It was well into Naboo's night cycle and only a faithful few remained in the dimly lit waiting area of the infirmary. Qui-Gon shifted in his seat, trying to find a more comfortable position. To his left Amidala sat safely tucked against Knight Muln, his arm wrapped possessively around her. His cheek rested lightly on her head, which in turn rested on his shoulder. They both appeared to be sleeping, as did Master Yoda.
Qui-Gon knew better, however. Both Master Yoda and Garen were in light meditation. The only one truly getting any sleep was the queen. Deciding his chair was not going to get anymore comfortable, Qui-Gon rose with a sigh. He had sent Anakin back to their room hours ago, with orders to meditate on his inappropriate feelings. He was not quite sure how he was going to handle the boy's outburst yet.
Anakin had looked properly cowed and remorseful as he'd left, but Qui-Gon got the distinct impression it had more to do with the rather public loss of control than for any harsh words that had been spoken.
Obviously the boy was feeling insecure of his place with his master now that Obi-Wan was back in the picture. He would have to work harder to reassure the boy; to let him know that there was room in his heart for both him and Obi-Wan. In a moment of personal awareness, Qui-Gon recognized that the jealousy and resentment that Anakin held for Obi-Wan could perhaps be his fault. Something that Master Yoda had said to him, not all that long ago finally rang true to him.
"Blind you can be, where your padawan's are concerned."
Lost in his thoughts, Qui-Gon was unconsciously drawn to the small room off the infirmary that housed the units only bacta tank. The soft, steady beep . . . . beep . . . . beep that signified the beat of his Obi-Wan's heart broke him from his restless thoughts. He approached the tank slowly and leaned lightly against it. His weariness showed as he allowed his forehead to fall forward and rest against the cool plexy. Healer Okara was nearby, checking the knight's vitals and making some notes on her data pad. His voice was soft and anxious as he asked, "How is he doing?"
"Much better," she said with a smile. "I think he'll be able to come out of the tank today."
The relief that Qui-Gon felt was almost a visible presence within the room. Obi-Wan was going to all right. That's all that mattered. Everything else would fall into place. At least he hoped it would. He barely heard Healer Okara offer her reassurances and excuse herself from the room.
It was true he realized, going back to his earlier thoughts. He could finally see it. He had been blind to Xanatos' arrogance. He had been blind to Obi-Wan's insecurities, most of which he'd fostered himself. And he had been blind to Anakin's anger. Well no more. It may have taken him longer than it should have to recognize this fault, but now that he was aware of it-he would so something about it. His eyes were open now. He had lost one padawan to the darkness due to his blindness. He would not lose the other two.
His resolution seemed to drive away some of his weariness and he straightened accordingly. He reached for Obi-Wan through the bond, and was unsurprised when he met that same strong wall keeping him at bay.
I have so much to make up for with you, young one. Please come back to me. Give me the chance I know in my heart that I don't deserve.
"Humph. Deserve it you do not." Yoda interrupted coming to stand next to him. "But love you he does. Forgive you he will."
"I wish I could be so sure," Qui-Gon said as he sat in one of the two chairs positioned next to the tank.
"Your guilt that speaks, that is. Know the child as well as I do, you do. His nature it is, to forgive."
Qui-Gon was not reassured by Yoda's words, as was most likely intended. Instead he felt his shame flare brightly again. How many times throughout the years had Obi-Wan silently forgiven him his often cold and impulsive behavior?
"Time for wallowing there is not," Yoda stated firmly, bringing his attention back to the tiny master and seating himself in the other chair. "Time it is . . . . for the truth."
"The truth? The truth about what?" asked Qui-Gon, already getting some idea through the force of the importance of this conversation. He also got the rather unsettling feeling that his world as he knew it-was about to change. Whether it would be for better or worse was yet to be determined.
When Master Yoda hesitated and visibly centered himself, Qui-Gon's suspicions were confirmed. Suddenly, he was not so sure he wanted to hear what Yoda had to say.
"The truth about the chosen one." Yoda said, knowing that it was going to cause Qui-Gon to bristle. "Interrupt me, you will not. Hear what I say, you must."
"Virgence. . . . Skywalker is not." Qui-Gon automatically leapt to defend his stance on the 'chosen one.'
"Then how do you explain.."
