Title: Family Bonds
Author: jacen200015
Timeframe: The Phantom Menace
Genre: AU
Characters: Obi-Wan, Zane (OC), Qui-Gon, Anakin, Padme
Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars, I'm just borrowing it for a while. Also any mention of dialogue or descriptions from the The Phantom Menace novel are not of my creation, I just borrowed them for emphasis and story telling purposes. I make no profit from this, (A big thanks to bek for helping me out with making this part clearer). Zane does belong to me.
Prologue
Zane made sure the cargo bay door was locked behind him and went over to the crates to find one that was big enough for him to hide in. Checking to make sure he was adequately hiding his presence, Zane inspected each of the large crates until he found one that held dry food rations. Moving the lid back some more, Zane paused and looked up at the cargobay door where he heard the sound of footsteps. He froze where he was, quieting his breathing and waited. As he waited he thought back to what had happened earlier that day.
"You promised, Obi-Wan. You said we would go camping when you returned from your last mission," Zane said as he watched Obi-Wan pack clean clothes into his bag.
"I'm sorry young one, but the Chancellor has requested my Master and I to go negotiate with the Trade Federation. When I return from this next mission we can go camping together." Zipping the bag up, Obi-Wan picked up the dirty laundry that was on the floor and took them to the laundry chute where the cleaning droids would clean them and then bring them back to his room.
"Can I go with you? I won't get in the way." Zane asked, his blue eyes looking at Obi-Wan pleadingly.
Obi-Wan sat down on the sleeping couch. "No, you're too young to go on a mission. Besides, you have classes to attend to here."
"It's not fair! You're being mean!" Zane said, crossing his arms and pouting.
"Zane, I'm not doing this to be mean. Things don't always go as planned."
"You're always to busy to do things with me," Zane cried, turning his back to Obi-Wan.
Obi-Wan sighed and pulled Zane onto his lap. "Please Zane, I don't want to leave while you're angry at me."
"Then don't go," Zane responded, refusing to look at Obi-Wan.
Obi-Wan shook his head. "I have no choice in the matter, Zane. Besides, you should enjoy hanging out with your friends while you still can. A padawan sees his friends a lot less than when they were still initiates."
"I have no friends. No one likes me," Zane mumbled.
"Now that's not true, Zane. You're a very likeable kid."
Zane shook his head and looked down at his hands. "No I'm not. They make fun of me and whisper behind my back." A flash of anger burned in Zane.
"Is that the real reason why you're mad at me for leaving?" Obi-Wan asked, sensing that he was getting somewhere.
Zane didn't answer and continued to play with his fingers.
"Have you mentioned this to your clan leader?"
"She doesn't like me either," Zane mumbled and rubbed at his tear-filled eyes with the sleeve of his tunic.
The door to Obi-Wan's room slid open and Qui-Gon walked in. "The ship will be ready to leave in two hours." Qui-Gon sensed Zane's turbulent emotions and walked further into the room. "What's wrong, Zane?" Qui-Gon picked Zane up and gave him a hug.
Zane wrapped his arms around Qui-Gon's neck and let his tears fall.
"Zane says that his agemates have been making fun of him," said Obi-Wan.
Qui-Gon's brow furrowed. "Zane, what have your agemates been saying that's making you upset?"
"They call me a freak, and that I never should have existed. They also call me bantha slime, sithspawn, and other nasty words that I know I shouldn't repeat. I get pushed around a lot too."
Obi-Wan stood up. "I'm going to have a word with your clan instructor. How long has this been going on?"
"One, maybe two years."
Obi-Wan rubbed Zane's back, "Why didn't you tell me or Qui-Gon sooner? Or even Master Yoda?"
"I don't want to be called a crybaby too." Zane sniffled.
"Zane, this can't continue. What they are doing is wrong." Obi-Wan looked at Qui-Gon, "I'll be back in a half hour or so."
After Obi-Wan left, Qui-Gon carried Zane into the kitchen and started to look through the cupboards. "Now let's see. What will help cheer you up?" He dug deep into the cupboard until he found what he was looking for. "Sweet rolls?"
Zane licked his lips as Qui-Gon placed him on one of the seats around the table.
Qui-Gon opened the cooling unit and took out a fruity jam. Opening up the sweet bun, he squeezed some of the jam inside until the bun was full. After putting the sweet bun full of jam onto a plate, Qui-Gon placed it on the table in front of Zane. "Do you want some Kuri juice with that too?"
Zane nodded, his mouth full of the sweet, fruity snack.
Qui-Gon smiled and poured some juice into a glass for Zane and handed it to him.
Zane took it with his sticky fingers and sipped a little of it to help soften what was in his mouth.
Qui-Gon washed his hands and put away the things that were on the counter. He sat down across from Zane and watched him eat.
After Zane finished every morsel of his snack, he went over to the sink and washed his hands and face. "Thanks for the snack, Master Jinn."
"Feeling better?"
Zane's smile rapidly faded as he sat back down at the table. "No. Can I go with you and Obi-Wan on the mission? Please?
Qui-Gon picked up the plate and cup and went over to the sink to wash them. "I don't think that's a good idea. Besides, it'll be boring, and it shouldn't take us very long to get the Federation to reach a settlement."
Zane sighed and got up. "I need to go finish my homework."
"Alright then," Qui-Gon said, wringing out the dish rag to wash the table with.
Zane shook his head of the memory and listened a little while longer to make sure the footsteps had gone away. Satisfied, he began to organize the contents of the crate so that he would have enough room to sit and then climbed in. Taking his small bag off, he put it on top of the dry rations and then closed the lid, making sure he left it open a little so that he could get fresh air and get out later. Settling himself on the floor of the crate, Zane began the long wait.