Obi-Wan knew the blasts coming from Diora's pistol were set to stun, but he made sure to avoid being hit by them all the same by somersaulting and swerving out of their way as he ran from her pursuing swoop bike.

'This should be far enough away from the village.' He thought, deflecting a blast bolt with his lightsaber and stopping to face off with Diora.

"Not a smart move, Jedi." Diora grinned while pressing a button on her bike's console alerting several surveyor droids that she needed assistance. "Luckily for you, the boss still wants you alive." A dozen or so round orbs that Diora had standing by for the occasion began to gather around Obi-Wan. "Set to stun." She ordered as she stood on top of her swoop bike for a better view. Tiny blast cannons popped up from the droids and aimed directly at him.

"Not good." Obi-Wan muttered warily.

"FIRE!"

As the droids fired, the light of the Obi-Wan's blade was a blur of fluid movement. Obi-Wan had barely a moment to think and could only trust in his instincts. He felt each shot coming just a split second before it could reach him, deflecting every one. Some shot back at the ground, many hit their mark of the surveyor droids themselves damaging or destroying them completely. Gradually their number began to diminish and a frustrated Diora began to join in the fray again with her blaster.

Obi-Wan, finding a moment to both breathe and think now, caught a familiar image out of the corner of his eye - that caused him to lose his concentration a moment. He looked again. "Master?!"

Qui-Gon was standing by a tree watching the battle from a distance - unimpressed. "Yes, Obi-Wan."

"Uh... Y-" Obi-Wan continued to deflect blasts from Diora and her remaining droids. "You're here."

"Yes."

Obi-Wan deflected another blast, taking out a droid but there was still Diora and four more droids to go. He was growing tired. "I could use a little help..."

"I'm sure you can handle this," Qui-Gon hollered calmly over the blasts. "You chose to go on this mission by yourself after all."

"Nahlia, she was in-"

"In danger, yes she was." Qui-Gon continued to be unimpressed with Obi-Wan's performance. "She's fine now. Though perhaps a little chilly from lack of clothing,"

'What did he mean by that?' Obi-Wan wondered. The loss of concentration was just enough for Diora to throw another detonator and knock Obi-Wan off his feet.

Nearby, the backseat of a gold speeder was occupied by a manacled Volacca, while just to the side of the speeder, young Jedi Knight Stamir Bandu, Nahlia, and little Beebo watched Qui-Gon watch Obi-Wan battle. Stamir, still noticing Nahlia's lack of clothing, and the fact that she seemed cold, offered his dark brown robe to her.

"Thanks," Nahlia slipped the robe over her shoulders. She was cold but that was the least of her worries as she watched Obi-Wan fighting, and Qui-Gon do nothing. "Isn't he going to help him?"

Stamir was as confused as she was but attempted to give a knowledgeable answer anyway. "I suppose Master Jinn feels Obi-Wan can handle it."

"So, he's just going to stand there and wait until he can't?"

"Young lady," He smiled condescendingly as if she was just some silly girl and called her "young lady" even though he was only a few years older. "I've known Obi-Wan a long time, he's greatly skilled with a lightsaber and is very able and confident in all of his Jedi abilities."

"Confident," Volacca snorted a husky laugh. "I'd be confident too if I had a laser sword like that."

Nahlia rolled her eyes at the arrogant creature. "Trust me, he doesn't need a lightsaber to be confident."

Volacca showed his jagged yellow teeth as he gave her a dirty smile. "Oh, really? And why would that be?"

Stamir gave her an odd look, waiting for an explanation. Even little Beebo, curious about why everyone else was looking at her, looked up expectantly.

"Uh... because of his..." Nahlia tried to keep her composure as she explained, "personality... he's inherently confident... or so I've noticed." She was sure her face was bright red judging from the heat coming off of it. 'Okay, I'm shutting up now...'

"Really, Obi-Wan you should have defeated her by now..." Qui-Gon observed as he calmly ducked a blast from Diora deflected in his direction.

"I am trying!"

"Do, there is no try..."

"Shut up, old man!" Diora spat, shooting directly at Qui-Gon this time. A moment before the blast could find its mark the Jedi master pulled out his lightsaber, ignited it, and deflected this blast back at her, knocking her off her swoop bike and to the ground unconscious.

"See?" Qui-Gon shrugged at Obi-Wan. "Now was that so difficult?"

"No, I don't suppose it was." Obi-Wan disengaged his saber, the droids and Diora now out of commission. "How did you find us?"

