Ben discovers something startling . . . . and now someone from his past his
back to haunt him . . . and his memories are becoming even more frequent. .
.
****************************************************************************
**
The Past Returns
Chapter Fourteen
-Second Chance -
Ben awakened to darkness. He sat up, rubbing his forehead. What had happened? He blinked as his eyes adjusted to the dimness. He realized that there was someone sitting in the shadows. "Who's there?" he asked.
"I knew you were here. I could sense you with the Force. Who are you?" a voice said from the darkness.
"I'm a commander in the Imperial Fleet. Who are you?" The person stood, coming into a small ray of light. It was Luke! "Luke!"
A flash of recognition crossed Luke's face. "Ben? Is that you?" Ben nodded. "I thought you were some spy!" Luke laughed, reaching down to help Ben up. "You hit your head when you fell. Here." Luke handed Ben a cold cloth. "Put it on your head, it should help." Ben nodded. "So, how'd you get here?" Luke asked as they walked out into the corridor and into a small eating area.
"I snuck aboard when the Death Star was - wait, where are we?" Ben asked.
"We're on Endor, the small moon above Yavin," Luke explained, sitting down.
Ben sat down across from him. "Then the Death Star -"
"It blew up, yes. Han Solo and my sister, Leia blew the field generator, therefore disabling the Death Star. Then our fighters came in and finished it off. The Emperor died in the explosion. No one could have survived that blast. We barely made it here."
"So why didn't you confront me earlier, when we were aboard the Death Star or even when we landed?"
"I sensed that there was someone here, on the ship so I enabled a code, with a friend's help, to keep you on the ship. You wouldn't have been able to get off even if you wanted to. My father, Anakin Skywalker, has had a proper burial. Now it's a time of celebration. The Emperor is destroyed and we are free. To answer your question, I knew the presence I sensed was familiar, but I couldn't place it. Like I said, I got that code. I planned to come back to talk to you, to see what you wanted."
"The Rebels won?"
"Yes." Luke nodded to the insignia that was on Ben's jacket. "So, what do you plan to do now?"
"I don't know." Ben looked down. "I don't really have any place to go. I was abandoned when I was young. I don't have parents. The foster parents I had are gone. The one person that I looked up to abandoned me. Obviously he didn't care enough," Ben added bitterly. "All he left was a note. He didn't even say good-bye."
"You're in good hands. The Alliance is going to be wary. I'm wary. I mean, after all, you served the Empire. But did you know that you have Force potential?"
"Yes, I've been training."
"With whom?"
"Emperor Palpatine."
Luke's eyes widened, but he quickly covered it. "I see. Well, I could help you if you wanted training. How long did you train?"
"Three days."
"That shouldn't have been enough time to corrupt you," Luke said quietly to himself.
"Corrupt me? What exactly are you implying? Excuse me, it's not like I'm stupid," Ben said, standing, his face angry. "I know what the dark side can do. I know about it addictiveness. I know about the risk. No one else was around to train me, who else could I go to?" A wave of anger and betrayal washed over Ben. It was exactly how Damon had treated him. Ben shook his head, looking away. Where had that come from? Damon? His uncle? How could he know about his uncle when he had never even met his uncle? Ben blinked, looking back at Luke with a scowl.
Luke held up his hands. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it as an insult. I just wanted to help."
Ben looked down. "I'm the one who should apologize." Ben sat down, looking at the floor. "I don't know what came over me a minute ago. I know you're trying to help. Thank you."
"It's okay," Luke said. Ben felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see Luke looking down at him. "I understand how you feel. Betrayal is the worst feeling. It's how I felt when I found out my father was Darth Vader." No one said anything for a few minutes. "Well then, how about we get you back to Coruscant and we'll see what we can do from there. Sound good?"
Ben nodded and they headed to the cockpit.
* * *
Journal Entry 22:
"We're heading to Coruscant now. I'm kind of nervous actually, I mean, I'm going to have to face the authority. Who knows what they'll decide to do with me? For all I know, they might throw me in a cell and say 'end of story'. But Luke is great. I'm so glad that he didn't just turn me over. I just don't get why I reacted so violently to what Luke said. I knew he didn't mean it badly. Something just came over me and I reacted. The visions have been coming more frequent and I still haven't figured them out. Luke's agreed to train me if the Senate approves that I can stay in Coruscant. The thing is, I see no reason why they should trust me. I mean, I am an Imperial. It's their natural reflex to suspect me. I know that I mean no harm, but they don't know that. Not for sure. I'm going to work hard at gaining their trust. I'll give them information. The more Luke talks about the Rebel Alliance, the more I like it. I realize now that the Empire wasn't as good as I thought it was. At first, I was just caught up in the excitement but now, now I realize that allying with the Rebel Alliance would be a good choice. But first I have to gain their trust."
"Ben . . . hey, Ben. We're at Coruscant now," Luke said.
Ben looked up from his journal at the star lines as they formed stars. The planet called Coruscant came into plain view. Ships bustled around the main world. Ben closed his journal and put it back in his utility belt that he had found a couple of days ago. Suddenly a vision flashed in front of his eyes . . .
