21
"I do feel sadness," Qui-Gon admitted. "I've tried to understand why. Sometimes our own hearts can be such a mystery."
The Queen nodded. "Just ask Beju" she said. "My son is just beginning to understand himself."
Prince Beju's ship landed perfectly in the spaceport. The Prince exchanged a smile with the Jedi and stretched his arms and legs out. It had been a short and pleasant journey. He found Qui-Gon's company very enjoyable and he liked talking to him. The Jedi was definitely wise and had seen many things. The boy was eager to hear about them and it painfully reminded him of his lost padawan. The Jedi closed his eyes and reached out through the Force for the newly formed bond. There was nothing. It didn't necessarily mean that Obi-Wan was not here. The bond was extremely new and who knows what the memory wipe did to the boy's distinct signature. The Jedi was hoping for something close, but there was nothing. He inwardly sighed, but was not going to leave until he knew for certain that his padawan hadn't been here. He rubbed his fingers over the river stone and it calmed him down.
"Home!" Beju cried in relief as his honor guard prepared to exit the craft. "Master Qui-Gon, will you accompany me to the palace? I can find you a guide from there and anything else you need for your search."
The Jedi nodded and Beju smiled. Qui-Gon almost winced when he was reminded yet again of his padawan. Prince Beju had a way of doing that. Sometimes the Jedi would be talking to him and for a second think of Obi-Wan. It made little sense to the Jedi Master. Obi-Wan and Beju looked nothing alike save for their height.
"I must admit I have a double agenda though." Beju said wryly.
"And what is that?" Qui-Gon asked in amusement.
"You're my only witness of me publicly debasing myself." Beju said succinctly.
"You mean helping the Phindians rebuild their planet?" Qui-Gon laughed.
"Yes, exactly. My mother or the councilors will not believe my sincerity."
"I'd be happy to clear that up for you. I will tell them how you picked up litter, how you fell into a waste tunnel trying to repair the sewer system, how you scrubbed the windows in the housing district, and how you were used as a beast of burden carting supplies from the warehouse to the market everyday."
"On second thought don't say anything. Aren't the Jedi known for their silence anyways?"
The Jedi and Prince walked down the ramp side by side, laughing and bantering. The Honor Guard snuck surprised looks to each other as they saw their transmogrified Prince.
"Not always. If negotiations are not going well some of us have been known to talk until one side gets so fed up that they agree to compromise. It's a very good tactic." Qui-Gon smirked.
The Honor Guard parted the crowd of Galacians and Qui-Gon and the Prince were able to walk freely. The guards led the Prince and his guest towards a very elaborate skiff. Qui-Gon stopped and eyed it critically. It was a mark of power, but there were others equally as opulent. Something was drastically wrong with the planet's class system. Qui-Gon couldn't find much of a middle class. They were either wealthy or poor. Perhaps the elections would change this, but nothing was certain. Beju looked at Qui-Gon strangely and Qui-Gon smiled.
"Might I suggest an alternative Prince Beju?" Qui-Gon asked.
The prince crossed his arms and sighed.
"Qui-Gon you are going to be the death of me! What is it?" He asked in his forced-imperious voice.
The Jedi laughed and grasped Beju's shoulder in camaraderie. He extended his hand and encompassed the city.
"Walk with me," Qui-Gon suggested simply.
"Walk!" The prince asked incredulously.
"Do you see your people?" Qui-Gon asked and Beju took a long look at the spaceport. "How can you know what they want if you never walk among them?"
Beju paused for a long time and continued to stare at the bustling spaceport. The Honor Guard were now freely exchanging glances of suspicion. Who was this imposter Prince Beju who came back to Gala? Their Prince deliberated the Jedi's words and his brow furrowed as if it was the most important decision of his life.
"All right Qui-Gon, but only because you saved my life once." Beju conceded.
