Notes: This story is the first in series of three, but can be read as a stand-alone. It does NOT contain slash; however, the two stories that follow it WILL contain slash. So, I suppose this could be called “pre-slash”.

~*~*~*

Chapter 1

“I only did what I thought was best, Master!” Anakin said angrily as he stormed out of the shuttle in front of Obi-Wan. “And its not as though it was a disaster. Why are you blowing this out of proportion?”

Obi-Wan blew out his breath and pressed his fingers to the bridge of his nose. “That's not the point, Anakin.” he said, exasperated. “You deliberately disobeyed me, and in a dangerous situation at that.”

“Why does it matter? Everything turned out alright.” Anakin replied moodily.

Obi-Wan sighed softly. “You are still missing the point, Padawan.”

“But--” Anakin started.

“Not here, Anakin. We will continue this discussion later, in the privacy of our quarters,” he said pointedly, looking around the busy hangar. With that, Obi-Wan slung his pack over his shoulder and headed towards their quarters. He felt the weight of his Padawan's glare on his back for a moment before he heard a noisy sigh as the young man fell into step behind him.

Stepping into their quarters, Obi-Wan dropped his pack and leaned back against the door as he watched Anakin stalk into his bedroom. He figured that Anakin probably wouldn't come out for awhile, given his current state. Obi-Wan knew that he probably should talk to Anakin now, but he was weary of arguing with him and thought it might be better to let them both cool down a bit first. Going into the 'fresher, he stripped an stepped into the shower to wash off the grime of travel.

All in all, it had not been a good mission. Although it had turned out well in the end and should by all rights be considered a success, he and Anakin has clashed terribly. Anakin had disagreed with Obi-Wan assessment of the situation, which was a common enough occurence for a Master and Senior Padawan team. However, Anakin had not only disagreed, but had gone off on his own and completely ignored Obi-Wan's orders to stay put and not get involved with the Separatist party.

Granted, Anakin's association with them hadn't done any harm to the negotiations, but that was only because the other parties hadn't found out. The Jedi were supposed to be neutral, and Anakin had gone off and tried to aid one of the parties. His heart had been in the right place, Obi-Wan supposed, but what Anakin had done was dangerous and against mission protocol – not to mention his direct orders.

Turning off the shower, Obi-Wan stepped out, pulled on a clean set of tunics, and retrieved his pack from the common area. He dropped it on his bedroom floor, not really feeling like unpacking. What he really needed to do was talk to Anakin, as much as he wanted to put it off.

What was he going to do with his uncontrollable Padawan?

~*~

Anakin jumped at the soft knock and glared at the door for a moment before calling, “Come in.”

The door slid open and Obi-Wan stepped in and sat down next to him. “Padawan,” he began, “We need to talk.”

“What else is there to say?” Anakin said bitterly, meeting Obi-Wan's eyes with his own smoldering gaze. “I already told you, I did what I thought was right. I'm not sorry.” And he wasn't. How many people would have died if he hadn't helped the separatist party defend their headquarters for evacuation?

“So I see.” Obi-Wan paused for a moment before continuing. “Anakin, I understand your wanting to help those people. But the fact of the matter is, as Jedi, we cannot always help everyone. Sometimes we must disregard the needs of a smaller group for the greater good, difficult as that may be at times.”

As Obi-Wan spoke, some of the anger and tension drained away from Anakin. But he still didn't understand why Obi-Wan was being so stubborn about this.

“But my helping the 'smaller group' didn't do any harm!” he said, frustrated. “Why was it so wrong?”

“It's not that it was wrong, Anakin. Your actions may not have caused any harm -- this time. But if the other parties had found out, they probably would have asked us both to leave. What then? And what about next time? You were lucky.” he admonished.

Anakin hung his head in embarrassment. As much as he hated to admit it, Obi-Wan was right. It could have been a diplomatic disaster. Still, he didn't see why Obi-Wan was so upset with him, since it hadn't been a diplomatic disaster.

“Are you even listening to me, Padawan?” Obi-Wan's irritated voice broke through his thoughts, and Anakin had the good grace to look sheepish. He hadn't even realized that he'd tuned Obi-Wan out just then.

“Ah, what was that, Master?”

Obi-Wan scowled at him. “I was saying, my young apprentice, that I am concerned by how little regard you seem to have for what I tell you. When I give you an order, I expect you to obey it, as a Padawan learner should. Do I make myself clear?” he finished, fixing Anakin with a stern gaze.

“Yes, Master,” Anakin muttered, “Sorry, Master.”

“Good. And for the next three days, you are to do an additional two hours of meditation on obedience and how it benefits you.” Obi-Wan instructed.

“Yes, Master,” Anakin replied tonelessly.

Obi-Wan sat there for a moment looking at him, then let out a soft sigh as he got up to leave.

“Goodnight, Padawan. I'll expect to see you up early for our mission debriefing with the Council tomorrow morning ” And with that, he left, leaving Anakin alone with his thoughts.

Chapter 2

Morning came all too fast for Anakin, and he soon found himself standing at Obi-Wan's side in the Council chamber.

Obi-Wan was recounting their mission to the five Council members that were present, but Anakin wasn't paying as much attention as he should have been. Instead, he was worrying about what Obi-Wan would tell them about his behavior. He hadn't meant to be so rebellious, and was feeling almost sorry for his actions now.

“ . . . and while Anakin assisted the Separatist party's evacuation, I successfully concluded the negotiations with the other parties --” Obi-Wan trailed off abruptly as Master Yoda held up a clawed hand for him to stop.

“Assist the Separatist Party your Padawan did, hmm? Give permission for this, did you?” Yoda inquired.