He opened his eyes and pulled the ship out of hyper-launch. What he saw made his eyes go wide and his jaw drop open. Before them loomed Coruscant. Shipping lanes bustled around the planet. Oh wow, he thought. Coruscant. It was amazing. The whole planet was one large city. He took a deep breath. He had always dreamed of seeing Coruscant, imagining what it would be like and now he'd finally know. He knew he'd never read those books the same way again, knowing this was all real and what it really looked like. . . . .
Ben blinked. Where had that come from? Had he been here before and just not remembered? This was all getting too confusing.
He straightened in his seat and looked at Luke. "So, exactly who am I going to be talking to?" Ben asked.
Luke looked at him. "Mon Mothma is the chief of operations. She's the one that planned the attack on the Death Star and she's the residing authority right now. The Alliance is in shambles right now because of the Empire and now that we've won, we have to try to put together some kind of order. You'll talk to her and she'll decide what to do with you from there."
Ben nodded, looking back at the planet.
* * *
Luke lowered the ship into the planet's atmosphere, landing it on one of the taller buildings. The back hatch opened and Luke and Ben stepped out. People were everywhere. Ben just looked around at the bustling space port. "Come on," Luke said. Ben didn't move from the landing ramp. Luke turned to him. His eyes looked at Ben's clothes. "Oh, sorry." Luke handed Ben a dark brown robe. "Put this on for now." Ben took the robe, putting it over his uniform and drawing up the hood.
Luke, in his black outfit, lightsaber hanging on his belt, had a look of authority and they passed security with no problem. They walked down corridor after corridor, flight of stairs after stairs. Finally they came to a large, double door. Luke opened it and went in.
A woman, who had been sitting at a large desk, stood and looked at them. She was tall for a woman, with short black hair and age lining her face. "Luke, what a surprise. I hear we've won," she said. She looked at Ben. "Who is this fine young fellow that you've brought?"
"His name is Ben Kenobi," Luke said. "He used to work for the Empire as a commander in their military." The woman nodded. "Mon Mothma, I came to you with him since I figured that you would know the best way to deal with him, since he is an Imperial."
"Yes, I suppose. Right now though isn't a good time since the Alliance is in turmoil. I have so much paper work and I'm very busy but I suppose I can fit you in. A few questions are all I need to ask, and then I'll have decided what to do with you," Mon Mothma said, looking at Ben. "Come. Sit."
Ben walked over to a soft chair. Mon Mothma sat across from him, Luke standing beside her.
"Thank you Mon Mothma," Luke said.
"It's not a problem Luke." Mon Mothma turned to Ben. "Now how long have you been with the Empire, Ben?"
"Four years."
"And you've reached the rank of -"
"Commander, ma'am."
"Impressive. And how old are you, Ben?"
"Twenty two."
Mon Mothma looked surprised.
"He also has Force potential," Luke said.
Mon Mothma looked up at Luke and then back at Ben.
"I see. What do you see in the Alliance that would make you want to switch sides?"
"Well, I'm really not sure, ma'am. I guess it's the feeling of freedom, the sense of reliability. I mean, the Empire, well it's made up of betrayal, confinement and harsh judgment. The Alliance seems like its fair. I'm sorry I can't really give you an exact description because I myself don't really know for sure. It's just this feeling I have of warmth, stability and trustworthiness."
Mon Mothma nodded. She looked up at Luke and motioned for him to come close. She said something to him and he nodded, leaving the room.
Mon Mothma stood, looking at Ben. "I will confer with Luke now and I will tell you my decision. There's a refresher over there to the right. Feel free to get something to drink."
Ben nodded and she left the room.
* * *
Luke stood outside in corridor, waiting for Mon Mothma. His thoughts wandered back to Tatooine. With Obi-Wan, and his uncle and aunt, the moisture farms, the sand. He sighed. There was something about Ben that he just couldn't place. The boy, now a man, had a dark aura around him yet he wasn't evil. It was as if something from his past shadowed him. He hoped that Mon Mothma would go easy on Ben. He didn't totally trust Ben, after all he had been with the Empire, but Luke just had a feeling that he would need Ben soon.
The door opened and Luke looked to see Mon Mothma come out.
"Luke, tell me what you think of Ben," she said simply.
"Well, I think he needs supervision, at least for a little while, since he did work for the Empire, but overall, I think we can trust him."
Mon Mothma nodded. "I expected that you would say that. Well then, how would you describe him? You knew him from before, did you not?"
"Yes, we grew up together on Tatooine. To describe him? A lost, lonely boy inside a man's body, that needs friendship and someone to trust. I sense something about him. I think that there's more to him that meets the eye and that something from his past shadows him, as if he had two people living inside of him. I don't know how to explain it otherwise."
"Yes, he does seem like a good person. Twenty-two. And a commander on top of that. That is impressive. Commanders I know of are in their mid- forties at least. That shows something about his dedication. You can't get that far without perseverance. That is very unusual. Emperor Palpatine must have had something to do with that. But to the point, what do you think should be done with him?"
"Me, personally? Well, I think that a trial run would be good. I could watch over him, keep him with me and give you updates. We could take him places to test his loyalty."
