~Jealousy Part Four~
Summary: Raina, Anakin, and Obi-wan have all agreed to embark on a dangerous mission to Abhor. What will happen once they arrive?
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
All she could hear were the bizarre sounds and reverberation on the harsh wall she was leaning on. Everything was dark preventing her from making out any shapes or objects. But what stood out the most was the appalling stench. It was nothing that she had ever smelled before, and soon it was so strong that she passed out again . . .
* * *
Exhausted was the only word that described her right now. Her head was spinning, and she feared that her mind would be taken over at any second. She was fighting off the sleep, and trying to keep up with everything that was happening.
Raina had been seated on the same chair, in the same position for over two hours and she just couldn't hack it anymore. She was situated in the rear of the cockpit, and had been listening to her companions bicker since they had left Coruscant. The voices of a clearly annoyed man, and a bitchy and defiant teenage boy had been racing through her mind, and she just wanted to block them out but she couldn't. Nothing could be worse than this.
Of course, it had to have happened then.
It appeared out of nowhere, a flash that illuminated the surrounding sky. And at first, everything appeared to be okay.then she felt the vessel sway. The impact of the unidentified object set off the warning alarm, and the blaring drowned everything out. Raina shook her head in disbelief. It was beginning.
The ship rocked and for once she was glad to be seated in her chair. She surveyed the front of the cockpit ensuring that the others were safe. It was easy to see that the two had their hands full, trying to regain full control of everything. But they were in a lot of trouble.
The siren continued to block out any outside noise, which included Obi-wan. He was yelling out instructions for her, but none of it reached her. "WHAT?" she tried, but it was no use. Nothing could be heard. She looked around helplessly, struggling to make sense of it all. This cannot be happening!
Then the Radar screen caught her eye and they were no less than a few minutes away from Abhor! Someone was desperately trying to keep them off their planet. But how could anyone possibly know that they were coming?
She wasn't aware that the planet was this hostile. She knew of the strange disappearances, but this was absolutely ridiculous! What would make one . . . fire missiles at an unidentified ship, that had barely - no, that hadn't even landed on the planet? It was crazy, and it made her realize what a fine job they were doing entering the system in secret.
The second flash had appeared as suddenly as the first but this time they were more prepared. The vessel rocked again at the blow. "Fu-" she started but was knocked out of her seat, "ahhhh!" she screamed, as she was sent flying.
Her head hit hard, but on what, she wasn't sure. She cried out in pain, and tried to move but the vibrations were too strong. From where she was situated she could feel the turbulence, as the pilots lost control. She was really uncomfortable lying in this awkward position, sprawled out on the floor. Raina was losing control of herself and was drifting into unconsciousness.
No, she wouldn't give up. With the little strength she had she turned her body over, and just lay there for a moment. With her eyes closed she could feel the ship falling faster and faster. It was then she realized that they were going to crash, and lying on the ground was not the place to be. So she tried pushing herself up off the ground, but gravity was her enemy. Raina just couldn't do it and was losing all hope.
"Raina!" she barely heard. "Raina!" and she knew it was him. "Get up NOW!" the voice demanded. It was in her head and she couldn't ignore it.
"I . . . I can't" she stuttered, the throbbing in her head was too great. She could not help herself, and was preparing for the worse.
"If you don't get up you're going to die." The realization hit her hard, and she couldn't let that happen. She shifted again and tried to get on her knees. Her body wasn't doing what she wanted it to do, but this time it was strange. Try as she might, Raina couldn't lift a finger. It was a battle between her mind and her body . . .and with an outside force.
It was useless. "Get up!" he urged, but she was stuck. This was the end and Raina was going to die.
"I can't do it," she cried out. "Goodbye Anakin." They were close - no they were there. She braced herself as much as possible, which was only in her mind. Then she felt the collision and heard the horrible screeches of metal on metal. And once again, the darkness welcomed her.
~
Two eyelids opened, revealing large dark brown eyes. Her ears were ringing, and the sound was deafening. There was dust everywhere, she could tell by the smell. She was covered in debris and was too scared to move, for she feared she would be injured. Everything was so tranquil and so still. All Raina recognized were a few shapes but otherwise, everything was dark.
At first she didn't feel a thing, then it hit her all at once. The pain shot up from her leg and engulfed her body causing her to scream in pain. She was too afraid to move which could cause additional pain, which she did not need. So she just lay there for a moment building up the courage to budge, then she shifted her leg. Expecting excruciating pain, she felt nothing but a slight throbbing in her leg. She sighed in relief but then got to work kicking off all the ruins that concealed her.
While she was doing that, it occurred to her that she could not feel Obi- wan or Anakin anywhere nearby. She certainly couldn't hear them, and was positive that they were not inside the craft. For a moment she lost control and she started gasping for air, what if they were dead? What would she do? A single tear slid down her cheek and she knew it was up to her to find them.
Slowly and carefully she sat up. After all she wasn't exactly sure where she was, and she could bump her already banged-up head. So far so good, but she desperately needed light. Her eyes were slowly adjusting to the dark, but it was not enough.
