Part Three
Chapter 1 - The Blood Rite
The sun was high in the summer sky and despite the intense heat the sands were cool. Vast canvases, supported by great lengths of rope above the crowd, kept the audience, and the men awaiting battle, sahded.
Maul, son of Yoda, crowned Emperor of Naboo and commissioned officer in the Empire's army, stood dressed in black robes of rich silk and finest linen. His black leather gloves protected his hands from the rough sword handle he gripped. Before him was Qui-Gon Jinn, Jedi Warrior, General of Naboo and true heir to the throne. He was dressed in the traditional style Jedi robes; however, they were made of white silk. They fitted loosely around his muscular form, allowing freedom of movement. He held a sword given to him by Xanatos' bodyguard. He recognised the boy as Anakin, one of the ones who had helped him escape.
Between the two warriors stood their brother, strong and brave in his duty. He openly defied his blood brother for a man thought dead.
"You'll fight until there is a clear winner. Although there are no rules in such matters as this fight as the gentlemen that you are; fight with honour and remember that it is your brother you fight." Xanatos stepped back hoping the end would not come when one of them lay dead.
"Begin."
Maul did not waste time in attacking. Qui-Gon had trained as a Jedi and had watched and fought along side the Champion. He waited. With a soldier's strength, Maul leaped forward, crossing the distance that separated him from his nemesis.
Qui-Gon waited and at the last moment his mind joined the Force and he brought his sword up in defence. The first blow of the historical fight had been struck and its clang echoed around the packed and silent arena.
"I will kill you, Qui-Gon," Maul growled between assaults.
"You can try, but you will not find it easy. I guarantee you that."
The two exchanged blows in rapid succession so fast that the watchers could barely keep up. Maul kept pushing the General back, varying his tactics and showing no weakness. Qui-Gon kept up effortlessly.
With a move with more luck than skill, Maul twisted and drew first blood; he hit Qui-Gon sharply on his right shoulder. The General stumbled and fell to his knees, dazed; somehow he managed to keep his grip on his weapon.
"Bow to me, Qui-Gon, and I will forgive you this betrayal."
"Everyone knows, Maul. You can only end this by killing me yourself. Can you do that?"
"Yes," Maul answered without hesitation and brought his sword down.
*****
As the brothers met on the sands, Ben crawled over to the box railing and leaned heavily on it. He could easily see the two men below him. They were so close. He could see a cloud of darkness around Maul and in an instant knew that the battle was not a foregone conclusion. The Emperor was not a Jedi, regardless of this he knew how to manipulate the Force; not as well as Qui-Gon, perhaps, nevertheless it was enough to even the odds.
With fear in his heart, the Champion watched the duel begin. It was fearsome to watch and oddly fascinating. Ben had never watched a fight as he watched the one now unfolding. He had always tried not to care about those who fought in the arena, but in the Coliseum, on the sands where generations of blood had been spilled, the man he had awaited now fought.
"No, not now." he begged to any deity that would listen. To wait so long only to realise fully, now, when it was too late. A ripple went through the Force much like the effect of a stone being dropped into a still bottomless lake. The General fell to his knees with blood seeping from a wound on his shoulder.
"Please, Qui-Gon," the Nameless Jedi whispered as he stared beseechingly at the General. "I love you."
*****
Qui-Gon remembered a time almost to long ago when he had been the one to watch a skilled fighter on the ring, who, at the last second had looked up straight into his eyes and had then shown mercy. Not so far away, that same man watched. As time slowed, Qui-Gon looked up and saw the Nameless Jedi, and in his ears he heard a whisper or maybe it was a confession. Words were spoken to him that he had not realised he had yearned to hear.
'I love you.'
To hear those words gave such strength to his tired body and the Force sang at the beauty of them. With the might of the Force flowing in his veins, Qui-Gon Jinn lifted his sword to block the sword point aimed at his heart and with another move he plunged his own sword into the heart of the Emperor of Naboo. Qui-Gon stayed on his knees as he watched the look of surprise on his brother's face and then Maul fell down onto the sands that had claimed many a life before him.
