Chapter 25 – Together Again
19 BBY – Polis Massa
Qui-Gon was sitting cross-legged in the center of his personal chamber on Polis Massa. Eyes closed, he was attempting to relieve his pain through the Force like Plagueis had shown him to do all those years ago. It was odd, but in many ways Qui-Gon related quite closely with the late Sith Master. Both he and Plagueis had been cripplingly enfeebled in their later life, so much so that they struggled to walk, or – in Plagueis' case – to breathe. Moreover, he and Plagueis shared a common trauma of being spurned by Shmi on multiple occasions.
For the brief few weeks he and Plagueis had been acquainted, he had therefore been on surprisingly good terms with the erstwhile Sith whom Qui-Gon could in an odd way consider as his father-in-law. Despite his initial fury at Plagueis' inability to hold up his end of the bargain, Qui-Gon's virulence dissipated quite quickly. He had come to realize that Plagueis was not to blame for Shmi's decision to leave Polis Massa. The only person who could be blamed for that was Shmi herself.
Yet sadly the two had not had much time to develop their fledgling camaraderie. Sidious arrived on Polis Massa two weeks after Qui-Gon. He had been terrified, certain that Sidious had uncovered the truth behind Dooku's plot and had come to kill him. He had been wrong, however. Sidious had come to kill Plagueis instead, but not after torturing him and demanding he reveal the identity of Darth Elegius.
Qui-Gon had watched the security holograms of the brutal interrogation after the fact, cringing viscerally when he saw Sidious strangle his former master to death. Plagueis had not cracked, however. At the very least, Qui-Gon could rest assured that Sidious didn't know that it was Shmi who was after him. This wasn't a source of much comfort for Qui-Gon, however.
For three years, he had toiled away on this desolate asteroid field, waiting for the day when something would happen – for anything to happen! He was far too weak to travel, so patience was forced upon him. The doldrums of solitude had been unbearable for Qui-Gon who had never prided himself on his forbearance. The rate of his recovery was constant, but nevertheless it was excruciatingly slow. For the first year, he had been more or less unable to walk on his own. Whenever he did need to move – which was rare considering he had nothing to do anyway – he would use his wheelchair. His muscles had atrophied considerably, making him weak when he finally did regain complete control over his limbs. Therefore over the course of the past two years he had been gradually regaining his strength, progressing steadily but slowly.
Nowadays, he could walk well enough on his own. Long distances were a struggle, however. When he had first become confident in his ability to walk, he had tried to traverse the entire diameter of the Polis Massa facility – which he estimated was about one kilometer long – but had quickly found that this task far too strenuous for him. The previous morning, however, he had managed to walk back and forth across the immaculate, featureless hallways three times. Although he had been winded by the end of this excursion, he was becoming increasingly confident that he would be able to leave Polis Massa on his own accord sooner rather than later.
He was contemplating this dull optimism when his eyes suddenly flew open. While his body had been weakened tremendously by the projection on Geonosis, his mind and his access of the Force had not been. On the contrary, he had found that his ability to tap into the Force had been improved by his physical ailment. This coupled with the perpetually stagnant activity of Polis Massa rendered Qui-Gon hyper alert to the arrival of newcomers to the base.
His natural inclination was toward fear. The last person to arrive on Polis Massa had been Darth Sidious three years prior. Could it be that the Sith Lord had returned? Had he learned of his existence and had come to snuff him out? Qui-Gon knew at once, however, that his fears were unfounded. He detected no such evil emanating from these unexpected visitors. Whoever they were, they weren't affiliated with the dark side of the Force, of this he was certain.
Closing his eyes once more, Qui-Gon contemplated the Force signature of this intruder. There was something oddly familiar about it. Something… old.
"Master Yoda," he said aloud, inhaling sharply as he felt an odd tremor in the Force. Even though his eyes were still closed, he felt as if he could see the Grand Master nonetheless. Sight wasn't the correct descriptor for what he was experiencing, but he had no other way to explain it. He could see Yoda far clearer than if he were using his own eyes.
