Chapter 1 - A Jedi's Duty
5 years later
The forest crowded in around him, the heat of the sun made the air thick and heavy. Qui-Gon Jinn crouched down, listening for any change, of any sign of his pursuers. The Force sung with the life around him, it was clear and bright with no warning of a new attack.
Qui-Gon had arrived on the planet expecting to be greeted by the nomadic tribe that led the clans of the planet. There had supposedly been an epidemic and they urgently needed assistance. Qui-Gon had been sent, as the closest republic representative, to assess the situation. Upon landing his ship, the Jedi master was met by the tribal leader. He had been surprised to see the Jedi and assured him that all was well. Qui-Gon decided to stay and go to the nearby temporary village to see for himself. That has been when he and the tribal leader were attacked.
He had fled into the forest hoping to draw the enemy fire. His plan had worked, and he now realised that it was him the attackers were after. He had not seen any of their faces and two days later, with constant running or engaging them in combat, he was still none the wiser to their identity.
The Jedi Master had led them on a chase that had circled around the clans' camps and settlements and was now heading back to his ship. He knew they would be expecting him to try and board his own vessel, but he had little choice.
As he was listening to the sounds of the forest, all went silent. Qui-Gon tensed himself to once again dodge the shock grenade's wave and to run from his pursuers.
There, a nudge in the Force and he was off running to his left before ducking and rolling to come up next to a rocky outcrop. The shock wave hit and expanded outwards, however the waves broke harmlessly against the stone and as every time before, what followed the lobbed grenade was a hail of blaster fire. At his command, his Lightsabre sprung to life in his hands and he deflected the blasts as he once more retreated slowly through the forest.
The attack was as furious as the others that had taken place on the two-day chase, however he could feel his opponents tiring. The two days of none-stop running had drained them. The Jedi Master, while fatigued, was still a long way from being exhausted. The Force strengthened his mind and body, his stamina seemed almost super-human, and it helped stave off the need for sleep.
Qui-Gon became aware that the attacker to his right had suddenly stopped firing. He could see no reason for it, but followed the nudging in the Force to take the opportunity. Deactivating his lightsabre, he turned and ran though the trees, straight towards his ship. Instead of using the Force to see the flow of battle, he channelled it into his body to run faster, putting more distance between him and the others in the forest.
As he approached the ship, he slowed down and reactivated his 'sabre, without missing a stride, he crashed from the trees into the clearing and went straight for the two men guarding the vessel. He easily deflected their surprised blaster fire and took them out as he ran past them and up the ramp into the ship's cargo bay.
Not bothering with the pre-flight checks, he hammered his fist on the thrusters and piloted the ship out of the planet's atmosphere and into space. As he soared over the forest, he saw his pursuers reach the clearing. There seemed to be less of them now and two of those that had managed to make it to the clearing appeared injured. Turning his mind from them, he set the co-ordinates for Coruscant and the ship jumped into light speed.
Safely out of danger, he contacted the temple in order to speak to the council.
"Greetings, Masters," he said to the gathered council. "The mission to Tyron was a trap. Upon my arrival I was attacked by unknown assailants."
"Were you injured?" Adi Gallia asked, concern evident in her voice.
"No, however my ship has sustained some damage."
"Can you reach the Temple safely?" Mace carried on, also concerned for his old friend.
"Yes."
"Good, come home, Qui-Gon. There is an urgent mission that you must hear."
"And what of my attackers?" Qui-Gon watched as the wisest of the order glanced at each other. It was Yoda who answered.
"Discuss this later we will, when back you are."
"Of course, Master," Qui-Gon dipped his head in acknowledgment. "May the Force be with you."
"And you."
The miniature holograms flickered away and Qui-Gon made himself comfortable for the nine-hour journey.
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"Go to Naboo, you will," Master Yoda said beginning the meeting.
"The Trade Federation has set up a blockade around the planet. Queen Amidala has asked for assistance. Chancellor Valorum requested you to be sent to mediate between the two parties," Mace told Qui-Gon.
"Another purpose I sense behind this threat I do. Initiate talks with the Trade Federation first you should. This behaviour unlike them it is."
"Yes, Masters," Qui-Gon agreed without complaint.
"Talk more of mission to Tyron when return you do. Disturbing it is for a Jedi to be deliberately lured. However important and urgent the threat to Naboo also is."
Qui-Gon left the council chambers and headed for his quarters. The ship he had used to go to Tyron was badly damaged and would take several weeks to repair, so the Jedi council had acquired the use of one of the Chancellor's diplomatic vessels to transport Qui-Gon to Naboo. It would leave tomorrow morning, which left Qui-Gon time to recover and think of the mission to Tyron. Yoda had told him that for the time being he must focus his attention on the Naboo mission. He would trust the ancient Master's decision, though that did not stop a small part of his mind from wandering.
