They were perhaps half an hour off from Coruscant when Obi-Wan twitched, gasped, and frantically glanced around himself. Qui-Gon had been thinking about other matters, but this was more than enough to get his attention – especially when Obi-Wan's shock was supernova-bright in the Force.
“What's the matter, padawan?” Qui-Gon asked. Obi-Wan wasn't prone to visions anymore, and a vision would've lasted longer, but he couldn't come up with anything else the episode could be.
“Master?” Obi-Wan asked, looking like he'd seen a ghost.
“Bad feeling?” Qui-Gon prodded.
Obi-Wan stared at him as if he were an ephemeral thing, trick of the light or droplets in a breeze gone as soon as it came, and he had to memorize it before it disappeared. Then he straightened himself and turned back to the viewport. “I believe we should bring Anakin with us straight to the Jedi Temple.”
“The Council might not be pleased,” Qui-Gon pointed out, but couldn't actually disapprove of his padawan's suggestion.
“It's not like we can let a nine-year-old wander around Coruscant on his own,” Obi-Wan explained, “and the Naboo have no claim to him and will be busy with their own affairs besides.”
Qui-Gon nodded. His plan had been to leave Anakin with Padmé while they briefed the Council and requested permission to have the boy tested, but Obi-Wan did have a valid point. “Good idea, Obi-Wan.”
He could feel the troubled feeling that had appeared in Obi-Wan wax and wane as they approached and landed on Coruscant. Obi-Wan was being awfully cuddly with Anakin all of sudden, Qui-Gon noted. He smiled to himself. Obi-Wan would make a good knight in a year or so, and then he'd by all appearances be a kind big brother figure for Anakin. The Chosen One would require some special treatment, of course, but Obi-Wan would no doubt help Qui-Gon educate his padawan brother.
Everything went without hitch until they stepped out of the turbolift to the Council tower. Qui-Gon spotted an expression on his padawan's face that spoke of a plan. This would under most circumstances be good, except that this was the Council, it shouldn't require that much planning, and whatever his padawan's plan was, he hadn't shared it with him.
The doors opened before Qui-Gon could ask about the plan. He took a breath, walked in, and bowed. “Masters. I have found a boy and request-”
“Join the Jedi, this boy may not,” Yoda interrupted him with uncharacteristic vehemence. “Never! Evil, he is!”
“Master Yoda,” Mace began in a tone colder than Ilum. Qui-Gon thought he'd take Yoda to task for judging young Anakin too hastily. “Stop insulting my next padawan.”
“What,” Qui-Gon said.
Next to him, Obi-Wan cleared his throat with more poise than he'd ever been able to instill in the boy. “Actually, since going to Tatooine was my idea, I think I should be-”
“No, I called dibs first,” Mace said. “Padawan Kenobi.”
Qui-Gon had no idea what was happening and no clue how to ask. Obi-Wan had his hands on Anakin's shoulders, guardian and advocate in one, and was confidently arguing that he should be the one who got to take Anakin on as a padawan, defying Masters Windu and Yoda both. Qui-Gon hadn't even cut his braid yet.
Plo Koon rose from his seat unheeding of the three-way argument around him. “Well, Anakin, it seems like the others have this in hand,” he said. Qui-Gon hadn't mentioned Anakin's name yet. “There's a little Togruta girl I think you would like. Would you like to go meet her?”
Obi-Wan, who until now had kept a death grip on poor Anakin's shoulders, let go and pushed Anakin at Plo with a reassuring smile. Qui-Gon tried not to boggle and failed.
This was enough. Qui-Gon drew to his not inconsiderable height and said, “Padawan-”
The chamber doors flung open to reveal the dark warrior they'd faced on Tatooine. Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, and every Council member lit their lightsabers. Behind the warrior, Cin Drallig stood with two Temple Guards, lightsabers out.
“I'm going to kill my Sith Master, and you're all invited!” the dark warrior said, an exuberant smile on his face. He looked around the chambers. “Except you, Jinn. You suck.”
“Deal,” Mace said and strode to the door.
