Thanks again for all the wonderful comments and reviews. I do apologize
for any grammatical errors, as that is not my strong suit. The entire
story would be one big run on sentence if it weren't for the spell/grammar
check (
For those of you who may have ventured a guess as to who it is that has put the bounty out on our fave knight, this next post will offer another clue. I dare say that Ivy was on the right track with her guess ( And someone also asked (sorry, cant remember who) if this was going to be an Obidala fic. Sorry, but no. Their relationship is strictly platonic and more of a brother/sister deal. Hope that doesn't disappoint anyone too much. I just didn't want to get into the whole romance thing. Now, on with the post……
Shar'tel waited patiently for his com call to be put through. His cargo had become a little too hot and he wanted to make the drop and collect his credits. He'd had a bad feeling about this job from the beginning. Normally, he would never have taken a job involving a Jedi, but he had debts he owed. This 500,000 would just about put him in the clear.
He cast a quick glance at his 'cargo', which remained unconscious and strapped into a passenger seat. The boy looked harmless enough. He was of an average height with a slim build, not overly muscular, more of a lithe stature. His shoulder length ginger hair fell in gentle waves around his face.
His musings were interrupted when his 'cargo' issued a low moan and lifted his head slightly. Startled, Shar'tel glanced at his chrono. It was too early for the sedative to be wearing off. Quickly he reached for the hypo- spray. He had heard that it was possible for Jedi to purge their system of such things, so he had pumped enough of the stuff into the young man last night to put a bantha under for at least a week. ~So much for that~ he thought. He decided to play it safe and laced the sedative with a force suppressant.
He approached the Jedi warily. He was taking no chances. He knew the young man looked subdued, but the memory of that same young man nearly beheading him with his light saber only hours before was forefront on his mind.
The boys head was bowed, chin resting on his chest. Tentatively Shar'tel reached out to cup the boys chin and raise his head to get a better look at him. Beautiful. If that term could ever be used to describe a man, it would definitely suit this one. ~He has the face of an angel~ he thought.
Long golden lashes fluttered then opened to reveal blue/gray eyes still heavily clouded with sedative. The young man blinked a couple of times as if trying to clear away his confusion.
Just as the bounty hunter placed the hypo-spray to his neck, the young man spoke.
"No!....p..please" the plea was very weak and slurred and held a desperate edge to it.
Shar'tel looked into eyes that were slowly beginning to comprehend their predicament. "Sorry kid," he said regretfully as he depressed the trigger on the hypo-spray, "business is business."
He watched as quiet acceptance crept into eyes already beginning to close of their own volition. Gently he settled the boy's head into a more comfortable position.
The bounty hunter had always managed to maintain an air of detachment regarding his 'work'. ~Why is this job so different~ he thought. But he already knew the answer. He wasn't like Darius and so many others in his profession. Usually when he handed his cargo over, more often than not they deserved whatever fate awaited them. He had entered this job solely because he needed the credits. He should have realized with a bounty this high there had to be a catch.
Shar'tel had dealt with force sensitives before, but never a Jedi. Luckily there were many force suppression devices available on the black market. Aside from the chemical compound he had laced the sedative with he had also chosen a force disruptor. It had the same effect as a collar, but allowed for some distance. Shar'tel knew he would never get close enough to snap a collar on the Jedi. As long as he activated the device within 10 feet of him the effect would be the same. The effects however were short term, hence the sedative.
He glanced at the once again unconscious Jedi. He looked so young, so innocent. ~Surely he couldn't be much over 25~ he thought of his own son who was roughly the same age, and hadn't spoken to him in years. This young man was also someone's son.
He was starting to let his conscience get the better of him. His intuition was also telling him that this wasn't right. Deciding to trust his instincts he quickly moved to disconnect the outgoing call, credits be damned. Unfortunately, he wasn't quick enough.
"I trust you have what I want Shar'tel," hissed the darkly cloaked figure appearing in miniature form on the comm.
"Yes, m'lord," answered the bounty hunter. Doubts or not he was not about to cross this man.
"His condition?"
"Sedated and force suppressed as requested"
"Excellent. Bring him to me immediately, the location is being transferred to you now."
Qui-Gon Jinn sat on his transport to Naboo seemingly gazing at the stars streaking by. In truth, his thoughts were turned inward. He could not stop thinking of Obi-Wan.
