Too Deep for Tears

Greetings! The following is a ?little? (well, not so little, actually) story featuring Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon. The first part of the story takes place ten years before the events of Phantom Menace. The second part is comprised of a prologue, which takes place some years after the Battle of Endor, and a main story, which takes place a few months before the events of The Phantom Menace.

The story is complete so I plan to post quite regularly for any who are interested in following along on the journey. It can be described as either a romantic adventure or an adventurous romance.

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The fire is lit, the villagers gather around, the storyteller slowly takes her seat. Into the darkening hush, she speaks. ?Once upon a time....?


TITLE: Too Deep for Tears
BY: Moonscribe
RATING: PG-13 for violence and adult situations
DISCLAIMER: I do not own the characters created by George Lucas nor the Star Wars concept; Lucasfilm does. I am very respectfully borrowing them with no intent to profit.


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Thanks to the human heart by which we live,
Thanks to its tenderness, its joys and fears,
To me the meanest flower that blows can give
Thoughts that do often lie too deep for tears.

William Wordsworth: Ode: Intimations of Immortality

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PART ONE: TEN YEARS BEFORE EVENTS OF THE PHANTOM MENACE

Qui-Gon gazed with a heavy heart at the bunk where Obi-Wan was tossing in his sleep. The two Jedi were returning to Coruscant on the Republic cruiser _Alliance_ from Tamarii where Obi-Wan had been injured in their battle with the Tamariian war-mages.

Obi-Wan moaned softly. Turning on his side, he murmured the one word he had been repeating when Qui-Gon had finally rescued him from the war-mages? fortress: _Never_.

Qui-Gon shuddered. The war-mages had tried to turn Obi-Wan to the dark side, but the boy had resisted with every ounce of his strength. The memory of that struggle, however, had left Obi-Wan with recurring nightmares.

Qui-Gon rose from his chair. He walked over and gazed down at the boy. Although Obi-Wan was now fifteen standards, asleep he looked terribly young and vulnerable. Too young to have undergone what the war-mages had done to him.

Bending down, Qui-Gon gently placed his fingers along Obi-Wan?s temple. Breathing slowly and deeply, he focused his awareness on the matrix of the Force. It appeared in his mind as a pulsating nexus of golden light.

He fixed it firmly within his mind. He then softly repeated Master Yoda?s Litany of Suffering--_Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering_--as he flowed along the interstices of the Force. Soon he saw before him the roiling black knot of nightmare the war-mages had left within Obi-Wan?s unconsciousness.

Qui-Gon?s awareness swept towards that pulsating knot of darkness. Gathering the Force about him like a shield, he plunged into that mass of horror. Darkness and fire, anger and hate, and pain--deep, oceanic, and powerful--surged over Qui-Gon.

He gasped and closed his eyes. His fingers trembled alongside Obi-Wan's temple as he struggled to gain control. With all the power of the Force, Qui-Gon concentrated on maintaining his focus as he siphoned all the dark side energy which was afflicting Obi-Wan into himself.

Qui-Gon grunted as the dark side energy roiled inside him. Focusing his awareness on the Force, he channeled the rage and fear seething inside him along the shimmering interstices of the light side of the Force until the dark side energy dissipated into nothingness.

Realizing he had been holding his breath for some time, Qui-Gon released it sharply. He opened his eyes and looked down at Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan?s breathing had evened out. He had settled into a more restful, dreamless sleep. His face was smooth and peaceful.

Qui-Gon drew his hands away from Obi-Wan. He lowered his head and took another deep cleansing breath

 

MoonScribe,
I'm liking this and you need to post more... the title itself is very intriguing.

 

Thanks Starduster! The story is actually complete, so I plan to post pretty regularly.

 

Qui-Gon turned around as he assessed the state of Professor Landru?s base camp. It appeared deserted. He saw only a couple of living huts, a storage shed and some equipment he assumed was for digging. The wind blew fiercely about him. Sand stung his eyes and dust tickled his nose and mouth. Reaching up, he pulled his goggles over his eyes and drew his hood about his head. He shrugged his haversack more firmly onto his shoulder and walked slowly through the camp.

