~~Playing with Minds (JA)~~

Glad you're back online, Kelly! Allright, here's the next post I worked for a long time last night, so hopefully it meets everyone's approval!

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Qui-Gon squared off against his opponent, a zillion thoughts going through his head. This man was dangerous. He had killed Terl and the Force knew who else. Qui-Gon didn?t have time for this, he had to get Obi-Wan out of here. With the dugs still lingering in his system, should he even be fighting? Where was his heat? On which side of the Force was he on? But what bothered him most was that he wanted this fight. He wanted this man to die for all the grief he had caused.

Trevoull lounged forward and initiated the duel. Qui-Gon struck back, a faster and more intense attack than he usually preferred. But usually Obi-Wan was fighting by his side, not lying unconscious on the floor between the two opponents.

Qui-Gon jumped over the teenager?s body and pressed the attack into the hallway. Slash. Parry. Block. The blades of pure light moved almost too fast for the eye to see, but Qui-Gon was not fully recovered and knew he could not fight much longer. And from the gleam in the dark Jedi?s eyes, Trevoull knew it too.

Alerted by the noise of the clashing sabers, the now awake guard ran over to investigate. Without even a backwards glance Trevoull?s amethyst blade slashed behind him and then back up. The guard stared at the gaping hole in his chest in fascinated horror and then sank to the floor, his mouth opening and closing as though trying to suck in nonexistent air.

Qui-Gon leaped over the body and pushed Trevoull farther down the hallway. The corridor widened into a small, circular room beside the guard?s post and the two opponents broke apart and circled each other warily.

Trevoull cocked his head to the side and offered a sly grin. ?I was at the Temple, you know.?

The Temple? Qui-Gon wondered. Why was he telling him this? The Jedi Master narrowed his gaze, determined not to be distracted.

?I was just a few years behind the great Qui-Gon Jinn,? Trevoull continued. ?I wanted to be the Padawan of Master Yoda, but he chose you instead.? Trevoull?s tone turned bitter and he grimaced. ?They made their biggest mistake by sending me to the AgriCorps, I was a much more promising Jedi than you ever were then.?

Qui-Gon drew back, surprised by the intense hatred coming from the man before him. No doubt the Masters had sensed the darkness festering inside Trevoull even then, but underneath his anger Qui-Gon could feel an overwhelming sadness at the turn his life had taken. ?I?m sorry,? he said truthfully.

It only seemed to make the ex-Jedi angrier. ?You?re sorry?! You have no idea what it?s like to be sent off to be a farmer after you?ve trained your whole life to be a Jedi. To be sent out to tend plants while on parole to make sue you don?t misuse your powers. You have no idea what it?s like!!?

His anger fiery hot, Trevoull leaped forward and attacked even more intensely than before. Qui-Gon had to use all his strength and energy to keep the blows at bay. He called on the Force for strength, for energy, for life.

The two sabers, one green and one deep purple, met in the middle and sizzled. Trevoull glared at Qui-Gon and pushed his lightsaber against the older man?s even harder. ?One final confrontation, Jinn. And this time I won?t be the one who takes the transport to the next life.?

Qui-Gon blocked another particularly high swing and grunted in surprise as Trevoull?s boot smashed into his chest, sending him flying back. The Jedi Master called on the Force and did a back flip out of it, landing firmly facing his opponent just in time to block another blow.

There was a quick series of parries that Qui-Gon struggled to fend off. When Trevoull lounged again Qui-Gon leapt into the air and sailed over him, blade flying down to brush against and though the ex-Jedi?s side as Trevoull turned to follow him. Qui-Gon landed with saber held ready, but thee was no need.

Trevoull stopped

uh oh!! Grab Obi and run Qui!! They are coming after you!!

An unknown transport? Could it be the calvary to the rescue? I wondered who Trevoull was, but I was thinking he was a knight or padawan who had fallen to the dark side.

All right! Good fight scene, and good background to Trevoull! Is the shuttle going to rescue Qui-Gon, or will he have to fight his way through the crew to commandeer it? And how's he going to get Obi-Wan back to Coruscant without the crazed Padawan killing them both? If I understand correctly, Obi-Wan's had enough of those drugs that he really doesn't remember the truth now. Will he be dangerous, or will he just sleep through the ride home? And will the effects of the drugs be reversible? So many questions! Please post again soon, Gimpy!

Gimpy! You're here! It's been too long! And I'm still waiting for your stories back at JN. :-\ Oh well, keep this one up!

Thanks Master Gimpy, that was exciting! I'd love to see a deep- purple blade in one of the upcoming films, awesome.
Looking forward to more!

Awesome, exciting post gimpy! Qui-Gon better run like the wind and get out of there!

Looking forward to more real soon.

