This short story was originally written in December 2005 for a Qui Gon fiction challenge on a Star Wars fansite, the challenge being: "Write a story in which Qui Gon gives or receives a gift from the heart..."
It's a light-hearted piece...
As always, I own nothing in the SW universe - I'm just making small sandcastles on George's lovely beach...
THE GIFT
It was noon on Coruscant.
Qui Gon Jinn and his seventeen-year-old Padawan Obi Wan Kenobi were both enjoying some free-time, as it was the Life Day holiday. They didn't get many free days so Obi Wan in particular was relishing the thought of nothing to do and all day to do it in.
Qui Gon felt that it would be good for his Padawan to see how the ordinary people of Coruscant lived, away from the comparative luxury and shelter of the Jedi Temple, so he'd casually suggested they go for a walk into the industrial district called Coco Town for a bit of home-cooking at Dex's Diner. Dexter Jettster was an old friend of Qui Gon's - it had been several months since Qui Gon had paid him a visit, and Obi Wan had yet to meet the ex-miner with a wealth of stories of his exploits on other worlds.
Obi Wan didn't care where they went - he was just glad to get away from the Temple for a few hours. So, simply enjoying each others company with no lessons to be learned, or missions to complete, they made their way through the back-alleys of street-level Coruscant.
Suddenly, their peaceful stroll was broken by the sound of a young child crying for help.
Both Jedi raced towards the direction of the voice. Down a litter-strewn alleyway they found a young girl aged around seven, in a dirty green dress, cradling a small bundle of brown and white fur in her arms. She was now weeping softly. A few curious people had started to gather around, but they soon dispersed when they saw the Jedi.
"What's wrong, little one?" Qui Gon asked her, gently.
"It's my furble...he was choking! I think he's dead!" she sobbed, gulping back the tears which now filled her bright blue eyes. Short-eared and long-tailed, furbles were popular as pets amongst the children who lived in the hovels of the thriving underworld of street-level Coruscant.
Qui Gon took the tiny animal from the young girl's arms. It looked pathetically small in his huge hands. It lay there, eyes closed, and so very, very still. Using the Force, he sensed that the creature was alive, but only just. He could feel its life-signature surround it, but it was slowly slipping away. He would have to act fast if he was to save it.
"Obi Wan!"
"Yes, Master?" His Padawan was at his side, with a look of grim resignation on his face. Obi Wan had become used to Qui Gon's affinity with animals over the years they'd been together, but he had never truly shared his Master's enthusiasm for all those pathetic lifeforms.
"Hold him for one moment..." And before Obi Wan could object, Qui Gon bundled the small creature into his apprentice's hands, much to Obi Wan's dismay and disgust.
Using the thumb and fore-finger of each hand, Qui Gon gently opened the strong jaws of the furble. He peered down its throat. Yes, there was the problem - a pebble was blocking the wind-pipe.
"Support his rear-end, Obi Wan, and let me have his head!" Obi Wan reluctantly held on to the back-end of the creature whilst Qui Gon opened its mouth a little bit wider and with the tip of his finger he managed to get leeway behind the stone and flick it forward. Another flick and the pebble dropped onto the ground.
The little girl looked on, her eyes brimming with sorrow - the creature still wasn't moving. Qui Gon took the furble back from a much-relieved Obi Wan, who was more than pleased to hand it over.
Laying it on its side on the palm of his hand, Qui Gon tenderly pressed a finger between its front legs, and he felt - just on the edge of life - the faint flutter of a heartbeat.
He closed the furble's jaws shut with a finger and thumb, and whilst Obi Wan looked on in astonishment, Qui Gon took a deep breath. Without hesitating, he placed his mouth around the furble's muzzle and blew into its nostrils.
Once...
Twice...
Three times...
With a cry of glee from the little girl, the furble spluttered and shuddered as it gasped for a much-needed breath. Qui Gon could feel the creature's heartbeat growing stronger and its chest starting to rise and fall as it lay in his hand. He cupped it in his palms and held it close to his body to warm it up, and within a few moments it started to squirm and wriggle.
"I think he's going to be fine!" Qui Gon smiled at the little girl, as he handed the furble back to her again. "But try and keep him away from stones!"
"You saved him!" whispered the child, her eyes wide with wonder and gratitude, as she placed the creature in a pocket of her dress, where it immediately snuggled down.
And to Qui Gon's surprise, she flung her arms around his waist and hugged him tightly, shyly mumbled something.
Qui Gon had to bend down to hear her, and as he did so, she reached up and kissed him quickly and coyly on the cheek, whispering in his ear: "Thank you very much, Mr. Jedi, sir!"
Qui Gon was only rendered speechless for a few seconds, but then with a smile he regained his composure. "You're very welcome, little one..."
With a wave of her hand in farewell, the little girl skipped off down the dirty alleyway.
Obi Wan had been greatly entertained by the entire episode, as was apparent from the way he was trying to keep a serious face - and failing dismally.
"Is something the matter, Obi Wan?", Qui Gon asked his Padawan, raising one eyebrow in a mock-stern look. "You appear to have found the situation rather amusing."
"No, Master, not at all!" spluttered the young man, barely stifling his giggles as he looked down at the wet patch of furble urine gradually spreading down the front of Qui Gon's tunic. "Happy Life Day!"
The End