He stopped at the larger of the two living huts. He peeled back the opening and stepped inside. It looked like no one had been inside for weeks. Sand covered everything: a sleeping cot, shelving, a small desk, datapads, food containers. He left the hut and stepped back outside. The wind howled around him and dust skittered across the blood red sky. He gazed out across the empty, barren landscape to where a line of black mountains stretched away to the south

Qui-Gon searched through the flying dust for any sign of life. As he glanced to his right he spotted a droid. He walked over towards it. It was leaning against the storage shed. Sand was caked all over it. Qui-Gon peered around it as he searched for a switch with which to turn it on. He found it at the base of its neck. He pressed it. The droid wobbled to attention. Its prismatic eyes glowed as it stared back at Qui-Gon.

?Why, hello, honored sir. I am D4G4, at your service. How may I help you??

?Where are Professor Landru and his assistant??

?Who, sir??

?Professor Kom Landru and his assistant, Cian Nyal. Where are they??

?Why, I do not know, honored sir, especially since I have no idea whom you are talking about.?

?Aren?t you a member of their expedition??

?I do not know anything about an expedition, honored sir, but I am assigned to the Archeological and Antiquity Consortium.?

?And what do you do for them??

?I do not remember, honored sir. Is there anything else I may assist you with??

Qui-Gon decided something must be wrong with the droid. Looking closely he could see deep indentations alongside its head casing. This was getting him nowhere. Qui-Gon turned around. He would have to go back to the huts and start looking through them for any clues as to what had happened to the professor and his assistant. He walked back through the wind towards the huts. The droid did not follow him and Qui-Gon decided to leave it where he had found it. It wasn?t going to be much help to him in its present condition anyway.

Qui-Gon entered the smaller of the two huts since he had already looked in the larger one. Once inside he pulled his goggles down and pushed back his hood. He lowered his haversack to the floor. He spotted a small box on the cot to his right and knelt down to open it.

Suddenly, he felt the cold kiss of a blaster muzzle against the side of his neck. His heart thudded. Not only had he not heard anyone come in, he hadn?t _felt_ anyone. His peripheral vision noted a blur of brown and black to his right. He slowly moved his hand towards the lightsaber on his belt.

?Move one more inch and I?ll blow your brains out of your skull,? a distorted voice growled at him.

Qui-Gon froze.

?Stand up,? the voice commanded. ?Slowly.?

Qui-Gon slowly stood up. The blaster was still pressed against him but he noted that whoever was holding it had to reach up to keep it against his neck.

The blaster was pulled away, but Qui-Gon suspected it was probably now aimed at an even more strategic part of his anatomy.

?Now, turn around. Slowly. And keep your hands where I can see them.?

Qui-Gon turned around. A small figure stood before him clothed in a black cloak, brown pants and knee high boots. A metal mask covered its face and the cloak's hood was pulled over its head. The blaster was leveled up at his face.

?Who are you and what are you doing here?? the figure asked. Qui-Gon couldn?t tell if it was male or female. Its voice was distorted by the mask.

?My name is Qui-Gon Jinn. I?m looking for Professor Kom Landru and his assistant,

 

Oooh, fascinating! Excellent writing. I loved the way you introduced the situation by making it a conversation between Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon, and the way that Qui-Gon reflects that "Obi-Wan was always hungry and always full of questions." Your descriptions of everything are wonderful; giving us details and information without overwhelming us. And I like the way you build up the situation; Cian is concerned about the "ghosts", Qui-Gon feels a disturbance in the Force, the Professor wants him off the planet immediately. Then the revelation--Landru has become the Sith incarnate! Wow! Qui-Gon's in danger and Obi-Wan is far away, unable to help him! Can't wait for more!

 

Thanks Jane! This story is a prequel to the other story I wrote that takes place ten years later. I thought I would post the prequel first and then start posting the other parts of the story when Aalea is 18 and Obi-Wan is 25 and let them flow as one continuous story. Thanks a lot for reading and responding!

