Match Maker
Chapter 7
Location: Lars farm
"Ouch! My aching back," complained Owen as he sat down to evening meal. Envious, he glared at the older Ben as he gracefully sat down without care.
"I don't understand. How is that you go out and do the same things I do yet you don't have nearly the same amount of aches and pains and I'm younger than you?"
"It must be the Force," said Ben in amusement.
Luke said, "Jeez, I thought is was because Father works out more than you do, Uncle Owen."
The farmer glared and rubbed Luke's head, but grinned and said, "Yeah, I guess it must be some Jedi magic."
Luke then narrowed his brow. "Jedi? But I thought you said Jedi were just a myth."
"They are," answered Owen in haste. "Now, settled down and eat your greens."
Annoyed, Thrice frowned and said, "Secrets only serve to divide us and denial doesn't make it go away."
Violently, Owen dropped his plate onto the table and pushed his seat away. "I've had just about enough of you and your high and mighty talk. You, sitting here with your husband like you're better than the rest of us. It's because of you and your kind that the Core got so bad."
Impassively, Thrice tried to ignore him, but instead her indifference enraged him more. He wanted her to fight back, so he stood up and Ben quickly moved to stand up as well.
"Owen. Please. We don't want to fight."
Irked, he was about to step forward, but Luke sprang out from his chair too and took his place by father's side. "Please, Uncle Owen. Don't be mad at Mom."
"She's not your real mother!" he lashed.
"Owen!" gasped Beru. "Owen Lars. I'm disappointed in you." And then before another word was said, the farmer's wife got up from the supper table and left the room.
Meanwhile, Luke turned back to his uncle and said, "I know, but she's my real Mom anyway."
Then, Ben grabbed Luke by his shoulder and pushed his away. "Thrice, Please?"
The raven-beauty then rose from her seat and gathered a tearful little-Jinn up into her arms and took Luke by the hand and lead them out towards their dwelling. Yet, the moment that they were gone, Ben shut the door and hotly turned on his heel and faced Owen with a glare.
"What exactly is wrong with you? What is your problem? Why did you rip into Thrice like that in front of the children?"
Fidgeting, Owen said, "I don't know. I don't know what came over me."
Calmly, Ben looked at him and said, "Maybe I ought to tell you some things about my wife. Maybe she doesn't hold her tongue more than she should because she's used to getting her way. She's lived for a very long time as a general for a militant society. She's also Force-sensitive and nearly 800 years old. She was wed to me as a living contact in a trade agreement with the former Republic in order to supply our troops in defeating the Separatist. And you blaming her for the Core's problems is unfair. She is here now at your farm because she loves me and she loves your nephew. And if you insult her once more than we will leave and you will never see Luke again."
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Location: Ben and Thrice's home
"How are the children?" asked Ben.
"A sleep. I cheated though. I used my powers."
"Ah, well what's the point of having Force-powers if you can't use them practically? But, really are you alright?"
"I'm fine."
She then approached her husband and pulled him into an embrace. She buried her face into his shoulder and closed her eyes as she breathed in his scent. Like a warm bath, she let his aura surround her and drink her in.
"Oh, my love. I wish we could go back to the Clan. I wish we could go the Temple."
Ben began to thread his fingers into her hair and kissed her head. "Yes, I do too."
Thrice hummed and caressed her husband's back lovingly. "Tell me, what did Owen want?"
"He didn't say, but I think he's just looking for someone to blame. He just wanted to fight and you love a challenge. Though, I did give him an ultimatum. I told him if he insulted you again than we'd all pack up and leave."
"Oh, Sir Knight. You're so gallant."
Ben then pulled away and lead Thrice to their bedroom and began to prepare for bed. "Yes, I know it was a bit drastic, but I won't stand for him insulting you for expressing your opinion. Plus, I don't think it's good for the children. They are not meant to grow up and become moister farmers. They are meant to be—well out there, fighting injustice and the Dark Side. Not wasting their time on this blasted place."
"Well, we could always ditch the kids and go slay the Sith ourselves?"
