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"In many cultures, places of power are set in the center of other pockets of life. I am unaware of the Erinnians having such a background, but we have already found examples of oddities that might be bettered explained in the guise of religion or superstition instead of pragmatic thought. Although the route may have seemed direct to you in simply following Anakin, the boy went out of his way to avoid an easier path before arriving to this point."

"Assuming he is at this point." And Obi-Wan gestured to the massive set of wooden doors before them. "I can actually sense nothing of Anakin at all at this point. It is as if he no longer exists to the Force."

To that Qui-Gon simply nodded as if Obi-Wan were only confirming conclusions the other Jedi had already made. Which was no doubt the case, given Obi-Wan's rash flight to the point, and the threads of the bond that at least still existed between the two of them. Undoubtedly Obi-Wan had been leaking many thoughts through his less than sterling shields.

"The ghost is beyond," came Qui-Gon's own explanation.

And Obi-Wan had to wonder if by refusing to think of it as a Sith, the other would be better able to fight against it; each of them operating under conditions most familiar to them. In truth, Obi-Wan had absolutely no idea of how to fight a ghost. From what he knew, they existed only until they fulfilled the task that was binding them. But he had a very strong feeling they did not want this ghost to finish his task --

Ghost or Sith, it was a threat and the reason of his mission. He'd find some way of releasing it, or at least thwarting it for now and figure out the rest of what needed to be done once he'd reclaimed Anakin.

Obi-Wan moved directly up between the two doors and directed a Force probe, not to open them, but to test whether doing so would subject them to immediate attack. He purposely shut his mind to the seething Darkness that had to be the Sith, and to the void that should have been Anakin. One step at a time. One thing at a time.

"Ready?"

Qui-Gon nodded, coming up behind where Anakin' should have been. But Obi-Wan was abruptly reminded of the visions; of one of the reasons they came up with for the visions: We don't let Master Jinn ever fight a Sith. Lightly said at the time, but all too easily he could recall the incident that had prompted such a warning, and he pushed both of the doors open without waiting further.

Qui-Gon didn't seemed to mind although he had to have noticed Obi-Wan's stiffening. "Unlike the others you've fought in the past, this Sith will only be able to fight on the mental plane," was offered plainly at Obi-Wan's ear -- in his mind -- breaking through other thoughts and worries that might have distracted him. It is his great strength, but also his biggest weakness.

Obi-Wan acknowledged the warning and continued forward, but then stopped almost immediately. The underwater effect their lights and that from Erinne's pale sun produced despite the rain of the storm beating against the glass dome over their head was stunning, but it was Anakin's presence that caught and held his attention. Looking unharmed, but wild-eyed, his Padawan was sitting almost three quarters of the way up a spiral staircase that spanned over half of the room and upward to just shy of five stories. The teen was clutching at the outer railing and the center pole but didn't seem to even notice Obi-Wan's arrival.

Yet Anakin was not alone in the room, and in the next instance something of smoke or shadow was rushing toward Obi-Wan. Its appearance was incorporeal, but its presence was not. Dark hatred beat against Obi-Wan's mind even as it gave movement to attack or overrun. It might not be able to physically harm him, but Obi-Wan also realized suddenly that he had little with which to disrupt the creature in turn. Raising his saber barely slowed the creature down; no doubt the creature's flinch was caused by memory instead of true discomfort. And then Obi-Wan felt a discomfort all his own as the ghost passed directly through him.

He could hear a scream in his head, the Sith -- or maybe his own -- but he refused to be pulled into the mental planescape where the other would have the advantage. Even the unremitting cold exuding from the ghost could be ignored, for he had already felt the disconnection the other sought to create when Anakin had -- had done whatever he had to be absent in his mind.

"No!" he cried out when the ghost recovered its equilibrium quicker than he did and began to turn toward Qui-Gon. Better that only one of them try to deal with this, and perhaps the other could reach Anakin -- save Anakin --

In their second mingling of life forces, Obi-Wan had no more doubt that they were both screaming within his mind. But that had to mean that his own state of corporeality was just as disruptive to the Sith's system as its ghostly one was to his. They could hurt each other this way. Not destroy one another, perhaps, but certainly one of them would need to give into the pain first, and Obi-Wan was determined that it wasn't going to be him.

"Master!" and "Obi-Wan?" brought home that Obi-Wan wasn't the only one being affected by his decision, however. At least Anakin was once more conscious to his surroundings, which meant he might only have to keep the Sith distracted for a few minutes longer before the other two could escape.

Although he needed turn his back to his padawan and Qui-Gon in order to keep an eye on the Sith who was warily backing away, he could hear the harsh argument starting up behind him. And almost gave up any advantage by starting to turn to reinforce Qui-Gon's instructions with his own orders. Anakin was refusing to come down, shrilly warning Qui-Gon from coming up after him, but once more the Sith was reaching for him, this time seeming unwilling to pass through until he could force Obi-Wan's consciousness to either give in or be drawn out --

"Master Jinn, no!" his padawan was screaming. "The staircase is somehow cut off from the Force --"

Oh, so that's what had come between them, Obi-Wan managed to understand even as he felt his body start to fail under the Sith's assault. That was his supposed Force barrier despite the open framework, a barrier disrupting the mental connection he had with his padawan, and --

Even as his brain finished all of the conclusions, his body was moving so that he might catch the Sith unaware or at least unable to disengage in time. Obi-Wan was too far around from the start of the staircase where Qui-Gon stood in discussion with Anakin, but he could reach a part of it, with a little judicious help from the Force. The only problem was that once he'd made the leap and had his handhold, once he began the back flip that would take him up over the railing, the very field that would hopefully disincorporate the Sith ghost would also steal the Force away.

This time the scream came only from the Sith, as Obi-Wan felt too much satisfaction in feeling the other's presence ripped from his body and mind. And then he was too busy trying to position himself, although there was another scream as his left side crashed along its full length down across the edges of too many steps. The scream had been Anakin's, as he lay too stunned to even draw in a breath or give more than a moan. A scream and pounding footsteps, and then another scream but this one wasn't human, wasn't even Sith.

"Anakin, Obi-Wan can you jump?"

So the footsteps were not Qui-Gon's. But there was too much movement beneath his body to be just Anakin bounding down the stairs --

"Not without my master," he heard Anakin call out.

Which had Obi-Wan lifting his head, trying to lift his aching, shaking body. And even as he fell back and just held on, the shaking didn't end, grew worse, as did the screaming --

"Anakin, jump to me now so we can try and lift your master free!"

Not just shaking now, but full lurching, and Obi-Wan couldn't rise and stay standing even if his body would have allowed him to.

Oh, the staircase was falling, collapsing.

And now that he looked closely, he could see streaks of discoloration and rust beneath his cheek, was reminded again of the rents in the overhead dome and how long this structure might have been exposed to the savage elements of Erinne's climate. Once upon a time this staircase probably could have held the entire family, but now just his weight in addition to Anakin's was bringing it down.

At least Qui-Gon was seeing to Anakin's safety; without the Force his own drop from about twelve feet was going to be dangerous, and his padawan had been almost three and a half stories up --

"Obi-Wan!"

Obi-Wan had a moment's regret that he couldn't find the strength to at least answer the concern he could hear in Qui-Gon or his padawan's voice. But he was now falling, and managing somehow to twist and kick and force himself to slid between two of the supports as the design welded between them fell away from his efforts. This wasn't to the outside of the structure, however, and even as the first hints of the Force returned to him as whatever had been the driving mechanism of the barrier also broke, his attempts to try and use the Force were just as futile in stopping his fall, as were his frantic attempts to grab at the metal and push it away.

He bounced once more against one of the sweeping curves, just as he would have tucked himself into trying to roll out of his landing. And ended instead on his back. Somehow he had managed to clear much of the massive structure, would only be caught amidst a couple turns of crumpled metal and even most of that served to surround him rather than landing directly on him. Climbing out might be hard --

Oh, he'd forgotten about the spears of metal that had been either decorative additions or structural pieces supporting the railing. That his position and too tenuous grasp on the Force made it difficult to track them, and in the end he couldn't avoid them all. While he managed to push himself just enough to keep it from impaling him through the heart, it came down instead just beneath his shoulder, through his body entirely and into the floor.

"Master, no!"

It had taken a few seconds for Qui-Gon to make sure Anakin was recovering from his three story leap without using the Force, though he knew the need to abandon Anakin's master would be causing the teen greater distress. But then they were both climbing back on their feet, trying to ignore the skreal of metal and Obi-Wan's silence, eager to help but not sure which way to approach and avoid the sheer tonnage of what was collapsing.

The staircase was breaking apart in sections, no doubt along the weld points that had strung it together, although longer pieces of railings twisted and torqued as if alive. The center pole too was coming apart, the pull from too many weights and too many directions almost shattering it. Shrapnel from it, from the rail posts and the vegetation pattern affixed to the outside of those posts became a much more deadly rain than that which fell from several points in the broken overhead glass, and for a moment Qui-Gon feared the rending of that center pole might pull down the entire dome as its top point was affixed within the odd framework that was holding the glass.

But that became a lesser worry, no longer the immediate one.

"Master, no!"

Qui-Gon had been unable to use the Force through the field Obi-Wan had been wholly contained within; his aid for Anakin had only been once the teen had propelled himself over the railing and into clear space on his own. Even now with the structure breaking up and somehow the Force barrier destroyed, there were so many pieces to direct away, not only from Obi-Wan but from Anakin who had plunged inward without regard to his own safety in an attempt to reach his master. He saw the impalement that affixed Obi-Wan to the floor, felt it as if it had pierced his own chest, but couldn't spare more than a moment's despair as that also meant Obi-Wan could no longer roll or move to avoid even the smallest of pieces and Qui-Gon would need to find a way to direct everything else away.

Taking inspiration from what had surrounded Anakin just the night before, instead of trying to create a wall of Force with which to catch and push away the pieces, Qui-Gon instead blanketed the knight with a layer of Force contoured only around his body. He and Anakin would have to pull away the objects he'd managed to keep from injuring Obi-Wan further, but that would be --

"Anakin?"

To Qui-Gon's utter amazement and sudden dread, he turned when he realized Anakin was no longer in front of him, charging to Obi-Wan's rescue. Instead he had stooped down to better look at a glint that had caught his eye, at something that had been inside the center pole and was now clamoring for his attention. The sick feeling in Qui-Gon's stomach intensified, for he could feel a subtle pull on the back of his brain himself, thought he recognized at least the intent if not the actual object. He looked once more toward Obi-Wan, to the all too quickly spreading pool of blood beneath the knight, and knew he had to be right if Anakin could so put that sight out of his mind. Praying for forgiveness, he turned away from Obi-Wan's helplessness to deal first with Anakin's.

"Anakin?" He approached the padawan carefully, slowly, not sure if his presence would even register to the other, especially once the teen had tipped the two or so foot length column of metal that had been part of the center pole and let a cut crystal almost the size of Anakin's fist come tumbling out to land on the teen's palm. Again Qui-Gon stomach clenched, but he strove to keep his fears from his expression or his tone, trying to give Anakin absolutely no reason to become defensive.

"Anakin, may I see that?"

As expected, the teen clutched it convulsively against his chest but he finally lifted his gaze from it to meet Qui-Gon's. And both of them flinched at another loud crash of metal on top of metal sounding off to their side.

"You don't have to hand it to me, I would just like you to hold it up so I can see how pretty it is in the light."

Suspicion warred with pride, the need to show the object off conflicting with his fears of having it taken from him. Which was, of course, what Qui-Gon intended to do, but only once he could be assured it could not attract him with the same pull. He crouched down, well beyond the range of the extension of both their arms, and sat back on his haunches as if nothing else mattered. And without the pull of his voice and intent to counteract the gem's pull, Anakin dropped his attention back to it.

Seeing how intently the teen peered into it, Qui-Gon had to thank the Force and all the blessed Jedi of antiquity that Anakin had no clue as to what he was holding. Or what it could do.

And that Obi-Wan was not aware of what his padawan had gotten into.

For a moment longer Qui-Gon let Anakin's attention stay on the crystal. He used the time to reach carefully for the tube that the crystal had been hidden within, using the Force to move it slowly along the ground and so as not to give Anakin's focus something else to turn on. As it reached his fingertips, Qui-Gon found it to be what he hoped though he was still surprised despite what logic had led him to conclude.

At some time in the past, there had been another Jedi here -- or maybe it had been a Sith -- but someone smart enough to recognize the danger of what they possessed even if they couldn't figure a way to finish it off. The pole had been the source of the Force barrier, and somehow coupled with the overall structure, it had extended the null field to encompass the entire staircase. But now, with the structure in pieces, it was only inside the pieces of the center pole that still held the material of the barrier.

Which meant all he needed to do was convince Anakin to stuff it back inside the tube and use his saber to slag both ends of it.

Which Anakin was not going to allow willingly.

"Anakin, what's happened to Obi-Wan?" he asked warily, needing to see just how tight of a hold the crystal had on Anakin's mind.

Again Anakin looked up from his perusal, but made no attempt to answer Qui-Gon's question.

"Padawan! Where is your Master?"

A twitch at that, even a little whimper, and for a second Qui-Gon could see something pass behind Anakin's eyes. So he knew, on some level that something was wrong.

"Padawan Skywalker, isn't that your master over there?"

Qui-Gon almost sobbed out loud when Anakin turned his head, even if it was for no longer than it took to exhale. It was enough, just as now with the pole in this hand, so was his reach.

While he knew he could probably knock the crystal away, Qui-Gon feared it already had too strong a hold on Anakin that just breaking the contact between them wouldn't work. And he really didn't want to consider taking the padawan one on one in some sort of fight. Too much was at stake.

Which meant he had to forget the crystal for a moment. Qui-Gon began to take aim and as Anakin was whipping his attention back around to the threat being presented, he jabbed hard enough to knock the teen unconscious. But, Qui-Gon hoped, not hard enough to do serious damage. He'd take even that, however, if it was the only way to end the immediate danger.

