Rating: pg-13 for violence; for now
Disclaimer: Lucas owns them, though he doesn't treat them well. I don't. I make no money.
Notes: Mistress Libby helped me with this bit a long time ago in a galaxy far far away (When I was still in Ireland!) Must give credit, where credit is due.

Part 1

Belinda sat and stared helplessly while the tolgorian pirates invaded the ship. She watched them come in through the portal. Despite the men's best efforts, the ship was going to fall.

She turned, there was a blast and the bridge doors exploded inward. In came the pirates, orange fangs and claws dripping with saliva and red blood. Belinda sat and swallowed, prepared to fight to the last.

Suddenly two shadows dropped from the ventilation system. They wore loose black tunics, pants and boots. One was a human male, singularly handsome, about forty years old with midnight hair to match his clothes and icy blue eyes. The other was a shorter female with bright flaming red hair and eyes that matched her companions. They stood back to back surrounded by the pirates, crouched in a guard position.

"So boss, should we do this the easy way or the hard way?" the girl asked in an amused musical mezzo-soprano.

"Depends on if you feel like having fun or not, Tran." Came the equally musical baritone reply from the older.

"Let's start off hard and then go to easy," was her reply.

"Surrender." The pirate barked at them.

"Oh you mean you wish to surrender to us? Very well, we accept." The male said amiably as if he were talking about the weather.

"Don't be a fool." The pirate chuckled, "There is only two of you and twelve of us."

The smile on the girl, Tran, was full of mirth and something else. Something Belinda recognised in her years of piloting as dangerous and deadly. "I know it seems a tad unfair, but we will let you have the first shot."

The pirates then attacked them. Working in concert with unbelievable ease using only their fists and feet, Tran and her companion fought them off. Belinda had only seen fighting like that once before, only it was slightly different so she couldn't place it.

Then a pirate fired a blaster. In an instant there was a red glow from the hands of the male blocking the blast and sending it back to the teeth of the shooter. Seconds later the girl had a blue saber of her own out. As a team they cut down the pirates, blades humming and glowing in unison as they finished freeing the bridge.

"We'll drive the pirates back, when we signal close the blast doors and send the rest of the ship into hard vacuum." The male called

"But then the pirate's ship will be stuck onto us permanently!" Belinda cried.

"Yes," Tran said softly, "But there will be a hard vacuum between them and us. Unless of course they WANT to kill off everyone in their ship." With a wink the two dashed off down the hall driving the pirates back and back.

Belinda watched with amazement as those two worked. She had seen Jedi Knights at work before, but this was like watching a more feral style. Still efficiency personified, they fought more fluid and assassin like.

Finally she saw them drive the pirates behind the blast doors and wave to the security camera. The doors shut and they stood next to each other staring at the door together until the indicator light on the door said hard vacuum. They walked back to the bridge instep with each other.

"Captain, " Tran said smiling, "We sent off a signal just before we landed to the nearest republican cruiser for help indicating what they would see. It should be an hour, forgive us if we don't stay."

"Th.. thank you." She said almost stammering. Gah, she was fifty, she shouldn't stammer anymore.

The male's blue eyes sparkled as he bent over her hand and kissed her knuckles. "It was no problem I assure you. We happened to be in the area and needed the practice." His bangs in the front falling forward and tickling her wrist. Tran's flaming red hair was twisted up and pinned back, not a hair was disarranged. Neither of them looked as if they had broken a sweat.

"Needed the practice?" Tran mused, "Is that what you call it when you tell me to change direction in the middle of hyperspace for no damn reason?"

"Oh shaddup." He teased back, "I need to make sure you keep in shape."

"Yes boss." She replied saucily.

He swatted at her and she ducked laughing. "I could jettison you out to space yet stow-away."

"I would just like to see you try." She growled.

"They just don't make apprentices like they used to." He sighed, brushing back his hair to reveal a scar on his cheek the shape of a broken circle. "Back in my day, apprentices were respectful, prices were reasonable..."

"And space flight hadn't been invented yet." She countered as they walked to one of the few docking bays that hadn't been damaged by the invasion. Belinda saw a small ship attached to it bearing the symbol of the OffWorld mining company.

"Oh bite me." The man said as he walked in the ship and out of sight.

The girl winked at the crew on the bridge, walked in behind him and just before the doors closed the crew heard a "If you insist." Followed by a yelp.

As the ship took off Belinda got her wits together to hail them and say, "Are you two Jedi?"

There was a pause then both of them said in unison just before their ship jumped into hyperspace and communications were lost, "Not exactly."

***

Part 2

Nine Years Earlier:

She ran through the streets of Coruscant trying to escape the prison that held her. Granted she was only twelve years old today, but she couldn't stand to stay in that place a minute longer. She couldn't face the disapproving looks, the sighs of patience, the jeers and laughter. Not one more minute.

Trantis knew she was a failure, she knew she was the Temple Screw-up. Why in the name of the republic would anyone take her as an apprentice? Better to leave now in the dark without a word than asking permission to leave and having to face the halfhearted pleas to stay. Besides, she knew they would send her where THEY wanted. Not where she wanted. Was it too much to ask to be able to choose her own destiny?

She clutched her few belongings that she felt were necessary to take with her. She knew once they found her missing they would search for her. While she might be able to hide among the millions of Coruscant, she didn't want to take her chances. There were more Jedi here per capita then any other place in the republic.

She brushed the close cropped red curls out of her blue eyes once again. Gah, she hated her hair. So frizzy it looked as if she had stuck her hand on the two prongs of a power cell. She thought things would have gotten better once her chief tormentors were gone. Bruck and Obi-Wan may have been enemies as far as children can be, but they were universally united against her. But by the time Obi-Wan as out of the temple and Bruck was dead she was approaching the age to be taken as an apprentice and they set the screws in her.

With every lesson she failed she saw the disappointment and pity grow in the eyes of her teachers. Each step that she fell behind made her own small self esteem shrink just a little more. Finally she couldn't take it anymore. She decided it would be better to leave on her own power rather than being forced to and have to face a life time of 'how sad she never made it, it's probably all for the best.'

"Now neither of us will ever know." She said softly to herself. Now the big question is, where to now? "Anywhere but here." She muttered.

She reached a small landing pad and saw what looked like an industrial ship getting ready to leave. Maybe she could stow away and when she landed she could make a new life for herself. Using her ability to read the Force she darted aboard and settled herself into the cargo bay in between the large piles of boxes.

She held herself still as the ship shuddered in take off. Trantis took a deep breath and pulled out one of the few things she owned, a penny whistle. She never could release her emotions to the Force like the other students. Just sitting still never gave her a clue. So she played music, letting her emotions guide each note that she played.

She always felt more at peace when she was done, the music wrapping around her soul and ringing through it. Sometimes, she could hear the Force playing an accompaniment around her while she lost herself in the harmonic sounds.

Having dispelled her fears she suddenly felt very very sleepy. She curled into a tight ball and slipped into a sleep that may not be completely restful, but was more at peace than she ever got in the temple.

She woke up to discover she was sleeping on a bed. At first she thought that the entire thing was a dream. But the fabric beneath her felt too rich to be temple linen. She sat bolt-upright, her eyes wide open. Across from her a single overhead lamp lit an ebony desk.

The man sitting at it was singularly handsome and dressed completely in a black uniform. Loose black pants tucked into calf height boots, stiff heavy jacket with the seam running from his left shoulder down to his narrow waist. His long black hair was the same colour as his uniform. She could see he had a scar on the cheek that faced her, it was the shape of a broken circle.

He frowned in frustration as he touched a pad on the desk to control the screen in front of him, crossing one leg over the other. He then looked at her, "So," said a deep baritone voice, "You are awake at last."

She nodded, "Yes sir."

He had a bitter smile on his face, "I will say this for you childling, you have guts stowing away on my ship. Guts can take you far in this life. Far be it from me to not recognise it when I see it. So, tell me about yourself."

She looked at him steadily. For some irrational reason, she was unafraid of him. "I think you already know."

His smile deepened and changed into something a bit more real as he touched his pad again, "Observant and quick as well! Very good, you impress me more and more. And given the fact you actually left the Temple under your own power shows a clear ability to think for yourself as well as an uncommon amount of sense. Well young Trantis, I could jettison you out into space and no one would be wiser. What do you think of that?"

She decided to reply without thinking, "That would be an uncommonly stupid idea. IF I have as much potential as you say, than you would be wasting a valuable resource that basically fell into your lap."

He gave a bark of laughter, "Gods childling it's a wonder they let you out of the temple and thought you a lost cause. Sharp wits and a round ready tongue when pressed. The more I see, the more I like. Well Mistress Trantis, how would you like to have a job working for me? You see, I am also a temple failure. I feel we must help each other out. Perhaps between us we could keep each other in shape. What do you say to that?"

She cocked her head and sat on her haunches, "I would have to accept. It's a marvellous opportunity you are offering me. Besides, if I don't, you WILL jettison me!"

He threw back his head and laughed again, this time, she sensed it was genuine mirth. "Trantis, my name is Xanatos and I feel that we will get along beautifully. Yes, I feel we will get along VERY well indeed."

***

Part 3

One year after their meeting:

Xanatos was walking along the corridor wondering what had gotten into him. From the first time he saw that girl one year ago he started acting different. She attended to his needs like an obedient page. When she made a mistake he would start to draw a breath to bellow then he would look into her deep innocent very blue eyes and find that he just couldn't do it. That would be treating her like they treated her at the temple, and she deserved better.

Now he was thinking twice before he took advantage of someone, simply because he didn't want to see the look in Trantis' eyes when she found out. Trantis wasn't a fool. She probably figured out in the first few weeks who exactly he was. Probably the second he said his name. Yet she stayed by him and remained true to the light. How she managed it, he didn't know. Why she stayed was an even greater mystery to him.

At first he had convinced himself that he was just trying to earn her loyalty and undying devotion so he could have a tool to use. Now he just wasn't so sure.

He was was passing her chamber when suddenly he heart the sweetest, saddest air being played on a breathy wind instrument. Curious he opened the door. There was Tran sitting on her cot, her boots were off, along with her jacket, leaving her in the black uniform pants and loose white shirt. Her pale clear skin, thin frame and soft features presented the illusion of a porcelain doll.

She was going to be a knock out when she got older. He had to smile, her pixie like features and build would make convincing people they were related a real possibility. They wouldn't be siblings, but they could certainly be cousins.

He stood in the door way and listened to her play. It was wonderful, He didn't know she could do anything like this. It seemed to him as if she were playing completely improvisational. On a hunch he reached for the Force...

And was rocked by what was revealed to him. She was meditating, and using her music to play away her pain and release it to the Force. Gods above and below that gift was so rare there have only been half a dozen ever recorded at the temple. Suddenly he felt her half sense him in her trance. She sent the soft wonderful Force-music to wrap him in its sparking white cocoon and flood his soul. He felt some of the darkness inside him slowly drawn out and dispelled.

He stood stock still, not wanting it to end. It hurt, to have the pain go away, but it was a good hurt, much like feeling a misplaced joint being snapped into place. When she finished she looked up at him then back down at the tin whistle in her hands.

Xanatos didn't know what his expression was at that moment, but it must have been a sight. He couldn't do anything other than stagger back to his room and throw himself into his bed, shaking from head to toe.

She could save him. She really could save him and pull him back from the dark. He trembled with fear and anticipation as he thought of what she had done.

As much as the dark was seductive and gave him a lot of power, he also saw it eating away at his soul like acid and was crying out inside for a way to stop it's slow killing and warping of his soul.

She could stop it. She could end it and bring him back.

He ran a hand over his face and took a unsteady breath. Did he want to go back?

"Yes."

***

Part 4

Present: After Trantis and Xanatos leave Belinda and the prirates.

"So what now?" Tran asked as she propped her feet up on the console of the ship, top of her black jacket unbuttoned to reveal the dark blue lining and stark white shirt. She had let her burgundy-wine hair tumble free in gentle waves over her shoulders.

Xanatos, as always, promptly kicked her feet off the console with a wry smile, forcing her to sit up from her slouched position before he sat down in the pilot's chair. "We are going to Bandomeer."

She arched a delicate eyebrow, "Bandomeer? Why there? Don't we already have an operation set up in Bandomeer?"

He nodded, calling up the information on the screen. Now that he owned Offworld by default (everyone else managed to kill each other off), he could simply leave the day to day operation of the company to his board of directors while he and his private secretary kept a finger on the pulse of the company. It had taken them years but the corruption and criminal aspects of Off-world were finally being rooted out.

The Force had decided not to let them rest. With Xanatos' peculiar association with the dark side of the Force and Trantis' strange tie to the Force in general, they made an unlikely but extremely sensitive team. Now the two of them would be flying somewhere when suddenly Xanatos and Tran would feel an undeniable pull from the Force to go somewhere. The pain nearly becoming blinding unless answered. Which was what was happening when they came upon those pirates. Xanatos had a near blinding headache and Tran had a ringing in her ears until they arrived at the scene.

Xanatos sat and combed his fingers through his sable hair, bringing her thoughts back to the present. "True, but to understand why we are going there, you need to understand our history there. It wasn't exactly... ethical."

Tran nodded, this was one of the times when her master would reveal another painful piece about his past. She had no illusions that she was now the apprentice to a Jedi gone darkside. What she did know was the fact he had changed with her help and come back. Trantis knew he felt horrible about everything he did, and was now not entirely sure why he did it.

"Offworld first came to Bandomeer about nine years ago. The planet was in serious economic and environmental trouble caused by over mining. The locals determined to stay were upset with the companies who were stripping the planet bare. The companies, including Off-world, chaffed under the new restrictions the home government was putting in place. Unfortunately I was in charge of it at the time and doubly misfortunate I had tricked the Jedi into sending my former master out to mediate the negotiations."

Tran shuddered, Xanatos on Darkside with Off-world resources and former master within reach was a recipe for disaster. "What happened?"

He sighed, "In my efforts to eliminate Qui-Gon and his not-yet apprentice I attempted to blow up half the planet." He gave a quirk of a smile, "Ironically enough, my imprisonment of the not-yet apprentice in a deep sea mine had managed to teach the young whelp the information necessary to stop me."

She couldn't help but chuckle, "See Boss, there is no perfect plan. Besides you suck at being an evil overlord. Rule number 12, don't tell your enemy the one way to stop you."

He gave a quirk of a smile, "I still don't understand why you stay with me. I have just told you I attempted to kill half a billion people to seek revenge and yet you crack a joke about how I didn't succeed."

Tran stretched and put her feet right back on the console as she let her mind absorb the information about Bandomeer that flashed on the screen. Her singer's memory would allow her to digest it at her leisure.

"You were what you were then. You are what you are now. For what you are now, I stay. You are a good person and a good Master, Xanatos. You just have a bigger Darkside to fight than most people." She leaned back and called a drink for each of them to her hand with a short whistle. "Besides, who else would take the temple screw up as an apprentice?"

"You are NOT a screw up." He said firmly

"And you are NOT evil incarnate." She replied. "Now that I know the past problems, why are we going there now?"

He sighed, "Bandomeer was improving, OffWorld came back to mine there about two years ago. Six months ago, Bandomeer started backsliding. Accidents started happening in the mines, careless ones. Crime and violence escalated. To top it off, the new forest that the agricorp just made has been burnt down. Cause is unknown."

Tran winced, "Lemme guess, since offworld was the cause of troubles a decade ago and has recently come back, they are getting blamed."

He nodded, "Mostly. However there is long term rivalry between the other mines and Off-world is only a small operation compared to the others, but very rich."

"Ionite vein?" as she took a swig of the berry drink.

"Right, since accidents have also happened in Off-world mines, there is universal shouting at each other. Problem is, Off-world is the black cousin. Everyone is sure everyone else is in collusion with Off-world to take over the planet." He sighed frustrated.

She nodded, "Easy to see why. Old rivalries and hatreds die hard."

He chuckled, "Yes, well, as Off-world representatives we are to go and sit during the negotiations and assure everyone we are not here to destroy the world."

"At the same time we need to see if our operation there truly isn't involved. That means splitting up the duties. One to negotiate, one to investigate." She said mind clicking through the conclusions fast.

"Right, I am giving you full powers as proxy. You shall negotiate, I shall investigate." He replied.

She arched an eyebrow. It usually went the other way. People like talking to people in power. Secretaries had the advantage of being both in the world of high power and seeing it from the outside. Which meant she had a lot more freedom to roam about and people were more willing to talk to her. "Why? It's something about who will be at the negotiations that makes you not want to be there."

He touched a screen and an image of two people formed on the screen, "Guess who is coming to Bandomeer."

She leaned forward and winced as she read the names aloud, "Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi."

"Right."

"Oh This is going to be * FUN *"

"Bite me... OUCH!"

"Hehehehe"

"Impudent Brat."

"Arrogant Bastard."

"Oh go to hell, Whelp!"

"Gladly, it just wouldn't be the same anywhere without you."

***

Part 5

Trantis sighed as she tugged at the formal Off-world uniform, before she realized what she was doing and forced her hand to stop. The stiff black uniform was blocky and made her already slim figure nearly sexless. She had her hair pinned back into a stiff unforgiving bun that made her look professional, but made her scalp itch.

She looked at the silver off-world symbol on her shoulder and sighed foldly. Two broken circles. Very much like she and Xanatos. Alone they were broken, together something new.

This was going to be an uphill battle all the way. Trantis wasn't so sure she wanted to meet Obi-Wan again. The old fear that an old childhood bully held over her was ridiculous. She was half frightened to have him stand behind her, fearing he would burn her hair with his lightsaber again.

You can take care of him, my apprentice. You are a clever and intelligent woman with an honest face. Besides, I doubt he will look at your Off-world symbol much, he will to too interested in what is just a few inches south! She heard her master send affectionately.

She snorted, OK, master, he can stand behind me, but I hear a lightsaber activate, I am going for the femoral artery.

THAT'S more my Tran! he cheered, you have mastered flood, fire, riot, miners, near daily encounters with the nastiest creatures in this universe. Get into that negotiating room! You will eat 'em alive!

With that they stopped communications. She rarely called him master, preferring the ephitet boss or his name. She usually only called him master when she was being affectionate or cheeky, usually both.

Tran had already planned her entrance. It was one that was vaguely familiar to certain people in the room. One last breath to steady herself before she plunged unto the breech, and she tossed her head back proudly. She was the apprentice of a ex-Darkside Jedi. She had chosen her own destiny and was walking her own path. Let the Force work what it will.

