Disclaimer: You know the drill. They belong to the One in Flannel, not us. Don't sue the nice authors.
Again, apologies for that last update being so slow, this is to make up for it. I'm going to be gone the next couple of days with no hope of writing, so it'll be a while before I can update again. And while it takes seeing Padme alive to bring warm feelings to Master Yoda's heart, it only takes good reviews for us. (hinthint)
Chapter IV: A Minor Obstacle
Xanatos bent over the two girls where they were napping and shook their shoulders.
"Kai, Ele, it's time to go now. Wake up."
Instantly alert, the two sprung out of bed. Silently moving about, they went over to where Qui-Gon was standing by the door. Nodding once, he drew it open, and, without saying a word, stepped into the hallway, his Padawan and the two girls trailing behind noiselessly. Keeping to the back corridors of the humongous palace, guessing at turns, they eventually made their way to a small exit that seemed to be unguarded. As soon as they got out into the open air of the city, they all breathed a sigh of relief.
"Well, that was easy enough so far," whispered Xanatos. "Just like I said, those idiots inside aren't paying any attention at all."
Striding quickly into Jabba's throne room, Bib Fortuna bowed briskly before the Hutt before starting his report.
"The Jedi have left the palace, Lord Jabba, and have taken the girls with them. They haven't been gone long, we can most likely track them easily. What do you wish of us, O Jabba?"
"Find them. Bring them to me, alive." He pointed to some shady-looking figures in a corner. Bounty hunters, and some of Mos Eisley's best. "You will lead them as far as you can. They will take it from there."
Fortuna bowed, and, gesturing to the 6 figures in the corner to follow him, walked briskly back out the doorway where he had come, to the exit the Jedi had used. They would not disappoint their Master.
The back alleys of Mos Eisley were crowded, just as the Jedi had expected. Fortunately for them, since Tatooine was so far from the Republic, they were not recognized as Jedi, and the thick throngs of people provided good cover for all but Qui-Gon, who was tall enough to stand out easily in a crowd. They had decided to slow down to a more relaxed pace, if they traveled too quickly, it would draw attention to themselves, and the twins were not accustomed to running long distances through the city. But when they were almost out of the city, they turned into a dead end street.
It was quieter, there were few people in the cramped alley. Looking around, the Jedi saw most people seeming to avoid it, except for a small group of 4 men. After the group had gotten out of the mainstream traffic, they all reached into their belts and pulled out blasters, facing the Jedi and blocking off the entry to the alley. The one in the center stepped forward.
"Stop there, Jedi, we have you surrounded. There are some more behind you, you'll find it difficult to escape that way. You've got somethings the Great Jabba wants, and he's paying us well to get you to him. Just come quietly and we won't have to hurt you."
"Get your 'saber ready, Xani, but don't use it until necessary." Qui-Gon murmured quietly. "Girls, stay close to us, if blaster bolts start flying, hide behind us. We'll protect you." Then he raised his voice.
"You don't want to bother us. We can continue to our ship undisturbed." As he spoke, he subtly waved his right hand in front of his chest. However, the men just laughed.
"So, Jedi, trying to use your mind tricks? They won't work on us, too bad. We're giving you one more chance to come quietly, Jabba wants you alive, but he didn't say anything about being unharmed."
In response, the Jedi merely pulled out their sabers.
"We do not wish to harm you, but if you force us to, we will. Leave us in peace."
The air was suddenly humming with the sound of blaster shots. Coming from all directions, they rained down upon the Jedi, who were fortunate enough to have ignited their sabers in time, sending them ricocheting back around the alley's walls. Kai and Ele huddled in the dirt at the Jedi's feet, as the two stood tall above them, green and blue sabers flashing brilliantly.
"Concentrate, Padawan, your focus is slipping. Reach out with the Force to sense the bolts coming at you, and try to protect the girls as well, I think that they might be more valuable than either of us."
"Yes, Master, I'm try- AAGH!"
Xanatos crumpled to the ground, clasping his shoulder. A stray bolt had hit him while he was talking, numbing his 'saber arm, and, as another hit his unguarded leg to prevent him from standing, caused him to pass out from the pain. Now Qui-Gon fought alone.
