Chapter 5 – The young and the hopeless
Obi-Wan had never been able to fully comprehend the living force but as the morning hours drew closer to the afternoon and the city streets began to fill with citizens of Attica as they began to go about their daily business, the living force filled the air. It was so strong that to any force sensitive that was unprepared would feel as though they had been slapped in the face by its power.
No one seemed to pay too much attention as the young Jedi and Master Jinn walked down the streets of the city. There were a few curious glances from younger children but they were hurriedly pulled away from the two Jedi by their caretakers who whispered harsh words to the young children. Obi-Wan would have bet anything that the words being spoken were about him and Master Jinn. Though the people looked calm and content on the outside the energy they were emitting crackled with temper and suspicion.
Obi-Wan looked to his side to Master Jinn. So far their walk had been conducted with silence. This didn't really surprise Obi-Wan. The Jedi Master had barely spoken throughout the entire trip to Attica and the day that they had been here. What bothered Obi-Wan was the tension that he felt coming from the Qui-Gon. The young Jedi had noticed this since the first time he had spoken to Qui-Gon just before boarding the ship that brought them here and Qui-Gon's hesitation to walk with him alone while Jibril took his master back to their quarters didn't go unnoticed by the Jedi Padawan either. Usually the epitome of calm, Qui-Gon seemed to loose all of that whenever Obi-Wan was around.
This was another thing that wasn't new to Obi-Wan. Since as long as he could remember he had always had this feeling that there was something about him that everyone else knew about but they weren't willing to tell him. When he had spoken of this to his friends they had said he was being paranoid. For a while Obi-Wan taken that as a good excuse but when the time drew nearer for him to be taken as a Padawan learner that feeling returned full forced. The Master's seemed anxious for him to be chosen, especially Master Windu who had always taken a special interest in the boy.
Qui-Gon stopped suddenly and stood perfectly still. He began to look around that their surroundings. Obi-Wan stopped also. He noticed how hard Qui-Gon seemed to be concentrating. He gave the older Jedi a questioning look. "What is it?"
Qui-Gon didn't look down at the boy. "Can't you feel it?"
That is when Obi-Wan began to feel it too. A slight ripple of dark energy from the Force. The younger Jedi began to look around also. It was hard to pine point exactly where the energy was coming from with everyone around them emitting their own Force auras. "Where is it coming from?" Obi-Wan asked trying hard without success to hide his frustration.
Qui-Gon held up his hand as a sign for Obi-Wan to be patient. He scanned over the crowd once more and finally was able to decipher where the dark energy was emanating from. "Over there!" A scream cut through the air, originating from the direction that Qui-Gon had indicated.
Qui-Gon cut through the throng of people with Obi-Wan following closely behind him. They came to the opening of an alley just in time to see a group of young men ranging from the ages of 15 to 18 crowding around a young woman who was curled up into a ball on the ground. The young woman let out another scream and clutched her hands to her head as her body started convulsing. The group of young men laughed at the young woman's suffering, not yet noticing the two Jedi standing by.
Obi-Wan felt his temper rise. These men were using the force to torment the helpless woman. The padawan glanced over at Qui-Gon briefly. Even though his exterior appearance seemed calm and unaffected by this display of brutality, Obi-Wan knew that the Jedi master was appalled.
One of the young men looked to his side and spotted Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan. He stopped laughing and motioned to the others that they had company. One of them stepped forward as the rest of the group turned their attention away from the withering young woman, he had his blaster upholstered but held it at his side lazily. With the group's attention away from her, the young woman slipped out of the alley unnoticed.
Obi-Wan's hand drifted to the hilt of his lightsaber but he restrained from taking it off his belt just yet. The young man smirked as he saw the lightsabers. "Jedi." He said with a tone that held a hint of disgust. "The Republic can't do anything without your kind there to hold their hands."
"Leave the girl be." Qui-Gon said as though he hadn't heard the previous remark.
The young man lifted his blaster ready to fire. "This is known of your business, Jedi. Take your boy and just walk away."
Obi-Wan's grip on his lightsaber hilt tightened as anticipation built up in him. He then felt a sudden surge in the force coming from the bond that he shared with Master Anny. //Obi-Wan!// Obi-Wan's eyes widened as he felt the connection die. "…Master" he murmured to himself but Qui-Gon heard the boy and looked over to him with a questing glance.
Obi-Wan's breathing became more frantic as panic began to build in his chest. His master was in trouble. He said nothing to Master Jinn but only quickly made off towards the hotel where the three Jedi had been given accommodations.
The panic only swelled in his chest more as he finally reached the hotel and entered the room to find that no one was there. The young Jedi went from room to room calling out to his master and trying to connect with her over their Master/Padawan bond. There was nothing there. Her entire signature seemed to have disappeared completely leaving a cold empty space in Obi-Wan's young mind.
