Part 6 - THE DEATH OF QUI-GON JINN

PART I - PART II - PART III - PART IV - PART V

A few nights later, Traelyn was deeply asleep when suddenly, a jolt in the Force startled her awake.

"Master Qui-Gon?" She said out loud. She shook her head, trying to get a sense of the disturbance she'd just felt. Whatever it was, she was certain something was not right. She reached out into the Force, searching for his presence, but there was nothing. She searched for Obi-Wan, but the currents of the Force that swirled around him were cloudy and dark.

She needed to find her Master.

She grabbed her lightsaber and went looking for Master Jeran. He was not in his apartment, so she headed for the Infirmary, and found him packing some medical equipment. She waited for him to finish, but he could sense her distress and looked up.

"Traelyn?" He asked.

"I felt a disturbance in the Force, Master, like a death. I think it was Master Qui-Gon, and Obi-Wan is in great pain."

He sighed and put his arm around her shoulders. "I'm sorry, Traelyn, but you are right. Master Jinn is dead. We must go to Naboo and see about his... his mortal remains."

Traelyn looked away, blinking back her tears.

"I told the Council I would go personally, I knew you would want to be there. And Obi-Wan could use a friend, I'm sure. Go get dressed, we must leave for Naboo right away."

"Yes, Master," she replied automatically.

* * *

On board the ship with Master Jeran and the Council members, Traelyn spent her time sleeping or meditating. In the Force, she could still feel Qui-Gon's physical pain and Obi-Wan's mental anguish. Hang on, Obi-Wan, I'm coming.

Master Yoda raised an ear and looked in her direction, but said nothing.

* * *

Upon their arrival at Theed, Master Jeran asked to be taken to Qui-Gon immediately. They were led through long hallways until they reached the room where his body lay, with Obi-Wan keeping watch.

The Council members started to enter the room, but Master Jeran turned to them and put his hand up.

"We will take care of this," he said, motioning for Traelyn.

"But we must investigate," said Master Windu.

"I will give you my findings after I have examined the body," he said firmly.

"We must question Padawan Kenobi," Windu tried again.

"We must see to his condition as well," Jeran replied. "We will let you know when you may speak with him. Now go, please, and let us do our work. Come, Padawan," he steered Traelyn into the room ahead of him, closing the door firmly behind him, leaving the Council members to gather at the window.

Traelyn was impressed at how he handled them, but he was the Master Healer and this was his area of authority.

Obi-Wan looked up. "Traelyn," he said softly.

Traelyn looked at him with love and sympathy in her eyes, but she couldn't bear to look at Qui-Gon's body. Not yet.

"Traelyn, take Obi-Wan into the next room and see if he's injured, please," Master Jeran said.

Obi-Wan rose from his chair, "I'm not injured, Master, I..." Traelyn put her finger to her lips and led him into the next room, away from the window.

As she closed the inner door behind them, she held out her arms to Obi-Wan, and he nearly fell into them, burying his face on her shoulder and letting his tears flow. She wrapped her arms around him, stroking his head, and emanating soothing Force energy in his direction.

"Obi-Wan," she said gently, her own tears falling into his hair.

"I couldn't save him," he sobbed. "I couldn't get to him in time."

She rocked him back and forth and let him cry. When his shaking lessened, she guided him over to a comfortable looking chair and made him sit. Kneeling in front of him, she looked him in the eye.

"Are you injured, Obi-Wan?" She asked, while visually checking him over. She placed her hand on his chest and sought the Force, checking for damage.

"No, I'm not," he replied, drying his tears on his sleeve. "Just bumps and bruises."

She placed her fingers on his temples and began to send healing tendrils into his mind.

"Stop that," he said angrily. "You can't just wave away my pain."

"Nothing's going to take your pain away, Obi-Wan, now let me do my job. Trust me." She soothed away his anger and centered him in the Force. He began to breathe normally, and his heart rate slowed.

"I'm sorry," he said. "And thank you."

"The council is going to question you. I have to be sure you are ready for that. Do you want to tell me what happened?" She sat down next to him and held his hands.

