Skinner pulled his mobile from the inside pocket of his jacket and dialled Mulder's number. As usual it was switched off. Next he tried Scully's. That rang and was answered.
'Scully here.'
'Is Mulder with you?'
Yes.'
'Come to the Thief Taker, now.'
Scully knew better than to argue.
'On our way.' She hung up.
'Okay, Obi-Wan, if that is your name, Mulder and Scully are coming here, then you can explain everything to all of us. Then and only then, will we make the decision to take you to see the other Obi-Wan.'
'Qui-Gon,' corrected Obi-Wan. 'How badly was he hurt?'
'A head wound, someone shot him.' Replied Skinner
'What with, a blaster?' Obi-Wan looked really concerned now.
'A sniper's rifle, like this, only more powerful.' Skinner showed Obi-Wan his sidepiece.
'May I?' he queried, reaching his hand out to touch it.
'Sure, why not,' replied Skinner handing the weapon over after making sure the safety was on. To his surprise the youth soon had the gun in pieces. Holding up a bullet he commented,
'This is a projectile weapon. It uses these things as the projectiles, powered by…exploding gas. Quite clever really, although a little noisy.'
Before Skinner could formulate a reply, the door to the bar opened.
Damn he thought. The door just opened, and my gun's in pieces.
The young man tensed and half-rose, smiled briefly and settled again. To Skinner's relief, it was Mulder and Scully standing at the door, scanning the room. As soon as they saw him they moved towards him. Harry the barman also relaxed, taking his hand away from the shotgun he kept under the bar. Shortly Harry brought over the drinks, 'Sorry kid, no mala juice, is orange okay?'
Scully eyed the young man sitting beside Skinner; he was dressed nearly identically to Obi-Wan, different coloured pants though. Strong looking, fairly tall, cropped hair with a small ponytail, also a long thin plait hanging over his shoulder. Funny, Obi-Wan had pulled his long hair back into a ponytail as they were leaving the Lone Gunman's hideout. Also he wasn't wearing the long coat that Obi-Wan wore. She felt that she could trust him.
'Well?' asked Mulder. 'Who's this? Looks like the son of Obi-Wan.' He smiled at the youth.
'My name is Obi-Wan Kenobi, I'm a Jedi Padawan and I'm searching for my Master, Qui-Gon Jinn, who fell through a hole in the floor of a mining shaft on Alpha 5. I understand that you may know where he is. Will you tell me?' Again he gestured in a random hand movement.
'Whoa. What was that?' queried Mulder, feeling a strange 'pushing' sensation against his mind.
'I warned you about doing that, didn't I?' interjected Skinner.
The youth smiled. 'Just testing. It's unusual for a species to feel the Force, but not to be aware of it.'
'What is this all about?' asked Scully.
Skinner spoke, 'This young man, Obi-Wan, fell through the exact same ceiling in the exact same spot as your
Obi-Wan, but he turned up about half an hour ago, not three days ago.'
'Three days! I was only a few steps behind him when the hole opened' exclaimed the young Obi-Wan.
'Sound like someone screwed the time line up somewhere,' Mulder said. 'What's a Jedi Padawan?'
'Well Padawan is an Urdu word which means pupil or apprentice,' said Scully 'But what a Jedi is I don't know.'
'A Jedi is someone who works with and through the Force to bring balance to the universe. We serve as the guardians and guarantors of peace and justice,' replied Obi-Wan.
'Okay, -what's the Force?' asked Mulder.
'The Force is-' the young man hesitated. He seemed to be trying to think of an easy way to describe it. '-An energy field that surrounds all living things. Midi-chlorians, tiny life forms living the cells of matter, are our connection to the Force.'
Mulder looked at him doubtfully. 'Right, let me get this straight. You Jedi people are some kind of intergalactic police service that has the ability to use life energy.'
The other grimaced. 'Close enough, I suppose. My master could explain it much more easily, if you would take me to him-'
Mulder looked at his two fellow FBI agents. ' Well, what do you guys think?'
Scully was first to speak ' Yes, we should take him. It won't do any harm, and if he is who he says he is he might be able to help Obi-Wan – sorry- that's our Obi-Wan, who you say is Qui-Gon.'
Skinner nodded, 'I agree. There are too many coincidences for these two not be linked in some way. Let's go.' Turning to Obi-Won, 'Come on then lad, let's go and find your boss.'
Then turning to Mulder and Scully, 'I don't want to know where you've stashed the other one away. I'll make my own way back to the office.'
Shortly the two agents and their new 'guest' where winding their way to the premises used by the Lone Gunman.
'Why are you taking such a round about route to Qui-Gon?' Obi-Wan queried.
'What makes you think that?' asked Scully. 'We're taking the most direct route.'
'No, you are definitely going by hidden ways. Is there danger?'
'Strong possibility, pal. We have some rather nasty 'friends' who would love to get their hands on both you and your master. They are very good at getting people to tell them everything that they want to know,' Mulder said.
'Why is that, are they led by the Dark Side?'
'Dark Side?' asked Scully.
'Yes, the Dark Side of the Force. The Jedi live by the Light Side. Some turn or are turned to the Dark Side. It is evil, and leads to the suffering in the universe.'
'What causes them to turn?' Scully inquired
'Lots of things, mainly fear. Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering.' Obi-Wan smiled slightly. 'Or that's what Master Yoda is always saying.'
Master Yoda, another Jedi?'
'Yes, in the Temple at Coruscant, he's the oldest member of the Council and the wisest. I still study with him when ever I get the chance.'
'So, how long have you been a Padawan then?' asked Scully.
'With Qui-Gon , since I was thirteen, before that I was in temple with the other apprentices. I'm seventeen now. I'm hoping that when Master Yoda and Qui-Gon decide that I have learnt patience and become less headstrong I may be allowed to take the trials. Then I will be a Jedi Knight, and I can take a Padawan of my own.'
'So you've been in training since you were thirteen?' queried Mulder.
'No,' he replied, 'I was brought to the Temple before I was a year old. I was there training until Qui-Gon chose me as his Padawan when I was almost thirteen. I've been learning from him since then. He is a splendid Master, full of the Force, even if we don't always agree.' He smiled again, possibly at past memories.
'Heads up folks, we're here,' said Mulder, several minutes later, as he pulled the car into the basement of the Gunman's property. 'Come on- stairs are over here.'
