The Seduction

by Nicole D'Annais ([email protected])

***

By the time they finished their meditations, Qui-Gon and Xanatos had to rush to the evening meal. Crion was already seated when they arrived in the dining hall, barely glancing up from his first course as they sat down on either side of him. As Qui-Gon dipped a spoon into the soup, he felt eyes on him, raised his head to see the anger in Crion's accusing gaze. He met the other man's eyes calmly, refusing to feel the slightest bit of guilt. Let the old man think what he pleased; any influence Qui-Gon had ever had on Xanatos could only be better than what Crion's manipulation had done to him in the short time they'd been on Telos.

He forced himself to keep the anger out of his own eyes and waited until Crion realized he would get no reaction. The older man finally turned his attention back to his meal, leaving Qui-Gon to eat in peace. Or as close to peace as he could get after all he'd learned during the course of the day. Crion spent the rest of the meal talking to his son, ignoring Qui-Gon as if he wasn't even there.

At the end of the meal, Crion stood up. "Feel up to a walk, son?"

"Sorry, father, I have other plans." Xanatos gave his master a slight smile, one that hinted at further amusement behind it. Crion spared one last glare for Qui-Gon before he shrugged and grumbled something to his son about seeing him in the morning.

After Crion left, Qui-Gon turned to his apprentice. "Well? What are these plans you've been teasing me with all day?"

"If I told you now it would ruin the surprise." The smile on his face broke into a wide grin as he stood and moved around the table to hold out his hand to his master. "Come. Let me show you instead."

The rich, seductive tone of Xanatos' voice sent an involuntary shiver through Qui-Gon's body. If only he could just ignore everything else but the promise in his padawan's slow, sensuous movements, the guarantee of pleasure he could read in the young man's eyes. If only they could go back in time and refuse this mission.

If only he didn't have to choose between duty and his padawan.

All the wishing in the world wouldn't change reality. Focus on the present; that was all he could control. That thought in mind, he took his padawan's hand and followed him out of the house.

Xanatos led him back through the gardens to a path that took them to a thick patch of drooping trees. He'd never seen this area of the grounds before.

"This spot has always been reserved for the governor, his family, and special guests. My father showed it to me not long after we arrived." He parted the leaves and branches and walked through, holding the branches aside until Qui-Gon joined him on the other side. "It was just after dusk, and all I could think was that I had to bring you here. But at night, when it would be perfect."

The trees surrounding the area appeared wilted at first glance, but as Qui-Gon reached out through the Force he felt the strong sense of life thrumming from them, as well as from the grass surrounding the centerpiece of the whole site--a small lake, just barely too large to call a pond. He closed his eyes, drinking in the sensation of the living Force, and with it the smells of life everywhere. The trees--some of which held a blooming flower that smelled sweet, almost like honey--the sharp scent of the grass, and the faint smell of the water all combined to shut out the over-processed world outside and create an illusion that they were isolated from anyone or anything.

As he opened his eyes again, he almost kept himself from wishing that were the case. "This place is truly beautiful," he said softly, unwilling to break the mood by speaking too loudly.

"You haven't seen the best part," Xanatos whispered back. He reached over with two fingers and tipped his master's head up by his chin until the older man could see the sky.

Qui-Gon blinked at the beauty of the stars, brighter here than anywhere he'd seen on Telos or Nardir. "They're amazing," he breathed.

"Aircraft are carefully diverted from this section of airspace, and lighting in the city has been designed to keep the glow here to a minimum," Xanatos murmured as he circled behind his master. His hand slid down the older man's check to rest on his neck. "The intent was to create a place rulers could go to shut out the world and be alone with their thoughts." His mouth was close to Qui-Gon's ear now, lips moving against the lobe, sending fine tremors down the Jedi Master's spine. "Somewhere they could think on their decisions with no distractions, and commune with nature when the pressures of people become too much."

