" Darkest Hour, Brightest Hope"JA1**3/29*END OF BOOK 1 !!!!

Up you go!

 

Hey hey. I finally caught up with your story. Love it. Can we please have a post with Obi in it soon?

 

sorry it took so long to reply. I had a hard time typing after jedibear got the glue off my fingers. My fingers kept sticking to the keyboard.

It's nice to know that QGJ treats everyone in the same idiot fashion. Not just his current apprentice.

 

Master_Ari- Welcome aboard. Obi will be in the next post. PROMISE.

P. Kitara Thanx for reading my other story.

Lazy bones- you are the *rock* on which I lean when I need help to keep my story UP. thank you.

Jedi bear- Be careful with that glue. You keep getting P.K.'s fingers stuck and she can't send me feed back.

Now the post!!!ewen

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Senator Tory listened with all the compassion and patience he could muster . What Jinn expected of him beyond his capabilities of giving..

The incredulous look he shot Xani let the former Jedi know almost instantly the senator would do nothing to help the boy. He couldn?t. Obi-Wan might have to be the sacrifice in all this for he would not resend his mandate for the land ownership. Xanatos knew how they operated on this side of Telos; knew Cavanaugh would never be brought to justice even if they never found Obi-Wan or worse yet, found him dead. Jinn would have to learn a hard lesson. Men of power on Telos, anywhere on Telos got away with almost anything. Cavanaugh and his father were both top of the list where corruptness went unpunished.

?What would you have me do Master Jinn? I thought the Jedi were accustomed to compromise and sacrifice. There is no way I will change the mandate nor can I help you go after the most powerful man in the area. It would do you no good anyway. He has ways of coming out of things with his hands clean even if we know for sure he had a hand in wrongdoing, it is never proven. I think you will also find that if you seek assistance from the policing authority here your efforts will be fruitless and may well be met with a furry of opposition. Cavanaugh has the policing department in his back pocket. I am about the only one in the higher diplomatic steps that does not bow to him. Even though there is only so far as I will go to meet his opposing views. The land ownership was one that had to be met against him head on. It meant the sustaining factor for this city and my people. But I can?t jeopardize my office for one Jedi apprentice who should know his duty to those he serves.?

Qui-Gon fought to release his anger for the cowardly senator with all his might. The last thing he wanted to do was look into the eyes of a man who had just implied a Jedi apprentice should forfeit his life for the senator and his contingencies? well being. He did turn to confront the senator again. He wanted help, and at this time Tory was his only hope.

?*His duty* is not to die for your place in office. Please do not infer that you think I should let this go. Let Obi-Wan be taken and killed for the good of what, your city, your people? The Jedi do know how to except the inevitable, but I don?t see my apprentice?s death as such. There has to be a way of getting him released from Cavanaugh, even if it not conventional or honest.?

Qui-Gon waited to see if the Senator might give in and give him some words of hope or better yet promise him and Xanatos some assistance in their plight to free Obi-Wan. No offer of help came and the Senator seemed to actually be getting impatience and upset with Jinn because he expected it from him.

?Senator Tory, In this the authorities can not assist us? Can?t they accompany Xanatos and I and at least interrogate the man??

The Senator showed his anxiousness to complete the conversation with Master Jinn. He seemed in a hurry. He wanted just to be away from this questioning Jedi who knew nothing of this side of Telos. His attention drifted from Master Jinn to Xanatos; his look almost pleading Xanatos to step in and explain to Qui-Gon how things worked here and even in Xanatos' home city.

Xanatos knew this conversation had gone on long enough and that nothing was going to come out of it. Senator Tory was even more adamant about staying away from Cavanaugh than Xani thought he would be. If they were looking for help they would get none from Tory. Xani touched his former master?s arm gently.

?Qui-Gon it?s no use. We are wasting air, words, an

 

hee hee hee. sorry about the glue kitara. wasn't expecting you too grab the bottle that
fast. hope your fingers aren't too sticky any more. great post as usual ewen. looking forward to more. my brother is safe for now.
guess he is needed here for homeland security. later, my friends. going back to reading and listening to my moulin rouge cd.
*******plays tracks 2,10,11, repeatedly******. love that music.

 

Excellent post! I wonder how Obi-Wan is doing...

I'm gonna check out your new story too

 

Nice postie, ewen. Too tired to say more.

 

Am in a hurry, so just upping this!

 

Damp, musky, and the floors were not floors they were packed down clay-like dirt that he sat on. Maybe it is some kind of cave?!?!

They must want Master to reverse the decision on how the land is handed out. He can?t do that, he wouldn?t just to save me. A Jedi should be prepared for this. Am I prepared? Maybe if I had my vision I would have been. I didn?t even manage to get my saber before the attack. Had I kept my mind on the here and now as Master Jinn edicts, I would have heard or felt their presence before they had time to surround me and take my saber from the bedroom..

Obi-Wan had left his saber in the bedroom I can?t be blamed for loosing my saber to them. What Jedi grabs their saber and clips it to the PJ?s before first-meal. He wasn?t dress in his clothes where his saber stayed clipped to his utility belt once his attire was on him.

