Asmodeus1389: Thanks! I'm glad you think they are well portrayed. I'm
always a bit worried about that.
Wolfkyr: Thanks you!!!
Warrior of the Pen: You should really be at the top of the page, but I'm just doing it in the order everyone reviewed. Thanks for the encouragement and I hope you get a few other things done as well.
Emma: Wow, thanks for the compliment, although my English teacher would probably laugh his head off if he heard you describing my English as fluent. But it's very encouraging, anyway!
Author's Note: This really took a long time and I'm sorry about it. Well, I hope you're still out there and haven't given up on me, yet. My story has been betaed now by Shaindl, so you won't have to put up with all those grammatical and spelling mistakes. Thanks for reading!
Chapter 6
The night was cold down there. Colder than it ever got at the Temple. Obi- Wan could see his breath in the dim light one of the moons provided. The small globe looked so much tinier than at the Temple although there wasn't much difference in distance, astronomically speaking.
He lay on his back at the entrance of the building. It had only looked intact from the outside. Inside there was as much rubble as in the one they had been the night before. They hadn't gone far in and Obi-Wan had no idea what would happen now. He would be punished of course. He couldn't for the life of him understand why Master Jinn hadn't already done it. Maybe because the punishment would be so much worse than what the Master could do. Maybe he would be thrown out of the Temple. Would he be sent to Agricorps? Or wouldn't he even be good enough to work for the Jedi as a farmer?
Somehow Obi-Wan felt that he should be afraid. But he wasn't; just hollow, empty. He had disappointed them all. His Master, Qui-Gon, Master Yoda and worst of all, Xanatos. What would the older Padawan say about his behaviour? Would he even say anything? Or would he just stand there, the disappointment at his failure in his eyes? Somehow imagining that hurt the worst. Risking a glance towards Master Jinn, he saw that the man was meditating. He seemed calm, not at all as if he was planning to hit Obi- Wan. But he had learned never to trust in the calm serenity of a Jedi Master. And suddenly, staring at Qui-Gon, another thought hit him like lightning. He had betrayed Nall.
*********************
Jedi Master Rin Calan was, for the second time in only two days, experiencing fear, an emotion he had thought didn't exist in him any longer. But there it was. Not panic, not the breathtaking fear one experienced when their life was being threatened, but a fear of the future. He had to get away from the others. The storm was exactly the reason he needed. He had to find his centre and then he had to think of a really good story to instil in his Padawan. He wouldn't lose the boy. He was his to train, his to prepare for this universe. And Calan would make sure that his Padawan was well prepared for it. He wouldn't make the same mistakes he had made with Nall.
No, he had learned his lesson. He had learned it the hard way but a lesson was a lesson, no matter how high the price for it was. One day, his Padawan would understand that. But Obi-Wan is not Nall, a voice inside him piped up. He's not that bright, intelligent boy. He does not have the same potential. He tried to ignore the voice but it kept on talking. You know, you will lose him anyway. You've known all along. Kenobi will turn. And you will be left once again. He's just a worthless little brat. It's his fault Nall is dead. If it hadn't been for him, you wouldn't have lost so much time on Malastare. It's his fault. And Jinn's for saving him. He's just the worthless son of a slave. But was he? Calan wasn't so sure. Kenobi had been a baby back then, which didn't mean that he was innocent. Nobody was. Calan knew that much. But was it really his fault that Nall had died? Had it really taken longer to get out because of the boy? But, no, it didn't matter. His methods were the right ones. The Master was sure of that. The reasons really didn't matter all that much. What mattered was that Kenobi deserved what he got. Yes, he does. He's worthless. He will never be a Jedi. Better break him now, before he can break you. Calan tried once again to get the voice out of his head. But wasn't it speaking the truth? Wasn't this exactly the reason why he treated his Padawan the way he did? You're doing the right thing. It's the only way to spare yourself the disappointment. It's his fault you don't have a real Padawan any more. It's all his fault. Yes, Calan knew that it was true and he would make Kenobi pay as he had done before. He would teach him what it meant to be punished.
