WARNING!!!!
There is a fight scene with blood and gore. If you think that is not too your taste, then maybe you shouldn't read this!!!!
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The next morning brought with it the same sullen Obi-Wan as before. Qui-Gon could not help but notice he was not eating well. He made a mental note that even though he would hate to do so, he would have to correct that little problem this evening. He was beginning to think he never spoke to Obi-Wan if it was not to reprimand him in some way, no matter had inconsequential the reprimand was, such as in this case, his eating habits.
Jinn, instead of thinking further about he and Obi-Wan's problems, focused on the mission ahead of them. It could be difficult to gain entrance to the prison. Some places on Naboo were not in favor of interference by the Jedi. It was galaxy known that the Naboo prison warden held no decent regard for the Jedi. There had been some unnamed run in with the warden's family and a Jedi knight. A young Jedi Knight had mistakenly killed the warden's brother. No, this could be much more difficult than even Master Jinn anticipated.
It was just as suspected when they reached the prison they were at first denied entrance to the prisoners. The warden did say he had no knowledge of the prisoners Jinn spoke of from the Telos' upraising. Lost papers or not, the warden tried to reason with Jinn that he would surely remember the transference of twenty-five prisoners to his facility. He blatantly told Jinn he had been given the wrong information. Then he had the Jedi escorted off the property of the prison, with the understanding that they were not welcome to come back. He was done with all Jedi. The warden was not a friendly man at all when dealing with any Jedi.
Beads of sweat formed on the upper lip of Xanatos. It was not an overly warm day; in fact, there was a chill in the air. The little beads of perspiration formed from his nervousness. It had nothing to do with the weather.
"I don't know what he is talking about my master. I sent those men here and I would suppose they got here."
Then an idea popped into the older padawan's mind and he voiced the spur-of the moment idea. Xanatos had learned early in his life to be able to think quickly and come up with any explanation needed when it came to protecting his virtue. He had also learned early in his Jedi training that his master trusted him implicitly.
"I wonder if Gilroy got to the prisoners even before they reached their destination."
"Makes sense Xani. We have seen what he is capable of doing. I mean I have no doubt that he was responsible for the deaths of the two men I had appointments to meet with on Telos."
Obi-Wan was behind the master and apprentice who were conversing back and forth. He made a clicking sound of disgust with his mouth and rolled his eyes in amazement.
//Gee master how gullible can you be? I thought Jedi masters were suppose to be smart, not as dumb as a scarecrow in a garden. //
It just so happened at that moment Jinn decided to reach a cross the bond he and Obi-Wan shared. The master did not know why he felt the need to do it then, but he did. Obi-Wan, not knowing how to stay shielded, allowed his mind to be wide open to his master and their shared bond. Qui-Gon mentally heard what the young padawan thought.
He whirled in anger on Obi-Wan.
"Excuse me padawan. I think you might not want to think some of the things you are thinking right now. You do not have the power that is needed to keep your shields up. I am not very pleased with what you just thought, not pleased at all."
Obi-Wan was not past being able to get angry, even though he tried very hard not too.
"I have let you stifle the very words from my mouth, but I am not sure I know how to stop my thoughts master."
"Try not being so vindictive and hateful in your thinking padawan. It would serve you well. You are not making any good points with me with thoughts like the one you just had."
Xanatos was left in the dark. He knew Obi--Wan must have had some dark thought about him, but the master did not volunteer any information and the padawan was certainly not going to ask what was going on. It seemed his master had put Obi-Wan back in his proper place at least for now. and that was enough temporarily for Xani. He knew the child might have to be dealt with if he continued to get in the way…….
"My master likes to remind me that I have no ability to control my Jedi powers. Maybe it would have been more courteous of him not to invade my mind to know my thoughts. It seems a little rude to me; like an invasion of my privacy."
In that instant Qui-Gon raised his hand. It was an unintentional reaction on his part. He very much wanted to clip the boy on the side of the head but withdrew his hand when he saw the horror in Obi-Wan's eyes. Never in rearing any padawan had he raised a hand toward them and it even shocked him. He dropped his hand and turned abruptly to speak with Xanatos.
"I think we should just go back home. I will have to locate Gilroy and speak with him. I had hoped not to get into it with the man, but I see I have no choice."
He left Obi-Wan with his thoughts, not wanting to see the hurt he had placed on his little padawan's face.
Obi-Wan was bringing a side of Qui-Gon Jinn out that he did not know he had. He wanted the boy back the way he was so badly that he was actually becoming angry at Obi-Wan for not being as he should be, a Jedi apprentice.
