Part 4- The Beginning of a Path
Five months later…
Obi-Wan closed his eyes as hot water cascaded over his shoulder warming his back. He loved showers more than he loved sleep.
Six months had passed since the infiltration of the Temple. Security had been upgraded; the classroom had been completely renovated. It was now used as a memorial for any Padawans killed whether in action or not. There were only five stone memorials fortunately.
Obi-Wan, like many of the victims, chose to bury their horrible memories rather than allow them to surface. The only victim who chose not to was Master Sifo-Dyas.
Sifo-Dyas, after wounded in the chest, faced dreadful breathing difficulties, and retired as a teacher and an active Jedi. He left Coruscant, for the polluted air outside the Temple weakened his lungs, and made a home for himself on Edeth, a beautiful world untouched by modern technology and its effects. He had easily faced his memories and moved on.
After Qui-Gon and Tahl's wedding day, no one had attempted to ask Obi-Wan about the day Marla had died. His rage slept deep inside him, like a dormant volcano.
Obi-Wan let the heat of the water lull him into a relaxed state and allowed all his worries to wash away with the steaming water. Peace suddenly swept through him.
But as the serene blackness flooded him, two blood red beams pierced the darkness. The beams transformed into eyes and a dreadfully familiar face materialized around the eyes. Obi-Wan's heart skipped a beat.
"You thought you could get away that easily, Obi-Wan?" the Ramming Stone sneered. "You have not paid for your transgressions yet." Heart pounding chest heaving, Obi-Wan tried to push away the face, but it refused to move
"Leave me alone!" He cried. "Marla is dead! Is that not payment enough?"
"Yes, she is, isn't she? Yet another failure, yet another death because of you." the face taunted. Suddenly the face disappeared and was replaced by a girl, whose name and picture he had long forgotten. Her face was youthful, crowned with short copper hair. Obi-Wan stared into the emerald eyes, his heart threatening to stop.
"Cerasi!" He gasped. He watched helplessly as the blaster bolt struck her body. Watched as the blood escaped from her lips, marring her face. Watched as she crumpled to the ground.
"No!" He screamed, falling to his knees. Why did he have to watch her die again. Cerasi soon was joined by another.
"No, please, no," he whispered, he begged, but that did not stop the blaster bolt from striking Marla's chest.
She stared at him, her eyes torturing him, searing his soul. Her lips moved, forming words he could not hear, forming words he did not want to hear.
I love you.
"Here are your past failures, Obi-Wan Kenobi. Now here are your future failures," the Ramming Stone whispered in his mind.
While Cerasi and Marla lay on the black ground, another figure appeared. It was a young woman, no more than twenty years old. She was on her knees, head bowed, though Obi-Wan could clearly see her silver, tear-filled eyes.
It was Bant.
Suddenly, the silhouette of a man appeared next to her hold a blaster against her head. Obi-Wan realized what was about to happen.
"Don't do this," Bant begged fervently. "Don't let the darkness claim you!"
"Too late," the man growled, and fired the blaster. Obi-Wan flinched. He now lay in an almost fetal position, his entire body quaking. He tried to close his eyes, shut out the images, but he could not.
"Why did you have to kill Bant? Why did you?" Obi-Wan sobbed.
"I didn't kill her, Obi-Wan," the Ramming Stone whispered. "You did."
The man's face was suddenly illuminated, revealing the cold visage of Obi- Wan Kenobi.
"No, it's not possible. I love Bant, and I would never-" Obi-Wan broke off suddenly, for he suddenly saw the falsity in his words
"Never hurt her? You hurt Cerasi. You hurt Marla. And you've hurt Bant. Admit it, Obi-Wan. You killed Cerasi and Marla, and you will kill Bant. Oh, yes, how could I forget. Your three women aren't the only ones who suffered or will suffer on your behalf." Obi-Wan's already chilled blood froze to ice.
"No. You will not take Qui-Gon! I'll kill you before you can do that. I'LL KILL YOU!!!" Obi-Wan screamed. He rose, hate, substituting for blood, ran through his body, giving him such energy as he had never felt before. He drew his lightsaber and charged the Ramming Stone.
The Ramming Stone laughed hysterically as Obi-Wan screamed in rage, preparing to smite the demon. But just as he made contact, the Ramming Stone disappeared.