She stood a bit straighter and opened the door, smiling at all of them, then looking at the crono on the wall after greeting them. "I am so sorry I am late ladies and gentlemen. My boss is a real task master. Just as I was leaving he got into his Oh-and mode. He just kept thinking of last minute things by saying "Oh and don't forget this." Tran rolled her eyes. "My boss is damn near impossible at times."

"Pardon but you are not the representative of Off-world?" a woman with golden skin asked her.

Tran smiled ruefully, "Well, yes I am. I am Trantis. My boss was immediately called away on an emergency that only HE could take care of. So I was sent on to be his proxy. This isn't the first time this has happened." She sighed.

"Really?" Qui-Gon asked her softly. Tran's internal alarms were alerted. He was watching her carefully. She finally got a good look at the legendary master for the first time.

The way Xanatos described him at times, she got the impression of someone who is more then human. What she saw was indeed a noble looking person. The nobility shown from the inside out. His long hair was streaked with enough silver to lend an air of wisdom to his visage. His broken nose showed that he was fallible, the strong tall body was that of someone still at the Zenith of his powers. He was indeed tall, and all of this combined did give off the air of someone larger then life.

But Trantis had seen a great many 'noble' people stripped of their outer confidence and calm to their basest reactions. She has seen great men and women at their lowest. One of whom was her master and trying to recover still. Out of sheer loyalty to her master, she wondered if the person before her ever cared about Xanatos as deeply as she.

In the end, it didn't matter. Xanatos was hers now. She had no rivals. Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn was just another person she was to protect Xanatos from until her proved an ally.

Tran's training in diplomacy was in the fore however and she gave no sign of her internal debate. Instead she gave a tired nod, "Unfortunately yes. That's the life of Off-world's official ruffled feather smoother. I am sorry to admit this but I am just his secretary with full powers of Proxy. His exact words were, 'you'll do fine, you've watched me do this enough.'" She cast her eyes heavenward, "I TRIED to tell him that unless he came we ran a terrible risk of offending the people at the negotiations but he just waved it off saying they would understand."

Qui-Gon looked at her deeply as she met his gaze with one of her own. This was honestly how she felt about the entire thing. She had nothing to hide. Showing a Jedi master she was intimidated by him was a sign of guilt. She felt no guilt, she should have nothing to fear. Finally he nodded, "You will do."

She smiled brightly, "Good to hear, now since this problem is bad, I vote we skip pomp and circumstance and get straight to business."

Those gathered nodded. Si-tremba looked at her, "I concur with her. The sooner we start, the sooner this can be settled."

"Sounds reasonable." Obi-Wan said from behind his master. Trantis gave him only a passing flicker of her eyes as acknowledgement. Yep. He was there. She did her best to set aside feelings of ill-will, rancor and serious doubts as to his motives.

She didn't care about what he did to her as a child anymore. In point of fact, she barely gave him a passing thought over the years as she studied and started to excel in her own right. She was growing straight and tall without his 'perfect' shadow looming over her.

Trantis felt him carefully observing her on the Force and with his eyes. Trantis gave an internal smile. Oh, he was playing her role. How the second in command often times heard more then the first did. She knew those tricks inside out and backward. She felt a small surge of power as she realized something very small but infinately important. She was every bit as good as him.

That small fact alone put the death knell on her fear of him. Anger didn't follow in it's steps. Just peace. The small child inside of her that feared the dark shadow in the corner knowing that it was only a pile of laundry. Content, it went back to sleep.

"Are we all in agreement?" Qui-Gon asked everyone and Trantis gave him and everyone else her full attention. There were nods all around. "Then let us begin. First order of business is the taxes..."

***

Part 6

At lunch Tran sat in a corner, looking out the window while she ate her sandwich. The sun glittered down on the forced growth lawn below her. There were a few cultured trees but not much else in her view. It seemed as if the only thing the planet really grew was smoke stacks.

Master? How are things going at your end? she sent softly.

Xanatos sent back a blip of exasperation. Trantis, remind me. The next time I send you to investigate something, I feel really bad about doing it. HOW you manage to wade through all these reports without getting buried under them I don't know.

Tran sent back a smile, Easy, I don't. If anything corrupt is going on, the janitors know before anyone else. Talk to them.

How do you get them to talk? he asked, They are closed mouthed.

She cocked her head, Try disguising yourself as an applicant. Upon hiring, they tell you EVERYTHING over coffee break.

She felt Xanatos nod, This will take some time. How do you get information so quickly.

Tran grinned, They are called Breasts, Master.

He laughed. Thanks a lot, my dear apprentice. I needed that. See you when the negotiations break for the day?

Yes. Please. I think I will need something stiff to drink when I get back.

One Corellian StarDestroyer coming right up. He sent with a grin then they broke off communication.

Tran closed her eyes and let the sun soak into her like a feline. She was about to slip into a catnap when she heard a soft tenor at her shoulder, "Lovely day isn't it?"

She had to concentrate to prevent herself from swallowing her lunch without properly chewing. Obi-Wan was talking to her. What was he up to? "Pretty. Makes me wonder why we aren't holding this outside. But then again, we would most likely all go sun happy and not get anything done."

She looked up as he leaned against the opposite window frame and stared at her, arms crossed. His eyes had changed from baby blue to changeable hazel. There seemed to be a perpetual frown between his eyebrows. Tran knew he had that expression only when he was reaching for the Force. If there was one thing she beat him at, it was the initiate card game tourney. She could always tell when he tasted the Force for her emotions.

He continued to watch her. She could easily see under the piles of robes he wore that his body was fine tempered and fine honed to that of a warrior. A lean, flexible one. As a fighter herself, she knew an acrobatic fighter when she saw one. He had grown up handsome, disgustingly so. Maybe she was being unfair, but she didn't see a twenty-something Jedi apprentice. She still saw the Twelve year old tormentor who switched her soap with dye so her skin turned as red as her hair.

That mischievous twinkle in his eyes didn't help much. Whenever she saw that, it usually didn't bode well for her. She had to suppress the reflex to start checking her clothing for 'kick me' signs. Finally she couldn't take it. "Doesn't that temple of yours teach you it's impolite to stare?"

He blinked at her and a corner of his mouth lifted. She growled inwardly. He was the same as he was before, convinced of his own superiority with that "I'm sooo cute and I know it" look. Now with age and sexual maturity he added a you-can't-afford-to-fuck-me smirk. Between his good looks, Charm and temple polish, he probably was able to get away with murder with women and no few men.

"I was wondering why you would choose to work for Off-world." Those carefully polished tones whispered. She could tell he was intentionally using all of his voice modulation lessons to put her at ease. Little did he know, she was wise to any and all of his tricks.

She lifted an eyebrow, "That is a loaded question if I ever heard one. Any way I answer, I end up digging myself a hole I will have to climb out of later."

He nodded and looked out the window, "True, but you are avoiding the question which in it's self is an answer."

She sighed, resisting the urge to kick out one of her legs and send him flying out the window. It was only two stories up, he was a Jedi, and he'd land on his feet. "Off-world has changed. It is not riff with criminal intent anymore."

"Or any less." He muttered softly.

Tran arched an eyebrow. "If you don't trust me because of the uniform I wear then say it straight off. Everyone else in this room has spent the entire morning doing just that so you would be no different." Stick that in your backside Kenobi! You are acting like the rest of the ignorant citizens. So much for Jedi insight.

It was true, within half an hour people were yelling at her. She did what she always did. Dealt with each accusation with a calm voice as soon as they were done yelling. Reason made their heated accusations sound ridiculous even to their own ears. Everyone broke for lunch not so much to eat, but because no one had anything to say to her anymore.

He stared at her for a few moments more while she met his teal gaze evenly. "You have done this often."

"Yes, I have. As I said, Off-world has changed, but people's opinion hasn't. Unfortunately one of the hardest things to change is a bad name. We decided the only way to do it was one person at a time. Check the public records..." she looked at him pretending to not know his name. After all, she wasn't officially introduced.

"Obi-Wan Kenobi." He replied extending a hand. She gave in a bit to her ill will and completely ignored it. Negotiations were about power. By not shaking his hand, she did not conceded he was an equal. In the negotiation arena, the appearance of power was all that mattered.

Trantis knew if it ever came to a battle here, she would win. Obi-Wan fought to impress. Trantis fought to win.

She nodded her head. "You might be surprised by what you find, *Padawan* Kenobi, People change."

With that she stood up and walked away, leaving Punk Padawan to ponder the problem.

***

Part 7

Lifting a glass to her lips, Trantis drank the relaxant down with a sigh as Xanatos undid the knots in her shoulders. "Don't make me go back there!"

He sighed, "I am sorry dear, you have to. I did find out that we are not the cause. The leader here is a great admirer of our new order and is a local himself, recently returned. Anyone under him is being fairly paid and is not overworked. It's up to you now to see the true faces within the masks."

She sighed deeply, "I would love to, but Xani, the Jedi don't believe me or trust me an inch. Every time I gain just a little credibility and trust with the rest of the negotiators, it gets dashed to pieces. It's obvious the Jedi don't trust me. How can I convince everyone else?"

He hugged her shoulders and kissed the top of her head. "Well, you prove to them you are not lying when you reveal your desire to help."

She snorted, "And how exactly would I do that?"

He ruffled her hair, "You will think of a way. As I said, you may wear the uniform of an untrusted company, but your personality and light will shine through. They will be forced to see you are a good person."

She sighed and hoped he was right. "Master," her voice going utterly serious, "Please tell me something, I need to know if I am to continue dealing with Qui-Gon Jinn. The apprentice I can handle, I know him. I don't know Qui-Gon."

He sat down opposite her and nodded, "Yes, my apprentice?" The soft lighting of their common room making his broken circle scar seem silver. His blue eyes were no more those of the half mad fallen apprentice then Trantis' are.

She screwed up her courage and asked the one question that had been taboo between them, "Why DID you turn in the first place?"

Xanatos' already pale skin went cadaverous grey. His eyes went wide. He tilted his head down to look at the floor for a few second, ebony hair almost obscuring his face. Trantis allowed him this much of a retreat. After what seemed like an eternity he spoke His voice was gravely and raw with emotion as he said "I have been trying to put that into words myself. I think it was jealousy that my master didn't love me best."

Her eyebrow arched to her hairline, "Pardon?"

Xanatos ran a hand through his hair and sat back, "When I was his apprentice I knew two things, my master was proud of my skills and that if it ever came to a decision between his duty and me, duty would win hands down. Oh he thought he loved me like a son, but in reality it was my abilities he was proud of. Everything I learned he glowed with pride at how well he was teaching me, not for how well I learned them."

She sat back and thought, "So the fault was on both your sides. He saw only a well trained puppy of sorts, you wanted more but the amount you wanted was too much. You wanted all of him."

He nodded, "I started acting out negatively, such as sabotaging that ship on the way to Telos and starting fights. Can you think why?"

Trantis felt a small glow of pride for her master. Even now, in the depth of a painful introspection of his darkest moment, he was turning this into a lesson for himself and his apprentice. She wouldn't be an apprentice to anyone else. "Attention, and maybe wake him up into thinking you are more than the sum of your lessons."

"When the mission to Telos came, I got something of shock from my father. Here was a man who was saying I came first in his life and for no other reason than the fact I was his son. I thought I found everything I was missing and was willing to do anything to have this. So I went to Crion. Partially for the love Crion offered, partially in a vain hope to make Qui-Gon Jealous."

She smiled slightly as answers clicked into place, "Both plans backfired. You found out Crion only wanted you for your strategic skills to help build his empire and you lost Qui-Gon in the process. Not only that, even when you betrayed him, he still didn't see YOU, how your starting a civil war was a rather large cry for help."

He sighed, "You are correct in that. I hope that I have learned better."

She got up and hugged his shoulders, "You have Master. Knowledge is the first step to recovery. You cannot fix the past, but you can use to present to make the future better."

He stared at her, "So quick, so willing to forgive..." He suddenly clutched her close to him, "Please don't leave me, my apprentice. I love you, not just for who you are, but for who I am when I am with you. You are doing all this by simply being yourself. You are my human credential and the only thing standing between me and darkness. I need you, far more than you need me." He was shaking profoundly as he held her.

She bent down, brushed back his silver streaked ebony hair, and kissed the broken circle on his cheek. "I won't leave you master, if that is what you wish."

He sighed and pulled her fully into his lap so he could rest his head on her shoulder. She smiled to herself. She had often wondered why they never became lovers. After all, Xanatos was a devastatingly attractive man: Lean hard body, long thick black hair with just a touch of silver at his temples, sharp features. He really had that tall, dark and brooding look down to an art. Now that she was twenty-one she had to admit, she wasn't all that bad to look at either.

Now she knew. He truly did need her more than she needed him. Their relationship was complex, master and apprentice, fallen angel and saviour, Co-workers and friends. Adding Lovers into that mix would be unnecessary and downright confusing.

She simply held him close, sending him waves of reassurance and caring over their master/apprentice bond.

"It's time." He said with a sigh. Tran stood up and let Xanatos settle himself more comfortably on the couch. Then Trantis began her nightly serenade of Xanatos, pulling out the dark that he couldn't push away himself.

***

Part 8

The empty marble gathering room at night was calming and peaceful, the soft light from the lamps outside filtering in creating a painting of light and shadow. The tall columns and patterned windows created intricate shadow paintings on the floor and walls. Trantis smiled as her eyes drank in the quiet dark. She never did like things too bright. One could hide entire armies in blinding light. Trantis preferred using the shadows to find the light.

Tired from the long day, Trantis simply let her hair down, loosened the ties on her shirt and sat in the middle of the floor. She pulled a guitar out from its case and began to play and sing, letting the Force guide her words. She reached for her master as she always did at this time of the evening and started to pull out the dark gathered there. She didn't need to be in contact with him, she just needed to pull along the bond, taking his darkness, making it her own and releasing it. Her voice and music cleaning the dark out and bringing the Force into a new harmony.

Trantis would have chuckled if the trance state she was in allowed it. She found herself singing the code in a pulse pounding rhythm. Who knew the musty old thing could have it in it. She let herself drift in the wonder of the oneness of herself and the Force. After a good hour she found herself greatly at peace. She sensed another's pain. Instinctively she reached out to sooth it away.

When the spell of her music faded to an end, she looked up and stared into the faces of Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi. They were doing wonderful impressions of landed fish. She stood up abruptly and started to walk out quickly, realising her error. Please don't let them guess, please don't let them guess she mentally chanted.

Just her damn luck they were standing in the way of the one exit out of the room. "I am so sorry for disturbing your rest gentlemen, I didn't know I was playing so loud, I will just go now.." Tran said as she tried to squeeze her way between two solid male forms.

Neither of the blasted Jedi budged. They simply blocked the door with their bodies and gave her the silent treatment.

"I don't mean to be rude," Tran said tiredly, "but I have had a long day, and would like to see my bed before the sun comes up. Excuse me."

"Trantis." She froze when Qui-Gon's lilting baritones said her name. The soft, resigned, knowing way he said her name told her: he knew. A number of colourful curses in a few obscure languages came to mind.

Of course he knew. She had just sung the damn Jedi Code to a catchy dance beat.

"Trantis," Qui-Gon whispered her name, looking into her eyes, gazing at her soul. Tran pulled her shields tighter as she felt him weighing her against some unknown standard.

"You already said that," she ventured.

"You are a Jedi." Not a question, but Tran answered anyway.

"The verb tense is wrong. The operative word should be 'was'. I left years ago, when I was an Initiate. Didn't much care for the life." She spared a chilling glance for Obi-Wan, and tried to get past them again.

Obi-Wan let loose a string of curses that shamed even Tran's mental litany, and would likely get him an ungodly lecture from his master later on. In point of fact, Tran took some mental notes on the vocabulary. Xanatos would really appreciate the one about the Toydarian - Hutt cross mating. Tran smiled sweetly.

"That's right, Oafy-Wan, Little Frizzy Hair grew up."

He simply stared at her, "Why did you leave? You left because of me?"

"In a round-about way... yes Oafy, it was because of you, and Bruck and the rest of the teachers at the temple. I left because I wanted to chose my destiny rather than have it chosen for me."

"Chosen for you?" he asked curiously

She sighed, "Damn your memory is short, have you forgotten that if you aren't chosen as a padawan the temple sends you where they see fit. For you, that place was going to be here. I wanted to go find mine. I didn't care if I died in a ditch, at least it would have been MY choice."

"And that choice lead you to Off-world?" Obi-Wan asked almost accusingly.

"You say that like it's a bad thing." she continued chuckling

Obi-Wan looked like he was about to make yet another very un-Jedi like comment, when Qui-Gon interrupted. "Enough," he said in an even voice. "Trantis, you have a very unusual talent with the Force. You obviously have been using it for some time. Why didn't you return to the Temple when you discovered it? The Council would have accepted you back."

Tran snorted. "Accepted? You make it sound like I took a short sabbatical."

A small muscle on the side of Qui-Gon's forehead jumped ever so slightly. Trantis never thought it could be so much fun to annoy a Jedi. "Either way," he continued, "they would not have turned you away. Only a small handful of Jedi have ever had the same ability."

"Uh-huh," Tran nodded, obviously not agreeing with him, "just like they listened and cared when I first began to show my ability when I was 7 years old?"

Tran sensed a very amused presence in the back of her mind. Are you enjoying this, Master? She sent softly.

She felt the brush of Xanatos' mind on hers through their bond. Immensely, m'dear. Please, do continue.

She rubbed the bridge of her nose. "Look, I am in no mood to be discussing the saintly Jedi Order and its all-knowing Council members, who NEVER make mistakes. In point of fact, all I AM in the mood for right now, is bed. Goodnight."

And with a judicious surprise move with the Force, Tran managed to finally part the wall of male muscle enough to get by. Damn, bed was looking good. She glided past them completely ignoring their calls to her.

However Trantis didn't count on the Jedi ganging up on her. No sooner was she a few feet down that hall than Obi-Wan flipped over her head and blocked her from the front as Qui-Gon blocked her retreat.

The Jedi are cheating bastards every single one of them Xanatos said.

Qui-Gon walked towards her, "Why exactly did you leave?"

She clenched her jaw, "Look, I was a failure according to the teachers. Obi-Wan could confirm that. I was the universe's worst initiate."

Obi-Wan looked away from her as she pointed at him, "It was true. You were very bad."

She snorted, "Yeah, well, on my twelfth birthday I decided to leave. I knew I wasn't going to ever master the training they were giving me. So I left and I came to realize that I was not horrifying, I was just different."

Qui-Gon stared at her, "You obviously improved significantly."

