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As the heavy doors clanged shut behind Qui-Gon, he found himself in a cool, sunlit hall, high and wide and made of deep white marble. Columns flanked the huge glass windows.... He blinked a little at the sight of the huge dais at the end of the room, topped by a simple marble throne laced by veins of silver. Seated in it was the Sovereign Saleil of the planet Aladell, flanked by her red-armored bodyguards.
She was tall and slender, her body encased in a silvery sheath laced by tiny diamonds. Wide dark eyes stared out of a lovely oval face. Graying dark hair was braided in a netlike manner, laced by small silvery chains. In the past forty years, she had hardly changed.
Qui-Gon dropped to one knee and bowed his head, feeling a deep, harsh sadness pierce him. He had known the Sovereign since he had been a padawan himself, only twelve years old. The young boy had been brought to Aladell on a peace assignment.
For a long moment, she simply stared at him, then rose and descended the dais to a small door at the rear of the room. Qui-Gon followed her, into the small office, with only a couple of gray leather couches by the window.
As the doors shut and clicked behind them, the Sovereign smiled a little. The facade of almost godlike majesty melted away, revealing a simple woman. "Qui-Gon," she said quietly. "You're upset."
Qui-Gon nodded as he sat down beside her.
"Why are you here?" she pressed, her eyes boring into him.
Qui-Gon sighed and stared at his boots. This was hard, almost as hard as not saying goodbye to Obi-Wan... "I came to say goodbye," he said quietly.
Her face creased in confusion and growing suspicion. "Why?" she asked softly.
Qui-Gon slipped his hand around her smaller one, and stared into her eyes. "I have been banished by the Jedi Council," he said quietly. "I'm leaving, perhaps for unexplored space. But I wanted to say goodbye to you-"
"For what reason were you banished?" she lilted in the odd Aladell accent.
"I killed one man to save hundreds of innocents," Qui-Gon replied, his eyes falling to the floor. "Evidently the Council didn't see it the way I did."
"No," the Sovereign replied flatly. Her face had hardened slightly, her hand tightening around his with the strength of an iron band.
"But..."
"No." Her voice made it clear that she would tolerate no argument on the matter. She hooked a finger under his bearded chin and raised his eyes to meet hers, with a sad smile. "You will remain with me for the time being."
Qui-Gon nodded, his eyes drifting shut. "I'm so tired," he murmured.
"I know," she murmured, curling her long arms around him, and cradling him gently against her, head on her shoulder. Her mild empathic senses reached out, sensing the misery, uncertainty and growing shame that he radiated. "You're safe with me..."
"I can't live in exile," he whispered in a broken whisper. "I can't..."
The Sovereign leaned her cheek against the side of his head, running her fingers over his long graying hair.
Over the years, a friendship had grown between the two, the humble Jedi and the alien queen. Almost unchanging herself, she had watched Qui-Gon pass from a young apprentice to a Jedi Knight, and then a Master. She had taken a mother's pride in his accomplishments and had looked forward to any visit from him, if he happened to be near the system.
She gently eased him down onto the couch and drew a nearby brocaded blanket up around his shoulders. He stirred but did not wake as she glided out.
Obi-Wan tried hard to keep a scowl from his face as the doors of the giant audience room swung open, revealing a long hall with a throne at the end. His back and legs ached, his head was burning. His lightsaber felt red-hot against his thigh, and his skin felt slick with the exertion.
Ahead of him, Risoin was cool and composed, as if he had been resting instead of the four-hour training session he had just thrown Obi-Wan through. "If it becomes necessary in a bad situation," he had said sternly, "you won't be able to take any breaks."
The Sovereign was standing at the window, resting her slim hands on the sill.
Risoin bowed deeply, while Obi-Wan remained standing stiffly. Risoin only threw a glare his way. "I understand, my lady," he said amiably, using the title for the Sovereign, "that you are being attacked by a member of your government."
"I understand that there was a takeover years ago," Obi-Wan interjected, feeling the hard glare on the back of his head.
The Sovereign smiled slightly at him, and Obi-Wan felt Risoin's fury increase. "Yes, but I am certain that the man involved was killed during the counter rebellion. It was a political move."
"How did he die?" Risoin interjected.
The Sovereign bowed her head a little, with a small smile. "I assure you, there is no chance of his return. He is most certainly dead."
"My lady," Risoin asked again, his face showing his strain. "I really must know how he died."
The Sovereign seemed to take this in, nodded slightly. "If you must know... he was killed by a young Jedi Knight."
"Which Knight?" Risoin pressed.
There was the sound of a door opening behind the dais, and a tall, bearded man emerged from it. For a moment, he was in the shadow of the marble throne. As he emerged into the light and walked to the side of the Sovereign, Obi-Wan choked on a gasp.
The Sovereign smiled at Obi-Wan a little. "My personal guest, Qui-Gon Jinn."