Chapter One
Two Years Later:
Qui-Gon walked down the busy streets of the planet Luzick. A gentle breeze caressed his face and blew his long brown hair off his shoulder and into his face. With a swipe of his hand, he brushed the hair out of his face. He could sense the abundance of life forms that surrounded him. Qui-Gon smiled, he felt comforted by the presence of other life forms especially after piloting his small cargo vessel filled with only speeder parts for the past eight days.
Occasionally, especially when he was bored, the former Jedi wondered how his friends at the Jedi Temple were doing. He had begun to miss his old life and he had decided that after he finished his next job of delivering supplies he would return to the Order. He had even thought about taking a Padawan again. It would be a welcome change to the constant loneliness that plagued him.
Without realizing it, Qui-Gon wandered into the large garden outside the palace of Luzick. A sea of beautiful flowers and plants of nearly every color greeted his eyes. He recognized a few of the plants, but the majority was unfamiliar and most likely native to Luzick. The garden was teeming with life, which he assumed was the reason that he was drawn to it. He walked through endless rows of flowers and plants he smiled again as fragrances typical of the outdoors filled his senses and intensified the beauty around him.
As he walked through the rows of plants toward the rear of the garden, he could hear the gentle trickle of a small stream flowing through the garden dividing it into two separate sections. Qui-Gon sensed a presence with a strong Force signature not far from the stream. He used the Force to guide him hoping that he would find a Jedi Knight that he could speak with and learn what he had missed since he had left the Temple. He found a boy sleeping on the soft grass underneath a large tree with bright mint colored leaves that created a canopy over the youngster. The young one appeared to be about eleven or twelve years old. His grimy threadbare clothes looked like Jedi tunics and Qui-Gon wondered why the boy wore them. Behind his right ear hung a length of braided hair and although much of the braid had begun to unravel, it was a Padawan braid.
As Qui-Gon watched the steady rise and fall of the lad's chest, he wondered what had happened to him and his Master. Taking a deep breath, Qui-Gon stepped away from the tree he stood next to and slowly approached the boy. The noise of the stream partially blocked out the sounds of the small creatures that lived there.
A few feet away from the young man he noticed a pair of blue/green eyes staring up at him. "I don't have any credits," the boy told him. Fear was evident in his eyes, which suddenly seemed to change to a gray color and he spoke with an accent that Qui-Gon did not recognize.
"I don't want credits," Qui-Gon assured him. "I just want to talk."
"I don't want to talk," the boy retorted as he quickly sat up keeping his eyes locked on Qui-Gon's. He was obviously prepared to run away if Qui-Gon came any closer.
"That's ok. I can talk enough for both of us." The former Jedi put his hands out in front of him and took a step backward in an offer of peace. "My name is Qui-Gon Jinn; what is your name?"
The boy's only reply was a defiant stare directed at the older man and it seemed to go right through Qui-Gon.
"You don't have to tell me your name. I was once a Jedi Master. Do you have a Master?"
"I'm not a slave! I'm not your slave or anyone else's either," the boy yelled, as he jumped to his feet and ran. He dashed through the stream toward the forest behind the garden. Qui-Gon started to follow the boy; but he decided instead to return to his small cargo ship and use the comm. Unit.
******
Ben raced through the lines of growth where he had come for shelter on many nights. The garden had become a home to him recently; a place his enemies usually avoided, which meant security for him. He dashed through the stream that provided his drinking water and continued his headlong flight toward the forest behind it.
He did not want to lose his new found home, but he would not allow the tall man to take him away to be a slave. He knew that living in the streets, slowly starving to death was better than living as a slave.
As he ran zigzagging between trees and bushes of various shapes and sizes, he was aware when his new enemy no longer followed him. He was unsure how or why he knew that no one pursued him but he turned his head to look behind him as though to reinforce the knowledge he had. He was alone in the woods except for the creatures that lived there. The boy slowed to a leisurely jog, as he tried to remember if he had ever seen the tall man with long brown hair before.
His jog soon turned into a walk, as he pushed his body to continue through the shadows the awning-like treetops had created. Sweat trickled down the side of the youngster's face, as he reached into his single intact pocket and pulled out his only friend. His friend was a Diamp, a small creature resembling a tiny pale green space slug, small enough to fit in the palm of a human hand. Ben had named the small creature Cyjeun. Cyjeun, meaning savior in some other language that he could not remember, nor could he remember how he knew what the word meant.