Qui-Gon was not really sure who was responsible for it, but there was yet another wedge between him and his padawan again. Both had managed to be angered by the other. It seemed that no matter how hard either of them tried, getting along with one another just was not in their future at the present..
Master Jinn walked back to their little apartment with both of his padawans. He was beginning to think he had undertaken more than he could handle. Obi-wan's promise of good behavior had not lasted long, and things with Xanatos' investigation were not going well.
//Well maybe Obi-Wan is right I should not have intruded on his thoughts. I just did it without thinking. When we truly shared an open bond Obi-Wan would not have thought my being in his mind as some unwanted intrusion, it would have been a welcomed mind link between master and apprentice. Maybe I should rethink what I am going to do about my padawan. One minute I am sure Obi-Wan should stay by my side then after something like this happens, I am more convinced it would be beneficial to him to stay with Master Tor El'. A master I can be, I am good at it. I am just not sure I could successfully raise a normal irrational thinking teenager. I am not sure I was meant to be a father in every sense of the word, and that would be what it takes to raise Obi-Wan as he is now. What's wrong with you Jinn? You can't even think straight. One little boy has managed to turn your brain into oozing jelly……………… //
Qui-Gon sat silently with a data pad in hand. Xanatos had planted himself at the window to watch the snow mount up in layers of white covering the land outside all the way up to windowsill. Obi-Wan had since claimed the single bedroom, having stomped in there when they return from their unsuccessful trip to the prison.
As far as Jinn was concerned the day had gone miserably in all departments. He had been unable to find out anything about the prisoners and to top things off royally, he and Obi-Wan had managed to get into another disagreement.
The boy had not come out since returning and Jinn did not even bother to tell him last-meal was ready. Obi-Wan would just have to go to bed hungry this night, Jinn thought.
He is so stubborn he won't come out and discuss things rationally then I am certainly not going in there and beg him too do so. That boy is a like a mule when he wants things done his way.
"Master, I do not mean to interrupt you, but I was wondering what plans you have for us tomorrow. I mean now that Obi-Wan has started again, things could again be more difficult when we try to search for Norton Gilroy. Well I mean today was a wash out mainly because we had to return to our apartment because your padawan insisted on throwing another temper tantrum."
"I am beginning to think you do not have very high regard for my current pad wan, Xanatos. I am not very appreciative of your thoughts toward Obi-Wan. I had planned to return here after we were denied access to the prisoners anyway. Obi-Wan did not change that. Yes, he has put a little more stress on me, but I will survive. It is not something I cannot handle. You are making things more difficult by having such negative thoughts about him."
"So that is how it is going to be, you are going to side with him now. I knew it would just be a matter of time before the council convinced you to turn on me my master. It seems they have succeeded."
"Don't be ridiculous Xani. I have not turned on you. It is you who seems to have nothing good to say about Obi-Wan. He was an able and good padawan when he had his memory and all his faculties."
"That is just the point my master, he has none of that now. He is just a normal boy who has managed to get in our way sometimes. Now if you can truthfully deny what I am saying then please do so."
"O.K. I am not saying Obi-Wan is not a little more trouble than what he would be had he been his normal self, but I can't pitch him to the side and forget I have him. We are here now and we have to make do. I mean I can handle a fifteen year old well enough to finish this investigation as long as things do not get dangerous when we go to find Norton Gilroy."
"And what if they become dangerous master? He could put both of our lives in danger by not listening and exhibiting his stubborn attitude. I for one do not want to die because Obi-Wan is going through another teenage crisis."
" I will see that no harm comes to you or him. He will not be a problem. We just have to be careful how we approach this Gilroy. If he is indeed guilty of the other murders then we are not safe even here if he knows we are on the planet and asking questions."
Xanaot turned his head to look at the falling snow after having nodded his agreement to his master.
Jinn got up to go to the bedroom to see what the other padawan had been doing for the last four hours.
In the bedroom, he found Obi-Wan doing the same thing that Xanatos was doing in the common room, looking out the window at the snow.
"I thought you might be in bed."
"Is that what you hoped my master, that I was asleep and you would not have to be bothered with me at least for the night?"
Obi-Wan spoke to his master but did not turn around to look at him. He continued looking at the snow.
Jinn sat down on the bed a crossed from where Obi-Wan was.
"I don't think I need a child to put words in my mouth."
"I guess not. I forgot you are just good at invading people's privacy."
