Chapter: Ten: The Tying up of Ends

Ch. Summary: The Mandalorians and the Jedi part ways. Disconcerting information is revealed to an old master.

The next day when another Jedi ship landed next to Master Koon's, Jango just shot Obi-Wan an unimpressed look and walked off muttering about how he could only handle one Jetii at a time and three was too many. Obi-Wan was a little touched that he wasn't included into the count of Jedi.

Their newest arrival on Melida/Daan was Jedi Master Kit Fisto. Apparently he'd only been one sector away and was dispatched immediately by the Council when Master Koon had called in with a suspicion of dark-sider activity. Obi-Wan had been nervous that with his arrival a full scale investigation into the Sith summoning ritual would be conducted. Masters Fisto, Koon, and Tahl had closed themselves up in the med-bay for a couple hours and when they'd come out their concentration was on the Young, the peace talks, and helping the planet get back on its feet.

Obi-Wan was relieved that it seemed like his Dark ritual was actually going to fall by the way side. Jango was relieved he wasn't going to have to fight some Jedi to protect his idiot little brother.

It was only three days after Master Fisto's arrival that the Mandalorians began preparations to return to Mandalore. In those three days a couple of Jango's more technology minded verde were able to repair two interplanetary communication towers into working order. The first call Jango and Obi-Wan made was to Manda'yaim and Jaster.

"Let me get this straight," Jaster said after his sons had finished a confusing collaborative explanation of their time on Melida/Daan. "You land on planet, discover an army of disenfranchised children, immediately begin waging war on their parents, pretty much take over the planet, perform a Darjetii(1) ritual to summon more Jedi, and are only now calling to tell me about it?"

There was a second of silence where the boys shifted awkwardly on their feet.

"In our defense the interplanetary communications were out," Jango finally said when his buir continued to give them an unimpressed look. "It's not like we could have called you earlier."

Sighing, Jaster just shook his head. "Alright, I'll give you a pass on that. But Jango you know how it would look if our involvement in this got out to the Republic Senate."

Confused, Obi-Wan spoke up, "I don't understand."

Grimacing, Jango turned to his little brother, "The thing the Republic fears about the Mando'ade the most is another Neo-crusader movement. On the surface our actions here would look like we'd picked a vulnerable planet and forcibly took it over."

Paling, Obi-Wan jerked his head back to the holoprojection of Jaster. "Jaster, I swear I had no idea. I'm so sorry. If-" he swallowed thickly, "if this causes trouble for you I will take full responsibility."

The Mand'alor looked between his defiantly frowning son and his worried ward and softened. "Don't you worry about it, Tracyn'ika. I knew sending you boys there might result in some fighting. I had some contingencies in the works if you encountered a snag like this."

"If you planned for it then why were you scolding us?" Jango demanded.

Jaster shot his son another unimpressed look. "Because I planned for some fighting, not a hostile take over."

Cutting in before his guardian and his foster brother could really begin arguing, Obi-Wan protested, "We're not taking over, though. We fought on behalf and beside the Young, citizens of the planet. We have no intention of staying and occupying Melida/Daan. Once the peace talks begin we're going to come back to Manda'yaim."

Nodding, Jaster responded, "I know that, Obi-Wan, and that is what we're going to tell anyone that comes asking."

"What do you have planned, Buir?" Jango's scowl softened and his father gave him a slight smirk.

"Luckily for you, my troublesome sons, I thought ahead." He explained that after they'd left Mandalore he'd had the urge to have a contract written up. It was a back dated mercenary contract for an as of yet unnamed party to hire the True Mandalorians to restore peace to the planet of Melida/Daan. All they needed to do was download the contract once he sent it to them and have the leaders of the Young sign it.

It would give their presence and their actions on Melida/Daan legality as well as separate their group on planet from the Mandalorian government. No one could accuse Jaster of launching a bid to rebuild the Mandalorian Empire.

Not for the first time, Obi-Wan eyed his guardian and wondered just how Force-sensitive the man was. This had the distinct flavor of Force interference.

Once Jaster was finished telling them the plan, Jango huffed at his father, exasperated. "You didn't have to jump on us, if you already had it figured out."

Sighing, Jaster looked between the two young men before him. "Jango, you need to start thinking about politics and the implications of your actions and possible consequences to our people. I will never scold you for protecting children, but I will tell you off if I think you haven't thought of and planned for all possible outcomes."

Deflated, Jango nodded solemnly. He knew his buir was right. By the will of their people he would one day be Mand'alor in Jaster's place. He needed to start really thinking about what kind of a leader he needed to be and not just how good of a warrior he wanted to be.

