Part One
Gamine Placidus awakened in a cold sweat, her light brown hair plastered to her face with the moisture. She looked about... looking for something, but she did not know what. "Another dream?", she heard someone say softly. She could tell it was Othion, even though she couldn't see him.
"Yes, but I am fine now," Gamine replied stoically, but still trying to calm herself. She saw the rosy color of the sky, and realizing that dawn was near, she stood up and dressed.
"Come. We are late," Othion said.
"Late? For what?" Gamine asked as she turned in question.
"We have to meet two Jedi."
"But..." she protested.
"The Jedi council seems to think they know something that could help us," he said casually as he, too, got up and dressed.
"Ah. But we do not need help on this mission. I mean, I thought there was no chance of danger?" Gamine said as she crossed the room, then she realized that she had forgotten her lightsaber. Just as she turned to get it, Othion handed it to her.
"Thanks, Master," she said as she clipped the cold metal pipe on her belt.
"You need to work on this, Gamine. A Jedi cannot forget his or her lightsaber when they go out. What if we ran into trouble?" Othion scolded.
Gamine nodded when nodding was called for and gave him a sheepish look, then said, "It won't happen again, Master Othion."
"Now come," he said as he motioned for her to follow him.
"Master, who are the Jedi we're suppose to meet?" Othion looked down as he pulled the hood to his cloak around his face, casting a disturbing shadow across his noble features.
"Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn and his apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi." They walked down the street through the sparse group of people shopping at this hour, to a local shop where they were to meet Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan.
They saw the two standing at the bar. Othion walked up and touched the taller one on the shoulder and he turned around to reveal a handsomely stern face.
"Greetings, old friend!" Othion said as he motioned for Gamine to come closer and meet the two Jedi..
"Greetings," the younger one of the pair said as he pulled back his hood.
"Hello," Gamine said in a neutral voice.
"You two, leave us. We have other business to talk about that does not concern you," the older one said, but Gamine wasn't going to leave. After all, she had a part in this mission too. She was too involved to be put out in the cold!
"But-" she managed to stammer.
"Gamine. Listen to Qui-Gon." Othion stopped any further refusals in a sharp voice and a look so that she knew to drop the subject and do as he said.
"I've gotten that same look from my Master too," the young one said in hopes of starting up some conversation as he struggled to keep up with Gamine. "You've never told me your name... mine's Obi-wan Kenobi." he tried again.
"Gamine, but what difference does it make?" she asked. "I mean, you shouldn't be here at all," she snapped, then sped up even faster.
"Hey, at least I am trying to be friendly here!" Obi-wan snapped back.
Now starting to feel sorry for her rudeness towards Obi-wan, Gamine looked back and said, "Sorry, you're right." She sighed. "What are we supposed to do anyway? Just wander around?" she asked the other apprentice.
"Master Qui-Gon gave me a few-" he began before he was interrupted.
"Sssshhhh!" Gamine hissed at him and shoved him up against a wall. "Do you feel it? We are being followed, Obi-wan." She slowly released him and looked around.
"Yes, I do..." They turned around in unison to see their Masters had been behind them the whole time.
"I thought that I told you to leave?" Qui-Gon asked.
"We did leave, Master Qui-Gon. We were walking around," Gamine replied, trying to stay calm.
"Ah, but I meant that you were to go back to our chambers," he responded. Before anybody could respond a figure attacked them. Their assailant rode on a speeder, causing Qui-Gon to almost fall to the ground.
"Who are you!?" Othion demanded as he pulled his lightsaber out, only to be grabbed by the neck and thrown on to the back of the speeder and carried away. Clearly he had passed out from the pain of being thrown around so harshly.
"He had a lightsaber!" Gamine gasped. "He's going to kill him!" Now not thinking clearly, Gamine started to run after the speeder at top speed, but she was stopped when Qui-Gon grabbed her by the shoulder.
"No! You cannot win this battle alone, Gamine! That was your father!" Qui-Gon said desperately as he held her close so she couldn't run.
"My father? But he hasn't been seen for ten years...." She began to cry. "I knew he was just preparing..."
"Come." He motioned for Obi-wan and Gamine to follow him back to their chambers. "You are staying with me and Obi-wan -" he began in a caring voice.
"I am not a child, Master Qui-Gon. I can take care of myself... if only somebody believed that other than me," she stammered through the tears.
"We believe that, but he is your father, Gamine. And it would be hard for anybody to kill their family." The master tried to calm her.
"No, he is not my father! Not any more! And I shall not turn to the dark side of the Force," she almost yelled. "See, this is what I mean! Just because my father turned, everybody thinks I'll do the same! And I am sick of it- " she continued.
"That will be enough, Gamine. I do not think you will turn to the Dark Side, and I will not stand for this disrespect!" Qui-Gon snapped.
"Then stop treating me like a child who can be tempted into anything and I will show respect!" she snapped back "That's it, I am leaving," she said as she ran the other way down the winding street, now filled with shoppers.
Gamine walked for hours through the crowded streets of the city, then settled down to watch the sun set. Now crying again, she decided to accept this pain once and for all. She sat down, watching the sky and thinking. For twelve years she had had to deal with extra emotion controls from Master Yoda. And now here she was, fifteen years old and wishing that she was back at the temple to hear his words of encouragement and wisdom, rather than here sobbing and trying to accept pain that should have already been healed. She thought about what she said to Qui-Gon and wished she could take it all back. Why did she always have to lose her temper, she wondered silently?
"I knew you would be here," a voice said calmly from behind. Only one person she knew had that voice. Master Qui-Gon.
"I am sorry for what I said, but I was taken aback, you know," she said as he settled down beside her.
"No need for that now. You know I trust you and I believe that you won't turn." Qui-Gon reached over to her, wiped a tear from her soft face and said, "You need to finally make peace with your father, and yourself," he said in a soft, hushed voice.
"You are right, but I find it hard... and I do not know why." She tried to explain.
"Your thoughts lay with Master Yoda, but why?" the older man asked her as they watched the burning sun slowly disappear behind the hills in front of them.
"I was just thinking about when I was in the temple and he would encourage me and, I don't know, he actually thought that I wouldn't 'Turn'" she tried again.
