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The sun rose high in the sky and Obi-wan still had not heard from his Mother. His force senses were screaming at him to go back to the farm. He put his brother in the speeder and he headed for the top of the hill that overlooked the valley where their farm was, as he reached the top, he could see smoke rising in the sky. Looking down the valley the smoke was coming from the general area of their farm. Obi-wan decided immediately he was going back. He pushed the accelerator down, and the speeder hit full speed gliding over the ground effortlessly.
As he came closer to the homestead, he could see flames, the barn was on fire, and he stretched his senses realising that there was only one human life sign in the whole area, and it was a weak life sign. O'wan was hungry so Obi-wan took him through the hose sensing the house was empty, yet it was a mess, and smashed up.
He found some food and set O'wan down on the veranda while he went to the barn, what he found there made him scream internally, he did not want to alarm his little brother so he silently wept. His mother was lying near the empty stable, she had a blaster wound in her stomach, and she had blood all over her dress. He glanced over to Larne who was dead in the corner where he had hidden his loot. Obi-wan dragged his mother out of the burning barn just in time as it collapsed and burst into bigger flames.
"Too late my Obi.." she whispered.
"No" Obi shook his head.
"Not much time, must tell you… "I love you, please take care of your brother… your all he has…now...I am so sorry my child... I have left you such a burden…. Leave go back to the Jedi they must help you...take O'wan away… those men will come back…sell you...as slaves…leave quickl ..y," she gasped.
"Please Mother do not leave us, I can't do it alone"…. Nevertheless, she could not hear him anymore she was gone...
He cried, and held her close and cried. "Oh Mother I love you" he whispered.
Shortly after he could hear O'wan calling him from the veranda, he left his mother and went to O'wan. His brother was tired, wanted to sleep, so Obi took him into the house, and made a bed in the common room it did not take O'wan but a few minutes, and he was asleep. Obi-wan went back to his Mother and sifted through the ashes of the barn and found a shovel, he went to the little garden his Mother cherished and dug her grave, in amongst the flowers. He found a piece of wood for a marker and with his dagger; he scratched words on to it.
Aerena Kenobi - we will love you forever - Obi-wan and O'wan - May the force give you peace.
It was getting late and Obi-Wan had a bad feeling that if they stayed there any longer, something terrible would happen to them. However, his Mother was wrong; he could not go back to the Jedi they had expressly forbidden him to return. Obi-wan had to do this, he could look after his brother, he just had too. It was his Mothers last wish. He packed a bag with a change of clothes for O'wan and for himself and some food.
He rummaged through the house and found a few credits, and he put them in his bag. The warning in the force was getting stronger, and he knew he had to leave immediately. O'wan was still asleep so he bundled him up in the back of the speeder and they left the farm, left his Mother; tears were streaming down his face as the rain beat on him. Obi-wan felt lost, he was leaving again, first his Jedi home and now his Mothers. As the rain poured down, he pulled the rain cover over his little brother, wondering how he was going to look after him.
The force was urging him on faster; yet he wanted to check back towards the farm, so he pulled the speeder up at the top of the hill and looked down towards the farm.With his force sensitive eyesight, he could see the men getting off their speeders and walking towards the house. His mother was right if they had stayed there, they most likely would end up in the slavers market. Obi-wan headed the speeder towards the largest spaceport and sped off. He knew that once the men realised they had been there they would come searching, he had to get as far away as possible.
The speeder was old and pushing it hard, was not wise, but Obi-Wan had no choice. By the time he reached the main city of Capri Landing, the speeder was overheating, and smoke poured out of the cooling compartment he prayed to the force that it would last just a while longer, and it did; just beyond the trees was the entrance to the city. The speeder spluttered and stopped, Obi-Wan looked around and saw a lake off to one side, and so he lifted O'wan out, and laid him on the ground. Obi-Wan pushed the speeder into the lake and it slowly sunk, and then he went and woke O'wan up and he told him they were going into town.
"Ok Obi, where's mummy?" the little boy asked.
Obi-wan hid the pained expression from his brother. "We are going on an adventure and Mother said we should go she wants you to be a good boy, can you do that for me?"
