Turning Point
Chapter Three
Disclaimer: See chapter 1
Summary: Well, the JA books mentioned Xanatos' betrayal, and Qui told Obi about it, but there wasn't anything in depth…. at least, not to my liking. So this is MY version of what happened, and I tried to be as true to the storyline/recollection that Qui told. There was no mention of Xanatos' mother, so I put her in here to add a dramatic twist and the name of the planet the Telosian people were going to go to war over wasn't named, so its a figment of my imagination.
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Qui-Gon awoke suddenly, sensing he wasn't alone. He sat up in the bed, and met the gaze of a short, round woman. She stood quietly by the door, waiting for the Jedi master to say something.
"Who are you?" Qui-Gon asked, standing up.
"I am your personal servant. Mr. DuCret assigned me to you. I am here to make sure your stay is as pleasant as possible." The woman stated flatly.
She was approximately to Qui-Gon's shoulder, short black hair hung around her shoulders, and she stared back at him with soft brown eyes.
"I thank you, but I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself." Qui-Gon smiled politely.
"Very well sir. Mr. DuCret wanted you to know that the meeting will be in two hours. If you require anything, don't hesitate to call." The lady said with a smile.
Qui-Gon returned her smile and bowed his head slightly, "Thank you. I just require some privacy. I can find my own way to the meeting."
The woman bowed her head and left the room, shutting the door behind her.
Qui-Gon went to the refresher and enjoyed a long shower. He preferred the water showers over the sonic showers. Sonic seemed so sterile, but the water always seemed to relax and ease whatever tension he had and sooth whatever was bothering him.
Qui-Gon exited the shower, only to discover that his clothes were missing. He wrapped a towel around himself and went into the bedroom, finding the bed made and fresh clothes laid out for him. He chuckled and changed into them, and made a mental note to thank his servant and to commend her for accuracy in sizes.
He looked in the mirror and admired the soft fabric of the pants and shirt. His pants were of a soft black material, and the beige shirt was cut not unlike his Jedi tunics. He was put at ease when he found his lightsaber and belt, and completed his ensemble.
He left his room an started down the hall to Xanatos. A young girl, 18 maybe, came out of his door, nearly bumping into the Jedi Master. Her golden hair was pulled up in a makeshift bun, and her uniform clung loosely to her body.
"Pardon me." Qui-Gon said with a smile.
The girly only nodded, somewhat sadly, and hurried down the hall. Qui-Gon watched her go, and felt terrible sadness and heartache coming from her. He knocked on the door and opened it, hoping to see his padawan.
He frowned upon seeing the empty room, but heard the shower going. He shook his head at the mess, and sent Xanatos a message through their bond.
Xanatos responded and hurriedly climbed out of the shower. He wrapped a long robe around himself and went into the bedroom to greet his master.
"I certainly hope you're not going to the meeting dressed like that." Qui-Gon smirked.
Xanatos looked around the room and frowned, "No. I asked for new clothes to be brought to me, but I guess she's having a hard time determining my size." Xanatos hid a smile.
"I take it that the girl I saw leaving is your servant?" Qui-Gon asked as a knock came at the door.
"Yeah." Xanatos confirmed, then answered the door. The girl offered him the clothes that were in her arms. He mumbled something, the girl bowed, then left.
Xanatos closed the door and took the clothes to the refresher. Quickly changing, he slipped a small metallic device in his clothes, and reentered the bedroom, smiling at his master.
Qui-Gon looked a little upset and asked, "How old is that poor girl?"
"Oh, the servant? Sixteen I think, maybe fifteen. Who knows and who cares? We have to hurry, or we'll be late." Xanatos said, opening the door and motioning for his master to lead the way out.
"That is not the kind of attitude to have Xanatos." Qui-Gon scolded.
"Well, I'm sorry, but I didn't ask how old she was." Xanatos sighed impatiently.
"She just seemed sad and unhappy." Qui-Gon walked side by side with his apprentice.
"She has no reason to be. If she does a good job, she is paid well. We don't mistreat our servants, they are well cared for." Xanatos commented.
Qui-Gon brow furrowed and he looked over at his padawan suspiciously. He Xanatos 'meant' to say WE? OUR? Or was it a simple mistake? A slip of the tongue? Common phrase? Qui-Gon was beginning to wonder.
"Master, I sense something." Xanatos glanced around suspiciously, shielding his thoughts so his master couldn't pick up on what he was planning.
"I don't sense anything." Qui-Gon's eyes inspected every shadow and space surrounding them. He opened up to the force, only sensing his padawan in a state of hyper-sensitivity.
"Well, I'm staying on alert, just in case." Xanatos warned the elder.