"Yes, he saw something in you... goodness that is uncorrupted and how you hate to see people suffer. I see it also and I trust that you will be a great Jedi knight one day." The words of Qui-Gon gave her unexpected courage and she was sure of that now, she thought, as the last rays of light vanished leaving them in complete darkness.
The first thing Othion noticed was the splitting headache he had. It felt like he had been hit over the head by a large object. Then he remembered that they had been attacked..
"Where am I?" he wondered, as he looked around the dimly light room. It was bare; nothing else was in it besides him. The walls were old, possibly weak and crumbling he hoped. But when he pushed on one, it stayed in place. There was a door but it was almost certainly locked. With nothing to do he sat down and tried to figure out what exactly had happened.
During his contemplation the door opened abruptly and a tall, dark, hooded figure swept into the small cell. He was covered in a long, plain-looking robe. As the man stood there looking at the Jedi Master he pulled back his hood, exposing a worn and scarred face. A face that belonged to only one man that Othion knew of, Gamine's father.
He gasped, how could he be alive? No, he was dead! It just couldn't be.
"Let me assure you I'm perfectly alive, my dear Othion. I take it you never expected to see me again?" the other man said in a cold and calculating voice. A ray of dim light caught the large scar that ran down his face. "But enough about me, I want to know where my daughter is. And let me assure you, I will use any means possible to get the information I want," he said as he motioned for a large man that stood behind him to give him something. He handed him a long metallic stick.
As he looked at it in his gloved hand he said, "You see my dear Jedi Master that this is a Mandalorian pain stick. You've just got to admire their skill with these things." With that the door closed behind the dark figure and a sharp voice filled with pain shot through the building.
Part Two
Gamine awakened in a gasp, tears running down her face. "Master Othion! He's killing him!" she said in a near scream, her voice choked full with emotion.
"It's all right, Gamine," a comforting voice softly whispered from behind her. It was Obi-Wan.
"It was just a dream," he said softly.
"Obi-wan. Listen to me! My father is alive and he will not stop until he gets what he wants... whatever that may be," she tried to explain.
Qui-Gon came into the room also. "What is wrong?" he demanded in a hushed voice.
"Master Othion, he's going to kill him! Can't you sense it!?!" She wasn't sure of what her father was doing to her master, all she could sense was the pain that filled him. It was almost unbearable, to know that he was in so much pain.
"Yes, I feel it. He wants you, Gamine," Qui-Gon sighed, then sat down beside her on the bed, resting his broad hand on her shoulder. "He wants you for some reason, and he is torturing Othion to find you." Qui-Gon could sense the shock that overwhelmed her now.
"Then why didn't he take me when he had the chance? Why? Tell me why he had to take Othion!" she demanded, her voice quivering with tears. Through the moonlight both men saw water fill her beautiful hazel eyes.
"I don't think he recognized you," he said, trying to answer the same question he had been wondering about all night. "Don't worry, we will find him," he said in a comforting voice. "Now rest, you are going to need it." Qui-Gon rose and left the room.
Othion felt like his body was on fire and there was nothing to do about it. The pain ripped through his body like lightning.
"Had enough?" Anquilus asked, then raised his hand and slapped Othion across the face, leaving a bloody mark.
"Leave... her... alone..." Othion managed to stammer. All the while, blood ran from his nose and almost every other part of his body. "She will... never fo-" He was cut short by another slap to the face.
"You fool! She is my daughter, of course she will come with me!" he yelled at the older man "Now, tell me!" he demanded.
"You're making this so much more difficult than it has to be, Othion!" he said as he kicked the Jedi master in the stomach.
"Tell me now!" he raged.
The next morning Gamine rose before anybody else. The sky was slowly becoming the rosy color of predawn. She and her master never slept past the waking dawn. "I will find you, Master," she promised him quietly to herself. She dressed and walked to the window, looking out at the sun slowly coming into view.
"You are already up?" Qui-Gon walked in fully dressed. "I forgot you've been with Othion since you were 12." Gamine couldn't help but let out a small laugh.
"Well, you usually pick up some habits of your Master," she added, trying not to show the emotions that were ripping through her.
Obi-Wan walked in, and like Qui-Gon he was already dressed. "Where are we supposed to start today, Master?" Obi-wan asked as he sat down by Qui-Gon.
"Well, we'll begin the search for Gamine's father. I guess we should look around the place where we were attacked to see if there are any clues," Qui-Gon said calmly, trying not to stir up any more emotions in the young girl.
Every time she used to hear anybody speak of her father it made her cry, but this time she didn't. "And I suppose we should be asking around. Somebody would have had to have seen him at some point, right?" she asked Qui-Gon as she swallowed part of her breakfast.
He looked at her in surprise at her calm response and said, "You would think so, but he has been trained in the ways of the Jedi and he knows mind tricks as well as any master."
Obi-wan looked at Gamine... She wore clothes similar to his and Qui-Gon's, and she stood at a medium height, her sandy brown hair barely coming to her shoulders. Her hazel eyes showed worry for her Master, instead of the tears from last night.
"He will be all right," he tried to console her.
"I am not so sure of that. Anquilus, my father, isn't the kind that gives mercy after he gets what he wants," Gamine sighed.
"That is the reason why we must find him as quickly as possible... we mustn't give up hope," Qui-Gon said in a low, but stern voice. "We must never give up hope," he said looking out the window into the rising sun.
Othion couldn't feel anything but pain. He was sure at least half his bones were broken. Or at least they sure felt like it. He groaned. Then he realized that he was alone. Where was Anquilus? He wasn't the type to lighten up.
The Jedi Master wondered if he could stand up long enough to get to the door. He lifted his body slowly, bracing himself against a wave of nausea. Heavily limping, he staggered toward the door, his only hope of escape. Just as he reached it his leg gave out, and his body came tumbling down to the cold hard ground, pain slamming through every part of his body. He reached out with his hand towards the door.
Suddenly it opened and Anquilus walked through the very same door. He looked down at the barely conscience form on the ground and wondered how much more the old man could take. "It's about time you woke up, now you still haven't answered my question," he said in a cold ruthless manner.
