Qui-Gon Jinn/Legends
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- "A true Knight, Qui-Gon is. Forever on his own quest."
- ―Yoda
Qui-Gon Jinn was a highly respected, yet maverick and unconventional Human male Jedi Master, who lived during the last decades of the Galactic Republic and was most notably responsible for discovering Anakin Skywalker, the Chosen One of the Jedi prophecy, and bringing him into the Jedi Order. An adherent of the Living Force, Jinn always kept his focus in the moment and often clashed with and even openly defied the Jedi High Council. Born in 92 BBY, Qui-Gon Jinn was raised at the Jedi Temple on the galactic capital of Coruscant before being apprenticed at the age of ten to Jedi Knight Dooku. After years of training under Dooku, Jinn achieved the rank of Jedi Knight and—after successfully training a Padawan of his own, a farmer's son named Feemor—became a Jedi Master himself. Shortly after that, Jinn took on a second Padawan, a prodigy named Xanatos, whom Jinn had himself discovered and had brought to the Jedi Temple earlier. Jinn was marveled by his Padawan's prowess so much that he turned a blind eye to Xanatos's flaws, namely his desire for power.
However, Jinn was faced with his Padawan's true nature during a mission to stop a civil war on Xanatos's homeworld of Telos IV. During the mission, Xanatos fell to the dark side of the Force and sided with his father Crion, the power-hungry Governor of the planet, who had orchestrated the insurgency to further his own goals. In order to stop the war, Jinn had to confront Crion, who was accidentally killed in the process. Xanatos fled from the planet, swearing revenge on his Master. Devastated by his apprentice's betrayal, Jinn blamed himself for Xanatos's fall, believing in his inability as a Master and renouncing his earlier success with Feemor. Jinn swore never to take another apprentice, until he crossed paths with a Jedi trainee named Obi-Wan Kenobi during a mission to the planet Bandomeer in 44 BBY. Jinn took Kenobi as his third apprentice, starting their long training together. Over the course of the next twelve years, Jinn and Kenobi participated in numerous missions across the galaxy, most notably fighting side by side against Xanatos, who attempted to exact revenge on his former Master. Ultimately, the fallen apprentice took his own life when cornered by Jinn and his new Padawan on Telos, ending that dark chapter in Jinn's life.
In 32 BBY, Jinn and Kenobi were assigned by Supreme Chancellor Finis Valorum as ambassadors to the Trade Federation, which had recently blockaded the planet Naboo in protest against the recent taxation laws introduced by the Galactic Senate. The Trade Federation, led by Viceroy Nute Gunray, however, attempted to dispose of the Jedi, launching an invasion of Naboo. Escaping to the surface of the planet, Jinn and Kenobi saved the Queen of Naboo, Padmé Amidala, agreeing to escort her to Coruscant in order to report the Trade Federation's act of aggression, but their ship's hyperdrive was damaged, forcing them to make a stop for repairs on the lawless world of Tatooine. It was under the twin suns of Tatooine that Jinn discovered Anakin Skywalker, a young slave boy with great Force potential, who helped the Jedi obtain the money to buy the replacement T-14 hyperdrive generator by risking his life at the Boonta Eve Classic podrace. Convinced that the boy was the Chosen One who was supposed to bring balance to the Force, Jinn secured Skywalker's release from slavery and brought him to the Jedi Temple, narrowly escaping from an attack by the Sith Lord Darth Maul in the process.
Believing that Kenobi was ready to become a Jedi Knight, Jinn asked for Skywalker to be assigned as his new apprentice. However, the Jedi Council refused Jinn's request, believing Skywalker to be too old for Jedi training and potentially dangerous. Jinn then accompanied Amidala back to Naboo, helping her to liberate her world from the Trade Federation. During the battle, Jinn and Kenobi faced off against Darth Maul, and the Jedi Master was struck down by the Sith, before Kenobi cut him in half. With his final words, Jinn asked Kenobi to train Skywalker as his Padawan. Following the battle, Kenobi was promoted to the rank of Jedi Knight, and Skywalker was accepted into the Jedi Order. Kenobi fulfilled his promise to his later Master, training Skywalker for the next ten years. Even though Jinn died on Naboo, he continued to have great influence on the future of the Jedi. Having long ago learned how to preserve one's consciousness with the Force, Jinn remained as a Force ghost, eventually passing the secret to Kenobi and Grand Master Yoda. Even though Skywalker fell to the dark side—becoming the Dark Lord of the Sith Darth Vader and leading to the fall of the Galactic Republic, the rise of the Galactic Empire in its stead and the near-destruction of the Jedi Order—he eventually fulfilled the prophecy just as Jinn had foreseen, killing his Sith Master Darth Sidious and returning to the light in his final moments.
Biography[edit | edit source]
Early life and apprenticeship[edit | edit source]
Childhood at the Jedi Temple[edit | edit source]
- "He will be a great Jedi Knight."
- ―Dooku, on his apprentice Qui-Gon Jinn
Qui-Gon Jinn was a Human male[4] born in 92 BBY[2] on a terrestrial planet.[1] Within the first six months after his birth,[13] Jinn was identified as a Force-sensitive and was taken from his homeworld to the galactic capital of Coruscant to train at the Jedi Temple and become a Jedi.[4] He maintained some ties with his planet of birth, however, and even obtained a special smooth Force-sensitive stone from his home planet's River of Light as a keepsake, while he was no older than thirteen.[1][4] At the age of eight, Jinn participated in a training exercise at a Coruscant lake along with his class. The younglings scaled a nearby cliff with cable launchers several times, learning to keep their balance. The trainees were to repeat the same task a week later, albeit without the cable launchers and under the supervision of a Jedi Master as part of their Force training. Jinn, however, did not want to wait for another week and, after everyone else had left, he remained at the lake, contemplating to climb the cliff alone. His thoughts were soon interrupted by a young girl from his class called Tahl, who playfully dared Jinn to race her to the top of the cliff. Jinn tried to use the Force to help him in the ascent, but that day, Tahl felt a deeper connection with the Force and beat Jinn to the top. Although his pride was somewhat hurt, the young Jinn did not show it. He and Tahl then jumped from the cliff into the cool water of the lake, enjoying the refreshing feeling. At that moment, Tahl saw someone coming in their direction. Since the two of them were supposed to be in meditation and not playing in the water, Jinn and Tahl hid behind a rock and saw Grand Master Yoda passing them by. Both barely restrained each other from laughing, and Yoda walked away without noticing the two.[14]
After that incident, Jinn and Tahl vowed to be friends forever. The two indeed became the best of friends over the years,[14] along with other trainees, including Clee Rhara. Jinn and Tahl would often find themselves in arguments that even ended in scraps, but that never hurt their friendship and only made it stronger.[15] At one point during his training at the Temple, Jinn snuck into one of its spires, taking in the cityscape of Coruscant. Fascinated by its beauty, from that day he dreamed to explore the ecumenopolis from bottom to top. On rare occasions, the trainees were permitted to leave the Temple under escort of chaperons, making visits to the Senate Building, the Courts Building and the Municipal Authorities Building. During those early trips to the city, Jinn changed his mind about Coruscant, realizing that much of the planet was artificial, its natural beauty buried long ago by the massive city.[16]
By the time he was ten years old, Jinn was considered one of the most promising of the Temple's students.[7] During that time, Jinn participated in the Exhibition Day, a tournament among the older Temple students, where they demonstrated their skills to Jedi Masters. The last exercise of the day was a lightsaber tournament; Jinn easily defeated his opponents and made it to the final, where he faced against Tahl. The two engaged in a fierce duel for an extended period of time, gathering a lot of attention from the observing Masters. Ultimately, Jinn was able to defeat Tahl, although after the battle she maintained that she had deserved to win that day.[14] Jinn's lightsaber skills did not go unnoticed, and Jedi Knight Dooku was impressed by Jinn's prowess with the weapon. Craving to achieve perfection by having the best possible Padawan at his side and dreaming of surpassing Yoda as the greatest Jedi alive, Dooku chose Jinn as his apprentice.[7] Dooku was an outspoken and an unconventional teacher, who was barely in his early twenties,[2] and the two had a very distant relationship,[7] Jinn viewing his Master as intimidating and intent on teaching his own future Padawan in a different fashion.[17]
Despite their lack of connection, Jinn and Dooku did enjoy some recreational activities together, like playing smashball, with Jinn considering it an easy victory to play against his Master. Shortly after being taken as a Padawan by Dooku, Jinn received a present from his Master—a copy of the third edition of the book called The Jedi Path: A Manual for Students of the Force , which served as a guide for Jedi trainees. That particular copy of the book had been passed from Master to Padawan in succession; Dooku had received it from his own Master, Thame Cerulian, who had, in turn, received it from Yoda. All three previous owners of the book had made their own notes inside the book, noting their experiences and thoughts on topics presented in the guide. Jinn continued the tradition, continuously making notes in the book while training under Dooku. It was from the guide that Jinn first learned of the Ancient Order of the Whills, a secretive Force-using organization.[17]
Padawan of Dooku[edit | edit source]
- "Betrayal is part of life, Qui-Gon, and we can't always see it coming."
- ―One of Dooku's lessons to young Jinn
Jinn and Dooku participated in a number of missions, going to isolated outposts in the Outer Rim Territories and various dreary planets.[7] As it was customary for the Jedi at the time, Jinn and Dooku visited the planet Ilum to collect a lightsaber crystal for Jinn's lightsaber. There, Jinn encountered vicious gorgodon creatures native to the planet.[17] When he was just a little over fourteen years of age, Jinn met Didi Oddo, the owner of Didi's Café on Coruscant and a well-known informant among the Jedi. Eventually, the two of them became close friends, and, despite Oddo's close connections to the underworld, Jinn trusted him completely. He held no liking for Oddo's cooking, however.[18] By that time, Jinn had achieved much progress in fulfilling his childhood dream, having explored much of Coruscant, yet still not coming close to exploring all of it.[16] During his training, Jinn also encountered a variety of non-Jedi Force-using groups, including the Cruthauses and the Boughtine.[17]
When Jinn was sixteen, he and Dooku were assigned to escort Senator Blix Annon on a diplomatic assignment. There had been an increase in pirate activity recently, and many senators had been kidnapped while traveling between their homeworlds and Coruscant and had been held for great ransoms. All the kidnappings were performed by the same pirate, whose identity was unknown, and who remained elusive time and again. Annon was an important senator and a friend of the Jedi Order, so when he asked the Jedi for protection, the Jedi Council assigned Jinn and his Master to guard the Senator while he traveled aboard his personal cruiser; not used to luxury in his travels, Jinn was awed by the ship's rich furnishings. During their journey, the Jedi stumbled upon another ship drifting in space and emitting a distress call. A young girl spoke through the comlink, claiming that her name was Joli Ti Eddawan, the daughter of Senator Galim Eddawan from the planet Tyan. She told Jinn and Dooku that her ship had been attacked by the pirate, the pilot and everyone else aboard had been killed, and her father had been taken away. The girl also said that her ship's systems were failing and oxygen level was falling. Dooku, suspecting that this might be a trap laid down by the pirate, told Annon's aide Eero Iridian—who was also Dooku's childhood friend—to check Senator Eddawan's current whereabouts. Consulting the cruiser's computer, Iridian found out that Senator Eddawan had indeed been scheduled to arrive at the port station Alpha Nonce the day before, but he never did.[7]
Dooku then ordered Annon's pilot to approach the drifting ship slowly and to stay away of its laser cannons' range. Jinn, feeling that the girl was in danger, was willing to go ahead and rescue her, but Dooku was still unsure that the distress call was genuine. It turned out that Dooku was right in his suspicions, as the other ship suddenly came to life and revealed a battery of previously hidden turbolasers, which opened fire at Annon's cruiser; the pilot was surprised and failed to react, forcing Dooku to grab the controls and pull the cruiser away from the line of fire in the nick of time, and a firefight erupted between the two ships. Annon's cruiser was outfitted with two types of shield—a particle shield that protected against turbolaser fire and an energy shield protecting against laser cannons. Such combination offered good defense but had one major downside, for in order to fire Annon's own laser cannons, the particle shield had to be dropped. Jinn soon took notice that the attacking vessel fired at the cruiser every time the Jedi dropped their particle shield; that required great reflexes and precision on the part of the enemy pilot. The cruiser's energy shield eventually malfunctioned and the armor plating peeled off, allowing the pirate to blast the cruiser's docking bay doors and to land his ship inside. Jinn and Dooku rushed to the docking bay, only to find battle droids rolling from the pirate's craft.[7]
The two engaged the droids, but the machines used smoke grenades, covering everything in sight with smoke. Suddenly, Joli's voice was heard again, begging the Jedi to rescue her and saying that she was forced by the pirate to stand on his ship's ramp. Despite Dooku's urging not to listen to her, as that was most likely another ruse, Jinn risked his life and fought his way to the ramp to save the girl. Dooku soon caught up with him, and they boarded the pirate ship. Inside, however, they found only a recording rod with Joli's prerecorded voice. Realizing that the pirate had already slipped aboard the cruiser, Jinn and Dooku hurried to a safe room, where Iridian had been supposed to take Annon to in case of any potential danger. Inside the room, they found Iridian lying unconscious and Annon nowhere to be found. Returning to the docking bay, they saw Annon in shackles, being pushed into the enemy ship by the pirate, whose face was hidden behind a helmet. At the same time, the cruiser's systems began to fail because of the damage the ship had sustained during the battle. The two Jedi leaped onto the pirate ship's ramp; Dooku deflected the pirate's blaster shots with his lightsaber and began slowly advancing on him. The pirate, however, performed a maneuver that disoriented Jinn's Master. The pirate managed to slip into his ship and raised the ramp, causing both Jedi to fall on the cruiser docking bay's floor.[7]
As the pirate safely retreated with Annon in his custody, Jinn and Dooku were left aboard the crumbling cruiser. First of all, they checked on Iridian, and after ensuring that his injuries were not fatal, they went to help out the cruiser's pilot. Jinn managed to repair the cruiser's sublight mainframe control, allowing the pilot to land the ship on Voltare, a nearby spaceport planet. Having delivered Iridian to a local medical clinic, the two Jedi returned to the ship and started planning their next course of action. Standard procedure dictated that they should contact the Council, but Dooku—having recognized the pirate as Lorian Nod, his fellow Jedi trainee and former friend at the Jedi Temple–turned bitter rival—decided to proceed with the investigation without consulting the Council, unwilling to admit to the Council members that Nod had outwitted him. Jinn was not told about Dooku's discovery either and was even ordered to maintain comlink silence. Although Dooku did not tell him about Nod, Jinn still felt anger emanating from his Master. Analyzing the battle on the cruiser, both Jedi noted that although Annon had claimed that his equipment had been of the highest possible quality, the energy shield had failed, and the armor had began to peel off after taking only minor damage.[7]
Jinn and Dooku arrived at a conclusion that the cruiser's systems had been sabotaged, and the pirate had been aware of the fact. Upon checking the reports of all the other kidnappings, Dooku noted that in all cases, pilots had reported various malfunctions on their ships. Deciding to check where Annon's cruiser had been outfitted with the security devices, Jinn and Dooku paid a visit to Iridian in the clinic, who told them that the cruiser's upgrades had been done by the renowned Kontag corporation. Dooku raised Kontag's officials on the comlink, but they did not tell much. Jinn's Master decided to infiltrate the company's headquarters on the planet Pirin, and the two Jedi soon arrived there. Lying to the company's representative, Sasana, that the Jedi Order was considering a purchase of security upgrades from Kontag, Jinn and Dooku asked her to show them the Kontag factory. Having thoroughly inspected the facility, the Jedi noticed signs of both prosperity and decline. A large client base was maintained, but little to no actual work was being done in the facility. Dooku realized that the Pirin factory was just a sham, and the real work was being done somewhere else. Analyzing a sensor suite he had taken from a Kontag landspeeder during the tour, he found a factory mark buried it in, which pointed to Von-Alai, a once-icy planet transformed into a barren wasteland by the toxic waste produced by a vast amount of factories.[7]
Knighthood[edit | edit source]
- "So what did you learn from the mission, Padawan?"
" Many things."
"Name the most important one, then."
"That you will withhold facts from me that I need to know." - ―Jinn and Dooku, after the incident with Lorian Nod
After they reached Von-Alai and entered the factory, Jinn, to his shock, discovered that child labor was being practiced there, which was forbidden by the Republic laws. Jinn tried to convince his Master that they had to help the children, but Dooku was preoccupied only with their mission. Confronting one of the factory's managers, Dooku threatened him with a promise to report all the violations he had seen and to shut down the production. Under those threats, the man revealed the name of the corporation that owned the factory, Caravan, which Dooku recognized as the name of Nod's model ship he had built at the Temple. As Jinn and Dooku turned to leave the factory, they were surprised to find Iridian waiting for them, who claimed that he had followed them in order to help them find Annon. The aide said that he had found a worker who might know where the pirate's hideout was. The Jedi followed Iridian, but the aide wandered away and disappeared, and the Jedi were instead confronted by several Eradicator-series battle droids. The Jedi ignited their lightsabers, but after Jinn realized that a battle inside the factory could harm the children who were working there, he deactivated his weapon. Dooku was determined to fight, however, and Jinn had to convince his Master to stand down. Grudgingly, Dooku followed his Padawan's example, and both Jedi were taken into custody by the battle droids.[7]
Jinn and Dooku were drugged, taken to an unknown location, and handcuffed to the floor. After Jinn awoke from the effects of the drug, Dooku finally decided to tell him about Nod. Jinn was puzzled and disappointed that his Master had withheld such important information from him, but he tried not to show his feelings. Remembering Iridian's sudden disappearance, Dooku also realized that his friend had been in league with Nod all along; Iridian hoped to use the money raised from the kidnappings to finance an election campaign for the post of senator. At that moment, Nod himself showed up, and Jinn accused him of using children to work for him. Nod casually replied that the children were the only ones who could support their families, and if he were to fire them, they would starve, but Jinn was not satisfied with this answer, believing that there was another way. Nod further explained that he had been kidnapping senators just to earn some money and to retire peacefully. Iridian then burst in, accusing Nod of killing Annon; the Senator had just died of a heart attack. The two began to argue, and the panicking Iridian pulled out his vibroblade. Dooku, however, used the Force to pull the vibroblade out of Iridian's hands and used it to cut loose of his cuffs. Jinn's Master then Force-pulled his lightsaber that was stored nearby and attacked Nod, while Iridian fled from the site. Defending with a blaster and his own vibroblade, Nod slowly moved toward Jinn's lightsaber—which was also kept close—and grabbed it.[7]
As Dooku and Nod engaged in a lightsaber duel, Jinn, still tied and helpless, cried for his Master to release him. Dooku, however, was too enraged and immersed in the battle and did not hear his Padawan's pleas. Only when he was ready to deal a fatal blow did Dooku hear Jinn's desperate cry and stop his hand. He finally released his apprentice, and they took both Nod and Iridian into custody. The two returned to Coruscant, not speaking a single word on their return journey. After handing the two criminals to Coruscant security, Dooku told Jinn to learn one lesson from their mission—that the day would come when his friends would betray him.[7] Unbeknownst to the Jedi, the plot to replace Annon with Iridian had been secretly instigated by Darth Tenebrous, the current Dark Lord of the clandestine Order of the Sith Lords. The replacement of Annon was to be another step in the Grand Plan, the imperative designed by the Dark Lords to bring the galaxy under Sith control. Although Jinn and Dooku had unknowingly foiled that particular scheme of the Sith, they did not find out about Tenebrous's involvement in Annon's kidnapping.[19]
Some time later, Jinn and Dooku embarked on their final mission as Master and apprentice. The mission lasted for two years, and it was difficult and dangerous. Exhausted and weary, the two returned to the Jedi Temple, where Jinn was ready to undergo his Jedi Trials. At the landing platform, Jinn was greeted by Tahl, and the two friends shared a warm embrace, which irritated Dooku, who had stopped believing in sincere friendship a long time ago. As they walked together to meet the Jedi Council, Dooku commended Jinn on being a great Padawan, but he also said that Jinn had one major flaw, namely his trust and connection to other people. Dooku reminded Jinn that in the end, he would always be alone, and that betrayal was inevitable.[7] Around 72 BBY,[20] Jinn was granted the rank of Jedi Knight. After the knighting ceremony, Jinn kept his Padawan braid, preserving it with his copy of The Jedi Path. Although he stopped making notes in the guide, Jinn made sure to keep it safe to pass it eventually to his own apprentice.[17] Tahl also became a Jedi Knight, although their Jedi duties prevented them from seeing each other for years, and they only heard of each other's promotion.[14] After Jinn was knighted, he kept very little contact with Dooku, viewing their past relationship strictly as that of a Master and his Padawan. Although he respected Dooku's training, he did not heed his Master's final lesson, unwilling to live without trust and friendship.[7]
The fall of Xanatos[edit | edit source]
Attaining Mastery[edit | edit source]
- "Xanatos. He is gifted. I would consider carefully, however. I'm not sure he's the right one for you."
- ―Tahl, warning Jinn against taking Xanatos as his apprentice
In his first year as a Jedi Knight, Jinn and three companions were exposed to a theta storm. Jinn survived by luck, while the three with him failed to reach shelter in time and died slow, excruciating deaths over the course of two days.[21] At some point in his life, Jinn saw the giant trees in the Silver Forest of Dreams on the planet Kubindi. Their leaves reached up to twenty meters in width, and they floated like giant rafts when they fell.[22] When Yoda suggested that he take a Padawan learner, Jinn chose not to rush things and contemplate on that, in the meantime performing solo missions for the Order.[14] During his travels, around 66 BBY,[23] Jinn discovered a three-year-old[24] Force-sensitive boy from the planet Telos IV named Xanatos—the son of Crion, the wealthiest man on Telos. Jinn performed Xanatos' midi-chlorian count, finding out that the boy exhibited strong connection with the Force. Although he did not want to part with his child, Crion allowed his son to be taken away, and Jinn, after some hesitation, brought Xanatos to the Jedi Temple for training. Xanatos proved to be a brilliant student, one of the most promising trainees to come to the Temple in many years, but his brash personality and desire for power led him to clash frequently with other students and caused Yoda to express concerns about him. Jinn overlooked the boy's flaws, however, seeing them as mere childish behavior that Xanatos would eventually outgrow.[12]
As time passed, Xanatos' creative mind and tech-savvy attracted Jinn,[25] and he began considering to take Xanatos as his Padawan. Before making a final choice, the Jedi Knight decided to undertake one more mission. He made a stopover at the barren world of Zekulae, where he was waiting for his transport. Stopping at a café to have a drink, Jinn witnessed an argument between a local Zeku and a Human, whom he recognized as Tahl, who were playing sabacc. Tahl claimed that the Zeku had cheated; the latter was angered by the statement and reached for his weapon. Jinn did not want to endanger Tahl's mission by intervening and waited to see how the situation would resolve. Tahl easily disarmed the Zeku and, after ordering her opponent a drink, she noticed Jinn and joined him. The two talked for some time, remembering their time at the Temple, and Jinn told her that he was thinking about taking Xanatos as his apprentice. Tahl advised Jinn to consider his decision carefully, believing that he and Xanatos were not the best match. Returning to her mission, Tahl then left the café.[14] While Xanatos trained at the Temple, Jinn took[10] a farmer's son named Feemor[11] as his first Padawan, successfully helping the apprentice to become a Jedi Knight. Feemor's knighthood saw Jinn promoted to the rank of Jedi Master.[10][26]
Before long, Jinn took Xanatos as his second apprentice, training him for several years.[12] The two participated in numerous missions, and on one occasion they traveled to the planet of Ilum to obtain some valuable Adegan crystals for Xanatos' lightsaber.[27] On another occasion, Jinn and Tahl were together in the Landor system,[11] known for high levels of pirate activity.[12] Jinn found himself in a predicament there and found a way out of it thanks to Tahl.[11] In 53 BBY,[28] when Xanatos was sixteen, Jinn and his Padawan were sent on a mission to stop a tyrant from overtaking a world in the Outer Rim Territories. The tyrant followed a strategy based on an equation that dictated that disruption plus demoralization and distraction equaled devastation. The pair succeeded in their mission, and the tyrant was killed.[25]
A brilliant student[edit | edit source]
- "Each Jedi apprentice brings something unique to the Temple. Even at a young age, Xanatos stood out. His intelligence was fierce and quick and agile. He was a leader. I thought he was the most promising boy to come to the Temple in many years. So did Yoda. Yet Yoda had questions. As Xanatos grew and I took him as my apprentice, I resented Yoda's hesitations. I thought Yoda was questioning my judgement. Of course, he was questioning the boy. He saw something that I did not. When Yoda suggested one last mission, I was glad. At last, I thought, I can prove to Yoda that I was right. Xanatos will prove himself, prove what I'd seen all along."
- ―Qui-Gon Jinn
Jinn was extremely proud of his Padawan's lightsaber skills and Force mastery that nearly equaled his own, and he felt that Yoda's hesitations about Xanatos meant that Yoda was questioning Jinn's own judgment.[12] Shortly after the mission to stop the tyrant,[29] Xanatos easily passed preliminary Jedi tests, and Jinn was ready to welcome him as a Jedi Knight.[12] During that time, Jinn and Xanatos were joined by Jinn's first Padawan, Feemor, in a training duel at the heart of the Jedi Temple. Feemor and Xanatos both attacked Jinn but could not breach his defense. Xanatos then told Feemor to attack from Jinn's left side. Although the Jedi Master repelled the attack, it made him lose the grip on his lightsaber, allowing Xanatos to knock it out of Jinn's hands and win the fight. Xanatos began boasting on his victory, priding in his noble ancestry and stating that Feemor had been destined to lose the duel due to his humble origins. Jinn was forced to reprimand Xanatos and console Feemor. After Feemor left, Tahl entered the training grounds, saying that Yoda had sent her to escort Jinn and Xanatos to the Council chamber to receive a new assignment, a mission to the Telos system. Soon, Yoda, Xanatos, Tahl, and Orykan Tamarik—a Jedi Padawan who had recently lost her Master, Casieck Akinslesh, and was temporarily assigned to Tahl—stood before Masters Yoda and Micah Giiett.[11]
Yoda and Giiett explained to them that Xanatos' homeworld of Telos IV was on the brink of civil war following the death of Liora, a revered peace prophet, in what looked like a political assassination. A group of insurgents opposed Crion,[11] who now ruled the planet as a governor, having built on wealth and power through Telosian scientists' research.[12] Yoda chose Tahl because of her knowledge of the system, and Jinn was chosen due to his calm and compassionate demeanor. The Grand Master also made it clear that the mission was meant as a test for Xanatos and Tamarik. Xanatos protested against going to his homeworld, saying that the Council should send a diplomat like Dooku there instead, but Yoda told him that if he was not ready to undertake the mission then the Council would assign Tamarik to Jinn instead of him. As Jinn and Xanatos parted ways with Tahl and Tamarik and were going down on a set of stairs from the Council tower, Xanatos suddenly leaped over the edge and landed on a thin pole. Jinn followed his apprentice and tried to calm Xanatos down, who believed that the Council had already decided to replace him as Jinn's Padawan with Tamarik. Jinn told Xanatos that Telos IV was his weakness and in order to become a Jedi, he had to confront that weakness.[11]
Jinn, Xanatos, Tahl, and Tamarik soon departed for Telos on a transport. While Jinn piloted the transport, he expressed to Tahl his concern about the fact that the Council had decided to send two Masters to Telos, which meant that the situation was more dire than they had claimed. However, Tahl said that she had asked Yoda to send her with Jinn, as she believed that she would find some old Jedi Civil War-era holocrons on Telos. When Jinn told Tahl that he had felt his connection to the Force grow when visiting significant sites from the Jedi history, such as Telos, Tahl said that she experienced similar feelings in places where some key historical event was to take place, such as the planet Naboo,[11] a precognition that would prove prophetic years in the future.[3] When the Jedi transport reached Telos and Jinn piloted it toward the Thani city-state, a missile was fired from the ground and hit the Jedi's ship, making Jinn lose control of the vessel. He initially panicked, but Tahl calmed him down and, by using the Force, they managed to crash-land the ship. As the four Jedi emerged from the transport, they found themselves under attack by a group of rebels on speeder bikes. Jinn and Tahl used their lightsabers to deflect the band's blaster fire. Meanwhile, Xanatos, who had misplaced his lightsaber, tried to reach for the blaster of one of the fallen attackers, but found himself looking at the barrel of another enemy's gun.[11] At that moment, Crion and his men arrived and helped the Jedi defeat the attackers. When the fight was over, Crion welcomed the ambassadors and his son to Telos.[11] Xanatos' emotions were stirred by that meeting; Jinn saw that, but Tahl advised him to let the boy sort out his feelings by himself. Crion's advisor, the Ithorian Hukowl An Devi, then flew the four Jedi to their apartments in a landspeeder. Some time later, while Tahl went to a local library, An Devi took Jinn, Xanatos, and Tamarik to the site of Liora's death, who had fallen from the top of a large tower. Xanatos was jealous of Tamarik's presence, but Jinn told him that she could learn more from both of them, instead of going with Tahl to the library. When Jinn and the others arrived at the site, they were confronted by a group of mourners who did not want the Jedi to interfere in Telos' business, and the Jedi barely made their way through the crowd. At the top of the tower, Jinn and the Padawans tried to use the Force to sense the circumstances of Liora's death, but the only thing they felt was a dark shroud which made Tamarik lose her consciousness. However, Jinn also sensed that a person "who was a Jedi, and at the same time not yet a Jedi," had been somehow involved in Liora's death.[30]
Later, aboard the New Citadel Station surrounding Telos, the four Jedi attended the mourning ceremony for Liora. During the ceremony, Jinn and Tahl shared their experiences on the planet. Jinn told Tahl about his investigation of the murder scene, while Tahl, who had recently survived an attack by a group of insurgents, told him that one of the escaping rebels was dressed as an Antarian Ranger, a member of the special forces that trained together with the Jedi and who were based nearby on the planet Toprawa. Tahl also said that she did not want Tamarik as her Padawan.[30] Xanatos left the New Citadel Station with Nason, his sister, whom he had met during the ceremony, while Jinn joined Crion in his shuttle. When Crion expressed his grief over the fact that Xanatos was lost to him, Jinn stated that when Xanatos would become a Knight, he could be assigned to Toprawa to the Antarian Rangers, and Crion could see his son more often. During the conversation, Crion called the Antarian Rangers "mercenaries," which Jinn found odd as the Rangers were not known to have such reputation. Back at their apartment, Xanatos, who had overheard Jinn and Tahl's conversation about Tamarik, once again had an outburst. Now aware that Tahl did not want Tamarik as her apprentice, he felt that Yoda had planned from the start to leave him on Telos and to have Jinn train the girl instead. Jinn once again had to calm his apprentice, telling him that if he wanted to return to Coruscant, he had to help him find Liora's killer.[31]
The strife[edit | edit source]
- "Civil war broke out. Suddenly, people were dying. The situation was out of my control. And all because I did not see clearly what Xanatos was capable of."
- ―Qui-Gon Jinn
Jinn told Xanatos about the Antarian Ranger who might have been involved in the murder; Xanatos wanted to relay the news to Crion, but Jinn asked him to keep that information secret for now. Instead, Jinn began his own investigation. He disguised himself as an elderly arms dealer and contacted the insurgents, telling them that he had a shipment of weapons he needed to move. Jinn hoped to meet an insurgent leader named Welleques, but his contact turned out to be a young man[31] named Pon,[32] who escorted him to a supposed meeting place with Welleques. Focused on maintaining his disguise and scrambling the boy's thoughts with the Force, Jinn did not notice two more insurgents, who had recognized him as a Jedi, until they told him not to move. A fight broke out, but Jinn soon emerged victorious, killing the two attackers and leaving only[31] Pon.[32] He used the Force to assure the young man that nothing untoward had happened and told him that he would take the "arms dealer" to Welleques that night. Shortly afterward, Tahl send a message to Jinn, asking him to meet her near Crion's palace.[31]
When Jinn arrived, however, Xanatos, Tahl, Nason, Crion, and a few of his guards were fighting a group of insurgents led by an individual with a disfigured face, whom Jinn recognized as Dairoki,[31] a former Jedi Padawan, who had never completed his training.[32] During the fight, Nason was killed and Dairoki rushed to her side, attacking his own men. The insurgents were soon defeated, but Dairoki retreated. When Jinn asked Tahl if she had known of the attack when she called for a meeting, she replied that she had not and had intended to tell Jinn that she was being recalled from Telos[31] to the Landor system to confront the local pirates who had captured[32] the pilot[12] Stieg Wa. Tamarik was to remain with Jinn, since Landor was considered too dangerous for her. After the attack, An Devi confronted Jinn, showing him a lightsaber they had found near one of the dead insurgents—left there on purpose by Dairoki—and accusing the Jedi of withholding the information regarding the involvement of the Rangers. Jinn replied that he did not have all the information yet and said that he would try to find more details.[32]
However, Xanatos defied his Master; instead of helping him in the investigation, he went to his father to protect him, telling Jinn to take Tamarik with him instead in his continuing investigation. Guided by Jinn's Force command, Pon soon took him, in the old man disguise, to meet Welleques. Welleques and his band tried to kill the offworlder so that they would not have to pay for his weapons. As they drew their blasters, Jinn tore off his disguise and attacked the band, killing everyone except for Welleques. He grabbed Welleques and asked him if the Antarian Rangers were involved in the insurgency, and the man told him that the entire corps was indeed involved. Before Welleques could tell more, he was killed by a shot in the head fired by the Antarian Ranger from a roof. When Jinn reached the spot the Ranger had stood on, the sniper was already gone. Crion was quick to make the news of the Antarian Rangers' involvement in the insurgency public, claiming that their involvement was part of a larger conspiracy involving the Toprawan government. All diplomatic ties to Toprawa were suspended and all citizens of Toprawa currently on Telos were told to leave the planet. Crion's chief of staff additionally claimed that the Rangers had been implicated by agents working with the government, hinting at the Jedi on Telos.[32] When Jinn confronted Xanatos regarding those accusations, Xanatos replied that he was certain that the insurgency would soon fade away. Jinn did not think so and apologized to Xanatos for asking him to keep secrets from his father. Xanatos once again got mad at Jinn, telling his Master that he never wanted to come back to Telos, and he asked Jinn to find Nason's killer, so that they could go back to Coruscant. Xanatos then left Jinn and moved in to live with his father at his palace for the rest of their stay. Soon enough, Crion announced that the people of Telos should react to the increased acts of insurgency. Conflicts among the population erupted, sparking the civil war on Telos.[32] As the fighting escalated, Jinn decided to go to Crion's palace, apologize before Xanatos, and return to Coruscant with his Padawan. Tamarik wanted to go with Jinn, but he forbade her to do so.[33]
However, before Jinn could depart to the palace, Minister An Devi appeared at his doorstep. Dairoki, no longer wanting to take part in the insurgency after the death of his love, Nason, had come to An Devi and revealed that Crion had been, in fact, manipulating the insurgents. He had played on the Telosian population's feeling of nationalism, planting links between the Antarian Rangers and the local insurgents, so that the people of Telos, convinced of offworld intervention, would surely not forgive the rebels. Crion's goal had been the escalation of violence in order to strengthen his rule, and he had achieved it with the civil war raging on the streets. An Devi made a public announcement, exposing Crion's machinations and uniting the people of Telos IV against the governor, who was locked in his palace, surrounded by his loyal guards. Jinn infiltrated the palace, hoping to take Xanatos away from the violence and bloodshed.[33]
Fighting through the governor's guards, Jinn soon reached Crion himself, who was armed with a sword and a blaster. Suddenly, Tamarik appeared at the scene against Jinn's orders and joined the fight. She was quickly disarmed by Crion, who prepared to kill her. Determined to protect the young Padawan, Jinn struck Crion with his lightsaber, making him lose his balance and fall into a pool of hot embers located at the lower level of the palace. The Jedi Master followed the governor there, trying to wake him as he landed, but Crion was already dead. Enraged by his father's death, Xanatos attacked Jinn, knocking his Master's lightsaber out of his hands; the weapon fell into the fiery ashes and was destroyed. Xanatos confronted the defenseless Jinn, who tried to plead with his Padawan, but the boy had fallen to the dark side of the Force and did not listen. Having regained her lightsaber, Tamarik tried to protect Jinn, but Xanatos easily parried her attacks. Jinn then Force-pulled Tamarik's lightsaber and engaged Xanatos in a duel. During their fight, Xanatos accused Jinn of murdering Crion. He then took his dead father by the hand and pressed Crion's ring—bearing their family symbol, a full-circle—to his right cheek.[33]
The ring, broken in the fight and searing hot from the embers, created a prominent scar in the shape of a broken circle on Xanatos' cheek. At that moment, the people of Telos stormed Crion's palace, and Jinn returned the lightsaber to Tamarik in case the crowd attacked them. However, the crowd proceeded directly to Crion's body, carrying it away as a trophy. During that proceeding, Jinn had lost sight of Xanatos, who disappeared into the crowd and escaped. With Crion's death, the civil war on Telos IV came to an end, and the last insurgent groups were ready to lay down their weapons. Deeply affected by the loss of his Padawan, Jinn did not contact the Council with a report for a long time. When he finally did, the Council promised to provide him with a Kaiburr crystal,[33] a powerful Force relic,[34] so that he could build a new lightsaber to replace the one he had lost on Telos. Jinn lied to the Council members regarding Xanatos's fate, telling them that his Padawan had died in an attack on Crion's palace. Unwilling to return to Coruscant, Jinn arranged for An Devi—the new governor of the planet—to send Tamarik back via special transport. Jinn himself took a starfighter and departed for parts unknown.[33]
Devastated by failure[edit | edit source]
- "I cannot help feeling that if I'd been a better Master, he wouldn't have turned to the Dark Side."
- ―Qui-Gon Jinn
Upon finally returning to the Temple, Jinn blamed himself for Xanatos' fall and even went so far as to renounce his success in training his first Padawan,[35] Feemor.[11] referring to Xanatos as his first apprentice.[35] Jinn spent hours in meditation and consultations with Yoda, who, along with the other Jedi, became aware of Xanatos' true fate, but it did not help him to reconcile with Xanatos' betrayal.[14] He vowed never to take another apprentice, but as the Jedi Council kept asking him to reconsider his decision, he came to the Temple every year. There, he spent a few hours watching the pupils, and then he left alone.[22] Tahl tried to comfort Jinn by accompanying him on a training exercise to the world of Ragoon VI to hopefully relax and take his mind off Xanatos. The two spent time climbing mountains, and Tahl tried to explain Jinn that he could not control everything in his life, but even she could not put him at ease.[14]
In 52 BBY, Jinn was reunited with his former Master, Dooku, on an assignment to Dooku's homeworld of Serenno. There, the Serennian Count Vemec presided over the negotiations involving the Muun Damask Holdings corporation, headed by Magister Hego Damask, and the representatives of the planet Celanon. The issue revolved around the proposed construction of an Aqualish-manufactured hyperwave repeater in Celanon space. The repeater would expand the reach of the HoloNet galactic communications grid into the Corporate Sector, a vast region of space located at the galaxy's Tingel Arm. However, the placement of the transmitter would necessitate changes in the hyperspace routes. In compensation for that, Celanon demanded that ships entering Celanon space from the systems of the upper Hydian Way trade route would be required to pay significant transit taxes.[19]
Jinn and Dooku were overseeing the debate, alongside Jedi Masters Sifo-Dyas and Jocasta Nu. The Celanon delegation initially protested to the presence of Dooku, since he was Serennian by birth, but after Jinn's former Master assured them that he had severed all ties to his homeworld when he became a Jedi, the proceedings finally began. After four hours of negotiations that led to nothing, Vemec called for a break. Jinn, Dooku, and Sifo-Dyas were then approached by Hego Damask, who expressed concern that in the absence of any resolution, the outlying systems would suffer the most. Jinn, however, ever blunt in his words, implied that discontent in the outer systems was in keeping with the plans of Damask Holdings, which, for a long time, had been supporting the Trade Federation—a powerful commerce guild—and other cartels that exploited backwater worlds to the point of ruination. Many times when the Jedi had to resolve conflicts that stemmed from that, Damask's name surfaced in their investigations.[19]
Damask denied Jinn's accusations, stating that Damask Holdings was merely trying to bring progress to the outlying worlds, and any damage done to the worlds in question was just a minor setback. Damask, in turn, said that the Jedi surely must have faced similar dilemmas when trying to uphold the Republic's laws, but their task was easier since they had the Force to rely upon in their decision-making. Although Jinn still did not agree with Damask's methods, he ended the conversation, leaving the Muun to talk to Masters Dooku and Sifo-Dyas. Little did Jinn know that Damask was, in reality, the Sith Lord Darth Plagueis, the current heir to the Order of the Sith Lords. Jinn's accusations of Damask Holdings's operations were actually correct, as discontent in the backwater worlds was one of the goals of Plagueis's Grand Plan.[19]
For the next few years, Jinn returned to solo missions, although he was occasionally paired with Tahl.[36] In 49 BBY, Jinn served as an escort for Baron[37] Kindoro,[38] the ruler of the planet Vena. While traveling in Republic space, the Baron unexpectedly died of heart failure. However, his wife, Baroness Omnino, blamed Jinn for her husband's death and did not trust the Jedi Order—and Jinn in particular—afterward.[37] In 47 BBY, Jinn and Tahl were sent on a mission to the planet Apsolon. For a long time, the civilization of the planet had been split between the wealthy minority called the Civilized; and the Workers, who comprised the majority of the population. The Civilized had ruled the planet through the Absolutes, a secret police, while the Workers had been oppressed.[36]
The Workers tried to change the situation, and, after a nearly bloodless revolution, the Absolutes were disbanded, a new leader came to power—a Worker named Ewane—and the planet was renamed "New Apsolon" to symbolize the new direction. Jinn and Tahl were assigned to observe a safe transition to a new form of government. During the mission, Tahl developed a close bond with Ewane's daughters, Alani and Eritha. The mission was an overall success and went relatively smoothly. After all the formalities were done with, Jinn was ready to leave, but Tahl wished to remain on the planet, worrying for Ewane and his girls' safety and suspecting that the Absolutes could have remained as an underground organization. Jinn admitted that she could be right, but he also told Tahl that it was not up to the Jedi to deal with the problem. Jinn's words convinced Tahl, and she reluctantly agreed to leave the planet.[36]
During his lifetime Jinn also encountered a number of dissident Jedi groups. One of them was the Potentium, a controversial sect of Force-users formed decades ago by the former Jedi trainee Leor Hal, who believed that the Force was inherently good and it was the intent with which an action was performed, not the action itself, that made it evil. Jinn and senior Jedi Council member, Korun Jedi Master Mace Windu, had a run-in with a group of followers of Potentium at some point before 44 BBY.[39] Another faction that Jinn was acquainted with was led by Jedi Master Djinn Altis, a maverick Jedi who led a splinter faction of Jedi who did not follow some of the Jedi Order's strict tenets. The Altisian Jedi were free to have romantic relationships and even to marry and have children. Members of the faction were also not limited to having only a single Padawan and could have any number of apprentices at any given time.[40] Jinn also at some point participated in the expansion of the Jedi chapter house on the ice-covered planet Rhinnal, overseeing the delivery of building materials to the planet.[41] Jinn was also acquainted with the Jedi Sharad Hett, before the latter left the Jedi Order to return to his family in 47 BBY.[42]
At some point of his life, Jinn started unraveling the secrets of manifesting one's consciousness after death.[43] He eventually located a planet strong with the Force. According to legends, that planet was the very birthplace of all life in the universe and the place of origin of midi-chlorians,[44] microscopic life-forms that lived within each individual in a state of symbiosis with them and allowed the Jedi to feel the Force.[3] There, Jinn encountered five Force Priestesses, who had retained their own consciousness after death.[44] Jinn learned that, when a living thing died, its life passed through the Living Force and into the Cosmic Force to become one with the Force. As the Living Force and Cosmic Force were intertwined, it thus became possible to retain one's consciousness and physically manifest oneself after death. The Force Priestesses considered Jinn to be worthy of the knowledge of eternal life, and he secretly began his training to fully unlock its mysteries.[43] Jinn furthered his studies of that art by learning from a Shaman of the Whills[9] that achieving eternal consciousness required absolute selflessness.[45]
Taking another apprentice[edit | edit source]
The perilous journey[edit | edit source]
- "Qui-Gon Jinn, I will be thirteen in four weeks. You are my last chance to be a Jedi Knight."
- ―Obi-Wan Kenobi begging Jinn to accept him as his apprentice
In 44 BBY, Jinn was asked by Supreme Chancellor[22] Kalpana[4] to personally go to the planet Bandomeer on a mission. He was not told any details about his assignment there other than that the mission required his personal presence, and his specifically. Before going to Bandomeer, however, Jinn agreed to observe a tournament among a group of the Temple's older students. One of the training duels he witnessed that day was fought between two young boys, Bruck Chun and Obi-Wan Kenobi. After a brief fight, Kenobi emerged as the victor. Jinn took notice of Kenobi's fighting skills, although he also noted that the boy fought too viciously. When the duel had ended, Jinn expressed his concern regarding Kenobi's dangerous style to the boy. As Jinn turned his back and prepared to leave, however, Kenobi called him and asked to be taken as his Padawan. The boy went on to explain that he would be thirteen in four weeks, and if he were not be chosen as a Padawan by that time, then he would be sent to the Agricultural Corps, which was considered a demarcation of inability among other Jedi trainees.[22]
Jinn replied that he would not train Kenobi, because he believed that the boy had too much anger in him and there was a chance that he might turn to the dark side. Jinn walked toward the door, but Kenobi sprang to his feet in a last desperate attempt to convince the Jedi Master that he would not turn. Jinn ignored the boy's pleas and walked away, heading to the Temple's Map Room, where he hoped to relax. On his way there, Jinn could not forget the sight of Kenobi's despairing face, but he tried to convince himself that he had made the right choice and there was danger in the boy's training. Inside the Map Room, Jinn's contemplation was interrupted by Yoda, who walked in and started talking about Kenobi, telling Jinn that he should have thought about taking the boy as an apprentice. Unwilling to discuss that topic, Jinn said that he would consider taking a Padawan next year, but Yoda did not believe his words. The Grand Master then informed Jinn that Kenobi had also been assigned to Bandomeer to work as a farmer there. Jinn was very surprised and suspected Yoda of being involved in such a coincidence, but the elderly Master assured him that it was the will of the Force.[22]
Soon thereafter, Jinn boarded a transport to Bandomeer. The ship, called the Monument, carried two rival groups aboard—the small Arcona Mineral Harvest Corporation led by the Human female Clat'Ha and the powerful Offworld Mining Corporation that was led by Jemba the Hutt and was well known for its ruthless and oppressive methods. Jinn soon discovered that Kenobi was on the same ship and had been beaten by one of the Hutt members of Offworld after he had accidentally stumbled into their territory while trying to find his cabin. Jinn decided to visit the boy in the ship's sickbay and tended to Kenobi's wounds. Seeing Jinn at his side, Kenobi believed that the Master had changed his mind and decided to take him as his Padawan. Once again, Jinn was forced to decline, telling Kenobi that their missions were different. Meanwhile, an Arcona entered the sickbay, introducing himself as Si Treemba and offering to be Kenobi's friend; Si Treemba had come to consider the boy a hero, believing that Kenobi had received his injuries because he had chosen to fight against Offworld. Soon enough, Clat'Ha also came in, telling Jinn and Kenobi that someone had tampered with the Arcona's equipment and had sabotaged three tunneling machines by removing all thermocoms, the equipment necessary to operate the machines.[22]
Clat'Ha suspected Jemba of being involved in it, but the Hutt soon appeared himself, claiming that he was innocent. Jinn told Jemba that he believed in his personal innocence, but hinted that one of Jemba's men might have done it. Jemba and Clat'Ha started arguing, each accusing the other, and Jemba claimed that Clat'Ha had sabotaged the machinery herself in order to frame Offworld. Jinn intervened, trying to convince both sides to calm down. Angered, Jemba left, promising to kill Jinn should he take Clat'Ha's side. Kenobi did not understand why Jinn had let the Hutt go, but Jinn explained that the Jedi should protect only those who could not defend themselves, and he felt that Clat'Ha could do so. Kenobi expressed his desire to start an investigation to find out who had sabotaged the machinery, but Jinn strongly forbade him to do so and left for his quarters. Later, while he was resting in his bed, Jinn sensed that Kenobi was in danger. He was surprised to find that such a bond had formed between them, despite Kenobi not being his Padawan. Jinn fought with that feeling, telling himself that the boy should deal with his problems himself and continued to rest. The next day, while sharing a drink with Clat'Ha in the Arcona's lounge, he met Kenobi and Si Treemba. Kenobi confessed to him that he had disobeyed Jinn's orders and had gone along with Si Treemba to the Offworld side of the ship to investigate the thermocom theft. During their investigation, Si Treemba had been captured and Kenobi had been forced to rescue him; it had been at that moment that Jinn had sensed him being in danger.[22]
Nevertheless, Kenobi could not find any proof of Offworld's involvement in the thermocoms' theft. Furthermore, Clat'Ha explained that Kenobi's efforts were in vain, since the missing thermocoms had been found lying in a barrel of lubricant. Unbeknownst to the others, it was Jemba who had in fact stolen them, but after Kenobi had come looking for the parts, the Hutt had decided to discreetly return the thermocoms back. Jinn rebuked Kenobi, telling him that his intervention could heat up the tension on the ship. At that moment, the Monument started shaking, having come under attack by several pirate warships. Jinn quickly ordered Kenobi to check if the Monument's pilots were still alive, and if they were not, to take the ship's controls and get them to safety, while he distracted the pirates. Making a stand in one of the ship's corridors, Jinn, assisted by Clat'Ha, managed to hold off the invading vicious Togorian pirates for some time, but he was eventually slashed across the back of his shoulders and down to the ribs by the pirate captain's vibro-ax. Moreover, one of the pirate ships opened fire, breaching a hole in the Monument's hull near the site where Jinn fought the pirate.[22]
Jinn's wound was very grief, and he was almost killed by the Togorian captain, but he was saved by Clat'Ha, who shot the pirate with her blaster. Jinn then quickly closed a blast door, sealing the corridor from the hole and thus avoiding being sucked into the vacuum of open space. Meanwhile, Kenobi and Si Treemba—who had been forced to take control of the ship because the pilots had been killed—managed to defeat the pirates in space combat, destroying one warship and forcing the others to retreat. However, the Monument had been heavily damaged during the raid, and Kenobi was forced to crash-land it on a nearby planet, on a shore near an ocean. Jinn waited until others were attended to before requesting a medical droid to bandage him in his room. After the boy rejoined him, Jinn asked if he had felt anger or fear during the battle, and Kenobi honestly admitted that he had, but he had also understood that he had been killing the pirates only to save the lives of those aboard the Monument. Such words showed Jinn that Kenobi grew stronger in the Force, yet Jinn felt strangely dissatisfied, as he realized that he might have actually wanted the boy to fail.[22]
Standing together[edit | edit source]
- "I'll be glad to leave this place. I saw too much death here."
"You did well. I felt the Force move in you" - ―Kenobi and Jinn, after the battle against the draigons
Jinn and Kenobi were then informed by Si Treemba that in the aftermath of the pirate attack, Jemba had stolen all dactyl, a yellow-colored ammonia crystal essential to the survival of the Arcona. Jinn confronted Jemba, but the Hutt angrily explained that he had taken the dactyl as payment for the fact that Offworld had fought the pirates, while the Arcona had been hiding in their cabins during the attack. Jinn tried to use the Force to reason Jemba, but he was too weak as a result of his wound and could not persuade the Hutt to return the dactyl. Having sensed Jinn's attempt at using the Force, Jemba started laughing, which angered Kenobi. Jinn had to calm the boy down, explaining that anger was his true enemy. Jemba then offered the Arcona to work for Offworld, promising to pay them with the dactyl that he had stolen from them. One by one, the Arcona walked over to Jemba's side, until Kenobi persuaded Si Treemba not to do so. Following their commune instinct, everyone else followed Si Treemba back and left Jemba.[22]
Later that day, still angered by Jemba's actions, Kenobi offered to assassinate the Hutt, but Jinn explained him that killing was not the Jedi way. The recent events left Kenobi with an impression that Jinn was reconsidering to take him as a Padawan, but the Jedi Master denied that again. That time, however, Jinn suddenly felt incredibly sorry for Kenobi, as he realized that he had finally crushed the boy's dreams at becoming a Jedi. During the night, Jinn tried to concentrate on healing his body, but time and again he found his thoughts returning to Kenobi. As a result, he slept restless and woke up early, witnessing a yellow haze coming from the nearby hills, but before he could figure out what that was, he saw the Arcona panicking. One of them informed Jinn that a tide was coming in, one that could easily swamp the ship. Because of that, everyone needed to evacuate into caves located in the hills. Jinn then suddenly realized that the yellow haze was coming from the stolen dactyl that had been hidden by Jemba in the caves.[22]
He decided to return the dactyl to the Arcona and, after informing Clat'Ha of his intentions, started climbing up to the cave with the dactyl, only to be attacked by one of Jemba's henchmen, Grelb. Fortunately for Jinn, the native draigon creatures assaulted Grelb and his Whiphid associates, providing the necessary distraction for the Jedi Master to reach the cave. As he was loading some of the dactyl into his cloth sack, Jinn suddenly felt that Kenobi was calling him in the Force. The boy had been informed of Jinn's plans by Clat'Ha and was begging Jinn to return quickly, as the Arcona had started to feel the effects of dactyl withdrawal and were on the brink of death. Realizing that the boy needed him and following the call of the Force, Jinn leapt from the cave and fell onto the back of a draigon. With the help of the Force, the Jedi Master managed to persuade the draigon to carry him to the caves where the Arcona and Offworld had taken shelter.[22]
As he flew there, Jinn noticed that the other draigons were heading to the caves as well, intent on devouring everyone inside. Using the Force, Jinn warned Kenobi about the incoming danger, and the boy came out to face the beasts at one of the numerous entrances to the caves. While the young Jedi fought the draigons, Jinn rushed to deliver the dactyl to the Arcona. Meanwhile, both Jemba and Grelb tried to kill Kenobi, but Grelb's shot missed Kenobi and accidentally killed Jemba instead; Grelb himself was killed by the draigons. Having delivered the dactyl, Jinn joined Kenobi in his fight against the furious beasts. Kenobi's strategy involved killing a large number of draigons, so that their stacked bodies blocked all entrances to the caves, thus protecting those inside from the remaining living beasts. The two Jedi fought fiercely with their lightsabers; the Force pulsed between them, and they were instantly aware of each other's actions. Kenobi and Jinn were also assisted by the Arcona and Clat'Ha, who picked off any remaining draigons that had managed to pass through the deadly barrage of Kenobi's and Jinn's lightsabers.[22]
Witnessing the remaining Offworld employees following the late Jemba's last foolish orders to defend their entrance to the cave from the outside, the Jedi convinced them to follow Kenobi's strategy, and the Offworld miners agreed. The battle continued until nightfall, and eventually the draigons retreated. The victory was a costly one, however. Over three hundred Offworld miners and eighty-seven Arcona had been killed by the draigons. The remaining members of Offworld were impressed by the Arcona's bravery during the fight and allowed them to take back the rest of the dactyl. Clat'Ha then made an unexpected proposal to the Offworld employees, offering to buy their contracts and let them work for the Arcona. The temporary head of Offworld, Aggaba the Hutt, agreed to that offer. The battle proved Jinn that he had underestimated Kenobi. Still, the Jedi Master was not sure if the Force had chosen Kenobi as his Padawan. Remembering an advice given to him by Yoda a long time ago, Jinn decided to wait with his decision.[22]
Shadow of the past[edit | edit source]
- "If you have plans for Bandomeer, you should know I am here to stop you."
- ―Jinn to Xanatos
After putting an end to the tense situation, the two arrived on Bandomeer aboard the repaired Monument and were greeted by a local police officer, who handed Jinn a note, which welcomed him to the planet. Much to his shock, Jinn discovered that it was signed by Xanatos, his fallen Padawan.[22] The note seemed to imply that Xanatos was on the planet, but Jinn was not sure, believing that Xanatos could have merely wanted to confuse him. Jinn also began to experience nightmares, wherein he was trapped at some place called "Core 5," although he did not understand where it was located or what the dreams meant at all. After several days spent in the capital city of Bandor, Jinn and Kenobi were ready to proceed with their separate assignments. Bandomeer was a desolate world, devastated by mining operations and stripped of its natural resources. Most of the planet's landmass was left barren and unsuitable for farming, so food had to be imported from other worlds. The local government, however, had recently decided to change the situation and to reclaim the lost land. The AgriCorps assisted in that task, replanting large areas with plants to form the so-called Enrichment Zones. Kenobi was to be sent to the biggest Eastern Enrichment Zone to work as a farmer. On the other hand, Jinn only knew what the Jedi Council had told him about his own mission. Apparently, he was chosen to act as a guardian of peace at the government's request, although he did not know the specifics.[12]
Most of the native Meerians had worked for a long time in the mines owned by Offworld, hoping to earn the necessary sum of money to leave the desolate world. Offworld treated the workers unfairly, however, keeping most of the money to itself. Because of that, when the Arcona had arrived to Bandomeer, many Meerians had allied with them. The Arcona and the Meerians had formed a cooperative mine, called the Home Planet Mine, sharing all the profits equally. However, Offworld was known to make any competitors disappear, and Jinn suspected that he had been hired to protect the Meerians from Offworld. Jinn and Kenobi soon went to meet the planet's governor SonTag and the leader of the Home Planet Party VeerTa at the governor's receiving room. The Home Planet Party wished to replant the planet's fields and end Offworld's influence on its economy, and it had entered into a partnership with the Arcona in the Home Planet Mine. At the meeting, Jinn was surprised to hear from SonTag that the government had not requested his aid, but they were glad that he had come, since they believed that Offworld might not allow the Arcona to operate freely. Jinn was then requested to act as a Jedi mediator at a meeting between the Home Planet Party and Offworld, and he agreed to help.[12]
The meeting was originally scheduled to take place at the Home Planet Mine, and, after Kenobi had left for the Enrichment Zone, Jinn set off there. He was intercepted by SonTag on his way, who informed him that the meeting place had been changed to a more formal one. Jinn and SonTag soon arrived at the receiving room, where they met with VeerTa and Clat'Ha, the latter acting as a representative of the Arcona. The representative of Offworld came soon afterward, and he turned out to be none other than Xanatos himself. Xanatos displayed a very friendly demeanor, acting as though he was glad to see Jinn, calling him an old friend. Xanatos admitted that he had went astray from the Jedi path, but he had changed since joining Offworld. He assured VeerTa that Offworld would not interfere with the Home Planet's operation and even offered to donate ten percent of his company's income to the Bandomeer reclamation effort. Jinn did not trust his former apprentice, and neither did Clat'Ha, but SonTag and VeerTa appeared to believe Xanatos' words. Suddenly, an explosion somewhere outside rocked the meeting. Looking out of the window, Jinn saw smoke coming from the Home Planet Mine. Accusing Xanatos of orchestrating the explosion, VeerTa lunged at him, but Jinn stopped her, knowing that a fight would not help them find the truth.[12]
Xanatos assured everyone that Offworld had nothing to do with the explosion, and SonTag's eventual investigation appeared to prove his words, as it was found out that a mixture of gases had built up and special sensors had failed to warn about it. In an unexpected gesture, Xanatos offered Offworld's money to help rebuild the mine. Still, Jinn sensed that Xanatos was not being sincere and was playing some kind of game. Later, Jinn was contacted by Kenobi, who had found a secret Offworld stash of mining supplies on AgriCorps' territory. The door to the storage had been protected by the Force, and inside Kenobi had found a box with a symbol in the form of a broken circle. Kenobi suspected that Offworld was up to something, but Jinn saw no proof that Offworld was interfering with the AgriCorps operation and ordered the boy to return to his duties. Meanwhile, Offworld kept their promise and provided money and droids, and the Home Planet Mine was quickly being rebuilt. Moreover, it was discovered that the explosion had blasted deeper into the ground, revealing a vein of ionite, one of the most valuable minerals in the galaxy. VeerTa proposed to show Jinn the ionite and took him to one of the mine's underground levels, labeled Core 6. Remembering his nightmare, Jinn asked if there was a Core 5, but VeerTa replied that they did not have the technology to dig that deep.[12]
VeerTa later told Jinn about her plan to use Offworld's donated money to secretly mine ionite instead of rebuilding the mine. In case Offworld tried to undermine them, she asked Jinn to join the Home Planet Mine's board of directors, believing that Offworld would not go against a Jedi. As it was forbidden for members of the Jedi Order to participate in any profit-bringing operation, Jinn had to decline. He asked VeerTa about the box Kenobi had told him about, and she replied that she had seen similar boxes in other Enrichment Zones, but she believed them to be some sort of AgriCorps equipment. Jinn was still worried by Kenobi's discovery and decided to begin an investigation, starting by checking what position Xanatos held in Offworld. The official files, however, showed only mere figureheads and had no mention of Xanatos, so Jinn decided to infiltrate Offworld's headquarters and to look for information there. Using a mind trick on a Hutt guard, he secured passage to Xanatos' office. He browsed through several datafiles, but most of them were encrypted, and those that were not contained no useful information. However, Jinn also saw the logo of Offworld, formed by two broken circles, and he realized that Xanatos was not simply an Offworld employee—he was the head of the corporation. Based on that information, Jinn began to suspect that Xanatos was planning to take over Bandomeer. Returning to his quarters, he contacted Yoda, informing him of his suspicions. Yoda, however, only made Jinn question his unwillingness to let Kenobi help him in his investigation. Yoda's words made Jinn realize that he had been wrong, and he tried to raise Kenobi on the comlink, but the latter did not respond.[12]
At that moment, Clat'Ha burst in Jinn's quarters, telling him that Si Tremba had contacted her with information that Kenobi had disappeared. Si Treemba had seen only that the unconscious Kenobi had been dragged by Offworld guards in an unknown direction, but Jinn was certain that Xanatos had personally orchestrated the boy's kidnapping. Jinn knew that Xanatos was overseeing an Offworld mining operation at the outskirts of Bandor. Hoping to take advantage of his former apprentice's overconfidence and prove his guesses, he waited until Xanatos had left the administration building and confronted him outside. Jinn conversed with Xanatos, making him lose his temper and admit that he was heading Offworld and was planning to overtake Bandomeer. Xanatos also revealed that he had kept his lightsaber even after leaving the Order, and he attacked Jinn with it. During their fight, Xanatos armed himself with a second lightsaber, the one that Jinn recognized as Kenobi's. Jinn realized that Xanatos had indeed kidnapped the boy and therefore decided to break the fight and rescue Kenobi. He grasped the boy's weapon out of Xanatos' hands and retreated, while Xanatos laughed in his back. Jinn went to Si Treemba to see if he could tell anything else about Kenobi's capture, but the young Arcona had seen only as Kenobi had been dragged away from the Enrichment Zone's dome during the night.[12]
However, one of the Meerians working at the Enrichment Zone, RonTha, admitted that he had broken protocol and remained in the dome that night to pick some fruit in the orchard. After seeing Kenobi being taken away by several people led by a cloaked figure, he had followed them and had seen them taking a boat. Upon hearing that information, Si Treemba realized that Kenobi had been taken to the deepsea mines, and Jinn persuaded RonTha to give him a boat to go there. As Jinn crossed the Great Sea of Bandomeer and approached the mines, he witnessed a group of guards pushing Kenobi with electro-jabbers toward the sea, having caught him trying to find another box with the broken circle logo and attempting to inspect its contents. As the guards pushed the boy from the edge, Jinn saw someone at a lower platform quickly fashion some kind of a sling. As Kenobi was falling, Jinn saw that he did not display fear and was determined to meet his end as a Jedi. Jinn used the Force to help Kenobi fall into the sling, and once the boy did, he was grabbed and taken to the lower platform by a long-armed creature. Jinn parked his boat and soon met with Kenobi and the creature, whom the boy introduced as his new friend, a Phindian named Guerra. Kenobi explained to Jinn that he and Guerra were both wearing electro-collars that would blow them up if they were to leave the mine. Jinn temporarily deactivated Kenobi's collar with the Force, but before they could deactivate Guerra's collar as well, Offworld guards attacked them, and the Jedi were forced to retreat, but not before Guerra told them that the transmission signals for the collars were being emitted from a security office at the Bandor harbor. Telling Guerra to hide in the mine and promising to deactivate his collar, Jinn and Kenobi left on the boat.[12]
A nightmare come true[edit | edit source]
- "You would have died for me. Your courage is extraordinary, even for a Jedi. I would be honored to accept you as my Padawan, Obi-Wan Kenobi."
