Chapter One
Lift Tube Malfunctions
Obi-Wan Kenobi woke up to the sound of the persistent buzzing noise of someone ringing the door chime. With a groan Obi-Wan slowly got out of the sleep couch and slowly made his way to the door.
�Obi-Wan,� Bant Eerin spoke after the door slid open, �you are going to be late for classes, what are you doing?�
�I fell asleep before I could set the alarm to wake me,� he explained, turning to look at the clock in the sitting area.
�Well I came to see if you wanted to walk with me to the cafeteria for first meal,� the young Calamarian girl told him.
�I am going to have to meet you for mid day meal. I am going to have just enough time to get ready and get to class on time, I can�t be late.�
�Obi-Wan, you didn�t come to last meal yesterday, you shouldn�t skip first meal today too.�
�I don�t have a choice, Bant, I�m on probation, and I can�t be late to class. I�m not going to do anything to screw up my probation. I�ll meet you in the cafeteria for mid day meal I promise.�
�Alright,� Bant sighed, �I�ll meet you in the cafeteria for mid meal then.�
�I�ll be there,� Obi-Wan assured his friend, before she turned and walked away from his apartment.
As he walked towards the fresher he was relieved that he at least had friends that would still talk to him.
* *** * *** * *** *
�Look it�s Oafy-Wan, the greatest Jedi that ever lived. Tell us Oafy, what�s it like to be the only Jedi to turn his back on the Jedi and be aloud back, with nothing but a slap on the hand?� Bruck Chun demanded as he pushed Obi-Wan slightly, after they entered the sparring room.
�That�s not what happened,� Obi-Wan disagreed gritting his teeth to try to calm the anger that he could feel building inside of him.
�Really then why did Qui-Gon Jinn request to be given a mission alone. He won�t take you back, and no other Master will want you either. You are not even worthy of sitting in this class room with all of us, who actually want to be Jedi, and who don�t take our training for granted,� Bruck taunted.
Obi-Wan glared at the white haired boy, and was about to speak when the teacher entered the room. Throughout the remainder of the class Obi-Wan had tried to ignore Bruck�s cruel and hurtful words, but every thing the bully had said were things that Obi-Wan had thought about already. Hearing Bruck say it, somehow, made it seem even more likely though. Did Qui-Gon really leave because he couldn�t bear to watch over Obi-Wan while the council decided what to do with him? Qui-Gon hadn�t really wanted to take him as his apprentice in the beginning, so why would he want him back now? Obi-Wan had worked really hard to prove himself to him, and then threw it all away for kids that he had thought that he could help; but he was wrong he couldn�t do it himself.
Obi-Wan couldn�t wait for the sparring class to be over with so he could meet his friends in the cafeteria for mid meal. He needed his friends right now, and was very hungry; he thought as his stomach growled with agreement.
* ***** * ***** *
Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn entered the guest room of the palace of Schumson and sat down on the sleep couch, and began rubbing his temple. He was tired and glad that the negotiations were finally finished for the day. The negotiations had consisted of many headache-inducing arguments, between the small planet�s leaders, and secondary officials. Although it was only his first day at the negotiations, he had to stop two very intense arguments that had nearly turned physical. If he had been allowed to bring Obi-Wan with him it would have been a great learning experience for the teenager.
Qui-Gon sighed as he thought about the boy. He had been angry at first when the council had told him that Obi-Wan could not go along with him on the mission, until Mace explained to him that the King of Schumson had requested that no Jedi under the age of eighteen be sent to the planet, and that they had personally requested Qui-Gon, because the leader of another near by World had suggested that, they ask for Qui-Gon, who had oversaw negotiations that their planet had many years before.
Qui-Gon was also worried about Obi-Wan, because he had not been given the chance to say goodbye before he had left, since Obi-Wan was in classes. When he had first brought Obi-Wan back from Melida/Dann he had been angry and hurt over what he then had thought of as the boy�s betrayal of him.
During his flight to Schumson, Qui-Gon had realized that he was comparing Obi-Wan to Xanatos, his padawan before Obi-Wan, who had turned. What Xanatos did he did out of a darkness inside of him; and what Obi-Wan did, he did because he thought he was helping some kids in need of help. Qui-Gon did agree that Obi-Wan should be punished for what he had done, but he also knew that he had been entirely too hard on him; especially since the boy had to deal with the fact that the young, who he had been willing to give up his Jedi training for had turned on him, and a good friend of the boys had died in front of him. He now realized that he had barely spoken to Obi-Wan since they returned from Melida/Dann, and when he had spoken to him he had just informed him of what he was and was not allowed to do. He regretted not being able to say goodbye to the boy, and not talking with him about what had happened before he left.
