I am sorry for the delay on this chapter. It was particularly difficult to get it to do what I wanted. That said, enjoy. There is a lot going on here.
Trigger Warning: Torture
Betterways - This chapter is really going to move Xanatos' involvement in this whole mess forward.
Phoenixie - Cue rescue missing. I will keep you guessing on who you might see.
Beloved Daughter - If you love and hate Xanatos at the same time, then I will have achieved my purpose.
Chapter 32
/"Die Jedi … die Jedi … die Jedi … die Jedi … die Jedi … die Jedi … die Jedi … die Jedi …"/
Sidious allowed himself a smile as he stepped into the room. The Holocron had done its job, leaving the room a vortex of darkness in the Force. Still, Kenobi shined brightly, a lone star in deep space clinging futilely to the light. It was apparent it would take more time than he had for despair to chip away at that brilliant resolve. He needed to proceed with other strategies.
The Sith master turned on the physical lights, watching as Kenobi squinted, shifting against the bright invasion. The Jedi instinctively reached for the Force to hone his senses and compensate for the temporary blindness only to retreat from the Darkside energies as though burned. He blinked furiously, trying to adjust to the light, obviously not wanting to be caught off guard by being unable to see.
"Master Kenobi, I do hope you are ready for your next lesson."
Eyes now accustomed to the light looked up, but the Jedi remained silent.
"You should take it as a compliment that I have chosen you to be my apprentice. It is a position for which many would kill."
"I'm not your apprentice," Kenobi rasped out, mouth obviously dry. This close, he could see that the Jedi was desperately trying to resist shivering. Sidious had purposely left it cold. Not enough for the Jedi to succumb to hypothermia, but enough to be terribly distracting.
"You will only grow weaker from here - thirst, hunger, isolation from your precious Light, cold - not to mention how horribly uncomfortable your arms must be by now," the Sith soothed in a kindly voice. "Let's skip this untasteful necessity and move on to you achieving your true potential."
His only response was a gaze filled with heated venom. Good, he could work with that; anger simmered right below the surface of Jedi calm.
"Very well, then. Do remember that I tried to spare you from this."
Sidious extended his hand, electricity easily flowing from his fingertips. As it engulfed him, Kenobi tried to curl up, find any way to protect himself, but the rigid frame kept his arms stretched forward and his posture upright. The unyielding current continued to course through him until Kenobi eventually cried out.
Sidious paused after a moment. He had no interest in permanently damaging his prize, only weakening and angering him. The Sith approached, pressing one hand out to the Jedi's forehead, and pushed hard against the boundaries of his mind through the Force. He glimpsed a moment of Kenobi's thoughts. Amusingly, it was not fear of physical pain or isolation or even death that Sidious sensed, but fear of losing his soul. As anticipated, Kenobi shored up his shielding, leaving the real goal exposed. The Sith quickly found that place in his mind where the Jedi master was connected to the one he cared about most … his padawan.
"No!" Kenobi called out audibly, drawing on the Force around him even despite the Darkness to shove Sidious away.
"Give in and I will spare him." Sidious chuckled. "Do you really think you have the strength to protect your mind and his too … My Apprentice."
"I will do what I must," Kenobi ground out in conviction. The words seemed to hold great meaning to the Jedi master, bolstering his strength.
"So be it," Sidious replied as he reached into a pouch in his cloak and pulled out yet another Sith artifact. He pressed the crystal against the Jedi's forehead, feeling the exponential increase in power as he roughly pushed shields away and followed it along to the padawan.
Kenobi's effort was valiant, he had to admit, a reflection of how powerful the Jedi was. But in his weakened state, he was no match for the relic. Sidious pressed ahead only to run into strong, unyielding shields. That mind pushed back angrily.
Curious. The mysterious presence was obviously connected to and protective of the apprentice - perhaps the father, the "fallen Jedi", over which Kenobi had shown so much concern.
"Very well," the Sith murmured. It was time to send a message. Sidious sent out a push in the Force born of his frustration and anger at the unforeseen delay, a battering ram ripping at Kenobi's mind. The Jedi cried out in pain before losing consciousness.
Xanatos opened his eyes, startled, and looked around the lounge area of his ship, orienting himself to his surroundings. Underestimating the Sith that held Kenobi was a mistake he would not make again. He had been caught off guard by the savage attack on the Jedi master's mind but had managed to keep the shields protecting Crion strong even as he lost consciousness. A quick glance to the chronometer showed he hadn't been out long this time. Xanatos spied the hypospray sitting on the table nearby and was glad Soren had chosen to accompany him. Even now, he could sense his loyal employee and friend in the cockpit checking on their course, giving him time to meditate and sort out what was going on in his head.
Though Xanatos didn't understand how or why he was connected to Kenobi, it was apparent the Sith wanted to harm the Jedi master by hurting Crion. He emptied the hypospray into his neck to relieve the pain buzzing in his head. It was going to be imperative that he keep a clear mind and stay as centered in the Force as possible so that he could protect his son.