"Master," he said again when Yoda didn't respond. "Welcome to Polis Massa."
Who is this? he heard Yoda say, the tremor of his voice revealing his surprise. No doubt it must have come as a shock to hear Qui-Gon's voice in his mind like that without warning.
"An old acquaintance," Qui-Gon said with a faint smile. "Or perhaps a new foe," he added ominously. "What brings you here?"
In danger, we are, Yoda told him gravely.
"From whom?" Qui-Gon asked.
Elegius.
Qui-Gon opened his eyes abruptly, severing the bond between him and Yoda. Brow furrowed, he looked down at his hands which were rested against his knees. They were trembling slightly, along with the rest of his body. It seemed the brief conversation with Yoda had been especially taxing on him.
What had Yoda meant? How could it be that he was in danger from Shmi? She had no quarrel with the Jedi; her sole ambition was the destruction of Sidious, or so he thought. Plagueis' portentous prediction three years ago rang in his mind as he considered this.
The power she commands will consume her in time.
Could it be that Shmi had turned against the Jedi? But for what reason? Had she been corrupted by the dark side like Plagueis had foretold?
He needed to communicate with Yoda in order to find out what was happening. Yet he found that he was unable to. He could neither recreate the bond nor stand upright to go find him physically. His body would not comply with either of these attempts.
And so he waited. Hours passed as he forced himself to remain patient with himself. Probing into the Force, he kept tabs on Yoda's Force presence. He was too weak to reestablish the connection, but he could identify what the Grand Master was feeling. The normally calm Jedi sage was now flustered and antsy. Never before had he seen Yoda in such a state. Something cataclysmic must have happened in order to rattle him this severely.
It was several hours later – how many, Qui-Gon couldn't know for sure – when Yoda's voice suddenly rang in his mind once more.
An old acquaintance, you say. Know you, do I?
Qui-Gon snorted at this question. Did Yoda really not recognize his voice? Perhaps that wasn't surprising. After all, Yoda along with the rest of the Jedi knew him to be dead.
"It is your old colleague, Qui-Gon Jinn," he said, deciding to drop his anonymity. He had no need to be reticent with Yoda now that he was sure that he posed no threat nor harbored any ill-intent toward him.
Dead, Qui-Gon Jinn is, Yoda said after a long, incredulous silence. Not possible, this is.
"You are too close-minded, Master Jedi," Qui-Gon ridiculed. "Nothing is truly impossible."
Understand, I do not.
"Nor do you need to," Qui-Gon said acerbically. "Tell me about Elegius."
Yoda hesitated for a moment longer before answering, evidently deliberating whether to probe deeper into the nature of Qui-Gon's miraculous resurrection. Overthrown the Republic, the Sith has, Yoda told him eventually. Order the clones to kill the Jedi, she did.
Qui-Gon frowned, not believing Yoda's interpretation of events. Surely Shmi would not have done that. She had no reason to do such a thing! Nor was it in her nature to condone much less initiate such wanton violence.
"What about Anakin?" he asked.
Skywalker? Yoda said, clearly bemused by this question.
"Yes, Anakin," Qui-Gon said patiently. "Does he know what happened?"
Know not, do I, Yoda said. Dead, I presume he is.
"You're wrong. She wouldn't kill her own son," Qui-Gon said.
Son? Yoda repeated.
"Did you not know?" Qui-Gon asked, flummoxed by Yoda's confusion. "Shmi is Elegius." Judging by Yoda's stunned silence, Qui-Gon could be quite sure that Yoda had not known this. But how could he not have? The Jedi had all seen her on Geonosis. Was it possible they hadn't recognized her? She had looked quite different, he could concede that much, but surely Windu would have known who she was.
Mistaken, you must be, Yoda said finally. Too strong, Elegius is.
"Shmi is strong, you've just never been able to see it," Qui-Gon said tartly, offended on behalf of his wife. The Jedi had always underestimated her abilities. Even when she had been a rising star in the Jedi Order, the Council had always been so condescending toward her perhaps on account due to her unassuming personality.
Know this, how do you? Yoda asked.
