Category: AU (Anne Higgins-"Bonding" Universe) drama
Rating: PG
Warnings: Uh, Xanatos as a sympathetic character. Does that
count?
Spoilers: None, pre-TPM
Summary: Can little Obi-Wan and Xanatos learn to get along? Can
they stand to share Qui-Gon? Some nasty aliens might help.
Feedback: One can never get enough of a good thing.
Disclaimer: George, you taught me more of about life and hope
than my family ever did. It was your fault I became a writer.
Allow me to play with Qui-Gon and Ben and Yoda just a little, I
won't hurt them, I'll make them eat their veggies and I won't
even muss up Ben's braid. I do this for love. Taking money for
this would be obscene. And besides, this is Anne's AU, not
mine.
"The Voravians are a very laid-back people, Master. I wonder
they manage to get anything done at all with their lack of
efficiency."
Qui-Gon Jinn glanced down and to his left, saw the quirk of a
grin on Xanatos' face in the shadow of his cloak hood. The
slight arrogance of the statement was something Qui-Gon had
been trying to train out of his apprentice for several years
now to no avail. "Voravia is a beautiful world, Xani. Their
culture has evolved in that natural beauty for thousands of
years and they see little reason to ignore such for the sake of
a few moments saved or a task hurriedly completed." He gestured
explanatorily at the hologlobe before them, pointed to the
small green dot shining on the western coast of the main
continent. "The symposium will be here, at the stronghold lands
of Corfin Danu, the planetary govenor. It has already begun and
will continue through the summer months, and those attending
may come and go as they please. Master Yoda wishes us to attend
the sessions involving conducting relations with the Jedi and
with the Senate."
"Are we to represent the Jedi?" Xanatos asked quietly.
"No, Padawan, we are there merely as participants, we do not
officially represent the Jedi. That is for Master Koth and
Master Saesee." Qui-Gon half-smiled down at his apprentice
again. "Think of it as a working vacation. We have been
bouncing back and forth from world to world for almost a year
now. Surely a few weeks spent at such a ...laid-back pace will
allow us to find peace again, yes?"
"Perhaps, Master," Xanatos said with an answering half-smile.
"It will be interesting, though. I look forward to it."
Qui-Gon hesitated a moment, then, "Obi-Wan shall be
accompanying us."
Xanatos didn't answer immediately, and a quick glance showed
the elfin, pale face was coldly impassive, a lock of the long
blue-black hair obscuring the eyes. Then, "As you wish,
Master."
"Xani--"
"Master," Xanatos answered in a softly correct voice. "Shall I
see to the packing?"
Qui-Gon tightened his jaw, almost grinding his teeth in
frustration. He wanted to reach out to his Padawan, truly he
did, but--no. So many times his attempts at reconciliation
between his apprentice and his bondmate had ended in freezing
silence. Somehow, there must be a way! But for the moment--
"Yes, Xani, go and see to the packing. I'll go collect
Obi-Wan."
Xanatos nodded silently, bowed to his Master and turned to head
for their quarters.
Qui-Gon gave a long sigh as the door slid shut behind his
Padawan, reached up to rub his eyes wearily.
[Quigee? Are you all right?]
[Yes, imp, I'm fine.] Qui-Gon sent almost automatically to the
inquiring presence making himself felt in his mind. [Did you
remember to pack some clothes or is it all toys again this
time?] he sent teasingly.
The mental giggle skittered through the Force that bound them
together. [Master Slarin helped me. He made me pack my
schoolfiles too.]
[Then perhaps Xani can help you study,] Qui-Gon sent carefully.
The hesitation was as real in Obi-Wan's thoughts as in Xanatos'
carefully repressed contempt. From the moment they'd met five
years ago Xanatos and Obi-Wan had been polite enemies. The
tangle of jealousy and resentment between them had wound around
the object of their conflict, Qui-Gon, until the Jedi Master
felt like the toy caught between two snarling sandtiger cubs.
And, he had to admit, his bondmate was handling the situation a
lot better than Xanatos was.
He strode from the hologlobe room and out into the marble
hallways of the main floor of the Temple, past other Masters
and Knights gathered in the hallway, bowing and nodding to
those he knew. A knot of people near the door of the main
conference room held a familiar presence and he felt for the
remnants of his link with Windu. [Mace, we're heading for
Voravia now. Try to keep the universe from falling apart while
we're gone.]
[I think we can wire it together with spacers' tape and
zip-ties while you take a couple weeks off,] Windu sent with a
snort of amusement. [Have fun playing fight referee.]
Qui-Gon nearly groaned out loud. Windu was right.
Obi-Wan waited in the dayschool playroom, carefully levitating
one wooden block after another, building a pyramid. The blocks
were weighted unevenly and building things with them by
levitation required delicate control of the Force. He wasn't
quite as good at this as his friend Reeft was, but he was
learning.
Qui-Gon's presence was getting closer, almost to the door of
the playroom--
"Imp?"
The levitating block fell to scatter the other blocks as
Obi-Wan lost his concentration. Ignoring them, he jumped to his
feet and was swept up into his bondmate's arms. [Quigee!]
[Easy, imp, you'll strangle me,] Qui-Gon laughed in his mind.
The clutch of the thin little arms eased slightly as he pulled
away a little and kissed Obi-Wan's forehead. "Ready to go?"
Obi-Wan nodded, turning to go get his pack.
"Clean up the blocks first, imp."
Obi-Wan turned back, looked up at Qui-Gon's laughing blue eyes
and nodded. He looked back at the scattered pile of blocks and
all two dozen suddenly zoomed up into the air and zipped over
into the small plastic bin nearby. Obi-Wan grunted with the
effort of controlling the Force just so to sweep up all
the blocks without crushing one or dropping one and then
dropping them into the bin. Qui-Gon nodded his approval and
Obi-Wan smiled and raced to get his pack.
Maybe this will work out after all, Qui-Gon thought as
he watched his bondmate run across the playroom. Maybe this
time I can get Xani to relax enough to accept what Obi-Wan and
I have together.
But as his old Master liked to say, " 'Maybe' a rotted thing
is! When rely on it you do, crumble it will!"
Obi-Wan returned, struggling to swing his small pack up onto
his shoulder, and latched onto Qui-Gon's hand with a dazzling
smile.
"Have you said goodbye to your friends?" Qui-Gon asked.
[Yes, Quigee.]
Somehow, even with only two words sent through their bond, the
little imp could always manage to chase away whatever worries
and demons haunted his mind. He sent an answering brush of
affection through that bond and Obi-Wan squeezed his hand in
answer.
"There it is," Qui-Gon said, nodding toward the planet spinning
serenely below the observation ports of the cruiser. "Voravia."
"A fair world indeed, Master," Xanatos said quietly, but his
voice was utterly, completely neutral.
"What kind of people live there?" Obi-Wan asked from his perch
on the bulkhead stanchion beside the big plane of vitriglass.
"Very happy people, Obi-Wan. They've not had cause for conflict
with anyone for many hundreds of years."
"Paradise, my Master?" Xanatos asked, the barest touch of
cynicism in his voice.
Qui-Gon shrugged a little. "As near as can be in the current
state of the Republic, Padawan. Which is why the symposium is
being held here. Because of Voravia's contentment and
prosperity it's as near to neutral ground as can be had."
Neutral ground, Qui-Gon repeated to himself, trying not to
direct the thought either to the fifteen-year-old at his side
or the nine-year-old in his soul.
The bright sunlight of Voravia's primary cast sharp-edged
shadows ahead of them as Qui-Gon led his Padawan and bondmate
off the small shuttle on the landing field. Corfin Danu's
estate was huge, several thousand acres, much of it wide sandy
beaches or the cool serenity of the mountain just inland.
A small four-seater transport pulled up at the edge of the
landing field, a small astromech droid installed in the
droid-slot as driver. A string of bright whistles sounded from
the droid as the Jedi approached. Above them, other ships were
coming in to land, descending quietly on humming repulsorlifts
to landing squares all along the half-mile of smoothed
plascrete.
Qui-Gon nodded to Xanatos as his apprentice raised an eyebrow
in inquiry and they lifted their packs into the back seat of
the transport. Xanatos slid into the front seat as the Qui-Gon
took Obi-Wan's pack from him and tossed it back with his own.
[Up, imp,] he sent to his bondmate, and Obi-Wan climbed up into
the transport with a mental giggle bringing a grin to his small
face. A grin which quickly faded when he looked up into
Xanatos' eyes.
They were night and day. Xanatos was slender, willowy, his skin
transclucently pale, his hair jet black, his eyes a shade
between violet and blue. Obi-Wan at almost ten years of age
still had some baby fat; his hair was coppery-gold, his skin
tanned, his ever-changing eyes at the moment bright emerald.
Xanatos' standard response to any situation was Wait and Watch.
Obi-Wan's was Hug It and Run. Xanatos was accustomed to hiding
his true feelings behind a mask of Jedi calm that truly hid
nothing. Obi-Wan's sunny laughter had nothing to hide at all.
Night and Day, Qui-Gon mused, watching the by-play between the
two as Obi-Wan straightened up and looked up at the taller
Padawan curiously and a little uneasily. But then Qui-Gon slid
into the seat beside him and Obi-Wan turned and settled back
against his bondmate to watch the trees and buildings blur by
as the transport whisked them to their quarters.
