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Qui-Gon Jinn has been a Jedi Knight, the Defenders of Peace & Justice, the Champions of Wisdom & Serenity, in the Galactic Republic, for several decades. During the 60 standard years since his birth, he had never known another life than the one in which he now existed. True, he had known temptation, the lure & call, of the Dark Side of the Force during his time, all Jedi did, but his very essence had always been one of duty & self-sacrifice. The Force, the all-encompassing energy field that binds the very fabric of reality together, guides him to do this.
Should one ask him, he would say it was a hard life, but in the end, one would know one's self. And in that he did. He knew he was a proponent of the Living Force: the philosophy of the here & now engendering the ideology of approaching all things in this universe by feeling, using instinct, over thought. He knew this as clearly as a katarn knows how to hunt for food in the trees of Kashyyyk. He felt it as unerringly as a mother feels for her child.
Viewed as something of a maverick by his peers in the Jedi Order for this, he nevertheless continued on despite it. He is considered a good man by many sentients, Jedi and non-Force users alike. But even good men have enemies, and right now, at this moment, he was in the fight of his life with one of them. A fight that Qui-Gon knew would only end with the death of one of the duelists.
The enemy's name was unknown to Qui-Gon, but a title was still available to him within his mind: Sith. If the Jedi were the Defenders & Champions, then the Sith would be their mirror opposites: Conquerors & Despots. The Sith, long thought extinct by the Jedi Order, were the very advocates of self over community. Embracing passion in a way that the Jedi had forsaken, the Sith were a known threat to the forces of the Light that have spanned the eons as surely as the Force spans the stars. They were corruption personified. They were paragons of Anger, Hate, & Aggression. They were the disciples of the Dark Side of the Force.
This opponent Qui-Gon now faced epitomized all those things. He could feel the unyielding hatred resonating at him in waves from the Sith. A strike here, a parry there, as the lightsabers of both combatants clashed against each other: a lethal extension of both their wills. Traditionally a Jedi weapon favoring calmer colors for the meter-long blade, such as green-white, blue-white, or the occasional purple-white, out of a thirty centimeter long metal cylinder. The Sith, however, showed his allegiance to violence with the vibrant red-white often associated with aggression.
And the Sith was exceptionally proficient with it, despite the archaic design: two red-white blades emitted from either end of the sixty centimeter long cylinder forming a type of staff that was being expertly wielded. Had Qui-Gon been in this battle alone, he might have been struck down already. As it was his Padawan learner, Obi-Wan Kenobi was by his side.
Obi-Wan's blue-white blade, added to Qui-Gon's green-white, made a dizzying display when used in tandem with each other. And in tandem they were. For so long have Qui-Gon & Obi-Wan fought side by side that they intimately knew the others lightsaber style by just feeling out with the Force for the subtleties that the other made with his movement. Should a shift in one occur, the other would most certainly follow suit.
This time was no different: as Qui-Gon dropped from Lightsaber Form V to Form I, Obi-Wan stepped up from Form I to Form III. Such they were, a master and an apprentice. Although, Qui-Gon hadn't Obi-Wan's energetic youth, he made up for it with experience. However, despite both men and their teamwork, the Sith had discipline in spades. He gave very little ground to either Jedi. If a backpedal was made on his part, it was only because the Sith had another deadly attack or counter-attack awaiting the perspiring Jedi.
Their fight had started in the hangar bay of Theed Palace on the planet of Naboo. The Jedi had been part of a strike group of Naboo soldiers under the command of the planets duly elected queen, Padme Naberrie Amidala. At the age of 14 standard years, she was already a well-loved leader by her constituents. And she was proving now, under fire, how far she was willing to go for them by taking her planet back from the invaders that had unjustly occupied it with military might. For Naboo was a peaceful planet, with no true standing military, other than a small defense force made up of palace guards, a few starfighter pilots, and a militia. With little more than that defending the world, the invading Trade Federation had quickly subdued nearly all resistance with their battle-harden droid armies.
However, as Qui-Gon knew, the Trade Federation droid armies were not his concern. They were a battle for the Gungans outside of the city of Theed. Nor was the Queen his concern either, for she was now elsewhere in the palace attempting to capture the Federation's Viceroy. And the boy he had found on Tattooine, a desert planet in the galaxy's outer rim, with a midi-chlorian count higher than the venerable Jedi Master Yoda. The boy whom Qui-Gon was convinced was the child of the prophecy. The boy who was, at this moment, flying high above Naboo's surface in a yellow starfighter in pursuit of his destiny. The boy so strong in the Force that even now, in the heat of his own battle, Qui-Gon could sense. No, he was not his concern in the slightest. Not right now. Right now the Sith was.
The fight now entered a part of the palace that was bathed in fluorescent light. Catwalks crisscrossed the vast bowels. Qui-Gon needed not look down to see that death awaited the unwary should they lose footing. Qui-Gon leapt forward from the cavern's threshold to a catwalk after the blackguard who had just made a similar motion. Obi-Wan mimicked his master by somersaulting the crevasse only to have the tattooed warrior greet them both with his wicked weapon in a cross-block as Qui-Gon went low while Obi-wan struck high.
