Archive: By Master & Apprentice, my site, WWOMB and
SithChicks
Pairing: O/Other, Q/Other, O/Q
Category: Alternate Universe
Rating: NC-17 for the series; this episode rated PG-13
Disclaimer: Follow the yellow brick road to the land of
litigation and you' ll be sued by the wicked director of the
west.
Warning: None.
Summary: Obi, still recovering from some bad things, makes a
rather startling revelation in his quest to be with his beloved
Master again.
Notes: As you all know by now, I'm paying homage to the great
SF author, L. Sprague DeCamp with this story. Thanks (as
always) to Beta Readers Par Excellence Fox, HiperBunny and
Emrin Alexander. Em, you're STILL gonna drink that frozen
squirrel.
A bang caused by displaced air was lost in the cacophony of
blaster shots and screaming Jedi. Obi-Wan Kenobi looked around
quickly to catch his bearings, dropping his backpack as he did
so. Glad his 'saber was still ignited, he leapt in front of a
group of hysterical young Padawans, shielding them and
deflecting blaster shots as they ran towards the shelter of the
temple.
The attacking force appeared to be made up of about a dozen
scruffy-looking humanoids armed with blasters and firing at
random, yelling as they did so. Their inarticulate yells turned
to yelps of pain and fear as their blaster shots began being
deflected back to them with deadly accuracy. Shortly, they
broke and ran, firing randomly over their shoulders as they
hopped on a waiting transport and took off.
Obi-Wan powered down his 'saber and clipped it behind his back.
He grabbed his backpack and checked around for further
assailants, the adrenaline coursing through his system keeping
him on the alert. With a start he realized he was alone.. there
were no other Jedi coming to see what the ruckus was about.
Having determined the coast was clear, he walked backwards to
the entrance to the Temple, keeping a wary eye out and his hand
near the switch to Qui-Gon's 'saber. He noted peripherally that
this Temple was more open; there were no walls around it, the
four towers were gone and the central pillar was shorter. It
was as if this were an older Temple, even though Coruscant
looked about the same as always. Which was another puzzle...
how could there have been an armed attack on the Jedi Temple
without alerting the SkyCops?
At the door to the Temple he was met by several Knights and
Masters, all looking at him curiously. "Ben?" one of them said
hesitantly; with a start, Obi-Wan realized it was the female
Mace Windu... what was her name? Oh, yes. Mirra.
Drawing a breath to talk, Obi-Wan was interrupted by the
stampeding feet of several Padawans. He recognized at least a
couple as those he had rescued outside. All of them began
babbling at once.
"That's him, Master! That's the one, he just popped in and he
had a glowing..."
"There he is! He saved us!"
"He looks just like Ben! I saw him appear it was like magic!"
"HOLD IT!" Even as a female, Master Windu had formidable lungs
and her bellow cut through the babble. Into the sudden silence,
she glared around. "That's better. Is everyone all right? No
one hurt this time?"
Heads shook solemnly in answer, even as Obi-Wan thought, THIS
time? "Good. Someone run fetch Ben Kenobi, please." Turning
back to Obi-Wan, the woman regarded him narrowly. "You look
like, but obviously aren't, Ben Kenobi. Am I right?"
Nodding, Obi-Wan smiled faintly. "That's right. My name is
Obi-Wan, and I have a long story to tell you. But first...
where are the guards? The SkyCops? I caught most of the
attackers and wounded many of them, but...?"
"Guards? We have no guards here. This is the Jedi Temple. Why
would we need guards?" Ignoring the obvious contradiction in
those words, Master Windu looked him up and down. "You dress
like a Jedi, but the Padawans say you fought - thank you, by
the way, for helping them. Who exactly are you?"
Sighing in frustration, Obi-Wan said, "I'm a Jedi Knight. Can
we go somewhere to talk? Standing around like this..."
"Of course. We'll go to the Council Chamber."
A pounding of feet heralded the arrival of the Padawan who had
been sent off to fetch Ben Kenobi. Once more, Obi-Wan looked
into his own startled gray-green eyes and smiled. "Hello, me,"
he said softly, as his twin stared at him in amazement. //
There's that name again, // Obi-Wan thought, wondering why
'Ben' was so often his name in other realities.
Master Windu and the others gathered at the door gasped in
shock as they looked between the two young men. "They're
exactly the same," gasped one overly pert Padawan.
"Not exactly, Padawan," Master Windu growled. "Not exactly.
Ben, we're just going to the Council Chamber. Accompany us,
please."
