Archive: by Master and Apprentice and SW Chicks, all other
please ask
Warnings: Never eat yellow snow
Spoilers: Deviled eggs on a hot day
Summary: Second in the Jedi Code Breakers series. Inspired by
the scene on the Temple balcony when Obi-Wan says two things:
"Don't go against the wishes of the Council, Master, not
again..." and "if you would only follow the Code you would be
ON the Council."
Disclaimers: Oh Mister LUUUUUcas // Please don't sue me // bah
dum bum BUM // I got no money, as you plainly see...
Notes: Mere thanks are insufficient to Fox who gave one of the
best betas possible. Maybe I shouldn't have said that... now
everyone will want to use her and keep her from writing! Oh,
and btw, anybody who thinks I know what I'm talking about in
the conference room scene has got strudel in their noodle. It's
all BS.
DEDICATED TO BUNNY
There is no emotion, there is peace
there is no ignorance, there is knowledge
there is no passion, there is serenity
there is no death, there is the Force
Jedi are the guardians of peace in the galaxy.
Jedi use their powers to defend and protect, never to attack
others.
Jedi respect all life in any form.
Jedi serve others rather than rule over them, for the good of
the galaxy.
Jedi seek to improve themselves through knowledge and training.
It is not talked about, not openly admitted (except perhaps by
a very few), but we Jedi are supposed to be better than anyone
else. We're supposed to be more intelligent, more adaptable,
more of every kind of good attribute there is -- including, of
course, just plain good. And Force knows we're not. We're only
mortal (well, most of us are although I wonder about Master
Yoda), and we're fallible. Oh, yes, quite fallible.
I don't know how many times I've sat to dinner at one of the
Masters' tables and listened to the blow-hards around me,
managing to hold my tongue only with effort. Perhaps if I get
to be 900 years old I can abandon tact and decorum and say what
I mean, but for now I cannot. And it bothers me to hear my
alleged peers espouse their ideas as if they were gospel, as if
there were no chance they could be wrong.
If Jedi are anything, they are perpetual students. We never
stop learning, at least I never do -- and there is always
something new to learn, something new under some sun. I take
such delight in making new discoveries, having pet theories
proven wrong that it rather surprises and dismays me that
another Jedi could feel differently. Perhaps I am not really
fit to be a Jedi...or perhaps the Jedi are not fit to have me.
Ah, but down that prideful path one finds the dark side. And I
am nothing if not a servant of the Light.
I think -- I hope -- I've managed to instill my love of
learning into my apprentice, or perhaps there again I'm being
too prideful, perhaps it was there all along. But I cannot help
but believe that had I not helped him on his present path, his
natural curiosity would not have flourished as well as it has.
I encourage him to challenge me, to truly *think* instead of
simply accepting blindly. And he does, very well -- in fact,
almost too well, and I must admit that this is one of the
reasons why I have come to admire him so highly. That's all it
is, I tell myself over and over again, admiration for the
marvelous, beautiful young man he has become. Admiration.
I am so glad I have the Master I have. Who else in the entire
Jedi Temple would have, could have, encouraged me as much as
he, helped me over the rough spots, inspired me to such
heights? Looking back on our years together, I see where time
and again his subtle machinations have pulled the best out of
me, helped me do what I did not think I could.
The teaching Masters in the Temple are good at pounding facts
and figures into young heads, and they have done well for me
too. Some things just must be memorized, must be made almost a
part of one's DNA before being completely understood. But the
patience, persistence and, yes, love, my Master has given me
over the years has given me that extra boost of self-esteem
that has allowed me to excel.
For example, I've always had a love of things mechanical and
electrical. Shortly after I became his Padawan, my Master came
home unexpectedly from a brief solo mission to find I had taken
apart nearly every single small appliance in our quarters. He
barely said a word, just helped me put them all back together
again and the next day signed me up for theoretical mechanics,
bypassing two prerequisites. The class was harder than any I
had ever taken, but he knew I was ready. And he was right, to
my surprise -- and my teacher's.
He has just always been there, pushing me, supporting me,
goading me to do better, even when I thought I had been doing
my best. Although I don't know if I ever will be able to, I can
only hope to emulate him when I someday take a Padawan. Our
relationship is special and, well, different, not like a lot of
the other Master/Padawan pairings in the Temple. I'm not sure
why this is so, actually. Other Padawans must love their
Masters as much as I love mine. I'm sure of it.
Master Qui-Gon Jinn entered the quarters he shared with his
Padawan just as said Padawan groaned in anguish. Obi-Wan was
sitting at the comm unit, his head cradled in hands that tore
at his hair. Through the link they shared, the Master could
tell that his student was in no real, i.e. physical, distress,
so he kept his voice calm.
"What is it, Obi-Wan?" he asked mildly, coming to stand behind
the younger man.
Obi-Wan turned anguished eyes on his Master. "Master Gib-Walh
has picked me to lead the debate next month! Oh, Master, tell
me the Council gave you an assignment off planet for a nice
long period?" The young man's voice was almost a whine and
Qui-Gon had to work to keep the smile off his face.
"Now, Padawan, is that any way to look on such an honor? I'm
sure Gib-Walh wouldn't have chosen you if he didn't think you
could do it. Why has it gotten you into such a state?" Leaning
down, Qui-Gon looked at the display and read the topic; "The
Role of the Trade Federation in Malastairian Government."
"Looks fairly straightforward to me, Obi-Wan."
Gaping at him, his student said, "But Master! He wants me to
take the anti position! Everybody knows that the Trade
Federation has Malastair in its pocket. How can I debate the
absence of such a thing?" Obi-Wan turned back to the display
and so missed the frown his Master directed at him. "It's just
impossible. Master Gib-Walh hates me."
"Obi-Wan. That is enough. How often have I counseled you on the
dangers of prejudice? And now I hear you espousing it twice in
the same breath. I think this calls for some exercises in
patience and tolerance, as well as a lecture from your Master
on why 'everyone' just might be wrong about Malastair."
Qui-Gon's voice was stern, one eyebrow raised, but he had to
fight back a smile at his student's reaction to his words.
Shock, then dismay followed quickly by resignation and a deep,
heartfelt sigh. Obi-Wan responded, "Yes, Master." Qui-Gon had
to turn around quickly lest his student see the grin that broke
through, and so missed it when Obi-Wan dimpled in his own grin.
"Well, then, unfortunately I also have to tell you that you'll
be doing these exercises on transport, because yes, the Council
is sending us out. Tomorrow."
Qui-Gon moved into the kitchenette as he spoke and began
assembling a small lunch for the two of them. Obi-Wan followed
him, dialing them both fruit juice and putting water on to boil
for tea. "I can't very well lie and say I'm disappointed
Master," he admitted, "but I'm sure in some cosmic retribution
it's someplace awful like Hoth."
Passing his student a large sandwich, Qui-Gon sat at the table
with him, chuckling over his comment. "No. Not Hoth. But not
easy either, Padawan. Do you remember the settlement out on
Ulaan?"
Swallowing a bite of sandwich hastily, Obi-Wan's eyebrows shot
up and he said, "Yes! Moshe and his father! Is that where we're
going?"
Chuckling, Qui-Gon said, "Lev is now the governor of the Ulaan
settlement, and I believe Moshe is working as his aide. Which
might not help us, actually." He paused to take a bite of his
own meal and felt his Padawan's eyes on him questioningly.
"They've been accused of attempted genocide, Obi-Wan."
Some four years before, when Obi-Wan was 16, the pair had been
assigned to shepherd a group of evacuees to their new home. It
was a large group, comprised of about 400,000 people -- most of
whom were in cold-sleep -- in three slow moving ships. It was
the final group of refugees from a planet whose sun had gone
unstable, thereby making their home unlivable. These were the
last, stubborn hold-outs, the ones who had waited to make sure
everyone else was safely away and resettled before leaving
themselves; the reluctant to depart; the scientists studying
the instability; and those with no other family.
For this group, an unsettled planet known as Ulaan had been
chosen by the Senate. A preliminary survey had been done of the
planet, showing it was habitable if unremarkable, and the
Jedi's job was to see to it they were safely landed, avoiding
confrontations with pirates and other exploiters, and to help
them set up and get settled on what was to be their new home.
The Master and apprentice spent almost a year on the lead
vessel and subsequently on the planet, and during that time
Obi-Wan had become fast friends with Lev Moshe, the son of the
executive officer. His father, Lev Andrus, and Qui-Gon had
worked well together once the destination was reached, and
Qui-Gon credited the man for averting many possible disasters.
It did not surprise him that the senior Lev was now the
planetary Governor.
What did surprise him was the accusations of genocide. As the
population emerged from cold-sleep, he had found them to be a
very peaceable, agrarian people, not given to extremes of
passion; and more, the planet had not been inhabited with
higher life forms. It simply did not make sense, either to
Master or to Padawan. The two of them spent the days in transit
carefully going over what little briefing material they had.
It became readily apparent that the settlers had done well for
themselves. Small cities flourished on both continents, as
opposed to just the one originally settled, and in less than
four years they had become virtually self-sufficient, a
remarkable feat. This appeared to be in large part due to
deposits of amatite discovered when the second continent was
settled. And, apparently, therein lay the problem.
The deposits of the relatively rare and quite useful metal lay
under an area that was dominated by an extremely large species
of plant that were known locally as shimmer trees. They were
not, of course, trees; the resemblance was superficial only and
apparently they were not even individual plants as each one
grew from an underground network of roots. Very tall and smooth
boled, their 'leaves' were crystalline in nature which led to
the 'shimmer' of the plant's name. The species was comprised
mainly of silicon, which was logical as amatite was derived
from silicon.
Shimmer trees lay at the heart of the controversy. The settlers
quite naturally had begun wholesale clearing of the plants once
the amatite was found. This caused certain people -- since
determined to be low level Force sensitives -- in the immediate
area to go into a catatonic state. When word of the phenomenon
got out, a commission from the off-planet Sentient Species
League came to investigate and made some startling discoveries,
halting all mining and destruction.
