Asmodeus1389- yeah, I wanted to confuse people and shock them. Everything
is explained in full detail here.
Xanatos' Lady of the Stars- Yeah, I was kind of going for that. Thanks. BTW, I like your story.
Kenobisaqt- Here you go, full explanation.
Chapter 4
Better to rule in Hell then serve in Heaven. -John Milton
Flashback
After training for hours at the temple Obi-Wan might have commented to a passing friend that he was exhausted. He never truly grasped exhaustion until he found himself working in these mines. He could collapse on a pile of stalagmites at the end of the day and sleep comfortably. His bones held a fatigue that was unexplainable. A fierce weakness was on him every second.
He lay on the cold, wet floor, and his own blood dripped down his throat. He has tasted more blood in the last year then he had food and water.
Breathing hurt. Everything hurt.
"Do you see now?"
Obi-Wan didn't glance over. He knew who it was, and Xanatos was not worth his scarce energy.
"Where is your precious master now Kenobi? Where is Qui-Gon when you truly need him?" Xanatos bent down next to Obi-Wan. "It's been a year. He's not coming. He's betrayed you just like he betrayed me. Do you honestly forgive him for that?"
"No," the word escaped Obi-Wan's mouth before he even fully comprehended Xanatos' words.
"Then join me, I can give you the life that you want and deserve. No more code, no more pointless help, no more riddles. I'll be your master, and I promise that I won't betray you." Xanatos' hand reached out, a token of friendship.
Obi-Wan took it.
End of Flashback
The Jedi didn't fight Conleth's guards. What would be the point? They were vastly outnumbered. Besides, none of them were really sure if they could handle having to fight Obi-Wan. They cared about him too much. Which is probably why the were in a damp, cold cell and he was in a throne room somewhere.
"This bites," said Una, leaning against the wall. "Captured by one of our own."
"Are you all right?" Siri asked Qui-Gon gently.
"I thought that he was dead," Qui-Gon spoke softly, almost to himself.
"We all did," Garen cut in now. "It's not your fault."
Self-blame was not the Jedi way. They didn't dwell in the past, they looked to the future. Qui-Gon knew this, but he could not accept it. He did blame himself for Obi-Wan's turn. It happened with two of his apprentices, how could it not be his fault?
"I still can't believe it," mumbled Siri. "He didn't always follow the code, but he never was.................. he didn't seem..............."
She couldn't grasp a complete thought to explain the betrayal that washed over her. None of them could. It was, after all, one of the most promising students showing all the traits of the Sith here.
A soft humming rang through their small dungeon, waking them all from their morbid thoughts. Someone was coming in. They were all immediately on their guard.
"I'm sorry," a voice whispered, his form covered in darkness.
"It's not your fault Zackery," Qui-Gon pulled his tired body off the ground with a great deal of effort.
I'm getting too old for this, he silently thought.
"But it is," Zackery's voice cracked slightly. "I should have known that he would find me."
"Yeah, you should have," said Una harshly.
Ferus laid a hand on her shoulder, a silent reprimand.
"I shouldn't have lied either," he's voice was barely audible now.
"What do you mean?" asked Siri.
"I'm not a slave-"his sentence was cut off when a second humming sounded. A haunting figure sauntered into the room, his black cloak billowing behind him.
The figures light blue eyes shot daggers at Zackery. He took an involuntary step back. Obi-Wan's attention went back to the Jedi.
"So, we meet again. How long has it been, twenty, maybe twenty-five years? And I didn't even get one letter."
No one spoke. Some didn't even breathe. Their lives were in this man's hands, and hatred seemed to be seeping from every pore of his being. What had they done?
"What happened to you?" Siri demanded.
A question that they all were wondering, but only Siri was brave enough to ask.
"What happened to me?! What happened?!" He didn't bother trying to hide the rage in his voice. "I was abandoned that's what happened!"
He turned to Qui-Gon. "Don't you remember master?" he spat out. "We went on that mission to Telos, but only you returned. They kidnapped me and no one came to help. You don't know pain and emptiness until you've been an abused slave."
"I thought you were dead," Qui-Gon whispered. It was the weakest anyone had ever seen him.
"A thought? That's your excuse? You base my suffering on the assumption of death?" Obi-Wan's eyes turned chilling. "Or maybe you were just too scared to face Xanatos."
"Xanatos................" Siri said softly. "You were trapped with Xanatos. That's what happened to you. He turned you."
