Immortality - A JA Fan-Fic by Jedi Chikara and Jedi Obi-Wan

Here it is, for your enjoyment! Comments are appreciated.



Immortality

((This post by Jedi Chikara))

Snowflakes cascaded from the heavens, blanketing the ground and trees with ice that reflected the ocean of lights above and below. Millions of lanterns hung from the espaliers inhabiting the gardens, like beacons guiding the guests down the marble walkway towards the crystal palace. Children of innumerable races ran through the shrubbery maze, their laughter floating through the air and mingling with the beautiful music from the orchestra at the base of the palace stairs. The palace itself was ornately decorated, the steps made of glass containing a heated aquarium, the sea life of a hundred worlds gliding amongst the precious corals.

Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn ignored the splendor however. His senses were on full alert, his gaze interrogating every man, woman and child who entered the gates. His apprentice, on the other hand, was having a harder time. Obi-Wan Kenobi was in awe of his surroundings. Never had he seen such a world, or such a celebration. The guests wore garments as intricate and captivating as his surroundings, providing yet another distraction to pull his attention from the task at hand. He had been to many worlds on many missions, but few were as beautiful as Kiriath. The planet was in a perpetual winter. Obi-Wan had dressed appropriately, though still noticeable as a Jedi. The cold bit at his skin despite his attempts, destroying in an instant his hard fought focus.

Qui-Gon was fully aware of his Padawan?s difficulties. ?Concentrate Obi-Wan. The enemy can be your own temptation as readily as it can be your greatest opponent.?

?Yes Master,? Obi-Wan acknowledged impassively. He noted his Master?s emphasis on temptation as much as the rest of his comment. That seemed rather inappropriate. It was probably a comprehendible embellishment on one of Master Yoda?s proverbs.

?Greetings, Master Jedi.? Senator Asteros joined the two at the gates, his hands in the pockets of his surprisingly thin cloak of Alderaan silk. The Senator rocked on the balls of his feet nervously, his warm breath visible in the air.

?She has still not appeared, Senator?? Qui-Gon inquired.

?No. Carmel is worried sick. That girl aggravates me terribly sometimes.? The Senator greeted a few guests before returning to the Jedi?s side.

Obi-Wan eyed the man closely. He was younger than the average Senator in the Galactic Congress. After Chancellor Valorum had been elected Asteros had taken his position as representative for the worlds in this sector, of which Kiriath was one. Asteros also had a young daughter and a young wife. Obi-Wan had met neither, though he had been unknowingly privy to a heatedly fought argument between at least one of them and the Senator. He didn?t think it possible one could scurry from a scene in a manner that was more accustomed to a womprat. Luckily he had not been discovered. But it did raise concerns.

The girl he spoke of was rarely in the palace where the Jedi and Senator were staying. The capital city of Kiriath was less than a kilometer away and was home to the galactic spaceport. The daughter had not been seen for over two days. Though it had not been expressed verbally, one didn?t need Jedi abilities to detect the worries harbored by the Senator for the safety of his child. She could very likely be on the other side of the galaxy by now.

Obi-Wan?s mental ramblings were interrupted by the arrival of the guest of honor at tonight?s celebration. An old-style carriage constructed purely of gold came to a stop at the base of the stairs, its arrival halting the music of the orchestra. Supreme Chancellor Valorum stepped from the cabin along with the representative from the nearby planet Ekron. They were greeted by polite applause from the guests on the ice pond below as well as those caught on the steps as they had arrived. Various aides and advisors left the carriage along with the Viceroy. His name was Kay?tna Malik.

His greeting to Asteros mirrored the environment. ?Goo

 

more? please? soon?

(Do you get the impression I like it? I do!)

 

I don't normally read JA, but the title intrigued me. And then the writing was good too. So, what does immortality have to do with anything? Are we seeing some sort of bioweapon in SW?

 

You'll have to read to find out.

 

((This post by Jedi Obi-Wan))

Tren snickered. Perfect. It was going as planned. He stuffed his blaster into the holster on his waist. The bomb had gone off at just the right time. He had needed a clear shot at Asteros, and he had gotten just that.

