~Chapter Nine~

Mos Espa was a crowded city.  Obi-Wan noticed that there was a lot of people going in the same direction.  The short black cloaked thing following him ran to the nearest place to find out what it was.  Obi-Wan was wearing a farmer's poncho instead of his Jedi robe in order to not look suspicious.  He had some bartering to do, and Jyana had hooked him up with money to do it with and they were not Republic Credits.

Wokki came back to him just as a seductively dressed woman approached Obi-Wan.  "Hi there handsome," she said to him, "I haven't seen you around Mos Espa before."  Obi-Wan didn't respond.  She wasn't attractive to him, especially compared to Jyana.  He knew what she was after so he cut her off quickly, "I'm engaged."  Wokki looked at him shocked.

She looked disappointed but stated, "She'll never know."

I'll know.  "No."  He waved his hand in a casual gesture, "You don't need what you're asking for."

"I don't need what I'm asking for."
"You're sorry you bothered."
"I'm sorry I bothered."

"Bye."

"Bye."  She walked away.

Obi-Wan took a deep breath.  Glad that's over with.

"Engaged?"  Wokki asked, "When were you engaged?"

"Qui-Gon told me I was.  I guess I have been since I was 9."
"To whom?"

"Jyana."
"She'll deny that."

He sighed.  "I know.  I don't think her mother told her.  Don't tell her anything.  That's my job… much later."

"Don't worry.  I won't.  She would have to be asked by you since it is your job."
"I plan to ask, when the time is right."

"I hope soon it will be."
They walked to an ally and Wokki pulled out a comlink to contact Jyana.  Obi-Wan stared at him warily, a little worried of what he would tell her.  If he was going to marry Jyana, he would ask her himself, but he wasn't sure if the time was right yet.  Obi-Wan didn't think Jyana had gotten over her father's death yet.

"Yellow," she replied in a chipper voice.

"Today's the Boonta race.  Does Keldin have his Pod ready?"

"Of course.  He's never without it, and it's always ready.  What do you take him for?  Wait… don't answer that.  He whipped it out earlier this morning."
"Good.  I signed him up."
"He heard."  She sighed.  "First time in a while that I've seen him look so happy."

"Do you know why?"

She sighed again.  "I have an idea," she muttered.  "He's getting prepared now.  We'll be there in a while."  She signed off.

Obi-Wan looked at the smirking ewok.  "I don't know if that was a good idea."

"What?"

"Signing Keldin up."

"Why?"

"I know Jyana would want to race too, and I don't want her to."

"She'll obey."

Obi-Wan sighed, not sure if he could trust that.

Wokki nudged Obi-Wan with a twinkle in his eye as well as his smirk that was ever increasing.  "Besides, how else can we get Keldin out of the way?"

"Oh."  Good idea.  Very good idea.

"Tre don't touch that!" Keldin screamed at him, "Are you an idiot?"

Tre just looked at him dumbly and looked back at the Pod and carefully stepped away.

Keldin went back to tinkering with his Podracer.  Jyana had offered to help but Keldin dismissed that on the account that only he knew his own Pod and he wanted to fix it himself.  He tightened the wiring in the controls to make sure they worked correctly in the race later in the day.  Keldin hopped up into the cockpit seat and turned it on.  Flame shot out of the afterburners.  He flipped it off muttering to himself that it works fine.

Jyana walked back out of the ship and handed Keldin his helmet.  He toyed with it, checking the wiring in his specially designed view lens so that it would work correctly later.  The view lens had windows that showed everything that was happening around him so that he didn't have to turn his head at all and so he could keep his eyes on the track.  It helped him concentrate completely on the race, and then he could see with his eyes what the Force made him feel while he was racing and it enabled him to win his race with better ease.

Jyana could just imagine what would happen if Anakin was there with them…

"Can I test it out?" Anakin would ask.

"No."

"But I…"

"I don't care.  I said no."
"But…"

"No."

"But I…"

"I SAID NO!"

"I still could."

"NO!"

"Please?"

"No."

"But…"

"I didn't like you before… why would you suppose I would let you test MY Pod now?"
"Because I won the Boonta when I was nine."

