Chapter 44: It Only Gets Worse

Anakin clutched onto Obi-Wan for dear life! Everything moved fast around him. Obi-Wan never once slowed down since he returned to his bedroom. He hoisted Anakin up in his arms, snagged a few items before he rushed out of the bedroom. The droids guarding the door came after them. Anakin tried to warn Obi-Wan, but Obi-Wan flicked his wrist and the droids' heads popped right off and they fell in broken pieces.

Anakin stared, impressed. "Whoa…"

Without the droids chasing them, Obi-Wan kept running. He didn't slow down and they used stairs instead of the turbolift to get through the palace.

"Obi-Wan… can't you slow down?" he asked as he watched portraits and statues zoom past him. "I can run on my own."

Obi-Wan didn't answer him nor did he let Anakin go. So, Anakin held on for dear life as Obi-Wan stormed down the stairs, never pausing. Anakin had trouble figuring out where they were. Even after the tour, he still was a bit lost where everything was at.

It was until Obi-Wan got to a landing and slammed a door opened. It was dark, dank and it smelled, surprisingly, good. Obi-Wan pressed Anakin close as he hurried down the tunneled corridor until they got to an open room.

Anakin scanned the area. It was the kitchens! He recognized the many instruments used to cook and bake food. He scrunched his face in concentration. Why were they in the kitchens?

"Obi-Wan?" Anakin started, but Obi-Wan hushed him.

Anakin frowned. "What's going on?" he asked, ignoring Obi-Wan's command to be quiet. "Obi-Wan?"

"Hush, Anakin," was all Obi-Wan said.

"But—"

"Quiet!"

Anakin shut his mouth and coiled. Obi-Wan never yelled at him like that. Cold, sharp and angry. It was nothing like when Obi-Wan yelled out of fear or concern. It was venomous and it made Anakin want to wiggle out of Obi-Wan's arm. Even his touch was rough and skin was like ice, which Anakin found odd concerning there was a crown of sweat on his head.

They neared the end another entry, an arch that led down somewhere. Anakin shivered and attempted to pull away. There was something wrong. Anakin used the Force to feel around, but all he sensed was something akin to an inky wisp, tangled and knotted within Obi-Wan's Force presence, refusing to budge or fade away.

Anakin pulled away again, wanting to be free from whatever is wrapped around Obi-Wan. It polluted their bond and its oily tendrils twisting its way to him.

"Obi-Wan!"

"Obi-Wan?"

Anakin jolted, but Obi-Wan kept him down as he spun them around. Standing down near the bottom of the stairs, blocking the exit was Joline, holding a basket of garden vegetables. Her smile was big and eyes alight at the happiness of seeing him.

She hiked up a few of the steps. "What brings you down here?" she teased. "Did you come for a piece of sweetcake?"

As she got closer, Anakin watched her joyful expression falter and dip. She stopped her procession up the stairs and her arms sagged, the basket suddenly heavy.

"Oh, Obi-Wan… not again," Jolne murmured, looking up at them with confliction.

Obi-Wan's voice cracked a bit, trembling. "Let us pass."

The corners of Joline's mouth dropped and eyes squinted in despair. "Don't. Please," she begged. "They were so upset when you left last time…"

"I don't care," Obi-Wan voiced. "Move."

Joline didn't move away. "Please… Obi-Wan," she tried again. "Don't do this."

Anakin felt a growing force within Obi-Wan as he took a step down. "You know we can't stay here," he said. "You know what they do."

Joline was shaking now. Scared and nervous, confused as to what she should do: her duty or honor. "Please, Obi-Wan," she was desperate now. "I-I can't! They didn't mean it. Whatever they did. They didn't—"

"Move aside," Obi-Wan shouted and Anakin gaped at the ferocity of Obi-Wan's tone. "Now!"

"Do as he says, Joline."

The new voice startled Anakin. He whipped his head behind him and spotted Qui-Gon Jinn standing at the top of the stairs, hands on his hips. He stared down at them. No expression. No anger or hate or disappointment.

