It did not take very long for Qui-Gon to navigate them to the building where the Sith were keeping Obi-Wan, though it would've taken less time if his attention hadn't been split between the pain and fear and despair Obi-Wan was sending through their Force bond and attempting to track him using that Force bond.
The moment Slave I touched down on the platform, the barrage of emotions from Obi-Wan slowed. When Qui-Gon's boots touched the platform, it stopped completely, but he could still feel him. He was still alive, but who could say for how much longer. He wasn't even certain that he could save him at this point, but he had to try. He moved quickly, following that bond. He heard Jango and Hanli fall into step behind him.
As they approached the flat where Obi-Wan was being held, the door hissed open.
"He's been expecting us," Jango murmured, his hand on one of the blasters that hung from his belt. Qui-Gon put up his hand to stop him.
"We must go in peacefully," he whispered. "If we show aggression he might kill Obi-Wan outright."
Jango nodded almost imperceptibly as they stepped up to the door. The flat was well lit and nicely furnished. There was blood on the floor, some spots fresh, others weeks old. Near the back of the room, facedown on the floor, lay Obi-Wan.
His skin looked unnaturally white, his body strangely limp. Qui-Gon had to fight the urge to run to him. That may have been the wisest thing he'd ever done.
When Hanli caught sight of him, she bolted past Qui-Gon and Jango. Before Qui-Gon's mouth could form her name, she was through the door and halfway across the room. There was a strange crack as a dual-bladed lightsaber ignited just to the left of the door. Hanli froze, her hand on her lightsaber.
Before she could draw it, her head hit the floor. A few seconds later, her knees hit the floor as her body slumped forward to join it.
Both Jango and Qui-Gon had their weapons drawn in an instant, but Qui-Gon didn't ignite his blade until he'd crossed the threshold into the flat. Once he was inside, the door hissed shut, barely allowing Jango time to dive inside.
He rolled and had both blasters up and aimed at the man wielding the dual-bladed 'saber. He was almost daring the Sith to move.
That was when they heard the laughter from the shadows near the door.
Every part of the room that they could see was nicely lit— except for the area by the door. If Qui-Gon squinted he could make out the shadow of someone lurking in the darkness there.
"Qui-Gon Jinn. I have been hoping you would come," a man rasped, then laughed more forcefully. "Certainly you didn't think a single Jedi and a bounty hunter would be any sort of match for me?"
"Darth Sidious," Qui-Gon growled, raising his 'saber defensively. The figure slowly stepped out of the shadows.
"And this is my apprentice, Lord Maul. A pity this shan't be a fair fight, but you know how it is, Qui-Gon."
"How what is?"
"Life." The hooded Sith ignited his lightsaber; another red blade arced through the air. Qui-Gon was quick to block Sidious' first attack, but he hadn't anticipated Maul joining in.
Four blades buzzed and crackled through the air, three of those blades trying to dismember the Jedi. Fueled by the pain of seeing Obi-Wan looking so helpless and close to death, Qui-Gon dodged and blocked, refusing to go down without a sufficient fight.
They chased him around the room, never giving him even a moment to rest, as Jango took Sidious' distraction as a chance to check on Obi-Wan. It was only when he was certain that the boy was still alive that he raised his blasters again. If he could catch one of them off guard he could make the fight far more even.
"Impressive," Sidious said as they worked to back Qui-Gon into a corner. He took a risky jump over a long couch and missed losing his leg to one of the blades of Maul's 'saber by less than an inch. The distance he put between them was worth it for the moment's rest it provided.
As Maul raised his weapon to strike once more, his back became the perfect target.
Jango shot with both blasters. Six shots from each blaster. As he fell, his 'saber caught his Master's cloak, burning a large hole in the right side under the sleeve. When it hit the floor, it deactivated.
His eyes were open and he stared at his Master and Qui-Gon as they continued to fight, but he saw nothing. As Sidious and Qui-Gon moved across the room, Jango shot Maul once more, this time in the head.
A terrible scream from his friend pulled his attention away from the Sith he'd killed. Blue electricity arced through the air from Sidious' fingertips, hitting Qui-Gon. Though the Jedi tried to block the attack with his lightsaber, it was too much.