"There was a time when you cherished our link Obi-Wan. Now you call it intrusion, invasion of your privacy."
"You must remember like you always try to remind me, I am a Jedi no longer. I don't need the bond."
"Do you really believe that? I have been sending force support to you since King Gerbyn preformed the mind sweep on you. Do you really think that you could even function if I was not? I have too. The loss of the force and our bond would have been too traumatic for you to even function if I was not covering you with the very force I possess. Your mental confusion of the force and our bond could have very well been powerful enough, that over time, it could have caused your very death."
He had not planned to tell Obi-Wan he was blanketed by his master's own force, but he now felt the boy should know the truth how the force actually worked.
"It is true you still have the force in you, but you don't know how it works or what the bond feels like. I think you should feel what it would be like if I withdrew my force signature from your mind."
Jinn closed his eyes and focused on removing all his force from Obi-Wan's mind and body.
The boy dropped to the floor as if in pain and doubled over from the sheer shock of losing his master's force signature. The episode lasted only a couple of minutes. Jinn once again entered the boy's mind and wrapped him in the protection of his force signature.
"I know that was painful for you, but I wanted you to feel, I mean really feel what it would be like had I truly abandoned you my child. That, I could or would never do to you. I have always been there for you and I always will."
Jinn wanted to show Obi-Wan he had always been there too support him and that was the only way he knew how to assure the boy understood. He knew it was a cruel but necessary lesson.
" I have a very important mission tomorrow and I hope you will act accordingly."
Jinn walked out of the bedroom leaving a very stunned Obi-Wan Kenobi still trying to comprehend what had just happened too him.
Jinn stood on the other side of the bedroom door in deep thought.
//It was a hard lesson too be taught but life as a Jedi is equally as hard. Now if Obi-Wan will only learn from it and go forward instead of backward……………//.
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Qui-Gon sat up late into the night making contact with Jedi informers on Naboo. There were those who acted as informers on all the planets in the galaxies. He fervently tried to locate the ever-elusive Norton Gilroy. Jinn knew he was on the planet, but locating him was another thing.
Xanatos had long since gone to bed. That left the big master up to do his work and think over what had happened between he and Obi-Wan.
More than once, Qui-Gon hesitated over his work and looked up at the bedroom door. He did not know what he expected too see. He was sure Obi-Wan would not come out and talk with him. That is what Jinn would have preferred his padawan do. He didn't want the wedge between them to embed itself deeper. He sighed after his fourth time of staring at the door and went back to his work.
Qui-Gon had managed to find a couple of places they could search for Norton Gilroy but no promises were made if he would still be there. The man moved around a lot, dodging sith knows what the master thought.
Jinn went to bed resigned to the fact that he had helped neither of his padawans with their dilemmas this day.
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The three Jedi headed out before daylight in almost a foot of newly fallen snow.
"I think we should have put off going any where master until this weather breaks. No one will be stirring to get any information from."
"That might be so, but I have already gotten some leads on Gilroy. We will check those out and if we don't come up with anything then we will return to start searching again tomorrow."
"Oh I didn't know you had any idea where he might be, at least not yet."
"Jedi always have informers on every planet Xani. You should have remembered that. I made some contacts with them late last night and have come up with a couple of leads, that is all."
Obi-Wan had yet to speak a word to either Jedi. His head was kept down most of the time as if he needed to see every step he made. Jinn was not going to pressure the boy. He needed him on his best behavior and agitating him into a conversation-turned-argument was not what the master wanted right now.
They finally reached their destination. It looked like an abandoned store of some kind.
Jinn motioned to Obi-Wan and Xani to follow behind him as he cautiously and quietly opened the door. Both Jedi with sabers, instinctively drew them and powered them up.
The door led the into an empty room. No one was there and it looked like no one had been there for years.
Jinn started looking around while still encouraging both of his padawans to remain silent. He nodded for Xani to check a door off to the left of them. Xanatos found nothing. Jinn turned to walk back to where Obi-Wan stood silent in the middle of the room. He put his saber away and had Xani do the same.
"I guess we have come up against a stone wall yet again. Gilroy is not here."
In that moment the door to the cellar opened up and several men poured out of it, each with a drawn blaster in their hand.
"Well what have we here, Jedi? And just what are you doing at our humble abode Jedi? Who or what are looking for?"
Jinn threw both of his hands up as if in submission.
"We have not come here too fight. We are looking for someone, for some information"
"Just who would that someone be? Maybe I know him. Just maybe I could help you."
The scarred face man turned and looked at his comrades and they all burst out into laughter.
