Circling his prey like a spider ready to strike, Dern Galen smiled wickedly at the youth. He then plunged his weapon at the young Jedi. Obi-Wan barely had time to parry the blow.
The clash was colossal as the two blades met in the night sky. Obi-Wan never felt a blow with such force behind it. In moments, his wrists were aching. The young Jedi knew he could not win, but the longer he detained Dern, the better chance Ja'lisa had of getting away.
Dern also knew that Obi-Wan had no chance of winning. The mere fact that the child even challenged him with his weapon was amusing. Drawing on his anger and hate, Dern brought his lightsaber down hard on his opponents. Obi-Wan's wrist bent back and his own blade went flying from the potent blow. The angry Jedi finished the move with a kick to the teen's face. He then moved forward to finish his job, he raised his weapon high and brought it down.
But suddenly he felt his saber pulled from his hand, the blade still grazed Obi-Wan's arm. But if it followed its path, Obi-Wan would have been dead. Dern's eyes flew to the right. There he saw Qui-Gon and Mace standing there. Neither looked very happy. But Dern was not going down without a fight.
He called on the force and his lightsaber came back to him, he then went to face Qui-Gon.
---------------------------
Obi-Wan sat up, his head was spinning, he body ached, and his arm was burning. But he was alive. His heart leapt to his throat when he saw his Master fighting Dern. The young Jedi knew that his master was a very able swordsman, but Dern Galen was driven by anger, hate, and pure evil. It chilled Obi-Wan that a man like that could live in the temple, even be blessed with a padawan, and go completely undetected as he mistreated the young life that had been entrusted to him.
Obi-Wan tried to stand, but his head was throbbing to much and he sank to his knees. He took a moment to focus on the force, He wanted to help his Master. Obi-Wan picked up his weapon and slowly stood.
Qui-Gon noticed this out of the corner of his eye, "No, Obi-Wan! Stay where you are!"
That distraction was all Dern Galen needed, he kicked out his leg and it made contact with Qui-Gon's chest. Obi-Wan opened his mouth to scream, but nothing came out. Then everything moved in slow motion. Qui-Gon went flying backwards from the unexpected move. Mace hurried to help his friend, but before he could reach him, something else unexpected happened.
Dern Galen himself went flying backwards from an unseen force. Dern hit the building behind him and slumped to the ground, the wind knocked out of him. Qui-Gon, Mace, and Obi-Wan all turned toward the corner of the alley. There in the moonlight stood Ja'lisa, a look of determination on her face.
She approached her fallen master slowly, her face filled with pain, confusion, and fear. There was also something else, hatred. Qui-Gon, Mace, and Obi-Wan all looked at her in alarm. Obi-Wan then decided to try to talk her out of it.
The young Jedi ignored his own pain to call out to his friend, "Ja'lisa, stop! Don't...he's not worth it!"
It was almost as if Ja'lisa was in another world. She was there, but not there. Ja'lisa stepped closer to Dern. The girl was tired of living in fear, living in pain. This man would pay. He would pay for what he did to her, for what he did to her friends.
Qui-Gon approached her carefully, he knew he had to be careful, Ja'lisa was close to snapping. "Ja'lisa, it's all right. We know. He won't hurt you anymore."
Ja'lisa turned to Qui-Gon, tears shining in her shadowed eyes. "He hurt you...he hurt Obi...he hurt me..." Deep gulps replaced words.
Slowly, the Jedi Master put out his hand, "I know, young one. You will heal, we will all help you."
Ja'lisa looked at her master, still to winded to move but his eyes burning through her and then she turned back to Qui-Gon, standing proud as a Jedi should, his eyes filled with understanding and love. She had been through so much, but they knew now. They knew and they believed her.
Then Ja'lisa did something that she never thought she would be given the privilege to do. She turned away from Dern Galen and went into the waiting arms of a Master who cared. As Qui-Gon wrapped his arms around her, she began to sob. Obi-Wan went to stand next to his master and they both whispered soothing words to the distressed girl.