Mon Mothma nodded. "That's seems good. Very well then. Luke Skywalker, I award you custody of Ben Kenobi until further notice. You are to keep him with you at all times, every month I would like an update and keep in mind that this is a trial run and everything will be recorded. The trial run will last for three years and we will see where Ben stands then and at that time we will decide his fate."
"I will see to that Mon Mothma," Luke said. "You can count on me."
"I knew I could Luke. Thank you."
* * *
Ben sat in the main area of Mon Mothma's quarters, lying back in the comfortable chair. He stared at the ceiling, thinking. What were they going to do with him? Were they going to send him away to some prison? A picture flashed before his eyes. A man in black, with short black hair, was talking to a tall blond man in Jedi robes. A voice ran through his mind. . .
"No matter what you say, I'll never forgive you so you might as well give up trying. I tried to help and instead I got slapped and my heart torn apart and so, I'm not going to help you anymore. You've already hurt me too much. I'm sorry Ben, but after what you've done and are capable of, I can't trust you. I mean, you murdered millions of innocent people and innocent Jedi, you didn't even care. You didn't even look back. You don't care anymore, and now I see you never did. There's nothing you can do that will make me trust you. You've broken that bond of trust and nothing can put that trust back together. Once trust is broken, it can never be healed. Goodbye . . . forever."
Ben sat up, gasping. That voice. It had sounded so cold. Where had it come from? Who was it? Who were those people? A feeling of betrayal washed over him. That person had betrayed the person who needed him most. That person . . . was him! But - The sound of the door opening caught Ben's eye.
Mon Mothma appeared in the doorway, Luke trailing behind. Ben stood, facing her. "I have come to a decision," she said. Ben waited patiently, mentally crossing his fingers. "Luke Skywalker here believes that you are a good person and that we should give you a chance. This is what we will do. You are to be on a trial basis with Luke. You will stay with him at all times, never leaving him, or he leaving you. You will be on this trial basis for three years. At the conclusion of these three years, we will see where you stand and I will make my final decision if whether or not you will stay here with the Alliance. Understood?"
"Yes, ma'am," Ben said.
"Good. Well then, I have a few meetings to go to. I'm sure Luke already has you two booked somewhere." Mon Mothma said with a warm smile.
Ben smiled. "Thank you."
"Don't thank me yet young man. Your fate is still to be decided."
* * *
Xedon leaned back in his chair in his private quarters, thinking. He had sent Jango Fett after Lord Pravanus. Of course, he had found out about Jango's death at the hands of a Jedi almost twenty years back. Leading the Black Sun was hard enough without his brother's murderer running loose. He knew he needed a new bounty hunter for the job but he hadn't had the time until a few days ago when he contacted someone he knew would finish the job. His comm. beeped and Xedon pressed a button. A hologram of one of his subordinates appeared in blue. "Report," Xedon commanded.
"The bounty hunter Boba Fett is here to see you, sir," the man said.
Xedon smiled. "Send him in."
"Yes, sir."
The hologram disappeared and moments later the door to his chambers swished open and Boba Fett, in all his armor, walked through. He didn't have any of his armaments with him because he had had to leave them in safe keeping. Xedon wasn't foolish enough to trust a bounty hunter, especially one as widely known and feared as Boba Fett.
"You have a job for me?" the coldly efficient voice asked, turning his cold visored gaze on Xedon.
"Yes. Your father had begun this job, but didn't have a chance to complete it. That is for you to finish."
"How much credits?"
"Enough to satisfy the galaxy's most feared bounty hunter; I can assure you of that."
"What is the job?"
"There is a man named Lord Pravanus who killed my brother, Xesus, over thirty years ago. I want you to either track him down or any of his descendents. That can't be too hard, can it?"
"I'll have him here in no time, just as long as I get paid."
"You'll have your payment as soon as you bring him before me, alive or dead. Alive preferably." The Mandalorian helmet nodded. "You may go now."
Boba turned and left the chambers, the door swishing shut behind him. He knew that Boba Fett could finish the job. If anyone could, it was him. Xedon had much respect for the bounty hunter because he was as ruthless and business like as Xedon himself.
* * *
Luke stood outside a door, not going in, but instead turning to Ben. "This is where my sister Leia is staying. She's so busy with the Senate, she has to stay close," Luke explained.
Ben nodded. "What about Han?" he asked.
"He comes and goes. He might be back tonight or tomorrow. He's got some straightening out to do, so it might take him awhile. We'll be staying here though, for a short while until I get everything together." Luke pushed a button and the door swished open. "Leia?"
"In here," a tired voice said from a room adjacent to the main sitting room. A woman walked through the door to the right, her hair done up in an elaborate bun on the back of her head. She wore the robes that signified her position in the Senate. Her face, no different from what Ben remembered, looked tired and worn. She managed a small smiled. "I see you've brought a visitor. And who might you be?"
"I'm Ben Kenobi, your Excellency," Ben said, bowing his head in respect.
Leia laughed. "You don't have to be formal with me, Ben. I'm just Leia here. Will you be staying on Coruscant long?"
"He's the Imperial I told you about, remember?" Luke said. Leia nodded. "We've just been speaking with Mon Mothma and she's decided that Ben should stay with me for three years for a trail basis and when the three years are over, she'll decided whether or not he will be allowed to be admitted into the Alliance."