Hands tugged off Qui-Gon's robe. He twisted his neck, seeking his padawan's eyes over his shoulder, but before he could say a word, fingers touched his lips. "Shhh," Xanatos urged. "Don't speak. Don't think. Just feel."

His outer tunic disappeared, followed by the under tunic, fingers touching his bare skin as the clothing slid off, creating tiny bumps all over, and then he was bare to the waist. Xanatos' chest pressed against his master's back as his hands slid slowly around Qui-Gon's sides, up his chest and back down to rest at his waistband, fingering the tie there, but making no move to loosen it.

Just as Qui-Gon was about to speak again, lips fastened on his neck. He gasped in surprise, back arching automatically, pushing his hips back against the younger man's erection, obvious even through both of their leggings. Where lips had robbed the Jedi master of speech, teeth momentarily robbed him of coherent thought. His hands reached up to thread through the dark hair of the younger man, the fingers of his right hand latching onto the padawan braid, looping it around his forefinger as he held his apprentice's head in place, urging him to continue.

Xanatos' lips and teeth moved down Qui-Gon's shoulder, meeting with little resistance as he loosened his hold enough to allow the movement. The braid slipped through his fingers, but he was too lost in sensation to bother to chase it. As long as those magical lips and teeth continued their work, he would not protest anything.

After a moment, Xanatos moved around in front of his master, kissing his way across his master's shoulder, licking a line down to one nipple. He tugged at the tip with his teeth, tongue flicking across it lightly before he released it and moved quickly to the other one. Once the young man had teased there, he tasted his way down the middle of Qui-Gon's chest, stopping to loosen the ties of his leggings and drag them down to the tops of his boots.

The boots were removed carefully, with a light caress across the bottom of each foot that sent twin lightning bolts of pleasure straight to Qui-Gon's hardening shaft. He gripped his padawan's head again, this time to keep from falling over from sheer pleasure as Xanatos licked along the underside of his erection.

A strangled sound escaped his throat as Xanatos stood, but before Qui-Gon could protest further, his lips were captured in a searing kiss. He pulled at his padawan's clothes, wanting the sensation of skin against skin, needing to touch every inch of the younger man.

Boots and clothes discarded, Xanatos slid his fingertips down his master's arms, and grasped his hands to pull the older man toward the lake, his gaze locked on Qui-Gon's face. They continued into the water until it reached chest level, then Xanatos stopped.

"Padawan--"

Again Qui-Gon's mouth was covered. "Shhh. No talking, remember?" He gave his master no time to disobey, replacing his hand with his lips, devouring the older man's mouth with his own.

Qui-Gon stopped fighting his instincts and gave in. If this was all he was to have.... That thought was enough to drive him to tighten his arms around Xanatos' body, pulling him as close as he could get. Their erections rubbed together in the water, the slick wetness minimizing the friction, keeping the movement from giving him the sensation he craved.

He reached down to wrap his hand around both shafts, but Xanatos stopped him. "No."

Words denied him, Qui-Gon tried to turn his padawan around, but Xanatos shook his head and held his ground. "Follow me." He backed up a few more steps, pulling his master with him, then stopped suddenly. Qui-Gon felt behind the younger man and realized there was a large rock behind him, one that nearly reached the top of the water.

He lifted Xanatos up onto the edge of the rock in one swift movement, their lips meeting again in a frenetic kiss as Qui-Gon impatiently tried to prepare the younger man for his entry. Xanatos refused to wait, pushing his master's hands away and pulling his hips closer, a silent plea.

With one last look into his padawan's eyes, Qui-Gon entered him slowly. Xanatos leaned into his thrusts, speeding them, lips and tongue meeting Qui-Gon's with a sense of urgency. The Jedi Master's hands gripped his student's hips, as he fastened his teeth on the younger man's shoulder, marking him with a reminder that would last for days.

