TITLE: "Banished"
BY: Seven O'Nine
RATING: PG
Summary: Qui-Gon is banished from the Jedi Order
Takes place: about five years before TPM, when Obi-Wan is around
eighteen or nineteen.
As the screech died away to a gurgle, Qui-Gon launched himself off the chair and toward the doors he knew would be there, hammering the metal lock with the Force. There was a groan of strain from within the doors, and they slowly creaked open. He slipped into the dark hall, muscles tensed, hearing only a strangled gasping and the patter of Obi-Wan behind him...
There was a pulse of darkness in the Force... and it slipped away, as if someone had flipped a switch somewhere...
A thin, hard edge struck his throat. Qui-Gon froze automatically, realizing that the knife blade was a threat rather than a danger. Seeing the older man stop too late, Obi-Wan ran into his back with a grunt, then took a step back.
"You will not move," the deep voice of Captain Sahimar spoke.
"Master?" Obi-Wan asked uncertainly.
"No one move!" shouted Risoin's voice from somewhere in the dark room.
The lights cycled back on with a faint buzz somewhere in the palace, but only back to half their former brilliance. Qui-Gon frowned into the outraged dark eyes of Sahimar amidst the red facial armor, then over his shoulder at the source of the scream.
Loried was kneeling on the floor, gasping and pale, her hands clutching her throat protectively. Her wide brown eyes were filled with pain and terror. The Sovereign rose and quickly walked to the girl's side.
"What happened?" Qui-Gon asked as elderly Sabyian yielded his seat to Loried.
"Someone—tried—strangle me," Loried coughed. "Tried—kill me..." She pointed wildly at Altorias. "Was—him—I recognized his hands—"
"Let me see," Qui-Gon said, kneeling down beside the distraught woman and starting to look over her neck.
"STOP!" It was Risoin, angry-eyed, his lightsaber suddenly up and flaming bright gold. "He's the killer!"
The proclaimation hit the gathering with the effect of a thunderclap. Obi-Wan and the Sovereign stared at Risoin in dumbstruck silence, Altorias uttered an Aladell expletive, Sabyian, Kasiral and the weakened Loried simply listened...
"You were conspicuously on the dining hall balcony right before the bombing," Risoin said, circling around the older man, "after an entire evening inside the hall. You knew it would not be in the brunt of the blast. Also... you had made it clear that you did not want to be disturbed much during the evening, thereby giving yourself an opportunity to plant the bomb."
"One thing missing," Qui-Gon replied dryly, his blue eyes flashing. "I have no motive."
"I'm sure we'll find it," Risoin sneered derisively.
The Sovereign rose from her seat and held a hand up, a signal to end the debate. "There is insufficient evidence to convict anyone at the moment." Her flinty gaze fell on Risoin, who reluctantly extinguished his lightsaber.
"My lady," Qui-Gon said, bowing slightly. "I think that I might have found the connection between the killing patterns of thirty years ago and of today. Only after checking the records from years ago was I able to be certain."
"Who is it?" Sabyian asked quietly.
Qui-Gon whirled on the old man, strong arms crossing over his broad chest. "Councillor Sabyian... you served with two Sovereigns before Saleil. Both were traditional in their policies, correct?"
"Yes," Sabyian admitted, rubbing his white-bearded chin.
"However," Qui-Gon continued coolly. "She was the one to bring Aladell into the Republic, changing its outlook and culture forever. You might have resented this..." He frowned, as if considering it further. "The Sovereign's only heir is her seven-year-old niece—a child, who could easily be influenced to pull Aladell from the Republic... but only if Saleil were dead."
"I did not attempt to kill her," Sabyian replied softly. "Would I have waited so long?"
Qui-Gon shook his head. Then he looked at Loried, curled up in a chair, her dark face suddenly paler than before. "Loried. Arrested and fined twice for possession of illegal tapes and holos. You yearn for order an d structure in government—but a type of order that Talinos offered and Saleil rejected years ago."
"I wouldn't kill for it!" Loried gasped as passionately as she could.
"Wouldn't you?"
"No, I wouldn't!" Loried retorted. "I don't want anyone to get hurt..."
Qui-Gon turned to Kasiral, who asked rhetorically, "And now you'll list the reasons I might be guilty, right?"
"Right," Qui-Gon replied unemotionally. "Your mother was a member of the rebellion thirty years ago, and was killed during the counter rebellion. That might be-"
"Tashah!" Kasiral shouted with sudden fury. "I never even knew my mother! I was raised by a nanny—I wouldn't have cared if I could remember her!"
Qui-Gon smiled a little, looking around the circle of people. Sahimar was fingering his blaster furiously, looking around at all of them. Altorias crossed his arms and smiled happily. "Sorry, Master Jinn, you have nothing on me. My parents were loyal... I have no publically subversive ideas... and I support the Republic."
