Obi-Wan walked into the living room sighing heavily. Padme looked up from the couch as the twins played with their toys on the rug.
"Were you able to save anyone?"
He shook his head. "No. There were no survivors. If there were they were dragged off by the Sand People."
"The attacks are getting worse." murmured Padme. "That was the largest settlement yet."
"I know." Obi-Wan said heavily.
Padme's eyes narrowed. "Ben, what is it?"
He looked to her. "There were saber marks on some of the buildings and bodies."
Padme's breath caught. "Do you think it's a Jedi?"
"I don't know. It's someone who has a saber. That's all I know."
She looked at him gravely. "They aren't searching for the children are they?"
Obi-Wan shook his head. "No, if they were the attacks would be more focused. Someone is leading the Sand People...and I think I know who."
Padme stood up and crossed the living space to join him. "You know who?"
"There was only one Jedi I know of who could fight alongside the Sand People like this."
"Another Jedi?" Her eyes widened. "Oh stars, you mean Hett."
Obi-Wan nodded. "I need to confront him. To make him see reason."
"And if you can't?" Padme pressed worriedly.
Obi-Wan looked down at the twins. They were just barely two, and in the last two years he and Padme had grown closer as they'd raised the two children together. He was gradually coming to regard these children as his and Padme as his wife. Thinking about the threat that A'Sharad Hett posed to his adoptive family caused him great worry. He didn't want to imagine them butchered by the Tusken Raiders or worse, carried off and—he shuddered.
"Ben?" she pressed.
"I don't know. I won't kill him. I'll find a way."
She nodded. "How will you find him?"
"Opening myself to the Force. I've kept myself suppressed these last two years. If I open myself up I should be able to find him."
"Won't that endanger us?"
"Anakin thinks you're dead, and Hett and I aren't the only Jedi to survive. Of that I am sure. Vader will be busy with other matters. I won't need to expose myself for long."
"And you'll stop Hett?"
"I have to. There's no other choice."
"What about the other moisture farmers? If they see this—"
"They won't. I'll confront Hett away from the settlements."
She nodded, putting her arms around him. "Do what you have to. I'll be here waiting for you."
Obi-Wan stood by quietly. He could feel the Tuskens coming his way and in their midst was a blazing presence filled with a vengeful spirit. Over the last few days he'd come to recognize the presence as Hett's. He hadn't succumbed to the Dark Side yet, but he was close to it. He was filled with rage and hate for what had happened first to the Jedi and now to the Sand People. During his tracking of Hett he'd increasingly felt doubt over his ability to convince the wayward Jedi of the folly of his actions. He was certain that Hett had noticed him as well, which was why it had taken Obi-Wan the better part of the week. Now though it seemed that for whatever reason Hett was ready to confront him.
The first bantha's came over the dune and then there were dozens all arrayed in a line facing Obi-Wan. His gaze centered on the first bantha. That was Hett. The warlord rode forwards and stopped, dismounting his bantha and crossing the sands to Obi-Wan.
"You know that standing out in the open in the desert under the suns is bad for you." Obi-Wan said nothing as Hett continued. "I was surprised when I felt another presence in the Force searching for me. I'd thought I was alone. The Order 66 was remarkably effective."
Obi-Wan shrugged. "There are survivors."
"So I see. What are you doing here Master Kenobi? Do you plan to recruit me to whatever cause you're supporting now?"
"No. I am here to ask you to stop your attacks on the moisture farmers."
Hett laughed. "You can't be serious."
"I am serious. I make my home among them now and I cannot stand by and let you kill them."
"I've made my home amongst the Tuskens Kenobi, do you know how many of them the moisture farmers have killed in their expansions? I am defending the oppressed against their oppressors I am fulfilling the Jedi Code and once I am done here I will continue until I have a force to challenge the Empire and bring Palpatine to his knees."
"And that starts with murdering moisture farmers?"
"It is blood for blood Kenobi. The settlers will not stop killing Tuskens, they may either abandon these lands, or be buried beneath it."
"Then I am afraid we have reached an impasse. There is something here that I must protect." Obi-Wan said sadly.
Hett stepped back from him, drawing his sabers. "I am sorry that you cannot see that I am right."
"And I am sorry that you will not listen to reason." Obi-Wan said as he withdrew his saber from his robes.
The blades ignited and the two masters closed with one another. The raiders remained stoically silent as they watched the duel from a safe distance. Obi-Wan had maintained his practice regimen every morning before dawn against remotes but he had not been required to fight a live opponent in two years. Hett had spent the last several months doing nothing but. The difference was obvious. Obi-Wan deflected a vicious sweep at his midsection only to find himself ducking below another swing at his head. Hett had the advantage of two sabers. Still, Obi-Wan could read his aggression. He knew where the blows would fall. Of course that didn't compensate for everything.
Hett landed a punch with the butt of one of his sabers against Obi-Wan's jaw. There was a crack but it didn't feel broken and Obi-Wan recovered with a Force punch to Hett's gut which threw off his follow on attack. It was now or never. Obi-Wan's saber flashed up wards and Hett's arm severed at the shoulder. He didn't cry out, Obi-Wan followed through with another blast of the Force and Hett fell to his knees, holding the stump where his arm had been. Obi-Wan looked to the Tuskens, he needed to make this final. He reached out and tore Hett's mask from his face. There was a long silence as the raiders looked at their defeated warlord, then as one they turned away and rode into the desert.
"Kill me." Hett growled.
"No." Obi-Wan said grimly.
"You've already shamed me before my people, what more do you want from me?"
"I want you to swear to me you'll never return to Tatooine. Swear to me on your father's honor that you will never come back to this planet."
"You would use his name." Hett said. "I would have just killed you."
"I know, but I won't do that. Do you swear?"
"Yes. Yes damn you I swear. I'll be on a transport within the week."
Obi-Wan nodded, killing his saber and standing back from Hett. He thought of what more he could say but there was nothing more to be said. He could only hope that Hett would find his way back to the light on his own. He had his priorities and his former brother in arms was no longer one of them now that he was no longer a threat.
Obi-Wan entered into the home he shared with Padme and the twins. Their home. Padme stood and came to him, wrapping her arms around him.
"Welcome home." she whispered.
She looked at his bruised face with a slight frown. "You're as bad as Anakin. Every time you leave I have to patch you up when you come home."
Obi-Wan smiled wearily. "I hope Luke doesn't follow in either of our footsteps then."
Padme's smile was sad. "I think he will."
Obi-Wan blinked and examined her features carefully. He'd already closed his connection to the Force once again but he didn't need the Force now to see that something was wrong.
"What happened?"
"Luke was playing with Leia and he—" she took a deep breath. "Ben he was levitating their toys."
Obi-Wan took a deep breath of his own. It was time. He'd wanted there to be a longer period before all this had to begin, but if Luke was starting to manipulate the Force now.
"What about Leia?"
"I don't know, she was just sitting there clapping. I don't know if she was doing any of it or not...Ben...I'm scared."
"I know." he held her close. "I know. I'm sorry."
"Will you begin training them yet?"
He shook his head. "No, not yet. Just tutoring them. The first thing I need to do is show them how to conceal their gifts. Once they can do that, I'll begin teaching them how to use them."
It wouldn't give them much time, Obi-Wan knew that, but it would give them time. Time to live normally for a little while longer. Something he found he didn't mind nearly as much as he'd thought he would have two years prior.
