Sorry - work has been kicking my poor ass lately. And the Muse has been a little apathetic, which is odd. Reviews are always inspiring, though. ;D

This chapter got away from me, so I split it in two and the next chap will be posted in a day or two if anyone is interested.

Brink

By: Syntyche

Seven: Step on the Storm

What had he expected this assignment to be?

A vacation of sorts?

One more time he was able to tuck both Obi-Wan and Anakin safely beneath his now necessarily overly-protective wing?

A desperate trip where he could try to pretend that everything was normal, that he didn't see the angry scar snaking beneath Obi-Wan's neckline, or feel an unpleasant shudder tickle his spine when Anakin's essence darkened just so?

Yes, Qui-Gon thought fervently. Yes to them all.

He saw now that he had grievously miscalculated.

OoOoOoOo

Qui-Gon stood at the end of the rocky path they had traveled for hours and gazed somberly upon the wide expanse of the warpstone fields, watching as his companions carefully picked their way through the plateau ringed with low, bitter cliffs on all sides but the one they had approached from. Qui-Gon found that he was unnerved from a defensive point of view; anyone standing where they now did could easily be beset upon by attackers from above, and while random outcroppings of dull brown rock protruded at lazy intervals along the cliff face, any protection offered there was severely limited.

I'm thinking like Obi-Wan, he chastised himself ruefully, but he also knew that he'd been thinking a little more like Obi-Wan since Naboo, was now little less inclined to rush to action without considering defensive positions first.

He pushed forward onto the plateau and was immediately struck by the nearness of Darkness: the warpstone erupting from the jagged ground sucked greedily at Light tendrils of the Force flickering through the air, and occasionally a bright sliver flitted too close to the rock and the warpstone drew it into itself, absorbing and devouring it. Qui-Gon gazed somberly on the horrific sight; it nearly frightened him, would have likely terrified him if he chose to consider what he was seeing, to analyze the fear slithering across his suddenly chilling flesh. He felt weak as the Force that continuously buoyed and motivated him leeched away, swallowed whole by the unique properties of a rock that emitted the Dark side of the Force while dampening the Light.

A hissing whisper in the back of his mind, barely felt, encouraged and soothed him, called him to try, to just sample a little of this new and unfamiliar energy that was so strong here. The air was deathly still; the only movement his frozen body could feel was the whisper as it twisted up his skin, offering him power to protect, power to keep safe …

You can save him, the whisper suggested.

"Save who?" Qui-Gon murmured, shaking his head slightly to jostle himself back to full awareness. He glanced at his companions, hoping to ground himself: Elika, their elderly guide, fidgeted unhappily, clearly ill at ease; from where he knelt, curious brow furrowed and gently gliding a finger over the glossy warpstone, Obi-Wan's compact frame radiated tension. The essence of the Knight that would always have a place in Qui-Gon's mind trembled discontentedly, his apprehension at their situation apparent. Qui-Gon remembered the darkness of the infection he had seen spreading through Obi-Wan's body, knew they needed to hurry to a place where he could question his former apprentice without distraction. Anakin stood near Obi-Wan, bouncing on the balls of his feet, clearly excited by their discovery and the new sensations scattering through his awareness of the Force.

Obi-Wan looked sick. Anakin looked … hungry.

We shouldn't have brought Anakin along… Obi-Wan's worried voice, whether meant for him or no, echoed through Qui-Gon's thoughts and he had to admit, settling anxious eyes on his young Padawan, that he was inclined to agree. There was something unnerving about the anticipation in Anakin's calculating gaze that set off warning bells in Qui-Gon's mind: gut-twisting klaxons that he immediately - and now reflexively - squelched into silence with the calming thought that Anakin is the Chosen One. He will be fine.

"Let's just take some quick readings and samples," Qui-Gon suggested briskly, "and then we can return to the Temple."

Obi-Wan's eyebrow lifted questioningly and Qui-Gon already knew what the Knight was implying: the samples were completely unnecessary; the Jedi could already feel the fell power emanating from the warpstone, and they realized immediately that any emerging Sith power would be very interested in attaining such a powerful ally against the Jedi once they learned of its location and especially easy accessibility.

They didn't need the samples, no. But Qui-Gon intended to get them anyway, to follow procedure to the letter as he had on every single mission assigned to him since Naboo.

No unnecessary chances.

No one left behind.

No more regret added to weary shoulders already crumpling beneath their too-heavy burden.

Qui-Gon signaled to Obi-Wan and the Knight nodded tersely, dipping into his pack for a small sensor kit.

"Anakin, watch me, please," Obi-Wan requested softly, and over the top of Anakin's sandy head Qui-Gon caught and accurately interpreted the tense look Obi-Wan shot him: Obi-Wan was as least as concerned - if not more so - about the boy than Qui-Gon slowly and extremely reluctantly found himself becoming.

