Saga The Living Force: NIGHTFALL - (TPM/post-TPM, AU, Qui-Gon lives, etc.) - updated Feb 13

THE LIVING FORCE: NIGHTFALL

Disclaimer: Qui-Gon Jinn, Anakin Skywalker, Darth Maul, et al. do not belong to me, nor does Coruscant, nor Naboo, and so on and so forth; it all belongs to George, and I derive no material benefit from this.

Premise:
During the Battle of Naboo, it is Qui-Gon who survives the day ? Obi-Wan Kenobi is slain by Darth Maul. From there, Qui-Gon trains Anakin Skywalker, walking with the Chosen One along a path that will lead to some of the same places as the path another Anakin walked with another Obi-Wan? and to many that are altogether different. Also expect appearances by Mace Windu, Dooku, and more.

Note to the Reader:
I?m familiar with some EU (most post-ROTJ novels, the Clone Wars novel line, KOTOR), and unfamiliar with a lot of it (most of the comics, the Clone Wars cartoon). Of the EU stuff I do know, there are many things that I like, and some things that I don?t. I?m going to ignore the things I don?t. Of the things that I do like, some of it I am choosing to ignore anyway.

Because I am not well-versed in the comic portrayal of some characters, like Plo Koon, Ki-Adi-Mundi, Aayla Secura, etc., I am characterizing some of them as I choose, and some not at all, in favor of OC?s.

Perhaps most important among the EU concepts I like: ?There is no dark side,? and the various cans of worms that opens.

There are also certain things about the movies that I don?t like. The only one that?s really important right now is TPM?s characterization of Anakin Skywalker. I?m sorry if you liked Jake Lloyd in the role ? I didn?t, personally. I can understand why some people liked the fact that Anakin Skywalker at nine years old was able to act his age even in the face of his Force abilities and great technical aptitude, but I would rather have him portrayed as more precocious ? like Pearl in The Scarlet Letter, perhaps ? and/or more mature than one would expect of him ? like Dakota Fanning?s Rachel in War of the Worlds.

To this end, I am pretty much ignoring TPM?s characterization of our little Ani and writing him in a way that I hope will make him more palatable as a boy, though I also hope to stay true to the older Anakin?s character, because I did like Hayden Christensen. This may or may not manifest itself in flashbacks to certain TPM scenes, rewritten by me. I say ?may or may not? because I?m starting this story in the middle of the Battle of Naboo, and at the moment I?m not sure if I?m going to return to the Podrace, or Anakin?s meeting with the council.

If you?re cool with all of this, then read on. I hope you like it.






ONE

**

Theed Palace Reactor Complex, Naboo

The Zabrak Sith was winning, and Qui-Gon Jinn knew it.

He and his Padawan, Obi-Wan Kenobi, chased the dark warrior across a series of bridges and platforms into the reactor complex attached to the starfighter hangar, employing every acrobatic trick at their disposal. Even so, even though they appeared to have the offensive, the Sith Lord was a whirlwind, impossible to outmaneuver and implacably fierce. Despite Qui-Gon?s assuredly greater combat experience and Obi-Wan?s raw energy and intuitive brilliance with a lightsaber, the pair was finding it difficult to turn their numerical superiority into anything more than just numerical.

As the battle dragged on, Qui-Gon allowed himself to fall deeper and deeper into the embrace of the Force, letting it dull the fatigue in his limbs and drive them like pistons. As he did so, however, he became aware of something most troubling.

He could not? see as he once had been able to. He could feel just how much he was drawing on the Force, and when he had done such in the past, his perceptions had been taken to a transcendental level, even for Jedi. Now, though? now it was as if there was some sort of veil. Nothing too obvious, but to one so attuned to the living Force as Qui-Gon Jinn, it was disturbing nonetheless. Like barely visible smoke ? hard to see, but easy to de

 

Great start! I'll be anxious to see where you go with this!

 

I like the premise of this story - Qui-Gon teaching Anakin. The opening chapter is exciting and well written. I can't wait to see the outcome of both the lightsaber duel and the space battle. Good job!

Can you PM me when you update? Thanks

 

Thanks very much, folks. And yeah, I'll PM whoever would like such a notification. Good idea .

 

I'm intrigued.

