The translucent, white stars suddenly aligned into their prospective placements as the starfighter left hyperspace.
Pressing a series of switches on the dashboard, a hologram appeared before him. "Ah, Qui-Gon, there you are. We've been expecting to hear from you." Master Mundi said. "Thank you for your patience. I have an urgent matter I need to attend to that is unrelated to my investigation. I assume Darth Maul arrived safely in the temple?" "Yes, we currently have him in holding. Master Windu thought it necessary to attempt his own interrogation. Currently, only Master Yoda and I are in the chambers." "Greetings, my old friend." Yoda voiced as the hologram turned to him. Qui-Gon lowered his head in a nod. "Useful information, Maul has given you?" "Yes, Master Yoda. He refused to give me his master's name, however, he did give me the name of his master's predecessor, Hego Damask of Damask Holdings." "Damask? If I'm not mistaken, he's been reported missing for nearly a week now. Could these events be connected somehow?" Yoda stroked his chin while in deep thought. "Disturbing news, this is." "I have no way of confirming this, for now. He seemed to be genuine in giving me this information, though." "It could be a deception." "Of course, until I find proof of this claim, I will proceed with caution." "Report to you, any findings on Damask, we will." Jinn gave slight bow, as much as the confided cockpit allowed him to give, "Thank you, Master."
The ship descended just atop the murky fog wrapped around scruffy treetops. "Find a plot of land that isn't covered in thicket and land Q9." A series of beeps filled the cockpit as the ship banked to the side, slicing through the blinding fog.
The ship slowly halted and hovered over a patch of moss covered bog. The latch pulled open as Jinn leaped out, "Stay with the ship Q9. I should be back soon." An affirmative beep rang as the ship powered off. Qui-Gon closed his eyes, placed his hands in their adjacent sleeves, and breathed the musty follicles in his nostrils. He exhaled and slowly began to pace forward.
Though many did not understand their significance, the crystals that powered a Jedi's lightsaber needed to be compatible with its wielder. Kyber crystals, as they were known, were no ordinary energy crystals. They were naturally infused with energy from the force which amplified their wielder's abilities. None were the same, however. Different kybers responded differently to different Jedi and Obi-Wan's only filled Qui-Gon with pain and weakness. Though his original crystal was lost in Naboo along with his lightsaber, he needed a replacement. Though he had collected his lightsaber's first crystal on the planet Ilum with his master Dooku, he had later found that Dagobah had small, but powerful amounts of kyber crystals in its catacombs.
The force guided him. Dagobah was a near desolate system. Few life forms inhabited the swamps and few flew in the mist but that was about it. As desolate as it was, the force exuded underneath the soil and rock. The light and dark had been present. That is what drew Qui-Gon to the planet originally. The solitude, with only the force to surge through his nerves was the ideal home for his meditation.
Amidst his Meditative walk, he suddenly stopped. An emotion of warmth and cold fear penetrated his mind. His eyes open as he let out a sudden breath. He slowly turned to see a rock formed cave in the middle of a dark green body of water. He lifted his slightly shuddering head to face the dark. He quickly lowered his hand and tightly gripped Obi-Wan's lightsaber, but then stared blankly in thought and loosened his fingers. He took one last deep breath and followed the stone path to the mouth of the damp cave.
He descended for what seemed like hours. Only illuminating plants and vines growing through the cramped ceiling guided him through the tunnel. The deeper he plunged below the more intense his fear grew.
He finally reached a flat surface at end of the decline. The path led to a spacious pitch dark room of rock and gravel. As he walked further, a green glow from a crystal at the end of the tunnel began to shine.
Jinn let out a deep sigh of relief.
He walked toward the kyber crystal. As soon as he came a few meters before the kyber, its light suddenly gave out and a darkness overtook the tunnel.
A gasp left his lips as he stepped back, frightened. "What's wrong?" A distorted voice left the dark. Qui-Gon searched around to see its source, but couldn't see anything. "Who are you!? Reveal yourself!" "Don't tell me you don't recognize…" The dark flashed in a blue hue, brightening the tunnel. "…your own apprentice?" The voice became clear, revealing itself to be Obi-Wan Kenobi. Jinn turned to see his late apprentice extending his lightsaber towards him with an angry glare. "Obi-Wan… It can't be… This can't be real." "How could you say that, master? Was not leaving me to die enough? Now you deny me when I'm right in front of you!?" "No… This cave… It must be causing this hallucination." "Do not ignore me!" Kenobi shot his hand forward ricocheting Qui-Gon off the ground. A painful grunt left him as he looked up in shock. "Did THAT feel like a hallucination, you old fool!?" Obi-Wan revolved the lightsaber into a combat form and rushed forward. "Obi-Wan stop!" Jinn reached down and activated Obi-Wan's lightsaber in a hiss and blocked the strike. "So, now you realize, don't you?" Kenobi muttered through the struggling stalemate, "You will pay for letting me die with your own life!" he forced the lightsaber forward, pushing Jinn back.
