Series: It just keeps going and going and ....
The Storms and Fury Series is as follows:
1. Love Knoweth No Law
2. The Quiet Stars
3. An Unjust Peace
4. Storms and Fury
5. Perish the Universe
6. So Long As I Have My Revenge
Warnings: Obi has a bad ouchie during the Big Fight Scene.
Spoilers: More Xanatos than you can possibly
imagine....(Altogether now! "I dunno, I can imagine quite a
bit!")
Summary: Continues from "Perish the Universe". Xanatos' plans
for invasion of the Republic by the Seng and vengeance on his
former Master come to fruition. Reading "Perish the Universe"
first reccommended.
Feedback: Gratefully accepted, thoughtfully considered,
thanked-for profusely, and saved for later gloating.
Disclaimer: All hail the Great Prophet Lucas, hallowed be thy
name, thy kingdom filmed, thy will be done, on THX as it is in
fandom. Give us this year our TPM, and forgive us our fanfic,
as we forgive thee for inflicting Jar Jar upon us. For thine is
the Emperor, the Qui-Gon and the Obi-Wan forever, Amen.
References:
Qui-Gon's quote on the Seng warship ("Come follow me..."):
Dante, _Purgatorio_ Canto 5
Obi-Wan's reply (the famous "Abandon all hope..."): Dante
again, from _Inferno_
Xanatos' poem in the hologram: Thomas Watson
The title is the second half of a quote from Cyrano de
Bergerac: "Perish the universe so long as I have my revenge."
Notes:
Many many thanks to all who sent me medical info concerning
Obi-Wan's big ouchie in the Big Fight Scene. Where's Bashir and
McCoy and Crusher when you really need them, eh?
Brackets [ ] denote telepathy.
Find the chopsocky action hero reference and win a prize!
Obi-Wan stood serenely within the circle of his Master's arms,
blushing only a little at the smiles and knowing glances he
could sense all around them. The shuttle bay echoed slightly
with the sounds of machinery as the two small short-range
shuttles were lowered on the elevators down to the Engineering
levels where they were maintained. The gray duralanium walls
dully reflected the white glow of the lightstrips set at
regular intervals along the walls and the blue glow of the
shielded door opening to the freezing vacuum of space beyond.
It was cold here and he was definitely grateful for the warmth
of Qui-Gon surrounding him and touched by his bondmate's
willingness to be affectionate in public.
After all, only a few hours ago they had thought one another
dead.
[You've done very well, my heart,] Qui-Gon murmured softly in
his mind.
[I've had an excellent teacher,] Obi-Wan sent back, teasing
laughter in his mindvoice.
[Then my compliments to Aul'Khim, since I don't know the first
thing about first contact diplomacy.]
Obi-Wan chuckled and leaned back against the broad shoulder
behind him. [It is not Aul'Khim I have been following around
for the last seven and a half years.]
[Mmm,] Qui-Gon replied. [For which I am eternally grateful.]
[I know. As am I, beloved.]
Another brief squeeze and Qui-Gon moved away reluctantly, but
only to stand beside Obi-Wan as they caught sight of a Seng
fighter craft coming into view before the force-shields. A blue
sheet of energy began building up from the floor, sealing off
the half of the shuttle bay between the massive door and the
Jedi. As the Seng fighter hovered into view the force-shield
that protected the great door flickered away and the Seng craft
moved slowly into the shuttle bay. Once inside and settling to
the floor, the force-shield flickered back into existence and
the two Jedi could hear the whisper of air as the vacuum-voided
section of the bay was represurized and the Seng was scanned
for contaminants.
Obi-Wan took his translator from his belt and held it up to
speak into it. "The beam is a contamination scanner. It will
only take a moment." The translator's lightcoder flashed the
message toward the Seng fighter.
"Understood, Kenobi," the translator spoke after a moment.
The red beams were just finishing their scans when the
turbolift door opened behind the two Jedi and the Captain and
Commander Fong and Aul'Khim joined them with nods of greeting.
As the Cyllian came into line of sight with the Seng fighter he
stopped in surprise and the vocoder on his wrist let out an
unintelligible squawk before he recovered himself. "Great
stars! *Look at that!*"
"Problems, Fong?" Captain D'nel asked, turning to regard his
sciences officer.
"No, Captain, I was just very surprised," Fong answered. "I've
never seen anything like this! Incredible! The Seng are
crawling with light and color, it's like watching a million
maglev trains at night from orbit."
"Agreed, though I only see a blur of light around them,"
Aul'Khim said in his whispery voice. The alien telepath's huge
slanted black eyes were trained on the Seng fighter craft with
great interest.
"Translators, gentlemen," the Captain said as the inner
force-field began retreating into the floor. "Padawan Kenobi,
if you would introduce us?"
Blushing slightly at being asked to take the lead, Obi-Wan
nodded and stepped forward a little and began indicating the
two Fleet officers and the Psi-Corps telepath, naming them as
he did so. There was still so much to learn of the Seng and he
didn't yet know what procedures the liquid metal aliens wished
for in introductions. As it was, simple indication and naming
would have to do for now, and that's what he did.
"And this is my teacher, Qui-Gon," he indicated at last,
returning to his bondmate's side and putting up a hand to touch
Qui-Gon's arm.
The dark silver sphere was silent for a moment, then Obi-Wan's
translator spoke again for the aliens. "Captain D'nel,
Commander Fong, Aul'Khim, Qui-Gon." Obi-Wan suspected it was
acknowledgement and greeting both. Then the Seng ship began to
lose shape, the individual Seng that made up the small fighter
craft beginning to break apart. In less than a minute the floor
of the shuttle bay was covered in liquid metal blobs of various
sizes that began squinching and rolling about the shuttle bay.
"Please do not eat anything on the _Praelis_ without asking
first," Obi-Wan said into his translator, grinning a little as
he saw the Captain's slightly worried expression. "If you will
tell us what things you prefer to eat we will find it for you."
A pause, then, "Understood, Kenobi. Seng require metal ores."
A connection flashed through Obi-Wan's mind then, and suddenly
he understood. The ravaged planetoid he'd seen some few hours
before, where he'd seen a huge individual Seng in one of the
craters before it rose from the planetoid and assumed it's true
shape as a warship. "Captain, I think they'd be happy with the
_Praelis_'s junk metals from your recycling system."
"Well, I guess I shouldn't have expected the normal diplomatic
full-formal dinner," the Captain said ruefully. "But I've
shared Silurian rock spiders with Vaikerians before so I guess
it's not so much different." He called over one of the
Engineering ensigns and explained what was needed as Obi-Wan
began walking out into the crowd of metallic aliens, Qui-Gon a
step behind. Commander Fong followed them hesitantly and
Aul'Khim knelt as one of the smaller Seng rolled up to the
telepath curiously.
"The Captain will give you metal to eat," Obi-Wan told the Seng
as he knelt in the middle of the crowd. The Seng gathered
around and began drawing themselves up into lumps and extending
waving tendrils toward the Padawan as Qui-Gon knelt at his side
carefully. [Wherever they go they leave trails of light,
beloved. It's how they communicate, they send light pulses
through the trails and they receive light pulses from the
trails of other Seng. Commander Fong and Aul'Khim can probably
see the trails, but we can't unless it's dark. They're very
faint, at least to human eyes. Low power, I guess.]
[Fascinating,] Qui-Gon answered with a bemused smile as one of
the Seng tendrils met his outstretched hand. One of the smaller
Seng was wrapping itself around Obi-Wan's arm and he lifted it
to show his bondmate. The mirror-chrome liquid metal was
heavier than it might appear.
"They're...incredible," Fong's vocoder said. "I wonder if I
could talk to them directly without a translator?"
"I've no doublt they can sense the ultraviolet you're using for
your vocoder," Obi-Wan said, looking up at the Cyllian. The
featureless slick black head was turning as the Cyllian looked
all around him at the alien blobs littering the shuttle bay
floor. "Maybe you can ask to transfer to a science ship if
there's to be a cultural exchange."
"Commander, Master Jinn," the Captain said as he made his way
to them. "Padawan Kenobi, can you convince your friends to
follow us to the conference room? There is much to discuss and
plans to be made, and not a lot of time to do it."
Obi-Wan nodded. "Yes, Captain." He turned back to the Seng and
brought up his translator, the small Seng still wrapped around
his arm. "Can you follow us?"
The Seng all around immediately turned toward the humans and
Cyllian at that and with surprisingly swift movements began
twining around arms and legs and inching up to drape about
shoulders.
"This isn't what I had in mind," Obi-Wan muttered as one of the
Seng wrapped itself around his neck and six others were
wrapping themselves around his arms. One was curled around his
right ankle.
[Beloved, there's one in your cloak hood too,] Qui-Gon sent,
but his mindvoice was full of mischievous laughter.
[And there's one trying to burrow into your tunic,] Obi-Wan
returned and reached over to gently tug the curious Seng out
before it could wriggle inside his bondmate's clothes. *Out,
blobs, this one's mine*.
"Maybe they didn't understand the word 'follow'," Fong
volunteered as he peered at the three Seng who were coiled
around his forearms, the deep blue of his Fleet flightsuit
striped by the bright chrome of the aliens.
Obi-Wan chewed his lip for a moment, then said into his
translator, "One Seng per humanoid."
A moment's thought, then several of the Seng dropped from their
perches leaving only one for each Jedi or Fleet officer,
usually a larger Seng.
"Commander, would it be possible to rig a lightcoder to flash
down here in the shuttle bay?" Obi-Wan asked. "We could let the
ones with us use the lightcoder to send messages down here to
the others since they won't be able to follow each other's
light trails."
"No problem," Fong answered as the Seng around his arm began
squinching up to his shoulder.
"Acceptable," Obi-Wan's translator said unexpectedly. "Transmit
to Seng beyond this vessel as well."
Obi-Wan blinked and glanced up at Qui-Gon with a slightly
sheepish grin as he'd forgotten the translator would pick up
words not directly spoken to it. "Yes," Obi-Wan answered the
Seng. [Aul'Khim? What do you think?]
[Four first contact missions and it never ceases to amaze,] the
alien telepath said from across the shuttle bay. Aul'Khim rose
from where he knelt, one long thin arm held out stiffly in
front of him, the huge black eyes studying the liquid metal
form wrapped around his skeletal six-fingered hand. [They're
nothing like my previous assignments. But we need to get back
to business, Padawan Kenobi. Your predecessor probably won't be
spending time in cultural exchanges.]
[Only too true,] Qui-Gon sent with a sigh.
"Let's get back to work, then," the Captain said as he turned
for the turbolift. "Chief," he called to the shuttle bay petty
officer. "You've all got translators down here? Good. If the
Seng ask to go elsewhere on the ship, call me first for
approval. We're having some of the recycling brought down here
to feed them. If they go anywhere outside this bay, they're to
be escorted."
"Yes, Captain," the stocky Corellian Chief said. "I don't know
what we're supposed to do to make'm feel at home, but we'll do
our best."
"Don't worry, Chief," Obi-Wan said with a grin. "I told them
not to eat anything without asking first."
The Captain's ready room had room for a dozen at the long
ebonywood table and there were another dozen arranged in chairs
around the walls of the room. The heads of each department and
several sciences and engineering specialists were crammed into
the room, edgy with curiosity about the Seng. Speculation ran
rampant, fueled by the scant details of Obi-Wan's initial
report. As the ready room door opened the Jedi and Fleet
officers heard the buzz of conversation immediately quelled as
those inside caught sight of the liquid metal aliens draped
across the humanoids' shoulders and wrapped about their arms.
