Harka VI: A planet several systems away from the Republic capitol of Coruscant.

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Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn stopped dead in his tracks thereby forcing his padawan to make a quick sidestepping manuever in order to avoid colliding with the larger man. Greyish-blue eyes looked up questioningly at him.
{ What by the Two Moons?! }}

"Master?"

"You felt it, Padawan?" It was not really a question.

Obi-Wan Kenobi grimaced. "A ripple of distress in the Force. Something bad has happened."

His teacher nodded with only a slight crease marking his brow to indicate his concern. Of all the Jedi, Master Jinn was arguably the most skilled in the art of detachment-- or at least that was what his apprentice had come to believe. It was a quality that Kenobi found sometimes admirable, and sometimes exasperating--- depending on the circumstances.

"A Jedi Master has left us. Come--- we must investigate this."

Obi-Wan obediantly fell in behind his master, one hand reaching to unclip his lightsaber from his belt, ready to ignite its blue energy beam at a millisecond's notice. Buildings and then trees passed by quickly as they added a touch of Force-enhanced speed to their run.

They had just arrived on Harka VI late last night after having successfully completed a particularly harrowing mission on the planet Danine during which Obi-Wan had nearly been killed by a stampede of Rasdoun wilderbeasts, and were looking foward to spending some time relaxing and honing their skills in a more peaceful enviroment; Harka VI was known as one of the more pacifistic planets in this section of the galaxy. Although not formaly part of the Republic, the Harkans were friendly enough towards it and its mystical police force to allow the Jedi a small compound area on the outskirts of their capitol city. Some past favor for some forgotten service the Knights had given; Obi-Wan couldn't quite recall what. The Jedi in turn (out of deference to their hosts sensibilities) had contructed it more like a wooded community park, with the actual combat training areas secluded in the center and out of Harkan view. Normally the place was almost deserted with only a caretaker to maintain it. At this time, there where were two pairs of Jedi making use of the place besides themselves.

"Do you know who it was?"

"Yes. Master Ta'okin," Qui-Gon replied as the neared the training buildings, " he was practicing here with his--"

A horrible scream filled his mind causing him to stumble. This time Kenobi was unable to correct his own tranjectory in time due to the fact that his hands had instinctively clutched his head as the jolt swept through him. They landed together on the grass in an undignified heap.

Panting, Obi-Wan struggled to stand up again despite what felt like a raging migraine splitting his skull in two. His elder looked hardly better. "What..?"

"I don't know... but it came from the same direction as the first."

Qui-Gon caught sight of a black-cloaked figure racing out and around one building and ignited his lightsaber. The green 'blade' obediantly leapt into shape. "Obi-Wan--- check the building! Someone is there." And then he was running after the mysterious intruder before the younger could protest.

"I've got a bad feeling about this." Kenobi muttered to himself as he finished the distance to the training building and leapt inside. At least his headache had eased off having disappeared as suddenly as it had come. And blaster fire hadn't erupted all around him... yet. He swung the blue fire of his lightsaber about in the gloomy space, trying to force down his rising anxiety. *Something* was making the hairs on his neck stiffen right up and it wasn't just the sight of Master Ta'okin's dead eyes staring upwards just a few yards away from him either. Death he knew. It wasn't pleasant, but it was hardly an unfamiliar sight to a Jedi apprentice who had been on countless missions with his master. Nor was it the odd tingle of Darkness. That side of the Force was less familiar, but also known-- if still unsettling. He had felt that particular side of the force when on Bandomeer where he had helped defeat Master Jinn's ex-apprentice, Xanatos. No--- there was something else. Something different. Something unknown. And it was scaring the Sith Hells---

There is no emotion; there is serenity. Obi-Wan repeated the saying to himself a couple of times. The fear did not go away totally, but it did ease off enough for him to breathe.

A groan came farther into the room. Cautiously, Obi-Wan moved towards where the sound had emanated from until he saw the still, humanoid form lying on the floor; hunched upon itself. The face was obscured by dark, blondish-brown hair that was a bit longer than the norm for human apprentices---but the clothing was that of a padawan like himself.

Inav Ayar.

Obi-Wan wasn't not terribly familiar with Master Ta'okin's apprentice even though they were of about the same age. He remembered Ayar as being very much a loner and not inclined to join the various groups of his peers, while he had tended to hang with his close friends like Bant. Too, Master Ta'okin had chosen him at a fairly early age and they had not been at the Temple much. What would be Ayar's reaction when he realized his Master/Padawan bond was forever broken? He thought of what it would be like to suddenly lose his own connection to Master Jinn and repressed a shudder.