"Sure Obi" O'wan said
The spaceport was a bustling hive of activity, there were big transports loading with machinery and tools. Other transports were passenger carriers, and Obi wondered if he had enough money to purchase a ticket. He put O'wan down and looked at the timetable and price list for departures. A transport was leaving for Corruscant soon, he had just enough credits, and it was the closest planet.
While he was studying the board, O'wan tugged at his tunic. "What is it O'wan" he asked
Mmm hungry, thirsty" the infant said.
Obi-Wan looked around for a place to sit, he had some food in his bag, as he looked around he noticed a tall thin girl watching him, yet she averted her eyes from him quickly. There were market stalls selling everything from food to jewellery, and the girl started to look at some food. Obi-Wan sensed a slight disturbance in the force; however, he did not have time to worry about her. He had his own problems.
Obi-wan sensed she had a small amount of force sensitivity, she probably sensed the same in Obi-wan. He thought I will have to be more careful, someone with bad intentions may notice as well.
He raised his shields and grabbed hold of O'wan's hand, and started to walk towards some seats on the far side of the stalls. He glanced at the girl again; she was stuffing food in her bag while the stall owner attended to another customer. Obi-wan watched her fill her bag with all sorts of goods as they made their way to the seat on the far side. Obi-wan took the sights in, he had never been in such a busy spaceport, and did not know that lurking in every corner was a thief.
O'wan tripped over, and Obi-Wan put his bag down to pick the little one up but while he was distracted, a young man rushed past Obi-Wan knocking him over as well. When he got up to his feet and picked O'wan up he realised his bag was gone. He searched with his eyes but the thief was gone, and Obi-wan did not want to attract attention to himself so he moved out of the way and into a corner, near some boxes.
Obi-wan was worried. Now what am I going to do he thought. He held back the tears and held O'wan close, and then he saw the girl again she was walking up the ramp to the passenger transport carrying a box, she looked like a worker taking stores on board. However, Obi-wan did not think she was, because once she got inside he saw her put the box down and duck out of sight. Obi-wan realised that he had no credits; they were in his bag, so doing what the girl had done was the only way they were going to get off the planet as well. He looked around and saw some crew members loading crates and boxes, Obi walked behind them and saw several laundry trolley's loaded with towels, he watched as two crew men pushed one up the ramp pushing it across so it rested in the loading bay.
Obi grabbed O'wan and said "We are going to play a game."
"A game goody" the boy answered.
"Yes we are going to play hidings, he said as he pulled some of the towels out and he and O'wan jumped in then he pulled some of the towels over them.
Soon the men came back and started pushing the trolley up the ramp." I must be getting too old for this; they seem to get heavier every time we push one up" the crewmember said to his friend.
"Quit complaining and lets get this one on board then we can go get a drink" he said.
When the two men disappeared back down the ramp, Obi-Wan jumped out with O'wan and took off down the corridor. He came to a door that said baggage, and ducked inside. As soon as he closed the door, he could sense another being in there. The girl from before he thought. Obi-wan didn't want to talk to her, he just wanted to hide, he was starting to feel very scared and the grief of loosing his Mother was starting to take effect on him.
It was a large baggage room and there were plenty of places to hide, so Obi-Wan carried O'wan right to the other end, right away from the door. Nevertheless, O'wan was hungry and he started to sob. "Please O'wan don't cry" Obi said in a teary voice himself.
"Hungry Obi, want mummy" the little one sniffed.
"I'm sorry O'wan, I do not have anything he whispered, and I want mummy too. But we cannot always have what we want"
The sound of O'wan softly crying, made Obi-wan feel guilty and a failure, (he could not do this.) he thought. He was just a kid himself and he began to shake, panic was setting in. He knew the girl was in there and he knew she had food.
"H-hello Miss? Please can you hear me, I am sorry for asking but could you give my brother some food please, he's hungry and I don't have any credits ….o-r an-y thing." he stuttered trying not to cry.
He waited, but she did not answer him. He started to rock O'wan back and forth, "I'm… sorry O'wan. I don't know what to d-o," he was sobbing himself now, very quietly.
