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Title: Can't Be Really Gone Characters: Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, Adi Gallia, and Siri. Age: Obi-Wan is 13. Rating: PG-13 Summary: Alternate Universe after JA# 8, where Qui-Gon did not take Obi-Wan back as his padawan. Obi-Wan is held prisoner by a group of terrorists, while everyone at the Jedi temple believes that he was killed. Author: Peggy Schultz Date: 09/12/02 Email: [email protected]
Authors Note: This is my first Star Wars fan fiction so please let me know what you think.
Can't Be Really Gone
Part I
Obi-Wan Kenobi took a quick glance up at his new master, Craydin Shaw, trying to determine whether or not the young knight had noticed his fidgeting.
Since Craydin had asked him to be his apprentice, Obi-Wan had been trying very hard to be the perfect padawan. He did not want to disappoint Master Craydin the way that he had disappointed his first master, Qui-Gon Jinn.
While on a mission to the planet Melida/Dann Obi-Wan had made friends with some kids and had decided to help his new friends, and leave the Jedi order. It was a mistake, one that had cost him the trust of Qui-Gon. After that the Jedi Master did not feel that he could trust Obi-Wan again and did not take him back as his apprentice.
Qui-Gon had lost his previous padawan, Xanatos, to the dark side, and was reluctant to take on a new padawan. Obi-Wan hadn't realized until it was too late that his actions on Melida/Dann had hurt Qui-Gon nearly as much as Xanatos had. Obi-Wan was crushed when he found out that Qui-Gon would not take him back again, but he knew that he no longer deserved to be his padawan learner.
"Obi-Wan," Craydin said, "is something wrong?"
"I'm ok, Master Craydin, it can wait," Obi-Wan said. Craydin had obviously noticed his fidgeting.
"Obi-Wan if something is wrong you can tell me, I remember what it was like to be a padawan, I know how boring these negotiations can be to a young boy," Craydin said through the new training bond that they had finally been able to establish after nearly four months as master and padawan.
"No, Master Craydin," Obi-Wan said through the bond, "I just need to use the fresher, but I can wait, really."
"Don't be silly, padawan, go to the fresher, it may be a while before we break for lunch. Do not be afraid to ask for something. And perhaps next time you will not drink quite so much juice for breakfast," Craydin smiled.
"Thank you Master," Obi-Wan said and quickly got up and made his way to the public freshers, which were located in the east wing of the building, on the opposite side of the conference hall.
Just after exiting the freshers Obi-Wan felt a sudden sense of danger through the force, right before someone ran into him from behind, and knocked him to the ground hard. He heard his lightsaber hit the floor and slide a few meters away from him from the force of the huge man who had run into him. Obi-Wan could feel blood trickling down his chin from where he had bit his lip.
"I'm very sorry, kid," the man said extending his hand towards Obi- Wan. The man's voice was deep and husky sounding.
Obi-Wan let the larger man help him to his feet, before saying, "that's ok, but maybe you should try taking your time in the future."
"True," the man laughed, "I was in a bit of a hurry, but you came out of the room so suddenly. "Are you alright, you are bleeding?"
Obi-Wan wiped the blood away on the sleeve of his robe, and said, "I'm fine, I just bit my lip." Obi-Wan then walked over to retrieve his fallen lightsaber; he was glad that Master Craydin was not with him to see that he had lost his lightsaber.
"Hey, you're that Jedi student, aren't you?" the man asked.
Obi-Wan did not answer him as he reached his lightsaber, and bent down to pick it up. Before he could get a hold of it, the man grabbed his arm, preventing him from picking it up without the use of the force.
"Why are you here Jedi boy?" the man asked.
Without answering him, Obi-Wan used the force to call the weapon to his other hand as he suddenly felt a sting in his hand. He realized that the man had a syringe in his other hand, and had just injected something into his arm.
Obi-Wan ignited his lightsaber, and spun around to face the man, "what did you do to me?" he asked, as his arms and legs began to feel numb, and his vision began to blur alarmingly.
"Sorry, Jedi boy, I can't let you tell your master about the bomb," the man said.
"Bomb," Obi-Wan said, the word sounded slurred, as his legs no longer could hold his weight and he fell to his knees. He had to get up, and warn his master, but that was the reason he had been given the drug in the first place. His lightsaber slipped out of his weakening grasp, and again fell to the floor, with Obi-Wan falling unconscious besides it a few seconds later.
* *** * *** *
Knight Craydin Shaw sat still in his chair in the front of the conference hall, of the Vardell capital building. The Vardelli people had just forced their corrupt government officials out of office, and had asked for Jedi assistance to make sure that they did not have any trouble during the negotiations to find a more suitable government for the small planet. So far the negotiations had been going smoothly, and they had already decided on the candidates that the Vardelli citizens would vote for, from three of the seven sectors. They, however, still had the army generals, police generals, and the planetary governor candidates to decide on.
