Here's the next chapter. I wrote the first 10,000 words all in a rush, and I'm having problems breaking it up into manageable chapters. And I'm not at all satisfied with the dialogue. Some help there would be nice.
I don't own Star Wars, blah, blah, blah. You know the drill. Here's Chapter 2!
Chapter Two: Charcoal Grey
1026AM
Not being able to feel Obi-Wan wasn't unusual in and of itself. The seventeen-year-old was not very open to mental contact with his master. But breakfast was in less than fifteen minutes and Qui-Gon hadn't felt his Padawan even wake up yet. It was probably the semnia floating around in the air, Qui-Gon decided. He should go wake him up.
His steps echoed in the marble-floored hallways as he made his way from just outside the dining hall back to the suite he and Obi-Wan shared. Nothing felt amiss as he stepped into the sitting room. He knocked softly on Obi-Wan's door. Receiving no answer, he turned the handle and slowly opened the door.
Of course. The seventeen-year-old was still in bed, the covers shoved to one side. He lay on his back, face turned away from the door. His breathing was deep and even. Qui-Gon smiled, walking over to the sleepcouch. "Obi-Wan," he called quietly, reaching for his Padawan's shoulder.
The boy's eyes were open. Instead of their usual blue-grey color, they were nearly black. And they had no pupils.
Qui-Gon wrenched his hand away, gasping sharply.
What in ages was wrong?
He cautiously waved his hand in front of his Padawan's eyes. No reaction. They remained unfocused and unblinking. He was breathing normally, as if he were asleep. He had no fever. Qui-Gon put two fingers on his jugular. His heartbeat was normal, beating at a regular pace for one who was sleeping.
Qui-Gon's own heart was trying to escape his ribs. Come on, Jinn, don't panic. Panic clouds reasonable thought processes. Think. What else could be wrong?
There was nothing out of place. Obi-Wan was limp and relaxed, perfectly normal. His hand rested on his stomach, his head turned to the side. He looked like he was sleeping-except for his eyes.
Qui-Gon shook his Padawan slightly, praying that he would wake up. "Obi-Wan," his breath hitched. "Come on, wake up," he muttered, shaking his shoulder again.
His eyes abruptly changed, turning their usual stormy color. His pupils were dialated almost to the edge of the iris, but he kept his eyes wide open, staring up at nothing for an instant. This his chest convulsed, lungs searching for air. His lips were twinged blue. Qui-Gon took his shoulders, willing him to breathe normally. He felt Obi-Wan's skin hot through his sleep shirt; he was feverish, though his face was pale. Qui-Gon saw that spot just below and behind Obi-Wan's ear flush bright red; it always changed color before the rest of his face when he was exerted or embarrassed.
Obi-Wan's eyes darted over to Qui-Gon's face and suddenly his pupils shrank to nearly nothing. His eyes left Qui-Gon's face, bouncing over the ceiling like he couldn't decide what to focus on. Qui-Gon felt his presence suddenly enter the room, like he wasn't quite there before. His breathing was still labored, and he closed his eyes, gasping for air.
"Calm down, it's all right, Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon soothed, holding his shoulders down and mentally comforting the boy. "It's okay, it's okay," he murmured, running a hand through the boy's hair.
Obi-Wan struggled to control his breathing, his eyes opening again. He looked at Qui-Gon for a moment, then looked away again, disoriented. He fought against Qui-Gon's hand on his shoulder, and Qui-Gon retreated, watching his Padawan carefully.
Obi-Wan closed his eyes with a sigh, relaxing, though Qui-Gon knew he wasn't anywhere near sleeping again.
Qui-Gon gently put the back of his hand on Obi-Wan's forehead, checking for a fever. Obi-Wan didn't move. His skin was hot, and his cheeks were flushed. The harsh sunlight coming through the window made him look even paler beneath it. Qui-Gon stroked Obi-Wan's hair and removed his hand again, waiting for Obi-Wan to recover.
The desire was faint, and Obi-Wan wasn't trying to broadcast it, but Qui-Gon heard it as clearly as if he'd said it aloud. Obi-Wan wanted water. Qui-Gon immediately went to the bathroom, filling up the cup by the sink.
