Author's Notes: Okay everybody, I never thought that a story would choke me up...but this one has. I hope everyone has enjoyed reading this 'monster' as much as I have enjoyed writing it. Thanks for all of the support and friendly suggestions from the list. There is character death in this one...more than one.....so I'm sorry for the implied violence and anguish.
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. 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.
"It would be our destiny that our transport would have to land at the hanger." Obi-Wan grumbled. He eased his head around the corner to look at the door to the multiplex. There was currently nothing to see, but all present could feel the pressure surrounding them. The feelings of oppression and hatred hung around their necks like a noose.
"Our destiny is as it was ordained to be, Obi-Wan." Qui-Gon answered back, standing with his arms crossed on his chest.
Most of the other Jedi had been removed from the surface of the planet. There still remained one or two small bands waiting their turn for transport. The ship that agreed to take Qui-Gon, Padme, Obi-Wan and Shmi had arrived that morning within the confines of the spaceport. The captain could not be dissuaded to move his ship and, therefore, the Jedi needed to enter into the port to gain their escape.
Shmi and Padme stood off the side of the alley; the two children firmly encased in their arms. Both women were exceptionally tired and worn-out. The last two nights had consisted of constant fleeing and fighting as the Sith had grown tired of waiting and had gone on the offensive. Padme had again seen her master fight heartily in battle with Obi-Wan and her at his side. On the evening before, as they had settled into a small protected area of cliffs, the Sith had set upon them. With little else to do but fight, the trio had struggled to ensure that Shmi and the twins would be safe. The battle had been long and tiring, but in the end, they had triumphed. Padme had been unable to remain awake for long after the fight was completed, and Qui-Gon had held her as they traveled into the depths of the desert. Obi-Wan's throat had tightened at the strength of emotion that he saw in the elder Jedi's eyes.
Even now, as Obi-Wan stared at his former master, he saw those same feelings peeking out from the iced depths. He reached out a hand to lay upon his friend's arm. Qui-Gon looked stricken for a moment and then nodded solemnly. "We will have to try and get around them. Battle will only occur if we are cornered." He turned to look at Padme, a gentle gleam in his eyes. "We will not have a repeat of last night, I assure you. Padme, you and Shmi will have to carry the children." He looked out at the hanger again, as a sigh pressed out of his mouth. "The two of you will have to situate yourselves between Obi-Wan and I, is that understood?"
Shmi nodded, mutely tugging at Magrie's tunic. She understood that tone of voice, having heard it from the man once or twice. Padme opened her mouth momentarily to answer him, only to be confronted with the back of the Jedi's head. His voice was without emotion as he answered her obvious question. "You can argue with me later, Padawan."
Padme grimaced, holding Albie tighter in her arms. Obi-Wan nodded and sent a message to Qui-Gon indicating his want to search out their surroundings. With a firm nod, the Jedi Master waved his friend past. As the younger Jedi strode out into the midday crowd milling in the area surrounding the hanger, Qui-Gon pushed his small band further back into the alcove. Padme waited until Obi-Wan's head disappeared into the crowd before she released her full inquiry.
"Why must I remain as you state, Qui-Gon?" The Jedi flinched at the use of his proper name. "You will need my help."
"Yes, to carry the children, Padme." He turned, grabbing her by the arm and forcing her deeper into the alcove. "Do not argue with me now, please. You can argue with me once we are offworld."
She stood silently, stroking the girl's head that she held. Qui-Gon leaned further into her, his hand above her head. "Obi-Wan and I can champion this fight, Padawan. It will be easier if you remained with Shmi. If the need arises, you can cover your own back and Shmi's. Besides, if something should happen to me-"
Padme raised her hand to cover her lover's mouth. Her eyes spoke volumes of sorrow as she used her vocal skills as opposed to her force skills to silence Qui-Gon. "Don't."
Qui-Gon's eyes turned soft as he removed her fingers from his lips. He kissed all of her fingertips before holding her hand. "Something might happen, Padme, and by remaining separate from me and Obi-Wan, you are in a more advantageous position to escape a similar fate. We both know that if you are to separate from Shmi and the children evil will befall them."