The man who spoke had a very large scar covering the side of his face. It was still red from injury. It was healed, but newly healed.
Jinn knew very well these men were taunting them. They had no intention of helping them and could very well be planning to kill the Jedi.
"We are looking for Norton Gilroy. Do any of you know of him, or where we could find him?"
"And if we did do you think we be telling you filthy Jedi."
Now the scarred-face man was letting his impatience and anger show.
"I would see no reason why you should not help us."
Jinn nonchalantly waved his right hand in front of the scared-faced man's face.
A dazed look appeared on his face. He turned to his friends.
"He's right. I see no reason why we should not help the Jedi."
Jinn had successfully used the Jedi mind trick on him. There was only one problem. One of the men in back recognized what the Jedi master had done to his leader and friend. He immediately shoved his friend behind him, breaking the mental connection Qui-Gon had established with him.
"Get em boys. The Jedi is using that mind trick."
All this time Obi-Wan had stood frozen with fear in the middle of the room. He did not know what to do. To his knowledge, he had never been placed in such a threatening position. Of course, the opposite was true. He had battled many times side by side with his master.
Jinn and Xanatos started deflecting the blaster shots one by one. It was times like these that a light saber was not the best weapon to go into battle with.
Jinn yelled for Obi-Wan to move to seek cover. Still the boy remained right in the middle of the battle. Jinn did not know if he heard him or was too afraid too move. Qui-Gon worked his way over to Obi-Wan, while still fighting and deflecting shots with his saber. Once he reached him, he shoved Obi-Wan clear a crossed the room. While he was not covered very well, the boy was at least out of the middle of the actual battle.
Qui-Gon hoped the child had enough sense to stay where he was. Jinn was in too intense of a battle to keep a constant watch over Obi-Wan. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Xani successfully down one of the five men. Four to go and with only their sabers deflecting the blaster bullets, things did not look promising for the Jedi.
Jinn parried forward and knocked the blaster from one man's hand. Qui-Gon kicked him right in the stomach, reached down, and used the hilt of his saber to knock the man soundly in his head, rendering him unconscious. Jinn was not as quick to kill as Xani was if it could be avoided in any way at all. Xani had downed another opponent; this time only injuring him in the leg and not out and out killing him.
Now they only had two to do battle with. Odds were even now. Jinn still had no time to check on his younger padawan.
The scarred-faced man was engaged in battle with Jinn. The man who had alerted his friends of the mind trick was still in battle with Xani. It was more or less a hand-to-hand combat now. Xani landed a crushing blow to the right jaw of the man he was fighting. His blaster dislodged from his hand and flew a crossed the room. Jinn fought the scarred face man who by this time had abandoned his blaster for a long knife he had pulled from the top of his boots. The blade of the knife flickered dangerously in the master's face, as he too had to drop his saber in order to keep from being stabbed. He needed both of his hands to grip the man's hand holding the knife to keep it from slitting his throat.
With a nudge of the force, Jinn pushed the knife away and the man dropped it. Jinn spun him around and brought his right arm painfully back behind him. Jinn thought he heard the man's arm break under the big Jedi's force as he jerked the arm around and behind the gang leader's back, holding it in place with the man's own hand. Xani was already tying his man up with rope he had in his utility belt.
Jinn smiled at Xani as he came over and took the scarred face man and tied him up equally as secured.
"Job well done padawan."
Xani smiled back.
It was then Jinn remembered Obi-Wan.
"You can come out now Obi. Everything is fine now."
Jinn waited for a minute and a slight twinge of worry hit the master when he got no reply.
"Obi-Wan it is safe now. Come on out."
Nothing, the boy did not reply. Jinn looked in the direction where he had pushed Obi-Wan. All he saw was his apprentice's two unmoving legs that stuck out from behind an over turned table. Fear gripped Jinn. Then a low moan was heard.
Qui-Gon rushed over to where Obi-Wan now laid in a crumpled heap… Obi was lying on his stomach. When Jinn rolled his padawan on his back he saw the massively large pool of blood, growing ever larger as it poured out onto the tan colored tunic and spilled over onto the brown Jedi robe. The floor was covered in the younger padawan's blood. One of the many random blaster shots had struck Obi-Wan Kenobi with deadly accuracy in his upper torso……….
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Thank You for all the feedback. Just don't get lazy on me and I will be punctual with my updates for you!!!!!!
For those of you who asked, if I told you if Xani was good or bad I would give the entire plot away. You will just have to read to see which he is.