[So, my impling, what shall we do first?]
Obi-Wan giggled and jumped up onto the bed to bounce as Qui-Gon
put their packs just inside the door of the bedroom. [Can we
play in the water? Is it safe?]
[Yes, it's quite safe.] Qui-Gon chuckled at his bondmate's
eagerness. Obi-Wan so loved swimming. One of the reasons he'd
thought to bring him to Voravia, aside from the very real ache
of long separations with infrequent and all-too-short visits.
It was a hurt that only eased in Obi-Wan's presence, a deep
ache not quite physical but far more than merely psychosomatic.
A spiritual ache of loss and incompleteness only eased by the
imp's giggling presence. [But perhaps we should have a look
around first.]
Obi-Wan stopped bouncing on the bed all at once and his hair
flopped comically over his eyes. [Master Yoda always says to
know a place without seeing it.]
[In many different ways,] Qui-Gon confirmed with a nod. He came
forward and scooped Obi-Wan up into his arms. [I have missed
you, imp. Very much. I'm sorry I had to be away so much the
last few months. But maybe we can make up for lost time here.]
Obi-Wan held on tight for a moment, radiating happiness back
through their bond. [Oh, Quigee. I know you had to go, but it
was so hard all the same!]
Just outside the door of Qui-Gon's room, Xanatos paused on his
way to his own room down the short hallway of the tiny
beach-side house. His eyes flickered with something dangerous
for a moment as he watched his Master holding the boy close,
the big Jedi's strong arms wrapped protectively about Obi-Wan's
small form. The two radiated an aura of love and contentment
that resonated through the Force all around them.
Xanatos didn't allow anything to cross his mind or face, but
somewhere deep within the familiar green bite of envy stirred.
"Sire, the Shrith-ma of Vaikar wishes to speak with you."
Govenor Danu straightened where he sat in the deep sill of the
huge window, turned at the sound of his servant's voice. Though
"servant" was an entirely inadequate word. Telian's family had
been in the business of government on Voravia for generations
and Telian himself was much more than a simple servant. He was
friend, advisor, political ally, certainly his equal where the
craft of galactic politics were concerned. And in barely two
months time he would be son-in-law.
"The Shrith-ma, eh Tel? Well now. What would he have to say
that couldn't be said at the talks?" Danu rose to his feet,
arranging the dark green silk of his robes as he walked back to
his desk. The simple, spare room held only the huge mirror-like
plane of black vitriglass trimmed in sorawood and three
conformable chairs, the only light at the moment from the
windows in the wall behind the desk. He sighed as he settled
behind his desk, began tapping on the screens imbedded in the
desk to bring up the files on Vaikar. "All right, Tel, let him
in."
The giant alien stalked silently into the room and Corfin Danu
had to suppress a shiver of atavistic dread. Muscles rippled
under the leaf-green and emerald speckles of the yellowish
skin, claws on the pentadactyl hands sharpened to fine points.
The clothes were Vaikerian style, an armor-like leather made of
the darkly pearlescent hide of some beast from his homeworld,
the lengths of braided black leather cording fastened at the
wrists indicating mates and offspring. The face was impassive
black metal for the most part, the grated breathing mask and
eyeshields required by Vaikerians who spent any amount of time
off their harsh homeworld. A gracefully curved auralanium
short-sword was fastened to the armor of the thigh, a disruptor
pistol fastened into a holster on the opposite thigh. No
Vaikerian ever went unarmed. And this particular Vaikerian was
said to be deadly accurate with both his sword and his
disruptor for all he was the equivalent of a prince on his
world.
"There are Jedi here, on Voravia. At the gathering," the alien
began without preamble, the words a low growl amplified through
the breathing mask.
"Yes. Two at the moment, sent to attend the symposium. They are
not the Jedi Council representatives," Govenor Danu said in
answer. "The representatives will arrive next week."
"The Jedi are here as spies," the Vaikerian rumbled. "You put
us all in danger."
Danu resisted the urge to raise an eyebrow. The Vaikerians were
a volatile people, to say the least, and only interrupted their
own tribal conflicts to give a thorough trouncing to anyone
foolish enough to provoke them. It was the only way the species
could work together. Thus they were more than a little
paranoid. "Forgive me, Shrith-ma, but I do not see how anyone
can be in danger at a conference meant to promote peace and
understanding. As I said, the two Jedi who arrived today are
here as participants only, and the two Masters who shall arrive
next week are the Council representatives. You and your
entourage are not required to participate in any discussion or
function at which the Jedi are present. If you feel you cannot
tolerate their presence you are free to leave."
"Their mind powers are great," the Vaikerian hissed. "They
cloud minds. They know nothing of honor."
Danu's sharp ears were caught more by the tones in the growling
voice than the words themselves. Something had deeply
frightened the big Vaikerian prince, something to do with the
mere presence of two Jedi. Yet if he asked straight out what
the alien feared he'd more than likely be looking down at a
hole burned through his chest by the disruptor. Who's idea was
it to allow personal weapons at the conference anyway....? Oh,
Telian's. So that the jumpier sorts (like the Vaikerians) would
feel relaxed enough to provide meaningful interaction.
"You are free to leave at any time, my lord," Danu said again,
relaxing back into his chair. "There are no chains on Voravia."
A growling snort that might have been laughter, and the
Vaikerian spun on his heel and was out the door in an instant.
Qui-Gon stepped out onto the wide front porch of the small
house he and Xanatos and Obi-Wan had been given, closing his
eyes and breathing deep of the fresh breeze sweeping in from
the crystal blue of the ocean waves. The overhang of the roof
provided plenty of shade from the bright sunlight. The expanse
of white sand that rippled gently to the surf was blinding in
the noontime sun.
A giggle in his mind, and he smiled.
[Can I?]
[Can you what, imp?]
[Go swim?]
Qui-Gon's smile slid up to a mischievous grin and he didn't
answer for a long moment until he felt the small figure at his
side shift restlessly. [Yes, you can go--]
Obi-Wan was gone in a flash, and Qui-Gon wondered if the imp
had somehow learned how to teleport through the Force.
[I'll be out to join you in a minute,] he sent after the small
running figure as Obi-Wan dashed toward the tumbling surf.
[Don't go out deeper than your knees until I get there!]
[Yes Quigee!]
Qui-Gon chuckled and turned. "Well, Xani? Care to join us?"
Xanatos had been sitting silently in the shade of a yellowcane
tree just to the side of the porch, sitting on his heels in
meditation posture. He tossed his shoulder-length hair back as
he looked up at his Master. "I don't think so, Master. I think
I shall go up to the conference hall and see what's on the
schedules. Perhaps I shall attend a discussion or talk, if
there's something interesting."
Qui-Gon stepped over to the edge of the porch near where
Xanatos sat, dropped down to sit facing his apprentice. "Xani.
You do not have to distance yourself like this. Obi-Wan is
absolutely no threat to you. It wouldn't kill you to relax now
and then. I promise you he has no intention of ever displacing
you. Can there be peace here?"
Xanatos looked up into the dark blue eyes of his Master and for
a moment actually unbent enough to let something show on his
face, dropped his control enough to glance out at the tumbling
surf at the small boy chasing the waves. For only a moment
there was such a look of undisguised anxiety on the elfin face
that Qui-Gon was astonished. Then it was gone again, locked
behind that calm mask that Qui-Gon knew was an act.
"Xani, the only person you're fooling is yourself," Qui-Gon
said softly. He got to his feet, untied the sash on the robe he
wore, left it over the railing of the porch as he headed out
toward the laughing boy playing in the waves.
Xanatos watched his Master, the serious, dignified, dedicated
Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn, walking out toward the surf dressed
only in a pair of swim trunks, and the sigh of exasperation he
let loose would have done that Master proud. No, Master. I
think you're the one fooling yourself that there can ever be
anyone else in your heart but the child. He schooled his
expression again, rose gracefully to his feet and headed for
the conference hall, his lightsaber bumping his thigh as he
walked.
Obi-Wan shrieked with laughter as he was tossed high in the air
to land once more in his bondmate's arms, the incoming wave
rushing, white froth bubbling around them both.
[Fizzly!] Obi-Wan sent, wriggling against Qui-Gon.
Qui-Gon chuckled, hoisted Obi-Wan up and around. [On my back,
imp. Hold on tight and hold your breath.]
In a moment Obi-Wan was underwater as Qui-Gon dove into the
incoming wave and the two of them were caught up in the rushing
wall of water, turning to tumble over and over before it
carried them in toward the beach. Obi-Wan sent his delight to
his bondmate and felt the answering rush of excitement and
laughter. The muscles moving in the broad shoulders beneath
him, the water-slick warmth, the long strands of silvered brown
hair, the controlled sparkle of the Force that bound them. All
of it was his Quigee. All of it defined his young world.
Qui-Gon stopped and Obi-Wan felt the shift as he stood up
again. Obi-Wan kept his hold with arms and legs, snuggling like
a baby primate.
[Time to get dry for a while, imp. Hungry?]
[No, Quigee, I want to swim!] The wriggling small body on his
back tugged him back toward the water again, but Qui-Gon smiled
and knelt, pulled Obi-Wan around with a mock-growl to tickle
him.
[Time. To. Eat,] Qui-Gon sent firmly as the tatters of a wave
bubbled around them and retreated. He suspected that once
Obi-Wan slowed down long enough to eat something he'd be out on
his feet. They'd been playing in the water well into the
afternoon and the sun was starting to set.
