Arldetta: Yeah, i know *laughs* It was after reading her stories that i got into the whole SW.ff stuff. In fact, if it wasn't for her stories i wouldn't be here doing mine!! Ironic huh? Oh yeah! I've read your 'Free the Jedi' story! It's really good, but *koffkoff* i'm dying for the next part - hurry up please! (but i know what it feels like, i hven't got the motivation to get off my lazy arse and actually type, this is my VERY LAST made-up chapter. I need some of those 'get-up-and-go-motivation-pills'.
Mydogisfudge: *blushes* Thanks. When i first started this story i seriously did think that i wasn't going to get any feedback at all because i felt that this story really really SUCKED! I still do, but your reviews help me think, "It can't be too bad if i'm getting reviews......"
Remnants: I am updating.
Neniae:*blushes even harder* Thankyou so much! I actually thought the start was really jumpy, i don't like it much but i found that to get the dialogue smooth i had to lengthen the story (thats cause i just SUCK!). When i first heard this song i fully didn't understand it, it was so strange/weird. Then when i was writing this story i thought that it would fit because Obi-Wan's life at the moment doesn't make any sense. Everything is fractured, broken, he's caught in this spiral that he doesn't know anything about. He gets flashed of things that he doesn't understand and i thought (don't mind what i think though) that since the song seems so obscure, ambigous and opague that it might suit. Only problem is that the song is nearly finished and the story nowhere near!
Does anyone know where i can read the "Bashing-Of-Obi-Wan-On-The-Way-To-Bandomeer" story? My library doesn't have it and i am NOT driving 600km to get it. Does anyone own it that can scan it or something? I'd just like to read it thats all.
****When you knew that it was over
Were you suddenly aware
That the autumn leaves were turning
To the color of her hair
- The Windmills Of Your Mind
****River awoke to the smell of something cooking. Like Obi-Wan he hadn't eaten in a long time except he hadn't eaten in something like 96 hours. His body showed it too. He took in the white bandages, the new-smelling white sheets, the painkiller pills placed conveniently placed beside him and couldn't help wondering if it was all a cruel dream. As he wondered a tall, tired looking man appeared through the door holding a plate in one hand and balancing a glass of something-or-other in another hand. The man glanced around the room, saw him awake and purposefully started moving towards him. River shrank back, unconsciously pulling the blankets tighter around him.
Qui-Gon reached the bed and placed the food on the youth's chest, "Breakfast! Looks like you need it. I cooked eggs and bacon, they'll taste delicious. I bet you haven't eaten in a long time huh?" Qui-Gon tried to coax the cowering boy.
River looked at the man (He has kind but tired eyes. If he doesn't want me as his slave why did he buy me?) "I-I-I" He stuttered, his words getting stuck in his parched throat. "C-Can I h-have some w-water p-p-pplease?"
"Sure, of course you can." Qui-Gon gently placed the cup underneath the boys mouth and helped him drink. River swallowed gratefully and licked his cracked lips. He could feel some of the drink trickling down his throat and chest. It felt good.
"Are you hungry?" Qui-Gon passed the plate beneath the boy's nose letting the smell waft. River realized he was indeed extremely hungry.
"Yes sir" he looked pitifully at the food in front of him but made no move to eat it, he had learnt in the past to wait until allowed to eat.
"Well, eat up then. Don't wait for me to tell you!" Qui-Gon grinned as the boy looked up an expression of amazement and gratefulness written across his face, "Oh, and don't call me sir. My name is Qui-Gon Jinn, you can call me Qui-Gon."
"Oh" River was puzzled, "No offence or anything sir, I mean Qui-Gon but if you didn't want me as a slave or if you didn't want a slave to begin with why did you buy me? Or why were at the slave auction originally?" River watched as an unreadable expression flashed over the older mans' face (Good one River. The first nice person you meet, you manage to offend and upset him). He started panicking as the older man's eyes went dark, "I'm sorry! I shouldn't have asked. I didn't mean to offend you, I'm really sorry sir……"he trailed off as the man laid a hand on his arm.
"It's ok. I'm not angry at you River. The truth is I'm looking for someone."
"Looking for someone? At a slave auction?" River couldn't help himself and ravenously started eating his breakfast.
Qui-Gon smiled sadly as he watched River wolf down his food (Are you like this Obi-Wan?) "Yes at a slave auction."
"Who?"
"A boy named Obi-Wan. He was my Padawan."
"Padawan?" River stopped eating to ask, a piece of food hanging out the side of his mouth.
"A Padawan is a Jedi's name for an apprentice. Obi-Wan was, is, my apprentice."
"You are a Jedi????"
"Yes. I told you once before but I think you were a bit too hysterical to notice."
"Cool! So why is your P-Padawan missing?"
Qui-Gon stopped and closed his eyes to gain strength and keep his emotions under control, "Well, it's a long story." He tried to stall for time.
"Well, I think I'm not going anywhere……"River pressed the older man.
"Ok", Qui-Gon sighed resignedly, "We were on a mission---"
"Doing what?"
"It doesn't matter", he waved his hand and continued, "We were on a mission and we got separated. The enemy captured Obi-Wan and decided to have some fun with him. So they put him in this machine and wiped out his memory."
"Wiped out his memory?!?!? So, like he can't remember anything???"
"Yes River. They erased his complete memory."
"Then how would he know who you are?" The older man seemed to age before his eyes, (Whoops, put your foot in it again River).
"He wouldn't."