“I . . . no, Master.” Obi-Wan bowed his head forward slightly. “He asked permission, but I did not grant it.”

Yoda's eyes narrowed. “Disobedient, your Padawan has been as of late,” he said, and Anakin resisted the urge to squirm under the small Master's piercing gaze. “What say you to this, Padawan Skywalker?”

His earlier worry forgotten, Anakin replied defensively, “I did what I thought was right, Masters,” he said, addressing the Council members. “If it was wrong, I apologize.”

“Whether it was wrong or not is not the point, Padawan,” Master Windu said sternly. “Yoda is right. Your behavior lately has been unacceptable. Wasn't it less than a tenday ago that you were caught fighting with another Padawan? And this certainly isn't the first time you've disobeyed your Master while on a mission recently.”

Anakin hung his head and muttered, “Yes, Master Windu.” What else could he say? It was all true.

“Thought to let Master Obi-Wan handle this, we did, but reconsider this we must. A mission for you we have, though remain here you will, Padawan Skywalker. Grounded you are.” Master Yoda addressed them.

“What! But --” Anakin protested.

“Accept this you will, Padawan Skywalker!” Yoda said, banging his stick down in emphasis. Obi-Wan looked like he was about to protest, and Yoda continued, “And let us help you with your Padawan you will, Master Obi-Wan.”

Obi-Wan hesitated slightly, though bowed his head in acquiescence.

“Dismissed you are, Padawan Skywalker. Wait outside you will for us to summon you. Remain, you will, Master Obi-Wan, for your mission assignment.”

“Yes, Masters,” Anakin replied tightly, anger blazing in he eyes as he gave a curt bow and left. He then dropped into one of the chairs in the reception area outside the Council chambers and waited, fuming internally. Why hadn't Obi-Wan defended him? Now, Obi-Wan would get to go off on a mission, leaving Anakin alone at the mercy of the Council. He knew that he had been disobedient, but he certainly didn't deserve to be grounded or put on probation.

A short while later, the doors to the Council Chambers opened and Obi-Wan stepped out. “The Council is discussing your discipline now, Padawan,” he told Anakin in a neutral tone. “They will be calling you in shortly.”

“And what about you?” he asked accusingly. “Are you leaving?”

“Yes, Padawan, I've been assigned a mission. I'll be going to Neskya to prepare a preliminary evaluation of their bid for entry to the Republic. I will be returning in six or seven days. Meanwhile, please obey the Council. I know you're not happy with this, but there's nothing I can do about it now, and I'm not sure that I should anyway.” he replied, a hint of regret in his tone.

“You mean you'd prefer to go on missions alone, Master?” Anakin was torn between disbelief and anger. How could Obi-Wan just go off and leave him like this?

“No, Anakin.” he said sadly. “I would prefer that you come with me – but only if you are willing to behave as a Jedi Padawan should. And since I do not seem able to elicit such behavior from you, perhaps it is best that you remain here until this is taken care of.”

“But--” Anakin started.

Obi-Wan cut him off gently. “And that is all I have to say on the matter for now.” he said firmly. “I have to leave now. We will resolve this when I return.”

“Yes, Master,” Anakin said tightly, refusing to meet Obi-Wan's eyes.

“I will see you later then, Padawan.” Obi-Wan inclined his head slightly in farewell, then turned to leave.

Anakin had never felt more betrayed than he did at that moment.

~*~

Obi-Wan settled back in the pilot's seat of the small Jedi Starfighter, taking in the view of the stars zooming by in hyperspace. His mission to Neskya had gone very smoothly; so smoothly, in fact, that he had finished a day early. It had seemed too easy to believe, and up until the moment he had cleared the planet's atmosphere he had almost been expecting some form of trouble to suddenly appear.

Now that he was more than halfway back to Coruscant, however, he finally felt that he could relax. He bunched his cloak up to use as a pillow and leaned back to take a nap, but not five minutes passed before he was startled into alertness by the loud blaring of the small starfighter's proximity alarms. Abruptly, the ship dropped out of hyperspace, jolting Obi-Wan forward in his seat.

“R-4, why have we dropped out of hyperspace, and can you identify that ship?” he called to the little tech droid.

The only reply Obi-Wan received was a series of loud, alarmed beeps. Apparently, R-4 wasn't going to be much help.

Obi-Wan took hold of the controls and swung the fighter around . . . and face to face with an enormous galaxy-class transport ship. There was nothing overtly menacing about it, but Obi-Wan instinctively knew that something was very wrong. His fingers danced over the controls as he hurried to try and re-enter hyperspace, but before he could finish his ship gave a sickening lurch. He had been caught in a tractor beam by the larger ship.

Finding their communication channel blocked and his ship unable to break free of the tractor beam, Obi-Wan sat back in his seat and waited. Centering himself, he closed his eyes reached out with the Force, concentrating on the presence of the transport ship. His eyes flew open in horror at what he sensed.

“Not good,” he whispered to himself. He should have known that this mission had been too easy.

Chapter 3

In the seven days since Obi-Wan had left on his mission, Anakin's seething anger towards the man had diminished first to a moody sullenness and then to a quiet feeling of regret. Though he couldn't honestly say that he was sorry for his actions on their last mission, he was sorry that he had disobeyed Obi-Wan.

And he was especially sorry that he had not been allowed to accompany Obi-Wan to Neskya. Here, the observation of the Council members weighed heavily on him. Not only had they officially placed him on probation, but while his Master was away he had to meet with one of them once a day to meditate and 'talk'. He couldn't wait for his Master to return, but the scrutiny of the Council wasn't the only reason he wanted Obi-Wan to come back. They hadn't parted on the best of terms, and Anakin was anxious to set things right between them so that they could get back to normal. For some reason, he had been unusually anxious these past few days.

