Before - Legends WAYWARD BEINGS--Being moved to a new home

Okay, I started this story back in 2001, but never got to finish it, due to being a missionary for 18 months. I've decided to revise a little and finish it off.

 

Disclaimer: Qui-Gon and company belongs to the great flannel god. Keme herself belongs to Ophelia, the author of "The First Four Days." I have her permission to use the character. Everyone else, if I haven't forgotten anything, belongs to me.

WAYWARD BEINGS

The life of a spice prospector was not a pleasant experience.

Keme could not remember a life beyond the mines, had no idea what childhood was. Childhood to her was nothing but another day to be dreaded and a night filled with futile dreams.

She could no longer remember the last time she saw daylight or fell asleep without
a biting hunger in the pit of her belly. It had been even longer since she laughed or allowed herself to cry.

She didn't remember how old she was, since she had no way of tracking the days. She could mark her growth by the fact that she could now touch the ceiling of the spice tunnels without standing on tiptoe. She knew the passing of the seasons by the amount of equipment adaptors brought in for the winter months, but it was a rare thing to actually feel the blast of northeastern winds or a waft of warm air from the late spring. She rarely could even remember the time when she had become familiar with these sensations.

But the rarest occurrence of all was being allowed to speak.

In the spice mines, any displays of humanity were punished. Keme remembered too well
the sting of a force-whip on her narrow shoulders or the crack of a fist against her delicate jaw. She had too much experience with the business end of brutality to forget her position.

When younger, she had filled the hours in the pitch-black tunnels by singing to herself
or weaving tales. She would let her mind take her far away from this place to a world filled with noble-spirited princesses and kind Knights, to a realm where love and justice conquered all in even the darkest situation.

But that was just imagination and her daydreamings had been discovered by Saikar, the shaft supervisor. Her fantasy world had earned her a beating that had kept her in the infirmary for six days.

It was the first time she had let him hear her scream.

And it was the last time she had spoken.

Saikar often mocked her, saying that he'd beaten the voice of resistance out of her
throat as well as her spirit that day. She did not dare correct him.

Perhaps someday she would have the courage or the stupidity to defy him, but for now,
she just wanted to live to see her seventh birthday.
*****
"A mission we have for you."

Qui-Gon Jinn clasped his hands behind his back, his gaze fixed on Master Yoda. "What do you require of me, Master?"

"The mining colony of Melkork has come under...new management," Aitel Nast, a stately Gezan, continued. "They have petitioned for a mediator in the transition because of certain threats. Given your experience on Tilares, we have deemed you the most appropriate choice."

Qui-Gon frowned, his eyes flicking back to Yoda. He hadn't thought that Tilares would yield anything but more reprimands.

He had played the role of a proper Jedi, not taking sides, letting his Master take point.

Until he discovered the human rights violations on the part of the dominant party. They were holding slaves.

The slaves, finding him to be a sympathetic young man, had used him to stage an uprising that had very nearly ended in disaster.

It was not the first time he had defied Master Yoda, but it was the first time they had been of blatantly warring opinions.

But Yoda's face was impassive, revealing nothing. A mind probe revealed nothing as well.

Perhaps there was something more than punishment to be gleaned from this encounter.

"Indeed," he said quietly.

"Another matter there is," Yoda added.

Ah, yes. Here it comes.

"Reports there are of a child, a 'tunnel rat' as call them they do."

"Strong in the Force," Qui-Gon said carefully.

"That's the rumor," Aitel confirmed. "She spends her life in the darkness because she's able to find the spices without having to see. Many of such ch

 

Qui-Gon had only been to Kessel once, as a Padawan, but the mining colony of Melkork was anything but its double.

Both worlds had a rugged, barren environment, but Kessel was run by the underlings, people with neither the credits nor the creativity to exploit their successes.

At least not while operations such as Melkork were in place.

The compound was given to opulence, its officers to corpulence.

The compound itself was sprawling, consisting mostly of administration buildings, comm centers, and 'makeshift' tapcafes that rivaled the fare of Coruscant.

Within its boundaries were the quarters of the administrators, the guards, and their families. Guest suites were more at home in the ritzier districts of Coruscant than an illegal operation.

