Before - Legends Fire and Ice: Trials....third in series... Lurker Appreciation Week has begun!!

Fire and Ice: Trials (third in a series)
Authors: Durhelediel and Layren
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: The Star Wars universe and people belong to George Lucas. We know that, but we refuse to accept it. Lol
Summary: After all the recent events that have happened, Qui-Gon is placed on a solitary mission that goes horribly wrong. Will he survive to see his padawan again?

Chapter One

"You are under review for your recent disobedience to the Council," Mace Windu said, his fingers steepled in front of him. "The Council is concerned about how this is becoming a habit. We believe that it is time to give you a test of sorts."

Qui-Gon frowned and crossed his arms over his chest. "A test?" he echoed. "Merely being a few hours late with a comm call does not warrant such severity."

Yoda sent him a sharp look. "Question our orders you should not. Repeated this is. Reason for this test it is."

Qui-Gon fell silent, gritting his teeth. He nodded once, to Master Yoda. "As you wish, my Master."

Ki-Adi Mundi, usually one of the Jedi that overlooked Qui-Gon's constant rubbing with the Council, frowned. "You will be going on a solo mission as your padawan recovers. There is no objection or negotiation on your part. Obi-Wan is not even to be told that you are leaving. You will time your departure for when he is in another bacta treatment."

Qui-Gon's gaze narrowed at that. Like the Sith he would leave without informing his padawan. "As my padawan is still injured it is my duty as his master to stay at his side until he fully recovers."

"Disobey you will not," Yoda barked sharply, showing a rare sign of temper. "To someone else you will appoint your duty."

Qui-Gon struggled to keep his temper and his tongue in check. "Very well," he snapped. "I was under the impression that neglecting your duty was generally frowned upon. However, I will do as I am ordered."

Mace glared at him. "Yes, you will," he said in a cold tone. "And never mind about appointing someone to watch over Obi-Wan. We'll take care of that for you. We suggest you leave. Now."

Qui-Gon didn't bother to reply. He turned on his heel and stormed from the room, highly irritated at how the meeting had gone. He was furious at the Council, but he knew he had to get his anger in check. He headed back to the Healer's Wing to check on his padawan before he left, regardless of what the Council had just told him about leaving without informing Obi-Wan.

Kyran Josel met him at his padawan's recovery room door. "He's back in bacta again. The skin on his back was so badly burned and flayed that it doesn't want to heal without reoccurring infection. Han'yaie thinks he can get the infection to go away this time, though," Kyran informed Qui-Gon quietly as he steered his friend back around toward the bacta tanks.

Qui-Gon nodded, wincing at Kyran's news. And the Council expected him to leave his padawan in this condition? His heart rebelled at the idea of leaving him in this vulnerable state. His heart felt as if it would bleed with misery and anger. "I can't stay," he said shortly in an irritated tone.

Kyran glanced at him, shock on his face. "Why not?"

"I'm forbidden to stay at my padawan's side, due to my disobedience. The Council is sending me on a mission." He clenched his hands into fists. "I can't even tell him that I'm leaving. In fact, I'm probably highly disobeying orders just by popping in to check on him."

Kyran looked as if he wished Qui-Gon were joking, but knew he was not. "Wow..." was all he could say as he stopped right outside Obi-Wan's bacta tank.

Qui-Gon pushed aside his anger and discontent as he gazed at his unconscious padawan. He smiled a little seeing Obi-Wan floating peacefully in the bacta tank. He sent a wave of love and comfort to the boy. "I have to leave. The Council is appointing someone else to look after him while I'm gone." He swallowed, wincing at the pain of his still-healing throat. "I hope they pick you, but if not, I'd still appreciate you looking out for him once in awhile."

 

Wow, got me hooked already, I suppose I'd better go catch up on the first two! More soon!!

 

Well I am glad that Mace and Yoda don't agree with what the others of the Council says about sending him on the quest now. At least there's a couple on the Council that's got some feelings! hehehe

Great start!!! Loving it! Poor Obi... I hope Kyran lets him know that Qui didn't juz up and leave him that the Council made him... this could go bad otherwise.

