Chronicles of a Jedi Master

Friday, April 11, 2008

More Surprises

I know it has been ages but important business has kept me from posting once again. But here is another chapter.

I followed Anakin toward the last chamber with not just a feeling of doom but with my insides twisted.

Anakin must have felt my distress. We got to the last door and he paused.

I stopped next to Anakin feeling his hesitation as I did my own. "Are you ready?"

"I am always ready and you?”

"Yes." but why did it feel wrong? "Ready."

Anakin slapped his palm on the door control and it slid open.

I prepared myself for the worst while the panel slid open. What we encountered was a mixture of medieval torture chamber and modern world violence.

He glared. "Lovely," Anakin said stepping in on step. His eyes shot around the room. We both felt something. There was someone here but were being hidden from our sight, but we still felt them.

"Marusi." I whispered. "Octavia is not here but not as far as you might think." Where in the Galaxy was Adana?

Anakin nodded. "I believe you."

"Be careful. He might not have any Force like powers but he is conniving, cunning and does not run out of tricks easily." I waved my hand for Anakin to move around the other side while I would go to the right.

He moved slowly, carefully his light saber in his hand. He spun to look at me when there was a great gush of wind as if a huge fan had been turned on. It nearly knocked him off his feet.

"Watch out Anakin." I shouted. "Lie flat on the ground." And just after he dropped projectiles shot from nowhere throughout the room. I barely avoided being hit myself.

I dived face first on the ground. A sharp object shot so close to my head I felt it snag my hair. I gathered the force around me to shield me from them.

And then I felt Marusi. He was hiding behind a brick wall in the back corner of the chamber. //In the far back corner.//

//Got ya.// He reached out the with Force and pushed at the bricks, hard. They started to shake.

I joined Anakin and together we successfully made the wall collapse revealing Marusi who had no other way to escape.

The wind died as did the flying shards. I jumped to my feet, saber ignited. "Where is Adana?"

"Oh, she is in a safe place." Marusi replied, showing a row of yellow teeth in a wide, malicious grin.

"If you want to live you might want to tell us where!" Ankin growled.

I stood a few inches from his face, his foul breath brushing my skin. "Don't lie to us, it's over."

"You figure it out, you are the Jedi." he stood his ground.

Anakin stepped around me, his anger flaring. He slammed Marusi back against the wall and stuck the blade of his light saber so close the man’s face he flinched from the heat. "Tell us!"

I could feel him falter but he kept holding on." What is she to you anyway but another wench?" his gaze fell on me.

"A fellow Jedi." He did not need anymore information as it would only create misconceptions later on.

"A good friend. So unless you want a close shave, tell us where she is!" I could feel the anger boil inside Anakin.

"Ok, ok, ok. Don't get your panties in a bunch over that stupid Jedi H...." he growled. "Look down the hall and if you are lucky she is still alive but I fear Octavia finished her off for me."

A retort never crossed my lips and I swiftly left the room. I had to find her before it was too late. I knew the cruelty Octavia of which Octavia was capable and that she was driven by motives other than greed.. I heard a loud scream as I closed the door.

Farther down the wide hall was another door and before I even reached it I could sense Octavia’s malice. Adana's life signature was weak, almost too weak to recognize.

Anakin dragged Marusi with him as he followed me. At the scream, he elbowed Marusi in the face and knocked him out cold. He wouldn’t be going anywhere for a while.

"In here." I watched Anakin approach. "Leave Marusi for now but tie him up."

Anakin slapped some restraints on him and shoved him back against the wall. "I'll be back for you," he muttered maliciously.

"Done?" I asked more impatiently than intended.

Anakin gave him a dirty look. "No I was thinking hanging him upside down and tickling him. Yes, I am done."

"Very funny." I snorted. "Be just as careful with Octavia.”

Posted by Master Obi-Wan :: 9:30 PM :: 7 comments

Sunday, February 17, 2008

Doubts

When I opened my eyes it took a while to focus. Blinking a few times I saw Anakin's face looking down with anguish. "Hi." I said weakly.

He sighed. "Welcome back." Anakin reached out a hand to help me up.

"Welcome back from what?" I rubbed the back of my head. "What happened?"

He told me quickly. "You were about to take off my head."

"I am so sorry Anakin.” I didn't know how to say this without sounding weak. "Please don't think for one moment that I feel like this."

