A/N: The name of the title kindda comes from WWE (or WWF to all of you don't know they changed the name because they got sued). Anyhowz, the title came from the PPV preview for KOTR that kindda went like this (in a freaky voice):
Respect (flash pic of Undertaker [Taker's motto])
The Game (flash pic of Triple H [HHH's aka name])
Respect the Game (flash pics of Taker beating up HHH and vice versa)
Get it?
I hate long author notes, but I seem to be full of them. Thanks for all the wonderful reviews! I can't believe I got that many for only five chapters! THANK YOU!
To answer questions: yes it was Obi-Wan's cry, you can kick Qui-Gon's a$$ later, and what I'm trying to get across that Obi-Wan and Amidala are actually good friends! I tried to make her nice…anyhow, thank you for the reviews, so sorry I couldn't thank you indiviually. I figured (again) you would want the chapter more… or am I mistaken? J
~Blazer~
July 16, 2002
BREATHE
PART FIVE:
RESPECT THE GAME
The palace halls were clear. Obi-Wan led the way, a blaster in his fist. He knew the palace the best, and Qui-Gon was forced to let him lead. Qui-Gon still stuck to Obi-Wan, not letting five feet get between them. He knew that Obi-Wan was irritated with him for that, but Qui-Gon couldn't help it. His lightsaber was held close in front of him, and it almost was touching Obi-Wan's back. Privately, Qui-Gon was hoping that Obi-Wan would jerk back into his saber.
"You can make the evacuation notice from the throne room," Obi-Wan explained to Amidala.
"How is that?" she asked doubtfully.
"M'Lady, the throne room is not only used for you to greet visitors."
"How do you mean?" They were nearing the throne room. Obi-Wan's tension level rose. He prayed the fighting had not gotten past the barrier. He wanted to be out there in the fray, but he knew that Queen Amidala was his first priority.
"There was a public service system installed last year," Obi-Wan said.
"What? " Amidala seemed completely baffled. " What? Why wasn't I told?"
"Your Majesty, " Obi-Wan said calmly, "It has a very low power supply. You will have time to make a thirty- second speech. I'm afraid we'll have to head to the Security Office if you wish to make it longer."
Amidala glared at him. "You should have told me."
"We were, M'Lady. Some thought it would embarrassing if you knew. "
"Why?"
"We installed it ourselves," Obi-Wan said. " I gave the OK for it. Some security officers thought it would be a nice surprise. "
"Oh." Amidala looked like she wanted to laugh.
"Quiet," Obi-Wan suddenly hushed. He peered around the corner. He saw frenzy as maids rushed to the doors, struggling to get out. "No, no," Obi-Wan muttered. He stuffed his blaster back in his belt. " Your Majesty, I'll show you the microphone for you to speak into, but I've got to sort this out."
"Of course," Amidala said.
Obi-Wan glanced at Qui-Gon. " Shut it off," he ordered.
"But why?" Anakin blurted.
Qui-Gon felt anger grill through him. Who was Obi-Wan to give him orders?
"Do you want to cause even more of a panic?" he demanded, nodding to the frantic maids. "They can't get out that way. I've got to lead them out. "
Qui-Gon stood, precious seconds ticking away. He hated himself, but he saw Obi-Wan's logic. Yes, the man was good, which made him even more deadly. He deactivated his lightsaber. Anakin fumed, but deactivated his as well.
Amidala was well aware of the tension between the former Master and Padawan. She let them glare each other for a full minute before she raised her arm between them. "General, please," she said in a hushed way. "The evacuation notice."
Obi-Wan's eyes flickered. He nodded at Qui-Gon curtly as stepped from behind the corner. A maid cried out as she pointed to them. Immediately they all started to rush to them, crying out. Obi-Wan pointed over the mob towards a pillar by the stairwell. " From the bottom, count fifteen palms up." He glanced at Qui-Gon's large hands, then at Anakin's. He pointed to the boy. "Let him do it. Press it hard. Thirty seconds, Your Majesty. "
He didn't wait for a response but strolled forward, raising his arms up to avert the group of twenty or so maids. Most of them saw and instantly grew quiet at the sight of a figure they knew so well. He waved his arm, motioning them to follow him. Amidala nodded encouragingly as she made her way to the pillar quickly. The group veered off after Obi-Wan.
Qui-Gon was amazed at the calming effect that Obi-Wan had over the maids. Apparently, Obi-Wan was well loved here on Naboo. It made him realize that maybe there was still heart in his former Padawan. The simple act of taking charge made Qui-Gon realize the effect his training had had on Obi-Wan, and made him wonder what had steered Obi-Wan off the course in the first place. He watched as Obi-Wan led to maids through a door, wondering why the sudden change of heart he had.
