Unknown Roads: Qui-Gon's Journey to Knighthood **Completed 4/3**

Blood.

The IV hung from its rack, swinging slightly as though a breeze had broken into the small bedroom. The thin, red tube ran its way from the small bag into an older man?s arm as he lay inert on the sleep-couch. His skin was an unhealthy yellow, indicating the jaundice brought by his failing liver. A medical technician stood to the side of the sleep-couch, taking notes of his heart beat and shallow breathing. He heaved a quiet sigh that echoed in the silent room and wrote something on the clipboard. Then, the medical technician left the room.

Qui-Gon Jinn looked up from the couch as the technician passed by, paying little attention to him. He was supposed to be in class, except he?d been exempted from them for the day, although the padawan had his suspicions that it would be longer than just today. That was the third technician he?d seen in and out of his master?s room, and even without the Living Force screaming in his head or the distressing silence in his training bond, he knew his master was dying.

However, it wasn?t as though he could claim astonishment at the situation. Riley Giovan had been sick for a long time, at least three years. For a long time during that sickly period, Qui-Gon hadn?t noticed much of a difference between the vivacious and energetic man he?d come to know as his master. The treatments for what the infirmary staff had declared a bacterial infection didn?t slow down Riley, and Qui-Gon?s training had continued as normal.

Then, about four months ago, the padawan had discovered a marked difference. The infection had gotten worse, and whatever treatments his master was receiving had mysteriously ceased to work. Master Giovan was no longer able to keep up with his twenty-year-old padawan. Instead of going on missions or engaging in other more traditional methods of training, it had become part of Qui-Gon?s duties as padawan to care for his master.

Tears beaded in Qui-Gon?s eyes at that thought, though he blinked them away. None of the other padawans understood what it was like to be in his situation. He was simply the one whose master was sick. When he?d arrived at the rooms he shared with Riley, he had known something was wrong. Master Yoda was there, and a medical bed had been placed alongside Master Giovan?s regular sleep-couch, with him unmoving in it. ?In a coma, your master is,? Yoda had informed him, his small features painfully blank and his ears flat and unmoving.

The rest of the night before was a blur of disbelief and people, other Jedi filling the small rooms as though their mere presence could make up for the missing company of Qui-Gon?s beloved master. Yoda had also informed him that he would not be expected to show up at his classes the next day. When Qui-Gon had finally given up and gone to bed, he laid awake for hours, and when he did sleep, it was fitful and shallow.

Qui-Gon huddled down on the couch and curled up, watching the door with half-closed eyes. He was more tired than he could remember being in a long time, but sleep simply wouldn?t come. The padawan?s mind raced through a thousand scenarios. What if his master remained catatonic? What if he died? Would Qui-Gon be assigned to a new master? Would he be forced into the trials? What if his master recovered but was permanently disabled somehow? Qui-Gon drew a long breath and tried to release the questions into the Force. He closed his eyes and simply tried not to think, not to feel, any more.

 

What an intriguing beginning, I don't think I've ever seen a fic like this one before. I'm already looking forward to your next post.

 

Woo-hoo! I have a reader! I haven't seen any recent fics about Qui-Gon that don't directly relate to Obi-Wan, and trust me, I've looked! He's my favorite SW character, as you can probably guess. The only one I've ever seen was a piece by Healer Leona, timed when Qui-Gon was about thirteen or so. So I decided to write my own...

 

*laughs* I love inside jokes.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~

?Qui-Gon? Wake up,? said a soft alto voice. The padawan drifted from sleep, feeling his shoulder being shaken by hand presumably belonging to the mysterious voice.

?Leave me alone,? Qui-Gon replied quietly, trying to roll over on the couch without falling off. He blinked his eyes, momentarily confused by the darkness surrounding him. ?What time is it?? he asked, the sleep fading away with the realization he must have been slumbering for some time. The padawan sat up and rubbed his eyes.

The medical assistant sat back on her heels and waited a moment for Qui-Gon to finish waking up. ?It?s about two in the morning,? she replied. The padawan looked at her and it occurred to him that something was wrong. He hadn?t seen a single member of the medical staff in his rooms past around eight o?clock. The shock must have registered on her face, because she put a hand on his knee and looked into his eyes before telling him, ?Qui-Gon, your master has died. The bacterial infection finally overpowered him. Do you want to say one last good-bye to him??

The world turned sickeningly for a moment, then Qui-Gon stood up slowly. ?Riley,? he whispered, stumbling into his master?s bedroom. He approached the medical bed, so incongruous in his room, his master?s room. Riley?s face was smooth, and it looked to the padawan that he was asleep, except for the yellow tint of the skin and the way he was completely still. Qui-Gon suddenly felt foolish, though. This was nothing to say good-bye to, nothing but an empty shell of the man who used to be his master. He shook his head and turned away.