"Turned me? No, he spoke truth to me. I now understand the corruption and arrogance that is the Jedi. You sat there in your precious temple and set up an image of peacemakers and nurturers, while in truth all you thought about was how to increase your own power, your own wealth," a sick smile spread across his face. "That is, until I stepped in."
He turned to Qui-Gon once again. "You did this to me. If you had saved me then maybe none of this would have happened. The Jedi would still be in power. Your friends wouldn't be dead. It's your fault, live with it." He turned and walked up the staircase, and when he was near the exit, he turned and added, "Live with it while you can."
Zackery stood nervously outside the throne room. The emperor had summoned him down, and now he had to wait for however long the emperor decided he should wait.
I wonder what my punishment will be, Zackery thought. He must be furious, first I run away, then I stay with the Jedi, then I sneak away from my studies to speak to them.
The sliding doors opened, and Zackery walked in quickly. Dawdling would make Conleth even madder.
The minute he was near the throne he kneeled down on to one knee and cast his eyes to the rug.
"What were you doing in their cell?" Obi-Wan asked, his eyes boring into Zackery.
"I was apologizing," no point in lying, Obi-Wan would catch it in a minute anyway.
"For getting them captured," it wasn't a question, so Zackery remained silently. The less he spoke, the more reduced his chances of saying something incriminating were.
"Why did you run? You obviously knew I was going to catch you."
The million credit question. He had to choose his words carefully. "I was hoping-"
"That I'm getting old and losing my wits?" Obi-Wan rose and walked down the throne steps until he was standing in front of Zackery.
"No, just that I could get away," Zackery felt as if he was fighting a losing battle.
Obi-Wan reached down and yanked him to his feet. "Look around," he pointed out the window to the large buildings and statues that were erected in his honor. "This is what I have built, and believe me it wasn't easy. You've been privileged, no one else in the galaxy has as many opportunities as you, and now you wish to throw them away? Why? Because some people died for all of this? Because our punishments are harsh? I suggest you find a bandage for that bleeding heart of yours. This is the way things are. Do I make myself clear?"
Zackery looked into his eyes for the first time since he entered the throne room, then sighed sadly. "Yes father."
A/N: Howdy ya'll. Sry the chappies so short but I wanted to update and I wanted a cliffie so I hope that you were still able to enjoy it. Please review!
Xanatos' Lady of the Stars- Yeah, I was kind of going for that. Thanks. BTW, I like your story.
Kenobisaqt- Here you go, full explanation.
Chapter 4
Better to rule in Hell then serve in Heaven. -John Milton
Flashback
After training for hours at the temple Obi-Wan might have commented to a passing friend that he was exhausted. He never truly grasped exhaustion until he found himself working in these mines. He could collapse on a pile of stalagmites at the end of the day and sleep comfortably. His bones held a fatigue that was unexplainable. A fierce weakness was on him every second.
He lay on the cold, wet floor, and his own blood dripped down his throat. He has tasted more blood in the last year then he had food and water.
Breathing hurt. Everything hurt.
"Do you see now?"
Obi-Wan didn't glance over. He knew who it was, and Xanatos was not worth his scarce energy.
"Where is your precious master now Kenobi? Where is Qui-Gon when you truly need him?" Xanatos bent down next to Obi-Wan. "It's been a year. He's not coming. He's betrayed you just like he betrayed me. Do you honestly forgive him for that?"
"No," the word escaped Obi-Wan's mouth before he even fully comprehended Xanatos' words.
"Then join me, I can give you the life that you want and deserve. No more code, no more pointless help, no more riddles. I'll be your master, and I promise that I won't betray you." Xanatos' hand reached out, a token of friendship.
Obi-Wan took it.
End of Flashback
The Jedi didn't fight Conleth's guards. What would be the point? They were vastly outnumbered. Besides, none of them were really sure if they could handle having to fight Obi-Wan. They cared about him too much. Which is probably why the were in a damp, cold cell and he was in a throne room somewhere.
"This bites," said Una, leaning against the wall. "Captured by one of our own."
"Are you all right?" Siri asked Qui-Gon gently.
"I thought that he was dead," Qui-Gon spoke softly, almost to himself.
"We all did," Garen cut in now. "It's not your fault."
Self-blame was not the Jedi way. They didn't dwell in the past, they looked to the future. Qui-Gon knew this, but he could not accept it. He did blame himself for Obi-Wan's turn. It happened with two of his apprentices, how could it not be his fault?