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"Expect to hear from you we did, expect you here we did not."
The council sat in their customary seats, and the setting sun cast a golden light through the high arched windows, making the gathering shadows that much deeper. From their depths stepped a cloaked figure, his head bowed.
"What did you discover on Tyron?" Mace asked the shrouded Jedi.
"The bounty hunters were professionals and paid very well. I could not get them to talk and their survival instinct was stronger than a mind suggestion. I could not press the matter because I needed to follow Qui-Gon here, quickly."
"Why?"
"The disturbance I felt around Master Jinn was unrelated to Tyron. I helped where I could without revealing myself, however the aid was not necessary. He would have escaped without harm even without my interference."
"Still sense the disturbance do you?" The council waited for the Jedi's answer. Yoda was the oldest and wisest and most powerful living Jedi, but in matters such as this, even Yoda turned to the young man who was not even a Jedi Master.
"Yes," was the simple answer.
"Qui-Gon has been sent to Naboo," Adi told him.
"Then that is where I shall be also." The cloaked Jedi turned to leave, disappearing back into the shadows he had emerged from.
"It has been many years since you have returned to the temple. Why have you returned now?" Yaddle waited for the darkness to answer. For the briefest of moments she saw the glint of green eyes beneath his cowl watching her. "Because it is Master Jinn?" she pressed.
"No, because it is time." The shadows moved and he was gone, leaving the wisest of the Jedi stunned.
"Knew this time would come we did."
"Yes, though I expected we would have more time, that he would have more time," Yaddle said still staring at the darkness.
"Chose well the Force did, trust his strength I do." Yoda pulled himself out of his chair and left the council chambers. He went to one of the balconies that led off the hall that went to the council chambers. He looked up into the night sky and watched the last of the rays of light disappear.
"Trust their strength I always have." He spoke to no one except perhaps to the Force that he had been able to sense his whole life and that had always been a comfort to him. "May the Force be with you both."
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Qui-Gon rose with the dawn. He went to the landing platform and boarded the ship that would carry him to Naboo. Deep within the ship's belly another man lurked. He had followed the Jedi Master from Tyron and now he had joined him on his journey to Naboo.
Qui-Gon settled into his cabin gratefully. He had spent the night at the Temple, however despite the familiar surrounding and the ensured safety the temple walls provided, he had gotten very little sleep. He could feel, no, could hear, a faint singing in the Force. When he tried to listen to it, to focus on it or find its source it faded away into the background noises of the city planet. Meditation had not helped and the source of the sound remained elusive. The sleep he had gotten had been troubled by vague shadows and a familiar voice whispering to him of danger.
The song, even now, remained present. It had filled his ears on Coruscant. It had started on Tyron. The journey to Naboo was not a very long one, though he had hoped that the sound would fade and that he could get some rest. It had not faded. It persisted still and although he thought the sound should be pleasant it disturbed and frustrated him.
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Away from the passenger section of the ship, kneeling between crates of spare parts and a bulkhead, was a lone man who could also hear the song in the Force. He listened to it in contentment. He knew to focus on it would cause it to scatter away into the Force, so he meditated and allowed it to play in the back of his mind.
The significance of the song did not elude him, he knew when it had started and why. When he had travelled to Tyron to protect Qui-Gon from the stirring in the Force only he could feel. What it meant, however, he could not say. He had intended to speak to Yoda of it, yet for some reason he had remained silent and then Yaddle had asked that question and the distant music in the Force became less important because suddenly he realised it was Time.
For five years he had lived in the shadows, dwelling in the place between life and the darkness. He had done his duty to the Jedi and the Force. Now that duty was changing. Soon he could live among those who were his family again, soon he could return home, soon he could see Qui-Gon again and look into those crystal clear, blue eyes.
He had long been away, travelling and learning of his task. For five years his presence had been kept from the Jedi. The time had now come for that to change. The Force was stirring and soon he would have to step back out into the light.
What felt like an eon ago, when he had first realised what it was he possessed, he had spoken to Yoda. The wise master had promised him time, time to understand it better and time to be ready for the responsibility. The Force had chosen now and the cloaked figure, who had long been in the shadows of the galaxy, was not sure that he was ready.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The journey to Naboo was a quiet and uneventful one. The two Jedi on board prepared themselves for the task ahead. Both were alone, despite being so close, and even though with every passing moment they drew further away from Coruscant, someone, left behind, thought of them and the fate Naboo had forced to be revealed.