Joline's eyes fluttered passed Obi-Wan to Qui-Gon. "But, my Lord…"

"Now, Joline," Qui-Gon said, still polite. "Trust me. Better you do it on your own than another manner."

Joline slowly stepped back. One step after another until she returned to the landing. Her eyes were still wide, waiting and hoping the high stressed situation would calm down.

Anakin shot a look from Qui-Gon to Obi-Wan, pleading with the Force that nothing bad would happen to them. If Qui-Gon tried to hurt Obi-Wan, he would fight back.

Qui-Gon remained calm. He didn't move from where he stood, but he kept his focus on them. "Obi-Wan?" he called to him. "Put Anakin down."

Obi-Wan responded by pressing Anakin closer. So close that Anakn's cheeks smashed into Obi-Wan's head. "We're not staying here any longer," he growled back at Qui-Gon. "We're not going to be your puppets!"

Qui-Gon inhaled, but he didn't react to Obi-Wan's outburst. At least, nothing that made Anakin be fearful. "Obi-Wan… you need to calm down," he advised. "You're going to hurt someone."

Anakin wondered if Qui-Gon sensed the dark tendrils wrapping around Obi-Wan. Was that the danger? It must be. Anakin twisted in Obi-Wan's grip, but every movement he made, Obi-Wan tightened his hold to the point Anakin winced at the discomfort.

Qui-Gon heard his small squeak of pain. He moved his hands from his hips and took his first step down toward them. "Obi-Wan… let Anakin go."

"No!"

Qui-Gon took another step. "You're ill, Obi-Wan," he said, cautious. "You're not yourself. You need to calm down."

Obi-Wan's fingers pinched into Anakin's side. Anakin squeezed his eyes shut as he gave a shout of pain. "Obi-Wan…" Anakin whimpered as tears formed in the corners of his eyes.

Qui-Gon approached with his hands up, no threatening gestures. Nothing. "Obi-Wan, let him go," he ordered. "You're hurting him."

Anakin noticed that for the first time, Qui-Gon looked afraid. Not only afraid, but concerned. He feared for them. He took another step down, but Obi-Wan scooted away, bringing Anakin's head close to the stone wall. A little too close as his skull collided into one of the stone blocks.

"Ouch!" Anakin yelped.

His father figure turned, looking straight at Anakin's face. For a second, Anakin didn't recognized Obi-Wan. There was a wildness in Obi-Wan's eyes. A deadly fear consumed his irises, making them burn in a deep, raw emotion that Anakin had never seen in Obi-Wan.

But then, the fired died. They flickered and returned to their normal collective and cool composure. There was shock. Confusion and then guilt. Confusion again. Something was wrong with Obi-Wan. Anakin tried to get his attention, loping his arms around his neck.

"Obi-Wan?" he asked, still dealing with the small headache forming underneath where he hit his head. "Obi-Wan?"

Qui-Gon took another step, hands raised. "You don't want to hurt him," he said, voice soothing. "Let Anakin down. Give him to Joline."

Obi-Wan opened his mouth, stuttering. "I-I… no! You… You'll hurt him!"

"You're doing that yourself," Qui-Gon fired back.

The Sith Lord wasn't wrong. Obi-Wan's tight hold squeezed him to the point Anakin thought he was being choked. He tried to reach through their bond, send a strong signal through the black mass to get Obi-Wan to hear his pain. Nothing he did work. He couldn't reach Obi-Wan.

Obi-Wan shook his head. "No… no," he muttered, aggressively at Qui-Gon. "You're doing it! You… you're…" He was shaking and crying. Anakin had never seen Obi-Wan so upset.

Qui-Gon breathed deeply, stepping down. "Put Anakin down," he asked, kindly, but his hands slid down to his lightsaber belt. "Please, Obi-Wan. I don't want to force you."

