The Death of Qui-Gon
After the Duel Obi-Wan sat for a long time, holding the head of his master, slowly rocking against the pain, feeling the grief wash over him, greif for the man he had come to consider as a father. When the tide of grief finally ebbed a little, Obi-Wan gently lay Qui-Gon's head on the metal floor, and slowly rose to his knees. He folded Qui-Gon's hands on his chest and straightened his long legs, and placed the saber under the folded hands. Unwilling to find that his master's death perhaps had been in vain, Obi-Wan walked to the edge of the pit and looked down. There the Sith's body had gone , to be destroyed by the fires below. Obi-Wan controlled the surge of joy at the thought. He closed his eyes, breathing evenly, carefully. He had done what was necessary. The Sith had killed his master, would have killed the Queen, and perhaps have killed other Jedi. Knowing he must face whatever fate awaited him beyond the red doors, Obi-Wan turned towards them, his hand going automatically to his belt to check his saber. He stopped. The Jedi Padawan swallowed hard, fighting back tears. He had, in only a few short minutes, lost the two most important things in his life–his saber and his master. Obi-Wan turned back and knelt by Qui-Gon's body. Looking at the face of his master, knowing that it would be what he wanted, he took the saber, clipping it to his own belt. He then turned back to the doors. They were closed now. Obi-Wan waited, gathering his strength, calling on the Force. When the doors finally opened, Obi-Wan sped through them. Like lightning, he passed through the doors that had not let him aid his master. He reached the walkway that led across a vast empty space. He let go of the Force, dropping to normal speed, but he continued to run, racing across the walkway and through the door into the palace. He ran past inert battle droids, his mind barely registering the meaning behind their lack of movement. He ran until his legs ached. He ran until his lungs burned, demanding him to stop. Finally, when he did stop, he was bent over, breathing hard, trying to compose himself, drawing the calm of the Force to help him. Obi-Wan got his bearings. Having studied the palace schematics faithfully on the journey to Naboo, he quickly found where he needed to go. He had made a promise to his master, a promise he would keep. If Anakin had done as he was told, he should still be there in the main hanger. If not, Obi-Wan could start his search from there. Approaching the hanger, Obi-Wan reached out through the Force, mindful of any danger. Federation-types might be cowards, but he did not like taking any chances. There were a large number of people in the area. Obi-Wan walked in carefully, mind alert, ready for any danger that might have been waiting. At the far end of the hanger, the yellow fighters were returning home from their battle. The gathered pilots were cheering, elated in their victory. Obi-Wan picked out the figure of Padmé–Amidala, he corrected himself, standing next to Panaka. Obi-Wan started forward, but felt something under his foot, and stopped. Looked down, he saw that it was his robe. Smiling a little, he bent down to pick it up. His eyes caught sight of another robe, this one a darker shade of brown. Blinking back tears, swallowing hard, Obi-Wan knelt by the cloak. Slowly, he picked it up, feeling the soft wool. He closed his eyes, struggling to control the pain. Awareness that someone was near slowly came to him . He opened his eyes and looked up. Panaka stood behind his Queen, who looked pensive. Next to them stood Anakin. The boy knelt. Looking down, he ran a hand along the cloak. When he looked up, tears stood in his blue eyes. "Where is Qui-Gon?" Amidala asked. Obi-Wan did not look up at her, but instead continued to look at Anakin, the boy he would, in memory of his master, train as a Jedi. "He is now one with the Force," Obi-Wan said. Anakin's lower lip started to quiver. Before anyone could do or say anything else, he stumbled to his feet and ran from the hanger. He heard Amidala calling after him. "Anakin, wait. " When he didn't stop, she started after him. She caught up with him just outside the hanger, at the door where that they had entered through earlier. He was sitting on the ground, surrounded by the now useless battle droids, crying softly She knelt down in front of the boy, "It's alright, Ani", she said, moving to put her arms around him. "It's alright". Amidala's voice broke, and clinging together she and Anakin wept. At this moment, her training was forgotten. They wept for the man they had known all too briefly , but had come to think of as a father, a friend. He had been the only father figure that Anakin had ever known. They wept for the death and destruction that had come to a once peaceful world. Anakin's tears eventually abated. "Qui-Gon was going to watch over me", Anakin told Amidala. "That's what he said to Mom. Who's gonna do that now"? "I will", replied Amidala, hugging him to her. "Obi-Wan and I will. Don't you worry". They sat there, on the ground, leaning against a stone fountain, quietly talking, holding hands. By the time the sun had started to set, Anakin had fallen asleep in Amidala's arms. When Panaka found them, they both were sleeping. He gently touched Amidala's shoulder, and he carefully lifted Anakin from Amidala's arms. "I will take the boy inside, which room should I put him in"? Panaka asked the Queen. "Give him the one adjoining mine, so if he wakes in the night, I will hear him". said Amidala. Panaka looked at her for a few seconds, then nodded. "Obi-Wan and several of the pilots have gone to bring Qui-Gon's body back. They will put him in the Royal Chapel" Amidala nodded her head sadly. Panaka looked at his Queen for a few seconds, then started inside. Amidala stood, and for a few minutes, looked at the palace grounds. So much destruction, she thought, as a tear slowly ran down her cheek. This will never happen again, she thought with firm determination. I won't let this happen again. With firm resolve, she turned, returning to the palace. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The red Republic ship landed gracefully in the square. There were honor guards, handmaidens, and officials enough to honor the arrival of the Supreme Chancellor's return to his native planet, as well as the arrival of many of the Jedi Council. Obi-Wan stood among the waiting, Anakin at his side. Since the battle, Obi-Wan had taken Anakin under his care, seeing that the boy slept, he was eating enough, and trying to share with him the feelings of profound loss at Qui-Gon's death. It was a hard time for both of them. Now the Chancellor had landed. He strode forward, his face beaming. He said something, but Obi-Wan did not hear him, because behind him came the Jedi Council. As they neared, Obi-Wan felt strongly their feelings of loss, of grief, of comfort and concern for him. He reached out to them, wrapping the feeling of one-ness around him. He approached them, walked with them, not saying anything, but sharing the loss, the pain. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Obi-Wan knelt on both knees, facing Master Yoda. Tears stood in his eyes, but he would not let them fall. It should be Qui-Gon before him, reminding him of what it meant to be a Jedi, being grave and serious, but surpressing joy and pride that his padawan had passed his trials and become a Jedi Knight. But it was not. It was Yoda. The old Jedi Master approached Obi-Wan, scissors in hand. Obi-Wan tipped his head forward. He felt a breath of air and heard the sound of scissors cutting hair. Yoda stepped back, and Obi-Wan looked up at him. Yoda handed him the braid. "Train you well, Qui-Gon did. Strong in the Force are you. Use it well. Your apprentice you must watch always. Weave into his hair this braid, so a part of you he will carry." Obi-Wan wrapped the braid around his hand. Yoda placed a hand over his own. "A Jedi Knight you are." The tears flowed over now. Obi-Wan felt the emptiness, the lack. Oh, Qui-Gon, you would be so proud, he thought. But there was no answer. He squeezed his eyes shut. I will train him for you, master, as I promised. But I will miss you always. END
Journal Of The Whills
