Darsant Avat
Guardian Instincts
Obi-Wan came home to their apartment full of good cheer, eagerly telling Qui-Gon about his day and earnestly assuring him that he did not show off. Much.
"They asked," Said his little one, "Because of the braid, but I tried not to talk about it too much. They were cu—curious what it's like to have a master, so I just told them as much as they wanted to listen."
Qui-Gon gave the approval the young one sought for. Depa Billaba, Mace's former padawan and current Jedi Master on the Council, was sitting with Plo Kloon, who was fiddling with his anti-oxygen mask. Obi-Wan blanched when he realized they had company and stammered a greeting to both of them.
"Hello, Padawan Kenobi," Depa inclined her head. Plo might have said the same but his mask was still put on wrong and his response ended up sounding like gibberish.
"How are your legs?" Qui-Gon asked.
"They're alright," Obi-Wan insisted, but he had not learned how to mask his side of the bond, and Qui-Gon would have known they were hurting badly even without the bond, because the boy had wanted to sit down as soon as he entered the apartment.
"Come here," Qui-Gon directed the young one to sit, and smoothed his hands over the boy's legs, applying a stream of healing. Obi-Wan sighed loudly in relief. "Better?"
Obi-Wan nodded, suddenly looking tired. Qui-Gon hoisted him up and carried him to his room.
"Why don't you get started on your homework," He set the boy down, "Try to keep off your legs, alright?"
"Yes, Master."
Depa was smiling when he came out and joined them again. Plo had finally righted his mask.
"You have a very strong connection with your padawan," She said as Qui-Gon sat down across from them, "I can see why Master Windu claimed the Force could giggle."
Depa had a strong sensitivity in regards to such things. "You can hear it?" He asked. The bubbling had died down considerably enough that Qui-Gon himself barely noticed it anymore.
"Faintly," Depa inclined her head, still smiling, "Yours was a match made in the Force. I think you two will do great things together."
It was an idle comment from her, but it echoed Sifo-Dyas' less idle comment before. Qui-Gon found himself frowning. The visions nagged at him, and he knew he was falling into the trap most Jedi did of sticking their noses into the future and forgetting the present, but he was truly uneasy, and it was not just his mind that was twisting with dread.
He looked toward the boy's room. "I have no experience with visions prior to this," He said to the two of them, "I fear I cannot make wise decisions about them. If they had been focused on me, I would have taken this as a learning experience, but I loathe to put Obi-Wan in danger." Sifo-Dyas would be the person to ask, considering the esteemed Master had taken an interest in Obi-Wan, but the vision haunted Qui-Gon and he found himself reluctant to trust anyone with the child, even Yoda.
The visions are making me paranoid.
It was an unpleasant feeling. Before Obi-Wan, the Jedi were friends, family. Despite the fact that Obi-Wan had lived for years within the same halls, all of the sudden everyone appeared to be a liability, even a threat. Depa was highly respected in the Order, Sifo-Dyas was even more so, and yet Qui-Gon's instincts were all but painting them as enemies. Even his own master Dooku, whom Qui-Gon would have trusted his life to, seemed dangerous to his little one. It was confusing, how the apprehension and dread mingled with the joyful rhythm still pulsing through the bond, as if the Force were both satisfied and fearful.
"The Order rarely witnessed such pairings as yours," Plo said to him, "Whenever a master chooses a padawan, both sides have to acclimate. It could be that you and your padawan simply have more acclimating to do."
It made some bit of sense. Qui-Gon certainly did not have any better ideas.
"May I talk with him?" Depa asked.
Qui-Gon paused, noting that Sifo-Dyas never gave the courtesy of asking first. Then again, the master probably was use to having his way with everything now.
"This bond has you rattled," She noted when he did not answer immediately.
"I'm sorry," Qui-Gon shook his head, "I guess I am a bit distracted. Perhaps we do need more time to get use to our new roles in each other's lives. Of course you may talk with Obi-Wan."