With a remarkably adult sigh of resignation Obi-Wan relented
and Qui-Gon kissed his forehead as he got to his feet again.
Hand in hand, silent with shared contentment, they walked back
up the beach toward the small house.
If only life was this way always. No galactic emergencies,
no one fighting, no one making unreasonable demands that I have
to rush off and untangle. If only Jedi could be as we were in
the beginning of the order, just philosophers, just thinkers.
If only. Qui-Gon smiled at his own foolishness. No
reward, no remorse, no regret. Whoever wrote that never had a
child bondmate waiting back at the Temple, terrified every time
I get in a fight.
"Is it his student?"
"No. The other one, the older one, is his student."
"What is it then?"
A shrug of powerful, muscled shoulders under dark scaly armor.
"Offspring? Whatever, it is an effective target. The plan
holds. We need only the right time."
Macrobinoculars lowered, silent nods, and the Vaikerians faded
back into the underbrush and away toward the small speeder
they'd left further down the beach, out of sensing range of the
mindpowers of the Jedi.
"I have thought on what you said this morning, Master."
The measured voice was calm as always. Qui-Gon glanced up from
the viewscreen as Xanatos came in the screened door of the
little house silently, mindful of Obi-Wan deeply asleep in the
hammock strung on the end of the porch. Qui-Gon had been going
through the symposium schedule for the next few days, noting
times and places for discussions he'd like to attend. "Yes,
Xani?"
Xanatos sighed a little and swung around the table to sit
facing his Master. "I will...try. To be friendly. This jealousy
is...unbecoming a Jedi. Still more so to be jealous of a
child."
Sensing how much this admission had cost his proud Padawan,
Qui-Gon reached over and put a hand on Xanatos' shoulder,
giving him an affectionate squeeze. Xanatos glanced up and met
his eyes, smiled briefly. But it was a real smile. "I know you
are jealous. I know why. But there is room in my life and heart
for both of you."
Xanatos ducked his head a little, embarrassed, and Qui-Gon gave
him a shake. "I would say not, Master, but I shall not question
you. Just...take care you are not deceiving yourself."
Qui-Gon nodded. "I know that too, Xani. There will be a time
when Obi-Wan will be the only one in my heart. But for now, not
so. That won't be for many years yet, certainly long after your
Trials."
Xanatos nodded again once as Qui-Gon stood and went to the
small kitchen area, putting the kettle on for tea.
"Would you...like to go for a walk, Obi-Wan?"
Glancing up from his lightslate, Obi-Wan saw Xanatos looking
down at him in the half-dark of Voravia's two sliver moons. The
apprentice had finally changed from his uniform to summer
clothes, loose short pants and sleeveless tunic from his
homeworld. His lightsaber rested in an arm sheathe. Obi-Wan
knew well that no Jedi ever went anywhere without his
lightsaber, no matter what.
[Quigee?] he sent inquiringly to his bondmate. Qui-Gon, sitting
in meditation in the sand a few feet from the house, looked
over at them. [What is Xani doing? He doesn't like me.]
[Give it a try, Obi-Wan. I think Xani's starting to thaw out
toward you.] Qui-Gon sent back. [You can go if you like.]
Obi-Wan looked thoughtful for a moment, then turned off his
lightslate and put it down, stood up. "All right. If you want
to."
"I was talking to some of the others today and they told me of
some of the creatures that live in the sand. Perhaps we can
find some." Tentatively Xanatos held out a hand, and Obi-Wan
took it a little hesitatingly as they started off down the
beach together, glancing back at his bondmate in some confusion
before the prospect of odd alien sea creatures drew his
attention away.
Qui-Gon smiled. Night and day came together at dawn, he
thought. New beginnings.
Obi-Wan poked at the small crawling crustacean with a careful
finger.
"Careful. I don't know if it bites or if it's poisonous,"
Xanatos warned quietly.
Obi-Wan nodded absently, dropped a handful of wet sand on top
of the ambling crab. It struggled out of the glop and resumed
it's determined walk down toward the murmuring surf. Obi-Wan
giggled at it and dropped more sand on top of it just to watch
it dig it's way out again.
Xanatos straightened up, looking out down the endless white
stretch of beach, the waves shimmering in the light of the one
remaining moon. The other moon hung just on the horizon, on the
point of setting. The cool night breeze heading out to sea was
chill on his wet bare feet but the air was refreshingly brisk.
So odd not to be on guard or taken up by the demands of a
mission. So odd to have no demands on his time or resources.
So odd to be here, in this beautiful place, in this moment,
alone with this particular boy.
His Master's bondmate.
"Xani?"
"Yes?"
Obi-Wan's serious, almost grave look made Xanatos blink. "Is
it--is it fun to go on missions?"
Xanatos shrugged a little. "It is our duty as Jedi to help
people. I find it very interesting to study new cultures and
ways of life. Each new world, every moment, brings new things
to learn. But fun? I don't know."
"I can't tell...you know, from what I feel from Qui-Gon."
Obi-Wan shrugged a little too, his young voice wistful. "I can
tell when he's fighting, because I can feel him get all spiky
inside. And I guess that's no fun, because he doesn't feel
happy."
"Ah." Xanatos knelt next to the child, unconsciously folding
himself down into meditation posture. "Master is...never happy
when a situation falls apart around us. Sometimes, yes, we are
forced to fight. But I trust you already know that a Jedi never
willingly seeks to fight. The Masters tell us it is a low form
of resolution. Conflict never resolves conflict for long, and
never permanently."
"Master Yoda always says, 'Hate never yet dispelled hate, only
love dispels hate,' " Obi-Wan said tentatively.
"And as always, he is right," Xanatos nodded. "Master Yoda is
very wise."
Obi-Wan giggled and put up a sand-covered hand trying to stifle
the sound. "Master Yoda--did you know he likes qualla frost? I
saw him in the Water Garden a few days ago with a gigantic bowl
of it, one of the bowls the cooks use--" He dissolved in
giggles and Xanatos smiled slightly, imagining the picture. "He
looked like a big wart-frog, all grinning and his ears waggling
and--"
Xanatos tried not to smile even more, grateful for the darkness
that hid his grin.
After a few moments Obi-Wan's giggles faded off and they sat in
silence for a few more moments.
Finally the apprentice turned to the boy. "I have been jealous
of you, Obi-Wan, since Master first explained about you. But I
know you cannot help being who you are or what you and Master
have between you. Master Yoda himself has spoken to me of these
things, so that I may know of them and not be ignorant of my
feelings or the reasons for them."
Obi-Wan nodded slowly. "Master Yoda talked to me too. About
you."
"It is only Master we are hurting, not the other, by our
jealousy of each other," Xanatos said. "I may share his days
but you share his soul. We both have something the other wants.
Yet Master says his life and heart are enough for two." He
looked away out to the ocean. "For his sake, we must be at
peace with each other."
"Yes. I don't ever want to hurt him. Does it hurt him,
d'you think, when you and I don't like each other?"
Xanatos nodded once. "How can it not?"
Obi-Wan sighed. "All right, then. Truce?"
"Truce."
[Quigee!]
[Master!]
The impact of the frantic sendings jerked Qui-Gon out of the
meditative half-doze he'd sunk into an hour and a half later,
had him on his feet and racing down the beach before he'd even
registered he'd moved at all.
[Quigee! Help! Xani's been hurt! Help!]
A spark, a familiar neon spark of blue-white, far far down the
beach, and brief flickers of red angling off in the darkness,
deflected stun bolts--
--which stopped abruptly, the blue-white spark winking out.
And he felt the sudden, wrenchingly abrupt lurch as Obi-Wan
went unconscious.
[Obi-Wan! Answer me!] he called frantically, the Force moving
him faster than human eyes could follow toward the place where
those sparks had been, the faint threads of his bond with the
child urging him onward.
A small flyer, a cloudhopper from the size of it, lifted from
the trees edging the beach, the repulsorlift engines bursting
into a full-throated roar as it cleared the treetops, turned
inland.
[OBI-WAN!]
"Xani! Xani, wake up!"
Xanatos dragged a breath into his lungs, wincing at the pain
the movement caused, let the air out with a moan. Another
breath and his sluggish mind began cataloging his injuries. A
third, and his eyes opened.
Obi-Wan's small tanned face hovered into view above him, worry
plain in the eyes that had turned pale blue. Darkness beyond
the boy, but some bright light nearby, shining at an angle so
that it outlined the boy's face from one side and glinted off
the copper-gold hair.
"What happened?" Xanatos said thickly, feeling the familiar
slowness of a stun shot.
Obi-Wan shrugged a little sheepishly. "You--uhm, you missed one
of the bolts. It got you."
"Master will not be pleased," Xanatos said flatly. "Another
month spent with the training droids."
"You only missed one," Obi-Wan said stoutly. "When I only miss
one on a test at home it's not such a big deal."
"A wrong answer on an astrogeography quiz is worlds away from a
missed stun bolt in lightsaber practice," Xanatos said dryly.
"Obviously it's not good enough or I wouldn't be lying here
feeling like my nervous system had been dipped in acid."
Obi-Wan nodded. Even a nine-year-old saw the logic in it. He
helped the older boy to sit up slowly and Xanatos was soon
propped up against the smooth metal of the wall nearby.
