Sibling Rivalry

by Tilt ([email protected])

"The Voravians are a very laid-back people, Master. I wonder they manage to get anything done at all with their lack of efficiency."

Qui-Gon Jinn glanced down and to his left, saw the quirk of a grin on Xanatos' face in the shadow of his cloak hood. The slight arrogance of the statement was something Qui-Gon had been trying to train out of his apprentice for several years now to no avail. "Voravia is a beautiful world, Xani. Their culture has evolved in that natural beauty for thousands of years and they see little reason to ignore such for the sake of a few moments saved or a task hurriedly completed." He gestured explanatorily at the hologlobe before them, pointed to the small green dot shining on the western coast of the main continent. "The symposium will be here, at the stronghold lands of Corfin Danu, the planetary govenor. It has already begun and will continue through the summer months, and those attending may come and go as they please. Master Yoda wishes us to attend the sessions involving conducting relations with the Jedi and with the Senate."

"Are we to represent the Jedi?" Xanatos asked quietly.

"No, Padawan, we are there merely as participants, we do not officially represent the Jedi. That is for Master Koth and Master Saesee." Qui-Gon half-smiled down at his apprentice again. "Think of it as a working vacation. We have been bouncing back and forth from world to world for almost a year now. Surely a few weeks spent at such a ...laid-back pace will allow us to find peace again, yes?"

"Perhaps, Master," Xanatos said with an answering half-smile. "It will be interesting, though. I look forward to it."

Qui-Gon hesitated a moment, then, "Obi-Wan shall be accompanying us."

Xanatos didn't answer immediately, and a quick glance showed the elfin, pale face was coldly impassive, a lock of the long blue-black hair obscuring the eyes. Then, "As you wish, Master."

"Xani--"

"Master," Xanatos answered in a softly correct voice. "Shall I see to the packing?"

Qui-Gon tightened his jaw, almost grinding his teeth in frustration. He wanted to reach out to his Padawan, truly he did, but--no. So many times his attempts at reconciliation between his apprentice and his bondmate had ended in freezing silence. Somehow, there must be a way! But for the moment--

"Yes, Xani, go and see to the packing. I'll go collect Obi-Wan."

Xanatos nodded silently, bowed to his Master and turned to head for their quarters.

Qui-Gon gave a long sigh as the door slid shut behind his Padawan, reached up to rub his eyes wearily.

[Quigee? Are you all right?]

[Yes, imp, I'm fine.] Qui-Gon sent almost automatically to the inquiring presence making himself felt in his mind. [Did you remember to pack some clothes or is it all toys again this time?] he sent teasingly.

The mental giggle skittered through the Force that bound them together. [Master Slarin helped me. He made me pack my schoolfiles too.]

[Then perhaps Xani can help you study,] Qui-Gon sent carefully.

The hesitation was as real in Obi-Wan's thoughts as in Xanatos' carefully repressed contempt. From the moment they'd met five years ago Xanatos and Obi-Wan had been polite enemies. The tangle of jealousy and resentment between them had wound around the object of their conflict, Qui-Gon, until the Jedi Master felt like the toy caught between two snarling sandtiger cubs.

And, he had to admit, his bondmate was handling the situation a lot better than Xanatos was.

He strode from the hologlobe room and out into the marble hallways of the main floor of the Temple, past other Masters and Knights gathered in the hallway, bowing and nodding to those he knew. A knot of people near the door of the main conference room held a familiar presence and he felt for the remnants of his link with Windu. [Mace, we're heading for Voravia now. Try to keep the universe from falling apart while we're gone.]

[I think we can wire it together with spacers' tape and zip-ties while you take a couple weeks off,] Windu sent with a snort of amusement. [Have fun playing fight referee.]

Qui-Gon nearly groaned out loud. Windu was right.



Obi-Wan waited in the dayschool playroom, carefully levitating one wooden block after another, building a pyramid. The blocks were weighted unevenly and building things with them by levitation required delicate control of the Force. He wasn't quite as good at this as his friend Reeft was, but he was learning.

Qui-Gon's presence was getting closer, almost to the door of the playroom--

"Imp?"

The levitating block fell to scatter the other blocks as Obi-Wan lost his concentration. Ignoring them, he jumped to his feet and was swept up into his bondmate's arms. [Quigee!]

[Easy, imp, you'll strangle me,] Qui-Gon laughed in his mind. The clutch of the thin little arms eased slightly as he pulled away a little and kissed Obi-Wan's forehead. "Ready to go?"

Obi-Wan nodded, turning to go get his pack.

"Clean up the blocks first, imp."

Obi-Wan turned back, looked up at Qui-Gon's laughing blue eyes and nodded. He looked back at the scattered pile of blocks and all two dozen suddenly zoomed up into the air and zipped over into the small plastic bin nearby. Obi-Wan grunted with the effort of controlling the Force just so to sweep up all the blocks without crushing one or dropping one and then dropping them into the bin. Qui-Gon nodded his approval and Obi-Wan smiled and raced to get his pack.

Maybe this will work out after all, Qui-Gon thought as he watched his bondmate run across the playroom. Maybe this time I can get Xani to relax enough to accept what Obi-Wan and I have together.

But as his old Master liked to say, " 'Maybe' a rotted thing is! When rely on it you do, crumble it will!"

Obi-Wan returned, struggling to swing his small pack up onto his shoulder, and latched onto Qui-Gon's hand with a dazzling smile.

"Have you said goodbye to your friends?" Qui-Gon asked.

[Yes, Quigee.]

Somehow, even with only two words sent through their bond, the little imp could always manage to chase away whatever worries and demons haunted his mind. He sent an answering brush of affection through that bond and Obi-Wan squeezed his hand in answer.





"There it is," Qui-Gon said, nodding toward the planet spinning serenely below the observation ports of the cruiser. "Voravia."

"A fair world indeed, Master," Xanatos said quietly, but his voice was utterly, completely neutral.

"What kind of people live there?" Obi-Wan asked from his perch on the bulkhead stanchion beside the big plane of vitriglass.

"Very happy people, Obi-Wan. They've not had cause for conflict with anyone for many hundreds of years."

"Paradise, my Master?" Xanatos asked, the barest touch of cynicism in his voice.

Qui-Gon shrugged a little. "As near as can be in the current state of the Republic, Padawan. Which is why the symposium is being held here. Because of Voravia's contentment and prosperity it's as near to neutral ground as can be had."

Neutral ground, Qui-Gon repeated to himself, trying not to direct the thought either to the fifteen-year-old at his side or the nine-year-old in his soul.



The bright sunlight of Voravia's primary cast sharp-edged shadows ahead of them as Qui-Gon led his Padawan and bondmate off the small shuttle on the landing field. Corfin Danu's estate was huge, several thousand acres, much of it wide sandy beaches or the cool serenity of the mountain just inland.

A small four-seater transport pulled up at the edge of the landing field, a small astromech droid installed in the droid-slot as driver. A string of bright whistles sounded from the droid as the Jedi approached. Above them, other ships were coming in to land, descending quietly on humming repulsorlifts to landing squares all along the half-mile of smoothed plascrete.

Qui-Gon nodded to Xanatos as his apprentice raised an eyebrow in inquiry and they lifted their packs into the back seat of the transport. Xanatos slid into the front seat as the Qui-Gon took Obi-Wan's pack from him and tossed it back with his own.

[Up, imp,] he sent to his bondmate, and Obi-Wan climbed up into the transport with a mental giggle bringing a grin to his small face. A grin which quickly faded when he looked up into Xanatos' eyes.

They were night and day. Xanatos was slender, willowy, his skin transclucently pale, his hair jet black, his eyes a shade between violet and blue. Obi-Wan at almost ten years of age still had some baby fat; his hair was coppery-gold, his skin tanned, his ever-changing eyes at the moment bright emerald. Xanatos' standard response to any situation was Wait and Watch. Obi-Wan's was Hug It and Run. Xanatos was accustomed to hiding his true feelings behind a mask of Jedi calm that truly hid nothing. Obi-Wan's sunny laughter had nothing to hide at all.

Night and Day, Qui-Gon mused, watching the by-play between the two as Obi-Wan straightened up and looked up at the taller Padawan curiously and a little uneasily. But then Qui-Gon slid into the seat beside him and Obi-Wan turned and settled back against his bondmate to watch the trees and buildings blur by as the transport whisked them to their quarters.



[So, my impling, what shall we do first?]

Obi-Wan giggled and jumped up onto the bed to bounce as Qui-Gon put their packs just inside the door of the bedroom. [Can we play in the water? Is it safe?]

[Yes, it's quite safe.] Qui-Gon chuckled at his bondmate's eagerness. Obi-Wan so loved swimming. One of the reasons he'd thought to bring him to Voravia, aside from the very real ache of long separations with infrequent and all-too-short visits. It was a hurt that only eased in Obi-Wan's presence, a deep ache not quite physical but far more than merely psychosomatic. A spiritual ache of loss and incompleteness only eased by the imp's giggling presence. [But perhaps we should have a look around first.]