According to the commission's findings -- made without the use
of higher level sensitives -- the plants themselves were
actually more than just alive, they were sentient, and had the
ability to communicate through the Force. Allegedly. Whether
this was true or not was what the Jedi were sent to
investigate.
When last they had seen the capitol city of Primus, it was a
sleepy, half finished town just beginning to grow. Now, it was
a bustling metropolis of over a hundred thousand with a large,
busy spaceport. As it had been a meticulously planned
community, it still managed to retain the clean lines and well
designed buildings of a small town. Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon were
met at their shuttle by a soberly robed young man instantly
recognizable by his shock of orange-red hair and freckles; Lev
Moshe bowed low to the two Jedi.
"Ulaan welcomes the esteemed Jedi to our humble home," he said
precisely, his dancing eyes belying the seriousness of his
words. "On behalf of my father, the Governor, and the
Parliament of Peers, I hope your stay will be happy and your
days content."
Qui-Gon smiled gently. The boy he well remembered from his
previous visit had grown into a young man of remarkable poise,
much like his own Padawan. "Now that that's over, come give me
a hug, Moshe. You've grown, son."
Laughing, the young man did so, then enthusiastically turned to
Obi-Wan, hugging him tightly too. "Little green gods, Obi,
Master Jinn, it's great to see you! Father wanted so much to
meet you but he had an appearance scheduled for the last six
months he couldn't get out of. So I'm to get you settled and
we'll all have dinner together tonight."
Obi-Wan laughed along with his friend, pounding him on the back
while hugging him. "It's great to see you too, Moshe. I can't
believe it's been so long!"
The three friends chatted comfortably as porters saw to their
luggage and loaded it onto a transport. Both Obi-Wan and
Qui-Gon had good things to say about how lovely the city looked
and were properly impressed at Moshe's description of the
achievements of the last four years. By unspoken agreement, no
mention was made of the real reason for the Jedi's visit.
The transport arrived at their destination, a hotel
specifically for visiting dignitaries, and their luggage was
off-loaded. Moshe had already seen to their check-in and had
their rooms ready for them; a small suite with two generously
sized bedrooms sharing a large, modern 'fresher. "A far cry
from the tent you lived in when we first arrived, eh sir?" the
young man asked, laughing.
"Yes, Moshe, and a nice surprise." Sitting down on the small
divan, Qui-Gon removed his boots with a sigh of pleasure. "Why
don't you two go somewhere and talk, spend some time alone
together. When and where is dinner to be Moshe?"
"Two hours, at the mansion..." Moshe started, as Obi-Wan said,
"but Master..."
Chuckling, the older man waved them off. "Go on, Obi-Wan, I'll
unpack for us and sit for a while at ease. You two have an hour
to talk and get reacquainted then pick me up here. All right?"
Grateful for the chance, and mindful that his Master wanted as
much unadulterated information on the situation as possible,
Obi-Wan grinned, sketched a bow to his mentor and left in his
friends wake.
Moshe immediately dragged him outside to a nearby greenspace,
chattering all the while. "Do you remember those plants we put
in while you were here, Obi? You've got to see the park around
them now! I know how you Jedi like gardens..."
Obi-Wan laughed. "You mean they're still there?" he asked,
breathlessly keeping up with his friend as they entered the
public park.
"Oh, yes, and more! Come and see!"
The park was large and rolling, with gravel pathways and
stately trees interspersed over well maintained grass. Near the
center, shaded by flowering trees, was a small area surrounded
by a wrought-iron fence. Inside were low bushes and flowers, a
little oasis of color in the lovely greenness. Obi-Wan smiled,
reading a small plaque commemorating the Jedi and their help in
settling Ulaan.
"This is wonderful, Moshe," he said, sitting on the ground and
pulling his friend down to flop next to him. "I can't believe
it's still here after all this time."
"Oh, yes," his friend answered, reaching out to pluck a flower
from a bush. "This is one of those special places we use to
remember where we came from and how we got here. That's what Da
says, anyways," he finished with a grin to his friend. "I know
how much you love plants and stuff. I've been very careful to
tend this part of the park for years now."
Touched by the sentiment, Obi-Wan smiled at his friend and got
a tug on his braid in answer. "You still wearing this? I
thought you'd be a Knight by now."
"No. Got a few more years for that," Obi-Wan said in answer.
"I'm still making up for all the pranks you and I pulled on
board the ship!"
Eyes wide and caught between laughter and dismay, Moshe said,
"Oh, no! You mean like the time we short-sheeted the purser?"
"And the time we put the hot sauce in the stew..."
"But that was an accident!"
"Tell me another one, Mo'! Do you remember when we took that
shuttle for a joyride?"
"Oh little gods yes! I almost died at the look on your Master's
face! And when he found us with the lightsabers down in the
storage hold..."
"And just whose bright idea was it to put the foamer in the
bathwater?"
"How was I to know it went into the commodes afterwards? Oh, do
you remember that time in the hydroponics bay... when your
Master almost caught us?"
Flushing and laughing, Obi-Wan nodded, plucking his own flower
from one of the nearby bushes. "I, um, I hate to tell you this,
but he *did* catch us...that's why he was so noisy when he came
through the door the second time."
Moshe gaped at him. "The SECOND time? Oh, little green gods,"
and it was the red-head's turn to flush scarlet. It did not
match his hair. "I think I'm glad you didn't tell me until now,
Obi," he groaned, theatrically throwing himself prone on the
grass. "Had I known then..."
"You think it's embarrassing for you? I got a lecture on
passion, serenity and releasing negative emotions into the
force, PLUS he asked me, um, how far we went..." The two
friends burst out laughing suddenly, overcome with hilarity at
their youthful endeavors. "We really had some fun though, didn'
t we?" Obi-Wan asked, grinning down at his friend.
"Yep. I've missed you Obi. You were, I guess, my first real
crush."
"Same here, Mo'," the other boy answered softly. "I'm sorry I
never kept up with the letters.."
"Oh, it's all right," the other young man said, smiling openly.
"I've been busy too. And I never knew where you'd be, just
never on Coruscant."
"It's been wild sometimes, Mo', that's for sure," Obi-Wan
agreed, stretching out to lay by his friend. "My Master and I
have had some very interesting trips. But I kept thinking
someday I'd get back here on a vacation or something, just to
see what I've missed in the last few years."
"And when you finally make it back it's because of this," Moshe
said, his voice taking on a bitter tinge has he flopped over
onto his stomach. Obi-Wan frowned at his friend.
"You don't sound too happy about it," he said slowly. "What's
the matter?"
A sigh and a head shake was his only reply. Hesitantly, Obi-Wan
reached out and gently yanked on an earlobe. "Hey. It's me,
remember? Your first kiss? Talk to me, Mo'. I didn't come all
this way just to be ignored."
The redhead grinned wryly and glanced up at his friend. "Ah,
but who's talking? My buddy Obi or Jedi Padawan Kenobi?"
Somewhat exasperated, Obi-Wan said, "I didn't know there was a
difference! Oh, all right, if you won't talk about it..."
A warm hand on his arm hushed him. "I'm sorry, Obi. This whole
situation has got everybody on edge. Forgive me?"
Smiling gently at his friend, Obi-Wan said, "How could I not?
You're one of my best friends, Lev Moshe. Talk to me?"
Turning back over and sitting up, Moshe stared into the middle
distance as he said, "What's to tell? Da's been accused of
genocide over a bunch of trees."
Obi-Wan frowned. "There's more to it than that, Mo'. And it's
not just your father accused you know."
"Oh, I know," the other answered. "But he's the Governor. He'll
take the ultimate blame. You know his sith-damned sense of
honor." His fingers unconsciously shredded the small flower in
his hand as he continued. "That amatite is the best thing
that's ever happened to us. Because of it, we've been able to
build hospitals and roads and we've built up a surplus for hard
times too. Nobody really agreed with the way it had to be mined
-- I mean, the shimmer trees are lovely and if there was any
other way to do it other than destroying them... but Obi!
They're just trees. Trees aren't sentient. They don't think,
dammit."
Obi-Wan sat up as well, carefully not looking at his friend. He
drew one knee up to his chest and cocked his arm across it,
studying the flower in his hand. When he didn't respond, Moshe
flung the remains of his flower violently away. "Oh go ahead."
"Go ahead what?" Obi-Wan asked gently.
"The lecture. I can hear it already... you know I caught as
many of them from your Master as you did."
Shaking his head, Obi-Wan said, "No lecture, Mo'. We're here to
figure out if these 'trees' are sentient or not. You know we'll
be impartial." Gently, he placed his hand on his friend's
shoulder. "Neither Master Jinn nor I would do anything
deliberately to hurt you or your father. Or your world for that
matter. You settlers have done well here, and I can understand
-- and I think others can too -- why this might be such a
sensitive issue."
"Ulantim." Moshe said suddenly, turning and looking his friend
directly in the eyes.
Confused, Obi-Wan said, "What? What do you mean?"
"We're not settlers any more, Obi. We're Ulantim. This is
home." He took a deep breath and continued, almost sadly, "And
no crazy off-world tree-huggers will take it away from us.
We've already lost one world, Obi. It won't happen again."
It was a subdued duo who picked up Master Jinn at the hotel for
the short walk to the Governor's Mansion. Qui-Gon gave his
apprentice a questioning look but when he got a nearly
imperceptible head-shake in reply, he resolved to ask later,
when they were alone.
Moshe had assured them the dinner was informal, more of a
welcome from old friends than a state dinner, and this proved
to be true. They were met at the door to the Mansion by an
overly officious butler who immediately showed them into a
drawing room adjoining a small dining room. A very tired
looking older man was waiting for them there.
"Governor Lev," Qui-Gon said, both he and Obi-Wan bowing
formally to him, "the Jedi thank you for your hospitality and
on behalf of the Senate, greet you."