She smiled, "Just because I left the temple didn't mean I couldn't keep learning. I decided that there was no training available for me. So we bloody well INVENTED the training."

"We?" Obi-Wan caught. "WHO is we?"

Her heart stopped, only years of diplomatic training stopped it from showing on her body, face or shields. Aw *&^%... May the Sith fly away with Master Yoda. Xanatos muttered in her mind and she concurred with that statement. He wasn't angry at her, she could tell. He knew she could talk her way out of just about anything.

She straightened up, Xani stick with me on this. I am going to tell half truths. "Yes, we. I am not entirely without friends. My friends helped me by setting up obstacle courses and such, same as the temple and let me figure out my OWN WAY of getting through them."

"Friends?" Qui-Gon asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Other Temple washouts?" Obi-Wan added

Tran made a point of ignoring Obi-Wan.

"Yes, friends," she said very slowly, as though explaining to a child. "People who helped me. My new family. You might know what they are if you had them."

Qui-Gon seemed to be as close to getting a headache as ever a Jedi Master does, "Who, exactly were these friends?"

She rolled her eyes, "Off-world is like a family now. Ask anyone who works for us, our co-workers are also the people who babysit each other's kids at company picnics."

She groaned inwardly. Geeze you'd think by now he'd realize he isn't going to get any information out of me.

Xanatos merely chuckled. Darling, not only do they not HAVE a clue, they actually repel them.

She chuckled. Thanks sweetie, I needed that

Obi-Wan persisted, "Are they other temple washouts?"

"I didn't wash out. I quit, there is a difference Obi-Wan."

"No there isn't"

She whistled a high pitched note and suddenly Obi-Wan was snapped upside down as if he was caught in a snare. He hung there stunned at her speed and skill with the Force. "Yes, there is." She replied calmly

With a Jedi suspended in mid air, she floated him gently out of the way and tossed him none too gently into his master. By the time they got themselves disentangled she has sped out of there on Force enhanced speed.

***

Part 9

She hoped by the time she arrived home Xanatos would have stopped laughing.

She was wrong.

He was still lying on the floor laughing his ass off. She pointedly ignored her hysterical master to grab a berry drink out of the fridge and sit down huffily on the couch.

He rolled over onto his side and propped himself up by his elbow. He looked at her, cobalt blue eyes sparkling with mischief. "He likes you."

"I beg your pardon?" she said softly

Xanatos chuckled, "Obi-Wan. He likes you, he has liked you for some time."

Trantis looked at her master as if he had grown horns, "Are you on Spice?"

The evil grin on his features never did bode well for her. "You like him too."

Now her jaw dropped, "Xani!"

"I think my lady doth protest too much." He teased tossing a pillow at her.

She stared at her master helplessly, "Master, what are you on and where can I get some?"

He chuckled, "He is male. I was once a little boy. I constantly stole the puff cake of the girl I had a crush on."

"He burnt my hair."

"Now he is also trying to get your attention by flirting with you. I've seen him through your eyes opening doors for you and assisting you to your seat." He chuckled

"He burnt my hair," she repeated.

"My, are we holding a grudge?" he asked softly, "How very un-Jedi like."

She tossed a pillow at him which he batted away laughingly, "In case you have forgotten I am not a Jedi and neither are you. I can hold a grudge if I bloody well feel like it." She slouched on the couch and crossed her arms over her chest. She did her best imitation of a petulant six year old.

He chuckled, they both knew she couldn't hate anyone or anything. He simply looked outside and sighed, "Feel like some saber practice? It will help work out some aggression."

She sighed and nodded, "Thanks Xani, don't know what I would do without you."

"Live a quiet, peaceful life perhaps?" he chuckled in his cultured baritone as they got up to change for practice.

"Yeah, imagine how fardling awful that would be!"

***

Qui-Gon looked at Obi-Wan as they walked into the Off-World Corperation headquarters. They had to admit, the atmosphere that hit them as they walked in was much different then that of years past. Instead of it being cold, sterile and efficient to the point of chilling they got the sense of a community atmosphere Off to one side were a couple of workers chattering over holos of their children.

They were lead into the office of the production manager, which was a clutter with plasti-films, datacrons and some weird tools. After a few minutes a balding man in his fifties walked in. "Sorry about the delay, Number three back up generator was on the fritz, had to convince the repair crew to get it working NOW."

"What is so urgent about getting it working if it's a back up?" Obi-Wan asked

The old man looked down his nose at the young Jedi, "They have to be ready to work efficiently at all times, that is why they are called emergency back-ups. I really don't want to tell my wife her brother and nephews died because I didn't feel like fixing the back up generator today."

Obi-Wan sufficiently rebuked fell silent. Qui-Gon coughed, "We wish to get in contact with Trantis."

The man laughed, "Don't we all. Nice girl with a damn good head on her shoulders. Well you can leave the information with me and I can send it to her in the morning."

"Oh no, we need to speak to her in person. You probably know where she is so was can find her." Obi-Wan spoke up.

The man shook his head, "Sorry lads, I would like to help you but I am under specific orders to keep her location secret. She's working hard for us, it's the least we can do." As he spoke both Jedi saw in his mind where the girl was staying. In a ship just out side of the city.

The Jedi got up a bowed, "Sorry to disturb you." Qui-Gon said softly.

The man chuckled, "Can't blame you for trying!" Then looked at Obi-Wan with a conspiratorial stage whisper that could be heard fifty feet away, "Most miners your age have been chasing her without success. Good luck to ye lad!"

Obi-Wan had the good graces to blush.

***

Part 10

Qui-Gon ran lightly through the underbrush keeping his movements as silent as possible. The Sun had already dipped below the horizon creating a world of ever growing shadows and dusky colors. The Low shrubs and rocky dry land provided cover for him to dash along in. Obi-Wan was back fifty feet away keeping watch for intruders. The Ship was a fair sized sleek vessel, well armed but not obnoxiously so. It was typical of any executive ship with it's sleek prow and company symbol. As he approached the ship he heard the unmistakeable hum and clash of lightsabers locked in ferocious battle.

He peered through the bushes in the growing darkness and made out the figure of Trantis wielding a glowing blue lightsaber against a red in the hands of a cloaked figure. Her hair was tied back and plaited so it was out of her way. She was poetry in motion, movements flowing smoothly from one position to the next. She wasn't given to too many aerobatics manoeuvres like Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan seemed to love sending his body flinging into mid-air. She simply did it to surprise her opponent, but then again she was rolling on the ground as much as she was in the air.

As a trainer of the art, Qui-Gon had to admit when he saw an excellent pupil. Trantis, like Obi-Wan was a natural. She moved like she had been born with a lightsaber in her hand. Who ever it was that was teaching her, as the cloaked figure appeared to be, they were doing an excellent job. Trantis was a joy to watch. In a way, he itched to get up there and spar against her himself. Her style was new to him and he wanted to learn as much about it as he could.

This would be exactly like any training session he ever had with Obi-Wan except for two things. First, was the metronome in the corning, clicking out a steady pulse. Second, she seemed to keep a constant quiet hum going in the back of her throat, the exact note as her lightsaber.

Qui-Gon extended himself on the Force to her and could only sense her reaching for the light in her peculiar way. After she finished Telonian Defense against the cloaked figure, they stopped and bowed to each other.

"Good!" came a vaguely familiar voice, "VERY good."

They de-activated their sabers and clipped them to their belts. The cloaked figure stepped into the moonlight and Qui-Gon's heart froze as the girl beamed at Xanatos and said, "Thank you Master!" She glowed like a pupil that has just impressed their favourite but demanding teacher.

Xanatos stalked around the girl one hand rubbing his chin in contemplation. "You have forgotten one thing though."

She looked at him curiously, "And that was?"

"This." He said then he burst into a grin and attacked her ribs with his fingers. The girl shrieked in laughter and collapsed onto the ground. Xanatos dove after her and the shrubs blocked Qui-Gon's view. There was some rustling as this conversation was heard between soprano giggles and baritone laughter.

"You CHEATED" Xanatos cried sputtering in mock indignity. "You aren't supposed to use a Force palm to tickle someone!"

"No such thing as cheating!" Trantis countered saucily. "You are just saying that since you didn't think to do it first."

"YIELD YIELD!" he sputtered. They went still, panting for breath. Finally there was a growl heard and Xanatos groaned, "Food."

"Sounds like a plan." The girl said. "Come on Old man, let's rustle up some grub."

"Old man?" Xanatos said ominously. Suddenly there was another shriek of laughter and Qui-Gon saw his former apprentice had Trantis tossed over his shoulder like a sack of grain, "I'll show you who is old." With that Xanatos carried her into the ship, Trantis cackling in delight over his shoulder behind him.

For a long moment, Qui-Gon stayed frozen to the spot, staring at the ship in front of him. Then, he closed his eyes as he tried to calm the maelstrom of emotions within.

He remember doing that with Xanatos. After the young man had mastered a kata that was giving him particular trouble, Qui-Gon had tickled the lad mercilessly. Xanatos had yielded then as well. The look in Xanatos' eyes then was much the same as the one Tran held as she was carried into the ship. Full of light and laughter...

His com link crackled to life. "Master?" Obi-Wan's voice carried his concern.

"I'm alright, Obi-Wan," he said, after a moment.

"Do you need me, Master?" The voice on the other side was disturbed.

"NO!" Qui-Gon said, a touch too loudly. "No," he amended hastily, "I am returning now."

"Yes Master," Obi-Wan said, though Qui-Gon could tell that his apprentice did not like it.

Qui-Gon replaced the comm link in the folds of his robes, and slowly turned to retrace his steps. He was unable to help the last glance to the ship. Xanatos' ship. Xanatos.

After all these years, that name still drove a small spike of ice through Qui-Gon's heart. With a start, Qui-Gon realized it had been years since he had spared more than a passing thought to his former apprentice. To the young man who had been responsible for countless deaths over the years, countless deaths that could have been prevented, if Qui-Gon had only done his duty all those years ago.

It was a Jedi Master's dreaded duty to fulfil. That duty Qui-Gon had neglected, and shoved away in a moment of cowardice when Qui-Gon had stopped being a Jedi, and became a heartbroken old man. This duty, this unwritten portion of Jedi Code, the most solemn part of a Master's job, was to kill an apprentice who has turned.

It happened so rarely, that the issue rarely came up. Or perhaps other Masters were better at creating 'accidents.' But Qui-Gon found, in that perfect moment when Xanatos had confidently turned his back, he could not. He could not kill the young man he had loved as a son for so long.

And now Xanatos held the life, the very soul, of yet another innocent in his hands.

Qui-Gon's stride lengthened as he nodded once to himself. He would not allow Xanatos to harm another innocent, if it took the very breath in Qui-Gon's body.

***

Part 11

Trantis groaned as shifted to keep her legs from going numb as she knelt on the pillow at the low table for negotiations. Nearly six weeks into the whole ordeal and anger between everyone was getting worse, not better. She managed to keep her head while all those about her lost theirs at one time or another.

Now was the worst problem yet. The Agricorp had received a bomb threat. Of all the members at the table, the Agricorp was the only one not suspected of being the bombers since their welfare depended on how well the mines went. While investigators combed the Agricorp, the table erupted into dissension and Chaos. Qui-Gon had sent his apprentice out to investigate and kept the leaders at the table to prevent them from knifing another in the back.

Trantis mostly kept quiet while everyone yelled and pointed fingers. Suddenly she heard the ringing in her ears. Just out of range at first but quickly getting louder.

Master? she sent quickly.

She felt his headache as soon as she connected with him. My apprentice... all is not right. They have searched the Agricorp twice over. I don't...

Suddenly Tran heard herself say as the ringing got louder and louder, "The agricorp would have found it by now."

As she prayed... someone else came to the next conclusion, "Yes... that mean..." Clat-ha said putting a hand to her mouth, "It's.... in one of ours!"

Trantis watched as the room cleared. The general chaos that ensued of leaders making frantic calls to their own mines would have been amusing under different circumstances. Only three stayed. Trantis sat frozen, her eyes shut as she tried to get a sense of what the ringing was trying to tell her. The two Jedi, carefully watching Trantis

"What do you sense Tran?" Qui-Gon whispered. She could sense him trying to see how she worked as well as try and guide her. The sense of his Force presence nearby as an anchor was incredible. It brought the pitch if not the volume of the ringing in her ears down to something reasonable.

Tran listened, The ringing got louder and louder. It was like trying to identify a tune that was just out of hearing range. An exercise in frustration it was. Qui-Gon, much to her chagrin, proved to be a very good anchor. She felt his calm and rested on it. Obi-Wan was there, a bit further away. She imagined them as a kind of antenna, picking up the signal. Just a little more... more...

Suddenly she felt the undeniable pull. One that made her deaf and blind to anything except the need to answer the calling. She was on her feet and moving before she knew what was happening. She sensed that Xanatos too had connected and was also on the move. Two minds with one thought. Master and Apprentice.

She didn't know where she was running, her body just obeyed the pull. She could vaguely sense the Jedi following her as she leapt from roof top to roof top. Finally she landed at the entrance to the Home mine. Without a second thought she burst through the gates and made it to the reception area.

"Evacuate the mine. The tunnels will blow in ten minutes." She said.

The receptionist paled at the sight of her. Trantis didn't know what the toydarian saw in her. "Ma'am, forgive me but I don't...."

"DON'T THINK. Just make it happen!" Tran said and picked up her dead run again. The pull was getting worse. Not much more time.

Why Oh Why can't the Force give us more warning? A Week and a half would be nice. Xanatos asked. She could feel him most of the way into the mines already. He was taking a droid service tunnel. Trantis didn't want to block a lift going up for evacuees, so she ran down an entrance to one as well.

She didn't pay much heed to the men behind her. She simply followed the insistent tug. Upon reaching the bottom she ran for what seemed like entirely too long. Finally she felt the ringing came to a sudden stop.

Trantis was there. She blinked at the large cavernous area. It was the size of a big arena, only with a seemingly bottomless pit between her and the other side. The abyss yawned at least a fifty feet across. There was a cluster of men pointing to something and screaming. Trantis looked at the destroyed wreckage on either side and concluded that the bridge was out.

She turned to see Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon also assessing the situation. Trantis whirled around the room and saw that familiar dark shadow climbing along the side of the wall nearest the miners.

I can take care of the Bomb. You get these people out. Xanatos seemed completely unaware of who her company was.

Tran nodded, "You guys know where the bomb is?" The miners on the other side nodded and looked rather frightened. Tran smiled as she saw the dark creeping shadow on the wall glide down to the ground and listen.

"Lady..." Called one of the Miners, "We have found it. It's four tunnels down." The Dark shadow ran off down the tunnel.

Trantis smiled and sent, See Master, no knowledge is ever wasted. Your training in all things illegal has helped.

Shut up, stow away.

"Why didn't you call anyone?" Tran shouted back as she searched the area for a rope, anything.

"Communications are down. We've got... five minutes." Piped up someone paniced on the side.

Qui-Gon touched her shoulder, "I can diffuse the bomb."

She shook her head, "Unless you can jump father then any Jedi had jumped before, that is a moot point. But there is no need, it won't go off."

"How do you..." Obi-Wan started.

"It WON'T" She emphasised. Best not to think about the alternative.

She looked around, rope, line.. anyth... her eyes suddenly fell upon a column that looked as if it was of a different type of rock then the rest of the cavern. "What kind of rock is this?"

"It's Iron-rock. Useless, can't be made into anything. Hard as Sith to grind through." One of the Miners groused.

Trantis looked a the Jedi as she said, "Will it shatter if we tip it over and make a bridge?"

She heard the "No" from the Miners and she grinned at the Jedi. "I climb, you Jedi use those nifty lightsabers and fell this tree."

"What will you do?" Obi-Wan asked

Trantis had pulled off her Off-world cloak and had swung it around the base of the giant 'tree.' "Cut the top free." She said as she started to climb logger style up the column. When she reached the thinner top she saw the Jedi cutting a wedge in the direction of the abyss. Tran spared one hand to keep her up there, the other she turned on her own blue saber and cut a straight line across the top. She didn't spare a thought for what would happen when the Jedi found her with a lightsaber. All that mattered was the Miners.

She finished her cut and looked down to see the just finishing their wedge. She didn't have time. The space left from the evaporation of the material the saber cut was enough to start the whole process. There was a mighty crack and a small wobble. For a panicked horrifying moment, Trantis thought the mighty column would tilt the wrong way and mash her into the stone below, making all their work for naught. The Jedi below Force pushed the wedge they cut away from the base. Trantis gripped the stone and Force pushed the column the correct direction.

The Ride wasn't smooth. Tran lost her grip of the stone under her palms at some point and began to free fall. She saw she was going to fall into the blackness of the pit.

NO! came a scream in her mind. A bright flare and she felt where her master was. In pure desperation she reached for him trying to make her trajectory adjust. At the same time, she felt her master's Force abilities grip her. The sensation was much the same as that of suddenly feeling a hook catch a wire of a zip line and she was streaking over the heads of the astonished Miners and right into Xanatos' waiting arms.

He caught her easily, taking the impact of her landing. When they both hit the ground, Xanatos suddenly twisted so his body was on top of hers, protecting her. The Cavern gave a mighty rumble and she heard many rocks falling. Apparently the pillar they cut was part of the caverns support.

Finally the earth stopped groaning and Xanatos slowly let her up. "Are you alright?" he asked frantically checking her for wounds.

"Yes, yes I am fine. The Bomb? You?" She asked

he smiled, "It's diffused and I am well. Come on... Get up and see the damage. I'll hide here in case you need me."

Trantis got up and coughed as she surveyed what happened. It looked as if the only part the collapsed was directly where the column was and over the abyss. Nothing else. She called "Everyone alright?"

The Miners slowly got up and counted themselves. Trantis could just make out Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan on the other side of the dust. After the miners said they were all present and accounted for then slowly started to approach the newly made bridge.

One miner approached her before he crossed over. "Lady... you got balls of solid rock."

Trantis grinned at him, "yeah, and a hard head as well." With Obi-Wan in the middle of the bridge, Tran at the miner end and Qui-Gon at the other they led the Miners safely across. The medical teams by then had arrived and were treating the wounded miners and Jedi. Qui-Gon had apparently taken several small rocks to the body while protecting his apprentice from harm during the cave in.

Tran watched all those gathered on the other side and stood next to her shadow.

"We were lucky." Xanatos whispered.

Trantis nodded, "it isn't any mining groups is it?"

"No, it's another group that wants us all out." He replied. "I... I thought I was going to lose you. Don't ever do that to me again."

