The Price of Sacrifice {Obi-Wan, Anakin -- Angst, AU} |COMPLETE 11-11-03|

I don;t know if I'll last that long...just too tired. So I'll probably catch you tomorrow-meaning Friday. My rule is that I don't care what the clock or calendar say, It is always tonight when I go to bed and tomorrow when I wake up.

 

Here it is: Short but definitely not sweet

 

?Ok, and that should mean what to me?? Solo asked as he continued to work on the preflight.

?It means, that that woman is a danger to every living thing in this galaxy, and that?? before he finished his sentence, Obi-Wan was off and running down the narrow hallway leading to the crew cabins.

Solo, intrigued by the Jedi?s obvious distress, just barely made out the last of what the Knight had said. ? ?and that I?ve left her alone with my Padawan.?

*********************************************


Anakin didn?t know if he was dreaming, or if he was awake. All he knew was that he kept reliving those few moments in the hallway, over and over and over. He was looking for a way things could?ve ended differently, trying to see if there was anyway he could?ve kept so many from dying.

He remembered Obi-Wan giving him a strong Force suggestion to sleep, but as usual, Anakin was able to pass it off. It had been a few years since his Master had been able to use the Force compulsions on him, but he knew that Obi-Wan didn?t know that. Anakin had seen no reason to notify his Master of the fact.

After Obi-Wan had left the room, he had tried to center and at least achieve some peace through meditation, but it wasn?t working. Anakin was too upset to allow the Force to calm him. He would?ve tried to review one of the datapads in his bag but his luggage, along with his Master?s, had been lost in the struggle with the Caradonian dissidents.

He had just decided to join his Master in the cockpit, regardless of the fact it would reveal that the Force compulsion didn?t work, when he heard the door to his cabin open. Reaching out with the Force, he could immediately determine it was not his Master, nor was it Captain Solo. Before he could retract the tendril of Force he had extended to identify his guest, it was grabbed and pulled inexorably towards the darkened figure now standing over his bed. Frightened, Anakin struggled even more to pull away from the connection that was forming. It seemed that the harder he pulled, the more resistance he met and the stronger the connection became.

After one particularly brutal tug, Anakin felt himself falling deeply into the mind of the figure above him. Images flashed before his mind, battles fought and blood shed, a young girl running with no real hope of escape, a dark figure looming over a cowering young woman.

Just before the connection broke, Anakin saw the most disturbing image of all: a presence of pure evil, striking his Master down with a blood red lightsaber.

*********************************************

?A Jedi Master feels no fear, a Jedi Master knows no anger, a Jedi Master feels no fear?? Obi-Wan continued the mantra in his head during his headlong rush down the corridor. Despite the message he was trying to convince his mind of, Obi-Wan was scared, and he was angry.

Angry at Solo for bringing a Sith on board, angry at the Sith for being a Sith and being in league with the man that had killed his Master, angry with himself for allowing Anakin to be put in such a defenseless position. But above all, fear. Fear that he wouldn?t get to his apprentice in time, and fear that he would lose another to a Sith, just like Qui-Gon.

Bursting through the door of his Padawan?s cabin, Obi-Wan hesitated only long enough to feel the incredibly powerful wave of terror radiating off his apprentice before he brought the hilt of his lightsaber down on the head of the figure hovering over Anakin.

 

What's the Sith doing to Ani???

Please post more. And yes, I will beg.

 

Unfortunately, my muse went AWOL in the middle of my last post (hence the length), so I am not really sure what happens next...

One thing I have learned though, is things are not always what they seem...

(Sidenote: I really seem to have a thing for (...) I need a new way of expressing myself! )

 

I totally sympathize with the muse thing. I often find myself at a total loss when I'm writing something. But it goes away, sooner or later.
Post when you can!

 

Unfortunately, my muse went AWOL in the middle of my last post

EEEK! Say it isn't so. [face_shocked]

And the Council's little plan to take care of Ani? That's just mean especially since they are killin Obi-Wan to do it.

Keep up the good work!

 

must have more!

This is going great and I need to find out what this Sith is up to!

 

Hi - just found your story, and it's great! Looking VERY forward to more. Thanks for sharing it with us.

