�I don�t want to die!� Bai muttered nervously.

�We could draw lots to see who stays behind to help distract it.� Jemmiah suggested by way of a joke.

To her amazement, everyone took her seriously.

Jay Abran picked up a series of long stemmed-grasses, breaking off one of them about half way down.

�We all pick, so that if it comes down to it, one of us will make the supreme sacrifice and stay behind to fight it along with Master Jinn.� He looked at the others.

�Ladies first.� He said, offering the grasses to Kylenn.

She swallowed. �That one.� She said curtly, reaching out and pulling out a long stem. The relief on her face was clear to see.

�You don�t have to pick.� Obi-Wan scolded Jemmiah as she prepared to select her stem. �You�re not a padawan.�

�I�m just as capable of being eaten as the next person. Oh, maybe not,� she amended, realizing that the next person to her was Ben. �Here goes.�

She pulled out a long stem. Obi-Wan breathed out.

�Your turn, Simeon.� Abran murmured. �And if it�s you, can I please have my twenty Republic Credits back?�

�Thanks,� grumbled the very green looking Simeon, stretching out a shaking hand and missing the blades on every occasion.

�He�s useless.� Muttered Kylenn.

�He�s drunk.� Retorted Jemmiah.

�Here,� Abran picked for him.

It was a long straw.

�Obi-Wan?� Abran offered.

Kenobi concentrated, then pointed at the grass stem he wanted. Abran pulled at it.

It was short.

�Oh, Ben!� Jemmiah grimaced. �How do you do it?�

�Sith!� Kenobi snorted. �I can�t even run!�

�It might not come to that.� Simeon pointed out hopefully.

�But if it does?� Obi-Wan asked, quaking?

There was another loud growl from out of the darkness.

�Anyone fancy an Obi-Snack?� Abran joked.

*******

�I don�t believe it!� Qui-Gon nearly jumped out of his skin.

�YOU don�t believe it?� Mace Windu trembled. He never took his eyes from the Krayt Dragon for one moment. Those huge, red-gold eyes seemed to bore into his soul and leave him hypnotized.

�It�s�it�s a�� Qui-Gon seemed stuck for words.

�It�s a Sithly Krayt Dragon, Qui!� Mace slithered away, backwards, one buttock at a time. �What do you suggest we do?�

�I suggest we keep still.�

�Great. That�s your master plan?�

�No. I suggest if we find keeping still is not a practical option then we run like stink!�

�I like that one better.� Mace replied, trying to get to his feet. �Let�s see what it�s like in the application, shall we?�

Qui-Gon nodded. The Dragon licked its lips.

�Ready?� He asked Windu.

�You betcha.� Mace nodded.

�Well, old-timer. Last one out of this zoo is a Siths� breakfast! One�two��

�THREE!� Squeaked Mace and turned and ran on his heels before Qui-Gon could finish his countdown.

*******

�Something�s not right.� An-Paj murmured. �I can feel it.�

His mind was sending him pictures that he didn�t want to receive, that somehow seemed very real and yet he felt couldn�t possibly be right. It felt like an invasion of his brain, and not a welcome one.

�An-Paj?� Kenobi looked at him. He�d sensed it, too.

�Yes, I know, son. It�s more than a bad feeling this time.�

Jemmiah shivered. She didn�t need to be force sensitive to know that there was trouble brewing.

�Qui-Gon�s in trouble.� An-Paj said instinctively.

Obi-Wan and Jemmiah exchanged frightened glances.

�I�ll go take a look. Jemmiah, you stay here with Kenobi. Bai and Jay, you come with me.�

Ocen-Bai Talz and Menali-Jay Abran hung back for a moment, then nodded. Fear pressed down upon Jemmiah as she saw the three figures hurriedly making their way to where An-Paj had felt the source of the trouble to be. Light was beginning to filter into the sky, turning the dark blue sky to a brighter shade. The two ghostly figures finally disappeared from sight.