He walked to the door and punched in the code. The hidden panel slid open and Tren squeezed out. He looked around to see if anyone had seen him coming from his hiding place, but not a soul had. They were all too frantic, some running around and screaming. Others appeared calmer, but their faces showed their true feelings of terror and anger. They were all in a state of panic, all because of a single shot fired off from a cheap blaster, his blaster.

He grinned evily at the thought, and turned to the wall to hide his glowing face. Never had victory tasted so sweet. He was almost foaming at the mouth from the intense pleasure he felt at successfully completing his mission.

He made his way through the wailing crowd turned mob. The howls of the furious people rang in his ears like sweet music. He had caused this. He had done a great favor for the planet, not to mention gained a sizeable profit for himself. And Tren had done it in the name of the Jems, the leading terrorist organization on Kiriath.

With the stealth of an alley cat Tren moved through the crowded streets. He needed to get back to headquarters as soon as was possible.

A beeping sound alerted him to the transmission he was getting from DeBrue Incorporated, where the boss lived. Tren slinked back into the shadows to take his call.

A balding man wearing dark purple robes appeared on the screen. "Did you complete your mission, Commander?" he asked in a surprisingly soft voice.

A smug smile lit up Tren's tan face. "Asteros and his wife are dead, General Catisia."

Catisia returned the grin. " Well done. Now hurry back to headquarters for your next assignment."

"Yes, sir!" Tren saluted and signed off. He grinned again, but it quickly faded. A man stood over him. A Jedi. His hand went for his blaster, but the tall man's penetrating blue stare told him to stay completely still. He held up his hands in defeat.

 

((This post by Jedi Chikara))

The hospital smelt of antiseptic. The smell made Kaloni sick to the stomach. She numbly walked the halls, not entirely aware of where she was heading. Patients lined the corridors, wrapped in bandages, some whimpering in untold pain. Kaloni could barely hear their cries through the dimness of her grief. The nurse had said the Senator was in surgery. But Kaloni knew he was already dead, as was her mother.

Towards the end of the corridor was a makeshift morgue, created to handle the huge inflow of fatalities from the attack. She crept amongst the corpses, looking at each face in turn. On more than one occasion she actively forced herself from becoming sick at the sight of the more horrific injuries. She stumbled at a glimpse of the final body. Her father had a charred hole between his eyes. A chair snapped from the weight of her body collapsing on top of it.

For hours she sat on the remains, her arms wrapped around her body as she rocked her quivering form. The arrival of a hospital worker had finally hastened her retreat.

***

Obi-Wan lay on his hospital bed, trying to detect his ribcage beneath the drug-induced numbness. He had completed yet another bacta dip a few minutes before. The pain of the injury was incomparable to the guilt he was experiencing. What little he remembered of the attack was enough to give him nightmares during his treatment. Often he would regain consciousness crying into his facemask. All his thoughts now centered on the daughter he had now orphaned.

?Obi-Wan.? His Master sat at the bed beside him. ?How are you feeling??

He rolled slightly to face him. ?Great. Never been better.?

Qui-Gon gave him a sympathetic smile. ?The Chancellor and Malik are alright. King Ouranos? condition is critical but he should survive.? He paused. It appeared as if he wanted to say more, but at the last moment he checked himself.

Obi-Wan knew want he wanted to say. ?I killed the Senator. My stupidity caused his death and his wife?s.?

?We have captured the killer. His name is Tren. Little more is known about him or whom he works for.? Qui-Gon stood from his chair and moved towards the door. ?I am returning to the palace. We need to know how he was able to get in. I want you to stay here and rest. No heroics.?

Obi-Wan made to protest, but thought better of it. ?Yes Master.? Qui-Gon left the room. He had not consoled him. His guilty outpourings had been met with little understanding. And it made Obi-Wan feel worse.

He sunk into the pillows, closing his eyes as the drugs pulled him under. Another restless sleep would follow.

***

A blurry silhouette sat beside him, the blinding lights giving it a supernatural glow. I?m dead. How did this happen?

