Chapter 4
Against everyone's advice, Qui-Gon took the first ship to Melida/Daan. Obi-Wan had been in Zehava. Qui-Gon had to know if he was still alive. He didn't care what the report said, there was still hope.
As soon as he stepped out into the ruins of the city, that hope evaporated into thin air.
Flames still rose into the sky in the distance, filling the air with heavy smoke. The city was barely recognisable as it lay in heaps of rubble and dark grey ash.
Slowly Qui-Gon made his way through Zehava. He vaguely recognised places he had been, and he quickly came to regret coming back, because Melida/Daan was nothing but an endless graveyard now.
He searched and searched. Every time he discovered a new body among the wreckage, he begged to the Force it wouldn't be Obi-Wan. Elders and Young alike littered what once had been streets. Qui-Gon knew he would never get the pictures out of his head but at least he wasn't burdened with the image of Obi-Wan burned and covered in blood amongst the other children. The longer he searched though, the clearer it became that somewhere under what was once the capitol city of Melida/Daan Obi-Wan Kenobi was dead. And it was Qui-Gon's fault.
..oOo..
The hallways were lined with arches and the windows were opened to let the cool night air fill the palace. Left and right lanterns were hanging from the ceiling, casting warm yellow light over the ornate stone floor. A network of shallow grooves about two fingers wide had been carved into the stone along the hallway to carry water across the floor. Despite living on a desert planet, the Beimeni seemed very generous with their water. At least the King was.
They reached the door that would no doubt lead to the King. Two guards stood ready with an empty wooden box which they held out to the Jedi.
"Mech."
Qui-Gon and Anakin shared a confused look.
The guard who wasn't holding the box unhooked his blaster. "Mech," he said again before placing the blaster into the box and then taking it out again to hook it back onto his belt.
"I think they're asking us to hand over our weapons."
Qui-Gon agreed. "I feared they might."
Reluctantly, Anakin handed his lightsaber over first and Qui-Gon followed suit. He hoped the guards wouldn't search him because he still carried Obi-Wan's hidden in the folds of his tunic. It would seem he was in luck because the guards were satisfied with two lightsabers and let them through.
The room was dimly lit. The shadows in the corners looked like guards but he quickly realised they were fountains. Upon closer inspection, it seemed there weren't any guards in the room at all. Perhaps the King trusted them more than Qui-Gon had expected. Or maybe he was missing something important.
They walked down a few steps. Every room in the palace seemed to have a slightly sunken level in the middle and this one was no exception.
The King watched them from a slightly raised platform where he practically lounged on a lavishly cushioned divan. He looked very confident for a boy who couldn't be much older than 20. Qui-Gon wondered how long he had already been King for because he doubted it was very long. This would change his approach significantly. Young rulers were either too cocky or too cautious. This boy seemed to be the former.
His look was on the conservative side compared to other rulers Qui-Gon had met. He wore a simple light grey shirt and matching trousers that came down to just below the knee from where black and golden lines of geometric patterns ran down the outside of his lower leg to his bare feet. The same patterns decorated the sides of his neck and his arms to his hands. Over his shirt he wore an intricately patterned black jacket which Qui-Gon assumed was a grand sign of wealth on Beimeni. Whoever could afford to wear black in a desert was living in luxury.
From Qui-Gon's experience, rulers tended to cover themselves in expensive jewels, but the King only wore a simple chain around his neck that disappeared into his shirt, so you couldn't see what hung on the end. The decoration he wore seemed to lie solely in the paintwork on his skin.
The King sat up, looking them over with interest, once they reached the centre of the room where they stood slightly in front of deep red silk hanging from the ceiling like a waterfall.
"Zhelan," he said without taking his eyes off Qui-Gon and then someone stepped out of the shadows behind him. It was a child who looked no older than 15.
Qui-Gon thought he had been drugged or maybe he was dreaming because what he was seeing couldn't be true.
The ginger boy stopped next to the King. He was styled in a similar way to the King. His pale skin was painted in black and golden patterns that circled his wrists and ankles like disguised shackles. Black and gold lined his eyes as well and his hair that was long enough to cover his ears but not reach his shoulders was laced with embellished golden beads. Unlike anyone they had seen on Beimeni his clothes were a crisp white. He wore a see-through shirt that was open, leaving his chest bare to show him wearing the same chain that the King wore. It held a small vial on the end.
Qui-Gon would recognise that face anywhere, even with all the decoration, he knew that face and judging by the look on it, Obi-Wan had recognised him as well.
o-O-o
Obi-Wan couldn't believe his eyes. He had sensed Jedi coming but he never would have thought it would be Qui-Gon Jinn. After all this time, fate had clearly decided to let their paths cross again. Clearly fate wanted them dead.
He silently begged Qui-Gon not to let the King know that they knew each other and then he let his expression turn neutral again. The shock of seeing his former master had clearly shown, he just hoped the King hadn't been focused on him.
"Greet the Jedi for me," the King ordered, with a dismissive wave of his hand as he leant back into the cushions again.
Obi-Wan cleared his throat and took a step forward.
"Welcome to Beimeni, Jedi. His Majesty King Kazakov hopes you have enjoyed your stay so far. He wishes to know what your business here is."
He watched Qui-Gon for an answer, but none came. He seemed to be frozen in shock. Finally, the other Jedi spoke.