Anakin nervously glanced to Obi-Wan, wincing underneath the pressure underneath Obi-Wan's stronghold. Obi-Wan looked back to him. Same scared and worried expression on his face, twisted into torture.

But, there was sadness in Obi-Wan stare. A confession from what Anakin sensed from him. Obi-Wan gulped uncomfortably and Anakin felt his hold loosened. The pinchers were released and Anakin slipped from Obi-Wan's arms to the stone steps.

Qui-Gon didn't relax. "Joline? Take Anakin."

Anakin was lifted right off his feet again. Joline cradled him in her arms, discarding her basket of vegetables for him. Qui-Gon still faced off Obi-Wan as he waved his hand for Joline to go. Anakin picked up his head as Joline backtracked, hurrying away from the scene.

"Obi-Wan?" Anakin shouted as Joline carried him away. "Obi-Wan! No… wait! Don't—"

Joline patted Anakin on his back as she took him to safety. "There, there, young master," she cooed. "Obi-Wan will be all right. He'll be better. You see."

Anakin wasn't quite sure about that. Qui-Gon was right in saying there was something wrong with Obi-Wan. He was ill. That black tendrils tangled into Obi-Wan's Force presence, poisoning him and mutating into something that Anakin didn't much recognized.

Joline kept patting his back. "It'll be all right, young master," she said again. "Everything is fine."

Anakin didn't believe her.

Qui-Gon immediately knew something was off.

A second later, he knew the reason. Obi-Wan touched the Dark Side. That was not good.

He left his meditation center and hurried through the palace, hoping to reach Obi-Wan before he did something regrettable. He couldn't figure out what caused Obi-Wan to use the Dark Side, but he had an idea who provoked him.

He would deal with it later as he needed to stop Obi-Wan from making a big mistake.

By the time Qui-Gon got to Obi-Wan's chambers, he was gone. Along with Anakin. His guards were dismantled in pieces, leaving only a brief trail of where he ran off to. But, Qui-Gon knew how to track Obi-Wan. His fears left a scar in the Force and all he had to do was follow it.

He followed it all the way down to the kitchens were he saw Obi-Wan, pinching Anakin close to him, almost yelling at Joline to get out of his way. Obi-Wan's entire Force presence rippled in the Dark Side, tainting the young man's presence with an inky dye that Qui-Gon knew was like poison in Obi-Wan's soul.

Already, the Dark Side polluted Obi-Wan's thoughts and feelings. He wasn't even aware that he was hurting Anakin, who kept wincing the more Obi-Wan tightened his hold on the boy. Obi-Wan was dangerously close in doing something regrettable. Qui-Gon didn't want that to happen. He didn't want Obi-Wan to live with any regret or remorse.

Once he got Obi-Wan to calm down and release Anakin, Qui-Gon confronted Obi-Wan. With Anakin safe and Joline taking care of the boy, he could focus on Obi-Wan.

Qui-Gon reached and took hold of Obi-Wan's arm. Obi-Wan jerked, backing away from him. He stumbled down the last steps to the landing, a glistening shine of sweat covering his pale body. Qui-Gon scurried down to the landing as well, watching Obi-Wan shiver and fold over himself.

"Obi-Wan…"

"Don't come near me!" Obi-Wan snapped. His tone was half feral and half tearful. "Don't touch me!"

Qui-Gon kept his hands up to show no intentions of hurting him. "I want to help you."

"No you don't!" Obi-Wan's arms went around his stomach like he had an agonizing ache. "You wanted this. You wanted me to… to be this?" Obi-Wan tilted his head up, sorrow twisting his features into a sickly mien. "Why?"

Qui-Gon watched as Obi-Wan crumbled further into himself. The first time was the hardest. Qui-Gon remembered the pain, the illness and the unbearableness of it all. Dooku told him it would get better and he was right. Qui-Gon continued, pushed through the pain and managed to survive through it all to the point it no longer hurt.

