Before - Legends Candles Against the Sea (JA Qui/Obi Drama) *COMPLETED* replies 8/15 Thanks to my readers!

Candles Against the Sea
Chapter 14: Laceration

Obi-Wan left Nibbi in his box and strode toward the entrance of the alley, lifting his face as he unconsciously yearned toward the softened late-day light illuminating the street beyond. He didn?t like the dark and closeness of the alley, the feeling that the walls were leaning in, the damp mugginess and the faint scent of rotting refuse. Again the urgent need to get Nibbi out of this situation pricked him, but he shook his head, knowing that he was making progress. Tomorrow he would ask the child, once more, if he was willing to accept help.

He paused just before he reached the street, instinctively shrinking back, pressing his right shoulder to the damp wall as the Force shrieked a warning. His hand strayed to his ?saber hilt, hidden in the folds of his tunic. Something was deeply, dangerously wrong.

Casting out with his senses, Obi-Wan felt the intense focus of Amora?s four-man guard spread across the street beyond. They were dressed in casual attire, he knew, engaging in innocent, pedestrian activities, except the one that always pasted himself firmly to Amora?s side, pretending to be her older brother. The young Jedi hadn?t even needed the Force to spot the undercover IS guards that first day he saw them?long training in the warrior?s arts had given him eyes to see that indifferent poses held muscled readiness, and unfocused glances were actually intensely aware of every nuance of their surroundings.

Amora was heading home, a few minutes later than usual?perhaps something had held her up at the clinic. Her sense in the Force was relaxed, slightly wandering, though as always it held that core of impenetrable sadness. Something was amiss with her, as Obi-Wan had known from the beginning, but she was not the source of the current threat he sensed.

The darkness at the edge of Obi-Wan?s perception drew tighter, black and opaque, a burning edge of night leaking a slow spread of poison across the day. He gasped involuntarily, a sharp inhale of dank, miasmic air that almost choked him. It was danger, hungry, thirsty, needing, lusting, and it was, it was . . .

It was heading straight for Amora.

Obi-Wan hurtled out of the alleyway, his lightsaber a shaft of pure brilliance in his hand, and flung himself between Amora and the darkening threat. Without a conscious thought, the bright blade flashed before his face to deflect the blue bolt that flew out nowhere, slinging it harmless toward the sky to disappear against the blue. But that wasn't the only one.

"Get down!" the boy screamed, but the guard next to Amora had already pulled her down to the pavement, covering her body with his own.

Amora struggled, yelling incoherently, then stilled as the guard murmured something in her ear. Two of the other guards had already been taken down, red bolts this time, smoking holes in a smooth forehead, a muscular chest, laying as still as Amora did now, but not by choice. The fourth guard crouched behind a vendor's stall, blaster in his fist, grim determination hard in mouth and eyes. The rest of the street had emptied already, Obi-Wan noted. Good.

Obi-Wan swallowed. Already the 'saber was wavering slightly in his shaky fist?so slightly that he hoped no one else could see. The exhaustion was overtaking him, as it always did about this time of day. He turned slowly to assess the area, lightsaber on guard before him, and breathed in a deep, slow breath, drawing in great, thick streams of the Force with the thin air. His fist steadied somewhat, though he could feel the weariness lurking in his bones, waiting to leap on him and drive him to ground.

Not yet. Not yet. There were five of them, two on the rooftop, one in the alley to the north, one approaching from each end of the street. Obi-Wan brushed one of their minds and encountered only a vague sense of duty?a hired gun. Another mind, and he shuddered convulsively, fingers tightening on the metal hilt. These were no political foes, seeking to kidnap the President's daughter for leverage in some fan

 

-I?m coming, Obi-Wan. We?ll find him
*claps hands and laughs in glee*
U-oh, something bad's gonna happen....
And poor Nibbi and Obi-Wan!

 

They had communicated by mind before, in moments of great need, but never across such a distance. And never had he felt his Padawan so vividly, as if the boy were standing beside him at this moment. Unconsciously Qui-Gon reached out to touch him, fingers grasping only air.

I just loved that. I'm in awe of this story, may.

 

Great work once more Padawan!

Poor Obi.. he tried his best and they took off...but with another - Nibbi.

Hopefully the girl's father will be glad that Obi was there. For if he had not of been...

Glad Qui hurried things up there! Obi will indeed need his Master!

Short but sweet, my dear! Something most definitely better than nothing! I've no complaints! And yes I had 3 nails left *Whew* so the typing isn't quite as painful as it could have been!