Images supplied by his own overactive imagination played never ending scenes of his Obi-Wan being tortured, beaten, and even ~No! I wont go there~ he thought ~Don't center on your anxieties!~
Qui-Gon closed his eyes and took a deep calming breath trying to release his fears into the force. It was hard. This wasn't just another mission. This was Obi-Wan, his Obi-Wan....his son. He had to find him.
There had been several missions throughout Obi-Wan's apprenticeship where the boy had been hurt. He flashed to a mission on Semper IV 6 years previous. They had been undercover and expressly forbidden by the council to use the force.
(flashback/memory sequence)
Captured and held as spies shortly after their arrival, they had been separated. Their captors, predicting that Qui-Gon would be too hard to break, had focused their attention on the padawan.
Alone in his cell Qui-Gon had sensed a spike of distress quickly followed by firm resolution through the training bond.
//Obi-Wan? // He could feel the young man trying not to reach for the comfort of the bond.
//Padawan. What's happening? // His mental voice left no doubt that he expected an answer.
//I think our hosts are tired of talking Master// the tone was light, but Qui-Gon could sense the very real fear trembling just beneath.
Qui-Gon did not have time for a response as an intense wave of pain ripped through the bond and sent him to his knees. Just as abruptly it was gone. He reached for Obi-Wan again through the bond, only to come up against a wall.
Obi-Wan had shut the bond down at his end. Qui-Gon was so shocked that he just stood there. Never in the 5 years since he had taken the boy as his apprentice had Obi-Wan ever closed the bond. Ever. In fact, he seemed to draw comfort from it at the strangest times.
Reaching out again he gently pushed against that 'wall'. //Obi-Wan!// No response. He could sense nothing from the boy.
Qui-Gon closed his eyes. Whatever it was that was being done to his padawan had to be bad if Obi-Wan had closed off the bond.
Again he tried to reach his apprentice. Though he could sense nothing from the boy, he knew that Obi-Wan could hear him.
Not knowing what else to do, he began talking. Through the bond, he did his best to comfort, assure and just be there. He talked of successful missions, friends at the temple, anything he could think of. By this time he was doing it as much for himself as for Obi-Wan. Not being able to sense that bright presence in his mind was starting to really affect him.
As time wore on Qui-Gon's worry intensified. It had been two hours since Obi-Wan had closed the bond. He knew that if he accessed the Force he could free himself and get to his padawan. However, he would also be putting the entire mission at risk. Another hour of waiting and his decision was made.
As he began to gather the force around him, he heard a resounding //NO!// through the bond. //Please do not let this be for nothing!// Qui-Gon's heart twisted in anguish at the pain and exhaustion he heard in that voice.
Qui-Gon acquiesced, albeit reluctantly.
//Master?// Now that the bond had reopened Obi-Wan was clinging to it almost desperately. //Keep talking. Please?//
(End memory sequence)
Qui-Gon stood and started pacing. He was not used to feeling so helpless. The bond had always been a comfort to Obi-Wan. ~How could I have let this happen? ~ For twelve years Obi-Wan had been a constant presence in his mind. Qui-Gon was only now beginning to realize how much he had taken that for granted.
~I hurt him terribly~ his eyes closed at the thought. ~And I've never tried to put it right. ~
He thought back over the past year. Not once had he tried to contact Obi- Wan. He had convinced himself that the new Knight needed his independence in order to make a name for himself within the order. The truth, he now realized was that he couldn't face his own guilt about the rift between them.
~If I had reached out to him just once~ Cursing his own stupidity, he unconsciously reached for the bond that had once tied him to Obi-Wan, and mentally recoiled in shock.
Qui-Gon lowered himself into his seat still reeling from the shock of his discovery. His training bond with Obi-Wan was still intact. He had assumed that Yoda had severed the bond for him when he had knighted the boy.
The link was tenuous at best and had all but withered away due to lack of use, but it was there nonetheless. He couldn't help the small smile that stole its way across his face. He was relieved to find that he hadn't lost Obi-Wan completely. ~Yet~ immediately the smile disappeared as the reality of his current mission came rushing back to him.
But along with his discovery he had found a new resolve. Knowing the link needed to be strengthened and nurtured, which he would do as soon as he had time to meditate, he sent a brief message to Obi-Wan. //I will find you, my son// He infused the words with all the love he felt for the boy, hoping that they would reach their destination.
