Obi-Wan walked to the hanger, and Dag-Mar and Gerlin saw Obi-wan walk towards them. Obi-wan noticed that both boys looked depressed.
Dag-Mar spoke as soon as Obi came along side of them. "Obi-wan we are so sorry for what we have done, and now Arly has turned against us, and when we defended you he said that everything he did was just to get you kicked out of the Jedi. Arly did not care about us at all, he said he just used us to get you, and we feel so bad because you tried to tell us, but we would not listen. We thought we could go back and tell the council we were wrong, they might listen to us?"
I suppose you hate us now, and we wouldn't blame you if you did." Gerlin said.
Obi put his hands on each boy's shoulders and said sympathetically No, it is too late, I went to see the Council, I wanted to explain how I felt about what they did, and I said some things about them that they did not like.
Both boys lowered their heads and said "Sorry"
" I do not hate you; I know you were lied to, and I am sorry that you have been released from the Temple as well" he looked around, "Where's Arly" he asked.
"He went on board already, he said he was glad he was going to the Agricorps and that he hated the Jedi life anyway. I suppose we should get on board," Dag-Mar said to the others, and they picked up their packs. However, Obi-wan hesitated.
"What is wrong aren't you coming Obi?" Gerlin asked.
"I told the council that I wanted to go home to live with my parents. They have allowed me to, but I am never to return to the Temple they have expelled me completely.
"Oh' you are going home to your real family…, wow do you think they will like you, what if you don't like them?" Gerlin said.
Obi-wan shrugged at the words, "I do not know, but I did not want to go to the Agri corps. What about you two why don't you ask to go home to your real families?"
"Naw," said Gerlin I would rather go to the Corps"
Dag-mar said, "I don't have any family, they died just after I was brought to the Temple."
As they were talking a horn blasted signalling that their ship was about to leave.
"Gotta go Obi-wan, I hope you like your family and I am really sorry for what I did," said Dag-Mar
"Me too Obi" said Gerlin, both boys ran up the ramp and shouted goodbye. May the force be with you"
Obi-wan watched as the Transport took off and then he went on board his transport bound for Orulshai III Obi-wan knew very little of this moon only that it was relatively close to Corruscant and the climate was temperate and the sentient race was human. He found his cabin and sat down on the bed to read the flimsy Master Windu had given him. It said his mother was of average height and fair skin her eyes were green and her hair was Auburn, his father was a bit taller than his mother was and had blue eyes olive skin and fair hair. He worked for a local company called Cosmo haul Shipping it was a cargo transport company. His father was a loader, loading the cargo onto ships. They lived on a farm in an isolated section of the district.
Obi-wan studied all the information in the flimsy, and the trip through hyperspace only took a night and half the next day. Obi-wan got off the transport and looked around wandering what to do when a woman walked towards him smiling, Obi noticed the weathered look about her, her skin was brown and looked dry, she looked like she had been in the sun every day of her life. However, she had a wonderful smile and she was holding a small boy in her arms; he would not have been more than two.
"Obi-wan?" she asked.
"Yes, I'm Obi-wan" he bowed.
"Oh Obi my son, I am so glad you came back to me" she said as she scooped him into her arms almost squashing the little boy she was carrying, the little boy cried out, and she released Obi and said "Oh, I am sorry I didn't mean to squeeze so hard O'wan "
She knelt down and stood O'wan next to Obi, "O'wan this is your brother, his name is Obi-wan"
O'wan looked at his brother and then said "Obwan"
Obi-wan laughed "Hello O'wan I guess my name is a mouth full when you're only a little boy" he said smiling.
"My name is Aerena if you do not want to call me Mother," she said sadly.
Obi-wan could sense fear, sadness, and apprehension, but he could sense the love she had for him and that made him feel good.
"Hello Mother, it is good to be home" he went forward into her embrace and she hung on to him as though she was scared he would disappear.
He felt her body hitching and when he looked, she was crying. It worried Obi and he asked, "What's wrong are you alright?"
She smiled through the tears and said, "I am more than alright now that you are with me again, my son my light in the darkness, My Obi-wan."
All the way back to their home his mother told him of their life and his fathers job which took him away early in the morning, and he didn't get home till late in the evening, which left her to do all the chores around the farm.
"Things will be easier for you now that I am home I can do the chores while you see to my brother" he said.
She smiled at him but he sensed a hidden fear in her aura, but she was not going to tell him what it was, he could sense that too. It was something about his Father; it was as if she was afraid of something.
Obi-wan thought I will find out what is wrong and do whatever I can to help.
It was a very long ride back to their farm, quite a way off the beaten track, his mother said that they were on a small farm, and while Father was at work Mother was left alone with O'wan, and all the chores.Once they arrived home, Aerena showed Obi-wan his room that he would share with O'wan his brother. Obi-wan did not mind that, he had grown quite attached to his little brother in the time they had been together. As night fell Obi-wan could sense the growing agitation, in his Mothers actions.
