Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars, though I have quite a collection of memorabilia.
Author's Note: The best laid plans of mice and men gangoftagley (often go a rye). Seldom in life do things turn out the way they are suppose to. These past two weeks have some of the hardest for me. My mother, who had been battling leukemia for a year, recently passed away. On top of that, I had to go have surgery performed on me. Some advice for you guys, give your mom a call, hug, or kiss and tell them that you love them. Your mothers love it… and it also makes you feel good too.
Side Note: PLEASE DO REVIEW. I need to know how I am doing.
Chapter Twelve- Requiem for the Dead
The debris settled, though diminutive palls still spread through the air. The Jedi eyed the wreckage with contempt, because the hallway's collapse had allowed the dark lord to escape. Obi-wan and Ravelin's muscles trembled with fatigue and adrenaline from their clash with Nebulous. Slowly, the two turned to face the other Jedi. Yoda came beside the two.
"Expected this was not. Well are you both?"
Ravelin and Obi-wan exchanged glances, before Obi-wan answered with a short nod. "How-."
"We do not know how he managed to bypass both our security codes and the Chancellor's." Mace Windu interrupted Obi-wan.
'The Chancellor's?' Dread filled Obi-wan's mind. "Qui-Gon… where is Qui-Gon?"
Yoda's eyes closed. "Brought from the Chancellor's office alive Qui-Gon was. Deep in a healing trance he is. The healers with him now are."
Obi-wan made to move when Mace's voice stopped him. "Let the healers care for Qui-Gon. He will not wake for some time." Obi-wan caught the sudden darkening of the Jedi Master's face.
"What are you not telling me?"
"Qui-Gon's mind is not on this plane. His healing trance is extraordinarily deep."
Ravelin asked Obi-wan's own question. "So he may never wake?"
Yoda nodded his head. "In time know we will. Ehmm," Yoda began as he tapped the hard floor with his Gimer stick. "Done with Qui-Gon Jinn the Force is not."
The streets off Coruscant found themselves crowded just weeks after Nebulous's visit, as the funeral procession carrying the earthly remains of their beloved Chancellor, drew by. Strangely, the crowd remained silent. The city seemed to be draped in black, and tears fell easily. This somber moment was echoed throughout the Republic. On distant planets, the bells tolled in remembrance and with a silent hope. With a new Chancellor, peace with what remained of the Separatists was now possible. The Republic would be one again.
Padmè Amidala walked behind the Chancellor's carriage. Her delicate painted face bowed. She tried to hide the tears that fell down her face, but only succeeded in smearing her make-up. Palpatine had been her friend and closes advisor during the first Naboo Crisis. During the Clone Wars, he passed legislature that she had positively detested, but she still considered him her friend. Behind the Chancellor's procession was those of the Senators', where yet another of Padmè closes friends lay. She would miss Jar Jar Binks's antics. Padmè's mind froze. That should have been me. That was not the first time she had thought that, nor would it be the last.
The procession slowed until it came to a halt in front of the Senatorial catacombs, a final resting place for public servants if they chose. It was a fate Padmè did not want. No, she would be returned to Naboo.
She recognized Senator Bail Organa, as he surmounted the stairs that led to the catacombs. While Organa spoke about the Chancellor's and the Senators' accomplishments, the doors to the tombs opened. At the end, he spoke of the hope of a united Republic fighting along side the Jedi to defeat the Sith. Padmè closed her eyes. Somewhere I have heard this story before. Her eyes burned, as she watched the earthly remains of the Supreme Chancellor and the senators brought into the tombs. After a few minutes, the pallbearers returned from their somber duties.
Padmè's heart hardened, as the great doors were closed. She knew that she may suffer the same fate as her predecessor of the office of Supreme Chancellor. I accept this fate. No more tears for the dead, only for the living now will I cry.
Master Yoda watched as Supreme Chancellor Padmè Amidala walked up the stairs to stand beside Senator Organa. Her eyes were puffy from the tears she had shed. Now however, Yoda shrewdly noticed that tears no longer dotted her young face. Instead, the Jedi Master noted that her face was filled with solemn resolve.
"Hope there is for the Republic with her at its helm," Yoda stated firmly.
Mace nodded his head. "There is still one thing I do not understand."
"The lifting of the dark presence we felt during the Clone Wars?" Yoda paused. "Curious… that lift it should after the Chancellor's death."
"You believe Palpatine was the Sith Lord?"
"When awake, Qui-Gon will know. What senses you through the Force?"
Master Windu fell into silent retrospection. "Palpatine was the Sith Lord. His darkness was lifted… only to be filled with a starker darkness. How do we stop its spread?"
Yoda's eyes closed. "Little hope we have, but cling to it we will."
