Name1 Thanks for the review!
Kynstar It's so wonderful of you to leave reviews at both places…that just blows me away. And I'm so, so glad you're enjoying.
Ewan's girl I know what you mean about forgetting to leave reviews. A few times I've read a post, then when the next one comes around I get confused because the author hasn't left a reply to my review…then I remember I didn't leave one in the first place!
CYN I think I know the subject that was floating around that place around the time you left. I tried very hard to ignore it, but then it was starting to tick off some good friends of mine, intelligent people that approached the situation with what I thought were some very valid points. And of course, a few certain someones dominated it, without a hint of the grace that others involved showed. It really ticks me off that people can't just get along for the sake of fun, which was what I thought that place was about…Well, I shouldn't say any more, or my head might explode…You should know that a lot of people over there miss you, though. Myself included! And thank you for the kind words. I think you know that coming from you, that means a tremendous amount to me. I hope life lightens up for you.
Athena Leigh Oh gosh. Thanks so much for the compliments! This has been a very interesting story for me to write, because it's not within my normal style, I guess you could say. Plus, the addition of an OC, which I usually steer clear of. Thank you again!
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Dusk was drifting down in pale radiance, leaving tinges of shadow as the speeder came to a stop in front of the Palle'Ti hangar.
Qui-Gon sat up with smooth, quick composure. His meditation had been shallow—even troubled, and privately, he was glad to reenter full awareness. He felt Obi-Wan's head on his shoulder, and shifted slightly toward him, loathe to wake the exhausted young man.
Ullo's eyes, darkened to jade in the fading light of day, settled on him. "Do you need some help?"
"I'll be fine." The Master smiled, climbing out of the vehicle and collecting Obi-Wan in his arms.
Ullo followed suit. He thanked the driver with a few credits, then moved to join Qui-Gon in observation of their new transport.
Both Jinn and Tirr had seen ships dripping in opulence, high on the scale of grandeur and decadence.
This was not one of those. The GenTrav III was a small vessel, multi-colored due to borrowed parts from other sips, with a beaten body.
"GenTrav III huh?" Ullo remarked with a smirk.
"I'm guessing that stands for 'General Travel'."
"Wow," The Knight's voice glittered with sarcasm, "Third in what must be a breathtaking series."
Qui-Gon laughed. "Now, before we encounter broken sinks and other…charming flaws, let my apologize." The humor drained from his fatigue-worn face. "I just-I just needed to be as far from here as possible, as soon as possible."
Ullo shrugged, leading the way up the rickety ramp. "Can't blame you there. A quicksand bath on Tatooine would've been preferable to this."
Qui-Gon didn't respond to the quip. His focus skimmed the Eume'Li landscape, and he wondered if it were possible to hate something that was, realistically, innocent of the evils and tragedy that occurred on its soil.
But, in the emotional upheaval of death threatening life, one rarely paused to consider the logic of what churned in one's mind.
"I'll alert the pilot we're ready to go." Ullo told him softly, sensing the other's need to be alone.
Qui-Gon stared out at the newborn night. A stale wind was picking up, buffeting the tree leaves and whipping his hair across his neck. He was glad that the jungle was far past his limits of vision. He didn't know if he could endure another glance at the shriveled shell that nearly cost Obi-Wan, and Qui-Gon, everything.
Obi-Wan stirred, bringing his teacher back to the present.
Funny. Usually, it was Qui-Gon warning him to stay in the moment.
With one last, bland look, he stepped back inside the transport and sealed the hatch.
If only it were that simple, Qui-Gon reflected wearily, to also close this dark chapter of their lives.
()
There was a humble common area and a single sleeping quarters. The interior was dully lit, a welcome change from the blinding glare of the sun.
Qui-Gon walked into the bedroom. He didn't bother to switch on a glow rod, carrying Obi-Wan to one of the two cots. The mattress was covered by worn, fuzzy green material, but it couldn't hide the lumps.
Then again, he would take an uneven mattress over a plastic hospital chair any day.
Qui-Gon pulled the blanket back and with great care, laid Obi-Wan out on the bed. For a moment, he felt abruptly cold, separated from him even by this small length. He looked down at the sleeping face, and it was like fingers gripping around his heart.
He made himself break that contact, and went about removing Obi-Wan's belt and boots. He set them in a pile beside the bed.
Qui-Gon stood above Obi-Wan then, watching his eyes pulse beneath the lids, hearing his breath.
It was a familiar scene. From the time he was a boy, Qui-Gon had checked on Obi-Wan as he slumbered. Sometimes, it was because their mission brought them to dangerous worlds, where peril surrounded them constantly. In other instances, there was really no discernable reason at all.