 

Thanks red_rose_knight and Arwen-Jade_Kenobi ! And welcome to Shaindl !


Here's another post, early but still short. It's amazing the things I will do to avoid packing

 

Stepping over the unconscious woman now decorating the floor of the cabin, Obi-Wan immediately reached out to Anakin. It was an impulse engendered in all guardians throughout time, a touch to be sure that his ?child? was safe and whole.

Obi-Wan?s emotions were still a storm, but the relief upon contact with his shaken apprentice was most prevalent. When he had suddenly connected the vaguely familiar woman to the planet of Navira, he realized who she was: Ellana, servant to the Sith that had nearly killed him.

As the connection was made, he became aware of two things. First, Ellana was not Force-blind, as he had erroneously assumed back on Navira; and second, Anakin, the boy he had just given an extremely powerful sleep suggestion to, was awake.

Realizing that Ellana must have awakened his apprentice for some nefarious purpose, the young Master had wasted no time in bursting into the darkened cabin and removing the threat to Anakin?s safety.

After assuring himself of Anakin?s well being, he would have to make a decision about what to do with the Sith lying insensate before him. It was obvious that a sleep compulsion would be useless; though he did wonder why it had worked on Navira. Perhaps she had allowed him to think it had worked, just as she had hidden her Force signature?

Whatever the cause of his earlier confusion, it was now apparent that she was highly Force-sensitive and that she was clearly a threat to him and his Padawan. The Sith would have to be handled cautiously and taken immediately to Coruscant. The Jedi Council would need to question the young woman, and possibly remove her as a threat to the galaxy at large.

*********************************************

When he felt the arms close around him, Anakin?s first impulse was to flee. Before he could muster the energy to do so, however, he recognized the warm presence that was his Master. Obi-Wan had his arms wrapped around Anakin, using his own body and mind as a shield between the Padawan and the Sith.

The abrupt disruption of the connection that had formed between the fallen woman and the apprentice had disoriented Anakin, and he was extremely grateful that Obi-Wan was using his own personal shields to help protect the Padawan. Anakin?s shields were in much the same state as the rest of the young man: disorganized, chaotic and confused. Realizing the strain he must be placing on Obi-Wan in making the young Master shelter both their tumbling emotions, Anakin began to withdraw his mind from his Masters, preparing to rebuild his own shields.

?Anakin, don?t?? Obi-Wan breathed softly as he continued to hold his apprentice. The Jedi Master could feel the exhaustion radiating off of his young charge. It had been a most difficult day for the inexperienced apprentice, and it was obvious that these last few moments had completely taxed the young boy. ?I will continue to shield for us both until you can get some rest,? Obi-Wan continued, finally releasing Anakin enough to sit back on his heels and look the Padawan in the face.

?Yes Master,? Anakin responded in the only way he could, lowering his gaze. Obi-Wan gently lifted his chin up where it had fallen to his chest.

?Get some rest young Padawan. I will be attending to business,? at the last, Obi-Wan glanced down disdainfully at the still unconscious Ellana, ?but if you need me, do not hesitate to call for me.?

?Yes Master? Anakin responded once more, as Obi-Wan helped him to settle on the sleep couch. As his eyes drifted shut from the sleep compulsion that he chose not to fight this time, Anakin briefly wondered if he should tell his Master of the visions he had seen. Deciding to wait until he was more aware, Anakin drifted off into a deep and dreamless rest.

*********************************************

Solo was curious as to what the Jedi Master was up to, but he knew that Ellana could more than take care of herself. \It?s been awhile since someone could get me quite so? flustered\ he admitted to himself as he finished the preflight and began to

 

I woke up to some wonderful posts this morning. Glad to see Obi-Wan got there in time to protect Anakin (for now).

 

CalaisKenobi, I haven't abandoned your posts nor do I feel neglected by you. Unfortunately, I've been away from the computer--totally unable to post or find out what Obi-Wan and Anakin are going through! But, my despair turned into immeasurable joy upon finding so many chapters to read!

But to the story . . .

Having been spared so many of the cliff-hangers, yet left to wonder how deep the Sith connection is imbedded.

I love seeing Obi-Wan in action and yet, still watch his paternal side in his regard to Anakin!