Looking at the time, Anakin reluctantly left his quarters and started down the corridor. It was time for his daily meeting. Masters Yoda, Gallia, and Windu had been alternating the task, and today was Master Windu's turn. Reaching his destination, Anakin pressed the chime on the door and waited for a moment, and then entered as Maser Windu opened the door for him.

“Come in, Padawan,” he said, gesturing Anakin in. “Sit down.”

Anakin complied, seating himself gracefully on the cushy mat on the floor across from Master Windu.

Master Windu studied Anakin for a moment, looking almost uncertain. “Anakin,” he began, “As you know, this was to be our last meeting before Master Kenobi returned.”

Anakin suppressed a grin. Today Obi-Wan was scheduled to return from his mission, meaning that Anakin would no longer have to endure being lectured daily by other Masters. Of course, Obi-Wan would probably lecture him too, but if he had to be lectured he'd prefer that Obi-Wan be the one to do it.

“We have decided that you will be placed on probation for an additional two tenday, during which you will remain on Coruscant and be assigned only simple political observation assignments.” Master Windu told him in a neutral voice.

“What about my Master? Will he be staying on Coruscant as well?” Anakin interrupted.

Master Windu gave him a disapproving look, but replied in an almost gentle tone. “Anakin, about your Master. It appears that he will not be returning as scheduled.”

“Has his mission been extended?” Anakin asked, hoping that was the reason but somehow knowing that is was not.

“I'm afraid not, Anakin. He missed his last scheduled check in, and our attempts to contact him have been unsuccessful so far. His transmitter doesn't appear to be working.”

Anakin's throat went dry. “When is he due back?” he asked, unable to keep his voice from wavering slightly.

Master Windu looked to the side for a moment, and then met Anakin's gaze. “About five hours ago,” he replied grimly. “We'll be sending out a Knight to search for him shortly, as soon as we've contacted the Neskyan government to see if they have any information,” he finished. Leaning forward slightly, he said quietly, “I'm sure he's fine, Anakin.”

Anakin looked down at his hands in his lap, clenched into fists. “Of course, Master Windu,” he choked out. Obi-Wan was an able, experienced Jedi Master, and Anakin knew that if anyone could get out of a mess, Obi-Wan could. So he really shouldn't be so worried – yet he was. It was only a vague sense, but somehow he knew that something was about to be very off.

~*~

The first thing that Obi-Wan was aware of was cold. The air around him was bitingly cool in the way that it always seemed to be in space, and the floor beneath him was cold and hard. Groaning softly, he opened his eyes and sat up to see darkness. He clutched his aching head, wondering how long he'd been unconscious for. As soon as his ship had been pulled into the transport ship's hangar bay, a small projectile had broken through his ship's hatch and a cloudy white gas seeped out of it. He didn't remember anything after that, so he assumed it must've been what knocked him out.

Taking in his surroundings, he found that he was in a small, barred cell at the end of a long row of similar cells, facing a blank wall. There was virtually no light besides the dim auxiliary ones, but Obi-Wan could sense a multitude of other sentient beings in the seemingly endless row of cells nearby, almost all of them asleep. With this, Obi-Wan knew right away that he was still on the transport ship. Even from space, he had been able to sense the many frightened, weary beings that were aboard. Unfortunately, it seemed that his initial assessment had been correct: this was a slaver's ship. And now, he was on it in the worst possible way.

Obi-Wan was so focused on determining what was outside of his cell that he almost didn't hear the soft sound of footfalls inside his cell. Whirling around quickly and instinctively grabbing for his absent lightsaber, Obi-Wan relaxed somewhat as he made out the silhouette of a young human child climbing out from behind a panel in the wall.

“Hello?” came a hesitant whisper. The child came came within a few paces away of him, but then stopped abruptly. In the dim, pale orange lighting, Obi-Wan could now see that the child was a slim, fair-featured boy with large bright eyes and light wavy hair. He couldn't have been more than eight or nine, Obi-Wan guessed.

“Are you all right?” the boy continued, inching backwards slightly when no reply was immediately forthcoming.

“I appear to be, yes, thank you.” Obi-Wan replied in the same whispered tone. Apparently, it was sleep-cycle now, and he certainly didn't want to wake anyone up. “My name is Obi-Wan, may I ask yours?” he said kindly, not wanting to frighten the child. Force only knew what other roommates he had been stuck with if he had been here long.

“I'm Tylen,” the boy replied quietly.

“Don't worry, Tylen, I won't harm you,” Obi-Wan said gently. “I'm a Jedi. Can you tell me where we are?”

Tylen's eyes widened slightly, and he replied, “We're on a slaver's transport ship, its run by Togarian raiders, I think. They go around less populated areas or where they don't think anyone will be missed and take people, sometimes even out of hyperspace. I'm not sure where in the galaxy we are, though,” he added.

Much of the information didn't come as a surprise to Obi-Wan, though he nodded thoughtfully. “I see. Thank you for the information.” Obi-Wan stayed quiet then, his mind racing to find a solution, but he was distracted as he noticed Tylen stealing curious glances at him. Looking around the small cell, his gaze rested on the now-closed panel in the wall.

“Tylen,” he began, “May I ask what you're doing over there?” he inquired, pointing to the panel that the boy had emerged from.

“Um,” Tylen said nervously. “Are you really a Jedi? And do you have a lightsaber?” Tylen blurted out.

“Yes, I am a Jedi Master,” Obi-Wan replied mildly. “Though my lightsaber appears to have been taken.”