"Never, I'll never tell you!" Othion said, blood seeping into his eyes.
"Wrong answer, old fool!" the younger man snapped and kicked him squarely in the mouth.
Othion looked up at his former pupil, blood pouring from the wound he had just sustained, their eyes meeting for a split second before the Jedi Master passed out again.
Even through the distance between them Gamine could sense her master's desperation, and pain. She had been forced to build mental shields just to block out the sheer magnitude of the grinding pain. If only she could help him, but they hadn't gotten any closer. She began to slowly rub her temples in a desperate attempt to clear her thinking and stop a headache.
Everything had been a dead end, every time they had gotten a break it would lead them nowhere. Some one should have seen her father somewhere along the line. Why did this have to be so difficult?
"Are you all right, Gamine?" Obi-Wan's voice came slicing through her concentration. Slowly, she turned and looked into his eyes. They showed genuine concern for her, something that she hadn't seen much of in her life.
"Yes, yes I'm fine. It's just so hard feeling his pain like this and not being able to help him," she said softly, trying not to betray emotion in front of the young apprentice. She continued to look about, to see Master Qui-Gon trying to get information from another scheming low life. The man shook his head quickly and walked away.
"Another dead end I'm afraid," The Jedi Master said as he walked over to them. They all knew that their chances of finding Anquilis with Othion alive were getting slim. Gamine looked up into the sky as the sun slowly sank below the tree line.
"We must rest now. We can continue our search tomorrow," Qui-Gon said, motioning for the two padawans to follow him.
As they headed back to their rooms they passed through the shopping square, but something was wrong, very wrong about it. No one was there. Not a single soul was about. Qui-Gon came to an abrupt halt, quickly motioning for them to be quiet. He looked around, reaching out with his senses to find something. But he was too late. Shots rang out through the abandoned square, one striking Gamine squarely in the chest.
As she fell, she couldn't help herself from saying in a whisper, "I'm sorry I failed you, Master." Then the whole world fell into a void of darkness.
"Gamine!" Obi-wan screamed in a shocked voice. He pulled out his lightsaber to block the shots as he raced toward the limp body of the young girl, but stopped when a speeder pulled up between them.
In one graceful movement he somersaulted onto the vehicle, knocking the weapon out of the driver's hand, and then him off the speeder. Obi-wan jumped off the speeder and landed near the source of the blaster fire. He saw a few men shooting and another man who was running away and jumping on a nearby speeder. He had no time to explain to his Master or try and convince him that that was Gamine's father. Instead, he ran top speed after the speeder.
"Obi-wan! Get back here!" Qui-gon screamed in shock as he saw his apprentice running away.
Obi-wan tried desperately to keep up, but the speeder was just going too fast. He finally yelled out, "Stop and face me! You know you just killed your daughter!" Obi-wan wasn't even sure if she was dead, but the chances weren't good. All of a sudden the speeder screeched to a halt and Obi-wan grabbed his lightsaber and held it, ready to fight.
"Are you trying to fight me, boy? I could snap your neck easily, fool!" the man said in a harsh voice filled with anger. "And that wasn't my daughter, young fool." No, it couldn't be. He asked himself, "Was it really my daughter?" He turned on his lightsaber.
"Yes! You killed your daughter, Gamine. You just took her life, Anquilus!" Obi-wan yelled, anger raging through him. Suddenly Obi-wan attacked the hooded figure.
"You lie, boy!" he said then slashed him, hitting the young man in the stomach. He quickly jumped back on the speeder and raced away. He had only burnt Obi-wan, but the shock wasn't from that... it was from how he was so cold, so evil. It made him sick. How could somebody do that to his daughter, he wondered?
"Obi-wan!" Qui-gon yelled in a sharp voice that he rarely used with anyone, as he approached him at a full run. The Jedi Master stopped and knelt down beside his apprentice but at once saw he was injured.
"It... was him, Master," Obi-wan managed to stammer through the pain and his gasping for breaths of air. It was more than just a burn Qui-gon noticed.
"Why didn't you tell me, Obi-wan?" he asked in a soft voice.
"Gamine, she was injured.... She would have been killed if..." He was cut off when he saw the look in his Master's eyes. He had never seen it before. A pain so deep, it was almost unbearable.
"No. Master. It can't be. You're wrong," Obi-wan said in a voice filled with denial. It just couldn't be, he thought, not Gamine. He looked up at his Master with questioning eyes, but all Qui-gon could do was lower his head, as his eyes filled with tears of mourning.
Part Three
Obi-Wan found himself lost and confused. How could this be, he wondered?
"She didn't deserve this," he said quietly as he thought about the young girl lying there. Now the pain from his injury felt like a small pinprick compared to this. He sat there against a wall, Qui-Gon beside him, unable to control his emotions. "Are.... you sure?" he asked once more.
"Obi-Wan. Let her go," his master said in a hushed voice filled with mourning.
Gamine lay there unable to move. Her body felt like a lead weight, but she wasn't dead; she was in too much pain not to be alive.
"Help....", she managed to whisper with pain racking through her. Then she saw somebody coming in a robe. She couldn't seem to make out his face; her eyes didn' t appear to be working.
"It is all right, my sweet daughter. I have came for you." She recognized his voice, and now she wished she were dead. Anquilus knelt down beside her and caressed her face. Then he finally gathered her up into his arms.
"Hey! Get away from her!" Obi-wan screamed as he tried to limp closer to the man, but he fell to his knees without Qui-Gon's support. The Jedi Master hurried over to his apprentice, who lay watching the figure standing over the limp form of Gamine.
The other man turned and saw them, his face framed by his black hood. He jumped onto the speeder with his unconscious daughter at his side. Anquilus looked back once more, gave an evil grin to the two men and raced away in the vehicle.
"Master, go!" Obi-wan yelled as he pushed the older man away from him.. He may die out here, but it didn't matter, he wasn't about to let Anquilus take her away.
"Are you sure?" Qui-Gon asked uncertainly. Obi-Wan managed to nod yes. That was all it took, and he ran after the speeder.