Anakin went down with a quickness and unfinished expression that might have been showing awareness and relief, but there was no time to puzzle out that, no time to even check on Anakin's injury yet. Not until Qui-Gon had the damned crystal contained back within the Force-nulled tube. Using it and another large, flat piece of the structure, he managed with the Force to tip the gem back into the tube which he then lifted upright so that the crystal fell back to rest on whatever had been holding it in place in the first place.

With Anakin already beginning to shake off the hit, Qui-Gon quickly shoved the tube horizontally and drew out his saber. Thumbing it on, again he gave thanks, this time to Obi-Wan for the foresight to have remembered to bring the weapon with him; in next to no time he had melted the two ends of the tube, taking the sight, awareness and, hopefully, the memory of the crystal away from Anakin.

Additionally, in a manner of sense, taking the gem away from the Force. One crisis averted, only two more to go.

Fully awakened now, Anakin's choked off cry thankfully came as a plea in Qui-Gon's direction instead of an invective. "Master Jinn, please!"

Qui-Gon began pulling off his shirt to rip bandage strips. The teen didn't notice him drop one of the sleeves over the tube, as Anakin was frantically trying to move through the metal and Force barriers keeping him from his master.

"Hold a minute, Anakin, let me help," Qui-Gon offered with a calmness he wasn't really feeling. His Force shield had held throughout all of the settling from the structure's collapse, but even the metal and dust that had fallen to collect there wasn't enough to completely obscure the pallor of Obi-Wan's skin, or the distressingly large puddle of blood spreading out beneath the knight.

They might be too late.

"Anakin, you will need to raise up all of the debris while I maneuver your master free," was his only other comment, however.

"I want to be the one helping my master," came the immediate protest.

Qui-Gon stopped to take a deep breath. "Okay. Just remember that when you force out the shrapnel from where it is imbedded in the floor, you don't also pull it free from Obi-Wan. Not yet, not until we can get pressure against the wound and control the bleeding."

Anakin paled and shot him a very uneasy glance as he came up to kneel beside the teen. "Maybe we should do it as you first suggested, then."

"If you're sure." Qui-Gon wanted to scream that they didn't have time to be arguing, but he also knew Obi-Wan would not appreciate walking up to a traumatized padawan. Not that Anakin didn't have too traumas to deal with already.

The teen didn't even nod. He just turned back to the task at hand and began gathering the Force. Fortunately his time spent within the null field did not seem to be affecting him now; the speed and strength of what he was gathering was remarkable and had Qui-Gon concluding he hadn't first wanted to switch duties because he was afraid he couldn't handle moving such a mass.

Anakin began lifting even more than was probably necessary, but it made more sense when, with a great exhalation and physical shove of his arms to mimic his mental efforts, the padawan sent the entire structure tumbling and flying back to the opposite side of the room. Qui-Gon had only just worked Obi-Wan free from his impalement to the floor before Anakin was sliding forward to kneel at his master's side. He helped Qui-Gon lower the knight back to where his head rested on Anakin's lap, unmindful of the scratch he got himself from the end of the metal sticking out of Obi-Wan, or the blood he was both kneeling in that was now coating the top of his bare leg.

Qui-Gon moved to a position at Obi-Wan's hips, using the knight's own body to hold the makeshift bandages from getting any more contaminated from dust or blood. He directed Anakin to hold his hands out, put two squares of cloth folded over several times in each. "As I work the metal out, you are going to need to apply these as pressure bandages to both sides of the wound as quickly as you can. I know it's going to be hurting him, but you have to press very firmly. I'll hold him steady to keep him from thrashing around too much and put him under again if he starts to waken."

He wasn't sure if the caution and speed would really be necessary; although the knight had lost a lot of blood, he didn't really think the wound was arterial. But on the other hand, he wasn't going to risk Obi-Wan's life by being wrong.

First biting his lip, Anakin nodded. "I'm ready."

And almost between one blink and the next, it was done. At least Qui-Gon could use the Force to work the metal free, was able to sense where it had grated along bone and not let it get caught up or do more damage. He and Anakin both simply winced and sweated as Obi-Wan cried out and tried to arch away before both of them got busy seeing to their respective tasks. Qui-Gon wasn't really sure if his touch was needed to push Obi-Wan back unconscious, but he did so automatically, just as Anakin began automatically pouring Force energy into Obi-Wan through his hands pressed tightly to either side of the knight's shoulder.

And like in his effort to lift the structure, the amount of Force Anakin was channeling was staggering. Qui-Gon found himself having to fight to keep Obi-Wan under with so much raw energy being thrust into the knight. He also found himself unable to break Anakin's concentration, and so began working instead to direct the waves of healing Anakin was offering, figuring it was better to let Anakin exhaust himself than try to fight them both.

3.

For long minutes Anakin's world consisted only of stopping the flow of blood coming from his master's body. But as he began to tire, his attention began to waver, and other things started to intrude on his consciousness. The sour-sweet smell of so much blood, the sticky clamminess surrounding his legs, too harsh breathing -- his own, his master's, someone else's. Finally drawing his focus back from his reddened fingers, the teen also began to dampen his connection with the Force, retaining only enough to bolster his own flagging body. He looked up, looked around, only now aware that he and Master Obi-Wan were no longer in their borrowed bedroom, that Master Jinn was almost as slumped over his master as he was himself, but that the other master was also moving, was awake and aware, wherein his own master was not.

"What happened?" His voice cracked as he shivered, a shiver that had little to do with the spray of rain that pelted his body from a particularly ferocious gust of wind from outside even as he was only wearing a shirt. Why was he only partially dressed? What had happened and where were they? This room was huge but full of debris and open to the elements. A room he had no conscious memory of arriving in.

Just as he had no memory of how his master had gotten hurt.

At least the look Master Jinn offered him was one almost of as much exhaustion as Anakin felt, not fear or some form of adult blankness to hide the seriousness of their situation. The master's eyes darkened and narrowed, but neither did the other waste time asking after Anakin's memories.

"We've been battling the Sith ghost."

Anakin simply nodded and tried not to let his fear show. He supposed his loss of memory might have come from an injury he'd sustained himself that he hadn't thought to look for in his concern for his master, but no doubt he could lay it against the Sith instead. The Sith ghost.

"Is it gone?"

"Only temporarily," came the weary answer to the question Anakin had really wanted to ask.

He nodded again, his lips thinning. "Are you okay?"

This time he got a partial smile, and Anakin let out a breath he didn't really realize he'd been holding. Okay, obviously something -- several somethings -- had gone very wrong, but they were all alive, and the ghost was out of their hair for at least the next few minutes, and with Master Jinn's help they could get his master back to their rooms and get him better --

"How are you feeling, Padawan?"

Anakin flinched a little from the intensity of the other master's gaze, but when he performed an internal check he found only that he was very tired, and had a headache. Which somehow might explain his memory loss, or was it that the lost time that had caused his headache?

He was also stiff, and when he tried to shift a little and flex his legs without upsetting his master, he figured the three of them had been here in this position for longer than he'd expected.

"I'm okay, I think," was all he said, however. Then," can we move my master?" Master Jinn leaned forward and offered another smile. "I rather think that if we don't, he's going to try to move himself in a few moments."

Anakin had a moment's start to realize he had not felt that through any sort of link himself, but was more glad to see his master awakening than to worry right now about what might be wrong with their link. No doubt it had something to do with his memory loss and, frankly, he didn't want to dwell on himself at the moment.

As he was helping Master Jinn shift his master, however, Anakin became fully aware of what he was wearing -- what he wasn't wearing. Like a full set of clothes and boots. Or his lightsaber. Or that Master Jinn was fully dressed, while his master was missing his boots. His master was also carrying Anakin's lightsaber in addition to his own.

How far back did the attack and his memory loss go?

Already disturbed by those thoughts, his stomach lurched as he stood up and saw just how coated his legs were with someone's blood. It took all of his concentration to keep from getting ill once he figured out where it all had come from. He gratefully shifted his focus from the blood that still seeped through the bandages as his master opened his eyes.

"Master?"

For a moment those eyes went unfocused, but then his master was turning his head Anakin's direction in full awareness. "Ani?"

It had always amazed Anakin that his master used his title, full name and childhood nickname rather indiscriminately, but always with the right significance at the right time. To be called Ani was to know he was being seen as more than even a beloved student, and he melted for a moment into the comfort that was being offered, even if it was he who was supposed to be helping his master.

"Walk with help or be carried?" he asked in relief, for a moment forgetting that it wasn't just the two of them, and that there might be another looking to find his own bit of comfort in seeing his master awake.

But Master Jinn's throat clearing was obvious, as was the look of relief taking over his master's face as he turned away and held out his right hand to the other master. For a moment Anakin actually contemplated letting go, even before Master Jinn was close enough to offer his own support, hurt that his master would let someone else intrude on their moment. He beat down that spike of jealousy, however, locking it away with all of the other emotions just waiting for him to relax his control. Let the other help his master, even carry him so that all that height and bulk might come to some use since it was obvious the man hadn't even bothered to draw his weapon in whatever fight had almost killed his master. The other could operate as a pack animal, leaving Anakin to guide them back to a place of safety, to defend against any new threat and --

"Ani, are you alright?"

At the last possible second Anakin managed to turn his snarl into a forced smile before turning to look back over his shoulder at the pair now staring at him. He nodded tightly and turned back around, moving quickly forward to get out of the room the suddenly seemed claustrophobic to him even though it could hold two or three of the room he was heading back toward.

How dare he call him Ani? That was his master's name for him! Of course, it was actually worse that his master had allowed it, but if he thought about it, he wasn't surprised. Obi-Wan probably hadn't even noticed, as he was so caught up in the other. Or had noticed and just didn't care, was willing to share out his boy just like any other master --

"Padawan, slow down!"

While Anakin wanted to do nothing more than run on ahead, he fell into a slower step, not because he felt any need to obey the order, but because he didn't yet think it was time to let the other know what he had figured out. No, he'd pick his time, pick his spot, and show them both that he couldn't just be pushed around or cast aside because Obi-Wan had found someone new. He'd -- he'd --

He suddenly stumbled, and felt both his master and Master Jinn's hands reach out to steady him. He was half-surprised that when he was gently pulled around, his master was standing on his own two feet although leaning heavily against the other master. And he frowned to think of how fast he had been going, of how he must have tasked his master to try and keep up, and offered a grin of embarrassment and chagrin.

"S-sorry, Master," he stuttered and ducked his head. But he looked up again almost immediately, and saw the smile that warred with concern in his master's eyes. "I guess I am just anxious to get back to our rooms."

"You're threatening not only to leave us behind," his master chastised in a soft voice, "but also the light, and if you're not careful you may end up taking a wrong turn."

Another flush spread across Anakin's face, probably across his entire body. He didn't want to admit that he already had no idea of where they were or where he was going. On the other hand, he must have been leading okay since they'd only suggested he slow down instead of redirecting him.

No doubt the Force ...

"I apologize masters, and will take care to keep my focus better to the here and now."

Although his master's eyes narrowed at that, he didn't seem to have any more argument or instruction. He simply nodded sharply and pressed back more into Master Jinn's support. Although Anakin couldn't really tell in the dim glow of the two masters' hand lights, he didn't think his master's wounds were still bleeding, but obviously they were bothering him. A lot. And Anakin leaned forward to touch the forehead lightly damped with sweat, only to have his master pull away.

"No, Anakin, you've already weakened yourself. No more."

Anger bloomed at that, along with its twin of jealousy to see that his master preferred to take comfort from the old man instead of his padawan. He scowled, and started to turn, but once again the other was reaching out to him and Anakin found himself hiding his emotions.

"Actually, Padawan, if you want to help, will you trade places with me?" Master Jinn asked, much to Anakin's surprise.

"Why -- I mean sure!" And Anakin quickly shouldered the other master out of the way. The height difference between Anakin and his master wasn't as great as it had been between the other two, so he could actually drape his master's arm over his shoulders. But on the other hand, in not having the extra height, he also didn't have the extra strength, and so his master would need to manage more of his of weight unless Anakin was to use the Force. Or carry his master.

He started to shift his grip to do exactly that, only to have both masters tell him no. His master's growl he understood perfectly to be a measure of embarrassment and frustration, but he couldn't quite keep a growl of his own out of his voice when he turned on Master Jinn for his explanation.

"Padawan, I need to go back to where we last encountered to Sith to check something," as if the other had any more right to call him padawan than he did Ani. "While I am pretty sure the Sith is gone for some time, if I am wrong, you might need to help defend your master, which would be pretty difficult if you are carrying him --"

"I can walk just fine," came his master's protest at the same time.

Anakin felt his own frustration flare again. He was getting tired of being treated like a child who didn't know how to care for himself, much less his master. "I know my duty," he said rather sharply. Then, "We'll be just fine," in clear dismissal.

"Anakin Skywalker!"

His master's voice was all growl instead of support and Anakin took a couple of steps forward in his agitation, not really paying attention that he was pulling his master along until he felt the clutch of Force stopping him. Wounded by yet another betrayal, he knew he was shaking, but he tried to stay stationary and let the chastisement wash over him. His master was hurt and, therefore, cranky. He wouldn't really be mad --

"I'm sorry, master, Master Jinn," and maybe the apology would get his master to shut up, although Anakin well knew how it hurt to find out you weren't as important to someone as you thought you were. "I just don't think we should be standing around. If Master Jinn has something he thinks is more important, then he should go do that and let me get us back to our rooms so I can take care of you."

At least his master found out about the other now, instead of after they'd gone and done ... things.

He ignored the look the old master shot his way, pretty much ignored his master's protests too as he half-carried, half-bullied them away. Just getting them beyond the next door, Anakin now knew where they were, saw that they were only a turn away from the corridor that housed their room. He started to speed up, practically lifting his master with his hand around Obi-Wan's waist. His master growled and sputtered but then they were back into the bedroom, though Anakin didn't stop until he brought them into the bath.

"Anakin -- Padawan, just stop!" came the command and a grip on his arm when he sat his master down on the edge of the empty tub, knelt down beside him and began to rip away the already torn and partially removed shirt.

"I need to see the extent of your injuries," Anakin muttered back, easily breaking the grip, then needing to steady his master from the effort.