"Thank you, Master Jinn." Depa inclined her head and rose gracefully from her chair.
Qui-Gon found himself staring after her as she disappeared into the boy's room.
"Mace was right," Plo observed, "You have gotten more…protective."
Qui-Gon started, and shook his head again. "I don't know what has gotten into me."
"What did you see during lunch? Everyone was worried about you."
Qui-Gon rubbed the back of his head in distress. He had attempted to meditate on the matter, but the Force had adamantly shown him the same few images, over and over and over again, until he was too sick to attempt again. "I saw Obi-Wan d—die…because of Master Sifo-Dyas." He hastily amended, "I'm not sure if it was his fault, but it was related to him, at any rate."
"Can you tell me what you saw?"
Plo was not strong in the Unifying Force, but he still knew more than Qui-Gon.
"Yes," The other Jedi murmured once he reluctantly described the vision, "That would disturb one, that's for certain. Your little one was unaware of this?"
"I think so. He was chatting happily with Master Sifo-Dyas."
"Hm. Well, the temporary solution seems obvious. Your vision took place in some sort of slum. I would say, keep Kenobi at the temple, which is easy enough given his age, and in the meantime you can look a little more through the archives and see if there are any accounts from Jedi—or Sith, that would allow you to understand the situation better. Kenobi is too young to go on missions yet, and the Council can't in good conscience send you on any extended ones when you can't bring your padawan. There is time to settle down and make sense of things."
That was good advice, because Qui-Gon could not very well ostracize every member of the Order over some misplaced paranoia. He gave a brisk nod. There was nothing more that could be done, anyhow.
Conversation in the room died, and Qui-Gon felt a peculiar sensation trickle along the training bond. Was his young one…meditating? He rose and went to the room to peer in. Depa was in a trance, as was Obi-Wan. As if on cue, Qui-Gon sensed her mental presence floating next to his padawan's. Obi-Wan was calm.
"I think she's studying his end," Plo said from over his shoulder. "She'll be along momentarily."
OoO
"I think I'll have to indulge in a bit of envy, Master Jinn," Depa told him when she was done, smiling in fond amusement, "Your padawan is a peculiar youngling. I don't believe I've seen the like. He's strong in the Force, though not absurdly so, but the Force favors him. I think I know what is happening, though I would recommend you do a little research to confirm."
"Oh?"
Depa's expression smoothed into a graver one. "The light that you experienced when you meditated with him, and when you…formed the training bond, was not strictly Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan is not so immersed in the light. Like any living sentient, he has elements of both sides, especially as he is strong in the Unifying Force. As a Jedi, he is aligned more to the light, but no one is strictly Light Side. That purity was the Force, cocooning him. Something about your padawan attracts dark elements—it is not his nature, but something about his presence, though this does not mean he is more liable to fall. Rather, all Dark beings yearn somewhat for the light, and he is like a beacon to the Dark Side of the Force. In response, the Light Side wraps and shields him. This is unusual, because the Force does not usually target individuals this way."
Qui-Gon could only blink speechlessly at her.
"Your padawan is special to the Force," She went on, "That is why it is so active around him, and that is why he is active in response. As for the connection formed between the two of you, it is your duty to protect him, and the Force has given you the role of his guardian and protector. The child is not old enough nor mature enough to understand all the visions he could view through his connection to the Force, but you are, which is why the visions are being transferred to you. Kenobi is not just targeted by the dark elements of the physical world, but also of the spiritual world. Until he is old enough, you will have to protect him from the physical world, because he will be waging a constant battle against the spiritual world on his own."
"Why would the dark elements target Obi-Wan? They don't target every child this way, and Obi-Wan is not the Chosen One." He might as well be, Sifo-Dyas said, and Qui-Gon's heart raced at the memory.
"The answer I received from the Force," Depa said slowly, "And this will sound strange, but there seems to be a name for it. Darsen Ava, or something. Hopefully the archives have something that could provide more clues. I have done all I can."