It'll be very interesting to see how different things will be for Anakin with Qui-Gon training him.

I'd love to be on the PM list

Good beginning

 

I really liked Qui-Gon's inner thoughts. The smoke metaphor was excellent. I can't wait to see how Obi-Wan's end will come.

Good stuff.

 

Thanks for the kind words, everyone. Just FYI, I'll probably try to write at least two sections ahead of what I post, but if I start to slow down I'll try to remember to notify you all.

 

TWO

Theed Reactor Complex, Naboo

Qui-Gon, in sudden agony and expecting the Sith to follow through, wove his own blade through a defensive velocity and staggered back farther than he?d intended to dodge. Obi-Wan, however, had reacted instantly to his Master?s injury and pressed his attack, so that the other was already on the defensive, leaping high to a different catwalk above and slightly to the side of the one they were currently fighting on. In a heartbeat, Obi-Wan leapt after him. Forcing himself to shunt the pain to a lower level of consciousness, Qui-Gon followed as quickly as he could, landing on the side of the Sith Lord opposite Obi-Wan, so that they had him sandwiched.

And with the throbbing in his head drawing some of his Force-strength, Qui-Gon made the choice that he?d been considering.

He opened himself to the dark ? or at least, to what Jedi convention labeled such.

Qui-Gon had long suspected that the Force was more complicated than simple black and white, that all things important came not from outside forces, but from the heart. Yes, he was sure that the Force itself, primal energy that it was, held the potential for both creation and destruction, but he did not believe as firmly as some that drawing on the latter potential immediately led one along an evil path, the path of the ?dark side.? Qui-Gon?s closest friend on the High Council, Plo Koon, was decidedly more aggressive in his pursuit of justice than many Jedi, a warrior born. But he was not ?dark.? Mace Windu, as deadly a fighter as the Order had ever seen, had an inherent aggression, and had admitted as much to those Jedi he was close to. But he was not ?dark.? Qui-Gon?s own Master, Dooku, was what some would call flexible in his methods, and dispassionately efficient to the point that many sometimes thought him ruthless ? for a Jedi ? but he was not ?dark,? and in fact commanded as much respect as many members of the Council.

None of these men were evil, and were in fact very just, very compassionate Jed, but Qui-Gon had witnessed all of them channel fearsome power at one point or another, in defense of the innocent, in defense of peace, in defense of their principles. He was not entirely sure that they would agree with his assessment that they had married the light in themselves to the dark, and become more complete for it, but the idea gave him the confidence to unleash a side of him that he had heretofore had little occasion to. What he was about to do consciously, as opposed to what he believed was instinctual in Plo and Mace and Dooku, was perhaps a step beyond what they did, but he had enough faith in himself and in the nature of the Force to simply choose, and act, in alignment with his desires and intentions, without fear that he was walking the dark path.

**

Darth Maul had never met a truly worthy opponent. The only single entity he feared in combat was his Master, the Dark Lord. The encounter with the old Jedi on Tatooine had been entertaining for the few moments it had lasted, but now that he had been fighting the man for an extended amount of time, Maul found himself slightly disappointed. He had even held back, just a little, on the slash that had half-blinded the old man: had to keep things interesting, after all. Maul wanted the Jedi to be fully aware that the hour of their doom was at hand, that this day was only the beginning of a new era, one that would see all Jedi either dead or swearing their fealty to the Dark Lord.

As he whirled his double-bladed lightsaber, effortlessly batting aside the clumsy strikes of the young Jedi and the faltering attempts of the older, Maul allowed himself to admit that the very ease that made this experience somewhat lackluster was also proof of how powerful he had become under his Master?s tutelage, proof of the superiority of the Sith. His complete domination of this battle was in its way exhilarating.

But this particular game, Maul decided, had gone on quite long enough.

With the Jedi attacking him from both sides, he gathe

 

So Qui-Gon tapped into the dark side of himself...very interesting. Loved Darth Maul's reaction though.

Nice update

 

Thanks.

And maybe I'll be able to stay on schedule after all. Part 3 is finished, slightly longer than 2 but shorter than 1.

I think I've decided that Nightfall will be shorter than I'd originally planned, a prelude to set up the basic premise I originally mentioned, before I launch into my own reworking of the PT.