Obi-Wan stopped bouncing on the bed all at once and his hair flopped comically over his eyes. [Master Yoda always says to know a place without seeing it.]

[In many different ways,] Qui-Gon confirmed with a nod. He came forward and scooped Obi-Wan up into his arms. [I have missed you, imp. Very much. I'm sorry I had to be away so much the last few months. But maybe we can make up for lost time here.]

Obi-Wan held on tight for a moment, radiating happiness back through their bond. [Oh, Quigee. I know you had to go, but it was so hard all the same!]

Just outside the door of Qui-Gon's room, Xanatos paused on his way to his own room down the short hallway of the tiny beach-side house. His eyes flickered with something dangerous for a moment as he watched his Master holding the boy close, the big Jedi's strong arms wrapped protectively about Obi-Wan's small form. The two radiated an aura of love and contentment that resonated through the Force all around them.

Xanatos didn't allow anything to cross his mind or face, but somewhere deep within the familiar green bite of envy stirred.



"Sire, the Shrith-ma of Vaikar wishes to speak with you."

Govenor Danu straightened where he sat in the deep sill of the huge window, turned at the sound of his servant's voice. Though "servant" was an entirely inadequate word. Telian's family had been in the business of government on Voravia for generations and Telian himself was much more than a simple servant. He was friend, advisor, political ally, certainly his equal where the craft of galactic politics were concerned. And in barely two months time he would be son-in-law.

"The Shrith-ma, eh Tel? Well now. What would he have to say that couldn't be said at the talks?" Danu rose to his feet, arranging the dark green silk of his robes as he walked back to his desk. The simple, spare room held only the huge mirror-like plane of black vitriglass trimmed in sorawood and three conformable chairs, the only light at the moment from the windows in the wall behind the desk. He sighed as he settled behind his desk, began tapping on the screens imbedded in the desk to bring up the files on Vaikar. "All right, Tel, let him in."

The giant alien stalked silently into the room and Corfin Danu had to suppress a shiver of atavistic dread. Muscles rippled under the leaf-green and emerald speckles of the yellowish skin, claws on the pentadactyl hands sharpened to fine points. The clothes were Vaikerian style, an armor-like leather made of the darkly pearlescent hide of some beast from his homeworld, the lengths of braided black leather cording fastened at the wrists indicating mates and offspring. The face was impassive black metal for the most part, the grated breathing mask and eyeshields required by Vaikerians who spent any amount of time off their harsh homeworld. A gracefully curved auralanium short-sword was fastened to the armor of the thigh, a disruptor pistol fastened into a holster on the opposite thigh. No Vaikerian ever went unarmed. And this particular Vaikerian was said to be deadly accurate with both his sword and his disruptor for all he was the equivalent of a prince on his world.

"There are Jedi here, on Voravia. At the gathering," the alien began without preamble, the words a low growl amplified through the breathing mask.

"Yes. Two at the moment, sent to attend the symposium. They are not the Jedi Council representatives," Govenor Danu said in answer. "The representatives will arrive next week."

"The Jedi are here as spies," the Vaikerian rumbled. "You put us all in danger."

Danu resisted the urge to raise an eyebrow. The Vaikerians were a volatile people, to say the least, and only interrupted their own tribal conflicts to give a thorough trouncing to anyone foolish enough to provoke them. It was the only way the species could work together. Thus they were more than a little paranoid. "Forgive me, Shrith-ma, but I do not see how anyone can be in danger at a conference meant to promote peace and understanding. As I said, the two Jedi who arrived today are here as participants only, and the two Masters who shall arrive next week are the Council representatives. You and your entourage are not required to participate in any discussion or function at which the Jedi are present. If you feel you cannot tolerate their presence you are free to leave."

"Their mind powers are great," the Vaikerian hissed. "They cloud minds. They know nothing of honor."

Danu's sharp ears were caught more by the tones in the growling voice than the words themselves. Something had deeply frightened the big Vaikerian prince, something to do with the mere presence of two Jedi. Yet if he asked straight out what the alien feared he'd more than likely be looking down at a hole burned through his chest by the disruptor. Who's idea was it to allow personal weapons at the conference anyway....? Oh, Telian's. So that the jumpier sorts (like the Vaikerians) would feel relaxed enough to provide meaningful interaction.

"You are free to leave at any time, my lord," Danu said again, relaxing back into his chair. "There are no chains on Voravia."

A growling snort that might have been laughter, and the Vaikerian spun on his heel and was out the door in an instant.



Qui-Gon stepped out onto the wide front porch of the small house he and Xanatos and Obi-Wan had been given, closing his eyes and breathing deep of the fresh breeze sweeping in from the crystal blue of the ocean waves. The overhang of the roof provided plenty of shade from the bright sunlight. The expanse of white sand that rippled gently to the surf was blinding in the noontime sun.

A giggle in his mind, and he smiled.

[Can I?]

[Can you what, imp?]

[Go swim?]

Qui-Gon's smile slid up to a mischievous grin and he didn't answer for a long moment until he felt the small figure at his side shift restlessly. [Yes, you can go--]

Obi-Wan was gone in a flash, and Qui-Gon wondered if the imp had somehow learned how to teleport through the Force.

[I'll be out to join you in a minute,] he sent after the small running figure as Obi-Wan dashed toward the tumbling surf. [Don't go out deeper than your knees until I get there!]

[Yes Quigee!]

Qui-Gon chuckled and turned. "Well, Xani? Care to join us?"

Xanatos had been sitting silently in the shade of a yellowcane tree just to the side of the porch, sitting on his heels in meditation posture. He tossed his shoulder-length hair back as he looked up at his Master. "I don't think so, Master. I think I shall go up to the conference hall and see what's on the schedules. Perhaps I shall attend a discussion or talk, if there's something interesting."

Qui-Gon stepped over to the edge of the porch near where Xanatos sat, dropped down to sit facing his apprentice. "Xani. You do not have to distance yourself like this. Obi-Wan is absolutely no threat to you. It wouldn't kill you to relax now and then. I promise you he has no intention of ever displacing you. Can there be peace here?"

Xanatos looked up into the dark blue eyes of his Master and for a moment actually unbent enough to let something show on his face, dropped his control enough to glance out at the tumbling surf at the small boy chasing the waves. For only a moment there was such a look of undisguised anxiety on the elfin face that Qui-Gon was astonished. Then it was gone again, locked behind that calm mask that Qui-Gon knew was an act.

"Xani, the only person you're fooling is yourself," Qui-Gon said softly. He got to his feet, untied the sash on the robe he wore, left it over the railing of the porch as he headed out toward the laughing boy playing in the waves.

Xanatos watched his Master, the serious, dignified, dedicated Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn, walking out toward the surf dressed only in a pair of swim trunks, and the sigh of exasperation he let loose would have done that Master proud. No, Master. I think you're the one fooling yourself that there can ever be anyone else in your heart but the child. He schooled his expression again, rose gracefully to his feet and headed for the conference hall, his lightsaber bumping his thigh as he walked.



Obi-Wan shrieked with laughter as he was tossed high in the air to land once more in his bondmate's arms, the incoming wave rushing, white froth bubbling around them both.

[Fizzly!] Obi-Wan sent, wriggling against Qui-Gon.

Qui-Gon chuckled, hoisted Obi-Wan up and around. [On my back, imp. Hold on tight and hold your breath.]

In a moment Obi-Wan was underwater as Qui-Gon dove into the incoming wave and the two of them were caught up in the rushing wall of water, turning to tumble over and over before it carried them in toward the beach. Obi-Wan sent his delight to his bondmate and felt the answering rush of excitement and laughter. The muscles moving in the broad shoulders beneath him, the water-slick warmth, the long strands of silvered brown hair, the controlled sparkle of the Force that bound them. All of it was his Quigee. All of it defined his young world.

Qui-Gon stopped and Obi-Wan felt the shift as he stood up again. Obi-Wan kept his hold with arms and legs, snuggling like a baby primate.

[Time to get dry for a while, imp. Hungry?]

[No, Quigee, I want to swim!] The wriggling small body on his back tugged him back toward the water again, but Qui-Gon smiled and knelt, pulled Obi-Wan around with a mock-growl to tickle him.

[Time. To. Eat,] Qui-Gon sent firmly as the tatters of a wave bubbled around them and retreated. He suspected that once Obi-Wan slowed down long enough to eat something he'd be out on his feet. They'd been playing in the water well into the afternoon and the sun was starting to set.

With a remarkably adult sigh of resignation Obi-Wan relented and Qui-Gon kissed his forehead as he got to his feet again. Hand in hand, silent with shared contentment, they walked back up the beach toward the small house.

