A/N) Err… So this story would be finished by the end of January? Erm, yes, my apologies for the long delay in updating. Things went haywire with my family over Christmas. We had a cancer diagnosis in the family and its hitting me hard and then I had to go back to uni and revise for my last exam and get my last essay finished, as well as apply for jobs and attend job interviews it was just crazy…

This chapter was half-way done before all this took off but it has just taken me this long to get back to it. I do apologise for the long wait. Here is the next chapter.

The Protector

Chapter 14: Brothers Reunited

If there was anything that would have made Michael Kenobi nervous it would be Grievous in a temper, which he was. Stomping around one of the few remaining bases that they still held on Stewjon (with a total of ten prisoners), the General was frustrated that the Jedi had got such an upper hand on him.

And he wanted to find out how Owen Kenobi had managed to get off world and bring the Republic to them. So his anger had turned upon the very family that he had conscripted to aid him.

Michael already had a sneaking suspicion as to what had happened. There was only one explanation for it. Yes, he had agreed to the trade that Danja had proposed. Owen and his son's passage from the planet providing the location of the rebel base was handed to them. Owen had fulfilled his bargain but Michael had not considered that he would bring in the Republic. Not with his mother's life being used against him to ensure his compliance.

But even now Owen's mother was out of his grasp. Sooner or later Grievous would realise exactly what had happened. Michael had to find out first.

He moved through the small staging post, walking faster than he usually did, fearful that the General would come after him before he had a chance to explain. Danja had been rescued from the base when they had taken it but none of them had even thought to consider that he may have betrayed his own father and brother too. Had he known was Owen planned to do? Had he too been tricked? Or had they conspired together?

Danja and Maje were talking quietly to one another when Michael found them in the small room they shared. They both looked up, their cheeks reddening slightly as they saw him.

Michael folded his arms across his chest. "Tell me, Danja, what happened?"

Danja steeled his lips. "I think you already know."

Michael growled. "So you did betray us." He should have realised. Danja had always been the one who had enjoyed his time living with his cousins. Had always been the one less enthused about regaining their rightful heritage.

"Father… Grievous would have killed us anyway. He would never have let us live. He wouldn't keep the deal you made with him," said Danja. "It was my idea. I contacted Owen. I knew Owen loved his son, loved him enough that he would do anything for him, so I arranged for his transport off world. We both want to help Stewjon, but siding with Grievous is not the way to do it! I agreed to betray you because I knew that staying on the course we were would bring us doom!" He sighed audibly. "I shouldn't have gone behind your back. You always told me you loved our world but you are destroying it… All because of your greed."

"My greed?" Michael exhaled angrily. "I only wanted what was rightfully mine! I took that Jedi to the Republic so my sons could have what was theirs! You were meant to represent our planet!"

"Dad… Ben would have given us responsibilities. While we lived with him he didn't shun us. He taught us. He wanted to give us responsibility. And he tried to make that happen for us," replied Danja. "He gave us the education we would need to lead. Your actions… what you did to Obi-Wan… meant that the people could never truly trust us. But who could blame them? Many people have said to me over the years that they were watching us grow up, see who we became. There was a lot of support for us out there, dad. They would have given us a chance… but you came back and you pulled us away. The people decided then that we could not be given that responsibility."

"How do you know this?" Maje asked, his eyes widening.

"Owen told me," stated Danja. "Then I did a search on the network. There was support for us. But father's actions… And now you've ruined the world all because you wanted something you couldn't have. I wanted to help my people and I'm doing that. If I die because of my actions at least it will be because I have brought hope to this planet! The Republic are here and this world is saved."

Michael's fists shook. "Everything I did, I did for you!"

"Yet, you've said to me that you wished you had never joined with Grievous," interrupted Maje. "When Danja was with the others… you told me. We've been given the opportunity to turn things around. I don't like my cousins very much… but if we have this opportunity, why not take it? Why not try to prove to the people that we can be trusted?" His eyes locked on to his brother's and the two seemed to share a mutual understanding.