However, he knew Obi-Wan wouldn't fare as well as him. He withheld his training in the Dark Side when he was a boy, knowing that Obi-Wan's Force signature wouldn't be able to adapt or be strong enough to withstand the powers of the Dark Side. Too young to start off such dangerous powers. He told Dooku to wait until he was older and more finesse.

Even as Obi-Wan aged, Qui-Gon was well aware the boy would never be quite able to withstand the Dark Side. For him, to touch such power would leave him a crippled mess, as Qui-Gon witnessed before him.

He wished he was there when Obi-Wan used it. Then it would have been handled better. "You're going to be fine, Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon said to him. "Remember to breathe, young one. Breathe."

Obi-Wan did. He took a few breaths, trying his best to steady the frenzied nightmare he found himself. Qui-Gon encouraged him to keep going. "Good, good," he said, kneeling beside his padawan. "I know it hurts."

He heard a soft whimper come from Obi-Wan. His padawan was still shaking and the neckline of his tunic was drenched in cold sweat. Qui-Gon sidled up next to Obi-Wan, looking down at his fearful padawan with pity.

"Obi-Wan—"

His padawan didn't hear him. With a sickening crack, Obi-Wan's knees landed hard on the floor and he nearly tipped over if Qui-Gon's lightning fast reflexes weren't up to par. But, Qui-Gon snatched Obi-Wan's shoulder, pulling him back up. His padawan's head was limp before he choked out and vomit spewed all down the front of his tunics.

The stench of foulness burned Qui-Gon's nostrils, but he ignored them as best as he could to attend to Obi-Wan. Oddly enough, Qui-Gon found it heart-warming that Obi-Wan let himself be vulnerable around him. Such as being ill and willing to not fight it. It was a step in the right direction of mending their trust issues.

Qui-Gon lowered Obi-Wan to the floor for a moment as he tried to recuperate. He wasn't faring well. The Dark Side still had its oil tendrils latched deeply into Obi-Wan's psych. It may take a day for it to relax or maybe a few days, but eventually, Obi-Wan would overcome this bout of sickness.

When Qui-Gon heard another painful whimper, he stroked Obi-Wan's head like the way he remembered Tahl did when Obi-Wan was sick from human illnesses. To his grateful surprise, Obi-Wan leaned into the touch, but he was still crying. Not loudly, but Qui-Gon saw the tears trickling down his cheeks.

"You'll be all right," Qui-Gon promised. "I know it hurts, but it will get better in time. I promise. For now, keep breathing. Slowly."

Obi-Wan still cried, acting very much like the little boy he was years ago. Qui-Gon didn't have the heart to criticize him on it at the moment. He was already dealing with a lot and needed a calm space to recover. In fact, Qui-Gon realized that this was probably not the ideal place for Obi-Wan to restore his sanity.

So, with Obi-Wan still weak and battling the Dark Side within his soul, Qui-Gon threw his padawan's arm over his shoulder and hoisted him up from the floor. Obi-Wan's first reaction was to tense up, followed by wiggling furiously to throw himself off, but Qui-Gon kept a firm grip on him.

"It's okay, Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon quieted his padawan. "I got you. Taking you somewhere to recover."

Obi-Wan didn't believe him. "Put me down!" he whined. "Don't… let me go!"

Qui-Gon did not and he traveled with Obi-Wan squirming to pull away until they reached the destination he wanted. Qui-Gon unlocked the door with the Force and entered. The room had no windows. Nothing to distract or stimulate anything. There were a few pillows and a small sleep pad that Qui-Gon arranged and put Obi-Wan down on top of them.

Obi-Wan tried to shoot back up, but Qui-Gon pushed him down. "You're ill, Obi-Wan," he said. "You need rest."

"I need to get away from you!" Obi-Wan half-screamed and went back to fighting him.

Qui-Gon pushed Obi-Wan back down and held him there. "You need rest!" he fired back. "You're not in the right mind to think. You nearly hurt Anakin and if I hadn't shown up, you would have harmed Joline." Qui-Gon paused to take a breath as Obi-Wan stopped fidgeting. "Is that what you want?"