"Hello Cyjeun. Did you rest well? I'm sorry if I woke you when I ran, but I had to get us away from that man." Ben caressed the creature's miniature head and body with a dirt-covered finger. "I won't let them hurt you, I promise you."
***********************
As Qui-Gon sat down in the pilot's seat, he prepared himself to see a familiar face, one that he had not seen in over two years. The holographic image of Jedi Master Mace Windu appeared before him, and Qui-Gon took a long deep breath.
"Qui-Gon," the bald headed dark skinned human said. Although the man had not changed in the two and a half years since Qui-Gon had last seen him, his face did. His normal calm expression was replaced with a full grin upon recognition. "It's good to see you again my friend."
Qui-Gon nodded, "It's good to see you as well Mace. How are you?"
"Good, how are you? We haven't heard from you in so long we thought that something might have happened."
The former Jedi chuckled, "I'm good. I'm thinking about returning to the Temple. This isn't a social transmission though; I need to know if you have had any missing Padawans in the last few months, a year at most?"
"There are a couple Padawans unaccounted for; why?" Mace asked, becoming serious again.
"I'm on the planet Luzick and I believe that I have just found one. He wore a tattered tunic and had a Padawan braid."
"He?" Mace asked lost in thought.
"Yes, his hair was longer than the normal Padawan cut, but I'm assuming that it has grown since he has left the Temple."
"Last month Master Craxon and his Padawan were killed in an explosion on Leva IV. His Padawan's remains were not found. Padawan Trently has been missing for two months now after going on his first solo mission; he is presumed dead. Master Oxane died on the planet Phindar; his Padawan has been missing ever since. That was nearly six months ago, like Padawan Trently he is presumed dead.
"Phindar isn't too far from where I am," Qui-Gon thought aloud.
"I don't think you could have found Padawan Kenobi although his death was not confirmed. A witness has come forward claiming that Obi-Wan disappeared into thin air moments after his heart stopped beating at the Medical center. You know as well as I do that some Jedi especially those who are strong in the unifying Force can do that when they die," Mace told him. Qui- Gon noticed his friend's expression change to one of sadness as he spoke of the Padawan.
"Obi-Wan Kenobi?" he inquired. Qui-Gon suddenly remembered the name of the boy that Yoda had told him about. Yoda said that the initiate would meet with grave consequences after Qui-Gon's decision to leave the Order.
"Did you know him?" Mace asked.
"No, I remember Master Yoda spoke of him once," he answered evasively.
The image of Mace nodded, "Did you speak with the Padawan?"
"Not much. I told him I was once a Jedi Master and I asked him who his Master was. He replied that he would not be my slave and was not a slave for anyone before he ran away. He was scared, that much was clear."
"What did he look like?" Mace questioned, his hands steepled in front of his chin, in his usual manner that brought many memories to Qui-Gon's mind.
"He was human; he had dark hair, blue/green eyes that changed to gray when he was frightened. He had a cleft chin and he spoke with an unfamiliar accent." Qui-Gon watched as the other man's face changed to one of recognition.
"It sounds like you're describing Obi-Wan Kenobi. Qui-Gon, I want you to find the boy and bring him back to the Temple. Since you're returning to the Order, you can consider this your first mission," Mace told him easily slipping into a Jedi Council mode.
"Yes Mace, but I don't think the boy will come willingly."
"Bring him against his will if you have to. You must bring him back here."
"I will," Qui-Gon nodded.
"May the Force be with you," Mace told him, ending the transmission.
******
For the first time in at least six months, Qui-Gon called on the Force to guide him to the boy whom he found inside a small restaurant in the busiest section of the Luzane City. He decided that since he had not eaten all day, he would go inside and get something.
Qui-Gon entered the eatery and used the Force to search the dining area for the child. He sat down at a corner table just inside the entryway on the right of the dining area. He could sense a Force signature in the shadows near the entrance to the kitchen. The lad was using the Force so that no one in the kitchen would notice him standing there.
Qui-Gon frowned. He suspected the boy was going to steal food from the restaurant. The lad carefully watched a young couple that sat not far from where he hid. Qui-Gon wondered fleetingly if he would have to protect the couple from the youngster. The couple appeared nearly ready to leave. As if to confirm his assumption, the couple stood up from the table and walked away from it. They paid their bill at the front of the dining room then exited toward the street.
Qui-Gon watched as the boy glanced around obviously checking to see if anyone was looking at him. Satisfied that no one was watching, the boy stepped out of the shadows and walked slowly past the table that the young couple had just vacated. If Qui-Gon had not been watching the boy so closely, he would have missed him removing something from the table with laser fast reflexes.