"I still can't believe it," mumbled Siri. "He didn't always follow the code, but he never was.................. he didn't seem..............."
She couldn't grasp a complete thought to explain the betrayal that washed over her. None of them could. It was, after all, one of the most promising students showing all the traits of the Sith here.
A soft humming rang through their small dungeon, waking them all from their morbid thoughts. Someone was coming in. They were all immediately on their guard.
"I'm sorry," a voice whispered, his form covered in darkness.
"It's not your fault Zackery," Qui-Gon pulled his tired body off the ground with a great deal of effort.
I'm getting too old for this, he silently thought.
"But it is," Zackery's voice cracked slightly. "I should have known that he would find me."
"Yeah, you should have," said Una harshly.
Ferus laid a hand on her shoulder, a silent reprimand.
"I shouldn't have lied either," he's voice was barely audible now.
"What do you mean?" asked Siri.
"I'm not a slave-"his sentence was cut off when a second humming sounded. A haunting figure sauntered into the room, his black cloak billowing behind him.
The figures light blue eyes shot daggers at Zackery. He took an involuntary step back. Obi-Wan's attention went back to the Jedi.
"So, we meet again. How long has it been, twenty, maybe twenty-five years? And I didn't even get one letter."
No one spoke. Some didn't even breathe. Their lives were in this man's hands, and hatred seemed to be seeping from every pore of his being. What had they done?
"What happened to you?" Siri demanded.
A question that they all were wondering, but only Siri was brave enough to ask.
"What happened to me?! What happened?!" He didn't bother trying to hide the rage in his voice. "I was abandoned that's what happened!"
He turned to Qui-Gon. "Don't you remember master?" he spat out. "We went on that mission to Telos, but only you returned. They kidnapped me and no one came to help. You don't know pain and emptiness until you've been an abused slave."
"I thought you were dead," Qui-Gon whispered. It was the weakest anyone had ever seen him.
"A thought? That's your excuse? You base my suffering on the assumption of death?" Obi-Wan's eyes turned chilling. "Or maybe you were just too scared to face Xanatos."
"Xanatos................" Siri said softly. "You were trapped with Xanatos. That's what happened to you. He turned you."
"Turned me? No, he spoke truth to me. I now understand the corruption and arrogance that is the Jedi. You sat there in your precious temple and set up an image of peacemakers and nurturers, while in truth all you thought about was how to increase your own power, your own wealth," a sick smile spread across his face. "That is, until I stepped in."
He turned to Qui-Gon once again. "You did this to me. If you had saved me then maybe none of this would have happened. The Jedi would still be in power. Your friends wouldn't be dead. It's your fault, live with it." He turned and walked up the staircase, and when he was near the exit, he turned and added, "Live with it while you can."
Zackery stood nervously outside the throne room. The emperor had summoned him down, and now he had to wait for however long the emperor decided he should wait.
I wonder what my punishment will be, Zackery thought. He must be furious, first I run away, then I stay with the Jedi, then I sneak away from my studies to speak to them.
The sliding doors opened, and Zackery walked in quickly. Dawdling would make Conleth even madder.
The minute he was near the throne he kneeled down on to one knee and cast his eyes to the rug.
"What were you doing in their cell?" Obi-Wan asked, his eyes boring into Zackery.
"I was apologizing," no point in lying, Obi-Wan would catch it in a minute anyway.
"For getting them captured," it wasn't a question, so Zackery remained silently. The less he spoke, the more reduced his chances of saying something incriminating were.
"Why did you run? You obviously knew I was going to catch you."
The million credit question. He had to choose his words carefully. "I was hoping-"
"That I'm getting old and losing my wits?" Obi-Wan rose and walked down the throne steps until he was standing in front of Zackery.
"No, just that I could get away," Zackery felt as if he was fighting a losing battle.
Obi-Wan reached down and yanked him to his feet. "Look around," he pointed out the window to the large buildings and statues that were erected in his honor. "This is what I have built, and believe me it wasn't easy. You've been privileged, no one else in the galaxy has as many opportunities as you, and now you wish to throw them away? Why? Because some people died for all of this? Because our punishments are harsh? I suggest you find a bandage for that bleeding heart of yours. This is the way things are. Do I make myself clear?"
Zackery looked into his eyes for the first time since he entered the throne room, then sighed sadly. "Yes father."
A/N: Howdy ya'll. Sry the chappies so short but I wanted to update and I wanted a cliffie so I hope that you were still able to enjoy it. Please review!