From: Katrinka Obi-Wan woke. He was lying nude on a cot. Pain racked his body. He knew he had been beaten, but didn't know who did it. He could tell he was in a cave. //How did I get here?// Obi-Wan thought back, and couldn't remember. The force swirled around him. He used the force to steady his mind. His Master was sleeping on the ground. There was blood matted in Qui-Gon's hair. There was a large bandage made of a torn bed sheet wrapped around his head. It was soaked in blood. There was another bandage tied around Qui-Gon's thigh. An open wound on his shoulder. For the first time, Obi-Wan realized how hurt his master was. A wave of guilt overcame him. How did this happen? He slid off the bed with a groan. It hurt for him to move, but his Master needed him. He half-crawled, half-walked to the sleeping man. Obi-Wan reached out, touching his mentor's hair. Then he moved the bandage out of the way. The cut was very deep, he could see the bone underneath, cracked. Obi-Wan tried to concentrate on his Master's wound, and tried to gather the healing force around him. His own pain made that impossible. //Separate your mind from your body.// He could remember his Master telling him. Obi-Wan distanced himself from his body. The pain no longer mattered to him. It was there, but not as strong. He concentrated on gathering the healing forces. His hand above Qui-Gon's cut. He watched as the bone began to knit together. The skin of the cut began to heal, edging together. As soon as the cut was healed, Obi-Wan sank to the floor. His mind and his body exhausted. //I must try to heal his other wounds.// With his remaining strength, he healed Qui-Gon's shoulder. Then he pulled the bandage off of Qui-Gon's leg. The bone was also broken. He closed his eyes, his exhausted body no longer existed. Only the manipulation of the Force. The Force slowly began healing the injury. Blackness surrounded Obi-Wan's mind, and he sank into unconsciousness. *************************** Qui-Gon Jinn woke. The light side of the force swirled around him, comforting him. The dark side was gone. Was Xanatos so a part of the dark, that there was no light left? For the first time in a very long time, his head was no longer hurting. The dizziness was gone. Then he realized the bandage was off of his leg. He reached down to it, and felt healed skin. The thought came to him in an instant. //Obi-Wan!// His Padawan's head was lying on his chest. His skin hotter than usual. What was Obi-Wan doing on the floor with him? Why was he sick? Qui-Gon sat up, and groaned. His shoulder wound still hurt. When he reached up and touched it, all he felt was newly healed flesh. The rest was healed. He gently set Obi-Wan on the floor. There was only one way that Qui-Gon had been healed. It had to be his Padawan. He reached out, stroking his lover's spiky hair. "I underestimated you, beloved." He reached out, trying to reform their Vaar, but there was nothing left of their mind bond. It was wrong of him to do this, but he had to know. He entered Obi-Wan's mind, and looked for memories of their relationship. Then he realized that Obi-Wan was no longer his beloved. He had taken the younger man's memories of their Vaar. Then somehow severed the ties. He blamed himself for this. Yes, Obi-Wan had asked for the mind erase, but he had been the one that took the Vaar from them. He could feel the living force, drawing near, trying to give him comfort. Now that there was only the light side, Qui-Gon could concentrate on the healing forces. It was simple to heal his Padawan's back. He began to work on the fever that was wracking Obi-Wan. Even though he had the healing forces, he couldn't find the cause of the fever. Without the cause, he couldn't cure the results. Frustrated, Qui-Gon got to his feet. Xanatos was gone, but he would be back. His former Padawan wouldn't walk away when he wanted vengeance. He would take Obi-Wan away from here to safety. No longer injured, he used the Force to open the cell door. He surveyed the cave. To one side there was a wardrobe. He opened it, and found clothes. Both his and Obi-Wan's. He pulled his on. He used the force to see if anyone else was around. He could only feel the presence of Obi-Wan. He went outside the cave. He could see the lake where he had swam with Obi-Wan. It was only a 30 minute ride by aircar to the nearest town, but there was no aircars around. The only thing of transport was a pack animal that had been left behind. The bodies of the guards were by the pack animal. Both had been killed by a lightsaber. There was a note attached to the animal. Qui-Gon picked it up. My Master has called me away. Never fear, my vengeance is not complete. I will hunt your Padawan, and kill him by my own hand. I can always tell where he is by our mental bond. He is always by your side, is he not? Vengeance will be mine! Xanatos Qui-Gon crumpled the note. He wouldn't stay around waiting for Xanatos. If his former student wanted a fight, then he would have to look for Qui-Gon. ******************** As Obi-Wan woke, the first thing he realized was that he was moving. Even without opening his eyes, he could feel the presence of his Master walking along the side the pallet. //Master?