At the sight of his fallen apprentice, the adrenaline from battle in his blood increased twofold, and he deflected blaster bolts with new rush of energy. One flew right back to the man who had shot it, punching into his chest, ripping into his lungs as he fell to the ground. Spinning gracefully, Qui-Gon cut through a man who had ventured to close to his deadly green blade. But still, there were four more men sending bolts his way. And towards the children-
He spared an instant to glance back at where the girls were on the ground by his Padawan. Ele had knelt at his side, and Kai was searching the ground nearby. Turning his attention back to the fight, he was distracted almost immediately by the sight of a blue pillar of light back towards the girls. /One of the thugs must have gotten Xani's 'saber- this can't be good./ Looking over his shoulder again, he was startled to see that wielding the blade was Kai, not one of the thugs. The little girl stood over her sister and Xanatos, trying to look menacing, but obviously having almost no idea what to do with the saber.
Seeing the blue blade, the blaster fire started to rain even more in the direction of the girls. Qui-Gon watched in horror as Kai managed to deflect on shot, but the saber was knocked out of her hand and out of reach. It was then that he realized that he hadn't been guarding himself, and in the corner of his eye saw one of the thugs behind him. Spinning around, he noticed that he had powered off his lightsaber in his distraction, even as the thug kicked him in the stomach and hammered his fist into the base of his skull. Hard.
As he fell to the ground, blackness tinging the edges of his vision, the last thing he saw was one of the men, who had been advancing on the girls, flying backwards into a wall, accompanied with a touch in the Force- then he fell into unconsciousness.
Nodding briskly, the thug turned the Jedi over on his back with a heavily booted toe. "Yep, he's out. Conk the girls, will ya?" One of the men strode over to the girls, one of them collapsed on the ground and breathing hard, the other kneeling, unaware, over the other Jedi. Casually, he knocked them both in the head, then picked them up and deposited them next to the Jedi.
"Excellent. How many did we lose?"
"Two, sir, and one unconscious. The rest of us can get the prisoners to the speeder easily enough."
"Good. Now, let's get them back to Jabba, and get our lovely rewards."
When they awoke, the Jedi and the twins found themselves in a small, damp stone room, chained to the walls. Xanatos still had a dead arm and leg from the blaster shots, and Qui-Gon had a splitting headache. Kai was still out cold, and Ele was curled up right next to her, clinging to her sister. Both the Jedi could feel the Force flowing between the two. Thinking this through, while noting that their injuries could be a definite obstacle, Qui-Gon remembered what he had seen Ele do when they had first met. Healing.
"Ele."
Though he spoke only in a low whisper, she jerked her head up suddenly, though she still clung protectively to Kai.
"Yes, Master Jinn?"
/She still trusts me, although I've landed us in prison and allowed her sister to be hurt. Such young innocence./
"I was wondering what exactly you were doing with your sister. If it's the same as what you did when we met, it's some type of healing, correct?"
"I- I think it is. It makes her feel better, and sometimes her cuts and bruises even go away. I think it's to do with the Force that you mentioned. It's that power that I felt. I hope I can help her..."
An idea was starting to form in Qui-Gon's head.
"Do you think that you could try it on anyone else, and focus the healing on a certain part of their body? If so, my Padawan looks like he could use some help, and I certainly have quite a headache. Would you be willing to try?"
Looking only slightly daunted, she nodded. "Anything to help. I'll see if i can do anything."
With that, she crawled over to where Xanatos lay sprawled on the floor. Kneeling at his side, she placed her hands over the blaster wound and closed her eyes. Reaching out into the familiar well of power and warmth around her, twining it around her mental fingers, she directed into her hands, and down into the apprentice's shoulder, channeling it through herself. After an indeterminable amount of time, she looked down to see the skin healed together with an almost invisible scar, and, using this odd sixth sense, somehow knew that even under the skin, it was better. Looking around her, she saw that the Padawan was asleep, and Kai and Qui-Gon were watching her intently.
"Like that?" she questioned.
Qui-Gon leaned over as far as he could against his chains.
"Yes... that's incredible. All the more reason to get you out of here and to the Temple. You look absolutely exhausted, i don't think you should try the other wound, though. I daresay that we'll have plenty of time to ourselves here, rest a bit first."
Kai smiled at that. "No, she doesn't really."
