How you turned my world, you precious thing
You starve and near exhaust me
Everything I've done, I've done for you
I move the stars for no one
You've run so long
You've run so far
Your eyes can be so cruel
Just as I can be so cruel
Though I do believe in you
Yes I do
Live without the sunlight
Love without your heartbeat
I, I can't live within you
I can't live within you
-David Bowie
Siri
A lot of things got on her nerves, she was an easy person to annoy, though she was loathe to admit this.
But what Obi-Wan and Bant had done, the deceit and the tricks. She couldn't stand that. Having them both lie to her, trick her, was the worst thing anyone had ever done. They were supposed to be her friends.
She walked alongside Bant in silence, the sting of betrayal keeping her from actively participating in Bant's speculation. They had just returned from a meeting with a buyer.
It had been straightforward enough; eerily straightforward, actually. The man had shown up and inspected his future slave like a slab of overpriced meat, carefully moving the young boy and examining his features. It made Siri sick to her stomach.
What was worse; they couldn't do anything for him. The buyer had left with his newly acquired slave, and they had to let him or break their cover. If they exposed themselves then they doomed everyone else on the ship as well, and as Jedi they couldn't do that. Siri just hoped that they would be able to find the boy later on, after Cad'ara was through with.
"At least we know for sure," Bant finished, though Siri hadn't heard anything she'd said.
"Know what?" Siri turned her blue eyes to study Bant. Why don't you look guilty?
"Know that Cad'ara really is dealing in a slave trading ring."
Siri scoffed. "Because we didn't know that before?"
Casting her eyes to the ground and twiddling her thumbs in nervousness Bant shrugged before answering. "Well, now we have evidence. We've seen it with our own eyes."
Siri chose not to respond, as they were already at their quarters anyway. She wasn't surprised when they opened the door and found that Obi-Wan was not there.
Traitor.
For a moment she felt bad for thinking something like that, but it passed quickly. Everyone was lying to her, she had no intention of lying to herself.
Bant entered the room and walked over to her bed, sliding off her helmet.
"It's nice to have the moisture," she said casually, reaching for a new vial. "But this thing is really restricting."
Siri nodded, sitting down and studying the wall. She wasn't even sure who she could trust anymore.
Bant slid the new moisture bottle into her helmet and, with a reluctant sigh, put the helmet on.
"Where do you think Obi-Wan is?" Siri asked bitterly, still staring at the wall. Bant moved quickly in her peripheral vision, but she didn't glance her way. "Getting more information out of Gannen? Or… maybe this time it's Xanatos."
The young blonde finally looked at Bant, wanting to see her reaction to Siri's almost accusation. She gasped.
Bant was clawing at her mask frantically, her nails tearing and fingertips bleeding.
"Bant?!" Siri screamed in distress, running to her side and pulling at the helmet. A green mist sprayed in her face, and her vision swam.
Sharp, splintering pain filled her forehead and her lungs clogged heavily. Bant collapsed on the ground, followed quickly by Siri. Their limbs twitching out of reflex as they lay unconscious.
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Qui-Gon
When Kit and Adi found out they were going to be furious, but Qui-Gon didn't have time to consider this. Obi-Wan was more important than their feelings. At any rate, it was too late to turn back. The stars were shooting streaks on the viewscreen, and he wouldn't be out of hyperspace until he was close to the Abductor and far from Adi and Kit.
The Jedi rested his head in his hands, pondering how they had reached this point. Tarria had destroyed everything that had meant so much to him.
Xanatos had convinced the boy once that he loved him, what was stopping him from doing it again? And once Xanatos had him, what would happen then? What would his fate be?
Xanatos's goals do not matter, Qui-Gon promised himself silently. His intentions will be stopped.
I will not let him succeed.
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Obi-Wan
His steps slowed as he neared Xanatos's quarters.
He'll tell me, Obi-Wan attempted to reassure himself. I know he will. Why wouldn't he? Cad'ara can't be more important than me. It can't be.
But if he doesn't tell me, Obi-Wan wondered. What will I do then? I can't handle more of his mistrust; we've been through too much for that. I won't do it; I can't be with him if he won't put the same effort and sacrifice forth to be with me.
The doors slid open in front of him and he stared into the empty room, dread building in his chest block by block. He assured himself that Xanatos had other things to take care of, that he wouldn't just be in there waiting, but somehow Obi-Wan couldn't bring himself to believe it.
He slowly sat down on to the edge of the sleepcouch, resting his head in his hands. How did everything spiral so far out of his control? The only way to know what's in Xanatos's head is to hear it from him. But when is Xanatos ever honest with anyone?
He's honest with himself.
Obi-Wan was shocked by his sudden impulse. Would Xanatos ever trust him again if he did this?
Did Xanatos have any right to be angry with Obi-Wan for it?
