Chapter 6

'Who ever knew a simple mission to Dantooine would complicate everything so much?' Obi-Wan thought as he followed his Master to their quarters in the Temple. Master Windu and Master Yoda had been concerned about Lonespirit and Afton and settling some unsettling problems had proved to be a little time consuming.

The two girls would probably be a little annoyed at being cooped up for so long, but he smiled slightly, feeling unaccountably eager to see Lonespirit.

He stopped suddenly as Qui-Gon paused by the door, a frown creasing his brow.

Qui-Gon entered, dreading to see what he was certain of as being fact. He felt Anakin's presence and knew the boy was asleep, but he looked around the main room for the two girls. Obi-Wan had already rushed to the bedrooms and fresher. He came back looking worried. "Master, they aren't here!" he said quietly.

The Jedi Master sighed. He hadn't thought they would be so reckless as to wander off alone. Unbidden, a picture of Afton's small figure and blue eyes sprang up in his mind. She couldn't defend herself- she was too little, to fragile… What was he thinking? They had to be found before Darth Jareth or his helpers got them… His eyes locked on the holo pad on the table. He activated it. A holograph of Afton appeared.

"We're going to explore Coruscant a little. Anakin went out to play with some of the other kids. We'll be back in tonight, guys. Bye!" she said and the message ended.

"We'll have to look for them," Qui-Gon said and walked back down the hall with Obi-Wan a step behind him. The door swooshed shut with a soft click after them.

0000

Selah, Silver, Millennia, and Jeanna sat together in a shadowed corner booth of the raucous club. The foursome of lovely women watched the door expectantly for the duo they knew would be arriving soon. They were not disappointed.

Lonespirit and Afton walked into the club together laughing at some inside joke. Lonespirit's hair was caught up in a French braid woven with ribbons. She wore a short shoulderless red dress with princess lines and red heels, giving her a tantalizing aura of sophistication.

Afton's outfit was a short black spaghetti strap number with black faux fur trimming the top, and knee high black boots. Unlike her friend's, the petite blonde's straightened hair was loose, falling to her mid back and held in place only by an thin headband decorated with tiny black roses.

The four dark apprentices smiled, biding their time until they could make their moves, and watched as the 'brats' were approached by a couple men and walked out onto the dance floor.

00000

Obi-Wan sighed, looking down the street for the hundredth time that night and hoping to see two certain figures walking toward him. Except for a couple drunk freighter pilots the street was deserted. He reached out with his Force sense, hoping they were close enough for him to locate the girls' presence. Coruscant was so crowded and teeming with life it was almost impossible…

Beside him, Qui-Gon was doing the same. They had already searched almost every club and hang out, to no avail. The Jedi Master cast out once more, looking for even a glimmer of Afton or Lonespirit. There! Only a few more blocks down the street. His blue eyes flew open and he jumped into the transport. "Obi-Wan, I've found them," he said quietly.

The Padawan climbed in and they sped off.

00000

Alexa struggled in the guards' grasp as she was pulled down the bare metal corridor. A set of doors at the end slid open and she found herself thrown into the chamber beyond.

The doors shut and locked behind her. Taking a deep breath, she turned to look at the interior of the dimly lit room. Her green eyes narrowed suspiciously at the robed figure sitting on a raised dais in the center.

"Jareth," she spat. "What in the fragging galaxy…" He pushed his hood back from his head and smirked.

"Why, I'm trying to get you to see the light, my darling. We have been trying very hard to undo what evil those Jedi have implanted in your mind. But it seems you are very resistant." He sighed almost convincingly in regret.

"Don't try to play mind games Jareth. You've really out done yourself this time. If you think for one moment the other listians will allow this…"

"The other listians, darling Alexa, have already seen the error of their ways and joined my cause. With all of you as my most trusted and loved servants, I will unite this galaxy as one empire."

"You're lying! We'll never side with you and you'll never become Emperor of the galaxy." She hissed.

"But your friends already have, dear," the Goblin King said gently. "With only a few exceptions, which will soon be remedied, all the Listians are fighting for me."

"Never!"

"Don't say that, dear. Almost all of your precious friends have done very well under my treatment."

"Don't you mean your brainwashing? But you keep saying almost… it makes me think you aren't quite as successful as you want me to think," Alexa said quietly. Jareth laughed and pushed a button on the arm of his chair.

"Well, a couple of the listians proved just as difficult as you. Actually, that is why I summoned you here. You're going to have to be put on hold until we have more time to deal with you I'm afraid." Alexa's eyes were glued to the section of wall behind him as it slid away. "Girl's," the Goblin King motioned someone forward.

Rhonda, Nicole, and Lisa emerged from the shadows by the doors and seized the terrified Alexa. "Jareth, you can't do this! Jareth! Jareth! I'm going to kill…" Her voice was silenced as the three lieutenants shoved her into a cylinder set against the newly revealed wall and slid the door shut.

Kelly and Jade watched from their positions on either side of their lord.

Kelly tossed her long hair and sighed. 'Such a pity,' she thought, 'that they so violently oppose the truth so.'

'Three down, only a few more to go,' Jade thought with a smile. The iridescent blue of the eight cylinders along the wall gave the Goblin King and his followers a ghostly blue tint. As ghostly as the still figures contained in three of the cylinders.

"Fetch Dreamin next, Kelly dear," Jareth said. "Jade, you accompany her. You other three, back to your places."

Jareth paused to regard the serene faces of the girls in the cryogenic sleep chambers. Fairybite was in the first, her golden brown hair floating in a halo around her. Next was Calliope, still dressed as a Muse, looking angelic in her sleep. Then was Alexa, still carrying her flute case and surrounded by a cloud of her brown hair. A smile touched his features as he contemplated how his next additions would add even more beauty to his collection. And those two little hellions, Lonespirit and Afton. Those he would make the last additions to complete his lovely collection. He once more pressed the button and the wall closed again as he waited for Dreamin's arrival. It was so much more pleasant to do the ceremony on a one on one basis so to speak…