Suppressing a smile, the Governor bowed back to the Jedi. "On
behalf of my world, I welcome the Jedi and wish you a pleasant
stay. Please, come in, make yourselves comfortable." The
Governor was a tall, portly human male with a great shock of
snow white hair. His face was smooth except for a network of
laugh lines around his eyes, and his voice was deep and
soothing. Obi-Wan remembered him well, but thought he looked
much older than four years would account for.
As they moved to sit, the self-important, sour looking butler
withdrew and the Governor chuckled in relief. "Now that he's
gone...Qui-Gon my old friend. You are a sight for old eyes. And
can this be little Obi-Wan?"
Grasping the proffered hand firmly, Qui-Gon smiled back at the
Governor. "It's wonderful to see you again, Andrus. Yes, it can
be and is... they don't stay little for long do they?"
Obi-Wan bowed. "Governor Lev," he murmured, smiling and shaking
the older man's hand, then sitting with his Master.
The Governor sighed, beaming at his son. "No, they have a
distressing propensity for growing up, don't they. I trust
Moshe has been taking good care of you?"
"Of course," Qui-Gon smiled, "you can be proud of him, Andrus."
"Oh, I am, I am, especially now that he's stopped putting
foamer in the water supply."
"Da!" Moshe groaned, grinning. His father laughed, but to the
Jedi it sounded forced. A quick glance at his Master confirmed
Obi-Wan's suspicions; all was not well here. A split second
later, a stunning older woman joined them and the tension went
up another notch, even as the men gained their feet again.
"Ah, there you are darling," the Governor said, holding out his
hand to the woman. "Please come in. Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, I have
the pleasure of introducing you to Lev Tighna, my wife. Tighna,
Master Qui-Gon Jinn and his Padawan, Obi-Wan Kenobi."
Moshe, Obi-Wan observed, hung back as introductions were made
towards his stepmother. Qui-Gon bent over the striking blonde's
hand, murmuring, "Charmed, Fra Lev. Andrus, you never gave me a
chance to say congratulations."
As Obi-Wan copied his Master in bending over the lady's hand,
she laughed musically. "Oh, please, Sir Jedi, call me Tighna."
Straightening, Obi-Wan studied her quickly but carefully. She
was a stunning tall, blonde, blue eyed woman. Although she
appeared close to middle age, she had the firm body of a much
younger woman. It was obvious she took great pride in her
appearance; her face was as carefully and artfully made up as
her hair was coifed. Her aura bothered him though; it was
swirling with indeterminate but definitely negative emotions.
"Shall we dine, gentlemen? The table is ready," she was saying,
linking her arm with Qui-Gon's.
Obi-Wan found himself entering the dining area with Moshe,
whose face was carefully schooled into a neutrality that spoke
volumes to his friend. "What's wrong, Mo'?" he asked quietly as
they approached the table.
Moshe just shook his head sharply, but his eyes as they locked
onto Obi-Wan' s were dark.
The Governor and his Lady sat at opposite ends of the small
dining table. The Jedi flanked Fra Lev and Moshe sat at
Obi-Wan's right, next to his father. During the soup and salad
courses, Qui-Gon kept up a light, nonsensical chatter with the
Governor and his Lady, which left Obi-Wan free to listen and
observe the nuances; this had become a common practice between
the Master and Padawan, and was a task that Obi-Wan took very
seriously. Within a short period of time he became convinced of
several things.
First was that Moshe despised his stepmother. He barely looked
at the woman during the meal, and when he had to address her
used the term 'lady Mother' rather than more familiar words,
such as 'Da' for father. It was also quite painfully obvious
that Andrus was aware of the dislike and was unhappy about it.
If Fra Lev knew about it, she didn't let it show -- either
that, or she didn't care. Obi-Wan was beginning to lean towards
the latter.
The second thing he noticed was the nervousness of the
Governor. As soon as his wife entered the room, the volume of
his voice increased slightly, his eyes slid off others
carefully, and there was a fine trembling in his fingers that
someone else might not have perceived. The byplay between
husband and wife was intriguing; she was all cool elegance and
he was much like a small canine begging for favors at the altar
of her beauty. This was NOT the Lev Andrus Obi-Wan well
remembered from his extended visit before.
Thirdly, the Padawan noticed Fra Lev herself. She barely
noticed *him* -- all her attention was focused on his Master,
even at the cost of her own husband and step-son. Her
personality was slightly overwhelming, and only Obi-Wan could
see how much it amused and bored his Master. After he felt he
had wrung every drop of emotion and nuance out of the interplay
at the table, he just sat back and enjoyed watching his Master
turn on his not-inconsiderable charm.
Not for nothing was Qui-Gon Jinn a Master. He flattered, he
wheedled, he smiled ingratiatingly at Fra Lev and
sympathetically at the Governor and his son. He listened with
seeming attentiveness and intensity and when he had to speak,
agreed with everything that was said before. Obi-Wan hid behind
his careful mask of serenity and neutrality and just admired
his Master, the perfect Jedi.
The perfect man. Since their recent trip to Es'peir, Obi-Wan
had become somewhat obsessed with his Master as a man... for it
was only recently that he had come to think of Qui-Gon as other
than just 'Master.' An he was coming to realize how dear the
man behind the Master was to him. In fact, it was becoming a
bit of a bother, since he knew he was looked on as his Master's
apprentice and couldn't hope for more. And if he were
completely honest with himself, he wasn't sure what, if
anything, he wanted *as* more.
Abruptly, Obi-Wan came back to himself as his subconscious
noted a distinct shift in the conversation and a heightening of
tension at the table. He quickly rewound the conversation in
his brain and realized the break had come with the words,
'obscene mining endeavors'. The phrase had been uttered by Fra
Lev.
"Really, darling," the Governor was saying softly, "I hardly
think obscene is the proper word to use here."
His wife's voice was light but her eyes glittered with malice.
"I happen to think it is, my dear, and you are well aware of
how I feel about this whole affair. Master Jinn, I'm sure, will
agree with me as well as the Commission."
Qui-Gon blinked slowly as he processed the suddenly tense
dialog at the table. "Perhaps this is the time to discuss the
situation in more depth. Although," he continued serenely, "you
must realize we will make no judgments until the entire
situation is thoroughly investigated."
Governor Lev shot his old friend a look that was at once
gratified and panicked. His wife ignored both her husband and
the Jedi, and merely said, "Of course, of course. Why don't we
take our caff to the sitting room where we can more easily
discuss this. Perhaps Moshe would like to take Obi-Wan
somewhere where they don't have to listen to such boring talk."
It was a dismissal, and a rude one at that, and Obi-Wan felt
Moshe tense beside him.
Catching his Padawan's eye, Qui-Gon sent a wave of reassurance
across the training bond. Obi-Wan's lips twitched into a slight
smile and he ducked his head, taking Moshe's hand tightly in
his own under the table. "If my Master wishes, I would be
pleased to be excused," he murmured, allowing a touch of his
own dismissal of Fra Lev's words color his acceptance. His
Master's eyes commiserated with him, but his face remained
composed.
"Of a certain, Padawan. Stay nearby, please. We will be making
it an early night."
The door to the drawing room closed behind them and Moshe
immediately began stalking off. Obi-Wan stretched to catch up
with him, grabbing hold of his friend's arm as they approached
a grand staircase. "Moshe. Wait. It's all right."
"NO, it's NOT," the other young man growled, whirling on his
friend. "Did you hear her? That bitch, that, that..."
Squeezing the arm he held reassuringly, Obi-Wan interrupted,
"Let's go somewhere where we can talk. Someplace quiet. You can
tell me all about it. All right?"
Seeming to deflate at his friend's words, Moshe scrubbed his
face with one hand. "Oh, all right. Come on upstairs to my
room. We can talk there."
Moshe's room was large and well appointed, with a well used,
state-of-the-art dataset and a working fireplace. The redhead
threw himself down on the wide bed while Obi-Wan more
decorously took one of the chairs near the computer, composing
himself to listen. "How long has she been married to your
father, Mo'?" he asked.
"A little over a year now. Since he became Governor. She's like
a leech, Obi, she latched herself to him and he just can't see
what a horrible Sith-spawn she is."
Shaking his head over his friend's words, Obi-Wan grimaced in
sympathy. "Is it as bad as all that? Doesn't he love her... she
love him?"
A bitter laugh. "I don't think she knows what love is. She
wants power, and Da was the best way she could get it. I think
he loved her at first, but now... who knows. She's behind all
this you know," he said, suddenly sitting up and looking full
at Obi-Wan, who frowned in confusion. "She was the one that
called the League and got the Commission out here. She was the
one that stopped the mining of atamite. She's just convinced
she's so powerful...thinks she's as good as a Jedi and has all
these stupid mind abilities...When I heard you were coming, I
was glad, Obi-Wan, and not just because you're my friend.
Someone needs to take that woman down and the Jedi are perfect
to do it."
Obi-Wan blinked slowly, digesting this new information. "Well,
I'll mention it to my Master, certainly, but Mo'..."
"I know, I know," the other man said, holding up a hand and
sighing. "You' re Jedi. You'll do the right thing and only the
right thing. Just promise me something?"
"What, Moshe?" Obi-Wan asked gently, reacting to his friend's
obvious distress by rising to sit next to him on the bed.
"Help Da." Moshe shook his head sharply in distress. "He just
can't see what a snake he's let into his heart... and I'm so
worried about him..."
Draping one arm soothingly around his friend's shoulders,
Obi-Wan hugged him tightly. "Don't worry. My Master will take
care of everything. He always did in the past, remember?'
A snort came from somewhere around Obi-Wan's chest as Moshe
buried his face into his friend's tunics. "Oh, I remember. I
just hope he can this time."
The two young men sat together for a moment, Obi-Wan soothingly
patting his friend's back. Finally Moshe looked up, unshed
tears making his eyes bright. "Thanks, Obi."
"It's all right," Obi-Wan murmured. "What are friends for?"