Suddenly Craydin, felt a sense of danger through the force, and immediately dropped his hand to his lightsaber. He checked the conference hall for the danger, and then stood up, as he realized that his padawan was in danger.
"Excuse, major Disounti," Craydin said to the major that sat beside him, "I must check on my padawan," Craydin explained keeping his hand near the hilt of his lightsaber.
"Is something wrong? Do you want me to send some of my men to look for the boy for you?"
"No, that won't be necessary, I'll be right back," Craydin assured him. The major nodded and then looked back up to the stage.
As the knight made his way to the exit of the conference room, the captain of the army of the third sector stopped him. "Jedi Craydin, is there a problem with the negotiations?"
"No, Captain Wainan, my padawan learner went to use the fresher fifteen minutes ago and I'm just concerned that he may have gotten himself lost. I just wanted to check on him," Craydin said leaving out the urgent sense of danger that he had felt through the force.
"Aw yes, my children are the same way. They seem to have a knack for getting themselves 'lost' although my mate and I call it wandering off," the captain smiled at Craydin. "And the freshers are on the opposite side of the building from here, perhaps you are worrying yourself over nothing."
"I'm sure that you are right, but I'd rather been sure that he is safe," Craydin said.
"I'll let you know if you miss anything," Captain Wainan said.
"Thank you," Craydin said, and quickly exited the conference hall and began to make his way towards the freshers.
As he neared the freshers the sense of danger seemed to grow more urgent, and it no longer was for his padawan alone. Suddenly a loud explosion shook the building knocking Craydin to the ground with its massive force. As he fell to the floor he could hear the terrified screams of the people who were in the capital building. Craydin had no time to stop the subsequent chaos, as the ceiling above him collapsed on top of him burying him under debris. His last conscious thought was that he hoped Obi-Wan would be ok.
*** * ***
Qui-Gon Jinn sat in the cockpit of the transport that would take him back to the Jedi temple. It was his first trip back to the temple since after he had told his former padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi that he would not accept him back as his apprentice. He could tell that the thirteen-year- old boy had been upset by his refusal to take him back, but Obi-Wan had accepted it with out complaint.
While on his last mission with Adi Gallia and her young padawan Siri Tachi, for which they were now returning from, Qui-Gon had begun to miss Obi-Wan's presence, and had decided that if the boy had not been chosen as anyone else's padawan yet that he would ask him to be his padawan again. He would even go back to the Agri-Corps to get him if he had to. His good friend Tahl would be glad if Obi-Wan became his padawan again, Qui-Gon mused.
"Are you thinking about a joke, Qui-Gon?" Adi asked as she entered the cockpit, and sat down beside Qui-Gon.
"Hmm, what?" Qui-Gon asked, he hadn't heard her enter the cockpit.
"You were just smiling," Adi said, "it's not often lately that I've seen you smile. Were you thinking of a joke?"
"Oh, I hadn't realized that I had smiled. I was just wondering how Obi-Wan is doing, and I was thinking that if no one else had chosen him as a padawan yet that I would ask him."
"Adi frowned slightly before saying, "Qui-Gon, I'm sorry, but, Clee Rhara told me that her last padawan Craydin Shaw who had been knighted just over a year ago had chosen Obi-Wan as his padawan."
"Craydin Shaw," Qui-Gon said, "I didn't even know that he had been knighted," Qui-Gon said. He could remember going on a mission with Clee Rhara, Craydin Shaw, and his former padawan Xanatos.
"Yes, Clee was very proud when she found out that Craydin had chosen Obi-Wan. He has became a great Jedi Knight, Siri and I went with him to his first mission with Obi-Wan to investigate a possible initiate on the planet Kegan. They seemed to work quite well together. Before Siri and I left to meet with you, Clee had told me that Craydin and Obi-Wan had just begun to develop their training bond."
"That's good," Qui-Gon said, although the ache that had suddenly began in his heart was screaming that it really was not good.
"Perhaps, if you don't leave the day after you return to the temple, you can visit with Obi-Wan, and ask him how he is doing?" Adi suggested.
"Perhaps," was the only answer that the older Jedi had given her. He did not think it was his place to interfere with the new relationship that the boy was building with Craydin. Perhaps he would one day meet up with the boy again so he could ask him, but he would certainly not seek the boy out.
"You know Qui-Gon, you can always take another padawan," Adi said.
Qui-Gon looked up at the woman beside him. He could not imagine taking anyone other than Obi-Wan as his padawan. No, he decided, if he could not take Obi-Wan, he would not take anyone else, but he said, "perhaps." It wasn't really a lie, he told himself, he may take another padawan in the distant future, but it would not be in the near future.
