To those who have faithfully watched this story from the beginning to the now, thank you for the reviews. When I get up the next couple of days after posting I tend to haunt the computer to see how other like each chapter.
Snickers Lambchops- I hope you liked how Yoda reacted. I had some trouble. He could not be completely the Jedi we all knew but I hated to take the chars from who they are.
Athena Leigh- Qui-Gon's fear of speed is a lot like the threat that the Jedi would do harm if he spoke for Xanatos. ;)
The Watcher- I don't want to give anything away that might happen in the story but I have something special planned for Anakin. Btw- if you like Ani here read "Second Thoughts". I think you might like it.
Padawan Kitara- Thank you for your faithful reading.
Chapter 8 Escape
Running the entire distance from the ship, Bant found it difficult to stand, but when her father's healer introduced her, but she struggled to her feet. There were tears in her eyes as she spoke, "Hello father."
Yoda, alive for almost 900 years, was not expecting something so monumental as his missing daughter's return. The small green being's ears flattened against his head as he dropped his cane and moved quickly across the room.
The Councilor was so engrossed in seeing his daughter that he missed the look passing between Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon. Clearly they were not the only ones with a secret.
The young woman kneeled on the ground, one to be close to her father and two her legs would no longer hold her weight, even as thin as she was. It was in this touching moment that Yoda confessed the deep trepidation he had lived with for almost five years, "Dead, we feared you were."
"Tried they did, father," Bant said softly, using his backward language to bring a smile to his face.
"To the house, we must get you. Hiding in the speeder shed, you should not be. Confuse some you will. Think you a criminal, they will," Yoda said limping over to his walking stick.
Bant's next words froze the tiny green Councilor in his tracks. "I am a criminal. At least to the Emperor, I am.
For the first time in Obi-Wan's life he saw his father look bewildered and he realized that Yoda wasn't aware that she was the deserter. "Father, she's the one they're looking for. She ran away from the ship when it landed to refuel."
"Deserted you did?" Yoda asked stunned.
"No father, I escaped. They took me by force and I left by force," Bant replied tiredly. Suddenly she pulled up her shirt and turned her back to the men in the room. With her back exposed Qui-Gon, Yoda and Obi-Wan could see the scars all over her orange skin. Some were old and faded, others were new.
"The Emperor deprived me of five years of my life. I will not live like this anymore. Even if I have to join my Calamarian family in death." Her remarks were hard and all of them could feel the determination and defiance of the young woman.
Yoda continued walking across the floor to pick up his walking stick. Leaning heavily on it, he sighed. The joy at his daughter return paled next to his apprehension of what would happen if she were found. "To the house you must go. Food, rest you must get. Take care of you we will."
"Bant can't go inside, father. You heard Count Dooku. 'No home spared.' They will search ours as well," the human reminded Yoda.
Qui-Gon placed a gentle hand on Bant's shoulder and looked at the tiny Councilor. "Do you trust me?"
Both father and daughter bobbed their heads yes and the healer continued, "Ask me no questions; if you don't know any thing, you will have nothing to hide when the recruiters come. Master Yoda, I need you to go back inside the house. Obi-Wan, I want you to go with him. Everything must appear normal."
Yoda nodded profoundly, "Right, Qui-Gon is. Safe place to hide, he will find for you." He reached up and touched the young Calamarian woman's head lovingly. "See you again, I will."
Anakin Skywalker, climbing into his land speeder, glanced in the direction of the vehicle shed, as Yoda and Obi-Wan walked toward the palace. A puzzled look showing on his face, "Good night sirs," he said politely turning the speeder on and driving off down the road.
"Think he saw anything, Obi?" Yoda asked worriedly.
"I don't know, father. But don't worry, I'll go warn Qui-Gon. We'll get Bant away from here… very soon," Obi-Wan answered as he turned back to the speeder storage area.
Qui-Gon was definitely grateful to Obi-Wan for coming back. Moving Bant was proving quite a challenge due to the injuries she had received during her escape.
"Where are we taking her?" Obi-Wan asked anxiously.
"We?" A dark eyebrow rose as Qui-Gon repeated what his second in command had said. "Obi, you cannot go with me. You must not be involved in this. It's too dangerous."
