Tatooine. Hot. Dry. Not the best place to raise a child, Kena thought to herself. She turned away from the window to gaze down at her sleeping son. He was so perfect, yet he was so different. Sure, he looked as normal as any one-year-old human should, but his behavior seemed to be odd. Not much seemed to surprise the child, and he always seemed to know beforehand when his father would have been home. It was those things and many more that caused her to make the decision. The hardest decision of her life. The decision to contact the Jedi Temple.
The Jedi Temple was far away on Coruscant, and at first she doubted if any Jedi would come. But when she spoke to one on the comlink, he seemed very interested. He had said it was a good thing that she had called on them. He said an untrained Force-sensitive child may be dangerous, or could even be confused his whole life. To her it just meant that they would take her baby away.
A Jedi had contacted her earlier that day, saying that he and a comrade were on-planet and on their way. He had sounded very kind, but Kena still feared him. If they took her son, what kind of life would he have? Would he be happy? Would he even life to be old?
A knock on her door startled her. They were here. Shakily she walked towards the door and opened it. Standing outside was a tall, dark-skinned man in a weather-worn tunic and cloak. Behind him was an even taller man with long brown hair tied back, similarly dressed. At his side was a black-haired boy. The darker man smiled at her.
"Hello. I am Jedi Master Mace Windu, and my companions are Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn, and his Padawan Xanatos. Are you Kena? You didn't give us a last name."
She shook her head, momentarily unable to speak. Finally she found her voice. "I am Kena. Please, do come in." She stood to the side to allow the Jedi to pass. "Have a seat." she told them. "I'll bring him out."
She left the room and the two Jedi Masters turned to each other. "It is unusual for someone in the Outer Rim to call Jedi." Qui-Gon commented.
Mace nodded. "But we cannot overlook any potential Jedi. Any untrained person could be dangerous. The boy may or may not be able to become a Jedi, but it is our duty to check him out. No matter where he is."
"I don't see why we had to travel all the way out to the Rim. They aren't even part of the Republic!" Xanatos added.
"Xanatos..." Qui-Gon warned the young man. Xanatos quieted, but still sulked.
Just then, Kena came back in, carrying a small child in her arms. The boy yawned widely and glanced at the Jedi with curious blue eyes. His eyes settle on Qui-Gon and he laughed. This took the powerful Jedi by surprise, but the mother simply smiled. Xanatos scowled.
"I think he wants to go to you." she said as she handed the boy to Qui-Gon. He clumsily held the child for a moment, then looked up at Mace. No words were spoken, but each was thinking the same. This child was special. He blazed in the Force like a nova. Now how to tell the mother...
Mace cleared his throat. "Well, you have a very special boy here, ma'am. Who is his father?"
"His father is dead. He was killed by Tusken Raiders two months ago. I have no other family, my son is all I have." She said this is a emotionless tone, but sadness flowed from her.
"And yet you are willing to give him up to the Jedi?" Qui-Gon asked softly. He quietly took out the blood tester and took a bit of blood from the boy. The child stiffened, but did not cry. Qui-Gon ran a midi-chlorian test and grinned at the results.
Well? asked Mace Windu telepathically.
He has a midi-chlorian count much higher than normal. He could become a great Jedi.
We accept him? Mace asked.
Yes. If the mother lets us.
The young woman was nodding, oblivious to the telepathic conversation. "Yes. I know that you can give him more than I can here. If he stays, he will only live a hard life of confusion."
"The life of a Jedi is hard as well. But it is a life of service. He will give, but not be rewarded."
"I know. He will have a great life. Will you take him?" she asked.
Mace nodded. "If you allow us. But do you know what will happen if we do?"
"Yes. I will never see him again and he will not know who I am. He gives up all of his family for the Jedi." She looked at them both. "Take him. You can give him a better life."
"When can he be ready to go?"
"Take him now. It will be easier. He needs nothing from here." But he has something to remember me by, she thought, remembering the small necklace the child wore. A necklace she herself had made of a japor snippet. She hoped one day he would ask about it and come back to her. No matter how long it may take.
"Would you like to say goodbye to him?" Qui-Gon asked, holding out the child to her.
The young woman nodded and took the boy. She held him for a moment and burnt the image of his young face into her mind. Then she kissed his forehead and handed him back to Qui-Gon. "Please, just go now. I fear I won't be able to take it if you dawdle."
The Jedi stood, bowed their heads and stepped towards the door. When they were outside they turned to speak to Kena, but she had already shut the door behind them. Mace turned to Qui-Gon, looking at the boy in the Jedi's arms.
"That was odd. Most of the time we stay here a few hours with the parents. She seemed like she just wanted us out."
"It is different for every parent. Some want to prolong it, others just want it over and done with. She still grieves."
Mace nodded his head slowly. "She will. Her only family. Sad. But yet she is willing to let him go." He turned back to the small home.
"I'm just glad we're leaving." Xanatos added.
Qui-Gon frowned at him. The boy needed some patience drills "Come. Lets go."