Suddenly a light on the console in front of him began to flash, indicating that they were receiving a transmission, and breaking Qui-Gon out of his thoughts of his former padawan. Flipping some switches on the console, the holographic image of Master Yoda appeared before them.
"Masters Qui-Gon, and Adi," the wise Jedi master greeted them, "grave news the council has. Trouble a Jedi team had on the planet Vardell; missing the master and padawan are. Go to Vardell to find Knight Craydin, and his padawan you will. Closest Jedi to Vardell you are."
"Yes, Master Yoda," Adi said, when Qui-Gon did not answer.
"Find them you will," Yoda said and then cut the transmission.
Qui-Gon had an odd sick feeling in the pit of his stomach as he wondered what had happened. What ever it was he knew from the tone of Yoda's voice that it was serious. Qui-Gon set the course corrections into the computer and said, "we should reach Vardell in about 2 hours."
Adi nodded, and said, "I'll go and inform Siri of our new mission," she said, as she stood and then left the cockpit to go to the cargo hold where Siri was meditating.
* *** * *** *
Qui-Gon felt his insides twisting as he looked at what was left of the building. The east side of the building had sustained the most damage, but luckily the majority of the people who were in the building were in the west side, where the negotiations were taking place. Part of the wall and ceiling of the large conference room had collapsed, but luckily it was only a small portion of the room. Unfortunately it was the area that one of the survivors had seen Craydin Shaw, just before the bomb had gone off.
As Qui-Gon used the force to move a large section of debris, Adi walked up to him and said, "I just spoke with Captain Wainan of the third army. He said that Craydin was on his way to find Obi-Wan, and had just walked out into the main hall heading towards the east wing when the bomb exploded."
"Why did he need to find Obi-Wan?" Qui-Gon asked. Qui-Gon saw Adi hesitate a moment. He could not determine if she had hesitated to try and think of the right words to answer his question, or because she simply didn't want to give him the answer. Either way he was sure that it could not have been good.
"He said that Craydin, had told him that Obi-Wan had gone to the fresher and he had been worried that Obi-Wan hadn't returned after fifteen minutes."
"The freshers!" Qui-Gon's mind screamed. The freshers were right next to the room that the bomb had been planted in. They had been completely destroyed by fire and debris. They did not expect to find anyone in that immediate area still alive.
Adi and Qui-Gon moved their search efforts to the corridors, leading to where the freshers once were. Qui-Gon hoped that Obi-Wan had been on the way back when the bomb had gone off or perhaps for some reason had wandered away from the East wing. After an hour of removing debris Qui-Gon and Adi had found a dozen Vardelli citizens in the debris, only six of those twelve had survived, and one of them, Qui-Gon knew would not survive the coming night.
As they slowly made their way down the corridor, the force seemed to be guiding them towards the left side of the corridor just ahead. Quickly the two Jedi masters moved the debris in that area away, and were rewarded to find Knight Craydin lying on the floor. He was bruised and bloodied, but was alive and conscious.
"Knight Craydin," Qui-Gon said kneeling beside the young man.
"Obi-Wan," Craydin croaked through clenched teeth, "di- did y-you f-f- find him?"
"No, we are still looking for him, but we will find him," Adi assured him.
Qui-Gon placed his hand on Craydin's shoulder and began to note the knight's injuries. He had several broken and cracked ribs, a ruptured spleen, a punctured right lung, broken right femur, and clavicle, dislocated left shoulder, a deep gash on his right temple, and internal bleeding. To Qui-Gon's horror he realized that the young knight would not survive for more than a few more minutes. Qui-Gon knew that the only reason he was still breathing was because the knight was desperately holding on. Craydin knew that he would not survive.
"C-can't f-feel O-Obi-Wan th-rough bond. H-he's a a g-g-good boy," Craydin said, grabbing a hold of Qui-Gon's tunic. "F-find h-him. T-tell h- im w-as g-g-glad to h-have h-him as pad-padawan. H-e th-inks h-he is n-not g-g-good nuff. H-e he's wr-wronge," Craydin said. No longer able to fight the inevitable he finally let himself go.
Qui-Gon watched as the young man took one last agonizing breath, before his hand released Qui-Gon's robe and fell to the floor limp.
"Master Adi, Master Qui-Gon," Siri said as she quickly ran up to them. "I was just speaking with one of the survivors. He's an army major; he said that Craydin went to find Obi-Wan in the fresh-" Siri stopped mid sentence as she looked down and saw the knight laying motionless. "Is he-"
"He is one with the force now," Adi said.
"Come we must continue to look for Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon said.
* *** * *** *
After five more hours of searching the East wing of the building with the help of more Jedi knights who had started to arrive to join in the search three hours after Qui-Gon, and Adi had arrived on the planet, no more survivors had been found. And after ten hours had past since the explosion had occurred the chances of them finding anyone else still alive was slim at best.
