Qui-Gon Jinn: 30 years before TPM

YOUNG QUI-GON: INDEPENDENCE
30 YEARS BEFORE TPM

Hunched over a mug, its contents bubbling in a furious brew, the details of the mans face weren?t evident. A slight silhouette was cast on the dust and grime encrusted wall of the cantina. Even that didn?t revealed much about the man?s identity, only that he was drowning in a sea of his own emotions.

Most of the Rusted Fists? inhabitants paid little attention to the pityful man whose slight rocking back-and-forth were the only signs that he was still living. His strong, large hands encompassed the dirty mug which wore the scars of previous drinkers? mistreatment. A lock of the mans curly brown hair fell over where his eyes should, logically, be. Stifling a grunt, the man pushed it back with a flick of his hand, his facial features appearing and disappearing as he assumed his hunched position once more.

But Qui-Gon Jinn didn?t care

He could read the man like a book. Even from across the bar in a totally separate booth.

Closing his eyes, the young Jedi Knight stretched out with the force, letting all his other emotions and thoughts drift away into nothingness. He moved his way through the web of the mystical energy field, searching the emotions of the hunched man.

Feelings were brought into Qui-Gon?s mind as they were felt from the other mans. Love lost. Danger. Lost hope. Hate. Resentment. Spite. All mixing in a cocktail which resulted in the blubbering man which sat there now, his eyes not moving from the contents of his drink.

Qui-Gon opened his eyes and eased his body back into a relaxed state. Running a hand through his short brown hair, with recently cut padawan braid, he searched the cantina with his bright eyes. A small goatee beard was assembling on his chin after weeks of living on his current planet. Dressed in the red/black suit of local pilots, Qui-Gon had assumed the identity of a normal Reecee citizen. The only reminder of his previous duties was his green lightsaber, strapped to his belt underneath his outfit.

He enjoyed coming here to the cantina. He loved watching creatures walking about and picking up their emotions. It was a skill he had long since mastered but was never allowed to do in the field.

Which was part of the reason he was here

Master Yoda would have frowned on his behaviour. As would most of the council. Qui-Gon didn?t care much for the council and their strict penalties and procedures.

Right now, in fact, he was scheduled to meet with his first padawan learner, Xanatos, to carry on the tradition passed that was passed to him. He had spent many years travelling the galaxy with his master, learning the tricks of the trade. However, his use of the force was restricted due to council guidelines.

Never was he allowed to search the feelings of another creature, or use a jedi mind trick to his advantage. Qui-Gon never understood these regulations so just ignored them. But the penalties for such were harsh; he had been scolded several times by his master for his extensive use of the force.

Qui-Gon Jinn never understood rules when they restricted the use of something that was generally used for the common good.

That?s why he was here.

Away from rules and restrictions. Where he could explore the force in a new environment. Qui-Gon longed for adventure. He longed for inner-harmony.

A spacer, a rodian, entered, a blaster holstered on his hip. Qui-Gon twisted his lip in a tight knot. He knew the rodian had more in mind than a drink.

?Ba-ta chuta, mun gurta furle,? the rodian spat at the bartender in his native tongue, bringing his blaster up to head level, waving it around threateningly.

Master Yoda and his new assistant, Jedi Windu, would be most displeased with his abandonment of duty. Qui-Gon knew that when he hid aboard The Scarlet Jewel luxery liner and stole away to his current destination, Reecee.

He would return when he was ready. Qui-Gon believed he could never teach an apprentice how to survive in the galaxy when he had never experienced it for himself.

Flipping a credit chip onto the b

 

Great job, stinrab! Wow... can't wait to read more.

 

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Trika

 

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the bad News: Now you have to write more!

 

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see ya
Kithera
Not a saint but a seeker

 

************

Twang!

Phisss!

The shimmering blade of Qui-Gon?s saber glowed an eery green in the darkness of his bunkroom. He wore a simple singlet-top and grey slacks, his pilot uniform lay crumpled in a corner. Before him a holo-projected enemy stood, poised to attack. The holo-enemy curled back like a cat, its dark cape billowing in front from a wind that didn?t exist.

Sweat trickled down the young Jedi Knights? face, etching an intricate, almost artistic, pattern. He moved his saber cautiously from left to right, trying to anticipate the coordinated attack of his enemy. He had fought this battle countless times before but his concentration was still as firm and crisp as if it was his first.

Moving around in a semi-circle around his opponent, Qui-Gon bit his lower lip in thought as his eyes stared at the black cloaked figure. The enemy was watching him move with bright yellow eyes, tracing his movements around the room like a silent predator. A silent spectre .The room existed in such a confined space that it made it difficult for him to wage his war, but he tried his best.

A Jedi Knight must be prepared for all possibilities, must anticipate every move, must use his environment to his advantage

Qui-Gon?s eyes narrowed in concentration, Yoda?s words echoing through his head in a constant drum. Kicking his small bunk up against the wall, he opened up more dueling room for himself.