- ―Jinn finally makes up his mind to take Kenobi as a Padawan in the wake of the events on Bandomeer
Once they were in safety, Kenobi told Jinn that he had spoken with Xanatos, who had accused Jinn of betraying him. That led Jinn to finally tell the story of Xanatos' fall to Kenobi. Reaching mainland, the two Jedi stormed the security office where the transmitters were located and deactivated Guerra's and Kenobi's collars. When Jinn tried to take the collar off Kenobi, however, he was unable to do so. He tried to cut it with his lightsaber set on low power, but it did not work either. Unwilling to risk the boy's life by trying a higher setting, Jinn gave the boy the transmitter linked to his collar for safekeeping, and decided to try to take the collar off in Bandor. The two set off to the capital city to confront Xanatos, taking a security landspeeder. However, they were followed by Xanatos himself in another landspeeder, who attacked them with laser cannons. Jinn maneuvered his speeder, but he and Kenobi were eventually forced to disembark and take shelter inside the Home Planet Mine. Jinn realized that Xanatos was leading them into a trap, but he also believed that he needed to foil whatever plan Xanatos had prepared. Jinn hoped to use a newly fixed turbolift to go to what they believed was the lowest level of the mine, Core 6, thinking that Xanatos did not know that the lift was operational. Jinn planned to circle Xanatos and escape, and the two Jedi soon reached Core 6.[12]
Xanatos, however, emerged from a tunnel which should have been blocked according to VeerTa. Kenobi engaged Xanatos, forcing him to retreat further into the mine, with the two Jedi hot on his trail. As they followed Jinn's former pupil, the Jedi noticed that they were going deeper into the mine. Kenobi was hesitant to pursue Xanatos further, but Jinn believed that it was too late to turn back. The two eventually reached a glowing sign that read Core 5, and Jinn realized that VeerTa had lied to him and had been in league with Xanatos all along. The lights suddenly went out and Xanatos attacked the two Jedi. They dueled for some time, but eventually Xanatos retreated in a turbolift, while all the exits suddenly shut close. Xanatos gloated on the comlink, saying that he had recreated the conditions of the first explosion, and that the gases were building up for a blast even more powerful than the first one.[12]
The two Jedi found themselves trapped inside Core 5, just like in Jinn's nightmare. Believing that an explosion could break open one of the sealed doors, Kenobi was intent on triggering his collar and killing himself so that Jinn could escape, but Jinn did not allow it, believing that there was another way. Jinn was nevertheless astonished by Kenobi's bravery and even inadvertently called him his Padawan. Noticing a broken circle symbol on the door, Jinn used the Force to connect the circle, and the door opened. He and Kenobi raced back up the tunnel to the turbolift, as an emergency signal advised them to evacuate, but then Jinn noticed one of the boxes with the broken circle symbol nearby. Remembering that Xanatos always made sure to have a back-up plan, he inspected the box and found out that it contained an ion bomb, a powerful explosive device equipped with a precise ion clock. Jinn realized that Xanatos had lied about the gases building up; instead, he had planted the bombs throughout Bandomeer and was intent on destroying the entire planet just to have his revenge and kill Jinn. The bombs were chain-linked, however, meaning that if one of them was deactivated, the rest would not go off. Jinn believed that he would be able to disarm the bomb, but there was little time for him to do so.[12]
Jinn reflected on Xanatos' desire to kill him out loud, surprised that it even eclipsed his fallen student's craving for wealth, as the explosion would also destroy all the ionite. After Jinn mentioned ionite, however, Kenobi remembered something, quickly gathered several ionite slabs, and put them around the bomb; the bomb's timer then stopped, leaving Jinn enough time to disarm the explosive. Kenobi then told Jinn that while he had been imprisoned in the deepsea mines, he had learned from Guerra that ionite carried a neutral charge, making most instruments in the vicinity freeze. After Jinn deactivated the bomb, the two returned to the governor's office, where Jinn revealed to SonTag that VeerTa had been in league with Xanatos. VeerTa claimed that she had done so in favor of Bandomeer, believing that Offworld's secret backing would be profitable for the Home Planet Mine. She had helped Xanatos to smuggle boxes with explosives to the planet, but she did not know of their contents, and she was surprised to know that Xanatos had tried to destroy the entire planet. VeerTa was taken into custody, and Jinn and Kenobi returned to their quarters, where Jinn discovered another note written by Xanatos, who had left it in case Jinn survived his trap. In the note, Xanatos promised his former Master that they would meet again. Upon reading that note, however, Jinn did not feel anything beyond determination to fight Xanatos' evil, having finally overcome his psychological issues in the course of the mission. Impressed by Kenobi's spirit and his willingness to die for him, Jinn offered the boy to become his Padawan, and the latter agreed.[12]
Sidetracked[edit | edit source]
- "Landing here was no accident, Obi-Wan."
- ―Jinn, to Kenobi, after landing on Phindar
Jinn and Kenobi were soon dispatched by Yoda on their first official mission as Master and apprentice. The pair were to go to the planet Gala to oversee political elections there. For a long time, Gala had been ruled by the Beju-Tallah dynasty that had managed to unite the planet's three peoples—the city people, the hill people, and the sea people—and had brought prosperity to the planet. However, the dynasty had then become corrupt, stripping the planet of its wealth and leaving the people on the brink of revolution. The dying Queen Veda realized that, and instead of giving the throne to her rightful heir and son, Prince Beju, she decided to organize an open election. The Prince, however, was not happy with the Queen's decision, believing that it was his birthright to rule the planet. Therefore, Jinn and Kenobi were to oversee that the election went smoothly and to prevent any possible interference from Beju. On the day of Kenobi's thirteenth birthday, they were ready to embark on the mission. Moving through the streets of Bandor, the two reached a hangar where a ship awaited them, and Jinn decided to drill Kenobi in a Jedi exercise, "Attention to the Moment Gives Knowledge," which involved Kenobi closing his eyes and reciting by memory everything he had just seen to the tinniest detail.[1]
Kenobi made a slight mistake, however, and Jinn realized that the boy was distracted with thoughts about his birthday; Kenobi believed that Jinn had forgotten about it. The Jedi Master had not, and he reached for his pocket, giving Kenobi his special stone as a present. The boy was baffled by the seemingly useless gift but accepted it with gratitude. Jinn also asked his Padawan if he had taken time to reflect on his past as all Padawans were required to in accordance with Jedi tradition, and Kenobi honestly replied that he had not. Jinn and Kenobi then boarded the starship that was waiting for them, finding out that it was piloted by a Phindian, who reminded Kenobi of Guerra. For some reason, the pilot behaved rude toward the Jedi, which surprised them. The Phindian then took the ship off into space and set a course for Gala. Jinn and Kenobi reflected on the friends they were leaving on Bandomeer, namely, Si Treemba, Clat'Ha, and Guerra, but the Phindian pilot, irritated by their conversation, purposefully shook the ship, and the Jedi opted to remain quiet for the rest of the journey. Soon enough, the pilot took the ship to hyperspace, leaving Bandomeer behind. Halfway to Gala, however, a warning signal began to blink on the pilot's console, and the pilot told the Jedi that there was a fuel leak and they had to land on the nearest planet.[1]
Once they returned to real space and set course to a nearby planet, the three were contacted via comlink; a voice ordered them to identify themselves or be destroyed. When the Phindian pilot requested an emergency landing, the person they were talking to denied the request. Jinn asked the Phindian if there were other planets nearby, but the pilot replied negatively. At that moment, starfighters appeared to escort the Jedi's ship to the planet. The pilot wanted to fight them, but Jinn decided that it was best to comply. Under the escort, the pilot landed their starship on a landing platform, where a detachment of battle droids awaited them. Jinn believed that the battle droids would not harm them, but when the Jedi emerged from the ship, the droids opened fire. Jinn and Kenobi quickly dealt with the droids, but upon returning to the ship, they found that the control console had been hit by blaster fire and disabled. Moreover, the communications were jammed, and the Phindian pilot was nowhere to be found. Realizing that their landing on the planet was not an accident, Jinn came to believe that the pilot would find them himself. The Jedi then proceeded to a nearby city. Observing that the planet was populated by Phindians, and taking into account that they were close to Gala before the emergency landing, Jinn correctly concluded that the Jedi were on Phindar, more specifically, in its capital city, Laressa.[1]
It soon became evident for the Jedi that something was wrong in Laressa; all the shops were closed, assassin droids were everywhere, and all the Phindians appeared afraid of something. Some of the Phindians looked especially strange; their faces displayed nothing and there was only blackness in their eyes. The Jedi also saw a group of Phindians dressed in metallic silver coats, who passed them by, and the locals were quick to step out of their way. Then, a gold landspeeder appeared, carrying two golden-robed figures surrounded by dark side aura. Jinn and Kenobi quickly hid in an alley to avoid being detected and decided to go to the market. Once there, they saw a single shop opening and offering bread. As the mass of Phindians rushed to the shop, Jinn and Kenobi almost lost each other in the confusion, but they were suddenly approached by their pilot, who told them to follow him. The pilot led them through city alleys and streets until they reached a small café.[1]
The two Jedi were surprised to find Kenobi's friend Guerra inside the café, who said that he had reached Phindar by hiding inside the Jedi's starship. Guerra introduced the Jedi to the pilot—his brother, Paxxi Derida. Paxxi revealed that he had deliberately dumped all the fuel from their starship in order to lure the Jedi to Phindar. The Derida brothers told Jinn and Kenobi that there was a death warrant placed on their heads by the Syndicat, the organization that controlled the planet, for organizing a black market. The Syndicat was controlled by the gangster Baftu and his associate Terra, the two persons that the Jedi had seen in the gold landspeeder. According to the Deridas, the people on the streets who did not display any emotions were "the renewed," people whom the Syndicat considered enemies. Those people had been mind-wiped and stripped of all their memories; most of the renewed were sent off-planet, while others were released to roam Phindar, and members of the Syndicat placed bets on how long those people would survive. After hearing that story, Jinn was outraged at such injustice. The brothers went on to tell the Jedi that the apparent food shortage had been faked by the Syndicat as a means to control the Phindians. Guerra and Paxxi, however, knew where the Syndicat was keeping the supplies, and as such, asked the Jedi to help them steal those goods, claiming that they had a key to the vault and that they intended to use those supplies to show the Phindians that the Syndicat was depriving them of food. However, Jinn suspected that the Deridas actually wanted to obtain the Syndicat's treasures, which the brothers said were stored at the same place.[1]
The break-in[edit | edit source]
- "Let me get this straight. You want two Jedi to help two common thieves steal a treasure from a bunch of gangsters?"
- ―Jinn, reacting to Guerras' plan
Jinn was reluctant to help Guerra and Paxxi, but he was unable to come up with a final decision as their conversation was cut short by the sound of approaching assassin droids. Hoping to escape the droids, Guerra and Paxxi led the Jedi through a hidden passageway hidden behind the café's fireplace, and they reached the building's roof. The group tried to lose their pursuers by jumping from one roof to another, until they ran into a Phindian female, Kaadi, a member of the resistance against the Syndicat and the daughter of the café's owner Nuuta, who had been renewed and had been sent to the planet Alba-16. Kaadi informed the four that the Syndicat had increased security both because they knew of the Jedi and the Deridas' presence on the planet and because they were expecting an important visitor—Prince Beju of Galla. As Kaadi explained, Beju and the Syndicat were planning to form an alliance. Hoping to reclaim his rule over Gala, Beju had created a fake shortage of bacta, a vital medical supply, on his home planet. Beju was to return from Phindar to Gala with the Syndicat's bacta. He would thus be hailed as a hero, while the Syndicat would essentially take control of Gala like they had done with Phindar. Sensing the Living Force pulsing between the Derida brothers and impressed by Kaadi's brave efforts to openly fight the Syndicat, Jinn decided to help them with their plan. At night, the Jedi helped Guerra and Paxxi break into the Syndicat's headquarters by using mind tricks on the guards. Inside, they found a Phindian woman, Duenna, who was the Deridas' contact inside the building and who led them to a lower level of the headquarters, where all the supplies were supposedly stored.[1]
However, when the Jedi and the brothers reached the storage room, they found it empty, and soon guards riding on speeder bikes and assassin droids attacked them. To make matters worse, movement-triggered disruptor beams came on-line, capable of killing anyone instantly. Jinn and Kenobi engaged in battle with the speeder-mounted guards throughout the lower levels of the headquarters. They defeated both the assassin droids and the guards and also uncovered a door when one of the speeders crashed into a hidden switch in a wall. Guerra and Paxxi planned to hide the guards' bodies to avoid being detected, but suddenly the comlink of one of the guards activated, the person on the other side of the line requesting a report. Using the Force, Jinn impersonated a Syndicat guard and replied that they were performing a routine check. He also requested to shut down the disruptor beams, and the man on the comlink did so, but also warned "the guards" to evacuate premises before the lockdown that was scheduled to occur in ten minutes.[1]
Following that, the Jedi and the Phindians entered the newly discovered door, which led to a Syndicat sanctuary containing emergency supplies as well as the entrance to the Syndicat treasury. However, at that point, Guerra and Paxxi revealed one important piece of information that they had not told Jinn and Kenobi. After they had been branded criminals, the Syndicat had confiscated all their goods. Among the things that the Syndicat had confiscated from them was the anti-register, a device that could undo the action of a transfer register, which served as a method of recording transactions in the galaxy. The anti-register had been invented by Paxxi and potentially cost a fortune, as it allowed its user to seize any product and break into any security system. The Deridas had planned to find the anti-register among the stored supplies and use it to break into the treasury; however, the Deridas' belongings were not in the sanctuary. As the lockdown was going to occur soon, the Jedi and the Deridas decided that it was best to evacuate and return later when they would have found where the rest of the supplies had been moved to.[1]
At the main level, they were met by Duenna, who informed them that she had just discovered that the supplies had been moved to warehouses by the spaceport. She also warned them that Baftu and Terra had recently returned, and soon enough, Terra's footsteps and voice were heard nearby. Signaling the rest to remain still, Duenna went to meet Terra before she could reach their position and could find the Jedi and the Derida brothers. Duenna distracted Terra, who suspected that the elderly woman had contacted Paxxi and Guerra, but Duenna claimed that she had not. After promising to kill the brothers and mind-wipe Duenna should she see Guerra and Paxxi, Terra left. That allowed Jinn, Kenobi, Guerra, and Paxxi to slip into the Syndicat guards' clothes and slip out of the building undetected. When Kenobi asked the Deridas why Terra suspected that Duenna had contacted them, Guerra and Paxxi revealed that Duenna was, in fact, their mother. Not only that, but Terra was also their sister, who had been renewed when she was only eleven years old and who had been working for the Syndicat since then. Willing to stay with her daughter no matter what, Duenna had decided to work for the Syndicat as well.[1]
Following their escape from the Syndicat headquarters, Jinn, Kenobi, Paxxi and Guerra went to Kaadi's house to plan their next move. The following night, the Jedi and the Deridas set off to the spaceport warehouses in order to retrieve the anti-register, under the guise of delivering a cargo to the warehouse. To that end, Guerra and Paxxi had filled two containers with old circuit parts and labeled the containers "Bacta" and "Medpacs." Disguised as Syndicat guards, the Jedi and the Deridas split into two groups; Guerra went with Kenobi, and Paxxi accompanied Jinn. According to their plan, they started looking for the anti-register from the opposite ends of the warehouses and were to meet in the middle. Kenobi and Guerra eventually found the device, but their cover was blown and Kenobi allowed himself to be captured by the Syndicat security in order to give Guerra time to escape with the device. After they returned to their hideout, Jinn became angered at Guerra for leaving his Padawan, but he had to admit that Kenobi had done the right thing and reclaiming the anti-register had been their highest priority. Jinn was willing to go to the Syndicat's headquarters and rescue his Padawan, but Guerra explained to him that the night would come soon and the headquarters would be locked down, and even the anti-register would not be able to break them in. There was no way Jinn could save Kenobi that night, and that made him feel helpless.[1]
Liberating Phindar[edit | edit source]
- "You are worrying, Jedi-Gon. You should not. Everything will be smooth. Paxxi and I have always been lucky."
"Yes so, we guarantee this. The Syndicat will be weakened, maybe collapse, and Prince Beju will take off with no bacta and no alliance. Just so!" - ―Guerra and Paxxi, to Jinn
The next day, Guerra and Paxxi contacted Duenna and asked her to meet them at the marketplace in order to find out about Kenobi's status and to plan his escape. However, during their meeting, Duenna told Jinn that Kenobi had been renewed and had been transported off-planet. Stricken by that news, Jinn returned to Kaadi's house along with the brothers. For some time, he just sat there motionless, feeling that he had failed his Padawan. Still, he felt that he should not give up and planned to strike at the Syndicat the next day, when, according to Duenna, Beju was due to arrive. Kaadi would rally people to break open the Syndicat's warehouses, providing the distraction for Jinn and the Deridas to break into the treasury using the anti-register and to steal the Syndicat's treasures. Kaadi would then distribute food and weapons among the Phindians and see to it that the locals saw as Baftu delivered bacta to Beju's ship. When the time came, Jinn, Guerra and Paxxi hid inside the Syndicat's hangar wearing their stolen armor and waited for Beju's arrival. The Prince's ship soon arrived, but, to Jinn's surprise, the "Beju" that disembarked from it was in fact Kenobi in disguise.[1]
Baffled, Jinn reached out with the Force and sent his Padawan a mental signal. To his relief, Kenobi replied mentally, indicating that he had withstood the memory wipe. Unbeknownst to his Master, Kenobi had pretended that the renewal procedure had been successful. He had been then transported to Gala, where he subdued Beju while the Prince was preparing to depart for Phindar and, aware of the fact that none of Baftu's men had seen Beju in person, Kenobi took his place. With that new development, Jinn decided to wait with his plan, letting Kenobi proceed with his own. Jinn then heard as Kenobi, impersonating Beju, met with Baftu and ordered him to show the bacta he had promised. Realizing that Kenobi was buying him time, Jinn changed his plan and told the Deridas to contact Kaadi and to tell her to delay her attack; they would strike at the treasury first. After once again tricking the guards and using the anti-register, Jinn, Guerra and Paxxi broke into the Syndicat's treasury, filled with gems, spice, currencies, and rare metals. As the three could not carry all the treasures out of the building, they decided to hide it in a supply closet nearby until they could find a transport.[1]
As they prepared to leave the headquarters territory and attack the warehouses, Jinn and the brothers watched as Terra recognized Kenobi and accused him of being a spy, since she was the one who had ordered his renewal. Jinn was ready to come to his Padawan's assistance, but Kenobi handled the situation himself. Continuing to play the role of Beju, he was able to convince Baftu that Terra had mistaken him for someone else, and everyone proceeded to the treasury after Kenobi insisted on inspecting it. Jinn then ordered Paxxi to go and help Kaadi with her attack on the warehouses, while he and Guerra followed Kenobi, Baftu, and Terra to the vault. Once Baftu saw that the treasury had been robbed, he, remembering how Terra had accused "Beju" of being a spy, suspected that Terra had done so to distract him from the vault which she had robbed. Beju then ordered assassin droids to kill her; the droids fired their weapons at Terra, inflicting a mortal wound, and Baftu and Kenobi left the sanctuary, going to the warehouses to pick up the bacta. Jinn and Guerra then rushed to check on Terra but found her dying. However, before her death, Terra recognized Guerra as her brother. As grief-stricken Duenna entered the sanctuary and started racking Terra's body, Jinn and Guerra left to the city, fearing that Kenobi would be in danger if the enraged Phindians saw bacta loaded into "Beju's" ship. The two stopped only to pick up Kenobi's confiscated lightsaber from a weapons stash nearby.[1]
As fighting broke out on the streets between the armed Phindians and the Syndicat members, Jinn and Guerra quickly ran to the warehouses, meeting with Paxxi and Kaadi, but Kenobi was nowhere to be seen. Finally, Jinn noticed his Padawan standing beside Baftu, surrounded by guards. Seeing as Kenobi slipped a blaster from one of the guards, Jinn used the Force to contact his Padawan and coordinate their next moves. Jinn ignited both his and Kenobi's lightsabers and tossed the latter to its rightful owner; leaping over the guards, Kenobi caught the weapon in midair and attacked the guards, much to Baftu's shock. Jinn joined Kenobi in his fight, successfully reducing the lines of the guards protecting Baftu. The Jedi's success encouraged the Phindians, and they attacked the enemy with newfound strength. Guerra attempted to kill Baftu with a bowcaster, but the Syndicat's leader used one of the guards as a living shield and ran, with Guerra and Kenobi in pursuit. Meanwhile, Jinn remained to help Paxxi, who, along with Kaadi, was surrounded by guards. Kaadi was attacked by one of the guards, prompting Paxxi to throw the anti-register at the enemy, saving Kaadi but destroying the device, but Paxxi was injured himself. Jinn helped Kaadi deal with the attacking guards and then directed a medic to help the injured Derida.[1]
Jinn then rushed to the spaceport, where he looked on as the Phindians tried to recover the bacta from the half-loaded Beju's ship while taking fire from Baftu, his guards and assassin droids. Guerra and Kenobi were in the midst of the fray. Jinn was ready to join the fight, but Baftu suddenly turned and ran toward Beju's ship in an attempt to escape. After Guerra reasoned with Beju's guards, saying that their leader had betrayed them, one of the guards tackled the Syndicat's leader, allowing Guerra to take him into custody. Baftu's guards defected to the rebels, while the two Jedi destroyed the assassin droids, and the conflict drew to a close. However, Beju's ship lifted off; the Prince had escaped from the cargo hold where he had been imprisoned by Kenobi. Sensing that the Prince's fate laid elsewhere, Jinn told his Padawan to let the ship go. As life slowly settled on Phindar, Yoda contacted Jinn and Kenobi and asked them to remain on the planet until a provisional government was set up.[1]
By the next week, a coalition of former council members and the last official governor of Phindar took over the internal affairs, with elections scheduled for the next month. Most of the Syndicat guards—who had been mind-wiped by Baftu—returned to their families in an attempt to regain their memories, while Baftu himself and his most trusted lieutenants were being held in a high security prison. To commemorate the fall of the Syndicat's regime, Paxxi used the remains of the anti-register to erect a monument on the marketplace of Laressa. As they prepared to leave Phindar, Jinn and Kenobi met with the brothers for the final time. Jinn believed that one of them should run for governor in the next elections, but the Deridas could not decide which one of them should do so. Paxxi offered the Jedi to fly them to Gala, but Jinn, hoping to reach his destination that time, declined and decided to pilot the transport ship himself. As they walked toward the ship, Kenobi told Jinn that it had been Jinn's Force-sensitive stone that had helped him withstand the renewal. The Jedi Master shrugged, telling his Padawan that he had not known that the stone was Force-sensitive, leaving Kenobi to wonder whether Jinn was joking.[1] Taking a shipment of the much-needed bacta, Jinn and Kenobi embarked for Gala.[46]
Royal intrigues[edit | edit source]
- "Don't worry, Padawan. You can handle the mission here until I return. Be alert for palace intrigue. Trust no one here. There is a disturbance in the Force. I don't know where exactly it lies."
"But what will I tell them when they ask where you are?"
"It's simple. Tell them I'm still here." - ―Jinn and Kenobi, as the former prepares to leave on a search for Elan
When Jinn and Kenobi reached Gala's spaceport and disembarked from their craft, they were greeted by a man in a speeder, who had been sent by Queen Veda to escort the Jedi to the Grand Palace of Gala. Wanting to inspect the surroundings and attune to the Force in order to attain a better understanding of the mission, Jinn declined the driver's services, and the two Jedi walked to the palace on foot, leaving the ship filled with the bacta at the spaceport. As they walked toward the palace through the streets of the planet's capital city of Galu, Kenobi expressed to Jinn he was worried that Beju might react aggressively when he would see the Jedi who had foiled his plans on Phindar. Jinn assured his Padawan that Beju would not bring that topic up, as he would not risk revealing that he had faked the bacta shortage. Jinn, however, still believed that Beju would see them as enemies and, as such, the two had to stay alert. Jinn's and Kenobi's conversation was then interrupted by a sound of shouting in the streets, and they soon saw an approaching crowd of supporters of Deca Brun, one of the two candidates opposing Beju at the upcoming election. Another crowd soon appeared, the one supporting Wila Prammi, the other opposition candidate. A fight erupted between the two groups of Galacians, and the two Jedi were caught in the middle of it. Jinn and Kenobi were attacked, but they were able to escape.[46]
The two soon reached the Queen's palace, where they were greeted by Veda herself. Jinn felt that the Queen's presence in the Living Force was very dim, as if she were gravely ill. Noticing Jinn's worried look, the Queen admitted that she was, in fact, dying. Veda went on to explain that she wanted Gala to become a democracy after her death, as she believed that that was what the people of Gala needed. Monarchy had already proven itself ineffective after corruption had spread throughout Gala's Council of Ministers during the thirty-year rule of King Cana, Veda's late husband. However, if Beju were to win, he would retain the monarchy. Beju had few supporters, though, since Brun was the favorite, a hero to the Galacians. On the other hand, Prammi was more experienced in politics. Due to her status as the Queen, Veda could not publicly support any of the opposition candidates, and she was afraid that Beju might interfere in the election process, which could lead to a civil war if the people suspected that the elections had been unfair. Veda also revealed to the Jedi that overseeing the elections was not the actual reason why she had invited them. She told Jinn and Kenobi about Elan, the secret daughter of Cana and Tema, a woman from the hill people faction of the Galacian population. As Elan was born before Beju, she was the true heir to the throne.[46]
However, Elan was unaware that she was actually the King's daughter, and she was leading the hill people, who did not recognize any authority. Both Brun and Prammi had tried to court the hill people to sway them to their side in the election, but the hill people had refused to participate in the elections, just as they had not recognized Veda, and prior to her, Cana, as their ruler. Veda wanted to notify Elan of her true heritage and see if she truly had the Mark of the Crown, a special mark that was bestowed upon the true heir to the throne and could only be recognized by the Council of Ministers. Beju reportedly did not have the mark; however, as the winner of the governmental elections had the right to open the Council to elections, the Council supported Beju, knowing that he would not exercise that right. As such, the Council members did not plan to test Beju and see if he had the Mark of the Crown. Veda realized that Elan would not meet with her, but the Queen hoped that the Jedi would find a way to set up a meeting with her. However, there was one major obstacle to that. Since the Council of Ministers had been against inviting the Jedi to Gala, Veda had had to negotiate. According to her agreement with the Council, the Jedi were forbidden to leave the city of Galu during the entirety of their mission.[46]
At that moment, Beju burst into the Queen's throne room, along with the head of the Council of Ministers, Lonnag Giba. Beju demanded the Jedi to leave the planet. Telling Veda his own version of the events on Phindar, he claimed that the Jedi had led the Phindian rebels in an attack on his ship and had stolen the bacta he had planned to bring to Gala. Jinn remained silent and did not tell the Queen the true story of what had happened on Phindar. Veda insisted that the Jedi should stay as peacekeepers and negotiated a compromise with Beju; the Jedi were prohibited from leaving the palace without an escort. Beju agreed to those terms and assigned a young boy named Jono Dunn as the escort. Again Jinn did not protest, believing that it was better to leave Beju with a sense of security and a feeling that he could control the Jedi. After the meeting with the Queen was over, Jinn wandered off to the palace gardens, thinking about Elan. As he reflected on Elan's choice to live among the hill people, Jinn realized that she was no different from himself, who had willingly chosen the life of a Jedi.[46]
Kenobi soon found Jinn in the garden and asked him if he believed Veda's intentions regarding Elan. Jinn replied that there was a chance that the Queen had been lying and in fact wanted to use the Jedi to bring Elan to her, kill her, and, with potential opposition to the throne eliminated, safely proclaim Beju king. However, Jinn still believed that they needed to meet with Elan in any case. As such, Jinn told Kenobi that he was leaving to meet with the hill people. Because the Jedi were prohibited from leaving the palace, Kenobi was to create an illusion of Jinn still being somewhere in the palace. With that arranged, Jinn slipped out of the palace and embarked on a journey to the hills to find the hill people and Elan. While he was absent, Kenobi went into Jinn's quarters each morning before dawn and disarranged the sheets on his bed so that it appeared that Jinn had slept there. Kenobi also ate Jinn's meals when they were delivered to the Jedi Master's quarters, and he constantly came up with excuses to explain his Master's absence; he usually told Beju and Giba that Jinn was meditating, resting, touring the gardens, or otherwise unavailable.[46]
Search for an heir[edit | edit source]
- "I have been thinking of what I will leave behind when I die. I travel from world to world. My connection to each is so fleeting. What is my legacy?"
- ―Qui-Gon Jinn
In the meantime, Jinn was on his way to the hills. Jinn first found a ride in a speeder that took him to the outskirts of the city, then a kind farmer took him far on a turbo cart, then a young teenager gave him a lift on a speeder bike. On the third day of his journey, Jinn finally reached the hills. The terrain became harder to traverse, and Jinn's comlink stopped working—being secretly jammed by the hill people—preventing him from contacting his Padawan. Sensing that a storm was going to erupt soon, Jinn started looking for shelter when he caught a glimpse of several landspeeders headed his way with hostile intent. The speeders were piloted by local bandits, who attacked Jinn. Activating his lightsaber, Jinn engaged in battle with more than a dozen landspeeders, using large rocks as cover. Attacking the speeders one by one, Jinn managed to destroy or otherwise damage several vehicles, but he was himself injured when two errant blaster bolts collided and shattered a large rock in pieces, one of which hit Jinn badly in the chest. Drawing from the Force, Jinn sobered and was ready to continue the fight, when he witnessed a swoop bike heading toward him; Jinn believed that it was another bandit coming to join the battle, but the swoop's pilot—whose face was covered with black cloth—suddenly took out a bowcaster and attacked the bandits, giving Jinn the distraction necessary to take down one more speeder.[46]
More swoops soon appeared on the horizon, and the remaining bandits retreated, with some of the swoops in pursuit. The first swoop's pilot, pointing the bowcaster at Jinn, demanded to know who he was, and Jinn replied that he was a Jedi Knight sent by Veda to find Elan. To his surprise, the swoop pilot took off the cloth hiding her face, revealing herself to be Elan. Elan behaved with distrust toward Jinn, accusing him on using the rocks—which were sacred to the hill people—as cover, and refusing to hear the reason he had come to her. However, seeing that Jinn was badly wounded and would not survive an approaching storm, she decided to take him to the hill people to spend the night and heal. At the hill people encampment, Jinn was surprised to find out that Elan was also her people's healer, when she visited him to attend to his wounds. As she applied bandages to his wounds, Jinn told her about her true heritage. Elan did not believe his words, suspecting that it was a trick to lure her into the city and imprison her. She denied the fact that her mother ever visited the capital and refused to return to Galu no matter how hard Jinn tried to ask her to reconsider her decision. However, Elan did agree to stop jamming Jinn's comlink and to allow him to contact Kenobi.[46]
When Jinn contacted his apprentice, Kenobi told him that he suspected that the Queen was being poisoned, which worsened her condition. Kenobi had taken a sample of her tea and taken it to a scientist named Mali Errat, who had used a substance analyzer to find traces of a strange compound in it. Jinn advised Kenobi to stay alert and tell the Queen about his discovery so that she ate only the food she prepared herself. Jinn suspected that Dunn might be responsible for the poisoning, but Kenobi, who had befriended Dunn, did not think so. When Jinn told him that Elan was a healer accustomed to various poisons, Kenobi, in turn, suspected her, but Jinn denied the accusations. He told his Padawan that he would stay with the hill people for a few more days, pretending that his wounds were healing slower than they actually were. The next morning, as Jinn once again tried to talk to Elan, the two witnessed a large number of proton tanks approaching the settlement. Elan urged him to leave, but the Jedi refused to leave her people unprotected. Elan then quickly drew a battle plan. Jinn and the hill people were to ride swoop bikes toward the tanks, lure them away from the village and into the Moonstruck Pass, where they would fall into a trap.[46]
As the battle began, Jinn followed the hill people on his swoop and led the tanks according to the plan to the Moonstruck Pass, which resembled a large bowl. When all looked as though the swoops were cornered, the ice covering the Pass collapsed under the tanks. Elan's people dug out the enemy soldiers from under the snow and flew them to the camp and kept them under guard. At that moment, Jinn met one of the hill people's elders, Domi, who knew Elan's mother and her adoptive father, Rowi. Domi confirmed that Elan's mother had once visited Galu and had worked at the palace; Jinn realized that Elan had lied to him because she was scared of actually being royalty. Jinn interrogated one of the captured officers, who revealed that the tanks had been sent by Giba, who had claimed that the hill people were savages who planned to sabotage the elections. Jinn realized that Giba planned to take over the government and was planning to kill Elan. Believing that Giba had to be stopped, Jinn managed to convince Elan to go with him to Galu and participate in the elections. When Jinn and the hill people arrived at the capital, Jinn found his Padawan waiting for him at the palace gates.[46]
While Jinn had stayed at the camp, Kenobi and Veda had been confronted by Beju and had to reveal the Prince the truth about Elan. In a series of events that followed, the enraged Beju had tried to arrest his mother, forcing Kenobi to flee from the Palace. The Padawan then sought shelter with Deca Brun, but Kenobi discovered that Brun had secret ties with Offworld and Xanatos. Kenobi was imprisoned; he managed to escape, but he lost his lightsaber in the process. It also turned out that Jinn had been right in his suspicions regarding Dunn; it was the boy who had been putting poison in the Queen's food, using dimilatis, a herb found in the palace gardens. Dunn's family had been the palace servants for many generations, and the boy was afraid to lose that position when the new administration came along. Upon discovering that, Kenobi slipped back into the palace to deliver the antidote made by Errat to the Queen, but was confronted by Beju and engaged him in a sword fight, which was interrupted by Council member Viso. In an attempt to prove to Beju that Veda had told the truth about Elan being the true heir, Viso performed the special ritual on Beju and confirmed that there was no Mark of the Crown on him. Beju accepted that judgement and issued an order to arrest Giba, although he suspected that Giba might have a backup plan.[46]
After Jinn returned to the palace Giba soon indeed revealed himself, claiming that the Prince did not have the authority to imprison him, but Veda reiterated her son's order. Unexpectedly, Giba brandished Kenobi's lightsaber, but Jinn easily evaded his blow and disarmed him. As guards arrested Giba, the Minister tried to convince Veda that it was too late for elections, claiming that the hill people had arrived to occupy Galu. Giba tried to convince everyone present that in order to evade civil war, the royal house had to throw its support to Brun. Kenobi, however, explained that Giba had been in league with Brun; afraid that Beju might lose the elections, he had made a deal with him, promising to find him funding from outside sources—which he did by introducing Brun to Offworld—and in exchange Brun would find him a place in his government. Brun was unaware that Offworld was planing to exploit Gala's natural resources. Kenobi's lightsaber served as proof of his accusations, since Brun's men had confiscated it from the Padawan, and the only way Giba could obtain it was if he had ties to Brun. Jinn was both surprised and proud that his Padawan had managed to accomplish so much alone.[46]
Beju dropped out of the elections, but not before exposing Brun's alliance with Offworld and Giba, and threw his support to Wila Prammi. Elan did the same, and Prammi was voted the Governor of Gala. Jinn and Kenobi oversaw the peaceful transition to a new form of government. Refusing to become a Princess, Elan decided to return to the hills, although she had forged a bond with Prammi and would not isolate herself as she had done before. Before leaving the planet, Jinn visited the former Queen Veda—who was getting better—one last time. As they spoke, the Queen noticed sadness in Jinn, and the Jedi Master replied that he was struggling to understand what he would leave as a Jedi when he died. In response, Veda showed him the peaceful streets of Galu, and a realization came upon Jinn that he would be remembered for bringing peace to the planet. He also realized that Kenobi, who was becoming more and more extraordinary, would be another legacy of his. With that realization, Jinn and his Padawan left Gala toward their new mission[46] in a starfighter they borrowed from Veda.[47]
Walking separate paths[edit | edit source]
The never-ending war[edit | edit source]
The pair's next mission was to the war-torn planet Melida/Daan. For many generations, a civil war had been raging there between the planet's two peoples, the Melida and the Daan. Weeks prior, the sides had come close to signing a peace treaty, and Tahl had been sent there as a guardian of peace, but she was injured when war broke out again and was captured by the Melida. Jinn and Kenobi were sent to the planet to rescue Tahl and were supposed to meet their contact, a Melida named Wehutti, who had agreed to smuggle them into the capital city of Zehava. Jinn and Kenobi approached the planet in the starfighter, and Kenobi landed it inside a canyon, where it could not be detected. They then headed toward Zehava from the west as they had been instructed. There, Wehutti was supposed to be expecting them near a Melida controlled gate. When they reached the gate, however, they saw that it was under the control of Daan forces and was being protected by a particle shield. Jinn then decided to look for an unguarded spot to enter the city and possibly find Wehutti. They also saw many large black buildings, which they decided to avoid. Moving near the city walls, Jinn used the Force to search for an opening in the shield; once they found it, the Jedi tried to use carbon ropes to climb over the wall. However, they accidentally triggered a trap hidden under the dirt and fell underground.[47]
Jinn and Kenobi found themselves in some sort of holding cell, although Jinn deduced that there must be another way out, since there were no bones or remains of others who had fallen in. Igniting their lightsabers, they used the illuminating light to look around and soon found a crack in the wall. They used the lightsabers to cut through it and squeezed through the opening into a narrow tunnel; the Jedi sensed something evil there. Suddenly, they were attacked by a warrior armed with a blaster. Kenobi tried to attack him, but when his lightsaber passed through the warrior's body without doing any harm, the Jedi realized that that was a hologram. The holographic warrior related his story—his name was Quintama, Captain of the Melida Liberation Force, who had fought in the Twenty-First Battle of Zehava. Kenobi found a gravestone with Quintama's name on it, indicating that he had not survived the battle. As Jinn and Kenobi found more and more gravestones and saw more holograms, they realized that they were within some kind of memorial to fallen warriors. The Melida and the Daan had erected those mausoleums to keep the memory of the conflict alive, instead of trying to put it to rest. Having inspected the mausoleum, Jinn and Kenobi found a door and left the building, exiting near an overarching cliff.[47]
As soon as they emerged, however, the Jedi were attacked by snipers firing from the cliff. Jinn and Kenobi leaped over a nearby wall and found themselves near the heating and cooling units for the mausoleum and storage tanks filled with proton fuel. One shot from the snipers could ignite the fuel, so Jinn and Kenobi realized that it was dangerous for them to stay. They jumped over an opposite wall into a ravine. Hoping to surprise the snipers, the Jedi made their way around the cliff and scaled it from the other side. Jinn and Kenobi attacked the four snipers, disarming three of them. The final one, a one-armed man, pointed his blaster at Jinn but then tossed it aside after recognizing him as a Jedi; the snipers had initially thought that Jinn and Kenobi were Daan. The one-armed sniper was Wehutti, who explained that he had been looking for the Jedi for days in the sector occupied by the Daan in the Twenty-Second Battle of Zehava. He and the snipers had not left the occupied territory because they were determined to protect the Hall of Evidence, as the mausoleum Jinn and Kenobi had left was called. Wehutti explained that the Daan currently controlled the outer parts of Zehava, having surrounded the Melida in the so-called Inner Hub. Although officially, cease-fire had been declared, fighting still continued.[47]
When Jinn asked the man about Tahl, Wehutti assured him that the Melida had come to realize that holding a Jedi would not help their cause and were almost ready to release her. Believing that it was no longer safe for them to stay up on the cliff, Wehutti sent his companions—Moahdi, Kejas, and Herut—back to the Inner Hub. Wehutti himself escorted Jinn and Kenobi to the Melida territory through the ravaged parts of Zehava. As they approached the Inner Hub, however, Jinn's instincts told him that Wehutti was going to betray him and Kenobi. Once inside the Hub, the Jedi noticed that no middle-aged people were seen on the streets; everyone they had encountered were either elders or Kenobi's peers. Wehutti explained that the Middle Generation had been nearly wiped out by the wars. The Jedi also noticed graffiti on the walls, signed by a group called the Young, although Wehutti dismissed the Young as an insignificant gathering of children. Wehutti then took Jinn and Kenobi to the Melida headquarters, where he asked them to leave their lightsabers at the entrance. Jinn and Kenobi pretended to follow Wehutti's orders, only to reclaim their weapons without their guide noticing. When Wehutti led the two to the Melida Council and loudly announced that he had brought more Jedi prisoners, Jinn and Kenobi drew their weapons. The Melida guards opened fire, and the two Jedi retreated into a series of corridors.[47]
Realizing that they were being tracked by motion sensors, Jinn and Kenobi escaped through a window located in one of the rooms into a courtyard, only to face a large wall that was rigged with explosives. The Jedi had no way of escaping, but then suddenly a small sewer grate was pushed back, and a small arm beckoned for them to follow. Their rescuer, a girl named Cerasi, escorted Jinn and Kenobi through the sewers to an old resting ground, where they met an armor-clad young man. The latter introduced himself as Nield, the leader of the Young. Nield explained to the Jedi that the Young were seeking to stop the fighting between the Melida and the Daan, and he told Jinn that the Melida Council had been planning to take him and Kenobi hostage to force the Jedi Council to back the Melida government. Nield offered his help to Jinn and Kenobi in finding Tahl, but asked for their help in stopping the war. Jinn, however, was not ready to take sides until he heard all sides of the conflict, and so he requested to speak with the Daan. Nield, who was himself a Daan, agreed to lead the Jedi to his people, and he did so along with Cerasi. Through a series of tunnels, Nield led the Jedi to Lake Weir, the last body of water within a thousand kilometers, now serving as a place for a large repulsorlift-held Hall of Evidence. The Jedi followed Nield inside the Hall of Evidence, where the boy mocked the holograms of his ancestors, believing that they had fought and lost their lives for nothing. Nield's speech visibly moved and stirred Kenobi, which worried Jinn, since the Jedi were supposed to stay neutral.[47]
Losing another apprentice[edit | edit source]
- "You must choose, Obi-Wan. You can go with me now, or stay. Know that if you stay, you are no longer a Jedi."
"I have found something here more important than the Jedi code. Something not only worth fighting for, but worth dying for. You may go, Qui-Gon Jinn. But I will stay." - ―Jinn and Kenobi, during their standoff at the Jedi starfighter
Having shown the Jedi that the Daan were no different from the Melida, Nield proposed a plan to rescue Tahl. The Young would launch diversionary attacks with fake weapons in both Melida and Daan sectors and capture both sides' weapon storage facilities. Both sides would think that the opposite side had attacked them and would respond accordingly, allowing Jinn and Kenobi to rescue Tahl in the confusion. All he asked from the Jedi was that they did not nothing and waited until Cerasi led them to Tahl. Realizing that Nield out-maneuvered him, and aware that Tahl was injured and required immediate attention, Jinn agreed to the plan. Upon returning to the Young headquarters, Jinn restlessly waited as the Young developed strategy for their attacks. He offered his help, but the Young declined. Unwilling to rely on the Young completely, Jinn then left to explore the tunnels on his own, leaving Kenobi with the Young. Later that night, Kenobi approached Jinn, telling him that Nield and Cerasi had asked him to share their quarters. Jinn wished his Padawan good night, but soon he saw Kenobi, instead of going to sleep, leaving with Nield and Cerasi. He did not stop his Padawan, letting him make his own choices, although Jinn was stung by the fact that Kenobi kept secrets from him. That night, Kenobi helped Nield and Cerasi in a series of strikes against the Melida and the Daan, who were collectively known as the Elders by the Young.[47]
When the three finally returned, Jinn did not confront Kenobi about his sneaking out, instead focusing on their mission. As the Young prepared to attack the weapons storages, Cerasi led Jinn and Kenobi to a military barracks where Tahl was being held. Although she was not supposed to stay, Cerasi decided to help the Jedi. Cerasi distracted the Melida who were guarding Tahl, saying that she was Wehutti's daughter and claiming that the Daan were attacking the building. She then ran away and feigned blaster fire, distracting the guards and allowing Jinn and Kenobi to defeat the guards and break into the room where Tahl was being held. To his shock, Jinn discovered that Tahl was very weak and completely blind, so Jinn had to carry her in his arms. As they tried to escape, more guards appeared, but they were too distracted by Cerasi's simulated blaster fire, and the three Jedi escaped the same way they had come. As they made their way to the Young's base, Kenobi asked Cerasi why she had claimed to be Wehutti's daughter, and she revealed that she had merely told the truth.[47]
Witnessing their conversation, Jinn noticed that the two deeply bonded, and the Jedi Master realized that Kenobi must have felt very lonely because of not having friends his age. Cerasi then promised the Jedi that she would safely lead them out of Zehava once the fighting died down. Jinn believed that Kenobi would probably want to stay and help the Young, but he was certain that his Padawan would obey him. At that moment, Nield returned with the news on the fight. The Young's raid on the Daan weapons storage had been successful, while the Melida had destroyed their own storage so that the weapons did not fall into Daan arms. The Young had subsequently sent a message to both sides, revealing that it had been them who stood behind the attacks and issuing an ultimatum for peace. As the Young celebrated, Jinn contacted Yoda, filling him in on Tahl's rescue and the still volatile situation on the planet. Yoda replied that he was not ready to risk the lives of the three Jedi by asking them to help put an end to the conflict and requested Jinn to bring back Tahl to Coruscant as soon as possible so that she could receive proper treatment.[47]
Meanwhile, when the Elders had not replied to the requests for peace, the Young declared war on them and asked the Jedi for help. Kenobi was willing to help his newfound friends, but Jinn was determined to follow through with Yoda's orders and return Tahl to Coruscant. The night before they were scheduled to leave, Jinn woke up to find that Kenobi had once again gone to help the Young. Jinn let it pass, intent on following with a plan of his own. Leaving Tahl under the care of a girl named Roenni, he called a meeting between the Melida and the Daan Councils. He tried to plead with their leaders, Wehutti, and a Daan named Gueni, warning them not to underestimate the Young and urging them to create a coalition government, but both sides did not listen. At that moment, reports started to come through to the Elders of deflection towers—structures that generated particle shields preventing entry into the city—being destroyed one by one by the Young; that was done thanks to Kenobi's assistance, who had allowed the Young to use the Jedi's starfighter. The Elders then decided to join the Melida and the Daan forces against the Young, but Jinn again pleaded with them to sue for peace instead. The Elders seemingly agreed and set up a meeting place.[47]
When he returned to the Young with the news, Nield and Cerasi refused to go to the meeting, suspecting that it might be a trap set up by the Elders. Jinn reprimanded Kenobi for taking their fighter to destroy the deflection towers, thus possibly leaving the Jedi without their only means of escape and endangering their mission. Kenobi was unmoved by such words, replying that he had felt that it was right to break the rules and that he had found his place with the Young. As Nield had predicted, the offer for the negotiations had been a trick, as the unified Elders attacked the Young with previously hidden starfighters. While Jinn made preparations in order to leave the planet immediately, Kenobi rushed to help his friends fight the battle. Jinn escorted the injured Tahl to the starfighter, and soon Kenobi appeared there as well. However, he had come not to go with Jinn, but to take the starfighter and assist the Young in the fight. Jinn did not allow him to do so. Both Jedi stood their ground, and the situation became so tense that they ignited their lightsabers and were one step from dueling each other. Jinn then issued a final ultimatum to his Padawan; he could either go with him, or stay on the planet and cease to be a Jedi. Kenobi chose the latter option, surrendering his lightsaber to Jinn, hurting him deeply with that act. Without saying a word, Jinn boarded the starfighter and left, while Kenobi returned to the Young to fight against the Elders.[47]
A thief among the Jedi[edit | edit source]
- "Word we have received. Won the war, the Young have. Forming a government, they are. Understand now do you, Obi-Wan's decision? Fighting for a lost cause, he was not. A planet ruler, he has become."
"Then he is more foolish than I thought" - ―Yoda and Jinn, discussing Kenobi's decision to stay with the Young
Upon returning to the Jedi Temple and delivering Tahl to the care of Jedi healers, Jinn avoided talking about Kenobi, believing that the boy had broken his trust and no longer considering him his Padawan. Just like after the loss of Xanatos, he once again swore to never take another apprentice. Two weeks later, however, he agreed to participate in a fight against the Temple's advanced students. One of the duels he fought was against Bruck Chun, the boy whom Jinn had witnessed duel Kenobi before departing for Bandomeer. Distracted by his thoughts about Kenobi, Jinn did not pay much attention to the fight and nearly lost it, but he eventually concentrated and defeated Chun. As they exchanged ceremonial bows, Jinn noticed a familiar gaze in Chun's eyes, who approached his thirteenth birthday and wished to become Jinn's apprentice. After the fight, Jinn went straight to the Room of a Thousand Fountains to seek solitude, but Yoda found him there. The Grand Master found a way to make Jinn talk, trying to tell him that maybe Kenobi's decision was not foolish or traitorous as Jinn had believed. Yoda then informed Jinn that the Young had won the war and were in the process of establishing a government.[48]
Later, Jinn was called before the Jedi Council. Although he believed that the Council members would try to reprimand him for abandoning Kenobi, they instead told him about a series of thefts that had recently occurred in the Jedi Temple. Jinn was assigned to discreetly investigate the matter, without alerting the younger students and was assigned Tahl as his partner. When Jinn visited Tahl, she revealed that she had been told that her loss blindness was irreversible and permanent. This prompted Jinn to try helping her in everyday activities, but Tahl insisted on doing things herself, as she had been working on improving her hearing and other senses in the course of the past weeks. She also introduced 2JTJ, a navigation droid that was assigned to her by Yoda and which irritated her by constantly giving her directions. When their conversation touched upon the topic of Kenobi, Jinn displayed anger at his Padawan, although Tahl made it clear that she herself did not hold any grudge against Kenobi. The two then finally decided to proceed with their investigation. One of the thefts had occurred in a semi-restricted area, and some student records were missing, so Jinn and Tahl decided to start by checking who among the Temple's students had access to the registry.[48]
They found out that only old Jedi Master Tun and his two student helpers had the necessary access, and the students never accessed the files without Tun. Moreover, the list of stolen items looked completely random at first glance. Among the things stolen were a tool box from the servo-utility unit, holographic files and computer records for students with names A through H, a teacher's meditation robe, and a fourth-year student's sports activity kit. The string of seemingly petty thefts suddenly became serious when senior training rooms had been vandalized and all lightsabers—including Kenobi's—kept there by the elder students had been stolen. When Jinn and Tahl inspected the training rooms, among the torn tunics, they found an inscription written in red paint on a wall in a tone mocking Yoda's pattern of speech that stated the Jedi's time would come and that they should beware the intruder, who called himself "trouble." The Jedi decided that the time had come to alert all the students about the situation. The entire Temple was put on high alert, with security checks being established and students having to obtain passes for nearly every activity.[48]
Jinn and Tahl also talked to Chun, who had been the last to leave the training rooms before the incident. Chun had been recently reprimanded for his display of anger, so he was a potential suspect in the theft, although there was no actual evidence against him, and Jinn suspected him as much as nearly everyone. Both Tahl and Jinn felt a disturbance in the Force in the Temple, and Jinn was fearful that it was not a student who stood behind the attacks, but an outside intruder. Soon enough, rumors spread that an intruder had been spotted inside the Temple. Jinn then realized that the Temple's security was flawed, since it relied on the fact that no Jedi would allow an intruder in, and, as such, little security was maintained inside. The outside intruder had to have been assisted by someone from the inside. Jinn and Tahl soon heard as the Emergency Code Fourteen was announced over the intercom system, which called the two to a small conference room where they found Yoda. He informed them that the Healing Crystals of Fire, one of the greatest treasures of the Jedi Order, had been taken from their holding room. Yoda warned the two investigators that he sensed that the thief was planning to use the crystals for destructive purposes and urged them to complete their investigation as soon as possible.[48]
After meeting with Yoda, Jinn decided to go back to his room, where he kept a datapad with notes. Jinn was afraid that his datapad might have been stolen as well, but when they entered the room, Jinn found nothing unusual there there and saw the datapad lying where he had left it. However, Tahl's improved smell picked up a scent of an intruder who had been in Jinn's quarters. That gave Jinn an idea regarding how to track the intruder. Jinn and Tahl compiled a list of two hundred and sixty-seven Jedi and non-Jedi staff, who had access to the stolen goods and who did not have alibis. The two then started interviewing each one of them, so that Tahl could try to pick up the scent she had smelled earlier from one of them. Finally, Tahl reacted when they were interviewing Bant Eerin, a Mon Calamari girl and a friend of Kenobi's, although it became clear for Jinn and Tahl that she was innocent. However, Tahl soon realized that the smell was not coming from a person but rather from the Temple's lakes and Eerin smelled the same because she often explored the lakes.[48]
Jinn then decided to enlist the Mon Calamari's help in searching the lake for any clues. Eerin soon found a water-proof container underwater, and Jinn helped her to bring it onto the surface. When they opened it, they found most of the stolen items, including the lightsabers, although the crystals were not there. Jinn decided to use the crate to track the intruder, and he had it returned underwater. Having come to find a pattern in the thefts, Jinn and Tahl deduced the approximate timing of the next incident and laid in hiding near the lake, waiting for the culprit to come and hide the stolen goods. They waited for five hours, until finally, Bruck Chun appeared and dove underwater. When he emerged and left the lakeside, Jinn followed him, hoping that Chun was going to a meeting with the outside intruder. As he left, Jinn instructed Tahl to stay behind. However, Jinn soon heard 2JTJ's voice, which startled Chun, and he left; Tahl had followed Jinn after her enhanced hearing had picked up someone following Jinn, while 2JTJ had come looking for Tahl. Tahl then revealed the most startling news—the person who had followed Jinn obviously knew his way around the Temple's premises. With their trap partially successful, Jinn and Tahl could return all the stolen goods to their owners; Jinn himself took Kenobi's lightsaber.[48]
A change of heart[edit | edit source]
- "Will you ever take me back, Qui-Gon? I know I am meant to be a Jedi. I'll never doubt that again."
"I know you are meant to be a Jedi, too. But whether you are meant to be my Padawan again is not so clear." - ―Kenobi and Jinn, after the resolution of the hostilities on Melida/Daan
Jinn was soon summoned by Yoda, and when he arrived, the Grand Master activated a holographic message from Kenobi. The latter revealed that Cerasi had been killed in a crossfire between the Elders and the Young. Now each side was blaming the other for her death and hostilities could erupt again. Kenobi had lost his command and status in the ranks of the Young after he had opposed Nield's decision to demolish the Halls of Evidence. He was confused, scared, and did not know what to do, so he requested Jinn's help. At that moment, a realization hit Jinn, and he understood what Yoda and Tahl had been trying to tell him—that he had not been betrayed by a Jedi, but by a boy who had been overtaken by passion and had been trying to protect his friends, and that boy deserved Jinn's understanding. With that realization, Jinn departed for Melida/Daan.[48]
When Jinn arrived on the planet, he greeted Kenobi coldly and calmly, although he realized that it hurt the boy. Jinn inquired into the state of affairs on the planet, and Kenobi told him that both the Young and the Elders were amassing forces in preparation for war. Nield had the support of Mawat and his band of Scavenger Young, a division of the Young who lived in the country, and was seeking to sway the remaining members of Melida/Daan's Middle Generation to his side as well. In turn, Wehutti did not command his forces and did not want to see anyone after Cerasi's death. Jinn and Kenobi visited Wehutti, trying to tell him to convince the Elders to stand down. However, Wehutti was in a state of despair, constantly reliving the day of Cerasi's death and wondering whether he was the one who had fired the lethal shot, and he was of no help to Jinn and his former Padawan.[48]
Trying to convince the grieving Kenobi that Cerasi's death had not been his fault, Jinn took him to a fountain plaza where the girl had been shot. The Jedi Master asked the boy to concentrate and remember objectively, putting aside his feelings for Cerasi, what had happened that day. Kenobi recalled that the day had been gray and overcast, but he also said that he had spotted a glimmer of sunlight coming from a roof. Jinn then suspected that that glimmer might have been a shot fired from a blaster. Jinn continued to guide Kenobi toward unraveling the mystery, asking him how the Elders and the Young could have obtained weapons that day if all had been confiscated following the conclusion of the war. In order to find an answer to that question, the two went to a warehouse where the Young Security Squad had kept the weapons. As they walked there, Jinn realized that he had forgiven Kenobi, although he still was not sure that he would take him back as a Padawan if the latter asked.[48]
They found the warehouse deserted, guarded only by two Young girls, Deila and Joli, who initially did not want to tell anything to Kenobi, who had been branded an outsider by Nield. However, not wanting another war on their hands, Joli told Jinn and Kenobi that Mawat had secretly armed both factions that day, hoping that a war would break out and Nield would be blamed responsible, allowing Mawat to secure power for himself. He had also put sharpshooters on the roofs in case Nield or Wehutti backed down; it had been one of those sharpshooters who had killed Cerasi. Jinn and Kenobi realized that they needed to inform Nield that he had not been the one responsible for killing Cerasi, and to tell him of Mawat's treachery. Hoping to find Nield quickly, Jinn and Kenobi split up, with Jinn handing Kenobi's lightsaber back to him. Hoping that Kenobi had more chances of locating Nield, Jinn went to Cerasi's quarters in the tunnels, where he happened to find a holographic message disc with a message recorded by Cerasi on the morning of her death, where Cerasi pleaded for peace to finally come to her planet.[48]
With that disk, Jinn rushed to the fountain plaza, only to find a battle raging there. Mawat and the Scavenger Young had attempted to demolish the Hall of Evidence, but Kenobi and Nield, who had been convinced by the former to change his views, tried to stop him along with the mainstream Young. Jinn then activated Cerasi's message, playing it aloud for both sides to hear. Cerasi's words convinced all participants of the fight, including Mawat, to stand down. The leader of the Scavenger Young admitted that he had been wrong and retreated from Zehava with a few of his followers to the countryside. Jinn's negotiation skills helped Wehutti and Nield to come to an agreement and form a joint government. Kenobi had realized that his destiny was with the Jedi Order, and he was ready to return with Jinn. When he asked the Jedi Master if he would take him back as Padawan, Jinn replied that it remained to be seen. As the two Jedi prepared to depart Melida/Daan, Jinn received a disturbing message on his comlink—the Temple was under siege and an attempt had been made on Yoda's life.[48]
Saving the Jedi Temple[edit | edit source]
- "Your precious Temple is doomed! When that idiot Miro Daroon powers up the last link in the system, the whole fusion furnace will blow. The Temple will implode. Did you really think I'd allow the Jedi to follow me? What you revere can destroy you. Haven't you learned that yet? You can't be sure, can you, Qui-Gon? Will you allow your precious Padawan to die just to kill me? He tried to get away from you once. Why don't you get rid of him for good?"
- ―Xanatos taunting Jinn during their duel
Jinn and Kenobi arrived at the Jedi Temple, finding it under even tighter security than it was before Jinn left. They even had to undergo a retinal scan before they were allowed to enter the Temple from the spaceport level. All arrivals and departures were being monitored, and no one was allowed to leave the Temple except under extreme circumstances. The Temple itself was in a state of disarray. Tech worker Miro Daroon was struggling to keep all Temple systems running, but every time he fixed something, he found another malfunction. Jinn and Kenobi entered the Jedi Council chambers, where they were informed of the specifics of the attempted murder of Yoda. The Grand Master had been inside the Room of a Thousand Fountains when his Force sense warned him about an explosive device located there. Yoda's hesitation saved his life when the device exploded under a bridge. Mace Windu told Jinn that the main suspect, Chun, had not left the Temple, but one of the other students had found a note that read that Masters should meditate on the murder attempt, and that next time, the intruder would not fail.[25]
Kenobi was asked to provide any information on Chun's possible course of action, but the boy did not have anything to say. Instead, he offered to conduct his own investigation, but the Jedi Masters forbade him to do so, since he had not been yet restored as a Jedi. Kenobi tried to apologize for his actions on Melida/Daan, but the Council members told him that apology could not make up for his violation of the Council's trusts. Kenobi was then sent to his old quarters, while the Council members remained to speak with Jinn in private. However, Bant Eerin soon came in, urging the Jedi Masters to assist Kenobi; when she and Kenobi had traveled to the Lake Level they watched as a hover car had come out of its shaft, threatening the lives of Jedi Master Ali-Alann and ten younglings. Kenobi remained behind to watch over the hover car in case it fell. The Council members arrived at the scene and used the Force to keep the hover car aloft, while Jinn went to assist Kenobi, who had began extracting the children through the hover car shaft one by one.[25]
After everyone was rescued, the Council members and Jinn commended Eerin on her efforts, but reprimanded Kenobi for acting alone and endangering the children's lives. Daroon analyzed the hover car, coming to a conclusion that the incident had been an act of sabotage, albeit one specifically designed to scare, but not kill the children. Jinn himself concluded that the stolen items had not been random but had been used by the intruder. The teacher's meditation robe was probably used by the culprit to travel about the Temple freely, while the toolbox had been used to dismantle the hover car's repulsorlift engines. Students records with names A through H were most likely stolen to conceal some fact about Chun. Only a student's sporting gear seemingly held no significance. Also, Yoda revealed to Jinn that the Jedi Order had undertaken a secret mission from the Senate and had agreed to store a large shipment of crystalline vertex, a highly valuable material, in the Temple's treasury room. Jinn announced to Yoda that he would start an investigation by talking to Daroon, and that he would coordinate his efforts with Tahl. Yoda then hinted Jinn to also accept help from Kenobi, despite the fact that the Council had forbidden him to interfere in the Temple business.[25]
As Jinn walked to the tech center through the Room of the Thousand Fountains, he sensed the dark side of the Force and saw the remnants of the destroyed bridge. He suddenly realized that the intruder followed the same maxim as the tyrant Jinn had stopped years ago—disruption plus demoralization plus distraction equaled devastation. The petty thefts were the disruption, the theft of the Healing Crystals of Fire and the attack on Yoda were the demoralization, and the various malfunctions throughout the Temple were the distraction. When Jinn arrived at the tech room to consult with Daroon, Kenobi followed him there. Remembering Yoda's advice, Jinn did not tell the boy to leave. Daroon told the two that he had been forced to close two wings of the Temple as the sabotage was growing worse. The technician could not keep up with all the problems, which bothered Jinn, since Daroon was a brilliant tech expert. The Jedi Master realized that the intruder must have been not only someone with a hatred for the Jedi, but also a technological wizard; the latter fact helped Jinn come to a conclusion that it was Xanatos who stood behind the attacks.[25]
Jinn understood that Kenobi could help him, so he turned to the boy and asked for his help openly. Jinn and Kenobi went to Tahl's quarters and told her about their discovery. Their conversation was interrupted by Jedi trainee Siri Tachi, who had been questioned by Kenobi earlier and who remembered more facts about Chun. She told the three that Chun had somehow discovered the identity of his father, who was a powerful man on Xanatos' homeworld of Telos IV, and Chun had bragged about that fact. Jinn then assigned Tahl to search for any information on Xanatos and Offworld, while he and Kenobi proceeded with their own investigation. As soon as Jinn and Kenobi left Tahl's quarters, they ran into Eerin, who had noticed that all the attacks had taken place near water; she deducted that Chun and Xanatos used a series of water tunnels in their diversions. That also explained the theft of the sporting kit, as it contained several breathers.[25]
Jinn asked Eerin to show them the tunnels, and the Mon Calamari agreed, giving the two a pair of breathers she had brought along. Eerin led the duo to the Temple's water purification tanks, where the water flooded the tunnels every twenty minutes and was then drained again. Jinn, Kenobi and Eerin followed a service tunnel and followed it until they were suspended on a catwalk above the water purification unit. Suddenly, Xanatos emerged from the water and began taunting Jinn, but the Jedi Master retained his calm. Jinn and Kenobi did not attack Xanatos, knowing that their lightsabers would short out if they touched the water Xanatos was standing in. Xanatos then attacked them himself, jumping onto the catwalk and clashing his lightsaber with Jinn's. Eerin, meanwhile, dove into the water and swam to call for help. Jinn and Kenobi tried to lure Xanatos back into the water, so that his own lightsaber shorted out, but then the time came for the water to come through the tunnels, and Xanatos allowed himself to be taken away by the torrent. Knowing his former Padawan's tactics, Jinn was certain that Xanatos had been trying to lure him and Kenobi away from something.[25]
When Jinn and Kenobi inspected the surrounding area, they found Xanatos' means of escape, a parked airspeeder. At that moment, Eerin arrived with Temple security, who confiscated the speeder, stranding Xanatos in the Temple. Analyzing Xanatos' behavior and words he had said, Kenobi came to a conclusion that in addition to Chun, the Dark Jedi had an informant within the Jedi Temple. Kenobi suspected Tahl, but Jinn trusted her wholeheartedly and ruled her out immediately. Jinn then went to Tahl to see what she had found, and she showed him her discovery; Offworld was on the brink of bankruptcy following a failed mining operation. Jinn then realized that Xanatos' reason for coming to the Temple was not only revenge, but also the vertex with which he would be able to finance his corporation. When Tahl's droid 2JTJ entered the quarters, Jinn remembered that the droid appeared around the same time as the thefts began, so he suspected that 2JTJ might be the spy. Tahl feigned a conflict with the droid and deactivated it, allowing Jinn to dismantle it and find a transmitter hidden inside.[25]
Duel with the Dark Jedi[edit | edit source]
- "Will you allow your precious Padawan to die just to kill me? He tried to get away from you once. Why don't you get rid of him for good?"