The Jedi smiled as the Prince ordered the Honor Guard to leave him be and to inform the Queen that he would arrive much later than expected. The Guard muttered something under their breaths but they didn't dare disobey their Prince's orders. Once the Prince and Jedi were alone the odd pair began to walk towards the palace.
Beju squinted as he exited the spaceport. His hand shielded his eyes from the weak sunlight and seemed to take the entire scene in. Galacians milled about and didn't seem to notice that their Prince was walking among them. He usually did not go into the city. He had been born and raised at the palace and there was never a need for him to go into the city. The prince's pale blue eyes skimmed the entire scene and his eyebrows furrowed together. The city was dilapidated and parts of it were falling apart. There was poverty and then there was extreme wealth. There wasn't a lack of food or parts like on Phindar. There was just something wrong and Beju could not figure out what it was. Had Gala changed so much in his absence or had he changed?
"Qui-Gon," Beju started softly. "I do not understand how I did not see this."
The pair continued to walk through the city. The entire populace seemed to ignore them. Even the Jedi found this a little odd. Did they not recognize the Prince of Gala or did they just not care? It couldn't be the latter. Galacians weren't the most curious of races, but they did know their Queen and her son.
"They told me everything was fine and I need not worry about it." Beju said, deep in thought.
They passed a once beautiful, but now completely decrepit building. Laughing children ran around and through the building. Several adults (presumably their parents) were talking together. They were obviously poor by the looks of their garb. One of the adults began to laugh and soon all of them were laughing at some personal joke. The children continued to play and when hearing their parents laughing they ran to them and hugged their legs. Beju and Qui-Gon were both lost to their thoughts.
"How did I miss this?" Beju asked again.
"Sometimes we only see what we want to or what others want us to," Qui-Gon responded.
"But it was always right in front of me." Beju protested.
"That is probably the hardest thing for any being to see. If they see it enough they forget its value or perhaps believe it doesn't have any value for them."
Prince Beju was silent for a moment and absorbed the words. He looked at the ground for awhile, but when he finally looked up Qui-Gon thought he saw something flicker in the boy's eyes.
"Thank you Master Qui-Gon," Beju said clearly and slightly inclined his head in respect.
A familiar stab of pain went through the Jedi's heart as that simple action reminded him of his lost padawan poignantly. It was hard enough to keep his emotions in check, but Beju was reminding him more and more of Obi-Wan. What possible lesson was the Force trying to teach him with this?
"Do not thank me just yet Prince Beju," Qui-Gon said as he nodded toward a mass of people coming towards them on the street.
"What is..?" Prince Beju started to ask.
The mass of people were holding signs that were flashing blue and gold with the name DECA. Qui-Gon felt a slight warning in the Force as the crowd became closer to them. There were few things Qui-Gon truly feared, but the passion of a mob was one of them. When enraged beings formed together and fed each other's fervor they abandoned all logic and reason. There was only the rage and the invincibility of the numbers.
"Deca Brun?" The Prince scoffed. "Do these people even know what their dear Deca has been up to?"
The rally continued towards the two and Qui-Gon was inconspicuously herding the young Prince away from the street.
"What do you mean?" Qui-Gon asked; his voice not betraying the slight anxiety he felt.
"Deca doesn't come from a wealthy family like Wila Prammi or myself. He simply doesn't have the funds to support this sort of campaign. Someone is financing him and I'm sure they're not doing it out of the kindness of their hearts. They'd want something back; something that Deca could give them if he was in charge." The prince said seriously.
"And you haven't leaked this out for your own campaign's benefit why?" Qui-Gon asked.
"I don't have enough proof and Giba says…" The Prince began but then trailed off in thought.
The Prince had a strange facial expression on his face and he was tapping his chin thoughtfully. His eyes squinted as if glaring at the Deca supporters.
"Hmmm…" Beju murmured.