Obi-wan nervously opened the door the Qui-Gon's room. This was his first visit and he did not know what to expect. He only knew that Qui-Gon had just been removed from the Bacta Tank, which helped mend the burn that Nebulous's lightsaber had left. The healers had told Obi-wan that Qui-Gon would still need several more Bacta treatments. At least, he is not awake for them. He hated them.
The room was darkened. Qui-Gon was still in his healing trance. Obi-wan jumped slightly when he realized that Anakin was also in the room. His head resting near Qui-Gon's right shoulder. He appeared to be asleep, so Obi-wan took a step backwards content to return later. However, when his hand touched the door knob, Anakin stirred. His sleep glazed eyes slowly focused on Obi-wan.
"Obi-wan," he murmured.
Obi-wan's hand dropped from the doorknob to his side, but he remained standing in front of the doorway his back turned toward Anakin.
"You hate me," Anakin stated impassively.
"Why would I hate you, Anakin?" Obi-wan glanced over his shoulder at the pale face of Anakin Skywalker.
"For everything." Anakin smiled mirthlessly. "For Master Qui-Gon putting aside you to train me. Or, perhaps, for allowing this to happen to our master." Anakin whispered, as he gestured toward Qui-Gon motionless body. Tears of anger crawled down Anakin's cheeks. "I blame myself as well! So I can't really blame you. I should have been there!"
By now Obi-wan was facing Anakin, moving nearer to the young Jedi. "I don't hate you, Anakin! It was Qui-Gon's choice to teach you. You are not ready for Nebulous." Anakin mouth opened, but Obi-wan quickly cut him off. "I am not ready for Nebulous either."
Anakin brushed aside his tears, his eyes taking on a steely tone. "Everything is falling apart. Palpatine is dead. Qui-Gon is in a coma. Padmè-."
Obi-wan's eyes focused on Anakin. "What about Padmè?"
"She won't listen to me, as a friend that is. I told her not to take the position of Supreme Chancellor. It is too dangerous!"
"The Republic needs her. The Jedi will keep her safe."
"The Jedi could not protect Chancellor Palpatine!" Anakin quickly shook his head. "I'm sorry, Master Kenobi. I have spoken out of turn."
"We all speak out of turn," Obi-wan replied. "Especially when we are faced with tragedy. Don't worry about Padmè. She knows how to take care of herself."
I know she does, Anakin thought. But what about the twins? Anakin frowned when he thought about his children, who were going to be hidden on Alderaan by Senator Organa and his wife. My family is being split apart.
"Thank-you, Obi-wan," Anakin replied finally.
Obi-wan pulled another chair toward Qui-Gon's bed and sat down across from Anakin. Frustration suddenly filled Obi-wan. Before Utapau, Obi-wan could have easily checked the younger man's emotions. Even without his connection to the Force, he could feel something off in Anakin's reaction.
"There is more then you are telling me. Perhaps, it concerns Chancellor Amidala?"
"We're just friends," Anakin said good-naturedly.
Catching the firm look in Anakin's eyes, Obi-wan decided not to press the matter. Instead, he sank back into his chair, looking intently at Qui-Gon's peaceful face. He knew it would be awhile before Qui-Gon's two former padawans would come to regard each other as friends. Nevertheless, the foundation was laid.
The fountains' cool sprays gently caressed Obi-wan's face. This was his favorite place in the temple. It was where he felt the most peace. His experience today was far different then his normal, due to the fact that the Force was seemed to be coming over a greater distance. He knew it had to do with the distance Ravelin had been putting between them. Nebulous's words had had a perverse affect on her. She often preferred solitariness after the confrontation of the Dark Lord.
Sighing, Obi-wan gave up his mediation, which seemed unable to ease his mind. Qui-Gon was still in his coma. Anakin was still an enigma. His connection to the Force, through Ravelin, seemed even more fragile then it had before. Nothing in this galaxy was for certain, especially with the two Sith Lords now in it.
/A credit for your thoughts./
Obi-wan jerked out of his quiet reflections. To his left now sat an iridescent blue woman imitating his meditation position.
"Am I dreaming?" He asked.
/What would your fellow masters think/ A smile filleder face. /No, you are quite awake. So I would keep my voice down./ She nudged her head over to where a group of younglings sat quietly talking amongst themselves. /No one but you can see me./
Obi-wan stared dumbly at her for a while. "How are you doing this?"
/A far better path to immortality then what the Sith have found. Through the Force, many deeds are possible./ She waved her shimmering hand stopping further questions. Her eyes traveled across her surroundings. /It is been an eternity since I visited the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. I was trained on Dantooine, and as such did not regularly travel to Coruscant./
"The enclave on Dantooine has been in ruins for thousands of years."
