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Quinlan groaned as he woke up. “Wha-” He rubbed the painful spot on his head. He hissed when that only made it hurt worse and then he realized his fingers were wet. He stared at his fingers. Blood.
He sat up and looked around, breathing through the pain carefully. A cell… Only… He frowned.
It was too small. There were bars on all sides, no walls.
Quinlan looked up, then down.
He was in a cage.
Well. That was new.
He’d been captured in all sorts of ways but he’d never been caged before.
Quinlan reached up and touched the top. He was sitting, nowhere near standing and he could reach the top. There was barely enough room for him to lay down, if he curled up.
He turned to the lock. Then sighed. It wouldn’t be possible to pick his way out. He might be able to use the Force to get out, but that was a tricky technique he probably wouldn’t be able to do, and some locks were impossible even with the Force.
Quinlan sighed and glanced around the surroundings. More cages. Most of them empty. Not much else.
Well then.
Quinlan switched to thinking about how they had captured him. He had been out on a date with Cody, they’d been having a lot of fun, and then they were walking and… Sharp pain and nothing.
Quinlan’s eyes widened and he sat up. What happened to Cody?
He spotted Cody finally. Cody had his back to him.
“Cody!” Quinlan called.
Cody flinched and turned. “Quin? You’re awake?”
Quinlan nodded. “Yeah. What happened?”
“They came out of nowhere, knocked you out immediately, and I tried to fight them off but they started dragging you and next thing I know I’m here… in a cage.” A note of hysteria entered his voice. “They haven’t even told me what they want.”
Quinlan sighed. “There’s a few things I can think of… none of them pleasant.”
Cody nodded, breathing a bit heavier. “I don’t like this.”
Quinlan nodded. “I know. Not much we can do with these locks, right now. We just need to wait and see what’s going on and find the opportunity to escape.”
“I don’t want to be caged. I want out now.”
Quinlan tried to reach out to him but got shocked the moment his fingers went between the bars.
“Okay… I understand Cody. Let’s try to think about something else, okay?”
“Like what? Why? It doesn’t change anything.”
“You’re panicking. That’s not going to help,” Quinlan said gently. “So I’d like to distract both of us until we can actually do something.”
“I… I don’t know.”
“Alright. Want to hear about the trouble I got into when I was sixteen?”
“Sure.”
Quinlan smiled and launched into the story of how he got in trouble for his prank getting the wrong person, the grumpy Jedi everyone normally avoided.
“And you know, if I’d actually asked Obes for help like normal, neither of us would have gotten in trouble, even if we’d been caught.”
"Why doesn't that surprise me?" Cody sighed, shaking his head. He didn't feel good about the situation now, but he did feel better.
Quinlan counted it as a win and started telling a story from when Aayla was a Padawan and getting in trouble.
Cody listened to that story, and the next one, and the one after that. He found himself relaxing. He couldn't forget he was in a cage, but he was able to think. Thanks to Quinlan's efforts to get him to calm down.
Quinlan just told whatever story came to mind, anything to help his boyfriend out. To his relief, Cody was calming down.
Of course, just as they reached as relaxed as they could manage, the door swung open.
Quinlan and Cody jumped and turned to the door.
"Here they are, the two we picked up last night, a clone and a Jedi."
"Perfect... just what we need for our patrons tonight."
Quinlan glared. "What do you want with us?"
"A clone and a Jedi will be good entertainment. Don't worry, if you follow directions, you will be fed and treated well... if not... well. You want to listen to us. You won't like what happens if you don't."
Quinlan scowled. "I don't care. Let us go."
"And lose the profit you will both give us? Never."
The cage started hovering.
Quinlan shifted uneasily, though he tried to give Cody reassuring looks. He could think of several different things they could be wanted for.
The other occupied cages started hovering as well.
He was going to try to get a look at where they were going, but then black fabric was draped over their cages, blocking out everything.
Quinlan hoped that Cody was okay. This was a lot to deal with.
His cage came to a stop.
Quinlan sat up, but the fabric wasn’t removed.
When it finally was removed, it was to gasps and bright lights as the crowd of people took pictures.
Quinlan blinked and rubbed his eyes but the lights did not disappear.
He could hear Cody panicking in the cage right next to him.
Quinlan turned to him.
Cody was huddled in the corner, face against his knees as he shook. Quinlan put his hand on the cage wall, worried. A few second later, he jumped as the cage shocked him for it, though he hadn’t tried to put his hand out.
He studiously ignored all the others around him. It was very clear that the cages were for being gawked at, some sort of museum or zoo or something. Quinlan did not want to think hard about that.
So he focused on Cody instead.
But hours went by of people trying to get their attention and take their pictures and even Quinlan was getting overwhelmed by it.
