CHAPTER 3
Jabba the Hutt was furious, as he slithered towards his vaults he pondered the first act of resistance against his taxes, it was too aggressive. His enforcers' charred corpses were found in some frontier homestead, unacceptable. Probably the work of some local militia, it would be crushed soon; if he could find some men to do it. His resources were being sapped by almost constant warfare with Crimson Dawn.
Jabba had been lucky, his base of power was outside the typical Hutt centres and when Hutt space had been taken over by Crimson Dawn he'd been outside the blast zone. Now he fought a desperate gang war to avoid being crushed, men died every day and loyal soldiers dwindled, they had hit his every source of revenue and there was no letting up.
As Jabba wormed into his vault he stared at his dwindling reserves of credits, there would have to be a one-time expense to teach a lesson to the Tatooinians, two good bounty hunters should be enough to trap and slaughter some outback militia.
Obi-Wan's hovel was dusty but clean, it was, after all, a matter of principle to keep his living space orderly and calm in a place as harsh as The Junland Wastes. The familiar motions of scrubbing the vaporators, sweeping the floors and organizing his possessions kept him centred. Now that Luke was with him he completed these daily rituals as the sun rose and before Luke awoke. It was in these moments he started to think about Owen and Beru, then everyone else. Now that Luke was with him he was reminded of Anakin every day.
When he had brought Luke home the boy was quiet and blank; radiating only a feeling of melancholy into the force. Obi-Wan had given his bedroom to the boy and slept on a meditation mat instead. The old Jedi had set into a troubled sleep that first night before being woken up by Luke. Unknowingly the boy had sleepwalked and, in a half-woken stupor, curled up next to him on the floor. Remarkably Luke managed to reach through Obi-Wan's mental shields without even trying, grasping at him for support. Obi-Wan was at first hesitant and his Ben side made him pick up the boy and return him to his room. But then it happened the next day, and the next and Obi-Wan finally stopped returning the boy to his bed.
They didn't talk much in the early days, Obi-Wan would come inside after his morning routine and make a little food for the two of them. Luke would eat and ask a few questions, looking into Obi-Wan's eyes eager for Obi-Wan to reciprocate, but Ben kept him from reaching out. After eating they would go their separate ways, Luke would mess with some parts in the cellar and Obi-Wan would retreat back outdoors to contemplate and work. During one of these days, Obi-Wan had to repair a vaporator, once the task was finished he kneeled on the sand and leaned one arm against the machine resting himself. He looked up at the twin suns, almost noon, his vision blurred and nausea overcame him. Obi-Wan had to get inside, he was beginning to feel heat exhaustion, so engrossed in the work he hadn't noticed his thirst, sweating and headaches all kept at bay by minimal force use. Obi-Wan's head swirled as he tried to stand up, he stood for a moment then fell back down onto his knees and almost on forgotten instinct, his mind dulled by the sun, he called on the force. It came to him in a massive wave uncontrolled and filled him with relief, he stood slowly.
'NO!' Screamed Ben internally. Obi-Wan cut the force away from himself once more, but it was too late, ghosts of the past came to him and rushed through his mind, triggered by the awesome rush of connection he had accidentally caused.
"He is too old. There is already too much anger in him." One ghost said.
Another spoke, "He is the chosen one...you must see it."
"Clouded, this boy's future is. Masked by his youth." A third ghost countered.
A final ghost spoke up, "I will train him"
"No, no, no" muttered Obi-Wan "not again."
It was then a shimmering mirage appeared before his eyes and spoke, "He... is the chosen one. He... will bring balance... train him."
Obi-Wan shed a tear and sobbed. He felt a nudge in the side and awoke drowsily to find Luke standing over him with a horrified expression radiating fear into the force and trying to shake him awake.
"I'm up, I'm up little one." He mumbled.
Luke tried to reign in his internal conflict before Obi-Wan but failed and began to panic breathing harder and harder. Obi-Wan got up and led the boy inside trying to help him calm down.
Once they were inside Luke calmed slightly and they ate supper. He noted that they were running low on water. It wasn't a pleasant meal but Luke ate without complaint looking up at Obi-Wan as if checking to see whether he was still there.
Luke went to bed at Obi-Wan's insistence and he eventually roused to find Luke curled up near him. Unfortunately now Luke clung to his arm and radiated a sense of desperation. Instead of leaving Luke be, he pulled Luke into a hug and calmed him with the force. Obi-Wan was met with Luke's presence near his mind, holding tight to him through the force and trying to offer Obi-Wan reassurance. As they both passed into sleep, free of nightmares, a memory of Qui-Gon slipped into his mind and then faded.