Qui-Gon sighed and bowed his head. "Lord Altorias," he asked quietly. "Do you know about the Cash-maren Project?"
Altorias frowned, rubbing his forehead in confusion. "Of course I do... it was a Republic project designed to temporarily project a second personality onto an existing personality, making the person an ideal undercover operative..."
Qui-Gon nodded. "Which the traitor Talinos worked on before he rebelled. However... there was a small problem. Rather than a temporary personality, the person developed more than one personality—permanently. The project was abandoned because of that..."
Altorias chuckled uneasily. "What are you implying?"
Qui-Gon sighed. "Altorias, I ran a DNA scan of you and your parents. Half of your genetic code did not match up—your father's half. It did match with Talinos." He paused, allowing it to sink in, then spoke in a gentler voice. "I imagine that when Talinos attacked the Sovereign, your mother was too ashamed to ever reveal your true father."
Altorias had gone deadly pale, his hands clenching and unclenching themselves as the information reached him. Behind Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan held out a computer readout. For a moment, the young noble looked like a lost child. Then he whirled on Qui-Gon and shouted, "I didn't know that! I might be his son, but that doesn't mean I'd kill him."
Qui-Gon shook his head. "No... but it does mean something else. I think that Talinos had a backup plan, just in case he was killed. He imprinted his own personality onto the mind of his young son... so that someday he could take his revenge..."
Altorias shook his head and pressed his hands to his face, as if trying to shut out the truth... and lunged at Saleil, a dagger appearing in his hand as if by magic. Qui-Gon threw himself at the killer as his knife slashed down at the queen—and was deflected by a dagger in her own hand. The weapon clattered to the floor, and Altorias/Talinos stared at the Sovereign, holding a small silvery blaster that she had somehow drawn from her long silvery robes.
Sahimar and his guards stepped forward, surrounding the coldly-smiling young man with a half-dozen blasters.
****
"Are you all right?" Qui-Gon asked, quickly going to the Sovereign's throne. She was sitting in it, head bowed in the shadows, as if weighted down by the past day. She raised her eyes to him and smiled slightly. "Just thinking," she murmured.
Qui-Gon walked to her side and sat down on the wide stone arm of the throne, saying softly, "Because of what happened here, Risoin will probably not be allowed to train a padawan until he's shown more steadiness of character. Obi-Wan will be reassigned."
The Sovereign frowned sympathetically, slipping her arm around his shoulders and gently hugging him to her. "I know how much he means to you," she whispered. "Believe me, I know."
Qui-Gon chuckled a little, without humor. "This time, I'm certain the Council will find someone steadier for him," he said quietly. "But for a while there... it was almost as if he were my padawan again..."
Saleil hugged him again, pressed her lips to the top of his head, rocking him back and forth. Then he slowly shifted out of the hug, saying quietly, "Well, after all this excitement, I need sleep. You probably should too..."
"I will," the Sovereign said, straightening on her throne. "But there's something I have to do first..."
She glided like a silvery shadow into the pillared stone pavillion, her breath misting on the evening air. She touched a hidden switch, and the circle of life-sized, colored holograms of the Jedi Council spun into being around her. She slowly turned to face Mace Windu and Yoda, relaxed and seated in their low soft chairs.
"Masters," the Sovereign said with a slight inclination of her head.
Mace Windu rose and bowed as a sign of respect to her, then reseated himself with a smile. "Good day, my lady."
"Good evening," the Sovereign replied, seating herself on the stone throne. "I have come before you to speak of Qui-Gon Jinn."
A deep weariness passed over Mace Windu's dark face, as if he were unhappy but immovable about the subject. "My lady, if you have heard it from him, you have only heard half the story-"
"Yes," the Sovereign replied, her eyes falling to where pearl-tipped fingers twiddled a computer chip on the arm of her throne. "I heard his story, full of shame and misery, deserved or not. I also made inquiries on the planet of Meidal'izan and read his report on the matter."
Her eyes roved over the faces of the Councillors, narrowing ever so slightly. "None have convinced me of any wrong doing." They rested on Mace indu, flashing. "Tell me, Master Windu—what would you have done if Qui-Gon had chosen to save the corrupt monarch of Meidal'izan at the expense of nearly a thousand innocents on the surface?"
Windu appeared to be thinking it over. He looked frankly at the lovely woman sternly gazing at him. "I do not know," he confessed quietly.
The Sovereign's eyes hardened slightly. "Are you fully aware that the Jedi Knight whom you sent me, evidently ambitious and eager to prove himself, nearly had an innocent man arrested? And that the very Qui-Gon Jinn whom you refuse to acknowledge as one of your own uncovered the assassin?"
The Sovereign leaned back in her chair, now fixing on the huddled, wrinkled figure of Master Yoda, bright eyes shining even in a hologram. "Nearly thirty years ago, Qui-Gon Jinn risked the very punishment he now suffers for my sake. He is personally responsible for my life and the safety of my world today, because of his bravery and clear vision."