The decision lit like a spark inside the young Jedi. He was sure that he could find it, and he was positive that he could hack it.
Xanatos's journal, the key to all his secrets; someone as arrogant as Xanatos would keep meticulous regards of his history so that others could study him in the future. He would want that, and he wouldn't let his secrecy keep it from happening.
Determination rushed through Obi-Wan.
It's time for someone else to have the upper hand.
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Xanatos
"What's happened to them?" Gannen asked.
Xanatos held back his smile as he stared through the thick glass at the two Jedi patients. He knew exactly what had occurred, but Gannen was the last person he would confide in.
"It's hard to say," he replied solemnly. "It looks like a disease."
"They were found in their room," Varn told Gannen. "They were in a comatose state and their muscles were in complete spasm. I've never seen anything like it."
Gannen shook his head. "It's a shame, they were useful while they lasted. Right Xanny?"
If the idiot wasn't useful Xanatos would have killed him right there. "Don't call me that. Guards are easy to replace," he responded indifferently.
"But still," Gannen shrugged. "Has someone told Obi-Wan?"
"I'll inform him," Xanatos said quickly, ignoring the disappointment in Gannen's face. "I have a meeting with him later anyway."
The discussion with Obi- was going to be unpleasant. He would be furious, but the dark Jedi had counted on when he poisoned the fish's mask. The trial would be difficult, but the ending would come exactly as Xanatos had planned. That was worth any disagreement.
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Qui-Gon
He had broken comm silence, despite the danger that it might put the padawans in.
His ship hovered invisibly outside the Abductor, close enough for convenience but far enough for safety. He knew that he would reach Siri, Bant, and Obi-Wan quickly if they were caught.
It didn't matter; no one had answered his transmission.
Qui-Gon was not a patient man, it had taken him years to even force it. There were moments where his patience reached its end, leaving him frayed and jittery. This moment, for example.
I don't know what's going on with the padawans. I don't know if they're hurt, or what Xanatos has done or intends to do. I can't get on the ship to help them, not without alerting the entire Abductor, and Xanatos, of my presence.
A non-Jedi would have been reduced to slamming his fists on the console, but Qui-Gon knew better. The force would bring him a way if he was patient and calm.
The Abductor was an impressive ship, Qui-Gon had to admit. It was long and sleek, as fast moving as a ship of that size could be. And, the Jedi master noted, heavily equipped with turrets. It had two openings, a hatch for incoming ships and a door for the escape pods. The only other thing that opened on the ship was the garbage shoot…
The garbage shoot, Qui-Gon repeated to himself. Could it be done? It wouldn't be the first time that he and Obi-Wan had been forced to use less than savory means of escape, but use it as a way in?
The shoot was large enough for his small ship because of the prisoners. Captured vessels would be brought on, broken up into large chunks, and then jettisoned into space. It would be dangerous, and Qui-Gon would have to time it just right to avoid hitting debris and destroying his ship, not to mention himself. But the shoot wouldn't be monitored, and it was his only chance.
Qui-Gon sidled his ship along the side of the Abductor and waited.
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Xanatos
He felt the force's caress before he opened the door to his chambers. Obi-Wan was there, waiting for him. There was something wrong. Xanatos waited outside the room for a moment, enjoying the feel of Obi-Wan in the force.
When he entered the room he found the boy sitting on the sleepcouch, staring at his hands.
"I'm not sure if this means that I underestimated your love, or if I just overestimated your values," Obi-Wan said gently. "I guess I didn't know how far you were willing to go to have things your way."
"What are you talking about?" Xanatos asked. What Obi-Wan said was true, but where was it coming from?
The young Jedi reached behind himself and picked up a black datapad.
"Your passwords are predictable."
Xanatos stiffened. "You read that?"
Obi-Wan finally looked up at him, his eyes speckled with anger and sadness. "Every word. When you were done with everything you intended to do, did you really think that I wouldn't care?"
He stood sharply and moved so he was inches from Xanatos. "Did you think that I would forgive you? That everything would be alright?"
This was it; it came on more quickly than Xanatos had expected, and not on his terms, but this was the fight that he had been waiting for. It was hard to predict exactly what Obi-Wan would do, but it didn't really matter.
Xanatos just didn't lose.
"I thought that we would start over," Xanatos said. "Don't you want a new life, away from the complications that make everything for us so hard?"
"Not if it means leaving a trail of dead bodies behind us," Obi-Wan spat.
Xanatos brushed his fingertips along Obi-Wan's cheekbone. "It's not about murder, it's about efficiency."
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A/N: Hey, I'm not, in fact, dead, so…. Surprise? Once again, I am so sorry it took me so long to get this chapter out. I don't want to make excuses, but I just started college so I'm getting used to the workload and subjects and everything and I just haven't had much writing time. Shattered Love is nearing a close, so I hope you guys are preparing yourselves. Please review!