The mines were to the southeast, their entrance guarded. Since Qui-Gon had yet to see any workers in the compound, he surmised that they were restricted to the mines themselves and slave quarters.

He spent the first few days too busy with keeping both sides of the 'negotiations'--restrained acts of hostility--in line.

Finally, on the fourth night, their contact directed him to someone who could help him with the second half of his mission.

"Knight Jinn," Saikar called, rising from the table in the private dining room that Qui-Gon had been directed to. "An honor to speak to you in private at last."

"You will not be so honored when you hear what I have to say," Qui-Gon countered, not allowing himself to smile. "I have come to investigate one of the children working in the mines."

The other man's affected smile vanished behind unveiled contempt towards anyone interfering with his productivity, then reappeared with a marked strain. "Have a seat and we will discuss it at greater leisure."

"Thank you," he said evenly, sinking into one of the repulsorchairs.

The door to the kitchens slid open and a female child entered, carrying a tray in her trembling hands. Emaciated, shoulders hunched in perpetual fear, she was like something out of a nightmare.

Her tunic hung loosely about her bony shoulders and when she turned her back on them, Qui-Gon could just see a spiderweb of fresh welts. Her hair, waist-length and jet black, was in a messy braid, utilitarian and hastily done. Her eyes were downcast, her expression submissive.

She couldn't have been more than six.

"Who is this child you seek," Saikar pressed.

Qui-Gon forced himself to look away from the child. "Waqkem or Keme," he stated. "I was told that you were her shaft supervisor."

Something flickered through Saikar's eyes, then disappeared. "We have no one of that name here."

True. Perhaps I should simply cross-reference 'tunnel rat' or 'spice scum' or any other terms of endearment you use instead.

His eyes were drawn again to the girl, but she ducked out of sight, frightened by any attention directed at her by someone in Saikar's company.

"Do not attempt to lie to me," Qui-Gon said patiently. "It is futile as well as potentially fatal."

"Do not presume to threaten me," Saikar countered harshly. "It often yields the same results."

There was a moment of silence. Qui-Gon was waiting with all the diplomatic patience the Force could give him and the shaft supervisor was doing some quick thinking.

"Keme is our ward," he said finally. "When her parents were killed five years ago, we legally took her under our care."

"Then you treat her well, under the parameters of Republic law? She is permitted schooling, hygienic living conditions, is not permitted to work under the provisions of the child labor laws?"

The man didn't even have the decency to look abashed as he lied. "Of course."

Qui-Gon's flickered to the girl and he caught a flash of insight. "Why don't we ask her?"

Saikar snorted. "She doesn't speak. Hasn't in the time she's been here."

Qui-Gon's jaw tightened and he turned to watch the child, now carrying drinks and sundry pastries on the tray.

"Keme, is this true?"

This startled her and the tray slipped from her f

 

Oooh what a nice start! I love a good Qui-Gon story You're not just going to stop there are you?

 

No, I just had errands to run. It IS Saturday, my one day off. Will post again soon.

 

"Anar, I need a favor."

The lithe Alderaanian narrowed her eyes suspiciously, her arms folding across her chest. "When a Jedi needs a favor, it means I should run for cover as quickly as possible. What have you done now?"

"Nothing," Qui-Gon assured her, silently reassured by her customary defiance and suspicion, "but I'm on Melkork and could use some legal backbone."

"Melkork," she repeated. "The mining colony?"

"The same. The Jedi, myself specifically, are attempting to rescue a Force-sensitive slave, but the administrators refuse to let her go without a custody battle."

Her brown eyes hardened and he knew he had her. Like most of his friends, she'd been the victim of one of his missions and that particular one had been to the work camp where she'd been wrongfully imprisoned for sedition. The Jedi had secured her release in return for her help with the mission. She never passed up, therefore, the opportunity to return the favor.

"Slavers," she spat. "Where do I sign up?"