"Fong, the lightcoder for the Seng," the Captain said as he
went to the chair left vacant at the head of the table.
"Aye, sir," Fong's vocoder said and the Cyllian ducked out of
the room briefly to retrieve the device.
[Time to let your new friends take center stage, Padawan,]
Qui-Gon sent to Obi-Wan as he moved to the edge of the table
and held out an arm so that the Seng who rode on his shoulder
could slither it's way down onto the ebonywood surface.
Obi-Wan nodded and began peeling off the Seng wrapped around
his arm. "You can rest on the table," he said into his
translator and the Seng immediately relaxed itself and dropped
with a heavy splat. Qui-Gon's Seng untwined itself and flopped
onto the table and Aul'Khim brought his over and allowed it to
extricate itself from around his hand. The Captain watched with
some trepidation as the one on his shoulder inched it's way off
and pulled itself up onto the table to join it's fellows. Fong
rejoined them then and the Seng around his forearm uncoiled and
dropped to the table as the Cyllian set a small remote
photosensor on the table amidst the Seng and connected it to a
remote transmitter with a coiled cable. Two of the Seng
immediately took interest in the devices and squinched over to
shove at them lightly with small tendrils.
"Remember not to eat the lightcoder," Obi-Wan said into his
translator.
"Understood, Kenobi. Contact will allow Seng to transmit
communications."
[Perhaps they need to leave their light trails over the sensors
to transmit their light pulses,] Qui-Gon suggested to his
bondmate.
[Probably correct, Master Jinn,] Aul'Khim sent quietly.
"I know you have all read Padawan Kenobi's initial report," the
Captain began as the Seng started moving about the table to
investigate everyone sitting around it. "As he did not have a
sensorcom he could only tell us what he saw with his own eyes
and deduced from his observations. We do have Commander Fong's
analysis of the Seng subspace drive and the sensor data we
gathered when we met their ships at the border so we have some
data as to mass and density of their ships. Let's keep in mind
we're dealing with a totally alien species and culture. Don't
assume anything. For instance, we just found out a few minutes
ago that the Seng require metal ores, it's what they eat as
food. And that unlike the warship Padawan Kenobi saw before,
the smaller fighter-type craft are several small Seng
amalgamated into one vessel."
"Correct," came the stilted voice of the translator that Fong
had placed beside the lightcoder.
Small grins all around at this.
"Myree," the Captain said with a nod to his first mate,
Commander Myree Ayala, "Update on the situation with the Seng
warship?"
"Yes, Captain," the young Commander said and reached forward to
key up a hologram at the small holoprojector in the middle of
the table. As the hologram unfolded and begain moving the Seng
drew themselves up slightly away from the holoprojector. The
Seng warship that had flown past the _Praelis_ turned serenely
before them, data collected from sensors and Fong's analysis
scrolling above and below the holo of the flattened teardrop
shape. "This is the warship that approached us from the Seng
outpost system at the border between the Khamseng Empire and
the Republic Rim territory. An hour after Padawan Kenobi was
kidnapped we intercepted a transmission from somewhere further
into the Empire and we were not able to track the precise
origin point. However, the person in the holo transmitted has
been identified positively as Master Jinn's former apprentice,
Xanatos of Telos." Commander Ayala nodded slightly to Qui-Gon,
who was at that moment watching two of the Seng on the
conference table seemingly shove each other for some prime spot
beside the lightcoder sensors. Commander Ayala continued after
a quick glance at Obi-Wan who nodded once in reply. "With
Commander Fong's analysis of the Seng subspace drive we have
been able to project the probable destination of the warship
carrying Xanatos. They are headed to Coruscant."
"Correct," the translator's vocoder said again. "Hologram
transmission was made from planetoid Seng designate One Zero."
"No, Myree," Fong said. "Binary. One Zero would be Two to us."
"Correct," the Seng said again through the translator. "Base
Ten designate Two."
"Why Two?" Obi-Wan asked.
"Seng planet of origin was destroyed by asteroid strike two
thousand five hundred Republic Standard years ago. At that time
Seng established primary colony of origin on One Zero. Similar
colonies have been established on One One and One Zero Zero."
"Three and Four, in our mathematical system," Fong said,
nodding.
"Correct, Commander Fong."
"The Fleet has deployed three groups of ships along the most
direct route between our current position and Coruscant,"
Commander Ayala continued and keyed for the hologram to change
to a view of the spiral galaxy that contained the Republic.
Midway between the white nimbus of the Core and the chain of
scattered sparks that was the Rim was a blinking green dot:
Coruscant. A blue triangle indicated the _Praelis_'s current
position slightly counterclockwise from Coruscant's position
and almost at the very edge of the Rim. Beyond was the Khamseng
Empire. A red dotted line indicated the path the _Praelis_ had
recorded as the Seng warship approached and then overshot the
dreadnought and then the trail vanished as the warship went
into subspace. Three separate groups of orange triangles
arrayed at intervals between the _Praelis_ and Coruscant,
indicating three groups of five ships each. "A group, nearest
Coruscant in orbit around Yon Tyo, is under the command of
Captain Skiba and the _Kh'Rhan_. B Group is waiting just beyond
Aurelia, Captain Nok'tur and the _Aurora_. C Group is here near
Eltanin, Commander Shazreen's scout ship _Hawkbat_ and his
group of scouts and fast-attack ships."
"None of this may stop the Seng warship and Xanatos," Qui-Gon
said quietly as Commander Ayala paused. "These deployments are
based on our experience of hyperspace travel. Subspace travel
is apparently somewhat different in nature and the normal
routes we would take in hyperspace do not apply. It is quite
possible that the Seng warship may not come out of subspace
until it reaches Coruscant."
"Probable," the translator said for the Seng. "Emerging from
subspace within the system boundaries of star system designate
Coruscant Alpha ensures the element of surprise is maintained."
"In other words, you folks are sneaky bastards," Lieutenant
Luhowiak said with a slight grin.
A pause, then, "Correct."
Obi-Wan looked down at the Seng on the table in front of him,
trying to hide his own grin at this while others laughed.
"Gentlemen, let's not be fooled by appearances," the Captain
said, gesturing to indicate the liquid metal aliens moving
about on the table. "The Seng are very formidable fighters. Our
own estimates of their sphere of influence indicate a territory
roughly a quarter the size of the Republic and that's probably
a very conservative estimate. They didn't acquire control of
all that territory by asking nicely."
"Correct," the translator said for the Seng. "The Khamseng
Empire contains within it five starfaring species: The Seng,
the Lyrenasi collective of Lyrenasi, Ulowan and Galiar, and the
Aoki."
"Those other ships I saw in your fleet," Obi-Wan began. "They
weren't Seng ships. Who were they?"
"Lyrenasi collective ships designate Galiar."
[I still don't understand,] Obi-Wan sent to his bondmate and
Aul'Khim.
[Hopefully there will be time to discover all of this,]
Aul'Khim replied.
Obi-Wan suddenly realized that once the business with Xanatos
was sorted out he and Qui-Gon would more than likely be
reassigned to another mission by the Council. He wouldn't be
able to stay and learn all he wanted about the Seng, and he
realized he wanted to very much .
[I'm sure the Council could be persuaded to allow us to stay a
few more days once this is over,] Qui-Gon reassured him softly.
[It isn't every day we're invited to make first contact with an
entirely new alien species. And you certainly have a rapport
with them.]
Obi-Wan glanced quickly up at his Master and smiled a little.
"What kind of firepower do these warships put out?" Fong asked.
"What kind of damage are they capable of?"
One of the Seng moved purposefully to the holoprojector and
pulled itself up into a lump below the slowly spinning hologram
of the warship, extended a short tendril toward the projection.
"Primary Seng weaponry consists of compressed directed energy
weapons and phased sonic wave projectors."
"Comparable to photon torpedos and Vaikerian disruptors," Fong
said tentatively.
"Correct, Commander Fong. Power levels of weaponry are
proportionate to the number of Seng incorporated into the given
vessel."
"So the more of you there are in a ship, the more powerful your
weapons," Obi-Wan said.
"Correct, Kenobi. Relative size of Seng individuals also
increases power of weaponry."
"What about communications?" Luhowiak asked.
"Communications are projected through subspace. Real-space
distance between transmitter and receiver is not a factor in
communications through subspace."
"No delay time," Luhowiak said with faint astonishment.
"Correct."
There was a moment of stunned silence at this and then Qui-Gon
stirred, straightening up in his chair. "How did Xanatos
convince the Seng to carry out his wishes?"
"Xanatos provided galactic coordinates and instruction for
entry into Republic space. Seng require information regarding
technology and military capability of the Republic. Both goals
could therefore be served."
[They gave him a ship for his own ends so they could have a
scouting mission into the heart of the Republic,] Qui-Gon sent
quietly.
[It seems that way, beloved,] Obi-Wan sent tentatively. [I'm
sorry.]
The mental sigh was part frustrated anguish, part weary
acceptance.
Obi-Wan decided maybe it was time to turn the talk to other,
more productive areas. "The Seng need not resort to conflict to
achieve your goals."
A moment's silence, then the Seng replied. "Possible."
"We know you eat metals. Is this all the Seng require?" Obi-Wan
asked, keeping his voice carefully neutral.
"Technology and information exchange," the Seng answered.
"Exchange?" Obi-Wan asked. "A fair trade of technology and
information is equal to both sides."
A long moment of silence, then, "Understood, Kenobi."
"In previous cases of first contacts with other species we have
exchanged teams of scientists and engineers for a stated period
of time," Aul'Khim said quietly. "A small group of Seng would
come to a world of the Republic to study us and we would send a
team of Republic scientists to the Khamseng Empire to study
you. After a time we would send the Seng back and our
scientists in the Khamseng Empire would return. The information
would be shared freely by all."
"Acceptable, Aul'Khim."
"Once we've dealt with Xanatos we can speak of this in more
detail," the Captain said. "Our orders are to wait here at the
border until further notice, though that could change at any
moment."
[I don't think we can ask the Seng to help us stop Xanatos,]
Obi-Wan sent to his bondmate. [They're benefitting from his
madness so why would they want to help us stop him?]
[True,] Qui-Gon sent back. [They've no reason to help us and in
their view much to gain from this little raid of his. This is
most confusing. Are they potential friends or enemies?]
[Are they so convinced of their superiority that it doesn't
matter?] Aul'Khim chimed in.
[Are we?] Obi-Wan returned. [Their weaponry and technology is
certainly equal to ours. Are we so certain we can win a fight
with them that we don't care if they're friend or foe? ]
"Xanatos seems to be the key to this situation," Captain D'nel
said, leaning forward to gesture at the Seng and the hologram
of the warship. "If he could be separated from the Seng ship
and ...dealt with, then the immediate threat would be ended and
the Empire could deal with us through the normal means of
cultural and technological exchange."
*And decide later if they want to conquer us,* Obi-Wan thought
to himself.
Qui-Gon gave the Captain a long thoughtful look and nodded
silently in understanding.
[Beloved?]
Qui-Gon did not turn as he felt Obi-Wan approach and drop to
kneel beside him, mirroring the Jedi Master's meditation pose.