"Mother are you alright you seem worried?" Is father late, is something wrong?"
"No Obi No, nothing is wrong. I was just wondering what time your father would be home, he knew you were coming, I commed him at work.
As she spoke they heard a speeder screech to a halt outside, Obi-wan could sense fear, even from little O'wan. The door swung open and in walked a large tubby man with Black hair and dark brown eyes, his skin was Olive as if he had been in the Sun a lot.
Obi-wan thought (This is my Father?), but he did not say anything just waited.
"Well what do we have here the Temple reject, decided to come home to the real world boy! Well I for one am glad your back, now maybe your mother will have time to cook a decent meal. You can take over her chores, and do not worry I will find you plenty to do. Seeing you decided that there is no place like home, I will accept you back, but do not get any ideas about leaving again, because I do not have money to waste on you. Therefore, you had better not plan on shooting through when the work gets too hard for you. Do you understand Obi-wan?" his Father snapped.
"P-please Larne, don't scare the boy, can't you be nice" Aerena stammered.
Obi-wan was about to say that it was alright when his Father stepped up real close to his Mother in a threatening way, and held her arm.
"What am I supposed to say, he has been away for twelve years and comes waltzing back, like nothing happened. I just want to make sure he knows who the boss is."
Obi-wan stepped up to him and pulled his hand from his Mother arm, and force pushed him back a step, not enough to hurt him just enough to give his Mother room.
"I understand perfectly, you will not have any trouble from me, and I will do all the chores, if you will just show me where to start." Obi-wan said watching his Father intently.
Larne felt the force push and could feel the restraining block keeping him a distance away from his wife.
It took him by surprise and then he remembered that Obi-wan had force powers. Larne stepped back not wanting to find out how much power this one time Jedi had.
"Good then, in the morning I will show you what I expect of you. Now what is there to eat I am hungry." He snapped.
After a week Obi-wan realised that his Father was not a very patient man, and was always looking over his shoulder expecting someone to jump out at him. Obi-wan thought it strange and wondered if his Father was up to no good. At first Obi-wan thought that maybe his Father was abusive but after a time he realised that he was as scared as his Mother was, and Obi-wan wanted to find out why. The days wore on and Obi-Wan did everything his father asked, soon Larne seemed to relax and they worked well together and even laughed at some silly jokes. However, every now and again, his fathers mood would change for the worse, and he would yell at everyone for no reason.
Late at night he would get comm. messages and would leave the house and be gone for hours, and when he returned he would be happy although he would be nervous. When he was in his happy mood, he would bring home things that he bought in town, new clothes, and toys for O'wan, and he even brought Obi-wan a book on X-wing fighters.
Obi-wan settled into a routine of helping his Mother, and doing chores; once they were finished he would take O'wan for a ride on a speeder that he had found in the shed, it needed repairing and Larne bought the parts, and Obi-wan had fixed it. Even though Obi-wan had been sent away from the Temple and the Jedi, he still believed in the force. He found a quiet place up in the loft of the barn, and when he could, he meditated. The force never seemed to dislike him, and it never abandoned him as the Council did. Obi-wan had an affinity for the unifying force, and sometimes he would have visions while he was meditating, nothing conclusive or clear, and sometimes he did not understand the visions.
One such vision came to him more and more frequently… He was wet and very cold, and someone was crying, it was dark and he could not see who it was, maybe it was him crying, but why. Flames, there were bright flames leaping into the air, and he could feel immense pain and grief. The flames leaped into the night sky, higher and higher…, until Obi jumped to his feet coming out of the vision sweating and panting for air. He had a bad feeling about his visions.
Obi-wan had taken O'wan for a ride on the speeder, and arrived back just after his father got home from work. Obi-wan had dropped O'wan off at the house and was pushing the speeder into the barn when he noticed his Father burying something in the back of the Barn. The man was startled when Obi came towards him, and he quickly covered up what ever he was doing and snapped at Obi-wan.
"You useless boy where have you been I have been waiting for you? There are extra chores for you to do," he snapped. "I want them done before you come in for dinner"
Obi-wan could sense so much fear and anxiety coming from him, and then Larne grabbed a pitchfork and shoved it in Obi-wan's hand.
"I brought home a cart full of hay, I want you to unload it and put it in the small shed out back, and hurry because it is going to rain tomorrow and I don't want it to get wet."
Obi-wan filled the small shed with hay, and by the time he finished it was very late. O'wan had already gone to bed and his Father was pacing up and down in the common room. Obi-wans Mother looked almost panic stricken. Nevertheless, Obi-wan had learned early that he would get no answers from either of them, just a berating from his Father for being a nuisance. After dinner, he went to bed; he was tired after the extra chores. However, the sound of shouting woke him up. The sun had not come up yet, and Obi-Wan felt a disturbance in the force, he looked out the window and could see four big men arguing with his father. He was about to go down to see what was up, when his Mother came into his room.
