Well here is the official first Chapter enjoy! Constructive criticism and new ideas are welcome! I do realize that I will digress from the Cannon but bear with me after all what's a FanFic without a few tweaks here and there?:)
The Coruscant skies were cluttered with light traffic. Here and their pedestrians were rushing through their daily insignificant lives unawares of the changes that were coming, the looming Darkness that was slowly spreading over it and the Galaxy. An alarm sounded somewhere below the city in a senatorial building. Toxic gas had slowly spread and at first was undetected. Now in full intensity the alarms were ushering in the fire brigades.
Up above in the tower of light the spire of hope that the Jedi temple was the great Jedi council was in session. Adi Gallia entered last, which was foreign to her usual punctuality. The council members save Master Yoda looked up expectantly at her. She took her medium sized seat next to the Korun Master, Master Windu.
"Three senators have been killed in a terrorist attack" she murmured her words leaving her mouth like the rush of a clear spring. "Senator Udin among them."
Yoda hrmghed "Foresee this we did not, know we should have if Naboo Senators in danger would be."
Master Windu frowned briefly "who is to take the place of senator Udin surely after the fifth assassination attempt not many will desire that position?"
"Palpatine previously head of the Naboo's internal affairs has applied for the position." Said Master Gallia.
"May the force be with him and with all of us in these strange times." Master Ki-Amundi said stroking his beardless pink chin, while gazing at the ever clear sky of Coruscant.
"Important politics are," hramghed the Grandmaster of the order, "but take care of our own first we must." "The padawan tournament, yesterday it was. Convince Qui Gon Jinn tried I did, refuse to take another learner he did, shame full it is that a youngling sent away might be for folly of our own."
"Perhaps speak to him you should Master Vindu." Master Even Peal said scrutinizing Master Windu with his remaining good eye giving him the famous look that could kill.
Mater Windu rubbed his scalp absently as he had done when his head had still been unshaven and had sported course unruly black hair, mainly the reason why he had shaven it all off in the first place. "I have tried; he is stubborn like a gundark"
"There is no try, do or do not." Yoda snorted "Try again you will."
"Of course master." Replied Mace hoping Yoda did not sense the tired and ironic undertone in his voice.
Master Windu stalked the halls like a predator seeking prey. Like the Korun Kryte seeking aldfins in a river. Qui-Gon Jinn was not a hard man to find. If he was not on a mission or haunting the archives he was in his room meditating. It had been a while since Qui Gon Jinn had done anything other than that his supposed duty. Ever a maverick of the council he would not hesitate to sidetrack a current mission to help some pathetic life form or other he had picked up. It was as if he was keen on getting the councils attention particularly Master Windu's it seemed and hypocritically enough after his latest misdemeanors committed he would deny acting against the councils wishes and rather acting on the will of the force. As a rule however after Xantos's fall to the dark side Qui Gon ceased to play saback and only on the rarest occasions when goaded by Dooku or Mace himself would he indulge in a sparring session. He seemed so focused on the past strongly attached to his failure. This then was perhaps one of the many faults his friend Qui-Gon possessed. It was a surprise that he had not been asked to leave the order sooner. However most of the council was not keen on dismissing the only surviving padawan Dooku still possessed. Or perhaps it was Yoda who feeling guilty for abandoning Dooku's second padawan decided not to breach such touchy subjects again.
The door force slid open from the inside before Mace had even placed his hand on the handle, built for convenience inside the wall rather than sticking out like door handles once did. Qui Gon was sitting and drinking Tea, green Tea with no sugar. As if in this case he as well was rebelling against Mace who as a rule drank strong black tea with sugar.
"What brings you here my friend?" Asked Qui Gon in a voice a serving droid would use.
Firefeck Qui Gon wasn't going to make anything easy was he? "Look Qui Gon-" Mace said done steeling himself.
"So first name basis?" Qui Gon mused interrupting. "Is it a social visit then? I appreciate you dropping by however I am leaving for Bandomeer effective immediate."
A smile graced Mace's stern features briefly "Are you leaving this instant or are you going to finish your tea first? Tardiness ill makes a Jedi."
Qui Gon sighed audibly "My own words against me," then in an undertone added "why are you really here?"
