"What's happened?" he asked the pilot casually, leaning against the back of his chair.
"The navicomputer went offline in the middle of hyperspace. We estimated that we were ok to come back into real space now."
It was a dangerous move, Qui-Gon thought. Coming out of hyperspace without instruments could land the ship and it's passengers in the middle of a star, black hole, planet, or any number of obstacles, but the pilot was right. The velvet of space was blanketed before them, diamond stars providing the only orientation.
"Where are we?" the co-pilot was doing a good job at hiding his nervousness had a Jedi not been there.
"We're near Alderaan," Qui-Gon said, having identified the stars visible outside, "It shouldn't take us but a few days in real space to get there."
"I suppose we can send for another ship from there, but it will severely delay us."
"No," Qui-Gon smiled, "I have an old friend who I believe can help us out."
*****
"Qui-Gon Jinn, you old son-of-a"
"It's good to see you again, my friend," the Jedi Master tactfully intervened in his old friend's greeting.
A broad-shouldered man, a bit portly around the middle, and a head shorter than Qui-Gon approached with a jaunty gait, his arms open wide to welcome them. He caught Qui-Gon in his arms and, surprisingly, lifted him off the ground in a great Wookie-hug.
"Reil, Reil, it's good to see you too," he smiled and tried to remain as dignified as possible while suspended above the ground.
"Qui-Gon, it's been too long. You promised to stay in touch!"
"I seem to be quite in touch at the moment," the Master replied wrily. "Reil, do you think you could put me down?"
"Spoilsport," Reil smiled good-naturedly and placed Qui-Gon down. He smoothed his tunic and robe, still shaking his head at his old friend's antics. He noticed Obi-Wan at his side, as he always was, looking amused at the entire encounter.
"Reil Organa, this is my padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi. Obi-Wan, this is my good friend Reil Organa."
"So I finally get to meet the Padawan it took the old rilk-goat eight years to take," he extended his hand to the teenager. Obi-Wan took it with a grin. He liked the feeling he sensed from this man, "Whoa, good grip," he nodded approving. Obi-Wan simply put his hands back behind his back, keeping the smile on his face, "You picked a strong one Qui-Gon," he nodded his head appraisingly, a hand atop Obi-Wan's head, "I have a son about your age."
"No, Bail is not that old!" Qui-Gon looked astonished.
"He is, old friend. As I said, it has been too long since we last spoke," the group began moving towards the palace.
*****
Qui-Gon watched the stars from the balcony. Behind him, the funeral
flames had long burned down to a thin line of smoke, and then nothing.
Obi-Wan had often liked to go into the gardens at night and look up at the
stars. If he was missing at night during missions, the Master knew to find
the best place for viewing the heavens, and there he would find the boy. It
was one of the times that the two could sit content for hours, Qui-Gon
immersed in the Living Force of their natural surroundings, Obi-Wan
captivated in the Unifying Force of the universe at large. The boy had just
begun to have visions, some that felt him trembling with fear, others that
left him weeping with joy. It had appeared that his Padawan would be one of
the chosen few with the ability to clearly see the paths that fate laid
before them. But all of that is gone now, he reminded himself.
"Brooding you are."
He had known his former Master was there, but he hadn't wanted to talk with him. He wanted to be left alone.
"Nothing to say, have you?"
"What would you have me say?" he asked a bit more sharply than he intended, "Next you will be pushing me to look at initiates again."
"You believe my heart is that small?"
A stab of guilt his him in the chest, "No, my Master. I apologize."
Yoda waved his clawed hand with a shake of his head. "No apologies needed. Lost a Padawan, I have too. No words to describe what you feel, there are."
Qui-Gon hung his head. Of course he was not the first Master to lose a Padawan, just as he was not the first Master to lose one to the Dark Side but in his selfishness, he was once again believing his pain to be incomprehensible.
"Think that you should not either." Yoda came closer, settling himself on one of the stepping pillars. Qui-Gon sat beside him on the next lowest level, evening their heights just a bit, "Right you are when think you no one knows your pain. Only you know what you and Obi-Wan shared, but think on this. What would Obi-Wan want now?"
Qui-Gon shut his eyes. Damn his Master for making sense of senselessness, "He would accept my need to grieve and then he would tell me to remember the times we shared and the love we had rather than bury myself like I did with Xanatos."
"Know the hearts of each of your Padawans you always have. But this one knew your heart in return. A special bond it is. Do it honor, I know you will," he said, sliding off the pillar.
"Yes my Master," Qui-Gon stood as well, his heart no less heavy, but his mind a bit clearer.
"Still have Obi-Wan's Kriskin ferret I do. Come and get her you should." He said, pausing at the lift doors, clearly waiting for Qui-Gon to join him.
Qui-Gon had hoped to spend more time alone, but it was clear that he would have to do it elsewhere. He stepped into the lift with Yoda, "I'll come get her now."
