Chapter Six Obi-Wan came to, his head lolling up from his chest. His body felt strained, as though he’d lain in one position for too long. He expected to feel Jade pressed against him, but he was alone. Not just alone, but nowhere near his bed. He was suspended in the air, his arms and legs locked in place. Blearily, he peered through the darkened ship, then forced his voice to call out. “I know you’re there,” he slurred. “Come out, Ayani. Face me!” Ayani stepped out of the cockpit and smirked. "Face you? What are you going to do? Batter me to death with your words?" She shook her head. "That's my department." “Where is Nova?” he asked, blinking tiredly. “I want to see her. And if you’ve touched her…” "You want to see her?" Ayani stuck her hand out, and the limp form of the child floated to her arms. "Here she is," she smirked. “You…!” Obi-Wan struggled with his bonds, spit flying from his lips and his eyes wide and brimming with tears. “I’ll tear you and this damnable ship apart!” He jerked against his restraints. “You’ll beg for mercy, and I’ll not be even partly finished with you! You Sithwitch!” "There is that temper I have so missed, Kenobi." She bounced the child from one hand to the other before floating her back into the other room. "Tear me apart will you? Look who’s in the restraints. I don't think you'll be doing any tearing soon." She smirked, and Jade’s limp body floated into the room. “What have you done to them?” he asked, a tear snaking its way down his cheek and into his beard. “Are they…?” "Oh yes, Kenobi, they’re dead. Gone from your life forever." She grinned wickedly at him, a strand of her black hair falling menacingly over her face. "I told you, Kenobi, that I would destroy everything you ever loved, and I have." She tilted her head. "Your unborn child, what was her name? Amethyst, that's right. And now your wife and your other child. I'll either kill Luke or hand him over to his father." Obi-Wan’s face contorted with sorrow, but he pushed it down, holding his breath and letting in a great gasp afterward. “You have to get through me to get to Luke,” he growled, baring his teeth at her. “I’ll fight you. If I was difficult to defeat before, I am indestructible now. You’ve taken everything from me. The only thing left is for me to kill you, and I will die trying if I must, I assure you.” "Believe me, I will kill you. But if you think you're going to keep me from Luke, you're wrong. You couldn't protect your own wife and child. How can you protect the son of Skywalker?" She walked sideways, stepping over Jade’s body. "You couldn't even keep your own padawan from going to the Dark Side. How could you ever train Luke? You are a horrible master, an awful husband, and a horrific father, Kenobi," she snarled. “If anyone is horrible, awful, and horrific, it is you,” he seethed. “You’re nothing but a pawn in a game you don’t understand with motives you can’t control.” "Right, right. Destiny threw me into this game at the age of six. I've followed this path all my life, and I quite enjoy causing pain to others." She was silent for a moment. "But if your not a bad master, why did your ONLY padawan go to the Dark Side? Why didn't you save him? Why didn't you listen to him? People give you signs of going to the Dark Side. It does take a little while. And if you were a good father and husband, your wife and child would be alive. You would have gotten your family out of here, left." The ramp of her ship opened and the cool night air rushed in. “You’re right,” he said, choking on his tears and hating himself for his lack of control. “Tell me, Ayani, what was your father like? And your mother?” Tears coursed down his cheeks even as he threw these verbal daggers at her. “Would they have run straight to their doom had they known you were in danger? Would your father have thrust himself into what he knew was a trap just because there might have been a chance to save you? Would he have wept to see your limp body in the arms of the enemy?” Ayani's face hardened, and she gritted her teeth. "My mother and father would have been the first ones to push me into danger. In fact they did. Everyday. They were smugglers; they used me. Put me into danger so they wouldn't have to worry about saving their own hides." Her breathing was rigid as she continued, "they sold me at an auction when they found out I was Force sensitive and—" Ayani stopped herself as she realized she had fallen into Obi-Wan’s trap. "A good father puts his family above all else. He doesn't worry about little kids that aren't even his. Luke wouldn't have even been discovered if you hadn't went running over there." “If you had any sense, you’d know why he