DISCLAIMER: Star Wars and all publicly recognisable characters, names and references, etc are the sole property of George Lucas, Lucasfilm Ltd, Lucasarts Inc and 20th Century Fox. This fan fiction was created solely for entertainment and no money was made from it. Also, no copyright or trademark infringement was intended. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author. Any other characters, the storyline and the actual story are the property of the author.
Cold. That was all Qui-Gon could think of as he slowly began to awaken. Wherever he was, it was as cold as a night on Hoth. His eyes weakly opened and the room he was in began to spin. Although his head was pounding in time with his heartbeat, he shook it in an attempt to gain some clarity. It worked to clear his vision some, but it made his head throb more than it already was.
His cloak was gone, his tunic was torn, and he was leaning against an ice-cold wall with chains around his wrists. He now recalled that he had been captured and injected with a drug, which explained his groggy, disillusioned state. Yet, why was he here? He had known there was danger when he arrived but there was no explanation for what had happened. What was to become of him and his Padawan?
His Padawan...Obi-Wan! Obi-Wan had gotten away. Or had he? Did the guards catch up with him before he had gotten a chance to escape? Qui-Gon hoped that was not the case. Remembering the words of the so-called 'Senator', "Kill the Apprentice, but leave the Master alive." Obi-Wan must have gotten away. Even with the state of mind he was in right now, he would know if his Padawan were dead. No, Obi-Wan was alive, but what would happen if he were to be caught at some time? What would happen then?
As if hearing all of his unvoiced questions, the door slid open and the 'Senator' strode in, the wind of the closing door caused her hair to blow about her shoulders. She gave him an icy stare along with an equally cold smile.
Qui-Gon could not stand to face her, due to his lack of strength and the chains that bound his wrists, forcing him to remain where he was on the floor. The best he could manage was to sit as straight as he could against the wall which was causing his back to go numb. Yet, even with this all this against him, he still shot her the gaze of a Jedi, for that is what he was. And no amount of chains could change that fact.
"Awake at last I see", she said. "Good, our business can begin then."
"Who are you?" The Jedi asked confidently although it took all his will not to keep his teeth from chattering while he spoke.
"I have told you before Master Jedi. I am Senator Kai-Shia Domia." she cynically replied.
"You are Senator Kai-Shia Domia, or you were?" Qui-Gon stated.
"If that's the way you wish to look at it then I suppose I was Senator of MaraTa. Now I own it." Kai-Shia replied with a smile.
"You are the leader of a rebel band," Qui-Gon said, coming to that conclusion without the need of being directly informed. "You do not own the planet or the people on it."
"Oh but you are wrong, my Jedi." She said viscously. "So very wrong." She began to pace the room, coming closer to him with each turn she made. "Do you think you are here because it was the request of the Prime Minister? If you do, I am afraid you are mistaken." She paused to bend down and stare into his eyes. "I told him I wished to talk, knowing he would call for Jedi assistance. But it was I who allowed him to send the message to Courscant. I have had control of the transmissions for longer than he thinks. You are here, because I want you to be here. You are going to help me show the citizens of this planet what fear truly is. You are here to help my cause."
"You took me but not my Apprentice. Why?" The Jedi asked.
"He is young and lacks knowledge, this makes him weak." She stated simply. "People do not fear the weak." She smiled at the Jedi Master. "Yet, they do fear the strong. Which is why you were chosen. They have it all wrong in the capital. To strike fear in the hearts of men and women is the way to control them. And when they see I have defeated a Jedi Master, they will know there is no longer any way to stop me. I will be in complete and total control."
"You believe that controlling people by fear makes you strong." Qui-Gon said to the woman. "But it doesn't. It makes you weak instead."
Kai-Shia stood up and took a step back. She had a stunned look on her face. With his softened tone, Qui-Gon could see a young girl, a young spoiled girl who had never been told 'no' in her life. And when she was, it had destroyed her.
Her look hardened once again. Her brow knitted in a glare. Her hand came back and she struck the Jedi Master across the face with all of her might. Although the blow caused Qui-Gon's vision to blur, he showed no sign of weakness.
"Pain and fear come as one Master Jedi", she spat, "And as a Jedi I know you are aware of both those feelings. Yet the Jedi push fear away, when you should embrace it. The Jedi push pain away, but you should use it. And for that one comment you will feel pain that you never thought possible." She knelt close and whispered into his ear, lightly touching his face with the back of her hand, "When you think there is no more we could do to you, we will find away. And then, when that part of pain has stopped, and you think it is over, it will really have just begun. Because, my dear Jedi, when we find you're little Apprentice we will do the same and worse to him. And you will watch. You will hear every scream, feel every blow as if you yourself had been struck, and you will smell his burned skin and fresh blood. Then, when you beg us to stop, we will, and he will die. And it will be because of you, Master Jedi. Because of you." Kai-Shia spoke these words with a gleeful smile on her face. As if merely thinking of the pain she spoke of gave her a rush.
Qui-Gon began to feel as if he were going to be sick. He did not know if it was a side affect of the drug they had injected him with, or the sheer pleasure in her voice as she spoke of unfathomable pain and suffering. He could not let this become of his Padawan. However, she believed Obi-Wan was young and helpless. Incapable of helping himself or anyone else. But Kai-Shia did not know his Padawan.
"Three days, Master Jedi. That is all it will take." She stood, her gaze never leaving Qui-Gon's, and her smile never faltering.
"You believe torturing me in front of the citizens of MaraTa will cause them to fear you." What Qui-Gon said was not a question. "It may work, but only for a time. If you keep hurting them in such ways they may fear you, even be terrified of you. But fear leads to anger, and anger to hate. They will hate you Kai-Shia. This will cause your downfall. You must stop this while you still can."
"Ah, a lecture. I should have thought as much from a desperate Jedi", she said amused. "But it will not come to that. You think I have no knowledge of where fear ends and hate begins? You are wrong again then Master Jedi. After these three days I will no longer need to continue to show the population horror. They will have already seen it, and it will be enough. I will have won my power." She said, her smile shining, she then added, "With your help of course."
"I would recommend you not try to escape. The cuffs you are wearing have sensors. The guards will be in at a seconds notice if you use your precious Force to loosen them. But, I believe you will not have much of a chance to act on such a matter. You will be, 'resting' soon again. And by tomorrow afternoon you will be concentrating more on your own pain, and fear", her smile widened and she gave a mocking bow. "I must go prepare for your outing tomorrow. So I leave you for now, my Jedi, with these happy thoughts of course." She gave one last look at the Jedi, and chuckled softly.
As she left, two guards came in to take her place. They began to come towards him. Qui-Gon ignored them. His mind was enveloped in images of Obi-Wan in searing pain. He closed his eyes and brought all his strength in to him at one time. He must warn his Padawan. He tried to send a message to his Apprentice, but the words he intended were corroded with terrible visions and Kai-Shia's talk of pain. In the end he was only able to send a one-word message to Obi-Wan.
He then felt something hard hit his head. Then for the second time since he had reached this planet, Qui-Gon lost consciousness.