- ―Xanatos, taunting Jinn during their duel at the Jedi Temple
Jinn hoped to use the transmitter to lure Xanatos to him. He and Kenobi found two men with a similar build to their own—Ali-Alann and Kenobi's friend Garen Muln, asking them to disguise themselves as Jinn and Kenobi. At that moment, however, Tahl discovered that Eerin had disappeared, and Jinn's comlink came to life, with Xanatos talking on the other end. Xanatos revealed that he had captured Eerin and had tied her and placed her underwater, where she would eventually drown unless Jinn returned Xanatos' airspeeder. Kenobi was deeply affected by Eerin's kidnapping, who was his closest friend, but Jinn consoled him and asked to behave like a Jedi if he wanted to become one once again. Although things had changed with Eerin's disappearance, Jinn was still determined to proceed with his original plan. Jinn and Kenobi recorded a voice track on their comlinks, talking about how they would provide Xanatos with the speeder while search teams would try to trap him and Chun.
They then handed the comlinks to Ali-Alann and Muln, while Jinn and Kenobi went to lay a trap for Xanatos and Chun. Ali-Alann and Muln, disguised as Jinn and Kenobi were allowed to be recorded along with the fake transmission by the reactivated 2JTJ, thus ensuring that Xanatos received the recording and did not suspect anything. Meanwhile, Jinn and Kenobi went to the Treasury Room. Daroon would have to deactivate all systems, including security, for a brief period of time, so that he could fix all programs. Jinn knew that Xanatos would try to seize the moment and attempt to steal the crystalline vertex. Jinn and Kenobi laid in ambush, and when Daroon deactivated all systems, Xanatos and Chun appeared. The Jedi Master and his former Padawan ambushed the two thieves, but Xanatos unexpectedly took Chun hostage. Jinn and Kenobi attacked Xanatos from two sides, and the Dark Jedi shoved Chun aside, ordering him to kill Eerin, and Chun bolted away to execute his new Master's orders. Jinn ordered Kenobi to follow Chun, while he engaged his failed student. Their duel continued up to the Jedi Council room, where Xanatos shattered a window and leaped out onto a platform outside. Jinn followed suit, intent on killing Xanatos in order to stop him once and for all.[25]
As they ferociously fought each other, Xanatos began taunting Jinn, saying that he had a backup plan, and that as soon as Daroon reactivated the air circulation system, the entire Temple would be destroyed. Although he did not fully believe his words, Jinn still hesitated for a moment, allowing Xanatos to jump onto a passing air taxi. In the next second, Jinn was faced with a difficult choice; he could either follow Xanatos and potentially let the Jedi Temple be destroyed and Kenobi be killed, or he could try to save the Temple and let his fallen student escape once again. Jinn chose the latter option and rushed toward the tech center, meeting Kenobi on his way; the boy had rescued Eerin, while Chun had died when he accidentally slipped and fell onto some rocks during a duel with Kenobi. With time running out, Jinn and Kenobi went through a gas duct in order to reach the tech center faster. They risked their lives, as if Daroon decided to test the gas transport system when he powered up the air ducts, the two would be killed by toxic gas.[25]
The two reached the tech room just as Daroon was ready to activate the air circulation system. Ordering him not to do so, Jinn and Kenobi began searching for the booby-trap. Remembering that Xanatos taunted him with the fact that the Jedi would be destroyed by the object they revered, Jinn climbed down to the power core and retrieved the stolen Healing Crystals of Fire from the fusion furnace, which would have served as a massive power source if the system had been started and would have began a chain reaction that could have truly destroyed the Temple. At the resolution of the conflict, Tahl met with Jinn, trying to convince him that maybe taking Kenobi as his Padawan again would not be so hard as he thought, telling him about the artisans from the planet Aurea as an example of people who excelled in transforming broken things into even more beautiful pieces of art. Tahl's words gave Jinn some food for thought, but he still did not make up his mind.[25]
Soon, both he and Kenobi were summoned before the Jedi Council. Kenobi had requested not to be taken back to the Order immediately, but rather to be given probation, and he was granted that wish. Jinn, in turn, asked permission to pursue Xanatos. Although the Council members did not forbid him from doing so, they strongly discouraged Jinn from proceeding with his plan. Still, Jinn had made up his mind and was determined to find Xanatos and stop him at last. Kenobi reacted to Jinn's decision by offering to come with him.[25] Although the boy's decision did not please the Council, they allowed him to accompany Jinn.[49]
Return to Telos[edit | edit source]
- "He knows we're here"
"Yes. Let's find UniFy. We must move as quickly as we can." - ―Kenobi and Jinn, on Xanatos
As the two prepared to leave the Temple and stood on a landing platform, ready to take a shuttle that was going to take them to a spaceliner port, Jinn tried to explain to Kenobi that the boy did not have to go, but Kenobi was adamant in his decision. Following Xanatos, Jinn and Kenobi went to the failed Padawan's home planet of Telos IV, taking a luxury cruiser to the planet. Once there, Jinn wanted to begin his search with UniFy, a corporation that Tahl had discovered to be a front for Offworld. While on the liner, Jinn and Kenobi heard rumors of a game called Katharsis, but they did not pay much attention to it. When the liner landed at the capital city of Thani, Telosian security came aboard, searching for some escaped criminals. Jinn wanted to exit the ship unnoticed, as he realized that Xanatos had bribed many officials who could tip him off if they saw Jinn and Kenobi. Therefore, the two slipped to the liner's kitchen, which was due to receive new supplies. Once there, they picked up containers with food and attempted to blend in with the kitchen staff, successfully exiting the liner and reaching a cargo hauler used to deliver the supplies to the ship.[49]
However, they were spotted by the spaceport security and had to run, blending into the crowd passing through the city streets. Once there, Kenobi noticed billboards advertising Katharsis as an easy way to make money. The Telos security were not willing to give up their pursuit, and Jinn and Kenobi once again had to run, entering a large domed building where most people were headed to and where Katharsis took place. Inside, they found out that Katharsis was a major gambling event on Telos. Katharsis involved the Telosians betting on contestants participating in a series of violent sports. The winners of the challenges advanced to face even harder tests, until the last round. Only three Telosian people were allowed to bet on the final round, with the winner claiming a large sum of money. The three bettors were chosen weekly out of all citizens by a special government-run lottery.[49]
Jinn and Kenobi did not have time to get more information, as they witnessed Telosian security inside the Katharsis dome. Unsure whether the security was looking for them or the escaped prisoners, Jinn wanted to bluff his way out with the help of the Force. However, as the security closed in, a young man offered Jinn and Kenobi seats inside his private box. When the two accepted and took their places, the box detached and floated away from the security. Their rescuer introduced himself as Denetrus, a currently unemployed tech worker. He explained that Katharsis had been introduced by UniFy when the Telosians protested against high taxes. Most of the proceeds from Katharsis allegedly went to the restoration of the planet's natural parks and preservation of land. As Katharsis began, Kenobi and Jinn were surprised to see Vox Chun, Bruck Chun's father and the treasurer of Telos, giving an opening speech.[49]
Chun said that if no one would claim the main prize that day, then the next time the pot would be the biggest it had ever been. In that case, the prize would be presented by Telos' First Citizen and main benefactor. Much to Jinn's surprise, that benefactor turned out to be Xanatos, who was introduced by Chun, as the crowd began cheering and thundering Xanatos' name. Xanatos had been successful in convincing the Telosians that his father had been innocent in the instigation of the civil war on the planet, and the citizens now hailed him as a hero. When Katharsis began, Jinn was shocked by its cruelty and the Telosians' bloodlust. After the first round was over, Jinn and Kenobi asked Denetrus to direct them to UniFy offices and left him alone. As they neared the exit from the Katharsis dome, Jinn felt a surge of the dark side and soon witnessed Xanatos in one of the passageways. Although Xanatos did not see them, it was clear that he had felt Jinn's presence as well.[49]
When the two returned to the streets of Thani, Jinn and Kenobi noticed a large number of buildings built on Xanatos' donations and bearing his name. Denetrus then caught up to them, saying that he had decided to escort them to the UniFy building. As they made their way, Jinn noticed his and Kenobi's face on a wanted poster; they were the criminals the security had been looking for. When the three finally reached UniFy's office, Jinn lied that they had an appointment scheduled there for the next day. Denetrus then offered to let the two stay at his place. Although Jinn found his overly helpful behavior suspicious, he decided to accept the invitation. When they approached Denetrus' quarters, however, they noticed Telosian soldiers moving nearby. Jinn suspected that Denetrus had led them into a trap and drew his lightsaber, but the man claimed that he would never betray a fellow criminal. Denetrus revealed that he was a petty thief and he had believed that the security had come for him inside the Katharsis building. He then led Jinn and Kenobi through a series of secret passageways to a garden. The security, using speeder bikes, caught up to them, forcing Jinn and Kenobi to use their lightsabers to deflect incoming blaster fire. Denetrus then led the two through a drainage pipe to a basement. Jinn wanted to part ways with their unfortunate rescuer, but Denetrus promised to take them to a safe place, and Jinn agreed, believing that the only person who could help two criminals hide was another criminal.[49]
Denetrus led Jinn and Kenobi to the residence of Andra, the leader of Preserve Our Wild Endangered Resources Party or POWER Party. POWER opposed the current Telosian government, believing that UniFy was exploiting the Telosian Park of Sacred Pools for mining. However, the Telosians were too preoccupied with Katharsis to worry about their land. Jinn supported Andra's worries, telling her that UniFy was a shell corporation for Offworld. If they could infiltrate UniFy's offices and prove their connection to Offworld, Andra hoped that that would expose UniFy's plans. Fortunately for them, Denetrus had forgotten to return several ID badges when he had been working for UniFy, so he had access to the offices, and he offered his help in browsing through the company's files. Neither Andra nor Jinn trusted the criminal's motives, but he assured them that he wanted to help Andra. Denetrus had also managed to obtain several gray jumpsuits that the lower-status UniFy workers wore. Disguising themselves, Jinn, Kenobi, and Denetrus entered the UniFy building. When they were stopped for a security check, they showed the ID badges, and Jinn used a mind trick on a security guard to lower his suspicion, allowing the three to reach a restricted area containing computers with access to the needed files. Dividing the three hundred relevant files between the three of them, Jinn, Kenobi, and Denetrus searched for any clues, but all useful information was hidden behind a large number of trivial notes.[49]
Soon, a security alarm was triggered, and the computers suddenly froze. Panicking, Denetrus told the Jedi that he was going to go investigate and abandoned the two. Moments later, Jinn and Kenobi were arrested by Telosian security under Galactic Criminals Act and transported to the Central Booking Station. There, they were recognized as wanted criminals and were thrown into prison, although the security guards did not find their lightsabers. Jinn asked to be allowed to contact the Jedi Temple, but his request was ignored. Kenobi wanted to use the weapons to cut through the prison doors, but Jinn believed that they would not be able to handle the guards outside, so he instead decided to bide his time. Jinn also remembered that just before the computers froze, Denetrus had been looking the files on Katharsis; Jinn believed that the criminal's entire motivation to come to the UniFy offices had been to find a way to profit on the game. As days passed by in the prison, Jinn apologized to Kenobi for bringing him to Telos and admitted that he had been too harsh to him after what had happened on Melida/Daan. Their conversation was cut short, as Xanatos entered the cell, telling the two that they had been sentenced to death after Xanatos had testified against them on several made up charges, including Kenobi's killing of Bruck Chun.[49]
Showdown with Xanatos[edit | edit source]
- "Was Xanatos your biggest failure? Will his death haunt you, as he hoped?"
"Does Bruck's death haunt you?"
"No. But I carry it here."
"It is the same for me, I think. It will not haunt me—not the way Xanatos hoped it would. Xanatos chose death. It was his nature to choose the dark path. But it will take some time for me to feel peace about it. I cannot help feeling that if I'd been a better Master, he wouldn't have turned to the Dark Side. Yoda would tell me that as a Master, I cannot make a Padawan a success or a failure. I can only guide." - ―Kenobi and Jinn, preparing to depart Telos after Xanatos' death
Jinn and Kenobi were soon led to their execution that was to take place in the prison courtyard. They were suspended in an energy cage above a mass of angry people, as Xanatos overlooked from nearby. The two were to be released on a scaffold, where they would be put on a pair of slabs and beheaded by vibro-axes. While preparing a plan to escape their predicament, Jinn noticed Andra and Denetrius in the crowd, riding swoop bikes. As soon as the cage was lowered onto the scaffold, and the energy bars retracted, Jinn and Kenobi leaped out, their lightsabers ignited, and jumped onto the swoops. As Jinn and Kenobi covered their backs by deflecting blaster fire with lightsabers, Andra and Denetrus outmaneuvered pursuing guards, and the four successfully escaped. Once inside Andra's home, Jinn confronted Denetrus regarding his looking at the Katharsis files, and the criminal revealed that he had discovered that UniFy controlled the game, not the Telosian government. When he tried to find a way to rig the game, he found out that it had already been rigged; the winner of the final event had been selected by UniFy after he or she promised to give half the winnings to the company. Other contestants were provided with faulty equipment, making them lose the challenges.[49]
With that new development, Jinn came up with a plan of action that he hoped would expose Xanatos's true motives, the connection between UniFy and Offworld, and the effect Katharsis was having on the economy of Telos IV. His plan was twofold—the first phase had Denetrius infiltrating UniFy's systems again and setting himself up as one of the bettors on the Katharsis's major event. During that time, Andra and her followers would investigate what was happening to Telos's sacred places. Andra, however, revealed that she was the lone member of the POWER Party, as the others had left after the destruction of a team with similar objectives. Kenobi volunteered to go with Andra, although Jinn was hesitant to let the boy go on the dangerous assignment, he realized that he had to trust him. Taking a pair of swoops, Kenobi and Andra sped toward the sacred places, while Denetrus, aware of the winner of Katharsis, Kama Elias, set himself up as one of the three selected bettors who were allowed to place bets on the final event.[49]
Jinn and Denetrus went to the Katharsis dome, where the Jedi Master hoped to expose Xanatos, but he also kept a pair of swoops nearby in case the Dark Jedi ran away and they had to pursue him. Kenobi soon contacted Jinn, informing him that he and Andra had found evidence that the sacred places were being used for mining operations, although there was not enough evidence to connect them to Offworld. Jinn told Kenobi to head back to the Katharsis dome, but the boy said that he had one more matter to attend to. In fact, the boy was just ashamed to admit that he had lost his means of transportation and was hoping to find a new one. As the second round of Katharsis began, Jinn started worrying for Kenobi, who did not show up. However, the boy and Andra soon returned, handing Jinn a recording rod with the evidence. Jinn went to a technician's booth, where he used the Force to order a technician to show the recordings on the rod after Xanatos' speech at the end of the contests. As the final round approached, the three winners of the lottery were announced, Denetrus among them. Elias won the final round, and Denetrus, having placed a bet on him, won the pot. Xanatos began his ceremonial speech, and the technician transmitted the images from Kenobi's recording rod, which showed the devastated sacred places.[49]
When the crowd noticed the images, the people demanded an explanation from Xanatos, who managed to convince them that he had been framed and gave an order to transmit Jinn's and Kenobi's images on the screen. The two were recognized in the crowd and captured. At that moment, however, Denetrus demanded his winnings from Xanatos. The latter gave him a box of crystalline vertex. Denetrus, overcoming his greed, told the Telosian Governor present at the event to read a durasheet he had given him before the contests began. The Governor did so, reading aloud Denetrus' fully correct predictions on the course of the game. Denetrus then explained to the Telosians that Katharsis had been rigged, exposing Xanatos' entire scheme. Tensions rose again, and when Xanatos failed to calm the crowd down again, he took the heavily modified swoop belonging to the game's winner and sped away. Breaking free of the distracted guards, Jinn and Kenobi boarded their own swoops and followed Xanatos, who, they realized, was heading to the sacred pools.[49]
When they reached the entrance to the Park of the Sacred Pools, they saw Xanatos' swoop, out of fuel. Although the gate was closed, Kenobi led Jinn through another secret road into the park. Once there, they saw Xanatos on his way toward Tech Dome D, where a transport off-planet awaited him. Jinn took a gravsled lying nearby and caught up with Xanatos, separating him from the Tech Dome. Xanatos sped toward the pools filled with acid—a result of UniFy's mining operations—where he turned around and attacked Jinn, engaging him in a duel and saying that Jinn would not be able to kill him; the Jedi Master replied that he did not intend to; he wanted to bring Xanatos to justice. Kenobi soon joined the fight, but Xanatos distracted him by making him remember Bruck Chun's death. Xanatos then kicked Kenobi onto the ground and leaped forward, preparing to kill him.[49]
Drawing on the Living Force surrounding him, Jinn stopped Xanatos in midair, and the duel resumed, with Kenobi rejoining the fight. Fighting as one, Jinn and Kenobi cornered Xanatos at a pool of acid. At that moment, Andra and Denetrus arrived on the other shore of the pool by swoops, drawing blasters and promising to have Xanatos put on trial. Realizing that he had no way of escape, Xanatos spoke to Jinn, saying that he was his biggest failure and Jinn would have to live with that. With that said, Xanatos stepped back and fell into the pool of acid. Jinn reached out with his hand, trying to stop him, but it was too late, and Xanatos died in the acid.[49] Respecting all life, even that of his enemies, Jinn took his time to mourn for Xanatos' passing. Such gesture deeply impressed Kenobi.[50] With Xanatos' death, life turned for the better on Telos. UniFy was exposed as a front for Offworld, the Governor who had turned a blind eye on the company's activities resigned, the government apologized to the people and called for special elections, Katharsis was stopped, Vox Chun was put in jail, and the Telosians set off to rebuild their damaged land.[49]
Andra and Denetrus helped clear Jinn and Kenobi of all charges. Thanking them, the two prepared to depart from Telos, sharing their experiences on the deaths of Bruck Chun and Xanatos. Jinn admitted to Kenobi that although Xanatos' death was a disturbing experience for him—one which he would always remember—it would not haunt him as Xanatos had hoped. Jinn also confessed that he and Kenobi had bonded and were destined to be Master and Padawan, no matter the opinion of the Jedi Council. Still, Jinn offered Kenobi to help him settle the matters with the Council and promised to spend some time in the Temple with Kenobi, who was required to do so on the terms of his probation. Jinn understood that he and Kenobi had different temperaments and that they would clash again in the future, but he was now looking forward to it.[49] Soon enough, Kenobi's probation was lifted, allowing him to once again officially become Jinn's Padawan. The two spent a lot of time both at the Temple and on various missions across the galaxy, helping wherever they could, and improving their ties even further.[51] As a symbolic gesture, Jinn gave his copy of The Jedi Path to Kenobi, continuing the tradition of passing it from Master to Padawan.[17]
Strengthening the bond[edit | edit source]
A familiar face[edit | edit source]
- "How strange life is. The galaxy is so immense, but I can't get away from the Jedi. They have destroyed my life once again."
- ―Lorian Nod, after Jinn and Kenobi exposed his schemes
While returning from a routine training mission on an overcrowded freighter, Jinn and Kenobi disembarked on the planet Junction V, when the freighter stopped there for fuel. Hoping to stretch their legs and get some food while the freighter was being refueled, they proceeded to the streets of the capital city of Rion. They were surprised to discover that every visitor had to register with a local security force. Sensing a disturbance in the Force on the planet, Jinn contacted Tahl, who was at the Jedi Temple, via comlink, asking her to provide any information on the planet. She revealed that Junction 5 had a long-standing rivalry with its moon of Delaluna. Several years ago, the people of Junction 5 had discovered that Delaluna had been developing a superweapon, called the Annihilator, capable of wiping out entire cities. The citizens of Junction 5 had been living in a constant fear of attack from Delaluna and the entire planet was kept on a constant state of high alert.
A security force, called the Guardians had infiltrated every aspect of the citizens' lives, monitoring all their communications and arresting a large number of people, allegedly to prevent Delaluna's spies from undermining the government to prepare for the Delaluna's invasion. As such, the Guardians effectively controlled the entire planet. However, Delaluna denied the existence of the weapon and any plans for an invasion, and the negotiations between the governments of the two planets were stalled. Tahl advised Jinn and Kenobi to stay alert and do not try to interfere in the matter. Instead of immediately registering with the Guardians, Jinn decided to go to a local cantina to get something to eat and gather intelligence in case Jedi presence was requested on the planet in the future. While in the cantina, they overheard a conversation between two men talking about a woman, who had supposedly been killed and whose death had been covered, and a grieving man named Jaren. Kenobi wanted to investigate the matter, but Jinn told him that nobody had requested their help, so they should not interfere.[7]
The Jedi were then confronted by a Guardian, who requested their passes. When they told him that they did not have any, the officer ordered them to come with him and register at the Registry Office. Not wanting to cause any trouble, Jinn and Kenobi complied. When their passes were finally made, Jinn and Kenobi were greeted by a person whom Jinn did not expect to see—Lorian Nod, the former Jedi and criminal whom Jinn and Dooku had captured decades for the kidnapping of Blix Annon. Nod had served as an informant for the Coruscant Security Force inside the prison, which had granted him early release. He had subsequently come to Junction V, his homeworld, and helped the government form the Guardians, which he was the head of, in order to battle the Annihilator threat. Nod offered the two Jedi to provide them with escort to their transport. Jinn declined the offer, but Nod did so nonetheless. As two Guardians escorted them to the transport, Jinn asked them why he had seen more and more security arriving on the streets. The Guardians replied that an enemy of the current regime, Cilia Dil, had escaped from prison. When the Guardians refused to tell Jinn what Dil's crime was, he decided to escape from their escort.[7]
When they were passing near a utility vehicle unloading cargo from a repulsorlift platform, Jinn used the Force to topple the boxes, creating confusion, which allowed the two to escape from the guards and blend with the pedestrians. Jinn decided to find Dil and learn what was happening from her. As they had no idea where to find her, Jinn believed that their best bet was to create a situation where she would find them herself. The two soon discovered that the woman they had heard people talking about in the cantina earlier was Dil, and Jaren was her husband. Jinn and Kenobi located the house Jaren lived in, but found that all entrances were being monitored by the Guardians. The two decided to wait, and soon workers returning from their shift crowded the streets. A woman and two little children approached the building Jaren inhabited. Jinn and Kenoibi then offered her to help with her bags and hold her children, thus appearing as members of the family to an outside observer. They entered the building and located Jaren in his apartment. When they asked him about Celia, he, not trusting the two, replied that he had not seen her. Jinn, introducing himself and Kenobi as Jedi, took Jaren's comlink and entered the codes for his own comlink. Telling Jaren that Celia could contact them if she needed help, the two left.[7]
Fortunately for the Jedi, the Guardians were preoccupied with finding Celia, so little effort was placed into tracking the two, and they did not have a hard time hiding until Celia contacted them, as Jinn had planned, and set up a meeting place. When they met her in person, Jinn told Celia about Nod's connection to the Jedi and promised to help her in any way he and Kenobi could. Celia then revealed that she had organized a mission to Delaluna with the purpose of infiltrating the moon's Ministry of Defense and Offense and stealing the plans for the Annihilator. If any weak spot to the weapon could be found, the citizens of Junction V would feel safer and would overthrow the oppressive Guardian regime. As they spent the night in Celia's safe house before embarking on a mission, Kenobi felt that they should contact the Council, but Jinn did not want them to know, having learned back from his training with Dooku that certain independence from the Council during a mission was sometimes necessary. The next day, Jinn, Kenobi, Celia, a security expert named Stephin and a weapons specialist named Aeran boarded a transport and used it to reach Delaluna.[7]
They entered the Ministry by showing their passes. Once inside, Celia, who had received the layout of the building from a sympathizer on Delaluna, led the group to the Weapons Development Wing, but her identification card did not work, although it was supposed to; the entrance to the wing was now protected by a retinal scan and a daily code. Stephin did not have the equipment, nor the time, necessary to crack the code, so Jinn came up with another plan. He hoped to use a computer to remotely access the files kept in the wing. The only one who possessed access to all files in the computer was the Ministry's director. However, an assistant set behind a desk near the director's office, and the team did not know whether the director himself was inside the office. Jinn then came up with a plan to lure them both out. Taking Kenobi with him, he went to the Internal Security Office. Finding a lone guard inside the office, Jinn introduced himself as a security consultant from Constant Industries, and Kenobi as a new employee, who had been assigned to take the guard's place. Confusing the guard, the Jedi managed to convince him that a security drill was about to take place, and the man activated it.[7]
Jinn and Kenobi then rejoined with the rest of the infiltration group, slipping into the director's office, while a stream of people exited it, having heard the alarm. Stephin utilized his computer skills to get into the director's files and looked for the information on the Annihilator. However, the only file he managed to find was labeled "misinformation"—the Annihilator did not exist, but Delaluna's officials took advantage of the rumor so that the weapon discouraged any potential enemies from attacking the moon. The fact that the Annihilator did not exist also meant that there was no need for the Guardians on Junction V. At that moment, the group was attacked by several security droids. The group fought back, with Jinn using the Force to incapacitate a security guard, and they slowly retreated from the office with the copied documents on the Annihilator and left the Ministry through an emergency exit, which was open because of the drill. The group successfully reached their ship, evading security patrols, and set off toward Junction V.[7]
While aboard the ship, they realized that the rumor of the Annihilator had been spread by Nod, since it appeared around the same time that he had come to power, and since the Guardians had benefited from that rumor the most. Ciran Ern, Junction V's president, was said to be Nod's puppet, so getting the information to him was useless. Therefore, Jinn decided that their best bet was to make the information public through the local communications system. However, the system was controlled from the main Guardian compound, and the only way for the group to get in was to get themselves arrested. The only member of the team who did not have a warrant on her head was Aeran, so she left them, promising to alert the local resistance to be on a lookout for a major announcement. The remaining four behaved themselves the same way Nod hoped they would; Celia and Stephin tried to reach Jaren in his home, while Jinn and Kenobi went to a known resistance meeting place.[7]
Soon enough, they all were arrested and escorted into the Guardian compound, although Jinn and Kenobi used the Force to prevent the guards from finding and confiscating their lightsabers. Once inside the compound, the Jedi used their weapons to cut a hole in the door of their cell, and the four proceeded to the communications center, hoping to patch into the feed when Nod would give an annual security update on the Annihilator, which would be broadcast throughout Junction V. When they broke into the communications office, and Stephin began working on the computers, an alarm was sounded, and the two Jedi had to fight against waves of security droids as Nod began his speech. Stephin successfully made it so that the records proving that the Annihilator did not exist were be shown on the screen during Nod's speech. When Stephin doubted that the people would believe the images alone, Kenobi, without consulting Jinn, ordered Stephin to leave the audio feed from the studio from which Nod was giving the speech online.[7]
Security guards started to come in, and Jinn instructed his Padawan to try not to kill anyone. As more and more guards appeared, and Nod continued lying about the Annihilator's destructive capabilities, the documents flashed on-screen. Nod started denying the information, claiming that it was a lie, but one of his guards noted that the documents had an official Delaluna seal. The guards attacking Jinn and Kenobi were distracted by the files and stopped fighting, and the two Jedi made their way to Nod's studio. The leader of the Guardians ordered his men to arrest the two, but his guards received an order from President Ern to arrest Nod; Nod's denial of the information on screen—which was clearly shown to be legitimate—had convinced Ern that Nod was lying. Once again Nod was captured by the Jedi and was returned to prison; Celia became a public hero; the Guardians were in disarray, and Ern promised to disband them altogether. As they prepared to leave Junction V, Jinn commended Kenobi on his decision to leave the audio feed online, which had ultimately helped expose Nod. The Jedi Master was convinced that the events on the planet had helped him and Kenobi to make the final step toward healing the rift in their relationships after the Melida/Daan affair.[7]
Guided by the Living Force[edit | edit source]
- "Obi-Wan, this universe is full of creatures who act without the slightest understanding of what drives them to do what they do. My actions are determined by the will of the Living Force. I fed that poor, little brute because he was hungry. I killed him because if I had let him kill me, I would no longer be able to do my work as a Jedi."
"You didn't kill him because you didn't want to die?"
"When the Force tells me the time has come for me to die, Obi-Wan, I will die willingly." - ―Jinn and Kenobi on Aurorua
Template:Talesstart One night, Jinn sensed fear inside his Padawan. When he asked what Kenobi feared, the latter replied that he was fearful of disappointing Jinn. Warning him of the dangers of attachment, Jinn told Kenobi a tale of ancient Jedi Master Shang-Troy Thanabo, who, while on a mission to find Force-sensitive recruits to the Jedi Order, discovered two twins powerful in the Force. Thanabo trained the two and became deeply attached to them. As the three of them explored the galaxy, the twins fell in love with a woman, but grew jealous of each other and engaged in a ferocious battle. When Thanabo tried to calm them, he was accidentally killed. The twins continued fighting, until their rage engulfed the entire planet in a blast of Force energy, and it became a star. Jinn explained Kenobi that because of incidents such as that one, the Jedi shunned attachment.[52] Template:Talesend
The same year, Jinn and Kenobi journeyed to the planet of Arorua, which was teeming with life. Once there, the two set up camp in a hut located under the roots of a large tree and went to explore the jungles separately. Jinn felt the call of the Living Force, which guided him toward a Moggonite named Mosko Bolpa, whom he rescued from a blagwahr snare. Jinn and Bolpa soon met with Kenobi, who had narrowly escaped from a squollyhawlk creature. Jinn and Kenobi brought Bolpa to their camp, fed him, and allowed him to rest his injured leg. Bolpa, however, behaved himself rude and ungrateful toward the Jedi, giving them orders and complaining about everything. Such behavior irritated Kenobi and he asked why Jinn had decided to bring the Moggonite in the first place, to which the Jedi Master replied that by helping him, they were helping the Living Force itself.[53]
In the middle of the night, Bolpa slipped away from the camp and returned with more of his kin to kill the Jedi and steal their belongings. Once awaken, Jinn and Kenobi activated their lightsabers and killed all the attackers. Certain that more Moggonites would follow, and unwilling to kill any more of them, Jinn and Kenobi set off to find a new place for a camp. As they walked, Kenobi asked why Jinn had treated Bolpa with such respect and then killed him without remorse. Jinn replied that he had been simply following the will of the Living Force, and that if Bolpa had killed him, he would have been unavailable to perform his duty as a Jedi, so he had to kill him instead. They soon approached a mountain, which they believed to be a suitable location for a camp.[53]
However, as Jinn and Kenobi approached it, they felt a sense of unease. They found a sacrificial altar to the silan, a giant creature believed to be mythical that lived in the mountain. Although Kenobi wanted to walk away, Jinn felt that Living Force was driving him forward, and he listened to it. He told Kenobi not to go with him, but his Padawan did not let him go alone and went with him. They soon entered the dark lair of the silan and were attacked by the creature. After a brief fight, the silan was dead. Later, while they were sitting at a campfire, Kenobi asked Jinn if taking the silan's life was right, because it felt wrong to him. Jinn replied that the will of the Living Force was beyond their understanding, and that he did not like killing the creature as well. He explained to Kenobi that the latter, as a Jedi, would be called to perform tasks he would rather not do, but he should not fear, as he was in the hands of a higher power, the Living Force itself.[53] At one point, Jinn told Kenobi about the centuries-old Jedi Master Fay, calling her beautiful and ageless.[54]
Meeting new friends[edit | edit source]
- "Many weapons can kill, but only the lightsaber can inspire such extremes of hope or fear. And I shall add that I will be forever glad that only Jedi carry lightsabers."
- ―Dexter Jettster
Using a transport ship on loan from the Galactic Senate, Jinn and Kenobi embarked on pilgrimage to the planet Ilum, where Kenobi was to find a focusing crystal for his lightsaber from one of the caverns. The last time Jinn had been inside that chamber was when he had trained Xanatos, so the place stirred some painful memories in him. Having found a suitable blue-colored Adegan crystal, Kenobi replaced his previous crystal—taken from a storage in the Jedi Temple—with it. While the Padawan reassembled his lightsaber, Jinn was distracted by his thoughts of Xanatos and forgot to speak ceremonial words about the importance of the crystal until Kenobi reminded him. Jinn then apologized to his Padawan for ruining the moment, and Kenobi accepted the apology. After Kenobi tested his new blade, Jinn's comlink came online; the two were assigned a new mission. Jinn and Kenobi were to go to the planet Ord Sigatt in the Outer Rim Territories, where a refinery ship and its crew had gone missing. The ship, the Hardy Harrow, was from the planet Denon and was owned by Denon-Ardru Mutual; it was supposed to pick up a shipment of carvanium from Ord Sigatt. When the ship did not arrive at the planet, the Denon Senator had notified the Jedi Council and requested help. Ord Sigatt Spaceport did not have anything to report on the missing ship, and no reports of pirate activity or space weather anomalies were recorded.[27]
Upon landing on the planet, the two Jedi were confronted by a pair of guards, who asked if the two carried any weapons. Using a mind trick, Jinn convinced the guards that he and Kenobi were unarmed traders. The two were cleared to go to the planet's streets. Once there, Jinn and Kenobi noticed that none of the people they saw carried any weapons, although the intelligence report on the planet did not say that weapons were prohibited. Spotting a bar nearby, Jinn went there, hoping to gather more information. When he returned, he watched as Kenobi drew his lightsaber in an attempt to defend a boy who was being assaulted by several guards, who, just like the ones at the spaceport, were employed by Denon-Ardru Mutual. When Kenobi used his lightsaber to destroy one of the guards' blasters, they recognized him as a Jedi and immediately surrendered without a fight, much to the delight of Ord Sigatt's population, since Denon-Ardru Mutual had overtaken the planet's government and had confiscated all weapons in the name of their law.[27]
The Hardy Harrow, revealed to merely have been an unmanned drone barge, had been stolen and its transponder removed by the four-armed Besalisk Dexter Jettster and several of his accomplices, who had been trying to fight back. Kenobi had discovered all that information from Jettster, who told him everything as soon as he realized that he was dealing with a Jedi. Kenobi, in turn, relayed that news to Jinn, although he withheld the information on Jettster's involvement in the theft, or him running blasters out of his bar. All of Denon-Ardru Mutual's guards surrendered and departed Ord Sigatt on the Hardy Harrow, although without the carvanium.[27]
The Senate and Jedi Council were not pleased with the Denon Senator, who had sent Jinn and his Padawan to reclaim an unmanned drone barge and who was revealed to be helping Denon-Ardru Mutual maintain their monopoly on the carvanium from Ord Sigatt. Jinn and Kenobi remained on Ord Sigatt for several more days to help return the local government to normal, spending a lot of time with Jettster. The two were deeply impressed by the Besalisk's intelligence and memory, as well as his outstanding cooking. During one of their meals together, Jettster told Kenobi that the true power of the lightsaber was not in its ability to cut almost through any material, but in the fact that merely the sight of a lightsaber could inspire great fear and awe in the enemy. Jinn and Kenobi soon left Ord Sigatt, although the friendship between Kenobi and Jettster would flourish in the years to come.[27]
A father's revenge[edit | edit source]
- "I believe I can help put some questions to rest."
"Ah, now will we hear what the Force told you, Qui-Gon?"
"No, you will hear Bruck Chun's own words. As I told you, I knew Xanatos well. He did not trust anyone, even those under his power. He would not have trusted Bruck. He would have made sure that the boy was under his complete control when he sent him back into the Temple to do his work. He would have access to all of Bruck Chun's conversations because he would plant a listening device in the one thing that a Jedi is never without." - ―Jinn proving Kenobi's innocence to Sano Sauro
During this time, Jinn also took sensory lessons from Tahl in order to improve his olfaction and other methods of perception, just like she did after she had been blinded.[51] He also learned that Tahl planned to take the young Bant Eerin as her Padawan. However, Tahl suddenly changed her mind and went on a solo mission on behalf of the Jedi Order, without providing Jinn with any details regarding her mission, which bothered the latter. Meanwhile, the father of the deceased Bruck Chun, Vox Chun, was pardoned for his crimes against the state of Telos. The man demanded to come to Coruscant to received a report on the death of his son. The Jedi Council granted Chun's request and informed Jinn and his Padawan about that decision, instructing Kenobi to be the one to relay the truth about Bruck's death to his distraught father.[15]
After the Council meeting was over and everyone, including Kenobi, left, except for Yoda, Jinn spoke his worries about doubts regarding Tahl to the Jedi Master. Yoda informed Jinn that Tahl had been dispatched to Centax-2, a satellite of Coruscant, where the Jedi Order was operating an experimental pilot program under the guide of another one of Jinn's friends, Clee Rhara. Rhara admonished that the Order should have an operational starfighter force and she used Centax 2 to repair old starfighters donated to her by the Senate and to train new Jedi pilots. The project had a lot of popular support among the Jedi, although the Jedi Council was split on the matter of its effectiveness and necessity. However, Rhara had recently reported that there had been many cases of mechanical failure of the starfighters, indicating potential sabotage, and Tahl had been dispatched to investigate. Deciding that the most courteous thing would be to meet Vox Chun personally when he arrived, Jinn and Kenobi went to meet the man at the Temple's landing pad, where they were surprised to discover that in an attempt to unsettle them, Vox also brought his second son, Kad, a splitting image of the late Bruck, as well as a mysterious man called Sano Sauro.[15]
Upon landing, Vox declined any polite offers of refreshments and discussion, instead demanding to be taken to the site of his son's death immediately. Upon arrival to the Room of a Thousand Fountains, the elder Chun and Sauro began interrogating Kenobi on the details of his duel with Bruck, asking who had drawn his lightsaber first and clearly insinuating that Kenobi had murdered Bruck in cold blood. Kenobi defended himself, saying that Bruck had been trying to kill Eerin on the orders of Xanatos and that he had tried to avoid killing Bruck during their fight. After Jinn handed Bruck's lightsaber to Vox, the man and his entourage left the Temple, leaving Kenobi emotionally drained due to having to remember the duel with Chun. In an attempt to ease his Padawan's mind, Jinn offered him to go help Tahl on Centax 2, much to Kenobi's delight, as he was excited at the prospect of meeting his friend Garen Muln, who had been a member of Rhara's program.[15]
Upon arrival at the starfighter base, Jinn met Tahl, who did not want to discuss anything regarding her decision to not take a Padawan, and she informed him that there had been rumors in the Senate that Rhara had been sabotaging the starships herself in order to prove that her project needed more funding and newer ships. Rhara denied the accusations, and she informed her friends that she had restricted the maintenance access to the starfighters to only two personnel members, who had had to pass strict Senate security checks. Still, even after those measures had come into effect, there was yet another accident. Jinn believed that one of the two crew members was the saboteurs, and he had an ally in the Senate who had forged his security pass, a theory which also explained the rumors accusing Rhara. Before Jinn could begin his investigation, he was contacted via comlink by Yoda, who informed him that Vox Chun had convinced the Senate to form a special committee to investigate Bruck's death, with Sano Sauro acting as the prosecutor trying to prove that Kenobi's actions were murder and not self-defense. Jinn and Kenobi had to return to Coruscant to act as witnesses at the hearing, alongside Eerin.[15]
The committee consisted of fifteen Senators and was led by Senator Pi T'Egal, a known friend of the Jedi. Jinn was the first witness called to answer the hearing, and he was questioned by Sauro regarding the events of the Temple. Despite Sauro's best efforts to present Bruck as the victim, Jinn honestly relayed the events surrounding Bruck's actions leading to his death. Eerin was the second witness interrogated by Sauro, who twisted her words and made her confess that she was not sure how close to death she had been before Kenobi arrived to rescue her. The committee then announced a recess, stating that the investigation would continue the next day. However, believing that there was nothing left for him to say to the Senators, and trusting Kenobi to handle the situation himself, Jinn decided to return to Tahl, arriving back at Centax 2.[15]
Jinn and Tahl went to the starfighter hangar to question the two suspects, the mechanics, the Twi'lek Haly Dura and the Human Tarrence Chenati. Since the last accident had occurred with the starfighter's ionization chamber, the two Jedi questioned the mechanics regarding it, but they claimed that they had checked the ionization chamber's status via a nearby control panel, and since it had showed that the system had been normal, they had not worked on it before the accident. After the interrogation, Tahl revealed to Jinn that she had smelled a strange industrial smell coming from Chenati. Returning to the hangar after the mechanics had left, they returned to the hangar, where Tahl used her increased sense of smell to inspect the various conductors and greases being stored there. Eventually, she matched a conductor called X-112 to the smell she had picked up earlier from Chenati. X-112's only purpose was as a conductor in the ionization chamber, which indicated that Chenati had been lying and that he had worked on the system that had malfunctioned.[15]
Deciding to check Chenati's credentials more closely, Jinn and Tahl used the base's computer system. At first, the man's dossier seemed impeccably clean, but then Tahl had an idea, and she checked the records of deceased people, discovering that the real Chenati had died more than twenty years ago and that the mechanic they had met was an impostor, a Senatorial agent known as a "no-name." Contacting his Padawan, Jinn informed Kenobi that he would be delayed on Centax 2 and might not make it to his trial. The next day, Jinn and Tahl informed Rhara of their suspicions, instructing her to keep the students and the other mechanic away from the hangar during Chenati's shift, while they tried to apprehend the impostor. However, Chenati had arrived at the hangar earlier, and as the two Jedi attempted to flank him, he noticed them and drew a blaster pistol, opening fire at them. Jinn's first instinct was to protect Tahl from blasterfire, much to the woman's dismay, who maintained that she did not require protection despite her blindness. Chenati then boarded a starfighter, starting it toward Tahl.
Instead of trying to stop Chenati, Jinn again went to protect Tahl, but she avoided the starfighter by herself as Chenati escaped from the base. Tahl then reprimanded Jinn for choosing to aid her and sacrificing the chance to stop their target. Tahl's droid, 2JTJ, then arrived at the hangar. During a conversation, Jinn remembered a listening device hidden inside the droid by Xanatos during the Jedi Temple sabotage. That drew Jinn to realization that Xanatos had mistrusted anyone, and he believed that Xanatos had placed a listening device inside Bruck's lightsaber to keep a close eye on him at all times. Arriving at the proceedings in the midst of Sauro's interrogation of his Padawan, Jinn puled the lightsaber from Vox Chun and extracted a small disc from it. The disc contained a recording of Bruck's sinister threats toward Eerin during his fight with Kenobi. That new evidence was enough for the Senators to declare Jinn's Padawan not guilty, although the Chun family was still dissatisfied with the outcome. Jinn and Eerin left the hearing room, leaving Kenobi, who was confronted by Kad, claiming that in his eyes Kenobi would always be a killer.[15]
The journey continues[edit | edit source]
A child missing[edit | edit source]
- "The mother is frightened."
"The father as well. He hides it slightly better."
"I am afraid that with every step we take, we violate the Council's wishes. We are interfering. We could make enemies here."
"A child is missing. Never mind that she is Force-sensitive. Her parents are obviously terrified. The situation has changed. And it is because of our presence. If we had not come, the child would be safe." - ―Adi Gallia and Qui-Gon Jinn, discussing the situation on Kegan
As part of Kenobi's training, Jinn, along with fellow Jedi Master Adi Gallia and her new Padawan Siri Tachi arranged a cooperative exercise at the Jedi Temple. The point of that exercise for the two Padawans was to open out and allow to read each other's intentions in order to defeat training droids. However, the teamwork between the two Padawans was hard to achieve, and they simply destroyed the droids each by themselves, thus failing the exercise. After the exercise, Yoda entered the training room, informing the four Jedi that the Order had received a summons from the remote Outer Rim planet Kegan. Parents who were thinking that their child was Force-sensitive asked the Order to send a Jedi to the planet to confirm that suspicion. Since Kegan was a planet cut off from the rest of the galaxy and its people did not welcome outsiders, the matter was very unusual and delicate. Seeing an opportunity to establish diplomatic ties with Kegan, the Order decided to send four Jedi on the mission. Jinn, Galia, and their Padawans were chosen as these four Jedi, much to Kenobi's dismay, who did not look forward to working with Tachi, believing her to be too self-centered and closed.[51]
After landing on Kegan, the Jedi were greeted by a man and a woman, who introduced themselves as V-Haad and O-Rina, the Hospitality Guides, assigned to introduce the visitors to the planet and its sole city. Another couple of Keganites was also present at the scene, V-Nen and O-Melie, the parents of O-Lana, the supposedly Force-sensitive child. The parents were strangely nervous, which did not escape the Jedi's eyes. The Hospitality Guides explained to Jinn and his companions that O-Lana was in V-Nen's and O-Melie's house and offered to transport the emissaries there. On their way to the pair's dwelling, V-Haad told the Jedi about Kegan's way of life. The planet was ruled by the Benevolent Guides, V-Tan and O-Vieve, who had been responsible for driving the planet into its isolationist state. The Benevolent Guides were aided by an Advising Circle in maintaining the General Good, a set of beliefs and principles that the Keganites adhered to. When the Jedi noted the absence of children in the city, their guides answered that on Kegan, children were sent to school at a very early age to study.[51]
Finally arriving at their destination, Jinn and Gallia requested the Hospitality Guides to allow them to see the child privately. However, the Guides insisted on staying, claiming that the child's parents had asked them to be present during the examination. V-Nen and O-Melie confirmed that, although they did so as if they had been forced to agree. Jinn did not trust the Hospitality Guides, noting that the very existence of such a position on a planet that did not welcome visitors was strange. He realized that he should not reveal his suspicions just yet, and so he allowed the Guides to stay. The child was being looked after by O-Yani, the child caregiver of that dwelling quad, a special position held by certain Keganites. The caregiver looked after the children assigned to them, so that the children's parents could work and have time for themselves. When the child was brought to the Jedi from her caregiver, Jinn noted that she was hungry and so she was brought back to O-Yani to be fed.[51]
The Jedi took this time to talk to O-Lana's parents and the Hospitality Guides. Jinn and Gallia tried to explain that in case O-Lana was truly Force-sensitive, she would require to be taken away to be cared by the Jedi, as her powers would make her special. However, V-Haad and O-Rina did not want to hear any of that, saying that all Keganites were equal and the very idea of someone being "special" conflicted with the teachings of the Benevolent Guides. Once again, V-Nen and O-Melie agreed with everything the guides said, although Jinn saw that they clearly did so against their will. After their conversation was finished, V-Haad and O-Rina offered to escort the Jedi to their assigned quarters, but Jinn requested to walk there instead with V-Nen and O-Melie in order to know each other better. The Hospitality Guides could not refuse their request, but they would walk there as well. When the Guides were not listening, Jinn told Kenobi and Tachi to deliberately wander off at the first opportunity, so that V-Nen and O-Melie would follow them and leave the Jedi Masters and the two parents alone. The Padawans were to use their time to discreetly gather more information about Kegan.[51]
Jinn was worried that Gallia might disapprove of his idea, since he suspected that Yoda had sent Gallia to monitor his tendency to act on the whim of the Force. However, Gallia did not object. While walking to their destination, Jinn asked why Keganites did not travel to other worlds, and the Guides replied that the Keganites had everything they needed and importing trade or sharing knowledge would be harmful to the General Way, a statement that Jinn found odd. As soon as they reached Kegan's marketplace, Jinn seized the moment to create a distraction by knocking over a tool rack, allowing Kenobi and Tachi to slip away in the confusion. Noticing the Padawan's absence, V-Haad and O-Rina insisted on finding them, although they evidently did not want to leave V-Nen and O-Melie alone. Before they left, the Hospitality Guides told O-Lana's parents to remain at the marketplace, with a hint of threat in their voice. As soon as the Guides left, the parents admitted that they had made a mistake by inviting Jedi and asked the two Masters to leave for their own safety. However, Jinn and Gallia asked V-Nen and O-Melie to go see O-Lana again and at least determine her Force-sensitivity, assuring them that the Jedi would take full responsibility before the Guides.[51]
When they arrived to pick up O-Lana from O-Yani, she told the four that the child had been taken away by the Medical Circle Guides for a supposedly routine check. The parents were worried, since O-Lana had just passed her check recently, and they had to be notified if their child was to be taken away. At that moment, the Hospitality Guides found them, scolding V-Nen and O-Melie for leaving the marketplace. As he had promised, Jinn took full responsibility for disobeying the Guides. V-Haad and O-Rina assured the frightened parents that they would put all effort into finding O-Lana. They also informed Jinn and Gallia that they had been unable to find their Padawans. Continuing on with their ruse, the two Masters lied that they had been unable to contact Kenobi and Tachi via comlinks either. Jinn then asked permission from the Hospitality Guides to search for the Padawans personally, knowing that the Guides could not decline and that they would be unable to monitor their activities.[51]
Having bought themselves the opportunity to explore Kegan freely, Jinn and Gallia left O-Lana's house. They tried to contact the Padawans, but this time, they received no answer for real. Thinking that the Padawans were simply unable to answer, Jinn decided to try to infiltrate the Medical Circle and access Kegan's records in order to find out more about O-Lana's disappearance. Once there, they again ran into V-Haad and O-Rina, who said that they had assigned another team to look for the missing child. However, Jinn managed to take advantage of the situation, forcing V-Haad and O-Rina to take him and Gallia to the Benevolent Guides themselves in order to ask permission to access Kegan's archives. Jinn and Gallia soon met with the Benevolent Guides, O-Vieve and V-Tan, at the Central Dwelling and tried to receive permission from them to search for Kenobi and Tachi. However, O-Vieve and V-Tan insisted that they should not worry and proceed to guest quarters at the Central Dwelling. O-Vieve assured Jinn that the Keganites would find the Padawans.[51]
Realizing that arguing with the Benevolent Guides would not do them any good, Jinn and Gallia left the audience chamber and instead tried to slip out of the Central Dwelling undetected and go talk to V-Nen and O-Melie again. Smelling food nearby, Jinn followed the smell to the kitchen, knowing that all kitchens had an exit necessary for waste disposal. Jinn's plan worked, and the Jedi soon met with V-Nen and O-Melie, only to hear that the V-Nen had to leave for work at the Communications Circle. However, Jinn noticed that O-Lana's parents were giving them signals through eye contact, and, as he saw a skyhopper buzzing overhead, the Jedi realized that the Keganites were being constantly monitored. V-Nen's mention of the Communications Circle was a hint to the Jedi, asking them to come there. Jinn and Gallia did just that, and met V-Nen and O-Melie there, in a safe room, where anti-surveillance equipment had been installed. O-Lana's parents were finally able to explain the entire situation to the Jedi. The speeders Jinn saw flying overhead were unmanned auto-hopper vehicles equipped with audio and visual surveillance devices. Also, transmitters were installed inside the Keganites' homes, linked directly to the speeders.[51]
The planet's population was living under constant monitoring, a result of an originally anti-crime measurement. It all started due to the fact that V-Tan and O-Vieve were known to have prophetic visions, many of which came true. In one of those visions, O-Vieve saw the Jedi, claiming that an evil force would engulf those close to them. The Benevolent Guides also said that Kegan would be destroyed should one Keganite leave the planet. Once Kegan isolated itself and ceased any trade, the planet switched to a bartering economy. Petty theft soon erupted, so the Benevolent Guides offered to implement the surveillance speeders as a way to fight crime. The notion was implemented, but in time, the speeders evolved into a means of controlling the entire population. Despite the Hospitality Guides' earlier claims that every citizen of Kegan had a right to vote on any matter, V-Nen explained that the Benevolent Ones were the ones who decided the subject of the vote, so Kegan had only an illusion of democracy.[51]
Fighting deception[edit | edit source]
- "This world was a puzzle to me. I still don't understand how an entire planet could place its trust so blindly in visions and dreams."
"I'm not surprised. All living beings find comfort in a truth that makes their lives easier to bear. Here on Kegan the people did not have the strife or hunger that we've seen on other planets. Why should the people question a system that brought them ease and comfort?"
"But their freedom was an illusion."
" We do not know if 0-Vieve and V-Tan's visions were wrong, Padawan. O-Vieve's vision of the future was clouded, but that doesn't make it invalid. Perhaps she just misinterpreted what she saw." - ―Kenobi and Jinn, as they prepare to leave Kegan
V-Nen and O-Melia were a part of the anti-isolationist group, a faction of Keganites that opposed the Benevolent Ones' rule and believed that isolation was bad for the planet. The surveillance, however, made it hard for the members of the group to communicate freely, as those who asked why the could not travel beyond Kegan were punished by being sent to dangerous jobs, and otherwise being treated unfairly. Doubting the Benevolent Guides' visions, V-Nen and O-Melie decided to contact the Jedi, wanting what was best for their daughter. V-Nen and O-Melie—who asked the Jedi to call them Nen and Melie, since the Jedi's fates were now twined with theirs—expressed their concern that Lana might have been taken to the Learning Circle, where all the Keganite children were taken from the streets. Upon hearing that, Jinn started to suspect that his and Gallia's Padawans might have been taken to the Learning Circle as well.[51]
Jinn was intent on helping Nen and Melie in finding their daughter, as well as the two lost Padawans. He realized that in order to do that, the monitoring speeders had to be disabled first. The Jedi Master knew that auto-hoppers were controlled by a Central instruction processor, or CIP. Nen and Melie confirmed that, saying that the CIP was located in a guarded building nearby. Jinn planned to go and disable the CIP immediately, thus forcing the speeders to be recalled for repairs and buying some free movement and speech for both the Jedi and the anti-isolationists. Gallia initially objected to Jinn's plan, believing that it went against the Jedi Council's non-interference policy, but she eventually agreed with his plan. The two infiltrated the CIP building by using a mind trick on a security guard so that he would let them in. Once there, Gallia reprogrammed the auto-hoppers, directing them back to landing sites and effectively shutting down all surveillance for a few hours.[51]
As Jinn prepared to leave the building, he noticed a door marked "central instruction file records." The Jedi decided to take a look, discovering recorded files on every citizen of Kegan, as well as the mention of a Re-Learning Circle. Strangely enough, there was no record on Lana, as though she did not exist. Returning to Melie and Nen's dwelling, they tried to find out if the two knew anything about the Re-Learning Circle. They did not know anything beyond the fact that it was some sort of training facility where children were taken to and never heard from again. At that moment, O-Yani, the caregiver, entered the house. Six years ago, her son, V-Onin, had been taken to the Re-Learning circle. O-Yani did not know where it was located, but she had a parting gift from her son, a wildflower, sent to her soon after the boy was taken. Melie identified the bloom, which grew only on the highest plateau of Kegan, which was where the Re-Learning center must have been located. As Jinn and Gallia prepared to depart for the plateau, however, six Enforcement Guides entered the dwelling, arresting the Jedi on the charges of mind control of Nen and Melie.[51]
Jinn and Gallia were brought before Judgment Guides and were informed that they were to be departed from Kegan. Once they were escorted to their ship, whose weaponry and defense systems had been disabled, the Benevolent Guides appeared to tell the Jedi that no harm were to be done to them. When Jinn asked O-Vieve what would happen to the Padawans, she replied that they had been taken during the Truant Sweep and were held at the Learning Circle. She assured Jinn that the Padawans would be safely delivered to Coruscant. Not content with that, Jinn promised to return with an investigative force to retrieve the Padawans. In response, O-Vieve told Jinn why Kegan was living in isolation. She and V-Tan had seen a vision of a great evil that would invade Kegan. That evil would somehow spread from the ranks of the Jedi and would possess an army of masked soldiers and a device capable of destroying entire worlds.[51]
O-Vieve once again told Jinn that he would see his Padawan only after the Keganites sent him away. She then ordered Jinn and Gallia to leave, threatening to shoot down their ship should they remain in Kegan's atmosphere. The Jedi soon took off, escorted by four starfighters. Noticing that the starfighters were fairly old, Gallia decided to try to outmaneuver them. She threw the Jedi's ship in a series of loops and maneuvers. The fighters attempted to pursue, but soon one fighter spiraled out of control, the second one was damaged by friendly fire, while Gallia managed to lose the remaining two. Jinn commended Gallia, wondering if Yoda had sent her because of her flying skills and not to keep an eye on him and Kenobi. Gallia replied that Yoda never asked her to watch over Jinn. The joint mission was meant to teach Tachi cooperation.[51]
Gallia landed the ship at the high plateau, where they noticed a large compound, the Learning Circle. After looking through every building as well as checking with the Force and finding nothing, Jinn and Gallia believed that the Padawans had been relocated. The Masters decided to come back to Nen and Melie and see if they had made any progress. As they turned to leave, however, Jinn felt his Padawan's presence nearby, despite the fact that all he could see was a field of grain. Jinn realized that Kenobi was being kept underground. Before he could do anything, he and Gallia were attacked by a number of Security Guides. The two Jedi drove the attackers into a nearby utility shed and locked them inside. They then proceeded to look for an entrance to the underground compound and, soon enough, found it.
Jinn and Gallia raced down a ramp inside the facility—the infamous Re-Learning Circle—just in time to see Kenobi and Tachi under attack by more Security Guides. The Padawans had purposefully disobeyed their teachers at the Learning Circle in order to be taken to the Re-Learning Circle and save their newfound friend V-Davi, who had been reassigned there earlier. Once there, the Padawans liberated V-Davi and found O-Lana as well and were now trying to escape. Jinn and Gallia quickly defeated the guards and were finally reunited with their Padawans. The Keganites soon found out about the Re-Learning Circle's cruel methods of discipline. There, children were hidden away and were put in solitary confinement either due to disobedience or having a chronic ailment. They were then taught wildly inaccurate facts about the galaxy, portraying it as outright dangerous and evil, in order to cultivate strictly xenophobic mindset. The entire population of Kegan revolted against such methods; V-Tan and O-Vieve were voted out as Benevolent Guides; the Learning and the Re-Learning Circles were closed; a new ruling council was appointed; and it was decided to send an envoy to the Galactic Senate.[51]
In the meantime, the Keganites would request medical and scientific advisors to the planet to bring it up to date with the latest discoveries. Nen and Melie decided that it was best for Lana to be trained as a Jedi, while the orphaned Davi would stay as their newfound son. Lana's parents thanked the Jedi for restoring justice to their planet. As Jinn and his companions prepared to leave, Kenobi expressed his confusion as to how an entire world could blindly trust visions and prophecies. Jinn replied, however, that perhaps O-Vieve's visions had some grain of truth in them, and she only misinterpreted them. As the sun came up, Jinn was blinded for a moment, after which he saw Kenobi's features dissolve and twist into that of a lone old man standing on a desolate planet. At first he thought that he saw a vision of himself in the future, but then he realized that perhaps the old man was Kenobi. Before Jinn could come to a conclusion, the vision was already gone. Promising each other that should they indeed face evil and darkness ahead they would fight it together, Jinn and Kenobi left Kegan, along with Gallia, Tachi, and the new Jedi Initiate, Lana,[51] who would eventually change her name to "Olana Chion" to distance herself from the naming customs of her planet.[55]
Arrival on Rutan[edit | edit source]
- "It's an interesting solution to the problem of maintaining peace between two old enemies. The thinking is that the leader of each world will not attack a planet where his or her child is residing. But the plan has a flaw that the rulers didn't take into account."
"What is that?"
"Feelings. Loyalties are formed in your heart, not born in you. Emotion can't be ruled. Both leaders thought that if their children were with them for their first seven years, that would ensure their loyalty. But one can be loyal to one's home planet and yet want a different life."
"Like Prince Leed. He has lived on Senali for almost ten years. He does not want to return to Rutan."
"Or at least Leed claims he wants to stay on Senali That's what we're here to find out. His father believes the Senali are forcing him to stay. That's why the Senate fears that the two worlds will go to war again." - ―Jinn and Kenobi, discussing the treaty between Rutan and Senali
Some time later, Jinn and his Padawan were dispatched by the Jedi Council on another assignment to the planet Rutan and its orbiting satellite, Senali. Senali had originally been Rutan's colony for many years, but after a long and difficult war with Rutan—surprisingly won by Senali—it had gained independence. Since the war had been so devastating to both planets, a unique peace treaty was agreed upon. Upon reaching seven years of age, the firstborn children of the rulers of both Rutan and Senali were exchanged between the ruling families. There, the child would be raised until the age of sixteen, then brought back to their home planet, while another member of the ruling family took his place, until another generation was be born. The idea behind the peace treaty was simple. The leaders of both planets would not dare to attack the other faction knowing that their child was being kept there. However, Prince Leed, the son of the Rutanian King Frane, had been living on Senali for ten years and had no desire to come back to his home planet. Thinking that his son was being forced to stay by the Senali, Frane requested assistance from the Jedi Order, lest the two planets would once again engage in a war.[56]
Jinn and Kenobi traveled to Rutan on a battered starship on loan from the Senate. Having finally reached the planet after a three-day journey, they noticed that they did not have enough fuel to make it to the royal landing palace, they decided to land at the King's royal grounds on the outskirts of the capital city of Testa, certain that Frane would refuel the ship so they could fly it to the landing platform later. After landing, Jinn and Kenobi took their survival packs and prepared to walk to Frane's palace. However, as soon as they stepped out of the starship, Jinn felt the ground beneath his feet trembling. They soon saw that this was caused by a herd of animals, the kudana, going on a stampede. Looking at the sky, the two Jedi noticed several seeker droids, which were pursuing the kudana.[56]
They realized had landed right in the middle of a hunt, which was a popular sport on Rutan, with a competition being held every year for the title of the planet's best hunter. King Frane always ended up first at the competition. Knowing that they were now being targeted by the droids as well, Jinn and his Padawan decided to flee along with the kudana, using the Force to connect to their minds. The two Jedi then leaped onto the kudana and swung their lightsabers, destroying the seeker droids. Jinn and Kenobi then dismounted the creatures, and the animals calmed down and walked away, leaving the Jedi standing alone. Soon, the two Jedi were confronted by a group of Rutanians riding the hud creatures and led by King Frane himself. Frane was furious at the Jedi for scaring away the kudana herd and even threatened to sent them away and declare war on Senali. However, Jinn reminded him that seeker droids had been outlawed on Rutan so as to provide equal chances in the hunt for the entire population.[56]
Impressed by the fact that Jinn so bluntly exposed his cheating, the King calmed down and invited the Jedi to his palace to discuss the situation with his son. Inside the palace, Jinn and Kenobi met Frane's younger son, Taroon. Not believing the sincerity of the holocomm he had received from Leed, Frane accused the Senali King, Meenon, of coercing his son to stay either by threatening or brainwashing him. In response, Frane had imprisoned Meenon's daughter, Yaana, on Rutan. As the next step, he saw no further choice but to declare war on the neighboring planet, but Jinn convinced him to let the Jedi meet with Leed and learn everything from him firsthand. During their conversation, Jinn could not help to notice that Frane spoke so highly of Leed, but seemed to pay no attention to Taroon.[56]
Jinn promised to try his best to convince Leed to go back, but he warned Frane that he would not try to force him to stay on Rutan against his will. Frane wanted to send Taroon with the Jedi to Senali in order to deliver a threat of war and to take Leed's place once the elder son returned home. Jinn wanted to take Taroon with them anyway, thinking that the brotherly affection would help them find common ground in the situation. He used the situation to his advantage, however, seemingly protesting against taking Taroon with them and agreeing only on the condition that Frane would release Yaana. Once the agreement was secured, Jinn, Kenobi, and Taroon departed for Senali.[56]
The prodigal son[edit | edit source]
- "I am Qui-Gon Jinn and this is Obi-Wan Kenobi. We are here to ensure that you are not being forced to remain or manipulated."
