To Protect and Defend -- JA with Qui-torture and Obi-angst

I like that last statement by Kern. Good post! Not disappointing at all!

 

In his sleep, Obi-Wan tossed and turned. In his dreams, he saw his master chained to a chair. Qui-Gon?s hand was tied so that it was held open, palm up. As Obi-Wan watched, Qui-Gon?s hand burst into flame. ?Help me, Obi-Wan! Why did you leave me? Why don?t you help me? How could you desert me??

Through the sound of his master?s anguished cries, Obi-Wan heard another voice firmly calling his name. Awakening, he saw Master Windu standing beside him.

Embarrassed by waking Master Windu, by the tears flowing unchecked down his cheeks, Obi-Wan turned his face to the wall. ?Sorry,? was all he could manage to mumble.

?I?m worried about him, too,? came the surprisingly soft reply. ?We?ll find him, Obi-Wan.?

The unexpected kindness caused the vulnerable young man to lose control. ?It?s all my fault,? Obi-Wan sobbed, his face still towards the wall. ?I never should have left him. None of this would have happened if only I?d . . . ?

?You did the only thing you could have done. Defenseless people were depending on you. It was your duty to protect them,? Mace interrupted in a firm, but gentle voice. He put a comforting hand on Obi-Wan?s shoulder. ?Qui-Gon is far from defenseless. He?ll take care of himself until we get there. We will find him.? He said the last in a confident tone, as if stating something as obviously true as planets are round. ?Get some rest.?

Mace returned to his own room. He hoped his words about Qui-Gon were true.

 

I, too was happy to see a gentler, more compassionate side of Mace. I just hope they find Qui in time. I feel sorry when those slave owners face the wrath of 3 righteously indignant Jedi. Go get em guys!

 

Good that Mace is so compassionate. Being anything else would only make things worse. I liked the way Qui-Gon and the others escaped. Will their plan work, or will they be captured again?

 

I never picked Mace Windu to have a compassionate side, but it works Will they reach Qui-Gon and the others in time ?

 

Not a good dream for Obi, but good for us angst freeks.

I hope Qui-Gon uses all of his jedi skills to keep from being recaptured.

 

Great posts!
Hopefully it won't take too long for Obi-Wan to be reunited with Qui-Gon.

 

Thank you all for your comments, especially about Mace. I think that Mace often gets a bad rep because of the way he rejected Anakin in TPM. Yes, I think he is the type that believes in following the letter of the law, but I don't believe he would ignore the spirit of the Jedi Code. And, he was right about Anakin.

Here's the next bit. Almost to the end of our Journey. I have started my next story "Traditions" that will have some lovely Obi-toture and Qui-angst in it , I'll try to have it ready to post by the time this one ends.

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?They?re everywhere,? Marla said in disgust, handing the flimsy to Qui-Gon. ?Posted on the sides of buildings, fences, all around the spaceport.? Their food supplies having run out the day before, Marla had gone foraging on the theory that she was the least conspicuous of the three.

Studying the flimsy, Qui-Gon commented, ?Well, it certainly explains why the search for us seems to have increased in intensity. The reward for our capture is considerable. Chavin is offering twice the credits for a live capture than he is for a confirmed kill.?

?Somehow I don?t find that very comforting,? Kern said. ?So any ideas about what to do next? I doubt we?ll be able to get anywhere near the spaceport without being spotted.?

?I have an idea that will depend on that. It?s risky, but at this point I think its our best chance,? Qui-Gon began. ?Can either of you hotwire and pilot a ship??

Kern nodded. ?I was part of the engineering crew on a space liner, before pirates captured us. Shouldn?t take me more than a few minutes to get a ship started and off the ground. But the question is, how are we going to get on a ship??

?I will create a distraction. You and Marla will sneak aboard a ship in the confusion and lift off.? Qui-Gon instructed. ?As soon as you can, contact the authorities. I will give you the com codes that will give you direct access to those who can move against this place.?

?What about you? How will you avoid capture? You?ll be throwing your life away,? protested Marla.

Motioning slightly with his right hand, Qui-Gon said in a calm, Forceful voice, ?I will be fine. Don?t worry about me. Concentrate on your escape and contacting the authorities.?

Kern and Marla echoed, ?You will be fine. We will concentrate on our escape and contact the authorities.?

Qui-Gon disliked using the mind trick on his companions, but he did not want to spend the energy arguing with them. This was the best chance not only for the two of them to escape to safety, but also to alert the Republic about the location of Chavin?s slave gladiator arena. Qui-Gon would trust the Force that everything would work out.

 

Oh man, greencat! You are killing me with the suspense of this story! Great post!

 

Almost to the end of our journey? You're not saying that this story is scheduled to end anytime soon, are you? NOO!

What's Qui-Gon's plan, then?

 

That was great

 

Awesome post greencat!

 

Just one more post after this one. I have the first posts for my next story ready (Carra, Drew & Ryss are back) but I won't be able to post as regularly as I have been for the first two stories. My mom had to have emergency quintuple by-pass surgery Thursday and I've been a bit busy with that. I'm going to be helping my dad and my sisters take tare of her when she gets home from the hospital and my folks don't have a computer at their house. I'll only be getting back to my house every couple days, so posts on the new story will probably be somewhat irregular. Hope you all will be patient with the irregularities. While waiting in the hospital the plot bunny for a fourth story came to keep me company -- it has a metaphysical slant to it. Must be the hospital atmosphere.