 

Malus Var, Lord of the Sith and Liege-Mage of the Dyran system, lay on the floor of Landru?s tent. It had been 4,000 years since he had last felt air in his lungs and blood surging through his veins. He gasped and took a deep breath. The air he drew into his lungs was musty and cold. He moved his arms and legs. The ground was hard and gritty against his skin. But he reveled in it. _Alive_, he thought. _I am alive_.

He sat up and began to take stock of the body he now possessed. He ground his teeth in frustration. Not only was this body old, it was diseased. Weak. Crippled. He could access the Force, but only faintly, for this body did not possess the natural ability to channel it. And only the strength of Malus? will allowed him to draw what little power he could from the Dark Side.

Malus shook with impotent rage. This body was pathetic, he thought angrily. He stood up. His legs trembled beneath him. The weak old fool. The professor had been so easy to control, even from beyond the Veil, but this puny body of his would only serve Malus for a brief time.

He moved noiselessly to the front of the tent and peered through a small tear in the fabric. His blood surged with rage at the sight of the Jedi. It had been Jedi Masters of 4,000 years ago who had imprisoned Malus? spirit in the amulet. A fitting punishment, they had deemed, for his crimes. Not for him the sweet oblivion of death. No, his enemies had wanted him to suffer, and suffered Malus had, for 4,000 years, mindful of each and every agonizing second which had passed as his spirit lay trapped in the amulet. Malus? fury nearly blinded him as he stared at the Jedi.

Mindful, though, of how vulnerable he was in this wreck of a body, Malus quickly shielded his presence. He considered for a moment stealing the Jedi?s body, but he knew it would be impossible to control for any length of time. The Jedi?s spirit would oppose him even unto death.

Malus? eyes shifted to the female as she came out of her tent. He lightly swept his awareness over her. Ah, he sighed. This was too good to be true. Not only was the female young and healthy, she was also very strong with the Force. And she possessed none of the Jedi?s defenses nor strengths. Malus suspected she had not even been trained.

He smiled wickedly, and the eyes he now possessed, which had once been as green as summer leaves, but were now as red and dark as dried blood, glittered with eagerness. The female would be easy to master. Her body would be his and then he would leave this planet which had been his prison for the last 4,000 years. But first he had to rid himself of the accursed Jedi.

Malus looked back at the Jedi. He was large and powerfully built, and in this weak, decrepit body Malus knew he was no match for him. Malus needed a weapon. But not just any weapon. He licked his lips. Yes, the Jedi deserved a very special kind of weapon and Malus knew just where to find it. Neither the professor nor the female had discovered his private chambers deep in the heart of the temple.

Malus moved to the rear of the tent. As he passed the cot he picked up the scrolls and the amulet and shoved them inside his tunic. Then he stealthily lifted the back cover of the tent and scurried under it. Once outside, he kept to the shadows along the cavern wall. He slipped unnoticed past the Jedi and the female. With a last glance to ensure he had not been seen, Malus darted into the temple.

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Cian came out of her tent with a blanket. While she had been talking to Qui-Gon the cavern had gotten chillier. She stopped at the sight of the Jedi bent over the ground, methodically picking up one stone after another, examining them carefully and then laying them down.

?What are doing?? she asked as she walked over to him.

Qui-Gon didn?t look at her as continued to examine the stones. ?I?m looking for stones.?

Cian blew out an exasperated breath. She sat down and wrapped herself in the blanket. ?I can see you?re looking for stones. I suppose the better question is, _why_ are you looking

 

wow can't wait for more.

 

Thanks Kaylla! Will post more later today!

 

Cian tossed in her sleep. She was dreaming and in her dream a vast and pitiless darkness surrounded her. Deep within that darkness she sensed an ancient and powerful rage which howled for vengeance down the corridors of the ages. Eyes as red as blood and as ruthless as death searched for, then found her; yet standing between her and those brutal, merciless eyes was a shining blade of emerald light and it glowed within that darkness, but then, as Cian watched with growing horror, the light slowly, gradually grew dim.