Trantis turned to her shadow and smirked, "Master, I promise, next dangerous situation that happens, I will sit at the hotel and order room service while you go get yourself killed."

"Good." He replied with a smirk. Then they stepped forward and hugged each other close.

***

Obi-Wan looked over his shoulder at the dark shadow that seemed to cover Trantis for a good while. He felt an irrational desire to run over there and snatch the girl from the shadow that embraced her.

"Peace Obi-Wan." Qui-Gon said softly while touching Obi-Wan's shoulder.

"She shouldn't be with him." Obi-Wan spat bitterly

"I know." Qui-Gon whispered sadly

"There is good in her." He whispered. "You saw how she risked her life for those miners."

Qui-Gon nodded, "I know padawan. She's something special. It is... unfortunate she's been under Xanatos' influence for so long. Her loyalty to him is blind. How she kept to the light I don't think any of us will ever know."

Obi-Wan looked up at Qui-Gon as he dressed his master's wounds, his eyes were shifting and undefinable blue-green in worry. "What do we do master? We can't leave her with him. I refuse to leave her with him."

Qui-Gon smiled slightly. "The council has given me permission to aid her. It's dangerous to leave her in Xanatos' hands."

Obi-Wan blinked, "What do you mean?"

Qui-Gon sat back and let his apprentice heal his leg, "From what I have seen, she's nearly done with her training. Knights with her special gift reach the final stage of training when she can produce a mass mind effect to anyone within earshot of her voice. She could influence the thoughts of millions of people if they are gathered near her."

Obi-Wan paled, "So... if she develops this ability, it could cause Xanatos to become one of the most powerful men in the galaxy."

Qui-Gon nodded, "That would not be a good thing as you can see."

Obi-Wan's hands twitched on the bandages, "What do we do master?"

"Try to see if she will come with us willingly. Else..." Qui-Gon trailed off and stared at the dark figures hugging. Trantis's face a stark white against the blackness that enfolded her.

Obi-Wan nodded in understanding. Two minds with one thought.

***

Part 12

Trantis arrived at negotiations the next day utterly exhausted. Her hair was slightly disarranged from the run she took to get there on time, her dress uniform was wrinkled and at sixes and sevens. In short she looked awful.

Trantis wasn't the only one looking like death warmed over. After the incident in the home mines the situation went from bad to worse. The fact she was the one who "found" the bomb simply lead the other negotiators to believe she planted the thing. Any facts that she presented to defend herself were simply twisted around into their own side. She spent the entire night defending her innocence and those in her company.

Only the Jedi kept those at the table from outright killing her. There was no true evidence against her and the investigation was still ongoing as they pointed out. It was a late session for all of them. It ended with Qui-Gon, for the first time any of them had seen, raising his voice to cut through the shouting.

He only said on word, "enough." Once stunned silence prevailed, he told everyone to go to bed. Everyone had left silently, numb with shock over the events of the day. It was a good thing he called it then. Trantis was about three minutes from tears.

Trantis showed up on time the next day, shaken, exhausted, but ready for round two. She knew if she didn't show up at this negotiation, she was essentially conceding her guilt. It was the only reason why she showed, despite her exhaustion and sleeplessness that night.

She didn't like Obi-Wan, but she could have kissed him when he kept the entire table supplied with an endless flow of Stimu-drinks and snacks. The first wiff of a carafe of Caf and she was fully prepared to offer him sexual favours in order to get it.

Thankfully, there was no need for her to make that offer since he just placed the carafe directly in front of her and gave her a ghost of an encouraging smile. Tran wouldn't have even bothered with the ceremony of a cup if it weren't for the fact the other negotiators wanted some.

After spending half the morning getting the last accusations out of her, the home mine investigators came out with a report indicating that anyone in Off-world could not have possibly have done it. It took the wind completely out of anyone's sails. Everyone knew that people were LOOKING for a way to blame off world. Qui-Gon had been the first to speak and ask that the topic be changed to something useful, such as how to prevent this from happening in the future.

"...I still don't like the idea." One negotiator said from the home mine. "Inspections by each other!"

Tran's patience snapped. She had had enough, "Fine, let's try this. Outside party inspects all of us and investigates all accidents. Someone who doesn't give a damn if we live or die. That would either be Gala or the Hutts. Take your pick."

Everyone in the room was shocked. All the time that they have been negotiating, Trantis of Off-World corperation had never... ever lost her temper, even while others lost theirs.

"I could live with that, but how would we pay for this?" Si Tremba asked

"We would all split the cost." The Homeworld mine owner said.

"That is more than we can afford." Agri-corp rep said softly

Tran did not offer to pay for the entire thing, she could and had the authority, but they would not trust the people. She sighed, "Look, it seems clear to me that you all are blaming my company and no amount of evidence or logic is going to change that. What would make all of you happy?"

"Leave." Si Tremba muttered so softly, he probably thought no one could hear him.

Trantis blinked. That would do it. Master? Have I authority to shut down the mine until what is happening here is sorted out?

He blinked, he saw what she was doing. If they completely pulled out, no one would be looking for them to continue the investigation. After all, what had they to gain by staying after their company pulled out? Nothing. Those responsible would forget them and concentrate on the others. You do now.

"You got it." She replied swiftly.

"What?" all eyes turned on her. Utter shock in all the eyes of the beings at the table.

She shrugged as casually as she could, but inside she was laughing with glee. She thought the sheer act of keeping her voice calm and her face serious was an acting job worthy of the holos. Oh Force she'd be lying if she didn't admit to enjoying this. "You want me to leave, I will. Provided those in my company that wish to stay on planet will be given a job in their speciality with other mines. Fair enough?"

Everyone's eyes popped out of their heads. She guessed no one would have thought that Off World would willingly leave a profitable endeavour. Obi-Wan looked as if he had lost all control of his jaw muscles. Qui-Gon had an expression that distinctly reminded her of a landed fish. Their eyes were a matched set of bright, shocked, and glazed over blue.

She gave the sweetest and most charming smile she could. "If there were flies around, you all would make a Nal Hutta Frog envious."

There was an audible snap as seven mouths clamped shut, including those of the Jedi. "We.." the Homeworld mine started, "We meant no offence."

Trantis had to suppress laugh. Even thought every single one of the Mine companies hated her company with a passion that would brook no denial, it was also part envy. They knew she had the resources to undercut their sales by selling her minerals at a loss until she drove them completely out of business. Then she could purchase them and leave them out to dry. The mines here were so small that the republic's anti trust laws wouldn't even blink.

Trantis smiled as disarmingly as she could. When she next spoke, it was with sincere honestly and without the negotiation mask."None taken. Frankly, I am relieved. If we go, and we are indeed the cause, the troubles should stop. The costs of security were getting ridiculously expensive and in a few months we would have fallen below profit margin. Just give us a week and we will be out of everyone's hair. We will keep the property in case we are ever welcomed back to Bandomeer."

"Pardon me," The agricorp representative piped up, "But what are you going to do about your donations to our fund?"

Trantis had to suppress an evil cackle. Master, I think I am going to enjoy this she sent,does this mean I am evil?

Love, go for it Xanatos whispered with a trace of laughter lacing his mind-voice. Teach them to be careful for what they ask for, they just might get it.

Trantis smiled slightly, "All our donations to the various funds on Bandomeer are based off of a percentage of what we earn here. If we are not here, we have no percentage to donate. Besides, we cannot very well keep sending money here for no reason. After all, you wanted to be completely free of our influence, which includes our donations to improve this planet. It will be like we were never here."

Everyone paled slightly. Off-world's donations to places were considerable. It would indeed be a great loss. They swallowed as she packed everything up and started entering information into her datapads.

"You... you aren't serious are you?" asked Obi-Wan in shock. Apparently everyone thought it was a bluff.

She smiled at all of them pleasantly, "Of course. You say in the best interest of the planet, off-world and all it's influence should be off this planet. So, I will pull everything out." She finished typing into her data pad and sent off the information. "There, done, orders are sent, my mine supers should be starting to get things packing. Now ladies and Gentleman perhaps we should discuss my leaving Bandomeer. After all, I don't intend on leaving this planet a mess when we leave."

***

"How are you feeling?" Qui-Gon asked at her shoulder as he placed a cup of steaming liquid in front of her.

"Tired, I didn't sleep well." She replied evenly. It was true, the sheer amount of work she had to do both in the mines getting ready to leave and in the negotiation room had her seeing her bed for only brief times everyday. She was thankful her master was there. He placed food in her hands to make sure she ate. When she fell asleep at her desk he removed her shoes and jacket and tucked her into bed.

The hell week was over. Most of the miners were gone. The few that wished to stay were already in their new jobs. Now all she and Xanatos had to do was make it look like they left. In reality, they would be moving into their newly abandoned mine to keep track of things.

Qui-Gon looked at her, "Before you leave, I was wondering if I could have a personal private word with you."

Trantis tucked a stray strand of her hair out of her eyes and looked at him. "Don't you have negotiations to attend to?"

He sighed deeply, "Yes, but after the stresses of the past few months the various mines agreed to sign an agreement to let things lie for a month or so, see if they improve."

Trantis gave a flicker of a smile, "To see if the problem was really us, you mean. Don't play games with me or dance around the subject. I know."

He chuckled then, a nice deep rumbling sound. It was the type of laugh that always drew an answering smile in anyone who heard him. It was a very nice laugh. She thought he didn't do it enough.

She nodded, "You are running this show. You make the call."

"I will end the negotiations today early on one condition." He said softly

She looked at him, "What?"

He smiled, "I get to talk with you for one hour, and you tell me the truth."

She looked at him sideways, her eyes clouding with suspicion. "This doesn't have anything to do with our conversation that night does it?"

He looked at his hands and sighed, "Yes it does." Trantis wondered about him. He looked reluctant to discuss anything. His head bent and his hair fell forward a bit, covering part of his face. She felt a stab of envy for his hair.

She groaned, "I suppose I can do that. Sure, anything so I can see my bed a few hours earlier tonight."

He nodded and pulled up his comlink. "Obi-Wan, please send a message to all the delegates negotiations today have been cancelled."

"Yes, Master." Came the tinny sounding voice of Obi-Wan from the com.

She smiled, "Well, that was quick and efficient."

He smiled down at her kindly, his depthless blue eyes held an expression of compassion and something else. Something that sent a warning signal shivering straight down her spine. Qui-Gon lead her to the gardens and stopped near a fountain. The sounds of the falling water is a useful trick to keep the area cool as well as mask a conversation.

Tran looked at Qui-Gon, squinting her tired blue eyes against the sun. "Where would you like to start?" she asked, making sure to position her back against a nearby tree.

Qui-Gon hovered in a moment of uncharacteristic hesitation. He released a silent hope he was doing the right thing into the Force. "Xanatos," he said. His voice intoned the word like it was a death knell.

Trantis felt her heart leap to her throat and stay there. He knew. How long had he known? Last Qui-Gon had seem Xanatos, he was leaping into a pit of acid... supposedly. In reality, the acid was oil based, so it merely floated on the surface of the water. Once he dove in he stripped his clothes and any acid on him simply was neutralised by the water around him. Using a breather, he then waited until everyone had gone, and swam to an adjacent pool that didn't have any acid and left on Off-world's ship.

It was a masterful escape. One that Xanatos was fond of telling. In a way, he did get his greatest revenge. He could see the devastation his death had wreaked upon his former master as well as continue to commit dastardly deeds. Trantis gave an inner smirk. That was until he met his match in the form of a twelve-year-old pipsqueak stow-away.

Not willing to let Qui-Gon see how this had shaken her, she simply blinked and continued to stare at him as if the man had lost his few precious marbles. Xanatos' rules of verbal engagement floated through her mind. When thrown off balance by the other person, act as if they have lost their few precious marbles. Make them wonder if they are wrong or if they have committed a serious social faux pas.

Tran arched an eyebrow, "Off-worlds' CEO? What about him?"

"He is evil." Qui-Gon said. "He has been responsible for more misery, destroyed more lives than most civil wars."

Trantis simply chuckled, oh she knew how to play this game. "I have to admit, every time I think about what he has done, in a sick way, I am impressed. Didn't think a Jedi Padawan had it in them to cause a Civil war. He accomplished much with very little."

Qui-Gon merely stared at her, and Trantis passed the time by watching him gather his anger and frustration and release it all to the Force. Like in all negotiations, first person to flinch loses.

"He. Is. Evil" Each word was enunciated slowly and clearly, as if Qui-Gon were trying to impress every wrong deed of Xanatos in those three words.

Trantis looked at him with curiosity, like a kitten presented with an interesting bit of string. "What makes you say that?"

"Because I spent years chasing him around the galaxy, always just far enough behind to see what he had done. He once tried to kill thousands of miners on this very planet, by blowing up a major mine for the Homeworld Corporation. He held the entire Jedi Temple a virtual hostage, and turned one of the initiates there to the Darkside. HE. Is. Evil."

Trantis merely smiled slightly, "I must say, again, I was impressed at how he did it. There were lessons in that. I am not denying or objecting to the fact he did any of those things. I am fully aware of what he did. What I object to is you calling him evil in the present tense."

Trantis wanted to mentally cheer as she watched Qui-Gon simply be bowled over by her bald statement. Of all the things he had been expecting, a full acknowledgement of her master's evil deeds was probably not one of them. She thought that it was an accomplishment, rendering this legendary Jedi speechless.

After several moments he regained enough brain power to speak. "I beg your pardon?" Qui-Gon sputtered.

She widened her smile to an outright grin, "Calling him evil now. He is not. After all, have you had to chase him down for some dastardly deed in the last five years?"

Qui-Gon sighed, "And I suppose you're going to tell me that's because he's a changed man?"

"Nope." She chuckled.

"No?"

"Nope, he hasn't changed. He's just found his way back home." She smiled fondly.

"How do you explain everything he has done? Just some sort of aberration?" he demanded.

Trantis sat back and thought. "No, he did commit those deeds and they where truly heinous. Under the Force, we are all equal. Virtually no one is truly evil, they are simply misguided or their perspective is skewed. Anyone who does an evil act, from the large ones to the small ones, has a reason. Most often, when you hear it, you can understand their motive. Anyone who is truly evil is insane beyond comprehension or recovery. Which is why in most circumstances, a soul isn't permanently lost. Those we can't help in life I would like to believe are stripped of their chains upon death. Xanatos was recoverable. This, Master Jedi, is why I can condemn his actions yet freely forgive the man."

Qui-Gon bit back a comment unworthy of a Jedi. "You are not going to believe me, are you?" he asked.

"Nope," Tran said, grinning.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Qui-Gon said, and the only warning Tran had was the gentle woosh of displaced air from above her.

MASTER she screamed out with her mind in panic just as she felt a prick at her neck and her mind go dark.

***

Part 13

"Master, she's ready for transport." Obi-Wan said as he brushed back some of her unruly hair back from her face. He had just finished administering the drugs necessary to keep her unconscious for most of the trip. He paused slightly to finger the thin braid he found hidden behind her right ear and in her masses of curls. Obi-Wan held it up for Qui-Gon to see. Obi-Wan face had turned to one of shock and worry.

In a way the presence of the braid both worried Qui-Gon as well as reassured him. It reasured him in the sense that she was still thinking of the Jedi traditions and keeping them. It worried him to think who's tutelage and protection she was under...

Qui-Gon looked down at the sleeping face. Her regular features, deviod of expression, looked childishly innocent. His eyes moved to his apprentice kneeling beside her prone figure. Obi-Wan still held an innocence about him. Qui-Gon was suddenly struck by how young both of them looked. The galaxy had yet to place a mark on their faces.

"Good." He nodded, "Let us get her aboard quickly before we end up getting company."

Obi-Wan winced, "Do you think he would really come after her?"

Qui-Gon nodded, "I'm here, he must know this. She's his apprentice. Even under these circumstances, they would have developed something of a bond by now. She's his ticket to galactic domination."

Obi-Wan carefully lifted her, "Then let's get out of here and quickly."

Qui-Gon walked beside his apprentice and their cargo. "Agreed."

While walking up the gangplank Obi-Wan commented, "We can't go straight for Coruscant. He will expect that. It will pinpoint our location and increase the risk of him taking her back. We need to go somewhere long enough to rid her of the brain washing he's done to her so when he does come after her, we don't also have her fighting to get out."

Qui-Gon nodded, "Find a place remote enough that the only thing there will be is us and no hope of escape for her. Something where we can easily see him coming."

Obi-Wan nodded, "I'll just get us far away from here for now. We can plot where else to go later."

"Give her to me." Qui-Gon held his arms out and took the cargo away from his apprentice. "You take us off, I'll install her in her room."

Obi-Wan's blue eyes held Qui-Gon's for a few seconds before speed walking to the cockpit to take off. Qui-Gon sighed as he carried her to her pile of blankets in the cargo hold. It was as close to a brig as he and Obi-Wan could come up with. It was small with a one way glass window.

He quickly rid her of her weapons. He had to smile as he found all her hidden stings. The girl was apparently a fan of real blades as well as her lightsaber. He sat back on his heels and watched her sleep.

He would bring her back into the light from the shadows.

He had to.

***

MASTER! Xanatos was awakened from his nap by his apprentice screaming. The mindcall ripped through his peace of mind and destroyed it.

TRAN! he called, but it was to no avail, her mind was already dark into unconsciousness. In her burst of call, he felt no fear, only a warning to him. Her mind only revealed her concern that he might be next. In his mind he saw the face of Qui-Gon Jinn waver in his apprentice's eyes as she blacked out.

He was left sitting staring at the wall of his ship. Trantis, his precious saviour and learner was taken by Qui-Gon, for what? Xanatos gritted his teeth. Her ability. They saw her ability and made the leap of logic that Offworld meant him? No, they had to have more proof than that. Last they knew he was very dead.

He then remembered an earlier conversation with his mine supervisor, how two Jedi came wanting to talk to her. The Jedi must have seen their location in the supervisors mind and then found them.

Note to self, all receptionists should be immune to the mind whammy. he winced as he slammed his fist into the hull, making a rather nice impression of his knuckles.

He could feel anger and despair rising up inside of him, threatening to overwhelm him. The darkside whispered to him to give in and use it to get Tran. After all, the Jedi had taken so much away already, this was the last straw. She didn't even want to go with them. It would be justice. Besides, she could clean out the dark when he got her back.

He shuddered and with a mental effort shook that thought aside. The dark was very seductive indeed. Trantis would not appreciate it, and he would disappoint her that way. He was her master, he was to teach her and set an example. Giving in to the darkside, she might forgive, but she would never forget and he would be diminished in her eyes. Not to mention what little he had achieved to this date would be shattered.

