Awakening Evergreen ➠ Star Wars「𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐔𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍」

⓪:⓪⑧

"Annie! Bedtime!" Shmi calls from inside.

Qui-Gon retrieves a comlink chip so I pass him the cloth that is contaminated with Annie's blood. I observe him wiping the sample of blood onto its surface, not even trying to hide the fact that he is doing so in front of the young and curious Skywalker boy.

Anakin leans forward interestedly. "What are you doing?"

Qui-Gon barely looks up as he vomits a reply as naturally as he possibly could. "Checking your blood for infections."

Anakin frowns. "I've never seen-"

"Annie!" his mother calls again, more insistent this time. "I'm not going to tell you again!"

"Go on," I urge, gesturing toward the doorway.

"You have a big day tomorrow," Qui-Gon adds in agreement with me, whilst tucking the cloth into his tunic. "Good night."

Anakin hesitates, his eyes fixed on the Jedi Master, intense and questioning. So I step in front of Qui-Gon and smile tiredly, "Every pilot needs a good night's rest. Good night Ann."

He nods eagerly before turning and darting off into his home. I feel an uncomfortable pinch ache in my stomach, there is something about lying to Anakin that makes me feel queasy.

Qui-Gon waits a moment, making sure we are alone, then slips the chip with Annie's blood sample into a relay slot in the comlink and calls Obi-Wan, who is aboard the Queen's transport.

"Yes, Master?" his protege responded: alert in spite of the lateness of the hour. It nearly makes me smile but I hold back.

Qui-Gon glances about guardedly as he speaks. "Make an analysis of this blood sample I'm sending you." Our eyes met and I could practically feel his nerves shaking as if they were my own. It is hard to differentiate the levels of anxiety shared between us.

He sends the blood readings through the comlink to Obi-Wan and we stand in silence, awaiting the results with uneasiness. I can feel the beating of my heart, it is quick and animated.

"Wait a minute..." He mumbles back.

"I need a midi-chlorian count," Qui-Gon requests as calmly as our atmosphere allows.

"All right. I've got it." Obi-Wan interrupts the short-lived silence.

"What are your readings?" I blurt out, unable to control my nerves.

"Something must be wrong with the transmission." Obi-Wan claims and I swallow hard.

"Here's a signal check." Qui-Gon insists while fiddling with his commlink slightly.

"Strange. The transmission seems to be in good order, but the reading's off the chart...over twenty thousand." Obi-Wan informs us and I felt as though someone decided to whack me over the head with a lightsaber hilt.

"That's it then." Qui-Gon mutters, almost as if he were talking to himself.

"Even Master Yoda doesn't have a midi-chlorian count that high!" Obi-Wan exclaims slightly, full of just as much surprise as us.

"No Jedi has." The man states and I feel a sudden sickness wash over me, luckily the cool winds assist in the recovery of this feeling.

"What does it mean?" I can't help but ask.

Qui-Gon takes a slow, deep breath and exhales softly. "I'm not sure."

The older mentor stands his ground and stares out into the night, staggered by the immensity of this discovery. I don't blame him. There is a sensation of dread that fretted against my heart. My Midi-chlorian count is seventeen thousand, one hundred. It is certainly high, but not nearly as Anakin's declared count.