Watcher's Secrets
18 years had passed uneventfully. Obi Wan had kept his distance from the town, the boy, and all life in essentiality. He had no contact with the outside world, yet he knew what was going on. He had heard of the rise of Leia Organa in the Senate. And then the rumors of her Rebel affiliations.
Keeping up with the world on the outer edge of the galaxy wasn't so hard when he caught reports here and there from spacers.
The Hutts controlled this planet, but they did not touch Obi Wan Kenobi. They would never have bothered with a "crazy old hermit," which, in time, the people of the town convinced themselves he was. He had done nothing to either further or deny the rumor, which, of course, only spread it like wildfire.
And he had only had direct contact with Luke Skywalker once. The boy had been all of 12 years old, petrified, as was his friend. They had been lost, and Obi Wan – Ben, he reminded himself, the other name is long forgotten – had never been sure if they were more scared of being lost or being with him.
Owen had not liked the contact. He'd warned Ben to stay away, to not get involved with the raising of the boy. He had promised Luke's raising, and in return, Ben had agreed to stay away, and that bargain was not going to be reneged on.
And then one fateful day, Ben had sensed the boy while he was traveling in the Wastes. He was injured.
Ben could hear Padmé's voice in his mind: "Promise me, Obi Wan, no harm shall come to my children. Give me your solemn word as a Jedi you will not let harm come to them…"
He could only hope he wasn't too late when he got to the boy, making the scream of a Krayt dragon to drive the Raiders away. He had knelt by Luke, feeling for his pulse points, using the Force to waken him.
"Ben? Ben Kenobi? Boy, am I glad to see you." There was relief on the boy's face. Ben suppressed a smile. Better a crazy old man than Raiders, eh?
"Tell me, young Luke, what brings you out here? The Jundland Wastes are not to be traveled lightly," he remarked, watching a change come over the boy's face as he glanced at the little R2 unit.
"It's this little droid. I think he's searching for his former master, but I've never seen such devotion in a droid before...Uh, he claims to be the property of an Obi-Wan Kenobi. Is he a relative of yours? Do you know who he's talking about?"
There were few still alive who would call Obi Wan anything other than "Ben." The only one he could think of at the moment was Bail Organa. And then, why would he call unless…unless Leia was in danger.
But that made no sense. Right under the Emperor's nose, and ignorant of who her parents really were, she was perfectly safe.
Wasn't she?
Settling back, his eyes going distant as he tried to think of what exactly was going on, he said slowly, "Obi Wan Kenobi…Obi Wan. Now that's a name I've not heard in a long time, a long time."
"Oh, then you know him." Luke had seemed a mixture of relieved and annoyed, as if he couldn't decide whether or not to be glad to get rid of R2.
Ben had smiled. "Well, of course I know him! He's me. I haven't gone by the name of Obi Wan since, oh, before you were born."
He had meant, that day, in his home, to tell Luke the full tale. But he and Yoda had discussed this possibility before he'd left Leia and Padmé on Alderaan all those years ago, and both had decided that if Luke was to find out now who his father was, it would destroy whatever hope was left for the galaxy. Leia, although not completely weak, was in too much danger as a highly public figure to go into Jedi training and develop her latent Force abilities. And the twins had no bond. It was vital that they established a link. If Luke turned, she would not be able to defeat him without the aid of that link.
He would have to wait. So he spun a tale – not entirely false – of a great Jedi, his young Padawan, Anakin Skywalker. His revisionist version of events after Anakin turned would of course be called into question by Luke later on, when he was ready for the truth, but for now, this would have to do.
The secret of Padmé and Anakin's forbidden love was a tale that would lie even more beneath the truth of Luke's father's identity. Ben knew that tale would have to be told eventually, but it, too, would have to wait. The fate of the galaxy was in another Skywalker's hands, and once again, it was up to him to train that Skywalker.
He prayed he would not fail this time.
18 years had passed uneventfully. Obi Wan had kept his distance from the town, the boy, and all life in essentiality. He had no contact with the outside world, yet he knew what was going on. He had heard of the rise of Leia Organa in the Senate. And then the rumors of her Rebel affiliations.
Keeping up with the world on the outer edge of the galaxy wasn't so hard when he caught reports here and there from spacers.
The Hutts controlled this planet, but they did not touch Obi Wan Kenobi. They would never have bothered with a "crazy old hermit," which, in time, the people of the town convinced themselves he was. He had done nothing to either further or deny the rumor, which, of course, only spread it like wildfire.
And he had only had direct contact with Luke Skywalker once. The boy had been all of 12 years old, petrified, as was his friend. They had been lost, and Obi Wan – Ben, he reminded himself, the other name is long forgotten – had never been sure if they were more scared of being lost or being with him.
Owen had not liked the contact. He'd warned Ben to stay away, to not get involved with the raising of the boy. He had promised Luke's raising, and in return, Ben had agreed to stay away, and that bargain was not going to be reneged on.
And then one fateful day, Ben had sensed the boy while he was traveling in the Wastes. He was injured.
Ben could hear Padmé's voice in his mind: "Promise me, Obi Wan, no harm shall come to my children. Give me your solemn word as a Jedi you will not let harm come to them…"
He could only hope he wasn't too late when he got to the boy, making the scream of a Krayt dragon to drive the Raiders away. He had knelt by Luke, feeling for his pulse points, using the Force to waken him.
"Ben? Ben Kenobi? Boy, am I glad to see you." There was relief on the boy's face. Ben suppressed a smile. Better a crazy old man than Raiders, eh?
"Tell me, young Luke, what brings you out here? The Jundland Wastes are not to be traveled lightly," he remarked, watching a change come over the boy's face as he glanced at the little R2 unit.
"It's this little droid. I think he's searching for his former master, but I've never seen such devotion in a droid before...Uh, he claims to be the property of an Obi-Wan Kenobi. Is he a relative of yours? Do you know who he's talking about?"
There were few still alive who would call Obi Wan anything other than "Ben." The only one he could think of at the moment was Bail Organa. And then, why would he call unless…unless Leia was in danger.
But that made no sense. Right under the Emperor's nose, and ignorant of who her parents really were, she was perfectly safe.
Wasn't she?
Settling back, his eyes going distant as he tried to think of what exactly was going on, he said slowly, "Obi Wan Kenobi…Obi Wan. Now that's a name I've not heard in a long time, a long time."
"Oh, then you know him." Luke had seemed a mixture of relieved and annoyed, as if he couldn't decide whether or not to be glad to get rid of R2.
Ben had smiled. "Well, of course I know him! He's me. I haven't gone by the name of Obi Wan since, oh, before you were born."
He had meant, that day, in his home, to tell Luke the full tale. But he and Yoda had discussed this possibility before he'd left Leia and Padmé on Alderaan all those years ago, and both had decided that if Luke was to find out now who his father was, it would destroy whatever hope was left for the galaxy. Leia, although not completely weak, was in too much danger as a highly public figure to go into Jedi training and develop her latent Force abilities. And the twins had no bond. It was vital that they established a link. If Luke turned, she would not be able to defeat him without the aid of that link.
He would have to wait. So he spun a tale – not entirely false – of a great Jedi, his young Padawan, Anakin Skywalker. His revisionist version of events after Anakin turned would of course be called into question by Luke later on, when he was ready for the truth, but for now, this would have to do.
The secret of Padmé and Anakin's forbidden love was a tale that would lie even more beneath the truth of Luke's father's identity. Ben knew that tale would have to be told eventually, but it, too, would have to wait. The fate of the galaxy was in another Skywalker's hands, and once again, it was up to him to train that Skywalker.
He prayed he would not fail this time.