"That goes for you as well, Obi-Wan," Jaster continued pinning the younger teen with a pointed look. "I know you had good intentions and given no other options you did the right thing, but you know better then I do how the Jedi view those that use the darker aspects of the Ka'ra. You're lucky these Jetiise seem willing to put investigating this Sith ritual on the back burner. Next time you take such a risk I expect you to think through all outcomes and consequences before you start performing forbidden magics."

"It's not-" Obi-Wan cut off when Jaster just raised an eyebrow at him. Slumping, Obi-Wan nodded, "Yes, Jas'buir."

Jaster was a little thankful that the blue tint to the holoprojection will cover up his pleased flush at the name. He knew he would have to be patient for Obi-Wan to really accept him and Jango as family since the Jedi supposedly didn't have familial relationships. Still the nickname was a good sign. Judging by Jango's amused look, Jaster hadn't covered his reaction well enough.

Clearing his throat, Jaster gave the boys a proud smile. "Alright, boys, impulsive actions aside, you have done very well. I'm proud of you both."

He was slightly amused to see both teenagers fail to hide their own pleased reactions. "Get things on planet wrapped up quickly. I'll expect you both for late-meal within a week."

With that the call ended and Jango took over the task of covering their tracks legally, while Obi-Wan took the job of informing the Jedi of pertinent developments.

By the time the contracts were signed, Master Koon had the peace talks under control and Tahl was ready to be transferred from the Mandalorian transport to Master Fisto's ship to returned to the temple, Obi-Wan was more than ready to go back to Manda'yaim. It had become home after all. And he hadn't had a home since he'd been assigned to the AgriCorps. For all that Hondo's pirate ship had been where he'd lived for that year it hadn't ever felt like home. Not like how the temple or the palace in Keldabe felt.

Before they finally left the planet, Master Tahl requested to see him.

Stepping onto the Jedi ship, Obi-Wan quickly found the even smaller med-bay on the shuttle and knocked on the wall in absence of a door so the injured master knew he was there.

"Obi-Wan," Tahl greeted with a tired, but genuine smile. "I'm glad you came."

"Of course, Master," Obi-Wan smiled and projected his happiness to see her into the Force. "How are you feeling?"

Sighing, Master Tahl sank a little deeper into the pillows someone had piled her cot with. "I'm still in pain, but I'm glad to be going back to the temple."

Humming in agreement, Obi-Wan offered, "Maybe the temple healers will be able to do more to heal you than we could."

She turned a wry look in the teen's direction. "Maybe," she said though her doubt was obvious. "Regardless, I would have died here if you hadn't come. And for that I am infinitely grateful."

Obi-Wan bit his lip at the master's pessimism, but didn't argue. "I decided when I left the Jedi that I would still help people if I could. The Force sent me a vision of you and I was able to do something to help you. How could I have ignored that?"

Master Tahl tilted her head regarding him with something other than her vision, her lips curled in a curious knowing smile. "You keep that conviction, Obi-Wan. I believe that as long as you have the best of intentions and a pure heart you will do more good than harm."

Puzzled by her strange remark, Obi-Wan settled on simply replying with a, "Thank you, Master."

Then Master Fisto appeared and it was time for Obi-Wan to return to the Mandalorians so they could leave. As the teen watched the shuttle carrying Master Tahl lift into the air and turn back to the temple, he wondered at her curious parting words. Eventually he shook his head and turned back to the process of packing up to head back to his own home.

Jaster had been anxious for his boys to return. He'd discovered when Jango had finally gotten old enough that sending his son out on solo missions was never not going to be nerve wracking. As it was, this was first time since Obi-Wan had joined them that the two teens were on their own without him.

And of course because nothing in Jaster's life was simple, they had to for all intents and purposes take over a whole planet. At least they'd mitigated any future consequences as well as they could. Now they could concentrate on simpler, more important things. Like getting Jango to finally take an interest in the politics of ruling and Obi-Wan continuing his lessons so he could eventually swear the Resol'nare.

Finally the transport ship they'd left in landed in the hangar bay and his sons were disembarking.

Before the two teens could protest Jaster was wrapping his arms around them and pulling them into a tight hug. Jango was tall enough that he could raise his chin to rest over Jaster's shoulder, but Obi-Wan was still fairly short and his face was pressed into Jaster's collarbone.

The teen was glad the older man had chosen to wear a tunic, jacket, trousers, and just his vambraces. Getting a face full of chest plate would not have been comfortable.

"Ugh, Buir, come on," Jango complained quietly even as he wrapped an arm around his father and hugged back.

"Does he always react like this when you come home from a mission?" Obi-Wan asked as he returned the hug himself and even pressed a little closer into the affection.

"Yep," Jango grumbled and sighed long-suffering, "and it's never not embarrassing."

