Before - Legends 'By the pricking of my thumbs...' JA, (Obi/Qui) - *Updated 30/04/2007*

Dianethx: Loved that you loved it all - yep, I think even Qui-Gon knew that fate expected great things of his apprentice. At some level.

As for cliffies...ha, just you wait! <evil grin>

 

Ack! I missed a post! I hate it when I do that. Well, that just meant TWO wonderful posts for me to read. Qui-Gon's interactions with Obi-Wan are especially touching in this story. Incredible work. Each chapter just leaves me very hungry for the next one, a very good sign!

 

Great dialogue between Yoda and Qui-Gon. Sounds like they know Obi has quite a future ahead of him.

This Ichila is very intriguing. Sounds like this will in some ways be a test of darkness and light, not just a fight.

 

VaderLVR64: Goodo. I was wondering where you'd vanished to. Just as long as you *do* read the instalments...

>>>Each chapter just leaves me very hungry for the next one, a very good sign!>>>

I aim to please

Master_Noi: Like all people with a healthy sense of foreboding, they *do* suspect. Of course, they think it rather strange too - Obi doesn't seem the 'magnet-for-darkness' type. On the other hand...

 

ohhh- this thing is practically sentient and sneaky! You've created an intriguing opponent.

 

Oh poor Obi-Wan, you have left us in a cliffie! I really liked the conversation between Qui and Yoda, you can tell how much Qui cares about the boy and his fears for him in the future

More soon Princess Arul!

P.S. I'm glad to hear you and your family are alright! My thoughts have been with everyone over there. Take good care.

 

Oh no! Obi-Wan! Interesting post. I'd say more but I'm not feeling too well at the moment. Look forward to more though.

 

Argh. Long time due, I know. My apologies.

PK: Sneaky, it is.

t_s: Thanks, t_s. More you'll have, if you scroll down...

AthenaLeigh: Sorry that you're not feeling well - I hope you feel better now. And thanks for reading [Are you sure you're not sick because of my writing, or something? )

Anyway, here goes...

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Part 6

"...certainly seem to....outdone himself, this time," came a voice hoarse with age, and seemingly - experience.

Obi-Wan Kenobi clutched at vague tendrils of consciousness, trying to heave himself upto the pinpoint of light that seemed to flicker tantalizingly, so far way in his mind - and kept slipping. It was imperative that he wake up soon - he had something very important to do.

What, though?

Something to do with sparring. His Master. And a marble. Why a marble?

Besides, the darkness was much too painful. He remembered that very well, indeed. Something akin to being mowed down by a herd of ...what were those creatures, again? Force, he was too tired to remember.

So tired. He tried flexing his little finger as an experiment - only to give it up, as he could hardly feel it. His mind felt like a flimsy piece of cloth tossed into a gale in full force - limp and shredded. Small wonder, that his body refused to obey its commands. There didn't appear to be much left of his mind, anyway. Not worth waking up.

On the other hand, Qui-Gon usually had plenty to lecture about, with respect to apprentices prone to sleep at odd hours of the day. Himself being a morning person, it was not to be expected that he would understand the comforts of lolling about in bed after the sun rose. Pity, really. And so...he would have to get up.

If only this exhaustion, crippling him, would leave. He should be able to accomplish at least that much.

Wake up, Obi-Wan Kenobi, he told himself severely. Jedi apprentices cannot afford the luxury of lying around all day. They're supposed to spar with their masters, and learn the ways of the Force...

"...should have...woken up by now," came another voice - a voice that sounded strangely familiar, and he felt someone's fingers brush his face gently. Another of the healers? No, he knew that voice - even the inflection of worry it now carried. He heard it a hundred times each day - no, a thousand. Sometimes, he heard it inside his head too. He never tired of hearing it, he remembered.

//Obi-Wan?//

There it was again. Inside his head, as he had known it would be. Pulling at him now, telling him to wake up, to open his eyes, to look around him. Except that he couldn't.

//Can't move.// He replied, barely aware that he was answering. //Too painful.//

//I know.// Came the voice again. How very understanding of it.

A moment later, he was startled to feel a rush of warmth inside him - a wealth of feeling, assurance, strength and affection course through his battered, injured mind - spreading a soothing balm onto his shredded nerves. Surprised, he held back, vague memories of pain rushing at him - but he was soon overwhelmed, as he felt the touch reassure him, pushing at his frail mental barriers, coaxing him into letting it in. What did it matter,anyway?

By the seven sith-hells of Pogoria, this *does* feel good.

The pain had receded considerably by now. It still existed somewhere, in a less-accessible corner of his mind - doubtless, preparing to haunt him during another weak moment. For now, however, it had been vanquished - beaten by that warm presence in his mind, a presence that still lingered, as though assuring itself of the strength of his own mind, feeling for any more damage, anything else that it could heal. He breathed a sigh of relief, as he felt his body relax.

//Better?// Came the voice again. Perhaps it had heard his comment about sithhells - it sounded faintly amused. After all, he never did swear - not within his Master's hearing,

 

That was lovely! I adored the bantering between Qui and Obi in the Healer's ward and you've done a great job with this pair

on an aside -- the Healer's name is spelled Han'yaie Other than that everything looks wonderful

 

Layren: Glad you liked it . And thanks for the correction - I've done the needful.

 

Loved the banter between the two. You've got it just right. Loved that Qui-Gon was so worried and upset. I wonder what the Ischila did to Obi-Wan that he would be out for so long and feel so weak.