"Obi-wan she whispered. Obi-wan wake up" she said
"I am Mother, what's happening, who are those men, and what do they want?" he whispered.
"Please do not ask so many questions, just listen to me".
Obi-Wan could feel the panic radiating from his mother, and so he waited until she spoke.
"Larne has been dealing in stolen good's, he has been stealing from his employer, and he has been working with some other men selling the goods to different buyers. Some very dangerous men, and I tried to stop him but he would not listen. Larne got greedy, and he has stolen something very valuable. I do not know what it is, nevertheless; those men down there will not leave without it.
Obi-wan remembered when he saw his father burying something in the barn. (He probably hid it there). Obi thought.
"What can we do," Obi-wan asked, sensing a great deal of anger from the men down stairs.
"Nothing, I tried to warn him but he is a foolish and arrogant man. I told him he was in way over his head, and that one day they would found out…., he will probably die this very day." she whispered solemnly .
"Die!" Obi stuttered "Mother we have to do something!" he exclaimed.
"Obi-wan I have tried to be the wife he wanted, I really did, I cannot go on like this, he is not worth it. I am afraid for you, and for O'wan, if Larne thinks he can talk his way out of being hurt he will do anything even sell us into slavery just for the money, especially if he has to flee quickly. He will not want the burden of two young boys around his neck"
"But mother he is our father…. surely he wouldn't do that?"
"Oh Obi-wan, I have been such a fool, and I should have told you before, Larne is not your father"
"What! What do you mean, where is my father then?" he questioned.
"Larne moved in here just before your father died, your fathers name was Ojai-Wan he was a wonderful man and he helped Larne out of a difficult situation, and gave him a place to stay. Sometimes I think if Ojai hadn't let Larne come to live here he might still be alive."
"What do you mean?" Obi inquired.
"Well Larne became infatuated with me, and he argued with Ojai saying that he would look after me better than Ojai would, but I was in love with your father, and I pushed Larne's advances to me away. However, your father took ill and I could not help him, and so Larne said he would help until Ojai got better. He brought a healer to the farm, nevertheless, Ojai died, and the healer said it was a virus that killed him. A week later, I went to town to see the healer, because I felt sick, however, the healer I saw was a different one, and he had not heard of another healer in town. I worried that Larne may have been the cause of your father's death, but I could not prove it."
"But you are married to him, why did you do that if you suspected him, and what about O'wan, Larne is his father isn't he?" Obi whispered.
"No Obi-wan he isn't, O'wan is your brother Ojai is his Father that is why I saw the healer, and he said I was four weeks pregnant. However, I did not tell Larne, I was afraid he would do something to the baby, and I desperately wanted a baby. I had lost you and then your father, I could not bear to loose this baby, and so I gave in to Larne and we got married. I was afraid of him and he made me marry him so he would share in owning the farm.
While they were talking, a loud scream pierced the air "Aerena, – get - out here now!" Larne yelled
Aerena jumped. "Obi-wan take O'wan out the back door get that speeder of yours; go up into the hills do not come back until I call you, here take this comm. unit. When it is safe I will buzz it three times and then two times more, answer it when I buzz again." She handed him the unit and gave him a hug, "now hurry O'wan is dressed."
"But Mother I don't want to leave you I have a bad feeling about this." he said holding her tightly as though he might never hold her again.
"Obi-wan you are too young, what could you do against all of them, they are hungry for blood. It is my wish that you do this for me and for your brother, you and O'wan are my world, and I am afraid for both of you. Little O'wan cannot protect himself; I am putting O'wan's care in your hands, and I know you will protect him and keep him safe. I will be alright as long as I know you two are out of harm's way - Please go now"
Obi-wan did not want to go, but his Mother was right he knew it with all his senses, just as he knew that his Mother was in grave danger too.
"Come with us, - please Mother."
"I cannot, if I leave with you they will come searching and they will find us. This way I can at least give you a chance. Now do not argue just Go"
Obi-wan picked O'wan up from his bed and wrapped a blanket around him, sending a force suggestion to keep him asleep; he could not risk O'wan making a noise. They slipped out the door and headed for the shed, Obi-wan put O'wan in the back of the speeder, and he pushed it out of the shed, pushing it a long way down the road until he was into the next valley, and then he started the engine and took off up into the hills….
The sun came up over the hill and woke Obi-wan with a start, he had been rocking O'wan back and forth and eventually dosed off. His senses told him something was wrong. He hurt all over, and he felt a sense of weakness inside him, he lay O'wan on the blanket and stood up. As he walked around he realised it was not his own body that was in pain, and he began to panic. He wanted to go back to the farm, but his mother had forbidden him to do so. She insisted that he should wait for her signal, so he sat down and tried to meditate.
He wanted to keep his mind off his mother, therefore he thought back to the day he left the Jedi Temple, and watched Dag-Mar and Gorlin board their ship; he wondered how they were and whether they had made good farmers.
He retorted, I am a farmer too……..
tbc...