KEYnote: The last two chapters haven't changed much but I just completely rewrote the future plotline and the continuity of Star Wars, what little there is. Anakin is only 3 years younger and Padme 2 years younger than Obi-Wan. Nothing lines up with canon anymore, again, you're welcome ;D
This is a MAJOR AU
Chapter 3 - Mercenaries
Anakin Skywalker was trying his best not to fiddle with his new Padawan braid.
His life had taken a most dramatic change in the last few months. From being losing his mother, to meeting a Jedi, to meeting a Queen, to becoming the Hero of Naboo and a Jedi Padawan, moving from Tatooine to Coruscant.
It was, to say the least, a lot.
But it was a good change, his Jedi Master, Qui-Gon Jinn, was like the father he never had.
Steady, patient, and noble.
Not that everything was perfect now. His mother had died of an illness no one had ever seen before or could help with and apparently, while thirteen was the right age for a Jedi Padawan, it was the wrong age to enter the Order.
Which is why he was here.
Sitting across from a Senior Padawan who looked more like a smuggler than a Jedi. The gold band tattooed over his nose and cheeks proclaiming his Kiffar heritage.
"Wait, your aunt is the ruler of Kiffu?" Anakin asked, his mouth dropping.
They were sitting in a meditation room that overlooked the skyline and the orange-pink sunsets, it was beautiful here.
Quinlan Vos answered, "Don't sound so impressed kid. Kiffu is not a particularly large planet."
"Why did you become a Jedi if you were royalty?"
Vos grimaced, "At first, my parents didn't allow my Master to take me to the Temple. However, due to my gifts, Master Tholme agreed to remain on Kiffu to teach me."
It was Anakin's turn to grimace, "I'm glad Master Qui-Gon decided not to do that."
Vos gave him a sad smile, "That was before. That decision changed after my aunt sacrificed my parents to vampires and forced me to relive their murders to ensure power stayed in her hands. Tholme saved me and took me away from my homeworld."
Anakin swallowed hard, "I'm sorry. For your losses, and that…"
The Kiffar nodded, "Thank you, but that's not why I'm sharing this with you. Technically, my training began when I was four, but I wasn't officially accepted into the Order until I was about eight years old. I know you are older than that, but you are not unwelcome here. The Jedi Order is a relatively small community. In the last few centuries, it has become a tradition to accept only younglings into the Order. However, despite tradition, and the truth that most Jedi can remember only these halls, that is not the whole of us. So no matter the gossip you hear or the grumblings of the old, old Masters, there are those in the Order who have known tragedy and may understand you better than you think. You are a part of us now and we are made better for your inclusion."
Despite himself, Anakin was warmed by this and said, "Thank you."
Vos nodded, "If you have any questions or if you need to vent about the Masters or classmates, I'm here for you."
"Do you know Master Qui-Gon well?"
For the first time, Vos looked uncomfortable, "He is friends with Tholme, but in truth, Master Jinn has been rather reclusive over the last three years. He was at the heart of a major tragedy for the Order."
"What tragedy?"
Vos sighed, and even through the Kiffar's shields Anakin could feel his sorrow. "Master Jinn's second apprentice turned traitor to the Order and promised vengeance against Jinn. Vengeance came against an initiate who he presumed to be Jinn's next apprentice. In the end, Jinn's ex-apprentice, Xanatos, killed himself rather than face justice and the initiate was killed by slavers."
Horror filled Anakin, "That's awful!"
No wonder Master Qui-Gon was s compassionate and kind.
Vos looked away, "It was a blow the Order has not easily recovered from. Obi-Wan was beloved by many."
Anakin froze.
Obi-Wan?
"Who?"
Vos blinked, frowning before then understanding, "The initiate, our members who are too old to be younglings, but not yet assigned to one of the Corps. His name was Obi-Wan Kenobi. He was also my best friend."
Anakin hid away his shock but couldn't quite keep himself from asking, "He was killed by slavers?"
Vos nodded, "Obi-Wan was considered by many to be the Light of the Order. He wasn't necessarily the best, or the strongest, but he was fundamentally what all Jedi should have aspired to become. He had that potential."
Anakin couldn't answer, merely inclined his head, acknowledging the other Padawan's grief.
Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Anakin met that mother-karker three years ago on Zygerria. And yes, he could see how people might have mistaken Kenobi for being 'perfect'.
Everyone did.
Even Anakin's mother had loved him, Anakin too, had loved the older boy once, but it had been lies.
