Chapter 4

Walking the ancient halls of the Jedi Temple was a pleasure Xanatos never imagined he'd enjoy again. Yet here he was, doing just that. It seemed to him that every inch of the old structure held a precious memory of his time as a young Jedi Initiate and Padawan. Against all odds after more than twenty years, it still felt like…home.

"Missed it, have you?" Yoda asked as he floated in his hover-chair next to Xanatos' towering figure. Mace, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan followed at a discreet distance, each wrapped up in their own thoughts concerning Xan's return to the Temple.

Sapphire eyes swept once over the halls before settling on Yoda's green face. "Yes, Master. I've missed it very much. It's been so long since I was here last," he whispered, his voice quiet and tinged with sadness, regret and an underlying sense of longing.

Walking directly behind Xanatos, Qui-Gon was trying desperately to control his mounting fury. He could not believe how Yoda and Mace were treating his former apprentice. It was as if a long lost friend had returned, and not the man that had taken up his saber against his Master and consciously called upon the dark side of the Force.

"Master, perhaps we should be discussing the situation on Praxus," Qui-Gon said, boldly interrupting the conversation between Yoda and Xanatos.

"Yes, yes, talk of it, we will. But not now," was Yoda's dismissive reply. "Much to discuss with young Xanatos, Master Windu and I have."

Qui-Gon ceased moving as he watched Yoda, Mace and Xanatos move into a turbo-lift and out of sight. Never in his life could he remember having been so utterly dismissed in such a way. Despite his tall stature, he suddenly felt small and insignificant after having been pushed aside so easily by Yoda.

Obi-Wan, having witnessed the scene from a position well behind the elder men, came to stand next to his mentor. "That was…interesting, Master. I don't believe I've ever seen Masters Yoda and Windu behave in that manner before," he quietly expressed to Qui-Gon.

"Neither have I, Padawan. Something odd is going on here, and it involves your father," he told the boy. "I intend to find out exactly why he's been received with such open arms."

Obi-Wan watched as Qui-Gon's long-legged stride carried him down the corridor towards the turbo-lift at an alarming pace. He could easily sense the waves of confusion and barely controlled anger rolling off his mentor. Qui-Gon was shielding his thoughts and feelings, but against Obi-Wan's own highly developed mental abilities, it was as if they weren't even in existence.

"Obi-Wan, go to our quarters and get your textbooks. We're back just in time for you to attend your Galactic History course," Qui-Gon's words echoed in his mind.

"Yes, Master," Obi-Wan replied. With his shoulders slumped, he made his way to the turbo-lift that would carry him up a few level to his and Qui-Gon's shared quarters.

/

"Wish to take the boy away, do you?" Yoda asked, his tone serious.

Xanatos had known that question would be the first asked as he Yoda had entered the small Jedi's quarters after bidding Mace goodbye at the door. He saw no reason to try and conceal his wishes from Yoda; he would not have been successful anyway. "Yes, Master," was his straight-forward answer.

"Hmm, knew this day would come, I did. Foreseen it, I have," Yoda said quietly, his body resting lightly on his gimmer stick.

Xanatos allowed himself a tiny smile. The old Master never ceased to amaze him with his ability to see the future. "If you already knew the answer, why did you bother to ask the question, Master?" Xanatos wondered.

Yoda slowly made his way across the room to where Xanatos had perched himself on the edge of a chair. His large, dark eyes stared at Xanatos for what seemed like hours to the man. He felt as if Yoda could see directly into his very soul.

"Here at the Temple, the boy will remain," Yoda declared in a strong voice, his words punctuated by the crack of his gimmer stick hitting the floor.

Xanatos sprung to his feet and began pacing the room like a caged animal. "Why not, Master?" he asked hotly. "Why can't he come with me to Telos?"

"Powerful Jedi, he is. Guidance he needs, now more than ever," was Yoda's cryptic reply.

Again, Xanatos knew that something was being hidden from him concerning his son. "Just how powerful is Ben, Master?" he inquired, his ears burning in anticipation of the answer.