Qui-Gon fought to drag breath into his lungs. This Sith had quickly proven to Qui-Gon on Tattooine how adept he was at the lightsaber arts. At that time, though, the warrior had only used one blade. The development of the second was what was very much on Qui-Gon's mind.
The second blade.
The second blade.
The second blade.
Qui-Gon suddenly felt a tremor in the Force. Something felt wrong. As he made ready to parry a strike, the Force spoke to him in an instant. A sudden insight became apparent: the warrior was about to feint from Qui-Gon to Obi-Wan. The second blade was a feint! The instinct to parry suddenly became something else. Qui-Gon pivoted on the heel of his left foot, bringing him directly behind Obi-Wan as the Sith brought a fisted back-hand to Obi-Wan's face. With so little room between Obi-Wan and the ledge, Qui-Gon was knocked off. He plummeted a distance before landing on his feet on a catwalk below.
He looked up in time to see a crash of red-white light against blue-white. Qui-Gon quickly surmised the distance, called upon the Force, and leapt back up to the catwalk from which he had dropped. Ahead he could make out his Padawan and the warrior in black. Despite Obi-Wan's youth, as well as talent, Qui-Gon could sense his pupil tiring. Indeed, an opponent as fierce as this was truly something that could wear out even the most battle-savvy, for he could inflict twice as many strikes as a foe with a single-bladed weapon. Qui-Gon instinctively knew what he needed to do in order to catch up quickly. He called upon the Force again, and he ran toward the clashing lightsabers. As he moved, everything around him seemed to slow: the two Force-users fighting, their bright weapons, even the field generators that were activating at the end of the catwalk. Qui-Gon ran faster.
He ignited his lightsaber as he neared, the snap-hiss following the appearance of the familiar green-white blade. He was just about there when Obi-Wan received the metal mid-section of the Sith's lightsaber to the jaw. As Qui-Gon watched Obi-Wan reel back from the blow, he saw the horned warrior start to bring the second blade around for a strike to the padawan's torso. Seeing no other option but a last ditch one, Qui-Gon leapt over Obi-Wan, and extended his boot heel into the bridge of the dark aggressor's nose. The warrior, taken aback, gave ground. He stumbled back just as the first field generator cast it's luminescent glow, effectively cutting off him off from is Jedi quarry.
His staff's second blade checked the force field. Satisfying himself, he deactivated his double-sided lightsaber, and glared menacingly at the two on the other side. He could see that the older of the two had assumed a kneeling position. A weakness, as far as the Sith was concerned. To kneel was to leave one's self open for attack. He then witnessed the younger emulate the master. The assassin curled his lip in derision. He started to pace, even further annoyed that these two had so far stood up to him. He'd been certain the younger was about to have been impaled on his weapon when the older had kicked him back. He felt his rage within bubble even further. He smiled an evil smile. His yellow eyes glittered dangerously as he stalked back-and-forth like a caged Corellian Sand Panther. His smile disappeared when he started to make out sounds uttering forth between the Jedi, although he couldn't make it out over the hum of the generators.
"Obi-Wan, are you alright?"
"A little rattled, Master, but otherwise fine."
Qui-Gon & Obi-Wan both never took their eyes off of their antagonist while speaking. They both new time was short, & inattentiveness could be costly.
"Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon started, "when this field comes down in a minute, do not run in after him. He wants us to play his game. A warrior of this nature is a shadow hunter. Hunters by trade get their prey to come to them, & spring a trap at the most opportune moment. We shall wait him out. His anger may fuel his strength, but it's also a weakness that we may use to our advantage. Do you understand?"
"I believe so Master" came the reply.
As soon as it left his lips, the generator shut down, both Jedi stood, lightsabers glowing. The Sith made ready for the assault. It did not come. Both Jedi stood ready at the entrance to the corridor of field generators. Confused for a moment by the lack of the attack, the warrior called upon the Dark Side, & centered it on the younger Jedi's throat. Obi-Wan, realizing his windpipe was being crushed; he reached for his throat with his free hand. Qui-Gon, hearing his pupil start to choke, concentrated on the tendril of the force damaging the airway. He gently caused a release of the Dark Side energies.
As Obi-Wan gasped for breath, the attacker started at the two again. Obi-Wan, still recovering, flipped over the Sith, and started his attack to the rear. Qui-Gon provided ample strikes to the front. The aggressor lashed a foot out at Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan, having seen this from the horned Sith before, dropped his lightsaber to the plating, & grabbed the outstretched leg. The Sith, already diverted back to Qui-Gon, looked back in surprise as Obi-Wan started to pull. Qui-Gon, seeing the opportunity, lobbed the hand holding the weapon of the ensnared assassin off. The Sith, with all of his discipline suddenly disappearing, lashed out at the older Jedi with his remaining right hand. So great was his anger that he tore his foot free of Obi-Wan's grip.
