Title: Promise me you'll train the boy
Author: ewan's girl
Author's note: Thank you for all your wonderful reviews, I hope I can continue to write enjoyable chapters. You know reviews are what keep me going though. . . *wink, wink*
*******************************
Chapter 6: Told you we should've knocked.
Anakin felt strong fingers grip his shoulder tightly, digging into his flesh. He looked up at the bleach-blonde man who wore an expressionless mask. He then turned his attention to the flamboyant older man who had flopped down on an ancient throne made for a king.
Anakin almost found the man comical.
"I could get use to living like this." The old man laughed, gesturing around the lavish room made up to look like an ancient palace. The corners of Anakin's mouth twitched up towards a smile. He then remembered that he was a Jedi and Jedi are always serious, he then straightened up and frowned.
'That's it. . .Try to look like Master Obi Wan.' Anakin thought to himself, making his face seem more stern. He stared at the man, waiting to be acknowledged.
The old man finally seemed to remember the young boy in the room. "So tell me my boy, do you enjoy being a Jedi?" The man asked with a warm smile.
Anakin was dumbfounded by the question. 'Of course I enjoy being a Jedi, I mean all the adventures. . .that I have yet to go on.' Anakin then realized the old man studying him. "Yes." He said with less assurance then he wanted, making it almost sound like a question.
"So you don't mind giving up everything that children your age have?" The man intertwined his fingers and placed his chin on his hands.
Anakin went to answer then stopped and gave a confused look. "Like what?" He asked, his curiosity getting the best of him.
"Like possessions, free time, friends. . ." The man rambled off a list.
"I have friend. . ." Anakin tried to argue, but stopped when he realized he didn't. 'Well I have Obi Wan.' Anakin made a face at that thought.
The man smiled at him. "What about your parents?" He noticed Anakin stiffen at the question. "Don't you ever wonder about them?"
Anakin felt his eyes begin to water as he thought about his mother. "I wonder how my mom is everyday." He stated under his breath. He closed his eyes tightly. 'I shouldn't have left her alone.' He thought to himself, feeling guilt rise inside him.
The old man looked at Anakin with a strange interest. He turned to his assistant, then back to Anakin. "What's your name boy?"
Anakin looked up at the two men, sensing a strange sensation through the Force in their presence. "I'm Anakin Skywalker." He puffed out his chest to make himself more impressive. "I'm apprentice to Obi Wan Kenobi." He couldn't help but smile when he told people he was an apprentice even though he was so young.
Anakin noticed no reaction from the old man, but the younger one gave him a strange look when he mentioned his master's name. Anakin wondered about it, but was interrupted by the old man. "My name is Xan Serrano." He said and crossed his legs and leaned back in his chair. "My associate is Aalto." The blonde haired man continued to give Anakin a strange look.
Anakin looked between the two, then remembered the situation at hand. "Why did you kill our teacher?" He bluntly asked, not wanting to deal with pointless talking.
"She was an unfortunate obstacle young Anakin, I didn't mean for her to die." Xan Serrano held his eyes to the ground. "She wouldn't get out of our way."
Anakin felt a shiver run down his spine. "What do you want with us?" He asked.
The man smiled. "To help you young one, to help you."
****************************
Obi Wan and Siri crouched behind an exhibit of minerals, waiting for a break in the blaster fire, unfortunately they both realized when you are up against machines it's unlikely they will tire. Siri looked at her friend and sighed, they were trapped and she didn't know how they were going to get out.
"Any ideas?" She shouted over the sound of blaster fire.
He looked at her. "I'm thinking, I haven't been in a situation like this in a while." Obi Wan admitted. "And you said I should get out of the Temple more, remind me to not listen to you."
"No worries." Siri replied, peering over the counter, only to duck back quickly as a blast wized by her head.
Obi Wan glanced around the room, trying to think of an escape. He noticed the ceiling was held up by five large columns. "I have an idea, but it's insane." He looked over at Siri.
"I would expect nothing less." She stated with a smile.
"Can you cover me?" He asked, she looked at the droids then at the columns, seeming to read his mind. She nodded. "You go left, I'll go right."
Siri ignited her saber, her violet blade glowing in the dark, illuminating her feminine features. "Let's do it." She said and raced around the other side of the counter. Obi Wan waited for her to cause a distraction to cover him.
Siri kneeled at the edge of the counter, she didn't exactly know how Obi Wan planned to get them out of this, but she would trust in his abilities and in the Force. She looked around the exhibit and noticed a large durasteel shield. She smiled and quickly grabbed it off the wall.