"You'll have to excuse my Master, the heat must have got to him, or perhaps simply his old age."
Obi-Wan couldn't help the little chuckle that escaped him. Qui-Gon must be around 70 now, his long hair had turned grey and the lines on his face were deep. It had been a while since Obi-Wan had seen anyone looking as old as they should. He was surprised to hear the other Jedi calling Qui-Gon his master. Somehow Obi-Wan had thought he would be the last.
"My name is Anakin Skywalker, and this is Qui-Gon Jinn. We are here on behalf of the Republic."
Obi-Wan turned to the King who was waiting expectantly for the translation. "They introduced themselves."
"War business?"
Obi-Wan suspected that was why the Jedi were here but he asked anyway. "And what business does the Republic have on Beimeni?"
Qui-Gon still wasn't speaking but Obi-Wan figured that was probably for the best. His former master was bound to give them away if he spoke now and Obi-Wan didn't doubt that would end in bloodshed.
"As I'm sure you're aware, the unrest in the galaxy has been growing for years now. Three months ago, the Separatists decided to strike. They killed several Jedi in the process. An act of war the Republic could not ignore."
Obi-Wan translated word for word this time. He could sense the emotion in Anakin as he spoke and frowned a little at it. How many times had Qui-Gon reprimanded him for getting too emotional when he had been his Padawan?
"The Republic has a clone army. The finest soldiers in the galaxy and with the Jedi leading them as generals, the Republic is more than capable of holding the Separatists back."
Obi-Wan continued to translate, but he didn't like what he was hearing. Jedi weren't supposed to be war generals. Anakin spoke of their military force, of how the Separatists would bring chaos to the galaxy and of how the Republic would restore order again. Obi-Wan simply couldn't believe this was what had become of the Jedi.
"Can we wrap this up before he dies of old age?", the king suddenly interrupted Anakin's seemingly endless flow of words and gestured to Qui-Gon.
Obi-Wan bit his lip so he wouldn't laugh. Somehow the interruption had given Qui-Gon back the ability to speak and he stepped forward, looking much more like the Jedi Obi-Wan had once known.
"What did he say?"
"The King is getting bored, and you have yet to state your business here."
Qui-Gon looked Obi-Wan in the eye, calculating his next words. Anakin seemed annoyed by the interruption but let his master take over the conversation.
"I would think our business here would be clear. The Republic needs all the support it can get. We are asking the King to reconsider Beimeni's neutrality."
Obi-Wan had forgotten how boldly Qui-Gon liked to speak.
"The Jedi are proposing Beimeni join the Republic. They kindly ask you to consider their offer."
"No."
"The King has considered and must decline. It is his duty to protect his people and joining your war brings him no benefit."
Qui-Gon raised an eyebrow. "He didn't say all that in one word."
"I'm paraphrasing."
He made a disgruntled sound and stood a little straighter. "Make sure you translate me word for word. Beimeni may be neutral, but the Separatists won't respect that for long. They will be coming here too and believe me when I say they will be less kind."
Shuffling from behind him indicated that the King had sat up. Clearly his interest had been piqued and Obi-Wan suspected he knew why.
"Do not let your arrogance guide your judgement," Qui-Gon continued, "you have clearly not been King for long and have much to learn. You should heed our advice."
Obi-Wan turned to face the King, his mind working on a way to rephrase that last part. "You appear to be a wise King. I hope you will accept our… suggestions."
The King's face filled with amusement. He had noticed the hesitation.
"My dear Zhelan, are you changing his words?"
"I am simply making them kinder, your Majesty."
"What did he say?"
"He may have implied you were inexperienced. He has clearly been misled by your youth."
At that the King laughed so hard that his eyes watered. Once the laughing stopped, he stood up to face Obi-Wan. He was almost a head taller, so Obi-Wan had to look up at him.
"Why does everything sound so much better when it comes from your lips?" He asked. His thumb brushed over Obi-Wan's bottom lip and for a moment he feared the King might kiss him.
What happened next was pure instinct. Obi-Wan had felt the flare of anger through the Force. He had felt Qui-Gon's movement. He knew the Jedi was armed. His head snapped to the side, out of the King's hold, and he stretched his hand out to call the hidden lightsaber to him.
All three men looked surprised by the action, but the King looked ready to snap.
"He wasn't going to attack you. I simply sensed it was there," Obi-Wan lied, "If you kill him, more will come."
The King relaxed slightly but Obi-Wan knew that Qui-Gon now walked on thin ice.
"Search them. I won't have them scaring my guests," the King smiled, "that's my job."
"What should I tell them?"
"They may stay for now. But if they get too curious your nice words won't save them again."
The King placed his thumb and index finger in his mouth and whistled sharply. A moment of silence followed before the room filled with life. Servants and guards started setting up the room for the King's other guests, making the Jedi look very lost.
Obi-Wan glanced down at the lightsaber he was holding and almost dropped it. It was his. The sudden urge to cry filled him. He hadn't thought about that day in years, but everything came rushing back now and it hurt. Qui-Gon had abandoned him. Why would he carry this lightsaber with him? It made no sense.
"Something wrong?"
Obi-Wan shook his head and put on his best smile. What would be the point in crying anyway? It would only ruin the eyeliner.