Padme closed her eyes as the memory of the fight from the night before crowded her mind. Images of flashing sabres burned her retinas; the loud sound of her own breathing echoed in her ears and was joined by Obi-Wan's as his back came into contact with hers. The wailing of scared toddlers screeched in the night air. She could hear Shmi's sharp intake of breath that held for an eternity as she scrambled into a cliff outcropping with both toddlers. In her mind, she saw Obi-Wan cut down his opponent with difficulty, turning to leap over to the two pursuing Shmi into the alley. Padme recalled her struggle against her battle partner with a shudder. The swordsmanship that the Sith presented had not been hard to overcome. A few rapid-fire turns and sweeps had been all that was needed to triumph. Instead, it was the bubble of darkness, of evil that surrounded the humanoid that repulsed her, causing her body in the midst of her memory to shiver. It was, however, Qui-Gon's shout of horror that remained first and foremost in her mind. The two Sith had reached Shmi first and were swinging their sabres to try and dislodge the woman from her small, cramped hiding place. Obi-Wan had arrived at the crevice in the rock to engage one warrior; the second, however, remained in pursuit of Shmi. Qui-Gon leapt across the small space, landing in front of Padme as her opponent fell. He engaged the remaining Sith, cutting him down, with a swift turn and draw. The shaking in Qui-Gon's hands as he gathered Padme and Magrie to him and hauled for the speeder was very telling. Padme knew of the mental anguish that her lover had undergone, could feel his pain.
His arms as he piled onto the back of the speeder trembled with repressed emotion. It was only as he had lowered his lips into her hair and tightened his arms around her waist that she knew the extent of his pain. His eyes were closed and a stray tear coursed down his cheek. Magrie cried as she clung to the Master's robe, crushed in his embrace. His other arm had been looped underneath Padme's arms grasping at her waist as the speeder raced away. His lips found her ear in the roaring of the wind. "Never again," he had stated as his arms trembled. "I will never come that close to losing someone I love…never. They will have to kill me first."
Padme centered her eyes on Qui-Gon's in the alley only to see that they were remembering the same instance. Albie whimpered at the feelings that she felt flying around her and buried her face further into Padme's cloak. The young padawan set her chin and nodded, knowing that Qui-Gon's piece of mind was her first priority here. "I understand what you want, Qui-Gon, but if you were to be killed…" her voice broke on the last portion of the sentence as the full weight of what she said settled on her shoulders.
"I will be fine, Padme." His eyes were liquid blue as he cupped her cheek. "Besides, if something did happen, I would rely on your healing powers, my beautiful healer." His smile was wide as he continued. "I have seen your handiwork and it is first rate."
She smiled in pleasure at his compliment but became somber in the next minute. "I just…don't want to…"
"I know, padawan, I know." He intoned his voice gritty. "But trust me that this is the only way to keep the children safe. I'm not too enthralled with having you separated from me either, little one. But it will only be until we are onboard the ship. And I anticipate very little trouble getting there."
Padme nodded in final acceptance of his words and looked to the street as Obi-Wan sauntered back. His face was neither strained, nor relaxed. Both Qui-Gon and Padme had not felt his presence nor sensed his return; his schooling to withhold his emotions was complete. She smiled at her friend as he came to a rest against the wall next to Shmi.
"Well, Obi-Wan?" Qui-Gon pressed his arm still above Padme's shoulder on the wall.
"There are a few that are milling around the hanger, Qui-Gon, but not an outrageous amount. From what I could gather, they are scouring the city looking for us." Obi-Wan released a restrained breath. "We might just be able to do this without a conflict."
"It is as I hoped." Qui-Gon nodded, "But we must be vigilant. Be mindful, Obi-Wan."
"Yes, Mast…" Obi-Wan stopped and looked to his friend, who was both serious and joking. "Sir?"
"You may be a knight, Obi-Wan, but there are still things on which you need to work." He edged to his friend, moving toward the front of the alley. "And your ability to sense the living force and be mindful of the present are two things in which you are lacking. But," he smiled warmly at the man, turning his shoulder as if to include the man in a secret. "But you will be a powerful knight someday, Obi-Wan. And you will have more control over your feelings than I do over mine. I am proud of you. Remember that…always."
Obi-Wan blinked for a moment in shock and then schooled his features. "Thank you, Master. I-" he shivered for a second as a thought rippled across his mind, and then shook his head. "I will remember that, Qui-Gon."
"Good." Qui-Gon waved the younger man on. Obi-Wan stepped out into the street with a slight smile. He had never received such praise from his friend and former master before and it amazed him. Padme nodded in satisfaction as the younger man moved off with Shmi a short distance behind carrying Magrie.
"You did that well, Master." She stated as she moved past him to begin walking. "I have never heard you reprimand Ben and praise him in the same sentence."