“Oh.” Tylen said, looking disappointed. “Well, I've been working on getting out of here,” he said conspiratorially, dropping his voice even lower. “And that panel over there is how I'm going to do it. And since you're a Jedi, I figure you can help me,” he said confidently. “That is, if you want to? Escape together, I mean.” he finished, some of the confidence gone.

“Certainly,” he replied easily, studying the boy in front of him. Though Tylen was just a young boy, he seemed to know what he was doing and Obi-Wan had a strong feeling that he should trust him. “Would you like to show me?” he asked, gesturing to the now-closed panel in the wall.

Tylen brightened, and began enthusiastically, “You see, this panel leads to . . .”

Chapter 4

Wake-cycle came on the transport ship, bringing with it a cacophony of grunts, moans, murmurs, and the general clattering of the other prisoners. Obi-Wan pried his eyes open and went over behind Tylen to peer outside into the corridor.

“Good morning, Tylen,” he said pleasantly. “What's all the commotion? Don't tell me its always this loud in here in the day time.” he said wryly.

Tylen jumped slightly at Obi-Wan's approach, though answered, “Oh, don't worry, it's just time to eat,” he explained. “Everyone's always anxious to eat in the morning and before going to sleep.” he shrugged. “You looked tired, so I wasn't going to wake you up until the food was here,” he said hastily.

“Of course, thank you,” Obi-Wan replied reassuringly, not wanting Tylen to think that he was upset with him for not waking him. Neither one spoke of their conversation last night, though Obi-Wan could see a hopeful spark in Tylen's eyes.

A commotion could be heard traveling down the long row of cells, and the large Togarian dispensing food soon stopped at their cell and eyed Obi-Wan with a mix of wariness and pride.

“You must be the new merchandise I heard about. A Jedi, eh?” he said smugly, looking Obi-Wan over appraisingly. “You'll fetch a nice price.” He then opened a small slot in the door and shoved two bowls inside, slamming the slot closed after. “Try not to make any trouble. Merchandise that's been . . .damaged . . . doesn't sell as well,” he said almost casually, giving Obi-Wan a menacing glare.

Tylen, by now, had backed up a few paces from the cell's door, not even having picked up his bowl. Obi-Wan, however, was not impressed by the Togarian's attempted display of dominance.

“I suppose it would be pointless to ask you to release me? I'm sure it would save us all a good deal of trouble.” Obi-Wan said mildly, focusing his calm gaze on the Togarian. As tempting as it was to try a Force suggestion, Obi-Wan knew it would be a bad idea. There were just too many people around watching.

A deep rumbling sound emanated from the Togarian's chest which Obi-Wan recognized as laughter. “Oh, I don't think so, little Jedi. Thanks for the warning, but we'll take our chances.” Still chuckling, he turned and headed back the way he had came.

This reaction was no surprise to Obi-Wan, but he'd had to at least try diplomacy before resorting to other means of escape. He picked up the two bowls their captor had left and went to sit down on the floor next to Tylen. Tylen accepted the bowl readily and dug into his food with great zeal. Obi-Wan was not so enthusiastic. He looked at the contents of his bowl dubiously, and drew back quickly as he leaned in to smell it.

Tylen glanced up at Obi-Wan over his bowl and grinned. “It's perfectly edible, in case you were wondering.” He paused for a moment between bites, “Well, maybe not perfectly.” he added thoughtfully as he shoved in another mouthful of the stuff.

It was a rancid smelling, unappetizing greenish glop, but Obi-Wan gave into his body's needs and ate it anyway. If Tylen's reaction to it was any indication, the food wasn't going to get any better.

The day passed slowly after that, with Tylen moving about with nervous energy and looking as though he wanted to climb the walls. Obi-Wan could tell that he was anxious about tonight.

“Settle down, Tylen,” he chided gently. “Wearing yourself out by being so restless isn't going to help. Focus on the moment, not what is to come,” he advised. He knew he was talking to Tylen as though he were a Jedi child, which he most definitely was not, but he supposed it couldn't be helped. Obi-Wan didn't have much experience with children, and had certainly had enough trouble with Anakin when he was younger.

At the thought of his apprentice, a pained expression flitted across Obi-Wan's face. By now, the Jedi would know that something had happened to him. And though Obi-Wan was the one who had gotten into trouble, he was worried about Anakin. The Council had probably put him on probation, and Obi-Wan fervently hoped that he wouldn't do anything foolish.

“Obi-Wan?” Tylen's voice broke through his thoughts. “Is something wrong? Is it about . . . you know?” he asked hesitantly, dropping his voice. They had decided that it would be better not to say anything about their plans for tonight, so as not to risk being overheard.

“No,” he replied, shaking his head. “I was just thinking about my apprentice,” Obi-Wan said with a sad smile.

“Ohh,” Tylen breathed. “That's right, you said you're a Master, so you must have an apprentice. Was he captured too?” he asked, suddenly worried.

“No, he's back at the Temple on Coruscant,” Obi-Wan said quietly. Tylen looked immensely relieved to hear this, and Obi-Wan suspected that the boy didn't want to have to complicate their escape with a rescue. And as much as he may have wanted to help the other slaves that were being held captive here, Obi-Wan could understand the sentiment. Their own escape would be difficult enough as it was, and Obi-Wan didn't delude himself. One man, Jedi or not, could not liberate all these people.

At the mention of the large city-planet, though, Tylen's eyes lit up. “You live on Coruscant?” he exclaimed. “What's it like there?” he asked eagerly. “If you don't mind telling me, of course,” he added quickly.

