If Obi-Wan was asleep, it was unlike any form of sleep he'd ever experienced, he spent the next half hour or

so drifting in and out of a somewhat unconscious state, every so often, drifting off again, only to be woken

by the painful cramps in his arms and back, the pain would subside, and he'd sleep once more, but the

pattern would continue, until eventually Obi-Wan gave up trying, he sat against the pole, and strained his

Ears for any sounds or movements outside, without the help of the force, it was hard to extract one sound

From another, or to even hear anything at all, he sensed the presence of the two restless guards hovering

Outside his tent, muttering a few words every so often in a rough sounding dialect that he couldn't identify,

That was the sort of thing Anakin excelled at. He sighed, trying to quell his anxiety as to the welfare of his

Apprentice, about twenty minutes ago, he'd heard footsteps, and voices, breaking the evening's silence,

He'd heard the flap of a tent overhang and the voices and footsteps faded as they entered the tent in which

Anakin was being held. Obi-Wan had heard nothing since. It was not as much them harming his Padawan,

That concerned him, as much as his Padawan harming them. He knew his apprentice was capable of

Disturbing yet extraordinary things once he was riled enough, but it was not a frame of mind Obi-Wan

Encouraged his Padawan to reside in. He hoped the boy wouldn't do anything stupid.

A time passed in what could have been hours, or merely minutes, Obi-Wan couldn't think which

Anymore, nor did he bother trying, the overhang which blocked out the now gathering moonlight was lifted

From it's frame exposing the giant night sky. Thousands of stars were scattered across a deep navy

skyline, and small coloured lights blinked now and again, each time a passing ship broke it's orbit. The light

from the planet's three large moons momentarily blinded Obi-Wan, but for now, it bothered him little, he

wasn't sure he wanted to see who it was paying him a visit much anyway.

"Master Kenobi."

Obi-Wan replied with less enthusiasm.

"Chief D'agri." The large man entered the tent, and waved the guards away, who sullenly took up their

Positions outside the tent once more, the overhang dropped and shut, the only noise; the brush of material

As it reattached to the frame.

"I've just returned from having a very interesting conversation with your young charge, as you may already

Know." Obi-Wan just sat and nodded, feeling that this 'Chief' would far prefer to speak uninterrupted.

"He wasn't very cooperative, you may not be surprised to hear, you Jedi are a very stubborn lot." Obi-Wan cocked an eyebrow, no, he definitely was not surprised to hear that.

"I hope no one was injured." He responded dryly. D'agri, who appeared to be on the end of a rather short

Tether, took a few fast steps towards Obi-Wan until he was standing over him, his glare was as dark as the

Night sky.

"What an impeccable sense of humour you Jedi have, it does seem to be very much 'like master like

Apprentice' doesn't it. I can tell you one thing, I am getting very fed up with this font of smart remarks

You seem to have, I'm going to ask you what I asked him, and I want you to be very straight with me." He

Backed up, and folded his arms, his glare seemed to bore right through Obi-Wan's flesh, and he had to use

All his power just to hold that murderous gaze, the agonizing silence was broken by the menacing whisper

That escaped D'agri's lips.

"For both your sakes."

He began to pace, his large, confident stride enabling him to cross the room in two

Steps, his hands, which constantly twitched and fidgeted, were clasped tightly behind his back, despite the

Chieftain's very convincing show, his overwhelming nervousness was made cleanly obvious, to Jedi or no

Jedi.

"You know of the Caversian/Derrus 4 dispute?"

"I do."

"Then you must know of this confirmed anonymous 'neutral' intervention?" Obi-Wan swallowed, at least

Anakin had gotten away with whatever answer he'd given, he thought hard, himself and his Padawan had

Never had the time to finalize a story, there had seemed to be no reason for one, Obi-Wan cursed

Himself mentally for his foolishness, he'd have to be vague, very vague, if he was to get out of this one.

"I've heard rumours."

