Sabé for Queen! - "The Phantom Menace" now belongs to her!

This is not my first fan fiction piece, however, it is the first I have posted at the JC. I've altered the dialogue a lot so I hope it will be somewhat different from anything else that you've read.

I welcome and encourage comments, critiques, etc.
**********************************************
The sleek Naboo cruiser sped towards the Trade Federation vessel. It alighted within the docking bay with the grace of a bird. A small hooded figure stood up to leave the cockpit.
?I will return to Naboo aboard the Jedi vessel. Return to the hangar,? the
mysterious passenger told the pilot, ?...and stay alert.?
Ric Olié nodded, catching the underlying warning. The Neimoidians were not to be trusted. Every citizen of Naboo was fully aware of the treacherous and self-serving nature of the Trade Federation. Olié thought to himself I will be ready for anything those vipers want to try.
?Be careful, m?lady,? he added as the figure left the cockpit to disembark. He
noticed a slight nod and turned back to the control panel.
**********************************************
As the ramp lowered, Sabé could see the Viceroy waiting to greet her. Disgusting creatures she thought to herself. Nute Gunray approached her.
?We are honored that the Queen would send one of her own handmaidens to
observe the negotiations,? he said as they left the docking bay.
She instantly detected the dishonesty beneath his smooth words. He no doubt regarded her as a simple servant, a droid of flesh and bone. Why had he bothered coming to meet her himself? She would have preferred a droid. Nevertheless, she must be
diplomatic.
?Thank you for having me, Viceroy.?
?Does her highness believe the negotiations will be a success??
The smug tone of his voice was irritating. Her diplomatic composure slipped for a moment.
?Her highness believes that a settlement will be reached that will satisfy both parties,? Sabé said with such firmness that the Viceroy knew further conversation was pointless. They continued to move through the cold, metal corridors in silence until they reached a large doorway. Nute Gunray pressed a button on the panel by the doorway and it slid open with a hiss. Sabé stepped into the spacious conference room and turned to face the Viceroy.
?You will inform me when the Jedi ambassadors arrive, she said, her statement more of an order than a request.
?Of course, madam,? he replied and turned to leave. The doors slid shut behind
him. Alone in the room, Sabé walked to the window on the opposite side and gazed out
of the window at the beautiful blue-green planet swirling below. The sight of her home
renewed her fierce hopes for the success of the negotiations. We must reach a settlement. My people have suffered long enough. Sabé recalled her conversation with Queen Amidala that morning:
?Sabé, I need you to observe the negotiations with the Trade Federation. I know the Jedi will represent us as best they can, but they cannot possible know as we do just how much suffering our people have been forced to endure. If necessary, advise them as to what you think an appropriate settlement would be. I know...?
?...but Ami, I cannot possibly advise Jedi. I have not been properly...?
?...trained? As I was saying, I know you are wise and will act with discretion. I have every confidence in you, my friend.?
Sabé?s hand went to the amulet that hung around her neck. The Queen had given
it to her that morning before her departure. She hadn?t wanted to accept it for she knew
of its importance: Amidala?s parents had made it for her when she was very young. The
small amulet hung like a dead weight around her neck, reminding her of her purpose here.
She was essentially representing every living creature on the lush planet below. She must
not allow the Jedi to detect her uncertainty. With the Viceroy, it had been easy - she did
not like him anyway, but the Jedi...that would pr

 

Please forgive the screwy formatting - I will do better with the next installment!

 

well, i don't know....i guess i'll forgive the screwy format on the basis that you not leave me/us hanging for to long for the next part of the story. ;-) i love the story so far, queen sabe, and i can't wait for the next installment. :-D

 

Yay! Another fic on the cool.gif est girl in StarWars!!!

 

The Next Installment:
**********************************************

?This game of yours has failed, Lord Sidious. The blockade is at an end. We dare
not go against the Jedi,? said Daultay Dofine to the flickering image before him.

?Viceroy, I do not want to see this stunted slime in my sight again,? the image responded.

Dofine slunk away and Sidious continued.

?This turn of events is unfortunate. We must accelerate our plans. Begin landing your
troops.?

Nute Gunray hazarded a brief glance at Rune Haako before making his reply.

?My Lord...Is that legal??

?I will make it legal.?

?And the Jedi??

?The Chancellor should never have brought them into this. Kill them immediately.

?Ah, yes my Lord, but, ah, my Lord...,? said the Viceroy.

?What is it??

?Queen Amidala has sent one of her handmaidens to observe the negotiations.?

