Chapter 12.

Xanatos worked hard over the next week, teaching Obi-Wan to have more confidence in his abilities. He could sense the change in Obi-Wan's demeanour. Gone was the introverted and reserved child from the previous week. Obi-Wan talked freely now and was a much happier child. One who spoke lovingly about his Master.

The telling of adventures over the evening meal had Xanatos enthralled by his young guest. He smiled at Selena when Obi-Wan broke into laughter after telling them about a tale of the fish that got away.

"Master Qui-Gon took me fishing. We were in a row boat out on the lake and he was showing me how to throw the line out. When he cast it out, the hook caught on our canvas bag. It had our lunch and our drinks in it! The bag flew through the air and plopped into the water. I asked my Master why he didn't use the Force to lift it out, but he told me that we shouldn't use the Force in such a frivolous way, so Master Qui-Gon stood up and used the oar to reach the bag before it sank, but he slipped and he fell in the lake." Obi-Wan continued to laugh as he replayed the tale.

"He looked so funny and I couldn't help laughing at him. He pushed the boat to shore and then he had to take his robe and tunic off. When he opened his tunic a big fish flipped out and fell back in the water. He said if I didn't stop laughing he wouldn't take me fishing ever again, but I couldn't."

Xani and Amun were amused watching the boy describing his story in animation. The boy's arms were waving around in great circles describing the one that got away.

"Did he take you fishing again, Obi-Wan?"

"Yes, only the next time we sat on the wharf and fished."

"Xani, did Master Qui-Gon ever take you fishing?" he asked full of enthusiasm.

Xani thought back to his early days as a Padawan, he and Qui-Gon were quite close. He'd played on that closeness. It was the fact that they were so close that Qui-Gon missed the arrogance and deceit, which was growing in Xanatos. He remembered Qui-Gon defending him from any accusation; he used to think it was funny that no matter what he did Qui-Gon could see no wrong in him.

It wasn't until Xanatos became a Senior Padawan and had more of a free rein around the Temple that he started seeing the Senator. Xanatos shook his head, remembering Obi-Wan had asked him a question.

"Yes, my young friend, I went fishing with Qui-Gon many times when I was young. However, I don't have any tales to tell like yours. Qui-Gon never fell out of a boat when we went fishing, but we did catch some enormous fish."

Later that evening Xanatos and Amun went to prepare the ship for the trip to the next sector, and left Obi-Wan talking with Selena.

"Selena can I ask you a question?" Obi said, wondering if she would be honest with him.

"Sure you can, Obi."

"Xanatos, is so different from when he… he.. tried to hurt me, how did he change?"

"I don't really know how to answer you Obi-Wan, because I never knew the person that Xani was before.

I only know the caring and compassionate man he is now. When Xanatos first rescued you I had no idea why he wanted to risk his life, standing on the edge of the ramp like he did to scoop you up. I asked him on the way back here and when he told me what he had done to you, I was astonished. I couldn't believe he would do what he did to you. You see Obi-Wan, since I've known Xani, I've always been looked after; he treats me and Amun as family. To him we aren't just employees, we eat together and work together and he makes sure we are comfortable and happy. Tell me Obi-Wan how do you feel about Xani now?" She asked.

"Sometimes I'm confused, he seems so different and he's been nice to me and he did save me from the hooded man. But I can't help remembering when he threw me off the cliff. I was so frightened, but now he seems like he's someone else, like he's not the same person and I don't feel afraid of him anymore.

"So why are you still confused?" she asked.

"In my lessons at the Temple, we always recite that anger leads to the dark side and once that path is taken you can never return to the light. So how can he be good now when he was bad before?"

"Well, Obi, I don't know what they teach in your Temple, but my way of thinking is that if you are given a chance, anything is possible," she said.

Obi-Wan nodded," I guess so," and then he yawned and stretched his arms.

"I think, young man, it's time for you to go to bed," Selena said patting his head.

0000

The next day they boarded Xanatos' ship and headed for the next sector. Amun piloted the ship and Obi-Wan continued his training with Xani. When they neared their destination, Obi-Wan came out of his meditation, to find Xanatos staring at him.

"What?" Obi asked, feeling the older man's eyes studying him.

"I was just wondering how you managed to survive when I threw you off that cliff?"

Obi shrugged. "Lucky, I guess." He wasn't sure if he wanted to talk about it.

"What happened to you? Would you tell me?"

Obi-Wan gazed at him for a moment, "I suppose I can."

Xanatos moved over and motioned for Obi to sit next to him. He leaned against the arm of the couch so he was facing Xanatos.