Obi-Wan cleared his vision with the Force. A girl was standing at the door rather than sitting in the chair. She stared at him with a mournful look. Her jade eyes were bloodshot with recent tears.

?I saw you at the palace.? The girl crossed her arms wearily and leaned against the doorframe for support.

?I didn?t see you.? Obi-Wan tried to sit up, but the pain hampered his movement, making him wince.

The girl laughed mockingly. ?Poor guy. I?m sure you must be in a lot of pain.? Her sarcastic tone betrayed the seemingly sincere concern.

?Thanks for your sympathy.? Obi-Wan broke eye contact. ?My name is Obi-Wan.?

?That?s good.? She smiled, almost apologetically. ?I?m Kaloni.?

Obi-Wan looked at her again, noticing her raven hair for the first time. The way it reflected the light, shining like Kiriath?s three moons. He had to admit she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen despite her stinging tongue. ?Are you alright? I notice you?ve been crying.?

Kaloni left the door to sit beside him. Her arms remained crossed like they had been at the entrance. ?Of course I?m alright. I just break into wailing fits for no reason.? She stared at her lap, where her hands now fidgeted nervously.

Obi-Wan tried to shrug as if he didn?t care. ?Doesn?t bother me if you don?t want to talk.?

?Fine.?

 

((This post by Jedi Chikara))

Tren looked up at the newcomer. It was a young girl. Well, not that young. A smile of satisfaction slithered its way onto his face. He knew who she was. She was the daughter of Asteros. His final target. He racked his brain for the girl?s name. Kaloni. That was it.
?Hello there, Kaloni.? He nearly fainted from the pleasure of seeing her obvious surprise. ?Yes, I know who you are. I killed your parents you know.?

Kaloni said nothing. She stood just within the doorway, glancing back out the window at an unseen person.

He motioned with his hands as best he could. ?Come sit next to me, Kaloni. I?ll tell you how I killed them.? He broke out into wicked laughter.

Kaloni sat down opposite to Tren, her hands clasped in front of her. He reached out and grabbed her hands, laughing once again when she jerked away. The window rattled slightly.

?Who?s there, sweetheart? A friend of yours??

Kaloni remained deadly quiet.

?I shot your father right between the eyes.? He motioned with his hands. ?Pow.?

The sudden flurry of motion caught him by surprise. Kaloni leapt from her chair and grabbed the front of his shirt, pulling him forward. ?I?ll kill you. I swear.?

Tren reached up at Kaloni?s face with a cuffed hand, stroking her flawless skin. ?You can try. I?ll look forward to seeing you again.?

The door slid open. A young man strode in and grabbed Kaloni by the wrist. He pulled her towards the door.

?Is that you?re boyfriend, Kaloni? Don?t I mean anything to you anymore?? Tren cackled as the door slid closed.

Obi-Wan guided Kaloni towards the exit. ?We?re leaving.?

Kaloni followed him down the corridor; she glanced back once at Tren as he pressed against the glass, mockingly kissing at her as she and Obi-Wan left the building.

***

 

Up

 

Is this just a repost of the story or are there changes?? Doesn't matter really, I will read one way or the other as this is a truly great story and worth a re-read!!!!!

 

*That's* where this went! I like the posts -- Kaloni seems to have more to her past than meets the eye, though. I think Obi-Wan ought to tell Qui-Gon about this...

 

Kelly! I haven't seen you in awhile!

This is a repost, but we'll add new chapters in the future.

 

((This post by Jedi Obi-Wan))

Qui-Gon walked through the crystal palace halls, dreading every step that brought him closer to his destination. He was not looking forward to the task before him. He was going to examine the main room, the room where Asteros and his wife had been killed.

After all his years his as a Jedi, he still couldn't get used to the sight of blood, to the sight of suffering. He had seen it often enough, but it didn't make it any easier. This one was especially hard. The senator hadn't been young, he was in his late thirties, but it seemed a horrible time to die, just as his life as a politician had begun.

He arrived outside the huge double doors that lead to the room. He gathered himself and took and deep breath. He quickly eased open the door. Qui-Gon took a look at the room. Despite the cleaning crews best efforts, blood still stained the otherwise shining floors. The sight made him cringe, but he continued into the room.

