Title: Redemption
Rating: G
Summary: A Jedi is saved . . . and so is a soul.
Author's Notes: Having read the JA might be helpful, but I've been told it stands perfectly on its own.
***
The cloaked figure kept to the corners and dark shadows of the buildings, running lightly along alleyways. His shoulders were hunched down protectively, his arms held curved in front.
It was raining heavily, making the normally dark and dirty Corellian city of Mangeht appear even grungier. Mangeht was known for its total dislike of any government entities, and their interference. Here, everything was a matter of survival and money, never ethics.
It was a good hiding place for a Jedi, and his young charge.
The watching man would never have believed the cloaked figure was Obi-Wan Kenobi, had he not seen the Jedi's face purely by accident. Obi-Wan had been crouched on the ground, his dirty, torn cloak pooling around him in the sewer water in which he knelt, resting. His arms had been curled around something he was holding, his back hunched over it protectively as he gazed down. His hood was drawn down very low.
He had only been passing Obi-Wan when Kenobi shot a wary glance up and around; just as quickly he looked back down, and that brief appearance of his face vanished. He had seen the ginger hair, streaked with a few brushes of gray, stuck to the Jedi's face with sweat and rain. The blue eyes, normally full of serenity and sometimes even a gentle humor, were dark and nearly unreadable, showing only worry and paranoia.
Though paranoia was a good thing to have these days, even for those that the newborn Empire had no interest in. He himself had held to wariness, had used what remained of his wealth from the days of the Republic to make himself a haven where he would never be found.
He should just leave the Jedi alone. It was none of his concern.
But something within him held him back from doing that. When Kenobi had risen from checking whatever he was holding, the watching man had followed him, keeping his distance carefully. Obi-Wan could very well sense the presence of a tail if he wasn't careful enough. The Jedi was skilled, and more importantly, he had something – whatever that bundle was – to protect.
Jedi took those things seriously. The watching man knew that very well, for the same principle had been drilled into him. For a time, he had lost that. Perhaps . . . perhaps he had found it again.
Even as Obi-Wan kept to the shadows, his follower did the same. He trailed at enough of a distance that he could barely see the Jedi. He would often glance at his surroundings, knocking his long black hair out of his eyes, and wonder where indeed the Jedi was going.
Which was how he saw Obi-Wan's other stalker.
He doubted this other one had his own such harmless intention – curiosity, really – as he followed Kenobi. This new stalker was clearly a bounty hunter, perhaps even one of those hunting specifically for Jedi. The camoflauging matte color of the Twi'lek's clothing spoke of experience, as did the easy, silent way in which he moved and the distance he kept from his target. Jedi could only sense so far, and Obi-Wan might not catch the bounty hunter's presence in time - especially if the bounty hunter used the tranq gun he was holding. It looked to be of the type that shot darts that exploded into mist when caught in heat – like the heat of a lightsaber, for example.
Yes, the bounty hunter might very well succeed.
To the watching man, the question was, what was he going to do about it? He owed nothing to Obi-Wan. Nothing at all. He had never harmed the boy.
But Force knew he owed so much else, for his crimes against innocent beings and worlds, even.
Before the thought had finished and fully formed within his mind, the watching man had sped up, now stalking the bounty hunter instead of Obi-Wan. The hunter would become the hunted. He came up to the bounty hunter's side. His hand slipped to his dark belt and his matte black lightsaber hilt, which had been hidden with the ease of long experience. His long fingers closed around it, and his grasp firmed.
He moved past empty, precariously balanced boxes without making a breeze in his passing. His muscles were tense with the effort of maintaining complete control. His dark hair fell into his eyes, but it didn't matter. The Force was around the watching man was alive with tension, to which, of course, the bounty hunter was oblivious.
The watching man's breath stirred the back of the bounty hunter's clothes. The bounty hunter whirled, his lekku's hitting the side of his own face, his boots scuffling. There was a brilliant flash of a violet blade, which was dimmed when it intersected with the bounty hunter's body. The Twi'lek's red eyes blinked, and his mouth gaped open with the laxness of death.
The man didn't bother to halt the Twi'lek's fall.
Unfortunately, the interchange had made noise. Obi-Wan, his senses already attuned, heard it even from where he stood. He had already paused when he had heard the sound of a lightsaber igniting. He had stopped in the street, his back to the dingy wall, covered with the marks of different gangs and criminal affiliations. His blue eyes were wide, and held steady on the man who had saved him.
The watching man straightened slowly from his combat ready position, looking into the Jedi's eyes. He said nothing. There was nothing to say.
Obi-Wan opened his mouth for a moment, then paused. As he did so, the bundle in his arms made a noise. It was the soft sound of a baby gurgling. Hesitating and looking down, Obi-Wan jiggled the baby to calm it.
The baby.
Only meters from Obi-Wan, his rescuer now knew the bundle for what it was, a blue eyed young infant. Mere weeks old, he guessed.
Kenobi was gazing at him again when the rescuer's eyes lifted from the baby. He couldn't sense the baby through the Force – the Jedi was shielding its presence that strongly. The wary look in Obi-Wan's eyes gentled as he looked at the man standing before him. A smile touched his cracked lips, and something like joy crossed his face and brightened his eyes with tears. Or . . . perhaps it was hope?
Hope for what? That he had saved Obi-Wan's life? He himself was nothing. He was not as Obi-Wan was, he was not a Jedi. Not one of the hunted – if anything, he was one of the hunters. But now, one who no longer cared to hunt, no longer cared to kill. One who no longer cared to know the darkness so intimately it crushed his soul. He know he had done evil things, wrong things, and he knew he would never do that again.
He wasn't a do-gooder. Was he? He looked at the child Obi-Wan held. Once, he would have cared nothing for that little death. If there ever was such a thing as a little death. His business schemes had killed many, he was certain, and among those killed there were surely children. Death had taken his father and given him darkness. That one death . . . had led to so many.
Obi-Wan spoke firmly, quietly. His voice was hoarse, unsteady. It revealed his exhaustion as much as the gauntness of his face did. "May the Force be with you, Xanatos."
Then Obi-Wan turned and walked away, leaving Xanatos behind. His steps, while still furtive and silent, had more . . . energy in them. As Xanatos watched, Obi-Wan pulled his hood down farther, and hunched himself over the tiny child he held, once again as went. Wherever it was that was his destination.
How long had it been since anyone had said that to him? Had wished him to know the Force? Since long before the death of Qui-Gon Jinn, Xanatos imagined. Since his fall to the Dark Side. Since before Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan – a mere child then – had believed him to be dead. Since he had taken up his father's path, of selfishness and greed. Why had Obi-Wan said it? What did it mean?
Why was he crying? Tears leaked from his dark, midnight blue eyes, rolling down his face and off his chin. Guilt had weighed down his soul for years. And he had risked his own life, his disillusioned soul, in the protection of innocence, of an infant. Truly the most innocent of any creature.
Perhaps Obi-Wan had meant it. Had meant the words that could affect a fallen Jedi so. Perhaps it was message, that he was not completely lost from the Light Side. That Obi-Wan believed him to not be lost. If he was not lost – if he could find that light again, and keep it – if he had found it again – those words would be true. The Force would be with him, would lighten the dark corners of his mind. Perhaps he could do as he did with Obi-Wan, and help, and by those actions know the Light again.
May the Force be with you.
And maybe he would find his redemption.
Fin.