Before - Legends The Game of Death (Qui/Obi, Angst, Hurt/Comfort) *Chapter 11* Updated 12/05/09

Chapter 5

Cold. He was freezing. Absently a hand reached for his cloak, only to be reminded that it was gone.

Obi-Wan moaned and came to his senses for the second time in as many days. His head pounded from the remnants of the sedative that they had given him but he forced it to move anyway.

A bleary glance told him he was once again secured in a small cell.

He was getting distinctly tired of that.

Remaining prone on the floor, Obi-Wan very gently began to test his body, checking it for any serious damage. As he did the results of his last activity began to themselves loudly known. He was a minefield of pulled muscles, cuts and bruises. Any movement caused him pain. He felt as if he had fallen of a cliff. Well, close, he had tangled with a Gammorean.

But thankfully there was no injuries that had the potential to incapacitate him. The Force for small mercies.

Wincing he pulled himself into a sitting position and looked round, glad that they had at least seen fit to untie his hands before loss of circulation damaged them for good.

The cell was empty of everything except himself. Plain white walls reflected the harsh light sharply into his eyes. There were no windows to the outside world and only one exit. But rather than a door this opening was barred by a force field, allowing the guards to see everything he was doing within the room.

No chance of taking them by surprise, Obi-Wan thought grimly.

So this was it, then. He had fought and lost and now he was a prisoner in this fortress, or what ever it was. He had no idea how he was going to get out of it. He was Force-blind, his lightsaber was gone and between him and his freedom stood impenetrable walls, forcefields and heavens knew how many armed guards. Then there was the endless frozen wasteland to deal with beyond that.

Oh, Force, what was he going to do?

Obi-Wan dropped his aching head into his hands as hopelessness washed over him.

He wished his Master was here. When Qui-Gon was next to him nothing ever seemed impossible to overcome. He sorely needed his Master's serene presence now.

On impulse Obi-Wan reached into the inner pocket of his ragged tunic and drew out the object that always resided there. Running his fingers over the smooth surface, he gazed at the river stone. The faint red veins winked silently up at him as the light caught its black depths, as if in greeting.

Obi-Wan smiled at it grimly. Force bound as he was he couldn't sense the rock?s small Force-signature but just the mere sight of it comforted him somewhat. It reminded him that the Force was still there. Like the sun riding above the clouds on a stormy day, it was still there.

He just had to rid himself of this damned collar first.

He didn?t know how he was going to accomplish that yet, but, where there was life there was hope.

Obi-Wan drew a deep steadying breath.

And he was still very much alive.

?Awake, my little Jedi?? a voice said behind him.

Quickly Obi-Wan shoved his stone back into his pocket. He didn't want it to be discovered and taken from him.

Slowly he rose to his feet and turned round, getting his first good look at Sonu.
The apparent leader of this group stared at him through the hazy blue shield of energy. Gloating.

Obi-Wan stared right back.

The man was short but very stocky with shoulders like a bantha. Dark hair covered a round head framing flinty, calculating eyes that indicated a cunning intellect.

And those eyes were studying him no less openly.

?I'd've thought such a fearsome warrior as a Jedi would be taller, boy,? he said, thin lips twitching in amusement.

What!

?Sorry to disappoint you,? Obi-Wan said evenly. If this man thought fearsome reputations went on size alone then he knew of a certain green Master who would be only to happy to change his opinion. Not that fighting made one great, of course.

?But no matter,? Sonu continued, ?from what I saw outside, it will make little difference. Which is well, for you will need all of that i

 

Awesome update! I'm so glad that you've returned to this story! Poor Obi-Wan. He seems be in a bit of a mess right now. I can't wait to read what happens next!

 

Poor peaceful Obi-Wan now he has to fight and kill.
Let someone safe him.

Great story and great update and thanks for the PM

 

Oh, great, an update, what a lovely way to start the morning.

?I'd've thought such a fearsome warrior as a Jedi would be taller, boy,? he said, thin lips twitching in amusement.

What!

?Sorry to disappoint you,? Obi-Wan said evenly. If this man thought fearsome reputations went on size alone then he knew of a certain green Master who would be only to happy to change his opinion. Not that fighting made one great, of course.

I loved that, obviously.

A cold smile flickered across his captor's face. ?Who said I was going to do anything to you, my boy? Like I said you are to valuable and I know that as a Jedi you are trained not fear any threats to yourself. But what of others?? he let the words hang for a few terrible seconds. ?I have a lot of prisoners here, Jedi. Others that are not so valuable. So shall we say? for each time you do not comply with my wishes one of them will die by my guards? hand.? His cunning gaze rested upon the Jedi. ?So consider carefully, you can either compete with other warriors in a fair match, or an innocent bystander will lose their life. What's it to be, Kenobi? You are taught to protect the innocent, are you not??

Despite himself Sonu had to fight not to take a step back from the suddenly dangerous ice blue eyes glaring at him from behind the force-field. He quickly covered his unease with a sickly grin. ?The choice is yours. I'll give you a couple of days to recover from your little escapade outside the gates, then for my prisoners' sake, I hope you will have changed your mind.?