In front of him the cold vitriglass of a viewport admitted the
star-shot darkness of the universe. Closer than the unmoving
stars, starlight glinted off the chromed hulls of the Seng
armada. The alien fleet was far enough away that no more detail
could be seen than the silver or gold color and the smaller
fighters could be seen as only minute flickers of duller silver
between the greater ships.
The quarters they'd been given were standard Fleet passenger
quarters, comfortable, warm, efficient and practical as all
things must be in space travel. Qui-Gon had long ago lost track
of how much time he'd spent living in such quarters over the
course of the seven years Obi-Wan had been his Padawan. And
before that, the nearly thirteen years he'd spent with Xanatos
had also been spent in a blur of ships, palaces, government
residences...
[He looked well, beloved. Made some snide remarks about you
going senile in your old age.]
Qui-Gon sighed wearily as Obi-Wan's hand closed about his own,
the warmth chasing away the phantom chill of faint despair that
always accompanied the memories of Xanatos. [You need not -- ]
[Yes I do. He left you. No matter how many times you tell
yourself you're over what he did, you still wonder where he is
and how he's doing,] Obi-Wan sent softly. [I know you do. And
if all I can do to banish that fear is to tell you he looked
healthy -- at least physically -- then I will.]
Qui-Gon turned then to look at his bondmate. Teal blue eyes,
golden spiky hair, the elfin face, the long Padawan braid, the
same ivory linen and silk tunics, the same rust-brown wool
cloak. Yet such ancient understanding, such compassion, in
those incredible eyes. *Too wise too young,* Qui-Gon thought.
*Did our soulbond do this to him?*
Obi-Wan squeezed his hand and looked out at the stars and the
Seng armada. [I will never expect you to completely forget the
thirteen years you two had together. I would never ask you to
banish happy memories. He never knew you like I know you, but
...you loved him. You still do, despite what he did. I can
never forgive him for what he did to you but I won't ask you to
banish your feelings.]
Qui-Gon blinked in astonishment, but then he was reaching out
and Obi-Wan was reaching for him as well, and they were
clutching each other in desperate need for reassurance that
they were alive and together.
[My soul --]
[My life --]
Obi-Wan wriggled out of his cloak and left it behind as he got
to his feet and pulled Qui-Gon up with him, and their lips met
as they held each other upright. His hands were tangled in
Qui-Gon's hair, the warmth of his bondmate chased away the
chill of remembered pain and fear. They were alive, they were
together. The hunger for touch, for affirmation, was
frighteningly intense.
[Lock the door,] Obi-Wan growled.
Qui-Gon didn't release him, just freed one hand from around his
Padawan's waist and waved it in the general direction of the
door. Obi-Wan felt a wave of the Force brush past him and heard
the beep as the lock engaged.
[Bed.. Now,] Obi-Wan growled again. [Or I take you right here
on the floor.]
In response, Qui-Gon just deepened the kiss for a moment, then
pulled away a little to breathe as Obi-Wan took his hands and
pulled him unresisting into the darkened bedroom. His eyes were
dazed with need and wandered up to lock with the fierce shining
hunger in Obi-Wan's.
And so this was life again come to wrap around him, Qui-Gon
thought as Obi-Wan's hands pulled him down into an
intoxicating, searing kiss. A life he himself had shaped, given
form from the formlessness of childhood and youth. A mind and
soul that had somehow, some way, in some moment of time he'd
been oblivious to, surpassed him in wisdom.
[You amaze me, beloved,] he murmured into the soulbond as
Obi-Wan's hands tugged his belt open and allowed it to drop to
the floor, his lightsaber thunking softly on the carpet.
[No more so than you do me, Qui,] Obi-Wan answered softly. [No
more thinking now. No more worrying. Be with me, love. Just
be.]
[Yes,] Qui-Gon answered, then went silent as Obi-Wan's hands
slipped inside his tunics seeking bare skin, and the linen and
silks fell softly to the floor. Qui-Gon lowered his head to
nuzzle at soft golden hair as Obi-Wan's attentions shifted to
assault his neck with gentle nips and tiny kisses that sent
shivers down the Master's spine. At Qui-Gon's wordless mental
urging Obi-Wan impatiently unfastened his belt and allowed it
to slide off along with his sash as he moved to the hollow of
Qui-Gon's throat. He wriggled a little in encouragement as
Qui-Gon ran his hands down the apprentice's back to banish his
tunics to the floor. The soulbond sang between them, their
minds and senses opened to each other in selfless trust, a
willing abandonment of fears in the comfort of absolute faith.
Leggings and boots fell away in that dim otherworld where the
stars and the Seng armada and the _Praelis_ and Xanatos ordered
time and action. Obi-Wan hooked a foot behind Qui-Gon's knee
and pushed and the Jedi Master landed sprawled across the bed.
Obi-Wan was on top of him instantly.
Obi-Wan covered his lover's form with his own, shifting until
his legs fell to straddle the lean hips and thighs, the hot
hardness of their erections trapped between them. He captured
Qui-Gon's hands and held them away, stretching their arms out
and clasping hands, pushing up with the combined strength of
those hands and his own to take Qui-Gon's lips again in
increasingly fierce kisses. Qui-Gon groaned deep in his throat
and moved beneath him, thrusting his hips up and pushing
against Obi-Wan's hands in his own, needing to feel that
strength and weight and solidity surrounding him. Obi-Wan's
braid fell to brush his chest and neck as the apprentice sat up
and hissed, arching his back as their cocks ground together,
riding the slow undulations. His head fell back and his eyes
closed at the delicious friction. Then Qui-Gon's gentle mental
warning and Obi-Wan released him and allowed the big hands to
lower him to the bed.
He opened his eyes again as he felt the long body cover him,
felt the soft warmth of hands caressing, felt the lips that
began at his forehead and started a slow trail of trembling
kisses. The silvered dark hair brushed over his face in silken,
herb-scented warmth and that one touch totally unlocked the
pent-up grief and fears he'd been forced to bind up within him
since his return from the Seng ship. Tears began seeping
silently out of his eyes and Qui-Gon was there instantly,
moving back to cover him with the reality of his living
presence and the heat of his body.
[I know, beloved,] Qui-Gon sent with simple, complete
understanding. [I know.]
[Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate,] Obi-Wan chanted
dutifully. [And I was so afraid and so alone.]
[I was too.] Qui-Gon kissed his forehead softly and then his
lips, and the tears were brushed away with fingers callused and
corrugated with ridges from the hilt of his lightsaber. [Now
it's time to let it go.]
Obi-Wan nodded and relaxed again as Qui-Gon resumed his
trailing kisses and the delicate, barely-there caresses. After
a moment Obi-Wan was wriggling a little as teasing fingers
brushed lightly down his chest and stomach and descended to
skim over his cock. He tried to arch up into that touch
instinctively but Qui-Gon had settled over his thighs and
knees. Failing that, he unclenched his hands from the bedcovers
and reached up to fondle Qui-Gon's hard length.
Qui-Gon caught his breath and swayed, letting his head fall
back as the almost electric sensations flooded through him from
his bondmate's hands. Obi-Wan gasped as he felt the caresses as
well, shivered in the doubled sensory input.
[I love you,] Qui-Gon whispered, leaning back down and ghosting
reverent fingers over the last of Obi-Wan's tears.
[And I love you. Forever,] Obi-Wan answered. Aquamarine eyes
looked up into amethyst eyes, held, promised, returned that
promise anew.
[Forever,] Qui-Gon sent, nodding once.
With that, Qui-Gon held out a hand and a small wave of the
Force brought the Myalara oil to him, and Obi-Wan smiled as his
lover began to spread the oil with practiced ease over his
aching hard flesh. Obi-Wan reached up and Qui-Gon poured some
of the oil into his hand and moaned as that oil was swirled and
teased up his own cock, swayed, rocked with the rhythm of quick
fingers and echoed sensation.
Obi-Wan growled impatiently in his mind, and Qui-Gon chuckled
softly, moved up, and sank down onto his lover's cock in one
smooth thrust.
They both cried out as the doubled sensations raced back and
forth between them, shuddering up through nerves in cold
tingles, centering them both on the point where flesh entered
flesh. They went still for a long moment, then Obi-Wan caught
Qui-Gon's hands and they began to move in harmony, eyes
squeezed shut and backs arching as they surged in counterpoint.
Obi-Wan moved their hands unerringly to Qui-Gon's cock and they
both squeezed and stroked faster. The pleasure looped from one
to the other, wearing away identity and thought in the waves of
blinding ecstatic joy building higher with every insistent
sweep of their joined hands and bodies.
[Now! Now beloved!]
The scream ripped from both of them, the orgasm that devastated
them thrust their souls into the welcoming endless tide of the
Force for some long timeless time. Consciousness drifted away
unheeded and they had barely enough strength left to topple
together to the side before sleep gathered them into the void.
Something was beeping. It was annoying and Obi-Wan flailed a
hand in the general direction of the noise but was still too
much asleep to make the gesture mean more than weak protest.
The warm musky-smelling mass that half-covered him was much too
comfortable to leave.
"Mrmph," said that warmth softly as it began to stir. "Obi.
Your chrono..."
" 'S not my chrono," Obi-Wan mumbled. "Not wearing it."
Sudden stillness, then Qui-Gon shot up beside him to sit up
abruptly. "It's the door chime!"
"Hells of the Sith!" Obi-Wan hissed and tumbled off the bed,
began to scoop up their scattered clothing and tossed Qui-Gon
his undertunic and leggings and sash as he disappeared into the
bathroom.
Qui-Gon keyed for the intercom at the doorpanel. "Yes?"
"Master Jinn? It's Commander Ayala."
"Ah, yes, Commander, one moment." Qui-Gon said, hurriedly
tugging on his clothes and retrieving his hair tie from the
floor, pulled his hair back roughly and secured it out of his
eyes. He rubbed his face hard with both hands, took a deep
breath and keyed the lock off and opened the door.
Myree Ayala smiled faintly as the door opened and one very
dissheveled Jedi Master peered at her blearily. The heady scent
of Myalara still hung about the room and the Commander wrinkled
her nose a little at the scent. The faint dusting of greenish
spots on her yellowish skin darkened and the oversized webbed
ears flipped and then settled back into her iridescent green
hair. "Good morning, Master Jinn. The _Coronis_ and the
_Tyrela_ have joined us here at the border and the Captain is
requesting you and Padawan Kenobi to handle their introduction
to the Seng. We're also expecting the sciences ship _Denerkti_
in about two hours, so you've got time for breakfast and
catch-up on the latest on the cultural exchange."
"Ah, yes, I see, Commander," Qui-Gon said, trying to get his
still-groggy brain to keep up with her words. The greater part
of his mind was enjoying Obi-Wan's enjoyment of a stinging hot
shower. "Is the Captain expecting us for breakfast?"
The Commander's eyes danced with laughter. "No sir, he's
already on duty on the bridge. You'll have to make do with
Chief Ryback's killer gumpta berry waffles."
Qui-Gon chuckled at the joke. "It can't be worse than Gthitri
sea slugs."
Commander Ayala rolled her eyes. "Don't tell the Chief or he'll
feel honorbound to come up with something even worse."
"Thank you, Commander, we'll be down to the common room
shortly," Qui-Gon said with a grin.
"Aye, sir," the Commander answered, winked knowingly, and
turned to go.
The "cultural exchange" between the crew of the _Praelis_ and
the Seng of the small fighter craft seemed to be proceeding at
a rapid rate as the dreadnought and it's companion ships waited
for word from within the Republic. Qui-Gon found himself taking
a secondary role to his Padawan, a circumstance that clearly
disturbed seven years of ingrained deference on Obi-Wan's part.