When he returned, Obi-Wan was sitting up, bracing himself on his hands and staring into space. Qui-Gon silently offered the glass of water to him and he took it, drinking most of it at once and setting the half-full glass on the the table by his bed. His hand shook slightly.
"Are you all right?" Qui-Gon asked tentatively.
Obi-Wan didn't speak. There was a distant look in his eyes.
"Obi-Wan?"
He turned his head to his master with a start. "What?" His voice was hoarse.
Qui-Gon frowned. There was no point since he could see the answer, but he asked again. "Are you all right?"
"Yes," Obi-Wan said, not even trying to smile. "Yes, I'm fine." He looked over at the clock, then sat straight up. "Ten thirty? It's ten thirty already?"
"What happened?" Qui-Gon ignored Obi-Wan's surprise at the lateness of the hour.
"Seven hours..." Obi-Wan muttered.
That didn't make sense. "Seven hours since what?"
Obi-Wan looked back at his master. "W-Well, ah," He paused. "Since three thirty, of course," he said as if it were the most obvious thing.
"What happened at three thirty?"
"Nothing. It's just been seven hours since then. And I went to bed five hours before then, so I slept for twelve hours. Not sure I've ever done that before."
He sounded perfectly normal and reasonable, but Qui-Gon wasn't sure he was very stable. He put a hand to his Padawan's forehead again. He no longer had a fever. "Obi-Wan," he said gently. "What happened?"
"I overslept." Obi-Wan's mind went a little slippery. It always did when he was trying to avoid telling the whole truth.
Qui-Gon raised his eyebrows, giving Obi-Wan the best serious look he could conjure.
Obi-Wan guiltily looked down at the coverlet. "I don't know." He looked up again. "What happened when you came in?"
"You appeared to be sleeping, but your eyes were open. And they had changed color."
"Hmmm." Obi-Wan's eyes unfocused slightly and he looked at the opposite wall.
"Obi-Wan, tell me what happened." Qui-Gon commanded.
Obi-Wan sighed. "Nothing, I just..." he swung his legs over the side of the bed. "Zoned out. That's all."
"Did you by any chance zone out for seven hours?" Qui-Gon asked pointedly.
There was definite guilt in Obi-Wan's aura as he checked his comm and drank some more water. "Ah...no?"
"So that was what that was about. Anything else you're not telling me? For instance, why your eyes were black and not blue like normal?"
"How should I know?" Obi-Wan shrugged. Here, he was telling the truth.
"Were you conscious?"
Obi-Wan bit his lip, sitting down opposite Qui-Gon. "In a sense."
"Care to explain?"
There was a long pause. Qui-Gon didn't push it, seeing that Obi-Wan was going to answer without further prying. "I had a...vision...of sorts. It happens sometimes." Obi-Wan sighed. "I don't know why."
Something tugged at Qui-Gon's memory, but he couldn't quite make the connection. It was likely nothing. A vision, he could handle, even if he couldn't explain the frightening change in Obi-Wan's eyes. Most Jedi had visions on occasion. He softened his tone. "What did you see?"
Obi-Wan blushed slightly, the spot beneath his ear turning pink. "I am not sure I can tell you," he said quietly.
"Why not?"
Obi-Wan didn't speak for several moments. Finally he looked at Qui-Gon, eyes pleading. "Please don't ask me, Master."
Qui-Gon wanted to insist. It had to be something important. He should know, to coach Obi-Wan through dealing with it. And what if he had actually seen the future, instead of simply what might happen? What if something terrible were going to happen? Obi-Wan didn't have to carry that burden alone. He wished Obi-Wan trusted him. The boy should tell him.
But there was no fear or confusion in Obi-Wan's face. Whatever he had seen, it didn't bother him very much. Obi-Wan's eyes begged Qui-Gon to leave him alone, not out of obstinance or embarrassment, but out of the simple conviction that he couldn't tell. Qui-Gon gave in.
"All right. I won't ask. But I am going to talk to the Council about this. Changes in appearance aren't usually associated with premonitions. And seven hours is...much longer than visions typically last." In fact, Qui-Gon had never heard of an actual vision lasting more than a few minutes. Seven hours was a shockingly long period of time for one vision.
Obi-Wan looked away. Mention of the Council definitely scared him. Qui-Gon became a little more concerned about what he was hiding, but it could wait until he spoke to Master Windu, and hopefully Master Yoda.
