Pain

Chapter 2

"And you did?!" A roaring voice full of anger cut through Obi-Wans clouded mind.

"Make up your mind!" A mechanical voice answered sounding annoyed and not at all concerned. "What is he? A prisoner or an honored guest? You may remember, there are also several categories in between."

"A stubborn, mindless, infuriating idiot!" The vice roared again, now directly in front of him. But no matter how unnerving it was to have this furious person right beside him, he had difficulties opening his eyes. His senses were overloaded with rage and hatred and pain... and concern, fear? Something was weird.

"I don't know how to categorize his social status with that kind of description." The other voice retorted.

Someone grabbed Obi-Wan by the arm and dragged him upright, leaning him against a hard surface behind him. Everything hurt. His thorax was screaming with pain. Adrenalin shot through his body and cut down the haze in his mind. His eyes snapped open, as he remembered what had happened.

Darth Vader was right in front of him. The ugly, huge helmet mere inches away as he was staring right at him. His hand still holding him in place at his upper arm. The other hand came up and Obi-Wan jerked away instinctively. His heart was racing.

"You are scaring him!" The other voice complained. A droid crouched down and pushed the Sith to the side. "No wonder after what you did to him." It kept going in a condemning tone. But weirdly enough the Sith let it do so. Obi-Wan's gaze followed the dark-clad figure as it stood up, not caring for the droid right in front of him.

Darth Vader took a step back, looking right directly at him. The Jedi was not able to see his eyes, but he felt his gaze at him. The hatred and anger radiating from him died down a little, the pain intensified.

"He is feverish. Again." The droid complained. "I will redress and clean the wounds. If you would be so kind, please put him on the bed, Lord Vader." With these words it stood up and hurried out of the room, leaving the two Force users alone.

For a moment the Sith seemed to hesitate. The uncertainty was palpable in the Force. But then he stepped up and crouched down in front of Obi-Wan, grabbed him, not even acknowledging the resistance he put up. With ease, he pulled the Jedi up and on his feet, where he was only able to remain because of the arm that was wrapped around his torso and the fortress-like body he was pressed against. His vision blacked out for a moment as pain took over every inch of his perception. He was unsure whether he had screamed out. But when his brain started working again his throat felt rough and strained. This close to the Sith Lord, the darkness washed over him like a swarm of hornets, stinging aggressively everywhere, sticking to his skin, his soul, forcing its way in through every weak spot it could find. Building up and clawing at him, trying to tear into him violently.

The next thing he was aware of, he was down on his knees again, throwing up whatever was left in his stomach. Everything started spinning.

"What have you done now?" The droid voice sounded weary. Apparently, it was back. "You should have listened to me. He should have stayed longer in your Bacta Tank."

"He was fine until you neglected your duty to take care of him!" Vader shot back angrily.

"He was also fine until you started cutting him up in the first place." The droid shot back. The whole room started vibrating. At least Obi-Wan thought so. Maybe it was just him. But then he felt the Force whirling angrily around him. And the next moment something crashed against the wall and fell to the ground, making the whole room shake. Obi-Wan flinched as the floor seemed to be flooded by Darkness. Surrounding his hands and legs. Biting. Piercing. Clawing.