A look of dismay escaped his stone cold composure and was immediately snatched away as soon as it had show itself.

?Inform the Queen that her handmaiden was dismissed and returned to the planet as soon as she arrived.?

?And when she doesn?t return to the planet??

?The Queen will have other things on her mind.?

?Yes, my Lord.?

With that, the image flickered into nothing. Gunray nodded to the expectant bridge commander.
***************************************************************

?Is it in their nature to make us wait this long,? asked Obi-Wan.

Before Qui-Gon could respond, a loud explosion echoed throughout the ship. The Jedi stood up and quickly ignited their lightsabers. Sabé was instantly at their side, her heart beating wildly in her chest.

?What could have caused such an explosion??

?I imagine it was our ship,? Qui-Gon replied.

Sabé felt sick to her stomach. She gasped as a greenish-yellow gas began seeping through the air vents.

?Take a deep breath,? ordered Obi-Wan. As soon as she did so, he wrapped his arm around her and pinched her nose shut and covered her mouth. Too shocked to resist, Sabé tried her best to relax. Her lungs began to scream for air and her head ached. She could hear the doors hiss open and the mechanical chattering of battle droids outside the door.

?Don?t breathe yet,? Obi-Wan whispered to her as he released his hold. Every fiber of her
body begged for air, but she resisted. She heard the ignition their lightsabers, but the
blades blurred together in a hazy mix of blue and green. Then, in a flash of orange plasma
bolts and swift blue-green arcs of light, the battle droids lay strewn about the corridor in pieces. Sabé stumbled into the brightly-lit passage and sucked in the filtered air. Just as her vision began to clear, a strong hand grabbed her own and raced her down the corridor. They stopped outside of the entrance to the bridge. As Qui-Gon began to cut through the heavy metal door, more battle droids arrived and in greater force. She withdrew a small pistol from within the folds of her cape and began to fire, finishing off the droids whose plasma bolts were not returned to them via Obi-Wan?s lightsaber. The Neimoidians could
be heard scrambling frantically about the bridge.

?Where are those droidekas,? screamed an enraged and terrified Nute Gunray.

?They?re sending destroyers,? she warned.

Just as Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon exchanged a look of dismay, the said destroyers could be seen rolling around the corner of the passage before them. In seconds, they were only meters away, firing plasma bolts with more intensity than the battle droids...and they had shields.

?This is pointless,? Sabé yelled, ?we have to get out of here!?

The Jedi nodded in agreement and the trio once again took off down the hallway.
***************************************************************

Moments later, they dropped out of a ventilation shaft behind a tall stack of cargo containers. They were obviously in another docking bay. Dozens of massive troop
transports were being loaded with inert battle droids and armored tanks.

?It?s an invasion army,? Obi-Wan breathed.

Sabé closed her eyes to suppress her tears as
her heart filled with dread. This cannot

 

This forum is being mean to me! Maybe it doesn't like my story. I'll have to try again on the formatting next time. I'm tired!

 

COOL!

 

Aaaaaggggghhhhh!!!!!

I've got so much work to do! I've got to get my handmaiden website back up and I've got a costuming project to do and my drawing portfolio is due in two weeks. I'll work on the story as much as possible! I'm sorry to keep you all waiting.

 

This is awesome!

I've always wanted to see the TPM timeline interrupted by a handmaiden who couldn't sit still!

I was going to do it myself, but now I don't need to! Thank you!


Oh yea, and post more, willya?

 

Thank you The Last Apocalypse! I appreciate your compliments!

Here's some more!
**********************************************

?Continue, Captain.?

Captain Panaka turned and shot a disapproving look at the two Jedi standing side by side. Qui-Gon took the signal and spoke.

?Your Highness, with your permission we?re heading for a remote planet called Tatooine. It?s in a system far beyond the reach of the Trade Federation.?

?I do not agree with the Jedi on this, ?said Captain Panaka, making to attempt to hide his feelings.

?You must trust my judgement, your Highness.?

Sabé briefly raised her eyebrows in a look of skepticism.Must I?She quickly softened her expression--no need to give herself away so soon.The court was quiet,awaiting her decision.She knew they must land to make repairs and,despite the reservations she shared with Panaka,she agreed with the older Jedi for once.So did Amidala, for she signaled her approval from her place beside R2-D2.