"That sounds reasonable enough," Leia said, looking at Luke. She turned to Ben and smiled. "Any friend of my brothers is a friend of mine. You're welcome to stay here as long as you would like." She sighed. "The Senate is in an uproar with just defeating the Empire." She closed her eyes, putting hand to her head. "Unfortunately, though I'd love to stay here and talk with you, I must see to the Senate. We don't need it to fall apart."
"I'll go with you," Ben said.
Leia opened her eyes, looking at him, her hand dropping to her side. "It's a nice offer, but I'll be okay."
"It's no problem, really. I've had a lot of experience with the Senate so I might be able to help," Ben said. He swallowed. Where had that come? He had never even been to the Senate, let alone actually spoken to them. What had he just gotten himself into?
Leia's eyes lit up. "Really?"
"I had to mess with a lot of politics when I was in the Empire."
"I believe that."
"So will you accept my help?" Leia looked at Luke, who shrugged.
He held his hands up in a helpless gesture. "At politics, I'm at a loss. That's your field of expertise, not mine," Luke said with a smile. Leia and Ben laughed.
Leia looked at Ben. "I'd welcome your assistance. There's one of Luke's Jedi robes and some other clothes in the other room. You can wear that if you'd like," Leia said.
Ben nodded, smiling. "I'd like that very much." Leia pointed out the room and Ben went in to change.
Leia turned to Luke. "He reminds me of you," Leia said.
Luke smiled. "He's a really good person; he just got in with the wrong military."
"You can say that again," Leia said, laughing. "I hope the clothes will fit him."
"They will."
Leia's face turned serious. "I meant to ask you because I had noticed this earlier, but I wasn't sure at the time. Is Ben a Jedi?"
"I think he's on his way to become a Jedi Knight. He has huge Force- potential and I think with the right training, he could learn the Jedi ways. He's been through a lot though, so I'm not going to push anything until he's ready."
Leia nodded. "Understandable." Leia looked at the door through which Ben had just entered. "He's very mysterious. I get this feeling with him that I can't place."
"I get the same feeling. I think there's a lot more to him then even he knows."
"Well, whenever he's here on Coruscant, tell him he's welcome here. He can stay here if he needs a place to stay. I'll always be here."
"Thanks, Leia," Luke said, smiling. "That means a lot."
* * *
Ben stood in front of a wall-length mirror, looking over his outfit which consisted of black boots, black pants, a black shirt, and a leather utility belt. He pulled on the Jedi robe over top and a picture flashed in front of his eyes . . . . .
A man that looked a lot like him, with short black hair and piercing green eyes, stood before a mirror. He wore a black tunic, pants and boots and wore a black cloak. A double-bladed lightsaber hung at his side. A long, zig-zag scar ran from his forehead, down around his left eye, and onto his chin. Another, smaller scar ran across the bridge of his nose. There was an evil, ruthless glint in his eyes . . . .
Ben shuddered. Weird. What in the blazes was that? It looked so much like him, except for those horrible scars and the clothes. Was that his father? Ben shook his head, clearing his thoughts of that memory. He'd had better get back to Leia. If he had any hidden skills, not would be a good time for them to come out and help him in the mess that he had gotten himself into.
Ben turned from the mirror and strode out to the main room where Leia and Luke stood. They turned. "Very nice," Luke said. "You look like a Jedi already."
Ben smiled. "Thanks. These fit perfectly and they're much more comfortable then that Imperial uniform."
"I would expect so," Leia said with a laugh. "Would you like anything to eat?"
"I would love it," Ben said and they all walked into the kitchen.
* * *
That evening, shortly after they arrived back after the meeting with the Senate, Ben flopped down in a chair, exhausted. "Wow," he said. "I never knew just talking to the Senate would be so exhausting."
Leia sat down in a chair across from him. "I have to go through this every day. Now you see why I don't like the Senate, but if I don't go, then the Alliance will fall apart."
Luke walked into the main living area from the kitchen, wiping his hands on a rag. He had stayed there while Ben and Leia had gone to the Senate.
"So, how'd it go?" Luke asked, looking at Leia.
"It's getting there," Leia said. "But there is still so much work to do. Ben was great. I couldn't have gotten nearly as much accomplished if he hadn't been there with me."
Luke looked at Ben. "Nice work."
Ben managed a smile. "Thanks."
"Well, I'm going to get some sleep. I'm going to need it for tomorrow morning," Leia said. "I have to head to Bakura tomorrow morning."
Luke's face grew serious. "I need to talk to you about that." Leia nodded.
Ben stood, knowing that he should leave at that moment. "I'm going to go get some sleep," he said. "I'll see you in the morning."
They both nodded absent mindedly and Ben went into the room where he would be sleeping.
* * *
When Ben awoke the next morning, there was a holo on the table for him. He activated it and a holo of Luke appeared.
"Ben, Leia and I had to leave on urgent business this morning for Bakura. I'm going to trust that you'll stay here and not get into any trouble. I know I'm supposed to stay with you but this matter is much too important to leave hanging and I had to go. We'll be back as soon as we settle the dispute." Luke managed a smile. "And try not to tear up everything too bad, okay?"