Obi-Wan most definitely ROCKS!

 

Obi-Wan is god. Hee!

The clone wallaby army is in place, CK. If replies are ever unsatisfactory...

 

Whoo hoo! Another postie. You spoil us. But I don't mind.

Poor shaken Ani, tell your master what happened! Solo, stop thinking with your pants, that's just going to get everyone into more trouble.

So does this mean your muse is back?

 

Obi-Wan being paternal is so cute

Hopefully the Sith will stay unconscious, and Solo won't do something stupid for the sake of his lady.

Keep posting!

 

Paternal Obi is awfully cute isn't he? But then again, when is Obi-Wan not cute?

Thanks for all the replies... no wallaby clone armies necessary at the time being

 

Solo had just finished setting the autopilot for the jump to hyperspace, when he decided to seek out his feisty young passenger once more. He normally would not leave the cockpit of his ship, even when it was safely ensconced in hyperspace, but the appeal of spending time with the beautiful woman outweighed his usual sense of caution.

\If I didn?t know better, I?d swear she bewitched me\ the pilot thought ruefully as he exited the cockpit. He had hoped to spend some more time with her before the transport reached Navira, but instead found himself trying to revive the young woman from a deep unconsciousness.

Exiting the cockpit, he had immediately noticed her draped over one of the benches in the main cabin. Intending to wake her, and offer her the use of one of the more comfortable sleep couches in the cabins, he was surprised when he could not rouse her.

He just noticed the darkening bruise on her temple, when he felt the presence of someone behind him. ?Don?t bother trying to wake her, she will not regain consciousness until we reach Coruscant,? the Knight stated, staring down at the crouched pilot.

Shooting to his feet, Solo whirled around to glare at the young Jedi. ?Just what exactly did you do to her? Is that some new tenant of the Jedi Code, that it?s okay to attack unarmed and defenseless women??

?I did not attack her, and as I have explained, she is far from defenseless. She was trying to harm my Padawan and I had no choice but to render her unconscious. I?ve also given her a heavy dose of several sedatives, so be assured, she will not awaken anytime soon,? Obi-Wan responded, refusing to back down from the significantly taller, irate Correllian.

?What do you mean, ?until we reach Coruscant?? I told you, we are going to Navira first,? Solo argued, becoming more and more infuriated by the unperturbed calm of the man in front of him.

?No, we are reporting directly to Coruscant, and directly to the Jedi Council. And yes, I mean ?we,?? The Jedi responded, with a look that dared the pilot to argue.

Solo, for his part, was not willing to simply let the Knight have his way. ?This is my ship, and it is going to Navira. And when we get to Navira, you and your apprentice are going to have to find your own transport to Coruscant, ?cause I don?t want you on my ship anymore. I don?t allow anyone, Jedi or no Jedi, on my ship who attacks defenseless women.?

Sighing heavily, Obi-Wan reached up and lightly massaged his temples. ?We are going to Coruscant, and you are taking us there. Only the Healer?s at the Temple are going to be able to wake your little friend, so taking her to Navira is pointless. Now, I am going to retire and attempt to meditate until my Padawan awakens. I suggest you reset the coordinates for Coruscant, and then remain in the cockpit until you can think with something other than your? instincts,? the Jedi Master stated, allowing the pilot no retort as he turned and walked briskly to the passenger cabins where his apprentice rested.

Taking one last look at the woman stretched out over the bench, Solo spun on his heel and stormed back to the cockpit Setting the coordinates for Coruscant, Solo then leaned back in his chair, bracing his feet on the flight board in front of him. \We?ll just see who?s going to be reporting to that high and mighty Council of yours\ Solo thought, hoping just once that the Jedi would be able to read his mind.

*********************************************

Anakin woke with the greatest headache he had ever experienced in his short life. Part of it could be attributed to the dual sleep compulsions he had been given, and another substantial portion could be traced to the broken contact with the Sith?s mind. The majority, however, had nothing to do with any external influence.

Anakin?s mind was simply overflowing with thoughts and suspicions, almost as if his mind were a file cabinet with too many drawers open at once, unbalancing him. He could still feel the images from the connection with Ellana, and he was also still relivi

 

Anakin had to figure it out at some time, just didn;t expect the force to show him. Can't wait to see Solo's reaction when the beautiful enchantress is revealed to be a wicked witch.