He had to find Obi-Wan. But not because the boy would tell anyone about his Master's teaching methods. He was quite sure that his Padawan wouldn't talk. He was much too scared for that. Calan had made him much too scared, and too guilty. Yes, guilt was the key word. It was more powerful than any beatings he could ever have given to Kenobi. And he had used it a lot. No, Kenobi wasn't the one he was afraid of. Neither was Jinn. But that worthless apprentice of his was, as much as Calan didn't like to admit it. But he wouldn't give up so easily. He would think of an excuse why the boy had run away. He just needed some time.
*********************
Xanatos wasn't entirely sure why he had left the ship. Which wasn't a good thing, considering that he had to have an excuse later when he would explain to his Master exactly why he had disobeyed him. But the Force had told him to stay down here. And wasn't this what Qui-Gon always told him? Listen to the Force. Well, he had done that now. And look where it got you, a tiny voice inside his head remarked sarcastically. He looked around. No, the area definitely wasn't one he would have thought to find himself in during their little vacation from missions. The buildings looked even worse than the night before, but that was probably just an illusion because he was alone now. Xanatos heaved a sigh. The Force had directed him to leave the ship, but now it seemed to have left him alone. He didn't know where he had to go and he didn't know either what the storm would be like down here. But he knew for sure that he had to find Calan. Otherwise he would never be able to prove that he had done something to Obi-Wan.
***********************
Qui-Gon came out of his meditation to see Obi-Wan sitting up and staring at the ground. It seemed to be a position the boy took on continually. He stretched out his legs and saw the Padawan briefly look up at him. Just for a second the boy looked him in the eyes before examining the ground again. Outside Qui-Gon could hear the wind stirring some of the rubble but it was far from a real storm.
"Have you slept a little, Obi-Wan?"
"Yes, Master Jinn."
Silence. Qui-Gon began to wonder whether the boy ever said more than two words in a row. Well, time to get him to talk a bit. After all, he had run away and he still hadn't explained himself.
"Obi-Wan, why did you run away? You can tell me." When the boy didn't answer, he tried another approach. Maybe it was time that he took Xanatos' words into consideration. "If you don't want me to, I won't tell your Master."
Obi-Wan flinched at that but he looked up. Qui-Gon wasn't sure what the boy was searching for in his eyes but he obviously couldn't find it. So when he averted his eyes again, the Jedi Master knew that he had lost. And he didn't even know what he had hoped to gain.
He didn't push it. After all, it wasn't really his place to interfere. Obi- Wan was Calan's Padawan and whatever had happened between Master and apprentice – and Qui-Gon still wasn't sure anything had happened – they had to figure it out on their own. Calan was a Jedi. He would find a solution.
*************************
The hand seemed to come out of nowhere. Calan had always prided himself on his focus and he realised a second too late that it had left him in the worst moment possible. He didn't know Xanatos well and he had never really wanted to know him well. He was just another perfect Padawan of Jinn. So why should he have any interest in him? It was this moment that he wished he knew him better. Xanatos was almost as tall as Calan and that combined with the aspect of surprise led to Calan being pressed against a wall with a powerful hand at his throat, not trying to injure but clearly intending to restrain.
"What did you do to him?" It was ground out through clenched teeth and barely more than a whisper.
It took Calan a moment to regain his composure and the power to shove the Padawan away from him.
"Whatever are you talking about, Padawan?" He deliberately used the title. He would not be treated with this disrespect.
"You know exactly what I'm talking about, Master Calan." The title was almost an insult in that tone. "Why did Obi-Wan run away? You know it. And don't try to deny it."
Calan froze inside but his outward demeanour was one of cool amusement. Arrogantly he said, "Now, now, Padawan. You don't want to make any suggestions, do you? After all, you're talking about my apprentice here. It's not as if I'm not worried about him."