Qui-Gon decided that he would have to have a talk with Obi-Wan as soon as he returned to the temple, and explain to him what he had done wrong and why it was wrong. He knew that there was no doubt in his mind that Obi-Wan Kenobi would be his padawan again after the probationary period was over. With a yawn, Qui-Gon took off his boots, and prepared to go to sleep.
* ***** * ***** *
Qui-Gon woke up in the middle of the night to a persistent and annoying beeping sound. After looking around, he noticed that the communications device on the small table near the sleep couch was the source of the noise. After examining the device, which was different from the comm units that he was accustomed to, he found what he assumed was the activation switch, and pushed it.
On the small monitor screen Qui-Gon saw the image of the inside of a lift tube. He wondered why he was seeing it when the doors suddenly slid open and Obi-Wan entered the lift. Qui-Gon noted that the boy looked upset about something, as he watched Obi-Wan type in his destination as the cafeteria.
The lift began to move, as Obi-Wan leaned against the very back wall of the lift tube, he leaned the back of his head against the wall and closed his eyes. Qui-Gon wondered what was wrong with him, when suddenly the lift tube came to a screeching halt, sending Obi-Wan crashing hard to his knees with a grunt.
Suddenly the lift tube began to move upwards in the opposite direction of the cafeteria faster than it was designed to move. Then the lift suddenly began to go down again without a pause, sending it�s only passenger flying to the roof of the lift tube in a heap. Qui-Gon heard the boy let out a painful cry, as his left side crashed into the ceiling. Obi-Wan cradled his left arm with his right arm, as the lift fell down faster and faster.
Qui-Gon feared that the lift would crash at the bottom of the temple, when it suddenly changed direction again. And again he watched his padawan crash to the floor. The boy was being thrown around like a child�s play toy. As the lift continued to rise Obi-Wan laid still on his back. He seemed to be taking ragged breaths, and made no attempt to move, although Qui-Gon doubted that he would be able to move. After a few minutes of quickly rising the lift suddenly stopped, and this time all but emergency lighting in the lift shut off, as Obi-Wan was again thrown back to the floor. Qui-Gon let out his breath, realizing that someone must have discovered the malfunction and cut power to the lift. Obi-Wan, who had landed hard face down on the floor turned his head to the side; as he did Qui-Gon could see that the boys mouth, nose, and chin were covered in blood that poured out of his nose, and pooled into a puddle on the floor of the lift. Obi-Wan seemed to fight to stay conscious. Qui-Gon assumed that the boy had a concussion.
As Obi-Wan laid still, Qui-Gon heard a loud screeching noise that sounded like metal breaking, and the lift began to rock jarring the boy�s injured body. Qui-Gon did not like the sound of the screech, and feared that something terrible was about to happen. Then with one final screech the lift began to fall faster than Qui-Gon would have thought it was capable of moving. Qui-Gon watched in horror as the lift plummeted down towards the bottom level where he knew that the lift would crash.
The monitor screen went back to a blank screen. Releasing the breath that he was unaware that he had been holding Qui-Gon tried to calm down, after what he assumed must have been a dream, but found it very difficult.
* *** * *** *
�So Cam what is wrong with the lift tube?� Master Mace Windu asked the temples head mechanic as they walked down the hall toward one of the lift tubes together.
�I�m not sure exactly why, but I noticed that it seemed a little sluggish so I decided to have a look at it. That�s when I noticed that some of the repulsor relays near the top level, that control the repulsor fields, were damaged, and in need of replacement. So I put up signs on all the lift entrances so no one would use the lifts.� Cam explained as they walked.
Mace was heading to the other lift tube after a practice sparring match with one of the Padawans whose Master was unable to spar with the boy today. And Cam was on his way to check out the control panels on this level�s lift tubes.
�How long do you think it will take before the lift tube will be operational again?�
�If that is the only problem, I should have it operational by tomorrow morning. I�m checking all of the control panels to make sure that they are working properly.� The tall Twi�lek informed Master Windu as they turned a corner near the lift tubes in time to see the back of someone entering the malfunctioning lift tube.