// He telepathed. //I'm here, Obi-Wan.// //Where are we going?// //We escaped.// //What happened to us?// //It's better if you don't remember.// Qui-Gon got out a gourd of water, and poured some into a cup. //Drink.// Obi-Wan was revolted at the thought of drinking. "No." "You need liquids." Qui-Gon insisted. "Do it on your own, or I will use a mind trick and force you to drink." Obi-Wan drank. The water burned his throat. The feeling of insects crawling through him came back. "You need some more." Qui-Gon poured another glass. "Please, Master. Don't make me drink!" Obi-Wan begged. Qui-Gon put his hand underneath Obi-Wan's head. Then he put the cup against his lips. "Drink!" "I've had enough." His words drowned out by the water Qui-Gon forced into his mouth. After drinking the second cup, Obi-Wan felt his Master touch his mind, and will him to sleep. //How dare you do the mind trick on me?// He thought before falling asleep. Obi-Wan woke. This time he was lying on the ground. He could hear the sound of the pack animal in the background. He could smell a fire, and cooking food. Qui-Gon was here. He opened his eyes. //Master.// The man was stirring a pot of food. He turned towards his Padawan. //How was your sleep?// //How are you?// Obi-Wan asked concerned. //Much better.// Qui-Gon looked down at the man. //You healed me. How?// //I used the Force, Master.// //But you are hurt yourself.// //My pain doesn't matter.// Qui-Gon's eyes were serious. "You are seriously injured. Your healing of me could have killed you." "If it saved your life, then it was worth it." "I am not worth the risk." Obi-Wan reached out, and touched his Master's arm. "Shouldn't I be the one that decides that?" "If you ever do anything as insane as this again, I'll kill you." Qui-Gon promised. "Yes, Master." "Patience, my be..Padawan." Qui-Gon's eyes filled with regret. "You must eat, and get well. Then we can go back to training." The rumbling in Obi-Wan's stomach made him admit, "I am hungry." Qui-Gon went to the fire, stirred the pot, then dipped something out into a bowl. He picked up a spoon, then went back to Obi-Wan. "Try this." Qui-Gon offered a spoonful of the stew to Obi-Wan. //Stew. Why does he always have to fix me stew? I hate stew!// He thought. "I'm so hungry that grass would taste good." Obi-Wan tasted the food. It was spicy, but good. He nodded, and Qui-Gon fed him another spoonful. His Master fed him, taking as much care with him as he would an infant. Then he poured a glass of water from a gourd. "No water, please." Obi-Wan begged. "You need liquid." His master waved his hand. "You must drink." Obi-Wan felt his mind sway to the thoughts of his master. The water tasted horrible, it made him feel dizzy. "I want to try to heal your fever again." Qui-Gon told him. "Yes, Master." Obi-Wan willed his mind to help his master. Qui-Gon closed his eyes, and ran his hand down Obi-Wan's body. "Can you feel where the fever is coming from?" "No, I can't." He could feel the gathering of healing forces, and Qui-Gon's attempt to cure him. The fever did not break. Qui-Gon's eyes opened. "How are you feeling?" "I still feel ill," he admitted. "I'm sorry, I still can't cure you." Qui-Gon waved his hand. "Sleep." ************************ Qui-Gon felt frustrated. The force wasn't helping him cure Obi-Wan's sickness. No matter what he did, or how much he worked to heal his lover, Obi-Wan got worse. They entered the city. People looked at them strangely, but left them alone. Qui-Gon remembered where the local hospital was located. A delegate to the conference had become ill, and Qui-Gon had visited him. Now he was taking his lover. He left the pack animal outside the emergency room. Then he lifted Obi-Wan in his arms. His lover seemed to be lighter then usual. //He's lost so much weight.