- ―Jinn introduces himself to Leed
Once they landed on the planet, the trio were greeted by Meenon himself, who informed them that they would be unable to meet Leed, as the boy had gone into hiding, not wanting to be taken to Rutan against his will. Jinn then decided to search for the boy, asking Meenon to allow them to see the family that had brought Leed up. Meenon directed the Jedi and Taroon to his sister's clan, the Banoosh-Walores, who lived in the main city of Senali, built on floating docks and platforms on the Clear Lake nearby. Once they reached the Banoosh-Walores' dwelling, Jinn and his two young companions were introduced to Meenon's sister, Ganeed, and her large family living there. Ganeed explained that they had no idea where Leed was, as he had left them a note saying that it would be better if the clan did not know his whereabouts. When Jinn tried to learn something about Leed's favorite occupations so as to find some clues where he might have gone, he was presented with a variety of conflicting information.[56]
Ganeed's sons, Hinen, Jaret and Tinta, claimed that Leed loved swimming and sailing. Jaret's wife, Mesan, reminded everyone that Leed liked to go to the forest, although the rest of the family could not remember if he went there only in spring or summer. At the same time, Ganeed's husband, Garth, suggested that Leed could have gone back to Rutan by himself. Finally, when the Jedi asked Ganeed's daughter, Drenna, who was the closet age to Leed, everyone else started hurrying to set the table and start eating. Jinn found that behavior odd, and believed that the entire family and Drenna in particular knew more than they were telling them and were simply trying to confuse the Jedi. Jinn, his Padawan, and Taroon left the clan and waited nearby. Soon, Drenna came out, and Jinn decided to follow her, thinking that she might lead them to Leed. They followed the girl all the way out of the floating city and into the mainland, but Drenna realized that she was being followed and tried to lose Jinn and his companions. However, Jinn used the Force to keep up with the girl.[56]
They soon found themselves in a cove with a curving beach, in an area surrounded by sheer cliffs. Soon enough, they lost sight of Drenna as she disappeared behind the curve. At that point, Jinn noticed that the surrounding waters were churning—a tide was coming, and Senali was notorious for its deadly tides. Waves thundered against the cliff wall, threatening to smash them against the rocks; they had been led into a trap by Drenna. If Jinn, Kenobi, and Taroon tried to run back they would be trapped. Therefore, Jinn decided to run to the far end of the cove and swim the rest of the way when the water would catch up to them. However, Taroon could not swim, since, as most of the Rutanians, he disrespected the Senali, considering them primitive savages. Since Senali was mostly covered in water, and the Senali were so closely tied to it, the prejudice stretched to swimming as well.[56]
As such, Jinn had to change his plans. Scanning the cliff near them with electrobinoculars, he noticed a tiny fissure in the rock above, just enough for his and Kenobi's cable launchers to find purchase. They propelled themselves up with the launchers, hoping that the water would not reach them. However, the tide moved up to them quickly, and they could not climb higher. The three were unexpectedly saved when another cable was shot down from above and someone asked them to grab it. Having been brought to the top of the cliff via the cable, Jinn, Kenobi and Taroon were surprised to find that their savior was none other than Leed. Leed apologized for Drenna, saying that she did not mean to kill the Jedi and Taroon and was only trying to protect him.[56]
Jinn sensed Drenna nearby and was not surprised when she emerged from the shadows of overgrown tress nearby. She said that now that the Jedi had witnessed that Leed was not being kept on Senali against his will, they could leave. However, Jinn asked Leed to come to Rutan and tell his father that he would not go back personally. Leed refused, afraid that Frane would force him to stay on Rutan. Jinn replied that they would not leave Senali without Leed either, so the Prince had no choice but to take them to his shelter, located across the sea, not far away from the Nali-Erun clan. When Jinn tried to talk to Leed, the boy explained that he had found himself on Senali, feeling that Rutan was no longer his home. His father refused to understand that, so he stopped all communication with him. Taroon was angered by such words coming from his brother. In his opinion there was nothing on Senali worth staying for.[56]
Taroon thought that Leed had abandoned his home planet in favor of strangers. The brothers had a tense argument regarding their views, with Taroon deciding that he would not stay in Leed's place even if the latter did decide to come back. When Jinn asked his Padawan later that night what he thought personally of Leed's decision, Kenobi evaded the question, but Jinn chose not to push the matter. In the morning, Leed told his guests that he was out of food, and Drenna explained to them that according to Senali customs, they would have to procure food for themselves and go fishing together with Leed. Taroon was hesitant, due to him not being able to swim, but Drenna promised to teach him. Taroon made fast progress in his learning, and after successfully catching some fish, the five had a meal.[56]
After finishing it, they discovered that they had more than enough fish left, so Leed and Drenna decided to share it with the Nali-Erun clan, who had been struggling to find food for some time due to having a rivalry with the Homd-Resa clan that controlled the surrounding seas. At the end of the day, Taroon's hatred toward the Senali seemingly started to fade away. He apologized before his brother for his words and promised that he would not oppose Leed's decision to stay. Leed, in turn, agreed to come back to Rutan to speak to his father in person. Taroon then agreed to take Leed's place on Senali until the latter returned. Although the mission seemed to have been resolved, Jinn was still wary as the group went to sleep. Jinn's suspicions proved right when the Jedi were waken up in the middle of the night by the sounds of the rippling water. The Jedi witnessed a group of Senalis paddling a boat away, carrying a bound and gagged Leed.[56]
Mediators[edit | edit source]
- "I think calm is called for, as hard as it is to find it. Neither Senali nor Rutan wants a war."
- ―Qui-Gon Jinn, trying to diffuse the heated tensions between Rutan and Senali
Following the kidnapping, Taroon and Drenna accused each other for having orchestrated it. Taroon, once again filled with anger at the Senali, claimed that the kidnapping was a ruse, while the Senali were hiding Leed. Drenna responded by saying that the Prince could have been kidnapped by King Frane's men and brought back to Rutan. Jinn also tried to find out why the Senali would kidnap Leed, and Drenna revealed that some groups on the planet were against the idea of Leed staying permanently among them. Taroon insisted on contacting his father immediately and informing him of what had happened. Jinn, though hesitantly, agreed to do so. Angered, Frane ordered Taroon to return home immediately and issued an ultimatum. If the Jedi did not find Leed within the next twelve hours, he would declare war and invade Senali in order to search for the Prince personally. In the wake of this news, Jinn and Kenobi opted to inform Meenon of Frane's threats and went to his residence.[56]
However, the Senali King was already aware of the situation, and was intent on fighting for his world if needed, especially considering that Yaana was still on Rutan. Jinn convinced the King to give them some time to try to find Leed, free Yaana, and avert the conflict. Meenon agreed and informed Jedi of a group that could have been behind the invasion, the Ghost Ones, a recently emerged nomadic clan that had no single camp. When Jinn asked for a tracker to help them find the Ghost Ones, Meenon responded that Drenna was the best tracker they could hope for. Upon returning to their camp, Jinn and Kenobi found that Drenna was gone, and Taroon informed them that she had slipped away shortly after the Jedi had left to meet with Meenon. The three soon spotted her swimming in the distance, trying to follow the trail of Leed's captors. Asking Taroon to go back to Rutan in accordance with his father's demands, Jinn and Kenobi then donned their breathing apparatus and followed Drenna, eventually catching up to her.[56]
Drenna explained that she was using the rocshore fish in tracking down the boat that carried Leed away; the rocshore were easily scared and buried themselves in the sand for some time after a boat passed overhead. Drenna, knowing where to look, was following the mounds. Drenna led the Jedi to a small island, believing that the kidnappers were there. On the island, the three indeed found Leed, tied to a tree branch, while his kidnappers were sleeping, nested in the tree branches. The Jedi and Drenna tried to move silently and free Leed, but the kidnappers woke up and sounded an alarm. Armed with dart shooters, they attacked the trio, but the Jedi managed to free Leed and capture the attackers underneath a boat. Leed informed the Jedi that he did not know who the kidnappers were, as they did not speak to him. Jinn, however, noticed that among their equipment were breathing tubes, something the Senali did not need to use, as well as seeker droids with Rutanian royal crest embedded on them. Also, the group's skin was smeared the clay, possibly hiding the fact that they did not have tiny scales that were exclusive to the aquatic Senali.[56]
Thus, Jinn came to a conclusion that the kidnappers were Rutanian, although he did not share his discovery with his Padawan yet. Realizing that they needed to act quickly, before the infuriated Taroon expressed his theory that Leed's kidnapping was a ruse to Frane, the four rushed to the main city and boarded the Jedi transport. Jinn informed both Meenon and Frane that Leed was safe, but the latter still demanded to see his son in person. Jinn, Kenobi, Leed, and Drenna arrived on Rutan. Although Leed informed Frane that he had decided to stay on Senali on his own free will, the King still did not believe him. He insisted on Leed staying on Rutan and eventually fulfilling his destiny as the new king. Although Leed proposed that Taroon become the new King, Frane did not agree, refusing to uphold his bargain with Jinn and release Yaana. He threatened to keep Meenon's daughter imprisoned unless Leed started his royal training. Jinn realized that the only way to settle the situation was to release Yaana and thus remove her as Frane's bargaining chip.[56]
Fortunately for the Jedi, Leed knew where the girl was being held. Although Kenobi was hesitant to intervene, Jinn believed that rescuing the hostage was right, especially since the Prince was on their side. Leed explained to the Jedi that last year, when he was on vacation on his home planet and told Frane about his intention to stay on Senali, his father imprisoned him for a day as punishment. That day, a bird flew into the facility, tipping its sensors to falsely inform the guards of a massive breakout. The sensor system had to be shut down until the bird was caught. As Leed was being released, he noticed that when the guards changed shifts, they removed their weapons belts in the weapons supply room, where the new guards put on their weapons belts. When the sensor system was shut down, however, the weapons supply room went on automatic lock down, a precaution against a real breakout. If the Jedi could replicate the bird intrusion and force a sensor system shutdown during the guard shift changeover, they would have to deal with only a limited number of guards with no access to additional weaponry.[56]
Instead of the bird, however, Leed planned to use Drenna's talent with a dart shooter that fired small, almost untraceable darts. Once inside the prison, Drenna would use it to shoot darts at the sensors, triggering the alarm. In order to get inside the prison, Jinn formulated a plan to get the group arrested. Leed split off from them, going straight toward the prison under the pretense of doing an inspection. Meanwhile, Jinn, Kenobi, and Drenna went to a park in the middle of Testa and started cooking food and placing a survival tent, in defiance of the planet's laws against cooking outdoors. Two guards soon came up to them, but they did not want to prolong their work day by arresting the three. Therefore, Jinn had to use the Force to suggest the guards to take them to the prison.[56]
Using another mind trick, Jinn prevented the guards from confiscating either the Jedi's lightsaber or Drenna's dart shooter. Once inside the prison on the charges of loitering, the three were taken to a cell. On their way there, Drenna, pretending to cough, fired her dart shooter at the motion sensors to trigger the alarm. After the three were locked inside their cell, Leed, who performed his fake inspection, ordered the guards to shut down the sensor system so as not to infuriate Frane. Just as planned, the shutdown came at the moment when the guards changed their shifts. Using their lightsabers, Jinn and Kenobi cut their way out of their cell. Along with Drenna, they reached Yaane's cell, guarded by a lone guard, who was promptly disabled by a shot from the dart shooter. Having released Yaana, Jinn and his companions escaped the prison, using a mind trick to convince the guard at the exit checkpoint to let them go.[56]
Making peace[edit | edit source]
- "Well, there won't be a war. I'm sorry for Leed. But at least the planets remain peaceful."
"You are wrong, Obi-Wan. The mission is not over. And I fear the two worlds are closer to war than ever." - ―Kenobi and Jinn, following Leed's decision to remain on his home planet
Reuniting with Leed, Jinn and his companions hurried through the streets of Testa to the Jedi transport, but once there, they came under fire from a group of attackers. Jinn, Kenobi, and Drenna quickly destroyed several guard droids that fired at them, but their starship was destroyed in the firefight, and they were ultimately cornered by Frane and his royal guards along with several nek battle dogs. Jinn did not want to let Frane to have Yaana imprisoned again, but the King was intent on doing whatever he wanted. Seeing that he had no choice, Leed finally submitted to his father's wishes and agreed to stay on Rutan. Still, Frane wanted to keep Yaana as leverage against Meenon. Drenna then offered to stay in place of Yanna, since Meenon's condition to avoid war was the return of his daughter. The Rutanian King agreed to let Drenna take Yanna's place, after hearing that she was Meenon's niece, and assured that even though she would be kept under close control, she would not be imprisoned.[56]
Finally, Taroon was to take Leed's place on Senali. With that, Frane—having noted Drenna's hunting skills—assigned the girl to his hunting lodge, while he departed along with Leed on a hunt. Jinn once again asked about Kenobi's thoughts on the situation, and the Padawan confessed that he sympathized with Leed's cause, but he changed his mind after hearing Frane's arguments. Kenobi did not want to reveal his thoughts, afraid that they would remind Jinn of Kenobi's decision to stay on Melida/Daan and leave the Jedi, and that the Jedi Master would start questioning Kenobi's loyalty to him. Although Kenobi believed that their mission was over, although not the way he wanted it to end, Jinn was convinced that their work was not done, telling Kenobi about his discovery regarding the true nature of Leed's kidnappers. Having recently heard from Frane that Taroon was the keeper of the King's supply of seeker droids, and remembering the seeker droids among the kidnappers' supplies, Jinn concluded that Taroon was behind his brother's kidnapping on Senali. After Yaana was sent back home, the Jedi Master decided to talk to Taroon, believing that the latter must have found a reason to stall his departure to Senali.[56]
Jinn and Kenobi indeed found Taroon in the Royal School of Leadership's tech room, claiming to have been packing some equipment needed for his trip to Senali. After being questioned by the Jedi, however, Taroon admitted to having been behind the kidnapping in order to punish his brother for what Taroon believed to be a betrayal. Hiring some of his Rutanian friends, he arranged for their passage to Senali, where they sewn disorder and established their identity as the "Ghost Ones." Once Leed was kidnapped, Taroon arranged for an attack on Rutan and planted evidence that would point to Leed both being the leader of the Ghost Ones and the instigator of the attack. That would lead to Leed both being banished from Rutan and being unwelcome on Senali any longer. In turn, Taroon would become the next King. Taroon revealed that the attack would be carried out by reprogrammed seeker droids during Frane's hunt. Instead of tracking the kudana, the droids were to home in on the nek battle dog kennels and blow up, killing the dogs.[56]
Taroon believed that the attack would be purely symbolic, as no person would be hurt, and Frane would not declare war on the Senali. However, Jinn—having saw the attraction Taroon had developed to Drenna on Senali—informed him of the girl's assignment to the hunting lodge, which was located near the nek kennels. Terrified at the prospect of Drenna being hurt by the explosions, Taroon realized the errors of his ways and departed along with the Jedi to undo what he had set in motion and save Drenna. Using Taroon's transport, the three reached the lodge, only to see Drenna approaching the nek kennels as the seeker droid approached. Warning the girl of the danger, Jinn and Kenobi leaped into action, destroying the droids one by one with their lightsabers, since the droids were programmed not to emit the full explosion unless they hit the ground. Drenna, quick to react, assisted in the destruction of the droids by using her crossbow. After the droids were dealt with, Taroon confessed of his scheme to discredit Leed to Frane, telling his father that he wanted to rule the planet.[56]
Frane, impressed by Taroon's cunning and ingenuity, agreed to let him become one and allowed Leed to return to Senali. Jinn and Kenobi, using a starship gifted to them by Frane in replacement for the one his men had destroyed, brought Leed to Senali. There, Kenobi told Jinn that after spending the entire mission in a state of confusion regarding his thoughts on Leed's decision, he had finally made up his mind. Kenobi was now certain that Leed's place was on Senali, although he was still pained by the memory of his decision to leave the Jedi Order. Jinn comforted his Padawan, telling him that he should put the Melida/Daan affair behind. Jinn explained that that mission was just part of the learning process that taught Jinn as much as it taught Kenobi, and led the Jedi Master to expand his own ideas.[56]
The Stark crisis[edit | edit source]
- "You! You laid hands upon my person! What do you mean in doing this?"
"Saving your life. Something evidently pleasing to neither of us, but necessary. Do exactly as I tell you and you may live a little longer." - ―Nute Gunray and Jinn, on whose shoulders fell the unfortunate task of protecting the former during the Stark Hyperspace War
That year, an opening became available on the Jedi Council. Some, such as Jinn's friend, Kel Dor Jedi Master Plo Koon thought Jinn worthy of taking the seat, but Tyvokka, a respected Wookiee Council member strongly opposed Jinn's candidature because of his rebellious nature. Instead, Tyvokka recommended Koon himself, his former apprentice, for the Council. However, Koon did manage to convince his former Master to take Jinn and Kenobi with them on a mission to the planet Troiken in the Qotile system. There, a meeting was to take place between Stark Commercial Combine, a pirate organization led by Iaco Stark, and the Trade Federation.[57]
Stark had been attacking supply convoys and selling the stolen goods at a price lower than the Trade Federation demanded. When a processing plant for the alazhi bacterium on the planet Thyferra exploded, a galaxy-wide shortage of bacta occurred, since alazhi was crucial in the production of bacta and was principally found only on Thyferra. In the light of that development, Stark began attacking Federation supply ships carrying bacta. In response, the Federation requested the Republic to allow them to increase its battle droid army. Ranulph Tarkin, senator from the planet Eriadu, proposed to create a central Republic military force, but Senator Finis Valorum opposed that idea, believing the very idea of a central army to go against Republic's principles.[57]
The summit at Troiken was supposed to take place between Stark, Nute Gunray, the Neimoidian representative of the Trade Federation, and Senator Valorum, and was aimed at resolving those differences and finding a peaceful solution to the crisis. Jinn, Kenobi, Tyvokka, Koon and Adi Gallia, who was a friend of Valorum's and served as his advisor, were all present on Troiken as mediators. Stark made the other sides wait for his arrival, until finally entering the negotiations room with a large entourage, who took Jinn and the others at blaster point. Kenobi reached for his lightsaber, but Jinn told him to wait for a signal from Tyvokka. Stark explained that his spies had told him that the meeting was in fact a trap meant to destroy the Combine. A Republic fleet under the command of Tarkin, carrying a number of soldiers, was on its way to Troiken.[57]
Valorum tried to explain to Stark that Tarkin was acting without Republic authorization, but Stark replied that the signal to attack had come from the room they were in. Unbeknownst to the others, it was Gunray who had sent the signal, since he was in league with Tarkin, as the latter had promised him to deal with Stark. However, Stark revealed that he had attached a navcomputer virus to the signal, and Tarkin's fleet found themselves scattered. Some ships emerged from hyperspace in the middle of a planet or a star, others fell into a black hole or returned to normal space far from the intended location.[57] Only a third of the ships, including Tarkin's flagship, the Consular-class cruiser Invincible,[58] reached Troiken, but they were ambushed there by Stark's fleet. With that revelation, Stark demanded all other parties to surrender. Tyvokka realized that Stark had planned his gambit long before he learned of Tarkin's trap. The Wookiee Jedi Master then literally turned the tables on Stark and his men, and a fight ensued. Tyvokka told Kenobi to protect Gunray and ordered Gallia to watch over Valorum, while he and Koon fought Stark's men.[57]
Jinn joined his Padawan in defending the Trade Federation representative, telling his Padawan not to use excessive force on the pirates. Jinn then asked Gunray to activate his escort of HKB-3 hunter-killer droids—which had been standing idly—to assist the Jedi in the fight. However, panicking, Gunray ordered the droids to kill everyone present. The droids opened fire, wounding Tyvokka, while Stark and a few of his remaining gang members escaped. Jinn then quickly reacted and destroyed the droids. In need of medical attention, Tyvokka planned to board the ships the delegations had used to reach Troiken and join with Tarkin's navy in space. Despite Gunray's cowardice, Jinn was still determined to protect him, although he explained to the representative, in no uncertain terms, that if he slowed them down, he would be abandoned to Stark.[58]
The Jedi, Valorum, and Gunray reached the Republic ship, where Valorum was able to contact Tarkin and send him landing coordinates, ordering him to land his forces on Troiken, more specifically, on the Lycinder Plain at the foot of the Hormick Range. There, in the abandoned spice mines within Mount Avos, Tarkin's forces would have a defensible position against the Stark Combine's soldiers. Tarkin was reluctant to take orders from Valorum, but when his ship received heavy damage, he gave an evacuation order and ordered all his troops to escape pods so that they could land at the given coordinates. Meanwhile, aboard the Republic cruiser, Gunray requested to be transferred to his own ship, but his point became moot when the Trade Federation vessel was destroyed by Stark's forces.[58]
Jinn then joined the Republic cruiser's pilot in the cockpit, telling her to take off. However, the consular ship, which had no defensive capabilities, was pursued by a lone Combine starfighter. While the pilot tried to outrun the fighter, Jinn went to the other Jedi to find a way to stop the attacker. He and Gallia soon felt in the Force as Tyvokka had succumbed to his wounds and died. Koon, who had been at his former Master's side in the final moments, then joined Jinn and Gallia. The three Jedi joined minds in meditation, and, using Koon's telepathic ability, confused the enemy pilot, making him eject from his craft when he witnessed a squadron of non-existent enemy fighters. The group then set off to join with Tarkin's surviving forces on Troiken.[58]
The carnage at Troiken[edit | edit source]
- "We were out of bacta, low on food, and running out of ammunition. Enemy troops, though, we had big time!"
- ―Jace Dallin, describing the Republic's situation on Troiken
Jinn's group crash-landed their damaged ship in the midst of Tarkin's forces and quickly abandoned it right before it exploded, serving as Tyvokka's funeral pyre. Jinn once again protected Gunray by shoving him into the mud and shielding him from the blast; however, Gunray did not feel very grateful. Tarkin and Valorum engaged in an argument, accusing each other of being responsible for such a turn of events, but the Republic forces were then bombarded from orbit by Stark's fleet. Koon quickly rallied all forces and led them into the caves. There, they had enough of water, but their medical and food supplies were limited. Both Tarkin and Gunray wanted to sue for peace with Stark, but Valorum disagreed with them. Meanwhile, Koon, having entered Stark's mind with the Force, discovered that the pirate captain barely held his own forces together.[59]
Stark managed to rally his Combine for a full-scale assault on the Republic forces, but Koon read that from his mind as well, and the Republic troops were prepared. The following battle raged for a long time, with Stark's forces constantly retreating, only to regroup and attack again, while the holed-up Republic defenders rained fire on them from the caves. Koon was always aware of the next direction of attack; when Stark's men attempted a final push and nearly overwhelmed the caves, Koon brought Jinn and the other Jedi to assist, helping Tarkin's men to push back the attack. When Stark's forces retreated, Jinn and the other Jedi tended to the wounded Republic soldiers. Koon once again read Stark's mind, discovering that the latter was now planning to wait until the Republic forces ran out of supplies. The Kel Dor Jedi remembered Tyvokka's final order to get Valorum back to Coruscant, and he came up with a plan to steal one of Stark's ships. When Tarkin's aide Jace Dallin begged Koon to stay to support the morale of the troops, Jinn volunteered to go and make sure that Valorum and Gunray—who had demanded to be delivered to safety as well—got off planet.[59]
Dallin launched a diversionary attack, allowing Jinn, Kenobi, Gunray, Valorum—along with the Republic pilot who had piloted the consular ship, and Gallia, who was also a capable pilot—to slip from the caves through a small access shaft on the other side of the mountain. Once outside, Jinn and Gallia hijacked one of Stark's airspeeders, and the group used it to travel to the spaceport. There, the Jedi found Stark's personal starship, fueled and immune to the navicomputer virus. However, it was guarded, so Jinn decided that the group needed a diversion. As soon as he said that, one of the freighters stationed in the spaceport exploded, providing the necessary distraction that allowed Gallia, Valorum, Gunray, and the pilot to board the ship and escape from the planet. Jinn and Kenobi, meanwhile, were joined by two unexpected arrivals—Jedi Master Tholme and his Padawan Quinlan Vos.[59]
The two of them had been sent concurrently with the negotiations to Thyferra by Tyvokka, who had suspected that the shortage of bacta had been faked. Tholme and Vos then escaped from the planet on a bacta freighter, but it was hijacked by Stark's forces and brought to Troiken. Hoping to deny Stark the bacta, Tholme blew up the freighter. Tholme was sorry to find out that he did not have the chance to meet Valorum, as he had important information for him; just as Tyvokka had suspected, the bacta shortage had been faked by the Trade Federation and the local Xucphra Corporation in order to boost the bacta revenue. After the four Jedi reached the caves on the stolen airspeeder, Tholme and Vos found out about Tyvokka's death. Vos, who had trouble accepting the Jedi Code's fourth precept—which stated that there was no death, only the Force—retreated deep into the caves to grieve, and Jinn sent Kenobi after him to ensure that Tholme's Padawan would find his way back.[59]
At that moment, Dallin escorted a native Xexto called Billibango to the Jedi. Billibango revealed that all the fighting near the mountain had disturbed challat eaters, a dangerous species of carnivorous insects that lived in the caves.[59] Koon then sensed that Kenobi and Vos were in distress. The two Padawans soon run out of one of the tunnels, chased by a swarm of challat eaters. As soon as the Padawans reached safety, Jinn, Koon, and Tholme used the Force to collapse the tunnel. The Jedi and the Republic troops soon found themselves fighting in yet another heavy fight, during which Dallin was gravely injured. When the battle was over, Jinn tended to him, using the last supplies of bacta to heal his wounds. Meanwhile, Koon's telepathic abilities allowed him to discover that Gallia, Valorum, and Gunray had successfully reached Coruscant; however, the Senate had decided against sending any help to Troiken once they had replaced the infected navicomputers. Koon knew that the patch was located in Stark's headquarters, and he dispatched Jinn and Kenobi there, while Tholme and Vos infiltrated the Raptor, the flagship of the Stark Commercial Combine, with the purpose of using it to broadcast the patch to the Jedi ships.[60]
Jinn and Kenobi, however, experienced a setback, as the patch was held by a protocol droid, which had been programmed to release it only upon the receipt of a codeword, and the scientist whom Jinn found in the room with the droid did not know the codeword. Koon then gathered Jinn and the other Jedi, using their help to amplify his telepathic powers, allowing him to contact his niece, Sha Koon, in the Jedi Temple. Through Sha Koon, he coordinated his plans with the Jedi Council, proposing them to assemble a Jedi strike team which would assist the trapped forces on Troiken. However, even if the strike team obtained starships, they would be useless unless a patch was used to deactivate the virus. Stark and two of his accomplices soon entered the room, but Stark suddenly turned against his men and killed them; he had realized that the control of his organization had been slowly slipping out of his hands, so when Koon telepathically contacted him and offered amnesty if he helped the Republic, Stark accepted the offer.[60]
The pirate tried to negotiate even better terms for himself, but Jinn and Kenobi silently denied him by activating their lightsabers. Stark then said the codeword to the droid, and it released the patch to the Reaper, which transmitted it to the Jedi. The strike team—using starships provided by Gunray after the Jedi threatened to reveal the Federation's part in the bacta shortage—arrived at Troiken and engaged Stark's fleet. Jinn, Kenobi, and Stark secured Stark's compound, while Koon lured the remaining Combine forces into the caves and trapped them there along with challat eaters, although Tarkin was also killed in an explosion when he tried to finish off Stark's forces. That way, the conflict that came to be known as the Stark Hyperspace War came to an end. Stark became a member of the influential Commerce Guild; Gunray was recognized for his decision to provide starships to the Jedi and made viceroy of the Trade Federation[60]
Valorum's bravery in the face of danger during the conflict would play a substantial part in him becoming the Supreme Chancellor of the Republic[60] four years later,[61] and Koon was granted Tyvokka's lifetime seat on the Council.[60] Shortly after the war, a holoimage was taken, showing Jinn, Koon and Gallia standing beside a YT-1300 light freighter resembling the one previously owned by the smuggler Kal Brigger, who perished on Troiken during the Stark conflict. The starship possibly ended up in Koon's possession for a time.[62] Around this time, Master Tholme went away on an important business, leaving Vos under Jinn's care. Jinn and the two Padawans went on a training mission to Ragoon VI, where Jinn left the two boys alone for some time. Kenobi and Vos started showing off their skills to each other, which resulted in Vos receiving a head injury, losing consciousness, and falling into the water. Kenobi dived in to rescue the fellow Padawan, but the current instead sank them both, and Jinn's Padawan started panicking. Jinn then telepathically contacted Kenobi, calming him down, and the Jedi Master then used the Force to pull both Padawans out of the water. Vos healed, but he refused to speak of that accident for many years afterward.[63]
Test subject[edit | edit source]
Helping a friend[edit | edit source]
- "Master, it is not for me to question your decision. But it seems to me that you are involving us in something that is bound to be dangerous and is none of the Jedi's concern. Here is a man who seeks out criminals and the dregs of the galaxy in order to get information, which he then sells to the highest bidder. If you live in that sort of world, you deserve whatever bad luck comes your way."
"Perhaps"
"I don't understand why you're helping him"
"It's because he is my friend." - ―Kenobi questioning Jinn's decision to help Diddi Oddo
In the year 43 BBY, after having travelled across the galaxy for some time throughout the course of their continuing training, Jinn and Kenobi returned to Coruscant, brought there by a space hauler pilot. Instead of returning to the Jedi Temple immediately, however, Jinn decided to pay his old friend, Diddi Oddo, a visit. The two soon reached Diddi's cafe, where Jinn introduced Kenobi to Diddi. During that time, Oddo was a notorious information broker. Jinn noticed that Oddo's establishment looked much cleaner, a result of Diddi's daughter's, Astri Oddo's, work. Diddi was pleased to see the Jedi Master, but he also informed Jinn that he needed help. Diddi informed the Jedi that two days ago, a female bounty hunter riding a swoop bike had tried to kidnap him in the middle of the street. However, her attack with a whip had knocked off a visor from a passing by Cavrilhu Pirate, who had given chase to her with a vibroblade, forcing the bounty hunter to release Oddo and abandon the attempt. Oddo did not know why the woman had been hunting him and nobody that he asked knew anything about her identity. However, Oddo knew that she was staying at the nearby Soft Landings Inn, and he asked Jinn to talk to the bounty hunter to convince her that she had been hunting the wrong target.[18]
Jinn agreed to help his old friend. Soon, he and Kenobi arrived at the Inn and went to the bounty hunter's apartment, finding her there, sitting silently. Jinn asked the woman to review her contract to see that Oddo was not a criminal, but she did not respond. The bounty hunter then pulled her whip and attacked the two Jedi. She proved to be a formidable opponent, with her whip also doubling as a laser, inflicting a minor wound to Jinn. Ffter a heated fight, the woman escaped though a small crack in the barely opened window. This revealed to the Jedi that the woman was a Sorrusian, a species with flexible skeletal system. Returning to Oddo's cafe, where the man took care of Jinn's wound, Jinn decided to find out who had hired the bounty hunter and contacted Tahl so she could use the Temple resources to do so. Tahl did not know the bounty hunter's identity, but she had heard reports of her activity and warned Jinn that the woman was very dangerous.[18]
Jinn suspected that the bounty hunter could have been hired in relation to one of the pieces of information that Oddo had recently obtained. Oddo revealed that he had only heard of two news: one was about the Senator Uta S'orn from the planet Belasco resigning, the other was related to the Tech Raiders—a band of black market traders—moving their headquarters to Vandor-3. Astri then entered the cafe, informing her father that a famous scientist, Jenna Zan Arbor, had booked their cafe for a party. Although Yoda requested their presence at the Temple, Jinn decided to investigate the two leads that Diddi had provided them with, instructing the man himself to stay safe at the cafe. Jinn and Kenobi went to search for the man who had sold the information to Oddo, a man named Fligh, finding him in one of the local cafes inside the Senate building. Fligh told the two that he had merely overheard the information about the Tech Raiders, while the information about the Senator's resignation came from a confidential memo which he had taken hold of.[18]
With Fligh not telling them anything else, although he did promise to cooperate in the investigation, Jinn decided to go to Senator S'orn herself. The Senator informed the Jedi that the memo about her resignation was on her datapad, which had been stolen at the Senate commissary, which indicated that Fligh had been lying. Jinn did not ask her about Oddo, believing that if she had been the one who had hired the bounty hunter, she would not tell them the truth regardless. However, the Senator seemed genuinely distraught at the fact that the news of her resignation was out there, since the reveal of those news could hinder her support in an upcoming Senate matter. Leaving the Senator, Jinn and Kenobi went to investigate the Tech Raiders rumors, going to the Splendor Tavern, a place where black market deals were regularly conducted. There, they met with a Neimoidian named Helb, a member of the gang, asking him if the Tech Raiders had hired the bounty hunter to go after Oddo. Helb told Jinn and Kenobi that the only person the Tech Raiders would put a bounty on would be Fligh, who owed them money, but not Oddo.[18]
During their conversation, Jinn also learned that Helb had recently lost at sabacc to Oddo, but he had just won a major prize from another player. At that point, Kenobi noticed the bounty hunter, disguised an old man, at the Tavern. The bounty hunter also noticed the Jedi and tried to escape, shedding her guise. Jinn and Kenobi chased the woman, but they were unable to catch her.The two returned to Oddo's cafe, just as Zan Arbor arrived for her party. Finding Oddo in his private office, stricken with grief, the two learned that Fligh had been murdered, Oddo blaming himself for the man's death. Instructing Oddo to lock down every door and window once the party had started, the two went to investigate the site of Fligh's murder, the Lane of All Worlds. Fligh's body was still laying there, being investigated by the Coruscant security force led by the Bothan Yur T'aug. Jinn expected the body,[18] which indeed looked like Fligh, although Jinn had his suspicions that it was not him.[64]
Fligh had apparently been strangled. Moreover, Ta'ug revealed that his body had been drained of all blood and that he had not been killed there, but had been placed there after his death. This was not an isolated case, either, as several of such drained victims had been found earlier, mostly wanderers and lost beings. Jinn instructed the CSF to be on the lookout for the female bounty hunter in regards to the murders, while the Jedi went back to the inn to have another talk with the woman. However, the bounty hunter had already left the inn, and the Jedi decided to go back to Oddo's cafe, afraid for his life. Once there, they indeed found the bounty hunter, who had knocked out Astri and had captured Diddi with her whip. Jinn and Kenobi fought the woman, but she escaped yet again, although without her prey. The Jedi learned that the bounty hunter had attacked as soon as the party had been canceled early and all the guests had left. As Astri came to her senses, she was furious at her father for putting them in danger yet again with his underworld activities, and the Oddos agreed to temporarily leave Coruscant after Diddi revealed that he had recently acquired a property in the Cascardi Mountains on the planet Duneeden.[18]
Abducted[edit | edit source]
- "Don't lose heart, Qui-Gon. I'll find you. Hold on."
- ―Kenobi, making a promise to himself to find Jinn
Returning to the Jedi Temple, Jinn conferred with Tahl and Yoda, telling them about the attacks on Diddi and the murder of Fligh. After Jinn told them that Fligh had been involved in the theft of Senator S'orn's datapad, Yoda and Tahl informed Jinn that Senator S'orn had had a son named Ren S'orn, who had been a Force-sensitive. The Jedi were ready to accept him for training, but his mother refused to give up Ren. Instead, S'orn had become a wandered, roaming the galaxy and losing contact with his mother. When the Senator asked the Jedi for help in finding her son, the Jedi found his body six months ago on the planet Simpla-12, strangled and drained of all blood. Trying to investigate the connection between the deaths of Ren and Fligh, Jinn and Kenobi went to the now-resigned S'orn's office, asking her about her son and why she had not reported the theft of her datapad. S'orn confirmed that Fligh was the thief by remembering seeing him, posing as a Senatorial aide, during the time when her datapad was stolen.[18]
She also revealed that she had been accompanied by her friend Jenna Zan Arbor at the time, whose datapad had also been stolen. Zan Arbor had decided not to report the crime, and so S'orn had done the same. Fligh had also been the one who had given Zan Arbor the card to Oddo's restaurant, praising it to her. With that information, Jinn and Kenobi went to talk to Zan Arbor herself in her apartment. From the conversation with Zan Arbor, they learned that Senator S'orn had been trying to pass a law battling the Tech Raiders, connecting the two rumors and giving a reason for the Tech Raiders to want to obtain her datapad, containing a draft of the proposed law. The two decided to talk to Helb again, but as they were leaving Zan Arbor's hotel and were trying to get into their airspeeder, the bounty hunter, disguised as a parking attendant, attempted to ram their speeder with another vehicle. Jinn avoided the attempt by leaping out of the vehicle in time, but Kenobi was knocked over the safety railing of the parking lot, having to use his grappling spike launcher to scale back up.[18]
Jinn and Kenobi then returned to the Jedi Temple. That night, Jinn tried to connect the pieces of the information that they had together, believing that Fligh had hidden the datapad inside Oddo's cafe, which had made him the target of the bounty hunter. However, two pieces of the puzzle seemed to not fit in the overall picture: Zan Arbor's exact reason to come to Oddo's cafe, and the brutal murder of Fligh, which did not fit the Tech Raiders' style. The next day, not finding Helb on Coruscant, Jinn and Kenobi left for Vandor 3 to look for him at the new Tech Raider base. Helb assured them that the Tech Raiders had not put any bounties on either Fligh or Diddi. However, Jinn learned that the property in Cascardi Mountains that Diddi had acquired had been given to him by Helb as a way to pay off the sabacc debt. Helb, in turn, had won the deed to the property from the old man in the Splendor Tavern—the disguised bounty hunter. Realizing that the bounty hunter had deliberately lost to Helb to lure the Oddos to Duneeden, Jinn and Kenobi immediately went there themselves.[18]
They found Diddi and Astri in their residence, unharmed, but Jinn believed that the bounty hunter would strike soon. He asked the Oddos to tell them the truth about any of the two datapads that Fligh had stolen. Astri then confessed that she had also had deals with Fligh behind Diddi's back and that he had given her a datapad for safekeeping which she had now brought with herself. The datapad the one belonging to Zan Arbor, was encoded. As the Jedi tried to escort the Oddos away to their cruisers, the bounty hunter sprung her trap, blocking all the windows with durasteel sheets. Jinn turned off the lights in the house, instructing Kenobi to stay close to Astri and Diddi, realizing that the bounty hunter would target them first. During the fight, the bounty hunter hit Astri with her boot, hearing a crack and realizing that Astri was keeping the datapad in her tunic. In an attempt to escape, Jinn instructed Kenobi and the Oddos to go up a ramp to the upper level of the building where they could attempt to cut through the durasteel sheets on the windows with their lightsabers.
The Jedi eventually stopped the bounty hunter's advance when Kenobi knocked her down a ramp. After cutting through the windows, Jinn and Kenobi took the Oddos and escorted them away from the residence to their ships, only to find that both of them had been sabotaged by their enemy. The Jedi realized that the bounty hunter must have had her own ship hidden nearby and they soon saw it further down the mountain, just as the bounty hunter emerged from the building. Astri and Diddi left toward the starship, while Jinn and Kenobi tried to cover their retreat, engaging the bounty hunter. After a brief fight, however, the bounty hunter ran past them, activated a device on her belt that formed a makeshift sled around her, using it to slide down the mountain slope toward her ship, attempting to intercept Astri and Diddi on her way. Jinn realized what her plan was, and he and Kenobi gave chase to her.[18]
The bounty hunter used her whip to capture Astri, knowing that she had the datapad, using the weapon to pull the girl toward her. At the same time, she shot Diddi with a blaster. Instructing his Padawan to tend to Diddi, Jinn continued to pursue the bounty hunter, but before he could reach her, the bounty hunter had dragged Astri to her and retrieved the datapad and was attempting to execute Astri. In an effort to defend Astri, Kenobi used the Force to leap a great distance from the mountain toward the bounty hunter, injuring her in the hand. Realizing that it was time to retreat, the bounty hunter fired a line cable which attached to her starship and pulled her toward it. Jinn, who had finally caught up to the scene, instructed his Padawan to stay with the Oddos, while he gained on the bounty hunter, managing to leap into her ship before she was able to fully raise the boarding ramp. However, the bounty hunter surprised Jinn by firing a blaster shot in his chest, rendering him unconscious, as she lifted off, the Jedi Master now her captive.[18]
Captive[edit | edit source]
- "You are a subject of scientific experimentation. You will not be hurt, only studied."
- ―Jenna Zan Arbor, to a captive Jinn
Jinn was taken to a secret lab belonging to Zan Arbor, who was revealed to be behind the bounty hunter's attacks. Jinn was kept in isolation, in a room filled with strange vapors, tied to a torture device that kept his blood constantly drained. Zan Arbor revealed that her goal was to study the Force, encouraging Jinn to use it to heal himself. Jinn negotiated with the scientist, demanding to be let out of his cell for two hours a day, else he would refuse to use the Force to heal himself and die. Not willing to lose her test subject, Zan Arbor gave in to Jinn's demands but for one hour only, just as Jinn had expected her to do. When his hour of freedom finally came, Zan Arbor released Jinn from the device's restraints and vented the vapors, allowing Jinn to take a look around and examine his surroundings looking for a way to escape. Zan Arbor then instructed her aide, a Quint named Nil to watch over him.[65]
Jinn noticed that Nil was jealous of Zan Arbor's fascination with the Jedi, believing that he would be able to exploit that feeling. When Zan Arbor ordered Jinn to use the Force so she could study him, Jinn used a little Force effort to lift himself from the torture device, telling Zan Arbor that it would be all she would get. Angered, Zan Arbor had Nil restrain Jinn again, telling him that the amount of freedom he would get would be directly equal to the amount of the Force he would use. During the next hours of freedom, Jinn spoke with his captor, discovering her motives. Zan Arbor, renowned for finding cures to a number of viruses across the galaxy, revealed that she had been the one who had introduced those viruses in the first place in an attempt to get the reward for the cure. When no reward had been given to her, she had shifted her research to the study of the Force, hoping to harness its power. When she had discovered that her friend Senator S'orn's son was Force-sensitive, she had offered him to be a part of her research program in exchange for money, research that had culminated with the young man's death. When Zan Arbor demanded Jinn use the Force again, however, Jinn sensed that the woman was keeping another Force-sensitive in the facility.[65]
The next time he was released, Zan Arbor was not present, and Jinn was only watched by Nil. Nil revealed the name of the bounty hunter who had captured Jinn—Ona Nobis—and he also told Jinn how he admired Zan Arbor for her scientific achievements. Realizing it was time for him to attempt to escape, Jinn used the Force to great extent, triggering a signal from the machinery that monitored him. The signal distracted Nil, allowing Jinn, who had already regained some of his strength, to launch an attack. Jinn subdued Nil, took hold of his blaster pistol and used Nil's fingerprints to open the door of his cell. Using the Force to ravage through the facility, Jinn tried to locate the second Force-sensitive being held at the facility, but he was eventually caught by Zan Arbor and Nil inside a supply room, who fired a paralyzing dart at him and restrained Jinn once again. After the attempted escape, Zan Arbor did not give Jinn any more windows of freedom and kept him under constant watch.[65]
Jinn tried to convince her that she would never be able to understand the Force through science alone, but Zan Arbor did not listen to his arguments and continued her experiments on him. Eventually, Kenobi located his Master, who was being kept on Simpla-12. He and Astri Oddo—disguised as Nobis—infiltrated the facility and subdued Nil, releasing Jinn and informing him that the blaster shot that Nobis had fired at Diddi at Dundeen had poisoned him and that they needed to find an antitoxin to save Jinn's friend. Believing that he would be able to locate the chemical inside the supply room he had seen during his attempted escape, Jinn led Kenobi and Astri there. They indeed located an antidote before hearing the real Ona Nobis arriving at the facility via intercom. Nobis decided to sever her ties with Zan Arbor and had come to collect her payment. Deciding to make their escape and come back for the other prisoner later, Jinn and his rescuers ran toward the exit, hiding as they saw Zan Arbor conversing with Nobis and paying the bounty hunter.[65]
After the women had parted ways and Zan Arbor went back deep inside the facility, the two Jedi and Astri attempted to open the main door, but Zan Arbor had noticed the signs of infiltration at the facility and made video contact with the escapees. She claimed that as an additional layer of security, Jinn had been implanted with a device that kept track of his location. The device was connected to a similar one inside the second prisoner. Should Jinn ever leave the laboratory, the second device would trigger, releasing poison into the prisoner's system and killing him. Not knowing whether Zan Arbor was bluffing or not, Jinn was unwilling to take his chance at escape if it meant harming the other prisoner. Therefore, he instructed Kenobi and Astri to leave him inside the lab and deliver the antidote to Diddi. Meanwhile, he would wait for a Jedi rescue team that was due to arrive at Simpla-12, so that they could mount an escape later. Kenobi provided Jinn with his comlink and his own lightsaber and did as instructed. Being so close to freedom, Jinn then walked back inside the facility to wage guerrilla warfare against Zan Arbor from within.[65]
Knowing that Jinn would not put another's life at risk, Zan Arbor sealed herself in the room with the other prisoner. Although he did not dare to break in to the room, afraid that the scientist would kill the captive Force-sensitive, Jinn located a ventilation shaft that ran above the room, using it to spy on Zan Arbor as she tortured the man, although Jinn could not see who the man was. At one point, Zan Arbor was intent on killing the prisoner, and Jinn was ready to intervene, but Zan Arbor was interrupted when a droid shipment arrived at the facility. Soon after Zan Arbor had left the room, Jinn heard the sounds of battle, realizing that the Jedi strike team had arrived to rescue him. Jinn cut an opening in the ventilation shaft and dropped down, racing toward the hallway where the battle was taking place. Once there, Jinn witnessed his Padawan—armed only with a vibroblade—fighting Zan Arbor and her escort of droids.[64]
Kenobi was accompanied by Adi Galia, Siri Tachi, and three thieves who assisted the Jedi—Cholly, Weez and Tup. The thieves, who had been hired by Zan Arbor to deliver a shipment of assassin droids to her, had snuck the three Jedi inside the crates with droids. Jinn joined the battle, and the four Jedi quickly dealt with the droids, but Zan Arbor escaped during the fight. Galia and Tachi informed Jinn that the captive prisoner was an elderly Jedi Master Noor R'aya, who had disappeared several weeks ago. Jinn and his fellow Jedi went to R'aya's cell to release him, but the Jedi was not there, having been taken by Zan Arbor. Kenobi suggested that Zan Arbor would try to escape to the launch pad located on one of the base's sub-levels, but Jinn, knowing the scientist's mind, knew that she would try to mislead the Jedi and go in the opposite direction. Therefore, Jinn led Kenobi, Tachi and Galia to the roof. Jinn was right in his guess, but the Jedi were too late, as they witnessed Zan Arbor escaping on a starship along with the captive R'aya.[64]
Tracking Jenna Zan Arbor[edit | edit source]
- "I just want things clear between us. Here is what I see. You are pretending to have made a full recovery, but you have not. You compensate for your weakness by demonstrating your strength in strategy and decision-making. You should have consulted me before ordering Siri and Obi-Wan to Sorrus, Qui-Gon. I am your comrade. Not your enemy. If you have weakness, I should be aware of it."
- ―Adi Gallia, worrying about Jinn's health after his rescue.
After the fight was over, Jedi medic Winna Di Yuni arrived at the facility and extracted the implant from Jinn. Jinn reclaimed his lightsaber, which had been confiscated from him during his kidnapping and which Kenobi had located in the facility, and he was relieved to discover that Diddi was safe and was recovering. Tachi and Galia performed a search of the lab's computer systems, but they found nothing that pointed at Zan Arbor's direction. Jinn wanted to question Nil, but Tachi and Galia informed him that they had found Nil's body, who had been killed by Zan Arbor before her escape. Jinn was then contacted by Tahl, who was glad to know that he was safe, and who informed Jinn that Astri had gone after the bounty hunter Ona Nobis in an attempt to collect a reward on her head. Jinn was worried for Astri, but he realized that his first priority was tracking Zan Arbor and R'aya, although they did not have any leads on them.[64]
Kenobi was then contacted by Ivo Muna, a medic at the Med Center from the planet Sorrus, Nobis's homeworld. She informed the Jedi that Astri had suffered an accident that rendered her unconscious and was being treated at the hospital; she had given Kenobi's frequency to Muna before she passed out. Kenobi wanted to go check on Astri, and Jinn let him do so, telling him to take Tachi with him. With the Padawans embarking on their own mission, and Cholly, Weez and Tup also leaving, Jinn and Galia began their search for any clues to Zan Arbor's destination on Simpla-12. A short time later, Kenobi contacted Jinn, however, informing him that the call was a setup by Nobis, and Astri was not at the clinic. Instead, the bounty hunter had attacked Jinn's Padawan, but Kenobi had managed to escape. Kenobi wanted to continue his search for Astri, but Jinn instructed him and Tachi to return to Coruscant, believing that Astri had made her choice. However, Jinn was contacted by Kenobi yet again. The Padawan had disobeyed his orders, and he and Tachi—after another run-in with Cholly, Weez and Tup—had went to the Arra Desert on Sorrus, following clues that pointed at Astri and Nobis heading there.[64]
Kenobi had indeed located Astri, and he had also discovered that Nobis was headed to the planet Belasco to rendezvous with Zan Arbor, who had rehired the bounty hunter. Jinn was displeased with Kenobi's disobedience and ordered him and Tachi to meet them at Belasco, the homeworld of the resigned Senator Uta S'orn. Jinn and Galia arrived at Belasco, meeting with their Padawans, Astri and the three thieves. Belasco was a wealthy world with a rigid class system. The planet at one point was ruled by a royal family, but now it elected a leader, who then elected his own Council. Senators were greatly revered among the population, and S'orn was a favorite of the current leader, Min K'atel. The Jedi were afraid for S'orn's safety, believing that Zan Arbor's arrival at her friend's home planet alongside Nobis meant that the former Senator was in danger. Remembering Zan Arbor's schemes in infecting entire worlds to cure them later, Jinn suspected that she had already infected the population pf Belasco.[64]
The Jedi and their companions went to one of the local clinics and asked one of the patients if some epidemic had broken out on the planet. Indeed, the man told them that Belasco's entire water supply, taken from the Great Sea, was contaminated by a bacteria, with many falling victim to it, including the leader's own daughter, Joli K'atel. Jinn and his companions found Senator S'orn inside one of the med wards, which had been organized at the royal grounds by the leader for the victims of the disease, tending for the sick children. S'orn, who was in fact aware that Zan Arbor had been behind her son's death, told Jinn that even if she were on the planet, Zan Arbor had not contacted her. Jinn informed her of Nobis, but S'orn believed that K'atel's personal guard would be adequate protection. Jinn was not so convinced, and he instructed Astri, Cholly, Weez and Tup to discreetly look after S'orn, watching for any signs of Nobis. In fact, Jinn knew that the three petty criminals would be extremely obvious and Nobis would spot them but would hesitate to strike because of that, giving Jinn, Galia and their Padawans time to prove that Zan Arbor was behind the contamination of Belasco's water supply.[64]
Kenobi soon noticed that someone was following them, and the four Jedi captured the man, surprised to find out that it was Fligh. The man had become the victim of an attempt on his life by Nobis back on Coruscant. He had decided to disappear, using a dead body from the morgue to fake his death, just as Jinn had suspected, even leaving his prosthetic eye and documents at the scene to prove his identity. Since the body had been drained of blood, Jinn realized that Fligh had been aware of Zan Arbor's experiments before they had found out about them. Fligh confessed that that was indeed the case and that the whole reason why he had stolen Zan Arbor's datapad was because she had tracked six of his fellow riffraff to Zan Arbor before they had been found dead. Fligh was also still in possession of S'orn's datapad, and Jinn convinced him to hand it over before letting the man go. The datapad contained transcripts of several speeches that S'orn had made in the Senate.[64]
Acting on a hunch, Jinn contacted Tahl and asked her to search the official Senate transcripts of those speeches, in order to see if they matched the transcripts on S'orn's datapad. Jinn, Galia, Kenobi and Tachi then went to the spaceport to find out of any recent arrivals in search of Zan Arbor. The spaceport's officials and mechanics confirmed that since the contamination had begun, a V-wing cruiser had arrived at the planet, carrying a woman calling herself "Cir L'ani" and her "father" who was ill according to her. The two had been met at the spaceport by a medic. The description matched Zan Arbor, the unconscious R'aya and Nobis in another disguise, but there was no definite proof. However, Kenobi saw a spaceports mechanic's son, Ned, holding a toy V-wing cruiser. Upon inspecting the toy, the Jedi found out that it had been fashioned from strands from a Jedi robe. R'aya, who had chosen life of seclusion before being kidnapped, and who had spent a lot of his time making toys, had been faking being unconscious and had left Jinn and the Jedi a clue.[64]
The Force triumphs over science[edit | edit source]
- "After all your experiments with the Force, in the end you failed to understand its power"
"I should have killed you when I could."
"That was your other mistake." - ―Jinn and Jenna Zan Arbor
Examining S'orn's datapad and the official Senate records, the Jedi discovered that S'orn had altered several records regarding the regulations on the planet Mindemir. Zan Arbor had planned to conduct experiments on water there, but endangering the whole system had been against Senate regulations. The Senate had voted against allowing Zan Arbor's experiment, but S'orn had altered the official records, making it appear that the notion had been passed. She had then decided to keep the real records on her datapad, in order to blackmail Zan Arbor if an opportunity arose. This revelation tied Zan Arbor and S'orn, and it even suggested that the Senator had been aware of the experiments performed on her son, while she had been working with Zan Arbor. The Jedi confronted S'orn again, who confessed on her crimes, saying that she had done so to secure her son's release from Zan Arbor. However, Zan Arbor had claimed that her son had broken into her lab and had been killed by Nobis.[64]
Jinn and the Jedi were then asked to leave S'orn alone by leader K'atel. The Jedi left, although Galia sensed that S'orn had been lying and that R'aya was somewhere on the royal grounds. Realizing that K'atel would not allow them to search the grounds without proof of Zan Arbor's crimes, the Jedi decided to break into Belasco's water purification facility to find answers there. Since the facility was under high security, the Jedi used their breathers to infiltrate the facility through the water. Arriving there, Jinn extracted the recent supplies of water, before their intrusion triggered an alarm. Jinn and his companions had to fight a large number of security droids, before cutting their way out of the facility with their lightsabers. Galia ran the samples through an analyzer and then sent the data to Tahl. Tahl confirmed that the bacteria had indeed been bioengineered, causing a natural bacteria that surfaced on Belasco every seven years and was easily combatable to grow rapidly. Moreover, a local company with ties to Zan Arbor Industries had recently revealed that they had found a cure, which was going to bring them a fortune.[64]
Convinced that Zan Arbor was involved in the scheme, Jinn and the others returned to the royal grounds, meeting with Astri, Cholly, Weez and Tup. Believing that S'orn was hiding Zan Arbor and Nobis, Jinn instructed Kenobi and Tachi to go with Astri, who was posing as a nurse, to the kitchen. There, they were to compare the number of trays with the number of children in the medical ward. If there were extras, then it meant that S'orn was using them to bring food to Zan Arbor and Nobis. The Padawans did as asked, indeed finding that there were two extra plates and seeing S'orn bring the food to Nobis hiding in her quarters. Kenobi and Tachi reported the discovery to Jinn, who went to K'atel—who had been preparing a celebration outside in honor of the discovery of the cure—informing him of their discoveries and asking him to search S'orn's apartment. K'atel did not believe any stories of a captive Jedi at first, but the children at the facility had proved the presence of a sick old man who had been dropping toys to them.[64]
K'atel ordered the security droids to search S'orn's quarters, but the droids, reprogrammed by Zan Arbor, turned on the Jedi, opening fire in the middle of the crowd gathered for the celebration. Forced to protect the citizens from the attack, the Jedi slowly made their way to S'orn's apartment. Jinn arrived there first, finding Zan Arbor there, alongside Master R'aya, who still pretended being unconscious. As Jinn attempted to capture Zan Arbor, Kenobi and Galia arrived as well. However, Zan Arbor was holding in her arms a datapad with a complete formula to cure the bacteria on the planet, claiming that the scientists at the facility had an incomplete version. She demanded Jinn to let her go, lest she would destroy the data and doom the population of Belasco. Jinn, who had been still weakened after Zan Arbor's experiments on him, mentally communicated with R'aya. The elderly Jedi Master filled Jinn with some of his own Force, restoring Jinn's strength. Jinn the pulled the datapad from Zan Arbor's arms, jumped into the air, and cut a tapestry hanging above the scientist, trapping her beneath it.[64]
Meanwhile, Kenobi noticed that Tachi had not joined them and went to look for her. He found that Tachi had confronted by Nobis on the rooftop, which ended with Nobis being killed. An investigation revealed that S'orn had been backing the company that had "found" the cure on Belasco, and both women were imprisoned on a lifelong sentence. Master R'aya was released from captivity. Having returned to Coruscant, Jinn, Kenobi, Tachi, Galia, Astri, Cholly, Weez and Tup helped Diddi re-open his restaurant—a business he shared with Fligh—and all of them were present to have the first meal at the establishment.[64] Jinn and Kenobi would also go on to visit Splendor Tavern, where they had faced Ona Nobis for the first time, several more times over the years.[66]
As Kenobi approached his fourteenth birthday, Jinn and his apprentice embarked on a field trip to the planet Taanab, stopping at the Ba-Taanab Peninsula. There, Jinn's apprentice had to undergo a test, which involved him navigating the area blindfolded. Eager to impress his Master, however, the boy fell into a nest of firebeetles, a species of flesh-eating insects native to the planet. Kenobi managed to escape alive and learned a valuable lesson about the dangers of overconfidence, although the experience would haunt him for years to come.[67] On another occasion, Jinn and Kenobi found themselves walking through a torrential rainstorm, until finally finding shelter inside a cave. Looking at Kenobi, soaked completely wet from the rain and visibly uncomfortable, Jinn gave him an advice to stop struggling with the rain and simply accept it and let it become and extension of himself.[68] During one of their talks after the mission, Jinn also taught Kenobi that having regrets was a natural feeling for a person, one which he should accept but move on.[69]
Forbidden love[edit | edit source]
Return to New Apsolon[edit | edit source]
- "Tell me. Did you know that New Apsolon was the subject of that meeting when you arrived?"
"No. I did not."
"Then it is as I thought. You will not allow me to act as a full Jedi Knight. Because I am blind, you think I need a caretaker."
"No"
"Then what? Why do you keep insisting on interfering?"
"Friendship."
"Then in the name of friendship, dear Qui-Gon, leave me be." - ―Tahl argues with Jinn to let her to New Apsolon alone
At some point before 41 BBY, Tahl finally decided to take Eerin as her Padawan. Although she was a great teacher, who respected her Padawan, she often left the young Mon Calamari behind and went on short missions alone. Jinn, disagreeing with Tahl's decision not to take Eeerin with her, debated with his friend. For months, that topic became the subject of arguments. At one of his moments of quiet in the Star Map Room in the Temple, Jinn was approached by Tahl, who told him that she did not need his constant protection and that she would find her own way with her Padawan. The two friends made peace, but it was short-lived. The next morning, Tahl decided to go to a mission to Vandor 3, leaving Eerin behind, and Jinn and Tahl were arguing once again.[14]
As Jinn continued training Kenobi, he took the boy on another trip to the planet Ragoon VI in the year 41 BBY. There, they were supposed to test Kenobi's tracking and survival skills. A Jedi pilot named Rana dropped them off on the plains of the planet and left, and Jinn and Kenobi were supposed to track her. After ten days of pursuing Rana, the Jedi sensed that they were being pursued by a pack of native Force-using beasts called the malia. Following Rana's trail, they soon came at an intersection of two paths. With the malia close behind them, Jinn and Kenobi could not go back, so they had to trust Kenobi's feelings and choose the right path. Not finding any traces of Rana, the two stopped for the night, but they were attacked by the malia during their camp. The Master and the apprentice managed to kill one of the beasts, and the second one was killed by someone else, forcing the rest of the pack to retreat.[36]
A group of native Ragoon hunters, who had killed the second malia with blowdarts, emerged, threatening the Jedi. Realizing that the hunters only wanted the malia meat, Jinn assured them that he and Kenobi laid no claim to the meat, and the hunters let them pass. As the Jedi continued their mission, Jinn was suddenly struck with a Force vision showing him Tahl in great distress. Worried for his friend, he and Kenobi aborted their training exercise and made their way back to the transport and then back to Coruscant. Arriving at the Jedi Temple, Jinn asked the Jedi Cal-i-Vaun of the Temple Security Force about Tahl's location. The Jedi Knight responded that Tahl was still at the temple, but she was not in her quarters and was not responding to her comlink. Realizing that Tahl was probably attending a Jedi Council meeting, Jinn barged in the Council chambers in the middle of Tahl's briefing, explaining to the Jedi Masters that he had felt that his presence was needed. The Council allowed Jinn's presence and Tahl resumed her briefing.[36]
She informed them that she had recently received a call for help from Alani and Eritha, the two sisters from the planet New Apsolon, where Jinn and Tahl had been on a mission six years ago. The girls' father and the leader of the planet, Ewane, had been murdered, and his close associate and a former Civilized, Roan, had become his successor. However, many of the Workers suspected that Roan had been behind Ewane's assassination and had usurped the office. The planet had been plunged into instability once again and the girls were now in hiding, requesting Tahl to come to New Apsolon and escort them to Coruscant. The Jedi Council gave their approval to Tahl's mission. Jinn insisted on accompanying her, but Tahl was adamant on going on the mission alone, not even taking her new Padawan, Eerin, with her. Believing that the mission would be short, the Council agreed with Tahl's decision to go alone. Tahl believed that Jinn wanted to go with her because he once again thought that she required protection because of her blindness, and she once again reprimanded Jinn at thinking that way, before she left.[36]
In the days after her departure, troubled by the vision he had had on Ragoon 6, Jinn became restless, distancing himself from Kenobi and putting himself through endless physical exercises, driving his mental and physical abilities to the limit in attempt to distract himself from the thoughts of Tahl. As three weeks passed after Tahl had left, the Jedi had not received any word from her even though the mission was supposed to be over in under a week. One night, Jinn received another vision of Tahl, saying that it was too late for her. Making up his mind to follow Tahl to New Apsolon, Jinn went to the Jedi Council and informed them of his decision. The members of the Council, especially Mace Windu, were not worried about Tahl, believing that her silence was necessitated by the secrecy of her mission and that she had run into some difficulties that had extended the mission. As such, the Jedi Council did not give Jinn their approval to go on the mission, but they did not explicitly forbid him from doing so.[36]
Jinn wanted Kenobi to stay at the Temple, promising to keep contact with him, but the sixteen-year-old Padawan, believing that his place was by his Master's side, decided to accompany Jinn. Leaving Coruscant immediately, Jinn and Kenobi disguised themselves as common travelers and arrived on New Apsolon, landing in the Worker sector of the capital city, also called New Apsolon. The Worker sector was in a state of poverty, while the bordering Civilized sector showed no sign of the devastation of the conflict six years ago. The two sectors had been formerly separated by an energy wall, which had been breached by forty Workers throwing themselves at the wall, only to be killed by the Absolute forces. Now forty commemorative columns stood in the place of the wall, one for each of the fallen workers. As Jinn and Kenobi moved into the Civilized sector, they observed signs of unrest in the city, with graffiti sprayed on the walls claiming Roan to be a killer.[36]
Knowing that all visitors were required to pass a security check, Jinn and Kenobi reported to Balog, the Chief Security Controller of the government, who informed them that Eritha and Alani were not in hiding, but were safe with Roan, although the leader had been under siege. Believing that the call for help from the sisters was a ruse, Jinn and Kenobi went to visit them. The twins were glad to see Jinn, and they did confirm that they had not sent any calls to Tahl and were not aware that she was on the planet. With no leads to Tahl's location, Jinn and Kenobi decided that their best course of action was observation. Trying to find out if the Absolutes still had any power on the planet, Jinn and Kenobi went to check the former headquarters of the Absolutes, which had been converted into a museum.[36]
Their tour guide, Irini, showed them around, telling them about the Absolute rule of the planet and showing many of the torture devices that had been used by the organization, including the one remaining sensory deprivation containment device. Irini also revealed that no Absolutes had been arrested in the wake of the government changes. Many of them had gone underground, their location and identities protected by some of the Civilized. Recently, records about the Absolutes had surfaced, but the government had sealed the records, claiming to have done so to preserve the integrity of the investigation. As the Jedi left the museum, Jinn noticed that a surveillance probe droid was following them. Jinn and Kenobi tried to lose the droid by diving in an adjacent alley, but the droid followed them. Jinn then decided to destroy the droid, using his lightsaber to do so. However, the Jedi were then pinned down by blasterfire. Escaping from the trap, the Jedi jumped to the rooftops and made their way to the location from which they had been attacked from, but the attacker was already gone. They did found a transmitter for the probe droid and an ammunition pack for a blaster, the pack bearing a symbol that Kenobi had seen on a necklace that Irini wore.[36]
Love found and lost again[edit | edit source]
- "I have come to know something. I cannot let you go, I cannot let another minute pass, without telling you this. I did not come to New Apsolon only because you are my friend. I did not remain because you are a fellow Jedi. I have come to see that you are not just a friend and a fellow Jedi, Tahl. You are necessary to my life. You are necessary to me. You are my heart."
"You are not speaking of friendship."
