| Title: A Bond Of Friendship: Story 9: Silent Tears (Part Four) Author: Angel5000 * * * * * �Master!� Kari�Aun gasped out through sobs as the guards beat her with the whips. The day that the two Jedi had been dreading had finally come about. The guards had discovered, quite by accident, that Kari�Aun and Christe were Jedi, and had chosen to make a public example of them. The other slaves watched, some in horror, others in amazement, as the young girl was beaten. ~Kari�Aun�my Apprentice�forgive me�~ Christe�s words were cut off by the Force Restrictor collar that was clamped around her neck. She would have resisted, but she was being held by four Togorian guards. To resist would have been suicidal, not to mention they had threatened Kari�Aun�s life if she resisted. She hadn�t been beat yet; the guards were finding it more enjoyable to watch her suffer by watching Kari�Aun. Though she was sure her time for a beating would come soon enough. ~Master! Where are you Master?~ Kari�Aun reached for their bond, but found it was strangely gone. She couldn�t feel her Master at all. Whether it had something to do with the collars they were wearing, or to her weakening body, she didn�t know, but it worried and frightened her. As more stripes were cut across the young girl�s back she let out a muffled cry and collapsed towards the platform. Her arms however, had been placed in chains that held her in a kneeling position with her back upright. There was no way to escape the whips. Just when the girl thought she was ready to die the guards stopped. With what little strength she had, Kari�Aun raised her head and was surprised to see Que-Tuk standing in the doorway. �What is going on?� He asked, his voice stern. �Two of our slaves are Jedi, boss, and we�re just wearing them down a bit. Don�t want them getting away now.� Bra�lon said with a sneer. �Jedi? Which two prisoners are Jedi?� �That girl you gave a weeks light duty to in the Kitchens, and the lady we thought was her mother.� Que-Tuk walked up to the platform and gently lifted Kari�Aun�s head, �Is this true? Are you Jedi?� He asked. Kari�Aun didn�t have the strength to lie. It would be obvious if she did. �Y�yes sir. Please sir�don�t beat me more�� She whispered, the words barely audible, as tears continued down her cheeks. �Take her back to her quarters and place her room under lockdown. No one gets into her room, and no one gets out, understood? I�ll deal with this problem myself.� Que-Tuk said sternly. It sickened him to see the girl beaten so. She was young, no even thirteen yet, and the guards gave her a beating that a thirty-year old man would have been screaming through. Bra�lon scowled, �You are too easy on her boss. She�s a Jedi! She could kill us all � and then have those who survived thrown into a Republic Jail! It�s people like her that make our jobs harder!� �She is a twelve-year old child!� Que-Tuk snapped, �I seriously doubt that this girl is in any condition to go off killing the crew members, not after the beating you just gave her. If she survives I�ll consider her lucky! Now follow my order � or step down. You do not want to disobey me.� The words were threatening, and the silence in the room was thick. If Bra�lon stepped down then he would loose any respect he had by the slaves. Stepping down was almost the same as arguing with his superior, and revolting against an order. It could land him in jail, and he could possibly be made a slave himself if the charges were serious enough. If he didn�t follow order, but didn�t step down, he could be flogged publicly for disobeying orders and then Que-Tuk would have no choice but to send him to another ship as a slave, or a low crewman. The slaves here would no longer respect a guard that had been beaten. Bra�lon didn�t reply, just released Kari�Aun from her chains and gave a rough pull on her bonds, �Come along *slave*.� He muttered angrily. �Did you take the Jedi�s lightsabers away?� Que-Tuk asked the retreating form. Bra�lon stopped and turned, �They are in the weapons room.� �Good.� Que-Tuk turned towards the guards holding Christe, �Place her in lockdown as well. If she resists give her the same beating her Apprentice just received. Otherwise leave her alone.� His words held a warning in them for Christe. He was giving her a gift, and if she continued to obey she would have minimal pain. Que-Tuk was showing he held her life in his hands. * * * * * Kith stood near in the shadows, watching the building across the road. According to his informant, Aru, Qui-Gon would be in this building, in a hidden room. There was no way for Aru to help him and so the three Jedi were on there own. �Are you ready?