"They took your saber," Obi-Wan said apologetically.
Xanatos nodded. "It is to be expected. Did they hurt you?"
Obi-Wan shrugged a little. "They shot me with a stunner I
think. I saw you fall, then something hit me from behind. But
I'm okay now."
Xanatos nodded and began looking around. There wasn't much to
see. A blank room, empty, smooth black metal walls, lightpanels
imbedded in the ceiling. Only a line delineating the edges of a
door in a wall nearby, though from the proportions of the door
the species it was meant for was much larger than
human-standard. A faint thrum through the deckplates beneath
them told him they were on a ship or transport. The air had a
faint odd smell to it, like new-cut grass and Temple incense
combined. No sounds around them but the faint subsonic rumble
of the engines or possibly hyperdrive. The light was bright but
had a deep blue tinge to it; while it was quite bright enough
to read by it still gave the room a watery feel.
"What do you make of this room?" he asked the boy.
Obi-Wan looked around, shivered a little, hugging himself.
"It's cold. I can feel something vibrating the floor. It smells
funny. The light is blue."
Xanatos nodded at the list. "It is a holding cell on a ship or
transport. Look. The lightpanels are set into the ceiling with
no seams or access visible to keep those inside from the
mechanisms. The doorway over there is built for something much
larger than a human so we can assume we are being held by some
sort of alien, a species generally much bigger than standard
humans. The floor is made of deckplates that are removable, as
they must be on a ship to allow repairs if an engineer is
forced to trace wiring or cabling. That odd smell is either
alien cooking or the air recyclers are badly in need of
replacement filters, indicating either an alien chef of some
ability or a badly-maintained ship. Clogged air filters are a
danger as they can impede the airflow of a ship and that can
prevent airborne viruses or other contaminants from being
filtered away. The blue lights indicate the species that built
and runs this ship is accustomed to a colder star that burns
with a blue cast to it's light. And a ship does not vibrate
this way while under hyperdrive. We are in a ship travelling
either in atmosphere or in orbit, traveling sublight on the ion
engines."
Obi-Wan blinked at him owlishly for a moment then smiled up at
the older boy. "Quigee taught you that, didn't he?"
"Quigee?"
"Qui-Gon, I mean. Master," Obi-Wan amended hastily. "At least,
you can call him Master. I can't."
Xanatos nodded once. "Indeed. And yes, he taught me that.
Speaking of which, can you hear him?"
Obi-Wan straightened indignantly. "I can always hear him!"
Fitting action to words he reached for his bondmate. [Quigee?
Are you there?]
[Obi-Wan! Oh thank the Force! Are you all right?!]
[We're all right,] Obi-Wan sent, slightly annoyed at his
bondmate's frantic inquiry. [Xani and I are all right. He says
we're in a holding cell on a ship. A ship built for bigger
people than humans. And that there's either a really good cook
on the ship or the air filters are bad. And--]
[Imp! Slow down! Does Xani have his saber?]
Obi-Wan frowned slightly. [I was getting to that!] he sent,
nettled. [No. They took it.]
Xanatos got slowly to his feet as the boy went quiet and
hobbled over to the door, began searching the edges around it
looking for controls or latches or hidden release levers. There
were none. That didn't mean, however, that they were locked
inside, just that there was no way to open the door from this
side.
[--and Xani says the lights are blue because the people who
live on the ship are from somewhere where the sun is blue,]
Obi-Wan was continuing to his bondmate, chattering away through
their bond happily, not at all frightened to be locked in a
strange room on a strange ship. He'd never been alone so he
wasn't scared.
Xanatos glanced back at the smaller boy, turned back to the
door and put both hands on it, let his senses reach out through
the mechanisms of the door, searching, seeing beyond.
Presences, but not nearby. The dead spot directly in front of
his hands, a bar of metal or plastic, a locking mechanism.
A click sounded from the door, and it moved slightly under the
Padawan's hands. Smiling faintly in smug satisfaction, he
turned back to the boy. "Tell Master I have unlocked the door
and ask him what we should do."
Obi-Wan glanced up at him in surprise, his eyes flew to the
door, then back to Xanatos and he nodded. [Quigee! Xani got the
door open!]
[Tell him to look out first, CAREFULLY, to see what's outside
before you go out!] Qui-Gon sent. [Imp, stay with Xani and do
what he tells you! Don't run off without him!]
Obi-Wan relayed his bondmate's instructions and Xanatos nodded
grimly, moved to the door to push it open just enough to see
through. The corridor wall of a starship some few feet in front
of the door, as he'd expected. Obi-Wan scrunched down beneath
the taller apprentice, pushed up against the door to see.
"Ask Master if anyone has claimed responsibility for kidnapping
us yet," Xanatos whispered.
[No, not yet,] Qui-Gon answered when Obi-Wan relayed the
question. [But I have my suspicions.]
"Qui-Gon says not yet but he has his sus-suspi--"
"Suspicions," Xanatos supplied. "One of Master's suspicions are
as good as documented fact for anyone else. He is rarely wrong.
Ask him who and why."
[Vaikerians,] Qui-Gon answered as Obi-Wan sent him the
question. [Xani will know what I'm talking about, imp, so
there's no need for long stories.]
"Vaikerians?" Obi-Wan told the older boy, hoping he was saying
it right.
Xanatos blinked in surprise. He did indeed know what his Master
meant. "This is new for them. But Master will know this. Come,
let's see what's out there."
Satisfied that the corridor was clear so far as they could see,
the two slipped out of the tiny holding cell and started off
down the corridor together.
"Our tracking stations are perhaps not all they should be,"
Govenor Danu said as he tapped out a command into the
datascreens in his desk. "However, there should be something
here to work with."
The tall impassive Jedi standing before the desk never even
blinked and the Govenor had the disturbing impression that he
was totally transparent to that unwavering sapphire glare.
False dawn was beginning to lighten the sky in the east, the
first gray light on the horizon heralding true dawn.
The desk screens flipped rapidly through weather satellite data
for the surrounding area, then to an atmospheric flight control
view. "See here, many ships and transports coming and going,
and many more smaller craft such as cloudhoppers."
"Can you magnify the scale of the scan?" the Jedi asked.
The Govenor nodded slightly and did so, magnifying the scan to
it's highest resolution, then ran the scan through the
approximate time period of the kidnapping.
"They turned inland from the beach," Qui-Gon said quietly.
"Northeast."
Three possible flight paths were highlighted now on the screen.
One went due east and inland, heading out across the continent.
One went almost directly north along the beach before turning
eastward past the Govenor's estate. The third went northeast
then turned eastward for several dozen miles before
disappearing from the scan abruptly in the mountain range to
the east.
"Are there any starships shown leaving from that location?"
Qui-Gon asked, indicating the third trace. Inside the cloak
sleeves his hands were balled into clenched fists in
frustration. Why was this taking so long? Why hadn't the
Vaikerians sent a ransom demand or made some sort of contact?
Why were they doing this? Vaikerians considered it beneath
their dignity to bother with hostages except in tribal
conflicts. They never resorted to such in matters
involving non-Vaikerians. Qui-Gon shuddered. Normally
Vaikerians killed prisoners before they'd take hostages...
[Quigee?]
Qui-Gon clenched his jaw and felt his fingernails digging into
his palms, drawing blood from the marks. Obi-Wan's mindtone was
now uncertain and Qui-Gon could feel anxiety beginning to
thread through his bondmate's thoughts. Obi-Wan was exhausted
and surely Xanatos was in no better state, especially after
having been stunned. How long would it be before Obi-Wan was
frightened and Xanatos lost patience with him? [Impling, are
you well? Are you somewhere safe?]
[Xani's getting grumpy,] Obi-Wan sent and Qui-Gon could feel
the boy's own crankiness. [He said he's going to shove me out
the airlock if I don't stop whining.]
[Tell Xani to find someplace safe to hide so you both can
sleep,] Qui-Gon sent. [Tell him I said that's an order.]
A moment's pause, then, [He's angry at me. He says not to order
him around. I said you said it, why's he angry at me?]
Not for the first time Qui-Gon cursed the inadequacies of his
training bond with Xanatos. For some inexplicable reason he'd
never been able to form a strong link with Xanatos. He didn't
know if the faint threads of infrequent contact were normal or
not and somehow never remembered to go ask Yoda until he was on
a ship outward bound from Coruscant on another mission. He knew
not to expect full-blown conversation such as he had with
Obi-Wan, but still...
A mental sigh of relief from Obi-Wan. [Finally!] Brief wisps of
irritation and hurt. Xanatos must have said something hateful.
[Okay, Quigee, Xani says we can sleep here.]
[Where, imp? Where are you?]
Sleep was closing in around Obi-Wan's thoughts already. [A
little ship. Like a shuttle. Dark in here. Going to sleep now,
Quigee. Love you.] And the contact faded as Obi-Wan dropped off
into sleep
"We show no ships leaving from that particular location,"
Govenor Danu said, and Qui-Gon jerked his attention back to the
matter at hand. "However, look here, there is a ship that took
off from the old landing field here, fifty miles away. That
would take only a few minutes' travel by speeder" The Govenor
punched in commands again to isolate the flight path of the
starship shown leaving an abandoned landing field on a
mountaintop deep in the same range of mountains where the
cloudhopper's path had disappeared. "And we show no transponder
information for that trace."