// Qui-Gon carried his Padawan into the emergency room. The nurse on duty wrinkled his nose at their scent. "I am sorry, but the free clinic is tomorrow." "Don't worry, I can pay for the bills." "I would like to see some money before he is checked in," the nurse insisted. Qui-Gon set Obi-Wan in a chair. He waved his hand. "Money is not necessary. You will treat us." The nurse blinked once, then twice. "Come this way." Qui-Gon picked up Obi-Wan and followed the nurse to a examining room. He set the young man on a table. The nurse picked up a flimsy pad. "What is the patient's name?" "Obi-Wan Kenobi." "Occupation." "Jedi. His expenses will be paid for by the Jedi Council." "Place of birth?" "He was born in the Union of Xiaodan." "Is he Xiaodonian?" "He's Ahwatukee." The man flinched, then said, "A doctor will be here to see him shortly." ********************************* Less then two minutes later, three doctors came into the room. They shoved Qui-Gon away from Obi-Wan and began to examine him. "How much unprocessed water has he drunk?" "Quite a bit. We were in the wilderness." Qui-Gon wondered why they were asking him about water. "How long?" The second doctor demanded. "I'm not sure, four, five days." "We need you to leave." The doctor tried to push Qui-Gon towards the door. "What's wrong with him?" Qui-Gon demanded. "Untreated water is lethal to an Ahwatukee." "Lethal?" Qui-Gon asked. "It acts as a slow poison to the Ahwatukee system," the first doctor said. "The sooner we get him treated the better. Now go to the waiting room," the third doctor said. Qui-Gon nodded, and left the room. He sank down in a corner chair. Guilt washed over him. Obi-Wan had insisted the water made him feel ill, but Qui-Gon had ignored him. Healing him, then forcing his lover to drink, even when he begged not to. //He had felt it made him ill.// Qui-Gon reached out to his lover using the force. His life readings were very low. Obi-Wan was near death. Qui-Gon blamed himself for their capture. Xanatos wanted revenge on him. He would be back, it would be only a matter of time. Qui-Gon would have to protect his Padawan. His Padawan's torture had happened because of his connection to Qui-Gon. The Master decided that the best way to protect his lover was to sever that tie. He took the communicator off his belt. He programmed a call to Corusant. He would ask his old friend to be Obi-Wan's master. He hated to do it, but it would be the best thing for him. Then when Xanatos came for his revenge, only Qui-Gon would be at risk. Never again would Obi-Wan's life be at risk because of him. He loved his Padawan too much to be the cause of his death. ******************** Obi-Wan woke. He was lying on sheets. Clean sheets. For the first time in a very long time, he didn't feel ill. Qui-Gon was sitting in a chair beside his bed, his long body too tall for the chair he was sitting in. He looked miserable. It wasn't because of the chair, it was something else. Something Obi-Wan couldn't put his finger on. "Master?" He gasped. Qui-Gon sprang to his feet. "How do you feel?" "I feel a lot better." Obi-Wan paused. "Master. Where are we?" "You are in a hospital. It seems I got you here just in time." "I don't understand." "This planet's unprocessed water is lethal to an Ahwatukee." "How can it be lethal?" "There is a algae that is naturally present in unprocessed water. The algae is toxic to you." "That's why I felt dizzy every time I drank some." Obi-Wan guessed. "I felt there was something wrong." "I'm sorry. I should have listened to you." The man got up, and stared out the window. "It wasn't your fault." Obi-Wan began. "Qui-" "Drop it!" Qui-Gon ordered. ******************** Obi-Wan was in the hospital for three days. The entire time Qui-Gon was there, caring for him. The man had changed, closing himself off to his Padawan. No longer could Obi-Wan feel his Master's dreams, his thoughts. Then suddenly, Obi-Wan was alone. The fourth day, Obi-Wan Kenobi woke to find his Master gone. He reached out to his Master with his thoughts. There was nothing in response. The younger man, in a near panic, reached out, touching the call button. A nurse answered. "Desk." "My Master, has he been here today?" "Your Master?" "His name is Qui-Gon Jinn. Tall, long hair, beard." "Just a moment." A few minutes later, the nurse came in. She handed Obi-Wan Qui-Gon's holo projector, and a small package. Then she left. Obi-Wan turned it on. The shape of Qui-Gon Jinn shimmered in front of him. "If you are watching this, I want you to know I am sorry. A Master who almost kills his Padawan does not deserve to be a Master or a Jedi. Because of this, I have left the Jedi." Qui-Gon seemed depressed. "I have contacted the Jedi council. Mace Windu has agreed to be your new master. Windu has requested that you travel to Coruscant after your recovery." He paused again. "I regret our relationship has turned out like this. Do not look for me. My feelings for you are dangerous for you. This way you will have a new life, perhaps you will find another companion for yourself. I love you, Obi-Wan." Tears in his eyes, Obi-Wan opened the package. Inside was a lifestone on a chain. Qui-Gon had always wore it. Now it was his. Holding it, Obi-Wan Kenobi began to cry. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 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 Master & Apprentice Archive: http://www.valdemar.net/ma/warn.html