Rating: PG-13 (may change)
Summary: Obi-Wan stumbles upon a lost love and finds she has been betrayed by those in authority.
Archive: Ok
Disclaimer: George owns it all, I'm just here to visit and for really cheap therapy.
Note: Thanks for the Beta Ellie, I'm sure I probably still missed something, sorry. This is suppose to be my attempt at the angst fic for Friday the 13th...I hope! Unless my muse decides otherwise.
Part 1
The dreams had returned once more, Obi-Wan thought as he sat on the side of the bed and ran a shaking hand through sweat dampened hair. Why? Why, now? It had been nearly three years since the dreams of Kristin had stopped haunting his rest, let alone his every waking hour. When Kristin disappeared from a mission nearly three years ago and the Council had informed him of her death, he thought he'd die from heartbreak. Then nearly a year to the day of losing his love, he'd lost his Master on Naboo. Qui-Gon's death seemed to steal what little life was left in Obi-Wan's soul. It was a vicious blow, first the woman he loved had been brutally taken from him and then the man he cherished as his father snatched from his grasp. It was a blow that even today he was not fully recovered from. Sure, General Kenobi could hide his pain from those around him, but the loss was still great, all these years later. Even Obi-Wan knew he was just going through the motions on certain levels.
* * *
It was suppose to have been a relatively simple mission. Go in to Dalmar, check out the former Warlord's properties, and seize everything from his land to the clothes he had once worn and turn it over to the Republic. The Warlord Mikelen Barreau was dead; those whom he had chosen to double cross had slaughtered him. Now the fear was that with his death, Dalmar would slide into war against their neighbors, this would have to be avoided to keep the Dalmar in allegiance to the Republic.
It all seemed relatively simple in Obi-Wan's mind as he read the reports and briefings and such which had littered his desk on the flight to Dalmar. However, once he was behind the Warlord's fortress, matters changed and changed quickly as his men searched the large compound's main house and surrounding buildings.
"General Kenobi, I believe you should come to the fourth floor of the main house," one of his Captain's instructed into the comm unit as Obi-Wan helped his men search the first floor of the main house.
Moments later Obi-Wan strode to where his men had beckoned him and glanced from his men to the elaborate door, which stood before them. "What would Barreau need with a laser security system on a bedchamber?" General Kenobi thought aloud. " Break it down," he ordered. As his men followed the order, he used the Force to sense anything behind the barriers. "I only sense one person...it's odd...but I can't tell anything about them...no Force signature, nothing..." He thought aloud at the odd sensation of blackness and void, which he felt emanating from the being in the other room.
With a loud hiss and sparks flying from the disintegrated control panel his men had blasted, the wall of lasers disappeared and the door slid open to reveal an elaborate room. At the far end stood a woman, standing patiently by the corner table, back to her intruders. Her hair was the color of warm, rich wheat, as it cascaded down her back. The clothes she wore were of the finest money could buy; the gown an imported silk which fit her like a second skin. Even as she was told not to move and weapons trained upon her, she never once turned to see the intruders, it was as if she had resigned herself to meet her fate. When she turned to face the Captain who now placed a hand to her shoulder to spin her around, Obi-Wan got his first glimpse at the woman who had haunted his dreams just hours before.
"By the will of the Force...." Obi-Wan gasped in utter shock as his eyes met hers. "Kristin?" He asked with a trembling voice as the woman met his gaze. Suddenly, tears of so many lost years flooded her vision as the man she once loved more than life itself now stood before her. Strong, caring arms suddenly engulfed her as the powerful Jedi pulled her to him and nearly squeezed the breath from her lungs in his embrace.
For how long they stood together, clutching each other desperately, neither would know, but when Obi-Wan slowly released her and held her face between his hands, he found the room deserted. His Captain, leaving the two of them alone had tactfully pulled out his men.
"Kris, I thought you were dead...they told me...I couldn't feel you in the Force..." Obi-Wan stammered as he looked into her bright green eyes, then noticed the glint of a silver Force dampening collar around her neck. "Siths," he swore as he began to place his hand to the collar. She quickly tried to stop him but was too late as he felt a jolt of sheer pain surge through his body making him stumble back.
"Are you alright?" Kristin asked with concern as she slowly took a hesitant step backwards, a habit she found hard to break. "You can't do anything about it, Barreau has the key, he's the only one who can release me." She explained in a voice, which wavered in emotion.
"Barreau is dead," Obi-Wan stated flatly as the realization of what she meant suddenly struck him as if he were slapped. "He's kept you locked in here all this time?"
"Since the day my shuttle landed...and I was given this illustrious mission by the Council, pretty pathetic for a Jedi, huh?" Kristin mocked as she glanced to the floor.
"But why? What did Barreau do to you?"
