Risorgimento--Awakening

by obi-ki and padawanewan

Title: Risorgimento--Awakening
Authors: obi-ki and padawanewan
Pairing: Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan
Rating: PG for implied violence
Catacory: Q/O AU
Time Period: About 20 years post ABY
Archive: MA, others please ask.

Disclaimer: Everything Star Wars belongs to George Lucas and Lucasfilms. I am just playing in his world, borrowing the boyz and their accomplices and will return them all when I'm through. No money is being made from this, it is all done for entertainment only.

Feedback: Feedback is treasured in any way, shape or form, onlist or privately at kiowkqgj@yahoo.com or padawanewan@gmail.com. As always, we look forward to know what you thought about the story.

Author's notes: This is the first story in the Risorgimento series. It will contain much of the background for the series and is told completely from Qui-Gon's POV. Thanks to Monalee and Merry Amelie for their through betas and throughtful suggestions. The story would be much less without their valuable input.

About eight months ago, Padawanewan and I joined a Star Wars online RPG called Jedi Alliance. The premise of the story was that there was group of Jedi Exiles living in the Outer Rim and this Jedi Empire was at war with the Sith Empire. The time period was about 20-25 years ABY. In an effort to defeat their enemy, they had recruited Luke Skywalker and his New Jedi Order for assistance and Luke had brought a group to their world. In addition, scientists in the culture had mastered cloning technology and had used genetic samples obtained over the last thousand years to create clones of various Jedi. Not surprisingly, I chose TPM era Qui-Gon Jinn as my character and padawanewan chose to play ROTJ era Obi-Wan Kenobi. It was a really interesting premise and it was fun to have characters from the various Jedi eras interacting with as well as an older Obi-Wan interacting with Qui-Gon, without the constraints of the master/apprentice relationship.

Sadly the game disbanded due to RL issues with the mods and some of the players but padawanewan and I were having so much fun we decided we wanted to continue to work with the characterizations of Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan that we had crafted. So we have created an outline for an AU series of stories that will explore a similar concept. The series will begin about 20 years post ABY. It will not completely follow the continuity of the EU but I guess that is a given with the concept. I won't give too many specifics here as I don't want to spoil the story but the background of everything should be brought forth in the first couple of stories. Our idea is to create something similar to the brilliant Writestufflee's Warriors Heart Universe, stories that would be interconnected by the universe and the characters within them, will continue to expound on things that happened in previous episodes but that will stand as a complete piece of the story. We will also be at times using the concept created by the talented Emila-Wan and Mali-Wane of 368days fame and be doing some of the series in first person journal format. We give kudos to those three talented women for the great ideas and their generosity in allowing us to borrow their methodologies.

It has been almost ten years since George gave us Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi and I find that my love for them has not waned in the slightest in all that time. Although thousands of stories have been written about them, there are many new roads that our imaginations can take them down. Although many of the secondary characters will come from the EU in the form of a post ROTJ Luke Skywalker and his contemporaries, the series will be Q/O. I know that many of the readers here, do not have a lot of interest or background in Star Wars beyond the prequels but that should not affect your ability to follow the story. We will be working to ensure that knowledge of the EU and its characters, while a boon to those that possess it, will not be required to enjoy the series. The setting may be a bit different but we plan on exploring the idea of building their relationship, taking the foundations of the master/padawan partnership and expanding it into a working partnership, a deep friendship and eventually into a lovers' union. Hopefully, this concept will perk the attentions of some of you out there and you will want to come along for the ride.

Hopefully RL will allow us to pursue our outline to completion and although we hope to post regularly, it is impossible for us to give a timeline of how often the stories will be posted. As I mentioned above, the story will take different forms. Some events will be told from Qui-Gon's or Obi-Wan's POVs, some will be done as journal entries, and others as joint posts written together. The POV or journal entries will be written by either padawanewan or myself but all the others will be collaborations. They will be written jointly in the style normally used for an online RPG so some pieces may have POV shifts that you wouldn't normally see in a story written all by one writer. This will be a new experience for us and one we can hopefully do justice to.

The smell was the first thing Qui-Gon Jinn became aware of. Recirculated air, heavy with medicinal odors surrounded him, infusing both his lungs and his pores with the artificial smell that was common to healers' wards on an infinite number of planets. Each breath he took brought more of the abhorrent scent into his airways and he wondered how long he had been breathing the stale air. A few more lungsfull and sound permeated his semi-conscious state, the ping of monitors and the rasp of the air sterilization system confirming his belief that he was in a medical facility of some type.

The smells and sounds continued to assault him as Qui-Gon lay in stillness, his limbs heavy and his mind unable to put a string of actual thoughts together. His mind was muddled, hazy, as if he were looking through a dense fog and the scene he was trying to decipher was parsecs away. Frustrated with that, he struggled to open his eyes but his eyelids seemed to be glued together, as if they had never been apart. He tried to lift his hand to swipe at them but it refused to move, his arm lying like a fallen log against the too-firm mattress.

Seconds turned to minutes, minutes turned to hours as Qui-Gon remained in that barely aware state, unable to do more than fill his lungs and listen to the ever repeating ping and rasp of the equipment around him. The sounds and smells faded as Qui-Gon drifted off to sleep, the haze of his clouded mind settling into another haze of disjointed dreams. Flashes of people and places that he felt he should remember muddled together with stern expressions and scolding voices created a confusing collage that offered little insight into his current situation.

