The Heart of Destiny
Author: Laura Kenobi
Disclaimer: Unfortunately for me, I don't own Star Wars. I do, however, own any original characters, planets, etcetera that I created for this story.
Archive: Please contact me first!
Comments/Reviews: You can email me through my profile, and you can always leave a review!
Author's Notes: ((italics)) represents thoughts and / italics / represents communication through the Force.
This story was first published in its original version beginning on June 21, 2001. In July 2005, I decided that since four years had passed and my skills as a writer had undoubtedly improved since this story was first written and posted, it might be refreshing to return to this story and give it a fresh look and an update. For the most part the overall story remains the same - my goal has been to improve on and expand on the original, so I hope the result will prove enjoyable to all of you who are wonderful enough to read and review. The version of this story below is the updated version. Call it the "Special Edition" version of this story.
I think by this point this is not an issue, but if you haven't seen, or at least heard the story of, The Phantom Menace you probably should before you read this.
Summary: Obi-Wan Kenobi and Qui-Gon Jinn start out on a mission, and a lifetime of memories follow.
Chapter Seven
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Naboo.
The planet was lush, and Obi-Wan was amazed at the number of species of plants that surrounded him. It was beautiful.
Qui-Gon came walking over, and Obi-Wan resisted the urge to stiffen his shoulders. During his meditation on the Queen's ship, he had begun to feel guilty for snapping out at his Master the way he had. He prayed that Qui-Gon would accept his apology.
"Master? I – I behaved poorly on Coruscant, and I am sorry. It was not my place to disagree with you about the boy. I just..." Obi-Wan felt his throat catch, and just as quickly got his emotions under control. There was not time for his emotions to overload. He had to concentrate.
"Think nothing of it, Obi-Wan. You were just voicing your opinion. Perhaps I needed to hear it," Qui-Gon paused, "And... I am the one who should apologize. I know how much I hurt you back on Coruscant. I should have thought about it before I said what I did. I just want you to know that I love you as if you were my son, and I do not want to get rid of you. I let my belief in Anakin override everything else, and I hurt you in the process. When I said you were ready, I meant it. You'll be a great Jedi Knight, my Padawan. I'm already very proud of you."
Obi-Wan couldn't help but smile. He was relieved beyond description that everything between them was healing. He hated being on bad terms with Qui-Gon more than anything else. As the pair shook hands, the canyon that had been separating them slammed shut, sealing over and not leaving behind any trace of a scar.
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Gwen A'mour tossed and turned in her bed. Sweat poured down her face and she groaned in torment. Muddled visions swam across her mind. Visions of Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon, pain, and death.
/ What? / She called to the Force, still asleep/// What are you trying to tell me? /
"Padawan, Gwen, wake up!" Master L'arel shook Gwen gently. Gasping for breath, the young woman woke and glanced around frantically.
"Gwen, it's okay. It was just a dream. You're safe."
"Master, something is wrong. Obi-Wan..." Tears filled her eyes and she didn't attempt to stop them as they fell down her face. Master L'arel was shaken. She had never seen Gwen react so strongly to something like a dream.
"Padawan, tell me. What did you see?"
"Visions," Gwen breathed, "Blurry, and so fast. Pain, and death, and all I could tell was that Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan were in danger."
A cold, hard knot formed in the Jedi Master's stomach. If anything happened to Obi-Wan, she wasn't sure how Gwen would react. She realized that he had not contacted Gwen, or anyone for that matter, since he had left.
Sitting in her Padawan's quarters, Master Ginger L'arel began to beg the Force to keep Obi-Wan alive, for her Padawan's sake.
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As they entered Theed, Obi-Wan kept his senses alert to every change and whisper in the Force. He couldn't afford to drop his guard. It could prove fatal, more likely on this mission than any they had ever been on before.
They made it into the hanger relatively little trouble, and with blasters firing and lightsabers twirling, they made their way through the hanger.