"If you just hold still and stop fussing -- I swear, you are worse than the initiates in the creche!"

Unable to even lift one arm, his master needed to use his other to keep from falling over and so would only be able to use words to try and keep Anakin from his task. Well, that or the Force, but when Anakin felt the energy being directed toward him again, he met it with a collection of his own and pushed back. Which did topple his master over this time, but at least not into the tub, and this was better anyway because now Anakin could tug his master's pants off.

The position and surprise making his job easier or not, however, Anakin was getting tired of his master's protesting and ungratefulness. "Just stop yourself, why don't you," he yelled out. "I'm just trying to do my duty here, Master!" Which shut the other up at last.

Or maybe it was because Anakin had grabbed hold up high on his master's leg and splayed his other hand across his master's chest to get him to stop moving. He stared in fascination as his master became absolutely still.

"What's the matter, Master?" he whispered and leaned over to better see the contrast between the darkness of his hand against the paler skin beneath -- pale save the two dusky circles, a faint trail of blood and an even fainter trail of ginger-colored hair. They'd both spent too much time lately on a ship or on Coruscant, and so had lost much of the tans they'd earned on their last time off on Alderaan. So the difference had to be from the blood loss or maybe it was just emotion?

"Anakin -- A-ani --"

Oh, yes, so much emotion.

"I like it when you call me Ani, Master."

Anakin needed to drag his master's legs away from the edge of the tub so he could shift and straddle him better. The body beneath him flinched, but that must have been because he'd gotten too close to one of the bruises that came with his master's earlier impact against the stairs. "Say my name again, Mast -- Obi-Wan."

"Anakin, t-this isn't right. You are --"

Anakin scowled and let more of his weight rest against the other, his anger overcoming even his momentary pleasure when his clothed cock brushed against his master's naked one, or in the way his master's lips trembled against the hand Anakin raised to silence him.

"You are supposed to call me Ani!" and he let his voice and volume drop to convey his displeasure, let his lower body grind them together just to the edge of pain. "You called me Ani this morning, Master. Remember? When you were expecting everything to stay the same for us? But that wasn't really what you were wanting, wasn't why you came into my shower, was it?"

His master's eyes were so wide now, so dark, just as Anakin knew his own were. Such passion there to purposely flame his desire --

"I can be everything you need, Master Obi. I can give you what you've been missing. You were just waiting for me, weren't you? For me to grow up, to grow aware."

Emotion was beating at him through their bond, but Anakin didn't need it to tell him what they were feeling. He could see, could feel how his master trembled beneath him, could feel his own body reacting to their closeness. He'd been using the Force to hold them both in place with the tub so close by, fearing his own excitement might cause him to get carried away, knowing another fall would do his master no good. And now he layered the Force hold even deeper, using it to press against his master's lips when he needed to move his hand away so he could begin to pull off his own clothes.

He had dreamed of this for so long --

"Padawan Skywalker, look to the Force!"

He'd been in the Order less than half the number of years than any one else his age, but like all of the rest of them, there were tones and phrases Anakin had been just as conditioned to respond to no matter what situation he found himself in. A master's full command mode would have pulled his concentration, no matter what words had been spoken, but the command to look to the Force had only one meaning, only one possible response.

And in the instant he did just that, Anakin could see the eddies of Darkness that surrounded him, tendrils of lust and domination pulsing to connect him to his master's shock and fear. Anakin choked and pushed away, physically, mentally, convulsing first in the absolute horror of what he'd almost done, then again in greater horror to hear the whimpers of pain and denial from his master that he'd been suppressing all along, as those sounds now triggered his orgasm. He collapsed in shame and denial, absolutely mortified and uncomprehending of how to begin to deal with so many transgressions.

"Padawan Skywalker, seek to cleanse yourself physically and mentally, then come back and help me with your master."

The voice was still a whip crack and Anakin found himself obeying. He uncurled himself and moved to scrub at the tears that were streaking down his face, but his hands were already damp and so was his shirt and --

With another choked off cry, Anakin began to pull at this shirt, at his underwear, tearing at the cloth and at his skin, but that was such a little hurt compared to the sea of pain and despair he was drowning in, unable to breathe, barely able to move. A sound that might have been his whispered name came from his master, but Anakin couldn't look, not there, nor at the thunder that would be on Master Jinn's face, as the other was coming into the room and Anakin was fleeing it -- at least as far as disappearing into the shower and away from the condemnation in their eyes.

He had raped his master.

Oh, it didn't matter that he hadn't really ... exactly. The intent had been there, of that he couldn't possibly be mistaken. He had touched his master, had straddled him, ground their bodies together.

And he'd ejaculated.

Which was coming off in the scalding water he'd dialed up from the spray, along with the blood he'd knelt in the other room and had smeared along his master's legs, but both liquids had painted themselves far deeper than just the surface of his skin and Anakin knew he would never stop feeling it.

He had raped his master.

And he'd used the Force to help him.

Why hadn't his master resisted? He was older, stronger, certainly had more experience -- especially in fighting back while injured! But he had just lain there, barely struggling. And his eyes had been so wide, though what Anakin had interpreted as a matching lust had actually been fear, something he had never really seen in his master before.

Something he wasn't really sure how he was supposed to feel about it -- although the disgust because in just reliving his master's expression and muted sounds in his mind's eye was making him stiffen again -- was probably a good start.

He let loose a yell of rage and despair, flipping the water from one extreme to the other and not letting his body pull away from the punishment he was inflicting upon it.

He had raped his master.

And, Force help him, he wanted to do it again.

Qui-Gon had to fight to control the bile that arose from not only the visual of the scene he had walked in on, but also the miasma of Dark emotions that hung like an oily residue in the Force and the very air before him. The commands to Anakin had come unbidden, a fallback on training he supposed, when facing the Dark. And his words had served their purpose, breaking the moment and getting Anakin away from his master and the teen's own out of control emotions. The Dark Side was still so close, however, not only hovering around Anakin and Obi-Wan, but just beyond Qui-Gon's own fingertips, willing, waiting to be reached for and embraced. Waiting to take control.

Even if there would be no danger in giving into his anger and the Darkness, however, Qui-Gon knew he shouldn't really lay the blame on Anakin for calling it forth. He had been the one to leave the two of them together, misjudging and relying on Anakin's adherence to responsibilities and his love for his master, instead of realizing that very love might have already been corrupted by the attacks launched against the teen by both Sith and the crystal. He'd seen and ignored Anakin's jealousy without also recognizing that another's anger might be feeding and encouraging it.

Including his own. Until now he had refused to see the depth of Anakin's confusion or the possibility that the teen could have really become a threat, become a rival, but he had been at least frustrated to have to contend with the padawan's feelings as well as Obi-Wan's concern for those feelings. And that made Qui-Gon angry too, seeing how ill-prepared the knight had been to handle his padawan's emotions. There was a damn class for it, for the Force's sake! Classes for both master and padawan in how to deal with a padawan's burgeoning sexuality.

He supposed that could have accounted for Obi-Wan providing little resistance to Anakin's most recent actions; the knight's own form of guilt in contributing to Anakin's confusion and a willingness to be punished. But instead of staying angry about that, Qui-Gon let himself feel sadness. How lonely must the two of them be in order for this type of misunderstanding come about to be taken advantage of by the Sith?

But neither anger nor sadness would be productive right now, nor guilt. Not with the Darkness so close and waiting for any one of them to give in. It was time to let all feelings pass into the Force and simply deal with the physical ramifications of what had happened, and let a little time and distance pass before working on the emotional ones.

Circumstances and the Force seemed to have fated his role to be non-judgmental at the moment, strong and supportive for both master and padawan. And since it had been his own desire to become more involved with the pair, he couldn't really turn away just because problems were now arising.

Qui-Gon crossed the room and knelt down next to Obi-Wan. He wasn't particularly surprised to see that Obi-Wan hadn't lapsed back into unconsciousness despite the fresh blood that had started to well in the struggle against Anakin, or the new sets of ligature marks from Anakin's fingers alongside the bands and odd bruising from the stairwell. But the cloudiness in Obi-Wan's eyes and his listless acknowledgement of Qui-Gon's presence wasn't much better. That Obi-Wan might be falling into shock was no surprise, and that was what Qui-Gon chose to deal with first, even if he could only treat the physical aspects of it.

The blanket he pulled out from his own bedroom with the Force would serve against the chilling effects of shock as well as cover Obi-Wan's nakedness, and Qui-Gon tried to ignore the initial flinch that was the response to his actions. He couldn't figure out where he might touch Obi-Wan and not hurt him, wasn't sure if any touching would actually be appreciated or even accepted, but to somehow use just the Force, he thought, would be worse.

"Obi-Wan?" He really needed not to have to force Obi-Wan into accepting his help. Maybe he didn't need active cooperation, but merely no opposition.

"I failed him. Just like in the visions."

For a moment Qui-Gon felt another burst of anger at the tone of flat despair, but knew his own emotional reactions were still subject to being outwardly influenced, as were the knight's. They needed to get out of this room and away from the cloud of Darkness.

"You haven't failed anyone, Obi-Wan. Nor has your padawan turned and won't, unless your guilt or apathy pushes him there." It came out sterner than he would have hoped, but the sharpness caught Obi-Wan's attention better than anything else he was doing, and Qui-Gon was heartened to see something other than apathy. Refusing to allow Obi-Wan to wallow in anger any more than in guilt, however, Qui-Gon didn't let the knight extricate himself from his aid, although he did refrain from actually carrying him away from the room. Instead he just raised him up and then wrapped the blanket around more securely before they began to slowly walk.

"So, I should blame it all on the Sith?" But Obi-Wan wasn't grasping for a way out, and Qui-Gon couldn't let him off completely as the Sith wouldn't have been so successful had he not had confusion and resentment to work with in the first place.

"Not entirely, but yes," and Qui-Gon hoped Obi-Wan would take more than just his arm as offered support. "There are things at work here beyond your or Anakin's control. Beyond even the Sith's."

Obi-Wan looked surprised at that, stumbling, but that could have just been because he had so little energy to give to anything other than simply staying on his feet. Exhaustion, emotional and physical was pouring off the knight more rapidly than the water from the shower Anakin was still using to hide behind, but Qui-Gon wasn't sure a more involved offer of assistance would be accepted. Sharing energy, like sharing emotions or thoughts was an intimacy that Qui-Gon just wasn't sure would be well received right now.

So he offered knowledge over ignorance instead, that it might offer serenity to overcome suffering. The retreat to formality and training had worked to help the padawan; Qui-Gon could only hope it would also offer some of the same comfort to the master. As might dressing again as Jedi instead of trying to find some more clothes to borrow.

"I believe I have discovered what has kept our Sith ghost here on Erinne," he began after he helped the knight over to sit on the edge of the closest bed. Both Anakin and Obi-Wan's Jedi uniform had been neatly draped over a rack near the fireplace the night before, and Qui-Gon quickly checked the progress of their drying out. All of the tunics and both pairs of leggings were dry enough to put back on, although boots and Anakin's robe was still a lost cause for too little time.

Force above, had it been just over fifteen hours since this whole nightmare had begun with their arrival?

He let Obi-Wan help him sort out whose were which. "I'll take Anakin his and bring back something to clean you off with, before we get you into your own." Qui-Gon was distressed to see a flash of fear come and go behind Obi-Wan's eyes before they dropped down to the clothes in Obi-Wan's lap. He wasn't sure if the fear was from him speaking of Anakin, or for the thought of needing to be touched at least somewhat intimately, only knowing that he had caused it.

He started from the room, but couldn't just leave it unremarked. "Obi-Wan, I --"

"Bring back his lightsaber."

Qui-Gon froze. Obi-Wan still wasn't looking at him, but he didn't need to see the knight's expression to know just how difficult such a request had been to make. Instantly he was back before him, kneeling and taking up Obi-Wan's too cold hands. "Everything is going to be alright," he promised even though he knew he was offering more than he could deliver.

But as he said it, Qui-Gon actually believed it, because not doing so was unthinkable. He could have faith, in his greater knowledge, in the Force, and in the inherent strength of the two who were suddenly so lost. "We need only trust in the Force --"

"In the Force you can trust, when betrays you do all other things," the laugh was brittle, but there was still a bit of real humor there. Or at least surprise. "You sound like Master Yoda."

"Do you listen to Master Yoda?"

At that Obi-Wan lifted his head. "Every Jedi listens to Master Yoda."

"Then believe him if you cannot believe me," Qui-Gon smiled as he carefully moved his hands from Obi-Wan's to touch a palm against Obi-Wan's cheek. "There is a purpose, a meaning and an ending to all things. Even Sith ghosts and confused padawans and masters."

4.

After Anakin had found enough self-possession to leave the shower, Qui-Gon got the three of them into his own room from the night before. It was as large as the other bedroom, but contained only one set of furnishings and a lot more empty space. It also did not contain the visible reminder of the Sith's presence by having two holes in one of the walls. Obi-Wan and Anakin were both still looking a little pale, a little uncomfortable.

Yet Qui-Gon could tell that the two of them had found some comfort in dressing again as Jedi, perhaps even more than from the hot tea he had managed to find the supplies for and the remnants of which now steeped in a pot in the fireplace behind them.

Both master and padawan had managed to reach out to one another, but nothing had been said beyond words of concern, and then the two had just stood there. So, unsure of how the idea of all three of them sharing the bed even for sitting would go over, Qui-Gon instead pulled off the linens, also gathering up those from the other two beds beyond the bath, plus all the pillows. Spreading the bed clothing over the floor, Qui-Gon then sat down amidst them and waited to see what would happen.

Anakin immediately began to move to a position pretty much on the opposite end, but stopped when Obi-Wan shook his head and gestured for them to take seats near Qui-Gon. Only for the knight to then head to the floor a little quicker than he intended when his knees buckled. Both Qui-Gon and Anakin moved immediately to assist him and by the time they were all sorted, Obi-Wan lay resting on his right side with his head on Qui-Gon's chest but facing away, and Anakin had been convinced to stay close enough to use Obi-Wan's calf as a pillow.

