"If you remember, Qui-Gon, I was distraught when you left Melida/Daan. I
was miserable for all of those seven years."
"As you should have been," Qui-Gon snapped. He regretted his words instantly, but Obi-Wan did not seem upset.
"Ah, so there is some hidden emotion in that skull of yours. I knew there had to be some pent-up frustration somewhere." Obi-Wan remarked.
"I'm sorry, Obi-Wan."
"No need to be sorry."
Qui-Gon nodded, looking back at the holofile in front of him.
"I left the planet the moment I got word that the Jedi were coming to check on our progress. I thought." Obi-Wan's voice drifted away.
"That it might be me?" Qui-Gon supplied. Obi-Wan nodded in agreement.
"And even if it wasn't you, I didn't want to see any Jedi ever again. I was a coward, Qui-Gon. And so I left, and somehow made my way to Vaski 3."
"Where you became the spokesperson for the people."
"Not at first. I was a governor for a while, and then I was the Head of Security. I left my position three years ago when some of the attacks started happening. Then I became the people's leader." Obi-Wan stared ahead, lost in memory.
"You've accomplished quite a lot in a very short time, Obi-Wan."
"I could have done more if I was elsewhere."
Qui-Gon took his meaning immediately and shook his head. "Are you sure?"
******
The trip to Melan was three days long, and in that time, Obi-Wan practiced with the six training droids that were on-board the ship. Qui-Gon watched in fascination as Obi-Wan powered up all six and deflected every single shot that came at him.
"You've improved dramatically," complimented Qui-Gon.
"Thank you," breathed Obi-Wan as he powered down the droids and took off his blindfold. He collapsed into a chair before extinguishing his lightsaber. The green blade immediately disappeared.
"Did you make that lightsaber yourself?" asked Qui-Gon.
"No," said Obi-Wan, "there wasn't time. I was given this one by Master Yoda."
"Mmm," Qui-Gon murmured before retiring for the night. Obi-Wan watched and then went into his own room. The space was tiny, but manageable for a short flight. He sank into a restless sleep.
******
Qui-Gon pressed a smooth, round stone into Obi-Wan's hand.
"I found it years ago, when I was no older than you are now. I found it in the River of Light on my home planet."
And??
Obi-Wan looked at the stone expectantly. Did it contain some kind of power?
~~~~~~~~
The stone glowed against Obi-Wan's heart as the droid activated the memory wipe. Pain filled Obi-Wan's head. It was white-hot pain, but he shoved it away as best as he could. Obi-Wan's consciousness was slipping. He felt sick.
He knew he could not lose.
******
Obi-Wan woke with a shout to find Qui-Gon standing over him. His sheets were tangled around his feet and sweat was pouring from his forehead. His entire body was shaking.
"I see you haven't stopped having nightmares," Qui-Gon observed.
"I haven't had one in a long time," Obi-Wan replied, remembering his last nightmare. He had still been on Melida/Daan at the time.
Still shaking, Obi-Wan pulled his river stone from the folds of his cloak. It glowed red.
Seeing Qui-Gon's eyes go wide at the sight, Obi-Wan made a move to put the stone back in his cloak. Qui-Gon snatched the stone before he had the chance.
"You still have this?" Qui-Gon asked, awe evident in his voice. Somehow, that stone was a sign of the past, a painful memory of the boy he once knew. And how much he had missed him.
"Of course," Obi-Wan said lightly. After a fierce examination, Qui-Gon gave the stone back to Obi-Wan. The younger Jedi gently placed it back in his cloak.
"Good night, Qui-Gon," he murmured, falling back to the bed.
"Good night," Qui-Gon echoed as he exited the room.
******
The next day, after more research on the two warring planets, Obi-Wan took a stab at the droids yet again. For hours on end, he trained with the droids, his green lightsaber flashing as he deflected every shot.
Something about this scene made Qui-Gon uneasy. This is not right, he thought, retreating to his room. He came out a few moments later with a small object wrapped in cloth. Qui-Gon had carried the small parcel for many years.
"Stop," he demanded of Obi-Wan. The Jedi powered down the droids and took off his blindfold. Obi-Wan looked at Qui-Gon irritably.
"Yes?"
Beckoning him to sit down, Qui-Gon put the small object in Obi-Wan's hand. Obi-Wan unwrapped the fabric gently. He could feel the wear in the fabric. Obviously, someone had handled this often.
Obi-Wan unfolded the last piece and gasped.