"Oh, so that's why you didn't even enquire about his state when I told you Qui-Gon had found him. I could practically feel your concern for him over the distance." Xanatos voice was dripping with sarcasm.
Calan felt his control slipping. He turned on Xanatos, almost shouting his next words. "You will not talk to me in such a manner, Padawan Xanatos. You have no idea what you're talking about. You're just an arrogant little boy who has decided that he should have a little power. But I didn't expect anything else from Jinn's apprentice. Just as arrogant as your Master, the great, almighty Jedi. But let me tell you this, this galaxy doesn't work that way. You're nothing here. Just like your Master is nothing."
Xanatos felt the anger inside him at the insult to his Master, but he pushed it down. He couldn't let it get the better of him now. He needed to stay focused. Calan was just playing into his hands. If he could just make the man lose control he would soon know everything he wanted to know. He took a steadying breath and launched his next attack.
"Is that the reason why you hate Obi-Wan? Because he doesn't respect you enough? Doesn't kneel before you, waiting for you to allow him to rise?" He was goading the man now, but maybe that was exactly what it would take.
To his surprise, Calan laughed. A harsh, cruel laugh that gave Xanatos the chills.
"Oh, do you really think it's that easy? That black and white? You really are naive. Jinn has always protected you too much from reality. You wouldn't last a day out in the universe."
"And Obi-Wan would? Is he prepared well enough?"
"Yes, he is!" Calan shouted.
"But I wonder how you prepared him so well. Tell me, Master Calan. Did you like to prepare him for this harsh world? Did you enjoy hardening him?"
Xanatos expected Calan to shout at him again, to defend himself. But Calan didn't. Instead he took a step towards Xanatos and told him in a harsh whisper what the Padawan had hoped never to hear.
"Yes, Xanatos. I enjoyed it. Obi-Wan is worthless and he knows it. Or at least now he knows it, because I confronted him with this reality. Oh, but he made it difficult for me. He struggled against me. Ever heard of the expression 'to beat something into someone'? It works, you know. It works perfectly. But I have to admit that Kenobi was a hard case. Too much self- confidence. That doesn't become a Jedi. But a fine mixture of physical and mental punishment can take care of that. You would never know what a powerful ally guilt and fear are. Now you know the truth. But what do you want to do now? Because I can assure you that Obi-Wan will never say anything. That's another thing I was very successful in ensuring."
The wind had picked up around them, but Xanatos didn't realise it. He felt the anger within him growing. He felt it taking up more and more of his mind. He felt it consume him. The light faded from him faster than the weather made it. Darkness was all around him, in him, eating him up. He wanted nothing more than to destroy this monster who had inflicted so much on an innocent child. No, he wanted to do more than destroy him, he wanted to make him feel all the agony the man had put Obi-Wan through. And suddenly there was a bright light where the bond with Qui-Gon was. But he wouldn't let his Master interfere in this. He stamped it down. And then there was only darkness. Pure and destructive. He would kill Calan.
With a cry of rage Xanatos jumped towards the Master, flinging him against the wall of a building. He heard himself shouting something, but he couldn't understand the words. The darkness had dampened all sound. He forgot everything - his training, Qui-Gon, even the deadly weapon on his belt. He wanted to kill Calan with his own hands.
And then, suddenly, he felt a sharp pain and the darkness was pierced by the orange blade of Calan's lightsabre. He stumbled back and even while the darkness lifted and he heard Qui-Gon's voice in his head he watched the Master run away from him. And he couldn't do anything to stop him. And then he felt the storm roaring around him. A small part of his brain screamed at him to find some protection. Qui-Gon's voice screamed at him to answer. He didn't know where he was. He didn't care. He stumbled towards the next building and crawled into it. Still with a dark fog surrounding him, he slumped against the wall, ignoring his Master, and lost consciousness.
