Finally her was there. After the short trip through the forest, what felt like an eternity to him, he was finally standing in front of the slavers giant ship.

His adrenalin rose immeasurably, as he was this near to his destination, now. Nevertheless his mind stayed clouded of concern, made it nearly impossible to think objectively.

'Calm down', he admonished himself. 'You can't help him like this.' Inhaling deeply, he reached for the force, drew it around him. Almost instantly, his adrenalin sank again, brought him a bit of clarity in his mind. But it did nothing to calm his troubled heart. He had to find his padawan. And quickly. Otherwise, this incertitude would eat him up inwardly.

With silent steps, he approached the ship. Slowly he glided along the cold, metallic outer wall to the entry. It was a great risk to go in like a bull at a gate, but the hangar doors were closed and the windows were much to small and much to high above as to enter this way.

He stopped near the open door and closed his hand tightly around his Lightsaber hilt, as he heard two guards inside. They were joking and laughing, making fun of Chan. Qui-Gon unclipped his saber and was just to storm in, when he heard one of the guards say: "What is with this Jedi fools? Already gotten rid off?"

"Chan and his new friend, the guy with this strange scar, are taking the girl to the market where she will be sold.", the bigger one of them answered.

"Too bad," the first one replied in a gloating tone. "Would have been nice to have her around a little longer, if you now what I mean?!" The other one began to laugh out loudly, exactly knowing, what his companion had meant. "And the other Jedi is…" he said, after regaining his composure again. "…sleeping."

A flicker of hope rose in Qui-Gon, just to be destroyed in the next moment.

"Sleeping!", the other one chuckled. "Yeah, sure. Would be nice if someone could sleep this long."

The bigger one started to chuckle either. "Did you see how he fought for the girl? A typical hormone – guided teenager. Instead of saving his own bacon! What for a completely, prize idiot!"

The guard had no time left to aim his blaster on the big Jedi, as a green light flashed and in a fast movement, cut the weapon in half. The next think the guard felt was the cold floor beneath him, after a fist hit him straight in the face. "Shit!", he moaned and touched his bleeding nose. "What are you waiting for, shoot him!", he called to his companion. But the man only hold his blaster in trembling hands and withdraw a few steps. "Are you crazy?", he called back with fear in his voice. "He will kill me!"

"I will anyway, if you won't take me to the cells immediately!", the Jedi master growled. He didn't care that Jedi didn't threaten other beings as long as the guard would obey him.

"Yes, yes of course.", the frightened man stuttered.

"Your weapons!", Qui-Gon ordered.

"S - sure, here." A trembling hand, handed Qui-Gon the weapon.

"The other, too." With that the guard bowed and produced a miniature blaster from his boot.

"And now go!", ordered the big Jedi with threatening voice, while he picked the bigger guard from the floor.

They passed several electronically security checkpoints and went through many halls, until they finally reached the prison block. "The keys!", commanded Qui-Gon, the lightsaber still ignited.

The man obeyed immediately, searched in his pockets and eventually handed the Jedi master several key cards. "Which cell?"

"N – number 21A. Down the h – hall and t – then turn to the r – right." Satisfied with the information, Qui-Gon opened the door to the nearest cell and ordered both in. The door closed with a loud sizzle and snapped into the lock.

Qui-Gon turned and hurried down the hall towards cell 21A.