The Color of Truth: Chapter Nine
"We're not arguing, we're debating," I tried to explain to Leia, who had just woken up. We were on our way back to Coruscant with mixed feelings. I was concerned while Qui-Gon seemed satisfied.
Throughout my apprenticeship, we had disagreed on many matters, but I had always given him the benefit of the doubt as well as the final say. I didn't have to do that any longer, especially when it came to the welfare of my daughter.
"Are you two talking about me?" Leia asked with sleepy annoyance.
I immediately felt guilty and struggled to find the words to make her understand why I felt as I did. But it was Qui-Gon who spoke up first.
"Your talents within the Force are like no one else's. Your Dad and I are merely trying to decide what's best for you."
When the Force had decided that Qui-Gon was meant to be my Master, I hadn't complained. I was proud to be his Padawan. However, putting Leia under his tutelage wasn't a good idea. Instead of balancing each other out as we did, Leia and he were too much alike. They would eventually either end up hating one another, or my daughter would leave the Jedi altogether. I didn't want either of those things to happen. Even though I disagreed with Qui-Gon often, I didn't dislike him nor would I ever disrespect him.
The Jedi Council would decide. It was their job to do so. Master Yoda was the wisest of us all and he would know what to do. I just hoped his decision was the same as mine.
"Don't worry, honey," I told my daughter. "Master Jinn and I go way back. Debating with him is how we communicate."
"Well, try communicating a little quieter from now on. You two woke me up."
"My apologies," Qui-Gon told her kindly.
"Hungry?" I asked, reaching back to my pack. I pulled out a half-eaten protein bar as well as some dried fruit and handed it to her.
Without a word, she accepted my offering and sat down in the navigator's chair. "Do you think…" she began, suddenly and surprisingly nervous. "The Council is going to be upset with the way I destroyed the droids?"
So, she had heard what we were talking about. I jumped in quickly to answer her question. I didn't want Qui-Gon to offer her any false sense of hope.
"We will do our best to explain to them exactly what happened," I explained. "The most important thing is that you did your best and we got out of there alive."
"And the Separatists are going to have to begin all over if they want their army. I'd say that the most important things is that we managed to come away with this."
In his hand, Qui-Gon held the dart he had taken from Leia.
"How so?" I asked him. "The Council already has several vials in storage and they have plenty of samples in the lab."
"Ah, but this one's different," he claimed, holding the projectile containing the dark red liquid up toward the overhead lamp. "This version's apparently been modified. It's much darker in color and thicker than the others."
I hadn't noticed a difference before, but he was right. I wondered what that meant exactly, though I didn't ask. Qui-Gon simply had stated a fact before he placed the weapon back into the folds of his robe.
"I'll take this to the laboratory myself and await the results. If my suspicions are correct, this new serum may be more dangerous than its predecessor and we should be prepared," he suggested.
I was about to offer a rebuttal, to argue that there was very little we could do to prepare for biological warfare, but I'd noticed we'd entered Core space and a tingling feeling ran up my spine and into my brain – like I had stepped out into the cold and breathed in too much fresh air.
/Padmé?/ I asked tentatively, unsure if we were in range yet.
Her response was somewhat delayed and her mood was subdued. I had expected her to be excited about our return. I had missed her presence as well as her touch and needed to get rid of this ache inside me.
/Obi-Wan. It's good to hear your voice – even if it's only in my head./
/It's good to hear yours as well. We've just entered the Core and should be home within a few hours./ I sent her several images of what I planned to do once I had her in my arms again, but the feeling that was returned was tepid at best and perhaps a little unsure.
/Is everything all right?/ I asked, concerned how she had gotten along in the Temple without me.
/Of course! I'm happy you're both on your way back. Did everything go okay? How is Leia? Did she behave herself?/
/I'll tell you everything once we're together again,/ I assured her. /We'll meet with the Council first to give our mission report and then head straight to our quarters./
Once again, I felt an emotion of trepidation leak through the bond.
/Are you sure you're all right?/ I couldn't help but keep asking. Padmé had to realize she couldn't hide anything from me. Even when she tried to.
/I'm just tired. Taking care of younglings wears me out!/
I smiled at our daughter who had eaten everything I had given her and was now digging through her own pack for more. She had been a handful when she was younger. I couldn't imagine what keeping up with a roomful of them would be like.
/I love you,/ I told her, sending my richest and warmest emotions toward Galactic City.
/I love you too,/ she immediately responded. /Just do me a favor and remember that,/ she added at the end, which made me wonder what she had been up to.
/What do you mean by that?/
/Everything will be all right. No matter what happens. We're together and we'll always be together. Right?/
/Right,/ I agreed, my suspicions growing steadily, although I decided to postpone this conversation for now. Whatever was bothering her needed to be discussed face to face. Perhaps, after I was finished holding her for a good long while.
I sensed her smile due to my thoughts and pictured her lovely face.
/Can't wait to see you. We'll be home soon./