AN: Sorry this one seems to be going at a snail's pace -- but don't worry, it's fixing to pick up some speed.
CHAPTER FOUR
"That's not possible."
The Naboo coroner pushed his heavy black spectacles back up the bridge of his nose and frowned at Obi-Wan. "Perhaps to a Jedi it is inconceivable that a parent mourn the loss of their child to the point of it affecting their health. It is possible." His words were curt and they caused Master Qui-Gon's eyebrow to arch upward.
"My apprentice only meant that it seems highly improbable that the King and Queen both would die from the same ailment at apparently the exact same time." Qui-Gon quickly explained, hoping to soothe the physician's rising agitation. It obviously hadn't worked.
The young man aggressively snatched the glasses from his face and shut down the holographic medical records they had been viewing. "Look. I've already told you. Extensive tests revealed nothing out of the ordinary. The King and Queen died of heart and liver failure secondary to malnutrition and dehydration. They obviously had not taken the advice of their doctor and sought medical attention. Simply put – they starved themselves to death. It is common in patients suffering from severe depression."
"It just doesn't make any sense." This time, Obi-Wan's mumblings bought him a stern glance from his Master.
"It makes perfect senseif you were in their position and had lost the one person in your life whom you loved. But then Jedi are not capable of love, are they? So of course you wouldn't understand." The coroner's words were laced with sarcasm.
And with that, the doctor grabbed his cloak and headed for the door, switching off the lights as he walked through it. "If you'll excuse me, I have a funeral to attend."
"I guess that ends our discussion." Obi-Wan joked, but inside he was not laughing. The coroner's words had cut him, deeply.
He had loved before. He loved his friends and fellow padawans at the Temple. He had loved Cerasi. When Cerasi had been killed, he had felt a terrible guilt and grief that almost consumed him, but not to the point where he would allow his own life to slip away.
But then, he had not known Cerasi that long, and he was only 13 when she died.
Perhaps someone closer.
Obi-Wan glanced at his Master who was moving toward the room's exit. If something happened to Qui-Gon, would he survive?
Of course he would. He would be horribly upset and it would definitely turn his world upside down, but he would go on. He was a Jedi – he had to.
This just didn't make any sense. Parents lose their children all the time, on countless worlds, to countless diseases, wars, and other disasters. Obi-Wan had seen it happen with his own eyes. And he had also seen those parents pick up the pieces of their lives and move on.
He followed behind Qui-Gon as they made their way toward the funeral proceedings, knowing that something here was not quite right.
According to Naboo custom, the funeral process would begin at the palace and all friends and family, palace staff and other officials would follow the casket down the street toward the cemetary.
As diplomats and Jedi Knights, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan fell into step directly behind the steward. Palpatine turned to them and grinned slightly, falling back a bit to walk directly beside Qui-Gon.
"It is a tragedy. I'm afraid unless the princess is found, there will be no heir to the throne."
"But as steward, you will rule in her place." Qui-Gon noted.
"Yes, temporarily, until the princess is found. I just hope that she will be found. This is a tragedy." He repeated quite glumly.
Qui-Gon remained silent, walking slowly along the Theed street lined with mourning citizens. Obi-Wan glanced at Palpatine, noting an appropriate mournful look as his hand raised slightly to his tunic, grasping onto the delicate item hidden inside its folds.
The following day, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan stepped once more into their ship and Obi-Wan set the hyperdrive for their trip back to Coruscant. After calculating the distance and speed, his finger hesitated before completing the task.
"What is it, Obi-Wan?" Qui-Gon asked from the co-pilot's position.
"I just can't help but feel there is something we've missed here, Master. It can't be that simple. I don't believe that the King and Queen would just give up and die like that."
"It's been known to happen before, Padawan. The bond between a parent and a child is a powerful one." Qui-Gon explained as he met Obi-Wan's gaze.
"But without even knowing if the princess is truly dead or not." Obi-Wan's eyes cast down to the floor and then hesitatingly back up. "Master? Do you believe the princess is alive?"
Qui-Gon paused and then turned back to the controls of the ship and uttered a single word. "Yes."
Obi-Wan sighed and reached forward to execute the command that would once more take them away from the planet of Naboo.
"I told you never to come to the throne room!" Palpatine's voice hissed across the empty marbled expanse.
The thin, now-quite-timid coroner shuffled his feet in nervousness. "But the Jedi. They asked a lot of questions. They wanted me to run more tests."
"You didn't, did you?" Palpatine immediately came off the throne, approaching the younger man, whose eyes had widened at his approach.
"N…no, sir. But if anyone ever does…"
"They won't find a thing." The smaller physician jumped slightly as Palpatine placed his hand on his shoulder and turned to usher him from the room.
"Just dispose of the bodies like we discussed and get rid of any evidence."
"Yes sir."
Palpatine watched the young man leave the area, noting to himself that walking just ahead was one piece of evidence that would definitely need to be taken care of.