� Kith asked quietly. The two children nodded, but the Knight could feel their uncertainty, just as much as he felt his. �Alright then, we�ll go in through the back and look for Qui-Gon. You two stay together and go one way, I�ll go the other. We have about twenty minutes to look before we must get out of there. If nothing is found tonight we�ll look tomorrow. Okay?� The question was more for Obi-Wan�s sake than anyone else�s. If the boy had his way he would search without stopping for his Master. �Yes Master.� �Yes, Master Kith.� Silently Kith headed towards the building, with the two children following behind. As they entered the door and started down the hallway, still remaining together, a figure detached itself from the shadows and slowly began to follow them. * * * * * Without a word to warn the children, Kith spun around, ignited his saber, and pointed it at the figure in the shadows. �Who are you, and why are you following us?� He asked sternly. �Sir Jedi, do not harm me. It is I, Aru. I am following you to be sure you would not be spotted.� The boy stepped out of the shadows, his hands up. �Don�t you know it is dangerous to one�s health to stalk a Jedi?� Kami asked, her eyes twinkling. �I wasn�t aware, young Jedi.� Aru replied. �Who�re you calling young? I�m just as old as you are!� Kami replied quickly. She wasn�t going to be called young by a kid no older than herself. �No offense meant, young Jedi, but young is a term I have been taught to use for one who is not of an adult age, and not old enough to have the title of Sir, or Ma�am. Your Master would be called Sir Jedi, for he is an adult.� Aru replied quietly, �But, if I may, it is dangerous to remain here in the hall � especially with your weapon on. We must continue quickly.� Kith nodded and immediately turned his saber off, �Where is Qui-Gon?� He asked. �I can take you most of the way, but then must leave. If I am caught�� His voice trailed off and Obi-Wan felt a shiver of fear for the boy. �Come, it is this way.� The four walked on, in silence, for ten minutes, through twisting corridors until they finally came to a stop. They seemed to be at a dead end, for the only hallway was the one they had come down, and all around them were blank, white walls. Aru stepped up to one of the walls and ran his hand along it until he found what he was looking for, a small knot. It took all the boy�s strength but he managed to press the knot all the way in. The wall slid back, surprising the Jedi. Finally he spoke, �Continue down these hidden hallways, Jedi. You�ll come to a doorway � do not be deceived. That is not the door you wish to enter. Continue for four feet and search the wall for another knot like this one. It holds two of the Jedi. Sir Jedi, Qui-Gon�s room is farther down the hall, at another dead end like this one. His is the most dangerous room to find, for there is increased activity down there.� �Beware of the scientists,� He continued, �they are everywhere, and are dangerous. If you are caught there is a minimal chance of escape. Good luck with your search.� With a final bow the boy turned and hurried down the hall, back the way they had come. �Can we trust him master?� Kami asked. �We have no choice at the moment. He is our only hope.� Kith replied, as he entered the hall, �Our only hope.� * * * * * Kari�Aun sat, huddled in ball, in the corner of her cell. She did her best to keep her back out of contact with any other objects, but found it nearly impossible to do. It had been days since she�d seen any other forms of life, but it was actually an encouraging thought. If she didn�t see anyone, she couldn�t do anything to get a beating for. //Perhaps they�ve just forgotten about me.// The girl thought, but quickly dismissed the idea. If they had forgotten she wouldn�t still be receiving food rations, and she was getting that � even if they were only half of the normal rate. Her thought�s had just turned to thinking of a way to remove her Force Restrictor collar when the loud �click� was heard, indicating the doors were now unlocked. Almost unconsciously she pulled farther away from the door, getting as close to the wall as possible without actually touching it. The door slid open and Que-Tuk entered, holding a vibro-jabber in one hand, and a whip in the other. Kari�Aun found herself sliding onto her knees, with her arms extended, even before she could think about what she was doing. It scared her to think that they had drilled this into her thoughts so much that it was an immediate reaction to a guard with a whip. Quietly Que-Tuk removed the chains from his belt and clamped them onto her wrist. He didn�t bother to check her for any weapons, she had been in this cell for several days, she couldn�t have acquired a weapon. As he was fiddling with the locks and the tightness of the bonds he spoke to Kari�Aun, quietly so as not to be heard by the camera near the door. �I can get you off this ship, child, but you must do something for me.