Chapter Five

Bread, Circuses and PTSD

As it turned out the man did shave off his beard. Obi-Wan compulsively rubbed his chin that now felt extremely naked without his beard. He sighed as he looked over at Msizi who was looked slightly nervous stepping in and out of a ready stance. He shot him a comforting smile which made him loosen up slightly. As they were escorted up the final stretch before being put out he heard a roar of very eager crowd. Not unlike Geonosis then. He thought fleetingly as he stepped out the stadium proper.

The stadium was huge and brightly light and colored making it look like a sporting arena and he was the main attraction along with Msizi. Msizi began waving eagerly to crowd and the crowd responded jubilantly to the salutations. Wanting not to lose the crowd appeal least that mean death for them all Obi-Wan followed suit following the young man's lead. He distressingly heard some wolf whistling from some people in the audience. Oh dear.

"They'll come through that door," Msizi said as he crouched forward in the direction of the door on the other side of the arena ignoring the wolf whistling aimed at him. "I'd suggest no mercy whatsoever Master. They won't have any for us. I've tried and others suffered because of it."

"I understand," Obi-Wan said bowing his head sorrowfully as he adjusted his stance and helmet that he'd been given. "Then may the Force forgive us for what we are about to do."

As he crouched soon he heard the mechanism begin to open the opposite doors. Out of them came a series of people dressed in bones and decorated with bright paint that looked and was most likely blood. They roared animalistic fury and charged giving Obi-Wan ample time to execute an overhead strike.

He jumped out slashing at the chargers and making several fall to the ground dead. Others fell prey to Msizi's blade and fell down as well. Obi-Wan took no pleasure in the act and only fought to defend himself from direct attacks as did Msizi. Wave after wave came until all their faces blurred together in haze of blood and his blade. Finally a buzzer rang and the gate closed leaving Obi-Wan and Msizi surrounded by their hapless and now very dead opponents while the crowd roared their approval. Obi-Wan...felt sick to his stomach covered with the blood of the people he'd murdered and from the looks of it Msizi looked sicken and despondent as well. Oh heavens, how long had he been doing this awful ritual? Suddenly Geonosis arena didn't seem as bad anymore at least there he knew that he was fight animals not sentient beings.

"Ah, yay! Let's give a hand to our, ah, winners. The Duel Swords Squad. Bravo guys, ah, take, ah five!"

Msizi walked back to the door with Obi-Wan following a second later after he'd bowed his head in sorrow offering up a prayer to the Force for their spirits. This was utterly barbaric. They had to get out of here before they lost everything including their souls.

As they walked back into the pen Obi-Wan felt the crushing weight of their deaths weighing heavily on his shoulders. Msizi didn't look any better and sat down heavily on the floor near the weapons letting his sword fall from his hands with a clang. He then placed his head in his hands and exhaled explosively. In the Force he could feel the crushing weight of what he'd done upon his spirit. Obi-Wan was tempted to follow his lead but instead of despairing he mediated on what he'd done to those people. It was better to deal with the consequences then to wallow in them. However he wasn't about to chastise the man for how he dealt with his grief considering he'd been there longer then him and as a result at more baggage with him. But he would help if he could.

"Not a fan of blood sport?" A smooth voice asked from across the pen. Looking up he saw a tall man with a lean frame, light to almost slightly pale complexion with smooth long hair and green eyes. His aura in the Force was rather snake like and he wore what looked to be very expensive robes and finery that indicated he was of nobility.

"No," Obi-Wan answered as he got up from his mediation pose. "I find them rather detestable."

"Yet your prowess out there indicates proficiency."

"Proficient for defense yes, but I don't care for such barbaric means of entertainment. Killing sentient beings isn't what I find enlightening or remotely entertaining."

"Who could with this kind of slaughter?" Msizi said as he joined the conversation wiping his eyes and face of the splatter of blood.

"You both seemed to be ones of refinement as well," the man mused aloud with a smile. "Pray what are your names slaves?"

"Obi-Wan Kenobi," he replied with a bow. "And may I inquire who you might be?"

"I? I am no one of consequence but I shall indulge you tastes. I am Loki Lye-smith son of Odin."

"Well met, I am Msizi Chun," Msizi bowed towards him as well.

"So rare to find warriors of culture and refinement," Loki complimented. "I must say it's quite a thrill to see that your kind isn't extinct."

"While I'm glad we appease your sense of decorum, I must ask what you want, surely you didn't come down here to hear the musings or opinions of slaves." Obi-Wan was pleased to see that Lori's directness reflected in her Padawan. Good at least he hadn't had that stripped away from him.

"Nothing, merely an entertaining and informative distraction," Loki replied as he began turn and walk away. "I'm going to recommend that you stay together. After all such athleticism and showmanship shouldn't be wasted."

"I'm not sure if he's saving us or damning us," Msizi commented as he watched Loki walk off. "This isn't good. I've never seen this one before. And his interest in us could be bad."

"I think it's both in a way," Obi-Wan said. "What do you mean you've not seen him?"

"I've only seen the handlers and not him. So...I'm not sure what he was or when he came here."

"Wonderful," Obi-Wan sighed rubbing his face. "But I must ask Msizi...how are you doing?"

"Master?"

"Doing this multiple times can't be good for the spirit or your conscience."

"You would condemn me?" Msizi looked resigned at this like he expected to be chastised.