But as Obi-Wan was the only human (or rather, the only
trustworthy, accessible human at the moment) to have been
aboard a Seng ship, he was in high demand.
Qui-Gon, meanwhile, was dealing with the sciences and
engineering experts of all four ships as they worked to gather
as much information on the Seng ships as they could. By
lunchtime he was well into plans to escort a group over to one
of the great golden chrome ships for an afternoon tour. The
Seng seemed to have no sense of secrecy involving their
technology and answered every question asked of them, no matter
how technical or probing. At one point Qui-Gon found himself
with an idle moment and a small Seng on the conference table
before him and asked something he'd wondered about. "How is it
you are able to understand our language and concepts? Until
Xanatos the Seng had no contact with humans, and he surely
cannot have taught you much."
"Correct, Qui-Gon. Kenobi provided a datapad for disassembly.
The information contained within that device provided basis for
initial knowledge base."
"You learned our language from a datapad?" Qui-Gon asked
incredulously.
"Language, mathmatical system, mechanical and structural
concepts, common chemical composites, linguistic structure,
scientific theory. Information was gained through the process
Kenobi refers to as 'eating' ."
"Ah, I see. You destroyed the datapad in the process of
analyzing it," Qui-Gon said with sudden understanding. "Is it
neccessary to eat something in order to analyze it?"
"No. Since arrival on the _Praelis_ Seng have carried out
further analysis through sensory observation only."
*Look but don't touch,* Qui-Gon smiled to himself.
The Jedi Master noticed then that most of the scientists he had
been dealing with were drifting out of the conference room on
their way to find lunch or to return to their offices or
laboratories. Three of the Seng remained on the conference
table, the two who were not speaking to Qui-Gon shoving at each
other in what looked like play. He got to his feet and went to
the comm panel by the door and keyed for the bridge.
"Ayala."
"Commander," Qui-Gon said as the officer answered. "I'm taking
the three Seng who attended the planning meeting with me to
lunch now. I know you're keeping track of their whereabouts."
"That's right, Master Jinn. Padawan Kenobi's just left the
Captain and the officers from the other ships at the Captain's
dining room, he said to inform you he would meet you in the
crew mess hall."
Qui-Gon smiled at that, grateful the Fleet officer couldn't see
it. "Then I'm on my way."
Turning back to the table, he saw the three Seng already drawn
up into shining mirror lumps, waiting. The translators used in
the conference rooms were designed to pick up all conversations
in a room so the liquid metal aliens had heard his words to the
Commander. He stepped forward and began gathering them up and
they slithered up and around his arms and climbed to his
shoulders. The smallest one climbed up and over his shoulder
and slid into his cloak hood against his back.
The original group of Seng that had landed in the _Praelis_'s
shuttle bay numbered some thirty-five individual Seng of
various sizes. At any given time there were perhaps a dozen
interacting with the human crew members of the dreadnought,
usually in pairs or trios of Seng per group. Every few hours
those involved in meetings or scientific discussions would
inform the humans they were returning to their compatriots in
the shuttle bay. If a crew member did not take them back they
would just roll off the table and make their own way back to
the shuttle bay on their own. Invariably another pair or trio
of Seng would already be on the way to replace those who
seemingly abandoned their human observers. The phenomenon
reminded Qui-Gon of shift change at a factory, one set of
workers going on duty as the previous shift's workers left off
their work.
The turbolift doors opened and he walked out onto the
recreation and crew mess hall deck. Obi-Wan's amused presence
sang to him from beyond the double doors at the end of the
short hallway and he smiled when he located his bondmate in the
midst of a gathering of curious lower-rank technicians and
engineers. Obi-Wan had brought one of the Seng to the mess hall
as well and the metallic alien was the center of attention.
[Inciting riot, love?] Qui-Gon asked as he approached.
Obi-Wan looked up and around and smiled slightly as he caught
sight of his bondmate. "Look, my Master's brought three more,"
he said to the group chatting animatedly as they watched the
waving pseudopod of the Seng on the table. Qui-Gon was greeted
with carefully polite respect and not a little awe. The three
Seng clinging to him eagerly slithered off and dropped to the
table and Qui-Gon recognized Lieutenant Noth, the chief weapons
officer, sitting beside Obi-Wan at the table.
"Three more hungry blobs to feed," the stocky, swarthy
Lieutenant said with a chuckle. "Good thing the first little
guy didn't eat all the goodies."
Obi-Wan turned laughing eyes up to his Master as the weapons
officer brought up a box from under the table and dug inside
for a moment, bringing out a handful of metal scraps. The
apprentice took his translator from his belt and informed the
newly-arrived Seng that they could eat the scrap metals
offered. Lieutenant Noth chuckled at the immediate interest
shown by the three aliens. "Here, Master Jinn, we've all had
our fun. Just count your fingers after they're done. They say
they don't eat organics --"
One of the Seng shot out a tendril and wrapped it around the
coil of silver solder dangling from the Lieutenant's hand and
whipped it away, drawing the metal back and balling up around
it. The odd rippling movements in the liquid metal form
indicated the silver was being greedily absorbed.
"What did you say about counting fingers?" Obi-Wan said with a
grin as he handed his bondmate a handful of scraps. Qui-Gon
chose not to endanger his fingers and hurriedly dropped a few
scraps onto the smallest Seng.
The weapons officer chuckled again just as his commlink beeped
an incoming call. He excused himself and moved away a little to
take the call as the group around the four Seng and the Jedi
eagerly held out bits of metal to the hungry aliens.
"Master Jinn," Lieutenant Noth said as he rejoined the group
and caught Qui-Gon's eye. "The Captain needs you and Padawan
Kenobi up on the bridge right now, sir. Says that the orders
have come in and he's got updates for you."
[Have you eaten yet, Padawan?] Qui-Gon asked as Obi-Wan
extricated himself from the group.
[Yes Master.]
[Good. Then we can go.]
Obi-Wan opened his mouth to protest that Qui-Gon hadn't yet
eaten, then relented as he realized it was Master Jinn who was
speaking here and not Qui-Gon the bondmate. [As you wish,
Master. Should we take the Seng with us?]
A brief chuckle at this. "Lieutenant Noth? Could you make sure
the Seng get back to the shuttle bay once you've stuffed them
full of aluminum and duralanium?"
The weapons officer laughed at this. "Sure, Master Jinn, I'm
off duty until later tonight, I'll get'm back where they
belong."
"Padawan," Qui-Gon said, nodding to the door, and Obi-Wan
followed him to the turbolift.
[Master Jinn? Padawan Kenobi?]
Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan turned toward the mental voice as they came
onto the bridge and saw the gray-skinned form of Aul'Khim
awaiting them, standing beside Commander Fong's science
station.
[Aul'Khim?] Qui-Gon inquired as they neared the alien telepath.
Aul'Khim's six-fingered hand raised to indicate the door to the
captain's ready room just off the bridge and the Jedi followed
the telepath inside.
As the door slid shut behind them, Aul'Khim sank down into one
of the chairs at the ebonywood table and steepled his almost
skeletal fingers, resting his elbows on the chair arms and his
small pointed chin on his hands. The telepath regarded the two
Jedi in silence for a long moment, the large slanted black eyes
unreadable. [Captain D'nel has received some rather ...
disturbing news.] The alien took a filedisk from the small
pouch he wore at his waist and flipped it across the table to
Obi-Wan.
Obi-Wan saw it was a simple 2D video recording and went to plug
the slim cartridge into the slot beside the wall screen. In a
moment the flat black surface filled with images and sound.
It was newsvid footage. Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon immediately
recognized the angular skyline of Dubhar, the capital city of
the planet Eltanin. The picture jounced and stuttered, going
black and white for a moment before the color returned. The
reporter appeared to be running down a street in the downtown
area, surrounded by skyscrapers, the paving of the street torn
and crumbled, shattered glass and structural supports scattered
amidst piles of rubble. Obviously the newsvid had been made
from a head-mounted vidcam, the sort used by roving or
freelance reporters. Harsh, labored breathing and strident
voices. Then the high-pitched whine of engines overhead and
human screams...then explosions began to overwhelm the vidcam's
audio pickup in rapid succession.
"This is Jareth Flifko, Galactic News Network, reporting from
Dubhar, Eltanin. We are under attack, repeat, we are under
attack! I don't recognize the ship, but there's only one, about
the size of a small passenger transport...."
The newsvid went on, the increasingly frantic tone of the
reporter's voice a counterpoint for the destruction taking
place all around.
Qui-Gon dropped heavily into a chair and put a hand up to rub
his forehead and eyes. But nothing could block out the sound.
After a moment he pulled his hand away and looked up at
Aul'Khim. "We thought Xanatos was going to Coruscant."
"Eltanin is on the way. Perhaps he's decided on a string of
raids instead of just one," Aul'Khim said quietly. "I daresay
he would make maximum use of any advantage he can gain."
Qui-Gon nodded slowly. Gentle hands descended onto his
shoulders, pulled him back to relax in the chair. Obi-Wan's
wordless tentative comfort washed over him in a small wave.
Love and open willingness to share in his pain, but a firm
denial of guilt in the matter.
[It is my fault, at least in part,] Qui-Gon sent to Obi-Wan
softly. [I created this monster.]
[You did nothing of the sort,] Obi-Wan sent fiercely. [He
created himself. He chose this of his own will.]
[I was the one taught him tactics and strategy,] Qui-Gon sent
harshly. [I found him on Telos. I shaped his mind.]
[If you want to wallow in guilt, go ahead,] Obi-Wan snarled.
[You sit here and scream and cry about it. I'm sure those
people on Eltanin will understand. Assuming we can make the
dead understand. You try explaining to Grandmaster Yoda why we
did nothing when the Senate is -- ]
[You've made your point,] Qui-Gon sent coldly.
Silence from Obi-Wan for a moment, then the hands on his
shoulders vanished and Obi-Wan was kneeling on the floor beside
him, his head bowed in contrition and shame. [I'm sorry. I
shouldn't speak to you like that. Forgive me, Master.]
Qui-Gon sighed and reached over to tug gently on Obi-Wan's
braid. The apprentice looked up briefly then away. [Padawan,
look at me.]
Obi-Wan swallowed, then lifted his eyes again to his Master's.
[You are right. I am wallowing in guilt. But as your Master I
will not tolerate such a tone of voice or mind. Understand? You
are still my Padawan. Remember that.]
Obi-Wan looked down and nodded.
"I'm sorry, Aul'Khim, but we are still trying to establish when
to be Master and apprentice and when to be Qui-Gon and
Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon said in a weary voice. "The soulbond makes it
difficult to respect the difference sometimes."
The alien telepath nodded once. "Commander Shazreen's scout
group was stationed near Eltanin, and they responded to
Eltanin's distress call. But by the time they got there the
Seng ship was already gone. First assessment of the damage is
that it is extensive but confined only to the immediate metro
area of Dubhar. There was no sign of the Seng ship when the
_Hawkbat_ arrived. Presumably they went back into subspace."
"I cannot fathom what he hopes to gain from this," Qui-Gon
said, gesturing at the newsvid.
"No?" Aul'Khim said. "I should have thought it obvious, Master
Jinn."
Qui-Gon merely raised an eyebrow questioningly.