"Get to your ships!" Padmé – No, Obi-Wan reminded himself; she had actually revealed that she was the Queen of Naboo – called to the pilots. Obi-Wan had not seen it coming; she had just announced it as if it were the most normal thing in the world. Obi-Wan held a new respect for the young leader. Her confession had gained them the Gungan army.
Suddenly, as they raced through the hanger, Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon behind all the rest, the group stopped as if they had hit an invisible wall. Obi-Wan looked to see what the problem was, and his blood ran cold.
Standing in the doorway of the exit they were planning to use was a figure dressed in black robes. As the two Jedi came into view, he lifted his head ever so slightly. Obi-Wan recognized him immediately. It was the Sith Lord that Qui-Gon had fought on Tatooine.
"We'll handle this." Qui-Gon's voice broke into Obi-Wan's thoughts. Terror tugged at his heart, he had never fought a real lightsaber battle before, but he pushed it away and replaced it with a fierce determination. They would defeat this menace. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan were commonly known to be great swordsmen, although the Jedi had not needed to use lightsaber-to-lightsaber combat outside of the practice arena for many years.
As the rest of the group reluctantly left the Jedi to fight their battle, Obi-Wan thought of Gwen. He decided to shut off their bond completely, as he had done before. He didn't want her to feel anything from him that may happen during this confrontation. Slamming his mental shields up as tight as he could manage, he shrugged off his cloak, noticing that Qui-Gon was doing the same.
The Sith Lord slowly pulled back the hood of his cloak. The Sith had horns instead of hair, and his eyes were a terrible red hue. Obi-Wan was glad he had closed the connection with his wife. She didn't need to see this. The red and black tattoos on their opponent's face were bold. Obi-Wan pulled out his lightsaber.
The horned man also held a lightsaber in his hands. He suddenly swung in out in front of him, and ignited the red blade. An overconfident smile crossed his lips as he pressed another button, and the other end of the weapon sprang to life. A double-bladed lightsaber. Obi-Wan had never heard of such a thing, and he imagined that no Jedi had.
As the Jedi ignited their lightsabers and the battle began, Obi-Wan was surprised. He had fought many battled with other Jedi at the Temple, but never had he fought such an intense opponent. The Sith radiated confidence, and was more skilled than many of the Jedi Obi-Wan knew.
As the battle continued down a long pathway, Obi-Wan decided that the Sith was too confident. ((Hopefully that will be his mistake. This is one battle we can't afford to lose.))
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Obi-Wan had shut her out again. Completely out, as he had done on Tatooine.
The Force told her he was in trouble. There was nothing she could do about it. She tried to convince herself that the Force would not be so cruel as to take her husband from her now.
Although she tried, she could not totally convince herself. She stood and set off to the sparring area of the Temple. She needed to do something, otherwise she would only sit in their quarters and worry until word came of Obi-Wan's fate.
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Thrust, parry, attack...
Obi-Wan's head swam. They had been fighting the Sith Lord for what seemed like an eternity, and somehow the Sith had the upper hand. He seemed to be perfectly focused, and he had skills unlike any Obi-Wan had ever seen.
Suddenly, the Sith turned and kicked Obi-Wan with all his strength. The power of the blow threw Obi-Wan off balance, and he flipped over and fell down, and down...
Slam! As Obi-Wan hit the catwalk several levels down, he nearly rolled off again. He grabbed the edge and hauled himself up to his feet, cursing himself the entire time for being caught off-guard.
Looking up, he saw Qui-Gon and the Sith engaged in a heated battle, moving quickly away from him. Gathering the Force around him, Obi-Wan leapt up to the level of the battle. He was very far away from the pair, and he began to run toward them, knowing that every second he was away, the Sith could make a move that could be fatal for his Master. This knowledge helped speed him along as he raced forward.
Just as he thought he was about to make rejoin the battle, a red wall appeared from nowhere, and Obi-Wan skidded to a stop. He watched as Qui-GOn, separated from the Sith by an identical wall, sank to his knees calmly.
Obi-Wan felt like he was trapped in a cage. He paced back and forth, trying to will his wall away. He knew was going to have to run faster than he ever had before to reach the battle before he was trapped again, but he would make it. He had to.