If only life was this way always. No galactic emergencies, no one fighting, no one making unreasonable demands that I have to rush off and untangle. If only Jedi could be as we were in the beginning of the order, just philosophers, just thinkers. If only. Qui-Gon smiled at his own foolishness. No reward, no remorse, no regret. Whoever wrote that never had a child bondmate waiting back at the Temple, terrified every time I get in a fight.



"Is it his student?"

"No. The other one, the older one, is his student."

"What is it then?"

A shrug of powerful, muscled shoulders under dark scaly armor. "Offspring? Whatever, it is an effective target. The plan holds. We need only the right time."

Macrobinoculars lowered, silent nods, and the Vaikerians faded back into the underbrush and away toward the small speeder they'd left further down the beach, out of sensing range of the mindpowers of the Jedi.



"I have thought on what you said this morning, Master."

The measured voice was calm as always. Qui-Gon glanced up from the viewscreen as Xanatos came in the screened door of the little house silently, mindful of Obi-Wan deeply asleep in the hammock strung on the end of the porch. Qui-Gon had been going through the symposium schedule for the next few days, noting times and places for discussions he'd like to attend. "Yes, Xani?"

Xanatos sighed a little and swung around the table to sit facing his Master. "I will...try. To be friendly. This jealousy is...unbecoming a Jedi. Still more so to be jealous of a child."

Sensing how much this admission had cost his proud Padawan, Qui-Gon reached over and put a hand on Xanatos' shoulder, giving him an affectionate squeeze. Xanatos glanced up and met his eyes, smiled briefly. But it was a real smile. "I know you are jealous. I know why. But there is room in my life and heart for both of you."

Xanatos ducked his head a little, embarrassed, and Qui-Gon gave him a shake. "I would say not, Master, but I shall not question you. Just...take care you are not deceiving yourself."

Qui-Gon nodded. "I know that too, Xani. There will be a time when Obi-Wan will be the only one in my heart. But for now, not so. That won't be for many years yet, certainly long after your Trials."

Xanatos nodded again once as Qui-Gon stood and went to the small kitchen area, putting the kettle on for tea.



"Would you...like to go for a walk, Obi-Wan?"

Glancing up from his lightslate, Obi-Wan saw Xanatos looking down at him in the half-dark of Voravia's two sliver moons. The apprentice had finally changed from his uniform to summer clothes, loose short pants and sleeveless tunic from his homeworld. His lightsaber rested in an arm sheathe. Obi-Wan knew well that no Jedi ever went anywhere without his lightsaber, no matter what.

[Quigee?] he sent inquiringly to his bondmate. Qui-Gon, sitting in meditation in the sand a few feet from the house, looked over at them. [What is Xani doing? He doesn't like me.]

[Give it a try, Obi-Wan. I think Xani's starting to thaw out toward you.] Qui-Gon sent back. [You can go if you like.]

Obi-Wan looked thoughtful for a moment, then turned off his lightslate and put it down, stood up. "All right. If you want to."

"I was talking to some of the others today and they told me of some of the creatures that live in the sand. Perhaps we can find some." Tentatively Xanatos held out a hand, and Obi-Wan took it a little hesitatingly as they started off down the beach together, glancing back at his bondmate in some confusion before the prospect of odd alien sea creatures drew his attention away.

Qui-Gon smiled. Night and day came together at dawn, he thought. New beginnings.



Obi-Wan poked at the small crawling crustacean with a careful finger.

"Careful. I don't know if it bites or if it's poisonous," Xanatos warned quietly.

Obi-Wan nodded absently, dropped a handful of wet sand on top of the ambling crab. It struggled out of the glop and resumed it's determined walk down toward the murmuring surf. Obi-Wan giggled at it and dropped more sand on top of it just to watch it dig it's way out again.

Xanatos straightened up, looking out down the endless white stretch of beach, the waves shimmering in the light of the one remaining moon. The other moon hung just on the horizon, on the point of setting. The cool night breeze heading out to sea was chill on his wet bare feet but the air was refreshingly brisk. So odd not to be on guard or taken up by the demands of a mission. So odd to have no demands on his time or resources.

So odd to be here, in this beautiful place, in this moment, alone with this particular boy.

His Master's bondmate.

"Xani?"

"Yes?"

Obi-Wan's serious, almost grave look made Xanatos blink. "Is it--is it fun to go on missions?"

Xanatos shrugged a little. "It is our duty as Jedi to help people. I find it very interesting to study new cultures and ways of life. Each new world, every moment, brings new things to learn. But fun? I don't know."

"I can't tell...you know, from what I feel from Qui-Gon." Obi-Wan shrugged a little too, his young voice wistful. "I can tell when he's fighting, because I can feel him get all spiky inside. And I guess that's no fun, because he doesn't feel happy."

"Ah." Xanatos knelt next to the child, unconsciously folding himself down into meditation posture. "Master is...never happy when a situation falls apart around us. Sometimes, yes, we are forced to fight. But I trust you already know that a Jedi never willingly seeks to fight. The Masters tell us it is a low form of resolution. Conflict never resolves conflict for long, and never permanently."

"Master Yoda always says, 'Hate never yet dispelled hate, only love dispels hate,' " Obi-Wan said tentatively.

"And as always, he is right," Xanatos nodded. "Master Yoda is very wise."

Obi-Wan giggled and put up a sand-covered hand trying to stifle the sound. "Master Yoda--did you know he likes qualla frost? I saw him in the Water Garden a few days ago with a gigantic bowl of it, one of the bowls the cooks use--" He dissolved in giggles and Xanatos smiled slightly, imagining the picture. "He looked like a big wart-frog, all grinning and his ears waggling and--"

Xanatos tried not to smile even more, grateful for the darkness that hid his grin.

After a few moments Obi-Wan's giggles faded off and they sat in silence for a few more moments.

Finally the apprentice turned to the boy. "I have been jealous of you, Obi-Wan, since Master first explained about you. But I know you cannot help being who you are or what you and Master have between you. Master Yoda himself has spoken to me of these things, so that I may know of them and not be ignorant of my feelings or the reasons for them."

Obi-Wan nodded slowly. "Master Yoda talked to me too. About you."

"It is only Master we are hurting, not the other, by our jealousy of each other," Xanatos said. "I may share his days but you share his soul. We both have something the other wants. Yet Master says his life and heart are enough for two." He looked away out to the ocean. "For his sake, we must be at peace with each other."

"Yes. I don't ever want to hurt him. Does it hurt him, d'you think, when you and I don't like each other?"

Xanatos nodded once. "How can it not?"

Obi-Wan sighed. "All right, then. Truce?"

"Truce."



[Quigee!]

[Master!]

The impact of the frantic sendings jerked Qui-Gon out of the meditative half-doze he'd sunk into an hour and a half later, had him on his feet and racing down the beach before he'd even registered he'd moved at all.

[Quigee! Help! Xani's been hurt! Help!]

A spark, a familiar neon spark of blue-white, far far down the beach, and brief flickers of red angling off in the darkness, deflected stun bolts--

--which stopped abruptly, the blue-white spark winking out.

And he felt the sudden, wrenchingly abrupt lurch as Obi-Wan went unconscious.

[Obi-Wan! Answer me!] he called frantically, the Force moving him faster than human eyes could follow toward the place where those sparks had been, the faint threads of his bond with the child urging him onward.

A small flyer, a cloudhopper from the size of it, lifted from the trees edging the beach, the repulsorlift engines bursting into a full-throated roar as it cleared the treetops, turned inland.

[OBI-WAN!]



"Xani! Xani, wake up!"

Xanatos dragged a breath into his lungs, wincing at the pain the movement caused, let the air out with a moan. Another breath and his sluggish mind began cataloging his injuries. A third, and his eyes opened.

Obi-Wan's small tanned face hovered into view above him, worry plain in the eyes that had turned pale blue. Darkness beyond the boy, but some bright light nearby, shining at an angle so that it outlined the boy's face from one side and glinted off the copper-gold hair.

"What happened?" Xanatos said thickly, feeling the familiar slowness of a stun shot.

Obi-Wan shrugged a little sheepishly. "You--uhm, you missed one of the bolts. It got you."

"Master will not be pleased," Xanatos said flatly. "Another month spent with the training droids."

"You only missed one," Obi-Wan said stoutly. "When I only miss one on a test at home it's not such a big deal."

"A wrong answer on an astrogeography quiz is worlds away from a missed stun bolt in lightsaber practice," Xanatos said dryly. "Obviously it's not good enough or I wouldn't be lying here feeling like my nervous system had been dipped in acid."

Obi-Wan nodded. Even a nine-year-old saw the logic in it. He helped the older boy to sit up slowly and Xanatos was soon propped up against the smooth metal of the wall nearby.

"They took your saber," Obi-Wan said apologetically.

Xanatos nodded. "It is to be expected. Did they hurt you?"

Obi-Wan shrugged a little. "They shot me with a stunner I think. I saw you fall, then something hit me from behind. But I'm okay now."

