Part 3- The Grain of Sand

Qui-Gon stared at his former apprentice, still gripped by shock. Obi-Wan met his gaze, with a blank expression on his face, as if he didn't recognize his former Master.

Suddenly, shock melted away as joy sprang up in his heart. Obi-Wan was alive! After three years of sorrow and failing hope, his apprentice stood before him. It seemed almost unreal, to wonderful to be true.

But happiness died when Obi-Wan raised his crimson blade, pointing it at the stunned Jedi. His lips curled into a mocking smile.

"Afraid to fight me, Jedi coward?" Obi-Wan taunted. "Why do you stand there, gaping? Does my appearance frighten you?"

Qui-Gon swallowed hard. What had Dooku done to his Padawan?

"Obi-Wan, I don't-"

"Don't call me by that name!" Obi-Wan screamed. "My name is Darth Vader. Obi-Wan is dead!"

"No!" Qui-Gon cried out instinctively. There had to be good in the angry man before him. "I will not believe that!"

"Then perhaps this will persuade you!" Obi-Wan darted forward, his blade pointed directly at his former Master's chest.

Something broke inside Qui-Gon as his most precious friend charged him. He knew he should lift his blade, defend himself somehow, but he could not. His will had broken, as had his heart. He had nothing left, save for the Sith Lord about to claim his life. And that dark Sith Lord he once called his Padawan, his son, was his legacy.

I have truly failed you, he thought sadly as Obi-Wan prepared to strike him down. He deactivated his lightsaber, accepting his fate.

"No!" Suddenly, Qui-Gon was wrenched back by strong, desperate hands. He fell backwards, shocked, and landed hard on his backside.

Silence, save for the hum of Obi-Wan's lightsaber, filled the room. Qui-Gon stared upwards, his eyes filled with horror.

"Qui," Mace gasped. He fell forward, as Obi-Wan pulled his lightsaber from the Jedi Master's body.

Qui-Gon caught his friend, cradling him. He tried to speak, tried to comfort his friend, but the words didn't come.

He didn't know how badly Mace was wounded, or where the lightsaber had pierced him. For all he knew, his friend was dying.

"Qui. Don't give up on him," Mace gasped. "He's still your apprentice."

Then the Master's eyes closed, and his body relaxed. Qui-Gon reached out, once again desperate to find signs of life in his old friend. Qui-Gon closed his eyes in sweet relief when he found Mace's heart still beat, though erratically.

"Quit hiding behind that corpse and fight me!" Obi-Wan demanded, as if disgusted that Qui-Gon cared for Mace.

"Why don't you come and kill me?" Qui-Gon asked quietly. "You stabbed him in the back, so why don't you stab me while I'm defenseless?"

"He got in my way," Obi-Wan growled. "Now, stand up and fight!"

"No!" Qui-Gon's broken cry startled the Sith Lord.

"What?" Vader asked, his voice trembling with rage.

"No." Qui-Gon's voice was dreadfully calm. "I want to die like this. I want to die on my knees. I have lost everything, and it is of my own doing. I have lost my wife, I have lost my child, I have lost my best friend, and I have lost you, Padawan."

The red lightsaber began to tremble. Obi-Wan's cruel gaze was replaced by confusion.

"I had the lives of the ones I love in my hands and like grains of sand, they slipped through my fingers. How I tried to catch each one, and how I failed each time. I have failed, Padawan. So please, I beg you, cut off these wretched hands that let you go and kill this heart that failed you. Please, please, kill this failure, Padawan." Qui-Gon set aside Mace and fell facedown on the floor, prostrating himself before Obi-Wan, bitter tears pouring down his face.

He waited, each moment torture. He waited for the red blade that would free him from his guilt, and reunite him with those he lost. He waited for the one he loved the most to grant him his final wish.

But the red blade disappeared as shaking fingers deactivated the lightsaber. Qui-Gon heard the sound of a man falling to his knees.

"W-what did you call me?" Obi-Wan asked. "You called me Padawan, didn't you? Padawan…"

Qui-Gon rose to his knees, and saw a young, thirteen-year-old boy, his blue eyes filled with hope.

"You called me Padawan in the mine," the boy said.