Michael sighed. "It's too late. The people have already made up their mind."

"Maybe for you," replied Danja, "but maybe not for us."

"I'm getting old, son," sighed Michael. "I just want to rest. Rest and know that I did my best for my sons."

"You did, though you've made mistakes," said Danja. "Just like all of us have. But we can still fix this. We have to do the right thing." He looked at his brother. "We can help you, father, if you let us."

Michael was silent, his mind going through the motions, considering the possibilities, what he could do. Could he really try to help to free his world after trying to subdue it? Would they accept his help? Grievous was likely to kill them. He didn't need an explanation for why the Republic had arrived: he would kill them because his plans had been ruined.

He slowly breathed out. "I'm too old to be involved in this. The people's perception of me will never change… but for you two, it can. Maybe my folly was trying to take back what was rightfully mine. I still had the right to what I was owed…"

"But not to the people…" said Danja. "You might have regained that if you hadn't harboured such dislike… They might have grown to see that. You've always said that your brother was behind the ill thought of us… I don't think it was. It was the media that caused that perception… and they ignored all attempts of Ben's speeches about how you could be trusted. We did live with him for a while…"

Maje nodded, almost reluctantly. "I never stopped looking up to you, dad. I was so eager to join you… but what's happened just proves that I was wrong. I was given a stable upbringing and a chance to have a good life… But I threw that away when you called for us… We can still help… Still change how everyone perceives us."

But their father did not reply. Michael knew it was too late for him. How could he possibly change? He couldn't see how he could. But there was one thing he could do for his sons. "I won't stop you if you try to help the others…"

A slight breeze was rustling through his hair as the sun descended below the hill, bringing darkness to the area. His hands rested on the wall that surrounded Sti, looking out.

"Are you ok?" a soft voice said to him from behind.

Obi-Wan allowed a slight smile to pull at his lips. His mother moved beside him. "I am ok as much as I can be in this situation…"

"Has there been any development?" his mother asked.

"You might say that," he replied. "It's complicated… but I figured this development might happen."

His mother nodded. "You know where Grievous is, don't you?"

"Yes… A coded transmission to Anakin's comlink gave us his position. Owen again… He set this all up in advance before he left Stewjon to get the Republic," replied Obi-Wan quietly. He felt amazed Owen had set things up so far in advance. Even now he knew the source of the information was Danja, especially since he still had the transmitter device in his body.

Before Danja had been given the transmitter, Owen had been working on prearranged times for the transmitter to work, effectively programming it so that it stopped working after a period of time, only to reactivate when it was pre-programmed to. It was Danja who had supplied Anakin with the co-ordinates of the execution, and now his location put him two hundred and fifty-three miles south of Sti, in an abandoned town which also had a bunker underneath it. Though it told them Danja's location, they assumed Grievous would be there too, considering they had all fled mostly together.

It was only reasonable to assume that, but the question was, how could they go about capturing the General once and for all? He always had an escape plan. No doubt he would be plotting his escape off world. They had to stop him, to prevent him from running amok elsewhere in the galaxy.

"Owen was always resourceful," mused his mother. "And he was always good at fixing things."

Obi-Wan smiled. "That reminds me of someone… Skills he doesn't advertise much now?"

Lau-rie nodded. "When he gained more responsibility they were skills he neglected… but it sounds that he never truly forgot them if he was able to programme a small chip… It was a small chip wasn't it?"

"It was…" replied Obi-Wan. "A small device like that would be very difficult to programme. There is only one other person I know who would be able to pull something like that off." Anakin had always been talented.

His mother's face suddenly turned forlorn and serious. "I want you to come back."

Obi-Wan sighed. "There is a chance I won't."

"Don't say that." She laid a hand on his. "Please don't. I have faith that you can save us. You are our protector. Not any of the Jedi or the Clones here, but you."

