Of Jedi Masters and Street Rats.
Jedi Mater Qui-Gon Jinn liked his solitude. Some called him crotchety, but really he just didn't like the distraction of partners. He could handle any situation fine on his own and having someone by his side would only make it harder to concentrate on the mission at hand. He would be responsible for them and their safety, and that was something he simply didn't want. He didn't even want to think about having the responsibility of a Padawan. That speeder waved bye-bye four years ago.
Still stinging at the betrayal of his last Padawan, Qui-Gon Jinn adamantly refused to take another. He would not place his life in another's hand. More importantly, he would not place his heart in another's hand. Besides that, he didn't want the distraction. Padawans required time and dedication. He would not, could not, get involved with another student.
Qui-Gon was assuredly reminding himself of all of these things as he stood in front of the Council. For three years now they had been trying to convince him to take another student. And he adamantly refused every time it came up. He was certain this meeting would follow that same routine. However many times he said it, they didn't seem to get the message. He didn't want a new Padawan. He didn't want joint missions. He wanted his solitude. 'Just send me somewhere alone and let me do what I do best.' He thought to himself as he slipped his hands into his robes and drew himself up highly.
"Master Jinn." Mace Windu spoke with a slight inclination of his head. "How are you feeling today?" He asked curiously. Qui-Gon sighed. Luckily it was only him and Master Yoda present in the Council Room at the moment; it meant he could be less formal.
"Fine." Qui-Gon answered more or less truthfully. "I feel the same as I always feel." 'Hurt, betrayed, and sad.' Qui-Gon thought, keeping his thoughts tightly shielded. This was another habit he had acquired since the stinging betrayal of his former Padawan.
"Good…" Master Windu spoke slowly, not truly believing Qui-Gon, but deciding not to call him out on it. "There are several Initiates sparring-."
"I don't want a Padawan." Qui-Gon interrupted coldly, hoping to stifle the conversation before it started. 'Why must they keep asking me?' He thought to himself aggravated. He made his stance as rigid as he possibly could, trying to convey his message not only in voice, but also in body.
"Perhaps a new student will allow you to let go of the past." Master Windu suggested and Qui-Gon gave him a cold look.
"I have let go." Qui-Gon said stubbornly. It was a blatant lie, and he wondered if the two council members would call him out on it. Master Yoda flashed him a hard look.
"Lie to us, you will not." He said sternly, and Qui-Gon slowly looked down and nodded. Apparently they would.
"I'm sorry. However, I do not want nor need another Padawan. I will not go and watch them fight." He said swiftly and then felt a bit relaxed when they seemed to nod and accept it. "So is that all you wanted me for? Or are you sending me on a mission?" He asked raising an eyebrow, hoping for the second.
"We have a mission for you." Master Windu said slowly and shook his head. As he recollected himself he locked eyes with Qui-Gon. "To Ne'Arna." He spoke softly, catching Qui-Gon a bit off guard. He had heard of the planet, but knew they blocked themselves off from the Galaxy, they didn't allow outsiders on the planet, and they didn't allow any one to leave. Qui-Gon hadn't known why, but it seemed like a sudden change.
"Ne'Arna? What for?" He asked, letting his surprise show. "What could have gone so badly that they requested outside help?" He asked slowly.
"We aren't sure of all the details, however, the Prime Minister said there was an 'internal threat' and that they needed Republic assistance. We were inclined to say no, however, he seemed desperate." Master Windu explained slowly and Qui-Gon nodded in understanding. "He said that your true identity must remain a secret, that he contacted us without the knowledge of the people, or other administrators." Master Windu finished and once more Qui-Gon nodded.
"Be subtle. Understood." He said swiftly and then watched as Master Windu pulled out a datapad. He stepped forward and gently took it.
"We have done the research for you already. Read it on your journey. Everything we have on Ne'Arna is on here. However, as they are xenophobic, our information is rather limited as well as dated. It should be enough to get you by, though." He said with a sure nod and Qui-Gon slipped the datapad into his robe with another nod.
"Should I be concerned about my appearance?" He asked, and both Masters shook their heads. So Qui-Gon nodded, and then bowed. "Then I will leave immediately." He informed and with a nod from them turned out of the room, leaving Masters Windu and Yoda alone.