Cian shuddered awake.

?Qui-Gon!? she cried. She gasped, panting in terror. Something was terribly wrong. She could feel it like a blade in her heart.

/Cian!/ Cian looked around her, her eyes darting about the tent. Was she hearing things? It sounded like Qui-Gon calling her name. But she was alone.

/Hear me! Cian!/

Cian jerked to her feet. It _was_ Qui-Gon! But where was he? She grabbed her blaster and ran out of the tent. She was alone. Qui-Gon was nowhere in sight. She ran to Landru?s tent and looked inside. He was gone too.

?Qui-Gon?? she called. ?Where are you?? Cian ran wildly around the camp. ?Professor Landru?? No answer.

/Cian. Inside the temple. Hurry!/

Cian ran to the temple entrance. She lit a small glow rod and held it in her hand as she peered into the darkness.

?Qui-Gon?? she called.

/Cian! Hurry!/

Cian ran. She searched through the passageways of the temple for what seemed like hours, guided only by Qui-Gon?s voice in her mind. Then she saw, huddled against the wall, a figure crouched in the darkness. She held her blaster in front of her and approached the shadowy hulk. ?Qui-Gon??

?Cian,? he gasped. Cian ran to him. He was pale and his breathing was labored. He leaned heavily against the temple wall, his lightsaber hanging listlessly in his hand.

?What happened?? she cried.

?Attacked....?

Cian put her blaster into the holster on her leg. She took Qui-Gon?s arm. She could smell blood. He leaned on her and Cian struggled to hold his weight. Qui-Gon?s lightsaber slipped from his grasp. Cian knelt down, picked it up and shoved it under her arm.

As she helped Qui-Gon out of the temple and back to the camp, she could feel panic rising in her throat. What had happened to him? Where was Professor Landru? Sweat trickled down her face as she struggled to keep Qui-Gon from collapsing. She could feel his blood on her skin. It was so warm. And there was so much of it.

When they reached the camp, Cian lowered Qui-Gon carefully to the ground. She quickly removed his robe and tunic. She gasped when she saw the ugly stab wound in his side.

She ran to her tent, grabbed the medkit from beneath her cot, and ran back to Qui-Gon. She knelt next to him. She tried to open the medkit, but her hands were shaking so badly she couldn?t find the press-stud.

Stop it! she scolded herself. She took a deep breath and willed her hands to stop shaking. /Don?t panic. Focus. You know what needs to be done. He needs you to be calm or he?ll die./

Cian took another deep breath. Her fingers were steady as she found the stud and pressed it. She calmly opened the medkit and set herself to treating Qui-Gon?s wound.

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Aalea waited until the door had pressed shut behind Obi-Wan. She then closed her eyes and concentrated on the stone in her hand. Although it had been days since he had held it, Aalea could still feel Qui-Gon?s life force within it.

A chill ran up Aalea?s spine for she knew what she was about to do was dangerous. Most initiates her age could not even visualize the Force matrix, but Aalea had mastered the visualization some time ago. However, as was her habit when it came to things she knew would set her apart from the others, she had told no one except Qui-Gon.

He had gazed thoughtfully at her and then had taught her how to hold the matrix in her mind and use it to access the interstices of the Force. But, he had also warned her she must never access the matrix without his guidance.

?The

 

Oh wow, oh wow, oh wow!

 

Aalea?s awareness slipped into Cian?s mind and gazed at what symbolized the young woman?s mental landscape. A harsh and desolate scene of towering snow drifts and mountains of ice lay before Aalea. She shivered. For off on the horizon she could see the Sith?s Force signature. It manifested in Cian?s mind as roiling black thunderheads and ruby colored streaks of lightening that scoured the earth and sky.

Aalea quickly masked her presence from the Sith. She had to find Cian. She ran across the frozen plains. Soon she saw a solitary ebony tower in the middle of the white landscape. Aalea entered it. A staircase, caked in frost, led up toward the top. She ran up the stairs. She slipped and fell twice on the ice, but she finally made it to the top of the tower. She stopped before a huge door covered in rime.

