Diverging Paths, Part III

Diverging Paths, Part III is the fifth chapter in the Re-Entry series. Published September 1st 2004, it contains 18,207 words. It covers the first part of the events in *The Phantom Menace.*

## Summary

Master Qui-Gon Jinn, Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi, and their shared Padawan Anakin Skywalker arrive at Naboo to negotiate an end to the Trade Federation's blockade. No sooner have they transferred to a Trade Federation vessel than the Trade Federation fires on their ship and attempts to kill them. Obi-Wan had expected this treachery based on the events of his other life, and all parties escape unharmed. The three Jedi discover an invasion's worth of battle droids in the hangar, and hitch a ride to Naboo's surface with the troop transports.

Qui-Gon and Anakin land in the middle of a stampede, then are pursued by a Trade Federation scout flyer. Fleeing, they run into the Gungan Jar-Jar Binks, quite nearly literally. Qui-Gon destroys the flyer with reflected fire. Obi-Wan's transport malfunctions and crashes in the water; he is forced to fight his way out. Reunited, the three Jedi discuss the worsening situation. Jar-Jar invites them to the underwater Gungan city, Otoh Gunga, to escape the battle droids roaming the surface. From Boss Nass, the Gungan leader, they acquire transport capable of taking them to Theed through underwater routes. The Jedi take Jar-Jar with them as he had been banished from Otah Gungah.

Once in Theed, they find the invasion well under way and the city already under Trade Federation occupation. They rescue Queen Amidala and her retinue and escape in the royal ship. In the course of running the blockade, the ship's shield generators take a direct hit, which causes secondary damage to the hyperdrive motivator. With a leaking hyperdrive, the ship cannot reach Coruscant. They detour to Tatooine, hoping to locate the parts to repair the ship among the junk dealers there.

Anakin admits to Qui-Gon that his memories of Naboo are clearer, and alarming. He is certain something bad is going to happen. Obi-Wan tells Qui-Gon the story of their visit to Tatooine in his other life. Qui-Gon is alarmed by how desperate his actions surrounding Anakin and the pod race were, and asks how he could have behaved so ruthlessly. In response, Obi-Wan gives him a summary of Micah Giett and Tahl's deaths in that other timeline. Qui-Gon finds it difficult to cope with the knowledge.

### Tatooine

Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, Padmé, and Anakin go into Mos Espa and find Watto's shop. The Toydarian is pleased to see Anakin again, but admits he may not have the motivator they need. He shows them a badly damaged hyperdrive motivator. Anakin declares it irreparable, and wonders why Watto doesn't have the same motivator as last time. Obi-Wan points out that they have changed events by freeing Anakin years earlier.

Watto does have the rest of the parts they need, and Anakin volunteers to take them back to the ship and start repairs while the others look for a functional hyperdrive. Watto tells them he knows who else might have one, but makes them promise the children will not go, declaring it too dangerous for them.

Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan travel to Jabba's Palace. Bib Fortuna brings them before Jabba, who is amused to find Jedi visiting. Obi-Wan does most of the negotiating, since he is more familiar with both Jabba and Huttese. The Hutt does have an acceptable motivator, and agrees to sell it to them for five thousand Cho-Mar -- and a kiss from Obi-Wan. With no other suitable motivator on the planet, Obi-Wan is forced to agree.

Qui-Gon asks to purchase a young female slave Jabba keeps on a chain. Jabba agrees, but when she struggles, he pulls the chain hard enough to snap her neck. In his horror, Qui-Gon nearly steps onto the trap door over the beast pit; Obi-Wan yanks him back just in time. Jabba mocks the Jedi, and violence threatens to erupt, but Obi-Wan Force-lifts Jabba's dais, threatening to drop it if they are not allowed to leave peacefully. Even a short fall can be fatal to a Hutt, so Jabba complies. The Jedi load the motivator on their speeder bike and leave the Palace as quickly as possible.

Several kilometers away, Obi-Wan asks to stop. He gets off the bike and vomits into the sand. Between bouts of nausea, he explains to Qui-Gon that ryll spice concentrates in Hutt saliva. Obi-Wan was exposed during the kiss, and is suffering from spice overdose. Qui-Gon gets him as far as Mos Espa, where they take refuge in the slave quarters with the Skywalkers' friend Jira, the fruit stand vendor.

Spice withdrawal involves shaking and convulsions violent enough to break bones. In an attempt to distract Obi-Wan from the pain, Qui-Gon gets him talking about prior experiences with spice. Obi-Wan tells him a story about breaking up an arms deal on Corellia that ended with him falling into an entire crate of spice. Fortunately Anakin was present and made him drink a great deal of brandy immediately -- alcohol's depressive effects counteracting the spice's stimulants. While it saved his life, he was still in a withdrawal setup for several days.

Qui-Gon asks what happened on Naboo the first time through. Obi-Wan is too drugged to watch his words, and confesses that Qui-Gon died. He is deeply distraught, shouting at Qui-Gon, who does not understand what caused such deep pain. Before Qui-Gon can gather his thoughts, Obi-Wan passes out.

In the morning, they head for the queen's ship. The ship is in sight when they both become aware of a dark presence. They try to run, but cannot outpace it. A black-cloaked figure bearing a red lightstaff attacks them. Qui-Gon is immediately convinced the figure is a Sith. The three fight; the Sith is fast and skilled, and Obi-Wan is weak from the spice detox. The queen's ship reaches them, with Anakin standing on the landing ramp. He goes after the hyperdrive motivator while Obi-Wan takes advantage of the distraction to destroy the Sith's lightstaff. However, he collapses immediately afterward, and Qui-Gon lets the Sith get away in favor of getting all of them to safety.

Anakin goes to install the new motivator. Qui-Gon asks Obi-Wan if this is the definitive event he had warned the Council about four years ago. Obi-Wan admits it is, and Qui-Gon is horrified.

> *"Oh, gods. You're talking about the return of the Sith."*
>
> *"No. I'm talking about the end of the Jedi." - Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan, Diverging Paths, Part III*
>
>

## Series Arcs

### Qui-Gon & Obi-Wan

In the submersible on the way to Theed, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan nearly share a kiss, but are interrupted by a large fish trying to eat the craft. Obi-Wan tells Qui-Gon a great deal about the differences in Qui-Gon's personality between the current reality and his other life, information Qui-Gon finds hard to cope with. Qui-Gon is intensely jealous when Obi-Wan kisses Jabba the Hutt.

### Anakin & Amidala

Anakin and Amidala meet for the first time in this reality. Anakin is worried about seeming creepy, given all his other knowledge, but Amidala appears to be charmed and fond of Anakin. Their bond is obvious to Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan.

### Conflict with Sidious

Darth Maul attacks Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan as they attempt to leave Tatooine.