Qui-Gon stepped forward and finally joined him. "I was beginning to lose hope when I felt your presence through the Force. You were calling me for help. I continued my search for clues and kept coming up with dead ends until Mistress Jocasta Nu came to me and told me about Nahlia's Twi'Lek friend visiting you. Trindi then led me to Mr. Wilco and he - after some encouragement, of course - told me all about Volacca and his cyborg friend here." Qui-Gon looked down at Diora, still knocked out. He took the manacles from her belt and began to secure her with them. "Hope I didn't take too long..." He continued dryly, and then shooting Obi-Wan a telling glare. "I trust you've been keeping yourself busy in the meantime."

"I suppose..." Obi-Wan stammered, trying not to let anything about him and Nahlia slip, "from a certain point of view."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Inside of Venu's complex, Nahlia, Obi-Wan and Stamir strode side by side down the hall of Venu's statues. Stamir briefed them on the situation, "We should be able to track down the other victims quite easily. The computer database lists all of the clients and destinations for pieces, including the ones located in the Coruscant Museum of Art itself. The only information that appears missing is whoever requested the statue of Senator Fantui's daughter, and the one of you, Obi-Wan. Venu claims to not even know his real name. Most strange, is it not?"

"What about the statues?" Nahlia worried as she passed by face after face frozen in time. "Are you going to be able to save these people?"

"Thankfully Venu's machine appears to have the capability to reverse the process," Stamir explained. "He probably used it when he wasn't happy with the first results, as soon as we get some medical droids in here to treat the victims, we will begin the unfreezing process."

"Mm. Good news." Something was bothering Obi-Wan since he'd first seen his old friend again. "So... Stamir... I see you've passed the trials."

"Yes!" Stamir glowed. "Isn't it wonderful? My master said I was ready and it was incredibly difficult but I got through it."

"Congratulations." Obi-Wan attempted a warm smile, though inside he was realizing the fact that he was now the oldest human padawan he knew.

"You'll be next, you know." He responded optimistically.

"I hope so." Obi-Wan answered, less than optimistic. He felt Nahlia's hand brush his, where Stamir couldn't see. Obi-Wan's eyes met a kind smile that picked his heart off the floor.

"I'm sure you will be." Nahlia said encouragingly.

Stamir couldn't help but notice the warm moment between them, and the fact that the girl's presence gave Obi-Wan's master quite a bit of vexation. He didn't even have to look to see who was standing at the end of the hallway to know it was Qui-Gon Jinn observing the moment as well.

Obi-Wan felt his Master's unhappy gaze and quickly pulled his attention away Nahlia's full pink lips. "Master, Mistress Jocasta." He bowed respectfully to the elder female Jedi.

"Young Obi-Wan," Jocasta Nu said warmly. "So good to see you safe."

"Mistress Jocasta will be taking Nahlia back to Coruscant." Qui-Gon announced.

This gave Nahlia a somewhat disappointing surprise. "Oh."

Qui-Gon raised an eyebrow, picking up on her desire to remain. "You do want to go back to Coruscant, don't you?"

"Yes, of course... of course..." Nahlia opened up her borrowed robe unveiling the barely adequate clothing Venu had provided her with. "Master Bandu, did you want your robe back?"

Taken aback by the revealing outfit, Jocasta Nu decided to answer for Stamir. "I think it's best if you keep it, child."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Alone in a study at Venu's complex, Qui-Gon paced the floor in front of Obi-Wan with a testy impatience that he rarely experienced.

"We are not getting married, Master," Obi-Wan expressed. "We only want to see each other."

Qui-Gon flew into an incredulous rant. "Do you really think that not marrying this girl solves your problem? It isn't just about a marriage vow, it goes much deeper, it is what that vow symbolizes. Just because you have not married this girl, doesn't mean that you don't have an emotional attachment to her."

"You and I have an emotional attachment, so do other Masters and Padawans... this is not forbidden."

"The difference is, you must be able to keep your mind clear and do your duty even if that emotional attachment is threatened." Qui-Gon stood toe to toe with his padawan as he tried to make it all clear. "Do you understand now? This is where romantic love is dangerous, it can overwhelm you, even if you learned to keep your mind clear in your duty, you would always have to struggle to keep control of your emotions. If you don't, it can cost you and others their lives."

"I can keep control." Obi-Wan insisted.

"You cannot. You have already shown me that you are unable to do that when it comes to her. You cannot just go off without telling me to rescue this girl every time she gets in trouble."

"I shall do as I must, Master." Obi-Wan responded, shocked by the implication that he shouldn't have done anything. "She was in danger because of me. They wanted me."

