Master
Apprentice  Archive
Into Freedom's Fire
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"Halt," Obi-Wan ordered. He stepped up behind Qui, reached around to adjust the position of his arms before stepping away. "Keep your elbows bent. Now, begin again." He watched, fully in teacher mode, as Qui continued the second level kata.
They were alone in a small training room. He didn't want Qui to feel self-conscious should someone see him learning a movement that the Initiates could perform when they were seven or eight. The Temple felt right again, complete, now that the children were back. They were still recovering, many still having vivid nightmares. A few were withdrawn, afraid --- and two were still missing. They hadn't been at with the other children at the prison. They hadn't been anywhere.
Most of the Knights and Masters had returned to the Temple, forming a unified front in case the kidnappers tried again. With them, they brought their Padawans --- their YOUNG Padawans. Classes had formed again, and Qui had attended some just this morning, all of them filled with young, bright, well-trained Apprentices and those Initiates well enough emotionally to attend. It was very likely that Qui was feeling old and out of place.
"Better," he said as Qui slid into the final movement. "Once again, and this time don't try so hard. Center yourself and let the Force move you."
Qui's face didn't react to the praise any more than he did to the instruction. "Yes, Master," he said with politely concealed frustration.
Obi-Wan knew Qui was not progressing as quickly as he wanted to. Though he had been used to physical hardship while a slave in the prison, the older man had never learned to read, let alone been made to study philosophy and history and diplomacy. Nor had he developed the muscle coordination or strength that he would have had if he were raised in the Temple. Learning new things was difficult for him, and he tired quickly with these unfamiliar exercises, always complaining of being sore and aching afterwards.
This run through was better. Obi-Wan let some of the minor mistakes pass --- Qui was trying hard and had made much progress. Time enough tomorrow to correct the flaws. "Good," he said. "Now, I will demonstrate the third kata. Watch closely." He settled himself into the Force, losing himself, as he flowed smoothly through the more complicated twists and turns and stretches of this exercise.
"I can't learn that," Qui protested when Obi-Wan had finished.
"Why not?"
Sullen blue eyes dropped to study the floor in front of his boots. "I'm not smart enough."
Obi-Wan stepped closer and settled a hand on his shoulder. Waves of despair and self-doubt washed over him from the contact, even though he had strengthened his shields against their new soul bond for the duration of their training session. "Of course you are. What kind of talk is that?"
Qui looked up. "The truth, Master. I'll never learn all the things I need to learn. You're wasting your time with me."
"Qui, if I thought that, I'd never have taken you as my Padawan," Obi- Wan said. As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he realized they were the wrong ones. The blue eyes staring at him filled with sudden moisture.
"I'll understand if you want me to leave," Qui said, his voice barely audible.
Obi-Wan stepped forward to wrap Qui in a comforting embrace. "And why would I ever want to do that?"
"Because I'm never going to be good enough!" Qui said, his voice almost lost in his Master's tunic.
"Do you still want to be a Jedi?"
"Of course, but ---"
Obi-Wan stepped back and silenced him with an upraised finger. "Then, you shall be. No matter how long it takes, no matter what anyone else might think or say or feel, we will see this through together. All right?"
There was the sound of a soft sign. "Yes, Master."
"Good. Now, I shall go through the third kata one more time, this time at quarter speed. Watch closely. We'll do it together as soon as I'm done." He began the kata again, moving slowly, each motion deliberate and precise. When he finished, he stepped before Qui and lifted the former slave's arms into the starting position. "Ready?"
Qui nodded a bit uncertainly.
"Begin." They went through it once, twice, and third time, until the sweat was pouring down Qui's face and his footsteps were beginning to waver.
"I can't do this anymore," he said finally, slumping to the floor. "I'm too tired, Obi-Wan."
So begins the next problem, the Knight told himself; how to train Qui effectively with the added complication of the soul bond. "Master," he said, emphasizing the word.
Qui blinked up at him. "What?"
"You will address me as 'Master'."
"But I --- we're --- but what about our ---"
"When we are training," Obi-Wan began, his gaze locked with the confused blue eyes, "or when we are conducting Jedi business of any kind, be it a meeting or a mission or merely errands here at the Temple, you will address me as 'Master.' Nothing else is proper."
Qui digested that for a moment. "So, when can I call you by name?" he asked finally in a small voice.
"When we're alone in our quarters, when I'm not instructing you. When we make love. Do you understand why this must be?"