Finally Qui-Gon and Adi had cleared away the debris from the section where the freshers once were. Taking a look through the small pieces of debris littering the floor, Qui-Gon spotted a familiar object lying partially buried under a charred piece of rubble. Qui-Gon knelt down to pick up the item, and felt as if his heart and just sunk into his stomach.
"Qui-Gon?" Adi asked.
"It's Obi-Wan's," he answered, as he looked at the boys lightsaber that he now held in his hand. The weapon was charred on one side, and the other side had been partially melted by the intense heat of the explosion. To Qui-Gon's horror, his former padawan had indeed been in the fresher at the time of the explosion.
*** * *** * ***
After a total of twelve hours of searching for survivors in the building, the search was finally called off, and Qui-Gon decided that he had better contact the Jedi council and inform them of Obi-Wan's fate.
"Qui-Gon," Jedi Master Mace Windu greeted him.
"The search for survivors has been called off," Qui-Gon told Mace.
"And Padawan Kenobi?"
"We found his lightsaber, but we did not find his body."
"His body," Mace said, "are you certain that the boy did not survive?"
"I am not 100% certain, no. But his lightsaber was found in the section of the building next to where the bomb had detonated. The blast had melted part of the hilt of the lightsaber. And no other survivors were found in that section of the building. The few bodies that were found a few meters from his lightsaber, were determined by the medics to have died instantly. It has been just over twelve hours since the explosion first occurred, and it is unlikely even for a Jedi master to survive such conditions for that long without proper medical attention."
"Yoda will be sorry to hear this, he had foreseen that Kenobi would have made a powerful and important knight," Mace said accepting the facts that Qui-Gon had presented to him.
Qui-Gon slowly made his way to where Adi and Siri were sitting at a table outside of the capital building.
"Did you inform the council?" Adi asked.
"Yes," Qui-Gon nodded. Despite what he had told Mace, there was still one last chance that Obi-Wan could be alive, it was the only thing that Qui-Gon had to cling too, no matter how much of a long shot it was that Obi-Wan had somehow managed to get captured by the persons responsible for the bombing of the capital building. He, however, felt that he should not mention that just yet. Perhaps the persons responsible would present a ransom for Obi-Wan.
"Master Adi," Siri said, her voice a near whisper, "I don't understand why we stopped looking. We didn't find Obi-Wan yet?"
"Siri, some Jedi, when they die disappear leaving no trace of themselves behind other than the clothes that they wore and any weapons like a lightsaber that they may have had in the possession at the time of their death. Obi-Wan's clothes would have burnt beyond recognition, but we did find his lightsaber."
"No! He could have dropped it. He could be hurt and waiting for us to find him. We should be looking for him."
"Siri, it's been too long, and the entire building has already been searched, even the heating rooms in the basement section," Adi told the young girl.
"No, it's not fair!" Siri yelled and ran off towards a group of trees where Qui-Gon assumed she had gone to cry.
Qui-Gon was about to go after her feeling the sudden need to help the young girl grieve, when Adi stopped him by placing her hand on his forearm. "Don't, she needs some time to herself first, it's been a rough day for her."
Qui-Gon nodded, and sat down in the chair that Siri had just left. "I hadn't realized that Siri and Obi-Wan had been friends."
"They weren't," Adi smiled slightly, "not at first, but after the mission to Kegan, they had come to a mutual understanding. I think Siri, liked Obi-Wan a lot more than she was willing to admit."
"Aw yes," Qui-Gon nodded, "the classic pretend to hate the boy you really like routine." Qui-Gon suddenly wondered if Obi-Wan had been doing the same routine, and if they would have ever admitted to one another that they could be friends, perhaps as good as friends as Obi-Wan was with Bant.
Qui-Gon closed his eyes, not wanting to believe that Obi-Wan was really one with the force. He can't be really gone, can he? He could still remember when he had first met him, after a lightsaber duel against Bruck Chun. Obi-Wan was full of energy, and eager to be chosen as a padawan, although Qui-Gon had turned Obi-Wan down numerous times before finally accepting the boy as his padawan. Then they had been sent to a rescue mission to Melida/Dann, and Obi-Wan had decided to leave the Jedi order to help the young of the planet fight in the war. Qui-Gon had been hurt, and felt betrayed by Obi-Wan's actions. He now realized that he was too harsh on the boy, Obi-Wan had thought that he was doing what was right, but had made a terrible mistake and Qui-Gon had made that mistake worse for the boy. Qui-Gon could not help but feel that if he would have taken Obi- Wan back, that the boy would still be alive. He also could not forget Knight Craydin's words before he had died, that the boy had believed he wasn't good enough, haunted the Jedi Master. Could his refusal to take Obi- Wan back, had caused the boys self-doubt?