"Ta' ion will die for this. I told him to be careful! Look what he did to her!" she heard someone say. It was her father. He put her down on a cold table in the middle of a room. He ordered somebody to help and was about to move away when he noticed she was awake.
"Greetings, Gamine. It was about time you woke up." He brushed a stray hair out of her face and rested his hand against her cheek.
"You will help me. This is your destiny, my child," he said with a cold calculating voice. Help him? Never, she thought silently.
"What should we do with the other Jedi?" a man standing near her asked.. Gamine's father turned his head to address him.
"Othion will die soon. Just leave him in the cell to rot," Anquilus said in a ruthless manner.
"Why... are you doing this?" Gamine managed to say before a wave of burning pain swept through her body.
"Doing what?" Anquilus asked innocently in a harsh voice. With that her world went blank for the second time that day.
The next morning when Gamine finally awoke, she felt all right, no more pain. She knew part of it had to do with the fact that she had used a Jedi healing trick. In fact she was almost completely healed, but it still hurt to move.
"So nice to see you awake, Gamine," Anquilus said as he opened the door to the room.
"I want to see Master Othion," she said stoically.
"No, you don't need to see him," he said cruelly.
"But, he is my Master," she almost yelled in a pleading voice. She had to be sure he was all right.
"No! I'm your master now," he said, anger surging through him. She was his daughter and she was going to obey him! She saw his scar flinch with rage.
"No, you'll never be my Master! Never! I'll never obey you, father," Gamine said in a low, but stern voice. She was almost growling. Suddenly she realized that the door still stood open, her only possible way of escape.
In one movement, she shoved Anquilus to the floor and jumped to the ground already at a dead run. In a flash she was out the door and down the hall.. But then she realized it, he still had her lightsaber... she couldn't leave without it! She would need it. In a split second she had turned around and was back in the room. But there was Anquilus standing by the door, a small smirk on his face and his arms crossed over his chest.
"I knew you'd be back," he said in a self-confident manner. She didn't think. She kicked him in his groin, which quickly changed the man's expression, and grabbed the thick metal pipe from his belt.
She hit the power stud on her weapon, bringing the violet monster to life. She stood there looking into her father's eyes. Gamine remembered how kind they once had been, filled with laughter and love. But they had changed. They now held the fire of his anger and rage.
"You're going to try and fight me?" he said in a mocking voice. " Did Othion teach you how to fight? It only took me a few minutes to turn him into a crying little wimp."
Anger tore through her, making her will snap. She charged at him, fighting him with every move she knew. Then she stopped cold. Gamine looked at what she had done. She had given in to her anger, after she had tried so hard not to give into the Dark side of the Force. Suddenly she felt sick, from her wound or what she had done she wasn't sure.
"You are my daughter! You couldn't hurt me!" he said in a mocking voice, a smile of satisfaction touching his lips.
"I think not!" she said as she shoved him back with the Force. She turned once again and ran away, for she had bigger concerns than this. She had to find Othion... if there was anything left of her Master. As she ran down the poorly lit corridor, she caught a glimpse of another door. Something about it struck home. Before she knew what she was doing, she had opened it. The opened door revealed the form of a man lying there, unmoving.
"Master?" she whispered. When the man groaned, she ran and knelt beside him.
"Get out, you must save yourself." Only one man had that voice, Othion. But she couldn' t just leave him.
"No Master, I have to help you," she said stubbornly. He had saved her so many times before, now it was her turn.
"But you must leave me, you have to fulfill your destiny, my padawan," he said softly. Then his eyes shut and his body went limp.
She understood and nodded. "I'll come back with help, Master Othion," she whispered to the man lying in her arms. She knew if she stayed, more men would come and she was still far too weak to fight them on her own.
She gently let Othion down and got to her feet. Gamine sprinted towards the door, only to see a large man holding a blaster pointed straight at her head. Her first reaction was to step back, but instead she jumped forward and kicked the blaster out of his hand in one quick movement. Then she gave a massive blow to his head and began running.
Finally she made it outside, panting. She shouldn't have pushed herself like that, her heart was beating wildly and her body felt like it was about to explode with pain. As she looked up she was greeted with the beautiful blazing sunlight. Cool air wrapped itself around her, almost healing her. Suddenly she sensed something. Gamine stopped dead in her tracks. She looked around and saw him coming at her.
"Gamine!" It was Qui-Gon, his hair swirling wildly around his face. His eyes came alive with joy at the sight of her almost unharmed.
"Master Qui-Gon. He is still alive! Othion, he is still alive!" she said as the Jedi Master reached her side. She looked around and noticed something out of the ordinary. Where was Obi-Wan? She looked up at him with questioning eyes. Qui-Gon caught her glance and answered her.
"He was injured. He told me to find you. I left him in our chambers," he explained softly. Gamine looked at him, then lowered her head.
"Who?" she whispered as she looked out along the landscape. She didn' t need him to answer her. She already knew who did it. And now she had one more score to settle with Anquilus.
Qui-Gon nodded. "Let's get you to safety," he said as he put a comforting hand on her shoulder. Slowly he started to lead her away.
"No, we have to help Master Othion, I promised him I would get him out of there," she said as she stopped and turned toward him. She knew that she wouldn't be much help, but Gamine had to help her Master somehow.
"All right, but only if you feel up to the challenge," he said as a soft smile formed on his lips. She took a deep breath, then nodded quickly. She headed towards the door that led to the building, Qui-Gon at her heels.
"This way, Master Qui-Gon. We have to hurry," she gestured for him to follow her.
Down the twisting halls and passages they went, using the Force to guide them. As they approached the cell where Gamine had seen Othion, something felt dreadfully wrong. At first, it was only a tingling sensation in the back of her mind, but soon it turned into a loud ringing, like an alarm going off in her head. She looked around, but no one was there. She shut them out of her head, she couldn't be distracted now.
"This is the one," she said as she pointed at a door to their left. As much as Gamine tried, her body and mind were warning her about something. But she was distracted when Qui-Gon opened the old door in front of them. She raced inside, expecting to see master Othion, but nothing was in the tiny room that had once held her Master.
"Where..." she started to say.
"Thank you, my dear. Your plan worked perfectly," a voice behind Qui-Gon said in a tone that you'd expect a viper to use. There was no doubt about it, it was Anquilus.