Tentatively, he leaned down and brushed his lips against
Moshe's, a delicate kiss that his friend seemed to want and
need. Moshe smiled and pressed his own lips more firmly to
Obi-Wan's, but it was still a chaste kiss that promised nothing
more than friendship. Then he smiled wryly, and Obi-Wan was
relieved to see it, a return to a semblance of normalcy.
"If you two hang around long enough, there's someone I'd like
you to meet," he said quietly. "She's become kind of special to
me."
Obi-Wan smiled at his friend in real happiness. "Sounds good,
Mo', I'd love to meet her."
True to the words he had given his Padawan, Qui-Gon made it an
early night. Actually, he found himself unable to stay more
than an hour in the drawing room with the man his friend had
become and Fra Lev. She did most of the talking, dwelling on
the 'tragedy' on the other continent and remarking how much she
wished her parents had let her train at the Temple on
Courscant. Inwardly amused at this conceit, Qui-Gon just smiled
and inclined his head; it was obvious to him that the woman was
only marginally talented and her ego had cut her off from any
contact with the living Force years before.
Finally, he sent a gentle summons along the training bond he
shared with his Padawan, then stood and made his excuses. Fra
Lev was flustered; she had of a certainty expected more time
with the Jedi, and made her interest in him quite plain, to
Qui-Gon's disgust. He politely ignored it though, and instead
embraced his friend the Governor warmly, to his wife's
ill-concealed annoyance. By then, Obi-Wan and Moshe had turned
up, both smiling and looking a bit disheveled, which bothered
the Master on a level he was unprepared to accept at the
moment.
// They are old friends, almost lovers, // he thought to
himself sternly, // and both are now adults. If they wish to
resume where they left off, it's none of your business, old
man. // But it disturbed him, and the mere fact that it did
made the disturbance all the greater.
"You will have a transport ready for you whenever you are
tomorrow," the Governor was saying, "and Moshe has been
instructed to accompany you. Anything you need at all just have
him relay it to me and it will be done."
"Thank you Andrus, we'd like to get an early start tomorrow.
Moshe, does that suit you?" Qui-Gon asked.
Before the young man could answer, his stepmother interjected.
"Andy, dear, are you quite sure this is the best course of
action? I mean, Moshe is just so young for this..."
Instantly Moshe bristled; the Governor turned pleading eyes on
him and Obi-Wan placed his hand on his arm. Qui-Gon neatly
defused the situation by bowing to Fra Lev. "Moshe and Obi-Wan
are old friends, Fra Lev, and I have the utmost faith in him.
I'm sure he will do fine, but I thank you for your concern."
The lady subsided, clearly not happy but unwilling to force the
issue. The Jedi took their leave and made their way back
through the darkness to their hotel, walking briskly in the
cool evening air, neither talking, both thinking.
When they entered their rooms, Obi-Wan took his Master's cloak
and hung it up carefully with his own, then pulled out their
meditation mats. Qui-Gon smiled at his Padawan and said, "you
anticipate me, Obi-Wan. This evening has been fraught with
tension, and I agree we need to meditate to clear our heads."
"Yes, Master," Obi-Wan said quietly, coming to kneel on his mat
facing his Master, who also knelt.
"Did you come to any conclusions during dinner, Obi-Wan?"
"Oh, yes, Master, the tension and hostility at the table were
quite painfully apparent." Obi-Wan composed his mind and body,
then looked at his Master seriously. "And Moshe was very upset
at the way Fra Lev treated him after we ate. I can't say as I
blame him either."
"What happened between the two of you before dinner? You were
very subdued when you came to retrieve me."
Obi-Wan frowned slightly and shook his head. "Moshe does not
believe that these 'trees' could be sentient," he said. "And
according to him, the amatite has been a tremendous boon to
this world. The people here now think of themselves as Ulantim,
and if Moshe is any indication, will not give over easily."
"Do you think they will resort to violence in any way?"
Thinking over the question carefully, Obi-Wan finally said, "I
do not know, my Master. There is not enough data -- yet. I
should hope not."
"I should hope not either, Padawan," Qui-Gon answered with a
sigh. "I am very proud of you; your conduct tonight was
exceptional in the face of some volatile emotions. What is your
overall impression of Moshe so far?"
"He is frightened, Master," was the soft reply. "He asked me
tonight when we were talking in his bedroom to help his father.
I think he believes there is danger here for the Governor."
Qui-Gon looked sharply at his Padawan at the mention of the
word 'bedroom', but he did not speak until Obi-Wan was
finished. "And what is your impression of the Governor,
Padawan?"
"He is not the man I remember, Master." Obi-Wan pursed his lips
for a moment, then, when his Master didn't speak, continued. "I
have a feeling that his change may be due to his wife."
Sighing, Qui-Gon reluctantly agreed with his student. "Let us
meditate on that; clear our heads and then go to our rest.
Tomorrow will be a busy day. I want you to pay especially close
attention to Moshe and the way he interacts with others
tomorrow. I foresee he may well be the key here."
It took both the Jedi some time to quiet their minds, but when
they did, deep meditation gave them the peaceful sleep that
otherwise might have eluded them.
A rather subdued Lev Moshe arrived as their breakfast did in
the morning, just as the two Jedi were cooling down from
morning katas. He joined them at their meal after Obi-Wan
insisted, but did not eat much. His eyes were sunken and ringed
with dark bruises, he clearly had not slept much the night
before.
The trip to the other continent took two hours, and Moshe was
silent for much of it, to Obi-Wan's distress. When he was
quietly asked for advice on how to break through Moshe's
depression, Qui-Gon counseled Obi-Wan to be patient. "I think
the farther he removes himself from the poisonous atmosphere at
his home, the more open he will become," Qui-Gon opined.
So both Jedi spent the time in light meditation, preparing
themselves for whatever was to come on landing. After silence
for several hours, Moshe finally roused himself from
introspection to point out they were crossing fields of shimmer
trees.
The area on which the plants grew was a vast, broad, alluvial
plain. From the air, the groves resembled nothing so much as
piles of broken glass glistening in the sun, so closely were
they grouped. Qui-Gon closed his eyes and gently extended his
awareness in a preliminary probe, but he felt nothing of any
significance, just a slight pulsing.
The transport landed just outside the shut-down mining
facility. They were expected; a small group awaited them as the
ramp descended. Actually, it was two small groups with a
definite space between them, and from the currents in the Force
both Jedi quickly ascertained that one group was from the
mining consortium and the other was from the Senate Commission.
Obi-Wan traded a look and a smile with his Master, so apparent
it was that neither side wanted to give the other any
advantage. Long accustomed to such nonsense, Qui-Gon (with
Obi-Wan one step behind his right shoulder) carefully bowed in
greeting to the blank space between the two groups.
"I bring greetings from the Senate," Qui-Gon said formally. "I
am Master Jinn; this is my apprentice, Padawan Kenobi. I
believe you know Lev Moshe, who is here representing his father
the Governor."
From the group on the left emerged a stout, florid man in
coveralls, obviously from the mining company. He jerked his
head in recognition and said, "I'm Shalm Orris, from Mines.
We've been expecting you. I suppose you want to go right out to
the site?" Shalm was balding, red faced and squinty eyed, and
had a perpetually sour expression on his face.
A short, dark-haired, well-dressed man from the group on the
right said, "of course they do, Shalm. I'm Commissioner Forth,
representing the Sentient Species League." He held out his hand
and Qui-Gon briefly touched palms with him. "We've arranged for
transport, if you'd care to come with me..."
"Oh, you'd like that wouldn't you, Forth?" the other man
growled, bristling.
"There's room enough for you too, Shalm," Forth snapped in
reply.
Qui-Gon held up his hands. "Fre Shalm, Commissioner Forth,
please. We should all go together to the site. There is much to
do here, and I do not want to keep either of you in limbo
longer than necessary."
Mollified, but obviously looking for any excuse to have at each
other again, the two parties led the way to the groundcar.
Obi-Wan and Moshe brought up the rear, and Obi-Wan touched his
friend's arm to get his attention.
"Have they been like this all along?" he asked, indicating the
two parties ahead of them.
Moshe smiled grimly. "Oh, this is a cease fire. You should have
seen it at the beginning. Fre Shalm is not exactly known for
his tact and Forth was -- is -- just SO condescending... looked
like a world war there for a while."
"Is Shalm an appointment or was he elected into the position?"
Obi-Wan asked quietly.
"Appointed," Moshe answered even more quietly. "He knows his
stuff, but his personality leaves much to be desired. The man
can give a gundark a headache."
By then they were at the car and couldn't talk privately. The
vehicle was large enough for the entire party, somewhat to
Shalm's disgruntlement -- it was apparent he was looking for
something else to blame on the Commissioner -- and it was a
short drive to the mining site. Along the way, Forth pointed
out several areas that had already been strip mined, flanked by
mounds of dead shimmer trees. Each time he did so, Shalm's jaw
tightened.
The shimmer trees were indeed beautiful. Their transport pulled
to a stop near a smallish grove and everyone spilled out,
Obi-Wan and Moshe last. One thing that hadn't been mentioned in
the briefing material was the lovely music the plants produced
as wind moved between the leaves. It was much like gentle
windchime tones.
Mining equipment and a portable shelter stood to one side of
the grove. It was obvious that the grove before them had been
next on the schedule to be demolished, and now, seeing the
beauty of the plants, Obi-Wan felt a profound sadness. His
Master's hand on his shoulder brought him out of his reverie
and he turned to look into sad blue eyes, and he new Qui-Gon
also felt the loss of the lovely plants.
"I'd like you to go into the shelter and get some background on
the ore, Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon said quietly. "Our briefing material
was only sketchy, and I feel we'll need more information on
just why the amatite is here."
"Yes, Master. Will you stay here with the officials?"
"I'm going to go into the grove and attempt to meditate. I
sense no sentience here per se, do you?"
Frowning, Obi-Wan shook his head in the negative. "No, I don't
either. But there is a presence, a very strange feeling
tickling the back of my head..."