He told her the story of the duel in the power station. His pain was agonizing when he told her how he couldn't get to the fight in time, and how he watched his master go down while he was trapped, helpless, behind an energy shield.

"I overheard the Masters on board the ship," she told him. "They think the Zabrak was a Sith!"

"He stank of the Dark Side," Obi-Wan said. "I've never felt a presence like his before. It was frightening, but I killed him, and I'm glad, too. I 'm glad he's dead," he said.

"You might not want to tell the Council that, my friend. Just relate the facts. If he was a Sith, he would have killed you, too. You know you did the right thing. You saved not only yourself, but many others, including Queen Amidala. And, you brought Qui-Gon justice. He would be proud of you," she said.

* * *

They waited while Master Jeran finished his examination of Qui-Gon's body. He looked tired. Sad and tired.

"There wasn't anything you could have done, Obi-Wan," he said. "That sort of a wound is always fatal."

Obi-Wan nodded silently.

"Traelyn, take my report to the council while I finish up here, please."

"I'll go with you," Obi-Wan said. "They're going to want to talk to me, I know."

"Is he up for that, Traelyn? I can keep him here under medical supervision if he's not ready," Jeran said.

"He can do it, Master," she replied.

* * *

Traelyn recited Master Jeran's findings to the council without looking any of them in the eye. She didn't trust herself to hold back her grief. She laid a datacard on the table and stepped back. Obi-Wan stepped forward.

"Padawan Kenobi, a report for us you have?" Asked Yoda.

Obi-Wan retold his story again, in more detail this time, but without his emotional reactions. Traelyn watched him carefully, ready to send out soothing, healing thoughts if necessary. By the end of the tale he had tears in his eyes.

"No honor to your master, do you do with your tears, young Obi-Wan," said Yoda.

Traelyn experienced a flash of anger, but a Padawan Healer did not argue with the Grand Master.

"Your anger, you cannot conceal from me, Padawan," he said, looking in her direction.

"I beg your pardon, Master Yoda, but humans often find the release of tears to be calming. It rids the body of stress toxins and centers the spirit," she said.

Master Yoda looked annoyed.

"You are finished here, you may go," Windu said to her dismissively.

"I'm sorry, but my Master's instructions were to wait for Padawan Kenobi and bring him back to the Medical Center."

Windu sighed. "Very well, you both may go."

* * *

"I can't believe you stood up to them like that," Obi-Wan said.

Traelyn was shaking. "I can't either, but he shouldn't have said that to you."

"Bury your feelings deeper, Traelyn, or the whole Council will know our secret," he said with a shake of his head.

She nodded. "We have to go back to the Medical Center, or else I'll be a liar, too."

* * *

They'd been given rooms in the guest wing of the palace, next to each other and away from the Council members, at the request of Master Jeran.

"Stay with him," he ordered Traelyn, although she had every intention of doing so anyway. "Let him talk, cry, whatever he needs. If he gets too bad, put him into a healing trance. In spite of what the Jedi say, a human needs to let his grief out, you know that."

"Yes, Master, I will watch over him."

"I'm thinking of your grief, too, Traelyn. I know Qui-Gon was special to you," he said.

"He brought me to the Temple when I was a baby," she said tearfully. "He was always checking up on me, he saved my life when he brought me to you when I was ten. And Obi-Wan is my best friend, I can sense his pain deeply. I know I would be heartbroken if I lost you, Master."

Master Jeran hugged her. "I know. Now go be with your friend, he needs you."

* * *

They spent the entire night together, sitting on the veranda of his room, listening to the waterfalls. They talked about Qui-Gon, they told stories, they held each other. Traelyn soothed his distress, and he comforted her.

"I loved him, Traelyn," Obi-Wan said. "He was like what a father should be to me. He taught me so much, and in our last days together we were at odds with each other. Or rather, I was annoyed at him."

"And he forgave you, didn't he?"

"Of course," he smiled wanly. "He told me I was a wiser man than he." Obi-Wan shook his head, as if such a thing was not possible.

"He did know about us, didn't he?" She asked.

