Taking a deep breath, Obi-Wan closed his eyes tightly, his lips puckering involuntarily. He knew he would find what he was seeking if he only looked hard enough. At first, he saw only deep darkness; not the sort he was afraid of, but the quiet nothing that sometimes came before he tapped into the Force. The darkness gave way to a dull sort of gray, passing into streaks of brilliant white. A momentary sense of warmth washed over him, and he considered retreating into the security of the bond he shared with his Master. Its presence reassured him, falling across his mind like a pool of sunlight. Obi-Wan felt himself frown; he needed to look more closely. What he sought was more elusive.

Slade�s grinning face filled his mind, and he concentrated on the image, pulling further inside himself. He still retained the general sense that something was wrong with his friend, but he didn�t know how to find its source. His Master had said that he must have a bond with Slade, but it wouldn�t be like the bond they shared as master and padawan. It would be harder to detect, and it would be difficult to trace. But now that Slade was gone, he was the only one who could find him. If he couldn�t use the bond with Slade to determine his friend�s location, it would only be a matter of time before they couldn�t find him at all. Slade�s face shimmered as it began to dissipate. Obi-Wan swallowed, starting to lose the image. He had to do this. He was the only one who could. But what if he couldn�t? What if Slade was already too far away? Fumbling to stay rooted in meditation, he reached out mentally for his Master, and voices spilled into his consciousness, breaking his trance.

�What�s taking him so long?� It sounded like Payter.

�I told you, he�s just a child. He hasn�t even known Slade that long; the bond isn�t going to be very strong.� He heard his Master�s voice, his tone soft but unyielding. �Obi-Wan, it�s okay. Open your eyes.�

Blinking at the bright lights in the consultation chamber, he looked up at Payter�s scowl. �Did you find him?�

His Master held up a hand, speaking to Payter. �I don�t think--�

�Obi-Wan, did you find him?� Payter�s tone was insistent, and Obi-Wan hesitated for a moment.

�I...um, I looked, and I know he�s there, but I. . .� He didn�t know how to explain. With his Master, drawing on their bond was almost an unconscious act. Yet with Slade, it wasn�t so much like a bond as it was an intuition. He knew that Slade was somewhere, but he couldn�t follow the feeling far enough to figure out where. It was like a memory on the tip of his mind, just beyond his reach.

His Master laid a hand on his shoulder, looking up at Payter. �You need to give us a few minutes. I think I can help him, but we need some peace, not three restless Jedi standing over us.�

Payter let out an agitated snort. �We don�t have a few minutes. We need to get moving before they leave our orbit.�

Obi-Wan looked between his Master and Payter, suddenly a little afraid. He had never heard them talk that way before. �Look, I know what�s at stake. And I think Obi-Wan can help us find him. But if we push him too hard, we�re going to lose our only link to Slade.�

Scowling to himself, Obi-Wan hunched his shoulders, propping his chin up in his hands. He hated it when people talked about him as if he wasn�t there.

�What�s wrong with him? Why can�t he do this?�

�Stop. He feels bad enough as it is.�

�Well, he�s going to feel a lot worse if--�

His Master cleared his throat. �Payter, I�m serious. He needs my help.�

Payter�s voice dropped, and Obi-Wan was sure only he and his Master could hear the words. �You�ve got fifteen minutes. And this is not an option.� He straightened up, tugging on the long fur at his chin. �I am going to get us a transport. Kerge, follow me.� Payter strode across the room, seizing roughly Rian by the collar. �You. Listen. If you leave my sight, I promise you will wish your mother had never sent you to this Temple.� He shoved Rian in front of him, aiming him towards the slide door. �Move.�

His Master crossed his arms in front of his chest, his gaze unwavering on Payter�s face. �We�ll join you as soon as we�re ready.�

�Dock 18,� Payter called over his shoulder. �Fifteen minutes.�

The slide door closed abruptly behind them, leaving Obi-Wan and his Master in a wake of quiet. His Master stood from his chair, kneeling next to the place where Obi-Wan sat on the carpet. �Are you okay?� his Master asked.

�No,� Obi-Wan whispered, pulling his knees up to his chest and wrapping his arms around them.