�It�s Master Mace! It�s not Qui-Gon�it�s Master Mace!� Kenobi yelled as if in the middle of a nightmare. �He�s being attacked! You�ve got to help him!�

Kylenn was on her feet in a flash, heart pounding. �He�s right! It�s that creature!� She was terrified, but kicked her fear into place with an enormous surge of the force. Her legs were telling her not to move, but her brain urged her into action. She ignited her lightsabre. �Simeon, you�ll have to go with me.�

�He doesn�t know what time of day it is!� Jemmiah shouted at her. �You can�t take him for back up!�

�There isn�t anyone else.� She dragged Simeon by the arm.

�Come on, smiler. We�ve got a Jedi Master to rescue.�

�But�� Jemmiah stammered.

�You stay where you are.� Obi-Wan moaned. �I think you�ve damaged yourself enough in the last twelve hours, don�t you?�

�Oh, speak!� Jemmy sat beside him. Kylenn and Simeon were already out of sight.

Silence.

�Ben.�

�What?�

�Something�s watching us.�

�I don�t feel anything.� Kenobi closed his eyes, and once again felt something brush the edge of his mind. Yes, there WAS something. But what?

�Get the kids into the wrecked transport!� Obi-Wan felt a wave of pain from his broken leg.

�The top is all caved in!�

�The locking system works. That�s all that matters. It probably won�t be small enough to get through the whole in the top. Get going!�

�I can�t leave you on your own! I�m NOT doing it.� She began to get frightened.

�Don�t make me use a mind trick, Jemmy.� He growled.

�You wouldn�t!�

�You want to risk it? You�re wasting time! I�ve got Master Yoda to help me.�

�Neither of you can walk, Ben!� She screamed.

�Stop picking faults in my plan and get moving!�

The fury in her eyes told Obi-Wan that he hadn�t heard the last of this.

�OK, kids. Commander Cripple and the Incapacitated Kid here want us to run as fast as we can back to the transport. Got that?�

�But it�s all bashed in!� Whimpered the Wookie Initiate.

�Tell that to him!� She shot Obi-Wan a thunderous look before grabbing hold of the Alderaani kids� hand.

�I don�t wanna go.� He whined.

�If you don�t do what you�re told for the first time today I will make sure that Master Yoda confines you to the temple for the next two hundred and fifty years!� She snapped, pulling him along. She stared at Isadora Lucey.

�That goes DOUBLE for you, goldilocks!�

Obi-Wan waited until they were gone, then looked about him. There was only Master Yoda and himself left. And the unconscious keeper. Too many tranquilizers had apparently taken their toll.

Jemmy�s right, he thought in agitation, what use is Yoda going to be? Unless I can force-throw him through the air and use him as a ballistic missile. More to the point, what can I do?

*******

Qui-Gon and Mace Windu ran faster than they had ever gone in a long time. By the time they actually stopped running and had dared to look back, they were extremely out of breath.

�I hate being old.� Mace groaned, bent double in the need for oxygen.

�Me�too.� Gasped Qui-Gon, breathing in exaggerated fashion. �But at least we�ve outrun it.�

�Thank the force.� Mace said reverently. Still struggling to calm their breathing, they turned round slowly.

It was infront of them.

�How?� Croaked Windu.

�It�couldn�t have got past us.� Jinn was awe-stricken. �Nothing runs that fast. Not even Obi-Wan with the healers after him!�

�Well, it�s here now!� Mace scowled. �What do we do?�

�I suggest we revert to my plan A of not moving a muscle.� Qui-Gon offered.

�What, we just sit here and wait for it to work up an appetite?� Mace snapped.

�It�s just watching us.� Qui-Gon was confused.

�Yeah. It was doing that before.� Windu frowned. �Just watching.�

The creature growled.

Qui-Gon had a strange, nagging feeling that he couldn�t quite place. Something about the situation didn�t make sense. The lack of aggression, for one. The way it had mysteriously just appeared before them for another. He had the vaguest notion that something was having a laugh at their expense�

�I�m going to try and walk towards it.� Qui-Gon told Mace.

�Are you mad!�

�Just be ready. I don�t want to orphan my padawan unless I can help it.�

�I�ll make sure they call their kid after you.� Mace joked, still not taking his eyes from the Krayt Dragon.

So Mace DID know.

�What if it�s a girl.� Qui-Gon said dryly, creeping slowly towards it.

