There is no death, only the force. That was the last thought that crossed his mind before a flash of red and then… then he woke up. Confused he sits up a little dizzy and disorientated. Looking around he doesn't know where he is, he is no longer on the Death Star. It's a ship that much he can tell but it's not the Millennium Falcon. He was so certain that he had been killed. Gathering his thoughts he remembers telling Luke to run, deciding to sacrifice himself to allow the boy time to escape. Somehow he survived, but how?
Getting shakily to his feet he heads out into the corridor. There is something familiar about this vessel but he can't put his finger on it. Holding onto the wall to steady himself he can sense something or someone but his connection to the force is clouded and dizziness still clouds his vision. It is safe to say he does not feel very well at all. Stopping he leans fully on the wall pinching the bridge of his nose willing his head to clear. It probably wasn't the wisest thing to do leaving that room.
A large hand landing on his shoulder causes him to jump. Is it the Wookiee, Chewbacca? Looking to his shoulder he can see the hand belongs to a human. He turns slightly to see who the hand belongs to only to feel his heart stop. Standing before him, Qui-Gon Jinn. "That's not possible…" He is almost breathless.
"Obi-Wan?" A look of concern crosses Qui-Gon's face as he places a hand on Obi-Wans face. "You still have a fever. You should return to your cabin." He starts to steer Obi-Wan down the corridor back towards the cabin. Obi-Wan frowns he must be dreaming. He remembers Qui-Gon being tall but not that tall.
He stops when he passes a reflective piece of metal. No beard, his hair is short and auburn not wispy and grey. The look of shock on the boy's face mirrors what Obi-Wan feels. It's himself! It's him but as a young boy, then he remembers where he has seen this ship before… a long time before, what was it called...the Monument. The ship that had taken him to Bandomeer when he was to be a farmer not a Jedi.
He is 12 years old again. Panic fills him, how can this be! Reaching out with the force he knows it is not an illusion or death as he can sense everything just as he could a few moments ago on the Death Star. He can feel Qui-Gon's force signature as vibrant as it was the last time he saw him on Naboo.
"Obi-Wan?" Qui-Gon doesn't need the Force to sense the panic coming off the boy. That Hutt really did a number on the poor boy. Surely the council could have found somewhere else for the boy to go. Although he won't take the boy as his apprentice he still believes it's such a waste sending the boy to be a farmer. He sighs the boy seems transfixed on his reflection in his panicked state. "Alright I think you need to sleep."
At first the suggestion doesn't work and Qui-Gon frowns trying harder this time, for an initiate the boy has impressive shields, "Obi-Wan, time for you to sleep." This time the boy's eyes flutter closed and before he hits the floor Qui-Gon catches him in his arms. He carries the unconscious boy back to his cabin gently placing him gently in his bed. Touching his head again he uses the Force to bring the boys temperature down.
Qui-Gon stands watching the gentle rise and fall of the boys breathing. The journey to Bandomeer is a long one. That should be plenty of time for Obi-Wan to recover. He picks up a light blanket and covers Obi-Wan stopping briefly to look back on the boy, the Force seems to be throwing the boy at him. He is willing to bet that Yoda would be pleased. He sighs and leaves for his own cabin.
Obi-Wan wakes up an hour later and heads into the fresher. Looking into the mirror he touches his face. "How can this be?" His mind screams this is a trick an illusion done by the Empire, by Vader. But the force is telling him this is real. Reaching out he can sense everyone on this ship, the Hutts, the Whiphids, the Arconans, the Humans and Qui-Gon.
He thought nothing could shock him anymore. He hadn't been shocked when he saw what was left of Alderaan. Yes, he had felt their deaths and he wasn't surprised to find it was the Empire who killed them. After all it's not the first civilisation or group the Empire had murdered.
But this seeing another Jedi alive! Sensing them and for the first Jedi he has seen in…he can't recall…how old is Luke…18? 19 years? For that to be Qui-Gon Jinn. He reaches out, subtly to sense Qui-Gons presence and a tear comes to his eye. He had longed for so many years to see his Master alive and well again.
Sure he had spoken to him as a Force ghost but that was only for a few years until he had passed on the knowledge Obi-Wan needed to become one with the Force. Obi-Wan had spent most of his exile alone very few knew who he was other than crazy old Ben. A hermit who rarely ventured into the towns for supplies and was occasionally seen talking to himself. Most payed him no heed, which is probably why the Empire had never succeeded in locating him.
He takes a deep calming breath. He needs to try and work out what has happened to him and why. Why is he here? Is he to change the future and if so how does he go about it? He can't just out Palpatine with no evidence. Anakin won't be born yet. Before he would have spoken to Master Yoda about how to proceed on a problem he can't solve himself.
But he is a failed initiate. He can't exactly call him up. He needs to get back to the Temple and the only way to do that is to become Qui-Gon's Padawan again. He lets out a long sigh, this isn't going to be easy.
Qui-Gon had said it was Obi-Wans decision to sacrifice himself to save not only the Jedi Master but the people of Bandomeer that had changed his mind about taking the boy on as his Padawan.
Obi-Wan had found Si Treemba the Arconan he had befriended. He tried to remember what exactly had happened before. So far he hadn't come across anything to jog his memory of at what stage in the flight they were in. "Obi-Wan, what are we going to do?"
Obi-Wan looks at his food as he tries to think of a response that will give him a hint as to what is going on right now. "I'm trying to think of something. Do you have any suggestions?"
"We do not know Obi-Wan. All we know is that without the thermocoms our machines won't work." As soon as Si Treemba mentions the thermocoms. He takes a deep breath remembering what happened and the location of them the last time. "I have an idea..."
