A/N: Hey guys! Thank you so much for your support and reading! I just wanted to let you guys know, in rereading the chapters, I went back and corrected a few things. Just a few grammatical errors and little things. I uploaded a couple of days early this week but still, my main schedule is uploading every Tuesday or Wednesday. I hope you enjoy the read! Every review is appreciated!
The precession ended with the mournful crowd leaving the funeral chamber. After lingering momentarily, allowing short memories to rewind in his mind, Jinn walked on. Weaving through the small crowd, he had finally caught up with Master Syfo Dyas at the top of the leading stairwell.
Jinn called out his name, inciting him to look behind. Qui-Gon caught a frightened and sorrowful expression before Syfo changed his look. "Ah, Qui-Gon, once again my friend, my deepest condolences…" "Thank you, Syfo. I appreciate you coming." "Of course." Syfo turned to walk down the stairs. "Wait, I was hoping that we could talk for a little while. There are… some questions I would like to ask you. Perhaps your memory serves you better than mine." "Oh… It's… It's not really a good time. Qui-Gon… I really must be going." Syfo said without even turning to face him. "Going? Going where?" Syfo shut his eyes in regret. "A… Mission." "A mission? This late?" Jinn could sense something wasn't right. His fear was radiating too plainly, "Syfo… Is everything alright?" Syfo stood still. Jinn put his hand on his shoulder, "You know you could tell me anything, old friend." "I can't. I…" Though most of the Jedi had left the corridor already, he looked around suspiciously. Syfo let out a shaking sigh and took out a note with a pen. Scribbling quickly, he precariously shoved the note in Jinn's robe pocket, "Meet me there in 3 days, at this time." "Hmm?" "Don't try to contact me until then." Syfo immediately walked down the stairwell, leaving Qui-Gon confused and worried. Jinn unraveled the note, reading 'MEET ME IN COCO TOWN, AT A PLACE CALLED DEX'S DINER THIS TIME IN 3 DAYS.' "Syfo… what mess have you gotten yourself into now?"
Jinn saw master Windu lean against the doorway to the funeral chambers and signal with a sudden head movement to meet inside.
Qui-Gon returned to the chamber where the funeral had taken place. Master Yoda sat with Mace in the stands. "Master Yoda, Windu?" "Daunting, this feeling is. A grave disturbance in the force, I feel." "I can sense it too… something seems dangerously off balance." Windu exclaimed. "Prepared for the worst, we must be. Information for you, we have."
"I was able to squeeze a little bit out of Maul. He won't admit it, but he's terrified. He roared and screamed that we wouldn't be getting any more information out of him. Once I informed him that the security force has begun a case to issue a warrant to return him to the detention center, that soon we'd have no choice but to throw him back there, he loosened up in exchange for us to stall his transfer." "Interesting…" Qui-Gon sat, stroking his chin. "You're thinking what I'm thinking, right?" Windu asked. "Yes… This spy has already noticed his transfer into the temple and is trying to discreetly get him back out into the open again." Yoda gave a reluctant nod. "This could prove to be an advantage for us. The more desperate Maul becomes, the more information he may be willing to divulge to us." "Once the warrants become finalized, we'll have no choice but to let him go. If we do that, then this dark lord will waste no time in assassinating Maul, then we'll have nothing." "Settle this matter quickly, we must." They both nodded in agreement.
"As for the information he provided, he was very adamant that his master wasn't responsible for Damask's disappearance. Also, apparently this Darth Plaguis had extensive dealings with crime lords of the outer rim. The name he gave in particular was Gardulla the hutt." "The hutts?" "Yes, he said that Gardulla would be the best place to start." "I see." "Back to Tatooine, you must go. Outside Mos Espa, her palace lies." "I see… I never thought I would go back there again… Very well, I will depart in the morning."
Yoda gave another hum. "Dangerous, the outer rim is. Aware you are in those parts, welcome not, the Republic and the Jedi are." "It won't be a problem. I survived Tatooine the first time, this time won't be any different." "Still… Assign you a partner for this journey, we will." "The Jedi we have in mind will be perfect for this mission." Mace added. Yoda gave a slight chuckle as he stood and limped with his cane toward the door. "And, which Jedi would that be, master?" "See in the morning, you will. By the spaceport tower, you will meet him." Yoda gave another ominous laugh before leaving the chamber with master Windu. Jinn gave a sigh and made his way out himself. For a moment, he stopped by the door and glanced back toward the panel on the floor where Kenobi had undergone his cremation. Jinn faced down for a moment and left.