“What?!” Qui-Gon couldn't believe his eyes. “Mace, what are you doing? Why are we taking him at his word? He's a self-admitted Sith, for Force's sake! He tried to kill me on Tatooine!”
“Sorry about that,” the Sith said with a shrug.
“Master Jinn does have something of a point,” Eeth Koth said as he turned off his lightsaber. “We should interrogate this youth on our way to his master. For the sake of the record, of course.”
Qui-Gon sighed, aggrieved. Youth? Well, with the hood off and no glaring suns above, he could admit that the little Sith was young, Obi-Wan's age or so. The manic glee and triumph made it harder to get an accurate estimate.
The Sith also felt much less Dark than he had on Tatooine. He'd left his boots behind somewhere as well.
“Why are you barefoot?” Qui-Gon asked.
“I enjoy having feet,” the Sith confidently declared, folding his arms behind himself. For some reason, Obi-Wan found this funny.
“Adi, Obi-Wan, Eeth, Depa,” Mace said. “Let's go Sith slaying.”
Obi-Wan didn't even nod at Qui-Gon as he followed the Council Masters out of the room like he did it every day. “May the Force be with you,” Qui-Gon croaked for lack of anything else to say.
“Plo, keep my padawan out of trouble,” Mace added.
“Of course.”
The turbolift doors closed on the strike team. Plo held on to little Ani's hand and led him away. The rest of the Council rose and filed out as well. Qui-Gon found himself rooted to the floor.
“Blind, we were,” Yoda muttered.
“To the Sith?” Qui-Gon suggested.
“Knight Obi-Wan, you should,” Yoda said and hopped on his hoverchair.
Qui-Gon gaped. “What? But he's-” He swallowed. Yoda had mentioned he was dragging his feet, a few months before, but Obi-Wan was nowhere near ready! The boy still had much to learn. He was such a slow learner, too; it was hard for Qui-Gon to teach him as much as he needed between their frequent missions.
Perhaps Yoda had just meant Obi-Wan should prepare for his trials? Yes, that made more sense. It was traditional for Master and padawan to remain at the Temple while the padawan prepared; Qui-Gon would have more time to teach Obi-Wan then.
Still, this day had not gone at all according to plan. He'd expected some resistance on the Council's part before they realized Anakin was the Chosen One, but not Yoda calling Anakin evil. He'd also expected – wanted – to train Anakin himself, after finishing up Obi-Wan's education, but not only had Mace decided he had to train the boy, his own padawan had tried to steal Anakin from him! His own padawan!
He took a deep breath. Right. His own padawan, braid still hanging from his head, had tried to claim an initiate. What had this world come to?
He made his way out of the Council tower to his rooms. He wanted to talk to someone, but Master Yoda had gone insane, he'd never gotten on with Feemor and they weren't on speaking terms, his few friends were either dead or on their own missions, the less said about Xanatos the better, and he and Dooku hadn't really gotten along, either.
Dooku, at least, had indicated some interest in further contact by giving him a comm number upon leaving the Order. He punched in Dooku's Serennian number and braced himself for a lecture.
“Qui-Gon!” Dooku exclaimed, clearly delighted.
Perhaps Qui-Gon had overestimated the depth of their disagreement. “Hello, Master,” he awkwardly said. “I had a surreal day today. I found a boy while on a mission and-”
“Skywalker?”
“Yes – wait, how do you know his name? I didn't even manage to tell the Council before they fell into a screaming argument.”
Dooku shifted in his seat. “I have my sources. But, Qui-Gon, you should stay away from the boy. He's not worth it.”
They proceeded to communicate in their usual fashion – in other words, have a hissed argument – but Dooku was being surprisingly lenient with Qui-Gon. Then Qui-Gon told Dooku about the rest of his day, and they eventually segued into updates from Dooku's new life on Serenno. The time difference meant they couldn't chat for long, but Dooku did issue Qui-Gon a standing invitation and even said he'd missed him. Upon reflection, his master had also been replaced with an imperfect copy, but at least this imperfect copy was an improvement upon the original instead of stark raving mad.