"NO!!!" Obi-Wan screamed in frustration. "NO!!!!!"
"Obi-Wan!"
Obi-Wan was suddenly wrenched from the dark place and found himself staring absently into his Master's concerned green eyes. Sound returned to him and he suddenly heard the heavy tinkle of the shower. Next he felt his sense of feeling return to him. The steam of the shower, the soft towel wrapped around his waist, and his Master's gentle but firm arms cradling him.
"Master," Obi-Wan choked out, and the tears poured forth.
"Don't worry, Padawan. You just fell asleep and had a bad dream. I thought you were drowning or something," Qui-Gon said, laughing and crying at the same time. He had suddenly realized he was losing his apprentice to a man whom both had tried to forget, to push into the back of their minds.
Be brave, Padawan. The truth will have to surface. It may hurt very, very much, but when it has been told, you will feel much better.
***
"You should meditate, Padawan. I sense you are extremely disturbed by your dream," Qui-Gon offered.
"Master, I do not think meditation will help me," Obi-Wan replied stiffly. The two were walking to Obi-Wan's quarters. The incident in the shower was more than enough proof that both Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon were still haunted by the Ramming Stone.
"It can and it will," Qui-Gon stated, growing agitated. His Padawan's pessimism did not help ameliorate his condition.
"No, it won't!" Obi-Wan shouted, startling his Master. "Stop trying to hide from the facts, Qui-Gon! Something's wrong with me."
"I know that!" Qui-Gon snapped. "If you would just tell me, then maybe I could help you."
"You can't," Obi-Wan replied angrily. He turned his back on Qui-Gon and began to walk away.
Don't let him do this, Jinn, Qui-Gon thought to himself.
"The Ramming Stone is gone, Obi-Wan! He cannot hurt you anymore." Obi-Wan stooped in his tracks. He slowly turned, and Qui-Gon could see the tears in his eyes.
"No, Master. He is not gone. He will return, and he will kill us all, for we hide from him. We are hiding from the fact that he is a real threat!"
"Obi-Wan…" Qui-Gon's voice trailed off, for he knew the youth's words were true.
"What are you going to do when darkness is knocking on your door, Master?" Obi-Wan asked softly. "Will you try to escape through a back door, only to be cut down? Will you hide, as you do now, and wait for it to break down the door and take your life? Or will you rise up, and open that door, and greet the darkness with your weapon in hand, and fight till your last breath? What will you do, Qui-Gon? I know what I will do. I will stand, I will come to the darkness, and I will destroy it! It shall not let it take anymore lives!" And with that, Obi-Wan turned and ran.
"Come back!" Qui-Gon cried, and began to pursue. Now he realized why his apprentice had been crying. He had made a decision, a decision that would rip him away from all he knew and throw him into a world of danger and hate.
Qui-Gon pursued, though deep in his heart he knew he would fail.
***
Obi-Wan ran through the streets of lower Coruscant, sobbing. He needed to get off planet, he needed to be away from Qui-Gon. He had very few credits barely enough to get him to one of Coruscant satellites. There he could send his lightsaber back to Qui-Gon.
Fifteen minutes later, he found himself curled up in the back corner of a third-rate transport heading for Centax 2, an artificial satellite of Coruscant. The transport was so cheap that four dumpy chairs made up first class. Coach passengers had the cold floor to sit on.
Obi-Wan shivered, and watched the other passengers talk amongst themselves. Occasionally the passengers would glance at him strangely. He realized that most of them recognized that he was a Jedi simply by his Learner braid. Some quickly dismissed him as a freak, while others shot sympathetic glances in his direction.
Obi-Wan found himself gawking at some of the other passengers. Some were obviously drug addicts, constantly snorting some black powder. Others were prostitutes barely clothed, occasionally offering themselves to a man. Obi- Wan turned away in disgust as one woman began to strip.
There was only one family on board. He could tell because the mother a painfully thin girl, no more than twenty, clutched an infant, trying to feed it. On either side of her were two grimy little boys, both around three years of age. He watched that miserable family of three. Neither of the boys attempted to play, or even speak. It seemed as if life had already drained them of their youthful energy. But what truly chilled Obi-Wan was the hollowness of their eyes. They seemed to be dying, when their lives were only beginning.