All three seeking and willing to grant some form of comfort, but unable to yet express all of the reasons why. At least the silence was relaxing into something less fraught with the potential for disaster.

"Master, you should be resting in bed. Your blood loss --"

"We cannot assume the Sith will be resting --"

"You mean you didn't kill it?" Anakin's complexion turned even chalkier.

It took Qui-Gon a moment to remember that Anakin had shown a general discomfort with the idea of just confronting a ghost in the first place when this mission had just started, that the teen had come into the situation with fear already in his heart. How much more frightening to now know that the ghost was also a Sith, and a Sith who was eagerly trying to exert control in addition to the business that had drawn it here? To be discovering the Sith who had already partially succeeded more than once, could be coming back to try again?

Obi-Wan lifted his hand very carefully to brush across the top of Anakin's head.

Qui-Gon pressed his lips into a frown but said nothing. The comfort being offered was more important than the fact that they had needed use all of the bactacreme they'd brought with them for Obi-Wan's wounds as the knight had refused to allow any of the crme mixed with the narcotic to be used on him. It hadn't been enough, however, and neither it nor the energy Anakin had expended again had done much more than start the impalement healing; in puncturing through Obi-Wan's body completely, even though it had missed bone, the metal had severed muscle tissue and nerves. Obi-Wan would need much more extensive treatment to fully repair it. Not to mention his other injuries.

The resting that Anakin was urging would help, but, unfortunately, Obi-Wan was more right than even he knew about the Sith's inevitable return.

Qui-Gon cleared his throat. "I think I can explain why the Sith ghost is here on Erinne. There was something else in that old library other than just a staircase with a Force-null field surrounding it."

Obi-Wan's weight came up off of him as the knight lifted himself up enough to twist his head to look at him. So did Anakin, the teen seeming surprised to be reminded that the Sith had a purpose here other than attempting to destroy the three of them by whatever means possible.

But Qui-Gon had already made vague mention of this to Obi-Wan and so his comment was solely about the incongruity of the item itself. "What use would a ghost have for something corporeal that he couldn't even touch?"

"A regular ghost, nothing. A Sith ghost, though?" Qui-Gon propped himself up on his elbows that he might better be able to look at the other two. Obi-Wan was still unconsciously touching his padawan, trying to get Anakin relaxing back down even if the touch alone was making Anakin tense.

"So what is it?"

Qui-Gon felt Obi-Wan go quiet against him even as his own breath caught in hearing the edge in Anakin's voice. Like his earlier exposure to the Sith, Anakin didn't seem to remember that he'd already been involved with the crystal. Or maybe it was just part of the enchantment around the crystal itself, as it was more than obvious by Anakin resisting his master's comforting that the teen couldn't forget the last part of the encounter.

Couldn't forget, and wouldn't talk about it.

Despite his intent to keep everything impersonal, it was Obi-Wan's turn to be gently pushed back to lie down again as Qui-Gon also used their connection through his touch to cast his senses through the Force. Mind searches were not remotely his specialty, but he and Obi-Wan did have some form of bond and, of course, so did the other two. Qui-Gon was certain he would have sensed the Sith's actual presence in the room, but he also needed to feel confident that there was not even a trace of influence left in either of the other two. On the off chance the Sith didn't know what type of crystal had been found, Qui-Gon wasn't about to give it the knowledge on how to use it.

Or give Anakin the chance to get his hands on it again, for the boy's own protection.

Crystals had been used throughout the ages by both the Sith and the Jedi, crystals like those in their lightsabers, as well as those for memory or communication storage, and some for more esoteric purposes such as power enhancers. And some even for soul storage, or so the histories had it.

Oh how Qui-Gon wished this could be something even as horrific as an attempt by the Sith to permanently possess another.

"Qui-Gon?"

Obi-Wan's voice, although still too quiet for Qui-Gon's comfort, readily expressed the knight's concern and awareness that there was something more going on.

"It's called a M'krakken crystal, and is useable only by very strong Force sensitives."

Like Anakin. Possibly Qui-Gon could use it himself. So, too, could Obi-Wan, and that thought was actually even more frightening than the Sith using it.

Up until now, Qui-Gon had assumed the report of what it could do was false. That instead of actually being able to alter reality, it simply had the power to convince the person who used it, and any who then came in contact with it when activated, that reality had changed. Something like a very elaborate mind trap. And that alone was deadly enough with a promise of mental enslavement or entombment with the mind's body withering and dying. A family could be subjugated, a town, perhaps even a whole planet with enough power behind the wish.

But now Qui-Gon could begin to see that the theories might have been operating under too narrow a mindset. His field of study wasn't considered very appealing or appropriate for those who worked more in tune within the patterns of the Unifying Force and, to the best of his memory, all who had made a study of the M'krakken crystal had looked at it only through the Living Force.

Qui-Gon certainly had, because he had never really understood beyond an intellectual understanding that the Unifying aspect was patterns, while his understanding of the Force was about connections; the big picture versus the details, the past and future versus the moment. But Obi-Wan had showed him the possibilities of multiple pasts and infinite futures. And he had finally been made to understand that all of time and space could coexist in one single point within the Force beyond time and space. To finally understand that should the Sith have the power to use the crystal while connected to that point, might he not also be able to reach for a new potentiality and change that moment and future?

Such as to recreate the universe where the Sith had supremacy.

But he tried to keep all of that from his face, especially when neither of the other two showed any recognition from his naming of the crystal. Again he found himself coaxing Obi-Wan to stop straining to look at him, to relax back down and maybe turn as he brought up a couple of the pillows to cushion Obi-Wan's arm and shoulder. Anakin adjusted his own position, in essence switching positions but not location with his master, with him now on his side and Obi-Wan resting on his back.

"The crystal is a thing of the ancient past, to the best of my knowledge it is the only one like this created."

"Sith created or Jedi?"

So Obi-Wan knew at least enough about Force crystals to know that both of the Orders used them.

"Sith."

Obi-Wan tensed against him, understanding there were more dangers than just the Sith using the crystal. The inherent differences between Light and Dark practitioners made each other's artifacts dangerous to use. Sith, however, also generally went out of their way to add wards to specifically harm any Jedi who might come in contact with their things. Even if Anakin had not been ultimately trapped within the crystal's power, further exposure would have kept him too long away from his master. And the knowledge that Obi-Wan had succumbed to his injuries because of Anakin's inattentiveness would have destroyed the teen.

Unfortunately, the seeds may have already laid; Obi-Wan seemed to realize something had happened with the crystal while he'd been unconscious. And Anakin would eventually have to be told about his exposure, so the potential of what could have happened could also create a schism just as wide as Anakin's attempt at brutal seduction.

Qui-Gon found himself wetting his lips and wishing he had some sort of facial hair to hide the nervous tic he could feel beginning to pulse in his jaw. While it wasn't hard -- exactly -- to be the strong one at the moment, to exude calm and serenity, and offer wisdom and knowledge, he still found himself also wishing that his own fascination with history and artifacts had left him just as ignorant of the M'Krakken crystal as were the other two.

Had he been another type of Jedi, no doubt he could be better at dealing with the disconnection between master and padawan, helping them both come to terms with it and getting the three of them reunited in purpose and spirit so as to better deal with the battles to come.

Yet had he, for instance, been the warrior/diplomat of Obi-Wan's vision, he would never have had the knowledge that had apprised him of the crystal's danger, and had given him a chance to intervene before Anakin had been fully corrupted. And now he could also hope that if he kept worrying at it in the back of his brain, he could also come up with at least the barest hint of an idea of how to stop everything from being destroyed.

"So how do we destroy the Sith's crystal?"

Qui-Gon almost found himself slipping back down flat in his surprise at Anakin's words. While only the night before he'd had embarrassing evidence of Obi-Wan's ability to turn his focus back to a mission to the exclusion of everything else, he hadn't expected such a dedication to duty in someone so young as Anakin. He'd at least been expecting curiosity over what the crystal could actually do.

Or was the question just a distraction, just one more example of Anakin's reluctance to have the conversation shift to what also needed to be addressed?

"I'm not sure that it can," Qui-Gon admitted with reluctance. Getting away with not having to talk about what the crystal actually did -- at least so far -- he didn't want to further the conversation about it by admitting things he didn't know. A bit of ego perhaps, but in this, in his knowledge and in his current ability to help the other two maintain their focus on the issues of the moment instead of wallowing in the past or fretting about their future, he had begun to find his place in the mission.

"It has always only been spoken of as lost or hidden away, never about being undone." But even if he lost their confidence by admitting his own ignorance, it would be better than having them rely on and make plans around a lie just so they might feel better.

"So, do you have it now, Master Qui-Gon?" Again Qui-Gon was thrown by Anakin's change of emphasis, and by the disturbing edge to the teen's tone.

And again Obi-Wan was moving, this time pulling himself into a sitting position and dragging Anakin up with him. A moment passed before he exchanged a glance with Qui-Gon over Anakin's head, a lot more than fatigue in his eyes, but he also gave a tight smile that Qui-Gon took to mean the knight had done some of his own checking for evidence of the Sith.

And found nothing more dangerous than a teen's denial and defensive curiosity.

"I do," he began slowly.

"Can I see it?"

"I don't think that would be a good idea, Anaki -- A-ani."

At Obi-Wan's verbal stutter, an undercurrent of emotion spiked in both master and padawan. As Qui-Gon moved to sit himself, he noted that Anakin kept looking anywhere other than at his master directly. Though the teen did keep returning his gaze to where their hands were still joined. No doubt if he could get away with it, Anakin would prefer to excuse himself from not only the rest of this conversation entirely, but also from the room, Sith ghost or not. Sitting with his master when the teen thought he had betrayed or failed him seemed even more frightening than losing control to a Sith.

And that was more disturbing than anything else the Sith might be able to accomplish with the boy. Qui-Gon had to think that the pained expression that passed over Obi-Wan's face as he kept a tight hold on Anakin's hand wasn't because he had initially attempted to lift both of his to take both of Anakin's.

"Your and my ignorance of the crystal will only help in this instance."

The tone was still hoarse and ragged, and Qui-Gon levitated pot and cup to pour some more tea although he held it without pushing Obi-Wan to take it, as the knight was not yet willing to let go of Anakin.

"If the Sith is here on Erinne because of the crystal, we have a responsibility to make sure it stays out of its hands and knowledge if possible. No matter how great a danger that might pose to us."

If only he knew.

But Anakin seemed to take this at face value, or was again distracting himself from how else his master's words might be interpreted. "Then why don't we just take it back to the Temple?" he suggested. "We turn it over to the Council, let them worry about it and ..." The teen trailed off with a shrug that loosened his hand from his master's.

"That would still leave the ghost, Padawan."

Obi-Wan had more than a trace of sadness in his voice, maybe even a little disappointment, though Qui-Gon wasn't really all that surprised that Anakin might be looking for an easy way out of all of this. And he pressed the cup into Obi-Wan's hand before the knight could recapture his padawan's hand or attention, using the distraction and shift of focushimself to master his own disappointment and frustration.

Things were continuing to spiral more and more out of control, this dance of denial and delaying tactics playing directly into the Sith's hands, but they also had a very real time limit in which to deal with things before the Sith managed to reconnect himself within the Force and threaten them again. As important in the long term as it would be to deal with all the fallout so far engulfing them from this mission, the mission itself would need to be finished first.

"A ghost who is a Sith will not give up even if its initial quest must be modified, Anakin."

Qui-Gon didn't feel he needed to point out that the Sith had already proven ingenious just in getting them here, that he no longer had any doubt the Sith had engineered the physical attack upon their arrival.

But he was also beginning to wonder if the Sith's attempts to control Anakin had started because he did have his own knowledge about the crystal, but not enough power in the Force to trigger its use. That he had been waiting all along for the Jedi to be sent to deal with his appearance, and now his taking advantage of Anakin's burgeoning sexual desires, confusion and the jealousy that had been triggered by Qui-Gon's own presence on the mission -- as well as Obi-Wan's own confusion in how to properly deal with it -- was simply opportunistic.

Obi-Wan looked up from his cup over to Qui-Gon and gave a small, unhumorous smile, pressing his lips into a thin line. "In our mission review on the Udan Orr, you mentioned the common way to release a ghost is by aiding it to complete whatever task is holding it to our realm. So there are others?"

Qui-Gon shook his head. "None that I've every heard of actually working." Unfortunately, aiding the Sith in resolving his compulsion was also quite impossible. So they would have to figure --

"Even our lightsabers are useless against it?" came from Anakin, somewhat indignant.

Qui-Gon nodded. "I suppose because it is a Sith, it might be fought -- and destroyed -- on the mental plane, but we'd need to bring in someone else to do that and I don't think we have the time, even if we had the means to contact the Council or even get back to our ship." Qui-Gon wasn't about to suggest Obi-Wan try the first, and knew he didn't have the skill or the power himself. Anakin probably had the raw power, but none of the training. And the second option would expose them again to what physical power the Sith could engage against them.

For a moment Obi-Wan looked about to comment or contradict, but Qui-Gon gave him a fierce shake of his head and an expression that said he wasn't about it let either happen. A long moment stretched out between them before the knight held up his hand in acquiescence and tucked his head forward, perhaps hiding a small grin. Almost immediately he then let his head fall back on his neck, trying to isolate and stretch it, but came up against the pull against his wound when he shifted his shoulders. The cup nearly tumbled from Obi-Wan's hands before he closed his eyes.

Qui-Gon quickly slid around behind Obi-Wan. Anakin was also moving, taking the cup then also raising a hand toward Obi-Wan's injury. Qui-Gon felt his heart constrict when he realized Anakin's slow caution wasn't so much from fear of hurting Obi-Wan by his touch, as from touching his master in general.

"If he wasn't a ghost how would you be confronting him?" Qui-Gon asked as he moved his fingers up to rub and push at Obi-Wan's neck, redirecting the knight to lean his head forward again over his chest. The groan that was Obi-Wan's first response didn't seem to be too much from pain, nor was his second when Anakin got past his fear and directed more of his energy into healing.