They had been like brothers, they had survived together. Until the opportunity to get ahead showed itself with some wealthy slavers and Obi-Wan had put himself forward, had, for the first time, shown off his usefulness, suaveness, and gracefulness, like the rich Coruscanti bastard he was.
The result of Obi-Wan's avarice was that he got a padded position while Anakin and his mother had been sold to the Hutts on Tattooine.
His mother had died under the 'tender' care of the Hutts and Anakin had found himself pawned away on a lost bet to city mechanic, Watto.
"Was Master Qui-Gon close to Obi-Wan?" Anakin asked.
Vos's expression hardened, "Jinn never knew Obi-Wan well. Although I believe, he does blame himself for Obi-Wan's death, for not choosing him as a Padawan and being there to protect him. Many are surprised he took in another Padawan at all, but I think Jinn learned the consequences of not listening to the Force."
Anakin was stunned.
Even now, Obi-Wan was defining Anakin's future. For a time, they had been as close as brothers, they had protected each other, only to be betrayed in the worst of ways, and now to live still in his shadow…
The sorrow that occasionally resonated off Master Qui-Gon had an explanation now and Anakin found his insides burning with resentment.
Everyone always preferred Obi-Wan, everyone always thought Obi-Wan was so perfect.
Perfect Karking Kenobi.
Vos's com chimed, "I'm sorry, Anakin, I have to go."
Anakin stood to bow to him, "Thank you for your time, Padawan Vos."
Vos bowed in turn before departing, leaving Anakin to stew in his renewed anger toward someone he thought he heard the last of.
But it wasn't long afterwards that he realised that the Order thought Kenobi was dead. Theoretically, if they cared enough, they could go find him, save him, but if Anakin said nothing, Kenobi would remain a slave.
Die a slave.
While Anakin would inherit the life Kenobi might have had.
Perfect Kenobi, a slave.
Little Ani, a Jedi Knight.
If it was anyone else, Anakin would have been appalled by allowing anyone to remain a slave. But Kenobi wasn't anyone else, he was the person responsible for his mother getting sick.
Anakin's own com chimed, pulling him out of his darker thoughts.
When he opened the channel he was greeted by Senator Palpatine who was generously taking time out of his busy life to ensure Anakin was settling well.
It was a welcome reprieve, free from any reference of Obi-Wan Kenobi.
oOo
Obi-Wan liked pirates.
Specifically, he liked how dumb pirates were.
He had had a lot of plans for escape, primarily, contacting the Order and getting saved.
But after a few months with Jango Fett, a man who had claimed Obi-Wan as a son without hesitation and taken on the position as his guardian with complete devotion.
It was more kindness than even Shmi Skywalker had shown Obi-Wan. Shmi was lovely, but her love and concern for her own son were all consuming. She had helped Obi-Wan have somewhere relatively safe to sleep at night and in turn, Obi-Wan had shielded Anakin from visiting politicians, and when the opportunity provided itself, getting both Skywalkers off Zygerria.
He hoped Shmi and Ani were doing well. Shmi was scary savvy and he had little doubts she could manage to get herself sold to someone who wouldn't be as terrible as a Zygerrian or Hutt.
Even without being able to sense it, Obi-Wan had been able to tell that the Force had been strong with both Skywalkers.
But Jango had given to Obi-Wan without reservation. That he would die for Obi-Wan had been made clear to him in the way the man constantly shielded him against and guilted the pirates from harming or overworking him.
Given Jango's hatred of the Jedi, Obi-Wan knew that calling them for help wasn't possible. Or, at least, not advisable.
Obi-Wan himself was of Mandalorian birth, Stewjon being a colony planet of the Mandalore System. This was not something he shared with Jango or was in any way proud of. He couldn't remember his parents. He knew Master Tholme had been the one to find and save him from his birth mother who had tried to drown him for being a Force sensitive.
Which explained his name's meaning, No One from Nowhere, of No Clan.
All that aside, though Obi-Wan had never been allowed to visit his homeworld, he did know how to read and speak Mandalorian due to the Jedi tradition of encouraging their younglings to continue cultural ties to their homelands. Or the next Republic approved thing, the Sundari Mandalorians, who used a classical form of Mando'a spoken on Mandalore proper. The Sundari Mandalorians were most often recognised as legitimate by the Galatic Republic because they had a larger civilian population and non-militaristic divisions, additionally, they weren't made up of nomadic groups.
Obi-Wan was pretty certain Jango was from Concordia or Concord Dawn, which were moons of Mandalore and major pilgrimage ports for those clans and warriors who live almost purely nomadic lives.