Qui-Gon felt another wave of anger hit him and saw another group coming from the opposite end of the street. They held Wila Prammi signs and when they spotted the Deca supporters they began to wave their signs more menacingly. The tension on the street went up exponentially. The Jedi Master was starting to get worried. They were stuck between the two opposing groups.
"Prince Beju, I think it's time we leave." The Jedi suggested.
"Wait!" Beju called. "Where are my supporters?"
Qui-Gon almost let out a long exasperated sigh. This was no time for the Prince to recover his vanity! The two mobs finally clashed into each other and Qui-Gon winced as a stray fist found its way into his gut. He looked around wildly through the flailing limbs and melee for the Prince. What he saw somehow didn't surprise him. The Prince was holding his hands up in the air with a strange smile. Most of the Galacians didn't notice him, but those that did had dropped their weapons and looked rather scared.
"PEOPLE OF GALU, CEASE THIS IMMEDIATELY!" The Prince bellowed.
If there was one defining characteristic of the Prince it was his voice when he was issuing an order. The people immediately froze—some with signs raised high above their heads. They people may have supported another candidate, but they obeyed their usually ill-tempered prince. Most of them were shocked to see the Prince amongst them. A silent hush fell over the people.
"Now, you!" The Prince pointed towards a Deca-supporter.
The supporter had a blank and confused expression on his face as he pointed to himself.
"Yes, you! You will take your rally over in that direction."
"But..." The man stuttered.
"Do not question me, just obey!" The prince snapped. "I'm not happy with this either! I mean here everyone thinks a democracy will be beneficial for Gala and look how you prove it!"
The two groups looked almost shamed. Qui-Gon merely watched the prince with a serene expression. As much as the prince had changed he was still the same proud young man he always was who could order around almost anyone he felt like it. Phindar had been good for him.
"And you!" The Prince pointed towards a Prammi supporter. The supported flinched but managed to step forward. "You will take your rally that way!"
The Prince had chosen two completely opposite directions. He narrowed his eyes at the two groups and crossed his arms as if daring one of them to disobey him.
"Now!" He ordered and the two groups immediately complied.
As the groups walked away from each other they were whispering to each other and exchanging looks of amazement. Prince Beju was becoming the talk of the entire rally and most supporters forgot about the rally altogether and began to animatedly discuss how the Prince's return from Phindar was going to affect the whole election. Neither the Deca nor Prammi followers had expected anything such as this.
After the two groups had left Beju began to laugh and shake his head in amusement. The Jedi shot him a questioning look and Beju's smile grew. They began to walk towards the palace on the Hill again.
"That was fun," Beju smirked.
"Well done. I'm sure you fully realize how much this is going to help your campaign don't you?" Qui-Gon remarked.
"Fully!" The Prince said with excitement. "You wouldn't consider becoming my political advisor would you?"
"I'm afraid I'll have to decline." Qui-Gon responded gracefully.
"Your damn Jedi ethics are getting in the way of my glorious rule of Gala!" Beju joked.
"Glorious rule?" Qui-Gon asked.
"Too much? How about my celebrated and august leadership?"
"If you insist, but the election isn't won yet." Qui-Gon said slyly.
"You speak too truly Jedi. Tell me, how do you rig an election?"
Qui-Gon shook his head and hoped the prince was joking.
"Don't tell me your ethics get in the way of that too!" The prince said with mock astonishment.
"Perhaps the renowned and perfect prince of Gala needs another lesson in humility." Qui-Gon suggested.
"I have an election to win Jedi!" The prince protested.
"And I have an apprentice to find." Qui-Gon murmured.
The two were silent for the rest of the way to the palace.
The palace was made of a beautiful white material that glistened in the pale sunlight. It had two tall towers that reached towards the heavens. Embedded within the towers were azurite crystals and other gems that made the spires shimmer whenever the sun hit them right. Sunrise and sunset were a beautiful occurrence to behold as each gem lit up on its own and cast a different color on the white building. The roof was gilded with gold and the sight would make any thief's mouth water.
