Chapter III
"Grief is thick in the air on this mournful day. Sorrow is an emotion from which no one is spared on this very tragic meeting. As we gather to bid a great Jedi master farewell. Our tradition of cremating the body of those who passed on to become one with the living Force cannot be performed, for there is no body to be cremated. Nevertheless do we honor the late Qui-Gon Jinn with a proper passing. We also send our condolences to his Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi, who in his place will train the young Anakin Skywalker, may the Force be with him, the ways of the Force. But we must remember, there is no emotion, there is peace. Even in this time of sadness. "
Anakin stood by Obi Wan, whose eyes glistened with tears as he stared at the empty fire. It would have been much more difficult for him if Qui-Gon had actually lain there. The absence of a corpse gave Obi Wan no closure. It gave him hope, hope that his master had somehow survived and had saved him from that wretched Sith lord. He was to be summoned by the Jedi Council around noon, shortly after the ceremony. But Obi Wan somehow found himself standing in front of an empty table, wishing he could have more certainty. Anakin had gone with Padmé and Jar Jar yet he remained.
"I see you chose to dismiss our meeting."
Obi-Wan spun around to face the Jedi Master Mace Windu. The man showed no anger or reproach towards the Jedi knight as he came to stand beside him. A weak feigned smile appeared on Obi-Wan's face as he looked down at his hands in an act of shame.
"I suppose I will no longer be up for those trials now, will I Master Windu?"
Mace Windu shook his head as he chuckled softly.
"Even in times of sorrow your sense of sarcasm cannot be diminished. That's a good thing. Though I fear it is your mouth that will one day get you into a trouble you cannot talk yourself out of. "
It calmed Obi-Wan knowing that Mace Windu wasn't angered by his negligence to keep track of time.
"It is no sin to grieve and miss your loved ones. But one mustn't be blinded by it, or it will consume you whole".
Obi-Wan chose not to make a remark in return, be it sarcastic or serious. He merely nodded as he silently agreed with the Jedi master. Mace Windu placed his hand on Kenobi's shoulder and leaned closer as to draw the Jedi's attention to his face instead of the empty table.
"You believe he is still alive, don't you?" The Jedi master was well capable of seeing right through him, he always had possessed this rather bothersome ability. Yoda was well able of doing this too.
"There was no body- and the Sith seemed to have been shut off like a machine. It looked as if someone hit him against the back of his head- but there was nobody else besides me and masters Qui-Gon".
Mace Windu's eyes narrowed as he began to connect the events.
"You believe it is Qui-Gon who knocked the Sith lord unconscious?"
Upon hearing it vocalized Obi-Wan realized just how ludicrous this idea sounded. But then again it seemed to cover all the uncertainties and missing facts. Who else would want to eliminate the Sith? Who else could have masked their presence like that? Mace Windu stared at the table as well now, his expression pensive as he began to debate internally whether or not he was to inform Obi-Wan of the council's latest speculation.
"We have reason to believe the Sith's capture was no accidental happening. The council suspects the Sith are already one step ahead of us. We must tread cautiously; the clouded shroud of the dark side is treacherous. We cannot afford to make a single mistake with this Sith. "
Obi-Wan nodded silently as the ability to actively conjure up words seemed to have slipped away once more. He felt no more useful than Jar Jar in this situation. Although Obi-Wan was well capable of taking care of himself and taking responsibility, this situation left him with mixed emotions and dilemma.
"Until we find a body, there is nothing we can know for su-" Mace Windu's sentence was cut short by an unexpected intrusion, one neither detected beforehand.
"Master Obi-Wan! Master Windu! You need to come quickly!"
Anakin's yelling broke through their conversation, causing both Jedi to exchange a quick glance before running after the boy as fast as they could. The newly appointed Padawan ran as fast as his legs could possible allow him to, through the corridors into briefing room of the senate. Chancellor Palpatine and Yoda stood in the middle of the hallway near the benches, both expressions grim. It was now that both Obi-Wan and Mace Windu could easily sense the disturbance in the Force.
"Gentlemen, I assure you I would not have disturbed you on a, sad day such as this one- but I believe the information I hold will be most precious to you."
Master Yoda now turned his attention to the newly arrived Jedi. "Only recently received this news we have. Foreseen this, we could have not."
Obi-Wan needn't know more to be perfectly aware of what this most precious information would reveal.
"They found- his body."
The former Padawan said in an utmost defeated manner.
"He has been mangled beyond recognition, but our medical droids have confirmed it was indeed Master Qui-Gon Jinn. Chancellor Palpatine continued, his eyes lowering to the ground before letting them settle on Mace Windu.
"A proper cremation should be arranged. We shall inform the other members of the council at once."
Mace Windu spoke sternly before nodding a quick goodbye to both the chancellor and Obi-Wan Kenobi.
"Waste more time, we cannot. Arranged, these matters should be." Yoda finally added before turning to Obi-Wan. "Feel no sorrow, you must- Jedi Kenobi. Stay strong, you must. For your Padawan." And with those words of wisdom the Jedi left to reunite with Mace Windu and the council.
"I have not offered you my condolences yet Master Kenobi. It is most unfortunate to have seen a great Jedi such as your master meet his end so terribly by a creature so foul". The chancellor beckoned him to sit on the nearest seat. Obi-Wan followed his motion and sat next to him.
"I thank you for your kind consideration Chancellor. I have yet to congratulate you on your latest success! You dealt with the blockade with a swiftness chancellor Valorum could not have mustered. "
As Obi-Wan complimented the man before him he could almost hear Qui-Gon's disapproving voice, and his small gesture to remain quiet about politics.
"I only did what was necessary. The people of Naboo had suffered too long; it was time this conflict was settled once and for all." Chancellor muttered ever so calmly. He spoke of life-changing decisions as if they were nothing but a mere option given at the Mos Eisley cantina.
"For now I must leave you young Kenobi, there is much work left for me. Being a chancellor is no easy task." The man mused with a smile on his face before rising back onto his feet. "If you ever feel the need to consult me or simply empty your mind, you can always visit my office." He added, and bade him farewell.
Obi-Wan sat alone again, in all confusion of today's events. In the past half hour he had felt quite a mixture of emotions- only to be overwhelmed with new ones.
"If this day wasn't chaotic then I don't know what is."
The buzzing and whirring of machinery filled his aching, clogged mind. His every thought and being was being blocked by some sort of suppressing force, a Jedi Force to be more exact. Maul made an attempt to open his eyes without paying any heed to the bright lights above him, but was met with a searing pain in his head. He narrowed his eyes and tried to pierce through the light with his own eyes, but the dark side of the Force had abandoned him completely.
"I was almost afraid I had killed you. I am more than glad to see you have proven me wrong."
Maul's stomach dropped, his both hearts now strained under the pure shock of hearing a voice he had not anticipated to hear.
"Impossible." He growled, his voice filled with- what seemed to be- fear.
"Don't act so surprised, you should have known you were at a disadvantage. The ways of the Dark side are misleading, and ever so deceptive am I it appears."
"You should have stayed dead. . . ." Maul spat.