NINETEEN
Dinner conversation is likely to be…interesting. Qui-Gon mused quietly to himself as he put on a fresh tunic, preparing for the evening meal. When he'd returned to the chamber in which Obi-Wan laid, Obuk had informed him that Iya had gone below with Inais Cherida, presumably to dress a little more appropriately for a formal House dinner.
In the midst of his preparations, Qui-Gon caught sight of himself in a mirror, and he paused a moment, allowing the reflection to speak to him much as a memory. The eyes were the pretty much the same; certainly they had seen their share of sorrow but had not lost their piercing depths. Little grayer these days. He mused, inspecting hair and beard with a slight turn of his head. The beard had begun…well actually that had begun as a grieving thing after Ina's death, an old Bahreena custom, and truly he had never wanted to give it up. He was not the fresh-faced young Jedi Knight who had loved her and given her a child twenty-two years ago; he would not pretend that man still existed. Perhaps it was a harsh way to look at himself, but after twenty years of a loss unofficially mourned over, it was sometimes what carried him forward from day to day to be a servant of the Force.
To take the second chance Ina had granted him with the rescue of Obi-Wan Kenobi.
"Are you so certain that I must be the one to train him? Won't the Council decide that for him?"
The squirming three-month old in Ina's arms already possessed a strong Force-signature—and a stubborn will to live—that impressed Qui-Gon greatly. A small shock of reddish hair and a pair of sea-storm eyes graced the delicate infant's features. A small fist reached out and clenched around Qui-Gon's forefinger, a grip tight enough to prompt the Jedi to keep his hand where it was, resting gently against and covering the child's chest.
"The Council will not argue my vision, Qui." Ina's voice, like the rest of her, was underpinned with a melodic grace that just seemed to…fill everything and block out all protest. Qui-Gon simply considered the promise she was asking of him almost as if from outside the room, watching himself from a distance as he stroked the child's cheek with a thumb, his forefinger still clenched in the baby's fist. "His is a destiny that far outstrips either of us…any of us."
"Even the Chosen One?" Qui-Gon asked quietly. He had begun to consider the old prophecies, begun to find some curiosity in them and even some light. However Ina had already made it quite clear to him that she did not consider this babe to be the child of prophecy of whom he spoke.
"Perhaps." She shrugged simply. "I only know that he holds a great place in the turning of Time, Qui-Gon. He must be trained for the Light."
Ina was holding the child out to him; startled, Qui-Gon carefully disengaged his forefinger from the boy's grasp and accepted him from her hands. Almost within moments the baby boy stopped fussing and closed his eyes, safely sleeping in the harbor of the Jedi's strong arms.
"What is he called?"
"The name his parents gave him is Obi-Wan; he is of the Kenobi line."
"Kenobi?" Jinn looked up now, shocked. "I thought the Kenobi clan had been destroyed; Master Yoda saw their light go out on Jurashe."
"Master Yoda may be the wisest of the Council, Qui, but he's not infallible. You of all people know that. I'm taking him home to Bahreen; he will remain hidden until such time as you come for him." Ina turned away now, her voice taking on a note of sadness that made Qui-Gon stand stock-still, breathless.
"So you still intend to leave Coruscant, go back to Bahreen, to…to forget me?"
"I will never forget you, Qui-Gon Jinn." Ina did not face him, but her shoulders trembled a little. "And yes, I must return to Bahreen. For if I do not, my House will be disgraced and you will be released by the Council. I can't do that, Qui. Not even for the sake of my heart."
"And…what of my heart?"
"I am Bahreena; I do this for the sake of your heart, Qui." She did turn now, and the gaze she turned upon him was one so exquisite, so delicately loving that it left him reeling within. "For your entire life, you have sought to serve the Order, to be Jedi. You are Jedi. How can I tear apart the soul for whom I've lost all things? You must stay; Qui…your destiny is in your arms this moment. Our time has passed. You must accept it."
