Disclaimers: Saint George (Lucasfilm) crated the Star Wars Universe. Lucasfilm owned by Disney. George Lucas created the Star Wars Universe. Movies by 20th Century Fox/Disney. I make no Republic Datari {Credits}, Peggats, Truguts, Wupiupi, etc from my fanfic/fanart/fanfunnies. Story written purely for enjoyment and the only profit I make is the happiness my writing brings. The Force is With You Always :)
Summary: Qui-Gon becomes very troubled and distraught and travels to a distant planet, to where the Living Force draws him to right a heinous wrong.
Author’s notes. This fic was born of a vivid dream I had in February’ 2006. The dream was so clear and so absolutely vivid, it played out like a story. It felt like I was the little girl (as they say we are the people in our dreams). However, please be warned, this dream had child abuse, both physical and sexual of a little girl on a distant world. I wrote it how the dream unfolded and it is my hope that stories like these will bring about an end to abuse - child and otherwise.
Rating M
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~ A Child’s Hope Across the Galaxy ~
Half a galaxy away, a little dark skinned girl Taii lived a hard life on the streets of Plutrai. She had been orphaned by her parents in a horrific landspeeder accident when she was three and lived on the streets and desertlands ever since. When she turned 4, she found a $5 credit note on the ground. She saw no one around and quickly took it, silently thanking the person who dropped it and the Universe for her gift. She made her way to the marketplace to buy some food. One stall had plush dolls of Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn for sale for 14 credits. The dolls were soft, with a soft plastic face and an excellent likeness. The dolls stood about 15 inches (37 cm tall). Taii had heard tales of the Jedi and their deeds. She had heard tales of Qui-Gon’s heroism, his wisdom and gentleness. She slept at night pretending that he was watching over her, like a Guardian Angel. Her fondest dream was to someday meet him. Most folk on her planet either did not believe the Jedi existed or believed they were too far away to bother with little dusty Plutrai. It upset Taii, her dream seemed to be just that. She had dreamed of her Jedi Master one night coming to her, telling hr everything would be all right.
With all her heart and soul, she wanted one of those dolls, but $5 was all she had and gut wrenching hunger pains gnawed at her. The stall holder, a young woman smiled at the little dirty girl and said that she could have a doll for $3 credits. Taii smiled, her dark chocolate brown face lighting up. The lady took the $5 to give change, then smiled once more.
“I know Master Qui-Gon would want you to have it,” she said, giving the girl back the money, despite her precarious financial predicament.
Taii became overjoyed and shed happy tears, and chose one of the dolls – the one that fell off the table! That one was for her, she knew. Taii caught the doll and with tears of joy, thanked the woman and hugged him tightly. The woman smiled, happy to have done a good deed. By the end of the day she had sold quite most of her dolls, been given a commission to make 1000 more for other planets and galaxies, with the prospect of opening up a store to sell them. She smiled to herself, wondering of Qui-Gon Jinn himself knew of the wonders he had caused on a tiny and seemingly insignificant planet.
Another stall holder took pity on the girl and gave her at least $30 credits worth of hot, scrumptious home made food for her $5. Taii was heartened and made her way back to her hovel. On the way she was approached by a famished she-dog. Taii knew the food would not last very long, though she gave one of her triangular shaped pasties to the hungry dog and patted her.
The little girl found her small cavern in some rocks, placed her food in a metal container she had found and pulled her dirty torn and holey blanket over herself. She smiled as she pulled out her Qui doll and held him close to her. The nights were not so cold anymore.
Matoek, the Jailer hated his job. Abused, yelled at, things thrown at him. He hated smelly, dirty prisoners, he hated Plutrai with its hot dry days and chill nights. He hated the fact that he was only relieved once a week in his loathsome job, where that entire day was spent bathing, washing clothes, preparing meals, and cleaning his cubicle in the prison – if he had not the time to do it previously. He cursed his boss for not allowing him a woman for this menial demeaning work. And he hated his tiny bath and the fact that he only had lukewarm water. He hated prison food. He hated having to work for menial pay. There was not much he did not hate.