Xanatos had to get to her and quickly. He had been separated from her before for a week. The last three days of which he had drugged himself into a stupor to prevent himself from being dragged in by the undertow. Hopefully, their bond would still be intact and she would be able to keep the dark at bay enough to keep him functional.

Damn it! Xanatos cursed on the Force. Damn it Qui-Gon, she's the only thing standing between me and the darkness. Why? Why couldn't you have left her to me and thought she was a lost cause?

He knew the answer to that. Qui-Gon thought that very little was a lost cause. Qui-Gon saw Trantis' gift and the fact she hadn't yet been tainted by the dark and assumed there was a chance she could be 'saved.'

The only cause Qui-Gon ever thought lost was me he thought bitterly.

The apprentice bond started the steady ache and pain indicating she was in danger but not mortally so. He sorely missed the vibrant, bright and calming effect her presence in his mind had. It was like warming himself to a campfire.

He sighed as he started to make preparations for lift off and ran queries to find out where they were going. Coruscant was not likely as a first destination. Most likely they would land somewhere in between, somewhere remote but with no place to hide or escape. They needed to convince her she needed to be saved. The council wouldn't try and help her if she didn't want it.

He snorted. Good luck to them. He knew his apprentice. Once she had something on her mind she NEVER let go. She was more stubborn than a Rancor with a soup bone. He looked at the cone of possibilities, damn there were a lot.

And he would search every last one until he found her.

He had to.

***

Trantis groaned as she woke up from being drugged. She immediately used the Force to push the last of it out of her system. "How long have I been asleep?" she asked to the presence she sensed watching her from the door. Her voice was rough and gravelly from disuse.

"Thirty Hours." Obi-Wan said softly

"THIRTY HOURS!" Trantis immediately snapped into action. Thirty hours meant Xanatos would be worried as hell. " Damn it I have to get back" she said sitting bolt upright and started to stand up. Obi-Wan was gentle but firm as he pushed her back into her seat.

"You are not going anywhere other than Coruscant." Obi-Wan said definitively.

Trantis brushed some of her hair out of the way and recognised her holding cell as being part of a ship. She didn't bother checking for her weapons, she knew they had taken them away. "Oh you sick bastards. Nothing like the FAIR side of the Force is there!" she snarled.

"You need help," Obi-Wan began evenly and in a kindly tone. The kind he might have used on a wounded animal. It was sickening.

"Wrong!" Tran interrupted. "You need the help, I need to get out of here."

"Why? So you can hurry home to your precious Lover?" Obi-Wan bit out bitterly. "He's just using you, you know, using you for his sick and sadistic purposes."

"My who?" she blinked, her voice going dangerously mild.

"Your lover, your master, Xanatos, whatever he makes you call him." Obi-Wan replied with a disgusted air.

She uncurled from her position faster than a striking snake and slapped him across the cheek. "He is NOT my lover. He has never lain a finger on me that hasn't been strictly platonic, you pervert!" her blue eyes blazed. "He uses me to keep sane, not for any sick sadistic purpose. If I DON'T get back there now, a good person will die."

"Who, the first innocent to cross that psychopath's way?" he drawled lazily, cockily sure of his own superiority. It was as if he had wanted to use that line for a long time.

Her intense blue eyes narrowed. "Two things could happen, Kenobi. One, he could suicide on me, which he doesn't deserve."

Obi-Wan arched an eyebrow, but seemed to find enough good sense to keep silent for once.

"Two, " and she got a small smirk, "The so called innocents who will be killed will be you. He will come after me, come hell or high water, he will."

"I think that my master and I are quite capable of protecting ourselves." He replied dismissively.

Tran arched an eyebrow. "Have you ever seen someone who has nothing but desperation, Kenobi? A man who knows that all hope may be lost, and that he very well may die in the attempt, but who tries nonetheless? There is no warrior more deadly, no mercenary more destructive, than a man whose rope has slipped from his hands, and now only clutches to the strands."

Tran stepped back and leaned against the wall and stared down a dumb struck Kenobi. He looked very pale. Apparently he had run a foul someone like that, and the damage had been considerable. Probably an ordinary person, ordinary people can rip other people limb from limb when properly motivated. The idea of a Jedi trained Force sensitive in that state was more then a little daunting.

"I have to go back. He believed in me when no one else did. I owe him everything and more. Quite frankly, I don't care if you understand that or not." Trantis finished bitterly and turned her back on the Jedi apprentice.

***

Obi-Wan slammed the door behind him in frustration. Damn that girl, why couldn't she see she was being used and abused? Xanatos was clearly twisting her mind. Why didn't she seem to understand?

He remembered Trantis well. She was a shy girl. She never seemed to get a lesson right, but she always tried so hard. He admired her determination and resilience, no matter how hard a lesson was she would work and work until she got it right. He would see her at midnight, practicing a kata over and over, always falling over in the same place and always getting up to try again and again.

He sighed, she was perfect bait for Xanatos. Filled with inadequacies and self doubt, running from the temple, thinking death was better than what she was enduring there. She was all too tempting a target for him. Xanatos would have taken her as a curiosity, amusement at first. Once he discovered her unique ability, oh, then Xanatos would have gloated at the treasure that slipped through the fingers of the Jedi.

He looked through the one way mirror to observe her. She had finished cursing him fluently in languages even he didn't know and had settled calmly on her bed, cross legged. She patted her uniform and her face broke into a smile when she discovered her penny whistle. It was old and beaten.

He remembered her getting it from Master Yoda on her eighth birthday. Each Initiate got a gift from Master Yoda when they passed the fourth level katas. Most got it at age six. When she finally got hers she was silent and almost mournful, as she accepted the gift. Everyone snickered as she was called in front to receive it. Even Yoda's look that threatened ungodly punishment later didn't stop him and the others from giggling. She simply thanked Yoda and walked away.

He was scrubbing rocks in the meditation garden during lightsaber practice for weeks afterward. Everyone vocally blamed her for his or her punishment. It was part of being an initiate at the temple, was to pick on Trantis... little frizzy hair. The Dumb one. Her ephitets were numerous. She always sat through every teasing taunt, ignoring them. Eventually she would get up and leave. They'd laugh at how her head was always hung low in defeat, but that was how she normally walked. Eyes staring at the tops of her shoes. It's a wonder she never ran into anyone.

He followed her when she walked away once. Trantis hid herself in a corner of the Garden of a Thousand Falls. She was by the water, playing a sad mournful tune on her whistle as the tears streamed down her cheeks. He just couldn't bring himself to break the spell of her music. It was so hauntingly beautiful. He heard her playing for the younger initiates who were unhappy. She had a wonderful tender heart.

Obi-Wan sighed as she began to play. Wow, she could coax a tune out of that beat up thing. It was still breathy and haunting. She had grown up quite beautiful. The shy little girl had turned into a confident knock out. Her unkempt flaming red hair that he used to set on fire with his saber had turn to soft dark burgundy-wine waves. He could sense her calling the light side and dissipating the dark with her clear notes, forcing the dark to shatter to her music.

She was a bright shining light in the Force, why couldn't she see that Xanatos was merely using her or how evil the man she called Master was? He still wasn't entirely convinced she wasn't Xanatos's lover.

How could Xanatos live that close to someone who looked like her and not be tempted to use his influence to lure her to his bed? He chuckled mirthlessly. Perhaps Xanatos just hasn't noticed she's a woman yet. Or maybe he was waiting for the right time to...seduce her to the darkside?

He grit his teeth, he was going to save her. He was going to straighten out the brainwashing Xanatos had placed in her. He owed it to her, he was partially responsible for her running away and into Xanatos' clutches in the first place.

***

Part 14

Trantis had pulled out her whistle an hour ago and had played her heart out. She couldn't drain Xanatos at this distance but she could let him know she was alive and hope he could take strength from that. She could feel him hurting and fighting and she felt wretched that she couldn't be there to take away the pain and dark. So she played, trying to make herself a brilliant flame in the darkness for him.

The notes that came from the whistle were slow, languid, breathy and sweet. Even she found the music beautiful as she gathered the light in a bright cocoon about her. She could almost see it dancing and changing to her tune, feeling it ask for her to play a tune for it.

When her fingers started to ache she finished the song and came to a sweet end, tears hanging on the corner of her eyes from the beauty of music and magic.

When the musical spell was shattered, Trantis looked up to see that Qui-Gon had entered the room and taken a seat on the floor opposite her. She sighed and put her whistle away. Like hell she would be the one speak first.

"You play beautifully," he said, blue eyes shining with sincerity. "How long have you played?"

"Since I was eight. I got this for my birthday from Master Yoda for passing my fourth level Katas... two years late." she replied with a sigh.

"Oh." He said with surprise and pity lacing his voice. He knew how hard Jedi kids can be on their peers who aren't as good as they are.

They sat in uncomfortable silence for a while. She decided to be fair. He was brave enough to break the ice the first time. "Yeah, even Obi-Wan laughed at me when I got it late."

"Oh" he replied as neutrally as possible.

"So what did you get from Yoda?" she asked hastily to avoid an uncomfortable silence.

Qui-Gon shifted, and mumbled something.

"What?" she asked

"A rock." He said softly.

"A rock?"

Qui-Gon nodded.

"Do you still have this rock?"

"Actually," Qui-Gon cleared his throat, "No. I gave it to Obi-Wan on his 13th birthday."

"You gave your padawan a rock?"

"It's a Force sensitive rock, from my home planet," he said, slightly defensive.

Tran nodded sagely. "Yes. A very special rock indeed."

They sat in silence some more, then Tran spoke up, "I got a Thirteenth birthday present as well."

Qui-Gon arched an eyebrow, "Indeed? What?"

Tran smiled fondly, "This." with that she pulled out a small box and placed it on the ground between them. Qui-Gon picked it up and opened it.

"A rock?" he asked

She chuckled, "Not just any rock. Put it in your hand. Go on!"

He did and suddenly it started to glow faintly and sing softly. He blinked, this type of rock was so rare only a few handful were ever found per year.

"It's wonderful." he whispered

She grinned, "Yeah, Xanatos thought that is was vaguely appropriate for us."

At the mention of her master's name, Tran noticed a cloud settle over Qui-Gon's face. "Xanatos gave you a thirteenth birthday gift?"

"Yes he did. Isn't it customary for a master to give a thirteenth birthday gift to their apprentice?"

Qui-Gon looked at the rock making sweet noises in his palm and glowing a soft shifting mixture of blue and green. So many emotions were swirling inside him that they simply blended together to leave him feeling stunned and blank. "Yes, it is customary." His own voice sounded rather far away.

She smiled, "When he gave it to me I smacked him for getting me something so ridiculously expensive. He simply smiled and said that it wasn't nearly enough. I didn't understand what he meant then, but I do now."

"What was that?" he asked

She smiled, "We gave each other a gift when we needed it most. Sometimes it takes someone else believing in you before you can believe in yourself. That is why I need to go back. I owe him more than I can ever repay, and he owes me the same depth of debt. Yet, somehow, I feel that there is no debt between us. Only understanding."

Qui-Gon arched an eyebrow. "Is that so? And what does he owe you?"

Tran snorted. "If you can't figure that out, Master Jinn, then you're not half as smart as I gave you credit for."

He sighs, "No I honestly don't know what he owes you. He took you in when the Jedi seemingly rejected you, made you an apprentice and gave you a Job. What does he owe you?"

She looked at him over her nose then smiled slightly. With that she sang a few lines of a song he didn't recognise. While she sang she reached in easily to the dark that was in him. It followed her out like it was charmed. Then her voice and music on the Force overwhelmed the dark like a battle of the bands and it changed to something in harmony with her voice, something of the light. He felt as if he had been meditating for hours, revitalized and cleaner. Trantis had done it, with only a few lines of a song.

"That's why," Tran whispered, her blue eyes swimming with her desire to make him understand.

"I..." Qui-Gon said. "I have to go... We will reach our destination soon."

"Coruscant?" Tran asked, letting him change the subject... for now.

"No," he said, and left.

***

Part 15

Qui-Gon walked into the cockpit somewhat stunned by the sheer power she displayed, and to her that was essentially a parlor trick.

"Master?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Land as far as you can from anything that resembles a place to hide. We don't want to even give her a hint of an idea." he said softly

"Yes Master." Obi-Wan nodded and started to land on the planet that consisted of nothing but cracked bedrock and cliffs. Supposedly it held a civilisation once that developed nuclear capabilities.

Unfortunately, the people on the planet couldn't resist the temptation to use it. Every sector had one of these failed civilisation planets to tell their children about the dangers of war. It was a tale much along the lines of a Boogy man that eats children who don't clean their rooms.

Qui-Gon watched the planet approach with mixed thoughts. The girl had truly reached in and pulled away some of the dark that had been building inside him. It felt wonderful to be free and she had done it with easy negligence.

He frowned, maybe she had really brought Xanatos back from the dark side. She seemed to think so, and her skill indicated she had practice in siphoning off large amounts of negative energy.

He shook his head, no. Once down the dark path forever it will dominate your destiny. NO ONE has ever come back from the dark side. Maybe Xanatos was making her believe she had. Someone who was an innocent credential who honestly thought she was saving him. Easy to fool people if your representative truly isn't lying.

He shuddered, that was like Xanatos. She was a tool of the best order. Get her to think she was truly helping, woo her with gifts, make her think she was the one in power. Then when he 'slipped' to the darkside again, it was her fault for not keeping up.

He looked out the window with determination as they landed. He was going to save her. She needed to see this. Once she did she would return to the Jedi like a swinging compass needle.

***

Part 16

Qui-Gon frowned as he stared the girl sitting on a rock watching him and his apprentice practice. Her expression had not changed from that perpetual frown she wore. They didn't dare let her practice with her lightsaber. Instead they acted kindly towards her, trying to welcome her into their inner circle. She remained mute and stoic.

The land was as desolate as Obi-Wan promised, nothing but bedrock and cliffs. Nothing they did could draw her out. She was acting like a prisoner held against her will.

"Would you like to practice?" Obi-Wan called over, wiping a forearm across his brow. The girl looked up at him and shielded her blue eyes against the sun. Obi-Wan had decided to opt out of his outer most tunics and wear the innermost one. This was sleeveless and good to wear against the heat. Qui-Gon had chosen the same outfit. Trantis always wore her complete and unrelieved black.

Slowly she nodded and stood up. Qui-Gon gave a quick smile to Obi-Wan. It wasn't much, but it was a start in drawing her to them. Obi-Wan handed her back her saber, set on the lowest power for practice.

"Shall we start with a kata to warm up?" Qui-Gon asked. Again, the mute nod with the frozen expression. The girl looked like a statue carved out of the finest marble for all the emotion she showed.Trantis clipped her saber to her belt and stood between the two Jedi.

She raised her arms so they were parallel to the ground and straight out from her sides. She began with a flip. One that looked as if her arms were connected to a bar and she was turned on them. It was a pure footwork kata. One that Qui-Gon recognised well.

Part of the trials for a padawan is for the knight potential to make up a Kata in their greatest weakness. Xanatos' greatest weakness was his footwork and he spent countless days cloistered in a room with his master, trying to master the most difficult of moves for this kata.

Qui-Gon had to admit, this girl's footwork was flawless. He knew she was taunting him, just by doing this. She was trying to find his weak spots. In a way he was pleased by this development. For her to attempt to rebel like this meant they were having an effect on her mental stability and the damnable conditioning Xanatos placed on her. Her feeling the need to fight back meant she felt she had something to fight against.

When Trantis finished, her wild red hair flowing around her shoulders like a black clad warrior goddess, she looked at Qui-Gon in challenge.

"Good." Qui-Gon said calmly. "you have demonstrated a mastery of the footwork. Perhaps you could show me how much know know about the Saber. Sparring?"

She nodded graciously, a small flicker of a smile crossed her face as she gestured for Qui-Gon to stand opposite her as her opponent. He nodded and stepped into place. Obi-Wan stood on the fringes of the impromptu ring they had set up a few days earlier. She saluted Qui-Gon with her lightsaber as he bowed. He lit his lightsaber, green against blue.

The circled each other for an interminable moment, saber blades just touching so power arched between them. Her eyes locked with Qui-Gon's. Qui-Gon heard the signiture hum from her, the perfect middle C. Her eyes glazed over slightly as she touched the Force. He could feel the Force coming to her. Instead of the sense of flowing water as with Obi-Wan, it was more like a crystal forming inside a saturated solution. She provided the seed and the Force crystallised around her, protecting her.

Water always wears down the hardest minerals, and so quick as a wink, Qui-Gon started to flow around her, attacking her. Her defence was superb. She was still young and had the flaws of the young. She used too much energy while fighting. He didn't expend half the energy she did, but she was young and had the energy to spare.

As they spared, he had to admit, no matter what else he might accuse Xanatos of, he didn't neglect or hold back in her training. She knew every trick in the book as well as made a few up. One move had him shocked. She leapt as if to flip over his head, only when she reached the height of her leap, it was as if some giant wind blew her in the opposite direction and safely out of his range. Qui-Gon could sense Obi-Wan salivating at that move and itching to try it.

They continued their deadly dance all over. He was vaguely aware of the cliff appearing rapidly in their path. He decided to test her and let himself be pressed so his back was to the cliff, and saw what Trantis did.

She didn't attempt to push him over. She stepped to the side and waved politely to let him take a better position, prolonging the encounter. They ranged the fight along the side of the cliff. He felt as if he had reached the girl, that the Force was singing and surging between them. He forgot who exactly this child's master was.

Once again, he let her back him into the cliff. He saw her leap up. He expected her to be blown away from the cliff edge.

Her arch continued and carried her over his head and behind him, right over the side of the cliff. He heard Obi-Wan scream a denial beside him.

Not believing what he just saw he ran the few steps to the edge and looked over the side. Nothing.

A few seconds later, a ship rose up from under an overhang in the cliff. The front viewport revealed a Smiling Xanatos at the controls and a Smiling Trantis behind him.

They had the gall to wave at the two stunned and outwitted Jedi as the ship flew past and out into space to disappear.

***

Part 17

Trantis cracked open a container of fruit juice and settled her feet on the desk of the supervisor that was no longer there. She undid her hair and let it tumble about her shoulders. Xanatos was out doing some investigations. He worked best at night time. As he often said, he wasn't afraid of the dark and he's usually the worst thing skulking about in dark alleys.