Title: Can't Be Really Gone Characters: Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, Adi Gallia, and Siri. Age: Obi-Wan is 13. Rating: PG-13 Summary: Alternate Universe after JA# 8, where Qui-Gon did not take Obi-Wan back as his padawan. Obi-Wan is held prisoner by a group of terrorists, while everyone at the Jedi temple believes that he was killed. Author: Peggy Schultz Date: 09/12/02 Email: [email protected]
Authors Note: This is my first Star Wars fan fiction so please let me know what you think.
Can't Be Really Gone
Part I
Obi-Wan Kenobi took a quick glance up at his new master, Craydin Shaw, trying to determine whether or not the young knight had noticed his fidgeting.
Since Craydin had asked him to be his apprentice, Obi-Wan had been trying very hard to be the perfect padawan. He did not want to disappoint Master Craydin the way that he had disappointed his first master, Qui-Gon Jinn.
While on a mission to the planet Melida/Dann Obi-Wan had made friends with some kids and had decided to help his new friends, and leave the Jedi order. It was a mistake, one that had cost him the trust of Qui-Gon. After that the Jedi Master did not feel that he could trust Obi-Wan again and did not take him back as his apprentice.
Qui-Gon had lost his previous padawan, Xanatos, to the dark side, and was reluctant to take on a new padawan. Obi-Wan hadn't realized until it was too late that his actions on Melida/Dann had hurt Qui-Gon nearly as much as Xanatos had. Obi-Wan was crushed when he found out that Qui-Gon would not take him back again, but he knew that he no longer deserved to be his padawan learner.
"Obi-Wan," Craydin said, "is something wrong?"
"I'm ok, Master Craydin, it can wait," Obi-Wan said. Craydin had obviously noticed his fidgeting.
"Obi-Wan if something is wrong you can tell me, I remember what it was like to be a padawan, I know how boring these negotiations can be to a young boy," Craydin said through the new training bond that they had finally been able to establish after nearly four months as master and padawan.
"No, Master Craydin," Obi-Wan said through the bond, "I just need to use the fresher, but I can wait, really."
"Don't be silly, padawan, go to the fresher, it may be a while before we break for lunch. Do not be afraid to ask for something. And perhaps next time you will not drink quite so much juice for breakfast," Craydin smiled.
"Thank you Master," Obi-Wan said and quickly got up and made his way to the public freshers, which were located in the east wing of the building, on the opposite side of the conference hall.
Just after exiting the freshers Obi-Wan felt a sudden sense of danger through the force, right before someone ran into him from behind, and knocked him to the ground hard. He heard his lightsaber hit the floor and slide a few meters away from him from the force of the huge man who had run into him. Obi-Wan could feel blood trickling down his chin from where he had bit his lip.
"I'm very sorry, kid," the man said extending his hand towards Obi- Wan. The man's voice was deep and husky sounding.
Obi-Wan let the larger man help him to his feet, before saying, "that's ok, but maybe you should try taking your time in the future."
"True," the man laughed, "I was in a bit of a hurry, but you came out of the room so suddenly. "Are you alright, you are bleeding?"
Obi-Wan wiped the blood away on the sleeve of his robe, and said, "I'm fine, I just bit my lip." Obi-Wan then walked over to retrieve his fallen lightsaber; he was glad that Master Craydin was not with him to see that he had lost his lightsaber.
"Hey, you're that Jedi student, aren't you?" the man asked.
Obi-Wan did not answer him as he reached his lightsaber, and bent down to pick it up. Before he could get a hold of it, the man grabbed his arm, preventing him from picking it up without the use of the force.
"Why are you here Jedi boy?" the man asked.
Without answering him, Obi-Wan used the force to call the weapon to his other hand as he suddenly felt a sting in his hand. He realized that the man had a syringe in his other hand, and had just injected something into his arm.
Obi-Wan ignited his lightsaber, and spun around to face the man, "what did you do to me?" he asked, as his arms and legs began to feel numb, and his vision began to blur alarmingly.
"Sorry, Jedi boy, I can't let you tell your master about the bomb," the man said.
"Bomb," Obi-Wan said, the word sounded slurred, as his legs no longer could hold his weight and he fell to his knees. He had to get up, and warn his master, but that was the reason he had been given the drug in the first place. His lightsaber slipped out of his weakening grasp, and again fell to the floor, with Obi-Wan falling unconscious besides it a few seconds later.
* *** * *** *
Knight Craydin Shaw sat still in his chair in the front of the conference hall, of the Vardell capital building. The Vardelli people had just forced their corrupt government officials out of office, and had asked for Jedi assistance to make sure that they did not have any trouble during the negotiations to find a more suitable government for the small planet. So far the negotiations had been going smoothly, and they had already decided on the candidates that the Vardelli citizens would vote for, from three of the seven sectors. They, however, still had the army generals, police generals, and the planetary governor candidates to decide on.