He did know one thing, he was very much alone. The silence that echoed around him was eerie yet with it came the comforting knowledge that silence meant no one was there to torture or harm him in any way. For that he was thankful. .

He didn?t have a force collar on and he wasn?t given medicated in any way to control his force so he deduced it must be *where* he was, not *something* used on him that enable his captors to eliminate his force abilities.. He tried to use the force to reach his master and realized that he had no control of anything remotely linked to the force.. It was as if it didn?t exist.

Time had no meaning for the blind apprentice locked in the solitude of his cell, wherever it was. Had he been there two hours or four hours? He supposed it didn?t matter except the longer he stayed there alone and unharmed, the longer Master Jinn and more than likely Xanatos had to find him. He leaned his head back on the rough edged wall equally as damp and musky as the floor and let his thoughts of being a Jedi knight one day lull him to a chilly restless sleep. Thoughts of a hopefully good future helped him keep his fears at bay. Fears that would return when his kidnappers did. Obi-Wan wouldn?t let himself think of what they might do to him when they did come for him.

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

?Are you positive we are at the right place Xanatos??

?Come on Master. I followed the senator?s directions. Here is the river, there is the house, and we are on the southern edge of Cavanaugh?s property. What more do you want??

?I would have liked to have found Obi-Wan safe and sound here for where else do we look now??

?I agree. We have no idea of where they would take him.?

Jinn looked around the empty home one more time. He checked the cellar and the attic of the house and then preceded to the barn.

Inside the barn it didn?t look like anyone had been in there for years. The dust and cobwebs dotted the beams and stalls of the barn.

?No, nothing here.? Xani stumbled on a metal ring and continued to walk to where Qui-Gon after he regained his balance . He thought nothing of it.

?No, Xanatos I thought there would be no use to look here anyway. Had Obi-Wan been here surely he would have had a guard to watch him.

?Maybe not Master. If he is secured somewhere and can?t use his force and he is blind , they might think him incapable of running even if he could get away.?

?True, but maybe they know without a doubt where he is, he can?t escape without his force abilities to assist him against Cavanaugh?s thugs. He, a child without his force.?

Disappointment swelled master?s heart as he left the only place he knew to look. Now he truly did not know what to do.

Darkness was quickly descending on he and Xani and it was not safe in this area in the country in the dark. Quite a few wild animals even the mammoth meat-eating white Roan wolf roamed the area at night looking for food. Jinn or Xanatos would make one or two of them a tasty little appetizer. They were that large and that ferocious. They wouldn?t hesitate to attack a human and never failed to down a prey it went after.

Silence was broken when Xanatos? curio

 

Uh, Xanatos?! Go back and check out what you tripped over......

 

No sticky fingers tonight, just covered with babyfood after dinner with the munchkins. [face_yuck]

I was wondering when he would use a mind whammy to find the kid.

 

Of course Xan would be happy to use his abilities to trick someone.

 

Hang in there Obi-Wan!

I hope a mind trick works...

 

Cavanaugh was not surprised to see the Jedi Master Jinn with what he categorized as Jinn?s little sniffling crony, Xanatos Crion drag themselves to his door. Actually he couldn?t wait. He liked nothing better than to taunt the Jedi master over his loss of his padawan. They had put a crimp in his business of gathering added land around him, so he felt in a way vindicated by taking the little apprentice, possibly not to return him at all.

As he opened his door to Jinn and Crion, he had his own sinister thoughts.

He may not live through the plans I have for him anyway. No big deal!!!

?Master Jinn, Xanatos I thought I might receive a visit from you yet today. Still no luck finding your missing padawan Master Jinn??

Qui-Gon who was in front, shoved the door violently with one quick push and a little judicious use of the force to make it powerful enough to nearly knock Cavanaugh down on his pristine polish-tiled floors.

?You might come up missing yourself if I don?t get some answers. I am not in a mood to listen to your amusing antedotes or whatever you call them. I want my apprentice and I want him now.?

?Dear, dear Master Jinn I told *you* I wanted assurance that I would be able to buy up at least some of the land being given away. Now see, that is not to much to ask. I don?t have to have all of it just some will do. Then your boy will be returned to you. I had hoped his return could happen tonight., but I see you have no news for me and it is getting late. Now I would have to insist you wait until tomorrow with news of my land partials unless? you have something to tell me about it now.?

?You know damn well I don?t have any news. How could I? The Senator is dead set against changing anything. Although I can?t blame him, I had hoped he would have been more cooperative in my quest to get my apprentice returned. However that was not the case. Xanatos and have resigned ourselves to the fact that if we want Obi-Wan returned and I assure you we do, we must appeal to you instead of the senator for the boy?s return. So here we are, waiting.?

Jinn walked a little further into the anteroom and looked around, pretending to be curious as to the many pictures and art work that hung there. He did not see any of the beauty in them ,he only waited for Cavanaugh?s men to come to escort them out. Qui-Gon was not wrong. As he looked to the doorway from the main room two burly bearded men came through carrying pistols that almost looked antiquated by Jed standards. Certainly not a modern day blaster or rifle. No something older but Jinn had not doubt quite workable and able to carry a deadly punch with it.