Obi-Wan stared up at him, nose flared and eyes red from pure exhaustion, pain and being sick. "I want to be free," he snarled back.

"You are free," Qui-Gon returned, tired of the repeated arguments. "But to Sith's hells will I let you loose to go and do something regrettable."

"Why do you care?" Obi-Wan shot back. "Isn't this what you want? This is what you wanted me to become!"

"No," Qui-Gon stressed. "I want you to be better. You are letting things cloud your thoughts. It's affecting your mind and actions."

Obi-Wan let out a bark of delirious laughter as he rolled to his side, head dropping off the pillow to the floor. "That's the Dark Side, Master," he said between his shallowed breaths. "It's how it works. You can't control it. It controls you."

Qui-Gon refrained from rolling his eyes at his padawan. He still had much to learn about that aspect of the Force. "You need rest, Obi-Wan," he said. "You're ill. You need sleep."

"I need to get away."

"Then close your eyes."

"It doesn't change anything."

"It will at least give you peace. If only for an hour or so."

Obi-Wan didn't say anything right away. His cheeks were hollowed and his fingers curled and uncurled in stressed gestures. His eyes rounding up to Qui-Gon with a plea. "Why? Just tell me why?"

"Why what?" Qui-Gon asked, although he was certain he already knew.

Obi-Wan's breathing came under control. He was sweating less and less and the chills rescinded a bit as well. "Why do you want me to feel this way?"

"I don't," Qui-Gon truthfully answered. It hurt him as much as it hurt Obi-Wan to see his padawan in such pain. But it will be better soon. If only Obi-Wan relaxed and let himself sleep to recover. "As I said, the first time is the hardest. It'll get better as you use it more."

Obi-Wan's face worsened a bit. He turned his head away, looking elsewhere with defeated eyes. "I don't think so," he replied in such soft tones that Qui-Gon had to strain his ears to hear. "It only gets worse."

Hondo sat in his captain's seat. He heard the grumbling of his fellow pirates murmuring behind him as he got his ship prepared for this insane mission. All for two damsel in distresses.

The chosen Jedi to infiltrate the planet stood beside him, talking over points in the mission. What he needed to look for, watch out for, and be prepared for, etc. It was all annoying to him.

He nodded along in hopes they would shut up. He didn't give a crap what they were saying. He was here for one reason—gold!

Oh… and to pay of his life debt to Kenobi and Skywalker. That's more of a bonus.

The youngest Jedi walked up to him, arms crossed. His yellow striped eyes critically glared at them. "Think you can handle it?" he mockingly antagonized him.

Hondo scoffed at the Jedi's attempt to insult. "Says a Jedi who had to ask a pirate for him to begin with, eh?"

That certainly silenced the little nuisance up. Hondo steered the ship up and ready, prepared to put on the cloaking device once they exited Naboo's atmosphere. He checked the beacon signal. They system worked, ready to translate the coded message to the awaiting ships once they infiltrated Serenno.

The tall Jedi Master with the roaming robotic eye loomed over him, staring out through the viewport. "We are an important moment."

Hondo wished Jedi would simply be the quiet monks they pretended to be. "Uh-huh."

The Jedi's robotic eye turned down to him. "I know your thoughts are only on the gold, but you are about to partake in a critical moment of the galaxy's history," he said to the pirate. "If we should fail, the galaxy would fall into chaos."

"Don't really care," Hondo said. "After all, my life revolves around chaos. It's how I thrive!"

"Yes… I can see that," the Jedi Master scanned his surroundings, taking in the junk and pitiful décor of the ship. "Nonetheless, if we fail, everything will change. And not for the better."

Hondo blew a raspberry. "I think you need to get a new eye," he sneered. "I'm not your boy toy here. Stop boring me with your lame philosophies."

The Jedi Master smiled at that. "I suppose you are right," he said after a moment. "Nothing will change for you. Always on the run. Constantly moving about to avoid capture. Stealing. Killing. Pillaging. I dare say you will fit in quite well if this all goes wrong."

