Ch. 26: "Bathing Your Soul in Silver Tears" - Dream Theater, Under a Glass Moon
Qui-Gon sat back down in his favorite overstuffed chair in the common room he shared with Obi-wan, a fresh cup of tea in his hand, hoping he'd done the right thing. He'd had a consultation with Mind Healer Satoru, and they'd come up with a plan to destroy Di'ona's hold on Obi-Wan. Ob-Wan currently meditated, had done so constantly since Theela released him from her care, searching out where Di'ona had left the bombs in his head this time. Today he'd chosen to meditate in his own room, leaving Qui-Gon alone in the common room.
Master Satoru had found a room on the seventh floor, deep in the Temple, and prepared it for when Obi-Wan found what he needed. Qui-Gon would hide behind some dividers set up in the corner, so that Obi-Wan wouldn't know he was there. He would then work through Master Satoru to free Obi-wan.
Qui-Gon didn't know if disarming her bombs would work in the same way it had last time. He didn't know how Di'ona had booby-trapped Obi-Wan's mind, or if she had. He knew so little, and he didn't want to damage Obi-Wan's mind further. On the other hand, he had no idea what mental damage he could do if they didn't try, and he felt this was their best course of action. Master Satoru agreed with him.
Obi-Wan had been adamant in their discussion last night, when they'd returned from his latest session with Master Satoru. "The Jedi can do without me," he'd insisted. "But not without you. If I have to spend my days in the creche as a drooling idiot, at least you can train someone else. If I stay like this, you are as incapacitated as I am, unless you want to repudiate me."
It had taken Obi-Wan a lot to get those words out. He'd tried to hide the fear he felt while saying them. Qui-Gon had picked up on it in spite of the block on the bond between them. "I have no intention of doing that," he'd said, trying to convey the pride he'd felt at Obi-Wan's courage.
Obi-Wan's smile had lit his face for the first time in days, reminding Qui-Gon of how he'd felt when he'd seen Obi-wan smile the first time. "Thank you," Obi-Wan had said.
That meant they all felt the same way, and that made it easier. If it didn't go as well as they hoped, if this damaged Obi-Wan's mind, the Council would step in and nullify their relationship anyway, and they all knew that, too.
It hadn't taken long after that exchange for Qui-Gon to give in. He knew they had no alternative to the potentially risky actions. He'd spoken to Theela and to Master Satoru about what kind of safeguards they'd need, should the worst happen to Obi-wan. They'd made everything as ready as they could. He picked up the data-pad he'd set down and quickly - and thankfully - lost himself in the prophecies of the Chosen One.
"I found it."
Qui-Gon looked up, noting that hours had passed, and eyed Obi-Wan. He looked exhausted, pale and with dark rings around his eyes. But Qui-Gon saw hope in his expression he hadn't seen in a while.
"Where Di'ona placed the bomb?"
"Yes, Master."
Qui-Gon put his data-pad down on the arm of his chair. "I'll comm Master Satoru. You get something to eat." He retired to his own room. He hated keeping information away from Obi-Wan, but with the tests they'd done, his shields reacted to what he knew. Keeping Obi-wan in ignorance would as close to guarantee that this would work as possible.
"I'll comm Healer Ashthoret," Ulani Satoru said once Qui-Gon had explained. "Make sure he gets some food in him, and sleeps well. Send him to me right after early meal."
Qui-Gon signed off. He hoped Sorin and Toman had not told Di'ona of Denk's betrayal the last time she'd done this. If they had, what he planned could be dangerous. He shifted his focus back to the present and took the time to release his anxiety into the Force. Whatever else happened, he'd done his best to prepare, and he'd do his best to adapt to whatever came up. The thought didn't help him feel any better.
He stepped into the common room to find Obi-Wan in the kitchenette, stirring soup in a pan, reading the prophecy Qui-Gon had put down a moment ago. "I know this one," Obi-Wan said, setting the data-pad off to the side, out of reach of the heat. "It always comes up when I search for anything to do with the Force being out of balance."
Qui-Gon paused, trying to remember which prophecy Obi-Wan meant. "I've noticed there seems to be a cross between the two subjects. I've come across maybe three references to the Chosen One that don't mention the Force being out of balance."
"Interesting," Obi-wan said, and turned the cook-top off. "What did Master Satoru have to say?"
"He would like you to eat a good meal tonight, sleep well, and have something for early meal before meeting him in his office. He will take you to what he has prepared from there."
Obi-Wan got a bowl down, then hesitated. "Would you like some?"
Qui-Gon smiled. "Yes, please," he said.
Over late meal, they spoke about the Prophecies they each studied, trading information. Obi-Wan looked better, life in his eyes and his movements when they'd left the bowls in the sink and moved to the couch to continue their conversation. They retired at a natural break, and Qui-Gon could tell how much the evening, spent on something other than his own problems, had helped Obi-Wan relax.
They spoke little at early meal, taking the time to clean up from the night before as well. Tension grew in Obi-Wan as the time neared, and Qui-Gon could think of nothing to help him. Finally, Qui-Gon looked up from the dishes. "It's time to go," he said.
Obi-Wan nodded and stood, setting his bowl in the sink. "I am ready."
Qui-Gon nodded. "I'll clean up."
Obi-Wan hesitated. "You're not coming?"
Qui-Gon heard a soft plaintiveness in Obi-Wan's voice, and Qui-Gon saw in his eyes the lost child he'd found curled around his knee in the corner garden. "If you wish it, I will walk with you to Master Satoru's office," he offered.