As the boy walked toward the door unnoticed by the other patrons or employees, Qui-Gon stood up and started to follow him. The growl of his stomach reminded him that he hadn't eaten or even ordered any food before he had to leave. He could only hope that the young one would not attack the young couple. He had seen the hope hidden beneath the dark depths of Mace's eyes as he realized that Qui-Gon might have found Padawan Kenobi. He did not want to return a criminal to the temple.
Once outside, Qui-Gon was relieved that the lad turned in the opposite direction than the one taken by the couple. He finally noticed the young people walking hand in hand down the street toward the hangar where his small freighter rested. The boy turned to see Qui-Gon leave the building after him and the child began to run. Qui-Gon groaned inwardly and began to run after him. "Wait boy, Obi-Wan!" The youngster didn't seem to have any reaction to his use of the missing Padawan's name. He just continued to run. The kid was fast, but his shorter legs could not compete with Qui- Gon's longer ones.
Qui-Gon could not believe that a Jedi, no matter how bad his circumstances were, would steal. The boy turned down an alley away from the people and speeders in the streets. He kicked over a stack of crates with his foot and pounded down the alley. The crates crashed to the ground in front of the former Jedi forcing him to slow somewhat before he leaped over them.
He raced after the boy but the youngster ran out of the alley and into the path of a speeder traveling down the adjacent street.
Qui-Gon could only watch in horror as the speeder collided with the young one sending him flying through the air. Time seemed to slow to a stand still as he watched the youth land across the street near an old abandoned building in a heap of cast off clothing.
"No," Qui-Gon rumbled rushing to the boy's side. He knelt down beside the young man who lay motionless on the side of the dirt-covered street. His breath came out in ragged gasps as blood covered the side of his left cheek. The boy stared up at him; fear clouded his gray pain filled eyes.
"Cyjeun," the youngster rasped. Gray eyes still locked with sapphire ones, seemed to plead for help. Qui-Gon then noticed the young one reach into his pocket, and pulled out a small slug like creature before losing consciousness.
Qui-Gon stared at the boy and then the slug quizzically. Cyjeun was a word from an outer rim system that meant savior. Did the child think he was his savior?
Two Years Later:
Qui-Gon walked down the busy streets of the planet Luzick. A gentle breeze caressed his face and blew his long brown hair off his shoulder and into his face. With a swipe of his hand, he brushed the hair out of his face. He could sense the abundance of life forms that surrounded him. Qui-Gon smiled, he felt comforted by the presence of other life forms especially after piloting his small cargo vessel filled with only speeder parts for the past eight days.
Occasionally, especially when he was bored, the former Jedi wondered how his friends at the Jedi Temple were doing. He had begun to miss his old life and he had decided that after he finished his next job of delivering supplies he would return to the Order. He had even thought about taking a Padawan again. It would be a welcome change to the constant loneliness that plagued him.
Without realizing it, Qui-Gon wandered into the large garden outside the palace of Luzick. A sea of beautiful flowers and plants of nearly every color greeted his eyes. He recognized a few of the plants, but the majority was unfamiliar and most likely native to Luzick. The garden was teeming with life, which he assumed was the reason that he was drawn to it. He walked through endless rows of flowers and plants he smiled again as fragrances typical of the outdoors filled his senses and intensified the beauty around him.
As he walked through the rows of plants toward the rear of the garden, he could hear the gentle trickle of a small stream flowing through the garden dividing it into two separate sections. Qui-Gon sensed a presence with a strong Force signature not far from the stream. He used the Force to guide him hoping that he would find a Jedi Knight that he could speak with and learn what he had missed since he had left the Temple. He found a boy sleeping on the soft grass underneath a large tree with bright mint colored leaves that created a canopy over the youngster. The young one appeared to be about eleven or twelve years old. His grimy threadbare clothes looked like Jedi tunics and Qui-Gon wondered why the boy wore them. Behind his right ear hung a length of braided hair and although much of the braid had begun to unravel, it was a Padawan braid.
As Qui-Gon watched the steady rise and fall of the lad's chest, he wondered what had happened to him and his Master. Taking a deep breath, Qui-Gon stepped away from the tree he stood next to and slowly approached the boy. The noise of the stream partially blocked out the sounds of the small creatures that lived there.
A few feet away from the young man he noticed a pair of blue/green eyes staring up at him. "I don't have any credits," the boy told him. Fear was evident in his eyes, which suddenly seemed to change to a gray color and he spoke with an accent that Qui-Gon did not recognize.