"Y-yes, Master," the other Kenobi said, still staring at his
doppelganger as they moved off deeper into the Temple.
The Council Chamber was also different -- cozier, less
intimidating. And there were chairs, grouped around a large
table. Obi-Wan was waved to a seat as Windu and several other
Council members - some he recognized and some he didn't, but
there was no Yoda - took their places opposite him. Windu was
obviously the leader; she took the head chair and rapped gently
on the table for attention.
"Of late this has been a time of wonder, and here's yet another
mystery before us," Windu said thoughtfully. "You say your name
is Obi-Wan and you are a Jedi Knight; yet you fought, and
apparently just appeared in the garden before the Padawans. Can
you explain?"
"Certainly," Obi-Wan said. He set his backpack down on the
floor next to his chair, rested Qui-Gon's lightsaber next to
him on the table, and launched into his tale. "First, let me
ask... is Qui-Gon Jinn here?"
The puzzled looks he got in response to that made him sigh and
his shoulders droop slightly. "Ah. All right. My name is
Obi-Wan Kenobi. I am a Jedi Knight, in fact, I am the same as
your Ben Kenobi, but in a different reality. It all began with
Naboo..."
The Council members sat in stunned silence as Obi-Wan's tale
unfolded. Several times one or another would blink and inhale,
as if to interject a question; a quelling glance from Councilor
Windu would cause them to subside. Finally, he began to wind
down.
"...I'm quite certain the Force is ultimately leading me,
sending me to these different realities, these different 'ifs',
and in fact the Force has practically guaranteed me a home,
eventually. In each reality, I often have a role to play,
something to do to help the cause of the light along." He
grinned wryly. "Something tells me I may have already started
along the proper path here?"
Councilor Windu was leaning on her folded hands, her elbows
propped on the table, her expression rather stunned. Blinking
at his question, she cleared her throat. "This is... by the
Force. My head tells me it's impossible, but my gut tells me
otherwise. And looking between you and Ben..." She shook her
head, the golden earrings in her ears tinkling. "You say you
are a Jedi, from a different reality. Yet you speak of
fighting, of wars and battles, and you somehow managed to
defend the Padawans. How is this possible?"
Frowning, Obi-Wan said slowly, "I heard this earlier. You don't
fight here? Not even to defend yourselves? You have no
lightsabers?"
"Lightsabers?" Windu said, puzzled. "No, we do not fight. We
are Jedi. The Jedi is a peaceful order of scholars and healers;
the Force uses us as it sees fit to help, never to hurt."
"Has it always been thus?" Obi-Wan asked.
Another Council member spoke up. Obi-Wan did not recognize the
elderly man. "Actually, Mirra, that's a good question. You know
what the histories say... that we were the defenders of the
living for many, many years, before the last Sith war 3500
years ago." Windu nodded thoughtfully at the man's words. "And
if what this young man says is true, the Sith may be coming
back. Perhaps that is why we have been under attack."
"You're under attack?" Obi-Wan said, his eyes growing wide.
"But..."
"It started about a month ago," Windu said with a sigh, rubbing
her eyes hard. "Padawans walking in the Central Market were
unaccountably attacked and harassed by a small band of young
ruffians. It happens now and then, and the Padawans dutifully
reported it. We just stayed away from the Market for a while.
"But then two Knights out to dinner with friends outside the
Temple were accosted. Then the same happened on a field trip
with a group of initiates. There were other, smaller attacks.
Finally, about a week ago, a group of armed men drove up to the
garden and simply started yelling obscenities and shooting
blasters almost at random. Several Padawans were hurt, some
badly. Had you not stopped this attack, it might have been
worse."
"Who's behind it?" Obi-Wan demanded.
"We don't know," another Council member said. Obi-Wan thought
it was Depa Billaba but she looked different somehow. "We have
no way of knowing. No one has ever simply attacked us, we're
healers..."
"You need to find out, then," Obi-Wan said. "Get them to stop.
Isn't there a local constabulary? The SkyCops? Can't they
help?"
A shocked ripple went around the table. "Deal with violence?"
Windu said, scornfully. "No. We would not want to do that. We
are a PEACEFUL order."
"Peaceful, yes," Obi-Wan said, on the verge of exasperation,
"but not stupid. You are right, violence does not cure
anything. But to save yourselves... you must find out who is
behind this. You must begin to defend yourselves."
Troubled, Windu shook her head again. "No... that is not who we
are."
"But it is who we may have to become, Mirra," said the older
man who had spoken before. "This Knight is correct. If there is
a way to stop the violence against our children..." he spread
his hands and shrugged. "Don't forget the visions of darkness
either," he added, almost as an afterthought.