 

if i didn't know better i would say that the council was afraid, fearfull.

 

They sure are pessimistic. They're totally sure that Anakin WILL turn, and want it to happen sooner rather than later.

CalaisKenobi: KEEP POSTING!!!

 

the plot thickens...



-_dparis

 

Wow! 2 New readers! Welcome Jacen200015 and dparis ! And as always thanks to all of you other wonderful, beautiful readers out there!

Jacen200015 I agree completely, the Council does seem to be a bit fearful don't they... curious...



In celebration of 2 new readers, and in thanks to all the faithful readers out there, here's a post! (I didn't plan on posting again tonight, but how can I refuse when ya'll are just so great)

: CK, AKA Queen Smoozer:

 

Luckily, when the damaged dampener finally decided to crack completely, it did not cease functioning all at once. For if it had, all of the passengers, Jedi-reflexes or not, would have been reduced to permanent bulkhead decorations. Instead, the dampener fluctuated enough to throw the ship out of hyperspace before it finally quit functioning all together. Though the ride was anything but pleasant, the three passengers and one very angry pilot were spared any fatal injury.

Obi-Wan had retired to the main cabin once more, presumably to keep an eye on his ?prisoner.? Although he was certain that she would remain unconscious for at least the length of time it took to reach the capital planet of the Republic, Obi-Wan did not become a Jedi Master without learning never to rely on assumptions.

He had just settled onto the opposite bench when a warning from the Force gave him just enough time to brace himself and the unconscious woman across from him. He may not have wanted her to be awake, but he did most certainly want her alive to stand before the Jedi Council. Bracing himself with his physical strength, he used his Force strength to hold Ellana to her bench. He also spared a tendril of energy to assure that both Solo and Anakin would not be hurt.

His ministrations to the others proved invaluable, as they all escaped barely wounded, while Obi-Wan Kenobi lay stretched across the main cabin aisle, bleeding profusely from the deep gash above his left eyebrow.

*********************************************

If he hadn?t been so disturbed by his sudden expulsion from his meditative state, Anakin may have been able to recognize the feel of the failing dampener before it completely gave out. Jedi were considered among the most skilled mechanics in the galaxy, and there wasn?t another Jedi who came close to the talent Anakin held.

The combination of his innate technical skill, and his still developing gift of prognostication allowed the Padawan to see future problems before they had even begun to develop. And, although he had not been able to prevent the damaged dampener from giving out, Anakin knew within milliseconds of the Force warning what part of the transport was damaged and just how badly.

With that knowledge, the apprentice was already well on his way to the maintenance bay before the ship had even come to a full stop. The initial drop from hyperspace had slowed him, but not by much.

*********************************************

Cursing loudly in several languages, Captain Solo fought to bring the ship to a full stop. The sudden exit from hyperspace had caught him by surprise as none of the ship?s sensors had picked up on the malfunction until it was already too late.

Solo had been momentarily startled by the invisible restraints that had held him to the pilot?s chair during the ship?s wild contortions, but he quickly recognized them as having been generated by at least one of the Jedi. Although he was grateful for the intervention, as it had probably saved his life, Solo was also angry that the Jedi had simply taken the liberty of restraining him, instead of trying to do something to warn the pilot.

Solo knew there was probably nothing he could have done to stop the ship from tearing so rapidly from the tunnels of hyperspace, but it didn?t stop him from being disgruntled at the cavalier attitude of the Jedi. As he finally succeeded in stopping the wild ride of the ship, Solo took a brief moment to get a lock on their coordinates. Luckily, the navcomp had managed to expel them in a relatively empty part of space, rather than right into the path of a planet.

Recognizing the coordinates immediately, Solo breathed a sigh of relief that they were within only a short distance from a Republic-friendly planet, and that it was a planet he had recently become well acquainted with: Navira.

*********************************************

Anakin may have been a mechanical genius, but not even he could repair the cracked dampener. The only way the ship would enter hyperspace

 

What was Anakin thinking???

And now Obi-Wan is unconscious, and he's the only one of the lot that realizes how dangerous Ellana is!

Keep posting!