O'wan stopped his crying and looked at his brother "Don't cry Obi, don't cry…," he said as he started to cry again himself.
After a few moments, Obi-Wan forced himself to stop crying, but his breaths were coming in hitches.
"Please Miss, I don't mean to be disrespectful, but I saw you take lots of food back at the space port. I promise I won't tell anyone, could you please give my brother something, anything will do?" he begged.
Still no answer, Obi heaved a deep breath, and sunk back against the wall and started to hum a lullaby that his Mother had sung to O'wan. He was humming with his eyes closed when he felt O'wan shift. He opened his eyes, the girl was kneeling in front of him giving O'wan some food, and she had a bottle of juice in her hand.
Obi sat up, surprised, and then he said "Thank you"
She pulled out a soft white piece of cloth and wiped Obi's tears away, he just stared at her, and then she spoke. "Hello there young fella, what's your name?"
"Obi-wan" he said, "and this is my brother O'wan."
"Hello little O'wan, here put this blanket around him, it is quite chilly in here."
Obi-wan wrapped it around his brother, as O'wan was happily munching on some food bars, and she had given him a drink too.
"So kid what's your story, I saw you in the Market place, you looked lost."
That was too much for Obi and he burst into tears, "I am lost and I don't know what I am going to do. I have nowhere to go and no family left other than O'wan".
She placed a hand on his shoulder, "shhh there, don't cry it won't help, and if anyone comes in here we will be discovered."
He quickly calmed himself and wiped his face with the cloth she gave him.
"Here" she offered. "You must be hungry too"
He was, and he smiled. "Thank you I am, what is your name?" he asked.
"Gypsy" she said. "So did you plan to go to Corruscant or were you just following me?" she questioned.
"He smiled. "I was planning to go to Corruscant, I used to live there, and I know it better than any other place. I thought I might get a job or something. That way I can look after O'wan"
"That's admirable of you kid but who is going to look after O'wan while you're working?" she inquired.
Again, her words cut him deep, he had not thought of that. How could he work or even look for work? dragging a two year old around with him. He lowered his head not wanting to cry but she felt the waves of despair coming from him.
"Your force sensitive" she remarked.
He nodded, and said, "so are you" he raised his eyes to look at her. He had not noticed before but she had sparkling blue eyes, and her smile was like the warmth of the sun, her hair was long, shiny, and black.
"Yeah I have a bit of it, not enough to go to that Temple for Jedi though, but you have lots of it I can tell." she said. "How come you're not a Jedi, did they ever test you?" she asked.
"Yes" he replied. "They tested me when I was a month old"
"Wow I bet your Mother was scared they would take you away, fancy being taken away from your mother. No wonder you're not a Jedi, I don't think I would let my kid go at a month old either," she said.
He looked at her with sadness on his face "What did she let them take you, are you a Jedi? Did your mother let you go?" she asked.
He nodded.
"Then how come you're here, why aren't you in that Temple?"
"They rejected me when I was nearly thirteen and they were going to send me to the Agri Corps, but I decided to go home to my Mother," Obi answered.
"So why are you here, where's your Mother?"
"She is dead," he whispered so O'wan would not hear.
Soon O'wan fell asleep, and Gypsy sat down next to him and listened to his story, and then she told him hers, she had run away from slavers, she was in an orphanage until she was eighteen and then they let her out, she got a job in a Tavern and lived upstairs in one of the rooms.
"One day a big guy came in and took four of us away, said we would make great personal slaves. Therefore, I knocked him out with a lump of wood and I ran. I have been running for two years. I decided to go to Corruscant and get a job; there is no slavery on Corruscant so I guess I would be safe there.
Obi-wan nodded. "Slavery is not permitted, but that doesn't mean it doesn't happen even on Corruscant people disappear some times. So be careful wherever you go" He said to Gypsy.
"Yeah well right now I think I had better help you first. You are just a kid; you cannot look after your brother, what were you thinking? Do you have any family on Corruscant, or friends that can help you?"
"No I have no one except my brother. I promised my Mother that I would look after him."