Qui-Gon whirled around, to find himself standing in front of Gamine's father. Finally he had a good look at his opponent. He was the same height with short salt and pepper hair, and a gruesome scar running the length of his face.
"You see, old man, it was my daughter's idea to lure you here like this. Isn't she a brilliant little actress?" he said as he gave a grin of satisfaction to the pair. Qui-Gon couldn't believe it. Gamine couldn't have done something like that, could she? He looked back at the girl and in that very instant he knew the truth.
"Why did you betray us?" he asked in a sickened voice. Anquilus gave a smile of triumph at the question.
Part Four
"Master Qui-Gon... he's lying, can't you sense it?" Gamine asked in a voice quivering with disbelief. How could he believe him?
"You almost killed my apprentice," Qui-Gon said in almost a growl. In a split second he had grabbed his lightsaber and ignited it. The Jedi Master held it up, ready to attack his former friend.
"Master Qui-Gon. You can't - " She was cut short when he charged her, barely missing her shoulder by only a few centimeters. It had been just close enough for it to singe her cloak.. Reluctantly she pulled out her own lightsaber and hit the power stud, bringing the violent monster to life. As he attacked her, she tried to block each blow, with varying degrees of success. Through the wild fight she tried to convince him that she had not been part of this cruel game her father was playing.
"I would never hurt Obi-wan!" she cried as she blocked an almost killing blow. She couldn't fight him, he was too strong. He forced Gamine to the ground.
"How could you do this?" Qui-Gon demanded. His lightsaber sliced a large gash along her leg. She tried to knock the weapon out of his hand, but he moved too fast. As he tried to strike again she rolled out of the way. How could he think she would take up with this evil man?
"Master, you said you trusted me!" she said in almost a pleading voice, as she tried to stop him.
"I thought I did, but now I see that you have been playing with my mind!" The words hurt worse than a thousand searing knives. He had been one of the few that had actually believed in her. Suddenly she sprang to her feet, facing Qui-Gon.
"That's it, my child. Kill him! Strike him down now!" she heard Anquilus screaming with a sick pleasure.
Silently she turned her lightsaber off, and clipped it to her belt. Gamine then dropped down to her knee in a kneeling position before Qui-Gon. "Kill me if you must, my Master. But I will not fight you," she said in a calm voice, her eyes not meeting his surprised stare.
Qui-Gon at first was shocked, and then he looked down at her. He suddenly realized that Anquilus had played him for a fool. He had warped his feelings. "I am sorry, Gamine," he said in a low voice.
"You, fools. Gamine you disappoint me, I knew you didn't have it in you to kill him!" Anquilus pulled his lightsaber out, ready to deliver the killing blow. "You have been with Othion too long. You've grown soft and weak," he yelled.
"No, father. I fight for what is right, not with hatred," she replied calmly as she rose from a kneeling position. Her head was held high as she met his gaze.
Obi-wan felt ready... better. Whatever Anquilus had done to him it was healing quickly. He felt ready to fight now, if the occasion arose. He slowly sat up and looked around. His clothing lay neatly at the foot of his bed. He could sense his Master's and Gamine's desperation. He had to help them.
Quickly now he threw off the sheet and stood up. He looked down at where he had been hit, no scar, good. He picked up his robes and dressed. He knew he could find Qui-Gon and Gamine, for they needed his help more now then ever. He ran out the door. Now all he had to do was find a nice enough person to give him a lift on their speeder.
He stood looking at an old decaying building. They were here but so was he and he wasn't going to let them down. If Gamine was still alive that is. A pain struck his heart. "She has to be alive," he thought, and if Qui-Gon... No, don' t think like that, he thought angrily to himself. The man who was kind enough to give him a ride sped away and Obi-Wan ran into the building at top speed.
For almost twenty standard minutes he searched for some trace of them. Finally he found a door. Something about it made him wonder. He tried the handle, but it wouldn't budge. The urgency grew inside of him. He rammed the old wooden door with his shoulder and it came crashing down. A cloud of dust rose in front of him. Suddenly he heard coughing; someone was inside the room. The dust finally settled. He looked around only to see Gamine and Qui-Gon. They were tied up.
"Obi-Wan!" Gamine cried in a high voice filled with surprise. "Obi-Wan. Untie us. Anquilus is going to kill all of us!" she said in a low whisper. Obi-Wan kneeled down and looked at the locks that held the chains tight. He took his lightsaber out and cut the chains that bound their wrists.
"I thought you were dead, Gamine," Obi-Wan said quietly as he fought with the chains at her feet. She looked into his eyes, but he looked away quickly.
"We should split up. Obi-wan, Gamine, the two of you try to find Othion and get him out of here. I'll take care of Anquilus," he said as he shook the chains off his wrists.
"Master, Anquilus is my father and it is my fight," she said quickly in protest. It almost felt like when they had first met.
"You are brave, young one. But I am afraid we can't let you fight this battle alone," Qui-Gon said, putting a hand on her shoulder. Its weight had a comforting feel. "I am sorry, for what I said back there, you are a great and loyal fighter," he said as a small smile crossed his face.
"Yes, Master Qui-Gon. I will go and find my Master," she nodded. Gamine motioned for Obi-Wan to follow her and they disappeared through the open doorway.
"Obi-wan," Gamine said softly as she put a hand on his shoulder. Her touch felt electric, Obi-Wan thought silently.
"Yes?" he asked as he turned around to face her. Her hazel eyes locked on his. They stood there a second gazing into each other's eyes.
She could feel his warm uneven breath on her neck. Suddenly she leaned forward. Her soft lips met his. For a moment he was shocked, then he put a hand on the side of her face and kissed her back. It seemed to last a lifetime. It felt so pure, so wonderful. Finally it came to an end. As Gamine pulled back, she gave a small smile at his surprised expression.
"So sweet, but too bad you're going to die," a cold, ruthless voice said from the shadows. It was Anquilus.