"Does it look like I care?"

"Please, Keldin… I'll be good to her…"

"Let me think about it… no."

"But…"

"No."

"Oh come on."

"NO!"

"Please."

"I ain't changing my mind."…

Jyana sighed and wondered what would happen if she had asked, since one, Anakin wasn't there and she was also just curious. "Can I test it?" she begged.      

"No."

"Please."
"No."

"But I'm your big sister."

"So…"

"That gives me more right."

"No it doesn't."
"Come on Keldin."

"NO!"

"But…"
"I ain't giving away my baby to just anyone."

"Who said I was just anyone?"

"I still said no."

"But Keldin, you let me before."

"Doesn't mean I'm going to let you now."

"Please."

"No."

She just gazed at him and starting pouting repeating, "Please."

"Oh no… don't do that."

She knew his one weakness.  "Please Keldin."

He looked away, trying to get away from that face.

"Please?"

He shivered.  He just wanted her to stop pouting.  "Oh all right."

"Thank you."  She hopped into the Pod flashing a wide grin at everyone.

Jyana could just guess what would've happened if Anakin had tried to pout too.

Keeping his eyes squared on Jyana he muttered to Anakin, "It doesn't work for you."

"Darn."

Keldin smirked a little but kept his eyes on Jyana to make sure she didn't hurt his "baby."

Obi-Wan helped Wokki up on a stool at a bar.  He knew he had to get more food to feed the rest of the group while they were here except for the food capsules that all Jedi were required to have on them at all times.  He hadn't seen this particular stand here before.  It also looked as if it was Republic friendly, not something you usually find on Tatooine.

A young woman greeted them, looking at Wokki with a curious look.  Obi-Wan ordered them water because that was the only safe drink that he could think of.

"Where are you from?" the woman asked.

"All over," Obi-Wan honestly replied, "My home base is Coruscant.  My friend's is the Sanctuary Moon of Endor."

"Oh.  I thought so.  I've never seen you around here before."

"I haven't seen this stand here before either."

"It's a new place.  I've lived in Mos Espa for a while, but my fiancé just moved here on order from Bail Organa of Alderaan to operate a small moisture farm a little outside of Arrowhead.  He set up this stand for our first crop because you get more business here due to the Pod races."

"Do you ever watch them?"

"Not anymore.  We just sell our goods to the people who do.  I've never liked them anyway because there is too much betting.  If we ever betted on it, we would probably we ever betted on it, we would probably lose all we have, and that's really not much."

"Wise decision.  I'm going today because the ewok here signed one of my crew in it."

"Oh.  You'll get better seats then.  I hope you don't place any bets."

"I don't plan to."

"We ain't got no reason this time," Wokki piped in.

"This time?"  The woman was curious.

"I was here ten years ago with my Master and he placed some bets and got us off this rock and on our way," Obi-Wan explained.  How did Wokki know about that?

"Master?  You're a Jedi aren't you."

"I figured someone would find out."  Note to self; when not trying to look like a Jedi, never refer to people as your own 'Master.'

"I have seen a few.  Who did your Master bet with?"

"Watto.  My Master won pretty good."

"Oh was it the Boonta then too?  I heard that Watto lost his favorite slave that year in the Boonta."

"Yeah.  His slave is now my Padawan."

"That's good.  I haven't seen his mother in a long time, but she was surely a pleasant woman."

"I'll tell Anakin you said so."

"So, is there anything else you need, Master…"
"Obi-Wan Kenobi.  I'm not really a Master yet.  I'm only a Master to Anakin."

"Obi-Wan, that sounds familiar.  You're a hero on Naboo right?"

He blushed a little.  "That's what they say."

"How may I help you?"

"Oh, well I need something to hold us till we leave tomorrow in the area of food.  Food Capsules get kind of boring after a while."

"I'll bet.  I'll go see what I have."

"Thank you."

The ewok turned to Obi-Wan as the woman left and cocked his head curiously.

"How did you know about the last time Wokki?"

"Anakin told me.  At that time Jyana was going through her depressed stage so Mace sent her to her Dad's to help her out."