The holo disappeared and Ben sat down in a chair. Why did everyone always leave him on his own? He sighed. He was in for a very long and boring stay until Luke and Leia got back.
Chapter Fourteen
-Second Chance -
Ben awakened to darkness. He sat up, rubbing his forehead. What had happened? He blinked as his eyes adjusted to the dimness. He realized that there was someone sitting in the shadows. "Who's there?" he asked.
"I knew you were here. I could sense you with the Force. Who are you?" a voice said from the darkness.
"I'm a commander in the Imperial Fleet. Who are you?" The person stood, coming into a small ray of light. It was Luke! "Luke!"
A flash of recognition crossed Luke's face. "Ben? Is that you?" Ben nodded. "I thought you were some spy!" Luke laughed, reaching down to help Ben up. "You hit your head when you fell. Here." Luke handed Ben a cold cloth. "Put it on your head, it should help." Ben nodded. "So, how'd you get here?" Luke asked as they walked out into the corridor and into a small eating area.
"I snuck aboard when the Death Star was - wait, where are we?" Ben asked.
"We're on Endor, the small moon above Yavin," Luke explained, sitting down.
Ben sat down across from him. "Then the Death Star -"
"It blew up, yes. Han Solo and my sister, Leia blew the field generator, therefore disabling the Death Star. Then our fighters came in and finished it off. The Emperor died in the explosion. No one could have survived that blast. We barely made it here."
"So why didn't you confront me earlier, when we were aboard the Death Star or even when we landed?"
"I sensed that there was someone here, on the ship so I enabled a code, with a friend's help, to keep you on the ship. You wouldn't have been able to get off even if you wanted to. My father, Anakin Skywalker, has had a proper burial. Now it's a time of celebration. The Emperor is destroyed and we are free. To answer your question, I knew the presence I sensed was familiar, but I couldn't place it. Like I said, I got that code. I planned to come back to talk to you, to see what you wanted."
"The Rebels won?"
"Yes." Luke nodded to the insignia that was on Ben's jacket. "So, what do you plan to do now?"
"I don't know." Ben looked down. "I don't really have any place to go. I was abandoned when I was young. I don't have parents. The foster parents I had are gone. The one person that I looked up to abandoned me. Obviously he didn't care enough," Ben added bitterly. "All he left was a note. He didn't even say good-bye."
"You're in good hands. The Alliance is going to be wary. I'm wary. I mean, after all, you served the Empire. But did you know that you have Force potential?"
"Yes, I've been training."
"With whom?"
"Emperor Palpatine."
Luke's eyes widened, but he quickly covered it. "I see. Well, I could help you if you wanted training. How long did you train?"
"Three days."
"That shouldn't have been enough time to corrupt you," Luke said quietly to himself.
"Corrupt me? What exactly are you implying? Excuse me, it's not like I'm stupid," Ben said, standing, his face angry. "I know what the dark side can do. I know about it addictiveness. I know about the risk. No one else was around to train me, who else could I go to?" A wave of anger and betrayal washed over Ben. It was exactly how Damon had treated him. Ben shook his head, looking away. Where had that come from? Damon? His uncle? How could he know about his uncle when he had never even met his uncle? Ben blinked, looking back at Luke with a scowl.
Luke held up his hands. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it as an insult. I just wanted to help."
Ben looked down. "I'm the one who should apologize." Ben sat down, looking at the floor. "I don't know what came over me a minute ago. I know you're trying to help. Thank you."
"It's okay," Luke said. Ben felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see Luke looking down at him. "I understand how you feel. Betrayal is the worst feeling. It's how I felt when I found out my father was Darth Vader." No one said anything for a few minutes. "Well then, how about we get you back to Coruscant and we'll see what we can do from there. Sound good?"
Ben nodded and they headed to the cockpit.
* * *
Journal Entry 22:
"We're heading to Coruscant now. I'm kind of nervous actually, I mean, I'm going to have to face the authority. Who knows what they'll decide to do with me? For all I know, they might throw me in a cell and say 'end of story'. But Luke is great. I'm so glad that he didn't just turn me over. I just don't get why I reacted so violently to what Luke said. I knew he didn't mean it badly. Something just came over me and I reacted. The visions have been coming more frequent and I still haven't figured them out. Luke's agreed to train me if the Senate approves that I can stay in Coruscant. The thing is, I see no reason why they should trust me. I mean, I am an Imperial. It's their natural reflex to suspect me. I know that I mean no harm, but they don't know that. Not for sure. I'm going to work hard at gaining their trust. I'll give them information. The more Luke talks about the Rebel Alliance, the more I like it. I realize now that the Empire wasn't as good as I thought it was. At first, I was just caught up in the excitement but now, now I realize that allying with the Rebel Alliance would be a good choice. But first I have to gain their trust."
"Ben . . . hey, Ben. We're at Coruscant now," Luke said.
Ben looked up from his journal at the star lines as they formed stars. The planet called Coruscant came into plain view. Ships bustled around the main world. Ben closed his journal and put it back in his utility belt that he had found a couple of days ago. Suddenly a vision flashed in front of his eyes . . .
