Ben’s not sure where they are, it could be Hoth for all he knows as
the light outside his cell never changes and neither does the
temperature. It is always cold.

The window of his cell does not have a cover and flakes of snow
drifts in as his breath fogs and his joints freeze, his body shakes
and he curls more around himself and wraps the robe as best he can.
It doesn’t ward of the cold fully but it keeps him from developing
frostbite.

The narrow berth in his prison cell was never in use as it was as
cold as ice and a droid came by once a day with whatever it was they
served as food for him. Honestly, it was not as bad as snake though
Ben had a suspicion his healers would not be happy about the lack of
nutrition. Water froze within the hour if left alone and Ben had to
drink it or hold it until he was finished lest he lose that days
rations.

His fragile shields were holding for now but the conditions were
certainly taking a toll on his body now that he was used to the
warmth and comfort of the temple.

In his better moments, he thinks about those he has bonds to who
can’t feel him and wonders if they are looking for him.

He remembers his bonding night. Qui-Gon’s slow and gentle hands
guiding him, holding and stroking slowly and in awe. Soft lips along
his neck and shoulder. The warmth of their shared bed, the duvet
wrapped around them.

Ben wakes back in the cold and shivers all the more for the memory of
warmth and comfort. His heart beats harshly inside him as he wonders
about his padawan, if Maul is alive and safe. Palpatine had not been
gentle his memory whispers and his wounded knee aches in remembrance.

()()()

Maul stared up in confusion, his sluggish brain feeling like it was
playing catch up with the past as he struggled to sit up.

What had happe-BEN!

His midsection ached in pain and there was a sudden squeal in the
room even as he sat up, eyes wide as he looked around, his mind
logging the area as the Halls of Healing in the Jedi temple. But no
Ben and he could not feel Ben even as the door was suddenly thrown
open to a Healer and Master Windu standing there.

“Padawan Maul, calm yourself.” She ran to Maul’s side, healing
energy instantly latching onto his midsection and willing the pain
away even as she turned the heartrate machine off.

Maul however focused on the Master of the Order, yellow focusing on
the man in desperation. “W-What happened? Where is Master Ben?”

“That’s what we wanted to know. His bonds fell silent and you
were found in the Jedi ship on the verge of death Padawan. The
shipping bay personnel found it odd that the Jedi ship was still in
the bay with its ramp open and went to check. They found you, alone,
almost sliced in half and you spent almost a week in a bacta tank.
You lost some intestines and parts of your stomach but you will
survive with no other damage but the scars and some minor
inconvenience of your organs.” Mace offered as calmly as he could.
A Jedi master was missing and a padawan had been found on death
doors. It was clear who had taken him of course but still.

“I-Ben fell, we were walking up the ramp and then there was a flash
of darkness and…Palpatine! Palpatine was there. He attacked and
I…” Maul buried his face in his hands. “He took Ben. He must
have taken Ben.” He whispered in horror.

“…We assumed it was the sith. Its good to know for sure but
still. Maul, do you have any idea where they might have brought him?”
Ben was not dead, not yet, no one had felt him pass into the Force
and Qui-Gon was sure to feel his bondmate if he did.

“I…” Maul struggled to think. “Mustafar perhaps but that’s
a known place, somewhere I know about. Koribban perhaps?” Maul
wracked his mind as the healer was unplugging him from the heart rate
machine now that it was clear Maul was awake and safe.

“I should have done more.” He whispered and looked up when Windu
sat down on his bedside and rested his hands on Maul’s shoulders.

“You did much. The entire ships cargobay was covered in lightsaber
marks and you almost died. You did your best.”

“It wasn’t enough. Ben is gone.” Maul argued.

“Yes, that is true. But we will find him.” Mace squeezed the
others shoulders and the Zabrak hesitated before nodding slowly. “As
it is, several Jedi’s are on the lookout for any signs of them or
him and with your conscious evidence, we can appeal to the Senate
since they are already fugitives.”