But there's no need to worry, he repeated to himself firmly. Anakin is the Chosen One. He's stronger than any temptation proffered here.

A longsuffering sigh tickled his senses, the voice of his old Padawan murmuring ruefully, But he's just a boy, Master.

A boy who is the Chosen One, Qui-Gon responded stubbornly, and it occurred to him suddenly in his newly inexplicable annoyance at Obi-Wan that the Knight himself had been acting strangely on this trip. Qui-Gon's forehead wrinkled as he hastily pushed aside the thought that perhaps Obi-Wan was the one in over his head here, not Anakin - he shoved the idea away fiercely, although he was uncomfortably aware that the notion had very quietly taken root in the same part of his brain that had initially suggested he should be irritated with Obi-Wan for even doubting Anakin in the first place.

Qui-Gon shook his head sharply to dispel the curious and utterly unwelcome line of thought. We do not have to fear that the Chosen One will be swayed by such dark enticement, he warned the Knight still watching him expectantly.

Obi-Wan shot him a startled look, surprised into actually voicing his protest aloud:

"Qui-Gon - " he started hesitantly, clearly unhappy to disagree with the older man but not quite content to let Qui-Gon's expected assurances slide.

"This is amazing!" Anakin interrupted excitedly, his young voice alight with awe as he wiggled his small fingers lightly, using invisible fingers of the Force to lift small rocks and pebbles. "This is so much easier to do here than at the Temple!"

"Anakin!" Qui-Gon shouted harshly, shock making his tone rough with worry, and Anakin dropped the detritus guiltily, looking at him with huge eyes. Qui-Gon ignored the pained, not quite I told you so grimace Obi-Wan unsuccessfully dipped his chin to hide and moved to Anakin's side, dropping an apologetic hand on the boy's quaking shoulder.

"We cannot use this energy, Anakin," he intoned firmly but gently. "This place is not of the Light."

"But it's so strong!" Anakin protested immediately, and Qui-Gon irrationally wanted to clap a hand over the boy's mouth to keep the frightening words from slipping out. He just doesn't know any better, he placated himself unsteadily. It's natural to be curious.

"That doesn't matter, Ani," he explained softly. "It's not good to even let a little of this power in."

Anakin had the grace to look abashed. "I'm sorry, Master Qui-Gon," he murmured sweetly, and his unusual display of polite contrition warmed Qui-Gon's heart so that he immediately regretted being terse with the boy - Anakin hadn't known about the dark properties of the warpstone, after all, having already volunteered that he had not read the mission briefing provided by the Council. Qui-Gon realized that he should have thoroughly explained their assignment to Anakin - perhaps on their way to the warpstone field instead of letting Anakin regale Elika with tales of his podracing days - but he admitted remorsefully to himself that having Obi-Wan and his continual striving to be the perfect apprentice as his previous Padawan had spoiled him somewhat.

Qui-Gon ruffled Anakin's cropped hair affectionately. "That's all right, Anakin. Just remember, please, we are here to learn, research, and collect information."

A breeze lifted the ends of his hair and the Jedi Master shivered at the knife's edge of chill that danced across his large frame. The air was shifting, he noted tensely, carrying in icy undercurrents that dug unpleasant fingers through his tunic and robe. Trepidation flicked over his senses as he realized that the tall tops of the trees jutting across the distant landscape were not moving with the wind but instead seemed to possess an unearthly stillness.

All was still, like the calm before the storm. All but the wind across the plateau. Silent until now, watching and waiting, Elika glanced at the darkening sky, concern written sharply across her features.

"We need to be watchful," she said lowly. "This is an unkind wind, carrying darkness with it."

"What does that mean? Should we go back?" Obi-Wan, ever the cautious one, asked as he surveyed the roiling clouds that seemed to appear from nowhere, building menacingly and echoing with rumbles of thunder that vibrated the ground below their feet.

"What is this?" Anakin asked nervously, pressing closer to Qui-Gon and the Jedi Master realized this may be Anakin's first experience with a thunderstorm.

"It's nothing to fear," Qui-Gon assured gently, "though we ought to look for shelter."

"We seem to be on the very outskirt of the storm," Elika interjected, but her hooded gaze betrayed her nervousness. Her hand went to Obi-Wan's arm and the young Jedi's troubled eyes met hers. "Be prepared," she said to him softly, for his ears alone. "The Darkness is coming for you." She pulled Obi-Wan forward so faces nearly met, the warmth of her breath brushing his cheek. "It is coming for all of you."

These foreboding words were the last she spoke before the skies opened up and jagged spikes of frigid rain loosed from the heavens to barrel down upon them, biting and slicing into skin and clothing. Frantic shards of electricity spilled from black clouds, darting to the earth to leap from warpstone to warpstone where it was absorbed by the ebony rock and spat back out, stronger than before.