"You, Master," Obi-Wan said softly. "And the chance to hurt you
again." [But that in no way makes it your fault!] Obi-Wan added
fiercely.
[But it does make it my responsibility,] Qui-Gon sent back
calmly. [I have an idea. Will you help me?]
[Of course!] Obi-Wan sent, amazed his Master even needed to
ask.
[Good. Up,] and Qui-Gon gave another small tug to Obi-Wan's
braid and the apprentice got to his feet again as the Master
rose beside him. [Aul'Khim, do you know the human saying,
'Fighting fire with fire'?]
[I've heard it, Master Jinn.]
[Good. Let's go try to convice the Captain and the rest of the
Fleet.]
"I'm sorry, Master Jinn, but in light of the Seng warship's
attack on Eltanin I cannot approve this plan." Captain D'nel
turned his chair to look out the nearby viewport at the stars.
The Captain's office was on the aft portion of the bridge and
so the Seng armada could not be seen through the port. "In fact
I am expecting Fleet Command will be sending orders any minute
that I'm to put the Seng off the _Praelis_ altogether and
inform them that we are at war."
"All the more reason that Obi-Wan and I request the Seng's help
in this matter, Captain. They can track and follow Xanatos'
ship. If Xanatos is intent on a string of raids then he will be
delayed in reaching Coruscant. We should be able to beat them
there and be ready when he arrives."
Captain D'nel looked up sharply at the Jedi Master at this.
"Thus giving the Seng exactly what they want, a scouting
mission into the heart of the Republic. Two of them, I might
add, with Xanatos' ship."
Qui-Gon paced to the viewport, shoving his hands inside his
cloak sleeves and taking a deep breath, allowed the Force to
drain his tension and worries away. Only the moment. He felt
Obi-Wan's answering surge of reassurance and love from
Commander Fong's bridge station outside this office. Heartened,
he continued. "Captain, which would you rather have? If we do
as the Fleet commands we will more than likely be at a state of
war with the Seng just as you say, perhaps within only hours.
Against an enemy with ships we can track only imperfectly,
against weaponry with the potential to overwhelm us, against
sheer numbers that might be staggering. The Seng control an
area a fourth to a third the size of the Republic with four
other races under their dominion. The Seng could not tell me
how many of them there are because they do not know themselves.
But considering the sheer volume of space they control their
numbers must be in the millions. Do you honestly believe the
Fleet could prevail against possibly hundreds of thousands of
ships intent on war?"
Qui-Gon let the silence settle for a few moments, still looking
out at the stars. Then he continued.
"On the other hand, if we request their help in this, if we put
aside the first immediate reaction to this attack, if we allow
them in as partners to defeat Xanatos, it could provide a
common history and cooperation that may avert the need for war.
There is much that can be learned here, much that could be
mutually beneficial. I am a Jedi, my first priority is peace. I
would rather cooperate with the Seng as equals than watch the
Republic overrun and conquered as inferiors. Their ambiguous
attitude toward us right now is something we can turn to
favorable results if we act quickly, decisively and positively.
It is the only option I can see where both sides may remain
relatively unscathed."
Captain D'nel looked at him somberly, considering the Jedi
Master's words. Then both jumped as Captain's comlink beeped.
"Captain, incoming update from Fleet Command," Commander
Ayala's voice said into the silence.
"I'll take it in here, Myree," the Captain acknowledged. "I
understand your reasoning, Master Jinn, but I'll have to carry
out whatever orders Fleet Command sends me."
"I understand, Captain. I will be sending my proposal to the
Senate Military Commandery within the hour." He bowed to the
Captain and turned to go.
"Master?" Obi-Wan said quietly as he joined his bondmate beside
Commander Fong's station.
"Padawan," Qui-Gon answered serenely. [I fear the Captain may
not be able to authorize my plan to take another Seng ship to
capture Xanatos.]
Obi-Wan didn't reply, just watched the Cyllian monitoring the
Seng's lightcoder transmissions to the armada. The translator
was deciphering the Seng light pulses, and mathmatical
calculations in binary were flashing across the screens at a
continuous blur. Though the liquid metal aliens were being kept
out of engineering and other militarily critical areas they
were still amassing quite astonishing amounts of information
about the humans and other beings they came in contact with.
[Master, may I suggest something in case the Fleet doesn't go
for your idea?]
Qui-Gon sighed as he felt the lingering contrition in his
bondmate's mindvoice. [Obi-Wan, you are nearly twenty years
old, we have long been past the stage where you needed
permission to make suggestions during missions.]
Obi-Wan looked up at him briefly, then sent, [Perhaps. But this
isn't exactly ethical and could get you in a great deal of
trouble, if not executed for treason. I felt it prudent to ask
first rather than just say, 'I think we ought to steal one of
the Seng ships tonight when we take those scientists over on
their tour.' ]
Qui-Gon's mouth quirked up into a slight grin. [Imp.]
[But it is an option. I just wanted you to know I'd go along
with it if you wanted to do it.]
[Adventure, excitement, a Jedi craves not these things,]
Qui-Gon reminded him sternly, but the affect was somewhat
ruined by the look of challenge in the Master's eyes.
[Hey, we have to get out of bed *sometime,* y'know,] Obi-Wan
sent teasingly.
[For treason, first contacts and chocolate,] Qui-Gon answered
solemnly.
[Exactly,] Obi-Wan was grinning now and ducked his head to try
to hide it.
[My beloved imp, you have a twisted sense of priorities.]
[Oh don't get me started,] Obi-Wan sent, rolling his eyes.
[I think I already did.]
The door to the Captain's office opened behind them and they
turned.
"Myree, call the department heads to my ready room, twenty
minutes," Captain D'nel said to his first officer as he came
forward toward the Jedi. "Master Jinn, Padawan Kenobi, if I may
have a word with you?"
"Of course, Captain," Qui-Gon said, nodding, as he and Obi-Wan
followed the Captain back into his office. There was a new
tension in the Fleet officer, a sense of anticipated conflict
that Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon picked up on instantly as the Captain
swung around his desk to begin calling up files.
"Master Jinn, we've received another report of an attack,"
D'nel said as the two Jedi stood calmly, hands inside their
cloak sleeves, listening with more senses than merely physical.
"This one from Auriel Station, a Fleet resupply base near
Sardon Gamma. It's been completely destroyed. More than three
thousand Fleet personnel and their families are dead."
Qui-Gon closed his eyes in silent grief and apology to the lost
souls. He could feel Obi-Wan's frustrated grief as well.
"Whatever else Fleet Command may say or do, I think we've only
got one chance for peace now, maybe only one chance to avert a
war we might not be able to win. If Padawan Kenobi can convince
the Seng to do as you wish, I'll tell anyone official who asks
that you've been ordered on your way to another assignment. As
of yet I haven't received orders that we're at war but they
could come in at any moment. Go, Master Jinn, now. Before I'm
ordered otherwise."
Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan nodded and bowed simultaneously. "Thank
you, Captain," Qui-gon murmured and in a swirl of brown wool
they were out the door and headed for the turbolift and the
shuttle bay.
Fifteen minutes later, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan stood in the
shuttle bay, surrounded by the Seng that had arrived only
thirty-six hours before.
"I had no problems on the big golden ship," Obi-Wan said
quietly as the Seng began to roll and inch toward the two Jedi.
"They understand that humans need oxygen and air pressure and
an environment temperature within twenty degrees plus or minus
our body temperature."
"Can they carry us both?" Qui-Gon asked apprehensively.
Obi-Wan took his translator from his belt and asked the
question of the Seng.
"Two passengers do not present difficulty, Kenobi. However,
resulting shift in configuration will require elimination of
offensive and defensive capability for the duration of the
flight."
"That shouldn't be a problem," Obi-Wan said. "We're just going
to the armada. Ready, Master?"
Qui-Gon pulled his cloak close about him and nodded. "Ready,
Padawan."
"Go," Obi-Wan said into his translator, and the meandering
migration of the Seng toward the two humans became a purposeful
gathering.
The two Jedi watched with some amazement as the thirty-five
individual Seng met around them and began flowing together into
a thick circle, melding into each other like water or the
quicksilver they so resembled. Then the circle extended upward,
the mirrored chrome ring swirling upwards and arching over
them, enclosing them. As the top shell of the Seng fighter
closed above them they felt a fluctuation in gravity and
floated up slightly from the floor, allowing the Seng to
complete the spherical shape around them. Then the sensation of
movement surrounded them, the liquid metal walls rippling
slightly with the combined light of the Seng light trails in
the enclosed sphere. A portion of the sphere wall in front of
them swirled and irised to become a clear viewport showing the
pinpricks of the stars in the void of space as they shot toward
the Seng armada.
As the arrayed ships began to change from dimensionless points
of light to recognizable vessels, half a dozen Seng fighter
craft broke away from the edge of the vast fleet and lifted
smoothly toward the intercept vector with their own ship. The
ring of fighters turned along their path as they passed by and
fell into formation and then as one the completed unit
formation wheeled and turned back to face Republic space. In a
moment they were reversed in their course and heading back
toward the four Republic ships hanging motionless.
Abruptly there was a shiver in the gleaming mirror-like liquid
metal around them and the soft thrum of power deepened to a
bass rumble. But they never altered course or velocity. Then a
change in air pressure and the spherical shape elongated and
parted and they found themselves in a larger space aglow with
the light trails of the Seng.
Obi-Wan instantly realized what had happened and Qui-Gon
blinked and looked about wide-eyed as he caught the thoughts
from his bondmate's mind. [The other fighter ships merged with
ours to become a warship!]
"The coordinates, Padawan," Qui-Gon said, nodding at the walls
around them.
"Yes, Master," Obi-Wan answered and took his miniature
holoprojector from a pouch on his belt. A loud splat from a
wall behind them and they turned to see a small Seng rolling
toward them. Obi-Wan knelt and put the little holoprojector on
the floor.
A line of light appeared from the small crystal base and
unfolded into an image in miniature of the spiral galaxy that
contained the Republic. The Seng rolled up next to Obi-Wan and
drew itself up expectantly, extending a pseudopod toward the
slowly spinning hologram. A tiny blue spark at the edge of the
spiral arm indicated the Seng armada and the _Praelis_ and the
other Republic ships. Then a bright green line extended from
the blue spark inwards, toward the Core, to stop some
two-thirds of the way to the center and almost a third of the
way around the spiral. The end of the glowing line became a
point of bright amber-yellow and blinked insistently. Obi-Wan
took his translator from his belt and gestured to the hologram.
"That's Coruscant."
"Understood, Kenobi."
"Can you take us there so that we reach Coruscant before the
ship carrying Xanatos arrives?" Obi-Wan asked.
A pause, then, "Affirmative. Subspace jump calculations
initiated. Jump will initiate in forty-five seconds."
"Can you tell me where Xanatos' ship is now?" Obi-Wan asked.
Another pause, then, "Geosynchronous transpolar orbit, Republic
world designate Aldhara Prime."
"Aldhara," Qui-Gon said, his voice grave and quiet.
"Yes, Master," Obi-Wan said softly. He dared not look up and
around to his bondmate. He didn't need to, the wash of anguish
that swamped him suddenly before it was muted told him all he
needed to know. "He seems to be picking planets that have high
population and strategic importance. Eltanin, Aldhara, that
Fleet resupply station."
The starfield outside the oval viewport blurred for a moment
then vanished in a wash of swirling grayness. Qui-Gon put out a
hand to steady himself on the nearest wall and swallowed
convulsively, his eyes squeezing shut.