"Because I am her husband," Qui-Gon told him without hesitation. "And Anakin is my son. Do you know where he is? Is he with Shmi?" Once more, Qui-Gon was met with stunned silence. Growling irritably at Yoda's inhibiting bewilderment, he pressed further. "Tell me what I need to know," he demanded lowly.
Know not, do I of Skywalker's whereabouts, Yoda said. If not dead, with Elegius I presume. Turn to the dark side, he must have done.
"Absolutely not," Qui-Gon said at once. "Anakin would never do that."
Sure, are you? Yoda asked.
"You think I don't know my own son?" Qui-Gon asked angrily. "If Shmi really did turn against the Jedi, which I doubt, Anakin would never have joined her. He would never condone that."
Trust your judgement, I will, Yoda said a bit begrudgingly. Hope you are right, I do.
"I know I'm right," Qui-Gon said assuredly.
With that, the bond was broken abruptly once more. Startled by the suddenness of the disconnection, Qui-Gon opened his eyes and blinked a few times. He was thoroughly exhausted by this point, but something else was at the forefront of his mind. He sensed something familiar.
Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan was here! He knew his old Padawan's Force signature like the back of his hand, there was no doubt that Obi-Wan was here on Polis Massa. Yoda had made no mention of Obi-Wan, although he had referred to a collective 'we' when telling Qui-Gon they were in danger. Could it be they had arrived together?
Determined to see his friend, Qui-Gon forgot that he was in no condition to walk. Standing up too suddenly, he felt a rush of lightheadedness which nearly caused him to fall over. Stabilizing himself, he stumbled across the room toward his wheelchair and collapsed into the seat. Taking a few moments to catch his breath, he wheeled himself out of the room, excitement at the prospect of seeing a familiar face overpowering his body's explicit protestations against such strenuous activity.
Rolling down the hallways, Qui-Gon began to sweat profusely under the bright lights as the adrenaline began to wear off. Ignoring this, Qui-Gon followed Obi-Wan's Force presence with almost manic desperation. It had been so long since he had seen anybody, he wasn't going to let his frail body prevent him from being reunited with his former Padawan.
His wheels skidded a bit as he made a sharp turn down another hallway and nearly collided with a man wearing a blue tunic. By pressing his feet against the ground and grabbing the wheels with his hands, Qui-Gon managed to prevent himself from tipping over. As he stabilized himself, he looked up to meet the gaze of an especially flustered gentleman.
"Who are you?" the stranger asked sharply.
"You first," Qui-Gon said with a frown. This was neither Obi-Wan nor Yoda, although it was reasonable to assume that he was affiliated with them somehow. Why else would be here?
"I am Bail Organa, Senator and Viceroy of Alderaan," the man informed him grandly, his broad chest puffed outward with pride.
Qui-Gon arched an eyebrow as he scrutinized the man's face with heightened interest. He knew that name, although he was fairly sure they had never met face to face before. He remembered Organa being one of Senator Amidala's allies in the Senate who opposed the expansion of the Chancellor's war powers.
"What are you doing on Polis Massa?" Qui-Gon asked.
Organa opened his mouth to respond but paused, clearly unsure whether to trust Qui-Gon or not. He could appreciate the Senator's dilemma. After all, why should he have any reason to trust this stranger in a wheelchair who had only moments ago nearly collided head on with him? Organa was saved from having to answer, however, when a soft pattering sound of footsteps and the distinctive tap of a cane caused both men to turn their heads to the left.
Emerging from around the corner, Master Yoda paused when his eyes met Qui-Gon's. The two Jedi stared at each other silently for a few moments, Organa's eyes darting between the two as he remained speechless as well. Finally, Yoda broke the tense silence.
"Master Jinn, a surprise this is," he said finally. "Resurrected, have you been?"
"One would have to die in order to be resurrected," Qui-Gon responded smartly.
"Survive Dooku's blade on Geonosis, did you?" Yoda asked curiously. "How?"
"That's a story for another time," Qui-Gon said as he reoriented his wheelchair so he and Yoda could face each other directly. "Where is Obi-Wan? I know he's here."