*****
Obi-Wan was amazed at the splendor of the palace as they marched through
the corridors. Ahead, Reil and Qui-Gon caught up on old times. The Master
noticed with some amusement his Padawan's struggle not to gawk at his
surroundings. Qui-Gon himself was sometimes forced not to be impressed. He
had known Reil since he had been a Padawan, on a mission here with Master
Yoda. Reil had been born into the Royal House of Alderaan. His surroundings
were commonplace. He had been more interested in his life at the Jedi
Temple, with classes, training schedules, and meditation.
"You remember this, don't you Qui-Gon?" Obi-Wan came out of his trance hearing Reil's words. The Prince pointed to a balcony, grinning widely. "You won't believe this," he grinned, bending down to Obi-Wan, a sly smile on his face, "but your Master and I threw shaving cream balloons off that balcony at the Ambassador of Bothawui." Obi-Wan's mouth dropped, turning to his Master whose eyes were closed, shaking his head. Reil laughed, "We sure did. And it was YOUR Master that nailed him too, right in the back of the head."
"Yes, Padawan, and I still have an intimate memory of the surroundings of this Palace from the laps Yoda required me to run for that little stunt. Did you know it is 3 clics in a full circle around the Palace?"
"No Master, I was not aware of that," Obi-Wan attempted poorly to keep a straight face.
"Reil, he gets into enough mischief on his own. You needn't continue to give him ideas."
"Serves you right." Reil crossed his arms smiling.
"Hmmph, that's what Master Yoda says." Qui-Gon said sufferingly. Obi-Wan grinned, happy to see his Master relaxing.
"So, Qui-Gon," Reil straightened, "You said that your ship was damaged and you are on a mission."
"Yes, and I'm afraid that the mission requires us to be on our way as quickly as possible. It appears that our navicomputer is malfunctioning."
"I'll have my mechanics take a look at it. If it can be fixed quickly, I'll have them get right on it. If not, I'll give you the Forever. She's a good, fast ship and should serve you well."
"Reil, I owe you," Qui-Gon smiled.
"Nonsense. We both know it is I who owe you, and this doesn't even begin to cover my debt.
*****
"Master, what did Reil mean when he said that he owed you." Obi-Wan
asked later from a terminal in their shared quarters.
Qui-Gon sighed, "A favor that he has long since repaid but refuses to let go. I helped him out some years ago when I was a young Knight. He is a good friend, though I wish he would stop feeling indebted."
"You saved his life, didn't you?"
Qui-Gon sat beside his Padawan, "Yes, I did, and I appreciate his gratitude. You know as well as I do that sometimes those we protect are not as appreciative of our services as most would think." Obi-Wan nodded and grinned. Too many times they had been shown rudeness by high officials whose lives they had safeguarded, "And while gratitude is appreciated, we never want those we serve to feel forever indebted to us. That is not our purpose."
"Yes, Master." Obi-Wan nodded understanding. It was the same reason that the Jedi never received compensation of any kind for their services. If they became bodyguards and mediators for hire, their objectivity was put in jeopardy.
"Now," Qui-Gon stood, "I believe you have plenty of work to keep you busy, so why are you logged onto the infonet?" he asked pointedly.
"Actually Master, I linked up to the Temple to download my hyper-quant assignment," he held up the datapad with his missing homework.
Qui-Gon arched an eyebrow, successfully hiding his surprise at his Padawan's resourcefulness, but his initial error could not be forgotten, "Very well Padawan, however you must still finish the work I assigned to you."
"Of course Master," he nodded his head a fraction, keeping his eyes down. He didn't want his Master to see the disappointment within. He had messed up, and just because he had found a way to correct himself didn't erase his mistake.
"Why don't you work on that a while. I need to contact the Temple."
"Yes Master." Obi-Wan stood and moved to the couch to make room.
Qui-Gon sat and keyed in the numbers that would like him the Temple. To his surprise, Master Yoda answered the call, "My Master, this is a surprise."
"Bad news I have. Speed on your mission you should. The children of three senators have now been abducted traveling through Naboo's neighboring system."
"When did this happen?" Qui-Gon leaned closer to the terminal. He noticed Obi-Wan join him at his side.
"Last night. Received word just this morning we did. The senator from Umgal's son was taken with his friends, sons of the Sullstan and Rodian senators."
"Master, we have been delayed on Alderaan. Our navicomputer has malfunctioned. Reil is assisting us, but he has offered us another ship. With your permission, I will take his offer so that we may get underway again immediately."
"Permission you have. Convey to Prince Organa our gratitude."
"I will Master," he nodded before cutting the transmission. "Well Padawan," he said, not turning, "It appears we will need to be under way again."
************
"You have the deepest thanks of the Council for this Reil, and mine as well,"
Qui-Gon shook his friend's hand at the bottom of the passenger ramp of the
Forever.