� Kari�Aun didn�t answer, but rose her head so that she was looking into her captors eyes, a move that would have normally gotten her slapped. �I have a son, and a daughter, that I have not seen in many, many years. A few weeks ago I received word from a close family friend that she has lost contact with both children. One, is lost, and the other, she says, is safe � but cannot tell me where. She says that my child is being hunted by a mad man, and that in order to keep the child safe, she was sent off planet. At the moment even my close friend cannot reach either one. I want you to help look for my children, and if you find them, let them know that I still care.� Kari�Aun stared at the man, did he know what he was asking her to do? �Sir, I cannot guarantee that I will find your children, but I can promise I will try. Sir, permission to make a request?� Que-Tuk nodded and the girl continued, �Please sir, get my Master off this ship as well. I cannot search without her, and she is like a mother to me.� Her voice was pleading and Que-Tuk felt his heart melting at the sound. �I will get the two of you off the ship, that has already been arranged, but I cannot guarantee where you will be sent.� He raised his voice a bit louder and gave a hard tug on the chains, �Come on slave.� Kari�Aun was jerked along down the hall at a semi-fast pace, but it only looked as though she were being treated roughly. Actually the jerks on the chains had no effect on her, because of the way Que-Tuk had attached them. The girl felt upset however, to learn that Que-Tuk already had arranged for them to be transferred off the ship yet had pretended that it would possibly cause him a lot of trouble to do so. Kari�Aun felt cheated. Soon they arrived at the docking bay and the girl was surprised to see Christe standing there as well. The Master was not in near the condition her apprentice was, but she looked tired as well. With the blunt ends of vibro-jabbers, Christe and Kari�Aun were shoved into an escape pod. As the doors slid closed the younger of the two could only stare at her Master, her eyes filled with fear, but also with relief. Fear for where they were possibly being sent, and relief that she was with Christe again. A few seconds later they felt a jerk as the pod was detached from the pirates ship. As they drifted away from the ship Kari�Aun was filled with a strange sense of despair. She had no idea where they were going, or if they would be saved. Things didn�t look like they were much better than it had been as slaves. * * * * * �I�ve found it Kith!� Obi-Wan whispered excitedly, as he pressed a knot on the wall. Almost instantly the door slid back, revealing two cold, metal tables. The two missing Jedi were on those tables, and they seemed to be in pretty bad condition. Their skin was pale, and covered with beads of sweat, and the younger of the two, a newly knighted boy, was no older than twenty, was fighting back tears. His companion, La�tessa, was an older female Calamarian. She had been a knight for ten years now, and even had a Padawan, who was at the Temple at the moment. La�tessa�s skin was dry and cracking. It was obvious the captors had been depriving her of the much needed water. �Kith?� La�tessa whispered, her voice barely audible. �It�s me La�tessa. Don�t worry about anything, I�m here with Kami and Obi-Wan.� He turned to the two children beside him, �Come on, lets get these two and get out of here. They need medical attention now.� Obi-Wan looked back and forth between the two Jedi on the table and Kith, �Master Kith, what about my Master? If we leave with these two they�ll know we are here. It will get him in more trouble.� Kith didn�t answer right away, he was busy undoing the locks on the chains that held the two Jedi on the tables. Finally, after several awkward seconds, he turned back to Obi-Wan, �Go after your Master, Obi-Wan. But be careful, and get out of t here if things get rough. We can always come back.� Obi-Wan didn�t wait for another word, he nodded his head before running out the door. �You�re sending him alone Master?� Kami asked, as she too began to undo locks. �I have no choice my Apprentice. Now hush, we have work to do.� Kith didn�t want La�tessa and the boy, Santiago, to know that he had doubts about the decision he had just made. It only took a couple of minutes to remove the chains. Once they were off Kith gently picked up La�tessa in his arms. She had always been very petite, but now it was even worse. She weighed hardly nothing at all, and Kith was sure she wouldn�t be able to walk on her own. �You�ll have to walk yourself out of here Santiago, but you can place your weight on Kami. She should be strong enough to hold you.