PEACE Ewen
There is a fight scene with blood and gore. If you think that is not too your taste, then maybe you shouldn't read this!!!!
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The next morning brought with it the same sullen Obi-Wan as before. Qui-Gon could not help but notice he was not eating well. He made a mental note that even though he would hate to do so, he would have to correct that little problem this evening. He was beginning to think he never spoke to Obi-Wan if it was not to reprimand him in some way, no matter had inconsequential the reprimand was, such as in this case, his eating habits.
Jinn, instead of thinking further about he and Obi-Wan's problems, focused on the mission ahead of them. It could be difficult to gain entrance to the prison. Some places on Naboo were not in favor of interference by the Jedi. It was galaxy known that the Naboo prison warden held no decent regard for the Jedi. There had been some unnamed run in with the warden's family and a Jedi knight. A young Jedi Knight had mistakenly killed the warden's brother. No, this could be much more difficult than even Master Jinn anticipated.
It was just as suspected when they reached the prison they were at first denied entrance to the prisoners. The warden did say he had no knowledge of the prisoners Jinn spoke of from the Telos' upraising. Lost papers or not, the warden tried to reason with Jinn that he would surely remember the transference of twenty-five prisoners to his facility. He blatantly told Jinn he had been given the wrong information. Then he had the Jedi escorted off the property of the prison, with the understanding that they were not welcome to come back. He was done with all Jedi. The warden was not a friendly man at all when dealing with any Jedi.
Beads of sweat formed on the upper lip of Xanatos. It was not an overly warm day; in fact, there was a chill in the air. The little beads of perspiration formed from his nervousness. It had nothing to do with the weather.
"I don't know what he is talking about my master. I sent those men here and I would suppose they got here."
Then an idea popped into the older padawan's mind and he voiced the spur-of the moment idea. Xanatos had learned early in his life to be able to think quickly and come up with any explanation needed when it came to protecting his virtue. He had also learned early in his Jedi training that his master trusted him implicitly.
"I wonder if Gilroy got to the prisoners even before they reached their destination."
"Makes sense Xani. We have seen what he is capable of doing. I mean I have no doubt that he was responsible for the deaths of the two men I had appointments to meet with on Telos."
Obi-Wan was behind the master and apprentice who were conversing back and forth. He made a clicking sound of disgust with his mouth and rolled his eyes in amazement.
//Gee master how gullible can you be? I thought Jedi masters were suppose to be smart, not as dumb as a scarecrow in a garden. //
It just so happened at that moment Jinn decided to reach a cross the bond he and Obi-Wan shared. The master did not know why he felt the need to do it then, but he did. Obi-Wan, not knowing how to stay shielded, allowed his mind to be wide open to his master and their shared bond. Qui-Gon mentally heard what the young padawan thought.
He whirled in anger on Obi-Wan.
"Excuse me padawan. I think you might not want to think some of the things you are thinking right now. You do not have the power that is needed to keep your shields up. I am not very pleased with what you just thought, not pleased at all."
Obi-Wan was not past being able to get angry, even though he tried very hard not too.
"I have let you stifle the very words from my mouth, but I am not sure I know how to stop my thoughts master."
"Try not being so vindictive and hateful in your thinking padawan. It would serve you well. You are not making any good points with me with thoughts like the one you just had."
Xanatos was left in the dark. He knew Obi--Wan must have had some dark thought about him, but the master did not volunteer any information and the padawan was certainly not going to ask what was going on. It seemed his master had put Obi-Wan back in his proper place at least for now. and that was enough temporarily for Xani. He knew the child might have to be dealt with if he continued to get in the way…….
"My master likes to remind me that I have no ability to control my Jedi powers. Maybe it would have been more courteous of him not to invade my mind to know my thoughts. It seems a little rude to me; like an invasion of my privacy."
In that instant Qui-Gon raised his hand. It was an unintentional reaction on his part. He very much wanted to clip the boy on the side of the head but withdrew his hand when he saw the horror in Obi-Wan's eyes. Never in rearing any padawan had he raised a hand toward them and it even shocked him. He dropped his hand and turned abruptly to speak with Xanatos.
"I think we should just go back home. I will have to locate Gilroy and speak with him. I had hoped not to get into it with the man, but I see I have no choice."
He left Obi-Wan with his thoughts, not wanting to see the hurt he had placed on his little padawan's face.
Obi-Wan was bringing a side of Qui-Gon Jinn out that he did not know he had. He wanted the boy back the way he was so badly that he was actually becoming angry at Obi-Wan for not being as he should be, a Jedi apprentice.