Their pace increased until they could move no faster. Xanatos kissed his master deeply, then stretched back across the rock, his body arching as Qui-Gon drove all the way into him, burying himself to the hilt. Dimly, he felt the bruising pressure of Xanatos fingers as they dug into his forearms, anchoring him to meet each thrust with his own strength. The water moved around them, the splashing the only sound save harsh breaths and incoherent mumblings as the two Jedi drove toward completion.

One final thrust and Qui-Gon froze, spilling himself inside his padawan, concentrating on the immense pleasure, drawing it out as long as he could. Finally spent, he collapsed along the length of his padawan's upper body for a moment, breaths coming in gasps as he calmed himself.

He realized after a moment that Xanatos was still hard beneath him, writhing against Qui-Gon's chest in an attempt to bring about his own release. Qui-Gon smiled and kissed his way down his padawan's chest to his shaft, taking the younger man all the way into his mouth, sucking hard as he worked his head up and down, bringing him over the edge in moments.

Qui-Gon covered his padawan's body with his own for a long moment, his head on Xanatos' chest, breathing in the scent of the young man. The water lapped at them in waves, cooling their heated bodies as reality slowly intruded. Qui-Gon wondered just what truth really beat in the heart he could hear pounding beneath his ear. Part of him wished never to find out. If only they could just live in this one moment in time, it could be perfect.

Another second passed, and the moment was gone. Xanatos stirred beneath him, pushing lightly to get his master to move so he could stand up. His body slid against the older man's as he rose from the rock, pausing for a last kiss before the young man sidestepped and moved toward the shore. He kept hold of Qui-Gon's hand, pulling him along. "We should go inside," he said, handing Qui-Gon his leggings before reaching for his own clothes.

"Yes. We have a big day ahead of us tomorrow." A mastery of understatement if ever there was one. It would be the biggest day of his life. He would either win the battle, or lose the war. And if he lost the war, with it went everything he'd cared about for the last ten years.

It was a long, silent walk back to the main house.

***

Consciousness came slowly the next morning, beckoning like a beacon of light through the dark haze of his dreams. As Qui-Gon became more aware of his surroundings, he realized he was alone in the big bed. The spot beside him was still warm, so his padawan hadn't been gone long.

Just as he was about to get up and go search for the young man, the door opened, and Xanatos walked in. "Good morning, Master."

Qui-Gon raised his eyebrows as he saw the tray in his apprentice's hands. "You brought breakfast?"

"You don't have to sound so surprised. It's not as if I cooked it myself. I just brought it up from the kitchen."

"Isn't that what the servants are for?" Qui-Gon asked, teasing as the young man placed the tray carefully on the bed and sat down.

Xanatos grinned. "I admit I've been a bit casual about accepting such an easy lifestyle, including my taking the servants for granted. However, I have not forgotten how to take care of my master," he added, leaning in for a kiss.

"You certainly have managed to take care of me." He suppressed a shiver at the thought of just how far Xanatos might have gone 'taking care' of him if he hadn't discovered Crion's plan.

"An easy and rewarding job, I assure you." A longer kiss then, before Xanatos rose from the bed. "Father is going on camera to talk to the people again in just a little while, and he's invited us to watch if we like."

"I would like that." In reality, he would have preferred to use the Force to make his apprentice sleep and drag him off the planet. But he did not have that option.

"Excellent! I'm going to take a shower while you eat. If you eat fast, you're welcome to join me."

Qui-Gon watched the young man as he disappeared into the bathroom, banishing the images of their previous joint shower from his mind. He focused on his food, not hungry, not tasting anything, but forcing himself to eat nonetheless. Without a doubt, he would need his strength on this day more than ever before.

He ate slowly, anxious to have a good reason for not joining his padawan in the shower. As tempting as it was, he'd told himself at the lake the night before that that part of their life ended there. It would forever stay behind at that lake, cut off from the rest of the galaxy, where he would not have to deal with the memories or the desires.

Unless, of course, things went well, and he left the planet with Xanatos in tow.