"I don't want credits," Qui-Gon assured him. "I just want to talk."
"I don't want to talk," the boy retorted as he quickly sat up keeping his eyes locked on Qui-Gon's. He was obviously prepared to run away if Qui-Gon came any closer.
"That's ok. I can talk enough for both of us." The former Jedi put his hands out in front of him and took a step backward in an offer of peace. "My name is Qui-Gon Jinn; what is your name?"
The boy's only reply was a defiant stare directed at the older man and it seemed to go right through Qui-Gon.
"You don't have to tell me your name. I was once a Jedi Master. Do you have a Master?"
"I'm not a slave! I'm not your slave or anyone else's either," the boy yelled, as he jumped to his feet and ran. He dashed through the stream toward the forest behind the garden. Qui-Gon started to follow the boy; but he decided instead to return to his small cargo ship and use the comm. Unit.
******
Ben raced through the lines of growth where he had come for shelter on many nights. The garden had become a home to him recently; a place his enemies usually avoided, which meant security for him. He dashed through the stream that provided his drinking water and continued his headlong flight toward the forest behind it.
He did not want to lose his new found home, but he would not allow the tall man to take him away to be a slave. He knew that living in the streets, slowly starving to death was better than living as a slave.
As he ran zigzagging between trees and bushes of various shapes and sizes, he was aware when his new enemy no longer followed him. He was unsure how or why he knew that no one pursued him but he turned his head to look behind him as though to reinforce the knowledge he had. He was alone in the woods except for the creatures that lived there. The boy slowed to a leisurely jog, as he tried to remember if he had ever seen the tall man with long brown hair before.
His jog soon turned into a walk, as he pushed his body to continue through the shadows the awning-like treetops had created. Sweat trickled down the side of the youngster's face, as he reached into his single intact pocket and pulled out his only friend. His friend was a Diamp, a small creature resembling a tiny pale green space slug, small enough to fit in the palm of a human hand. Ben had named the small creature Cyjeun. Cyjeun, meaning savior in some other language that he could not remember, nor could he remember how he knew what the word meant.
"Hello Cyjeun. Did you rest well? I'm sorry if I woke you when I ran, but I had to get us away from that man." Ben caressed the creature's miniature head and body with a dirt-covered finger. "I won't let them hurt you, I promise you."
***********************
As Qui-Gon sat down in the pilot's seat, he prepared himself to see a familiar face, one that he had not seen in over two years. The holographic image of Jedi Master Mace Windu appeared before him, and Qui-Gon took a long deep breath.
"Qui-Gon," the bald headed dark skinned human said. Although the man had not changed in the two and a half years since Qui-Gon had last seen him, his face did. His normal calm expression was replaced with a full grin upon recognition. "It's good to see you again my friend."
Qui-Gon nodded, "It's good to see you as well Mace. How are you?"
"Good, how are you? We haven't heard from you in so long we thought that something might have happened."
The former Jedi chuckled, "I'm good. I'm thinking about returning to the Temple. This isn't a social transmission though; I need to know if you have had any missing Padawans in the last few months, a year at most?"
"There are a couple Padawans unaccounted for; why?" Mace asked, becoming serious again.
"I'm on the planet Luzick and I believe that I have just found one. He wore a tattered tunic and had a Padawan braid."
"He?" Mace asked lost in thought.
"Yes, his hair was longer than the normal Padawan cut, but I'm assuming that it has grown since he has left the Temple."
"Last month Master Craxon and his Padawan were killed in an explosion on Leva IV. His Padawan's remains were not found. Padawan Trently has been missing for two months now after going on his first solo mission; he is presumed dead. Master Oxane died on the planet Phindar; his Padawan has been missing ever since. That was nearly six months ago, like Padawan Trently he is presumed dead.
"Phindar isn't too far from where I am," Qui-Gon thought aloud.
"I don't think you could have found Padawan Kenobi although his death was not confirmed. A witness has come forward claiming that Obi-Wan disappeared into thin air moments after his heart stopped beating at the Medical center. You know as well as I do that some Jedi especially those who are strong in the unifying Force can do that when they die," Mace told him. Qui- Gon noticed his friend's expression change to one of sadness as he spoke of the Padawan.
"Obi-Wan Kenobi?" he inquired. Qui-Gon suddenly remembered the name of the boy that Yoda had told him about. Yoda said that the initiate would meet with grave consequences after Qui-Gon's decision to leave the Order.