They relentlessly exchanged and parried strikes and slashes. The bright, blue flashes of the clashing lightsabers flashed on the tunnel walls like lightning. With a turn and an abrupt horizontal cut, Obi-Wan grazed the cheek of his master. "AGH!" Jinn stumbled back with a hand over the gash. "Stop this Obi-Wan! I didn't mean for you to die… I… I was weak. I'm sorry…" The anger on his face slowly faded into confusion, "You're mistaken, master…" Qui-Gon looked into the eyes of his apprentice. "…I don't want your apology, I want your life!" He lifted up his clenched hand, slightly levitating Qui-Gon off the ground. Jinn's free hand wrapped around his throat as he began to gasp for a breath, "Wait… Obi… Stop…" "You deserve to die for what you did!" Kenobi deactivated the lightsaber, covering himself in darkness as he stepped closer. "You don't deserve to live…" The voice once again began to distort, morphing steadily into a deeper tone, "You must die…" Jinn looked over while trying to clasp onto what little breath that was allowed to him. His eyes widened as the figure now stepped into the blue light of the lightsaber Jinn held, "What…" Qui-Gon now stared into his own eyes glaring back at him. "Our apprentice was killed because you are pathetic and weak! For that you deserve to die!" Terror gripped Jinn's face, but then a strange calm came over him as he slowly began to slide out of consciousness. The other Qui-Gon let out a grunt of frustration, "You just don't get it, do you? When are you going to realize it!?" "I KNOW!" The false Jinn gave him a concerned look and loosened his grip, dropping Qui-Gon to the ground. He violently coughed, trying to catch his breath again.
"Go on..." He said as he crossed his arms. Jinn looked up, still coughing, "I know… but, I can't… If I accept it… then…" "Then what?" "Then… I will have to let him go…" The false Jinn let out a breath of relief, "And why would you have to do that?" "Because… his death was not my fault…" tears welled in his eyes as he turned over with his face in the cold dirt. "I cannot…" A hand extended toward him. He lifted his head to see Obi-Wan reaching for him, "It's about time, master." Once again the figure morphed into Qui-Gon, "You've had enough wounds inflicted on yourself and now it's time to heal. Do you accept this?" Qui-Gon took his hand and stood up on his feet. "Yes… I do now." The figure smiled and nodded, "Then, you have proven yourself worthy of me." The bright green glow once again shined behind Jinn. He turned to see the kyber crystal revealing itself once again. Qui-Gon turned back to thank the figure, but saw that he was alone. He wiped away the tears and walked up to the green crystal and broke it free from the wall that clung to it. Tightly clenching the crystal, he held it to his chest.
Q9 excitedly squealed as Qui-Gon emerged from the mist. He stumbled back into the cockpit and closed the hatch. "Take me to the Jedi temple on Coruscant, please." Qui-Gon said in a breath. The ship hovered over through the thick wall of green and grey and sped off toward the atmosphere. "Wake me up when we arrive."
The ship traversed the dimming colors of the sunset sky and through the traffic of speeders, finally arriving on the steps of the Temple. Qui-Gon hopped off, stretching his limbs in a yawn, "Thank you, Q9. Would you mind returning the ship to the port for me?" The droid responded in an affirmative whistle. "Thank you, my friend." Placing his hand over the pocket that held his new kyber crystal, he walked up the steps.
"Master Qui-Gon Jinn! So good to see you again!" The droid greeted in his shop. The Mark IV Architect droid was created nearly a millennium ago to help the Jedi build their lightsabers. He had even aided Master Yoda in building his lightsaber hundreds of years ago. "Hello, Huyang. It is good to see you too. I need a favor. I lost my lightsaber in Naboo, would you happen to remember the schematics that I had used to build it?" "Of Course, master Jinn! I remember all the lightsabers I've helped the Jedi build. Give me about an hour to rebuild it. I assume you've replaced the crystal?" "Of course. Thank you Huyang." The droid nodded as he returned to cycling through and organizing the different emitters and parts behind him. Jinn turned to see one of the towers of the temple illuminate. He gave a sigh and walked towards the staircase.
The tarp covered body laid on the pyre as the Jedi gathered around in mourning. Soon the room had been filled with master Yoda at the head of the table. "Terrible, the loss of a fellow Jedi is. Even more so, for a padawan. Brave, young Kenobi was. To protect the galaxy, gave his life, he did. Remember him, not as a fallen Jedi, but as an Example, of a true Jedi." Yoda gave a nod as Qui-Gon approached the bier. He unclipped the lightsaber from his belt and placed it above the tarp, over crossed hands. "Goodbye, my dear apprentice…" Qui-Gon bowed his head as he returned to the stand of Jedi. The Bier lowered into the ground and shut as a bright, flaring light shined through. Jinn rose his head to see master Syfo Dyas on the other side of the stand, bowing his head. "Syfo…"