Before Padawan of Qui-Gon (AU - Qui-Gon, various Jedi, lots of OCs) / Author's note 12/08

Title: Padawan of Qui-Gon
Author: Kestrel_Kenobi
Characters: Qui-Gon Jinn, Yoda, lots of OCs.
Timeframe: Pre-TPM.
Genre: Horror, mystery, angst, drama and maybe a smidge of mush!
Summary: In brief, an AU about a young(ish) Qui-Gon and his first apprentice.

With thanks to the Qui-Gon discussion thread!


Prologue

?Help me,? Li?annaka Lys screamed as she thrashed wildly in the dank water.

Frantic desperation had taken hold of the young girl and it was growing harder and harder for her to keep her head above the water, to breathe in the clear air.

Instead she found herself taking in huge mouthfuls of the cold lake.

She choked and heaved as the water filled her lungs.

Tired, so tired

Her eyes began to close as she started to give in.

Unexpectedly, a voice trickled into her head.

Concentrate Li?annaka, focus

Her eyes sprung open.

In one last effort she summoned all her concentration and called upon the Force for help. Using it to push herself to the surface she gave a last futile call.

?Help,? her voice came out strangely quiet and was lost among the reeds.

Hold on young one, hold on

But she couldn?t: tired, cold and weighted down by the water all she could feel was despair.

I can?t? I?m sorry

The hope she had felt quickly slipped away as she vanished beneath the surface.

****

Not far away Qui-Gon Jinn was running. Running as he had never done before.

In the dim light worry shone though his pale face; his usual calm eyes heavy with pain.

Unconsciously, the Jedi spoke out loud as he ran.

I?m coming...I?m coming

The words fell from his lips over and over as if a sacred mantra.

But words alone couldn?t save her.

I always enjoy a Qui-Gonn fanfic can't wait to see more.




Emporer Gerner Dark Lord of the Sith

a great opening! short but VERY powerful... i really look forward to seeing where you going with this!

Yippee!

It's another Qui-Gon story from Kes.

You know you gotta PM me when you update.

Wow! Gripping start! Really wonderful how you've put across the frantic emtions of both Master and Padawan in just a little bit. I can't wait to see more!

Oh, Kestrel I'm captivated! Very interesting beginning!
Can't wait to read more!

But words alone couldn?t save her.

*shivers* Run, Qui-Gon, run! You've packed quite a powerful punch in this opening, Kes. I felt like I was in the story, and I'll wait with baited breath until the next post.

Eep, trouble!

I'm terribly curious. What's going to happen next?

Please update soon, Ketrel! You've begun this one marvelously!

Very captivating!

Concentrate Li?annaka, focus

Hold on young one, hold on
But she couldn?t: tired, cold and weighted down by the water all she could feel was despair.
I can?t? I?m sorry

The emotion, the suspence...How can you leave us hanging like this? Well done, great cliffie!

Will you please PM me when you update?

Ooh, quite an intense beginning! I hope Qui gets there in time, and she holds on a little longer.

If you have a pm list, please add me. Great beginning! I look forward to more!

Thanks to all of you who read and enjoyed the prologue . I hope you?ll like the following chapter just as much. In honor of my birthday I thought I?d post something light and fluffy. Then I changed my mind and thought I?d post this instead ! Thanks to my lovely beta Nienna
Enjoy?


Take a step outside yourself
And turn around
Take a look at who you are
It?s pretty scary ~ Nirvana.

Six months earlier?

The young Padawan and her Master Freja Roske sat together on their spacecraft.
Li?annaka was glad she had taken her Master?s advice to dress warmly; it was indeed cold up here.

?Well Li how does it feel? A real mission at last.?

Li?annaka flashed her Master a warm smile. It felt as if she had been waiting a lifetime to be somewhere other than the Jedi Temple. Now, her wish finally granted, she was allowed to go with her Master. They were heading for Tshkii, a small planet made up of swamps with small colonies scattered throughout.

?I?m afraid it won?t be quite as exciting as you?re hoping though, Padawan.? Master Roske turned her three eyes onto the youngling. ?These disputes are quite common.?

Li?annaka repressed a sigh.

Why did every Master have to constantly repeat themselves?

Master Roske regarded her young padawan with a mixture of amusement and frustration. So eager were these younglings to know it all.

Running before you can walk I see, Master Yoda would often tell the young and not so young Jedi.

?Well, then Li?annaka. Why don?t you tell me about this mission?? She glanced at the child. ?Then you won?t have to listen to me repeating myself.

Li, she noted, had the decency to blush.

Li?annaka started to speak in the monotone voice of someone who has committed something to memory without really knowing what she was saying. Master Roske sighed inwardly; the child still had much to learn. Too often did she rush in heedlessly without really thinking, but Li was young and Freja was certain it would not be long before patience could be added to the list of her Padawan?s virtues.

Freja turned her attention to Li?s speech.

