Sorry for the really loooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong time it took me to update…um…enjoy…and dont hurt me…goes off and hides

Chapter 16: Hopeless choices

Bant and Obi-Wan surfaced near the shore of the lake, making their way out slowly. Obi-Wan eased himself down on the grass, breathing heavily and watching as Bant settled down next to him.

"How did you find me?" Obi-Wan asked, after removing the aqua breather from his mouth.

Bant's smile was sad. "I heard what happened, I doubted Xanatos would keep you with him. So I went to the first place he kept me when I was caught."

Obi-Wan let his head fall down, cradling his burned hand behind his back. "But you could have died, and you weren't sure I was down there. Why would you do a stupid thing like that?"

"Because I care for you, I would gladly risk my life to see to your safety. And you would do the same."

Obi-Wan nodded to himself. That he would. He lifted his head up, glancing around. "I need to find Qui-Gon, I must warn him."

"What?" Bant asked quickly, placing a hand on his shoulder.

Obi-Wan shook his head, "I haven't time to explain."

"Then I'm coming with you."

Qui-Gon gripped his saber tightly in his hand, resisting the urge to crush it into pieces. He should have been thinking, he should have known. Xanatos was always one step ahead, and he would always be, in this matter of case. The attack on the temple would never happen, Xanatos knew that the children wouldn't have a chance. It was like him to barter with lives of the innocent and helpless.

"What proposition is this that you speak of," Qui-Gon asked, bitterness in his voice as he lowered his lightsaber.

Xanatos laughed lightly. "How far would you be willing to go, Master?" he taunted lightly. It had been many years since he had bestowed that title upon him, and he knew it would cause some shock. Qui-Gon's reaction was worth it. He continued.

"How much will you be willing to pay to save the lives of others who don't deserve it? You were always good at that, deciding who deserved to live, and who…deserved to die. My father being one of them, but needless to say that in the past."

"What do you want, Xanatos?" Qui-Gon asked sternly. He tired of his old apprentice's games.

His former padawan laughed. "Just a trifle matter really," his grin broadened, "I want you to come with me, without weapons, without resistance."

"I cannot do that, Xanatos."

"Cannot, or will not? Is that fear I see? You are not stupid, this I know. You know what will happen, what you will become. I will not lie. But will you be so selfish to let hundreds die to save yourself?"

"You are the killer, not me. It is by your hand whether or not they live, not mine," Qui-Gon answered, angry at this decision he was being forced to make.

"True, but it is your choice which will make their fate sealed. Lower your weapon, or face both your destruction and all the lives of the children who cannot protect themselves. You see, either way I win."

With a sigh Qui-Gon knew he had been bested. Either way, Xanatos would win, and at the moment, he had a choice to do what was right. He had often told Obi-Wan that killing wasn't the answer. Killing only destroyed who was there, but soon after the leader's death, another would follow, and the evil would live on. He had felt certain that killing Xanatos was the answer, for the longest time he had felt that way. But then another thought entered him. He had created Xanatos, he had brought him to the temple, and trained him himself. It was through his failure, his ignorance, that unleashed Xanatos' true power, and hatred. Now it was up to him to pay the price.

With a slight nod he deactivated his saber, and let it drop to the ground. "Let us go then."

The End

This post was short, I know, and I will have the new story up when I can, I work full time now, so I won't have much time to write as I did before, but I will do my best.

Look for my next story, "Prisoner"

Time is running out as Obi-Wan searches for his master, but his companion hides a secret as well, one that may well decide the fate of Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn. Finding himself alone on a deadly planet, he must find a way to survive himself first before he can rescue his Master, a task beyond any padawan. However, this time, he's on his own.