Her eyes still troubled, a frown still creasing her forehead,
Windu finally said, "I must think on this. I don't like it."
Sighing again, she looked hard at Obi-Wan. "I will not reject
out of hand that you might be a sign from the Force, but you
must understand... this is not who we are. Can you stay... for
a few days at least?"
"Of course," Obi-Wan said, bowing. "I will stay as long as you
need me, as long as the Force allows it."
Nodding, Windu said, "Thank you, then, strange Knight. Perhaps
Ben could take you under his wing. I can see he's already quite
taken with you." She smiled at the young man, who blushed.
"Of course, Master," he said quietly. "It's not often one gets
to meet another version of oneself."
At Obi-Wan's request, Ben took them to food, since it was
midday and Obi-Wan found he was famished. The commissary was
virtually the same as in Obi-Wan's reality, but it was crowded
and many heads turned to stare at him. After they picked up
trays, Ben leaned in and whispered, "Would you like to go
somewhere less... ah... public to eat?"
Raising his eyebrows as he took in the stares and mutterings,
Obi-Wan nodded shortly. "I would appreciate that," he murmured
back.
It was only a few steps down the hall to Ben Kenobi's small
apartment. They sat their trays on the small table and tucked
in, Ben keeping quiet out of shyness and Obi-Wan out of hunger.
But within a few minutes, the hunger was assuaged and Obi-Wan
looked up, slightly abashed.
"Sorry. It's been a rather difficult couple of days," he said,
trying to explain.
"Oh, that's perfectly all right," Ben said, smiling. "I--I'm
still trying to get used to this. It's very strange."
"Tell me about it," Obi-Wan chuckled. "The first time I
encountered myself... well, it was a very bizarre feeling."
Draining the juice in his cup, Obi-Wan made a long arm and
grabbed his backpack. "Here. I'll make it up to you." Rummaging
inside, he came up with two dark bottles. "Ah, good. I have
four left. Catch."
Catching the bottle tossed at him, Ben looked at it curiously.
"What is it?"
Unscrewing the cap, Obi-Wan took a long swig before answering,
his face in a wide smile. "Food of the gods. Go on. I guarantee
you'll like it."
Ben did, of course, love root beer and was mildly upset that
there were only four bottles left. But by now, Obi-Wan had the
chemical formula and felt he could synthesize it, if he were
able to stay long enough. "And it sounds like I might, if what
I've heard is true."
"Oh yes, it's true," Ben said, sadly looking at his bottle. "No
one knows what to do. We've had to keep the children inside --
we've had to keep everyone inside -- and it's driving us all
crazy. Who would want to harm Jedi? We're healers, for Force
sake..."
Leaning forward, Obi-Wan placed his elbows on the table. "Is
there any pattern to the attacks?"
"None," Ben answered morosely. "A group appears. They scream
and yell and maybe fire blasters or lay about themselves with
bludgeons, then they leave."
"And the Council won't go to the planetary authorities?"
"Oh, not for lack of trying on our part," Ben said. "A lot of
us younger Knights... well, we're tired of it. Tired of not
being able to do anything. We've been urging the Council to
fight back, somehow... at least turning to the constabulary.
But they won't do it." With a sigh, Ben finished off his root
beer. "This is really, really good. I've got to get that
formula."
"I'll make sure you've got it before I leave," Obi-Wan laughed.
Looking across the table speculatively, Obi-Wan said, "The
first thing we need to do is find out who is behind this. Go to
the head and remove it, you remove the threat. I can't believe
it's random."
"But how could we do that?" Ben asked, plaintively.
"Well," Obi-Wan drawled thoughtfully, leaning back in his chair
and stretching out his legs, "there's lots of ways to do that.
Probably the best way is to capture one of the people and get
him or her to talk."
"That would require the use of violence," Ben said, a grimace
of distaste on his face. "Maybe even fighting. And we never
know when they'll show up."
"I have an idea about that," Obi-Wan said slowly. "Let me think
about it for a while. In the meantime, could I be shown around
your Temple? It's quite a bit different than the one I'm used
to."
"Of course," Ben replied, standing. "I'd be glad to. Why is it
different, do you suppose?"
"Well, for one thing," Obi-Wan said, "it's smaller. How many
Jedi do you have in the Order?"