"Master?" [Beloved? What is it?] Obi-Wan came close and slipped
in under Qui-Gon's arm and held him as he swayed a little.
"Nothing, love," Qui-Gon said as he straightened. "It is
passing now, just disorientation. Most disconcerting."
"We've gone into subspace," Obi-Wan said, peering up at his
Master's suddenly gray face. "That's all, beloved, just
subspace."
Qui-Gon nodded, then leaned over to kiss Obi-Wan's forehead.
"Just subspace to you, Padawan! Are you all right?"
Obi-Wan nodded. "I don't remember feeling anything like this
when I went into subspace before, but then I was somewhat
distracted."
"Hmm, yes, a breaking soulbond will do that," Qui-Gon said with
a slight apologetic smile.
Obi-Wan gulped and shivered at the words and looked away, but
when Qui-Gon drew him close and held him tight he burrowed into
the comfort his Master offered.
[We are together again,] Qui-Gon sent softly, tucking Obi-Wan's
head beneath his cheek as he opened his mind and heart to his
bondmate in comfort far more effective than the physical warmth
and strength of his arms. [I know I'll never again take you for
granted, Obi. I'll never again just *assume* our soulbond is
inviolate and unbreakable. My soul, my heart, I have wanted to
ask you something since the moment you were returned to me. We
are together in mind and heart and soul, yet ... Obi, after you
are knighted, would you ...stay with me? I know you wanted to
go out on your own, but...]
Obi-Wan pulled away slightly to look up at the serious
blue-violet eyes of his lover, his eyes shining with happy
tears that threatened to break free. [I made that decision for
myself long since, Qui. You are my life and my soul. There is
no life for me anywhere but at your side.] He put up one hand
to caress the silvered beard and to twine a lock of the long
brown hair in his fingers.
[But you wanted to go out with Jael, you've spoken of it often
enough,] Qui-Gon sent, kissing the fingers that played with his
hair. [What happened to the two Jedi who were going to change
the universe?]
Obi-Wan chuckled at the reminder of his idealistic plans for
the future, the skycastles he and his best friend had built in
their infrequent times together. [Change the universe. Is that
how we sounded?]
[That's how *all* young Knights sound,] Qui-Gon assured him.
[And Padawans hurrying to grow up so they can join in the fun.]
Obi-Wan nodded slowly, then his eyes sought Qui-Gon's again.
[As I said, my decision was made long since. I told Jael we'd
soulbonded the day after it happened, Master. I sent him a holo
and told him. He understands.] He smirked a little and rolled
his eyes. [And you know Jael. He sent me a message right back
suggesting a threesome.]
[Really?] Qui-Gon asked, mischief sparking in his eyes. [Think
he's still interested?]
[You wouldn't!]
[No, probably not, but *you* might,] Qui-Gon returned with a
faint devilish smile.
They snickered and giggled for a few moments, holding each
other close as the roiling swirl of subspace rushed by the
viewport and the light trails of the Seng rippled with faint
light around them. Together they gathered silence and comfort
around each other, preparing for the battles they were certain
Xanatos would force upon them.
[I love you, Qui. When I am free to make the formal promises, I
will,] Obi-Wan sent with quiet joy. [You are where I want to
be, even if we'd never soulbonded.]
For a moment Qui-Gon couldn't reply. [As you say, Padawan. And
I love you, with all my soul and all my heart.]
"Reversion to real-space," Obi-Wan's translator said suddenly
from the floor where he'd left it.
"Already?" Qui-Gon asked in surprise. "From all the way out on
the Rim to Coruscant in only these few minutes?"
"Correct, Qui-Gon. The phenomenon of time is a culturally
ingrained constant with no basis in objective reality.
Therefore, perception of time is subjective."
[You had to ask, did you?] Obi-Wan giggled.
Just then the roiling gray outside the viewport swirled again
and vanished and the low deep thrum of the warship's engines
throbbed once more around them. Stars became visible and a
sense of movement. The wall in front of them moved and swirled
open over a viewport and they were facing inward toward
Coruscant Alpha, sweeping through the system along the ecliptic
toward the capital of the Republic. Around them, ships appeared
from hyperspace or glided up or over them, two veering away
from the Seng warship abruptly as it appeared and sped toward
the planet ahead.
[What now, beloved?] Obi-Wan asked.
In reply, Qui-Gon bent and scooped Obi-Wan's translator from
the floor. "Is it possible to send a hologram transmission to
Xanatos' ship?"
"Yes," replied the Seng. A bright blue line of light appeared
from the shifting ceiling over Qui-Gon's head and flickered
briefly over the Jedi Master's form, then two other lines of
light shot from walls nearby and scanned him as well. All three
beams continued to scan him as he drew himself up, pulled the
hood of his cloak up and shoved his hands inside his cloak
sleeves. "Begin, Qui-Gon."
Qui-Gon nodded and Obi-Wan caught his breath as his bondmate
turned in an eyeblink into Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn. "Xanatos.
This ends now. There will be no further destruction. I will
await you at the old Fleet shipwright station on Lysithea." A
chilling five second glare and Qui-Gon nodded and stepped out
of the light beams. "End message."
"Affirmative. Message confirmed received."
Qui-Gon sighed and nodded, then continued to the Seng, "There
is a moon orbitting the eighth planet of this system. There is
an abandoned underground installation near the southern pole.
Can you take us there?"
"Yes." The warship abruptly banked and pulled upward and to the
right, ascending toward the blue-green gas giant planet known
as Coruscant 8. The tiny rocky moon of Lysithea had once been
part of Coruscant's perimeter defense system, then when sensor
and weapons technology had progressed to make it unneccessary
it was bought by a starship construction company, then
abandoned yet again when a meteor strike destroyed the primary
factory and residential domes. The installation was abandoned
now, considered too unsafe for use, and too vulnerable a target
for further meteor strikes.
Many years ago, a much younger Qui-Gon had brought a much
younger, far more innocent Xanatos to Lysithea for a survival
test. He remembered his pride, watching Xanatos deal with cold
and fear and dangers as they worked their way through the
relatively undamaged portions of the old space base. He
remembered a pale white face smiling at him serenely in the
circle of blue-white light cast by a quartzlight, keeping
watch. A soft cultured voice telling him to go back to sleep,
it was just thermal shifting, no monsters here Master, all is
well.
*Oh Xani, how could you do what you have done?*
[Beloved?] Obi-Wan sent softly.
Qui-Gon opened his eyes and broke out of his thoughts. Outside
the viewports now hovered Lysithea, and to the left the
darkside of Coruscant 8 blocked the light of the system's
primary. The warship was skimming over the rocky lunar surface
now, the iron gray dust and rock blurring by below, seeming to
undulate over crater walls and low hills.
"There, to the left," Qui-Gon said into the translator. "The
airlock."
But instead of doing as the Jedi Master asked, the warship
overshot the airlock in question and pulled up and over the
wall of the huge crater that had once held the primary factory
dome. Shattered, blackened vitriglass flashed by the viewport,
then the warship nosed down into the blasted and twisted
machinery. The warship came to a hover and lowered slowly to
the floor of the crater, and the Jedi heard the low throb of
the engines change in tone as the ship settled.
"We cannot survive in vacuum," Qui-Gon explained to the Seng.
"Nor in the cold of space. You must take us to the airlock I
indicated."
"Sensors indicate an intact airlock beneath the debris of this
location. Environmental factors beyond the airlock are within
range for human life. The airlock previously indicated has been
compromised by thermal shifting, producing numerous microscopic
stress fractures in the inner and outer hatchways. Probability
of explosive decompression, eight-two percent."
"Ah," Qui-Gon said. Then he smiled over at Obi-Wan as a section
of the floor nearby began to ripple and iris open. *"Come
follow me and let the world babble." *
Obi-Wan shook his head and rolled his eyes. *"Abandon all hope,
ye who enter here."*
Eyes twinkling with his laughter, Qui-Gon jumped down out of
the hatchway. Obi-Wan followed him.
They found themselves beneath the Seng warship, the smooth
mirror-chrome shape hovering above them without landing gear.
Blue flickers of energy at the edges of the ship indicated a
force-shield of some sort keeping the vacuum of space at bay.
The frozen plascrete on the lunar surface was rapidly leeching
away the heat from the thin air that had escaped from the Seng
ship when the hatchway opened. And there was nothing beneath
the ship but the plascrete, a perfect circle of cleared space
beneath the warship, with the neatly cross-sectioned hulks of
disused heavy equipment just at the edges of the force-shield.
[The ship absorbed the metals of the machinery as we landed,]
Qui-Gon sent with some awe. [In only these few moments....]
Obi-Wan nodded as they moved hurriedly to the airlock hatchway
a few steps away, pulling his cloak around him tightly as he
knelt beside the lockpanel and quickly scanned the dead
mechanism. [No power, Master. I'll have to use the manual
release.] He grimaced at the keylock on the corner of the
lockpanel, then took his lightsaber from his belt and dialed
the blade length down to a needle-like beam. The tiny blade
sprang to life in his hand and the lock was melted away in
seconds. Readjusting his lightsaber back to it's usual
meter-and-a-third length, he replaced it on his belt and popped
open the manual release compartment, grabbed the orange metal
ring inside and pulled hard. They could faintly feel the
vibrations under their feet as the airlock mechanisms
disengaged and Qui-Gon hurried to haul open the outer hatchway.
They dropped down inside and pulled the hatch closed behind
them.
"The lockwheel, Padawan," Qui-Gon said quietly in the
pitch-black dark beside him and Obi-Wan's hands somehow managed
to find the handle of the manual lock. He spun it quickly and
they heard the airseals reseal above them. There was a long
suffocating moment of claustrophobia when Obi-Wan's seeking
hands encountered the walls of the airlock alarmingly close on
every side, the ladder rungs welded onto one wall and the
frozen metal of pipes along another. Then a light in the
darkness as Qui-Gon brought a tiny marble-sized lightglobe from
one of his beltpouches.
"It's not much, Padawan, but it's better than nothing," Qui-Gon
said. "Quickly now. Xanatos' ship is probably already here and
we must not be trapped in an airlock."
"Yes, Master," Obi-Wan said and quickly found the manual
release for the inner hatchway. Then they were descending into
the dark chill of the abandoned moon base, the sounds of their
passage echoing in the dank cold.
Xanatos looked out on the tiny moon Lysithea, a small
distracted smile on his face, the silvery eyes almost glowing
with repressed anticipation.
*Ah, Master, your gullibility and narrow-mindedness never fail
to amuse me.*
"Land there," Xanatos said, pointing to an airlock tube in the
shadow of a rocky overhang in the wall of the crater.
"The airlock indicated has been damaged by --"
"I said land!" Xanatos said menacingly and whirled from the
viewport to rake his gaze around the shifting light patterns of
the walls of the Seng warship. His lightsaber appeared in his
hand as if conjured and he held it up to one of the walls, his
fingers moving to cover the power switch. "Land or I'll cut my
way out!"
The Seng warship slid into a hover over the airlock Xanatos had
pointed out to them, sank slowly to cover the overhang and the
airlock hatchway. Flickering blue light flashed from the
hovering ship to the lunar regolith beneath and there was a
brief hiss of equalizing pressure as the Seng ship generated
oxygen to fill the shield-enclosed space beneath.
"Has the armada begun the attack?" Xanatos asked as he swirled
his black cloak around himself and replaced his lightsaber on
his belt.