*****
Xanatos closed his eyes, expecting to hear Qui-Gon cry out but instead he heard metal on metal and then he heard the collapse of a man. He opened his eyes and saw the General still kneeling. Maul lay beside him bleeding and dying. Cold eyes looked up at him and then the last traces of life left the fallen man.
"Qui-Gon?" Xanatos moved forward. The General was not listening. He once again looked to Palpatine's box, this time no one looked back at him. The box was empty.
"Qui-Gon?"
"Yes, Xan?"
"Are you alright?"
Qui-Gon almost said yes, however, the empty box once again caught his eye.
"Maybe," he said.
"You won, Qui-Gon. You are Emperor."
"I feel as if I lost."
"Come, let us go home," Xanatos said, not knowing how to comfort his brother. With Xanatos's help, Qui-Gon stood, the silent crowd erupted into cheers to see the man that had wanted to rule them stand.
Qui-Gon left the sand, for what he hoped was for the last time, with the crowd's cries ringing in his ears. The thundering voices were distant because above them three other words continued to echo through him.
*****
Ben was gone.
The Emperor sat in the palace, his wounds having been seen to. He had sent soldiers to Palpatine's training area only to discover it empty and abandoned. The slaver had reportedly returned to Tatooine and Ben, no one was sure what had happened to him. It was believer he had escaped.
'He used you, Qui-Gon. It was a trick. He was not waiting for you. He did not love you.'
Qui-Gon told himself again and again. It did not make him feel better. If it were possible, he felt worse. With grief in his heart and tears in his eyes, he told Xanatos everything that had befallen him.
"I want someone sent to Mos Espa. Palpatine does not obey the laws of Jedi ownership. Free his Jedi and ask the one called Mace if he would like a position in my guard." The officer Qui-Gon spoke to nodded quickly and hurried off to fulfil his Emperor's orders.
"He's not there," Xanatos said.
"Who?"
"Ah, Qui-Gon, I am no fool. I am a poet infatuated with the idea of love. Tell me about the Nameless Jedi again and this time do not pretend he meant nothing to you."
Realising the futility of arguing with Xanatos about his observations, Qui-Gon's shoulders slumped ever lower.
"I do not know what to say to you," Qui-Gon whispered. "Other than to say he has gone, he has left me."
"He will return."
"You can't be sure..."
"Yes, I can. Qui-Gon what you are feeling is love and I do not mean the passing kind. It is soul deep and I know he is feeling the same thing. It echoes through you both and into the world for everyone to see."
The Emperor did not dispute what had been said. As Xanatos made his way to the door, Qui-Gon remember something else.
"Xan, the battle before the Blood Rite, which team won?"
It was a strange question and one Xanatos did not hesitate to answer.
"It was a draw." Xanatos left his brother alone with his thoughts.
'It was a draw. What did that mean?'
"Bant?" Qui-Gon called suddenly and almost immediately his shout was answered.
"Yes, Sir?"
"I want a Jedi Lightsaber made."
"What is the name to be written on it, Sir?"
Qui-Gon listened to the whispers that continued to surround him and he heard a familiar voice telling him a secret.
"Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan Kenobi. The Nameless Jedi, no more."
"When would you like to present him with the 'Saber?"
"When he returns."
*****
Deep in the shadowy recesses of the Coliseum there are cells for the resident Jedi fighters. In one of them sat the Champion, no longer a legend from Tatooine, but now the star of the capital. The Champion sat alone in the darkest corner, muttering quietly to himself; his thoughts in turmoil.
'He's forgotten me, abandoned me, used me.'
'No.' he argued with himself. 'He is a good man, he will come.'
A war raged in the young Jedi's heart. As night fell upon the city, the light left the Champion and once again his eyes of jade were lifeless and hard; yet he still uttered his mantra, never stopping until morning when he was taken out to fight, only to start again when the cell door closed and he was alone again.
Again and again he spoke the words; a lifeline in a bitter world. It had been a draw - both had won and lost. To no one he said those words nevertheless someone could hear them carried far by the will of the Force. Night after night he confessed that which had been hidden for years.
"Obi-Wan Kenobi."