The medical assistant was standing at the door, looking obviously unsure of what to do. Qui-Gon brushed past her back into the main room, sitting on the couch with his head in his hands. It took a moment for the assistant to realize he was crying, or at the very least, his shoulders were shaking. She walked over and sat down next to him, putting an arm around his shoulders.

?I don?t understand,? the padawan said, drawing a shuddering breath. ?I don?t know why it happened, or what?s supposed to happen to me now. I?ll probably be yanked from here and shoved with someone else. I don?t want someone else.?

?I know it looks bleak now,? the medical assistant told him, ?but the Force has a reason for this, if we can find the understanding in it. The Council may not move you or suggest you?re paired with another master. You just have to wait, for now.?

Qui-Gon shook his head, and she saw tears glistening on his cheeks. ?I don?t understand; this is all I?ve known, all I?ve wanted.? He gave an odd half-sob, half-laugh which was a heart-wrenching sound. ?I don?t even know who you are, and I?m pouring my heart out to you.?

She smiled slightly. ?I?m Aviendha Maralday, an assistant for the infirmary. As for listening, that?s part of what I?m here for. Listen, why don?t you try to get some sleep? Tomorrow will be another long day. The Council will want to see you, and there will probably be a ceremony for your master?s funeral pyre. You will need the rest and the strength.?

Qui-Gon wondered at his ability to do something as mundane as sleep, but he knew her suggestion made sense. ?You?re right,? he said in resignation, ?I think I will try to get some sleep.?

She nodded and turned to leave. ?I?ll probably be in the infirmary if you need anything,? she offered, although it sounded rather futile and hollow. He nodded, and she disappeared out the door. Then, the masterless padawan trudged to his room and curled up on his sleep-couch, silent tears making tracks on his face as his eyes looked towards the empty room, unblinking.

 

You got a new reader! Great story!

 

Yay, two readers!

 

LOL! As you might gather from my signature I'm a bit of a Qui fan myself. Not that I don't love Obi too, but Qui...

Poor Qui-Gon, what a distressing time for him. Now what? I hope the council won't rush him into anything like a new master or the trials. He needs time to find some balance.

I don't see too many young Qui-Gon stories, but I have run across a few. Crash Course, by Chaos is one of my favorites. Lots of action and adventure and even thought it's told from the POV of an FOC she's not a Mary Sue or a love interest. I found it at Qui-Gon online, but I think it may be in the archives here too.
http://www.qui-gonline.org/fanfic/crashcourse1.htm

 

Thanks for the link! That's a great story! I'm on page eight, but the server crashed and I haven't been able to finish it yet... but I will! Post-in-progress for you, will be done soon (I hope).

 

He stared at his wall for a long time, seeing nothing except the memories within his own mind. Qui-Gon also heard the quiet shuffle of feet beyond his door as well, but he knew the others were there to collect Riley?s body and prepare it for his funeral rites. He couldn?t muster the energy to leave his small room or face the people taking away his master. Instead, he remained huddled beneath his blankets, soaking in the warmth that did nothing to touch the profound feeling of hollowness, of being alone, within him.

Qui-Gon awoke the next morning without the memory of falling asleep. His cropped, dark brown hair was tousled and his tunics wrinkled and out of place. Oddly, he felt devoid of feeling. He walked out into the kitchen area, sitting in one of the chairs that surrounded the table. He didn?t know what to think, even though his thoughts raced without much order.

The loneliness was pervasive. The rooms he?d shared with his master for the last six years were too quiet for his comfort; Riley would fill them with idle humming or simply the noise of existence. The silence amplified itself a thousand times over until it weighed as heavily as the blankets that had hidden him the night before. The feeling of the quietness was estranging. Granted that Qui-Gon had never been an overly extroverted initiate, he could almost sense the changes that cloaked him. A permanent rift had formed between him and the other padawans his age. While they continued to grow and flourish beneath the careful eyes of their masters, Qui-Gon had been set adrift with nothing to guide him but remote Jedi and his own memories. It would be difficult to put words to, if Qui-Gon could ever find the strength to say them.

He also felt as if his trust had been shattered. Trust was crucial to the Master-Padawan bond, and even his master?s death was obviously not Riley?s fault, Qui-Gon still felt a little betrayed. Despite the countless dangerous missions he?d been sent on with his master, death had always seemed like something not quite real to the padawan. He had been taught that it was something not to fear but to embrace, but it was still a concept that he?d never faced head on. Now, death was all too real to him, pointedly so by the empty room across the hall.