"Gone to confront young Skywalker, he has," Yoda informed him.
"Anakin?" Qui-Gon asked. "But he's not here."
"Sense him, do you not?" Yoda asked with a tilt of his head.
"I would know if my own son arrived on this asteroid," Qui-Gon said stiffly.
"Clouded by the dark side, Anakin has become," Yoda told him. "Recognize him, you must not have."
"How dare you…" Qui-Gon trailed off as he contemplated a rupture in the Force which he hadn't noticed before now. In his excitement about detecting Obi-Wan, he must not have paid attention to it. Now that he considered it, however, he couldn't deny that there was something deeply familiar about it. In spite of the tenebrous shadow concealing it, Qui-Gon could tell that Anakin's Force signature was at the core of this vergence.
"Told Obi-Wan your assessment, I did," Yoda told him. "Save Skywalker from himself, Obi-Wan will."
"Anakin doesn't need to be saved," Qui-Gon said. "Where is he? I'll go talk to him."
"Talk to your son, you need not," Yoda said with a shake of his wizened head.
"But –"
"More than capable, Obi-Wan is," Yoda interrupted. "Needed elsewhere, you are."
"Elsewhere? What else could I possibly…"
But Yoda wasn't listening, having turned around and shuffled away back down the hallway from which he had come. Frustrated, Qui-Gon wheeled himself after Yoda and caught up with the diminutive Grand Master quickly.
"I want to see my son," Qui-Gon said resolutely, feeling a sense of déjà vu as he remembered telling Dooku the same thing on Geonosis three years ago. Much to his chagrin, It seemed that Yoda was just as definitive as his former Padawan had been about denying Qui-Gon of this request.
"If true, what you have told me is, redeemed your son will be when Obi-Wan tells him the truth," Yoda told him dismissively. "See your son later, you will."
"Then where are we going now?" Qui-Gon asked.
"Toward the light," Yoda told him vaguely.
"What light?" Qui-Gon asked, vexed by Yoda's opacity.
"Sense it, do you not?"
Once again, Qui-Gon focused on what Yoda was talking about and sensed a new anomaly in the Force. This time he could detect a brilliant ray of untainted light emanating from the opposite end of the facility. What could possibly be the source of this emanation?
"Master Yoda, you're leading us to the medical ward," Organa said suddenly from behind them. Qui-Gon glanced back at the Senator, having forgotten that he was there.
"Know this, do you?" Yoda asked.
"I left Senator Amidala there about half an hour ago," Organa told Yoda.
"Amidala?" Qui-Gon asked incredulously. "What is she doing here?" How could it be that Polis Massa – which had been practically devoid of human life for three years – was now suddenly bustling with a plethora of senators and Jedi alike?
"I have no idea," Organa said. "She arrived with Kenobi."
"And what is she doing in the medical ward? Is she hurt?"
"No, she's in labor," Organa told him.
At this, Qui-Gon stopped abruptly, prompting Organa to have to pirouette out of the way so that he didn't run into the back of his wheelchair. Blinking furiously, he only vaguely registered the Senator's clamorous objection to his behavior.
Amidala was pregnant? Did that mean that… Anakin was the father? No, that couldn't be. Sure, he had known that Anakin had been in love or at least infatuated with the senator, but that didn't mean that she had reciprocated his feelings. Based on the limited interaction he had seen between them, she hadn't expressed a modicum of interest toward Anakin whatsoever.
But why else would she be here? Why had Obi-Wan brought her? It was too much of a coincidence for her arrival to be entirely unrelated to Anakin.
"Master Jinn?"
Qui-Gon shook his head and looked up at the bemused Organa.
"I'm sorry," he said gruffly. "Lead me to her, please."
Organa glanced at Yoda who nodded. With one last perplexed look toward Qui-Gon, Organa turned around and led the way toward the medical ward.
"Great power, Amidala's child must possess," Yoda commented as he walked alongside Qui-Gon down the hallway.