He had no time to ponder why. Anakin had reached the pillar was counting up quickly. He pressed his fingers into the spot where he had reached twenty. Not to his surprise, the covering of the pillar slid up. A small depression was in the pillar and in the depression a comm unit. It was a very old comm unit with a bad receiver but still a comm unit.
Amidala took the receiver with a strong hand. She pressed it to her mouth, pressing the small red button on it the its side. She said a hesitant hello, and her voice was heard throughout the streets of Theed, stopping everyone in their tracks.
She charged on, mindful of her time limit. "Citizens of Theed. This is Queen Amidala. There is no cause for alarm, but I am ordering the immediate evacuation of the city. Please travel to other cities here on Naboo. Do not panic. Do not rush. Do everything in a calm order. Take only what you need to last a few weeks or so. Please hurry. Thank you," she added just the comm unit went dead.
She was about to speak to Qui-Gon when they heard shots fire from within the palace.
~*~*~*~
Obi-Wan knew the maids were frantic to leave the palace and the fighting, but he needed to find a safe exit for them to leave. He led the group down a long hall that exited out into an alley. All of them were quiet, trust in their eyes that Obi-Wan would leave them to safety. "Do you know if anyone else is still here?"
The maid at the front of the group shrugged. " We grabbed our things and ran. We forgot that the front doors are only opened with a code. None of us knew it. We're eternally grateful to you, General Kenobi." Some of them nodded their agreement.
"It's no problem," Obi-Wan said tersely. He had no idea if anyone was in the alley. There should be some guards there, but if they were good guards, they would have gone off to join the fighting. He fervently hoped that Lieutenant Kikerio was all right. He prayed no one had been killed while he was here in absolutely no danger.
They reached the door. He held up his hand to stop the maids. Cautiously, he stepped to the door. He didn't want to use the lightsaber with Qui-Gon so near, but it was the best weapon he had. Glancing over his shoulder, he peered down the hall into the throne room. He saw no movement. Activating the lightsaber, he held out his hand and the door flew open.
He jumped into the alley. It was deserted. He waved the maids forward and when they entered the alley, he nodded down the side of the alley that would lead them to a street in the city. "Thank you!" they all cried as they ran towards their freedom. Obi-Wan covered their backs, sensing that the street would possess no danger. He wasn't too sure about the other exit, which led to the lake and the quad area of the palace.
He watched the maids run down the street and head their separate ways, his head poked around the corner. He turned back to the other exit, and ran towards the door.
"There!" he heard someone yell as he ducked into the door he had just come out of.
He dove into the door just in time to avoid blaster fire that sailed over him.
He turned his slide into a roll and used it to come to his feet. He could hear the droids' feet as they walked and he frowned. He knew that the droids that were coming after him were the droids of the Trade Federation that had blockaded Naboo. But did that mean they had come back? The Galactic Senate had ordered them to cut down their armies. But still, even if they had cut the army in half, it would still be tremendous.
Obi-Wan didn't have time to wonder what it could be or how many droids they had. The droids were now steaming into the palace; their blaster bolts singing past Obi-Wan's ears as he ducked down a corner. He had to lead the droids away from the Queen. He needed help, but if he ran for Qui-Gon's, he may condemn the Queen.
He felt the Force flow around him, guiding him in his moves. He wouldn't be able to fight these droids if they got close, but he deflected their bolts easily. The shot bounced off his lightsaber back to the droid. The shot killed the droid easily. He killed enough droids for three guards that way.
Still, the droids kept pouring in. He could feel the sweat start to trail down his chest and face. His arms began to ache. He wondered numbly if there was a line of droids waiting to come in. Was this the force they had sent to secure the palace? Was he the only one fighting? Even as he fought, he moved backwards, heading down a corridor.
He soon lost track of time. He no longer thought. His arms moved, guided by the Force. The droids were endless. There were six or so firing at the same time. He leapt and dodged, slicing the bolts back at them. If he killed three, there were three more behind them to take their place. His arms ached. He couldn't get a decent breath in. He couldn't hand-to-hand combat with them even if he wanted to. His legs hurt from all the dodging. His hands were sweaty, and he had to concentrate to hold the lightsaber.
The Force flowed around him, aiding him. His connection had not dimmed in the last three years. If anything, it had grown stronger. He knew that would puzzle Qui-Gon, probably anger him, but he couldn't think of Qui-Gon right now.
