Okay, Obi the gladiator makes his first appearance!
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Mace and Qui-Gon were eating lunch in Qui-Gon's quarters. Mace sat back in his chair. "We won't be able to hide the fact that we're Jedi, but that's really a moot point now. At least everyone will know we mean business."
Qui-Gon nodded. He poked at his partially eaten meal. He just didn't have much of an appetite.
Mace studied Qui-Gon thoughtfully. "Obi-Wan obviously made quite an impression on the two leaders."
Qui-Gon couldn't help but smile. "Yes. It was that way from the get-go. They seemed to quickly forget their disdain for men where he was concerned. So, I let Obi-Wan take the lead. He did a great job, too." Pride shone in Qui-Gon's eyes.
Mace allowed a small smile. "He certainly has an effect on people."
"He does at that."
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Zirta arrived at her compound that afternoon. She went into the main house, but didn't see anyone there. She decided to check the arena. As she got closer, she noticed a small crowd of her employees at the outer edge. Inside the arena, Obi-Wan and Flyn were sparring with swords.
Flyn finally put up her hand. "Let's call this one a draw." She was sweating profusely and panting heavily.
Obi-Wan smiled. "As you wish."
Flyn clapped him on the shoulder as they put up their swords. As they walked out of the arena, Flyn noticed Zirta. "Hey, Boss! When did you get back?"
All the other women turned around in surprise, having not seen her. They quickly excused themselves and went back to their duties. Zirta was not one they wanted to cross.
"Just a few minutes ago." Zirta studied Obi-Wan. He was certainly tanner than when she left. He was sweat-soaked and his leggings clung to him like a second skin. All of sudden, she didn't like all the female attention he was getting. She also had to wonder at the easy affection between him and Flyn.
Obi-Wan nodded at her. "Zirta." He wasn't about to call her 'Master.'
"Obi-Wan." Zirta decided not to call him on his disobedience. "Please go to the main house. I would like to speak with Flyn alone."
Obi-Wan shrugged his shoulders. "Sure." He quickly walked off towards the house. He was unhappy to see Zirta. That could only mean that she was ready to try him out in the Games.
Zirta turned back to Flyn. "How is it going?"
"Very well! You were right about that kid! He's very skilled, very focused. Strong. He'll be unbeatable."
Zirta eyed her closely. "He seems to have won you over completely."
Flyn smiled. "He's a great kid! But I'll tell you what – he is like a piece of meat being dangled in front of a pack of hungry rancors."
"What?"
"Just about every woman in the compound has a hankering for that kid! If you were ever to give them the green light, he'd never have a moment's peace!"
Zirta was instantly angry. "That is NOT what he's here for! What IS it with him?"
"Don't blame Obi-Wan. He hasn't done anything to encourage them. He doesn't have to." Flyn shook her head. "I just wanted to warn you that you have a lot of women chomping at the bit where he's concerned – especially Jancy and Krana."
"Jancy and Krana, too?"
"Yes." Flyn laughed. "They are head-over-heels!"
Zirta couldn't believe what she was hearing. "I've only been gone three days! He's done all of this in just three days?"
Flyn grinned. "Yep."
Zirta quickly walked back to the house. She entered just as Obi-Wan was heading down the stairs. His hair was still wet from his shower. Jancy and Krana came excitedly out of the dining room.
"Obi-Wan, we have some juice and cookies for you on the table!"
Obi-Wan glanced at Zirta. "Um, thank you."
Only then did Krana and Jancy notice Zirta in the doorway. "Oh, hi, Boss. Welcome back!" Despite their words, they seemed disappointed to see her.
Zirta eyed them coldly. "I would like to talk with Obi-Wan alone."
The two women backed up slowly. "Oh, of course." They turned around and quickly went upstairs.
Zirta gestured towards the dining room. "Shall we?"
Obi-Wan sat down at the table where the glass of juice and plate of cookies were waiting for him. He casually ate a cookie while waiting for her to talk.
"It's time for you to earn your keep, Obi-Wan."
Anger instantly entered Obi-Wan's eyes. "Is that what you call killing innocent people for your own profit?"
Zirta smiled. "I'm not going to be the one doing the killing."
"Of course not! You have slaves to do that dirty work for you!"