"I am speaking of something deeper. I am speaking of everything a being can give another. This is what I offer you. I offer myself." - ―Jinn, expressing his feelings to Tahl
At dusk, Jinn and Kenobi returned to the Museum of Absolutes and discreetly followed Irini as she took an airbus and went to one of the buildings in the Workers sector, spying on her. There, she met with a group of Workers, who were seeking to overthrow Roan, believing him to be the murderer of Ewane. As Irini reported to her co-conspirators on the arrival of the Jedi to the planet, the building was raided by the Absolutes. The Workers escaped through a secret passageway to the roof, but the Jedi were surrounded. Kenobi wanted to put up a fight, but Jinn, realizing that they were outnumbered, told his Padawan to stand down and surrender. Jinn and Kenobi were captured and escorted by the Absolutes to an unknown location and were locked in a warehouse, tied and blindfolded.[36]
However, as several beings came to interrogate them, Jinn recognized a woman's voice—it belonged to Tahl. As the voices argued between themselves, it became apparent to Jinn that Tahl had infiltrated the highest levels of power in the Absolutes, and she tried to convince the other leaders to led the Jedi go, believing that if the population of the planet found out that they had killed the Jedi—who were still respected for the efforts six years ago—the Absolutes would lose popular support. After the other Absolutes left, Tahl released Jinn and Kenobi and explained them the current situation. Tahl said that the twins had indeed sent for her, embellishing their plea by saying that they had been in direct danger. Alani and Eritha shared the suspicion that Roan had been behind the murder of their father, and they believed that they were in danger. Tahl and the twins had then agreed to keep Tahl's arrival to the planet a secret, while she began her investigation and had infiltrated the underground organization, which had access to a large treasury.[36]
Jinn wanted to proceed with their original plan and take the girls to Coruscant, but Tahl insisted on helping them find safety on their own planet. Jinn and Tahl then achieved a compromise. Tahl would remain undercover for one more week, while Jinn and Kenobi would investigate the murder of Ewane. If they would not have uncovered any evidence by that point, then Tahl would proceed with Jinn's plan. With that, Jinn and Tahl parted ways, Jinn and Kenobi going to the government center, and Tahl returning to the Absolutes' hideout. The night after they parted, Jinn was still not at ease, still worrying for Tahl's safety. On Tahl's advice, Jinn and Kenobi started their investigation with Roan's brother, Manex, a wealthy individual who was suspected of corruption. Manex denied any accusations of himself or his brother being involved in Ewane's death. Deciding to head to Roan himself next, Jinn and Kenobi found that his residence was under surveillance by probe droids. Deciding that something was amiss, Jinn and his Padawan infiltrated the compound through the gardens, avoiding detection by the droids.[36]
Inside, they found a group of masked intruders carrying two sensory deprivation tanks, which held Eritha and Alani, as Jinn realized when he saw a strand of one of the girls' blonde hair sticking out of the containment device. The Jedi tried to pursue the infiltrators, but they were halted by the probe droids that opened fire at them, allowing the attackers to take the girls away via speeder bikes. The security forces, led by Balog, arrived at that moment. Jinn revealed that he and Kenobi were Jedi to Balog, who went to inform Roan of the kidnapping. Conferring with Tahl, the two learned that she believed that the Absolutes had not been the ones behind the kidnapping, and Tahl suggested to Jinn to speak with Roan. Roan welcomed the Jedi's help, officially sanctioning their mission and asking them to find out who had been spreading rumors about his involvement in Ewane's death. During their meeting with Roan, a transmission came through from the kidnappers, who demanded Roan to step down from his post of Supreme Governor if he wanted to see the girls alive.[36]
Jinn instructed Roan not to go to the meeting with the kidnappers alone, and Roan agreed. Jinn was then contacted by Tahl, who told him that the Absolutes had seen through her cover and she was being pursued by probe droids through the Worker sector. Afraid that his vision was about to come true, Jinn rushed to Tahl's aid with Kenobi, and the three Jedi took shelter in Roan's office in the Institute of Government Service. There, they were informed that Roan had gone to the meeting with the kidnappers alone, despite Jinn's warnings. After staying for a few hours at the office, the Jedi were escorted by Balog to the Governor's residence. On the steps of the residence, however, they found the dead body of Roan. A grieving Manex arrived shortly thereafter, as well as, surprisingly, Eritha and Elani, who said that their kidnappers had let them go. The Jedi agreed that the twins needed to be taken to Coruscant for their own safety.[36]
Balog later informed Jinn that he had arranged a peace summit between the Workers, the Civilized and the Absolutes. Each of the parties agreed to send one representative, with Balog acting as the representative of the Civilized and Irini representing the Workers. It had also been agreed that a Jedi representative must be present at the talks as a neutral party. Jinn and Tahl both wanted to go, Tahl claiming she would be a better choice, as she had been aware of how the Absolutes thought. Jinn then excused himself and Tahl and took her to speak in private. Jinn had realized during the course of his mission that he had been harboring a deep feeling of love toward Tahl for a long time, and he found the courage to express his feelings to her. Tahl responded to his confession likewise, and the two pledged themselves to each other. Jinn agreed to let Tahl go to the meeting, but he refused to leave New Apsolon with the girls until she returned.[36]
Alternatively, if the newly elected government of New Apsolon would ask them to stay, they would do so, together. Tahl then left with Balog, while Jinn relayed their plans to Kenobi. The next day, however, Irini came to the residence, explaining that the symbol that Jinn and Kenobi had found at the site of the attack on them was not hers alone, it was a symbol of the Workers. Irini had not been behind the attack; she had been framed. She also told the Jedi that the Workers had been accused of Roan's murder and the kidnapping by the girls by the Civilized and she had come on behalf of the Workers to tell the Jedi that it was not true. Irini also revealed that the Workers had a spy within Roan residence, who provided vital information that it was someone in Roan's inner circle who had been behind both crimes. The Jedi suspected that it could be Balog, and when Irini revealed—in response to the question why she was not at the meeting—that she was not aware of any meeting, it proved their suspicions. Rushing to a secret meeting room in the Institute for Government Service building, where the meeting had been supposed to take place according to Balog, Jinn found it empty, Tahl's lightsaber, which she had given up before the "meeting," laying in a nearby bin. Jinn remembered his visions once again, as he realized that Tahl had been kidnapped by Balog.[36]
Rescue mission[edit | edit source]
- "Obi-Wan, I cannot abandon her."
- ―Qui-Gon Jinn, regarding Tahl
Kenobi wanted to contact the Jedi Council so that they could send reinforcements, but Jinn believed that the presence of more Jedi could stir more unrest, and he decided to take twenty four hours to search for Tahl before notifying the Order. Jinn and Kenobi then tried to develop a plan how to track Balog, remembering that the Absolutes had used probe droids to track the Workers using vital information of all Workers that was kept in archive files. Since Balog was a Worker, if Jinn and Kenobi obtained a probe droid, they could use it to track him. Alani, overhearing their conversation, suggested to Jinn that they could obtain a probe droid from Lenz, the leader of the Workers. Jinn and his Padawan then went to Irini in the Absolutes Museum, hoping to learn from her how to find Lenz. Irini revealed to the Jedi that she knew that Tahl had infiltrated the Absolutes, and she agreed to assist them and took them to Lenz.[14]
The leader of the Workers told Jinn that Balog, who had joined the Absolutes, was looking for a list of secret informers that the Absolutes had employed during their time in power. The list had been once in Roan's possession, but it had been stolen by the Absolutes at one point. Balog was one of such informers on the list, and he supposedly believed that once her cover had been blown, Tahl had escaped with that list. Lenz also suspected that Balog had used an Absolute paralyzing drug to subdue Tahl and keep her sedated. Continued injections of the drug could cause permanent muscle deterioration, however. Lenz and Irini led the Jedi to the outskirts of the Worker sector, where they introduced them to a black market trader named Mota. From him, Jinn purchased a probe droid, the vital information on Balog and a pair of transports—a landspeeder for himself and a swoop bike for Kenobi. When the probe droid informed them that Balog had left the city, Jinn and Kenobi followed suit, promising Lenz and Irini to keep the list safe if they found it.[14]
Arriving at Balog's last known coordinates provided by the droid, Jinn and Kenobi decided to track Balog by themselves instead of waiting for the droid to return and relay Balog's new position. According to the droid's reports, Balog was traveling in an armored hoverscout vehicle and was headed east. Following his trail, Jinn and Kenobi tracked Balog for days, not taking any stops to rest. Balog was aware of his pursuers and he left traps behind him, tricking the Jedi's droid by leaving a pile of clothes near a burning fire. The droid's infrared sensors believed that the figure was Balog, and it led the Jedi into a canyon where Jinn and Kenobi were attacked by a pair of Balog's own probe droids. The encounter left Kenobi's swoop damaged, forcing Jinn and his Padawan to take a break to make repairs and lose precious time in saving Tahl. Once the swoop was repaired, the Jedi continued their pursuit, steadily gaining on Balog, as their Jedi training allowed them to travel long distances without breaks, while Balog had to make stops to rest.[14]
During their journey, however, Jinn sensed that someone was also following him and his Padawan. Ambushing the pursuer, the two were surprised to discover that it was Eritha. The girl informed Jinn that she had discovered that her sister, Alani, had been in league with Balog and was supplying him with information. Alani wanted to become the ruler of New Apsolon[14] and had arranged her and her sister's kidnapping to gather public sympathy and support.[70] Eritha confirmed that Tahl was still alive, but she was being kept in a sensory deprivation tank. Eritha decided to accompany the Jedi to rescue Tahl, but at that moment, the three were attacked by a group of beings who used mining equipment to create rock slides. Jinn's probe droid was destroyed during the encounter an Kenobi injured his leg. However, Eritha, realizing that their attackers were miners, went to negotiate with them, introducing herself as a daughter of Ewane. Apologizing for the attack, as they thought that the Jedi were an Absolute patrol, who had raided them recently, the miners introduced themselves as Rock Workers.[14]
With Kenobi unable to walk, Jinn had to make a detour to the Rock Workers' settlement, where Jinn's Padawan was being taken under care by a medic named Yanci. The Rock Workers told Jinn that they had been recently attacked by a large detachment of Absolutes, but they did not know where the attackers' base was, and the Rock Workers did not have another probe droid to help track Balog. Yanci promised that Kenobi would be able to walk in the morning, and Jinn reluctantly stayed to spend the night, delaying him even further. The next morning, Jinn, Kenobi and Eritha left the settlement, Kenobi still not fully healed, but able to walk. Believing that Balog was heading to the Absolutes' headquarters from where the attacks had been performed, they started their search at the mark where the Rock Workers' patrols had lost track of the Absolutes. Using their tracking skills, Jinn and Kenobi were able to uncover the traces of Balog's vehicle and followed his tracks.[14]
However, they were soon approached by Yanci from the camp, who said that the Rock Workers' camp was under attack once again and requested help. Unwilling to give up his search yet again when he was so close to Tahl, Jinn instructed Kenobi to go with Eritha to help the Workers. The Padawan openly spoke against Jinn's decision, believing that their first priority was to help those in need, but he did as his Master instructed him. Jinn soon realized that the boy was right to reprimand him; he turned his landspeeder back and caught up with Kenobi and Yanci. Eritha had been left behind at a safe place to avoid putting her life in danger during the battle. Yanci led the Jedi to the camp through a back way, but they were too late. The entire camp had been devastated and all inhabitants slaughtered, their mining equipment taken by the raiders. As the Jedi looked for clues, they found footprints belonging to the Absolutes that carried soil traces brought from another area. Yanci, an expert on the local quarries, told Jinn that she knew where the soil had come from, thus discovering the location of the Absolutes base.[14]
Traveling to Yanci's provided location, Jinn, Kenobi and Eritha found the base, hidden deep underground, its entrance disguised as a cave. Jinn was convinced that Tahl was there, as he faintly sensed her responding to his Force calls. Entering through the cave, they found themselves in an access tunnel and found a transport pen with some Absolutes tech workers' suits, offering them disguise. Moving further into the compound, they had to split up with Eritha to avoid a grid of sensors, as they explored a tunnel filled with explosives, some stolen from the Rock Workers, others purchased from Mota. Realizing that the Absolutes were planning a hostile takeover of New Apsolon, Jinn and Kenobi decided to return to Eritha, but on their way there they saw that the girl's cover was blown and she was detained. Deciding that they needed to create a diversion so that they could use the panic to rescue Tahl and Eritha, Jinn and Kenobi took some explosives from the weapons tunnel and planted it inside the transport pen, creating a big explosion.[14]
Panic began at the facility, and the Jedi spotted Balog himself, first going to the weapons room, then toward a security door. Believing that Balog was trying to evacuate Tahl, Jinn and Kenobi followed him. When Balog went to the door and passed a retinal scan, Jinn quickly followed him inside before the door shut down, forcing Kenobi to cut through it with his lightsaber to join his Master. Inside, Jinn and Kenobi indeed found Tahl's sensory deprivation tank, but Balog threatened to kill her by releasing a fatal dose of sedative in her system by using a transmitter in his hands. Jinn realized that Balog had rigged the entire weapons room to explode, and he was planning to escape[14] on an underwater aqua skimmer[70] located at the end of the room. As Balog retreated toward the transport, Jinn leaped toward him, slicing off his finger and making him drop the transmitter. Balog, firing back with a blaster, retreated to the transport and opened the room's gates, flooding it. Leaving the traitor to escape, Jinn focused his efforts on Tahl, releasing her from the sensory deprivation tank.[14]
With the base being shattered with explosions around them, the weakened Tahl suggested to evacuate to an underwater portion of the facility. While approaching the entrance to it, Jinn ordered Kenobi to go look for Eritha before they escaped, but the girl found them herself, saying that the Absolutes had forgot about her in the confusion. Jinn—who had to carry Tahl, weakened from Balog's injections of the drug—Kenobi and Eritha made their way through the underwater base, but they were unable to raise a bridge connecting it to the shore where their transports were waiting, as they did not have the appropriate clearance. Realizing that they would have to swim, Jinn channeled all his strength into Tahl through the Force, allowing her to make the journey. Taking Eritha's speeder—which was faster than Jinn's—Jinn departed for New Apsolon with Tahl.[14]
Seeking vengeance[edit | edit source]
- "There is no help for me now. There is only revenge."
- ―Jinn directly after Tahl's death
On their way there, Tahl told him that Balog had indeed kidnapped her because he had thought that she possessed the list of traitors. Tahl did not have it, but she had decided to play along to Balog so he kept her alive all this time. When Jinn informed Tahl that Alani was trying to usurp power and become the Supreme Chancellor, Tahl realized that Alani had helped her infiltrate the Absolutes in the first place so that she could locate the list. Finally, Tahl remembered that the night she had escaped from the Absolutes in the city, a man named Oleg had helped her, indicating that he probably had the list; since the Absolutes had seen Tahl near him, they believed that she knew how to find him. Arriving at New Apsolon, Jinn was greeted by Manex, who had been contacted by Eritha regarding Jinn's arrival and who offered his best medical laboratories to treat Tahl. As the medics tried to treat Tahl, Kenobi and Eritha caught up to Jinn, and the Jedi Master relayed Tahl's information to Kenobi.[14]
Eventually, the doctors emerged from the operation room, telling Jinn that the damage from Balog's drug to Tahl's internal organs was too severe and they were unable to help her. Jinn went to see Tahl, sitting at her side and holding her hand as she passed away. Tahl's death struck a devastating blow at Jinn and left his heart empty and desiring of only one thing: revenge. Jinn remained beside Tahl's body for many hours after her death, not bothering to contact the Jedi Council and inform them what had happened, so Kenobi did that for him. Jinn only left Tahl's side once, procuring two more probe droids and setting them to find Balog, hoping to exact his revenge to the man. Meanwhile, Eritha returned to her sister's side, concealing the fact that she knew of her ties to the Absolutes and hoping to find more about it. To honor Tahl's sacrifice, a commemorative column was placed in New Apsolon's capital.[14]
The Workers had investigated the files in the abandoned Absolutes hideout in the city, but the records had been wiped clean and no leads could be obtained on Balog. Kenobi wanted to investigate several other matters—Alani's connection to Balog, Manex's suspicious kindness toward the Jedi, the disappearance of Oleg and the list—but Jinn only wanted to wait for the probe droids and start looking for Balog. Soon, a Jedi rescue team consisting of Tahl's orphaned Padawan, Bant Eerin, and Master Windu arrived in response to Kenobi's call. Windu offered Jinn to relieve him of his duties, while Jinn escorted Tahl's body to Coruscant, but Jinn declined. Manex, who had been appointed Acting Supreme Governor, then arrived, telling Jinn and Windu that Balog had leaked records during Tahl's time undercover among the Absolutes, making it appear that she had been conspiring in the takeover of the planet, giving the Jedi another reason to find Balog—to clear Tahl's name. Manex also made an official request to the Jedi to oversee the elections of the permanent Supreme Governor in three days. Jinn believed that overseeing the elections would distract them from searching for Balog, but Windu accepted the request.[70]
Later, the Jedi were visited by Yanci from the destroyed Rock Workers settlement. She informed Jinn that she had been aware of Oleg, who was a Worker who had infiltrated the Absolutes at the same time as Tahl, seeking to obtain the list and sell it for a fortune. The Workers in the city had contacted the Rock Workers, asking them to provide refuge for Oleg once he escaped, but the man never arrived. The reason the Workers had asked Yanci's settlement to shelter the man was because Oleg had a unique form of hibernation sickness that he had developed while being a prisoner of the Absolutes years ago, and Yanci knew how to treat it. Yanci provided Jinn with a list of clinics in the city where Oleg could have gone to receive treatment, and Jinn immediately went to search, leaving Kenobi behind. After visiting three clinics and not finding Oleg, Jinn arrived at the last clinic, finding a blind woman struggling to find the access panel.[70]
Reminded of Tahl and her annoyance at his attempts to protect her, Jinn helped the woman by simply telling her where to look instead of opening it for her, and then tried to find information about Oleg from the clerk Vero, who refused to give him access to restricted information. However, the woman, grateful for Jinn's help, feigned clumsiness and stirred havoc at the clinic, distracting Vero and allowing Jinn to access his files. Jinn indeed found the mention of Oleg being treated there, as well as his address. Thanking the woman, Jinn left to find Oleg at his apartment but was informed that Oleg had moved out; Jinn was advised to try a cafe around the corner. Jinn indeed found Oleg there, who mistook him for a buyer of the list he had. In the middle of the conversation, Oleg was contacted by another bidder, an Absolute. Suspecting that the buyer was Balog, Jinn said that he would not be buying the list and left the cafe, spying on Oleg as he left the cafe and went to meet the other customer. Jinn soon noticed that he was not the only one trailing Oleg and soon saw Balog following the man. Rage boiled within Jinn and he barely withheld himself from jumping at the man and killing him. Instead, he followed both Oleg and Balog to a warehouse.[70]
Once inside, Jinn was attacked by several probe droids set as a trap by Balog. Jinn destroyed them, but as he moved further, he discovered that Oleg had been killed, discovering a broken chain and a pendant, which he recognized as belonging to Irini. Knowing that she had been at the meeting, Jinn arranged a meeting with her. Irini admitted that she had posed as a buyer, but Oleg did not have the list on him. Irini and Oleg had been attacked by two of Balog's probe droids and she had retreated from the site. Surmising that Oleg had already sold the list by the time he had met Irini and had been trying to get money from multiple buyers, Jinn believed that in light of the coming elections, the people who would benefit the most from the list would be politicians, so he headed to the Unified Legislature. Jinn spent the entire evening going from cafe to cafe in the Civilized sector, but he did not find any clues that could led him to the list and Balog.[70]
The next morning, however, he overheard a conversation between two aides, discovering that one of the probe droids he had sent out to find Balog had attacked and killed Legislator Pleni. Moving inside the legislature, Jinn was spotted by Eritha. Meeting inside an empty cabinet, Jinn was informed by Eritha that Manex was in possession of the list. Eritha then excused herself, telling Jinn that she was close to finding Balog's location and that she would return with the information soon. While she was gone, Jinn was spotted by the building's guards, forcing him to escape from the Legislature. Acting on Eritha's tip, Jinn moved to Manex's residence, but as he arrived there, he found Kenobi, Eerin and Windu already there, having been conducting their own investigation. Manex did not have the list, but the residence was raided by security guards, who tried to break into the doors, stating that the knew that Jinn was there and intending to arrest him for the murder of Pleni. Kenobi and Windu, believing in Jinn's innocence, let him escape.[70]
Facing inner demons[edit | edit source]
- "We want information."
"Information has a price, too."
"The price will be that I do not break apart every item in this warehouse."
"N-now, relax, we're all friends here"
"I'm not your friend, and I'm not here to relax!" - ―Jinn, letting out his emotions while questioning Mota during the search for Tahl's killer
As he escaped from Manex's residence, Jinn realized that he was being followed and confronted the pursuer, who was revealed to be Eritha. The girl claimed that she knew where to find Balog and she promised to take Jinn to his hideout. As they approached the supposed hideout—the World Security headquarters, Jinn witnessed Kenobi rushing to his aid. A security force consisting of officers and droids confronted them, and Jinn's first instinct was to protect Eritha, but Kenobi told him that she was a traitor. After destroying the security droids, making sure not to harm the living officers so as not to make Jinn's criminal record even worse, Jinn and Kenobi escaped. Jinn's Padawan explained that he had discovered that Eritha had been in league with Alani all along and they both were allied with Balog and the Absolutes.[70]
During their meeting at the Legislature, Eritha had planted a tracking beacon on Jinn's clothes, which was the reason why the security forces had been able to track Jinn to Manex's residence and to the World Security headquarters. Removing the tracker, Jinn decided that he and Kenobi should next visit Mota, the black market seller who had sold Jinn the probe droids, one of which had killed Legislator Pleni. Confronting Mota inside his shop, Jinn let out his rage, angrily questioning him why the droids had been reprogrammed and how the police had known that they belonged to Jinn. According to Mota, hours after Jinn had purchased the droids, someone else had broken into Mota's computer system and had reprogrammed them. When the police had been investigating Pleni's death, Mota, for fear of imprisonment, told them that the droids belonged to Jinn, although he forgot to mention the fact that their programming had been tampered with. Analyzing Mota's records, Jinn discovered that the droids had been reprogrammed by Lenz and Irini.[70]
Taking one of Mota's landspeeders, Jinn and Kenobi went to Lenz and Irini's hideout, finding Irini recovering from a blaster shot. The Workers finally told the truth to Jinn. Irini had been trying to obtain the list because it contained Lenz's name, who had been an informant at one point. When she had found out that Oleg had had the list, she had lured him into the warehouse and had killed him. Discovering that Oleg had not had the list on him, she traced the list to Oleg's buyer, Senator Pleni, reprogramming Jinn's droids to kill her, retrieving the list and framing Jinn for the murder. However, Irini had been recently attacked by Balog, who now had the list and had brought it to Alani and Eritha, planning to use its influence to secure Alani's win in the upcoming election.[70]
Trying to right his wrongs before Jinn, Lenz revealed that he knew of a secret tunnel connecting the government residence and the Museum of Absolutes, believing that the Museum was the new Absolutes' hideout. Arriving at the residence, the Jedi contacted Windu, who promised to be there soon, and they also met the Workers' spy there, a male posing as a security guard, who had informed Lenz of the tunnel in the first place and who disabled the security systems of the residence, ensuring that the Jedi would not have to fight any reinforcements. Inside the residence, Jinn and Kenobi were confronted by Eritha, armed with blasters, who revealed her and her sister's complete scheme to Jinn and Kenobi. The kidnapping scheme had been their original plan all along. However, once they knew that Roan had the list with Balog's name on it, they had to obtain it, as the exposure of Balog as an Absolute collaborator could seal their hopes of winning the election. When the list had been stolen from Roan, the girls had decided to employ Tahl and retrieve it from the Absolutes, but the list had fallen in Oleg's possession instead. Once the girl ended her speech, Kenobi quickly disarmed her, however, and Jinn and his Padawan continued on their mission, moving through the secret tunnel.[70]
The Jedi arrived at the Museum of the Absolutes, only to be attacked by security droids sent after them by Eritha through the tunnel, as well as those stationed inside the Museum. Jinn and Kenobi engaged in a fierce battle, with Jinn letting his emotions take control of him. His rage at the unfairness of Tahl's death and the knowledge that Balog was nearby drove him into a sense of unprecedented sharpness of mind. Jinn did not care for his dark thoughts and feelings, drawing from them to aid him in his fight. Remembering from his previous visit to the Museum that there a was a data center nearby and realizing that Balog, now in possession of the list, would be trying to access it from there, Jinn went ahead of Kenobi and sliced his way through the droids all the way to the center. Inside, he found Balog, quickly disarming the man. As he was prepared to kill the traitor in cold blood, however, Jinn heard a voice in his mind telling him to stop, and he saw Kenobi watching the scene.[70]
The voice brought clarity to his senses, and Jinn was horrified at him being so close to falling to the dark side. Jinn then took Balog prisoner, just as Windu and Eerin arrived at the scene. With the arrest of Balog and the retrieval of the list, Alani and Eritha were exposed as traitors and arrested as well. Charges were also filed against Lenz and Irini. The planet was still in disarray, with new elections scheduled to take place in four weeks, but there was nothing else that Jedi could do. Manex provided the Jedi with one of his finest space yachts, placing Tahl's body there. Jinn swore that he would never go back to New Apsolon, even as Windu promised Manex that he could count on the Jedi for help. As they were leaving the planet, Jinn thanked his Padawan for stopping him from killing Balog, but Kenobi revealed that he had not said anything there. At that moment, Jinn realized that the voice he had heard was not Kenobi's—it had been Tahl's. As he moved to Tahl's room aboard the ship to say his last goodbyes. Jinn realized that the pain of the loss of his loved one would never leave him, but one day he would learn to accept it and live on his solitary life as a Jedi.[70]
A Padawan's progress[edit | edit source]
Witness protection[edit | edit source]
- "I, too, have wished I could have given my life to save another, one whom I had loved. But now I know that it is often harder to be the one left behind. I would not have wanted her to feel such loneliness, to go through the pain I have gone through."
- ―Jinn comforting Lena Cobral
For the next few months, Jinn became mostly inactive in the Jedi Order as he mourned the death of Tahl. Although he and Kenobi were still close to each other, Jinn largely abandoned teaching his Padawan, and they did not go on any major missions together. The Jedi Council was patient with Jinn, understanding his need to grieve, but in 40 BBY, they decided that it was time for Jinn to resume his duties. Jinn and Kenobi were summoned before the Council, with only Windu, Yoda and Koon present. The Masters informed Jinn that he and Kenobi were assigned to go to the planet Frego to pick up a witness there and transport her to Coruscant. The Council directed Jinn to speak with Jedi librarian Jocasta Nu to learn about the details of the task. The witness was Lena Cobral, the widow of Rutin Cobral, who had been killed and whose murderer was not yet found.[71]
Jinn was not surprised, as he knew that Frego was a planet ruled by criminals. In fact, the Cobral family was in charge of a crime ring that had been controlling the government for twenty years and it was unusual for a crime to be committed against one of its members and not be investigated thoroughly. Rutin had been the youngest of three sons of the leader of the Cobral family and had been groomed to take over the family. However, when the father had died, the oldest brother, Solan, had taken over. Lena had married Rutin three years ago. According to Frego's Senator Crote, Rutin had wanted to quit criminal activities and had wanted to testify before the Senate on the Cobrals' criminal activities, but had been killed shortly thereafter. With his death, Lena wanted to take on her late husband's duty and testify instead of him, but she required the Jedi to escort her from Frego to Coruscant.[71]
Arriving on Frego, Jinn and Kenobi were met by Lena's cousin named Mica, who took them through the streets of the city of Rian to Lena's hideout in a warehouse. Lena told Jinn and his Padawan that she had married Rutin before she knew that he was a Cobral. Rutin had first tried to convince his family to cease their criminal activities, but when Solan had discovered his plans, he had told their father, which put a stop to Rutin's plans to change his family's ways from the inside and had caused him to develop an idea to testify before the Senate. Lena also told the Jedi, however, that she did not have any solid evidence implicating the Cobral; all she had was her word, so she asked Jinn and Kenobi to stay on the planet until she could find some proof. Jinn, not satisfied with the fact that Lena had lied to them, wanted to leave, but Kenobi, clearly infatuated with the beautiful Lena, who was around his age, convinced Jinn to give her at least two days.
Jinn agreed but insisted that he and Kenobi would only provide protection for Lena and would not gather any intelligence themselves. Satisfied with the compromise, Lena led the Jedi to her apartment, finding that it had been searched. When she tried to access Rutin's computer containing the evidence he had collected, she found that the evidence had been erased and a message threatening to kill Lena unless she stopped the investigation appeared on the screen. Believing that their best bet would be to talk to Lena's mother-in-law, Zanita, Lena led the Jedi to the Cobral Estate. Jinn, however, began to suspect that the girl was lying to them, as she seemed to take her husband's death very lightly. At the Cobral Estate, the entire family was gathered to celebrate the birthday of the middle son, Bard, but Jinn, Kenobi and Lena managed to sneak past the guards and the family members and meet with Zanita, who was not involved in the crime business and was on good terms with Lena. When Lena informed her of her plans to testify to the Senate and told Zanita that she suspected Solan to be involved in Rutin's murder, Zanita agreed to help her daughter-in-law by acquiring a set of documents by the next day.[71]
At that moment, Jinn and Kenobi sensed danger as a large statue fell on their landspeeder, destroying it, but Zanita was kind enough to give them her own vehicle. Lena piloted the vehicle toward her apartment but stopped it several blocks away, exited and led the Jedi on foot through the apartment, taking another secret exit. Once outside, she called an air taxi and the three rode it to Lena's warehouse hideout. Lena explained that she believed that the statue falling on their landspeeder had not been an accident; it had been one of the many traps spread throughout Cobral estate, activated by someone who wanted Lena dead, possibly Juno, an assistant to the Cobral who had seen her and the Jedi inside the estate. Lena had taken such a long route to her warehouse because she believed that Zanita's speeder had been outfitted with listening devices placed by the rest of her family. Finally arriving at the warehouse, Lena was handed a package by Mica, which had arrived recently and bore Rutin's handwriting of Lena's name.[71]
As Kenobi and Mica left to prepare food, Jinn question Lena, asking her who else knew about her hideout. Lena told Jinn that only Mica knew about it, also revealing that Mica's mother had been killed by the Cobral. Jinn believed that Mica had revealed the location of the hideout to the sender of the box, a theory that was seemingly proven true when Mica tried to escape. However, Kenobi caught her and brought her back, and Mica told the Jedi that she had snuck into Lena's apartment while the Cobral had been searching it. Afraid for Lena's safety should she ever testify, Mica had been the one who had erased the evidence from Rutin's computer, but she had not left any messages and had not told anyone about the hideout. When Mica told Lena about what she had done, Lena took the contents of the package and ran away while Jinn and Kenobi were not paying attention to her. Asking Mica where Lena might have gone, Jinn and Kenobi followed her directions to the Tubal Park, which had been Rutin and Lena's favorite getaway spot.[71]
Not knowing where exactly to look for Lena, the three split up to search the park, Jinn taking Mica with him. The Jedi and Mica searched the entire park but were unable to find Lena, so they returned to the warehouse. To their surprise, Lena had been waiting for them there, saying that she had been wandering alone, trying to prove that the package was from Rutin. She believed that that Rutin, who had been aware of the warehouse, had taken precautions in case of his death and had sent her directions to where she could obtain the evidence. However, Rutin's package only contained a seemingly random assortment of items: a pair of waterproof boots, a small light, a beam drill and a vial of dirt. As Jinn tried to decipher the mystery of the package, Lena told him that she had also checked on her apartment, finding a message from Zanita asking Lena to meet her at Dock 12, alone. Jinn and Kenobi insisted on going with Lena, saying that they would stay in hiding as she conducted her business with Zanita, and the three left the warehouse, leaving Mica behind.[71]
As they arrived at the Dock, Lena went to meet Zanita, while Jinn and Kenobi remained in hiding. However, Lena was confronted by Solan, Bard and two droids, who had captured Zanita and held her at blasterpoint. When Mica also appeared at the scene, having followed them, Lena tried to bluff her way out of the situation, telling Solan that she had changed her mind and would not testify before the Senate, but the brothers did not believe her and moved in to attack. Jinn and Kenobi emerged from their hiding place, protecting the two girls. During the fight, both droids were destroyed, but Solan and Bard retreated with the captive Zanita, while Mica was killed. Grieving for the loss of her cousin, Lena, however, focused on the mission and led Jinn and Kenobi back to the Tubal Park, where she believed Rutin had wanted her to go to their favorite hiding spot. Trying to find use for the strange items in Rutin's package, Lena realized that the vial of dirt indicated that the place around them was Human-made and not natural.[71]
Uncovering a hidden panel beneath a patch of fake ground, she found a use for the beam drill to force the panel open, which opened into a dark water-filled tunnel. Making use of the boots and the light, Lena descended into the tunnel and emerged with a small package, containing a datapad. Returning to the warehouse, Lena analyzed the datapad, confirming that it contained enough evidence to strip the Cobral from power. Jinn the contacted Senator Crote with the update on the mission, and the Senator advised the Jedi to take one of his fastest ships, the Degarian II, to deliver Lena and the datapad to Coruscant. That night, Jinn sensed that something was amiss and he went to check on Lena, finding her bound and Kenobi confronting an intruder who was trying to escape with the datapad. Quickly disarming the thug, Jinn retrieved the datapad as well as a travel order bearing the official seal of Senator Crote.
Believing that Crote was in league with the Cobral, Jinn made an adjustment to their plans. He, Kenobi and Lena boarded the Degarian II, but got off minutes before it left the planet. Instead, Jinn secured their passage to Coruscant from an independent pilot. His suspicions were proven right, as Yoda contacted Jinn in the middle of the journey, telling him that the Degarian II had been ambushed mid-flight and destroyed. The Jedi safely brought Lena to Coruscant, where they were met by Master Windu, after which Lena testified in an emergency session called by the Supreme Chancellor. Her evidence led to Senator Crote's removal from office and arrest warrants issued against members of the Cobral family. Many senators were impressed by Lena's bravery and suggested her to run for the post of Frego's Senator to replace the corrupt Crote. Believing that their mission was over, Jinn left with Windu toward the Jedi Temple to attend to business there, leaving Kenobi with Lena at the Fregian consulate chambers.[71]
However, sensing danger, Jinn soon returned to his Padawan, finding that Zanita Cobral, the true leader of the crime family and the one responsible for Rutin's death, had arrived on Coruscant and had attempted to kill Lena. Lena had been injured in the attack, but Kenobi had disarmed Zanita of her blaster. As Jinn arrived at the scene, he saw Zanita pull out a vibroblade, and warned Kenobi of an impending attack. However, instead of attacking Kenobi, Zanita used the weapon to commit suicide, accepting her family's defeat. Lena survived the attack and was treated for her wounds. Remembering how patient and understating Kenobi had been to him in the recent months and especially during the mission to Frego, Jinn realized that Kenobi was getting closer to being ready to become a Jedi Knight, and he thanked him for his comforting words, which had helped Jinn find the strength to go on after Tahl's death.[71]
Mission to Vorzyd IV[edit | edit source]
- "I know. I still have much to learn."
"Yet you have already grown so much. I am proud of you, Obi-Wan. Proud of what you have become. It is an honor to teach you, to work with you. I could not ask for a better Padawan learner." - ―Jinn and Kenobi on Vorzyd IV
Returning from one of the missions later that year, Jinn and Kenobi found themselves on a prolonged period of time without any other assignments. After two months spent in physical exercise and meditation, Jinn and his Padawan were finally summoned before the Jedi Council, who dispatched them on a mission to the Vorzyd system, where a feud was growing between the fourth and the fifth planets of the system. According to the briefing provided by Master Nu, the native Vorzydiaks of Vorzyd IV were a very work-centric species. Every member of their society was required to work starting from age ten until mandatory retirement at the age of seventy, although most of the retirees died shortly afterward despite being in good health. Due to such hard-working population, Vorzyd IV was producing most of the food and other goods used by the five planets of the system. Their neighbors, Vorzyd V, on the contrary, produced only half of its planetary needs and depended on the trade with Vorzyd IV.[72]
In the past, the fifth planet had often been indebted to the fourth one, but it had never hurt their relations. However, recently Vorzyd V had opened a series of casinos that had brought them big profits and had allowed them to pay off their debts. Meanwhile, a series of sabotage attacks had struck the production facilities on Vorzyd IV. Claiming that Vorzyd V attempted to achieve power in the system and had been responsible for the acts of sabotage, all Vorzyd V diplomats had been expelled from the fourth planet, and the Chairman of Vorzyd IV, Port, had personally contacted the Jedi Order for help, which was highly unusual for the generally isolationist Vorzydiaks.[72]
Jinn and Kenobi traveled to Vorzyd IV, where they were met by a Vorzydiak guide and escorted to a factory operated by Multycorp, one of the largest corporations on the planet. There they met Port, discovering that the Vorzydiaks spent their entire lives working, and fun and games were strange concepts to them. According to Port, no one had been hurt in the sabotage attacks, and they had been strictly aimed at slowing production rates. Port did not give Jinn any reason that he suspected Vorzyd V's hand in the attacks, so Jinn asked to inspect the sabotaged areas. At that moment, however, another sabotage attempt occurred, the factory's computers showing erroneous data regarding production rates of hard goods. Kenobi looked at the computers but was unable to find the source of the problem as the Voryzdiaks' workday came to a close. Chairman Port invited the Jedi to have a meal at his home, introducing them to his wife, Bryn.[72]
According to the Chairman and his wife, their son, Grath, was supposedly delayed on his work, and he did not join Jinn and Kenobi for the meal with the family. The next day, Port showed the Jedi Vorzyd's retirement home, where his mother used to live before she died a month ago. Port allowed the Jedi to stay in his mother's room, and Jinn and Kenobi decided to meditate. During his meditation, Jinn saw visions of an older Kenobi, who had attained the rank of Jedi Master, and he was proud of what his Padawan had accomplished. Meanwhile, Kenobi, too restless to meditate, left the room. When he did not return after a long time, Jinn initially wanted to contact him via comlink, but believing that his apprentice had grown enough, he gave him more time to conduct his own investigation. When Kenobi returned, he told Jinn that he had uncovered two important pieces of information; firstly, the Vorzydiaks could share emotions with each other through their antennae. Second, Vorzyd V was not responsible for the attacks. It was a group of Vorzyd IV's children, who called themselves the Freelies, and who did not share their parents' workaholic attitude and attempted to make them work less.[72]
Kenobi suggested to Jinn that he would be able to infiltrate the Freelies by disguising himself as a Vorzydiak. Jinn hesitated at first, but seeing Kenobi's calm and collected demeanor, he realized how much his Padawan had matured and he gave him three days to perform his plan. The next day, Port summoned the Jedi to be present as he contacted Vorzyd V. As Jinn went to the meeting with Port, Kenobi infiltrated the Vorzyd school. Port told Jinn that another sabotage had occurred, the central operations computer, controlling Vorzyd IV's entire power grid, had come out of commission. Jinn requested to take a look at the problem and descended to the sublevel containing the computer, seeing the Vorzydiak workers affected by a high-pitched sound it emitted, and he realized that the computer had not been broken but had been programmed to play music. Jinn deactivated the command, but the power was still rapidly going out throughout Vorzyd, with the next building to lose power being the children's hospital.[72]
Jinn rushed back to stop the disaster, overriding a network shutdown and flushing the system, preventing the deaths of the children. Jinn then went to inform Port of the averted tragedy, finding him in holographic communication with the leader of Vorzyd V, Felana, accusing her planet of the terrorist attacks. Jinn diffused the situation, but Felana promised that if Vorzyd IV continued their accusations, there would be war. Returning to their apartment in the retirement complex, Jinn conferred with Kenobi, who had returned from his first day undercover. Kenobi informed Jinn that the Freelies were planning to sabotage the shuttles carrying the workers to work, but only when nobody was present there. However, early in the morning, Port arrived to the Jedi's room, informing them that the shuttles were exploding with people in them; the Freelies had struck earlier. Jinn and Kenobi helped to stop a large loss of life by stopping most of the people from boarding the shuttles and disarming the explosives.[72]
Believing that the Freelies' attacks had become too serious, Jinn asked his Padawan to convince the children to come out as the perpetrators, before the shuttle attack could be blamed on Vorzyd V and lead to a war between the two planets, a notion which Felana reaffirmed when she personally arrived to the planet. Jinn tried to prevent the conflict by telling Port to wait with the accusations until the sabotaged shuttles were expected. He did not reveal anything about the Freelies, giving his Padawan more time to act on his own. However, when they met in their apartment, Kenobi told Jinn that he had been discovered as a Jedi and that the Freelies' meeting place had been raided by the Vorzydiaks acting on someone's tip, although the children had escaped. Hoping to ease his Padawan's mind, Jinn proposed to Kenobi to head outside for a practice lightsaber fight. During the fight, Jinn felt how much his Padawan's skill had developed, and he was nearly a match for him in lightsaber combat.[72]
After the fight, Jinn suggested Kenobi speak directly to Grath, the leader of the Freelies, offering him to start negotiations with the adults. Kenobi succeeded in convincing the Freelies, who had also exposed the traitor within their ranks, Flip. As Kenobi went to the Freelies to negotiate, Jinn spoke with the workers and Chairman Port, helping to achieve peace with Vorzyd V and gather a large meeting of adults and retirees in the Multycorp complex annex. However, Jinn received a call through the Force from his Padawan, telling him to evacuate everyone from the annex. Trusting his Padawan, Jinn did as he asked, evacuating those present at the meeting in time before the annex exploded; it had been rigged with explosives by Flip, who had advocated for the violent ways of the Freelies, although he had not expected anyone to be inside the annex when it exploded. Kenobi had learned about the attack from a Freelie named Tray, who had conspired with Flip, but once he had found out that his retired grandmother Ina was at the meeting, he had revealed Flip's plans.[72]
Kenobi and the Freelies soon arrived at the destroyed building, and Jinn thanked his Padawan for his warning that had saved so many lives. Knowing that Flip had still been inside the building, the Freelies and the workers searched for him among the rubble, finding him, yet Flip died shortly afterward because of his wounds. Jinn and Kenobi then helped the Freelies and the adults to come to peaceful terms, making the workers realize that there was more to life than just work. The retirees had been dying because they did not have anyone near them to share emotions with. In the aftermath of the events at Multycorp, the population of Vorzyd IV reevaluated their views on work. The work week was shortened by a day, and the generations started to spend more time with each other, with the children and the laborers coming to visit the retirees and building outdoor space for them. As they were thanked by the Vorzydiaks, Jinn and Kenobi left the planet, headed toward Coruscant. On their way, Jinn told Kenobi how proud he was of his progress as a Jedi and admitted that he was the best Padawan he could ever wish for.[72] Still keeping some semblance of contact with Dooku, Jinn shared his pride in Kenobi, speaking very highly of the boy to his former Master.[73]
Lundi's obsession[edit | edit source]
- "In my hand! In my hand! I held it in my hand!"
- ―Murk Lundi's mad ramblings
The next year, Jinn and Kenobi were at the Jedi Temple when they were summoned by the Council, who then established contact with Master Kit Fisto, who had taken Bant Eerin as his Padawan after Tahl's death. Fisto and Eerin were on a mission on the Sith homeworld of Korriban at the time. Although the Sith were believed to be extinct, Fisto and Eerin had located a recently abandoned dwelling on the planet, which belonged to someone who had been collecting knowledge about the Sith. A drawing of a Sith holocron was scribbled on the wall, with the text that it had been located. Jocasta Nu told Jinn and Kenobi that a number of cults worshiping the Sith were known to be active across the galaxy, and that recently, a Quermian historian named Murk Lundi had shifted all of his university courses toward the topic of the Sith. Among the tomes discovered by Fisto and Eerin had been several published by Lundi, leading the Jedi Council to believe that Lundi was involved in a Sith cult and one of his men had operated on Korriban and had located the holocron.[74]
Trying to stop him from obtaining the powerful Sith holocron, Jinn and Kenobi attended one of Lundi's lectures, listening as he talked about the Sith with fascination and admiration. The Jedi originally planned to talk with his students afterward, believing that they were involved in the cult, and that one of them had compiled the cache of Sith knowledge on Coruscant. However, when Lundi announced that he would be taking a sabbatical for the next week, Jinn and Kenobi followed him to a transport bound for the planet Lisal. Jinn used a mind trick to convince the ship's attendant to sell them two tickets at a regular price despite them running late, and he and Kenobi boarded the ship. Right before takeoff, however, one of Lundi's students named Norval attempted to board the ship, trying to convince Lundi to take him with him. Norval spoke loudly that he had been the one to discover the holocron's location and that Lundi would need him to access its power, providing definite proof of Lundi's intentions. However, Lundi did not heed Norval's words and had his guards escort the man off the ship.[74]
Jinn and Kenobi hid themselves in an unused room on the ship, reporting to the Jedi on their discovery, and Nu confirmed that there were rumors of a Sith holocron on Lisal. Deciding to give Lundi time to relax and drop his guard, Jinn and Kenobi spent the night inside the room. That night, Kenobi had a strange dream of a holocron, which Jinn interpreted as a warning telling them to proceed on their mission with caution. Later, believing that Lundi was staying in a private cabin, the two disguised themselves as ship's staff and went to look for the professor, but they spotted him at the bridge, demanding the captain to take him to the planet Nolar instead of Lisal, promising him a valuable glinting object as a reward. Disembarking on Nolar as well, Jinn and Kenobi trailed Lundi as he booked passage with another pilot and then went through the city of Nolari. Pursuing him, Jinn and his Padawan noticed that they were being trailed as well by a humanoid figure wearing a cloak and a helmet.[74]
Jinn instructed his Padawan to try to discover the identity of the man, while Jinn continued to track Lundi. Eventually, the Quermian arrived at a storehouse, where he attempted to buy a Nolarian 6000 drill, but the store dealer said the they did not have one at the moment. Lundi was angered by the setback, and through natural Quermian telepathic abilities, his anger started to affect Kenobi, who had arrived at the storehouse shortly after Jinn, making him restless and agitated. Kenobi told Jinn that while he had been trying to follow the cloaked figure, he had been attacked by a street gang, sustaining a minor injury to his shoulder. As Yoda contacted Jinn with the information that another cache of Sith items had been found on Umgul, Jinn and Kenobi decided to go to Lundi's new ship to intercept him there. On the way to the hangar, however, they came under attack. Escaping from the ambush, the Jedi found that the ship that Lundi had hired was gone, and its Ithorian pilot was laying inside the hangar, drugged.[74]
After the pilot woke up, he told them that he did not know if it was Lundi who had stolen the ship, but he revealed to the Jedi that Lundi had hired him to go to the planet Kodai. Jinn and Kenobi then secured passage to Kodai from a female pilot named Elda. According to Nu's information, Kodai was a planet mostly covered by sea, which at one point had drowned most of its population. Now, only a small patch of land remained among the sea, with a small number of native Kodaians living there. Every ten years, when the two moons of the planet synched up, the sea experienced a particularly low tide. One of such occurrences was going to occur in two days, indicating that Lundi was planning to retrieve the holocron from the bottom of the ocean. In the meantime, the Sith cult's activities continued to spread, as another cache had been uncovered on Tynna and an explosion had occurred on the planet Nubia, with a drawing of the Sith holocron found on the site of the explosion.[74]
After finding a bomb aboard Elda's ship and successfully disarming it, the Jedi arrived on Kodai and went to the local lodging quarters from where they were directed to an apartment that Lundi had rented, finding it locked. Deciding to look further, the Jedi asked the local populace about the Quermian, and a boy directed them to a cantina where they could talk to a Koda named Reis, who confirmed that the holocron was indeed on the planet,hidden beneath the sea. Inside the cantina, Kenobi spotted someone who he believed to be Omal, another one of Lundi's students, but the figure slipped away. Jinn and Kenobi returned to the lodging, watching in shifts at Lundi's locked door. During Jinn's shift, however, he left his post for a moment to receive a communication from Nu, and it was at that moment that Lundi left his cabin. Jinn followed the Quermian, rendezvousing with his Padawan, who had been talking a walk before his shift.[74]
As the water ebbed, Jinn and Kenobi saw many Kodaians in the area searching for the artifact. The Jedi used the Force in attempt to located Lundi, finding that a dark presence prevented the Kodaians from searching a particularly deep chasm. Jinn and Kenobi used their cable launchers to descend the crevasse, although a mysterious figure above tried to stop them by cutting Kenobi's line. Kenobi survived, and he and Jinn made their way further into the chasm, where they found a maddened Lundi, frantically rambling that he had held the holocron,[74] which had been made by the Sith Adas millennia ago,[75] within his grasp but he had lost it. The Jedi could not understand where the holocron had disappeared, but they could feel its dark side power affecting them.[74]
At that moment, the sea started to regain its territory and the Jedi had to retreat from the chasm, a task made difficult by the fact that Lundi tried to pull them back toward the holocron. As the water almost drowned them, the Jedi and the mad professor were only saved by Elda who came to their rescue and picked them up on her ship. With most of what had happened on the planet still a mystery to Jinn and Kenobi, they returned to Coruscant with Lundi, who was imprisoned in a mental hospital. Unbeknownst to the Jedi, Lundi had been followed to Kodai by two of his students—Norval, who wanted to obtain the holocron for himself, and Omal who wanted to prevent the holocron from falling into Lundi's hands. A skirmish had erupted between the three of them, resulting in the holocron falling deeper into the chasm.[74]
Extracting Talesan Fry[edit | edit source]
- "You must come with us. To stay is too great a risk."
- ―Qui-Gon Jinn to Talesan Fry
The same year, memories of Tahl still hurting him, Jinn was recalled to the Jedi Temple by Yoda, who then dispatched him on a mission to ease his mind off of Tahl. The mission was to protect a boy named Talesan Fry, a ten-year-old boy genius from the planet Cirrus, who had a talent for building things. He had recently tapped into his planet's communication system, where he overheard a band of five bounty hunters discussing a future assassination. News of Fry's discovery had reached the Senate Investigating Commission on Crime Syndication, Dissemination, and Proliferation in the Core and Mid-Rim Systems, and his parents Nelia and Grove, had attempted to bring the recording of the conversation and Talesan to Coruscant so that he could testify.[76]
However, news of Fry's recording had reached a corrupt Senator who had placed a bounty on his head. One of the five bounty hunters had attacked the Fryes at night, but had been stopped by a security system created by Talesan. The family had escaped, but the bounty hunter had destroyed the recording, along with their house, and they had gone into hiding. Jinn and Kenobi were assigned to protect Fry, alongside Galia and Tachi, arriving in Cirrus' capital city of Ciran. The Fryes were hiding in one of the hotels, under the alias Yanto, and they expected the Jedi. Jinn and his companions arrived at the inn and made their way to the Fryes' room, finding it deserted. Jinn, however, believed that the clerk who had let them in had been acting suspiciously, and the latter soon attacked them, revealing himself to be one of the bounty hunters in disguise. Unsuccessful at killing the Jedi, the bounty hunter retreated from the inn, but Jinn had noticed during the fight that the bounty hunter had somehow realized mid-battle where to find the Frys. Checking the room, he concluded that the manan had seen an access card containing a code to enter the room, 2N533, which Jinn believed was a hint left to them by the Fryes.[76]
Accessing the map of the city, the Jedi deduced that the code corresponded to District 2, 533 North Ascin Street of Ciran, and they followed the bounty hunter, who had a head start. Once there, after encountering several of Talesan's traps, they met with the boy and his parents. The Jedi decided to evacuate the family to their cruiser using three swoop bikes hidden by the Fryes on the roof. However, realizing that the bounty hunter was gaining on them, Nelia and Grove decided to stay behind to distract him from their son, who would leave with the Jedi. The Jedi and their charge made their way to the cruiser and left the planet, but they were pursued by the heavily armed ship of the bounty hunter. Unable to shake him off, and knowing that their ship had a reinforced hull, Jinn came up with a plan to fake their ship's crash. The Jedi deliberately took a heavy hit from the bounty hunter and released an escape pod, and the bounty hunter took off after it.[76]
In fact, the Jedi remained aboard the ship, crashing it into the surface of the planet Quadrant Seven, cushioning the impact with whatever soft material they could bring to their cabin. Leaving their Padawans to hide with Fry in one of the caves near the site of their crash-landing, Jinn and Galia went to the nearby town called Settlement 5 to find new means of transportation, but one of the dealers informed them that the only way to get off the planet from Settlement 5 was by a freighter that was due to arrive in five days. Alternatively, they could hire a spaceship in Settlement 23, but they could not contact that settlement, as comlink communications were being blocked throughout the planet. They could not buy a landspeeder to go to Settlement 23 either, since it would require a permit which could take anywhere from a week up to a month to be given to them. Since the assassination was supposed to take place in a week, Jinn decided that they had to wait for the freighter while trying their luck to find some locals who possessed a ship and could give them a ride.[76]
They then spotted the bounty hunter who was trailing them moving through the streets. Jinn and Galia followed the bounty hunter to a ship, where all the bounty hunters were gathered. Listening to the meeting, Jinn and Galia discovered the identities of the bounty hunters—Gorm the Dissolver, Pilot, Raptor, Lunasa and their leader Magus—they also found out that not one but twenty planetary leaders were being targeted. Four of the hunters decided to leave Talesan alone and proceed with their mission, but Magus was adamant at killing the boy and he slipped from the ship as his companions took off. Deciding that it would be more efficient for them to follow the four assassins, Jinn and Tachi remained on the bounty hunter ship, leaving their Padawans behind. Once they left the planet's jamming field, Jinn could only send a barely comprehensible transmission to Kenobi and Tachi, informing them of Magus and telling them to stay safe until he and Galia returned.[76]
If they were not to return in five days, then the Padawans were to take the freighter arriving at Settlement 5. After three days of staying aboard the ship, Jinn and Galia did not learn anything about their destination or the identities of the twenty targets, so they decided to act. Having overheard that Pilot was keeping files on Magus and their employer, Jinn and Galia snuck into Pilot's cabin while he was sleeping and accessed some of the data. However, as they were leaving, Pilot awoke and tried to stop them. Galia knocked him out, but he had been able to push an alarm button, notifying the other bounty hunters of the intruders. Jinn and Galia had to fight their way through the three remaining bounty hunters, as well as droidekas, but they made their way to the ship's escape pod and successfully escaped.[76]
Making their way to the planet Haven, Jinn and Galia stopped at the Landing Lights cafe to analyze the data that they had on the assassination. Piecing together information gleaned from the overheard conversations of the bounty hunters and the files they had seen, the Jedi Masters concluded that the assassination was supposed to take place during a meeting somewhere outside the Core Worlds, with twenty planetary leaders present there. Consulting via comlink with Nu, they found out that Magus had ties to the Corporate Alliance Magistrate, Passel Argente and that there was an unofficial meeting of twenty Senators with grievances against the Alliance planned to take place in the Ulta Center on Rondai-2.[76]
Kenobi's girlfriends[edit | edit source]
- "What were we thinking? That we would find a way. That we were Jedi, and we would be apart much of the time. Yet we wouldn't deny the feeling."
"You would break the rule. You would have kept it secret."
"No, I don't think either of us wanted that. I think we felt that we would work something out somehow."
"The same way I feel now!"
"Here is the difference between us. I did not get a chance to examine my decision. To see its pitfalls and its faults. I do not know what would have happened if Tahl had lived. We might have decided to put our great love aside. We might have left the Jedi Order. I do not know. I will never know. And I live with the heartbreak of losing her. But I am living, Obi-Wan. I am continuing to walk the Jedi path. What I'm saying to you is that once in a great while we have a chance to look at our lives and make a choice that will define us. You have that choice. It is ahead of you. Do not make it in haste. Use your head as well as your heart. Remember that you have chosen a life that includes personal sacrifice. This is the greatest sacrifice you can give." - ―Jinn trying to convince Kenobi to give up his love for Siri Tachi
Arriving there, Jinn and Galia surveyed the upcoming meeting place from a nearby cafe, concluding that it possessed great security and the Senators would feel themselves safe there, which was why Argente had hired five bounty hunters each specializing in different areas. Remembering that Lunasa, the impersonation specialist among the bounty hunters, had changed her hair color to black aboard the ship, and noticing that all the inhabitants on Rondai-2 were predominantly black-haired, Jinn realized that she was planning to impersonate one of the natives. Since prestige establishments such as the Ulta Center prided themselves in not using droids for service needs, Jinn concluded that Lunasa would be impersonating one of the staff members. Indeed, they soon noticed Lunasa arriving at the building, and they also spotted a cloud car piloted by Raptor and Pilot, who had captured Talesan from under the care of their Padawans. Jinn believed that Lunasa was responsible for smuggling the rest of the band in and that Raptor would be that last one, Pilot remaining behind as a getaway driver and to watch over Fry.[76]
The two soon witnessed Pilot creating a traffic accident near the Ulta Center, distracting the attention of the Center's guards. This allowed Raptor, a fish-like bounty hunter with gills, to dive into a central water supply that provided water to the pools inside the suites of the building. Using their aquata breathers, Jinn and Galia followed the bounty hunter through the maze-like passages of the pipes, emerging near the gathering of the four bounty hunters, all except Pilot. The bounty hunters, all heavily armed, split up, and the Jedi decided to take them off one by one. While Galia went for Lunasa, Jinn followed Raptor to the laundry. Raptor attacked the Jedi, firing heat-seeking rockets from his rocket launcher, but Jinn caused several bins and sheets to fall from an overhanging conveyor belt, interfering with the rocket's homing device and making it explode on contact with Raptor.[76]
Jinn rejoined with Galia, who had Lunasa pinned by the security of the building, and the two pursued Gorm and Magus to the Constellation Suite, where the meeting was going to take place. The Senators were already gathered there, protected by a small security team, several members of which had been killed by the bounty hunters. As Jinn and Galia arrived inside the room, Magus attacked the remaining guards with poison darts, while Lunasa descended from a floor above on a line beside the window and threw a grenade in the room, Jinn helped the Senators take cover and then jumped at Lunasa, slamming both of them down into one of the pools below. Telling one of the shocked security guards to keep her under guard, he went to assist Galia, who had engaged Magus in a fight on the roof. As Jinn joined Galia, however, Magus escaped by jumping off to a rooftop below, leaving Jinn and Galia with a choice to follow him or to defend the Senators against Gorm, who was still on the loose.[76]
However, Kenobi and Tachi then appeared at the scene, telling their Masters that they would chase Magus. Jinn and Galia returned to the Senators, engaging the half-machine, flamethrower-using Gorm in battle. After a brief fight, Jinn and Galia incapacitated the cyborg by damaging his head. Jinn then spotted Magus at the end of a hallway above, diving into a turbolift to the rooftop. As Kenobi and Tachi rejoined their Masters, the four Jedi used their cable launchers to ascend to the roof, where Pilot was waiting for Magus in an escape vehicle, holding Fry hostage. Magus ordered Pilot to come out from the vehicle with Fry and drop him off the roof if the Jedi did not let them go. Not willing to cause harm to the boy, Jinn agreed. However, Magus did not wait for Pilot, jumped into the airspeeder and left, knocking Pilot and Fry off the roof in the process. Tachi was quick to react, as she leaped off the roof, caught Fry and used her cable launcher to stop their fall and climb back.[76]
In the aftermath of the attack, two Senators had been badly wounded, but none were killed. Pilot and Raptor were dead, Gorm and Lunasa were captured, while Magus had escaped. Fry told the Jedi that the reason why the bounty hunters had kept them alive was because he had lied to them about having another copy of the original recording that would be transmitted to the Senate in case of his death. Jinn did not have any proof that Argente had been behind the attack, but he suspected that Fry had some evidence against the Magistrate, although whether he would reveal that or not was unclear. At the end of the mission, as Jinn looked at Kenobi and Tachi, however, he realized that they treated each other with unusual affection, and Jinn realized that his Padawan had fallen in love after spending so much time with Galia's Padawan and surviving a near-death experience together on their way to Rondai-2.[76]
After bringing Fry to Coruscant, Jinn informed Yoda about Kenobi's secret love. After they escorted Fry to the Senate for his testimony, Jinn and Yoda spoke with the boy at the Room of the Thousand Fountains, where the two Jedi Masters tried to convince Jinn's Padawan that it would be better for him to let go of his feelings for Tachi. Jinn and Yoda insisted that their love could lead them into leaving the Jedi Order, which would be detrimental to the Order and that they would never rest easy with that. Kenobi protested, remembering Jinn and Tahl's own romantic experience, but Jinn explained to his Padawan that his situation was different, as he had never had the time to analyze his decision before Tahl's death, and they might have eventually decided to abandon their love altogether. Tachi arrived in the room, informing those present that Fry had given the testimony against the bounty hunters, but he had not revealed the identity of their contractor. Also, Magus had struck and had killed the boy's parents, orphaning him. Jinn and Yoda then left Kenobi and Tachi alone to have a hard talk regarding their future. The Padawans did as the Masters had suggested, burying the love for each other deep within themselves and never speaking of it again.[76]
At some point during Jinn's time as Kenobi's Master,[77] the two were dispatched on an extended mission to the planet Mandalore, where a devastating conflict known as the Great Clan Wars was raging between multiple warlike Mandalorian factions that opposed the leadership of the New Mandalorians, a pacifist faction that had the de facto rule of the Mandalore sector.[78] Jinn and his Padawan were tasked with protecting Satine Kryze, who had become the leader of the New Mandalorians after her father's death during the conflict[79] and who had been elected the Duchess of Mandalore.[80] The two Jedi spent a full year on Mandalore, protecting the Duchess from the hostile insurgents who opposed her rule and who sent bounty hunters after her. At times, Jinn, Kenobi and their charge were forced to take refuge on other worlds of the Mandalore sector, such as Draboon, in order to evade the assassins. During that time, Kenobi and Kryze developed romantic feelings for each other, and Kenobi nearly left the Jedi Order to be with her, but he ultimately stayed true to the Jedi path.[81] During their travels, Jinn and Kenobi also met Harko and Elodore Vane of the House of Vane, the ruling house of the planet Valahari, known for its reputation for being a home to one of the best starship engineers in the galaxy. The Vanes grew very fond of Jinn.[82]
Later missions[edit | edit source]
The Aurorient Express[edit | edit source]
- "You must learn, as I did from my own Master, that the true moral value of an act can be calculated by weighing the spirit of the motivation against the benefit of the result."
"He actually believed that certain despicable behaviors can be conscionable?"
"If it is overshadowed by a greater outcome, yes."
"I have a feeling Master Yoda would find issue with that theory…"
"I know for a fact that he does." - ―Jinn, teaching Kenobi a lesson once taught to himself by Dooku
In 38 BBY, a luxury cloud cruiser called the Aurorient Express slipped out of control and began sinking into the thick atmosphere of the planet Yorn Skot, endangered to be crushed by the planet's tibanisphere in a matter of hours. All communications with the ship's had been lost due to the reflective qualities of the planet's clouds. Since Yorn Scot had been colonized by a wealthy tibanna gas Baron Clode Rhoden, who refused to recognize any outside political government, there were no local jurisdictions equipped to handle such an emergency. The Aurorient Express was also owned by Rhoden, who strictly forbade any Jedi presence aboard his ship. Jinn and Kenobi were nevertheless dispatched to rescue the Aurorient Express, arriving at Yorn Skot near its location on a rescue frigate.[83]
Diving from their ship into the air, the two landed onto the hull of the Aurorient Express, only to find it swarming with illegal Trade Federation Fastlatch-class security droids. Jinn and Kenobi engaged them in battle and quickly reached an entry hatch, but it was sealed tight and equipped with explosive bolts preventing the Jedi from cutting it open with their lightsabers. In search of another means of entry, the two found a glass window port above the ship's dining hall. At that moment, a larger model of a security droid appeared behind their backs. Jinn deflected its shots with his lightsaber, but the impact of the shot sent him off balance and into Kenobi, both crashing through the window and falling into the dining hall, landing among the passengers, who were not aware of the danger that their ship was in. In order not to stir panic, Jinn introduced themselves as window washers, and he used the Force to ask one of the crew members to direct them to the ship's captain.[83]
Jinn and Kenobi were escorted to the ship's Neimoidian captain's cabin, where they witnessed Clode Rhoden's wife, Madam Rhoden, and her personal trainer Buck, confronting the captain, dissatisfied with the ship's service entering her cabin, despite her strict orders against doing so. Madam Rhoden was angered even further by the Jedi's presence aboard the cruiser despite her husband's order not to let any aboard. To calm her down, Jinn used the Force to persuade her to go have a drink. Jinn and Kenobi informed the captain that his ship had been sinking deep into the atmosphere uncontrollably and that its hull was filled with Trade Federation droids. The captain was unaware of the situation, as all machinery registered that there was nothing wrong with the cruiser. The Jedi wanted to talk with the ship's mechanic, Bouyardy, but the man had already been attacked by the droids on one of the lower decks.[83]
Jinn and Kenobi rushed to the man's aid, destroying a large number of droids but more were coming through a breach in the hull, so the Jedi had to seal the area. Jinn believed that someone had been responsible for sabotaging the ship's computers to show falsified information while it sank into the atmosphere, with Bouyardy suggesting that it had been a band of pressure pirates active on the planet, who had the equipment to extract sunken ships and their treasures. Jinn also believed that someone had also snuck some of the droids aboard. According to Bouyardy, the droids had come from Lot 44C, so Jinn, Kenobi and the mechanic went to talk to chief purser Waverton, who had been responsible for the loading of the cargo. Waverton told the Jedi that Lot 44C had been reserved by a gangster named Saul Moegantz. Moegantz claimed, however, that he had not been aware of the droids, although he did admit that his cargo was supposed to consist of a large quantity of illegal survapierre beverage. The Jedi then decided to talk with the luggage loader who had been responsible for loading cargo into Lot 44C.[83]
Jinn, Kenobi, Bouyardy, Waverton and Moegantz—who wanted to know what had happened to his survapierre—all went to confront to the Givin luggage loader named Podlong Foahl, but as soon as the latter was questioned about the droids, he ran away, hiding in the sealed bay with the droids. The Jedi followed him, fighting against the increasingly violent droids and confronting Foahl near the cracked opening in the hull. Foahl revealed that he was a member of the pressure pirate gang, who had smuggled the droids as part of his attack, although he was surprised to learn that the Aurorient Express was sinking and that someone had reprogrammed its equipment to show otherwise. However, despite Jinn's request to stay clear, Bouyardy, Waverton and Moegantz all arrived inside the bay just as the droids suddenly stopped attacking. Waverton pulled a blaster at Foahl, and Foahl in response threatened to destroy the ship outright, revealing a device in his hands.[83]
In the meantime, Madame Rhoden's trainer Buck had followed the entire group into the bay on the orders of his mistress to spy on the Jedi, recognizing the device as a core bomb detonator and warning the others about it. Without much thought, Waverton shot Foahl, killing him and making him fall out of the breached hull. Jinn reprimanded the chief purser for his brash decision-making, as Foahl had only held the detonator, the bomb itself was still aboard the ship, and without Foahl alive to interrogate, they did not know where it was.[83] Questioning Buck as to how he knew what the device in Foahl's hands was, Buck confessed that he used to work in an ecological-control agency, and he knew about the workings of core bombs. Believing that it did not make sense for Foahl to smuggle a core bomb aboard if all he wanted was to capture the ship, Moegantz believed that Clode Rhoden had done so to collect the insurance, but Madame Rhoden denied any knowledge of her husband's dealings. Suspecting that either Bouyardy or Waverton could have been involved in the sabotage, Jinn told Kenobi to spy on Waverton, while he followed the chief mechanic.[84]
Personal agendas[edit | edit source]
- "So by destroying the station, you hope to reap the insurance benefits."
