Kyran reviewed the plan one more time in his head. Pretend they have authorization for special questioning and then head out through the loading docks, pure and simple. What could possibly go wrong? Kyran gritted his teeth as he suddenly felt a flash of sharp pain in his back and heard his friend reaching out through their link… //Good-bye, my friend// Kyran bit at his lip. //Hang on, Qui-Gon. We'll be there soon.//

"Devin, " he said. The other Jedi looked up from the kata he was practicing.

"It's time." Kyran said, his eyes narrowed. He took out the uniforms and ID badges he had stolen from two high ranking officers. He'd put the officers in a strong healing trance. When they awoke they'd be healthier than they had been in years.

"It's about blasted time," Devin ground out, putting on his uniform. He tucked his lightsaber into the back of his pants and covered it with the shirt. Satisfied with how he looked he turned to Kyran who was also in uniform. "Not bad. Mine looks better."

Kyran made a face at his friend, then his gaze darkened and he had a deadly look in his eye that Devin had never seen before. "Let's go."

++++++

"Captain!" A sharp cold voice rang out from behind. Startled, the man turned, from locking the inmates in for the night. His eyes widened as he saw the ranks on the uniforms of the two men in front of him. Kyran glared at the Captain furiously. "I have special authorization from Deputy Minister Gaikusan to bring Duursema down for questioning. "

The Captain's eyes narrowed. "I need to see your authorization."

Kyran shrugged and pulled a letter along with his ID code and subtly waved his hand as he passed them to him. "This is in order."

The Captain stared at them, "Very well. This seems to be in order," he said in a dazed voice.

Yomar stared at the Captain and the two high-ranking officials. Something wasn't right, but he couldn't figure out what it was. He looked at Duursema on the ground and kicked him, since he was close by.
Kyran glanced at Devin out of the corner of his eye. His friend was nervous, but prepared. "Unlock the door and let us take him."

"How about if I let you in so you can take him? " he suggested as if he had just thought of it. He unlocked the door and the two Jedi Knights entered.

Qui-Gon groaned as Yomar kicked him and then gasped as he was hauled to his feet roughly, wincing at the pain in his legs and back. /Now what had he done wrong?/ He was so busy wrapped up in his own misery that he didn't recognize the two high-ranking guards that held him up. They made it away from the inner prison and were heading towards the supply dock. Qui-Gon frowned in puzzlement once he realized where they weren't going to the interragation room but towards one of the prision's exits. What did Gaikusan have in store for him now? His injured leg suddenly gave out. He moaned in pain and despair as he collapsed to the floor, expecting the guards to beat him. He knew he couldn't get back up.

Kyran's heart constricted in pain. Devin stared at his friend, his eyes full of sympathy. Kyran knelt down next to him and grabbed his arm, helping him to his feet. "Come on, it's only a little bit further," he said gently. "Just till we make it out, then Devin can carry you."

Qui-Gon looked at the guard closely for the first time and gasped in astonishment. "How?" he croaked out, through dry, cracked lips

"Never mind, " Kyran said quickly. "We'll be found out if we stay here."

Qui-Gon slowly came to his feet again, leaning heavily on Kyran for support. They finally made it to the supply dock where the two guards who were on night watch were milling about, playing a game of sabacc. Nobody in their right minds would attempt to escape from Tuvlat.

Devin reached out to the Force and knocked over several crates sending them to the ground with a loud crash. The two guards snapped to attention and went to go investigate the noise.

"Come on," Kyran said as they stepped out into the harsh, cold C'lasi night air. Qui-Gon was shivering with cold, one arm draped around Kyran and one around Devin's and they both helped support his weight.
They finally made it to the high wire fence and the gate. Devin had a higher-ranking ID badge so he held his badge up to the scanner and punched in the code that he'd stolen from the man. The small door in the side of the wall swung open and they went through it and found themselves in another passageway and the final door at the far end of the corridor where Devin again held his ID badge up to the scanner. "Have a nice day." The mechanical voice wheezed out.