"From where I had the advantage if possible," Obi-Wan laughed around another moan. "Force it to stay in a physical battle and try to keep it too occupied to make mental attacks," he then added a bit more soberly.

But their Sith was basically all mental attacks.

"What about what you already did, Master? Can we somehow trap it outside of the Force?"

Obi-Wan twisted his head sideways to give a smile to Anakin. "It would probably work if there was someway to actually keep it in a Force-null field. But he was dissipated just in crossing the field. If there was some way to keep hold of him, of maybe creating the field around him ..."

His breath catching, Qui-Gon let his fingers still for a moment and Obi-Wan was then further twisting his head around.

"What?"

"Do you think you could shield more than one person from the Sith's mental attacks?" He started back in rubbing his thumbs opposite one another up and down Obi-Wan's neck, again gently redirecting the knight to face forward. And also helped Anakin guide the energy the teen was pulling and pouring through the Force, this time letting it spread further throughout Obi-Wan's tense muscles beyond his neck and shoulders.

"Anakin yes. You? I'm not so sure." Obi-Wan then reached across his body to rest his hand on Anakin's shoulder before gently directing his padawan's ministrations to cease. "Enough, Padawan. You'll drain yourself."

Anakin opened his mouth to protest but then just gave a little nod and scooted back so that he was no longer within reach.

Qui-Gon felt Obi-Wan's slight collapse into himself at Anakin's reaction, but the knight simply straightened up, even pulling slightly away from the comfort Qui-Gon would have been more than willing to continue to offer.

"What have you got, Qui-Gon?"

He let out a breath. Yes, he did have the germ of an idea. Only it would have to involve the crystal. "I think it is safe to assume the Sith is aware there is ... confusion between the three of us." Although he noticed Anakin stiffen, Qui-Gon plunged ahead and didn't give him the chance to lie even to himself.

"What I am thinking would involve an exploitation of that knowledge, in essence turning the tables by playing on his assumptions not only of our involvement with each other, but his assumptions of behavior in general. What are most Sith's goals?"

"Death and destruction," Anakin said automatically.

"Actually, I was thinking subjugation and subdual," Qui-Gon smiled faintly around Obi-Wan's back. "Although death and destruction are often the outcome, it is hard to spread the Darkness if there is no one left alive to succumb to it." Obi-Wan gave something that could have been a laugh at that.

"By now the Sith has probably managed to pretty well gather himself back together after your trick with the null field, but he is probably not really ready to confront us so quickly." Qui-Gon paused and took a deep breath. "But I don't think he could resist an opportunity to get at Anakin again if he had reason to believe Anakin's shields were either working erratically or were down altogether."

"And how could we convince him of that without actually doing so?"

Qui-Gon wasn't surprised at Obi-Wan's reaction, but Anakin seemed to be. At least the teen's head shot up and his gaze stayed on his master without moving to Qui-Gon.

"You would be protecting Anakin's consciousness behind your own shields and thus giving the Sith access only to his unconscious mind."

"And you would be where?" The edge grew sharper, as if the knight was sensing he'd not be happy with Qui-Gon's plan.

Qui-Gon wasn't too happy himself, but he this was all he had. "I do not think he would be surprised if it appeared as if Anakin had given into his jealousy and killed me, and I can mask my own life force to support the illusion."

He wasn't sure whether master or apprentice appeared more surprised by the suggestion, nor who was actually more disconcerted, but again he rushed ahead. Better to lay it all out and then let the disapproval or refusals come.

"If he comes in and sees that, along with you and Anakin in battle, and if Anakin's mental shields were failing, well, I imagine the Sith would be more than eager to try to take control." Anakin paled but raised his head and gave a game smile. "So we stop the Sith while he is a part of me?"

"That is not an option."

The look Obi-Wan finally turned on Qui-Gon, a look no doubt building from the moment he began his proposal, was one silently saying it had better not be an option. Anakin appeared again as if he was going to speak, but this time when he backed down, it looked more like he was simply planning to take matters into his own hand later and sacrifice himself if necessary, instead of worrying about challenging either master.

Still his words, when they came, were little more than a horrified whisper. "Then what stops the Sith from having me kill my master?"

"I would think his own need to have a witness to his success --"

"No!" the teen protested.

"I don't intend to rely solely on that, Anakin." Qui-Gon put all the reassurances that he could in his expression and his tone. "We would also entice him with the presence of the gem he's been seeking."

And now they were both looking surprised again instead of angry. Or scared.

"I think we can use the crystal to trap the Sith. If that works, we can then drop the crystal back into the remnants of the Force-null field.

And without access to the Force, it should dissipate for good."

"That sounds too easy," the teen frowned.

His master looked more pensive, not at all happy about the suggestion, but with something behind his eyes that might be resignation.

"You're troubled?" he directed toward Obi-Wan with just a little touch of defensiveness. 'Do you have a better plan?' he wanted to ask, but didn't.

"You're not troubled about this?" Obi-Wan laughed without any trace of humor. He then shook his head, not so much in denial but as if trying to shake away his emotions. "Setting aside for the moment that the Force-null field doesn't exist anymore -- at least as I understand it -- how dangerous would exposure to the crystal be to us?"

"I have to believe that since I was able to hide it away, I have also avoided its effects. I also believe that you two will be able to resist its ... allure." Though Qui-Gon wasn't sure how long Anakin would be able to resist, having already held it. Especially if the Sith also began pushing the boy to take it up.

"Actual physical contact enhances its influence so none of us should actually touch it ..." He shrugged. All of his suppositions were pure guesswork at this point since he'd never really believed before that it could do what it was reputed.

"Yet the Sith cannot ever physically touch the crystal either, so there must be a strong mental component to its use, correct?"

Obi-Wan's observation was logical -- and correct, but it was a bit of a leap since Qui-Gon hadn't really explained anything about the crystal, and he had a moment's pause and concern. But then Obi-Wan gave him a tired smile, not there for very long but of that particular variety that was so much a visual representation of Obi-Wan's personality, that Qui-Gon truly doubted the Sith could emulate it if connected to the knight.

He nodded. "So we just have to keep him distracted and keep him from noticing it until we're ready for him to do so."

"By Anakin's and my fight."

Again Qui-Gon nodded, but had a sudden feeling that his and Obi-Wan's thoughts were no longer quite as much in tandem. Which was ... disturbing.

"Okay, I guess it's worth a try. And certainly better than any idea I can come up with."

Qui-Gon feeling of something a bit off was growing, almost like a warning from the Force. But it wasn't -- or wasn't warning him to stop exactly.

Nor was Obi-Wan done talking.

"We can fight, but not with sabers. The risk is too great that one of us would sustain a severe injury --"

"I can make it look good, Master," Anakin began.

"Yes, but I wouldn't." And Obi-Wan's smile, though soft, did nothing to reassure Qui-Gon this time. "Nor will you be in your conscious mind, remember? Not until the end and you would have defeated me long before that. I need to stay conscious myself to get you both back into the battle, which means it will have to be a different type of fight. One that you can win without really hurting me."

Anakin looked confused for a moment, and was gifted with another brittle, fragile smile.

"Anger wasn't the only emotion the Sith was trying to take advantage of, my Padawan."

Anakin started backing away, his mouth open but silently protesting as he was shaking his head back and forth.

Qui-Gon was more than tempted to join the teen, but only curled his hands into fists, tight enough to bring pain. But not enough to distract himself from Obi-Wan's next words, no matter how he might have willed it so.

"It will be okay, Ani. It is not rape if I allow it."

Of course Anakin refused. Qui-Gon wanted to -- by the Force, Obi-Wan wanted to refuse himself! But overall, Qui-Gon was right. They really had no other options. Eliminating a Sith ghost was not at all like fighting and killing a Sith. Which made Obi-Wan wonder how others had ever dealt with this situation in the past. And what would have happened to him and Anakin, had Qui-Gon not been with them.

Well, actually, he really didn't have to wonder, since they were just about to enact the likeliest scenario of what would have come about by itself. At least this way, they could hope for a successful ending that did not leave him dead or enslaved to his fallen padawan.

As long as he kept that firmly in mind, kept his focus on Anakin -- on saving Anakin -- and on eliminating the Sith threat, well then, he could accept his necessary role in this with grace and only a modicum of trepidation that was not so difficult to control in order not to agitate his padawan any further. Indeed, he would be the one fully in control -- at least fully in his conscious mind. And so had little room to complain. Anakin's task in this would be the most wrenching and fraught with ramifications afterward, while Qui-Gon's was the most dangerous if he let himself fall too deep into the coma, or Obi-Wan was not in a position to bring him back before too much time made the coma and death real.

They decided to enact their ... drama in the bath, as dark and dangerous emotions were still hanging heavy within. It was hoped the anger, fear and out of control lust they'd already experienced could be drawn like a skin around their tightly controlled psyches this time, and give further richness to the illusion they hoped to weave. There were also fewer things present within the room that might be used as weapons should things get out of hand before the end.

Staging this in the bath had led to another small hitch, however, as to how Anakin was to allegedly overpower and mortally wound Qui-Gon. Obi-Wan was still adamant about not using one of their sabers, even set to a non-lethal level, for he was not willing to trust any of their lives or well being to the Sith not taking advantage of such a weapon's presence. Not to mention that with the cauterizing effect from the saber against flesh, they would have to give Qui-Gon severe enough burns that could end up being life-threatening for real, in order to keep the Sith from seeing through the deception. They needed blood, lots of blood so that the Sith might not look beyond it.

In the end, it was decided to use the slagged tube that Qui-Gon had brought back with him from the library. The metal had already been severely stressed in the collapse of the staircase, and with some careful application of the Force, one end was rendered jagged again in order to give Qui-Gon a similar type of wound to Obi-Wan's. Only Qui-Gon's would be placed much closer to his heart, but not truly deep enough to scar.

Watching Anakin have to do that actually hurt worse then supplying the blood for the scene, but Obi-Wan was already partially disconnecting himself from his body. It was much harder to disconnect from Anakin's shaking and tears, or the thrill of dread that clenched his own throat and stomach to see Qui-Gon fall as if the wound was indeed mortal, his limbs splayed unnaturally in order to make things look more realistic.

And he could almost ignore the flash of crimson of the crystal rolling down only to get caught inside right at the end of the tube, except the flash had also caught Anakin's attention, and the words and warning from words left unsaid by Qui-Gon came back to Obi-Wan. It was not only the Sith that would need to be distracted from its presence. Which meant, ready or not, he had to lead Anakin to his part.

"Ani!"

They'd both stripped, unable to face enacting any of this while still in their Jedi garb, and returned to wearing only shirts liberated from the armoires in the bedroom. Obi-Wan had also taken the brief opportunity of Anakin's last-ditch attempt to convince Qui-Gon to stop the plan while they were clearing the bath of any thing else that might be used as a weapon, to prepare his body. He really wished he'd had time to help prepare Anakin -- physically, yes, but much more so mentally. Emotionally. Even though Anakin would be the one nominally in control and doing the penetrating, this was so not what he had wanted for his padawan's first experience of sexual intercourse.

Anakin turned his head at Obi-Wan's command, tearing his gaze away from the gem, or maybe he'd been more fascinated by Qui-Gon's all too convincing performance. The teen licked his lips when Obi-Wan reached out his hand to him, then flushed with the realization that it was time to move to the next stage. And again started shaking his head back and forth.

"Master, I can't! I can't go through with this."

Impatient more from fear and a sense that their time was running out than from anger, Obi-Wan stepped forward to close the distance between the two of them and folded his own body against Anakin's. Both shirts were unbuttoned and that was all they wore except for Obi-Wan's bandages, leaving vast amounts of skin to come in contact with each other. Despite Anakin's real concerns and regret in doing this, he was also seventeen and awash with male hormones. The instant Obi-Wan dropped his hand to Anakin's penis the teen moaned and started to stiffen, then became fully erect when Obi-Wan rose up and smothered Anakin's mouth with his own.

And then it was Anakin who thrust his tongue as Obi-Wan coaxed their lips to part, beginning to find some enthusiasm and lose himself in the moment. Joy and desire flooded their bond, and for a moment Obi-Wan thought to keep things this way longer, to at least let Anakin experience his pleasure and Obi-Wan's own, unexpected responses to his padawan's earnestness. But there was no time, not if they hoped to catch the Sith off guard and before it was back to its full powers. And not if they were going to ensure Qui-Gon's ability to awaken and handle the final portion of the plan.

He raised his hand up to cup his padawan's cheek, letting his own shields down long enough to send all of his pride and love for Anakin through their bond, encouraging Anakin to drop all of own shields, then coaxing the teen to follow down the shining path twined between them. Once they'd melded close enough, Obi-Wan quickly snapped his shields back up, in essence trapping Anakin away from his own body. He had another moment's regret that neither he nor Qui-Gon had explained this part. But Obi-Wan had known Anakin would have resisted, even when this was for his own protection, and he could not afford to allow Anakin to fight this, not when he'd need to retain all of his already deficient mental strength to hold both their minds from the Sith.

This way took only another few seconds before all of the teen that made him Anakin was shunted away someplace safe and deep within Obi-Wan's own mind. Which left him holding onto a body operating primarily on instinct and hidden desires, which he then started to shove away.

The reaction was immediate and even more violent than Obi-Wan had expected.

He'd come to expect that his padawan would eventually exceed him not only in size but also in strength, physically and in the Force. But never before this moment had he truly realized just how much that might be. Even in the hour before, he'd more allowed Anakin to be in control, fearing -- perhaps incorrectly -- that to actually fight back against his padawan would do more damage between them and their relationship than in letting Anakin go through with his seduction. It had been wrong of course, had served not only to encourage Anakin but also the Sith.

But then he'd already made more than one mistake in dealing with Anakin's growing sexual desires on this trip.

And perhaps never worse than in this specific moment.

The backhand across his face actually surprised him, as did that fact that it was hard enough to send him crashing painfully to the floor. He'd expected some roughness, given that Anakin had little experience with sex other than masturbation, but he'd not expected actual violence. At least not until the Sith had also gotten in on the act.