A/N Still getting used to the format here. Hope the story is easy to follow. I had trouble using the italics, which is why I had to mark the memory sequence. As I stated earlier, this is my first fic….ever. So I'm still just experimenting here and there with dialogue and flashbacks etc… If anyone has a constructive criticism, please feel free to speak up (
For those of you who may have ventured a guess as to who it is that has put the bounty out on our fave knight, this next post will offer another clue. I dare say that Ivy was on the right track with her guess ( And someone also asked (sorry, cant remember who) if this was going to be an Obidala fic. Sorry, but no. Their relationship is strictly platonic and more of a brother/sister deal. Hope that doesn't disappoint anyone too much. I just didn't want to get into the whole romance thing. Now, on with the post……
Shar'tel waited patiently for his com call to be put through. His cargo had become a little too hot and he wanted to make the drop and collect his credits. He'd had a bad feeling about this job from the beginning. Normally, he would never have taken a job involving a Jedi, but he had debts he owed. This 500,000 would just about put him in the clear.
He cast a quick glance at his 'cargo', which remained unconscious and strapped into a passenger seat. The boy looked harmless enough. He was of an average height with a slim build, not overly muscular, more of a lithe stature. His shoulder length ginger hair fell in gentle waves around his face.
His musings were interrupted when his 'cargo' issued a low moan and lifted his head slightly. Startled, Shar'tel glanced at his chrono. It was too early for the sedative to be wearing off. Quickly he reached for the hypo- spray. He had heard that it was possible for Jedi to purge their system of such things, so he had pumped enough of the stuff into the young man last night to put a bantha under for at least a week. ~So much for that~ he thought. He decided to play it safe and laced the sedative with a force suppressant.
He approached the Jedi warily. He was taking no chances. He knew the young man looked subdued, but the memory of that same young man nearly beheading him with his light saber only hours before was forefront on his mind.
The boys head was bowed, chin resting on his chest. Tentatively Shar'tel reached out to cup the boys chin and raise his head to get a better look at him. Beautiful. If that term could ever be used to describe a man, it would definitely suit this one. ~He has the face of an angel~ he thought.
Long golden lashes fluttered then opened to reveal blue/gray eyes still heavily clouded with sedative. The young man blinked a couple of times as if trying to clear away his confusion.
Just as the bounty hunter placed the hypo-spray to his neck, the young man spoke.
"No!....p..please" the plea was very weak and slurred and held a desperate edge to it.
Shar'tel looked into eyes that were slowly beginning to comprehend their predicament. "Sorry kid," he said regretfully as he depressed the trigger on the hypo-spray, "business is business."
He watched as quiet acceptance crept into eyes already beginning to close of their own volition. Gently he settled the boy's head into a more comfortable position.
The bounty hunter had always managed to maintain an air of detachment regarding his 'work'. ~Why is this job so different~ he thought. But he already knew the answer. He wasn't like Darius and so many others in his profession. Usually when he handed his cargo over, more often than not they deserved whatever fate awaited them. He had entered this job solely because he needed the credits. He should have realized with a bounty this high there had to be a catch.
Shar'tel had dealt with force sensitives before, but never a Jedi. Luckily there were many force suppression devices available on the black market. Aside from the chemical compound he had laced the sedative with he had also chosen a force disruptor. It had the same effect as a collar, but allowed for some distance. Shar'tel knew he would never get close enough to snap a collar on the Jedi. As long as he activated the device within 10 feet of him the effect would be the same. The effects however were short term, hence the sedative.
He glanced at the once again unconscious Jedi. He looked so young, so innocent. ~Surely he couldn't be much over 25~ he thought of his own son who was roughly the same age, and hadn't spoken to him in years. This young man was also someone's son.
He was starting to let his conscience get the better of him. His intuition was also telling him that this wasn't right. Deciding to trust his instincts he quickly moved to disconnect the outgoing call, credits be damned. Unfortunately, he wasn't quick enough.
"I trust you have what I want Shar'tel," hissed the darkly cloaked figure appearing in miniature form on the comm.
"Yes, m'lord," answered the bounty hunter. Doubts or not he was not about to cross this man.
"His condition?"
"Sedated and force suppressed as requested"
"Excellent. Bring him to me immediately, the location is being transferred to you now."
Qui-Gon Jinn sat on his transport to Naboo seemingly gazing at the stars streaking by. In truth, his thoughts were turned inward. He could not stop thinking of Obi-Wan.
Images supplied by his own overactive imagination played never ending scenes of his Obi-Wan being tortured, beaten, and even ~No! I wont go there~ he thought ~Don't center on your anxieties!~
Qui-Gon closed his eyes and took a deep calming breath trying to release his fears into the force. It was hard. This wasn't just another mission. This was Obi-Wan, his Obi-Wan....his son. He had to find him.