Qui-Gon didn't respond to this. He knew Yoda must be right. There was no other explanation for this anomalous source of radiance, and since Amidala was not Force-sensitive herself, it was only logical to assume that the father was.
Qui-Gon was familiar with the medical facility, having spent much time here during the early days of his stay – or incarceration, depending on how one looked at it – here on Polis Massa. Therefore, when they arrived at the translucent sliding doors leading to the facility, Qui-Gon surpassed Organa and took the lead toward the operating room where he suspected the medical droids would have taken Amidala.
His suspicions were confirmed when he rolled passed the glass wall and saw Amidala lying on a bed surrounded by a trio of medical droids. Behind him, he heard Organa and Yoda come to a stop as well as they all watched curiously.
"I'm going in," Qui-Gon said after a minute, placing his hands back on his wheels and pushing himself toward the door.
"Wait, you can't go in there!" Organa protested.
"Watch me," Qui-Gon said as the glass door slid open vertically and he rolled into the operating room. As the door closed behind him, he was greeted rather rudely by several jets of pressurized air which he assumed were designed to sterilize him. Sputtering slightly, he persevered past this only to be stopped by a medical droid.
"Master Jinn, please leave the premises," it told him flatly, having already been acquainted with him in the past.
"You don't understand, I have to be here," Qui-Gon said as he looked past the droid toward Amidala. She hadn't noticed his entry on account to being entirely preoccupied with childbirth.
"Master Jinn –"
"Step aside, droid," he ordered curtly.
The expressionless medical droid somehow managed to look dejected by this brusque dismissal, but it acquiesced to his demand nonetheless and got out of his way. Rolling forward toward the bed, Amidala finally looked up to see him approaching. Her eyes widened comedically for a fraction of a second before her shocked expression transformed into a grimace.
"Almost there," he heard a droid say from the foot of the bed.
"Hello, Senator," Qui-Gon greeted woodenly.
"You're… you're dead," she said in a strained voice before belting out a particularly shrill scream.
"One more push," the droid said.
"Perhaps we should discuss this later," Qui-Gon suggested gently as Amidala nodded vigorously and shut her eyes tightly. Offering his hand to her, Amidala accepted it and squeezed painfully, applying so much force that his fingers turned purple. Qui-Gon winced but made no attempt to extricate himself from her ironclad grasp. After all, she was in far more pain than he was.
Several minutes later, Qui-Gon's ears were ringing and his hand was entirely numb. His discomfort faded in an instant, however, when he felt Amidala's hand slacken and he heard the distinctive sound of a baby's cry pierce the air. Looking up sharply, he watched in awe as the medical droids tended to the newborn.
"Well done," Qui-Gon said faintly as he looked away from the droids toward Amidala. Her face was shining with sweat and her skin was disturbingly pale.
"Are you a ghost?" she asked him.
"Do you believe in ghosts?" he asked, arching an eyebrow.
"No," she admitted before wincing once more.
"What's wrong?" Qui-Gon asked.
Amidala didn't answer, throwing her head back against the pillow and grabbing the mattress fiercely on either side of her.
"What's happening?" Qui-Gon asked in a panicky voice to the droids who had returned to Amidala's bedside. "I thought she was done?"
"She needs to deliver the other one," the droid told him in a soothing voice.
"What other one?" Qui-Gon and Amidala both said at the same time.
"You are carrying twins," the droid informed Amidala dryly. "Did you not know?"
Amidala shook her head vigorously as she clenched her jaw firmly and shut her eyes tight once more, a fresh wave of contractions catching her off guard.
"Master Jinn?"
Qui-Gon looked up from Amidala to see a second droid hovering over him.
"Here," the droid said, offering him the small bundle wrapped in its mechanical arms. Qui-Gon's eyes widened as he reached up to accept the offering, his arms trembling nervously as he did so. As the droid transferred the baby into his outstretched arms, Qui-Gon was suddenly imbued with a warm, tingling sensation. Lowering the conspicuously silent child toward his chest, he felt his jaw slacken as he looked upon his grandchild for the first time.
"It's a boy," the droid told him before drifting away back toward Amidala's bedside to assist its colleagues.
