~~23~~
Two days after Alexi walked away from Yenshu, he still hadn't returned. Yenshu had searched everywhere for her lost Padawan, but she found nothing. Even when she tried to call him with the Force, she received no answer, which meant that he was either dead, unconscious, or focusing on something so much that he didn't answer. Frankly, she was hoping for the latter.
Though she was helplessly worried about her Padawan, Yenshu had to remain focused on her task. She had to keep the boy safe, no matter what. So, the second afternoon after Alexi had vanished, she walked over to the home of Owen and Beru Lars.
"What are you doing here Jedi?" Owen said when he saw her approach.
"I am doing as I was told and watching over the boy." she replied calmly.
"Well you should do as I told you and stay away from him. I don't want him to be like his father, which means he can't be a Jedi. It would be better if he never even knows what one is, so get away from here." he said, his voice slightly rising.
"I will stay off of your property, but that which is not yours, you cannot command me to keep away from. From this area I will watch young Skywalker and I will protect him." she yelled back and then, with a bow, she left.
As she started walking away, a figure in a dark robe started walking towards her. He had long, stringy, black hair. His eyes seemed to pierce right through her. He also had an unusual scar on his cheek. It was a broken circle. Yenshu stopped where she was and put her hand on her lightsaber.
"Ah, young Yenshu. I see that Qui Gon's young apprentice figured out my plans. Well, it is for the best because then I don't have to explain everything to you before I kill you." the figure said. It was Xanatos.
"Xanatos, why do you do this? Do you not remember how close we were at the Temple? We were closer than friends. We-"
"Don't even bring up the past! That was foolishness and means nothing to me anymore!"
"Xanatos, your plan will fail." Yenshu said, going back to the original conversation. "Obi-Wan foiled you once. He will do it again and this time he has the help of five more Jedi." she yelled to him.
"Actually, isn't one of your little entourage a Padawan? Oh yes, and now you can't find him. What a pity. Tear." he said with a cruel smile.
"Alexi is good enough to be appointed a Jedi Knight and it doesn't matter if he is gone now, he will return. He would never strand one of his fellow Jedi, and especially not me. I am a mother to him and he would never leave me." she said with confidence.
"Well, that is great. I am pleased that you have such faith in your apprentice. That is a good sign in a master. Unfortunately you will never again feel that way." His grin grew as he said each word. "You see, when I destroy you, you will never be able to tell your Padawan everything you just told me."
In a single stroke, he pulled his lightsaber from his belt, ignited it and lunged for Yenshu. Luckily she was expecting his move and was able to counter it.
"This fight is pointless Xanatos." Yenshu said between breaths. She pulled the force to her and blocked his next attack.
"You have learned nothing then." He replied. When he spoke, he lost his grip on the Force and Yenshu took advantage of his weakness. She slashed at his legs and he was to slow to move. He cried out in pain and returned to the offensive attacking with his newfound anger.
His strokes were furious and Yenshu soon grew tired. He noticed this and attacked harder. All of his moves were blocked but one, and the one hit Yenshu's arm. She closed her eyes for an instant and Xanatos took advantage of the moment, knocking her lightsaber from her hand.
"I told you I would kill you." he said with an evil grin.
"Whether you kill me or not, you're plan will fail." she said with a fearless look in her eyes.
He looked at her for a moment with a look of regret in his eyes. As he brought his lightsaber down to finish Yenshu, another saber blocked the blow. Xanatos spun around in surprise and anger only to see Alexi was now standing before his master, blocking her from his final blow.
"The prodigal son returns." He said with a mock bow and an evil grin. Without hesitating again he fiercely threw himself at Alexi, using the Force to strengthen his blows. Alexi drew the fight from Yenshu. As soon as she knew that Xanatos was to far away to come back to her she reached behind her back and pulled another lightsaber from under her cloak. In a matter of seconds, she had rejoined the battle.
Alexi and Yenshu fought hard for fifteen minutes without tiring, but Xanatos was slowly weakening his blows and slowing his footsteps. The two Jedi noticed this and took advantage of his loss of strength. Xanatos was forced backwards and stumbled. Before Alexi landed his final blow, Xanatos used his last burst of strength to run. They followed him for a few minutes but lost him in the rocky halls of Tatooine.
Yenshu and Alexi put away their lightsabers and stood still for a moment to catch their breath. Alexi looked around him and noticed three bodies standing off in the distance. "Master, who are they? Is it the Lars family?" he asked, still looking at the group.
"Yes. I believe they saw the whole thing, and that could be bad." She said as she looked to where Alexi's gaze was. "C'mon. We need to talk, now." Yenshu grabbed Alexi's arm and pulled him with her in the direction of home. They walked in and sat at the table. "Stay here this time. Don't walk off again. I need to contact Obi-Wan and Lin San about Xanatos."
Yenshu walked into her room and turned on the holoprojector. She punched in the codes to reach the masters ship. She then stood back and waited for a response.
"Yenshu, it's good to hear from you again. Did you find Alexi?" Lin San said in greeting.
"I did and thank you, but there is a more important matter to discuss. It is Xanatos."
"What about him?" Obi-Wan asked with sudden interest.
"He was here. He attacked me and I would have been toast if Alexi hadn't shown up. After he and I fought him for a little while, Xanatos ran off. He already had a transport ready. It was almost as if he knew he would need it."
"That is peculiar." Obi-Wan said thoughtfully. "Keep your eyes open. We will join you shortly. Look around and see if he accidentally left something. There is always a chance. Be cautious and watchful. He may return with the other."
"Yes Master Kenobi. My Padawan and I will be careful. Now if you will excuse me Masters, I need to go yell at my apprentice now. May the Force be with you." With a bow she turned off the holoprojector.