"I got debts, ya know." - ―Qui-Gon Jinn and Clode Rhoden
Kenobi soon reported to Jinn that Waverton was, in fact, in league with the pressure pirates, as the Padawan had listened in on his conversation with the leader of the gang. Jinn, remembering how the droids had stopped as soon as Waverton had entered the bay during the confrontation with Foahl, deduced that Waverton was in possession of a beacon that deactivated the droids near his vicinity. Upon interrogation, Waverton confessed that he had conspired with the pirates in order to receive a cut of the profits, but he was unaware of the core bomb, which had been Foahl's personal addition to the plan. Jinn and Kenobi brought Waverton before the ship's captain, informing him of the man's treachery. At that moment, the pilot of the Aurorient Express reported that the ship's systems had come operational again, and that the ship was on a crash course toward the Yorn Skot mining station owned by Baron Rhoden.[84]
With the systems back online, Jinn had the pilot use the ship's vapor samplers to perform a search for traces of accellerite and magnopium ferrocongregate, the components of the core bomb. Soon enough, the highest density of those vapors was located on the Tiffany Deck, in the personal quarters of Madam Rhoden. Once there, Jinn and Kenobi discovered that the traces were coming from one of Rhoden's suitcases, but upon examination, the bomb was not located there. With the ship still sinking, droids crawling inside of it, and the bomb nowhere to be found, Jinn had the Aurorient Express's captain begin the evacuation of the passengers. As the passengers left the ship, Jinn and Kenobi went to tell the captain to leave the ship as well, but the latter revealed that the ship was once again under his control. The captain had been the one responsible for the course change all that time, as he was in league with Clode Rhoden.[84]
Clode himself confronted the Jedi, revealing his plans. He had been aware that his wife had been cheating on him with Buck and that they had smuggled a core bomb aboard the ship, planning to use it to destroy the mining station with him aboard, allowing Madame Rhoden to collect the insurance policy on the station. However, even Madam Rhoden was unaware that Buck was a member of the eco-terrorist group Green Forge and he had a personal agenda against Rhoden and his mining operation; Madam Rhoden was only the latest of the businessmen's wives which Buck had seduced and tricked into assassinating their husbands. Discovering their plans, Clode had the ship's captain transfer the bomb from Rhoden's cabin into her escape pod, reprogramming its course to crash into the mining station, allowing Clode to collect the insurance money for himself, so that he could pay off his gambling debts to Moegantz. Hearing that the bomb in Madame Rhoden's cabin had been smuggled by her, Jinn and Kenobi realized that there were two bombs aboard the ship all along.[84]
The second one, belonging to Foahl, was still not found, but they chose to withhold that information from Clode. The Baron, in an attempt to kill the Jedi and prevent them from testifying against his plans, activated the large Fastlatch droid which had attacked Jinn and Kenobi at the start of the mission. The large droid did not belong to the pirates; it had been kept by Clode in case of a Jedi attack and was outfitted with lightsaber-resistant cortosis plating. Their lightsabers useless against the droid, Jinn and Kenobi had to use the Force to try to damage the droid with falling debris. Jinn then leaped behind Clode, taking him hostage and forcing him to deactivate the droid and capture his wife's escape capsule in a tractor beam, preventing its collision with the mining station and the loss of many lives. However, the Aurorient Express captain, not wanting to be responsible for so many deaths, activated the core bomb aboard the escape pod early, destroying it and supposedly killing Madame Rhoden and Buck.[84]
Jinn and Kenobi evacuated from the ship to the mining station, alongside all the passengers and the crew members. Jinn contacted the Senate, who promised to send delegates from the Travel and Transport Bureau, while in light of Clode Rhoden's machinations, his control of Yorn Skot would soon be taken over by the planet's own political forces. The Jedi and Clode were then confronted by Madame Rhoden aboard the mining station. She and Buck had been evacuated from the escape pod by Moegantz before the pod exploded. Moegantz informed Clode that he was going to take the Yorn Skot Mining Station from him as payment for Clode's gambling debts, while Madame Rhoden would divorce him and stay with Moegantz, leaving Clode with nothing except the Aurorient Express. However, the deserted ship was then approached by the pressure pirates, who docked with it. Kenobi wanted to something to punish all the criminal parties involved in the affair, but Jinn told him that they had to leave, and that life would eventually bring justice to the criminals. At that moment, the second core bomb aboard the Aurorient Express—the one belonging to Foahl—detonated, destroying both the cruiser and the docked pressure pirates' vessel.[84]
Around this time, Jinn and Kenobi were dispatched to the planet Antar 4, following the trail of the agricultural expert Tayvor Mandirly, who had gone there to mediate a dispute on the colfillini plantations there. After a confrontation with the local criminals, Raxis and Nolid, Mandirly was killed, his body nailed to a stake and burned alive. Jinn and Kenobi were the first to discover his body, which deeply shocked Jinn's Padawan. The two Jedi apprehended the murderers, yet the latter were only fined for their deeds.[67]
Old grudges[edit | edit source]
- "Twelve years ago, her husband died while traveling in Republic Space. I was his escort. The inquest proved the Baron's heart had failed, but the Baroness blamed me."
- ―Qui-Gon Jinn
The next year, Baroness Omnino of Vena arrived on Coruscant to meet with Supreme Chancellor Valorum to discuss potential entry of the planet into the Galactic Republic. Omnino's son, Baron Sando, who was in charge of his planet's trade relations, was supposed to arrive the day after his mother on a cargo ship to negotiate the establishment of a new trade hyperlane between Coruscant and Vena. Vena had been embroiled in a brutal civil war for decades, with the royal family's forces fighting against the Vena Isolationists who opposed their planets entry into the Republic. Due to the conflict, Omnino had become targeted by the Isolationists and she had to travel under constant protection. Due to her mistrust for the Jedi—caused by her husband's death of natural causes while he had been under Jinn's escort twelve years ago—Omnino's declined an offer of Jedi escort during her visit to the planet.[37]
This prompted the Jedi Order to dispatch Jinn and Kenobi to protect her discreetly. While Kenobi observed the landing platform from afar with macrobinoculars, Jinn donned the uniform of a Senate Guard that arrived with Chancellor Valorum to greet Omnino as she descended from her ship, the Benevolent III. As soon as she came off the ship, however, one of the Senate Guards raised his blaster rifle and shot at Omnino, exclaiming death threats. As Jinn struggled with the heavy suit that was part of his disguise, Omnino's bodyguard sacrificed his life to protect Omnino, diving in front of her to absorb the shot. As the traitorous Senate Guard continued shooting, Jinn was finally able to jump in front of Omnino, deflecting the next with his lightsaber. He tried to access the Senate Guard's mind to find out his motives, but it was closed, and the assassin, recognizing Jinn's attempts at reading his mind, jumped off the landing platform.[37]
Kenobi, who had left his hideout and had arrived at the scene on a swoop bike, tried to save the man. The assassin first shot at Kenobi's swoop, but then cried for help for some reason. Kenobi was unable to catch the man as he plunged to his death, and Jinn called for a coroner to examine the body in search for answers. When Jinn completely shed his disguise, Omnino expressed her displeasure at the presence of the Jedi, and Jinn in particular, so Jinn and Kenobi left to report to the Jedi Council. When the assassin's autopsy did not reveal any drugs or mind-altering implants in his system and his service record proved to be impeccable, Jinn suggested that the man had acted under the influence of hypnosis or telepathic mind control, which meant that the real assassin was still on the loose. Surprisingly for Jinn, the Council informed him that Omnino had requested him to become her bodyguard during her time on Coruscant and he was supposed to meet her at the Holographic Zoo of Extinct Animals.[37]
On their way there, Jinn and Kenobi tried to figure out what had caused the Baroness to change her mind, with Jinn believing that Omnino hoped to discredit him by making him fail in his task. Kenobi, however, believed that Omnino had become infatuated with Jinn after he had saved her life. During their meeting at the zoo, Omnino apologized for her earlier brusque behavior, lending more proof to Kenobi's theory. Valorum then arrived at the zoo, informing the Baroness that the cargo ship carrying her son had failed to arrive on Coruscant and had sent a distress signal from the Bright Jewel system. Valorum had already dispatched a rescue team, but Omnino requested Jinn to personally bring back her son. Boarding the Consular-class space cruiser Radiant VII, Jinn and Kenobi arrived at the cargo ship's coordinates, finding the rescue team's Consular cruiser docked with it.[37]
Jinn and Kenobi first went to inspect the rescue cruiser, finding signs of battle but no bodies there and the rescue team's weapons untouched. Moving forward into Sando's cruiser, Jinn and his Padawan found the bodies of the crew of both ships with their necks twisted and all placed into the same large cargo hold. A body of a Mantellian Savrip, a creature native to the planet Ord Mantell, was also located there, with a breached cage big enough to hold two Savrips. The second Savrip struck at that moment, injuring Kenobi's wrist, before Jinn was able to kill it. The Jedi, believing that Sando's cruiser had made its last stop on Ord Mantell to acquire the Savrips, notified the Radiant VII's pilot of their discoveries, asking him to tow the cargo ship to Coruscant. Since the rescue ship's controls were damaged, yet Ord Mantell was nearby, Jinn and Kenobi took one of the rescue ship's escape pods to reach the surface of the planet. On their way there, Kenobi, disgusted by the brutality of the murders aboard the cargo ship at the hands of the Savrip, expressed his hatred for the Savrips and his desire to rid the galaxy of the beasts, which unsettled Jinn.[37]
Ord Mantell[edit | edit source]
- "You fabricated an assassination attempt… killing a Senate Guard and your own guardian… to gain sympathy from the Galactic Senate?"
"And have my way with them. Now, Vena is a member of the Republic, and I have unlimited access to Ord Mantell." - ―Qui-Gon Jinn and Omnino
Arriving on Ord Mantell, Jinn spoke to a member of Ord Mantell Spaceport Authority, using a mind trick to gain information regarding Sando's cargo ship supposedly delivering a cargo to the Bold moisture plant on the outskirts of the city three days ago, as well as a V-35 Courier speeder to make their way there. Once Jinn and Kenobi entered the moisture plant, however, they were attacked by a large number of droids of varying models.[37] Jinn and Kenobi had to fight for their lives until the owner of the plant, Orin Bold, arrived at the plant and deactivated the droids, explaining that the machines had mistaken the Jedi for the raiders of a local land baron and an alleged Jedi named Taxer Sundown, who had been trying to claim Bold's moisture plant for himself.[85]
Jinn told Bold and his daughter, Nella, about their investigation into Sando's last stop, and Nella informed them that she had overheard from a pilot in the city that Sando's ship had stopped at the Ten Mile Plateau, which was located within Sundown's territory. Nella, deciding to help the Jedi, agreed to fly them to the Plateau in her T-24 airspeeder. However, on their way she witnessed a gathering of Mantellian Savrips and attempted to shoot them with the speeder's weapons, avenging the death of mother during a Savrip attack on their moisture plant years ago. Jinn and Kenobi were able to prevent Nella from killing the Savrips and they landed at the colony at Ten Mile Plateau, in a hangar belonging to Nella's friend. After warning her friend about the Savrips, Nella agreed to escort Jinn and Kenobi to a meeting with Sundown, but on their way she suddenly felt a headache.[85]
A hologram of Sundown appeared, addressing Jinn and Kenobi by their names and telling them that their investigation was at an end. A group of Sundown's enforcers, armed with red-bladed training lightsabers, then attacked the Jedi. Believing them to be under the effects of the mind control like the Senate Guard on Coruscant, Jinn and Kenobi tried to minimize the casualties. While the Jedi were distracted by battle, a cargo flyer swooped in and picked up Nella with a tractor beam, kidnapping her. After defeating their adversaries, Jinn interrogated one of them about the location that Nella had been taken to, and the man revealed that it was headed toward Sundown's hideout in the mountains. Before he could tell them more, the man died from his wounds. Finding that Nella's airspeeder had been stolen, Jinn and Kenobi took a nearby landspeeder and set off toward Sundown's hideout.[85]
On their way, Jinn expressed his suspicion to the Padawan that the Bolds were involved with Sundown, finding it strange that Sundown, as powerful as he supposedly was, had been unable to take hold of the Bold's moisture farm. Additionally, the Bolds were the only ones on the planet who knew the Jedi's names, and Sundown's hologram had addressed Jinn and Kenobi by their names. As Jinn and Kenobi discussed that theory, they saw the cargo flyer parked at Sundown's hideout, although both the estate and the vehicle were completely ransacked. Inspecting the site of the destruction, the Jedi concluded that it had been a Savrip attack. All of Sundown's men had been killed, but Nella's body was nowhere to be found, suggesting that she was still alive[85] and had been captured by the Savrips. At Sundown's hideout, Jinn and Kenobi also located more broken Savrip cages, tying him with Baron Sando.[86]
One of Sundown's men arrived at the facility on a swoop bike, and the Jedi captured him, discovering that Sundown was headed toward the Bold moisture plant, after which he planned to leave on an arriving transport at the stellar-energy station at the Ten Mile Plateau. Sending the man to sleep with the Force, and remembering Kenobi's earlier expression of hatred toward Savrips, Jinn set his Padawan on the swoop bike to the Bold plant instead, while he followed the Savrip tribe, headed in the other direction, on the landspeeder. Sneaking into the Savrip camp at night, Jinn found Nella there, who informed him that the Savrips had arrived just in time to save her from Sundown's men, who had planned to kill her. Jinn was attacked by Savrips, but believing that they were not as brutal as everyone thought them to be, Jinn deactivated his lightsaber and assured the Savrips that he meant them no harm. To Jinn's surprise, the Savrips turned out to be sentient beings, as one of them, Mawkran spoke to him in Basic, which he had learned from one of Sundown's men.[86]
Mawkran explained to Jinn that Sundowns men had been capturing the Savrips and selling them off-world, presumably to be used as slaves, and the Savrips had been raiding Sundown's installations in response. Trusting Kenobi to stall Sundown at Bold's plant, Jinn and Nella secured the help of the Savrips, scaling the wall to the Ten Mile Plateau on their backs. Soon, Jinn saw Nella's airspeeder, piloted by Sundown, flying to their location, with Kenobi in pursuit aboard his swoop. Kenobi damaged the speeder with his lightsaber and made the speeder crash at the Plateau. Rejoining with his Padawan, Jinn explained to him that the Savrips were on their side. Inspecting Sundown's crashed airspeeder, they found that the man had snapped his neck and had died. On his head he wore a mind control device, which allowed him to control other beings and pose as a Jedi Knight. Sundown had used the device in the past to control Orin and Nella, employing them in his smuggling runs which they did not remember afterward.[86]
When Nella's mother had found out about that, her husband, under Sundown's control, had killed her and had made the murder appear as if caused by the Savrips. During Kenobi's attempt to intercept Sundown at the moisture plant, the device had been broken when Orin, no longer under control of the fake Jedi, had hit Sundown in the head with his crutch. Kenobi, unwilling to break the news of the true cause of death of Nella's mother, lied to Nella that Sundown had been directly responsible for it. At that moment, the Benevolent III arrived on the planet carrying Baroness Omnino. Jinn, connecting the pieces of the information together, accused Omnino of trying to discredit the Jedi by hiring Sundown and making him pose as a member of the Order on Ord Mantell. Omnino had then faked the assassination attempt on her to gather the sympathy of the Senate for her and against the Vena Isolationists. Omnino further explained to Jinn that she had been employing her son to transport Savrips to Vena, where their meat was considered a delicacy but any attempts to breed them there had failed. Revealing that she was wearing another mind control device on her head, Omnino exuded her powers on the Savrips accompanying Jinn, making them take hold of him and his Padawan.[86]
Omnino also brought Chancellor Valorum with her, who was being held at blasterpoint by two mind-controlled Senate guards. Under mind control as well, Valorum had helped to secure Vena's admission into the Republic, granting Omnino unlimited access to Ord Mantell and the Savrip meat. Omnino wanted to have Jinn suffer by making the Savrips throw Kenobi off the cliff and making Jinn watch as his Padawan died, in revenge for her husbands death which she still held Jinn responsible for. However, Jinn tricked the Baroness, feigning his fascination with her schemes and expressing his desire to join her as a bodyguard. Intrigued by the proposal, Omnino eased off her mind control powers and made the Savrips let Jinn free and allowed him to walk up close to her.[86]
Using the opportunity, Jinn ignited his lightsaber and swiftly beheaded the Baroness, ending her influence on Valorum, the Senate Guards and the Savrips. At that moment, however, the citizens of Ten Mile Plateau, arrived at the scene, having witnessed Nella and the Savrips and believing that the woman was in danger. The citizens killed Mawkran, but Jinn stopped further bloodshed, explaining to the people of Ord Mantell how Sundown had tricked them into believing that Savrips were savage monsters. As Jinn, Kenobi and the Chancellor left the planet aboard Omnino's ship, Nella promised to make sure that no Savrips would be hurt again. In the aftermath of the mission, omissions were sent to Ord Mantell and Vena to investigate the recent events, although Jinn was saddened that so many innocent Savrips had lost their lives because of Omnino's schemes.[86]
Assisting the Wookiees[edit | edit source]
- "The Trade Federation is a dangerous foe, and we certainly haven't seen the last of them."
- ―Qui-Gon Jinn, during the colonization of Alaris Prime
It was around this time that the relationship between Jinn and Kenobi rose to a new level of trust and understanding. The Padawan began feeling comfortable with sharing his deepest fears and his worst nightmares with his Master, and they both felt as if their journey together had begun anew.[87]
At some point between 39 and 36 BBY,[61] Jinn was dispatched by the Galactic Senate to assist a group of Wookiees in the colonization of the moon Alaris Prime by instructing them in various colonization techniques. The colonization effort's leader, Chieftain Attichitcuk was the first to arrive to the moon, establishing a camp and leaving markers behind for other Wookiees to reach it. However, on their way there, Attichitcuk's son Chewbacca and nephew Shoran stumbled upon a damaged Trade Federation power core. The Trade Federation had attempted to stake claim on Alaris Prime, but the Senate had granted the moon to the Wookiees. The presence of the Trade Federation power core, however, suggested that the conglomerate had ignored the Senate's order and had dispatched forces to Alaris Prime.[88]
Not having enough proof of the Trade Federation's presence on the planet, Jinn suggested Shoran and Chewbacca to destroy the power core regardless, as it was an obstacle for their colonization program. After doing so, Chewbacca and Shoran arrived at Attichitcuk's camp, meeting with the Chieftain and having to fend off an attack by the gundark predators. Jinn realized that it was the gundarks who had damaged the power core and had driven off its owners. When the Wookiees established another base with a command center, Jinn instructed colonists how to gather critical resources like food, ore, carbon and nova crystals and helped them defend the command center against another gundark attack.[88]
Believing that if they wanted to colonize Alaris Prime, the Wookiees needed stop the gundark attacks by wiping out their nest, Jinn directed the colonists to train a number of Wookiee warriors at one of the camps and then directed those warriors along with Chewbacca to search for the gundark nest. However, when the Wookiees arrived at the nest, they discovered that the Trade Federation had also sent its B1 battle droids there. The droids destroyed the nest, and the Wookiees dispatched the droids. Jinn reported on the discovery of the Trade Federation's presence in one of his communiques to the Jedi Council and started helping the Wookiees build up their defenses in case the Federation decided to attack. During that time, Attichitcuk was heavily injured when he was ambushed by a squad of battle droids commanded by unit DRN-38. Sensing through the Force that the Wookiee Chieftain was still alive, Jinn directed the Wookiees to build Wookiee medical droid.[88]
A Wookiee force led by Chewbacca fought through Trade Federation patrols, bringing the droid to Attichitcuk to administer first aid and evacuating him to a Wookiee camp and defending the camp from another attack. With Attichitcuk still recovering from his wounds, Chewbacca assumed leadership of the colonization effort, and he decided to attack a Trade Federation troop center commanded by unit GWC-04 in order to show the Federation that the Wookiees were not to be trifled with, successfully carrying out the attack with Jinn's guidance.[88]
Later, as the colonists expanded one of their bases, they discovered a holocron nearby. Believing that the relic need to be kept in safety, Jinn contacted the Jedi Council, requesting permission to build a Jedi Temple on Alaris Prime. His permission was granted, and once the Temple was constructed, Jinn dispatched Kenobi to Alaris Prime. Jinn's Padawan successfully retrieved the holocron and brought it to the newly constructed Temple. Shortly afterward, Chewbacca led another successful raid on a Trade Federation listening array, destroying the forces of LUH-989. Eventually, Chewbacca decided that the Wookiees needed to force the Trade Federation in one swift strike and started amassing forces for an upcoming battle at his base.[88]
Jinn, having come to view Chewbacca as a friend and impressed by his leadership skills, requested the Jedi Council to allow him to join the fight personally to assist the Wookiees. The Council granted Jinn's request, but only on the condition that the colonists proved that their colony had reached an advanced level of civilization by building a fortress inside their base. Once the fortress was complete, Jinn arrived to join his Wookiee allies. In a conflict that came to be known as the Battle for Alaris Prime, the Wookiees fought against the forces commanded by SRAM-13 and successfully destroyed the main Trade Federation base containing a fortress of their own. The fortress was also revealed to have served as a base for a Trandoshan slaver named Pekt, who had allied with the Federation with the goal to obtain Wookiee pelts for himself. With the fortress destroyed, Pekt was forced to retreat, vowing his revenge on the Wookiees. The Trade Federation was driven off Alaris Prime, largely thanks to Jinn's mentorship, and he left the colonists, believing that he had taught Chewbacca everything he could.[88]
Changing times[edit | edit source]
Yinchorri uprising[edit | edit source]
- "Thank you all for volunteering for this mission. As you know, I am loathe to enter into situations where a show of force is our only likely option. On the other hand, we who are sworn to protect the Republic cannot ignore the threat posed to it by the actions of the Yinchorri—anymore that we can ignore what they did to Naeshahn and Ebor Taulk. But I warn you all—put away your feelings of righteousness. Right is on our side, and we will do what is necessary—but we will do it dispassionately and without rancor as we have trained."
- ―Mace Windu, giving speech to the rest of the Jedi before the mission
In 34 BBY, Jinn and Adi Gallia attended an official banquet for the senators representing the planet Hewett. During the ceremony, Jinn almost took a bite of the dessert called the Konkeel pie. However, Gallia knew that the dessert was highly toxic and potentially even deadly to humanoids, and she prevented Jinn from eating the pie. Notified of their mistake, the Hewett apologized for the incident and removed the delicacy from the menu. Although Gallia never made a huge deal out of that occurrence, Jinn believed that she had saved his life and even felt indebted to her.[89] On another occasion, Jinn also fought beside Jedi Knights Vel Ardox and Noro Zak, an amphibious Blubreen and a winged Baxthrax, respectively.[90]
As the year 34 BBY drew to a close,[91] the warlike Yinchorri species, supplied with weapons—including lightsaber-resistant cortosis shields—from an unknown source, began attacking worlds near their native Yinchorri system. Six months later, the Yinchorri performed a major raid on the Golden Nyss Shipyards, seizing even more weaponry and augmenting their fleet[19] with attack ships and starfighters. They then destroyed the shipyards, and that act of aggression was considered to be the beginning of the conflict known as the Yinchorri Uprising.[92] The Galactic Senate, believing that the outlying star systems were meant to handle their defenses themselves, voted not to intervene in the crisis and only imposed political sanctions on the Yinchorri. In response, the Yinchorri severed their ties with the Republic and recalled their Senate delegation from Coruscant. Using the fleet acquired from the Golden Nyss Shipyards, the Yinchorri continued their raids with no response for six more months, until they attacked[19] a Human colony on the moon of Mayvitch 7[93] in the Chalenor system,[19] completely wiping out its population[93] and putting a vast region of Republic space under the threat of next attacks.[19]
Having received a distress call from one of the moon's defenders before the fall of the colony, Chancellor Valorum asked the Jedi Council for assistance in diplomatic talks with the Yinchorri, and the Order dispatched two Jedi, Naeshahn and Ebor Taulk, to negotiate with the attackers. The emissaries, however, were brutally killed, and their mutilated bodies were soon brought before Chancellor Valorum's doors.[93] In response, the Jedi Council organized another mission, this time consisting of twelve Jedi volunteers, among whom were Jinn and Kenobi. The Jedi's task was to find the Yinchorri's rumored secret command center in the Yinchorri system. As there were only three habitable planets in the system, the Jedi mission was divided into three teams, each assigned to an unarmed Consular-class cruiser. Jinn and Kenobi, along with Saesee Tiin and Mace Windu, were dispatched to the Yinchorri homeworld of Yinchorr. Adi Gallia, Eeth Koth, Tsui Choi and Choi's Padawan Theen Fida were assigned to the ocean world of Yitheeth, and Plo Koon, Micah Giiett, Lilit Twoseas and her Padawan K'Kruhk were sent to Yibikkoror, a small world with a dense atmosphere.[93]
Before they embarked on the mission, Giiett demonstrated K'Kruhk and Kenobi a trick involving four cups and four colored stones. He put three white stones under three cups and made it appear that he placed one black stone under the remaining cup, while in fact he put a white stone there as well. He then offered the two Padawans to keep track of the "black stone" while he quickly moved the cups. Kenobi and K'Kruhk correctly guessed the cup but were surprised to find a white stone underneath it. When Giiett's trickery was finally revealed, Jinn told his Padawan not to feel bad about being cheated, as he knew that Giiett had tried this trick with every Padawan known to Jinn. After that, the Jedi teams boarded their respective ships and embarked on the mission. As the three Jedi ships exited hyperspace near the Yinchorri system, however, they were attacked by Yinchorri starfighters. Following Windu's command, the Jedi split up and proceeded to their planned destinations, each pursued by several fighters.[93]
Jinn's cruiser soon lost its shields, forcing Tiin to improvise an escape plan. Telling Jinn to enter the necessary coordinates into the navicomputer, Tiin made a dangerous jump through hyperspace past Yinchorr, emerging from the other side of the planet and losing track of the pursuers. The group safely landed on the planet and, after hiding their cruiser in a canyon, began their search for the Yinchorri command post. While Tiin and Windu hid in the mountains, Jinn and Kenobi scouted for their objective, but instead of the command post they only found a staging area in a nearby city where the Yinchorri were preparing for an invasion. Barely evading capture by Yinchorri sentries, Jinn and his Padawan returned to the hiding spot with a report. During the mission, Jinn had also discovered that the Yinchorri could not be affected by mind tricks. As Jinn was finishing his report, the Yinchorri had found the Jedi's hidden ship and destroyed it. Windu was not concerned with the loss of the cruiser and decided to wait for the other two teams in order to regroup and act together.[94]
By that time, the Yitheeth team had found the Devaronian Olmar Grahrk who had been commanding the Yinchorri on the planet and had taken him prisoner. The Yibikkoror team, on the other hand, had crashed their ship in a floating city and had been forced to fight off hordes of Yinchorri[95] until the Yitheeth team had rescued them. Reunited, they had set off to join Jinn and the others on Yinchorr.[94]
Suffering losses[edit | edit source]
- "Come closer…I'll tell you the most important thing you need to know about Jedi…We're not afraid to die for a worthy cause."
- ―Micah Giiett, as he makes the ultimate sacrifice
Before the reinforcements could arrive, the Yinchorri discovered Jinn's hiding place and attacked his group with a huge force, complete with tanks. Jinn, Kenobi, Windu and Tiin were cornered and were forced to fight against an overwhelming number of enemies, but soon the rest of the Jedi landed on the planet and joined the battle, leaving only Choi, Gallia and Fida to defend their ship. The Jedi reinforcements dragged away enemies from Jinn and his group, allowing them to regroup with the others and start to fight their way to the cruiser. During the fight, Master Twoseas was killed, and Windu decided to get her body back to the cruiser; Jinn, Kenobi, Giiett and Koon covered Windu and the other Jedi as they performed the extraction. Meanwhile, the Jedi sustained another casualty as Fida was killed while defending the ship.[96]
Aboard the cruiser, having been left without guard, Grahrk escaped from custody and used the ship's communications system to contact his brother, Vilmarh, who had been supplying the Yinchorri with the weapons and who was located at the main Yinchorri command post on Uhanayih, a lifeless moon close to Yinchorr's sun, asking him for help. Olmar was discovered by the Jedi who had returned to the cruiser with their fallen comrades' bodies. The Jedi subdued him and traced his signal to the moon, realizing that the command center was built deep within the moon's structure. They relayed this news to the Jedi Council on Coruscant[96]—who had recently fended off a Yinchorri attack themselves, suffering two casualties—[95] and the Council, in turn, informed Chancellor Valorum of the command center's location.[96]
Calling in every favor owned to him in the last five years and making significant concessions to a number of Senators, the Chancellor convinced enough of them to vote for an embargo act,[96] assembling local paramilitary forces to enforce a technological blockade of the Yinchorri system, preventing them from rearming and resuming their conquests,[19] and convincing the Senate to immediately send a strike force to assist the Jedi at Uhanayih. Having witnessed the brutality of the Yinchorri attacks, Valorum believed that the outlying systems needed the means to defend themselves. Although he was determined to uphold the Ruusan Reformation accords which prohibited the creation of a unified Galactic Republic military force, he suggested to the Senate to impose taxation on the so-called Free Trade Zones used by trading conglomerates such as the Trade Federation in the outlying systems. The money gathered through the taxes of the free trade zones would then be directed to the outer systems, allowing them to finance their paramilitaries to defend themselves against future local conflicts similar to the ongoing Yinchorri Uprising. The suggestion was met with upheaval in the Senate, mainly from the Trade Federation delegation—as it would severely hurt their profits—as well as worlds supporting the Federation, and the proposition was not put to vote at that time.[19]
In the meantime, Jinn, Giiett, Koon and Kenobi were still fighting the Yinchorri, who began to regroup for another attack. Eventually, Giiett was heavily wounded and asked the others to leave him beside a damaged tank and retreat to the cruiser. Jinn became overwhelmed with thoughts of revenge, but Giiett calmed him, stating that he had known the risks when he had agreed to the mission. The three did as he asked and ran for the cruiser, while Giiett pierced the tank with his lightsabers, triggering an explosion that stalled the Yinchorri. Giiett's sacrifice allowed Jinn, Koon and Kenobi to reach the ship. As the surviving Jedi prepared to depart for Uhanayih, Jinn conversed with Windu, who was stricken with guilt over Giiett's death. Jinn repeated Giiett's last words, but that did little to assuage Windu's grief.[96]
Emerging from hyperspace near Uhanayih, the Jedi found themselves faced against a fleet of Yinchorri starships. Their ship was heavily damaged, but Master Tiin's skillful piloting allowed the group to survive until the Republic navy, consisting of more Consular-class cruisers and CSS-1 Corellian Star Shuttles, arrived and engaged the enemy. Jinn asked the Admiral in charge of the strike team to provide escort for the Jedi, as they navigated their cruiser into a tunnel carved into the moon, which led to the Yinchorri base. The Jedi then crash-landed their ship in the middle of the command center and captured the Yinchorri High Command, although Vilmarh Grahrk had already escaped from the base. With the loss of their leadership and the main base, the Yinchorri were defeated and the uprising was resolved. Jinn and rest of the Jedi returned to Coruscant with the bodies of Fida and Twoseas—Giiett's body completely disintegrated in the explosion of the tank and was irrecoverable—to give them a Jedi funeral.[96]
Unknown to Jinn, a matter arose in the Council chambers around who would take Giiett's vacant seat on the Council. Jinn was suggested by some members of the Council to take the spot, but Windu took into account his willfulness and rebellious nature and opted for the Cerean Jedi Knight Ki-Adi-Mundi, who had already substituted for Giiett on several occasions in the moments of the late Jedi Master's absence. The Jedi then set out to locate Vilmarh Grahrk, finding his notion to stir up the Yinchorri unusual, as he had no reason to do so.[96] Jinn and Kenobi were sent to track him down; they located the Devaronian in an alleyway on one of the planets. When Grahrk pulled out his blaster in an attempt to defend himself, they easily disarmed him and apprehended him, bringing the Devaronian to the Jedi Temple for interrogation before the Jedi Council. Grahrk revealed that he had been merely hired by someone else to stir up the Yinchorri for conquest and supply them with weapons.[97]
However, Grahrk did not know the identity of his contractor, having only communicated with him through holographic transmissions and never seeing his face during their communications. Acting on a suggestion by Yoda, the Jedi allowed Grahrk to escape from custody and put him under surveillance, in hopes that the mastermind behind the Yinchorri Uprising would contact him again.[97] Unbeknownst to the Jedi, Grahrk's employer was the Sith Lord Darth Sidious, who had orchestrated the crisis as one of the steps in the Sith Grand Plan to conquer the galaxy. The Yinchorri rebellion had served several purposes for Sidious; it had resulted in the deaths of seven Jedi and the removal of the Yinchorri as a threat to his plans[96] and had presumably allowed Sidious to steal a Jedi treasure from the Jedi Temple during the chaos of the Yinchorri attack.[97] More importantly, it had weakened Chancellor Valorum's stance in the Senate, in part due to him having to call in so many favors to convince the Senate to vote in favor of the Yinchorri system blockade, but in large part due to his controversial proposition of the taxation of the free trade zones.[19]
The Nebula Front[edit | edit source]
- "What are the sixth and seventh Rules of Engagement, Padawan?"
"The sixth is, understand the dark and light in all things."
"That is the fifth rule."
"Exercise caution, even in trivial matters."
"That is the eighth."
"Learn to see accurately."
"Yes, that is the sixth. And the seventh?"
"I'm sorry, Master. I cannot recall it."
"Open your eyes to what is not evident."
"Then this isn't the end of it."
"Hardly, young Padawan. I sense instead a menacing beginning." - ―Jinn and Kenobi, in the aftermath of the events at Dorvalla
During this period of time, an unrest was growing in the Outer Rim sector of the galaxy. The Nebula Front, an organization of freedom fighters comprised of beings who wished no part of the Republic with its excessive government control, was gaining power. The Nebula Front despised the monopolies exercised by large corporate conglomerates such as the Trade Federation. The Nebula Front tried to reason with the Federation at first to ease of their control on the trade in the region, but when the talks failed, the Nebula Front turned to violence. The organization initially restricted their actions to interfering with Trade Federation shipments or delaying their vessels whenever possible. However, due to lack of any progress in their cause, an extremist militaristic wing was formed in the Nebula Front, which eventually took over the whole organization and was prepared to intensify the violence.[16]
Jinn had an informant in the Nebula Front, however, a Bith who did not agree with his new command's views. The Bith contacted Jinn and met him on Malastare, informing the Jedi Master of the current situation and telling him that the Nebula Front had hired the pirate captain Arwen Cohl to perform a raid on a Trade Federation Lucrehulk-class freighter Revenue near the planet Dorvalla, while it was receiving a cargo of valuable lommite ore bought from the Dorvalla Mining corporation. Without informing the Jedi Council, Jinn decided to use that information in order to follow Cohl and locate the Nebula Front's command, taking his Padawan with him and embarking for Dorvalla in a small CL-1c Lancet interceptor starfighter marked with the red colors of the Republic Judicial Department.[16]
While on Dorvalla, Jinn learned of Cohl's plan to infiltrate the Trade Federation by hiding his shuttle within the shell of a cargo pod, similar to ones that carried the cargo of lommite to the ship. Jinn decided to utilize the same tactic, and also hid the Lancet inside the chassis of an escape pod. Jinn and his Padawan waited for Cohl to arrive inside the freighter first and then landed their own disguised craft. Inside the hangar, they saw that Cohl and his men had already left their pod, wreaking havoc as they had fought through the Federation's droid security force toward the ship's bridge, leaving only two sentries to guard the pod. Jinn and Kenobi exited their cover and moved toward Cohl's pod. Jinn distracted the guards, allowing Kenobi to reach Cohl's pod and plant a thermal detonator on the pod's drive core, as well as a contingency in case the detonator was discovered—a tracking device hidden more thoroughly on the hull of Cohl's shuttle surrounded by the pod.[16]
When they returned to their vessel, the two Jedi watched as the rest of the pods started launching from the hangar; the Federation was disposing of all cargo. This indicated a major threat to the ship, which had come in the form of Cohl's squadron of starfighters attacking the freighter. Soon, Cohl returned to the hangar with some stolen cargo, boarded his pod and left the Revenue, with the Jedi on his tail. Once in space, Jinn and Kenobi discovered that the Federation Lucrehulk-class battleship Acquisitor had responded to the Revenue's commander Daultay Dofine's distress call and had engaged Cohl's pirate fleet. Cohl had jettisoned the pods so that the Acquisitor could not find his pod among them.[16]
The Jedi, however, easily traced Cohl's pod, thanks to the tracking device installed by Kenobi. As Cohl found out that he was being pursued and tried to scan the Jedi's pod, Jinn told his Padawan to remotely activate the thermal detonator aboard Cohl's pod to distract his attention from the Jedi. As Jinn had predicted, Cohl's men discovered the detonator before it exploded and split open the pod, revealing their shuttle. The Jedi did the same and revealed their Lancet, continuing to track the pirates. Unexpectedly, Cohl then pulled back to the Revenue's hangar. Jinn, witnessing that both the pirate ships and the Acquisitor were moving away from the Revenue, correctly guessed that the freighter would soon be destroyed, but he decided to follow Cohl in order to learn his intents. Suddenly, Jinn felt a sense of danger in the Force, and told Kenobi to turn around, just in time to evade the blast wave as the Revenue exploded, a result of the detonation of a thermal detonator that Cohl's men had placed aboard.[16]
Cohl's fleet then jumped into hyperspace, and the Acquisitor moved into safety of Dorvalla's dark side, but Cohl's shuttle was nowhere to be seen. The tracking beacon stopped emitting any signal, and it looked as though the pirate captain had commuted suicide, although Jinn doubted it and suspected that Cohl had rode the leading edge of the explosion right down Dorvalla's gravity well and had survived. Believing that the remains of the Revenue would fall down on Dorvalla, Jinn told Kenobi to contact the Jedi Reconciliation Council and tell them that the planet needed immediate emergency relief. The two Jedi then returned to Coruscant, where Jinn spent the next several days in meditations and sparring duels with other Knights.
In the light of the bold Nebula Front attack on their property, the Trade Federation petitioned the Senate to be allowed to expand its military force of battle droids and starships in order to defend their cargo against future pirate raids. Valorum agreed to the proposal on one condition: in exchange for allowing the Trade Federation to expand its armies, the company would agree[16] to the proposal Valorum had made earlier during the Yinchorri conflict[19] regarding the taxation of the free trade zones in the outlying systems, with a percentage of the revenues directed to the relief and development of the systems themselves. In order to discuss Valorum's proposition in detail, a summit was announced to take place on the planet Eriadu. Through a contact in the Senate, Jinn was made aware of the Trade Federation's request to increase its battle droid army. Jinn also learned that the Revenue had been carrying a large cargo of valuable aurodium ingots, forced concessions from the Outer Rim systems who relied on the Trade Federation to support their trade.[16]
Jinn then reported before four members of the Reconciliation Council—Oppo Rancisis, Koon, Gallia and Yoda—informing them of his operation and suspicions that Cohl had survived. Although Jinn wanted to continue his investigation into the organization, convinced that the Front's acts of terrorism could endanger innocent beings, the Jedi Order initially did not intend to take sides against the Nebula Front, satisfied that the Judicial Department had taken all of Cohl's known hideouts under surveillance. Jinn was eventually granted approval of his crusade and was directed to speak with Master Luminara Unduli, a Mirialan, the same species as Cohl, to seek more information on the pirate captain. After witnessing a training session between Jedi Weapon Master Anoon Bondara and several students, including Bondara's own Padawan Darsha Assant, Jinn and Kenobi went to talk to Unduli.[16]
She informed Jinn and his Padawan that Cohl had been a freedom fighter in a war between Mirial and a neighboring world. Mirial had won, and Cohl had been considered a hero by many Mirialans following the victory, but the leaders of his faction had declared him to be a traitor and had imprisoned them for many years. Eventually, Cohl had escaped and had exacted revenge on his captors, killing them. Cohl had then become a mercenary, at first taking jobs only from those whose cause he believed to be just, be he had soon diminished to nothing more than a regular pirate. According to Unduli, Cohl had no personal grudge against the Trade Federation, beside the one shared by all Mirialans, as their homeworld had been brought into civilization by the Trade Federation at the expense of the planet's resources.[16]
As Jinn was trying to ease his mind by going for a walk, he was approached by Gallia, who informed him that his suspicions regarding Cohl's survival could have been right. Dorvalla Space Corps had reported that they had recently pursued a shuttle matching Jinn's description of Cohl's ship. The shuttle had crashed on the surface of the planet, but Cohl's personal Tempest-class gunship, the Hawk-Bat, had arrived to pick up several survivors before jumping to hyperspace. Believing that Cohl had been among the survivors, Jinn once again requested Gallia to allow him and Kenobi to search for the pirate captain, but Gallia declined. She also informed Jinn that Valorum was lobbying for the systems along the Rimma Trade Route to take action against acts of terrorism on their worlds by themselves. Knowing that most of the Rimma worlds supported the Nebula Front to some degree, Jinn believed that Valorum's notion was a mistake, and he wanted to meet with the Chancellor to explain that to him.[16]
Mission to Asmeru[edit | edit source]
- "Cohl is on the run. Furthermore, I'm not persuaded that the Nebula Front actually wished to harm the Supreme Chancellor."
Shot him, they did. Traced by documentation to their secret base in the Senex sector, they were."
"Too easily, Master. The signs were far too obvious." - ―Jinn and Yoda discuss the attack on the Chancellor
Gallia, a close friend of Valorum, agreed to take Jinn to her appointed meeting with Chancellor Valorum that was supposed to take place that day. The two proceeded to the Avenue of the Core Founders, where Gallia was supposed to meet with Valorum near the northern exit from the Senate Building. The area was crowded by a large number of journalists as well as pro- and anti-Valorum demonstrators. As Valorum exited the building, surrounded by the Senate Guard, Jinn felt a disturbance in the Force, and he spotted several suspicious individuals—a Bith, two Rodians, two Twi'leks and a Bothan—as well as an air taxi hovering nearby. Sensing that the Chancellor was in danger, Jinn and Gallia rushed to his aid. At that moment, the suspects pulled out hidden weapons and attacked Valorum, killing two of his guards. They also triggered an explosion, seeding panic through the gathered crowd.[16]
Moving carefully so as not to hurt the bystanders, Jinn and Gallia jumped to Valorum's defense and used their lightsabers to deflect the shots, yet one bolt slipped past them and hit Valorum, injuring him. As three of the attackers attempted to escape from the scene via the getaway taxi spotted earlier by Jinn, the Jedi Master prevented two of them from doing so, although one of the assassins, as well as the taxi pilot, managed to escape. Jinn rushed back to the wounded Valorum and together with Gallia helped to deliver him to the Galactic Senate Medcenter. Valorum recovered from the assassination attempt, with the Nebula Front revealed to have been behind the attack. Documentation found in possession of the terrorists pointed at a secret base in the Senex sector on the planet Asmeru. However, Jinn believed that the attackers had not been trying to kill Valorum; he had seen them aim strictly at the guards, and the shot that had reached the Chancellor had been an accident.[16]
Thinking that there was seemingly no reason for the assassins to carry documents with them, Jinn believed that the lead to the Senex sector was too obvious. Regardless, when the Jedi were officially requested by the Chancellor to investigate the attempt on his life, the Jedi dispatched a diplomatic mission to the sector. Spread across two Consular-class cruisers, the Prominence and the Ecliptic, the mission consisted of more than twenty Judicial Forces members and seven Jedi: Jinn, Kenobi, Koon, Tiin, Ki-Adi-Mundi, Depa Billaba, Yaddle and Vergere. Lord Crueya and Lady Theala of House Vandron, one of the Ancient Houses that ruled the Senex sector, welcomed the delegation into the sector, providing them with escort of several Tikiar starfighters and Dreadnaught-class heavy cruisers, including the Famulus.[16]
When the starships emerged near Asmeru, the Jedi found it surrounded by a mine field. A force of Nebula Front CloakShape fighters was stationed on the other side of the mine field, and they inquired the Republic force for the reason for their arrival. When Tiin replied that they had traced the trail of Valorum's attackers to Asmeru, the Nebula Front members denied any knowledge of the attack. They agreed to let the Jedi come to the planet to negotiate, on the condition that one of the ships with most of the judicial forces would remain in orbit. The Jedi agreed, having most of the judicials transferred to the Ecliptic, leaving only four of them and the ship's pilot aboard the Prominence, who guided the Prominence through the mine field toward the planet, escorted by two CloakShapes. As the Prominence entered the planet's atmosphere and approached its designated landing zone inside of a city below, the ship was contacted by the Ecliptic.[16]
House Vandron's forces had left them, and five Nebula Front ships, including the Hawk-Bat, emerged from the dark side of Asmeru. The Republic delegation had arrived into a trap, as the enemy fighters began detonating the mines, destroying the Ecliptic. Meanwhile, the Prominence began to get pulled by a tractor beam grid from the Nebula Front base below, and an ion cannon was being aimed at it. When one of the escorting CloakShapes moved in front of the Prominence, Jinn directed the pilot of the cruiser to launch one of their escape pods toward it. The pod rammed the CloakShape from behind, sending it spiraling out of control and crashing into the tractor beam, damaging it and weakening its hold on the Prominence. Sending a transmission to Coruscant regarding their predicament, the pilot attempted to escape, but the ion cannon opened fire, disabling all systems on the ship with the exception of one engine.[16]
The pilot crash-landed the ship into a lake, and Jinn, alongside the other Jedi, the judicials and the pilot swam to a nearby island. A Nebula Front force arrived to the island on boats soon thereafter, stating their demands to have Valorum cancel the Eriadu summit, as the law on the taxation of trade routes would unite Trade Federation and other trading conglomerates against the Nebula Front. The terrorists then left Jinn and the other crash survivors on the island, with no way of getting out from it and with limited supply of food and water evacuated from the Prominence, effectively holding them hostage. The Jedi and the Republic forces took shelter inside an old temple located on the island. The next day, the survivors were visited by a thick-skinned, four-handed humanoid, who introduced himself as one of the failed bioengineered slaves created by the Senex Houses. The slave had arrived through a secret tunnel connecting the temple on the island to the city occupied by the Nebula Front on the main land.[16]
He informed Jinn and the others that the Nebula Front had originally left the slaves at peace, but recently a militaristic wing had arrived on the planet and started demanding the slaves to provide them with food and surrender their homes. The militarists and the traditionalist wing of the organization had been clashing due to that matter ever since. The slave offered to lead the Jedi and the judicials through the tunnel, and they followed him and two more of his kind who were waiting inside the passage. Once they arrived at the Nebula Front base, however, the Jedi realized that they had been betrayed once again, as the Nebula Front soldiers surrounded them. Surprisingly for Jinn, he recognized his Bith informant among them. The Nebula Front lieutenant who had spoken to them on the island negotiated a temporary truce, revealing that Captain Cohl was no longer working with the Nebula Front, and his ship had been taken from him.[16]
However, the lieutenant then publicly executed the three slaves who had led Jinn and the others through the tunnel, in order to show to other slaves present at the scene what would happen to traitors. This act prompted the Jedi to revoke the truce, and they engaged the terrorists. A prolonged fight cost the life of one judicial, and two more were heavily injured, as the Nebula Front forces utilized gunboats to attack the Jedi's position and attempted to reach their parked CloakShapes and the Hawk-Bat. The battle became chaotic, as multiple factions turned on each other. The slaves, who had planned a rebellion for some time, utilized the opportunity to strike at their oppressors. The Nebula Front's traditionalist group, led by Jinn's informant, also attacked the militarists. In midst of that confusion, reinforcements of several judicial ships, carrying ten Jedi and a number of judicials originally stationed on Eriadu to provide protection during the summit, arrived on the planet, having been diverted to Asmeru by the Jedi Council to recover Jinn and his team.[16]
The battle was soon over, with most of the militarists killed and the remaining ones laying down their weapons. Jinn then searched for the Bith, finding that the informant had been fatally wounded during the fight. Before dying, the Bith revealed to Jinn the name of the leader of the Nebula Front, Havac, warning the Jedi Master that Havac was planning something big involving Cohl. A Nikto who introduced himself as Cindar, a friend of the late Bith, claimed that Havac's plans were related to Karfeddion, the homeworld of House Vandron. Jinn decided to pursue that lead, but the other Jedi disagreed, as they had been ordered by the Council and the Judicial Department to evacuate from the sector immediately. Defiant, Jinn decided to use the Hawk-Bat, taking Kenobi and Cindar—who could recognize Havac if he saw him—and setting course for Karfeddion. Jinn did not completely trust Cindar, but he believed that the Nikto would reveal his true intentions on Karfeddion.[16]
Landing on the planet, Jinn and Kenobi left their distinctive Jedi clothes, and went around the local cantinas with Cindar, posing as spacers and asking for Cohl's whereabouts. As they were returning to their docking bay, a pair of technicians met them, having recognized the Hawk-Bat as Cohl's ship and believing that Jinn was allied with the pirate. The technicians revealed that Cohl had recently visited Karfeddion, hiring a number of mercenaries for an assassination contract on Eriadu, and they had left the planet on a Corellian freighter. The technicians wanted Jinn to take them in for the job, but Jinn, playing his part, declined. Once the technicians left, Cindar pulled his blaster on Jinn and Kenobi. He had been unaware that Cohl would actually come to Karfeddiona and had only told Jinn about the planet in an attempt to distract him from Eriadu. Moreover, the attempted assassination of Valorum on Coruscant had also been done in order to lure the Jedi to Asmeru. In the erupting shootout, Cindar was killed when one of his blaster shot ricocheted off the hull of the Hawk-Bat, killing him. Believing that Chancellor Valorum was the target of assassins, Jinn and Kenobi took the Hawk-Bat to Eriadu, notifying the Jedi Council of their discoveries.[16]
The Eriadu Summit[edit | edit source]
- "Do you sense anything, Master?"
"Only that we are fighting something unseen, Obi-Wan. Each time we draw close to identifying our adversary, it subverts and evades us."
"Then it isn't Captain Cohl?"
"There is an organizing hand at work here—one that moves Cohl about as effortlessly as it moves us."
"Not this Havac."
"It has no name that I know, Padawan." - ―Jinn and Kenobi during the Eriadu Summit
Once there, Jinn and his Padawan met up with Gallia, and the three went to meet with Valorum at the Eriadu Spaceport, notifying him that the Nebula Front was attempting to kill him at the summit, as doing so would force the Republic to forsake any interest in the free trade zones. Jinn and Gallia tried to convince Valorum to delay his speech at the Senate while they investigated the activities of Cohl on the planet. Jinn, his Padawan and Gallia went to inspect the site of the summit, alongside Masters Tiin, Ki-Adi-Mundi and Vergere, looking for possible places from which a sniper could target Valorum during the speech. The authorities of the Eriadu Spaceport then contacted the Jedi, informing them that after receiving an anonymous tip, they had found Cohl's Corellian freighter in the spaceport. Inside, they had found tied up customs agents, indicating that Cohl and his mercenaries had stolen a customs' ship and had arrived on the planet in it.[16]
The customs ship had also been located in the spaceport, and Jinn, Kenobi, Mundi and Verger went there to investigate, while Tiin and Gallia went to protect Valorum. Jinn and his companions arrived at a customs warehouse inside the spaceport, where an investigation team, including a pair of Verpines, was already at work. Inside the warehouse's back room, they found two bodies, one male and one female, as well as Rodian blood. The Verpines also found traces of over a dozen men that had been smuggled in containers into the warehouse. The investigators deduced that Havac had ambushed Cohl and his two companions, the Rodian Boiny and the female Rella in the back room. The fight resulted with one of Havac's men and Rella being killed, while Cohl and Boiny were wounded. Havac had then left the two at the warehouse, believing that they would die of their wounds and their bodies would be found by the Jedi, throwing off the investigation. Havac had then assumed command of Cohl's mercenaries in order to proceed with his plans. However, Cohl and Boiny had survived and had left the warehouse, following Havac.[16]
A holoprojector was also discovered inside the warehouse, showing the image of a span of Eriadu's rooftops. Jinn realized that the projector could have possibly also been left by Havac as a false lead, but he decided to act on it. Three landspeeders were dispacted to locate the area matching the image on the holoprojector; Jinn and Kenobi were passengers in the first, Ki-Adi-Mundi and Vergere were in the second, and two judicials in the third. The speeders soon located the rooftops matching the image, but a number of terrorists in mimetic suits ambushed them. They attempted to shoot down Jinn's and Kenobi's speeder with a rocket launcher, but the speeder's pilot evaded the attack. Jinn and Kenobi jumped onto the rooftops, giving chase to the terrorists, and they were soon joined by Mundi, Vergere and the judicials. After a prolonged chase, the Jedi and the security teams captured six attackers, but neither Cohl nor Havac were among them.[16]
The captured terrorists maintained that they did not know neither Cohl nor Havac, claiming that they were thieves who had attempted to take advantage of the buzz of the summit to rob the Seswenna Sector Bank. Realizing that the attack was merely a distraction, Jinn and Kenobi rushed to the summit building, warning the other Jedi that the remaining assassins had already infiltrated it. Jinn then sensed through the Force Cohl's presence, and he and Kenobi intercepted Cohl and Boiny, both heavily wounded from the shootout at the warehouse, in a corridor leading to the turbolifts leading to media and security booths. Cohl informed Jinn that Havac's assassin was a droid, a special Baktoid model that, when given a remote command through a transmitter in Havac's possession, could take all nearby droids under control and force them to do its commands. Jinn wanted Kenobi to take the pirates to a med center, but Cohl and Boiny maintained that they would accompany him in the chase against Havac, so Jinn sent Kenobi to inform the other Jedi of Havac's plan, so that they could provide protection for Valorum.[16]
Jinn and the two pirates made their way to the media booth, where Havac was stationed with two of his men. Wounding Havac's guards, Jinn interrogated the Nebula Front leader regarding the remote, and Havac claimed that it was in possession of his sniper, who was located among the walkways above the summit place. Leaving Cohl to guard Havac and his wounded men, Jinn and Boiny went to look for the sniper, meeting security teams along the way and directing them in the search. Jinn and Boiny were surprised, however, when a security agent they had met turned on them, revealing himself to be the sniper in disguise. The sniper killed Boiny and attacked Jinn and a number of other security forces. After a fight, Jinn severed the walkway's supports, making the shooter fall down to his death, while Jinn barely clung for his life at the walkway. From that position he bore witness to the events transpiring below.[16]
Witnessing the battle between Jinn and the sniper, Valorum had been taken under protection by the Senate Guard and the Jedi. The Trade Federation Directorate, afraid for their lives, activated a force field surrounding them and a force of thirteen battle droids guarding them, preventing any blaster bolts from passing through it from either side. Havac, whose targets had been the members of the Trade Federation directorate, had been lying about the transmitter being in the possession of the sniper, and had in fact concealed it in a holocamera inside the media booth. A sensor trained onto the Trade Federation's booth detected them raising the security field, and the holocamera sent a signal to the assassin droid among the Federation's escort. The droid took command of the other twelve units, and they opened fire at the directorate, killing all of them. The Jedi and the summit's guards were unable to assist them as the security field prevented them from doing so. Cohl had tried to stop Havac inside the security booth, and the men had fought, killing each other.[16]
Due to the assassination of the Trade Federation members, the summit ended prematurely, and none of the issues were resolved during it. The Senators and the Jedi returned to Coruscant, where Valorum tasked the Justice Department with an investigation. However, Lieutenant governor Wilhuff Tarkin of Eriadu insisted that the investigation be handled by his planet's authorities, and under his direction all evidence and eyewitnesses were allowed to vanish. The captured terrorists maintained that Valorum had been the target of the attack, with the Trade Federation droids meant to kill him, implicating the Federation in the murder of the Chancellor, which would lead to the disbandment of the organization.[16]
The Nebula Front's ruling circle largely disbanded, claiming that most of them had not been even aware of the activities of Havac and his militaristic wing. In fact, "Havac" was merely a nickname given by militarists to its leader. The Havac that Jinn had faced was named Eru Matalis, an Eriaduan with a longstanding grudge against the Trade Federation. With the deaths of the most of the Federation's directorate, the organization became completely controlled by Neimoidians, with Gunray—who had survived the attack because he had not been present during it, as he had been attending to a failure in his starship—became the Viceroy of the Trade Federation.[16]
Aftermath of the summit[edit | edit source]
- "It seemed to be a momentary disturbance in the Force. Like a shadow passing over the sun. I've never felt anything like it."
- ―Qui-Gon Jinn
Shortly after the events on Eriadu,[19] Jinn and Kenobi were on Coruscant when Jinn sensed a disturbance in the Force, a dark presence unlike anything he had encountered before. He could not pinpoint its source, but he was convinced that the meaning of his Force warning would soon reveal itself. In fact, the presence that Jinn detected was that of the Sith Lord Darth Maul, the apprentice to Darth Sidious, who was leaving Coruscant in his Sith infiltrator on a mission to exterminate the leadership of the Black Sun criminal cartel.[98]
A month after the disastrous summit on Eriadu, the proposal to tax the trade routes,[16] dubbed Senate Resolution BR-0371,[61] was passed, allowing the Federation to increase its armies in exchange for them paying taxes in favor of the Republic on all shipping and other mercantile activities performed in the areas formerly known as the free trade zones. Shortly after the resolution was passed, many smaller companies in the outlying systems started to reap major benefits due to Core Worlds' investors bestowing them with venture capitals. One of those businesses was Valorum Shipping and Transport, Chancellor Valorum's family business based on Eriadu. Shortly after the resolution was passed in the Senate, evidence surfaced that Valorum Shipping had recently received a large payment in aurodium ingots matching the exact amount stolen from the Revenue, implicating Valorum of clandestine ties with the Trade Federation.[16]
Valorum's critics claimed that the aurodium was a payment from the Trade Federation to the Chancellor for allowing them to increase their armies. Although the taxation law—which Valorum had lobbied for in exchange for the increase in defense allotments—was detrimental to the Trade Federation, Valorum's critics believed that he would ensure that the revenue gathered through the taxes would find its way back to the Neimoidian's directorate, nullifying the Federation's drawbacks and making it so the whole situation benefited them entirely due to them being allowed to expand their armies. Two weeks later, Valorum called before the Internal Activities Committee and the Supreme Court on the allegations of profiteering in the recent events, and he testified that he had not been aware of his company's benefits, yet rumors of his corruption continued to spread through general populace, further hindering his political status,[16] already weakened after the Yinchorri conflict.[19]
Valorum was stripped of most of his executive powers and was made to answer before the Chagrian Vice Chancellor Mas Amedda before passing any new legislation. The supporters of Valorum believed that the aurodium had been transferred to his accounts in order to implicate Valorum; they viewed it as the Nebula Front's final strike against the Chancellor.[16] However, the clues had in fact been planted by Darth Sidious.[19] Sidious had directly worked with Havac in order to assassinate the Trade Federation Directorate, allowing Gunray and the Neimoidian faction—which was subservient to Sidious—to take control of the organization, in preparation of Sidious's future plans.[16]
The investigation of the events on Eriadu had been purposefully failed by Tarkin, who was secretly allied with Sidious. Talks began to spread of an early removal of Valorum from office before the last year of his second term was allowed to pass, with Senators Ainlee Teem and Bail Antilles rumored as his replacements. The Jedi Council—who berated Jinn for his rash decisions during the Nebula Front crisis—realized that some unknown force had been manipulating the events. Although the Jedi were officially prohibited from being called for assistance by Valorum, the Council believed in the Chancellor's innocence and agreed to secretly provide support to him.[16]
Valorum's recent allegations of corruption soon made him the target of another terrorist organization called the Flail, based on Coruscant and led by Corellian smuggler Zegmon Pent, who claimed to be a Jedi. Acting on the document called the Flail Manifesto, the terrorists performed several guerrilla attacks on Coruscant, causing Valorum to wage a personal crusade against them. In response, the Flail issued a death threat to Valorum, prompting Master Windu to hire a number of agents to protect the Chancellor. Jinn and Kenobi were present at the Senate Building when the team and the Chancellor passed them on their way to Valorum's office to discuss the activities of the Flail. Windu's agents eventually prevented the attempt on Valorum's life and apprehended Pent.[99] When Gregar Typho of the Royal Naboo Security Forces served a tour of duty on Coruscant, Jinn and Master Windu helped him familiarize with the workings of lightsabers.[100]
Prelude to the storm[edit | edit source]
Rescuing Adi Gallia[edit | edit source]
- "I know what Mace Windu suggested, but you're my responsibility. If I'm going to Esseles, I want you where you belong: at my side!"
"Forgive me; Master, but you put me in an unfair position. You ask me to disobey either you or the Jedi Council."
