Mending

Chapter Two

Obi-Wan regained consciousness while seated in the upright position, his head bent forward with his chin resting on his chest, his neck aching as the world slowly blossomed into view. He slowly raised his head and blinked his eyes heavily as he noted his surroundings, though there wasn't much to see in the dimly lit bedroom.

As the drug began to fade from his senses, Obi-Wan realized his hands were bound behind the back of the dining chair he was currently occupying. The Jedi tested the restraints and an unpleasant shock went up his forearms from the cuffs around his wrists, causing him to grit his teeth. The bounty hunter had certainly come prepared for this confrontation.

The Jedi had not been moved far - perhaps a few meters towards the center of the small dining area. The Senator's estate was so grand that each bedroom was almost a complete residence, furnished with a kitchen and eating area. From his position, he could glimpse the breathtaking city if he looked over his shoulder, though this risked an electric bite from his restraints.

"It's too nice a night for such unpleasantries, wouldn't you say?" Obi-Wan commented in a warm, pleasant tone. He couldn't see Bane, but he could sense him nearby - his barely-contained fury creating a buzzing undercurrent in the air. "Why don't you untie me and we can discuss this like two civilized gentlemen?"

The hooded Duros entered his field of vision like a dark phantom, seeming to glide above the carpet as he came to a halt in front of the restrained Jedi. Even though the light from the city was dim, it cast enough illumination for the Jedi to get a better look at the bounty hunter.

Cad Bane was disheveled in appearance, gaunt in the face, and his body language spoke of constant wariness. Normally, his attire consisted of items of questionable taste but undeniable practicality. He sported the usual wrist gauntlets and rocket boots, but his signature wide-brim hat was nowhere to be seen. His cloth cloak was tattered, his trousers slightly too big, and his brown tunic torn and stained green in several places.

In short, Bane looked like he had been dragged through Hell and back. What was worse, he looked as though he couldn't care less. His eyes were focused on Obi-Wan with such laser-like intensity that Obi-Wan had to consciously force himself to remain still and not fidget.

To be truthful, Bane's outward appearance was not so dissimilar from Obi-Wan's inner state, though he would never admit such things to the dastardly criminal.

"I don't remember you appearing so misused the last time we met," Obi-Wan commented with his trademark charm, as if they were exchanging pleasantries over a dinner table and he was not, say, tied to a chair with multiple abrasions covering his body. "I take it life as a fugitive has not treated you well?"

Obi-Wan was rewarded for his tone by Bane rushing forward and slamming his fist into the Jedi's gut. He did not have enough air to cry out as he doubled over, crackling pain shooting up his arms as his bindings were unintentionally jostled. When he did have air to breath, he gave a half-cough, half-laugh.

Considering his current predicament, antagonizing the bounty hunter was not the smartest course of action. But whether it was the drug Bane had injected him with or just his general state of exhaustion, Obi-Wan wasn't feeling quite himself at that moment - as indicated by the wolfish grin on his face.

"I suppose... I deserved that," Obi-Wan wheezed with wry humor, fully aware that his actions were becoming quite foolish. Ordinarily, he would have had no qualms with throwing sharp words at this particular bounty hunter, but he was at Bane's complete mercy. It would be wise to curb his sarcasm for the time being.

"Deserve? Deserve?" Bane growled through his teeth as he grabbed a handful of Obi-Wan's hair and snapped his head back, bringing his narrowed crimson eyes within inches of the Jedi's. "I'll show you exactly what you deserve, Kenobi!"