He opened his eyes and pulled the ship out of hyper-launch. What he saw made his eyes go wide and his jaw drop open. Before them loomed Coruscant. Shipping lanes bustled around the planet. Oh wow, he thought. Coruscant. It was amazing. The whole planet was one large city. He took a deep breath. He had always dreamed of seeing Coruscant, imagining what it would be like and now he'd finally know. He knew he'd never read those books the same way again, knowing this was all real and what it really looked like. . . . .
Ben blinked. Where had that come from? Had he been here before and just not remembered? This was all getting too confusing.
He straightened in his seat and looked at Luke. "So, exactly who am I going to be talking to?" Ben asked.
Luke looked at him. "Mon Mothma is the chief of operations. She's the one that planned the attack on the Death Star and she's the residing authority right now. The Alliance is in shambles right now because of the Empire and now that we've won, we have to try to put together some kind of order. You'll talk to her and she'll decide what to do with you from there."
Ben nodded, looking back at the planet.
* * *
Luke lowered the ship into the planet's atmosphere, landing it on one of the taller buildings. The back hatch opened and Luke and Ben stepped out. People were everywhere. Ben just looked around at the bustling space port. "Come on," Luke said. Ben didn't move from the landing ramp. Luke turned to him. His eyes looked at Ben's clothes. "Oh, sorry." Luke handed Ben a dark brown robe. "Put this on for now." Ben took the robe, putting it over his uniform and drawing up the hood.
Luke, in his black outfit, lightsaber hanging on his belt, had a look of authority and they passed security with no problem. They walked down corridor after corridor, flight of stairs after stairs. Finally they came to a large, double door. Luke opened it and went in.
A woman, who had been sitting at a large desk, stood and looked at them. She was tall for a woman, with short black hair and age lining her face. "Luke, what a surprise. I hear we've won," she said. She looked at Ben. "Who is this fine young fellow that you've brought?"
"His name is Ben Kenobi," Luke said. "He used to work for the Empire as a commander in their military." The woman nodded. "Mon Mothma, I came to you with him since I figured that you would know the best way to deal with him, since he is an Imperial."
"Yes, I suppose. Right now though isn't a good time since the Alliance is in turmoil. I have so much paper work and I'm very busy but I suppose I can fit you in. A few questions are all I need to ask, and then I'll have decided what to do with you," Mon Mothma said, looking at Ben. "Come. Sit."
Ben walked over to a soft chair. Mon Mothma sat across from him, Luke standing beside her.
"Thank you Mon Mothma," Luke said.
"It's not a problem Luke." Mon Mothma turned to Ben. "Now how long have you been with the Empire, Ben?"
"Four years."
"And you've reached the rank of -"
"Commander, ma'am."
"Impressive. And how old are you, Ben?"
"Twenty two."
Mon Mothma looked surprised.
"He also has Force potential," Luke said.
Mon Mothma looked up at Luke and then back at Ben.
"I see. What do you see in the Alliance that would make you want to switch sides?"
"Well, I'm really not sure, ma'am. I guess it's the feeling of freedom, the sense of reliability. I mean, the Empire, well it's made up of betrayal, confinement and harsh judgment. The Alliance seems like its fair. I'm sorry I can't really give you an exact description because I myself don't really know for sure. It's just this feeling I have of warmth, stability and trustworthiness."
Mon Mothma nodded. She looked up at Luke and motioned for him to come close. She said something to him and he nodded, leaving the room.
Mon Mothma stood, looking at Ben. "I will confer with Luke now and I will tell you my decision. There's a refresher over there to the right. Feel free to get something to drink."
Ben nodded and she left the room.
* * *
Luke stood outside in corridor, waiting for Mon Mothma. His thoughts wandered back to Tatooine. With Obi-Wan, and his uncle and aunt, the moisture farms, the sand. He sighed. There was something about Ben that he just couldn't place. The boy, now a man, had a dark aura around him yet he wasn't evil. It was as if something from his past shadowed him. He hoped that Mon Mothma would go easy on Ben. He didn't totally trust Ben, after all he had been with the Empire, but Luke just had a feeling that he would need Ben soon.
The door opened and Luke looked to see Mon Mothma come out.
"Luke, tell me what you think of Ben," she said simply.
"Well, I think he needs supervision, at least for a little while, since he did work for the Empire, but overall, I think we can trust him."
Mon Mothma nodded. "I expected that you would say that. Well then, how would you describe him? You knew him from before, did you not?"
"Yes, we grew up together on Tatooine. To describe him? A lost, lonely boy inside a man's body, that needs friendship and someone to trust. I sense something about him. I think that there's more to him that meets the eye and that something from his past shadows him, as if he had two people living inside of him. I don't know how to explain it otherwise."
"Yes, he does seem like a good person. Twenty-two. And a commander on top of that. That is impressive. Commanders I know of are in their mid- forties at least. That shows something about his dedication. You can't get that far without perseverance. That is very unusual. Emperor Palpatine must have had something to do with that. But to the point, what do you think should be done with him?"
"Me, personally? Well, I think that a trial run would be good. I could watch over him, keep him with me and give you updates. We could take him places to test his loyalty."
Mon Mothma nodded. "That's seems good. Very well then. Luke Skywalker, I award you custody of Ben Kenobi until further notice. You are to keep him with you at all times, every month I would like an update and keep in mind that this is a trial run and everything will be recorded. The trial run will last for three years and we will see where Ben stands then and at that time we will decide his fate."
