Hand Of Fate
Chapter 4 / Qui-Gon's Gamble
When Sabé and Obi-Wan arrived back at the ship with the reservoir midmorning, Sabé left the Jedi to handle the re-installation and she went inside quickly to avoid being seen by Panaka. She missed seeing the brief look from Obi-Wan that followed her on the way in—something akin to contemplation.
She went straight to the royal chambers where, to her annoyance, the hyper-observant Eirtaé immediately noticed her cheek scrape and began asking questions. Sabé downplayed it and didn't tell either handmaiden what had happened or reveal her more problematic arm wound, choosing to handle first aid in the fresher by herself. Telling Rabé and Eirtaé about how dangerous this planet was seemed like something that would only make anxieties worse. She used a skin-colored makeup to hide the cut on her cheek as well as she could and then hid the bloody poncho for the time being. Afterward, she changed into a charcoal body suit with a crushed velvet green tunic with long bell sleeves—the other two handmaidens changed into dark maroon hooded cloaks to offset her. Rabé kindly redid Sabé's hair, putting it into an elegant, functional series of knotted gatherings sitting at the base of her scalp. They did not use the royal makeup.
Earlier that morning Panaka had expressed some disagreement with the choice to go out onto Tatooine without the royal makeup, but Sabé's point of view had been that whatever queenly outfit and getup would only get in the way and make her stand out to anyone who happened to see them—possibly even tipping off someone with the very distinct Nubian makeup. Panaka had seen her point begrudgingly and decided to brief certain security personnel onboard to the decoy situation since a few of them would recognize Sabé from her years in palace security. It was beginning to feel like they might be stuck here a long time… priority had to be survival, not pretense. However, they did agree not to inform Obi-Wan about the queen-handmaiden switch. Panaka said the Jedi knights were outsiders, and the less they knew the better. Sabé agreed… mostly. After spending some time with Obi-Wan, she wasn't so sure he was so bad—it was more a gut instinct than anything else. But she also knew better than to trust implicitly.
In the later afternoon hours, three officers returned to the ship from the settlement with various food items they'd traded for in town—enough supplies for three days or so, which did alleviate some worry. But there were other pressing problems closing in on them all the same: the ship's cooling system wouldn't work for too much longer off of reserve, the waste reservoir would overflow at some point, and the water reservoir would only last for more than a few days, if conserved well—namely with no showers allowed.
No word came from Qui-Gon or Padmé. No more transmissions from Naboo either. The lack of communication made for high tensions and worries. For awhile the handmaidens prepared, sorted, and put away the food that had come in from town to occupy their time doing something useful. All of it was strange items and grains they'd never heard of for the most part, and an assortment of bizarre looking dead creatures no one had any idea quite how to cook or even prepare for cooking.
Sabé was pulled away at an unexpected moment, with Obi-Wan entering the hold where she and Rabé, Eirtaé, and a couple officers were at work. Right away she knew something was wrong, even before he came directly to her and nodded toward the throne room with a low, "we need to speak."
She went with him with heightened suspicion and nervousness, noting a sense of grimness to the Padawan's energy. Had Qui-Gon contacted him? For a moment, she thought they were going to speak alone, which peaked her dread-filled curiosity even further. But in the throne room, Panaka waited while pacing the floor in his signature uptight fashion. The sight of him made Sabé's apprehension take a nose dive into paranoia. Panaka made a beeline for them. "All right, what is it we need to discuss? Have you heard from your master?"
They stood casually in the center of the room, yesterday's formality a distant memory. Obi-Wan looked uncomfortable. "Yes, I have."
When he said nothing else, Sabé felt that sense of dread scream against the silence of the ship. She prompted him impatiently. "And?"
Obi-Wan seemed extremely hesitant to disclose what he knew. "Qui-Gon has met a ten-year-old slave boy who is gifted in the Force," he began, instantly mystifying Panaka and Sabé both. What did that have to do with anything? "He plans to enter this boy into a podrace."
The Nubians both looked at him in total confusion.
"What, in his spare time?" Sabé asked.
"And what the blazes is a podrace?" Panaka demanded rudely. "Furthermore, what does this have to do with anything?"
"Podracing is some sort of twin engine high speed race I believe," Obi-Wan answered factually, giving nothing away about his emotions. Sabé failed to see where this was going but was beginning to dislike it, either way. Then, it became clear: "Qui-Gon believes this boy can win a grand race happening tomorrow. He's going to place a bet so that he can secure a hyperdrive with his winnings."