OoO
Over the next few weeks, Obi-Wan went to classes and spread cheer and young energy wherever he went, while Qui-Gon kept a tight rein over his instincts and refrained from lashing out at any adult who dared to speak to the youngster. He spent some time meditating, but the Force was in a mayhem as well, and when he was not meditating he spent time at the archives looking up darsens and avis and anything resembling what Depa mentioned. Tahl often helped him, and since there were a great many files and records to go through, many of the other masters also helped, though as time went by Qui-Gon wanted to trust everyone less and less.
The only person he had no such instinct against was Feemor, his first padawan. The young man came by to say hello and meet Obi-Wan, acting so much like an older brother that Qui-Gon was deeply moved. Upon seeing Qui-Gon carrying the boy around whenever possible, Feemor began doing the same thing, to the slight annoyance of his own padawan. Obi-Wan's leg bones were all a little tender, as the nerves regenerated much more slowly than the bones, and he was an obedient child who was surprisingly unfussy given his excitable nature. Obi-Wan adored Feemor as much as the man adored him, so sometimes Qui-Gon allowed Feemor to look after his padawan when he wanted to look in the archives.
At length, Feemor and his padawan were dispatched on a mission, leaving Qui-Gon alone with Obi-Wan. At this point, the child could walk fairly well, and even run a little, though Qui-Gon did not allow him to begin training in the salles yet. Obi-Wan, secure with a master and a padawan braid, did not question him, though the boy grew a bit depressed when he was left out of activities with friends. There was nothing for that though; recovery meant sacrifices, both in time and exercise.
"The shamans of the Whills?" He read out loud one day to himself as he clicked through the files in the library. Obi-Wan sat next to him, doing his homework. He was a quiet student, with good focus, Qui-Gon realized. There was a lot about the boy he did not know until he claimed him as his student. "'They told me that the Force is an oscillating entity…cycles between order and chaos, exists in two forms, Living and Unifying. Living is action, Unifying is…potential.' Hm. 'Transitions between light and dark occur through a phenomenon called…Darsant Avat.'"
The name filled him with a profound sense of dread, so much so that he glanced over at Obi-Wan simply to make sure he was really there. The young one continued to scribble on his flimsy, unaware of his master's scrutiny. Qui-Gon inhaled, and restrained himself from giving in to the impulse to touch the boy's shoulder. He looked back at the screens.
'The shaman explained to me that all things in the universe occur in a circular pattern. Planets revolve around suns, stars revolve in the galaxy, and the galaxies themselves also spin in a never-ending spiral. What rises must come down, what falls must rise again—peace gives way to war, and war settles back to peace. The same rule applies to the Force, or perhaps the Force is what drives this pattern, but within the Force is Darsant Avat. It stands for "Plague of Forces", and is a result of the constant battle between Light and Dark for domination. Darsant Avat occurs whenever one side that is dominating the universe is forcefully uprooted by the other. Due to the self-destructive nature of the Dark Side, a transition from chaos to order is usually due to the weakening of the Dark Side itself, and does not fit the criteria of Darsant Avat. Therefore, for our purposes, Darsant Avat is what happens in the spiritual realm when the universe transitions from light to darkness.
'During Darsant Avat, the Force becomes cloudy, and many fates that had been in motion are halted in their tracks. The Dark Side will prey on the Light, and its influence will disrupt the flow of the Light Side. Among Jedi, this will manifest as a sudden faltering of our connection to the Force, clouded visions of the future, and a loss of enlightenment. The Sith will become stronger, their visions truer, and the Jedi will become weaker as a whole. For the rest of the galaxy, there will be civil unrest as the Dark Side persuades and tempts sentients to act on their anger and hate.
'The only way for the Sith to take over the galaxy is through a period of Darsant Avat. The only way to end Darsant Avat is to allow the galaxy to fall into a state of war in order to dispel excess energy and turmoil, after which we must wait for the Sith to burn themselves out before settling the galaxy into peaceful times.