Over the course of the rest of the day, Obi-Wan and Ben walked
and talked. The two fell into an easy camaraderie, treating
each other like brothers. Ben confirmed there had never been --
to his knowledge, anyway -- a Master named Qui-Gon Jinn. Mirra
Windu had been his Master, before he presented his dissertation
and took his trials. Normally, Ben confirmed, he would be out
in the field, healing and doing research. But with the present
troubles around the Temple...
Ben showed Obi-Wan every inch of that Temple, from the top of
the tower to the depths of the catacombs. In a way, Obi-Wan had
been right in his first assessment... it was as if the Temple
were an older version of the one he had been used to. This
Temple hadn't grown in over three thousand years, when the last
of the Sith had been defeated and the Order had gradually
changed from one of defense and fighting to one of peace and
healing. There were only about half the number of Jedi in this
reality as there had been in others.
As they walked, the passed training rooms and classrooms. The
initiates and Padawans all studied the same things as they had
in Obi-Wan's reality, right down to the katas and basic
forms... all without lightsabers. No forms were followed that
contained battle stances. And the class work concentrated on
healing arts and diplomacy, rather than armed conflict
resolution. The Republic in this reality was smaller, had fewer
worlds, less fighting. Obi-Wan could easily see where Jedi
battle training could be left by the wayside if it was not
needed.
Not that all of it was abandoned. Katas were easily adapted to
fighting. And deep in the bowels of the Temple, Obi-Wan showed
him a museum of sorts, where racks of crystals lay disused and
dusty. Force crystals.
"Some of the older Masters use them as meditation focus," Ben
said, shrugging in answer to Obi-Wan's question.
"They're lightsaber crystals," Obi-Wan said, replacing a
perfect deranium sapphire. "I'll bet there's enough crystal
here to make at least one 'saber for every man, woman and child
in the Temple."
"Lightsaber?" Ben had asked, curious.
"Let's go to a gym. I'll show you."
There were no unoccupied gyms, but the two Kenobis found one
that was mostly empty. Shedding his outer tunics, Obi-Wan
stripped to his waist and stood in the center of a salle, doing
quick limbering exercises. He had Qui-Gon's saber in his hand,
though it was not lit. Slowly, then faster and faster, he moved
into the sixteenth form, third kata. "Recognize this?" he asked
Ben after a few minutes.
"Yes," Ben answered from the edge of the salle. "But you are
doing it faster... ooh!"
Igniting the 'saber, Obi-Wan moved into full speed, letting the
Force pull in around him and cushion him. He was slightly aware
of the fact that others were watching, gathering around and
staring at him in awe. The Force sang to him, thrilling him and
feeding him the strength, energy and agility he wanted to
demonstrate the way the kata should be performed.
With a final leap and flip, he landed, feet planted, powered
off the 'saber and stood, his breathing hard and deep.
Gradually, he became aware of his audience... the gym was
packed with people, all surrounding his salle, all staring at
him with wide-eyed fascination and some applauding
breathlessly. Master Windu stood at the front, next to Ben
Kenobi, her face an interesting study of emotions. Ben slowly
walked out to him and handed him a towel to wipe his sopping
face.
"I want to learn how to do that," he murmured, his eyes hungry.
"Teach me. Please."
"I will," Obi-Wan said, grinning as his breathing evened out.
Master Windu turned then and clapped her hands. "I think
everyone has seen enough. Go on now. Show is over." Briskly
waving all the disappointed Jedi out of the room, the dark
Councilor turned back to Obi-Wan. Her eyes were troubled. "May
I see you at dinner tonight, Knight Kenobi? I'd like to discuss
some things with you. You as well, Ben."
Both young men bowed. "Of course, Master," Ben murmured.
"Good." She looked at Obi-Wan again without speaking. "That was
an impressive display," she finally said, somewhat grudgingly.
"I recognized most of it instantly. I have to assume we haven't
wandered too far from our roots if I could do that."
"The katas I've seen the younger Jedi do today are only
slightly slower than what I am used to, Master," Obi-Wan
confirmed. "Aside from battle training with practice 'sabers, I
can see little difference in training here."
Nodding, Windu turned. "We'll discuss this further tonight."
She walked out of the room then, leaving the two men alone.
"How long before dinner, Ben?" Obi-Wan asked, wiping his face
on the towel again then tossing it aside.
"Two hours," Ben answered. "Why?"
"That's enough time. Strip down. I'll show you what I can
without a 'saber."
His eyes glowing, Ben stripped quickly, then warmed up. By the
time the two of them had moved into faster versions of the
katas Ben was used to, they had an audience again. Neither man
minded; in fact, Obi-Wan was glad. Perhaps he was supposed to
bring these Jedi back to full strength so they could defeat
whatever menace was threatening the Temple.