Easing his tense muscles, the young man closed his eyes and stretched out with his feelings. He felt the force run through him like a river of joy through his veins. A sense of calm and relaxation filled him, a smile curling up his lips. Qui-Gon was now one with the force.

The attack came.

The dark figure whooshed forward, his blaster firing harmless holographic laser bolts towards the Jedi in a rapid succession. Qui-Gon didn?t need to move at all, he was totally emersed in the force. The force moved his hands in a quick motion, sending the ?blaster bolts? back towards its owner.

The enemy fell to the ground, rolling away from the return fire. Bringing up his blaster once more he fired again at the Jedi, desperately trying to score a hit.

But to no avail.

Qui-Gon pushed himself off the ground, flipping himself upside down so his feet were touching the concrete roof. The force guiding him, he did a complete flip over his enemy; ending up behind him.

The enemy turned on his heel to face his opponent, hissing rapidly like a savage beast, but it was too late. With a quick click of his fingers, Qui-Gon switched the holo?s activation switch into the off position.

The enemy flickered for a few seconds before completely disappearing.

Shutting down his lightsaber, he strapped the weapon cylinder to his belt. Just feeling the cool metal of his saber against his skin sent feelings of comfort and security to the young man. It was a powerful weapon on its own but when commandeered by the force it was perfect.

A loud banging erupted from the floorboards below him, an angry voice rang out, ?Quieten down up there, Core Worlds boy! People are trying to sleep here.?

?Sorry Ruc,? Qui-Gon smiled, picturing the pudgy bald man in the room below pounding his roof with his plump fists.

Picking up his water container from the bed-side table, Qui-Gon ventured over to the window. Although his living quarters were shabby, to say the least, he believed that no price could pay for the view he received.

Swinging his feet over the window frame, he dangled his legs in the free air ninety metres above the ground. He swallowed a small amount of his water, savouring every millilitre of it as it trickled down his throat. It didn?t matter if he was stuck in the middle of space, as long as he had water and the force Qui-Gon believed he could survive it.

The force is your ally. And a powerful ally it is

Qui-Gon smiled as he remembered when Yoda had said that. His little green ears drooping and bright blue eyes widening as his words carved into the minds of everyone who listened. Yoda was one of the most influential people Qui-Gon had ever met; meeting him for a

 

<<Good job once again, stinky! Can't wait till the next post >>

 

Whoohoo!

 

This is so cool!

 

The next part will be posted soon. Hope your enjoying it still

 

****************
Night slowly turned into day. The orange sun cast its light across the beautiful forests and intricately designed cities as it rose over the Mandu Mountains and its ice cliffs. Indeed, many had lost their lives on those cliffs as they fell down to the icy water and jagged rocks below to a certain death.

Life in the city of Reecee Prime resumed to its usual tedious hum. Small, sleek spacecrafts dotted the air as they left and entered the squat spaceport, going about their business without a care in the galaxy. Well, at least not a care for others.

People walked down the lush green streets of the city, dodging the various vendors and homeless vermin. Sara Orbtrailer weaved her way in and out of the street traffic, narrowly missing the hood of a green/yellow landspeeder. Despite her near-death encounter, Sara kept a steady pace. Conformity was the key- if she didn?t look like a resident of the city then she would be spotted easily.

Luckily for her, most of the passersby didn?t give her a second glance. Looking at her shabby clothes and dirt-encrusted skin it was easy to see why- most people saw the homeless as the scum of the universe. Many stories of cannibals lurking the alleyways of the city made sure that that stereotype remained.

While Sara was thankful for not being given a second glance, she still missed the stares most men gave her when she was dressed in normal clothes. It wasn?t out of the ordinary for men to ask her if she wanted to share a drink with them. But now, she couldn?t afford that.

Sara?s eyes darted from side to side nervously, on the lookout for any signs of danger or recognition. She hoped that her ?disguise? would fool even Vorn.

The Rusted Fist came into view. It was a shabby looking cantina; its concrete structure held the scars of many blaster bolts and storms. Chunks of concrete and rock had fallen out of the cantinas? wall and lay idly on the ground. Various spacers, traders, drunks and vermin darted in and out of the entrance. With this motley crew of cantina regulars, Sara believed she would fit right in.

She paused as she reached the entrance, whispering a small prayer. Sara hoped and prayed that the Jedi would be here and that he would be willing to help. She knew it was a lot to ask but she didn?t really have any options.

The Jedi were peacekeepers afterall. Protectors of the innocent.

Sara hoped that applied to her as well.

************
The Twi?lek was in a bit of a turmoil. Qui-Gon could tell that without even using the force. The tentacle-headed aliens' face bore the look of badly-hidden suffering. Immersing himself in the force, he discovered that the twi?leks? lover was sick; struck down by the rili-flu. While he hadn?t much experience in the subject, Qui-Gon knew that the rili-flu was almost always fatal.

