Before A Very Good Day*3/12* FINAL POST!! BRUCK GETS HIS JUST REWARDS

Suddenly, before any of the three in the heated disagreement had time to say anything, a cold wind swept through the temple cell. Exceedingly peculiar since there were no windows down in the cellar of the temple and no doors that opened up to the outside. There was no entrance capable of producing such a strong draft. Certainly the icy wind originated from somewhere, but where?

No, something had just joined them down in the cellar. At least two of them, Qui-Gon and Xanatos recognized that they were not alone, but couldn?t see the intruder. Obi-Wan drew his robe closer and suddenly without warning became nearly exhausted to the point of becoming lethargic.

Luckily, Xani still had hold of his arm or the boy would have surely fallen to the cot. Instead, with Crion?s help he was gently lowered to it.

Qui-Gon stood stoic in his Jedi robe but he was having almost as hard a time at standing as Obi-Wan experienced. The air, cold enough to frost bite uncovered fingers, seeped in his old bones, made his joints creak when he did try to move.

Xani knew how to reckon with the cold feeling because he knew from where it came, from what produced it, and if he was on target with his hunched, he knew exactly the reason for it.

?Master Jinn, there is no time to explain. You must gather the force, all you have and protect the child. I will attempt to do the same.?

Both master and apprentice met with intense resistance in the way of pain every time they tried to use their force. Jinn did not question his older apprentice. He knew Xani was onto something he was not privy to understanding, and now that creepy like feeling was becoming more plain as to its origin.

Xanatos tended to the same command he?d given Jinn. It was painful, no doubt about that, but necessary. Obi-Wan was now laid out on the cot, dazed but awake. He didn?t know what hit him.

Suddenly the cell grew very dark. As with the iced laced wind, the darkness seemed to come from outside like a shadow that overtakes the brightness of day, at dusk, but again no windows to witness the setting suns of Coruscant. There should be no shadow cast down anyway. Had there been windows, it still would have been very hard to explain the shadow phenomena. It was only two in the afternoon. Not quit time for setting suns.

Ot shot a hand,from the shadow with a finger pointed right at Master Jinn.

?Master Jinn, this is just a portion of my power. Should I use more on the boy? Would you care to see just how powerful I can be at your apprentice?s expense. You don?t seem to care what happens to him. Maybe a touch here or there, just to allow you some understanding of my power.?

?Who? What??

Jinn immediately turned his question-filled gaze to Xanatos. So far Xani appeared to be the only one who recognized this purest form of evil; recognized and possibly knew its name.

?Master, haven?t you guessed it? I wouldn?t have thought *he* had the guts to materialize right in the middle of the temple full of force sensitives, capable of retaliation for his deeds.?

Jinn tried to shake Bane?s grip to his mind. It wasn?t enough to control the big Jedi but the darkest of the dark ones had enough of ?his foot in the door?, sorta speak to cause confusion to the one Jedi considered most capable of conquering the *dark*..

However, Bane knew it wasn?t entirely the truth.

?Master Jinn, you could put up a good fight but you couldn?t win a battle, no, not against me.?

He spoke as if Jinn understood him, knew what he had just thought.

Must be something very important here he wants, thought the master who grew more and more apprehensive about this dark intruder.

Xani answered Jinn?s thought for him.

?If I am correct, it is Obi-Wan or you he wants, Qui -Gon. He had me, and let me go too easily to have truly wanted me. No Master, the evil here is has come for someone. I just don?t know which of you it is.?

Jinn eyes grew wide-eyed with understanding.

?The dark side, *itself*. The very core of evil is here?and here for me or worse yet,

Ooooo, showdown at the OK... I mean the Temple.

Qui-gon does keep his mind in the present. So much he has never confronted any of the truths along the way. ?I actually got the idea from *you*, his master, his protector..? a little yippee, it is Qui?s fault.

Our dark spectre is hard to counter. Xani had put his faith in the good of the Jedi but Bane has deceived all of them so far. It doesn?t look like help is coming. Everything aside Obi-Wan does have two strong protectors, hope it?s enough.

What face is *it* trying to hide? didn?t mean to anger *it*. hehe, yeah I did.

