Chapter 5 - Theed
When Obi-Wan saw the Spider and his confederate from the rooftop, it galvanised him into definite action. He set about planning a rescue that would need the minimal help from the League as well as the plan to draw the Spider out. It did not take long for the Jedi to hear of a victim of Palpatine's crusade for justice. Sabe, a close friend and confidant of Amidala's, awaited in her home for the Guards to take her to one of Theed's prisons just as Amidala had done a year before. The house was just outside the city and the Jedi decided it would only need three to liberate Sabe; himself, MacLeane and Windu who were two of his most trusted allies.
"Worry not, my friends," he said to them. "For this time we shall succeed."
Even if they did fail and continued to fail, those two men would have still faithfully followed the Jedi to the ends of the earth. The Jedi had proven his loyalty to them and their country, he had shown them the quality of a hero and had instilled it within them both and he was their friend. The cause was paramount to the entire League however, for a small number aiding the Jedi and calling him friend was beyond important.
"Of course we will, friend Jedi," said Mace. Even though he had never seen the Jedi's face, he knew the man beneath the cloak.
"What he said," MacLeane added. Mace laughed and the Jedi sighed.
"One day, MacLeane, I am going to teach you how not to ruin the moment," the Jedi said good-naturedly.
"That's easy to learn, but destroying the moment takes practice."
"In that case my friend, you have it down to an art form."
The three men were silent at they once again turned their thoughts to the house they now sought to infiltrate.
"Snatch and grab," the Jedi had said. MacLeane dissolved into the morning mist and started on his tour around the perimeter of the house dispatching any Guards or soldiers he found. Mace stayed with the cart that was piled with hay. The Jedi ran straight for the house. Breaking into the house was easy. Since the ceasing of Jedi activity, security had become lax, especially outside Theed. The Guards safeguarding the house and its prisoner were unprepared for a direct assault.
The Jedi found the upstairs bedroom where Sabe was sleeping. He shook her awake and covered her mouth to stop her from crying out.
"I am the Jedi," he said by way of introduction. "I've come to save you. Is there anyone else in the house?"
"My brother," she told him.
"Fetch him." Sabe grabbed a robe and ran to another door that led from her room into the next where her brother slept. As she roused him, the Jedi went to one of the large windows. He pushed it open allowing the fresh morning air into the room. He leaned out and waved a white handkerchief.
Mace Windu saw the signal. He dug his heels into his horse's sides and eased the cart forward so that it was beneath the window.
"Come, jump for freedom," the Jedi ordered. The boy went first. "Don't be afraid, my Lady, I bring word from Lady Amidala who offers you her greetings."
"I shall jump." Sabe stepped up to the window and leapt. Shouts from around the house reached the Jedi's ears. He jumped quickly after her. MacLeane ran around from the south side of the house pursued by Guards. MacLeane jumped up onto the cart beside his friend just as Mace ordered the horses forward.
"I thought you were supposed to deal with the perimeter Guards," Mace said as he urged the horses on, putting more distance between the outlaws and what was left of the Guard force. MacLeane did not answer, knowing he had done a good job and it was Mace's way of saying he was relieved they were all alive.
Three miles down the road the group split up. Mace led the two rescued prisoners to a ship that waited on the coast ready to sail for Coruscant. The Jedi and MacLeane returned to the capital knowing that soon I, Qui-Gon Jinn, Jedi hunter, would be back in Naboo. They would wait in Theed until I arrived, as we had arranged.
I arrived a week later. It had taken time for the message of a successful escape to reach me and then I had to wait for the official letter from MacLeane to reach me before I could seek out a vessel to take me back over the sea.
I went to Sabe's house expecting to find little, which I did. For the world the Jedi had been as successful as he had ever been, even if it had been months since his last trip to Naboo. I found I had to hide my relief at the sudden re-emergence of the Jedi and I knew that the message left behind this time was not directed at the King, or me, but for the resistance and the Fallen who had started to doubt the Jedi.
'Once more into the breach dear friends...'
I knew when I read those words that the end was soon in coming, the time for planning was over and the time for action was upon us.
