Chapter 12

( Is this the end, or is this just the beginning? )

It was cold, frighteningly cold. Obi-Wan vaguely wondered if this was what death felt like. His cold detachment to the subject should have worried him, but it didn't. He was ready to face death now, ready to be her next victim.

( But it wasnot to be. )

"Wakey, wakey little kitten. It's time to get up. I have a present for you sunshine." Obi-Wan ignored Helena. Keeping his eyes shut, he leaned his head against the wall hoping to incur her wrath. He felt Dei'ma approach him, but he didn't care anymore. Obi-Wan clenched his eyes shut and waited for it to begin, but what he expected was not what he saw when he slowly opened his eyes.

Kneeling in the middle of the floor, with his hands tied behind his back and his own weapon held firmly to his neck, was the great Qui-Gon Jinn at the mercy of two worthless bounty hunters.

"Prepare to say goodbye, kitten."

"No…" Obi-Wan was horrified at the sight of his captured Master. This can't be happening, this can't be happening. He whispered in his mind, but it was happening. Obi-Wan looked up at his Master. They may not have had the greatest relationship, but Obi-Wan still cared about the man. But maybe his feelings were misplaced.

"You failed me, Obi-Wan." Shocked, Obi-Wan stared at his Master searching for some indication that this was all a joke, but there was nothing, only a grave sincerity and an anger, almost bordering on hate was glimmering from the depths of Qui-Gon's eyes. Why would Qui-Gon lie about something like this?

"I trusted you, but you failed me Obi-Wan." Everything, but the man kneeling in front of him, faded from Obi-Wan's vision and his world began to blur as tears formed in his eyes. "How could I have been so stupid to take such a worthless Padawan? You mean nothing to me Obi-Wan. You are nothing. I regret ever having known you. You don't deserve to be a Jedi."

Obi-Wan lowered his gaze to the floor. Those were the very words he never wanted to hear Qui-Gon say, but they were the very words he had been reciting to himself since he was a young child. He had never wanted to believe them, but some where deep down, where he had buried all of these thoughts, well, that part of him had always known that these words were the truth. There was no doubt in his mind that he was a failure, a worthless failure, that didn't deserve the air he breathed.

There was no reason to fight back now. So, he built the toughest shields he could, erected them around his mind and locked himself away in the smallest corner he could find. He let his mind drift away from his body as the anger, misery and pain began to push him towards the dark cell he had created. His mind shut down, taking all of his memories and burying them so deep that not even he could find them. He slowly let the part of him that still was Obi-Wan be locked away as he began to loose his identity. But he did not go without whispering these words as a silent sob escaped his swollenlips, "I'm sorry, Qui-Gon, so sorry. I've failed you."

The Force is a mystery. Some say that it has a mind of its own. Therefore when Obi-Wan dejectedly whispered those words, some would say that itwas the will of the Force that someone else hear those words because the Force knew that those words were not meant to be kept secret. The Force took those words and carried them along a link that lead to a man who was currently restlessly slumbering.
I'm sorry, Qui-Gon, so sorry. I've failed you.

Qui-Gon Jinn woke with a start, gasping slightly as the force of those words invaded his sleep. Was it a vision or had Obi-Wan found a way to contact him? Qui-Gon did not know. But what he did know was the emotions that came with those words. Those words were laced with misery and pain, but also another emotion that scared Qui-Gon; anger. Obi-Wan's anger was so strong that it nearly choked Qui-Gon with its intensity. Was he too late to save his apprentice?

No, not yet. There was something inexplicable about what he had just heard, but Qui-Gon knew that he was meant to hear it, for along with those words came a certain feeling. This feeling was hard to explain, it was as if a small part of Obi-Wan's presence had bled through their eerily silent bond. Qui-Gon was able to get a general, but not exact location of his Padawan. The first rays of dawn were just beginning to peak over the horizon, but Qui-Gon was not going to wait for the rest of the sun to rise before he set off on his journey.

Tahl blearily opened her eyes as someone persistently shook her awake.

"Come, we're leaving."

"Qui-Gon…"

"I don't have time to explain things to you now Tahl, all you need to know is that it is imperative that we leave as quickly as possible. Now pack your things and get ready to leave." Qui-Gon commanded. Just as a side note, he added "Please."

Tahl rarely heard Qui-Gon talk in such a manner. Too stunned to do anything else, she awoke her Padawan, packed her things and trailed Qui-Gon out the door.

Obi-Wan struggled with the darkness that crept over his mind. He could feel the passion, the anger, and the hate that was growing in the abyss and knew that he had to fight it. At first he had welcomed the intrusion, but some distant feeling told him to fight what was happening, that he could not let the darkness win. Obi-Wan kept seeing these faces in his mind. One of a Mon-Calamarian girl that appeared to be about his age, and another of middle aged man with long brown hair. But who these people were, what their names were, these simple facts eluded Obi-Wan's cloudy fogged mind. The darkness, it called to him...

"Come to me." It commanded.

"I will not. I can't do it."

"Come to me."

"I will not do it."

"Come to me."

"I can't." Obi-Wan whispered.

"Come to me."

"No..."

"Come."

"I..."

"Come."

The battle has been lost. Obi-Wan closed his eyes as the darkness engulfed him. It wasn't the end yet, but it was close, so close. Letting his mind drift away from his struggles, Obi-Wan attempted to fall into a restless sleep. Maybe tomorrow would be better, maybe tomorrow he would remember what he was fighting for. But maybe tomorrow would be the day in which there would be no turning back from.

But in tomorrow there lies hope...

Where had that thought come? Startled, Obi-Wan opened his eyes to discover the most bizzare occurence in his entire stay in his dark prison. A young child, with the biggest, bluest eyes, was staring at him with the most curious and humorous look that a child could muster.

Obi-Wand did not respond to the child that was looking at him with a curiosity born from innocence, though, he was too suprised by her apperance. She stared at him, and Obi-Wan at her. How the Sith had the girl gotten in his cell? What was she doing there? Who was she? The girl smiled at him shyly, but Obi-Wan was still too stunned to reply. Undeterred by Obi-Wan's lack of response, the child crawled forward and peered closely at his face. When she tried to poke him, he swatted her hand away. The child simply smiled at him, and this time Obi-Wan could not help but smile back at her. Her mood was infectious. She seemed to be debating some question in her mind, but then she finally came to a conclusion. She stretched out her hand to the teen and, with the naivety and innocence that a only child could have, said "Hi I'm Kimone. Who are you?"

"It worked Dei'ma. I wasn't sure it your little freaky friend could actually do it, but he did. That stupid apprentice really believes that we killed his precious Master. I never actually believed that there were illusionists out there that could make people believe things. I thought only Jedi could manipulate minds. Look whose got the upper hand now, though." Helena said with a slight chuckle. After all these years, they were finally able to break that stubborn child.

"We will contact our benefactor in the morning."

"All these years of running are finally over. What are you going to do with your share of the money Dei'ma?"

Dei'ma offered her a small impish smile. It was all the response Helena would get from him, but it was enough to let her imagination run wild.