Xanatos nodded and began looking around. There wasn't much to see. A blank room, empty, smooth black metal walls, lightpanels imbedded in the ceiling. Only a line delineating the edges of a door in a wall nearby, though from the proportions of the door the species it was meant for was much larger than human-standard. A faint thrum through the deckplates beneath them told him they were on a ship or transport. The air had a faint odd smell to it, like new-cut grass and Temple incense combined. No sounds around them but the faint subsonic rumble of the engines or possibly hyperdrive. The light was bright but had a deep blue tinge to it; while it was quite bright enough to read by it still gave the room a watery feel.

"What do you make of this room?" he asked the boy.

Obi-Wan looked around, shivered a little, hugging himself. "It's cold. I can feel something vibrating the floor. It smells funny. The light is blue."

Xanatos nodded at the list. "It is a holding cell on a ship or transport. Look. The lightpanels are set into the ceiling with no seams or access visible to keep those inside from the mechanisms. The doorway over there is built for something much larger than a human so we can assume we are being held by some sort of alien, a species generally much bigger than standard humans. The floor is made of deckplates that are removable, as they must be on a ship to allow repairs if an engineer is forced to trace wiring or cabling. That odd smell is either alien cooking or the air recyclers are badly in need of replacement filters, indicating either an alien chef of some ability or a badly-maintained ship. Clogged air filters are a danger as they can impede the airflow of a ship and that can prevent airborne viruses or other contaminants from being filtered away. The blue lights indicate the species that built and runs this ship is accustomed to a colder star that burns with a blue cast to it's light. And a ship does not vibrate this way while under hyperdrive. We are in a ship travelling either in atmosphere or in orbit, traveling sublight on the ion engines."

Obi-Wan blinked at him owlishly for a moment then smiled up at the older boy. "Quigee taught you that, didn't he?"

"Quigee?"

"Qui-Gon, I mean. Master," Obi-Wan amended hastily. "At least, you can call him Master. I can't."

Xanatos nodded once. "Indeed. And yes, he taught me that. Speaking of which, can you hear him?"

Obi-Wan straightened indignantly. "I can always hear him!" Fitting action to words he reached for his bondmate. [Quigee? Are you there?]

[Obi-Wan! Oh thank the Force! Are you all right?!]

[We're all right,] Obi-Wan sent, slightly annoyed at his bondmate's frantic inquiry. [Xani and I are all right. He says we're in a holding cell on a ship. A ship built for bigger people than humans. And that there's either a really good cook on the ship or the air filters are bad. And--]

[Imp! Slow down! Does Xani have his saber?]

Obi-Wan frowned slightly. [I was getting to that!] he sent, nettled. [No. They took it.]

Xanatos got slowly to his feet as the boy went quiet and hobbled over to the door, began searching the edges around it looking for controls or latches or hidden release levers. There were none. That didn't mean, however, that they were locked inside, just that there was no way to open the door from this side.

[--and Xani says the lights are blue because the people who live on the ship are from somewhere where the sun is blue,] Obi-Wan was continuing to his bondmate, chattering away through their bond happily, not at all frightened to be locked in a strange room on a strange ship. He'd never been alone so he wasn't scared.

Xanatos glanced back at the smaller boy, turned back to the door and put both hands on it, let his senses reach out through the mechanisms of the door, searching, seeing beyond. Presences, but not nearby. The dead spot directly in front of his hands, a bar of metal or plastic, a locking mechanism.

A click sounded from the door, and it moved slightly under the Padawan's hands. Smiling faintly in smug satisfaction, he turned back to the boy. "Tell Master I have unlocked the door and ask him what we should do."

Obi-Wan glanced up at him in surprise, his eyes flew to the door, then back to Xanatos and he nodded. [Quigee! Xani got the door open!]

[Tell him to look out first, CAREFULLY, to see what's outside before you go out!] Qui-Gon sent. [Imp, stay with Xani and do what he tells you! Don't run off without him!]

[Know that, Quigee!] Obi-Wan answered indignantly.

Obi-Wan relayed his bondmate's instructions and Xanatos nodded grimly, moved to the door to push it open just enough to see through. The corridor wall of a starship some few feet in front of the door, as he'd expected. Obi-Wan scrunched down beneath the taller apprentice, pushed up against the door to see.

"Ask Master if anyone has claimed responsibility for kidnapping us yet," Xanatos whispered.

[No, not yet,] Qui-Gon answered when Obi-Wan relayed the question. [But I have my suspicions.]

"Qui-Gon says not yet but he has his sus-suspi--"

"Suspicions," Xanatos supplied. "One of Master's suspicions are as good as documented fact for anyone else. He is rarely wrong. Ask him who and why."

[Vaikerians,] Qui-Gon answered as Obi-Wan sent him the question. [Xani will know what I'm talking about, imp, so there's no need for long stories.]

"Vaikerians?" Obi-Wan told the older boy, hoping he was saying it right.

Xanatos blinked in surprise. He did indeed know what his Master meant. "This is new for them. But Master will know this. Come, let's see what's out there."

Satisfied that the corridor was clear so far as they could see, the two slipped out of the tiny holding cell and started off down the corridor together.



"Our tracking stations are perhaps not all they should be," Govenor Danu said as he tapped out a command into the datascreens in his desk. "However, there should be something here to work with."

The tall impassive Jedi standing before the desk never even blinked and the Govenor had the disturbing impression that he was totally transparent to that unwavering sapphire glare. False dawn was beginning to lighten the sky in the east, the first gray light on the horizon heralding true dawn.

The desk screens flipped rapidly through weather satellite data for the surrounding area, then to an atmospheric flight control view. "See here, many ships and transports coming and going, and many more smaller craft such as cloudhoppers."

"Can you magnify the scale of the scan?" the Jedi asked.

The Govenor nodded slightly and did so, magnifying the scan to it's highest resolution, then ran the scan through the approximate time period of the kidnapping.

"They turned inland from the beach," Qui-Gon said quietly. "Northeast."

Three possible flight paths were highlighted now on the screen. One went due east and inland, heading out across the continent. One went almost directly north along the beach before turning eastward past the Govenor's estate. The third went northeast then turned eastward for several dozen miles before disappearing from the scan abruptly in the mountain range to the east.

"Are there any starships shown leaving from that location?" Qui-Gon asked, indicating the third trace. Inside the cloak sleeves his hands were balled into clenched fists in frustration. Why was this taking so long? Why hadn't the Vaikerians sent a ransom demand or made some sort of contact? Why were they doing this? Vaikerians considered it beneath their dignity to bother with hostages except in tribal conflicts. They never resorted to such in matters involving non-Vaikerians. Qui-Gon shuddered. Normally Vaikerians killed prisoners before they'd take hostages...

[Quigee?]

Qui-Gon clenched his jaw and felt his fingernails digging into his palms, drawing blood from the marks. Obi-Wan's mindtone was now uncertain and Qui-Gon could feel anxiety beginning to thread through his bondmate's thoughts. Obi-Wan was exhausted and surely Xanatos was in no better state, especially after having been stunned. How long would it be before Obi-Wan was frightened and Xanatos lost patience with him? [Impling, are you well? Are you somewhere safe?]

[Xani's getting grumpy,] Obi-Wan sent and Qui-Gon could feel the boy's own crankiness. [He said he's going to shove me out the airlock if I don't stop whining.]

[Tell Xani to find someplace safe to hide so you both can sleep,] Qui-Gon sent. [Tell him I said that's an order.]

A moment's pause, then, [He's angry at me. He says not to order him around. I said you said it, why's he angry at me?]

Not for the first time Qui-Gon cursed the inadequacies of his training bond with Xanatos. For some inexplicable reason he'd never been able to form a strong link with Xanatos. He didn't know if the faint threads of infrequent contact were normal or not and somehow never remembered to go ask Yoda until he was on a ship outward bound from Coruscant on another mission. He knew not to expect full-blown conversation such as he had with Obi-Wan, but still...

A mental sigh of relief from Obi-Wan. [Finally!] Brief wisps of irritation and hurt. Xanatos must have said something hateful. [Okay, Quigee, Xani says we can sleep here.]

[Where, imp? Where are you?]

Sleep was closing in around Obi-Wan's thoughts already. [A little ship. Like a shuttle. Dark in here. Going to sleep now, Quigee. Love you.] And the contact faded as Obi-Wan dropped off into sleep

"We show no ships leaving from that particular location," Govenor Danu said, and Qui-Gon jerked his attention back to the matter at hand. "However, look here, there is a ship that took off from the old landing field here, fifty miles away. That would take only a few minutes' travel by speeder" The Govenor punched in commands again to isolate the flight path of the starship shown leaving an abandoned landing field on a mountaintop deep in the same range of mountains where the cloudhopper's path had disappeared. "And we show no transponder information for that trace."

"Is there a visual trace? Or a radar trace?" Qui-Gon rumbled.

