Part 6

Qui-Gon was summoned to the Council Chamber in the gray of the morning. He was greeted by Masters Yoda and Mace Windu. Both wore somber expressions. Why the rest of the Jedi Council was not present, Qui-Gon did not know. He actually had seen very little of Council members aside from Mace and Yoda in the last two
weeks. It was as if Mace and Yoda had taken responsibility for Qui- Gon's transition back into life at the Temple and none of the others were allowed to go near him. It was truly an odd thing.

Qui-Gon was floored when they told him he was going to Naboo.

"For... for what?" he asked, an image of his Sith adversary rising in his mind unbidden.

Yoda and Mace exchanged glances and nodded in silent agreement.

"Troubles you still it does," Yoda commented.

"Yes, Master," came Qui-Gon's humble reply.

"Know then you should why you need to go to Naboo. Face it you must."

Qui-Gon looked from Yoda to Mace. "I must face my fears," he echoed. "Is this why you kept my mission from me?" he asked.

"Partially, but that's not the full reason for the secrecy," Mace told him.

"And will you be telling me this secret?" Qui-Gon asked.

"Learn it you will when you reach your destination," said Yoda. The look on his face told Qui-Gon not to press for more information. Instead, he inquired why the rest of Council was not present for this meeting. In his eyes, they should have been there.

"Hmmmm..." Yoda hummed sadly, shaking his head.

It was Mace who spoke. "This is difficult to say, Qui-Gon," he began, "but you deserve to know the truth."

"Which is, Mace?"

"There are those in the Council who doubt your ability to complete this task. Some do not feel you are ready for any responsibilities; others still doubt your abilities within the Force. Right now, you have very few champions on the Council."

"And they are still allowing me to do go on this mission?" Qui- Gon asked.

Mace chuckled wryly. "The only thing we all agreed upon was that you had to face your fears, and the best way to do that is to send you back to their origin."

"It would be the perfect test of my recovery," Qui-Gon commented, trying to think like a member of the Council.

"Exactly," replied Mace.

********

Later that day, Qui-Gon found himself in a transport headed for Naboo. Upon entering the transport, the pilot handed him a package, saying "Master Yoda instructs that you open this only after you receive your final orders." Qui-Gon took the package and sat staring at it for several hours, fingers itching to open it. Finally he set it aside, and went into the cockpit of the transport.

Standing behind the pilot, he gazed out at the deep space which they now sped through. Stars twinkled, pulsing around the ship. They seemed to be waving him on, urging him closer to his destination. Naboo...

Although Qui-Gon remained stoic as he watched the stars from the ship, inwardly he felt nothing but dread. Each second took him closer to Naboo... closer to the origin of his troubles. His mind began replaying the past, causing him to see relive the events which first brought him to Naboo. Again he met Jar Jar for the first time, and again, he raced against time to meet up with a child queen. Then
his memories shifted and he found himself facing the Sith menace. Obi-Wan was trapped beyond the energy field, unable to aid him. Then came the blow...

Without warning, Qui-Gon turned and strode back into his small quarters. Sitting upon the sleep bench, he buried his face in his hands as the painful past assaulted him. After several seconds, he controlled himself enough to meditate, hoping to bring himself peace. Instantaneously, his mind conjured up an image of Shmi Skywalker. This time, Qui-Gon did not fight the vision--it was this or reliving the hellish duel. Forcing the evil red-and-black faced, horned specter from his mind, he reached out for Shmi and allowed himself to be gathered into her comforting arms.

He was sleeping peacefully within the dream when the pilot came to inform him that they had received a transmission from Naboo.

*********

When Qui-Gon stepped out of the transport and descended the ramp, he was greeted by a small welcoming committee consisting of members of Queen Amidala's royal council and one lone handmaiden. The young girl said nothing, standing to one side as the queen's councilors flocked to Qui-Gon's side. Then, after the much
older men had dispensed of their ceremonious task, she stepped forward. In a clear voice, she spoke, commanding the Jedi's attention.

"Master Jinn, " she said. "Her royal highness, Queen Amidala, has asked me to see you to your rooms. If you will follow me, please."

Qui-Gon complied, but not before he had caught the twinkle in the young woman's eyes and the familiar tone of her voice. They walked to the suite set aside for him in silence, but as soon as the door closed behind them, Qui-Gon's face split into a grin.

"What a pleasure to see you again... Padme," he said, referring to Amidala as the handmaiden she had impersonated for most of their previous adventure together.

Amidala smiled at him. "When I heard it was you that the Jedi Council had sent, I had to see you."

"You could easily have come as yourself, you know," replied Qui- Gon.

"I know... but I would hardly have been able to speak to you alone had I met you as the queen," she told him. "And I wanted to speak privately with you."

"Oh?" Qui-Gon's eyebrow quirked upwards.

"I wanted to ask you... " the young queen's cheeks flushed with a slight blush. "I wish you to..."

"You desire news of Anakin?" Qui-Gon supplied for her. She nodded, and Qui-Gon found himself telling her all that knew of the boy. Watching her face, he could see that it troubled her when she heard of Ani's sorrows "You care for him, don't you?" he asked gently.

"Yes, I do. That's.. that's why I asked for the Jedi Council's help, Master Jinn." Amidala paused when she saw that she had his complete attention. "I wish to do something special for Ani. Tell me, what do you suppose is the one thing that would make him truly happy?"

"His mother's freedom," Qui-Gon answered without much thought. He knew it was what Anakin wished for more than anything else.

Amidala nodded in agreement. "That's why I have arranged to buy her freedom and take her away from that slum." She then began to out- line her plans to Qui-Gon. The Jedi Master found himself admiring the child-queen's thoughtfulness. Giving a young boy his greatest wish was something she truly need not worry about. But then... Ani was special, and not just because of the prophesy. To know him was to love him. He now understood the secrecy of this mission.

"Ani will be pleased to know he has found such a friend," he said, a warm smile on his face.

She returned his smile. "I value his friendship," she told Qui- Gon. "Ani and I are alike in some ways... or at least, he reminds me of myself." Qui-Gon gazed at her in curious confusion, prompting her to explain further. "When we met, I mean. We were both young... children really... being thrust into a world much larger than we could ever imagine... or understand. I had just become queen, and he had hopes of becoming a Jedi. Both are very grand things, Master Jinn, as I am sure you'll agree. We both stepped blindly into our new roles, completely
unprepared and very much alone. Except for our friendship. I do not wish to lose the connection we have made."

Qui-Gon nodded slightly. "I understand completely," he said. "When you are a Jedi, true friends are hard to come by."

They spoke for a while longer before Amidala took her leave of him. Before the queen left, she informed him that there was to be a formal reception and dinner in honor of his arrival later in the day. Suggesting that he rest and freshen up from his trip, she left.

After the young queen left, Qui-Gon showered and prepared for sleep. She was right; he needed the rest. His body was sore from fatigue and the confined space within the transport. Going to the bed- -a thankfully huge bed with a soft mattress--he threw himself down and closed his eyes.

Sleep came to the Jedi Master quickly, but it was not very restful. Instead, he was plagued by dreams of his last visit to Naboo. In his dream, he could sense danger everywhere, but did not see it until he came face to face with the evil one. This time, Obi- Wan was not there at all, and Qui-Gon had to face the Sith alone. He awoke drenched in sweat--just before the death blow came. His entire body shook with a fear he could not control.

Mace and Yoda wished him to confront this fear before he left Naboo. This was going to be a long mission...