?Cian? she shouted, her breath frosting in the air ?Cian? she called out again. Aalea pushed against the door. A throbbing cold seeped into her palms and froze her hands. She gasped and quickly drew her hands away.

"Cian," she shouted again, louder.

?Who?s there?? a frightened voice cried from behind the door.

?It?s Aalea.?

?Aalea? Qui-Gon?s friend??

?Yes. Please open the door. I can?t from this side.?

?I?m afraid to. It....hurt me. Oh, it hurt me so bad.? A wrenching sob seeped from behind the door. ?It said it would be back. It said it would make me watch it kill Qui-Gon.?

?Cian, please, open the door,? Aalea cried. ?We haven?t much time if we want to help Master Qui-Gon.?

There was silence and then the door slowly creaked open. Aalea ran in.

Cian was lying on the floor, curled up in a ball. Tears were flowing down her face and she was humming a song which rose and fell in soft, haunting tones.

Aalea ran over to her. She placed her tiny hands against the woman?s face.

?It?s alright, Cian. Please don?t be afraid.?

Cian looked up, her gray eyes dark with pain and fear.

?You?re not alone,? Aalea said soothingly. ?I?m here. I?ll protect you. But we must hurry. You must get up.?

Cian nodded and struggled to sit up.

?You're just as beautiful as Qui-Gon described you,? she said softly, gazing with wonder at her. ?But, how did you get here? Inside my mind??

?There?s no time, Cian. We have to get out of here.?

Cian nodded, and with Aalea?s help, got to her feet. Aalea guided the woman carefully down the stairs and out of the tower. Together they stood on the ice plain.

Aalea glanced up at the sky above them and her heart lurched. The thunderhead of the Sith?s Force signature was towering even higher in the sky.

?What does that mean?? Cian asked as she gazed fearfully up at the massive dark cloud.

?It means the Sith is winning?, Aalea said, her voice breaking. ?And Master Qui-Gon doesn?t have much time.?

?What can we do??

Aalea was suddenly at a loss. She was only eight years old and an initiate at that. But, she realized, she was also in Cian?s mind and the woman was very strong with the Force.

She took Cian?s hand and looked up at her. ?I need your help, Cian. Maybe together we can defeat him.?

Cian?s eyes widened in fear. ?I don?t know...?

Aalea squeezed Cian?s hand. ?We have to. For Master Qui-Gon?s sake. He won?t be able to hold much longer against the Sith. He?s still so weak.?

Cian nodded. Together the woman and the girl ran hand in hand toward the root of the storm.

------
Obi-Wan pressed open the door to his quarters. He had finally convinced Master Yoda?s aide to let him speak to the Jedi Master despite the lateness of the hour. Yoda had listened attentively as Qbi-Wan had described his and Aalea?s forebodings concerning Qui-Gon. The Jedi Master had then confessed he too had felt a disturbance in the Force which had troubled his meditations. He had assured Obi-Wan he would immediately contact the Chancellor and request that one of the fastest ships in the Republic Fleet be sent to Dyran.

Obi-Wan had come back to share the news with Aalea but as he entered the common area he saw no sign of h

 

That was SO good!
Is there going to be a sequel, or is there already?

 

Hi Senni_Arava!

Thanks for your kind words! Actually I do have a sequel to it which takes place 10 years later when Aalea is 18. I would love to post it if you're interested in reading it! As a matter of fact, I'll post the first part as soon as possible!

 

Definitely post it soon.

I loved this story and would love to see more.

Post soon!

 

PART TWO

PROLOGUE TAKES PLACE SOME YEARS AFTER THE EVENTS OF RETURN OF THE JEDI

MAIN STORY TAKES PLACES SOME MONTHS BEFORE THE EVENTS OF THE PHANTOM MENACE


Prologue

Luke Skywalker watched as the old woman gazed at the 2D-replicates of the holophotos he had found in Ben?s homestead on Tatooine. With fingers warped by age she caressed the images.