The exile nodded her head. /It was first laid to waste by Darth Malak. Master Dorvak began to rebuild it. I was there when the Sith Lord Darth Traya killed the remaining Jedi masters, thus ceasing the rebuilding of the enclave. But enough of ancient history… you are frustrated./
"I am different… I feel alone."
/You walk the Exile's path./ She whispered. /Count yourself lucky that you are not tossed out. The Jedi Masters in my time did not understand what had happened to me. They choose not to try, so instead they sentenced me to exile. I had after all followed Revan to war./ The Exile's eyes closed and her head bowed. /I was a bleeding wound, you are at least contained by one person./
"Ravelin."
/Yes/ the exile murmured. /Where I drained the Force from everyone I came in contact with, especially those I felt a bond with, you draw yours from one individual… making you 'safe'./
"I could draw the Force from others?" Obi-wan's eyes widened. "The consequences are-."
/Monstrous? The death of the Force is possible through you. It is an arduous burden… a burden I once carried. My last master wished me to do just that, but I refused./
"If I were to completely separate myself from the Force, would it eliminate any chance that I would destroy the Force?"
The Exile's eyes opened and she examined him. /Fear? The Jedi teach us that there is no fear. You are needed during this war. Cast aside your want to follow the book and your fear of straying from the straight path of the Jedi. No, I am not asking you to join the Dark Side… far from that. I am asking for you to be unorthodox. It is difficult to stray from the worn path and the consequences are not always better./ Her gaze fell unto the younglings, who were playing peacefully on the lawn. /I strayed from the Jedi when I left for the Mandalorian War. The consequences of following Revan are not clearly bad or good. But whatever side they fall on, I now longer regret them. Those decisions are apart of me. What I want from you is this… when you are forced to choose a path do not regret it once you start down it./
"There is always regret."
/You are filled with regrets, mostly concerning your former Master, Qui-Gon Jinn. Leave the past in the past. Erase your doubts from your mind. You are chosen for this./
"Perhaps, you have me confused with Anakin. He is the Chosen One."
/We are all chosen. Never for the same purpose, but we are all chosen. Anakin's and your destinies are tied together, but they are not the same./
With knowing eyes, Obi-wan murmured. "I am meant for infinite sorrow."
/The future changed on Naboo. Nothing is for certain./
"Sometimes I just know."
"You seek, but do you find?"
Ravelin lifted her bowed head and flipped strands of loose hair from her face. She did not need to turn to know who stood behind her. She could already picture Ciara standing supremely behind her with her red dyed lips pressed in a detached smile. Ciara's hood forever pulled down to cover her eyes, as she had grown beyond the use of them. Ciara was a seer and could see many things that others could only dream of seeing.
"Do we ever find what we seek?"
"If not in this life, then in the next."
"You knew is was Nebulous, who engineered the plague."
"You seek revenge."
"He deserves to die for his crimes!"
"There is only one crime out of the tragedy that you wish to make compensation for. Or perhaps two, though the second is your crime."
Ravelin felt her face redden and her fist clench. She now stood and turned to face Ciara.
"You have always been too rash, Ravelin. That is your failing."
"Yours is that you do not have a heart!" Ravelin shouted. "You watch what happens around you, but yet it has no meaning."
"That is called patience." Ciara turned her back to Ravelin and breathed. "It was not Nebulous that took away you family. It was you, Ravelin. It was your choice to travel to places that should have remained untouched."
The sound of rusted metal grating against itself greeted Nebulous's ears. His apprentice had returned.
"It is time for us to part, my apprentice. But remember, Lord Detritus, who you answer to."
Detritus's clawed metal hand balled into a fist, creating a discordant sound. "Remember, my Lord, that when this galaxy has crumbled that I control the left portion."
"I am a man of my word." Nebulous's eyes briefly shined red. "Go where you will in your section of space. Send word and payment to Korriban, for Korriban will be my haven."
Detritus's hand relaxed. "Until we meet again, my Lord, as for me, I have plans for Eriadu."
"Do as you wish, Lord Detritus." As Detritus began to leave, Nebulous continued. "There is yet one more item. Ravelin has become an increased threat. She must be killed along with the wound."
"What of-."
"Forget the hag! She has yet to break through the Revan Spawns' lines!" Nebulous screamed, his anger causing the Force to swirl around him in red blurs. "He is drawing the Force through her. Kill her and he will be cut off completely."
Detritus smiled beneath his mask. "She will die by my hands… as I have foreseen it."
Author's Note: Yes, I finally decided that Qui-Gon would live. Originally, I had planned that he would die, but as I look far deeper into the story I decided that he would be needed much later on.
Here's hoping 2006 will be a better year. Cheers Everyone!