Qui-Gon was not really sure who was responsible for it, but there was yet another wedge between him and his padawan again. Both had managed to be angered by the other. It seemed that no matter how hard either of them tried, getting along with one another just was not in their future at the present..
Master Jinn walked back to their little apartment with both of his padawans. He was beginning to think he had undertaken more than he could handle. Obi-wan's promise of good behavior had not lasted long, and things with Xanatos' investigation were not going well.
//Well maybe Obi-Wan is right I should not have intruded on his thoughts. I just did it without thinking. When we truly shared an open bond Obi-Wan would not have thought my being in his mind as some unwanted intrusion, it would have been a welcomed mind link between master and apprentice. Maybe I should rethink what I am going to do about my padawan. One minute I am sure Obi-Wan should stay by my side then after something like this happens, I am more convinced it would be beneficial to him to stay with Master Tor El'. A master I can be, I am good at it. I am just not sure I could successfully raise a normal irrational thinking teenager. I am not sure I was meant to be a father in every sense of the word, and that would be what it takes to raise Obi-Wan as he is now. What's wrong with you Jinn? You can't even think straight. One little boy has managed to turn your brain into oozing jelly……………… //
Qui-Gon sat silently with a data pad in hand. Xanatos had planted himself at the window to watch the snow mount up in layers of white covering the land outside all the way up to windowsill. Obi-Wan had since claimed the single bedroom, having stomped in there when they return from their unsuccessful trip to the prison.
As far as Jinn was concerned the day had gone miserably in all departments. He had been unable to find out anything about the prisoners and to top things off royally, he and Obi-Wan had managed to get into another disagreement.
The boy had not come out since returning and Jinn did not even bother to tell him last-meal was ready. Obi-Wan would just have to go to bed hungry this night, Jinn thought.
He is so stubborn he won't come out and discuss things rationally then I am certainly not going in there and beg him too do so. That boy is a like a mule when he wants things done his way.
"Master, I do not mean to interrupt you, but I was wondering what plans you have for us tomorrow. I mean now that Obi-Wan has started again, things could again be more difficult when we try to search for Norton Gilroy. Well I mean today was a wash out mainly because we had to return to our apartment because your padawan insisted on throwing another temper tantrum."
"I am beginning to think you do not have very high regard for my current pad wan, Xanatos. I am not very appreciative of your thoughts toward Obi-Wan. I had planned to return here after we were denied access to the prisoners anyway. Obi-Wan did not change that. Yes, he has put a little more stress on me, but I will survive. It is not something I cannot handle. You are making things more difficult by having such negative thoughts about him."
"So that is how it is going to be, you are going to side with him now. I knew it would just be a matter of time before the council convinced you to turn on me my master. It seems they have succeeded."
"Don't be ridiculous Xani. I have not turned on you. It is you who seems to have nothing good to say about Obi-Wan. He was an able and good padawan when he had his memory and all his faculties."
"That is just the point my master, he has none of that now. He is just a normal boy who has managed to get in our way sometimes. Now if you can truthfully deny what I am saying then please do so."
"O.K. I am not saying Obi-Wan is not a little more trouble than what he would be had he been his normal self, but I can't pitch him to the side and forget I have him. We are here now and we have to make do. I mean I can handle a fifteen year old well enough to finish this investigation as long as things do not get dangerous when we go to find Norton Gilroy."
"And what if they become dangerous master? He could put both of our lives in danger by not listening and exhibiting his stubborn attitude. I for one do not want to die because Obi-Wan is going through another teenage crisis."
" I will see that no harm comes to you or him. He will not be a problem. We just have to be careful how we approach this Gilroy. If he is indeed guilty of the other murders then we are not safe even here if he knows we are on the planet and asking questions."
Xanaot turned his head to look at the falling snow after having nodded his agreement to his master.
Jinn got up to go to the bedroom to see what the other padawan had been doing for the last four hours.
In the bedroom, he found Obi-Wan doing the same thing that Xanatos was doing in the common room, looking out the window at the snow.
"I thought you might be in bed."
"Is that what you hoped my master, that I was asleep and you would not have to be bothered with me at least for the night?"
Obi-Wan spoke to his master but did not turn around to look at him. He continued looking at the snow.
Jinn sat down on the bed a crossed from where Obi-Wan was.
"I don't think I need a child to put words in my mouth."
"I guess not. I forgot you are just good at invading people's privacy."