Depressed stage?  That's what they call it?  I wonder if I'll get away with telling

Wokki what Jyana told me.  "I was wondering why Mace wasn't with his Padawan when we eventually got to Coruscant."

"I don't know if it really helped, but…"

"I heard she injured herself."

The ewok looked shocked for a second, then the shock was gone.  "I figured she eventually would, but I wasn't sure.  At least she told someone."

"She told me."

"Then she does trust you.  Feel special."

"I do."

"What do you have against Keldin racing?"
"It's against our mission.  The Council did not say we could take part of the planet's customs."

"They didn't say we couldn't."

"But they did say we shouldn't."

"Why?"
"Being here long is dangerous.  You never know when we're going to lose someone due to this.  We're stepping into the public now.  The Sith already know where we are."

Tre was standing by feeling left out of the Podracer party.  He glared at Keldin angrily.  I will kill you, he thought, And who is that loser hanging with you?  He wasn't here before.  He paced in the opposite direction and called out, "Rabé, I need you."

All of a sudden, a miniature lightsaber, a kind of dagger one could guess, starting hovering near him, somehow detached from his belt.  He had called it his light daggre and had prided himself in it.  No longer could he do that.  He noticed too later a pair of non-matching eyes were staring at him.  He saw a gleam in the purple one and vagueness in the brown.  The daggre hovered behind him.  He made no scream, only an, "Ow," as he fell to the ground.

Jyana heard Rabé scream bloody murder a few moments later. Syerré was the first to get to the scene.  Syerré quickly came back with a horrified look on her face.

Keldin looked up from his work since Jyana was now done toying with the Pod.  He was glad that she knew what she was doing and knew how to handle the Pod correctly.  Besides, she used to race a lot.  Somehow he knew what had happened.  "He's dead?"

Syerré could only nod, but gave his a look of unsure accusation.  I hope he had nothing to do with killing him.  I didn't like Tre anyway, but still, wouldn't that take him to the Dark Side if he did something like that?

He went back to his work, not caring.  I knew it.

Jyana walked up to a pondering Syerré.  "He can read minds you know."

She sighed in response.  "I know.  It's just suspicious how he doesn't seem to care."

"He doesn't care for anything except that Pod of his.  Well maybe except for you."

Jyana left to go to the scene. Rabé certainly looked very lonely, but she didn't want anyone near her to hold her.  Syerré led her away from the bloody mess.  Jyana started shivering.  Mom… just like Mom… She quickly tore away from the mess and called Wokki and Obi-Wan on her comlink.

As she did so, Keldin prepared the group to head on to Mos Espa and another man in a space pirate suit followed them.  He had helped Keldin with his Pod, although not much, when Tre had disappeared.  When the spacer had seen Tre's body he said, "Ow.  That's gotta hurt."

Keldin nodded at his newly appointed co-pilot who bore a lightsaber instead of a blaster, Jaden Koral.  Keldin never once looked at Tre in his newfound state.

A bunch of jawas came by and took Tre's body to be cremated by Jyana's command. 

Obi-Wan went off to a corner to answer the comlink.

"We're on our way," he heard Jyana say with a shaky voice.

"What's wrong?" he asked.  I hope she's all right, but she sure doesn't sound like it.

"Tre's dead… looked like Mommy."

"It'll be all right.  You're fine.  That's all that matters.  How are the others taking it?"

"All right I guess."

"Good.  What about Keldin?"

"He cares more for inanimate objects than he does for people."

"Ah.  That's believable.  What's he doing now?"

"Guiding the Podracer on its antigrav lifts while watching his last Pod race on his holo module."

"At the same time?"

"Yup.  He's talented like that."

"So… we're one less a person now?"

"No.  We picked up another stray."

"Whose idea?"
"Keldin."

"He's more like my Master than his own."

"I've noticed that.  I've wondered whether Qui-Gon was his dad."

"He's not.  He would've told me otherwise if it were so.  Qui-Gon told me who Keldin's father was."

"You know?"

"Yeah.  I'll tell you about that later.  Look, I'm purchasing some real food for a small while, so I'll see you when you get here.  All right?"
"Sure."

Wokki was still sitting at the counter munching on a pallie when Obi-Wan came back.  "They're coming."