When Qui-Gon woke again, he became aware of the weight of a nutrient tube pressing into the crease of his elbow. As his mind started to clear, he found himself wondering why no one had come into his room. Healers of all cultures were known for hovering over their patients, poking and prodding, taking endless samples and redoing test after test until their patients wondered if death would be preferable to another second under the healer's care.

Realizing he should make the most of the solitude while it lasted, Qui-Gon used his increasing clarity to take stock of his physical condition. He could not sense any major injuries to his body, even though overall he felt as if he had been dragged behind a galloping ronto for ten kilometers. His skin felt tacky, like he had spent days in a bacta tank and his body was caked with the residue. Nothing added up and each additional revelation gave him more questions than it did answers. Even the Force was sluggish around him, not holding any hints of warning but also not supplying him with any insights either.

Concentrating on trying to draw on the Force to get his eyes open, Qui-Gon almost missed the sound of a door opening. Footsteps echoed on the floor and a gruff voice rang in his ears before the person even reached his bed. "Finally awake, I see." Fingers pressed against his wrist and the voice spoke as if giving a report. "Strong pulse, steady heartbeat, even breathing." The fingers left his wrist and the tone of one of the monitors changed. "All vital organs appear to be functioning within normal parameters."

Qui-Gon could sense no hostility from the person beside him but continued in his attempt to get his eyes open. His inability to see made him feel very vulnerable. The person must have noticed his struggle because a warm. moist cloth was placed over his face. "Give it a moment, Master Jinn. The bacta suspension has stuck your eyelashes together. The heat will break down the compound and you should be able to open your eyes after a few minutes."

"Who…" Qui-Gon tried to ask but his voice was being as uncooperative as his eyes. He was about to try again when he felt a straw against his lips.

"Slowly, Master Jinn," the voice cautioned.

Qui-Gon sipped slowly, letting the dribbles of water bathe his dry throat. He took a deep breath before taking a second sip, this time allowing the cool liquid to rest in his mouth before swallowing. Third and fourth sips slid further down his throat and after a few more minutes of concentration, he was able to get out a couple of questions. "Who are you?" Since his eyes were still covered, he used the Force to try to get some sense of his companion and his surroundings. Except for the traces of a medical facility that he had recognized earlier, nothing seemed familiar in the slightest. "And where am I?" he added before his first query was even answered.

"My name is Var-Son Meirr, not that it will mean anything to you, Master Jinn," the gruff voice replied. "As for where you are, that is a little more complicated. You are in a private medical research facility located on the third moon of Asmeru."

"How did I get here?" Qui-Gon asked.

"All in due time, Master Jinn," the man replied with a hint of amusement. "For the moment, you need to rest and gain your strength. The whos, whys and hows of how you came to be here can wait."

The weight of fingers pressed the wet cloth against his eyes, rubbing for a moment before both the fingers and the cloth disappeared. Qui-Gon opened his eyes, closing them almost immediately as the light burst against his retinas. Footsteps echoed across the room and the voice spoke from further away. "I've dimmed the lights so please try again."

Qui-Gon did as he was bid, parting his lids only enough for the barest hint of light to pass them. His eyes adjusted to their newfound freedom very slowly and it took many long minutes before he could open them fully. It took even longer before he could focus, for the large blur that stood by his bed to resolve into a recognizable being. The elderly male was obviously Cerean, his elongated head easily identifying him as such. The thin tufts of hair growing from the back of his head were pure white and the gaunt lines of his angular face spoke of his advanced years. His gray eyes were narrow and deep-set and Qui-Gon was instantly reminded of his friend, Jedi Knight Ki-Adi Mundi.

Searching his memory of galactic geography, Qui-Gon could only come up with a hazy recollection of Asmeru's location, and if his memory was correct, it was nowhere near Cerea. Due to a shortage of Cerean males in their population, most never left their homeworld, and Qui-Gon found it odd for the man to be in this remote place. Var-Son must have sensed his confusion because he spoke again before Qui-Gon could ask.

"As I said before, there will be plenty of time for all of your questions." Var-Son adjusted one of the controls on the monitor panel and injected the contents of a vial he was holding into the fluid bag attached to the nutrient tube.

Qui-Gon barely had time to register the feel of a sedative entering his bloodstream before sleep overtook him.

When Qui-Gon came awake this time, the lethargy that had permeated his body and mind had faded somewhat. Opening his eyes, he was able to focus after only a few clearing blinks and took a moment to inspect his surroundings. The walls that ringed the room were almost invisible. A bacta tank, as well as an array of monitors, scanning devices, and measuring equipment, covered almost every centimeter of available space. The assortment of equipment spoke of highly advanced technology and once again he wondered where he was. With the exception of bacta tanks, this type of equipment had rarely been seen in the Temple's Healers Hall since Jedi healers relied mostly on the Force for the treatment of illnesses and injuries.