�Stop, don�t go in there!� Cam yelled and started to quickly walk toward the lift. Mace quickened his pace to follow the mechanic.
�I don�t think he heard you,� Mace told him as they started to run.
�There shouldn�t be any problems with it as long as he doesn�t go to the top levels,� Cam reassured the counsel member as well as himself.
�Judging by his height, I�d guess that it was a student that was leaving one of the sparring rooms. He should be going to the cafeteria for mid meal,� Mace guessed.
�Good that�s only two levels down. The lift should be fine for two-� Cam stopped mid sentence as they reached the lift tube and he noticed that the level indicator showed the lift stopped between the second and third levels. Suddenly the lift raised up to the twenty-second level, at an alarmingly fast rate of speed, then the lift suddenly started to go down faster than its usual speed. Cam thought that the lift tube was going to crash at the bottom, but the lift suddenly stopped on the first level. It then started to rise quickly upward again. The lift was moving a lot faster than it was designed to.
�What is that kid doing?� Mace demanded, sensing the danger that the student was putting himself into.
�I don�t think the kid is doing it. The lift tubes were not designed to move that quickly. It didn�t pause for fifteen seconds between levels like it should have and it changed directions too quick. That kid is getting thrown around in there I�m sure; I doubt that he could order a change of direction, while the lift was throwing him that way.�
�Is there anything you can do?� Mace asked.
�I�ll have to cut power to the lift systems. If the lift reaches the top level . . .� Cam trailed off and quickly took his comlink out of his utility belt, and spoke into it, �Lynnette, this is Cam.�
�Lynnette,� the voice of the female mechanic who was in the control room replied.
�Lynnette, I need you to cut all power to the lift tubes authorization code A42LZ9Z. Do it now!� Cam ordered as he and Mace watched the indicator that told them that the lift would reach the top level in under a minute and then fall hundreds of feet to the bottom. Cam knew that a crash from that distance would instantly kill anyone inside the lift tube.
Mace stood looking up at the level indicator, helplessly watching the lift raise closer to the top level.
�The computer is not accepting your code. Is it A42LZ9Z?� Lynnette�s calm voice informed them.
�Yes.�
�I�ve tried that code three times and I even tried my own code,� the girl reported.
�Lynette use my code, this is Mace Windu. The code is CJC94B5,� the counsel member interrupted them.
�Got it,� Lynette�s voice spoke, �it worked!�
Mace and Cam waited anxiously for the lift to stop. When it finally did it was just before the top level. Mace let out a sigh of relief that was immediately dashed by Cam�s next words.
�We have to get someone up there before the lift falls and it crashes to the ground level, with the damage to the repulsor relays, I doubt that the repulsor field is going to hold for much longer,� Cam informed Mace.
�I�ll contact Yoda, some of the council are meeting in the council room soon, and hopefully some of the council members are already there,� Mace informed him reaching for his comlink.
After explaining the situation to Yoda, the little green elf like Master told Mace that he and the six council members that were in the council room would check out the situation.
�I�m going to use the stairs to get up there,� Mace turned toward the staircase, at the far end of the corridor; he didn�t want to stand by and do nothing. He quickly ran towards the staircase, Cam followed closely behind.
*** * *** * ***
�I just can�t believe he would do this to us too,� Garen Muln commented as he, Reeft, and Bant waited impatiently for Obi-Wan to show up in the cafeteria.
�Something must have happened if he�s not here,� Bant defended their friend.
�Why?� Garen argued, �because he promised to meet you here? What about the promise that he made to Master Qui-Gon? What about the promise that he had made to the Jedi order? He broke those promises, why shouldn�t he brake another promise?�
Bant stared at her friend unable to believe that he had said that about their friend. �Garen, how could you say that? We don�t know what the circumstances were that caused Obi-Wan to decide to leave the Jedi order.�
�Does it matter, he betrayed the Jedi order that he had trained his entire life for. Now that he changed his mind they are probably going to send him back to the Agri Corps. Even Qui-Gon won�t take him back. I heard that he left to go on the mission without Obi-Wan by request.�
�Can they really send him back there?� Bant asked her surprise was evident on her face.