"Knew nothing of prophecy, did Lady Skywalker." Yoda said with a touch of frustration. His former padawan could be so stubborn sometimes. "Only wanted a better life for her son, she did. Fault her for this we cannot."
Qui-Gon was silent a moment before asking incredulously "Are you telling me that I was misled?" The idea was preposterous to him. Surely he would have sensed it. Did he even try?
Yoda sighed gravely before continuing. "Life of a slave is a hard one, Qui- Gon. Know this you do. Many 'services' they are required to provide." It went without saying what some of those services were.
Qui-Gon's stomach lurched at the thought, his feelings conflicted. Still he had to know how Yoda came to these conclusions. "How do you know this?"
"Told Obi-Wan she did. Close they became, helped her settle into her new life he did." Yoda could see the inner struggle being waged within his former padawan. Qui-Gon wanted to stubbornly hold on to his belief in Anakin. He had been so sure.
When Qui-Gon had nothing to say, Yoda continued. "Arrogant you were, in your assumptions. So sure you were. Listen to no one, you would.
Qui-Gon heard the admonishment in that tone, but he was beyond caring at the moment. How could this be? He had been so sure. The force had led him to Anakin for a reason. The boy had an important role to play, he was sure of it.
"Dispute that, I do not." Yoda said, without apology for listening to Qui- Gon's thoughts. "Discuss that later, we will. More for you to know, there is. Hard for you to hear, I sense it will be."
Qui-Gon recognized the truth behind that statement when Yoda asked his next question. "What know you of Obi-Wan's parents?"
Not hiding his confusion, Qui-Gon recalled what information he could on Obi- Wan's parents. It wasn't much.
"Only that he was brought to the temple very young. His parents were killed in a speeder accident two years later. He never knew them, has no memories of them."
"Mmmm" Yoda said thoughtfully and somewhat regretfully. "Necessary that deception was."
"What do you mean?" Qui-Gon said hollowly, his insides turning cold.
"Tell you I will." Said Yoda, feeling some peace at being able to share the burden of his knowledge. "Know this however, what it is I tell you is known only to myself and one other. Not even council is aware."
Qui-Gon said nothing, only waited for his master to continue. He had no idea what was to come, only that it was something that he needed to know.
"Many years ago, come to me a master did. Feared his padawan had been violated. Young the girl was, only sixteen. With child she was, had kept it from her master until she could no longer." Yoda paused, remembering the time so long ago now. When he did not continue Qui-Gon promted him with a question of his own.
"Had she? Been violated?"
"Healers we visited." Yoda paused again to allow the weight of his next statement to speak for itself. "Untouched, she was."
"But how.." Qui-Gon started, before realizing the implications of what his master was telling him. He did not finish his question. He did not need to. Master Yoda confirmed his thoughts.
"Vergence, it was. A gift from the force. Knew this the young padawan did. Before us all, she figured it out." Yoda had a soft look of remembrance on his face, and Qui-Gon could tell his master had cared deeply for the young woman.
"What happened to her?" Qui-Gon asked, desperate to know for some reason.
Yoda sighed sadly before continuing. "Young she was. Hard was her labor. Complications there were." Yoda stopped and Qui-Gon knew that the little master was lost in his memories. It was a rare thing for Master Yoda to lose his focus, and the implications of that in combination with the tale being told was only just beginning to permeate Qui-Gon's consciousness.
"So beautiful, and so brave, for one so young." Yoda continued finally. "Had the most beautiful eyes she did. Changed color with her emotions they did."
Qui-Gon's mouth was dry as he asked, "Who was she?"
Yoda looked at him for a long moment before answering. Qui-Gon got the distinct feeling it had been quite some time since the master had allowed himself to think of the young woman, let alone utter her name.
"Etienne." His voice soft in remembrance. "Etienne Kenobi, her name was." Qui-Gon was held speechless for the moment, by the unguarded emotion he heard in Yoda's voice. He remained silent, letting the master collect his thoughts and continue when he was ready. It was minutes before Yoda continued, finally getting to the heart of the matter.
"Knew she was dying, she did. Only one request she had. Wanted to name her child." Yoda let the words hang, knowing the moment of truth was at hand. Qui-Gon did not disappoint him with his next question.
"What name did she choose?" His voice was breathless, knowing. Dawning comprehension permeating his shock.