"Yes, that is all I feel also. Perhaps if I meditate, the Force
will make things clearer to me."
The hand on Obi-Wan's shoulder squeezed once, then Qui-Gon
turned back to the group. "I have instructed my Padawan to
obtain more information on the nature of the amatite and the
physical characteristics of these plants. I would like to be
left alone for a short time while I do some mental
investigations. If you would excuse me?"
Not waiting for an answer, Qui-Gon strode into the grove.
Obi-Wan turned to the miner and motioned towards the shelter.
"Fre Shalm? If you would be so kind?"
Commissioner Forth accompanied them to the small hut. "I have
brought the preliminary data from our own investigation, if you
would care to see them," he said to Obi-Wan, who inclined his
head in affirmative.
Shalm snorted in derision. "A bunch of hooey. Trees don't
talk."
"These aren't trees!" Forth exclaimed testily. "How many times
do I have to tell you..."
"Gentlemen, please," Moshe interjected quickly. "Shall we put
aside our differences and go inside?"
Obi-Wan smiled at Moshe's diplomacy and followed him and the
other two men into the shelter. The small one room shed was
filled with drafting tables, charts and small equipment. Shalm
immediately went to one large desk and spread some large
plasheet forms out, grunting an apology.
"Don't got this place wired for the 'net," he said, "else
this'd all be on the dataset. But you can see what you need.
What else do you want?"
The charts held information on the location of the amatite, as
well as location of all the shimmer trees. They were all color
coded and Obi-Wan examined them closely for a few moments, then
requested some other information.
He had Moshe get involved in his search as well, having him
hunt for bits of information. "What are we looking for?" Moshe
whispered at one point, casting a surreptitious glance over his
shoulder at the glowering older men.
"Not sure," Obi-Wan murmured back. "The Force will guide me.
Can you see if there's an analysis of..." and they were off
again.
After a good hour and many, many notes made on his datapad,
Obi-Wan straightened and rubbed his eyes. "Fre Shalm," he said
quietly, "do you have a sample of one of the shimmer trees you
dozed down?"
Ignoring the thunderous expression on the Commissioner's face,
Shalm answered, "Sure. You can take as much as you want."
"A small sample, or maybe three or four small samples, would be
enough. I' ll also need a small sample of the amatite ore, if
that's possible."
Shalm grunted his acknowledgment and used his commlink to call
a subordinate with Obi-Wan's request.
"I think I'm done here, and I'd like to check up on Master
Jinn," Obi-Wan then said, leaving the shed as the samples were
delivered to him. He passed them on to Moshe. "Keep these for
me, would you?" he asked quietly, then set off after his
Master's aura.
He found Qui-Gon on his knees, meditating, near the center of
the grove. His face was peaceful and serene, but his mind was
obviously miles away. Taking a position directly in front of
his Master, Obi-Wan also kneeled and quieted his mind in order
to join his Master in meditation.
Slowly the real world faded around him and he descended into
the Moment, sensing the Force flowing strongly all around him.
He 'looked' beneath himself to see a glistening latticework of
Force lines, winding around and through the base of the shimmer
trees. Once again the feeling of a presence was strong, but it
was nothing he could put his finger on.
Looking up from the design beneath him, he found his Master's
shining Force presence, and was drawn to it like a moth to a
flame. As he would physically, Qui-Gon welcomed his Padawan,
gently drawing the younger man into his mental embrace. Though
no words were spoken, each could feel the thoughts of the
other. Qui-Gon had a definite aura of slight disappointment
that his meditation had not brought any answers to him. The
quicksilver and bright mind of his student also displayed
puzzlement, quickly traversing the same paths his Master had in
the quest for information.
Just as Qui-Gon was going to withdraw from meditation, there
was a bright flare in the latticework beneath the two Jedi.
Both of them turned and scanned the area, following a Force
signature along the intricate weavings of what were obviously
the 'roots' of the shimmer trees. Obi-Wan was physically closer
to the area where the flare was, and so realized just
nanoseconds before his Master what was happening, and took the
brunt of the psychic assault as the shimmer trees screamed.
Qui-Gon fairly leapt out of meditation to see his apprentice
pass out before him.
Moshe's face blanched at the sight before him, Qui-Gon
staggering out of the grove, an unconscious Obi-Wan in his
arms. Both groups fairly fell over themselves to make the Jedi
comfortable; it was obvious that the Master also was in pretty
bad shape, and he sagged to the ground next to where his
Padawan was laid down.
"Master Jinn!" Moshe exclaimed, helping the older man to a
sitting position.
Qui-Gon held up his hand. "Softly Moshe," he whispered
painfully. "Something happened, the shimmer trees..."
Everyone seemed to try to speak at once, and at Qui-Gon's
pained wince, Moshe held up his hands. "Sirs, please! I'll
explain what happened to Master Jinn, Fre Shalm would you
please send for your on-site medic?" With that, Moshe shooed
them all off and turned his attention back to his friends.
Qui-Gon was slumped over where he sat, one hand holding his
head the other reaching for his Padawan. Quickly, Moshe removed
his jacket and folded it under Obi-Wan's head, then turned back
to the Master.
"The medic should be here soon, sir," he said quietly, "it will
be all right."
Obviously still in some pain, Qui-Gon grimaced at the young
man. "What happened, Moshe? There was a psychic backlash,
Obi-Wan took the brunt of it..."
Moshe flushed. "Fre Shalm and Commissioner Forth got into an
argument. I kept trying to intervene but... Shalm kicked a
sapling shimmer tree. That one." and the young man pointed to a
flattened sapling at the verge of the grove. "I think he was
aiming the kick at Forth. I'm not so sure I'm glad he missed."
Still wincing at the pain in his head, Qui-Gon chuckled
painfully. "All that for a sapling," he muttered.
The medic arrived at that point, an older woman with a large
shoulder pack. It didn't take her long to determine who her
patients were. "I don't have a large kit," she started,
checking Qui-Gon's eyes and feeling for Obi-Wan's pulse.
"An analgesic," Qui-Gon murmured, "I don't think you have
anything else that would help."
"I have treptinol..." the woman said hesitantly. "You're Jedi?
This must be psychic backlash again."
"Treptinol is fine," Qui-Gon said. She peeled the backing from
the drug patch and applied it to his neck, then did the same
with Obi-Wan. The Master hung his head between his knees and
sighed as the drug took effect. After a few moments he looked
up at the medic. "Thank you. You wouldn't have any besadine
or..."
She interrupted him. "No, no, I have nothing on me for shock.
Can we get the two of you back to the hospital? There are
healers there much better equipped. I'm just an on-site. We can
go in my speeder," she added, glowering over her shoulder at
the knot of officials still hovering.
"That would be a blessing," Qui-Gon agreed, and made to stand.
The medic and Moshe helped him rise and braced him as he
wobbled. Moshe intercepted his intent towards the still prone
Obi-Wan.
"I'll get Obi," he said firmly, gently pushing the older man
towards the speeder. "And I'll take care of those idiots over
there too. You just get to the hospital with Obi-Wan and don't
worry about the rest."
As gently as he was able, Moshe lifted Obi-Wan and, with the
help of a completely subdued and repentant Shalm, got him into
a fireman's carry and to the speeder. Depositing his burden
gently on Qui-Gon's lap, he said somewhat breathlessly, "I'll
meet you at the hospital. Tell Obi he's going to have to go on
a diet."
Qui-Gon smiled in thanks at the young man, then wrapped his
long arms possessively around the unconscious man in his lap as
the speeder accelerated.
Obi-Wan slowly blinked open his eyes to find himself back in a
sick room. It could be nothing else, he reflected, for galaxy
wide they were all the same -- felt the same, smelled the same,
probably even had the same food. He turned his head slightly to
see what he knew he would; his Master in a chair next to his
bed.
"This is becoming a habit, isn't it?" he asked quietly,
grinning.
"I am becoming a bit weary of it, yes," his Master replied,
somewhat wryly. "How do you feel?"
After a pause to take assessment, he replied, "a slight
headache, but nothing major. What happened?" he asked,
carefully pushing himself to a sitting position. Qui-Gon
reached over to help him get settled against some pillows.
"Psychic backlash. Seems Fre Shalm got a little peeved at
something the Commissioner said and flattened a sapling." He
smiled as he watched his Padawan roll his eyes in amused
disgust. "You were physically closer to the nexus, so you
caught the brunt of it."
"How long have I been out?"
"Just a little while, less than an hour. I expect Moshe will be
here any moment to check up on you. He was quite worried."
Obi-Wan smiled warmly at the other young man's name, something
that caused his Master some obscure pain. "He's a good man,
isn't he?" he said, still smiling.
"Yes," Qui-Gon agreed heavily, "he is. He's turned out well. Do
you think you could get up?" he asked, quickly changing the
subject.
"Nothing to do but try," Obi-Wan said gamely, swinging his legs
over the side of the cot he lay on. Now that he looked around,
he realized that he was in some kind of holding ward, for they
were just in a small curtained off space and he could hear the
murmur of many voices beyond the drapery.
One section of the curtain slid back and a woman in a lab coat
came into the space as Obi-Wan sat up. "Ah, good. You were
right, Master Jinn, he appears to recoup well. Let's just take
a look at you, Padawan," she continued, and Obi-Wan obligingly
looked up into her face as she took his head in her hands. "No
dizziness? No spots before your eyes? How about nausea or
tingling in any extremity?"
"No, no, and no. But I haven't tried to stand yet."
"Well, then let's do so. Carefully, now." Between the doctor
and his Master, Obi-Wan stood, swayed slightly, then took a
deep breath and straightened his back.
"Still have a ghost of a headache, but otherwise, I feel fine,"
he said, carefully rotating his head on his neck.
"That's to be expected. Your Master here still has one too. You
should be right as rain by tomorrow," she said, making a
notation on a datapad that hung from her belt, then removing
the medication patches from his neck.
"Thank you, Doctor," Qui-Gon said, bowing slightly to the
woman.