"Regardless of all the times that I have bumped heads with the boy, Padme, I still love him like I will our son." He sighed, nodding to get her moving. He thought for a moment and pulled on her shoulder to get her to stop. He cupped her chin for a moment, tilting her head back on her shoulders. The wind ruffled her hair momentarily and he ran a hand over it to stop it from blowing. He smiled at the lovely sight in front of him. Padme had begun to glow in her pregnancy, a radiance that basked her features and lit her brown eyes from within. She returned his glance with a sly grin. "And I love you, Padme. Completely, or as near to completely as this old Jedi is able to attain. I want you to remember that. Even when I am angry and in disagreement with you, I never want you to doubt that I do indeed love you, Padme. And when you become a Knight, I want you to become my lifemate."
Padme opened and shut her mouth quickly and then smiled widely and nodded. "I accept your offer, Qui-Gon." A lifemate was as intimate as Jedi were allowed to become; conventional marriage was not looked upon kindly by the order. A lifemate meant that they would be hand bound for life, essentially enjoying a single lover relationship without the marriage ceremony.
He smiled gently and bent to kiss her, sweeping his mouth across hers in gentle ebb and flow. She leaned into the kiss and sighed as he wrapped his arm around her and hugged her tightly. When he drew away, he had the largest smile that Padme had ever seen. "By the Gods, that makes me happy." He stated lowly. She smiled and nodded her agreement. Albie squirmed in Padme's arms drawing their attention back to their surroundings.
"Move on, padawan." He sighed, putting a large hand on her back to guide her. "Stay a good distance in front of me, and do not look back."
"Yes, Master." She answered, tucking the child tighter on her hip and burying Albie's head into the folds of her cloak. She began to move away from him in quick steps, her eyes peeled for Shmi and the other child. Seeing her target, Padme moved purposefully through the crowd.
Qui-Gon smiled, his hands resting on his hips as he watched his love weave through the crowd. He looked to the ground for a moment in reflection and then began to stroll through the streets after her. As he stepped through the crowd, he felt a wave of hatred roll over him and he stopped. Swinging his eyes around the small cove, he saw no sith, nor felt their immediate presence. He sighed and ground his teeth for a moment and muttered: "May the Force be with us. We will need it."
Obi-Wan entered the main door to the hanger multiplex with a purposeful stride. His hands hung limply at his side, swinging slightly in his strides. His lightsabre was well within reach. He could sense Shmi's unease at entering the building and could relate to her. An enclosed space was not the ideal ground on which to meet any enemy, especially one that was your equal. He waited by the door until Shmi rounded the corner. Padme was close at the other woman's heels, hugging her charge. Albie was fussy, and making whimper noises that were muffled in the cloak. Ben grimaced at the distress that he felt coming from the child. It had been obvious since the children had come to stay with them that they were somewhat force sensitive. And that kind of emotion projection was not good for keeping them hidden.
He waited were he was, encouraging Shmi and Padme to catch up to him. Padme shook her head with a frown as she joined him. "Why have you stopped, Ben?"
"Albie is projecting." Ben nodded to the toddler. "She will attract the Sith."
Qui-Gon hurried into the hanger, stopping short as he saw the gathering. He had heard the conversation in his head and was nodding in agreement. "I know, Ben. This is not good. I can feel their hatred, they are tracking us."
"What…"
"We should keep going, Padawan." Qui-Gon nodded toward the depths of the hanger. "Stopping will only let them catch up to us sooner." He laid a hand on Albie's head with gentleness. "She is too young to understand her emotions let alone control them." His hand rubbed for a moment and the girl drifted into slumber with little fanfare. "There, that should do it."
Padme sighed as she felt the girl become a dead weight in her arms. "I only wish that I could do that."
"Practice, Padawan." Qui-Gon nodded that they needed to keep going.
The quartet moved along the hall, searching for their docking bay. As they rounded the corner and saw their transport, a collective sigh was raised. "There she is." Ben whispered, leaning against the wall. "And no Sith in sight."
Padme shook her head; her mouth turned in a frown. "That's not entirely true, Ben. I can feel them; they are nearby."
Qui-Gon looked to Padme with a nod. He accepted her feelings as truth in this matter. Although he himself could not feel them, the hatred that they carried for the Jedi rang through the Force like a tolling bell. "Then we must be careful. Obi-Wan, lead the way and be on your toes."
The knight sighed and began to stalk across the open hanger towards the stock light freighter that was their ticket to freedom. He balanced on his toes as he walked; the hair stood up on the back of his neck. Shmi followed, holding the sleeping Magrie in her arms. Padme looked to Qui-Gon over Albie's head and smiled. The master returned her reassurance and waved her on.
As they left the protection of the wall, the sound of an opening door echoed in the hanger. It was then that the seven hells of Naboo were unleashed.