Finally, it was all over. The fabric went back over the cages, they were brought back to the place they were when they woke up.
Quinlan glared at the owner of the ‘show’ they were now a part of.
“You were perfect! Such a fantastic addition to my show!” he crowed.
“Let us go!”
“Never, those people will be back, and more will come to see you as they get word. And no, no one is coming for you. They have no clue where you are, and no one is going to be dumb enough to spill my zoo. Especially not to Jedi.”
Quinlan put his hands on the bars.
The owner smirked and pressed a button.
Quinlan yelped at the stronger shock as he shook his hands.
“You will behave. These people are here for you, you both will need to perform. At the next show, if people cannot get a good picture of your faces, there will be consequences.”
“Seriously? We’re not performers.”
“You’re part of my zoo now. You are, and I will break you the way I like to break all my exhibits.”
Cody looked more alarmed.
Quinlan glared. “What about all these empty cages?”
“Well, if I get an offer I can’t refuse, I sell my exhibits. You’re all worth quite a lot and would be perfect for someone’s private collection. And anyway, these are your temporary exhibits while I train you.”
Someone walked in with a cart.
The trays were slid into the cage.
Quinlan stared at the food. It didn’t look very appetizing, but at least it wasn’t ration bars.
“You’ll only get food once a day, so you better eat if you don’t want to starve.”
They were finally left alone. Quinlan started picking at his food.
“Cody?”
“Y-yeah?”
“Are you okay?”
“No… not really.”
“Want to talk about it?”
“No. I just… I don’t know.” Cody poked at his food with the provided plastic fork.
Quinlan sighed. “I understand.” He leaned on his cage and started eating a little more. After a bit he started telling stories again, wanting to distract both of them from the situation. At least it helped, a bit.
.
Quinlan continued to tell stories whenever they were alone. Cody listened but didn’t say much. He never was talkative, but now he rarely talked.
Quinlan filled the air for him.
At random points each day, they would be covered in black fabric and brought out to be exhibits. Quinlan quickly learned that talking would get him shocked. Doing anything but be something to be stared at was enough to get him shocked.
Cody didn’t usually get shocked. He’d just sit and stare off in the distance in the general direction of the crowd. That was good enough.
Quinlan though struggled with sitting still, with the stimulus of all the people talking and taking picture and the flashes of light. This meant he was ‘reminded’ to be still frequently.
They lost track of time. They had no idea how many days it had been. They were getting thinner.
But they still had Quinlan’s random stories. It had been those stories that caught Cody’s attention when they first met. Now it was keeping them sane.
Quinlan glared when the owner of the insanity appeared to them again. He didn’t show up often.
“I’ve given you enough time to adjust. Time to start teaching you to behave.”
“What?” Quinlan yelped when he was shocked.
“You don’t speak. You’re just exhibits, pets at best. So you will listen to me.”
Quinlan opened his mouth to speak but was shocked before he could say anything.
“As I thought, you’re going to need more thorough training, aren’t you Jedi? A Kiffar Jedi… There are ways to teach you obedience, and I don’t think you’ll like any of them.”
Quinlan settled for glaring.
“Now let’s see how you do with tricks.”
It was humiliating, being treated as little more than an animal.
Cody treated it like he treated his training or how many had treated him throughout the war.
Quinlan struggled with it. He fought against it, knowing that was a poor idea. He just couldn’t handle being expected to do something as simple as sitting up.
This resulted in a dart being shot at him. Quinlan didn’t see it coming. He pulled it out and stared at it, but then his fingers couldn’t hold it. He slumped over, unable to hold himself up anymore.
He was dragged out of the cage, conscious but unable to move.
The owner smirked at him. “Time for your punishment.”
Quinlan was left shaking and sore by the time he was done. He was dragged back into the cage and left to wait for the drug to wear off. No injuries where visitors could see them. But he hurt all over.
Cody watched. He was horrified by the whole thing.
Quinlan finally pulled himself up. He didn’t say anything about what happened, just started telling stories.
Cody listened, surprised that Quinlan didn’t take any time for himself, or that he didn’t want to try talking about it.
Quinlan just didn’t want to leave Cody alone with his thoughts for too long.
After that, the routine included more visits for what amounted to obedience training and more ways for them to entertain the guests in their too small cages.
Quinlan continued to struggle with it, getting punished every time, in full view of all the others.
The punishments escalated, always something that would be seen but would affect him in some way. Some were humiliation, like the time he was just stripped naked and left ‘on display’ until the next exhibit showing. Sometimes it was minor cuts and bruises. Sometimes it was rape. That always affected him the worst.
It was wearing on him, though he desperately did not let it show. He always picked up stories as soon as he could move again. He needed the distraction, and so did Cody. He would do it, for Cody.
Quinlan pushed himself up tiredly for the owner when he appeared to do his usual.