She waved him off. "No problem. Wish all my patients were as
easy as Jedi. You will come by the ward before you leave?" she
asked.
"Of course," he answered, and she was gone. Obi-Wan shot him a
curious look.
"There's still one child in shock, apparently from the shimmer
trees being cut down," Qui-Gon explained, handing Obi-Wan his
cloak. "The doctor asked us to take a look at her."
"Ah. Perhaps a candidate for the Temple?" Obi-Wan asked as they
left the curtained area.
"Perhaps," his Master replied, noncommittally. He noticed Moshe
waiting for them at the end of the hall, and also noticed the
relief and pleasure on both young faces as they saw one
another.
"Obi!" Moshe cried, hugging his friend carefully. "Are you all
right?"
Hugging back enthusiastically, Obi-Wan laughed. "I'm fine, Mo'.
I hope you haven't killed Shalm or Forth..."
Relieved, Moshe laughed too. "Well, not for lack of wanting to.
No, they went back to their respective camps. Said to let them
know what you want them to do. I think they're quite cowed now.
You *sure* you're all right? Both of you?" he added, looking at
Qui-Gon.
"We're fine, Mo'. Little bit of a headache that the doctor says
will be gone by tomorrow. Do you still have the samples... and
my datapad?"
"Yes, yes, everything's right here," Moshe replied, patting his
carrysack. "Haven't let it leave my sight. You ready to go back
then?"
"We've got one stop to make, Moshe," Qui-Gon said, putting on
hand on his apprentice's shoulder. "The doctor asked us to look
in on a child who's still in shock."
"Care to come along, Mo'?" Obi-Wan asked.
"Umm... if it's all the same to you, no," Moshe responded
slowly. "I have a thing about hospitals. I'll wait for you out
front."
The child was in the long term care pediatric ward. It was a
bit of a walk from the emergency room where they were; the
hospital was new and sprawling but the staff was friendly and
recognized Jedi robes, so was also diffident. When they
arrived, they found a little girl, about five years old, who
lay in a bed far too large for her. She had IVs and feeding
tubes surrounding her, and an adult, apparently her mother,
slumped in a chair next to her bed. Obi-Wan looked on the
parent with sympathetic recognition, seeing in his mind's eye
his own Master sitting at his bedside in vigil.
Qui-Gon introduced himself to the mother, gently urging her to
stay seated as he squatted by her side, talking quietly.
Obi-Wan gingerly seated himself on the side of the bed and took
one small limp hand in his, brushing soft brown hair away from
the girl's face.
"She's been like this for almost two weeks, sir Jedi," the
woman was saying, tears in her voice. "Can you help do you
think?"
"I don't know, Fra Innish," Qui-Gon said, taking the woman's
hand. "Let us try to see if there's something we can do. There
are mind healers on Correllia, which isn't very far, what we
can't do perhaps they can." The woman sniffed and nodded at his
soothing tone, then Qui-Gon stood. "Why don 't you wait
outside, we won't be long."
The woman stood and kissed her daughter on the forehead, then
turned to go. Qui-Gon squeezed her shoulder as she passed and
she gave him a weak smile, then she was out the door and the
Jedi were alone with the child.
"Do you sense anything from her, Obi-Wan?" Qui-Gon asked.
"Only very vaguely, Master," was his softly voiced answer, but
Obi-Wan did not take his eyes off the girl. "I think if you and
I joined and slipped into her mind, we might discern the
problem, though."
Qui-Gon studied his apprentice for a moment, an indecipherable
expression on his face. Finally, he replied very slowly. "As
you think best Obi-Wan. But you must be careful. You are newly
recovered from shock; don't allow yourself to go too deep,"
//in her *or* in me // Qui-Gon finished silently to himself.
A brilliant smile over the younger man's shoulder made the
older's heart thump. "Of course not, Master. You'll need to be
careful too."
Qui-Gon perched on the bed behind his apprentice and pulled the
young man back into a loose embrace. Obi-Wan never let go the
child's hand, and both Master and Padawan quickly sank into a
light trance, seeking along the physical connection for the
lost mind. The two minds gently merged on upper levels and
delicately inserted their joint probe, seeking the cause of the
catatonia. To their surprise, the child had quite strong
natural shields, which indicated some degree of Force
sensitivity. Once past the shields, it was evident what the
problem was.
The child's mind was roaring with sound and fury, a shrill
cacophony of pain and torment that was obviously a remnant of
the psychic backlash from the shimmer trees' destruction. While
it should have been released days before, the tight shields
surrounding the girl meant that it merely continued to echo in
her head, resounding and drowning out any shred of normalcy.
She was literally unable to find her way out of her own mind.
In his mind, Obi-Wan clung to the stalwart presence of his
Master, and felt embraced on every level, even as his Master's
physical arms surrounded him. His voiceless query for guidance
was met with a subtle direction 'inwards' while they searched
for the core of the little girl lost in the maelstrom.
As in the manner of inner quests, from one second to the next
the child was there. She 'stood' surrounded by the noise, her
hands pressed to her mental ears. She looked up at the Jedi
with wide eyes, recognizing help but unsure how to take it,
until Qui-Gon indicated behind her.
Obi-Wan could feel the intent in his Master's mind and
reinforced the image; if she were able to lower the shields
around her mind, the raucous noise would clear enough for her
to return to normal. The image the two Jedi conveyed to her was
of a crumbling wall surrounding her, and Qui-Gon began tearing
at it with his hands, breaking it down. Suddenly understanding,
she lowered her hands and attacked the wall as well.
But when her 'hands' lowered, the noise level increased, and
Obi-Wan found himself weakening. It had been too soon since his
own brush with the psychic backlash, and though he tried to
remain firm, he felt himself sway in reaction. Then Qui-Gon was
there, instantly sensing through their connection his Padawan's
debilitation and enveloping him in warmth, strength and love,
shoring up his resistance and feeding him energy. It was only a
momentary problem; quite suddenly the walls were down, the
noise ceased, and Obi-Wan slipped back into his conscious body
to hear a little girl's giggles and feel warm lips on his.
Qui-Gon was kissing him. The older man's arms were wrapped
tenderly and tightly around his chest and their lips were
locked together in a kiss that was slowly gaining heat.
Abruptly, the Master came back to himself and broke the clinch,
flushing. Obi-Wan did as well, but Qui-Gon saw something in his
eyes before they were lowered that caused his stomach to
flutter madly.
"I'm hungry. Where's my mom?" a weak little voice asked,
breaking the tableau and both men turned, relieved, to the
small patient.
Hoarsely, Qui-Gon said, "I'll go get her. Obi-Wan..." His
Padawan still had the little girl's hand in his and was still
blushing.
The trip back to Primus was a quiet one. Neither Jedi was
willing to talk; both were wrapped up in their own
contemplation, although Moshe and Obi-Wan had their heads
together, talking quietly for part of the journey. Upon their
arrival, they immediately went to the Mansion to meet with
Governor Lev, as had been arranged. He had heard about the
incident at the site and was both furious and solicitous.
Qui-Gon reassured him repeatedly that all was well, and
eventually he calmed down.
"Will you need to go back out to the site, then, my friend?"
the Governor finally asked. They were still standing in his
office, Obi-Wan with his head bowed in his normal position
behind his Master.
"I don't know, but I don't think so, Andrus," Qui-Gon replied.
"Let us go back to our rooms and rest, then look over what we
have found tomorrow. I' ll contact you sometime after noon, if
that's all right with you."
"Yes! Yes, that's fine," the Governor said hastily. "Take as
long as you need."
Moshe drove them back to their hotel, stubbornly refusing to
allow them to walk. He gave both of them a smile as they left
the speeder, then the Jedi were alone with each other again.
Once inside their rooms, Obi-Wan made to collect their robes
and start tea, but Qui-Gon forestalled him. "Don't worry about
that," he said, touching his Padawan's arm. "We need to talk,
Obi-Wan. Come sit down."
They sat together on the small sofa and Obi-Wan carefully
avoided looking into his Master's eyes, something which
disturbed the older man. "Obi-Wan," he began, "I wanted to
apologize for what happened at the hospital..."
A smile interrupted him. "Oh, Master, don't worry about it. I
understand, it was a perfectly natural reaction to the
stressors we were under."
Qui-Gon blinked in surprise. "You weren't... bothered by it
then?" he asked faintly.
The younger man's ears tinged pink and he looked down at the
cushion on which he sat. "Well, no, I guess not. It's all
right, really it is. And..."
Still a bit nonplused at his apprentice's easy acceptance of
the intimacy they had shared -- an intimacy Qui-Gon found
himself craving more of -- the Master prompted him to continue
with an inarticulate sound.
Obi-Wan grinned lopsidedly. "And, well, it's not as if, I
mean..." he hesitated, clearly flustered. A glance up at his
Master's gentle expression of affection gave him the impetus to
finally finish, in a rush, "...I mean it' s not as if I've
never been kissed or anything, I'm hardly a blushing virgin...
I mean..."
Swallowing against a lump in his throat, Qui-Gon smiled weakly.
"I know, Obi-Wan, I know. I'm sorry, I'm keeping you from your
rest." He stood quickly, not exactly certain what he wanted in
the first place but positive this was not it. He reached out a
hand and caressed Obi-Wan's jaw in passing, and said, "sleep
well, Padawan," as he went to his own room and closed the door.
For himself, Obi-Wan watched the door to his Master's room
close with bewilderment and despair. // Way to go, Kenobi, //
he thought derisively to himself, // you surely blew it that
time. 'Hardly a blushing virgin' indeed. // Chuckling bitterly,
the Padawan made his way to his own bed and his own frustrated
rest.
The next morning was spent in analysis of their findings and in
meditation to determine exactly what had happened at the grove
when the shimmer trees had 'screamed' so loudly. "In a way,
Shalm did us a favor then," Obi-Wan said at one point, grinning
wryly to his Master.