On his travels to the markets one morning, Matoek saw a small girl sitting by a cavern of rocks. He knew the look – orphaned and homeless. Useful. He pretended not to notice her.
Matoek put his plan into action. He saw the old hermit walking by, near the cavern where he’d seen the little girl. Carefully he looked around for witnesses as he readied his dagger. He approached the old man and pretended to be offering food. The unsuspecting man was delighted. Matoek drew his jagged dagger. The old man’s eyes widened, he begged Matoek to spare him, he told the younger man he had nothing worth taking, however it was not money or possessions Matoek wanted. He ignored the man’s pleas and stabbed him to death.
Taii heard screams and became alarmed. She peered out of her small cavern and went to investigate. She screamed when she saw the murdered hermit. Who on Plutrai would have done such an evil thing? The old man had never harmed a soul. Kind and gentle, he’d helped Taii on occasion sharing his food and rags with her. Why had they killed him? He had nothing of material value. Taii wiped tears away as she knelt beside him. In horror she saw the murder weapon. Instinctively, she picked it up. A TaVoK dagger. She swallowed. Highly illegal, crude and cruel, who would do such a foul deed?
“Place the dagger down,” came a voice.
Taii looked up to see a medium dark skinned man. She recognised his uniform to be that of the Jailer of Plutrai. She did as he asked.
“I found him here,” she said in tears. “Who would have…”
“Come with me, Girl.”
She stood and followed him, hoping to help solve the gruesome mystery.
The man looked down at her. “You know the penalty for murder is death.”
“Yes,” Taii said, “Though I did not see the killer. I don’t know how much help I could be.”
Matoek smiled. “You can be of great help, Little Girl. Your act of innocence does not fool me.”
Taii looked up in shock. “Sir ... please,” she shook her head, tears of fear beginning to form. “I am innocent… I found him … I would never harm a soul…”
“That is what they all say. I saw you with the bloodied murder weapon in your hand.”
“Sir,” Taii protested, “I found it …”
“Ah, so you found the dagger and used it to kill the hermit, no doubt for his possessions you thought to take for yourself.”
“No!” Taii protested.
Matoek slapped her. “You will conduct yourself in an appropriate manner. “You are to refer to me as Master Matoek at all times. As I said, and as you know, the penalty for murder is death. However, since you are so young, I will put a word in with my supervisor. He may reduce your sentence to life imprisonment.”
Taii swallowed – what was worse?
“However, if you wish to cling onto life, you agree to become my personal slave. You will wash, cook, clean and do my bidding. If you dare to try and escape, as Jailer, I have the authority to kill you myself and I promise you, my methods are much more unorthodox than those of State.”
Taii swallowed, tears falling. What had she dome to deserve this cruel twist of fate?
Matoek argued for the girl’s uses to his boss.
“She does not look like a murderer,” he observed.
Matoek’s upper lip curled. “Looks are deceiving. If you give her to me, she will perform my chores. This way I will be more effective in my work. She may not look like much, but when I put her to work, she will work, or she will die.”
His supervisor sighed. “As you wish, Matoek. I have come to understand not all criminals appear to be what they are.”
“She had the dagger.”
“She protests her innocence.”
“I her holding the bloodied weapon with my own two eyes. And given her poor predicament, it stands to reason she killed him for what little he had.”
Taii knew protesting would do no use to those convinced of her guilt.
Matoek began fishing in her bag. He took out a metal pan.
“Innocent looking … However one blow to the head …” he took out a sharp arrow shaped rock, “another weapon?” He looked over at Taii.
“Please sir, I use it only to slice foodstuffs.”
“I’m sure.”
“And this … He pulled out her Qui-Gon doll.
“You shall not be needing this.” He made with the doll to the incinerator.
Taii began screaming hysterically. Matoek was unfazed.
“Just let her have the damn doll, Matoek!” his supervisor snapped. “The last thing I need is a screaming child!”
Matoek turned and threw the doll at Taii. She caught him and hugged him close.
“Let her keep it.” It was an order. “Murderer or not, she deserves to have something.”
Matoek grunted and shoved the girl form his office.