is so important!” Obi-Wan spat. “He is more than just ‘some little kid’. He is Anakin Skywalker’s son. He is heir to all that Anakin has slain, and he will do great things someday. I won’t fail again.” He paused. “Self-loathing of your own failure, you must understand that, Ayani. Failing once is terrible enough, and failing twice is not an option. Isn’t that why we’re here?” "Exactly why I am here. And I won’t fail twice, which means you'll be dead, and I will take Luke back to Vader and the Emperor." Ayani turned her head to Jade’s limp form and lifted her off the ground. "Say ‘goodbye’ to your wife. You won’t be seeing her again." She floated her out of the ship and let her hover over the dunes. Obi-Wan watched as Jade floated dreamily across the sand, moon and starlight glistening on her face. The hair he’d been so fond of running his fingers through fanned out beneath her as Ayani lowered her. The lips he’d kissed thousands of times were slightly parted and looked to be as empty of breath as Ayani had said. Her hands, strong with a saber yet delicate when on his skin, laid motionless at her sides. He stared at this as if it must be a mirage. “Oh, Kitten…” he sniveled. “I’m so sorry.” Ayani set Jade down on the sand and closed the ramp of her ship. She surprised herself by not turning and immediately forcing Kenobi to admit over and over how bad of a husband he had been. The tears streaming down his face were enough for her to know that she had accomplished the first part of her plan. She walked silently past him and into her cockpit, sending the ship forward and back to its landing place in the bay. Her senses were stretched back to Jade, waiting for the tranquillizer to wear off so she could put the next part of her plan into action. All the pieces were falling into place. * * * * * Jade felt stifled and suffocated. Gritty and nasty. Her head was as thick as stone, and she felt pressure on her back. Gently, she rolled onto her side, feeling a weight slide off. When she looked up, the twin suns of Tatooine glared back. She pulled her legs out of the sand, seeing that she had become half buried. How long had she been out here? Where was she? She stumbled to her feet, reeling and putting her hand to the right side of her head. Her temple pounded like a drum, and the planet tilted. She took a shaky step to her left and stood still until the ground beneath her did the same. Running her hands through her sand-caked hair, she turned and looked all about her for any kind of landmark or sign of where she might be. There was nothing but sky and dunes. “Obi!?” she called with only her echo to reply. “Obi!” Had she been sleepwalking? No, because Obi would have stopped her. He noticed when she wasn’t in bed. Besides, the hut was nowhere in sight. She couldn’t seem to recall how she’d gotten there, then a series of images flashed across her mind’s eye. A hologram of Ayani. Nova’s empty crib. Ayani’s ship. Obi-Wan’s fallen form. Her hand shot to her neck and felt the small hump of a puncture wound. “Oh no.” There was no trace of the ship or even imprints in the sand where it had landed. They’d known they were walking into a trap, but Nova had consumed their thoughts. They hadn’t cared about caution, only about finding their baby. Jade had heard her screaming… “Where are you, you piece of garbage!?” Jade suddenly shouted against the wind. She whirled in the opposite direction. “I know you’re out there!” * * * * * Ayani grinned as she felt Jade’s shouts of anger. She walked back into the area of the ship that held Obi-Wan and stopped before him. His head moved up towards her, and she unclipped her lightsaber from her belt. She saw Obi-Wan’s eyes move towards the weapon, and Ayani swung her lightsaber hilt and slammed it into Obi-Wan's head. His body went limp, his head resting on his chest. Ayani released the bonds and let Obi-Wan’s body fall to the floor. "Now the fun begins," she purred as she clipped her saber back to her belt and leaned over Obi-Wan. * * * * * Obi-Wan awoke woozily, his head pounding where Ayani had struck him. Sometime during his forced sleep, he’d been chained to the wall by his wrists and stripped to nothing but his underwear. He wasn’t sure how long he’d been out, but it didn’t feel very long. The chamber in what appeared to be the brig of her ship was too dark for him to see until his eyes adjusted. His skin felt clammy and cold, and his wrists ached and threatened to go numb. "Are we awake now, Kenobi?" Ayani grinned as she stood before him, her arms crossed against her chest. Obi-Wan jerked against the chains that held him, testing their strength. Ayani chuckled when she heard the links jangle. He