Obi-Wan suddenly realized that both boys would probably be dead before their fifth birthday. Their mother, probably suffering from a disease, would die long before them, and her baby too. Obi-Wan could not bear staring at their hollow eyes. Was life on Coruscant truly like this?
Was this the life he truly wanted? To live amongst scum, to live amongst poverty and disease? Pursuing the Ramming Stone would lead him into places far more discouraging than the transport.
No. He did not want this life. He wanted be at the Temple, enjoying three good meals a day. He wanted the clean rooms, the gentle voices, hard workouts he had become so familiar with. And most of all, he wanted Qui- Gon.
"Sir? Sir, I know you'll think I'm awfully rude and stupid and selfish, but do you happen to have some credits on you? If you do, could I have one? I need to feed my babies." The mother had come to him, her hollowed-eyed children automatically following.
"Please sir. We haven't eaten in days. If you want an exchange-" she began.
"Here," Obi-Wan interrupted gently, giving her the rest of his credits. "You can have it all. Get some good food, and get a good job. There will be plenty of places to work."
"Thank you," she said. "I'll thank you properly when we get there."
"No need. Besides, don't you think three kids are enough?" He said smiling. She returned his grin.
"Thank you so much." Both boys smiled at him.
Obi-Wan found himself imagining what would have happened if the Ramming Stone had succeeded. He imagined the two little boys, sitting on the ground next to their mother, killed by the explosion. He could see the tears running down their little faces, and their hollow eyes…
I must accept this path for no one else will realize the true threat. I will not let anyone else suffer because of the Ramming Stone.
Minutes later, the transport had reached its destination. Obi-Wan smiled as the little family waved goodbye to him as they made their way to the food area.
After they had disappeared Obi-Wan began heading towards the employment area. He needed to get a job, and raise enough credits to return to Coruscant, purchase weapons, and still have enough left over to travel, and barter for information.
The Ramming Stone would be difficult to track, and those he had worked with would be even more difficult, but his pursuit of the demon was now his sole function in life. The Ramming Stone would make a mistake, it was a given, and Obi-Wan would be their to take full advantage of that mistake. He would confront the Ramming Stone, and fight him.
He was going to kill the demon, even if it meant killing himself.
Five months later…
Obi-Wan closed his eyes as hot water cascaded over his shoulder warming his back. He loved showers more than he loved sleep.
Six months had passed since the infiltration of the Temple. Security had been upgraded; the classroom had been completely renovated. It was now used as a memorial for any Padawans killed whether in action or not. There were only five stone memorials fortunately.
Obi-Wan, like many of the victims, chose to bury their horrible memories rather than allow them to surface. The only victim who chose not to was Master Sifo-Dyas.
Sifo-Dyas, after wounded in the chest, faced dreadful breathing difficulties, and retired as a teacher and an active Jedi. He left Coruscant, for the polluted air outside the Temple weakened his lungs, and made a home for himself on Edeth, a beautiful world untouched by modern technology and its effects. He had easily faced his memories and moved on.
After Qui-Gon and Tahl's wedding day, no one had attempted to ask Obi-Wan about the day Marla had died. His rage slept deep inside him, like a dormant volcano.
Obi-Wan let the heat of the water lull him into a relaxed state and allowed all his worries to wash away with the steaming water. Peace suddenly swept through him.
But as the serene blackness flooded him, two blood red beams pierced the darkness. The beams transformed into eyes and a dreadfully familiar face materialized around the eyes. Obi-Wan's heart skipped a beat.
"You thought you could get away that easily, Obi-Wan?" the Ramming Stone sneered. "You have not paid for your transgressions yet." Heart pounding chest heaving, Obi-Wan tried to push away the face, but it refused to move
"Leave me alone!" He cried. "Marla is dead! Is that not payment enough?"
"Yes, she is, isn't she? Yet another failure, yet another death because of you." the face taunted. Suddenly the face disappeared and was replaced by a girl, whose name and picture he had long forgotten. Her face was youthful, crowned with short copper hair. Obi-Wan stared into the emerald eyes, his heart threatening to stop.
"Cerasi!" He gasped. He watched helplessly as the blaster bolt struck her body. Watched as the blood escaped from her lips, marring her face. Watched as she crumpled to the ground.
"No!" He screamed, falling to his knees. Why did he have to watch her die again. Cerasi soon was joined by another.
