From: Katrinka //I never betrayed you.// Qui-Gon remembered. //The betrayal was yours, not mine.// The Vaar that should have formed between the Padawan and the Master never formed. There wasn't even the mental bond that usually formed between Master and student. Qui-Gon was still certain of Xanatos's feelings towards him. They had been on Coruscant, waiting for Xanatos to take his last test, and become a knight. He had been able to attend a gathering of the new apprentices, commemorating their first year of having Masters. Xanatos had disappeared during this gathering. He didn't worry about it. Xanatos did that often when he was bored. Hayata was there with his new apprentice. Qui-Gon had befriended the young boy. A shy, good looking boy who was afraid to look others in the eye. He reminded Qui-Gon of himself at that age. Qui-Gon had then been stopped by his former master Yoda, and his friend Mace Windu. He had spent several hours fighting with Windu and Yoda about the fitness of Xanatos. His lover was ready, he could feel it. "Giving into the dark side you are," Yoda had told him. "He doesn't trust you enough to form a Vaar." Windu agreed. "Something is hidden within him." "He is ready!" Qui-Gon insisted. "Why can't you wait just a few more months?" Windu said. "If you are certain about his ability, then he can wait." "Impatient you are." Yoda said. "One more test, he must have." Qui-Gon returned to their quarters to tell his Apprentice the news. The room was dark. "I learned to bed the old man. He gives me anything I want as long as I sleep with him." He could hear the sound of his Padawan's laughter. "How could you lower yourself to sleeping with that *thing*?" The voice of another Jedi who was also there to take the last test. "It isn't easy. He's a bottom! Can you imagine that? A bottom!" "What about me?" The Jedi asked. "You're different, you're too easy to love." In the half-light, Qui-Gon watched Xanatos kissing the Apprentice. Then, he pulled the new lover back onto the sleep-couch. Heartbroken, Qui-Gon turned, and walked out of their quarters. Trying to gather his thoughts, he leaned against a hallway wall. Tears stung at his eyes. In his pain, he could hear a Padawan begging his Master not to hurt him. Then the sound of a chair hitting the wall. //How dare you talk to Qui-Gon Jinn without my permission!// Hayata demanded. "I don't understand. Why can't I talk to Qui-Gon? He's been so nice to me." There was the sound of someone being hit, then a thud as someone hit the floor. //He was asking questions! You gave him answers that could take you away from me.// "Please, Master, let me stay with you." "No matter how nice Qui-Gon is to you, you will not talk to him!" was the command. "I promise, Master, I won't." //You know, I am your only hope.// Qui-Gon could hear Hayata's voice in his mind. //You are unworthy of being a Jedi.// "I am unworthy of living." The boy agreed. There was a sound of another blow. //Do you feel pain?// //I'm trying to block it.// He told his Master. "If you weren't so savage, you would use the Force to block the pain!" Another hit, this one louder. Then a sound of the Master turning on his lightsaber. "You are failing in your training. This will teach you a lesson!" Qui-Gon couldn't stand there and let a child be hurt. As he went through the door, he didn't realize that he was going to rescue his future. ************* Obi-Wan woke to the sound of someone working at a bench close by. He looked to his side. A man was working on a tube that was longer then the usual lightsaber. Twice as long. This place swirled with the energies of the dark side. The darkness formed around one person. Xanatos. He could sense that his captor had gone over to the dark side. His body hurt. His back raw, sore. His jaw ached. How did this happen? The confusion had returned. Not only that, it now felt as if tiny things were crawling over his body. He was fastened to a wall, hands high above his head. Legs spread. //Master...// Xanatos's head snapped up. He put his work down, then went towards Obi-Wan. The man's eyes were different, glowing golden like a snake. He grabbed the Padawan's hair, pulling his head up, kissing him roughly. "This one is beautiful, Qui-Gon." Xanatos hissed. "Too bad he has to die." "Leave him alone!" Qui-Gon gasped. "Make me!" The man ran his hands down Obi-Wan's body. "One word, and I will release him." "What word is that?" "Give in to the dark side!" //Master, you can't!// Obi-Wan thought. //I am not worth your turning.// Xanatos paced around the room like a tiger, waiting to strike. Obi-Wan vowed never to give him that sign. His captor might hurt him, but he would overcome it. Xanatos took off his gloves, and tossed them onto the workbench. He went to Obi-Wan, reaching out, stroking his hair. Then suddenly the captor's fingers pushed against Obi-Wan's skull. He could feel Xanatos's mind invade his. Obi-wan closed his mind to the intrusion. He tried to shut his mind down the way he had with his body. Obi-Wan tried to fight back, and as he did the enemy shoved his way into Obi-Wan's mind. It was worse then any torture he had felt before, the total violation of his mind. Mindrape was the term, but this was worse then any physical rape he had ever endured. //You can't resist the darkness.