Other than that, this is just a shameless bump... (I'll try to keep these to a minimum).

 

Excellent update! I love the idea of Qui-Gon tapping into the darkside. It makes perfect sense when considering his views of the Force. The space battle is getting better too. I eagerly wait for more!

 

This is really good, I'm lovin' it. My favorite is the way you let Artoo speak.

 

Yay, a new reader!

Thanks a bunch. I'm having fun with Artoo, yeah. Seems like he's always had a bit of an attitude, so I though it might be interesting to try tackling it directly.

 

THREE

Theed Reactor Complex

Darth Maul hesitated for the briefest of moments, surprised by the raw power he felt emanating from the old Jedi. Where had this come from? It was as if he had cast off the chains of light that, in Maul?s limited experience fighting Jedi, restrained their true potential. He wanted to savor it, this life, but remembered his task, and swung down his blade ?

And the Jedi blocked it, and pushed back.

Maul was able to absorb some of the telekinetic shove, merely backpedaling instead of sprawling, but he was still enraged with himself for the instant of weakness he had just displayed. Baring his teeth, he charged the Jedi, still maintaining the awareness to direct another blast of power behind him. Maul smiled inwardly as he heard the younger Jedi curse and fall again, then stabbed high with his lightsaber. The old man parried the attack with ease, but it had merely been a feint and Maul delivered the blow he?d truly meant to: a powerful knee strike to the abdomen that should have doubled his foe over.

But it didn?t. The Jedi moved with the strike, hopping back and showing no signs of having been truly hurt by it.

By now the younger Jedi had closed in again, and Maul found himself beset on both sides once more. It was still easy enough, but in the corner of his mind, he felt for the first time that things were not going according to plan.

**

Obi-Wan Kenobi liked to think that he was quite skilled with a lightsaber. He was strong and very fast, and despite the fact that most Masters warned him about being headstrong, he knew he had a clear mind, a focused mind. Even those who thought him hotheaded still praised his swordsmanship. He had out-sparred many of the Padawans who were around his age, and even several Knights. Once, he?d even managed to singe Master Windu?s robe, even if the burn was barely noticeable to an eye not aided by the Force. And he could get the better of his own Master almost half of the time they sparred, these days.

But right now, Obi-Wan felt almost useless. Another thing he felt was his jaw hanging open, even as he continued to attack the Sith Lord. These blows were becoming less frequent as even Obi-Wan began to grow weary, but that was no object because their adversary seemed to be devoting less and less attention to him. Rather, most of the time he was facing Qui-Gon. And what both the Sith and the Padawan saw there was what had Obi-Wan gaping dumbly.

The green lightsaber blade seemed to be everywhere in front of his Master, giving Obi-Wan only the barest glimpses of Qui-Gon?s face and limbs as the latter wove a wall of energy, but not just a wall ? this one pushed forward inexorably, like the sides of a garbage compacter. He had never seen Qui-Gon fight like this before; in fact, the only time he?d ever seen a blade move that quickly was on the rare occasion that he and other Padawans could sneak glances of Master Yoda doing some training of his own. First it was coming from high and left, then from the far right, in a strike that seemed too wide to get through the Zabrak?s lightning-quick defenses, but rose at the last possible moment as if to cleave back down, but in the next blink of an eye somehow appeared at foot-level, rising in an uppercut from which the dark warrior had to jerk his head back, sparing his chin by mere millimeters.

The Sith Lord, in turn, had somehow found new reserves of ferocity, and was tearing his weapon through ever-faster flurries, offensive and defensive both. As Qui-Gon pushed him back, he kept his footing and was able to keep Obi-Wan moving in the same direction. A glance over his shoulder showed the Padawan that they were slowly inching toward a series of energy walls ? a plasma purifying room, it looked like.

While waiting onboard the Queen?s ship on Tatooine Obi-Wan had perused various maps and blueprints in its databanks. He remembered that in the reactor facilities the engineers melted chromium in deep pits to separate impurities from it.

 

Once again you've managed to keep me on my toes! This fight is getting more and more suspenseful. I love the inner thoughts and reactions of each of the combatants. Though I know Obi is going to die I am still dreading it. I eagerly wait for more!