� The young Knight didn�t argue, just stood up and leaned against the girl. It would have been a comical sight, if it hadn�t been so serious. A tall, young man, putting his weight on the shoulders of a young girl, who was a foot shorter than him. Together the small group headed out the door and back down the hall, praying they wouldn�t run into anybody. * * * * * As the four Jedi were heading out of the building, Obi-Wan was heading deeper into it. He quickly found his Master�s room and opened the hidden door. When it slid back he was surprised at what he saw. On the cold, metal table lay Qui-Gon. His chest was bare, and he seemed to be in immense pain. When Obi-Wan touched his Master�s arm, careful of the nearly translucent skin, he was shocked to see the older Jedi pull back, and let out a cry of pain. �Master? Master, it�s me, Obi-Wan. I�m here to get you out.� The boy said, fighting back tears. �Obi-Wan?� Qui-Gon turned his head towards the boy, �Obi-Wan! You came!� The shock and surprise in Qui-Gon�s voice hurt his Apprentice more than it had when he pulled away, �Yes Master, I came. We must get you out of here Master, we don�t have much time, and Master Kith and Kami have already found the other two Jedi.� Qui-Gon nodded, a bare movement. �I have been injected with an Enhancer, several times actually. Please, do not touch me.� He whispered, �Speak quietly, so as to minimize the pain.� �Yes Master.� Obi-Wan was already working on the chains that bound his trainer, and in minutes he was free. He helped his Master up, using the Force more than his hands, so as not to cause more pain. They made their way out the door and down the hall at a slow pace. Qui-Gon could not walk quickly, being as tired and exhausted as he was from the injections, and Obi-Wan was having a hard time keeping him upright with the Force. They hadn�t gotten very far when a sirens began going off all around them. The sound startled the boy and he lost hold of the Force, causing Qui-Gon to slip and fall. Qui-Gon covered his ears with his hands and tried to press out the blaring sounds of the siren and running feet. Shouts were heard and a strange buzzing sound filled his ears. It took him a few minutes to realize that the buzzing sound was Obi-Wan�s lightsaber. The boy was going to try and defend both of them from the blasters. �Obi-Wan! Get out of here! Go find Kith and get off the planet.� Qui-Gon shouted above the noise. He wasn�t surprised when he saw the boy shake his head, �No Master. I won�t leave you again. I did it before, and you ended up here because of it, and I won�t let it happen again.� He said, while skillfully deflecting the bolts. Qui-Gon was just about to respond when he saw a movement out of the corner of his eye. Before he could warn the boy a blaster bolt hit him in the shoulder, and he fell beside his Master, with a cry of pain. * * * * * �What do you mean, you won�t tell us where he is?� Mace Windu asked, his voice strangely tight. �I meant just what I said. I won�t tell you. I gave my promise.� Healer Bash�ta stood before the Council, and had been here for almost an hour. They were asking the same questions, and she was responding the same way. There was nothing they could do to convince her to tell. �What if you were ordered to tell us?� Ki-Adi-Mundi asked. �I wouldn�t tell, even if it meant expulsion from the Temple.� Bash�ta replied, meeting his gaze squarely. �Expelling anyone, we aren�t. But, need to know where Padawan Kenobi is, we do.� Yoda replied. Bash�ta checked her chrono before nodding, �Very well. It has been long enough, I shall tell you. He snuck aboard a medical transport headed towards Dalon in order to save his Master.� The majority of the Council members stared at her in shocked amazement, but Adi nodded carefully, �He is a very committed boy. I�m sure he�ll find Qui-Gon.� She said, her eyes gentle. Of all the Council members, Bash�ta decided she liked Adi Gallia the best. �Committed, yes. But he is also foolish, and headstrong, and doesn�t think things through! He�s likely to get killed on Dalon!� Mace responded irritably. �But at least he�s trying to rescue his Master. I don�t see any of you doing that.� �Healer Bash�ta, you are dismissed. If you receive any contact from any of the Jedi on Dalon inform us immediately.� Plo Koon said, cutting her off before she could say any more. The Healer bowed slightly, �Yes Masters.� As she headed out the door Mace sighed, �What has happened to the order? Some of our most respectable Jedi are now breaking orders and helping others sneak aboard transports to go on wild goose chases!� �At least they are doing something to save the other members.� Adi replied, a small smile on her lips. * * * * * Obi-Wan woke up in a medical room. His head ached slightly, but it was the pain in his shoulder that was most present. //How did I get here?