The room was punched with blaring silence for a brief shocked second.
"Gambling?" Panaka asked in disbelief.
"That's his brilliant plan?" Sabé added in a gut-punched near whisper, almost feeling as if this had to be a joke.
Obi-Wan then dropped the biggest bomb of all then: "Yes. He has wagered this ship as collateral."
Panaka and Sabé were rendered speechless until Sabé's confusion evaporated and a new emotion began to surge. Anger. "Your master has put this entire ship and its occupants at risk on a bet? On a ten year old winning a race?" Her volume was rising. "Here on a planet full of gangsters with us stranded and unprotected like this…?" She stared, bereft of calm. "Is he insane?!"
Obi-Wan's expression was hard to read. "My master believes this is the best option, Milady," he answered evenly.
"He made this decision without our consent," Sabé argued, feeling violated and victimized, not to mention scared out of her wits that their fate was in the hands of some cavalier, gambling Jedi and a ten year old child who was no doubt being exploited in some bizarre way. "Tell him we don't condone this!"
Obi-Wan kept his voice calm, despite some very slight visible annoyance. "I understand it is not the most... expected course of action, but I am not in a position to question my master's decisions."
"Well I am," Sabé snapped. "My ship is not his to wager!" Beside her, Panaka was quiet and dangerous, staring lasers at the Jedi.
"I agree, Milady," Obi-Wan said softly, and his even temper made her want to punch him. "I know you don't know Qui-Gon. As ill-advised as this plan may seem, I promise you, personally… we will get off this planet. We can trust him."
A few hours ago she had thought of him differently. Now, regarding the Jedi with no attempt to hide her offended and furious state, Sabé scoffed. "This is absurd, Obi-Wan!"
Obi-Wan inclined his head once maddeningly, respectfully showing he was listening to her while refusing to personally involve himself, apparently. "You are free to discuss your disapproval with my master when he returns."
A statement combined with such tranquility that she felt like her glare alone could pierce a wall. "If he returns, you mean," she retorted. Who knew the seedy types he was rubbing shoulders with or what he was doing on this godsforsaken planet. He could get himself—and the real queen—killed!
"I thought Jedi were supposed to be wise," Panaka put in, his expression foul. "Your master is a damned fool to put us on the line like this. We could be stuck here for good if he fails!"
There was a twitch in his calm demeanor and Obi-Wan's voice was slightly strained when he replied. "Your Highness, Captain Panaka, with all due respect, I didn't have to alert either of you to what's happening. I chose to, out of courtesy to you."
Eyebrows raising high at his gall to imply he was doing them a favor, Sabé couldn't stop herself from an ugly, unqueenly comment. "Yeah, you're a real hero aren't you." Panaka gave her a sidelong look and Sabé clamped her mouth shut, realizing she was too angry to interact correctly. She drew in a deep breath even as she shook. There wasn't anything she could do, was there? And the true queen was the one who was actually with this madman Qui-Gon. Padmé was the only one who had hope of swaying him. With that realization and the knowledge that staying in this room and arguing would only make things worse, Sabé made to leave. "I have nothing else to say," she said in clipped tones. "Excuse me."
She all but stormed out and back into the royal quarters, fuming and then settling into an embarrassed uncertainty and an even more unexpected feeling of betrayal. How could Obi-Wan let this happen to them? Surely he had some say in how his master conducted himself, they were a team weren't they? Sabé questioned herself deeply. Reacting the way she had was easy due to the pressure of the situation, the despair at how many walls they were up against, and the clawing, raging need to get home. Had it been too much? Had she lost her grip? And yet, she felt as though Padmé would have reacted the same way—with more self control and carefully aimed verbal daggers instead of Sabé's outright fiery opposition of course. But the heart of it would have been the same. Sabé found herself longingly looking out the viewing port at the city—the officers who'd visited today said it was called Mos Espa. Queen Amidala, we need you. Or at least I do. She couldn't understand how all of their fate hung in the balance of a child's racing skills in that distant settlement. Her thoughts of course turned to Zana, only a year older than this boy Qui-Gon had selected. She couldn't imagine the pressure someone that age would feel to save an entire ship full of people. What bizarre, twisted reality was this? For gods sakes, I just want to be back home. We never should have left.
She let out a deep, tension filled breath, trying to will her rage into something more useful. They were only along for the ride at this point and that was the most infuriating, helpless feeling of all. Either way, behaving like a caged animal would get them nowhere except sunken like a ship in the sea.