?The Hakiana are a primitive race, divided into many tribes throughout the planet of Tshkii. They are able to grow and trade many staple foods, such as rice, haki beans, ini shoots and so forth in the watery swamps surrounding their homes?? She stopped abruptly.

?What is it, Li?annaka??

?Water, I didn?t think before?I can?t swim.? Li looked down, blushing for the second time that day.

Master Roske looked surprised.

?Didn?t you have lessons when you were in the crèche?? she asked patiently.

?Yes, but I was terrible?I used to keep one leg on the bottom and shift along.?

Master Roske suppressed a smile.

?Well, Li, although the waters here are not deep, that is a problem and something we?ll have to work on when we return home.?

?Yes, Master.? Li?annaka stared at the floor miserably.

The Gran leant towards Li, her eyes unblinking.

?To be honest, I?m not much of a swimmer myself,? she whispered placing a hand on the young girl?s shoulder. ?We?ll practice together.?

?Yes, Master.? Li lifted her eyes and smiled. She had always felt grateful that she had been apprenticed to such a gentle Master.

?That?s better Li?annaka. Now you should get some rest before we arrive.?

Li?annaka nodded and closed her eyes as she leant back comfortably into her chair.

****

Present day?

Li?annaka?this is what you deserve?this is your ending.

As Li sank beneath the water, the voice rang in her ears. A harsh, inhuman voice burning with rage and hatred. She had thought it would leave her now, but even in her last seconds of life the darkness was there?inside her. Taunting her.

At the same second Li let go of life, Qui-Gon jumped fully clothed into the Temple Lake.

The darkness laughed at him.

Fool.

?Li?annaka!? the Jedi called as he swam. Reaching into the Force, he felt her prese

Unravel this mystery we will.
hmm, I wonder what's going on? Great post please continue!!

I'm so glad to see this up! You have a very intriguing story here, Kes. I wonder what that voice is and why it calls Li a murderer...

Wonderful! Wonderful! As always.

great work kes! i love what you're doing with this! it's very different in style and quite intriguing!

Hmmmm, now I'm interested. I see guilt in this OC. I wonder where this is going?

As sleep took over, the voice inside her head, the darkness, whispered to her once more?

Murderer.

That's not good. Take a head count, who's missing?

Now my curiosity has the better of me, can't wait for the next update.

She's safe!

This is very interesting. Mystery, indeed. So, Li first had another master...

Master Roske regarded her young padawan with a mixture of amusement and frustration.

So here's my theory:
... whom I'm assuming die- (oh, ok, lets do it properly) - whom I'm assuming 'became one with the Force'. Ok, so it could be that I'm completely wrong and way off here - but it would explain some (unjust) feelings of guilt, especially if Li was there when it happened, and it would explain Qui-Gon being her master now.
I won't even try to get into the mystrious voice thing going on - that's beyond my meager padawan comprehension.

Can't wait to be proven wrong! So, awaiting the next great update.

breathing life back into her

Well done, Qui-Gon! I love when he's being superhero

padawan_learner86's theory is very interesting..

And I think if Yoda says this mystery is going to be solved you have no choice, but to..
write more! Soon!

oh great work!

this has got spark and tension! a real nail biter!

evil bunnies shall take over the boards!

pm me with updates lady!

You had to leave it there, didn't you?!
But wow! the tension is definately still there!
Come back to this soon, its really not safe to leave it alone with me and my twisted ponderings!

micky-nikki - Thank you! I wonder what's going on? Stay tuned!

Nienna - Thank you m'dear.

obi - it's very different in style and quite intriguing - Thanks, that's what I'm aiming for!

ardavenport - Thanks for reading.

Aya-Na_Bashu - Take a head count, who's missing? Ah, you'll have to wait and see!

padawan_learner86 - Good theory - I'm giving nothing away however!

Mind_Tricked - More coming soon!

JL- evil bunnies shall take over the boards! Indeed! Thanks for reading.

stella - thanks sis - I rather look forward to hearing about your twisted ponderings!

Thanks for reading everyone - I should have an update for you soon.

I'm intrigued. Can't wait for the next post

Black_Scout - Thank you! It's all written, just awaiting betaing and should be up soon.

Thanks for reading!

Ooh, I wonder what, or who, this dark voice is. Poor Li wants to die?? I'm guessing she has quite some guilt from something, maybe her previous Master's passing. Love Qui's devotion to her, single-mindedly going after Li. Hmm, so something is going on it seems, as Yoda and Qui hinted. Wonder what's happening, and if it is closely connected to Li.

Thanks for the pm! Looking forward to more!

Note: Sorry guys - I had hoped to update by now . Although I have a couple of posts written I need to re-think the order in which I'm going to post...Sorry to keep you all hanging on, but there should be an update soon.

I've also been very busy getting the new obi thread up and running which you should all come and check out!


Jedi_Tigris - Loved hearing your thoughts! & thanks for reading...glad you're enjoying it.