"Devin, I have a bad feeling if we don't get out of here soon." Kyran said as he looked apprehensively at the prison where he had just felt a dark ripple in the Force. Devin scooped Qui-Gon up in his arms as if he weighed nothing and headed towards the ship, just as blaster fire erupted behind them and alarm klaxons began clanging loudly. A bright searchlight suddenly flared up and zoomed in on them.

"Sith," Kyran swore. "Run." He ran with Devin and concentrated on protecting both of them from the blaster bolts and then he saw the guards swarming out at them like angry bees poked in their hive.

Qui-Gon moaned in Devin's arms, wincing at the pain in his back from all the jolting. Devin concentrated on running to the ship, wanting to ease his friend's pain but at the same time knowing that their greater safety depended on getting away. With Force enhanced speed the two Jedi raced back to their ship, and were only a few steps ahead of their pursuers.

Devin yelped in pain as a bolt caught him in the side. He stumbled, nearly causing him to drop Qui-Gon. He clenched his teeth against the pain in his side, tightening his grip on his friend's lanky form.

Kyran inhaled sharply as he got a lucky shot got him in his upper arm. They raced up the ramp, finally making it to their ship and closed it behind them, barely outdistancing the crowd of angry prison officials. Devin ran for the back while Kyran strapped himself in the pilot's seat and gunned the controls and the ship sped upward towards the atmosphere.


***

Kyran sighed deeply as he put the ship on autopilot. He stood and stretched and headed toward the cabin where Qui-Gon was. Why had he not listened to the Force and gone with him when he'd been asked in the first place? Guiltily, he headed toward the back and sat down at his friend's side, next to Devin.

Slowly Qui-Gon's eyes fluttered open. He was on his stomach, and he looked in some surprise at finding himself on a ship and his two best friends staring at him in concern. He gasped as he tried to move to a sitting position and hastily lay back down. He looked around in disbelief. It wasn't just a dream? He really had escaped? The Jedi was so relieved that his eyes watered and he nearly broke down, but he brushed his tears away. He turned his head in Kyran's direction.
"Hi."

Kyran's heart ached when he saw his friend nearly lose control of his emotions in relief. "Hi yourself. How are you feeling?" A ridiculous question perhaps, but the only thing he could come up with.

Qui-Gon grimaced. "Like I've been trampled by a herd of stampeding banthas."

Kyran smirked in spite of the situation. "Well, if it's any consolation to you, you don't look much better," he offered.

Qui-Gon made a face at his friend. He'd been in pain and lonely for so long, it was a relief to discover that his friend still would make a joke at his expense.

"No offense, Qui-Gon, but Kyran is right. You DO look awful." Devin remarked as he surveyed his friend. His long hair had been cut off along with his beard. Long angry red cuts from several beatings criss-crossed his back and shoulders. Blood flowed freely down his back and mingled with the dirt on his open wounds. His left wrist was slightly crooked. He was dirty and bruised all over and his ribs protruded out sharply from his skin.

"Thanks for your support," Qui-Gon muttered, slightly irritated at being told how bad he looked.

Devin smirked. "Anytime. Now while I don't claim to be as skilled as the Temple Healers, at least I can get you to the point where you aren't bleeding on the furniture." Openning up the medikit, Devin motioned Qui-Gon to lay on his stomach. Soon the worst of the injuries were covered in bacta soaked bandages and a strong pain killer administered. The pain killer seemed to help somewhat, but both Kryan and Devin could sense that the sharp edge of the pain Qui-Gon was feeling had only been blunted, not eliminated.

"So, Where do three fugitive Jedi go?" Devin asked innocently.

Kyran and Qui-Gon both exchanged glances, "Anywhere they want to," they both said in unison, completing the age-old joke.

Kyran laughed lightly and then cleared his throat. "Gentlemen, I've set course for Nar Shadda. It's the last place anyone would think to look for us and home to dozens of criminals and other scum like us." He said grinning.

Qui-Gon winced as he tried to shift position. "Nar Shadda? We can't go back to the Temple? I think I'd like to pay the Healers a little visit, not to insult your efforts."