Qui-Gon Jinn was now in an entirely different fight: one where the opponent had nothing to lose. And, indeed, he was right. The tattooed face showed the Jedi all he needed to know: wherever the Sith had come from, there was no going back if failure followed him. Blast after blast of Dark Side energies pummeled Qui-Gon until one so strong slammed him off his feet to the catwalk floor, lightsaber clattering into the abyss. Dazed, he looked up into the hate-filled yellow eyes. He held his breath as he expected the final blow from the warrior's boot to crush his skull. It never came.
"Stop," commanded the Padawan, "or I'll be forced to cut you down."
Both adversaries, the one prone and the one advancing on the former, looked at the Jedi with a braid down by his right ear.
"Then strike, Jedi. Strike true." Hissed the Sith as he fully turned to face the Jedi. He unleashed another barrage of energies at Obi-Wan.
Prepared after witnessing his own Master's tribulations, Obi-Wan deflected it with a shield of his own. Attack after attack came. Qui-Gon, having stood up, watched in sympathy, for he felt the anger & hate start to turn into a desperate fear. The Jedi Master had been correct about his earlier thought: there was no going back. Fear had been this Sith's path down to the Dark Side. Qui-Gon could only assume what horrors had been visited upon him during the time of his training. His pity only increased as he watched the warrior collapse out of exhaustion. He had overtaxed his powers, leaving him to tired to even stand.
"You've already lost," Qui-Gon gently intoned. "You need not fight us any longer."
"Stow your pithy words, Jedi! You know nothing." Came the hissing reply.
Obi-Wan, with weapon still active, looked on warily, but added in "We do not wish to harm you."
A laugh, as the defeated Sith held up the stump where his left hand had resided.
"It seems it's a little too late for that."
He then sighed. Obi-Wan & Qui-Gon regarded each other for a moment.
Qui-Gon took a gamble, "You know you can't go back to your people. The cost for failure among the Sith is quite high. You could come back with us. It's never too late to return to the light."
Another look of vile hatred from the broken fighter was directed toward the comment's source.
"If you knew as much about the Sith as I do, then you'd know there is no going down that path either."
Qui-Gon regarded him again with pity. He spoke true, from a certain point of view: the warrior would never get a moments rest for many years to come. Investigation after investigation, inquisition after inquisition would be at this sentient's doorstep. Mistrust would keep him separate from any who might have been his colleagues, or support structure, had he been discovered by the Jedi before the Sith. And, should he still not satisfy the council after all of their investigations & inquisitions, they might move to cut his connection to the Force. From what Qui-Gon had heard in cases in the past, this was almost as bad as going back to the Sith to face the punishment for failure, but the severance was more long term. This was the price of all that fell under the sway of the Dark Side: one day all who follow it must pay the price for all of the destruction they had wrought. He made a note to share that with Anakin when the boy returned from space.
The warrior studied Qui-Gon's face. He saw the options play across his face. He nodded at the elder Force-user, knowing what thoughts went through his head, and before either Jedi could make a move, he stepped to the ledge & flung himself off. Obi-Wan ran to the side & looked down as the warrior eventually faded from sight. A moment later a great blast of dark light erupted forth from the depths. The Padawan looked up at his master. He saw Qui-Gon's left arm across his torso, with his other grasping onto his chin & mouth, a pensive look on his face.
"Master?"
Looking at his apprentice, "I'm fine Obi-Wan. Just thinking over something."
"I understand Master."
Qui-Gon let his arms down to his side. "I'm sure you do Obi-Wan. Come. Let us return to the surface. I believe the others met with success in their goals."
Obi-Wan nodded at his master's remark & cast another glance over the side of the ledge.
"I believe so too, Master."
The two regarded each other for one moment further before they started from this place to return to the upper part of the palace. Qui-Gon could already feel the joy & sadness drifting down from above.
He stopped mid-stride.
"What is it Master?"
"This is not over Obi-Wan. I've a feeling that this was just the beginning of something much, much larger."
Obi-Wan looked on his master's face, & saw nothing but concern etched into his face. Qui-Gon looked down at Obi-Wan, & forced a smile.
"We'll just have to worry about that later. For now, we must go & see if any assistance is needed above."
As Qui-Gon moved to leave, Obi-Wan reached out with his feelings & felt what the other had felt before him, & knew that no help was needed. He thought about what his master said for a moment. He then looked back over the ledge again one final time before running to catch up.
Ok, ok. I know. A lot of re-hashing of Episode 1's finale, but there was a story I thought would benefit from being told, so please appreciate it as it was intended. However, if you appreciated it enough to have read it all the way down to here, let me know! I'd love some feedback! (Plus I'm starved for human contact! I've not been out of my dungeon for a week!) Plus, if you REALLY liked this, tune in to the chapter immediately following it! Thank you again!