"I didn't remember what happened to me at first and I walked along the river bank. I called out for help, but I couldn't find anyone. I fell down a hole and I slid down it for a long time. When I came out at the other end, there was a pond and some caves and lots of trees. I watched some little furry creatures collecting berries and fruit, so I climbed up the tree and picked some fruit to eat. I lived in a cave above the waterfall. After a while, a Wookiee named Krag crashed his ship in the field. He made friends with me and he took the Force collar off my neck. Once it came off I started to remember w-what you did. Krag helped me and taught me how to fend for myself, he was nice, but he was sick and eventually he died. I lived alone for a long time until Master Yoda and my Master found me."

"What sort of food did you eat?"

"Nuts, roots, fruit and berries. Krag showed me how to store the food for the cold months. When Krag came, we lived in a cave next to the pond. He had twisted hands and couldn't climb up into my cave. But when he died I was scared to stay there, so I went back to the cave above the pond to live. At night time I would look up at the stars and wish that someone would find me, and that's when Master Qui-Gon and the others came.

They said I'd projected my thoughts to them," Obi said, sighing, glad that the story was over.

"Ahh, so that's why you've learned the immersion meditation so easily; you've a natural ability to do it," Xani admitted.

"Is that what I was doing?" Obi asked.

"Probably a beginner's form of it, but this time you won't be projecting to all of them; only to Qui-Gon."

Obi-Wan nodded and smiled. He wanted to know more about Xanatos. "What were you like before?"

"What do you mean Obi-Wan? Before when I was evil, or before when I was an apprentice?"

"When you were an apprentice," Obi said.

"Well I suppose I was alright. When I was first chosen by Qui-Gon, I was very happy. I had the best Master in

the order. But as I grew older, I found that living the simple life was boring and I started to want things that I couldn't have as a Jedi. I became arrogant and selfish and those who were dedicated to the code annoyed me.

Qui-Gon started annoying me with his incessant rambling about the living Force. He was always so dedicated to it, and he trusted the Force for everything. He didn't need possessions, or money; he was happy without riches.

I found I couldn't be happy that way and I wanted to be rich and have power. That's when I met… a man who had all the things I wanted. So I listened to him and he promised me wealth and power. I strayed from the path of light and ended up travelling the rocky road of darkness. That is my story, young one."

"I could never do that," Obi stated.

"Yes, I know the light in you is brighter than in anyone I have ever seen."

Their conversation was interrupted by Amun, "We have reached our destination, Xani."

"Ok my young friend; it's time, are you ready?"

"Yes, Xani, I'm ready," the boy stated confidently.

Xanatos sat down next to Obi-Wan in the meditation pose and he waited for Obi-Wan to sit with him. He watched the boy breathe deeply and close his eyes, sinking into a deep meditation. The immersion meditation was very draining and Xanatos wanted to stay with him for support.

Xanatos watched as the boy began by breathing deeply, He knew Obi-Wan was capable of doing this, as he'd felt the younglings power in their meditations.

Xanatos felt a kinship to Obi-Wan and wondered if he'd stayed in the light whether he could've been this boy's Master. What an awesome team we would've made.

After a few minutes Xanatos could feel the fluctuations and distortions in the Force. Obi-Wan was achieving his goal to immerse himself totally within the fine threads of the Force. Xanatos smiled. It took a great deal of trust for Obi-Wan to immerse himself and be completely helpless and vulnerable to attack. He hoped that was the case and the boy trusted him. Yet he thought maybe Obi-Wan was so anxious to talk to Jinn, that he would do almost anything to make it happen. Xani, wondered whether he'd really become friends with Obi-Wan or if the boy was just obeying him just so he could return to Qui-Gon. That thought made him feel sad, he really like Obi-Wan and wanted to make sure he would be alright.

For Force sake, I threw him off a cliff with a Force suppressor collar on. I'm lucky that he hasn't tried to run away or worse slit my throat. Xanatos felt a power he'd never felt before by just being in Obi-Wan's presence. He sensed the boy's forgiving nature, but he could also sense the makings of a great warrior.

A warrior, who would be strong and unrelenting, in his search for balance, one who would bring the full power of the Force, to bear on any unsuspecting Sith. Xani chuckled, as he sat waiting for his young charge to finish searching the Force for Master Jinn. He thought of how surprised Jinn was going to be, when Obi knocks on his mind. Just like knocking on a door and when said door opens, what a shock it'll be to the ever composed Master Jinn.

Sliding deep into the meditation Obi-Wan could feel the strands of the Force surround him and pull him towards the core. Towards thousands of Force signatures, he sifted through them looking for one in particular; it took a great deal of concentration to sort them out. Finally after an exhaustive search he found the one signature he was looking for. He studied it for a while skirting around the edges nudging it, waiting for a sense that Qui-Gon would realise Obi-Wan was trying to contact him…….

tbc...