The promise of a Master-Padawan bond was also one that whispered upon forming a bond, the implied ?I?ll always be there for you until you have to take the Trials by yourself.? Instead, this order had been broken. Master Riley Giovan was gone, one with the Force, and Qui-Gon was still there. More than his master?s actual death, the padawan regretted what would never be. He regretted the fact his master could never congratulate him on passing his Trials or watch as Qui-Gon selected and trained his own padawan. He wouldn?t be there to smile proudly if Qui-Gon was appointed to the Council or comfort him at the passing over of such an honor. Simply, he wouldn?t be there.

No matter what, Qui-Gon realized he would have to be ultra-aware. He doubted that the Council would find him another master. The padawan was simply too old for that, and it would make little sense given that he would be raised to Knighthood in the not-too-distant future. Instead, he would have to fill in the gaps of his knowledge by watching the others around him, seeing what the Knights and Masters did, monitoring what worked and what did not. What would been intrinsic knowledge to other padawans, Qui-Gon would have to learn through hard work and close examination. However, there was no doubt that his training would be somewhat crippled by this. It would affect his future for the rest of his life.

 

You know, you are more likely to get new posts when you respond...

 

LOL, I'm running behind again. I've been trying to help my son with a history report that deals with what the Roman Empire left us. So far we've come up with cement, straight roads, and gladiator movies... somehow I just don't think this is enough to get him a passing grade.

Anyway, back to the story. Poor Qui-Gon, how terrible to feel so alone. A permanent rift had formed between him and the other padawans his age. While they continued to grow and flourish beneath the careful eyes of their masters, Qui-Gon had been set adrift with nothing to guide him but remote Jedi and his own memories. I found this part to be especially moving and he's right in a way. The death of someone close always marks you in a way that someone who hasn't gone through it can't completly understand no matter how sympathetic they may feel. For Qui-Gon who shared a mental bond with his master this must be especially hard and to feel that somehow he will be crippled and less without the training only a master can provide must prove very disheartening for him. But I can't believe the council will just let him flounder until he takes his trials. They must have a plan for him, I just wish they would tell him.

 

Can't help you much with Romans... Although I'm thinking they gave us aquaducts, didn't they? Maybe not.

However, back to the Star Wars Universe, I based it on the idea of a child who's lost a parent. If you've ever seen or met one, you realize that they have to work somewhat crippled, because they don't that parent to watch to see how things are supposed to be done. At all major events: plays, concerts, sporting events, graduations, weddings, they're obviously set apart because that one parent won't be there to see their accomplishments or soothe failures. As for the Council, patience, Abbi_Cee! I think you've been reading my notes...

 

A chime rang, informing Qui-Gon of a visitor at his door. He pulled himself from the tangle of blankets on his sleep-couch and walked slowly to the door. Opening it, he found a younger initiate staring up at him in surprise. The younger girl must not have been any older than ten. Qui-Gon gave a rueful grin, knowing his tunic and leggings were out of place and his traditional ponytail must not have been any neater. ?Can I help you?? he asked the smaller girl, who still looked at him with wide, green eyes.

She started out of her reverie and glanced down at the data pad in her hands. ?Are you Qui-Gon Jinn?? she asked, reading the information from the pad. The girl looked at him with embarrassment. ?If I had known you were still in bed, I wouldn?t have disturbed you,? she added.

?I am he,? Qui-Gon replied, surprised by her last statement. He glanced back in his rooms to check a chronometer. It was almost time for the midday meal, which meant he?d sleep much later than he normally did. He stretched his tall frame like a cat, suddenly feeling stiff and cramped. The girl shied away, her smaller frame looking like a shadow to his taller form and longer limbs. Qui-Gon couldn?t help but wonder if she was even ten; she didn?t move with the fluid grace of a strong warrior. Even for his long, cumbersome limbs, he had a natural grace that surpassed even some of the masters. He just hoped someday he would grow into those limbs.

?The Council has a summons for you,? she said, handing him the data pad. ?They would like to see you this evening.? She continued to eye him, much to Qui-Gon?s amusement. Finally, she seemed to work up the courage to ask him what was bothering her. ?Does your master always let you sleep that late? My teachers would be furious if I were in bed that long!?

Qui-Gon gave her a faint, sad smile at that. ?No, my master doesn?t usually let me sleep that long,? he replied, taking the pad from her and not bothering to correct her. The alienation, however unintentional, had already begun. ?How old are you??