"No, please, no," he whispered, he begged, but that did not stop the blaster bolt from striking Marla's chest.
She stared at him, her eyes torturing him, searing his soul. Her lips moved, forming words he could not hear, forming words he did not want to hear.
I love you.
"Here are your past failures, Obi-Wan Kenobi. Now here are your future failures," the Ramming Stone whispered in his mind.
While Cerasi and Marla lay on the black ground, another figure appeared. It was a young woman, no more than twenty years old. She was on her knees, head bowed, though Obi-Wan could clearly see her silver, tear-filled eyes.
It was Bant.
Suddenly, the silhouette of a man appeared next to her hold a blaster against her head. Obi-Wan realized what was about to happen.
"Don't do this," Bant begged fervently. "Don't let the darkness claim you!"
"Too late," the man growled, and fired the blaster. Obi-Wan flinched. He now lay in an almost fetal position, his entire body quaking. He tried to close his eyes, shut out the images, but he could not.
"Why did you have to kill Bant? Why did you?" Obi-Wan sobbed.
"I didn't kill her, Obi-Wan," the Ramming Stone whispered. "You did."
The man's face was suddenly illuminated, revealing the cold visage of Obi- Wan Kenobi.
"No, it's not possible. I love Bant, and I would never-" Obi-Wan broke off suddenly, for he suddenly saw the falsity in his words
"Never hurt her? You hurt Cerasi. You hurt Marla. And you've hurt Bant. Admit it, Obi-Wan. You killed Cerasi and Marla, and you will kill Bant. Oh, yes, how could I forget. Your three women aren't the only ones who suffered or will suffer on your behalf." Obi-Wan's already chilled blood froze to ice.
"No. You will not take Qui-Gon! I'll kill you before you can do that. I'LL KILL YOU!!!" Obi-Wan screamed. He rose, hate, substituting for blood, ran through his body, giving him such energy as he had never felt before. He drew his lightsaber and charged the Ramming Stone.
The Ramming Stone laughed hysterically as Obi-Wan screamed in rage, preparing to smite the demon. But just as he made contact, the Ramming Stone disappeared.
"NO!!!" Obi-Wan screamed in frustration. "NO!!!!!"
"Obi-Wan!"
Obi-Wan was suddenly wrenched from the dark place and found himself staring absently into his Master's concerned green eyes. Sound returned to him and he suddenly heard the heavy tinkle of the shower. Next he felt his sense of feeling return to him. The steam of the shower, the soft towel wrapped around his waist, and his Master's gentle but firm arms cradling him.
"Master," Obi-Wan choked out, and the tears poured forth.
"Don't worry, Padawan. You just fell asleep and had a bad dream. I thought you were drowning or something," Qui-Gon said, laughing and crying at the same time. He had suddenly realized he was losing his apprentice to a man whom both had tried to forget, to push into the back of their minds.
Be brave, Padawan. The truth will have to surface. It may hurt very, very much, but when it has been told, you will feel much better.
***
"You should meditate, Padawan. I sense you are extremely disturbed by your dream," Qui-Gon offered.
"Master, I do not think meditation will help me," Obi-Wan replied stiffly. The two were walking to Obi-Wan's quarters. The incident in the shower was more than enough proof that both Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon were still haunted by the Ramming Stone.
"It can and it will," Qui-Gon stated, growing agitated. His Padawan's pessimism did not help ameliorate his condition.
"No, it won't!" Obi-Wan shouted, startling his Master. "Stop trying to hide from the facts, Qui-Gon! Something's wrong with me."
"I know that!" Qui-Gon snapped. "If you would just tell me, then maybe I could help you."
"You can't," Obi-Wan replied angrily. He turned his back on Qui-Gon and began to walk away.
Don't let him do this, Jinn, Qui-Gon thought to himself.
"The Ramming Stone is gone, Obi-Wan! He cannot hurt you anymore." Obi-Wan stooped in his tracks. He slowly turned, and Qui-Gon could see the tears in his eyes.
"No, Master. He is not gone. He will return, and he will kill us all, for we hide from him. We are hiding from the fact that he is a real threat!"
"Obi-Wan…" Qui-Gon's voice trailed off, for he knew the youth's words were true.