"I'm not asking you to disobey anyone, Padawan. We both know you're ready for this mission. I want you to come to Esseles with us because I have a feeling we're going to need you there. If I'm asking for anything, it's your help." - ―Jinn, defying the Jedi Council's orders by taking Kenobi with him to Esseles
At one point while Jinn and Kenobi were off missions on Coruscant, Jinn decided to go visit his friends in the lower city, leaving his Padawan to train his skills at the Jedi Temple against droids. However, before Jinn could venture far, he was recalled back by the Jedi Council for an urgent mission. When Jinn and Kenobi entered the Council chambers, Jinn immediately noticed the absence of Adi Gallia, who had gone missing. The members of the Jedi Council informed Jinn that they had recently received a data card notifying them that the Trinkatta Starships factory on the planet Esseles had been contracted to produce fifty hyperdrive-equipped droid starfighters. Worrying that the droids could be used to start a civil war on one of the Republic worlds, the Council had sent Gallia to Esseles to investigate the matter, but she had fallen out of contact.[90]
Knowing that Gallia had once saved Jinn's life, the Council chose him to lead a team to Esseles, consisting of Knights Vel Ardox and Noro Zak, to rescue the missing Jedi Master. However, believing that the mission would be too dangerous for Kenobi, the Council asked Jinn to leave his Padawan behind on Coruscant. Jinn seemingly complied, asking only to let Kenobi oversee the mission's departure. The four Jedi went to the Temple's hangar, where the cruiser Radiant VII awaited them with a crew consisting of a captain, two-copilots, two communications officers and three engineers. However, as the three Jedi boarded the cruiser, Jinn asked Kenobi to come look inside at the ship's hatch, claiming that it was jammed and could not be closed. Once Kenobi entered the ship, Jinn closed the hatch and explained to his Padawan that he was taking him on the mission, believing that Kenobi was ready and that he had been spending too much time at the Temple and needed to go on an away mission.[90]
Arriving at Esseles in the Darpa sector, the captain landed the ship on the outskirts of the capital city of Calamar, and the four Jedi embarked on the journey to Trinkatta Starships. The winged Zak took point, flying ahead and scanning for any signs of unusual activity, while Jinn, Ardox and Kenobi followed him in a landspeeder. The factory, walled off and emitting foul smoke, consisted of a manufacturing building, a landing pad and a twenty-story observation tower. Flying over the wall, Zak checked for any signs of completed starfighters but did not find any. Arriving at a checkpoint booth near a bridge leading to the main entrance to the factory, the Jedi were confronted by two security droids who refused to let them in, claiming that the factory was about to be fumigated—its toxic fumes about to be released inside the building to get rid of a supposed vermin. Sensing that Gallia was inside the facility, Jinn demanded the droids to let him in, but the droids opened fire, aiming to kill the Jedi. This contradicted standard non-lethal programming, which meant that someone had reprogrammed them from the central command console.[90]
After destroying the two droids, Jinn came up with a plan. He would lure more droids to the security checkpoint, while Kenobi, Ardox and Zak would find another way inside the facility, instructing them to maintain comm silence as the droids could intercept their transmissions. After his companions left, Jinn walked over to a bridge crossing a moat on the way to the factory. As Jinn was confronted by a large number of security droids, he was contacted by Kenobi's group, who themselves had run into more droids and were unable to enter the facility. A number of droids attacked Jinn from a rooftop supporting an elevated water tower. Jinn reflected the droids' shots at the supports of the water tower, causing it to fall over and spill a large quantity of water. In an attempt to avoid being swept away by the torrent, Jinn jumped over the rails of the bridge into the moat, donning his breather.[90]
Underneath the water, he located a cave entrance to the facility and swam through it. However, on his way he was grabbed by the ankle by a tentacled creature. Due to his love of all living things, Jinn did not fight it, and the creature let him go, mentally apologizing to him for mistaking Jinn for its prey and warning him of a heavy current ahead. Jinn was indeed nearly swept away as he reached a large silo with a propeller beneath sucking him in. Using the Force, Jinn turned the propeller's power on itself, destroying it and allowing him to reach a hatch above, cutting through it with his lightsaber, emerging in a dry chamber and sealing the hole before water could fill it. However, Jinn had broken his comlink in the process. Inside the room, Jinn found an alien individual chained by his foot to a column, who had been tortured by having his arm cut off. After he released the prisoner, the later introduced himself as Boll Trinkatta, the Kloodavian owner of the factory.[90]
Trinkatta revealed to Jinn that the order on fifty starfighters had been placed by the Trade Federation. He had initially refused to build them, but after his test pilot,[90] the Talz Bama Vook,[101] had mysteriously disappeared, Trinkatta had agreed to produce the starfighters, believing the Federation to be involved in Vook's disappearance and afraid for his own life. However, two days ago someone had infiltrated the facility and had stolen all the finished starfighters. A group of intruders had also reprogrammed the droids. The droids had tortured him and had chained him to the pole. Trinkatta did not know about Gallia's whereabouts, but he directed Jinn to the droid control center on the nineteenth level of the observation tower. Explaining to Jinn that his arm would regrow due to his species' natural ability to regenerate, Trinkatta left the room through a secret passage, while Jinn went to continue looking for Gallia.[90]
First encounter with the Bartokks[edit | edit source]
- "We don't know for certain. But it's an easy guess the Bartokks are on an assignment to kill someone. We suspect they want the Trade Federation's droid starfighters and prototype hyperdrive engine to carry out their own plan."
- ―Qui-Gon Jinn on Esseles
Fighting through more droids, Jinn reached the starship assembly floor, finding a half-finished starfighter there and using its operational weaponry to blast a hole in the ceiling, letting the toxic fumes out. Sensing that Gallia was inside the top levels of the observation tower, Jinn also noticed a skyhopper parked on top of the tower. Leaving the factory building, Jinn emerged on the facility grounds and took one of the speeders parked there to reach the tower, having to jump away as the vessel lost control and crashed into the base of the tower. Entering the observation tower, Jinn took an elevator to floor 19. There he found ten holding cells each holding an unconscious Gallia; Jinn realized that nine of them were holographic illusions. Finding control switches nearby, Jinn first deactivated the holograms, revealing the real Jedi Master, and then unlocked her cell.
In doing so, however, he had also triggered a number of traps, and he had to fight more droids that responded to alarms. Carrying Gallia away, Jinn noticed a large force of droids approaching the tower on the outside. He tried to reprogram them from the main computer console, but the saboteurs had tampered with the system, preventing Jinn from entering the command. Determined to stop the droids at any cost, Jinn found a self-destruct detonator and set a countdown for three minutes. He then took Gallia to the uppermost level of the tower to the skyhopper he had seen earlier. However, once there, he was confronted by a duo of Bartokks, a species of hive-minded insectoids with high regenerative ability. Jinn tried to avoid confrontation, offering the Bartokks to leave peacefully, but they attacked him, forcing him to fight back. Jinn cut the foes in pieces, but due to their regenerative qualities, each part of a Bartokk's body could operate separately even when severed and so Jinn had to fight through their separated body parts as he carried Gallia inside the skyhopper, flying away from the tower right before it self-destructed, deactivating the reprogrammed hostile droids and preventing them from doing further damage.[90]
Jinn landed the skyhopper at the security checkpoint, where he was met by Kenobi, Ardox and Zak, who had failed to ever enter the facility due to heavy droid resistance. Realizing that Gallia needed immediate medical attention, Jinn, on Kenobi's suggestion, ordered Ardox and Zak to take her to the Jedi chapter house on the nearby planet of Rhinnal, which was renowned for its medical facilities. The two Knights left with Gallia aboard the Radiant VII, while Jinn and Kenobi remained on Esseles in order to meet with Trinkatta and to investigate the disappearance of the starfighters. It appeared that the Bartokks had attempted to steal the starfighters from the Trade Federation to use them in an assassination contract. However, someone else in turn had taken the starfighters from their possession. Knowing that the Bartokks always traveled in groups of fifteen, Jinn realized that thirteen more of them were still on the planet and were looking for the starfighters, which had not left Esseles yet. Jinn, Kenobi and Trinkatta then took a landspeeder and took off in search of the Bartokks.[90]
Believing that whoever had stolen the starships would attempt to hide them in plain sight, Jinn set course for the capital of Calamar and the Calamar Intergalactic Spaceport. Questioning Trinkatta about the details of his contract to the Trade Federation, Jinn learned that the conglomerate had personally delivered him a prototype hyperdrive and had tasked him to mass-produce it and install it aboard droid starfighters. Knowing that the Talz test pilot, Bama Vook, had disappeared without a trace along with his son Chup-Chup and his navigation droid LE-PR34, nicknamed "Leeper." Jinn suspected that the pilot could have been involved in the theft of the starfighters. The Jedi then decided to start the investigation with Vook's favorite cantina near the spaceport, the Ion Sandbox, and they indeed found the pilot exiting the cantina.[101]
Vook revealed that he had been the one who had sent the data card to the Council. Willing to prevent the Trade Federation from obtaining the starfighters, Vook had seized an opportunity two nights ago when he witnessed a group of infiltrators loading the starfighters and the prototype hyperdrive inside a freighter. While his droid had distracted the intruders, Vook had stolen the freighter and had hidden it inside Dock 28 of the spaceport, guarded by LE-PR34 and Chup-Chup. However, Vook was unaware that he had stolen the fighters from the Bartokks. Vook also informed the Jedi that he had spotted a pair of Neimoidians inside the cantina, who had been the ones to have threatened him back at the factory. Jinn and his companions then went to the spaceport, but as they approached the docking bays, Jinn and Kenobi sensed a disturbance in the Force and noticed a number of Bartokks on the roof of Dock 27. Vook's droid, Leeper, then entered the scene, informing the Jedi that the Bartokks had kidnapped Chup-Chup and had seized their freighter back, preparing it for liftoff.[101]
Three Bartokks then jumped from the roof, taking Vook at blasterpoint and demanding the Jedi to let their freighter leave Esseles without intervention, or they would kill the pilot and his son. As the Bartokk's freighter started to leave the spaceport, Jinn fell into a trap set by the insectoids as a fourth Bartokk dropped a stun net from above. Jinn, Vook and Leeper were caught inside the net and were rendered unconscious. However, Trinkatta and Kenobi had been able to avoid being trapped. Kenobi was able to kill the four Bartokks and entrusted the three unconscious individuals into the care of Trinkatta, telling him to take them via landspeeder back to the factory until they could come to their senses. Knowing from Vook that the Bartokk freighter was equipped only with slow sublight engines, Kenobi decided to pursue it, taking Vook's modified Z-95 Headhunter starfighter.[101]
While Jinn was still unconscious, Kenobi was able to catch up to the freighter, rescue Chup-Chup, defeat the remaining nine Bartokks, recover the prototype hyperdrive and destroy the freighter with half the stolen starfighters, but not before learning its destination—the military academy on the planet Corulag. However, Jinn's Padawan discovered that the Bartokks had already transferred twenty five starfighters to another freighter. As Kenobi returned to the factory with that information, Jinn and the others had come to their senses. Kenobi warned Corulag authorities about the second freighter potentially coming to them, but when he tried to contact the Jedi chapter house on Rhinnal to check on Gallia's condition, he received no response. Worried for the safety of his fellow Jedi, Jinn decided to delay their search for the Bartokks and come to Rhinnal first, and Vook volunteered to give them a lift on his YT-1300 light freighter, the Metron Burner.[101]
Leaving Chup-Chup and Trinkatta behind on Esseles, Jinn, Kenobi, Vook and Leeper took the Metron Burner and arrived on Rhinnal, landing at the largest city of Rhire beside the Radiant VII. There, they met Noro Zak, who explained to them that all communications to other worlds had been lost due to an electromagnetic storm. Gallia was still unconscious, but she had nearly made full recovery. Knowing that she was safe, Jinn and Kenobi wanted to embark on the pursuit of the Bartokks to Corulag, but Zak warned them that another storm was predicted within the next three hours. If it struck the Jedi's ship during launch, it could render its systems inactive and cause its to crash. Deciding to proceed with safety, the Jedi stayed on Rhinnal to wait out the storm, with Jinn going to check on Gallia. By the time the storm passed, Gallia had awakened and both the Radiant VII and the Metron Burner were cleared for launch. Meanwhile, a message came through from Corulag Space Traffic Control, reporting on a recent space battle that had taken place in orbit of the planet. Twenty five droid starfighters had turned on a single Bartokk fighter and another starship in the system, destroying both before leaving for parts unknown.[41]
Foiling a terrorist attack[edit | edit source]
- "We'll have to keep a very watchful eye on the Neimoidians."
- ―Qui-Gon Jinn, in the aftermath of the events on Esseles and Corulag
Unbeknownst to Jinn and Kenobi, the recent events had been orchestrated by Groodo the Hutt, who had developed the prototype starfighter hyperdrive on Trade Federation's request. However, when the Trade Federation had taken the hyperdrive without paying him, Groodo had sworn revenge and had hired the Bartokk assassins. Harboring a grudge against the Corulag Academy, who had refused to admit his son Boonda, Groodo had had the Bartokk assassins steal the starfighters from Trinkatta's factory. He had then attempted to use those starships in an attack on Corulag, framing the Trade Federation for the attack and paying back at both of his enemies with one strike. However, Sith Lord Darth Maul had followed the remaining twenty-five starfighters to Corulag in his stealthed Sith Infiltrator.[41]
Maul had taken control of the starfighters, using them to destroy the Bartokk escort fighter and the ship from which Groodo had been overseeing the attack, forcing Groodo and Boonda to evacuate the ship via an escape pod and to land on the surface of Corulag, while Maul took the starfighters back to the Trade Federation. Not knowing this information, Jinn and Kenobi were nevertheless determined to go to Corulag. As they were preparing to leave Rhinnal, they were contacted by Yoda via hologram; the Jedi Master was urging them to hurry, as a new crisis had arisen on Corulag, and he also informed them that he would personally join them on the planet. Jinn, Kenobi, Gallia, Ardox and Zak arrived at Corulag, where the Jedi noticed a Personal Luxury Yacht 3000 in the orbit of the planet, which, according to scans, belonged to a Trandoshan trader named Ausec Grogle. Jinn found the presence of the yacht at Corulag strange, as it was a new prototype, but he did not pay it too much attention.[41]
Landing at the capital city of Curamelle, Jinn and his fellow Jedi met not only with Yoda, but also with Mace Windu. Knowing that the Masters would be displeased at seeing Kenobi, as they had ordered him to stay on Coruscant, Jinn decided to take full responsibility for making Kenobi disobey the Council. However, Jinn's Padawan spoke up, saying that he was responsible himself. Having been informed by Gallia of Kenobi's involvement in the destruction of twenty-five starfighters on Esseles, the two Masters agreed that Jinn had been right to take Kenobi with him. Walking over to the Corulag academy, Yoda and Windu explained to Jinn that a Force-sensitive girl named Teela Panjarra had been identified on the planet. The Order had attempted to take Panjarra away to the Jedi Temple, but the Corulag Academy's Science Services' Chief Scientist Frexton insisted on keeping the girl on Corulag for some time in order to perform a number of physical and neurological tests on her.[89]
Yoda suspected that Frexton had a more selfish motive, however. As the Jedi delegation approached the nursery, Leeper notified Jinn that he had spotted a number of remote-controlled X10-D draft droids in the compound. Their presence on Corulag was strange, as the droids had been developed by Trandoshans for labor. Remembering the SoroSuub yacht they had seen on approach to the planet, Jinn looked around and saw it parked nearby, also spotting Bartokks near it. The Jedi realized that the Bartokks had used the yacht to infiltrate the Academy and smuggle the droids inside. Two X10-D droids soon passed a security checkpoint, shoving aside a security droid and taking a turbolift to the deeper levels of the facility. The security droid then told the Jedi that one of the droids contained a plasma bomb hidden within its frame. As two more droids neared the security checkpoint, Yoda engaged them in battle and swiftly destroyed them, locating another bomb within one of them.[89]
As an evacuation order was issued throughout the academy, Yoda ordered Jinn, Kenobi, Gallia, Windu, Ardox, Zak, Vook and Leeper to evacuate the children from the nursery and guard them, while he attempted to stop the Bartokk's droids and locate Panjarra. Jinn and the rest complied, taking the children away. They were soon contacted by Yoda, who had defeated two Bartokks and warned Jinn to be on a lookout for more, before the communications were cut off by the Bartokks. The Bartokks were acting on Groodo's orders, attempting to fulfill their contract and destroy the Academy. Eventually, Yoda was able to single-handedly defeat all the Bartokks—including the Bartokk Queen—and their droids, as well as disarm the bombs and retrieve Panjarra from Chief Scientist Frexton, who had been planning to perform experiments on the girl in order to study the Force. After Frexton was taken into custody, Jinn and the other Jedi took the Radiant VII to return to Coruscant along with the new Jedi Initiate. Groodo's involvement in the attack was never discovered, while the Senate began an investigation into the Trade Federation's involvement in the creation of the fifty droid fighters, although the corporation denied their guilt.[89]
The Black Heth and the Jin'Ha[edit | edit source]
- "They can't have survived, Master."
"No, Padawan. I sense both Jedi somewhere nearby. I will go and find them. I want you to find the Jin'ha facility and discover the source of their weapons technology. We can still turn defeat into victory." - ―Kenobi and Jinn, after finding the wrecked starship on Obredaan
That period of time was proving to be very difficult for Jinn and his Padawan, as trouble spots constantly erupted across the galaxy and they had to perform numerous missions on behalf of the Senate. During that tense period, Jinn insisted that he and Kenobi took a break, and the two went on another training exercise on Ragoon VI, tracking a Jedi named Winso Bykart. Once time came for them to leave the planet, Jinn promised his Padawan that they would one day return to Ragoon on another exercise.[50] At one point, Jinn was dispatched to locate a rumored terrorist weapons storage facility, which he destroyed with timer mines. When reports of pirates raiding a small mining station in the Hoth system reached the Jedi Council, Jinn was tasked with assembling a team of Jedi and patrolling the area for suspicious activity.[102] As Kenobi entered his advanced stages of training under Jinn, the two participated in a training battle within the Jedi Temple's training arena, riddled with various hazards such as electric walls and vacuum pipes. To further test Kenobi's skills, he had to fight his Master blind, relying only on the Force to guide his actions.[103]
On another occasion, Jinn and Kenobi responded to a distress call from Jedi Knight Mana Veridi, who believed that her mission on the planet Kwannot had become too dangerous. When the pair arrived on the planet, they met with Veridi in one of the planet's cities. However, as soon as Veridi greeted Jinn, she was stabbed in the back by Jedi hunter Aurra Sing. Sing took Veridi's lightsaber and engaged Jinn and Kenobi in battle with her own weapon, intent on killing the Jedi Master. She almost succeeded in doing so, when she activated a second lightsaber and surprised Jinn; however, Kenobi blocked her blow. He then charged her openly, but she evaded his attack. Sing managed to knock both Jinn and Kenobi off of their feet, but instead of killing them, she retreated, believing the pair to be more powerful than she had thought.[104][105]
When rumors of a suspicious activity in the lower levels of Coruscant reached the Jedi Order, Kenobi was sent by Mace Windu to investigate. While there, the Padawan was attacked by a criminal gang known as the Black Heth, but he survived the attack. In his report to the Jedi Council, the boy revealed that he had sensed some sinister motive behind the attack. Jinn then advised his Padawan to train his lightsaber skills in a duel with a training droid. Following the attack on Kenobi, Coruscant Guard placed a Quarren informant into the Black Heth in an attempt to learn more about their motives. However, the informant was discovered and was interrogated by the gang at a construction facility, potentially soon to be killed. In order to rescue the Quarren, the Jedi Council dispatched Kenobi to his aid. As the boy approached the Heth hideout, Jinn advised his Padawan not to raise alarms and told him to monitor the Quarren's location via his comlink.[106]
Ultimately, Kenobi was able to rescue the informant, who in turn revealed that the Black Heth had been receiving large shipments of weapons from an unknown source. The next meeting was supposed to take place at Landing platform Nilat-3. Jinn advised his Padawan to place a tracking device on one of the suppliers' ships to learn where they were coming from. Analyzing the data from the placed tracking device, the Council learned that the mysterious suppliers were the Jin'ha, and they supplied the Black Heth with armor made out of lightsaber-resistant cortosis ore. Masters Eeth Koth and Plo Koon were subsequently sent to investigate this new threat. Meanwhile, Jinn arranged a training session with Master Saesee Tiin for his Padawan to prepare Kenobi for the encounter with the Jin'ha. However, while Koon and Koth were investigating Jin'ha activity on the planet Obredaan, the communications with them were cut off.[106]
Jinn and Kenobi were subsequently sent to learn what had happened to the Jedi Masters. Trekking through Obredaan's swamps while fighting the Jin'ha, the two found the crashed Masters' ship. Sensing Koth and Koon nearby, Jinn went to search for them, instructing his Padawan to locate the Jin'ha facility and learn more about their weapons technology. Jinn successfully located the two missing Jedi Masters, who had been imprisoned by the Jin'ha, and rescued them. Meanwhile, Kenobi located a cortosis mine, and Jinn asked him to gather as much evidence as possible. Kenobi soon located a cortosis refinery equipped with some strange technology and took a sample from its computers for analysis. Jinn, Koth, and Koon then made their way to the entrance of the Jin'ha mines, where they met Kenobi, assisting in his escape from the facility. The Jedi then witnessed a Trade Federation gunship leaving from the planet, indicating that they were tied with the Jin'ha production. Returning to Coruscant, the Jedi reported to the Council, who promised to deal with the Jin'ha. In the aftermath of the mission, Jinn asked his old friend Plo Koon to spar with Kenobi to improve the boy's saber skills.[106]
Blockade of Naboo[edit | edit source]
Ambassadors[edit | edit source]
- "You will be a great Jedi Knight, Obi-Wan Kenobi. I know that with every breath, with every beat of my heart. You will make me proud I was there at your beginnings. If you do have a flaw, perhaps it is simply this: You wish to please me too much."
- ―Qui-Gon Jinn, en route to Naboo
Some time later, Jinn was invited by Yoda and Windu to the conference chamber, a small room near the main Council Chamber, to discuss the disappearance of Padawan Darsha Assant and her Master Anoon Bondara. Assant had been given the task of recovering the Fondorian Black Sun informant Oolth from Coruscant's undercity as the trial for her Knighthood, but she had not been heard of for forty eight hours. Moreover, soon after Assant's disappearance, her Master had disappeared as well. Thinking of Bondara as being rebellious, Jinn theorized that he had come looking for her without notifying the Council. Eventually, the three decided to send an investigator to the undercity, and Jinn recommended Kenobi for the case. While his Padawan was investigating the matter, Jinn received word that the Supreme Chancellor had asked for his intervention in a trade dispute centered around the peaceful Outer Rim world of Naboo.[107]
A month ago, a fleet belonging to the Trade Federation and commanded by Viceroy Nute Gunray had blockaded Naboo,[108] protesting against the taxation of trade routes[3] introduced in the aftermath of the disastrous Eriadu summit.[16] The Federation had completely severed the planet's ability to trade, making the population of the planet suffer while the Senate had been engaged in endless debates regarding the legitimacy of the blockade and was unable to come up with a solution. The newly elected fourteen-year-old ruler of the planet, Queen Amidala, had personally contacted Valorum two days ago, shaming him for his inability to end the disputes and help her people.[108] Although he was prohibited from officially involving the Jedi in trade disputes after the Eriadu summit and his recent allegations of corruption,[16] Amidala's plea[108] caused Chancellor Valorum asked the Order for help.[107]
Jinn and Kenobi were assigned as the Chancellor's ambassadors to negotiate with the Federation[107] in hopes of laying a groundwork for a peaceful agreement, while Valorum prepared to call for an emergency session of the Senate to discuss the issue. The Chancellor believed that involving the Jedi would both shatter the confidence of the Neimoidians and help reveal the mysterious figure who was manipulating the galactic events. Jinn received a top secret personal letter from Valorum, in which he thanked Jinn for accepting the mission and gave him a briefing on the current situation on the besieged planet. Attached to the letter was a file titled "Situational Analysis in the Naboo System," which had been prepared by Valorum's aide Kaaver Tapps and which contained more detailed information on the Naboo system.[109] Before leaving Coruscant,[13] Jinn attended a mission briefing, where he studied the pictures of the high-ranking Naboo officials such as Sio Bibble, the Governor of the capital city of Theed[110] as well as a hologram[13] of Queen Amidala in one of her ornate dresses.[110]
As Jinn was packing his things for the mission in his quarters, Kenobi returned from the undercity. The Padawan told Jinn that he had discovered that both Assant and Bondara were dead, and although he suspected Black Sun involvement, he was not sure. In fact, Assant and Bondara had been killed by Darth Maul after crossing his way during one of his missions. Jinn was saddened by the news but could not waste time asking Kenobi to tell him more. Jinn told his Padawan to make a holoreport to the Council and to tell him the whole story of his investigation on their way to Naboo.[107]
The two then set off for their mission[107] on the familiar Consular-class cruiser Radiant VII, which was piloted by Captain Maoi Madakor and co-pilot Antidar Williams.[111] Valorum informed both Amidala and the Trade Federation of the arrival of his personal ambassadors, although he failed to mention to the Neimoidians that the ambassadors were Jedi.[3] On their way to Naboo, Jinn was in a very talkative mood, and he and Kenobi spent their journey to Naboo remembering their past missions and their friends, such as Diddi Oddo, Paxxi and Guerra Derida. A shadow of sadness crossed over Jinn when he remembered Tahl, but he brushed the feeling away. Kenobi then asked Jinn to tell him what was his main flaw as a Padawan. Jinn replied that he believed that Kenobi would be a great Jedi Knight, and his only flaw was trying to please his Master too much.[7]
After a long journey,[112] the Radiant VII approached the Trade Federation blockade of Naboo, noticing that despite the supposed peaceful nature of the blockade, the ships were stationed in an aggressive formation and were equipped with defensive shields. Jinn asked Madakor to contact the Trade Federation, and Viceroy Gunray responded to the call, allowing the ambassadors to land inside the Federation cargo freighter Saak'ak and assuring them that the Trade Federation blockade was legal.[3] Approaching the Trade Federation cruiser, Jinn suddenly felt a tinge of uneasiness through the Force, but he could not pinpoint its source before it faded away.[110] Jinn and Kenobi then prepared for the upcoming mission, equipping their utility pouches containing food capsules, tools, and medical supplies. Knowing that the surface of Naboo was largely covered with water, the Jedi made sure to take their A99 aquata breathers and spare oxygen tanks in case they needed to land on the planet and venture underwater.[113]
Short negotiations[edit | edit source]
- "Is it in their nature to make us wait this long?"
"No. I sense an unusual amount of fear for something as trivial as this trade dispute" - ―Obi-Wan Kenobi and Qui-Gon Jinn
Once the Radiant VII landed inside the freighter's hangar, Jinn and Kenobi disembarked from their ship and were met by the protocol droid TC-14, which escorted them through the ship's corridors to a conference chamber,[113] where the Jedi were told to await Viceroy Gunray's arrival to begin the negotiations. As they were waiting for the Neimoidian, Kenobi expressed to Jinn that he felt something elusive that worried him. Jinn told his Padawan to focus on the moment and assured him that the negotiations would be short, as he believed the Neimoidians to be cowards.[3] However, as Gunray took longer and longer to come, Jinn began feeling uneasy about the mission.[113] Meanwhile, the Neimoidians, on the orders of Darth Sidious, gave a command to kill the ambassadors. The Trade Federation destroyed the Radiant VII,[3] and the Jedi felt its destruction and the deaths of its crew through the Force,[110][113] snapping to attention as TC-14 entered the room with refreshments for the Jedi.[3]
The Trade Federation started filling the conference chamber with the poisonous dioxis gas. Realizing the nature of the gas, Jinn and Kenobi used their Jedi training to hold their breath and survive the dioxis attack. Emerging from the conference chamber, they were confronted by a squad of OOM security battle droids led by OWO-1 that had been dispatched to destroy the Jedi's remains. Jinn and Kenobi quickly destroyed the patrol[3] and decided to reach the ship's bridge to confront Gunray personally and inquire into his attempt at killing them. Navigating through the passageways of the Saak'ak, the two soon reached the hangar in which they had landed, finding the destroyed remains of the Radiant VII. However, the hangar turret that had destroyed their ship was still active, preventing the Jedi from crossing the hangar. Jinn and Kenobi thus had to locate the control room for the turret, destroying the controls and disabling the weapon. Returning to the hangar, the two crossed to the other side, having to fight several Vulture droids stationed there before continuing on their way to the bridge.[106]
Jinn and Kenobi passed through a droid assembly area, encountering bomb droids programmed to explode on proximity contact.[106] Moving further, the Jedi passed a command center filled with machinery and reached another hangar, where they had to fight a Loader Droid. After the Jedi severely damaged the droid with their lightsabers, it crashed into a wall, creating a hole that allowed Jinn and Kenobi further passage into a static discharge room, moving through it and destroying another Vulture droid that strafed them with fire. Moving further through the Saak'ak,[114] the Jedi found themselves back inside the ship's maze-like corridors. At one point, the Jedi became trapped, when the Trade Federation sealed all corridors around them with force fields. However, Kenobi located a ventilation opening above, and he and Jinn jumped into it.[106]
The two navigated through the upper passageways of the ship, passing along the walkways above the main hangar and bearing witness to a large invasion fleet assembled by the Trade Federation. Soon thereafter, the Jedi finally reached the bridge doors, which had been sealed by Gunray. As Jinn attempted to cut through the doors with his lightsaber, Kenobi defended him from waves of battle droids.[106] However, before Jinn could breach into the bridge, Trade Federation reinforcements arrived in the form of two shielded droidekas, P-59 and P-60. Forced to use their lightsabers to deflect the droids' shots, but unable to harm them because of the shields, Jinn realized that he and Kenobi were trapped in a standoff. Deciding to escape, Jinn and Kenobi used Force speed to flee from the droids,[3] hiding behind a nearby corner and waiting for the droidekas to pass them.[112] The two then climbed into a nearby ventilation shaft, which led them back to the main Trade Federation hangar. Realizing that the Trade Federation was preparing to launch a full-scale invasion of Naboo, Jinn believed that they needed to warn the population of the planet and contact the Supreme Chancellor.[3]
He suggested that he and Kenobi stowed away on separate C-9979 landing craft in order to reach the surface of the planet[3] and possibly perform sabotage on their way.[106] Before proceeding with that plan, Kenobi slyly noted that Jinn had been right and the negotiations had indeed been "short."[3] Once the Jedi infiltrated their landing craft, the invasion began.[3] On their way to the planet, Jinn—who was hiding in a cramped storage area of the landing craft—[113] was contacted by Kenobi via comlink from the Padawan's craft, who informed his Master that he had located the vessel's communications system. Jinn told Kenobi to deactivate it so that the transport would be unable to contact the rest of the invasion fleet.[106]
Acting on Jinn's orders, Kenobi then proceeded to disable the main turbine controls,[106] as well as the repulsor field generators and the main guidance console inside the command center,[115] forcing his craft to make an emergency landing. During his time aboard the vessel, however, Kenobi also encountered an assassin droid model armed with a cortosis sword, which suggested the Trade Federation's ties to the Jin'ha. Kenobi informed Jinn of the discovery, and the Jedi Master ordered his Padawan to hide until their ships reached Naboo.[106]
On Naboo's soil[edit | edit source]
- "The situation here is not what it seems. There is something else behind all this, Your Highness. There is no logic in the Federation's move here. My feelings tell me they will destroy you."
- ―Qui-Gon Jinn to Queen Padmé Amidala
Soon enough, Jinn's craft made its landing in the Lianorm Swamp of Naboo.[110] Just as the invasion began, Jinn jumped off from the craft,[112] but was pursued by the invasion force's Multi-Troop Transports.[110] Running from the invasion force, he stumbled upon a native creature, who grabbed at him and cried for help. Trying to save both of them from being crushed by an approaching Multi-Troop Transport, Jinn tackled the being, just before the transport passed above them. The creature turned out to be intelligent, introducing himself as Jar Jar Binks, a Gungan, which were a sentient species native to Naboo. Jinn wanted Binks to go away, but the Gungan, grateful for his rescue, swore a life debt to the Jedi and insisted on following him.[3]
Jinn and Binks soon encountered Kenobi, who was being pursued by a pair of droids on STAPs, unable to fight them as he had shorted out his lightsaber in the swamp waters. Jinn destroyed the pursuers and chided his apprentice for failing to take care of his weapon. Jinn and Kenobi wanted to try reaching the planet's Queen Amidala in the capital city of Theed to warn her of the invasion, but as they heard Binks mentioning his home, the Gungan underwater city of Otoh Gunga, the two decided to enlist help from the natives. Binks was reluctant to take the Jedi to his home city, as he had been banished from it and not allowed to return, but the Jedi convinced him that the Trade Federation would soon reach their position, and the Gungan agreed to escort the Jedi to the city.[3]
Template:Gamemechanics Moving through the swamp, the Jedi fought through more battle droids, protecting Binks, and they avoided a stampede of native animals caused by a Multi Troop Transport. They soon stumbled upon a half-built droid camp, and Binks ran away in panic. Following the Gungan, Jinn and Kenobi used the Force to jump up the large mushrooms to reach the top of a tree, using it to reach a nearby elevated plateau. Traversing through a number of such platforms, the two Jedi reached a Trade Federation field command center and had to fight through more droids. Following the path past the camp, they eventually crossed a bridge and moved into a cave, where they faced a Slaatik hagworm creature. The hagworm attacked the Jedi several times by charging at them and by releasing a poison gas from its mouth at them. The hagworm also sent kreetles to harass the Jedi, although the Jedi succeeded in hurting the hagworm and driving it off.[114] Template:Endgame
They then rejoined Binks and continued their journey,[114] arriving at Lake Paonga at the edge of the swamp. Binks then jumped into the lake, warning the Jedi that they might not be welcome inside the city. Donning their aquata breathers, Jinn and Kenobi followed Binks underwater and arrived at Otoh Gunga, comprised of a mass of hydrostatic bubbles. As soon as they entered one of the large bubble-like structures, they were met by a Gungan security squad led by Roos Tarpals. Tarpals placed Binks under arrest for disobeying the terms of his exile, and he and the Jedi were escorted to a meeting with the leader of the Gungans, Boss Rugor Nass. Negotiating with Nass, Jinn used a mind trick to convince him to provide the Jedi with a means of transportation to the capital city of Theed, and Nass agreed to provide him with a tribubble bongo.[3]
Informed that Binks would be executed for his transgression, Jinn evoked Binks's life debt, securing the Gungan to be released as their guide on the trip on the bongo. Jinn, Kenobi and Binks took the bongo through the series of underwater passages known as "the core," where they encountered a number of dangers. The Jedi's bongo was first caught by an Opee sea killer, but the creature released it when it was devoured by a sando aqua monster. However, the bongo had been damaged and lost its power, causing the Jedi to land the bongo inside a cave, as Kenobi struggled to restore the power. The cave turned out to be the lair of a colo claw fish, which attacked the submersible. Kenobi was able to fix the bongo's issue, escaping from the cave. The colo claw fish pursued them but was devoured by the awaiting sando aqua monster.[3] After avoiding numerous other sea creatures for what seemed like hours, the Jedi finally reached Theed.[110]
Emerging in the Solleu River, they noticed that the bongo was being swept away by a waterfall. The Jedi tried to restore full power to the bongo to combat the pull of the waterfall, but when that failed, Jinn knew that they had to abandon the craft. Using his grappling hook launcher, Jinn shot a cable, attaching it to a railing on the shore and allowing himself, Kenobi and Binks to use the cable to shimmy over to Theed.[113] Once they arrived on the shore, however, they were confronted by a Trade Federation battle droid, revealing that the Trade Federation had already invaded Theed and had occupied the city. Dispatching the droid,[110] the three arrived at a bridge leading further into the city; Jinn and Binks crossed it, but an Armored Assault Tank shot the bridge before Kenobi could follow.[116]
Separated from his Padawan, Jinn contacted Kenobi, telling him to attempt to reach the Queen's palace while trying to avoid the entanglements with droids. Meanwhile, Jinn created a distraction in the other part of the city. Kenobi soon contacted Jinn, informing him that he had checked the Palace, discovering that the Queen had already been taken away by the Trade Federation, who needed her to sign a treaty legitimizing the occupation of Naboo by the Trade Federation before the Senate. Telling his Padawan to rejoin him, Jinn, Kenobi and Binks met at a walkway overhanging the route by which the Queen and her entourage were being escorted for processing at Camp Four, a Trade Federation facility for prisoners of war. Utilizing a pincer maneuver,[106] Jinn and Kenobi jumped down and defeated the Trade Federation droid escort. Introducing themselves to the Queen as the Ambassadors to the Chancellor, Jinn and Kenobi informed her of their intention to contact the Supreme Chancellor.[3]
The head of the Queen's security, Quarsh Panaka, told the Jedi that the Trade Federation was jamming all communications from Naboo, so the Jedi had to leave the planet in order to contact Valorum. Panaka knew of a secret passage to the Theed Hangar, where the Jedi could find a starship which they could use to leave Naboo.[3] Panaka led the group through the passageways and backstreets of Theed, narrowly avoiding battle droid patrols.[13] Arriving at a secret passage, most of the delegation, including Jinn, Amidala's guards and handmaidens entered the passage. However, the entrance collapsed before Kenobi and Amidala could enter, so the two had to go a long way around before rejoining Jinn and the rest.[116] Entering the hangar, the Jedi found it occupied by droids, with a group of Naboo pilots being held hostage near a J-type 327 Nubian royal starship. Although the Queen's escort believed that the Trade Federation would not dare to harm Amidala, as they needed her to sign the treaty, Jinn believed that the Queen's defiance had put her life in danger,[3] as the Trade Federation would attempt to kill her and replace her with another ruler who would agree to sign the treaty.[108]
As such, he urged her to come with him to Coruscant. Bibble decided to stay behind, while Amidala agreed to go to Coruscant to plead before the Senate, asking for help against the Trade Federation. Jinn then approached an OOM command battle droid and tried to talk his way past it by saying that he was an ambassador of the Chancellor and needed passage to Coruscant. When the droid realized the fallacy in Jinn's reasoning and ordered their arrest, Jinn pulled his lightsaber and disabled it, then turned on other droids, including 3B3-1204; meanwhile, Kenobi rescued several Naboo pilots who were under guard. With the droid threat gone, the Jedi, Binks, and the Queen with her entourage[3]—including her three handmaidens, Rabé, Sabé and Eirtaé; Panaka; eight security guards; and five pilots, including the Head of the Naboo Royal Space Fighter Corps Ric Olié—[113] were able to flee aboard the Royal Naboo Starship from the hangar, just as Trade Federation reinforcements arrived, capturing Bibble.[108]
Olié piloted the Royal Starship ship out of the planet's atmosphere before facing the Federation blockade. One of the blockade battleships fired on the Royal Starship, disabling its shields. Astromech droids were sent to repair the damage, but several were destroyed before R2-D2 fixed the shields as the starship flew past the blockade and entered hyperspace. With the hyperdrive motivator damaged in the attack and their ship unable to make the full trip to Coruscant, Jinn decided to stop at the nearby planet of Tatooine for repairs, knowing that the Trade Federation had no power there, as the planet was ruled by the Hutts. Panaka believed that the planet was too dangerous for the Queen, but Jinn convinced Amidala to go there.[3]
Discovery of the Chosen One[edit | edit source]
- "Finding him was the will of the Force. I have no doubt of that."
- ―Qui-Gon Jinn to the Jedi High Council
Arriving on Tatooine, on Jinn's orders, Olié landed the Royal Starship in the Xelric Draw on the outskirts of the settlement of Mos Espa so as not to attract attention on Tatooine. The ship's hyperdrive had completely given out by that point, necessitating Jinn to find a replacement one. As he prepared to leave for Mos Espa to look for a trader to buy the replacement hyperdrive, Jinn disguised himself as a simple farmer, and he left Kenobi to stay with the Queen on the ship and telling him not to send any messages, as their transmissions from this far out in the galaxy could be intercepted by their enemies, revealing their location. Jinn asked his apprentice to stay on guard, as he sensed a disturbance in the Force, a feeling that Kenobi shared. Knowing that going alone to a multinational spaceport such as Mos Espa would make him more noticeable, Jinn decided to take Binks and R2-D2 with him[13] and loaded his portable holoprojector with selected images from the Royal Starship's databank, intending to use them help obtain repair parts in Mos Espa.[10]
However, the three did not make it far from the ship when Jinn was approached by Panaka, who told him that the Queen had demanded her handmaiden, Padmé, accompany the Jedi. Jinn reluctantly agreed, and the four left toward Mos Espa.[3] On their way to Mos Espa, however, the group was attacked by Tusken Raiders, a nomadic species of Tatooine. Jinn defeated the attackers, and the group safely arrived at Mos Espa.[116] There, Jinn located a junk shop owned by the Toydarian Watto and encountered his Human slave, a young boy named Anakin Skywalker. Jinn and Watto went to the junkyard behind the shop, where Jinn tried to negotiate buying a T-14 hyperdrive. However, Watto refused to accept Republic credits, and Jinn's mind tricks did not work on a Toydarian. Having failed to obtain the parts, Jinn and his companions left the shop and contacted Kenobi to hopefully find out if there was anything of value on the Royal Starship which they could use to barter with Watto, but Kenobi replied negatively. Not losing hope, Jinn believed that an opportunity would soon present itself for them to obtain the parts and led his companions to the marketplace of Mos Espa.[3]
As Jinn was considering their next course of action,[13] Binks fell behind, and he attempted to snatch a gorg creature from a market stall belonging to the Swokes Swokes Gragra. When Gragra demanded Binks to pay seven wupiupi for the gorg, Binks clumsily spit it out into the bowl of the Dug Sebulba sitting at the nearby Akim's Munch establishment. Angered at Binks for ruining his meal, Sebulba confronted the Gungan. However, Skywalker, who had been following Jinn, diffused the situation and forced Sebulba to leave Binks alone. The boy then took Jinn and his companions to the fruit stand of the elderly Jira to buy some pallie fruit. Jira warned the group about an approaching sandstorm, and Jinn wanted to take shelter back at their starship, but Skywalker believed that they would not make it there in time, and so he offered Jinn to wait out the sandstorm at his apartment.[3] By that point, Jinn had begun feeling that Anakin was very strong with the Force, and he started to believe that the Force had arranged their meeting.[110]
Arriving at Anakin's home, Jinn met his mother, Shmi, explaining to her that Anakin had offered them shelter from the sandstorm. While Shmi was preparing a meal[3] from the food capsules given to her by Jinn,[13] the Jedi Master was contacted by Kenobi and was informed by his Padawan that the group on the Royal Starship had received a holographic transmission from Sio Bibble,[3] who claimed that the Trade Federation had severed all food supplies[110] and that the people of Naboo were taking heavy casualties. Bibble had requested the Queen to answer the transmission, but, certain that the transmission was a Trade Federation trick, Kenobi had not responded to the call, and Jinn agreed with his Padawan's decision,[3] realizing that the Trade Federation had discovered that they were on Tatooine but still needed to locate their precise location.[110]
During the meal at Skywalkers' house, Shmi informed Jinn and his companions that the slaves on Tatooine were all implanted with explosive devices inside their bodies, which prevented them from attempting to escape. Anakin, who had recognized Jinn as a Jedi after glimpsing the lightsaber on his belt at Jira's fruit stand, asked the Jedi Master if he had come to Tatooine to free the slaves. Jinn denied that and explained to Skywalker that they were on an important mission to Coruscant and had only stopped on Tatooine for repairs, but they did not have the money to pay Watto. Willing to help Jinn in his predicament, Skywalker offered the Jedi to enter him as a pilot in the Boonta Eve Classic podrace that was going to take place the next day.[3]
Skywalker had secretly assembled his personal podracer and was willing to risk his life at the race, as the winnings could cover the cost of the spare parts. Learning about Skywalker's ability to fly a Podracer—a rare feat for a Human—Jinn realized that the boy had Jedi reflexes. Reluctantly, Shmi agreed to her son's proposal, believing Anakin to be Jinn's best chance to leave Tatooine. When the sandstorm had abated, Jinn and Skywalker went to negotiate with Watto, Jinn presenting Skywalker's podracer as his own and asking the Toydarian to lend Skywalker to him as a pilot, agreeing to pay the entry fee for the race in the form of the Royal starship. However, when Watto offered to split the winnings fifty-fifty, Jinn changed the terms of his offer. Watto would pay the entry fee himself, but if Skywalker won, Watto would be allowed to keep the prize money, with the exception of the amount needed to pay for the parts. If the boy lost, Watto would keep the Jedi's ship. Believing the terms to favor him either way, Watto agreed to the proposal.[3]
Preparing for the race[edit | edit source]
- "I need a midi-chlorian count."
"The readings are off the chart. Over 20,000. Even Master Yoda doesn't have a midi-chlorian count that high."
"No Jedi has." - ―Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi, analyzing Skywalker's blood sample
When Jinn was finally shown Skywalker's podracer, he believed that nothing would stop the boy from entering the race.[117] However, Jinn was also informed by Skywalker that his podracer was still not quite finished, and he still needed two important parts, a mass coupler and a servo control, so Jinn set out to locate them. At the slave quarters, Jinn encountered a Yarkora citizen, whose home had been invaded by several thugs. Jinn agreed to help the individual in his predicament and liberated his home from the bandits. In the process, he also saved the Ishi Tib merchant Vek Drow from being robbed by a pair of Rodian thugs. Jinn was rewarded for his bravery with an engine binder by Drow. While being in Mos Espa, Jinn encountered an Ithorian woman. A Force-sensitive, the Ithorian sensed that the Force was strong with Jinn, and she asked the Jedi to free her soon, Tomo, from a local individual called Captain Neg, who had captured the young Ithorian and had been keeping him as a slave in a house nearby. Jinn tried to use the door to Captain Neg's house, but was confronted with a Model Dz5 security door system which denied him access, threatening the Jedi with floor-mounted blasters.[116]
Instead, Jinn went through one of the nearby houses and reached a ledge at an upper level, with a rope leading to a balcony of another apartment. Jinn took the rope to the other house, finding two Twi'leks there, who revealed that the apartment belonged to Sebulba, and the latter would be displeased if he found Jinn inside when he came back. Avoiding the blaster defenses inside Sebulba's house, Jinn exited the apartment through an upper level, finding himself on another ledge with a rope leading to the balcony of Neg's apartment. Jinn used that rope to reach Neg's compound and was confronted with a number of automatic turrets and several of Neg's associates. Dealing with those adversaries, Jinn reached the backyard of Neg's house. There, Jinn found two cages, one containing Tomo, the other a large beast. The beast broke out of his cage and attacked Jinn, forcing the Jedi to kill it. After killing it, Jinn freed Tomo, who revealed that Captain Neg was currently hunting banthas in the Dune Sea region of the planet and he would not be back for a week. Jinn escorted Tomo back to his mother, receiving a repulse booster from her in gratitude.[116]
Continuing his search for spare parts, Jinn visited the store of the Gran Barbo. Barbo suggested Jinn talk to D'zor, an outlaw who camped outside his shop. Barbo showed Jinn through the back way of his shop to D'zor's compound. However, Jinn was attacked by the criminal and his thugs, armed with a stationary repeating blaster. Jinn killed the criminals and destroyed the blaster, recovering a fuel converter. Visiting one of the local cantinas, Jinn found a Podracer pilot named Teemto Pagalies there, heavily intoxicated. Using a mind trick on him, Jinn obtained a second fuel converter from Pagalies. Returning to Watto, Jinn asked him for spare parts, and was given either a hydrospanner or a number of fuel converters. Navigating through Watto's junkyard, Jinn found a passage leading outside Mos Espa. Taking the passage, Jinn soon found a Jawa camp outside, where he obtained another fuel converter.[116]
Finding a passageway behind one of the stalls in the market of Mos Espa, Jinn found the final fuel converter there as well. During his travels, Jinn also bumped into a Human named Mat Rags, acting polite toward him. In return for his kindness, Rags awarded Jinn with a valuable tooth of the Krayt dragon beast. Jinn later traded the tooth for a blaster from a female merchant. Jinn also encountered a male Pacithip friend of Skywalker's. Introducing himself as a friend of Anakin as well, Jinn was given a medpac by the individual. Jinn also talked with Watto's flunky about his employer. Conversing with a merchant who was in the process of slashing his prices, Jinn found out that the man possessed a podracer of his own, and he asked the man to show him his vehicle.[116]
Finally, Jinn located another Podracer pilot, the Gran Mawhonic, who ran a repair shop in Mos Espa. Successfully trading the energy binder, the repulse booster, the hydrospanner and the fuel converters between Barbo, Pagalies, Mawhonic and the Human merchant, Jinn managed to acquire the mass coupler and the servo control for Skywalker's podracer. Informed by Padmé that Binks had gone missing, Jinn also searched the town for him, finding the Gungan inside a sauna beside an Ortolan named Ruba. Jinn instructed Binks to return to Padmé, while he himself returned to Skywalker with the necessary parts.[116] Template:Endgame
As Jinn watched Skywalker making the final touches to the podracer, Jinn contacted Kenobi, informing him of his plans to use Skywalker's help. Having sensed that there was something special about the boy, Jinn began to believe that he was Force-sensitive. Jinn asked Shmi about Anakin's father, but the woman stated that there was no father; she had simply become pregnant with Skywalker, and she asked Jinn to save the boy from the life of a slave. Meanwhile, Anakin finally finished repairs on his podracer, and the machine was operational. Later that evening, Jinn decided to check his hypothesis and took Anakin's blood sample under the pretense of testing his blood for infections. In fact, when Jinn was left alone, he transmitted the sample to Kenobi aboard the Queen's starship, asking him to run an analysis on it. Kenobi discovered that Skywalker exhibited an incredibly high midi-chlorian count, more than 20,000 per cell, higher than even that of Yoda.[3]
Believing that the boy could have been conceived by the midi-chlorians, Jinn came to regard Skywalker as the Chosen One of the Jedi legend, who was meant to bring balance to the Force, and he became determined to take the boy with him to the Jedi Temple. The next day, shortly before the race, Jinn took Binks and left to meet with Watto in the hangar for podracer pilots in the Mos Espa Arena. Watto believed that Sebulba would win the race, as he won "all the time," according to the Toydarian. Jinn took him up on his bet, wagering his Podracer on Skywalker's victory and asking Watto to bet Anakin and Shmi in exchange. Claiming that a podracer was not worth two slaves, Watto agreed to bet only one of them. Jinn chose the boy, but Watto decided to leave the matter to chance, throwing a two-colored chance-cube, with the blue color representing the boy, and the red his mother.[3]
Jinn used the Force to influence the cube to land on the blue color and make Watto wager the boy's freedom against his podracer. Skywalker soon arrived at the arena with Padmé, Anakin's friend Kitster Banai and R2-D2 in order to prepare his podracer for the race. Skywalker witnessed Jinn and Watto arguing, and the Toydarian furiously leaving the scene, but Jinn refused to tell the boy the reason for Watto's outburst. Meanwhile, Padmé learned from Kistser that Skywalker had never even finished a race before, much less won one. However, Jinn was not worried, encouraging the boy that he would do fine this time.[3] Padmé was worried for Skywalker's safety, and she approached Jinn for assurance that he would be all right, to which the Jedi Master replied that he trusted the boy completely. After Jinn had left, a small Trooshti creature stole one of Skywalker's parts in order to recharge a water pump necessary for the survival of its species, but the part was recovered by Binks and Padmé after the pump had been recharged.[118]
Encounter in the desert[edit | edit source]
- Qui-Gon Jinn: “He had all the lightsaber fighting capabilities and the moves of the Jedi, only faster and more aggressive. My only conclusion—is that it was a Sith lord.”
- Ki-Adi-Mundi: “Impossible! The Sith are extinct! They have been for nearly a millennium.”
- Mace Windu: “I agree. The Sith would not have returned without us sensing it.”
- Yoda: “Hard to see, the dark side is. We must investigate further before drawing a conclusion to the identity of your adversary.”
- ―Jinn reporting on his encounter with Darth Maul to the Jedi Council[src]
Template:Gamemechanics With the race scheduled to begin soon, Jinn explored the area around the Mos Espa arena. He met a merchant named Grendle, who directed Jinn to talk to another merchant, Anabar, in order to obtain a thermal detonator. Anabar refused to accept credits for the detonator, but Jinn used a mind trick to obtain the explosive. Jinn also visited the 7-Gee Lounge, where he found Watto's flunky with his Ithorian friend Kreg, and he ordered each of them a glass of juri juice from the droid bartender EV-7G7. Inside the lounge, Jinn also encountered Pagalies as well as the Rodian bounty hunter Jym Lang, who revealed to Jinn that he was planning to capture Pagalies on the orders of Jabba the Hutt, in order for Pagalies to be fed to the sarlacc. Using the Force to influence Lang's mind, Jinn dissuaded him from his plans. With the race scheduled to begin in minutes, Skywalker's participation was put at a stake, as a thief stole Anakin's plasma ignition capacitor. Jinn followed the thief, who brought the capacitor to his boss, a scavenger living near the arena. Jinn was forced to fight him in order to reclaim the capacitor. Jinn killed the scavenger and brought the needed part back to Anakin just before the start of the race.[116] Template:Endgame
With the race scheduled to begin in minutes, Jinn gave the boy some final words of encouragement, telling him to trust his instincts, which were an indication of his Force-sensitivity. Jinn and his companions then went to oversee the race from a spectator box.[3] Just before the race, Skywalker found out that he was missing a power plug, but he obtained a replacement one thanks to the efforts of the pit droid DUM-4. However, even with the replacement power plug,[119] the race started badly for Skywalker, as his podracer failed to start due to sabotage by Sebulba, but he soon fixed the problem and joined the race. Eventually he overcame all of his opponents and finished first, winning the prize money for Jinn, as well as his own freedom. Watto was furious, believing that Jinn had cheated and had known that Skywalker would win, but Jinn threatened to tell the Hutts, the de facto law on Tatooine, that Watto was refusing to uphold his end of the bargain. The Toydarian calmed down, and Jinn told him to prepare bring the hyperdrive to the Arena's main hangar, as well as to fill the required paperwork on Skywalker's release and deactivate the explosive device implanted in the boy that served as a failsafe in case of a slave's escape attempt.[3]
Jinn, Shmi and Padmé waited for Watto inside the main hangar for forty minutes, until the Toydarian finally arrived with the hyperdrive, transported by a hoversled with a pair of Eopie creatures. Jinn once again tried to have Watto release Anakin's mother as well, insisting that the boy and the mother should not be separated, but Watto could not be reasoned with, demanding Jinn to bring him back the eopies and the sled after transporting the hyperdrive to his ship. Jinn then left Mos Espa with Binks, Padmé and R2-D2, leaving them at the Royal starship and ordering Kenobi to start installing the new hyperdrive, while he returned to Mos Espa to return the eopies and to pick up Skywalker. As he entered the town, Jinn heard a cry for help. Responding to it, he met an alien who claimed that slave traders had attacked his brother. Jinn followed the individual, but was led into a trap, as a number of thugs—including Denno Thuk, Bongor, Diddop and Vomak—attacked him. Jinn easily defeated his opponents and interrogated the individual who had led him into a trap, finding that the criminals had been hired by Watto to prevent him from releasing Skywalker. Putting the individual to sleep with a Force suggestion, Jinn returned to Watto's shop, finding him in conversation with Sebulba. Sebulba left the two to talk in private, and Jinn spoke to the Toydarian, returning the eopies and the hoversled and revealing that he knew that Watto had hired the thugs.[117]
After Jinn once again threatened to involve the Hutts, Watto finally gave up his attempts to circumvent the deal, deactivated the explosive device inside Anakin and gave Jinn the papers on the boy. After Jinn made Watto promise that he would take care of Shmi, he left the shop and talked to Sebulba outside, selling him Skywalker's podracer. Jinn then heard Skywalker's voice and witnessed the boy in conflict with a Rodian named Greedo. Greedo accused Skywalker of cheating at the Boonta Eve, and Skywalker beat him in anger. Jinn intervened, stopping Skywalker and telling him that violence was not the right way[117] and he should have displayed tolerance to Greedo.[120] As they set off toward Skywalker's house, Jinn told the boy that he had sold his podracer.[117] At the moment, however, Jinn noticed a sled being pulled by a trio of Verpine slaves. The Verpine were visibly thirsty, but their slave owner refused to give them water. Jinn took it upon himself to give water to the dehydrated being, to which the slave owner responded by trying to attack Jinn with a barbed whip. Jinn quickly disarmed and subdued the slaver, telling him never to bully his slaves anymore. Scared, the slaver complied and personally distributed the water between the Verpine.[120]
When asked by Skywalker why he had involved himself in the matter instead of following his own advice and displaying tolerance, Jinn explained that this matter was different. The Verpine had been unable to defend themselves and required Jinn's help, and this meant that his intervention had been necessary. However, Jinn also noted that he could not free those slaves completely, as he had to take into consideration what would happen to them after he had left the planet.[120] Arriving at the Skywalker house, Jinn gave the boy the money for the pod and told him that he was no longer a slave. Jinn, however, also had to break the news that he had been unable to free Shmi as well, but he promised to look after the boy and try to convince the Jedi Council to accept him for Jedi training. After Anakin packed his belongings,[3] he gave a portion of the money for the pod to his friend Kister,[121][122] and another small amount to Jira,[123] leaving the rest to Shmi.[3]
After Anakin said a tearful goodbye to his mother, Jinn and the boy embarked on the journey to the Royal Starship on the outskirts of Mos Espa.[3] However, their progress was watched by a DRK-1 Dark Eye probe droid. As the two left the slave quarters[121] and passed near the smuggling ship Dusty Duck,[124] Jinn sensed the intrusive presence and struck the probe down, yet the droid had fulfilled its purpose.[121][123] The Sith Lord Darth Maul had been trailing the Jedi and recovered his destroyed droid, thinking that his quarry had stowed aboard the Dusty Duck, Maul boarded the light freighter and struck down the pilot, Aneesa Dym, believing her to be harboring his enemy. Once he learned the truth, the Sith assassin chased Jinn on his speeder, the Bloodfin.[124]
As Skywalker and Jinn approached the Queen's ship, they were intercepted by Maul, who attempted to ram Skywalker with his speeder.[3] With approximately 250 meters separating them and the ship, Jinn heard the whine of the Bloodfin's repulsorlift,[6] warning the boy of the danger and telling him to get down. Skywalker avoided the attack, and the attacker jumped from his speeder and engaged Jinn in lightsaber combat.[3] Jinn was surprised to face a Dathomirian Zabrak trained in dark arts and wielding a red bladed lightsaber all the way on Tatooine, yet he displayed shrewd readiness and parried Maul's attacks.[6] During the fight, Jinn told Skywalker to run to the ship and have the pilot take off.[3] Jinn's proficiency in lightsaber combat was a match for the fierce dark warrior,[6][125] but as the fight continued on, Jinn's age started to catch up to him and he began getting tired.[6][126]
Because of that, when Jinn saw the ship approaching him with its boarding ramp still lowered he seized an opportunity to escape the fight, jumping high with the Force and landing on the boarding ramp, as the ship soared away. As Kenobi and Skywalker ran in to check on him, Jinn formally introduced them to each other and expressed his theory that the attacker was working with the Trade Federation and had been attempting to kidnap the Queen.[3] The encounter with Maul was very taxing on Jinn's physical condition and so,[123] after introducing Skywalker to the rest of the crew,[13] he accepted Kenobi's help in escorting him to his cabin, where he spent the journey to Coruscant recovering from the fight.[123]
Clashing with the Council[edit | edit source]
- "Do not defy the Council, Master, not again."
"I shall do what I must, Obi-Wan." - ―Obi-Wan Kenobi and Qui-Gon Jinn
Arriving on Coruscant and landing at a platform, Jinn saw that Chancellor Valorum and Senator Palpatine were waiting for them to disembark the ship. Jinn then instructed Skywalker and Binks, who had never left their respective planets, to bow before the high-ranking officials.[123] Greeting the Queen and her delegation, Valorum informed her that he had arranged for a special session of the Senate to discuss the situation on Naboo. The Queen and her retinue, as well as Senator Palpatine, R2-D2, Binks and Skywalker, left on an air taxi toward the Senate building. Jinn and Kenobi remained on the platform with Valorum, informing him that the situation in the Naboo system had become very complicated and that they needed to report to the Jedi Council immediately.[3] Template:Gamemechanics On their way there, however, the Jedi were attacked by a group of mercenaries[127] who attempted to prevent them from reaching the Temple. Jinn and Kenobi navigated through Coruscant's cityscape and air traffic, fighting a variety of mercenaries of different species, who were armed with weapons ranging from blasters to thermal detonators, as well as skilled in hand-to-hand combat. Jinn and Kenobi defeated all adversaries, including a Nikto crime boss armed with a teleportation device.[114] Template:Endgame
After that delay, Jinn and Kenobi finally appeared before the Jedi High Council to give a report. Jinn reporting on the foe he had encountered on Tatooine, believing that he was a Sith Lord. Jinn also told the Masters about Skywalker, saying that he believed the boy to be the Chosen One and asking to have him accepted for training as a Jedi. The Council reluctantly agreed to test young Anakin for Jedi potential.[3] Bringing Skywalker to the Council, Jinn told him about some of the Council members.[13] Before entering the Council chambers, Skywalker thanked Jinn for taking him off Tatooine, to which Jinn replied that it had been their destiny to meet and that both of them had been merely playing the parts that the Living Force had determined for them. After Jinn spoke some final words of encouragement to him, Skywalker went to take the test.[128] After the Council done Skywalker's preliminary tests and convened to discuss his fate,[3] Skywalker was asked to wait for the decision outside the Jedi Temple.[129] While Jinn waited for the Council to determine the boy's fate, Jinn made a HoloNet inquiry into slavery across the galaxy, having encountered it on Tatooine.[122]
When the Council finally reached their decision, they invited Jinn, as well as Skywalker and Kenobi, to the Council room.[3] However, when Jinn went outside the Temple, he found that Skywalker was missing. He was starting getting worried, but Skywalker soon arrived in a droid-piloted airspeeder, alongside Binks, whom he had met outside the Temple. Skywalker explained that he and Binks had met a boy named Finn, who had been lost on Coruscant after his nanny droid had malfunctioned. Feeling obligated to help the boy, Skywalker had ventured off to bring Finn to his mother. Believing that Skywalker had acted as a Jedi, Jinn was not angry at him running away[129] and took him and Kenobi to the Council chambers. The Council concluded that the boy was indeed very strong with the Force, having the greatest potential ever recorded.[3]
Jinn offered to take the boy as his Padawan, believing that Kenobit was ready to undertake the Jedi Trials. However, Jinn was prohibited from training the boy on the grounds that he was too old to be accepted into the Order, and Yoda sensed that the boy's future was clouded. Jinn and Kenobi were then assigned to escort Queen Amidala and her retinue back to Naboo. Having failed to secure support from the Senate, managing only to issue a Vote of No Confidence to Chancellor Valorum, Amidala planned to liberate the planet with her own forces. The Jedi Council believed that the Queen's bold move might make her the target of the mysterious attacker Jinn had fought on Tatooine. As such, Jinn and Kenobi were assigned to protect the Queen and discover the identity of the attacker, but they were prohibited from directly participating in the war effort against the Trade Federation. The final verdict regarding Skywalker's future was put on hold until the resolution of the conflict.[3]
However, since Skywalker was in Jinn's care and had nowhere else to go, the Council allowed the Jedi Master to take the boy with him to Naboo, but Jinn was not to teach him at all costs.[3] Before the Jedi left, the Council decided to test Jinn's claims of Kenobi's readiness, and the Padawan was put in a training duel with Mace Windu.[106] Before leaving, Jinn also arranged for a female Falleen Jedi to deliver a valuable Tobal lens to Shmi Skywalker, hoping that it would help out her life as a slave.[122] The Jedi and Skywalker took a shuttle[13] to the landing platform bearing the Queen's ship, where Kenobi tried to convince Jinn to not defy the Jedi Council again and to see that perhaps Skywalker was indeed dangerous, but Jinn pointed out the boy's destiny was uncertain.[3]
Before they left, Jinn explained to Skywalker the nature of the midi-chlorians when the boy asked about them. Although the Council forbade him from teaching Skywalker as his Padawan, Jinn circumvented the orders by telling the boy to closely watch him and learn from his actions.[3] The Jedi Master understood the Council's reservation's regarding the boy, but he believed that training him was an acceptable risk. If the Council failed to see that after the liberation of Naboo and declined his training yet again, Jinn was determined to find a way to teach him in secret. On their way to Naboo, Jinn and Kenobi barely spoke to each other, the Padawan's feelings were hurt by Jinn's bid to replace him with Skywalker. He also revealed to Skywalker at some point that he thought that the assassin on Tatooine had been a Sith Lord, a sworn enemy of the Jedi.[13] Jinn also briefly spoke with Skywalker about the unorthodox Jedi Djinn Altis, although he did not divulge much details about his Jedi sect to the boy.[40]
Return to Naboo[edit | edit source]
- "There are too few of us, Your Highness. We have no army."