"Ayar," Kenobi breathed, reaching out to gently check the other for injuries. There was a nasty looking gash across the torso and one arm. In fact, if he had not heard the groan he would have easily decided the young man was dead as well. He couldn't detect any breathing or pulse movements. And as impossible as it seemed, the feeling of Otherness he was detecting was coming from the body as well.

"Ayar, wake u--"

One hand suddenly sprang upwards, the clawing fingers digging into Obi-Wan's throat before he knew what was happening. A menacing growl seemed to fill the air as he fought for breath; eyes locked on an fierce and totally unexpected face.

{{ Oh, Sith! }}
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Qui-Gon watched as the dark figure he was chasing darted into a sleek interstellar ship. In moments its engines came to life and it was rapidly leaving the Harka VI atmosphere. Releasing his frustration into the Force, the Jedi Master switched off his weapon and began heading back at full speed to the training building. He could sense his padawan's feelings of apprehension and was anxious to get back to him. The apprehension suddenly spiked into surprise which quickly escalated into a torrent of fear.

++Obi-Wan?!++ he called out through their telepathic bond. ++Obi-Wan, answer me!++

[[ M-master! H-help! ]]

++ Padawan! ++

He urged his legs to move even faster.
--------------------------o------------------------------

Fingers tugging at the hands that held him in a choke hold, Obi-Wan strove desperately to keep the alien from pulling his neck closer to those fangs. Reddish eyes glared at him in anger as the deep, rumbling voice spat at him. Great anguish roiled around the other being, beating against Kenobi's mind and frustrating his attempts to refocus his concentration on his connection with the Force.

"Where is she?! We were to be together! Why have you ripped me from her?!!"

Obi-Wan would have liked to have proclaimed his innocence if it wasn't for the fact that he was rather intent on not being *ripped* himself; plus, his larynx was being slowly crushed. Already his vision was failing and he felt like fainting.

And then he was free of the terrible pressure.

He blinked his eyes to see his master breathing hard over the unconscious body of Ayar, unpowered lightsaber in hand. He must have used it like a make-shift club to knock his attacker out.

"Are you all right, Padawan?" Qui-Gon asked solicitously. Blue eyes watched him in concern as he struggled into a sitting position.

"I'm fine, Master. Just a bit sore in the neck." He rubbed his throat ruefully; his voice strained. He'd have some nasty bruises for sure!

"Good." Qui-Gon nodded, relieved that his student was not seriously hurt.

"What is it?"

His master gave him a confused glance, "What is what, Padawan?"

Now it was his apprentice's turn to look confused. He was about to explain that he was referring to his attacker--of course!-- but stopped himself upon seeing Ayar's face. Because it *was* Ayar's face. Obi-Wan's confusion quadrupled.

Deciding that whatever was still troubling his apprentice could wait til later, Qui-Gon knelt down over the other padawan and began catalogueing the injuries he could outwardly see. "Ayar must have been disoriented and mistaken you for his attacker. I'm surprised he had the energy to incapacitate you, Padawan. You should know better than to let your emotions cut you off from using the Force. Your surprise should have been released immediately." He sighed, turning his attention fully to the victim. "It's amazing he even regained consciousness-- these wounds are quite extensive. We must get him to medical help at once." He noticed his student staring at him in open-mouthed shock. "Yes?" he prompted.

Obi-wan stared intently at the wounds-- which, though bad, did not look as lethal as they had before he had been attacked. He didn't know how that could be, but one thing was certain:

"Master... that's NOT Ayer."

"Don't be ridiculous, Padawan. It may have been a few years since you last met him but.. "

"Ayar never had fangs or glowing eyes before!"

Frowning, Qui-Gon used his fingers to pull back an eyelid of their hurt comrade. It was still the usual purplish black that he remembered. A quick inspection of the mouth revealed quite ordinary teeth for the young Jedi's species. Not that even the Jedi Council knew all that much about Ayar's mixed heritage; however he had been under the care of the Creche and then Master Ta'okin for a considerable time without either reporting anything unusual. More likely his student was just suffering a delayed effect from all the stress they had just gone thru the past few missions.

"Padawan.. "

Obi-Wan stuttered. "B-but.. they were! His eyes were like red points--- and his fangs were ready to sink into me! And his voice was WAY too deep.." he looked up into calm yet skeptical eyes.

"Obi-Wan, that is enough." Qui-Gon pulled out his communicator and hurriedly spoke with someone about transportation and healers before turning back his attention to his apprentice. "I think it best that you spend some time in meditation while we wait for Padawan Ayar to be stabilized for our return to Coruscant."

"Coruscant?" Kenobi asked humbly, feeling chastised at the rebuke.

"Yes. Ayar has lost his Master. He will need healing at the Temple to fully recover from such a trauma. We will be escorting our brother there."

Obi-Wan suppressed a sigh. So much for relaxing. He had a bad feeling about this.
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End Part 1