'The shaman warned, however, that Darsant Avat can also target individuals, though it does so rarely. There are certain Force-sensitives that are especially precious to the Light Side of the Force, and also very attractive to the Dark Side of the Force. Should these individuals live during the event of a Darsant Avat, their very souls and Force-signatures are attacked by the Dark Side. He warned me that such an individual will be targeted among our Order, though he did not say whom or when. He did say there were ways to protect this individual. I write to the Council to request a thorough check on all our members, in case one of our own is in such danger.'
Qui-Gon reclined back, feeling oddly calm. His padawan's young presence did much to ground him, or else he would probably be in a state of panic. Darsant Avat. How to defend against it? Assuming, of course, that Obi-Wan was even being targeted.
He would have to try to visit one of these shamans of the Ancient Order of the Whills. They had an extraordinary connection to the Force, which means they would be able to know for sure, and to give him counsel. Still, he sensed no real attack on his little one, and there was no sense in scaring the boy. His instincts told him to wait a bit, and Qui-Gon knew he had to meditate and think about what he learned before making any sort of decision.
We want him, we do! Servathi had said. Plural.
He typed to move the page and see if there was anything else the ancient Jedi had written. He read other observations, including a tactic for keeping one's conscience in the Force, though the shaman refused to teach the author of these notes. Obi-Wan stretched beside him and rubbed his eyes, but did not talk. It was endearing, how quiet the child could be when the situation called for it, and his presence next to Qui-Gon was more of a comfort than he imagined was possible. The little one's end of the training bond glowed happily without being disruptive. It was…soothing.
Feemor had been like that, a little. At the time, Qui-Gon himself had been a relatively young man, and training Feemor had been more like guiding a younger brother. Authsola had been much younger than him, but Qui-Gon had never allowed himself to be too close to her. He had learned his lesson from Komari Vosa, the poor padawan who had fallen in love with Dooku, which led to her ruin. He was fond of Authsola, and taught her as much as he could, took pride in her achievements and was willing to lay down his life for her sake, but he had been strictly a teacher and she a student, and he had been careful not to let her become too comfortable with him.
Perhaps the more one aged, the more precious younglings become. Qui-Gon was no longer young, though among Jedi he was certainly not old, even among humans. Still, children looked different to him now. They were so small, their bodies and minds so new, and there was such hope associated with them. Blank slates each, with a whole life ahead, and up to those like him to guide and lead and protect. Small wonder that Yoda adored children as much as he did. To him, they must all seem more vulnerable, their lives more fleeting. It must be an experience, to be able to witness the life cycles of his students, watch them rise and carve their paths in life, some falling, some succeeding despite all odds, and to witness for himself the impacts their choices had on the galaxy long after they passed into the Force.
Obi-Wan yawned, once again completely oblivious to his master's sentiments. He noticed Qui-Gon staring at him and smiled in confusion.
"What?"
Qui-Gon reached out and tugged his braid. "Just thinking."
"About?"
"What I read."
"Oh." Obi-Wan visibly debated whether he was more curious or tired at the moment. Apparently weariness won. "Can we go back? I'm done."
"Alright. Let me close the files." Qui-Gon paused for a moment, before taking out a drive-chip and inserting it into the computer to download the files.
OoO
"More news, we have, of that twi'lek serial murderess," Mace announced. It turned out Qui-Gon was not the only one who would occasionally pick up Yoda's style of speech. "Blue twi'leks aren't common-place enough for it to be a coincidence is it? On Coruscant, she is, if witnesses are reliable at all."
"You'll have to ask someone else," Qui-Gon said, while Obi-Wan looked up from his project. He was designing some kind of hovering board. According to Obi-Wan, it had been an ongoing project that had yet to work. Qui-Gon was too engrossed in his own research to be too curious about it.