He was in dire need of help. He didn't know where he was in the palace. Was he near the throne room? Was he coming to a dead end? He dreaded that. Part of his success with the droids was the fact he could jump back if they got to close. If he came to a dead end, would he have to hand-to-hand combat with them? He wouldn't be able to win if they backed him up. He would be overcome.
Obi-Wan slashed and slashed at the bolts. His arms screamed fury. He called on the Force and directed it towards the line of droids. It knocked over two lines of them. They fell back, knocking over the ones behind them. Obi-Wan blinked. The fourth line of droids was struggling to get over the fallen ones. Obi-Wan couldn't believe his luck. He blocked some shots, then turned and ran.
~*~*~*~
Qui-Gon heard the shots clearly, yet he made no move to head towards the sound. His hand rested on his lightsaber hilt, yet he did not activate it. Anakin called his name, yet he did not hear it. Amidala touched his arm, but he did not feel it.
He wanted to scream. He could feel Obi-Wan, twisting and blocking bolts with his lightsaber. He could feel the surprise in Obi-Wan, and the grim determination. He could hear the whizzing bolts clearly, and he vaguely saw the bolts screaming past Obi-Wan ears.
No! He did not want to feel this disgrace through the Force! He did not want to have any connection whatsoever to him. He didn't want Obi-Wan to know that he could feel him, so he clamped his Force connection down, startling Anakin, for their bond was immediately broken.
"Master Qui-Gon!" Amidala cried, starting towards the door. Automatically, he followed her. "We need to help Obi-Wan." She rolled her hand towards the door. "Droids must be in the palace. "
It shook Qui-Gon from his trance. "No, Your Majesty," he said gently. "We need to get you to the safe-hold. I am positive that the guards will hear the shots and come to help him."
She looked at him. "No! Obi-Wan needs help! I know it! All the guards are outside! They won't be able to get to him! I know it!" She could see she was getting nowhere with this. Qui-Gon's eyes were too determined and harsh looking. She glowered at him. "Master Jedi, he needs help! If you will not come with me, I'm afraid that you won't be able to help me! Quite possibly, I will be killed! "
"Your Majesty, please," Qui-Gon said irritably, stepping in front of her. "I know what is best. I'm sure he can take care of himself."
" You don't know that!" she replied. " You don't know how many droids there are out there! What if there are hundreds!"
"I'm sure there are not hundreds, Your Majesty," Qui-Gon said patiently. "Please-"
"You Majesty!"
They all turned to see a young man running to them. "Corporal?" Amidala asked as he came near. "Je'Tra, what is it?"
The man frowned. "The hospital wing has collapsed!"
"Was everyone out?" Amidala's face went absolutely white.
" I'm not sure, Your Majesty," Je'Tra said. "General Kenobi told me to evacuate everyone. I didn't think they would go after the hospital wing, but they did. When I got there, the front wall was down. I've been trying to get in, but I can't. I need help. I can hear people in-"
"Sola is in there!" Amidala began to run, not towards the door, but towards the way Je'Tra had come. Qui-Gon wanted to groan in frustration. He didn't even know who this Sola person was. He needed to get the Queen in a safe place. Grimly, he followed Amidala, matching her stride.
"Your Majesty, please. You must get to the safe-hold."
"My sister is in there!" Amidala roared in his face. " If she's trapped in there, I need to get her out!" Je'Tra followed them closely, a blaster at hand. Anakin was on her left, Qui-Gon at her right. Both lightsabers were activated. "Just protect me! I'll be fine!" Her eyes looked feverish with worry.
The hospital wing was two minutes away. It wasn't very big; and was a circular room that only fitted about twenty. As far as Amidala knew, only Sola and five guards injured in the trap Obi-Wan had set up was in there. When they reached the wing, Qui-Gon realized it would take at least twenty minutes to get in there.
It looked terrible. The front wall and the front half of the ceiling had collapsed onto the ground. The rubble rose up to the part of the ceiling that had not collapsed. It made a wall that seemed impossible to get through. Sharp bits of rocks jutted out from the sloping pile of rubble. Qui-Gon felt through the wall with the Force and knew that the pile was thick.
Qui-Gon attuned his ears with the Force. He got as close as he dared and listened, closing his eyes. He heard voices. They were panicked and scared. The Force told him that they were all alive, although one had had to be dug out of the rubble. That one needed medical attention.
He relayed the news to Amidala, who gave a sigh of relief. " Sola!" she yelled. "Sola! It's Padme, Sola! Can you hear me?"
"Padme? Padme, thank goodness!"
