DISCLAIMER: Star Wars and all publicly recognisable characters, names and references, etc are the sole property of George Lucas, Lucasfilm Ltd, Lucasarts Inc and 20th Century Fox. This fan fiction was created solely for entertainment and no money was made from it. Also, no copyright or trademark infringement was intended. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author. Any other characters, the storyline and the actual story are the property of the author.
Padme woke to the feeling of a heavy arm thrown across her upper chest. She quietly laid there for several parsecs, clearing her mind of worry, for this was not as she remembered falling asleep. With her eyes still closed, she searched with the Force to determine the placement of her companions and her enemies. She could feel Ben’s presence close to her left leg and knew that he was still unconscious, placed slightly on his side. Qui-Gon’s presence was the one that she felt closest to her and she correctly assumed that it was his arm that was across her body. Searching for her teacher’s presence, she came across his wakened mind. At his mindful prodding, she slowly came fully to her senses, listening to the sound of a speeder barely above crashing waves traveling at a high rate of speed. In a low voice, he spoke in her ear next to his mouth.
"Yes, Padme, a speeder. A small one at that. How are you?"
She opened her mouth, but could not speak. She answered him as best she could through her mind. She sent him an overwhelming feeling of confusion and worry at loss of her voice, but then amended it with a questioning thought.
He sighed quietly. "I don’t know how we got here either, young one. But I’ m sure we will find out our purpose soon enough." Her teacher’s low tone comforted her. She returned her thoughts to Ben lying groggily against the side of the speeder. Qui-Gon moved closer as the beings moved above him to walk around their thrown bodies. "He awoke earlier and was drugged slightly to return him to that state. We have been traveling for several kiloparsecs, I think."
"Wha…" she asked quietly, swallowing heavily.
"Patience, Padme. Remain calm, the Force will give us our purpose and our opening to escape. Trust in that, young one." He smiled gently against her brow. "We must find their purpose for use before we attack. For now, play dead, Padme."
She sent a feeling of genuine amusement at his statement and relaxed her body. Her mind soon followed suit and she found herself drifting in a sea of nothingness, feeling and absorbing the Force as it flowed through her.
Qui-Gon sighed as he felt his student lessen her grip on her feelings to allow the Force to guide her. Never had he been so glad for her quick learning skills and strength of character. He was still counting on her stubborn nature, though, for he knew that they would all be in need of that nature for holding onto life soon. He moved his body to feel Obi-Wan against his right leg. The man was slowly returning to his senses and was transmitting a feeling of frustration to his teacher. Qui-Gon smiled and sent back a quieting thought of patience and peace. Obi-Wan immediately relaxed, and then searched for Padme with his thoughts, frantic when he could not feel her. His mentor quieted him with an image of his arm across the girl’s body and the semi-comfortable position that she lay in next to him. Assured, Obi-Wan returned to a meditative state.
A short time later, Qui-Gon was pushed bodily against Padme by their attackers. They were getting tired of tripping over the man’s long legs and were angrily taking it out on what they thought was his unconscious form. The Jedi stifled a groan of pain as one of their feet made contact with his ribs. Padme jolted awake as her teacher pressed her against the side of the speeder. She could feel his pain and was saddened by it. His head came to rest fully against her ear in the crook of her neck. "Lay still, Padme." He admonished in a light whisper. "They think that we still sleep."
"But you are in pain." She croaked silently in return.
"It will pass." He sighed. The speeder was slowing, and the elder Jedi could hear a difference in the surf below them. With the Force, he searched for his surroundings. The image that was shown to him was one of a small island with sheer cliffs, surrounded by immense oceans. He shared his vision with Padme through a terse sentence. She swallowed and nodded. Soon the entire speeder came to a complete stop and was hovered over a ceremonial well that was clearly deeper than the other surrounding waters. Roughly the trio was wakened and pulled to a semi erect position to sit along the side of the vehicle. Padme rested between Obi-Wan and her teacher, watching the amphibious creatures closely.
Qui-Gon was concentrating on his sabre’s location, and found that it was not with him. From the feeling of frustration he picked up from Obi-Wan, his sabre was gone also. His sharp blue eyes saw that Ben still had the knapsack and his cloak. Qui-Gon wore his cloak about his shoulders, but Padme was without hers, although from the feeling of triumph that he received from the girl, he gathered that she still had her sabre somehow. As he was pulled fully to his erect position, he found that his hands were bound, showing that the attackers had anticipated the use of Jedi mind tricks and manipulations. He watched suspiciously as a long measure of rope was unraveled and pulled to its full length.
Padme moved her hands quietly in their loose binding. The rope around Ben’s hands began to loosen and fall away. The nearest Oceanian to them saw what was happening and hit Padme soundly across her brow. As she crumpled silently, Qui-Gon got his bound arms under her to stop her fall. "Don’t do anything foolish." He admonished, supporting her until she could get her feet under her.
"We should be able to…" she began lowly, but was silenced quickly as Qui-Gon shook his head. "Patience." Was all he said.
One of the beings turned to him and chuckled silently, finishing his laughter with a short sentence that Qui-Gon could not interrupt. Padme winced as she told her teacher what was said. "We are to be sacrifices for the Jawaka. It does not matter if we are alive, dead, asleep or awake."
