Resolve (short story)

"Resolve" is a short story published in the Stories of Jedi and Sith short-story collection. The story was written by Alex Segura, illustrated by Jake Bartok, and published on June 7, 2022. The story featured Qui-Gon Jinn.
==Plot summary==
Sent alone by the Jedi Council, Qui-Gon Jinn found himself touching down on the icy landscape of Desinta. Greeted by Desintian guards in a docking bay on the planet and soon thereafter Prefect Aminar - the nominally elected leader of Desinta. Qui-Gon's mission to Desinta was to retrieve a child. He had been told by Mace Windu back on Coruscant before he left that the mission had to be handled the right way. Side stepping the pleasantries of a formal greeting from Aminar, Qui-Gon attempts to hasten the proceedings knowing he has little time in order to get answers for the many questions he has. As they make their way to a hallway in the docking bay, Aminar asks where Qui-Gon's apprentice is, remarking that Jedi Knights usually come in pairs. Qui-Gon informs her that his apprentice, Obi-Wan, is back on Coruscant, and that he would like to get back there to continue his apprentice's training. 
Later, Prefect Aminar explains to Qui-Gon Jinn that her planet is in chaos due to her rivals who had united to form a powerful confederacy of armies, and that these rivals had their sights set on her head. Qui-Gon, however, was growing impatient as he cared very little for the broken politics of Desinta and that he was only there for the child who is revealed to be a Padawan. Aminar had informed the Jedi Council earlier that she knew where the Padawan had been hidden, which had spurred Qui-Gon's mission to the planet in the first place. Qui-Gon only wanted information pertaining to the Padawan's whereabouts, but voicing these thoughts annoyed Aminar who claimed he was "all business". After passively insulting him, Aminar handed Qui-Gon a datapad with the information he sought, looking over the datapad he noted to himself that he could reach the location - a frigid-desolate terrain - by nightfall if he left immediately. 
Prefect Aminar tells Qui-Gon Jinn that the Dan'Gar forces have the Padawan held a few territories from their current position and she offers her best pilot, Abbot, to take him there. She remarks that the Dan'Gar forces have a massive army and are most likely holding the Padawan against her wishes. During the conversation something was nagging at Qui-Gon which he resolves to meditate on later. Qui-Gon attempts to thank Aminar and leave, but she stops him and informs him that for her help in the matter, she expects the Jedi Council will remember what she's done and that they will consider it a favor that must be repaid. Surprised by this, but not fully accepting the terms, Qui-Gon leaves. 
In the rear cabin of a transport ship - loaned to Qui-Gon Jinn by Prefect Aminar and piloted by a woman named Abbott - Qui-Gon feels that the whole expedition was troublesome. Qui-Gon then meditated, attempting to visualize what was to come. In his reflection, he wonders why the Jedi Council had been adamant that it was he who was on the mission and why this Padawan, Lizel Liit, had ended up here seemingly of her own freewill. He determined that however it had happened none of the outcomes could be good, but that he must get the Padawan back to Coruscant immediately and to the Jedi Council to face whatever discipline they deemed. Qui-Gon also reflects on his own apprentice Obi-Wan, and his own apprehension in the training process, as he still feels the loss at losing his own Master. He wonders if he could be the teacher he needs to be despite having lost his strongest anchor to the Jedi teachings.
As Qui-Gon Jinn opened his eyes, the transport ship touched down. Focusing on his current task, he prepared himself for what was to come. Abbott informed Qui-Gon that they were as close as she could get them to where they were keeping the Padawan. Qui-Gon, unsure of how to contact the Dan'Gar rebel leader, is informed by Abbot that the rebels are aware that someone is coming. Not fully satisfied with this, he asks Abbot what had been communicated to the rebels, noting to himself that he should have known these things before he ever began the mission, but knows he was otherwise distracted. Abbott claims to not know much else concerning the rebels. Qui-Gon tells her that she has one more duty - to accompany him and be his guide. Begrudging the duty, she reluctantly goes with him. 
As Qui-Gon Jinn and Abbot made their way through the icy, snowy terrain Qui-Gon notices that she seems to know exactly where they are going despite he himself not being able to see anything in any direction. She finally announces that they have arrived, though Qui-Gon couldn't see anything as the weather had worsened. Abbott then claimed that someone was coming and drew her blaster on Qui-Gonn but he had already drawn his lightsaber and disarmed her in an instant before she could get a shot off. Abbott attempted to lunge at Qui-Gon but it proved unsuccessful. Qui-Gon then turned his lightsaber on her. Qui-Gon told her that he could sense her frustration in the situation and that it ultimately gave her away and had confirmed his suspicions. She then remarked that she hadn't fully lied, and that one thing she had said had been true, that someone was coming. 