A boy. He had a grandson. This was thoroughly surreal to Qui-Gon who just this morning hadn't even been willing to contemplate the possibility of seeing his family for at least another year. Now here he was holding Anakin's son, with another one on the way.
And there was no doubt that this was Anakin's son. While of course he couldn't see any of Anakin's features in the baby's pudgy face, he could sense the incipient bond between the two of them forming already. Without a doubt, this child was related to him.
Extending his finger toward the newborn, Qui-Gon watched in awe as his grandson wrapped his tiny hand around it. He struggled to keep his quivering finger steady as he relished the sensation of his grandson's warm, moist touch.
The grating sound of two simultaneous screams caused Qui-Gon to look up sharply. He watched in wonderment as the droids retreated from Amidala's bedside once more and congregated in the corner around a second wailing newborn. This child's crying was far more pronounced than its brother, who had since fallen completely silent in Qui-Gon's arms.
Finally, the droids turned back around and floated toward them. "Congratulations," the droid said as it handed the protesting child down to its mother. "It's a girl."
The baby fell silent abruptly when the droid transferred her to her mother. Pressing her against her breast, Amidala smiled thinly down at the pacified baby. "Leia," she said softly. After a few moments, the soothing effect Amidala had instilled upon baby Leia seemed to have expired and the newborn resumed crying once more.
"Let me take her," Qui-Gon offered. "You should hold your son."
Amidala looked up from Leia toward him. Giving him an appreciative smile, she offered Leia to him first before accepting her son into her arms. "Luke," she said without hesitation as she beamed down at her son. Qui-Gon watched her for a moment before looking down at his obstreperous granddaughter. It seemed he had no such calming effect on her like Amidala had.
"They're Anakin's, aren't they?" Qui-Gon asked over Leia's wailing. He already knew the answer, but he figured he ought to check.
"Yes," Amidala affirmed as she looked up from little Luke. "I suppose that makes them your grandchildren."
Qui-Gon inclined his chin and gave Amidala a curious look. It seemed Anakin had told her the truth about his parentage. That certainly implied that the two had a close relationship, considering that the only other person alive who knew this information was Obi-Wan. Of course, the fact that Amidala was carrying Anakin's children implied a certain level of intimacy between them, but it did not prove that they were romantically involved. In Qui-Gon's mind, Anakin's willingness to divulge this secret was far more conclusive evidence that the two truly did love each other.
Qui-Gon wanted to ask more about the nature of her relationship with his son, but was interrupted by the whooshing sound of the door to the operating room opening. Leia's cries were amplified further still by the sudden sound and Qui-Gon did his best to soothe her as he turned his chair around to see Yoda and Organa walking toward him.
"Congratulations, Padmé," Organa said genially to Amidala.
"Thank you, Bail," Amidala said over Leia's persistent wailing.
"That one is quite the complainer," Organa said, gesturing to Leia with a smile.
"I don't think she likes me," Qui-Gon added with a rueful look toward Amidala.
"Of course she does!" Amidala insisted. "You're her grandfather."
Yoda and Organa glanced at each other, clearly surprised by this information. Qui-Gon ignored them, however, and gave Amidala an appreciative smile.
"Master Jinn, a word?" Yoda suddenly solicited. Qui-Gon turned to look at the Grand Master and raised his eyebrows. What did Yoda want to talk to him about? Did this have to do with Anakin?
"Of course," Qui-Gon said hastily before glancing back at Amidala. "Do you want to take her?" he asked her.
"No, you take her outside," Amidala said with a strained expression. "Maybe she'll calm down a bit."
Qui-Gon snorted and nodded. "Very well," he said. "I'll be right back." Transferring Leia to his left arm, Qui-Gon steered his wheelchair with his right hand as he followed Yoda out of the operating room and into the hallway. "What is this about?" Qui-Gon asked when the door shut behind him.
Yoda opened his mouth to respond, but closed it once again when Leia let out yet another garbled cry. Frowning at the newborn's impudence, Yoda took a step toward him and extended a three-fingered hand toward Leia.