Shaking his head, he rose to dress. He could not think of success or failure, and what either would mean. The fight would end however it ended, and he had little control over that. The Force would guide him, and things would happen as the Force dictated.

Belief in a higher power certainly had its advantages.

Once dressed, Qui-Gon placed most of his belongings in his pack, leaving just enough lying around that Xanatos wouldn't notice. He could easily throw those few things into the pack and make a quick escape if that became necessary. He also made sure the recording from the previous day on his comlink was at just the right point in Crion's speech. Then there was nothing left to do but wait.

When his apprentice came out of the bathroom, Qui-Gon was ready and sitting calmly on the bed. "You did not feel like joining me?"

"Later," he said with a smile, kissing the younger man lightly on the lips. "When we have time for a proper shower." He hoped, as Xanatos smiled and turned for the door, that they would actually have that option.

***

Crion was waiting for them in his study, the lights already turned up for the holo recorders, the desk tidy and presentable, no hint of chaos anywhere--a perfectly respectable scene. The governor spared a quick glare for Qui-Gon before smiling at his son in greeting. Xanatos nodded to his father as he joined Qui-Gon in the seats near the desk, just out of reach of the recorders.

As they waited for the introduction to finish and the holo recorders to start carrying across the country, Qui-Gon felt an urge to fidget unlike any he'd had since his padawan days. He kept his hands still only with a supreme effort, and his feet managed to tap impatiently no matter how much he tried to control them. Xanatos glanced at him, raising his eyebrows at the uncharacteristic impatience, but Qui-Gon gave him a blank look, and projected just enough lust through the bond to give the younger man the idea that his impatience had nothing to do with the matter at hand.

Finally, the holo recorders began to whir. Crion smiled into the main lens, then began to read his carefully prepared speech from the scrolling screen just to the left of the recorder. "My fellow Telosians, despite my many efforts to negotiate a fair contract with the people of Nardir, they have once again stalled the discussions and made no move toward another talk. Given the games they have played with us over the last few months, and their obvious desire to hang onto a contract where they are the main beneficiaries as opposed to negotiating one that is fair, I see no other course of action except to take what is ours by force. I come before you today to announce that if contract negotiations do not begin by the end of the day, Telos will be instituting military action against Nardir."

A slight pause to allow the gravity of the situation to sink into the minds of the people, then Crion continued. "I realize many of you have friends on Nardir, and I hope, should we be forced to take action, that no one will be harmed. I wish this could be different; however, given the circumstances, the time has come where we have no choice."

The time had indeed come. Qui-Gon jumped up, pulling his lightsaber from his belt and using Force-enhanced speed to make it to Crion's side before Xanatos could react. As he used the Force to pin Crion to his chair, he held the 'saber at the ready, his thumb on the switch, and spoke to the holo recorder. "People of Telos, I am Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn. Your governor lies. He has been the true cause of the delays in negotiations. The contract with Nardir is more than fair; in fact, it benefits Telos far more than your neighboring country. The governor, however, seeks to force the people of Nardir to submit to his own will and create more wealth for himself in the process. But don't believe me--listen to him."

Qui-Gon flicked the comlink on and held it up to the microphone. Crion's voice poured out into the room. "The people already believe Nardir is to blame for the delays. Tomorrow, I will tell them we have no other choice, and declare war through an announcement on camera. Once I do that, the people will be straining to go to war. Telos will have the science, the resources, and the factories, and the people will be rich. The fools will love me for it, and they'll never realize how much wealth I gain from it."

He turned off the comlink. "I call upon you to vote to remove your governor from office and elect an official who has the best interests of Telos at heart instead of his own." With that statement, Qui-Gon ignited his 'saber and severed the cords to the recorders and the sound system, cutting off Crion's only way of attempting to sway public opinion in his favor.