'Ok Siri, anytime now.' Obi Wan thought as he felt a blast get extremely close to him. He wondered if his partner was ok when he heard a commotion behind him. He turned and saw Siri racing into the thick of the droids, holding a shield in front of her to block the blasts from the droids. 'Sometimes I love that woman.' Obi Wan thought to himself and he raced out from behind his hiding place, towards the first column.
Siri began to cut through the droids, she felt her shield beginning to grow hot from the blasts it was absorbing. She began to worry. She jumped over two droids and blocked their blasts, hitting one in the chest plate, and cutting down the other.
Obi Wan drove his blade into the column, watching the light sword cut through the concrete like butter. He then jumped out of the way as the large column as it crashed to the ground, crushing five droids.
Siri was temporally distracted by the loud crash and a droid took the opportunity and shot her in the arm. She cried out in pain and in the same beat threw the shield at the droid, cutting his head off. She then pulled back, clutching her arm.
Obi Wan heard Siri scream and he looked at her clutching her arm. He then ran to her aid. He fought off the droids as Siri tore off one of her sleeves, tying it around her hurt arm. Obi Wan noticed they were being driven into a corner. He could feel sweat dripping down his forehead.
"Now what?" Siri asked, back in the battle. "This is insane." She screamed over the fire. "Why are there so many droids?"
"At the risk of sounding like Qui Gon, let's focus on the here and the now." Obi Wan shot back. He never took his concentration off the battle, but he took in their surroundings, hoping to find a way out. He looked above them and noticed a skylight. He took out his cable launcher and aimed for the ceiling.
Siri glanced at him, and covered his back. "You sure about this?" She asked as he grabbed her and the cable carried them high above the droids. Siri continued to block the blast bolts as Obi Wan held onto her.
The two Jedi then swung and crashed through the skylight and jumped onto the roof. There were sweating and breathing heavily. "So not the most heroic escape, but it works right?" Obi Wan asked in his dry wit.
Siri panted and raised her eye brow. The two friends then heard the sound of metal rolling on the steel roof. She sighed and ignited her saber. "Oh yeah, great escape Master Jedi." She answered him, sarcastically. As the two Jedi took a defensive stance, waiting for the droidekas.
******************************
"Help us?" Anakin asked, curious.
Xan Serrano nodded and rose to his feet, walking towards Anakin. "Yes my young Jedi." He smiled at the young boy. "You see what my associates and I do are take the innocent Jedi children back to their parents, so they can live out their lives with their families instead of being raised as soldiers."
"The Jedi aren't soldiers." Anakin protested.
"I know you don't believe me because you were raised by the Jedi cult." The man spat. Anakin gave him a very confused look. "Don't you know that the Jedi council steals babies?" He folded his arms across his chest.
"I know that children are brought to the Temple when they are babies." Anakin admitted, not really knowing very much about it considering his situation was very different.
Xan Serrano shook his head sadly. "My boy that's just it, the Jedi masters take the children from their parents sometimes without consent."
Anakin was about to protest when he considered how he came to the Jedi Temple. 'Qui Gon didn't. . .did he?' Anakin felt a strange emotion rise inside him.
Serrano knelt in front of Anakin. "Just imagine, you could be back in the arms of your parents this time next week." He smiled
Anakin thought for a moment. He imagined his mother's face when she would see him walk through the door. 'Mom. . .' He suddenly remembered her last words to him.
/Don't look back./
He looked up at the old man smiling before him. He then glanced at the other man who had yet to show any emotions at all. "I know you don't understand Anakin." The man turned Anakin's attention to him. "But all of you will soon." He smiled again then looked at his partner. "Now I need you and your friends out there to take a DNA test, that way we can match you up to your parents."
Aalto grabbed Anakin by the back of his tunic and began to take him out of the room. "But I already know where my mom is!" Anakin called as he was dragged. Aalto stopped and Serrano stared at the boy, his eyes searching for answers.
"Excuse me?"
"Yeah, my mom is on Tatooine." Anakin stated, looking between the two men. He noticed that for the first time since he met Xan Serrano the man seemed unpleasant.
"Take him to the others, get them ready." He commanded Aalto, who shoved Anakin out the door.
************************
Obi Wan grabbed Siri and began to run as fast as they could, avoiding being hit by the destroyer droids. Both Jedi knew they were outmatched, and needed a new plan. They also knew there was nowhere to hide on the very flat roof. Siri looked for an escape as Obi Wan deflected more blaster fire.