There were detectives standing in the corners, talking in hushed tones. Malik and his advisors were standing at the spot where Senator Asteros had been shot.

Malik looked up at hearing him enter, and his sorrowful eyes locked with the older Jedi's. But Qui-Gon quickly looked away. He didn't want to speak with Malik, the man made him queasy. But this was good a place as any to begin his investigation.

He strolled casually over to Malik. "I need to talk to you and your advisors."

Malik studied him for a moment. "Very well. Habake'. Kuu. Tell the Jedi everything you know. I'm sure you have nothing to hide."

The two advisors stood at attention. "Yes, sir." Qui-Gon half expected them to salute.

Malik turned to walk away, and Qui-Gon would have let him go gladly, he didn't want the Viceroy's company. But he had to interrogate everyone.

"Viceroy Malik, I need to talk to you as well."

Malik turned. He looked at Qui-Gon. Then he shrugged. "I do not have anything to hide. You're a very thorough investigator, I like that. But why don't you just let the investigators do the work?"

"I was sent here as a guardian of peace, it is my duty."

Malik shrugged again and nodded. "Very well. Proceed."

He turned his penetrating blue gaze on the advisors, who melted under the impact of it. He looked at Malik, but the well-trained viceroy only stared back.

"How well did you know Senator Asteros?"

Kuu, a large female, answered first. "I had known the Senator for about four years. He was a good man, a strong politician. I saw him work his way up the scale until he was Senator."

Habake' looked at Qui-Gon. He was very young for an advisor to the Viceroy, he couldn't have been more then twenty-five. Habake' turned his face to the floor and shuffled his feet. "I just became Malik's advisor three months ago. I didn't know much about the Senator."

Qui-Gon looked the young man over. He was hiding something, his every feature showed it.

Malik stared Qui-Gon straight in the eye. "I've been with the Senator since his career began. We've been good friends for a long while."

Qui-Gon nodded, his eye still on Habake'. "Why do you think someone would want to kill the Senator?"

Malik stared at him. "Any number of reasons. All politicians are at risk. No matter what, there's always opposition."

Qui-Gon nodded. That was what he had expected from Malik.

"He didn't have many enemies that I know of, he was well liked and respected by most of the people." Kuu said, her head cocked to the side as though she was thinking hard about something. "But there was one group. They didn't like him because they had wanted Gy'wen Siore to become Senator. Other then that, I don't know."

Qui-Gon turned to Habake'. "And you?" he asked.

"I don't know. He seemed nice." he answered, still looking at the floor.

Qui-Gon's suspicions hightened at the young advisor's answer. Apparently Kuu suspected him too, she was staring at him and started to walk his way, but Malik put out his arm to stop her.

"One last question for today. Do you know who did it?" He didn't exp

 

LOL! I know this isn't supposed to be funny, but I caught you signature at the end...and completely lost it! "Poor Obi," indeed. Great story, Jedi Obi-Wan and Chikara! I'm loving it!

 

((This post by Jedi Chikara))

The city outskirts were awash in bright ivory, a fresh blanket of snow having fallen during the time spent in the security building. Obi-Wan had left with Kaloni without knowing where they were headed. She didn?t seem to mind; nothing had been said between them since the incident.
What few words he had heard conversed between Kaloni and Tren had made his blood boil. Just seeing him touch her had made him want to? Well, he didn?t know what he would do, though he did know it wouldn?t be pleasant.

?Do you have somewhere to live?? Obi-Wan asked, the question already sounding terribly inane as it hung in the air.

Kaloni didn?t answer, her eyes staring at the path ahead unwaveringly. Somehow they had ended up on the track back towards the palace.

?Kaloni??

?Hmm?? She glanced at Obi-Wan for a moment before quickly returning her gaze to the road.

Obi-Wan had only just caught the streaks of tears down her pale cheeks, the blue tinge to her lips, the minute shaking beneath the jacket. He made to put an arm around her, to warm her freezing body, but thought better of it at the last moment.

?You?re very cold.?

?Your powers of observation startle me, Obi-Wan,? Kaloni stammered. She gave him a wane smile.