The clash was colossal as the two blades met in the night sky. Obi-Wan never felt a blow with such force behind it. In moments, his wrists were aching. The young Jedi knew he could not win, but the longer he detained Dern, the better chance Ja'lisa had of getting away.
Dern also knew that Obi-Wan had no chance of winning. The mere fact that the child even challenged him with his weapon was amusing. Drawing on his anger and hate, Dern brought his lightsaber down hard on his opponents. Obi-Wan's wrist bent back and his own blade went flying from the potent blow. The angry Jedi finished the move with a kick to the teen's face. He then moved forward to finish his job, he raised his weapon high and brought it down.
But suddenly he felt his saber pulled from his hand, the blade still grazed Obi-Wan's arm. But if it followed its path, Obi-Wan would have been dead. Dern's eyes flew to the right. There he saw Qui-Gon and Mace standing there. Neither looked very happy. But Dern was not going down without a fight.
He called on the force and his lightsaber came back to him, he then went to face Qui-Gon.
---------------------------
Obi-Wan sat up, his head was spinning, he body ached, and his arm was burning. But he was alive. His heart leapt to his throat when he saw his Master fighting Dern. The young Jedi knew that his master was a very able swordsman, but Dern Galen was driven by anger, hate, and pure evil. It chilled Obi-Wan that a man like that could live in the temple, even be blessed with a padawan, and go completely undetected as he mistreated the young life that had been entrusted to him.
Obi-Wan tried to stand, but his head was throbbing to much and he sank to his knees. He took a moment to focus on the force, He wanted to help his Master. Obi-Wan picked up his weapon and slowly stood.
Qui-Gon noticed this out of the corner of his eye, "No, Obi-Wan! Stay where you are!"
That distraction was all Dern Galen needed, he kicked out his leg and it made contact with Qui-Gon's chest. Obi-Wan opened his mouth to scream, but nothing came out. Then everything moved in slow motion. Qui-Gon went flying backwards from the unexpected move. Mace hurried to help his friend, but before he could reach him, something else unexpected happened.
Dern Galen himself went flying backwards from an unseen force. Dern hit the building behind him and slumped to the ground, the wind knocked out of him. Qui-Gon, Mace, and Obi-Wan all turned toward the corner of the alley. There in the moonlight stood Ja'lisa, a look of determination on her face.
She approached her fallen master slowly, her face filled with pain, confusion, and fear. There was also something else, hatred. Qui-Gon, Mace, and Obi-Wan all looked at her in alarm. Obi-Wan then decided to try to talk her out of it.
The young Jedi ignored his own pain to call out to his friend, "Ja'lisa, stop! Don't...he's not worth it!"
It was almost as if Ja'lisa was in another world. She was there, but not there. Ja'lisa stepped closer to Dern. The girl was tired of living in fear, living in pain. This man would pay. He would pay for what he did to her, for what he did to her friends.
Qui-Gon approached her carefully, he knew he had to be careful, Ja'lisa was close to snapping. "Ja'lisa, it's all right. We know. He won't hurt you anymore."
Ja'lisa turned to Qui-Gon, tears shining in her shadowed eyes. "He hurt you...he hurt Obi...he hurt me..." Deep gulps replaced words.
Slowly, the Jedi Master put out his hand, "I know, young one. You will heal, we will all help you."
Ja'lisa looked at her master, still to winded to move but his eyes burning through her and then she turned back to Qui-Gon, standing proud as a Jedi should, his eyes filled with understanding and love. She had been through so much, but they knew now. They knew and they believed her.
Then Ja'lisa did something that she never thought she would be given the privilege to do. She turned away from Dern Galen and went into the waiting arms of a Master who cared. As Qui-Gon wrapped his arms around her, she began to sob. Obi-Wan went to stand next to his master and they both whispered soothing words to the distressed girl.