"Yes," replied the Seng.
"Good." The ex-Jedi turned to the figure of Darth Maul leaning
against the wall in the shadows of the warship's viewports.
"Well?"
Maul's yellow eyes turned to the former Jedi and the cold
contempt washed over Xanatos. A black-gloved hand flickered
once and Xanatos caught the filedisk that was tossed. "The
information you requested. And the account numbers."
"Excellent," Xanatos said with a feral grin and tucked the slim
black cartridge into a beltpouch. "So good to work with people
who know how to honor a deal." He turned as a section of floor
began to ripple and thin, then open to reveal the gray-black
lunar dust and gravel some twenty feet below. " 'Til our next
endeavor, then," Xanatos said in farewell, and dropped out of
the hole in the Seng warship's lower hull.
Contrary to popular belief, abandoned moon bases were rarely
silent. Thermal shifting caused structural elements to squeak
or tick with stress as the tiny moon whirled on it's axis and
around the planet, from nightside to dayside, several times a
day. Water trapped in lunar ice responded to this constant
heating and cooling by beating staccato rhythms of droplets
from roughly-excavated ceilings and walls. The erratic hum of
power as solar arrays embedded in the crater walls transmuted
the faint light of Coruscant Alpha into electrical power and
the occassional snap and spark of shorting circuitry.
Meteorites sometimes impacted on the surface of the small moon
and the resulting seismic vibrations could trigger weakened
tunnels to collapse. What little air remained in the moonbase
was stale with time and clammy cold.
Through this unquiet world ghosted two shadows, carefully
making their way through the debris and darkness. The Force
guided their steps for the darkness was nearly complete, only
occassionally broken by some faint erratic reddish glow from
emergency lights or the greenish phosporescent gleam of
illumitape on walls or floors.
[He's here,] Qui-Gon sent, stopping abruptly. Somewhere ahead
of them the uneasy blade-sharp presence of Xanatos colored the
flow of the Force.
[Yes.] Obi-Wan moved forward and his hand found his bondmate's.
[Steady, love.]
[Yes,] Qui-Gon answered. [Split up. I'll call you if I need
you.]
A moment's hesitation, then, [As you wish, Master. But be
careful.]
Qui-Gon sent a wordless reassurance and watched as the
indistinct outline of his apprentice moved away in silence down
the corridor and disappeared into another corridor some
distance away. Free now to move swiftly, the Jedi Master took
his lightsaber from his belt and closed his eyes. The Force
came at his silent call and he began walking quickly, guided by
that familiar tainted presence, the Darkness flowing like blood
in the waters of a clear rushing stream. Darkness, of sight and
spirit both, pressed about him in the echoes of water dripping
from the walls.
Obi-Wan pulled his cloak close about him and moved into the
concealment behind the bulk of a heavy cargoloader as the
discordant thrum of Xanatos' presence colored the Force around
him. He felt the wariness, the focus, the leashed anticipation,
the excitement of a goal within reach. And the Darkness, the
craving for pain and chaos however it could be engendered,
physical, mental, spiritual. Greed. The lust for power. The
satisfaction of knowing that even at this moment the Republic
was starting on that long slow slide down into anarchy and
oblivion.
He drew the Force around him in a gentle surge, trying to
shield his presence in what he hoped Xanatos would mistake for
a simple natural ripple of the power.
Movement, swift and certain, answered that thought. The lithe
form in black leaped silently through the darkness and red
light erupted with the snap-hiss-hum of a lightsaber
activating. The red blade screamed through the iron and steel
of the cargoloader and the giant humanoid-shaped powersuit
collapsed to the side in a useless heap with a deafening crash.
As it fell, Obi-Wan jumped up and over the destruction, the red
scintillant blade, and the elfin black-clad figure below. His
own lightsaber came to life as he landed and whirled, and the
battle was joined.
[Master, I've found him,] Obi-Wan sent calmly as he went to the
ready, looking only up into the silvery eyes glittering in
almost feverish delight a few yards away, glinting with the
angry fire of his blade.
Xanatos laughed and freed one hand from his lightsaber to shrug
out of his cloak, and a moment later Obi-Wan did the same,
their eyes never flickering or faltering as they pinned each
other with assessing glares. In the peripheral light of the
blue-white and red blades, Obi-Wan could see in the corners of
his eyes the vague shadows of the heavy equipment and abandoned
cargo crates all around him. Something large enough to be a
starship to the left, the deeper darkness of a square hole
where a cargo elevator's platform should have been. The small
huddled form of a deactivated droid nearby. And deep
impenetrable gloom outside the small fitful circle of light and
life that was Jedi and ex-Jedi Padawans leading each other
through the steps of a deadly dance.
"So you escaped from the Seng," Xanatos said with a smirk,
circling to the left. Obi-Wan automatically moved to the left
as well, adjusting after a moment into the rhythms of a
left-handed opponent. But the elder ex-Jedi saw the minute
hesitations and his eyes danced with mirth. "Exactly as I
predicted. Did your job, did your duty, despite terrible odds
and a broken soulbond. Proud of yourself?" A lunge, a flurry of
slash and parry and answering lunge and parry, and abruptly
disengaging to circle again. Xanatos shook his head to toss his
long loose hair back and moved with easy grace to the left.
Obi-Wan followed silently, breathing deep of the clammy stale
air, his blue-white blade an icy glare at the corner of his
vision.
Far above them and some distance away across the cargo bay,
Qui-Gon rushed out onto the catwalk balcony. The faint droning,
shifting hum of lightsabers was a low harmony with the roiling
disturbances of the Force thrown off by the two fighting on the
cargo bay floor below. He felt the instant glad recognition of
his presence from his bondmate and the satisfied, cynical
amusement from the familiar cat-like figure in black. But the
two didn't even miss a beat of the eyes-locked circling.
*Xani!* The daggerlike stab of emotional and spiritual pain
staggered the Jedi Master as he watched his Padawan and former
Padawan silently snarl at each other like hunting cats vying
for dominance.
"So here he is at last. Slowing down in his advanced years,
isn't he?" Xanatos said with a soft laugh, jerking his head in
indication of where Qui-Gon was watching them in stunned
silence.
Obi-Wan didn't even blink.
Xanatos shifted again and the Force abruptly surged at the
ex-Jedi's call. The droid carcass nearby flew up in a blur of
motion toward Obi-Wan. The Padawan jerked himself out of the
way, jumped and flipped aside, the blue lightsaber blade
looping and leaving white trails in the air as it spun. As he
landed Xanatos leapt forward with a lightning-like lunge and
slash. The impact of the red blade on his own knocked Obi-Wan
off balance and he fell to the floor, instantly rolling aside
as Xanatos sent the growling red blade toward his head. Rolling
to his feet again, Obi-Wan backed away to gain space as the
ex-Jedi rushed across the intervening distance to engage again.
Dimly, with the few small corners of his mind not taken up in
keeping himself in one piece, Obi-Wan could feel the echo of
swift movement as Qui-Gon ran along the catwalk looking for
stairs or a ramp down to the floor of the cargo bay.
"* 'A Jedi uses the Force for knowledge and defense, never for
attack,' *" Xanatos quoted with a mocking tone of voice. "I can
still hear that old frog now, quoting all his rules and
platitudes and endless, mindless, *useless* wisdom!" The lithe
form flowed into the first position of the Second of Water
kata, the red lightsaber held level at the throat, parallel to
the floor, the easy control of two decades of practice evident
as the former Padawan moved through the first four positions of
the ancient kata. "They give you the keys to all that power,
then chain you with the Code. Why? Restrictions are made from
fear, rules are attempts to control, and why? What do they
fear? If they fear the power, why give it to you? And why do
you let them control you if no night lasts forever?" A flush of
satisfaction rippled through the Force as Xanatos saw the
impact of his words in the shadow that turned Obi-Wan's eyes to
darkened emerald. "If all is balance, then why do they fear the
Dark? We are not immortal. And survival of the fittest is the
way of the Force."
[Beloved, I cannot find a way down -- I'll have to jump...]
Obi-Wan felt the jolt through their bond, felt the Force
flowing through him toward Qui-Gon as the Jedi Master called on
the power to slow his fall. Xanatos chuckled softly and leapt
forward as he saw Obi-Wan flinch, and the point of the
ruby-colored blade flashed across his vision. The wind of it's
passing and the sizzle of the energy made him cry out and
stumble backwards, blinded by the near-miss.
Xanatos' hand connected with his jaw as the ex-Jedi backhanded
him brutally and Obi-Wan felt the Force surge up around and
inside him as he fell backwards from the blow, and he tripped
over something unseen and fell...and fell...
The scream of rage and pain he heard was mental and physical,
and he knew it was his Master but then the hard duralanium of
the cargo elevator's platform rushed up to meet him. He could
feel the solidity of metal below him though the Force, knew he
was falling, could seemingly feel each individual air molecule
as it impacted with the skin of his face and hands. He retained
just enough instinctual awareness to allow the Force to wrap
around him and slow his fall, just enough so that when he
landed he only dislocated his shoulder rather than breaking
every bone in his body from the hundred-meter fall.
Dazed, he lay there unable to move. Oddly, the first thing that
registered was that there was something hard digging into his
back and that about halfway up the cargo elevator shaft was the
deeper darkness of the level below the cargo bay where it
opened to the elevator. And that there were faint sounds
somewhere far above like echoes in a deep cave, low humming,
strident voices...
[Master!] The odd detachment as he lay there stunned snapped
suddenly and he began scrambling to his feet, crying out with
the sudden pain as his shoulder seemed to explode with
white-hot shards. He managed to get to his knees and held his
dangling, useless right arm to his chest, swaying as he felt
the horrible pain radiating through his body, threatening to
turn to nausea. Damn. Damn damn damn. He'd dislocated his
shoulder. He'd done it before during training, and always
before his Master had been there to ease it back into place
with gentle hands and the Force. He'd have to do it himself
this time before the swelling and pain got too bad. Biting his
lip against the agonizing neccessity, he staggered to his feet
and stumbled to the metal wall nearby, leaned against it and
forced himself to breath deep. Commanded himself to breathe,
relax, accept the pain, let it flow through and out into the
endless tide and flow of the Force, damn it Kenobi, *let it
go.* Centered on the pain, on the flow of it out, commanded his
mind and soul to allow the Force to work through the natural
drawing-in of both in instinctual reaction to wounding. * Open
up. Let it go. *
Then, when he was as calm as he could manage and despite the
pain he was breathing deep and slow, he drew himself up and
with one hard twist of his body shoved the dislocated shoulder
back into place.
He might have screamed then, and when the red haze cleared from
his vision he tasted blood in his mouth. He found himself
kneeling on the floor against the wall and his shoulder still
hurt like the hells of the Sith. *Breathe. Again. Keep
breathing.* Once again commanding himself to stillness, he
pulled the Force around him again and sent it in a healing
surge through his arm and shoulder and the pain receded to a
dull ache as the warm waves of energy washed through abused
tendons and ligaments. It would heal. He could do no more
himself at the moment save keep the Force flowing through it to
push the healing along as best he could. With a flicker of
thought the Force brought his lightsaber flying to his hand and
he looked up the elevator shaft and sighted on the open bay
door halfway up and let the power carry him upward. Another
jump from there and he flew out of the cargo elevator to the
floor of the cargo bay.
And arrived on a scene of fury and chaos.