"Spoken to his Majesty, yet?" MacLeane asked me as I entered his office.
"I have just come from reporting to him."
"And?" MacLeane prompted.
"He did not seem particularly angry, not that he ever shows it if he is."
"Is he suspicious?"
"Of me? No, but he knows something."
MacLeane avoided my statement by telling me something he knew would distract me.
"I found something of yours and put it in your home to wait for your return."
"Then I shall return home," I nodded my understanding. "To rest after the long journey."
My apartment was as I had left it except for the lone figure curled up on my favourite chair reading one of my many books.
"Qui-Gon," the look of complete pleasure on his face when he saw me still fills me with love. He stood and embraced me kissing me, with hunger. "I have missed you, Beloved."
"And I you, My own."
"Take me to bed?"
"There is nothing I would like better."
He stepped away from me. When I did not follow him he frowned at me and almost pouted. The frown lifted and surprise and happiness filled his beautiful eyes as I lifted him up into my arms and carried him into the bedroom.
"Qui-Gon, put me down," he whispered.
"As you wish."
I placed him upon my bed, which was nothing compared to the luxurious bed we had become accustomed to in Coruscant. Our surroundings were less than beautiful, there was no burning fire or romantic candlelight and the bed was hard, but I shall treasure that time, that memory; Obi-Wan in my home, in my country, free and in my arms. We lay together in what I thought was happiness, even if there was a silent war raging, with us at its centre. Perhaps that is why I never noticed it; what is it they say about the eye of a storm?
My memory of that night is misted by grief as it was the last time Obi-Wan and I made love, the last time I saw Obi-Wan; that night was the night Obi-Wan said good-bye.
"We must part, Qui-Gon."
"I know, Obi-Wan. You must return home." I did not yet understand that my Obi-Wan was trying to leave me.
"That is not what I meant." As he said those words I could feel doom approaching. My heart clenched within my chest. The look on his face was open and pain filled. He could not control his emotions that night, they were too strong and I like to hope he did not want to hide them from me. I like to think that he offered his pain to me to offer some comfort.
He turned from me and looked out the window, hiding from me what he was feeling as much as he was able without pushing me away, without keeping me out. He turned from me, unable to bear to see my own pain.
"It is too dangerous, Qui-Gon. The Spider is close, I can feel him. If he were to find out about you then I dread to imagine what he may do. Naboo needs you, Qui-Gon, as much as it needs the Jedi."
"And what of you, Obi-Wan?"
"I can not be of use while he is still out there. I can not be the Jedi again until he has gone."
"What will you do?" I could barely speak through my unshed tears.
"Find him." His voice had dropped to a whisper and his answer was simple enough.
"Why can I not help?" I begged, unashamed of my feelings. I did not want to be parted from him. My tears finally fell. He turned back to me, taking my face in his hands.
"I cannot see you die and if that means I must go then so be it. I have watched many of my friends die, Qui-Gon, I have been without a family for a long time but I have pushed on with my life. A year ago I was willing to go to the executioner's block if you were not at my side, without you in this world Qui-Gon I cannot push onwards. I need to know you are here, safe."
"Will you come back to me?"
"Of course. Once all is settled between the Spider and me we can be together again and once Naboo has Amidala on her throne then nothing can keep us apart. Nothing can keep us apart."
"Yet something keeps you from me now." I was bitter and I knew it. "No. Say nothing more, Obi-Wan. Leave if that is what you are going to do."
I was being unkind and maybe a little unnecessarily harsh and unfair to my Beloved, nevertheless I did not care. My own heart was breaking; I could not concern myself with his as well. I could not think straight and only now, when I remember that night, do I see the look of utter anguish upon my Obi-Wan's own face.
"Good-bye, My Lord. I do love you."
"Good-bye, Jedi, bane of my heart"
He left me then, left me alone to be a pale image of the man I had been, a man worse in many ways than who I had been before I had fallen in love. He left me to return to the shadows; the only place the Jedi has ever been able to dwell and I realise now the only place Obi-Wan was ever really free.