Cody was up to getting candy or something else for a ‘treat’ when he obeyed. It wasn’t consistent, but he was getting something.
Quinlan was kind of jealous.
“Spin.”
Quinlan groaned but complied.
“Was that attitude?”
He shook his head.
“I don’t believe you. Smile.”
Quinlan couldn’t get a smile on his face. He cried out when he was shocked.
“Smile.”
It took Quinlan far too long to manage it.
It only got worse from there until the owner had enough and he was hit with the usual dart.
Quinlan was kept out far longer than usual. The drug was wearing off. He shifted uneasily when he realized he wasn’t in the cage.
“Beg.”
Quinlan looked at him in confusion.
“I know you want me to stop. If you really want it, you will beg. If you don’t… I’ll just give you another dose and keep going.” He held up a dart.
Quinlan whimpered, but didn’t say anything.
The drug wore off again some time later.
“Beg, or I will keep going until the next exhibit.”
Quinlan started crying and whimpering as he shook his head desperately.
The owner smirked. “You can use your words to beg.”
“Please, stop,” Quinlan whispered. “No more. I’ll be good.” When there wasn’t any visible reaction, and the owner didn’t stop, he started repeating it over and over, desperately. After a while he was nearly incoherent from sobbing.
The owner stopped, finally satisfied and cleaned him up before putting him back in the cage.
Quinlan curled up on his side and sobbed. He didn’t say a word. Time passed, and it became clear that he wasn’t going to tell a story this time.
The next time, he didn’t tell a story either, even though he didn’t get in trouble. He hadn’t said a word the entire time in between.
The third time, Cody was desperate to get any sort of reaction from Quinlan, who had barely moved.
He started telling the story of how he got away with the biggest prank on Kamino. Only Fox knew he was behind it.
Quinlan froze when Cody started speaking, and then turned towards him. He leaned on the cage and listened quietly.
Cody was just relieved that Quinlan had reacted.
After the next round of exhibits and obedience training, they were declared done, and ready for their permanent enclosure.
Neither really reacted. They were exhausted and numb to the whole thing.
They were brought to the same door and left just inside with their cage doors open.
Neither moved at first. Not until they were ordered out.
Cody got out first and nearly face-planted when he got on his feet for the first time in months. He grabbed onto the wall and straightened, looking around.
Quinlan followed hesitantly, tense and looking around cautiously.
As soon as they were out, the cages were removed, and the door closed and locked.
Quinlan and Cody looked at each other, then at the room.
It was like a small apartment, but one wall was transparent.
There was a kitchen area, but that just held some snacks and drinks, but otherwise only had a door that food would probably go in and out of. There was the living space. There was the bedroom with one bed, a separate room that also had one wall that people could stare at them from. The bathroom was, thankfully, separate, but it did have cameras.
There were clothes in the closet. There were toys and blankets and books and games. Nothing too complicated.
They could watch holos, though that didn’t work when the zoo was open.
There was also a small exercise section, including a treadmill and some weights.
Quinlan took a shower without a word.
Cody started going over everything more thoroughly before sitting on the bed and waiting awkwardly.
Quinlan finished the shower and wrapped a towel around him to look at the clothes. He made a face. They were all simple and pretty stereotypical. He went with the one in his favorite color. At least it was comfortable.
Cody took his turn in the shower and came out. “Looks like it’s nighttime.”
Quinlan nodded.
“Let’s get some sleep?”
Quinlan nodded again and got under the blanket.
Cody frowned.
Quinlan curled up on his side.
Cody laid next to him and wrapped an arm around him.
Being on a bed again was weird.
Neither of them slept well that night, though they slept better than they had since they arrived.
The next morning, Quinlan was still quiet.
Cody got him a snack and eyed the transparent wall before eating his own snack. Once he finished he started telling Quinlan another story.
Quinlan leaned on him and listened.
A few hours later, there was an announcement that the zoo was opening.
Cody and Quinlan exchanged uneasy looks but didn’t move from their comfortable position cuddling on the couch.
People spotted the open exhibit almost immediately and started gawking at them.
Quinlan recognized a few now that he could pay more attention. They were the corrupted rich of Coruscant. Of course there would be something like this for those idiots.
He didn’t speak, though. He wasn’t sure he’d ever speak again.
Cody stuck at his side, and once the zoo was closed, started telling Quinlan stories again. It took him less time to start making up stories, but he wasn’t half bad at it.
Quinlan appreciated it, and slowly started relaxing. But he still didn’t speak, preferring to write down or sign anything he had to communicate.
They were in a more comfortable living situation, one that would be easier to escape, though they both needed to figure out a way out around all the safety measures.
Until then, they had to pretend to be used to it, and bide their time. No signs of anything else.
.
