Clutching My Cure

Chapter Ten

Bruck shifted his weight as he watched his mentor from across the room. Something was up and the Force was warning him that whatever it was, it wasn’t good. They’d arrived this morning for the final round of negotiations, only to have the Devlikkian leader pull Master Qui-Gon aside. The two had been engaged in a serious conversation for some time now, occasional glances sent Bruck’s direction. Finally, Qui-Gon nodded, bowing deeply to the alien being before making his way back to his apprentice’s side.

"Something’s wrong," Bruck interjected before the Jedi Master had a chance to speak.

Grasping the young man’s elbow in a firm grip, Qui-Gon guided Bruck out of hearing range of the delegation. Resting his hands on broad shoulders, Qui-Gon steadied himself before addressing the boy’s concerns. He knew his order wouldn’t sit well with his apprentice but was determined to end the negotiations this day.

"It seems that your presence at these final discussions is not needed. The Governor has arranged for an escort to give you a tour of the main city while I finish things here."

His forehead creasing in confusion, Bruck sent a narrowed look in the Devlikkian delegations direction. Their heart-shaped green faces appeared innocent enough on the surface, a fact that did nothing to settle Bruck’s nerves.

"This makes no sense, Master, why would they ask that I not be present now?"

"It would seem that someone your age is not yet considered an adult in their culture. They therefore find your presence during these final talks, a distraction," Qui-Gon gently explained. "The other planetary delegates have agreed to honor their decision."

Bruck leant forward, his words urgent. "Master, I did a very thorough study of the local customs. There was nothing in the Temple Archives to support this. I think we need to be open to the possibility that their motives may not be completely honest."

"Padawan," Qui-Gon’s low voice held a warning tone. "They were very apologetic and explained that this is a very new custom. The Temple Archivists have not even been made aware of it. Now, please do as I ask and enjoy an afternoon free of dry, boring talk."

Before Bruck could offer up more protests, the room began to fill up with the visiting delegates from neighboring planets. He felt his mentor tense beside him as the Telosian politicians swept in with their usual arrogance and air of privilege. Consisting of two men and one woman, they were all tall, well built humans, with long ebony hair and pale attractive features. As three sets of eyes swung in the Jedi’s direction, varying shades of blue orbs studied them dismissively before moving on.

Bruck had no trouble imagining deCrion being as arrogant and self-absorbed as his fellow Telosians. "I have a bad feeling about this."

He hadn’t even realized he’d spoken aloud until his mentor leveled him with a chiding look. "I appreciate your concern, Padawan, but do you seriously believe anyone is going to try something here? Or that I won’t be able to handle it alone if they do?"

Flushing under the pointed barb, Bruck sighed and nodded with visible reluctance as his guide arrived and introduced himself. The small being seemed eager to please, bowing repeatedly as he gestured for the young Jedi to follow him.

"May the Force be with you, Master."

"And you also, Padawan," Qui-Gon’s words were accompanied by a quick squeeze of the young man’s shoulder before he disappeared into the conference room with the delegates.

Offering the little being a weak smile, Bruck gestured toward the exit. "Lead on, my good man!"

The next several hours turned out to be surprisingly enjoyable, the guide showing him some unexpected places most visitors would miss. It didn’t take Bruck long to relax and begin to absorb the sites and sounds around him. As his guide drove them back toward the residency later in the evening, Bruck shut his eyes, tilting his head back so that the wind cooled his face. He was anxious to return to Coruscant and the Temple. Dealing with the Telosians had taken a toll on Master Qui-Gon, even though the Jedi Master had tried to brush his concerns off. Bruck had seen the haunted look in his mentor’s eyes as he gazed upon the beautiful faces of the delegates.

"Beli ehtu mo!"

The alarmed squeak of his aide occurred only seconds before the speeder came to an abrupt halt, violently jerking Bruck forward. Hands grasping the dashboard, he immediately began to scan the area for some sign of what had caused his driver to react so. The ring of heavily armed men that gradually materialized from out of the shadowed alleyway they were in, answered his unspoken questions.

"Oh, not good," he muttered under his breath, one hand slowly lifting from the dash.