�Then she�ll be the only female in the galaxy to be called something as ridiculous as Qui-Gon Kenobi!� Windu kept up the nervous banter.

�Poor child.� Muttered Jinn. He felt a subtle change in the creatures� feelings and tensed himself.

�Look out Qui!� Windu yelled, running forward with his lightsabre, but Qui-Gon was already prepared.

The creature lunged, and this time Jinn didn�t even bother with the force: he slashed out with the green blade of his laser sword and smote the Krayt Dragon in half.

Except that he didn�t.

Gone! It was gone, thought Windu. Vanished! Into thin air! Not even the proverbial puff of smoke to herald its departure.

�Where?� Yelled Windu. �Where did it go?�

Qui-Gon looked about, incredulity once more becoming his favorite companion in time of crisis.

�It was an illusion.� He stated.

�But how? Why?�

�More to the point, who?� Jinn frowned. Things were beginning to fall into place.

�What do we know about Krayt Dragons?� He asked Windu.

Mace blinked. �They attack most things. But especially vulnerable creatures. Wounded prey, smelling of blood. Easy targets, that kind of thing.�

Qui-Gon swallowed.

�We�ve been outmaneuvered by a giant lizard. It�s force sensitive, don�t you see? It manipulated our minds to get us to think what it wanted us to think and see what it wanted us to see!�

�Then those images were��

�Phantoms. Illusions.� Jinn hissed. �That�s why it didn�t attack. It was never here.�

�Then where IS it?� Mace asked, fear spreading from his feet upwards.

�It could be anywhere, watching. It moved us away from where you crashed that speeder, quite deliberately.�

�Yes, but why?�

The nagging thought that had been bothering Qui-Gon for sometime burst forth into bloom.

Vulnerable creatures.

The Initiates.

Easy targets.

Jemmiah wasn�t armed.

Wounded prey, smelling of blood.

Obi-Wan!

�Padawan!� Jinn turned on his heel and ignored the protest of his aching limbs. He had to get back to his padawan before�

Before HE became an orphaned Jedi Master.

*******

I am NOT leaving him there. I am NOT! If I so much as turn my back he ends up getting near hacked to death. He can�t take a shower without fate giving him double pleurisy. If he so much as looks at the sky to admire the clouds, you can be sure a big bolt of lightening is waiting to get him. The whole galaxy has an invisible grudge against Ben Kenobi, and he want�s me to play hide-and-seek whilst something nasty makes claims on his body?

Jemmiah frowned as she waited in the transport. It was full of wide eyed, crying kids. Some of them were ill. Some of them were clinging to her as if she were their only hope of salvation. The temptation to disobey Obi-Wan and leave the kids to it was almost overpowering.

But she just couldn�t do it.

She was nearly as scared as they were, but not for herself. For Ben. For Master Jinn. For Yoda and Simeon and Kylenn�heck, even Jay Abran. She wished she was force sensitive, like all the others, so that she could touch their minds and reassure herself that they were safe. A small prayer seemed to form itself in her mind, begging for everyone�s safety.

Force, I�ll never make fun of Master Jinn again, she thought.

A laughing voice formed in her mind. �Don�t make promises you can�t keep.�

It made her smile inspite of herself. Well, if she HAD to stay here, she may as well do something useful.

�Who wants to hear about the time Master Jinn and Master Windu slid down the banister in the temple?� she asked the initiates.

*******

Yoda was smiling.

Obi-Wan wasn�t sure if this was a good thing or not. He looked as if he were forming some kind of dastardly plan, then again it could be that his face had frozen in that particular expression. Usually, having an eight hundred-year-old Jedi Master with you in a time of crisis was a considerable comfort, but now Obi-Wan looked upon Yoda as if he were as much use as a giant boulder.

No, Kenobi thought.

As if Yoda was reading his thoughts, Obi-Wan caught the glint in the masters� eye, and this time he KNEW that Yoda was smiling after all.

*******

�Right.� An-Paj crossed his arms. �I demand to know what is going on!�

�Where�s Master Qui-Gon?� Bai looked frantically. �I saw him�in my mind. Right here on this spot!�

�So did I!� Jay Abran was shaking. �Maybe it�s got him.�

�If anything like that had happened to Master Jinn, we would have felt it.� An-Paj was adamant. �Something funny�s going on here. My mind is being plagued with confusing pictures. It�s not even real.�

�It was very real to me!� Jay Abran deactivated his lightsabre.