?Thank you. That?s very kind of you to say.? He added the slightest touch of sarcasm to the words. ?Really though, are you okay? What?s the matter??

She waved away the questions. ?What did you ask me before? Something about a place to stay??

?I asked you whether you had a place to live. Do you??

Kaloni paused before answering. ?Ahh, yeah, yeah I have a place. It?s in the city.?

Obi-Wan looked at her doubtfully. ?But we?re heading away from the city.?

?Oh, I didn?t notice.? The two stopped in the middle of the road, hands in pockets, breath freezing in the chilled air. Fields of snow beckoned from beyond the cedars lining the path, the ancient trees reaching out towards the sky, almost touching the clouds. At the end of the road, just seen off the horizon, was the palace, its gardens spreading out like wings from the gates. Kaloni stared at it whimsically.

?I?m living there at the moment. You can stay with me if you like, I mean, not in my room of course but?? He ground to halt. She wasn?t listening. ?Kaloni?? He placed a tentative hand on her shoulder.

?Thanks for the offer Obi-Wan, but I? I?ll have to decline.?

?Why? You don?t have anywhere else to go.?

Kaloni knocked away his hand. ?I can look after myself. I don?t need you rescuing me all the time. ? She put as much venom into the words as she could muster.

?Rescue you? What?? Obi-Wan stopped mid-sentence. Without warning, Kaloni sprinted off through the trees towards the snowfields, ice spraying up in her wake. He took after her as fast as he could, ignoring the pain in his ribs that came with every step. The two teenagers left the trees behind as they half ran, half stumbled through the ankle-deep snow, the lambent sun turning the fields aglow like the clouds above.

Obi-Wan was gaining ground by the second, the Force strengthening his weary legs. ?Kaloni, wait!? And then the hindrance of a recent growth spurt reared its head, tangling his feet and toppling his body. With a final lunge he wrapped his arms around Kaloni?s slim waist and pulled her to the ground beside him, wincing away the sharp stab of pain that came with the fall.

Her laughter made him forget it in an instant. ?Good one, Oafy-Wan.?

?Don?t call me that,? he replied grumpily. Offhand he noticed his right arm still wrapped around Kaloni?s waist. He pulled it away abruptly.

She didn?t seem to notice. ?You know, I wish I could live out here. It?s so beautiful. Much more beautiful than that palace over there, with its pompous bureaucracy, and constant rules and?? She clenched her mouth shut, content to lie in the snow and stare at the clouds.

Obi-Wan found it odd that she would claim to know the palace procedures, or their nature. He glanced at her face, a knowing smile hinting at the corners of her mo

 

Great post! I'm really enjoying this. Post more soon!

 

Just popping in to see how things are going. Kelly, wow I never thought I'd see you again posting to this story. We promise we'll post often this time around.

 

Good to hear you will be posting often, best news I have heard all day!!!!

BTW I have never left this thread. I have lost my main computer for posting, I do a lot of reading at work on a computer that we are not able to post from and then when I get home at night, if I have the time, I post. Therefore my postings have declined dramatically, but not the amount of or what I read!!!!

Look forward to re-reading this wonderful story and what ever new you are going to add!

 

Hey guys. Well, Jedi Obi-Wan is at a relatives' place at the moment, and is unable to make any updates to the story for the time being. And unfortunately, I don't have her sections of the story. So I guess we'll have to wait until she gets back. Bummer, huh?

 

((This post by Jedi Obi-Wan))

Qui-Gon trudged wearily down the glittering halls. His eyes were drooping, and had he not been a Jedi, he would have fallen asleep on his feet. The investigation had been ging on non-stop for seventy-two hours. And he had been there every second.
The hidden panel and been a great piece of evidence, or so they had thought. It held a defused bomb, two thermal detonators, and four loaded blasters. The investigators guessed it was where Tren had been when he had shot the Senator, but not one piece of evidence had been found to support that theory.

Kuu had been fired. Malik had decided she was too violent to work for him. As for Habake', he still insisted he had nothing to do with it. The investigators had let him go, for there was not a hair of evidence that pointedin his direction.