The chrono on the wall displayed 22:52 and Qui-Gon realized that he had been asleep for almost sixteen hours. His suspicions that he had not been left completely unattended during his nap were confirmed by the sight of a tall glass of ice water sitting on the bedside table. The long rest seemed to have served its purpose: his leaden arms now responded to his direction and his body felt like the ronto had dragged him only two kilometers rather than ten. A tickle at the back of his throat threatened to become a cough, so he twisted until he could reach the glass of water and took a few short sips.

Qui-Gon was just placing the glass back on the table when the door opened to admit Var-Son Meirr. "Feeling better after your nap, Master Jinn?"

Still rather wary of his host, Qui-Gon kept his reply non-committal. "Somewhat, Ser Meirr." Relieved that his voice was a bit stronger, he waved his hand to encompass the myriads of lines and monitors attached to his body. "Though I'm certain that removal of all these tubes and monitors would go a long way to improving my condition."

"Give me a few moments to check you over and if all is well I can disconnect the nutrient and waste removal lines and some of the monitors," the healer said with a smile. "And please call me Var. I expect that we're going to be spending a lot of time together in the near future."

Nodding, Qui-Gon lay back and the healer began to go through his checks. Fully naked beneath the light sheet, there was nothing to limit the healer's access. Qui-Gon assumed there must have been an automated vocal recorder in the room because Var spoke aloud as he had earlier. Temperature, respiration, blood pressure and heart rate readings were all announced as well as some numbers and terminology that were totally unfamiliar to Qui-Gon. When the healer appeared to be satisfied that all was as it should be, he removed the catheter from Qui-Gon's penis and the nutrient tube from the inner fold of his elbow. "Better?"

Qui-Gon breathed a sigh of relief. Although he had always disliked any time he spent in a medical facility, he found that the equipment used by non-Jedi healers interfered with his connection to the Living Force and as such left him off balance. "Yes, thank you, Ser Meirr," he replied, ignoring the man's earlier request.

The Cerean chuckled in what appeared to be fond amusement. "It is my duty to see to your health and comfort, Master Jinn." At Qui-Gon's dark look, he continued, "Do you think you could attempt to eat something?"

When Qui-Gon nodded, the healer exited the room and Qui-Gon used the time to continue his self-examination. His body felt stronger, less fatigued and more settled and he was relieved to experience the same from both his mind and the Force. No longer responding sluggishly to his call, the Force swelled with him and he used it to try to get a better understanding of his situation. The area beyond the door appeared to be a continuation of the medical complex. The facility did not seem overly large but he was surprised not to detect the presence of any other lifeforms. One area resisted his probe and he could only assume that it was shielded in some way. Extending further out, he sensed the flickers of plant and non-sentient animal life but no hint of the bright energy that denoted higher intelligence. More pieces to the rather odd puzzle Qui-Gon found himself caught in.

The door slid open and Var-Son entered carrying a tray containing four mugs and a loaf of bread. "I figured I would join you," he said as he placed the tray on a rolling table. "Thought we could chat a bit while we ate. Would you like to sit up to eat?"

"Yes, please," Qui-Gon replied, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed. The healer was at his side almost instantly, helping him to his feet. A flannel robe was handed to him and the healer waited while he wrapped it around his naked body before steadying him to walk the few steps it took to settle in the conforming chair. The table was slid into the space between them, mugs of broth and tea pushed in front of him along with the plate containing the bread.

"Eat slowly, Master Jinn," Var-Son cautioned. "Your digestive system will need to adjust to the function of processing food."

That comment caught Qui-Gon's attention and he sought clarification. "Has it been that long? How long have I been incapacitated?"

"Your body has never had to process food products," Var-Son replied. "And you have not so much been incapacitated as undergoing a gestational process."

"What are you talking about, Ser Meirr?" Qui-Gon retorted. "I can assure you that my body has been processing food products almost daily from its earliest meals at my mother's breast."

"Calm down, Master Jinn and I will explain," Var-Son countered. "What is the last thing that you remember?"

Qui-Gon took a moment to calm and order his thoughts, searching his memories for events and people. The pictures were hazy, only vague impressions and whispers of recollections but soon he retrieved what he deduced was his most recent memory. "Naboo. My apprentice and I had been sent on a diplomatic mission to Naboo."

"That was fifty-five years ago, Master Jinn," Var-Son said.

Qui-Gon looked at the healer as if he had sprouted horns. "That's not possible. Even long-term stasis has limits of about twenty years."

"You have not been in stasis. I know that this is going to seem unbelievable but what I am about to tell you is the truth." Var-Son placed his hands palms up in the universal sign of non-aggression and continued. "You are a clone. A complete genetic duplicate of Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn, imbued with the mastery of the Force and with all the knowledge, memories and life experiences that Master Jinn amassed during his lengthy career as a Jedi Knight. In essence, you have been reborn."

His normal calm fleeing at this incredible revelation, Qui-Gon stared in disbelief at his host. "I'm not sure what game you are playing at here, Ser Meirr, but even the most advanced cloning technology does not extend to an individual's knowledge and memories."

"That may have been true even a standard year ago but not today. I have dedicated my entire adult life to the study and implementation of cloning technology as they relate to Force-sensitive humans and have finally accomplished what was previously considered all but impossible." Var-Son looked at Qui-Gon with an expression that was a combination of pride and awe. "The fact that you can remember the mission to Naboo assures me that my latest technique has been at least marginally successful. As the days pass and you continue to recover your memories and we compare them to the historical records I possess, we will see if the process had been completely successful."

