Kyran brooded as he sat up in the cockpit, thinking about how they could return to the Temple without triggering a interplanetary incident or getting thrown into prison themselves. They needed proof that the man they broke out of prision was Qui-Gon not some hired killer. Visuals wouldn't be enough, it was easy to fake those. They needed something that was unquestionable proof. With a gasp, he nearly fell out of his chair, realizing that they could clear him within a day now that they had him. In order to clear his friend's name, they all they needed was DNA from Qui-Gon's body.

He practically ran back to the cabin, stopping only briefly to grab a comlink chip and a needle before he hurried to the back where Qui-Gon lay.

Devin stared as his friend skidded to a stop and then rushed over to Qui-Gon and pricked him in the arm. "What are you doing?" He asked curiously.

"Checking his blood for infections," Kyran said sarcastically. "Use your brains, Devin, we need a blood sample from Qui-Gon to prove that he's alive. I'm getting a sample to send to the Council so we can go home," he hastily replied.

With a startled gasp, Qui-Gon came to and sat up, throwing off Kyran as he pricked his arm, his hands automatically coming up in self-defense.

"Easy, Qui-Gon. It's just me." Kyran backed away slightly.
Qui-Gon flushed as he remembered where he was. "Sorry." He grunted.

Kyran patted his arm. "It's alright. I should have woken you first. You just needed the rest."

Qui-Gon looked away. "I forgot where I was. Usually a small pain was followed by something else much worse."

Kyran shook his head at that, anger and guilt flooding through him about what Qui-Gon had had to endure. He busied himself wiping the blood sample on the comlink chip and then he transmitted the data to the Council. "I'm going to bring the holoproj in here. I'll be right back." Kyran got up and breathlessly headed for the Comm center.

Back in the cabin, Qui-Gon was curled up, resting his head on his knees. An awkward silence filled the air. "Devin?"

Devin turned from where he'd been absently staring at the wall. "Hmm…?"

Qui-Gon bit his lip. "I'm sorry about what I said to get you to let me tend you. About breaking my leg. I know it upset you. That was completely uncalled for."

Devin looked away. "Don't worry about it," he said, his tone a trifle thick with the effort of controlling his emotions. Qui-Gon's sharp words had cut him to the core.

"No. I've been thinking and worrying a lot about it, too late to stop now. I had no excuse to be that cruel. I know you would never hurt me, but I was upset and let my emotions and fear speak instead. I'm so sorry. Forgive me," he said in a choked whisper.

Devin turned back and studied his friend. Qui-Gon was curled up, his head resting on his knees, tears falling silently down his cheeks. He put a hand on Qui-Gon's arm and gently reached up and brushed away his tears. He smiled slightly. "You know it takes more than that to keep me down." His expression grew grave. "I forgive you my friend. Try not to beat yourself up over it. The past several months have been very harsh on you. Let's put it behind us."

Qui-Gon stared into his friend's eyes, holding his gaze and then the moment was broken as Kyran reappeared dragging the holoprojector loudly into the room. He set it down and winced at the pain in his wounded arm and from all the racket he'd made. "Gentlemen, it's almost time to go home," he announced, grinning.

Qui-Gon smiled wistfully. "Home…" he whispered. He straightened and his gaze darkened, his face set in stubborn determination. "I'm ready. Let's contact them."

Kyran nodded and turned on the projector and the full Council appeared in miniature form.

"Masters, We have undeniable proof that it was Qui-Gon Jinn, not Avril Duursema, that was imprisoned at Tuvlat. Furthermore, Knight Jinn was severally injured and it was necessary to remove him from Tuvlat before further injury was inflicted," said Devin.

Mace Windu frowned and stared at Devin hard. "You have proof?" he echoed.

Kyran busied himself inserting the comlink chip with Qui-Gon's blood sample into the comm unit. Pleased with himself, he turned to address the Council. "Proof is sent, Master Windu. A blood sample we took from the prisoner we freed from Tuvlat exactly matches Qui-Gon Jinn's DNA and midichlorian count."

"The Prime Minister of C'lasi V is also in contact with us and we will relay this information to him as well," said Yarrel Poof.

"For further proof is Qui-Gon himself," Devin explained, turning the holoprojector to include Qui-Gon in the image.

Several of the Council members stared in astonishment at his appearance. Knight Jinn was no longer the graceful, defiant knight that they remembered as they had given him his mission more than six months ago. Instead the man before them was dirty and disheveled. His back was covered with massive scars, some of which were still bleeding. His face and skin was bruised all over and he looked like he'd lost a lot of weight.

"Honored Masters," Qui-Gon said as he bowed, wincing only slightly at the pain the movement caused his torn back. "Gaikusan captured me shortly after my arrival on C'lasi. He imprisoned me in Tuvlat in attempt to turn me to the dark side."

Mace Windu stared at his friend then shook his head sadly at those words. "Gaikusan has been awfully busy lately. Kidnapping and detaining a Jedi Ambassador and finding ways to make it impossible to solve this mystery. What happened to your back?"

"It was a combination of Gaikusan's efforts to break me and the discipline methods used in Tuvlat. The slightest infraction is punished with a whipping." Qui-Gon's voice was flat and emotionless. If he distanced himself from what had happened, focusing on reporting the facts of what had occurred, then he might just be able to get through this without breaking down.

"He's lying," an unfamiliar voice cut in.