"There is a small part of me yelling at me to not believe what you say but the sensible part agrees with you. My time here… building a resistance against a malevolent force and trying to save the people, trying to do everything I can to protect them has made me that. I am your protector. I was damaged when I came here… unsure of myself or where I was in the world… but now I feel more like myself then I ever did before." He bowed his head, running a hand through his hair. "But I know I've still got one more trial to survive."

"I know you will get through it. You will come back," intoned Lau-rie, belief radiating from her aura, engulfing him, making him have that inch of confidence that he would stride back victorious.

But facing Grievous would have its challenges. If the droid general was smart he would try to push Obi-Wan's buttons. Try to make him react to things he shouldn't be doing. Grievous could still use Obi-Wan's past against him. He didn't know if he would be able to control himself if that was used to distract him – he hoped he would but that was always a risk for him.

He squeezed his mother's hand gently. "If you believe it… then I'll believe it," he replied quietly, hoping that his faith in his mother would not be misplaced.

"I want to come with you."

Obi-Wan turned to face his brother. "Owen." He had been expecting this. Alex was safe in orbit and Owen wanted to fight back and prove his worth. He held up his hand to stop his younger brother from speaking. "I know what you are going to ask of me."

"You do?" Owen's mouth twitched upwards.

"Of course. You want to join me in my fight against Grievous. There are several sub-teams being deployed to prevent his escape… but you want to be in the main group, with me, at my side. Am I right?" He could already tell from his brother's Force aura that he was.

Owen nodded. "I can't not face him."

"This isn't your fight…" started Obi-Wan, trying to think of reasons to stop his brother from joining the main group. He could see Anakin watching with interest just a few metres away. If his former Padawan interfered…

"How can it not be my fight?" queried Owen. "This is my home, my people. Besides, I am the one with the tracker for Danja's chip. I can turn it over to you – which I will do if you decide against me joining you – but equally I can still help you."

Obi-Wan sighed. "I don't want to see any more of my family hurt."

Owen smiled gently. "I know you don't… but it is my fault for everyone getting hurt… I did abandon the people and my family to get help. Bringing the Republic here does not change the fact that I fled. I could have taken the easy option and not come back… Even if Danja had not agreed to help me… I would have stayed away… If it meant keeping my son safe I would have abandoned everyone. I don't want to admit that to anyone else."

Lowering his gaze, Obi-Wan breathed in slowly. "You want to atone for something you never did though could have done. Like me…"

"We are quite similar when we have time to talk…" admitted Owen. "You want to atone for the things you did when you were coerced and manipulated… and you think you killed a man when you didn't… You know how I feel, and I think you understand why I have to stay here and help. But your wish to keep us all safe is fighting your conscience because you know that you need me." He held up his hand. "Brothers reunited and alongside one another…"

Obi-Wan closed his eyes, seeking the Force, wanting to know what he should do. He began to seek deeply into the flow of it, focusing upon the light that coursed through him. The darkness that he had embraced still ebbed, yet he had come to terms with that… He knew it would always be a part of him, but he knew he would be able to fight back and prevent it gaining control of his soul ever again. He was a Jedi and he always would be.

As he swam into the flow of the Force, images appeared in his mind and he saw echoes of the future reaching back. It was not set in stone, he knew that, yet the possibilities he saw evoked the yearning in him that he should be accompanied… not just by his brother, but by Anakin too…

A circle of fire…

Three men stood side by side…Two with lightsabers, and the other with a shining sword…

A monster of war hell bent on destroying them all…

A fierce battle between Jedi and foe…

Blood and fire mixing together in a liquid staining the earth…

Exhausted and weakened, Obi-Wan rose up…

A cliff…

Someone tumbling into the depths of a raging river below…

Obi-Wan yanked himself away from the accumulating visions, panting as the voice of Anakin roared through his mind, from that final battle… "DON'T YOU LET GO!"