 

Wow, I cant belive they are sending Qui on a mission already. They should know that Obi needs him and that things go wrong when they are apart. Realy looking forward to this story so keep up the good work.

 

Arwen- Welcome Welcome to our little insane asylum!! heehee And do post on the other two should you feel the need, haha! Glad we have you hooked already, though we both don't think that this beginning is all that exciting...but the rest of it is so hang on for a wild ride!

Kynstar- No, of course they haven't learned. Why would they? And we'll see soon how Obi handles this...

JediKnights- Well, thank you for your kind words! Layren really likes this story, though she's only seen and helped write the unbetaed version. I'm thinking she, and all of you, will really enjoy the betaed version as well. Keep in here with us!

 

Arwen Hi there! New reader alert! As my former apprentice said -- welcome to the insane asylum we're not THAT bad I hope you enjoy the rest of the fics in the series. We've had a great deal of fun working on these

Kynstar Hey sweetie! Yes Mace and Yoda are both on Qui-Gon's side but they're only two out of a Council of 12 and can't overrule the entire council unfortunately for poor Qui. Thanks so much for reading!

Jedi-Knights_R_L Yes I do like this particular one the best even in the unbeta'ed version. Primarily because I am a huge Qui-Gon fan and this particular story is a little different from how we usually do things I hope you'll like the rest that follows

 

Ooh! The new one's up already - Wow that was fast.

Definitely sounds like somebody on the Council is up to no good.

Hope you both are feeling better.

Rogue

 

Looking forwards to the insanity, been out of fanfic for a bit and can't wait for some lunacy!

 

Rogue- somewhat better, though life has been kinder. lol And it's about to get a whole lot meaner to Qui...

Arwen- everyone needs a little insanity in their life. Without insanity and fanfics, what would us Star Wars geeks do for fun??

 

Warning: this is a LONG chapter!

Chapter Two

Obi-Wan stared at Kyran for a moment, disbelieving. "He...left? Without saying anything to me?" He had just been released from his upteenth bacta treatment to find only Kyran waiting for him. Naturally, he had asked about his master, thinking that perhaps Qui-Gon was getting some much needed sleep. Instead, Kyran had avoided his eyes and mumbled something about "going away".

Kyran sighed a little. "Obi-Wan, it wasn't his choice. Please believe that. Qui-Gon was forced into the situation due to the Council's censure of his actions by coming to your rescue. Yoda met him here and insisted that he leave."

Obi-Wan turned his face away to hide his disappointment. That still didn't explain why Qui-Gon didn't leave him some sort of message. Qui-Gon rebelled against the rules enough that he would have done it. Perhaps Obi-Wan wasn't special enough for Qui-Gon to bend the rules for him.

Kyran grimaced, sensing the young man's hurt. He silently cursed the Council for forcing this decision on his friend. He narrowed his gaze as Mace Windu strode into the Healer's Wing. "Has Qui-Gon reported in yet?" he asked, barely controlling his tone with his old friend.

Mace shook his head and glanced over at a suddenly glowering Obi-Wan. He had never seen the young man direct such a hostile glare at him before. Kyran must have told him about Qui-Gon having to leave. "We don't expect him to reach the asteroid belt for another few minutes. If he has not contacted us in thirty minutes, we'll try to get a hold of him."

Kyran's jaw dropped and he now glared openly at Mace. "You're sending him into an asteroid belt? What are you trying to do, get him killed?"

Mace regarded him coolly. "His reflexes will help him navigate. Besides, he's been to this one before, though it was years ago as a padawan." Mace sighed. "It's better than what they wanted to do..."

"So this is how the Council deals with disobedience?" Kyran folded his arms across his chest. He frowned a little. "What did they want to do?"

Mace glanced at Obi-Wan, then shook his bald head. "Trust me, you don't want to know. This is a much simpler test than they wanted. He should pass this one fine."

Obi-Wan scowled and crossed his arms.

"So the Council decides to try to murder those who don't agree with them?" Kyran angrily shot at his friend.