"Is there a visual trace? Or a radar trace?" Qui-Gon rumbled.
"It was too dark for a visual," the Govenor said, "But
perhaps--"
Information filled the screen again, and Qui-Gon's eyes
flickered to take in the data. The estimated mass was wrong for
a Vaikerian cruiser, but the power signature of the ion engines
was the same. "A cloaked Vaikerian heavy attack cruiser,"
Qui-Gon said. "And virtually untrackable once in orbit. The
heat signatures from the engines fade too fast, and your
tracking satellites are not advanced enough to pick up subspace
communications or magnetic field disturbances." He straightened
and looked out at the first rays of dawn light lancing over the
ocean and in the windows of the Govenor's office. "And we still
have no idea what they want."
"Surely your nephew and apprentice will not be harmed," the
Govenor said, trying to be positive.
Qui-Gon's mouth twitched a little, but it was fleeting. Well,
if he'd told the Govenor Obi-Wan was his bondmate he'd have to
endure long involved explanations that weren't relevant to the
situation at hand and would in fact be far too awkward. And
personal. "My apprentice is very resourceful. And he is Jedi.
Perhaps he will find a way to reason with their captors."
"You are certainly welcome to whatever we may provide to help
you," the Govenor said calmly.
Qui-Gon could only nod his acceptance and gratitude and left it
at that.
A loud growling laugh jerked Obi-Wan and Xanatos from dead
sleep some few hours later.
[Quigee!] Obi-Wan sent in a scream as something huge jerked him
up out of the warm gelfoam of the navigator's chair he'd curled
up in and dangled him high above the floor by one ankle.
"Xani!"
But the apprentice had scrambled out of the starfighter's
pilot's chair with Jedi quickness and was now kicking at the
Vaikerian's knees and aiming his doubled fists at the alien's
elbow, hoping to make the monster drop Obi-Wan. But the knees
didn't buckle and give way, and the rippling muscles of the
yellowish-green arms didn't waver at the blow. The Vaikerian
laughed again at the apprentice's useless attacks and threw a
screaming Obi-Wan over the broad shoulder, whipped out a hand
to latch onto Xanatos' wrist, dragging the Jedi apprentice
behind him at a run.
[Impling! I'm here! What's wrong?!]
[Quigee! A monster caught us!] Obi-Wan wailed through the bond,
struggling and kicking at the giant laughing alien, screaming
in terror. Xanatos was pulling back as hard as he could on the
alien, trying to get his wrist free from the clawed hand that
completely engulfed it, yelling and hitting with his free hand
at the Vaikerian's back and kicking futilely at whatever he
could reach. Then, as they passed a line of garbage bins,
Xanatos reached out a hand and called the Force around him, and
a whirlwind of discarded chipboards and shreds of wiring and
piping and ductwork remnants sprang up to fill the corridor
with stinging projectiles, all of it homing in on the big
alien. Obi-Wan felt what Xanatos was doing and his fright
suddenly focussed on the yellow-skinned shuffling feet far
below him. One small hand clenched, the Force responded, and
the alien's laugh turned to a surprised yelp as one foot was
jerked out from under him just as he put his weight down on it.
Xanatos snatched Obi-Wan from the Vaikerian's suddenly loosened
grasp and the two were fleeing down the corridor together, the
whirlwind of levitating objects dropping to the floor behind
them as the Vaikerian struggled back up to his feet.
"Go! Run! We've got to find an escape pod or a shuttle or
something!" Xanatos panted. "Here, down this way!" He tugged
Obi-Wan around a corner as they heard a howling roar from the
Vaikerian behind them and the sound of pounding feet.
"He's coming to get us again!" Obi-Wan squeaked, his eyes wide
with fear as they ran on.
Xanatos skidded up to the first closed door he saw, hit the
most obvious button on it and silently prayed to the Force,
gulping down a hasty lungful of air as the giant-sized door
slid open-- Good! A lift! He tugged Obi-Wan inside and punched
a level button at random. As the lift started to move he
searched frantically for the emergency cut-off, found a small
black lever high up in a corner of the lift's ceiling. "Damn! I
can't reach it!"
Obi-Wan saw what he wanted, reached out one small hand and
tugged hard with the Force.
The lurch as the lift car suddenly and violently stopped
toppled them to the floor. Faintly they heard some odd
screeching mechanical noise from somewhere outside. The sound
repeated and kept repeating and Xanatos guessed it was some
sort of emergency claxon.
"We must hurry," Xanatos said, picking himself up from the
floor, straightening his clothes and throwing back his hair
from his eyes. He helped Obi-Wan up and searched the ceiling of
the lift car for a hatchway, found none. That left the door.
"Help me with this," he said as he put his fingers to the seam
where the two halves of the door met and began to pry the door
open. Obi-Wan scooted in beneath the taller apprentice and
pushed as hard as he could on one of the door-halves. It moved
far too slowly under their combined strength. Vaikerian howls
sounded from somewhere close by. They strained at the door
together for several minutes trying to open the solid
duralanium portal enough to squeeze through.
"Once more," Xanatos panted. Obi-Wan felt the older boy reach
to touch the Force and followed his lead, felt the strength and
sparkling energy sweep through him momentarily. The lift door
slid open another foot and they could see the grimy metal of a
lift shaft and the edge of a ladder.
Xanatos had just managed to squeeze through the half-open lift
door and had his hands on the rungs of the ladder when the
emergency braking clamps on the lift suddenly disengaged and
the lift dropped out from underneath them. Obi-Wan gulped,
watching the lift disappear into the darkness at astonishing
speed. Just below him, Xanatos dangled by his hands for a
moment before he got his feet on the ladder with a sigh of
relief.
"Go!" Xanatos urged the boy.
"Where to?" Obi-Wan asked, starting to climb.
"Anywhere but here," Xanatos replied. "They surely know where
the lift stopped by now. Go up...say, seven levels. That should
be random enough to give us a head start on them."
Qui-Gon walked numbly through the Govenor's palace, not really
seeing the rich marble and crystal of the walls or the sinuous
abstract sculptures at every bend in the corridors.
This time yesterday Obi-Wan and I were swimming
together. The thought seemed somehow neutral, unweighted by
the light that normally accompanied any thought of his
bondmate. His mind refused to remember the swinging surf or the
constant giggling or the fascination with sand. And Xanatos,
serious and formal, ever maintaining that mask he was still
learning to wear, that imitation of Jedi calmness. Though
Qui-Gon had to admit his Padawan's efforts toward true calmness
brought the mask and the reality steadily closer with each
passing day. But he valued his Padawan's ocassional bouts of
temper as well, the fire that would be needed in the future to
stand up for what he knew was the will of the Force no matter
what the Council wanted to make him believe.
His bondmate and apprentice had been kidnapped and here he was,
helpless to do anything until the kidnappers made their demands
known.
He tried to quell the terrified thought that there might never
be any demands made, that Obi-Wan and Xanatos had simply
been taken and might be even now on their way to some truly
horrible fate. Madmen needed test subjects, the wealthy wanted
slaves, brothels needed fresh meat...any number of unthinkable
things.
Stop it! Think, damn it! he screamed at himself.
You're a Jedi Master! Stop reacting and start THINKING
damnit!
He stopped at an intersection of corridors, closed his eyes and
began consciously releasing all the tension and pain into the
Force. Emptied all thought, all worry, all fear, into the
Force. Then, when he felt the calmness of that releasing sink
into every cell, opened himself to the Force. He'd found that
simply asking with true humility and openness of heart brought
the song of the Force clearest into his mind.
A stirring came, the smallest of tugs, and his eyes snapped
open as he moved.
"Tea, Master Jinn?"
Qui-Gon shifted his unblinking gaze from the knot of Vaikerians
to focus on the Govenor's aide and the young servant just
behind him. Telian gestured to the edge of the bubbling
fountain and the servant carefully put down the tray on the
smooth stone of the broad wall. The mingled scents of ginger,
mint and ginseng rose from the small stoneware teapot. The aide
poured a cup of the steaming hot tea as the Jedi Master nodded
haltingly, still silent, and accepted the cup.
"The Govenor sent me to inform you that he has sent the message
you requested," Telian said softly, keeping his voice low so
the other symposium attendees milling through the gardens
around them would not overhear. "The Kreth-ma was most helpful.
Apparently his son is a bit on the reckless side and the
Kreth-ma has had to haul him out of trouble more than once. Not
that they consider this a bad trait in their future ruler, you
understand. But the Kreth-ma provided us the information you
requested on the Shrith-ma's ship."
"I trust the Govenor is making good use of it?" Qui-Gon asked,
his eyes still boring holes into the Vaikerian prince who stood
in the midst of his companions. Qui-Gon had been staring at the
group unwaveringly for almost an hour, always from the same
distance and always just to the side of the big Vaikerian
prince's line of sight. It was an old and very annoying trick.
To anyone with a guilty conscience it was excrutiating. Qui-Gon
had had ample cause over the last several years to put the old
trick to good use. Of course if someone didn't have a
conscience to begin with it was wasted effort....
A tremor in the Force, a tingle of warning, and he stopped
frozen in place. Danger. He swept his eyes around the various
aliens and humanoids walking in small groups around him or
admiring the riotous colors of the blooming gardens. The
Vaikerians, of course, with disruptors, blasters and knives
very visible. No. No true, immediate danger there.
