Of Past & Present (1/2)
DISCLAIMER: As always the characters of Obi-Wan Kenobi,
Qui-Gon Jinn, Yoda, and any others used belong to George Lucas
and Lucasfilm LTD. NO copyright infringement is intended by this.
It was all in good fun. Enjoy and let me know what you think. =)
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Qui-Gon Jinn stood alone in the crew's lounge aboard the Republic Cruiser, Radiant VII. He was holding a holoprojector in his hand, staring at the figure it produced. The image was of a tall woman with short blond hair that was slicked back with a single long braid stemming from her right temple, much like his present Padawan. Her figure was strong, lean and athletic.
He sighed heavily to himself as he turned the projector off. He had not seen her in many years but yet he still remembered her like it was the first day of their meeting. He looked out the window, remembering when they acturally did.
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"Qui-Gon Jinn," Talh, his long time friend, greeted.
"Tahl," he smiled towards the woman who approached him. "It has been some time, how have you been?"
"Fine, and I see you are doing well. I have heard of your many deeds, though some the Council questions," she warned slightly. "So today is the day you pick a padawan. You feel you are ready?"
Qui-Gon nodded, "Yes, I feel the time is right."
"That is good my friend, your first student will be lucky to train with you," she smiled.
The two old friends entered the arena room where many young hopefulls had gathered. Gui-Gon saw the young faces of the students who gathered, some seeming too young. However, his eye was caught by that of a young woman with stunning blue eyes. She moved about the other students, flashing her beautiful smile, talking to them and wishing them well. Her movements were so graceful, it made her appear to be walking on air.
"Who is that student?" Qui-Gon asked Tahl.
Tahl glanced over and saw the young girl he was staring at, "That my friend is trouble," she whispered.
"Trouble?" he asked looking at her questionly.
"Her name is Calisto. She is the top student in her class, strong, fast, skilled in all the Jedi arts she could learn from the teachers and then some. She is also much like you, my friend," she said looking up at the tall Jedi next to her. "She, too, is a mavarick like you. Goes against her teachers wishes at times, doing what she feels is right in her heart."
Qui-Gon looked back at the young girl who met his eyes breifly before turning away. He wondered, could she be the one?
The fighting area filled with the young students, battling each other in pairs. The training lightsabres were used, as to insure no-one would be hurt. Many students fought well that day. Some Qui-Gon even considered. However, his mind kept drifting back to the young woman. Before she was to fight, he ventured over toward her.
"He couldn't say anything," Calisto laughed as she told a story to her friends. "Then just as he was..." she fell short noticing the other students looking past her and up. She fell silent and slowly turned around. For her age, she was considered tall, nearly five foot ten, so she didn't have to look up as far as the others had to at the tall Jedi behind her. She quickly bowed, recongnizing his authority and presence.
Qui-Gon returned her greeting in silence, before looking her over quickly. She was indeed tall for her age, and beautiful too. But choosing a padawan was not a beauty contest, but one of skill and knowledge. "I am..." he started to introduce himself however she interupted him.
"I know who you are," she stated, meeting his intense gaze, "You are the Jedi Qui-Gon Jinn, that we all have heard so much about."
He could see the other students were in awe of him just being there, however she was different. Her eyes held no fear, only respect. This was a good sign to him, she would listen to him if she respected what he had to say. "And you are Calisto, the one I have heard so much about as well," he said, extending his hand.
Calisto had to blush, knowing her antics had gotten out and many were told of them. She took his hand, shaking it firmly, however, they held each other's eyes longer than either wanted. Calisto could feel a slight tingle of something inside her that she couldn't explain. Perhaps he was to be her master. She hoped he would be.
"I hope you do well today," he told her as he motioned her to walk with him. "Many Jedi are here today to pick a padawan learner."
She followed Qui-Gon, "I have to tell you, this seems strange to me, Sir," she said looking down at her hands, "As you can see, I am much older than the other students here."
Qui-Gon didn't know, he thought she was just tall for her age, "Excuse me, but you are saying that you are... older than the required age of thirteen?" he asked stopping in his tracks.
"I am almost..." Calsito felt embarassed to be telling him this, "Seventeen. The Jedi allowed me... to return to my training. I was the student that you heard about that was gone from the temple so long ago."
"You are the one that was kidnapped from the temple? But that was... years ago... when I was in training. What happened?" he led her out to the roof where a garden was growing under a dome.
Calisto looked at the dome glass, seeing the sun reflect off of it and down into the garden. "I... really don't remember. I do remember Master Yoda... waking me from a deep sleep. He told me I was in cryogenic sleep for many years and that it had taken them a long time to find me. I have been going to..." she fell silent, "If I tell you this, I hope it doesn't affect you giving me a chance to be your student. But I've been going to therapy, I... have these nightmares, dark nightmares, of being on the darkside. I know inside me that I would never go to the darkside," she said defending herself. Qui-Gon, however, knew she was defending herself not to him, but to herself. "I am dedicated to the Jedi, to the Force and the good it can do for others. I was meant to be a Jedi. But yet..." she trailed off turning away from him.