"But it won't go wrong, will it?"

Hondo scrunched up his brows, perplexed by the sudden voice that sounded like… well, it sounded like a girl! He spun in his chair as the Jedi snapped to his right to see a young individual, dressed in trousers, tunics and boots like a rebel soldier. A hood hung over its head, but it was lowered, revealing the young, but beautiful face of a woman.

Hondo squeaked, surprised by her appearance and wondering where the Sith hells she came from. The Jedi, on the other hand, recognized her instantly.

"Your Highness," he began, turning to face her fully as everyone in the ship suddenly quietened. They took were shocked by her sudden appearance on board the ship. "What are you doing here?"

"I've come to assist in the mission."

"You were not supposed to come," the Jedi Master reminded her. "Naboo was to remain out of it."

"I do not come as the queen, but as Padmé," the Queen of Naboo—or Padmé—answered, not at all threatened by the Jedi's disapproval. "I am here to help in rescuing Anakin and Obi-Wan."

Hondo watched as the Jedi shook his head. "No—it's too dangerous," he rejected her tribute. "We cannot protect you and rescue Kenobi and Skywalker. You will jeopardize the mission."

"That is not my intention," she answered, unemotional. "I do not ask for your protection."

"But you will receive it nonetheless if you join us," the Jedi Master said, annoyed. "You being here will bring trouble. You are a liability." His nostrils flared up, breathing out hot air. "You will have to stay on the ship. It is the only way to guarantee your safety."

Hondo smiled. "Certainly! We would love to entertain royalty on our ship," he said, gesturing a welcoming embrace to the Queen. "We do like to dabble in hospitality every now and then for our, um, guests."

The Queen of Naboo did not move to him. Only eyed him with a dangerous look that made Hondo retreat back into his seat. The Queen returned to the Jedi. "I do not ask for any guarantees on my safety," she said to him. "I only ask to help save my friends."

"You will only endanger their lives."

"How so?" the Queen challenged. "Because you will feel obligated to keep me from harm? Again, I do not ask you to protect me. I can protect myself very well without your assistance. I have done so many times in the past month. I can do it again."

Oooh, she's full of spunk! Hondo gleaned as he watched the Jedi and the Queen face off one another. His admiration of the Queen continued to enamor him. She would make a fine pirate wife if she wasn't full of righteousness.

The Jedi didn't believe her. "We are about to embark a dangerous mission, Your Highness," said the Jedi Master. "It is impertinent to the entire galaxy that we do not fail."

The young Queen's stoic determination never wavered. Damn! Hondo thought, the girl was as insane as beautiful. "You may continue to disapprove of this decision, but it will not change my mind," Padmé addressed the Jedi. "As you said, it is impertinent we do not fail. You can use all the help you need to ensure it doesn't."

She strolled to a random seat and buckled herself in. "I owe Kenobi and Skywalker a life debt of my own," she continued to speak directly to the dubious Jedi. "More than that, they are my friends. I don't abandon my friends."

The Jedi all exchanged odd glances. It was too late to turn back now. The Queen of Naboo—or Padmé as she preferred at the moment since she was no longer dressed to impress—was now a new member of this rag team.

The Jedi leader frustratingly sighed. "Very well," he said, "but I am warning you now, Your Highness. This is a dangerous mission and I strongly advise you to sit it out. We don't want anything to happen to you."

Padmé returned with a hard glare of her own. "I can protect myself," she countered. "After all, I did win my planet back."

Hondo nodded in concession, which earned him an unfavorable glances from the Jedi. "What? I heard she kicked the Trade Federation's asses," he said, to which made a few more Jedi frown. "What? Everyone knows!"

Padmé smiled as the Jedi shrugged in annoyance at the sudden change of plans. Hondo returned to piloting, directing his spaceship on the warpath to Serenno. This was definitely going to be a shit show.

He should have asked for more gold.