Then a whiff of the tea in the cup he held. An unknown faint
scent of something, a smell he didn't remember from any
previous tea. A flat, faintly metallic smell. The Force seemed
to illuminate that scent as if to make certain he was aware of
it. Very cautiously he took a small sip of the tea and brought
the Force to bear on the taste. The instant alarms that
screamed through his mind and soul confirmed it. Poison.
"The Federation delegates were also very helpful," Telian
continued, oblivious to the laser-like stare of the Jedi Master
now focussed on him as he was turned to watch a group of
graceful Iegans pacing through the ribbon-like blossoms of a
nearby vine curtain, laughing softly at the touch of the
flowers. "They have set up a sensor relay from their ship in
orbit above us and have set the scans at once a Standard
minute. That and the information the Kreth-ma sent to us should
make the search a simple matter."
"Indeed. There will be nowhere to hide," Qui-Gon said, his
voice carefully devoid of inflection. The Voravian turned at
that and gave the Jedi a faintly startled look before he turned
again to nod to the delegate from Alderaan as the old man
passed by them. But the sudden tension in the younger man's
frame spoke volumes to the Jedi Master. "Oh, and commend the
Govenor on his choice of tea. I've rarely tasted ginseng of
such quality." And with that, Qui-Gon downed the poisoned drink
in three long swallows, smiled at the Voravian and put the
small stoneware cup back on the tray. Then he tucked his hands
inside his sleeves and bowed to Telian and turned to go.
Once out of sight of the Vaikerians and the Govenor's aide, he
quickened his pace toward the courtyard where the droid-driven
aircars waited. He might not have much time and he needed to be
somewhere relatively safe to go into healing trance. Not the
smartest thing he'd ever done, but the confirmation of his
suspicions had been worth it.
The Govenor's aide was in on the plot.
"Feel anything?"
"Give me a minute," Obi-Wan groused, his concentration broken
by the hand on his leg. He scowled down at the older boy and
freed one hand from the ladder to touch the closed lift doors
just beside him, relaxed as much as he could without falling
off the ladder. The Force came at his call and he let his
senses reach past the duralanium doors, trying to remember how
Quigee did this...the thought of Qui-Gon made him shudder.
Something was wrong with Quigee. He could feel it like cold
shivers down his back. Shaking his head to free it of the
sudden fear he refocussed himself on his task. Quigee always
said the Force would always help if you just asked nicely... "I
don't feel anything just in front of the door but there's some
of the monsters further away. That way," Obi-Wan explained,
gesturing to the right and ahead of him, indicating the space
beyond the lift doors.
Xanatos raked his hair out of his eyes, tossed his Padawan
braid back over his shoulder absently. "Then we shall have to
be cautious."
Obi-Wan grinned a little. "You mean sneaky."
Xanatos' answering grin was small and fleeting, but it was
there. "As you say. Move over a bit."
Obi-Wan nodded and moved over to the left as much as he could
as Xanatos climbed up beside him to rest one hand on the
grime-coated wall of the lift shaft just beside the doorframe.
After a moment's concentration Xanatos grimaced and moved
again, very very carefully climbing up onto the ledge of the
doorframe to reach his hand to the other side, stretching
across the too-wide space with his left hand latched on the
ladder. Obi-Wan gulped and reached for the Force again,
imagining a big hand holding Xanatos on the ledge, steadying
him, not letting him fall.
"That is most appreciated, Obi-Wan." The Force swirled around
the apprentice for a moment and the lift door clicked as it
released and slowly slid open with a hiss of hydraulics.
Xanatos ducked inside as Obi-Wan swung around off the ladder
and followed him.
Cargo containers rose around them like the skyline of
Coruscant, siliplastic crates stacked five high. The light was
dim from a few blue-tinted diffusion lights far above. The
sound of the ship's ion engines rumbled loudly through the
deckplates here, sending vibration up through their feet. It
was much colder here and both boys started shivering almost
immediately. They jumped as the lift door slid shut behind them
with a faint hiss.
Xanatos looked around and gestured Obi-Wan to follow him as he
started to move around the cargo crates to the left, away from
the rumble of Vaikerian voices a few rows over on the right. As
they came to the bulkhead wall and turned again they saw the
source of the sudden intense cold. A force-shielded cargo bay
door, essentially a huge window opening onto the vacuum of
space itself, showed the glowing curve of Voravia framed in the
faint blue tingle of the shields. The force-shields kept the
vacuum of space at bay but they couldn't stop the slow leeching
of heat off into the absolute zero of space. Across the large
open space in front of the bay door, a small starship rested on
a triangle of landing gear, what looked to be a Vaikerian
shuttle. Xanatos jerked Obi-Wan back into the concealment
behind a cargo crate as he saw the hulking black-armored forms
of several Vaikerians stalking toward the shuttle from lifts at
the other end of the cargo bay, each carrying several
hand-combat weapons as well as their disruptors and a heavy
blaster thrown over one shoulder.
"Why are they taking all those weapons to Voravia?" Obi-Wan
asked in a whisper.
"Do not assume they are going to Voravia," Xanatos said softly.
"That shuttle has hyperdrive. They could be going elsewhere,
anywhere in the galaxy." Then his eyes fell on some odd
containers stacked near the rear of the shuttle, spherical
transparisteel objects filled with a yellowish liquid that
glowed green in the blue light. Each was perhaps a meter in
diameter, fastened securely in frames with devices blinking
tiny green lights in steady pulses.
Xanatos grabbed Obi-Wan and threw them both roughly behind the
cargo crates, leaned back against the crates in wide-eyed
terror. Shock dilated the blue-violet eyes and Obi-Wan had to
catch him as he started to sway.
"What?! What is it?!" Obi-Wan asked in a frantic whisper.
Xanatos swallowed, nodded, his eyes regaining some sort of
sense after a moment. He knelt, pulled Obi-Wan down beside him,
took the younger boy's shoulders so Obi-Wan would look him in
the eyes. "You must call Master, right now! Those spherical
cargo containers beside the shuttle...tell Master the
Vaikerians have seven containers of Pyxal concentrate."
Obi-Wan looked up at the apprentice in confusion. "What's
that?"
Xanatos swallowed again, plainly trying to keep himself under
some sort of control. "Master will probably not want you to
know, but...Pyxal is a chemical warfare agent." He looked up
and around, then allowed himself a moment to put his head down
on his knee before looking back up at Obi-Wan. "Obi-Wan, just
one of those spheres of Pyxal sprayed into the jet stream of a
planet could destroy all life on that planet in a matter of a
day. The Senate banned it long ago, but--Well, that's what the
Jedi are for, I suppose." He put an arm around the younger
boy's shivering shoulders. "Call Master and tell him right now.
Wake him up if you must, but he must know of this now! "
The chiming of the comscreen beside the bed forced Qui-Gon back
to consciousness. He rolled over and pushed himself to sit up
with shaking arms, somehow managed to touch the screen to
acknowledge the link. "Jinn. What news?"
"Like the hells of the Sith, you look, Padawan."
Qui-Gon let out a laugh as he tried to straighten up, cold
sweat streaking down his face and into his hair, the chills of
the fever making his teeth chatter. "I am neutralizing a
poison, Master. Surely you can't expect me to look my best."
"Hmph. Poison? Remember, you do, how to deal with such?"
Qui-Gon managed to nod, forced his eyes open. The familiar,
loved visage of his former Master filled the comscreen, Yoda's
frizzy white hair and huge wing-like ears, the wide blue-green
eyes and green skin, the gnarled walking stick clutched in a
three-fingered, clawed hand. "Has there been news, Master?"
"The Kreth-ma of Vaikar, denies he does his son's involvement.
Knows nothing of kidnapping of your Padawan and Obi-Wan. So he
says." Yoda's ears dropped momentarily, wordlessly conveying
his disbelief of the Vaikerian ruler's denials. "Any further
word from the children?"
"I am not certain," Qui-Gon managed to get out around his
nerveless shivering. "It may have been the delirium of the
fever but I thought I heard Obi-Wan tell me something about
Pyxal concentrate."
Yoda's ears went straight up at that and the bulbous eyes went
huge with alarm. "Contact him, you must! Now!"
Qui-Gon nodded, reached for his bondmate. [Imp? Are you well?]
[Quigee! What's wrong with you?!] Obi-Wan's mindvoice sounded
truly frightened and Qui-Gon cursed under his breath. The imp
was picking up the feel of the fever and no doubt had heard at
least some of the delirious ramblings of the last couple of
hours.
[I'm--all right at the moment, imp,] Qui-Gon sent carefully.
[I'm sorry I didn't really hear what you were saying to me
before. But I can understand now. What did you and Xani find?]
[Xani says it's Pyxal concentrate, seven containers of it. The
monsters are putting it into the shuttle now. I think they're
getting ready to go somewhere.]
Qui-Gon suppressed his alarm and turned back to the screen
where Yoda watched him silently. "Yes, Master, it's true. Pyxal
concentrate, seven containers. Obi-Wan says they're loading it
onto a shuttle now and it looks like the Vaikerians are
preparing to depart."
Yoda let out a curse in some language Qui-Gon didn't know.
"Vaikerians, always careless they are! Without proper
procedures the Pyxal is unstable! Even in the tiniest amounts,
is deadly to all life forms!"