Thankfully nothing large had fallen on her, and there appeared to be nothing in her way. She squinted, hoping to get an idea to where she was resting and she had a pretty good idea. She prepared herself to stand and suddenly a bright light turned on. Raina screamed and then Anakin appeared from behind an obstruction. "Hey! Its just me." He cried out in response. He had a terrified look on his face, and he had a cut above his eye. Raina could see a bruise forming on his forehead but otherwise he was ok. But after seeing Anakin's appearance she had to wonder what she looked like.
"What the hell are you doing?" she replied, trying to gain back some dignity. "And where is Obi-wan?" her heart was racing, and her face was hot with embarrassment. But never in her whole existence had she been so thankful to see Anakin. It could have been anyone, or anything for that matter, that could've found her. "Oh you scared me." She finally admitted, while shaking her head. "I was about to come rescue you!" she chuckled. Obi- wan crossed her mind again and she began to worry, where was he?
Anakin hadn't uttered one word since she had begun talking, and that was not good. Usually it took a lot of hard work to shut him up, but this wasn't right. And then she knew. A Sudden feeling of dread crept up her spine, and she knew that it was bad. "He's . . .he's hurt really bad." She was shocked. Never, would she have expected to hear those words about Obi- wan Kenobi.
Obi-wan had always been the strongest man she knew. It was chilling to think of him any other way than a valiant protector of the people. "Are you positive, Anakin?" this had to be a mistake, a huge misunderstanding, it just had to be. "Stop it right now, I mean it Anakin! Tell me the truth."
"Do I look like I'm kidding?" there was pain in his eyes, and Raina knew that he was just as scared as her. It just couldn't be real! But it was, it really was. "He's lying outside unconscious, I.we have to go to him right now." He concluded the discussion, and walked out of the wreckage before Raina had the chance to respond. She was left alone, standing in the middle of the rubble knowing that the worst was yet to come.
~
Obi-wan's condition wasn't as worse as expected but nevertheless, it was bad. His face that had taken the most beating, and made his condition appear worse than it really was. There were a few mild scratches and bumps, but there was a deep gash on his shoulder and his abdomen was wounded as well. The bleeding was quite profuse, which had to be stopped immediately. "Anakin, we have to stabilize him!" Raina cried, as she put pressure over the gushing wound. He nodded in agreement, and took off to the crash site. She was glad to have been taught First Aid.
He had found the medical kit, and was back by her side very fast. So fast, it seemed he was only gone for a few seconds. I looked up in surprise, "Your fast Skywalker." A soft smile replaced his tired, worried look. "Now help me clean him up." She changed the subject suddenly. Raina couldn't bear to look at those eyes any longer. Things were different; she could feel it inside her heart. Raina shook her head and then looked at the man lying on the ground.
They worked quickly, cleansing and wiping away the blood, and then bandaging the abrasion. But still Obi-wan remained unconscious, and that meant only one thing. Anakin and Raina would have to take matters into their own hands. First, they had to take care of their Master, which was the main priority. "We have to set up camp." Anakin muttered, not really to anyone but himself. "Raina, we can't stay with the ship." She nodded and took her first look around at the planet. The first thing she noticed was: it was already dark out. 'All we know for sure, is that these disappearances happen at night.' The words of Mace range in her ears, and fear registered on her face and mind.
"We shouldn't be here." She replied quietly. Anakin knew exactly what she was talking about. She could see it in his eyes, the anxiety on his face, and the tension in his body. "Remember what Master Windu told us . . .these disappearances happen at night, and it's dark." Her eyes moved around nervously as she talked. She wanted to be aware of any movement and she just had to be prepared.
"I know all that Raina." Anakin snapped. He was losing his patience and she had never seen him act this way. "We have to get Obi-wan out of the open." She looked around. The crash had knocked down plants and they seemed to be in a forest.
"Well then, Anakin," she spat. "What do you suggest we do?" Everything had happened so fast and she couldn't handle Anakin's moodiness at the moment. "Since you just know everything." She exclaimed sarcastically. He glared at her, but she held her ground.
"Look. We can't do this now Raina." Reasonable Anakin . . . always makes everything better. She thought as he began. "We have to decide what to do, we can move him into the ship and hope that nobody comes or . . .We can set up a camp not far from here, at least until dawn." Those were their limited choices, but Raina couldn't decide which would be the better. If they stayed with the ship somebody would find them, they did crash land. But, they didn't know if the area was safe. It was too large of a risk.
"Either way we could be attacked, by. . . anything! We don't know what's out there!" What had been going through her mind when she agreed to take this mission? She wondered, but they had to make a decision fast. "I think." Anakin looked up at her, "We have to get the most important supplies out now if we're going to set up camp." He smiled at her decision.
"I think you're right Jules. Let's do this now, before we get visitors." They both jumped to their feet and ran to wreckage; this was going to be a long night.
~
In all their efforts and with all the supplies they could gather, their makeshift camp looked pretty pathetic. They had moved Obi-wan about a hundred meters into the forest and laid him on a cot. They had chosen an area surrounded by shrubbery and a tall tree with thriving foliage overhead as a cover. Neither Anakin nor Raina wanted to risk a fire, with the chance of being caught so they had brought out thermal packs for warmth. They had brought blankets, a heat and light lamp, a map, and nourishment. Really they hadn't brought much, but they had brought the necessities to their small camp. There was nothing else they could do but hope for the best.