"I've waited a long time for this moment, Master Jedi," Sidious spoke the title mockingly as the electricity stopped abruptly and Qui-Gon fell to his knees. "Ever since I first sensed you. The headstrong rogue Jedi more in tune with the Living Force than any other alive… Your Master has always spoken highly of you, Qui-Gon. Too highly of you."
The electricity resumed, but this time Qui-Gon was ready to counter. He focused every fiber of himself on shielding himself with the Force. The bolts of electricity flowed around him harmlessly rather than through him.
"You will not win this, Sidious," Qui-Gon said. Even he was amazed at how calm he managed to sound. The effort he was exerting was extraordinary.
Jango shot four shots at the Sith then as he knelt to take the dual-bladed 'saber from the dead Sith's body. As he looked on, the electricity stopped once more and Sidious stopped the blaster fire in mid-air. As he did, Qui-Gon sprang to his feet and stabbed at Sidious with his lightsaber.
Though he managed to singe the fabric of the man's cloak, Qui-Gon's attack proved to be in vain. Sidious stopped him with the Force and redirected the blaster fire to hit him in the chest.
The last thing Qui-Gon saw before being blasted back and hitting the wall with a sickening thud was Jango igniting Darth Maul's lightsaber. He was unconscious before he hit the floor, leaving the bounty hunter and the Sith to duke it out.
An amused chuckle escaped the Sith's throat as he reignited his lightsaber. "That weapon is far too powerful for you, bounty hunter. You'll want to put it down before you slice off your own foot. Or something more vital."
Jango tightened his grip on the thick barrel of the weapon as he fell into a defensive stance. "I do so love when they're arrogant," he said with a sly grin that was purely for his own benefit.
"Your move, bounty hunter," Sidious said with a lazy wave of his 'saber. Jango did not hesitate. He rushed forward, striking first with one blade, then with the other. The Sith barely managed to deflect the second strike, which only made Jango's grin grow wider.
How I love to be underestimated. He blocked two rapid strikes by the Sith and tried to sweep his feet. Sidious leapt over him, striking his left shoulder plate. Too close!
He whipped around in time to see the Sith swinging his 'saber, aiming for his neck.
))((
From his spot on the floor, Obi-Wan had a front row view of the fight. He had never felt so weak, so helpless. It was all he could do to keep his heart beating at a semi-normal rate. No man was meant to be electrocuted that many times.
Around the fifth time that the electricity had surged through his body, he'd realized that there might be something to Sidious' theory. With each surge it seemed he was remembering something new. But each new surge weakened him and deepened his pain. His amnesia had almost been preferable.
When his Master strode into the Sith Lord's flat, Obi-Wan managed a tiny, excited murmur that sounded strangely like Qui-Gon, though he still couldn't remember his Master's name. He knew it was his Master, though. He'd come to rescue him. No one else would come and rescue him, he was sure of it.
The jumble of thoughts and memories dancing in his head refused to put itself in order as he watched the fight unfold before him, listening intently when the men would move out of his field of vision. His head was far too heavy to move. His body felt like it was made of lead. Cold lead.
All at once his mind was filled with another's thoughts. Once more he felt the sensation of electrocution, but it was not his body on the receiving end.
When his thoughts were his own once more, he struggled to turn his head.
He wished he hadn't, for looming over him was the man in the armor that had sold him to Mut. His heart rate nearly tripled as the man in the armor knelt down beside him and checked his pulse.
"Easy," the man in the armor whispered, "I'm here to help you. Just try to stay still."
Obi-Wan managed a tired, yet fearful, whimper as the man in the armor checked his body over. The man was surprisingly gentle. Obi-Wan still did not trust him.
When he had determined whatever it was he was set to determine, he patted Obi-Wan on the head quite awkwardly before standing and turning to face Sidious and the Jedi.
))((
He ducked, dodging what should have been a killing blow. He went to sweep his legs again and this time he met flesh. One foot raised too slowly. It fell to the floor with a sad thud as the Sith stumbled and fell on his back.
His demeanor changed entirely now that he was prone on the floor. Fearful, apologetic, Sidious begged for his life as he backed away from the bounty hunter. Jango wasn't buying it.
"Please, I— I won't do anything like this again. Don't kill me!" Sidious moaned. Jango knelt to pick up Sidious' discarded lightsaber, watching the prone Sith and holding Maul's 'saber defensively all the while.
When he stood again, he ignited Sidious' lightsaber and glared down at the Sith.