"It was too dark for a visual," the Govenor said, "But perhaps--"

Information filled the screen again, and Qui-Gon's eyes flickered to take in the data. The estimated mass was wrong for a Vaikerian cruiser, but the power signature of the ion engines was the same. "A cloaked Vaikerian heavy attack cruiser," Qui-Gon said. "And virtually untrackable once in orbit. The heat signatures from the engines fade too fast, and your tracking satellites are not advanced enough to pick up subspace communications or magnetic field disturbances." He straightened and looked out at the first rays of dawn light lancing over the ocean and in the windows of the Govenor's office. "And we still have no idea what they want."

"Surely your nephew and apprentice will not be harmed," the Govenor said, trying to be positive.

Qui-Gon's mouth twitched a little, but it was fleeting. Well, if he'd told the Govenor Obi-Wan was his bondmate he'd have to endure long involved explanations that weren't relevant to the situation at hand and would in fact be far too awkward. And personal. "My apprentice is very resourceful. And he is Jedi. Perhaps he will find a way to reason with their captors."

"You are certainly welcome to whatever we may provide to help you," the Govenor said calmly.

Qui-Gon could only nod his acceptance and gratitude and left it at that.



A loud growling laugh jerked Obi-Wan and Xanatos from dead sleep some few hours later.

[Quigee!] Obi-Wan sent in a scream as something huge jerked him up out of the warm gelfoam of the navigator's chair he'd curled up in and dangled him high above the floor by one ankle. "Xani!"

But the apprentice had scrambled out of the starfighter's pilot's chair with Jedi quickness and was now kicking at the Vaikerian's knees and aiming his doubled fists at the alien's elbow, hoping to make the monster drop Obi-Wan. But the knees didn't buckle and give way, and the rippling muscles of the yellowish-green arms didn't waver at the blow. The Vaikerian laughed again at the apprentice's useless attacks and threw a screaming Obi-Wan over the broad shoulder, whipped out a hand to latch onto Xanatos' wrist, dragging the Jedi apprentice behind him at a run.

[Impling! I'm here! What's wrong?!]

[Quigee! A monster caught us!] Obi-Wan wailed through the bond, struggling and kicking at the giant laughing alien, screaming in terror. Xanatos was pulling back as hard as he could on the alien, trying to get his wrist free from the clawed hand that completely engulfed it, yelling and hitting with his free hand at the Vaikerian's back and kicking futilely at whatever he could reach. Then, as they passed a line of garbage bins, Xanatos reached out a hand and called the Force around him, and a whirlwind of discarded chipboards and shreds of wiring and piping and ductwork remnants sprang up to fill the corridor with stinging projectiles, all of it homing in on the big alien. Obi-Wan felt what Xanatos was doing and his fright suddenly focussed on the yellow-skinned shuffling feet far below him. One small hand clenched, the Force responded, and the alien's laugh turned to a surprised yelp as one foot was jerked out from under him just as he put his weight down on it.

Xanatos snatched Obi-Wan from the Vaikerian's suddenly loosened grasp and the two were fleeing down the corridor together, the whirlwind of levitating objects dropping to the floor behind them as the Vaikerian struggled back up to his feet.

"Go! Run! We've got to find an escape pod or a shuttle or something!" Xanatos panted. "Here, down this way!" He tugged Obi-Wan around a corner as they heard a howling roar from the Vaikerian behind them and the sound of pounding feet.

"He's coming to get us again!" Obi-Wan squeaked, his eyes wide with fear as they ran on.

Xanatos skidded up to the first closed door he saw, hit the most obvious button on it and silently prayed to the Force, gulping down a hasty lungful of air as the giant-sized door slid open-- Good! A lift! He tugged Obi-Wan inside and punched a level button at random. As the lift started to move he searched frantically for the emergency cut-off, found a small black lever high up in a corner of the lift's ceiling. "Damn! I can't reach it!"

Obi-Wan saw what he wanted, reached out one small hand and tugged hard with the Force.

The lurch as the lift car suddenly and violently stopped toppled them to the floor. Faintly they heard some odd screeching mechanical noise from somewhere outside. The sound repeated and kept repeating and Xanatos guessed it was some sort of emergency claxon.

"We must hurry," Xanatos said, picking himself up from the floor, straightening his clothes and throwing back his hair from his eyes. He helped Obi-Wan up and searched the ceiling of the lift car for a hatchway, found none. That left the door. "Help me with this," he said as he put his fingers to the seam where the two halves of the door met and began to pry the door open. Obi-Wan scooted in beneath the taller apprentice and pushed as hard as he could on one of the door-halves. It moved far too slowly under their combined strength. Vaikerian howls sounded from somewhere close by. They strained at the door together for several minutes trying to open the solid duralanium portal enough to squeeze through.

"Once more," Xanatos panted. Obi-Wan felt the older boy reach to touch the Force and followed his lead, felt the strength and sparkling energy sweep through him momentarily. The lift door slid open another foot and they could see the grimy metal of a lift shaft and the edge of a ladder.

Xanatos had just managed to squeeze through the half-open lift door and had his hands on the rungs of the ladder when the emergency braking clamps on the lift suddenly disengaged and the lift dropped out from underneath them. Obi-Wan gulped, watching the lift disappear into the darkness at astonishing speed. Just below him, Xanatos dangled by his hands for a moment before he got his feet on the ladder with a sigh of relief.

"Go!" Xanatos urged the boy.

"Where to?" Obi-Wan asked, starting to climb.

"Anywhere but here," Xanatos replied. "They surely know where the lift stopped by now. Go up...say, seven levels. That should be random enough to give us a head start on them."



Qui-Gon walked numbly through the Govenor's palace, not really seeing the rich marble and crystal of the walls or the sinuous abstract sculptures at every bend in the corridors.

This time yesterday Obi-Wan and I were swimming together. The thought seemed somehow neutral, unweighted by the light that normally accompanied any thought of his bondmate. His mind refused to remember the swinging surf or the constant giggling or the fascination with sand. And Xanatos, serious and formal, ever maintaining that mask he was still learning to wear, that imitation of Jedi calmness. Though Qui-Gon had to admit his Padawan's efforts toward true calmness brought the mask and the reality steadily closer with each passing day. But he valued his Padawan's ocassional bouts of temper as well, the fire that would be needed in the future to stand up for what he knew was the will of the Force no matter what the Council wanted to make him believe.

His bondmate and apprentice had been kidnapped and here he was, helpless to do anything until the kidnappers made their demands known.

He tried to quell the terrified thought that there might never be any demands made, that Obi-Wan and Xanatos had simply been taken and might be even now on their way to some truly horrible fate. Madmen needed test subjects, the wealthy wanted slaves, brothels needed fresh meat...any number of unthinkable things.

Stop it! Think, damn it! he screamed at himself. You're a Jedi Master! Stop reacting and start THINKING damnit!

He stopped at an intersection of corridors, closed his eyes and began consciously releasing all the tension and pain into the Force. Emptied all thought, all worry, all fear, into the Force. Then, when he felt the calmness of that releasing sink into every cell, opened himself to the Force. He'd found that simply asking with true humility and openness of heart brought the song of the Force clearest into his mind.

A stirring came, the smallest of tugs, and his eyes snapped open as he moved.



"Tea, Master Jinn?"

Qui-Gon shifted his unblinking gaze from the knot of Vaikerians to focus on the Govenor's aide and the young servant just behind him. Telian gestured to the edge of the bubbling fountain and the servant carefully put down the tray on the smooth stone of the broad wall. The mingled scents of ginger, mint and ginseng rose from the small stoneware teapot. The aide poured a cup of the steaming hot tea as the Jedi Master nodded haltingly, still silent, and accepted the cup.

"The Govenor sent me to inform you that he has sent the message you requested," Telian said softly, keeping his voice low so the other symposium attendees milling through the gardens around them would not overhear. "The Kreth-ma was most helpful. Apparently his son is a bit on the reckless side and the Kreth-ma has had to haul him out of trouble more than once. Not that they consider this a bad trait in their future ruler, you understand. But the Kreth-ma provided us the information you requested on the Shrith-ma's ship."

"I trust the Govenor is making good use of it?" Qui-Gon asked, his eyes still boring holes into the Vaikerian prince who stood in the midst of his companions. Qui-Gon had been staring at the group unwaveringly for almost an hour, always from the same distance and always just to the side of the big Vaikerian prince's line of sight. It was an old and very annoying trick. To anyone with a guilty conscience it was excrutiating. Qui-Gon had had ample cause over the last several years to put the old trick to good use. Of course if someone didn't have a conscience to begin with it was wasted effort....

A tremor in the Force, a tingle of warning, and he stopped frozen in place. Danger. He swept his eyes around the various aliens and humanoids walking in small groups around him or admiring the riotous colors of the blooming gardens. The Vaikerians, of course, with disruptors, blasters and knives very visible. No. No true, immediate danger there.



