Disclaimer: Ok, this is my first Star Wars fanfiction. Obi-Wan Kenobi, Xanatos and the whole Star Wars Universe do not belong to me but to the wonderful George Lucas and Jude Watson. This takes place during Jedi Apprentice: The Dark Rival.
Summary: Qui-Gon Jinn rejects Obi-Wan, but another man has his eyes set upon the lost child and he'll do anything to make sure the boy remains by his side.
Chapter 1: A Sea of Unknowns
12 year-old Obi-Wan Kenobi plopped facedown on the small, dirty cot. With one deep breath, the young boy lifted his head and started to cough. The smell of sweat and dirt of the other occupants who shared the cot plagued his throat. Trying to rub away the day's layer of grim, Obi-Wan tried to remember a time that did not consist of an aching body and congested lungs. The lost Jedi trainee no longer knew how many days had passed since Xanatos dropped him off at the mining platform.
Obi-Wan couldn't help but narrow his eyes, trying to prevent tears from falling. Where was Master Qui-Gon Jinn? Didn't anyone miss him at the agriculture crops enough that they would contact the Jedi?
Well that's what you get when you don't follow the rules. Besides, why would anyone want a Jedi reject? The dark voice sneered inside Obi-Wan's head. That's right no one wanted him…not a failed Jedi Padawan. But, Obi-Wan knew that this self-regret was coming from the Dark Side and he wouldn't let the Dark Side take him. He might not be a Jedi anymore, but he wouldn't betray everything that he believed in. Feeling a sense of calm wash over his battered body, Obi-Wan laid down on his back and was about to close his eyes when the cell door slide open. Three large guards came stalking in and hauled the human boy up onto his tired feet.
"Look, I fought yesterday for you guys and I just came back up from the lower level mining tunnel. Can't I get just a few minutes of sleep?" Even though Obi-Wan knew it was hopeless to plead, his stubborn mind thought it was worth a try. Of course his answer was a swift fist smashing into his gut and a rough tug on his hair to jerk his head up to face the ugly face of the guard.
"Actually, Jedi brat. You've got a little meeting with someone."With that much said, the three guards pushed the young ex-Jedi out of the room and made their way through the thick crowd of miners to the upper platform of the mining facility.
The moonlight glimmered over the dark, restless sea. Only a few clouds dared to crawl across the night sky to cover the flickering stars. A warm wind blew softly from the south and completed the atmosphere of a perfect night stroll. Xanatos tucked in a strand of black hair that had obscured his view of the sea. The young man's pale skin and scar seemed to glow with unnatural light, contrasting the dark black shoulder length hair that framed his chiseled face. Xanatos shifted his long, draping, black cloak over his slim, well-built body, covering the two lightsabers that now hid underneath the cloak. Fixating his ice-blue eyes over the sea, Xanatos couldn't help but begin to ponder the actions of the his ex-master early that day.
Xanatos strolled into Off-World Mining's building and smiled coldly as he watched Qui-Gon Jinn turn around to face him. Qui-Gon was clearly trying to manipulate the worker behind the desk into getting access to his office. But the Force worked in mysterious ways and Xanatos had caught the maverick Jedi in the act.
"My, my, Master Jinn. Who would have thought you is this desperate to convict me of things that I have not done."
"Xanatos. I know that you are planting bombs throughout this planet. Once I find-"
"Tell me Master Jinn, where's your Padawan?"
The shocked reaction from Master Jinn was priceless. Eyes that grew wide and a mouth that had snarled in anger quickly vanished as Qui-Gon used the Force to control his emotions. In a calm response, the Jedi Master replied, "Obi-Wan Kenobi is not my Apprentice."
"Why not?" Xanatos tilted his head to the side and leaned into the wall, crossing his arms. He had thought the boy was Qui-Gon's apprentice. The Force screamed at him when he met Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan in the meeting room, that they a formidable pair. He was so sure that they were together, that his actions of capturing the boy and using him as bait to hurt Qui-Gonwasperfectfor his revenge. But, with this new information, would Qui-Gon still come to the boy's rescue? Of course, the Jedi Master would come to the rescue of any life form, even pathetic ones at that.