Zirta's smile got bigger. "That's right, Obi-Wan. I have you."
Obi-Wan worked to get his anger under control. "When?"
"There's one tonight and two tomorrow."
"Fine." Obi-Wan got up from the table and turned to leave.
"I did not say you could go."
Obi-Wan slowly turned back around. His eyes were shooting lasers at Zirta.
Zirta got up from the table and went behind Obi-Wan. She ran a finger down his back as she whispered, "Remember the punishment if you don't win."
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Obi-Wan and Flyn headed into the arena via the participant entrance. Flyn was posing as Obi-Wan's owner to protect Zirta's identity. They went into the weapons cache where armed guards were handing out the assigned weapons. Flyn looked at the list by the door and scanned it. "It looks like you're starting off with the vibrospear."
Obi-Wan went over to the designated area to pick up his spear. Flyn came alongside him. "After you finish your first battle, it's a free-for-all. You can pick up any weapon that's lying on the ground. In these Games, the last one standing wins. Each Game usually starts off with ten gladiators. All the gladiators who are victorious in their first battle then fight each other. Sometimes it's one-on-one battles, but other times, some of the gladiators will gang up on a particularly fierce fighter. So, don't be surprised if that happens to you."
Obi-Wan just nodded. He fervently wished he could release his tumultuous emotions into the Force. These innocent men he'd have to kill tonight – would he ever be able to forget their faces? How could he ever go back to being a Jedi after this? Would the Council even take him back? Would he be able to let go of what he'd done? Was this night the end of everything he'd worked for? Obi-Wan took a deep breath. He had to calm down and focus.
Flyn could see the emotional struggle in Obi-Wan. She put a hand on his shoulder and turned him to her. "You listen to me, Obi-Wan. You are NOT responsible for any of this! This is Zirta's doing. I know the threat Zirta is holding over your head. Believe me, Obi-Wan, she isn't bluffing! She would kill every slave at the compound without so much a second thought. You have NO choice. Don't let yourself get wrapped up in guilt. I know that's easier said than done, but it will destroy you if you don't let it go."
Obi-Wan struggled to control his emotions. "How can I NOT feel guilty? I can't just shut down my emotions…"
Flyn shook him gently. "That's exactly what you MUST do! You have to push aside your emotions and just…act. Push your emotions aside and focus your thoughts. You stay alive, do you hear me?"
Obi-Wan nodded numbly. A horn sounded and the other gladiators started to move towards the door to the inner arena. He glanced at Flyn again before turning and joining the others. He stood a head higher than all the others. Obi-Wan was not an overly-muscular man in human terms, but next to these guys, he looked like a hulking Tuga wrestler!
The horn sounded again and an announcer started to speak. One by one, the contestants were announced and entered into the arena. Obi-Wan and his opponent were the last to be announced. He perked up his ears to hear the announcer. The feminine voice continued, "And fighting with vibrospears, we have Kent from the Whala District of the southern continent and a mysterious new entrant simply called The Flame." Obi-Wan turned back to Flyn and mouthed, 'The Flame?'
Flyn smiled and shrugged. She watched as Obi-Wan followed Kent through the door. She then quickly made her way up to the viewing area set aside for the owners. 'The Flame' was the gladiatorial name that Zirta had decided upon for Obi-Wan. She had said it was because of the flame in his eyes and the fire in his spirit.
Kent and Obi-Wan moved out to their positions. Kent got himself into an attack stance, while Obi-Wan went into his casual-looking ready stance. He focused his thoughts on what he had to do. He blocked out the crowd and everything else. He worked to push aside all emotion. He had a task to do and he would do it. Focus on the task. Strategize and act. By studying his opponent's stance, just as he had with Flyn that first day, he could tell exactly how Kent would attack. He's going to aim high.
The horn sounded again and immediately Kent lunged at him. He aimed for Obi-Wan's head, just as predicted. Obi-Wan easily ducked and slashed his opponent's arm. Kent quickly moved back in and attacked low. Again, Obi-Wan had predicted that and jumped up. He slammed his spear down onto Kent's, almost knocking it out of his hand. Kent was fast, but Obi-Wan was stronger.