"There was a time when you cherished our link Obi-Wan. Now you call it intrusion, invasion of your privacy."
"You must remember like you always try to remind me, I am a Jedi no longer. I don't need the bond."
"Do you really believe that? I have been sending force support to you since King Gerbyn preformed the mind sweep on you. Do you really think that you could even function if I was not? I have too. The loss of the force and our bond would have been too traumatic for you to even function if I was not covering you with the very force I possess. Your mental confusion of the force and our bond could have very well been powerful enough, that over time, it could have caused your very death."
He had not planned to tell Obi-Wan he was blanketed by his master's own force, but he now felt the boy should know the truth how the force actually worked.
"It is true you still have the force in you, but you don't know how it works or what the bond feels like. I think you should feel what it would be like if I withdrew my force signature from your mind."
Jinn closed his eyes and focused on removing all his force from Obi-Wan's mind and body.
The boy dropped to the floor as if in pain and doubled over from the sheer shock of losing his master's force signature. The episode lasted only a couple of minutes. Jinn once again entered the boy's mind and wrapped him in the protection of his force signature.
"I know that was painful for you, but I wanted you to feel, I mean really feel what it would be like had I truly abandoned you my child. That, I could or would never do to you. I have always been there for you and I always will."
Jinn wanted to show Obi-Wan he had always been there too support him and that was the only way he knew how to assure the boy understood. He knew it was a cruel but necessary lesson.
" I have a very important mission tomorrow and I hope you will act accordingly."
Jinn walked out of the bedroom leaving a very stunned Obi-Wan Kenobi still trying to comprehend what had just happened too him.
Jinn stood on the other side of the bedroom door in deep thought.
//It was a hard lesson too be taught but life as a Jedi is equally as hard. Now if Obi-Wan will only learn from it and go forward instead of backward……………//.
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Qui-Gon sat up late into the night making contact with Jedi informers on Naboo. There were those who acted as informers on all the planets in the galaxies. He fervently tried to locate the ever-elusive Norton Gilroy. Jinn knew he was on the planet, but locating him was another thing.
Xanatos had long since gone to bed. That left the big master up to do his work and think over what had happened between he and Obi-Wan.
More than once, Qui-Gon hesitated over his work and looked up at the bedroom door. He did not know what he expected too see. He was sure Obi-Wan would not come out and talk with him. That is what Jinn would have preferred his padawan do. He didn't want the wedge between them to embed itself deeper. He sighed after his fourth time of staring at the door and went back to his work.
Qui-Gon had managed to find a couple of places they could search for Norton Gilroy but no promises were made if he would still be there. The man moved around a lot, dodging sith knows what the master thought.
Jinn went to bed resigned to the fact that he had helped neither of his padawans with their dilemmas this day.
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The three Jedi headed out before daylight in almost a foot of newly fallen snow.
"I think we should have put off going any where master until this weather breaks. No one will be stirring to get any information from."
"That might be so, but I have already gotten some leads on Gilroy. We will check those out and if we don't come up with anything then we will return to start searching again tomorrow."
"Oh I didn't know you had any idea where he might be, at least not yet."
"Jedi always have informers on every planet Xani. You should have remembered that. I made some contacts with them late last night and have come up with a couple of leads, that is all."
Obi-Wan had yet to speak a word to either Jedi. His head was kept down most of the time as if he needed to see every step he made. Jinn was not going to pressure the boy. He needed him on his best behavior and agitating him into a conversation-turned-argument was not what the master wanted right now.
They finally reached their destination. It looked like an abandoned store of some kind.
Jinn motioned to Obi-Wan and Xani to follow behind him as he cautiously and quietly opened the door. Both Jedi with sabers, instinctively drew them and powered them up.
The door led the into an empty room. No one was there and it looked like no one had been there for years.
Jinn started looking around while still encouraging both of his padawans to remain silent. He nodded for Xani to check a door off to the left of them. Xanatos found nothing. Jinn turned to walk back to where Obi-Wan stood silent in the middle of the room. He put his saber away and had Xani do the same.
"I guess we have come up against a stone wall yet again. Gilroy is not here."
In that moment the door to the cellar opened up and several men poured out of it, each with a drawn blaster in their hand.
"Well what have we here, Jedi? And just what are you doing at our humble abode Jedi? Who or what are looking for?"
Jinn threw both of his hands up as if in submission.
"We have not come here too fight. We are looking for someone, for some information"
"Just who would that someone be? Maybe I know him. Just maybe I could help you."
The scarred face man turned and looked at his comrades and they all burst out into laughter.