Emerald and ruby light wove in violent counterpoint, throwing
harsh neon glow into the vast clammy darkness of the cargo bay.
Qui-Gon was growling in rage, hammering with sheer strength
against Xanatos' red blade, beating the ex-Jedi away a step
backward with each overpowering strike, his eyes wild and his
mind all but incoherent. Xanatos was backpedalling smoothly, a
strange small smile flickering through the strain of effort on
his face, white hands and face aglow with the light thrown from
their blades. The two howling lightsabers rasped against each
other at every strike, Xanatos' wrists bending with the force
of Qui-Gon's blows as the Jedi Master pressed him backward.
[Master!] Obi-Wan gasped into their bond, his mindvoice edged
with pain from his shoulder, dulled with fatigue. Qui-Gon
didn't reply. [Master?!]
The Jedi Master snarled one last time and one hand freed itself
from the emerald blade and Obi-Wan felt the Force lurch and
wrench around him as Xanatos was flung several dozen yards
away. But as he flew they felt the ex-Jedi twist the wave of
the Force sent against him and tumble out of the path of the
power, letting it flow past him as he flipped and landed neatly
on his feet again.
"Look at him!" Xanatos cried out triumphantly to Obi-Wan,
flinging out an accusing hand pointing at Qui-Gon. "*Fear leads
to Anger, Anger leads to Hate, Hate leads to Suffering!* You
see it all right here before you, the great Master Qui-Gon
Jinn, losing all control, giving in to hate and anger, giving
in to fear and weakness!" The cat-like circling again as
Xanatos moved swiftly toward the two Jedi, an almost feral
delight in the silvery eyes. "Look at him, boy! Our precious
Master, using his powers to attack! Where is your vaunted
serenity and balance *now,* Master? What good all your
teaching, all the hours spent on aching knees meditating,
begging and pleading for the Force to erase all those emotions
and fears and desires? *It was all a lie, Master! Every word is
a lie and you knew it all along!*"
"*Enough!*" Obi-Wan screamed and flung himself at the hateful
black-clad figure, his lightsaber coming to life in his hand,
his body aching from the fall, his shoulder afire with pain,
all balance within him skewed by Xanatos' hate and rage
coloring the Force around them, by Qui-Gon's incoherent fury.
And the ex-Jedi was ready for his attack and sidestepped
easily, slipping aside as Obi-Wan rushed him and slamming his
fist into Obi-Wan's injured shoulder as he passed. Obi-Wan
screamed with the pain and stumbled and fell, his vision
blurring and going red as he hit the cold plascrete.
A hand jerked his head up by the hair and he felt the weight as
Xanatos knelt on his back, and the voice soft by his ear. The
strain on his shoulder wrung a cry of anguish from him, each
movement and shift of Xanatos' weight on his back screaming
through his body like plasma fire along every nerve. "*There is
no passion, there is serenity*. You've done this to him, brat!
Was he like this before you soulbonded? Feel all that hatred
and rage and power in his mind? You did this! He's turning to
the Dark Side and it's *all your fault.*"
The loud droning hum of a lightsaber and Obi-Wan could see the
shadows thrown by the emerald blade's light as the blade swept
around to hover over Xanatos' shoulder, poised at the side of
the ex-Jedi's neck menacingly. Obi-Wan nearly cried out in
relief as he heard the beloved voice grate out, "Xani, get off
of him *right now.*"
A soft chuckle and the hand still clutching Obi-Wan's hair let
go, the slim fingers relaxing into what was almost a caress as
the ex-Jedi sat back slowly. Xanatos turned slightly and
slanted a look up at his former Master out of sly, knowing
silver eyes. "As my ...*beloved* Master commands."
The weight left Obi-Wan's sprawled form altogether and the
Padawan caught back the sob of pain, pushed himself up shakily
with his good arm and turned as he got to his feet, called his
lightsaber back to his hand. He moved stiffly to Qui-Gon's side
as the Jedi Master kept Xanatos at the point of his blade, his
focus never wavering from the ex-Padawan's eyes even as the
cat-like circling began again.
[I'm...all right, beloved,] Obi-Wan sent softly to his
bondmate.
[No you aren't,] Qui-Gon answered with a terse snap in his
mindvoice, the anger still strong in the undercurrents of his
mind.
[Calmly, Master, calmly,] Obi-Wan murmured to him. [He's
playing us like synthars. We must be calm and we must watch...]
[Has he gone mad entirely or is this a special occassion?]
Qui-Gon sent flippantly.
Obi-Wan's mouth flickered briefly in a half-smile at the
exasperated levity. [Let it go, beloved. Let *him* go. He's not
the boy you found on Telos. It's time to end this, one way or
another. But let the Force have it now. His fate isn't ours to
decide. We're not jury and executioners.]
The calm words, even overlaid with pain and fatigue, were cool
water over the rage remaining in the Jedi Master's mind and
soul. With a sigh he released the corresponding tensions and
negative emotions into the Force and calmness was left behind
once more. The humming green blade stopped trembling with the
force of Qui-Gon's grip on the hilt.
"Oh, very good," Xanatos said mockingly. "Pulled yourself back
from the abyss did you? And with the help of your new toy, no
doubt." Xanatos smirked and tossed his hair back over his
shoulders, then peered over at Obi-Wan again. "Bit old for your
tastes, isn't he, Master?"
"And how would you know?" Obi-Wan said in a quiet, nearly
expressionless voice.
A moment of silence, then Xanatos laughed merrily and twirled
the crimson blade casually around and came to guard position
again. He smirked up at Qui-Gon then slid that mocking glance
to Obi-Wan. "Nice try, brat, but I was pulling those tricks my
second year as our Master's shadow."
"Kind of sad that's all you've amounted to. A shadow, that is,"
Obi-Wan said in a nonchalant, conversational tone of voice.
[Padawan, don't lower yourself to his level by using his
tricks,] Qui-Gon cautioned, turning with Xanatos' movements to
always keep himself and his lightsaber between the ex-Jedi and
Obi-Wan.
[You just keep him moving, don't worry about me,] Obi-Wan
flashed back hurriedly. [We may have only one shot -- he's such
an egotistical, arrogant bastard -- ]
"A shadow!" Xanatos laughed. "I'm so much more than that, boy.
So much you'll never know so long as you let *him* keep you
chained." Xanatos' eyes met Qui-Gon's across the length of
their lightsabers and the silver swirled with both red and
green blade light. "You taught me to think, but only in
straight lines. You told me no knowledge was forbidden then
would not answer when I questioned." The elfin face hardened
and tension flooded the tall willowy frame. "You told me you
loved me, then turned your back when I followed my own heart."
Qui-Gon froze, and then the emerald blade dropped away,
retracting with a hiss.
Obi-Wan choked and moved the two steps to catch Qui-Gon's free
hand, clutched it fiercely as he felt utter black despair and
guilt wash through the bond, flooding mind and soul and heart.
Qui-Gon didn't react, didn't acknowledge his wordless frantic
query. And then the Master dropped to his knees in surrender,
his eyes empty and distant.
"As you will, Xani. Get it over with. Whatever you may believe,
I did love you." He straightened and closed his eyes. "Get on
with it."
"No..." Obi-Wan heard his own voice whispering that one weak
protest.
[It is the only way. I'm sorry, my beloved, but...remember me.]
"No..."
But there was only silence from Xanatos and Obi-Wan tore his
eyes from his soulmate's kneeling form to the ex-Jedi.
So many, many emotions flowed across that elfin, pale face,
shimmered in silvery eyes. Incredulity. Delirious triumph.
Suspicion. Contempt. Disgust. Confusion.
Sorrow. Fear. Denial.
Obi-Wan sank down slowly behind his Master and hid his face in
the warm dark wool of his cloak, burying his face in the fall
of silvered brown hair, resting his cheek in the hollow between
Qui-Gon's shoulderblades. Beneath his ear, faintly, he heard
the steady pulse of his soulmate's heart. [I will not be parted
from you again. Where you go, my soul, I will follow.]
The broad shoulder beneath his cheek trembled for a moment,
then stilled, and Obi-Wan reached with his good hand for his
bondmate's, and their fingers twined.
But the fatal blow did not fall.
Long moments passed as the two waited for Xanatos to strike,
holding each other. The humming of the ruby blade was still
loud in their ears and finally Qui-Gon opened weary eyes and
looked up.
Xanatos stood motionless save for the slight tremble of the red
lightsaber as his hand clenched on the black hilt. The pale
face was awash in a conflict of sorrow and hate and disbelief.
Silvery eyes stared down into Qui-Gon's, and then finally
something broke within the former Padawan. In one blur of
movement the crimson lightsaber retracted and disappeared,
Xanatos whirled in the sudden absolute dark and they heard
running footsteps echoing in retreat as he fled.
Master and Padawan were left in the darkness, holding each
other, both afire with pain, stunned to be alive.
Until lights began appearing in the corridors at the end of the
cargo bay and voices echoed in the stillness. Obi-Wan and
Qui-Gon looked up at last into the frantic eyes of Jael
Sinthara and Mace Windu as the two raced up to them out of the
dark, pulling them back from the crumbling edge of despair and
grief.
"Grandmaster...they are on Lysithea. Tell my Master..." A
pause, and Xanatos looked down and swallowed, and his hair fell
forward to shadow his face before he straightened again and
looked up. "Tell him this."
*"Love is a sour delight, a sugar'd grief,
A living death, and ever-dying life;
A breach of Reason's law, a secret thief,
A sea of tears, an everlasting strife;
A bait for fools, a scourge of noble wits,
A deadly wound, a shot that ever hits."*
Xanatos looked up again into the holocam, then nodded, bowed
slightly, and the hologram winked out.
In the half-light of the shuttle, Qui-Gon closed his eyes and
ran a hand over his face wearily. Then he turned back to help
Obi-Wan out of his tunics as Windu searched through the
medipack for painkillers and anti-inflamatory drugs. Obi-Wan
bit his lip and hissed with pain at every movement, then sighed
in relief as the drugs began to sooth the burning away in waves
of numbing coolness.
[Sleep, beloved,] Qui-Gon sent softly, [All will be well.]
[But Master -- ]
Qui-Gon looked down into dazed aquamarine eyes and straightened
the Padawan braid with gentle fingers. [All will be well,] he
repeated, trying to dredge up a smile. [Sleep now.] He put one
hand on Obi-Wan's forehead and a brush of the Force dropped the
apprentice into deep healing sleep.
Sighing, he turned away, stumbled a few feet to the nearest
blastchair and fell into it, his own resources at an end.
In the cockpit just up the narrow corridor, Jael turned to look
back as he heard the Jedi Master's ungraceful fall into the
blastchair, saw the grief and pain scrawled across the leonine
face. Windu came up the corridor and sank down into the
co-pilot's chair as the younger Knight turned back to his
piloting.
"Did you tell them?" he asked softly.
"No. Let them get some sleep first. You called the Temple?"
Windu asked.
Jael nodded. "The Healers will be waiting."
"Good."
Silence then as they merged with the traffic patterns
surrounding Coruscant, the usual chaos that surrounded the
capitol of the Republic. But both Jedi knew, as their exhausted
companions in the shuttle's passenger cabin did not, that
nothing was usual about it anymore. The three dozen
dreadnoughts now englobed Coruscant, the security checks as
they passed the scouts on perimeter duty just inside the orbit
of the fifth planet.
The Republic had been at war with the Khamseng Empire for
almost two hours.
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