Obi-Wan looked relieved. "Please, Master."
Qui-Gon caught himself sending reassurances down the bond that Obi-Wan couldn't feel, and stopped. Instead, he reached out and rested his hand on Obi-Wan's shoulder, then gave his braid a gentle tug. "Are you ready?"
Obi-Wan took a deep breath. "Yes, Master," he said, and the Force around him felt much calmer now.
Qui-Gon took comfort in the walk to Master Satoru's office. He didn't let himself linger on the idea that he might never have Obi-Wan's presence at his shoulder again. He much preferred the thought that they'd have years yet together. At the door to Master Satoru's office, Qui-Gon turned to smile at Obi-Wan. "May the Force be with you."
"And with you, Master," Obi-Wan said, and stepped in.
As soon as the door closed behind Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon made for the lifts that would take him down to the seventh floor of the Temple. He meditated lightly on the trip down, reviewing what he'd done a few hours after he'd chosen Obi-Wan as his Padawan. He would have to be quick.
Once on the seventh floor, he strode through the halls to the room Master Satoru had prepared. It all looked as Satoru had said it would, and Qui-Gon slipped behind the dividers. He sank in a meditative trance to pass time and to mask his Force signature. He came back out of it when he heard Obi-Wan's voice, and Master Satoru answer, even though he didn't know what they spoke about. Then they walked in, and closed the door behind them.
"Sit on the floor, please," an unfamiliar voice said. "I'd rather you didn't fall off the hover bed. I'll monitor you through the Force. We don't expect anything to go wrong, but I'm here in case it does, and I like to minimize possible complications."
"Obi-Wan," Master Satoru said gently, "I want you to relax. I'm going to shield you from outside distraction."
"Yes, Master." Obi-Wan sounded nervous.
Qui-Gon resisted the urge to peek out between the dividers. He didn't want to give his position away, didn't want to give Di'ona a chance to win, even posthumously. After what seemed like a long time, Master Satoru nudged Qui-Gon with the Force to let him know the time had come. Qui-Gon found it easy to fall into rapport with the Mind Healer because Master Satoru had so much experience with that. Qui-Gon watched as Master Satoru launched a mental attack on Obi-Wan's shields. Obi-Wan's Force signature shuddered as his shields failed immediately, leaving his mind open and vulnerable. Qui-Gon mentally slipped in behind Master Satoru, masking his own presence with the Mind Healer's.
"Where is this bomb?" Master Satoru asked out loud. Basically blind behind Satoru's Force presence, Qui-Gon did not see how Obi-Wan told Satoru know where Di'ona had sabotaged his mind. "Now," Master Satoru said softly, and Qui-Gon moved forward, aware that he had little time.
It looked like a droid program, a logical progression of 'if this then that' he found easy to follow. He had to disconnect that foreign piece of programming from where she'd placed it in Obi-Wan's mind. Denk had said he needed to do it quickly, like taking an arm off with a lightsaber. Using that analogy, he formed the Force and struck, swiftly and surgically, and then he and Master Satoru withdrew from the brightness of Obi-Wan's mind.
As soon as they did, Obi-Wan's shields slammed shut again. For a moment, nothing happened, and Qui-Gon closed his eyes to release his worry into the Force. He didn't want to despair quite yet, even though the change had been immediate last time.
"Watch out!" the Healer yelled.
Qui-Gon hadn't moved that fast in a long time, leaping over the dividers to reach him. The healer had caught Obi-Wan as he slumped, and Satoru checked for his pulse. "He's breathing," he said, glancing at Qui-Gon.
"He's in a very deep sleep," the healer offered. "Let's get him up to the Healer's Wing. Master Healer Ashthoret will be able to give you further information."
"Do you think he will lose control of his shields in the corridor?" Satoru asked.
Qui-Gon looked down at the pale face of his Padawan. "I don't think so," he said slowly, "and if he does, I can shield him."
The Healer nodded. "Good. If one of you will take his feet, let's get him on the hover bed."
Qui-Gon helped the healer moved his Padawan, then took a deep breath and fell in behind the Healer, who maneuvered it through the empty halls to the lift. "I commed Theela," Satoru said as he slipped in the closing lift doors. "I don't know if we did any damage, but I don't believe so. From what I could tell, everything went as it should have."
Qui-Gon nodded his thanks, and turned back to Obi-Wan.
They left the lift, the hover bed and Qui-Gon going one way, Master Satoru another. As they turned the corner toward the Healer's Wing, Qui-Gon could see Theela waiting for them. She took change immediately. As soon as they got Obi-Wan on a medical couch, she did a thorough examination, shooting occasional question at Qui-Gon, who stood in a corner out of the way. He answered automatically, and once she had checked out Obi-Wan to her apparent satisfaction, she turned to Qui-Gon. "Are you all right?" she asked.
"Yes," he said, just as automatically as he had answered to her other questions.
"Qui-Gon." She touched his shoulder gently and he tore his gaze away from Obi-Wan to look up at her. "Are you all right?"
"Yes," he answered again, this time less automatically.
"Comm me when he wakes?"
He nodded, and she left the room. Qui-Gon moved one of the chairs closer to the medical couch and sat down in it, suddenly tired. He'd had a long day, and a tiring one. His head drooped after a moment and he dozed, alert to any move his Padawan might make.