A bit later, Panaka came in with Lieutenant Dakana, one of the officers who had made it aboard in the escape from Theed. Lez Dakana was a senior officer who Sabé had served with in the palace for awhile—he was a serious man in his mid thirties who was similar in his style and approach to Panaka. Since the Captain, Lieutenant Dakana and Sabé were the highest ranking officials on board, it only made sense that they would be the ones to strategize over their response to the newest information from Obi-Wan. They went back and forth with what they should do, should not do, and could not do. Finally, they settled on trusting that Padmé would have contacted them somehow if she was in vast disagreement with the plan, and that they should just wait it out and see what happened—find a way to watch the race live on a local channel so they knew the outcome with enough time to prepare a defense or escape (abandon ship) if needed. They also agreed not to tell the occupants of the ship (besides the other handmaidens) the details to avoid hysteria or possible mutiny. Every possibility was considered, and the captain and lieutenant left a very stressed out Sabé to herself after that.
Alone in the deafening silence of the room, the stillness might have been peaceful had her mind been clear. Instead, it was overwhelming. She let her eyes fall closed in an attempt to meditate before doing anything else. Her mind filtered through images and memories of better times, trying to find some semblance of something beautiful and comforting to wrap herself in. She heard sounds of papa's laughter, felt the cool stone of her childhood home's floor on bare feet. She saw mama picking fruit in the summertime, saw sunlight flashing on the ripples in the lake country, could almost smell the fresh flowers growing, could remember walking on thick carpets of grass as she tended to vegetables. She saw Zana as a toddler, just learning to walk, papa helping her and cheering her on with every step. Most of all, Sabé remembered feeling safe. Until the day when everything changed. Without meaning to, she was now remembering finding out their parents were gone. Standing at the funeral with their one aunt who was too unwell to care for them. Nothing and no one could be as torn apart as Sabé had been on that day of finality. She had held in her tears, refusing to show any weakness… only resolve. Zana had been so young and didn't understand—had asked for months when Papa and Mama were coming back. It was almost worse when she finally stopped asking altogether.
Sabé opened her eyes and was met with the apathetic smooth metal and grey surfaces of the ship around her. Her throat and chest hurt from grief. She had taken care of her sister, but no one had taken care of her. She stood again, fleeing her feelings and leaving the room to go find something—anything—to do.
Underneath the endless expanse of ombré sky, Obi-Wan watched as the setting suns kissed Tatooine's bleak landscape in shades of gold, orange, and violet. Just a few paces off from the ship, the passengers had built a small fire to cook on out of whatever they could scavenge from nearby. In dusk, the temperature was almost pleasant—almost. Obi-Wan watched everyone working as a team to make dinner and eat it, and received his portion from one of the handmaidens with a small, grateful smile. The queen would catch his eye every now, each time appearing resentful and then quickly looking away. He could understand her feelings he supposed, from a certain point of view.
Obi-Wan had hauled out the destroyed hyperdrive earlier—an act of good faith in Qui-Gon's plan—which in full honesty he absolutely found ludicrous just as the Queen and her captain had. But it wasn't his place to question, and he had been in this same situation, more or less, many times before. Qui-Gon always found a way, and that was because of his unwavering path of obedience to the will of the Force.
The junked hyperdrive that would hopefully soon be replaced with another one was now a few paces off from the ship and being used as a seat by none other than the Queen of Naboo, who was still forgoing the royal gown and makeup she'd had on yesterday. Separated a bit from everyone else encircling the dying fire, she looked into the far distance with a gaze that indicated she was thinking deeply, but about what, it was hard to say. Breeze stirred her carefully-styled hair out of its earlier perfection, little wisps and flyaways dancing around her hairline. Somehow, Obi-Wan found her far more regal this way.
Perhaps out of boredom or out of a wish to perhaps reconcile, Obi-Wan approached her after eating the food he'd been given. "May I?" he asked, indicating the other end of the hyperdrive beside her. She glanced at him with a cautious expression before looking away toward the suns again which were close to sinking below the horizon. She didn't say yes or no, but he had a feeling she would have certainly, unapologetically told him to get tossed if she'd been so inclined. So, he took that as a yes and sat. He motioned to the small bowl near her where her dinner had been. A stew of some sort had been made from the local fare, and it had been, for lack of a better term, pungent and odd. "What did you think of the… whatever it is?" he asked her conversationally.