But never before had cold moisture stung his eyes and streamed down his cheeks. Before this day, he had worried about pride.
Qui-Gon leaned down and pressed his nose against Obi-Wan's soft, bristled hair, inhaling deeply. "My Padawan." He whispered, tried to swallow the coming sob. "Too close, my Padawan."
()
The engine thrummed beneath Ullo's feet. The windows were now painted in the black of deep space. The Knight sighed. At last. It was one thing to talk about leaving, to anticipate the moment of lift-off.
It was quite another to witness it actually happening.
There were numerous assignments with rotten ends, experiences that Ullo chose to forget. He found himself lusting for return to the Temple, for a sense of normalcy and routine.
Tonight, as Eume'Li became another dot in a distant scattering of pinpoints, he knew that this mission sent those others spiraling into mediocrity. There were meant to be tests, of course, in the life and work of a Jedi. Situations that tried their patience, skill—or their loyalty to the Order itself.
Sure. Give me a million of those. I'll suffer through them just fine. His footsteps slowed. Just don't do THIS to me again.
He stretched his arms and mouth with a yawn. At least one thing on this little trash heap couldn't disappoint him…He would sleep on a pile of jagged rocks tonight, so a hard or flat bed wouldn't be rejected.
Ullo walked into the sleeping quarters—and paused.
Qui-Gon was sitting on the edge of a cot, his elbows leaning on his knees, his face buried in his hands.
The Knight swallowed. It would be very easy to approach this as an awkward situation, tip toe to his own cot and quietly go to sleep, back turned away from the man.
But never once had Master Jinn turned from him. And as difficult as this mission was for Ullo, it was mind-shattering for Qui-Gon.
"Qui-Gon?"
The Master was enclosed in the gray ambience of the room. His long mane hung around his shoulders and his back was bowed.
Ullo sat at the foot of his own bed and began taking off his boots. "You should talk about it." He said.
Qui-Gon took a shuddering breath, wiping his hand over his eyes and forehead. "He was dead, you know."
Ullo glanced quickly at Obi-Wan, then looked down at the floor. "I know."
"He was dead. And everything was so…still. His chest, his face. Everything. It was like holding a tainted memory. He didn't look like himself, his skin gray a-and his lips blue."
Qui-Gon's eyes met Ullo's, and they were welled with bright tears. "He was dead, and so was the Force. I couldn't feel it anymore. I didn't want to feel it, because it failed me. It failed h-him, to let him die when there was still so much he need to live for." He took another gasping breath, "And what was the cause? What took Obi-Wan from me? That damn insect. The healer told me it was no bigger than the edge of a fingernail.
"A little speck, and it had the power to take the life from my Padawan's body."
Ullo gripped Qui-Gon's shoulder. "But it didn't. We stopped it, Qui-Gon. Obi-Wan came back…hells, he brought the friggin' rain with him."
But Qui-Gon couldn't smile. "You stopped it. If you hadn't seen the mark on his neck, he wouldn't be here. I would've killed him."
Ullo launched to his feet and moved in front of Qui-Gon, his face intense. "That isn't true. And if you keep dwelling on it, it'll just kill you. Gods, what's wrong with the two of you? Has there been a steady gas leak in your apartment?"
Qui-Gon frowned, genuine irritation surfacing on his reddened face. "What're you talking about?"
Ullo stepped back. "Here you are, torturing yourself about Obi-Wan, when just a few hours ago Obi-Wan was doing the same thing."
The resentment fled the Master. He sat up straighter and stared at the Knight. "What?"
Ullo hesitated. Would Obi-Wan want that deepest insecurity to be revealed? But, he decided, it was better than both of them laboring under this enormous falsehood. "Basically, he said he felt like second class compared to your previous apprentice. He said there was a kind of 'magic' you felt with that Padawan that you didn't feel with him.
"He said your relationship was based on luck."
Qui-Gon's head slipped into his hands again. "Gods."
Ullo compressed his lips. "I'm sorry if it wasn't what you wanted to hear right now but I…I couldn't understand how two people who seemed so devoted to each other could be, well, so mistaken about some things."
"No." The rich voice was low, husky. "I-I'm glad you told me. I just wish I didn't understand." Qui-Gon stood. "Will you keep an eye on him for a minute?"
Ullo nodded. "Sure."
"Thanks." The Master walked from the room, a new sadness clinging to him.
The Knight watched him go, then slouched down on the corner of his bed. A mind healer I'm not.
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Ack! I hate when all this space gets left over when I convert a document! Well, I guess that this story's almost wrapped up…but wait, there's more! A few buds have been nagging me (winks at Kynstar) to write a sequel or companion piece to this, involving Ullo. So I guess I'll go from writing this to writing that. Thanks to those kind enough to read and review!