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Obi-Wan was sad to leave Alderaan and all the new friends he made, but while the child whined a little and fussed slightly with displeasure, he was excited to see his friends at the temple again. Qui-Gon was anxious to introduce him to Authsola, who was very delighted to meet him.

"Aren't you a fine young padawan!" The girl cooed. "Well it's easy to see why Master Qui-Gon was so eager to claim you. You are one very fortunate padawan, little one. You can't ask for a better master."

Qui-Gon left Obi-Wan with Authsola so he could discretely hide all the Alderaanian snacks somewhere the boy would not find all of them. As he expected, she grew fond of the young boy quickly, and when he returned from hiding the food, his two padawans were engrossed in what Obi-Wan announced as a game of "pull-feather".

"Just don't break anything," The master warned, and the knight gave a distracted grunt of assent. He paused to sense if he felt any sense of danger from her, but like Feemor, he felt nothing.

"I need to talk with someone," He told the two, "You two take care of each other."

"Alright, Master!" Obi-Wan's face was pinched in concentration.

Qui-Gon chuckled at their tug-of-war with the Force, before sliding out of the apartment.

Sifo-Dyas was in the Room of a Thousand Fountains, meditating. Usually it was rude to interrupt, but it was also rude to interfere with someone else's padawan without permission, and Sifo-Dyas had done that twice already.

To his credit, the elder master was roused from his trance as soon as Qui-Gon took his place in front of him.

"I think we have a problem," Qui-Gon stated flatly.

His master's best friend smiled faintly at him. "I like you, Qui-Gon," He said, "You don't let yourself get pulled by other people's expectations. That's a hard trait to come by."

"Yes, well, I also don't really care if you like me or not," Said the younger master, "I would care slightly more about whether or not you respect me, especially when it comes to matters concerning my padawan."

"This is because of that Telosian governor, isn't it?" Sifo-Dyas gestured for him to sit down. Qui-Gon merely folded his arms and remained standing. "I remember when you were still Dooku's padawan. It seems like only yesterday. How fast time flies."

"I know, right?" Qui-Gon returned sarcastically, "And here I am, with my third padawan. Let's talk about him, since you can't seem to keep away from him. I'm going to go right ahead and ask: do you have designs on Obi-Wan?"

Sifo-Dyas chuckled, "And I will go right ahead and answer, I have no intention of harming your little one."

There was truth in that statement, so Qui-Gon relaxed a little. "You spoke to my padawan that day, in the dining hall. What made you approach him?"

The other Jedi looked away. "Many things. Curiosity, for one—how one youngster among many caught your attention when he caught no one else's, and why; a disturbance in the Force, one which most other Jedi seem unaware of, including you; and frankly, a lack of better things to do at the time."

"What disturbance in the Force?"

Sifo-Dyas looked at him. "The swirl of the Dark Side. It roused. Something inspired its appetite."

This again.

"Most Jedi are so ensconced in the Light," The other went on, "That they don't even realize what the Dark Side is doing. And that's alright, because the Light is beautiful, and the Dark Side, it eats at you. One's mind is a rather delicate thing, and touching the Dark Side is dangerous for the strongest of us. Those of us trained in the Unifying Force are not biased with either side, however, which is why I was able to sense the sudden activity."

"What about Yoda? He is strong in the Unifying Force as well."

"Master Yoda is a wise Jedi, but there are things he does not know that others know, simply because such knowledge is not for him to partake. He might have sensed the disturbance as well, but he might not have connected it to your little one, and even if he did, he is far too old, too experienced to go so far as to act upon it like I have." Sifo-Dyas smiled a little. "I am not young, but I am young enough to indulge in some impulsiveness. Master Yoda is nearly nine hundred years old. He has no excuses. He is far too important a figure, a symbol, to do anything trivial. It is why he loves children so—they are young and their problems are small, and he can escape from the gravity of the galaxy to immerse in their little dynamics, though one can argue that training the younglings is in fact the most crucial duty a Jedi can accept."

"I don't understand why the Dark Side mobilized because of Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon shook his head, "He is light, yes, he is joy and cheer, we all know that, but why the attention? You know what happened with that twi'lek."

"The one in the coma," Said Sifo-Dyas. "Yes, I have heard."

"She knew his name."

"The Dark Side is powerful. We are so confident in the Light, we often forget that the Dark is an equal power, even if it is opposite. Your little one might be but an individual, but it is the actions of individuals that shape the galaxy. This fact is not lost with the Force. The Dark Side has its own powers, powers strictly of the Dark and its users, just as the Light Side have our own secrets and skills exclusive to us. But more than this, what most people forget, whether you believe in the Living Force or in the Unifying Force, is that in either case, Light and Dark are connected, simply by virtue of occupying the same space and time. The changes of one side inevitably influence the other, and not always in contrasting ways. Sometimes as one side grows stronger, the other does as well. In the case of Padawan Kenobi, by forming a bond with you, he has cemented his place as a Jedi. When such a significant individual locks in his niche, the Dark Side predictably responds in some way."