Ben turned to her and smiled. "There's one thing I must say about you and your family, my dear. You always make violence seems so appealing."
"Ah, then I've swayed you. I thought the Jedi teach that violence is only the last resort."
"Ah, it appears that I've swayed you. I've gotten you to recite Code morality."
The couple then settled down in the dim. Snuggly, Thrice leaned into him and he took her hand and brought it up to his lips for a kiss. He noticed how much his hand had changed compared to hers. His had become so wore and aged while hers remained the same like the day they met.
"I'm becoming an old man."
"No you're not."
"But it's true. I'm middle aged. By the time Luke is a young man I will be nothing more than an old relic. And you, my darling, will remain unchanged."
The raven-beauty then turned her head to look at him in the darkness and spoke to him in a voice nearly on the verge of tears. "Oh please, Obi-Wan. Please, don't say that. I don't ever want to leave you."
Gently, Ben turned to brush away the tears that escape from her ruby-eyes and kissed her cheek. "I'm sorry, love. I didn't mean to make you cry. I don't want to leave you either."
Thrice suddenly rose up onto her elbow and said, "Then let me make it possible."
"What?"
"Tomorrow, tomorrow we're going to raise up the ship and then I'm going to make it so that you won't have to."
Ben sat up and said, "Wait, what are you saying?"
"The ship has technology on board in order to heal, alter and clone DNA. I could make it so that you'd age like me and then we could be together for as long as we like."
"I'm not sure I'd want to go through with it, Milady. It doesn't seem right."
"I'd only change your cells' rejuvenation. I wouldn't change anything else. And then you wouldn't have to hide so much because the Empire would never suspect that you'd suddenly looked younger instead of older. And the children—"
"No. It maybe true that the benefits are great, but people will grow suspicion. I don't want to jeopardize our safety on some mere vanity. I don't want to have to start explaining to people why I've suddenly grown young. When we do finally leave this place than you may rejuvenate me, but until than you will just have to accept me for the way that I am."
Startled, Thrice suddenly pulled on his arm until he turned over to face her. She gingerly caressed his face and beard and said, "I love you, Obi-Wan. I didn't say those things to you because I'm vain."
The Knight closed his eyes and allowed her aura to seep into him. "Yes, I know and I love you too, Thrice."
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The next evening Ben went to look for Owen to have a talk. He found him sitting just outside the compound and drinking some homemade moonshine. Casually, the former-Jedi sat down beside him and stared up into the starry sky. Heavens above twinkled like they were filled with diamonds.
Roughly, Owen shoved a cup into Ben's chest and he took the drink with a smile. Peacefully, the two men watched the twilight in silence until out of the blue the farmer said, "You can stay."
"Thank you, Owen."
"Those boys deserve a safe place to grow."
"I know."
"You're nothing but trouble, Ben."
"Oh, I agree."
"Don't drag those boys into it. Let them live in peace."
"I wish I could, but that is something they must decide on for themselves."
Frustrated, Owen turned to face him and said, "Damn it, Ben! You ought to make them. If they were my sons I do anything to keep them away from the Empire."
With a deep breath, Obi-Wan replied, "I know. You think I haven't thought about them? About their future? Well, I have and you're a fool Owen Lars if you think you can simply run and hide away from the rest of the galaxy. Those boys, those children owe it to themselves and everyone else to do something about it and to stand up for themselves."
In a groan, Owen covered his face with his hands and muttered, "Gods, you and your wife are crazy."
"Maybe so, but I feel that it is my destiny."
Then, suddenly in the dim the two saw Thrice appear over at the next dune. She had Luke and Jinn with her and she was showing them her swordsmanship. With a metal pipe in hand, the boys mimicked her stances for each block and parry. Ben had to admit that to the untrained eye it did look like a dance under the moonlight.
Ben smiled and took another sip from his cup and sighed. Then, absently he sang, "Everything is nice when you do it with Thrice."
Owen looked over at Ben amazed and then started to laugh. "Jeez Ben, that's kind of funny. Have you got one for my wife?"