Qui-Gon met Obi-Wan’s eye over the girl’s head with a look of patience. The younger man nodded and stood silently as the other creatures moved toward them. Padme stood her ground as they approached and nodded towards the rope dangling from one of their hands. "We are to be some kind of lure, apparently, Master Jedi." She stated. Seeing that they meant to lash the three together in a mesh of upper bodies with their feet dangling, Qui-Gon thought quickly.
Padme gasped as she suddenly felt her teacher throw his bound arms around her and lift her so that her head was even with his own. With a quietly controlled tone, he stated "Padme, hold onto my shoulders, tightly, understand me?"
The girl nodded, placing her arms over the teacher’s broad shoulders to clasp at his back. She was surprised to feel Obi-Wan’s bound arms placed around her torso, entwining with his mentor’s. Qui-Gon grunted in approval of his Padawan’s insight. "Good, good." He whispered.
The attackers laughed as they saw the willingness of the captured to follow with the plans. They removed the binding on the hands only to replace them with a wound coil of rope that encased almost their entire upper bodies. The Jedi allowed the winding of the rope by tightening their muscles so that the rope, when fastened and their bodies at rest, would be slightly slackened. Qui-Gon watched as another speeder was drawn alongside of theirs and two of the Oceanians moved to the other skiff with the end of the rope that bound them. Soon, a mini-religious ceremony was in full swing. Obi-Wan whispered over Padme’s shoulder, "Master, the time is near."
Qui-Gon nodded and moved his mouth next to Padme’s ear. "Listen to me carefully, Padme. Where is your sabre?"
"In my undergarment, attached under the left fold of the tunic." She answered calmly. He moved his arms to pull her closer to his chest, and Obi-Wan’s hand was able to move higher on her torso so that his fingers were on the inside of the fold of the tunic. The ceremony was drawing to a close. He leaned closer to make eye contact with Obi-Wan. "As soon as you can, remove the sabre, Padawan. The immediate pass over the well after that towards land, wait until we have momentum and withdraw your hands and cut the rope. Understood?"
"Yes, Master." Obi- Wan breathed ruffling Padme’s hair.
"Padme." The girl moved her head to allow eye contact with her teacher. "On the pass after Obi-Wan has removed your sabre pull back from my chest, but do not let go." At her curt nod, he sighed. "Remember your breathing exercise, Padme. Deep breaths and then hold. Use your ability to meditate. You have the natural ability to go into a trance easily." The roar of the skiff engine drowned the last part of his sentence out, and he pulled her closer to whisper in her ear as loud as he could. "If problems arise, let me know."
"How?"
Qui-Gon grasped the girl’s ponytail to pull her head back to look at him. "Remember all that you have learned, and the answer will be clear."
She nodded solemnly as she felt the rope tied to them pull taut and they were hauled over the side of the speeder.
The next feeling that Padme was aware of was the pain of water hitting her body after a several meter drop. Her arms tightened around Qui-Gon as their heads went under the water. She willed a sense of calmness to take her being, and allowed the air in her lungs to move about as though it were part of her. A sense of body confusion for which side was up made her stomach nauseous, but she maintained her grip on her teacher. Soon she felt their momentum through the water stop and the two men kicked their way to the surface, supporting the shorter Padme between them. As Qui-Gon’s strong legs kicked to maintain their heads above water he shouted to Obi-Wan. "Have you gotten the sabre?"
"Not yet, Master" the younger shouted in return, moving his hands higher on Padme’s torso to grasp at her tunic’s fold.
"Speed is of the essence, Padawan." The elder man commented as he tightened his grip on the girl to ensure that her head was above water. "I do not feel the creature’s presence yet, but I know that it is close." His eyes followed the progress of the skiff to realize that their trip back across the mouth of the well was imminent. "Hold on, Padme, and allow him to get your sabre." He commented as they were whipped back across the measure of water.
Padme felt Ben’s hands grasp at her tunic and wrench it as they were pulled underwater by the force of the skiff’s momentum. She held her breath and relaxed to feel his hands moving about her clothes searching for the sabre. Obi-Wan squeezed her waist as her removed the sabre from the containment of her clothes and she relaxed completely, but held onto Qui-Gon’s shoulders fiercely. She could feel her teacher’s worry as they shot over the open mouth of the well; its depths dropping infinitely, their feet dangling as a very convincing lure. Her lung capacity was near bursting point as they finally were released from the forward pull and they shot toward the surface.
"Padawan?" came the terse shout.
"I have it, Master." Obi-Wan shouted back, his arms tight about Padme as he held her aloft in the current. "I have it."
"Good. Next pass, Obi-Wan." Qui-Gon shouted back, holding Padme tightly. His eyes landed on her tearing ones. "Padme, you must expand your lungs as much as you can on this pass, we will be underwater longer." She nodded as much as she could and he pulled her tighter so that her head was in the crook of his neck. "Calm, Padme."