Qui-Gon entered the room a few minutes later, having left the group of young men behind. He stopped as Obi-Wan came out from one of the connecting rooms. "She's gone." The boy said simply. Qui-Gon nodded absently having already known this. I had to have been something serious to cause the boy to run off so suddenly. But something else was beginning to bother Qui-Gon. There was something in the force. Something that lingered. Something that felt familiar.
The Jedi Master soon began to realize what that something ones and knew that they had to move fast. "Come with me. We will have a word with Governess Valene." Qui-Gon then left the room with Obi-Wan at his heels.
He should have known that his former padawan would be here. It made sense for them to take refuge on Attica. They could go about freely and not have to hide their abilities. It was no mere coincidence that both Xanatos and Jibril were on the same planet and now that he knew this and with Master Anny missing, Qui-Gon had the nagging feeling that there was more behind them being sent here. But could Xanatos and Jibril have planned this entire scheme just to get their son back? The Attica transport being boarded and the ship's crew missing? Could they have made it so that the former Jedi team that had been sent to the peace negotiations would be called away? Something like that would take years of careful planning and the smallest mishap could ruin the whole thing.
They reached the Governess' mansion in a matter of minutes and were soon granted an audience. Governess Valene had changed out of the formal outfit that she had donned earlier and wore instead a more comfortable, loose fitting tunic and pants. She looked less then pleased to see the two Jedi and placed down some needlework that she had been doing. "I must say Master Jinn that I am extremely vexed by you at the moment. The fact that you would claim that two of our planets highest citizens would be involved in some sort of conspiracy is not only incredible but insulting."
"Governess, I realize that it looks far fetched but you must believe me. With Master Anny's sudden disappearance I feel that something big is going to happen if we do not act now. We must find Xanatos and Jibril. They are a threat." Qui-Gon argued.
"Master Jinn, The only threat that I see here is the Jedi's presence." The governess replied sharply. "I was informed a short time ago about your little scene in the alley with a number of my people. Are the Jedi resorting to threatening innocent citizens now?"
Qui-Gon's temper flared at the term 'innocent' but he tampered the unwanted emotion. He needed to focus. "Governess, I do not know what you have been told but my actions toward those young men were justified. They were tormenting a helpless girl for their own amusement."
"That girl was a servant who was being punished. We have to keep certain people in line, master Jinn. I'm sorry if you do not agree with our methods but it is the way things are."
Their audience was interrupted as one of the Governess' bodyguard's rushed into the room, clutching his bloodied shoulder. "Governess, we have a situation! The Mansion's security has been—" his words were cut off as the shining blade of a lightsaber pierced through his chest and he fell to the ground dead revealing Master Anny standing behind him, her aqua colored blade glowing in her hand.
"Master!" Obi-Wan called out and took a step towards her but Qui-Gon grabbed the boy's shoulders and pulled him back.
Master Anny stood ready to attack. Her hands shook slightly as she gripped her lightsaber hilt and charged Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan. The two other Jedi ignited there lightsabers and stood ready to defend. As Master Anny came up to them to them she stopped short only inches away and leapt over Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon aiming her attack at the Governess.
Qui-Gon quickly whirled around and raised his hand, force pushing Anny in mid air so she landed past the Governess. Anny turned around and rushed at Qui-Gon. The Jedi master lifted his blade and easily blocked her blow. Obi-Wan went to the Governess' side, hesitant to attack his Master but he would do his duty to protect the Governess if the need came.
Anny slashed at Qui-Gon's legs. Qui-Gon saw the move coming and leapt over Anny's head. He didn't want to make any killing blows so he was holding back some what. He brought his blade up intent on slashing at her arm to disarm her but Anny dived down and kicked her leg out from under him, sending the big Jedi down on his back hard. Anny stood over Qui-Gon ready to deliver the final blow. "Master!" Anny looked to her side and saw Obi-Wan standing with his lightsaber raised ready to attack her. As much as the idea of raising his blade against his master made his stomach churn, he couldn't just stand by and allow her to kill Master Jinn.
Anny stood still, her blade only centimeters from Qui-Gon's throat. The seconds seemed to stretch on forever. Her hands began to shake again and Qui-Gon could have sworn that he saw a tear slide down her left cheek. Anny's knuckles had turned bone white as she clutched the handle of her lightsaber. She closed her eyes and with a strangled cry and one swift motion brought the lightsaber up and drove it through her own midsection.
"Master, NO!" Obi-Wan cried and went to her side as she fell to the ground. With trembling hand, Obi-Wan framed his master's face briefly and then slide on hand down to her neck hoping against hope that he would find a pulse. "No." he said with a small trembling voice. "No, no, no…"
He felt a strong hand gently grab his shoulder and slowly pull him away from his master's body. He turned and buried his face in Master Jinn's tunic as the tears began to slowly fall down his cheeks. Qui-Gon placed an arm around Obi-Wan and let the boy cry. He reached out with his other hand and gently brushed them over Master Anny's eyes, closing them.