She remained guarded and aloof, not looking back at him yet. "I'm just glad we're not starving and totally kriffed," she said, then gave a dark little eyebrow shrug that told him she wasn't totally shutting him out of her humorous side. "Yet anyway." That made him smile to himself in amusement. A monarch who wasn't afraid to let a swear word fly was refreshing to be sure. Without context, the queen looked at him directly and asked a question he didn't know the context for. "What's his name?"
"…What's who's name?" Obi-Wan asked, brow furrowing up.
"The ten year old boy your master is betting on."
"Ah. His name is Anakin."
The queen nodded contemplatively and looked into the burning last light of day, her face lit soft orange by the light. "Gods be with you Anakin," she said softly, a mixture of worried and resigned.
Earlier she had been infuriated and he guessed she still was highly unhappy with Qui-Gon's gamble, but her wish spoken out into the universe on Anakin's behalf was an act of someone who had a compassionate, empathetic soul. Someone who could overlook the small details for the bigger picture. Obi-Wan stilled himself and tuned himself into the deep river of Force energy surrounding them all. Amidala's presence felt steadfast near to him, and he felt purity of intention radiating off of her that he'd felt earlier, too. He also sensed fear, defeat yet a fighting spirit, grief, fatigue, sadness, longing, and underneath all of that an intensity driving it all, something deeper altogether. He studied her profile which was sharp and soft at the same time, fierce yet gentle too. It was becoming easy to understand how she had become leader of an entire planet. Obi-Wan said as much, too. "I'm beginning to see why you were elected queen." It drew a curious, shrewd look that asked a silent why. He then fumbled a bit. He didn't feel like he quite knew how to put it. "There's… a certain strength to you, Milady."
For a beat, it looked like she was genuinely touched, but then she shook her head and smiled self-consciously. "Flattery will get you nowhere, Jedi Kenobi." Ah, Jedi Kenobi again. Earlier that day he'd asked her to call him by a less formal address, but he supposed she was purposefully reverting to decorum to convey how she felt. Then she corrected herself softly, surprising him. "Obi-Wan."
A peace offering, perhaps. As typical, Obi-Wan used humor to lighten the mood. "I'm only trying to get back on your good side," he joked. Although he wouldn't have minded it truth be told. After all, an alliance forged in friendship was stronger than one forged by necessity.
"If that boy wins the race and we get off this rock…" she said noncommittally (but she had the look of hiding an amused smile), "I'll think about it."
Obi-Wan appreciated her open-mindedness. For now it seemed a cautious alliance was being forged on her side even though she was soured to him and his master after today's news. In the interest of nurturing whatever trust could be built—Qui-Gon said gaining the trust of those you served was tantamount to success—Obi-Wan decided to share something more personal with the queen. "In the interest of full disclosure, I think you should know I don't always approve of Qui-Gon's decisions or actions." This did indeed draw the queen's interest, and she was again looking at him intently. Humor again tinted Obi-Wan's delivery: "But, there is no law that says a Jedi Padawan has to agree with his master. Only obey."
Amidala did not look amused at that last part. "Obedience is for the brainless."
A little crooked smile accompanied one of his eyebrows raising slightly. "Are you calling me brainless?" he asked trollishly. But she didn't wither like he supposed she might, only challenged him silently with a look. Obi-Wan steered back toward his point and away from the urge to keep joking around, even if her responses were entertaining. "I do know his character, Milady. He wouldn't do this unless he fully believed."
The queen digested that for a moment, appearing to truly consider what he was saying. "Well I prefer reason over belief," she finally replied, her gaze challenging him again.
"Then I'm afraid you were sent the wrong pair of Jedi," Obi-Wan replied, matching her challenging tone.
Her eyes studied his unnervingly, and it reminded him of earlier that day when he'd been so close that her eyes had looked like entire planets. "You're not like him," she said. "I can tell. Pardon my arrogance, but I'm an excellent judge of character and I think you operate very differently than him. What would you do in his place, for example?"
A very fair question that he didn't entirely know how to answer, maybe because he was so distracted by her eyes and piercing gaze. He came up with nothing. "Not wager a ship in a race with a ten year old boy as my pilot, I certainly can say that," he admitted, looking away. He didn't know how to explain it except to say, "The Force is at work here. Somehow. And that's all I know." Something about the way her face reacted to that statement made Obi-Wan smile almost teasingly. "Do you think me superstitious?"
It was her turn to look away. "I prefer things I can see," she replied almost primly. "Test."
