| Title: One Apprentice, One Pathway #1: Brewing (Part Three) Author: Ginger Ninja ***** Why does it always rain on me? Even when the sun is shinning, I can't avoid the lightning ***** The morning dawned cold and grey with a sky threatening yet more rain. Life in the Jedi Temple went on as normal and soon, Kyrana was rushing to class as she was late. She had overslept. That in itself was very unusual for the girl. She tended to be up with the sun. Maybe it was just worry. Kyrana was praying for Obi-Wan to be in class. If he wasn't... /I'll be feeling very guilty indeed./ Kyrana arrived at the lab and scanned the faces of all the other students that sat in pairs at desks. /Oh no...Sith no!/ Obi-Wan was missing. Kyrana stood on the threshold of the classroom. The teacher looked over at her. "Are you going to join us this morning Padawan Iendo?" Kyrana didn't react to the teacher using her formal title. The girl knew that Obi-Wan may just be late like she was, but something inside her told her that this was not the case. "Padawan Iendo?" Turning on her heel, Kyrana dashed away. She could feel the astonished looks of her classmates but she had far more important things on her mind. /I have to tell Master Lena right away!/ ***** Someone approached the Jedi Temple. He stood at a distance from it for a while, looking at the imposing building. A grin tugged at the corner of his mouth. He was back here again. He never really thought he would return but fate had had other plans in mind. The man continued to walk toward the Temple. /Let's see what trouble I can stir up here./ As he got nearer the home of the Jedi, others began to join him. First a woman with eyes that were nearly black and skin that was the complete opposite. She was so pale, she was nearly transparent. In the right light, people could see her internal organs working. She had her long black hair tied back so tightly, the edges of her face seemed to be pulled back as well. Next a short, male figure joined him. He appeared to be a young boy with a shock of white hair tied into a ponytail that swished as he strode forward with haughty confidence. Finally, a pair of large humanoids men who towered over the others and had big bulging muscles joined the trio. They had numerous weapons strapped to belts that were hidden underneath the thick coats. All five wore clothes that allowed them to fit into the crowd around them. Despite their air of arrogance, no one took any notice of them. /Which is precisely how I want it/ the dark man thought. And the five continued, unimpeded towards their goal. ***** On a cold bench in a damp, windy park, Obi-Wan awoke. He was soaked from head to foot and shivering badly. He was very cold. The park was cold. The weather was terrible. The skies were steel grey, and Obi-Wan could already feel a light spitting of yet more rain. He sighed as he slowly sat up and wrapped his arms around his chest. /Of all the days I had to run away, I chose the day with Coruscant's worst weather of the year./ Obi-Wan gasped suddenly as it hit him. He had *run away*. He stifled a sob. He'd never done anything like this before. Obi-Wan hugged his knees to his chest and wrapped his arms around them, trying to get warm. /Why didn't I be more patient? Why did I do *this*?/ People walked past the young Jedi, some watching him curiously and others watching in concern. Coruscant was a big place with all kinds of people. Most people who saw Obi-Wan thought he was just another kid who had been kicked out by his family. In a strange sort of way, they thought right. /Where am I going to go? What will I do?/ Knowing that people were looking at him, Obi-Wan got up and stiffly walked off into the park, hoping to find a place where no one else would go. Sure that he was quite alone, Obi-Wan sat down on the muddy ground and began crying forlornly. /I've made a terrible mistake./ The rain hammered down on his body mercilessly. ***** Kyrana ran as fast as she could to her home where she knew her Master would be. She was so focused on getting there; she didn't notice the large figure of a man step around a corner in front of her. She ran straight into him and crashed to the ground. "Are you alright young lady?" Kyrana looked up and came fact to face with Jedi Master and Council Member Mace Windu. Blushing hard Kyrana stood up and bowed slightly. "I'm sorry Master Windu only I have to get home and see my Master because a friend of mine...well I'm not sure if he likes me or not...anyway he was really upset yesterday and I saw him run off last night and I didn't go after him even though I knew I should. And then he wasn't in class today and I'm really worried because I think something really bad has happened and..." Mace held up his hands. "Slow down young one!" Kyrana fell silent and took a deep breath while gazing