Disclaimer: I don't own Obi-Wan, Siri, or Star Wars. Sad, right?
The Knight And His Queen
Chapter 10
The woman looked increasingly more nervous, and her eyes shifted from side to side. "It's too dangerous to speak openly here. Follow me to a safer place," she requested.
Qui-Gon studied the woman for a moment before nodding. The Jedi followed her out of the alley and down the street.
Ral-Gon was surprised, not for the first time, at how his master could be so trusting. Qui-Gon had a rare talent of being able to sense people's intentions and ended up befriending them in the end. His father often jokingly remarked that Qui-Gon was always picking up "pathetic lifeforms". The young Kenobi wasn't sure if that was a skill he would someday acquire as a Jedi, but he would certainly try his best.
The woman led them down many side streets and cut across several alleyways. It was obvious to Ral-Gon that she was making sure they weren't followed, or ensuring that the Jedi didn't remember the way. It was probable that she was doing it for both these reasons. The Jedi, however, were trained to remember even the most complex directions.
Finally, she approached an abandoned warehouse of some kind. She knocked three times on the door.
"What is the password?" said a stern and low voice that seemed to come from above them. Ral-Gon noticed a moment later that the voice was coming from a dirty little speaker right above the door.
"Montari," the woman whispered. The door opened.
Ral-Gon followed his master into a darkened room, his senses all on full alert. There were several other people in this room, but all of them were still and watchful. The door closed silently behind them, and then a dim light was turned on.
The young Jedi surveyed the crowd of a dozen scared and shell-shocked men and women. All of them looked as if they had been through more hardships than any one person should bear. Yet despite this, they all turned their keen gazes on the Jedi and their weapons were aimed.
One of the men stepped forward confidently and leveled his blaster at Qui-Gon's chest. The Jedi Master didn't do so much as bat an eye. Ral-Gon's hand edged closer to his lightsaber hilt, but one look from his master stilled his hand.
The man didn't move a muscle, attempting to stare down the Jedi Master. It appeared to be a battle of wills between the two, but Qui-Gon wasn't going to step down so easily. The stranger broke eye contact and instead stared down the woman who brought them.
"Why did you bring them here?" the man demanded of her.
"Jarris, they are Jedi. If anyone can help, then-," she started to continue, but was cut off.
"Even if they are Jedi, that doesn't mean they will help us!" the man exclaimed.
"Please, Jarris," the woman pleaded with him.
"You shouldn't have done this, Lora," Jarris said regretfully. "Even Jedi can't solve our problem."
"Why don't you tell us first," Qui-Gon suggested. "And then we can tell you if we could offer our services."
Jarris reacted by moving his blaster to Qui-Gon's temple. "I don't see why I should trust you."
"If you would kindly lower your blaster, then perhaps I can give you a few reasons," Qui-Gon stated logically.
Jarris looked extremely skeptical, but he lowered his blaster and looked pointedly at the Jedi Master.
"For one, if I was truly against you, my padawan and I could've disarmed this entire group in moments."
Jarris didn't blink, though some of the others looked totally unnerved.
"I know that you are the resistance. And to be quite honest I was looking for you," Qui-Gon said simply.
"And why would you be looking for us?" Jarris asked suspiciously.
"The simplicity of Omega's take over would make anyone suspicious. When you've been involved in politics as long as I have, you know there is always a resistance to be found," Qui-Gon replied. "Our mission on Telos is to make sure the negotiations with Solera run smoothly. I don't trust Omega not to involve both worlds in a civil war."
"That wouldn't be difficult, considering that every man, woman and child is born with a deep hatred of Solera. Including us," Jarris said.
"The definition of Jedi should be peacemakers, for that is what we do. If you want to bring peace to your world, then we are on the same side," Qui-Gon replied thoughtfully.
Jarris was quiet for a long moment and it appeared that he was deep in thought. Finally, however, the man smiled. "Well then, welcome to the Montari Resistance."
Obi-Wan sat with Siri beside the death bed of his father-in-law. In the short period of time they were there, Tolan went dramatically from very sick to fatally ill. The old king looked worn and weary; he looked as if he was ready to fall into the eternal sleep at any moment.
As strong as Siri was, she was taking her father's illness very hard. Obi-Wan knew that the stress of having to worry about a new baby along with the leadership of her world only caused her more pain. Siri initially tried to use the Force to heal her father's body, but it was a losing battle, even when Obi-Wan helped.
King Tolan's breath came in short gasps, indicating that the end was near. Mari clutched her husband's hand and whispered soft words in his ear. Afterwards, she quickly wiped her tears away, trying to be strong. In some ways Siri was very much like her mother.
"Siri," Tolan choked out in obvious pain.
Siri turned her teary blue gaze on to the worn face of her father. "Yes?" she asked in a quiet voice.
"You will be Queen very soon," he whispered.
"Don't talk like that," Siri replied.
"I love you," Tolan said sincerely. Then he looked at Obi-Wan. "Take good care of her, son."
"I will, Father," Obi-Wan replied honestly.
Tolan moved his head with great effort to gaze at his wife for the last time and smiled. "I love you."
King Tolan Tachi of Solera breathed for the last time. Then, he was gone. Obi-Wan pulled Siri into an embrace. Things would change dramatically now, for his Jedi wife was now Queen.