The Zabrak nodded once again and tried not to think about the state
they’d find Ben in.

A week already in the Sith lords grasp?

His poor master.

()()()

“Ah, you haven’t frozen to death. That’s good, my master still
wishes to interrogate you.” Ben looked up at the voice, meeting the
caustic yellow of Sheev Palpatine’s eyes. It reminded him of
another life with other eyes that had looked like that.

“No…I am still alive. I may be more fragile then the standard
Jedi but I’m not all broken yet.” Ben offered before standing
slowly, his back and knee snapping at him as he did and his already
aching knee screaming at him.

Ben ignored it. He knew better then to show weakness in front of
Siths.

He still couldn’t stop the shakes from the cold or the way his
breath stuttered, his warm breath fogging the cold air.

Palpatine smirked at that and Ben’s heart sunk. “Put your wrists
together.” The man drawled and Ben slowly did as told, wincing when
they suddenly snapped together by the cuff on each and firmly trapped
him before the sith stepped into the cell and nodded for Ben to step
out.

Ben did, limping as he did, his knee screaming a protest in his head
for each move. His legs and feet felt numb and he worried for the
lack of sensation in his toes. ‘No, don’t think about that…not
yet.’

He could think about the lack of sensation in his toes when he was no
longer in captivity.

His mind turned to Qui-Gon, Qui-Gon’s soft smile, his gentle hands.
Quinlan braiding his hair, his warm arm around Ben’s shoulder.
Obi-Wan carefully checking in on him and making meals in the kitchen.
Maul, gentle Maul letting him nap with his head on the mans lap. Mace
and their tea in the councilors room. The tea plants he and Qui-Gon
was gently tending to, encouraging the growth of. Their quarters,
soft and warm and oh so bright.

But that’s not where he is. He’s cold and dark and as they enter
a warmer room, dread coils in Ben’s belly as he looks up to meet
the acid yellow eyes of another sith.

Hego Damask or as now Ben knows him, Darth Plageius.

The Muun meets them halfway through the dark room and Ben barely has
time to see anything except a twisted red painting of a wailing man
before the Muun had him by the chin and is tilting Ben’s head
uncomfortably far up to meet the acid eyes with those thin fingers.

“And this is the thorn in our side, the one who turned your
apprentice.” The man hissed out, eyes narrowed. “What a muted
light you have master Jedi.” He offered, his voice almost softer
then Maul’s even.

Ben stared up at him in turn, eyes watering a bit at the strain his
neck and back was taking at the angle and hissed a bit when darkness
almost lightly prodded at his damaged shields. “And such fragile
shields your mind has too, it would almost be easy to smash them
would it not.” The Muun continued.

He let go and Ben let his head drop, swallowing a bit before focusing
back on the other sith again.

“So much has happened since you arrived, Master Ben Kenobi.
Strangely enough, until your sudden arrival at the temple, there was
no prior records of you anywhere.” The Muun continued and Ben felt
more then he saw Palpatine shifted.

It was like being caught between two snakes, both ready to pounce.

And Ben was not sure which held the most danger to him.

Blocked from the Force, he had no warning as the Muun suddenly
backhanded him, the smack loud through the air as the Force of it
brought him down on his knees with a cry of pain as his knees took
the brunt of the impact.

His cheek ached as numbing pain spread and he looked up, hands on
floor to support himself as he stared up.

The Muun casually stepped back and sat down. “Well then fragile
Jedi, lets play a game of who you really are…” One long fingered
hand rose.

“What is your full name?”

Ben looked away and there was a little chuckle. “Come now, these
are the easy questions…no? Oh well, you brought it on yourself.”
The long fingers twitched and Ben gasped, his bound hands going for
his throat as it closed in, depriving him of air.

For the first time in a long time, Ben Kenobi fears joining the
Force. He is not ready anymore.