Qui sighed, reaching up to wipe perspiration from his eyes, and shook his head obstinately. "No."
Obi-Wan squatted in front of him and laid his hands on the taller man's shoulders, the touch increasing the mental contact between them. "You call me 'Master' as a show of respect, in deference to my position as your teacher and a Senior Knight. You call me 'Master' to reinforce your obedience to my leadership, just as I call you 'Padawan' as evidence of my responsibilities to you."
"I think I understand," Qui said, though he was chewing on the inside of his cheek, a habit he displayed when he was nervous and uncertain. Not that Obi-Wan needed to see that behavior. He could feel his bondmate's emotions strongly.
"Good. Then, let's go through the kata again."
"But ---" Qui lowered his head in submission, ashamed of his outburst. "I'm very tired, Master," he said in a hushed voice.
"I know. But only by pushing yourself will you build up your endurance." He smiled. "Soon, you'll come to think of me as the mad ogre who tortures you endlessly, runs you ragged, and abuses you mercilessly."
Qui actually chuckled. "Oh, I doubt that, Master."
"I don't," Obi-Wan said, grinning. "Every Padawan I've ever known --- myself included --- has berated their Master at one time or another for forcing them into long hours of practice and seemingly useless labor. I can't see how you'll be any different." He let his smile fade. "Now, come on, no more stalling. One more run through and then you may rest until after noon meal."
Qui moaned as he got to his feet, but there was a mischievous twinkle in his eye. "Let me guess. After noon meal we're going to run up the ten thousand steps to the upper tower."
Obi-Wan arranged his face to look impressed. Qui had just discovered humor and irony, and it was fast becoming a favorite new hobby. "What an excellent idea, Padawan," he said enthusiastically, resisting the urge to grin at the answering groan. "The view from the top is quite spectacular."
They went through the steps of the kata a fourth and final time before Obi-Wan finally called a halt. "Enough," he said as he tossed a towel around his Padawan's neck. "You've done well." He slid an arm around the taller man's waist to turn him toward the meditation mat in the corner. They'd gone only two steps when Qui halted, suddenly realizing his Master's intention.
Obi-Wan raised his eyebrows. "Something you'd like to say, Padawan?" he asked.
"I'm no good at meditating," Qui complained. "Especially not when I'm tired. Besides, I thought you said we were going to rest."
"Meditation is the cornerstone of a Jedi's serenity," Obi-Wan reminded him, snagging an elbow and steering the man to the mat. "Come. I'll help you."
Qui gave a long-suffering sigh and rolled his eyes. "Yes, Master."
Guiding Qui into deep meditation was always difficult, for both of them. Obi-Wan helped his Padawan clear his mind and draw on the Force. Once Qui seemed settled, he backed out, tending to his own needs. Even then, a portion of his brain kept tabs on his bondmate, so that he would be instantly alerted should Qui experience any problems.
Obi-Wan let his mind flow along the Force currents. After a few minutes, images from Qui's meditation began to find their way into Obi-Wan's. It was not uncommon, considering how closely they were bonded. Normally, he would have blocked them out, giving his Padawan at least the illusion of privacy. These, however . . .
He saw a huge, burning star, a massive red giant, hanging in the blackness of space. Its almost constant solar flares shot out millions of kilometers toward the single scorched planet that orbited it. Thinking this was perhaps a view of some portion of Qui's forgotten past, Obi-Wan opened himself further to the image.
The planet itself was treeless and nearly barren, waves of heat rising from its surface. Here and there grew some sort of thick, grayish moss, springing up from parched red soil between outcroppings of black ingenious rock, it's porous surface the home for beetle-like insects and dry-land crustaceans.
Everything was dusted with a light layer of black ash. Scurrying amongst it, raising little clouds of gray which the dry wind whipped into swirls, were small rodents and the occasional dark-skinned reptile. In the distance, active volcanoes could be seen, spewing their death into the turquoise sky, which was perpetually full of smoke trails and plumes instead of clouds.
It was not an inviting place.
Obi-Wan reached out through his link to judge his bondmate's reaction to the place. Was it indeed a memory, perhaps of his birth planet? Or was it another vision? Finding no hint that it was either, Obi-Wan settled deeper into his meditation, determined to see where these images led.
