Spoilers: Jedi Apprentice #1 - #13 for now.
Disclaimer: This story is not intended to infringe upon the copyrights of George Lucas, LucasFilms, Scholastic Books, Jude Watson, or any other party affiliated with the Star Wars universe. This story is written for entertainment purposes only and not intended for profit. I don't own them, I'm just playing with them for a while...
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Touched by Darkness
by danakate (danakate@danakate.com)
Chapter 3
The boy had stopped sleeping again. This time, Qui-Gon knew. He was still berating himself for not seeing it earlier, before the collapse, but now he knew. And he still had no idea what to do.
Thirty-seven days, four hours, eighteen minutes, and fifty three seconds before the collapse, Obi-Wan stopped sleeping.
Their last mission had ended a standard month before. Had he been so preoccupied with concluding the mission peacefully that he did not see his Padawan's distress? In retrospect, he could see it all so clearly: the slight tiredness that always seemed to be present, the way the boy would tense when Qui-Gon questioned him, as if he were expecting a different question. There were other signs, too, but he had brushed them all off as normal due to their seemingly never-ending string of missions. So many signs and he had missed them all.
But it was not Qui-Gon's fault, if blame could be assigned in this case. His Padawan had used all of his training to hide the disturbance within him from everyone. Qui-Gon had seen moments like those in the past, moments where he could see how powerful a Jedi Obi-Wan would become. He only wished this one could have come under better circumstances.
As Jedi learn more about their connection with the universe around them, many Jedi slip into a trance-like state instead of full-sleep. Their senses are alert, but their body rests. It was a skll most useful during long, complicated mission when one must be alert and able to respond at any moment. A Padawan Learner, however, only experiences these moments in meditation. Obi-Wan should not have been able to avoid sleep for so long with so little outward indication. But, as Qui-Gon had learned many times in the past, his Padawan was nothing if not resourceful and talented.
Qui-Gon sighed heavily. He had tried speaking with Obi-Wan about what he was seeing in his sleep, what he was avoiding. He was met each time with a sort of embarrassed silence and a half whispered, "I don't know, Master. I'm sorry." He wanted desperately to help his Padawan, but Obi-Wan would not speak with him. And therein lay the biggest problem. The trust between the Master and Padawan was broken. That, more than anything else, hurt Qui-Gon deep inside his heart.
It had taken far too long before Qui-Gon realized he was meant to teach Obi-Wan. Test after test, the boy continually proved himself and still he did not see until it was almost too late. The will of the Force had tested their relationship repeatedly. They persevered, though, becoming stronger as a pair as time passed. But now, an unknown factor had changed all that.
Qui-Gon attempted to seek guidance from the Force, but his connection was tinged with doubt. Doubt of himself and his abilities as a Master, and doubt of his abilities. Was he fit to train Obi-Wan, a bright and eager pupil, when he questioned his own proficiency?
*
He was in the common room, meditating and reestablishing his connection with the Force when he felt it. A feeling of alarm passed between Master and Padawan and Qui-Gon's eyes flew open. Swiftly, he rose to his feet and strode to Obi-Wan's door, slapping the release mechanism. The sight that greeted him made him pause in shock.
A transport was hovering just outside the far window in Obi-Wan's room. As if in slow motion, the figure in the open hatchway fired a blaster at the glass, shattering it into thousands of tiny pieces. Several helmeted men jumped through the now open window, surrounding Obi-Wan's bed and all but ignoring Qui-Gon. He noticed one of the soldiers regarding him. He had drawn his lightsaber but stood defensively. Obi-Wan was completely vulnerable. He did not want to provoke these people into attacking the boy. But Qui-Gon's hesitation was a mistake he would soon regret. Two blaster shots were fired, one hitting Obi-Wan in the head, another striking Qui-Gon square in the chest causing him to fall and hit his head hard on the wall. The pain in his chest was nothing compared to the sudden nothingness he felt from Obi-Wan. He was vaguely aware of the soldiers exiting out the window. His body and mind were trying to cope with too many sensations at once, but one thought penetrated his thoughts before unconsciousness claimed him: he had allowed Obi-Wan to be taken.
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To be continued.
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Author's notes: Guess what? More revision. If you read the previous version of this part, I had worded it in such a way that put Qui-Gon's trust in the Force to question. Well, I kind of changed that around as that didn't sit well with me or with some of my readers and it doesn't really make sense. I think I figured out a better way to say what I was thinking.
Created:
Unknown
Revision History:
Unknown
2002-04-23
©2002 Jennifer Kahng