"Ok, it's your turn to come up with something." Obi Wan stated as he shot back a blast bolt, only to be absorbed by the droid's shields.
Siri used the Force to scan the surrounding area, she then grabbed Obi Wan's arm and headed for another skylight. "This way." She commanded, and blocked another blast bolt with her own light saber.
Obi Wan sensed what she was planning seconds before he found himself being grabbed by Siri and crashing through another skylight. The two knights were able to stop their fall by grabbing on to a large Bantha skeleton. The droidekas began to rain fire on them from the ceiling. Obi Wan looked at Siri from across the skeleton. "Oh yeah this is much better." He commented sarcastically.
Siri gave him a stern look before speaking. "Jump." She stated as she let go of the skeleton.
Obi Wan watched as Siri fell to the ground with a bone crunching thud. He blocked another blaster bolt and followed suit, landing on his tail bone. Siri helped him to his feet and the two friends ran down the hall away from the destroyers.
When they felt they were in the clear they stopped to catch their breaths. Obi Wan leaned against the wall and Siri put her head between her knees. After a moment they had composed themselves.
"It won't take the droids long to find us." Obi Wan commented. "We should keep moving."
Siri continued to pant and nodded in agreement. "I agree." She said, finally rising to her full height, stretching her back.
"Good idea." Another voice came from behind them. Siri then flipped the source of the voice over her head and to the ground. She held the intruder by the throat, straddling him. "Woe Siri, I didn't know you were so desperate for physical contact." Garen stated with a smile as he stared up at the blonde haired woman. "Obi Wan could you give us like 15 minutes?" Garen winked as Siri let him up, not before punching him in the arm.
Obi Wan tried to suppress a laugh, then realized that Garen hadn't been there previously. "Garen? How did you get in here?" He asked, dumbfounded.
Garen stared at his two friends who were both dirty, sweating and even bleeding. He shrugged. "The front door was open, and the droids were elsewhere, probably fighting you." He simply answered with a chuckle and began to walk down the hall.
Obi Wan and Siri both stood for a moment with their jaws hanging open. Siri then looked at Obi Wan. "Told you we should've knocked." She said with a sigh.
TBC
Author: ewan's girl
Author's note: Thank you for all your wonderful reviews, I hope I can continue to write enjoyable chapters. You know reviews are what keep me going though. . . *wink, wink*
*******************************
Chapter 6: Told you we should've knocked.
Anakin felt strong fingers grip his shoulder tightly, digging into his flesh. He looked up at the bleach-blonde man who wore an expressionless mask. He then turned his attention to the flamboyant older man who had flopped down on an ancient throne made for a king.
Anakin almost found the man comical.
"I could get use to living like this." The old man laughed, gesturing around the lavish room made up to look like an ancient palace. The corners of Anakin's mouth twitched up towards a smile. He then remembered that he was a Jedi and Jedi are always serious, he then straightened up and frowned.
'That's it. . .Try to look like Master Obi Wan.' Anakin thought to himself, making his face seem more stern. He stared at the man, waiting to be acknowledged.
The old man finally seemed to remember the young boy in the room. "So tell me my boy, do you enjoy being a Jedi?" The man asked with a warm smile.
Anakin was dumbfounded by the question. 'Of course I enjoy being a Jedi, I mean all the adventures. . .that I have yet to go on.' Anakin then realized the old man studying him. "Yes." He said with less assurance then he wanted, making it almost sound like a question.
"So you don't mind giving up everything that children your age have?" The man intertwined his fingers and placed his chin on his hands.
Anakin went to answer then stopped and gave a confused look. "Like what?" He asked, his curiosity getting the best of him.
"Like possessions, free time, friends. . ." The man rambled off a list.
"I have friend. . ." Anakin tried to argue, but stopped when he realized he didn't. 'Well I have Obi Wan.' Anakin made a face at that thought.
The man smiled at him. "What about your parents?" He noticed Anakin stiffen at the question. "Don't you ever wonder about them?"
Anakin felt his eyes begin to water as he thought about his mother. "I wonder how my mom is everyday." He stated under his breath. He closed his eyes tightly. 'I shouldn't have left her alone.' He thought to himself, feeling guilt rise inside him.
The old man looked at Anakin with a strange interest. He turned to his assistant, then back to Anakin. "What's your name boy?"