That was the problem with this case, there was very little evidence. Only suspicions.

Qui-Gon pushed his key card into the lock. He eased open the door to his room and headed for his bed. His apprentice lay asleep on the rich looking couch.

Obi-Wan seemed to have recovered very well. His face was not pale, as it had been when he had seen him last. There was a sad expression on his face. The effects of bombs were horrible, especially in the eyes of a young Jedi. Obi-Wan had never seen a massacre this large very few times, and it was always obvious how much it tore at him.

Qui-Gon pulled back the silk sheets and slipped his tired body in between them. He closed his eyes and tried to sleep. But it would not come. His mind was racing. His brain was a blur of suspicions and questions.

He shifted his position, but it did nothing to help him. He attempted to lay on his back. After a few minutes minutes of tossing and turning, Qui-Gon gave up. Disgusted, he sat up and threw back his blanket.

"Master?"

O Force. He hadn't meant to wake the boy.

"Go back to sleep."

Obi-Wan ignored him. "How's the investigation going?"

"Not very well," he answered. "Now go to sleep."

"I appologize for not helping, I've just been..."

"Recovering," Qui-Gon finished for him. "You can help me tomorrow. Go to sleep, Padawan."

"Who are your suspects?"

Qui-Gon reached out and turned his lamp on. He was going to haveto brief the boy or else lose another night of sleep.

"One of Malik's advosors, Habake' Odai. He's been acting suspicious. I still distrust Malik."

Obi-Wan raised his eyebrow. "That's all?"

"We haven't found many clues." Qui-Gon quickly told his apprentice about his conversation with Malik and his advisors.

"Master, you caught Tren, how do you know others are involved?"

Qui-Gon nodded. It was a very logical question, if you didn't know the facts. "The whole operation was too complex, from what we can tell. This was carefully planned."

Obi-Wan was quiet. After a few minutes, Qui-Gon assumed he had gone to sleep. He was about to turn off the light when Obi-Wan piped up.

"Do you know about the Senator's daughter?"

Qui-Gon nodded. "I heard him talk about her. Her name is Kaloni. She wasn't there when the explosion happened. I understand the authorities have her under their protection now."

Obi-Wan just stared into space. Qui-Gon looked at his apprentice long and hard. Something was troubling him, something other than his wounds.

A sharp knock broke the eerie silence. Qui-Gon got up and walked to the door. He slowly opened it. Tren stood there, blaster in hand.

 

Yea! A new post! But how did Tren get out of prison? Can't wait to find out! Post more soon! Please!

 

((This post by Jedi Obi-Wan))

In the blink of an eye Qui-Gon had his lightsaber in hand, the emerald blade casting a faint glow on the figure before him. Tren was scowling fiercly. He clutched his blaster with a death grip.
Qui-Gon reached out for the force, feeling it swirl around him, alerting every muscle. He easily dodged a shower of blaster fire. The man prepared to shoot again, this time at Obi-Wan.

"Move" he screamed at his Padawan through their bond. Obi-Wan dodged just in time.

Qui-Gon jumped to avoided more blaster fire. He needed to get Tren's blaster away from him without killing him. He tried move after move, but the rain of blaster fire kept him at least two meters away, which was in no way close enough.

Tren circled him, keeping a safe distance from the Jedi. He grinned evily. His dark eyes shone with hatred. Tren dove for the sleep-couch. But Qui-Gon had sensed the move, and was already high in the air, preparing to come down on Tren's arm. Tren saw him, and the Jedi watched as a look of fear cross his face.

Qui-Gon landed on his right arm with a sickening crunch. Tren screamed in rage. Qui-Gon stepped off his arm, and Tren reached for his blaster with his good arm. He grabbed it and aimed at Qui-Gon.

Suddenly, Qui-Gon saw the ice blue blade of his apprentice's lightsaber swing down. Qui-Gon tried to block it, but he was too late. The smell of burning flesh filled his nose. Tren had a sizzling wound through his middle.

Tren stared in shock at Obi-Wan. His eyes narrowed down to slits.

"Fool Jedi."

