Disclaimer: Joss, WB, UPN et al. own Buffy. George Lucas, Lucasfilm, LucasArts and others own Star Wars. Michael A Stackpole owns the X-Wing and I, Jedi novels. I do not.
Title: Xander the Jedi: Chapter 8
Author: Paradigm Shifter
Rating: Same as before.
Pairing: Err… Xander/Other characters (mine)
Feedback: Please, I beg.
Thanks: All my reviewers. You know who you are. And everyone else who reads and enjoys this.
Continuity: General season 5 (Dawn)
Crossover: Buffy/ Star Wars. Old Republic.
*
Xander stepped off the transport that Yoda had told him would take him to Naboo and Obi-Wan. The lush verdant plants of Naboo surrounded the pad and its connected buildings.
Looking at the perfect greenery of the planet calmed Xander as he thought again of the series of events that lead to him being sent there. An assassin attacking him inside the Jedi Temple. It was unheard of, especially for the assassin to be trained in the dark side. Little did Xander know that despite the fact that the assassin had failed to kill him, he had succeeded spectacularly in eroding his friends trust in him.
Flickers of anger and resentment flared in Xander's mind as he thought of it. The council would want him removed doubly now…
*
Obi-Wan stood in the terminal building, watching for Xander to arrive. He had left Anakin and Padme in a café where they regularly drank. They were known, and liked, and therefore safe. When the pilots and other flight personnel exited the ship and Xander was nowhere to be seen, he walked onto the landing pad.
He jumped as a voice sounded. "Good morning, Jedi Kenobi." Obi-Wan turned to see Xander sitting on the edge of the pad with his legs dangling over the side, watching the sunrise. A peaceful expression graced his features.
"It is good to see you again, Xander. Yoda tells me you are a Jedi Knight now."
"That is true."
"Do we have to dance around the subject? We both know why you were sent here." Obi-Wan met the uncomfortable topic head on.
"That also is true. We both know…" Xander trailed off, and sighed heavily.
"Master Yoda thought it might be in your interest to get away from the temple for a while. He sent you to me, not as punishment, but as help if you want it."
Xander nodded and went back to watching the sunrise, which was now almost over. "Thank you."
"You're welcome." Obi-Wan walked over to the edge where Xander was sitting and sat next to him. "Beautiful, isn't it?"
"Yeah…" Xander sighed. "I killed him…"
"You don't know that." replied Obi-Wan.
"Oh? So have you seen anyone recently who fell six miles after being thrown through a permacrete wall?" Xander didn't sound angry, just sarcastic and slightly curious.
"No." Obi-Wan snorted. "Come on, lets get out of here. I want to introduce you to my padawan. He's special too. He's married."
Xander just raised an eyebrow in question.
Obi-Wan laughed. "Don't ask…"
*
Dooku was bowed again before his Master.
"Our assassin failed Master," he said "the boy still lives."
Sidious smiled beneath his cowl. "No, my friend, you are wrong. The assassin succeeded beyond my wildest hopes…"
"Wha…" Dooku couldn't catch the question in time. Sidious snapped round on his heel.
"He has destroyed the Jedi's trust in the boy. When he returns from Naboo, arrange a meeting with him. Use one of our spies to program his navigation computer to a rendezvous on Sullust."
Dooku nodded and rose to carry out the order.
Sidious smiled and patted a metal rod on his throne. "I wish to return something of his…"
On the arm of the throne sat Xander's lost light-saber…
*
Obi-Wan and Xander entered the café where Anakin and Padme were drinking caf and staring at each other.
"At it again I see…" said Obi-Wan, a smile on his lips.
Padme turned and smiled at the Jedi Knight, while Anakin just scowled at a point somewhere 6 inches to the left and a foot above the Jedi's head.
Padme noticed the similarly robed person standing in the entrance.
"Who is he?" she asked Obi-Wan, nodding in the boy's direction.
"Him?" said Obi-Wan. "A Jedi Yoda recently trained. Appeared out of nowhere right into a council meeting. Completed his training in less than six months, too. He had a recent run in with an assassin, and Master Yoda thought it prudent to send him out of harms reach for a short time."
"Oh." Mouthed Padme, surprise written plainly on her features. "Why does he stand over there? Aren't we here?"
Obi-Wan smiled, but it held a hint of sadness. "He doesn't want to intrude on yours and Anakin's time together."
Padme grinned. "It won't be a problem. What's his name?"
"Xander. Short for Alexander, I think."
Padme walked over to Xander, and Obi-Wan watched the reaction of Anakin. His face darkened and he shot a look at Xander, which, if looks were lasers, Xander would have been dead from a twin-linked double strike.
Obi-Wan turned again to see Padme laughing at some comment Xander had made, and a goofy grin plastered on his face. When his face changed and showed reluctance, Obi-Wan watched as Padme gripped his hands and drew him over to the table where Anakin was sitting.
It seemed as if Xander could sense the animosity coming from Anakin, as when Padme moved to sit next to him instead of Anakin, he deftly moved and manoeuvred her into the seat next to Anakin. He himself sat opposite Anakin, leaving the seat opposite Padme for Obi-Wan. Anakin's face showed a relaxing of hostilities at the move, while Padme seemed disappointed.
Padme ordered two more pots of caf, and tried to strike up a conversation. If she attempted to talk about Xander's training, he nipped it in the bud. If she talked about why he was there, Obi-Wan nipped it in the bud. If she talked about Xander himself, Anakin flattened it. Finally growing weary of the hostility coming from opposite him, Xander stood and said, "I didn't, and I don't want to intrude…"
Anakin cut the sentence short, saying, "well, go away then."
Xander nodded and walked out the café, shoulders slumped. As Xander walked, Padme elbowed Anakin hard in the ribs.
Obi-Wan watched him go in shock. "What was that for?" he asked Anakin.
Rubbing his side, Anakin just looked at Xander's retreating back.
Obi-Wan thought to himself: these two aren't going to like one another. Their animosity will cause great problems. And they won't ease up. Anakin will keep going until Xander breaks and leaves, or kills him. Xander's already tearing himself up about that assassin. I don't want him top have another life on his conscience…
*
Contrary to Obi-Wan's belief, Xander had no problems with having killed the assassin. His problem was how he had killed him in anger, and how he couldn't bring himself to feel bad about doing it. He had used the dark side, that which Yoda stressed should never, EVER, be used, and it had felt good…
How he had alienated his few friends in the council…
And how Adi's padawan had had that look of total fear on her face as she stared at him when he was hurt and attacking the cause…
Her eyes…
Her face…
…And he didn't even know her name!
*