"So then what happened?" River tried to move as far away as possible from the black abyss he was skating around.
"Well, the guards wanted some more fun. So they took Obi-Wan and……" The man's voice cracked but he valiantly continued, "They took him offworld and dumped him in the middle of some planet with nothing. They took bets to see how long he would survive."
River was speechless, (How can people do that? Plain slavery – yes, I understand but cruelty for sport – no.) "Then what……….?"
"Well, after a couple of days on his own, with no recall of anything, he was taken by a slave-lord and then I don't know."
"What do you mean I don't know?"
"I DON"T KNOW OK?!?!" The man exploded then buried his head in his hands, "I'm sorry River. I've just been searching for him for months and I haven't found a trace of him. I've been on edge for a while, I'm sorry about that outburst."
"It's ok." River found it strange being the one giving comfort. "How did you know he got sold?"
"I caught the guards that were playing with Obi-Wan. They had watched him, placing more bets and had seen him taken. The slave-lord just took him and then the guards left, thinking the bet over. Since no more money could be made on Obi-Wan they just left." He laughed bitterly.
"So did you kill the guards?" River found himself fearing the answer.
"Kill? No! I am a Jedi! Jedi are sworn to keep the peace. We only kill in self-defense." Qui-Gon raised himself up, "But I wanted to………..and that ashamed me even more."
"So how are you trying to find O-Obi-Wan?" River struggled with the strange name.
"I've just been going around to all the auctions asking if they've seen the boy. It's all I can do."
"On what planet was Obi-Wan captured by the guards that wiped his memory?"
"Phindar." Qui-Gon sighed once again, re-living the horrible memories of losing his Padawan.
"And where was he captured by the slave-lord?"
"Skitz-Bambaataa"
"How come he wasn't sold there?"
"The slave-lord transported him offworld and sold him somewhere else."
"What are the nearest planets? How many are there?"
"About a hundred."
"How many have you searched?"
"About ten."
"Ohhhh." River realized how big a job Qui-Gon was attempting. (It's hopeless. There's no chance that he's going to find the boy).
"How long have you been searching so far?"
"Around 3 months."
"So………..it's going to take you around 2 ½ years just to search the closest planets and you're not even sure that he's on them?"
"Yes"
(He must know how slim the chances of recovery are). River came to a decision. "I'll help you."
"What????" Qui-Gon hadn't foreseen that. "But don't you want to go out and make a life for yourself. You're free now!"
"Well, yes I'm free. Therefore I'm allowed to make my own choices. Beside I owe you for my freedom and for saving my life. If you hadn't have bought me when you did I surely would've died. And I know that you didn't have to buy me, considering the only reason you were there was for your Padawan. So I owe you. Let me do this for you." River grinned then added, "Besides, with you I'm almost guaranteed food, a place to sleep, no beatings and medical treatment for free!"
(Well, not guaranteed, I can't remember how many times Obi-Wan and I didn't have some of them.) Qui-Gon smiled at the boy and extended his hand, "I'll be pleased if you would like to join me River."
"Cool! We got a deal Qui-Gon. I help you and in return I get food!!"
"Deal!" For the first time in around 3 months the older man laughed. Not a sad, bitter sound but a truly, happy one.
****A week passed.
Obi-Wan's bruises turned yellow. Obi-Wan gets a fever from the work in the rain and beatings. Him and Billy manage to hide it from the guards. Weight dropping. River started walking again. Qui-Gon checked out another 2 slave auctions on the planet.
2 weeks passed.
Obi-Wan's kidneys healed properly and he stopped passing blood. Fever totally gone. No longer losing weight, although its still dangerously low. He re-learnt how to speak and eat. . River went for his first trip with Qui-Gon. He passed out half-way from exhaustion.
3 weeks passed.
Obi-Wan's stomach returned to it's normal colour, only dirty yellow slightly seen underneath the skin. His mouth stopped getting ulcers from his jagged teeth. Weight stabilizing. River gaining weight. Qui-Gon searched all the auctions without success.
4 weeks passed.
Obi-Wan managed to sleep on his side for the first time. Slowing gaining weight. River started to get his fitness up. Training with Qui-Gon.
5 weeks passed.
All of Obi-Wan's cuts healed. Scars appearing on back from whip marks. Bruises completely gone. Stomach still tender though. Gaining weight. River learning hand to hand combat. Qui-Gon deciding to move on. Left the planet.
6 weeks passed.
Obi-Wan weight back to normal (under slave treatment). Body almost completely healed. Ribs almost completely knitted again. River back up to normal weight. Completely healed. Learning endurance training. On a new planet, Qui-Gon searched 2 auctions.
7 weeks passed
Obi-Wan completely healed. Starting to hoard food for escape. Billy researching escape routes. River at peak performance. Trained with blasters, hand to hand combat, endurance training, still learning about computers and programs. Accompanied Qui-Gon to 3 auctions.
****Right, i'm sorry that this was so short but it is my very last chapter in my stockpile. Now i HAVE TO get off my arse and write. I'm just too lazy now that it's holidays.
Do you think i'll reach 50 on my reviews? That would be mind-blowing. Totally fan-tast-ti-cal-ly mindblowing. Right, i'm off to get those 'motivation' pills (a.k.a caffiene, sugar and panadol).
Anonymous person: Hey!! I moved it along faster! Did you notice that? The whole '........weeks passed". Although even i thought that writing about the healing would've been boring. Besides i needed something to show the time progression. This story is meant to be in a sort of real-life/time situation.