"There are a lot of things you don't know about me, Obi-Wan, an awful lot...I've... well I've done some things I'm not proud of but at the time I thought it would be the only way to survive until the Council sent someone to find me." She tried to explain, wanting to leave it at that but she knew by the look in his eyes that he wouldn't let this drop so easily.
His teal eyes blazed in anger as the words his former lover refused to say spoke volumes. The images and fleeting emotions, which poured from her unhindered because of the Force dampening collar nearly sent him to his knees as she projected them very blatantly and loudly, unable to stop.
"He locked you away...as some sort of...of...prize?" Obi-Wan said with contempt as he looked at Kristin for conformation. "All this time, in these rooms...he...he...forced himself on you?"
"Yes...I was his possession, his prize so to speak and yes he forced himself on me...that is until he got what he wanted," she said with a deep breath as Obi-Wan just shook his head in disbelief.
"You gave him a child?"
"He stole his child!" She spat with pain, "that bastard was here the day his son was born, snatching him from the midwife's arms, and taking him from me just seconds after I brought him into this world. I never once held my own flesh and blood...never saw what color eyes he had... the only thing I managed to see about my own son was a head of hair, black as night. They held me down to keep me from trying to grab him as Barreau quickly took him away."
"And he never bothered you after that?" Obi-Wan asked in shock as he saw the tears stream down her face.
"No, he never touched me again...and truthfully, I never lived after they stole my son."
"That's why you stood with your back to us..." he suddenly thought aloud. "You were hoping for a way out, any way out."
"True, I haven't been living for nearly two years Obi-Wan...I've only existed." Kristin replied with a sudden sense of shame. "I'd spent so many hours hoping to return to the Temple, trying to be strong...I'm a Jedi for Force sake, yet I've been imprisoned and beaten down and torn apart....and not even my own kind helped me. I gave up hope a long time ago when that...that bastard stole my child."
"General Kenobi, there's a message from High Command," a young female lieutenant interrupted before another word could be uttered.
"I'll be there in a minute," Obi-Wan sternly said before noticing the young woman still standing there waiting.
"Sorry sir, they said it was urgent and you were to speak with them immediately," she explained uncomfortably as she noticed the muscle in his jaw clench.
"Thank you," he uttered before dismissing the lieutenant. "Grab what you need, I'm taking you away from here," Obi-Wan ordered, "I'll be back in a minute." He stated before going some place more private to speak with his higher command. Kristin just glanced around her prison of so many years and struggled to catch her breath for a moment. Then she gathered a few clothes and a book, then seated herself on the bed and waited for his return.
* * *
Part 2
How one's life could change in mere minutes Kristin still couldn't fathom; yet it seemed her existence was a matter of moments. Each moment chosen for her in increments which could barely be measured except in the blink of an eye. The same had occurred once more as she sat in the small room aboard the Republic Cruiser Obi-Wan currently commanded. For such a small confining space compared to her prison of lavishness for so many years, this small room felt more alive than her gilded cage ever had. It had been two days, and she had barely seen Obi-Wan, but for ten minutes. It seemed to be destined that they were to be so near yet still so far away. Yet, something within her calmed with his closeness.
"Excuse me,"a young lieutenant stated after walking into Kristin's quarters, "your presence is required in the main conference room."
"Conference room, for what?"
"I don't know ma'am, I am just under orders from Admiral Dahl to bring you there immediately," he curtly replied as Kristin took a deep breath and accompanied the lieutenant. Even here on her former lover's ship, she knew she was but a prisoner, yet it wasn't until that armed escort that she truly felt as such.
The moment the polished doors slid aside, Kristin almost gasped in surprise. It looked as if half the High Command of the entire Republic sat at the large oval conference table. Including her Obi-Wan, who stood to greet her and, taking her hand, led her to the empty chair in the middle of all those in attendance. Then giving her hand an unseen squeeze by the others, he returned to his seat.
"We have been informed that you were Warlord Barreau's...guest," Admiral Dahl said abruptly as Kristin faced the elder gentleman.
"I wouldn't call myself a guest," Kristin shot back with anger then took a calming breath. "I was not Barreau's guest, I was his prisoner."
"So how do you explain the riches of your...confinement?" Admiral Cullen quizzed; she was the only other female in the room. "The gowns you wore were not inexpensive, and you seemed to lack for nothing in you room. So tell me, Jedi Benoit, what was your true relationship to the Warlord. You do realize he claimed you as his wife?"
"Excuse me? We were never married?" Kristin loudly objected.
"By the laws of Dalmar you were," Obi-Wan said calmly as Kristin turned to meet his gaze and the shock of this washed across her face. "And I'd like to also remind the High Command, when we arrived at the main house, Jedi Benoit was imprisoned behind an elaborate laser security system. In essence she was a prisoner, plain and simple." Obi-Wan spoke up and Kristin could see the tight control he held over his annoyance at this situation.