?We will land on Tatooine with the understanding that the parts necessary for repairs will be procured as quickly as possible.We must reach Coruscant quickly--every minute we spend here,our people are suffering,?said Sabé decisively.With that,the court dissolved as Captain Panaka went to sulk,Padmé went to clean the astromech droid,and the Jedi disappeared.As soon as she and the handmaidens were alone,Sabé released a sigh of relief.For a moment,she could allow her fatigue to show.

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

As the ship approached Tatooine,Padmé entered the throne room that now held only her five handmaidens.She approached Sabé and said,

?Sabé,I am going to accompany Qui-Gon when he goes to look for the hyperdrive--I want to know what?s going on.?

Her anger appeared to have left her--she spoke with calmness;however,Sabé could not
speak with such reserve.

?Why must you put yourself in more danger than you are already in?Our people need you
to reach Coruscant in one piece,?she argued vehemently.

?You know I can take care of myself.Besides, I will be with Qui-Gon.I?ll be fine.?

Sabé stood and descended the throne.

?Allow me to go instead,your Highness. . . I?ll take a communicator and inform you of
everything that goes on. . .it will be safer that way!?

?You?ve already come close to giving your life for our planet today.You have served me faithfully,Sabé, but you have been my eyes for too long.I think it?s time I see things for myself.Besides, I think one near-death experience a day is enough, don?t you??

Padmé smiled at her friend and,before Sabé could raise any further objection,she left.Quickly,Sabé ordered Rabé and Yané to help the Queen find the right clothes--if she was going to venture into dangerous spaceport, she must blend in as much as possible.

?She will be all right.I?m sure of it,? Eirtaé offered once they were alone. Saché
concurred.Sabé nodded,yet,despite their words,she could not stop the knot of worry
that was forming in her stomach.Taking a deep breath,all she could do was try to remain calm and fulfill her role as false sovereign successfully.That was the best way she could serve her Queen right now.

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

The landing party had been gone for only a few hours when a transmission was received
from Naboo.Captain Panaka and Obi-Wan entered the throne room where the message would be viewed,along with various pilots and security officers.Sabé had returned to her seat at the end of the room,flanked by the four remaining handmaidens.She nodded and Panaka activated the holoviewer.Governor Sio Bibble?s kindly face appeared before them,creased with lines of worry.His voice was filled with desperation as he informed them of the worsening conditions on Naboo.He asked. . .no,begged. . .for the Queen to contact him.Yet,despite his obvious anxiety,Sabé felt that something was forced in his manner--he was being ordered to communicate this message,she was sure, probably under the threat of death.Then,an idea occurred to her.

?Captain, play the message again, please.?

?Of course, your Highness.?

As

 

woohoo a new post! i'd liek to add that this story just gets better and better and i love how all the handmaidens are included. can't wait for the next part of the story :-D

 

jeditictac, thank you for your comments! I didn't want to add another segment until I was sure people were reading.

Here goes...
**********************************************
A few hours later,Sabé walked slowly within the confines of the royal starship, still
dressed as the Queen. Her foot still ached,so she strode with a slight limp. She was lost in thought, so she did not see who was in the observation lounge as she wandered in--Obi-Wan stood gazing out of window. A sandstorm raged outside,obscuring any view
of the planet, not that there was much to see. The storm itself,however,was fascinating to one who had never left her lush green planet. Qui-Gon had informed them that he and his party--Padmé, R2, and Jar Jar--had found shelter in the home of a kindly slave boy and his mother. This incident had only reinforced Sabé?s desire that she should have been the one to go,leaving the real Queen safe aboard the Marie Celeste. But that could not be helped. As she craned her neck to get a better look at the swirling columns of sand, she noticed Obi-Wan. Her face burned as she recalled her scathing reprimand. She knew she owed him an apology. I hate apologies she thought to herself.
?I don?t like them either.?
This was one instance in which Sabé could not hide her surprise.
?How did you. . .?
?I?ve noticed that most of the time,you and your handmaidens hide your thoughts well--you have been thoroughly trained--but just now,you let your guard down.?
Noting the mixture of incredulity and annoyance on her face,he added,
?Of course,I didn?t do it intentionally--sometimes thoughts just flow naturally from one person to another, Jedi or not.?
She nodded. There wouldn?t be a better opportunity. . .
?I?m sorry for the way I spoke to you earlier. It was uncalled for. This is a tense
situation for everyone and I was wrong to alienate you. I realize you were only trying to help.?
?I will accept your apology if you will accept mine. It was insensitive of me to take control away from you--it is your ship and I am under your service. Forgive me.?
?Of course,? she said quietly. She turned her attention back to the storm outside, but only for a moment, for Obi-Wan spoke again.
?I noticed that you were favoring your left foot--are you hurt??
?It?s nothing to be concerned about. I. . .stubbed my toe on a chair.?
He nodded and looked back outside, accepting her excuse. She couldn?t very well
tell him that she had give a wardrobe container a swift kick, wishing it was him. To avoid any further conversation that might give her away, she left and returned to the Queen?s quarters.
**********************************************
After Sabé had left,Obi-Wan remained standing before the thick window thinking,
as he often did. When he had first met the Queen--when he had aided in her escape--she
had seemed ready to listen. She had even referred to one of her handmaidens before
making the decision to leave Naboo. Now,every time he had been in her presence aboard
the ship,she had seemed much more decisive;however,she had made an unusual show of commending the astromech droid and ordering one of the handmaidens--the same one
who had gone to Mos Espa with Qui-Gon--to clean it up. That had been another instance
in which a crucial decision had had to be made:to land on Tatooine for repairs or seek
another place of refuge. When the Queen had ordered that no transmissions be sent, that
was a fairly obvious decision. Her explosive response to the slightest threat to her
authority also made him suspect that she believed that it was not concrete--she had felt the need to affirm it before the court and perhaps to herself. Although Qui-Gon had not observed this last event, Obi-Wan was sure he must have noticed something unusual in the young woman?s changing attitude. He would ask his Master during his next transmission. Until then, he could only wonder.

