Hey everyone. Thanks for all your reviews on the last chapter, some of them were really encouraging. I'm tres annoyed at myself because when I first started writing this story (way back when in May or something) I set myself a deadline of Christmas. Well, obviously I've missed that, and I have no idea when I'm going to finish this. The story's getting more and more complicated (remind me never to write anything with a plot again!), but the end is in sight (woohoo!). I'm sorry it's taken me so long to write this chapter, and that it's so damn short, I'm suffering from serious lack of inspiration. I have no idea when the next chapter will be finished, but I assure that, some day, I WILL finish this story. It's gonna happen! I hope you enjoy this (even though it's barely the length of an ant!).

Leyana stirred, a smile softening her lips as the arms holding her tightened.

"I love you," Obi-Wan murmured in her ear.

"Mmm." She turned in his embrace, kissed him gently on the lips.

"I love you too."

The tension had gone, swept away with their passion, and their newfound love and honesty pulsed in the air between them, creating an unbreakable bond.

She laid her cheek against his, listening to the birds serenade the early morning sun, the night's storm merging into day.

"I could lie here forever."

He chuckled. "Maybe we should."

He stroked her hair with his fingertips and she closed her eyes, enjoying the intimacy of the moment.

A sharp bleep shattered the peaceful air, and they started as the reality of Obi-Wan's comlink brought them floating back down to the planet surface.

They exchanged a glance.

 "You'd better answer it," she said.

He nodded, reaching slowly for the metal. "Qui-Gon?"

The Jedi Master's voice was curt. "Where are you?"

Obi-Wan looked at Leyana. "Sheltering. The storm knocked out our communications."

"Hurry back," snapped Qui-Gon in reply. "Crea Landoor is dead."

***

In his room at the Hall of Negotiations, Qui-Gon tried to curb his impatience and look at the situation rationally.

They were just stranded by the storm, that's all. It doesn't change anything. Why are you letting this get to you?

He shook his head in frustration.

He trusted Obi-Wan, he did. He had no reason not to. As Shara had said, young love comes and goes. Obi-Wan wouldn't do anything rash.

Would he?

Xanatos would've.

"Xanatos is nothing like Obi-Wan," he snapped.

The room was silent.

Well, what did he expect? Someone to leap out from behind a curtain and put his mind to rest?
An unexpected knock at the door burst into the room, and Qui-Gon jumped, then shook his head, disgusted with himself.

What is wrong with me?

"Come in."

Shara entered, looking tired, irritated.

"I just spoke with Leyana," she said. "They're nearly back."

Qui-Gon nodded. "Obi-Wan said the same thing."

Shara gave him a sort of sideways look. "Then I suppose it's back to see Antonio Rechton."

He sighed inwardly. How he did not want to see that man again. How he hated the emotions it stirred in him.

"Yes," he said aloud. "I suppose so."

"Qui-Gon," Shara ventured. "Are you…alright?"

"I'm fine." His tone sounded stiff, starched.

She hesitated, then nodded and said. "I'll see you in about half an hour."

He didn't reply.

He could feel Shara, hesitating, by the door.

"Look," she said finally. "If there's something wrong, maybe you should just tell me."

"I'm fine," he ground out.

"Well you're obviously not fine, are you? Is it Rechton, because you've been acting strange since we saw him. I think perhaps-"

"You think perhaps what?" he snapped, his self-control finally going. "You think perhaps it has anything to do with you?"

"Yes, actually I do. Because it's affecting the mission. It's affecting you and Obi-Wan."

For a moment Qui-Gon thought he'd misheard, but no, the words hung between them real, audible and very true.

"How dare you," he hissed. "How dare you question Obi-Wan and myself. How dare you-"

He stopped and took a deep breath, forcing the anger away, controlling his mind and emotions.

"I do not believe I wish to discuss this particular matter with you."

"Fine," she snapped. "Just fine."

Silence fell between them, each refusing to look at the other. 