"And you just gave yourself to them." Qui-Gon pointed out sorely. "You should have come to me, but you were blinded by your feelings for her. You should have stopped these imbeciles easily, but you were distracted by your concern for the girl. You were being headstrong and letting your personal feelings affect your better judgment."

"I thought the Force was telling me that I was supposed to save her."

"Understanding the Living Force is not your strongpoint, my young apprentice." Qui-Gon said coolly. "And Master Yoda has already said that she cannot be saved."

"Why do I continue to have the vision then? Why do I feel as if I am supposed to be with her?"

"Force visions can often be interpreted in different ways. Perhaps the message you are meant to receive is that you cannot save her, whether you are in her life or not. Perhaps it's telling you that giving up your dream of being a Jedi Knight, the thing that you have worked your entire life to become, for a girl who you've only known a few days is a foolhardy and pointless waste. Did that possibility ever occur to you?"

This gave Obi-Wan pause, and he began to calm down. He wondered if it could be true, if he was just reading into the message incorrectly, just interpreting it the way he wanted and not the way it was actually meant. "I was so sure..."

Qui-Gon's demeanor calmed as well. "One can be sure about something and still be wrong." He meant it as a comfort, but the words still stung Obi-Wan.

"What am I to do, Master?"

"That is for you to determine, the Council can forbid the bond of marriage but they have no power over the feelings in your heart. Only you do." He placed a hand on his shoulder, showing a fatherly affection. "I will not tell anyone of this indiscretion, but... I have decided that I will not recommend you for the Jedi trials until I feel that you've conquered this. It's up to you now, my friend, you must make a choice between this girl and your future as a Jedi."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Several days later, Nahlia returned home from her new job to find Obi-Wan waiting at her door. "Hi." She beamed.

"Hello." Obi-Wan forced a smile in return. He immediately noticed the short blue skirt and matching top that bore the words "Woochassie's" and a badge with "My name is: NAHLIA" on it. "New job?"

"Yes, I can't say I'm thrilled about the uniform." She admitted as she took out her key card to open the door. "But, it's a family restaurant up close to the surface. And much further away from seedy characters who might try to kidnap me." She entered. "Come on in."

After a brief hesitation, he followed. "That's certainly an improvement then."

Nahlia laughed in response. "I suppose anything is better than that club." She placed her black jacket up on a hook by the door. "Trindi loves it but I don't know... it's just not me I guess... I wasn't very happy there."

"You seem happy now." He said with a mix of relief and regret.

Nahlia approached him slowly. "I don't need much."

Seeing what was on her mind, he tried to stop her. "Nahlia..."

"Mm-hm?" She replied but then pressed her lips upon his before he could speak.

Obi-Wan responded with feeling, forgetting for a moment why he was there as he kissed her. Her hands rubbed the beige fabric covering his chest, then moved lower with the aim to unlatch the belt around his waist. "Mmm... Nahlia." He pulled away. "I'm sorry... We have to talk about something."

Nahlia folded her arms, she could see now something was wrong. "Allright."

"Qui-Gon knew everything..." Obi-Wan struggled to explain, even though he'd gone over the hypothetical conversation in his head the again and again as he waited for her to return home. "He knew about our feelings, about our intimacy..."

"What did he say?" She asked anxiously. "Tell me."

"He said," Obi-Wan found he couldn't look her in the eye. "I must choose between being with you and remaining a Jedi."

"I see." Nahlia's heart sunk for both of them. "What have you decided?" But Obi-Wan didn't answer, and could not look at her. She began to tear up as she painfully understood what he'd come there to do.

"I'm sorry... I cannot see you again..."

Nahlia barely kept her emotions in check. A mix of anger, and heartbreak washed over her. "Is this really what you want? Or are you just following orders?"

"My Master is wise." Obi-Wan surmised half-heartedly. "He knows what is best."

"For you?" Nahlia reproached him. "He may be your Master but that doesn't mean he knows what is best for you."

Finally able to look her in the eye, he insisted. "It is what's best for us both."

"You'll never convince me of that."

Obi-Wan sighed as he took in her lovely dark brown eyes for what he thought might be the last time. "You deserve so much more than I can ever give you..."

"Obi-Wan..." Nahlia said softly. Before her hand could touch his cheek in a comforting gesture, he pulled away again.

"No. I'm sorry..." Obi-Wan opened the door to leave her apartment before he could change his mind. "I'm sorry... I- I must go now..."

Nahlia watched the door slam shut behind him in shock. She sat down on her couch as she tried to gather her confused thoughts and make sense of it all. Crushed, she could only mutter to herself. "I was so sure..."

THE END

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Visit or see author's profile for link to "The Force That Binds" website. More fic and story extras available there.