"Hmmm, as a rule always listen to Beru."
Disappointed, the farmer replied, "Oh, she'll love that."
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Location: Mos Elisey (10 years later)
"Hurry it up already and place your bet, human!" shouted the blue alien with feet for arms.
In response, the young man with golden eyes smiled charmingly at his opponent and easily replied, "Patience, my friend. Any smart man would be wait before making his move."
The blue alien huffed and then snorted before spitting on the cantina's floor. "Ah! You patient? Why are the most impatient son-of-a-gun I ever met, boy." He then fingered his cards wearily as he contemplated his hand. Roughly, he rubbed his whiskered chin and sighed.
Meanwhile, around the table everyone hushed and stilled as the boy casually played with his pile of credits like an old pro and tossed in the whole pot. Suddenly, everyone sounded woos and ahhs at the sheer fortune the youth was throwing away. It was an incredibly foolish thing to do.
Smiling, the boy who looked no older than a teen leaned back in his seat and said, "It's your call, Raj."
In response, the blue-being immediately began to wheeze a laugh and shoved in all his credits too. "You are mine, kid."
"Oh, we'll see."
Meanwhile, the boy's friend cupped his hand and whispered into his ear. "That's a lot of credits and I know you're just doing this to get me out of my debt with Raj, but don't you think you're taking this a little too far? I mean if we walk away now than I'll be able to settle the fee and get some change back as well."
The golden-eyed boy replied, "You worry too much, Len. When I'm through with Raj he'll think twice before pulling another fast one on a slave."
"But, it's too risky! This is insane."
The boy pressed his lips and shook his head and ignored Len before muttered to himself, "Great heaven and earth, what a ninny." He then confidently looked up from his cards and said, "Well, are you going to play or what, Raj? I've got better things to do today besides sit around waiting for you."
The blue-being snarled and gracefully laid his hand and then began to laugh. "HAHA! You can't win against Raj, puny little human. Go run home to mama where you's belong."
Though just then Luke entered the cantina and swung open the door and nearly had a heart attack at what he saw. He saw that sitting at a table poker with one of the most nastiest supply smugglers in the quadrant was his own younger brother, Jinn.
Luke grasped his brother by the arm and hauled him out of his seat. "Jinn, what are you doing here?"
Mortified, Len replied, "Losing me my life savings!"
Annoyed, Jinn brushed Luke away and retorted, "Go away Luke! Leave me alone. I'm busy."
Then, abruptly Jinn reached over the table and grabbed Raj by his arms and stopped him from collecting the chips. With an eerie glare, Jinn narrowed his brow and said, "Not so fast, Raj. I think you will find that I am the victor here."
Jinn promptly revealed his cards and laid them out onto the table and stunned Raj by his defeat. He rose from his seat and pounded his fist onto the surface in a rage. Swiftly, the crowd scattered away like rats discovered in their den as they shrunk back to escape.
"You cheated! You lie!"
"No. I win," challenges Jinn confidently. "Len goes free. We had a deal."
"NO DEAL!" roared Raj in a rage.
The blue alien then pulled out a blaster and was about to shoot Jinn dead, when with a wave of his hand the amber-eyed boy knocked the weapon out of his hand with the power of the Force. And in an uproar, Luke lunged forward and tackled Raj to the ground in a heap. The stray blast fired off towards the ceiling and suddenly the entire cantina broke out into one big brawl.
Luke somehow managed to find his little brother in amidst the chaos and he yanked him up and hauled him out the backdoor with Len. The three found themselves in an empty alley and after a pause the two brothers exchanged a glance and startled to crack up laughing. However, poor Len couldn't see what was so funny. He was just thankful to be still alive.
"You two Lars brothers are both crazy."
Jinn mocked a pained look and threw his arm around his friend's shoulder and hug his head close and said, "Oh, you beast, Len! And here I went and stuck my neck out for you and this is the thanks I get?"
Len shoved Jinn off him and replied, "Yeah, yeah. You're a big help. I just wished you didn't have to go and be so flashy."