“Not at all,” Obi-Wan told him, smiling easily. Obi-Wan didn't know where Tylen was from, but he guessed that it was nearer to the outer rim than to the more central parts of the galaxy. Perhaps some interesting descriptions of Coruscant would keep the boy from climbing the walls for the rest of the day.

~*~

Shortly after the evening meal – if you could call it that – the lights dimmed, leaving the prisoners in darkness once again. Obi-Wan laid down quietly on his pallet, and motioned for Tylen to do the same. Tylen complied, and after a few minutes his breathing became slow and even, indicating he was asleep. Obi-Wan followed suit, and allowed himself to drift off to sleep briefly while they waited for the rest of the prisoners to settle down for the night.

About an hour after the rustling and murmuring had quieted, and the lights had dimmed further, Obi-Wan brought himself back to wakefulness and gently shook Tylen awake as well. The boy rubbed his eyes sleepily, but was alert almost immediately.

Silently, Obi-Wan nodded towards the panel in the wall, and Tylen nodded back enthusiastically and followed Obi-Wan over to it. They carefully removed it, revealing a two meter long tunnel that dead-ended into another panel that was led into the ship's maintenance shafts. It was, however, locked; as Tylen had told him earlier. Obi-Wan wasn't the best at hacking security systems –that was Anakin's specialty-- but this one didn't look too complicated.

A few redirected wires and shorted circuits later, the panel green-lighted and Obi-Wan was able to push it open. Now, all they had to do was make their way through the tunnels to the transport ship's hanger, sneak past any guards to Obi-Wan's ship, get the launch doors open, and hope that the slaver's didn't notice their escape and start shooting at them. Obi-Wan winced internally at this. Despite what Tylen seemed to think, escape would not be easy.

Releasing his negative thoughts into the Force, Obi-Wan turned and motioned for Tylen to join him. The boy quickly climbed into the wall, and replaced the panel behind him.

Without a look back, Obi-Wan and Tylen started crawling through the maintenance tunnels in search of freedom, guided only by the Force.

Chapter 5

Stopping at another juncture in the tunnel system, Obi-Wan stilled and concentrated on determining which way to go. Sensing a slightly different quality to the air, he turned to the right. They had been making their way through the maintenance tunnels for nearly an hour, their progress slowed by their need to be silent. They were finally nearing the hanger though, and Obi-Wan could tell that Tylen was getting anxious.

After continuing for a few more minutes, they finally came to a grate that was over the hanger. Reaching out with the Force to detect any other presences, Obi-Wan was relieved, but not surprised, to find none in the immediate area. Quietly, he eased the grate open and looked at Tylen, pointing down. Tylen nodded, and Obi-Wan leaped down to the hanger bay below, landing gracefully. Tylen looked down at him uncertainly, but Obi-Wan smiled reassuringly and gestured for him to jump. He obeyed, and his face took on an almost comical expression of surprise as Obi-Wan eased his downward descent with the Force.

Obi-Wan scanned the hanger and spied his fighter, but his gaze passed over it. As much as he didn't want to leave his ship here, it would be easier if they took one of the slaver's ship's. There were perhaps thirty ships in the hanger, most of them small, and Obi-Wan made directly for a very small one close to the launch doors, staying in the shadows. Tylen hurried after him and watched intently as Obi-Wan worked on opening the small ship's door. With a quiet beep, the locking mechanism disengaged and the door slid open.

Suddenly, a door on the far side of the hanger opened with a long grinding sound, causing Obi-Wan and Tylen to press up against the ship and freeze in place. The sound of footsteps could be heard, and they were getting closer. Obi-Wan listened carefully, and could make out two different voices.

“Are you sure you left it on the shuttle?” came a gruff bass tone.

“Yes, I'm sure,” came the snappish reply. “Just wait, will you? I'll get it.”

Obi-Wan breathed an internal sigh of relief. If they were quiet, the two would probably leave after getting whatever they'd came for. Glancing over at Tylen, Obi-Wan saw that the boy had gone pale, and was slowly inching around to the other side of the ship. An instant too late, he saw the boy's foot come into contact with a canister of lubricant on the floor. It toppled over and landed with an echoing clang that could be heard throughout the tomb-like quiet of the hanger.

The sound of footsteps, which had been retreating, stopped abruptly.

Snatching a peek around the other side of the ship, Obi-Wan could see the two ship's workers – both formidable looking Togarians – start to head in their direction. Without a word, Obi-Wan grabbed Tylen by the arm and hauled him into the ship. Not knowing if the door would make any noise as it closed, Obi-Wan left it open, and they ducked down in the tiny cockpit.

Obi-Wan tensed as the footsteps came closer, and the sound of murmuring could be heard just outside the ship. He heard a muted exclamation, and then the door to the ship was closed with a clang. Tylen's eyes widened as he looked to Obi-Wan, who held up a hand to indicate that they should wait. After a few moments, he again heard the low grinding sound of the hanger doors closing.

Letting out a small sigh of relief, Obi-Wan stood, and Tylen practically sprang up out of his seat.

“I'm sorry Obi-Wan,” he said apologetically, looking down at his hands. “I didn't mean to make noise!”

“Of course you didn't, Tylen. People make mistakes.” Obi-Wan said gently. “No harm was done.”

Actually, Obi-Wan wasn't too sure about that part. The two Togarians may have left, but he knew that if they were too suspicious then there was a chance they'd alert their superiors and the hanger would be searched. That was something they couldn't risk. Making the decision to leave immediately, Obi-Wan slid into the pilot's seat and began fiddling with the controls. He'd never been in a ship like this, though he could probably manage to pilot it without too much trouble. Still, he couldn't help but miss Anakin at a time like this.