"Well let's hope everything goes according to plan." Master Windu said, looking towards Master Yoda.
"Great change, Master Jinn has coming. On Ne'Arna, someone important he will meet." Master Yoda said nodding slowly. Master Windu nodded as well and looked to the door that Qui-Gon had left through.
"Let's hope he isn't too stubborn to see it. I miss my friend." He admitted with a sigh.
Qui-Gon walked down the hall to the lift and it opened for him immediately. Silently he rode down to the transport level and thought about the mission to come. He didn't sense anything different than any other mission that he went on. He quickly talked to the Knight in charge of transports and found the council had taken care of this as well. He had a transport waiting, with the coordinates for Ne'Arna already set in.
He was surprised at how quickly everything had been taken care of. Surely they had it prepared before he entered the meeting, however, Jedi were typically expected to take care of their own research and transport. 'They must want me to get there quickly.' He thought to himself, thinking little more of it as he walked up the ramp and closed it behind him.
He approached the cockpit and sat at the pilot's chair. He then started the starship up out of the atmosphere and punched it into hyperdrive. With everything set Qui-Gon stood and left the cockpit and stepped back into the single room in the small ship, meant for a solo passenger. He gently sat on the sleep couch and kicked off his boots. He laid back and took out the datapad and held it up to read aloud placidly.
"Ne'Arna; a middle rim planet with a very secluded society. For the past thousand years there have been three people allowed entrance to the planet, and none of the native inhabitants have ever willingly left. Self-sufficient and highly protective of their environment the natives, Arnians they call themselves, have a strict population control. Two children per family.
"Ne'Arna is notorious for the beauty of the natural countryside, as well as its citizens. Arnians have been declared as one of the most beautiful humanoid races in the galaxy. Many centuries ago there was a slaving problem, where the planet was plagued by raids of pirates who stole young children and sold them into slavery, often for sexual intentions. These raids were one of the reasons the planet cut itself from the outside.
"The Ne'Arnian government is democratic. Once every five years a Prime Minister is elected from open elections. Additionally, a Board of Representatives is elected every seven years. One from each province, and they keep the Prime Minister from total control by a system of checks and balances…" Qui-Gon stopped with a sigh. He got a good idea of what the planet was like, and decided to let the rest go unread.
Accessing a different file on the datapad Qui-Gon located the message from the Prime Minister. A flat image of the man appeared on the screen and Qui-Gon listened as he pleaded his case to the council. Qui-Gon studied his appearance carefully. The man was Qui-Gon's age, so in his mid-fifties. He was slim, but strong and had a very graceful face. He had black hair, which was cut short and had a strip of gray at his temple.
Memorizing the features for when Qui-Gon was sure he had to pick him out, the Jedi Master set the datapad down and sighed. He gently rubbed his beard and sat up on the bed, and drew his legs in to sit cross legged. He closed his eyes and drew in deep calming breaths and slipped into a meditation.
The one day trip was just the same as any other mission for the Jedi Master. He spent it alone, and cherishing the silence that came with it. He came out of hyper drive and approached the planet at a slower speed. This was one of the moments of the upcoming mission that made him nervous. If the planet was closed off, than how was he supposed to land?
Many planets had systems that monitored ships in their space. Surely a planet that was so xenophobic would have a similar device to make sure no one landed without permission. However, as he approached, he heard no warning voice over the comm. system. He shrugged, deciding that he was simply lucky. He then took his spot in the pilot's seat and looked at the console.
He turned off the auto-pilot as he lowered into the atmosphere and followed the directions on the screen. He could see that it was directing him towards a barren area of land outside what he knew to be the capital city of Rieslia. It would be about a days walk from where he was landing, but it was a necessary precaution he was sure.
Lowering the ship he landed near an outcropping of trees, hoping that that would be enough cover. He turned off the ship and then stood and collected his cloak and pack. He lowered the ramp and stepped out into the fresh Ne'Arnian air. He was always particularly inclined towards the Living Force, and he could feel it very thickly blanketed this planet. He took in a very deep breath, feeling the Force fill him, and then set out at a light walk towards the capital city.