"What happened?"

"Tre's gone."

"Oh."  No loss.

Obi-Wan gave the ewok a look of warning.

The woman came back.  "Your food will be here in a moment.  My fiancé just went to get it."

The two nodded and continued to wait.

Obi-Wan helped Wokki off the stool that was much larger than him and turned to notice the caravan of people coming his way.  He spotted Jyana, who still looked a little shaken from what she had seen earlier.  His heart went out to her and he ran to give her a hug in order that she could be comforted.  She accepted his gathering of her to himself for awhile but eventually pushed him away claiming she was really all right.

Keldin looked at Obi-Wan suspiciously but quickly said, "I'm ready for my race now.  It's time to go the arena."

Obi-Wan nodded and then was suddenly all business.  "Okay.  How many people do you need in the pit crew?"

"I have 6 pit droids.  Jaden here is enough."

Obi-Wan nodded to the spacer acknowledging his presence.  He's not so bad I guess.  At least he doesn't look too bad.  We'll see later.   "Okay.  Let's get going then."

A man slightly younger looking than Obi-Wan came in his direction carrying a small bundle of food.  "Here's your food, Master Kenobi."

"Thanks sir," he said, eyeing the food given to him, "This is great.  Do you want credits or trugets?"
"No.  Let's just say you owe me.  Enjoy the Boonta race."

Obi-Wan rolled his eyes.  "I'll try."

Keldin grinned at the man.  I'm going to win this race.

"What'd you get 'Master Kenobi'?" Jyana asked.

He smirked and tossed her a pallie.  "Just what I told you earlier.  I'm tired of living off my capsules."
"I understand."  She took a bite at the small fruit.  "Thanks Master Kenobi."

He leaned to whisper in her ear.  "Although I do like to hear you calling me that, I would much rather you call me 'Obi'."

She took another bite of the pallie and just looked at him.  Obi-Wan stepped away from her due to the pair of eyes staring at him from both Keldin and Jaden.  Another one?

I like Jaden.

Thanks.

Oh no.  Not another one.

Both young men grinned.

Syerré pulled Obi-Wan aside.  "During the Pod race, you won't have a problem due to Keldin.  You've got a chance to talk with Jyana however you want.  Or, you could give her what she gave you."

Hmmm…  Good idea.

Don't even think about it.

Obi-Wan looked at Keldin and frowned.  Too late.  How are you going to stop me?

Just wait.

Obi-Wan shook his head unbelieving.

"You still going to race Keldin?" Jaden asked.

"Nothing will keep me from my race."  Not even Obi-Wan.

"I'm guessing Obi doesn't want me to race," Jyana stated.

"You're right cutie."

"What'd you call me?"
"Just what you are."

Keldin stared at Obi-Wan angrily, but he couldn't do anything or else lose his Pod.

"See Rabé, told you I was cute," Jyana stated.

"That's not what he meant Jyana.  I know that look," she responded to the cute one.

Jyana looked back at Obi-Wan.  Oh dear.  Obi-Wan handed Wokki the bag of food and led the group down to the arena while Keldin and Jaden went on excitedly to join the other Podracers.

As Obi-Wan got on the viewing platform it began to lift upward.  He looked down at where Keldin stood next to his Pod, alone, the way he wished to be.  Good, Obi-Wan thought as he noticed how occupied Keldin was with his Pod.  He looked at Jyana and smiled at himself.  Later, he told himself, maybe after the race.  He positioned himself behind her where she was sitting.

"Don't touch me Obi-Wan," she warned him.

Okay… I'll wait then.

Jaina sighed and thought to herself, This is going to be torture.  It'll try my patience.  Obi-Wan will push me over the edge.

She then felt reassurance from Keldin, He'd better not.

The viewing platform locked into place as all eyes focused on the racers.  They were all bunched up rather than spread out.  Keldin's expensive Pod was behind the clutter ready to go.

The light turned green and Keldin shot right through the wavy space between the other racers.

Obi-Wan saw sometime in the audience of the race at a distance and smirked to himself carefully blocking away his own thoughts.  Soon.  Someday Jyana will no longer fight me.  I love her.  Someday I'll be able to tell her.