Whatever he was supposed to do here, he suspected he would
discover at least part of it at dinner.
"There have been... intimations..." Master Windu said, over her
post-dinner glass of wine. "Some of the more sensitive Masters
and Knights -- even some of the Padawans -- have felt a
darkness growing at the edge of our sanctuary."
She sipped her wine, but didn't meet Obi-Wan's gaze. "You must
understand. It has been millennia since we last had anyone who
thought of us as a foe. We are healers, scholars. We are not
fighters."
"I understand, Master Windu," Obi-Wan said earnestly,
deliberately setting his wine glass down. "I really do. But the
Force guides me... as has been brought home to me rather
severely of late... and if the Force has guided me here, now,
then..."
"Then it must have for a reason." Windu sighed, setting her own
glass down. Finally she met Obi-Wan's eyes. Her own dark eyes
were still troubled. "Far be it for me to refuse the will of
the Force. How do you think you can help us, young man?"
Drawing a deep breath, Obi-Wan looked over at Ben and smiled.
"Well, Ben seems to be able to pick up the battle katas very
quickly, so I think that could be one start. Teach your Jedi
how to defend themselves, at least. And you have crystal here,
enough to make hundreds of lightsabers; I can teach a few and
then let them teach others until everyone who needs one has
one."
He looked sympathetically across the table to the dark woman
who looked so distraught at his words. "But I think the best
way to help you is to put a stop to these attacks altogether.
And the best way to do that, I think, is to find out who or
what is behind them. You yourself told me that they had only
recently begun."
"Yes," she said, fatalistically. "But I don't have a clue how
you will..."
"I've been thinking about that," Obi-Wan said thoughtfully, as
she trailed off. "We don't know when another attack might come.
But when it does, we can take a prisoner, get out of him a
higher-up, until we find out who is behind it and stop them. I
can help with that."
"As you said, though," Ben interjected, "we don't know when
another attack will come. There's no guarantee you'll be around
to take a prisoner."
"No," Obi-Wan said, his eyes sly. "But if we use bait..."
Ben was puzzled for a moment after Obi-Wan said that, then his
eyes widened. "OH! I see. I can be the bait, you can follow me,
and..."
"...And we catch ourselves some bad guys." Obi-Wan finished for
him. Although the Knight was grinning, Ben could sense some
trepidation behind it, and wondered.
"It's too dangerous," Windu said, frowning. "I can't..."
"Master Windu, trust me," Obi-Wan interrupted her gently.
"We'll not do this until after Ben has a 'saber and some
training under his belt. He'll be ready, and so will I. We can
do this."
Sighing and shaking her head, Windu looked at her former
Padawan. "Ben... are you sure? I don't want to risk you. You
are one of the best healers..."
"I'll be all right, Master," Ben said, smiling brilliantly.
"Obi-Wan and I will fine. You'll see."
It was painfully obvious the dark Master didn't like it one
bit. But she was too honest with herself to deny that there
were serious problems here. Looking down into her glass, she
leaned back in her chair and sighed yet again. "If I had my
way," she said slowly, dreamily, "the Jedi would leave
Coruscant altogether. We'd go to some abandoned planet filled
with primitive life and life there in splendid isolation."
Sitting up straight again, she sadly regarded the look-alike
Knights on the other side of the table. "But then, we wouldn't
be Jedi, would we. We have taken vows to help wherever we are
needed. And I won't let some lowlife destroy that."
Ben exchanged glances with Obi-Wan and both smiled. "That's the
spirit, Master," Ben murmured. "We'll find out who is behind
this and stop them. You'll see."
Ben offered to let Obi-Wan stay with him, as his apartment,
though small, was set up for two Knights. Their first night
together, after dinner with Master Windu, Ben had asked him
about the faint scars all over his body. He had noticed them
during their workout and subsequent shower, but refrained from
asking until they were alone. Obi-Wan was silent for so long
after the question that Ben was afraid he had said something
wrong and offended, but finally, Obi-Wan began to speak.
The two of them were sitting on the floor of Ben's apartment,
ostensibly to begin shared meditation before bed. Instead of
meditation, they shared tears. Obi-Wan thought he could explain
his captivity and brutalization dispassionately, but after a
few moments, found he could not. He spoke first of Qui-Gon, his
Master and love, the man he was seeking, and how he had found
him in so many different realities. Then, haltingly, he began
to speak of the time of his imprisonment; his first, terrible
but hopeful days, then the despair and terror he felt when he
realized Qui-Gon was such a complete monster in that reality.
