Chapter Two
The two ships landed next to each other at the Jedi Temple. A team of healers, alerted by Kyran's call, rushed forward as soon as his ship lowered its ramp. Taking the injured Padawan from Kyran's arms, they placed her on a stretcher and rushed her off in the direction of the Healers' Ward.
Qui-Gon slowly headed down the ramp of his borrowed ship, limping slightly. He tucked his arms into his sleeves as he came to stand next to Kyran who was glancing anxiously in the direction of the Healer's ward.
Yoda was approaching, followed by three grim faced knights. The look on Yoda's face was enough to make Qui-Gon's blood run cold. "Go on, Kyran. See to your Padawan." whispered Qui-Gon.
Without further comment Kyran turned and left, rushing after the Healers, leaving Qui-Gon alone to face the Jedi Councilor.
Yoda narrowed his eyes as he studied Qui-Gon. The tall knight before him stood straight, eyes focused on the horizon. Yoda recognized this posture from his grand-padawan. It meant that Qui-Gon had done something that he knew was going to make those around him very angry, but that he felt was necessary. Well, he had crossed the line too far this time to get nothing more than a verbal reprimand. "To your quarters you will go. Remain there until summoned by the Council. Escort you there, they will."
It took all of Qui-Gon's concentration not to take a step back away from the small master hearing the fury in his voice. He bowed deeply. "As you wish, my Master."
Qui-Gon turned, limping towards his quarters. The three knights fell into formation around him, two on both sides and one behind. They said nothing. As they walked through the halls, those they passed fell silent and stared. There was no doubt that Qui-Gon was under guard. For a Jedi within the Temple to be so treated was almost unheard of. At long last, they reached Qui-Gon's quarters. Two of the guards took up position outside of his door. The third said in a flat tone, "I will return when the Council is ready to see you."
Qui-Gon's stomach was in knots as the reached his quarters. He nodded to the guard and as he hesitated briefly to go inside his quarters. It was clear that they were there to make certain he stayed put locked in his room. He sighed deeply. Well what else did you expect Jinn? You ran off in the middle of the night, stole a ship without telling anyone where you were going. Might as well get cleaned up and get ready to face the consequences for his actions.
Qui-Gon sighed again as he stepped into the shower and turned the hot water up. He needed to relax. His shoulder muscles were tight from tension. He had not expected the harsh anger in Yoda's voice as he directed him to his room. He knew that the other master would be upset. Yoda had been upset with him before, but it had never been this bad. Qui-Gon wondered just what the Council would do with him. And Kyran. His friend seemed even more upset with him than Yoda. His stomach churned even more at the thought.
Feeling no better for having cleaned up, he stepped out of the shower and toweled off. He headed to the kitchen after changing into fresh clothes and put water on for tea. He tentatively reached for the link that he shared with Kyran intending to try to get the other to at least talk to him. //Kyran?//
//What?// The reply was sharp.
Qui-Gon winced at the sharpness of Kyran's reply. It threw him off and he wasn't quite sure how to respond to it. //I'm sorry. I did what I thought needed to be done. How's Jayla?//
/The healers are still examining her. I don't want to hear sorry from you. You always act this way. This discussion is over. I must attend to my padawan.// Kyran raised his mental shields, effectively blocking his friend out of his mind.
Qui-Gon cursed feeling the mental walls go up. Sighing deeply as the apology was forced to go unexplained, he went to go get the tea off the stove and he poured himself a steaming mug. You really messed up this time Jinn. Qui-Gon frowned at the thought. That was the understatement of the century. He stood and decided to just go to bed early.
******
Kyran sat in a chair next to his padawan's bedside holding her hand tightly. She looked so young when she was asleep, young and vulnerable. Kyran shuddered knowing he could have lost her and his heart nearly stopped at the thought. Due to his best friend's recklessness. At the tender age of fourteen, she still had a whole life to live. She was too young to die now. It wasn't her time. She had to pull through this.
Kyran felt his heart breaking in two when he looked at her more closely. The slavers that held her had beaten her brutally. Almost every inch of her skin had been covered in cuts and bruises. Three ribs were broken, her left eye almost swollen shut, and her left elbow dislocated. A few hours in the bacta tank had taken care of most of the damage. What kind of monster would beat a fourteen-year-old girl?
The same kind that had nearly killed his best friend with poison, Kyran thought darkly. Qui-Gon had nearly died. Qui-Gon. Qui-Gon should have stayed in the Healers' Ward. He'd come risking his life, and possibly his standing in the Jedi order, all because he thought Kyran wouldn't be able to rescue Jayla without any help. Granted, Qui-Gon's diversion had been useful, but then Kyran had to rescue Qui-Gon. What if the mob had not retreated? What if he or Qui-Gon had been killed? What would have happened to Jayla then, injured, unconscious, and alone?
Kyran understood Qui-Gon felt he had let her get kidnapped in the first place. Kyran admitted to himself that at first he had felt the same way, but once he thought about he knew it hadn't been his friend's fault. The slavers assumed that Jayla was Qui-Gon's padawan and took decisive action. Wrong place at the wrong time, Kyran sighed. But Qui-Gon had had no business in risking himself after nearly dying. Like you wouldn't have done the same for him, a small voice in his head retorted. Stubbornly Kyran told that part to shut up.
"Master?" a soft voice interrupted his musings.
Kyran's head jerked towards the voice. He smiled warmly. "Padawan. How do you feel?"
"Terrible. I hurt all over, but I'm happy, too. I knew you would come."
He squeezed her hand. "I always will so long as there is breath in my body. You can count on that."
Jayla's smile quickly turned into a frown. "Master, what about Knight Qui-Gon? Is he all right?"
Kyran's gaze hardened slightly and when he spoke his voice was slightly cold but it wasn't directed towards his charge. "Yes, he's alright."
"You aren't angry at Knight Qui-Gon for what happened, are you? It wasn't his fault."
"No Jayla. I'm not upset with him for your kidnapping. However, suffice it to say we have unresolved issues."
"Master?"
"Yes, Padawan?"
"If you aren't angry at him for my being kidnapped, why are you angry at him? He really did his best to watch out for me."
Kyran didn't really want to tell his padawan what happened, since in a way she was part of the fracture between the two friends. She needed to concentrate on her healing. The last thing he needed was dealing with another person that focused on misplace guilt. "There are other reasons I am upset with Knight Jinn. He was responsible for his own actions and is now paying the price for them. Now leave it at that."
"Yes, Master," said Jayla in a subdued voice.
He stood, smiling reassuringly at his padawan. "I am very grateful not to have lost you, Padawan. I'll go inform the Healer that you're awake."
Jayla stared after her master. What could have happened to make him so upset with his best friend? It wasn't that she had been taken while he was responsible for her, Master Kyran had made that clear. 'He was responsible for his own actions.' Jayla puzzled over what that had meant. She had shifted between consciousness and unconsciousness during her rescue. She thought she remembered Master saying Knight Qui-Gon's name. Was Master Josel angry because he hadn't helped in her rescue? Or had he helped? She couldn't quite remember clearly. Perhaps Master Kyran would be more willing to talk about it later, Jayla thought drowsily, as she drifted back to sleep.