DISCLAIMER: Star Wars and all publicly recognisable characters, names and references, etc are the sole property of George Lucas, Lucasfilm Ltd, Lucasarts Inc and 20th Century Fox. The character of Ardeth Fey is from the movie "The Mummy" which belongs to Universal Pictures. This fan fiction was created solely for entertainment and no money was made from it. Also, no copyright or trademark infringement was intended. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author. Any other characters, the storyline and the actual story are the property of the author.
Laser blasts ricochet around you. You're pressed against a cement wall bracing yourself. Altona's sun creeps below the horizon turning a day operation into night. You spy your team leader in the distance. He gives the ready signal. You check your clip, look to your partner, nod and return fire.
"Bad guys two o'clock." Your partner, Sgt. Russell Garr barks.
A quick squeeze of the trigger and they are history. In one swift motion you replace your clip and hit the recharge button. Your trusty rifle whines softly readying itself for more action. Thirty, twenty, ten... Ten yards away from the extract site.
"GO! GO! Move!!" Lt. Commander Hall yells over the howling engines of the transport.
Sensing someone behind you, you turn. No one is there. Winded and sore, you hump it to the transport.
"Come on Jinn, we ain't got all day!" Hall barks following you in the transport. "All right get us out of here!" He yells to the pilot.
It is morning on the other side of Altona. In the division's makeshift head quarters in an abandoned mining camp, you and your friends nurse your wounds, talk about the mission and gripe about Jedi. At least they do.
You hiss as the medic places bacta in a gash on your upper arm.
"You're lucky," She says coolly, "any deeper and we'd have to operate."
"Just fix me up." You hold in a reflexive wince as the sutures bind artificial skin to your own.
The medic taps the buttons on her data pad. "Had you been bleeding long?"
"No. Why?" You check the dressing for ease of movement.
"You're showing a high amount of anemia. Hmmm... Well, it's probably nothing. Women your age are prone to anemia."
You shrug not really caring much and head back to your tent where you lay down and fall instantly asleep.
"What the hell good are they?"
"He said the negotiations failed."
"Right. Like it was worth doing in the first place."
Your eyes flutter open. It's dark. You're hungry and tired but ready for more. You sit up quickly and feel dizzy.
//Damn wound.// You growl softly and grab your rifle.
You shimmy outside your tent, seeing Mackelby and Garr near a small fire. Various vehicles and machinery hum in the distance. You check the chrono on your arm. It's almost time for the next patrol.
"You're up." Mackelby says and spits off to the side. "For a second there, we thought you were gonna sleep through the whole mission."
"Kiss off," You approach the fire and warm your hands, "next time you volunteer for recon."
"Lots been happening since you've been asleep." Garr says quietly edging closer to you.
"What?" You stare into the flames. You realize you've got to pee.
"The Jedi handling the negotiations are here. Apparently it's two of them."
"Who is it?"
"I don't know. They've been with the brass for a while, we probably won't get to see 'em."
"Interesting. But doesn't really concern us. We still got a bad guy to catch." You shift the rifle strap on your arm, "If you'll excuse me. I gotta go use the woods."
"Hey," Mackleby tosses you a locator, "just in case you get lost. You still owe me fifty dactari."
You grin, "Don't worry you'll get your money."
"Mmmhhmm."
//Ahhh much better.// You stretch working the kinks out of your neck. Peeing in the forest isn't exactly lady-like but it beats the hell out of wetting your pants. You check the locator and make your way back to camp. You reach a small clearing. You swivel feeling a presence. You aim your rifle perfectly ready to shoot.
"I felt a disturbance in the Force." A low voice with a tinge of a brogue rumbles in the darkness. You know it anywhere.
"Qui-Gon?" You're not sure if it's really him because you can't sense him through your bond. Which is strange because its never been a problem before.
The majestic Jedi Master steps out of the thicket and into sight. He removes his hood and places his hands in his sleeves. You lower your rifle and approach him.
"So you're the one assigned to handle the negotiation."
He nods.
"Who accompanied you?"
"Another knight. You do not know her." He answers studying you. The darkness does not allow you to see his expression but you know he is pensive.
"Well, watch your six. The drifters are dangerous. They dislike jedi more than my compadres."
"I will." He answers curtly.
"I have to get back." You turn to leave.
"When was the last time you had an authorized medical?" The master steps closer to you.
"A while ago why?"
"Don't you need clearance every second cycle to be okayed for a mission?"
"Yes. But they waved it this time cause I always pass with flying colors."
You hear him take several deep breaths. He is silent.
"Go home Chana."
Frowning, "No. I've got a job to do and I'm leaving now."
Qui is silent. Your boots crunch the underbrush. He grabs your arm. You quell your shock.
"Don't you even care?" He turns you forcefully to face him.
"Qui this isn't about us," You hiss. //Relationships complicate things.//
"You're right this is bigger than us. That's why you should go home."
"Master, things aren't that simple in the Forces." You stare at him in the reflected light of the moon, "I can't tell my C-O I need to go home because bondmate is concerned for me."
"You don't know." He pulls back.
There is activity in the camp. "Qui we'll talk about this later."
"No. You don't." He shakes his head slowly and pauses, "You're pregnant."
You chuckle, "Nice try. No I'm not."
"You are."
"Last time I checked, you weren't a physician." You cracked
He cranes down to you, "I don't need a physician to tell me you're carrying my child." The master hisses, "Now go home."
"You're wrong and I'm not." You snarl back, "I have a job to do and my buddies are counting on me."
Qui-Gon peered at Chana as she made her way through the brush back to camp. Dozens of emotions charged through him at light speed. He didn't know whether to hand everyone a cigar or to throw her over his shoulder and take her home himself. He was going to be a father and she was carrying his child.
//No harm must come to her or my offspring.// He placed his hands in sleeves, //I must protect my family.//
As Chana disappeared into the thicket, her double life force signature left with her.
Through the mission briefing you feel Qui's eyes studying you. Still unable to connect to him, you focuse your concentration on the mission at hand.
//He's wise but not always right.// You reason.