The blond man continued on as if the older man had not spoken. "Qui-Gon we have to leave here now!" Obi-Wan exclaimed. "Sooner or later Anakin will remember that Bant was aggressively recruited. And then if he thinks about seeing Father and I walking back from here, he's smart enough to figure out that we would hide her if she came here."
Qui-Gon was just as worried about the situation as Obi-Wan except he showed it differently. Blue eyes narrowed as his face scrunched up into a frown. "With all of Naboo turned inside out, Tahl Khise is in as much danger as Bant. Let's not forget what will happen to Yaddle should they find Tahl in her attic."
Bant near collapse, sank to the floor, and slumped against her brother for support. "You saw the shocked on father's face. He looked just like he did the day they told him Padmé would become a ward of the Emperor. It will kill him if they find me here. Please just put me out in the swamps. If I'm meant to survive, I will. I'm sick of fighting."
"Sick of fighting?" Obi-Wan repeated, the phrase giving him an idea. He snapped his fingers, "That's the very place. I know a place that's safe and warm. Both Bant and Tahl Khise can hide there. Qui-Gon it's perfect."
"Where," both Bant and Qui-Gon asked exchanging amused smiles at Obi-Wan's excitement.
"In the insane asylum. All of the patients were moved out of the west wing several years ago due to the restoration. The project was abandoned about three years ago. No one will think of searching there, not even Count Dooku."
Neither Bant nor Qui-Gon could argue with the idea. Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon worked together to treat his sister's wounds and load her into one of the Councilor's older speeders. Obi-Wan walked over to the cupboard and pulled out several traveling blankets and covered Bant until she was no longer visible. "I'm sorry if it gets too hot. Don't worry, no one will think twice about seeing Master Jinn returning from father's after dinner. I'll come too because with his 'fear' of speed our healer wouldn't drive."
Back at his quarters Qui-Gon stopped long enough to grab a hand held torch and throw some food into a basket. He sent Obi-Wan off to Mace's personal quarters. They were going to need his help to get Tahl to the medical facility. Then Obi-Wan could come back and help him move Bant.
Obi-Wan was not happy at leaving his sister in a partially repaired building, housing insane patients. Even with Qui-Gon's assurances that no harm would come to Bant or Tahl and the small matter of it being his idea, he was not comfortable. Anything could happen and even the Jedi could not plan for everything.
The asylum stood at the back off the main infirmary about five hundred feet. The building was beautiful to look at but the west wing of the building was unheated. They had discontinued the lights and heat feeding them to the other side of the building where the inmates were. Bant looked at all the construction and broken debris that littered the floor and her heart sank. "I wonder what my Calamarian family and father will think of my running away."
"They would think that you showed good sense," Qui-Gon's rich baritone voice echoed off the walls. He placed the heavy quilts on one of the beds. "Now climb up there. Obi-Wan will bring you something to eat. As your family healer, my medical orders are for you to consume as much solid food as you can. Between that and the rest you should feel better. I need you to do me a favor. You're going to have a roommate…her name is Tahl Khise. She needs a little extra care." Qui-Gon placed several more blankets at the foot of another bed in the room. "You will be safe here I promise and then we will find a way to get the two of you off Naboo."
Obi-Wan squeezed his sister's hand reassuring her. "Qui-Gon always keeps his promises. I know this for a fact. Maybe we can …."
Obi-Wan stopped talking abruptly as a soft knock sounded on the door.
"Mace already! Obi turn off the torch," Qui-Gon commanded crossing the room. Standing there poised to open the door he asked, "Is everything all right?"
"One of these days Qui-Gon," Mace hissed from the other side of the door. "Yes, everything is fine."
Qui-Gon glanced sheepishly back at Bant and shrugged. "I guess I got caught up in all the intrigue. It's not everyday this kind of excitement happens around here." He opened the door, ushering Mace and the woman inside cautiously looking around for anyone who might have followed them.
Once the door was firmly closed, Obi-Wan turned on the small lamp again and guided Tahl over to one of the beds while Mace and Qui-Gon talked.
"We got her out just in time. As I we were leaving through the back door, the recruiters were entering the front door to search," Mace said quietly.
"Dooku is getting desperate. We must not take any unnecessary risks right now. Too many lives are in danger," Qui-Gon replied.
Mace nodded with understanding and walked over to stand beside the two females on the bed. "Bant," Mace said happily, "It's been a long time. I almost didn't recognize you."