 

Yeah! new posts!


More...

Please?

 

<I didn't want to add another segment until I was sure people were reading. > people are reading. maybe they just don't post stuff everytime you post...so basically i'm saying. postpostpost ;-D

 

Pretty please with sugar on top and ice cream in the middle?

POOOOOSSSSSTTTTT!

 

Here we go! Hope you like it.

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

The five handmaidens sat in silence in their spacious quarters,each young woman lost in
thought. A loud beep snapped them out of their reveries--another transmission? Sabé
stood and pressed the button on the companel on the wall.

?Sabé??

The remaining four jumped up and crowded around the small speaker.

?Padmé, is that you? Are you okay? Have you got the new hyperdrive??

Amidala laughed a little at the barrage of questions.

?Yes,it?s me,I?m fine and no,unfortunately the dealers here won?t accept Republic
credits.?

?Are you serious?! How are we going to get out of here if we can?t get the parts?!?

?Well, this boy. . .Qui-Gon has a plan. . .?

?What sort of plan,? asked Sabé with skepticism as the handmaidens listened intently.

?The boy who offered us shelter from the sandstorm has offered to enter a podrace and
give us the winnings to buy the parts we need.?

The young women exchanged confused looks.

?What is a podrace??

?I can?t really explain it, but it?s dangerous--this boy is brave enough to risk his life to help us.?

Sabé smiled. Her Royal Highness Queen Amidala of the Naboo sounded very much like she might be forming an attachment.

?Does this boy have a name??

?His name is Anakin and he?s ten years old. . .Sabé, are you laughing!??

?Certainly not! Our fate lies in this young ten-year-old?s hands. This is a grave situation indeed,? she responded with mock seriousness. A quick glance at her companions revealed their mutual amusement: every one of them was trying to suppress laughter. She forced herself to be serious again.

?Do you think this will work??

?I really have no idea. Qui-Gon thinks it will but I?m worried. These Jedi can be far to reckless. They think they know everything.?

Finally thought Sabé. At least someone agrees with me.

?Trust me, I understand,? she said. The transmission. . .should she tell her? No. There was no need to add to her worries at this point.

?Has anything else been going on that I should know about??

?Sabé doesn?t like Jedi, either,? interjected Yané.

?Huh??

Sabé waved Yané away from the panel.

?Umm, nothing--she?s just being silly. Contact us again if anything else important comes up.?

?I will. . .and Sabé??

?Yes??

?Please take care of yourself. Rest if you need to. I know all to well how tiring a job
being a Queen can be.?

?Thank you.?

Static now filled the air. Sabé sighed and lifted her finger, cutting off the noise of the empty transmission line. Silence ensued again and the handmaidens drifted back to their books, holovids, and quiet musings. Despite her mild joking,Sabé was worried about the fact that their fate lay in the hands of a ten-year-old boy. But who was she to discriminate based upon age? She was 15, Amidala had governed the city of Theed at 12 and had become Queen of Naboo only two years later. Young people could do great things. But she couldn?t help worrying. Her hand drifted to the amulet around her neck again and she could see Naboo in her head, peaceful and green and wonderful. She leaned against the wall,holding the image in her head for as long as she could.