Though I gotta admit... I have the Ep III game and it took me nearly 2 hrs to fight against a certain man. I don't think I had the heart to do what needed to be done... my thumbs are hurting like something serious!

 

Poor little kid- and poor Obi-Wan who has to pull himself together, and fast!

Great action sequence.

 

Oh no!! Poor Nibbi! Don't do anything bad to the poor child! Obi and Qui to the rescue!
Oh, and to answer your question, all cliffies are evil! Especially ones that say there is "horror and pain" on the way! But I still love them! Can't wait to see what happens!

 

Wow, just found this. Great stuff so far, more soon!!

 

I'm still reading and loving this story. I'm bad at replys, I just know when I like a story.

 

Darksaber *claps hands and laughs in glee*

Isn't it good to know the good guys are on their way?

LuvEwan I'm in awe of this story, may.

::melts into puddle of goo:: You have no idea how much that means to me.

Kynstar I don't think I had the heart to do what needed to be done... my thumbs are hurting like something serious!

Aw, my poor Master . . . give your thumbs a break! And thanks for the extra-long review! Makes me happy.

PadawanKitara Great action sequence.

Thanks! I usually have a hard time writing action, but this flowed pretty well.

Bastet Oh, and to answer your question, all cliffies are evil! Especially ones that say there is "horror and pain" on the way!

Oh, that explains it. Thanks for reading!

Arwen-Jade_Kenobi Great stuff so far, more soon!!

New reader! ::does happy dance:: Thanks so much!

jodiwent I'm still reading and loving this story.

Thanks for letting me know! And thanks for the boost to the top! Hope you continue to enjoy.

I stayed up really late to write this, and I really shouldn't have. Hope it doesn't show.

 

Candles Against the Sea
Chapter 15: Salvation

Once they reached the clinic, it was hard to say which man jumped out of the speeder first, Qui-Gon Jinn or Rothis Hindegar. The president had received a detailed com call on the way over, so they knew exactly what had happened. Amora stood against the wall, but she straightened quickly at the sight of her father. He rushed to her and snatched her to his chest in a fierce, protective embrace. She clung to him, shaking.

Obi-Wan had been pacing nervously, but turned as Qui-Gon hurried to him. The boy?s eyes were wide and stricken, but he held himself with Jedi calm, hands clasped white-knuckled over his stomach. Qui-Gon turned his head slightly as he heard Rayel Tooks descending the speeder behind them, much slower than the two who had young ones trapped in this horrid situation, but his gaze flickered away from his apprentice for only a fraction of a second before he faced him fully.

?Padawan,? Qui-Gon murmured, trying to say much, much more than a single word could ever contain, cramming it full of everything he had.

?Master.? Obi-Wan blinked. ?Master, we have to hurry.?

?I know. I know. We will.?

?Master Jedi!?

Qui-Gon turned toward the brisk voice, quickly but reluctantly, his hand instinctively finding Obi-Wan?s shoulder as he pivoted. A constable with a captain?s badge stood there, snapping into a reflexive salute under the Jedi?s grim stare. Qui-Gon felt Obi-Wan straighten under his hand, pulling himself together, and gave the slender shoulder an approving squeeze.

Behind the captain, constables were pouring out of uniformly painted speeders to secure the area, and medics were heading for the wounded man on the ground. A fresh squad of IS guards surrounded the president and his daughter. The man?s arm was still tightly wrapped around the shaking girl as he spoke to the IS commander.

Qui-Gon took all this in without breaking eye contact with the constable before him. ?You have news, Captain . . . ??

?Captain Anjize, sir. All of the spaceports are secure. No ships have been allowed to take off since Chief Tooks issued his directive, and local security are preventing anyone from leaving. If you?ll come with me, we?ll go directly to the nearest port to begin a search. Chief Tooks said you would want to be personally involved.?

Qui-Gon nodded a quick affirmation and moved to follow, his hand falling from Obi-Wan?s shoulder. Then he was caught short as a young hand grabbed his sleeve, and he turned back to the boy?s earnest eyes and shaking head.

?Not the nearest spaceport, Master. The farthest.?

Qui-Gon looked at the smaller fingers entangled in the fabric over his arm, remembering another youngster who had grabbed his protector?s sleeve when he felt anxious and unsettled. For a moment the recollection almost unmanned him, and he dragged his gaze back to the strangely vulnerable face of his Padawan. Obi-Wan was doing his best to hold it in, but Qui-Gon could see. ?All right. The farthest.?

He looked at Anjize, who nodded readily. Whether or not the Sylelians trusted the instincts of a thirteen-year-old boy, they would listen to the Master. And Qui-Gon had never had a reason to doubt this boy?s insight.