"There is more to your dreams than you can understand right now. Because you are scared of them, the truth in them eludes you. Once you can deal with what they are showing you, you will eventurally see the truth in them. I think you will, just give it time," he said trying to reasure her. He placed his hands on her shoulders gently.
She turned to face him, "Thank you for your kind words. You are as they say," she managed a small smile.
"So the Council allowed you to continue your training. Well, I for one am glad that they had," he smiled in return, "I would like you to be my padawan learner."
Calisto was surprised by his words. Excitement boiled up in her causing her to jump into his arms screaming with joy, "Really... you mean it?"
"Yes," he laughed as he held her. Suddenly he realized what she had been hiding under the loose clothing of her Jedi wardrobe. She was defenitly a woman underneath, with all the curves of one too.
Calisto suddenly realized what she had done and pushed away. She straightened her clothing and bowed slightly to him, "Thank you, Master," she said with a slight smile.
Qui-Gon smiled again, "Come then, let us tell the others and begin our training, my padawan."
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And so Calisto was his padawan. He watched her grow into a fine Jedi. However she also grew to be something more to him... she grew to be his first lover. He thought they loved each other with all their hearts, however, he realized it was one sided.
After Calsito was Knighted, she left the Order and was believed to be living on Yavin 3, one of the moons that circled the large gas planet. When she left, she never told him why, or even good-bye. It had hurt him a great deal. He missed her at first, but then realized he had to moved on.
And so he was granted status of a Master and took his second Padawan. He lost his second padawan to the Dark Side, but his third padawan was special. He did not choose the boy, they chose each other, by the will of the Force. Qui-Gon could hear the boy approaching silently.
Obi-Wan Kenobi stopped short, studying his Master. He could tell the man was sad, he sensed it as well. It was the feeling of sadness that brought him to Qui-Gon. He wasn't sure what to do now that he was there. He was much to young to be comforting his Master.
"Is there something you wish to talk about, my Padawan?" Qui-Gon asked.
Obi-Wan was relieved to hear his Master speak first, "No Master . . . but I ask you the same question?"
Qui-Gon turned, forcing a small smile upon his face. "Not now, Obi-Wan, perhaps later."
Obi-Wan nodded, respecting his Master's request, "Do you think we can resolve the unrest that is occuring on the planet? I mean, it reminds me of one of our past missions? On Meldan/Daahn."
Qui-Gon remembered the battle that ensued there, of the Young and the Elders, plus how Obi-Wan left the Jedi Order for a short time to fight for their cause. He knew Obi-Wan was dedicated to the Jedi, however this battle was more than that. Their mission was to protect the new High Preist. The previous preist was killed trying to stop one of the battles there and now each side was blaming the other for the death. He hoped that Calisto was not involved or that she wasn't even there.
"We will do our best, my young apprentice. I just hope that no more blood will be shed there. We were told to protect the new priest, but yet I feel there is more we will need to do," he said softly.
Obi-Wan nodded, looking out as they approached the planet. In the back of his mind, he had to agree with his master, he too sensed there was more to this mission than either one was going to expect.
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As the ship landed, the Jedis stepped off onto the platform and into the cold evening air. About them, people passed by, many going about their daily business, others stopping to see who they were. Two guards quickly approached, dressed in battle gear. "You are the Jedi?" the first one asked.
"Yes, I am Qui-Gon Jinn, this is my companion Obi-Wan Kenobi. We were sent by the Jedi Council at your request to..." before he could finish, he heard blasters firing in the distance.
"What was that?" Obi-Wan asked quickly, taking a defensive stance, lighsabre ready but not activated.
"Rebels," the other male guard replied.
"We know why you are here Jedi. Follow us, we will escort you safely to the Temple," the first man replied. He lead the way, the other moving in behind them, scanning the perimeter for danger.
Slowly the small group made their way through the town. Obi-Wan looked about, using his Jedi training to take in all that was around. He noted some of the walls had burn marks, the roads had pot holes from bombings, and some of the buildings looked broken down. However, like seemed like normal, except for a few people carrying blasters. It kind of reminded him of a cleaned up version of what he saw on Meldan/Daahn. The battles had not been going on for centuries. Then he saw the Temple. The grand temple of the Sharkara Priests. It was a sight to behold. He thought it even more beautiful than the Jedi temple itself. The walls were made of polished marble, gleaming a briliant white. Once when they entered the outer walls, beautiful lush green gardens grew inside. He could immediately smell the flowers blooming and a feeling of tranquility washed over him. It wasn't the feelings he was sensing of those outside the walls. There he felt the anger, the hate, the hopelessness and then weakness.
The guards stopped just by the main gate and two white robed figures met the Jedi. "This way," a female voice spoke to Qui-Gon. The two figures lead them further in. Obi-Wan was awed at the size of the temple. It looked like it was made for giants, with huge door ways and very high ceilings, made of the same polished marble. Torch lamps lined the halls along with floor to ceiling windows. The air smelled of incents and oils being burned. He could hear his master's and his own boots clicking on the marble floor. However, he did not hear the two women's who were escorting them.