A Fragment of Endless Night, by Kass

[the-emu.livejournal.com]

Title: A Fragment of Endless Night
Author: Kass
Rating: NC-17
Pairing: Q/O/X
flashbacks to rape










Author's e-mail, web site and/or LJ id: wickdzoot, kassxf@aol.com, http://home.earthlink.net/~harsesis/kassandra.htm

A Fragment of Endless Night

Reasons for recommending:
There are many Emu bunnies; this is one of my favourite offspring. I wrote a prologue and offered it up to the list, and Kass stuck her fork in it. Wrote a wonderful Qui-Gon/Obi-Wan/Xanatos threesome, with lovely winding, deep and interesting characterisation, particularly of Xanatos. It's the interactions of these three that really lift the story into something special. The plot is kind of background, and Anakin's the (canonically) annoying kid from TPM. (Authors really need to age Anakin and add a lot of character to him in order for me to give a shit about Anakin. This doesn't.)

This is a long story (304k, yay!) which diverges from TPM when a third man - Xanatos - joins the battle against Maul. Of course, the ongoing battle against darkness compells the three to stick together and it's all complicated by Obi-Wan's resentment over Qui-Gon's rejection and Xanatos's scars from his last brush with Palpatine. Qui-Gon is oblivious and wise by turns and occasionally withering. Obi-Wan is stubborn and sassy. Xanatos is sexy and irretrievably bad. Time spent living in each others' pockets finds them all being far more honest with each other than any of them really planned. This is the sort of story I love best: all the drama is simply in interesting characters bantering with each other.


Quote from story:

(Qui-Gon) took in another breath. "Why didn't you kill me?"

Xanatos glanced away, looked back. "The truth? I had no heart for it. Not any more."

"You've changed your mind? How interesting." He raised an eyebrow ironically. "I never knew you to vacillate, what's happened?"

Green eyes held his own gaze for a moment. A sound that wasn't quite laughter and Anakin looked up, his expression worried. "What happened? I discovered my true place in the order of the universe, Qui-Gon." He tugged his tunic down, away from his throat, to reveal a livid scar that circled it at the base. "I met the Dark Master of that fool we killed."

The sight of the scar robbed him of words. He stared mutely, closing his eyes briefly. "So that was the apprentice." Heavily.

"Yes. Apparently he wasn't as successful at resisting Sideous as I was." Another thin smile. "I have you to thank for that, Qui-Gon. Do you know how irritating it is to owe my life and sanity to you?"

He sighed, suddenly exhausted. "I can imagine."

Comments

[thepouncer.livejournal.com]

This is my favorite story in the fandom, I think. I went through all the big ones this winter, and found this story by accident. Qui-Gon/Obi-wan doesn't always thrill me, but add Xanatos into the mix and I get giddy. Something about the fall from grace and potential for redemption . . .

[emila-wan.livejournal.com]

This is the sort of story I love best: all the drama is simply in interesting characters bantering with each other.


Yes, and the wonderful thing is, although not a lot happens, plot-wise, in this incredibly long story, it is completely absorbing. I've read it several times, and it has to be one of the best three-some stories I've ever read. By turns moving, poignant, and very hot.

FYI

[jamie]

This story has been taken down off the web as of last night.

Re: FYI

[dominonermandi.livejournal.com]

This is really random and (a year) after the fact, but... Any ideas on where/if I can find this story on the net? Chances are it's been removed permanently, but I would love to read it if it's been put back up.

Sorry if this is a moot point--I'm new to the fandom and have been going through TPM Flashbacks to feed my new addiction and this sounds like a good read. :)

Re: FYI

[jamie]

To the best of my knowledge it's not on the 'net any more. I suggest you try the masterappretice yahoo group to feed your addiction and make the polite request :)

groups.yahoo.com/group/master-apprentice

Re: FYI

[dominonermandi.livejournal.com]

Thank you very much! *thinks* And I probably do want to finally break down and join the yahoo!group, especially as I was curious about writing some fic.