Oct 2002
Disclaimer: I don't own any of this, all the characters (Except for Tasha) are property of Lucasfilm etc etc.
Hide Your Love Away
Chapter 23
Obi-Wan dodged as the lightsaber cut towards his middle, bringing his blade down across the shimmering amber. His opponent was a young woman with black hair and silver-blue eyes, anger surrounding her like a nimbus. He'd landed on solid ground after a wild ride through the almost transparent tubes, wrenched his should and all so he could be jumped by some upstart Sith trainee. He was not having a good day.
Parrying another blow, he slashed at her in return, the blades crossing just above her knees in a series of quick, lightning fast moves. Obi-Wan jumped another swing, forcing her back on her heels again and pushing her body with a Force powered shove. This battle had gone on far too long for his taste. "Are you all alone."
"Wouldn't you like to know, Kenobi."
He just about dropped his lightsaber in shock. Her voice was raspy, as if her windpipe had taken a sever beating. He couldn't see her features since they were covered in a full facial mask, but something told him they'd be as scarred as her voice. "Oh, I'd just love to know if you're alone."
She rolled to her feet, striking at his upper body in a series of quick side chops before thrusting at his head and forcing him, once again, to move. "My partner will be around shortly. The longer I keep you here, the longer he has to finish her off."
"Her?"
"The traitor."
"Skywalker isn't female," he parried another of her blows before returning several in kind. "You'd have to be blind to mistake him for a woman."
She snorted, slashing at him again. "Skywalker will die when Jade has been eliminated."
"The hell she'll be!" He ignored the sudden pounding of his heart, the cold fear that enveloped him, and redoubled his efforts. This fight had to end. Now. The woman's eyes widened behind her mask as his attack forced her first to her knees and then took the lightsaber from her grasp. She screamed as her arm was severed at the shoulder, curling towards the source. Obi-Wan's lightsaber came down across her throat, taking her head from her shoulders on the back swing.
He deactivated the blade and looked at the corpse on the ground. A sharp sadness filled him. He hadn't wanted to kill her but he couldn't leave her behind him, not with that kind of fanaticism. He knelt and slowly arranged her body in repose, placing her had back on her shoulders and turning away. It was never easy to take a life. He got to his feet and took a good look at his surroundings for the first time.
Walls of gray stone surrounded him except to the north, faint lights flickered overhead, and he could just make out Anakin's Force signature. Padmé's was even fainter. Wherever he was, he was a ways from the Skywalkers. He grimaced. If there we any more surprises like his anxious-to-die partner, he wasn't looking forward to them.
The words of his opponent echoed in his mind. They were after Pearl. Why? Why would they want to get rid of her? And what was this about Sith having partners? Whatever it meant it couldn't be good. Turning a sharp corner, his danger sense flared as his foot came down, his lightsaber jumping back into his hand. Obi-Wan tumbled off a sharp drop and landed in a shallow pool of water, the air expelled from his lungs in a sharp woof. He grimaced. So much for his vaunted training. Pushing himself to his feet, he gasped for air and shook his cloak. It was ruined, no question. All that water and muck.
With a sigh he took in the cavern surrounding him and searched for Force signatures. Pearl's wasn't obvious, but she was adept at hiding her presence so that didn't mean anything. He had to find her, to make sure she was alright. Stubborn woman, she had to be brought around to his way of thinking. His feet soaking wet, his soles squishing on the hard floor, he began walking.
Today was not a good day.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of this, all the characters (Except for Tasha) are property of Lucasfilm etc etc.
Hide Your Love Away
Chapter 23
Obi-Wan dodged as the lightsaber cut towards his middle, bringing his blade down across the shimmering amber. His opponent was a young woman with black hair and silver-blue eyes, anger surrounding her like a nimbus. He'd landed on solid ground after a wild ride through the almost transparent tubes, wrenched his should and all so he could be jumped by some upstart Sith trainee. He was not having a good day.
Parrying another blow, he slashed at her in return, the blades crossing just above her knees in a series of quick, lightning fast moves. Obi-Wan jumped another swing, forcing her back on her heels again and pushing her body with a Force powered shove. This battle had gone on far too long for his taste. "Are you all alone."
"Wouldn't you like to know, Kenobi."
He just about dropped his lightsaber in shock. Her voice was raspy, as if her windpipe had taken a sever beating. He couldn't see her features since they were covered in a full facial mask, but something told him they'd be as scarred as her voice. "Oh, I'd just love to know if you're alone."
She rolled to her feet, striking at his upper body in a series of quick side chops before thrusting at his head and forcing him, once again, to move. "My partner will be around shortly. The longer I keep you here, the longer he has to finish her off."
"Her?"
"The traitor."
"Skywalker isn't female," he parried another of her blows before returning several in kind. "You'd have to be blind to mistake him for a woman."
She snorted, slashing at him again. "Skywalker will die when Jade has been eliminated."
"The hell she'll be!" He ignored the sudden pounding of his heart, the cold fear that enveloped him, and redoubled his efforts. This fight had to end. Now. The woman's eyes widened behind her mask as his attack forced her first to her knees and then took the lightsaber from her grasp. She screamed as her arm was severed at the shoulder, curling towards the source. Obi-Wan's lightsaber came down across her throat, taking her head from her shoulders on the back swing.
He deactivated the blade and looked at the corpse on the ground. A sharp sadness filled him. He hadn't wanted to kill her but he couldn't leave her behind him, not with that kind of fanaticism. He knelt and slowly arranged her body in repose, placing her had back on her shoulders and turning away. It was never easy to take a life. He got to his feet and took a good look at his surroundings for the first time.
Walls of gray stone surrounded him except to the north, faint lights flickered overhead, and he could just make out Anakin's Force signature. Padmé's was even fainter. Wherever he was, he was a ways from the Skywalkers. He grimaced. If there we any more surprises like his anxious-to-die partner, he wasn't looking forward to them.
The words of his opponent echoed in his mind. They were after Pearl. Why? Why would they want to get rid of her? And what was this about Sith having partners? Whatever it meant it couldn't be good. Turning a sharp corner, his danger sense flared as his foot came down, his lightsaber jumping back into his hand. Obi-Wan tumbled off a sharp drop and landed in a shallow pool of water, the air expelled from his lungs in a sharp woof. He grimaced. So much for his vaunted training. Pushing himself to his feet, he gasped for air and shook his cloak. It was ruined, no question. All that water and muck.
With a sigh he took in the cavern surrounding him and searched for Force signatures. Pearl's wasn't obvious, but she was adept at hiding her presence so that didn't mean anything. He had to find her, to make sure she was alright. Stubborn woman, she had to be brought around to his way of thinking. His feet soaking wet, his soles squishing on the hard floor, he began walking.
Today was not a good day.