But even as one part of his mind was beginning to panic and second guess himself into thinking that fighting with sabers might actually have been the safer option, the part that was both master and Jedi was able to think about what was happening, to try and figure out why Anakin's subconscious desires would be twisting pain to mean pleasure. And the answer came almost immediately, as well as understanding the type of behavior he'd need to adopt to come out of this relatively intact.

Anakin had been a slave; had probably been exposed to all manner of behavior between adults including sexual ones at an age before Obi-Wan had even understood there was a difference between various sexes or species. No doubt all of his padawan's early exposure to sexual practices had included some form of violence or domination. And, having little other personal experiences, having only a basic, intellectual understanding of the parts love and affection played in a sexual encounter, his instincts were, therefore, primarily ... unpleasant.

Something he'd need to correct in his padawan, assuming either of them survived this.

Before Anakin could take exception again, Obi-Wan carefully rolled over onto his stomach before spreading his legs in an act of submission. He'd planned for things to happen in this position anyway, as he really didn't think he could face seeing the blankness in his padawan's eyes, especially not the Darkness when the Sith moved in behind them. But despite his own intellectual acceptance of what needed to be done and was now happening, he couldn't keep from catching his breath when Anakin kicked his legs farther apart before kneeling down between them. Or keep from giving a little cry when Anakin brutally thrust in two fingers.

At the third, right out of the textbook, Obi-Wan found himself trying to scoot away, only to be stopped by Anakin's other hand grabbing low, taking hold of his scrotum and squeezing. Nausea overwhelmed absolutely everything for a blinding second, but somehow Obi-Wan managed to keep from heaving, to keep from struggling further and even allowed himself to be drawn upward onto his knees and his head pushed downward, although a whimper escaped through his clenched lips at the pressure this then also put on his shoulder.

"Don't hold the cries back," he suddenly heard in his ear as Anakin leaned over his body.

Even had actual speech coming from Anakin's throat not given it away, Obi-Wan could feel the Sith's sudden presence. And began to shake in a reaction that had very little to do with the sudden tearing and impossible fullness splitting him. That pain was actually something manageable, something understandable, and nowhere near as threatening to his sanity as the smothering feeling of Darkness pouring over and through him.

"A-ani --" he tried to plead even as he knew it would not be Anakin who answered.

"No more Ani, Master. Perhaps you should call me master -- no, Darth as in the Sith Lords of old. "Darth Vader. That has a nice ring to it, doesn't it Obi-Wan?"

"No!" Obi-Wan choked out, the Darkness clawing at his mind even as the thing pushed Anakin to tear at his body. Vader had been the name in Obi-Wan's visions, a vile, at least half mechanical monstrosity that held nothing of his Anakin within. This was not -- he couldn't let --

"Scream for me Obi-Wan."

And he couldn't help it as his hands were suddenly wrenched behind his back with the Force, his weight crashing onto his neck and shoulders, as Anakin's own weight was then added to hold him immobile save for the fierce thrusting. He could feel the initial healing and synthskin under his bandages give way, could feel the blood begin to flow and soak through the cloth. Now they had an even tighter deadline, for he knew he had already bled too much for his body to cope with, except for the energy and health Anakin had earlier provided to him. Will and Force could only keep him going for so long --

An even louder scream was abruptly wrested from Obi-Wan when the hand the Sith had kept underneath them moved from his scrotum to his penis with a harsh, exacting skill to try and bring him erect. At that Obi-Wan's mind blanked, but in the next instant he was bucking to get away, all thoughts of submitting -- of even the mission -- gone. His mind screaming in blind, atavistic terror, all he knew was that he had to fight.

Of course that only served to excite the Sith even more, but it was Anakin's body that reacted first. And it became the Sith's turn to fall prey to overwhelming physical sensations. His hold weakened, first in the Force, then physically, and Obi-Wan was able to break free, then away although he could only scrabble over and back along the floor with no strength to stand or even really get himself under control.

Almost instinctively he was moving toward Qui-Gon as Anakin convulsed in orgasm, some part of him still looking to salvage the plan. Or to enlist aid, as he was way in over his head. But his palm came down on the end of crystal-encased tube. Twisting his head over his shoulder, he watched in horror as the tube flipped and rolled away, the crystal actually slipping further back into the interior and now no longer even visible.

That brief distraction, as well as the despair he couldn't stop from crashing over him, gave the Sith opportunity to galvanize Anakin's body after him. Obi-Wan kicked out, a tight keen coming from his throat when he connected squarely with Anakin's kneecap, but of course such injury didn't bother the Sith, merely slowed it down. Obi-Wan turned and reached out for the tube, not really sure if he was reaching for the crystal or for it as some type of weapon, but again the Sith recovered too quickly and called for it himself through the Force.

Another conflict Obi-Wan wasn't going to win, not with the levels of energy his padawan could command, and especially with a Sith's control. He could hope -- but no, as he rolled over he saw that the Sith held it with the jagged, open end upward, staring in fascination at the blood that surrounded it then over to Qui-Gon's body, apparently unable to sense either the Force-null field within the cylinder or the crystal.

"Poetic justice to kill your padawan with the same weapon he used to killed your lover, little Jedi?" the Sith mocked. "That must have really hurt, seeing your padawan fall to the Dark before I got to him. And to use such a primitive, messy weapon. Do you think it will hurt?"

Obi-Wan had continued to back away until Qui-Gon's body blocked his progress, but now lifted his chin to the monster that looked through his padawan's eyes. "Hand it to me and I'll show you," he promised and let the truth of his words ring in the Force. He would rather see Anakin dead before condemning him to become the monster of his visions.

But the Sith simply laughed, something that should have only ever belonged to Anakin, bleeding across mind and soul.

"Now, now, isn't it a master's duty to let their padawans find out about how things work on their own?" It smacked the tube into Anakin's palm, not hard enough to break anything, for the Sith still needed Anakin's body. "Roll back over, little Jedi, and let's see just what kind of damage it can do."

Obi-Wan was caught between the necessity to refuse and realization that the more the Sith maneuvered the tube, the quicker it would discover the crystal. He struggled, but wasn't sure if he then actually let the Sith's use of the Force overpower him, or whether he just didn't have the strength to fight anymore. At least things should be over soon --

And then the Sith surprised him again, kneeling, then hovering over his body, grasping him by the hair and hauling him upward, pushing him forward. Again Obi-Wan started to struggle, twisting, trying to pull away even if it meant tearing his hair from his scalp. Not this, anything but this -- even sodomy with the jagged edge of the tube -- but the Sith kept inexorably pushing his head -- his mouth -- forward to the blood that covered Qui-Gon's chest.

Mewling noises were spilling from Obi-Wan's throat but he was powerless to do anything other than gag as he was pressed down and his mouth forced open. It didn't matter that it was his own blood, that he knew Qui-Gon wasn't really dead. The Sith's intent was horrifying enough, was too much, and Obi-Wan could feel his mind start to turn inward to seek the same type of protection he was giving Anakin. But he couldn't -- he couldn't --

Oh, by the blessed grace of any god ever worshipped, no!

Another Anakin laugh and the Sith reached out with the Force to untie, rip and then spread open Qui-Gon's leggings. "One last time, little Jedi," he was whispering in Obi-Wan's ear. "Before his mind is completely gone and his body finishes cooling. Maybe you can even get your lover up, give him one last moment of bliss before he forever abandons you to me. Maybe --"

The Sith was gesturing with the tube, brushing it to cut against Obi-Wan's cheek even as it used Anakin's other hand and the Force to make Obi-Wan twist and stretch down the other direction across Qui-Gon's chest. It then used the tube's edge to cut away at Qui-Gon's undergarment, to prod and produce more cuts, but a sudden clunk that was somehow louder even than Obi-Wan's incoherent protests, and a rolling rhythm caught the Sith's attention in a stronger hold than its intended depravities.

It let Obi-Wan drop, though it kept a tight hold with the Force, going so far as to even mute Obi-Wan completely so there were no other sounds beyond his struggle to breathe. Out of the corner of his eye, Obi-Wan could see the Sith sit back on Anakin's haunches and turned the tube upward first as if to make sure of what he'd heard.

"Oh, don't tell me," it crowed with delight and a chilling smile that would haunt Obi-Wan's dreams for too many days to come to see it on Anakin's face. "How terribly careless of you, little Jedi." In the next instant it upended the tube and let the crystal drop. A too narrow aperture caught the crystal at the last second, but the Sith began clawing it open and in that instant the plan came together and to an end.

The Sith was suddenly caught between the pull of the crystal, the disruption of the Force-null field he had stuck Anakin's finger into, and then the full power of Anakin's conscious mind as Obi-Wan let the shielding fall and re-opened their bond. Instantly the Sith fled toward the crystal, either to use or to escape Anakin's cold, utter rage. Obi-Wan was also swept up within Anakin's rage, somehow managing to reach for Qui-Gon and call the other back, then flinging himself into the safe haven he'd found there once before to escape the Sith, this time also escaping from the crystal and his own padawan until darkness took him away from everything.

5.

Disconnected. Not completely -- not exactly. Something, though. Different -- wrong.

Something missing.

Or maybe just too much -- of everything. An overload of echoes. Sounds bleeding in colors too intense. Tartness swallowing shadows and spitting out sharp edges.

Disconnected, but not, an existence filled with scents of pain and regret.

Pain flowing into a chiaroscuro of darkness then light, while regret swirled in all blues and greens, before becoming a melody threading through and defining infinity.

Images now moving shutter quick, sounds developing into a soundtrack of meaning and sensation -- into more echoes. Ghosts of memories until they became ghosts in reality. Became dead things reaching, penetrating, spewing darkness and leaving ashes --

Thoughts then scattered with nothingness being preferred to that Darkness or fear. But something tugged again, gently pulling him back. Yet only to an awareness of self, not consciousness, and of being surrounded in an ocean of peace and comfort and light.

Which Obi-Wan recognized, to his amazement and more than a little awe. Also with a little fear. But this was still the Force and somehow it was speaking familiarly despite his never previously being so in the moment to see past the connections between its individual components. In this moment, the Living Force breathed through him, cradled him -- protected him within a level of intimacy he'd never before known.

And this time he became aware and awake, with an abruptness that left him reeling. Memory and pain flooded him, but Qui-Gon was instantly there in his mind, deeper than the connection Obi-Wan had once had with his own master, deeper than even his with Anakin -- but no, Anakin was there too, although only as a mere mental shadow set behind Qui-Gon. Too, Obi-Wan recognized the responding physical touch to his chest and forehead, feeling the odd mixture of exasperation, fear and relief present any time his padawan had needed sit vigil and await his recovery.

Still his body tried to curl away, even as somewhere in the back of his mind he recognized an additional familiarity that echoed of this not being the first time he'd been so eased by his companions, and so he strove to override his initial terror and the half memory of them in his most recent dream -- nightmare. And fell once more into that ocean of Qui-Gon's sense of the Living Force being buoyed by Anakin's boundless energy.

Once more being guarded from nightmares and memories. As they had been doing, no doubt, for hours if not a full day or more.

Movement awakened more than memory, however, the distant pain becoming noticeable in his shoulder, his head -- his ass. Obi-Wan froze and accepted with ill grace what they offered, though he would rather have fled from his memories and from them. But he had allowed the reality to happen that he now had to face, and intellectually he knew Anakin had likely been more damaged than he had.

Which was his responsibility to address and help his padawan get over, not make the problems worse.

A rawness in his throat made itself known over the rest of his hurts in just thinking about talking, but Obi-Wan pushed the word out as he blindly reached out for the hand that was quickly being snatched away. "A-ani?"

Immediately Anakin's presence and energy jolted through him, along with his padawan's guilt and remorse. Obi-Wan tightened his closed eyes and retreated back into Qui-Gon's serenity, not exactly pulling away from Anakin's attempt to bolster his system, but allowing the other master to help him mute the intensity of the teen's emotions impacting upon his own. Only to suddenly realize just what it was he had done. And discovering just how intertwined all three of them had become when he could feel something pass between Qui-Gon and Anakin, but only understood what it might have been because Anakin then drew away mentally on his own but not before Obi-Wan could feel his padawan reach for a calmness normally quite foreign to his fiery personality.

"Here, Master, try this."

And Obi-Wan was being lifted upward into a position less supine, Anakin moving behind him so he might rest against his padawan's broad chest before a cool glass of something pressed against his lips. He focused on the how the liquid eased his throat instead of on being caught up within Anakin's arms, and finally managed to open his eyes.

To find that he had no idea where he -- they -- were; the room was too sumptuously laid out to still be somewhere within the house they'd taken refuge in. But any question he might have asked immediately faded as he also noted that although Qui-Gon was indeed present, the Jedi Master was stretched out on the bed next to him, looking barely more alive than Obi-Wan himself felt.

"W-what --" he began, trying to twist around to look at his padawan, then unable to not struggle when Anakin tightened his embrace to restrain him. Before Obi-Wan could injure either himself or Anakin, however, Qui-Gon's presence spread across his mind again, dulling his panic, although increasing his confusion as the other man was barely even breathing.

Qui-Gon's presence came to him even stronger then, and Obi-Wan abruptly understood that the other had been deep in meditation while watching over his recovery. And now Qui-Gon's body began a series of movements and stretches, then taking deeper breaths and Obi-Wan could sense him returning to outer awareness. His eyes opened, the ocean of the Living Force still very present until he blinked a couple of times and it was once again only Qui-Gon looking out. And sitting up. Reaching forward.

"Hello."

Obi-Wan tried to smile in response, and forced himself to allow the touch, but Qui-Gon seemed to sense his reluctance and only brushed the back of his hand down Obi-Wan's cheek before drawing back. And taking a few more deep breaths, Obi-Wan supposed, to center and finish reconnecting with his outer senses. Another ... something seemed to pass between Qui-Gon and his padawan, although Obi-Wan was too tired and too disconnected himself to decide whether the exchange had been mental or visual. Anakin's hands quickly moved from holding him tightly, however, to a more casual and loose support.

Which Obi-Wan found he could relax into. "Where are we?" he asked, the strain in speaking this time as much from having to think to put the words together as actually making himself understood.