Poor little sithie doesn't like to be called "it"

~hugs quigon, xani, and obiwan~

Dont worry i'll protect you guys

Playing catch up again, but wow, when is something going to go right for Obi-Wan?

Seraphena, In answer to your question;

"Playing catch up again, but wow, when is something going to go right for Obi-Wan?", SOON

Very soon, one way or another, dark or light. Obi is determined to use his powers given him by the force.

##############

It was as if someone or something gave Obi-Wan the added energy needed. He rose from the bed like a deceased from a funeral pyre, wedged himself between Jinn and Crion, and rushed to where Darth Bane stood waiting. The force field wrapped around the dark one when Jinn tried to penetrate his space was now mystically gone.

It was down only long enough to allow Obi-Wan to get to him and a sizzling streak of blue light signaled to the other two Jedi that Bane had put up his force shield once again. Obi had barreled into the side of the dark one, actually brushing against his robe.

?Qui-Gon, Crion, you have no say in all this. Not even the council can dictate to me what I can or can not do. You wouldn?t believe the truth when it came from me, but now you will from him, Bane. Well I have heard your truths and some you won?t admit too, Master Jinn, but in my eyes they are the truth. Bane has said everything honestly. It is *YOU* who lie. You never wanted me. You let Xanatos? failures form your opinions of what should happen to me. Darth Bane is right. I was never given a chance. At least the dark one is offering more of a life than you ever did. There can never be trust between us again? That is assuming that there ever was.?

?Obi-Wan, your mind has evidently been invaded by Bane. You can?t mean what you say. You have to return here with us. Even the Agricorps is better than fighting along the dark force.?

Xani incredulously slapped his forehead with his opened right left hand.

?I can?t believe you just said that. Maybe your mind is more corrupted than his, Master Jinn. Why would you compare the dark side to the Agricorps? To a child blessed with the force but denied his rightful place in the Jedi to use that ability it is nothing less than extreme cruelty. Why not tell the child the truth that you want him back, that he is your rightful apprentice, but don?t just hand him over to the Jedi?s worst nemesis by you idiotic comparison of the Agricorps and the dark side.?

Xani took his eyes off the big Jedi long enough to cast an evilly dirty look at Bane, who had the most satisfied pompous smile on his face imaginable.

Jinn couldn?t believe what Xani had just said to him.

?I can not lie to him, *Padawan*. You are my apprentice. He knows that I will intercede and get him out of trouble with the council. It seems clearly evident who caused the problems here. But Xani, I am not going to take Obi-Wan back. Lying to him now to keep him from Bane will only acerbate the problems, his problems in the future.?

Bane laughed a heartier laugh than ever.

?Ah Master Jinn, you seem to have mucked things up with your little apprentice more than even I could. Xanatos is right. You know, you didn?t throw the boy a juicy bone to entice him to stay with the Jedi, you promised him nothing, nothing at all that would cause him to begin to contemplate staying. The best you could do is promise him a one way ticket to the Agricorps on a broken down public transport, with his destiny miserably unfulfilled.?

Bane? face still not visible, but Jinn saw distinctly the shake to his head signaling his astonishment at Jinn?s mistakes. Bane continued his speech because he was having so much fun tormenting the Jedi master. He wanted to rub it in a little more.

?Now Obi-Wan and I will take our leave. Oh, the other two boys will be going with me and I will hopefully return for you. Maybe after you have seen him again it will convince you to come willingly with me.?

Obi didn?t get the meaning of Bane?s words. Qui-Gon did not give any indication that he did either. However, Xanatos knew all too well what Bane meant and the disdain of knowing showed clearly on this face.

The boy would come back a bloody mess from torture when the s

*staying tuned to see what happens* The idiot deserves it, but Obi doesn't.

Ah well. Good post.

I could not believe what Qui-Gon said to Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan is turning to the darkside.

but can?t help myself. I the dark Obi. This just keeps getting darker, don?t know how you could pull of a happy ending... or if you want to. Put me through a full circle of emotions.