// He wondered, carefully raising his head. The last thing he remembered was severe pain shooting through his shoulder � and falling down next to Qui-Gon. Then blackness. �He�s awake Master.� The voice brought Obi-Wan back from his memories and he turned his head to the side. What he saw surprised him. Three other beds were set up in the room, and on them lay the three Jedi who had been captives. The only people in the room who weren�t on beds were Kith and Kami. �What happened?� Obi-Wan mumbled. He tried to form more words, but his mouth wouldn�t work with his brain. �You were shot with a blaster. When you fell you hit your head and blacked out. Qui-Gon got hold of your lightsaber and managed to deflect some bolts until Kami and I got back.� �Is he okay?� The boy asked. �He�s injured pretty bad from the poison that was injected in his system, but he should be fine. Santiago and La�tessa are also in pretty bad condition, but not near as bad as your Master.� �What about the guy that did this? What do we know about him?� Kith smiled, �His own guards turned on him when they saw the condition of Qui-Gon and the others. The guards weren�t aware that they had Jedi under their custody. You see, the building we were in is a lab, and it�s supposed to be searching for cures for different diseases. What no one knew was that �Aramis�, as he calls himself, was performing experiments with deadly strains of virus� just to see what type of reaction the body has. He mixed some dangerous viruses together and injected them into some of his patients. That�s how they got the translucent skin, and the �glowing� veins.� �We don�t know much about Aramis, only that he was working for someone the guards refer to as�The Eldero. Other than that, and what I just told you, we know nothing more.� The words, The Eldero, caused Obi-Wan to shiver and he squeezed his eyes against the memories that surfaced because of that name. �Have you asked him anything else? Where is The Eldero at, anyway?� Kami bit her lip and looked down, and Kith shook his head slowly, �Aramis is dead. His guards killed him.� Obi-Wan felt anger rise in him, and could feel it burning through his body. He wanted Aramis alive! He wanted to interrogate him, and demand answers. He wanted him to be in as much pain as Qui-Gon had been during the past few weeks. He wanted revenge. * * * * * The jolt from the pod detaching was strong enough to throw Kari�Aun backwards and she let out a muffled cry as her back hit the wall. Immediately Christe was at her side, gently picking her up and holding her carefully, so as not to irritate the girl�s raw back. �Kari, I�m so sorry I couldn�t stop them.� Christe whispered quietly. She reached out for the Force, even though she knew she couldn�t reach it. Surprisingly enough she found that she could feel it, though only very faintly. Slowly the feeling got stronger. The collars they wore, it seemed, had been deactivated. Without a second thought Christe sent soothing and healing waves towards the young girl in her arms. As the waves washed over Kari�Aun she looked up and was smiled faintly, the first smile Christe had seen on her face in several days. ~I�m sorry Kari�Aun.~ Christe said again, gently stroking her Apprentice�s matted hair. It hadn�t been brushed in weeks, and it hung is straggles around her face. ~It�s alright Master. You couldn�t have stopped them, there was no way. Once they discovered we were Jedi it was over from there. Thanks to Que-Tuk we may be safe now.~ ~May be safe. May is the key word. We don�t know where we�re being sent. ~ Kari�Aun started to reply, but was surprised to feel her link to the Force growing weaker. �Master?� She asked, her voice shaking. �I feel it to. I�m not sure what it is.� Christe had just finished speaking when they felt another jolt, and suddenly everything was still. �It looks as though we�ve landed, shall we see where we are?� Kari�Aun nodded hesitantly and moved aside as her Master opened the pod�s door. She was surprised when she stepped out to see that they were in a forest of some kind. She couldn�t enjoy the beauty however, because of a headache that was pounding in the back of her head. She had no contact with the Force it seemed, and she felt so clumsy. It was as though she was moving in slow motion. �We are on the planet of Myrkr Kari.� �What does that mean, Master?" �This planet is home to a type of creature called Ysalamiri. They disrupt the Force, and create a type of bubble in which the Force cannot exist. A single Ysalamiri�s bubble will have a ten-meter radius. It appears, my Apprentice, that the pirates have chosen the perfect place to put us if they want us to be as harmless as possible. Here we will have no contact with the Force, none what so ever.