Suddenly Craydin, felt a sense of danger through the force, and immediately dropped his hand to his lightsaber. He checked the conference hall for the danger, and then stood up, as he realized that his padawan was in danger.
"Excuse, major Disounti," Craydin said to the major that sat beside him, "I must check on my padawan," Craydin explained keeping his hand near the hilt of his lightsaber.
"Is something wrong? Do you want me to send some of my men to look for the boy for you?"
"No, that won't be necessary, I'll be right back," Craydin assured him. The major nodded and then looked back up to the stage.
As the knight made his way to the exit of the conference room, the captain of the army of the third sector stopped him. "Jedi Craydin, is there a problem with the negotiations?"
"No, Captain Wainan, my padawan learner went to use the fresher fifteen minutes ago and I'm just concerned that he may have gotten himself lost. I just wanted to check on him," Craydin said leaving out the urgent sense of danger that he had felt through the force.
"Aw yes, my children are the same way. They seem to have a knack for getting themselves 'lost' although my mate and I call it wandering off," the captain smiled at Craydin. "And the freshers are on the opposite side of the building from here, perhaps you are worrying yourself over nothing."
"I'm sure that you are right, but I'd rather been sure that he is safe," Craydin said.
"I'll let you know if you miss anything," Captain Wainan said.
"Thank you," Craydin said, and quickly exited the conference hall and began to make his way towards the freshers.
As he neared the freshers the sense of danger seemed to grow more urgent, and it no longer was for his padawan alone. Suddenly a loud explosion shook the building knocking Craydin to the ground with its massive force. As he fell to the floor he could hear the terrified screams of the people who were in the capital building. Craydin had no time to stop the subsequent chaos, as the ceiling above him collapsed on top of him burying him under debris. His last conscious thought was that he hoped Obi-Wan would be ok.
*** * ***
Qui-Gon Jinn sat in the cockpit of the transport that would take him back to the Jedi temple. It was his first trip back to the temple since after he had told his former padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi that he would not accept him back as his apprentice. He could tell that the thirteen-year- old boy had been upset by his refusal to take him back, but Obi-Wan had accepted it with out complaint.
While on his last mission with Adi Gallia and her young padawan Siri Tachi, for which they were now returning from, Qui-Gon had begun to miss Obi-Wan's presence, and had decided that if the boy had not been chosen as anyone else's padawan yet that he would ask him to be his padawan again. He would even go back to the Agri-Corps to get him if he had to. His good friend Tahl would be glad if Obi-Wan became his padawan again, Qui-Gon mused.
"Are you thinking about a joke, Qui-Gon?" Adi asked as she entered the cockpit, and sat down beside Qui-Gon.
"Hmm, what?" Qui-Gon asked, he hadn't heard her enter the cockpit.
"You were just smiling," Adi said, "it's not often lately that I've seen you smile. Were you thinking of a joke?"
"Oh, I hadn't realized that I had smiled. I was just wondering how Obi-Wan is doing, and I was thinking that if no one else had chosen him as a padawan yet that I would ask him."
"Adi frowned slightly before saying, "Qui-Gon, I'm sorry, but, Clee Rhara told me that her last padawan Craydin Shaw who had been knighted just over a year ago had chosen Obi-Wan as his padawan."
"Craydin Shaw," Qui-Gon said, "I didn't even know that he had been knighted," Qui-Gon said. He could remember going on a mission with Clee Rhara, Craydin Shaw, and his former padawan Xanatos.
"Yes, Clee was very proud when she found out that Craydin had chosen Obi-Wan. He has became a great Jedi Knight, Siri and I went with him to his first mission with Obi-Wan to investigate a possible initiate on the planet Kegan. They seemed to work quite well together. Before Siri and I left to meet with you, Clee had told me that Craydin and Obi-Wan had just begun to develop their training bond."
"That's good," Qui-Gon said, although the ache that had suddenly began in his heart was screaming that it really was not good.
"Perhaps, if you don't leave the day after you return to the temple, you can visit with Obi-Wan, and ask him how he is doing?" Adi suggested.
"Perhaps," was the only answer that the older Jedi had given her. He did not think it was his place to interfere with the new relationship that the boy was building with Craydin. Perhaps he would one day meet up with the boy again so he could ask him, but he would certainly not seek the boy out.
"You know Qui-Gon, you can always take another padawan," Adi said.
Qui-Gon looked up at the woman beside him. He could not imagine taking anyone other than Obi-Wan as his padawan. No, he decided, if he could not take Obi-Wan, he would not take anyone else, but he said, "perhaps." It wasn't really a lie, he told himself, he may take another padawan in the distant future, but it would not be in the near future.
