22
"One last thing I have," He said. "A question, it is. Why do you leave Obi-Wan in the dark Qui-Gon? He knows not of this, I think. Yet he is on the same trail you are on, in a different place."
"That's true," Qui-Gon admitted. "But there is no need for him to know yet. It places him at risk. I'm keeping him out of danger."
"The apprentice accepts the danger when the Master accepts the apprentice," Yoda replied.
"You forget," Qui-Gon said coolly. "I did not accept Obi-Wan. He is not my apprentice. We are on a planet together. There is a difference."
Yoda nodded slowly. "Trust is that difference. Easier you think, to change the past than the future."
"Where are you going Tiku?" Sera asked curiously.
The eldest son looked back at his mother with a grin and hefted a backpack onto his shoulders.
"Galu," He replied. "Prince Beju is making some sort of speech in the plaza."
"In person?" Sera asked with astonishment.
"I know, I know! It's absolutely insane. Everyone thinks our dear Prince Beju has lost his mind, but whatever it is I'm going to see it."
"What about your father?"
Tiku's lip twitched slightly and his brow furrowed. Sera noticed this and made sure to remember it. Ever since the day Tiku and Keta had come home from Galu her husband had been constantly poking and prodding at this eldest son. She had stopped asking-- knowing that it was only incensing her children's anger and making them clam up. Her husband didn't get this subtle fact.
"I already asked him and he said it was okay," Tiku said, looking away in annoyance.
"You mean you told him you were going, he tried to forbid you, and you reminded him that you are an adult now and that he couldn't stop you." Sera said wryly and Tiku grinned.
"Same thing," He quipped.
Sera's son laughed and she gave him a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek. He rolled his eyes in mock-irritation and she hugged him again in 'punishment'.
"Be safe Tiku," Sera reminded gently.
Tiku nodded and headed out the door as he headed towards his run down swoop. He patted it gently for luck and jumped on top. Before he started the engine up he looked back at the fields of wheat being harvested by Avlo and his two paid helpers. Tiku smiled as he saw his younger brother Shiko and Atri helping out in their own way. He turned away with a sigh. No one ever said that he had to be a farmer like his father. It was simply implied. Family was extremely important on Gala. Professions were handed down throughout the generations. Tiku knew he was perfectly capable of being a farmer it was just so… So dull. He admitted he didn't really know what he wanted to do with his life, but he knew for certain he did not want to be a farmer.
This made his father extremely unhappy.
Tiku growled and coerced the swoop into precarious life. It was an old swoop. It was old when his father had bought it twenty years ago. Tiku always felt like he was putting his life in danger when he used it. He traveled to Galu at a leisurely pace and tried to not worry when the swoop made ominous clunking sounds. The young-adult decided to park the swoop on the outskirts of the city. He didn't want to risk crashing into another vehicle or person. He placed the swoop next to a large boulder and walked away from it. He wasn't afraid that the swoop would be stolen. No one would want such a run down and decrepit machine.
The young adult smiled as he strolled into the city. The outskirts of Galu were practically deserted. The buildings were in shambles and the roads were rough and unpaved. Tiku didn't mind though. He had been raised on a farm and he rarely got to see the capital or any city for that matter. He walked towards the plaza at a leisurely pace. The buildings surrounded Tiku on all sides and blocked some of the weak sunlight. Tiku almost felt a little claustrophobic, but he had long ago decided that this closeness was a good thing. At his father's farm it was a very long walking distance to their 'neighbors'. As a result Tiku didn't really know anyone. He didn't have many friends and those few friends he had he met inside the city. The worst part was that he never met any girls. There were pretty young Galacian woman all over the city but Tiku didn't even know how to talk to them. He sighed.
Avlo may have enjoyed this secluded life, but it was wearing on his two eldest children. It was in Tiku's power to leave his parents but he had not done so yet. He was torn between his obligations as a son and the desire for his own life. At least he tried to give this important decision some thought. Keta was determined to leave as soon as she could and nothing was going to stop her.