As the laser walls deactivated, Obi-Wan launched himsefl forward, using the Force to propel his body toward the ensuing battle. He watched as the two ahead made it to the end of the corridor, and he heard the laser walls begin to close behind him. The world was a blur; he was going so fast, but it was not fast enough. Just before he made it to the end of the corridor, the last wall slammed into place directly in front of him. He stopped instantly, and barely avoided sliding into the red wall of energy.
((NO!))
Mentally swearing at himself in every language he knew, Obi-Wan Kenobi had never felt so helpless. He watched as the two warriors battled fiercely. Obi-Wan could clearly see the exhaustion on his mentor's face.
As Obi-Wan watched, time suddenly seemed to slow to a crawl. The two men seemed to be battling in slow motion. Obi-Wan's eyes went wide as the Sith caught Qui-Gon off-guard, slamming his lightsaber handle into the Jedi's chin. Then, Obi-Wan's worst fear came true. The Sith ran Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn through with his lightsaber.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
Obi-Wan's desperate scream was gone from his lips before he could stop himself. His Master's pain rippled through the Force, and the younger man watched as Qui-Gon Jinn fell to the floor. He could feel his mentor's life rapidly fading away. Panic and wild determination swept over him. He would not lose his Master like this! Not because he wasn't fast enough.
Obi-Wan's eyes found the Sith's, and he trembled with anger. That monster had struck his Master down, and he would die for it. Obi-Wan bounced gently up and down, trying to will the laser walls to drop. The Sith smiled victoriously.
((He thinks he's won,)) Obi-Wan thought, ((but he's got another thing coming.))
As the wall vanished, Obi-Wan sprung into the most intense combat he had ever experienced. He had no time to think; he could only react. The Sith seemed surprised, and Obi-Wan was glad.
After a short battle, the Sith took advantage of Obi-Wan's wild determination and again caught him off-guard. He sent the Padawan tumbling into the melting pit with a powerful surge of the Force.
Obi-Wan's arms shot out, and he caught himself on something on the wall of the pit. As he looked up, the Sith kicked his lightsaber over his head and down into the pit below.
Obi-Wan's eyes searched for a way out, and he caught sight of his fallen Master's lightsaber. A plan formed in his mind. Trying his best to look demoralized – which in truth wasn't difficult, considering the circumstances – Obi-Wan used the Force to call his Master's lightsaber. As it came flying toward him, he used the last of his energy to leap out of the pit and over the Sith's head. He landed, Qui-Gon's ignited weapon in hand, and swung the lightsaber around with all of his strength, cutting the Sith in half.
Obi-Wan watched as the Sith fell into the melting pit, splitting into two halves as he disappeared. He felt nothing as he watched, just numb.
As soon as he was sure the threat was gone, Obi-Wan Kenobi raced over to his fallen Master.
"Master!"
Cradling Qui-Gon's body in his arms, he noticed with a spark of hope that his Master was still conscious. His mentor's words crushed his hope in one smooth stroke.
"It's... it's too late."
"No!" Obi-Wan shook his head in denial. ((No!))
"Obi-Wan... promise... promise you will train the boy..."
Obi-Wan nodded quickly. ((Anything, Master... anything for you...))
"Yes, Master."
"He – he is the Chosen One... He will bring balance..."
Obi-Wan could only nod. Words failed him.
"...train him..."
Obi-Wan couldn't feel him anymore. The spot in the Force usuall filled with Qui-Gon's vibrant spirit had suddenly become a gaping black hole.
Qui-Gon's eyes lost focus, and his body went limp in his Padawan's arms.
((NO! No, no, NO! Master!)) He lacked the strength of breath to scream the words aloud.
"Master..." Obi-Wan's breath caught in his throat, and he bent over to touch his forehead to his Master's. He felt no life there, and for the first time in years Obi-Wan Kenobi let sobs rack his body.
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End Chapter 7.
Thanks so much for reading! I'd love it if you could review! Thanks again! - Laura