Half a galaxy away, the Jedi Master tossed and turned in a restless sleep. Obi-Wan came to him. Qui-Gon sat up in bed and opened his weary eyes.
“Master?”
Qui-Gon sighed. “Can’t sleep.” The Jedi Master rubbed his face.
“This usually means something’s amiss in the galaxy, doesn’t it?”
His Master smiled. “It usually does.”
“And you probably won’t get any sleep until you help whoever’s in danger, will you?”
Qui-Gon chucked. “Probably not.”
Obi-Wan sighed. “Well you’d better get sensing, to find out what pathetic life form needs you now.”
Qui-Gon chucked, seeing the twinkle in his Padawan’s eyes and gently pushed him. “Usually you’re trying to urge me not to go…”
Obi-Wan smiled. “Only because you work too hard, you need some time for yourself, but I sense this is troubling you, deeply Master, and if anything, you must do what you need to do.”
Qui-Gon smiled. “Thank you, Padawan.”
“Yes, and then, if nothing else, you – and I – will have decent night’s sleep.”
Both Master and Padawan smiled.
“And, Padawan … it’s something else, something distant … like I’ve sensed something from this world before…”
Obi-Wan brewed his Master a cup of elder tea. Qui-Gon smiled upon his return.
“You always know which one I need.”
The younger Jedi smiled. “If it gets any more serious and I’d have to hall out the chai espresso.”
“Force Forbid.”
Although despite the humour, with which Obi-Wan attempted to lighten the situation, he sensed his Master’s confusion and worry.
The Girl never believed her life could become worse, even three Winters ago, when she almost perished in the fearful cold, the coldest Winter her world had known in over 100 years. Now a condemned criminal, she worked harder than any adult, back breaking work, 16 hour days or longer, sleep hr only refuge, even then troubled, restless with a malady of bad and broken dreams. Her cell faced outside in this square prison, open to the elements, so the prisoners could see, smell and taste freedom, but never obtain it. Rations consisted of sloppy cold gruel, stale water, a worn mattress, blanket and pillow. They were bathed in cold water or hosed down once a month.
Unrelenting, day after day, bight after night, then the abuse from Matoek, physical, and later sexual. Taii was grateful he had not as yet raped her, but feared that may come. wondered what in the Universe she had dome or thought to deserve this.
Qui-Gon’s dreams became more and more restless, and even chai espresso did nothing to alleviate him. Some nights, he vomited. Deathly worried now, Obi-Wan began to tune himself deeply to the Living Force, to help him Mater locate this elusive world.
Taii wondered if Death would be a more merciful fate. She knew Death would know of her innocence and her afterlife would be a blissful one, but what of the life she dreamed to have?
“Plutrai…” Qui-Gon gasped at last upon waking with a start.
He leapt from his bed, grabbed a shirt and pulled in on.
“Are you sure, Master?”
“Yes.”
“It’s a such tiny world.”
“Even the smallest can make the biggest difference.”
Obi-Wan knew that to be true.
“I fear there’s no time to lose,” He Force-communicated with Master Yoda.
“Sure about you are. Feel it deeply you do.”
“Yes, Master.”
“Then go you must. Without the blessing of the Council you go, but my blessing you have.”
“Thank you, Master.”
Within minutes, Qui-Gon, still pulling on his robe and putting on his boots properly, they were off.
Exhausted, Taii clutched her way into bed. She even had to beg to be able to sleep. Sore, drained, and in the pits of despair, she clung onto a home she would one day be freed. It seemed too much to hope for to even wish for a blessed life even if she gained freedom. Death watched her, she could not see him. Usually indifferent, this case brought tears, even to him. Matoek would pay, he would see to that and dearly. And Death felt powerless. He had been reprimanded for protecting the girl from a flu virus, for if she was meant to die from sickness, Death was told, as he knew himself, that should be her fate, but somehow Death sensed something else, something to do with that long-haired doll she clutched. Something emanated from it, as though it protected her somehow too.
Qui-Gon stressed about the ship.
“I feel each day we take, the situation grows worse… Suffering… Death … such deep despair… Padawan, I’ve never felt such pain.”