"If you must know, he's too much like you. Now, what's with this sudden interest in him?" The disgust was evident in Qui-Gon's voice.
Xanatos just flashed a smirk and shrugged his shoulders. Qui-Gon was about to rebuke when his hand flew to his belt and grabbed his communicator. Xanatos didn't hear the conversation but after it ended, Qui-Gon just glared at Xanatos and made his way out of the building. A half an hour later, Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn left the planet.
Xanatos sighed out his frustration. Whatever made Qui-Gon leave must have been important to drop everything.
"He's too much like you." Qui-Gon's description of Obi-Wan rangin the Dark Jedi's mind. He could try and turn Obi-Wan to the Dark Side. He already planted doubts in the boy's mind when the two meet in the little storage room at one of the farms. Yes, he could turn Obi-Wan or at least train the boy. Qui-Gon and the foolish Jedi Order were blind to see Kenobi's potential. The Force loved the boy. There was so much brightness surrounding him that it had scared him in the beginning. To have that much power at his side would do wonders for his career. Hearing a door swish open, Xanatos leaned away from the rail and turned to face his company.
A dirty, exhausted Obi-Wan Kenobi stood before him.
"Leave us."
The guards nodded and left the two rejected Jedi out on the platform. Xanatos continued to study the changes in the boy. After about a week on this mining facility, the boy's once fair skin was covered in patches of dust, grim, sweat and blood. The healthy cropped brown hair broke into clumps of sweat and pasted onto his young oval face. While the body heaved with pain and tiredness, those shifting dark blue and green eyes that mirrored the dark sea below shone of resilience.
"What do you want?" Obi-Wan croaked to the hated man before him. He didn't have time for this because all he wanted to do was sleep and in only a couple of hours his next shift would begin. If he wanted to survive another day in this hellhole, Obi-Wan needed his strength and wits about him.
Xanatos laughed, "Well, it seems you already threw the Jedi calmness out the window. Good for you."
Obi-Wan clenched his fist. Anger was starting to boil inside of him. Obi-Wan noticed a slight glee enter Xanatos' eyes and unclenched his hands. It was his short-temper that had gotten Obi-Wan into a lot of trouble back at the Temple and why Master Qui-Gon didn't take him as an apprentice.
Sensing the boy let go of his anger, Xanatos nodded. "You know anger is not a bad emotion to embrace. It gives you the strength to survive under extreme situations."
"Don't lecture me because I won't turn to the Dark Side."
A smile played on Xanatos' thin lips. "Your stubborn mind is a good trait to have, Obi-Wan. It's a shame, Qui-Gon didn't see that or any of your other valuable traits before he left."
Cold blue-eyes focused on turmoil dark blue ones. Obi-Wan's eyes were raging with emotions, betraying his stoic nature into that of a lost child.
"Come, join me for a walk. It will clear your head." Xanatos began to walk, his cloak whispering above the metal floor. He would have to be careful with Obi-Wan. Sure, the boy was cut-off from the civilized world, but deep down, the boy still clung to the Jedi ideals despite Qui-Gon's leaving. Even with the Force damper around his neck, Xanatos knew the boy would try anything to break free and run back into the arms of the Jedi if given the chance. Sparing a quick glance behind him, Xanatos tried to hide his smile as Obi-Wan trailed quietly behind him…like how an apprentice trails a master. Shifting his gaze back to the ocean, the pair walked around the platform in a slow, silent pace. After making a couple rounds, Xanatos stopped and leaned against the railing, noticing in the corner of his eye Obi-Wan sitting down and curling up against the corner before falling asleep. He was surprised the boy didn't bombard him with questions or collapse sooner from exhaustion.
"I guess the sudden news of Qui-Gon hurt him more than he let on," thought the Dark Jedi with a smirk as he returned his gaze and thoughts back to the sea.
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Well, there you have it. My first chapter. It might take awhile, but I'll try to get the second chapter up soon. Reviews are always helpful! May the Force be with you.