When Obi-Wan saw the Spider and his confederate from the rooftop, it galvanised him into definite action. He set about planning a rescue that would need the minimal help from the League as well as the plan to draw the Spider out. It did not take long for the Jedi to hear of a victim of Palpatine's crusade for justice. Sabe, a close friend and confidant of Amidala's, awaited in her home for the Guards to take her to one of Theed's prisons just as Amidala had done a year before. The house was just outside the city and the Jedi decided it would only need three to liberate Sabe; himself, MacLeane and Windu who were two of his most trusted allies.
"Worry not, my friends," he said to them. "For this time we shall succeed."
Even if they did fail and continued to fail, those two men would have still faithfully followed the Jedi to the ends of the earth. The Jedi had proven his loyalty to them and their country, he had shown them the quality of a hero and had instilled it within them both and he was their friend. The cause was paramount to the entire League however, for a small number aiding the Jedi and calling him friend was beyond important.
"Of course we will, friend Jedi," said Mace. Even though he had never seen the Jedi's face, he knew the man beneath the cloak.
"What he said," MacLeane added. Mace laughed and the Jedi sighed.
"One day, MacLeane, I am going to teach you how not to ruin the moment," the Jedi said good-naturedly.
"That's easy to learn, but destroying the moment takes practice."
"In that case my friend, you have it down to an art form."
The three men were silent at they once again turned their thoughts to the house they now sought to infiltrate.
"Snatch and grab," the Jedi had said. MacLeane dissolved into the morning mist and started on his tour around the perimeter of the house dispatching any Guards or soldiers he found. Mace stayed with the cart that was piled with hay. The Jedi ran straight for the house. Breaking into the house was easy. Since the ceasing of Jedi activity, security had become lax, especially outside Theed. The Guards safeguarding the house and its prisoner were unprepared for a direct assault.
The Jedi found the upstairs bedroom where Sabe was sleeping. He shook her awake and covered her mouth to stop her from crying out.
"I am the Jedi," he said by way of introduction. "I've come to save you. Is there anyone else in the house?"
"My brother," she told him.
"Fetch him." Sabe grabbed a robe and ran to another door that led from her room into the next where her brother slept. As she roused him, the Jedi went to one of the large windows. He pushed it open allowing the fresh morning air into the room. He leaned out and waved a white handkerchief.
Mace Windu saw the signal. He dug his heels into his horse's sides and eased the cart forward so that it was beneath the window.
"Come, jump for freedom," the Jedi ordered. The boy went first. "Don't be afraid, my Lady, I bring word from Lady Amidala who offers you her greetings."
"I shall jump." Sabe stepped up to the window and leapt. Shouts from around the house reached the Jedi's ears. He jumped quickly after her. MacLeane ran around from the south side of the house pursued by Guards. MacLeane jumped up onto the cart beside his friend just as Mace ordered the horses forward.
"I thought you were supposed to deal with the perimeter Guards," Mace said as he urged the horses on, putting more distance between the outlaws and what was left of the Guard force. MacLeane did not answer, knowing he had done a good job and it was Mace's way of saying he was relieved they were all alive.
Three miles down the road the group split up. Mace led the two rescued prisoners to a ship that waited on the coast ready to sail for Coruscant. The Jedi and MacLeane returned to the capital knowing that soon I, Qui-Gon Jinn, Jedi hunter, would be back in Naboo. They would wait in Theed until I arrived, as we had arranged.
I arrived a week later. It had taken time for the message of a successful escape to reach me and then I had to wait for the official letter from MacLeane to reach me before I could seek out a vessel to take me back over the sea.
I went to Sabe's house expecting to find little, which I did. For the world the Jedi had been as successful as he had ever been, even if it had been months since his last trip to Naboo. I found I had to hide my relief at the sudden re-emergence of the Jedi and I knew that the message left behind this time was not directed at the King, or me, but for the resistance and the Fallen who had started to doubt the Jedi.
'Once more into the breach dear friends...'
I knew when I read those words that the end was soon in coming, the time for planning was over and the time for action was upon us.