"I will see to that Mon Mothma," Luke said. "You can count on me."
"I knew I could Luke. Thank you."
* * *
Ben sat in the main area of Mon Mothma's quarters, lying back in the comfortable chair. He stared at the ceiling, thinking. What were they going to do with him? Were they going to send him away to some prison? A picture flashed before his eyes. A man in black, with short black hair, was talking to a tall blond man in Jedi robes. A voice ran through his mind. . .
"No matter what you say, I'll never forgive you so you might as well give up trying. I tried to help and instead I got slapped and my heart torn apart and so, I'm not going to help you anymore. You've already hurt me too much. I'm sorry Ben, but after what you've done and are capable of, I can't trust you. I mean, you murdered millions of innocent people and innocent Jedi, you didn't even care. You didn't even look back. You don't care anymore, and now I see you never did. There's nothing you can do that will make me trust you. You've broken that bond of trust and nothing can put that trust back together. Once trust is broken, it can never be healed. Goodbye . . . forever."
Ben sat up, gasping. That voice. It had sounded so cold. Where had it come from? Who was it? Who were those people? A feeling of betrayal washed over him. That person had betrayed the person who needed him most. That person . . . was him! But - The sound of the door opening caught Ben's eye.
Mon Mothma appeared in the doorway, Luke trailing behind. Ben stood, facing her. "I have come to a decision," she said. Ben waited patiently, mentally crossing his fingers. "Luke Skywalker here believes that you are a good person and that we should give you a chance. This is what we will do. You are to be on a trial basis with Luke. You will stay with him at all times, never leaving him, or he leaving you. You will be on this trial basis for three years. At the conclusion of these three years, we will see where you stand and I will make my final decision if whether or not you will stay here with the Alliance. Understood?"
"Yes, ma'am," Ben said.
"Good. Well then, I have a few meetings to go to. I'm sure Luke already has you two booked somewhere." Mon Mothma said with a warm smile.
Ben smiled. "Thank you."
"Don't thank me yet young man. Your fate is still to be decided."
* * *
Xedon leaned back in his chair in his private quarters, thinking. He had sent Jango Fett after Lord Pravanus. Of course, he had found out about Jango's death at the hands of a Jedi almost twenty years back. Leading the Black Sun was hard enough without his brother's murderer running loose. He knew he needed a new bounty hunter for the job but he hadn't had the time until a few days ago when he contacted someone he knew would finish the job. His comm. beeped and Xedon pressed a button. A hologram of one of his subordinates appeared in blue. "Report," Xedon commanded.
"The bounty hunter Boba Fett is here to see you, sir," the man said.
Xedon smiled. "Send him in."
"Yes, sir."
The hologram disappeared and moments later the door to his chambers swished open and Boba Fett, in all his armor, walked through. He didn't have any of his armaments with him because he had had to leave them in safe keeping. Xedon wasn't foolish enough to trust a bounty hunter, especially one as widely known and feared as Boba Fett.
"You have a job for me?" the coldly efficient voice asked, turning his cold visored gaze on Xedon.
"Yes. Your father had begun this job, but didn't have a chance to complete it. That is for you to finish."
"How much credits?"
"Enough to satisfy the galaxy's most feared bounty hunter; I can assure you of that."
"What is the job?"
"There is a man named Lord Pravanus who killed my brother, Xesus, over thirty years ago. I want you to either track him down or any of his descendents. That can't be too hard, can it?"
"I'll have him here in no time, just as long as I get paid."
"You'll have your payment as soon as you bring him before me, alive or dead. Alive preferably." The Mandalorian helmet nodded. "You may go now."
Boba turned and left the chambers, the door swishing shut behind him. He knew that Boba Fett could finish the job. If anyone could, it was him. Xedon had much respect for the bounty hunter because he was as ruthless and business like as Xedon himself.
* * *
Luke stood outside a door, not going in, but instead turning to Ben. "This is where my sister Leia is staying. She's so busy with the Senate, she has to stay close," Luke explained.
Ben nodded. "What about Han?" he asked.
"He comes and goes. He might be back tonight or tomorrow. He's got some straightening out to do, so it might take him awhile. We'll be staying here though, for a short while until I get everything together." Luke pushed a button and the door swished open. "Leia?"
"In here," a tired voice said from a room adjacent to the main sitting room. A woman walked through the door to the right, her hair done up in an elaborate bun on the back of her head. She wore the robes that signified her position in the Senate. Her face, no different from what Ben remembered, looked tired and worn. She managed a small smiled. "I see you've brought a visitor. And who might you be?"
"I'm Ben Kenobi, your Excellency," Ben said, bowing his head in respect.
Leia laughed. "You don't have to be formal with me, Ben. I'm just Leia here. Will you be staying on Coruscant long?"
"He's the Imperial I told you about, remember?" Luke said. Leia nodded. "We've just been speaking with Mon Mothma and she's decided that Ben should stay with me for three years for a trail basis and when the three years are over, she'll decided whether or not he will be allowed to be admitted into the Alliance."