His Master reached out with one arm and pulled him close, resting his hand on Obi-Wan�s head. �I�m going to help you, all right? You and I are going to try to find Slade with your bond, and then we�re going to do our best to find him. We�re going to make it through this together, okay?.�

Leaning his head against his Master�s side, he let out a shuddering sigh. �But what if we can�t find him through the bond?�

�We can�t afford to think like that right now. Payter is the best tracker in the galaxy, possibly in the universe. He just wants to find Slade.�

Obi-Wan rocked forward slightly, interlocking his fingers to keep his hands around his knees. �But why is he being so mean?�

His Master sighed, brushing his fingers over Obi-Wan�s hair. �When Payter knows a child�s in trouble, he becomes very focused, and he doesn�t always pay attention to what he says. Sometimes he seems like he doesn�t care, but it�s actually that he cares so much, he can�t think about anything other than the little boy or girl he�s looking for.�

Obi-Wan shivered, pressing closer to his Master. �If I can�t find Slade with my bond, and we can�t find him, it�ll be all my fault.� He hid his face in his Master�s tunic. �And I�ll never see him again.�

�No, no, Little One.� His Master�s voice spoke gently. �This is not your fault at all. You�re being the best friend you could possibly be by trying to help find Slade. He couldn�t ask for more.�

�Do you think,� Obi-Wan said slowly, �that we�re going to find him?�

Although his Master appeared to be calm, Obi-Wan could feel his Master�s heart start beating faster against his cheek. Obi-Wan swallowed, biting his lip. �You don�t know, do you?� he whispered.

�No, I don�t.�

�What if. . .he already. . .� Obi-Wan didn�t want to say the words, but he wanted to know.

His Master tilted up his chin, meeting his gaze. �He�s not.� Settling his hand more comfortably on Obi-Wan�s head, his Master sent him a wave of comfort through their bond. �The Force is very strong in you, Little One, and it�s going to help lead us to where Slade is. I know you�re scared, and I know you�re upset, but I need you to put aside your worries for a few minutes so we can concentrate on finding him. Can you do that?�

�I�ll try.� Questions still plagued his mind, even as he answered. What if his Master couldn�t help him? Would they even have enough time?

A soothing wave from his Master�s mind came over his consciousness, and Obi-Wan felt the tight muscles in his shoulders relax slightly. �You need to let go of these worries. They�re not going to help us right now.� His Master�s hand swept lightly over his eyes, and Obi-Wan closed them involuntarily. �There. Close your eyes. Now just breathe for a second, all right?�

Obi-Wan sucked in a deep breath, letting it out slowly. �Okay.�

�That�s good. Are you comfortable?�

He shifted, leaning against his Master�s chest. �I guess.�

�I want you to keep taking deep breaths. Just relax. I�m right here, okay?� He felt the reassuring weight of his Master�s palm on his head. �I�m going to stop talking now, and we�re going to communicate through our bond for awhile.�

Immediately, his Master�s voice spoke in his mind. :You still with me?:

Obi-Wan felt the urge to nod, but he knew his Master wouldn�t see that. :I�m here.:

:I want you to think about someplace where you feel safe. Someplace peaceful and warm.:

Several images flashed in Obi-Wan�s mind, but he felt one materialize, taking shape in the darkness. It was early morning, and he smelled the sweet aroma of tea boiling in the kitchen. Wrapped in a blanket, he crawled up on the couch beside his Master, settling into his lap. Although he wasn�t quite awake, he felt content and secure as his Master draped an arm across his shoulders.

:That�s good, Obi-Wan.: His Master�s voice sounded slightly different, but Obi-Wan wasn�t sure why. He received another comforting wave through their bond, and he sensed a strange presence in the back of his mind. It wasn�t uncomfortable, but it was a little disconcerting, as if someone was watching him from far away. :I�m just following your thoughts. It�s all right. Can you think about one of the best times you had with Slade? A good memory of him?:

Obi-Wan let the image of the early morning fall away, and another surfaced slowly. He was walking down one of the Temple corridors, Slade by his side. Two boys stood off to the side, and Slade turned to them, saying, �He�s my friend, you got that?� It had been the first time anyone had stood up for him.

:You�re doing great. Think of another one.:

Pictures of Slade began to fill his mind, each blending into the next, as Obi-Wan felt his Master�s presence pursued his thoughts through the Force. Both of them at their lab desk in class with Teacher Bel-San, laughing as they put together a project. Eating dinner with his Master, trying to eat around the burned parts of the meal. Standing with noses pressed against the glass in the aquarium, as golden-scaled fish danced centimeters away from their faces. Making messes in the Creche, only to have Master Dermin come chasing after them to clean up. Helping him sneak onto the ship to follow after his Master before he left for Lieryl. The expression on Slade�s face when Obi-Wan brought the lightsaber around, falling out of control. . .