Devin and Kyran exchanged a sad look. It was unlike Qui-Gon to want to go to the Healers. This was a sure sign of how much pain he was in. Silently they agreed the meger contents of the medkit would be reserved for Qui-Gon.

"Not yet. We still have to contact the Jedi Council and get them to clear us to come home."

Qui-Gon surveyed the two Jedi and sudden understanding came to him. "This wasn't an official rescue mission was it?"

"Well… not exactly."

"Then what was this, exactly?" Qui-Gon demanded.

Kyran and Devin both looked at each other avoiding Qui-Gon's gaze. "To the rest of the Order, you're officially dead."

Qui-Gon's head spun and he put a hand to his head. So it was true then? Gaikusan had managed to arrange things so that even the Order believed him dead. He panted slightly for breath.

"But Master Yoda and the Council didn't believe it. That's why they sent us to look for you. We were supposed investigate what had happened to you, but we couldn't in good conscience leave you there in those conditions."

Qui-Gon frowned looking from one to the other of them and he calmed down slightly, but when he spoke his voice was a slightly higher pitch than usual. "They don't believe him?"

"No. That was only official. They can't call the government of C'lasi an outright liar because they don't think they're being deceived. Since C'lasi isn't a memeber of the Republic, the Jedi can only operate there with the planetary government's permission or risk possible war." Devin explained.

Qui-Gon nodded slowly. "I see."

"You need to rest. We all do. We'll rest and then we'll contact the Council in a few hours time. I volunteer to go up to the cockpit and monitor the flight first. Is this agreeable?" Devin glanced from Kyran to Qui-Gon and when neither one objected he headed for the cockpit after they both settled down to try to sleep.

As soon as he was out of sight and hearing range he gasped at the pain in his wounded side and put his hand on it, hoping the pressure would ease the pain. He brooded as he sat up in the cockpit, the realization of what they'd done slamming into him like a ton of durasteel.

They'd defied the Jedi Council and had broken a convicted assassin out of one of the galaxies' most secure prisons. Devin shuddered. They'd caused an intergalactic human relations and political crisis since C'lasi V wasn't under Republic jurisdiction. They'd violated their rule as a sovereign planet. They'd violated the law they'd been trained to protect and defend since birth and now they were fugitives in hiding, heading for a planet with a reputation for law-breakers.

Devin bit at his lip. What would become of them? What would happen to his padawan if something happened to him while he was on the run? Would she be given a new master, or would she not be able to train at all? Devin's heart ached at the mere thought.

What about Qui-Gon? Because of their actions he was free, that was true, but at what cost? He needed healing they could not adequately provide. Was the damage to his body and mind permanent?

Devin's mind raced, his thoughts tumbling almost out of control. Their actions had repercussions they had not originally considered when they had decided on this plan of action. At the time, the Force seemed to say to rescue his captive colleague, but now the Force was silent, offering no guidance or direction.

Devin pulled up his tunic to examine the blaster wound to his side. It was bad. He clenched his jaw at the pain, wishing briefly that he could have had a bit of the bacta they'd brought with them, then quickly overrode that thought. Qui-Gon had far more severe injuries than he did from the extensive abuse he'd suffered in prison and he needed it far more.

"Devin?" a soft voice behind him interrupted his musings.

"You shouldn't be up yet," Devin scolded, dropping his tunic to cover up his wound. "What are you doing out of bed? Where's Kyran?"

Qui-Gon clumsily hobbled to the front using the back of the chairs for balance and eased himself into the co-pilot's seat. "Kyran's already out cold, which is good. He looks like he hasn't sleep in months. I wanted to check on you. It gets lonely up here sometimes." He watched closely as Devin put his hand to his side. "What's wrong?"

Devin shook his head quickly. "Nothing." He hated deceiving his friend, but he knew that the other would think the injury was his fault.

"Don't lie to me." Qui-Gon snapped. "It's not nothing. You're hurting. I can feel it." Qui-Gon pushed Devin's hand out of the way and pulled up his tunic. "Devin!" he gasped, staring in horror at the deep wound. "What happened?" he demanded in concern.