Mace didn't like frontal assaults but what choice did he have? "Look Qui Gon you can't condemn an initiate to the Agri-corps simply because you are not inclined to take a padawan. Where is your sithspit compassion now?"
"My compassion?" said Qui-Gon finally losing his false submissive tone "You would condemn an initiate to a master who is incapable of teaching? No Master Windu I will not take on another initiate. I have agreed to see the sparring match but we both saw how that ended. Kenobi has no control over his emotions! All the masters saw it!"
"Only you have seen that, it is said that one sees what they wish to see. True he was out of line however he is still young. Better he is trained now then perhaps picked up and trained by your former padawan Xantise."
There was an intake of breath. Mace had entered forbidden grounds but stars end how else was he supposed to breach the subject? It was his last sabak card there was nothing else to play now. And Qui Gon hadn't played in a very long time.
Qui Gon rose and spilled the contents of both his cup and pot into the sink. And then he wordlessly slipped out of the room. In essence throwing all the his card on the table by refusing to play.
"I'm sorry Qui Gon but you can't run forever from this," Mace's deep and apologetic voice resounded in the halls.
Qui Gon needed to do to act his aching limbs seeked action, something anything. The memories of Xantise carefully placed in the back of his mind were resurfacing. Force you would think he was still a youngling, Mace had no right no right at all.
He was stopped by a haughty voice used to voicing subtle derision to the listener. "Master Jinn brooding ill does you."
"Master Dooku," Qui Gon said sounding a tad to submissive to the sentinel's ears.
"I was hoping you would accompany me to the Dojo," he said looking down at Qui Gon with his perfectly chiseled aristocratic nose.
They both walked silently to the lower level Dojo previous Master and student. Qui Gon's previous laps in thoughts calmed somewhat and he immediately took the famous Ataru stance while Dooku to his surprise took the Sho-Chii form the most basic form of Kata.
"Master are you trying out a new Kata?" Qui Gon smirked.
"Come now Qui Gon we both know you are getting too old for Ataru," Drawled the sentinel.
The fight that Qui Gon expected to last a good fifteen minutes ended in thirty two seconds. His downward execution of the famous Ataru slice was broken when Dooku still wielding to Qui Gon's amusement the Sho-Chii form simply moved to one side and executed an alarmingly flawless cut to the wrist that had been coming down at him. At full power that would have completely sliced of Qui Gon's hand yet now only left a scar at the wrist.
Qui Gon bowed wondering at the meaning of this lesson.
"You are rusty my friend," Dooku said a small feral smile appeared not reaching his keen grey eyes. "An apprentice would keep you on your feet; I fear that soon we might have to send you as a substitute to the crèche or perhaps as a dummy to the initiates. Any amateur would have seen your flaw."
The jeer hit its mark. Qui Gon winced. "Is this the lesson I am to take from this?" "I vowed never again to take an apprentice. You would have me break that vow?" He said his voice slowly rising.
The sentinel deactivated his light saber with a flourish. "Don't push me Jinn, you are fortunate you are my only apprentice otherwise I would have moved a vote to send you into early retirement myself, Hermitage would well suit you."
"Then if I am to take an apprentice," Qui Gon said deactivating his light saber "I will do it when I am ready.
Dooku was however already sliding the door of the Dojo behind him, a sharp reminder of his own apprenticeship. Slowly he placed his saber on his belt, and sharply looked up at the balcony above. The initiate above reddened and bowed hastily.
"Initiate Kenobi come here." The initiate to his credit composed himself and hastily bowed.
"What pray tell are you doing here? Have classes finished for the day?" The initiate reddened.
"No master," he stuttered, "I came here to ask you-." Obi-wan broke off.
"What is it young one?" demanded Qui Gon "I am sure that there is nothing more important than your studies."
"That's the thing Master Jinn that I came here to ask you about," He fell to one knee, "Qui-Gon Jinn, I will be thirteen in four weeks. You are my last chance to be a Jedi Knight. Please will you not take me?"
Qui Gon frowned. "No young one I will not"
"Please Master! You are my last hope! How will I walk the Jedi path?"
"The force will determine your path young one not I." Qui Gon Jinn left the stricken and still kneeling initiate and walked with a slow but steady step to the ship that would take him to Bandomeer and another grueling and mundane negotiation.
