Chapter Seven

Battles, Knighthood, Love, And Promises For The Future.

He'd seen it coming. His Master had mistimed an over head strike. Obi-wan had only just managed to shove his master out of the way using the Force, but the Sith's blade connected with Qui-gon's side. A kick to his Master's face had sent him tumbling over the edge of the Generator room cat walk they had been battling on. He could sense through the Force that his Master wasn't fatally wounded, but he was out of this fight. He would have to go at it alone from here.

Obi-wan continued to push his dark opponent back. Closer and closer they drew toward a passage way protected by ray-shields. The shields opened, allowing them to duel until they were almost past. Suddenly, the shields closed. The Jedi and Sith found themselves separated from each other. This allowed Obi-wan a brief respite. He was able to calm his thoughts, and focus on the enemy before him. His Master would be fine. He'd already sensed his slow approach.

'Master, stay out of this fight. You are in no condition to help me.' Obi-wan sent through their Force training bond.

'I cannot let you do this alone Padawan.' Came his Master's reply.

'Master please. If you rejoin this battle, you may not make it out, and Anikin will need you.'

'Alright Obi-wan, but I will help in any way I can.'

Jedi and Sith stared at each other. The unnamed dark warrior paced back and forth in front of Obi-wan like a caged Nexu. A look on his face suggested to the young Jedi, that he would enjoy ending his life, and then finish off his Master. Obi-wan could not let that happen.

A signal from the Force told him that the shields were about to go down. In response, Obi-wan ignited his Indigo blade and raised it, preparing to strike. The Sith responded in kind.

Down the shields came, and Obi-wan lashed out with the kind of fury taught to him by Master Windu. While Obi-wan wasn't a Master of the style, he was quite skilled. His change in tactics threw the Sith off guard, and was forced to fall back quickly. Around the melting pit they battled furiously. Back and forth. Attack and counter attack.

Qui-gon Jinn had arrived at the far end of the ray-shield's. Too far to be any help to his Padawan. He knew, even when the shields dropped, he would not be able to clear the hall before they were raised again. 'Why are these even here? What purpose to they serve? Wouldn't one or two shields be enough? Who ever designed this needs a swift kick to their bits.' Thought the wounded master with more than a little frustration. He watched his Padawan holding off, and even pushing his much more experienced opponent back, cutting the Sith's double ended saber in half with pride.

Suddenly, after an over head strike from his Padawan was blocked, he saw the Sith, raise a hand toward Obi-wan. The Force push sent his apprentice over the edge of the pit.

"NO!" Qui-gon's horrified cry echoed through the Generator Room, and adjoining melting pit.

The Sith merely kicked his Obi-wan's saber into the seemingly bottomless pit. Qui-gon could feel that his Padawan was alive, and hanging on to a small ledge near the top of the pit. He had to do something. He could sense the Sith had more interest in Obi-wan than he did with himself. The creature began slashing the edge of the pit with his blade, trying to make his Padawan lose his grip. He had to do something, and he had to do it fast. It would take everything he had left to get to the end quickly enough to help Obi-wan, but he had to do it, even if it meant his death.

He held his closed light saber in hand, ready to run as fast as he could before the shields dropped. He silently sent a message to his apprentice, calling him to be ready. They had one chance at this.

Once again as the shields came down, Qui-gon began what could very well be his last run. The pain was incredible, and he was using a lot to block out the pain. Still he wasn't nearly as fast as he usually was. The Sith turned to face him as he neared the final shield, with a twisted smile on his face. Raising his damaged saber for the kill. The last shield started to close. Qui-gon wasn't going to make it though.

'Obi-wan! NOW!' Signaled Qui-gon while throwing his saber through the narrowing gap in the shields into the air over the head of the Sith.

The last thing the he saw as he followed the Jedi Master's saber through the air, was young Kenobi landing in front of him. He had no time to respond. He'd been caught with his pants down. His hubris had just killed him, and he knew it.

The green blade sliced through the air connecting with his midsection, and passing through cleanly. The Sith did noting more than let out a pained grunt before he began to fall backwards into the pit. Darth Maul was no more.

Closing down his Master's blade, Obi-wan turned toward Qui-gon with a weak smile. He was a bit shaken, and would probably have ugly bruises on his face from the numerous times he had been struck by the dark creature, but overall, he was unharmed.

Finally the last ray shield came down, and Qui-gon stepped through. Obi-wan rushed toward him embracing the man he saw as his father.

"I'm alright Obi-wan. No need to worry. A visit to the medics, and maybe some time off, and I'll be fine." Qui-gon assured his 'son'.

"You fought well." He continued as the embrace ended. "I am so very proud of you... my son."

"Thank you master. Father." Obi-wan replied with shinning eyes.

x o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o

"Confer upon you the rank of Jedi Knight, the council does. Made us proud you have." Proclaimed the Grand Master of the order. Standing next to him, master Windu nodded in agreement, with an uncharacteristic smile on his face. In his hands, he held a large brown parcel.

"Thank you Master Yoda. I will not fail you." Said Obi-wan.

"Of that I have no doubt." Replied Yoda, turning to Qui-gon with a nod.

Qui-gon approached his kneeling 'former' apprentice. Revealing a small ceremonial knife from the folds of his robes he stood before his apprentice. Taking Obi-wan's Padawan braid in hand, and raising the knife to the base he said.