He was disappointed. "Average in power, Obi-Wan is at this point."

"Sithspit! He can cloak his Force signature for hours at a time. His shields are remarkable," Xanatos began his tirade. "He is not average! Ben has skills far beyond those of most every Knight in this Temple. I want to know how that is possible!" Xanatos demanded in a yell.

Yoda lifted his gimmer stick and gave a hard whack to the shins of the tall, angry man. "Shout in my home, you will not," came the stern reprimand from Yoda. "Calm down, you will."

Xanatos sank down heavily into the chair, his anger bleeding away as fast as it had taken hold. "I apologize, Master," he said as he reached down and gently rubbed his aching shin. "I have never known of a Jedi, whether it be a Knight or Master, that can cloak their signature for so long, or so well. Please Master, tell me the truth," he plead with Yoda.

/

Obi-Wan could sense the agitated presence of his Master inside the quarters they shared. He palmed open the door and stepped into the common room.

"Obi-Wan, how was your class?" Qui-Gon asked from his reclining position on the couch.

"It was all right, Master," the boy said as he set his books down and made his way into the kitchen.

Qui-Gon stood and followed his apprentice. "I want to speak with you about Xan…your father," he told the young man. "There are some things you should know about him."

Obi-Wan had the sudden feeling that he wasn't going to like this conversation. "Okay, Master," he said, his tone clearly belying his apprehension.

Qui-Gon sat down at the table in their kitchen and gestured for Obi-Wan to do the same. "I know that you've wondered your entire life about your parents; your father in particular," Qui-Gon began. "Xanatos Renashaii was at one time my apprentice. He was very bright, out-going, and he was extremely strong in the Force. He was well on his way to becoming a Jedi Knight. Then, when he was seventeen years old, we were assigned a mission on his home-world of Telos."

"I know, Master. I also know that he turned his back on you and the Jedi after you killed his father," Obi-Wan said, his words greatly surprising Qui-Gon. Seeing that surprise on his teacher's face, Obi-Wan felt he should explain. "Father told me what happened on Telos, Master. He and I talked for a long while in my quarters aboard our ship before we reached Coruscant. I asked him why you and he seemed to hate one another so much. He wanted me to know the truth."

"What exactly did he tell you, Padawan?" Qui-Gon asked carefully.

Obi-Wan shrugged as if the details didn't matter. "He just told me that you and he fought because he wanted to know his father and you forbid the relationship from ever beginning," he stated as calmly as if he was giving the results of the latest pod-races on Malestare.

"Is that all he told you?" questioned Qui-Gon.

Obi-Wan lifted his eyes to meet Qui-Gon's. He was stunned to see touches of blame and accusation in Obi-Wan's blue-gray eyes. "No, Master. He told me that when his father tried to take him by force, you pulled your saber and…killed him."

Qui-Gon stood up from the table and walked slowly over to the window in their quarters. "Do you believe that I would kill a man in cold blood, Obi-Wan?" he asked softly, pain coloring his tone.

"Of course not, Master!" Obi-Wan yelled. "It's just that…well, you did kill him. All Father wanted was to know his own father. I know the Code forbids attachments and that knowing our families can inhibit out training, but…I just don't think knowing my father, or him knowing his father would be a bad thing."

"Xanatos Renashaii is not man to be trifled with, Padawan. He's cunning, underhanded and deceitful," Qui-Gon said, still looking out over Coruscant. "He is a dangerous and I forbid you to spend time with him."

Obi-Wan couldn't believe it. He was being denied the same thing that his own father had been denied twenty-one years earlier. He had never imagined that his Master could hurt him in such a way.

"Forgive me, Master, but…I am going to spend time with my father and get to know him," came the strong declaration from the young Padawan.

Qui-Gon turned around sharply, fully intending to reprimand the boy until he caught sight on the hurt and tears on his face. He moved slightly closer only to lose his chance to speak when Obi-Wan fled their quarters.

"Stang, what have I done?" came his question to himself.