He was slightly concerned about his appearance, though Master Windu and Master Yoda assured him he didn't need to be. He had seen the Prime Minister, and learned his name to be Rigel Lipan, and though he looked human, Qui-Gon was almost certain that the same gracefulness he saw in the man was present in all Arnians. A gracefulness that, having been born on the rugged, forested world of Brenar – 2, Qui-Gon Jinn believed he was lacking.
Qui-Gon wondered about the best approaches he could take to the upcoming mission. Locating Rigel would most definitely be his first priority, as that was the only man who knew he would be arriving, or could know that he would be arriving. In his, albeit brief, study of the planet Qui-Gon had grown certain that he could easily cause panic should his true identity be revealed. Not because he was a Jedi, for he was also certain that the general masses didn't know what a Jedi was, but simply because he was from another planet. And as he was determined to not start a riot on the planet, he would not let any one find out.
As the sun began setting Qui-Gon decided he should camp for the night, and then continue to Rieslia in the morning. He quickly set up a small camp and ate a light dinner of bread and jam. After which he laid on the soft grass and looked up at the stars, wrapping his cloak around him for warmth. He quickly fell asleep.
Nightfall meant one thing for small Benjamin Kenobi, a chance to sneak out and get some food. People were so less inclined to watch out for little thieves when night fell. He always thought that was strange, seeing as it was easier for thieves to work at night, with a less chance to be seen.
It'd been two full days since Ben's last meal. His stomach was angry at him, and he felt it. His body shook occasionally; however, overall it seemed satiated with the consistent amount of water he gave it. That was one thing he never had to worry about getting at least. So his focus could remain completely on satisfying his unending hunger.
He crawled from his hovel and then pushed his weak body up to stand. He looked up and down the mostly barren streets of Rieslia and smiled lightly. Yes, tonight would be a good night to go snooping for some food. Setting off at a nice walk Ben lightly hummed to himself.
He was lonely most of the time. He had no friends, and no family. In fact, he never really remembered having either. He couldn't picture his parents' faces, nor did he know if he had any siblings. He could only assume his parents had never wanted him and dumped him the first chance they got. Lucky for him, he had always been resourceful. As for friends, one doesn't exactly make them on the street. Every one looks out for themselves. Ben had been betrayed, and he had betrayed others. Anything to keep himself alive. Anything to get ahead. It was lonely, but it was his life.
Not thinking about the ache in his heart Ben continued down the street away from the slums and towards merchant district of Rieslia. They weren't exactly close, however, Ben was quick and able to close the distance swiftly. It was just after dinner, so many of the shops were beginning to close for the night. He would have to act quickly if he wanted dinner, and he desperately wanted dinner.
He paused when he smelled something unmistakably delicious. His mouth watered and his stomach growled as he tried imagining what it was. Stealthily he crept around a corner and spotted a woman sitting at a table outside of a small pastry shop. In front of her sat a large dessert, and Ben licked his lips looking at it.
The woman seemed distracted, she was talking to someone at her side and Ben knew if he went quick enough he could snatch it and run off before they knew what happened. Silently approaching he stepped low to the ground. Something in his head warned him to stop moving, he had long since learned to trust that instinct, so he ducked behind a table as the woman's cloaked companion glanced his way. The cloaked man looked away after a moment and they continued talking.
Stalking out from behind the table Ben reached his hand out and snatched the treat. However, the woman was just going for a bite and looked at him with shocked eyes. "What do you think you're doing?!" She shouted, and Ben's eyes widened. Without answering he spun around and darted away from the small table. Both the woman and her companion stood and started after him, also shouting for some police.
'Police for a small desert?!' Ben thought to himself frantically. The police in this area really didn't like him, scratch that, no police liked him. They all more or less knew who he was, and were very anxious for a chance to throw him in the Orphan House. That was one thing Ben really didn't want. He liked his freedom far too much.