�I hope not,� Reeft admitted in between bites of his lunch, �I think that Obi-Wan had a good reason for doing what he did and even if he didn�t, he is still my friend. I will miss him if he has to leave again.�
�Bant,� Siri Tachi said walking up to their table, �Obi-Wan went on a mission with Master Qui-Gon Jinn right?�
�No. We�re actually waiting for him now,� Bant answered, �why is something wrong?�
�My Master told me that there is a student stuck in a malfunctioning lift tube. She told me that she just wanted to make sure that I was not on the lift,� Siri told them. �I was just trying to determine who it might be, from the students that are not here in the cafeteria and are not away from the temple on missions, or other reasons. There are only two students not accounted for: Aalto and Obi-Wan.�
�Is it serious,� Bant asked.
�It must be for my Master to contact me over our bond. She sounded frantic at first and then very relieved when I told her I was in the cafeteria.�
�Look there�s Aalto,� Reeft pointed at the entranceway where the young initiate had just entered.
Bant quickly stood up, followed by Reeft, and Garen. The three friends and Siri hurried out of the cafeteria. As they reached the lift tubes they noticed that neither of the lifts were operational.
�Bant try contacting Obi-Wan on your comlink,� Siri suggested.
Bant nodded, and pulled her comlink out of the utility belt around her waist. �Obi-Wan are you there? Obi-Wan this is Bant can you hear me?" After waiting a few minutes she tried again, but still got no reply.
�He�s not answering,� Bant informed them, �there has to be something wrong if he�s not answering,� the Calamarian�s eyes were wide with fear.
�We need to go and look for him,� Garen suggested.
�He could be speaking with one of the teachers, the sparring instructor maybe,� Reeft suggested.
�No, I saw Master Casilla leaving the sparring area with Master Yoda. They both got into the same lift together.� Siri told them.
�I�m going to look for him,� Garen told them. He suddenly felt very guilty for the way that he had talked about Obi-Wan.
�I�m coming with you,� Bant agreed.
�If he was on his way to meet us in the cafeteria and he was last in the sparring rooms he should be between the fourth and second levels,� Siri told them.
�Lets go we can take the stairs,� Garen suggested and started to run down the hall toward the staircase at the far end of the hallway. Siri, Bant, and Reeft hurried after him.
After checking the third and second levels they found no indication of where the lift had gotten stuck at.
�What if the malfunction wasn�t that the lift had gotten stuck between levels, but that it had crashed?� Reeft asked.
�It could be a malfunction that the doors are simply jammed and Obi-Wan is stuck,� Garen put in, not wanting to think about Reeft�s suggestion.
"If he was stuck inside of the lift, why wouldn't he have answered when I contacted him over the comlink.
Siri then suggested that they could check the healer�s wing to make sure that Obi-Wan was not hurt. They quickly ran up the ten flights of stairs to the fourteenth level where the healer�s wing was located.
�Now the lifts are running,� Garen commented as they neared the lift tubes, and could hear the whir of the lift tube moving downward.
�The lift is coming down,� Bant told them.
�It looks like they got it unstuck,� Reeft agreed.
�No, only this lift has the power restored, the other lift is still non-operational,� Siri observed, as the lift tube came to a halt on the sixth level.
�It stopped,� Garen exclaimed, as the doors slid open.
Masters Mace Windu and Ki-Adi Mundi exited the lift followed by Plo Koon who carried an unconscious Obi-Wan Kenobi cradled in his arms.
Bant gasped as she saw her unconscious friend, his nose, mouth, and chin were covered in blood. Healers quickly rushed out of the doors of the healer�s wing with a stretcher. The four masters rushed passed the three initiates and padawan to meet the healers, who then quickly put the limp boy onto the stretcher and took him into the healer�s wing through the sliding glass doors.
A few minutes later Master Yoda and Adi Gallia came out of the lift tube. They stopped in front of the students.
�Back to the cafeteria you should go, or late for your next class you will be,� Yoda told them.
�You can visit with Obi-Wan later. He will be with the healer�s for a while anyway,� Adi informed them. She tried to look reassuring, before she and Yoda turned to walk toward the glass doors. The four students silently watched the Master�s walk into the healer�s wing, before reluctantly they turned away, and headed toward the operational lift tube.
�Maybe we should use the stairs again instead,� Reeft suggested as they stood near the operational lift.
The others agreed, and they headed back toward the staircase, the image of their bloody, bruised and unconscious friend lingering in their minds.
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