Her elfin face softened slightly. "Though he is revered and remembered on my world as a great hero, he has not been recognized by the Jedi Council as having done anything on Aladell."
"We were unaware of the extent of his actions," Adi Gallia replied, frowning deeply. "He did not specify what happened."
Saleil rose from her throne, drawing herself to her full height. "If the life and opinion of a planetary monarch means a great deal, then know now that Qui-Gon Jinn has saved my life more than once, and he is the one of the bravest and most worthy men alive in my view."
There was a long silence, as the Jedi watched the queen. She seemed to be above them for a moment, her shadowy eyes passing over them in the dark, looking like a mail-clad spirit of confrontation in the dark night air.
Then Mace Windu looked at Yoda, who gave the smallest hint of a nod. He tall dark man rose and faced the Sovereign with a faint smile. "Qui-Gon Jinn is to be welcomed back to the Jedi Order."
The Sovereign nodded to Mace Windu, then bowed deeply. It was a sign of respect that no Aladell would expect to be given by their revered ruler to a Jedi, but Windu understood the gesture of acceptance and unspoken thanks. He bowed deeply in return, and the holograms vanished into the night air like ghosts.
For a long time, the Sovereign stood in the garden pavilion, her dark hair and silvery gown stirred by the soft breeze. A soft smile crossed her pale face, as she pulled the thin cloak about herself and glided out, back to the warmer stone passages of the palace.
She breathed deeply as she made her way to Qui-Gon's chambers. The high windows had been cycled open for the coolness of the night, letting the scent of her gardens waft through the chambers.
She slipped in the door and looked at the low leather couch by the door, where a tall man was curled up, not even having removed his boots. Qui-Gon was fast asleep, but stirred slightly as she sat down beside him and stroked his long brown hair. His huge fists were curled hear his face, where a few dark stains on the leather betrayed where a few tears had fallen.
The Sovereign watched him for a long minute, then leaned down and pressed her lips to his forehead. She slipped out and into the night, to her own chambers.
****
The Sovereign raised her head as Qui-Gon entered her throne room. His long hair and tan clothes were rumpled, as if he had dressed quickly. But he was smiling delightedly, eyes shining like stars.
Saleil smiled at his joy as she rose from her throne, pure-white gown shining as she descended from the dais. "I had not expected to see you so happy for a time," she said quietly.
A faint shadow of uncertainty crossed Qui-Gon's joy-filled face. "The Council rescinded my banishment," he said quietly. "I'm being recalled back to Coruscant on the next transport." For a moment, he stared at the window, as if ashamed.
The Sovereign smiled and shook her dark head. "Qui-Gon, I thought that the Council might rescind their decision. As much as I enjoy having you here, knowing that your life is being a Jedi is enough. Someday you may come here, but not now—" she paused, as if weighing the words that she was to speak, "—my son."
Qui-Gon's head came up sharply, his eyes filling with tears of joy and surprise. The Sovereign raised her arms to him, and he hugged her tightly, as if he were her own.
****
Obi-Wan had long abandoned his cloak in the pounding midday heat, leaving it aboard the transport to Coruscant with the highly-subdued Risoin. The young man looked as if he were having a nervous breakdown, but Obi-Wan was finding it disturbingly difficult to find pity for him. He was in serious trouble, from the sound of it...
Qui-Gon and the Sovereign appeared on the pad, flanked by half a dozen red-armored guards. Qui-Gon's robe had been left on Coruscant, but his lightsaber dangled at his belt. Obi-Wan smiled in satisfaction—he had smuggled the weapon off of Coruscant amidst his clothes. He had no intention of it being shut away, and he remembered clearly Qui-Gon's delight at having it returned.
The Sovereign rose on her toes and kissed Qui-Gon on the forehead, then was enveloped in a sturdy hug, her lace-shrouded arms wrapped around his neck. For a moment, Obi-Wan just watched them hug.
Then the Sovereign slid out of the hug and stepped over to Obi-Wan with a smile. As the young man started to bow, she held up her hand. "I ask you as a friend, Obi-Wan Kenobi, not as the Sovereign of Aladell."
"Yes, my lady," Obi-Wan asked, slightly confused.
She smiled a little. "When you detour to Aladell on missions—come with your master to see me, please?"
Obi-Wan felt a grin coming on despite his desperate attempts to hold it back. "I'd like that," he replied shyly.
Saleil's small smiled widened as she leaned forward and gave Obi-Wan a small peck on the cheek. As Obi-Wan followed his master into the transport, he thought he saw a shadow of loneliness pass over her lovely face. She waved a little as the transport took off, a lonely white figure. Obi-Wan waved to her, feeling that she had just bestowed some kind of blessing...
As the transport vanished into the sky, the Sovereign Saleil clasped her hands and walked back to the palace...
THE END
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