Qui-Gon stood. "I believe our hosts are waiting for us. Come down as soon as you can; I can give you directions to the dining room."
"Must I?" Obi-Wan asked quietly.
Qui-Gon considered Obi-Wan and sighed. "I'll tell them you're not used to the air," he said with a small smile.
"Well, it's true at least." Obi-Wan reflected the smirk. "I'm not."
Qui-Gon ruffled the boy's hair once more and went to apologize for his tardiness.
1141AM
After breakfast and polite conversation with Kalua and Chaskaan Reiduy, Qui-Gon retreated to his room to call Master Windu. He reclined in a chair by the window and took in the scenery for a moment, thinking about what he would say to Windu. How should he explain this to him? Would he be unecessarily bothering him? Windu always had things to do, he knew. Would he be wasting his time?
Even if there was no point in calling, he hadn't spoken to his old friend in a while. He punched Master Windu's frequency. It was about eight in the evening there; he probably wouldn't be doing anything.
He picked up on the second tone. "Windu."
"Hi, how are you doing?" Qui-Gon didn't bother to identify himself.
"Jinn! I'm fine, fine, how's it going?"
They exchanged pleasantries for a few minutes. Qui-Gon praised Taliadan's lush beauty and relaxed atmosphere, and Mace expressed appropriate jealousy. Qui-Gon wasn't trying to hedge, but he was hesitant to speak up.
"Now what's this about, Qui-Gon? Are you having a problem with something?"
No fooling Mace. He knew Qui-Gon was calling for something. "Well...I had the strangest encounter this morning." Qui-Gon told Mace in matter-of-fact terms about Obi-Wan's oversleeping, the unblinking, charcoal grey eyes, his strange behavior on waking up, and their conversation afterward. Mace listened without comment.
"Anyway, I was wondering if that was normal, if it's anything I should be concerned about. I've never heard of anything like it before."
Qui-Gon held his breath while Mace held his silence.
"I think I am going to have to call you back, Master Jinn." Mace's tone was strange, shaky yet professional. He hung up without further explanation.
Well, that certainly didn't bode well. Anxiety jumped at the chance to cloud Qui-Gon's mind. He closed his eyes and meditated for a minute, getting it under control. Then he went to Obi-Wan's room.
The boy was sleeping again, and normally this time. He rolled over when Qui-Gon touched his shoulder, his breathing smooth. Qui-Gon stared down at his Padawan for several minutes and then left the room.
249PM
Qui-Gon took lunch alone in his room, as his host's family was busy and Obi-Wan still wasn't awake. Reiduy wasn't due back until nearly four, so he had some time to kill, at least. He decided to take a walk through Reiduy's expansive, exotic garden. The weather was unusually pleasant for early spring.
A few minutes into his walk, he clearly heard Obi-Wan thinking. Almost three. Man, I slept for a long time. I wonder what everybody else is doing. Well, I want to take a shower. Where are the towels?
Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon called mentally. You're forgetting to shield.
Oh, I'm sorry, Qui-Gon heard his Padawan's embarrassment, and his shield went up more than necessary. Qui-Gon sighed, pausing to admire a purple flower. Perhaps he shouldn't have said anything. Hearing everything was better than hearing nothing at all, he thought.
Partially as peace offering, he sent Obi-Wan a mental image of the purple flower. It was really beautiful. Obi-Wan had very little interest in plant life, but he appreciated good art.
Obi-Wan's shields lowered a very small amount, and he seemed wary. Pretty.
Reiduy's garden is really big. You should come down when you're dressed. It's perfect temperature out here.
There was no response. Qui-Gon shook his head and continued with his walk.
I'd love to see the garden, but the air is bad enough in here, Obi-Wan said nearly fifteen minutes later. I think I won't risk going outside. I might fall asleep standing up.
Qui-Gon was surprised. You're not adjusted yet? I don't feel the semnia at all.
You've been awake for longer than I have. Besides, I'm still tired from traveling. I'll be adjusted by tomorrow. Obi-Wan's presence retreated from Qui-Gon's mind again.
At that moment, Qui-Gon's comm rang. He jumped at it, reaching for the "accept" button. Yes, it was Mace. "Hello?" he said eagerly, taking a seat on the ornate stone bench he had just come up to.