Tiku stopped walking and his normally carefree face became an irritated glare. How dare she try and run away from her family! And with Kiban no less! That was what happened when he brought her back from Galu. She was on her way to meet Kiban in the city and they were going to leave Gala altogether. Tiku clenched his fists as he thought of his sister's tutor. Kiban wasn't stupid. Why would he try and leave the planet with Keta if he knew it would be seen as abduction? Why would a twenty-something year old tutor want with a sixteen year old girl? Tiku pondered this as he began to walk again.
His eyes widened in horror when an all too real possibility came to mind.
"That bastard! That goddamn sick bastard!" Tiku swore uncharacteristically.
Tiku knew his sister wasn't stupid either. She had to know something was going on. Sure she wanted to get away from the farm but there were other ways. Two years wasn't a very long time to wait. Unless… Tiku mentally slapped himself. She wouldn't leave unless she was infatuated with Kiban. Why hadn't he noticed before? The way she always sat close to her tutor or the room would immediately silence when Tiku walked in; how she hung on his every word like it was absolute truth… The list went on and on.
"Keta you are so stupid!" Tiku berated his non-present sister.
Tiku swore the next time he saw Kiban he was going to make sure his fist made a lasting impression on Kiban's face. No one messed with his younger sister. No one.
Tiku was so agitated and absorbed in his thoughts about his sister that he ran straight into a tall man. Tiku was tall and lean, but he wasn't a weakling. Farm-work was very grueling and he was very fit. This was part of the reason why he was surprised that he didn't even knock the man off balance.
"I'm really sorry," Tiku said sincerely.
The man smiled but the smile didn't quite reach his dark eyes. The man's skin was darker than a Galacians and half of his long hair was tied back. He wore a simple brown robe and creamy tunic.
"It is easy to get lost in thought." The man commented.
"Too easy," Tiku agreed.
"Try and focus on the present," The man chided. "The here and now are all that matter."
Tiku looked at the man strangely not quite believing his words.
"No offense stranger, but that's slightly ridiculous."
The stranger looked taken aback but he eyed the young man curiously.
"If we always concentrated on the present how could we ever do anything? If we had no hopes or dreams for the future then how could we even begin to accomplish anything? Furthermore, the present is only a state of being. To stay in it exclusively goes against everything we know. Why do we have memory if not to look back to the past? Why do we hope if not to look to the future? The present is what we do in the time between looking past and looking forward. We exist in the now, but it is our past that shapes us. If we stopped looking back or had nothing to look back to we would be nothing." Tiku reasoned.
He slightly hoped the stranger would disagree with him so he could get into a verbal debate. He loved rhetoric. The man's reaction was unexpected. His face was calm and emotionless but he radiated anxiety. He inclined his head towards the young Galacian.
"That is a valid point," He said softly and Tiku smiled.
"I'm more interested to see if you can refute it." Tiku said wryly.
"Maybe some other time…" The man trailed off.
Tiku didn't know for certain but the man seemed very sad. The man didn't show it, but Tiku could sort of feel it. The man was putting up a good front, but it was too good.
"I should be on my way." The man said and walked towards the outskirts of town.
Tiku watched him with a frown but then headed towards the plaza again. He had a strange feeling that he would be seeing the off-worlder again. There was something about him that was familiar and he couldn't figure it out. Tiku shook his head and decided it wasn't that important.
Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn didn't exactly have a plan on how to find his lost apprentice. He went out into the city with only assumptions and what he knew of a renewed person's mentality. He started searching at the spaceport. He wasn't looking for the boy's face in a crowd (even if he was hoping he would see it). He was searching for a void; a lost soul. He stretched out with the Force and tried to find that void. It was rather difficult. True; it is easier to notice something once it is gone, but there were so many beings on Gala and their fears and insecurities were enough to drown out the subtle void that his padawan would've made.
There was another problem as well. The emptiness in his heart was choking out everything else. As the days passed the guilt grew and the darkness covered his vision. How long did Obi-Wan have? He was a resilient boy, but how could he survive on his own? How did he eat? Where did he sleep at night? Did he steal to eat? Did he beg? Was he viewed as the rest of the homeless people on the streets? Did someone take him under their wing? Was there someone protecting him? If so, what kind of person was it? Were they teaching Obi-Wan about kindness and goodness or cruelty and hatred? Was Obi-Wan alone? Did he feel lonely? Did he remember anything? Could he still use the Force? Did he know about the Force?