"She already knows your face, Qui."
Qui-Gon loathed to leave Obi-Wan. "It was dark. Just slap on a wig and a beard and she wouldn't know the difference. Plus, we don't know if she's drugged or not at the time." One never knew with folks like her.
"You're letting your attachments get in the way of your duties, Qui-Gon," Mace said disapprovingly. "I'll relent because Master Sifo-Dyas seemed to approve on the matter of your padawan, but this is a serial killer. She has killed many people, and she will kill many people if we don't stop her."
"Yes, but it doesn't have to be me. We all would like to save every world in existence, every person, every sentient, but we have finite resources and we have to prioritize. At the moment, I have a nine-year-old padawan and our bond is doing strange things and possibly messing with my judgment. Do you really want me at your back the way I am?"
Obi-Wan frowned. The boy had experienced none of the commotion Qui-Gon had endured, which was a blessing. He preferred the little one remain oblivious of everything, but Obi-Wan was perceptive in that mysterious way all younglings were. He sent the child a wave of reassurance, though this did little to soothe him.
Mace frowned. "Have you seen the mind healers, Qui?"
Qui-Gon rubbed his face. "I have."
"Have you let your padawan see the mind healers?"
"What for? The boy is completely unaffected."
Mace folded his arms. "This is serious. If you can't function, the Council can deem your partnership disruptive and annul the apprenticeship."
Thank you, Mace, for saying that in front of my padawan. "It's not that I can't function, Mace, there's simply something going on right now that I have to be with Obi-Wan for. You should go back to your Council and remind everyone that on occasion, personal matters should be seen to, and some people are more important than others." Then, because Mace looked like he wanted to launch into another lecture, Qui-Gon went on, "I've had two people mention to me to keep Obi-Wan close. One of them was Master Sifo-Dyas, the other happens to be your former padawan, Master Depa Billaba. I had two sources talk about something that might mean the rise of the Dark Side. One came from the archives and the other happens to be your former padawan, Master Depa Billaba. I have about as much sympathy as you do for people who put themselves ahead of everyone else, but you know me for how many years now, Mace? I've trained how many padawans before Obi-Wan? Do you really think I would let something like attachment get in the way of duty? Really, Mace?"
Mace looked suitably chastened.
"Well at least let us help. You have been very reserved lately, it's like you think all of us are plotting against you. It's not like you to be so paranoid."
"I never thought all of you were plotting against me. What gave you that idea?"
"The fact that you wouldn't let us know what you know. You stopped telling us about your visions. What, did you see every one of us hurt your little one somehow?"
This was not a conversation they should be having in front of his little one. "Obi-Wan, can you give us a moment?"
The child got up nervously, taking his parts. Qui-Gon smiled at him, but the boy was not comforted. He slid reluctantly into his room, sealing the door.
Qui-Gon turned around. "Mace, you and I both know that there are those among us who are dangerous, despite holding the mantle of a Jedi."
"For crying out loud, Qui-Gon, Tahl? Yoda? Really?"
"I'm dealing with the nuances of our bond, just like any other master-padawan pair. It's taking a little longer than usual, but that doesn't mean I don't still have a right to it. The galaxy can afford to wait a little for me as Obi-Wan and I adjust, especially when there are other Jedi Knights around. Send Kit. Send Depa. She mastered your absurd saber form even better than you."
"Qui-Gon…"
"Are we going to have a problem, Mace?" Mace was no longer confrontational, but his veiled threat regarding separating the two of them had crossed the line.
"Qui-Gon, I'm not your enemy," The other Jedi said slowly, "And I'm not your little one's enemy either. By the Force, you are out of it aren't you?" He paused, "I wasn't serious about annulling the apprenticeship, Qui, but are you sure this child is right for you? You're taking longer to adjust, it seems like you're having a harder time of it, and I would think if you two were meant to be, this whole process would be smoother."