Anakin looked up at the two men, sensing a strange sensation through the Force in their presence. "I'm Anakin Skywalker." He puffed out his chest to make himself more impressive. "I'm apprentice to Obi Wan Kenobi." He couldn't help but smile when he told people he was an apprentice even though he was so young.
Anakin noticed no reaction from the old man, but the younger one gave him a strange look when he mentioned his master's name. Anakin wondered about it, but was interrupted by the old man. "My name is Xan Serrano." He said and crossed his legs and leaned back in his chair. "My associate is Aalto." The blonde haired man continued to give Anakin a strange look.
Anakin looked between the two, then remembered the situation at hand. "Why did you kill our teacher?" He bluntly asked, not wanting to deal with pointless talking.
"She was an unfortunate obstacle young Anakin, I didn't mean for her to die." Xan Serrano held his eyes to the ground. "She wouldn't get out of our way."
Anakin felt a shiver run down his spine. "What do you want with us?" He asked.
The man smiled. "To help you young one, to help you."
****************************
Obi Wan and Siri crouched behind an exhibit of minerals, waiting for a break in the blaster fire, unfortunately they both realized when you are up against machines it's unlikely they will tire. Siri looked at her friend and sighed, they were trapped and she didn't know how they were going to get out.
"Any ideas?" She shouted over the sound of blaster fire.
He looked at her. "I'm thinking, I haven't been in a situation like this in a while." Obi Wan admitted. "And you said I should get out of the Temple more, remind me to not listen to you."
"No worries." Siri replied, peering over the counter, only to duck back quickly as a blast wized by her head.
Obi Wan glanced around the room, trying to think of an escape. He noticed the ceiling was held up by five large columns. "I have an idea, but it's insane." He looked over at Siri.
"I would expect nothing less." She stated with a smile.
"Can you cover me?" He asked, she looked at the droids then at the columns, seeming to read his mind. She nodded. "You go left, I'll go right."
Siri ignited her saber, her violet blade glowing in the dark, illuminating her feminine features. "Let's do it." She said and raced around the other side of the counter. Obi Wan waited for her to cause a distraction to cover him.
Siri kneeled at the edge of the counter, she didn't exactly know how Obi Wan planned to get them out of this, but she would trust in his abilities and in the Force. She looked around the exhibit and noticed a large durasteel shield. She smiled and quickly grabbed it off the wall.
'Ok Siri, anytime now.' Obi Wan thought as he felt a blast get extremely close to him. He wondered if his partner was ok when he heard a commotion behind him. He turned and saw Siri racing into the thick of the droids, holding a shield in front of her to block the blasts from the droids. 'Sometimes I love that woman.' Obi Wan thought to himself and he raced out from behind his hiding place, towards the first column.
Siri began to cut through the droids, she felt her shield beginning to grow hot from the blasts it was absorbing. She began to worry. She jumped over two droids and blocked their blasts, hitting one in the chest plate, and cutting down the other.
Obi Wan drove his blade into the column, watching the light sword cut through the concrete like butter. He then jumped out of the way as the large column as it crashed to the ground, crushing five droids.
Siri was temporally distracted by the loud crash and a droid took the opportunity and shot her in the arm. She cried out in pain and in the same beat threw the shield at the droid, cutting his head off. She then pulled back, clutching her arm.
Obi Wan heard Siri scream and he looked at her clutching her arm. He then ran to her aid. He fought off the droids as Siri tore off one of her sleeves, tying it around her hurt arm. Obi Wan noticed they were being driven into a corner. He could feel sweat dripping down his forehead.
"Now what?" Siri asked, back in the battle. "This is insane." She screamed over the fire. "Why are there so many droids?"
"At the risk of sounding like Qui Gon, let's focus on the here and the now." Obi Wan shot back. He never took his concentration off the battle, but he took in their surroundings, hoping to find a way out. He looked above them and noticed a skylight. He took out his cable launcher and aimed for the ceiling.
Siri glanced at him, and covered his back. "You sure about this?" She asked as he grabbed her and the cable carried them high above the droids. Siri continued to block the blast bolts as Obi Wan held onto her.
The two Jedi then swung and crashed through the skylight and jumped onto the roof. There were sweating and breathing heavily. "So not the most heroic escape, but it works right?" Obi Wan asked in his dry wit.
Siri panted and raised her eye brow. The two friends then heard the sound of metal rolling on the steel roof. She sighed and ignited her saber. "Oh yeah, great escape Master Jedi." She answered him, sarcastically. As the two Jedi took a defensive stance, waiting for the droidekas.