With that he turned and left, leaving only the empty air to bear Obi-Wan?s gaze.

The young Jedi stood in the stunned silence that the man left in his wake, the ultimatum hanging like a lead weight around his neck.

What in the Force was he going to do? Slowly he let his trembling knees unlock and sank back to the cool floor, burying his face in his hands. His heart in more turmoil than he had known in a long time.

Ah, we all know Obi-Wan will fight. He couldn't not fight. He would do almost anything to protect others. The question is, if he thinks his opponents are not willing participants, will he allow himself to lose, or find a way not to kill if the fight is to the death?

 

Wow! So glad to see this updated!

Love your descriptions, as always:
He was a minefield of pulled muscles, cuts and bruises.

I also loved the part about the river stone. Maybe when he touches it, Qui-gon will feel something in the Force? (Grasping at straws here, anything to help Obi get out of this mess....)

Typical that the captors would give Obi-Wan such a horrible set of choices. Grrrrr.

Will be waiting eagerly to see how this goes forward.

Thanks again for updating!!

-ratna

 

Oh poor Obi-Wan he will be forced to fight,
lets hope they take off his collar to fight
and then he can send a message to Qui-Gon

thanks for the update.

 

nooo!
obi will forced to fight,or not????
i guess we will find out
i like this gladiator thing ,you are doing a great job.
thanks for the PM

 

Wow...
Nice touch there, using the innocents to try to get Obi to cooperate
I am glad he is alive though and we know he will be able to contact Qui-Gon
some how so that's good!

I am dying to see what will happen now!

Please add me to you PM list!

 

?I'd've thought such a fearsome warrior as a Jedi would be taller, boy,? he said, thin lips twitching in amusement.

What!
I liked that!

I also loved the scene with the rock - very nice!

Thanks for the PM

 

Well, this is a really thrilling adventure , and I liked very much the last update!

Please, continue, I´m anxious to know how is Obi-Wan going to manege his moral dilemma.

 

Poor Obi! That's so unfair! I wonder if they're going to remove the force supressant when he fights. Then maybe he could do a Jedi mindtrick to make them believe that the fight went the way they want?

?Sorry to disappoint you,? Obi-Wan said evenly. If this man thought fearsome reputations went on size alone then he knew of a certain green Master who would be only to happy to change his opinion. Not that fighting made one great, of course.



Great post and thanks for the PM! Sorry about the trouble pm-ing me. I'm still trying to get that fixed!

 

You've captured Obi-Wan perfectly here!


?I'd've thought such a fearsome warrior as a Jedi would be taller, boy,? he said, thin lips twitching in amusement.

What!

?Sorry to disappoint you,? Obi-Wan said evenly. If this man thought fearsome reputations went on size alone then he knew of a certain green Master who would be only to happy to change his opinion. Not that fighting made one great, of course.

 

Hi, folks, next chapter has landed.

I continue to apologise for the slow updates. But I've recently had to sit through the annual work induction, so I was able to get down to some serious daydreaming


Chapter 6


Obi-Wan guessed that a full day had passed before the guards approached his cell again.

He spent the time sat on the floor. His river stone wrapped tightly in his palm. It seemed to have become a permanent fixture there over the past hours, an island of calm as he wrestled with his predicament.

But one thing was certain. He would not allow innocent people to be killed because of him. He would have to fight.

Obi-Wan turned the situation over in his mind. Sonu had said that he had to defeat others in the contests, but that did not mean the defeats had to be fatal.

That knowledge gave him some degree of comfort. He only hoped that it would be enough.

But before any further worries could invade his mind, he noticed four burly men with blasters approaching his cell, the first and foremost carried a set of binders in his meaty fist.

Obi-Wan could make a good guess at who they were for.

Expecting trouble, the young Jedi stood, tense and ready, as the force field to his cell was lowered.

Despite their obvious advantage, and to Obi-Wan?s grim amusement, the men seemed almost nervous to be within ten paces of him. Their blasters were held in a white knuckled grip as if expecting him to explode into motion at any second.

Force-bound or not his actions at the gate had obviously earned him a reputation. News travelled fast here it seemed.

?You?re coming with us, Jedi,? the guard holding the binders ordered.

?Why?? Obi-Wan asked warily.

?Sonu?s orders,? the man snapped, annoyed by the back chat. ?We can?t have you cluttering up our cells when they may be needed for other things. Now stand there and don?t move.? The guard came forward and pulled Obi-Wan?s arms behind his back, fixing the binders securely in place.

The Padawan gave him no fight over it. Better to go willingly on his own feet than be stunned unconscious and slung unceremoniously over a guard?s shoulder. He had no doubt that that would be the case if he resisted, and the end results would only be the same.

Job done the lead guard pushed Obi-Wan towards the door. ?Now walk,? he ordered.

Obi-Wan obeyed, following two of the guards from the cell while the remaining two fell into position behind him.

?Where are you taking me?? Obi-Wan ventured, wanting an answer but not really expecting to get one.