But I could see that thoughts were nagging him when Anakin finally answered. "It comes from somewhere, Obi-Wan. Do you regret taking me as your apprentice that much?" He looked hurt and confused.

"Force Anaki, no." I meant it. "I was young and inexperienced and if I made any mistakes in your training it is my responsibility alone."

He looked away not believing a word I had just said. "We have a job to do." Anakin said coolly. "Are you alright now?"

"Anakin." I reached out to him. "You are my brother."

He nodded not convinced. "Are you alright?" He asked again.

"Yes." What else could I say to convince him that my words were truthful? "We better get going." I sighed deeply. This mission was not going well at all and it took us in a direction I did not anticipate.

I felt the gap that had begun to appear between a while ago grow wider and although Anakin knew it was from the gas he was quiet. "Keep away from the vents, if you don’t mind." He tried to smile.

"I shall." My attempt to return his smile failed miserably..

Anakin lead the way. For what seemed like hours we crept in the shadows without seeing or hearing anything. Suddenly we found a huge locked door. He looked it over.

"This place seems to be constructed of more doors than the palace on Naboo." I stared at the heavy durasteel door.

Anakin smiled to himself when I mentioned Naboo. "A maze, a trap."

"Definitely." I applied the Force to push the door open just a bit.

" I have a really bad feeling about this," He muttered

"Same here." I added as we entered an empty room.

He slithered inside after me. A foul smell reached our noses. "Lovely." He muttered.

"Centuries of unused air." I tried not to breathe through my nose.. "Let's see where this door leads."

"To something nasty, I'm sure." Anakin growled.

"We need to find the main chamber."

"I'm going to guess-" He pointed, "It would be down those dark stairs."

"I do hope so." I said skeptically.

"I'll be very happy to be out of here." Anakin stepped down the stairs and lit his saber for light. We went down another set of stairs that curved to the right. He looked back at me and started to walk down.

I let Anakin take the lead hilt in hand as I followed him around several corners and turns which took us deeper into the building. I could feel the pain of many who had never left this place alive.

My attempts to feel Adana’s Life Force were not rewarded and worry flooded through me. I did not want to entertain any thoughts of what might have happened.

At the bottom there was a large, circular chamber with one door and nothing else. It looked like a huge water tank. Anakin gave me a pained look. "Let me guess. We go in there and something bad happens. What do you think?"

"I believe you are right." I looked at Anakin.

I smiled. "Flip you for who goes in first."

"I go first." I walked past him through the door and down another long dark passage. Suddenly my senses tingled and I stopped.

"A water tank chamber with stairs-" Anakin froze. "Here we go."

"Slow now." I cautioned.

Posted by Master Obi-Wan :: 9:06 PM :: 6 comments

Saturday, December 29, 2007

Voices in the Dark

Anakin jumped off the Rancor, and spun his light saber with unneeded zest. "Well that was too easy."

"Easy for you to say>" The Rancor's head rested on my legs as I looked up at Anakin.

"Oops, let me help you there." He gave the head a lift with Force and helped me out from under the massive head. Anakin shook his head. "Nasty things."

"Quite." I looked at the massive creature. "I wasn't aware they could live here as well." the hallways was strangely quiet after the sounds of the fight.

"They should be in the city. They must have smuggled it in," He said. "But down here in the underbelly, you can hide anything."

"Unfortunately. We need to continue and this time without interruptions I hope."

"Not likely," Anakin stated. "After you. There is a hallway in the back. I see it as I was on top of the Rancor."

I merely nodded and followed the dark and damp pathway. The walls were narrower here and the smell of stale air made it harder to breathe. The temperature grew warmer as well.

Anakin made strange breathing noises behind me and I could hear him insert his rebreather.

Something rose from the floor vents in front of me, a gas like substance, and before I could react I was pulled back by my belt.

"You are right?" He asked.

My head felt foggy and Anakin’s voice seemed to come from far away. His touch however made me want to shake him off. "I am fine." I growled.

"Your face is white," He told me. "I don't think that was poison."

"Nothing wrong with me." I shoved his hand away.

"All right then, if you are sure." Anakin stared at me for a second before he stepped around me and continued down the passage.

//Remember how Qui Gon dismissed you for Anakin//
I shook my head. No it wasn’t there, the voice did not exist.

//Don't deny it. He hurt you and you know it.//

"No, he did not." I said out loud.

The uneasy feeling tickled my neck. I looked over my shoulder at Obi-Wan as he spoke. "What did you say?"