As Qui-Gon jogged through the maze of passageways he felt a small pang of worry chasing him. Something was wrong, very wrong. He suddenly picked up his pace, realizing he had to hurry. As he made his way down through the lower levels, the darkness became more apparent, and a thick fog-like cloud rolled through the hallways. It became harder to breathe. Qui-Gon noted, "someone must have been playing with the atmosphere controls."
The farther he went, the more his desperation grew. He had to find Anquilus. But as he passed each empty room, the Jedi Master doubted more and more that he would find him. Suddenly he reached the last level; no one was there.
No, someone was definitely here. Qui-Gon faintly heard a soft moaning, from the room on his right. Quickly he made his way past the old dirt-ridden door. The air was almost completely starved of oxygen. "It's a wonder anyone could survive down here for long," he thought silently.
"Qui-Gon, is that you," a familiar voice stammered. He couldn't believe it, it was Othion. The Jedi Master made his way over to the limp form of his friend.
"Yes, it's me. I have to get you out of here Othion." Qui-Gon carefully began to gather the other man in his arms. He gave a small grunt, I think I'll suggest a diet to him when we get out of here. A laugh rumbled through his chest.
At that he began to slowly move through the hallways. Othion had apparently lost consciousness. His heavy body was draped in Qui-Gon's arms.. Suddenly he moved like he was trying to sit up, then came a long and painful moan from his lips.
"Qui-Gon I have to tell you," he stammered slightly, his voice barely audible. Qui-Gon stopped and looked down at his friend. "Please don't speak, you must save your strength," he began to calm the other man. But something made him stop. Something told him that he had to listen."All right, tell me old friend."
He stopped and softly put him down against the wall. For the first time he actually looked into his eyes, his pain-ridden eyes. He could tell something was very wrong.
"There's...there's something you need to know about him," the man shuttered as bone grinding pain filled his body. "He's...he's," he tried once again.
"What is it, Othion?" Qui-Gon urged him. He could sense this was important, that it would affect everything. Othion placed his limp hand onto his.
Othion's eyes fluttered shut. After a moment Qui-Gon opened his eyes, "Othion, I understand." The old Jedi Master simply nodded and fell into a deep Jedi trance. He knew now that they had no hope of surviving.
Part Five
Gamine stood there, not moving an inch. Every muscle in her body was tense, waiting for the right moment to strike. Suddenly there was an eruption of blinding light as she ignited her lightsaber and charged at Anquilus. Her father simply laughed at her as he skillfully blocked her attack. "My child, you disappoint me so... Once you join me I will turn you into the strongest warrior in the entire galaxy! No one will be able to stop us! It is time to give in to your destiny daughter.", he yelled at Gamine.
"Yes it is time father. But my destiny does not lie with you. I will not betray my friends, I will not turn." She said in a calm and emotionless voice. All of her fear and anger that had driven her for so long was gone. She knew was that Anquilus had to be stoped, some how.
"You want to kill me don't you, young one?" Anquilus said as he attacked Gamine. She quickly met his advance and forced him backwards. But he attacked again catching her off guard, forcing Gamine unwilling into a defensive position. Obi-wan, who was now involved in the struggle, somersaulted over Anquilus's head in one graceful movement and began an attack from behind.
"You fools! You'll never be able to defeat me with your pathetic skills!" His voice filled with insanity. In a split second Gamine charged at him, delivering a glancing blow to his shoulder. The smell of burnt flesh filled the small room.
"No, father. You're the fool!" She remarked in a harsh voice. Gamine battered him with powerful blows forcing his lightsaber from his hands. He desperately hands reached for the weapon but it lay just out of his grasp.
"Go ahead kill me! Give into your anger; give into it! There's no use fighting it, sweet daughter!" His mocking words stung Gamine, but she didn't react as Obi-wan had expected. She simply stood there, her lightsaber under Anquilus's neck. Through the force he could tell her next move, before he could warn her she began to speak "What my destiny has in store for me no one can see, father. Even Master Yoda is not that powerful. " She provoked him.
"You actually believe in that little green troll? He's the one who took you away from me and your mother!" he retaliated. "The Jedi, they take what they want, and destroy the rest my dear. And they wanted you, so they kidnapped you and took you to their Temple!" he growled like a cornered animal.
"I am sick of your lies, father! My mother gave me willingly, she knew I could become a powerful Jedi! A Jedi of the light unlike you!" She growled back at him. Suddenly in a quick and almost detectable movement her father leapt forward and kicked her squarely in the face. She stumbled backward as she clutched her jaw. "Father what happened to you? You used to be so kind and so-" She was cut off by another ruthless blow to the head. Now, blood began to seep down her bruised and battered face.
Obi-wan suddenly couldn't control himself, Anquilus had caused so much pain to everyone he cared for, he had to be stopped. In a blink of the eye he charged Anquilus, his muscles rippling under his skin, ever fiber of his conscious body was on the attack. His weapon slamming towards Anquilus's unguarded head but was blocked by another lightsaber. His opponent had quickly retrieved his own lightsaber, which had sprung to life just in time to block the attack.
A second later Obi-wan had been slammed up against the wall by an invisible fist. Gamine could tell by the sick moan that escaped from his lips that he was unconscious. Before she could react Anquilus had positioned his throbbing red saber just under Gamine's chin. "Kill me if you must, father. Prove to yourself that you're the greatest warrior, but you can't ever really be rid of me no matter how hard you try!" She stared into her father's worn eyes.
"What do you mean?" He asked. The expression on his face was confused. She knew then that the father she had once known and loved was gone forever, all that was left was a mad old man.
"You should know, father. I will become-" She started, but was suddenly interrupted as she saw the far door opened to reveal one of her fathers assassin guards. "Yes?" He demanded in a deep voice. He glanced over his shoulder. " I told you I didn't want to be disturbed." He said pushing the lightsaber blade closer to his daughter's neck.
"That old Jedi friend of yours, Othion wasn't it? He's gone, no trace of him any where." The man said in a hushed voice, as if he were afraid of his master's wraith. Something about him tugged at her memory, and then she realized that he had been the one, the one who had brought her here. His name was Ta'ion, 'maybe he'll help me' she hoped silently.