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

After a quiet dinner, the handmaidens helped Sabé change out of the black gown. The
headdress was the first to go and then her hair,knotted into a tight bun was released,
allowed around her shoulders and down to her waist. As the make-up mask was removed,Sabé was suddenly able to realize how tired she was. She gratefully sank down onto the soft padding of her bunk, to the left of the Queen?s massive bed. Eirtaé came over and
hugged her.

?Goodnight, Sabé. I?m just glad it wasn?t me up there today,? she said with a smile.

?It probably should have been. I feel so stupid for exploding like that.?

Eirtaé hid a smile and walked to her own bunk across their quarters.

?I don?t think Ami is the only one with a bit of a crush forming,? said Yané playfully,
sidling over to Sabé?s side of the room.

?What!? You are not serious. . .?

?Oh, but I am Why go

 

More. Now. Or else.

 

Hey, Queen Sabe, I was following your story on the Fab Five list, and then I came here to read your story. So yes, I am a lurker. Or maybe I'm just lazy.

Either way, I must say that you are doing a wonderful job on this story and that you must work on it some more.

Like right about now.


Good day,
JOJ

 

~ahem~ queen sabé ~whine~ i want more story! i want to know what happens. wahh ~end whine~

i really would like to see more whenever you're ready to give it to us. :-D

 

This is so good Queen Sabe!!! I've never seen anyone come up with this idea before. It's veery interesting and very well written too. Keep it up and please post more soon!!!

 

Hello to all of my readers and posters,

I've been visiting home this past weekend for Easter, so I was unable to write and post. Also, I'm sorry to have kept you all waiting, but Darth "Finals Week" has struck me a blow. I will do everything in my power to post a little tonight, but it will most likely be a very brief installment. The soonest I'll be able to post a juicier segment will be Tuesday night. Until then, here's a lovely piece of fan art by Alderaan21:

http://www.geocities.com/anakin_and_amidala/sabeobiwan.jpg

And also a link to her page that has a wonderful Sabé & Obi-Wan section:

http://www.geocities.com/anakin_and_amidala/anakinamidala.htmThe Moons of Iego

 

Well, here it is, the next installment. I must warn you, however, that it doesn't accompolish much of anything plotwise, unless you really like romantic tension--I do.

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

Sabé tossed and turned;sleep was elusive tonight,despite her fatigue.She thought about taking a walk through the corridors of the ship,but she recalled the day spent almost entirely in the cold throne room,sitting upright in her designated place--her warm blankets and soft matress were too comfortable to exchange for a quiet walk in the chilly halls of the Marie Celeste.She burrowed under the covers and invited sleep to come,but it stayed away.Her thoughts inevitabley wandered to the comments of her friends hours earlier.She knew that Yané had hit upon something,for she had felt the pull on her emotions upon the introduction of the idea of her having feelings for Obi-Wan.He?s handsome--I?ll give him that.Was it merely an infatuation with an attractive young man?Sabé had never been one to succumb to childish feelings of "puppy love."When other young girls had been "playing house,"she had been exploring the woods near the outskirts of her home village,always coming home with a muddied playdress.Her mother had soon given up on the idea of dresses and,much to her father?s delight,she was allowed to wear pants in her play and thus became a son as well as a daughter.Growing up, she had never
had any serious interest in any of the young men who pursued her, not that there were
scores of them.Her rather...headstrong nature discouraged many a potential
suitor.Sabé knew the cause of her disinterest:she had never met anyone who could challenge her intellectually as well as physically.The young men of Naboo were by no means stupid,but Sabé was especially sharp and intuitive,two qualities which had made her the ideal choice to serve as Amidala?s decoy.She pictured Obi-Wan.His eyes were what captivated her mind first,their blue-gray depths holding the spark of natural intelligence as well as the good-humored shine of a playful,teasing nature.The latter didn?t often show itself around his master,she imagined.She also detected in him an inherent sense of goodness.He was no doubt one who adhered to the codes of his order scrupulously and strove to be worthy of his status as a protector of peace and justice in the galaxy.Obi-Wan Kenobi was a good man, there was no doubt of that.But was he good for her?Sabé?s heart leapt in her chest as she answered herself with a definitive yes.Then it immediately sank as she realized that she was indeed forming an attachment--and a strong one at that.What could ever come of it? Nothing.Though Jedi were allowed to marry,it was discouraged.If the order frowned upon the union,there was little doubt in her mind that he would do the same.Marriage!?How had her mind wandered to that idea so quickly!?She groaned into her pillow as the true nature of her feelings was revealed to her--she was very much in love with Obi-Wan Kenobi.