 

Oh the suspense is killing me...but you're doing a nice job on the battle scene.

enjoyed the update

 

Loved the fight scene, and thanks for the PM!

 

Thanks, folks! I'm working on the Anakin update as I type. And as for Obi-Wan's death, I think I've got it all figured out in my mind's eye... it's just the execution (no pun intended...) that I have to figure out.

 

Finally got around to stalking you around here... Anyways, love your description! The Anakin/Artoo duo works really well (midget vs midget). I love the part with the intertial compensators! Really brings a different view to Anakin's "powers". Interested to see where this is going!

 

I've taken the liberty of basically rewriting Anakin's starfighter heroics to make them a bit more believable. Hope you don't mind. And I hope that it actually is more believable...


FOUR

Space battle, over Naboo

Anakin threw the fighter into a barrel roll, barely avoiding a burst of blasterfire from a droid. He was getting better at this, as the Naboo squadrons got closer and closer to the droid control ship. But he knew that he was also running out of tricks.

[DON?T YOU HAVE ANYTHING NEW?]

Worse, R2-D2 knew it too.

[WE?RE NOT EXACTLY MOVING AWAY FROM DANGER HERE. ONE OF THESE VULTURES IS GOING TO SEE THROUGH YOUR TRICKS, EVENTUALLY.]

?What do you want from me?? Anakin demanded. ?I?m nine kriffing years old!?

No words scrolled across his screen in response, but from the starfighter?s speakers came a series of whistles and beeps that sounded like someone was laughing at him. Anakin didn?t even bother telling Artoo to shut up. He just sighed.

?We?re well within the battleship?s effective firing range, Bravo Lead,? came one of the other pilots? voices over the squadron channel. ?What now?? As if in answer, a barrage of heavy laser fire suddenly rained upon the squadron Anakin was tailing, from the direction of the droid control ship. Three fighters disappeared in balls of fire. Anakin felt a weird tightness ? a pain ? somewhere inside, and the other pilots cried out in surprise and grief. He felt his jaw clench in anger.

Ric Olie cursed. ?Whatever we do, we?d better do it quick,? he said. Anakin remembered again Qui-Gon and Captain Panaka talking about how the Naboo security forces weren?t meant for fighting wars?

[ANAKIN!] There was a sudden screech over the cockpit speakers from Artoo, and then a flash of light ?

Anakin tried to wrench the fighter through evasive maneuvers, but the quad laser blast was too close.

[PAY ATTENTION!] Artoo was saying, even as Anakin cursed himself for getting caught up in his thoughts and his fighter went spinning out of control.

Red alarm lights were flashing inside the cockpit, and he couldn?t hear Artoo?s whistles and beeps anymore but there was a loud siren that Anakin realized was a damage control alarm. He looked at his displays: shields gone, with the generator burned out ? that couldn?t be good ? and some major overheating, plus the port side blaster cannon damaged beyond repair. Some engine damage, too, but if he needed to he could limp away from this. There was just that little matter of not getting hit?

[I SAID PAY ATTENTION!] came another message across his com screen.

Anakin glanced up and saw that they were about to go into a really, really big? door?

No, wait a minute, that thing off to the side looked familiar ? kind of like a giant or close-up version of the docking claw on the ?

Oh. Oh, poodoo?

**

?Bravo Leader! One of ours just flew into the frelling hangar! Bravo down in the enemy hangar!?

Ric Olie grimaced. ?We can?t do anything about him, Bravos!? he said stiffly. Inside, he added, And his luck might even be better than ours?

They just couldn?t get through the deflector shields on this monster, and even if they could, they were hopelessly outnumbered. It was hard to believe that there were still as many Naboo pilots alive as his HUD was telling him. Now that they were close to the battleship, though, they were actually getting less harassment from the starfighters. The N-1 wasn?t particularly powerful, but it was maneuverable enough to get in close to the cannon fixtures where shields were thin or nonexistent, and land shots there. The Vultures? programming wouldn?t let them in quite that close, lest stray shots from their superior weaponry do unwanted damage.

Still? hundreds of the combat-programmed Vultures against a few dozen air-show-and-security pilots who might as well be green recruits as far as real combat experience went?

Yep, whoever made it into the battleship defini

 

Watto would kill to have that, uh, whatever it was over in the corner. Hey, I might even kill for that?