“Do you think its war… An attack?”
“No…”” The Jedi Master shook his head. “Something deeper … whatever it may be, we must hurry.”
Taii did not dram that night, all was black, she did not know what was worse, no dreams or nightmares of a broken life. With morning, the abuse started, and continued. She got no sleep that night and by the next day, so exhausted she collapsed onto the job and was reluctantly hauled by Matoek and dumped in her room. He kicked her and the doll, then stomped on the doll’s midsection. Death watched in silent rage. This man …this thing was his.
Obi-Wan had to steady his Master when they walked onto the dusty world. Qui-Gon wasted no time in finding the authorities. At first nothing seemed amiss, no fighting, battle, it seemed like an ordinary, poor world, but Obi-Wan knew his Mater sensed something deeper.
Taii looked up momentarily from her scrubbing, the air it seemed was different today, and for some odd reason, more hopeful, dare she hope? The girl‘s head throbbed suddenly as she felt the stone Matoek had just threw at her,
“Work, wench! Or it’s the gallows for you.”
Taii was half tempted to throw in the towel quite literally and yell “take me there!!” but something always stopped her.
“And you’re lucky if I don’t decide to burn that disgusting doll!”
Qui doll, worse for wear dirtier and smellier than he’d beer been, but she clutched him tightly.
Something was definitely in the air as Taii continued to scrub, for some reason harder and harder. Matoek was summoned to his Boss’ office. He greeted the Jedi with distaste - what business had they here? Plutrai, way out of their jurisdiction. Qui-Gon maintained they were here on personal business. For some reason the sight of the man made Qui-Gon want to vomit. The energy her despair… loneliness, longing for redemption…
“This is it…” he said to Obi-Wan when Matoek had gone into the office. “The prisoners here are treated worse than animals for the slaughter… Some long for Death… Most for crimes hardly only worthy of a warning…” Qui-Gon closed his eyes, but not before a tear fell.
“This is what you sensed…”
“Something more … but it is here … I feel it.”
“Master, sense it, but don’t lose yourself in it…”
Qui-Gon nodded. “I need you to be my barometer, Obi-Wan” and softer, “say nothing to that Matoek character.”
Obi-Wan’s face wrinkled. “I sense he enjoys his work.”
“Nothing but a bully who gets away with it as they are condemned…”
Obi-Wan and his Master looked around.
Taii, a few cells away, kept scrubbing, her hands now raw.
Each step Qui-Gon took became more and more strained. Obi-Wan steadied him and advised him to take a breath.
Momentarily the girl stopped scrubbing, exhausted, and something… sensing something, she looked down, and her Qui-Gon doll, on a patch that was a little cleaner then the rest of him, the sun shone and he appeared to glow…Taii stared, did this mean hope, .. how … when… or was it a wishful dream?
Obi-Wan held his Mater’s hand. Matoek watched them, from a few paces away, wondering if it was a strange Jedi custom. Qui-Gon walked past a cell, halfway, he stopped and looked, Taii looked up from her scrubbing. The small girl did a double take … Her mind unable to know whether she was dreaming, imagining or if he was real, dropped her sponge. He hands crashed into the bucket, causing its contents to spill all over the floor.
“Clumsy Girl!” Matoek scalded, pushing past the Jedi.
She scrambled away form him and kicked, holding her now sopping Jedi doll. Matoek grabbed hold of it and pulled.
“Leave her.”
Although the Jedi did not yell, nor even raise his voice, his tone brooked no argument.
“This is not your concern, Jedi,” Matoek hissed. “This little one, looks innocent enough … but she is a murderer!”
“I didn’t kill that man!” Taii screamed.
Matoek threw her to the floor. Qui-Gon intervened. He avoided the jail attendant’s clumsy grabs then Force-pushed him against the wall.
“You will be sorry for this, our planet is not your concern. You yourself said you were not here on Jedi business.”
“I’m not. I came without the blessing of the council. I was drawn here by the Force and now I see why.”
Qui-Gon turned his face toward the filthy, sopping, shivering girl.
“I didn’t … I didn’t .. she wailed.