Devin scowled. "Its just a minor injury, I caught the edge of a blaster bolt. I'll be fine."

Qui-Gon stood unsteadily. "I'll go get the medkit," he announced. Ignoring Devin's protests, he slowly and painfully he hobbled toward the back cabin and retrieved the kit. Clenching his teeth at the searing pain, he stoically ignored it and began the slow painful walk back.

Devin sighed deeply. "There's little bacta to spare. You have much more serious wounds that need treatment."

Qui-Gon laughed humorlessly. "They've been untreated for months. A little while longer won't make anything worse."

Devin shook his head. "You need it more," he argued, stubbornly.

"I will not allow you to go untreated. I will not allow you to use another drop of that on me until you have cared for yourself." Qui-Gon crossed his arms over his chest and tried not to wince at the pain in his shoulders. He would not back down.

"I will not allow it." Devin said flatly. "How will you stop me?"

"How will you force me? Going to break my other leg?" Qui-Gon growled harshly.

Devin looked at Qui-Gon as if he'd been slapped. He turned away and stared out the viewport, scowling.

"Take off your tunic," Qui-Gon ordered.

Devin crossed his arms across his chest. "No."

Qui-Gon snapped. "Sithspit, Devin, how do you think it feels knowing you got this injury because of me?"

"Oh yes? Isn't that interesting. Well how do you think I feel? If I'd gotten home a few days sooner, I could have gone with you and this would never have happened!" Devin snapped back.

"Take off your tunic." Qui-Gon was unmoved.

Devin scowled, but grudgingly complied, gasping at the pain. Sith, but it hurt like fire.

Very gently Qui-Gon began cleaning the wound. Devin tried hard not to cry out, but he wasn't successful. As the disinfectant was spread on the wound he let out a yelp of pain and jerked away.

"Be still," Qui-Gon ordered. A wave of dizziness washed over him and he bit his lip waiting for it to pass. A few minutes later, he began again, tending his friend's wound.

Devin shook his head as Qui-Gon started tending to him again. Very gently Qui-Gon put a bacta patch on the wound and began to wind a bandage around it. A wave of faintness swept over him and he nearly keeled over.

Devin felt the change in his friend's demeanor and gently pried the bandages from his grip. "Qui-Gon, you need rest. I'll finish this myself."

"Promise?" Qui-Gon asked uncertainly as he stood. The room had begun to spin again.

"Yes, I promise." Devin answered.

Qui-Gon nodded and then immediately regretted it as a wave of pain and nausea swept over him. He started to go back to his cabin but as he took the first two steps, his vision darkened and the world around him went black and he fell towards the bulkhead, unconscious.

"Qui-Gon!" Devin cried and leapt forward grabbing his tunic and managing to keep his friend from hitting his head on the compartment. As he lunged forward, the bacta patch on his side came off with all the movement and fluttered to the ground.

Devin sighed deeply and carefully maneuvered his friend to where he could lift him and carried him back to the cabin where he eased him gently on a bunk. The first thing he noticed was that Kyran was awake.

"What happened?" Kyran queried.

Devin laughed bitterly. "What do you think? Qui-Gon found out about my injury."

"I take it he wasn't too happy that you hid it from him."

Devin scowled. "He decided to play Healer. Passed out. I caught him right before he brained himself on the consul." He gently began to finish what Qui-Gon started in bandaging his side, knowing that would be the first thing Qui-Gon checked when he awoke.

"You'd better tend to that wound on your arm, or else hide it very well, or you'll be his next patient."

Kyran sighed deeply. "Even after six months in prison, he's still as stubborn as ever." He stared at his unconscious friend. "Did we do the right thing?"

"It's a little late to worry about that, Kyran." Devin arched a brow. "Our actions will have far-reaching repercussions."

Kyran sighed deeply at those words. "Yes. I know. I have a bad feeling about this." He sighed again and headed for cockpit, shaking his head sadly.