, Siri, and Zae-Non back.
Not matter what it took or at what cost…
*****
The wind blew Qui-Gon's hair back as the four Jedi sped into the quickly setting sun. The sky was filled with a pinwheel of reds, oranges, purples, and pinks as the air became cool and a light breeze swept the desolate desert.
Feeling weak and drained from earlier he really wanted to stop and rest. But even if he tried to sleep none would come. Not this night…
Or any night.
Not until their Obi-Wan had been found.
That one name alone drove him on. Kept him going and pushing himself to the very end. That would be the only way it would ever be.
Seeing Mace stop next the cliff side Qui-Gon pulled up next to his tired looking friend.
"We should stop the night." Mace said after Adi and Sage had pulled up. Qui-Gon opened his mouth to dissent, but Mace's hand flew up. "I know it is the last things you want to do, but you know it is best."
Sage nodded. "Who knows what Showdow may have waiting for us." She said with a shiver.
Adi shot her a look.
The Master shrugged. "What? Just saying."
Adi sighed and shook her head. "I know. But I would rather not think about that when I am this tired." She got off her swoop in one fluid motion. "Plus, by now I do not think Showdow would move our Padawan's at this point. He may seem like the kind that would, but he seems sort of lazy to me in certain aspects."
"How is that?" Sage asked with a puzzled look on her face.
"He did not even bother to get them off planet. Did not try that hard to find a place far away from the city and he did not bother to leave his trail very hidden." The council member pointed out.
"A flaw that may be his finding." Mace nodded in agreement. "Come on, let's find a place to spend the night."
The four got off their swoops and lined them against the cliff. Spotting a cave a little ways away the four gather brush from dead plants to start a fire and headed in for the cool night in the desert.
Still I won't rest. Qui-Gon thought. Not until I find my Padawan and make sure he is safe.
And it happens again! lolz, ok so n e wayz don't be weekend…or wait week… spoilers again and review please!! Thanx. Till Later~
Peace Out