“Shut your lying…”
A glance form Qui-Gon was all it took to silence him. The Jedi Master did believe she had killed anyone, but ob Obi-Wan’s Force request, he asked the Force, which confirmed his thoughts.
“She is innocent,” he said.
Matoek swallowed.
The girl began to cry … Would they free her now… She felt Qui-Gon’s arms around her and hers around the doll, water squeezing from its cloth body. Elated, terrified, and uplifted, half a galaxy away, he had heard her cry.
Matoek protested again that it was not the Jedi’s affair, but the head prison warden and the authorities were satisfies with the Jedi’s judgement, it was after all legend.
He glared at Matoek. “You abused an innocent child,” he said.
The other tried to rescue his case. “The evidence was overwhelming … she had the dagger and I saw her…”
Slowly, Qui-Gon turned to him as the truth dawned on the Jedi. “You killed him…”
The blood drained from the other’s face.
Qui-Gon advanced on him. “You killed the old man … You followed her… And framed her … To use her…”
Obi-Wan had never seen his Master’s face so dark, nor his eyes flash so angry.
“She was useful for the chores…” he stated. “And more well fed here than on the streets I would say…”
Again, Qui-Gon’s glare silenced him. Obi-Wan saw his mater’s jaw tighten and his eyes flash with rage, rage that surpassed even Darth Maul’s. If t frightened him to see and sense this in his gentle Master. Matoek realised what the Jedi had sensed.
“I took her because I wanted her!” he screamed. “Who gives two grains about a lowly street dweller!!”
Qui-Gon advanced upon him. Obi-Wan wanted to stop him, but knew he would have to allow his Master to play this out … He too felt the anger deep within, but the Force had told him that the ball was in his Master’s court and he was not to interfere.
Qui-Gon flashed away his robe, revealing his lightsabre.
“You cannot!” Matoek protested. “You’re a Jedi … Jedi … Jedi do not kill .. I am unarmed…”
Qui-Gon paid him no heed, the drew back his hand and belted the man. Matoek crumpled to the floor, unconscious. Qui-Gon clenched his first so tight, his knuckles went white, then released it, took a few breaths, and opened his eyes. With relief, Obi-Wan realised his Master had quelled the unadulterated rage that overtook him, still angry, and sad, Obi-Wan now knew that the Force needed him to let his Master play it out to find the strength within. Qui-Gon felt to his knees beside the girl, held her and wept.
“I’m so sorry …”
Gently she returned the embrace. “You were not the cause of my suffering, Master Jedi…”
“If only I’d’ve gotten here sooner..”
“Don’t second guess, Master Qui-Gon… I think it’s a miracle you’re here at all… I knew you’d come … someday .. or at least wished so hard that you did…”
She produced the doll. Through his tears, Qui-Gon chucked.
“You’ve certainly seen better days, Master,” Obi-Wan said with a twinkle in those azure eyes.
Qui-Gon laughed softly as the girl wiped away his tears.
Matoek screamed his defiance when taken away, tried to undermine the Jedi, the authorities had none of it. The head warden knelt to the girl.
“I cannot repay you for Matoek’s crime, only tell you how deeply sorry I am and that I never looked deeper into his treachery. He will receive the Death penalty, for even to molest a child convicted of a crime is unthinkable, especially when she was innocent.” Gently he kissed her forehead.
“Do not blame yourself Gilad,” she said. “Death will take Matoek now and deal with him accordingly.”
“Such maturity, Taii you are indeed wise and I hope the Jedi will help you find a home. “Many of the prisoners here will be released. Matoek has altered their paperwork so they appeared to be guilty of heinous crimes. And made it look like he had saved them from the Death penalty. Brandook, for example, has been here for thirty years, even before my tenure here. I believed was guilty of murdering his entire family. Qui-Gon tells me he stole a loaf of bread. Sadly Matoek has worked here for longer than I have. I suspect he altered their records to keep his job, without prisoners, this place does not need to run.
“How can people like that exist in the Universe…” Obi-Wan asked.