Go! Go, Qui-Gon! Go! Go! *stops singing* Good post! But I need more. :b

Cool post gimpy.
Now you two get going and catch the 'unkown transport'!

Hmm I agree. Just who will the on the transport? Great post!!

Thanks, all!! I have quite a bit of homework this weekend, so I'm *hoping* to have a post up tomorrow, at which time you will find out about the "unknown transport"....possibly!

yay!!

looking forward to a new post Gimpy!!

Thanks, LadyV!! Allright, I'm breaking this update up into two posts, k?

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Qui-Gon bent to pick up Obi-Wan but hesitated for a moment. He unhooked the teenager?s lightsaber from his waist and placed it on Obi-Wan?s belt. The lightsaber had been missing from its rightful owner and home for long enough.

Qui-Gon swiftly bent and scooped his unconscious Padawan up and took off at a sprint back down the corridor past the bodies of Trevoull and the guard. He headed for the ?lift and had second thoughts. Through the Force he could sense the guards massing on the floors below and had no doubt that Lenski had guessed his destination and more guards would be pouring out the ?lift any second.

Which left only one option.

Qui-Gon veered for the stairs. Up. Up, transport or no transport. He could only hope he wouldn?t have to fight every step to the controls.

The Jedi Master hurried up the steps as fast as he could, each step seeming slightly harder than the previous one. Up one floor...two...three...four. The stairs ended abruptly

Qui-Gon looked around in frustration. There had to be some way to get to the roof from this sithing level! He barged through the door separating the stair well from the rest of the floor and quickly took in the ?lift doors to his right.

Qui-Gon doubted it went higher than the stairs and wanted to avoid ?lifts ? and people ? altogether. From further down the corridor he could hear the sounds of yelling and blaster fire. What in the Force was going on?

The Jedi Master?s eyes lit up as they rested on the small door to his left marked ?roof.? He headed for it, feeling Obi-Wan begin to stir in his arms.

?Mfh.? The teenager muttered. ?Wha?? His eyes blinked open, dull and glazed over.

Qui-Gon paused. He didn?t know what was going on on top of the roof and he had no desire to carry Obi-Wan into the middle of a blaster fight. He could sense people above him, close and adrenaline racing for action. Qui-Gon set Obi-Wan gently against the wall and then pushed the door open, lightsaber in hand. He almost dropped it in surprise as he brushed the mind of someone very familiar up above. What in the Force was *he* doing here?

From out of nowhere his lightsaber was yanked from his hand by the Force and sent clattering to the floor meters behind him.

?Jiiiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn!!?

Qui-Gon whirled to see Trevoull just a couple of steps away, one hand clutched to his side and the other holding his ignited saber, face contorted in pain. He could sense the ex-Jedi slipping away even as he rushed forward, amethyst blade extended. He was dying, but he was determined to take Qui-Gon with him.

From out of nowhere Obi-Wan?s bright blue saber swept in to practically cleave Trevoull in two. Trevoull stopped in his tracks, eyes wide. He had obviously not been paying attention to the teenager, considering him too far gone to matter much. He stood there for a second, tottering to the side and then collapsing, truly dead.

Qui-Gon turned to see Obi-Wan holding his lightsaber still ignited, panting heavily as he stared down at the fallen man with eyes full of hate.

?Obi-Wan??

The teenager?s head turned slowly until his eyes focused on the Jedi Master, glazed over. No recognition. Qui-Gon watched Obi-Wan?s gaze harden, contorting with anger as he lifted the saber above his head.

Qui-Gon quickly reached out through the Force to disengage the blade. Obi-Wan dropped the useless weapon and turned to run.

//Freedom!// the stray thought passed briefly through Qui-Gon?s head. He stepped forward and grabbed Obi-Wan to keep him from escaping, pinning the teenager?s arms to his sides.

Obi-Wan snarled and tried to bite him. ?LEMMEGO! DON?T TOUCH ME!!?

//Sleep,// Qui-Gon commanded. Obi-Wan went limp in his arms and Qui-Gon called the two sabers to him before heading up the stairs to the roof.

There rested a large Republic transport and from its base rushed a group of New Republic soldiers loaded with blasters and hurrying for another stairway on the other side of the roof.

A familiar figure turned, spotted Qui-Gon and strode purposefully towards him. Mace Windu looked at him with concern. ?Are you all right, Qui-Gon??

?No.? Qui-Gon said flatly, although inwardly very relieved to see the fellow Jedi.

Mace reached out through the Force, sensed that his friend was for the most part uninjured and turned his attention to the cargo he was carrying. ?How is Obi-Wan??

?Not good, Mace.? Qui-Gon gazed down worriedly at the teenager?s pale face.