There were differences in the language, and mainly, the number of insults Jango muttered under his breath that Obi-Wan had never come up across. And in some ways, the Concord accent sounded more like Qui-Gon's while the Sundari had more of a drawl and softer syllables.
Nevertheless, the written language was pretty similar. This meant, even in times of war, Obi-Wan was able to navigate the Mandalorian section of the holonet (on the datapad he had 'borrowed' from the pirates). Finding a near non-existent fraction of Mandalorians, the True Mandalorians was difficult but not impossible.
He found two names, Myles and Silas. Both were for hire as bounty hunters and mercenaries, and luckily, the pair seemed to work together.
Obi-Wan hesitated when he had an open channel linked to them asking if they were taking jobs.
He didn't know how best to appeal to them, he feared that if he invoked Jango Fett's name, they might think it was a trap.
So instead, when he received the affirmative and asked for the recovery of an adiik. He gave the make of the ship, the number of weequays, and once the job was accepted gave them the coordinates of where they were refuelling and for the activated puck.
He grinned when he saw how close the bounty hunters were.
Clearly, the Force was with them this day.
Once that was done, Obi-Wan crawled back through the vents to his bunk. He was just putting the grate back, datapad completely turned off, when Jango re-entered the room.
Obi-Wan grinned at the man.
Jango narrowed his eyes at him, "Ner ad'ika, what were you doing?"
"Nothing," he said easily. "Are we landing soon?"
Jango waved him down from the top bunk that had been rigged for him, "Yes, come on, we've been given an allowance to burn for rations."
Obi-Wan hopped down, "Can we pick up more tea?"
Jango sighed, ruffling Obi-Wan's hair, "Yes, you strange, strange ad'ika."
Obi-Wan knew they could run at this point, but unfortunately, whether or not one held the button, his collar could be hacked easily enough. They were in a sector where the officials would be more than happy to help the pirates recapture slaves.
So here was hoping that the sabotage Obi-Wan had done to the ship that ensured once it landed and turned off, it wouldn't be able to reignite.
Something Ani had taught him how to do, his bond-brother was a little genius. It seemed, even separated, Anakin was still with him, causing well-earned trouble.
Jango flicked Obi-Wan's nose, "What are you thinking about so hard?"
Obi-Wan gave a subtle hand gesture, one of the signs that Jango had been teaching him.
Not here.
Jango huffed and they went to the cockpit to watch the landing from the planet's orbit without another word.
oOo
Jango knew his adiik was up to something, he had even guessed he was crawling around in the vents, indicated by the dust in his hair and on his nose.
But when they bought a tin of what was apparently Obi-Wan's favourite tea, he seemed too happy. Granted, they had spent nearly all day searching for it.
Jango kept waiting for the weequays to call them back, but there must have been something wrong with the ship. Which meant they had the free time. The pirates wisely didn't trust either of their slaves to fix the ship. Obi-Wan was no more obedient than Jango was.
"Is it your birthday or something?" Jango asked, unable to keep the fondness out of his tone.
Obi-Wan shrugged, "I just have a good feeling about today."
If Jango knew anything about Obi-Wan, it was his dry sense of humour.
He couldn't leave it alone, "Now I'm worried."
Obi-Wan shrugged as they began their way back to the docks, "I don't think we're the ones who need to be worried.
This statement was emphasised by their ship exploding.
Jango swore, spinning on Obi-Wan and checking the collar, if their triggers were on the ship and destroyed, they were both dead.
But Obi-Wan caught his hand and dropped the two remote triggers into his palm.
Their freedom.
His freedom.
Jango felt like everything had slowed down as he tried to process what this meant.
He looked back up at the flames.
It was beautiful.
He looked back down at Obi-Wan whose grey eyes had a tinge of blue in them. Jango pulled his ad'ika into a hug.
When he pulled back he asked, "How did you manage to blow up the ship?"
Obi-Wan's smile grew, "I hired some mercenaries."
He blinked, "You what?"
"JANGO!?"
Jango spun at the familiar voice and gaped at the gleam of Beskar.
He had been a slave for a year and some months, and in those last few months, Obi-Wan, a mere sixteen-year-old, had freed them both with just his ruthless cleverness; it was humbling.
"Ke nu'jurkadir sha Mando'ade," Obi-Wan said in the Mando'a Jango had taught him.
Don't mess with Mandalorians.
Jango threw his head back and laughed.
In that moment, Jango wasn't freed solely from his bondage, but freed from his despair.
oOo
AN: This is a short chapter that I'm fishing to see if you would be interested in the new direction. Thoughts, plecos, or feedback, pretty please?