Two days after Alexi walked away from Yenshu, he still hadn't returned. Yenshu had searched everywhere for her lost Padawan, but she found nothing. Even when she tried to call him with the Force, she received no answer, which meant that he was either dead, unconscious, or focusing on something so much that he didn't answer. Frankly, she was hoping for the latter.
Though she was helplessly worried about her Padawan, Yenshu had to remain focused on her task. She had to keep the boy safe, no matter what. So, the second afternoon after Alexi had vanished, she walked over to the home of Owen and Beru Lars.
"What are you doing here Jedi?" Owen said when he saw her approach.
"I am doing as I was told and watching over the boy." she replied calmly.
"Well you should do as I told you and stay away from him. I don't want him to be like his father, which means he can't be a Jedi. It would be better if he never even knows what one is, so get away from here." he said, his voice slightly rising.
"I will stay off of your property, but that which is not yours, you cannot command me to keep away from. From this area I will watch young Skywalker and I will protect him." she yelled back and then, with a bow, she left.
As she started walking away, a figure in a dark robe started walking towards her. He had long, stringy, black hair. His eyes seemed to pierce right through her. He also had an unusual scar on his cheek. It was a broken circle. Yenshu stopped where she was and put her hand on her lightsaber.
"Ah, young Yenshu. I see that Qui Gon's young apprentice figured out my plans. Well, it is for the best because then I don't have to explain everything to you before I kill you." the figure said. It was Xanatos.
"Xanatos, why do you do this? Do you not remember how close we were at the Temple? We were closer than friends. We-"
"Don't even bring up the past! That was foolishness and means nothing to me anymore!"
"Xanatos, your plan will fail." Yenshu said, going back to the original conversation. "Obi-Wan foiled you once. He will do it again and this time he has the help of five more Jedi." she yelled to him.
"Actually, isn't one of your little entourage a Padawan? Oh yes, and now you can't find him. What a pity. Tear." he said with a cruel smile.
"Alexi is good enough to be appointed a Jedi Knight and it doesn't matter if he is gone now, he will return. He would never strand one of his fellow Jedi, and especially not me. I am a mother to him and he would never leave me." she said with confidence.
"Well, that is great. I am pleased that you have such faith in your apprentice. That is a good sign in a master. Unfortunately you will never again feel that way." His grin grew as he said each word. "You see, when I destroy you, you will never be able to tell your Padawan everything you just told me."
In a single stroke, he pulled his lightsaber from his belt, ignited it and lunged for Yenshu. Luckily she was expecting his move and was able to counter it.
"This fight is pointless Xanatos." Yenshu said between breaths. She pulled the force to her and blocked his next attack.
"You have learned nothing then." He replied. When he spoke, he lost his grip on the Force and Yenshu took advantage of his weakness. She slashed at his legs and he was to slow to move. He cried out in pain and returned to the offensive attacking with his newfound anger.
His strokes were furious and Yenshu soon grew tired. He noticed this and attacked harder. All of his moves were blocked but one, and the one hit Yenshu's arm. She closed her eyes for an instant and Xanatos took advantage of the moment, knocking her lightsaber from her hand.
"I told you I would kill you." he said with an evil grin.
"Whether you kill me or not, you're plan will fail." she said with a fearless look in her eyes.
He looked at her for a moment with a look of regret in his eyes. As he brought his lightsaber down to finish Yenshu, another saber blocked the blow. Xanatos spun around in surprise and anger only to see Alexi was now standing before his master, blocking her from his final blow.
"The prodigal son returns." He said with a mock bow and an evil grin. Without hesitating again he fiercely threw himself at Alexi, using the Force to strengthen his blows. Alexi drew the fight from Yenshu. As soon as she knew that Xanatos was to far away to come back to her she reached behind her back and pulled another lightsaber from under her cloak. In a matter of seconds, she had rejoined the battle.
Alexi and Yenshu fought hard for fifteen minutes without tiring, but Xanatos was slowly weakening his blows and slowing his footsteps. The two Jedi noticed this and took advantage of his loss of strength. Xanatos was forced backwards and stumbled. Before Alexi landed his final blow, Xanatos used his last burst of strength to run. They followed him for a few minutes but lost him in the rocky halls of Tatooine.
Yenshu and Alexi put away their lightsabers and stood still for a moment to catch their breath. Alexi looked around him and noticed three bodies standing off in the distance. "Master, who are they? Is it the Lars family?" he asked, still looking at the group.
"Yes. I believe they saw the whole thing, and that could be bad." She said as she looked to where Alexi's gaze was. "C'mon. We need to talk, now." Yenshu grabbed Alexi's arm and pulled him with her in the direction of home. They walked in and sat at the table. "Stay here this time. Don't walk off again. I need to contact Obi-Wan and Lin San about Xanatos."
Yenshu walked into her room and turned on the holoprojector. She punched in the codes to reach the masters ship. She then stood back and waited for a response.
"Yenshu, it's good to hear from you again. Did you find Alexi?" Lin San said in greeting.
"I did and thank you, but there is a more important matter to discuss. It is Xanatos."
"What about him?" Obi-Wan asked with sudden interest.
"He was here. He attacked me and I would have been toast if Alexi hadn't shown up. After he and I fought him for a little while, Xanatos ran off. He already had a transport ready. It was almost as if he knew he would need it."
"That is peculiar." Obi-Wan said thoughtfully. "Keep your eyes open. We will join you shortly. Look around and see if he accidentally left something. There is always a chance. Be cautious and watchful. He may return with the other."
"Yes Master Kenobi. My Padawan and I will be careful. Now if you will excuse me Masters, I need to go yell at my apprentice now. May the Force be with you." With a bow she turned off the holoprojector.