Was he alive?
The questions cycled through his head day and night. The more time passed the harder it was becoming to push away the grief and the self-pity. How many planets were there in the galaxy? The more time passed the harder it would be to find the boy. The renewed usually moved aimlessly throughout life. They responded to their most basic needs and feelings. The Jedi had seen some of the reclaimed renewed victims on Phindar. Their loved ones claimed that the renewed one wasn't even the same person anymore. They had changed and most times not for the better. They had become withdrawn and reclusive. They didn't like to hear that they were 'different'.
There were some that responded very well to kind treatment and that gave the Jedi's heart a ray of hope. If the renewed person was still young they mostly wanted to relearn everything. They wanted to be someone again. It seemed hopeless for the older renewed victims. It was almost as if the renewing process was a rebirth in a morbid way. The victim's brain was wiped clean and ready to mold again into a new personality. Some part of the adult mind couldn't accept this reversion back to an infant-like state and remained resistant to any sort of learning.
Qui-Gon had to wonder what sort of lessons his apprentice was relearning. The galaxy was cruel if you did not know your place in it. Was Obi-Wan being molded by that cruelty? Children lived such a sheltered life in the temple. The boy barely even knew about real evil when he had left the temple for the first time. Would the council even let Obi-Wan have the chance become a Jedi again? They were so strict on certain issues. If they sensed any darkness in the boy they would send him away. No! Master Yoda was just as upset as he was. Qui-Gon was sure of this.
'How do you even know he's alive? You will bring a body back to the temple, nothing more.' The insidious voice inside of him cackled.
It was becoming harder and harder to block out his doubts. Sometimes he found himself wishing that he'd find Obi-Wan dead instead of searching for the rest of his life. At least he'd have some sort of closure. The boy would be one with the Force and Qui-Gon would never take another padawan ever again. How could he after two catastrophic failures? Xanatos… Those wounds still hadn't healed yet. He was hoping that Obi-Wan would heal them. He could see the potential and goodness in the boy the first time he had laid eyes on him. When Yoda had told him no one had taken him it was a surprise. Surely someone would want the honor of training him!
But he was not chosen.
Perhaps the others had sensed his fate and tried to keep him safe by not choosing him. That didn't make sense though. If that was the case Yoda himself would've intervened. The green troll had great affection for the boy probably above most of the other initiates. That alone spoke volumes at how important Obi-Wan might become to the Jedi Order. Were the other Masters scared to train him? Did Yoda's affection scare other Master's away?
Qui-Gon's eyes passed over the Galacians, but he took in every single detail. He looked at their eyes mostly. He was looking for the void. He was looking for nothing. Qui-Gon nearly jumped when his comlink went off. He answered it with a gruff voice.
"Master Jinn?" Reben Kazaran's voice came through the comlink.
"Yes?" Qui-Gon fought to control his annoyance from showing in his voice.
"I'm afraid I need to ask for your assistance." Kazaran said.
"I'm sure you are perfectly capable of handling this mission by yourself." Qui-Gon stated.
"The councilor Giba has my padawan and I under close watch. We are not allowed to leave the palace without supervision."
"I don't see how that is a problem," Qui-Gon said curtly.
"Queen Veda has asked me to find King Cana's illegitimate daughter Elan. She's the leader of the Hill People. I have a feeling she is of utmost importance to this mission."
"Why don't you find her yourself?" Annoyance began to inflect Qui-Gon's voice. He didn't have time for this!
"I agreed to the conditions Qui-Gon. If I left it would be dishonorable and I cannot leave my pa—"
Kazaran stopped abruptly, but Qui-Gon knew what he was going to say. Kazaran didn't want to leave his padawan alone in the palace with so much intrigue going on. The comment riled Qui-Gon and he snarled and looked away to the milling Galacians who paid him no attention.
"Sometimes you have to break the rules Kazaran." Qui-Gon said stiffly.