"I know, Master," Qui-Gon said, forcing himself more upright so
he could take a few deep breaths and once more call the Force
to bear on the poison rioting in his blood. "I will have the
poison neutralized completely soon. The Govenor's aide Telian
is somehow involved in the kidnapping. We would need solid
proof to accuse the Vaikerians of dealing in banned chemical
warfare agents. Somehow we need to catch them red-handed in
front of reliable witnesses or else find some other
incontrovertible proof. I doubt the Kreth-ma of Vaikar even
knows of this."
"Information, we need, yes," Yoda agreed. "Take care, you will,
Qui-Gon! The lives of many may depend on you!"
The transmission ended abruptly. Qui-Gon snorted a mirthless
laugh. "Don't they always?"
"So we can expect you back in time for dinner tonight, Tel?"
Govenor Danu said as he and his aide walked together down the
echoing marble hallway toward the communications center. "Or
shall I tell Alayni that once again you shall be late?"
Telian smiled and nodded as they came to the intersection of
the hallways and stopped beside the great bronze sculpture
beneath the rotunda dome far above. "I intend to be back before
dinner, Govenor, but there could always be some sort of delay.
Tell Alayni I have every intention of being on time, but if I
am not to expect me to bring her dessert to her rooms."
The Govenor laughed at this. "That I shall! Go on with you
then! And remember I want only the best for my daughter!"
Telian smiled again and bowed to the Govenor. "A monk's hut and
a grove of sora trees would suit me, Govenor, so long as Alayni
shared it with me."
Danu chuckled and waved him on his way, turned to go.
Telian watched the Govenor walk away, waited until Danu had
disappeared around a bend in the corridor before whipping
around and heading down the right-hand corridor toward the
courtyard. As he rounded a corner and started down a flight of
shallow stairs a shadow detached itself from behind a sinuous
twining sculpture behind him and flickered down the stairs in
silence. Intent on his own thoughts, Telian was oblivious to
the Jedi Master's presence as Qui-Gon moved from shadow to
shadow in the half-dark of the stairwell.
"What are we going to do?" Obi-Wan whispered to Xanatos,
peeking around the corner of the crates they were hiding behind
to sneak a look at the Vaikerians loading the shuttle.
Xanatos snorted slightly, also peeking around the corner just
as intently as the younger boy. "Look at them! The fools are
putting ion grenades on the same shuttle with the Pyxal! And no
doubt they'll insist on flying wherever they're going in the
same shuttle as well! Served them right if one of those
containers was leaking and they all ended up as puddles of
green goo on the deck of the shuttle before it even hit
atmosphere."
Obi-Wan put a hand up to his mouth but it didn't stop the
slightly guilty giggle.
Xanatos grinned a little as Obi-Wan laughed. "Sometimes I think
the true work of the Jedi is to eliminate stupidity in the
universe, but I know that is a losing battle."
Obi-Wan rolled his eyes at this but quickly grew serious again
as they watched two of the hulking aliens beginning to hoist
one of the containers of Pyxal between them, obviously
struggling under the weight.
"I can't watch anymore," Xanatos muttered, moving back behind
the crates and putting his forehead to the siliplastic, hitting
his head against it softly a couple times in mock anguish. "The
fools are going to drop that thing, I just know it...."
Obi-Wan turned to look at him consideringly. "Then maybe we
should save them from themselves?"
Xanatos looked up at that. "What do you mean?"
Obi-Wan nodded toward the shuttle and the Vaikerians. "Could we
shove the Pyxal balls out into space through the
force-shields?"
Xanatos blinked. "With the Force, you mean?"
"Yeah," Obi-Wan answered. "You know Master Yoda's always saying
'size matters not' and that there's no difference between a
rock and a starship. If we shoved the Pyxal out into space it
would freeze, wouldn't it? We're on the nightside of Voravia
now so there's no sunlight."
Xanatos bit his lip and shook his head. "No, Obi-Wan. The
containers might explode when they freeze and then the Pyxal
would enter Voravia's atmosphere anyway. And do not forget that
there are several billion people on Voravia and one of them is
Master."
Obi-Wan nodded faintly and the inevitable shiver of dread at
any thought of Qui-Gon being hurt shuddered through him. He
reached almost without thought to his bondmate, seeking
comfort. [Quigee?]
[I'm all right now, imp. The poison's gone now.]
[Poison!? You didn't tell me it was poison!] Obi-Wan almost
wailed through their bond.
A mental caress followed by the Force enfolding him in a
comforting hug. [I'm sorry, imp. I didn't want to scare you.
And it's gone now anyway. A Jedi knows how to deal with such. I
wasn't in danger.]
Obi-Wan clung to the feel of the hug that Qui-Gon sent through
their bond, swallowed down his fears. [Xani and I are trying to
figure out what to do. The Vaikerians are almost done loading
the stuff onto the shuttle.]
A moment of hesitation, and Obi-Wan could tell Qui-Gon was
thinking. [Tell Xani to try and delay them. Cause a commotion,
start a fight, anything to keep the Vaikerians from leaving.]
[But they'll catch us, Quigee.]
[If you can delay them for a little I think I can unravel this
little plot,] Qui-Gon explained. [But be careful, imp. That's
all I ask.]
"Why isn't the shuttle loaded?" growled the Shrith-ma of Vaikar
as the lift door across the cargo bay slid open to reveal that
four of the Pyxal containers still remained on the deck waiting
to be loaded. "We've no time to waste! You there," he said,
whipping out one clawed hand to latch onto the shoulder of one
of his personal guard, "Take the others, get those
shrethkoratcha moving!"
The guard nodded, face impassive behind the black metal grating
of his breathing mask and eyeshields, and loped over to the
dozen or so Vaikerians goofing off while three of the younger
warriors struggled to shift another container of Pyxal. The
other guards of the Shrith-ma's entourage spread out around the
group, wickedly-curving duralanium swords drawn menacingly. The
loitering Vaikerians were soon attending to their duties again.
The Shrith-ma stood watching, waiting, and idly took something
from a ring fastened to his belt beside the sheath of his short
sword. He turned the device over in his huge hand, peered down
the emitter assembly at one end, poked a claw inside, peered at
the small switches and dials.
Several yards away, flat on his stomach on top of a stack of
cargo containers, Xanatos prayed to whatever gods may be
listening that the fool would just press the small red button.
It would have been so satisfying to watch the Vaikerian lose a
finger or a hand or some other vital part of his anatomy.
"Isn't that--?"
"Yes," Xanatos answered in a whisper. "My lightsaber." He
glanced at the group of Vaikerians now industriously loading
the Pyxal onto the shuttle under the pointed persuasion of the
Shrith-ma's guards, then reached out a hand toward the alien
prince.
The Force swirled and the weapon wrenched itself out of the
Shrith-ma's hand, flew across the cargo bay and smacked into
Xanatos' waiting hand with a stinging slap. A blur of movement
and the apprentice was diving off the cargo crates toward the
Shrith-ma, a cat-like leap and he had the glowing blue-white
blade across the Shrith-ma's throat. He had his free arm across
that same throat, wrenching the head back to expose the
yellowish-green skin to the menacing hum of his blade.
The Vaikerian prince howled and all activity in the cargo bay
ceased.
"Obi-Wan! Come on!" Xanatos ordered and tightened his grip on
the alien prince's throat. He lowered his voice to a
threatening growl as he transferred his attention to the alien
tensing with fury. "Tell your people to load the remainder of
the Pyxal and then clear out of the shuttle. NOW! Or they will
be less their Shrith-ma as you will be less your head."
The big alien prince gave a gargling, deep-voiced laugh. The
Jedi apprentice massed barely a third of the Shrith-ma's
weight, he was hanging on the alien's back with his bare feet
almost a meter off the floor. The alien prince had the
advantage here, or so he thought. Another gargling laugh and
the Shrith-ma threw himself backwards toward the floor,
intending to crush the apprentice.
Just as the big alien prince moved, the Force jerked his legs
out from under him and he landed instead on his face,
struggling as Xanatos captured one flailing clawed hand and
twisted it up between the Shrith-ma's shoulders. Obi-Wan
scrambled up beside Xanatos as the alien started to struggle
and hurriedly grabbed the short sword out of the sheathe and
the disruptor pistol from the holster. The other Vaikerians
were racing across the cargo bay toward them now, guns and
blades of all descriptions drawn as they ran yowling to their
Shrith-ma's defense.
The look in Xanatos' eyes could have lowered the temperature of
liquid nitrogen. He deactivated his saber and brought it up to
press the emitter assembly to the Shrith-ma's head and looked
up at the charging Vaikerians. "I will kill him if you
come any closer."
The deadly quiet in that conversational tone stopped the
Vaikerians cold. The mad charge across the cargo bay dwindled
away to shuffling feet and uneasy growls and milling about.
Xanatos tugged on the balled-up fist he still held twisted
between the alien prince's shoulder blades, moved gracefully
from where he knelt on the Vaikerian's back and allowed the
prince to regain his feet. The lightsaber shifted to the area
approximately behind a humanoid heart.
Obi-Wan looked up at the growling alien prince, his eyes
turning storm-cloud deep blue in thought. He glanced at
Xanatos' deadly calm and then back up at the alien prince.
"Wouldn't it be nice to take us with you down to Voravia?" he
asked softly, his young voice barely audible, but the Force
twined through the suggestion.