Mace and Xanatos nodded and walked to the speeder. Qui-Gon got in and settled the child in his lap. Meanwhile, inside Kena watched the Jedi go. As she watched the speeder pull away, the tears she could no longer hold back began to flow. She cried for the loss of her only joy, her son. Her Obi-Wan.
The Jedi Temple was far away on Coruscant, and at first she doubted if any Jedi would come. But when she spoke to one on the comlink, he seemed very interested. He had said it was a good thing that she had called on them. He said an untrained Force-sensitive child may be dangerous, or could even be confused his whole life. To her it just meant that they would take her baby away.
A Jedi had contacted her earlier that day, saying that he and a comrade were on-planet and on their way. He had sounded very kind, but Kena still feared him. If they took her son, what kind of life would he have? Would he be happy? Would he even life to be old?
A knock on her door startled her. They were here. Shakily she walked towards the door and opened it. Standing outside was a tall, dark-skinned man in a weather-worn tunic and cloak. Behind him was an even taller man with long brown hair tied back, similarly dressed. At his side was a black-haired boy. The darker man smiled at her.
"Hello. I am Jedi Master Mace Windu, and my companions are Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn, and his Padawan Xanatos. Are you Kena? You didn't give us a last name."
She shook her head, momentarily unable to speak. Finally she found her voice. "I am Kena. Please, do come in." She stood to the side to allow the Jedi to pass. "Have a seat." she told them. "I'll bring him out."
She left the room and the two Jedi Masters turned to each other. "It is unusual for someone in the Outer Rim to call Jedi." Qui-Gon commented.
Mace nodded. "But we cannot overlook any potential Jedi. Any untrained person could be dangerous. The boy may or may not be able to become a Jedi, but it is our duty to check him out. No matter where he is."
"I don't see why we had to travel all the way out to the Rim. They aren't even part of the Republic!" Xanatos added.
"Xanatos..." Qui-Gon warned the young man. Xanatos quieted, but still sulked.
Just then, Kena came back in, carrying a small child in her arms. The boy yawned widely and glanced at the Jedi with curious blue eyes. His eyes settle on Qui-Gon and he laughed. This took the powerful Jedi by surprise, but the mother simply smiled. Xanatos scowled.
"I think he wants to go to you." she said as she handed the boy to Qui-Gon. He clumsily held the child for a moment, then looked up at Mace. No words were spoken, but each was thinking the same. This child was special. He blazed in the Force like a nova. Now how to tell the mother...
Mace cleared his throat. "Well, you have a very special boy here, ma'am. Who is his father?"
"His father is dead. He was killed by Tusken Raiders two months ago. I have no other family, my son is all I have." She said this is a emotionless tone, but sadness flowed from her.
"And yet you are willing to give him up to the Jedi?" Qui-Gon asked softly. He quietly took out the blood tester and took a bit of blood from the boy. The child stiffened, but did not cry. Qui-Gon ran a midi-chlorian test and grinned at the results.
Well? asked Mace Windu telepathically.
He has a midi-chlorian count much higher than normal. He could become a great Jedi.
We accept him? Mace asked.
Yes. If the mother lets us.
The young woman was nodding, oblivious to the telepathic conversation. "Yes. I know that you can give him more than I can here. If he stays, he will only live a hard life of confusion."
"The life of a Jedi is hard as well. But it is a life of service. He will give, but not be rewarded."
"I know. He will have a great life. Will you take him?" she asked.
Mace nodded. "If you allow us. But do you know what will happen if we do?"
"Yes. I will never see him again and he will not know who I am. He gives up all of his family for the Jedi." She looked at them both. "Take him. You can give him a better life."
"When can he be ready to go?"
"Take him now. It will be easier. He needs nothing from here." But he has something to remember me by, she thought, remembering the small necklace the child wore. A necklace she herself had made of a japor snippet. She hoped one day he would ask about it and come back to her. No matter how long it may take.
"Would you like to say goodbye to him?" Qui-Gon asked, holding out the child to her.
The young woman nodded and took the boy. She held him for a moment and burnt the image of his young face into her mind. Then she kissed his forehead and handed him back to Qui-Gon. "Please, just go now. I fear I won't be able to take it if you dawdle."
The Jedi stood, bowed their heads and stepped towards the door. When they were outside they turned to speak to Kena, but she had already shut the door behind them. Mace turned to Qui-Gon, looking at the boy in the Jedi's arms.
"That was odd. Most of the time we stay here a few hours with the parents. She seemed like she just wanted us out."
"It is different for every parent. Some want to prolong it, others just want it over and done with. She still grieves."
Mace nodded his head slowly. "She will. Her only family. Sad. But yet she is willing to let him go." He turned back to the small home.
"I'm just glad we're leaving." Xanatos added.
Qui-Gon frowned at him. The boy needed some patience drills "Come. Lets go."
Mace and Xanatos nodded and walked to the speeder. Qui-Gon got in and settled the child in his lap. Meanwhile, inside Kena watched the Jedi go. As she watched the speeder pull away, the tears she could no longer hold back began to flow. She cried for the loss of her only joy, her son. Her Obi-Wan.