?To where the other slaves are kept,? the head guard answered shortly. ?Unusual really. Sonu doesn?t normally place his more valuable fighters in with that lesser rabble.? The man gave Obi-Wan a wicked glance. ?In my opinion I think he just wants you to see the people in line for execution if you disobey his wishes.?

Obi-Wan closed his mouth and turned from the guard in disgust. He did not wish to know any more.

They need not have bothered. If Sonu knew Jedi like he thought he did, he should have known that Obi-Wan would fight to save people, whether he saw them or not.

Silently he raged against this trap he was caught in.

The corridors were wide and high but dimly lit. A cold draft was a constant presence.

The guards led him on a winding path that was almost impossible to memorise, the floor tilted ever downwards and the air grew steadily colder until Obi-Wan realised they must now be underground.

The freezing temperature seeped into the young Jedi?s bones making him acutely aware of all his acquired aches and pains.

But as Obi-Wan started to seriously wish for a thicker tunic, the little procession made a last turn in the wide corridor and the Padawan had to hold back an involuntary gasp. Before them, looming dimly through the half light, stood a pair of black iron doors whose sheer size would have put the main entrance of the Jedi Temple to shame.

They frowned through the gloom, forbidding any further passage. Stopping at their mighty feet Obi-Wan fel

 

Sonu is really a right bastard!

I can't wait for when Obi escapes and defeats him...
though from the way things stand it seems as if that
will be a long time in coming...


what a shame...
]]Thanks for the PM

 

What a horrible place. Plus not letting the families go when the people they've loved are dead is really a terrible fate.

Good job with the set up and descriptions. Looking forward to more.

 

DUDE Sonu is such a jerk~! Poor Obi-Wan though, so sad that all those families are there and their loved ones are gone. Makes me want to kick Sonu grrrrr?.

Other than great writing a set up for a even deeper plot. I am very much so looking forward to more and I hope more comes soon. GAH I need more chapters.

Oh and Uppers ^_^

 

If Sonu knew Jedi like he thought he did, he should have known that Obi-Wan would fight to save people, whether he saw them or not.

Excellent point!

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I really like your descriptions:

The freezing temperature seeped into the young Jedi's bones making him acutely aware of all his acquired aches and pains.

... ...

A great sea of beings, Ragged and starving.

---------------------------------

They frowned through the gloom, forbidding any further passage.

Nice pesonification on the doors!!

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"Wait!" Obi-Wan called out suddenly. The old man halted. "How did you end up here?"

The man kept his back turned but Obi-Wan saw his shoulders slump, making him appear even smaller, even more defeated. He suddenly wished he hadn't asked the hasty question. There was a long silence, then in a whisper Obi-Wan barely detected, the old one answered, "My son." And without another glance he shuffled away, leaving the Jedi standing by his cot, alone and sick at heart.

I can just imagine. And I'm sure that Obi-Wan is imagining. He will have to kill someone's son ... or father ... or husband ... or brother ...
Not just to stay alive, but to save others left in this pit. What a conundrum of compassion!

... Where's Qui-Gon?

 

What a terrible and bleak place!
It´s going to be difficult and anguishing for Obi-Wan to find a way for saving those poor people lives without killing other slave fighters... I´m anxious to read more!

 

Awesome update. The descriptions were wonderful! Although I am feeling bad for Obi-Wan at the moment. Hopefully he gets through to Qui soon!

 

Poor Obi-Wan is getting in deeper and deeper, I hope Qui-Gon finds him soon. Before he has to kill too many people.
Great update.

 

Thanks a lot for the PM!
I'm so glad you are updating this regularly now

Poor Obi-Wan - and poor families of those who have to fight in the Kralti.
I hope that the Jedi (Qui-Gon to the rescue!) will help them soon!

 

Poor Obi-Wan, let Qui-Gon and the Jedi come and rescue them all

 

Excellent update!

The old man paused. ?They?re the families of those chosen,? he replied finally. ?Sonu seems to think that their presence will motivate his captives. If they refuse to fight their families will be put to death. But if they win then they and their loved ones can go free. But as of yet no competitor has returned from the pits, and the families are left here to rot. Well here we are, lad.?

The sudden change took Obi-Wan aback and he saw that his unexpected guide had stopped next to an unoccupied cot.

?There you are,? he wheezed and turned to go back the way he had come, alone. ?If it?ll do you any good, I wish you luck .?

?Wait!? Obi-Wan called out suddenly. The old man halted. ?How did you end up here??

The man kept his back turned but Obi-Wan saw his shoulders slump, making him appear even smaller, even more defeated. He suddenly wished he hadn?t asked the hasty question. There was a long silence, then in a whisper Obi-Wan barely detected, the old one answered, ?My son.? And without another glance he shuffled away, leaving the Jedi standing by his cot, alone and sick at heart.

 

loved it. can not wait for the next post.

 

Ugh poor Obi Wan

Sonu is evil i hope he gets what's coming to him very soon

Thanks a lot for the pm and the wonderful update... cant wait to see what hapens next! i hope Obi gets rescued soon