There had been several missions throughout Obi-Wan's apprenticeship where the boy had been hurt. He flashed to a mission on Semper IV 6 years previous. They had been undercover and expressly forbidden by the council to use the force.
(flashback/memory sequence)
Captured and held as spies shortly after their arrival, they had been separated. Their captors, predicting that Qui-Gon would be too hard to break, had focused their attention on the padawan.
Alone in his cell Qui-Gon had sensed a spike of distress quickly followed by firm resolution through the training bond.
//Obi-Wan? // He could feel the young man trying not to reach for the comfort of the bond.
//Padawan. What's happening? // His mental voice left no doubt that he expected an answer.
//I think our hosts are tired of talking Master// the tone was light, but Qui-Gon could sense the very real fear trembling just beneath.
Qui-Gon did not have time for a response as an intense wave of pain ripped through the bond and sent him to his knees. Just as abruptly it was gone. He reached for Obi-Wan again through the bond, only to come up against a wall.
Obi-Wan had shut the bond down at his end. Qui-Gon was so shocked that he just stood there. Never in the 5 years since he had taken the boy as his apprentice had Obi-Wan ever closed the bond. Ever. In fact, he seemed to draw comfort from it at the strangest times.
Reaching out again he gently pushed against that 'wall'. //Obi-Wan!// No response. He could sense nothing from the boy.
Qui-Gon closed his eyes. Whatever it was that was being done to his padawan had to be bad if Obi-Wan had closed off the bond.
Again he tried to reach his apprentice. Though he could sense nothing from the boy, he knew that Obi-Wan could hear him.
Not knowing what else to do, he began talking. Through the bond, he did his best to comfort, assure and just be there. He talked of successful missions, friends at the temple, anything he could think of. By this time he was doing it as much for himself as for Obi-Wan. Not being able to sense that bright presence in his mind was starting to really affect him.
As time wore on Qui-Gon's worry intensified. It had been two hours since Obi-Wan had closed the bond. He knew that if he accessed the Force he could free himself and get to his padawan. However, he would also be putting the entire mission at risk. Another hour of waiting and his decision was made.
As he began to gather the force around him, he heard a resounding //NO!// through the bond. //Please do not let this be for nothing!// Qui-Gon's heart twisted in anguish at the pain and exhaustion he heard in that voice.
Qui-Gon acquiesced, albeit reluctantly.
//Master?// Now that the bond had reopened Obi-Wan was clinging to it almost desperately. //Keep talking. Please?//
(End memory sequence)
Qui-Gon stood and started pacing. He was not used to feeling so helpless. The bond had always been a comfort to Obi-Wan. ~How could I have let this happen? ~ For twelve years Obi-Wan had been a constant presence in his mind. Qui-Gon was only now beginning to realize how much he had taken that for granted.
~I hurt him terribly~ his eyes closed at the thought. ~And I've never tried to put it right. ~
He thought back over the past year. Not once had he tried to contact Obi- Wan. He had convinced himself that the new Knight needed his independence in order to make a name for himself within the order. The truth, he now realized was that he couldn't face his own guilt about the rift between them.
~If I had reached out to him just once~ Cursing his own stupidity, he unconsciously reached for the bond that had once tied him to Obi-Wan, and mentally recoiled in shock.
Qui-Gon lowered himself into his seat still reeling from the shock of his discovery. His training bond with Obi-Wan was still intact. He had assumed that Yoda had severed the bond for him when he had knighted the boy.
The link was tenuous at best and had all but withered away due to lack of use, but it was there nonetheless. He couldn't help the small smile that stole its way across his face. He was relieved to find that he hadn't lost Obi-Wan completely. ~Yet~ immediately the smile disappeared as the reality of his current mission came rushing back to him.
But along with his discovery he had found a new resolve. Knowing the link needed to be strengthened and nurtured, which he would do as soon as he had time to meditate, he sent a brief message to Obi-Wan. //I will find you, my son// He infused the words with all the love he felt for the boy, hoping that they would reach their destination.
A/N Still getting used to the format here. Hope the story is easy to follow. I had trouble using the italics, which is why I had to mark the memory sequence. As I stated earlier, this is my first fic….ever. So I'm still just experimenting here and there with dialogue and flashbacks etc… If anyone has a constructive criticism, please feel free to speak up (