"No," Obi-Wan shook his head. "I don't place the blame on you. You were doing what necessary to survive even if it is abhorrent. You're not responsible for the deaths of those people only those that forced you into this position."

Msizi didn't reply but his sadden face was enough to tell Obi-Wan that what he said while making an effect was still not enough to erase the guilt. Which was good considering that this kind of act was heinous even if it was being forced upon them.

"Guilt is something we shall carry for the rest of our days for the atrocity," Obi-Wan continued. "We shall make amends as best as we can."

"I hope we do get free," Msizi whispered. "Because being here is killing..."

"I understand," Obi-Wan placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "We shall get free and the hope is we can bring justice to those we've wrong."

"Am I a monster Master for being grateful for being alive?"

"No only mortal," Obi-Wan assured him. "Come we'll meditate on this together." He sat in a meditation pose. "Perhaps we can find clarity and relief from this meditation. Maybe the Force shall show us mercy and show us a way."

"Yes Master," Msizi said joining him in kneeling. They stayed silent as the others went about their business both reaching to the Force for clarity and peace. Obi-Wan wasn't sure if they'd find it entirely but they could at the least attain a temporary reprieve from their existence as slaves. Also it might inspire them to find a method of escape. It was worth a shot. He closed his eyes and allowed himself to lose himself in the current of the Force and it's peaceful waves. Within them he thought he saw someone approaching...but the sensation was quickly gone replaced with the peace of the Force which Obi-Wan allowed himself to be carried by. Obi-Wan had a feeling he was going to need this quite a bit.

Brunhilde wasn't one to be shocked by something. She was a Valkyrie. An ancient being that had seen many things that most would consider to be either improbable tales or just plain impossible. So when she saw two slaves that had been recently fought meditating it wasn't a shock...the levitating was a new thing though.

Around her the fellow workers, scavengers, handlers and even fellow slaves stared as the two began levitating with other smaller items gathering around them looking like a miniature solar system. It was quite new and just unnerving to some while it was fascinating to her. She watched the awe as they mediated. There was conflict written on the younger darker face while the elder looked a bit more composed. Looking from a distance was tanned man that gently shooed away those that tried to touch them or get near them. He'd just come from a fight and was still holding his weapon only in a guard position.

Wow who know they were sorcerers with a servant in tow? She thought as sipped her beverage. Finally the elder opened his eyes and soon gently floated down and looked about a bit amused. He looked at the man with the weapon and nodded respectfully and waited for the younger man to exit what it was he was doing. He didn't have to wait for long since he too came out and look...not exactly at peace but better off though.

These guys are certainly going to make things interesting make no mistake.

It was night, or at least the closest equivalent of night. Master Kenobi was sleeping but Msizi couldn't sleep. Not tonight. No. He was thinking about what Master Kenobi said and the meditation that had followed. Making amends. How could they make amends for killing those people? Yes they were cannibals but they were sentient people and he'd slaughtered them. But then what choice did he have? What did that say about him? This was a train of thought he'd often had but this was the first time that he'd been able to voice it with another Jedi instead of stewing in it. In a way it was relieving getting out those thoughts instead of just allowing them to lay but made the magnitude of the issue worse to him.

"Sir," the clone...Kirbee, his name was Kirbee. "I might suggest you get some rest sir."

"How do you do it?"

"Do...what sir?"

"How you do make amends for killing?" Msizi turned away from the wall and looked at Kirbee.

"Um they're droids mostly and the few well organics I run into...well I think of the people that the Clankers can't touch now...Oh," Kirbee breathed as he realized why he was asking. "Sir I'm with the General it's not your fault."

"Is it?"

"You don't want to kill them, and the fact that you still don't and it still bothers you means you're a good man. I mean honestly it could be worse, you could not care at all."

"Am I?" Msizi asked tearfully. "I feel like a monster. I killed sentient beings and sometimes all I can think of is how grateful I am to be alive. How sick is that?"

"Well...I'm told that's normal. Don't let go of that sir. My instructor, a Mandalorian name Tala Falocix told me that emotions make us who we are. So don't let go of them," Kirbee said. "Sir I know the war horrifies you but I will say with an attitude like yours I'd be happy to serve with you. The fact you still care says that you're a good man."

"Doesn't stop the guilt."

"Well if it makes you feel better you could talk to me about it," Master Kenobi's voice said somewhat amused. Msizi looked at him to see that he was wide awake. "I'm not here to lecture you, I want to help. Kirbee and I want you to get better and we shall escape this madhouse and get back. This I promise you."

Loki Lye-smith, son of Odin was quite a bit perplexed by the slaves he'd conversed with. Truly they were warriors of high caliber and any Asgardian would be pleased to know of them but they took no pleasure in the sport. Now Loki could understand it to a certain extent since that portion of the fight was distasteful even to him but there was something about their demeanor that just screamed something else...But he wasn't sure what and that intrigued him in a way that few in Sakaar had. Oh there were distractions to be sure but none like them. He'd keep them alive as much as he was able too. He couldn't influence the Gamekeeper too much but he did have the man's ear whatever it was worth. So he would make sure that these particular warriors alive and well. Possibly moved to another circuit if he could swindle that one.

Yes, keeping them alive would be interesting, Loki thought with a smile. If nothing else for novelty factor. Yes they would do.