Finally when Anakin was satisfied, Raina collapsed to the ground and just sat there looking around. The planet itself wasn't that strange and so far it seemed much like a forest planet, but then again she had only seen this small part of it. She looked over to Anakin who was also sitting on the ground, and watched him as he studied the map. It was the only portable piece of information that they had of Abhor, other then the data on the ship. Raina looked out again into the dark forest and wondered how many more hours they had until dawn.
A quiet groan caught her attention and her eyes immediately shifted to Obi- wan. He was still unconscious but he looked peaceful on the cot. She envied him because he had the cot, and she had to sleep on the cold hard ground and with no fire. She yawned and looked back at Anakin who was still staring at the map intently trying to uncover some sort of indication to where they were. "Anakin," her voiced seemed to echo, and Raina looked around nervously. "Can you pass me a blanket?" She asked a little quieter. He looked up as if she had woken him from a trance and he stared at Raina for a moment.
"What?" she shook her head and nodded at the blankets next to him. "Oh . . .sorry." He smiled sheepishly and handed her the blanket. "Here you go," he said followed by a yawn. He looked tired, "I'm not to sure. . . but I think I know where we are." Raina looked up at Anakin quite surprised by the news.
"Really and where might that be?" she asked playfully, which earned her a smile from Anakin.
"If I'm right, we are about two miles from a main road, and maybe five or ten miles from the nearest city." He recited happily. "The city of. . . Altouh. . . I think." Raina watched Anakin closely, studying his expression, trying to read what was on his mind. She watched his eyes that were once filled with worry, brighten with excitement, then he came back to reality, and his eyes filled with worry and concern once again. So quickly his mood could change, it struck Raina as a bit odd.
There was a low moan, but this time it wasn't Obi-wan. It came from out there, out in the dark forest. "What do you think is out there?" she asked, but not in a worried tone, she was just thinking aloud. "I know we came here to find out what's happening, but what do you really think it is?" she looked to Anakin who was deep in thought. "Are we safe at all, no matter how strong or brave we are?" What were they to expect? Was this 'movement' just another simple procedure or was it far worse then they imagined?
Raina looked to Anakin for guidance and comfort, and he was startled at her words. For once he thought of the risk. What would Raina and Obi-wan do, if he made his way to the city? Would they just sit and wait for him, wondering what was happening and when he would be back? What if he didn't come back? What would happen then? Obi-wan was so weak and helpless he would certainly be no help if there were an attack. And what about Raina! He had completely forgotten what had happened to her earlier in the day. He was certain she was at a far greater risk on this planet than anywhere else.
"You know, I can't answer that Raina...because I don't know what is going to happen to us." All he knew was, they had to find out more about this planet. If they didn't, Obi-wan and themselves would be in a lot of trouble. "We have to hope for the best, and right now what we have to. . . "
A soft rustling of leaves caused Anakin to stop speaking. Instinctively his hand shot for the handle of his lightsaber, ready to pounce at the unwelcome company. His eyes narrowed in anticipation and precision as he stared at the nearest shrubbery from where the noise had come.
Her breath was caught in her throat, and she was too shocked to make a move...even to breathe. Her eyes shifted to Anakin whose thumb rested on the switch, ready to ignite his weapon at any moment. As quietly and as quickly as possible she reached for her lightsaber. Then she remembered to breathe. They waited for any further indication of the noise or movement. The seconds seemed to drag on forever, and then it was there.
Immediately she turned to Obi-wan and was followed by Anakin. A dark shadow fell across his sleeping form and Raina froze in fear. She felt Anakin as he pushed past her, fleeting to Obi-wan's side. She watched as the figure emerged slowly from the darkness and in the direction of her master.
The figure was cloaked in black, and she could not make out any features. What kind of a creature was this? She snapped out of her daze and tip toed towards the cot, and stopped when Anakin ignited his lightsaber. This caused the creature to pause, but he ignored Anakin as if he was no threat to him. Anakin pressed on and edged closer to the being not flinching or making any sudden movements. His main concern was Obi-wan, and his protection was all that mattered.
Raina didn't know whether to stay back or stand by Anakin's side. She didn't want to cause any trouble, but she didn't want anyone hurt either. Instead she crept slowly towards Anakin, slowly and cautiously. And she watched in horror as the thing got walked closer to the cot.
It didn't stop, not once. It didn't care that he had two young Jedi ready to kill if they had to, it just wanted Obi-wan. When it was almost beside the cot, Anakin lunged towards it knocking the being to the ground. His lightsaber was held at the neck of the creature, so he couldn't move. "What do you want with us?" Anakin growled. His eyes were filled with anger and anyone would be afraid. Raina glanced at Obi-wan and rushed to his side, she knew he was fine but she had to be sure. "Tell me...What do you want with us!" he screamed again. The thing just simply lay there, as if this was an every day occurrence.
Anakin was about to shout again, when it spoke. "It's not what I want with you." the voice stated simply, barely discernable. "It's what my Master wants." Raina's eyes grew large...this was not who they thought it was.
"Who is your Master?" he waited for a second "Tell me now." When he didn't reply, Anakin pulled the hood away from his face. Anakin's face dropped with surprise, but he quickly regained his composure. Raina shook her head and narrowed her eyes.... it was a woman. "You don't want anything to happen to you. Tell me who your Master is!" Anakin demanded his penetrating eyes not blinking.