"You mean we might not have had all this data if you hadn't
passed out?" Qui-Gon retorted, looking aghast at his student.
"I hardly think suffering the way we did constitutes a favor,
Obi-Wan."
Obi-Wan laughed. "No, I suppose not. But I don't think our
conclusions would have been quite so complete without it!"
By lunch time, they had completed everything and documented
their findings. This was sent via tight-beam to the Council,
which was also informed of the presentation they intended to
make. Also sent to the Council was word of the child they had
helped; she would need to be tested and possibly brought to the
Temple. Then the Governor's office was contacted. Oddly, Fra
Lev responded to their query to speak to the Governor.
"He's in a meeting at the moment, Qui-Gon," she said with an
uninvited familiarity which had Obi-Wan rolling his eyes and
his Master suppressing a frown of displeasure.
"Please ask him to contact me at his earliest convenience, Fra
Lev," Qui-Gon responded, refusing to descend to the woman's
level. "And ask him if he would mind calling a meeting with all
interested parties to discuss our findings."
Her face, which had fallen at Qui-Gon's use of her title rather
than her name, perked up at that. "Ah, then you've realized the
truth! It will be so wonderful to stop this horrific mining
procedure. I just knew a man of your stature would be able to
make this divination," she gushed, clearly fishing for a
response.
Qui-Gon was not giving an inch. Inclining his head slightly, he
said, "that remains to be seen of course, Fra Lev. I look
forward to hearing from the Governor." With that, he cut the
transmission.
"I am beginning to agree with Moshe on that woman," Obi-Wan
growled, pouring tea for their lunch.
Taking his place at their small table, Qui-Gon raised an
eyebrow at his student. "There is no Darkness in her, Obi-Wan,"
he said, only a hint of humor showing in his eyes. "She may be
obnoxious, rude, impertinent and devious, but she is not evil."
Obi-Wan was unable to hold back his laughter at that
assessment. "As you say, my Master," he responded, still
chuckling as he began to eat.
Before their lunch was cleared away, the Governor was calling
them, apologizing for not being available sooner. Qui-Gon waved
off his apologies, smiling. "Please Andrus, it's not a problem
in any way. Do you have time on your calendar to meet with us
perhaps this afternoon? And can we get Fre Shalm and
Commissioner Forth involved as well?"
The Governor frowned and looked off screen, obviously
consulting his calendar. "Qui-Gon, I wish I could make it
earlier, but half-past four is the best I can do. Would that be
all right?"
Inclining his head, Qui-Gon assented. "Of a certainty. We are
at your command, Andrus."
Governor Lev laughed at that, and Qui-Gon was pleased to see
some of the signs of strain leave his face. "Oh, I wouldn't say
that, Qui-Gon! But thank you. And I'll see you here then. My
secretary will be waiting for you and will bring you to the
conference room. Just let her know if there's anything you'll
need."
When Qui-Gon turned from the dataset, he found all traces of
their lunch gone and Obi-Wan just finishing tidying up the
suite. He smiled at his industrious Padawan... a rather sad
smile but a warm one too. "We are free for at least four hours,
Obi-Wan," he said quietly. "Do you have anything you'd like to
do?"
Obi-Wan didn't turn to look at his Master, he wasn't sure he
would be able to keep from projecting what he really wanted to
do. Simply spending time with the man he most desired would not
be considered a good use of his time by his teacher, he
supposed sadly.
"I'd like to see if Moshe is free, actually, Master," he
finally said, still puttering aimlessly. "It looks as though we
may be done here soon, and I'd like to spend more time with him
if I may."
Qui-Gon squashed incipient disappointment and merely said, "as
you would like, Padawan. I'll expect you back here at four,
however."
Finally, Obi-Wan stopped moving and faced his Master, bowing
deferentially. "Of course," he murmured. The two men stared at
one another for a moment, then Obi-Wan turned and left the
suite. Qui-Gon sank down on his meditation mat with a heavy
sigh and prepared to purge his inappropriate emotions severely.
Half way through the afternoon, Qui-Gon was drawn out of
meditation by a beeping from the room's dataset. It was the
Council, in the form of Mace Windu, and the Master internally
sighed.
"Yes, Mace, what can I do for you?" he asked, taking a seat and
making himself comfortable for the long haul.
"The Council has read your report, Qui-Gon," Mace said, "and
has a few questions. You haven't made your presentation yet,
have you?"
"No, no, I've got a couple more hours. How can I help?"
Mace smiled and said, "relax, Qui-Gon. We don't dispute your
findings in the least. You and your Padawan have done a
remarkable job in a very short time."
Qui-Gon laughed shortly. "Now there's a first, a compliment
from the Council."
Chuckling, Mace said, "Oh, that was from me. The Council of
course is outraged and infuriated at your conclusions... we're
getting a lot of heat from the Sentient Species League you
understand."
Shaking his head Qui-Gon said mildly, "Just exactly to whom do
the Jedi report, Mace? Are we now reduced to groveling before
every pontificating group that comes along?"
"You're preaching to the choir, old friend," Mace said,
throwing up his hands in mock defense. "I don't like it any
more than you do. It's politics, pure and simple. The SSL has
some powerful friends in the Senate, and we just need to be
certain we have every possible question covered."
Nodding and sighing, Qui-Gon agreed. "I understand. We have
absolutely no doubts. Obi-Wan makes a good devil's advocate,
and we looked at this data from all possible sides. The
conclusion is undeniable."
Mace nodded. "Good. From what I see in a quick perusal, it will
hold up to scrutiny. I just wanted to give you a warning over
what you might be facing at your briefing of the planetary
government. Now, about this child you've recommended...?"
"That should be handled delicately, Mace," Qui-Gon said
seriously. "The girl was in a catatonic state for nearly two
weeks. If she is candidate material, her parents may not want
to let her go."
"Fine, fine. I'll send Master Jemath and her Padawan. They're
our best at this sort of thing. How much longer do you think
you'll be?"
Thinking for a moment, Qui-Gon answered, "I don't know for
certain, a lot depends on the briefing this afternoon. But I
expect we can return within a day or so. Why?" Qui-Gon scowled
suspiciously at his friend. "Don't tell me you've got yet
another mission lined up for us!?"
Mace laughed out loud at that, throwing his hands up again.
"Oh, no, no, I promise. I've been taking a lot of questions
from teaching Master Gib-Wahl about some debate or other. Do
you know anything about it?"
Qui-Gon threw his head back and laughed.
Moshe and Obi-Wan appeared precisely at four. They were in high
spirits and although Qui-Gon was happy to his the son of his
friend relaxed and happy, he looked upon his Padawan's elation
with a modicum of melancholy. He forced himself to pull out of
his depression and composed himself for the ordeal ahead.
By half past four, the Jedi and the Lev family -- including Fra
Lev to Moshe' s displeasure -- sat in the Governor's conference
room waiting for the satellite hook-up that would bring Fre
Shalm and Commissioner Forth virtually into the room. Qui-Gon
would have preferred some private time with the Governor before
the meeting to discuss his findings, but it was not possible.
The man's wife clung to him and insisted on being present at
every turn.
Once everything was ready, Qui-Gon stood and moved to the head
of the table. Obi-Wan sat beside him, ready to feed him
information and to place their findings in the datasets before
all participants.
"Thank you all for being here," Qui-Gon opened, looking about
the room. By dint of holographic projection, it appeared that
both Shalm and Forth sat at the large council table with them,
although they were hundreds of miles away. "A bit of background
is in order, if you'll indulge me.
"The Jedi order was asked by members of the Senate, at the
urging of the Sentient Species League, to investigate charges
of possible genocide on this planet. When the Ulantim-" a soft
gasp from next to him caused Obi-Wan to turn and grin at his
friend, "-began mining the amatite that is present beneath the
vegetative species colloquially known as shimmer trees, psychic
backlash from the mentally audible 'scream' of the species
caused certain Force sensitive beings to regress into catatonic
shock. Having been inadvertently subjected to this phenomenon,
my Padawan and I are intimately aware of the strength of the
reaction."
Qui-Gon looked down at Obi-Wan and smiled, and was met with a
wry grin in return. "Be that as it may, Force awareness does
not automatically convey sentience. Nor does a vegetative
species automatically preclude intelligence. There are myriad
precedents for both.
"Appearing on your datasets now is a complete analysis of the
so-called shimmer trees. As you can see, they are primarily
composed of silicon with trace elements. There is no cerebral
matter present in any individual 'tree ' -- a naming convention
I will adhere to for the sake of clarity -- because they really
are not individual. Each *grove* is individual. The trees are
merely photosynthaic appendages for the main body of the plant,
which lies underground."
Obi-Wan replaced the chemical analysis with a magnetic
resonance image of the main system of a grove. "As you can see
in this picture, vegetative tendrils carrying electrochemical
signals, very similar to our nerves, descend from each tree and
are intertwined below ground into a primitive central nervous
system. Although it shares many traits with a vegetative brain,
it is not. It is merely a nexus. The central nexus is what
experiences any damage done to any appendage, or tree. And it
is the central nexus that generated the Force attack whenever
any appendage was damaged.
"HA!" Commissioner Forth exclaimed, leaping to his feet so fast
that the holo transmitter momentarily cut off his head. "I knew
it! I told you, you cultural dinosaur..."
Qui-Gon rapped his knuckles on the table sharply.
"Commissioner, please. I am not finished. If you would take
your seat?"
Waiting until the man had regained his seat, Qui-Gon continued.
"As I was saying. This nexus does resemble certain vegetative
central nervous systems closely. However, certain key elements
are notable by their absence; a hypothalamus, higher functional
areas, et cetera. Specifically, when my Padawan and I attempted
mental communion with the grove, we received no response.
"Because of this, and for other reasons I will go into shortly,
it is our conclusion that the shimmer tree groves are not
sentient, and will not become sentient in the foreseeable
future."
