Shadows In The Light

by Romania Black

Hey everyone! Hope you like this story...This chapter is told from the point of view of Qui-Gon at age eight; through his eyes.

Thanks everyone! Oh, and I own nothing other than my own made up Star Wars characters! George Lucas owns the rest of em! See ya!

Romania Black

Chapter One: What Is My Name

My name is Qui-Gon Jinn, son of Len-Gon and Yulu-La Jinn of Matoa. I was born as an accident. My Master, Migdon Quailmorth, says otherwise, but I know it is true. My parents never wanted a child so soon, but here I was. I can still see a brief image of their faces, the look of hope in my mother's grey eyes. I look out onto the late afternoon sky, and take a breath. Another day.

"Qui-Gon!" The strong voice of my Master rang through the halls of our small temporary apartment at Coruscant. It's been almost all day since I've seen him. I turn to him, but my dark eyes linger towards the woman standing next to him. She is very pretty, with slightly slanted eyes that are grey, like my mother's, but with shiny copper hair that is pulled into a bun on top of her head. For a second I thought she was my mother, but no, she couldn't be. My mother had brown hair, or so I remember. Her ears are pointy and her nose has a button-like appearance. Master Migdon is of the same race as Master Kit Fisto of the Jedi Council, his greenish-grey tentacle-like apendages wrapped over his broad shoulder. He is smiling at me, his arms folded across his chest in a gesture of peacefullness.

I run to my Master, my feet stumble a little, because the woman next to him is so pretty that I cannot focus. Her face is long and her eyebrows make no delicate arch, but are simply there; with no definate shape. Her lips are thin, but the bottom one sticks out slightly. They're pink, but there is no makeup on her face whatsoever. She seems elegant and powerful, yet simply so. I manage to reach Master Migdon, who's still smiling at me.

"Yes, Master?" I stare to him. He is much taller than I am, but yet he is not as tall as the woman. His eyes stare down upon me, and he smiles again, the wrinkles on his face seem more aparent when he does this. "What did you need?"

"Qui-Gon, this is Master Jinx C'Ton of Tatooine," He motions his left hand to her, and I stare up at her face, which offers a dry smile to me.

"It is nice to meet you, Master Jinx," I say politely, bowing my head quickly.

"As it is to meet you, Young Jinn," She says, as she bows her head slightly, her voice is firm and bold, even as it is only a whisper now. She raises herself back up and turns to Master Migdon. He shifts in his place, and his face slowly forms a frown. He stares back at me. His deep blue eyes show concern, worry. These are not normal traits of my master...what is wrong? I ask, using the Force to guide my question to him, but so the woman does not hear me.

Master Jinx is still staring at my Master, and Migdon's eyes focus in and out at me. Did he get my message? Will he answer? He says nothing.

"Qui-Gon, will you excuse myself and Master Jinx for a moment? We need to be in here to talk a moment." His voice is soft, but urgent.

"But she just got here," I say startled at this. Had we not just met?

"No, Padawan. Please wait outside, this will only take a moment," His voice becomes more urgent, and with more firmness. I merely bow my head in acceptance and move to the door. The woman walks passed me and quickly takes a seat where I had just been. Master Migdon gives me a final glance before following her motion and taking a seat. I frown as I shut the rooml doors which had been open all day. A clanging noise is heard, and I'm out in the hallway alone; nothing but a cool breeze at my neck.

I should go onto the balcony and let them have their privacy, but my heart doesn't want to leave. I lean against the door, and place my ear to the cool metal and try to hear what they are saying. It's fuzzy at first, but grows clearer as I listen harder.

"He's just a boy," I can hear my Master say urgently, a hint of compassion and worry in his voice. "He cannot go running into battle. The very thought is ludicrous," His whisper is on the verge of a yell, but he keeps his voice down. He does not want me to hear this, but I do.

"He is of more respectable age than I recall you telling me." Her voice seems sarcasticly suspicious. My Master does not immediately reply.

"What is it that you were wanting to tell me at the meeting?" I can tell Master Migdon is trying to change the subject.

There are rumors surfacing," The woman pauses, her bold voice breaks, but soon she regains it, lowering her voice dramamtically. "Rumors of a Sith uprising."