Qui-Gon ran his hands through his hair to push it back and smiled, his eyes then lifting behind Obi-Wan. He reached to take the glass that he might offer it again to Obi-Wan. "Your padawan was able to restore the communications that had been severed in the house and make contact with the government officials who had requested our assistance. We're at one of the governmental houses -- with only a droid staff to assist," he added quickly, as Obi-Wan paled and nearly choked on the cool water.

While he appreciated the thought that they were no longer isolated, Obi-Wan really didn't want to have to interact with anyone right now.

Not even his companions if the truth were to be told, although he also knew that such a thought was just as much a result of how far he'd allowed his mind to move into the Force as it was in response to what had driven him there. A part of him was appalled to consider that left on his own, he might never have come back, not even for Anakin's sake.

Nothingness was preferred to Darkness -- even now the implication of his previous decision had its appeal, and it wasn't really nothingness, not if he simply became one with the Force.

Two sets of hands reached for him then, and he reacted instinctively as for a moment it was too like his dreams -- his memories. This time he fought back as he hadn't during the assault, directing a wave of Force with his injured arm while slamming his other elbow back into the presence behind him and flinging himself down and away.

"Obi-Wan --"

The words, the brush against his mind meant nothing -- meant danger. But his body betrayed him as he tried to evade the hands that still came for him. He hunched inward, the pain overwhelming even memory of what had caused his injuries. And this time he didn't -- couldn't -- resist, but the hands were not hurting or threatening, were offering comfort and understanding. And then forgiveness when Obi-Wan returned to enough awareness to recognize whom he'd been trying to defend himself against.

"While that's not exactly the actions I would have encouraged I take it that it has worked and you are back with us?" Qui-Gon panted as he and Anakin both worked to help Obi-Wan uncurl enough to be helped onto the bed again.

He couldn't stop the dull flush that came to his face, and opened his mouth to apologize, but Anakin was softly pressing fingers to his lips to keep him from speaking even as the teen was also helping Qui-Gon prop him up in a seated position against the bed's headboard.

"Don't, master. I would rather you fight or even hate me than for you to feel you would be better off in the Force."

Tears spiking Anakin's eyelashes sparked Obi-Wan's own and he flushed even deeper. "I don't -- I will never hate you, Ani. I -- what's happened -- we will need to --" He gave up, unable to articulate what he was feeling and could only turn his head away from the other two. He had wronged Anakin, should never have allowed his padawan to have taken part in the confrontation -- should have found another way --

"Master, it's okay, really."

Anakin was now more or less petting his arm and Obi-Wan's stomach clenched, but this time from worry for his padawan instead of because of Anakin's touch.

"I, ah ... well I'm sorry too, of course," the teen continued. "I know more or less what happened, but I don't really remember, so you don't need to worry ..." and it was his turn to trail off and look flustered.

Was his padawan lying? But no, Anakin wouldn't -- didn't -- ever.

Still Obi-Wan found himself looking to Qui-Gon as well as reaching cautiously to the mental link between them. The other master nodded imperceptibly in confirmation of what Obi-Wan was sensing, and let concern show in his eyes. Concern that Obi-Wan immediately shared. They would need to determine if Anakin was just in denial and had suppressed any conscious memories, or whether some sort of damage might have been done to him by the Sith.

Or by his own master.

"How long have I been out?"

Qui-Gon moved to sit next to Obi-Wan, no doubt to give him something to lean on. "A little over thirty hours."

Yet he still felt tired -- exhausted actually, especially when trying to think. Especially about how he would need to work with Anakin.

On the other hand, were he to succumb once more to unconsciousness or sleep, no doubt he would again dream, something he'd much prefer to avoid until after he had a chance to meditate and put his thoughts in order. Nor could he expect the others not to stay with him, to continue to look after him as they had obviously been doing.

When he thought about what Qui-Gon had been doing, protecting and keeping him safe within his perceptions of the Living Force -- oh, but that had to mean Anakin had been on his own, watching out over the two of them while alone with the government officials -- or his own thoughts. And lack of memories.

"Really, it was okay," Anakin said reassuringly. "I had plenty to do to keep myself busy. I, ah, I brought the Udan Orr over to the closer space port and --"

His padawan broke off, turning bright red and ducking his head.

Qui-Gon looked just as shocked to hear this as Obi-Wan felt. Obi-Wan's surprise and distress was almost enough to make him forget how accurately Anakin had responded to his unspoken concerns. Which really wasn't surprising, given how deeply he'd taken Anakin's consciousness into his own, prior to the Sith's arrival, plus his retreat into Qui-Gon's mind himself.

He reached over and entwined his fingers with Anakin's. "You've managed admirably, Ani. I am very proud of you."

Anakin blushed even more fiery and offered up a surprisingly shy smile. "I've also been meditating, which has helped a lot. Maybe if we -- all three of us try it together?"

He sounded so eager, so hopeful. Obi-Wan would have acquiesced just in response to that even if he hadn't felt it might be the best thing for them right now. The bond was already deep enough to allow them to exchange emotions and thoughts; maybe sharing memories and perceptions would allow him to put a proper focus on things. Letting the other two be aware of his conflicted feelings would mean he'd not have to work so hard to hide or excuse having them.

Confronting his fears before they took control -- again.

Qui-Gon's expression reflected a gentle understanding when Obi-Wan turned his head up toward the other man, while he could feel only compassion across the link.

"What happened to the Sith?" he asked, proud of himself in even getting the word out. Now if only he could get its taint out of his mind, but that's why he wanted any remaining questions about it out in the open before meditation.

"Contained by Master Qui-Gon." Anakin said with a bit of smugness, or maybe only new-found pride in someone other than his master. Which Obi-Wan found himself not minding at all, though before he'd experienced his own bouts of jealousy when they'd both been a few years younger.

Even further indication of how integral Qui-Gon had become in their lives?

Qui-Gon reached out to cover their joined hands under his. "He -- it is likely already disincorporated from the being cut off from the Force," he said in validation of Anakin's conviction. "But Anakin has suggested we jettison the tube containing the crystal and launch them both into the sun when we're ready to depart Erinne just to make sure." He tightened his hand briefly. "I concur."

Well Obi-Wan certainly had no objections. Something that powerful, even if it wouldn't ever have worked as reputed, was not something that should be just lying around. Even in the hands of the Jedi. In a time like theirs of so many wrongs, even the most innocent of them might be corrupted into believing trying to correct injustices would justify the nullification of free will.

He, better than many, knew the past -- good, bad or indifferent -- had a place and meaning within the patterns of the Force that tampering would only make worse.

He suddenly gave a silent laugh. Including his own, most recent past, he had to acknowledge. Hiding from it or wishing it away would only invalidate the sacrifices and courage shown -- even his own. And what was any man but the sum of his experiences and how he dealt with them?

"You know, the Council is going to have a collective fit once they find out," he offered.

"About the loss of such a priceless artifact, or the bond between the three of us?" Anakin grinned widely. And instead of his padawan's usual concern over how the Council thought of or treated them, his voice and emotions were only quiet amusement.

Perhaps one more legacy in having someone as placid as Qui-Gon helping to create that bond?

"Actually, it's because of your feelings, Master," came his padawan's reply again to his thoughts. "I -- you -- an awful lot of your thoughts were unshielded while you were ... dreaming." Anakin sounded apologetic, but also a bit pleased to have found this new closeness.

Obi-Wan was immediately embarrassed to have been laid so bare even to his padawan but, of course, Anakin would know that too, which made the emotion rather irrelevant. And Obi-Wan imagined he'd be learning a few things normally left shielded from the other two before the three of them managed to fully sort out their new, extraordinary bond.

The Council was going to have fits over both. Oh gods, not to mention over the after mission report if they included everything that he had encouraged!

"Oh no you don't, Master. You are not going to take the blame for everything."

Qui-Gon was nodding in agreement, and gently tugging Obi-Wan back against his side when he'd moved away in reaction to that last thought. "Unless Coruscant's Temple is run much differently than the others I've been affiliated with, we can have most of the details heard only by the Soul Healers and held under patient confidentiality. No one here is aware of anything that happened to contradict any report. You were seen to by one of the droids to make sure you were not too ... damaged and --"

"And I've already reprogrammed its memories," Anakin said without apology.

Not too damaged.

Except he was afraid they were all too damaged by this mission and would have permanent scars. Anakin -- why in just his willingness alone to alter mission facts -- showed him to have been tainted by the Sith even had he done such a thing for his master's protection and reputation. Then there were the rents if not actual scars from Obi-Wan's inability to properly handle the teen's steps into maturity which, no doubt, had precipitated much of the disaster in the first place.

Nor was Qui-Gon unscathed, for he had been the foundation by which he and Anakin had needed survive more or less intact, and was now a keeper of secrets and vulnerabilities, not to mention also trapped into a permanent relationship because of Obi-Wan's irresponsibility and overconfidence in being able to handle Siths and visions.

His own, richly deserved scars, didn't go nearly deep enough.

"Oh no you don't, Master," Anakin fiercely repeated himself. "We got into this mess together, and we'll get through this together. All three of us."

The sentiment was echoed in Qui-Gon's thoughts and in his touch. But it could never be that simple.

"Master Yoda will have to know everything," he sighed, but unsure of whether he was warning them or just himself. "As should Plo Koon since he was the one who sent us on the mission."

And he supposed he could handle Master Yoda knowing of his failures and weakness. The oldest living Jedi had seen so much over the course of his extraordinary lifetime that little could shock or provoke the ancient one any longer. And Plo, well Plo had been Obi-Wan's master's best friend for many years before and all through Obi-Wan's apprenticeship. He, like Master Yoda, was well aware of Obi-Wan's inadequacies and still managed to remain a willing mentor and friend.

In all reality, telling the Soul Healers would likely be more difficult. He'd had little need for them in his past, thank the Force, and so their interactions together had remained the regular yet infrequent testings and evaluations that every active field operative underwent over the course of their duties. They'd hoped for more -- expected more once he'd shown his proclivity in having true visions and had never quite been convinced that he could normally remain detached from them as he did even the worst of missions. But then they were more connected to the Living Force just like Qui-Gon, which made them wonderful healers and listeners, yet allowed them little understanding in how he saw things through the Force's Unifying nature.

In fact, the only exception in truly needing them before now, had been after Naboo to deal with his severed link and his master's death, along with Bruck's and Garen's, and Bant's injury. Which had been quite unpleasant enough for all involved.

"But you're not alone this time, Master, in going through it or in dealing with the aftermath. I certainly don't think less of you for finding out you're not perfect -- or even always smart or right," he added with a wide grin to take the sting out. Not that there was any since Anakin only spoke the truth.

"And I'm sure Master Qui-Gon feels no differently," his padawan then continued with a tug on their collective hand clasp.

Obi-Wan didn't have to follow Anakin's gaze to their companion to physically and mentally feel Qui-Gon's affirmation. To feel that Anakin truly meant what he was saying beyond the tricks they were taught to offer comfort to the victims of things they too often found themselves ministering to.

It was odd to think of the three of them as the victims this time, but their injuries and recovery would extend beyond the collateral damage a Jedi sometimes endured to carry out their mission. And maybe that was his problem -- and his solution. Maybe he should give himself the same consideration as they did those they helped.

"When did you grow up and get so wise, my padawan?"

"I had to, Master," Anakin said with something that suspiciously sounded like a sob covered by a laugh. "Look at the company I keep."

"Two minutes before translation from hyperspace, Masters."

Message sent, Anakin took another careful perusal of the controls. Everything showed satisfactory and he breathed a small sigh of relief. Although he'd had confidence in the repairs the Udan Orr had needed, especially since he and his master had done most of them themselves, it was still a relief to know that they were finally almost home. Their return trip had proven thankfully uneventful -- almost boring -- once they'd jettisoned the tube holding the crystal and the Sith in one of their missile pods.

The commonness of the trip had been a blessing. Even as it had given him too much time to think about things that had happened, it had also given him time to start to deal with some of them. Such as that Sithly device.

He'd learned more than enough about it from Master Qui-Gon's thoughts, as well as the talk he and the older Jedi had had on their first day on the ship while his master had been resting. Discovering how close he'd come to being influenced by It had almost been more horrifying than knowing he'd nearly been taken over by the ghost. At least the Sith had once been alive, had lived and breathed and desired. The thought of an inanimate object having so many of the same traits still gave him nightmares even after most of a week had past.

Along with how close his master's visions of a dark future had come to coming true.

He still wasn't completely clear on what all had happened in the last encounter, knew only what they'd planned, then seen the evidence all to clearly himself that the plan had been used. Of course that knowledge was bad enough, maddening really, for he thought he might be able to deal with it better were he actually to remember doing it.

No, not it.

He needed to remember raping his master -- well, technically, being allowed to rape his master. The technicality really didn't make him feel any better although he understood Master Qui-Gon's point in so directing his thoughts. Just as he understood his master's inability to talk about it yet, to know he might never be told everything that had happened. What his body had done while being possessed by the Sith.

Unfortunately, understanding the reasons or the decision to wait until they could work with the Soul Healers really wasn't working for him. As evidenced by his difficulty in just thinking the words. The reality -- the imagined reality of his actions (and all too easily imagined because of the abortive attack he could remember) was occupying his mind during more than his sleep.

Nor was he the only one having nightmares, of course. Which was why Master Qui-Gon was with his master right now instead of up here in the cockpit taking the co-pilot seat as they were entering Coruscant space. The two of them had not left his master alone for the entire trip, much to his master's dismay.

Which was just too damn bad, as far as Anakin was concerned.

Except he wasn't sure if the knowledge that his master had acquiesced only to mollify him made him angry or pleased. Such was his reaction to too many things in their relationship right now, in between his bouts of worry and guilt. Master Qui-Gon had been a blessing from the Force during the trip, being intimately aware of their difficulties, but also more or less outside of them and Anakin was pretty sure his master had been seeking out the other's level-headedness just as he was the other master's ear and advice.

Which, of course, was also exacerbating his problem.