She watched as he flowed into the room as effortless as a shadow. His dark cloak swirling about him like black liquid mercury. He always took a long cloak with him on these night exhibitions, it helped to disguise his limbs into the smooth lines of shadows.

He poured himself into a chair and caught a can of juice as she tossed one at him. "My thanks, my apprentice."

Trantis smiled, "Not a problem. What's going on? We know that the two Jedi have arrived back here. Chances are they are thinking like typical Jedi and believing we won't be where they are."

Xanatos undid the swirling cloak from his neck and let it drape over the chair behind him. He ran a hand through his black silk curtain of hair to push it back from his face, "Instead we are skulking in the shadows. I have good news, well... relatively."

Trantis raised her glass to him smiling, "What's the plot?"

Xanatos grinned, "It's a faction of people here on the planet that want total separatism from the republic. This planet has been abused by outside corporations in mining. They want to reclaim the planet."

"but the home mine was also hit." She said.

He shook his head, "They feel that the home mine is trying to ape the efforts of the foreign ones and are therefore worse."

Trantis grinned, "See boss, I told you that you could ferret out information easily. See what a few pints of Lum will get you."

"Yes, now shut up." He pretended to grump as he tossed back the berry juice.

She laughed as she looked him over, "Any ideas about their plans?"

He nodded, "Yes, from what I can tell, they are going to start bombing the mines in succession framing other mines. He's hoping to start a war between them so they can eliminate each other."

"So someone needs to go in and expose the group for who they really are and stop them. Gather evidence for prosecution?" She asked softly

He nodded, "Yes, both missions require stealth and tactics. However, I would prefer if you snuck into their main headquarters in an abandoned mine tunnel. For some reason small dark tight places with thousands of tons of earth between me and the open air just does not have me in spasms of ecstasy."

"Oh and hurtling through space in a tin can doesn't phase you a bit?" She grinned

He rolled his eyes, "I should have depressurised the cargo bay when the computer indicated that there were vermin on board."

"You know you love me." Trantis grinned.

He smiled and pulled a bag out from under a chair and tossed it to Trantis. She caught it fluidly and started pulling elements out and hooking them to her uniform. Some were weapons, others were tools, a few were cameras.

"That I do." His soft base rumbled. "Now be CAREFUL. I don't want to have to find another apprentice just like you. If you aren't back here in twenty four hours I am coming in after you."

She chuckled and kissed his cheek before swirling her own cloak around her. A black so dark it seemed to suck in the light.

***

Part 18

Trantis ran lightly along the corridors of the mine. She heard the soft sound of people speaking in the distance so she kept out of the light. Earlier, she had located the main meeting room and planted a recording device as well as a camera to take images. She nicknamed the invention a Spy-der. Now she was trying to get to a small ventilation duct she had seen that overhung the proceedings. It would be ideal to have two copies of the proceedings. In case she couldn't go back to get the Spy-der.

Upon seeing a duct she quickly crawled up inside and climbed through them. She was careful not to use her knees to travel; else they would get sore very quickly. Moving as swiftly and silently as her training allowed, after some minutes she finally made it above the meeting room. Trantis peered down the grate and saw the meeting table. Perfect for shots of plans.

She looked up as she sensed another presence quickly approaching from the opposite side. She sensed the person was on the same mission she was. With a grin Tran prepared to welcome this individual. After all, enemy of my enemy...

WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE! Came a familiar and less then welcome tenor in her mind.

She watched as the rather angry and intensely put out face of Obi-Wan Kenobi appeared across from her.

Taking a survey about men born without testicles... care to comment? She snapped back

Har har He replied, Now why are you really here?

spying on the people who are planting the bombs in the mines. What do you think? Trantis rolled her eyes and pointed down the grate below her face.

Obi-Wan crawled forward a bit more, he was nose to nose with her now. Her nose caught the scent of something. Some kind of musk. It was rather pleasing, but a dead give away in spying.

Are you wearing cologne? she asked testily.

No, but you washed your hair in some Herbal soap, he fired back.

She snorted, Yeah right. Me wash my hair in something herbal. This is the same girl that doesn't own a dress by choice.

He frowned, I'm sure.

She saw he was wearing his beige robes. Which in a desert he'd disappear but here in the dark mines...

You came in that thing? You're braver then I thought. She sent back rather snappishly. You stick out like a Hutt at an Ewok Jamboree.

His lips pursed and his eyes were blue fire in the dim light, Can we put aside our petty differences for just a few moments. We are trying to accomplish the same job here, bringing these criminals to justice. My master is trying to catch the ring leaders in the act, unfortunately these lower ranking members have instructions on what to do and who is to take over. We need to catch all of them.

Agreed. I know I can set aside my ill will against you, she replied. Looks like we have a long wait.

Waiting, war is. Obi-Wan stated.

So Quoth Yoda. she replied with a smirk. No wonder why you were his favourite.

He chuckled in her mind, it was an oddly sensual feeling. Then she felt him shift a bit in the duct and frown. She got the distinct flavour on the Force of him being uncomfortable.

Are you alright? she asked softly, genuinely concerned.

He nodded. Small confined dark spaces are not my favourite places to be.

She chuckled and looked down at the table, You and my master both.

Suddenly she felt him grab her chin in an almost painful grip and yank her head up, forcing her eyes to meet his. His mind voice was so forceful she winced as he said Don't YOU DARE compare ME to XANATOS!

For a brief flash, she was deeply angry. Then she caught the flavourings of his sending. His master was always subconsciously comparing him to Xanatos. Xanatos cast a very long and very dark shadow with Qui-Gon. One that would only be truly broken when Obi-Wan reached knighthood. Obi-Wan's padawanship has been one constant battle to fight the toughest enemy, a ghost.

In a flash of insight borne on the Force she realised that Obi-Wan's apprenticeship hasn't been easy. The ghost Obi-Wan constantly tried to outshine was that of what Xanatos once was, not of what he is now. To Obi-Wan, the Xanatos he talked about was the old one. He was right; he didn't need to be compared to THAT Xanatos by anyone.

He dropped his hand from her as he saw her train of thought. I... I am sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you. Now she sensed he was partly frightened. That this was a sign he was in danger of falling to the dark.

You won't fall Obi-Wan, she whispered softly, Your world could be crumbling around you, everything you hold dear falling to pieces and you still wouldn't fall. You are far stronger then Xanatos ever was.

He stared at her, his eyes a deep deathless alderaan ocean blue. He didn't say anything. He couldn't. He looked away from her for a moment. And you are stronger then I. I always wondered where you found the strength to stick your pert little nose in the air when all of the rest of us were grinding it into the ground.

She was silent, and stunned by this revelation. Finally she cleared a mental throat. He looked up, Let's change the subject. he said quickly

PLEASE, she begged.

Tease me, vex me, do anything but move me, he said softly

Now about that game of Zone ball I won against you.

You never won a game of Zone ball against me, he said.

That's the mistake... see, I really won. You vacated the playing field before the game was over. I win by default.

Oh no you didn't. Yoda called me in to spar with Bruck. That doesn't count.

Oh yes it does... she grinned, she figured out how she was going to stay awake during this long wait.

***

Part 19

Trantis woke to someone gently shaking her arm. She opened her eyes to see she was in a cramped air duct over an eight foot drop to a table with a Jedi padawan for company. He smiled as he pointed to the air grate between them. Company is coming.

Both grinned at each other as they crawled closer so their faces were as close to the grate as was safe. Peering over the edge they listened. It was pretty much as Xanatos predicted. They were going to start with the largest mine currently there, that was the Nemoian Mining Corperation. It was going to be framed to make it look as if the Home mine did it. Then the Home mine would be hit making it look as if the Agricorp did it.

Both Obi-Wan and Trantis got images of all plotters and plans involved. During the meeting they pulled out their respective lunches and munched.

What is it about Zealots that make them so illogical? he asked softly as he nibbled on his nutritional bar.

I donno, ask yourself that question, she chuckled. Jedi are often considered zealot idealist with martial training to back them.

At this time the people were sitting around the table chatting with each other, so Trantis and Obi-Wan were stuck. It would make too much noise for them to leave. Their various spy devices were recording everything so they were covered.

Obi-Wan smiled and nodded his thanks as she passed him her flask of Berry juice. Only too true. There was a pause as they munched on lunch. He then smiled, Remember when you were four years old, and we wanted to sneak into the Master's practice rooms, so we could get chosen sooner?

Trantis smiled as she remembered, looking down a similar grate over a session of masters. They were much smaller then, and the air ducts seemed so much roomier. Yeah, I think you took me with you because you wanted someone to make you look good.

He frowned, That wasn't not the reason.

Then what was? she asked softly. She clearly remembered the boyish face framed in the slotted light of the grate. When he asked her to go with him she was thrilled, thinking she finally was getting a friend. Then a year later when he started picking on her as well, the betrayal stung.

You were the only one willing to go. he whispered, Everyone else was too frightened. They were afraid to get into trouble and be kicked out or not chosen. You never were afraid of anything.

That's not true, she replied, I was afraid of everything.

But you never let it stop you, he said.

No, I didn't let it stop me, she agreed with him. I have found in this life I regret something more if I DIDN'T do it then if I did.

I missed you, when you left, he whispered into her mind.

She looked up from the grate sharply, and completely misjudged where he was in relation to her. Her face had lifted away from the grate and into a kiss.

It was one of those things that happen because of a twist of fate. Their heads happened to be angled just right for her lips to touch his when she looked up. She should have pulled away right then, but shock held her still.

That was more then she could say for him. It must have been some pure genetic instinct that kicked in; some innate male urge to mate must have come to the fore. Else he never would have tilted his head to the side slightly to get a better angle, and he certainly wouldn't used one hand to tilt her own chin with the tips of his fingers.

Had to be some answering hormonal thing in her that left her to simply enjoy the feel of his lips warm and sweet, and the soft barely there touch of his encouraging fingers on her chin. She had to admit that he was an excellent kisser. His lips encouraged a response from her without pressure to respond.

To her complete and utter horror, she found herself responding to the unexpected touch. Soon thier lips were silently dancing over one another as thier breathing and heartbeats got more rapid. Soon Trantis felt as if her entire body was one long vibrating harp string.

After only the Force knows how long they pulled apart. Trantis stared into the very shocked teal eyes of one very confused Jedi Apprentice. To be honest, she really wasn't much better.

Uhm.... he said dumbly into her mind.

What... was that? she asked flatly.

I don't know. I don't really think we want to know, he replied earnestly.

I vote we agree that never happened, she said quickly.

Agreed. We never kissed while in an air duct in a recognisance mission, he replied amicably.

Looks like they are gone, she said looking down at the now empty table. I suggest we get out of here as quickly as possible.

Why? he asked.

Cause I've been here for over twenty hours and I REALLY need to use the little girl's room. She smirked.

He groaned and rolled his eyes, Same excuse you used last time! I told you then to go before we left!

I did go before I left! She replied testily. She used the extra space the duct provided to twist her body around so she was facing the direction Obi-Wan was. Follow me, I know these tunnels better then you do. And if you get a vicarious thrill from looking at my butt I am not responsible for any damage it causes to your person.

She felt him smirk, Oh really?

Yes, I am not to be held responsible for your teeth getting kicked in.

I donno, might be worth it, he teased.

***

Part 20

"I thought you said to touch the wire." Obi-Wan groused as he followed a big burly man with no neck as he walked down the hall. He and his cronies that captured them looked as if they had enough arms between them to invade a small planet.

"I said DON'T TOUCH the wire." Trantis groused as they turned down another downward sloping hall. They had been walking forever since they were caught.

Obi-Wan gave a patient sigh as he was shoved by the muzzle of a blaster. He took the hint and walked faster. Trantis was given an especially hard shove and he watched as she was sent sprawling to the ground. He watched in shock as the guard gave her a kick to her stomach.

He dashed back quickly to help her to her feet. She seemed to have an especially hard time breathing tears were trickling down her face. He shot a look that promised a fairly painful experience to the next person who hurt her.

"Are you alright?" he asked softly.

"Yeah." She replied as she brushed some of her hair that had gotten loose during the previous fight and stood up on her own. For later He felt her press something into his hand. He smiled... a handful of dirt.

Clever girl. he whispered back. They didn't dare speak much, untrained Force sensitives could hear what they said if they weren't careful.

He walked beside her, keeping a careful watch on the injury she received to the stomach. A kick there could do serious damage. She seemed to be taking care of it alright.

You forget, I have been healing my own injuries received from bullies long before Bruck started picking on you. she sent softly.

He frowned and winced.

"In there Jedi." He said and shoved Obi-Wan inside. "And you pretty pet stay with me. He won't dare to escape if he thinks we have you."

"You obviously don't know him well." She said, "Shoot me, I mean nothing to him."

Obi-Wan didn't like the sick oily laugh from the man, "So he gets you to lie for him. Don't worry Jedi. No harm will come to her as long as you co-operate. Now stay in here until we can get a consensus on what to do with you two."

Obi-Wan kept his eyes on Trantis as she nodded and smiled. The ancient signal that she would be fine. Though he didn't believe her, he had no choice. They were outnumbered, weaponless and in hostile territory. He had no choice but to wait.

He was the image of Jedi Calm as he sat down on the rickety chair in the corner and watched the group lead Trantis away. She was wrong, they did know him. At least well enough to know he wouldn't do anything while they could harm her.

And by all that is holy, he hated waiting.

***

Part 21

Qui-Gon crept through underbrush outside of the mine entrance as silent as years of stealth training would let him. While training, Obi-Wan had complained volubly that nothing as big as his master had a right to move as quietly as he did.

He could feel the dull ache and pull of his bond telling him his apprentice was in there and in danger, though not immediately mortal. Waiting just outside the mines he felt the brush of a familiar presence. One that he would swear he knew well, but couldn't place his finger on who.

There was a slight pressure of displaced air and the presence leapt over a rock behind him and landed next to him as silent as a breath of wind. Qui-Gon turned to see who was sitting next to him.

"Xanatos." Qui-Gon whispered flatly. They were still far enough outside of the mine that they could talk safely. Besides, he wasn't about to let the man into his mind.

"Master Qui-Gon, I thought you would be here." Xanatos said very calmly and didn't even bother looking at Qui-Gon. He spent his time quickly and busily assembling weapons.

"What are you doing here?" Qui-Gon asked, his voice so cold, the air it was on froze and cracked between them.

Xanatos shrugged, "The same reason you are here, we both have someone in there that needs our help getting out. Now it seems to me that since we have the same goal and a common enemy, we should work together."

Qui-Gon didn't need to listen on the Force for the unspoken 'despite our history'. He braced his back against the rock behind him and quickly thought about what he was to do. His emotions were in such a whirl and he fought to steady himself.

Qui-Gon closed his eyes. Obi-Wan was in danger in that mine, so was Trantis. While there was a slim chance of getting them out without any damage, that chance was made better if he didn't attempt this alone. But with Xanatos? Granted Xanatos was always a superb fighter, but his loyalties were very clearly not aligned with the Jedi anymore.

Qui-Gon had every reason in the galaxy not to trust him, but why was he so tempted to now? Was it because he once cared and trusted Xanatos? What was it that was teasing the edges of his memory?

Qui-Gon watched Xanatos carefully. He was checking the power cell on the blaster in his hands for the third time now. Xanatos always fidgeted when he was extremely nervous. Qui-Gon tasted the Force around Xanatos. There was worry rolling off the younger man, supreme anxiety, as well as the same terrible ache that Qui-Gon was feeling for Obi-Wan.

Qui-Gon blinked. Xanatos genuinely cared for Trantis? Xanatos seemed willing to die in the attempt to get her out. The emotion radiating off his former apprentice clearly indicated that the man would rather die and have his apprentice live then for it to be the other way around.

It was a concept that Qui-Gon didn't quite know how to make it fit into everything else he knew. People infested with the darkside cared about nothing but themselves. They were literally incapable of caring about anyone else.

If Xanatos truly cared for Trantis...

Qui-Gon rested a hand on Xanatos' shoulder and the younger man immediately stilled and looked Qui-Gon full in the face. Xanatos was still rakishly handsome; he always looked more suited to be a highwayman then a Jedi.

The pale skin was accentuated by the pin straight midnight black hair. The broken circle scar was little more then pale silver line. Maybe it was Qui-Gon's fancy or the low light, but the ends of the broken circle seemed to be closer together then he last remembered it.

The matched sapphire eyes looked nothing like those of the mad man on Telos, yet they didn't look like those of the cocksure apprentice he once knew. He couldn't place where he had seen them before.

The answer teased at him. They seemed older then they face that contained them, wiser as well. There were lines of both supreme sorrow and laughter in his face. It was then that he realised where he had seen those eyes before...

Qui-Gon saw those eyes everyday, peering back at him through the looking glass.

"I will help you."

***

Part 22

As soon as the door banged open, Obi-Wan was on his feet. His eyes immediately focused on Trantis being manhandled into the room. He did a mental count of the guards, six. Soon Trantis was shoved brutally towards him and he caught her in his arms.

"Are you alright?" He asked softly as he helped her stand again.

Trantis nodded, "Yes." He brushed some of her unruly long hair back from her face and was temporarily fascinated by the feel of the heavy silk on his fingers.

"Aw… how cute." The head guard said flatly.

"Yeah I knew they were lovers," another nameless one catcalled, "They fought like them too well."

The group laughed. Obi-Wan felt that there were no other guards within hearing range other then the ones inside the room.

Trantis snorted, "Lovers HA! More like loveless. He doesn't care about anything or anyone."

Obi-Wan was shocked how the callousness of her comment. She simply looked back at him blandly with a single arched eyebrow. Obi-Wan nearly smirked as he saw what she was doing.

"Excuse me?" he asked softly, "But who was it that saved you from being killed only a few days ago?"

"And who was it who put me in danger in the first place." She shot back testily.

"It was your idea to go into the ventilation ducts."

"Yes, because I knew I could handle it!"

"Oh and I couldn't."

"No you couldn't, now who is going to save us you clumsy oaf!"

"I TOLD YOU…." At which point Obi-Wan tossed the sand in his hand into the eyes of the guard second nearest to him. The Guards, distracted by the argument, weren't prepared. This gave the Jedi trained apprentice all the time he needed.

Obi-Wan shoved Trantis down as he kicked the guard closest to him, knocking the rifle to the ground. He managed to call his lightsaber to him from the shock loosened grip of the man in charge before the shots started being fired. He dimly noticed that one set of bolts weren't being aimed at him. Trantis must have picked up the rifle from the floor.