A fluttering of consciousness brushed against his shields, warm and full of light. It seemed he was the only lifeline Kenobi had at the moment. Xanatos wasn't sure how he felt about it, but the Force seemed to have left them little choice. He could do this for Crion's sake he decided as he eased up a little on his shields, still remaining cautious in case the Sith was waiting.
"Die Jedi … die Jedi … die Jedi … die Jedi … die Jedi … die Jedi … die Jedi … die Jedi …"
The chanting was still there. Just the echo of the chorus was annoying. It had to be maddening for Kenobi to be in direct contact with whatever it was.
"Still with me?" he whispered into his mind.
"Unfortunately," came the surprisingly clear, nearly audible response after a moment.
/Why Xanatos of all people … why couldn't it be Qui-Gon … at least it's not Crion./
The random thoughts leaked through Kenobi's tattered mental shields. It seemed the Jedi wasn't thrilled with their situation either, not that Xanatos blamed him.
/ Left me unbound … should look for a way out … /
Xanatos sensed a rush of vertigo, probably Kenobi trying to stand up and move around.
"If he left you unbound, there is no way out," Xanatos whispered.
"Aren't you a ray of sunshine," came the reply, dripping with sarcasm.
/I didn't project anything … thought that … he can hear my thoughts now?/
"The connection is stronger," Xanatos pointed out, realizing they were actually having some sort of a conversation despite the distance. "And your shields are a bit thin at the moment."
"The Sith used an artifact … some sort of crystal. It is very powerful. I've never sensed anything like it before," Kenobi replied.
/Probably seared our minds together from the feel of it … cheerful thought … damn … he probably heard that./
Kenobi was still up and walking around the room, disjointed thoughts working their way through his mind.
/Left food … water … change of clothing … black of course … serious about this apprentice idea … warmer than what I am wearing … wish the chanting would stop … where is that blasted Holocron anyhow … /
"The food or water is probably drugged,"
Xanatos cautioned.
"I know that," Kenobi bit back. "It's not my first time being held captive."
/Have to drink it … thirsty … can't afford dehydration … drugged maybe, but probably not poisoned … seems to want me alive .../
"I am just trying to help," Xanatos whispered, breaking into the flurry of thoughts.
/Why does he care … would probably prefer me dead … /
"The only thing that matters to Crion right now is finding you alive and although I know you doubt it, I love my son more than anything. That's why I care."
Xanatos didn't hear anything for a couple of minutes and was afraid he had lost the Jedi master.
"I apologize if I have been hostile. I'm a bit frayed right now and not entirely myself," Kenobi whispered.
/I have to get out of here … I don't know how long I can hold out against that crystal … no choice … have to center myself .../
Xanatos could sense the Jedi master's shields begin to strengthen and was glad he was pulling himself together.
"The Sith has realized someone is protecting Crion's mind. He will focus all his efforts on you now," Xanatos warned. "Don't waste energy shielding Crion."
"He is my Padawan …"
"He's my son …"
"I do not know how the Force has linked our minds, but please understand that I still don't trust you," Kenobi replied honestly. "The first time I met you, you tried to kill Qui-Gon and I. The second time, you took my apprentice."
Xanatos sat in silence for a moment. He wanted to lash out and defend his actions, rage at how he had been wronged by the Jedi. However, Kenobi's frustration at having his mind ripped open and laid bare in front of someone he considered an enemy swirled in the Force between them. Perhaps vulnerability was needed over anger in this case.
The former Jedi searched his memories until he found that moment, the one where a doctor had placed a fearful, crying infant in his arms for the first time. He loosened his shields and released the memory, letting it wash over the Jedi master. Tears began to trickle down Xanatos' face as he relived the powerful emotions he had felt in that one instant. While he had cared for individuals in his life on some level to that point, never before had he experienced the love he felt for the tiny being in his arms - someone so small and vulnerable, someone he wouldn't hesitate to die to protect.
"He's all I have," Xanatos offered.
"I am sorry you lost him," Kenobi replied after a moment. "I didn't know …"
"I am hardly a saint," Xanatos whispered with a dry chuckle. "Neither am I the man you met on Bandomeer … not anymore. One thing you can trust is that I will protect Crion with my life if I must … and I will do everything in my power to find you for his sake. You have to do your part and be alive to rescue."
/Definitely something in the water … have to stay awake .../
Kenobi's thoughts were quickly becoming sluggish.
"Don't fight it," Xanatos chided. "I can sense your exhaustion … you need to rest. He wants you to waste energy fighting it."
The Jedi master drifted to sleep, leaving Xanatos alone in his thoughts as the ship came out of hyperspace.
"Here already," he murmured.
Time was short. Soren's best guess was that Crion was headed to see Naid Gaden first. Of all the people on Kyatn IV, Naid was probably the one who wanted Xanatos to suffer the most.