�Your mind can play tricks on you. It�s all a matter of perception.� An-Paj replied. �Sometimes the nastiest looking wounds are infact the easiest to heal. I say the whole thing is a waste of time.�

�But An-Paj, sir, what about that terrible roar!� Bai trembled.

�It�s all an illusion.� The healer decided.

�Then what�s that!� Squawked Abran, pointing at a towering, red-gold colored Krayt Dragon some twenty yards away.

�Ignore it.� An-Paj said simply, walking towards it. �It doesn�t exist.� He stopped as he got within feet of the creature. �Good morning, Mr. Krayt Dragon. As illusions go you�re really very impressive.�

He walked towards and then right through the object of the padawans� terror.

It disappeared.

The two young men stared agog. �It�s not there.� Abran stated.

�You�re a very observant young man.� An-Paj smiled. �I think we could make a healer out of you. Hells teeth, if Simeon can become a healer, anyone can.�

�But, sir. How did you know?� Gasped Bai in astonishment.

�Instinct. You need a lot of that when you have to rely on your wits to put Kenobi back together again every few weeks. And believe me, my instincts are finely honed as a result.�

�It could have been real!� Insisted the shaken Jay Abran. �It could have killed all of us! Why didn�t you explain?�

�In my experience it is always better to do first and question later.�

�And if you were wrong?� the padawan demanded.

�Then neither of us would be around long enough to find out!� He smiled �Let�s get back to the others.� He wanted to find out where the source of the illusions was.

And he had a sneaking suspicion that he knew the answer�

*******

�I can�t see anything.� Kylenn looked at Simeon.

� Neither can I.�

�That�s because your eyes are shut.� She hissed.

�As a healer, I have learned to look after my eyes. I don�t wish to abuse them in any way, or wear them out unnecessarily.�

�You mean your too much of a cowardly Nerf to open them incase you see something you don�t like!�

�That�s it exactly.� Cates replied as she dragged him along.

�I don�t know how you ever got picked to be a healer.� She muttered. �What did An-Paj ever see in your potential?�

�I�m a good guy!� Simeon protested.

�And good guys go around getting people drunk, not to mention their girlfriends.� Kylenn criticized.

�I never forced either of them to have a drink.� Simeon sniffed. �I�m surprised at Jemmiah, though. Seeing as how she�s�you know.�

�What?� She frowned.

�Er�what�s the correct term. Up the stick?�

�What did you say?� Kylenn looked shocked.

�Breeding. Expecting a happy event. In an interesting condition. Preggers.�

�Thank you. I got the idea.� She said weakly. She thought about it. �Sith. Whose is it?�

Simeon looked confused.

�Is it Obi-Wans� or Master Jinn�s�?�

�Master Jinn�s!� Simeon was aghast. �What are you suggesting? No. On second thoughts, I don�t want to consider what you�re suggesting. That�s disgusting.�

�I hope she�s OK. That snake thing half crushed her to death! And it�ll be all my fault!� Kylenn�s� mind was working overtime.

�Oh, well.� Simeon shrugged, eyes still closed.

�Is that all you can say?� She spat at him.

�I�m sorry. I�m still trying to get over the idea of Qui-Gon and Jemmiah playing mommies and daddies.�

Actually, Kylenn had a problem with that, too. She looked up, and then stopped.

Simeon ran right into the back of her.

�What is it?� He asked, not opening his eyes.

�It�s�it�s�a�THING.�

�A thing. What sort of thing?�

�A BIG THING.� She whispered.

�Right. Is it a big thing with lots and lots of sharp teeth.�

�Y-yes.� Kylenn swallowed.

�OK.� Simeon replied.

�What do we do?�

�Sit down and close our eyes. If we don�t bother it, it might not bother us.�

�Are you mad?�

�Do you want to try and out run it?�

�No.�

�Right. Ignore it.� He pulled her down onto the ground. �Don�t look at it and it�ll get bored.�

There had to be logic in his madness somewhere, she thought, but she just couldn�t see it.