Still unconvinced, Qui-Gon challenged Var-Son. "So you are saying that from a minute genetic sample, you not only recreated a complete physical duplicate but also managed to find a way to extract knowledge and memories. I do not claim to be an expert in human biology and physiology by any means but even I realize that what you are claiming is impossible."

Again a hint of humor was evident in the healer's expression. "You are a Jedi Master, trained from infancy to do things that many beings would consider akin to sorcery. You of all people should realize that nothing is impossible."

Var-Son's words struck a chord in Qui-Gon and he reached out to reassure himself that he had not missed something. A more thorough assessment of Var-Son confirmed a keen intelligence, very strong cognitive abilities and solid empathic skills but no hint of Force sensitivity. "The Force may allow those so gifted to utilize it, giving them the ability to do things that for others would be impossible, but you are not among them."

"That is true, Master Jinn. I am not Force-sensitive in the traditional sense of the word," Var-Son explained. "But I have done extensive studies on the way the DNA of Force-sensitive individuals reacts with the midichlorians in their system to give them access to the powers that the Force provides. And as such I have come to discover that for Force-sensitive humans what was originally considered just changes in cell structure that were attributed to aging are, in reality, infinitesimal cell modifications produced to store accrued knowledge. By exposing the cells to certain chemical treatments during the cloning process, the knowledge and memories amassed during the subject's lifespan are transmitted into the cerebral cortex of the clone, thereby making him a true duplicate of his host."

Qui-Gon's eyes widened in a combination of disbelief and horror as he listened to the healer's explanation. While a tiny part of him realized that without this man's intervention he would not be here to even know of this scientific breakthrough, the majority of his mind was appalled by the idea that he had been recreated at another's whim. "The ethical ramifications of this so-called discovery are beyond comprehension. The idea that any individual could be recreated and would come into being fully matured and possessing a lifetime of knowledge is a course that could be easily exploited for evil or personal gain. Even someone with the most altruistic motives could quickly drift onto a path that leads to manipulation and anarchy."

"The same could have been and most likely has been said of every major scientific discovery or technological advancement in the past two millennia," Var-Son countered, though his voice held more than a hint of self-deprecation. "Even the Force has been used as often for evil as it has for good. All sentient beings have the potential for good and evil, Master Jinn, as you well know. It is the role of science to search out and discover what was previously unknown or undetected, not to police the Galaxy in the use of those discoveries."

The healer's argument did nothing to quell the apprehension rising in Qui-Gon. "Be that as it may, Cereans are by nature a peaceful and highly logical people. Why would you dedicate your life to something that has such a high potential to be used unethically?"

"That, my dear Master Jinn, will have to be a story for another day," Var-Son replied, rising from his chair and gathering the remnants of their meal. "We are well into the night cycle and I for one could use some sleep. I suggest that you do the same and we will talk more in the morning."

A hundred more questions bubbled in Qui-Gon's mind but he could see that the healer would not be dissuaded. He settled for asking the one that burned most brightly. "How many other Force-sensitive individuals have you cloned?"

"Successfully? Only you and one other Jedi from the Old Republic," Var-Son replied.

Qui-Gon's heart clenched as his mind ran through the plethora of possibilities. "And who is this other Jedi?"

"That is another question you will need to wait for the answer to," the healer said as he reached the door.

"You are a cruel, cruel man, Var-Son Meirr," Qui-Gon retorted, eyes narrowing in annoyance.

"One must take one's pleasures where one can, Master Jinn. Rest well," Var-Son added as the door slid closed behind him.

Qui-Gon stifled the urge to throw something at the closing door and settled for rising from his seat. It took him a minute to get his balance and then he began a slow circuit around the room. His legs were weak and a little wobbly but he managed to make it around, only having to steady himself on the furniture twice. He started again, picking up his pace as his legs became steadier. Two turns became three, then four as he continued to walk.

Allowing his mind to wander as he walked, the information that Var-Son had given him was weighing heavily on Qui-Gon. He was still not certain he believed the healer's entire tale but if it was true, it was almost more than he could comprehend. The Galaxy could have changed substantially in the last fifty-five years and there would be few if any alive that he would know. Add to that the fact that he was on an unpopulated moon in the Outer Rim and he wondered if rejoining civilization would be an impossible task.

Opening a door beside the bed, Qui-Gon stepped into the refresher. He took a few minutes to take care of his bodily functions, splashed some cold water on his face and then returned to the room. Worrying over his situation was a fruitless effort so he settled back into bed and quieted his mind for sleep. Maybe things would become clearer in the morning.

Although there was no morning light to wake him, a glance at the chrono told Qui-Gon he had slept almost exactly seven hours. That had been his normal sleep pattern when he was at Temple, though usually he had gone to sleep at 2200 hours and woken with the sun at 0500. The chrono said 0740 but it had been after 0030 when he went to bed, so the amount of sleep was the same. If Var-Son's tale could be believed, maybe his sleep habits had become ingrained in his genetic code the way his memories and knowledge had been.