A part of him was angry and resentful that he couldn't go to his own master about this and, if he was being painfully honest, that part of him did see it as a weakness in his master despite his protestations to the contrary, and intellectually and emotionally understanding that he couldn't go to his master about his problem because his relationship with his master was the problem Fortunately, however, most of the time he was just grateful that Master Qui-Gon was there, was the type of man he'd turned out to be for them both.

He had more than a couple of nightmares reenacting the mission with it just being himself and his master, and those had been even more frightening and disastrous than what had happened.

As was discovering that the little of bit of Anakin that had remained in the thing he had become had not particularly minded what he had wrought.

He knew that wasn't really him, had already had the talk about how any subconscious desires or fantasies were fine and even healthy, as long as he understood them for what they were and kept them under control just as he did any other emotion. He supposed that would be a great deal of what his work with the Soul Healers would be about. It had been bad enough to be shown his potential for Darkness within his master's visions, but to now fantasize about such a life --

"Normal space now," he interrupted his own thoughts and shifted them out of hyperspace. And he started to reach over for the headset that would connect him into Coruscant's comm net, but was stopped by a hand on his shoulder.

"Let me, Ani."

He blushed to be caught so off guard, and to see the reality of so many of his recent good and disturbing fantasies. At least his master was not looking as wan and worn out as he'd been at the start of their return trip, although the beard he'd grown out actually accented the hollowness in his master's cheeks and the dark circles under his eyes that just didn't seem to go away instead of hiding the mission's ravages.

Anakin knew he was looking a little gaunt himself; food of recent had been only a means to an end instead of something to enjoy. Just like sleep.

"Would you prefer to take us in, Master?"

He and Master Qui-Gon had been pretty much trading off piloting duties as neither would leave Obi-Wan alone even to take piloting duty and so after the second such occasion, his master had simply turned the responsibilities over to them and had busied himself in tinkering on the repairs or staying in his cabin so that he and Master Qui-Gon would at least pretend to get some sleep.

But his master shook his head and reached instead for the headset. "You've gotten us this far, Padawan, I'd be happy to have you take us home."

Anakin felt a warmth spread through him that had more to do with the feelings behind those words than his typical pleasure in being able to fly. He was still getting used to being able to read his master so clearly except when they were actively shielding against each other. Which was happening too frequently for Anakin's comfort, but he'd been hiding his own dirty little secrets, so he supposed it was only fair.

Something else they would need to discuss and adjust too. Like the future beyond this mission, something he was still trying to figure out since he was pretty sure it would be involving Master Qui-Gon.

The three of them now shared a bond, something similar to the type of sharing between partners if not life or love mates. He had no idea what his place would be within it, didn't quite understand why he was even a part of it.

Or how it had seemed to form spontaneously instead of any of the three of them consciously initiating it.

Although he could hear his master's voice softly speaking to Coruscant control, he was more aware of his master's inner thoughts than what flight plan they were being given to pilot them in.

His master seemed to have finally found his own peace instead of wrapping himself up in Master Qui-Gon's serenity. Oh, he was still troubled, but was feeling more like the master Anakin had grown up with, had learned to respect and come to love. It was weird how on the one hand Anakin had felt rather empowered to look out for someone instead of always being the one protected, and how on the other, he'd found himself resentful for having to contemplate a changing relationship even as he was being given many of the things he'd always thought he wanted.

He'd have to be very careful not to become too complacent or self-satisfied in being privy to so many of his master's previously all too well-hidden emotions and opinions. Unconsciously done or not, the fact that the bond had occurred showed a humbling amount of trust existed between them. And he was not about to betray that.

No matter how often he'd relocated over his years of service to the Order, or that almost every move had been a step up either in location or quarters or responsibility, Qui-Gon detested packing. It didn't help that he'd amassed many more possessions than did the typical Jedi, or even that many of his artifacts or research papers were still boxed from his recent arrival on Coruscant. There would still be wasted days trying to find something he'd improperly catalogued, the odd broken item, or a forever lost something to deal with.

And that was assuming he'd even find the time to begin to unpack before being sent on a new mission, or that once he started, he would be able to find room to place all of his belongings in quarters already shared by two.

"That feels suspiciously like a complaint," came from beyond the open doorway separating his bedroom from the common room of the quarters he was leaving.

"Which is rather funny considering that due to the sheer volume of stuff, our own meager treasures will become lost amidst the clutter," chimed in a second voice.

Qui-Gon grinned and closed the book he was supposed to be adding to the box on his bed but had been reading through instead. He set his glasses down on top of it and ran his fingers through the hair he'd not managed to find time to cut since their return from Erinne. If he continued to let it grow, he'd need to find some sort of tie to hold it back, he supposed, as it would get in his way no matter which of his occupations he were to indulge in; researcher or his newly confirmed status as a field mission specialist.

"You two are just looking for a way out of going back on your promise to help me move," he responded in kind, marveling not only in finally being able to exchange more than a few words in passing between mission reports, trips to the Healers and to the Council, but that the exchange was finally not laden with emotional preoccupation as a result of their completed mission. He hadn't actually felt close enough to any one since his own padawan to tease them. And despite that closeness, Qui-Gon really hadn't expected things to begin approaching this kind of ease between them for weeks more, if not months.

Not that he hadn't understood master and apprentice's narrowed focus on each other to his exclusion for the most part. Or, of course, the underlying difficulties that had been the reason for their focus. Frankly, he'd been surprised that the three of them had been able to spend any time together not directly relating to mission debriefings. That he'd been given the invitation to move in with them before everything had been worked out between Obi-Wan and Anakin had come as a pleasant, but complete shock.

Moving in might be premature, but it was almost as if they weren't being given a choice -- in the way they were being treated by their fellow Jedi, and by the Force. Although things were still very ... volatile between them as a trio or in any of the three sets of pairings now involved -- for the most part things seemed much more stable. Well, less daunting, when thinking out a future that involved them together.

And Obi-Wan and Anakin had both pointed out to him -- separately -- that things wouldn't be able to be completely worked out until he became involved anyway, as he had become part of their partnership and the problems due to the circumstances and their new, three-way bond.

So now he found himself double checking his appearance in the small mirror he'd never really before concerned himself with. In some ways he felt like a kid Anakin's age again, not only eager to be starting out on a new adventure, but also perhaps too concerned with trying to impress those he'd be working and living with. Which was ridiculous not only given his age and the Jedi habit of sharing quarters anyway, but also because of the very things the three of them had already shared and were still recovering from.

To the best of his knowledge, Obi-Wan was still sporting bandages around his chest and shoulder, while Anakin was still attending sessions with the Soul Healers with his master, as well as privately. As for himself, he'd spent a couple of session himself with the healers, although more to assure them that he'd remained largely unscathed from the mission, other than his concern and occasional nightmare on the other two's behalf. He'd also learned more than just the names and visages of the Jedi High Council in the week since their return, now forming his own opinions on the august personages based on reality instead of reputation.

He was still adjusting to the reactions by the Council and their fellow Jedi. To everyone's utter lack of surprise in something so odd as a three-way bond involving a padawan, and that their new status was no more than the Order had come to expect coming from an already unnatural and notorious pairing as Kenobi and Skywalker. Even when Qui-Gon had been in charge of the temple on Solus Four, he'd not been as well known or even as recognizable as he suddenly now was on Coruscant with its much larger population of Jedi.

But notoriety was a small price to pay for everything else he had been given.

"If these quarters weren't half a mile away from ours, I would suggest you keep them as a retreat and just move the essentials." Apparently no longer patient to wait without, Obi-Wan now leaned against the doorframe to Qui-Gon's bedroom. "A toothbrush, maybe your primary data pad and, oh, say a robe and a pair of boots."

Qui-Gon found himself blushing from embarrassment -- and shock. Teasing about boxes and promises was one thing. Making new promises -- especially of that nature -- was quite something else. Yet when he looked up, Obi-Wan was finally sporting the heart-rending grin he'd first fallen in lust with, and there was a light back in the knight's eyes that Qui-Gon had tried not to despair of ever seeing again. And failing utterly.

Now, though, all of the possibilities offered in their first meeting, then reaffirmed in the cockpit on the trip out to Erinne, were back. As was a healthy, lively glow not only to the knight's skin, but around his inner spirit.

"You're looking ..."

"Better?" Obi-Wan offered, the grin quirking even more.

"I was going to say well or even stunning, but it is so much more than that." Qui-Gon moved from the bed, needing to close the distance between them and make sure he wasn't just projecting his own fantasies and desires. No touching unless invited had been just one of the unspoken rules between them since the Sith's assault, at least no touching to provide anything other than comfort. But he couldn't help from raising his hands to do just that, only managing to stop himself at the last second.

Only to have Obi-Wan lean into one of his palms before turning to kiss the other. Only to have Obi-Wan reach up and drag Qui-Gon's head down so that their lips could meet.

Much better now, he heard in his mind, something that should have been just as shocking as having his own desires matched. But the bond and mind speech, like the feel of Obi-Wan's lips -- and body now pressed against his -- seemed completely natural. And horribly missed.

So were the fingers running across his jaw line although the beard they were caressing still felt odd.

"It's filling in well," Obi-Wan observed as they finally broke away.

Qui-Gon nodded and gave a rueful smile. "I hadn't expected quite so much gray, however."

"It just makes you look more distinguished."

"While yours being gone again makes you look little older than your padawan," he teased back.

"If you would prefer I grow it back --"

Qui-Gon silenced the offer with a kiss that moved from Obi-Wan's lips to the cleft in his chin now bare again.

I find you quite attractive either way, he responded mentally so that he could keep his mouth and tongue doing more interesting things.

I only grow the beard out when I'm feeling lazy or want to hide, came the admission, along with a push that backed Qui-Gon up against the nearest wall.

Yes, Obi-Wan had hidden much during and after their return. Qui-Gon had to wonder how much of today's ... exuberance was surface bravado or actual composure and a true example of the residual traumas finally being dealt with. While their bonding had been acknowledged by the Order, he still didn't have full rights to confront the Soul Healers about Obi-Wan's therapy --

Besides, Anakin thinks he's trying to grow a moustache, Obi-Wan was continuing, with both his directed mental conversation and an aggressive tasting of Qui-Gon's lips, skin, his new beard.

Qui-Gon wasn't sure how many of his private thoughts were staying private, but Obi-Wan was showing neither distress nor acknowledgement of the tenor of them, so Qui-Gon decided to join the knight in the moment instead of worrying about the past or their future.

I thought padawans were prohibited from facial hair. Although he knew even such simple conversation as this would prove difficult to continue were they planning to progress much farther in their re-exploration of each other, Qui-Gon found himself enjoying the novelty almost as much as he was the taste of Obi-Wan's neck and the little moans his ministrations were causing when he began to return the caresses.

T-tradition only, Obi-Wan managed. And by now I w-would have thought you'd noticed how unhappy the other masters are if Ani or I aren't doing something for them t-to object to --

Qui-Gon lifted his head for a moment although he still didn't speak out loud. I would have thought the scandal of our bonding --

Obi-Wan's eyes had turned an interesting shade of green, the light behind them playful and amused. "Not scandal, perhaps just a little unorthodoxy," he grinned. "And par for the course in their expectations of me." He then returned to exchanging enthusiastic kisses and it was Qui-Gon's turn to groan, then to suckle on Obi-Wan's tongue.

Although he'd not been in any sort of intimate relationship for several years before meeting Obi-Wan, he'd found in the week of their return that he was more than ready despite or perhaps even partially because of what had happened on Erinne. How he had so hoped that Obi-Wan would not be permanently shattered in regard to any physical or close relationship, hoping even more to be the one to help the knight recover that aspect of himself. Such hope added to surprisingly hormonal desire had made the week more of a trial than he would have expected.

That meditations had proven his feelings had not been a result from his bond with Anakin had been unexpected, distressing and rather exciting. But he had done nothing that might have caused Obi-Wan any more stress than the knight had already been trying to deal with. There was also Anakin to consider --

"Hey you two, not with an impressionable padawan present."

Speaking of which.

"Not unless you plan to invite him to join in."

Qui-Gon was not sure whose shock of surprise flowed through the now opening three-way link in finding that such an idea was not particularly abhorrent but had already been considered individually. By all three of them.

The immediately following thought that such a level of intimacy was better explored after actually discussing it -- and maybe a few more of the things about the mission so far left unsaid or only bared to one of the Soul Healers, however, seemed to come from both Anakin and Obi-Wan's direction. Properly dampening Qui-Gon's ardor.

"Put it back in your pants, Padawan," Obi-Wan laughed although he was looking pointedly at Qui-Gon before directing his attention to the bed that was almost completely covered by boxes and a large number of books. "We've packing to do before we can think of you talking us into anything else, including that workout I promised you."

Qui-Gon felt his brow rise even as he worked to get over his embarrassment in getting caught wanting sex as badly as Anakin had been recently experiencing. "The healers have cleared you?"

Obi-Wan nodded. "For full mission status, once I'm comfortable myself with my stamina and coordination." And he pulled apart the tunics Qui-Gon had already nuzzled loose to reveal the lack of bandages and the already fading inch and a half long scar.

Invitation was as apparent in Obi-Wan's thoughts as was desire in Qui-Gon's, and he reverently kissed then tongued the length of it before sneaking over to nip at the exposed and rising nipple. Obi-Wan shivered, but gently pushed Qui-Gon away before either of them might forget themselves. Or forget Anakin.

He nodded and helped Obi-Wan straighten himself out, but could not help but brush his fingers across Obi-Wan's neck when he lifted away the knight's hair from under the edge. "Do you suppose there might be room for a third in that workout?" he asked mildly, while simultaneously sending the thought also to Anakin.

They both felt Anakin's enthusiastic affirmation and Obi-Wan simply smiled. "Now who's looking to get out of packing and moving?"

Qui-Gon smiled back with a shrug. "Actually, I was thinking more about how it would bring us full circle."

But no, far too much had happened for them to ever go back to the newness of that time, even if it had only been five -- five! -- weeks. Not full circle, but the next part of a pattern being woven between the three of them.

And Qui-Gon was finding the thought of living every moment of their new future to be one he was quite looking forward to.