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Chapter 5: Questions Unanswered
The hot sun rested in the bare sky, slightly burning Obi-Wan's skin as he heaved a box of grain on his shore shoulders. Sweat drenched his tunic as he continued to move the heavy boxes from the ramp to the sheds. The dust swirled in the warm wind, blowing in his eyes causing them to sting.
The work he had been forced to do was easy, but tiring, unlike the work in the mines yesterday. Guards watched closing, bearing a whip by their side. They used it when a slave didn't do the work well enough, or quick enough. Obi-Wan himself had felt the stinging lash against his shoulders and back. Now he was thankful that he had this job, it was easier, and since the fields were hot that day, the guards kept watch in the shade from a distance.
It had been near a week since he had been here, whereever here was. He gave a deep sigh as he placed the heavy box down. Xanatos had been very careful in covering all hints and clues to where they were. The planet was strange, one he had never seen before. At night he had quietly talked to some of the other slaves, trying to figure out where he was, but all had been silent, closed off to others by pain and fear.
Obi-Wan had been a slave before, but never in such cruel conditions. Kidnapped many years ago by Xanatos, he was forced to become a slave on a distant island, mining in the deep depths. It was there that he almost lost his life. If it had not been for Guerra, he would have died. Then Qui-Gon, who had come to his rescue.
He closed his eyes, searching for any signs in the force, hoping that maybe he could feel Qui-Gon, or another Jedi. But the air was dead. Light here was clouded by darkness, and it flowed deeply. Obi-Wan had never before felt such darkness as he did now. He shook his head as he lifted yet another box up.
"Hey you! Get up!"
Obi-Wan turned to see one of the guards quickened his pace in order to get to the side of a fallen girl. She was young, about the age of 11, her orange hair settling around her face. Obi-Wan watched as she closed her eyes, breathing heavily. Obi-Wan saw the guard moving quickly, pulling out the whip.
Without thinking he moved quickly, faster than the guard do and helped the girl to her feet, pressing the basket of corn back into her hands.
"Move out of the way slug!" one of the guards said forcefully, reaching out for the girl.
But Obi-Wan gently pushed the girl behind him. "She fell," he said gently. "There is no need for discipline. She is back to work now."
For a moment anger flew through the man's eyes, and Obi-Wan was certain that an outburst would come, but then his eyes softened, seemingly tired with the two youngsters. "Get back to work."
Obi-Wan turned, lifting the box back up, but a moment later the searing pain of a whip shot through his leg, and he fell down to his knees. This gave the guard even more reason too further torment the slave.
Obi-Wan quickly scrambled to his feet, ignoring the throbbing pain in his legs. He could hear the guard laughing as he made his way back to the shade. He felt a pair of eyes on him, and he glanced over his shoulder to see the young girl watching him. He gave another heavy sigh as he entered the shed.
************
Qui-Gon gave a heavy sigh, dropping his head into his hands.
It had been several days since Obi-Wan's disappearance, and still there was nothing to be found. He sat on the bank near the pools, thinking of all the possible ways Xanatos could have escaped. Yet the pool itself showed nothing.
Andra found him sitting in the same place she had left him several hours ago. She gave a weary sigh as she sat down besides him. She watched him carefully, knowing that he would speak when he wanted to. It was something she had learned quickly.
Qui-Gon gave her a small smile, "You look tired," he observed quietly.
She smiled wryly. "Me? What about you? You have hardly rested since you arrived."
"How can I?" he said softly.
"I'm sorry Qui-Gon. I wish that I could do something to help. It's been busy, Den and I have been busy ourselves. It seems that unusual thefts have been happening, but there has been no trace of the thieves."
"What things have been stolen?" Qui-Gon asked.
She shrugged her shoulders. "Mostly electronics. But what bothers me now is that weapons are starting to disappear."
Qui-Gon thought deeply. Somehow this mysterious news disturbed him. He had come here in the first place to find answers, but instead it seemed that he was just getting more questions, each one stranger than the one before.
"Let me see where the thefts are happening," he said, turning toward her. "Perhaps I can help."
Andra watched him, wondering what he was getting at, but nodded after a moment.
"It's not far," she said, standing up, "We can get there in a few minutes."
TBC..
Please let me know what you think.