?I?m seven years old,? the girl replied. ?I can?t wait to be old enough to be considered for being a padawan. But I don?t fight well enough yet, or have good control over the Force. I?m afraid I won?t be chosen before I turn thirteen.? Her green eyes shone with hope that touched Qui-Gon. He remembered being afraid of being turned away from the Temple. For as long as he could remember, he?d been wholly dedicated to becoming a Jedi. Riley had chosen him at the age of eleven, long before he had to worry about being turned away. The memory hurt.

He smiled kindly at the younger girl. ?I?m sure you will learn to fight well and have control. Such things take time, but if you have the dedication, they will be mastered.? She gave him a thankful look for the reassurance. ?I?m sure you have other duties besides talking to me, though,? he added.

She nodded quickly then gave a swift bow. ?The Council will be angry if I don?t return to run more errands,? she agreed. ?It was nice to talk with you, although I woke you up.? She turned to walk down the hall.

?It was nice to speak with you as well,? Qui-Gon replied. He watched her disappear, more painful memories clouding his thoughts.

 

The council wants to speak to Qui-Gon? Perhaps about his future? Maybe they have a new master, though that seems a bit sudden. I mean they haven't even thrown the old one on the fire yet. (insert bad joke icon here)

 

*laughs* That's rather humorous! Although, what's really funny is I almost left out the whole funeral pyre scene... I had to go back and add it! I'm a few posts ahead, but I like to write one for every one I post. I tend to be a little bad about not posting for long periods of time, and I'm trying to remedy that.

 

Oooh! I almost missed this, but now I'm jumping in with both feet! What a wonderful (wonderfully sad) beginning, Musical! But do I detect a note of hope here, with this initiate? And do I recognise the name Aviendhar? I can't wait for more! You seem to be hinting that Qui-Gon will not get a new master because he's so close to his Trials, but it doesn't seem right for the Council to set him adrift, as it were. I'd suggest a mentor, somebody that he could check in with at regular intervals, but I wonder which solution you'll come up with. Great writing!

Abbi Cee, don't forget the post, if you haven't already finished the report. The Romans had a well-organised system of delivering letters from governors of outlying provinces to Caesar and back, with a forerunner of the Pony Express.

 

This is a great start on a really interesting story, Musicalla! I like seeing my own fave Jedi at such a young age, you are right, fics about him before Obi-Wan are too rare.

(Hey, was that messenger anybody we'd know? Kaline's about ten years younger than Qui... sorry, Musicalla, the Mary Sue in me speaks...

Keep up the work, Lady, I'm looking forward to reading more!


*Derisa*

 

I'm afraid it's a bit of a cameo for Aviendha... I toyed with the idea of putting her in this, but it was just kind of fun to have her pop in. As for Kaline, I hadn't really thought of that, although it's an interesting idea. Another advantage to writing ahead! I can use my readers' ideas, if so I chose! Thanks for the responses! And now back to my comparison paper...

 

Yipee, a Qui-Gon story! One where he isn't being portrayed as this mean, hard hearted guy who just exists to be cruel to Obi. I'm a huge Qui fan (did ya' guess?) and think this story has been great, so far. But so sad

A while back (like many, many, many months ago) on a website that has since shut down, I read these fantastic young Qui stories by an author named Marnie Goodbody. Can I find her now? Not yet, but if I do I'll link to them . . . and if anyone else has run across her and can tell me where to find her now it would be hot.

 

?Qui-Gon Jinn, will you be my padawan?? The average-height man looked at him, his dark brown eyes kindly. ?I would be honored if you would have me as your master.? His smile was gentle and reassuring. Qui-Gon beamed at the invitation as he pulled off his damp tunic. He had seen Master Giovan before, working with the very young initiates. He?d worked with Qui-Gon as well, many years ago with the first and simplest Force exercises.

?I would love to be your padawan,? Qui-Gon replied. He was physically exhausted, having just finished a spar for one of the competitions in the Temple. Although the thought was always in his mind at such functions, Qui-Gon didn?t think that he would be chosen as someone?s padawan for at least another year. ?I have a question, though, Master Giovan.?

Riley watched as the boy pulled on a clean tunic and wiped nonexistent sweat from his face. ?I will try to answer it for you, Qui-Gon, though I can?t promise I can.? The boy had dark brown hair and intelligent gray-blue eyes that were currently shining as bright as his lightsaber blade. He always answered that way, as if he were afraid to say something definitively only to find out later he had inadvertently lied.

?Why did you pick me? There are many others who are older than I am.?