"No! I will speak to the Council…make them understand…"
"The Council has already granted my request, Qui. Not even you can change the Code." Ina placed her palm against his cheek, a delicate touch. "Obi-Wan will not yet be safe here on Coruscant; there are still a few on Jurashe who know that a member of the Kenobi family still lives. I will take him with me…and when he is to be brought here again, you will come for him."
"Ina…"
"Swear it!" The Bahreena Jedi's voice spoke with all the command of a House Roeh on her world; it was an irresistible force, an iron will within the velvet of melody. Qui-Gon glanced at the child in his arms briefly, still sleeping contentedly. He looked back to the woman he loved, his heart sinking like a stone in the midst of a vast lonely ocean. But he finally knew that there was little he could do to rescue that drowning man.
"I swear by the Force, I will come for Obi-Wan."
It had been the least he could do for her, to grant her the last request she would make of him before departing in exile from the Jedi Temple. Two years later he would fulfill it upon the news of her death. Obi-Wan had been an energetic, inquisitive toddler with sharp blue-grey eyes that noticed everything and topped off with a mop of ginger hair.
Qui-Gon shook himself from his thoughts as another figure appeared in the reflection behind him, and he turned from the mirror to face Obuk.
"What? Is it Obi-Wan?" Quickly Qui-Gon fastened the tunic, prepared to return to his padawan's side if necessary, but the Master Healer stayed him with an upraised hand.
"Relax, Qui-Gon." Obuk reassured. "I just want to talk."
"As you know, Obuk, I'm expected at the Roeh's table tonight. I don't have time for one of your philosophical debates." Qui-Gon snatched up his outer tunic and pulled it on, layering the shoulder tabs over it and winding the broad sash around his waist.
"Philosophical?" The Master Healer shook his head a little, favoring his friend with a slightly amused expression. "Hardly. What I want to talk to you about is rather practical actually."
"That'll be a first." Jinn snorted as he fastened the belt in place over the sash, attaching his lightsaber and sitting down to pull on a boot. But the expression he turned on his peer was unmistakably curious. "Well?"
"It's about your daughter." Obuk said simply, letting his words hang on the air for a moment before moving ahead. "She tells me you intend to take her back to Coruscant with you. Have you considered the Council's reaction to Iya, Qui?"
"What about it?" Jinn straightened in his chair, pinning the other Jedi with the sort of piercing gaze that would have made most other people cringe. "Iya has been kept from her family long enough. Her place is with me."
"And if the Council rules to deny her that place?" Obuk raised an eyebrow. "Qui-Gon Jinn, you know as well as I do that if you take Iya back to the Temple that it's liable to touch off a ruckus. Now I know that's nothing new for you…"
"Don't start." The tall Jedi raised a forefinger warningly.
"All I'm saying is; you'd better prepare Iya for what lies ahead. Showing up to report with your love-child in tow isn't likely exactly going to be an endearing experience for Ina or the Council. You're going to have to start thinking like a father, now. Just because you're hard-headed enough to challenge the Council over your past indiscretions doesn't necessarily mean that Iya will be." Obuk folded his lanky frame into a nearby chair as if to underscore the fact that he didn't intend to drop this just yet. "And she is the one who'll bear the brunt of the Council's decision, Qui, not you."
"Since when have I ever worried about endearing myself to the Council?" Qui-Gon's question, while rhetorical, was honestly enough spoken. As Obuk had already observed, it wouldn't be the first contest of wills the tall Jedi Master had waged with the twelve-member Jedi High Council and with any sort of talent for prediction it was easy enough to see that it certainly wouldn't be the last.
"Thank you for proving my point." Obuk leaned forward now and waved a graceful hand in Jinn's general direction. "This time you must, Qui. For the sake of your daughter's well-being you're going to have to act outside yourself and protect her first. If the Council rules against you, she will be vulnerable, and you know it. That she's survived this long on her own with her abilities uncorrupted is a great blessing of the Force."