The Force shuddered and cleared as Qui-Gon was getting ready for bed. He found he didn't have the energy to care about what had caused it.
Â
Qui-Gon woke earlier than usual. He performed his morning ablutions, meditated for over an hour without finding peace, and made tea at almost his usual time.
The pink light of dawn was rising between the buildings, the Temple was beginning to wake, and Obi-Wan Kenobi stumbled out of his room to the common area with yesterday's young Sithling in tow. Both of them were wearing only underwear. There were several bite marks visible on Obi-Wan's torso. Qui-Gon coughed out half a cup's worth of tea onto the table.
“Sorry, Master, I forgot you lived here,” Obi-Wan said as he mopped up the liquid with a towel.
How was that even possible? They had been on several back to back missions, but surely Obi-Wan would've remembered that their space was shared? They'd spent most of their missions in even closer quarters, for Force's sake! “Padawan,” he croaked.
Obi-Wan took out two more cups and poured tea for himself and the Sith. They sat down on the couch, the Sith leaning against Obi-Wan and Obi-Wan surprisingly comfortable with his presence.
The Sith took a civilized sip of tea and made an appreciative noise. While this was definitely – hopefully – the worst decision Obi-Wan had ever made in his life, Qui-Gon tried to comfort himself with the fact that it could've been worse. Perhaps he should remark on it.
“What the kriff possessed you to frip a Sith Lord?” he accused instead.
“Former Sith Lord,” the Sith said. “I ... resigned.”
Resigned. That- No. It was impossible to return from the Dark Side. This Sith had just manipulated the entire Council into doing his dirty work for him, and was surely only using Obi-Wan. Qui-Gon had to tell Obi-Wan this soon. Damn his padawan's obliviousness.
“Well, Master,” Obi-Wan said, “I did give the matter some thought yesterday. After careful deliberation, I can come to only one conclusion as to what the reason could be.”
“And what would that reason be, padawan?”
Obi-Wan set his cup down on the table and smiled serenely. “The Will of the Force.”
Qui-Gon Jinn, Jedi Master, did not do anything so undignified as scream, or yell, or cry, no matter what lies his padawan might have told at a later date. Instead, he very calmly dropped his empty teacup and buried his face in his hands. “What have I done to deserve this?” he groaned.
“But Master, isn't this a good result?” Obi-Wan asked with a definitely faked innocence. “Yesterday, there were two Sith. Today, there are zero.”
“Obi-Wan-”
“Oh! I forgot to introduce you.” Obi-Wan straightened up. “Master, this is Maul. He's twenty-two and was raised from birth by Darth Sidious, otherwise known as Senator Palpatine. Maul, this is my master, Qui-Gon Jinn.”
Qui-Gon's blood froze. “Senator Palpatine?”
“The late senator for Naboo, yes.”
“He organized the entire invasion to get himself elected Chancellor,” the Sith – Maul – added. “The tea's good.”
“Thank you,” Qui-Gon replied on autopilot.
The senator for Naboo. A Sith Lord. In the middle of the galactic senate, a stone's throw from the Jedi Temple, and none of them had noticed? Preposterous.
“Taking him down was quite a challenge,” Obi-Wan mused. “Eeth lost a hand, and Depa has some exciting new lightning scars. And there was a moment I thought he'd killed Maul.”
Privately, Qui-Gon wished he'd succeeded.
“I'd gladly die in your arms again, Kenobi,” Maul purred.
Obi-Wan gave Maul a smoldering look. “Why, I never knew you were that satisfied with my talents with a lightsaber.”
“I'm going back to bed,” Qui-Gon declared. Obi-Wan made some noises about it only being seven in the morning, but he ignored them and went back to his room. “Waking up was a mistake,” he muttered, and flung himself back into bed.
If it's still like this tomorrow, I'm going to quit the Order and go live with Dooku on Serenno, he thought. And like the responsible Jedi Master he was, he hid under the covers and hoped it would all become somebody else's problem in the meanwhile.