Obi-Wan did not seem to realize that he still held his master?s sleeve as they followed the captain to a speeder, fingers bound tightly in rough cloth, and Qui-Gon made no attempt to shake him off. If the boy needed this small, inadequate reassurance, he was welcome to it. Halfway there Tooks fell in with them as if he belonged with the Jedi, and before they got in the speeder President Hindegar held up a hand for them to wait.

Tooks halted with one foot up on the speeder, and Anjize turned back, waiting. Hindegar grabbed his daughter?s shoulders, looking her firmly in the eye. ?I want you to stay in the clinic. Let Lt. Berol look after you. I?ll be back as soon as I can.?

She nodded, blinking back tears. Hindegar released her and turned to Berol, issuing last minute commands. Qui-Gon saw a small middle-aged woman movin

 

Just caught up, my Paddy Neice

Loved the imagry with Nibbi, as Obi-Wan wiped the dirt off of him They are wonderful together.

And Qui is so concerned, this fatigue and mystery surrounding Obi-Wan. I really am enjoying seeing their relationship blossom.

Very exciting the raid on the clinic and I could feel Obi-Wan's fatigue as his arms grew so heavy and then NIBBI!

Alright, glad I had another chapter Yay! I am so glad he found him But Qui is right, there is something more going on here

 

OMG it is so intense

I am in a panic I can sense all is not well for Obi-wan but thank the force he found Nibbi

Lucky this is just a story

OH But WHAT a story!
Excellent

 

Way to go! He's been rescued! Ahhh but I agree...it was somewhat easy. Hopefully Jinn's wariness isn't factual. We can only hope that the kidnappings will stop.

But what of Obi's fatigue? Hopefully Qui will find out what is up with that.

Great work Padawan!

(Oh I gave my thumbs a rest fear not but after 2 hours I was able to *sniff* do what needed to be done. Now I'm halfway thru it )

 

Very exciting!

Lovely work! I'm jealous. Can't wait for the next installment.

 

Yay...Obi rescued Nibbi...! Like the way you described the tension filling Obi and Qui as they travelled towards the kids - and the way Nibbi flew into Obi's arms when they found him. Sweet.

 

You had to go and freak me out with that last line, didn't you?

I loved how Obi-Wan had his fingers twisted in Qui-Gon's tunic, and Qui-Gon's hand found his shoulder as they turned...and oh, I just loved everything!!!!

 

"I came, Nibbi. I would always come for you if you needed me.?

Great stuff!

 

Yay! I'm glad they saved Nibbi, the poor thing! And oh, poor Obi-Wan, they way he wouldn't let go of Qui-Gon's sleeve. Aww. But now there's "pain and turmoil" coming?! Hmm, I'm not sure if turmoil is any better than horror. Another evil cliffie, woohoo! Can't wait to see what happens!

 

I'm really enjoying this story, Nibbi is so sweet! I really hope Obi finds some place safe for him where he can be happy...

 

I just read all this in one sitting - and all I can say is WOW...

This story is so well-crafted, and just lovely. Can't wait to see more.

 

Oh, that was well done. I could just see the action and Qui-Gon's acceptance that Obi-Wan knew what he was doing and where he was going. Obi's exhaustion from the last post was puzzling me still but I'm sure you will give us the answer eventually. I will be patient.

Great job with this.

 

Woo! I finally caught up! I'd been reading this thread on FF.net for a while, and I'm glad to see that it's here now. I hope Obi doesn't blame himself for almost losing Nibbi...if he'd been in top form during the fight, things might have happened differently. But I'm soglad that they rescued Nibbi before the unthinkable happened! Now they need to get to the main compound, and liberate the others. So many mysteries. Perhaps, after these events, Obi and Amora can heal themselves with the help of their caring guardians. They are way to self-punishing for their own good!

He strongly suspected that there was more pain and turmoil to come.

This mission isn't as simple as Qui or Obi thought it would be, eh? Well, can't wait for the next postie

 

More you say, more pain! *falls over*

But this also means more angst and angst is good...*smirks*

More!!!

 

I just love this story!

 

This is a lovely fiction.

?We don?t need luck, Cerasi,? he whispered. ?Be at peace.?

I nearly cried at this point, I really did! Such a beautiful reflection of Obi-Wan's sorrow, and how well your characterised his grieving. Love it

"I wonder how the Council would respond to this insight, if I told them that all Jedi are no more than candles against the sea?"

Once again, this is a beautifully apt description, balancing the Jedi code so wonderfully with the bitter-sweet life it entails.

Sorry that I've had to play catch-up! Can't wait for the next instalment