Master Yoda and most other council members wouldn't have approved of what Obi-Wan did next, but his irreverent, mischievous spirit at some moments truly couldn't be denied. He looked over at the sand near where Amidala was gazing and using the Force to coax it up into a tiny whirlwind that danced upward then exploded like a firework. He thoroughly enjoyed the startled, awed little look from her. "Can you see that?" he asked blithely.
Amidala looked at him in a new light that was equal parts surprised, admiring, annoyed, and… something else. Either way, she delicately admitted: "I concede." She studied him sidelong in a more veiled way for a few seconds, and the last of the suns light sank underneath the horizon ahead of them. The world would soon become blue, then velvet black as night descended. Nearby, officers and pilots were kicking sand over the fire to extinguish it, and others were gathering up everything they'd brought out to return inside.
"Is your arm all right?" Obi-Wan asked, suddenly remembering that the queen had been injured earlier that day. He'd almost forgotten in all the activity since then, plus the fact that she hadn't done anything to remind him or give away the fact that she was hurt.
She was now looking at the cooling sky above them where stars were becoming more visible every passing minute. "I do think I'll survive," she said, a coy and final statement that seemed to imply that she didn't want him to ask anything further.
From somewhere too close for comfort, a long and lonesome howl sounded, startling the entire group of people outside the ship. Both the queen and the Jedi sat up straighter at the sound even as Captain Panaka passed by with darting eyes. "Better get inside, I don't think it's safe out here."
The ship was quiet and the hour late. The cockpit was dark save for the wash of red light from the consoles. He had of course considered the option of sleep, but something was troubling him and he couldn't say what. He felt an encroaching darkness, an elusive promise of menace. Obi-Wan looked over the vast, starlit landscape visible outside of the cockpit windows. Mos Espa was a soft glow off to the east, and everything else was bleak and plain, seemingly devoid of life, although his senses said otherwise. This place and the things he was feeling here left a strange, foreboding feeling in the pit of his stomach and he couldn't say why. He would certainly be glad when they left.
Alone with his thoughts, Obi-Wan contented himself to patrol the ship in an effort to relieve his restlessness. He stole carefully through the ship, all but silent as he listened to the soft creaks of the hull against gusts of night wind. The occupants of the royal starship had, for the most part, settled in for the night, sleeping as they did last night: wherever they could find a spot. Many people were on the floor. Blankets were in short supply but luckily the ship had decent insulation and the air circulation was still working. For now. Panaka never seemed to sleep, and was doing the same as Obi-Wan—patrolling, if not more obviously. He had two guards posted at the ship exit point as well.
Obi-Wan came to the doorway to the royal chambers and paused there, feeling a presence beyond that door and wall that was becoming familiar. Her. She was distraught, and her feelings were incredibly loud unlike when he had been face to face with her. Struck by sympathy and empathy, it was almost like some of those feelings came into him too. Contemplating for a moment, Obi-Wan did the only the he could. He placed a hand against the wall beside the door and willed the Force to send feelings of peace and rest to wash over the queen the best he could. Some Jedi were empath-gifted and much better at this sort of thing, but he wasn't particularly gifted in much of anything—just decent or passable at most things. Either way, he hoped the small act could help her.
In the royal chambers, Rabé and Eirtaé slept deeply, but Sabé sat on the floor pull-out cot and watched the three moons in the dark blue sky through the viewport in distressed sleeplessness. She couldn't get away from her thoughts or grief, and even though she was absolutely exhausted mind and soul, same as last night she didn't think she could sleep while people back home were dying and suffering. Sio Bibble's plea played in her head over and over, she saw Zana being taken away from her again and again. Guilt and despair were eating her alive. Although her face remained still, tears came out of her eyes and rolled down her cheeks. If tomorrow didn't work out, if they were stuck here much longer…
The "what ifs" were too much to think about and Sabé shut her eyes, trying to feel less. Instead she only felt worse. And then without explanation, a warmth descended over her like stepping into the sun after being in the shade for a long time. Peace and relaxation and a feeling of reassurance surrounded her. Amazed and perplexed, Sabé looked upward and around on instinct, but she saw nothing and no one. Calm and rest settled over her heavily, calling her to sleep and telling her it was going to be all right. Her body gave in, relaxing down into the bed beneath her as her eyes shut softly and sleep came at last.
Author's Notes: Thank you everyone who is reading and reviewing, I am loving your responses! If you haven't checked out the story blog yet (where I post fandom things and faceclaims etc) please hop over to hof-story dot tumblr dot com! See you there and can't wait to hear what you thought of this chapter.