Mace began to feel angry himself. "Look, Josel, Yoda and I did what we could to convince them of Qui-Gon's loyalty to the Order, but with his recent and past actions it was hard for us to do so. They wanted a test: we influenced them to keep it from becoming murder for a lone Jedi. This is a simple test. He goes to the asteroids, he navigates, he contacts who he is supposed to when he's supposed to, and everyone in the Council is happy again. He'll be away from here at the maximum of three days."

Kyran glowered at Mace, shaking his head in disbelief. He sat down on Obi-Wan's bed to keep from punching his friend and doing something he would regret. "I still can't believe you forced him to leave without letting him tell his injured padawan goodbye."

Obi-Wan relaxed his arms, trying hard not to act like he was listening to the two adults argue.

Mace sighed. "Again, to keep his 'test' from being much worse than it was, this was decided as another form of punishment."

"I suppose the Council did not take it into consideration that they were also punishing an innocent by denying him his master's love and comfort," he shot back, "even though he was practically on Death's door a few days ago?"

Mace shot him a look. "Yes, they did. Or rather, Yoda, Ki-Adi Mundi and I did. The others think that Obi-Wan is starting to show attributes of his master so they did not care."

Obi-Wan blushed. He knew that they were referring to his disobedience on his and Qui-Gon's trip to Hoth just a few short weeks ago.

Kyran winced. "Oh." He glanced away, wondering how his friend was faring on his mission alone.

Suddenly Obi-Wan winced and hissed out a breath.

 

Oh wow! So different from the unbeta'ed version! Very very well done! I love the extra detail you've added in! And pooor Qui he needs a big hug being in so much pain.. four blaster wounds ... *wince*


whoo hoo! great job!!! I loved it!

 

Aw...you're making me blush. Really...

 

Good! Kyran told Obi the truth! And what do you know! Mace told Obi that him and Yoda didn't agree with the Council's ruling! Mark one for the baldy guy!

Poor Obi... having to feel Qui's pain! And poor Qui!!! Crashes and gets shot at too! Hrmmm lots of droids... doesn't sound good for the Republic... I ponder if that was the real reason behind the Council sending Qui there? Hrmmmm

You go Mace!! Yippee! Perchance a rescue effort by Councilor Windu? That would rock!

Great job!! Awesome chappie!!

 

Some very nice imagery in this one and please never apologize for a long chapter (some of us live for those ).

Wonders what our bad Council apple has in mind for Qui, was he meant to happen upon this operation or was it just random luck? (yes, yes I know - no luck with the Force ) Of course only the next chapter will tell.

More when you can
Rogue

 

Aww. Now you all are making me blush. Seriously!

Kynstar, hm Mace coming to the rescue and kicking butt would be cool, wouldn't it?

Rogue- I only apologized because when I first got on here readers told me that they didn't like long chapters on the boards. lol But thanks for the compliment on the imagery. Trying to be "board friendly" and still maintain "imagery" is sometimes hard. lol

 

Whoa, intense post there. (and long is good, long is VERY good) Thumbs up to Obi for getting his Master to fight!
0

 

Arwen- well, poor Obi had to resort to some rather mean things in order to get Qui-Gon to fight, but it worked so that's what's important, right?