“Sit down, Tylen, we need to get out of here now.” Obi-Wan ordered, and Tylen obediently sat down in the co-pilot's seat.

Scanning the ship's controls, Obi-Wan was relieved to find that there was a remote controller for opening the launch doors, as he'd hoped there would be. Flipping a few switches, Obi-Wan powered up the ship, and sent the signal to open the launch doors. Before they reached the doors, however, they began to close.

“Obi-Wan!” Tylen exclaimed, pointing out the viewscreen to the deck below. Sparing a glance, Obi-Wan saw Togarian slavers pouring into the hanger.

“This had better be fast.” he muttered, speeding the ship up to make it through the quickly narrowing space between the launch doors. With a sharp turn of the controls, the little ship twisted sideways and zoomed out into open space, just barely scraping through the doors on the way out.

“Wow . . .” Tylen breathed in awe. “That was amazing!” He started to unstrap himself, but Obi-Wan stopped him.

“We're not clear yet,” he said tightly, glancing towards the large transport ship. No sooner than he had spoken, the transport ship started firing at them.

“Hold on!” Obi-Wan called to Tylen. He immersed himself in the Force and let it guide him as he maneuvered the ship in a dizzying pattern of twists and turns to avoid the laser blasts. Just as they were nearly out of firing range, the small ship jolted violently and numerous alarms on the control panel lit up.

“That's not good, is it?” Tylen asked nervously, looking from the control panel to Obi-Wan.

“No, it most certainly is not.” Obi-Wan replied tensely. He didn't know if the slavers would bother to pursue them now that they were out of range, but it wasn't a chance he wanted to take. “I'm taking us into hyperspace now, sit tight,” he warned Tylen as he activated the controls. He only hoped that the hyperdrive engines hadn't been damaged by the blasts. It appeared as though they hadn't, as the stars turned into streaks of light on the viewscreen.

But their smooth ride didn't last long – after only a few seconds, they abruptly dropped out of hyperspace and the control panel was lit up in red.

“Well, it looks as though we won't be going very far in this,” Obi-Wan said with a sigh. “Let's see what our options are.” Fortunately, the navigation computer was still functional, and Obi-Wan was able to pinpoint their location.

“Well, the nav computer is working at least. It looks like we're pretty far away from just about everywhere.” he said with a frown. “Though there are a few planets that might --”

“I know where we are!” Tylen said excitedly as he peered at the screen over Obi-Wan's shoulder. “My home planet's near here!” he explained.

Obi-Wan looked at the read out doubtfully. “Tylen, are you certain? I don't think there are any human settlements around here.”

“I know,” he said cheerfully. “I was worried that those slavers might have taken me so far away from home that I'd never be able to get back, even if I did escape! I've never been so far away though, so I really do want to go home. Not that I wouldn't want to go somewhere neat like Coruscant, but . . .” he trailed off. “Ah, sorry, I must sound like I'm babbling . . .” he put his hand behind his head and looked away, reddening.

“That's quite alright, Tylen,” Obi-Wan said, regarding the youth kindly. “Its understandable that you would want to get home. Now, why don't you point it out for me, and I'll plot a course.” he said, gesturing to the display on the computer screen.

“Oh, that's all right, I know how to get there.” Tylen assured him. “Do you mind if I take the controls?” he asked, looking up at Obi-Wan hopefully.

“Are you sure you can fly us there?” Obi-Wan asked, doubtful. While Tylen did seem quite mature for his age, could he really fly this strange ship to his home planet? Letting the Force guide his judgment, Obi-Wan answered.

“Go ahead, Tylen. I trust you.” Obi-Wan slid out of the pilot's seat then and dropped gracefully into the copilot's chair as Tylen vacated it.

“Great!” Tylen said as he hopped into the pilot's seat. “I can't wait to show you my home, I know you'll love it!” he said excitedly. “I hope you can stay for awhile,” he added, his fingers moving deftly over the control panel.

“I'm sure I'll find your planet pleasant to visit.” Obi-Wan answered truthfully. Though it would probably be a small settlement, he always could appreciate the open space that was so lacking on Coruscant.

Settling back into his seat, Obi-Wan sat back and watched as Tylen skillfully maneuvered the small vessel towards their destination . . . wherever that was.

Chapter 6

Even from above, Obi-Wan could tell that Tylen's home planet was not the small backwater place that he had been expecting. As Tylen expertly maneuvered their small ship into the smoothly flowing traffic, the tall crystalline spires and bright lights of the city became visible.

“Tylen, what did you say your planet is called?” he asked, an uneasy feeling welling up in his chest.

“Oh, I didn't,” he said cheekily. “But since you're here, it's called Aurën.”

“Ah.” Obi-Wan had never heard of any planet by that name, which was surprising given how advanced this planet seemed. Though the name did sound vaguely familiar somehow . . .

“I'm sure my parents will be happy to meet you.” Tylen chattered on, oblivious to Obi-Wan's internal ponderings. “They don't mind outsiders that much, really, and I'm sure they'll be very grateful that you rescued me.”

“I'd be pleased to meet them,” Obi-Wan replied smoothly, though his internal alarms went off at the mention of 'outsiders'. He could only hope that he hadn't been brought to a xenophobic planet by a naïve child.

Tylen directed the ship to the tallest of the spires that graced the skyline, and brought them down on the landing pad which then withdrew into the structure. They came to a stop, and Tylen powered down the ship.

“Finally!” he said enthusiastically, bounding out of the ship.”Come on, Obi-Wan!” he called.