Crion immediately began sputtering, careful not to move too close to the Jedi Master, but beyond monitoring his movement somewhere in his mind, Qui-Gon gave him little attention. His eyes met those of his apprentice, who was looking at him with hurt and bewilderment. "Master, what has gotten into you? I don't know how you could have come by such a horrible recording, but I assure you--"

Qui-Gon resumed the playback on the comlink. "We gain, Father. We."

"Of course. Assuming your master doesn't mess this up."

"I told you to leave him to me. I can handle him. I've handled him so far, haven't I?"

He switched the sound off again, eyes never leaving his padawan's. Slowly, the innocent look faded, and the anger burning in the midnight blue gaze was nearly enough to convince him then and there that the young man was beyond saving. "You lied to me," Xanatos growled.

"Oh, and you were truthful to me?"

"An eye for an eye has never been the Jedi way."

"Nor has deception. Or lies. Or violence. Or personal gain. I could go on."

Xanatos' eyes narrowed to mere slits. "I wouldn't if I were you." He pulled out his own lightsaber, powering up the blade and aiming it in Qui-Gon's direction. "You have five minutes to get out of the palace."

For a long moment, Qui-Gon stared at the young man. "Come with me," he whispered hoarsely at last, eyes pleading with his padawan to make the right choice.

The young man laughed harshly. "Come with you? Back to a life of servitude, of bowing to the Council's will and going wherever they deem necessary for the rest of my days with no real home or family?" He laughed again, then took a step forward, all traces of amusement gone. "You have four and a half minutes," he said, the corners of his mouth quirking up. "Better run."

One last look, and Qui-Gon moved backwards out of the room, protecting himself from the front, feeling out with the Force to ensure he did not need protection from behind. He ran to his room, put the rest of his things in his pack, and hurried out of the residence in two minutes, not trusting Xanatos to give him a full five minutes before coming after him. He could no longer believe anything the young man said.

Perhaps he never should have believed anything Xanatos had said. If he hadn't been so blind, it was possible none of this would have had to happen.

He pushed his own feelings aside, living purely in each moment, duty sustaining him when emotion would have ripped him apart. Time enough to deal with everything that had happened later, when he, Telos and Nardir were safe. Until then, Xanatos was just another evil in the galaxy. And Qui-Gon was alone, with no one to cover his back.

Or perhaps he was not completely alone after all. He rounded a corner a block from the governor's quarters and ran into a large group of citizens. The anger from the group was rippling through the Force in waves, something he would have noticed sooner if he had not been so wrapped up in his own thoughts. The people stopped when they saw him. "Master Jedi," a young blonde man began, "we wish to thank you for opening our eyes to what has been going on for the last few months."

"Somehow I doubt you all came down here just to thank me. Especially not with weapons."

The man's mouth tightened. "No. We're going to take care of the governor ourselves."

"You're going to take care of him?" Qui-Gon counted the group. "There aren't even thirty of you, and you're not trained. The guards outside the governor's residence would defeat you before you ever made it to the inner regions of the building."

"Maybe. Maybe not. But we have sat back and allowed him to do as he pleases for too long, and we will be complacent no longer."

"And a lot of good it will do your families during your funerals." Qui-Gon closed his eyes for a moment, thinking quickly. This was his fault in so many ways. He had not paid attention, and he had let things get out of hand. While he wasn't the one to blame for the event, he was partly responsible for the severity at this point. His eyes opened again, and he knew what he had to do. "I will help you."

The man nodded. "You'll come with us then?"

"You can't storm in there like this. That hasn't changed. Even my help would not be enough. You need to gather more forces and plan."

"Every moment we waste he gets closer to gathering his army and becoming unstoppable."

"I overheard his plans yesterday. The army is not due in until tomorrow. Even a few hours will make all the difference to you if you plan well."

After a long look at the other members of the group, the leader nodded. "We will wait and plan. But only for a few hours."

"Agreed. Do you have a place we can use as a headquarters?" The man nodded. "Then let's go."

END PART 10

~ proceed to Part 11 ~