Riding Fathiers, wielding axes and spears, about a dozen men wearing animals skins and armor descended on the Qui-Gon Jinn and Abbott. Qui-Gon recognized that they were also wielding blaster and cybernetic enhancements which led him to realize that these warriors weren't just barbarians but that they were a fully formed fighting force. With the odds stacked against him, Qui-Gon attempted to collect himself in the midst of the fighting, knowing it was only a matter of time before he was overrun. The Fathier riders coordinated their movements and encircled him, while Abbott lay on the ground, though still alive, after being struck down. Qui-Gon managed to strike one of the beasts down hurling it's rider off, but Qui-Gon was still distracted - the words of Mace Windu still in his head. Finally blaster fire connected with Qui-Gon's back and he went down - and his vision faded to black. 
Qui-Gon Jinn awoke to the sound of a familiar voice and a hand helping him to a drink of water. He realized they had been placed in a tight confined space. He wasn't alone, and he now knew that the girl he was confined with was Lizel Liit, the Padawan he had been searching for on Desinta. It was too dark to see much in their cramped cell, but he was thankful to be alive realizing the blaster had been set to stun. He surmised the Dan'Gar forces must have had other plans for the two Jedi they now had captured. Qui-Gon beckoned Lizel to tell him what she knew. She started to apologize for everything that had transpired, but Qui-Gon stopped her, moving past how she felt, he again asked for what she knew. She told him that she was starting to question everything that had been laid out for her as a Padawan and that she wasn't sure if she was good enough. These feelings had led her to run away from her Master and the Jedi Order as if something was nudging her to leave or drawing her away. 
Lizel Liit then told Qui-Gon Jinn that she wound up on a Spice running ship heading for the Outer-Rim piloted by a woman named Zarah Bliss who had claimed to want to help her but instead had brought her to Desentia and sold her to the highest bidder. Lizel told Qui-Gon that Prefect Aminar was a savvy politician - because Aminar realizes she can only remain in power if the alliances and factions of Desentia are fighting. Qui-Gon realized that he had been setup by Aminar because her competitors now had two Jedi instead of one, and a Jedi Master at that. Qui-Gon, however, knew they had made a mistake in their ignorance - knowing that they had underestimated him. Qui-Gonn didn't blame Lizel, telling her everyone must question what they're told to do from time to time. Qui-Gon reflected on these things he and Lizel spoke of, but also the weight of the decision to join the Jedi Council - a decision Qui-Gon had not yet decided upon. Refocusing on the present, Qui-Gon laid back down and then formulated a plan for escape with Lizel. 
The Dan'Gar guard outside heard a scream coming from the cell where the two Jedi were held. As he entered to investigate he found Lizel Liit crying over a seemingly lifeless Qui-Gon Jinn. The guard entered the cell and attempted to shake Qui'Gon but soon realized it was a ruse. Qui-Gon sat up as the guard stepped back in surprise. Qui-Gon used a force push to throw the guard back against the wall knocking him unconscious. Lizel, amazed at his mastery of the force, was hurried out of the cell by Qui-Gon. Finding Qui'Gon's lightsaber stashed nearby, the two Jedi made their way down what appeared to be a main hallway. Coming upon a pair of unarmed guards, who were unwilling to die, Qui-Gon activated his lightsaber and demanded to be taken to Abbott. 
Qui-Gon Jinn and Lizel Liit entered Prefect Aminar's chambers back in her territory. Qui-Gon, feigning ignorance of the betrayal from Aminar and Abbott, demanded to know what Abbott was doing there though she had been captured like he had. Aminar played along as if she knew nothing - much to Qui-Gon's annoyance. She told of rumors that Qui-Gon had been defeated to which Qui-Gon responded to by saying that his defeat had just been rumors and then accused Aminar of knowing exactly what had been happening. Aminar attempted to convince Qui-Gon that she had no idea what he was talking about, though Qui-Gon insisted that Abbott had said otherwise when her plot to kill him was thwarted. Qui-Gon told her that he knew about the betrayal. After a moment Aminar admitted defeat and offered Qui-Gon an escape with no resistance insisting that he had gotten what he came for. In an short exchange of words, Qui-Gon had managed to insult Aminar's ego, which Aminar did not like. She insisted that she had a planet to govern and more important things to worry about and insisted that Qui-Gon leave. Qui-Gon agreed with her on the point that she had more important things to worry about. He noted that she had three hundred Dan'Gar soldiers upset at her antics to worry about - the same three hundred Dan'Gar soldiers that had accompanied him and Lizel back to Aminar's territory. 
In Qui-Gon Jinn's small ship, departing from Desinta, Lizel Liit queried if the Jedi Council would take her back. Qui-Gon claimed to not know, but that he himself didn't believe indecision and uncertainty should disqualify her from returning. Qui-Gon tried to console Lizel as she cried. Qui-Gon opened up to her about losing someone, referring to his master, Dooku, who had recently left the Jedi Order. He told Lizel about how the loss created in him both doubt and fear, but that eventually, overtime, it became resolve and that this resolve strengthened him. He claimed that passing the blame for the errors he made would have been the easy, lazy path. Instead, Qui-Gon said that he trusted himself and learned. Lizel seemed to come to some sort of understanding with what Qui-Gon had told her. As the two gave each other a look of affirmation - Qui-Gon saw in her fear and insecurity but in that same moment he also saw hope and strength.
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Category:Stories of Jedi and Sith