?When I have slit his throat, I will gladly, and without hesitation, turn this saber, Sidious? saber on you??????

mwahahahaha

No- he's not turning...he's possessed

Master Jinn was not accustomed to being on the losing side of a battle, any battle. So it was natural for him to be upset when Jedi masters Yoda, Plo Koon, and Windu found them contained in Bane?s personal force shield.

So embarrassingly easy did the dark side?s force field dissipate when Yoda walked over to it. Jinn turned red with shame because he and Xanatos worked for a half an hour to get the force field down. With just a wave of his hand, Master Yoda did in five seconds what two of them had failed to do in over a half an hour.

It might have sounded stupid of him to start the conversation in such a way but he did anyway. He brought up Renny and Bruck but no mention of Obi or as yet how he and Xani, two very qualified Jedi got into such a predicament.

?Master Yoda, Mace, you need to check the initiates? ward. I suspect Bane kidnapped Renny and Bruck Chun.?

?Correct you are about Renny and Chun missing. So sure you are correct about Bane being this dark one?s identity? Until now, rumor it has been down the ages Bane the dark force itself but always a rumor it was. Verified for sure it never has been. Unless? Unless in truth you believe this dark one to be Bane.?

Xani stepped up bowed very respectfully and clicked his heels together to present himself to Master Yoda.

?Master Qui-Gon is right about who took Kenobi and the other two, Bane. I have met him and he is real just as real as you or I. The longer we stand here and discuss it the more time we give them to get off world. It would be very easy for Bane to slip through anything but no so for his apprentice loaded down with three precarious teenagers to deal with. No he?ll need a transport off Coruscant. I don?t think he will stay here, not even for a while and we need to find them before they go. Assure Obi?s safety should be our prime directive. Pardon me Master Yoda if I have overstepped m the boundaries n trying to tell you or any other master what to do. But I think if we hope to find the three boys alive we should be quick about it.?


If Master Yoda or anyone of the other masters there gave any indication that they were shocked by Xanatos Crion?s declaration of who their mystery intruder was, it couldn?t be seen. However that was the Jedi way, all stoic calm, even when faced with their own death. The news of Bane really existing did not shatter their stoicism, but Xani thought with a queer little smile on his face, that extra meditation on the use of the force to fight the dark side would be on many Jedi masters and knights agendas tonight when they retired to privacy. Fear might lead to the dark side but Xani knew very well they all would have a touch of it with the truth of Bane?s existence.

Yoda and the other two masters nodded in agreement with all Xanatos said. Jinn seemed to realize h is apprentice was more on his toes than he was.

?I have to agree It seems my padawan is making more sense than I am.?

?I certainly am making more sense and if you are so bullheaded as to continue to call me Padawan, I must make my request to decline the offer to return to the Jedi now before we begin to search for Obi-Wan. I officially decline the offer to return to the Jedi in any official level, Master Yoda. I however would like to help find Obi-Wan and even the other two scoundrels. They don?t know how much over their heads they have gotten into. After that, I plan to return to Olla and plan my future with my wife.?

Master Jinn was taken about by Xani?s declarations to break away from the Jedi. He couldn?t believe at a time like this Xani would even want too. However, he felt words now, an argument between them would not solve anything. He needed Xani to help find Obi-Wan. Master Jinn felt their camaraderie could only build with the search.

Yoda seemed pleased with the prospect of him leaving and agreed. Crion always suspected Master Yoda had a very soft spot in his heart for Obi-Wan.

?Agree the council will, Padawan Crion. If after the search for Obi-Wan leave you wish too, pardon you we will and welcome to return for visit

*de-lurks*

IT'S ABOUT TIME! WOO-HOO!

*re-lurks*

loved it. Also its good to the old buckethead finally comming around.

Nicely done

FINALLY

you know what? a person can only hold her breath for a certain length of time before she dies. oh and i really don't like hanging from this cliff. looooooong drop ahead. ****supergluing self to chair now******
great as always, ewen. looking forward to more in the future. your stories are good for an adrenilan rush anyways. thank you

I?m glad Xani has set them all straight on his standing. You are right, there is plenty to think on this week.

Hope Qui-Gon?s relinking is not too little, too late. Looking forward to more woes. You have given me a little hope, but Obi-Wan is still in a bad place. You can leave Bruck and Renny where they are though.