Rising from the bed, Qui-Gon was relieved to feel stronger and steadier than he had the night before. Looking through the closet by the refresher door, he was happy to find an assortment of very familiar-looking clothing. A dark brown robe hung from the metal hook while the shelves contained leggings and tunics that all appeared to be his size, along with sashes, stolas, socks, a wide belt and a pair of knee-high, nerf-hide boots. He grabbed a set of clothes and, after tossing them on the bed, headed into the refresher. It was fully stocked with toiletries and towels, so Qui-Gon decided to take advantage of that.

When Qui-Gon exited the refresher with a towel wrapped around his waist, he felt better than he had at any time since he had awakened. Var-Son had not returned by the time he had dressed, therefore he decided to meditate. Settling to the floor on his knees, he slowed his breathing and stilled his mind until he relaxed into a meditative state. He had much to contemplate, so he let go of his conscious thoughts and allowed the Force to direct him.

Meditation had always gone a long way to soothe his concerns and Qui-Gon came out his trance feeling much calmer than he had going in. His memories were more solid, more like prints on a flimsiplast rather than flashes from a holovid. They still lacked any hint of the emotions that he would have expected to accompany such memories but he thought that was most likely a by-product of being cloned. Those emotions would either resurface or they wouldn’t and worrying about it would serve no purpose. Although the Force had not given him any specific answers, it had whispered that all would be well and he would have to trust that the Force would not let him down. He settled into the chair to ponder his situation, re-examining the memories that were surfacing while his mind was putting together a list of questions for his host. He had been sitting there for about forty minutes when the door opened.

As he had the night before, Var-Son appeared with a tray containing a basic meal – juice, fruit, toast and tea. This time the tray contained only enough food for one person along with a datapad. "I know that you have questions and in time I will do my best to answer all of them. But I would like you to have a foundation of general information before we get to the specifics. This datapad contains an overview of the major historical events of the last century. Read through it and when I return we can talk more."

Frustrated by the healer's evasions, Qui-Gon reached out a hand to stop the man's movements. "Why don't you just give me the highlights? Things could not have changed that much in only a half century."

"You couldn't be more off the mark," Var-Son replied. "An evil rose that was so powerful it almost extinguished the light from the galaxy. It took years of war, the determination and sacrifice of tens of thousands of people and the pure heart of a very special young man to finally push back the dark." He stepped out of Qui-Gon's reach and headed for the door. "Read the file and I'll be back to help you make sense of the changes in the galaxy."

Giving in to the inevitable, Qui-Gon picked up the datapad and flipped it on. It appeared to contain an actual history text, like the ones that were used at Temple to teach the initiates. A piece of toast in one hand, he scrolled through the text until he found a heading labeled 'The Battle of Naboo' and settled in to read.

The life of a Jedi Knight and Master had taken Qui-Gon to hundreds of worlds, had deposited him into more implausible situations than he could count but nothing could have prepared him for the information he had just read through. The young boy who had been their savior when the Naboo cruiser's hyperdrive had been damaged during their escape from Theed had been instrumental in eradicating both the Jedi Order and democracy from the Republic. Caring and unselfish Anakin Skywalker had become a monster, murdering children and using the skills he had learned at Qui-Gon's insistence to enslave the Galaxy in a reign of terror and misery.

Palpatine, the erstwhile Senator from Naboo and last Chancellor of the Republic had also been the Sith Master, using the cover of benevolence and concern for the Republic's citizenry to depose the rightful government and declare himself Emperor. If not for the outcome of his machinations, his manipulations might have been considered brilliant military strategy. By controlling and manipulating both the Trade Federation and the Separatist movement as Lord Sidious and the Clone Army and the Jedi Council as Chancellor Palpatine, he had drawn everyone into a contrived war that had killed millions and in the end he had been the only winner.

After the Jedi had spent millennia supporting and aiding the Republic's regime and its innumerable worlds, they had been thrust into the role of villain and blamed for all the upheaval that Palpatine had manipulated. The Jedi Order had been decimated, betrayed by the Clone troops that they had served with and commanded and later by the citizens they had sworn to protect. In the end, both Republic and Separatist worlds had been enslaved under the yoke of Palpatine's Galactic Empire. Anakin Skywalker had led the betrayal, turning against his former comrades and against the master who had raised him at Qui-Gon's behest.

Even the woman Anakin had loved had been caught in the wave of darkness and betrayal. Although Padme Naberrie Amidala had secretly married Anakin Skywalker shortly after the battle of Geonosis and eventually had borne his children, she had died under what could only be considered very suspicious circumstances. Her death had come only days after the destruction of the Jedi Temple and it didn't take the confirmation of a history text to point to the cause. Although the official report had been that she was murdered during the 'Jedi Rebellion', it was obvious that Anakin had been responsible.

The historical account of Obi-Wan's confrontation with Anakin had been horrendous and Qui-Gon knew from experience that mere words could not convey the pain of lifting your lightsaber against the man who had fought at your side from childhood. He could only imagine what the reality of that confrontation must have been like for his former padawan, the dry recitation unable to convey the anguish that such an encounter would have brought. By all accounts it had been a bitter fight in an equally vicious environment that had only ended when Obi-Wan had left an apparently fatally injured Anakin to his fate. Again he could commiserate with Obi-Wan's dilemma. He too had raised swords against an apprentice, unable to strike the killing blow, and had dealt with the miasma of guilt resulting from the damage that his decision had brought upon others.