"Yes, and he told me to protect my heart. And yours, too," he replied with a sad smile.

"We can't change what we feel for each other, Obi-Wan, we will just have to be sure our love does not influence our actions in other matters."

"I know, and I promised him that we would do that."

"And so we shall," Traelyn assured him. "It will be our promise to each other in his memory."

In the wee hours of the morning, they went inside and made love in the waning moonlight, reaffirming life with the tender expression of their love for each other. They slept in each other's arms for a few hours, and awoke clear eyed and calm.

Obi-Wan was summoned by Master Yoda. Traelyn was concerned. "It's all right, I can handle myself today," he said.

"You may be over your shock, Obi-Wan, but don't think for a moment you are over your grief. That will be with you for a long time. A very long time."

"I know. I will learn to live with it as a Jedi should," he said firmly. "I'll see you tonight, at the memorial."

* * *

Traelyn spent the morning learning about post-mortem procedures from Master Jeran. After grieving with Obi-Wan, she was emotionally ready to face Qui-Gon's remains, but the absence of his presence in the Force still disturbed her.

"As healers, it's our responsibility to see that the dead are treated with respect. Often there are questions that we must answer, although in this case the cause of death was obvious," he told her. "But there will be times when we are the last to speak for the dead."

She examined the lightsaber wound with shock. "I've never seen anything like that, and I hope never to again," she said.

"There will be worse things, and many times it will be people you care about. You must learn to deal with it as a Jedi, and that means duty first. You must put aside your feelings and deal with the facts. I have no doubt that you are capable."

"Does it get any easier?" She asked.

"No, but you will become better able to deal with it."

* * *

That afternoon, she assisted Master Jeran as he physically examined the strange little boy from Tatooine. He did indeed have a very high midi-chlorian count, and he seemed very bright. He was curious about their medical equipment, and fascinated by Traelyn's lightsaber.

"If you're a doctor, why are you carrying a laser sword?" He asked. "Are you a Jedi, too?"

"Yes, she is, we both are," Master Jeran replied with a chuckle.

"To be precise," she said, "He is the Master Healer of the Jedi Order, and I am his apprentice. And you, are perfectly healthy."

"I feel cold all the time."

Traelyn nodded. "Tatooine is a hot place, I hear. I'll get you some medicine that will help you adapt, and see to getting you some warmer clothes."

He looked down at the floor. "I feel bad about Master Qui-Gon," he said.

"We all do, Anakin. We all do."

* * *

"There's something odd about him, Master," she said later, in private.

"Is it something you feel empathically, or through the Force?"

"Empathically, it feels just like he says, cold and sad. But, there's something not right with him in the Force." Traelyn shook her head and rubbed her eyes. "I sense a grayness about him."

"I think you are tired, Padawan. Go take a nap before the memorial, and then perhaps you can sort out these feelings."

"Yes, Master," she replied, grateful for the chance to stop and think for a while. Her emotions were in a turmoil of grief, sympathy, anger and helplessness. And Obi-Wan would need her support during the memorial. She went back to her room for a hot shower and a long nap.

* * *

As the sun set over Theed the Jedi gathered for the memorial. There were many important people in the room; even Queen Amidala was there. Obi-Wan stood beside his Master's body. Traelyn managed to slip in next to him, the long sleeves of their cloaks concealing the fact that he held her hand tightly.

Oddly, on the other side of him stood Anakin Skywalker. Obi-Wan turned and spoke to him, and then turned back towards Traelyn.

"This is Anakin Skywalker," he said.

She nodded, "We met this afternoon."

He's coming back to the Temple with us to be a Jedi, isn't that right, Anakin?"

The little boy nodded, and Traelyn smiled at him in spite of her shock. Then she noticed the absence of Obi-Wan's Padawan braid. She touched the side of his head briefly with a questioning look.

"It's a long story," Obi-Wan whispered to her. "He's to become my Padawan."

I have a bad feeling about this. She thought. But she squeezed his hand and turned back towards the burning pyre. "Life goes on, Qui-Gon," she said quietly. "We will see you again someday."