"His eyes, Ben... his eyes..." Obi-Wan said, his own eyes wide
and dilated with remembered horror. "They were golden and
expressionless. There was not an ounce of humanity in them. And
what he did to me... The scars are from where he cut me, and
they're everywhere, over every," he swallowed hard, "every bit
of my skin. He had this stuff he rubbed into the cuts that
inflamed them and kept them from healing, you see? But that was
just physical. He did other things too... the rape wasn't all
that bad, next to the torture anyway, by then I was pretty
badly ripped up inside and what was a little more pain? But
when he kissed me, and twisted... held me up by... oh, gods...
it hurt..."
Ben's face was a mask of agony as he watched this strong,
improbable version of himself dissolve into an terror of
remembering. Raised as a healer, Ben's empathy rating was of
course extremely high, and the person sitting across from him
-- being basically himself -- drove that empathy even higher.
With an inarticulate noise, Ben reached out and gathered
Obi-Wan to himself, pouring all the healing strength he could
into the young man.
That kindness and sympathy broke the dam at last, and Obi-Wan
found himself clinging to the other Knight, sobbing and
heaving, screaming remembered pain, his body folding up into an
unconscious fetal position. Ben held him for a long time,
letting the storm rage until there was nothing left, nothing at
all within Obi-Wan but an empty void, where the Force could
finally pour in and finish the healing process.
By then, it was very late, and the two of them lay together on
the floor of the dark apartment, Obi-Wan's head pillowed on
Ben's chest, Ben's arms around him tightly, holding on for dear
life. Exhausted, his voice raw from emotion and tears, Obi-Wan
murmured, "You see, Ben? Part of me is afraid. Afraid... that
it's going to be him again. Behind all this."
Not knowing what to say to that, Ben simply tightened his
embrace, rocking the other man gently. Finally, he sighed and
said, "If that's so, then we'll face him together, my brother."
He looked down into Obi-Wan's face. "I won't let him hurt you
again. I promise."
Looking into the familiar and sympathetic eyes above him,
Obi-Wan felt the tears come again. He let them, for they were
gentler this time, washing away the agony and bringing back
peace. Rising slowly, for they were stiff from their hours on
the floor, Obi-Wan let Ben guide him to the bed, and allowed
himself to be tucked in gently.
Ben kissed him on the forehead. "Sleep my brother. I'll be
right here."
Unable to speak, Obi-Wan let a pulse of wordless
love/gratitude/relief flood the strange bond he always had with
his doppelganger, then drifted off into the first truly restful
sleep he had had in months. A sleep without dreams, from which
he awoke refreshed and ready to start his work.
As it turned out, training others was just what Obi-Wan needed
to regain his own strength, depleted from his months in
captivity. The days fell into a routine... he and Ben would
work out, pulling more and more of the young Knights and senior
Padawans into their impromptu sessions. Obi-Wan devised
practice 'sabers made out of a light plastic, and set them to
sparring with each other, which they did with great enthusiasm.
The evenings were filled with shared meditation while Ben
helped him purge the last remnants of his pain and fear from
his incarceration into the Force.
Meanwhile, Obi-Wan let Ben select five of the younger Jedi to
work in the early afternoon on building lightsabers, which they
did down in the older part of the Temple. In his meanderings
with Ben, it didn't take Obi-Wan long to discover old, shielded
rooms, that he felt were probably designed specifically for the
dangerous art of building 'sabers. He increased the strength of
the shielding using the same materials he cannibalized for the
'sabers... they would not be pretty, but they would work, and
that was all that was necessary.
Doing is the best way of showing, and Obi-Wan also replaced his
own 'saber at the same time, letting the others hang over his
shoulder as he painstakingly described every facet of the
construction. By the time his own was done, the others had
theirs partially completed, and were ready to seek out
crystals.
None of the 'sabers were faulty, so before he knew it, Obi-Wan
had a class of beginning 'saber to teach as well. That, of
course, drew all the younger Jedi into clamoring for their own
'sabers, so Obi-Wan selected two from his first class to teach
two other, smaller groups to build their 'sabers. And so it
continued, Obi-Wan teaching and training, overseeing the
construction of lightsabers, and becoming the darling of the
Temple. Among the younger Jedi, at least. The older Jedi,
including Mirra Windu, sat back and watched, withholding
judgment for the time being, hoping against hope that the
status would remain quo.