Qui-Gon smiled grimly. "No need; you're already blacklisted. But there is the matter of the favor. It's dangerous for her to stay here. Not only is she malnourished and physically abused, but when I met her, she told me that she was going to be killed for any mistakes she made. Given the person I met today who is her 'guardian,' I don't think that's mere hyperbole. Is there a way to legally remove her from here for the duration of the proceedings?"

She let out an exasperated breath. "If you can send a written testimony to me immediately, I can forward it to the Republic welfare services and they, most likely, will appoint you as their representative in this matter. With that, you will be able to take her into the care of the state, by force if necessary."

It all sounded simple until the moment he had to start threatening people to get the job done, as it invariably happened in these cases.

"And they'll yield?"

"If they don't want more trouble than I'm planning for them, yes," she said darkly. "But the earliest you could remove her would be tomorrow."

"That's all right," he said. "I'm going to stay in the slave quarters with her tonight and as long as it takes to keep her safe."

Anar's scowl dissolved into an affectionate smile. "Always the Knight in shining armor," she quipped. "How old is this child?"

"Six."

There was a vehement curse that he didn't know the peaceful Alderaanians were capable of from the other end and the sound of a datapad shattering against a wall.

"Six," she repeated in an unrestrained snarl. "Six and they've got her in Melkork?"

"You understand," he stated solemnly.

"Of course I understand you, but I can't understand the Sithspawned, one-celled..."

She cut herself off, breathing hard and he could see rather than sense the easing in her tension.

"Tell me more," she finally commanded.

"She's Corellian and her parents were killed in the Uprisings five years ago. Slavers made sure this was her next station stop."

"Well, Jinn," she said, her voice strained, "we'll make sure the Temple is the next."

He grinned. "I figured as much. Jinn out."
*****
"You're going to leave here tomorrow."

"But they won't let me," Keme whispered, her tiny face close to his so the dormitory advisors would not hear her. "Saikar said so."

"Saikar can't stop us," he assured her. "And I'm going to stay right here until we do leave."

"Thanks, Kai," she mumbled.

"Your welcome, Keme," he whispered back.

A heartbeat later, her steady breathing alerted him to the fact that she was finally asleep.

Removing his robe, he draped it over her, tucking it around her tiny form.

"Knight Jinn."

The contact was standing in the doorway, her shoulders slumped. "Word from Anar. The welfare services won't allow you protective custody because she's not legally allowed to leave the planet and you have a 'conflict of interest.'"

Qui-Gon straightened, sending her a sharp look. "Then who?"

"Me," she said quietly. "She'll be out of the mines and out

 

Ohhhh I like...most definitely liking this!!!

Great work! Can't wait for more! How 'fatherly' Qui got! How sweeeet! And Yoda knows his Paddy likes her. (Curious you using Yoda as Qui's Master instead of Dooku these type of stories become more 'original')

Excellent play on the emotional plays! Great work!!

 

Delurking to beg for more....

 

I'll join Lilith Demodae[b/] Very good

 

Yes! Great Story! Please post soon!

 

Okay, DarthIshtar, I'm hooked. I like seeing Qui-Gon portrayed as a father figure to his padawans (well, the lovable ones, anyway). The compassion must be a side effect of being an acolyte of the Living Force; his focus is very much on the here-and-now with Keme.

Bully for Qui-Gon, dealing out to her taskmaster the kind of abuse Saikar heaps on her.

I look forward to reading more!

 

hello

This sounds really interesting. I'll definitely be reading it. There aren't enough fics about Knight Jinn.

Velo

 

WOW! More readers. Sorry I neglected this for a few days. I do not have internet in my apartment and I can't do anything after 8 o'clock because the hubby is home and feels ignored and unloved.

 

I will post tonight.

 

I will post tonight.

Hooray! I'll sneak a peek while my boss at the library is on her break.

 

yay! I'm looking forward to it. Thank God for active topic notification

 

Will post in a few minutes. Sorry for the wait, but I had to finish up a major section of another story.

 

"Sorry to keep you waiting."

Qui-Gon stood as Ler entered, breathless and embraced her quickly. "It's all right. You're serving the people of the Republic as I do. There's no shame in that."

She drew back and frowned. "You make it sound so pretentious."

"My apologies," he said genuinely.

