Qui Gon was on a transport going to Naboo. While it was often overlooked as a dinky little planet with a very politically active queen, Qui Gon knew that on this seemingly innocent planet was one of the galaxy's largest black markets. Sure, it was currently being held to ransom by the Trade Federation, but that just made it easier to gain the permission of the Jedi Council to go there. It was the perfect plan. Wipe out the trade ships blocking the planet, gain the queen's gratitude, then use her reward to buy information about his stolen padawan. If anybody had even heard a rumour about Obi Wwan then Qui Gon was going know about it.

Technically, he had been sent as a negotiator, but Obi Wan had always been better at that then him. Quite often, he joked that Obi Wan was the master of negotiation, but now there was no joking. No bubbly teenager to bring a smile to Qui Gon's face. Nobody to tell him his negotiation skills could be compared to a bantha's. His spark in life was gone, and he wanted it back. He wanted Obi Wan back.

The transport began its landing sequence. Going through his utility belt, Qui Gon did a quick check list of items required for a successful negotiation. Lightsaber…check.

As the ship landed in the docking bay, Qui Gon felt something strange. Perhaps this annoying Trade Federation blockade had a more sinister purpose. It was a cold feeling. Not dissimilar to the lingering Force signature that he had found in Obi Wan's room that fateful morning. Now very alert, Qui Gon cautiously stepped out of the transport.

Beep beep

Rapidly turning to see the perpetrator, Qui Gon relaxed. It was only a droid.

"Follow me, sir," beeped the droid.

He wondered how long it would take for the droid to report to the Trade Federation that the negotiator sent by the Republic was in fact a Jedi Master. Most negotiations were short.

'We are doing nothing illegal'

'Tell that to the lightsaber'

'Oh crap….. kill the negotiator'

Several dismembered droids/guards later…

'Perhaps we were wrong'

'Yes, you were. Now take your little ships and go before I kill you'

Unfortunately, that was how they often played out. He had a bad feeling this would be no different. But there was… something… in the way the force was fluctuating that put Qui Gon on edge. It was like he wasn't meant to be here, or at least not alone. Obi Wan was meant to be by his side. But that made no sense; if Obi Wan wasn't missing, then why would he have come here in the first place? The unshakable feeling that he was here for a reason greater than Obi Wan wouldn't leave him But that was crazy; there was nothing more important than Obi Wan. Qui Gon shook his head; he shouldn't be putting his personal feelings for Obi Wan before the Jedi, before the Republic, before life itself. But he was.

Walking through the deadly silence of the halls, Qui Gon felt a slight irritation. These Federation types! Living in a world of droids, manning ships with droids… Droids were alright, but they had no heart, no soul; they were not truly part of the Force. None of the chatter that one would normally find on a ship this large, no smells of organic life. The huge Trade vessel was almost a ghost ship. Was it wrong to be replacing life for droids? Droids were more efficient and practical, but the living touch just made being alive more bearable. He wasn't sure how the Federation leaders controlling the ship survived without the Living Force around them. Then again, they weren't Jedi.

He was lead into a conference room and left to wait. Surveying the area, Qui Gon gave a little smile. There were vents that no doubt had poisonous gas for pesky negotiators, and the door was extra thick. It might take a while to get through…even with a lightsaber. Calming his mind, Qui Gon waited until he was sure they were now panicking because he was on board. The eerie lack of life forms on board made it easy to feel when the Federation leaders panicked. Moments later, a jet of gas erupted into the room. Bugger.

Slipping into meditation, Qui Gon found his lungs slowing down and body relaxing. He could last for hours like this, taking minimal shallow breaths, if any at all. The doors opened with a hiss. Droids were outside; he could feel the force bending around their shapes. Come to finish the job, eh?

Through the thick clouds of gas, Qui Gon could hear the droids reporting, "No sign of the Jedi." Not wishing the Federation leaders to be misinformed, his lightsaber hummed to life and in a few moments the droids were scrap metal. Making his way to the control room, Qui Gon found he was having difficulties deflecting the enemy fire while his lightsaber was cutting through the door. This is where I miss Obi Wan the most. Using the Force, he animated a broken droid to act as shield, allowing him enough time to break through the door.

After that, the negotiations went according to tradition, but strangely enough, he was now hiding aboard a ship packed with battle droids. They were planning to invade Naboo to force the queen to sign her planet over. It was going to be hard enough finding information about Obi Wan or his contact on a peaceful planet, let alone a battle-torn one. This had to be stopped and hopefully along the way he could discover who had kidnapped his beloved. Determined to rescue Obi Wan, Qui Gon realised he would have to use one of his best Jedi skills – patience – to find Obi Wan. I only hope I'm in time.

Obi Wan was at that very moment coughing his lungs up. It was a dreadful cell but the damp had made it worse. Now he was sick, tired and staring into the face of doom. But on the bright side, he hadn't thrown up for at least 10 minutes. Wait… oh Force. He was going to be sick again. Heaving into the corner, Obi Wan wondered if the drug they had use on his was making his stomach rebel more often than for normal morning sickness. It's a miracle I have anything to throw up; they've only feed me once in the last few days. The pain made him clutch his stomach. He must be having an adverse reaction to that particular drug, because he still felt like he had been hit by a pod racer.

Obi Wan's groaning alerted the guards. They shared worried glances. If the prisoner died before he was delivered to their master then they would be bantha fodder.

"Get him some food…don't want the little tyke dieing on us do we?"

"Yup yup yup…no. Me go get food"

"Don't be to long"

"Yup yup yup…..yup!"

"Good. Oh, and get a cleaner droid, the kid's spewed again"

"Yup yup yup…ok"

Obi Wan could hear muffled noises out side his cell. Then the bottom slot was opened and a plate of funny green gel was pushed through. Behind that was a cleaner droid. As the little robot cleaned 3 days of vomit from the floor, Obi Wan tried to eat the green gel. He thought it was going well until the gel decided it didn't like being eaten and it slithered out the door.

My food's alive? Maybe that's why I'm feeling sick.

Staring into the darkness, Obi Wan hugged his knees. Some how he would make it out of here, make it out of the darkness. He hated the dark. It was scary, for things lurked in the dark. When he was a padawan, he was told he was being silly and childish. Fear lead to the dark side. The dark side. It was quite a paradox. Like he was going to be afraid and go to the dark side if it was the darkness that scared him. Jedi feel no fear, so how could he be afraid of the dark? But Obi Wan knew. If you weren't careful, the things that lurked in the dark would consume you until there was nothing left. You were stupid not to fear what darkness had to offer.

His childhood fears returning, Obi Wan could swear he heard someone laughing. Something was laughing at him. He was right; at his destination, something dark was laughing at him. Blending into the abyss was a hooded figure with horns, laughing at his terror.

Fear is my ally.