"Yes, Master Jinn?" Windu's voice was strangely formal. "Is there any chance we could send someone to take your place in the diplomacy? The Council would like to speak with you and Obi-Wan as soon as possible."
"Is this about this morning?"
There was a pause. "Yes."
"What's wrong, Mace?"
"I can't say anything yet, Jinn. You and Obi-Wan have to come home to work this out."
"Work what out? It was a simple question."
"The answer is considerably more complicated. I've already got someone lined up; talk to Obi-Wan and call me back with your yes and I'll send her to take your place."
"Well...all right, I guess. May the Force be with you."
Mace did not return the courtesy, hanging up with no delay.
"That was odd," Qui-Gon muttered at his comm. He made his way back to the house.
327PM
"What? But we can't leave! We just got here, and we're supposed to start negotiations the day after tomorrow. Why do we need to be back at the Temple?"
Qui-Gon shrugged, slightly mystified by Obi-Wan's vehement protest. "The Council wants to talk to us. I'm suspecting it has something to do with your vision this morning." He raised an eyebrow.
Obi-Wan shook his head. "No, we can't leave," he said firmly. "We've got to stay here. It will only take a week or so, anyway. If it's anything urgent we can talk over comm."
"Why do we have to stay here? I'm sure whoever Master Windu picked out is just as competent. There will be other missions."
"No, no, we can't leave!" Obi-Wan insisted. "Please?" There was a spark of desperation in his eyes that Qui-Gon didn't understand.
"Why? What's so important that we have to stay here?"
"Well..." Obi-Wan's voice trailed off, and he looked down, blushing a little. "I...ah...don't want to-go back."
"You mean you don't want to answer questions about your vision?"
Obi-Wan nodded, still not meeting Qui-Gon's eyes.
"You're going to have to sooner or later, you know."
"I know, I just...want more time to think about it."
"Master Windu thought it was important that we get back as soon as possible."
"Well...I don't want to," Obi-Wan's tone was very childish.
Qui-Gon spent the next several minutes trying to convince Obi-Wan to give it up, but he refused. He had his mind set on staying. Finally Qui-Gon gave up with a sigh. "Fine, then. But we are going to talk about it when we do get back."
"I know," Obi-Wan said almost miserably.
Mace was not convinced. "I'm sorry, Mace, he is adamant about staying. Can't it wait?" Qui-Gon asked uncomfortably.
"I'm not sure if it can," Mace responded in a low voice. "But I suppose so."
Qui-Gon hung up the comm feeling a bit trapped.
714PM
Qui-Gon watched Obi-Wan out of the corner of his eye as he made pleasant conversation with Galun Reiduy that evening. Obi-Wan seemed distracted and did not smile as he struggled to respond to Chaskaan's attempts at conversation. It wasn't like Obi-Wan to be anti-social; he was usually perfect company with all age groups. He seemed to be paying more attention to Qui-Gon and Reiduy's conversation than anything else at the table, including the food in front of him.
"So what do you think of our humble planet?" Reiduy asked Qui-Gon, setting down his glass. He was definitely not a small man, though fit, and had a presence equally dominating. His voice was loud but cultured. The Reiduys were not quite human; there was something vaguely inhuman about their eyes and ears, but Qui-Gon couldn't place the exact species.
"It is very beautiful here," he acknowledged. "Pleasant climate. Is it mild year-round?"
"Yes, it is. The average daily temperature varies by about ten degrees Celsius between the summer and the winter. We've just finished our two-month wet season that softens the ground in preparation for seeding, which should begin in another week or two. However, if negotiations do not go well," Reiduy's smile dimmed. "It may be postponed."
Qui-Gon caught the underlying concern. Tensions were much stronger here than they'd seemed. Perhaps the farmers were threatening not to seed if their requirements were not met. "What, exactly, do the farmers ask for?" He recalled that it may have had something to do with rent rates, but he didn't remember much.
"They believe the landowners are not being fair in how much they take; they demand a lower percentage of tribute crop. They claim that they don't have enough to sell for themselves, but we landowners have already gone as low with our percentage as we dare. We will lose a great deal of money if we ask any less."