:Obi-Wan, wait. Stay there.:

Obi-Wan cringed, reluctant to hold onto the frightening image. His friend stood unmoving, hands outstretched, paler than he�d ever seen him before. He looked terrified.

Somewhere far away, Slade cried out, and then he heard only silence.

A sudden flash of bright light seared his vision, and Obi-Wan gasped, his breath catching in his chest. Somewhere inside his mind, it felt as if two electrical currents had joined, sparking and sizzling. A rush of energy washed through him, screaming through his brain, finally leaving him breathless and exhausted.

:Are you still with me?:

The sound of his Master�s voice appeared in his mind, but it seemed almost too loud, as if he�d shouted in Obi-Wan�s ear.

�Little One?�

Obi-Wan shook his head, unable to open his eyes immediately. He rubbed at his face, wiping at his sweaty temples. �I�m here.�

A reassuring squeeze of his hand made him realize he had truly returned to full consciousness. �We found him.�

Blinking, Obi-Wan stared up at his Master, bewildered. �What just happened?�

�I used our bond to help find the place where Slade connected himself to your thoughts. Now we can trace him, because we�ll be able to sense where he is.� His Master smiled slightly, but Obi-Wan could see the weariness around his eyes.

�But,� Obi-Wan said, his voice still sounding strange in his ears, �Something�s different. In my head. Are you--�

�It�s temporary. I linked myself to your bond with Slade, so our minds are more closely linked than they were. I know it feels strange, but it won�t be for long.�

Taking a deep breath, Obi-Wan nodded. �Are you sure?�

His Master nodded, no longer smiling. �It can�t last for more than a few hours, because the link will only last as long as I have the energy to keep it going.� He stood, helping Obi-Wan to his feet. �So we�d better get moving.�

***

�Which way?�

�Hold on.� Qui-Gon closed his eyes, silent for a moment. �Northeast.�

�Are you sure?�

�Yes.�

Payter flicked the other Jedi a questioning glance, and then engaged the repulsorlift engines of the airtaxi. His free traffic license had no expiration date, which allowed them to traverse any of the airspace on Coruscant, and an airtaxi at least provided them with a less conspicuous transport. If what Qui-Gon said was true, the boy still had to be alive, and on Coruscant. Payter felt the muscles in his forearms tense as he turned on the mild gravitational field in the taxi. It frustrated him to rely on another Jedi�s instincts, even if it was Qui-Gon�s.

The ship rose gently into the air, and Payter maneuvered them out of the docking bay and out into free traffic space. He hated using the regulated zones; they had stop gaps and speed limits, two aspects of flying on planet that he detested.

Obi-Wan, who sat beside Qui-Gon, made a small sound, and Payter looked over at them briefly.

�It�s nothing,� Qui-Gon said, turning his gaze away from the viewglass to his Padawan.

�We enter the Northeast district in about twenty minutes. Tell me when you get anything more from the boy.�

�I will.�

An uneasy silence stretched between them, but Payter was content to let it be. Distantly, he knew it rankled Qui-Gon to have Obi-Wan involved, but he didn�t care. Qui-Gon had never been privy to the unsuccessful rescue attempts of abducted padawans, and for that, Payter was thankful. There were some things Qui-Gon didn�t need to see. There were the rare exceptions--Rin-El, being one--and Jesca, although she�d never be a Jedi. Of course, those were the best-case scenarios, and he had found them both within several hours of the abduction.

Payter swerved around a large freighter, quelling the urge to swear as he pressed past its bulk. His last rescue had gone badly. The padawan had been older, around fifteen, and he and his master had been in the Outer Rim, helping settle disputes between racial groups. In retaliation, one of the group leaders seized the padawan, demanding the Jedi to evacuate immediately. The master had hesitated, costing the padawan�s life. Payter had to bring him back completely sedated to keep him from doing harm to himself.

There were times he was thankful Shistivanians didn�t dream.

