Star Wars; 13:00; Pride
Theme: 13:00
Title: Pride
Fandom: Star Wars
Character/Pairing: Qui-Gon Jinn, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Octavius Dooku (mentioned), Danel Lovai
Category: Character
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: a bit of violence mentioned
Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars.
Summary: Qui-Gon resisted the urge to break into laughter as he studied his Padawan.
-
Qui-Gon resisted the urge to break into laughter as he studied his Padawan. Obi-Wan’s light auburn hair had been all but dyed a dark black, and braided up in the fashion of Master Danel Lovai- an Aran Jedi healer. His eyebrows, however, remained their original color. Obi-Wan’s expression was also of profound unhappiness- the effect was exceedingly amusing.
Qui-Gon remembered Danel Lovai the mind healer only too well, and they had developed some kind of a casual bond over the tears.
So it was that Lovai had supervised their disguise. His native planet of Aran’gar had been taken over by a coup d’etat, and the junta government had barred Aran’gar to all Senate representatives.
Supreme Chancellor Valorum could not have that, of course. He had conferred with the Jedi, and the team of Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi had been selected to infiltrate Aran’gar and to extract the former Osan’aran- the desposed planetary chief- to Coruscant in order to plead for the planet.
Their presence could not be known. They had to be absolutely invisible. A Jedi who had been on Aran’gar at the time of the uprising had been summarily executed and dismembered, and the execution recorded on the Holonet. Let this be a warning to all the Jedi, and the Senate.
“Why can’t we just go in, Master?” Obi-Wan asked, unsure. He was only fourteen, and still not very versed in galactic politics. Qui-Gon suppressed the urge to smile- he hadn’t been that bad at galactic politics when he was Obi-Wan’s age. But then again, his former Master would not have ignorance.
And Octavius Dooku was a specialist in galactic politics.
He exchanged a glance with Master Lovai- the Aran Jedi’s black hair was now streaked with encroaching grey. And perhaps a few more lines. Lovai smiled, and his already crumpled face wrinkled a little further. “Ah, young Padawans. I have almost forgotten what it is like to have one.”
“We can’t.” Qui-Gon said, explaining to his Padawan. “What do you remember of the Ki’in League?”
Obi-Wan frowned, his blue-grey eyes going distant for a moment. “Um…The Ki’in League is beyond the East-Oshi Maze…in the Mid-Rim?”
Qui-Gon gave his Padawan a nod, and an encouraging smile, trying to get him to go on.
“They…are made of a conglomerate of wealthy banking clans and industrial planets. Many products are made there.”
“Their political stance?” Qui-Gon asked, probing his Padawan’s memory.
“I don’t know.” Obi-Wan was forced to admit. He scuffed the toe of the rough worker boots he wore against the flooring of Qui-Gon’s quarters.
“Non-interventionist. They are very touchy about intervention in the sovereignty of a planet, regardless of the legitimacy of the planet’s government. The Xi’in-Na systems in the League, for one.”
“The one where two entire systems are ruled by a single central government?” Obi-Wan questioned.
Qui-Gon favoured him with a smile. Someone had been paying some attention at least, to the lessons on galactic politics, even if he wasn’t that good at it yet. He resolved to work with his apprentice on that. Weaknesses needed to be addressed, even if he didn’t agree with how relentlessly Master Dooku had shoved his weaknesses at him and forced him to cope.
“Yes. The Xi’in-Na are uncompromising about the infringement of sovereignty, particularly because their central government itself was not elected in a proper election and they resent interference in their system of power. And the Xi’in-Na are a major power player in the League. Their voice is heard most often, and the League mainly follows their agenda. There are enormous breaches of justice in the Xi’in-Na system, but no Jedi has ever set foot there in a long while.”
“Why did the Senate let the Xi’in-Na government be established in the first place, then?” Obi-Wan asked, puzzled. He was still too used to a world where people did the right thing, Qui-Gon thought. The first few years as a Jedi Padawan often disillusioned them. Perhaps Obi-Wan hadn’t seen enough to be somewhat cynical about galactic politics and human nature.
He knew that was what had happened to Master Dooku. Remaining disillusioned but not becoming jaded was difficult, however, and Qui-Gon hoped he had managed that, at least.
“Power, Padawan. The Ki’in League was too powerful to antagonise. And the galaxy then…was not in a position to apply pressure to the Ki’in League.” Qui-Gon waved a hand dismissively. “We can speak of politics and the formation of the Ki’in League another time. For now, we need to see to our disguise.”
His hair was already braided, and he had shaved off his beard. He kept feeling odd and his cheeks cold, and naked without it. Obi-Wan saw his hand rise to his chin once more and laughed. “Your turn, Master.” He said, barely hiding his amusement.
“Evil child.” Qui-Gon growled as he ingested the metabolising agent, and waited for the color targeting gel to take effect.
-
Obi-Wan was nearly howling with laughter, and Qui-Gon was tempted to remind him of Jedi calming exercises. But even Master Lovai was guffawing, and so Qui-Gon huffily tried to salvage whatever shreds of dignity he had left. He busied himself staring at the chrono that had betrayed him.
It had been 1300 CST for precisely two hours, now.
“I have never seen an Aran with emerald green hair before,” Master Lovai finally said, still laughing.
“I’ve fixed it.” Qui-Gon growled.
“Master, if-“
“No, Padawan, no one is to know about this. Am I clear?” Qui-Gon demanded, as he stared at the mischievous grin on his Padawan’s face, and resigned himself to the fact that the entire Temple was bound to know. Or at least Clee Rhara, who would rib him endlessly about this. Maybe even Tahl.
He groaned at that last. Tahl had no difficulty taking apart his dignity- her acid wit was part of what made her Tahl. But this hair incident would probably crown them all.
“Master Lovai,” He said, finally, throwing his hands up in the air in resigned frustration, “Please continue to explain how we are to pass ourselves off as Aran.”
Obi-Wan, he was sure, would not let him live this down for quite a while.
-