� Kari�Aun could only stare. She couldn�t believe they would have done something so cruel to them. It was not something she would have expected Que-Tuk to be capable of. He had seemed so kind on the ship. �Lets go back into the pod, we�ll at least have shelter there.� Christe gently helped the girl inside and then began looking through the compartments inside for anything that resembled a survival pack, or a medkit. * * * * * Both Kami and Kith could feel Obi-Wan�s anger rising, and Kami made a hasty retreat from the room. She didn�t if Obi-Wan blew up�or if Kith reprimanded him. But Obi-Wan didn�t blow up, he didn�t have time. Because at that moment he felt something in him ripping. It only took a moment for the boy to realize that his bond with his sister was being torn to shreds, and then it disappeared completely. She was gone. There was no trace of her in his mind at all, just a big, hollow, empty spot. Kith watched as the young Apprentice�s face contorted into one of pain, and then one of fear, and lastly one of confusion and sorrow. He didn�t understand what was wrong � he just knew that something awful had happened. �Obi-Wan? Are you alright?� Kith asked. The question was useless, and the answer obvious, but it was all he could think of at the moment. Lifelessly the boy shook his head, as a few tears made their way down his cheeks, �Kari�Aun is gone. Our bond has disappeared. I can�t feel her at all.� He stammered out. Kith stepped towards the boy, but was surprised when a hand stopped him. He looked over and was even more surprised to see Qui-Gon standing beside him. �Let me help him.� Was the whispered explanation. Kith nodded and stepped from the room, as Qui-Gon sat beside Obi-Wan and gently pulled the boy into his arms. Obi-Wan�s tears came more freely now that he was in Qui-Gon�s arms. These arms had always made him feel so safe, as though nothing in the galaxy could harm him if Qui-Gon was there. He realized however, that his Master wasn�t invincible. Actually he was anything else, but invincible. But none of that mattered at the moment. What mattered what that Qui-Gon was here, with him, and holding him. The tears came quickly now, falling from his cheeks onto his Master�s robes. He tried to brush them away, but was stopped by Qui-Gon�s hand. �Let yourself cry Padawan. There is no shame in your tears.� Qui-Gon whispered gently to his Apprentice, �Let out your emotions, release them to the Force. We will search for Kari�Aun, Padawan. We will search for her all over the galaxy if we must.� * * * * * Kari�Aun laid her head down on her Master�s lap, and slowly closed her eyes. They would be stuck here, on this planet, for a while. Without the Force it would seem like an eternity, but Kari�Aun had faith that she would get free sometime. If they couldn�t get off on their own then Obi-Wan would find a way to get them. He always did�. * * * * EPILOGUE: When the group of Jedi arrived on Coruscant they were greeted by a group of Healers, friends, and Council members. The healers didn�t even allow Qui-Gon, La�tessa, and Santiago to take more than a step off of the transport before they were whisked away to the Healers Ward to be given counter-injections and placed in bacta tanks. When the confusion had cleared three Jedi were left standing on the platform, facing twelve Council members, most of which looked quite displeased with them. Before anything could be said Obi-Wan stepped forward, �Masters, I want to apologize for my disobedience. I am not sorry I went in search of my Master, but I am very sorry I disobeyed your orders in order to do so.� He dropped onto one knee, ignoring the pain that shot through his shoulder, �I am prepared to take any punishment you deem fit to give me for my subordinate actions.� Mace opened his mouth to speak, but Yoda interrupted him, �Follow your heart, you did, Obi-Wan, and follow the Force. Condemn you for this, we cannot. A punishment, there shall not be, but a request I do have.� Obi-Wan nodded, shocked, �Anything Master Yoda.� �Promise me that next time, take so long to listen to the Force, you shall not.� Obi-Wan smiled, �Yes Master, I shall do that.� //Starting as soon as I am well enough to search for my sister�starting then.// ***End*** Yes, that�s the end of this story. The next story, A Bond of Friendship 10 is being written. It may, or may not, be the last story in this series. I haven�t decided. I would actually like to continue this series, and have it follow Obi-Wan up until TPM, or at least near there. But it depends on responses, and whether you, the readers, want it. I am currently writing ABF10 to finish this part of the story. I�m sorry I couldn�t place it in this story but this one is long enough already, and I�ve taken much too long to write this as it is. Thanks for you patience. ~Angel5000 |
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