His eyes glazed over and rolled back in his head. His strong body went completly limp.

It took all Qui-Gon's Jedi training to fight the urge to scream at his apprentice. Obi-Wan had destroyed the only link they had to the killers.

Obi-Wan stared in shock at the corpse before him. He looked at Qui-Gon, his blue-green eyes full of realization and sorrow . "I...I'm sorry Master. I..."

"YOU IGNORANT NERFHERDER!"

Malik's angry voice filled the small room. He marched in, his eyes full of fire.

"YOU KILLED HIM. YOU KILLED OUR ONLY SOURCE!"

He looked straight at Qui-Gon his eyes full of poison. "Who did it?" he demanded.

Obi-Wan hesitated, but stepped forward. "I did." he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Malik turned his gaze on Obi-Wan. For a moment Qui-Gon thought he might strike the boy. But he seemed to think the better of it. His outward composure turned cool.

"Why?" he asked through clinched teeth.

Obi-Wan just stared blankly at the body in front of him.

 

Great story!
You are both doing a great job!
Can't wait for more...
ok I have to say it....."Poor Obi."

 

Every post I read reminds me just how much I loved this story!!!!

Poor Obi indeed!!!!

 

Wow, this is a great story!

 

((This post was by me, Jedi Chikara))

Black cloaks stood out against the white landscape, a small ceremony taking place upon a hill overseeing the palace. Tall cedars formed a guard of honor, encircling the single gravesite, their shadows cast along the immaculately carved coffin as the suns set on the horizon. Senator Asteros? wife had already been laid to rest. Now it was his turn.

Obi-Wan stared at the coffin with blurry, bloodshot eyes. Now he had caused three deaths, the last one by his own hands. He slowly brought his gaze up to the man across. Malik glared at him as the coffin was lowered into the grave, the Senator beside his wife. The ceremony was finally over.

Qui-Gon joined Malik and Chancellor Valorum as the few guests present made their way back to the palace. Obi-Wan?s Master had said little to his apprentice after the death of Tren. The hushed tones and stealthy glances dealt him by the three stately men made Obi-Wan want to cower beneath their judging eyes. He certainly wasn?t the most popular person at the moment.

The suns set in a brilliant display, a final salute. Obi-Wan shoved his hands in the pockets of his cloak as a chilling wind dropped the temperature. He stood alone atop the hill, Malik, Qui-Gon and Valorum now heading back to the palace. There was nothing left for him to do but join them. Obi-Wan turned to follow. And stopped. A small figure stood beneath one of the cedars, observing the young man standing next to the grave of the couple whose blood now stained his soul. Their eyes locked. She turned away.

?Kaloni, wait!? Obi-Wan began to chase after her, but stopped. She waited for him beneath the tree. He joined her.

?Hello Obi-Wan. Fancy seeing you here. I didn?t think you?d show your face around the grave of the man you killed.?

Her words hurt him more than any blaster shot or bomb blast could. ?I?m sorry Kaloni, really??

?I don?t want your apologies. They?re not going to bring my parents back.? She made to leave. ?Just stay away from me.?

She was going to run away again. Obi-Wan wanted her to stay more than anything else in the galaxy. ?Tren?s dead you know.?

Kaloni stood frozen. A blast of air whistled through the treetops, blowing her raven hair into her porcelain face. ?How did he die??

He wouldn?t lie to her anymore. ?I killed him.?

Kaloni turned slightly, glancing at Obi-Wan over her shoulder, brilliant jade eyes through dark of night. ?You killed him?? She laughed. ?Of course.?

Obi-Wan scowled. ?What?s that supposed to mean??

She didn?t answer him. ?Why? Why did you kill him??

The usual Jedi lack of emotion was melted away, her question disarming and disabling him. Malik had asked the same thing. And he had not given an answer. Now Kaloni wanted to know. Now he knew what the answer was. Deep down he had always known. But he couldn?t bring himself to say it. ?I don?t know why.?

Kaloni shook her head, laughing again. ?Obi-Wan,? she whispered, ?I know.?

And with that she turned away, this time for real. The dusk turned to night. Obi-Wan stood alone atop the hill.

***