Star Wars Jedi Apprentice- Prejudice
Chapter 7 - Unknown Logic, Unknown Truth
~There's a secret that Obi and Garen share. Only a select few know of it. However will Qui still accept Obi when he finds out his true origin. Its up to the gang and the council to help Qui get over this prejudice What Happens when the boys are in danger? Can Qui get over his feelings to save them? Pretty well AU. First JA Fan Fic
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Qui-Gon and the others landed the evenlnig before the planned execution. The sun was setting and the sun was a blazing red. Red like blood? or Red like Salvation? He would know in the morning when he finally had the boys in his arms. He hadn't spoken to anyone of the others since he mentioned Kana. Not even to Tahl.
Qui-Gon didn't waste time getting to the prison where he knew the boys would be. Mace Kit, Clee, Tahl and Thomas were hot on his heels. However when they got there it was heavily guarded.
"There's no way they'll let us in." Clee said when she saw the large number of guards on the outside. There was bound o be more on the inside as well.
Qui-Gon was getting more and more frustrated. He would bust in there like a raving mad man, but he knew no one else would join him; except maybe Thomas. Did more know his secret than he thought? Qui-Gon turned and headed for the next best place.: The Sacrificial there he knelt and touched the dirt it was dry and lifeless.
Qui-Gon stared at the ground a moment, thinking. Perhaps there was a logical reason to why they had to make sacrifices to the Lochness. Was it more than a superstition? Was there something behind it? "Thomas." Qui-Gon said it with out turning.
Thomas stepped forward. "Yes?" He was surprised that the other man would even speakto him let alone say his name.
"Why do sacrifices have to be made to the Lochness?" Qui-Gon asked looking past the pires to the cliffs.
"The Lochness provides fertile land and rain to the planet. The Shaman made it so when he cursed us. He created the creature to burden us. Unless two pure souls are sacrificed every year on the same day, the curse will destroy us. But to keep the monster at bay and the curse at a limit we have to sacrifice."
"How does one creature that is stuck in a lake do all that?" Qui-Gon asked.
Thomas sputtered a moment, thought about it, then answered the only way he knew how. " The Shaman made it that way." He didn't know what else to say.
"Has anyone actually seen he Lochness?" Qui-Gon asked.
"Only the Officials do now. The people used to go to the lake and watch as they cast the body into the lake but they stopped going eventually because they couldn't stand watching it."
"Can the officials be trusted?" Mace asked.
Thomas was about to defend them and say they could be trusted, until he remembered his sons and sister. His silence was the answer Qui-Gon needed.
Qui turned to Kit. "Are you up for a swim?"
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The group ended up at the cliffs just above the lake. Qui-Gon and Kit removed their robes and boots and dove in and swam deep into the water. A few fresh skeletons could be found at the base of the cliff, probably from the recent years. Shining a light they swam closer to the center of the lake. There were no skeletons out here the lake bed was fairly clean. A few fish swam past them no bigger than their fore arms. Qui-Gon felt a hand on his arm. He turned and saw Kit looking down. Following his gaze, sure enough there was slight remains of a body. A part of a rib cage to be exact. Pieces were missing and it was half buried by sediment. It looked at though it had been through a very large digestive tract. They were getting close. For another ten to fifteen minutes small fragments of bone and skeleton become more more frequent. Qui-Gon almost gasped when he saw it. There lying at the bottom of the lake as the creature.
Qui-Gon didn't think it was real. He could feel Kit's surprise as well. However the creature was nothing but decomposing and rotting carcass. It was well on the way to being no more. It was slowly disintegrating. The creature HAD existed, but was long since dead. It looked like it dies within the past fifty years. The bones were weak and were almost gone. The skull was the only thing not quite disintegrated. The Bottom jaw was missing beneath some sediment. The creature had been serpent like, with sharp teeth, and arms and claws. A giant snake with arms.
He felt Kit touch his arm indicating they should surface. Once the broke surface, above them was the ship. The others must have gotten bored or lost patience. They were fast in getting there. The ship gave Qui-Gon and idea. Using cables from the ship they hoisted the skull out of the water. Thomas was shocked when he saw it. He seemed almost afraid, especially in the dark of the night. "These people were right that there was a creature, The Lochness, but it dies many many years ago and it never affected their land or well being." Qui-Gon said to the group although it was aimed more at Thomas who was now captivated by the skull.
"My family died for nothing? I'll lose me sons for nothing?" He whispered horrified.
That hit Qui-Gon hard in the chest. The people were ignorant. It wasn't their fault. It was the officials.
"Tomorrow we reveal the truth." Kit said smiling placing a hand on Qui's and Tom's shoulders.