I do not know what Sith are, but they do not sound good. I can distictly hear my Master's snort of obvious disbelief. My Master does this sometimes. I almost laugh, but then remember that I'm not supposed to be here; so I remain quiet.

"That is absurd. There is no evidence of the Sith returning, or even being here for that matter," His voice is rising as he says this. "What does Master Yoda think of this theory?" I remember Yoda being the smallest Jedi I'd ever seen, but my Master says he is very powerful with the Force.

The woman does not answer at first. "He completely disagrees with me and says there is no possible way it can be true. But," She pauses again, as my Master lets out a small laugh, "that is not the case here. I have proof that there is one on Naboo right now."

"Naboo?" My Master asks her curiously. I have never heard of Naboo before; obviously, my Master has not either.

"A planet with an immensive trading port. A man named Veruna rules the planet. It is believed one has kept hidden there for sometime." She speaks more boldly now.

"Who believes this?" My Master beckons suspiciously. "Obviously not your former Master!" There is slight sarcasm and disagreement in his voice.

"Yoda does not believe me, but other Jedi have reported Sith-like activity there." She is so calm, but underneath her words are slight fear and worry. I shudder; Jedi are not supposed to have these feelings.

"What other Jedi? Who?" My Master's voice shows impatience.

"I'm afraid they will not be able to speak up for the Council. They're already dead." There is a finality and sudden shiver in her voice. It softens dramamtically at the last line.

I can hear my Master shift in the seat. "Ridiculous. Simply ridiculous." His voice is now soft too.

"Either way, the boy is not safe here." She is now bold-voiced again.

"He will stay with me," Migdon states firmly. "I will not allow him to be taken to some barbaric warrior who will--"

"He will not," She cuts him off, "be taken to any barbarian of the sorts. That is the council's job to decide his new fate. I am merely the messenger of the Council's will." She seems to waver her voice between that of boldness and soft tones.

"I will not send him off to war and destruction." My Master is a firm believer in staying free of war and violence. He says he loves the world too much to see it torn by conflict.

"War is coming, Migdon!" She starts to say loudly. "The boy will be caught up in it and have to defense skills whatsoever! He must be trained!"

"He is being trained!" My Master's voice is loud and firm as I hear the two rise from their seats. "Trained in the ways of the Force!"

"He is defenseless," I hear Master Jinx say sharply. "He needs proper training, from an experienced individual such as one of the council!" She is walking towards the door. I move quickly from it, running past the corner and hiding behind a beverage vender machine. The room doors open loudly. There is a silent shuffle of footsteps. Master Jinx turns to my Master, "It's for the best, Migdon." Silence. Then I hear my Master's voice clearly.

"Qui-Gon," My Master now sounds more feeble, weaker than he did earlier. As I turn the corner and run to him, I see his arms stretched out wide. He embraces me and picks me up into his arms. "May I speak with him?" He turns to Master Jinx. She merely nods her head.

He takes me past the corner and onto a bench that overlooks the entire city of Coruscant. I see the orange clouds dance in the sky as planes shuffle slowly by. I turn to my Master; he gazes at me gently.

"Master Jinx and I have been talking," He states. I have not the heart to tell him I already know. "She says there is a chance that Sith may be starting an uprise." He breathes shallowly.

"What is a Sith, Master?" I ask. His eyes are full of sadness, but there is new feelings behind them. Strong, resentful feelings.

"They are evil Jedi. Foul beings that serve the dark side of the Force. We thought them to be gone almost a thousand years ago, but there are talk of them coming back." He looks at me to see if I understand.

I nod my head, "So are we supposed to go and help the council?"

Master Migdon's face is so weary it hurts me, as his eyes start to turn misty. "No, Padawan. It doesn't."

"Then why are you telling me this?" I already know the answer to the question.

"You are my Padawan, Qui-Gon. It is my duty to teach you in the ways of the Force, but above all to protect you at any cost." He looks back to the entrance of the balcony and back to me. "That is why you must go."

The words hit me harder here than they did eavesdropping a moment before. I feel myself start to choke up, but I try to keep my composure.