"What are you going to do when darkness is knocking on your door, Master?" Obi-Wan asked softly. "Will you try to escape through a back door, only to be cut down? Will you hide, as you do now, and wait for it to break down the door and take your life? Or will you rise up, and open that door, and greet the darkness with your weapon in hand, and fight till your last breath? What will you do, Qui-Gon? I know what I will do. I will stand, I will come to the darkness, and I will destroy it! It shall not let it take anymore lives!" And with that, Obi-Wan turned and ran.
"Come back!" Qui-Gon cried, and began to pursue. Now he realized why his apprentice had been crying. He had made a decision, a decision that would rip him away from all he knew and throw him into a world of danger and hate.
Qui-Gon pursued, though deep in his heart he knew he would fail.
***
Obi-Wan ran through the streets of lower Coruscant, sobbing. He needed to get off planet, he needed to be away from Qui-Gon. He had very few credits barely enough to get him to one of Coruscant satellites. There he could send his lightsaber back to Qui-Gon.
Fifteen minutes later, he found himself curled up in the back corner of a third-rate transport heading for Centax 2, an artificial satellite of Coruscant. The transport was so cheap that four dumpy chairs made up first class. Coach passengers had the cold floor to sit on.
Obi-Wan shivered, and watched the other passengers talk amongst themselves. Occasionally the passengers would glance at him strangely. He realized that most of them recognized that he was a Jedi simply by his Learner braid. Some quickly dismissed him as a freak, while others shot sympathetic glances in his direction.
Obi-Wan found himself gawking at some of the other passengers. Some were obviously drug addicts, constantly snorting some black powder. Others were prostitutes barely clothed, occasionally offering themselves to a man. Obi- Wan turned away in disgust as one woman began to strip.
There was only one family on board. He could tell because the mother a painfully thin girl, no more than twenty, clutched an infant, trying to feed it. On either side of her were two grimy little boys, both around three years of age. He watched that miserable family of three. Neither of the boys attempted to play, or even speak. It seemed as if life had already drained them of their youthful energy. But what truly chilled Obi-Wan was the hollowness of their eyes. They seemed to be dying, when their lives were only beginning.
Obi-Wan suddenly realized that both boys would probably be dead before their fifth birthday. Their mother, probably suffering from a disease, would die long before them, and her baby too. Obi-Wan could not bear staring at their hollow eyes. Was life on Coruscant truly like this?
Was this the life he truly wanted? To live amongst scum, to live amongst poverty and disease? Pursuing the Ramming Stone would lead him into places far more discouraging than the transport.
No. He did not want this life. He wanted be at the Temple, enjoying three good meals a day. He wanted the clean rooms, the gentle voices, hard workouts he had become so familiar with. And most of all, he wanted Qui- Gon.
"Sir? Sir, I know you'll think I'm awfully rude and stupid and selfish, but do you happen to have some credits on you? If you do, could I have one? I need to feed my babies." The mother had come to him, her hollowed-eyed children automatically following.
"Please sir. We haven't eaten in days. If you want an exchange-" she began.
"Here," Obi-Wan interrupted gently, giving her the rest of his credits. "You can have it all. Get some good food, and get a good job. There will be plenty of places to work."
"Thank you," she said. "I'll thank you properly when we get there."
"No need. Besides, don't you think three kids are enough?" He said smiling. She returned his grin.
"Thank you so much." Both boys smiled at him.
Obi-Wan found himself imagining what would have happened if the Ramming Stone had succeeded. He imagined the two little boys, sitting on the ground next to their mother, killed by the explosion. He could see the tears running down their little faces, and their hollow eyes…
I must accept this path for no one else will realize the true threat. I will not let anyone else suffer because of the Ramming Stone.
Minutes later, the transport had reached its destination. Obi-Wan smiled as the little family waved goodbye to him as they made their way to the food area.
After they had disappeared Obi-Wan began heading towards the employment area. He needed to get a job, and raise enough credits to return to Coruscant, purchase weapons, and still have enough left over to travel, and barter for information.
The Ramming Stone would be difficult to track, and those he had worked with would be even more difficult, but his pursuit of the demon was now his sole function in life. The Ramming Stone would make a mistake, it was a given, and Obi-Wan would be their to take full advantage of that mistake. He would confront the Ramming Stone, and fight him.
He was going to kill the demon, even if it meant killing himself.