Qui-Gon was so proud of Xanatos. He never had to warn his padawan to stay alert or to be mindful of the living force. Sometimes, Xanatos' focus frightened the Jedi master, but he admired how determined and in tune with all things around him the young man was.
"Son! Mr. Jinn!" Crion boomed upon the two Jedi's entrance. "Please have a seat. We've been waiting on you. The Chetol delegates are late, so you didn't miss anything."
Crion was seated at a large rectangular table, flanked by several older looking gentlemen in official garments. Qui-Gon guessed they were the Governors advisors. Crion gestured to the empty seat beside him, Xanatos nodded and went to the vacant seat.
Qui-Gon didn't like this scene, but a part of him scolded his feelings. //Xanatos will be a knight soon and will be in positions like this all the time. Crion understands this, and just thought that 'his' negotiations would be a great experience for Xanatos, before he's on his own.// Qui-Gon took his seat at the far end of the table.
"The delegates from Chetol have arrived and are on their way." One of the advisors informed the gathered diplomats.
//Master, do you sense a disturbance?// Xanatos glanced down at his master.
Qui-Gon met his apprentice's eyes //I sense nothing. Maybe you're just nervous. You are, afterall, the one that will be overseeing this treaty.//
Xanatos frowned// I'm not nervous. I just have a sense of dread and impending trouble.//
//Huhm. Sense of dread and worry? No, couldn't be nerves.// Qui-Gon sarcastically snickered.
Xanatos wrinkled his nose at his master's comment and glanced around the room, as if searching for something.
The delegates for Chetol were escorted into the room by their guards. One of the butlers for the manor showed them the way. A large man led the way, followed closely by 5 delegates. The leader was a short, overweight man, approximately in his mid forties. His followers looked to be over 70, and much taller, though they were a little on the hefty side.
The Telosians rose and greeted the guests, exchanging handshakes and names. Xanatos looked over to see his master greeting a couple of guests, and picked out the delegate that was closest to him.
Xanatos launched himself at the unsuspecting man, yelling for everyone to take cover. When they landed in a heap on the floor, Xanatos already had the explosive device from its hiding place in his clothes. He rebounded, sitting up a couple of feet away from the crowd, clutching the small metal box in his hand.
Guards rushed in, pointing their weapons at the Chetol diplomat on the floor. Xanatos jumped up, brandishing the small electronic device. He yelled, "What are you doing, you fool? This is a thermal explosive! You could have killed us all!"
The man remained on the ground, stunned and confused. "What? I didn't bring that device in here! YOU did!"
Xanatos fumed, "Putting the blame on someone else won't save you from being punished! You'll pay for your crime!"
The Chetol leader interrupted, "Mr Folah is my personal physician! He is a HEALER, not a soldier! This is a setup!"
"I beg your pardon?" Crion snapped. "YOU are the ones that tried to blow us all up with that bomb!"
The guards of Chetol surrounded their leader and raised their weapons. The Telosian guards did the same, creating a very unstable standoff.
Qui-Gon positioned himself between the uproared soldiers, putting his hands up defensively. "Stop! There's another way to do this. You don't have to start shooting."
"I agree with the Jedi. Put you're weapons away." The Chetol leader said, putting his hand on the barrel of one of the primitive blasters. "We are not a violent people."
"If you aren't violent, then why did one of YOUR men try to sneak a bomb in here? Crion demanded to know.
Upon seeing the Chetol guards lower their weapons, the Telosian guards followed suit.
"We are a peaceful people. We wouldn't sneak a bomb in to these proceedings! They are too important! It was one of YOUR men that did this infraction!" The leader shouted.
"I think this meeting has come to an end!" Crion shouted. "Guards! Escort our dishonorable guests back to their transport and make sure they leave without planting anymore of their 'secret weapons'."
The guards stepped forward, pointing their weapons once again at the Chetol dignitaries. The Chetol guards went on the defensive again, trying desperately to protect their leader. Mr. Folah was helped up off the floor, and rejoined his entourage.
Qui-Gon intervened. "I will escort them back. We don't need one of the guards misinterpreting something and begin a war."
Everyone seemed to agree, except for Xanatos. Qui-Gon bowed to Crion and motioned for the Chetol delegates to follow him. They obliged and trailed behind the Jedi Master.
When they were far enough away, the Chetol leader spoke, "Thank you Jedi. I think the Telosian guards had other plans for us. We appreciate your help."
"As always, the Jedi are in your service." Qui-Gon nodded.
"Oh NOW you're in our service? The planet you side with tries to kill us and NOW you offer your help." The Chetol bit sarcastically.
