The Hidden Truth
Chapter 15: the belief in the force
** spaceship and only four days to go**
Qui-Gon hadn't heard anything from Obi-Wan in the last two days. He knew, that his former Padawan was alive, but he couldn't tell more. Anakin stayed close to his Master during those hard days. He didn't want to leave his teacher alone, he had to be strong for Qui-Gon. That was the first time, that mentor and apprentice switched roles. Most of the time Master Jinn had to comfort Anakin and not vice versa. Qui-Gon was a good father, the only father Anakin had ever known and he tried to fill the hole in the boy's heart. But Ani longed for his Mom, it had been two years since his last visit. Often, Qui-Gon woke up in the night and heard the teenager sobbing in his room, but he had always managed to calm the boy down. Young Skywalker wrapped an arm around his Master and leaned against him. Obi-Wan was a grown-up and a Jedi. A few years ago Ani had thought, that no one could kill a Jedi. He smiled bitterly at his own ignorance.
On Naboo he had been taught better. Obi-Wan almost lost his life to save Qui-Gon. But there had been something else behind all this. Something elusive. Anakin never told a soul about his dream, but it had been so real. Maybe it had been a force vision. He dreamt, that the Naboo won the battle, that he destroyed the control-ship, but that the older Jedi had lost his life and the younger one disappeared. Then darkness crept over the galaxy and suffocated all the light….
He thought, that it would be time to talk about the issue, after this mission he would talk to Obi-Wan and listen to his point of view. Qui-Gon felt the distraction of the boy.
"What's wrong, Ani?", he asked carefully and looked deep into the youngster's eyes.
"Em, Master well,…" he tried to formulate the awkward matter. He didn't want to lie to his Master. "I just remembered the battle of Naboo.", he said faking a small smile. This wasn't a lie, but not precisely the truth. But he couldn't stand Qui-Gon's penetrating stare any longer. So he confessed.
"Thought of your fight with the Sith.", he spoke slowly concentrating on every single word, that left his mouth. It seemed as if he was chewing the words.
"That night before the struggle, I had a rather vivid force vision. I saw, the victory of the Naboo, I destroyed the control-ship of the Trade-Federation. But… but I saw you and Obi-Wan losing the fight against the Sith. You were struck down by the evil creature and Obi-Wan fell into something and disappeared. I never told anybody of this vision or dream. But somewhere, in a corner of my mind, I feel,… that is somehow real,… so near and touchable. I can't explain it, I am sorry, Master.", he looked to Qui-Gon, expecting to see disappointment in his face, but there was only understanding. Surprise crossed Anakin's features.
"Ani, you don not have to feel sorry. I have the same feeling about Naboo. Our destinies, I mean yours, Obi-Wan's, mine, and even more, formed a web or a kind of chain. By severing one element of the chain, a lot of other elements would have been lost with it- gone forever…", he eyed Ani, who sat there with an open mouth and didn't seem to understand.
"What I want to say is, that if the Sith killed one of us, a lot of other people would have died, too. I can't explain it either. The force had been our strongest ally. But nevertheless do I think, that Obi-Wan had a stronger connection to it all, than we could even imagine. The way he acted that very day, it had been as if he knew more… I never told him of my suspicion and never gave it a second thought, until now. This long voyage robs my last nerves and the last strands of my brown hair. When I started to train Obi-Wan, my hair was full and brown and now look at it… When Obi-Wan is on Coruscant, save and healthy, we have to speak about it. He is a link…" Qui-Gon's voice trailed off. Anakin nodded his head and encouraged Qui-Gon to tell him more. But he stopped. If the master couldn't get the whole situation right, how could he expect, that a 14-year-old boy would understand it.
"Master, what did the council exactly tell you about this mission?", the boy changed the direction of the conversation.
"Mace told me to bring back his spaceship, you know the new one.", Qui-Gon couldn't hide a smile.
"It seems to be a tradition, that the Apprentices of the great Qui-Gon Jinn crash his transports. So why does he give them to us?, Ani added grinning.
"Only the force knows why, Ani…", Qui-Gon said in a low voice.
If he only knew of the whereabouts of his former Padawan and his well-being. This waiting and being passive was gnawing at his now thin nerves. Ani tried his best to divert him a bit, but there was a point, where it wasn't helpful anymore. Qui-Gon hoped, that the Temple would send them facts of the planet, about the ruler, the rebels and the people, to get a better touch of the whole atmosphere on Dakona. Only four more days…
Tbc…