Keeping his prize in his hand Ben darted around the corner, hearing the whistles blowing from the police chasing behind him. His small heart was pounding, and he knew their longer legs were catching up to him. Ben wasn't too concerned, however, he had a few tricks up his sleeve that always helped him get out of situations like this. 'I've kept ahead of them this long.' He thought proudly to himself, ducking out of the reach of a policeman and sprinting down an alleyway.
"Come on Ben! Give up!" One of the policemen shouted behind him as the chase continued, but Ben didn't stop. He wouldn't ever stop. Didn't they see that he needed to eat to live, and needed to steal to eat? It wasn't as if he was a big time thief. He didn't go around snatching purses or precious valuables.
Ben rounded another corner, stopping in his tracks as the woman and two policemen came running. He spun around and took the only exit left, which was climbing up the fire escape. Stuffing the pastry in his pocket Ben took a firm hold of the metal rungs and began pulling himself up. He scrambled up far enough to just get out of reach to the man who had called out to him. His victory was short lived as said man proceeded to climb up, followed by the other officers.
Ben scrambled all the way up to the roof and darted across, hoping for another fire exit on the other side, however, there was none. His heart clenched and he desperately thought for another way out, but as he watched the policemen slip over the lip of the roof he felt he had no other options.
"You're cornered Ben. Come along with us now and it will be easier for you." The same man said, but Ben adamantly shook his head.
"I'm not going there!" He cried out and looked at the edge of the roof once more.
"It's not that bad, really. There're kids your age. They'll teach you how to read." The man said inching closer.
"I know how to read." Ben muttered coldly. It was a lie. He had no idea how to read. No one had ever been around to teach him. But he wasn't going to let that be the reason he went to the Orphan House. He looked down at the edge of the roof once more and wondered how bad the drop back to the ground would be. He was three stories up, and he had fallen from that high before. Something, he didn't know what, had always softened the landing. He didn't think he had any other choice.
"Come on Ben. Don't be silly. There's no where for you to run." He said, now just a few feet from the child. Ben shook his head and pulled himself up onto the edge of the roof, causing the man's eyes to widen in shock. "What are you doing?!" He cried out in shock. "Get down before you hurt yourself!" He demanded.
Ben looked at the man, gave a small smirk, waved, then jumped back. The policeman ran forward and watched as Ben performed a single flip and then landed on his feet. He prepared for a sight of blood and crushed bones, however, the small boy easily picked himself up and darted out of sight. The policeman slowly shook his head and motioned for the others to go back down.
Climbing back down to the alley the officer looked at the woman who had called their attention. "Sorry Ms. Nam. Kid got away. He's too slippery." He said and the woman glared, and rolled her eyes then stalked off.
"Stupid street-rat." She muttered as she left the group of officers.
Ben didn't stop running until he was back 'home'. He pulled the cover to his hovel open and darted inside, swiftly shutting it behind him. He panted heavily and sat on his blankets, closing his eyes to collect himself. After he recovered, he withdrew the pastry from his pocket, frowning when he saw it had crumbled so much he could barely hold it. Still, it was better than nothing, and he fumbled the many pieces into his mouth.
He wasn't exactly satisfied when the meal was over, but as he took long drinks of water, he decided to call it a night. He couldn't risk another run in. Not when that last one had been so close.
He heaved a heavy sigh for someone so young and laid back on the bed. He breathed softly, and wondered what it would be like to be part of a family. He wondered what it would be like to know how to read, and to have someone watching out for him, teaching him, and helping him. Someone he could trust. Someone who trusted him. Someone who cared about him. All things Ben had never had, but desperately wanted. He wondered if maybe there was someone out there, who needed him as badly as he needed them.
He turned on his side and lightly closed his eyes as he started falling asleep. His last thoughts were the same every night. He thought about his Father. He didn't know what the man looked like, sounded like, or felt like. But he thought, or hoped rather, that he was out there looking for him. That maybe getting rid of him had been a mistake and that he was wanted all along. The hope that he was wanted was what urged him to sleep.
Alright, so, this has sat in my documents folder for about two years now. I finally decided 'What they heck! Might as well post it!'. So here it is. The plot is not unique - there are many fics out there about Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan meeting under different circumstances - but I do hope that my attempt holds interesting twists. So, is it worth even continuing to post more? Let me know.
-Cupcake