The Jedi who had survived Palpatine's Order 66 had been relentlessly hunted by Vader and his minions until the few who remained were hidden so deep undercover that they would not surface for generations. With the help of Bail Organa, Obi-Wan and Yoda had gone into hiding as well, waiting for a distant day when the Force would prompt them to return from their exile. The Light of the Jedi had been virtually extinguished, only two tiny glimmers of flame left to keep hope alive. Hidden and watched over in the desert of Tatooine and the verdant wealth of Alderaan, the babies that Padme had brought into the world with her last breaths would eventually become the nexus of both freedom for the galaxy and the return of the Jedi Order.

The Dark, in the forms of Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader, had ruled the galaxy for over twenty years. Basic freedoms had been trampled over, entire populations had been enslaved and very few dared to voice their opposition to the tyrannical rule. A rebellion had been nurtured on little-traveled worlds and secret bases, fighting the tyranny in the only way available to them. Bail Organa, Mon Mothma and Garm Bel Iblis had slowly and silently organized a rag-tag crew of pilots, soldiers and technical support personnel into a working army. The addition of Imperial defectors and military personnel from a multitude of oppressed worlds spawned a military organization that had eventually been able to match forces against the Galactic Empire's highly trained and superiorly equipped forces.

Padme and Anakin's children had been instrumental in restoring the Light. Leia had taken on the mantle of politics and strategy of her mother and adoptive father, using her position and experience to help build and organize the Rebellion. Luke had come to the Rebellion a naïve boy, with only his natural piloting talents and the very rudimentary understanding of the Force that Obi-Wan had given him to guide his way. Tragedy and a strong push from the Force had thrown them together, unaware of their connection, as they struggled for freedom's cause. They had both grown into natural leaders, their strengths leading them to separate responsibilities in the united goal.

Luke's early successes had been accompanied by matching failures, as he had become an integral cog in the wheels of the Rebel Alliance. Eventually Luke had found his way to Dagobah to continue his training with Yoda. In the years that followed, he learned of his parentage and his connection to Leia and suffered much at the hands of the man who had sired him. In the end, he confronted both his father and Palpatine, giving himself up to Vader to try to save not only his sister and his friends but also the efforts of the Rebel team seeking to destroy the second Death Star. Luke's pure heart and strong convictions had won out in the end and Vader had renounced his master and given his life to save his son.

Even after Palpatine had been destroyed at the hands of his former apprentice, the Empire he had founded had continued its oppression in his absence. It had taken two more years for Admiral Ackbar and Rogue Squadron to liberate Coruscant but even then the Galactic Civil War had still raged. The Moffs and their military commander, Grand Admiral Thrawn, had continued the battle against the Rebel Alliance turned New Republic. It had taken another fifteen years and millions of lost lives before peace had finally been brokered between Gilad Pellaeon of the Imperial Remnant and Ponc Gavrisom of the New Republic.

During those early years, Luke Skywalker had stepped away from his role as a pilot and commander to take on other missions for the New Republic and in his travels had discovered a number of Force-sensitive individuals. Establishing a Jedi Praxeum at the site of the abandoned Rebel base on the fourth moon of Yavin, many of those Luke had discovered had joined him for training as he began the task of restoring the Jedi Order that he still labored at to this day.

Qui-Gon set the datapad aside, rose from his chair and began to pace. The changes that had been wrought in the galaxy in the past fifty-five years were almost beyond belief. The Old Republic had stood for thousands of years, surviving multiple incursions by the Sith in varying degrees and wars too numerous to mention. The fact that it had all been destroyed by the manipulations of one man was mind-boggling, to say the least.

Try as he might, Qui-Gon was unable to full absorb the reality of the situation and even his ingrained training did nothing to help. The world he knew was gone, shattered under Palpatine's thumb and the entity that had risen in his place was as foreign to him as breathing in the noxious atmosphere of Dorion would be. Everyone and everything he had known and loved were gone. No one was meant to exist in a place so far removed from his past and he wondered not for the first time at the reasons behind the Force allowing his return.

Qui-Gon was still contemplating how he could come to terms with everything when Var-Son returned. Again the healer carried a tray containing a basic meal but this time it was food for two. Var-Son smiled as he set the tray down and then settled into the chair he had occupied the night before. "So are you ready to get to it, Master Jinn?"

Fighting an urge to throttle the infuriating healer, Qui-Gon settled into his seat and considered how to start. The first question that came into his mind surprised him. "Healer Meirr, why did you decide to clone me?"

Var-Son laughed as he picked up the sandwich from his plate. "I see your reputation for being direct and speaking your mind was not exaggerated, Master Jinn. And in truth it was your reputation that influenced me to seek to replicate you."

Qui-Gon couldn't help but be amused at that comment. "Do you have some ingrained desire to deal with tenacious and intractable people?"