?I picked you because the Force seems to be leading me in that direction. You are intelligent and graceful, Qui-Gon, an excellent fighter for your age. That is a good thing for our pairing, since sparring has never been my strong suit. There is little you need to learn and little I could teach you about that. However, you are impulsive and strong-willed, am I right?? Riley smiled slightly as Qui-Gon shifted nervously at that. ?I know that you have broken rules when you think it is necessary. I can teach you how to use the rules to your advantage, as well as know when it is truly time to break them. I can teach you how to trust another being when you need to and learn from you mistakes. I can also teach you how to lose gracefully. Sometimes when you lose, padawan, you win.? He winked broadly at Qui-Gon. ?You will go far, my padawan, and train a great man to be a Jedi Master, if you learn what I will teach you. You are intelligent and brave, Qui-Gon Jinn.? Those seemed odd words, but Master Giovan had the talent of seeing through the haze of the future, seeing what the Force choose to reveal to him from the possibilities.

He had felt completely pleased at his master?s words. Riley wanted to teach him of the Force, as well as himself. Qui-Gon knew that their bond would hold firm forever, even if they had disagreements or difficulties. He was Riley Giovan?s padawan, even if not officially. He had been chosen.

Forever.

Qui-Gon sat outside of the Council chamber waiting to be called in. The memory of being chosen had been replaying itself over and over for some time now, and he couldn?t help but feel like the world ?forever? was painfully hollow. Either that, or it didn?t mean what Qui-Gon once thought it did. Forever seemed to have come and gone, and Qui-Gon was still here without master or bond. The thought tore at him, and he let the pain wash over him and flow from him. If he did anything else, the Jedi was afraid it would control him. The emotion was too strong for Qui-Gon to control.

All in all, the day had been disturbingly uneventful. Not sure what he?d been expecting, Qui-Gon had felt certain that there should have been more references to Riley?s death. However, the only think that had even remotely alluded to it was the initiate and her questions about what his master allowed him to do. The rest of the world had been rather unaffected by the passing of a Jedi Master. Qui-Gon decided wryly that it would have been more appropriate had lightning struck the Temple or earthquakes shaken it. That would have been a fitting reaction to his death.

A page interrupted his morbid musings by tapping him on the shoulder and indicating that Qui-Gon was allowed to enter the Council room. Pushing the thought

 

Major rewrite underway. I really didn't like the way my fic turned. Another good reason to work ahead. However, hopefully I have will have an unadulterated hour and a half to work on it tomorrow during independent study European History. I love being a senior.

 

Awww. Poor Qui. I'd like to volunteer to take him home and comfort him

Liked the flashback . . .

Looking forward to when you get your rewrite ready for posting.

 

*laughs* Wouldn't we all take him home to comfort him! Ah, I feel better. This rewrite is a whole lot less awkward than what I had before. Hopefully I will have something up tomorrow. Tonight, it's bedtime.

 

Or not... Don't you love it when a plan comes together?
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Qui-Gon stood in the middle of the picturesque room, painfully aware of the masters around him who would determine his destiny momentarily. He?d been there only a few times before, both times with his master. He felt rather alone and unprotected. Bowing respectfully to the assembled group, Qui-Gon waited for one of the Council members to speak, breathing slowly.

?A tragedy has befallen the Temple,? Riven ni?Faied said quietly, inclining his head towards Qui-Gon. ?It is not often we are presented with such a situation, but it is most certainly tragic when it does.? Riven was the head of the Council, an older Wookie with silver fur.

?Too old to be a padawan, you are,? Yoda said, his ears quivering, ?but not ready to be a Knight.?

?The Council has discussed and meditated on your situation,? a small, female human said, her name Re?naid Sinantil, ?as well as consulted with your teachers.? She gave a decisive nod towards the young man in the middle of the room. ?You will be excused from your final exams. Your teachers have assured us that you display the knowledge required. Instead, you are to assist a student who has been particularly troublesome. Her master is currently a hostage in the civil war on the planet Ieve. You ware to be a mentor of sorts to her.?

?See if you are ready for the Trials, your assignment will,? Yoda said, looking enigmatic. ?Learn important lessons, you will. At least, hope this we do.? The small Council member looked amused at his last comment.

?We understand your pain, Qui-Gon Jinn, and we sympathize with you. But you must learn to control your feelings and overcome your circumstances if you are to become a Jedi. You will have the information in a few days,? Riven said soothingly. Despite his large size and fearsome appearance, the Jedi Master was quiet and pensive, serene and soothing in his role.

?As the Council deems fit,? Qui-Gon responded deferentially, although in an emotionless tone. He bowed his head and, upon receiving permission, left the Council chamber.

 

Ah, that's a good idea. A "particularly troublesome" padawan? I can't wait to find out what that means. And being responsible for somebody else is definitely a good way to learn things yourself.