Saga A Certain Point of View: O/Q and more 1 post vignette

?A Certain Point of View?

Vignette Saga

Summary: Qui-Gon sees all, from a certain point of view.

Disclaimers: The usual apply. All characters and references to the films are the property of LFL et al. I make no money off of this nor do I attempt to do so. I am but a humble hitchhiker in Lucas' Galaxy Far Far Away.

----------------------------------------------------------------
Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. The sound of labored breathing was the one constant in Qui-Gon Jinn?s mind as he drifted back and forth from consciousness to unconsciousness, from this world to the beckoning of the Force. The lungs of the powerful chest struggled against the searing injury, a pain extending beyond all sense of time. The sound of the breathing took on a mechanical rhythm.

It was just a matter how soon, not if, Qui-Gon would join the Force this day. Not even his dear apprentice, Obi-Wan, could tether him to this life.

Would Obi-Wan also cross into the Force today? Was there anything Qui-Gon could do now to help him? The Jedi master stretched out his senses to approach the ever-fluid future. Sensing the Living Force, rather than the simply abstract Unifying Force was his strength, yet he needed the visions of the future now that only the Unifying Force could give.

So, Qui-Gon approached the Unifying Force as if it were nature itself. Even under the pallor of invasion, Naboo provided generous inspiration. He envisioned himself standing at the base of the waterfalls of Theed on a glorious spring dawn. His overrobe and tunic were cast aside on the grass and he could feel the spray of the waterfall through his linen undershirt. He put his hand into the falling water and grasped at the future.

Over a blood red lightsaber in the dark, a baritone voice sneered, ?Obi-Wan.?

Qui-Gon jerked his hand back from the stream of water. Obi-Wan would fall to the blade of the Sith Lord? No, No! Qui-Gon paused, and for once hoped that Master Yoda was right: ?Always in motion, the future is.?

With faltering hope, Qui-Gon cast his trembling hand into the falls again. A familiar face appeared sporting an unfamiliar full beard that matched the light auburn hair. A full mane had replaced the padawan braid. Gazing directly into view with a twinkle in his eyes, Obi-Wan said, ?You can tell me was this is, Dex.?

His mind's eye stepped back and Qui-Gon could see Obi-Wan sitting across from Dex. Qui-Gon inwardly smiled at the salty prospector and good friend. With the constant missions of late, Qui-Gon hadn?t taken Obi-Wan to Dex?s diner in about two years. So it was possible that Obi-Wan could survive this day.

Then Qui-Gon?s duties would be fulfilled. All promises kept. His word true to the end.

The cool waters brought chill instead of comfort as a memory crept back into view. He saw Shmi?s gaze soften as he heard his words, ?I will watch after him. You have my word.?

Anakin. What would become of Anakin now? What a reckless promise he had made to Shmi. Even for Qui-Gon?s standards, it was reckless. Despite knowing how slim the chances for the Council approval, he made the promise. How would he watch after the child if he were not a Jedi? Who could watch after him now? Qui-Gon paused, would he dare ask? Yes. Thrusting both hands into the falls, he asked, ?What is the fate of the Skywalker boy. Will he become a Jedi??

Qui-Gon?s voice echoed over the sound of the falls and the breathing. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale.

The waterfalls dissolved. The deserts of Tatooine, which flamed in the binary sunset, replaced the lush valley. In the distance, a young man stepped out of a white domed adobe to gaze wistfully at the sunset. He had blond hair worn somewhat long, a round face, blue eyes and that distinctive dimpled chin. He was older than the child, but Jinn could still recognize this young man, yet he wore no padawan braid. Was he enslaved? Judging by his face, someone must have called him back inside. Qui-Gon could not tell because all he heard wa

 

Woohoo! Falls has posted a Viggie on Q-G!

Wonderfully done- I loved the imagry of Q-G moving in and out of the Force and the rapid succession of images. I also liked that Anakin's Vader personna was hidden from him- so he could not see Anakin's eventual fall.

Lovely viggie!

 

Wow! You had me from the first line. I loved the myriad of images you beautifully painted as Qui-Gon began to pass into the Force.

 

Great job! I loved that last line, I've never thought of it that way before. I love seeing that in a story

Two thumbs up!

 

Thank you for reading the story and posting your comments. It is especially wonderful to see responses from fan fic writers whose stories I admire.

In time for St. Patrick?s Day, a story about the Irish Jedi and his emerald lightsaber.

Yes, PadmeLeiaJaina, I know, I am woefully behind in your epic. Must wait for a full vacation, otherwise, I?d would be tempted to pull an all-nighter and read it in one setting. I am a reading junkie and I cannot read novels chapter by chapter unless I really pace.