*************************
Qui-Gon felt the first wave of anger from his Padawan for only a second before tight shields were erected. He wondered what could have triggered such emotions but didn't worry about it.
Then the storm picked up. And with it came the darkness over his soul. The anger that ripped through him was not his own but he felt it as if it was. The world around him closed, vanished, ceased to matter. He was alone in a maelstrom of total darkness. It was roaring in his ears. It threatened to eat him up. With an effort he ripped away from the bond he had with Xanatos. Gasping, he tried to orientate himself. He distantly saw Obi-Wan looking at him in surprise and maybe fear. Then he cried into the link, screaming for his Padawan. But he didn't get an answer, just darkness. Qui- Gon tried it again and again, while the pressure in his head continued to build. He felt pain but knew it was not his own and then nothing. The darkness vanished. The bond was silent.
Trying to determine what had happened, Qui-Gon again sent a message to Xanatos but he got no answer. Breathing heavily, he turned towards Obi-Wan who sat pressed up against the wall, knees under his chin, eyes wide open. And that was it what finally brought Qui-Gon back to the present. He didn't know what had just happened to his Padawan, but there wasn't anything he could do about it now. He had to focus on the here and now. And the here and now involved a very frightened child.
"Obi-Wan, it's okay. Don't be afraid. It will be all right."
Qui-Gon waited for the boy to ask him what had happened but Obi-Wan didn't. He didn't move at all, just stared at him, waiting.
"It was just a disruption in the bond. I'm sure Xanatos is okay. Come here."
He held out his arms, but Obi-Wan made no move to crawl into them. Instead he once again averted his eyes to the floor, saying nothing. Qui-Gon sighed.
"Try to sleep a bit, Obi-Wan. Or meditate. We are safe here from the weather.
An almost imperceptible nod was his answer. Drawing his cloak tighter around himself, Qui-Gon sat back against the other wall. And with the storm roaring outside he tried desperately to focus his mind and ease the turmoil within. But before he even tried to meditate, he knew it would be useless.
Wolfkyr: Thanks you!!!
Warrior of the Pen: You should really be at the top of the page, but I'm just doing it in the order everyone reviewed. Thanks for the encouragement and I hope you get a few other things done as well.
Emma: Wow, thanks for the compliment, although my English teacher would probably laugh his head off if he heard you describing my English as fluent. But it's very encouraging, anyway!
Author's Note: This really took a long time and I'm sorry about it. Well, I hope you're still out there and haven't given up on me, yet. My story has been betaed now by Shaindl, so you won't have to put up with all those grammatical and spelling mistakes. Thanks for reading!
Chapter 6
The night was cold down there. Colder than it ever got at the Temple. Obi- Wan could see his breath in the dim light one of the moons provided. The small globe looked so much tinier than at the Temple although there wasn't much difference in distance, astronomically speaking.
He lay on his back at the entrance of the building. It had only looked intact from the outside. Inside there was as much rubble as in the one they had been the night before. They hadn't gone far in and Obi-Wan had no idea what would happen now. He would be punished of course. He couldn't for the life of him understand why Master Jinn hadn't already done it. Maybe because the punishment would be so much worse than what the Master could do. Maybe he would be thrown out of the Temple. Would he be sent to Agricorps? Or wouldn't he even be good enough to work for the Jedi as a farmer?
Somehow Obi-Wan felt that he should be afraid. But he wasn't; just hollow, empty. He had disappointed them all. His Master, Qui-Gon, Master Yoda and worst of all, Xanatos. What would the older Padawan say about his behaviour? Would he even say anything? Or would he just stand there, the disappointment at his failure in his eyes? Somehow imagining that hurt the worst. Risking a glance towards Master Jinn, he saw that the man was meditating. He seemed calm, not at all as if he was planning to hit Obi- Wan. But he had learned never to trust in the calm serenity of a Jedi Master. And suddenly, staring at Qui-Gon, another thought hit him like lightning. He had betrayed Nall.