"I haven't sided with anyone. I was informed that you disrespected the Jedi and weren't too happy when you found out we were here." Qui-Gon felt a familiar uneasiness.
"WE demanded that Jedi oversee this new treaty. We didn't trust the Telosian Governor, or his associates, which is why we demanded that if they wanted a new treaty, there BETTER be a Jedi overseeing it!" The Chetol ambassador explained as they made towards their transport.
One of the elderly men spoke up, "You said WE? Is there anther Jedi here?"
Qui-Gon shook his head, "Yes. My apprentice Xanatos, the Governor's son."
The Chetol leader exchanged glances with his advisors, "If I were you, Mr. Jedi, I would look closer to my apprentice, and have a close inspection of that explosive."
"I plan on checking out the explosives, but its unnecessary for me to question my padawan. He is a dedicated Jedi." Qui-Gon bowed to the dignitaries.
The Chetol ambassadors boarded the vessel, the leading turning one last time to address the Jedi master. "If I were you, I wouldn't let my guard down. Sometimes the ones that you think will watch your back, are the ones that bury the knife the deepest."
"I appreciate your concern." Qui-Gon stated flatly. The doors of the transport closed, and the vessel rose up in the air and disappeared out of site.
Qui-Gon felt a strange feeling wash over him as he went to look for his padawan. He sensed Xanatos in the conference room, his long strides covering the distance within a few minutes. When he entered, he was surprised to see a young lady sitting on his padawan's lap. Xanatos was telling of his heroics, which impressed and excited the girl. She made it clear how excited she was becoming, and Qui-Gon cleared his throat to announce his presence in the room.
"Master!" Xanatos beamed upon seeing his master. "Everything go alright? The Chetol didn't attack you?"
"No Xanatos. I believe tensions were just high." Qui-Gon said, motioning for the girl to vacant Xanatos' lap. She reluctantly rose, turned and kissed Xanatos, whispering something only the two of them could here, then left the two Jedi alone to their business.
"Seems like you got a fan." Qui-Gon smirked.
"She think I'm a hero for saving everyone from the bomb." Xanatos smiled.
"Speaking of the bomb, do you know where it is?" Qui-Gon asked.
"It's on the table, right over there." Xanatos pointed to the far side of the room.
"Did you look at it?" Qui-Gon walked over and picked up the small metallic box.
"No. Why bother?" Xanatos snapped impatiently.
Qui-Gon shook his head in disappointment. "We can learn a lot. For instance," Qui-Gon rolled the device over in his hands. "The trigger switch is missing."
"What?" Xanatos got up to stand beside his master and look at the small destructive weapon.
"The switch is gone. I'm guessing that it was done so it won't blow, just give a scare." Qui-Gon explained. "And by the look of the craftsmanship, it's Telosian, not Chetolian."
Xanatos sighed heavily, grinding his teeth together in agitation.
"Xanatos, what to explain to me why YOU did this?" Qui-Gon stared his padawan down.
Xanatos looked sad, then shrugged knowing his master could see right through him. "My father didn't trust the delegates. He thinks my mother is better suited to handle the negotiations, which is why she remained on Chetol. They will be furious with the bomb threat, and NOT want to deal with my father again."
"So you sabotaged the meeting for him? So he wouldn't have to deal with the negotiations?" Qui-Gon half asked, half clarified.
"Yes." Xanatos confirmmed, a hint of defiance in his voice. "He asked for my help. He thought it best that our world seemed dangerous, making the Chetol people what to renegotiate with my mother on their home planet."
"You could have come to me. There could have been another way to go about this." Qui-Gon sighed sadly. "You may have made a big mistake, causing emotions to flare up and do something that both sides would regret."
A servant came rushing in, "Mr. DuCret, your father asked to see you immediately. There is talk that the people heard about the assignation attempt and are calling for war!"
"I was afraid of this." Qui-Gon said, following his apprentice out of the room.
Xanatos and Qui-Gon were led to the throne room. Crion was surrounded by guards and droids. "Son! Mr. Jinn! I'm glad you're safe. People are lining to enlist in an army to attack Chetol!" he seemed to be happy, in a way. "I'm planning on making a public announcement tomorrow afternoon informing our people of the impending war."
"Governor DuCret, are you sure that's prudent?" Qui-Gon was shocked at the atmosphere. Everyone seemed to want war.
"It's what my people want. They want retrobution for the possible deaths that bomb could have caused." Crion's voice was even and getting dangerously high.
"I know all about your plans. Xanatos told me that HE was the one that brought the bomb to the meeting, at your request. You sabotaged your own meeting." Qui-Gon rose his voice slightly.