More than three weeks after his arrival, there had still not
been any further attack on the Temple, and he and Ben decided
to implement their plan. It was absurdly easy... the two of
them walked, serene in their Jedi robes, out of the Temple
early one evening and went shopping. As the shopping district
closed later that night, they were aware they had picked up a
tail, and led that tail on a circuitous path back to the
Temple, where the tail was turned into the capture.
It was late at night, the Temple was asleep when the two Jedi
brought their captive in, slung over Ben's shoulder in a
fireman's carry. They took him to a predetermined,
easily-locked healer's room, where they proceeded to tie him to
the cot, then sat back to regard their prey. It was a fairly
young human man they had caught, scruffy, not well dressed,
thin-looking. Obi-Wan exchanged a long look with Ben.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked seriously. "This
boy's mind is bound to be a lot less organized than what you're
used to. And it may be dark as well... I felt it on him when we
took him down. I don't know how dark..."
"I need to do this, Obi-Wan," Ben replied. "You've felt the
darkness, I haven't. If I'm going to be struggling against it,
then I'll need all the help I can get. Just anchor me. I'll be
fine."
With that, both young men dropped into a light trance, and Ben
dove into the young ruffian's mind, seeking information on what
-- and who -- was behind the Temple attacks.
In the end, it took another three weeks. The boy they captured
led them to a higher up ruffian, which in turn led to another
higher up... up and up the chain of command they went, tracking
at night and training by day, until finally, they stood, backed
up by six of the best fighters (so far) in the Temple, outside
the door they wanted.
The trail led to the halls of the Republic government, right
where Obi-Wan suspected it would lead. A tall man had been
working behind the scenes to discredit the Jedi (without a lot
of success) for a few months; it seemed his lack of success in
one area led him to go into another.
It was the middle of the night. This raid would put a stop to
the problems against the Temple. Obi-Wan could feel the
rightness of that supposition, but he also felt trepidation.
Would the mysterious tall man -- who called himself Solaman --
would it be this reality's Qui-Gon?
Checking the status of their backup, Obi-Wan nodded at Ben and
put his hand on the door. Ben caught his eyes for a moment,
smiled reassuringly, and sent a soothing pulse into the other
Knight's mind. Smiling his thanks, Obi-Wan opened the door.
The suite was opulent and dimly lit. There was a darkness about
it that nearly gagged Obi-Wan at first, but with Ben's help he
fought back the reaction. // He's been here... he is here, //
Obi-Wan sent to Ben, who nodded his agreement.
Carefully, they moved into the suite, heightened senses on the
alert. From a dark corner, they heard an oily chuckle.
"Ah, I should have known," a light tenor voice said. NOT
Qui-Gon's voice, Obi-Wan chanted to himself in relief. But who?
"The young Knight who seems to always manage to foil my plans."
A dim light began rising in the suite, illuminating the two
Knights and the person who sat in an overstuffed chair near the
window.
"Senator Palpatine," Obi-Wan said, blinking in a bit of
surprise. "How nice to see you again."
"It's Solaman here, my boy," the Senator said, and Obi-Wan
puzzled over the phrasing of that statement. "And they don't
have a Senate. How unfortunate that my plans have come to
naught."
"Why have you been attacking the Temple?" Ben demanded, his
voice even.
"Why?" Again that oily chuckle. "Why not? You are Jedi. I am a
Sith. We all have our little... peccadilloes. Killing Jedi just
happens to please me."
Shaking his head, Obi-Wan said, "You are insane. You're not a
Sith... the Sith have been extinct here for millennia. Longer
than..."
"Yes, yes, I know, my dear boy," Palpatine interrupted him.
"I'm well aware of that. Which left them SO ripe for the
picking, wouldn't you say?" He stood, causing the two Jedi to
reflexively back away and draw their 'sabers at the wave of
darkness that flooded off him. "And you've even armed them
here. You little shit."
Not once did the gentle, half-mocking tone waver, and Obi-Wan's
confusion grew. Something was not right here. Something..."
Reaching into a pocket, Palpatine pulled out a mechanical
device, about six inches on a side. There were several buttons
and dials. "You've been a thorn in my side, Kenobi, for months
now. I thought perhaps I had you once... how you managed to
escape that little trap I'll never know. And I suppose you
found killing yourself was rather difficult, wasn't it? Not to
mention destroying my plans." His face twisted in a grimace. "I
worked hard there too, damn you. And preparing all of them in
advance...spreading your little tales. Of course, it didn't
ALWAYS work," he sneered. "Say hello to Mar-Gon when you
finally join your precious Force, would you?"