"True, that was noted in your report...however, we need to know more of Barreau's dealings, and we feel Jedi Benoit will be able to fill us in." Admiral Dahl stated as many heads nodded in agreement.
"I can't help you," Kristin suddenly exclaimed.
"You can't or you won't?" Admiral Cullen challenged. "How can you not know any dealings when you were with the man for over three years?"
"I was captured by this 'so called' man!" Kristin spat, "I was not wined and dined and open to lovely conversation by Barreau, I have no idea of his dealings much less what he had for dinner," she said coldly as she eyed the female Admiral down.
"What of his land holdings?" Another balding Commander demanded, "and his dealings with this rebel force wanting to discredit the Republic?"
"Are you saying you know nothing of any of this?" Admiral Cullen demanded in a booming voice. "Your husband and his entire household were slaughtered in their summer home as many slept. We feel his business associates slaughtered them. And yet, you know nothing of this?"
"No, I didn't even know of his death until Obi-Wan...General Kenobi told me." Kristin stated as she cursed herself for the slip-up. " The entire household?"
"Yes, seems the Warlord double crossed his associates and they didn't take to kindly to his actions. When our forces arrived, we found Barreau tortured and near death. Seems he was alive enough to take the life of a small child they found in the bedchamber with him, but that is none of our concern."
All coherent thought drained from Kristin's mind as well as the blood from her face...a small child, she thought to herself. All the talking and questioning of this gathering of military power just buzzed into white noise while she stilled her heart. She had to know.
"This child, how old?" Kristin asked softly, interrupting the Commander who was now asking her of the secret finances of the Warlord.
"I will remind you that WE are here to ask the questions," the Commander shot back with a glare.
"This child, how old...was it a boy or girl?" Kristin demanded loudly, her voice as cold as space itself. "Tell me!"
Obi-Wan had not known this detail; those in command had kept him ignorant of this information. As he watched Kristin pale he could feel her pain and utter fear at what was said, but yet he could also sense her strength at keeping herself together.
"It is none of your concern," the Commander shot back.
"Then it is my concern," Obi-Wan suddenly stated with an edge to his voice which startled those in attendance. "You will tell Jedi Benoit what she wishes to know," he said with a strength that sang with the Force as he stared down the infuriating Commander. "This is my ship, you will do as I ask."
The Commander just glared at Obi-Wan for a second, hoping another in attendance would speak up, but in finding noone objecting to the Jedi General the ruffled man answered. "We have no idea who the child was, he was more than probably two years of age, there is no physical description available except he had green eyes and black hair. His death was swift, a blade to his throat as he slept. We do believe his name to be Toran, it was engraved upon the child's toy which he held."
The room seemed to darken; yet Kristin's eyes were still wide. This couldn't be, no, this was all a mistake. 'First the bastard steals my son, then he kills him by his own hand...no...this is all impossible,' Kristin thought. Her mind was shutting down as the meeting around her raged and she ignored all questions with either a wave of the hand or blatant refusal to acknowledge the words she honestly couldn't hear. She never even knew her son's name except upon his death, how could the Force betray her also? Why? Had she done something wrong?
Kristin never saw the deep concern etched upon Obi-Wan's face. He could feel her sense of abandon. He could feel her heart wrenching pain at this loss. The agony emanating from someone he still loved after all these years tore his soul apart. "Gentleman, I do believe you've received all the answers you'll get from Jedi Benoit, show her the respect she is due. She is still a Jedi, that does account for something...does it not?" Obi-Wan suddenly challenged as he now stood at the head of the table. "If you'll excuse me, I'll take her back to her quarters...and we'll discuss this matter more in depth upon my return."
With no objections from anyone around the table Obi-Wan helped Kristin from her chair and guided her by the arm out of the room. It amazed him to no end how strong this beautiful woman was, she had held in her grief, not letting any of those in attendance know that their slip of the tongue had just entrenched her heart in utter darkness. The walk to Kristin's quarters was without words, his hand the only comfort she would allow.
But as the doors to her quarters shut behind them, Kristen heaved a cry of utter anguish, which ripped through his soul. He quickly wrapped his arms around her as she sobbed heavily and sank to the floor. With each tear that fell, his heart ached more. How could he comfort such agony? How could he give her the substinence to guide her through this? All he could do was cling to her as she cried against his shoulder, her hands clutching him desperately as he whispered soothing words of care in her ear. He still loved this woman, after all these years, and it was tearing him apart to see her in such pain. Obi-Wan did not leave Kristin's side till she collapsed in sheer exhaustion and he carried her to the bed, tucking her in with the gentleness of one handling crystal. The High Command could wait till she slept, for they would not like what he had to say upon his return. General Kenobi would challenge the other's findings and not leave that conference room till he had his way. Kristin would be taken back to Coruscant, for surely the Jedi Council could help her, as well as answer some nagging questions which ate at his resolve. The Force told him something was amiss, now he just had to find why it was whispering his name.
TBC