"You have no reason to lie to me Jedi, I already know that the Jedi themselves are this so called, 'neutral

Faction.' It's the perfect explanation is it not, both planets are in the midst of a horrendous war, which

Showed no current signs of ending, the Caversians run out of supplies, soldiers, medicine, and they turn to

You for help, which, being the humble selfless beings you are, you give freely." Obi-Wan ignored the

Loud sarcasm in the Chief's words.

"You two, were then dispatched with some important documents which were to be delivered to a secured

Quadrant of Caversian space, straight into the hands of the president himself." He ceased his endless pacing

and turned to grin menacingly at his captive.

"If I've gone wrong here please say so."

"I can assure you that no matter how great the likelihood of our involvement is in this matter, the Jedi have

absolutely no part in it whatsoever." He kept his voice neutral, and put a strong emphasis on each of his

Words, despite his growing defeatist attitude towards this situation, he prayed that the Chief would buy his

Story, or that it would at least tie up with Anakin's. The contemptuous smile on D'agri's lips only

Made Obi-Wan feel even more uneasy.

"You lie Kenobi." Well, he couldn't dispute that, but he would have to.

"If you won't believe me, then maybe the council will have more information of interest for you, the

Republic laws-"

"Pah! I spit on your filthy republic, Jedi, and all the corrupted morals it stands for, for a being as widely

Travelled as yourself, surely you know that the republic has no presence here." He resumed his pacing.

"So I can do, with you, whatever I please, and you will tell me, whatever it is I want you to say." Obi-Wan

Snorted.

"I don't think so." There was a silence, and D'agri paused, and exhaled a long, deep, sigh, he almost

sounded bored, or saddened by what he was about to say next, Obi-Wan swallowed involuntarily.

"Truly it is, 'like master, like apprentice,'" Obi-Wan breathed a quiet sigh of relief, 'good', he thought, 'at

Least our stories tied up somewhat, and that's got to count for something.'

"Though I must say, I didn't expect you to be the more cooperative of the two, not in the slightest, and as

Per usual, my assumptions, tend to be correct." Once more, the regretful, saddened expression appeared,

And Obi-Wan couldn't help but feel he wasn't going to like what he was about to hear.

"Maybe the suffering, of your young friend, will persuade you to see my point of view." D'agri turned to

Leave.

'No!'

"You won't touch him!" Obi-Wan tried to even his angered breathing, this was getting out of hand, he had a

Responsibility, as a master, as a teacher, to protect his Padawan, he could not, under any circumstances,

Allow any harm to come to him, he would notD'agri kept his back to Obi-Wan.

"Oh no. No young Kenobi, I won't do anything," He turned his head and laughed at Obi-Wan's dangerous

Glare, almost as if pitiful.

"I'll get my men to, one of my privileges, as a ruler you know, all I have to do is sit back and wait,

You'll come around eventually, his punishment will stop the moment you give us what we want."

Obi-Wan shook his head, he couldn't believe what he was hearing, the evil, that was in this man's

Words, like a sickening acid poisoning the very heart of him, Obi-Wan wanted to tear free of his roped

Bindings and wrestle this man to the ground never to rise again, but he knew, should he even attempt it,

He would have failed, hot just himself, but his Padawan, and the Jedi order, and he would have played

Straight into this man's hands.

"You'll punish him, to get me to speak? You'll torture a boy to play to your own benefits?" D'agri

Laughed once more.

"Genius, don't you think."

"Evil." Obi-Wan replied darkly. D'agri shrugged, and pulled back the overhang to leave.

"Call it what you like, if it works to the desired effect, it shall be done. It's been a pleasure Master

Kenobi. Until dawn." Obi-Wan lifted his chin, but did not answer, he was left with a cruel laugh and an

Impending night that gave way to whatever pain and suffering was to come the following day. He slumped

against the pole, and begged the ground to open up, and consume him, to take this burden off his shoulders.

'I'm sorry Anakin, I'm so sorry.'