?I had forgotten,? she whispered. ?I had forgotten.?

?What had you forgotten?? he asked gently.

Aalea looked up at him. ?I had forgotten....how I once looked.?

She lifted her hand to her face and touched the ruined flesh. R2 warbled sympathetically. Luke glanced over at the droid. When he and R2 had entered Aalea?s hovel on the Outer Rim world of Cire IV, for a moment the old woman had seemed to recognize R2, but then she had shook her head as if she had been mistaken.

Luke?s heart ached as he looked at her. If she was the young woman in Ben?s holophotos, time had not been good to her. Her once black hair was now gray. Skin that had been smooth and the color of honey was furrowed and marred. But her eyes. Luke gazed in wonder at her large violet eyes for they were still as extraordinary as the eyes of the young woman in the holophotos.

?It is you, isn?t it?? he said.

Aalea looked down at the photos. ?Yes, it is me.?

Luke pointed to a bearded young man in formal Jedi attire. ?And that?s Ben standing next to you??

?Yes. At your father?s wedding.?

Luke looked closer at the photo. It showed Obi-Wan and Aalea, an arm about the other, standing next to a tall young man with blond hair who was holding a slender dark-haired woman close to him. Luke?s eyes brimmed as he looked at the couple. His mother and father. They were both smiling. They looked very happy.

Luke wiped quickly at his eyes, then pointed to another photo.

?And this one??

It was of a fresh-faced boy with bright blue-gray eyes standing in front of a tall, long-haired Jedi with a piercing blue gaze.

?Obi-Wan and his master, Qui-Gon Jinn. It was taken when Obi-Wan was thirteen, after he had formally been accepted by Qui-Gon as his padawan. It was customary for such photos to be taken to honor the event.? Aalea laughed softly. ?I remember how envious I was the day I heard that Qui-Gon had chosen Obi-Wan as his padawan.?

?Why?? Luke asked.

?Because I had wanted to be Qui-Gon?s padawan. But I was only six when Obi-Wan was chosen. Too young to be selected. I resented Obi-Wan for a long time after that.?

Luke stared at the photo of Ben as a boy. He had only known his mentor as a grizzled old man, that ?crazy old wizard? as his Uncle Owen used to call him. It was hard for Luke to reconcile that image of Ben with the young Obi-Wan Kenobi in the photo, standing so proudly before his master.

Then he recalled Aalea?s words about resenting Ben. He pointed to the third and final photo which was of Aalea, Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon and a woman Luke didn?t recognize, ?But, here, you don?t look like you resent...?

Aalea blushed, smiled and dipped her head and, for a moment, instead of the wrinkled flesh and the limp, gray hair of an old woman, Luke saw the spirited young woman he imagined Aalea once had been.

?That was taken on a picnic on Coruscant. I had never been on one before, so Cian arranged it. Actually, it was the last time....?

Aalea stopped and laid the photos in her lap, her fingers fluttering to her neck. Her eyes gazed off into the distance.

Luke looked down at the photo and did not see the pain that moved across Aalea?s face.

?Cian?? he asked. ?Is that the name of the other woman in the photo??

Aalea looked back at Luke, her eyes refocusing on him.

?Yes. Cian Nyal. She was like a mother to me....? Aalea?s voice suddenly broke and she turned away from Luke. Her shoulders shook.

?Oh, why did you come here? Why do you trouble me with these memories?? She dropped her face into her hands. R2 beeped softly.

Luke reached towards her and touched her arm. ?Forgive me, Mistress Ve?Red. It was not my intention to cause you

 

OOOOH, UP! Post more, I like it.

 

WOW, just found this story and all it is awesome. Please post more when you have the time!

 

Thanks all for the kind words! The story is complete so I will post on a daily basis so stay tuned.

