A/N: I felt one chapter alone didn't feel right being posted all by itself, consider it an early Christmas present. Happy holidays and may the Force be with you ~ Emily Storey
Chapter Two: Skywalkers and Solos
"It's not my fault Nia decided to take way to long finding the supplies, quit your wining we'll be leaving within the hour – wait." Jaina stopped dead in her tracks and looked over at her cousin, Ben. He raised a brow, totally confused before the Force slapped him upside the head with a warning. He had counted fifteen Force sensitives on this ship, the only problem? They had left Yavin 4 with fourteen…
"You think someone snuck on the ship?" Jaina whispered as the two continued forwards, the Force guiding them to their inevitable destination.
"Oh look, it's the cargo bay you sneak into to make out with-"
"You shut your mouth Ben!"
Araben would have clamped a hand over her mouth if a mask didn't cover it. Someone was coming! Frell, she couldn't run this time. She let out a heavy breath and maneuvered herself as quietly as possible to access her knapsack. Within its leather folds she took out a metal device. No longer than a foot this little device was snatched off a dead Human when Araben was barely ten years old. It was a lightsaber, built of steel and brass with a blade of the most beautiful amethyst. She didn't make it herself, but it didn't make it any less of her own.
She clasped the hilt as tight as possible and sat up to reveal herself, assuming that one way or another she was going to have to get off this damn planet and if that meant taking people hostage she was prepared to do so. However, the moment her hand touched the box above her head, the metal crate was picked up, bright light from the ceiling came pouring in like a leaking roof on a rainy night.
"Huh." Jaina said, almost impressed as her cousin lifted the box, "Congrats Ben, it's a girl." Araben jumped from her hiding place, saber still in hand. As she armed herself, powering on the ancient weapon a strike of anxiety flooded her veins… the same anxiety she felt all day. Kriff, get a hold of your self.
"Hands up!" Araben called out, pointing the cross blade at the two of them, "I don't want to kill you but I will if I have to!" Ben and Jaina exchanged an almost humorous look between them before doing as the girl said. "Alright, alright, what do you want?" Ben asked in a false surrender. Araben was impressed over how quick she had just taken control of the situation.
"Get me off this planet. Anywhere but here, understand?" She declared. Jaina nodded. "Fine," she said, "We don't want any trouble, we were already on our way to Yavin 4 now, is that ok with you?" Araben agreed.
"Good, then we have a deal. We mean no harm," Jaina continued, "My name is Jaina Solo, this is my cousin Ben Skywalker, could we at least know your name?" Araben damn near dropped her blade right then and there. Solo and Skywalker? She thought, Oh Kriff, what did I just get myself into? These are Jedi!
"Araben." She sighed, her voice the only surrender needed. She disarmed her lightsaber and hooked it onto her loaded belt before pulling off her helmet, "Araben Kenobi – listen I don't want any trouble." Gods, they were going to make her go back home, weren't they? Back to Kali and she didn't even want to think of the consequences…
However, while poor Araben was almost ready to get on her hands and knees to beg the Jedi not to let her go back home Jaina and Ben were nearly speechless. Kenobi? Like, Obi Wan Kenobi? The famed Jedi? Sure, Obi Wan had a brother who probably had children of his own but that didn't mean the Jedi Knights had ever seen another man or woman by the name. Luke needed to hear about this, about a Kenobi child, not to mention a Force sensitive with a lightsaber!
She looks like him… Ben thought, remembering the multiple images of the Jedi Master. She shared Obi Wan's shocking blue eyes and mucky blonde hair, sloppily cut just above her shoulders to frame her face; besides the two long locks of hair that was messily braided and pinned behind her ears. Give her a beard and another five inches and this kid could have easily been mistaken as Qui Gon Jinn's young Padawan learner.
"Trouble? Weren't you just saying-" Araben stopped Jaina in her tracks, "Damn it, yes I did!" she cursed, "but that's not the point! Just take me to the planet, don't me go back home!" Anything but home…
"Home?" Asked Ben, "Are you running away or something?"
"No!" Araben scoffed, sounding more childish than ever, "I'm eighteen years old, I'm not running away, I'm simply moving out!"
"…Right, and where are your parents?"
"Dead!"
"Your caregiver?"
"Probably cussing out one of the younglings!"
"What's her name?"
"Kali! Wait – why does that matter?" Araben waved the unlit saber hilt at Ben, "You're supposed to be doing what I tell you to do, not the other way around!"
"Right, of course, but listen," Jaina barged in, "We aren't going to take a youngling anywhere if someone will be looking for her. Just because you have a lightsaber doesn't mean you have control of this ship," she nudged a saber of her own at her hip, "Let's talk about this, ok? Why do you want to leave home?"
"None of your damn business!"
Jaina was getting nowhere with this conversation. She sighed, looking over at Ben, "Maybe we should just wipe her memory or knock her out."
"Excuse me?"
Jaina held a finger up to Araben, silencing her in a heartbeat; apparently she wasn't invited into this conversation…
"Your Dad is going to want to hear about this, you know," Jaina scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest. Ben agreed, "Yeah, but what if she's still a kid, her caregiver isn't going to take so kindly to – wait," he finally looking over at Araben, "Did you say Kali? Kali O'na?" Araben nodded.
"Wait a second, Jaina, I know her!" Ben exclaimed, "Don't you remember her, old women, Twi'lek/Human, she used to take care of Force sensitives since the Galactic Empire still stood."
"Wait, how do you know Kali?" Araben demanded, tired of being the third wheel. "Like I just said, she took care of younglings, hid them from the Empire, she's a friend of my father's."
Araben was more confused than ever. Sure, Kali never liked the Empire but hiding kids from troopers? That didn't sound like her, besides, Kali was never the friendly type. The only friend that old hag was a collection of curse words from three-dozen languages and a bottle of rum. "Wait, who is your father?" She asked at last.
"Jedi Master Luke Skywalker." Ben replied as if the name was as basic as a peasant's. Araben on the other hand felt like she could pass out. I think I'd rather go back home than be with the kid of kriffing Luke Skywalker and… Mara Jade. Oh Gods, this is not good!
"I say we should take her back home Ben," Jaina said at last, "She could be useful, say kid, what do you know about the Kenobi family?" Another wild topic change. Great.
"What the dar'yaim? Why do you think I know anything about my parents?" Araben scoffed, "Listen they died a few seconds after I was born, long enough to give me a krif name and vanish into the heavens or the Force or whatever the dar'yaim you believe in."
The cousins looked at each other again. "She has no idea…" Ben muttered, almost devastated. And in that moment the two of them made up their minds…
"We'll take you to Yavin," Jaina said, "But only on one condition." Araben paused, never being the biggest fan of bargaining. "What?" she growled.
"We've got to teach you about where you belong in this galaxy." Jaina looked to the crate Araben was just hiding beneath and using nothing more than an outstretched arm she lifted it with every midiclorian in her veins, "It's a shame, you know, it's a disappointment. It'll take us sixteen hours to get back home, we'll drop you off on any planet you wish but if you stay all sixteen hours I'll tell you everything about you, your caregiver, that lightsaber in your hand and," she dropped the crate in front of Araben, "the Force. Deal?"
Araben never wanted to admit it, but much like any other orphan, she had always wanted a place to belong… perhaps that's the real reason she planed on running away in the first place… to find a place to call home. So, she agreed.