*********************
Jedi Master Rin Calan was, for the second time in only two days, experiencing fear, an emotion he had thought didn't exist in him any longer. But there it was. Not panic, not the breathtaking fear one experienced when their life was being threatened, but a fear of the future. He had to get away from the others. The storm was exactly the reason he needed. He had to find his centre and then he had to think of a really good story to instil in his Padawan. He wouldn't lose the boy. He was his to train, his to prepare for this universe. And Calan would make sure that his Padawan was well prepared for it. He wouldn't make the same mistakes he had made with Nall.
No, he had learned his lesson. He had learned it the hard way but a lesson was a lesson, no matter how high the price for it was. One day, his Padawan would understand that. But Obi-Wan is not Nall, a voice inside him piped up. He's not that bright, intelligent boy. He does not have the same potential. He tried to ignore the voice but it kept on talking. You know, you will lose him anyway. You've known all along. Kenobi will turn. And you will be left once again. He's just a worthless little brat. It's his fault Nall is dead. If it hadn't been for him, you wouldn't have lost so much time on Malastare. It's his fault. And Jinn's for saving him. He's just the worthless son of a slave. But was he? Calan wasn't so sure. Kenobi had been a baby back then, which didn't mean that he was innocent. Nobody was. Calan knew that much. But was it really his fault that Nall had died? Had it really taken longer to get out because of the boy? But, no, it didn't matter. His methods were the right ones. The Master was sure of that. The reasons really didn't matter all that much. What mattered was that Kenobi deserved what he got. Yes, he does. He's worthless. He will never be a Jedi. Better break him now, before he can break you. Calan tried once again to get the voice out of his head. But wasn't it speaking the truth? Wasn't this exactly the reason why he treated his Padawan the way he did? You're doing the right thing. It's the only way to spare yourself the disappointment. It's his fault you don't have a real Padawan any more. It's all his fault. Yes, Calan knew that it was true and he would make Kenobi pay as he had done before. He would teach him what it meant to be punished.
He had to find Obi-Wan. But not because the boy would tell anyone about his Master's teaching methods. He was quite sure that his Padawan wouldn't talk. He was much too scared for that. Calan had made him much too scared, and too guilty. Yes, guilt was the key word. It was more powerful than any beatings he could ever have given to Kenobi. And he had used it a lot. No, Kenobi wasn't the one he was afraid of. Neither was Jinn. But that worthless apprentice of his was, as much as Calan didn't like to admit it. But he wouldn't give up so easily. He would think of an excuse why the boy had run away. He just needed some time.
*********************
Xanatos wasn't entirely sure why he had left the ship. Which wasn't a good thing, considering that he had to have an excuse later when he would explain to his Master exactly why he had disobeyed him. But the Force had told him to stay down here. And wasn't this what Qui-Gon always told him? Listen to the Force. Well, he had done that now. And look where it got you, a tiny voice inside his head remarked sarcastically. He looked around. No, the area definitely wasn't one he would have thought to find himself in during their little vacation from missions. The buildings looked even worse than the night before, but that was probably just an illusion because he was alone now. Xanatos heaved a sigh. The Force had directed him to leave the ship, but now it seemed to have left him alone. He didn't know where he had to go and he didn't know either what the storm would be like down here. But he knew for sure that he had to find Calan. Otherwise he would never be able to prove that he had done something to Obi-Wan.
***********************
Qui-Gon came out of his meditation to see Obi-Wan sitting up and staring at the ground. It seemed to be a position the boy took on continually. He stretched out his legs and saw the Padawan briefly look up at him. Just for a second the boy looked him in the eyes before examining the ground again. Outside Qui-Gon could hear the wind stirring some of the rubble but it was far from a real storm.
"Have you slept a little, Obi-Wan?"
"Yes, Master Jinn."