And I'm glad ya'll like long posts because this next chapter is even longer. lol

 

~~~~~*~~~~~ indicates beginning and endings of flashbacks.....

Chapter Three

Mace jumped into a two man ship with a good med bunk and quickly had it up and into space. He keyed in the asteroid's location and let the ship jump to hyperspace. It would take him eight hours to arrive, let alone the time he would need in order to find Qui-Gon. When Obi-Wan had come running into the Council chambers, interrupting yet another heated discussion over Qui-Gon, he had thought some of the Jedi were going to have strokes from shock. Mace couldn't help but chuckle a little at the memory of their faces when Obi-Wan had then, babbling, snatched the comlink from Ki-Adi Mundi and turned it off. The boy had then sat on it and refused to get off of it. Before anyone could grab him or the comlink, he had doubled over, shouting things about Qui-Gon. Mace had wanted to go after Qui-Gon before now, but that had decided him. He didn't have the full Council's backing on this, but he could not leave his childhood friend alone to face whatever it was that he was facing. His friend had taught him that sometimes you had to bend the rules in order to do that which was right. The infallible Council had messed up, plain and simple. He only hoped his friend didn't die for their mistake. Silently, he urged the ship to go faster as he sank into a deep hibernation trance and tried to find Qui-Gon to shunt him more strength, to make him hold on...

--------

Qui-Gon panted as he ran, dizzy from blood loss. He was still bleeding profusely from his wounds and controlling the sharp pain so that it did not interfere in his attempt at escape from the droids was taking an enormous amount of effort. The pain of the blaster wounds on his side and back felt like a dagger stabbing him with every move that he made. He let out a sharp cry of pain as he suddenly slipped and fell hard to the ground. Dimly, he wondered what he had tripped over. Looking down he could see nothing but his own blood leaving a pattern behind him, a marked trail for the droids to follow. He must have slipped in the pool of his own blood. He nearly retched at the thought and put a hand to his dizzy head, seeking an end to this nightmare.

The droids turned to follow the bright red path that clearly marked where the injured intruder was but a new order came to them as they were reorienting. They were to corner, not kill, the intruder. The Overseer knew that with those wounds the intruder would die. The droids did not care about the loss of life, they simply followed orders, rolling along the trail that the man left behind, their guns slack in mechanical hands, no longer prepared to shoot.

Qui-Gon winced as he tried to stand, but a sharp stab of pain in his left knee let him know that he must have pulled a muscle in his fall. He sighed. He knew at this rate he would never make it back to the Temple. The droids rolled around the corner heading for him and he froze, his blood running cold as they surrounded him, blasters raised, yet not firing at him. With a sinking heart he knew that he had nowhere else to go. He was trapped.

The Overseer again stressed to the droidekas to corner and surround the intruder but not fire: the Overseer wanted to know where the body was for quick disposal of later.

Qui-Gon coughed and slightly winced at the pain in his throat as he lay on the cool floor, the droids hovering around him. His whole body screamed at him for rest. With a sigh, he let himself slip into the bliss of unfeeling unconsciousness, preparing himself for the second time in less than a day to die.

--------

Eight hours had passed and gone. Mace was flying around the asteroid belt, banging his fist on the ship's comm unit in frustration. He had seen no sign whatsoever of his friend's ship. He swerved around a particularly large asteroid?and then he saw the planetoid tucked neatly in the center of the maelstrom. He blinked. That hadn't been here a few years ago?where had it come from?

He shook his head to clear it. For now, he wouldn't waste time worrying abo

 

Oooh wow!! LOLOLOL. You did another wonderful job with this beta! I especially loved the flashbacks! They fit in to the story sooo perfectly A little mush to help not make the scene so gory about poor Qui bleeding all over the place. Poor Qui. Pulled muscle, four blaster wounds and a concussion. It sure was nice about reading about somebody who had a worse day than I did. Poor Qui poor me. Poor all of us group hug!

 

Sweet! Mace to the rescue!! Loved it!!! Yippee!

Ahhhhh loved the flash back!! How funny! Kyran and Qui cut his hair and he came to like it *snrk* what a cool version on how he's bald later on! hehehehe

Great work!! Now Qui gets to rest some. Hehehe loved how he's determine to not let the Council punish Obi hehehe that was great! Loved the play of emotions and characterization of those two.