"Promise me, you will train the boy."
"Yes master…"
Obi-Wan woke slowly. Finding he was no longer in Luke's death grip; he let the boy rest and set to his early tasks, it was later than usual but he had slept well and was energized. When Obi-Wan returned to make breakfast Luke was awake and fiddling with a T-16 model. He prepared two bowls of quick rice and bantha meat and set them down on the small table.
Luke walked over and sat down opposite Obi-Wan. He glanced from his bowl to Obi-Wan.
"Will you die too?"
Obi-wan was taken aback, "No Luke I will not leave, it is my duty to keep you safe."
"So when I'm safe you'll leave?" Luke asked.
"No, no, Luke, you are wanted here."
Luke cast his eyes downward, "You're lying, I'm just another obligation."
Obi-Wan sighed, "Also no Luke, you are a youngling and a responsibility I am glad to take on. I am taking care of you because I want to."
Luke looked unconvinced.
The old Jedi stood and finished his meal quickly and gestured to Luke, "Here come with me."
Luke rose and they sat down in the center of the room. Obi-Wan sat looking at Luke.
"It is time we talked" Obi-Wan paused, Luke stared back up at him expectantly and Obi-Wan resigned himself to his next course of action, he had promised to train the boy.
"Luke, do you feel connected to things that surround you? Can you feel some invisible force that envelops us both?"
"Yeah!" replied Luke, "sometimes I feel overwhelmed though, and uncle Owen tells… I mean told me that I shouldn't really talk about it."
Obi-Wan managed a sad smile to reassure Luke. "That's quite alright Luke, we are all overwhelmed sometimes. Now tell me, can you do things with this feeling, like make things shift or fall over?"
"You mean the floaty power?" Said Luke. "Wait I can show you!"
"Of course." Obi-Wan chuckled softly, 'wait, did he say floaty power?'
Luke breathed in and the nearby chest rose into the air. Obi-Wan could feel the force sing and leap to Luke's call effortlessly. The chest floated there, the chest that held Anakin's lightsaber, just
A tear ran down Obi-Wan's cheek, "Oh my…" he trailed off, if the boy was this far in his ability then…
"What's wrong?" Luke opened his eyes and stared at Obi-Wan. The blue colour was so much like his father's. He barely noticed Luke lose concentration and his chest fall heavily to the floor. Luke tilted his head in confusion, the boy's presence began to push at Obi-Wan's mind, desperate to understand, "you're sad, why?"
Obi-Wan could not bear to see those blue eyes corrupted, not again. A small part of him gave way, 'the boy must be trained.'
"It has been a long while since I have felt such strength in the force."
"What's the force," asked Luke.
"What you have shown me just now is the force. You have it, I have it, your father had it…"
Luke's eye's widened "My dad?
"Yes, your father, he was once a great Jedi, pilot and friend."
"What's a Jedi?"
"Oh, we were the guardians of peace and justice in the Old Republic for over a thousand generations. Before the dark times, before the Empire.
"You were a Jedi?" Luke asked, "Like dad?"
"Yes, I was."
"Then what does my Force have to do with any of this?"
"The Force is what gives a Jedi his power. It's an energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us and penetrates us. It binds the galaxy together." Obi-Wan then lowered his voice to a soft whisper, "your father is gone now Luke, but his legacy lives through you."
"Oh." Luke glanced down, "so can I be a Jedi like Dad was?"
Obi-Wan hesitated, "of course Luke, you can be as great as Anakin."
"Dad was Anakin?" asked Luke.
"Yes Luke, Anakin Skywalker was your father. He was like a brother to me." Obi-Wan produced an image caster from his robes and activated it. In front of Luke, there was a holo of Anakin Skywalker standing next to Obi-Wan, both men young and smiling in full Jedi robes. He deactivated the holo and gave it to Luke. "If you wish it, I will teach you the ways of the force like I taught your father."
"Yes!" The force around Luke buzzed, ecstatic "please, teach me to be like dad!"
Obi-Wan's face contorted into a sad smile "very well, Luke you've taken your first step into a larger world. But I cannot teach you here on Tatooine, we must find a safe place."
Luke stared into Obi-Wan's eyes, the boy's own wide like blue marbles. "We get to go on a spaceship!" He shot up and crashed into Obi-Wan, hugging him.
The old Jedi chucked as he started to cry "yes Luke, there will be terribly exciting flying." Obi-Wan wrapped his arms around Luke in a tight hug returning the embrace.
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