"I agree that Obi-Wan is a unique child, but I don't understand why everyone thinks he's significant for some reason. Special does not always mean important, but you said he was as good as the Chosen One."

"Did I?" Sifo-Dyas raised his eyebrows infuriatingly, "How curious…so I did. Why is anyone important? That is not the question you should ask. What you should wonder is, knowing that you are in charge of a very significant individual, what should you do?"

Qui-Gon sat down then.

"Just what am I supposed to protect him from?" He demanded, "And how am I supposed to train him if he's being attacked by everyone?"

"You're reacting the way a Living Force user would," Sifo-Dyas shut his eyes. "It's not that kind of danger, not from what I can sense. The Dark Side loves in its own twisted way, and your padawan's life has never been in any real peril. The true conquest of darkness is the soul, in the choices that a person makes that would lead to his own ruin. There is a rather simple, yet profound way for your padawan to resist that."

"What?"

"He has to cling to the light."

Qui-Gon was seriously contemplating hitting him for such a useless remark, but Sifo-Dyas then amended, "More than that, he has to feel that the light is clinging to him, that it wants him. Many Jedi…lose sight of that in times of trial. They feel that the light has forsaken them, abandoned them, and so they turn to the Dark that clearly wants them, no matter how foul its purposes. This is where you come in, Master Jinn. Someone like Obi-Wan…needs love. His choices affect so much of the galaxy, so much of the Force, that if he were to go astray, it would be disastrous for the rest of us. If his light burns out, no hope is left. The only thing that can fuel that light, is love."

"Love is not the Jedi way."

"No it isn't," Sifo-Dyas agreed, "But you are not quite a Jedi, are you? You are Jedi in name, Jedi in fundamentals, but you are, more than anything, a lover of Life, of the Force, of all things that live in it. It showed, through your propensity to take in those "pathetic life-forms" Dooku always complained about, your ability to connect with sentients and non-sentients, great and small, and your steadfast belief that the Jedi Code is not the ultimate code. You were not chosen so that you can meet the child's enemies with a lightsaber, or even to teach the child how to meet his enemies with his own lightsaber. You were chosen as a haven for the boy to retreat to, an anchor for him to cling to, a personification of the love the Light Side has for him. You are meant to shelter him, to nurture him, to raise him." He paused. "I suspect you know this already."

Of course Qui-Gon did. "But why do I feel like danger is omnipresent? It lurks among those I see as friends, among those I trusted with my life."

"Because it does," The other master replied simply, "The ones you are wary of happen to be those who would challenge the integrity of your affection for your padawan. I think many of these individuals you speak of have already brought up objections to your attachment to him, yes? They want to separate you two, in the name of the Jedi Code, and dilute the strength of your emotional closeness. The Force wants you to love your padawan, and your padawan to love you, and that love is to be the primary shield from the Dark Side. The Jedi forbid love. Is it so odd that the Force regards the Jedi as a danger?"

He is right… Qui-Gon realized. Even Tahl had been less supportive than she normally was. The only ones who were not so dangerous were Feemor and Authsola, because there was no way his former padawans would question him when they themselves were so fond of Obi-Wan, and definitely when Qui-Gon had been the one to train them, and they looked up to him. Everyone else, however, had their doubts, and doubt weakens any relationship.

"What about you?" He then asked bluntly. "Why does the Force depict you as a danger as well?"

"I suspect it is because I am," Said Sifo-Dyas, "Perhaps in a more literal sense. You saw your padawan's death connected to me." Of course Plo would actually tell him this, Qui-Gon thought with annoyance, "There are many kinds of dangers, as you know. Just because one danger is greater does not mean the others don't exist."

"But you do not seek to harm my padawan." It was rude, and Qui-Gon regretted uttering that aloud as soon as he spoke.

"No." Sifo-Dyas seemed unaffected.

Qui-Gon shook his head. "How do I tell if the danger is literal or figurative?"

"I expect as a Living Force user, you would know that better than me."

Perhaps. Now that he knew what to look for, he could direct his meditations better.

"And Xanatos."

"What about him?"

"He gave something to Obi-Wan. You took it from him. Why did you not tell me that this happened? He did not mention this to me either."

"I suspect he simply forgot about the incident."

Given Obi-Wan's perchance to forget anything unpleasant, this was very likely.

"And you?"

"There was nothing to say." Sifo-Dyas reached into the folds of his tunic and took out the crystal. It was dark cerulean, the shape of a flower from Telos, just as Kit had said. "It's normal. I checked."

