Lillafiore – Once he is over the initial shock, Crion will be able to make peace with his parentage.

sterling5842 – Yes, pretty low standards indeed. I think it hints at Qui-Gon still being ill at ease with how much Xanatos and Crion are alike. It is the differences between father and son that make all the difference.

Furionknight – Thanks

Incognito12 - I think Xanatos never looked into the Temple because of Mia's distaste for the Force. She had little experience with Jedi and he assumed her fear would keep her away. That, and Xanatos just didn't want to deal with that chapter of his past.

Chapter 19

The starfighter settled down onto the empty landing pad at the Jedi Temple. It was late in the night on Coruscant, something not readily betrayed by a city-planet that never slept. If anything, the skyline was brighter at night than during the day, alive with dancing and glittering lights.

As Obi-Wan reached to shut off the controls, a lone figure standing by the hangar doors caught his attention. Though he had insisted that Crion not wait up on him, it didn't surprise him in the least to see his apprentice. It was actually a relief to be able to reach out and sense Crion's presence again. Everything about the previous mission had seemed wrong without his padawan at his side. Opening the cockpit, he scrambled out of the fighter and climbed down the ladder.

"Master." Crion offered a quick bow before taking Obi-Wan's travel pack and slinging it over his own shoulder. "It is good to have you home."

"It is good to be back," the Jedi master said, resting his hand on the teenager's shoulder as he looked him over as though inspecting for injury or some other affliction. "It seems my worries were unfounded. You appear to be in one piece and in your right mind."

"Barely," Crion offered weakly.

The words were somber, a mere echo of the customary sarcasm Obi-Wan expected to hear. Only a hint of a smile turned up his apprentice's lips. Obi-Wan knew Crion better than the boy knew himself at times, and something was definitely not right. He doubted that the short stay with Qui-Gon and Anakin was the trouble. Crion was a Jedi and accustomed to more adversity than that. Had there been another altercation of some sort?

As they started toward their quarters, Obi-Wan wished he had some glimpse into what was locked up behind his apprentice's tight shields. But at the same time, he suspected he wouldn't have long to wait. Crion was not one for keeping matters to himself.

The trip through the Temple was not made in silence. There was superficial chatter - stories of the horrors Crion survived in close quarters with Anakin Skywalker, of waking up with goo stuck to his head, of forcing the Chosen One to clean his room, and of seeking refuge with Bant. Obi-Wan decided that he was going to have to speak to Bant about the nonsense she fed Crion. Her stories all seemed a bit embellished. He and Garen hadn't been that reckless … had they?

They finally arrived at their quarters. Stepping inside, Obi-Wan breathed in the ambience of the one place he considered home. Qui-Gon had been here recently; his former master's presence still lingered strongly. The usual smells of the room were overpowered by the aroma of spiced tea.

"You made tea," Obi-Wan commented casually.

"Yes, Master."

"It smells wonderful. It's just what I could use right now." Obi-Wan shrugged off his cloak and laid it over the back of the sofa before taking a seat. "May I have a cup?"

"I'll get it."

Crion returned from the kitchen with two steaming mugs and took a seat across from his mentor. He was strangely silent for Crion, something that was a bit disconcerting. Obi-Wan began to wonder about what could possibly shut his apprentice up.

"What's wrong, Padawan?"

Crion glanced down. After setting his cup on the table, he reached into the pocket of his cloak and retrieved something. Obi-Wan at once recognized the image that sprang to life - Qui-Gon and the very likeness of the boy who sat across from him.

"I found this hidden in Anakin's room while we were cleaning. I know that Xanatos Marojni is my father."

The words flowed freely from Crion's lips, as though he had repeated them to himself many times and they were now becoming reality. How long had he known? Obi-Wan's heart ached at the thought of his padawan without his guidance learning such a hard truth; a truth had been withheld from him by the one he trusted most.

"I am so sorry, Padawan. You should not have had to find out like this. I should have been the one to tell you." Obi-Wan paused, letting out a deep sigh as he tried to figure out where to begin. "Please understand that my intent in keeping this from you was never to hurt you."

"I know you would never do anything to hurt me, Master." Crion offered a gracious nod. "I understand why you didn't tell me."

"You seem to be very calm about this."

"Oh, I didn't react so calmly at first. Believe me." Crion let out a humorless chuckle. "But … I've talked with Master Qui-Gon quite a bit over the past few days. It has helped a lot."

"I see." Obi-Wan paused, taking a minute to release a growing sense of frustration into the Force. Why hadn't Qui-Gon contacted him? The brief flare of emotion didn't go unnoticed.

