“And what keeps your negotiator going? What regrets linger in his
mind? What haunts him?” The elder leaned forward, her eyes
glittering from under the hood as a forked tongue scented the air.
Obi-Wan just smiled blandly at her, pretending not to see the tail
that flickered and curled around the body.
“My duty to the Republic is what drives me forward of course.” He
offered quite contently, as if he was not seated in a sweltering tent
with half the council in physical state and the rest in holos. As if
the tent was not sheer enough for everyone outside it to hear them
talk.
“Lie to me you should not.” The elder hissed at him and Obi-Wan
quirked a eyebrow.
“I’m not lying. I do my duty to the Republic.”
“Partial answers is not what we seek if we are to give the Republic
access to our factories.” She shifted again and at her words,
Obi-Wan’s smile turned strained.
“More there is to your answer then the Republic. Something you
fight for, not just peace, not just justice and not just order though
Jedi you still are to the core.” her tail flickered and picked up a
vial of something. “Pain lurks underneath the skin, perhaps
unnoticed, perhaps ignored, release it you can’t because its burrowed
deep under skin. Perhaps you do not wish to let go of said pain?”
Obi-Wan’s body was tense as a coil, pretending not to see Mace’s
burning gaze in his neck or Anakin probing concern at the bond from
outside the tent.
“Young you are. Yet a weight you carry, the all-mother already has
taken much from you, to take more she might plan if changes you do
not find in yourself. Burdens of planets I see in you, weary pain and
hidden tears. Perhaps…perhaps loss, much loss.” Her lavender eyes
glittered once again as she poured green sand from the vial into a
bowl and setting it aside.
“We agreed to the negotiation because several planets are suffering
shortages that your factories could improve. I did not think we would
discuss me.” Obi-Wan tried desperately to find his center.
“But to know the negotiator is to know the goal. To know the
negotiator is to find a common thread. Honor in you I sense, pain,
quiet strength and bitter cynical wounds, covered up with clever
words so not to show the cracks in the armor. Calm you project to
those around you, the mask pulled up high. Yet underneath…the thing
that drives you forward…hidden is.” She picked up another vial
with her tail and this time red sand joined the bowl.
“And what are you asking then?” Obi-Wan settled resignedly.
“Truth.” She returned simply, this time pouring blue sand into
the bowl before lifting the entire thing and holding it towards
Obi-Wan. “What drives you forward, what you hide in here. Truth
lies that way.” Obi-Wan looked to the bowl at the mix of colors
before looking at her, feeling the Force shift to her direction.
“Willingly given blood must be however for this to work. Know you
we would after, the pain, the hurt, the doubts, the fear and what
drives you forward.”
Obi-Wan stared at the bowl at that, they had one shot at negotiation
here and they could solve several planets food and medical
emergencies. But if there was truth to her words then they would know
more of Obi-Wan then he had shared with anyone in years.
But those planets…his mind flashed to Qui-Gon and what the other
man would have done and with that his decision was sealed, lifting
his hand towards the bowl despite a softly spoken protest from Adi.
Crimson blood dripped from a small slash to his hand and into the
sand, the grains promptly glowing like lightsabers in their colors
while the Force rose to action, giving images to everyone’s mind.
It was him, shy of twenty four, kneeling on the meditation mat his
master had gotten him for his name day. His braid was unbound from a
shower and he looked relax under the sunlight from the window, eyes
half closed.
He recognized this scene even now years later and his mind panicked
even as it played out, Qui-Gon stepping from the bedroom and moving
to Obi-Wan, kneeling down while talking softly about a mission they
were to be dispatched on, grasping the unbound braid to slowly do it
up with all its ornaments, voice low but filled with affection until
it was whole, the braid carefully wrapped around the large fist
before lifted to lips and kissed, the gaze between master and padawan
filled with nothing less then love yet a softly uttered. “Not yet.”
kept them separated.
“What you hide.” She whispered. Oh he and Qui-Gon had hidden the
love they had for each other in fear of separation, despite nothing
untoward happening. As long as he was a padawan, they would wait and
keep the appropriate distance.
The image changed, and Obi-Wan could have screamed for it was Naboo
and it was Qui-Gon and Qui-Gon was dead and gone. A whispered thought
from Obi-Wan’s mind came. ‘Why didn’t I die instead. Why not take
me…’
“What you regret.” And Obi-Wan shuddered, a heavy breath
escaping him. Oh he had wished for death that day but he had promised
Qui-Gon. He had promised him.
The image faded again and Obi-Wan recognized Qui-Gon’s room and he
himself curled up on Qui-Gon’s bed, a robe several times to large for
him tucked about him as he sobbed soundlessly so not to alert Anakin.
Regret yes, regret that he did not die, regret he had not told
Qui-Gon, regret he had not begged the other to at least have him
close once. Regret he had ever become a Jedi.
“Your pain.” She hissed like the wind in grass.
And the image changed for the last time. And it was Qui-Gon, his hair
in disarray with twigs in it, mud splattering his robe and his cheeks
but a smile on his lips as he stared towards the sunrise over the
ocean, wind catching the hair and blowing it lightly before turning
to his padawan and giving him a larger smile that gave light to his
eyes. And Obi-Wan’s unmistakable ill timed thought as he realized
for the first time how he cared for Qui-Gon. ‘I love this man.’
“What drives you forward Negotiator. Not duty, not justice, not
order, not the Republic…but this mans memory.” The elder
whispered. “Each step you take, is one for him. You move forward
for him even if his memory is what lies in the past. But back you can
not go. So you think of him and move forward even as you wish you
were cold in the ground, strength to carry on with broken heart
pieces and shattered soul. Numbing yourself so one more step may be
taken. One more life saved. Like he would have wanted.”
The Force let go and Obi-Wan slumped, taking a shuddering breath. His
shields were in disarray, memories of Qui-Gon locked away for so long
shattering them like so much sheet ice. There was a flash of light
and the sound of a tent flap being shoved aside with a blissful
sensation of cool air.
And then Anakin was there, right in front of him as he grasped both
the blood dripping hand and Obi-Wan’s cheek, wet green meeting wide
blue. How long had Obi-Wan been tethering on the edge of the Force,
waiting to see if it would take him this time and let him find
Qui-Gon or make him continue forward.
Anakin channeled healing Force to the small cut as he stroked away
tears from the older mans face with a thumb, a gentle tendril
reaching out from their bond. ‘Perhaps you understand better then
I thought…Oh Obi-Wan…I’m so sorry, I didn’t know.’
‘You were a
child…it was not your job to know…only to grow…’
Anakin’s face twisted then he let go of the others hand to reach out
and pull Obi-Wan into his lap, wrapping him in a tight hug. ‘The
council may not understand but I do Obi-Wan, I’m so sorry he died.
I’m so sorry Maul took him away before he was even yours.’
“Our factories the Republic will have access to, workers they have
to supply.” The Elder hissed and Obi-Wan muddily thought that he
should respond but he couldn’t quite get himself to.
Not this time, locked into the circle of Anakin’s arms.