Then a whiff of the tea in the cup he held. An unknown faint scent of something, a smell he didn't remember from any previous tea. A flat, faintly metallic smell. The Force seemed to illuminate that scent as if to make certain he was aware of it. Very cautiously he took a small sip of the tea and brought the Force to bear on the taste. The instant alarms that screamed through his mind and soul confirmed it. Poison.

"The Federation delegates were also very helpful," Telian continued, oblivious to the laser-like stare of the Jedi Master now focussed on him as he was turned to watch a group of graceful Iegans pacing through the ribbon-like blossoms of a nearby vine curtain, laughing softly at the touch of the flowers. "They have set up a sensor relay from their ship in orbit above us and have set the scans at once a Standard minute. That and the information the Kreth-ma sent to us should make the search a simple matter."

"Indeed. There will be nowhere to hide," Qui-Gon said, his voice carefully devoid of inflection. The Voravian turned at that and gave the Jedi a faintly startled look before he turned again to nod to the delegate from Alderaan as the old man passed by them. But the sudden tension in the younger man's frame spoke volumes to the Jedi Master. "Oh, and commend the Govenor on his choice of tea. I've rarely tasted ginseng of such quality." And with that, Qui-Gon downed the poisoned drink in three long swallows, smiled at the Voravian and put the small stoneware cup back on the tray. Then he tucked his hands inside his sleeves and bowed to Telian and turned to go.

Once out of sight of the Vaikerians and the Govenor's aide, he quickened his pace toward the courtyard where the droid-driven aircars waited. He might not have much time and he needed to be somewhere relatively safe to go into healing trance. Not the smartest thing he'd ever done, but the confirmation of his suspicions had been worth it.

The Govenor's aide was in on the plot.



"Feel anything?"

"Give me a minute," Obi-Wan groused, his concentration broken by the hand on his leg. He scowled down at the older boy and freed one hand from the ladder to touch the closed lift doors just beside him, relaxed as much as he could without falling off the ladder. The Force came at his call and he let his senses reach past the duralanium doors, trying to remember how Quigee did this...the thought of Qui-Gon made him shudder. Something was wrong with Quigee. He could feel it like cold shivers down his back. Shaking his head to free it of the sudden fear he refocussed himself on his task. Quigee always said the Force would always help if you just asked nicely... "I don't feel anything just in front of the door but there's some of the monsters further away. That way," Obi-Wan explained, gesturing to the right and ahead of him, indicating the space beyond the lift doors.

Xanatos raked his hair out of his eyes, tossed his Padawan braid back over his shoulder absently. "Then we shall have to be cautious."

Obi-Wan grinned a little. "You mean sneaky."

Xanatos' answering grin was small and fleeting, but it was there. "As you say. Move over a bit."

Obi-Wan nodded and moved over to the left as much as he could as Xanatos climbed up beside him to rest one hand on the grime-coated wall of the lift shaft just beside the doorframe. After a moment's concentration Xanatos grimaced and moved again, very very carefully climbing up onto the ledge of the doorframe to reach his hand to the other side, stretching across the too-wide space with his left hand latched on the ladder. Obi-Wan gulped and reached for the Force again, imagining a big hand holding Xanatos on the ledge, steadying him, not letting him fall.

"That is most appreciated, Obi-Wan." The Force swirled around the apprentice for a moment and the lift door clicked as it released and slowly slid open with a hiss of hydraulics. Xanatos ducked inside as Obi-Wan swung around off the ladder and followed him.

Cargo containers rose around them like the skyline of Coruscant, siliplastic crates stacked five high. The light was dim from a few blue-tinted diffusion lights far above. The sound of the ship's ion engines rumbled loudly through the deckplates here, sending vibration up through their feet. It was much colder here and both boys started shivering almost immediately. They jumped as the lift door slid shut behind them with a faint hiss.

Xanatos looked around and gestured Obi-Wan to follow him as he started to move around the cargo crates to the left, away from the rumble of Vaikerian voices a few rows over on the right. As they came to the bulkhead wall and turned again they saw the source of the sudden intense cold. A force-shielded cargo bay door, essentially a huge window opening onto the vacuum of space itself, showed the glowing curve of Voravia framed in the faint blue tingle of the shields. The force-shields kept the vacuum of space at bay but they couldn't stop the slow leeching of heat off into the absolute zero of space. Across the large open space in front of the bay door, a small starship rested on a triangle of landing gear, what looked to be a Vaikerian shuttle. Xanatos jerked Obi-Wan back into the concealment behind a cargo crate as he saw the hulking black-armored forms of several Vaikerians stalking toward the shuttle from lifts at the other end of the cargo bay, each carrying several hand-combat weapons as well as their disruptors and a heavy blaster thrown over one shoulder.

"Why are they taking all those weapons to Voravia?" Obi-Wan asked in a whisper.

"Do not assume they are going to Voravia," Xanatos said softly. "That shuttle has hyperdrive. They could be going elsewhere, anywhere in the galaxy." Then his eyes fell on some odd containers stacked near the rear of the shuttle, spherical transparisteel objects filled with a yellowish liquid that glowed green in the blue light. Each was perhaps a meter in diameter, fastened securely in frames with devices blinking tiny green lights in steady pulses.

Xanatos grabbed Obi-Wan and threw them both roughly behind the cargo crates, leaned back against the crates in wide-eyed terror. Shock dilated the blue-violet eyes and Obi-Wan had to catch him as he started to sway.

"What?! What is it?!" Obi-Wan asked in a frantic whisper.

Xanatos swallowed, nodded, his eyes regaining some sort of sense after a moment. He knelt, pulled Obi-Wan down beside him, took the younger boy's shoulders so Obi-Wan would look him in the eyes. "You must call Master, right now! Those spherical cargo containers beside the shuttle...tell Master the Vaikerians have seven containers of Pyxal concentrate."

Obi-Wan looked up at the apprentice in confusion. "What's that?"

Xanatos swallowed again, plainly trying to keep himself under some sort of control. "Master will probably not want you to know, but...Pyxal is a chemical warfare agent." He looked up and around, then allowed himself a moment to put his head down on his knee before looking back up at Obi-Wan. "Obi-Wan, just one of those spheres of Pyxal sprayed into the jet stream of a planet could destroy all life on that planet in a matter of a day. The Senate banned it long ago, but--Well, that's what the Jedi are for, I suppose." He put an arm around the younger boy's shivering shoulders. "Call Master and tell him right now. Wake him up if you must, but he must know of this now! "



The chiming of the comscreen beside the bed forced Qui-Gon back to consciousness. He rolled over and pushed himself to sit up with shaking arms, somehow managed to touch the screen to acknowledge the link. "Jinn. What news?"

"Like the hells of the Sith, you look, Padawan."

Qui-Gon let out a laugh as he tried to straighten up, cold sweat streaking down his face and into his hair, the chills of the fever making his teeth chatter. "I am neutralizing a poison, Master. Surely you can't expect me to look my best."

"Hmph. Poison? Remember, you do, how to deal with such?"

Qui-Gon managed to nod, forced his eyes open. The familiar, loved visage of his former Master filled the comscreen, Yoda's frizzy white hair and huge wing-like ears, the wide blue-green eyes and green skin, the gnarled walking stick clutched in a three-fingered, clawed hand. "Has there been news, Master?"

"The Kreth-ma of Vaikar, denies he does his son's involvement. Knows nothing of kidnapping of your Padawan and Obi-Wan. So he says." Yoda's ears dropped momentarily, wordlessly conveying his disbelief of the Vaikerian ruler's denials. "Any further word from the children?"

"I am not certain," Qui-Gon managed to get out around his nerveless shivering. "It may have been the delirium of the fever but I thought I heard Obi-Wan tell me something about Pyxal concentrate."

Yoda's ears went straight up at that and the bulbous eyes went huge with alarm. "Contact him, you must! Now!"

Qui-Gon nodded, reached for his bondmate. [Imp? Are you well?]

[Quigee! What's wrong with you?!] Obi-Wan's mindvoice sounded truly frightened and Qui-Gon cursed under his breath. The imp was picking up the feel of the fever and no doubt had heard at least some of the delirious ramblings of the last couple of hours.

[I'm--all right at the moment, imp,] Qui-Gon sent carefully. [I'm sorry I didn't really hear what you were saying to me before. But I can understand now. What did you and Xani find?]

[Xani says it's Pyxal concentrate, seven containers of it. The monsters are putting it into the shuttle now. I think they're getting ready to go somewhere.]

Qui-Gon suppressed his alarm and turned back to the screen where Yoda watched him silently. "Yes, Master, it's true. Pyxal concentrate, seven containers. Obi-Wan says they're loading it onto a shuttle now and it looks like the Vaikerians are preparing to depart."

Yoda let out a curse in some language Qui-Gon didn't know. "Vaikerians, always careless they are! Without proper procedures the Pyxal is unstable! Even in the tiniest amounts, is deadly to all life forms!"