Quickly, several Sith warriors entered into the hanger, their sabres lit and prepared for battle. One by one, they filed into the open space and found attack positions. Their movements were precise and controlled, planned. Shmi took a deep breath. Padme reached out to comfort the woman and to keep her moving toward the ship. As the young padawan moved, she jostled Albie, who in return woke.
The child screeched in protest, her arms flaying against Padme's shoulders. The Sith, drawn by the push of emotion began to close in. Ben turned from his walk in an instant and ignited his sabre, his cloak billowing around due to his pivot. Qui-Gon mimicked his old student's move and had his sabre ignited almost as soon as it left his belt. The black cloaked humanoids began to close in as if rancors on a hunt. Ben engaged one only as he came close enough to the knight to be drawn in to a fight. Obi-Wan gritted his teeth as he swung his sabre in retaliation to the swing of his opponent. "Get to the ship!" he yelled to Shmi and Padme.
Padme nodded, pushing and then grabbing at Shmi to move her along. The elder woman was frozen in her place, her eyes wide in terror. Padme reached around the woman's shoulder to grab at her shirt. "Move, Shmi. Go." She shouted.
Shmi grunted in terror and moved behind Padme. The younger woman was already striding across the hanger with quickened steps. Running was impossible with the child. As they approached the ship, several Sith emerged from behind it, essentially cutting them off from the ship. Padme groaned in disbelief and quickly handed Albie to Shmi. She turned, igniting her sabre. "Get to the ship, Shmi. I will keep them busy." She cried, swinging to block a sweep from her opponent.
The elder woman nodded and balanced the children in her arms. She began to move toward the loading ramp. The captain of the ship heard the scuffle and was beginning to fire up the engines. Padme cried to Shmi as the woman neared the ship. "Tell the captain to fire at the Sith with his lasers. Tell him to not ask questions."
Qui-Gon heard the heated voice exchanged, but remained focused on his battle. He could sense the fear and the eminent engagement of Padme with the other Sith, but could feel that she had it under control at that time. He swung his sabre, and leapt into the air, twisting to land behind his opponent. With a quick draw, he cut the being down from behind. He made a mental note that these Sith were lacking in some respects the cunning of the earlier warriors that they had engaged. He grunted though as he realized that the sheer number of Sith in the hanger would be the problem and not their skill. "Obi-Wan…"
The two men lock gazes for a split second, exchanging battle plans with their minds. Obi-Wan nodded and began to swing his sabre one handed as if a scythe in a field of wheat. Qui-Gon immediately took up position behind the younger man, swinging in counterpoint. Sith were momentarily disoriented with the new, improvised attack and several were cut down in seconds. Obi-Wan grimaced as he completed his pass and turned to look at Shmi.
The woman was almost to the boarding ramp, lugging her precious cargo. As she began to climb its slope, a Sith appeared near the ramp and moved to engage her. Padme sensed the anguish and fear in the woman and disengaged her warrior and flipped over to the ramp. She swung her sabre over her head to engage the Sith, but she was too late. The warrior swung his sabre at Shmi with incredible force.
And clipped Magrie.
The child's cry of pain was quickly cut off as the sabre sliced her. Padme gasped in anguish and immediately began to block the rest of the being's swings. Tears burned her eyes as she engaged the Sith in battle. "Get on the ship." She gasped. "Don't stop, take the children."
Qui-Gon almost doubled over at the immediate lost that he felt in his heart. The pain sliced through his body like a dagger through Alderaanian silk. He realized that it was his own pain magnified by Padme's. He turned to see Padme being joined by Obi-Wan. He grimaced and leapt over the remaining Sith to help the two knights. "Go, Shmi!" he yelled.
He landed near Padme with a rush of air. They exchanged only a look and turned to take on their respective battles. They fought valiantly, striving to clear a path for themselves to safety. Shmi ran up the loading ramp and into the interior of the ship. Obi-Wan began to move slowly, trying to move the fight closer to the chip. Momentarily, the lasers of the ship whined into use and began to fire at the Sith farthest from the Jedi.
"Thank the Maker." Obi-Wan sighed.
He neared the ramp and leapt into its interior. "Come on, you two." He shouted.
Padme nodded in agreement, still engaging the Sith that had maimed Magrie. She tried to move toward the ramp, but the being was adamant about not approaching the ship. Qui-Gon noticed that the remaining Sith was moving toward Padme with purpose, and in her sorrow, she was not realizing the approaching danger.
"Padme!" he yelled, leaping over to her.