She closed her eyes and breathed deeply, and as she felt the whip of the rope about them, she took a final breath and held it within her. The return across the well seemed to be at a higher rate of speed this time, and they flew across the great chasm their feet kicking bubbles in their wake. She remained calm and peaceful, holding the air within her lungs as deep as she could, releasing her rough hold on Qui-Gon to allow Obi-Wan’s hands to slip from around her. With a flash of her green sabre, the rope was severed and Obi-Wan extinguished the flame before others could be alerted to its presence. Qui-Gon tightened his hold on the girl as they continued to fly through the water, the two Jedi kicking in unison to move them further away from the well and the Oceanians.
Padme grasped at Qui-Gon, feeling her air move about her lungs, peaceful and calm. Soon, however, it became evident that her lung capacity was reaching its limit. Her teacher and Ben still swam, oblivious to her plight. To help them, she began to kick her legs in time with theirs to move them along. Her consciousness was slowly graying as they moved and she realized that her air had run out. Calmly she touched her Master’s mind to pass on the knowledge of her plight.
Qui-Gon’s mind was tight on their purpose, searching for strength within his own body to move them away. He could sense that the Oceanians were happy that their bait had disappeared and they assumed the almighty Jawaka had accepted the trio. That removed some of his worry and he pushed to reach a small cave that he had seen on their last pass. He could feel Obi-Wan’s strength in their movements and was proud of his student’s abilities. It was on this last thought that he suddenly realized that Padme was touching his mind. He sensed her acceptance of her dimming consciousness and tightened his arms around her lower back. In slow motion, Padme’s head moved back from her teacher’s neck in languid ease.
Without thinking, Qui-Gon placed his mouth over his student’s and pushed some of his air into the girl’s lungs. His leg movements quickened and they surged toward the small cave. Obi-Wan realized the new threat and began to move with renewed purpose. As the sky above them drew darker, the two men surged for the surface, pulling the limp girl along with them.
Obi-Wan began to gain his footing on the shallows and turned as he could to unravel the coil about them that had slackened due to the cut of the sabre. The other Jedi had already planted his feet. Obi-Wan spared a glance at his mentor as he pulled furiously at the bound rope. Qui-Gon still had his mouth over Padme’s, allowing her to take air from within his own lungs. It was then that the younger Jedi knew that Padme was not breathing on her own.
"We are free, Master." He cried as the last of the coils fell away. He moved apart from Qui-Gon as the man hauled for shore, his student slack in his arms. Obi-Wan followed frantically, pulling at the knapsack on his back for first aid supplies.
Qui-Gon laid Padme down and pulled back from her. "No breath, Obi-Wan, find the breather pack in the knapsack." He ordered sharply, tilting Padme’s head back on her neck and opening her mouth. Quickly he began to take deep breaths and place his mouth over Padme’s, pushing air within her, expanding her chest. Obi-Wan dumped the pack on the ground; digging through the hastily packed sack to find that the breather was not among the items that spilled out from its innards. "Ma’ Chi!" he cursed.
Qui-Gon paid no heed to his Padawan’s pain, pulling back to take another breath. "Hold her head, then."
The elder man continued with the procedure, drawing air into his mouth and pushing it back between her lips. As he lifted another time, he met Obi-Wan ’s eyes and stated as calmly as he could. "Hold her head and telegraph to her lungs. Picture her breathing." He bent back to full her lungs again when suddenly Padme jerked in Obi-Wan’s grip and she began to sputter water. Qui-Gon grabbed the back of her head from his Padawan and turned her over his lap so that she could expel the water more easily. Her teacher bent slightly at the waist to rub her back. "Breathe, young one, breathe."
Padme gasped as a wave of cold, wet air crossed her lips and lit her lungs on fire. Her sight and feelings gradually cleared so that she was able to discern her surroundings. Her dark hair hung in her face, soaked, and her front was warm where she was spread on her teacher’s lap. She began to push upwards, until Qui-Gon effortlessly flipped her over on her back and supported her as she sat up. Within parsecs, she began to shake and shiver.
Qui-Gon smiled gently and sighed as he picked her up against his chest.. "You are in shock."
She nodded slightly, grasping at his collar on his tunic. "Yes."
He rubbed his chin across the top of her head absently, holding her tightly. "We’ll have to keep you warm."
"I am fine." She whispered, jerking her muscles as he stood with her in his arms.
"I’m sure that you are, Padme." He sighed, "But it would help me if you would not argue with me. Obi-Wan" he called, "do we have a semi-dry blanket?"
"Right here, Master." He stated, pulling one over to the couple as the elder man sat Padme down on the sleep cushion that Obi-Wan had removed recently. The Master Jedi thanked him for the gift and sat down to wrap the girl in the blanket and bodily pull her onto his lap again. "Wrap up, Draca."
Padme did not argue, sleepily smiling as she pulled the blanket around her. Qui-Gon held her gently as he hung his head with a shake. "You gave me a scare, young one. Next time, let us know when you need help." At her open mouth, he held up a finger. "There is no shame in asking for help. This feat was something that you were not trained for, and had no way of preparing for. As it was, you did a truly excellent job; but please, learn that you can ask me…"
"Yes, Master." She said, groggily and nodded gently into sleep.