Chapter 1 - The Blood Rite
The sun was high in the summer sky and despite the intense heat the sands were cool. Vast canvases, supported by great lengths of rope above the crowd, kept the audience, and the men awaiting battle, sahded.
Maul, son of Yoda, crowned Emperor of Naboo and commissioned officer in the Empire's army, stood dressed in black robes of rich silk and finest linen. His black leather gloves protected his hands from the rough sword handle he gripped. Before him was Qui-Gon Jinn, Jedi Warrior, General of Naboo and true heir to the throne. He was dressed in the traditional style Jedi robes; however, they were made of white silk. They fitted loosely around his muscular form, allowing freedom of movement. He held a sword given to him by Xanatos' bodyguard. He recognised the boy as Anakin, one of the ones who had helped him escape.
Between the two warriors stood their brother, strong and brave in his duty. He openly defied his blood brother for a man thought dead.
"You'll fight until there is a clear winner. Although there are no rules in such matters as this fight as the gentlemen that you are; fight with honour and remember that it is your brother you fight." Xanatos stepped back hoping the end would not come when one of them lay dead.
"Begin."
Maul did not waste time in attacking. Qui-Gon had trained as a Jedi and had watched and fought along side the Champion. He waited. With a soldier's strength, Maul leaped forward, crossing the distance that separated him from his nemesis.
Qui-Gon waited and at the last moment his mind joined the Force and he brought his sword up in defence. The first blow of the historical fight had been struck and its clang echoed around the packed and silent arena.
"I will kill you, Qui-Gon," Maul growled between assaults.
"You can try, but you will not find it easy. I guarantee you that."
The two exchanged blows in rapid succession so fast that the watchers could barely keep up. Maul kept pushing the General back, varying his tactics and showing no weakness. Qui-Gon kept up effortlessly.
With a move with more luck than skill, Maul twisted and drew first blood; he hit Qui-Gon sharply on his right shoulder. The General stumbled and fell to his knees, dazed; somehow he managed to keep his grip on his weapon.
"Bow to me, Qui-Gon, and I will forgive you this betrayal."
"Everyone knows, Maul. You can only end this by killing me yourself. Can you do that?"
"Yes," Maul answered without hesitation and brought his sword down.
*****
As the brothers met on the sands, Ben crawled over to the box railing and leaned heavily on it. He could easily see the two men below him. They were so close. He could see a cloud of darkness around Maul and in an instant knew that the battle was not a foregone conclusion. The Emperor was not a Jedi, regardless of this he knew how to manipulate the Force; not as well as Qui-Gon, perhaps, nevertheless it was enough to even the odds.
With fear in his heart, the Champion watched the duel begin. It was fearsome to watch and oddly fascinating. Ben had never watched a fight as he watched the one now unfolding. He had always tried not to care about those who fought in the arena, but in the Coliseum, on the sands where generations of blood had been spilled, the man he had awaited now fought.
"No, not now." he begged to any deity that would listen. To wait so long only to realise fully, now, when it was too late. A ripple went through the Force much like the effect of a stone being dropped into a still bottomless lake. The General fell to his knees with blood seeping from a wound on his shoulder.
"Please, Qui-Gon," the Nameless Jedi whispered as he stared beseechingly at the General. "I love you."
*****
Qui-Gon remembered a time almost to long ago when he had been the one to watch a skilled fighter on the ring, who, at the last second had looked up straight into his eyes and had then shown mercy. Not so far away, that same man watched. As time slowed, Qui-Gon looked up and saw the Nameless Jedi, and in his ears he heard a whisper or maybe it was a confession. Words were spoken to him that he had not realised he had yearned to hear.
'I love you.'
To hear those words gave such strength to his tired body and the Force sang at the beauty of them. With the might of the Force flowing in his veins, Qui-Gon Jinn lifted his sword to block the sword point aimed at his heart and with another move he plunged his own sword into the heart of the Emperor of Naboo. Qui-Gon stayed on his knees as he watched the look of surprise on his brother's face and then Maul fell down onto the sands that had claimed many a life before him.