Obi-Wan ran half way up a wall, and using the Force, ran along it to move to secure the door while Trantis provided him with cover. As soon as he landed he saw an answering blue blade come to life in her hands. The guards, pinned between two Force wielding opponents, were now out matched.

The two spared the lives of those they could, knocking them out with a Force push to a wall or by a conventional hit to the head by the hilt of their saber. All in all, only two men were killed, the rest were rendered unconscious.

Obi-Wan turned to Trantis with a slight smile on his lips.

"Don't call me clumsy." His voice was a low growl, grating against her senses. His teal eyes still held the remnants of battle intensity and seemed to glow with the light of the Force he used.

Her vision grew hazy for a second as she caught a fleeting flash of an image. Obi-Wan, dressed the same as he was now, the same musical growl in his voice and tiny smirk on his lips. His flashing eyes indicated his blood was up, but not in battle lust.

Trantis shook off the vision, she didn't know if it was True-sight or if it was merely her overactive hormones talking. For the love of the Force she didn't even like Obi-Wan. She distinctly DISLIKED him.

Right?

Trantis smiled as she thumbed off her saber, deciding to fall back on verbal sparing to save herself from thoughts less healthy to her psyche. "Wouldn't ever dream of it Oafy-wan."

He rolled his eyes as he thumbed his off as well, "Come on Frizzy, let's go. Hopefully if we are lucky, we can get out of here, warn some people, arrest others and still have time for a late supper."

Just then the lights temporarily shut off, sending them into blackness. After a few seconds, the emergency lights kicked in and the room began to glow a dull red.

Trantis nodded her head with her lips pursed. "I think they are already on their way."

Obi-Wan reached for his master and felt him approaching fast. They were going to be within speaking range soon, but Obi-Wan wouldn't dare distract his master from the pitched battle he was in.

"Come on." Obi-Wan said, "Let's meet them."

Trantis nodded and they ran down the corridors, using the Force to guide them to their destination. Since everyone else was running the same direction as they were, no one thought to question or stop them. Several minutes later, Trantis and Obi-Wan turned off the main escape route of the workers and went down an abandoned corridor.

Now they were close enough their senses said they should be right on top of them. They paused and listened to the sounds. Obi-Wan thought it was hopeless trying to discern from sound alone where his master was. The sounds of escaping miners overwhelmed him. But Trantis merely closed her eyes and stood stock still for a few precious moments.

"That way!" She exclaimed. Obi-Wan followed her down several seemingly random corridors until he burst into a wider tunnel, there was a pack of twenty guards, and Qui-Gon's saber could be seen clearly against the red blasts.

Trantis and Obi-Wan didn't hesitate, they simply ran forward, both of them giving a short war cry. Obi-Wan snarled a rather insulting one in Huttese, Trantis chose an amusing though anatomically improbable suggestion in Nemodian. The Guards turned in distraction.

Then the fight began in earnest. Obi-Wan lost all track of anything other then trying to keep himself, Trantis, and, above all, his master alive. At one point during the pitched battle he turned to see a guard aiming at him, his mind told him it was over, prepare to join the Force.

There was a flash of blinding light. When Obi-Wan's vision cleared he saw a stunned guard staring at half a blaster and Xanatos making a scooping motion with his Saber. The momentum was carried around into a strike with the butt of Xanatos' hilt into the head of Obi-Wan's would be murderer.

The Guard dropped like a rock to the ground, unconscious. Obi-Wan looked up into the intense eyes and surprisingly shy smile of his master's fallen apprentice.

"Well," Obi-Wan commented dryly, "This night seems to be full of surprises."

***

Part 23

"EVERYONE MOVE!" Trantis said as she stood in the darkened, dusty ruined tunnel, her lightsaber just having cut a triangular shaped door in the large rock wall and pulled it out with the Force.

The Miners inside, too frightened to argue ran out and for the exit. Their one way out had been trapped in the cave in following a huge earthquake. The Seismic anomaly came when the organisation decided that if they couldn't blow up everyone else, they would blow themselves up.

Obi-Wan, Trantis and Xanatos were running around the tunnels getting everyone out before the roof caved in at the main juncture of all the tunnels and the one way out of this mine.

Qui-Gon was at said juncture holding it together by sheer Force of will. Obi-Wan could tell that Qui-Gon's hold was slipping and the roof was worsening with each breath. Under most circumstances he would have argued with Trantis over her liberal use of the mind affect, but anything that got the miners moving faster and out quicker was good in his book.

"Clear!" her high voice echoed through the corridor.

"Clear!" He said as he came to the end of his tunnel.

"Clear!" Came a Baritone voice down the last. Obi-Wan, just to be on the safe side sent his mind whirling down that tunnel. Only one life form there, and that was of Xanatos.

"Lets get out of here before we get trapped ourselves!" Obi-Wan called and started to run. The Force was telling him he needed to get out and quickly. His master's strength was running out.

They ran down the hewn rock tunnels. Obi-Wan turning a corning and joined by Xanatos, followed by Trantis a short while later. While they were running Obi-Wan heard the distant thunder of moving earth.

No.

Obi-Wan called on all the Force he could handle and poured it into his speed, trying to give his feet wings. He dimly sensed Trantis and Xanatos spacing themselves out behind him. He felt an irrational flash of anger towards the both of them.

Cowards, he thought mercilessly. They were lagging behind afraid of getting caught in the cave in. He mentally sneered at them before he pushed himself the last leg of the trip and saw the first rocks falling. His master very pale as he tried to hold it together. He watched Qui-Gon's eyes suddenly roll up into his head and pass out.

Obi-Wan froze in shock. He had never seen anyone pass out from concentration on the Force before. The world started to crumble.

Obi-Wan did the only thing he could. He used the Force to shove his unconscious master up against a wall and under a ledge before his own world went to black.

***

Part 24

Someone was calling his name. It was far away and Obi-Wan didn't want to answer it. He was tired and he hurt in places he didn't think he owned. All he wanted to do was go back to sleep and never wake up. His master had to be dead.

Light.

It was bright and blinding despite the fact it was refracted from several rocks and filtered through sand. Some of the tonnage moved around him. He felt a spike of panic race through him. He always had a phobia of small places and being alone. These being combined with the dark hopelessness of his situation caused icy fingers of the darkside to creep into him.

Then he his ears caught it. Faint yet clear. Trantis was singing. He didn't recognise the song at first. Then he recognised it.

It was SiTremba's song of his people. Her voice reproduced the notes with faithful clarity. At thirteen Obi-Wan didn't understand how such a sad song could provide SiTremba's people with hope.

"…with our brothers at our backs." Came lilting through the walls.

Now he knew.

It was something to hang on to. When there was nothing else in the world, he had the Force and friendships he has made over his lifetime.

He heard his own voice join hers. A Tenor blending with the soprano harmonies. Their voices reached and connected unlike any other bond he ever knew. His entire being felt at peace despite the danger. The tiny flicker of hope that didn't die exploded into a steady bright light. The Dark tendrils of despair vanished like unreal shadows.

Then gentle soft base added to the song. He didn't care where it came from. He wasn't alone, neither was Trantis. There was someone else. Soon he felt the thick stone barrier get thinner and thinner.

Nothing seemed so wonderful at that moment as the view of that hand.

It was caked in blood and dirt and it was reaching in to clasp his own. He didn't stop his serenade then. He wanted that connection. It felt wonderful to drown in music. Carefully the stones were removed from around him enough to allow him to crawl out.

His first view was of Trantis, covered from head to toe in dark dust, blood making a dark trail from her temple and cheek. He knew she was bleeding from several other places but the Force was allowing her to heal as well as perform the rescue. A quick check on the Force her revealed she had several bruised bones as well as a cracked rib or two.

His eyes turned to his other rescuer, just as bloody and battered as Trantis. He was barely recognisable. The dark hair was made lighter from the dust in it. The blue eyes that peered out from under the worried brow reminded him of his master. If Obi-Wan didn't recognise the cut of the clothes, he might have confused the man before him with his master.

Then he saw the broken circle scar.

"I… thought I was done for." Obi-Wan whispered sheepishly. Now he knew why they had spaced themselves out. They had known before they started back that it was too late. So they spaced out in the hopes one of them would be free to start digging. It was a terrible gamble. But it worked.

Trantis hugged him close, "I don't think so Oafy! The Force still has a purpose for your useless carcass. I tell you, if you get this kind of attention from the Force, I'd be frightened to know what it was."

Obi-Wan couldn't do anything other then gave a soft laugh and returned the hug gently, mindful of her rapidly Force healing ribs.

"Where is Qui-Gon?" Xanatos asked.

Obi-Wan blinked, "I pushed him under a ledge near the south wall. To protect him."

Tran looked at the seemingly impenatrable wall of rocks between them and the location where Qui-Gon was. "Can you communicate with him?"

Obi-Wan blinked rapidly and sent his thoughts down his link with his master trying to find him. He held his breath, not daring to believe his master was alright.

? came the reply. Faint but there.

Obi-Wan wanted to sob with relief, "He's there!"

Trantis and Xanatos both grabbed a shoulder and shook him, "Obi-Wan, hold that link. Talk to him" Xanatos said.

Obi-Wan was about to ask why he had to play relay for Xanatos then bit it back. For some reason, he didn't want to hurt this vulnerable man standing before him.

Master. Talk to me. Say anything.

Safe? His master asked.

Obi-Wan nodded, Relatively. How are you?

I feel like something tried to eat me then decided that I wasn't as tasty as it thought. Qui-Gon replied, getting more conscious by the second. I am relatively undamaged. Thank you for sending me here.

Obi-Wan followed his master on the mental check-up. Qui-Gon was mostly intact. He was just exhausted from using so much of the Force for such an extended period of time. He relayed this information to the other two.

Trantis and Xanatos nodded.

"Tell him not to go anywhere." Trantis grinned, "We'll start digging."

Obi-Wan smirked, Master, We are going to start digging. You are under strict orders of Her Magesty Trantis not to move and just sit there.

He received a warm mental chuckle, I'll obey her orders. You dig, I'll rest. Fair deal.

Obi-Wan smiled widely, Yeah yeah. Always the master. Sending me to do the hard work while you just lounge about.

Oh shut up.Qui-Gon sent back. I want a nap, monitor me.

Obi-Wan nodded, Certainly oh magnificent one.

I should have left you here in the mines, Padawan Qui-Gon groused as Obi-Wan sensed him shifting to get comfortable.

You know you love me. Obi-Wan replied with a smirk.

Obi-Wan looked up at the two who had discretely mounted the emergency glow rod on the wall again and were working trying to plan the digging escapade. They determined that they would start with Obi-Wan's pocket and go from there. By miracle of the Force a large chuck of rock with a small tunnel of it's own had fallen on Obi-Wan with Obi-Wan in the tunnel part.

Obi-Wan walked up to them as he continued to monitor his master's sleep. Xanatos and Trantis smiled at him brightly.

"Can we get to him?" Obi-Wan asked

Trantis shrugged, "It was an impossibility that you would be alive."

Obi-Wan smiled brightly, "So it's impossible to get to my master?"

Xanatos nodded, "Exactly."

"Well then, Let's get started."

And so they did.

***

Part 25

Trantis punched through to Qui-Gon thirty-two hours later. She beamed down from her perch about two feet over his head and whistled. He looked up at her.

"Mind if I come in?" She asked amicably as if she were standing just outside his quarters in the temple.

Qui-Gon returned her grin. The teeth looking pearly white against the dark dust on their faces. Of all of them, it looked as if he was the most in tact, despite a distinct case of dehydration from nearly three days without water. As a jedi he had been able to slip into hibernation trace to slow his metabolism enough to survive for two weeks with no food or water.

"Have you ever heard of knocking?" He replied with a scratchy voice.

"Happy Midsummer Festival" She beamed and handed a canteen down to him.

He slowly took sips of the water to prevent his body from being overwhelmed. Qui-Gon looked up at the dusty face of the girl above him. "How are you?"

She grinned, "Hungry, but otherwise fine. We've been working straight through. Obi-Wan is as much of a task master as Xanatos and I tend to be determined"

He arched his eyebrow. "My dear, that is like One jedi saying to another they are too intense."

"Oh phoey." She dismissed it with a wave of her hand. "Let me know when you are ready to leave. There is more where that came from. We have our own private lake all to ourselves. You can get CLEAN."

Qui-Gon widened his eyes, "Sounds like a vacation paradise."

Trantis grinned, "well, it's quiet, fairly dark, away from daily cares and troubles. Only problem is a distinct lack of food."

"That does present a problem." Qui-Gon agreed.

"Perhaps we should think about getting you out of here and then make plans once we are all out of immediate danger." Tranis said Amiably

He inclined his head as he took another swallow and felt the water move directly from his stomach to the necessary cells. "Lead on fair lady."

They crawled slowly and carefully through the maze that Trantis had created. When he finally emerged into the bright light and more open air he felt almost agoraphobic. Then the sight of his dusty, dirty, somewhat damaged but otherwise intact apprentice washed away all his own aches and cares.

Qui-Gon's heart filled with joy at seeing Obi-Wan as the apprentice smiled up at him. Qui-Gon reached out to finger the still perfect braid. He pulled his apprentice into a tight hug.

"I'm glad you are safe Master." Obi-Wan breathed into his master's shoulder

"So am I Obi-Wan." Was the heartfelt response.

After a good while Qui-Gon pulled away from Obi-Wan and smiled down at him. Then the two looked around to find that the Off-world representatives were among the missing. Trantis and Xanatos had disappeared at some point and Qui-Gon didn't particularly care when, he was only grateful they had the tact to do so.

"Where are they?" Qui-Gon asked softly

"We thought it would be best after we got you out to gather by the lake where there is water and some other supplies floating around." Obi-Wan replied.

Qui-Gon nodded, "Then let's join them."

"Indeed." Obi-Wan turned and gathered half the remaining supplies as Qui-Gon gathered the other half.

"How are they?" Qui-Gon asked softly.

"Due to a miracle in the Force, Trantis' ribs are healing. I can't even begin to imagine how much pain she was in while getting you out. While I ran straight for the cave in, they had hung back, knowing that spacing out meant there was a better chance of someone being free enough to start digging. Our connections on the Force would allow us to locate each other. Trantis could find me because we grew up together, Xanatos would be able to find you." Obi-Wan's voice echoed in the hall.

"What is their damage?"

"Trantis sustained the worst, her ribs. Xanatos had a sprained ankle and wrist as well as several deep bruises. Those are healing as well. My damage is similar to Xanatos. You seemed to have gotten off the lightest." Obi-Wan replied.

Qui-Gon nodded, "Once cleaned and hydrated I am going to assess our situation. You three should get some rest. I can easily take it from here."

Obi-Wan nodded, "Understood. Er… master.. I feel that I should tell you something."

Qui-Gon nodded, "yes?"

Obi-Wan looked down at his boots, as if he were suffering from a rare case of shyness. "It's… about Trantis."

Qui-Gon stopped dead in the tunnel. He turned tostare at his apprentice for a while "Go on."

Obi-Wan shuffled his feet, "While we were hiding in the airduct… we sort of… accidentally … kissed. I think she liked it."

Qui-Gon felt his face split into a grin. He never thought he would see the day his cocky self-assured padawan was unsure as to what to do. "Did you like it?"

Obi-Wan nodded slowly, as if ashamed to admit this. "Yes I did, I would very much like for it to happen again but…"

"But what, padawan?" Qui-Gon asked softly, "She's an attractive young lady with a good heart and soul. What's wrong with this?"

Obi-Wan stared down the hall, "My first guess would be a lot master."

Qui-Gon nodded sagely, "I know. The path of true love never does run smooth."

"No argument here."

"Of course you realize I now have exclusive teasing rights." Qui-Gon grinned.

Obi-Wan groaned, "Master, you aren't going to get me back for that time you had with Adi Gallia are you."

The master's grin merely widened.

Obi-Wan gulped and stared up at his master before he hurriedly turned down the tunnel to avoid his master. When Obi-Wan was fifteen his master and Adi Gallia had a thing. While it had settled down now into something a bit more, in Obi-Wan's mind, befitting a pair of Jedi masters, Obi-Wan had been tickled by the idea of his master in love. He had teased the life out of the pair.

Now it looked like payback time.

Oh Force he was in TROUBLE.

***

Part 26

Three days later a rather ragged looking quartet crawled out from under a rock.

Literally.

The four Force users squeesed themselves out from under an overhanging rock in the middle of a regrowth forest.

They were all completely covered in the dark dust that settled on their clothing turning it all to the same shade of near black. Helping each other, they crawled along the grass in the sun dappled shade to lay down under the cover of a tree. All four collapsed sprawling on the soft grass. Only the sounds of their laboured breathing could be heard over the breeze.

Finally when the breathing evened out all four simply lay on their backs, staring at the sky.

"Qui-Gon." Xanatos muttered.

"Hmmm?" came the soft reply.

"What is this? Short cut number fourteen that has taken us longer then the original route?" Xanatos chuckled.

Obi-Wan snorted, "It's not like he had to persuade us all that hard. You did rather CAVE IN quickly."

"True true," Xanatos replied, "Qui-Gon does seem to like the ROCKY path best."

"Have you noticed that my master suffers from TUNNEL vision at times?" Obi-Wan asked curiously

"True, but he does operate best when the sky is about to fall around him." Xanatos added with Glee.

Trantis groaned, "Guys… I am in pain here! Enough with the puns."

"What's the matter, Trantis?" Qui-Gon chuckled, "You can't take a little RIB-ing?"

"I think we MILKed that one for all it was worth." Obi-Wan observed seriously.

"True, it is getting rather Cheesy." Xanatos chimed in, sounding far too chipper considering their collective state.

"Damn it, I think it's time you all just MOO-ved on." Trantis snickered as she was pelted by handfuls of grass.

"I knew there was a reason I never wanted those two together." Qui-Gon laughed and finished it off with a cough.

"Yeah, they will kill us all with bad puns." Trantis groused, "Just remember MASTER Qui-Gon, you started it."

"I?" Qui-Gon said innocently, "What would ever make you think I would teach my apprentices such bad senses of humour."

"Bad humor, Master?" Obi-Wan lilted, "I am hurt… that wasn't Punny."

"Careful what you say Obi-Wan." Xanatos countered, "Or he will Pun-t you around the practice ring."

"Guys, why don't you two just get a room." Trantis sighed melodramatically "and let me die in peace."

Obi-Wan snorted, "Sorry, his legs are too hairy and he doesn't have lumps in the right places."