?Let?s get you two onboard the transport then, there?s an infirmary there.? Mace observed his friends? haggard expression. ?Why don?t I carry him?? he suggested.

Qui-Gon was tired but there was no way in Sith that after all he had gone through he was going to hand his padawan to someone else. ?I. Will. Carry. Him.? Qui-Gon said succinctly.

Mace shrugged. ?Suit yourself. Alert all teams that Master Jinn and his padawan are up here,? he ordered a soldier as they boarded the transport.

In the Infirmary another familiar face greeted them. ?Hello, Qui-Gon.?

//One of the few times I?ve been happy to see An-Paj,// Qui-Gon noted tiredly.

The blue-skinned Jedi Healer motioned to an empty bed and Qui-Gon gently laid Obi-Wan down. ?What happened?? An-Paj asked crisply as he placed a hand on the boy?s forehead.

?Drugs.? Qui-Gon explained tiredly. The past few days were catching up with him. ?I started purging it from his system but-?

An-Paj?s eyes had widened slowly as he examined Obi-Wan through the Force and discovered the angry tornado that was his mind but his physician?s mask slid quickly into place. ?I see. Now I?m going to give him some medication and I want you to step right over here...?

*If I hadn?t left him in the first place we wouldn?t even be here!* ?I am not leaving him, An-Paj,? Qui-Gon stated strongly.

An-Paj eyed him. ?I don?t think you understand, Qui-Gon,? he commented dryly. ?I?m not giving you a choice.? He firmly led the reluctant master to a small waiting room and pushed him into a chair.

?You can?t do this, An-Paj. I?m his Master-?

An-Paj turned to Master Windu. ?Mace, make sure he stays here. I don?t care if you have to Force-whammy him, he is not moving from that chair. Understood?? The Healer poked a finger at Qui-Gon. ?I am going to go treat Obi-Wan now, and when I?m done it will be your turn.?

Qui-Gon glared daggers at the Master Healer?s back as he walked back into the main Infirmary.

?He?s only trying to help you know,? Mace commented.

Qui-Gon rubbed the bridge of his nose. ?I know, but it would help if I were with Obi-Wan when he needs me.? He glanced curiously at the Council member. ? I forgot to ask you: what are you doing here, anyway??

Mace snorted. ?Rescuing you. What does it look like??

?I wasn?t aware I needed a rescue,? Qui-Gon replied indignantly, fully aware that he was not fooling Mace in the least.

?The Republic captured some business dealer,? Mace explained. ?He spilled everything and gave them enough information to justify an all-out arrest. Knowing what you told me before about the situation, your habit to disobey orders,? he said pointedly, ?your padawan?s tendency to injure himself and your tendency to follow your padawan?s habits, I figured I had better come along and bring An-Paj as well.?

Qui-Gon smiled gratefully as An-Paj walked back in. ?Thank you.?

Mace raised an eyebrow at the healer. ?That was fast.?

?There?s not much I can do here.? An-Paj sat down across from the two masters and placed a plate of warm food on the table between them. Qui-Gon eyed it warily. ?I gave him some medication to counteract and destroy the drugs in his system and a sedative to keep him under until we reach the Temple and he can be treated by a mind-healer. For the moment, he?s resting peacefully.?

Qui-Gon stood up. ?In that case it shou

That was good Gimpy. Poor Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan. Now be a good little Jedi and post more.

yay gimpy!!!!

darn that An-Paj is too sneaky for words, but it's the only way to get through to the stubborn one...and I'm worried about that look of pure hate in obi's eyes as he cut down Trevoll...that can't be a good thing, the mind healer is gonna have his work cut out for him on this one...

not iffy at all gimpy!

Thanks everyone!! Yeah, I had quite a bit of fun writing that last part with An-Paj!

Up!!!

Jedi Master Gimpy-
I just found this story and I love it!
You have done an awesome job....
Please post more soon
This is really good!
-S-W K

Wow! Thank you VERY much, snowbee-one-kenobi, that means a lot to me!! Let's up this sucker and see if we can't get to seventeen pages!!!!

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Maybe this will make it seventeen for Gimpy!
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Very good post by the way Gimpy.
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Okay now I'm bored so POST!
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An-Paj is so sneaky! Those last two posts were excellent! I really liked how you described both of them. Qui's search for escape and Obi's anger etc. Great posts!

Gimpy,
Very nice. Not iffy at all, IMO.

Forgive me for sounding ignorant but who is An Paj? Was this person in TPM? I saw the movie numerous times but I don't remember that name.

I could see some novels being written about the time before TPM. You could call the series...The Young Obi-Wan Chronicles? HAHAHAHA. //ROTFL

In all seriousness, this is one era that has not been explored much in the novels. Your story, Gimpy, could do well as a starting point. Keep it up.