"Shut up," Jaster scolded lightly. "Don't complain. You love it."

Though the older boy grumbled some more, Obi-Wan grinned because he could tell that Jango didn't actually mind all that much.

Finally, Jaster let the boys step back so he could get a good look at them. Was it just him or had Obi-Wan at least gotten taller?

"Well, come along," he clapped them on the shoulder and started ushering them inside the palace. "Let's drop your things back in your rooms and then you can get cleaned up and changed. It's time for late-meal."

That evening as he listened to the two boys tease and argue with each other as they recounted their time away, Jaster smiled to himself. This was his family and he was just happy they were finally home.

As Master Plo Koon finished up his report to the Council he was not the only one that felt a shift in the Force. Whether it was good or bad no one could tell yet. But none of his fellow Council members at least could make heads or tails of the mysterious Sith ritual that had lead him to finding an injured missing Jedi Master, an army of children, and a planet in the infant stages of rebuilding.

When he'd finished telling of how when he'd landed on planet he met none other than their lost initiate Obi-Wan Kenobi, he'd fully intended to continue and tell them of his suspicions. But something stayed his tongue.

He wasn't concerned that Master Tahl, once she got out of the bacta tank the healers put her in, would reveal their theory that Obi-Wan was the source of the Dark ritual. She had expressed a belief in his good intentions and his pure heart. He didn't think she would risk not just war with Mandalore, but also Obi-Wan's safety and freedom by sicking paranoid Jedi on him.

As he concluded how the Elders and the Young eventually came to an agreement and requested further help from the Jedi on rehabilitating their planet's natural resources, Plo waited for a response.

There was a long moment of quiet when Yoda finally spoke up, "Send the MediCorps and the AgriCorps to Melidaan, we will," the Grand Master of the Order said. "Watch the planet closely, we should as well, to monitor any return of hostilities."

Plo agreed and bowed to the older master. Yoda then said, "Owe young Obi-Wan our thanks, we do, for saving Master Tahl."

There was a measure of grumbling from several other Council members, but Master Mace Windu just raised an eyebrow at them. "This Council decided that Master Tahl's situation was not dangerous enough to investigate when she failed to check in. Now she is seriously injured and the healers don't think she'll ever regain her sight. If Obi-Wan hadn't done our job she would be dead."

"He had no business interfering with Jedi business," Master Poof asserted sternly. "And bringing Mandalorians into it as well. The whole situation could have devolved into disaster."

"Despite their questionable methods, the Mandalorians resolved a crisis in a week that we have been failing at for the last hundred years," Mace stated with a scowl at the long necked master. "I say we should be thankful the planet is peaceful now, the children are safe, and Master Tahl is back with us."

Master Poof didn't like being contradicted, but he couldn't argue when the facts were stated so plainly.

Before any other master could speak up, Yoda's throaty hum cut them off. "The Mandalorians we should thank as well, for healing Master Tahl," he said. "After Galidraan, fortunate we are that Mand'alor Mereel, hold our hastiness against us, he does not."

That effectively shut everyone down and with a tap of his gimer stick on the floor, Yoda dismissed the Council with a last suggestion. "Meditate on gratefulness and the fortune of unexpected allies, we should."

Plo was glad his anti-ox mask covered up his smirk as the other masters of Council drifted out of the room with various expressions of consideration and disgruntlement.

Before he too could leave the chamber however, Yoda called to him. "Master Koon, speak with you more, I would."

Bowing, Plo agreed, "Of course, Master Yoda, where would you like to go?"

"In my apartment, privacy we could have," the small master replied and Plo raised an eyebrow.

The walk to Yoda's rooms was not particularly long, but they spent it quietly, so Plo was left to contemplate what the other master wanted to discuss with him. He had an idea, but he would wait to see what Yoda said.

Inside Yoda's apartment, the small master kept it fairly warm and humid. Plo had long had the theory that Yoda's home planet had some type of jungle or swamp ecosystem, but if ever asked, the old Jedi would always deflect. That or make a joke about not in fact being a type of frog-bat, like so many of the younglings speculated.

Sitting on the low cushions on the floor of Yoda's living room, Plo waited patiently for him to speak.

"About Obi-Wan Kenobi, I would like to know," Yoda finally said. "Look, how did he? Happy, did he seem?"

Smiling softly behind his mask Plo thought he should have guessed. It had been an open secret that Yoda had had his eye on young Obi-Wan for his lineage. That he spent extra time training and teaching the boy when he'd struggled as a new initiate.

Some of Plo's smile faded. That Yoda had been the one to assign Obi-Wan to the Bandomeer outpost in the hope that the extra time together would soften Qui-Gon to taking the boy as a padawan was an open secret as well.

