Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars or Jedi Apprentice, please don't sue me.
Chapter 7If I had to
I would put myself right beside you
So let me ask
Would you like that?
Would you like that?
And I don't mind
If you say this love is the last time
So now I'll ask
Do you like that?
Do you like that?
-Breaking Benjamin
Qui-Gon
A low sound startled Qui-Gon. It was a mix between a hiss and a growl. Laying his hand on his lightsaber, he slowly turned around and came face to face with the nastiest looking wild cat he'd ever seen.
There was no place to run. The land was dotted with large trees that he could easily climb, but it was doubtless that the vicious cat could not. He would have to fight it.
He was not looking forward to it.
The creature sauntered over to him, expecting easy prey and taking it's time. If he hadn't known better, Qui-Gon would have sworn that it was smiling.
I've fought horrible creatures before, he told himself. This cat is no different. It's just my fear for Obi-Wan and the dark night playing tricks on me. But something's wrong.
I can't sense it.
This realization hit Qui-Gon like a duracrete wall. Was the animal a void?
Before Qui-Gon could seek the answer the cat lunged at him, and he narrowly avoided it. He was fast, but so was the creature.
His lightsaber twirled in front of him in an attempt to scare the cat off, but to no prevail. He feinted to the right then swung his lightsaber to the left, killing the creature. The smell of burnt flesh was nauseating.
Qui-Gon deactived and wrinkled his nose, staring at the carcass.
A sharp pain shot through him and he fell to the ground. Clutched to his left arm was a smaller version of the cat he had just killed. A youngling?
The creature continued to deepen its oral grip on Qui-Gon's arm. With a little sadness he killed the small cat and, with great effort, pried the teeth out of his arm. A wave of blood gushed from the wound and Qui-Gon clutched it tightly, hoping to stop the bleeding. The youngling had bit the inside of his elbow, and a major vein was there. He knelt by a tree and pulled off his survival pack, looking for the bacta and bandages.
Dizziness was beginning to wash over him. He couldn't imagine what it'd be like if an adult had bit him.
He began to not care about the bacta and simply wanted the bandage to stop the bleeding. He knew that if he passed out there he probably wouldn't ever get up. He would either die of blood loss or one of the cats would eat him.
Eventually his hand closed around the roll of bandages and he yanked them out of the bag. He was shaking as he bandaged the wound.
The sun began to rise and as he wobbled to his feet. His vision was blurring in front of him, but he knew that he had to keep going. For the sake of Obi-Wan, and anyone else Xanatos was intending to hurt.
He had only walked a few yards before he collapsed.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Xanatos
The bark was rough and sticky beneath his fingertips. He pressed against the tree trunk harder, dragging his hands down it. In the process he reopened the scabbed over wound on his right palm.
What was I thinking?
The sun was rising, bleeding red across the sky. Xanatos had risen and gone outside before her first rays had even appeared. He left the sleeping boy, and his warmth, where he was. He went outside to sort out his emotions and, if necessary, bury them so deep they would never come back.
Blood trickled down from Xanatos's palm. It was the second time that Jedi had forced him to injure his hand. The first time, however, the pain had been from a shattered cup.
But the circumstances were so different now.
He shut his eyes against the sun's light, wanting it to go away. There was nothing he wanted more then to stay in the night before forever. Nothing in his life had ever brought such elation and doubt, thrill and fear before. There was something coiled tightly in his chest, and with every second the coil threatened to burst.
What the Sith was I thinking?
It was a mistake, a foolish error that would just become an obstacle in his plan. But, suddenly, his plan didn't seem quite so important.
No one's ever trusted me like that. I kidnapped him, I hurt him, he had no reason to trust me. Still, he did.
I have to stop this now. I have to make him hate me, now before it's too late. I may not be able to control my own feelings, but I can certainly destroy his. Before it matters to him.
It already matters more then it should for me. It already matters too much.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Obi-Wan
He woke up alone.
The sun's light and the humidity woke Obi-Wan up, but Xanatos wasn't there. He dressed quickly, feeling ashamed about what he'd let happen. How many Jedi rules had he broken in the last 24 hours just to wake up by himself? He felt angry.
But mostly he felt used.
Had Xanatos meant anything that he'd said? Was this all planned? From the beginning, had he intended all of this to happen?
Obi-Wan's blood heated at the thought. He yanked his boot over his swollen ankle, and then rested his head in his hands.
I need to get out of here, he thought. I can't stay around him anymore. Not after last night. I'm not even sure if I can stand being around myself.
But what about the prisoners? I can't just abandon them. He's going to kill them.
"No sign of your master," came the voice that Obi-Wan knew all too well. "He must be slower then I expected."
"Or just too good for you to catch."
Xanatos smirked. "I haven't had a problem catching anything else so far."
Obi-Wan's face reddened in anger and shame. So that is what this has been about, this entire time he's simply been trying to say that we're all his puppets, and we play right into his hands. What an actor.