 

Qui-Gon frowned as he listened to Colonel Deaus? report regarding the Star Guard raid which had led to the injury of one Jedi and the disappearance of another. He and Obi-Wan had just arrived on Faronta, one of the Republic?s frontier worlds along the border of what was known as Wild Space. They had been sent by the Jedi Council to investigate rumors that illegal weapons of mass destruction were being smuggled into the Republic. He and Obi-Wan were sitting in the colonel?s office at the Star Guard garrison.

?And you have no idea where Aalea and the Star Guard officer are?? Qui-Gon asked him.

?I?m afraid we don?t, Master Jinn,? Colonel Deaus said, his brown-skinned face grim. ?After those bastards hit us with plasma bombs, we barely got out alive. Knight Ke-Ondra, along with a large number of my soldiers, were injured in the explosions. As for Padawan Ve?Red and Lieutenant Davor, they were either captured or killed.?

Qui-Gon flinched. Obi-Wan shifted uneasily in the seat next to him.

Colonel Deaus shook his dark curly head. ?What in the seven hells of Gol is a small-time gangster like Luba the Hutt doing with plasma bombs??

?That?s what we?re here to find out,? Qui-Gon said.

?We knew Luba was smuggling weapons into the Republic but we thought it was small time stuff.? Colonel Deaus? black eyes hardened as he looked over at the Jedi. ?Plasma bombs were banned by the Republic ages ago. If someone is stockpiling weapons like these....? His voice fell away.

?It constitutes a grave threat to the Republic. Yes, Colonel, we know.?

Deaus stood up. ?Well, we appreciate any help you can give us, Master Jinn. My aide will escort you to your quarters.?

Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan stood up also.

?Thank you, Colonel," Qui-Gon said, "but my apprentice and I would like to be taken immediately to the last known location of Aalea and the officer.?

?Now?? Deaus asked.

?Yes, now,? Qui-Gon said quietly. ?Time is of the essence, Colonel.?

Deaus shook his head. ?If they were captured, I doubt they?re still alive, Master Jinn. Luba is a sadistic bastard and he employs the worst of the lot. Last time we rescued one of ours from those cutthroats, what we got back didn?t live long.?

Qui-Gon?s face twisted briefly in pain, but he quickly schooled his features into one of Jedi calm. ?I understand, Colonel. However, we would still like to be taken to that location. And as quickly as possible.?

?I?ll have one of my men fly you out there.?

**********

Obi-Wan walked quickly in order to keep up with his master?s long strides as they made their way through the corridors of the garrison to the landing field. Obi-Wan could sense Qui-Gon's anxiety. He knew how much his master cared for Aalea. It was he who had found her as a baby and brought her to the Jedi Temple. And as she had grown up Qui-Gon, when he was able, had spent much time with her, something Obi-Wan had never understood. Aalea wasn?t the only initiate Qui-Gon had brought to the Temple, but she was the only one he had gone out of his way to keep track of as she progressed through her training.

Five years ago when Aalea turned thirteen she was chosen by the Jedi Knight Ke-Ondra to be his padawan. Neither Obi-Wan nor Qui-Gon had seen her at all during the years she had served as Ke-Ondra?s apprentice. Six months ago she and her master had been assigned to the Star Guard garrison on Faronta.

"Master," Obi-Wan said.

Qui-Gon continued to hurry down the passageway. Obi-Wan reached out and grabbed his master?s arm. Qui-Gon stopped and looked down at Obi-Wan, his blue eyes questioning.

"What is it, Obi-Wan?"

?Perhaps we should consult with Knight Ke-Ondra before we leave. He may be able to help us find Aalea."

Qui-Gon didn?t respond right away. Obi-Wan knew he was eager to start their search for Aalea. Obi-Wan sympathized with his haste. The longer they delayed, the likelier it was that she would not survive her captivity. But if there was a chance that Aalea?s master could help them, it w

 

Thanks Healer_Leona! I'm glad you liked the prequel. Yes, I shall be addressing that particular issue regarding Aalea's anger with Obi-Wan in upcoming posts. Please do check back because I plan to post every day! And thanks for reading!

 

yay! new posts!

