Title: Jedi League 3: There is no death.
By Tally
Rating: T/M
Warning: SLASH.
Category: AR, Drama, Action
Summery: The end to the Jedi League series. The Jedi is dead, Qui-Gon is working for Dooku and Amidala is ready to take the throne from Palpatine.
Disclaimer: Not mine.
Thanks to: Mady.
AN: Hey all. It has been ages since I posted, especially since I finished JL2. I'm sorry for the delay, I've had some real hassel in RL and I've been a little distracted, however I am back to writing again. Here is the re-edit/re-write of the first part of JL3, the next part will follow as soon as I've finished corrections etc... Also for all those wanting to know where the next part of Shadow of the Jedi series is the answer to that is it is coming... soon... I'm writing both these fic at the same time and Shadow 3 is coming along nicely. Each part is much longer that JL though so there will be a bit of a gap inbetween each section. Enjoy both. T.
Prologue - Deceiver
I am dead.
A little melodramatic, perhaps, I will admit, but only to you, dear friends, for I have an image to maintain after all, even in death. I am dead, at least for all intents and purposes; to the world, the Spider, the League and to my dearest Qui-Gon I suffer life no more. Of course I am not literally dead; to you I make my confession: it was all a lie, a masterly one thought up by a hero desperate to protect those who were vulnerable.
Qui-Gon has already told you the story of how we fell in love, the adventure of it, its tragedy and its triumphs, and then he told you the story of our parting, how eloquently he spoke of my betrayal, still grieving, but with a heated anger beneath its surface. And now I shall tell you how it ended. Qui-Gon vowed never to write of us again after the news of my death, and while he may yet change his mind, for the time being it is left to me to tell you of the Jedi's final adventure.
It is odd really, what has happened in the last year and the adoration for the Jedi. Not even in my fantasies and dreams did I expect any of it, despite the masks of arrogance I show to the world, in both my guises. I never intended for the Jedi to be so loved; it was never my intent to be relied upon for the future of a nation; none of it was in my planning. When I began my adventure, years ago now, I did it for the cause, because I believed in Naboo and my heart suffered at her injustice. I admit it was no small part of me that was also glad of the distraction from the boring, stately life I had been born into. The place I found myself in was never meant for me; it was my brother that was to have the honour of attending court, while I would remain as the Lord of Dantooine. It suited us both perfectly. Fate took my family and I became a Lord in place of my brother and father. The Jedi was born for Naboo, but also for the boy whose childhood had not lasted nearly long enough.
Despite my intentions of adventure and escape, the Jedi's legend grew, and with it so did the League. I find it a great irony that I invented the Jedi to escape the pressures of court life, but as him I gathered even more responsibility onto myself; the resistance grew with the Jedi as their icon and hero.
But now I find myself without a cause to fight, no more need for adventure and, to my sorrow, I find that I am as I was before all of it began: I am alone.
Qui-Gon remains in Theed, unforgiving to my lies, and Amidala is on her throne as I had always hoped. Xanatos is away still, attending the ongoing celebrations in Naboo. Even though I know he will return, it will never be enough to replace the closeness Qui-Gon and I once shared. I think it is that which I miss that most, but even now, as I sit here in my misery, recounting to you my deception, I am unrepentant of my lies; the end justified the means. Did they not? That is why Qui-Gon remains in Naboo, that is why he will not forgive me and come home; I refuse to be sorry for my deceit. I am dearly sorry for the hurt I inflicted upon his heart, but I did what I knew had to be done, as I always have. I told him once that our lives are not our own. I think now he understands the harsh truth of what that means.
So then, the final tale of the Jedi and his infamous League, but before I can go forward I must, for a time, go back. Back to where I left you last, standing on a knife edge, hinting at a plan that could have been the death of us, a plan that devastated my love's heart because I did the inconceivable to him; I left him. I had to; he was in danger. I did not trust the Spider to not betray Qui-Gon's name and Amidala was in peril, too.
I told MacLeane of Travin's involvement in the plot and he, in turn, did tell Qui-Gon. All else I kept close to my own heart, especially the identity of the cursed Spider. Why? Why did I not share this valuable knowledge even with those I trusted the most? Because it filled me with fear and it fills me with loathing to admit it. Fear is not an emotion I have much familiarity with. Is it because I am brave or a fool? Who can say? I certainly cannot, though at times it seems like both. Perhaps Qui-Gon could answer that question, for no other man knows me as he does, but he will not answer me that question or any other.
Once I left Qui-Gon, I set myself to the task of destroying the Spider and I knew in my heart that to be successful, the Jedi must die. It grieved me to do it; the Jedi had been a large part of me for so very long and indeed, despite death and an end to his crusade, remains so. Nevertheless, despite my attachment, the Jedi had to be murdered, and with the aid of MacLeane and an unwitting Spider, this was accomplished. No one else. No one else knew, not the League and not Qui-Gon.
Qui-Gon stayed in Theed after my death; with no Jedi, there was no reason for him to return to Coruscant. And he knew with the Jedi's death I was gone also. He sought no excuse to return over the sea to Kenobi Hall, a place which he knew would only echo with the sound of emptiness.
I remained in Naboo for a time after the reports of my murder had reached the right people, but I was not idle. I remained in the lands of my enemy, planning. The Coruscant Court was used to my long absences, a flaky reputation had been of great use to me in the past and I hoped it would help me again. I hoped that before any hasty conclusions could be made about the Jedi's death and my long absence, I would be back among the gaily dressed men and women of the aristocracy of my beloved home, back at my prince's side.
So, where does that leave the story? After the Spider's games and the completion of his web, Travin, though banished from Coruscant, remained in Beli'ay undetected as the Spider's accomplice and, unknown to him and the citizens of the city, another dangerous man lurked their fair streets: Maul was in the capital in search of lost secrets and King Palpatine's dead wife. The Spider himself was still out there in the world and Qui-Gon, Qui-Gon was working under Count Dooku, searching for the Spider with the help of the ever faithful Lieutenant MacLeane. They would fail in their task; I would see to that, as I intended to find him first and teach him that interfering in the Jedi's business is a dangerous occupation, especially in the name of revenge, but more importantly, I intended to teach him that threatening Lord Kenobi's loved one was a deadly matter.
This is what has gone before, accounted to you by my own beloved. The only error in his reports was the account of my death, my murder. What really happed that evening is where this tale really begins, so that is where I shall start. I told a lie to my love and now I tell you the truth. Forgive me all my transgressions and I hope that once you know my reasons you may bring yourself to understand them and embrace me once more, as Qui-Gon will not.