glared at her and pushed his feet under him to take the strain off his arms. “You laugh,” he said. “But you can’t hold me here for long.” "You won’t be able to move before long, Kenobi." Ayani lifted her hand and twisted it. All the muscles in Obi-Wan’s body twisted with her hand. Obi-Wan gritted his teeth, refusing to shout and give her the pleasure of a reaction. It felt as though the nerves and muscles in his body were being torn from each other and set on fire. In this moment of agony, his thoughts turned to Jade. He wouldn’t fail her again… * * * * * In the wastelands, Jade wandered. She prayed the Force would lead her somewhere constructive, whether it be her hut or Ayani’s ship or to Seven… As her thoughts wandered with her steps, she felt searing pain explode up and down her body. Her knees buckled, and she fell to them, her lungs tightening from the shock to her system. As part of this pain, she felt Obi-Wan. His spirit brushed hers, and his agonized expression was painted across her consciousness. “Obi…” The strain to speak was almost enough to make her collapse. She pressed her hands into the sand and clutched handfuls, her whole body quivering. * * * * * "Feels good, doesn't it, Kenobi?" Ayani said, letting up on her grip. "You should be glad I killed your wife and daughter. I'm sure you wouldn't have wanted them to go through all this." Ayani pointed towards Obi-Wan’s shoulder and wiggled her finger. Obi-Wan’s skin bulged as his muscle was pulled forward and snapped back into place. Ayani pulled it forward again and twisted it. Obi-Wan’s neck was pulled sideways by the muscle as Ayani pulled it sideways. Obi-Wan bit into his lower lip, fighting for his body to obey his commands and resist Ayani’s games. He felt warmth dripping into his beard and realized he’d bitten too hard, yet at the same time he could not release his lip. Ayani cracked a smile and made him bite harder. * * * * * Jade’s arm collapsed under her as her shoulder twitched, then her hand shot to her mouth. The pain was unbearable for her, so how must it be for Obi-Wan? She writhed in the sand, twinges and sharp stabs flying over her relentlessly. * * * * * "Oh, what proper payment for a man who let his family die." Ayani's fist clenched together, and with one last hard bite she released Obi-Wan’s body. "Killing your daughter was far too easy. You shouldn't have left her alone in the house," Ayani smiled. Obi-Wan worked his jaw gently, then spat a gob of blood at Ayani’s boot. “You won’t win…” he said thickly. “I won’t hear you…” "Yes, you will," Ayani said, her voice not only filling the brig of the ship but also slamming into his mind. "You'll hear anything I want to tell you." Ayani took a step closer to Obi-Wan. "Horrible little child you had..." She put emphasis on the word “had”. "She screamed all the way here. Even if I had wanted to keep her alive, her cries would have been enough for me to cut out her vocal box. I ended her right after I killed your wife." Ayani smiled. "That one had a temper, very fiery. It's a wonder she ever became a Jedi in the first place with a temper like that." “Nova was a… little star…” Obi-Wan panted. He straightened and stared distantly at Ayani. “And someone like you could only dream of being the kind of woman my wife was. You are so low you are beneath the very surface of this planet.” Ayani simply raised her eyebrow, and the muscles in Obi-Wan’s right leg tightened. She pulled them from side to side and twisted them before she finally raised her hand and dropped it quickly. Obi-Wan’s leg pulled out of it's socket with an awful pop. Obi-Wan barely restrained himself from crying out loud, but the noise was contained to only a deep, rumbling groan in his chest. His stomach rolled from the pain, and he was forced to hang by his wrists to keep pressure off of his leg. “I’ve had worse,” he said, his voice soft so that he could be sure it wouldn’t crack. * * * * * A nonsensical word roared from Jade’s lungs as she wept beneath the suns. Her right leg would not move now, her body rebelling against her as Obi-Wan’s pain filled her. Along with his love, she accepted this. She pushed herself forward with her elbows, hoping his pain would not be the last of him she would feel. “I’m coming, love…” she sobbed. “Please, wait for me…” * * * * * "You Jedi, always trying to be brave," Ayani sighed. "It's a pity you just won’t resign yourself to your fate. You will die, Kenobi, though not yet. Right now I am having far to much fun with you." She plucked at different muscles as she spoke. "Think of your dead daughter, Kenobi, of your fallen wife. Think of your padawan that turned on you. Everything you worked for, he