Qui-Gon reached out to the boy, placing his hand on the boy's shoulder. Obi-Wan looked up, his eyes beginning to brighten.

"Yes, I called you Padawan. You are my apprentice. You are a Jedi Apprentice, Padawan. You are not the puppet of some Sith Lord."

"Qui-Gon?" Obi-Wan asked his voice small. Qui-Gon nodded, smiling.

"Where am I?" Obi-Wan asked. "How did you find me?"

Suddenly, he winced. The memories came back, each one piercing him with guilt.

"What have I done?" Obi-Wan murmured.

"It was against your will, Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon said softly. "The man who hurt Mace wasn't you."

The floor began to shake, and the two were thrown to the ground. Qui-Gon crawled over to Mace, checking his vitals. He was still breathing.

"We have to get out of here, Padawan. Coruscant is breaking apart."

"How are we supposed to get off planet? I have an X-Wing, but it at most can only hold two." Qui-Gon swallowed.

"Then take Mace and get as far away as you can."

"No!" Obi-Wan replied. "I'm not leaving you here to die. Why don't you take Mace, and I'll stay here."

"I do not think so, Padawan. I will not lose you again."

"Qui-Gon," Mace whispered suddenly. "There's a ship. I can take you to it."

"Are you sure you can manage that?" Qui-Gon asked.

"I took the blade in the shoulder. I can't feel my arm, but I think I'll live," Mace replied weakly. Qui-Gon nodded and helped his friend up.

"I'll take the X-Wing, Qui-Gon. You get Mace to safety."

"Obi-Wan, we can all go in my transport," Mace argued.

"I want to take the X-Wing, Master Windu. Don't worry, Qui-Gon, I'll be fine."

Qui-Gon closed his eyes momentarily. He did not want to be separated from his Padawan. But gazing into the young man's eyes, he knew that he had to show the apprentice that he still trusted him.

"Very well. We'll rendezvous on Alderaan. May the Force be with you, Obi-Wan." Obi-Wan nodded, a small smile coming to his face. Then the three men exited the slowly disintegrating building, each with the same mission: survival.

But the Jedi had forgot that two forces stood in their way.

Not long after Obi-Wan had revealed his identity to Qui-Gon, Tyranus had disappeared, for his Master had signaled his comlink.

"Yes, my lord?" Dooku answered.

"You must leave Coruscant immediately," Sidious' low voice was tainted with anger.

"But the boy is about to pass the test," Dooku said.

"I have made a miscalculation. The boy is not our target."

"What?" Tyranus was shocked by the news. "But surely all he has endured-"

"I made a visit to the Jedi transport, and there I saw Qui-Gon's daughter. She sensed me, Tyranus. Not even Yoda can penetrate my mind."

"You said it was someone close to Qui-Gon…" Dooku cursed himself for his blindness.

"Do not worry, my apprentice. Just be sure that you do not make another mistake. Now, leave Coruscant. The Jedi are heading towards Geonosis. Make sure they are cordially greeted."

"As you wish, my lord," Dooku replied. He cut off the communication.

Dooku started as he heard his former Padawan cry out in anguish. He closed his eyes.

"Farewell, Qui-Gon," he said softly, and exited the building.

The Ramming Stone paced about nervously. He was uncomfortable staying on Coruscant for so long. But where was Talon?

As if to answer his question, his comlink signaled. He activated it, just as another tremor shook the planet he had ultimately destroyed.

"Where have you been?" The Ramming Stone asked angrily. "This planet isn't going to last much longer."

"Sorry, boss," Talon replied. "I was tracking the Jedi."

"And?"

"They're leaving Coruscant, as we speak." The Ramming Stone cursed.

"Boss, I got some bad news."

"You don't call that bad news?"

"They left in two ships. Jinn and Windu left together."

"Who is the other? You said that they were the only ones!"

"That's the bad news. The other one left in an old X-Wing."

"Kenobi's alive?" The Ramming Stone asked, shocked.

"Quite healthy, actually."

"Where are they heading?" He demanded.

"I don't know. I have a ship, boss. I can tail them."

"Do it, Talon. Ramming Stone, out." The terrorist canceled the signal, cursing loudly. Kenobi had evaded him twice.

"I'll get you this time, Kenobi," he growled. "And this time, I'll make sure you're dead!"