*****
Xanatos closed his eyes, expecting to hear Qui-Gon cry out but instead he heard metal on metal and then he heard the collapse of a man. He opened his eyes and saw the General still kneeling. Maul lay beside him bleeding and dying. Cold eyes looked up at him and then the last traces of life left the fallen man.
"Qui-Gon?" Xanatos moved forward. The General was not listening. He once again looked to Palpatine's box, this time no one looked back at him. The box was empty.
"Qui-Gon?"
"Yes, Xan?"
"Are you alright?"
Qui-Gon almost said yes, however, the empty box once again caught his eye.
"Maybe," he said.
"You won, Qui-Gon. You are Emperor."
"I feel as if I lost."
"Come, let us go home," Xanatos said, not knowing how to comfort his brother. With Xanatos's help, Qui-Gon stood, the silent crowd erupted into cheers to see the man that had wanted to rule them stand.
Qui-Gon left the sand, for what he hoped was for the last time, with the crowd's cries ringing in his ears. The thundering voices were distant because above them three other words continued to echo through him.
*****
Ben was gone.
The Emperor sat in the palace, his wounds having been seen to. He had sent soldiers to Palpatine's training area only to discover it empty and abandoned. The slaver had reportedly returned to Tatooine and Ben, no one was sure what had happened to him. It was believer he had escaped.
'He used you, Qui-Gon. It was a trick. He was not waiting for you. He did not love you.'
Qui-Gon told himself again and again. It did not make him feel better. If it were possible, he felt worse. With grief in his heart and tears in his eyes, he told Xanatos everything that had befallen him.
"I want someone sent to Mos Espa. Palpatine does not obey the laws of Jedi ownership. Free his Jedi and ask the one called Mace if he would like a position in my guard." The officer Qui-Gon spoke to nodded quickly and hurried off to fulfil his Emperor's orders.
"He's not there," Xanatos said.
"Who?"
"Ah, Qui-Gon, I am no fool. I am a poet infatuated with the idea of love. Tell me about the Nameless Jedi again and this time do not pretend he meant nothing to you."
Realising the futility of arguing with Xanatos about his observations, Qui-Gon's shoulders slumped ever lower.
"I do not know what to say to you," Qui-Gon whispered. "Other than to say he has gone, he has left me."
"He will return."
"You can't be sure..."
"Yes, I can. Qui-Gon what you are feeling is love and I do not mean the passing kind. It is soul deep and I know he is feeling the same thing. It echoes through you both and into the world for everyone to see."
The Emperor did not dispute what had been said. As Xanatos made his way to the door, Qui-Gon remember something else.
"Xan, the battle before the Blood Rite, which team won?"
It was a strange question and one Xanatos did not hesitate to answer.
"It was a draw." Xanatos left his brother alone with his thoughts.
'It was a draw. What did that mean?'
"Bant?" Qui-Gon called suddenly and almost immediately his shout was answered.
"Yes, Sir?"
"I want a Jedi Lightsaber made."
"What is the name to be written on it, Sir?"
Qui-Gon listened to the whispers that continued to surround him and he heard a familiar voice telling him a secret.
"Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan Kenobi. The Nameless Jedi, no more."
"When would you like to present him with the 'Saber?"
"When he returns."
*****
Deep in the shadowy recesses of the Coliseum there are cells for the resident Jedi fighters. In one of them sat the Champion, no longer a legend from Tatooine, but now the star of the capital. The Champion sat alone in the darkest corner, muttering quietly to himself; his thoughts in turmoil.
'He's forgotten me, abandoned me, used me.'
'No.' he argued with himself. 'He is a good man, he will come.'
A war raged in the young Jedi's heart. As night fell upon the city, the light left the Champion and once again his eyes of jade were lifeless and hard; yet he still uttered his mantra, never stopping until morning when he was taken out to fight, only to start again when the cell door closed and he was alone again.
Again and again he spoke the words; a lifeline in a bitter world. It had been a draw - both had won and lost. To no one he said those words nevertheless someone could hear them carried far by the will of the Force. Night after night he confessed that which had been hidden for years.
"Obi-Wan Kenobi."