"Are the farmers supported by the landowners?" Qui-Gon noticed that Obi-Wan was listening more intently. He was glad, but wished his Padawan would be more engaging in his own conversation. Impoliteness did not foster goodwill.
"We supply the land and all tools necessary for growing. Truly, we bear all the growing expenses. The only thing the farmers do is cultivate the crops." A flash of anger left Reiduy's eyes as soon as it had come.
Qui-Gon noted the aggravation and stored the information for when negotiations would begin. He changed the subject. "How was your trip? I hope we are not taxing you too much after the journey back."
"Oh, certainly not," Reiduy's good humor was infectious. "I am used to traveling. I visit all my nearest holdings once per month, and I make a twice-yearly round of everything I own. Now that trip is rather tiring! If I rush through, it takes me about five weeks."
"You must own a lot of land,"
"Yes," Reiduy nodded vigorously. "It is up to me to keep track of everything. I have employees, but I do not trust such an important job to a mere hired worker. When Chaskaan comes of age in a few years, he will help me," Reiduy looked fondly over the table at his only child. "But he is only sixteen. He should not be distracted from his studies."
"Ah, of course not," Qui-Gon made his tone understanding. He thought to himself that Chaskaan's studies must be very demanding if he could not help his father a few days per month, but chided himself for the disrespect and reminded himself that the culture on Taliadan was different than on Corescant.
"So, Master Jinn," Reiduy leaned back in his chair with a slightly more guarded look in his eyes. "I am very curious about your life as a Jedi. What is it like to be...what is the expression? Sensitive to the Force."
There was something wrong, something that made Qui-Gon speak more carefully than he might have. "It's quite normal to me. After all, it has been my entire life. We live rather differently than most, but it is a good life."
"I have heard that Jedi can do unnatural things. Move things with their minds, for example, or trick people into doing things they do not want to."
"We alone cannot do anything out of the ordinary. If I wanted to move something but could not reach it, I would use the Force's strength instead of my own. And convincing someone to do something is not quite the same as tricking them. The Force simply assists us when we have need of doing these things." Qui-Gon said evenly.
"I have also heard that Jedi can see the future."
Qui-Gon noticed uncomfortably that Chaskaan and Kalua had paused in their conversations to listen to his replies to Reiduy's questions. He wondered what was the matter and chose his words deliberately. "On occasion, we glimpse what may happen. Foresight is not a terribly common ability among the Jedi, but it is not unheard of."
"I am of the opinion that premonition is a type of magic."
Qui-Gon almost laughed but restrained himself. What superstition. "Oh, certainly not. It is entirely different. If we must be warned of something, the Force grants us insight. Magic does not exist, and certainly not for a Jedi."
Reiduy raised his eyebrows. "I believe you are mistaken. Magic may be less noticable in your world but here it cannot hide."
One can be vastly intelligent in many areas and still blind in others, Qui-Gon thought resignedly. He changed the subject. "Have you lived here your whole life?"
Qui-Gon noticed that for the rest of the evening, Obi-Wan was strangely more relaxed than he had been before.
958PM
"Master," Obi-Wan knocked on Qui-Gon's door that evening.
"Yes? Come in," Qui-Gon smiled, wondering what this was about. Obi-Wan was very serious. He wasn't usually so grave.
Obi-Wan entered and sat a bit stiffly in a chair across from Qui-Gon.
"Is something wrong?"
"No," Nevertheless, he frowned as he looked at the carpet for another few moments. It looked like Qui-Gon had to drag it out of him.
"Do you want to talk about something?"
Obi-Wan shrugged, starting to figet.
"Do you want to tell me something?"
Obi-Wan shrugged again and said nothing.
"If you wish to communicate with me, you must speak, aloud."
"I know. I just..." Obi-Wan sighed. "Don't really know what to say."
"Whatever you want to, of course."
Obi-Wan thought for a while. When he spoke, his tone was low and hesitant. "Do you ever get visions?"
So that was what this was about. Qui-Gon studied him. "Yes, occasionally."
"What are they like? For you, I mean."
"Usually, while I'm meditating, I get a glimpse of something that could happen. I never see anything more than a few months in advance, and the vision itself lasts rarely more than a minute."
Obi-Wan was silent. Qui-Gon sensed that he should wait him out.