"I've told you a thousand times, there's no need for thanks. Now, you'd best be going. You're needed to save the galaxy Jedi Knight." The Alderaanian grinned, sharing a private joke.
"Right," Qui-Gon smiled, yelling over the ship's engines as they powered up.
"Just be sure you keep in touch this time," his friend returned, backing away as the ship began to lift off. The ramp began to rise and Master and Padawan retreated into the ship's interior.
"Master, what did Reil mean 'save the galaxy?'" Obi-Wan grinned.
"An old joke Padawan, from something I said long ago," he laid a hand atop the boy's head, "Why don't you get our stuff settled in to our new quarters. I will join you there shortly."
"Yes Master," the boy grinned. Their new quarters consisted of two bedrooms and a joint living space. Taking into consideration Senator Palpatine's crew, he had accepted a minimum of the crew Reil had offered him, just enough to insure that the ship would be run properly. He stepped into the spacious cockpit and joined the pilot, co-pilot, and navigator that routinely flew the Forever.
"Master Jedi," the pilot Damon Jonash nodded.
"Save the formalities Damon," Qui-Gon grinned. Damon had lived his entire life in the Organa household, an orphan boy taken in by Reil's mother and raised alongside her own children. He had been a younger brother to Reil and just as good a friend to Qui-Gon.
Damon grinned, "Didn't know if I should be all formal with you on your mission Qui." He winked.
"Just watch stories of old times in front of my Padawan, my friend. He enough ideas on his own."
Damon laughed, "Must be something about blue-eyed Jedi teenagers." Qui-Gon glared at him with a twinkle in his eyes, "We're getting ready to jump to hyperspace…" he reached to pull the lever.
"Abort, abort!!" the navigator dove to push Damon's hand away from the lever.
Directly in their path, another ship emerged from hyperspace without their warning beacon on.
"What the almighty kype does that wuvteroid think he's doing???" Damon screeched, pulling some choice words Qui-Gon doubted Reil's mother would have approved of.
"Forever to inbound ship," the co-pilot thumbed the comm., "You have come out of hyperspace too close to planetary orbit. Please activate your warning beacon and contact…" Turbolaser fire rocketed across the bow, cutting off any further words the co-pilot had wished to say.
"We're hit on the starboard side near the crew's quarters!" the co-pilot reported, "We're losing atmosphere Damon, we're going to have to get to the escape shuttles!"
Damon swore, "Come on Qui-Gon," he jerked on the Master's sleeve.
//Obi-Wan!// he reached to his Padawan as he ran after Damon //Get to the escape shuttles in the bay.//
//Yes Master, I'm already on my way.// the response was immediate.
Good boy, good boy. Qui-Gon thought, speeding his pace now that he knew Obi-Wan was on his way. They reached the bay, the ship still rocking under blaster fire.
"Power her up quick!" Damon ordered the co-pilot, seeing Qui-Gon stop at the boarding ramp, "Qui, hurry on!"
"We've got to wait on Obi-Wan!" he yelled back, "Are any of Senator Palpatine's crew here?"
"Not that I can tell!" the ship rocked again and bolts from the hull flew through the air creating projectile bullets. "Qui-Gon, we have to go NOW! The bay's losing pressure! He'll never be able to get to us now. We can pick Obi-Wan up from the emergency hatch on the underbelly!"
//Padawan, can you get to the bottom deck to the emergency hatch?//
//Yes Master. I'm closer to there anyway. Some of Palpatine's crew are showing me the way now.// He could feel Obi-Wan's controlled panic, but the boy was doing an admirable job.
//I'll see you there Padawan!//
"Ok," he turned, finally relenting, "let's go." The hatch was barely closed with both men felt vacuum pull them back as the bay completely lost integrity.
"That was a close one." Damon breathed.
"We're not done yet. Get to the hatch!"
Damon nodded, running towards the cockpit, "Erle, the emergency hatch," he yelled ahead, "Get to the emergency hatch!" Qui-Gon followed on his heels.
"Headed there now," the co-pilot swung the craft about as the navigator keyed in quick coordinates for an escape jump. The Forever came back into view what was left of her. The hull was buckling as vacuum sucked away the insides.
//We're headed back Padawan. Are you almost there.//
//Yes Master, we're waiting right// It all happened at once. A green flame streaked through space, tearing through the underbelly of the ship, a body in a white tunic was blown out, surrounded by 7 others, Palpatine's crew, and a piece of Qui-Gon's mind and soul was ripped away as the Master-Padawan bond tore.
"Padawan!!" he screamed aloud and through the Force, but only silence echoed back as blaster fire found a new target in the escape shuttle.
"Make the jump." Damon's voice shook, sickened and the world outside became a blur as the shuttle fled into hyperspace.
TBC
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