At his friend's words, Mace winced suddenly sorry he had asked. Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, he turned to face the Prime Minister. "You have something to say, Minister Yaneh?"

"They are lying to excuse what they did. Knight Jinn was buried with honors on C'lasi. I myself presided over the service. Avril Duursema is an imposter," he insisted.

Mace arched a brow at the Prime Minister then leaned back in his chair. "Oh really? Are you a Healer then also, Minister? The DNA from this man and Knight Jinn is an exact match."

"Obviously faked data! As the leader of C'lasi V, I demand that you bring these felons to justice!" demanded Yaneh.

Mace Windu tried not to sigh but failed. "Faked DNA? Minister, with respect I must disagree. The midichlorian count of a Jedi Knight cannot be duplicated."

"Do you dare suggest that we were wrong in identifying Duursema? Furthermore I am most angry about these accusations about Deputy Minister Gaikusan. He is a faithful servant to C'lasi."

Several members of the Council glanced at each other at those words. "Suggest I do, Minister, all of the information you may not have. Further steps to prove his identity, we will take. Hear his report now, we must," Yoda stated calmly to the Prime Minister.

Nodding, Qui-Gon quickly summarized his capture by Gaikusan and the repeated attempts to get him to turn in order to assist Gaikusan in ruling C'lasi. Dispassionately, Qui-Gon briefly recounted the various tortures he had suffered through. He ended his report by describing Kyran and Devin's breaking him out of Tuvlat. His voice broke slightly when he mentioned his time in the Hole, but he ruthlessly forced himself to steady his voice.

"Duursema was disciplined several times, once for beginning a riot. He consistently defied the authority of the guards. And he admits that these so-called Jedi broke him out of Tuvlat! He's confessed, now arrest him and return him to Tuvlat immediately along with his accomplices! " Yaneh demanded.

"Constant defiance of authority. That sounds like Qui-Gon," Ki-Adi Mundi said under his breath.

Master Eeth Koth narrowed his gaze at the Prime Minister. "We told you that we will investigate. He will not be returned until we have proof that he is Duursema. Innocent until proven guilty is how things work in the Republic, Minister Yaneh. Qui-Gon Jinn was a Republic citizen and as such he was under our jurisdiction. If Duursema impersonated a citizen then we must take steps to investigate. We will keep you informed."

"But assist a prisoner in escape they did. Until determined their actions were justified, consider them as such, we must. Under the laws of the Republic, imprisoned they would be until the investigation is completed. If in custody we had them," Yoda looked directly at Qui-Gon, stressing the last sentence.

Qui-Gon looked down at the floor, devastated at the thought of not being able to return to the Temple and wondered just when he would be able to heal. "Yes Master Yoda," He whispered.

"Unfortunately we don't currently have them in custody. We will simply have to continue our investigation until they can be found," observed Yaddle.

"What do you mean until they can be found? You're talking to them right now! Order them back!" the Prime Minister shouted.

Taking his cue, Devin said, "What was that? We seem to be losing the transmission." He cut the holotransmission.

A long awkward silence filled the room. Qui-Gon struggled against tears and he said finally, "Well. I suppose that's that."

Kyran and Devin glanced at each other. Then Kyran shrugged. "Yoda must have felt something like this might happen when he slipped us that cash before we left. At least we won't have to worry about how to fund this extended vacation for awhile."

Qui-Gon seemed not to have heard him. He pulled himself to his feet. "I…I need to go to the refresher." If he could just make it there, he could let go of his control without further embarrassing himself in front of his friends.

Kyran glanced at him in concern. "Qui-Gon, you shouldn't be walking. Let me at least give you some support."

Qui-Gon pushed away his friend's outstretched hand, unable to talk. The hope he had felt growing in him had been crushed by the knowledge that he was not going home. He might never get home and neither would Kyran and Devin.

Kyran glanced at Devin with a sad look in his eyes as he watched his friend try to hobble away.

Qui-Gon managed to take two more steps before his leg gave out, sending him crashing to the floor. It was the final straw, the betrayal of his own body. Silent sobs racked his body, shaking him as he stubbornly refused to give voice to his despair.

Kyran hastily stood up and rushed over to his friend's side. "Easy, Qui-Gon." He put a hand comfortingly on his friend's shoulders that shook under him. "I told you to let me help you."

After several seconds Devin got up and hurried over also, kneeling down next to his friend.

Swallowing gulps of air, Qui-Gon ruthlessly shoved his emotions behind iron shields. "I'm alright. Just clumsy."

Kyran looked compassionately at his friend. "Qui-Gon, you never told us that he tried to turn you. It's alright. Sometimes tears are justified. It hurts."

For one brief instant, Qui-Gon let himself be comforted. Then he straightened. "I'll be fine. I was just…disappointed that we wouldn't be returning to the Temple."

"Qui-Gon, please." Kyran pleaded. "Don't do this. Don't keep it all inside. That just makes it worse. At least try to meditate."

"I…I'm very tired. I'd like to just go to sleep now, if you don't mind." He had dragged his friends into this and he refused to make it worse for them by falling to pieces.

Kyran sighed deeply at his friends words and tried hard not to gasp with pain as he helped support Qui-Gon's weight. "Come on. Let's get you to the bed, then you can rest. This floor's cold."

Devin sighed deeply. "I'll go make a couple of jumps and alter our route to Nar Shadda just in case someone decides to trace the transmission."