"Why must you bother me with such foolish questions? The old man is as good as dead!" he growled at Ta'ion. " Leave me you fool I have a few things to discuss with my daughter." His lightsaber was now burning her pale neck. Anquilus's eyes were now filled with a crazed rage and sweat ran down his face.
"But... if he..." Ta'ion started to object, but before he was finished he dropped to his knees gasping for air. His hands tried desperately to loosen the Anquilus's invisible grasp on his neck. "Please ... I...Didn't ... m...mean to" he managed to gasp. Anquilus finally nodded and he slumped to the cold hard ground.
"Never question me again you fool! And I thought I told you to leave me!" He growled at Ta'ion. Slowly the man stood up and dusted off his black jumpsuit.
He gave a brief bow and said calmly, "Yes, sir." With another enraged glare from Anquilus he was gone. With him gone Gamine's last hope of escaping fled with him.
Anquilus's narrow eyes turned back to his daughter. " Now where were we?" he asked in a smooth voice.
Qui-Gon allowed a moan to pass his lips as he heaved Othion through the long narrow passageways. He had to hurry, he had to warn Obi-Wan and Gamine.
"Only one more level." He muttered. He paused for a moment and took a long deep breath. Suddenly he stopped dead in his tracks, something was in the air. It was unpleasant smell, but somehow was familiar to the Jedi Master. Qui-Gon just couldn't place it.
Fuel, it was some type of fuel! He realized. Why would Anquilus have fuel here? The substance had been band for several hundred years in all Republic territories, so why did he have it here? Qui-Gon looked down at his feet, a puddle of it had formed around his boots. Finally it dawned upon him, this was Anquilus's back up plan, if he couldn't win fairly, he'd win his own way. "One spark and BOOM!" he said quietly.
Qui-Gon picked up the unconscious form of Othion, now he had one more thing to warn Obi-Wan and Gamine about. He just hoped that he could make it in time.
"Ah yes, its time you meet your maker!" Anquilus said slowly. He held his lightsaber next to her long slender neck. She was determined to fight until the last moment, she wasn't about to let him win, too many lives counted on her.
Suddenly a long pain-ridden moan filled the small cell. Obi-Wan was waking up, 'from one nightmare to a worse one.' Gamine thought. Then she noticed Anquilus, he was watching Obi-Wan with an enraged glare, but he was distracted. This was her only chance.
In a split second her lightsaber flew into her outstretched hand. Before her father could even move, the violet demon sprang to life and she attacked. Anquilus barely time to react before her lightsaber came hurtling towards him. Blinding pain ripped through his body as the weapon hit its mark. He looked at Gamine in shock before he tumbled to the hard, cold ground.
"How... It's not ...possible, you ...c...can't defeat me..." He gasped. Gamine stood tensely, sweat pouring down her body. Finally Anquilus collapsed letting out a long tortured sigh.
With one quick stride Gamine made her way over to the limp form of Obi-Wan. His breathing was so shallow, he was barely alive, "please don't die... I need you!" She put her arms around him.
Part Six
Gamine lay holding Obi-wan, salty tears running down her face. Her every thought lay with Obi-wan. He just couldn't die; she needed him. Gently she traced every one of his soft features, almost blinded by her tears.
Suddenly there was a loud moaning sound; Gamine quickly looked up to see the old door slowly opening. It was Ta'ion again. His eyes were wide with fear and surprise as they quickly swept the scene before him. A small gasp escaped his lips when he saw his master's limp and motionless body on the floor.
"What happened here?" He whispered in a state of complete and utter shock.
Gamine stared blankly at the man not moving an inch. She was tired, completely exhausted to the core. Finally in a stern but wavering voice she answered him, "He had to be stopped, Ta'ion. You knew that didn't you?"
Ta'ion looked at Anquilus hoping for some movement to show he was alive but he remained still, almost frozen. His heart raced with fear as he took a deep breath of air. He looked silently at the young girl who had struck his master down. "Ar ... ar ... are you going to kill me?" He finally managed to ask.
Gamine merely stared at him while she held the limp form of Obi-Wan. "I truly don't want to, but I will do what I must," She finally admitted. His chest felt like it was about to explode, his heart was beating so rapidly with fear. 'What if she's lying?' he asked himself. 'She'll attack me and slice my head off with one move!' He thought.
Pain shot through Anquilus's body, but he wasn't dead. No, they would never be rid of him. He quickly scanned the room only to she Ta'ion standing there talking with the girl. His heart began to fill with rage. 'That idiot! Why is he just standing there?' He knew that fool had turned against him, and for that he would pay dearly.
"I thought I could trust you Ta'ion! But now I know you're just a scared little traitor!" Anquilus managed to croak as he began to painfully stand up.
Gamine struggled to her feet in shock and prepared to fight once again. "Father, please it's not too late for you!" She pleaded. She began to sway on her feet, Gamine knew she was far too weak to go another round. "I can help you! Please, father let me help!" She stood up straight and stared her father straight in the eye. "Kill me then... I will not turn." He only starred insanely at her.
"It's inevitable, Gamine!" he choked out. "All the Jedi will die one day, that I promise you!" He activated his burning, throbbing weapon. He has lost what little sanity he had, and the man she loved... the man who was her father is truly dead, there was no hope for redemption. He was truly lost.
"Kill me, Anquilus." She raised her lightsaber and clumsily brought it down on his. "You could've been so much more, Anquilus. Now you're just a murderer, nothing more than a petty criminal." She felt numbed with fatigue... like she could literally be run through with Anquilus' lightsaber and never feel it.
Qui-Gon ran through the corridors searching desperately for Obi-wan and Gamine, but was no sign of them anywhere. Othion moaned in weary pain, he was beginning to wake. Qui-Gon knew that the little time he had left was flying by, if he didn't hurry they'd never make it.
Finally they cam to the last hall. All of the doors except for one, He noticed a door that was opened. 'Maybe they're in there...' he prayed. Silently he put his old fried Othion down and pulled his lightsaber from his belt. He would make sure that Anquilus could never hurt anyone again.
"Anquilus, hear me out, please!" She pleaded with him; she could not go on. She looked at Anquilus; he was bleeding terribly. She had killed him! She had been sure of it! Her father gave a cold and callous smile. "It's an amazing how hatred can drive a person, isn't it?" She glared at him.