The man who spoke had a very large scar covering the side of his face. It was still red from injury. It was healed, but newly healed.
Jinn knew very well these men were taunting them. They had no intention of helping them and could very well be planning to kill the Jedi.
"We are looking for Norton Gilroy. Do any of you know of him, or where we could find him?"
"And if we did do you think we be telling you filthy Jedi."
Now the scarred-face man was letting his impatience and anger show.
"I would see no reason why you should not help us."
Jinn nonchalantly waved his right hand in front of the scared-faced man's face.
A dazed look appeared on his face. He turned to his friends.
"He's right. I see no reason why we should not help the Jedi."
Jinn had successfully used the Jedi mind trick on him. There was only one problem. One of the men in back recognized what the Jedi master had done to his leader and friend. He immediately shoved his friend behind him, breaking the mental connection Qui-Gon had established with him.
"Get em boys. The Jedi is using that mind trick."
All this time Obi-Wan had stood frozen with fear in the middle of the room. He did not know what to do. To his knowledge, he had never been placed in such a threatening position. Of course, the opposite was true. He had battled many times side by side with his master.
Jinn and Xanatos started deflecting the blaster shots one by one. It was times like these that a light saber was not the best weapon to go into battle with.
Jinn yelled for Obi-Wan to move to seek cover. Still the boy remained right in the middle of the battle. Jinn did not know if he heard him or was too afraid too move. Qui-Gon worked his way over to Obi-Wan, while still fighting and deflecting shots with his saber. Once he reached him, he shoved Obi-Wan clear a crossed the room. While he was not covered very well, the boy was at least out of the middle of the actual battle.
Qui-Gon hoped the child had enough sense to stay where he was. Jinn was in too intense of a battle to keep a constant watch over Obi-Wan. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Xani successfully down one of the five men. Four to go and with only their sabers deflecting the blaster bullets, things did not look promising for the Jedi.
Jinn parried forward and knocked the blaster from one man's hand. Qui-Gon kicked him right in the stomach, reached down, and used the hilt of his saber to knock the man soundly in his head, rendering him unconscious. Jinn was not as quick to kill as Xani was if it could be avoided in any way at all. Xani had downed another opponent; this time only injuring him in the leg and not out and out killing him.
Now they only had two to do battle with. Odds were even now. Jinn still had no time to check on his younger padawan.
The scarred-faced man was engaged in battle with Jinn. The man who had alerted his friends of the mind trick was still in battle with Xani. It was more or less a hand-to-hand combat now. Xani landed a crushing blow to the right jaw of the man he was fighting. His blaster dislodged from his hand and flew a crossed the room. Jinn fought the scarred face man who by this time had abandoned his blaster for a long knife he had pulled from the top of his boots. The blade of the knife flickered dangerously in the master's face, as he too had to drop his saber in order to keep from being stabbed. He needed both of his hands to grip the man's hand holding the knife to keep it from slitting his throat.
With a nudge of the force, Jinn pushed the knife away and the man dropped it. Jinn spun him around and brought his right arm painfully back behind him. Jinn thought he heard the man's arm break under the big Jedi's force as he jerked the arm around and behind the gang leader's back, holding it in place with the man's own hand. Xani was already tying his man up with rope he had in his utility belt.
Jinn smiled at Xani as he came over and took the scarred face man and tied him up equally as secured.
"Job well done padawan."
Xani smiled back.
It was then Jinn remembered Obi-Wan.
"You can come out now Obi. Everything is fine now."
Jinn waited for a minute and a slight twinge of worry hit the master when he got no reply.
"Obi-Wan it is safe now. Come on out."
Nothing, the boy did not reply. Jinn looked in the direction where he had pushed Obi-Wan. All he saw was his apprentice's two unmoving legs that stuck out from behind an over turned table. Fear gripped Jinn. Then a low moan was heard.
Qui-Gon rushed over to where Obi-Wan now laid in a crumpled heap… Obi was lying on his stomach. When Jinn rolled his padawan on his back he saw the massively large pool of blood, growing ever larger as it poured out onto the tan colored tunic and spilled over onto the brown Jedi robe. The floor was covered in the younger padawan's blood. One of the many random blaster shots had struck Obi-Wan Kenobi with deadly accuracy in his upper torso……….
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Thank You for all the feedback. Just don't get lazy on me and I will be punctual with my updates for you!!!!!!
For those of you who asked, if I told you if Xani was good or bad I would give the entire plot away. You will just have to read to see which he is.
PEACE Ewen