Chapter 5: Questions Unanswered
The hot sun rested in the bare sky, slightly burning Obi-Wan's skin as he heaved a box of grain on his shore shoulders. Sweat drenched his tunic as he continued to move the heavy boxes from the ramp to the sheds. The dust swirled in the warm wind, blowing in his eyes causing them to sting.
The work he had been forced to do was easy, but tiring, unlike the work in the mines yesterday. Guards watched closing, bearing a whip by their side. They used it when a slave didn't do the work well enough, or quick enough. Obi-Wan himself had felt the stinging lash against his shoulders and back. Now he was thankful that he had this job, it was easier, and since the fields were hot that day, the guards kept watch in the shade from a distance.
It had been near a week since he had been here, whereever here was. He gave a deep sigh as he placed the heavy box down. Xanatos had been very careful in covering all hints and clues to where they were. The planet was strange, one he had never seen before. At night he had quietly talked to some of the other slaves, trying to figure out where he was, but all had been silent, closed off to others by pain and fear.
Obi-Wan had been a slave before, but never in such cruel conditions. Kidnapped many years ago by Xanatos, he was forced to become a slave on a distant island, mining in the deep depths. It was there that he almost lost his life. If it had not been for Guerra, he would have died. Then Qui-Gon, who had come to his rescue.
He closed his eyes, searching for any signs in the force, hoping that maybe he could feel Qui-Gon, or another Jedi. But the air was dead. Light here was clouded by darkness, and it flowed deeply. Obi-Wan had never before felt such darkness as he did now. He shook his head as he lifted yet another box up.
"Hey you! Get up!"
Obi-Wan turned to see one of the guards quickened his pace in order to get to the side of a fallen girl. She was young, about the age of 11, her orange hair settling around her face. Obi-Wan watched as she closed her eyes, breathing heavily. Obi-Wan saw the guard moving quickly, pulling out the whip.
Without thinking he moved quickly, faster than the guard do and helped the girl to her feet, pressing the basket of corn back into her hands.
"Move out of the way slug!" one of the guards said forcefully, reaching out for the girl.
But Obi-Wan gently pushed the girl behind him. "She fell," he said gently. "There is no need for discipline. She is back to work now."
For a moment anger flew through the man's eyes, and Obi-Wan was certain that an outburst would come, but then his eyes softened, seemingly tired with the two youngsters. "Get back to work."
Obi-Wan turned, lifting the box back up, but a moment later the searing pain of a whip shot through his leg, and he fell down to his knees. This gave the guard even more reason too further torment the slave.
Obi-Wan quickly scrambled to his feet, ignoring the throbbing pain in his legs. He could hear the guard laughing as he made his way back to the shade. He felt a pair of eyes on him, and he glanced over his shoulder to see the young girl watching him. He gave another heavy sigh as he entered the shed.
************
Qui-Gon gave a heavy sigh, dropping his head into his hands.
It had been several days since Obi-Wan's disappearance, and still there was nothing to be found. He sat on the bank near the pools, thinking of all the possible ways Xanatos could have escaped. Yet the pool itself showed nothing.
Andra found him sitting in the same place she had left him several hours ago. She gave a weary sigh as she sat down besides him. She watched him carefully, knowing that he would speak when he wanted to. It was something she had learned quickly.
Qui-Gon gave her a small smile, "You look tired," he observed quietly.
She smiled wryly. "Me? What about you? You have hardly rested since you arrived."
"How can I?" he said softly.
"I'm sorry Qui-Gon. I wish that I could do something to help. It's been busy, Den and I have been busy ourselves. It seems that unusual thefts have been happening, but there has been no trace of the thieves."
"What things have been stolen?" Qui-Gon asked.
She shrugged her shoulders. "Mostly electronics. But what bothers me now is that weapons are starting to disappear."
Qui-Gon thought deeply. Somehow this mysterious news disturbed him. He had come here in the first place to find answers, but instead it seemed that he was just getting more questions, each one stranger than the one before.
"Let me see where the thefts are happening," he said, turning toward her. "Perhaps I can help."
Andra watched him, wondering what he was getting at, but nodded after a moment.
"It's not far," she said, standing up, "We can get there in a few minutes."
TBC..
Please let me know what you think.