Ben’s not sure where they are, it could be Hoth for all he knows as
the light outside his cell never changes and neither does the
temperature. It is always cold.

The window of his cell does not have a cover and flakes of snow
drifts in as his breath fogs and his joints freeze, his body shakes
and he curls more around himself and wraps the robe as best he can.
It doesn’t ward of the cold fully but it keeps him from developing
frostbite.

The narrow berth in his prison cell was never in use as it was as
cold as ice and a droid came by once a day with whatever it was they
served as food for him. Honestly, it was not as bad as snake though
Ben had a suspicion his healers would not be happy about the lack of
nutrition. Water froze within the hour if left alone and Ben had to
drink it or hold it until he was finished lest he lose that days
rations.

His fragile shields were holding for now but the conditions were
certainly taking a toll on his body now that he was used to the
warmth and comfort of the temple.

In his better moments, he thinks about those he has bonds to who
can’t feel him and wonders if they are looking for him.

He remembers his bonding night. Qui-Gon’s slow and gentle hands
guiding him, holding and stroking slowly and in awe. Soft lips along
his neck and shoulder. The warmth of their shared bed, the duvet
wrapped around them.

Ben wakes back in the cold and shivers all the more for the memory of
warmth and comfort. His heart beats harshly inside him as he wonders
about his padawan, if Maul is alive and safe. Palpatine had not been
gentle his memory whispers and his wounded knee aches in remembrance.

()()()

Maul stared up in confusion, his sluggish brain feeling like it was
playing catch up with the past as he struggled to sit up.

What had happe-BEN!

His midsection ached in pain and there was a sudden squeal in the
room even as he sat up, eyes wide as he looked around, his mind
logging the area as the Halls of Healing in the Jedi temple. But no
Ben and he could not feel Ben even as the door was suddenly thrown
open to a Healer and Master Windu standing there.

“Padawan Maul, calm yourself.” She ran to Maul’s side, healing
energy instantly latching onto his midsection and willing the pain
away even as she turned the heartrate machine off.

Maul however focused on the Master of the Order, yellow focusing on
the man in desperation. “W-What happened? Where is Master Ben?”

“That’s what we wanted to know. His bonds fell silent and you
were found in the Jedi ship on the verge of death Padawan. The
shipping bay personnel found it odd that the Jedi ship was still in
the bay with its ramp open and went to check. They found you, alone,
almost sliced in half and you spent almost a week in a bacta tank.
You lost some intestines and parts of your stomach but you will
survive with no other damage but the scars and some minor
inconvenience of your organs.” Mace offered as calmly as he could.
A Jedi master was missing and a padawan had been found on death
doors. It was clear who had taken him of course but still.

“I-Ben fell, we were walking up the ramp and then there was a flash
of darkness and…Palpatine! Palpatine was there. He attacked and
I…” Maul buried his face in his hands. “He took Ben. He must
have taken Ben.” He whispered in horror.

“…We assumed it was the sith. Its good to know for sure but
still. Maul, do you have any idea where they might have brought him?”
Ben was not dead, not yet, no one had felt him pass into the Force
and Qui-Gon was sure to feel his bondmate if he did.

“I…” Maul struggled to think. “Mustafar perhaps but that’s
a known place, somewhere I know about. Koribban perhaps?” Maul
wracked his mind as the healer was unplugging him from the heart rate
machine now that it was clear Maul was awake and safe.

“I should have done more.” He whispered and looked up when Windu
sat down on his bedside and rested his hands on Maul’s shoulders.

“You did much. The entire ships cargobay was covered in lightsaber
marks and you almost died. You did your best.”

“It wasn’t enough. Ben is gone.” Maul argued.

“Yes, that is true. But we will find him.” Mace squeezed the
others shoulders and the Zabrak hesitated before nodding slowly. “As
it is, several Jedi’s are on the lookout for any signs of them or
him and with your conscious evidence, we can appeal to the Senate
since they are already fugitives.”