"The process was smooth," Qui-Gon looked at his datapads with determination, "The reasons why isn't, that's all."
"And what are the reasons, Qui-Gon?"
"I'm figuring it out."
Mace let out a breath. "Alright. I'll petition the Council to leave you off field-duty. You're no good like this." He stepped back. "I just hope this doesn't set a bad precedent."
Qui-Gon did not reply to this. "Thank you, Mace. I'm sorry for…lashing out on you."
The other Jedi gave him a scrutinizing look, before turning around and leaving.
The child poked his head out moments later, before tip-toeing out quietly.
"Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon smiled at him.
The boy was frowning a little. "Is…" He twisted his hands in front of him, "Is our training bond hurting you, Master?"
Qui-Gon mentally cursed Mace for bringing that up in front of his padawan. He would have preferred it if the boy had just remained blissfully ignorant of the issue. "No," He shook his head firmly, "No, it's not hurting me, Padawan. There's just more adjustment involved between us than is usual." When the boy did not look convinced, he held his arm out to beckon him closer. "The Force is just working your master very hard, but it will be alright. No one will annul us. Mace was just annoyed."
He folded the child into a one-armed hug when the youngling finally came close enough.
"Will that happen?" The child was frightened, "If we take too long?"
A truthful answer would be yes, it could happen, but Qui-Gon knew he was not letting Obi-Wan go no matter how long their adjustment took. "No. Your master is not easily pushed around. On occasion, even Master Yoda backs down when I put my foot down, and I did not choose you with the intention of having others take you away."
The sad fact was that Jedi younglings were not use to having someone look out solely for their good. It was one of many sacrifices they make as Jedi—they lose their parents to gain teachers instead, and with that they lose the love and care and personal attention their real mothers and fathers could have given them. Obi-Wan was not reassured, but he folded himself into Qui-Gon at these words.
"Are you giving up a mission for me, Master?"
The boy was too old to lie to. "Sort of, but it's not important."
"It's a serial killer, right?"
"Yes."
"He'd hurt a lot of people."
Qui-Gon did not bother correcting him. "Don't worry about it, little one."
"I'll be alright till you come back." The words were a bit muffled because Obi-Wan had pressed his face into Qui-Gon's shoulder, but they were still coherent. "The temple's not a dangerous place, and I'm old enough to stay by myself."
The words sounded so innocent that Qui-Gon did not know what to say. He did know that he had to wean Obi-Wan off the potentially lethal belief that everyone in the temple could be trusted just because they were Jedi. "Obi-Wan, the most dangerous of evil can be embodied by Jedi. I don't mean to frighten you, but it is important that you are aware that they walk among us every day and we have no way of telling. Dark Force-users come from our friends, people we grow up in the créche with, went on missions with, trained as padawans, looked up to as masters, and they can fall anytime, anywhere, and target anyone."
Obi-Wan was not so naïve though. "Well, there are more good Jedi than bad ones, right?" He lifted his face to look up at his master, "And there are always people. If I meet up with a bad Jedi, there are still good Jedi around, right? I can go back to the créche until you come back. I've been there for years and everything was alright. We see Master Yoda all the time, and we go to class and it's just us—kids, and some teacher."
This was…very true. Qui-Gon knew he was being ridiculously over-protective. In the face of such logic, there was no way for him to argue. Besides, there was a part of Qui-Gon that wanted to go out into the field. He was a Jedi, after all, and letting others do the work had never been the Jedi way.
"You can go stop the serial killer. I don't want to get in your way, or cause people to be hurt."
The Jedi Master pressed a kiss on top of the boy's head. "You will never get in my way, Padawan. But—alright, you've convinced me. Stay here while I go talk to Master Windu, alright?"
The child nodded, the training bond jingling between them, and Qui-Gon found himself relaxing for what seemed to be the first time in weeks since they first became master and padawan. Who knew that words of wisdom could come from such innocent, young beings? He ruffled the boy's head and released him so he could go after Mace.