A rumble from the Shrith-ma. "I take no human shrethkel with me
to the planet."
"But you might need help unloading the shuttle," Obi-Wan
continued softly and the Force once again brushed at the
Shrith-ma's mind.
A grunt from the Vaikerian, but it sounded affirmative.
"We will not need any further help from your people," Xanatos
intoned, picking up Obi-Wan's idea. "You can handle this
yourself."
Another affirmative grunt from the alien prince. The growling
voice rose to command his guards and crew to finish loading the
Pyxal and then get out of his sight. Xanatos had to suppress a
grin.
One more nail in the coffin. "When we get down to Voravia,
you'll have to explain to the Jedi Master why you stole us,"
Obi-Wan said almost conversationally. "It really wasn't very
nice of you to do that, was it?"
Another grunt of agreement.
The sudden brightening in his mind told Qui-Gon that Obi-Wan
was having a giggle fit. Somewhere his bondmate was laughing.
Qui-Gon's heart soared to feel it. [Having fun, imp?]
[Quigee! I love you!]
Qui-Gon swayed a little at the joy that blazed in that one
sending and couldn't help the answering blaze of love that
seemed to burst from him to his bondmate. [If you're laughing I
can assume you're safe?]
[Yes Quigee. We're on our way!]
Qui-Gon frowned a little at that. [On your way where, imp?]
[To you! The monster said he's to take the Pyxal to Voravia so
we got him to take us with him!]
Qui-Gon's heart plunged at this. [You're flying in a shuttle
with seven containers of Pyxal?] he sent weakly.
[Yeah. Don't worry, it's tied down pretty well.]
Qui-Gon cursed silently and turned his attention back to his
running.
He had followed the Govenor's aide in a speeder, tracking the
small cloudhopper through the radar blind spots of the
mountains to the north of the Govenor's estate. When the
cloudhopper landed he'd left his speeder just out of range of
the cloudhopper's proximity scanners and continued on foot,
using the Force to run far faster than any human could. It
still took many minutes before he could feel the aura of a
sentient mind ahead of him. Keeping well out of earshot he
flickered through the dappled shadows of the forest in silence,
barely stirring the leaf-litter of several years beneath his
boots. He ducked behind a tree when he saw Telian leave the
protection of the trees in a small clearing some hundred yards
away.
A megalithic rock punched out of the deep carpet of grass and
multi-colored wildflowers, a boulder easily the size of a
Corellian freighter. Gray granite streaked with veins of white,
warm from the sun, moss and vines climbing up the shadowed
north face of the rock. Telian made his way across the small
meadow to this great crag, glancing about him at the quiet of
the forest and above at the empty sky nervously. Qui-Gon
watched from the concealment of the towering evergreen,
wrapping his dark cloak around himself to blend with the green
shadows.
A sudden hum of machinery and the rock race in front of Telian
began to open slowly, revealing a cave carved out of the
granite. An obviously artificial cave. Two heavy loader droids
began trundling out of the cave the moment the door opened.
Another giggle from Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon smiled slightly. [I'm
glad you're enjoying all this, imp, because every moment you
spend with that damned Pyxal takes a year off my life.]
Just at that moment Qui-Gon heard the first faint roar of the
shuttle's engines far away. He took his lightsaber from his
belt and reached for his comlink.
The Vaikerian shuttle settled to it's triangle of landing gear
in the small meadow, the small directional thrusters
manuevering it so that the rear cargo door was nearest the cave
entrance. The sharp scents of scorched vegetation wafted across
the meadow on the light breeze. Qui-Gon was glad of that
breeze. It meant he was downwind and the Vaikerian would not be
able to scent him hiding there less than a hundred yards away.
The cargo door cracked open with a hiss of hydraulics and began
lowering slowly. Telian came out of the cave, a heavy blaster
in his hands, as the loader droids waited patiently for their
orders beside him.
The Shrith-ma stalked down the lowering rampway, growling a
curt greeting. Telian nodded once and gestured to the droids.
The two turned to go into the cave and Qui-Gon caught a flicker
of something at the rampway of the shuttle moving away.
[Imp, is that you?] he sent through the bond. [Are you safe
away? Or was that Xani?]
A giggle answered him briefly, then, [I'm out now. Xani said to
run off into the trees. He said he'd wait for you.]
Even better. Qui-Gon reached for his apprentice, uncertain if
he would be heard. [Padawan? Are you well?]
[I am well, Master. It is good to hear you again myself instead
of through Obi-Wan.]
[Be ready. I am just in the shadows of the trees to the left of
the shuttle and about one hundred meters distant.]
A faint acknowledgement from Xanatos, an impression of careful
movement, of getting ready to move quickly. Qui-Gon nodded and
spoke into his comlink.
[Xani, I have brought help. Have no fears this outrage will go
unpunished.] Qui-Gon sent as he started moving silently toward
the shuttle.
[So I hope, Master. Pyxal was banned for very good reasons.]
[Indeed. I am on my way.]
The green saber blade ignited halfway to the shuttle, and an
answering blaze of blue-white erupted as Xanatos leaped from
the cargo bay. The droning hum of the lightsabers alerted the
Voravian and Vaikerian in the cave and both came rushing out,
disruptor and blaster drawn and firing at the two Jedi rushing
forward toward them.
Qui-Gon leaped ahead at the two conspirators, deflecting
dirsuptor and blaster bolts with graceful precision, as Xanatos
whirled and put up a hand. The Force responded and the cargo
door on the shuttle began to swing closed again, the armor
plating scorching as a blaster bolt hit the edge of it. Assured
the Pyxal was now safe from stray bolts, Xanatos turned again
and jumped back into the fight. As his Master pressed ever
closer to the two Xanatos took something from the pocket of his
shirt and deactivated his saber.
[Master!] he sent warningly, [Pull back! Now!]
A quick nod and Qui-Gon disengaged from the fight, swiftly
moving backwards, not questioning the sudden urgency of his
apprentice's mindvoice.
Xanatos tossed the ion grenade far into the cave and a second
later there was a blinding white flash and a deafening roar as
the cave collapsed. Telian and the Vaikerian prince had nowhere
to run and the evidence to convict them was now safely buried
beyond their ability to destroy.
The humming green and blue lightsaber blades held the two
conspirators at bay as the Voravian security cloudhoppers
hovered into view. In moments it was over.
Qui-Gon turned away as the Voravian security men surrounded
Telian and the Shrith-ma and took their weapons, deactivated
his lightsaber and heard the answering hiss as Xanatos also
turned off his weapon. He swayed in relief as two frantic boys
tried to climb into his arms.
Moving over slightly to get out of the way, Qui-Gon sank down
heavily onto one of the shuttle's landing struts and clutched
his Padawan and bondmate in a shaking silent hug, feeling the
fury and terror of the last day and a half beginning to ease.
Opening his eyes at last, Qui-Gon kissed Obi-Wan's forehead and
then Xanatos' as well for good measure, gave a teasing tug to
his Padawan's braid and hugged them both again. "You've both
done amazingly well," was all he could manage to say in a
choked voice.
Obi-Wan snuggled for a moment more and pushed upwards to kiss
Qui-Gon's cheek. Xanatos pulled away a little and gave
Qui-Gon's hand a reassuring squeeze, understanding.
"We're fine, Master. Hungry, in need of baths and sleep, but
fine," Xanatos said softly.
"And you shall have all three before the hour is out," Qui-Gon
said with a brisk nod. "Come, then. You can sleep while I make
my report to the Council and the Govenor."
"Telian was a go-between," Qui-Gon explained to his Master two
hours later, back at the small house on the beach. "He had
arranged the deal between the Vaikerians and whoever was to
purchase the Pyxal for a cut of the purchase price. Something
on the order of several million credits."
Yoda hmphed lightly at this, his ears quivering in thought on
the small comscreen. "Evidence needed to identify the purchaser
may be under the stones of the cave-in. Digging out, they are?"
"Yes Master, the Govenor has assigned a work crew with
exo-suits to excavate the cave," Qui-Gon answered. "He tells me
they should have it cleared by tomorrow late afternoon."
"Quick thinking that was, of your Padawan, to use the ion
grenade."
Qui-Gon nodded. "If the Shrith-ma had gotten back inside the
cave it would only have taken one shot from his disruptor to
destroy whatever evidence is there. Of course it may already
have been destroyed in the cave-in, but the Shrith-ma started
confessing everything the moment the security forces surrounded
them." He glanced behind him briefly to the two sleeping forms
on the bed. "I suspect Obi-Wan might have had something to do
with it. Tell me, Master, have you taught him the mindtricks or
did he pick it up from me?"
Yoda's eyes twinkled and the ears lifted. A sure sign of
mischief.
Qui-Gon tried to suppress his grin. "You are irrepressible," he
grumbled at his Master.
A burbling laugh. "So you have said, many years, Padawan. Care
for the children, you will. Another week added on to your
vacation will be. Rest well."
Qui-Gon nodded gratefully. "And you, Master. Until we return
then." And the comscreen went blank.
He turned and stretched out beside Obi-Wan, kicking his boots
off over the side of the bed and not really minding the lack of
space. Tucking a pillow under his weary head, he sighed as
Obi-Wan half-woke to snuggle up close before falling back to
sleep. The gentle tropical twilight lulled him into much-needed
and contented sleep.
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