Speaking of fatal, Qui-Gons? danger sense picked up anger from a spacer at the bar. It seemed he had a bad day and the fact that he got the wrong drink just topped it off. Stretching out with the force, Qui-Gon sent the spacer feelings of respect, courage and acceptance. Within seconds the man had changed from anger-driven to a calm, patient demeanour.

Qui-Gon loved this. Not only was he free to use the force as he wished but he was also helping the ordinary citizens of the galaxy. He started wondering if he should ever return to Coruscant. To the trials and hardships of being a member of the Jedi Order. Why should he? He loved living a free life.

His attention was quickly drawn to a young woman who had just entered the cantina. Even though she wore a shabby, tight bodysuit and her skin was caked in mud Qui-Gon found himself attracted to her. Her shoulder-length blonde hair was pulled back in a tight knot behind her head. He could just tell a beautiful woman lived underneath the layers of dirt and soot.

But underneath her skin was the scars of incredible pain. Qui-Gon felt, through the force, the fear that filled her every cell. She was hiding something that was slowly eating away at her emotional state.

The womans eyes met with his momentarily. He

 

?My name is Bendu,? Qui-Gon introduced himself with his false identity

The young Qui-Gon was a lot like I used to be

Good stuff, stin!

 

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The sunlight outside the Rusted Fist burned into Qui-Gons? eyes. He had spent most of the morning inside the cantina so his eyes had become adjusted to its? low-lit darkness; walking outside in the hottest part of the day made his vision all blurry. Even now the Reecee sun was still rising in the clear emerald sky.

Rubbing his eyelids delicately with his fingertips, Qui-Gon surveyed the small street in front of him. People of many species, droids of different makes and land-craft of every kind dotted the lush grassy street. The buildings were built from either natural timber from the mandu pines or slabs of concrete and rock, making them blend in perfectly with the forest around them. Most of the upper class buildings were made from a combination of both- extra protection from some of Reecees? natural predators.

Stretching his arms, feeling the blood rush back into them, Qui-Gon started his search for Sara. His eyes, still recovering from the sudden change of light, were having trouble picking up any signs of the mysterious woman. He thought about calling her name but decided against it- she seemed extremely worried about being recognised and he didn?t want to endanger her.

He didn?t need to.

?Bendu,? came a soft voice from a dark alley way between the Rusted Fist and the next building; a mandu florist. ?Over here.?

Her voice was so soft and enchanting that it reminded the young Jedi of a tale he?d once heard from a spacer. Some story about mythological creatures called ?sirens? whose beautiful voices proved irresistible to anyone passing by. So drawn to them, the victims would be sucked in by the Sirens who would then feast on their flesh. Qui-Gon bit his lip in grim horror as he wondered what it would be like to have bits of yourself torn off while you were still alive.

Qui-Gon pushed the imagery out of his mind. He had to keep his mind on this Sara Orbtrailer and her plight. Or whatever it was she needed him for. Even though he wasn?t operating under official law, Qui-Gon still followed the guidelines for normal Jedi. That included helping and protecting the innocent.

Whether Sara Orbtrailer was innocent was not yet known. Qui-Gon decided he would find that out in time.

Walking down into the darkness of the alleyway, he found he had to readjust his eyes again. Damn, he thought, my eyes had just recovered too.

Various alien smells flowed into Qui-Gons nostrils as reached Sara. Some smells were pleasant, others unappealing while some made his stomach twist. Even though his stomach had felt twisted the minute he saw Sara glide into the cantina.

Sara sat crouched on the damp ground, her small curvy figure barely visible. It was almost as if all sunlight avoided this alleyway. She glanced around to make sure they were alone, as normal, before she started speaking.

?This is probably going to be the safest place on Reecee for us to talk. Vorn would probably even have the forest bugged,? Sara whispered, her bright blues made Qui-Gons? heart turn to jelly, ?That?s if the Crawlers didn?t get us first.?

Qui-Gon forced the image of Crawlers- large, building sized insects that lived in the forests of Reecee whom had a taste for anything that moved- out of his mind. He?d heard tales of them too. Tales that he had no desire hearing again.

?This Harskla Vorn you speak of, the pirate leader, has a large network here on Reecee?? Qui-Gon asked, his eyes fixated on the beautiful woman in front of him, ?You speak of him like he was the leader of a criminal empire.?

?In essence he is. He started as a small outer-rim pirate, attacking cargo ships and such. Vorn than moved on to bigger quarry- shipyards, diplomat transports and Republic Cruisers,? Sara explained, her face deadly serious, ?Vorn has an army of men which could rival any planets?. And his men aren?t normal low brow soldiers- these are professional warriors and pilots.?

?How did he acquire an army so big?? Qui-Gon asked her, ?And without the Republic knowing about it.?

?The republic know about it alright,? Sara said, her lips slowly creeping into a grin, ?I woul

 

Wow! This is cool!

Trika

 

What Trika said.

 

Same.