"Did you know him?" Mace asked.
"No, I remember Master Yoda spoke of him once," he answered evasively.
The image of Mace nodded, "Did you speak with the Padawan?"
"Not much. I told him I was once a Jedi Master and I asked him who his Master was. He replied that he would not be my slave and was not a slave for anyone before he ran away. He was scared, that much was clear."
"What did he look like?" Mace questioned, his hands steepled in front of his chin, in his usual manner that brought many memories to Qui-Gon's mind.
"He was human; he had dark hair, blue/green eyes that changed to gray when he was frightened. He had a cleft chin and he spoke with an unfamiliar accent." Qui-Gon watched as the other man's face changed to one of recognition.
"It sounds like you're describing Obi-Wan Kenobi. Qui-Gon, I want you to find the boy and bring him back to the Temple. Since you're returning to the Order, you can consider this your first mission," Mace told him easily slipping into a Jedi Council mode.
"Yes Mace, but I don't think the boy will come willingly."
"Bring him against his will if you have to. You must bring him back here."
"I will," Qui-Gon nodded.
"May the Force be with you," Mace told him, ending the transmission.
******
For the first time in at least six months, Qui-Gon called on the Force to guide him to the boy whom he found inside a small restaurant in the busiest section of the Luzane City. He decided that since he had not eaten all day, he would go inside and get something.
Qui-Gon entered the eatery and used the Force to search the dining area for the child. He sat down at a corner table just inside the entryway on the right of the dining area. He could sense a Force signature in the shadows near the entrance to the kitchen. The lad was using the Force so that no one in the kitchen would notice him standing there.
Qui-Gon frowned. He suspected the boy was going to steal food from the restaurant. The lad carefully watched a young couple that sat not far from where he hid. Qui-Gon wondered fleetingly if he would have to protect the couple from the youngster. The couple appeared nearly ready to leave. As if to confirm his assumption, the couple stood up from the table and walked away from it. They paid their bill at the front of the dining room then exited toward the street.
Qui-Gon watched as the boy glanced around obviously checking to see if anyone was looking at him. Satisfied that no one was watching, the boy stepped out of the shadows and walked slowly past the table that the young couple had just vacated. If Qui-Gon had not been watching the boy so closely, he would have missed him removing something from the table with laser fast reflexes.
As the boy walked toward the door unnoticed by the other patrons or employees, Qui-Gon stood up and started to follow him. The growl of his stomach reminded him that he hadn't eaten or even ordered any food before he had to leave. He could only hope that the young one would not attack the young couple. He had seen the hope hidden beneath the dark depths of Mace's eyes as he realized that Qui-Gon might have found Padawan Kenobi. He did not want to return a criminal to the temple.
Once outside, Qui-Gon was relieved that the lad turned in the opposite direction than the one taken by the couple. He finally noticed the young people walking hand in hand down the street toward the hangar where his small freighter rested. The boy turned to see Qui-Gon leave the building after him and the child began to run. Qui-Gon groaned inwardly and began to run after him. "Wait boy, Obi-Wan!" The youngster didn't seem to have any reaction to his use of the missing Padawan's name. He just continued to run. The kid was fast, but his shorter legs could not compete with Qui- Gon's longer ones.
Qui-Gon could not believe that a Jedi, no matter how bad his circumstances were, would steal. The boy turned down an alley away from the people and speeders in the streets. He kicked over a stack of crates with his foot and pounded down the alley. The crates crashed to the ground in front of the former Jedi forcing him to slow somewhat before he leaped over them.
He raced after the boy but the youngster ran out of the alley and into the path of a speeder traveling down the adjacent street.
Qui-Gon could only watch in horror as the speeder collided with the young one sending him flying through the air. Time seemed to slow to a stand still as he watched the youth land across the street near an old abandoned building in a heap of cast off clothing.
"No," Qui-Gon rumbled rushing to the boy's side. He knelt down beside the young man who lay motionless on the side of the dirt-covered street. His breath came out in ragged gasps as blood covered the side of his left cheek. The boy stared up at him; fear clouded his gray pain filled eyes.
"Cyjeun," the youngster rasped. Gray eyes still locked with sapphire ones, seemed to plead for help. Qui-Gon then noticed the young one reach into his pocket, and pulled out a small slug like creature before losing consciousness.
Qui-Gon stared at the boy and then the slug quizzically. Cyjeun was a word from an outer rim system that meant savior. Did the child think he was his savior?