She waved a hand distractedly. "You've had a hard week; I'm willing to let any minor infraction pass."

He grimaced. "Anar filled you in?"

"Of course." She shook her head. "It's disgusting what people are willing to do to perpetutate evil."

"Indeed."

"Where to? The Arboretum?"

He nodded. "I could use a modicum of the peace it engenders."

He stepped aside to let her pass. "We've been investigating the circumstances of her enslaving and the worst of it all is that this is a matter of legal guardianship. Her step-aunt is one of the colony administrators."

"Sith," Ler swore softly. "What kind of person sells their own family into slavery?"

"A negligent one," Qui-Gon agreed. "And since she has been out of her step-aunt's care for five years, there's a possibility of winning this case on charges of reckless abandonment. At the very least, her condition should be evidence enough."

"Do you have holos," she asked quietly.

He smiled grimly. "Of course. I couldn't move forward without potential for blackmail."

Ler shook her head in disgust. "Now, there's the Qui-Gon Jinn I know. I suppose blackmail is somewhere in Master Yoda's cycle of evils as well?"

"Of course. Fear leads to anger, anger leads to blackmail, blackmail leads to hate, hate leads to suffering."

She sobered suddenly. "Now the real question," she stated. "How are you doing? You seemed pretty shell-shocked in your message."

He nodded. "I don't know exactly why, but leaving her has been one of the most difficult things I've done as a Jedi. It was more than breaking the promise; it was like abandoning her to her own destruction."

"But she's not going to be destroyed," Ler countered. "Isara should see to that."

"I hope," he said, "but the future is always in motion."

It wasn't until she settled onto a bench in the shade of a soital tree that he realized they had reached their destination. Settling down, he let his shoulders slump.

"And what future do you hope isn't in motion," she pressed. "The way you're talking, you've seen too much to turn back."

His mouth curved into a subtle smile. "Sometimes I wonder if the Council didn't bypass your Force potential."

She shook her head. "I'm Force-blind as a hawk-bat, but I have good instincts."

"Indeed." He sighed. "The last night I was there, I dreamed about the both of us. She was sixteen, a beautiful young woman. I was her cranky old Master as I have always been doomed to be, but the feeling was the same as when I first met her. We were meant to share this path together."

She reached over to grip his hand. "Then act on those instincts. Do whatever it takes to free her, if it takes from now until her sixteenth birthday. Your intuitions have never failed you before, despite what Yoda would like to think and you should not discount them now."

He had to smile and squeezed her hand gratefully. "I'll keep that in mind."
*********************************************
"Knight Jinn, they're ready for you."

Qui-Gon rose in one smooth motion and followed the aide into the Council chambers, dreading whatever judgment they were about to dispense.

Crossing to the speakers' circle, he bowed deeply. "You wished to see me, Masters?"

"We have a mission for you."

Qui-Gon blinked. "I was not aware that my previous mission had been concluded."

"Your mission was to mediate the Melkork negotiations," Isra Doochnea countered. "That has been completed."

"With all due respect, Masters," he continued, "you told me that, if I found the girl to be Force-sensitive, I was to bring her here for training. I have not completed that task."

"In the hands of the courts that matter is," Yoda interjected. "No further duty do you have in that case.

 

Yippee!!! She's an initiate!! Good for her!! She won't have to worry about that place any longer!

Great work!

 

*Keladry echoes Kynstar's cheer*

Hooray! They got custody! She's an initiate!

I eagerly await more, DarthIshtar.

 

thanks, you two. I spent a while chatting with ophelia, who created the character last night and she's given the blessing for some crazy stuff, other than "you're not going to kill her, are you?" "NO!" "Okay, then go crazy."

 

We don't want you to kill her either. Anywho the story is nice Keme is no longer a slave and Kai-Gon is some what happy I believe.

 

don't worry. the only way i'll kill her is if I decide to cover the purges...

 

Woohooo!! Very cool. I'm loving this.

*returns to lurkdom...*

 

Okay, I'm going to have to close this and reopen. Please read from the beginning because Ophelia just wrote me with some major changes that I can't bear to let go, so i'm rewriting.