?I must ask you two gentlemen to leave Master Jinn. If you have no good news for me this night. Maybe something will turn up tomorrow. If you don?t willingly and on your own, my friends there will be more than happy to show you to the door and even assist with your exist out of it?

Qui-Gon stepped toward the men in the doorway. He glanced at their guns and hastily turned around to Cavanaugh.

?Just curious could you not afford a modern weapon for them? These seem? well in some way outdated.?

Qui-Gon quickly turned around to the men waved his right hand in front of their faces but where Cavanaugh could not see because of Jinn?s large body frame.

"These weapons are no good. Your men here would fear to fire them at all. They would blow up in their faces. Qui-Gon stared at the men and watched as they glanced at their weapons then dropped them a little further away from their bodies. Qui-Gon had used the mind trick on them and Cavanaugh was none the wiser. Now came the test of how much Xani retained of his Jedi padawan instruction where the mind trick was concerned.

He called to Xani but his eyes never left the eyes of his captives.

?Xanatos I think now would be a good time don?t you??

?Oh yes Master I almost forgot.?

?What are you two talking about? Men I want them out of my house. See to it your task is completed with much haste and the least amount of ruckus that you c

 

so sad for xani.

 

::dances:: YAY! Obi-Wan's gonna get rescued!

 

Yes yes, go save Obi now!

 

Yay, Obi'll be rescued. Poor Xani though.

 

so there was a trap door? YES!

 

They did not make the journey on foot this time. With the reluctant help of the senator they were given a small but speedy hover craft and headed back to the house. There three captives were left in Jinn?s apartment tied, gagged, and very much in a force induced sleep which would render them virtually unconscious with no lasting effects for the entirety of the night.

The trip back to the house was so much quicker than their trek there and back.

Qui-Gon barely had time to put the craft in park gear and race right along with Xani to the barn.

With no light anywhere in the barn, Jinn quickly activated his saber for the light its blade afforded and threw a couple of glo-sticks to Xani for him to break and activate them.

Xani remembered exactly where he had tripped over the wrung of what was surely the trap door to the hidden cellar.

Although it wouldn?t harm Obi-Wan anyway because of his blindness, Master Jinn could not help but feel fear for his apprentice as he looked in the darkened dirt hole in the ground where he had been held.

He saw wires hooked to the door that indicated some kind of electronic device to control Obi-Wan?s force abilities, much like a force collar would do.

Qui-Gon hopped down in the hole and Xani quickly followed. The cellar turned out to be very small and it was missing one very important item. Obi-Wan was not down there.

?Where is he Qui? Do you think he escaped??

?I assume he has and it could prove to be a deadly mistake although I am sure he would not realize it. Even with his force abilities, trying to find his way through that wooded area out there that is crawling with the Roan wolves in carnivorous starved packs could be fatal. His blindness will be a hindrance in this situation especially with no training to deal with these things sightless.?

Xani?s stomach churned with apprehension for the young Jedi. He had all the faith in the world that Obi-Wan could overcome his handicap to point that it would not be called one. However he doubted Obi's abilities right now without his saber for protection and proper training to deal with the loss of his sight.

Xanatos watched with a touch of trepidation and a lot of excitement as Qui-Gon unclipped his apprentice?s blue saber from his belt and with one hand, tossed it to his former apprentice.

The Jedi master and Xani abandoned the hover craft in favor of their own legs for transportation. There was not enough maneuverability in the forest to drive a hover craft through it.

The howls of the overly large roan wolves were almost continuous now. Not like the occasional sound of howling and growls that Jinn and Xani heard as they exited the area just at dusk. The darkness of night had brought with it, the entire pack, quite possibly following Obi-Wan in hopes of catching prey big enough to share.

They followed what seemed to be disturbances of bushes and broken branches. Jinn hoped the trail they were on was Obi-Wan?s and not some animal on a nightly excursion for food. The path took them deeper and deeper into the forest along the edge of the river. It had gotten to the river abruptly turned and headed east.

Jinn knew that Obi-Wan probably would not attempt tocross the raging waters and that he would have turned rather than face it. Of course many animals would have done the same in this particularly dangerous part of the rain-swollen river. Darkness loomed even more eerily because of the trees and tall bushes that blocked what light the half moon and stars provided. Now without the saber you would have not been able to see your own hand in front of your face.

Occasionally both Jinn and Xani would turn when a low growl and the sound of branches being snapped under the weight of something?s feet. That something was more than likely a lone wolf searching selfishly on his own for his last-meal. Had the entire pack been on the trail of the two they would have already been in a battle with the wild animals of night for their very lives.

###############with Obi###############[/b]

Obi-Wan had

 

Poor Xanatos. But at least Obi is free now!

 

Wow..what can I say? How about: ouch... poor guy

But Obi-Wan is ok..YAY!

One thing is for sure I am glad I am up on my dendrology studies.

lol...I don't know why, but I found that funny.

 

Eek, poor Xan!!!

Obi being freed though is great!

 

One thing is for sure I am glad I am up on my dendrology studies.

Just for a little clarification, that line was suppose to be funny. Glad someone thought so.

PEACE ewen

 

up!!!