"What do you mean? She looks dead on her feet."
Kai crawled over to where Ele was kneeling, and sat so the two faced each other. Ele bowed her head, allowing Kai to place her hands on her temples. Kai drew in the Force around her, letting it flow through her and into her sister. She was perfectly open, a conduit for the power to channel clearly. Linked together, the Force ran between the two girls, giving the weary Ele energy without pulling on the reserves of her sister. Soon, Kai drew her hands away from her sister, embracing her. When she released her, Ele was smiling contentedly.
"Thank you, sister, that worked excellently. I feel far better now."
Amazed, Qui-Gon reached out to sense both the girls. They were full of energy, whereas one had been nearly dead on her feet moments before, and the other not too much better. /Force knows, they look better than I feel right now. But that was incredible, I've never seen anything like it before. The healing yes, to a point, but never so quickly, or by an untrained six-year-old. But this? It's unheard of, I've never seen anything like it. A transfer of energy where both parties were revitalized by the Force, neither one tired out. This is getting more and more interesting.../
"How did you do that?"
Both shrugged. "Don't know." answered Kai. "I do it every time that Ele wears herself out trying to heal me after a bad beating. She's usually tired afterwards, as am I, but I can just reach out for that power and direct it into both of us easily enough. Is it a bad thing?"
Qui-Gon chuckled. "No, not at all, young one. Indeed, it appears to be most useful. Do you think you could do it for someone else, not just your twin?"
Kai frowned thoughtfully. "I don't know. I could try it, if you want."
He nodded. "Here, come over to me, see if you can lend me some Force-energy."
She shuffled over, pulling on her chains. She knelt in front of him, as she had done for her sister, and placed her small hands on the sides of his face. Taking a deep breath, she went into what the Jedi master recognized as a light meditative trance, reaching out around her, gathering in the Force. He felt himself being pulled along into a peaceful state, and allowed himself to be pulled willingly, though keeping his Force-senses aware and ready. Using them to look around, he saw the girl in front of him almost glowing, and felt a sudden impact of pure energy and warmth streaming into him. He saw the Force within him as he never had before, strong and reassuring. When Kai broke off the link, he almost wished that the peaceful sensation could have continued forever.
"That was an incredible experience, young one. With some more specific Jedi training, that skill could likely save many lives, and, even as it is, is most useful. I can see why you've learned to utilize it."
He turned to Xanatos to see Ele leaning over the wound in his leg, almost completed with the healing.
"Do you suppose you could do the same for my Padawan?"
Kai smiled broadly this time.
"Of course, Master Jinn. I would be happy to, as soon as Ele finishes with her healing job there."
After everyone was in the best condition possible considering their situation, they leaned up against the walls and just sat and talked for a while, telling stories. Kai and Ele soon dropped off to sleep, tired even for their reenergizing with the Force, and Xanatos soon followed. Qui-Gon, however, sat and meditated for a time, until he, too, decided that, with the uncertain circumstances, some sleep might be in order for him as well.
They were awakened by a loud pounding at the door the next morning. A set of guards strode in, kicking the prisoners awake. Following them was Bib Fortuna.
"The Exalted Jabba wishes to see you. He has some special treatment for the girls there, and for you Jedi- well, if he's merciful, he might kill you quickly and painlessly. Doubtful, though. He doesn't like it when people try and run off with his property."
The guards bent down and fastened iron manacles to the prisoners' wrists, then jerked them to their feet, dragging them out into the hall. Qui-Gon took the lead, with the girls in the middle, and Xanatos bringing up the rear. Fortuna gestured at the guards to follow them, ad they did, pulling the captives in tow behind them through the maze of Jabba's palace. When they reached the door to the throne room, Fortuna turned back to the prisoners. I'm glad to see that you're being so cooperative. It might make this easier for you. Now, we'd best not keep His Excellency waiting, should we?"
With an evil grin, he opened the door.
I know that Anij shall be much angered by her crazy twin posting yet another chapter without her editing, but that's her problem, right? So here ya go, should keep you occupied until I get back. Please forgive the cliffie, I really didn't mean to, but it's a good stopping point for now. (evil laugh) mwahahaha... (don't listen to crazy sleep-deprived author)
-Yaviƫ Jinn