The slave boy was then about to leave, but then paused and gave Jinn a final smile and said, "Thanks Jinn. I won't forget this."
And in response, the golden-eyed boy bowed his head gallantly and waved. Meanwhile, beside him Luke crossed his arms over his chest and shook his head. He then grabbed his little brother by the arm and tugged him down the path and out into the street. He also pulled off his outer robe and tossed it over Jinn's head and covered his face with the hood.
"There, now hopefully we can get home in one piece. But jeez, Jinn, do you have to always go off and do something stupid?"
Smiling, the teen replied, "But I was doing it for Len."
"Yeah, but you could have gotten yourself killed. And you're not supposed to do those special tricks Mom and Dad taught you out in public. Are you out of your mind?"
Suddenly, Jinn felt ashamed and slumped his shoulders and said, "I know, Luke but—but it was the right thing to do. I know our parents said not to get involved, but I couldn't. I can't. And besides, what's the good of being able to do something if you aren't allowed?"
Sympathetically, Luke wrapped his arm around his brother's back and gave him a pat. "I know how you feel, Jinn. But picking fights isn't going to help. It'll probably make it worse. Now, I won't tell Mom and Dad if—"
Stunned, Jinn exclaimed, "You're not going to tell Mom?"
"No"—ground out Luke a little annoyed and added—"I won't squeal on you squirt if you promise not to tell anybody that I plan on enlisting to the Imperial Guard next year."
"But you can't do that! Mother and Father will never let you."
"And that's why it's going to be our secret."
Jinn shook his head and began to heave. "No. I can't lie about this Luke, I can't."
"Hey, you lie all the time, Jinn. I don't see what the big deal is?"
The amber-eyed boy then turned to face this older brother and said, "But this is a big deal. And I never lied to hurt anybody before. If you do this than it will definitely hurt Mother and Father. And anyway, why do you even want to join the Empire?"
"Because I want to be pilot. I want to get away from this place and do something with my life."
"But our family is here. You can't just go away."
Frustrated, Luke said, "You don't understand. You're too young. You don't remember what it was like to live on a different planet—to see a different set of stars. Mom and Dad think I don't know, but they're just wasting away here when out there they used to be important."
Irked, Jinn narrowed his brow. "So, you're saying we're not important anymore?"
"No, that's not what I mean."
"Then what the Sith do you mean?"
"I mean I feel like I've got a destiny. Like I have to go and do something great. Like there's something waiting for me." Then, after a pause the elder brother spoke to him in a voice full of sincerity. "Jinn, please believe in me."
Mentally, the younger boy didn't know what to believe. He'd never heard Luke talk so weird before in his life. He wasn't sure what he was going on about with his "destiny" and "greatness" but it sounded like it had been bothering him for a long time. It also sounded like something their father might say too.
At last, Jinn made up his mind and turned his eerie gaze back onto his brother and said, "Ok. I won't tell, but I want you to tell Mother and Father yourself."
"Jinn."
"No, if you want to do this right than you're going to have to tell them. But until then you've got my word that they won't hear it from me."
Inwardly, Luke was ticked that Jinn was making this so difficult, but finally decided that maybe it was for the best. He knew right away that if he told Uncle Owen he'd say flat out "no," but there was still hope if he could convince his mother. He knew that if she somehow said "yes" than his stubborn old father might agree. He knew that they typically decided upon things as a team and where one went the other would usually follow. Though, the only problem with the plan was that he wasn't sure which way his mother would swing. Briefly, he wondered if Aunt Beru could help him.
"Alright, Jinn," answered Luke confidently—"I will tell them and who knows, I might get lucky."
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TBC
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Author's Note: ok, well in the 10 years laters part, Jinn Kenobi is 15 and Luke Skywalker is 19-20. They are called the "Lars brothers" because that's the name they use in order to blend in more with Owen Lars' family. I image that Ben (aka Obi-Wan) uses Lars as his username in public too.
Please review. Thank you.