Qui-Gon paused a moment in pulling on his other boot, letting it fall to the floor momentarily as he put his foot back down and looked over at the willowy Healer thoughtfully.
"You think I should…delay her coming to Coruscant entirely?" He asked quietly, anxiously. At least, Obuk knew it was anxiously. Very few could read Qui-Gon Jinn as he could, and he recognized the troubled worry lurking just behind the self-assured bearing.
"I don't know." The Healer answered gently, a slight conciliatory shrug of slender shoulders. "Perhaps not, but I do suggest you talk to someone first. Say, Adi Gallia. Master Gallia has always pretty much been in your corner, Qui. She was pretty close to Ina back then and she might have a bit more compassionate approach to the situation rather than a dictatorial one."
"Master Gallia voted right along with the rest of the Council to accept Ina's separation from the Order…" Qui-Gon hedged defensively and Obuk raised both eyebrows.
"…in order to save your place among us, don't forget. Master Gallia felt it was more important for you to stay with the Jedi than it was for you to keep your heart, and perhaps even that is cruel but it was also entirely correct." Obuk tilted his head back in the direction of the room in which Jinn's apprentice laid. "Obi-Wan is living proof of that."
At that, Jinn's expression softened and the tall Master sighed slowly. After a beat, he leaned back down and retrieved his boot, dressing his other foot quickly.
"Ina was right about Obi-Wan." He agreed matter-of-factly. "He's become every bit the Jedi she said he would be. The Force…" Qui-Gon stood now and crossed the room to where his outer robe lay strewn over the back of a chair. "…has a very special destiny for him."
"The Force has a special destiny for us all, Master Jinn." Obuk grinned a bit as he stood up. "I'll let you tend to yours but at least think about what I said. Personally I think the Temple is the best place for Iya; her abilities are rare and raw and need definition. But the best outcome isn't going to be achieved without your best effort in her interests."
"As usual, the Healer tutors the Master." Jinn arranged his outer robe until it was comfortably draped across his broad shoulders. "I will consider it, old friend."
"Good!" Obuk answered cheerfully. "Now get downstairs and greet your daughter before you have the outside distractions of the Roeh's family."
"Obi-Wan…" Qui-Gon started to say, but Obuk rested a hand at his friend's shoulder.
"I'll summon you if anything at all happens to change. You know you have my word at that, Qui. Go on; take care of what you must."
Drawing a deep, steadying breath, Qui-Gon nodded in acknowledgement and strode off to do as Obuk suggested—to find Iya and speak with her apart from the others before the evening to come.
++++++
The memory was an old one, or as old as one might expect of a young man just turned twenty-two, but it was imprinted on Obi-Wan's mind like fine etching on cut glass.
He might've been four…maybe five Standard years old at the time, part of a crèche clan. Barely taller than Master Yoda himself, who taught his lessons along with all the other younglings, Obi-Wan had been intensely curious about…everything. He could be counted on to be the one child out of the entire crèche clan to be distracted by something new; or to wander off to explore, or to stop and stare at a new wonder in the Room of a Thousand Fountains while the rest of the clan moved along without him.
Perhaps it was this innate sense of wonder at the workings of the universe that had endeared him to the Crèche Masters; perhaps it was simply a sense of responsibility on the part of his Jedi caregivers, but for whatever reason there seemed to be an extra sort of guardianship when it came to this small ginger-headed child with the inquisitive blue-grey eyes. Obi-Wan had never questioned it; even now he only believed it to be a grace of the Force.
The encounter itself was mild compared to the sort of mischief most little boys could get into; Obi-Wan had wandered off from the rest of the clan and had simply gotten himself turned around while exploring the myriad pathways in the Room of a Thousand Fountains. Even in such a large area, as it was an enclosed space, someone would have eventually found him. But at the age of four it seemed forbidding and lonely and he'd begun to cry.
"What's wrong, Little One?" The voice was kindly and deep. Obi-Wan scrubbed the back of his hand across damp eyelashes and looked up. And up! The owner of the voice was tall, as well.