Various types and classes of ships rocketed above as Qui-Gon waited for this mysterious partner. He stood with crossed arms and closed eyes. The morning air would have been refreshing had it not been filled with smog and oil. These sights and smells felt like home to Qui-Gon however, he had been born on Coruscant and grew to love them.
Soon enough, a lone man dressed in bounty hunter garb approached Jinn amid the many surrounding ships. "You Qui-Gon Jinn?" the man asked, his hat covering half of his face. Jinn opened his eyes and faced the figure. "Yes, that would be me. And you are?" The man lifted his hat revealing long, brown dreadlocks, light brown eyes, and a yellow tattoo streaming across his face, "Quinlan Vos, at your service… Hey, wait a minute…? Don't I know you from somewhere, old man?" Jinn narrowed his eyes, offended, "Old man?" "Yeah, I do know you! You were on Tatooine last week, weren't you?" Jinn's offended expression turned to shock, "Yes, I was… have we met?" "Not really, I was on Tatooine because of an undercover mission, I saw you walking outside a cantina in Mos Espa. You were with a younger Jedi, a couple of kids, and weird, pink fish looking thing." Suddenly, the memories of Jar Jar Binks returned to him, inciting a headache. He rubbed his face in a groan. "Anyways, where's that kid Jedi? I'm assuming he's your padawan. What? Is going back to Tatooine too scary for the little scamp?" "He was killed a few days ago." Qui-Gon said plainly. The sarcastic, cheery face faded from Vos, "Oh… I'm… so sorry. I had no idea..." "Let's just be on our way." "Hold on, there are a few things we need to discuss before we head out."
"Alright, then speak." "I'm a knight. I was given my knighthood about 5 years ago. I specialize in infiltration and undercover operations. For this mission, as far as you're concerned, I'm a Kiffarian bounty hunter hired by the Jedi. I still have to keep up appearances for my other operations, y'know?" "Understood." "In other words, if we're in a crowd and you get in trouble, don't expect me swooping in, lightsaber in hand, to save you." "Understood." "Good. I was pretty much briefed on the mission specs by master Windu, so you don't have to worry about filling me in. He specified that you're taking point, so I'll follow your lead." Vos wore his hat and walked toward a nearby freighter. "I like you Jinn, just try not to get me killed, okay?" Qui-Gon gave a sour face and followed him into the ship.
The ship left Coruscant's atmosphere while Vos prepped the hyperdrive. "Big game we're going after." "What?" "Gardulla, she'll probably be armed up to her hideous teeth in guards… wait, do hutts even have teeth?" Qui-Gon realized why Yoda was laughing the other night. "My concern is with how we are going to make her talk." "Don't you worry about that. There is a reason Yoda and Windu assigned me to aid in this mission, y'know?" "Oh? Enlighten me." "Well, for one, I specialize in undercover missions, like I already told you. See, you didn't even notice me while I was on Tatooine, I blend in with criminals and bounty hunters like you wouldn't believe!" "Is that really an accomplishment you are proud of?" "And, I have a gift for retrocognition, when I touch objects others have come in contact with, I can perceive some of their memories which comes in real handy for tracking." "That is… actually impressive." "If I do say so myself." Qui-Gon rolled his eyes at Quinlan's proud smirk. "Have you set in the coordinates Vos?" "I just set them in." "Alright, let's make the jump to hyperspace now." "You got it." The ship zoomed into a bright flash, shooting into hyperspace.
They soon exited out of hyperspace just in view of the desert planet. They could see the twin suns in the distance as they drew closer to the dry atmosphere. "Alright, were going to land in Mos Espa. After that, you decide how we should proceed, alright?" Qui-Gon just gave a nod while observing the planet he had traveled to just a little more than a week ago. "Alright, strap in, we'll be breaking through the atmosphere any minute now. I just hope you're ready for what's to come old man."