Crion glared at Xanatos, then spoke, "It makes little difference. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a declaration of war to prepare. I'll see you two at dinner tonight."
Crion left, followed by his bodyguards and droids. Qui-Gon stared blankly after him, desperately wanting to set everything straight, and talk some sense into the power hunger leader. He began to plan his own speech, wondering and worrying over the consequences.
"I'm going to my room." Xanatos said, and walked off.
"I believe I'll get some rest." Qui-Gon said, following Xanatos. "I'll stop by at dinnertime."
Xanatos nodded, suppressing a fake yawn. Without even bowing, Xanatos entered his room and slammed the door shut.
Qui-Gon went to his room, called his servant to bring him a datapad and snack, and sat down to write. He weighed the consequences of his actions and decided INACTION was NOT the course. The Telosian people HAD to know how deceptive their leader was and know of his involvement to start the hostilities.
At dinnertime, Qui-Gon met Xanatos outside his door and the two started towards the dining hall. When they got there, the long banquet table was decorated with expensive place settings, and large bouquets of flowers were the centerpieces on the polished surface.
Qui-Gon and Xanatos took their seats, flanking the Governor. Servants brought large silver platters loaded with every kind of food, and pouted golden goblets of aged wine.
Qui-Gon interrupted the alcohol being poured, "We don't drink."
Xanatos scoffed, "Oh please. We aren't in a diplomatic situation. We can kick back and relax for awhile. Come on master, Live a little." Xanatos watched his goblet fill to the rim.
"No thank. I think within the past 48 hours, I've lived enough." Qui-Gon exclaimed and began to eat.
Xanatos laughed, downed the contents of the goblet in a few gulps, and signaled for more. A servant girl obliged and filled his cup up again.
Qui-Gon ate his fill, not really paying attention to the conversation that Xanatos was having with his father. His attention was snapped back by Xanatos' lightsaber being ignited.
Crion held his son's weapon directly in front of himself, admiring the craftsmanship and the simplicity of the design. "It's beautiful. Think I could have one with a golden blade and handle?
Qui-Gon snapped, "NO! Only Jedi carry a lightsaber. We train all our lives to be able to control and manipulate such a weapon. It's a earned privilege, not one to be bought."
Crion smiled, "I was wondering. No need to get upset Mr. Jinn."
"Yeah Masta. It's my fadder for forshe sakes. He can do what he wants with MY sabler." Xanatos said, his consumption of alcohol was beginning to show.
"Xanatos! You know a Jedi's weapon is not supposed to be away from them! Put it back on your belt and under NO circumstances, let someone else handle it." Qui-Gon was getting upset at Xanatos' carelessness and disregard.
Xanatos jumped up out of his seat, then suddenly grabbed the table for support, due to the effects of the wine. "Don't twalk to me like I'm a baby! I am an adult, and almost a knights."
"But you are a Jedi first and foremost! Now act like one!" Qui-Gon raised his voice.
"Well den, I don't want to be a Jedi anysmore. You are a guest in MY family's home, don't disrespect them and me with your 'better than you Jedi' retotic!"
Qui-Gon was on his feet as soon as Xanatos stepped over the line. His hand came flying, striking the inebriated padawan hard across the jaw. "I am your master and you WILL show respect!"
The slap was hard enough to knock the extremely whoozey padawan to the floor. He tried desperately to clutch at the table to steady him, but his hand met empty air as he toppled to the floor.
"ENOUGH!" Crion shouted, his annoyance showing. "He may be your padawan, but he is MY son, and when MY son is in MY house, YOU will show him respect!"
Qui-Gon glared at Crion, then walked around to the other side of the table. Xanatos was groaning and mumbling incoherently as his master hoisted him up into his arms. Qui-Gon cradled his tipsy padawan against himself and carried Xanatos to his room.
When they entered Xanatos's bedroom, Qui-Gon was surprised to see the servant girl standing beside the bed. Xanatos started making the tell tale signs of puking, and Qui-Gon rushed him to the refresher. Qui-Gon dismissed the girl for the evening, only asking for her to put a fresh change of clothes out for Xanatos.
Xanatos puked all over himself, his master, the floor, walls, everything. After nearly an hour, Xanatos finally passed out in a drunken stupor. Qui-Gon changed clothes and cleaned him up as best he could and helped the younger man to bed.
The servant girl prepared the bed, assisting the elder Jedi with the drunken youth. She seemed relieved when Qui-Gon dismissed her for the evening.
Qui-Gon sighed and pulled a blanket and pillow off the bed, and made himself comfortable for the night. He hoped that Xanatos had sufficiently emptied his stomach and wouldn't have problems in the night. "I hope you learned your lesson padawan."