That year where no one knew if Obi-Wan was safe or even alive had been hard on the small master. His guilt and worry had weighed heavily on him. When Master Dooku had returned with news that not only was Obi-Wan alive, but that he'd somehow thrived on a pirate crew and had been instrumental in saving over a hundred Mandalorian lives, Yoda had been demonstrably relieved.

After that Council meeting the diminutive master had disappeared into his apartment and there had been a powerful flash of grief and happiness in the Force before the temple was quiet again.

Plo looked into the old master's anxious eyes and nodded his head. "Obi-Wan seemed very healthy," he answered. "And for being in a war zone he was relatively happy as well. The Mandalorian squad leader, Jango, is his foster brother and they treated each other like fond, exasperating siblings. He also speaks of his guardian, Mand'alor Mereel with respect and fondness."

Yoda seemed to shrink in relief at that. "Enjoy living on Manda'yaim, does he?"

"I didn't get a chance to discuss his life on Mandalore with him, but I was able to witness him describing the Keldabe palace to Master Tahl one evening. While I'm sure he was doing it to keep her spirits up, it was obvious that he was enjoying it as well. He spoke about the palace and the city as if they were home."

"Good, good," Yoda murmured quietly, then louder, "Good it is, that he is happy with the Mando'ade."

Plo nodded, but then hesitated. If he was going to bring up his concerns to any Master in the Order, Yoda would be the one most willing to give Obi-Wan the benefit of the doubt.

"Something else, there is?" Yoda asked having caught Plo's conflict.

He took a moment to center his thoughts before he spoke. "It relates to the Sith summoning ritual."

Yoda frowned then, wary. "The truth, I would have you tell me."

Sighing, Plo explained, "I told the Council that the ritual was likely altered, power taken from the compulsion aspect and added to the distance limitation. When I landed on Melida/Daan, almost immediately I was aware that someone was coming toward me. It turned out to be Obi-Wan. It seemed like he'd been expecting a Jedi to come."

Yoda stayed quiet and Plo continued, "He didn't appear to be particularly surprised when I mentioned a Dark side summoning either. When I mentioned how I came to Melida/Daan to Master Tahl she told me something concerning."

He paused, but Yoda nodded him on, his expression serious and attentive. "She said that when the compound where she was held captive was attacked and she first became aware of Obi-Wan his presence was chilly. He was fighting the Melida soldiers to get to her cell, he didn't hesitate to cut them down and showed little mercy. From how it felt in the Force while he was fighting, she'd expected him to be hostile, maybe even a dark-sider, but when he finally entered her cell he was nothing but kind and patient and Light."

There was an unreadable expression on Yoda's face as he finished, "She said that the entire time she was recovering he was a beacon of Light and warmth."

Yoda hummed low and throaty, then asked, "Your observation, what was it?"

"While there were moments when Obi-Wan would react to things with darker emotions, he always felt firmly in the Light."

The old master was quiet for a long moment and Plo could not guess at what he was thinking. He didn't know what he would be thinking either. Not if a youngling he'd grown fond of and attached to was suspected of using the Dark side.

"Believe Obi-Wan performed a Sith technique, you do," Yoda clarified.

"Given the evidence it would have made sense," he answered. "Master Tahl commented that it wouldn't be impossible for Obi-Wan to come across Sith texts while on Mandalore, given their history allying with the Sith."

"No," Yoda murmured almost to himself, "not impossible, it would be."

"Master Tahl also asserted that whether Obi-Wan performed the summoning ritual or not, he had the best of intentions," Plo added feeling that perhaps this would comfort the old master. "That and it had resulted in the desired, positive outcome."

There was a wry glint in Yoda's green-brown eyes then. "Yes, a Jedi, the people of Melida/Daan needed. A Jedi, Master Tahl needed. A Jedi, Obi-Wan acquired."

Letting out a short chuckle at the master's rather succinct summery, Plo nodded. "So, it would seem."

The humor faded from Yoda's expression then and he hummed again, pebbly and low, deep in thought. "Meditate on this, I must. Trust the Force to guide me, I will. Many things to be considered, before acting, there are."

Yes, Plo thought quietly. There would be many implications the Order must consider when confronted with the possibility of a young ex-temple initiate dabbling in ancient Sith powers. Not the least of which it whether they should do anything about it even if they could. Obi-Wan is for all intents and purposes the Mandalorian King's adopted son. Was checking one teenager's curiosity worth potentially setting off a war with a peoples known for perfecting the art of killing Jedi?

Observing Yoda across from him, Plo felt it safe to assume that whatever the old master decided to do, Obi-Wan's well being would be his highest concern. Even above a possible resurrection of Sith traditions.

* TBC...

1: Darjetii - Sith