Anakin got a little distracted there, huh?

great update, but are the cliffies really necessary?

Looking forward to more,

 

Sorry, I, uh, yeah... I'll have to work on that. Starting to get tedious, is it? Now that I think about it, maybe it's not the best writing tactic, but once I get through this whole Naboo thing that should [hopefully] change.

Just one more duel post to come, I promise.

So let me ask you guys - do you want a denoument for the battles, or would you prefer that once the Jedi/Sith fight is over, I fast-forward to something that's not in the movie?

I know it seems to be moving slowly, and I really do apologize... like I said, just one more post of stuff we've already seen. And since it's fall break over here, I might even have it up within a day or two.

 

AND THE MAKER SAID, LET THERE BE LIGHT!

I had to stop and catch my breath after that one! I don't think you're moving too slow, it's your story, tell it the way you want to!

 

FIVE

Theed Palace reactor complex

Darth Maul grinned as they came up on the gates ? six, to represent the Naboo legend of six gates holding back all of chaos.

How fitting.

He could feel the surge building within the melting pit. The mounting power. It was a beautiful thing. Parry ? riposte ? parry ? parry ? riposte ? attack ? As he continued to fend off the Jedi ? though now, to his chagrin, attacks were getting through to scorch his tunic and even burn his skin ? Maul began to focus his attention on the control panel to the side of the gate, where an engineer could manually close or open them. A mere telekinetic tug or push probably wouldn?t be enough to get all six open at once, Maul reasoned, but a more dramatic use of his power might suffice, and would perhaps throw these Jedi dogs off-guard.

This was where it was going to get truly difficult. Maul snapped out a kick at the younger Jedi, throwing his legs wide and putting him off-balance, before completing that spin to hammer into the old man?s shin with the same foot. For a heartbeat Maul had enough of a reprieve to shift his grip on his weapon to one hand, twirling it in a fairly simple but very quick defensive routine, just a constant rotation of his wrist back and forth to keep his attackers at bay while in his other hand, he gathered power. His Master had not yet seen fit to teach him this particular technique, but he had demonstrated it enough ? on Maul, mostly ? for Maul to have picked up on the particular resonance it made in the Force.

The surge was coming quickly ? time to act.

Maul continued his whirlwind spins, expending surplus energy just to keep the blades moving quickly enough that the Jedi wouldn?t risk an attack for fear of having their own lightsabers batted wide. He couldn?t keep this up for long, and knew that the Jedi were counting on that, but he didn?t need to. Just a few? more? seconds?

He started to slow down, so he could shift some of the Force energy he was using on that to speed up his actual reflexes. As he turned around and around, he started to orient himself to the control panel. In his mind he visualized a line of power binding him to it, a channel along which he could easily send his focused energy.

And then, he brought his spin to the first phase of its conclusion, leveling the blades of his lightsaber and slashing out wide, sending both Jedi hopping back for just a moment. As the spin brought him to face the panel, he extended his free hand, and crackling arcs of red electricity surged into being, joining hand and panel visibly along that previously only-mental channel. The burst of lightning lasted for no more than a second, as his continuing spin eventually broke the current, but the power itself was enough. The gates shut down in rapid succession, until the path to the melting pit was open and clear. The second stage of his grand finale, one final rotation, allowed him to snap out some slashes at the Jedi Master ? the old man was slowing down, now; the power he was channeling was beginning to take its toll ? to keep him back just an instant longer, and once Maul?s spin finally ended, with him facing the apprentice, he extended his free hand again, this time falling back on telekinesis, and hurtling the Jedi through the narrow hallway, running forward as he did so, sustaining the shove, forcing the old man to pursue him, until he reached the end of the hall ?

- and the young Jedi kept going, over the pit, following his lightsaber, which had been thrown from his grasp to clatter against the far wall and land on the floor ?

- as a burst of superheated plasma roared up from below as if from the depths of some mythical hell, scorching the Padawan?s flesh and drawing forth a howl of agony as he continued to fly back, thumping against the wall and collapsing in a smoking heap beside his weapon. Clumps of the melted chromium had flown up with the fire, and clung to his body now, continuing to burn, even as he clawed at his eyes and tore at his clothing.