"Nothing is going to happen to me." The woman stated sharply, as if she knew some deep dark secret. Her face was expressionless and her eyes were cold and lifeless. Yet, she was still a very beautiful woman. Raina breathed in deeply and walked to Anakin's side. This was clearly a woman's job.
The shuffling of Raina's feet caused the woman to look her way, but Anakin didn't take his eyes off her. Raina knelt down beside Anakin and forced her own face to look as mean and dangerous and possible. Then a small smirk appeared on the woman's mouth. "I was wondering when you were going to do something." Her eyes narrowed and turned steely at the comment. Her body stiffened and she had the urge to slap the smile off of her face.
"You think your so tough right?" Raina said, sounding more resonant and distinct than Anakin had ever heard. "Are you certain you should be so sure of yourself?" The woman's face grew blank again, and Raina felt in control. "Now tell me who your work for!" she inched closer to her, "or else I'll just have to deal with you myself."
The woman stared for a moment before replying. "No." Then she kicked Anakin knocking him off balance. His lightsaber flew out of his hand and landed with a thud out of his reach. She took her chance and leapt at him, in hopes of gaining some control. But Raina was too fast.
She tripped the woman causing her to fall to the ground. Raina jumped on top of her and held her down as she hit her in the face. The girl resisted, and started kicking at Raina with her fists flying all over the place, not making contact with much. Again Raina struck her, but this time in the jaw. It stunned her for a while, but with a sudden burst of energy, she shoved Raina off of her and sent her flying to the ground. She jumped to her feet, a little dazed and felt the woman slam against her. A blow to the stomach winded Raina, and then she was on the ground.
Raina kicked and fought, but this time her opponent was in control. Raina swung her arms, but didn't hit her. A strike to her face caused her to cry out, and then she remembered her lightsaber.
She continued to kick and struggle, but that didn't do much good. She was losing...then she saw Anakin. With the rest of her strength she shoved the woman off of her and reached for her lightsaber. She scrambled to her feel as quickly as possible, and took one last chance. Raina threw herself at the girl, using her weight against the woman and knocking her over once again, and pinning her on the ground. She pulled her lightsaber out off her belt and ignited it close to the woman's neck. "I'm going to ask one more time. Who do you work for!" she shouted.
The woman was clearly out of breath and breathing heavily. Her eyes were filled with a wild rage but were also wide with fear. Raina moved the glowing lightsaber closer to her neck. Don't do it Raina. She heard at the back of her mind. But continued to press on when the woman didn't reply. She was dangerously close to her neck. "I'm warning you, tell me or I'll do it." She threatened. But still the woman would not give in.
Anakin was now behind her, pleading her not to kill the woman. But she knew in her mind what she had to do. "What do you want with us!" she screamed. Still she did not budge.
"No!" Obi-wan cried. Raina's eye shifted towards him for a split second, and was punched in the face. The woman struggled to her feet, but Raina grabbed her leg and she fell to the ground again. This time Anakin pinned the woman down and Raina looked to Obi-wan for answers. "Don't hurt her!"
Raina's eyes grew wide with bewilderment, "WHY!?" she screamed. This woman was the enemy, she had information that they needed. Why would Obi-wan want them to stop?
"Because!" he yelled back, "this is my contact!" he was now on his feet and walking towards her. "Get off her Anakin." He ordered. Anakin let go of the woman's arms, and stood up. Obi-wan helped her to her feet and Anakin walked to Raina. Raina just stared in shock, for she had just tried to kill an ally. She saw Anakin's hand reach for hers to help her stand, but she just sat there dumbly.
"What the hell were you trying to do?" Obi-wan yelled. Raina closed her eyes; she just wanted to disappear forever. But she opened her mouth.
"How the hell were we supposed to know she was your contact!?" she argued, "You didn't tell us anything about this!" she looked to the woman, Obi-wan was helping her stand. "We thought she was trying to kill you! She just appeared out of the shadows and wouldn't tell us what she wanted!" Raina cried out. She was trying to protect Obi-wan and this was not her fault. "What do you expect?"
Anakin had remained silent, "and what about you, Anakin?" Obi-wan asked instead. "Why didn't you stop them?" They all turned to him expectantly.
"I was surprised! Raina jumped on her so fast...everything happened so fast." Obi-wan's eyes were filled with anger. But he couldn't blame them. It was his fault for not telling them everything.
"Alright then. Your right, I should've said something earlier. But after...what happened to the ship?" he asked quickly then looked around at their little camp. All he remembered was being hit, but that was all. He looked to his young apprentices and shook his head. "Where are we?" Raina shook her head, signaling Anakin to update Obi-wan with today's events.
Everyone listed silently as Anakin explained everything as best he could, even the brawl with Raina and the 'intruder'. Her mind was filled with questions and she was sore all over from fighting. She looked to the woman who she only knew as Obi-wan's contact and studied her. Something just didn't feel right, could they really trust her?
~
I'm so sorry it took so long to post this chapter!!! I had a bad case of writer's block and all the other usual excuses. But now, if this is a successful chapter, I will continue writing immediately! As always I really really appreciate feedback and that way I'll know if I'm wasting my time or not! So please review, because everyone knows how cool it is to read what other people think of your hard work! Thank you ~ Tryphaena
Summary: Raina, Anakin, and Obi-wan have all agreed to embark on a dangerous mission to Abhor. What will happen once they arrive?