“Sadly,” Qui-Gon said, “our Universe is littered with felons. Either they know no other way, or can see no other way or abuse the power they have, when as you know power is a gift and only those who use it wisely, to help and empower others will get to keep it.”
Matoek broke free of the guards and bolted. A great cry was heard, and a flock of prisoners cut him off, ran him down.
Obi-Wan shot his eyes. Qui-Gon covered the girl’s ears as he heard bloodcurdling screams, bones crack and skin rip.
When it was over there was little left of the former prison attendant.
“Justice be done,” Gilad said. “He starved them, he has met a fate befitting of his evils.”
A black, robed figure appeared in grey smoke. He knelt to the girl.
“Your strength and courage is admired by even the Gods and the fact that you bear no hatred to your oppressor, even more. You are indeed wise, young Taii. Your parents are proud. Fear not, their spirits are safe with me.”
“Ohh thank you…” Death’s bony finger gently wiped a tear away.
“Take care of her,” Death said to Qui-Gon, “and you” he said to her, “take care of him.” He pointed to the rag doll.
She chucked. “I will.”
“And now if you will excuse me, I have a long anticipated guest to attend to.”
Taii heard the screams of Matoek’s condemned soul.
“Qui-Gon, will he ever pay for his crimes?”
“It is up to him. Death will punish him for quite some time, many, many years, beyond any of our lifetimes. It is up to Matoek’s soul then if he cam learn to forgive himself and move on.”
Qui-Gon took the child into tow, where the authorities apologised for her treatment and offered to get her a new doll.
“No thank you, but thank you anyway. Quee-Gee and I’ve been through a lot together.”
“Quee-Gee?”
All three laughed. However Qui-Gon did buy her some lovely clothes, and insisted on spoiling her, clothes, exotic foods, she even had to tell him to stop :)
The Jedi and Taii stayed the night in an old stone hotel, Taii having the time of her life in her first ever hot bath, squealing with joy as she played in the water.
From the bedroom, Qui-Gon hard her whoops of joy. Obi-Wan wiped a tear from his face.
“It’s wonderful to see something so simple bringing so much joy.”
The girl clapped, laughed and splashed as she washed herself and her hair, washing dirt, both physical and emotional from both her and Quee-Gee.
She even ran out the bathwater and had another, as Qui-Gon suggested, for both her physical and spiritual cleansing. And then she splashed the Jedi Master. Feeling totally safe with him, even in the bathroom with her, he chucked and splashed her and his doll self. Gently he stroked her hair, then stood and told her to take as long as they both liked in the bath and that her new clothes were ready.
Taii dried herself quite a while later, dressed in her new clothes, beige, made from natural hemp, new cloth sandals, everything fitting her nicely, not falling apart, smelly, made from cheap materials like her old ones. Dressed in this elfin dress, she felt like a fairy queen. She wrung out Quee, and Qui-Gon made a coughing sound. Taii laughed. He looks wonderful, she said. Just like you. Qui-Gon chucked.
“Amazing how they got the features so right,” Obi-Wan said.
“Yes, even my big nose.”
All of them laughed. Taii flopped onto the bed, exhausted. Qui-Gon covered her up and gently kissed her cheek.
“My father used to do that,” she said. “And mum used to cover me up.”
“Goodnight, Little One.” He said, ahs mused just like her father used to.
For a time upon their return little Taii stayed at the Jedi Temple. She offered to clean for her keep, but Qui-Gon wouldn’t hear of it. He taught her in the ways of the Jedi, though not Force Sensitive as the Council had argued, she learnt well the Jedi Discipline, meditation and attunement to higher forcer, and much to the Council’s dismay, Qui-Gon’s Defiance.
The Jedi Master truly became heartened when she thought of his as her Spirit Father and Obi-Wan as her Spirit Brother. In time Taii began to travel the galaxy, setting up homes, safe havens and refuges for the abused, even on her owl world, and became a heroine for those who had no voice of their own, as she helped them find it. And as Qui-Gon has told Mace Windu in Counsel, who did not believe at first saving one child would make a difference, Qui-Gon had replied that it made a difference to her, and it became clear that making a difference to one, in the end made a difference to countless millions, across Universes.
*
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~