"Look for a safe place to wait out the storm!" Obi-Wan shouted over the noise of the wind, lifting a hand to shield his eyes from the rainwater that ran in rivers from his hair to streak down his determined face.

"Below that outcropping!" Elika pointed to a shallow indent along the cliff face that barely looked large enough for the four of them - but it was all they had. Anakin and Qui-Gon were close; Qui-Gon simply gathered the boy up in his strong embrace and dashed for the shelter of the alcove before turning his worried face to the storm to search for his former apprentice. Obi-Wan was reaching for Elika as she staggered toward him, and he wrapped a secure arm around her small waist as they stumbled toward the others.

"Hurry!" Qui-Gon urged, straining to see through the blackness of the onslaught. "Obi-Wan!"

They had almost made it when lightning struck a warpstone deposit nearby. An exploding spray of fragmented warpstone jumped up to pepper their exposed hands and faces and Obi-Wan felt Elika slump in his loose grasp, her weight sagging bonelessly against him. He looked down in horror at the sharp chunk of glittering black rock that had caught her in her pale throat, now spattered with blood, hissing and spitting as she gurgled and staggered, sinking to her knees. The startled expression frozen on her face said that she had wanted to scream, had expected the chance to scream her momentary terror and pain, but no sound other than a hoarse rattle made it past her lips, accompanied by a trickle of blood so dark it was almost black.

Obi-Wan's arm was behind her back to support her but his dismayed eyes could already see that it was too late. He quickly slid an arm beneath her knees, clutching her body to his chest as he stumbled toward the alcove, not even stopping when a chunk of warpstone clipped him on the shoulder roughly. He dropped to his knees next to Qui-Gon, shuddering against the rain as he peeled Elika's limp body from his sodden frame. Together the Jedi inspected the damage, confirming what they already felt, and Anakin looked on, unsure what to do though clearly ready to burst into tears.

"Do something!" the child demanded, angry tears springing to his bright eyes. "Obi-Wan! Qui-Gon! Save her!"

Obi-Wan shook his head, droplets of water falling from the soaked ginger strands, mingling with small drops of red from a multitude of cuts across his face where he'd been sprayed by warpstone fragments. His hands shook with his burden but his voice was steady.

"I can't, Anakin," he said hoarsely, and Qui-Gon realized the Knight was pulling on all his reserves, all of the filtered Light he could grasp to himself, to save the woman. And he knew that it wouldn't be enough. Even if the three of them pooled all their resources, it wouldn't be nearly enough in this place of darkness.

"Well, use the Force!" Anakin begged, demanding. "It's everywhere here!"

"Anakin, it's too Dark," Obi-Wan whispered, his grey eyes pleading with Qui-Gon for help as he held firmly to Elika's body. "It won't save her," he added softly.

"Yes, it will!" Anakin shouted frantically, clutching at Obi-Wan's robe roughly. "It will! You just have to try!"

Qui-Gon moved finally, placing a restraining hand on Anakin's arm. "Obi-Wan is right, Anakin," he said quietly, his firm voice reaching Anakin's ears even through the howling wind. "There is no life in the Dark side."

Anakin fell into silence, leaning into Qui-Gon's outstretched arm as he huddled over his knees miserably. Finally, he mumbled softly,

"I'm scared."

Neither Jedi with him said anything for a moment; unsure, perhaps, at how to respond to the voicing of a feeling they'd been trained since the crèche to quell and ignore. The silence last barely a second, however, before Qui-Gon was surprised to hear Obi-Wan's gentle tenor, sweet and soft and just barely trembling at the edges, singing quietly a song that Qui-Gon had once upon a time sung to him when he was really too old to be sung to but couldn't help being shaken by the premonitions the Unifying Force often delivered to him as nightmares.

"Close your eyes, you can close your eyes, it's all right. I don't know no love songs, and I can't sing the blues anymore, but I can sing this song, and you can sing this song when I'm gone … "

Obi-Wan's voice roughened and faded as he cradled Elika's still body against him, waving off Qui-Gon's occasional attempts to relieve him of her weight. All was silent for a moment but for the raging of the storm, when Anakin's small voice asked,

"What's the 'blues'?"

Obi-Wan chuckled lowly, tossing his old master a tired grin despite the severity of their situation.

"It's what Qui-Gon sings about us when he thinks we can't hear him."

One by one, they drifted into an uneasy slumber as the pulsing warpstone leeched the Light and energy from their exhausted bodies and the rain drove into their backs. They clutched each other tightly, not realizing that these hours would be their last together.

OoOoOoOo

lyrics are a paraphrasing of a james taylor song that wouldn't go away. it's cheesy as hell, but, shrug