Chapter Six

When he woke again, he felt weak instead of rested, which confused him. The shield that he had used to keep Her out of his mind was still intact, but was much weakened.

Thou hast forgotten something very important, Obi-Wan.

Obi-Wan sighed. She was back in his mind—even with the protective shield in place—so he removed it to reserve his strength.

"What?" he tried to say loudly, but only had enough strength to whisper it in his bubble of air.

She definitely sounded amused now. I am with thy 'Force'. When thou usest it, I am there. Thou cannot escape me.

Obi-Wan wanted to kick himself very hard and in a tender place. Of course. He didn't know which he hated more: Her for being able to intrude upon him using the very essence that he relied on, or himself for not thinking about it before now.

'Tis a hard lesson, my Obi-Wan. Now that thou hast learned it, perhaps thou wilt stop resisting me?

Obi-Wan used a Rodian curse that he had heard Qui-Gon's friend, Lana Josel, use. He scowled up at the top of the bubble and the ever-present, dark blue water. His arms ached dully from being held captive in one position for three days—or was it four? He was starting to lose count in this place without sunlight to indicate day. He marked time by the arrival of the boy with his gilliaweed stew. But even then he wasn't sure if the boy came at regular times since he himself spent most of his time sleeping or simply unconscious.

Give thyself to me.

"No!" Obi-Wan forced himself to yell, the sound echoing in the bubble. He sagged a little upon the softened floor in exhaustion. "No," he repeated quietly, firmly, for confirmation for himself.

Thou hast no choice.

The sucking noise came to his ears, and Obi-Wan turned his head to see the boy, smiling like always, enter with a bowl. The boy sat down near his head and held out the spoon. Sighing, Obi-Wan opened his mouth and let the boy feed him again, curling his hands into fists in the chains in frustration.

The stew wasn't so bad the third time around—he must be getting used to it. When he was finished, he lay his head on the floor, suddenly feeling as if his head were too heavy for his neck. The boy left quietly.

It was then he noticed the silent crowd of Pennetians surrounding the bubble again. Their golden eyes gleamed at him in their solemn faces.

"What's going on?" he wondered softly.

'Tis time to begin, Obi-Wan.

He didn't have time to ask what was to begin, because Triandeena touched the bubble and a long, hollow note rang through the air. Obi-Wan winced as the note vibrated to him, inside of him. The note seemed to change pitch inside of his body, creating another note, yet the notes did not create dissonance.

The two notes swelled inside of him and he cried out, twisting in his chains, trying to escape it and receiving no respite. It seemed as if the very bubble were vibrating with the two notes that he heard inside of his head.

"Stop it!" He heard himself shouting as he writhed in the bubble, the silent merpeople watching him impassively. "Please!"

'Tis only the beginning, Father.

"I am not...their...father!" Yet, he wasn't sure to whom he was speaking anymore. The notes of sound filled his entire being, crowding out who he was, what he was doing here, and where 'here' was. All he knew was the sounds, and all he wanted was for them to stop before he went insane.

Embrace me, Father.

His head jerked a negative as tears leaked out of his eyes, but he was only dimly aware of his body's continued resistance as his mind knew only the pain of the two notes swirling inside of him, giving him no relief and multiplying in pitch instead of diminishing.

Finally, he forced a thought out of the noise that only he could hear. No. I will resist until I die.

Soon enough, my Obi-Wan, She promised him. Now it begins.

Obi-Wan screamed, jerking against the chains that held his wrists and ankles. It felt as if something were trying to tear out his very soul. His back arched high into the air, his eyes squeezed shut...and he fought for his very being. In his mind it was a battlefield for his continued existence. He clung to his identity—his essence—yet felt like he was losing ground.

It was a tug-of-war for his life...

And he was so very tired...

With a mighty yank, She overpowered his efforts.

With a mental scream of anguish, Obi-Wan swirled down, not into unconsciousness, but into Her waiting embrace.

Obi-Wan's body relaxed on the floor of the bubble. The Pennetians broke out into smiles as they turned toward Triandeena.

The Speaker was beaming. In a reverent tone as she gazed down upon Obi-Wan, she said, "We have a new Father."