As he landed, he pivoted to parry the strike that the sith and aimed at Padme's midsection. He was successful in the move, but put himself off balance. As the sith swung the sabre again, he was unable to return the attack.
The sabre pierced his chest with burning hot accuracy.
Padme's eyes widened in pain as she felt an overwhelming anguish wash over her. "No!" she screamed, feeling Qui-Gon's essence ebb from her mind.
Obi-Wan turned from the landing ramp and gasped in disbelief. "Master!" he cried. He leapt down from the ship with a loud whoosh. He landed just as Padme turned and swung her sabre at the Sith that had cut Qui-Gon down. She sliced through the being completely, leaving his top half to crumple to the ground. Obi-Wan sighed as a laser blast was fired and hit the last remaining Sith. He turned to see Padme leaning over Qui-Gon; her sabre still lit. He grimaced at the pain he felt coming from her. "We've got to go…there will be more." He yelled, coming over to her.
"Qui-Gon." She gasped. "I can heal him. But…."
Obi-Wan sheathed his sabre and looped his hands under the fallen Jedi's arms. "Help me drag him on the ship. We can't lift him."
She nodded, reaching for Qui-Gon's arm and began pulling him across the hanger. The loading ramp was steep and they struggled to pull him inside. But once that was accomplished, the door slid shut and the ship gracefully lifted and flew out the open space door.
Padme helped Obi-Wan drag the Jedi far enough inside so that they were not in danger of falling out and they released his arms. She began to pull at his clothing with purpose, ripping the pieces that she was unable to loosen. Obi-Wan joined her in the rush to undress the Jedi. "Magrie?" he gritted out.
"Is beyond help." Padme answered. "She is dead, I can do nothing for her." Her voice was shaking. "But I can help Qui-Gon." Her vision blurred as she pulled at the undertunic and ripped it. What she saw made her blood run cold.
The Sith had pierced the Jedi through the upper torso, through the stomach and the maker only knew how many arteries. There was no trace of blood on the outside of the wound, but Padme knew that the bleeding was in an incredible amount inside the chest cavity. "Qui-Gon?" she sighed, grasping at his hand.
Qui-Gon opened his eyes with effort to meet her tearing brown ones. "I don't think that even you…." He drew a deep breath, "will be able to fix this."
"I can and I will." She grimaced.
"And it will tire you out.." he whispered, " beyond what you can afford with the baby."
"I will do it, stubborn Jedi." She answered, tears falling down her cheeks.
"It's too late." He gasped, " for me, Padme."
"No." she whispered. "I won't allow it." She met Obi-Wan's eyes over the Jedi. "Ben, get the medical supplies."
Ben ran off, nearly tripping over his feet as he entered the hallway. As he left, Qui-Gon lifted his hand to Padme's face, pulling away with tears on his fingertips. "I will be passing into the Force, soon, my Padme. It is only a matter of minutes." He whispered. "I love you, my queen."
"Reserve your strength, Qui-Gon." She sounded in return. "I love you too, and I won't let you go without a fight."
"Remember to hide the child." He whispered. "Give him to Ben."
"I will." She said, as she felt his presence enter into her mind again. It was a feeling of loneliness and deep ache. In the depth of her heart, she knew. She knew that he was leaving her. And the realization made her mouth fill with a scream that never sounded.
"I will be with you always, padawan." He grit out, the light of life dying in his eyes. "You and our children. Look for me."
"Rest." She sighed, easing her hand on his chest, stroking the skin there. A fight would not save him, she realized. "Rest and flow into the force, Jedi Master. For I will see you again. My love."
The only sound that Padme heard was the roaring of the ion engines as the ship fought to leave the planet's pull. The ship rocked gently from side to side. She gazed into his eyes, now open and lifeless. With a sob, she reached up and closed his eyes with her small hand. Then she kissed his lips with the gentleness that she had the first time that they had kissed. And with tears of pain and of loneliness, she laid her head on his chest.
"Wait for me." She moaned out in anguish. "I will join you when my mission is done. My love, my Lianim."
And silently, she felt the material of his clothes loosen and fall to the deck, as the mass of his body drifted into the Force. She buried her face in the empty cloak and sighed. "It is done. As it is written, so shall it be."
Ben rounded the corner minutes later to see Padme leaning back on her heels and staring at the empty clothing. He dropped the medical kit and knelt slowly next to the woman. "He is gone?" he spoke, the disbelief evident in his voice.
Padme nodded, her chin set. Tears rolled down her cheeks unbidden and Ben reached out to draw her into a fierce embrace. The two Jedi remained, joined in their grief as the planet of Tatoonine grew dim in the star filled sky.