"Nothing and it’s none of your business." Why did I talk to him that way?

//You have always resented training the boy.// she whispered.

"NO!" I said forcefully.

Anakin flinched and frowned at me.

"For Force sake, Obi-Wan!" He snapped.

//Admit it. YOU only fulfilled a dying man's wishes.// she continued.

"I will not listen to you." my head pounded.

"Master?" Anakin stopped walking to face me. His face was a mask of confusion.

//Don't give into him. He has never respected or accepted you as his Master.// her voice penetrated my mind with an intensity to which I could no longer resist.

I know that Anakin reached out with the Force to detect what was wrong in his opinion. Obviously he could not sense anything because he just stared back at me.

//Be careful or he will lead you into a trap, a trap set for you.// she insisted.

"Master?" He waved his hand in front of my face.

"No, he is not like that." I replied making a last attempt to rid myself of her.

"Who is not like what?" He shook my arm. "Obi-Wan!"

//Don't give in to his cunning nature. He will destroy you.// her voice grew stronger, more persistent.

"YOU." a growl escaped my chest as my hand found my saber.

"Whoa!" He jumped back and stared. "What is the matter with you? Have you lost your mind?"

//Now is your chance to rid yourself of him. You need neither him nor your Jedi friend Adana.//

I ignited my weapon, memories flooding my mind, memories of Master Jinn, my childhood, his death.

Anakin hesitated to reach for his saber. He stilled his hand. "Whatever you hear, it’s not real. You know that."

"Don't mock me Anakin." I stepped toward him. "At least defend yourself." I listened to my voice as if it did not belong to me.

//Yes, that is right. NOW// it was as if she stood next to me. I could sense her to a point I could smell her perfume.

"Mock you? I'm not mocking you! Don't make me defend myself!" He stared hard at me. "One of us won't walk away from it. Think, man, whatever that gas was, whatever you are thinking, its not you!"

"You don't respect me and you have rejected my teaching ...always." Speaking seemed to be more difficult than I remembered. "And now you shall pay for all of your deceit." I raised my weapon toward his neck.

Anakin’s saber shot into my hand, blade ready. He blocked mine. "Listen to me! Stop and think! Block it out! You don’t want to do this!"

"Yes, I do. It's imperative that I make an end to this charade." A quick turn of my hand and my weapon cut through his tunic sleeve.

I could see the pain in his face. Anakin swung his blade, knocking the hilt of my saber from my hand. It tumbled to the floor. It was too easy. He reached out before I could retract and slammed my body hard against the wall, holding me still with his hand, and lifted his blade. "Snap out of it!" He shouted in my face.

"Out of what? You disillusioned fool, don't you understand? It's over." I tried to pry his hands of me. "LET ME GO."

"No, you will listen. That gas is doing this to you! Whatever your hearing are lies. Think! Why are we here? What we doing? Who ARE YOU?"

//You are stronger than he is. He is still a boy. Remember that night so long ago.// her voice had lost the sharp edge.

"I am Obi Wan Kenobi and you have betrayed me from the beginning. Only because of you did I lose Master Jinn."

"Because of me? I didn't kill him! I wasn’t even there! Remember!" I shook him.

"You were because he made every attempt to rid himself of me. And if his mind had been clear he would not have died." my words poured out as if my mouth had a mind of its own.

Anakin stared at me in disbelief. "He loved you. He thought you were ready! I had nothing to do with it!

"Yes, he did and I loved him. He was like a father to me." I finally freed myself of him and called my weapon to my hand.

//This is a good Jedi.// he voice was enticing and sweet.

Anakin jumped back. "Do you think he would be happy to see you lose your control and attack the man you call your brother?" I lifted my chin. "I loved him too."

"No, you didn't. You didn't even know him. And Adana has betrayed my friendship as well. Oh, yes, she is there when you need her but that is all. Both of you can go to hell."

"I didn't? That man saved me from a life of slavery! I didn’t know him long but I loved him! And I love you!"

"Lies, lies, all lies. You have listened to Adana for too long. I know you confide in her." My blade sprang to life again.

"Lies? Fine!" He tossed my saber on the floor at my feet. "Strike me down then. I won’t stop you." He glared. "Do it!"

I lifted my saber, ready to strike him when suddenly the world around me went black.

Posted by Master Obi-Wan :: 7:55 PM :: 5 comments