But the 2 have a mystery now to solve once they're back. Hrmmm a place where droids being made with no organic guards/overseers or such. Now that's interesting.... I'm sure they'll (someone) is gonna be back there to pay a visit! If anything to investigate it. *SNRK* the ship got destroyed hehehe Poor Qui

(edit: oops for some odd reason I thought he had to deliver a package.. ack silly me the 'take this to..' was the one-man ship hehehe)

 

Chapter Four

Obi-Wan strode determinedly toward the Temple's hanger bay, ignoring the protests of five healers and two apprentices. He had to see his master?he didn't care that the healers thought he should take a hoverchair. He would meet his master on his feet, like a man.

Qui-Gon groaned as he was lifted onto a hovergurney. Every move he made ached like fire pulsing through him. He felt a familiar presence nearby?Obi-Wan. He tried to stand and push the healers away so he could go to the boy that he sensed standing outside the ship, but they quickly pushed him back down, overriding his protests.

Obi-Wan's heart nearly broke in two when he saw his strong, dependable master laying on a gurney, his face chalk white, blood covering his tunic...or what was left of it. Qui-Gon looked as bad as Obi-Wan sensed him to be. "Master..." he breathed as Qui-Gon was steered toward him.

Qui-Gon reached out for his padawan's hand. "Obi-Wan. How are you feeling, young one?"

Obi-Wan hid his fear for his master. "Better than you, I should think," he answered lightly, gripping his master's hand tightly and walking beside him back to the Healer's wing. "What happened?"

"What didn't happen is perhaps the better question, but I'll tell you about it later, padawan." Qui-Gon heard the scratchiness in his still not quite recovered throat as he talked.

Obi-Wan ignored Healer Apprentice Anya as she continuously berated him for being on his feet. "Will you be alright?" he asked quietly. His tone conveyed that he meant more than what was said on the surface.

"In time," Qui-Gon said, wincing a little. He gazed meaningfully at the padawan. "You should sit down, like Anya said."

Obi-Wan sighed. "I'm fine. She's just...a trifle more concerned than she should be. It's you they should be worrying over," he commented as they entered the large area that housed the bacta tanks.

Qui-Gon eyed the bacta tanks and grimaced. He hated bacta tanks and he wondered just how long he would have to be in one this time. He squeezed Obi-Wan's hand. "They worry about all their patients, Obi-Wan. It's her job."

Obi-Wan made a face, then protested as Anya forcibly dragged him away from Qui-Gon.

"He needs to be soaked in bacta immediately. Death is too close to him still," the young healer explained quickly. "Come over here and you can stay, as long as you let him rest and as long as you sit down."

Qui-Gon glanced anxiously at his padawan, urging him to comply with the healer padawan.

Obi-Wan sank onto a repulsor chair. He was more tired than he wanted to admit. He hadn't walked that much in almost a week. He watched as the teams of healers helped Qui-Gon into a light clothe that would protect his modesty, but at the same time revealed the blaster bolts and burns in better detail.

Qui-Gon tried not to cry out in pain as he was dressed but he couldn't help himself. He could barely stand, the blaster wound in his back had left him to where he could only stand half-way up. His left knee was throbbing fiercely and his vision swam from his concussion. His right shin, side and back all showed blackened skin and he still had a light scent of the ozone around him. The skin around the edges of the wounds was melted and blood trailed down his wounds. He wasn't bleeding as profusely as before, lying down on the ship had helped some, but blood flow increased when he stood up.

Obi-Wan closed his eyes and took some of his master's pain into himself. He nearly cried out with the pain that slammed into him, but he reminded himself that Qui-Gon needed all the help that he could get to help him feel better.

Qui-Gon felt what Obi-Wan was doing for him and stared reproachfully at him. "You need all your strength to heal, Padawan. I'll be alright. You're still not well yet yourself."

Obi-Wan said nothing, but met his master's gaze with his own steady one. It was a wordless declaration of love, and of unbinding will.

Qui-Gon smiled a little. His balance was wavering as he continued to stand and he looked like he was on th

 

Yay! Qui's safely in the bacta (much to his dislike hehehe) Obi knows he's safe and on the mend. And Obi can finish healing!

Ahhhh haaaa! In steps the Trade Federation! Great chappie!! I'll be lookin' for the next one for sure!

Get well both of you! Rest up this weekend!

 

Kynstar- glad you liked Mace's rescue. We figured that he isn't used enough in fics with Qui so we threw him in. heehee And the next one in the series is....well....not gonna say ANYTHING... my lips are SEALED...

 

Yes I am soooo glad you did have Mace in it I like the baldy man even if he is a rules mongrel! hehehe

Ahhh come on!!! Not even a itsy bitsy hint?

 

Nope. Not even an itsy bitsy hint. lol though, the first chap is up now...so go to it, girl. haha!