They sat talking and eating some of the food Gypsy had in her bag, and Gypsy started rummaging though the boxes and baggage in the storeroom.
"What are you doing Obi-wan whispered."
"We need a change of clothes, and maybe I can find something to sell when we reach our destination. We will need a place to stay until we figure out what to do," she said
"Are you going to stay with me?" he asked hopefully.
"Look kid I'm not a bad person and I sure cannot leave you by yourself with a baby in tow. Now come and help me" Obi-wan followed her, she showed him which bags would most likely have children's clothes in them.
"See that group of bags that are all the same" Obi looked at seven light brown bags each label had the same name on them.
"Yes I see them," he answered.
"Well there are too many bags just for a business man or a couple of people, these people probably have a few kids, that why they have so many bags" Gypsy said
"Oh right?" he said hesitantly.
Gypsy smiled at him and hinted, "When you have been around as long as me, you will read the signs." She opened each one until she found what she was looking for. "See" she held up a tunic and a pair of pants, "Here you go Obi-wan" they will fit you. She chucked them at him and then opened another bag; this one had small clothes in it.
She took one set out and gave them to him, Obi stared at the small clothes, and then he said "Why didn't you take the new looking tunic and pants pointing to the other set in the bag, these ones are old clothes" he stated.
"When you take something, always make sure that you don't get greedy, if the parents decide to come to get something out of their bag they might not miss old clothes but they would miss a brand new set. And never take everything from just one bag check all the bags and do not disturb the items in the bag. Close it and leave it how you found it".
Obi nodded.
"There you go your first lesson in stealing" she chuckled.
000
Corruscant was a very busy port, and no one noticed the three young people, departing the transport. They headed for the industrial area, which was on the other side of the main city; Obi-wan thought that would be far enough away from the Temple, none of the Jedi ever came to this part of town. There were plenty of Taverns and hotels; a hospital and an Orphanage in the area, surrounded by Corporate buildings and the Senate building was only a few miles away.
Gypsy left Obi-wan with O'wan in the Park while she went to find them a room, and when she got back she had also found herself a job in the local Tavern just around the corner from Dex's Diner. The room was above the Tavern so they put their meagre possession in the room and went to look around.
They went back to the Park and Gypsy said "Ok Obi-Wan it's your turn, see if you can get a job."
Obi-Wan smiled and bent down to talk to O'wan. "You be a good boy for Gypsy, I won't be gone long."
He hurried off determined to find some work, when he finally came back, Gypsy could tell he had not had any luck in finding work. Obi slumped down on the bench and stared at O'wan who was sitting on a swing.
"How did you go?" she asked sympathetically.
"I'm too young; they won't give me a job, because I am too young. It makes me so angry you know?"
"Why?" she inquired.
"If I was a Jedi Padawan now, I would be chasing criminals, and saving planets. I would be doing all those things and I am only thirteen. But I'm not old enough to get a job." he snapped.
"Welcome to the real world kid, why don't you go back to the Jedi Temple and let them help you? They could at least look after O'wan." Gypsy offered.
"No they would send him to the Orphanage, he is like you he is not very force sensitive. They didn't want me they certainly wont want him" he said sadly. "My mother wanted me to go to the Temple but she didn't understand their ways, they don't care they are cruel and uncaring. They don't want anyone to have attachments that's why they take the children away from their parents when they are so young, so they don't form attachments."
"Sounds like a lonely life, if you do not know a families love, I had a family once, we used to have many happy times together, until they were killed in an accident and I ended up in the orphanage. You know Obi-Wan if you sent O'wan there he would most likely be adopted, he is very young and there are many couples looking for babies" she said.
"You weren't adopted!" he exclaimed.
"That's different I was already twelve when I went there, but it wasn't bad. I had a roof over my head and they educated me, fed and clothed me. It was alright."
Obi thought about it. "I suppose it would be alright for O'wan, but I wouldn't want to go there". he murmured.
"Then call the Jedi ask them for help" Gypsy said knowing it was the best thing for him to do.