at the ground at her feet. "Now, tell me again slowly this time while we go and see your Master." Slower this time, Kyrana explained what had happened yesterday while she jogged to keep up with Mace. "And who is your friend?" Mace asked. Kyrana bit her lip. "He's Obi-Wan Kenobi Master Windu." Mace frowned. Obi-Wan? If he had run off then where was Qui-Gon? Kyrana looked at the Master and saw his frown. "What are you going to do?" she asked. Mace turned to Kyrana. "I'm going to visit Master Jinn as soon as I've seen your Master." Kyrana chewed nervously on her lip. "Am I in trouble then?" Mace laughed a little. "Well you are skipping class which is a punishable offence but I need you to help me find our missing friend so I'll let you off this one time." Kyrana sighed in relief as they reached the door of her home, just as Lena stepped out. Lena looked a little confused. "Master Windu?" she asked, her dark eyes flitting between Mace and Kyrana. "Is something wrong?" "I think so Master Kura," Mace said and then explained what Kyrana had told him. Lena frowned. "Would you like my Padawan and I to start searching?" she offered. Mace nodded. "Yes, if you don't mind. Stick to the Temple grounds for the moment though while I go and speak to Master Jinn and contact the Council." Lena nodded and walked off with Kyrana following. Mace headed off in the direction to Qui-Gon's apartment. Kyrana turned to Lena. "Master I really don't think Obi-Wan's on Temple grounds. Shouldn't we search outside instead?" Lena shook her head. "No Kyrana. I know you still feel bad about this but you mustn't go off searching outside. We have no idea where to look." Rebelliousness bubbled in Kyrana and she instinctively shielded her mind from her Master to hide it. She knew searching for Obi-Wan in the Temple was a waste of time. /Last night I did what my Master told me and look what happened. Well not today. I'm going to find Obi-Wan out there, I know it./ Lena noticed the subtle change in her Padawan but knew better than to comment on it. "Kyrana search the gardens. I'll take the gyms and classrooms." "Yes Master," Kyrana said dutifully. The Master/Padawan team went off in separate directions and when Kyrana was certain her Master could no longer see her, she ran off to the part of the Temple where she had seen Obi-Wan last night. From there she traced his steps outside into the bustling streets. Kyrana looked around her. He could be anywhere! How was she going to find him? Kyrana calmed herself and reached out with the Force for some kind of inspiration. /OK, other than the Temple, where would a teenaged Jedi go on Coruscant?/ ***** Mace arrived at Qui-Gon's apartment and hammered on the door. There was no reply of any kind so Mace was forced to override the door lock using a code only Council Members received. The door opened silently and Mace grimaced at the disgusting odour that wafted out of the apartment. Someone had obviously been ill in here. "Qui-Gon?" Mace called as he closed the door. Grey light filtered through the curtains and Mace pulled them back to cast more light over the main chamber. "Oh no." Bottles of various kinds of alcohol were strewn over the table and one of the chairs. The terrible smell seemed to be coming from the �fresher. Mace had a feeling he knew what he was going to find a prepared himself for it. He opened the door and found Qui-Gon passed out on the floor. The stench in here was even worse than outside and Mace gagged. When he was ready, he knelt down at Qui-Gon's side and shook his friend. "Qui-Gon? Can you hear me? Wake up!" The unconscious man showed no sign of hearing him. Mace checked Qui-Gon's pulse and found it beating, albeit slowly. He was also breathing but his breaths were shallow. Flushing the 'fresher, Mace went back into the main part of the apartment and used the com system in there to contact the infirmary. He informed the healer who was on duty that Qui-Gon had apparently drunk himself into oblivion. The healer told Mace that there were healers on their way and ended the call after Mace told them the floor and apartment number. Mace opened the apartment door so the healer's would be able to get in and then he returned to sit with Qui-Gon. "What happened this time my friend?" Mace asked the prone man. "What made you do it?" ***** The dark man held up his hand, signalling his people to stop. They were standing outside a little used entrance to the Jedi Temple. This was it, the beginning of his revenge against the Jedi. Stepping forward, he began to hack his way through the lock on the door. His comrades stood around him, protecting him in case of an attack. It was an attack that never came and the team stepped into the Temple to begin their attack on the Jedi. ***End Part Three*** |
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