Rude Awakening

My eyes felt like they had been filled with sand and my head seemed to be filled with saw dust. The last time I felt like that was after a drinking contest with Kenobi and Anakin. I carefully opened first one and then the other eye. Something buzzed in my ear until I realized it came from a generator next to my ear. I closed my eyes again to regain my bearings and finally decided it was time to face the world.

Three pairs of large eyes watched me intently and gentle hands storked my hair. I blinked a few times until I realized that these were the younglings who had been taken. Their faces were full of concern.

"Master Adana?" one of them asked quietly. The atmosphere reminded me of a tomb.

"I am alive." I tried to smile but my face felt like someone had flattened it with a gravsled.

"Don't move." Suddenly the air was filled with chatter which echoed through my head like the the firing of a lazer canon. But then the noise was cut off and the younglings huddled around me.

I heard the creaking of a steel door followed by the tread of heavy boots. "Well, well, well. Look who we have here?" he said mocking me.

"Marusi." I managed to croak. Someone must have stepped on my chest of throat.

"Still the smart one, aren't you?" he stepped closer but the children remained.

"Your sarcasm is wasted on me." My hands were bound behind my back and I moved to be more comfortable.

"YOU are in no position to talk." He let out a low growl followed by a hiss toward the young ones.

"Get out of the way you useless bunch." His hands flew in the air and they moved away a bit. "That's better because you know what happens if you don't obey Uncle Marusi." His words made my skin crawl.

//Bastard// Any other attempt to move was made impossible by the pounding of my head and the various aches of my body. I couldn't prevent from moaning.

"Leave them alone." My voice sounded strange and not like mine.

"I told you to be quiet." he stepped closer and placed his boot on my chest. "This time I am in charge." He leaned down toward me, his dark eyes full of hate. "I have power over YOU this time." He displayed two rows of yellow teeth.

"You assume too much." I said calmly although everything in me just wanted to slam him into the wall. Force only knew what he had done to those children. I turned my head to look at them and although they were frightened I could feel their courage.

//Help is on the way.// I tried to reassure them. Mauris was lucky that I could not rid myself of those restraints.

"Do you know what I could do to you right now?" he whispered in my ear. "But I will wait until Kenobi gets here. I have a special surprise for him." He straightened, evil laughter prouing out of him.

I remained silent which he took a sign of defeat. Good, let him think what he must. A grin curled my lips which I regretted a moment later when the tip of his boot made contact with my cheek. I felt blood tickle down my skin, nothing I could do at the moment.

Taking several deep breaths helped to calm my emotions but he must have seen something I wasn't able to hide.

"I can't wait to tell Octavia." he slapped his hand down on his thigh. "To have both of you will make all of my misery worth while."

"Obi Wan is not going to fall for your trickery." I countered.

"Unlike you, I presume?" His other hand got hold of my hair and he yanked back my head. "I thought you would sense the trap."

"Who said I didn't?"My speach slurred as my face grew numb on the right side.

"Jedi Scum." he shouted and I received another kick.

I tried not to flinch. So this is how they were able to aprehend Obi Wan .

"Noooo." the younglings shouted as one.

"Shut up!!!" Marusi turned toward them but then decided to attack me instead. He pounded his fist against my temple and the room began to spin once more before I drifted away hearing his footsteps fade away. Once again I was surrounded by the 3 younglings.

//Obi Wan, Kriss// My last thoughts were with my long time friend and former Padawan as I gave in to blackness.