It had been several more months since they were captured and caged. Iwas hard to keep track, so it was possible they had been caged for far more than the year they thought it had been.
A fire broke out.
Quinlan and Cody went to the window and watched in horror as the guests fled, and so did the owner. No one was going to save the exhibits.
Quinlan coughed from the smoke but decided to try the easiest idea they had. He raised his hands and concentrated.
To his surprise, it worked. The transparent wall popped out of place and crashed to the ground when he let go.
He stared at Cody for a moment.
Cody stared back then grabbed his hand. “Come on, we need to get the others.”
Quinlan nodded and stepped out after Cody. There was no shock, either it had never been enabled, or the fire had already taken it out.
He raised his hands and pulled. It worked again. Quinlan trusted Cody to work to get those people out as he started working his way around all the exhibits to get everyone free.
When he heard crying and screams, he rushed towards it, to find a room of children on display, from bedrooms to a school type room. He pulled the wall free once more and started helping them get out. The oldest seemed to understand and started rallying the kids to the door.
Cody came in and froze. After a moment he took charge and made sure all the oldest children had some of the toddlers (thankfully, no babies).
The smoke was getting thicker. Quinlan made sure all the kids were out, climbing in to double check all the hiding spots.
He found a little twi’lek girl hiding under a bed. She reminded him of Aayla.
Quinlan held out his arms.
She sniffled and crawled out, clearly uncertain.
She tensed and then looked up at him in awe when he hugged her.
He took her hand and started walking to the exit, following the signs he was thankful to find.
He kept coughing as the smoke got worse. The girl was coughing more and more too.
Quinlan was relieved to see the exit, but that was when the fire started cutting off the exit, because of course it was.
He spotted a rescue worker and threw the girl at the rescue worker before his worst coughing fit. It was really hard to breathe.
He shook his head and looked up. The fire was worse. He wouldn’t be able to get out. There weren't any sounds of people trying to put it out. Between the smoke and the fire, he wasn’t going to be able to escape. He was going to die if he did nothing.
He considered it.
“Quin!” He heard Cody yell.
He looked up. Cody was on the other side of the fire, by the door, looking horrified.
Quinlan knew he was going to have to try.
He took as deep a breath as he could manage without coughing, found the place where the fire was the weakest and used the Force to jump. He mostly cleared the fire, and then fumbled the landing.
He landed in the fire and screamed.
A firefighter was right there to pull him out and get him out the door, just behind Cody.
Quinlan fell unconscious before they made outside.
When he woke up, he was in the Healing Halls of the Temple, and a very relieved Bant was telling him about the burns and how they were healing, how his lungs were doing after inhaling the smoke, and how much she had missed him during the two years he and Cody had been presumed dead after they disappeared on a date.
Two whole years.
Quinlan only nodded and gave her small smiles. He couldn't bring himself to speak. Not so soon.
Cody was curled up against him, asleep as it was the middle of the night.
Quinlan decided to eat the offered snack and then go back to sleep.
When he woke up next, Cody was up and eating already.
Quinlan smiled.
Cody smiled back and started telling Quinlan about what he'd missed after he fell unconscious due to smoke.
Apparently, before the first of the people they had freed had left, the building was thought to be empty. One of the freed people managed to inform a firefighter that there were people trapped inside, and that's when the rescue operation started.
At some point someone mentioned Jedi and a couple of Jedi were summoned to help out.
They identified Quinlan almost immediately, then looked around for Cody, who stumbled over, still struggling with the smoke.
Cody gave them a brief report and then they were hustled to the Temple while Plo stayed to help investigate what they had uncovered.
Quinlan leaned on Cody, grateful for the update.
Cody smiled at him and kissed his temple, understanding.
He started telling Quinlan about the kids they'd rescued, about how several of them had turned out to be Force sensitive, and all of them had been by to visit since they arrived.
Especially the little twi'lek that had reminded Quinlan of Aayla.
Quinlan just listened without a word, eating quietly.
It was nice to be home.
They were referred to a mind healer when it became apparent that there was trauma, especially after some of what Plo uncovered with the investigation.
Quinlan ended up communicating with his mind healer mostly through sign and a journal, writing down what he most wanted to say ahead of time and then winging it with sign after.
It was nice to have a safe place to process with someone who wasn't pushing him to talk.
Everyone had quickly realized that Quinlan was not talking, and were eager to help him feel comfortable enough to do so.
It was not as helpful as they thought.
But Cody understood, as he always had. He just smiled at Quinlan and started telling stories to fill the silence. Neither of them much liked silence anymore, not when being quiet meant that it was time to be stared at no matter what they did.
Quinlan still couldn't bring himself to talk, but he was recovering and smiling more. He was starting to laugh again.
They were recovering, they had each other, and they had the random stories. Everything else would fall into place as they healed.