[This message has been edited by Queen Sabé (edited 04-25-2000).]

 

I just wanted to sort of push my story to the top so that any readers would know that I've updated (Monday). It's the last week of classes and I've been busy, but I will do my best to try and post tonight. Would anyone mind telling me what they think of the latest installment? A lot of other fanfics had the late night walk in the ship and the meeting with Obi-Wan, etc. and I wanted to do something a little different. Please let me know--I'm desperate for feedback!

 

Hey Queen Sabe , what's up? I didn't even see that post yesterday morning. But it was really good. Can't wait for more!!!

 

Thank you for your response, Sith Vegeta. I appreciate the feedback.

The next segment...
**********************************************

Obi-Wan kicked at the sandy ground outside the ship. He slowly circled the gleaming
Naboo cruiser, lost in thought. His conversation with the Queen in the observation lounge, though brief, had unsettled him. He simply couldn?t shake the feeling that there was more to her than met the eye. Not that there was not enough to please the eye--her Royal Highness was quite beautiful. He recalled another example of exquisite beauty: the handmaiden--Sabé--whom he had first met on the Trade Federation ship. Fortunately, the heart-pounding excitement of holding such a lovely young woman in his arms after the Neimodians had flooded the conference chamber with poison gas had been disguised by the dangerous situation at hand. His heartbeats quickened their pace again as he recalled those few moments. Don?t be stupid he chided himself. Such a one as she can only see you as cold and silent, a sentry dedicated to protecting the galaxy from evil. Obi-Wan was suddenly possessed with the desire to talk to her, to show her that he wasn?t made of stone, to press her small, soft hand to his chest so that she could feel the human
heart that was beating within him. His meditations were interrupted by a sudden ripple in the flow of the Force...a surge in the evil power of the Dark Side. It sickened him and he raised his head to breathe in the cool night air in an attempt to calm the nausea. He saw the flash of the engines of a starship sail across the night sky and followed its trail until it disappeared below the horizon. That ship...the nagging feeling of some elusive threat taunting him from its hiding place... A loud beep snapped him out of his reverie. Qui-Gon had contacted him.

"Obi-Wan?"

"Yes, Master?"

"I need a midichlorian count on this blood sample I?m sending you."

Obi-Wan quickly ran to the ship?s ramp and boarded, sealing it after him. He made his way to the cockpit where a blinking light on one of the panels told him that the sample was waiting to be analyzed. He ran the test...his eyes widened at the results.

"Over twenty thousand. Not even Master Yoda has a midichlorian count that
high."

"No...no Jedi has..."

"What does it mean?"

"I don?t know."

Qui-Gon said nothing more and ended the communiqué. Obi-Wan snapped the panel?s lights off viciously, erasing the evidence of the test. He was getting frustrated. It
seemed that there were no answers to anything! Why did the Queen?s personality seem so puzzling? What was this feeling that kept tugging at the back of his mind, the feeling that something terrible was going to happen? What did that ship that had landed only minutes ago have to do with anything? All questions, no answers. He cursed himself for his lack of concentration when it came to learning the ways of the living Force. Qui-Gon, it seemed, could tap into it effortlessly, but Obi-Wan had never been strong in that area. He shut his eyes and tried to concentrate. Breathe deep. Think, think, think. Perhaps that was his
problem: thinking. Feel. Still nothing. His eyes burned for lack of sleep. Maybe the thing that was eluding him so well would present itself more clearly in his dreams. He retired to the guest chamber that had been assigned to him. As he lay back on the soft bed,it finally occurred to him how tired he was and he was soon quiet, breathing the even breath of a deep slumber.

Flash of red, merged with green. Red haze...he couldn?t get through it.
Burning fear clawing its way out of his stomach and up his throat. It seized his heart, his mind...stay focused! The red and green disappeared. Wait, wait, wait... sudden flashes of light, the red haze disappearing. Run! Stopped again by a new gate of redness. Red and green battled, hit, hit, hit...buzzing of energetic light. A thrust of red and the green disappeared. NOOOOOOOO!!!! No... Burning anger,brighter than red, blinding. A painted face sneered at him. You?re next... We?ll see...

Obi-Wan sat up in his bed with a