"Not particularly, but one must take the good with the bad," Var-Son replied after a sip of caf. The look Qui-Gon sent his way was enough to make him get to the point. "History paints a very vivid picture of your core qualities, Master Jinn. Loyalty, moral fortitude, confidence, perseverance, patience, serenity, candor, honesty, and dedication - just to name a few. Your determination to follow the Will of the Force, no matter what obstacles or resistance arose, made you the perfect choice."

"Choice for what?" Qui-Gon shot back.

"I guess what it boils down to is redemption," Var-Son answered. "Scientists tend to look at things from a very black and white perspective. For many years, I believed that only the science was important, and I was not responsible for what people did with my discoveries and research. I was not very discerning about what my research could or would be used for and, as a result, came to work for a very unscrupulous person."

"Explain," Qui-Gon prodded.

Var-Son took another bite from his sandwich and then said, "Let me tell you a story, Master Jinn. Back when I was a small boy on Cerea, a group of Jedi came to Tecave City. Among them was Ki-Adi Mundi, whose eighth wife was my mother's second cousin, so the group was invited to the family compound for a few days. I was awestruck, especially after I saw two of them in the garden early one morning doing a battle kata." He raised his hands palms up in a gesture of futility. "From that moment on, I became infatuated with the Jedi and the Force. I collected every bit on information on them that I could find and decided to study the biological sciences in hopes that I could find some way to artificially induce Force-sensitivity."

Although Qui-Gon was hearing this story first-hand, it was even harder to comprehend than the history text had been. "From what I know of the Cerean people, and I must admit that beside Knight Mundi I have come into contact with very few, having a harmonious relationship with nature is of paramount import. How could you be a part of something that is the antithesis of that concept?"

A look of embarrassment appeared on the healer's face. "Have you never become so obsessed with something that you lost all good sense?"

Memories of his actions after Tahl's murder flashed through Qui-Gon's mind and he found he could sympathize with Var-Son's dilemma. But he still could not understand how this had come about. "Did you do your research on Cerea?"

"I’m certain you can figure out the answer to that question by yourself, Master Jinn," Var-Son responded. "As soon as the Council of Elders learned of my research, I was ordered not only to stop but also to destroy all records of the research that I had completed to that point. Needless to say, I did not comply."

Qui-Gon blew out a long breath. This story was in turns getting more compelling and more horrific. "So where did you go?"

"I left Cerea with my research and made my way first to a small scientific community on M'Haeli and then to a larger one on Jumus. As I got closer to the Core, I began to circulate my findings in some of the research journals. I had hoped I could affiliate myself with a major medical research facility that could in turn connect me with the Jedi," Var-Son explained. "But much to my eventual dismay, those publications drew the attention not of the Jedi Order but of a man much more powerful and much less principled."

"So this person wanted you to make people Force-sensitive?" Qui-Gon asked.

"That was his original plan but by the time his agent approached me to work for him, I had already come to the realization that such a feat was not possible," the healer explained. "So, I was sent to Kamino, to study the intricacies of cloning technology with the eminent scientists Taun We and Ko Sai. When I had learned all I could from them, the agent sent me to Lianna, obtaining a position for me in the biologics division of Santhe/Sienar Advanced Products Laboratory to continue my research."

Instead of clarifying the situation, all this additional information was just making it more confusing. "So if you realized that you couldn’t change the condition of a person born without the ability to sense the Force, why continue your research?"

"Since I could not give a being Force-sensitivity, my research shifted to creating clones from the genetic contributions of individuals who could sense and use the Force and, working to enhance those abilities," the healer explained. "Within a few years, my lab was relocated from Lianna to a secret facility on the planet Byss. At first I was creating clones from many different donors, but in time my work narrowed down to one." Var-Son looked away, as if the story had become too difficult to tell. After a moment, he turned back to meet Qui-Gon's gaze and continued. "Channeling the dark side takes a heavy toll on the human body. The ability to replace the ravaged body with a new one as it deteriorated was a step away from being immortal."

A look of horror crossed Qui-Gon's face as the pieces of the puzzle began fitting together. "You worked for Palpatine?"

"As I said earlier, Master Jinn, all that mattered to me at that point in my life was my research and, Palpatine's offer gave me everything a scientist could dream of," the healer said with a self-deprecating smile. "I had a state-of-the-art laboratory, unlimited funding and all my basic needs taken care of. Plus I accepted my original position about three years before the Battle of Geonosis. Palpatine was the elected ruler of the Republic and appeared to have the Galaxy's best interests at heart. It wasn't until well into the Clone Wars that I came to realize that things were not as they appeared and by then it was much too late."

"What do you mean?"

"Although my employment in the laboratory was officially considered voluntary, as far as I know, no one ever dissolved an association with Palpatine and lived to tell about it," Var-Son said. "Publicly, Santhe/Seinar may have been listed as a privately owned and operated company but in reality both Rath Seinar and, in the later years, Valles Santhe were in Palpatine's pocket and did nothing without his expressed consent. Security for the facility on Byss would make most prison colonies look like vacation resorts. The guards were fanatically loyal and it was impossible to sneak anything past them."

With the things he now knew about Palpatine, Qui-Gon found Var-Son's observation totally believable. "So how did you finally manage to find your way to freedom?"