"What are you doing?" Qui-Gon asked shrilly, retracting his granddaughter from Yoda's unsolicited hand.
"Quiet," Yoda said tersely, ignoring Qui-Gon's discomfort and pressing a single finger on Leia's forehead. Leia complied with Yoda's demand at once, closing her glassy eyes and ceasing her crying. Shocked by this expedient pacification, Qui-Gon looked to Yoda with his mouth hanging slightly ajar.
"What did you do to her?" he asked sharply.
"Sleep for a brief moment, she will," Yoda told him calmly, entirely apathetic to Qui-Gon's indignation.
"You had no right to –"
"Arrived, Elegius has," Yoda interrupted him, putting a halt to the tirade Qui-Gon had been about to unleash. Stunned, Qui-Gon's jaw slackened further still as his eyes widened in disbelief. Shmi was here also? Would the wonders not cease?
"What is she doing here?" he asked in a hushed voice, hoping not to wake Leia who was still sleeping in his arms.
"Come to kill the last of the Jedi, she has," Yoda said gravely. "Stop her, you must."
"She wouldn't kill you," Qui-Gon protested feebly.
"Sure of that, are you?" Yoda challenged.
Qui-Gon opened his mouth, but no response came. If he was truthful, he couldn't be sure of anything when it came to Shmi. He hadn't seen her in thirteen years. He was deceiving himself if he thought he could understand her intentions any better than Yoda could.
"Fine," Qui-Gon said. "I will confront her. Where is she?"
"Find her in the hangar, you will," Yoda said. "Take the child, I can."
"No," Qui-Gon said at once, feeling uncomfortable at the prospect of handing Leia off to Yoda. "I'll take her with me. I'm sure Shmi will want to meet her."
Yoda's ears twitched as he gave him a quizzical look, but nevertheless he didn't attempt to change his mind. It was clear the Grand Master thought that Shmi was a lost cause, entirely consumed by the dark side like Sidious had been. Qui-Gon knew better, however. While both Dooku and Plagueis had warned him that his wife was gone, Qui-Gon refused to believe it. Surely upon being reunited with him and introduced to her grandchildren, the darkness surrounding Shmi would be penetrated.
"May the Force be with you, Qui-Gon," Yoda said grimly, clearly convinced that Qui-Gon would not survive this encounter.
Qui-Gon smiled and shook his head at Yoda's apprehension. Without reciprocating this platitude, Qui-Gon wheeled past the Grand Master and out of the medical facility toward the elevator. As he rolled along, he felt a great, rejuvenating excitement course through his once-weary limbs. He could scarcely believe this was actually happening. He was on his way to meet Shmi! For three long years he had waited for this exact moment, although perhaps not under these bizarre circumstances.
Nervousness intermingled with his excitement as well, however. How would Shmi react to seeing him? Would she even recognize him? He looked much different than he had thirteen years ago – 'different' of course being a euphemism for older. While he could dismiss this concern as trivial, he couldn't as easily dismiss the other, more substantial fear.
What if she didn't love him anymore?
It had been thirteen years since they had last been together, and twenty-three years since they had last actually been together as a couple. Could it be that Shmi didn't miss him like he missed her? Had she forgotten about him altogether? Had Plagueis convinced her during her training that her relationship with him had been a mistake? After all, it was clear based on their first encounter on Serenno that Plagueis held Qui-Gon in nothing but contempt.
During his isolation over the past three years, these fears had festered in the back of his mind. Now that his reunion with Shmi was at hand, these insecurities welled up within him like a geyser, flooding his system with jitters and debilitating anxiety.
Qui-Gon was roused from his worries when he felt Leia stir in his arms. He had just reached the elevator when she awoke, her brown eyes opening a crack as she looked up at him. Pressing the button to the elevator with his free hand, Qui-Gon placed her in a more comfortable position on his lap and met her gaze with a smile.
Leia remained mercifully silent as they waited for the elevator to arrive. When the doors slid open and Qui-Gon wheeled himself inside, however, Leia resumed wailing once more, clearly distressed by the sound and motion.