Heavy tension hung in the air, Qui-Gon's seething mind registering only his anger at her invasion.

He barely noticed the faint hissing. When he finally allowed it to penetrate his conscious, it was far too late.

Through a fogged mind, Qui-Gon saw Shara fold to the ground as the poison invaded her system. Then blackness occupied him, and he followed.

***

Obi-Wan raced up to the Hall of Negotiations, Leyana at his heels. They skidded across the entrance hall towards the lifts, heedless if the polite "Good Morning" from the concierge.

"C'mon!" Obi-Wan pounded the button with his fist, impatiently. Leyana reached out and touched his arm.

"Calm down," she said softly. "Everything's okay. We'll get the information on Landoor, we'll figure it out."

Obi-Wan didn't reply. Something else gave speed to his actions, some sort of desperate urgency…he just wasn't sure why.

The lift arrived with a ping, and they jumped in, Obi-Wan tapping his foot as it made its ascent. They flew down the corridor, Obi-Wan's head buzzing with the information he could still not absorb.

Crea Landoor dead? They had seen him, yesterday, alive and well.

He burst into the room, shouting "Qui-Gon! Shara!"

But the room was empty.

***

Obi-Wan stared around the vacant room. Something wasn't right.

There was something in the air, something he couldn't quite put a finger on…

"That's odd," said Leyana. "Very odd. Where are they?"

"You're guess is as good as mine."

What was it? Something hanging, something…poisonous?

"We should find Cahn."

"Wait." He held up a hand, signalling her to stand still. "I think there's something…"

He closed his eyes, feeling the blanket of the Force around him, pulsing, protecting.

Show me, he said silently. Show me what is it.

But all he could see was Qui-Gon turning away from him, pretending to be asleep, brushing his concern aside.

Shutting me out.

He sighed, opening his eyes only to be faced with the reality of the empty room. Empty.

Leyana took his hand in hers. She stroked her thumb across his palm.

"They're fine," she said.

He raised hid eyebrows at her. "You don't believe that anymore than I do."

"No," she replied. "They may be in danger, but they're okay." She smiled slightly. "Shara always is."

Obi-Wan didn't reply. He thought of the time Qui-Gon had been taken by a mad scientist who had almost killed him trying to understand the Force. He remembered the fear that had filled his heart as he saw his Master, so helpless, so near death.

"I hope you're right," he whispered.

***

Shara awoke with a definite grogginess. Her head ached, her eyes stung, her ears rang. And she didn't know where she was.

She was aware that she couldn't move her arms, or her legs, in fact her entire body seemed to be immobilised. She could only turn her head, and even that hurt.

She seemed, somehow, to be suspended, only inches above a silver floor. She could just make out Qui-Gon to her left, but could not see above her, anything that wasn't almost directly beside her.

Nor could she remember how she had come to be there in the first place.

"Qui-Gon."

Her voice sounded funny, quite slow and croaky, as if she'd gone a week without sleep.

"Qui-Gon!"

He didn't respond.

She closed her eyes, surprised by how much just that small effort had taken out of her.

There must be something really wrong with me.

Her ears alerted her to footsteps. Heavy footsteps.

She opened one eye, but could only see a pair of black boots, so ordinary they could have been her own. Only bigger.

A finger stroked her hair, running down along her spine, causing an painful shiver to wrack her muscles.

A chuckle.

She felt breath on her ear, and a sharp pain at the base of her spine.

A needle.

"Not yet," a voice whispered.

Her mind turned fuzzy. She slipped away.

"Not yet."

***

After finding their quarters mysteriously empty, Obi-Wan and Leyana went to find Cahn to see if he knew anything of their Masters' whereabouts.

He seemed pleased to see them, silvery eyes lowing as he kissed their cheeks in greeting.

"Good news," he said happily. "The list of candidates for Governor has been assembled. Antonio Rechton is one of them."

Leyana raised her eyebrows slightly. "Really," she murmured. "That's very interesting."