"Don't be angry with him, Master," Crion said pointedly. "This hasn't been easy on him either. I have asked some really hard questions."

Of course he had. It was Crion that they were talking about, after all. Obi-Wan shuddered at what his master likely had endured, and it softened his indignation.

"We made the decision together to not tell you until you got back," Crion continued. "We didn't want you to be distracted on your mission. Distractions can be …"

"Dangerous … yes, I know," Obi-Wan interrupted. "But Crion, I am not a padawan who needs his master's protection or even a young knight anymore. I am your master, and I needed to know if something significant was happening in your life."

"Master, I don't know. I think it is the will of the Force that this is all happening now," Crion offered with a nonchalant shrug.

And there it was – the words his master had so often said, spoken by his own apprentice.

"It feels as though the distance that has always been there between me and Master Qui-Gon is not there anymore," Crion explained.

"That's good," Obi-Wan said softly.

It was. Crion had so often felt as though something had initially kept him from Qui-Gon's blessing, and for him to finally know that it was nothing he had done had to be a relief. In fact, Obi-Wan felt a burden lifted from his own shoulders. There were truly no secrets between master and apprentice anymore.

Obi-Wan realized that he had fallen silent, staring into his untouched cup of tea. He looked up to find Crion looking at him with concern.

"You look completely exhausted, Master."

"That's probably because I am completely exhausted," Obi-Wan said with a light chuckle.

"You should get some sleep."

"I have a briefing before the Council tomorrow, but that is all. There will be plenty of time to talk more." Obi-Wan offered a smile. "Perhaps we should start with meditation and katas tomorrow morning … as usual?"

"If you're up for it, I am."

"Always, Padawan."

Crion sat with his eyes closed. The sounds of babbling pools in the Room of a Thousand Fountains filled his ears. Fingers danced along his shoulders and down his back. For her slight frame, Sienn was surprisingly strong. It was exactly what he needed after a particularly brutal morning training session. The problem was that he was having trouble just sitting back and enjoying his first day off of restriction.

"Oh, relax," Sienn hissed.

"I found out something," Crion said softly, reaching back to still her hands.

"What is it?" Sienn moved around to sit down in front of Crion.

"My father is Master Qui-Gon's former apprentice, Xanatos."

"You're kidding, aren't you?" Sienn let out a laugh.

"I wouldn't joke about something like this," he replied seriously.

Reaching out, Sienn took his hands in hers. "How do you feel about it?" she asked, concern apparent in large brown eyes.

"We all have parents." Crion shrugged. "I just happen to know who mine are now."

"That's not what I meant."

"I've had time to think about it now," Crion said. "I don't believe that I am somehow hereditarily going to fall to the dark side anymore, but it does leave me with questions."

"What sort of questions?"

"When you first heard about Xanatos, didn't you wonder why? Why did he betray his master? Why did that happen?" When Sienn nodded, Crion continued. "I did too. But somehow now, I feel like I have a right to know."

"Crion Ryal," Sienn scolded, staring into his eyes with a look that he was certain could freeze water. "You aren't thinking of doing something like seeking him out are you?"

"That would be pretty stupid, Sienn," Crion scoffed. "Especially considering my master and Master Qui-Gon have worked so hard to keep me hidden. I just wonder, that's all … questions that will never be answered."

Sienn's comlink began to chime. "That's my master," she said. "I need to go. If you have time after evening meal …"

"You bet."

As Sienn walked off, Crion stretched out on his back in the grass, basking in the artificial sunlight. He might have dozed a bit; he wasn't sure, but he soon sensed the presence of his master drawing near. He rolled up to a sitting position as Obi-Wan took a seat on the ground next to him.

"How did the briefing go, Master?"

"About like usual." Obi-Wan sat there in silence. He looked much better after a good night's sleep and the weight of an entire star system off his shoulders, but something was still bothering him.

"What's wrong?" Crion reached down and ran his fingers through the long blades of grass.

"The Council has asked us to take a mission – we were requested."

"Once again, our reputation precedes us," Crion huffed. "Maybe if we screwed up a few missions, we wouldn't be in such high demand."

"Padawan!" Obi-Wan scolded teasingly.

"It's true," Crion said, looking up.

"So, are you up for a mission? I can tell the Council that it is too soon."

"Master, I'm the one who has been cooped up in the Temple, sharing a room with Anakin Skywalker. You're the one who just got back."

"I think some time away might do you well," Obi-Wan mused.

"No protests here."

"I'll tell them we accept, then. We'll leave tomorrow morning."