Obi-Wan followed, mildly amused by the boy's excitement. Any sense of levity vanished, though, at the sight that greeted him as he ducked out of the ship. The light, cavernous hanger was filled with all manner of ships that were so alien in design that Obi-Wan was sure that even Anakin wouldn't have recognized the technology. More worrying, though, was the eerily calm, ethereal looking group of men that met them. Obi-Wan guessed that they were security or military personnel of some type, judging by their uniforms and the staff weapons that they carried. Tylen, though, didn't seem the least bit bothered by their presence.

“Marcall!” he said gleefully, running over to greet the tall, dark haired man in the center of the group.

“Welcome home, my Prince.” Marcall replied, a smile ghosting across his fair features.

Prince. Well, that certainly explained the reception, Obi-Wan thought wryly. What had he gotten himself into?

Marcall's gaze darkened slightly as it came to rest on Obi-Wan. “And who might this be?” he asked Tylen warily.

“This is Obi-Wan Kenobi. He's a Jedi Master.” Tylen said proudly. “He helped save me from the slavers,” he explained.

“Slavers?” Marcall asked, sounding astonished. He shook his head and continued, “It would seem you've been into all kinds of trouble. Slavers, and an outsider as well?” he said as he gestured towards Obi-Wan. “Come. I'm sure His Highness and your Lady Mother will want to see you and hear all about it,” he said. He gazed at Obi-Wan coolly. “You as well, Sir Jedi.”

Tylen shot Obi-Wan a grin, and then followed after Marcall.

Without a word, a pair of guards flanked Obi-Wan, not touching him yet somehow making it clear that he should remain between them. Taking in their stone-like demeanors, he simply followed after Marcall to meet the local rulers.

Exiting the hanger, he followed his hosts --- captors? -- down a narrow, white-lit corridor with an impossibly high ceiling. They came to a stop in front of an equally high set of double doors, discretely embellished with silver lattice work.

“Wait here while I announce you.” Marcall said calmly, disappearing through the doors. Tylen, Obi-Wan noticed, looked slightly nervous now, as a child who was expecting a scolding would. They shared a brief sideways glance, and Tylen gave Obi-Wan a shy smile.

“I just know my parents will love you,” he said hopefully.

“I do hope we get along,” Obi-Wan said serenely. “Especially considering that they seem to be the rulers of this planet.” he said pointedly.

“I was going to tell you, honest, I just forgot--” Tylen began sheepishly, only to be cut off by Marcall's emergence.

“His Highness and his Lady Consort will see you now,” he told Obi-Wan formally, and gave Tylen a wink.

Obi-Wan followed Tylen and Marcall through the double doors and into an expansive chamber done silver and cream hues. Atop a small set of stairs at the far end were two elegant thrones, upon which sat an equally elegant man and woman, both clothed in flowing pale robes and adorned with jeweled head pieces..

Obi-Wan halted behind Marcall, with Tylen struggling to stay still at his side.

“Your Highness, my Lady Consort, I bring before you Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi, and the Crown Prince your son.” Marcall bowed briefly, and then disappeared behind a curtain off to the side.

Silence reigned the chamber.

“I am glad that you have returned, my son,” came the silken voice of the man on the throne. Turning his piercing blue eyes towards Obi-Wan, he said, “And welcome to our fair planet, Sir Jedi. I am King Elhosan of Aurën, and this is my Consort, Lady Daprima,” he said coolly. The woman said nothing, only tilting her head slightly in recognition. “Now tell me, Tylen, everything.”

“Yes, father.” Tylen then launched into the tale of his capture, his meeting with Obi-Wan, and their eventual escape. Tylen, it seemed, had run away to see the galaxy, but had been captured by the slavers before he had gotten too far.

“And . . . that is all.” Tylen finished, sounding a bit nervous.

“That will be all for now, Tylen. You may return to your chambers.” The monarch graced his offspring with a benevolent smile.

Tylen started to leave, but hesitated. “What about Obi-Wan?” he asked.

“It appears we owe this Jedi a debt of gratitude.” King Elhosan said with a tight smile. “Go on, my son, I will see that he is properly rewarded.”

Tylen nodded, and spared a glance at Obi-Wan as he slipped out the door. It closed behind him with a dull thud, and Obi-Wan found himself alone with the King and his Consort.

Chapter 7

“You have my thanks, Sir Jedi, for the life of my son. He has been missing for many moons, and his mother and I have been quite worried.” King Elhosan said smoothly.

Obi-Wan smiled slightly in return. “You are very welcome, Your Highness, though I can assure you that your son took an active part in our escape as well.”

“Do not discount your actions so readily, Sir Jedi. My son is resourceful, but not enough to escape slavers by himself,” the King said offhandedly. “Though you are an outsider to my people, your deed must not go unrepaid. Please, accept my hospitality and stay with us while I decide on a fitting reward,” he said, though it was clearly not a request.

“No reward is necessary, Your Highness, though I would be honored to stay the night. And do you have a communicator that I may use to contact my people?” Obi-Wan inquired politely. “They are surely wondering what has happened to me.” And hopefully wondering was all they were doing.

“Yes, of course, in the morning,” the King said, waving his hand dismissively. “Selatt?” he called.

A man with long reddish hair and smooth features appeared in the doorway and bowed. “Yes, Your Highness?”

“Show the outsider to guest chambers,” the King instructed. “I will see you for first meal tomorrow, Sir Jedi. Have a pleasant rest.” With that, the King and his Consort rose, signaling that Obi-Wan was dismissed. Obi-Wan gave a slight bow, and followed Selatt out the double doors and through a long maze of more cavernous, bright corridors.

“Your chambers, Sir Jedi.” Selatt said neutrally as he stopped in front of a large arch-shaped door at the dead-end of a hallway. He opened the door and stepped aside, motioning Obi-Wan in. “If you need anything, please contact me,” he said, pressing a small communicator into Obi-Wan's hand.