Obi-Wan knew that he needed to keep Kent in close combat so that he could overpower him. He set in on Kent, putting him on the defensive. Obi-Wan brought his spear down forcefully onto the hand Kent was using to grip his spear. The spear dropped out of Kent's hand. In one quick thrust, Obi-Wan sent his spear into the smaller man's chest.
Don't think, don't feel, just act. Obi-Wan grabbed the fallen man's spear and went in search of any other weapon that might be on the ground. He went to pick up a sword just as another man came at him with a scythe. He quickly brought up his spear to block the blow. The man was sloppy and Obi-Wan was able to dispatch him quickly. Another man started to run towards him, so he threw his spear and stopped the man in his tracks.
Don't think, just act. Don't feel. Don't feel. Obi-Wan quickly picked up the sword. The other two remaining combatants did exactly what Flyn had warned him about – they paired up against him. He and they were fighting with swords now. In a flash of movement, Obi-Wan kicked one man in the nether regions, sending him to the ground in agony. He quickly moved in on the other one, beating him back with his forceful strokes.
Obi-Wan tried to block out the frenzied cheering of the crowd. He brought his sword up hard, slicing right into the other man's hands. In another quick move, the man was dead. Don't think. Don't feel. He turned back to the other man, who was still trying to get up off the ground. The fear in the other man's eyes stopped Obi-Wan cold. Oh, Force, I can't do this! Oh, Force, please!
With a guttural cry, the smaller man suddenly lunged at Obi-Wan. In a reflex action, Obi-Wan threw his sword before the man could reach him. The man fell down dead at his feet. Obi-Wan just stared down at the man as the audience erupted in frantic cheers. He looked up at the crowd, blinking numbly. Here he was, standing amongst a bunch of dead bodies, and those women were yelling and cheering! He looked around the audience, anger filling his eyes. You are nothing but a bunch of vipers! Obi-Wan turned on his heel and walked back towards the door where he'd first entered. He was disgusted with the audience, but even more so with himself.
In just a short while, Obi-Wan and Flyn were headed for the exit. Flyn glanced out the small window in the door. "Oh, no. I should have known this would happen!"
Obi-Wan looked up. "What?"
"You've got a bunch of admirers out there. We're going to have to walk the gauntlet in order to get to our transport. Fair warning, Obi-Wan, you are going to have grasping hands all over you."
Obi-Wan let out a disgusted sigh. "Let's get this over with."
Flyn put a hand on his arm. "As an owner with her slave in public, I'm supposed to walk in front of you and not touch you. So, you're kind of on your own."
Obi-Wan's face hardened. "Fine."
Flyn took a deep breath and opened the door. The crowd was chanting, "Flame, Flame, Flame!" Flyn quickly walked out with Obi-Wan right behind her. They both got jostled as the few security guards tried unsuccessfully to hold back the crowd. It didn't take long for the women to break through and swarm around Obi-Wan. Hands roved all over him. As he pushed through the crowd, he wondered if he was going to be able to make it to the transport with his leggings still intact.
Obi-Wan continued to push against the tide. Women grabbed onto his arms, their arms encircled his waist. They grabbed at his face and kissed him. They pulled at his hair. A hand slipped down the back of his leggings. Obi-Wan jumped forward in shock. "Hey!" That same hand then grabbed onto the waistband of his leggings and wouldn't let go. Obi-Wan smacked her hand, trying to get her to let go. He continued pushing forward.
Finally, Obi-Wan saw the open door of the transport. Flyn leaned out of the car, grabbed Obi-Wan's hand and yanked him into the seat. The driver quickly took off before any unwanted riders could get on. Obi-Wan sat in the seat, panting. "I thought you weren't supposed to touch me."
Flyn looked irritated. "I couldn't stand it any longer! I had to help you out." She looked him over. His leggings were torn and he had fingernail scratches all over his torso, arms and face. She pulled a cloth out of her pocket and started to blot at the bleeding scratches.
Obi-Wan waved her hand away. "Leave it alone. It's fine." He sat slumped in the seat, staring out the window. After a moment he spoke up quietly. "So, this is going to be my life now."
Flyn was disturbed by the quiet despair in those words. Obi-Wan was changed by what had taken place this night. She just hoped that it wasn't permanent. She'd hate to see that wonderful spirit of his burn out.