"Losted." He answered truthfully. "And I don't knowed the way back."
The tall man knelt down and looked at him intently for a long moment before speaking again.
"Whenever you feel lost, Obi-Wan, you must…" The voice paused, the expression becoming thoughtful, as if looking for something. "…you must tell the Force, and it will lead you home." A forefinger tapped lightly against the boy's chest.
Obi-Wan sniffled a little, round eyes looking into deeply midnight ones.
"Tell the Force?" A puzzled, thoughtful expression crossed the innocent features. "But I just telled you. Can you showed me the way home?"
A pause…and a smile, followed by laughter deep and delighted. Qui-Gon Jinn rose to his feet, offering his hand to the small ginger-headed crècheling.
"Sometimes, Little Obi-Wan, the Force will answer with the hand of a friend."
The hand of a friend would be very much appreciated just about now, Obi-Wan reflected bleakly. "Lost" didn't even begin to describe the feeling. The thought came again, more insistent: You must tell the Force, and it will lead you home. Settling his mind, Obi-Wan stretched out into the Force, casting outward, despite feeling a little childish and almost a little silly. Still...it was his master's advice, wasn't it? Letting the warmth of the Force flow through the very core of his being, he cast out, I'm lost. And I want to go home. Take me home to my Master.
The peace that answered him was deep and undivided…and soothing. Smiling a little to himself, Obi-Wan settled down to await…the hand of a friend.
++++++
It was about what Qui-Gon would have expected of a formal dinner in a major Bahreena House; the room elegantly appointed and situated to please as well as function. He entered the room well ahead of the Roeh and his family; that too was standard House protocol.
What he did not expect was the sight of his daughter, standing near the window and dressed after the traditional manner of a House firstborn, and looking so very, very much like her mother. Qui-Gon hesitated a moment, simply watching her as she carried on a polite conversation with the Roeh's chief advisor, also present for the meal. Iya was, quite simply, exquisite…grace incarnate. Qui-Gon inclined his head a little, watching her handle the long-winded counselor with a great deal of diplomacy and easy charm, and after a few moments an amused smile twitched at the corners of his mouth.
Crossing the room in a series of quick, broad strides, he was at his daughter's side, and Iya looked up at him, immensely grateful. Turning toward the Roeh's advisor, Iya said graciously,
"Counsel Rhiad, may I present to you Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn. He and his Learner are here to choose for the Jedi Order from the current Hopefuls among us. Master Jinn, Counsel Rhiad Mokri. Counsel Rhiad is Prime Voice to the Roeh of this House and several other Houses in this Section."
In other words, Qui-Gon reflected cheerfully to himself, a pompous windbag but likely one of the most influential speakers among the Houses. With a knowing glance to his daughter, Jinn bowed his head graciously to the shorter Bahreena.
"Ketero v'ndi tai." Qui-Gon greeted Rhiad flawlessly. "It is a pleasure to be among your people once again, Counsel."
"It would be, for you." Rhiad replied, boldly. "But not for the families of the children you steal for your Order. It is a sad day for them and as a father I cannot say that I am happy to see you here, Master Jinn."
Iya's eyes widened; even with the protracted discussion she had carried on with the advisor, she had not expected such a reaction. Shifting quickly to form a response, she was surprised when her father stayed her with an upraised hand.
"We have never taken a child to be trained who was not first offered to us, Counsel." Qui-Gon replied quietly but steadily, unshakably. Rhiad simply sniffed disdainfully and inclined his head to Iya as a House daughter.
"If you will excuse me, Amagi. I have…duties to attend to." With that, the outspoken counselor turned on his heel and strode away.
"I'm sorry, Dajo." Iya apologized, her expression crestfallen. "I did not expect you to be treated so shamefully in a major House."