She looked at Ta'ion then said, "You could end all this, you know. You can end it with your blaster." She tried desperately, time was running out and she had to think of something fast.
Suddenly the old door was once again shoved open. Gamine looked up just in time to see Qui-Gon running into the room. Hope once again surged through her. "Master Jinn!" She yelled, her voice filled with happiness.
The first thing Qui-Gon saw as he entered the small, cramped room was Obi-Wan lying in a corner, unconscious. Gamine was barely standing and had her saber drawn. Her father was incredibly standing, from the looks of his wounds he should be dead. In one fluidic movement he brought his burning green saber down on Anquilus'.
Gamine was relieved it would finally be finished. Suddenly she detected a slight movement in the corner of her eye. She turned to see Ta'ion run from the room full speed. Quickly she began to follow; he couldn't be allowed to escape. But suddenly she was stopped by a loud commanding voice.
"He can't use his blaster, Gamine. We have other things to worry about besides him." Qui-Gon said in a growl as Anquilus attacked him with a vengeance she had never seen before.
"What does that mean master?" She asked, as she stood motionless. She quickly realized that Qui-Gon could not defeat him alone, and Gamine leaped forward and joined the raging battle.
"He's planning on blowing us all up!" the Jedi master answered in a seemingly calm voice as he blocked a blow from Anquilus.
"WHAT!?!" The shock struck Gamine like a speeder. This was insane, complete and utter insanity! Why would her father do something that stupid? As if Qui-Gon had read her mind, the master once again answered her.
"If he died then he planned to blow this place sky high with us in it. It's simple as that." Anquilus blocked his powerful blow and swung his own lightsaber at Qui-Gon's knees. In one quick movement the Jedi master jumped backward, barely missing the burning weapon's path. Anquilus's strength was being backed by rage, which made him a powerful opponent.
"Little one do you think you could handle this?" he looked over at Gamine. She gave a soft smile and nodded in agreement. Qui-Gon left her to bare the front of Anquilus's attack to check on his injured padawan.
In a classic move Gamine jumped up and brought her foot around until it meet her father's head. There was a sickening thud as it made contact. Anquilus dropped, finally unconscious. Quickly she turned her lightsaber off. Gamine sighed in relief and then she turned to Qui-Gon. "I have a bad feeling about this, Master." She said quickly.
"As do I little one. Come, we haven't much time." He said as he picked up Obi-Wan's limp form and urged her to the door. She still couldn't shake this feeling she had, but she needed to concentrate on the here and now anyway.
As soon as they exited the small room Gamine ran to the Othion, who was now sitting braced against the wall coughing. She quickly knelt beside him. "Padawan, you're all right, thank the Gods." He said in a weak trembling voice.
"Come master we must hurry." She placed her master's arm around her neck and lifted him to his wobbly feet.
Before they could move A loud booming voice came over the com system shaking the walls. "You Jedi should have killed me when you had the chance! I will avenge my master's defeat!"
Gamine's face went pale as she glanced at Qui-Gon holding Obi-Wan in his arms. In his soft blue eyes she could see the same shock and panic she felt in her own heart. Before she could think anymore there was an earth-shattering explosion.
Through the blaring noise she heard Qui-Gon's accented voice yell one word, "RUN!" Somehow her feet obeyed the rough command and she found herself rushing down the winding hallways looking for the exit, with Qui-Gon in close pursuit.
Around them the old building began to shake, causing debris to come crashing down. She knew this was hopeless they would never be able to escape in time. Gamine was completely exhausted, she could barely move, but somehow her body was running full speed while caring someone.
They continued to run, their time remaining flying by quickly. It was hopeless they would never be able to find their way out she realized. But before she knew it Qui-Gon's massive hand was on her shoulder bringing her to a complete stop. She whirled around to see him pointing to a locked door.
With one swift kick from the powerful master the door swung open exposing them to the bright light of the outside world. Quickly Gamine ran through the door almost pulling Othion along with her.
"We must get as far away from the building as possible!" Qui-Gon yelled as he followed her out it to the bright sunlight.
With another gigantic explosion a huge fireball engulfed the old structure filling every room and passageway disintegrating anything in its way. Another fireball shot through the roof filling the air with fire and smoke. It was almost beautiful, in an odd way, Gamine thought as she watched everything burn.
She sat on top of a small hill facing the building as it slowly began to melt into the land beneath it. Gamine looked over at Qui-Gon who was also watching the scene before them with a solemn look on his face. Her gaze continued to Obi-Wan who was rubbing a sore head and muttering a few choice words that would make any self-respecting bounty hunter blush.
A faint smile crept onto her lips. They had actually survived, and she would never have to face her father again, and for that she breathed a sigh of relief. It was finally over.
A soft hand came to rest on her small shoulder. Gamine turned to see her master hovering over her. Slowly he lowered himself next to her. She opened her mouth to speak but was quickly hushed by Othion.
"I'm proud of you padawan, you have proven yourself to be powerful fighter and a faithful friend." He said, his voice filled with pride. He swept a lock of her hair from her delicate face. Gamine caught his hand in her own. "I am sorry I ever doubted you." A small tear rolled down his pale check.
"Thank you master." was all she could manage to say. Othion nodded and pulled her into a tight embrace. Finally after what seemed like hours he pulled back and took a deep breath of the fresh air.
"Next time I believe we need to work on your hygiene skills as well!" He laughed at Gamine's confused expression.
"Do I really smell that bad?" she asked him finally understanding his meaning. All he could do was to continue to chuckle. "I believe that is something we both need to work on master." Gamine started to laugh as well. Their laughter continued until the burning sun set beyond the hills leaving an unbreakable bond between all of them.
The End ... for now ...
DISCLAIMER: We do not own any of these characters (Well, besides Anquilus, Gamine and Othion) And we're getting no money for this either.
This story is a work of fiction written in appreciation of Star Wars; to promote the Star Wars franchise and to keep it alive. All characters and settings original to the Star Wars movies and/or novelizations are copyright to Lucasfilm, Ltd. The rest is copyright to the story's author. No profit was gained from this story.