"My visions always happen exactly as I see them." Obi-Wan said quietly. "They always happen in the middle of the night, and they're always really long." He looked up, uncertainty plain on his face. "That's not normal."
Qui-Gon noted that it wasn't a question: Is that normal? It was simply a statement: That's not normal. "No," he said slowly. "But that's not necessarily a bad thing."
Obi-Wan did not look very convinced, but didn't say anything more.
Qui-Gon started doodling on his datapad, trying to bring the conversation back down to the level of casual chat. "You've gotten over your THIADHD, I've noticed," he said pointedly.
Obi-Wan smiled, but his eyes only sobered more. "Yes," He sat back in his chair, looking out the window.
"Have you taken your precalculus test yet?"
"No," Obi-Wan shook his head. "I was planning to later tonight; I spent the afternoon studying."
"Good," Qui-Gon replied. He raised an eyebrow, smiling. "Heaven knows you need to,"
Obi-Wan's lower lip twitched, and he stood abruptly. "I think I'll go take it now," he said, voice strained. Without waiting for Qui-Gon to say anything, he walked out of the room with tension in his stride.
Qui-Gon wondered if he'd said something wrong. Probably not. Obi-Wan was prone to strange moods. Qui-Gon wished he'd lighten up sometimes. His seriousness was uncanny.
In a few minutes, he passed Obi-Wan's door on the way to the kitchen to beg a drink of water. Hearing voices, he paused. Obi-Wan had said he was taking a test. He heard his Padawan's slightly muffled voice, dripping with irritation.
"...Actually reads my report card. I mean, I'm not a straight-A student, but I'm no slouch. He doesn't have to get on me all the time."
Qui-Gon could tell it was Garen on the comm. He said something Qui-Gon couldn't decipher, and Obi-Wan replied, "Yeah, well at least this test will please him. I'm sure of an A. I think this is the easiest chapter. What are you all doing tonight? Well actually it's morning where you are, isn't it?"
Qui-Gon suddenly felt a pang of remorse. He only pushed Obi-Wan because he was sure Obi-Wan could be a spectacular student if he tried. He really was proud of his Padawan's grades. He resolved to be more encouraging in the future and continued on his mission for a glass.
127PM
The following day, Reiduy gave the Jedi a tour of one of his plantations, one just outside his estate grounds. Qui-Gon found it fascinating, but he noticed that Obi-Wan was still dragging in response to the semnia in the air, especially outside. That was odd. He should have adjusted by then. Perhaps he hadn't slept well the night before. Qui-Gon kept any attention directed toward himself so Obi-Wan wouldn't have to talk very much.
This particular plantation was a small one, kept by only one family and two hired hands. The Jedi didn't get to meet the farmers, a fact Qui-Gon did not appreciate. He was eager to assess for himself whether the farmers needed extra crop to sell. Judging by the house that they saw only from the outside, Qui-Gon thought they probably did, but he would have had to see the inside to make an accurate evaluation. He would have to rely on the farmers' financial reports the next day.
The machinery involved in the processing of the semnia leaf was complex. Reiduy proudly gave them a detailed explanation of the method as they walked through the large warehouse that contained all the tools a few hundred meters away from the house.
"Since this is a small farm," Reiduy said. "The machines are more lightweight and quieter than their counterparts on the outskirts of my territory. They are also easier to use. Teschkul Yassin, one of the workers here, is responsible for that. He is a brilliant engineer, and I employ him all over my land to review production and suggest improvements. Now, you see this large comb here?"
Reiduy continued, and Qui-Gon devoted only part of his attention to his host, storing the information he had just received in the back of his mind. He would like to speak personally to this Teschkul Yassin. The man would have a worker's opinion on Reiduy's general treatment of his farms. Qui-Gon smiled pleasantly and responded in the right places as he tried to think of a way to accomplish a private interview.
When Obi-Wan nearly fell asleep over dinner, Qui-Gon excused him. When he had left, Qui-Gon explained, "I'm sorry. I don't think my Padawan is quite used to Taliadan air yet."
Reiduy raised an eyebrow. "Is he usually so sensitive to changes in air type?"
"No, not really," Qui-Gon shrugged.
Reiduy gave a little hum that Qui-Gon didn't like but couldn't figure why. Then Reiduy smiled broadly and continued their conversation.