"Oh that's romantic sounding." Trantis snorted

"And you aren't dying apprentice. We are all in too much pain for us to have joined the Force." Xanatos gave a wheezing chuckle at the end of it.

"Good point." Qui-Gon said.

"I vote we nap here until we recover." Xanatos says. "All in favor say Aye."

"Aye"

"Vote is unanimous. Motion carried." Qui-Gon concluded

With that, all four lined up under the tree quickly fell asleep in the sun dappled shade.

***

Part 27

Trantis woke up to an arm flung over her body and a belted around her waist. A leg was thrown possessively over both of hers and there was a warm breath in her ear. Stretching out her senses she found that the person using her as a body pillow was that damned Jedi apprentice.

He's squeezing me. Trantis sent to Xanatos

Again? He asked mildly in return.

What do you mean... again? Trantis asked testily.

He's been doing that on and off for quite some time now.

How in bloody hell would YOU know?

She received a chuckle in return. Qui-Gon, being the least damaged of all of us, decided upon waking from his power nap that he would go look for our search party and tell them they are looking in the wrong place. He left me here awake to guard the two youngsters who over extended themselves for a long time before we ever came to save them.

Trantis was stunned and awed, Wow, that is impressive. Qui-Gon trusting you with his sleeping apprentice.

Xanatos chuckled in her mind, Obi-Wan is not in bad shape at all, he's just tired. If I became anything resembling a threat he would be awake with his lightsaber in hand and I would be cleaved in two. He'd then likely curl right back up next to you, go back to sleep and consider it a job well done.

But that doesn't explain Mr. Grabby. she groused. He's probably dreaming about his girlfriend back in the temple.

Xanatos chuckled, Unless there is another Tran in the temple, I doubt it.

Trantis bit back her next comment, Well… um….

I do believe my apprentice is smitten. Xanatos said, his mind voice bubbling with mirth. And with the apprentice of my former master at THAT. By all the hundred little gods the Force DOES have a sense of humour!

Trantis felt heat in her cheeks as she blushed scarlet. He's a pain in the ass, tells bad jokes. He's cock sure of himself…

With a good heart under it all. He's passionate and is probably the one person you will meet who is fully your match. He can counter you push for shove and will take you down a peg should you deserve it, back you up should you need it. Despite what he says to the contrary he expects you to reciprocate. Sounds like a match made by the Force to me.

Trantis blushed, I…

The chemistry is there, It's swimming weather and you are shivering. You look cold my apprentice.

YOU! YOU!

Trantis only felt a wave of affection from her master, My darling girl, you have been alone with me for far too long. While I am appreciative of your attention, I can't keep it all. Given enough time like that we would cross that final step and become lovers. Frankly, I don't think that would be healthy.

Trantis nodded, True. Only too true. It's not good to be someone's everything

She was given a mental hug, I'm glad you are finding your heart elsewhere. I couldn't be happier with who you've chosen. He'll give you as much trouble as you give him.

Trantis shot back a picture of what she assumed was Obi-Wan's parentage, which was the unfortunate cross mating of an Ewok and a Hutt.

Xanatos laughed outright, Denial isn't healthy either, my apprentice. But I DO suggest that if you want to catch and hold his attention, continue to drive him insane.

How? We have escaped from peril and soon we will have to leave Bandomeer and go our separate ways. Trantis asked with a sigh as the hand from her waist to her stomach where he took up rubbing circles.

Xanatos grinned, The Force will find a way. If this is any indication of how our lives will go from now on, I don't doubt we will see more of my former master and his apprentice.

Trantis thought. Her perception of Obi-Wan had changed drastically from a heartless bully far better then herself, to the cocksure apprentice that was her equal. Then in the mines she saw a different side. He was fearless and selfless when saving the lives of the Miners trapped after the quake. His rushing ahead to Qui-Gon while the world was collapsing was all heart, though unbelievably stupid.

During the three days while they were trying to save themselves they had nothing to do BUT talk. She found Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan, when left to their own devices, had a relationship not so different from hers and Xanatos'. Neither man was complete until they had found the other.

Obi-Wan was a smart-ass to the bone and loved making bad puns. He and Xanatos in the space of a heartbeat bonded right then and there. They had found a kindred spirit in each other. Qui-Gon, master to the fingernails, sequestered her attention for hours at a time, quizzing her on her training and ability. Xanatos and Obi-Wan amused themselves by swapping jokes that made would make anyone else in the universe groan in pain.

Then there are times when master and former apprentice would talk leaving the students to chat. Trantis sighed, she had to admit under that charm there was substance to his spirit. Their masters thought they argued. Trantis would call it ‘spirited discussion.'

Damn did she ever have a hard time keeping her mind on the topic while there was warm breath steaming the back of her neck. The fingers of his hand had wormed their way inside her tunics and were massaging her belly in slow circles, lulling her into distraction.

With a small smile Trantis settled back to sleep. If she and Obi-Wan were destined for more, she could handle it. The Force always ended up making twists like this and she had long ago given up questioning the Force. If the Force wanted one to have a certain fate it was going to happen no matter what one did. One could only choose the manner of the execution of that fate.

If the Force wanted it this way, she only had one thing she could say in return.

Bring it on.

***

Part 28

Qui-Gon came with the rescue party four hours later. The medical team upon seeing him had insisted on strapping him to a gravsled. They would have been happy to pack him off into the hospital and simply go to the co-ordinates Qui-Gon indicated but Qui-Gon was a Jedi master without his apprentice. He was not going anywhere except back.

"Well, Master Qui-Gon," Xanatos called to him sounding amused, "I see even now you find a way to lay back and let others do the work."

Qui-Gon wouldn't even dignify that with an answer. While in the mines and all four were working for the same goal, he and the fallen? Apprentice had slid into easy rapport. Their common bond being their care for a redheaded female.

Now that his apprentice and everyone concerned was clearly safe he was a bit confused as to what all this meant. He watched as Xanatos refused to climb into his own medical sled until Trantis was on hers and a prognosis was given for her recovery. She wouldn't need a bacta tank, thankfully. Neither would his apprentice. It seemed the most any of them needed was sleep.

Relaxing back, Qui-Gon watched as xanatos climbed into his own bed and lay down. There was a small smile on the man's lips as he reached out a hand to Trantis and caressed her cheek. The girl turned her head into her master's caress in her sleep and a small smile lighted her lips as well.

Qui-Gon saw very clearly that it wasn't the caress of a lover but more that of a brother or father. When xanatos turned his head back and closed his eyes to sleep, Qui-Gon saw that the two ends of the circle scar were closer together then when Qui-Gon last saw him.

Qui-Gon looked over at his apprentice and had to chuckle. Obi-Wan was tolerating being poked and prodded by the well meaning attendants like a cat would in being petted by small children. There was an expression of distaste for the whole proceedings on his face. If the young man had a tail it would be twitching furiously.

Obi-Wan Kenobi. Qui-Gon said sternly over their bond, Play nice to the healers… they are only trying to help.

Is everyone else alright? Obi-Wan asked, Are you…

Obi-Wan, you know damn well I am only suffering from a few scrapes and bruises. Nothing more then mildly irritating. Now kindly calm down

Trantis? Obi-Wan asked as the team finished up and started strapping him to the hover bed.

Just hairline fractures and healing nicely Qui-Gon replied.

Qui-Gon watched his apprentice sigh deeply as they were all floated into the transport. Master, what will happen now to them both? My first instinct is to say Xanatos is… Wel I can't say he's come BACK from the dark but I can say he's living with it and stable. I KNOW Trantis is still of the light.

Obi-Wan, I have thought about it and I am going to need your help in reporting to the council. Xanatos' name will be kept discreetly out of it. It will be as if Trantis was the only Force sensitive we found.

Obi-Wan gave a mental whistle, You would… do that for him?

For them Obi-Wan. For both of them. The Force is clear, they belong together. If the council got wind that we found Xanatos again after all these years they might very well order the equivalent of a hit on him. Trantis would be forced to make a choice between the Light and her master. I do not want that to happen.

Neither do I, Master. Neither do I. What about her career? She's in Limbo. She's too Force sensitive and too embroiled in serving people to be corporate material much longer.

If she wants it, there is a way to make her a knight. Qui-Gon said. She just needs a patron and the willingness to come in to the temple for a few months a year to shore up for the trials.

If she is willing.

Do you think she would be?

As long as Xanatos approved and could be there for her knighting, I don't see any reason why she wouldn't take it. Some people just aren't meant to be trained with a master. Some need to find their way on their own.

You were almost one of those people here. Qui-Gon said softly, I am fortunate the Force showed me otherwise.

So am I, Master.

With that both men felt sleep come to bring them rest.

***

Xanatos sighed as he approached Qui-Gon on the terrace. After being separated and sleeping for a good day, all four of them had been run off their feet with negotiations, the settling of the countryside upon the discovery of the traitors amongst them and Xanatos had left the re-opening of the mine completely in his apprentice's hands.

He was the one at the negotiation table. Granted there was a lot of ill will and rancor left over from his last dealing with them. However he suspected he earned a lot of respect for both being a key Force in the uncovering of the criminals as well as having the guts to come to their table again after what he did nine years ago. The other negotiators' accepted him fully when Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan openly trusted him and his word.

He felt he had aged a lifetime since he had last stood in that room.

His Sith Spawn of an apprentice had told him he needed to do one last thing before he could leave the planet. She couldn't help clear out the dark unless he met her half way by clearing out what was generating it to begin with.

He needed to discuss what happened on Telos all those years ago with his master.

Despite the fact he would have been content to let things stand as they were now, he knew she was right. He had told her he wouldn't likely ever get trust from Qui-Gon again, or anything resembling a relationship. She simply smiled enigmatically and walked away.

There were times he didn't know if he should fall to his knees in wonder at her love for him, or throttle her because she pushed him to do things that utterly terrify him.

He knew she was keeping Obi-Wan busy with some saber practice. Force knew she needed it against an opponent that wasn't him. Xanatos couldn't help but feel guilty when he thought she would never truly be accepted into the Jedi. She'll never have the honour of a true knighting ceremony or knighting celebration.

He gritted his teeth and walked onto the Terrace and stood in silence staring at the stars with Qui-Gon.

Qui-Gon said nothing, he simply breathed.

Xanatos decided to follow his apprentice's advice once again. When in the midst of a moral dilemma… dive.

He looked at the stars, "Truthfully, I have done a lot of thinking about what went wrong between us and I came to the conclusion we were both at fault. We both expected too much of each other.

"Qui-Gon, I cannot begin to tell you the depth of regret I feel at how I destroyed our relationship and purposely set out to hurt you. I wanted you to see me, the person, and not a carbon copy of yourself or a robot to program. You were trying to make me become you and I didn't want that. I wanted you to love me best of all and when I discovered you didn't see me for who I was and couldn't care that deeply I was devastated. I thought I found that in Crion. Then he betrayed me and I lost you as well."

He sighed and continued not looking at Qui-Gon, "If I could have one wish it would be to go back to before we landed on Telos and try again, but I cannot. I can only heal the here and now. I hurt the both of us. We are healing, but I doubt either of us will ever truly be healed."

He paused, at Qui-Gon's silence he gave a small bitter laugh, "Do you realize what the ironic thing is?"

Qui-Gon turned to him and looked him full in the face, "What?"

Xanatos smiled wanly, "In my effort to not become you, I ended up becoming more like you than I ever realized. I see it, everyday I teach Tran."

With that Xanatos watched as his former master stare at him for a few seconds then walk away silently down the darkened corridor. Leaving Xanatos to contemplate the stars.

***

Part 29

Xanatos was watching his apprentice spar with Obi-Wan. Their 'sabers seemed to glow in the dusk-light filling the gardens, and Xanatos fancied he could hear the hum and crackle of their weapons. There were no footsteps, not so much as a breath of displaced air, but Xanatos knew when Qui-Gon came to stand behind him.

As patient as the death he once revelled in, Xanatos waited for his former master to speak. Waiting now was a joy, mainly because it meant one more moment where the axe had not fallen. He could hardly dare to hope that Qui-Gon would have forgiven him, but still a stubborn flame glowed deep within that place that Tran called his heart.

Xanatos held his breath when Qui-gon stood beside him. Xanatos kept his peace, giving the Jedi a chance to finish forming his thoughts. Both men watched the hypnotic swirl of their apprentices' 'sabers in the garden below their terrace.

"Right after you turned," Qui-Gon said quietly, "I spent much of my time entertaining fantasies of you returning, saying words much like you just did."

Xanatos closed his eyes at the pain and love Qui-Gon did not speak of.

"But," Qui-Gon continued, "as the years went on, I began to abandon such foolish hope. I did not need Yoda's reminders that the Darkside is a one way path; I had your actions as proof that you had no regrets. Eventually, I came to terms with the inescapable fact that my own love for you had not only blinded me, but also caused such suffering for others - those that were truly innocent.

"And now you come to me, spouting words of regret fifteen years after I gave up those dreams, asking for understanding, if not forgiveness. At first, I wanted to reject you out of hand; give you the same consideration you gave me for so very long. But then, the memory, if not remnants of the love I once bore you surfaced again. So I listened. And thought."

Xanatos' chest felt heavy with emotion as he turned to face Qui-Gon. Bright blue eyes met bright blue eyes in the fading sunlight. Both sets of eyes were red-rimmed with suppressed emotion.

"I cannot offer you my love as I once did, Xanatos. I cannot even offer you my trust. But I can offer you my attempt at belief. I want to believe you, Xanatos. As much as I wanted to believe you would return all those years ago, I want to believe you finally have now."

"I'm not asking for your love or trust." Xanatos replied softly, "I am not sure what I am asking for. I guess I am asking for a conclusion on that chapter of my life with you. I'm tired of hating, being afraid. I am just exhausted with it all. Do you have any idea how much energy it takes to try come up with elaborate plots of revenge upon enemies for whom death is not good enough?"

Qui-gon chuckled at the joke; "You always were looking for the way with the minimum amount of effort. I was wondering when you would realise that the Darkside takes up too much productive time."

Xanatos grinned, "That's me, the model of efficiency."

"Except in your foot work." Qui-gon teased.

Xanatos groaned theatrically, "Don't remind me. My apprentice always is yelling at me for it. Thank god I can still beat her two falls out of three."

"But not for long." Qui-gon whispered the conclusion while observing the sparing apprentices. They were evenly matched. Obi-wan was dancing like a firefly around her. Tran simply conserved her energy until Obi-wan slipped up.

She was right. He landed slightly off, before he could recover, Tran made a small force push which sent Obi-wan toppling right on his bum in the gravel path. Before Obi-wan could stand up Tran was stepping on Obi-wan's saber and had her's pointed at his nose.

Obi-wan laughed, "I yield! I Yield! You are better then I am."

"I didn't do anything you idiot." She replied, "You were asking for it."

He beamed at her and laughed, "If you insist."

"Why are you smiling?" She asked

"Because I know something you don't know!"

‘And that would be?"

"I am not left handed."

"Funny, I am not left handed either."

"You game?"

"You bet."

Qui-Gon looked back to the two apprentices. "You have taught her very well. And she truly believes that there is good in you."

"Only time will tell if she is right." He whispered, "There are times I am not even sure myself."

Qui-gon Jinn was deathly quiet for a moment as he stared into the darkening garden where the children continued to fight, laughing when one made a mistake. "Trantis believes there is."

Xanatos smiled softly, "Yes, that she does. Sometimes it takes someone else believing in you to get you to believe in yourself."

Qui-gon sighed, "She has a remarkable gift."

Xanatos nodded, "She should be temple protected. But I can't give her up. Call me greedy, but I can't bring myself to do that."

Qui-gon rested a hand on his wayward apprentice's shoulder. "The force will find a way for the two of you. It has found a way for you thus far."

The two masters watched as once again Trantis knocked Kenobi on his ass with a well-timed stroke. She walked over and was reaching down to help him up with Kenobi suddenly wrapped his legs around hers causing her to fall to the ground. Obi-wan then rolled on top of her and pinned her spread eagled below him.

Xanatos suddenly had a flash of what life would have been like if he hadn't turned. He and his master would still have found something to fight about anyway and ill will would have reined over both of them. Qui-gon would still have refused to take an apprentice until a certain young boy forced his way into Qui-gon's life.

Xanatos would have spent much time out of the temple as well. On a visit back he would have seen a small girl with fiery curls practising alone in a room, continually falling over in the same spot until she just didn't stand up again. He would have taken her under his wing after he asked a few questions and found that she was as unwanted as he was.

This meeting on Bandomeer still would have happened. Circumstances would have been different. All four would have been Jedi. The vision of Trantis in Jedi robes kneeling at his feet in the council chamber as her braid was cut trembled in his mindd just before he felt tears well up inside him.

He had seen her look on Obi-wan's braid and robes with a wistful expression in her eyes. She had run away of her own accord and didn't regret her decision. But in order for her to eat her cake she realised she couldn't have it too.

It was the one gift he could have given Trantis if their paths went the way of the visions. The one gift he can't give her now, even with all the money and power of Off world Corporation to back him.

Qui-gon leaned down to Xanatos' ear and whispered softly, "But I can."

Xanatos looked back up at Qui-gon sharply, "What?"

Qui-gon smirked a bit, "There have been conditions where a Jedi who left the temple and had no master managed to raise up to the level of knighthood. Special circumstances but they have happened. Usually the youngster proves himself or herself worthy of the title and from then on the council carefully watches them. Occasionally a master tests them to see if they are ready for the trials, all without the youngster knowing. When it's time, the person is offered to come to the council and take their trials."

Xanatos' eyes glazed over once more and Qui-gon's face swam in front of his eyes. "You… you would do that for her?"

Qui-gon chuckled, "Partly, I'd say she's a prime candidate for this. But I am not doing it for her. I am doing this for you."

Xanatos felt the tears flood his eyes as he gripped the railing under his hands. Wave after pounding wave of gratitude hit his soul. Xanatos didn't care about his own knighthood, that was a dream long dead. He did care about Trantis. Here Qui-gon was giving him a double gift. Allowing Trantis to stay with him as well as the opportunity for her knighthood.

"Question is." Qui-gon continued, "Would she want it?"

Xanatos cocked his head and watched her thoughtfully. She had the soul of a knight. She should be one. Off World was now a legitimate company. He could easily switch jobs from a high powered corporate executive to a pilot for the temple. He smirked, be an interesting switch for Trantis, leading him instead of following. One that would be good for both of them.

As he watched Trantis proceed to flip Obi-wan onto his back and pin him in the same position she was he felt a weight he never knew was on his heart lift.

"Yes. I think she might."

-End.