"That sounds reasonable enough," Leia said, looking at Luke. She turned to Ben and smiled. "Any friend of my brothers is a friend of mine. You're welcome to stay here as long as you would like." She sighed. "The Senate is in an uproar with just defeating the Empire." She closed her eyes, putting hand to her head. "Unfortunately, though I'd love to stay here and talk with you, I must see to the Senate. We don't need it to fall apart."
"I'll go with you," Ben said.
Leia opened her eyes, looking at him, her hand dropping to her side. "It's a nice offer, but I'll be okay."
"It's no problem, really. I've had a lot of experience with the Senate so I might be able to help," Ben said. He swallowed. Where had that come? He had never even been to the Senate, let alone actually spoken to them. What had he just gotten himself into?
Leia's eyes lit up. "Really?"
"I had to mess with a lot of politics when I was in the Empire."
"I believe that."
"So will you accept my help?" Leia looked at Luke, who shrugged.
He held his hands up in a helpless gesture. "At politics, I'm at a loss. That's your field of expertise, not mine," Luke said with a smile. Leia and Ben laughed.
Leia looked at Ben. "I'd welcome your assistance. There's one of Luke's Jedi robes and some other clothes in the other room. You can wear that if you'd like," Leia said.
Ben nodded, smiling. "I'd like that very much." Leia pointed out the room and Ben went in to change.
Leia turned to Luke. "He reminds me of you," Leia said.
Luke smiled. "He's a really good person; he just got in with the wrong military."
"You can say that again," Leia said, laughing. "I hope the clothes will fit him."
"They will."
Leia's face turned serious. "I meant to ask you because I had noticed this earlier, but I wasn't sure at the time. Is Ben a Jedi?"
"I think he's on his way to become a Jedi Knight. He has huge Force- potential and I think with the right training, he could learn the Jedi ways. He's been through a lot though, so I'm not going to push anything until he's ready."
Leia nodded. "Understandable." Leia looked at the door through which Ben had just entered. "He's very mysterious. I get this feeling with him that I can't place."
"I get the same feeling. I think there's a lot more to him then even he knows."
"Well, whenever he's here on Coruscant, tell him he's welcome here. He can stay here if he needs a place to stay. I'll always be here."
"Thanks, Leia," Luke said, smiling. "That means a lot."
* * *
Ben stood in front of a wall-length mirror, looking over his outfit which consisted of black boots, black pants, a black shirt, and a leather utility belt. He pulled on the Jedi robe over top and a picture flashed in front of his eyes . . . . .
A man that looked a lot like him, with short black hair and piercing green eyes, stood before a mirror. He wore a black tunic, pants and boots and wore a black cloak. A double-bladed lightsaber hung at his side. A long, zig-zag scar ran from his forehead, down around his left eye, and onto his chin. Another, smaller scar ran across the bridge of his nose. There was an evil, ruthless glint in his eyes . . . .
Ben shuddered. Weird. What in the blazes was that? It looked so much like him, except for those horrible scars and the clothes. Was that his father? Ben shook his head, clearing his thoughts of that memory. He'd had better get back to Leia. If he had any hidden skills, not would be a good time for them to come out and help him in the mess that he had gotten himself into.
Ben turned from the mirror and strode out to the main room where Leia and Luke stood. They turned. "Very nice," Luke said. "You look like a Jedi already."
Ben smiled. "Thanks. These fit perfectly and they're much more comfortable then that Imperial uniform."
"I would expect so," Leia said with a laugh. "Would you like anything to eat?"
"I would love it," Ben said and they all walked into the kitchen.
* * *
That evening, shortly after they arrived back after the meeting with the Senate, Ben flopped down in a chair, exhausted. "Wow," he said. "I never knew just talking to the Senate would be so exhausting."
Leia sat down in a chair across from him. "I have to go through this every day. Now you see why I don't like the Senate, but if I don't go, then the Alliance will fall apart."
Luke walked into the main living area from the kitchen, wiping his hands on a rag. He had stayed there while Ben and Leia had gone to the Senate.
"So, how'd it go?" Luke asked, looking at Leia.
"It's getting there," Leia said. "But there is still so much work to do. Ben was great. I couldn't have gotten nearly as much accomplished if he hadn't been there with me."
Luke looked at Ben. "Nice work."
Ben managed a smile. "Thanks."
"Well, I'm going to get some sleep. I'm going to need it for tomorrow morning," Leia said. "I have to head to Bakura tomorrow morning."
Luke's face grew serious. "I need to talk to you about that." Leia nodded.
Ben stood, knowing that he should leave at that moment. "I'm going to go get some sleep," he said. "I'll see you in the morning."
They both nodded absent mindedly and Ben went into the room where he would be sleeping.
* * *
When Ben awoke the next morning, there was a holo on the table for him. He activated it and a holo of Luke appeared.
"Ben, Leia and I had to leave on urgent business this morning for Bakura. I'm going to trust that you'll stay here and not get into any trouble. I know I'm supposed to stay with you but this matter is much too important to leave hanging and I had to go. We'll be back as soon as we settle the dispute." Luke managed a smile. "And try not to tear up everything too bad, okay?"
The holo disappeared and Ben sat down in a chair. Why did everyone always leave him on his own? He sighed. He was in for a very long and boring stay until Luke and Leia got back.