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 4
Consciousness came intermittently to Qui-Gon, and when it did, he found it smelling much like antiseptic. One moment he was weightless, no doubt floating in a tank of bacta to heal his external injuries and begin healing the internal. He imagined he could taste its chemical flavor just on the back of his throat and smell the healing agents just beyond the range of his nose. The next moment he felt weighted down, pressed into darkness as a Healer entered his mind and convinced him to begin a healing trance.
He remembered that last sensation several times. Undoubtedly, his mind wanted to focus on other more important things than healing his body. Finding Obi-Wan came to mind. It was then that he realized he was alone and that wakefulness was his to control. Slowly, his other senses returned. He could feel the scratchy linen of the hover bed on his arms. He could hear the constant, low hum of various pieces of medical equipment operating in his room.
Qui-Gon took a deep breath, the sterile environment of the Healers' Wing filling his lungs. The muscles on his chest tightened briefly, not yet used to being healed and expecting to compensate for the damage done by a blaster. He blinked slowly, his eyes stinging slightly at the sudden exposure to oxygen. It was as if he had emerged from a sensory deprivation unit.
He found himself searching for the one sensation that eluded him. The lack of any feeling from Obi-Wan rang louder in Qui-Gon's mind than any noise ever could. His heart seized and despair tried to claim him. He had lost the boy.
The door to Qui-Gon's private room swished open, tearing his mind away from dark thoughts. The warm air from the hallway wafted in and over him. Flicking his eyes to the doorway, Qui-Gon watched a tall, but hunched figure amble slowly into the room. "I figured you would be awake by now," Mace Windu remarked. His normally strong and clear voice was gravelly, a rough whisper.
"I'm glad to see you're up as well, my friend," Qui-Gon replied. He coughed lightly, throat dry from lack of use.
Windu only nodded as he made his way to Qui-Gon's bedside. Reaching above the other man's head, he retrieved a glass of water.
Qui-Gon nodded his thanks, taking the glass and watching the Council member carefully seat himself.
"The poison is mostly gone," Windu said, answering Qui-Gon's unasked question. "Whoever devised this plan was very smart and very resourceful. It was designed to go after the blood cells found only in Master Yoda's species and destroy them."
"There must be more to it if it nearly killed you."
"Yes, much more." Mace sighed heavily, running his hand over his bald pate. "The toxins were also designed to enter any other cells and, over time, cause them to die. Midi-chlorians effectively explode from the contact."
Qui-Gon grimaced. This new poison was deadly to all Jedi, a prospect he was not happy to hear.
"Are we any closer to finding the responsible parties?" he asked.
Windu shook his head.
"We don't know anything more than we did five days ago."
"Five days?" Qui-Gon exclaimed. Surely he hadn't been unconscious for three days.
"Yes, Qui-Gon. Five days ago, I was attacked. Your student fell unconscious the same day. Two days later, you were both assaulted, landing you in here."
"What about Obi-Wan?"
Mace hesiated.
"We don't know."
Qui-Gon, while still confused, slumped back on the bed in relief.
"He's not dead, then?"
"We don't know, but it's unlikely whoever attacked him would take a dead body," Mace replied, wincing at the reference to Qui-Gon's apprentice.
Qui-Gon nodded, a thoughtful expression on his face.
"I can't feel him, Mace. Without that, how will we ever find him? The galaxy is a big place."
Mace Windu said nothing. There was nothing for him to say.
**
Darth Sidious's office was dark as it normally was. He sat facing the large window overlooking the vast lights of Coruscant. He was a careful man, but more importantly, he was patient. He knew that in order for his plans to succeed, not only would they need to be flawless, but they would have to be executed over several years, perhaps decades.
A pale white finger tapped on the arm of his chair. He closed his eyes, searching for the next move he would need to make. He had to be careful, dealing with Jedi was never easy and he would need to deal with them often in the very near future.
The door to his office slid open and someone entered.
"Yes?" Sidious asked, not needing to turn to know who had come to him.
"The boy has been delivered to your requested destination, my Master."
"Good."
He could sense an unspoken question in the air.
"What is it?"
"Master…why do we need this…boy? He will only get in the way, he could ruin everything."
"Patience, my young apprentice," he soothed. "It will become apparent in time."
The apprentice said nothing and Sidious sought out the other's presence. Impatience was there, as it always was, something he would have to train out of him if he was going to survive. And there was something else, something hidden just below the surface. He wondered if his apprentice even knew it was there at all. Jealousy was beginning to take root.
Darth Sidious nearly smiled.
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To be continued.
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Author's notes: There is some slight revision in this segment from the previous version. It should read a little more coherently.
Created:
2002-01-05
Revision History:
2002-04-23
©2002 Jennifer Kahng