denied. Fell to the Dark Side. Add all that up, it doesn't say much for you." Ayani glared at him, and her eyes fell to his groin area, and she grinned. "Let's see how you like this, shall we?" Ayani wiggled her fingers and twisted every one of his groin muscles, watching his eyes with satisfaction as they filled with the unbearable pain. * * * * * Jade seized up, curling into a fetal position as fresh aches sliced through her. When the pain’s location sunk in, her expression darkened and tenacity took superiority over torture. Another female, who had crossed set boundaries long ago, had stepped into her most sacred territory. She would not have this. “No!” she grunted, flinging herself to her feet. She took three limping steps and halted, shutting her eyes tightly. “Oh, you little…” She let out a panting breath as something unbidden sparked at her fingertips. “I’ll rip your heart out. You hear that? Come take me on. Come and get me!” She took her lightsaber hilt from her belt and flung it to the ground. “I’ll take you Force powers against Force powers! Is that what you want!? I’ll shove my lightsaber so far up your—” She gasped as the pain surged and grew, tightening in her thighs until she could no longer stand. “His beautiful body… What are you doing to him? Just stop…” She pressed her face in the sand and pounded her fist beside it. * * * * * Ayani smirked as Jade’s screams of rage filled her mind. She was getting two birds with one stone. Obi-Wan’s face was contorted with pain, and tears fell down his face as he tried to keep in the yell of agony that rumbled in this throat. "Scream, Jedi, scream," Ayani increased the strength in which she twisted him. She pulled his muscles to the right and then twisted them upwards, making them fold over one another. She then yanked them back to the left and did the same thing on the other side. "Scream," she commanded as she began to twist the muscles in his injured leg along with his groin muscles. Obi-Wan shook all over, tears and drool dripping from his face. He was no longer able to hold his screams inside. Throwing his head back, he shouted, “JADE!” * * * * * Her spirit was rocked and torn beyond consolation. “Obi, I love you… Hear me!” * * * * * In his delirium, he thought he felt her calling back and only wept harder. Making sure the pain Obi-Wan was enduring never eased she pulled a vibroblade from her boot and floated a syringe to her with the Force. She released Obi-Wan and let him have a few moments to catch his breath. "Think of your wife, Obi-Wan, let her fill your mind. Focus on her," Ayani hissed. She watched him for a second before letting out a scream of her own and driving the virboblade through his shoulder and the syringe into his other shoulder, pushing it's contents into his body. * * * * * Jade heard one last cry fill her mind, then all of it was gone. The pain vanished. Obi-Wan’s voice was silent. There was a cold place inside her where his presence had been. This emptiness was worse than any physical torture. “Obi?” she called tentatively. She could not even brush him. He wasn’t there. Terror at the unimaginable mounted within her. “Obi?” Bring the pain back. By all means, bring it back. I prefer it. She was able to stand and did so, her legs carrying her across the sand easily. There was no trace of the hurt she’d felt moments before. Only that vacant hole. It was gaping and black and it throbbed, but the rest of her was fine. Just fine. So she kept walking, with no particular direction. She was quite aimless now. As dead as her husband’s spirit. “Oh, he’s dead,” she said gently. “Oh no. I…” She bent over and vomited, the rush almost cleansing. It cleared her head, though she felt dizzy afterward. Then, she walked on, this time weeping and wailing and cursing fate with every step. * * * * * Ayani was snarling directly in Obi-Wan’s face as she wrenched the blade free of his shoulder. He shouted, then snapped his head forward and slammed his forehead against hers. She stumbled back, actually shocked at this move. “We all have our reflexes,” Obi-Wan told her, smiling faintly. "You're strong, Kenobi, I'll give you that." She moved her hand, and the bonds released Obi-Wan. His body crumpled to the floor, and he stared up at her. He looked up at her questioningly, then shock filled his features. "Can't feel it can you, Kenobi?" Ayani grinned as she floated him into a near by cell. "The Force is gone from you. You are just a simple prisoner now." She dropped him to the ground, and he let out a gasp of pain. She locked the cell door. "Your fate as been decided." She turned and left him lying in the dark.
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