"Obi-Wan?" Owen asked, watching his older brother curiously.

"It's nothing…" he replied. He closed his eyes trying to soothe himself. "I just saw that I need you by my side." He looked suspiciously at his brother. "When did you get a sword made from Cortosis ore?"

Owen shrugged. "Years ago. The family has had it for as long as I can remember. You are not the first Force-sensitive person in our family. There have been quite a few of us who have had the skills of the Jedi… but most have remained on Stewjon, never reaching their potential. The only reason you did was because of our uncle."

That was a surprise but he shouldn't have been. "But I guess at one point someone in our history did?"

"Yes… but the family name at the time wasn't Kenobi. I don't know the details or names… I was never really interested in the Jedi or Force-related stuff of our family history… but I suspect the name of the Jedi would be easy for you to find," replied Owen hopefully. "The cortosis ore sword was bequeathed to the family by the Jedi. I know it works against lightsabers."

Obi-Wan frowned. "Why would the Jedi Order give someone a sword that works against their own weapons?" Cortosis ore swords could not be destroyed by a lightsaber – that was the beauty of them. But something niggled at the back of his memory, something he remembered reading as a child when studying the history of the Jedi. "Service. I think. At some point our family must have contributed a great service to the Jedi Order. One of the rare gifts that were extended by the Order was a unique sword. I've not heard of that happening very often… but it can explain why this sword was given to us… It's a practice that is moot now… As far as I recall only a few were ever given out…" A thought struck him then. "Maybe that was the Force recognising that we would need it one day… Sometimes destiny is mapped out for us and we follow the will of the Force… What if this was always meant to happen? What if this battle is the one that I've been working towards all my life? What if hundreds of years ago, the Force chose this family?"

Owen blinked. "I'm not an expert on the Force…"

"I know," breathed Obi-Wan. "The Force is my ally… and I am a part of it. The Force chose Anakin to be its Chosen One… to be the person to defeat the Sith which he fulfilled. What if I was chosen too and everything that has happened to this family in the last eighty years has been the will of the Force, bringing us to this moment?" It sounded ridiculous but Obi-Wan felt that he was on to something. What if his brush with the dark side had always meant to happen? What if his destiny had been written hundreds of years ago with the cortosis sword being bequeathed to his family?

He shook his head, brushing his fringe out of his eyes. It couldn't all have been a co-incidence could it? But one should never underestimate the will of the Force. Clearly, his visions and Owen's place in them meant that he didn't have to do this alone.

Obi-Wan focused on Owen. "You need to get that cortosis sword and quickly. We won't have long before we need to move against Grievous."

Owen nodded. "I'll go and get it. It's always been stored in Sti." He began to walk away and then turned back. "Where shall I meet you?"

"At the entrance to the city. We will go from there," stated Obi-Wan.

Owen acknowledged and ran off leaving Obi-Wan alone.

Taking a deep breath Obi-Wan let the excitement that had built up in his chest to fade away.

An ominous feeling enveloped him then.

And he had the terrible thought he wouldn't make it through the coming battle.

To be continued…

Please let me know what you think!

I do like my visions… and you will have to wait and see what happens! *grins* I am hoping that the next chapter will be quite a long one and I will try my best to get that out as quickly as possible. As long as it all goes to plan the next chapter should be called 'Fire and Water'.

Some of you may have noticed I started posting another story called 'A Jedi's Love'. This is a sequel to my first Star Wars story 'A Mother's Love' so if you are interested please check it out as it will be my first 'romantic' kind of story with a hell of a lot of action in it too. But if you haven't read 'A Mother's Love' it is probably best to read that one first. 'A Jedi's Love' has had several chapters prewritten months ago which is why I have been able to update that one and not this one. But now with my workload low now I should be able to manage both.

The next chapter to this story should be posted soon (and I really hope it will be next week).

Until then,

the-writer1988