5 years later
The forest crowded in around him, the heat of the sun made the air thick and heavy. Qui-Gon Jinn crouched down, listening for any change, of any sign of his pursuers. The Force sung with the life around him, it was clear and bright with no warning of a new attack.
Qui-Gon had arrived on the planet expecting to be greeted by the nomadic tribe that led the clans of the planet. There had supposedly been an epidemic and they urgently needed assistance. Qui-Gon had been sent, as the closest republic representative, to assess the situation. Upon landing his ship, the Jedi master was met by the tribal leader. He had been surprised to see the Jedi and assured him that all was well. Qui-Gon decided to stay and go to the nearby temporary village to see for himself. That has been when he and the tribal leader were attacked.
He had fled into the forest hoping to draw the enemy fire. His plan had worked, and he now realised that it was him the attackers were after. He had not seen any of their faces and two days later, with constant running or engaging them in combat, he was still none the wiser to their identity.
The Jedi Master had led them on a chase that had circled around the clans' camps and settlements and was now heading back to his ship. He knew they would be expecting him to try and board his own vessel, but he had little choice.
As he was listening to the sounds of the forest, all went silent. Qui-Gon tensed himself to once again dodge the shock grenade's wave and to run from his pursuers.
There, a nudge in the Force and he was off running to his left before ducking and rolling to come up next to a rocky outcrop. The shock wave hit and expanded outwards, however the waves broke harmlessly against the stone and as every time before, what followed the lobbed grenade was a hail of blaster fire. At his command, his Lightsabre sprung to life in his hands and he deflected the blasts as he once more retreated slowly through the forest.
The attack was as furious as the others that had taken place on the two-day chase, however he could feel his opponents tiring. The two days of none-stop running had drained them. The Jedi Master, while fatigued, was still a long way from being exhausted. The Force strengthened his mind and body, his stamina seemed almost super-human, and it helped stave off the need for sleep.
Qui-Gon became aware that the attacker to his right had suddenly stopped firing. He could see no reason for it, but followed the nudging in the Force to take the opportunity. Deactivating his lightsabre, he turned and ran though the trees, straight towards his ship. Instead of using the Force to see the flow of battle, he channelled it into his body to run faster, putting more distance between him and the others in the forest.
As he approached the ship, he slowed down and reactivated his 'sabre, without missing a stride, he crashed from the trees into the clearing and went straight for the two men guarding the vessel. He easily deflected their surprised blaster fire and took them out as he ran past them and up the ramp into the ship's cargo bay.
Not bothering with the pre-flight checks, he hammered his fist on the thrusters and piloted the ship out of the planet's atmosphere and into space. As he soared over the forest, he saw his pursuers reach the clearing. There seemed to be less of them now and two of those that had managed to make it to the clearing appeared injured. Turning his mind from them, he set the co-ordinates for Coruscant and the ship jumped into light speed.
Safely out of danger, he contacted the temple in order to speak to the council.
"Greetings, Masters," he said to the gathered council. "The mission to Tyron was a trap. Upon my arrival I was attacked by unknown assailants."
"Were you injured?" Adi Gallia asked, concern evident in her voice.
"No, however my ship has sustained some damage."
"Can you reach the Temple safely?" Mace carried on, also concerned for his old friend.
"Yes."
"Good, come home, Qui-Gon. There is an urgent mission that you must hear."
"And what of my attackers?" Qui-Gon watched as the wisest of the order glanced at each other. It was Yoda who answered.
"Discuss this later we will, when back you are."
"Of course, Master," Qui-Gon dipped his head in acknowledgment. "May the Force be with you."
"And you."
The miniature holograms flickered away and Qui-Gon made himself comfortable for the nine-hour journey.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Go to Naboo, you will," Master Yoda said beginning the meeting.
"The Trade Federation has set up a blockade around the planet. Queen Amidala has asked for assistance. Chancellor Valorum requested you to be sent to mediate between the two parties," Mace told Qui-Gon.
"Another purpose I sense behind this threat I do. Initiate talks with the Trade Federation first you should. This behaviour unlike them it is."
"Yes, Masters," Qui-Gon agreed without complaint.
"Talk more of mission to Tyron when return you do. Disturbing it is for a Jedi to be deliberately lured. However important and urgent the threat to Naboo also is."
Qui-Gon left the council chambers and headed for his quarters. The ship he had used to go to Tyron was badly damaged and would take several weeks to repair, so the Jedi council had acquired the use of one of the Chancellor's diplomatic vessels to transport Qui-Gon to Naboo. It would leave tomorrow morning, which left Qui-Gon time to recover and think of the mission to Tyron. Yoda had told him that for the time being he must focus his attention on the Naboo mission. He would trust the ancient Master's decision, though that did not stop a small part of his mind from wandering.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Expect to hear from you we did, expect you here we did not."