You've done a marvelous job so far with this. Very much looking forward to more.

 

"Another day? A standard day? A whole twenty four hours?" Embrace the horror!

A very entertaining chapter.

 

I'm curious to find out why Obi-Wan's experience was so much different and so much more brutal...can't wait for more, PA!

Shaindl

 

Wow, this is fantastic and intriguing so far.

 

A moment later, he was startled to feel a rush of warmth inside him - a wealth of feeling, assurance, strength and affection course through his battered, injured mind - spreading a soothing balm onto his shredded nerves Poor Obi-Wan, glad his Master could help him through, and loved his words of comfort! Looking forward to more of these two

 

dianethx: Thanks. Certainly Qui's worried - and as for Obi-Wan's condition...that'll be revealed soon, too

Master_Noi: . Thanks!

Shaindl: Thanks - I *am* working on the next instalment...

DarthIshtar: Wow, thanks (both for dropping in, and the comment )

t_s: More is exactly what you'll get.

You know, this fic is taking on a life of its own...

 

Ah, excellent posts! Perhaps the attack was so much more brutal for Obi-Wan because he has the potential for so much power, probably surpassing Qui's...? I wonder what exactly the Ishila did to Obi, besides the energy blasts. Intriguing. And I love Qui's sheepish reaction! Putting his apprentice in the healer's wing again? Shame! Can we expect a post soon?

 

Finally caught up! I really like this story. Obi and Qui have a very sweet relationship here. I like the idea of strange and wonderful Jedi artifacts. And I want to know what happened! Post soon?

 

Aww, come on! I'm dyin' here!

 

Woohoo! Just caught the 2 posts! Wow! This story's getting more and more intriguing by each chapter! I love the scenes in the healer wards, and I'm so desperate to know what the Ischila has in store for Obi (I assume he'll be facing it again?)! Anyway, I can't wait to read more of this story - please update soon!

 

wonderful chapter

 

This is great! Post again soon.

 

Thanks for all the comments - I'll reply individually, soon.

Part 7


"Master?"

"Yes?"

"What was your first confrontation with the Ischila like?"

Qui-Gon paused before answering. Master and apprentice were now on their way to their own quarters, a day after Obi-Wan had been confined to the Healer's ward. True to his word, the apprentice had spent the whole of that day resting, flitting in and out of sleep. He had been rather apprehensive of the spectres he might meet in his dreams - thankfully, he had been spared any, due to his master's earlier healing energies, coupled with Healer Hanyaie's medication, he suspected.

Awake, however, his mind couldn't help but revert again and again, to the Ischila, and the final moments before he had lost consciousness.

I should have felt that coming, he thought, frustration seeping through his nerves.Why? Why couldn't I?

Amazement nearly always followed these confusing cogitations. The power contained in a tiny object the size of a youngling's marble was devastating. It was no surprise the Ischila wasn't allowed off the Temple premises...he could hardly imagine what they might have caused, centuries ago, when they had been floating around the galaxy, for the asking.

His master had certainly not exaggerated, it appeared -although, to give him credit, Qui-Gon was more a master of understatement, rather than over-emphasis of any given situation. No matter the elder's warnings - even Obi-Wan's complete belief in his master's judgement had not quite prepared the apprentice for the experience.

I should have focused more. I should have pinned its presence. I should have...blast, how it hurt.

On the heels of astonishment and remorse came more confusion, possible tactics, strategies...and then more dwelling on the energy bolts he had felt - until the venerable chief healer, who had walked by to re-assess his condition frowned at his creased brows, considerably incensed at his inability to rest.

"I forbade any conversation because it would disturb your rest - and you drive your mind to its limits by carrying on conversations with yourself, " he had muttered. "As bad as Jinn - no, worse. He did not, I remember, insist on travelling the road to swift insanity all at once. Mine," he added, Obi-Wan thought, with quite undue emphases. "He preferred to do it in painful instalments," he'd chuckled. Barely giving a pause for the apprentice to protest, he had then placed a firm hand on a startled Obi-Wan's forehead, and sent a suggestion of sleep so powerful that the latter had fallen asleep before said hand had been removed.

Managing to snatch a few hours of rest, himself, Qui-Gon had walked into the Healer's ward, and found his apprentice awake - but pleasantly drowsy. True, he had had to lend both ears to a diatribe from Han'yaie about obstinate apprentices who refused to listen to reason, and equally headstrong masters who indulged them far too much for their own good - but managed to dismiss most of it with an affectionate smile, that had infuriated and mollified the healer at the same time.

A day later, master and padawan had been dismissed - and they were now making slow, if steady progress to their rooms. Qui-Gon made one more discreet investigation through the Force - one of the many he had conducted through out the day, and was relieved by the re-assurance he received. His padawan was, indeed, almost completely recovered.

"Master?" Came Obi-Wan's voice again, sensing that Qui-Gon had fallen into a reverie.

"To answer your question - would you like to hear the official, polished version of what happened...or the bare facts?"

Obi-Wan raised his eye-brows, faintly smiling. "There are two versions?"

"There are. The first was a rather modified version with which, I'm ashamed to say, I regaled my age-mates - my only excuse is that I was considerably younger, at that time. No one knows the other, with the exception of Master Yoda."

The smile broadened into a grin. "Which was...?"

"Frustrating."

 

Ooh, even more intriguing! Obi-Wan is amongst a select crowd, isn't he? That could mean a lot of different things.

I love how you're letting out information slowly but surely. It just keeps upping the tension. Can't wait for more!

Shaindl