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
All she could hear were the bizarre sounds and reverberation on the harsh wall she was leaning on. Everything was dark preventing her from making out any shapes or objects. But what stood out the most was the appalling stench. It was nothing that she had ever smelled before, and soon it was so strong that she passed out again . . .
* * *
Exhausted was the only word that described her right now. Her head was spinning, and she feared that her mind would be taken over at any second. She was fighting off the sleep, and trying to keep up with everything that was happening.
Raina had been seated on the same chair, in the same position for over two hours and she just couldn't hack it anymore. She was situated in the rear of the cockpit, and had been listening to her companions bicker since they had left Coruscant. The voices of a clearly annoyed man, and a bitchy and defiant teenage boy had been racing through her mind, and she just wanted to block them out but she couldn't. Nothing could be worse than this.
Of course, it had to have happened then.
It appeared out of nowhere, a flash that illuminated the surrounding sky. And at first, everything appeared to be okay.then she felt the vessel sway. The impact of the unidentified object set off the warning alarm, and the blaring drowned everything out. Raina shook her head in disbelief. It was beginning.
The ship rocked and for once she was glad to be seated in her chair. She surveyed the front of the cockpit ensuring that the others were safe. It was easy to see that the two had their hands full, trying to regain full control of everything. But they were in a lot of trouble.
The siren continued to block out any outside noise, which included Obi-wan. He was yelling out instructions for her, but none of it reached her. "WHAT?" she tried, but it was no use. Nothing could be heard. She looked around helplessly, struggling to make sense of it all. This cannot be happening!
Then the Radar screen caught her eye and they were no less than a few minutes away from Abhor! Someone was desperately trying to keep them off their planet. But how could anyone possibly know that they were coming?
She wasn't aware that the planet was this hostile. She knew of the strange disappearances, but this was absolutely ridiculous! What would make one . . . fire missiles at an unidentified ship, that had barely - no, that hadn't even landed on the planet? It was crazy, and it made her realize what a fine job they were doing entering the system in secret.
The second flash had appeared as suddenly as the first but this time they were more prepared. The vessel rocked again at the blow. "Fu-" she started but was knocked out of her seat, "ahhhh!" she screamed, as she was sent flying.
Her head hit hard, but on what, she wasn't sure. She cried out in pain, and tried to move but the vibrations were too strong. From where she was situated she could feel the turbulence, as the pilots lost control. She was really uncomfortable lying in this awkward position, sprawled out on the floor. Raina was losing control of herself and was drifting into unconsciousness.
No, she wouldn't give up. With the little strength she had she turned her body over, and just lay there for a moment. With her eyes closed she could feel the ship falling faster and faster. It was then she realized that they were going to crash, and lying on the ground was not the place to be. So she tried pushing herself up off the ground, but gravity was her enemy. Raina just couldn't do it and was losing all hope.
"Raina!" she barely heard. "Raina!" and she knew it was him. "Get up NOW!" the voice demanded. It was in her head and she couldn't ignore it.
"I . . . I can't" she stuttered, the throbbing in her head was too great. She could not help herself, and was preparing for the worse.
"If you don't get up you're going to die." The realization hit her hard, and she couldn't let that happen. She shifted again and tried to get on her knees. Her body wasn't doing what she wanted it to do, but this time it was strange. Try as she might, Raina couldn't lift a finger. It was a battle between her mind and her body . . .and with an outside force.
It was useless. "Get up!" he urged, but she was stuck. This was the end and Raina was going to die.
"I can't do it," she cried out. "Goodbye Anakin." They were close - no they were there. She braced herself as much as possible, which was only in her mind. Then she felt the collision and heard the horrible screeches of metal on metal. And once again, the darkness welcomed her.
~
Two eyelids opened, revealing large dark brown eyes. Her ears were ringing, and the sound was deafening. There was dust everywhere, she could tell by the smell. She was covered in debris and was too scared to move, for she feared she would be injured. Everything was so tranquil and so still. All Raina recognized were a few shapes but otherwise, everything was dark.
At first she didn't feel a thing, then it hit her all at once. The pain shot up from her leg and engulfed her body causing her to scream in pain. She was too afraid to move which could cause additional pain, which she did not need. So she just lay there for a moment building up the courage to budge, then she shifted her leg. Expecting excruciating pain, she felt nothing but a slight throbbing in her leg. She sighed in relief but then got to work kicking off all the ruins that concealed her.
While she was doing that, it occurred to her that she could not feel Obi- wan or Anakin anywhere nearby. She certainly couldn't hear them, and was positive that they were not inside the craft. For a moment she lost control and she started gasping for air, what if they were dead? What would she do? A single tear slid down her cheek and she knew it was up to her to find them.
Slowly and carefully she sat up. After all she wasn't exactly sure where she was, and she could bump her already banged-up head. So far so good, but she desperately needed light. Her eyes were slowly adjusting to the dark, but it was not enough.