The council sat in their customary seats, and the setting sun cast a golden light through the high arched windows, making the gathering shadows that much deeper. From their depths stepped a cloaked figure, his head bowed.
"What did you discover on Tyron?" Mace asked the shrouded Jedi.
"The bounty hunters were professionals and paid very well. I could not get them to talk and their survival instinct was stronger than a mind suggestion. I could not press the matter because I needed to follow Qui-Gon here, quickly."
"Why?"
"The disturbance I felt around Master Jinn was unrelated to Tyron. I helped where I could without revealing myself, however the aid was not necessary. He would have escaped without harm even without my interference."
"Still sense the disturbance do you?" The council waited for the Jedi's answer. Yoda was the oldest and wisest and most powerful living Jedi, but in matters such as this, even Yoda turned to the young man who was not even a Jedi Master.
"Yes," was the simple answer.
"Qui-Gon has been sent to Naboo," Adi told him.
"Then that is where I shall be also." The cloaked Jedi turned to leave, disappearing back into the shadows he had emerged from.
"It has been many years since you have returned to the temple. Why have you returned now?" Yaddle waited for the darkness to answer. For the briefest of moments she saw the glint of green eyes beneath his cowl watching her. "Because it is Master Jinn?" she pressed.
"No, because it is time." The shadows moved and he was gone, leaving the wisest of the Jedi stunned.
"Knew this time would come we did."
"Yes, though I expected we would have more time, that he would have more time," Yaddle said still staring at the darkness.
"Chose well the Force did, trust his strength I do." Yoda pulled himself out of his chair and left the council chambers. He went to one of the balconies that led off the hall that went to the council chambers. He looked up into the night sky and watched the last of the rays of light disappear.
"Trust their strength I always have." He spoke to no one except perhaps to the Force that he had been able to sense his whole life and that had always been a comfort to him. "May the Force be with you both."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Qui-Gon rose with the dawn. He went to the landing platform and boarded the ship that would carry him to Naboo. Deep within the ship's belly another man lurked. He had followed the Jedi Master from Tyron and now he had joined him on his journey to Naboo.
Qui-Gon settled into his cabin gratefully. He had spent the night at the Temple, however despite the familiar surrounding and the ensured safety the temple walls provided, he had gotten very little sleep. He could feel, no, could hear, a faint singing in the Force. When he tried to listen to it, to focus on it or find its source it faded away into the background noises of the city planet. Meditation had not helped and the source of the sound remained elusive. The sleep he had gotten had been troubled by vague shadows and a familiar voice whispering to him of danger.
The song, even now, remained present. It had filled his ears on Coruscant. It had started on Tyron. The journey to Naboo was not a very long one, though he had hoped that the sound would fade and that he could get some rest. It had not faded. It persisted still and although he thought the sound should be pleasant it disturbed and frustrated him.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Away from the passenger section of the ship, kneeling between crates of spare parts and a bulkhead, was a lone man who could also hear the song in the Force. He listened to it in contentment. He knew to focus on it would cause it to scatter away into the Force, so he meditated and allowed it to play in the back of his mind.
The significance of the song did not elude him, he knew when it had started and why. When he had travelled to Tyron to protect Qui-Gon from the stirring in the Force only he could feel. What it meant, however, he could not say. He had intended to speak to Yoda of it, yet for some reason he had remained silent and then Yaddle had asked that question and the distant music in the Force became less important because suddenly he realised it was Time.
For five years he had lived in the shadows, dwelling in the place between life and the darkness. He had done his duty to the Jedi and the Force. Now that duty was changing. Soon he could live among those who were his family again, soon he could return home, soon he could see Qui-Gon again and look into those crystal clear, blue eyes.
He had long been away, travelling and learning of his task. For five years his presence had been kept from the Jedi. The time had now come for that to change. The Force was stirring and soon he would have to step back out into the light.
What felt like an eon ago, when he had first realised what it was he possessed, he had spoken to Yoda. The wise master had promised him time, time to understand it better and time to be ready for the responsibility. The Force had chosen now and the cloaked figure, who had long been in the shadows of the galaxy, was not sure that he was ready.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The journey to Naboo was a quiet and uneventful one. The two Jedi on board prepared themselves for the task ahead. Both were alone, despite being so close, and even though with every passing moment they drew further away from Coruscant, someone, left behind, thought of them and the fate Naboo had forced to be revealed.
