oratorical | IC Contact

[Not without some sense of propriety, Qui-Gon's done his best to avoid Leia and a few other choice individuals from their galaxy after that family meeting. Although his goal had been met... somewhat, that doesn't change the fact that words--most of them not very nice--were exchanged, and feelings had been hurt. Kind of the opposite of a peaceful cohabitation.]

[And with the disappearance of Anakin, the omelets made from far too many broken eggs meant part diddly and part squat, but not even enough to make diddly squat.]

[Let the record show that Qui-Gon Jinn is a proud man, his leonine features physically expressing that much at the very least, but he's not above apologizing when it's necessary. He also has the sense to give appropriate space to those he's wronged (and he's wronged plenty of people over the decades).]

[So when he spots Leia at the Boreas Harvest Festival, he trusts his instincts and experience and strides in her general direction, keeping an arm's length away when he comes to a stop, just enough to give her room while still making his sincerity known. For whatever it's worth*, and dips his torso in respectful greeting.]

[*see aforementioned diddly squat comment for details]

Leia.

[Leia Organa had been brought up taking classes on proper etiquette and social procedure, learning how to act proper and princessy and in a way that befits her position. Unfortunately, that really just means she knows how to look polite while acting super rude, and considering her current feelings toward this particular giant Jedi master, that's precisely what she does.

Leia tilts her head, raising her chin as she turns toward Qui-Gon, her expression haughty and tight as she looks him over.]

Master Jinn.

[He can try to be more familiar and just call her "Leia" if he wants, but Qui-Gon hasn't made up for his past behavior as far as she's concerned. He's not close enough to be on a first-name basis here.]

If you plan on inviting me to another of your attempts to, what was it, "make up for our last meeting," I'll pass.

[Okay, so… all that shade is well deserved, and Qui-Gon won’t try and deflect any of it. Say what you will about his inability to keep his nose out of other people’s business, or his tendency to do what he wants and consequences be damned, or… his multitude of other egregious flaws, but at the very least he’s self-aware enough to address them. Kind of. In his own special way.]

I hope you’ll be pleased to know that I have no invitation to offer.

Only an apology.

[Leia'a expression remains unchanged, either not convinced by his response or just flat out not caring about it. Possibly a combination of both.]

Is that not what you attempted to do last time? To apologize.

[Qui-Gon meets said expression with a practiced placidity that may as well be royal in its nature. His master—as different as the two were—taught him well.]

You are right.

[Because. Well. She is. In a lot of different ways.]

Allow me to apologize for that as well.

You'll understand if I doubt the sincerity of your apology.

[she says it lightly, in a way that's a complete contrast with how completely unmoved she is by his apology. She doesn't leave yet, though; but she does cross her arms in front of her, waiting for his response.]

It would be foolish of me not to understand.

[Even though Leia keeps her tone light, her body language says it all--and Qui-Gon is sure she wants him to know that.]

I put you in an uncomfortable position, and you did not deserve such treatment. There are no excuses for my actions.

[Reasons? Sure. Excuses, not so much.]

[As far as Leia cares, there's no excuses or reasons for his actions.]

What exactly were you hoping to achieve, anyway? You knew full well what was bound to happen.

I wanted everything out in the open.

Not just the apparent disdain held between a few individuals, but the reasons why. In order for that to happen, everyone needed to be in the same area.

[on one hand, sure, that makes sense. But on the other--]

It's not your place to decide that. The issues involved are more complex than you seem to appreciate, and one meeting in which your intentions were not made clear is hardly the place to get into those.

I won't dispute any of what you've said.

[He got what he wanted out of it, mostly, and there's no need to try and defend his actions or push for anything further. That, and Leia is very much right in her reasoning.]

And the apology still stands.

And it's acknowledged.

[Acknowledged, but not accepted, because there's no way to make up for that just yet. And while she's being petty about things, she might as well go all the way, so--]

Is this sort of attitude something all Jedi have?

It is not.

[Which might-or-might-not make Qui-Gon the Problem Child^TM of the Jedi Order, but that's a conclusion Leia can probably draw for herself, given her experience with the guy.]

Obi-Wan carries far closer to what one would consider a 'Jedi-like attitude'.

[It is indeed something she's assumed, with that confirmation. And she's really realizing now that the stories she may have heard about the Jedi when growing up are far more elaborated than she would have assumed before.]

Knowing what I know now, I find myself disagreeing with that. Weren't Jedi meant to destroy the Sith?

[Not, you know, leave them assumed dead in lava. Even if that Sith was their best friend/brother/all of that.]

[Okay, see, he’s cool with taking flack for things he’s done, but once you start picking on his Padawan, shit gets real. Qui-Gon manages to keep himself and his tone calm, but the slight, almost unnoticeable furrow of his eyebrows gives away the low-key irritation.]

To destroy the Sith, perhaps.

To destroy those we care for, no.

[She likes Obi-Wan in general. She does. He helped out when she needed it, but at the same time, learning he could've prevented Darth Vader altogether is something she's not taking well.]

And when those you care for become Sith, what then?

[The question brings up some painful Xanatos flavored memories for Qui-Gon. Not that his fallen apprentice ever went full Sith, but his descent to the Dark Side still stings all the same.]

[He's silent for a few moments before he responds.]

According to the Jedi Code, one would have to fulfill his or her duty and destroy the Sith regardless of their origins.

[She's no Jedi, she doesn't know what's actually in the Jedi Code. She only has her own assumptions based on what she knows of the Jedi. And Qui-Gon's response is in line with what she assumed. So instead of repeating arguments from the previous disaster--arguments she knows Qui-Gon has already heard--Leia regards Qui-Gon silently for a moment, tilting her head as she does so.]

You've made my argument for me.

[Qui-Gon bites back what would've been an admittedly childish retort with yet another reminder that Leia isn't wrong. The entire situation surrounding Anakin and his fall to the Dark Side is mired in grayscaled should haves and would haves that all culminate in perhaps one of the worst inflictions upon the galaxy since the days of the Old Sith Empire. He can't deny that.]

[But he also can't deny what he knows Obi-Wan did to Anakin. The forbidden marks used, and the emotional turmoil it's put the man through to know that even committing an atrocity himself couldn't stop the destructive force that is Darth Vader.]

[And he won't betray it, either. If Obi-Wan already told Leia in confidence, then that was his business. Qui-Gon won't make any assumptions in that regard, just as he won't make any assumptions that he can ask Leia to forgive Obi-Wan at the very least.]

Fair enough.

However, it is my sincere hope that you have not been put into such a position yourself, and never will be.

[And he means that.]

[Deep down, Leia no doubt knows it's more complicated than that, and were it anyone else but Darth Vader that Obi-Wan had faced, she no doubt would have understood his feelings better. She also knows just as well that not having Vader around might not have changed anything at all. But, the fact that it was Vader and that Obi-Wan had a chance to prevent everything Vader would eventually do but didn't take advantage of it is a barrier to that.

Qui-Gon's response earns him a slight downturn of Leia's lips, as she's unsure how to take that. She isn't sure how far to trust him, or whether he's being sincere or passive aggressive with that comment.]

You say that as if you haven't already learned what presumably happens in my future.

[Presumably, because if she has her way, Darth Trainwreck isn't happening, and she refuses to accept otherwise as far as the fate of her family is concerned.]

If that's all, you're dismissed.

[Qui-Gon clearly has more on his mind, but rather than speaking and (~~probably~~ ~~most likely~~ definitely) making this worse, he gives Leia a respectful bow.]

It has been a pleasure. Please enjoy the rest of the night.

[He then turns and walks away.]

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[SOMETIME DURING THE FESTIVAL]

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