Amidala wanted to cry with relief. " We'll get you out of there! Don't worry. "
Qui-Gon examined the structure. This wing branched out from the palace, it's end near the tree line of the forest. Qui-Gon couldn't understand how the wall had collapsed from the inside. He frowned. Had droids come this way? He couldn't feel any through the Force. He would have to ask Sola when they got her out.
Amidala was speaking to Je'Tra. "Please go to my chamber and get me my battle outfit," she instructed. "Meet us at the safe-hold."
She turned her attention to Qui-Gon. " Can we go to the top and take the rocks out? "
Anakin suddenly spoke. "If we go to the outside, we can use our lightsabers to cut a hole through the wall. They can climb out there."
Qui-Gon nodded, smiling a bit. "Good idea. We'll need to be careful, though. After we get them out, we'll head to the forest and the safe-hold. We can't be seen, though."
"Excellent!" Amidala said.
"Anakin, stay here and protect the Queen. I'll be right back." He gave Anakin a good stare. " Keep her safe."
"Don't worry," Anakin said seriously.
Confident that he was putting the Queen in good hands, Qui-Gon went to a window and broke it. He saw Amidala wince.
He jumped out the window.
~*~*~*~
Where was he?
Obi-Wan snapped his eyes open. All he saw in front of him was a field of darkness that stretched on for miles. He took a step forward, and the ground shook under his step. Cautiously, he took some more steps, each with the same result. It didn't scare him, but it unnerved him. The darkness was all around him, like it was suffocating him.
Where was he?
He couldn't remember what had happened. He reached to the Force to reassure him. To his horror, he couldn't feel it. Reaching out harder, he was met with the same result. That sacred him. He had never the Force yanked out of him this way before. He took another step forward and yelped as the ground shook violently. His cry seemed to echo for a long time.
"Hello?" he called out. The only answer he got back was his own greeting. Obi-Wan held his hand up in front of him. He saw a vague outline, but nothing else. Oh, Force what had happened?
No memory came back to him. The last thing he remembered was coming face-to-face with the Sith. He tried to grasp the battle that was sure to have followed, but none came. Maybe then, he had been killed. Was this the afterlife? Was this the Force? It didn't seem like anything his teachers had taught him so long ago. They had told him that it would peaceful and full of light. There was no light here and it sure wasn't peaceful.
He wasn't afraid to be dead, but he was afraid of not knowing how he had died. He didn't want to stay here. Coldness had started to creep into his bones. "Hello!" he called. His voice echoed. He listened as it bounced off invisible walls and finally dried out.
"Hello, my young Padawan," someone said from behind him.
He jumped, and when he landed, the ground shook as though a meteor had struck the planet. He spun around, struggling to regain his balance. "Who is it?" he called. There was no longer an echo.
There was a robed figure standing in front of him. He was outlined in light, as if he were standing in front of a sun. Obi-Wan, accustomed to the dark shielded his eyes. He winced, and peered at the man. He couldn't see the man's face, but he could tell that the he was middle-height and aging.
"Who are you?" Obi-Wan asked.
"You know me," the man softly. "I am your Master."
Obi-Wan started. No way. Qui-Gon was his Master. " No, you're not."
"I am the Master you need," the man said. "That foolish man who you call Master can't give you what you need. I can do that, my young Jedi. You have strange gifts, young one. You are special, but that man does not see them. "
"Who are you really?" Obi-Wan demanded. "Why am I here? What happened?"
"Oh, poor boy," the man sneered. "You don't know who you are. If you join me, young one, you would soar to new heights. No one understands your gifts. "
"Where am I?" Obi-Wan shouted. "What have you done?"
"Pity," the man sighed.
"Who are you?" Obi-Wan yelled.
"I am the one who will offer you the salvation that you need. I call myself Enhrida. Know something, young one: if you speak a word of me, something will happen to all you love. Something will happen to those you need."
"What are you talking about?" Obi-Wan asked.
"I will come to you again, Obi-Wan Kenobi," the man said.
"Stop!"
The man lifted his hood just enough to let Obi-Wan see his toothy smile. " Do you think you know pain?" he asked suddenly.
" What?"
The man raised his hands. "You have no idea. "
Lightning shot out of his fingertips suddenly. Obi-Wan jerked suddenly, pain radiating throughout his body. He screamed, falling to his side, causing the ground to lurch beneath him. The lightning swarmed on his body, causing every part of him to scream out. He rolled frantically, struggling to escape the pain. He held his arms to his stomach, trying to curl in a ball.
" And I'll do that to all you love," the man said. "You think this hurts? This is so small, Obi-Wan Kenobi. Do not speak of this, my young Jedi, do not. You think you know pain?"
Obi-Wan screamed in return.
"You have no idea."
~*~*~*~
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