Suddenly a light on the console in front of him began to flash, indicating that they were receiving a transmission, and breaking Qui-Gon out of his thoughts of his former padawan. Flipping some switches on the console, the holographic image of Master Yoda appeared before them.
"Masters Qui-Gon, and Adi," the wise Jedi master greeted them, "grave news the council has. Trouble a Jedi team had on the planet Vardell; missing the master and padawan are. Go to Vardell to find Knight Craydin, and his padawan you will. Closest Jedi to Vardell you are."
"Yes, Master Yoda," Adi said, when Qui-Gon did not answer.
"Find them you will," Yoda said and then cut the transmission.
Qui-Gon had an odd sick feeling in the pit of his stomach as he wondered what had happened. What ever it was he knew from the tone of Yoda's voice that it was serious. Qui-Gon set the course corrections into the computer and said, "we should reach Vardell in about 2 hours."
Adi nodded, and said, "I'll go and inform Siri of our new mission," she said, as she stood and then left the cockpit to go to the cargo hold where Siri was meditating.
* *** * *** *
Qui-Gon felt his insides twisting as he looked at what was left of the building. The east side of the building had sustained the most damage, but luckily the majority of the people who were in the building were in the west side, where the negotiations were taking place. Part of the wall and ceiling of the large conference room had collapsed, but luckily it was only a small portion of the room. Unfortunately it was the area that one of the survivors had seen Craydin Shaw, just before the bomb had gone off.
As Qui-Gon used the force to move a large section of debris, Adi walked up to him and said, "I just spoke with Captain Wainan of the third army. He said that Craydin was on his way to find Obi-Wan, and had just walked out into the main hall heading towards the east wing when the bomb exploded."
"Why did he need to find Obi-Wan?" Qui-Gon asked. Qui-Gon saw Adi hesitate a moment. He could not determine if she had hesitated to try and think of the right words to answer his question, or because she simply didn't want to give him the answer. Either way he was sure that it could not have been good.
"He said that Craydin, had told him that Obi-Wan had gone to the fresher and he had been worried that Obi-Wan hadn't returned after fifteen minutes."
"The freshers!" Qui-Gon's mind screamed. The freshers were right next to the room that the bomb had been planted in. They had been completely destroyed by fire and debris. They did not expect to find anyone in that immediate area still alive.
Adi and Qui-Gon moved their search efforts to the corridors, leading to where the freshers once were. Qui-Gon hoped that Obi-Wan had been on the way back when the bomb had gone off or perhaps for some reason had wandered away from the East wing. After an hour of removing debris Qui-Gon and Adi had found a dozen Vardelli citizens in the debris, only six of those twelve had survived, and one of them, Qui-Gon knew would not survive the coming night.
As they slowly made their way down the corridor, the force seemed to be guiding them towards the left side of the corridor just ahead. Quickly the two Jedi masters moved the debris in that area away, and were rewarded to find Knight Craydin lying on the floor. He was bruised and bloodied, but was alive and conscious.
"Knight Craydin," Qui-Gon said kneeling beside the young man.
"Obi-Wan," Craydin croaked through clenched teeth, "di- did y-you f-f- find him?"
"No, we are still looking for him, but we will find him," Adi assured him.
Qui-Gon placed his hand on Craydin's shoulder and began to note the knight's injuries. He had several broken and cracked ribs, a ruptured spleen, a punctured right lung, broken right femur, and clavicle, dislocated left shoulder, a deep gash on his right temple, and internal bleeding. To Qui-Gon's horror he realized that the young knight would not survive for more than a few more minutes. Qui-Gon knew that the only reason he was still breathing was because the knight was desperately holding on. Craydin knew that he would not survive.
"C-can't f-feel O-Obi-Wan th-rough bond. H-he's a a g-g-good boy," Craydin said, grabbing a hold of Qui-Gon's tunic. "F-find h-him. T-tell h- im w-as g-g-glad to h-have h-him as pad-padawan. H-e th-inks h-he is n-not g-g-good nuff. H-e he's wr-wronge," Craydin said. No longer able to fight the inevitable he finally let himself go.
Qui-Gon watched as the young man took one last agonizing breath, before his hand released Qui-Gon's robe and fell to the floor limp.
"Master Adi, Master Qui-Gon," Siri said as she quickly ran up to them. "I was just speaking with one of the survivors. He's an army major; he said that Craydin went to find Obi-Wan in the fresh-" Siri stopped mid sentence as she looked down and saw the knight laying motionless. "Is he-"
"He is one with the force now," Adi said.
"Come we must continue to look for Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon said.
* *** * *** *
After five more hours of searching the East wing of the building with the help of more Jedi knights who had started to arrive to join in the search three hours after Qui-Gon, and Adi had arrived on the planet, no more survivors had been found. And after ten hours had past since the explosion had occurred the chances of them finding anyone else still alive was slim at best.