Silence. Qui-Gon began to wonder whether the boy ever said more than two words in a row. Well, time to get him to talk a bit. After all, he had run away and he still hadn't explained himself.
"Obi-Wan, why did you run away? You can tell me." When the boy didn't answer, he tried another approach. Maybe it was time that he took Xanatos' words into consideration. "If you don't want me to, I won't tell your Master."
Obi-Wan flinched at that but he looked up. Qui-Gon wasn't sure what the boy was searching for in his eyes but he obviously couldn't find it. So when he averted his eyes again, the Jedi Master knew that he had lost. And he didn't even know what he had hoped to gain.
He didn't push it. After all, it wasn't really his place to interfere. Obi- Wan was Calan's Padawan and whatever had happened between Master and apprentice – and Qui-Gon still wasn't sure anything had happened – they had to figure it out on their own. Calan was a Jedi. He would find a solution.
*************************
The hand seemed to come out of nowhere. Calan had always prided himself on his focus and he realised a second too late that it had left him in the worst moment possible. He didn't know Xanatos well and he had never really wanted to know him well. He was just another perfect Padawan of Jinn. So why should he have any interest in him? It was this moment that he wished he knew him better. Xanatos was almost as tall as Calan and that combined with the aspect of surprise led to Calan being pressed against a wall with a powerful hand at his throat, not trying to injure but clearly intending to restrain.
"What did you do to him?" It was ground out through clenched teeth and barely more than a whisper.
It took Calan a moment to regain his composure and the power to shove the Padawan away from him.
"Whatever are you talking about, Padawan?" He deliberately used the title. He would not be treated with this disrespect.
"You know exactly what I'm talking about, Master Calan." The title was almost an insult in that tone. "Why did Obi-Wan run away? You know it. And don't try to deny it."
Calan froze inside but his outward demeanour was one of cool amusement. Arrogantly he said, "Now, now, Padawan. You don't want to make any suggestions, do you? After all, you're talking about my apprentice here. It's not as if I'm not worried about him."
"Oh, so that's why you didn't even enquire about his state when I told you Qui-Gon had found him. I could practically feel your concern for him over the distance." Xanatos voice was dripping with sarcasm.
Calan felt his control slipping. He turned on Xanatos, almost shouting his next words. "You will not talk to me in such a manner, Padawan Xanatos. You have no idea what you're talking about. You're just an arrogant little boy who has decided that he should have a little power. But I didn't expect anything else from Jinn's apprentice. Just as arrogant as your Master, the great, almighty Jedi. But let me tell you this, this galaxy doesn't work that way. You're nothing here. Just like your Master is nothing."
Xanatos felt the anger inside him at the insult to his Master, but he pushed it down. He couldn't let it get the better of him now. He needed to stay focused. Calan was just playing into his hands. If he could just make the man lose control he would soon know everything he wanted to know. He took a steadying breath and launched his next attack.
"Is that the reason why you hate Obi-Wan? Because he doesn't respect you enough? Doesn't kneel before you, waiting for you to allow him to rise?" He was goading the man now, but maybe that was exactly what it would take.
To his surprise, Calan laughed. A harsh, cruel laugh that gave Xanatos the chills.
"Oh, do you really think it's that easy? That black and white? You really are naive. Jinn has always protected you too much from reality. You wouldn't last a day out in the universe."
"And Obi-Wan would? Is he prepared well enough?"
"Yes, he is!" Calan shouted.
"But I wonder how you prepared him so well. Tell me, Master Calan. Did you like to prepare him for this harsh world? Did you enjoy hardening him?"
Xanatos expected Calan to shout at him again, to defend himself. But Calan didn't. Instead he took a step towards Xanatos and told him in a harsh whisper what the Padawan had hoped never to hear.