Looking over at Qui-Gon, he watched his friend rub his temples, running his hands down his face. He looked paler than usual, and Payter narrowed his gaze at him. �What�s wrong?�

Qui-Gon sighed, shifting Obi-Wan against his side. �He�s motion sick. And because of the link, I get it by default.�

�That�s just what we need,� Payter grumbled softly, focusing on the skymap. Another minute ticked by on the chronometer above his head, and he although he tried not to calculate how long it had been, he couldn�t stop his mind in time. Seven hours and eight minutes.

�Is Kerge still in the back?� Qui-Gon asked, closing his eyes momentarily.

Payter kept his gaze trained on the space ahead, angling their craft through a series of tight turns as they moved down into the lower districts. Darkness gathered around them as they penetrated the thick levels of fog and waste gases. �Yes. With Rian.�

Although the child spoke quietly, Payter heard Obi-Wan whisper to Qui-Gon, �Is Rian still going to be Slade�s master?�

�Shh, Little One.�

�But Master--�

�Let�s not worry about that right now, okay?�

Payter exchanged a glance with Qui-Gon. There had been no choice but to bring Obi-Wan, but his presence certainly presented a major liability. If things went badly, it would only make the situation worse, and Qui-Gon�s attentions wouldn�t stray from his padawan. At this point, the only other Jedi he could truly depend on was Kerge.

�When we arrive, do you intend to bring him?� Qui-Gon inclined his head towards the back of the ship, and Payter let a short growl die in his throat.

�I intend,� Payter said, pulling back to slow their descent, �for him to witness the damage he�s caused. He should be spared nothing.�

Qui-Gon nodded. �Are you planning on arming him?�

�Only if absolutely necessary.�

�That could be a problem.�

Payter grunted. �Maybe for him.�

�Don�t think that all wrongs go unpunished in this life, Payter.�

He heard the other Jedi sigh, and Payter felt himself stiffen. No matter how much of a maverick Qui-Gon was, his capacity for guilt nearly outweighed any of his impulsive tendencies. But at this point, Payter could barely contain the urge to jettison Rian into the bowels of Coruscant.

�Oh, I know that for a fact. Because I get to right some of them myself.� Payter steered them through the dimly lit depths, pressing deeper into one of the derelict districts.

�The Force will guide us to where the boy is. Trust in that.� Qui-Gon�s voice was quiet, as if he was reading a bedtime story.

Payter shook his head, deciding not to answer, for Obi-Wan�s sake. It wasn�t that he doubted the Force, but he had caused himself enough pain in his early years by believing that all situations would resolve themselves. Sometimes it was better to expect the worst, or better yet, to expect nothing at all.

�Master?�

His Padawan�s voice spoke behind him, and Payter didn�t turn away from the screen in front of him. �Get back with Rian. Now.�

�Everything all right?� Qui-Gon asked, and Payter flashed him a dark look.

Kerge hesitated, backing out of the doorway. �I was just--�

�Now, Padawan.�

He heard Kerge�s booted steps growing softer, and Payter gripped the controls more tightly.

�He�s just anxious,� Qui-Gon said mildly.

�He should be obeying orders,� Payter growled. �And I don�t appreciate you trying to give me Master lessons.�

�That�s not what--�

Payter flicked on the brightest lights, trying to see more than a few meters ahead. �If you�re so eager to give advice, there�s certainly someone in this ship who could use it more than--�

�Wait.� Qui-Gon held up a hand, and Payter stopped, watching both master and padawan wince in pain. Closing his eyes, Qui-Gon gripped the arm of the seat with one hand, holding Obi-Wan�s hand with the other. �Go left.�

***

:Slade?:

:Slade?:

Silence reverberated back to him, and Qui-Gon paused for a moment, unsure what to do.

:It�s Master Qui-Gon. Can you hear me?:

A wave of pain passed through his mind, and Qui-Gon felt a residual wave move through Obi-Wan. He couldn�t stand hurting his Padawan, but he just wanted to get some sign from Slade before they lost his position.

Somewhere in the distance, a thin moan seemed to sound, echoing towards Qui-Gon in the empty space. :Help...please.:

:Slade!:

It took the boy�s voice a long time to travel back to him. :Someone...there?:

:Where are you?:

He could barely hear Slade. :Don�t know.:

:Are you all right? Slade?:

No response echoed back, and Qui-Gon�s mind reeled with the effort it took to communicate with the boy. He wouldn�t be able to keep the bond together much longer, even with his strength and Obi-Wan�s combined.

:Don�t give up. We�re coming for you, Slade. Hold on.:

TBC