Finally Qui-Gon and Adi had cleared away the debris from the section where the freshers once were. Taking a look through the small pieces of debris littering the floor, Qui-Gon spotted a familiar object lying partially buried under a charred piece of rubble. Qui-Gon knelt down to pick up the item, and felt as if his heart and just sunk into his stomach.
"Qui-Gon?" Adi asked.
"It's Obi-Wan's," he answered, as he looked at the boys lightsaber that he now held in his hand. The weapon was charred on one side, and the other side had been partially melted by the intense heat of the explosion. To Qui-Gon's horror, his former padawan had indeed been in the fresher at the time of the explosion.
*** * *** * ***
After a total of twelve hours of searching for survivors in the building, the search was finally called off, and Qui-Gon decided that he had better contact the Jedi council and inform them of Obi-Wan's fate.
"Qui-Gon," Jedi Master Mace Windu greeted him.
"The search for survivors has been called off," Qui-Gon told Mace.
"And Padawan Kenobi?"
"We found his lightsaber, but we did not find his body."
"His body," Mace said, "are you certain that the boy did not survive?"
"I am not 100% certain, no. But his lightsaber was found in the section of the building next to where the bomb had detonated. The blast had melted part of the hilt of the lightsaber. And no other survivors were found in that section of the building. The few bodies that were found a few meters from his lightsaber, were determined by the medics to have died instantly. It has been just over twelve hours since the explosion first occurred, and it is unlikely even for a Jedi master to survive such conditions for that long without proper medical attention."
"Yoda will be sorry to hear this, he had foreseen that Kenobi would have made a powerful and important knight," Mace said accepting the facts that Qui-Gon had presented to him.
Qui-Gon slowly made his way to where Adi and Siri were sitting at a table outside of the capital building.
"Did you inform the council?" Adi asked.
"Yes," Qui-Gon nodded. Despite what he had told Mace, there was still one last chance that Obi-Wan could be alive, it was the only thing that Qui-Gon had to cling too, no matter how much of a long shot it was that Obi-Wan had somehow managed to get captured by the persons responsible for the bombing of the capital building. He, however, felt that he should not mention that just yet. Perhaps the persons responsible would present a ransom for Obi-Wan.
"Master Adi," Siri said, her voice a near whisper, "I don't understand why we stopped looking. We didn't find Obi-Wan yet?"
"Siri, some Jedi, when they die disappear leaving no trace of themselves behind other than the clothes that they wore and any weapons like a lightsaber that they may have had in the possession at the time of their death. Obi-Wan's clothes would have burnt beyond recognition, but we did find his lightsaber."
"No! He could have dropped it. He could be hurt and waiting for us to find him. We should be looking for him."
"Siri, it's been too long, and the entire building has already been searched, even the heating rooms in the basement section," Adi told the young girl.
"No, it's not fair!" Siri yelled and ran off towards a group of trees where Qui-Gon assumed she had gone to cry.
Qui-Gon was about to go after her feeling the sudden need to help the young girl grieve, when Adi stopped him by placing her hand on his forearm. "Don't, she needs some time to herself first, it's been a rough day for her."
Qui-Gon nodded, and sat down in the chair that Siri had just left. "I hadn't realized that Siri and Obi-Wan had been friends."
"They weren't," Adi smiled slightly, "not at first, but after the mission to Kegan, they had come to a mutual understanding. I think Siri, liked Obi-Wan a lot more than she was willing to admit."
"Aw yes," Qui-Gon nodded, "the classic pretend to hate the boy you really like routine." Qui-Gon suddenly wondered if Obi-Wan had been doing the same routine, and if they would have ever admitted to one another that they could be friends, perhaps as good as friends as Obi-Wan was with Bant.
Qui-Gon closed his eyes, not wanting to believe that Obi-Wan was really one with the force. He can't be really gone, can he? He could still remember when he had first met him, after a lightsaber duel against Bruck Chun. Obi-Wan was full of energy, and eager to be chosen as a padawan, although Qui-Gon had turned Obi-Wan down numerous times before finally accepting the boy as his padawan. Then they had been sent to a rescue mission to Melida/Dann, and Obi-Wan had decided to leave the Jedi order to help the young of the planet fight in the war. Qui-Gon had been hurt, and felt betrayed by Obi-Wan's actions. He now realized that he was too harsh on the boy, Obi-Wan had thought that he was doing what was right, but had made a terrible mistake and Qui-Gon had made that mistake worse for the boy. Qui-Gon could not help but feel that if he would have taken Obi- Wan back, that the boy would still be alive. He also could not forget Knight Craydin's words before he had died, that the boy had believed he wasn't good enough, haunted the Jedi Master. Could his refusal to take Obi- Wan back, had caused the boys self-doubt?