"It's all right." Jinn replied, even as he followed the movements of the Bahreena counselor with his eyes, taking note of the next few people the man spoke to. "It would appear that we are the…Anhri Jotar no longer in the eyes of many Bahreena." Considering his own words for a moment, knowing from hard experience that such resentments could easily spill over into actual hostilities, the Jedi Master turned his gaze back toward Iya. "You will keep your lineage a secret here, understood? Address me formally in the presence of others."
Iya bristled a little but nodded. Her father was obviously someone accustomed to giving commands and having them respected. But aside from that, he was right. If things should turn violent here…
"Yes, Master Jinn." She answered graciously, and despite himself, Qui-Gon had to smile.
"Even the best diplomats need a rescue on occasion. Force help me, I was never that, but your mother knew just how to get me out of the worst spots I was in. I'll have to tell you sometime about a mission we undertook together to Belan Alteyer years ago. You would appreciate your mother's…forthrightness."
The tall Jedi turned toward the large picture window, now, and Iya drifted along after him.
"Do you think it will really turn into a rift between the Jedi and the Bahreena? Our Houses have served the Order for centuries. And in turn we have enjoyed the favor of the Jedi and the protection of the Force." Iya glanced up at her father's profile before following his gaze out onto the perfectly kept grounds. "To lose that way of life would be dangerous for us all, I think."
"I agree." Qui-Gon said at length, clasping his hands placidly before him. "But the Force does not abandon its own, as Inais Cherida observed to me before. Dangerous or not, our future lies within its will…both for the Jedi and for the Houses of Bahreen."
"Da—Master Jedi." Iya caught the slip, and Qui-Gon was hard pressed not to smile at it; already "papa" was more familiar to Iya than anything more formal and it warmed his heart despite the frosty atmosphere surrounding them. "I have news for you. I made a small contact with your Learner, with Obi-Wan."
Qui-Gon felt his heart nearly leap from his chest and he snapped a gaze on his daughter that was both hopeful and yet…fierce, somehow, Iya decided. Fiercely protective and she pondered for a moment if that was his father's heart for the apprentice—and whether it would be his father's heart for his daughter in time.
"Do you know where he is?" Jinn kept his voice low; no need to broadcast this in a possibly hostile social climate. Iya shook her head a little bit.
"Not yet. The contact was not strong, and Obi-Wan was very hard to hear. He's being kept prisoner somehow; that much I've discovered. But the place was unfamiliar to me, and finally I couldn't hold the soul-walk any longer and I had to return. Master Obuk directed me to prepare for the evening meal as you asked, and this is the first opportunity I've had to speak to you of it." Iya explained without elaboration, taking her cue from Qui-Gon and keeping her voice low and discreet. "He seemed distressed, Dajo, but it was not for himself."
Not for himself. Qui-Gon pondered the words for a moment as he once again looked out over the grounds, watching a pair of small squirrel-like creatures scamper and play on the picture-perfect lawn. The warning was like a prickle at the back of his mind, like cold fingers sweeping across his skin, and he very nearly had to suppress a physical shiver at the sensation.
The moment passed, however and Qui-Gon offered Iya a small nod as he offered up his worries for his divided apprentice up to the Force itself.
"There are…other matters to discuss as well. Your return to Coruscant with me…"
'Other matters' would have to wait; as another familiar presence was sensed. Qui-Gon turned away from the picture window and motioned for his daughter to accompany him. Taking station at the edge of a small "pathway" prepared of scented flower petals and lighted candles, Jinn awaited the entrance of the Roeh and his family. It was a cue that the other few guests picked up on and they too lined the doorway accordingly.
"Thank you, Amagi Iya." Qui-Gon said softly, and Iya glanced up at him and smiled softly. Gone was the fierce look; it was replaced by an expression of immense gratitude and…of peace. Truly the Force was with her father. Inclining her head graciously after the manner of a House daughter, Iya allowed the smile to deepen.
"Most welcome, kind Master Jedi."