The loud click of blasters being primed had it freezing in mid-air. There was a long moment of tense silence as if his assailants waited for some type of unspoken signal. In the blink of an eye, several of them cautiously approached the speeder, weapons carefully trained on Bruck. With a subtle tilt of his head, the leader signaled to one of his men who hurried forward and carefully searched both Bruck and the driver. It took every ounce of training for the young Jedi to remain still as his light saber was confiscated, the terrified alien ushered from the vehicle, leaving him alone and vulnerable.

"I demand to know the meaning of this! I’m a Jedi on a diplomatic mission for the Republic, you have no right to detain me."

Bruck’s heated words were met with jeering laughter from the group, his face flushing with a mixture of embarrassment and anger. The man who’d relieved him of his weapon grabbed his arm and began to roughly tug him from the speeder. His brief moment of resistance was greeted with a cuff to the side of the head that left him dazed, his ears ringing so badly he missed half of the words being spoken by the leader.

"... no hope of escaping. I’d advise you to come along peacefully or we may be forced to use your friend here as incentive."

Jerking his arm out of the guards grasp, Bruck submitted as his hands were bound behind his back. He smirked to himself as he imagined their surprise when he easily freed himself from the binders when the time was right. They’d obviously never dealt with a Jedi before.

"Just so you know, Jedi. Those binders were crafted specially for your type. In a matter of seconds you’ll begin to feel weak, your connection to the Force blocked," the leader shared mockingly. "You’ll be passive as a newborn catling soon."

Bruck shot the man a narrowed glare, his teeth clenching as he began to feel the symptoms already at work in his body. "What did you do to me?"

"Nothing lasting. Bring him, the Boss is waiting."

Two men each grabbed an arm and began to half carry, half drag Bruck toward one of their waiting vehicles. They muscled him inside the tank like vehicle, chuckling at his weak struggles before giving the order to move. He lay face down on the metal floor, his captors using his back as a footrest as they chatted happily amongst themselves. Sweat beading his face, Bruck rested his cheek against the cool floor as he struggled to keep his eyes open. Every muscle in his body felt weak, an exhaustion unlike anything he’d ever felt stealing the fight from his body. He drifted off at some point, awakened by the hands that once again jerked him to his feet and dragged his now limp body up what appeared to be the ramp of a ship.

Tossed into a chair, Bruck tried to right himself but ended up sliding sideways as he was unable to work his body. A low husky chuckle had him swallowing, hands almost gently shifting him into a more comfortable position. Prying weighted eyelids open, he found himself being studied by a pair of the bluest eyes he’d ever seen. They held a cunning intelligence and barely leashed menace as they methodically moved over him from head to toe. An elegant, pale, long fingered hand reached out to grasp his chin, tilting his head from side-to-side so that the light illuminated his features.

"My, Jinn hasn’t lost his taste for beautiful young men, has he?" The sensual voice sent a shiver down Bruck’s spine, sharp eyes quick to catch it. The edges of the man’s full lips lifted as he leaned in closer, his breath drifting over Bruck’s face as he continued. "My partner was remiss in telling me how delicious you are."

Narrowing his eyes into something he hoped resembled a glare, Bruck tried to form a question. "Wh…nugh?"

A grin lit up pale handsome features, a finger slowly caressing his cheek. "Nasty things Force suppressors and sedatives. Your questions will be answered in good time. Try practicing some of that legendary Jedi patience we hear so much about in the meantime. You’ll be my guest for an indefinite amount of time so you may as well relax and try to be agreeable."

Bruck was unable to draw back as those lips brushed against his ear. "I look forward to seeing what treats my partner has in store for you, Padawan Chun."

The threat in the voice was enough to make the hair stand up on his arms, but the look leveled at him as the man drew back was even worse. It promised things that Bruck was sure he wanted no part of, Darkside currents wrapping around him. He was incapable of verbalizing the name that hovered on the tip of his tongue and echoed mockingly in his head.

XanatosXanatosXanatos

For the first time in more years than he could remember, Bruck was genuinely frightened. He stared up wide-eyed at his captor as he felt the floor boards begin to rumble beneath his feet, the ship lifting off for parts unknown.

He was alone with a crazed Dark Jedi, and his mentor would have no idea what had happened to him.