"We're leaving in a few minutes," Xanatos took Obi-Wan's hands and cuffed them. "Go outside, there's a guard waiting."
Refusing to look at Xanatos, he rose stiffly and walked to the door. But he couldn't help himself; he stopped at the tent's exit and glanced back at the older man. Xanatos was picking up his gear, and a glint from inside his bag caught Obi-Wan's eye.
It was pyramid shaped, Obi-Wan's heart quickened. Could it be…? So that's how he was going to get into the old Sith academy, by using their own tricks. A Sith holocron. The only devices that held the secrets of the Sith.
Obi-Wan quickly turned and left the tent, feeling a little better about his predicament. At least he wasn't completely oblivious now.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Qui-Gon
A cool breeze was blowing across his face.
That's strange, I should be overheated, especially after laying in the sun…
He cautiously opened his eyes, but instead of seeing the blue sky he saw a birch roof. He quickly glanced in the direction of the breeze. Sitting there was a small, dark-skinned child and a large leaf that he was waving next to Qui-Gon.
"Mama!" the boy called. "He's awake!"
Qui-Gon shot up in shock. People? A family? On Tarria?
A woman entered the room. "How are you feeling?" She sat next to the make-shift sleep couch that Qui-Gon was laying on.
"Alright," He said carefully. "How long have I been asleep?"
"Several hours, my oldest boy found you bleeding from a Clarath bite wound, so he brought you back here. He's out with the hunting party now, but he'll be back soon."
"Hunting party?" repeated Qui-Gon in shock. "There are more of you?"
"Yes," responded the woman, who now sounded a little surprised and cautious. "We're a village."
"On Tarria?"
"It is our home."
Qui-Gon shook his head, clearing out his muggy thoughts. They can help me, they know the terrain.
"I'm looking for someone," Qui-Gon started. "I think that he's traveling with a large group. He's taken someone I care about, and I'd like to get him back."
"You mean the man with the scar?"
"Yes," Qui-Gon responded immediately. "You know him?"
"He came to us several moon changes ago. He offered us credits and many things for our assistance, but we said no. He reeked of darkness, and he was looking for a place of which we do not speak."
Qui-Gon's blood chilled. "The Sith Academy?"
"I said that we do not speak of it!" She rose in anger.
"I'm sorry," Qui-Gon said quickly. "I didn't mean to upset you. It's just that, the last time I spoke to my friend he said that Xanatos's goal was not the Sith academy, but to start a war between neighboring worlds."
"I do not know what his plans or his goals are, but the evil place is what he was asking after."
"I don't suppose you could tell me how to get there?"
She looked at him in shock. "Why would you want to go there?"
"If that's where he's taking my friend I need to go sooner rather then later. Besides, I have a feeling that whatever he intends to do there is going to affect the lives of those in your village as well."
She looked thoughtful. "When my husband returns you may speak to him about this. It is not my place."
Qui-Gon nodded. He hated the delay, but the villagers' help could be useful.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Xanatos
Obi-Wan hadn't looked at him since the incident that morning, but Xanatos couldn't stop staring at Obi-Wan. He had even fallen back in the group so he could watch him without the boy's knowledge.
He'd said hurtful things that morning, and Obi-Wan had reacted to them the way he'd wanted the boy to react. It would be easy to make the Jedi hate him.
Though Xanatos couldn't help but feel like what he'd said earlier hurt him more then Obi-Wan. This dilemma wasn't helped by the fact that he had no idea where Qui-Gon was. He had vanished off of the dark Jedi's radar. That made Xanatos nervous.
Xanatos sighed. They would be at their resting place soon. Maybe after sleeping all of this would be easier.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MyFictionalAnnihilation: Well, I'm glad that you like it. I hope that you continue to, especially after this update. I asked you to be my beta awhile back, and I appreciate you saying yes, but I think that I've decided I'm just going to beta this story from now on myself. I don't have the patience to wait for responses and such, but thank you anyway.
An-angel-in-hell: Wow, I think that the fact that you put "Hooray! Sex!" Makes that my favorite review of all time. I hope you enjoy the rest of the story!
Child of a Pineapple: I kicked my butt in gear to have this chapter up before you leave for Myrtle Beach, so you'd better appreciate it! Gosh, pushy. Yeah FAKE was pretty graphic at the end there, but it was hot, and you know it. I hope that this chapter wasn't too disappointing compared to the last one.
Staryday: I hope you like the update, please review!
Rian Sage: Ha yep, very good hands. Or at least he was, now they're kind of… gone, but oh well. I hope you liked this update, please review.
A/N: (Hides) So this chappie took forever to update, and it's kind of crappy, but you still love me right? Please don't kill me… The next chappie will be better, I promise! Or, at least, I hope. I love you? In my defense I've been busy. Anyway, please review!