The children were first; from time immemorial Bahreena children had been honored as gifts and givers, both of joy and for the wealth they represented to their families and to the Anhri Jotar. So often they would enter a room ahead of their parents as a sign of both their families' pride in them and as symbolism of their honored place to the Order.
As before, Le and Kor were delighted to see Qui-Gon, and in perfect unison the Inais children bowed to him just as they'd witnessed their Jedi guests do upon their arrival, and the Jedi master smiled down at them. As the young ones looked up at him expectantly, Qui-Gon allowed for a more "serious" expression and bowed deeply to them in turn, which then produced a series of joyful giggles in the brother and sister.
The children were followed by an older youth, a boy, who bore strong resemblance to his father, Inais Idriah—as well as his father's arrogant bearing. Qui-Gon's initial assessment of the House third-in-line was well borne out by the swaggering attitude of the young Bahreena now passing him by. Passing him by indeed; the boy did not even take the time to acknowledge Qui-Gon's presence, something considered terribly rude in a major House, and nearly a sacrilege when it came to the presence of a Jedi.
Idriah himself was the next to enter, and Qui-Gon nodded his head deferentially to the man despite the cool reception of the man's son. Inais Idriah simply granted him a small sardonic smile before entering the main part of the room and Qui-Gon knew instinctively that the son was acting on the implicit instructions of the father. Hardly surprising, given the Roeh's description of his brother. Almost as if he knows something. Qui-Gon mused.
However the tall Jedi did not have time to peruse that thought further before the formal entrance of the House Roeh and his wife. Inais Cherida entered on her husband's arm, clad in the rich dress of her station, embroidered silks and elaborate coiffure. The Roeh himself was dressed in the full traditional garb of his House, unlike his brother who not chosen observe such tradition. Pausing along with Cherida before their honored guest, Touko bowed deeply in respect to the Jedi Master.
"Ketero v'ndi nashtai, Jotar Jinn." Cherida actually spoke first, wishing peace upon Qui-Gon's evening. Qui-Gon smiled back; for the woman's introverted personality, she was a gracious hostess and quite compassionate. She had not failed to keep track of her guests' needs, nor to inquire after Obi-Wan's condition. Gentle and sincere, Cherida was the perfect governess of her House.
"Bash tai. Anria san keterai nuh." Thank you. I am honored to share your peace in this House.
"I must apologize for the behavior of my nephew." Cherida said immediately, her dutiful instincts prompting her to make amends for something taking place beneath her roof. "Bala is..."
"…too much like my brother, I am afraid, Master Jinn." Touko spoke up now, turning his head slightly to watch as Idriah and son took their places at table. Qui-Gon followed the Roeh's gaze with just his eyes, not turning enough to draw the younger Inais' attention. "Bala has not been taught the proper respect for his station. I will see to it that you are not insulted in this manner in my house again."
"I have no desire to cause friction in your family, Roeh." Qui-Gon assured the Bahreena leader. "I'm fully aware of the hospitality of your House. I have taken no offense."
"It is…very gracious of you." Touko said thankfully, indicating with a slight motion that the Jedi should accompany them. "I am grateful for your consideration." Qui-Gon inclined his head gracefully in turn.
"May I present to you Amagi Iya, of the House Amagi." He glanced back toward his daughter, who stepped forward and bowed her head briefly. "She has been of some assistance in caring for my Padawan. I did not think it would be looked upon unkindly if she joined us this evening."
"Not at all." Touko replied with a gentle smile. "You are welcome at my table as a guest of my House, Amagi Iya."
Qui-Gon followed along a pace apart as the Roeh motioned them forward, and he noted with no surprise that Counsel Rhiad Mokri was seated just to the left of Inais Idriah. Already the Prime Voice was bending the younger Inais' ear, and the unabashedly disdainful looks directed toward him left very little to the imagination as to the topic of conversation.
Inclining his head graciously toward them despite their obvious opposition, Qui-Gon took his place at Touko's side, Iya settling down to his left. Forget conversation being interesting... The tall Jedi observed to himself silently. Explosive might be more like it.