Thankfully nothing large had fallen on her, and there appeared to be nothing in her way. She squinted, hoping to get an idea to where she was resting and she had a pretty good idea. She prepared herself to stand and suddenly a bright light turned on. Raina screamed and then Anakin appeared from behind an obstruction. "Hey! Its just me." He cried out in response. He had a terrified look on his face, and he had a cut above his eye. Raina could see a bruise forming on his forehead but otherwise he was ok. But after seeing Anakin's appearance she had to wonder what she looked like.
"What the hell are you doing?" she replied, trying to gain back some dignity. "And where is Obi-wan?" her heart was racing, and her face was hot with embarrassment. But never in her whole existence had she been so thankful to see Anakin. It could have been anyone, or anything for that matter, that could've found her. "Oh you scared me." She finally admitted, while shaking her head. "I was about to come rescue you!" she chuckled. Obi- wan crossed her mind again and she began to worry, where was he?
Anakin hadn't uttered one word since she had begun talking, and that was not good. Usually it took a lot of hard work to shut him up, but this wasn't right. And then she knew. A Sudden feeling of dread crept up her spine, and she knew that it was bad. "He's . . .he's hurt really bad." She was shocked. Never, would she have expected to hear those words about Obi- wan Kenobi.
Obi-wan had always been the strongest man she knew. It was chilling to think of him any other way than a valiant protector of the people. "Are you positive, Anakin?" this had to be a mistake, a huge misunderstanding, it just had to be. "Stop it right now, I mean it Anakin! Tell me the truth."
"Do I look like I'm kidding?" there was pain in his eyes, and Raina knew that he was just as scared as her. It just couldn't be real! But it was, it really was. "He's lying outside unconscious, I.we have to go to him right now." He concluded the discussion, and walked out of the wreckage before Raina had the chance to respond. She was left alone, standing in the middle of the rubble knowing that the worst was yet to come.
~
Obi-wan's condition wasn't as worse as expected but nevertheless, it was bad. His face that had taken the most beating, and made his condition appear worse than it really was. There were a few mild scratches and bumps, but there was a deep gash on his shoulder and his abdomen was wounded as well. The bleeding was quite profuse, which had to be stopped immediately. "Anakin, we have to stabilize him!" Raina cried, as she put pressure over the gushing wound. He nodded in agreement, and took off to the crash site. She was glad to have been taught First Aid.
He had found the medical kit, and was back by her side very fast. So fast, it seemed he was only gone for a few seconds. I looked up in surprise, "Your fast Skywalker." A soft smile replaced his tired, worried look. "Now help me clean him up." She changed the subject suddenly. Raina couldn't bear to look at those eyes any longer. Things were different; she could feel it inside her heart. Raina shook her head and then looked at the man lying on the ground.
They worked quickly, cleansing and wiping away the blood, and then bandaging the abrasion. But still Obi-wan remained unconscious, and that meant only one thing. Anakin and Raina would have to take matters into their own hands. First, they had to take care of their Master, which was the main priority. "We have to set up camp." Anakin muttered, not really to anyone but himself. "Raina, we can't stay with the ship." She nodded and took her first look around at the planet. The first thing she noticed was: it was already dark out. 'All we know for sure, is that these disappearances happen at night.' The words of Mace range in her ears, and fear registered on her face and mind.
"We shouldn't be here." She replied quietly. Anakin knew exactly what she was talking about. She could see it in his eyes, the anxiety on his face, and the tension in his body. "Remember what Master Windu told us . . .these disappearances happen at night, and it's dark." Her eyes moved around nervously as she talked. She wanted to be aware of any movement and she just had to be prepared.
"I know all that Raina." Anakin snapped. He was losing his patience and she had never seen him act this way. "We have to get Obi-wan out of the open." She looked around. The crash had knocked down plants and they seemed to be in a forest.
"Well then, Anakin," she spat. "What do you suggest we do?" Everything had happened so fast and she couldn't handle Anakin's moodiness at the moment. "Since you just know everything." She exclaimed sarcastically. He glared at her, but she held her ground.
"Look. We can't do this now Raina." Reasonable Anakin . . . always makes everything better. She thought as he began. "We have to decide what to do, we can move him into the ship and hope that nobody comes or . . .We can set up a camp not far from here, at least until dawn." Those were their limited choices, but Raina couldn't decide which would be the better. If they stayed with the ship somebody would find them, they did crash land. But, they didn't know if the area was safe. It was too large of a risk.
"Either way we could be attacked, by. . . anything! We don't know what's out there!" What had been going through her mind when she agreed to take this mission? She wondered, but they had to make a decision fast. "I think." Anakin looked up at her, "We have to get the most important supplies out now if we're going to set up camp." He smiled at her decision.
"I think you're right Jules. Let's do this now, before we get visitors." They both jumped to their feet and ran to wreckage; this was going to be a long night.
~
In all their efforts and with all the supplies they could gather, their makeshift camp looked pretty pathetic. They had moved Obi-wan about a hundred meters into the forest and laid him on a cot. They had chosen an area surrounded by shrubbery and a tall tree with thriving foliage overhead as a cover. Neither Anakin nor Raina wanted to risk a fire, with the chance of being caught so they had brought out thermal packs for warmth. They had brought blankets, a heat and light lamp, a map, and nourishment. Really they hadn't brought much, but they had brought the necessities to their small camp. There was nothing else they could do but hope for the best.