The Zabrak nodded once again and tried not to think about the state
they’d find Ben in.

A week already in the Sith lords grasp?

His poor master.

()()()

“Ah, you haven’t frozen to death. That’s good, my master still
wishes to interrogate you.” Ben looked up at the voice, meeting the
caustic yellow of Sheev Palpatine’s eyes. It reminded him of
another life with other eyes that had looked like that.

“No…I am still alive. I may be more fragile then the standard
Jedi but I’m not all broken yet.” Ben offered before standing
slowly, his back and knee snapping at him as he did and his already
aching knee screaming at him.

Ben ignored it. He knew better then to show weakness in front of
Siths.

He still couldn’t stop the shakes from the cold or the way his
breath stuttered, his warm breath fogging the cold air.

Palpatine smirked at that and Ben’s heart sunk. “Put your wrists
together.” The man drawled and Ben slowly did as told, wincing when
they suddenly snapped together by the cuff on each and firmly trapped
him before the sith stepped into the cell and nodded for Ben to step
out.

Ben did, limping as he did, his knee screaming a protest in his head
for each move. His legs and feet felt numb and he worried for the
lack of sensation in his toes. ‘No, don’t think about that…not
yet.’

He could think about the lack of sensation in his toes when he was no
longer in captivity.

His mind turned to Qui-Gon, Qui-Gon’s soft smile, his gentle hands.
Quinlan braiding his hair, his warm arm around Ben’s shoulder.
Obi-Wan carefully checking in on him and making meals in the kitchen.
Maul, gentle Maul letting him nap with his head on the mans lap. Mace
and their tea in the councilors room. The tea plants he and Qui-Gon
was gently tending to, encouraging the growth of. Their quarters,
soft and warm and oh so bright.

But that’s not where he is. He’s cold and dark and as they enter
a warmer room, dread coils in Ben’s belly as he looks up to meet
the acid yellow eyes of another sith.

Hego Damask or as now Ben knows him, Darth Plageius.

The Muun meets them halfway through the dark room and Ben barely has
time to see anything except a twisted red painting of a wailing man
before the Muun had him by the chin and is tilting Ben’s head
uncomfortably far up to meet the acid eyes with those thin fingers.

“And this is the thorn in our side, the one who turned your
apprentice.” The man hissed out, eyes narrowed. “What a muted
light you have master Jedi.” He offered, his voice almost softer
then Maul’s even.

Ben stared up at him in turn, eyes watering a bit at the strain his
neck and back was taking at the angle and hissed a bit when darkness
almost lightly prodded at his damaged shields. “And such fragile
shields your mind has too, it would almost be easy to smash them
would it not.” The Muun continued.

He let go and Ben let his head drop, swallowing a bit before focusing
back on the other sith again.

“So much has happened since you arrived, Master Ben Kenobi.
Strangely enough, until your sudden arrival at the temple, there was
no prior records of you anywhere.” The Muun continued and Ben felt
more then he saw Palpatine shifted.

It was like being caught between two snakes, both ready to pounce.

And Ben was not sure which held the most danger to him.

Blocked from the Force, he had no warning as the Muun suddenly
backhanded him, the smack loud through the air as the Force of it
brought him down on his knees with a cry of pain as his knees took
the brunt of the impact.

His cheek ached as numbing pain spread and he looked up, hands on
floor to support himself as he stared up.

The Muun casually stepped back and sat down. “Well then fragile
Jedi, lets play a game of who you really are…” One long fingered
hand rose.

“What is your full name?”

Ben looked away and there was a little chuckle. “Come now, these
are the easy questions…no? Oh well, you brought it on yourself.”
The long fingers twitched and Ben gasped, his bound hands going for
his throat as it closed in, depriving him of air.

For the first time in a long time, Ben Kenobi fears joining the
Force. He is not ready anymore.