"Today you shed the symbol of your commitment, and step fully into the life of a Jedi. It has been an honor and a privilege to be your Master. Congratulations Obi-wan." And in one swift movement, he separated the braid from Obi-wan.

He'd done it. He was a Knight. It was the greatest day of his life, and he had his Master to thank for it. Qui-gon had actually said he was proud of him. The though made his heart swell. He would not let any of them down.

"Now. On to special business. With your knighting, see fit I have to grant you an unofficial rank. Used since it has not been since the reformation of the Jedi one thousand years ago."

Obi-wan looked from Yoda to Mace, and Qui-gon with slight confusion.

Smiling, Yoda continued.

"Granting you the rank of Jedi Adventurer we are. Explore the Galaxy you will. Seek out and fight injustice you must. Go where the Force calls you. Bring light to the darkest parts of the Galaxy. Alone you will be. A test of your true strength this is. Only when the Force calls you, will you return to the Temple. Faith I have in you Obi-wan."

Master Windu stepped forward handing the brown package to Obi-wan. Opening it, he found the very rare Adventure Robes of the Jedi sect they once belong to. White Nerf leather, with black under tunics, and grey boot Gaiters. He was stunned. This was a great honor that had just been bestowed upon him. Climbing to his feet he looked into the eyes of each master with determination.

"I will do my duty." He said.

x o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o

She came to him late the next evening. He was standing on the balcony of his quarters at the Palace. They hadn't been able to steal a moment to speak alone in the last two days. With the capture of the Trade Federation Viceroy, his promotion, meetings with the counsel, and the ensuing victory celebrations, neither had any chance of free time until now. He sensed her presence approaching before she'd ever arrived at his door. He'd have to leave her. The though made his heart ache.

Feeling her pause right behind him he spoke with out turning around.

"I'll have to leave in the morning. I don't now when I'll see you again." He said in a thick voice.

"I know. I heard about your promotion." She replied.

Turning to face her, the sight that greeted him took his breath away. Gone were the elaborate gowns and make-up she worn as a symbol of her status. In their place was personification of beauty and simplicity. She wore a simple light blue sheer night dress, with a darker blue dressing gown which hung loosely over her soulders. It made his heart ache all the more, knowing he wouldn't look upon her beauty for Force knows how long.

Looking into each others eyes, they closed the distance between them. Searing, was the only way to describe their kiss. Full of passion, need, want, and the pain of their impending separation. Slowly, it became once of tenderness, leaving all previous heat,replacing it with a promise for the future.

"I have something for you. It's been in my family for centuries, and I couldn't think of anyone who I wanted to give it to more." She said.

With moist eyes, she reached into her pocket and pulled out a small deep blue, elongated gem that appeared to emanate it's own light. The glow reminded Obi-wan of his lost Padawan Saber, but was a deeper blue.

"My grandmother gave it to me. Said her Grandmother gave it her, and so on. No one knows where it came from. I've always liked it because it feel it feels as though there is a static charge in it, and it glows. I want you to have it. Some how, I get the feeling it will be important." She said, placing it in his palm.

Obi-wan could feel the Force emanating though the crystal. The moment it touched his skin, it felt like a very mild electric shock. He knew immediately what it was. It was a shard of a legendary Kaiburr crystal. Arguably the most powerful crystals in the Galaxy.

"It's beautiful, but Padme, do you know what this is?" Obi-wan questioned.

She shook her head, with slightly worried frown on her face.

It's a Kaiburr Crystal. The rarest and for a Force user, the most powerful crystals in exsistence." He answered.

Her eyes widened in surprise.

"So that's why it feels like electricity when ever I would hold it?" She asked.

"Yes. It's suppose to enhance ones connection to the force." He explained. "I love it, and I shall cherish it. Thank you Padme."

Obi-wan looked down at the crystal in his hand, unsure of himself now.

"I have something for you. It's not as grand as your gift to me, but it's all I have." He said walking towards his robes. Reaching into them, he pulled out his Padawan braid.

"I want you to have this." He said, taking her hand, and gently placing the braid in her palm.

"I thought you were suppose to give this to your Padawan." She said looking into his eyes with un-shed tears.

"Well, it is one thing you can do with it, but it's suppose to be a symbol of the connection that two may share. We can give it to anyone we chose to. Qui-gon gave me his light saber in commemoration of my knighthood. Now you will always have a part of me, even though I am not here with you. I love you Padme."

She all but threw her arms around him.

"I love you Obi-wan. Thank you. You don't know how much this means to me." She said in a watery voice.

"I do. I can feel it." He said.

With these gestures, A Queen, and her Jedi Knight, sealed their devotion to each other, and made an unspoken promise for the future......

The End.

A/N: Well. I decided to end it here. Thinking of Changing the Title of the story to "Something something something: Episode I". Not Literally something something, but a new title with Episode I in it to show it's just part one. Might change it a couple of times until I feel it's perfect. Anyway, I'd always thought he whole set up for the Gungan battle, the viceroy stuff was all very boring, so I skipped it to the good parts. I'll probably write a few one shots that take place between this and Episode II that go into a bit of detail on Obi-wan's journeys.