It was absolute chaos. Hundreds upon hundreds of people were all clamoring around the edges of the quarantine, all screaming for the same thing. What happened, where were their families, who was alive? All the combined voices of fear and anxiety chipped away at Qui-Gon's mental shields, giving him a headache.
It took some time for Qui-Gon to get through quarantine security. In the beginning he flashed his badge to show his status as Jedi, but near the end he just mind-suggested everyone he met and pushed his way through.
He followed Obi-Wan's Force signature straight to the medical section, only to be stopped a mere forty feet away. "I'm sorry, Master Jinn," the Knight blocking him stated grimly. "Nobody is allowed through."
"My Padawan is in there," Qui-Gon pointed to the said caravan.
The Knight shook his head. "I have strict orders. Nobody, not even Masters, are allowed through."
I can take him, Qui-Gon thought darkly. A hand clamped down on his shoulder and halted his movements.
"Can we talk?" Castiel asked, jerking his head off to the side.
Qui-Gon did not like Castiel.
His Padawan may trust this… thing, but everything about Castiel screamed 'wrong' to Qui-Gon. The way he walked, talked, blinked, was so unnatural. It was as if Castiel was a droid- except droids had more of a personality than him.
Even more, the way the Force moved around him was nothing Qui-Gon has ever felt before. When Castiel used his powers the Force gave off a bright flash, fast and blinding, making Qui-Gon feel as if he'd been punched in the chest. It happens so quickly, he can barely register the shock till nearly scant seconds later. Castiel indeed, was a very, very dangerous man.
If he was a man.
Qui-Gon followed Castiel through the crowds, trying to ignore the confusion bustling around him. There was so much pain, the Force felt like it was bleeding.
"Did you feel it?" Castiel asked as soon as they were alone, standing between two large medical transports.
Qui-Gon blinked at him, thrown by the question. "Feel what?"
"I was so far away when it happened," Castiel murmured. His eyes were wide and a little wild. "I'm not sure what I felt. But did you feel it? The… burst of… light only a few minutes ago."
The moment Qui-Gon had felt the sheer utter panic bursting through Obi-Wan, he'd left the Temple to seek him out. Everything else became background noise.
Qui-Gon threw his thoughts back to that moment, searching, picking through the seconds to find the light Castiel spoke of.
And- oh. Oh.
There was something, now that he thought about it. The sensation of gold and silver stabbing through his heart before it was drowned out by Obi-Wan's fevered emotions.
Qui-Gon grasped at his tunic, right above where his heart sat. Force, it burned. "What was that?"
"I need to see Obi-Wan," Castiel demanded, ignoring Qui-Gon's question. "Where is he?"
Qui-Gon was bewildered by this. Obi-Wan's Force signature pulsed strongly, even through the cloud of heated fear from the crowds. How could something like Castiel not tell where Obi-Wan was, when he was only a couple hundred feet away? Exactly what was the strength of Castiel's powers? "You can't sense him?"
"Where is he?"
Qui-Gon took a step back, his eyes narrowing at the man in front of him. "I don't know what you are," he stated softly. "You have given me nothing to show I can trust you, and now, here we are surrounded by death and fear and a flicker of light scares you?"
Castiel advanced on him. In a different situation it would've been hilarious given Qui-Gon was nearly six inches taller than him, but the way the Force trembled around Castiel made it no laughing matter. "You have no idea what you're dealing with."
Qui-Gon refused to be intimidated. "Exactly," he said evenly. "If we are to work together, if I am to put Obi-Wan's life in your hands, you must prove to me first that you can be trusted."
Something flashed in Castiel's blue eyes, anger suddenly draining away. He stepped back. "I understand," he said softly. "I've not interacted with people in a long time and my skills are… rusty. I've forgotten how important relationships between humans are."
"Humans," Qui-Gon repeated. "Are you mixed?"
"No. I'm an angel."
"You're a Diathim?"
Castiel blinked at him. "What? No. I said I was an angel."
Qui-Gon decided to let the question go. "The Rakghoul plague, was this caused by demons?"
"No. This is simply an omen."
"An omen?"
"Demons are…" Castiel's brows furrowed as he struggled for the right words. "not natural creatures. Their very presence causes disturbances in the environment. Strange animal behavior, obtuse weather patterns, random aggressive actions from people. This," he gestured to the chaos around him. "will end soon. It is merely a sign of things to come."
Qui-Gon jerked at the implication. "This is just a sign? Hundreds of people are dead!"
"Because something much worse is coming. And if I am right in my theory, then Obi-Wan is the key to stopping everything."
()
The disorientation of 'zapping', as Castiel called it, passed the moment Qui-Gon spotted Obi-Wan strapped to a table.
His eyes were closed and his breathing calm, but Qui-Gon could feel the anxiety shifting inside of him. Qui-Gon stepped forward and nearly stops when he spotted ash and blood splattered on the ground. The Force signature of two others lingered inside of the room.
"Don't come near me," Obi-Wan said softly.
"You're not infected," Castiel came closer. He raised his hand to remove the restraints. "This is unnecessary."
Obi-Wan opened his eyes and glared at the angel. "Did you burn out Master Matoko's eyes?"
Castiel jerked his hand back, staring at him. "What?"
Qui-Gon swiftly came to Obi-Wan's side. "Matoko- was Krin here too? Did they try to break into your mind again?" His fingers brushed Obi-Wan's forehead and his Padwan flinched against the contact. "Don't-" he rasped.
"It wasn't me," Castiel reached over and slapped the button to release the restraints. The straps relaxed and immediately Obi-Wan jumped off the table, pushing himself away from both Qui-Gon and Castiel.
"Then what the hell was that?" Obi-Wan hissed. He ignored Qui-Gon's command to calm himself. He wanted to feel the anger. Dean may have acted on impulse at times, but his instincts were never wrong. He had felt Castiel was hiding something from him, but he wrote off as 'Cas being Cas.' And frankly, Obi-Wan was tried of acting calm. Who knew being calm took a lot more energy than he thought? "And don't give me your half-assed answers, Cas, just tell me the goddamn truth."
He doesn't like the look in Castiel's eyes. "I had theories, but it wasn't until now… one has been confirmed-"
"Cut to the point!"
"Michael has awakened."
()
A/N: Diathims, as Qui-Gon pointed out, is part of SW canon. They're humanoid beings with wings and are often called 'angels' because people think they're very beautiful. These 'angels' apparently have nothing to do with actual religious context.
Anyhoo, R/R, peeps!