Red_Rose_Knight, I have loved your Obi-Wan in ?For Without Hope We are Lost.?

Edit: Arwen-Jade_Kenobi, thanks. I am glad that ?A Certain Point of View? gave you another point of view on the SW films. Fleshing out ideas in fan fic can be as informative as the film commentaries.

Some credit goes to The Fallen (see her Obi-Wan story, ?Paying the Ferryman?) for the mix of Greek mythology and SW.

The Greek mythology element is the Force as ?a cruel prophetess,? an allusion to the myth of Croesus. Croesus was a powerful king who consulted the Oracle at Delphi, the prophetess of Apollo. Croesus asked whether he should begin a war with the Persians. She replied that if he attacked, then he would destroy a great kingdom. When Croesus was later defeated and his kingdom destroyed, he realized that he should have asked whose kingdom would be destroyed.

Of course, the Force (in my evil hands ) is really working Qui-Gon over because as a Jedi, one wouldn?t normally expect Anakin to have children.

That MH and Jake Lloyd bear a stronger resemblance than, on the surface, Lloyd and HC helps too. Plus, Qui-Gon is somewhat distracted due to his recent skewering on a lightsaber.

The ?inhale, exhale? repeat was deliberately ambiguous: as Qui-Gon has a searing chest injury, Anakin probably will have another burning injury, if GL follows the ROTJ novel. (But that is pure speculation since Obi-Wan isn?t Owen Lars? brother in the PT as he was in the ROTJ novel) One way or another, Anakin is going to have difficulty breathing.

After AOTC, I am convinced that The Duel of Fates of TPM was the dueling of Anakin?s and the GFFA?s fates. If Qui-Gon had survived, IMHO, Anakin would have been far less likely to fall to the Darkside and Qui-Gon would have suspected his former master. No, it is NOT Obi-Wan?s fault: Anakin?s free will is still where the buck stops, even when the deck is stacked against the right choices. Kenobi was too young and inexperienced to take on such a challenging apprentice and he had zero support from the JC even when his doubts were dead right.

Only after editing the story several times, I realized the likely mundane inspiration for the waterfalls: this plot bunny attacked while I was in the shower one morning. Thankfully, my writing is better than my singing. Of course, perhaps a scene or two from Neeson?s other lords and swords film, Rob Roy might have been floating around, but the words were all the will of the Force, I swear.

 

You posted you posted!!!

Lovely story, rich and deep...

 

Oh, Falls, that was great! I too loved the quick succession of images that never totally revealed the future to Qui-Gon, but only provided cautionary glimpses of what would be. Marvelous writing, and I hope I'll get to read more soon!

Shaindl

 

Great viggie, Falls! The ambiguous and (potentially) misleading visions were perfectly selected -- and as you noted, like most mythic heroes encountering obtuse prophecies or riddles Qui-Gon interprets them the way he wants the future to turn out, rather than objectively. Very nicely done.

The inhale/exhale motif was excellent. Ah, the irony...

Hope you'll post more like this one!

 

Wonderful imagery! Nicely done.


Obi

 

Thanks again.

Obi the Kid, always great to see a new face.

Shaindl and Darth Lex, as work permits and as inspiration allows, you can be sure that I will be posting more stories. It is fun to play in Lucas? sandbox.

Darth Breezy, I am glad that you liked this version of the story too. Yes, it is the revised version of ?Train the Boy? that I sent you before. I am just following GL?s tradition of creating a Special Edition and renaming the story.

 

Excellent. Wow! That was a very powerful ending, FtS - couldn't have done better.


tf

 

This can go up

 

Wow. Just plain wow. I love the way you had Qui-Gon's character. It was very beautiful and nice!

 

Very nicely done, FTS - comprehensive, reflecting all the twist and turns that fate threw at our sad heroes - and pointing out how easy it is to see wht we want to see, rather than what really exists.

Very well written, and deliciously tragic.

CYN

 

Excellent job, Falls! I loved how you intertwined the present and the future, manipulating time so that Anakin's training and Luke's training were paralleled. Beautiful piece, marvelously written.

 

Thanks for the new feedback.

Several readers created a pleasant surprise when I logged back into the board after a month of computer upgrades and other Sithful things:

Dear Falls_the_Shadow,

Congratulations! You've been nominated for the following awards in the Summer 2003 Fan Fiction Awards at the JCF Forums:

A Certain Point of View for Best Vignette

 

Very well done, FTS.

I loved your last line... that's a wonderful perspective on it.

Trick or Treat!