For the first time since she had entered the mental ward, Bant smiled a real smile. "Master Mace it's so good to see you, again." She weakly returned the dark man's hug as Qui-Gon cleared his throat to make the rest of the introductions.
"Bant this is Mistress Tahl Khise. Tahl this is Bant. She is one of Obi-Wan's younger sisters. The Emperor's military is hunting both of you."
"Aggressive recruitment also?" Bant asked offering the woman her hand. She dropped it down to her side when she noticed the woman's unseeing eyes.
"No, they sentenced me for preaching for freedom. They feel that any one who speaks out about the Emperor is committing treason," Tahl replied getting comfortable in the bed. "I just didn't know that they executed people for speaking their mind."
Qui-Gon cleared his throat to get everyone's attention. "Bant do you remember the old Monastery?"
Bant nodded.
"Tomorrow night you must go and hide there until I send word that it's safe." You'll find several Kaadu also hidden there for your escape.
"I could take them, Qui-Gon," Mace said quietly.
"No, things must appear as normal as possible. Bant and Tahl need to make it there on their own. Right now, I should be finishing the last of my rounds. Obi-Wan should be back at the Councilor's private quarters and you Mace, should be home in bed. Bant please extinguish the light as we leave. We don't need someone mistaking you for vandals and calling the authorities," Qui-Gon said as he walked toward the door. I'll bring you some food in the morning. Good night."
Obi-Wan stayed just long enough to give his sister directions. "First get the Kaadus at the old monastery and ride to the abandoned mansion. In the hanger is an underground lair. You'll be safe there until we can get you away from here."
"You and Master Jinn are taking a big risk hiding us and then to smuggle us off planet," Bant said taking her brother's hand and squeezing it.
"No more than the risk you took to get away from them or to speak out against the atrocities the Emperor has caused," Obi-Wan replied tucking the blanket around his sister's shoulders. "Rest well little one, you too Mistress Khise. You'll need all of your strength for tomorrow night."
Back in Qui-Gon's small quarters off the infirmary Mace spoke in hushed tones. "You know there are troops and droid patrols all over the city and the swamps. They can't live underground or in Medical wards for the rest of their lives. How are we going to get them to safety."
"By the next ship that delivers goods to the Jedi. Our friends must ride to the hills," Qui-Gon said telling Mace of his plan.
"That's taking an awful large risk, Qui-Gon. We have to hope they don't get caught," Mace replied coolly.
"Trust and hope for the best Mace, that's all we can do."
By the time it was dark enough for the duo to set out both were feeling much better. Qui-Gon had repaired most of the physical damage. A full belly and a good night's sleep had lightened mood of both females greatly. They'd spent the night talking and learning about each other's lives and the day sleeping. Eager to begin their journey to freedom, they carefully opened the door to the mental infirmary. The night air was damp and chilly but neither noticed with the new heavier clothes Qui-Gon had provided.
"I know it will be difficult to guide you with no talking but sound carries for miles out here," Bant whispered as a word of warning.
Tahl nodded in agreement. She wasn't in any mood to return to the detention camp. "I imagine following the road is out of the question then. It would seem more dangerous."
Bant agreed that by following the road they were more visible. She shook her head remembering that the other woman was blind, "We're going to cut across-country. It will take less time and we are less likely to be seen."
The first mile passed in silence. Carefully Bant led the blind woman through the fields, warning Tahl in whispers about holes and low to the ground branches. They were making good time on foot and a half hour later Bant stopped for a rest. Leaning against a low wall, she pulled out the water container and took a drink, offering some to Tahl. "This wall marks the outer perimeter of the old monastery. We should arrive in less than an hour."
"I'll feel better once we reach the abandoned mansion Obi-Wan was talking about. I have a bad feeling about this, Bant," Tahl replied.
Bant chuckled, thinking back to her childhood and all of the times she had heard that exact phrase. "You sound like Obi-Wan. Anyone who is chased and has just a little ways to go feels like that." Her tone of voice was reassuring.
They had reached the shadow of the monastery when blaster fire suddenly rang out. "Halt and identify yourselves," an electronic voice ordered.
Slowly two pairs of arms rose and they dejectedly turned around to face the droid patrol.
"You were saying about my feeling," the blind woman remarked bitterly.
"That I should have learned to trust those words since my brother had uttered them so often," Bant replied with defeat.
tbc