"And I can only protect you. I can't fight a war for you." - ―Captain Panaka and Qui-Gon Jinn to Queen Amidala
Having learned in a conversation with Jar Jar Binks that the Gungans possessed a Grand Army, Queen Amidala's plan hinged on her forming an alliance with the Gungans, and she convinced Jar Jar Binks to serve as an intermediary in the upcoming negotiations. Upon their return to Naboo, the Jedi and the Queen noticed upon approach to the planet that the Trade Federation, having mostly subdued the planet's population, had recalled most of its occupation fleet, leaving only a single Droid Control Ship, which was responsible for controlling the entire droid army on the surface of the planet. Following the Queen's plans, the delegation landed in the swamps of Naboo. While Binks swam to Otoh Gunga, Jinn and Kenobi waited, discussing on whether the Gungans could be swayed into joining the Queen.[3]
Kenobi apologized for his behavior back on Coruscant, admitting that it was not in his right to disagree with Jinn. He also expressed his appreciation for his Master deeming him ready for the Trials. Smiling, Jinn saw that Kenobi would go on to become a great Jedi Knight. Binks emerged from the swamp, stating that the city had been abandoned in the aftermath of a Trade Federation attack. Believing that the Gungans had retreated to the Gungan Sacred Place, he led the Jedi, the Queen and her entourage to the sacred place.[3] Contacting Nass, Amidala asked for Boss Nass' permission to journey to the Sacred Place. Boss Nass obliged them, and the Naboo group went through the swamps on foot. They battled many Trade Federation troops, who were sometimes already fighting members of the Naboo Resistance who had retreated into the swamps. At one point, Jinn and his group were joined by two Naboo light scout frigates and an aquatic transport, which they used to sink a Federation Ocean Troop Transport and to travel up the swamp.[88] Template:Gamemechanics Along the way, the two Jedi[127] fought through a large force of battle droids in a dry riverbed, including one OOM-series command droid. The two Jedi also disrupted a command center. Moving past it, they engaged 3 Plasma battle droids and more battle droids. After that, they encountered five more Plasma battle droids guarding a bridge, along with more battle droids, some carrying missile launchers. Past the bridge, the Jedi Force jumped through a set of ruins and avoided being eaten by carnivorous plants and the kreetles. After the ruins, they passed into the swamps and faced seven more battle droids and more carnivorous plants. They also avoided a Gungan pit trap full of kreetles. Near the sacred place, they were challenged by thirteen Gungan warriors; the two Jedi drove them off with non-lethal force. They then met the Gungan Security Chief. The Chief was bested in a short duel with the Jedi. During the duel, he leapt onto a statue several times to throw boomas or call in reinforcements—other Gungan warriors and kaadu. Thinking the Jedi had been worn down by his warriors, the Chief engaged the two Jedi again with his electropole, although he was defeated. Impressed, he let the Naboo proceed to see Boss Nass.[114] Template:Endgame
They soon arrived at the Sacred Place, where, surprisingly for the Jedi, Padmé Naberrie revealed herself to be the real Queen. The Amidala who had posed as the Queen was her handmaiden, Sabé. Amidala begged Nass for help, and the Boss agreed after seeing the Queen display humility and respect to the Gungans.[3] While the Queen formulated a plan to retake the planet, Kenobi was contacted by Asha, a servant whom he had met during the Jedi's initial visit to Theed. Asha had become a member of the Naboo Resistance and she requested Kenobi to assist her in liberating a number of captured Naboo pilots from the Theed Royal Palace. Under the cover of night, Jinn's Padawan successfully completed the mission and returned to the Queen's camp at the swamp.[106] In the meantime, Panaka had assembled most of the splinter Resistance groups to fight for Amidala. The next morning, Amidala formulated a plan to liberate Naboo. According to it, the Gungan Army would draw most of the Trade Federation forces away from Theed. That would allow the Queen, the Naboo forces and the Jedi to infiltrate Theed through secret tunnels on the waterfall side of the city.[3]
The Queen planned to reach the Theed Hangar and launch Naboo pilots into space, where they would attempt to destroy the Trade Federation Droid control ship, which controlled all the droids on the surface of the planet. The Queen and the Jedi would then attempt to capture Nute Gunray. Jinn agreed that the Queen's plan was sound,[3] but he was concerned that if the Naboo forces had to fight Trade Federation patrols on their way to the secret passages, the Federation might set up a trap for them inside the passageways themselves, making the infiltration very hard. Panaka and Binks came up with an idea to capture an abandoned droid transport in order to transport the Naboo forces to the secret tunnels. Several members of the Resistance recalled that a MTT transport had sunk in the Solleu River during their escape from Theed. The Resistance soldiers took a number of Gungan engineers, retrieved the transport, repaired it and brought it to the sacred place, where it was retrofitted to transport living beings.[130]
The battle for Naboo[edit | edit source]
- "The Federation Army's also much larger than we thought, and much stronger. Your Highness, this is a battle I do not think that we can win."
- ―Captain Panaka to Queen Padmé Amidala
With the Gungans departing from the meeting place to engage the droid forces at the Great Grass Plains, Jinn boarded the transport alongside Kenobi, Skywalker, Amidala, Sabé, R2-D2, Panaka, and about three dozen Naboo forces led by a Resistance leader named Mett Habble. The Resistance piloted the MTT to a secret passageway in the cliff wall below the waterfall side of Theed.[130] On their way there, Jinn and Kenobi started talking to each other, healing the rift that had formed between them after leaving Coruscant.[13] Three hours later, the MTT finally arrived at the secret passage, and the transport squeezed inside the cave opening. Once inside, Jinn and the rest of the group disembarked from the transport and prepared to travel through the passageway on foot, leaving a small group of Resistance soldiers to guard the MTT in case Amidala needed to use it as an escape vehicle.[130] Having reached the secret tunnels, Jinn sent Kenobi first to clear the way for the rest of the group.[115] Jinn and the rest of Amidala's forces then followed Kenobi into Theed, taking the young Skywalker with them.[3]
Template:Gamemechanics The Jedi[127] were walking along the deserted streets of Theed when they were attacked by an overzealous battle droid on a Single Trooper Aerial Platform. They reflected its laser bolts back at it, destroying the droid and causing the Platform to crash, intact. The two Jedi decided to ride it and another one they found through the streets of Theed, destroying numerous battle droids and destroyer droids before diverting onto an aqueduct and facing more battle droids. They had to destroy several gates blocking their path. The two Jedi eventually dismounted at the cliffs overlooking the waterfall. They then proceeded to Force Jump down the cliffs until they reached a balcony, then jumped back up the other side. At the top, six Naboo pilots were being held in separate rooms, guarded by three droids each. Each droid trio was a separate type of droid—OOM security battle droids, B1 grapple droids, Flame battle droids, Grapple droidekas, destroyer droids, and B1 battle droids armed with missile launchers. The Jedi rescued at least five of the pilots before proceeding.[114] Template:Endgame
Jinn and Kenobi then rejoined the Queen's strike force and proceeded to the main plaza near the hangar. Once there, Panaka and Sabé—still disguised as the Queen—took a detachment of Naboo forces and split off.[108] On a signal, Panaka's team created a diversion, drawing the Trade Federation troops to their position and allowing Jinn's group to proceed to the hangar. Before entering it, Jinn instructed Skywalker to find a safe place while they were inside the hangar and stay put while the fighting took place.[3] Having been strictly instructed to not take sides in the conflict, Jinn and Kenobi seemingly upheld their orders, making sure not to attack the droids directly, only deflecting blaster bolts aimed directly at Amidala. However, the Jedi made sure to deflect the shots back at the droids, thus destroying more enemy forces than the actual Naboo strike team.[110]
The hangar was initially comparatively lightly guarded, as most of the droids had been transferred to other posts by Darth Maul, who had learned of the Queen's attack and was planning to lead the Jedi into a trap.[6] However, as the attack began, the droids inside the hangar alerted the Federation's Command Officer.[131] The strike force was discovered, and with battle droid reinforcements on the way, Kenobi was asked to assist the resistance in securing the hangar by destroying six power cells powering its doors. A Resistance soldier individually lowered the shields on the power cells, and Kenobi sliced through each one when its shield was down. The others provided covering fire, and in Jinn's case, lightsaber cover, while Kenobi was disabling the power cells. They faced two E4 baron droids, regular battle droids, and Bomb droids, along with droid starfighters in walker mode which rose up from below the hangar.[106]
The Naboo pilots who were a part of Amidala's team were able to take off to attack the Droid Control Ship, although one was shot down by an AAT stationed outside of the hangar. The Queen's troops were then reinforced by Panaka's diversionary squad[132] and dispatched the droid forces stationed in the hangar. The strike team was about to move on to the Palace to capture Gunray. Skywalker, who had hidden inside one of the stationed N-1 starfighters in the heat of the battle, wanted to follow them, but Jinn ordered him to stay put at all costs. Panaka ordered Red and Blue Groups to regroup, and the strike force moved toward the Palace. Then the doors opened, revealing the mysterious warrior Jinn had engaged on Tatooine. Telling the Queen and her forces that it was the Jedi's responsibility to fight the Sith, the two Jedi moved forward to confront him, and the Queen and her men decided to go a long way around to the Palace.[3]
The fateful duel[edit | edit source]
- Qui-Gon: “Obi-Wan. Promise me…Promise me you will train the boy.”
- Obi-Wan: “Yes, Master.”
- Qui-Gon: “He…is the Chosen One. He…will bring balance. Train him…”
- ―Qui-Gon's dying request to Obi-Wan[src]
Challenging the Jedi, Darth Maul activated his double-bladed lightsaber, and the Jedi did likewise with their weapons.[3] However, Jinn's age had started to catch up to him and he was a moment slower to activate his lightsaber than his Padawan, something that did not escape Maul's eyes.[126] As Jinn and Kenobi engaged Maul in battle, the Queen and her forces were pinned down by a squad of destroyer droids. Occupied with fighting Maul, Jinn noticed that Skywalker destroyed the droids with his craft's laser cannon blasts, but he did not realize that the ship's autopilot also took Skywalker to join the battle in space.[132] In the middle of the duel with Jinn and Kenobi, Maul used the Force to throw the remains of a droid into the controls to a door leading into the Theed Generator Complex, while Amidala, Panaka, and their security forces left the hangar through a separate door.[3]
While the Queen and her guards went to reclaim the throne room, the two Jedi continued to battle Darth Maul through the Theed Generator Complex, where they fought on the precarious catwalks. At one point of the fight, Maul knocked Kenobi over the catwalk, causing Jinn's Padawan to fall to a lower level. While his Padawan rushed to catch up, Jinn and Maul moved on, passing through a security hallway[3] that led to the generator's core. The hallway was protected by six consecutive laser doors that opened and locked shut in response to potentially lethal power outputs that occurred intermittently during the generator's plasma-activation process. As the combatants moved through the shields, Jinn and Maul were separated, with Maul already inside the core room, and Jinn trapped behind the sixth door. Trying to rejoin his Master, Kenobi rushed through the catwalks into the tunnel, but was trapped between the first and the second doors.[126]
Shaken by the prolonged duel with the Sith and needing to regain his balance,[132] Jinn took advantage of the break in the duel to crouch down and meditate, bringing himself in full tune with the Force. When the shields deactivated, Jinn immediately attacked Maul while Kenobi rushed to help his Master, but was unable to join his Master, as the shields closed once again, trapping him behind the final laser door.[3] His strength reinvigorated by the brief meditation, Jinn attacked Maul with renewed strength.[13] Although Jinn was one of the best lightsaber duelists in the Order, however, his preferred practice of Form IV proved disadvantageous in the confined space of the cooling pit, as Ataru required a wide, open space for its energetic acrobatics and multi-angular bladework. Also, Maul had the advantage of youth and pure strength,[13] while at the same time recognizing his opponent's weariness.[126]
The end result was Jinn being hit in the face with Maul's saberstaff hilt, leaving him momentarily stunned, and the Sith mercilessly impaled him through the stomach, inflicting a mortal wound. Maul then prepared to face Kenobi, silently taunting him. Devastated by the fall of his Master, Kenobi rushed to face Maul as soon as the shields opened, attacking with fury. As he continued to duel Maul, Kenobi succeeded in slicing the Sith Lord's double-bladed lightsaber hilt in half, but was then knocked into the pit. Though Kenobi managed to hold onto the edge of the pit, he had lost his lightsaber, leaving him defenseless. Maul, believing that Kenobi would soon lose strength and fall to his death through the pit, glared at him, sending sparks at his face with his lightsaber. However, Kenobi defeated Maul when he leaped out of the pit, called his Master's lightsaber to his hand, and cut the Sith Lord in half.[3]
With his last breath, Jinn told Kenobi to train Skywalker, knowing that the boy ultimately would fulfill the prophecy and bring balance to the Force. Skywalker, meanwhile was responsible for destroying the Droid Control Ship,[3] and he sensed a great loss in the Force as he was returning to Naboo, even though he did not realize yet that it was the sense of Jinn's death.[123] With the droids disabled, Amidala captured Gunray, ending the Trade Federation's invasion.[3] When he was finally informed of Jinn's passing, Skywalker somehow felt through the Force as if a shadow of Jinn still lingered beside him.[123] Meanwhile, in the aftermath of Amidala's Vote of No Confidence in Valorum, Palpatine was elected as the new Chancellor, and he arrived to Naboo alongside the Jedi Council. Kenobi was granted the rank of Jedi Knight by the Council and was allowed to take Skywalker as his Padawan.[3] Jinn was later cremated in the Theed Funeral Temple in the presence of many individuals: Queen Amidala and her handmaidens, the Naboo and Gungan troops, the new Supreme Chancellor, the members of the Jedi Council and other Jedi Knights who had known Qui-Gon Jinn personally. After Jinn's body was consumed by fire, a flock of white doves were released to honor his sacrifice.[13][108][123]
It was during Jinn's funeral that the Jedi Council finally accepted Jinn's theory that his adversary had been a Sith Lord.[3] Although Darth Maul was believed to have been killed by Kenobi, the Jedi Order had heard rumors from a fallen Jedi named Kibh Jeen more than a century ago[75] that there were always two Sith—a Master and an apprentice—which meant that another Sith was potentially still at large.[3] After Jinn's cremation took place, Kenobi advised Amidala that his Master would not want her to grieve for him and instead would prefer her to celebrate life and the liberation of her planet. Heeding Kenobi's advice, Amidala organized a grand parade in Theed the next day in honor of the liberation of Naboo and the Naboo-Gungan alliance.[108] Boss Nass and the Gungans honored Jinn's sacrifice as much as their own fallen.[133]
Beyond death[edit | edit source]
A distant voice[edit | edit source]
- "When you travel the universe with Qui-Gon Jinn, you tend to learn a few things."
- ―Obi-Wan Kenobi to Anakin Skywalker
The loss of his Master had a big impact on Kenobi. Having come to deeply respect Jinn, Kenobi was pained by the loss and missed Jinn's guiding hand.[66] Despite admittedly not always getting along,[134] Kenobi fondly remembered Jinn's teachings and even continued to use Jinn's lightsaber for many years in place of the one lost on Naboo.[27][39][66] The news of Jinn death also reached many people across the galaxy. The Falleen Jedi Jinn had sent to Shmi Skywalker was delayed on her journey, arriving on Tatooine some time after the Battle of Naboo and delivering the Tobal lens. Shmi eventually used the Tobal lens to buy out her freedom from Watto, marrying a moisture farmer named Cliegg Lars.[122] Jinn's death on Naboo had a big impact on his former Master Dooku. Already disillusioned with the Jedi Order, Dooku blamed the Jedi's shortsightedness for Jinn's death.[19] Master Sifo-Dyas, a friend of Dooku, noticed the effects that Jinn's death had on Dooku. Worried about the return of the Sith and foreseeing that the Republic would need an army, Sifo-Dyas tasked the renowned cloners on the planet Kamino to produce a clone army.[135]
Meanwhile, Dooku's beliefs caused him to leave the Jedi Order, claiming the hereditary title of Count of Serenno. Initially thinking of personally hunting down the second Sith, Dooku soon changed his mind, however, and instead wanted to seek an alliance with him, as he believed that the Sith shared his vision of reforming the galaxy. Dooku indeed soon became the new apprentice of Darth Sidious, assuming the title of "Darth Tyranus." As a Sith Lord, Tyranus learned of Sifo-Dyas's secret army and killed the Jedi Master. Sidious and Tyranus secretly assumed control of the clone army project, implanting a number of secret protocols into the clones' brains and ensuring that one day they would serve Sidious's needs.[2]
Skywalker would also continue to reflect on his brief tutelage under Jinn, missing his first Master deeply.[40] News about Jinn's death quickly spread throughout the Order, and seemingly every Padawan heard about the Master's passing.[136] The news even reached former Jedi Sharad Hett, who was now living on Tatooine as a member of a Sand People tribe. Calling Jinn "old rascal," Hett was pained by the loss.[42] Jinn's friends, such as Diddi and Astri Oddo, also took the news of his death with great grief,[66] and Diddi was ready to do any favor asked of him by Kenobi in honor of Jinn's memory.[137] The Jedi Order honored Jinn's sacrifice with two memorial pieces inside the Jedi Temple. A bronzium bust of Jinn was placed inside the Jedi Archives[2] and a large statue of Jinn was erected in a small rotunda to the side of the Jedi Temple Planetarium.[138]
However, death was not the end of Qui-Gon Jinn. Having learned to maintain his identity after death from the Force priestesses, Jinn became one with the Force. Throughout the following years, he attempted to communicate with his fellow Jedi, however as his training was incomplete, he could not fully manifest himself as a spirit and could only establish verbal contact through the Force.[8] Meanwhile, just as he had promised to his fallen Master, Kenobi continued to train Skywalker as his Padawan. Three years after the Battle of Naboo, when Kenobi had started doubting his ability as Skywalker's Master, he started seemingly hearing his Master's voice telling him to start believing in himself and his unconscious connection to the Force. During the subsequent mission to the planet Zonama Sekot, Kenobi also began to feel his Master's presence. During the creation of Sekotan seed ships, Skywalker also believed that he heard Jinn's voice telling him that he was destined to blossom just like the seeds.[39]
Skywalker also had a dream of Jinn teaching him something. In that dream, Jinn told Skywalker to say hello to Kenobi and tell him that he was very hard to talk to. Discussing those visions, Skywalker firmly believed that it was Jinn himself trying to contact them from beyond the grave, but Kenobi, having personally seen Jinn's death, doubted that. Ultimately, Kenobi concluded that it was not Jinn speaking to him, but rather the past teachings of his Master surfacing within his mind and taking on Jinn's voice.[39] Real or not, but Jinn continued to be present within Kenobi's mind, and the Jedi was grateful for that, as he deeply missed his beloved Master. Kenobi struggled to uphold his Master's legacy, afraid that he would let him down. In 28 BBY, when Kenobi accompanied Skywalker to the caves of Illum to obtain a lightsaber crystal for the Padawan, Kenobi saw an apparition of Jinn inside the cave. The ghostly figure recognized him, smiling at Kenobi, but it was unable to speak back. Suddenly, the apparition of Jinn changed to how it looked when he had been struck by Maul. With sadness in his eyes, the vision of Jinn fell on his knees and tried to reach out to Kenobi as if trying to warn him about something, before vanishing completely.[66]
Later, while fighting the pirate Krayn, Skywalker believed that the spirit of Jinn was by his side along with all those the boy loved, urging him to fight the criminal. In the aftermath of the mission, Kenobi realized the potential for good that Jinn had seen in the boy. Having seen Skywalker struggle with his feelings, Kenobi made a promise to his Master to never abandon the boy.[66] All those years, Kenobi had kept the rock given to him by Jinn on his thirteenth birthday. He eventually passed it on to Skywalker when the boy turned thirteen.[139] Knowing that the stone had once belonged to Jinn, Skywalker regarded it as his most prized possession.[140] In 23 BBY,[141] Kenobi and Skywalker were pursuing Granta Omega, the son of Xanatos, who had attempted to join the Sith. After Omega retreated to the Sith world of Korriban, Kenobi and Skywalker followed him there. Moving through the Valley of the Sith Lords, Kenobi saw an apparition of Jinn with a gaping hole in his chest where Maul had struck. The image, drawn from Kenobi's deepest fears, accused Kenobi of failing his Master. Realizing that the image was Sith trickery, Kenobi moved passed it, and the apparition of Jinn disappeared.[142]
Visions on Mortis[edit | edit source]
- "Are we in danger?"
"This planet is both an amplifier and a magnet. Three are here who seek Skywalker. They, like me, believe him to be the Chosen One." - ―Obi-Wan Kenobi and the spirit of Qui-Gon Jinn
In 22 BBY, in the midst of the Separatist Crisis, Skywalker received visions of his mother dying. Worried for her, Skywalker—who was on a mission to protect Amidala at the time—diverted to Tatooine. Skywalker learned from Shmi's husband, Cliegg Lars, that his mother had been kidnapped weeks ago by Tusken Raiders. He had attempted to retrieve her, but the rescue mission had been all but wiped out and Lars had lost his leg. Skywalker took it upon himself to rescue his mother, infiltrating the Tusken camp and finding her inside, tortured to the brink of death. Enraged, Skywalker mercilessly slaughtered all the Tusken in the camp, including women and children. Jinn, overseeing the carnage through the Force, pleaded to him to stop, but Skywalker did not heed his words. During this time, Kenobi was captured by Dooku, who had become the leader of the separatist organization called the Confederacy of Independent Systems. In a conversation with the captive Kenobi, Dooku revealed to him that the Galactic Senate was under the control of Darth Sidious; Dooku surmised that Jinn would have joined Dooku's cause had he been alive and aware of that information.[73]
Shortly after that, the Clone Wars began between the Galactic Republic—armed with a clone army produced on Master Sifo-Dyas's request—and the Confederacy of Independent Systems.[73] Kenobi and Skywalker fought through many battles of the war, establishing themselves as two of the most well-known Republic heroes. Early in the war, Skywalker dueled the Separatist assassin Asajj Ventress, driving her to the top of the Massassi temple. Having lost his own lightsaber earlier in the fight and fighting with one of Ventress's lightsabers, Skywalker repeatedly struck at Ventress, each strike causing visions of Jinn, Kenobi and Yoda to appear before Skywalker's eyes. Although Ventress blocked the strikes with her own lightsaber, the ferocity of Skywalker's onslaught was such that the ground beneath her crumbled and she fell down to the surface of Yavin.[143]
Later, when Kenobi was believed to have been killed during the Battle of Jabiim and Skywalker was temporarily assigned as a Padawan to Ki-Adi-Mundi, Skywalker starting seeing nightmarish dreams of people he had lost in the past, seeing images of his mother and Jinn. Kenobi was later revealed to be alive, and he resumed his duties as Skywalker's Master.[144] When Jedi Master Depa Billaba fell into coma as a result of her brush with the dark side on Haruun Kal, Kenobi was promoted to the rank of Jedi Master for his skills and combat achievements and was elevated to the rank of Jedi Master and offered her vacant seat on the Jedi Council, thus outperforming his Master in that aspect.[145] Later, Skywalker participated in the Battle of Praesitlyn, assisting the Praesitlyn Defense Force in the fight against the Separatist Admiral Pors Tonith, who had occupied the Intergalactic Communications Center on the planet and forced the technicians stationed there to work for him. At the end of the prolonged battle, Skywalker broke into Tonith's bunker, and the Separatist Admiral requested to be treated as a prisoner of war. Angered at Tonith for the deaths he had caused on the planet and viewing the technicians as collaborators, Skywalker wanted to execute them all. However, Jinn's voice stopped him, telling Skywalker that he needed to use the Force for good. Calmed down, Skywalker took Tonith prisoner.[146]
Around this time, Yoda saw a vision of Jinn escorting a young Skywalker to the Dark Side Cave on Dagobah. Jinn told Skywalker that he must face his fears by entering the Dark Side Cave, and to trust in the Force. With the numbers of the Jedi having dwindled during the course of the war, the Jedi Council agreed that they needed more Knights. Kenobi then suggested promoting his Padawan to the rank of Knight without him undertaking the Jedi trials. Although some of the Masters disagreed with disobeying the tradition, Yoda agreed that in such unconventional times, Kenobi's proposal was sound. With the Battle of Praesitlyn considered to be his Jedi trial, Skywalker was then promoted to the rank of Jedi Knight.[147] Seven weeks after the start of the Clone Wars,[67] Skywalker was assigned his own Padawan, the Togruta Ahsoka Tano.[148] During the war, Skywalker encountered Master Altis and his faction of Jedi during a rescue mission to the planet JanFathal. Altis remarked to Skywalker about being acquainted with Jinn, calling him a wise and wonderful man.[40]
In 21 BBY,[149] Kenobi, Skywalker, and Tano arrived to the planet Mortis, responding to an ancient distress signal. In fact, the signal was a lure by three beings known as the Ones: Father, Son, and Daughter. The Ones, like Jinn, believed that Skywalker was the Chosen One, but they sought to use his potential for their own means. On Mortis, Jinn manifested in a ghostly form before Kenobi, warning him about the intentions of the beings. When Kenobi asked how Jinn could appear to him, the late Jedi Master replied that the planet was a conduit through which the Force flowed, acting as an amplifier that allowed Jinn to manifest himself in physical form. Using the opportunity to speak to his former Master, Kenobi told him about Skywalker and his growing powers. Just as Jinn had predicted, Skywalker was stronger than any other Jedi, yet he struggled to find balance. Jinn told Kenobi that, if Skywalker was indeed the Chosen One, then he would find balance on Mortis, and if not, then the planet would prove to be very dangerous for someone with his powers.[150]
Jinn later appeared to Skywalker himself, telling the young Jedi that he still believed in his potential to bring balance to the Force, but first Skywalker needed to face his personal demons. As such, Jinn directed Skywalker to the Well of the Dark Side, a place of great dark side power. There, Skywalker was briefly lured over to the dark side by Son, but Father broke Son's hold on Skywalker. In the climactic battle, Father sacrificed his life, and Skywalker killed Son. Due to that act, Father proclaimed Skywalker the Chosen One with his dying breath, telling him that he had brought balance to Mortis just as he would bring balance to the Force. Father's death caused Mortis to start crumbling, and Kenobi, Skywalker and Tano barely escaped and returned to Coruscant.[151] In his report to the Jedi Council, Kenobi expressed a theory that the appearance of Jinn on Mortis had been an illusion manifested from their memories by the Ones. Skywalker, however, was not as confident, despite Jedi teachings saying that it was impossible for a being to retain their identity after death. The report about Mortis did not change these Jedi beliefs or teachings.[43]
Around that time, Kenobi was dispatched to assist Republic troops on a moon of the planet Gyndine, where clone soldiers were taking have casualties, with an alarming number of troops giving up in fear instead of attempting to fight. In fact, such behavior was caused by an experimental Separatist weapon, the ultrasonic disruptor, with a number of such devices installed in Confederate AAT tanks. The disruptors emitted a high-pitched sound that was impossible to hear but affected the victims' minds, triggering their basic instincts of fear. When Kenobi arrived on the moon, he was himself affected by one such device, exposing his deepest fears. In that terrified state, Kenobi was forced to relieve the memory of Jinn's death at the hands of Darth Maul during the Battle of Naboo, followed by images of the death of Skywalker and the destruction of the Jedi Order, making Kenobi feel that he had failed his Master and the rest of the Jedi.[152]
However, Kenobi was able to overcome the effects of the device, damaging the tank and exposing the device. Kenobi then had his astromech droid R4-P17 set up a counter-wave frequency blocking the signal and broadcast it through the helmet comlinks of the clone troopers on the moon, jamming the Separatist signals and stopping their plans.[152] The Clone Wars also saw the return of Jinn's murderer, Darth Maul, who had survived his dismemberment on Naboo, replacing his lower body with a cybernetic apparatus. Joining forces with his brother Savage Opress, Maul sought revenge against Kenobi. Kenobi and Maul first faced off above the planet Raydonia, with Maul taunting Kenobi, reminding him how helpless he was, watching his Master gutted by the Sith.[153] Maul and Opress escaped, and they would confront Kenobi on two more occasions throughout the war.[154][155] One of those encounters ended with the death of Jinn's fellow Jedi Master, Adi Gallia, at the hands of Opress.[154] Ultimately, Darth Sidious decided to deal with his former apprentice personally, killing Opress and taking Maul captive.[155]
Teaching from the other side[edit | edit source]
- "A very great Jedi Master you have become, Qui-Gon Jinn. A very great Jedi Master you always were, but too blind I was to see it. Your apprentice, I gratefully become."
- ―Yoda acknowledges Qui-Gon Jinn as his Master
During the final month of the Clone Wars,[156] Jinn decided to fully reveal his secret to Yoda, believing that Yoda would play a major role in bringing balance to the Force. Contacting Yoda on Coruscant, Jinn stated that it was Yoda's destiny to complete the training Jinn himself had not. Yoda revealed that he had heard Jinn to fellow members of the Jedi Council, but they believed that Jinn's voice was a Sith trick meant to cloud Yoda's mind. Therefore, the Jedi asked Yoda to see the Jedi doctor Rig Nema to have his brain scanned and find the true source of the voice. Nema prescribed Yoda to go through a deprivation ritual, placing him in a bacta tank and depriving him of oxygen and bringing him to the brink of death, thus putting him in a deep meditative state. It was during the ritual that Jinn contacted Yoda again, guiding him to Dagobah, where Yoda was going to be tested on his readiness to learn the secret.[43]
On Dagobah, Jinn told Yoda about his training, and how the Living Force fed into the Cosmic Force, allowing him to return after death. By that point, the Jedi Order knew that the second Sith behind the Clone Wars was called Darth Sidious. Therefore, Yoda was at first only interested in learning the Sith's public identity. However, Jinn could only guide Yoda through his trials. Yoda was guided by the Living Force in the form of a glowing swarm of fireflies. Later they guided Yoda to the planet of the Force Priestesses, where Yoda could continue his trial. On that planet, the Force Priestesses put Yoda through a number of trials,[43] one of which was a vision of a peaceful Jedi Order. In that vision, none of the recent conflicts, like the Battle of Naboo and the Clone Wars, had occurred. Dooku was still a member of the Jedi Order, and the Jedi who had died during those conflicts, like Jinn, were still alive.[157]
The illusions of Jinn, Kenobi and Dooku were talking to each other, with Dooku telling them stories of his apprenticeship under Yoda. Yoda was at first swayed by the seeming paradise, but he soon realized that it was an illusion, pointing out that Jinn was supposed to be dead. The images then faded, with the exception of Dooku, which turned its appearance into that of the Sith Lord and ignited its red lightsaber. Convinced that the image of Dooku was not real as well, Yoda remained calm and collected, and the vision of Dooku faded away as well. Yoda eventually completed the rest of the Force Priestesses' trials and was deemed worthy of learning the secret of eternal consciousness, and the beings instructed that Jinn would guide Yoda's training.[157]
Near the end of the war, Yoda was contacted by Dooku, who claimed that he was tired of the war and offered the Grand Master to come to Vjun to discuss peace. Not trusting Dooku's intention, Yoda sought Jinn's counsel, entering deep meditation in order to feel Jinn's presence and hear his voice. Yoda asked if Jinn believed that Dooku was lying and was leading Yoda into a trap, and Jinn responded that that was what Dooku himself thought, but deep inside, Dooku actually wanted peace. Yoda did embark on the mission, but it did turn out to be a trap, and peace negotiations failed, although Yoda was able to escape from Dooku.[158] Throughout the final days of the war, in the moments when Yoda surrendered himself to the current of the Force, provided the current was calm, Yoda could sometimes hear the voice of Jinn, telling him that there was still much they needed to learn about the Force. However, Jinn believed that the secret of preserving one's consciousness would grant them great power.[135]
During that period, Kenobi had dreams of Jinn still being alive, guiding him in that time of crisis. When he concentrated hard enough, he could almost hear Jinn telling him that until the possible became the actual, it was only a distraction, reminding himself to focus on the moment and give in to the Living Force. Shortly afterward, Skywalker was responsible for killing Dooku, bringing the Clone Wars close to an end. However, Darth Sidious, the true mastermind behind the Clone Wars, manipulated Skywalker's feelings for Amidala—who had become his secret wife and was pregnant from him—to lure him over to the dark side of the Force, proclaiming him Darth Vader and making him his new apprentice. Palpatine presented the Jedi Order as traitors, and issued Order 66 to the clone army, ordering them to kill their Jedi commanders. The Jedi Order was nearly wiped out, with Vader personally leading an attack on the Jedi Temple, slaughtering the younglings without remorse.[9]
Palpatine reorganized the Galactic Republic in the Galactic Empire, with himself as the Emperor, and a Great Jedi Purge began with the goal of exterminating the surviving Jedi. Yoda and Kenobi were among the few of those survivors, and they learned of Skywalker's fall. Kenobi followed his fallen apprentice to the volcanic world of Mustafar, where they engaged in a climactic duel, which resulted in Skywalker losing most of his limbs and being heavily burned by the lava. Unable to deliver the final blow, Kenobi left Skywalker to die on Mustafar, but Palpatine was able to save Vader, outfitting him with a life-preserving cybernetic suit. Meanwhile, Yoda and Kenobi took shelter with Senator Bail Organa, who was still sympathetic to the Jedi. The Jedi brought Amidala to Polis Massa so she could deliver. While Amidala was in labor, Yoda contemplated on the recent events, believing that he had failed the Jedi Order by being too rigid and old-fashioned, not accepting the change that was needed. Jinn spoke to the elderly Master, telling him not to blame himself and that Jinn would train him in the art of preserving one's consciousness. Acknowledging that Jinn had always been a great Jedi Master, Yoda pledged himself as Jinn's apprentice.[9]
The dark times[edit | edit source]
- "You're here."
"I have always been here. Being ready is your choice, my Padawan."
"But I do choose. I want to begin the training. I don't understand what you mean."
"When you know why you are not ready, you will be ready." - ―Qui-Gon Jinn contacts Obi-Wan Kenobi on Tatooine
Amidala soon gave birth to twins, Luke and Leia, but died during childbirth. Hoping to protect the twins from the Sith, Kenobi and Yoda split them up. Organa agreed to adopt the girl and brought her to his home planet of Alderaan. On Yoda's advice, Kenobi was to bring Luke to the Lars family on Tatooine. Before Kenobi departed with the boy, Yoda informed him of his conversations with Jinn and taught Kenobi how to contact his former Master. Yoda exiled himself to the planet Dagobah, where he was being trained by Jinn,[9] while Kenobi remained to watch over Luke on Tatooine, waiting for his first contact with Jinn.[159] For months Kenobi waited until Jinn revealed himself, but to no avail. At that time, he reflected on Jinn's teachings, wondering if under Jinn's tutelage, Skywalker perhaps would not have fallen to the dark side.[160]
Kenobi regularly meditated, talking to Jinn in his mind, despite the fact that the Jedi Master did not answer him. Kenobi told Jinn about his thoughts and feelings and spoke about the events that had transpired with him, most notably the encounters with the storekeeper Annileen Calwell and the entanglement with moisture farmer Orrin Gault.[161] When Tusken Raiders stole a large number of Lars' moisture vaporators, Kenobi went to the Tusken camp to retrieve the devices. Confronted by the Raiders, Kenobi had to engage them in battle, during which he started falling into a bloodthirsty frenzy, intent on killing all enemies, as he believed them responsible for Skywalker's fall since they had killed Shmi. However, Kenobi was stopped by a memory of Jinn in his mind, who told him to try to seek an alternative to murder. Instead, Kenobi simply unmasked his foes, which, according to Sand People customs, meant their defeat. Kenobi retrieved the vaporators and returned them to the Lars family.[160]
Not long thereafter, Kenobi was visiting the settlement of Mos Eisley, where he heard a HoloNet report about Vader—whom Kenobi thought to be dead—killing a number of Jedi on Kashyyyk. It was at that moment that Jinn contacted his apprentice for the first time. Initially surprised, Kenobi said that he should have finished Vader on Mustafar, but Jinn assured him that Anakin's future would be determined by the Force. Jinn assured his apprentice that Vader's painful memories of Tatooine would prevent him from looking for Luke there, but Kenobi was still supposed to look after him, making sure the boy did not discover who his father was.[159]
On Tatooine, Kenobi lived in a hut in the Jundland Wastes, and he started his personal journal, writing in it his experiences, including his adventures with Jinn.[27] Vader himself, despite being immersed with the dark side, still retained some of his humanity and missed Jinn's guidance.[162] He would continue to reminisce on his time spent with Jinn and would remember the Jedi Master on multiple occasions.[128][163][164] Knowing that Amidala had died, and believing that their child had died with her, Vader had dreams of a potential existence in which he had not turned to the dark side and Amidala was still alive. In those dreams, Vader imagined them having a son named Jinn Skywalker in honor of Master Jinn.[162]
A year after the rise of the Empire, Jinn kept contact with Kenobi, but he refused to teach him the secret of immortality, believing that he was not ready. One day, Kenobi visited a cantina in Mos Eisley, where he overheard that a Jedi named Ferus Olin had survived Order 66 but was headed into the Empire's trap on the planet Bellassa. Kenobi walked outside his house and saw that his eopie had run away, and he started feeling angry. Jinn spoke to Kenobi, saying that it was not the eopie Kenobi was angered at, chiding his former Padawan for being unable to identify his feelings. Kenobi realized that he was angry at himself for being unable to make the decision to help Olin, believing that he was stuck on Tatooine having to watch over Luke. Jinn told Kenobi that Luke was not the only hope for the galaxy, and Olin could potentially become a valuable ally in the fight against the Empire. Knowing that Luke's life would eventually be endangered, but for now he was relatively safe, Jinn promised to look over the boy, and Kenobi left Tatooine to help Olin.[68]
Kenobi joined with Olin, learning that Inquisitor Malorum had sent an investigator to Polis Massa, the birthplace of the Skywalker twins, endangering the secret of their identity. While thinking for their next step in the Crystal Caves on Ilum, Kenobi was contacted by Jinn, who urged him to trust his feelings. Kenobi felt that he and Olin had to go to Polis Massa, and Jinn gave his approval to Kenobi's plans. Their mission there successful, Kenobi returned to his duties as Skywalker's guardian on Tatooine.[69] Two years into his exile, an increase in Tusken Raider activity occurred on Tatooine, with the Sand People performing violent raids. During that time, Kenobi stumbled upon a destroyed Sand People camp, the same one which had been ravaged by Skywalker shortly before the Clone Wars. Jinn spoke to Kenobi, revealing that the massacre had been Skywalker's handiwork. When Kenobi asked Jinn why he had not told him about that earlier, Jinn enigmatically replied that Kenobi was not ready, although he did not specify what exactly he was not ready for. Before breaking contact, Jinn informed Kenobi that Skywalker had only informed few people about the massacre, one was Amidala, the other, Jedi Knight A'sharad Hett—the son of the late Sharad Hett—who had been raised by the Tuskens.[27]
Kenobi, who had initially believed that Hett had fallen victim to the Great Jedi Purge, eventually concluded that the man had survived. Indeed, Hett had returned to Tatooine, emerging as the leader of the Sand People and being responsible for the recent violent raids. Kenobi eventually confronted Hett, defeating him in lightsaber combat and severing one of his arms. According to the Tuskens' customs, the injury meant that Hett was an outcast among the Tuskens, and he was forced to leave Tatooine.[27] At some point over the next seventeen years, Jinn finally shared his secrets with Kenobi, teaching him how to manifest himself as a spirit after death.[165] Meanwhile, having himself mastered Jinn's teachings during his exile on Dagobah, Yoda was at one point visited by a fellow Jedi Purge survivor, Master Qu Rahn. Yoda passed Jinn's secret to Rahn, before sending him on the search for the fabled Force nexus called the Valley of the Jedi[166]
The prophecy fulfilled[edit | edit source]
- "Your powers are weak, old man."
"You can't win, Darth. If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine." - ―Darth Vader and Obi-Wan Kenobi, just before the latter's death and return as a spirit
During the Great Jedi Purge, Darth Vader discovered the son of the Jedi Kento Marek named Galen. Sensing great Force-potential, Vader took Galen as his secret apprentice after killing the boy's father. In order to further the training of the boy—codenamed "Starkiller"—a prototype holodroid named PROXY was assigned to him. Programmed with a variety of training protocols, PROXY was able to assume the holographic form of a dangerous opponent, including several famous Jedi and Sith, using it to attack Starkiller at random points in time in order to keep his combat skills sharp. One of such programs was made to imitate Jinn and his mastery of Ataru. In 2 BBY, while possessed by the Core, the planet-wide artificial consciousness of the planet Raxus Prime, PROXY attacked Starkiller using the Jinn module, imitating Jinn's lightsaber style, with its swift efficient strikes and acrobatic movements. Starkiller defeated PROXY and freed him from the Core's control.[167]
When Starkiller visited the abandoned Jedi Temple as part of a vision quest, he passed through the Temple's Planetarium. Although the Temple had been mostly ransacked during Operation: Knightfall and the years that followed, Jinn's statue in the Planetarium was still intact by that point.[138] Driven to the light side, Marek was later responsible for the creation of the Alliance to Restore the Republic, an organization that opposed the Galactic Empire's rule, beginning the conflict known as the Galactic Civil War.[167] Leia Organa became one of the members of the Rebel Alliance, and in 0 BBY she attempted to secure Kenobi's help during the Alliance's efforts to stop the Empire's superweapon, the Death Star. Confronting Vader aboard the Death Star, Kenobi gave his life to allow the nineteen-year old Luke Skywalker accompanying him to escape from the station with his friends. Having learned Jinn's secret, Kenobi knew that he would still be able to guide Skywalker from the afterlife. He indeed contacted Skywalker during the Battle of Yavin, helping him destroy the Death Star.[165]
By the time of the Galactic Civil War, two pieces of media mentioning Jinn were in circulation in the galaxy. One was a collection of five data-disks collectively called The Story of Count Dooku. The documentary described the life of Jinn's Master in detail from the time of his apprenticeship to his death at the end of the Clone Wars. As Dooku's Padawan, Jinn was extensively mentioned in the work. During that period, a painting called The Phantom Menace was available in the galaxy. The painting depicted the crucial figures in the Naboo conflict: Qui-Gon Jinn, Darth Maul, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Jar Jar Binks, R2-D2, protocol droid C-3PO, Padmé Amidala and a young Anakin Skywalker, as well as a J-type 327 Nubian royal starship.[168] In 3 ABY, Kenobi appeared to Luke Skywalker during the Battle of Hoth, guiding him to Dagobah and Yoda. After training with him for some time, Skywalker confronted Darth Vader on the Cloud City, discovering his heritage and narrowly escaping the fight, losing his arm in the process.[169]
Shortly after the confrontation, Luke returned to Tatooine, finding Kenobi's journal and learning of Qui-Gon Jinn and his training of Kenobi.[27] The next year, Skywalker returned to Dagobah in order to complete his training with Yoda. However, the Grand Master died of old age during Skywalker's visit. Taught by Jinn, Yoda's body disappeared and he became one with the Force. Shortly afterward, during the climactic Battle of Endor, Luke succeeded in redeeming his father aboard the second Death Star; Darth Vader was no more, and Anakin Skywalker[170]—remembering Jinn's faith in him as the Chosen One[171]—turned on Palpatine, killing him to protect Luke from him, but sustaining fatal injuries in the process. With that sacrifice, Anakin had fulfilled the destiny Jinn had foreseen for him and had brought balance to the Force.[170] Jinn, Yoda and Kenobi were present in spiritual form during Anakin's final moments, witnessing his death in Luke's arms on the boarding ramp of a shuttle that Luke used to escape from the Death Star before its destruction.[172]
It was during that moment that Kenobi realized what Jinn had wanted to tell him so many years ago on Tatooine by saying he was not ready; Kenobi was not ready to forgive Anakin at that moment, but now, having witnessed his death, Kenobi set aside his feelings. Before Anakin's spirit could disappear into the netherworld of the Force, Kenobi reached out to him and taught him Jinn's technique, preserving his consciousness,[27] thus allowing Anakin to appear alongside Kenobi and Yoda to Luke and his allies during the celebrations of Rebel Alliance victory over the Empire on the moon of Endor.[170] A year later, Master Qu Rahn was killed by the Dark Jedi Jerec. However, having learned Jinn's secret from Yoda, Rahn successfully became one with the Force, guiding a Force-sensitive named Kyle Katarn in the fight against Jerec and his band of Seven Dark Jedi.[173] Kenobi continued to be Luke Skywalker's spiritual guide for years, but he eventually moved on, saying the Skywalker was only the first of the new Jedi.[174]
In 8 ABY, Leia Organa and her husband Han Solo visited Tatooine on a mission for the New Republic, the Rebel Alliance's successor state that had replaced the Galactic Empire as the galaxy's dominant government. During the mission, the two discovered a holojournal kept by Shmi Skywalker and met many witnesses of the events forty years before. From those sources, Organa learned about her father's origins and Jinn's role in his discovery.[122] Shortly after that, Luke Skywalker was responsible for creating the New Jedi Order, and he also studied Kenobi's career closely, discovering many facts about Qui-Gon Jinn, such as his close friendship with Plo Koon.[175] In 40 ABY, the son of Leia Organa Solo, Jacen Solo, flow-walked to the time when Jinn brought Anakin Skywalker to the Jedi Temple, overhearing the Jedi Council's debate regarding the boy's fate, hearing them saying that Jinn believed the boy to be the Chosen One.[176] Later that year, a member of Skywalker's New Jedi Order, Jedi historian Tionne Solusar featured Jinn in her work Jedi vs. Sith: The Essential Guide to the Force, focused on the history of the conflict between the Jedi and their sworn enemies, the Sith.[2]
Personality and traits[edit | edit source]
- "Qui-Gon Jinn was perhaps the greatest Jedi alive, a commanding presence at Council, a strong and brave warrior who refused to be intimidated by even the most daunting challenge, and a good and kind man."
- ―Obi-Wan Kenobi
Regarded as a maverick by his peers, Qui-Gon Jinn was a wise and faithful—but unorthodox—member of the Jedi Order. He was also a powerful warrior.[177] Jinn was a proponent of the Living Force concept, and his many attempts to help lesser creatures annoyed his master, Dooku, to no end. Dooku, Jinn, Kenobi, and Skywalker formed a chain of Jedi Masters and Padawans through which passed an independent streak, making them a difficulty in the eyes of the Jedi Council. Indeed, his Padawan Kenobi suggested that the Council would have invited Jinn to join them, if he would follow the Jedi Code. A distinguished and adept Jedi warrior, Qui-Gon Jinn reflected strength and wisdom.[3]
Qui-Gon came into knighthood during an era in which the Jedi Order was more conservative and committed to a democratic Republic. His commitment to studying the galaxy and interacting with it would prove far-reaching, having a great impact on Kenobi and his Padawan Anakin Skywalker, both of whom would greatly influence the founder of the New Jedi Order, Luke Skywalker.
Qui-Gon was also known for his often-overwhelming compassion for all life forms. This commiseration led to his saving Jar Jar Binks from his punishment at the hands of his fellow Gungans, and contributed greatly to his freeing of Skywalker.[3]
- "I break the rules not because it suits me, but because sometimes during a mission the rules get in the way."
- ―Qui-Gon Jinn to a young Obi-Wan Kenobi
Controversially, Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn was thought of as a Gray Jedi by some members of the Order for his frequent opposition to their demands.[57] While the term was used to refer to Force-users who walked the line between light and dark, Jedi were also labeled as Gray Jedi for distancing themselves from the Jedi High Council. This practice dated back to the days of the Old Republic, when the High Council was attempting to consolidate power. Jedi who frequently clashed with the will of the Council were sometimes thought of as Gray even if they did not necessarily walk the line between the light and dark sides of the Force.[17] Despite this, he was a great teacher and mentor, and taught Kenobi the Nelvaanian tongue on their journeys across the galaxy, as well as others.[178]
The Jedi Master appeared much younger than his age and had a penetrating gaze. He also had a subtle attention to detail, seen as he could sense mood changes in the people around him and was quite adept at hiding his emotions from other individuals, even other Jedi. His master was often perplexed by his ability to do this even when Qui-Gon was a Padawan. He was also open about his opinions to the point of near-tactlessness, and his master Dooku once referred to him as a "solitary and secretive rogue."[19]
Jinn considered caring for one's physical appearance a futility. However, his looks and behavior were not unanimously approved within the Jedi order. Although he admittedly revered his colleague, Jedi Master Tholme once commented that Qui-Gon Jinn looked neglected "like a Bantha" and exhaled a foul body odor reminiscent of that of a Rodian. Tholme also criticized Jinn for taking "every word" from his own mouth as a pearl of wisdom.[59]
Powers and abilities[edit | edit source]
Lightsaber combat[edit | edit source]
- "Use your opponents' strategies against them and you take away their power. […] Get your opponents to lose their grace, and they will lose their purpose, Padawan. […] Do not meet hate with hate. Meet it with purpose."
- ―Qui-Gon Jinn teaches Obi-Wan Kenobi how to win a battle.
- "The perfect attack begins with your attention. Every pebble can be an obstacle or an opportunity. Hone your focus. Add speed, timing, strategy, surprise. Do not forget the Force is with you."
- ―Another lesson from Jinn
Qui-Gon Jinn was one of the finest swordsman in the Jedi Order, having frequent sparring experience with many of his skilled contemporaries: his mentor, Dooku;[9] Mace Windu, the creator of Vaapad;[4] and Jedi Weapon Master Anoon Bondara.[179] Jinn was a master of the fourth form of lightsaber combat, Ataru. In combat, his bladework was wide and powerful, marked by heavy, two-handed slashes and sudden flourishes to cover his flanks. Jinn's mastery of Ataru was such that he could easily defeat blaster-wielding opponents despite the form's weakness to blaster fire.[3] Rather than engaging in the energetic acrobatics typical of most Ataru specialists, Jinn, at least in his later years, tended to stay grounded during lightsaber duels.[3] That being said, he remained fully capable of utilizing acrobatic attacks and maneuvers during combat.[49] Jinn was also capable of effectively employing unarmed combat strikes into his lightsaber sequences.[3]
However, Jinn was not without his weaknesses. Dooku had sparred with him plenty of times and knew every single flaw in the Ataru form.[9] In his elder years, Jinn's strength and physical ability began to diminish from age, and his primary edge was derived from his experience and intuition rather than from his physical attributes. His flagging stamina became a particularly notable issue due to his practice of Ataru, an incredibly tiring combat form even under ideal circumstances.[13] Despite his mastery of Ataru, Jinn was still prey to some of the form's flaws, namely the weak defense and the lack of effectiveness in confined spaces.[167][180] All these weaknesses came into play during his final duel against Darth Maul. During the duel, Jinn saw an opportunity to redirect the duel to a small melting pit room in the Naboo power core. Jinn hoped to use the confined space to prevent Maul from bringing his saberstaff to bear, giving himself the advantage. However, Maul was aware of what Jinn was attempting to accomplish, and believed that the negative effects that a small space would have on his own technique were negligible compared to the effects it would have on Jinn's. Maul allowed himself to be pushed into the melting pit room, and there, Jinn's strategy backfired as Maul had hoped it would. Closed in, forced onto the defensive, and heavily fatigued from the long duel leading up to this, Jinn was brought down.[13] These flaws in Jinn's technique were apparent enough that Darth Maul reasoned out exactly how he could kill Jinn after less than a minute of being exposed to the Jedi Master's fighting style.[125][126]
Ataru was not Jinn's only fighting style, and he had learned other forms of lightsaber combat, possibly to better handle the weaknesses of Form IV. Dooku had apparently taught him the classical dueling form of Makashi, allowing him to effectively incorporate its maneuvers into his dueling style.[181] Not only was Form II more effective against a single lightsaber-wielding opponent,[182] but it was also more grounded,[17] as demonstrated in Jinn's duels with Darth Maul.[3] He seemed to have been well-trained in Shien and Soresu, as he could easily handle blaster-wielding opponents.[3] When he and Kenobi fought Taxer Sundown's hypnotized soldiers, who were wielding training lightsabers,[85] he displayed a level of mastery of Shii-Cho shared with Kit Fisto, albeit at a lesser degree.[17][183]
At one point during his training, Jinn tried using a whip, only to find that it "tangles easily."[17] Nonetheless, he had gained some knowledge on how to combat opponents armed with lightwhips, vibro-whips, and other whip-like weapons.[18]
During combat, Jinn preferred to adjust his technique based on the needs of the moment, rather than focusing on an overall strategy.[16] On Esseles, to conserve the diminishing charge in his lightsaber, he used his grappling spike launcher to snare two battle droids and yanked them off their feet.[90]
Force talents[edit | edit source]
- "Remember, concentrate on the moment. Feel, don't think. Trust your instincts."
- ―Jinn to Anakin Skywalker, minutes before the Boonta Eve Classic
A philosophical warrior, Qui-Gon Jinn believed heavily in what he referred to as the "Living Force," a method of focusing on the moment rather than contemplating the Force in all its degrees.[3] It has been suggested that an ability such as this would have been conducive to stopping Palpatine's rise to power; as the Jedi focused on the Separatist threat to the future of the Galactic Republic, they failed to examine the moment more closely.Template:Fact
Jinn had considerable skill with telekinesis: lifting people or objects,[63] dislodging enemies with a single Force Push,[3] throwing objects onto a desired target, swerving a shooter's weapon hand out of range,[16] and dismantling droids.[13] During his mission to rescue Adi Gallia, he used a Saber Throw to dislodge a droid attached to a turbolift shaft.[90] He also applied a meditative trance known as Serenity, granting him renewed strength and focus,[184] as seen during the momentary break in his final duel with Darth Maul.[3]
Jinn was exceptionally skilled in mind tricks, as was evident when he convinced Boss Nass to lend him, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Jar Jar Binks a transport to Theed.[3] An extraordinary account of his using this power was when he persuaded a Hutt guard working for Offworld to give him access to Xanatos' private office on Bandomeer—a truly remarkable feat,[12] as the Hutt species possessed a level of natural resistance to Force suggestion that bordered on immunity.[19] He was able to receive Force visions,[22][36][51] despite his preference to focus on the present rather than the future.[3] In addition, he had some knowledge of Force healing,[22][65] as displayed in his futile attempt to save Tahl moments before her death.[14]
One of Jinn's lesser known Force powers was animal friendship. On the unknown blue planet, he controlled the mind of a draigon and rode on its back for as long as he needed until he reached his destination.[22] Later, he took a mental hold on a kudana during his and Kenobi's mission on Rutan.[56]
When a blind Tahl improved her other senses, Jinn was inspired to do the same. On Kegan, he used his sense of smell to help him and Adi Gallia slip out of the Gathering Circle unnoticed.[51] He could also control his breathing for a considerable amount of time; he would be able to render himself immune to various poisons,[3] as well as remain still and hide his life signature from probe droids.[36]
Due to Jinn's belief in the Living Force, he studied the ability to retain his consciousness after death and managed to achieve an incomplete mastery, able to become a Force ghost after he died at the hands of Maul, but he was not able to manifest himself and could only speak to others.
Other skills[edit | edit source]
When Dooku took Qui-Gon Jinn as his Padawan, he noted the boy's mind as "excellent," able to collect data and catalog them for a conclusion in less than a minute. This would serve Jinn well in future missions.[7]
Jinn had a vast knowledge of the architecture of many capital ships and large transports, and understood their abilities and vulnerable points, including the engineering and structure of the Trade Federation's landing craft. Because of this knowledge, both he and Kenobi were able to sneak onto separate ships and stow away until they reached the swamps of Naboo.[106] He also exceeded Dooku in repairs, which his then-mentor acknowledged.[7]
While he usually let Kenobi handle driving a transport as the Padawan got older,[3][16] Jinn did have some skill in piloting various speeders and every type of flying craft.[46] He drove an Agri-Corps boat and an Offworld landspeeder during his time on Bandomeer.[12] His first time with a swoop had been difficult, but he quickly managed to control it.[46] He later flew a Galan starfighter while bringing Tahl back to Coruscant to recuperate after their mission on Melida/Daan.[47] On his second mission to Telos, he navigated a gravsled to prevent Xanatos from escaping.[49] On Rutan, he briefly took the controls of Prince Taroon's transport to land them and Kenobi safely as the nervous young Rutanian shook the ship.[56]
Jinn's linguistic capabilities were also notable. He was fluent in many languages, including Basic, Nelvaanese, Cerean, Gran and Shyriiwook.[185]
Behind the scenes[edit | edit source]
Portrayal[edit | edit source]
- "He's almost like a monk, an old-time warrior who is wise and quite philosophical, yet very skilled in martial arts. He has incredible confidence, as well as a magical quality that enables him to see into the future. He's not really a rebel, but he has his own code."
- ―Liam Neeson's thoughts on his character, Qui-Gon Jinn
Qui-Gon Jinn was portrayed by Liam Neeson in Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace. As revealed in The Art of Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, Lucas conceived Jinn's character during pre-production of The Phantom Menace. This is shown by concept art where Kenobi is shown alone in the Federation ship and while meeting Binks. Even when Jinn was conceived, Lucas toyed with making him the younger Jedi, as shown in concept art depicting Kenobi as an old man.
Neeson's voice was later used briefly in Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones. The character was voiced by Fred Tatasciore for the Star Wars: Clone Wars animated series. James Warwick voiced Qui-Gon Jinn in the 1999 video game adaptation of Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, the 2000 video game Star Wars: Episode I Jedi Power Battles, the 2001 video game Star Wars: Obi-Wan and the 2001 video game Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds.
Jinn's voice was set to appear in Revenge of the Sith, and Neeson had hinted at involvement in early 2005.[186]</nowiki> The scene was cut, however, and Neeson was never recorded.[187] The scene between Yoda and Jinn can still be read in the film's screenplay and the novelization. Jinn was also mentioned in the video game platform and Gameboy Advance/Nintendo DS versions of the Revenge of the Sith game.
Neeson reprised his role in 2011, voicing a ghostly Qui-Gon Jinn in Star Wars: The Clone Wars.[188]
There was some confusion as to how many apprentices Jinn had during the course of his career. All sources agree that he trained Xanatos and then Kenobi, but there is also the occasional reference to a Padawan before Xanatos. This discrepancy was solved in Jinn's Databank entry, which stated that "Qui-Gon obsessed over his failure for years, dismissing his earlier successes as a teacher and often referring to Xanatos as his 'first' apprentice."[35] In 2011, Jinn's first Padawan was identified as Feemor in the Star Wars: Jedi—The Dark Side comic series.
Continuity[edit | edit source]
Video games[edit | edit source]
Qui-Gon Jinn has been featured in a number of video games set during the events of Episode I, some of which contradict the movie. This section describes the games and the contradicting elements presented in them.
Star Wars: Jedi Power Battles[edit | edit source]
The video game Star Wars: Episode I Jedi Power Battles, which can be played with one or two players, featured Jinn as one of five playable characters. As the game takes place during the events of The Phantom Menace, this article assumes that the two playable characters are Jinn and Kenobi. The levels Trade Federation Battleship, Swamps of Naboo, City of Theed, and Theed Royal Palace take place from the start of the movie to the Jedi's departure on Theed. The first mission starts just after Jinn's and Kenobi's escape from the conference room aboard the Trade Federation flagship. They travel through the corridors and engage a large group of battle droids before finding a command center. They then travel on a conveyor to a hangar and duel a Cargo Loader Droid. They then continue through the ship and duel a droid starfighter. The next mission takes place in Naboo's swamps, after the Jedi meet Binks.
They escort the Gungan through the swamps and face a large group of battle droids throughout the mission. The level ends after defeating the Slaatik hagworm. If they take too long during the mission, Binks may be killed, although he runs off to the side and is hardly seen. The next mission takes place after the Jedi's arrival in Theed. The Jedi travel through the streets to the Palace; along the way they rescue several handmaidens from the droid. The mission requires the player to rescue seven of the handmaidens. During the mission the players take control of an Armored Assault Tank and use it to blast other tanks. They then dismount and destroy a T4 turret droid. The last mission in Theed contradicts the movie. The two Jedi infiltrate the Palace and fight through more battle droids. They then find a tomb, which opens to reveal one of the handmaidens they had rescued. She leads them to the Throne Room, where they rescue Queen Amidala from battle droids. They then escort her through the Palace to the Hangar, which is guarded by Plasma battle droids. This article assumes the second half of the mission is non-canon.
In the Coruscant mission, the player(s) travel to the Jedi Temple while fighting gang members. The next mission, Ruins, expands on the scene where the Queen and Jedi return to Theed. The player(s) fight through the swamps and some ruins before meeting the Gungan Security Chief. The next two missions feature a return to Theed: Streets of Theed puts the Jedi on captured Federation STAPs to travel to the Theed Royal Palace. In Palace Cliffs, the player(s) scale the Palace cliffs and face five rooms out of six full of various types of battle droids to rescue Security Force pilots. The third chronicles the duel with Darth Maul. The duel in the game contradicts the movie, so this article does not incorporate its events.
The duel features extra posturing on Darth Maul's part, with him bowing twice to the player. They then duel, heading out of the hangar and into the power chamber. The player chases Maul around the catwalks and duels him on an energy bridge, before leaping down a set of rings and dueling Maul on the central catwalk. Maul Force-jumps away from the player, who chases the Sith Lord. In the next section, they face three battle droids and take an elevator up. On the upper catwalk, the player faces two more droids and must jump across a series of gaps which feature oscillating lasers. Once past, the player must disable two fans. They then disable a third fan and start jumping down its five levels, disabling more fans on the way down. The player ends up on the bottom of the power chamber and must avoid falling into the pool. Past that is a laser gate maze, which is guarded by more droids. The next section past the maze is a series of gaps which the player must jump over, while also avoiding the lasers. Once across, there is a short duel with Maul which is similar to the movie. If Jinn is a playable character, he can beat Darth Maul outright and appear in the victory celebration after the invasion was over. This article assumes the last mission is non-canonical.
Other Episode I video games[edit | edit source]
Jinn is a playable character during the Tatooine portions (Mos Espa, Mos Espa Arena and Desert Encounter) of the Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace video game, which contradicts the movie in several places. He also appears in other missions supporting the player. The game outright contradicts the movie scene during the mission Otoh Gunga. In the game, Binks is arrested and separated from the Jedi, and Jinn orders Kenobi to travel through the city and rescue him. Kenobi travels through the city, Force pushing guards out of his way and using a mind trick to secure the release of Binks. They then meet up with Jinn in the bongo transport bay. In the movie, Binks stands with them the whole scene. In the game, the deal between Watto and Jinn is also changed, as Watto demands that Jinn pay him peggats as an additional condition. Searching for the way to obtain the money, Jinn goes to Jabba the Hutt's quarters shortly before the podrace, where he fights a creature called Jabba's champion.
Jinn defeats the beast and is given the peggats as a reward, which he uses to place a bet with Watto. Due to them directly contradicting the film, this article assumes those scenario to be non-canon. Jinn supports the player in Star Wars: Obi-Wan, who takes the role of the titular Jedi in each mission. In the mission Betrayal, Jinn and Kenobi escape from the Federation conference room and travel through the flagship until reaching the bridge. In that game they discover the invasion fleet before they do in the movie. Jinn's duel with Darth Maul at the start of the Darth Maul level is not scripted, and the player can see a different duel each time. In Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds, Jinn narrates the training campaign and appears throughout the game. The game requires Jinn to survive to complete the missions he appears in.
Non-canon appearances[edit | edit source]
Qui-Gon Jinn made appearances in LEGO Star Wars: The Video Game, which adapted the events of Episode I in a humorous fashion. He later appeared in LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy as an unlockable character as well as the compilation of the two games titled LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga. He later made another appearance as an unlockable character in LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars. In the 2008 Star Wars: The Force Unleashed video game, if a player enters MAVERICK as a cheat code, that player can play as Qui-Gon Jinn. In the PSP duel mode of the game, Qui-Gon Jinn fights the player along with Obi-Wan. Jinn is also a playable character in the expansion pack Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds: Clone Campaigns.
Jinn appears as a disembodied voice in the non-canon comic Star Wars: Visions of the Blade, a prequel to the fighting game Soulcalibur IV, which features Star Wars characters. In the comic, Yoda, while in exile on Dagobah, experiences a vision of Astaroth approaching the sword Soul Edge. Jinn contacts Yoda, encouraging him to temporarily step out of his exile and set out to the Cowl Crucible to confront the enemy.
In the third issue of the comic series Star Wars Infinities: A New Hope, in which the Rebel Alliance failed to destroy the Death Star and lost the Battle of Yavin, Luke Skywalker goes to train with Yoda on Dagobah. While inside the Dark Side cave, he experiences a number of visions, including that of Jinn promising Anakin Skywalker that he will become a Jedi. In another alternate storyline, Star Wars Infinities: The Empire Strikes Back, Skywalker freezes to death on Hoth, leaving Leia to go to Dagobah and train as a Jedi. After she has left the planet, Darth Vader arrives there and confronts Yoda. The two engage in battle of the minds, in which Vader is attacked by the spirits of Jedi from his past, including Jinn.
Appearances[edit | edit source]
Non-canon appearances[edit | edit source]
- LEGO Star Wars: The Phantom Menace
- LEGO Star Wars: The Video Game
- LEGO Star Wars: Darth Maul's Mission
- LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy
- LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga
- Template:Tales (Mentioned only)
- Old Wounds (In flashback(s))
- Star Wars Galaxies: An Empire Divided (Depicted in painting only)
- Star Wars: Visions of the Blade (Force-voice)
- Star Wars: The Force Unleashed video game (As a skin)
- Star Wars Infinities: A New Hope 3 Template:Vision
- Perfect Evil (In flashback(s))
- Star Wars Infinities: The Empire Strikes Back 4 Template:Ghost
- Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds: Clone Campaigns (Playable character)
- Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (video game) (Usable in duel mode only)
- LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars
- Darth Vader and Son (Mentioned only)
Sources[edit | edit source]
Notes and references[edit | edit source]
External links[edit | edit source]
- Qui-Gon Jinn on Wikipedia
- Qui-Gon Jinn at the Internet Movie Database
- Drawing Qui-Gon Jinn on StarWars.com (content now obsolete; backup link on Archive.org)
- Qui-Gon Jinn on the Official Star Wars Soundboards
This page was moved from wook:en:Qui-Gon Jinn/Legends. It's edit history can be viewed at Qui-Gon Jinn/Legends/edithistory