Finally when Anakin was satisfied, Raina collapsed to the ground and just sat there looking around. The planet itself wasn't that strange and so far it seemed much like a forest planet, but then again she had only seen this small part of it. She looked over to Anakin who was also sitting on the ground, and watched him as he studied the map. It was the only portable piece of information that they had of Abhor, other then the data on the ship. Raina looked out again into the dark forest and wondered how many more hours they had until dawn.
A quiet groan caught her attention and her eyes immediately shifted to Obi- wan. He was still unconscious but he looked peaceful on the cot. She envied him because he had the cot, and she had to sleep on the cold hard ground and with no fire. She yawned and looked back at Anakin who was still staring at the map intently trying to uncover some sort of indication to where they were. "Anakin," her voiced seemed to echo, and Raina looked around nervously. "Can you pass me a blanket?" She asked a little quieter. He looked up as if she had woken him from a trance and he stared at Raina for a moment.
"What?" she shook her head and nodded at the blankets next to him. "Oh . . .sorry." He smiled sheepishly and handed her the blanket. "Here you go," he said followed by a yawn. He looked tired, "I'm not to sure. . . but I think I know where we are." Raina looked up at Anakin quite surprised by the news.
"Really and where might that be?" she asked playfully, which earned her a smile from Anakin.
"If I'm right, we are about two miles from a main road, and maybe five or ten miles from the nearest city." He recited happily. "The city of. . . Altouh. . . I think." Raina watched Anakin closely, studying his expression, trying to read what was on his mind. She watched his eyes that were once filled with worry, brighten with excitement, then he came back to reality, and his eyes filled with worry and concern once again. So quickly his mood could change, it struck Raina as a bit odd.
There was a low moan, but this time it wasn't Obi-wan. It came from out there, out in the dark forest. "What do you think is out there?" she asked, but not in a worried tone, she was just thinking aloud. "I know we came here to find out what's happening, but what do you really think it is?" she looked to Anakin who was deep in thought. "Are we safe at all, no matter how strong or brave we are?" What were they to expect? Was this 'movement' just another simple procedure or was it far worse then they imagined?
Raina looked to Anakin for guidance and comfort, and he was startled at her words. For once he thought of the risk. What would Raina and Obi-wan do, if he made his way to the city? Would they just sit and wait for him, wondering what was happening and when he would be back? What if he didn't come back? What would happen then? Obi-wan was so weak and helpless he would certainly be no help if there were an attack. And what about Raina! He had completely forgotten what had happened to her earlier in the day. He was certain she was at a far greater risk on this planet than anywhere else.
"You know, I can't answer that Raina...because I don't know what is going to happen to us." All he knew was, they had to find out more about this planet. If they didn't, Obi-wan and themselves would be in a lot of trouble. "We have to hope for the best, and right now what we have to. . . "
A soft rustling of leaves caused Anakin to stop speaking. Instinctively his hand shot for the handle of his lightsaber, ready to pounce at the unwelcome company. His eyes narrowed in anticipation and precision as he stared at the nearest shrubbery from where the noise had come.
Her breath was caught in her throat, and she was too shocked to make a move...even to breathe. Her eyes shifted to Anakin whose thumb rested on the switch, ready to ignite his weapon at any moment. As quietly and as quickly as possible she reached for her lightsaber. Then she remembered to breathe. They waited for any further indication of the noise or movement. The seconds seemed to drag on forever, and then it was there.
Immediately she turned to Obi-wan and was followed by Anakin. A dark shadow fell across his sleeping form and Raina froze in fear. She felt Anakin as he pushed past her, fleeting to Obi-wan's side. She watched as the figure emerged slowly from the darkness and in the direction of her master.
The figure was cloaked in black, and she could not make out any features. What kind of a creature was this? She snapped out of her daze and tip toed towards the cot, and stopped when Anakin ignited his lightsaber. This caused the creature to pause, but he ignored Anakin as if he was no threat to him. Anakin pressed on and edged closer to the being not flinching or making any sudden movements. His main concern was Obi-wan, and his protection was all that mattered.
Raina didn't know whether to stay back or stand by Anakin's side. She didn't want to cause any trouble, but she didn't want anyone hurt either. Instead she crept slowly towards Anakin, slowly and cautiously. And she watched in horror as the thing got walked closer to the cot.
It didn't stop, not once. It didn't care that he had two young Jedi ready to kill if they had to, it just wanted Obi-wan. When it was almost beside the cot, Anakin lunged towards it knocking the being to the ground. His lightsaber was held at the neck of the creature, so he couldn't move. "What do you want with us?" Anakin growled. His eyes were filled with anger and anyone would be afraid. Raina glanced at Obi-wan and rushed to his side, she knew he was fine but she had to be sure. "Tell me...What do you want with us!" he screamed again. The thing just simply lay there, as if this was an every day occurrence.
Anakin was about to shout again, when it spoke. "It's not what I want with you." the voice stated simply, barely discernable. "It's what my Master wants." Raina's eyes grew large...this was not who they thought it was.
"Who is your Master?" he waited for a second "Tell me now." When he didn't reply, Anakin pulled the hood away from his face. Anakin's face dropped with surprise, but he quickly regained his composure. Raina shook her head and narrowed her eyes.... it was a woman. "You don't want anything to happen to you. Tell me who your Master is!" Anakin demanded his penetrating eyes not blinking.