Once Beju and Qui-Gon had hiked up the large hill the palace rested on the guards were at full attention. They offered crisp salutes as the pair walked by, but Qui-Gon heard the sounds of wonder and confusion when the guards thought they were out of hearing range. Beju obviously heard it to and he smirked.
"They'll all think I've gone mad Qui-Gon!" Beju said with glee.
"Have you?" Qui-Gon asked sincerely.
"I think I have," Beju said, but he didn't sound bothered by it.
The Prince and Jedi approached a large ornate door that led into the Queen's receiving room. Beju threw open the door without any compunction about the noise it made when it slammed into the wall. Inside the room were the Queen and a Master-Apprentice team who looked with confusion at Qui-Gon. Qui-Gon didn't recognize the padawan, but the Master he knew as an acquaintance. After a moment of complete silence from both parties Beju decided to speak
"I have returned!" He said with flair.
The Master looked at Qui-Gon with a silent question while the padawan couldn't hide the annoyance on his face. The padawan was an older one, probably about the same age as Prince Beju. Qui-Gon quickly subdued the stab of grief that went through him. Obi-Wan was supposed to be standing next to him in the Jedi team's place.
"Beju, explain this dramatic entrance!" The Queen said with a mixture of annoyance and amusement.
"Mother," Beju smiled and bowed slightly. "You are looking much better. How are you feeling?"
"Beju!" She sighed in exasperation.
"Oh, I forget my manners. Mother, this is Jedi Knight Qui-Gon Jinn."
The Queen's pale eyes found Qui-Gon's and she raised an eyebrow. Her face was completely pale and it looked like she was wasting away. Qui-Gon reached out to the Living Force and knew for sure. The Queen was dying.
"I am honored Queen Veda." Qui-Gon bowed.
"Beju has a lot of explaining to do." The Queen remarked softly.
"All in due time Mother!" The Prince smiled.
"I hope this one is better than your usual excuses my son."
"When you hear the whole story I am sure you will be proud of your son." Qui-Gon said seriously and Prince Beju smiled genuinely.
"Thank you Master Jinn. Perhaps it is best now if we discuss what you shall need in your search." Beju suggested.
"Search?" The Queen asked.
The two Jedi stepped forward. They were interested in what Qui-Gon was doing back on the planet he specifically asked the council to send another team to. The team had gotten sketchy details on why the Jedi Master had abandoned the Gala mission.
"My apprentice is missing. Prince Beju thought it wise I start looking on Gala first since the planet is in close proximity to Phindar." Qui-Gon said seriously.
The other Jedi sent another questioning glare towards Qui-Gon. Qui-Gon met it, but his face was completely impassive. The Jedi's name was Reben Kazaran and he was a thirty-year old human with a bushy beard. As hard as Reben tried to get his hair under control it was too thick to tame. The Jedi eventually compromised with keeping the hair on his head very short, but his beard longer than most. The reddish-brown beard went down to his chest. His padawan looked like any other sixteen year old apprentice. The braid looked fairly long signifying that the padawan had been picked pretty early.
"An apprentice? Since when did the 'lone-warrior' get an apprentice?" Reben asked with a laugh.
Qui-Gon felt a tendril of annoyance and anger go through him. It was quickly subdued by shame and guilt as he pondered the question. He hadn't even had Obi-Wan as an apprentice for a month before the boy was missing.
"It was very recent," Qui-Gon managed to choke out.
"Oh…" Reben said ineloquently.
The grieving Jedi was glad that Reben didn't say anything else, but he still felt like the other Jedi was judging him. Everyone at the templeknew about Xanatos except for the Apprentices. Having an apprentice go practically dark side wasn't one of those things you could brag about. Qui-Gon usually didn't speak of it and no one did either.
"I would greatly appreciate it if I was allowed full access to Galu and its surrounding regions. Also anonymity would be greatly desired." The Jedi said.