 

Here's the next part!!

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Qui-Gon watched as Obi-Wan closed his eyes. He would talk with him later regarding his Force bond with Aalea. Qui-Gon was curious about the distress he had sensed from Obi-Wan regarding it. But first they had to find Aalea. Ke-Ondra had been a good master to her and Qui-Gon knew he had taught her well. She would survive. She had to survive.

Suddenly, Obi-Wan fell to his knees and lifted his hands to his neck.

Qui-Gon and Dr. Malica rushed over to him.

?Obi-Wan, what is it?? Qui-Gon cried.

Obi-Wan?s face twisted in pain. His hands clawed at his neck as if he were trying to remove something.

?Aalea,? he gasped.

Dr. Malica reached towards a belt on her tunic and pulled out a small orange patch. Qui-Gon recognized it as an pain reducer. He grabbed her arm. Her head snapped up at him, her eyes questioning.

?No, that won?t help,? he said quickly. ?Something must have happened to Aalea. Obi-Wan is feeling her pain.?

Obi-Wan cried out, digging desperately at his neck. Qui-Gon grabbed his hands to keep him from scratching the skin.

Then Obi-Wan exhaled a deep shuddering breath and slumped to the floor.

Qui-Gon knelt next to him as Dr. Malica quickly checked his vital signs.

She looked over at Qui-Gon. ?His vitals are all right.?

Obi-Wan?s eyes fluttered open. He looked up at Qui-Gon.

?I found her, Master,? he gasped, his eyes glistening with tears from the pain he had experienced through the bond.

?What happened, Obi-Wan??

?I wasn?t prepared, Master. Forgive me.? Obi-Wan struggled to sit up. ?It was strange. Even with her mental shields up, I should have sensed something from Aalea, but at first there was nothing. It was almost as if she no longer existed. Then, suddenly, there was pain. Terrible pain. Then nothing again.?

?Is she dead?? Qui-Gon asked, fearing the answer.

Obi-Wan shook his head, his expression grim. ?I don?t know, Master.?

?Did you get a fix on her location??

?Yes, I believe so.?

Qui-Gon helped Obi-Wan to his feet. He swayed slightly. Qui-Gon reached out to him, but Obi-Wan raised his hand. ?I?m fine, Master.?

?Are you sure??

Obi-Wan took a deep breath. ?Yes. But we must hurry.?

Qui-Gon nodded. He quickly thanked the doctor for her help. Then he and Obi-Wan ran out of the infirmary.

****************

Obi-Wan looked out the window of the Star Guard ship as it skimmed over the dusty surface of Faronta. Long brown mountains stretched along the horizon. Bare twisted iron trees dotted the landscape and thin slivers of rust-colored streamlets trickled through murky gorges.

What a desolate place, he thought. He wondered how Aalea had felt being stationed here. He looked behind him and saw the other Star Guard ships were keeping tight formation behind them.

When Qui-Gon had informed Colonel Deaus that Obi-Wan had found Aalea, the colonel slammed his fist on his desk. His lips beneath his thick black mustache stretched into a fierce grin. ?I?ve got that bastard now!? he crowed. He had immediately marshaled together a strike force.

Obi-Wan turned back towards the interior of the ship. He and Qui-Gon were sitting in the passenger seats behind the pilot and Colonel Deaus.

Obi-Wan looked over at Qui-Gon. The sun was just rising over the horizon and it lit up his master?s head so that a golden nimbus appeared to surround it. Qui-Gon had been silent and tense all through their flight. Obi-Wan wished he could give him some news about Aalea that would ease his fears, but Obi-Wan had sensed nothing else from her. He didn?t know if she was dead, unconscious or if his access to her was being blocked in some way.

Obi-Wan looked towards the cockpit as Colonel Deaus barked orders to his squadron over the ship?s comlink. Peering through the front windows, he saw they were fast approaching a mining compound. From a distance it didn?t look any different from the dozens of other mining compounds they had passed. But Obi-Wan knew this was the one where Aalea was bei