As soon as it had started, the race was finished and Keldin of course had won.  Jyana wasn't surprised and Wokki had slept through the race.  Rabé couldn't wait to congratulate him.  Obi-Wan's mind was on other things.  He looked at Jyana and decided to make a move.  "Well, your baby brother won."

"Nothing different.  He always wins," she replied staring off in the distance as the viewing platform slowly descended.

"So you really couldn't care less?"

"Basically."

"So you're not even happy for him?"
"How can I?"  She turned to look at Obi-Wan.  "I can't be happy for him if I already knew he was going to win.  It leaves no suspense."

"Oh."  They stood there staring at each other for awhile.  Just as she was about to turn her head, Obi-Wan grabbed her and kissed her hard on the mouth.  She was visibly shaken and quickly pushed away from him and ran off the platform since it was lowered.  Obi-Wan sighed.  Darn.  Thought she'd like that.

Keldin sensed something in the midst of the celebration.  Oh no he didn't, he thought looking up to see Jyana running quickly towards him.  Obi-Wan was nowhere to be seen.  Darn.  I need to smack him.  That little…

"Keldin," Jyana interrupted his thoughts, "I can't fight him anymore."

Disappointed that his thoughts were interrupted and he couldn't crush Obi-Wan's skull he quickly retaliated, "Yes you can."

"It's getting harder now."

Keldin smirked.  "I can help."

"But I sense you won't always be able to."

"I have my ways."

If the queen and Anakin had been there, Jyana could just imagine that they would've perhaps been making out throughout the race and the following would've happened…

Padmé and Anakin came down to share their congratulations.  Keldin glared knowing now what had took place while he was racing.  They do what they know they cannot when I'm not around.  They'll never get away with this as long as I have control over this situation.  He looked straight at Anakin as Padmé departed from him to converse with Jyana and Rabé.  "I don't like you," he said to him.

"I don't like you either," Anakin confessed, "But I guess I'll get over that.  You get to Pod race.  I get the girl."

"You know you wanted to be out there."

"I would've beaten you too."

"Yeah right!  You haven't raced in 10 years."

"I still would've beaten you."

"I still don't like you."

"That doesn't matter.  I still get the girl."

"You'll get your day," Keldin said as he smacked Anakin in the back of the head…

Jyana shook her head and got out the imagination and then addressed her big little brother, "My fears, I sense, are well placed."

Keldin raised an eyebrow in question.

"Obi-Wan got a call from the Council.  They have a mission for us, Obi-Wan and I alone, and will meet us on Naboo.  That's all Wokki could tell me."

He sighed in response.  Darn.  If the Council would give them a mission alone together, there would be no way for me to get them out of it.

Jyana then walked on with Wokki, who was still drowsily wiping the sleep out of his eyes, on her way back to the ship to prepare for her mission.

Keldin started working his Pod back into its travel position.  When he was all tied up with his hands busy, Obi-Wan appeared behind him.  "Congratulations," was all he could say.

Keldin looked up at him with a scowl on his face and said, "I wouldn't say the same for you."

Obi-Wan's eyebrows burrowed, but he understood.  Keldin knew what he had done and Jyana had not even told him.  Darn… Can't get anything by him, can I?

Keldin only smirked from the knowledge he possessed.

Obi-Wan sighed.  "Keldin, you must my ship to Naboo immediately."

"What?" he asked looking back up from what he was doing.

"The Council wants Jyana and I to go aboard this ship nearby to negotiate some confidential matters."

He rose an eyebrow.  "What about Wokki?"

"He will not be joining us.  The Council did not ask for him.  He has things that he has to do near Naboo he told me."

Keldin sighed and looked back down at his Podracer.  I hate this.  "Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

Obi-Wan sighed reluctantly.  He understood what Keldin was implying.  "Sure," he said, "I'll make sure I don't.  Now don't smack me for things that I have no control over."

Now it was Keldin's turn to be reluctant.  "It's a deal then."

Obi-Wan then walked off towards his ship and his Republic escort that he would be soon taking.

Keldin glared off in the distance.  The end is near.  I can feel it.