"Requested that the child keep her sir name, she did. First name she chose from the dialect of her home world." A dramatic pause, "Obi-Wan."
"What does it mean?" Though still in shock, Qui-Gon sensed there was a special meaning to the name that had been chosen.
"Roughly translated, it means . . . . Child of Light"
Stunned, Qui-Gon sat unmoving at Master Yod'a revelation. Obi-Wan. His Obi-Wan was the prophetic 'Chosen One.' He did not doubt the validity of his master's words, yet he could not help his disbelief all the same. How could this be? How could he have not known? There were so many questions he needed answers to.
"You said one other knows of this. Who? And I have seen the results of both Anakin's and Obi-Wan's midichlorian levels, how do you explain that?"
"Master Dooku, the girl's master he was. And altered, data can be. Done for Obi-Wan's protection it was." Yoda said, purposefully avoiding any discussion on Anakin for the moment.
"What is his exact count?" Qui-Gon asked, suddenly miffed that so much about his Obi-Wan had been withheld from him.
Yoda ignored the tone the question was asked in and replied, "Surpass me he did, when 16 he was."
Qui-Gon was shocked and it showed. He said nothing for seconds, only sat staring at his former master. Finally he got it together enough to ask, "What do you mean surpassed?" It was commonly known that force sensitives maintained a constant level of midichlorians throughout their entire life. Slight variations were not uncommon, but this-- was unheard of.
"Since birth, his count has steadily increased. Way to measure his exact count now, there is not." Yoda waited patiently for Qui-Gon to absorb his words, knowing there would be more questions.
Qui-Gon's memory was drawn back to the catacombs, and the confrontation with the sith. Never before had he seen Obi-Wan wield that kind of power.
"Always had it, he has. Will be there, when need it again he does. In the meantime, insecure in his abilities, he has become. Partially your fault, this is." Yoda said matter of factly, feeling no need to sugar coat the truth.
There was nothing for Qui-Gon to say to that, he recognized the truth in the words.
"Confidence, Obi-Wan needs. This, you will give him. Vulnerable he is, with no anchor to the light."
"What do you mean?" Qui-Gon asked, suddenly very nervous.
"Prophecy also states, an anchor a virgence will need. Someone to bind them to the light . . . . . or the darkness if they so choose." Yoda paused, dispersing his worries into the force. "Dangerous time this has been, for young Obi-Wan. No anchor he has, closed your bond he did. If darkness he chooses. . . . ."
"Are you saying.?" Qui-Gon could not finish, so Yoda did it for him.
"Yes. His anchor, you were." The injustice he had done his padawan, finally hit home. He had never felt like such a heel before in his entire life. If he had been standing, it is likely he would have fallen to his knees; so sick was he with the implications of his actions.
Yoda could sense the inner turmoil Qui-Gon was feeling, but he pressed on. "Time for that, there is not. Fix this you must. Child of light Obi-Wan may be, but stalk him the darkness does. Binded to the light, he must once again be. If turns he does, our destruction it will surely mean. Power to save us-or destroy us he has" The gravity of that statement was not lost on either of them as each sat in silence. Qui-Gon could not help but look to the tank, where Obi-Wan still floated.
"He knows none of this does he?" Qui-Gon asked although it was more of a statement than a question.
"Thinks himself nothing special, he does. Always has. Better that way. Terrible burden for one so young to carry. Know or not, does not matter. Fulfill his destiny, he will."
"And Anakin? What of his destiny? The force led me to him for a reason." Qui-Gon was quick to point out.
"Humph. Clouded his future still remains. Keep him in the light we must, or pawn he will become. Used against us he could be. Flirts with darkness that one does, stopped that must be." Yoda said thoughtfully.
Yoda could sense Qui-Gon's defense of his padawan surging to the forefront. Hear that, he did not want to. Instead he spoke quickly cutting the other master off, "Solution I have. Up for debate it is not." A long pause and Yoda held Qui-Gon's gaze before continuing. "My padawan . . Skywalker will be."
(Sur-prise!)
A/N I've gotten enough grief on the translation of Obi-Wan's name so I decided to change it :) for those of you reading for the first time – the original translation was 'Destiny's Child.' It seemed perfect. It's not my fault that there is an earthly R&B group with the same name now is it? Anyways – I've decided to change it.
--shan