Qui-Gon had given him back his lightsaber.
"As you should have been," Qui-Gon snapped. He regretted his words instantly, but Obi-Wan did not seem upset.
"Ah, so there is some hidden emotion in that skull of yours. I knew there had to be some pent-up frustration somewhere." Obi-Wan remarked.
"I'm sorry, Obi-Wan."
"No need to be sorry."
Qui-Gon nodded, looking back at the holofile in front of him.
"I left the planet the moment I got word that the Jedi were coming to check on our progress. I thought." Obi-Wan's voice drifted away.
"That it might be me?" Qui-Gon supplied. Obi-Wan nodded in agreement.
"And even if it wasn't you, I didn't want to see any Jedi ever again. I was a coward, Qui-Gon. And so I left, and somehow made my way to Vaski 3."
"Where you became the spokesperson for the people."
"Not at first. I was a governor for a while, and then I was the Head of Security. I left my position three years ago when some of the attacks started happening. Then I became the people's leader." Obi-Wan stared ahead, lost in memory.
"You've accomplished quite a lot in a very short time, Obi-Wan."
"I could have done more if I was elsewhere."
Qui-Gon took his meaning immediately and shook his head. "Are you sure?"
******
The trip to Melan was three days long, and in that time, Obi-Wan practiced with the six training droids that were on-board the ship. Qui-Gon watched in fascination as Obi-Wan powered up all six and deflected every single shot that came at him.
"You've improved dramatically," complimented Qui-Gon.
"Thank you," breathed Obi-Wan as he powered down the droids and took off his blindfold. He collapsed into a chair before extinguishing his lightsaber. The green blade immediately disappeared.
"Did you make that lightsaber yourself?" asked Qui-Gon.
"No," said Obi-Wan, "there wasn't time. I was given this one by Master Yoda."
"Mmm," Qui-Gon murmured before retiring for the night. Obi-Wan watched and then went into his own room. The space was tiny, but manageable for a short flight. He sank into a restless sleep.
******
Qui-Gon pressed a smooth, round stone into Obi-Wan's hand.
"I found it years ago, when I was no older than you are now. I found it in the River of Light on my home planet."
And??
Obi-Wan looked at the stone expectantly. Did it contain some kind of power?
~~~~~~~~
The stone glowed against Obi-Wan's heart as the droid activated the memory wipe. Pain filled Obi-Wan's head. It was white-hot pain, but he shoved it away as best as he could. Obi-Wan's consciousness was slipping. He felt sick.
He knew he could not lose.
******
Obi-Wan woke with a shout to find Qui-Gon standing over him. His sheets were tangled around his feet and sweat was pouring from his forehead. His entire body was shaking.
"I see you haven't stopped having nightmares," Qui-Gon observed.
"I haven't had one in a long time," Obi-Wan replied, remembering his last nightmare. He had still been on Melida/Daan at the time.
Still shaking, Obi-Wan pulled his river stone from the folds of his cloak. It glowed red.
Seeing Qui-Gon's eyes go wide at the sight, Obi-Wan made a move to put the stone back in his cloak. Qui-Gon snatched the stone before he had the chance.
"You still have this?" Qui-Gon asked, awe evident in his voice. Somehow, that stone was a sign of the past, a painful memory of the boy he once knew. And how much he had missed him.
"Of course," Obi-Wan said lightly. After a fierce examination, Qui-Gon gave the stone back to Obi-Wan. The younger Jedi gently placed it back in his cloak.
"Good night, Qui-Gon," he murmured, falling back to the bed.
"Good night," Qui-Gon echoed as he exited the room.
******
The next day, after more research on the two warring planets, Obi-Wan took a stab at the droids yet again. For hours on end, he trained with the droids, his green lightsaber flashing as he deflected every shot.
Something about this scene made Qui-Gon uneasy. This is not right, he thought, retreating to his room. He came out a few moments later with a small object wrapped in cloth. Qui-Gon had carried the small parcel for many years.
"Stop," he demanded of Obi-Wan. The Jedi powered down the droids and took off his blindfold. Obi-Wan looked at Qui-Gon irritably.
"Yes?"
Beckoning him to sit down, Qui-Gon put the small object in Obi-Wan's hand. Obi-Wan unwrapped the fabric gently. He could feel the wear in the fabric. Obviously, someone had handled this often.
Obi-Wan unfolded the last piece and gasped.
Qui-Gon had given him back his lightsaber.