Uppies

P.K.- Thanx for uppping . For that I rushed through a small post.

Seraphena- Glad to see yo find the time to pop in and out.

Jedi_Knight150- You have become my number one lurker, mainly because you do delurk when something you enjoy happens.

jedibear30- ALways glad to see you post. Seems like life is beginning again for you and you certainly deserve it!!

Altaira- Glad to see you have stuck with this sometimes slow moving story. I see you have your computer woes corrected now!!!

Now proper thanx given, which isn't often and I am sorry for that. Anyway here is a small post.-ewen

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In the lowest tone he could get his voice, Renny spoke to Bruck.

?I don?t know about you, but I am willing to take my punishment for what I did.?

The teenaged gnome shook his head in what appeared to be disgust with himself or just downright disbelief for what he?d participated in, back on his home planet. It was like he had just now come to his senses. He would find out he *HAD*.

?I don?t know how I could have come up with such an idea to kill someone but now that I think about it, it was a cruel deed, one I have to be punished for. Boy Bruck, we have really screwed our lives up. You might not have gotten the master you wanted in Master Jinn but if you would have done as he said during the mission, you would have gotten ?A? master. That to me would have been better than no master. You would have had a semblance of a life you wanted.?

?Oh shut up Renny. What is done is done. I am not going to the Agricrops for anything or anyone.. Norin deserved to die. We did everyone a favor by killing him."

A tiny sneer curled on Bruck?s face and he added.

?Well maybe Norin wouldn?t agree with me but if the Jedi had any sense they would have. Instead I am being punished. No, I will take my chances with Bane and his group rather than the Agricorps. He has more to offer me than pulling scallions out of dirt and packing them.?

The boys only thought they had spoken soft enough not to be heard from anyone around them but like many of the things they did and did wrongly they were overheard.

"Does any living creature deserve death by another?s hand?"

Both boys looked up to see a shackled Healer gnome Corbin.

?How did you get here??

?They, Bane?s cronies captured me while I was on the way to Coruscant. They have had me all along. You might want to know Renny that you and Jedi Bruck Chun not entirely responsible for your act of violence against another. As Bane managed to put things in all of the Jedi?s mind, yours was even more pliable. Yes your thoughts to find a way to show me how worthy you are of a higher station within the gnome?s order was there, but Bane inserted the idea to murder. I have sat and listened to him discuss it for days now.?

Neither could believe what Corbin had to say. Was it true? Bruck wondered if he meant his mind was invaded by the dark side?s as well.

?And me, are you saying that I became compliant to Bane?s whims? It was his ways of setting all this up??

?Your mind might have been easier to mold and bend. You see, you have a touch of the dark side in you. That is the first thing noticeable about you when I met you. That is what Bane said anyway. You were the easiest to manipulate but even you with your jealously for Obi-Wan hadn?t turned to the dark side enough to outright kill someone. No, you had the help of Bane?s thoughts in your mind for you to execute Norin?s death. Of course at the time none of us knew any of this not even you.?

Had it not been so childness Renny swore to himself he would have gotten up and rushed the bigger gnome, NO, not to attack but to grasp him in the biggest hug. Instead, he swallowed the lump in his throat and rose to shake Corbin, hand.

"Healer Corbin, I have never been so glad to see someone, as I am you."

?Yes, well I glad to see you in one piece and I am also glad I overheard you. I know your mind must have been released by Bane. Now, with the ability of free t

bummmer- now I can't blame Brucky

You have kept a bit of Bruck?s devious side. He was never a nice person. He does have an important decision to make but I don?t think he should take on Qui-Gon.

Obi-Wan had been depressed before, it doesn?t look better for him. Looks like he has his own mini-bucket this time. It is hard to be positive when so much has happened... He is still a prisoner, stuck with Bruck, Renny and Bane. Renny has shown the best chance for redemption. guess I?m not so quick to forgive

I?m glad Corbin is alright. And, yeah, computer is all fixed, thanks for the post.

wonder is Bruck is having delusion of grandur thinking he can take on Xan and Qui-Gon. Love the way you are describing Obi-Wan turmoil. It's perfect in my mind.