"Nothing is going to happen to me." The woman stated sharply, as if she knew some deep dark secret. Her face was expressionless and her eyes were cold and lifeless. Yet, she was still a very beautiful woman. Raina breathed in deeply and walked to Anakin's side. This was clearly a woman's job.
The shuffling of Raina's feet caused the woman to look her way, but Anakin didn't take his eyes off her. Raina knelt down beside Anakin and forced her own face to look as mean and dangerous and possible. Then a small smirk appeared on the woman's mouth. "I was wondering when you were going to do something." Her eyes narrowed and turned steely at the comment. Her body stiffened and she had the urge to slap the smile off of her face.
"You think your so tough right?" Raina said, sounding more resonant and distinct than Anakin had ever heard. "Are you certain you should be so sure of yourself?" The woman's face grew blank again, and Raina felt in control. "Now tell me who your work for!" she inched closer to her, "or else I'll just have to deal with you myself."
The woman stared for a moment before replying. "No." Then she kicked Anakin knocking him off balance. His lightsaber flew out of his hand and landed with a thud out of his reach. She took her chance and leapt at him, in hopes of gaining some control. But Raina was too fast.
She tripped the woman causing her to fall to the ground. Raina jumped on top of her and held her down as she hit her in the face. The girl resisted, and started kicking at Raina with her fists flying all over the place, not making contact with much. Again Raina struck her, but this time in the jaw. It stunned her for a while, but with a sudden burst of energy, she shoved Raina off of her and sent her flying to the ground. She jumped to her feet, a little dazed and felt the woman slam against her. A blow to the stomach winded Raina, and then she was on the ground.
Raina kicked and fought, but this time her opponent was in control. Raina swung her arms, but didn't hit her. A strike to her face caused her to cry out, and then she remembered her lightsaber.
She continued to kick and struggle, but that didn't do much good. She was losing...then she saw Anakin. With the rest of her strength she shoved the woman off of her and reached for her lightsaber. She scrambled to her feel as quickly as possible, and took one last chance. Raina threw herself at the girl, using her weight against the woman and knocking her over once again, and pinning her on the ground. She pulled her lightsaber out off her belt and ignited it close to the woman's neck. "I'm going to ask one more time. Who do you work for!" she shouted.
The woman was clearly out of breath and breathing heavily. Her eyes were filled with a wild rage but were also wide with fear. Raina moved the glowing lightsaber closer to her neck. Don't do it Raina. She heard at the back of her mind. But continued to press on when the woman didn't reply. She was dangerously close to her neck. "I'm warning you, tell me or I'll do it." She threatened. But still the woman would not give in.
Anakin was now behind her, pleading her not to kill the woman. But she knew in her mind what she had to do. "What do you want with us!" she screamed. Still she did not budge.
"No!" Obi-wan cried. Raina's eye shifted towards him for a split second, and was punched in the face. The woman struggled to her feet, but Raina grabbed her leg and she fell to the ground again. This time Anakin pinned the woman down and Raina looked to Obi-wan for answers. "Don't hurt her!"
Raina's eyes grew wide with bewilderment, "WHY!?" she screamed. This woman was the enemy, she had information that they needed. Why would Obi-wan want them to stop?
"Because!" he yelled back, "this is my contact!" he was now on his feet and walking towards her. "Get off her Anakin." He ordered. Anakin let go of the woman's arms, and stood up. Obi-wan helped her to her feet and Anakin walked to Raina. Raina just stared in shock, for she had just tried to kill an ally. She saw Anakin's hand reach for hers to help her stand, but she just sat there dumbly.
"What the hell were you trying to do?" Obi-wan yelled. Raina closed her eyes; she just wanted to disappear forever. But she opened her mouth.
"How the hell were we supposed to know she was your contact!?" she argued, "You didn't tell us anything about this!" she looked to the woman, Obi-wan was helping her stand. "We thought she was trying to kill you! She just appeared out of the shadows and wouldn't tell us what she wanted!" Raina cried out. She was trying to protect Obi-wan and this was not her fault. "What do you expect?"
Anakin had remained silent, "and what about you, Anakin?" Obi-wan asked instead. "Why didn't you stop them?" They all turned to him expectantly.
"I was surprised! Raina jumped on her so fast...everything happened so fast." Obi-wan's eyes were filled with anger. But he couldn't blame them. It was his fault for not telling them everything.
"Alright then. Your right, I should've said something earlier. But after...what happened to the ship?" he asked quickly then looked around at their little camp. All he remembered was being hit, but that was all. He looked to his young apprentices and shook his head. "Where are we?" Raina shook her head, signaling Anakin to update Obi-wan with today's events.
Everyone listed silently as Anakin explained everything as best he could, even the brawl with Raina and the 'intruder'. Her mind was filled with questions and she was sore all over from fighting. She looked to the woman who she only knew as Obi-wan's contact and studied her. Something just didn't feel right, could they really trust her?
~
I'm so sorry it took so long to post this chapter!!! I had a bad case of writer's block and all the other usual excuses. But now, if this is a successful chapter, I will continue writing immediately! As always I really really appreciate feedback and that way I'll know if I'm wasting my time or not! So please review, because everyone knows how cool it is to read what other people think of your hard work! Thank you ~ Tryphaena