******************************
"Help us?" Anakin asked, curious.
Xan Serrano nodded and rose to his feet, walking towards Anakin. "Yes my young Jedi." He smiled at the young boy. "You see what my associates and I do are take the innocent Jedi children back to their parents, so they can live out their lives with their families instead of being raised as soldiers."
"The Jedi aren't soldiers." Anakin protested.
"I know you don't believe me because you were raised by the Jedi cult." The man spat. Anakin gave him a very confused look. "Don't you know that the Jedi council steals babies?" He folded his arms across his chest.
"I know that children are brought to the Temple when they are babies." Anakin admitted, not really knowing very much about it considering his situation was very different.
Xan Serrano shook his head sadly. "My boy that's just it, the Jedi masters take the children from their parents sometimes without consent."
Anakin was about to protest when he considered how he came to the Jedi Temple. 'Qui Gon didn't. . .did he?' Anakin felt a strange emotion rise inside him.
Serrano knelt in front of Anakin. "Just imagine, you could be back in the arms of your parents this time next week." He smiled
Anakin thought for a moment. He imagined his mother's face when she would see him walk through the door. 'Mom. . .' He suddenly remembered her last words to him.
/Don't look back./
He looked up at the old man smiling before him. He then glanced at the other man who had yet to show any emotions at all. "I know you don't understand Anakin." The man turned Anakin's attention to him. "But all of you will soon." He smiled again then looked at his partner. "Now I need you and your friends out there to take a DNA test, that way we can match you up to your parents."
Aalto grabbed Anakin by the back of his tunic and began to take him out of the room. "But I already know where my mom is!" Anakin called as he was dragged. Aalto stopped and Serrano stared at the boy, his eyes searching for answers.
"Excuse me?"
"Yeah, my mom is on Tatooine." Anakin stated, looking between the two men. He noticed that for the first time since he met Xan Serrano the man seemed unpleasant.
"Take him to the others, get them ready." He commanded Aalto, who shoved Anakin out the door.
************************
Obi Wan grabbed Siri and began to run as fast as they could, avoiding being hit by the destroyer droids. Both Jedi knew they were outmatched, and needed a new plan. They also knew there was nowhere to hide on the very flat roof. Siri looked for an escape as Obi Wan deflected more blaster fire.
"Ok, it's your turn to come up with something." Obi Wan stated as he shot back a blast bolt, only to be absorbed by the droid's shields.
Siri used the Force to scan the surrounding area, she then grabbed Obi Wan's arm and headed for another skylight. "This way." She commanded, and blocked another blast bolt with her own light saber.
Obi Wan sensed what she was planning seconds before he found himself being grabbed by Siri and crashing through another skylight. The two knights were able to stop their fall by grabbing on to a large Bantha skeleton. The droidekas began to rain fire on them from the ceiling. Obi Wan looked at Siri from across the skeleton. "Oh yeah this is much better." He commented sarcastically.
Siri gave him a stern look before speaking. "Jump." She stated as she let go of the skeleton.
Obi Wan watched as Siri fell to the ground with a bone crunching thud. He blocked another blaster bolt and followed suit, landing on his tail bone. Siri helped him to his feet and the two friends ran down the hall away from the destroyers.
When they felt they were in the clear they stopped to catch their breaths. Obi Wan leaned against the wall and Siri put her head between her knees. After a moment they had composed themselves.
"It won't take the droids long to find us." Obi Wan commented. "We should keep moving."
Siri continued to pant and nodded in agreement. "I agree." She said, finally rising to her full height, stretching her back.
"Good idea." Another voice came from behind them. Siri then flipped the source of the voice over her head and to the ground. She held the intruder by the throat, straddling him. "Woe Siri, I didn't know you were so desperate for physical contact." Garen stated with a smile as he stared up at the blonde haired woman. "Obi Wan could you give us like 15 minutes?" Garen winked as Siri let him up, not before punching him in the arm.
Obi Wan tried to suppress a laugh, then realized that Garen hadn't been there previously. "Garen? How did you get in here?" He asked, dumbfounded.
Garen stared at his two friends who were both dirty, sweating and even bleeding. He shrugged. "The front door was open, and the droids were elsewhere, probably fighting you." He simply answered with a chuckle and began to walk down the hall.
Obi Wan and Siri both stood for a moment with their jaws hanging open. Siri then looked at Obi Wan. "Told you we should've knocked." She said with a sigh.
TBC