Heading to the oil drums, "This would be the best place to hide them." He starts to look in the drums and finds nothing. "But how...they..." He looks around to see Si looking at him. "Uh, they must have them on their side of the ship." He has a bad feeling about this. "You don't have to come with me."
"We will come with you Obi-Wan." Si follows him onto the Offworld side.
The result is the same as before. Obi-Wan finds himself standing before Qui-Gon and Clat'Ha after the search failed. He could kick himself. They must have dumped the thermocoms in the oil drum after his attempt to find it in their part of the ship. "I'm sorry my intention was to help not to make matters worse." Obi-Wan looks at Qui-Gon.
"Regardless of your intention, you have only made the situation worse." Qui-Gon frowns at the boy. "Offworld will look to retaliate. They will not trust the Jedi and you will need to watch yourself on Bandomeer as they may come after…" An explosion rocks the ship.
"What hit us?!" Clat'Ha looks around.
Obi-Wan remembers what happened before. "Pirates…"
Qui-Gon squints at Obi-Wan. How would the boy know that? He banishes the thought, for now they have more important problems to deal with right now. The ship had stopped moving. Heading over to a window he spots the Togorian cruisers outside.
"Obi-Wan I need you to go and tell the Captain to get us moving again. We need to get away from these ships." Qui-Gone takes him by the shoulders, he knows full well what's coming. "I need you to do exactly as I tell you. I know you only want to help and what will help right now is getting this ship moving." He points a finger at Obi-Wans face. "Don't deviate from that task.". Standing back up to his full height he looks down at the boy.
Obi-Wan nods. "I won't let you down Qui-Gon." Again. You failed to save him, failed with Anakin, enough! Pushing his guilt deep down, he turns and runs towards the bridge with Si Treemba following him.
Everything went as it had the first time round. Obi-wan found the crew on the bridge passed out due to a small breach in the hull. Si Treemba saved the day blocking the breach therefore allowing Obi-Wan to steer the ship toward the unknown planet. And like last time Offworld took the opportunity to steal the Arconians dyactl.
"Qui-Gon I think I know where they took it I could help. You are in no shape to go looking for it." Obi-Wan eyes Qui-Gons wound. He remembers that Qui-Gon had found the Dyactl in a cave not far from he ship. He suddenly notices the look that Qui-Gon is giving him and falls silent.
"You are going to help the crew get supplies off the ship and up into the caves. You WILL leave the dyactl to me is that understood?" Qui-Gon points at the boy hoping he has made himself clear. The last thing he needs is for the boy to make the situation worse. Although to be fair to him he did conduct himself well in piloting the ship to safety.
"Tell me what crossed your mind when you piloted the ship?"
That he had been here before, knew what needed to be done? "I just…reacted…We needed to get to safety. I didn't think of anything else." And he hadn't not the last time and not this time. He had a task to do and he did it.
Qui-Gon nods slightly, "And what did you feel?" Something in the boy had changed from Coruscant and it unnerved him. He couldn't place his finger on it.
Obi-Wan thought about it, he wasn't afraid not this time round. But he did have fear, not of the pirates but of what has happened to him. Why is he here when he should be dead? Had he been given another chance? If that's the case what change will make what he just lived through not come to pass? Why make him an initiate on the way to Bandomeer again? "I'm afraid…but not of the pirates. Of something I don't understand, but I won't let it control me. The force will provide a solution."
An eyebrow on Qui-Gons face shoots up. The answer the boy gave was an answer a Jedi Knight would give, but still he felt uneasy about the boy. The force will provide a solution…yes…yes it will.
As before Qui-Gon had left him behind to guard the caves. "Si." He sits by his friend. "Just hold on there. I know that everything will be fine."
A moan escapes the weakened Arconan and Obi-Wan puts a gentle hand on his friends shoulder. "You can do this. I know you can." He smiles down at Si Treemba. He knows the Arconan will survive this but it doesn't stop the ache in his heart to see his old friend suffer.
Si has fallen asleep and as he waits for Qui-Gon's return he tries to meditate. He needs answers why has he come back to his past. He can't get past the charged emotions that he can sense, the Arconans weakening, wondering if they made the right choice for survival, Clat Ha's rage at the injustice and anger towards Offword and Jemba The Hutt. Then of course Jemba who is confident believing the Arconans will soon join him or die and his anger towards the Jedi.
Taking a breath deciding that he cannot meditate just now so he needs to focus on the here and now. Looking over at his dying friend he cannot help but reach out to Qui-Gon asking him to hurry.
He senses the Hutt Jemba coming back over with his minions before he see's him but he also senses the approaching dragons. "Jemba, whatever it is can wait. We need to work together there is a danger approaching and if we fight each other and that no one will survive."
The Hutts laughter echoes throughout cave. "I think you will find it is you who will not survive."
"Well I did warn you." Obi-Wan leaps over the Hutt making his way to the mouth of the cave, just in time to start fighting the dragons. This time he finds it much easier to fight them off. He can't help but smile a little as he remember how he and Anakin had fought off a nest of gundarks.
At first he thought he was hit, he felt pain only to realise it was emotional pain. Distracted he is almost lunch, leaping up and over onto the dragons back he cuts through its neck to leap back down as the beast falls to a surprised Qui-Gon.
"Go! Get the dactyl to them and ask questions later." Obi-Wan continues to block up the cave entrance.
Getting the dactyl to the Arconans they quickly start to recover and Qui-Gon heads back to the cave to entrance to help the boy only to find the boy doesn't need any help. The cave entrance is blocked up. He is stunned looking at it then the boy before him.
Obi-Wan sighs, "I guess we need to talk."
