Spoilers: this takes place pre "TPM" and denies the events of
the Jedi Apprentice books
Summary: An exhausted, post-mission Qui-Gon gets caught up in
chasing a Force-adept child.
Feedback: yes, please, any comments welcome.
NOTE: This is the best I could do by way of a solstice present
for you. Hope you like it.
Qui-Gon Jinn was making his way back to his quarters after
reporting to the Council on his last mission. Exhausted, singed
in a couple of places, he could hardly wait to lie down and
sleep for a week or so. When one of the creche workers dashed
out of a side corridor, frantically searching the air for
something, he was tempted to pass by without comment.
Unfortunately, she crashed into him and both would have fallen
had Qui-Gon not righted them, unwilling to further bruise his
weary, aging body.
"What do you seek, Lian?" he inquired with more civility than
he felt.
She went red and blurted, "One of the infants! He's flown
away!"
Unable to suppress a laugh, Qui-Gon noted the woman's
tear-filled eyes, and he patted her shoulder. "Never mind. I'll
help you."
"Oh, thank you Master Qui-Gon. I'll go this way!" And she raced
off down the corridor. Master Jinn shook his head. Not being a
Jedi, if Lian did find the child, how would she get it down?
Closing his eyes for a moment, he searched the area for the
unformed signature of an infant using the Force prematurely.
The moment he realized where it was, he began to run himself,
Force-assisted. The Inner Temple was not the place for a child.
No one younger than twelve years was ever permitted there
because of the concentration of the Force. The potential for
tragedy was unacceptable to the Jedi, who loved their children
as much as any parent did.
Schooling himself to serenity even in the midst of his alarm,
Master Jinn entered the area already aware of the child's
location. Lifting off the floor, the Jedi master rose smoothly
to the top of the dome, where the toddler, a child with far too
much reddish-gold hair, was laughing gently to himself and
reaching out to grab the "colored bubbles," which was how he
saw the eddies in the currents of the Force.
Clearly sensing Jinn's arrival, the boy turned and grinned at
him, pointing at the objects of his mirth. Qui-Gon, intrigued
in spite of himself, chuckled even as he took the boy in his
arms, sending him an image and taste of ripe citrus fruit. The
boy licked his lips, then looked down and for a moment seemed
startled to find himself so far above the floor. Apparently
deciding that Qui-Gon had him safe, he ceased supporting his
own weight and let the Master lower them to the floor. Walking
back toward the creche, Qui-Gon reached into a voluminous
pocket in his robe and produced the fruit he'd promised. The
boy looked at him as if to say, "Well, are you going to peel it
for me?"
"Yes, lad, I'll peel it for you," he said.
They walked into the creche just as the terrified worker
returned from her fruitless search. She rushed toward them. "I
am so sorry, Master Jinn. He's just so - different from the
others. Children never fly this early."
"I did," Qui-Gon advised her, and turned aside when she would
have taken the boy away from him. "Why don't you let me keep
him out of your hair for a while? It's been a while since I've
spent any time with children. Don't want to lose my touch."
She was hesitant, and finally said, "But...he's so precocious.
What if he imprints on you? You'll have him after you from now
until he's old enough to be a padawan!"
Looking down at the green eyes which seemed fascinated with his
beard, the tiny hands stroking it carefully, Qui-Gon Jinn
thought about it. He'd only ever taken one padawan and that
poor child had died on a mission. Jedi field life was far too
dangerous. The Council gave him the hardest missions as a
matter of course. Still, part of him had yearned to teach
someone what he'd learned over the years. And Master Yoda was
beyond disgusted with him for not having trained at least one
more padawan by now.
Regarding the poor worker, he smiled. "I'm willing to take the
chance. And this way, you get a break form his antics. What do
you say?"
She seemed about to burst into tears. "I say, if I weren't
already married, I'd propose to you, Master! Thank you. That
child alone is more work than all the others put together. I'll
owe you for this."
Qui-Gon chuckled, startling the child. "What's the boy's name?"
"Obi-Wan Kenobi," she said, her tone one she might have used to
speak the name of a Sith.
"Thank you, Lian. I'll bring him back for bed time." Naturally,
the first person Qui-Gon saw outside the creche was Master
Yoda. Sinking down to sit on his heels, he said, "Master. Have
you met Obi-Wan Kenobi? He decided to tour the Inner Temple
today."
Yoda's ears rose. "Young, he is, for such activity. And you
have him, why?"
Slightly uncomfortable, Qui-Gon stood up. "I'm giving Lian a
rest from her labors with this one. He's evidently the most
difficult infant she's ever cared for." Obi-Wan chose that
moment to tug Qui-Gon's beard. When their eyes met, the child
smiled sweetly and said, "Maaaahstaa." Obi-Wan then rapped
Qui-Gon's nose smartly with the citrus fruit he'd forgotten.
Yoda made the peculiar hissing sound which passed for laughter
with his kind. "Hungry, he is. And know, he does, that his
master must feed him."
Qui-Gon favored his former master with a baleful look, but he
did begin to peel the fruit - not an easy task with small hands
trying to help. His master, indeed. Was the decision already
made? Obi-Wan received the first slice with a gleeful squeal,
then fed the next to Qui-Gon.
Seriously, Yoda said, Kenobi has the highest midichlorian count
since yours, Qui-Gon. There may not be anyone else who could
raise him on the right path.
"If I didn't know better," Qui--Gon said, calmly brushing fruit
pulp out of his beard, "I would think you had suggested that
Obi-Wan seek the Inner Temple for its lovely show of colored
Force bubbles!"
Yoda laughed again and wended his way toward his own quarters.
"Good to see you smile, Padawan."
Well, so he was, Qui-Gon admitted, feeding another fruit slice
to his charge. "Come on," he said. "Let's go get you some real
food, shall we?"
Obi-Wan laid his head down on his new friend's chest and
whispered, "Maaaahstaa."
Well, I suppose the decision has been made, Qui-Gon thought. We
live to serve. Sometimes it's just more fun than others. He was
eager to hear what Mace would have to say about him bringing
Obi-Wan to the Masters' table at lastmeal.
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