The hint of a smile touched Var-Son's face. "Sheer luck, really. I had been on Byss almost thirty years when fate, in the form of Luke Skywalker, interceded. Unbeknownst to almost everyone, when Darth Vader threw Palpatine down the chasm of the second Death Star's reactor, Palpatine managed to separate his consciousness from his body. Eventually, his essence traveled through the Force to Byss and animated one of the clones. He controlled the Empire in secret, revealing himself only when Luke arrived on Byss about six years after the Battle of Endor. Palpatine succeeded in turning Anakin's son to the Dark for a time but, in the end, Luke was pulled back into the Light by his sister Leia."

Qui-Gon's head was spinning when the healer stopped his narrative for a sip of water. He knew from Xanatos' turning just how deeply the Dark could ingrain itself into a person and he found it amazing that Luke had taken those initial steps but found his way back.

"Luke had destroyed the cloning lab when he originally arrived on Byss so when Palpatine's ship, the Eclipse, was destroyed in a Force storm generated during his battle with Luke, Palpatine was finally vanquished for good," Var-Son continued. "In the confusion surrounding Palpatine's death, the research facility was basically abandoned. When the routine re-supply ship arrived seven cycles later, I bribed the pilot for passage away from Empire controlled space. Thirty-plus years of collecting a sizeable salary with nowhere to spend it and auspicious investments had left me with considerable wealth at my disposal."

Listening intently to the tale, Qui-Gon wondered how many other things had been ignored or glossed over in the history data he had read. Much time would need to be spent on research so that he could get a clearer picture of the galaxy in this day and age. But for the moment, he had a more pressing question. "So, how and I guess more importantly why, did you end up in another remote research facility?"

"There are many facets to that question but in truth it boils down to self-preservation and atonement," Var-Son replied. "After spending thirty years with only the company of my research subjects and a few droid assistants, I found it difficult to interact with large numbers of people. So after a few years of relocating every few months confirmed that no one was searching for me, I started planning. I took my money and converted it into untraceable credit chips, created a blind corporation, leased this abandoned ore manufacturing facility and retooled it into a research lab. I took my years of research and the remaining DNA samples I had been able to salvage from Byss and came here. My cloning technology had allowed Palpatine to wreak death and destruction on the galaxy for much longer than nature would have allowed. So I sought to make amends, to use my talents to bring something positive to the New Republic. I have spent the last fifteen years perfecting my experiments and you, Master Jinn, are the culmination of my work."

Although Qui-Gon could hear the pride in the healer's voice as he made that statement, it still made him feel extremely uncomfortable. "Ser Meirr, one man cannot possibly offset the actions of someone as evil as Palpatine, Jedi or no."

The healer's smile faded as he looked at Qui-Gon. "I'm aware of that, Master Jinn. I hoped that by continuing my research and replicating Jedi who are strong in the Light and dedicated to the good of the galaxy, they could step in and help to stabilize and strengthen both the New Republic and the New Jedi Order."

Qui-Gon was having trouble reconciling all the information that the man had given him with the memories of his life before - or should he say - his predecessor's life. He was but a copy, a reproduction, a facsimile of the Jedi Master who had lived so long ago. It would take more than the comforting words of scientist and the recitation from a history tome to come to terms with his situation. After a moment, something about the healer's wording jogged a memory for him. "Yesterday, you mentioned that you had successfully cloned two Jedi from the Old Republic. I have sensed no other livings beings in the facility except you and me. Who is this other Jedi and where is he or she now?"

A wry smile formed on the healer's lips. "He is in a room very similar to this one. One of Seinar Labs' early inventions was a form of Force-shielding," Var-Son explained. "The shielding would block a Force-probe from beyond it while allowing a Force-sensitive within the shield to probe outward. The shielding proved very effective for Palpatine in the waning years of the Old Republic."

"That only answers half the question, Ser Meirr," Qui-Gon grumbled.

"In this case, I would prefer to show you rather than tell you." Rising from his chair, Var-Son made his way towards the door. "If you are done with your meal, follow me and you can get your answer."

Again feeling the urge to throttle the annoying healer, Qui-Gon pushed back the tray and stood. "For a scientist, you certainly have a flair for the dramatic, Ser Meirr.

Pushing the door open, the healer smiled. "Years of confinement and solitude have taught me to take joy in little things."

Not bothering to respond, Qui-Gon followed the healer out the door. He instinctively inspected the area as they walked, making note of anything that might come in handy at a later time. They had only gone about a hundred meters when the healer came to a stop. Var-Son entered a long numeric sequence into the keypad on the wall and the door began to slide open.

As the first sliver of space appeared, Qui-Gon realized he did not need to see inside the room to know who occupied it. The Force aura that rushed out to greet him was as familiar to him as his own. Shock kept him motionless as the door slid into the wall and the room's occupant was revealed. The hair may have been longer, the face a few years older and the cleft chin covered by an auburn beard, but there was no doubt that the man kneeling in meditation in the center of the room was the same man who had spent twelve years at Qui-Gon's side.

Blue-green eyes opening to look up at him finally broke Qui-Gon's paralysis and his heart swelled as he crossed into the room in two long steps. The two syllables coming off his lips were as much an entreaty as they were a name. "Obi-Wan."