My, what a huge amount of rambling. There should be warning signs on computers about posting when sleep deprived. I'll stop now and post the next to the last part of this story.

Thanks for reading!

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?This is the right system!? Obi-Wan said excitedly. ?I can feel Master Qui-Gon near.?

?You?re sure, Padawan Kenobi?? asked Mace.

?Positive. Something else . . . ? Obi-Wan stretched out his senses into the Force, trying to hear what it was telling him. ?Master Windu, I think we need to hurry.?

?Take the controls,? Mace instructed. ?Set us down close to where you sense your master.?

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The plan had worked, perhaps too well. A large crowd of beings were now pursuing Qui-Gon. A few of them had turned back when their ship left without them. At least Kern and Marla had made it away. If the Force was with them, soon the Republic Forces would be shutting down the obscenity of the gladiator arena.

His pursuers had finally gotten the bright idea to start shooting at him. Apparently they had decided the smaller reward for his dead body was better than no reward at all.
A sharp burning in his side alerted Qui-Gon he had failed to dodge all of the blaster shots. He began to look for a place to turn and fight. He had reached the end. The end of his endurance, the end of his time. That was all right with Qui-Gon. He was not going to be taken again. No more defenseless people would be harmed or killed because of him. His one regret was Obi-Wan. He was sorry he would not see his Padawan grow into the Jedi he knew that the young man would become.

Up ahead there was a narrow dead end alley. It would force his pursuers to come at him only a few at a time. He had no intentions of being captured, had no real hope of escaping, but there was no reason to make it easy. Qui-Gon turned to make his last stand. The beings chasing him paused when he turned, then raised their blasters.

?Master!? A sliver cylinder came arcing over the heads of the beings facing him. Reaching up, Qui-Gon caught it effortlessly. The blue blade sprang to life as red bolts shot towards him, only to be reflected back towards their origins. The snap hiss of another lightsaber sounded. With a Force enhanced flip, Mace landed by Qui-Gon?s side, his lightsaber joining with Qui-Gon?s to deflect the blaster bolts. The beings, realizing they would not be collecting any reward, fled.

Obi-Wan reached his master?s side in time to catch him as he slumped forward, the last of his strength finally gone.

 

Finally caught up with this story...whew! Nice job Greencat!

 

Oh, thank you for ending the torturous suspense. Now for some mush? *Looks around hopefully*

 

Oooooh..i could go for some mush toooooo...PLEASEEEEEEEE!

 

My Mom is home ! She's feeling fine, just gets tired very easily.

Speaking of people coming home and the resulting mush . . . here's the last post. I very much appreciate everyone who has read and responded to this story! I'll post the first part of Traditions right after I post this. I hope you will wander over there and check it out.

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Qui-Gon was extremely annoyed. The Healers at the Temple had insisted that he remain in the med-unit. The damage the blaster bolt had done to his side and the last of the injuries from his beating were nearly healed. It was completely unnecessary to keep him captive here.

Qui-Gon could feel his Padawan?s amusement. Obi-Wan had not left his side since he and Mace had found him. It had been Obi-Wan who had carried him to their ship, tending to his injuries as they made the journey back to the Temple. That his master had recovered enough to be irritated seemed to put the young man in a very good mood. ?I fail to see what is so amusing about the situation, Padawan.?

?Turn about is fair play, Master. If it was me in that bed, you?d be insisting the healers know what they?re doing.? Obi-Wan affectionately teased his master, reaching out to take Qui-Gon?s hand. ?They just want to make sure you?re all right.? Qui-Gon felt some of his annoyance evaporate. How often had he stood by his Obi-Wan?s side, worrying as the young man recovered from some injury? That his padawan had done the same for him . . . he sent feeling of love over their bond.

?How are you feeling, old friend?? Mace Windu asked as he entered the room.

?Fine. I just haven?t been able to convince the healers of that. Did the Republic Forces get to the Gladiator arena?? Qui-Gon asked.

?Kern and Marla alerted the authorities as soon as they got out of hyperspace. Most of the personnel were arrested, and the kidnapped citizens rescued. By the way, Jedi Stowkyr found this with the pirates. He thought you might like it back.? Mace handed Qui-Gon his lightsaber.

?Thank him for me. What about Chavin??

Frowning, Mace said,?Unfortunatetly, he escaped capture. His description is being circulated among law enforcement agencies. All the Jedi in the field have been asked to keep an eye out for him, too. It?s just a matter of time before he?s arrested.?

Qui-Gon nodded. Somehow he knew that his path and Chavin?s would cross again. Next time, Chavin would not escape justice. Until then. . . . It wouldn?t be much longer and he would be given a clean bill of health. Soon, he and Obi-Wan would be off again.

 

Very nice, greencat. I really enjoyed the story, and look forward to the next one.

 

Over so soon? And it seems like it just started, but at least we have the new story to look forward to. I liked the ending where it is Qui-Gon trying to escape the healers and not Obi. And did I see a little foreshadowing there at the end?

 

Yep, turn about is fair.

O.k. When does the next one start?

 

Very nice ending! Rescue just in the nick of time! I loved the way Qui-Gon was thinking that the healers didn't have any reason to keep him "captive" there any longer, but they just wanted to make sure. Good, the way Obi-Wan told him that turnabout was fair play. Now, how soon before they meet up with Chenith again?