"I know, Master," Qui-Gon said, forcing himself more upright so he could take a few deep breaths and once more call the Force to bear on the poison rioting in his blood. "I will have the poison neutralized completely soon. The Govenor's aide Telian is somehow involved in the kidnapping. We would need solid proof to accuse the Vaikerians of dealing in banned chemical warfare agents. Somehow we need to catch them red-handed in front of reliable witnesses or else find some other incontrovertible proof. I doubt the Kreth-ma of Vaikar even knows of this."

"Information, we need, yes," Yoda agreed. "Take care, you will, Qui-Gon! The lives of many may depend on you!"

The transmission ended abruptly. Qui-Gon snorted a mirthless laugh. "Don't they always?"



"So we can expect you back in time for dinner tonight, Tel?" Govenor Danu said as he and his aide walked together down the echoing marble hallway toward the communications center. "Or shall I tell Alayni that once again you shall be late?"

Telian smiled and nodded as they came to the intersection of the hallways and stopped beside the great bronze sculpture beneath the rotunda dome far above. "I intend to be back before dinner, Govenor, but there could always be some sort of delay. Tell Alayni I have every intention of being on time, but if I am not to expect me to bring her dessert to her rooms."

The Govenor laughed at this. "That I shall! Go on with you then! And remember I want only the best for my daughter!"

Telian smiled again and bowed to the Govenor. "A monk's hut and a grove of sora trees would suit me, Govenor, so long as Alayni shared it with me."

Danu chuckled and waved him on his way, turned to go.

Telian watched the Govenor walk away, waited until Danu had disappeared around a bend in the corridor before whipping around and heading down the right-hand corridor toward the courtyard. As he rounded a corner and started down a flight of shallow stairs a shadow detached itself from behind a sinuous twining sculpture behind him and flickered down the stairs in silence. Intent on his own thoughts, Telian was oblivious to the Jedi Master's presence as Qui-Gon moved from shadow to shadow in the half-dark of the stairwell.



"What are we going to do?" Obi-Wan whispered to Xanatos, peeking around the corner of the crates they were hiding behind to sneak a look at the Vaikerians loading the shuttle.

Xanatos snorted slightly, also peeking around the corner just as intently as the younger boy. "Look at them! The fools are putting ion grenades on the same shuttle with the Pyxal! And no doubt they'll insist on flying wherever they're going in the same shuttle as well! Served them right if one of those containers was leaking and they all ended up as puddles of green goo on the deck of the shuttle before it even hit atmosphere."

Obi-Wan put a hand up to his mouth but it didn't stop the slightly guilty giggle.

Xanatos grinned a little as Obi-Wan laughed. "Sometimes I think the true work of the Jedi is to eliminate stupidity in the universe, but I know that is a losing battle."

Obi-Wan rolled his eyes at this but quickly grew serious again as they watched two of the hulking aliens beginning to hoist one of the containers of Pyxal between them, obviously struggling under the weight.

"I can't watch anymore," Xanatos muttered, moving back behind the crates and putting his forehead to the siliplastic, hitting his head against it softly a couple times in mock anguish. "The fools are going to drop that thing, I just know it...."

Obi-Wan turned to look at him consideringly. "Then maybe we should save them from themselves?"

Xanatos looked up at that. "What do you mean?"

Obi-Wan nodded toward the shuttle and the Vaikerians. "Could we shove the Pyxal balls out into space through the force-shields?"

Xanatos blinked. "With the Force, you mean?"

"Yeah," Obi-Wan answered. "You know Master Yoda's always saying 'size matters not' and that there's no difference between a rock and a starship. If we shoved the Pyxal out into space it would freeze, wouldn't it? We're on the nightside of Voravia now so there's no sunlight."

Xanatos bit his lip and shook his head. "No, Obi-Wan. The containers might explode when they freeze and then the Pyxal would enter Voravia's atmosphere anyway. And do not forget that there are several billion people on Voravia and one of them is Master."

Obi-Wan nodded faintly and the inevitable shiver of dread at any thought of Qui-Gon being hurt shuddered through him. He reached almost without thought to his bondmate, seeking comfort. [Quigee?]

[I'm all right now, imp. The poison's gone now.]

[Poison!? You didn't tell me it was poison!] Obi-Wan almost wailed through their bond.

A mental caress followed by the Force enfolding him in a comforting hug. [I'm sorry, imp. I didn't want to scare you. And it's gone now anyway. A Jedi knows how to deal with such. I wasn't in danger.]

Obi-Wan clung to the feel of the hug that Qui-Gon sent through their bond, swallowed down his fears. [Xani and I are trying to figure out what to do. The Vaikerians are almost done loading the stuff onto the shuttle.]

A moment of hesitation, and Obi-Wan could tell Qui-Gon was thinking. [Tell Xani to try and delay them. Cause a commotion, start a fight, anything to keep the Vaikerians from leaving.]

[But they'll catch us, Quigee.]

[If you can delay them for a little I think I can unravel this little plot,] Qui-Gon explained. [But be careful, imp. That's all I ask.]



"Why isn't the shuttle loaded?" growled the Shrith-ma of Vaikar as the lift door across the cargo bay slid open to reveal that four of the Pyxal containers still remained on the deck waiting to be loaded. "We've no time to waste! You there," he said, whipping out one clawed hand to latch onto the shoulder of one of his personal guard, "Take the others, get those shrethkoratcha moving!"

The guard nodded, face impassive behind the black metal grating of his breathing mask and eyeshields, and loped over to the dozen or so Vaikerians goofing off while three of the younger warriors struggled to shift another container of Pyxal. The other guards of the Shrith-ma's entourage spread out around the group, wickedly-curving duralanium swords drawn menacingly. The loitering Vaikerians were soon attending to their duties again.

The Shrith-ma stood watching, waiting, and idly took something from a ring fastened to his belt beside the sheath of his short sword. He turned the device over in his huge hand, peered down the emitter assembly at one end, poked a claw inside, peered at the small switches and dials.

Several yards away, flat on his stomach on top of a stack of cargo containers, Xanatos prayed to whatever gods may be listening that the fool would just press the small red button. It would have been so satisfying to watch the Vaikerian lose a finger or a hand or some other vital part of his anatomy.

"Isn't that--?"

"Yes," Xanatos answered in a whisper. "My lightsaber." He glanced at the group of Vaikerians now industriously loading the Pyxal onto the shuttle under the pointed persuasion of the Shrith-ma's guards, then reached out a hand toward the alien prince.

The Force swirled and the weapon wrenched itself out of the Shrith-ma's hand, flew across the cargo bay and smacked into Xanatos' waiting hand with a stinging slap. A blur of movement and the apprentice was diving off the cargo crates toward the Shrith-ma, a cat-like leap and he had the glowing blue-white blade across the Shrith-ma's throat. He had his free arm across that same throat, wrenching the head back to expose the yellowish-green skin to the menacing hum of his blade.

The Vaikerian prince howled and all activity in the cargo bay ceased.

"Obi-Wan! Come on!" Xanatos ordered and tightened his grip on the alien prince's throat. He lowered his voice to a threatening growl as he transferred his attention to the alien tensing with fury. "Tell your people to load the remainder of the Pyxal and then clear out of the shuttle. NOW! Or they will be less their Shrith-ma as you will be less your head."

The big alien prince gave a gargling, deep-voiced laugh. The Jedi apprentice massed barely a third of the Shrith-ma's weight, he was hanging on the alien's back with his bare feet almost a meter off the floor. The alien prince had the advantage here, or so he thought. Another gargling laugh and the Shrith-ma threw himself backwards toward the floor, intending to crush the apprentice.

Just as the big alien prince moved, the Force jerked his legs out from under him and he landed instead on his face, struggling as Xanatos captured one flailing clawed hand and twisted it up between the Shrith-ma's shoulders. Obi-Wan scrambled up beside Xanatos as the alien started to struggle and hurriedly grabbed the short sword out of the sheathe and the disruptor pistol from the holster. The other Vaikerians were racing across the cargo bay toward them now, guns and blades of all descriptions drawn as they ran yowling to their Shrith-ma's defense.

The look in Xanatos' eyes could have lowered the temperature of liquid nitrogen. He deactivated his saber and brought it up to press the emitter assembly to the Shrith-ma's head and looked up at the charging Vaikerians. "I will kill him if you come any closer."

The deadly quiet in that conversational tone stopped the Vaikerians cold. The mad charge across the cargo bay dwindled away to shuffling feet and uneasy growls and milling about.

Xanatos tugged on the balled-up fist he still held twisted between the alien prince's shoulder blades, moved gracefully from where he knelt on the Vaikerian's back and allowed the prince to regain his feet. The lightsaber shifted to the area approximately behind a humanoid heart.

Obi-Wan looked up at the growling alien prince, his eyes turning storm-cloud deep blue in thought. He glanced at Xanatos' deadly calm and then back up at the alien prince. "Wouldn't it be nice to take us with you down to Voravia?" he asked softly, his young voice barely audible, but the Force twined through the suggestion.

A rumble from the Shrith-ma. "I take no human shrethkel with me to the planet."