// The golden eyes filled his mind, copying every memory that Obi-Wan had. The way a computer expert might copy a hard drive. The original would still be there, but the memories would be elsewhere too. Xanatos went through his memories, until he knew everything about the Jedi. //No matter how much you deny it, the darkness is a part of you!// Spent, Obi-Wan could feel his legs being unfastened. >From the mindrape, he could feel what Xanatos was planning to do to him. He tried to relax himself to the upcoming attack. The enemy first had his mind, now his body. ****************** Obi-Wan was dragged to the cell. Then dumped onto the floor. Obi-Wan cried out in pain. He felt empty inside. The enemy knew everything now, everything. The darkness was inside of him. He could feel the hands of his Master on him. Groaning as Qui-Gon picked him up, the Master carried him to the cot. As he put the Padawan down, his Master sank to the floor. //Master.// //I'm here.// //Master, I tried to fight.// //I know.// //I betrayed you!// //You didn't betray me.// Qui-Gon stroked his hair. //Your mind was raped.// //I can feel the darkness in my mind.// //That will pass.// //He took my memories. Does this mean he has a Vaar with me?// //Of course he doesn't. The Vaar is through the force.// //Heal me.// Obi-Wan could feel his master trying to gather the healing forces around him. The darkness was there, fighting him. Drowning out the light. //I can't heal you.// Qui-Gon walked to the bucket of water. He put some in a bowl, then brought it back to the bed. //Turn over, I must bathe your wounds.// Obi-Wan did as he was told. He could feel Qui-Gon tear the cloth, then he felt something touch his back. The water was cool, but the cloth raked at the wounds. Obi-Wan bit his lip to keep from crying out. //Master, I'm sorry I was so weak.// //You're not.// //A Jedi can overcome anything.// //This place will take both of our strength to overcome it. Which means you must be well.// Qui- Gon put a cup against his lips. "Drink." Something told Obi-Wan that the water was dangerous. That it would kill him. "I'm not thirsty." "You need the water to help you heal." "Yes, Master." Obi-Wan knew the sense of his Master's words. He drank the liquid. As soon as he did, he felt dizzy, very dizzy. It felt like there was insects entering his body. "Is the water drugged?" "I've drank it several times. Nothing happened to me." Qui-Gon said. "I'm dizzy." "You need to rest." Qui-Gon soothed. Obi-Wan looked away from his Master. "I wish I could forget." "You don't want to do that." "I am now a part of the dark side." Tears stung his eyes. "I betrayed you. The worst thing was that you had to watch. I'll never be able to forgive myself." "Are you sure you want to forget?" Qui-Gon asked again. "I'm the one who is asking you." Qui-Gon reached out, and began to stroke Obi-Wan's forehead. "Through our Vaar, we can erase your memories of captivity." "Then let's do it." "Are you sure?" There was a tentativeness to Qui-Gon's voice. "Erasing memories is a tricky thing. We might go too far." "I don't care. I want to do it." Obi-Wan looked up to his Master. "Please." *************************** There was a beeping noise that came from the other side of the cave. Xanatos went out of sight. "Yes, Master." The captor said. "How is your experiment progressing?" The Master's voice was raspy. "The Padawan has been beaten several times. I predict that he will die with the next beating." "Excellent. What about Jinn?" "He has yet to come to our side." Xanatos admitted. "How does he react to the torture of his apprentice?" "It doesn't seem to bother him." "I see that Jinn is beyond turning. He is severely injured." "Master, I am sure I can sway him to our side," Xanatos almost begged. "They are at an end to their usefulness." The Master said. "You will leave them locked in their cage. Give them a three day supply of water." "What about me?" "You will rejoin me. As soon as possible." "I do not agree with you," Xanatos said. "It doesn't matter if you agree with me." The man's voice crooned. "Just think of the powers you will receive if you stay with me." "I will obey." *********************** > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Special offer from The Science Fiction Book ClubŪ! Take 5 Star WarsŪ books for just $1, with membership. Many choices! Go to http://www.onelist.com/ad/doubleday6 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Qui-Gon Jinn Estrogen Brigade: http://thesleepydragon.com/qjeb/index.html