"WHAT?" The high pitched shriek came, oddly enough, from Fra
Lev. Her face had gone ashen and her hand fluttered at her
throat. Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon shared puzzled looks then turned
back to the table. Her outburst had momentarily silenced the
others, but as she slumped back in her chair the others
immediately began asking questions, a babble of voices that
drowned everything else out.
Once again rapping his knuckles on the table, Qui-Gon waited
for the chatter to die down. Before he could speak, Fre Shalm's
gravelly voice filled the room. "Then we can start the mining
again. Good," was all he said, but his eyes gleamed and his
mouth turned up into a sneer as he looked over at the
Commissioner, who was still apparently flabbergasted.
"Actually," Qui-Gon said, "you may wish to wait until you hear
the rest of our analysis, Fre Shalm."
"You mean there's MORE?" the Commissioner said, finally coming
out of his shock. "I'll... I'll have your HEADS for this Jedi!
I cannot believe you would throw in with the commercialization
interests...!" he rounded on Fra Lev at this point, pointing a
shaking finger at her. "This is all YOUR fault you meddlesome,
avaricious bitch!"
Caught between alarm and hilarity at the situation, Obi-Wan
looked to his Master for guidance. Qui-Gon was the epitome of
Jedi serenity, although a slight twitch in his jaw told tales
to his Padawan. He pressed a button on the holo controls, and
suddenly Commissioner Forth's voice was cut off. All the other
participants looked shocked for a moment, then looked up to
Qui-Gon.
"Commissioner Forth seems to have forgotten he's here via
holoprojection. He can hear us, but we can no longer hear him.
I shall continue." From the other side of the table from
Obi-Wan, the small dark haired man continued to rant silently.
The Padawan heard Moshe, sitting next to him, desperately
trying to choke back giggles. "The shimmer trees do not project
any type of sentience, and do not appear to be in the early
stages of evolving towards sentience. Perhaps in another few
millennia, but that is rather doubtful given our present
evolutionary models.
"However, there is another factor to take into consideration
here. There appears to be a symbiotic relationship between the
shimmer trees and the amatite, one that my Padawan and I spent
some time on. It was Obi-Wan who finally made the connection,
and I'd like him to explain it to the group. Obi-Wan?"
Obi-Wan looked up in surprise, he hadn't known his Master was
going to do this and he was a bit taken aback. But one look
into the warm blue eyes was all it took for him to regain his
confidence. He stood and bowed to his mentor, then nodded to
the table, even including the still silently fuming
Commissioner from the Sentient Species League. As Qui-Gon
replaced him at his seat, he began to speak.
"As Fre Shalm is aware, amatite is an oxygenated alloy of
silicon. It is not normally found 'in the wild' as it were, and
hardly ever in such purity or concentrate. This bothered me,
even though I knew the shimmer trees were predominantly
silicate life forms. It wasn't until I finished a complete
metallurgical analysis of both the amatite and the shimmer
trees though that I realized the truth.
"Sometimes," and here he smiled down at his teacher, "we can't
see the answer because we don't understand -- or don't ask --
the question. Everyone was expecting the trees to be somehow
using the amatite, but I have been told many times that leaping
to conclusions is quite often a good way of leaping to death,
so I sought other explanations.
"The 'tree' part of the grove is, as my Master has said, a
photosynthaic appendage. The 'leaves' of the 'trees' absorb
sunlight and oxygen from the surrounding environment and
convert it to energy. What energy is not needed, is exuded.
"There is evidence on the alluvial plain where the shimmer
trees predominate that groves have died out; these were the
first places where amatite was found, and it was found in
large, concentrated quantities. It was actually because of this
concentrate that the grove above it died out."
Moshe had been listening avidly, his jaw dropping more with
every word. Finally, he couldn't stand it any longer and burst
out, "Little green gods, Obi! You can't possibly mean..."
Fighting to hold back a large grin, Obi-Wan turned to his
friend. "Yes, Moshe, that's exactly what I mean. The amatite is
the grove's fecal matter."
Stunned silence at the table for a moment, then Fre Shalm
bellowed, "you mean these damn trees shit amatite?! I do NOT
believe this!"
Recognizing how precarious his Padawan's serenity was at the
moment, Qui-Gon stood and relieved the young man, who sat next
to the silently shaking Moshe and did unobtrusive deep
breathing exercises to calm down. Qui-Gon then reactivated the
sound for the Commissioner's holoprojection, for by that time
the man was stunned silent.
Clearing his throat, Qui-Gon looked around the table. The
Commissioner was dazed; Fre Shalm was muttering angrily to
himself; Moshe was still quietly laughing; the Governor was
frowning thunderously and his wife was silently sobbing. "I
believe then, that the next step would be to work on methods of
harvesting the amatite without harming the shimmer trees. With
a little bit of work, the Ulantim and the shimmer trees could
have a splendidly working symbiosis. It will be more expensive
than strip mining, but in the long run, much more profitable."
Once again, Qui-Gon bowed to the table. "We will, of course,
have complete briefing materials for all of you. On behalf of
the Jedi and the Senate, we thank you for calling us into such
an... interesting... investigation." With those words, Qui-Gon
tucked his hands into his sleeves and stepped away from the
table, returning to his seat next to the Governor and ceding
control of the meeting to him.
With one last glare at his wife, Governor Lev stood. "If
neither of you two gentlemen have any questions, I declare this
meeting over. Shalm, I'll expect to see you in my office here
tomorrow. Is that clear? And Commissioner Forth, I'll expect
you'll be wanting transport for you and your people off the
planet immediately. I'll see to it personally."
The veiled threat in those words was not lost on the
Commissioner. He opened his mouth to speak, glared briefly at
an oblivious Fra Lev, then subsided, nodding curtly. With a
quick, off camera movement, his image abruptly faded. Shalm
nodded once to the Governor and to Qui-Gon, then barked a
laugh. "Be damned, Andy, didn't expect that. I'll see you in
your office tomorrow. Thanks for your help, Jedi," he finished
gruffly, then his image faded as well.
"I expect that's the closest you'll get to an apology from him,
Qui-Gon," the Governor said wryly. "Sorry about that."
Qui-Gon smiled back. "Don't worry about it, Andrus. I didn't
expect it either, to say truth."
"I suppose this is one of those classic 'good news/bad news'
situations then, Da?" Moshe asked, wiping tears from his eyes
as he finally got himself under control. "But more good news
than bad, actually."
His stepmother's tears were of a whole different kind, and she
huddled to herself tightly. "All gone," she whispered, and
Moshe turned to her, frowning.
"Lady Mother?" he asked, gently.
"Oh, Moshe, I've been such a fool. I was so certain that the
shimmer trees were sentient, that they would be my ticket to
Coruscant... can you ever forgive me? Andy, I'm so sorry..."
Not looking at his wife, the Governor spoke tightly. "You were
expecting to be made Senator representing them, weren't you?
Isn't that what Forth promised you?"
She gasped and just tightened her arms around herself. "You
knew," she whispered.
"I suspected," was her reply. "But I hoped... this is a deep
betrayal, Tighna. I don't know that I'll be able to..." the
Governor swallowed hard, his hands forming into fists on the
table.
Unexpectedly, it was Moshe who came to his stepmother's
defense. "It was an honest mistake, Da," he said, ignoring the
incredulous and grateful look Fra Lev shot him. "We'll get
through this, somehow."
Qui-Gon took that as his cue to leave. He stood, catching his
Padawan's eye, and rested his hand on his friend's shoulder.
"We'll leave you now, Andrus, but you know where to find me if
you need me, for whatever reason."
"Thank you, Qui-Gon," the big man replied. Collecting his
apprentice, the Jedi quietly left the family alone to talk.
The next few days were a whirlwind of work for all concerned.
The Jedi worked with Shalm on ways to extract the amatite
safely, the Commission withdrew (not without threats, but
Qui-Gon reassured the Governor that the Jedi Council was -- at
least unofficially -- on their side), and plans were made for
trip back to Coruscant. To Obi-Wan's surprise and
consternation, Qui-Gon encouraged him to spend more time with
Moshe before they left, and he didn't really understand his
teacher's motivation. The day they left he found out the
reason.
The entire Lev family saw them off at the space port. A subdued
Fra Lev begged their forgiveness for her behavior and was
easily absolved. It was obvious that Moshe had made peace with
her too, and the while family appeared happier. Obi-Wan hugged
Moshe tightly and kissed him before following his Master aboard
the shuttle, a smile still on his face.
"I think I'll be coming back here before too long, Master,"
Obi-Wan observed, stowing gear preparatory to lift off.
"I expect you will, Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon said, his heart heavy at
the thought.
"You didn't meet Kirin, did you?" Obi-Wan said, glancing at his
Master. "We didn't get a chance to introduce you, and she was
only here the one night. From the fatuous look on Moshe's face
when he looks at her, I'd say bonding bells are in the near
future for him!"
Qui-Gon looked at Obi-Wan sharply. "What did you say, Padawan?"
he asked, frowning.
"I said, I think I'll be back here soon to attend Moshe's
bonding. He asked if I could be first witness... I'd love to
but I told him I couldn't promise..." Obi-Wan trailed off,
blinking at the strange expression on Qui-Gon's face. "What?
I'm sorry you didn't meet Kirin but..."
Through a strangled voice, Qui-Gon said, "I thought... you and
Moshe..."
Now it was Obi-Wan's turn to gape. "Master! You thought we
were...?" Suddenly the dawn broke for the young man and he
laughed. "*That's* why you 've been pushing me at him! Oh,
Master," he teased with a grin, "what have I told you about
leaping to conclusions?" // Besides,// he thought silently to
himself, // my heart's already given to another. //
Both eyebrows raising to his hairline, Qui-Gon burst out
laughing. "I'm certain you've said the same things your
exceedingly wise teacher has told you, Obi-Wan. I'm sorry.
Perhaps I can make it up to you with a discussion on
Malastairian politics on our way back to Coruscant. After all,
you DO have a debate scheduled when you get back..."
Obi-Wan's eyes grew large and despairing. "Oh, no, Master,
please..."
end
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