"It's okay," Qui-Gon cooed gently as they began to descend toward the hangar. "Everything's going to be okay," he added, more to himself than to Leia. Perhaps detecting his anxiety, Leia ceased crying for a moment and looked up at him, her unfocused brown eyes evincing a sparkle of concern.
As the elevator slowed to a stop on the bottom floor, Qui-Gon looked up from Leia and took a deep breath. Donning his hood with his left hand, he waited with nervous anticipation for the doors to open. He didn't want Shmi to recognize him right away, lest she assumed a false persona for his sake. He wanted to see her how the rest of the galaxy saw her. He wanted to understand why it was that Yoda was so afraid of her.
He inhaled sharply when the doors to the elevator slid open and he was greeted by the bitter chill of the hangar. Propping Leia onto his left arm, Qui-Gon grasped the right armrest fiercely as he stood upright. If he was going to see Shmi, he didn't want to be in a wheelchair for it. They needed to be face to face.
Legs trembling slightly under his weight, Qui-Gon took a couple of wobbly steps out of the elevator and into the hangar. At once, Leia resumed crying at the abrupt change in temperature. Qui-Gon pressed her closer to his chest as he looked up to see a row of soldiers clad in full body white armor marching toward him. His eyes scanned the row nervously before landing on her.
When she saw him, Shmi stopped walking abruptly and held out her hand to stop the troops behind her. Qui-Gon continued to walk forward – slower now as he contemplated his wife's jarring countenance.
He had seen her three years ago on Geonosis, but he hadn't been close enough to make out her features all that well. It had been clear to him that she had changed, but only now that they were face to face did he realize just how much. Her once subtly tanned skin was practically white now, the gruesome pallor closer in hue to bone than to flesh. That pale skin was stretched tautly across her angular face, her cheeks sunken and her cheekbones protruding sharply.
In spite of these deathly features, her eyes revealed no such frailty. His attention was directed instantly toward her left eye which burned a bright gold, so intense that it appeared to be glowing. Her right eye was more similar to the gentle brown he remembered, but it had been darkened considerably – so much so that it appeared nearly black.
These mesmerizing eyes narrowed contemptuously as he came to a stop a few meters away from her. With a snarl, she drew her lightsaber and activated it in one swift motion, a jet-black blade emerging from the hilt rather than the familiar blue. The weapon crackled balefully in her left hand, prompting Leia to cry even louder than before.
"Who are you?" Shmi asked in a low, authoritative voice. Qui-Gon didn't answer her, however, electing instead to comfort Leia who was bawling hysterically.
"Shh," Qui-Gon crooned gently. "Don't be afraid. You're with your grandparents."
Soothed by his voice, Leia's wailing ceased and she made an adorable sound much like a chuckle. Qui-Gon knew she was far too young to laugh, but that didn't prevent him from smiling warmly at his granddaughter. Looking up from Leia toward Shmi, Qui-Gon's smile faltered a fraction as he eyed her blade warily.
"I am Darth Elegius, Supreme Leader of the Galactic Republic," Shmi said importantly, her chin tilted upward and her blade held stiffly by her side. "I demand you identify yourself at once."
Qui-Gon laughed, more so in bewilderment than in humor. What did Shmi think she was doing calling herself Supreme Leader of the galaxy? What had happened to the humble and unimposing woman whom he had fallen in love with over two decades ago?
Shmi was visibly vexed by his insolence, her face twitching and her brows furrowing angrily. Slashing her black blade in front of her, she shrieked "Who are you?" once again. Her shrill voice echoed in the vast hangar, and Qui-Gon let the reverberations die down before finally answering her.
When all was quiet, he reached up with his left hand toward his hood while ensuring that Leia was secure in his right arm. His arm quivered as he raised it over his shoulder which burned in protestation. Grabbing the fabric, he pushed the veil away without further delay. As the hood fell down and his face was exposed, Shmi's already-pale face was drained of whatever blood she had left and her luminous eyes widened in disbelief.
"Hello, my love," he said to his wife.
After thirteen long years, they were together once more…
Or were they?