The view opened up into a panorama, sweeping rapidly down a long slope to a narrow, twisted river. Here, at last, there was a structure. A huge geodesic dome, it's gleaming white surface conspicuously out of place amid the stark reds and blacks of the planet, it was nestled at the base of a dormant volcano. Other smaller structures surrounded it, forming the nucleus of a small settlement.
The view shifted, moving into the thermoplast dome. Large rooms, grandly decorated, spoke of the wealth of their owner. Colorful tapestries adorned the walls, their hues blending with the rich carpets underfoot. Down a long corridor and into a less opulent section the vision took them. A massive wooden door loomed just ahead, standing slightly ajar. Whimpers of pain could be heard from within.
He felt Qui tense beside him and reached over without looking to take one of the large hands in his, squeezing it in reassurance. // You are safe // he sent through their link. // Let us see what is within //
Qui put his reluctance aside, and together they moved through the door.
An aura of evil hung thick in the room. Gleaming instruments of torture decorated the brick walls. There was a line of cages, their bars gleaming like polished gemstones, and a row of operating tables, all of them empty save two. On these, two small naked figures were strapped. Other beings clustered around them. Their dark capes and hoods could not hide their grossly distorted bodies. They bent over the two helpless forms, working some sort of torture on their exposed flesh.
Qui began to hyperventilate, his hand gripping his Master's so tightly that it threatened to break bones. // Calm // Obi-Wan urged. // No harm will befall you // He searched in his Padawan's mind for some sign that this was a memory, perhaps repressed, perhaps erased, of his childhood --- for the two on the tables were clearly children --- but could find none. Clearly, this was a true vision, then. Desperate now to know the truth, Obi-Wan edged them closer to the tables.
The prisoners were both young boys, no more than five or six years of age. These are ours, then, Obi-Wan suddenly knew. He looked closer, mentally pushing Qui behind him to spare his Padawan from seeing the atrocities that were being performed on these children. One was being tattooed, his nearly black skin already a third covered in vivid red markings, starting at the top of his bald head and extending down his back nearly to his buttocks. The other, his blonde hair matted down with sweat, was having huge, ornate initials engraved in his back with some sort of fine-tipped heat rod. Both boys squirmed and twisted as much as their tight restraints allowed, gasping and moaning with each new touch.
From a side room, another figure emerged. This one was human, or humanoid, at least. It also wore a robe with the hood pulled up, but enough of its death-pale face was visible to send a fresh shiver through Obi-Wan. The being, obviously a male as evidenced by the massive erection he sported which peeked through the front of his robe, had glowing red eyes surrounded by wrinkled, sagging flesh. He stepped to one of the tables and laid a hand on the red tattooed head.
"Stop your infernal whimpering, boy," he said in a harsh, grating voice, "or I will show you how true pain feels."
"Yes, my Master," a small, quivering voice answered.
The man nodded his approval, then turned to the other child. "And you, boy, do you wish to feel my cane again?"
"No!" the blonde-haired boy gasped. "But, please, can't they stop for awhile? It hurts so much!"
One hand struck out, and the sound of a viscous slap echoed through the room. In the next moment, the boy's head was lifted by a handful of his hair. Tears streamed from pleading blue eyes. "You forget yourself, boy," the man snarled. "Your body is mine, to do with as I please, as are you. For your disrespect, you will go hungry again today, and spend the night in the heat room. Perhaps tomorrow you will call me by my proper title."
He released the boy's head, and Obi-Wan heard a thud as it impacted the tabletop. Anger rose within him as the thought of these two tortured boys.
// Master? // Qui said through their link. // Are these the missing Initiates? //
// Yes, Padawan //
Fear and urgency swirled through their bond as the image faded into nothingness. "We must find them!" Qui said aloud, surfacing from his meditation with a start. "We must find them quickly!"
Obi-Wan opened his eyes, to see his bondmate quivering in distress, his arms wrapped tightly around himself. The young Knight leaned closer and enveloped him in a warm hug. "We will, Qui," he said as he stroked the short Padawan haircut, his fingers finding the thin braid and fondling it. "I know where they are."
"You do?" Qui asked in surprise, tilting his head back to meet his Master's gaze. "You know where this place is?"
Obi-Wan nodded. "I was there once, when I was just a Padawan myself. The planet is listed as Infrasia on the star charts. But, to those who have been there it is better known by a different name, one that more properly fits it." He drew a deep breath. "It is called Inferno."
(TO BE CONTINUED)