"Spoken to his Majesty, yet?" MacLeane asked me as I entered his office.
"I have just come from reporting to him."
"And?" MacLeane prompted.
"He did not seem particularly angry, not that he ever shows it if he is."
"Is he suspicious?"
"Of me? No, but he knows something."
MacLeane avoided my statement by telling me something he knew would distract me.
"I found something of yours and put it in your home to wait for your return."
"Then I shall return home," I nodded my understanding. "To rest after the long journey."
My apartment was as I had left it except for the lone figure curled up on my favourite chair reading one of my many books.
"Qui-Gon," the look of complete pleasure on his face when he saw me still fills me with love. He stood and embraced me kissing me, with hunger. "I have missed you, Beloved."
"And I you, My own."
"Take me to bed?"
"There is nothing I would like better."
He stepped away from me. When I did not follow him he frowned at me and almost pouted. The frown lifted and surprise and happiness filled his beautiful eyes as I lifted him up into my arms and carried him into the bedroom.
"Qui-Gon, put me down," he whispered.
"As you wish."
I placed him upon my bed, which was nothing compared to the luxurious bed we had become accustomed to in Coruscant. Our surroundings were less than beautiful, there was no burning fire or romantic candlelight and the bed was hard, but I shall treasure that time, that memory; Obi-Wan in my home, in my country, free and in my arms. We lay together in what I thought was happiness, even if there was a silent war raging, with us at its centre. Perhaps that is why I never noticed it; what is it they say about the eye of a storm?
My memory of that night is misted by grief as it was the last time Obi-Wan and I made love, the last time I saw Obi-Wan; that night was the night Obi-Wan said good-bye.
"We must part, Qui-Gon."
"I know, Obi-Wan. You must return home." I did not yet understand that my Obi-Wan was trying to leave me.
"That is not what I meant." As he said those words I could feel doom approaching. My heart clenched within my chest. The look on his face was open and pain filled. He could not control his emotions that night, they were too strong and I like to hope he did not want to hide them from me. I like to think that he offered his pain to me to offer some comfort.
He turned from me and looked out the window, hiding from me what he was feeling as much as he was able without pushing me away, without keeping me out. He turned from me, unable to bear to see my own pain.
"It is too dangerous, Qui-Gon. The Spider is close, I can feel him. If he were to find out about you then I dread to imagine what he may do. Naboo needs you, Qui-Gon, as much as it needs the Jedi."
"And what of you, Obi-Wan?"
"I can not be of use while he is still out there. I can not be the Jedi again until he has gone."
"What will you do?" I could barely speak through my unshed tears.
"Find him." His voice had dropped to a whisper and his answer was simple enough.
"Why can I not help?" I begged, unashamed of my feelings. I did not want to be parted from him. My tears finally fell. He turned back to me, taking my face in his hands.
"I cannot see you die and if that means I must go then so be it. I have watched many of my friends die, Qui-Gon, I have been without a family for a long time but I have pushed on with my life. A year ago I was willing to go to the executioner's block if you were not at my side, without you in this world Qui-Gon I cannot push onwards. I need to know you are here, safe."
"Will you come back to me?"
"Of course. Once all is settled between the Spider and me we can be together again and once Naboo has Amidala on her throne then nothing can keep us apart. Nothing can keep us apart."
"Yet something keeps you from me now." I was bitter and I knew it. "No. Say nothing more, Obi-Wan. Leave if that is what you are going to do."
I was being unkind and maybe a little unnecessarily harsh and unfair to my Beloved, nevertheless I did not care. My own heart was breaking; I could not concern myself with his as well. I could not think straight and only now, when I remember that night, do I see the look of utter anguish upon my Obi-Wan's own face.
"Good-bye, My Lord. I do love you."
"Good-bye, Jedi, bane of my heart"
He left me then, left me alone to be a pale image of the man I had been, a man worse in many ways than who I had been before I had fallen in love. He left me to return to the shadows; the only place the Jedi has ever been able to dwell and I realise now the only place Obi-Wan was ever really free.