Star Wars fic: "Queen's Gambit" (4: The Die is Cast)

[bedlamsbard]

Queen's Gambit (36554 words) by bedlamsbard
Chapters: 5/?
Fandom: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Author Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Characters: Padmé Amidala, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker, Dooku (Star Wars), Palpatine | Darth Sidious, Mace Windu, Yoda, Bail Organa
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Parallel Universes
Series: Part 2 of Ouroboros
Summary:

Civil war threatens the galaxy. Hundreds of star systems have declared their intentions to leave the Republic and form a Confederacy of Independent Systems.

In the hopes of securing a quick peace, the Jedi Council has dispatched two Jedi to capture or kill the leaders of the separatist movement, Queen Amidala of Naboo and her lover, the former Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Into this period of conflict have come four refugees from another universe, fleeing a devastating massacre triggered by the death of Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, secretly the Sith lord Darth Sidious, at the hands of Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker…

*

Naboo
12 years ago
1 week after the Liberation of Naboo

Obi-Wan turned towards him, framed by the columns on the balcony as he clasped his hands behind his back. “What did you want to speak to me about, Master?”

Yoda moved slowly forward to the center of the chamber, taking in the room as he did so. Closed doors undoubtedly led to the bedroom – he could sense the lingering presence of the Queen there, as though the woman’s robe that lay forgotten across the arm of a divan wasn’t evidence enough of Obi-Wan’s broken vows – as well as the refresher and whatever other rooms a suite like this was equipped with. The décor on the walls must have come with the room – watercolor scenes of various places on Naboo, including the palace itself. The only irregularity was the rack of blaster rifles on the wall, displacing a painting that was currently standing forgotten in a corner.

He felt Obi-Wan’s uncertainty in the Force as he waited for Yoda to respond. He had been a Jedi too long to speak out of turn in front of any Council member, especially one as senior as Yoda, and Yoda used that to his full advantage, letting the silence lean on Obi-Wan as he studied the room.

“Jedi you are,” he said at last. “Jedi you were born, Obi-Wan, and Jedi you will live and Jedi you will die.”

Obi-Wan shook his head slowly. “I cannot do it, Master. I will not do it.”

Yoda tapped his gimer stick on the hardwood floor to emphasize his words. “Jedi you are, Obi-Wan, and with the Jedi your fate lies, not with the Naboo. Serve the Republic, we do, not merely one system.”

Obi-Wan crossed the room to kneel down in front of him, putting them on level with each other. He wrapped his hands around one knee. “Perhaps the Republic does not deserve the Jedi anymore, Master. I will not serve an institution that not only fails, but refuses to protect – and to respect – those that rely upon it.”

“Is it of the Jedi or the Republic that you speak, young padawan?”

Obi-Wan’s mouth tightened at the words.

“Or of both?” Yoda added shrewdly.