Tears welled in his eyes "I cannot contact them they have forbidden me to contact them. I have been banished from the Temple never to return," he sobbed.
"Why, how could they be so cruel, what did you do to make them say that?" she questioned.
As they walked back to their room he told her about the other three boys and the trouble they caused, and why they were sent to the Agri Corps. However, Obi-Wan explained that he wanted a choice, and be allowed to go home, with the understanding that he would not contact the Jedi.
That night Obi-wan had a dream, he dreamt that O'wan was in the arms of a woman she had a kind face and auburn hair, she was dressed in fine silks and stood next to a man, he was dressed very splendidly, he seemed to be some one important, his hair was dark, but he had a kind face too. Obi-wan woke with a start, he looked around, and both Gypsy and O'wan were asleep. He quietly got up and sat by the window, he could see the Orphanage from the window, and he sensed a powerful urge to go and look at it.
While Gypsy and O'wan slept, he slipped out and walked to the entrance of the orphanage, he sensed nothing-bad coming from the building, and the force urged him to check it out. He climbed up and over the fence, the gates were locked at night, so he climbed over a vine that was growing up the side of the building. As he climbed, he could see lights shinning through the windows. Peering in, he saw a stocky woman sitting on the side of a bed stroking the brow of a young boy, the window was slightly open and Obi-Wan could hear the woman humming a song to the child. Soon the boy who looked to be about nine or ten went back to sleep. Obi-wan watched as she tucked him in and walked out of the room not disturbing the other children who were asleep. Obi-Wan could sense such kindness from her, and stretching his senses, he felt all the young ones there were at peace.
Nevertheless, Obi-wan did not want to loose his brother, he did not want to give him up. If he did that he would be all alone again, and that thought frightened him more than anything did.
Obi-wan hurried back to his room, as gypsy was just getting up. "Where did you go she asked?"
"I went to look at the orphanage, it seems nice" he answered.
"Obi-wan, you have to make a decision soon, this job I have is only temporary, the boss has bought a Casino in the Plato District and has offered me a job there, but I will be living with the other employees, we will be leaving in a couple of weeks. You won't be able to come," she said knowing it would hurt him, but she knew the reality of his situation. There was no way he was going to survive, trying to care for an infant. Maybe on his own he might have a chance.
"I understand" he said as he lowered his head.
Several days later, Obi was cleaning the room when he heard O'wan coughing, he picked him up and he was hot, the boy had a fever, and he had a runny nose.
"Sick Obi, I—sick" the infant said.
Obi-wan was panic stricken, he did not know what to do. Gypsy had gone to work, and wasn't coming home till very late and she had told Obi-Wan that she was leaving for the Plato District way on the other side of Corruscant, in a few days time. Obi-wan knew that his decision could be put off any longer, but first he could try to talk to the Temple he pulled out the comm. unit and punched in the code for the Temple.
"Jedi Temple" a young voice said on the other end. "May I help you?"
"I- I would like to speak to Mas-ter Yoda if he is available, please"
"Oh, I am not sure if he is taking calls at the moment, he is quite busy, will you hold while I check?" the young Padawan asked.
"Ummm Yes," he stuttered.
The line went silent for a moment and then the girl came back and apologised "I am sorry, I believe he is unavailable just now, but Master Windu is available, can he take your call." she said.
Obi-wan remembered what Master Windu had said to him that last day he was at the Temple.
(What if he yells at me for contacting him when he expressly forbade me from doing so) Obi thought.
"I g..uess so" Obi stuttered.
"Ok then what is your name please," the young Padawan asked.
"M-my name!…er …. my name is Obi-wan Kenobi"….he stammered.
There was a shocked. "What!.. Obi-wan Kenobi," she practically shouted, and then
he heard her say. "Oh my"….and the line went dead.
Obi-Wan presumed from that sound of the comm. clicking off that she had been told that if he ever commed the Temple, they were to hang up on him. He slumped down on the bed, tears were streaming down his face.
He dropped the comm. unit on the bed and picked O'wan up wrapping the blanket around him. He got a piece of paper and wrote something on it and then he left the room heading towards the Orphanage…………...
tbc...