"No offense Master Jinn, but we follow our Code for a reason. I'm not as keen on breaking the rules as you are."
Qui-Gon bristled at was left unsaid in Kazaran's message. If Qui-Gon had followed the Code strictly he wouldn't have lost two padawans. It was a harsh blow and the Jedi Knight winced. Qui-Gon knew he had a responsibility to make sure the election went smoothly. It was his original mission after all. As a Jedi could he truly turn his back on someone who needed help? It would be a selfish action and the Jedi Knight knew it. He had pledged his life to the people of the galaxy. He could not go back on that pledge because he was a failure as a Master. He sighed in sorrow. Obi-Wan would have to wait… again.
"All right Kazaran. I need more information on this Elan." Qui-Gon said with a weariness that betrayed his calm composure.
"Atri!" Avlo called and the boy immediately ran towards the voice.
Avlo smiled at the enthusiasm and put his hand on the boy's shoulder. Atri looked up, smiling at the tall Galacian and Avlo laughed robustly.
"Where is Shiko?" Avlo asked curiously.
"Shiko?" Atri asked questioningly.
"Yes Atri, why isn't he helping you like I told him?"
"Oh…" Atri stammered. "Shiko is…"
Atri nearly laughed as he watched the boy fidget slightly. He knew exactly where his youngest son was. He knew that Shiko was off raiding the kitchen to find some early snacks for both of them and he knew that Atri was trying to cover for him. A week ago Atri would've given him the truth right away, a month ago Atri didn't even know who Shiko was. It was strange to think that Atri had been with them for almost a month. Atri used to be almost droid-like in his replies. He usually only spoke laconically and straight to the point. Today proved that he was becoming more of an individual.
"I'm sure he's around here somewhere." Avlo said.
"Yep! He's around here somewhere!" Atri exclaimed.
"That's too bad for him. I was going to get us all a well deserved treat. Looks like it's just you and me; to bad Shiko is going to miss out…"
"But…" Atri protested.
"That's unless you know where he is." Avlo said smugly.
"He's… he's hiding!" Atri made up.
"Hiding?" The Galacian asked disbelievingly.
"He saw a… snake!" Atri made up.
"Oh Moons, I hope he's okay! What kind of snake was it?" Avlo said with concern.
Atri looked panicked but then his curiosity got the better of him.
"There are types of snakes?" He asked. Atri had never seen a snake before and didn't quite know what one was. He only heard Shiko mention it once with fear.
"Yes Atri, there are many different types. How many legs did this snake have?"
"Umm… four!" Atri made up.
"Really? Four legs? That must have been some snake. I'm surprised it didn't get you as well."
"We were too fast for it!" Atri smiled and looked up innocently at the Galacian.
Atri laughed again and rubbed his adopted-son's hair playfully.
"Come on Atri, if I know Shiko he would've hid in the kitchen." Avlo smirked.
"That's what I think too." Atri agreed.
The two walked back from the fields to the house hand in hand. Avlo could almost forget the troublesome business with his two oldest children whenever Atri was around. He watched the boy around the garden and the fields. The boy really seemed to enjoy it. Avlo swore that the fall flowers in the garden were healthier just because Atri was around him. The boy had a gift with plants.
Maybe he could hand the farm over to Shiko and Atri when they grew up. They would make a great team. Avlo admitted that he really wanted to give the farm to Tiku, his first son, but he knew deep down that Tiku did not want it. His head was in the clouds and not down to earth like a real farmer should be. Perhaps everything wouldn't be so bad after all.
"You're really lucky Atri. I've never seen a snake with four legs before." Avlo joked.
"Yeah, too bad you missed it." Atri said with a conspiratorial smile.
A/N: Had to get this chapter out of the way. I mean seriously, when can you say that you've had enough Qui angst? Oh and then Atri/Obi fluff is always good. Oh and for those who wanted to know, my new fandom I'm writing for is Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. If you guys even think of laughing at me I won't update for three months! j/k. I try to get these out as fast as possible but now I have to train for this fencing tournament and there goes all my free time…Thanks for reviewing.