"Yes, Xanatos. I enjoyed it. Obi-Wan is worthless and he knows it. Or at least now he knows it, because I confronted him with this reality. Oh, but he made it difficult for me. He struggled against me. Ever heard of the expression 'to beat something into someone'? It works, you know. It works perfectly. But I have to admit that Kenobi was a hard case. Too much self- confidence. That doesn't become a Jedi. But a fine mixture of physical and mental punishment can take care of that. You would never know what a powerful ally guilt and fear are. Now you know the truth. But what do you want to do now? Because I can assure you that Obi-Wan will never say anything. That's another thing I was very successful in ensuring."
The wind had picked up around them, but Xanatos didn't realise it. He felt the anger within him growing. He felt it taking up more and more of his mind. He felt it consume him. The light faded from him faster than the weather made it. Darkness was all around him, in him, eating him up. He wanted nothing more than to destroy this monster who had inflicted so much on an innocent child. No, he wanted to do more than destroy him, he wanted to make him feel all the agony the man had put Obi-Wan through. And suddenly there was a bright light where the bond with Qui-Gon was. But he wouldn't let his Master interfere in this. He stamped it down. And then there was only darkness. Pure and destructive. He would kill Calan.
With a cry of rage Xanatos jumped towards the Master, flinging him against the wall of a building. He heard himself shouting something, but he couldn't understand the words. The darkness had dampened all sound. He forgot everything - his training, Qui-Gon, even the deadly weapon on his belt. He wanted to kill Calan with his own hands.
And then, suddenly, he felt a sharp pain and the darkness was pierced by the orange blade of Calan's lightsabre. He stumbled back and even while the darkness lifted and he heard Qui-Gon's voice in his head he watched the Master run away from him. And he couldn't do anything to stop him. And then he felt the storm roaring around him. A small part of his brain screamed at him to find some protection. Qui-Gon's voice screamed at him to answer. He didn't know where he was. He didn't care. He stumbled towards the next building and crawled into it. Still with a dark fog surrounding him, he slumped against the wall, ignoring his Master, and lost consciousness.
*************************
Qui-Gon felt the first wave of anger from his Padawan for only a second before tight shields were erected. He wondered what could have triggered such emotions but didn't worry about it.
Then the storm picked up. And with it came the darkness over his soul. The anger that ripped through him was not his own but he felt it as if it was. The world around him closed, vanished, ceased to matter. He was alone in a maelstrom of total darkness. It was roaring in his ears. It threatened to eat him up. With an effort he ripped away from the bond he had with Xanatos. Gasping, he tried to orientate himself. He distantly saw Obi-Wan looking at him in surprise and maybe fear. Then he cried into the link, screaming for his Padawan. But he didn't get an answer, just darkness. Qui- Gon tried it again and again, while the pressure in his head continued to build. He felt pain but knew it was not his own and then nothing. The darkness vanished. The bond was silent.
Trying to determine what had happened, Qui-Gon again sent a message to Xanatos but he got no answer. Breathing heavily, he turned towards Obi-Wan who sat pressed up against the wall, knees under his chin, eyes wide open. And that was it what finally brought Qui-Gon back to the present. He didn't know what had just happened to his Padawan, but there wasn't anything he could do about it now. He had to focus on the here and now. And the here and now involved a very frightened child.
"Obi-Wan, it's okay. Don't be afraid. It will be all right."
Qui-Gon waited for the boy to ask him what had happened but Obi-Wan didn't. He didn't move at all, just stared at him, waiting.
"It was just a disruption in the bond. I'm sure Xanatos is okay. Come here."
He held out his arms, but Obi-Wan made no move to crawl into them. Instead he once again averted his eyes to the floor, saying nothing. Qui-Gon sighed.
"Try to sleep a bit, Obi-Wan. Or meditate. We are safe here from the weather.
An almost imperceptible nod was his answer. Drawing his cloak tighter around himself, Qui-Gon sat back against the other wall. And with the storm roaring outside he tried desperately to focus his mind and ease the turmoil within. But before he even tried to meditate, he knew it would be useless.