Sorry for the delay.

Just in a rut with so much to do.

Promise!! I am working on the next post now!!

Check Back tomorrow!!

PEACE ewen

*de-lurks*

Just in a rut with so much to do.

Nut in a rut.

Been there, still there. Junior year sucks.

*re-lurks*

Xani walked faster so he could walk along side Master Jinn. Dex was just ahead both of them.

?Well now that we all realize that some or most of our actions were due to Bane?s antics are you ready to accept the fact that Obi should be your apprentice and not me??

?Humph?.. you are so much like my former master I am dumbfounded by it. He too likes to hear me say I made a mistake. However, this time Xanatos I can?t take all the blame for what happened between Obi and I. It is as you said. Bane had his hand in all this.?

Xani knew it was true and he also knew Master Jinn wanted Obi desperately to be his apprentice again. But as Qui-Gon said he was a bit like Yoda in that he wanted to hear fromm Jinn?s mouth to his ears that he wanted his apprentice back. Somehow, maybe like Yoda thought it would solidify what he already knew.

?O.K. I will settle for your confession that some of this was your fault. I don?t like saying I told you so. Now all we have to do is find your apprentice. I think things can be worked out. If we don?t get him back and have him reinstated officially as your apprentice I think old Dex up there might just have something really cruel to say to us or worse yet something lethal planned for our existence.?

Jinn smiled.

?Yes, I agree, he is not pleased with us right now is he??

Dax turned his head and squinted his eyes to little slits to look at the two Jedi.

?Want Obi-Wan back you better get them light sabers of yours ready. Just up the way is where your Bane is. And in case you didn?t notice, we have been watched all during our walk here. There was no way of making our way to where Obi-Wan is without walking right up to the entrance and in doing so we subject ourselves to the scrutiny of the watchers and cameras set up for that just that reason, ?us?. Obi?s captors have known from the beginning that we are on our way. In fact they have more than likely known our every move since we hooked up together.?

Jinn knew that and Xan suspected it. The only problem would be if they had a second way out.

?Dex, is there another way they can escape other than this corridor that we are in right now??

Dex frowned and thought a moment.

?My guess is no. This is the only way out to the upper levels of Coruscant unless you nemesis friend Bane blasted a way out. And I haven?t heard any explosions lately have you.?

It was meant as a joke but the long slow exasperated sigh from Xanatos told Dexter Jester the man was in a joking mood. Jinn, however never said a word

He cast a suspicious look at xani,. He still wasn?t too happy about Obi?s replacement being with Qui-Gon and him.

#### Bane & Sidious ####

Bane stood with his chin resting on his fisted hand. Suddenly he threw his hand up and pointed to the video screen and Sidious watched.

?There see, they are almost at the door. What is your plan now Sidious? This is something you should be able to handle alone. Call it a test on your training.?

Bane continued to point to the screen for Sidious to see close up the two Jedi and their guide Dex. Sidious saw that they were indeed only a few feet from their door and yes he should be able to handle just two Jedi. However, he would have liked to remind his master, Bane that though there were only two of them was was the great Jedi master Qui-Gon Jinn but the am with him was very nearly as well trained in the use of the saber and Jedi trickery his former apprentice.

Not that I am afraid of them necessarily but I could use his help Now is not a good time for him to pull back that help and see how I handle things alone.

Sidious was shielded quite well from his dark master but Bane second guessed his mind thoughts nay way.

?Don?t tell me you question your ability at controlling two little Jedi do you? If you can?t do that then I would have questions about your ability to be my second-in-command.?

With his back turned to Bane, Sidious? face contorted with anger he felt for the entity he called ?Master?. It was the same anger he felt many times through h

I hope Dex has a plan... It looks like Qui and Xani will need all the help they can get, the dark one?s are running the show. And, running over Obi-Wan.

Although Sidious speaks of protecting Bane. I think Obi-Wan will be a body-shield for him. Bane can shrink back into the shadows at will. Shivers, or into Obi-Wan?

what a choice for Obi, the darkside escapes with him if his master cares or sacrifice himself to give them a chance to destroy Sidious and Bane.