“Thank you.” Obi-Wan said graciously, and Selatt gave a small nod and then left. Finally alone, Obi-Wan surveyed his surroundings. The Palace's guest chamber was nothing if not lavish, though it had a cool air of untouchableness about it. Somewhat disconcerted by the recent course of events, Obi-Wan settled down on the floor in front of the ceiling-high windows and closed his eyes to commune with the Force.

~*~

Obi-Wan arose early the following morning, and performed a few light katas to focus himself. He was to dine with the King this morning, and though he could sense no threat from the man he still felt a vague sense of unease. At least he should be able to contact the Temple today, though he did wonder why the King hadn't allowed him to do so yesterday. Before he could consider it further, though, there was a light knock at his door.

“Come in,” Obi-Wan called softly, and the door opened to reveal the slender form of Selatt.

“His Highness and his company are ready to dine with you, now.” he said simply. “Follow me.”

Obi-Wan complied, and followed Selatt through many twists and turns of the hallways before arriving at the dining room. It was, like the rest of the royal residence, a spacious and brightly glowing room. King Elhosan was seated at a large ivory table in the center of the room, with Lady Daprima and Tylen seated to his right. A large spread of delicate fare was laid out on the table for the morning meal. Tylen gave him a little wave, and Lady Daprima graced him with a small but welcoming smile, much to his surprise.

“Good morning, Sir Jedi. I hope that you have enjoyed our hospitality thus far,” the King said as he gestured for Obi-Wan to take the chair to his left.

“I have, thank you.” Obi-Wan replied as he seated himself. The guest chambers had been comfortable . . . though his sense of uneasiness still lingered.

“Good. I shall arrange for you to see more of our fair home later,” the King replied, sounding satisfied.

“Thank you, your Highness, though while I appreciate the thought, I really do need to contact the Jedi Temple first.” Obi-Wan replied patiently. For such a closed-off society, they certainly did seem enthusiastic to introduce him to it.

“But of course. Soon, Sir Jedi.” he said dismissively.

“I am sure you will love Aurën,” came the silken, modulated tones of Lady Daprima. “Our planet is rife with natural beauty and our architecture is like you will find no where else in the galaxy,” she informed him pleasantly.

“I'm sure it is, my Lady.” Obi-Wan answered, somewhat uneasy.

After they finished their meal, King Elhosan excused Tylen and Lady Daprima and invited Obi-Wan to join him as he walked. Where they were going, Obi-Wan didn't know, though he hoped it was to somewhere with a long range communication unit.

“May I ask where we are going, Highness?” Obi-Wan inquired, glancing at the King.

“Sir Jedi, I thought long and hard last night over how to best reward you, and I have come to the conclusion that there is only one reward that is adequate enough in return for my son's life,” he said as he led Obi-Wan into a finely furnished sitting room. “Please, sit down,” he said sincerely, clasping Obi-Wan's shoulder in a friendly way.

Obi-Wan recoiled at the touch as he felt a slight, sharp sting where the King's hand had made contact. Almost immediately he was assaulted by a wave of dizziness, and a sharp pain shot through his muscles. “What have you done?” he managed as his legs buckled, bringing him to his knees.

“I am sorry, Sir Jedi, but this will be for the best.” Obi-Wan dimly registered the King's voice as his head swam and blackness tinged his vision. “There will be pain,” he said, and Obi-Wan could have sworn, in his pain-filled daze, that there was regret in his tone. Obi-Wan didn't have time to contemplate it, though, as a fiery agony ripped through his body. His senses overloaded, Obi-Wan collapsed to the floor as darkness took him.

~*~

Anakin moved gracefully across the training room floor, immersed in a kata that Master Yoda had 'suggested' that he do to help him find his center and release his negative emotions into the Force.

It had been two days since Obi-Wan had gone missing, and so far it seemed as though he had simply disappeared. Master Windu had contacted the government of Neskya, who had informed them that all had gone well and that Obi-Wan had finished his mission early, and then left to return to Coruscant. This news only disturbed Anakin further, as it meant that Obi-Wan could have been missing for more than just two days.

Though Obi-Wan was far away, Anakin was still able to take some comfort in his Master's presence through their training bond. They were so far apart that it was nothing but a muted sense of his existence, but it was something. Anakin would know if he had died, anyway.

But he didn't even want to think about that. Obi-Wan was alive, Anakin knew, but that alone did little to reassure him. No matter how many times he told himself that Obi-Wan was a Jedi Master and would do just fine on his own, Anakin still felt incredibly guilty that he had not been with his Master, and he just couldn't let go of his worry.

And that, undoubtedly, was why Master Yoda had assigned him so many katas and training exercises these past two days. But, Anakin had to admit that they did help him calm down somewhat. As he moved into the final part of his routine, though, any sense of calm he may have gained vanished as a sharp, agonizing sense of pain echoed across his bond with Obi-Wan. Gasping, he sank to his knees as he felt tears prick at the corners of his eyes. “Obi-Wan!” he choked out, his vision blurring. His Master was hurting, badly, but there was nothing that Anakin could do.

Abruptly, the pain he felt from Obi-Wan vanished, and Anakin blinked in shock at the sudden loss. The pain wasn't all that was gone . . . Obi-Wan was too. Anakin felt the soft caress of his Master's presence in his mind, and then cried out as the bond was brutally severed. Anakin had never felt such a pain as this white-hot emptiness that filled his mind. Tears streaming down his face, he fell bonelessly to the training room floor. Master Yoda's wrinkled, worried face came into view, and Anakin knew no more.

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