"But you might need help unloading the shuttle," Obi-Wan continued softly and the Force once again brushed at the Shrith-ma's mind.

A grunt from the Vaikerian, but it sounded affirmative.

"We will not need any further help from your people," Xanatos intoned, picking up Obi-Wan's idea. "You can handle this yourself."

Another affirmative grunt from the alien prince. The growling voice rose to command his guards and crew to finish loading the Pyxal and then get out of his sight. Xanatos had to suppress a grin.

One more nail in the coffin. "When we get down to Voravia, you'll have to explain to the Jedi Master why you stole us," Obi-Wan said almost conversationally. "It really wasn't very nice of you to do that, was it?"

Another grunt of agreement.



The sudden brightening in his mind told Qui-Gon that Obi-Wan was having a giggle fit. Somewhere his bondmate was laughing. Qui-Gon's heart soared to feel it. [Having fun, imp?]

[Quigee! I love you!]

Qui-Gon swayed a little at the joy that blazed in that one sending and couldn't help the answering blaze of love that seemed to burst from him to his bondmate. [If you're laughing I can assume you're safe?]

[Yes Quigee. We're on our way!]

Qui-Gon frowned a little at that. [On your way where, imp?]

[To you! The monster said he's to take the Pyxal to Voravia so we got him to take us with him!]

Qui-Gon's heart plunged at this. [You're flying in a shuttle with seven containers of Pyxal?] he sent weakly.

[Yeah. Don't worry, it's tied down pretty well.]

Qui-Gon cursed silently and turned his attention back to his running.

He had followed the Govenor's aide in a speeder, tracking the small cloudhopper through the radar blind spots of the mountains to the north of the Govenor's estate. When the cloudhopper landed he'd left his speeder just out of range of the cloudhopper's proximity scanners and continued on foot, using the Force to run far faster than any human could. It still took many minutes before he could feel the aura of a sentient mind ahead of him. Keeping well out of earshot he flickered through the dappled shadows of the forest in silence, barely stirring the leaf-litter of several years beneath his boots. He ducked behind a tree when he saw Telian leave the protection of the trees in a small clearing some hundred yards away.

A megalithic rock punched out of the deep carpet of grass and multi-colored wildflowers, a boulder easily the size of a Corellian freighter. Gray granite streaked with veins of white, warm from the sun, moss and vines climbing up the shadowed north face of the rock. Telian made his way across the small meadow to this great crag, glancing about him at the quiet of the forest and above at the empty sky nervously. Qui-Gon watched from the concealment of the towering evergreen, wrapping his dark cloak around himself to blend with the green shadows.

A sudden hum of machinery and the rock race in front of Telian began to open slowly, revealing a cave carved out of the granite. An obviously artificial cave. Two heavy loader droids began trundling out of the cave the moment the door opened.

Another giggle from Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon smiled slightly. [I'm glad you're enjoying all this, imp, because every moment you spend with that damned Pyxal takes a year off my life.]

Just at that moment Qui-Gon heard the first faint roar of the shuttle's engines far away. He took his lightsaber from his belt and reached for his comlink.



The Vaikerian shuttle settled to it's triangle of landing gear in the small meadow, the small directional thrusters manuevering it so that the rear cargo door was nearest the cave entrance. The sharp scents of scorched vegetation wafted across the meadow on the light breeze. Qui-Gon was glad of that breeze. It meant he was downwind and the Vaikerian would not be able to scent him hiding there less than a hundred yards away.



The cargo door cracked open with a hiss of hydraulics and began lowering slowly. Telian came out of the cave, a heavy blaster in his hands, as the loader droids waited patiently for their orders beside him.

The Shrith-ma stalked down the lowering rampway, growling a curt greeting. Telian nodded once and gestured to the droids. The two turned to go into the cave and Qui-Gon caught a flicker of something at the rampway of the shuttle moving away.

[Imp, is that you?] he sent through the bond. [Are you safe away? Or was that Xani?]

A giggle answered him briefly, then, [I'm out now. Xani said to run off into the trees. He said he'd wait for you.]

Even better. Qui-Gon reached for his apprentice, uncertain if he would be heard. [Padawan? Are you well?]

[I am well, Master. It is good to hear you again myself instead of through Obi-Wan.]

[Be ready. I am just in the shadows of the trees to the left of the shuttle and about one hundred meters distant.]

A faint acknowledgement from Xanatos, an impression of careful movement, of getting ready to move quickly. Qui-Gon nodded and spoke into his comlink.

[Xani, I have brought help. Have no fears this outrage will go unpunished.] Qui-Gon sent as he started moving silently toward the shuttle.

[So I hope, Master. Pyxal was banned for very good reasons.]

[Indeed. I am on my way.]

The green saber blade ignited halfway to the shuttle, and an answering blaze of blue-white erupted as Xanatos leaped from the cargo bay. The droning hum of the lightsabers alerted the Voravian and Vaikerian in the cave and both came rushing out, disruptor and blaster drawn and firing at the two Jedi rushing forward toward them.

Qui-Gon leaped ahead at the two conspirators, deflecting dirsuptor and blaster bolts with graceful precision, as Xanatos whirled and put up a hand. The Force responded and the cargo door on the shuttle began to swing closed again, the armor plating scorching as a blaster bolt hit the edge of it. Assured the Pyxal was now safe from stray bolts, Xanatos turned again and jumped back into the fight. As his Master pressed ever closer to the two Xanatos took something from the pocket of his shirt and deactivated his saber.

[Master!] he sent warningly, [Pull back! Now!]

A quick nod and Qui-Gon disengaged from the fight, swiftly moving backwards, not questioning the sudden urgency of his apprentice's mindvoice.

Xanatos tossed the ion grenade far into the cave and a second later there was a blinding white flash and a deafening roar as the cave collapsed. Telian and the Vaikerian prince had nowhere to run and the evidence to convict them was now safely buried beyond their ability to destroy.

The humming green and blue lightsaber blades held the two conspirators at bay as the Voravian security cloudhoppers hovered into view. In moments it was over.



Qui-Gon turned away as the Voravian security men surrounded Telian and the Shrith-ma and took their weapons, deactivated his lightsaber and heard the answering hiss as Xanatos also turned off his weapon. He swayed in relief as two frantic boys tried to climb into his arms.

Moving over slightly to get out of the way, Qui-Gon sank down heavily onto one of the shuttle's landing struts and clutched his Padawan and bondmate in a shaking silent hug, feeling the fury and terror of the last day and a half beginning to ease. Opening his eyes at last, Qui-Gon kissed Obi-Wan's forehead and then Xanatos' as well for good measure, gave a teasing tug to his Padawan's braid and hugged them both again. "You've both done amazingly well," was all he could manage to say in a choked voice.

Obi-Wan snuggled for a moment more and pushed upwards to kiss Qui-Gon's cheek. Xanatos pulled away a little and gave Qui-Gon's hand a reassuring squeeze, understanding.

"We're fine, Master. Hungry, in need of baths and sleep, but fine," Xanatos said softly.

"And you shall have all three before the hour is out," Qui-Gon said with a brisk nod. "Come, then. You can sleep while I make my report to the Council and the Govenor."



"Telian was a go-between," Qui-Gon explained to his Master two hours later, back at the small house on the beach. "He had arranged the deal between the Vaikerians and whoever was to purchase the Pyxal for a cut of the purchase price. Something on the order of several million credits."

Yoda hmphed lightly at this, his ears quivering in thought on the small comscreen. "Evidence needed to identify the purchaser may be under the stones of the cave-in. Digging out, they are?"

"Yes Master, the Govenor has assigned a work crew with exo-suits to excavate the cave," Qui-Gon answered. "He tells me they should have it cleared by tomorrow late afternoon."

"Quick thinking that was, of your Padawan, to use the ion grenade."

Qui-Gon nodded. "If the Shrith-ma had gotten back inside the cave it would only have taken one shot from his disruptor to destroy whatever evidence is there. Of course it may already have been destroyed in the cave-in, but the Shrith-ma started confessing everything the moment the security forces surrounded them." He glanced behind him briefly to the two sleeping forms on the bed. "I suspect Obi-Wan might have had something to do with it. Tell me, Master, have you taught him the mindtricks or did he pick it up from me?"

Yoda's eyes twinkled and the ears lifted. A sure sign of mischief.

Qui-Gon tried to suppress his grin. "You are irrepressible," he grumbled at his Master.

A burbling laugh. "So you have said, many years, Padawan. Care for the children, you will. Another week added on to your vacation will be. Rest well."

Qui-Gon nodded gratefully. "And you, Master. Until we return then." And the comscreen went blank.

He turned and stretched out beside Obi-Wan, kicking his boots off over the side of the bed and not really minding the lack of space. Tucking a pillow under his weary head, he sighed as Obi-Wan half-woke to snuggle up close before falling back to sleep. The gentle tropical twilight lulled him into much-needed and contented sleep.