"Who else is running?" Obi-Wan asked.

Cahn opened a file lying on the desk infront of him and pulled out a data sheet.

"Leila Arcs. 35, believes greatly in preserving Seratina's natural side. Alessandrio Kayala. 50, more interested in the business prospects. Big on import and export. Antonio Rechton. 24, promises to continue the high standards Thelos set and retain his legacy to Seratina."

Leyana shook her head slightly. "Governor at only 22, and now he could be looking at another term in office. That's quite an accomplishment."

"Well," said Cahn, lowering his voice slightly. "Just between us, I think there's a good chance of him winning again."

"You don't sound too pleased," commented Obi-Wan.

Cahn blew out a deep breath and leant back in his chair.

"Not too much is known now about Antonio Rechton," he admitted. "He was a wonderful child, sweet, gentle, always willing to be involved in a good cause. He never once thought he was any different from the other children. He didn't even seem to notice."

He smiled, eyes far away.

"I remember one summer a row of houses down by the western river collapsed, and the families lost everything, their homes, their possessions, everything. There was a huge collection of things, clothes, food, etc. Antonio brought more than anyone. Cleaned his house out of food." He laughed slightly. "Yes, he was a good kid."

"And now?" Leyana asked.

Cahn's eyes darkened slightly.

"He went away for a few months, when he was eighteen. No one knows where exactly. He said he was going travelling, for a year or two, but came back after only three months. Just appeared one day, no explanation, no stories, no anything. He'd changed somehow. No one could quite put their finger on it, but we all knew it was there. His attitude. He became obsessed with politics, obsessed with becoming Governor, something he'd never cared about before. And his appearance was…different. So you would hardly notice it. His hair would be a bit darker, or his eyes a little bluer, his nose a little straighter. The changes were small, gradual, but definitely there. His mother said it was just part of growing up."

Cahn's face twisted in the smallest of sneers. "He is considered Seratina's saviour."

"You don't trust him," Leyana said.

"No I don't," Cahn admitted. "There's something when you look in his eyes, something not quite right…"

He shook his head slightly, then smiled.

"But excuse me, going on, when I expect you're here to ask about your Masters."

"Uh, yes." Leyana smiled curiously. "How did you know?"

"They left you a message."

Cahn touched a small silver button on his desk, and a small, blue, image of Qui-Gon sprung to life.

"Obi-Wan. We've gone to see Antonio Rechton again. Stay in the Hall of Negotiations. We will be back shortly."

The image disappeared.

Obi-Wan glanced at Leyana, who raised her eyebrows at him slightly.

Suspicious?

Highly.

He nodded, only a tiny jerk of the head, then looked Cahn.

"Thank you. I think we'll return to our quarters."

Cahn smiled. "If you need anything, just call me."

As soon as they were out of the Seratiniuns's sight, Obi-Wan leaned toward Leyana and muttered "Something's not right."

"What makes you think that?" she responded dryly.

They nodded politely at the other Seratiniuns in the lift, both burning with impatience to share their suspicions.

Safe in Leyana's quarters, they sat side by side on the bed, shoulders brushing.

"That wasn't Qui-Gon," Obi-Wan said.

"No," she agreed. "There was something about his…"

"Mannerisms," Obi-Wan supplied. "The way he moved, spoke, it was just…"

"Not quite right," she finished.

"Exactly."

They both sat in contemplative silence, wondering exactly what this could mean.

"There's only one thing to do." Obi-Wan stood up.

Leyana followed suit. "Find them ourselves."

***

A gentle humming filled the air.

The figure dressed in black smiled to itself as it held the vial electric blue liquid, handling it as carefully as a baby.

This liquid had a very special purpose. Oh yes.

The figure hummed a little more as he placed the vial into a metal case. Safe and sound.

"Soon my pets," it called out softly. "Very soon."

The two Jedi remained motionless, eyes closed, oblivious.

***