"Of course Qui-Gon," The prince agreed. "Is there anything else we can do for you? Do you have a holo of your apprentice? We could make missing-person posters."
"I do not." Qui-Gon shook his head.
"Perhaps just a description then…" Beju trailed off in thought.
Qui-Gon was going to begin to describe his lost padawan when the Queen held up her hand to cease all conversation. Qui-Gon respectfully bowed his head as did the other Jedi.
"I would advise against this." The Queen said seriously and with much effort.
"Mother, this man saved my life! The least we could do is—"Beju was cut off.
The Queen held up her hand and to her surprise her son immediately ceased speaking. Since when did Beju ever stop from voicing his opinion at anyone's request?
"The political groups will know these missing posters are coming from the palace; from you." The Queen looked at her son. "They will turn this search into a political maneuver. It'll increase the chance of this apprentice being found, but then you've just turned the apprentice into a political tool to get more votes. Another scenario would be that no one would notice. The people are too consumed with the election to care about a lost off-worlder."
The Queen looked slightly out of breath after her speech and two servants quickly helped her settle back into her gilded chair. She was already quite worn out with explaining Gala's situation to the other Jedi. The toll of the day was finally getting to her. Her icy blue eyes shone from hooded eyelids. Her shimmer silk dress changed colors as she tried to regain her strength. Her son hesitated and then briskly walked over to his mother. He kneeled on the left side of the chair and held his mother's hand as he looked into her pale face.
"Mother?" He asked with a tiny hint of fear in his voice.
Here was the missing piece of the boy's character that Qui-Gon was searching for. There were times when he sensed a quiet anxiety about the Prince. The boy was torn between worry over his mother and most likely a feeling of betrayal. The Queen took away his birthright when she called for elections. That must have stung the Prince more than he let on. Beju squeezed his mother's hand in assurance and the Queen smiled at him weakly.
"I'm… sorry," The Queen apologized. "I did not anticipate so much excitement for one day. I must retire to my room." She said barely louder than a whisper.
Several servants immediately sprang into action and practically carried their Queen to her chambers. The prince was left with three concerned Jedi and his own fear. He shook his head as if to clear it and then turned back towards Qui-Gon.
"She is right Qui-Gon. The other candidates would use your apprentice as some sort of pawn to either knock me out of the race or make themselves look good." Beju sighed.
"Politics!" The Jedi Master growled, but he knew the Queen was right.
The chamber doors opened again and in came a frail and balding man with an escort of guards. His shrewd eyes fell on his Prince and the Jedi. His silver robe made a swishing noise as he made his way towards the four.
"My Prince," The man bowed. "I am glad you have finally returned."
"Giba…" Beju acknowledged.
Lonnag Giba noted that something had drastically changed in the Prince's demeanor. He also thought he detected a hint of suspicion in the Prince's eyes. Something definitely wasn't right and he was going to get to the bottom of this. He smiled as the gears in his head worked furiously. He had the Prince in the palm of his hand. He didn't have to worry. Beju would do anything he told him to. He was absolutely certain of it.
Still… Something had definitely changed and he was going to find out what it was. First things first: He didn't want the Jedi meddling in his affairs. He'd have to find a way to keep them confined to the palace unless they had an escort with them. With the Queen so weak she didn't have the strength to defend the Jedi. The decision would ultimately rest in Beju's hands and Giba controlled those hands. Of this he was fully confident.
A/N: All right, I wrote this chapter because I thought Beju needed his very own chapter. After this he only plays a minor role in eveyrthing that goes on. I'm going to miss him!
I'm sorry to disappoint any of you… but this fic is not even close to being done. I mean I have probably a chapter or two before Qui-Gon actually gets to see Obi-Wan. The next stage is all about Obi-Wan trying to recover his memories and believe me that is the most difficult part of this whole journey. I'm sorry this took longer than the last one. My attention is being split by a new fandom… Sorry guys!