Obi-Wan reeled. // What? What? // Ben sent to him frantically,
never taking his eyes off the tall, imposing man. Reflexively,
he ignited his 'saber, the blue glow making the pallor on
Obi-Wan's face worse.
// Mar-Gon? // Obi-Wan thought, his breathing becoming ragged
and his heart racing.
"I would dearly love to kill you here, but I didn't get where I
am today by taking chances," Palpatine continued. "We'll meet
again, little fool. Never doubt it. You may have succeeded
here, but I'll get you yet. Your precious light can't protect
you forever." Turning his attention to the device in his hands,
he said. "Farewell, little Jedi. Find me if you can."
Punching a button, he disappeared with a bang of displaced air.
Obi-Wan fell to his knees and screamed.
Obi-Wan woke to darkness, a soothing, warm darkness. There was
no Dark here, just dark. Dark and dark, he thought to himself,
laughing with a bit of hysteria in his mind.
// Obi-Wan? Can you hear me? // The voice in his mind was his,
and this just made him laugh harder.
// My voice, your voice...// he chanted. // Whose voice is it?
Is it dark? Is it light? //
// Ben. I know that name! Why are you named Ben here, Ben? You
should be Obi-Wan. We should all be Obi-Wan. Even the ones I
kill...// A sob hitched in his chest.
"He's still in shock," a voice said. A deep female voice.
// And she should be he, // Obi-Wan sing-songed in his brain.
// He, she, it. Monster, demon, lover. All together now...//
// Obi-Wan. //
That was a different voice and it brought Obi-Wan up short. //
...??? //
// Obi-Wan listen to me, you're in shock... // That was Ben's
voice, but he wanted to hear the other voice again.
// Master? // Obi-Wan whimpered deep in the recesses of his
empty and hurting mind.
// Obi-Wan. //
// Master?? //
// Yes, Obi-Wan. It's all right now. Let go. //
// No... no... I can't... he's out there... he's waiting for
me... //
// It will be all right. Your understanding is now entire. //
"What's happening?" That female voice again, and Obi-Wan paid
only peripheral attention to it.
"There... there's someone else with him! Master! I--I..."
"Stay with him, Ben. I'm here. I'll anchor you."
// Master! I'm so afraid... Don't leave me...//
// I could no more leave you than the universe could uncreate,
Obi-Wan. //
// Master... I love you...//
// I love you too, Obi-Wan. Do not fear, dear one. The Force is
with you. Love is the key, Obi-Wan. Love is the key. Now, wake
up. You have others worried about you. //
// Yes Master. //
// I love you, Obi-Wan. //
And he woke up.
It was a beautiful dawn on Coruscant three weeks later. Obi-Wan
Kenobi breathed deep before shouldering his backpack and
walking out into the garden. Flanking him were Mirra Windu and
her former Padawan, Ben Kenobi.
"Notice anything heavier in there, Obi-Wan?" Ben was saying
slyly, indicating the backpack. Obi-Wan hefted it, frowning.
"It does seem a bit heavier..."
"Six bottles. And it's good too." Ben laughed at the
comical expression on Obi-Wan's face.
"You've been holding out on me, brother!" Obi-Wan chuckled.
"Six, huh? Well... that'll keep me for a while."
Reaching his preferred, sheltered spot, he turned and ducked
his head. "Well... I guess this is it..."
Master Windu reached out and took one of the young Knight's
hands. "Thank you, Obi-Wan," she said. "What you've
accomplished here... But I wish you could stay longer."
"Are you sure you're ready for this, my brother?" Ben asked
seriously. It was a question that had been asked many, many
times over the last day, and Obi-Wan rolled his eyes.
"Yes, I'm sure," he said, thumping his look-alike on the arm
with his free hand. "But... I couldn't have been sure without
your help," he added, a bit shyly. "Or yours," he continued,
looking at Windu. "Thank you."
"It was our pleasure," the dark woman replied, then pulled the
Knight into an embrace. "Force go with you, Obi-Wan," she
murmured, kissing his cheek. "You are the strongest Knight I've
ever seen. You will find your home."
Biting his lip, Obi-Wan nodded, touched at her solicitude. He
looked at his twin, then abruptly was yanked into a second bear
hug. They held each other tightly for a little while, not
speaking on any level, just basking in each other's presence.
Breaking the embrace finally, Obi-Wan and Ben looked at each
other for a long moment, then parted. Obi-Wan stepped aside
into the shade of the Temple wall, knelt and removed his
'saber. Smiling contentedly, he took a deep breath, centered
himself, and thumbed the switch.
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