Chapter 4
Luminara extended her senses before she opened her eyes. He was here. As always. Ready for another T&T session, as she liked to call them. Taunt and Torture.
She gasped as an unexpected bolt of dark electricity spread through her system. "Just a mild jolt, *Master* Unduli. Just a wake up call. I wanted to tell you your Padawan's come looking for you. She's on the planet. Should I bring her in? We could make a party of it." His low chuckle filled the room.
When she had recovered enough to speak she said in a pain filled, husky voice, "You expect me to believe that, Xanatos? You're just trying to get at me."
"Choose to believe that if you want. But you have made my decision for me. You'll soon see that I wasn't taunting you, but I believe that your apprentice will be a fine device to continue your torture with, don't you?"
"No Xanatos. You don't have to do this. You can come back to the light. If you repent the Council will go easy on you." Luminara gasped as the electricity burned through her body once more.
"I'm not stupid, Master Unduli. The light side isn't as fun as the Dark. It's very invigorating, really. Being able to do whatever you want. No, I've got a better idea. You join me on the Dark Side." He got up to leave. "I'll leave you to ponder this."
He left the room without incident. Luminara stared at the door in disbelief. He hadn't tortured her to the point of unconsciousness like he normally did. That was a shock. It was almost as if he was letting her recover. As if daring her to try to escape. She wouldn't fall for his trap. At least not yet.
* * *
Bariss couldn't stop fidgeting in her seat. The young Padawan had been feeling her Master's pain for quite some time now, so much so that she had had to withdraw from their bond a little bit. She regretted having to, but at one point the pain had gotten so bad she had fainted from it. But now that they arrived on planet, she had begun not feeling *any* pain from her Master. She'd even opened up their bond to the fullest and still felt nothing. *That* made her nervous.
They had arrived on planet two days ago, and now that they had no leads they had decided to go to the rather small law enforcement agency on the planet. Obi Wan had entered the cluttered office of the senior Sergeant, but because of the mess, Anakin and Bariss had decided to stay in the hallway.
"We'll find Master Unduli, Bariss. I promise you." Anakin looked genuinely worried for the likeable Jedi Master.
"I know that, Anakin. I believe you. What really worries me is that I can't feel anything from her. Not her emotions, her pain, or even her mind. I *know* I would've sensed her if she had-" She broke off at the concept.
"You would've, Bariss, you would've. We'll find your Master. Alive and well, I'm sure of it."
"It's not that, Anakin. I know she's alive. It's just. It's just that it feels as though our training bond has been broken. On her end. I don't know. I've tried meditating, but that hasn't worked and-"
"Excuse me, but I heard that there were some Jedi here who wanted to know about another Jedi being here?" A slender, old man interrupted Bariss' foreboding speech. "Are you those Jedi?"
"Yes, we're here trying to find our friend. Can you help us?" Anakin asked diplomatically.
"Yes. I'll tell you what I know. I saw him last running down an alleyway, I'll show you which one after I've told you everything if you'd like."
Bariss and Anakin exchanged glances. He? "That would be very helpful."
"He had some makeup on, to make his face look really pale, and he'd also painted a circular scar on his face, except the scar was broken. He had lot's of other little scars on his face, but none of those were as prominent."
Obi Wan Kenobi chose that moment to walk out of the office. "I've got nothing. Who's this?" He asked his charges, gesturing to the aging man.
"He has a lead on the Jedi, except it's not Master Luminara. He said the Jedi that he saw was a man, pale skin with lot's of scars and a very outstanding scar on his face, a broken circle." Bariss took one look at Master Obi Wan and added, "Are you feeling alright, Master? You look like you've seen a ghost."
He shook off the thought and asked, "How did you know he was a Jedi?"
"Why, he was waving a red lightsaber around." The old man looked as puzzled as Bariss and Anakin.
"Come along, apprentices. I'll explain on the way."
TBC....
Luminara extended her senses before she opened her eyes. He was here. As always. Ready for another T&T session, as she liked to call them. Taunt and Torture.
She gasped as an unexpected bolt of dark electricity spread through her system. "Just a mild jolt, *Master* Unduli. Just a wake up call. I wanted to tell you your Padawan's come looking for you. She's on the planet. Should I bring her in? We could make a party of it." His low chuckle filled the room.
When she had recovered enough to speak she said in a pain filled, husky voice, "You expect me to believe that, Xanatos? You're just trying to get at me."
"Choose to believe that if you want. But you have made my decision for me. You'll soon see that I wasn't taunting you, but I believe that your apprentice will be a fine device to continue your torture with, don't you?"
"No Xanatos. You don't have to do this. You can come back to the light. If you repent the Council will go easy on you." Luminara gasped as the electricity burned through her body once more.
"I'm not stupid, Master Unduli. The light side isn't as fun as the Dark. It's very invigorating, really. Being able to do whatever you want. No, I've got a better idea. You join me on the Dark Side." He got up to leave. "I'll leave you to ponder this."
He left the room without incident. Luminara stared at the door in disbelief. He hadn't tortured her to the point of unconsciousness like he normally did. That was a shock. It was almost as if he was letting her recover. As if daring her to try to escape. She wouldn't fall for his trap. At least not yet.
* * *
Bariss couldn't stop fidgeting in her seat. The young Padawan had been feeling her Master's pain for quite some time now, so much so that she had had to withdraw from their bond a little bit. She regretted having to, but at one point the pain had gotten so bad she had fainted from it. But now that they arrived on planet, she had begun not feeling *any* pain from her Master. She'd even opened up their bond to the fullest and still felt nothing. *That* made her nervous.
They had arrived on planet two days ago, and now that they had no leads they had decided to go to the rather small law enforcement agency on the planet. Obi Wan had entered the cluttered office of the senior Sergeant, but because of the mess, Anakin and Bariss had decided to stay in the hallway.
"We'll find Master Unduli, Bariss. I promise you." Anakin looked genuinely worried for the likeable Jedi Master.
"I know that, Anakin. I believe you. What really worries me is that I can't feel anything from her. Not her emotions, her pain, or even her mind. I *know* I would've sensed her if she had-" She broke off at the concept.
"You would've, Bariss, you would've. We'll find your Master. Alive and well, I'm sure of it."
"It's not that, Anakin. I know she's alive. It's just. It's just that it feels as though our training bond has been broken. On her end. I don't know. I've tried meditating, but that hasn't worked and-"
"Excuse me, but I heard that there were some Jedi here who wanted to know about another Jedi being here?" A slender, old man interrupted Bariss' foreboding speech. "Are you those Jedi?"
"Yes, we're here trying to find our friend. Can you help us?" Anakin asked diplomatically.
"Yes. I'll tell you what I know. I saw him last running down an alleyway, I'll show you which one after I've told you everything if you'd like."
Bariss and Anakin exchanged glances. He? "That would be very helpful."
"He had some makeup on, to make his face look really pale, and he'd also painted a circular scar on his face, except the scar was broken. He had lot's of other little scars on his face, but none of those were as prominent."
Obi Wan Kenobi chose that moment to walk out of the office. "I've got nothing. Who's this?" He asked his charges, gesturing to the aging man.
"He has a lead on the Jedi, except it's not Master Luminara. He said the Jedi that he saw was a man, pale skin with lot's of scars and a very outstanding scar on his face, a broken circle." Bariss took one look at Master Obi Wan and added, "Are you feeling alright, Master? You look like you've seen a ghost."
He shook off the thought and asked, "How did you know he was a Jedi?"
"Why, he was waving a red lightsaber around." The old man looked as puzzled as Bariss and Anakin.
"Come along, apprentices. I'll explain on the way."
TBC....