"But you took me in! You've protected me all my life!" The words are loud and come out amid my sadness. My Master hugs me tight and says softly in my ear,

"I know, Qui-Gon, but even I cannot protect you from everything." He eases his embrace and I look to him to see tears welling up in his eyes, but he forces them back. I do the same. "War is coming. You and I both know I'm not the warrior the other Jedi are." There is slight resentment in his words.

"But you don't have to fight! The Force will guide us to the better road! That's what you've always said!" I protest, using his teachings to explain why I can't go. Why he can't go.

"And I hope that you keep these thoughts, Qui-Gon," He says, allowing a smile to surface on his face, a single tear running down his green-grey face. "I hope you remain true to yourself and the Force, and it will guide you."

"This is so sudden, Master," I let out, and it was. So much was happening at once, it was almost too much.

"I know it is Padawan, I know it is. I did not expect the meeting with Master C'Ton to go this route. I merely thought that this was just a warning of danger to come, but apparently it has escalated far worse in recent times. You must go with Master C'Ton and she will find you a new master to help you along the way of the Force." He lowers me onto the ground off the bench, his arms still on my shoulders. The sun is setting on Coruscant.

"Why can't I stay with you?"

Master Migdon sighs loudly and looks directly at me. "Because if you remain with me, you will not be ready for an oncoming Sith attack, if there is one."

"But you said they were gone! There's no proof of their existence! What if it's a false alarm, or something?" I struggle from his grip to break free, but he holds me tight. "You can teach me how to be prepared!"

"No, I do not believe in war. Never have. It is a fool's parry. But if there is an attack, I would rather you be ready to fight, and myself helpless, rather than both of us at bay. Do you understand?" He shook me, but I did not look at him; only the ground. He shook me harder. "Do you understand me?"

"Yes," I sigh and look up at him. He embraces me one last time and lets me go. There is a shallowness to his breath again. I feel a tear slide down my cheek and onto the floor.

"I will miss you, my Padawan," Master Migdon smiles as he leads me back to the hallway where Master Jinx is, a hand on my shoulder. "Take all that you have learned with you and apply it to your life, Qui-Gon."

I smile up at him as he lets his arm free of me. "I will, Master Migdon, I will." I don't want to leave him. It's hard to speak.

"Don't worry, Qui-Gon, we will see each other again one day." He smiles as I start to get closer to Master Jinx.

"Promise?" I ask him with awe and sprouting hope, a sudden weight lifting from me, even as I grow farther from him.

"I have forseen it, Padawan," He says smiling, and waves a hand to me. "May the Force be with you."

"May the Force be with you," I repeat as I take Master Jinx's hand. Her touch is warm and soft as she leads me away from Master Migdon. She is saying something, but I do not hear it; my mind is still on my Master's face.

Master Migdon Quailmorth. My master for eight years; ever since I was born he had led me down the path to Jedi knight-hood. Now we turn the corner of the apartment, and like that...he's gone.

A part of me dies then and there it seems, as we head to the shuttle of Master Jinx, which is a fine, silvery vessle, but I have no time to marvel in it's brilliance. I'm still too shocked that he's gone from me. It was so quick, how had it begun? Even I didn't remember. A part of me feels like this has been going along far longer than just today. Yes, I will go with that assumption. It must have. My Master would've fought for me longer if otherwise. Or would he have?

As I thought this over in my head, the shuttle took off into the Coruscant early evening. I raised my Head to the ceiling of the ship, and stared at the lights and switches that consumed it.

Master Jinx laid a hand on my shoulder, and for a second I thought it was Migdon again, but that thought vanished as I saw her face looking at me.

"I'm sorry this happened so soon, young one," She says apologetically. "But it is necessary." I glare quickly back at her. The blow isn't softened by her touch, and I shove her hand from my shoulder. Only my Master could ever do that.

"He was like a father to me," I manage to choke out in a whisper. I can see Master Jinx close her eyes and open them again, slight sadness in them. She turns back to the ship's controls and steers us to the left, her eyes never looking away from the lanes of traffic ahead of us.

"So tell me again, Padawan," She states softly and slowly, "What is your name?"

I turn my head to her, and for the first time it seems all new to me; as if no one has ever asked me the question before.

"My Name is Qui-Gon Jinn, son of Len-Gon and Yulu-La Jinn of Matoa." She nods her head in acceptance and I lean back in my seat, stare out into the starry sky, and take a breath. Another day.