Qui-Gon took it. "Why did he give this to Obi-Wan?" Sifo-Dyas was right; there was no bug on it, and it was not a Force-sensitive crystal.

"I suspect it is simply to generate good will," Said the elder master, "And it worked, I believe. I recommend you train your little one to follow his initial instincts. Children often doubt their own judgment, even when it's correct."

The younger master frowned. "Is Xanatos Du Crion a Sith?"

"Maybe."

"Should we tell the Council?"

"If we both mention this, the Council will take action, but I would advise against this."

"Why?"

"Because as much of a youngling as you consider your padawan, he is no longer an initiate, thanks to you. Initiates are not yet Jedi, they are candidates, and therefore are not obligated to die for the Order or the galaxy. Padawans, on the other hand, are Jedi. As such, he is expected to uphold the fundamental duties of all Jedi. If the governor is a Sith, and if he is indeed interested in your little one, the Council will not consider Kenobi to be a child to be protected. They will consider him to be a Jedi, young, but still a Jedi, and required, as all Jedi are, to sacrifice in the name of the greater good."

"They wouldn't send Obi-Wan as bait, would they?" Qui-Gon scowled, recalling Mace's words when they first accosted Servathi. He now wondered if he should have taken those remarks more seriously.

"If you speak to them individually, they would not encourage this course of action," Sifo-Dyas said wisely, "But the Council as a whole must look out for the interests of the Order and the galaxy. They cannot act like a single individual. They will behave as a larger entity, whose actions have greater consequences, and it would not be the first time they sent a padawan to his death."

"But those padawans are older."

"How much older? To someone like Master Yoda, do you think a fifteen-year-old is any less of a child than a nine-year-old? To an entity as old as the Council, that has lasted for thousands of years, are any of us mortal beings old enough to die?"

And even Yoda had sent such padawans to their deaths before. Not intentionally, but not entirely accidentally either. Qui-Gon realized that the danger he sensed from the other Jedi was even more complicated than what Sifo-Dyas had pointed out at first.

They may not want to harm him, but they won't hesitate to put him in harm's way, if it seems to buy a worthy benefit. In the name of what the Jedi aim to do, to maintain peace in the galaxy…a person would not sacrifice a child, but an Order would. Just as a person might not send hundreds of soldiers to their deaths, but a planet would. The Jedi Council had similar priorities. They would be obligated to fulfill these priorities at the expense of an individual.

"But if he is a Sith Lord, I cannot in good conscience ignore him just to protect my padawan."

"That is the bliss of ignorance, isn't it?" Sifo-Dyas remarked wryly, "You do not know if he is a Sith Lord, and I can tell you, you wouldn't know, not unless you seek him out and place your child in danger. All you know is that he is dark—you do not even know if he is a Force user."

Qui-Gon scowled. "How would you know that?" How did Sifo-Dyas know what Qui-Gon did not know? Did the master see his vision, or something?

"Because even I don't know," Sifo-Dyas said easily, "And I've been watching the governor. Your little one is strong, Master Jinn, but right now, I am still stronger in the Unifying Force."

Fair enough. "So I should just cover my eyes and let this be? Allow the danger to grow for my own selfish reasons? That is not the Jedi way."

"You were not chosen to follow the Jedi way."

Qui-Gon exhaled, feeling conflicted.

"The Jedi are not always right," The elder master went on, "There is a reason for this, as always. Obi-Wan's life is, for whatever purpose, more important than the death of a Sith. If you trust nothing else, trust that."

"Easier said than done."

"Ah, but a Jedi's life is not meant to be easy, is it?" Sifo-Dyas smiled. "Nor is the life of any man. The Force is strong with you, and with your little one. The Living Force and the Unifying Force do share one thing in common: if you are meant to know or do something, the Force will come to you—you do not have to work so hard to seek it out. You are warned that the governor might be dark, and to watch yourselves with him. I have no doubt that he and Obi-Wan might cross paths again. That will come in its own time. There is no reason for you to go looking for trouble."

"And what about the other Jedi? How am I supposed to defend against them?"

"By being yourself, I would expect," The elder Jedi chuckled, "That is certainly not new for you."

OoO

Qui-Gon kept silent about Xanatos. He also kept silent about Obi-Wan, going as far as to lie about the condition of their bond and saying that it no longer brought him any trouble. This convinced everyone except Tahl and Yoda, but neither of the two pressed the matter, and Qui-Gon wagered that the diminutive master actually knew what was going on, but was deliberately turning a blind eye. It occurred to Qui-Gon that the Grand Master turned a blind eye to a lot of things, especially those related to master and padawan relationships, only offering counsel when sought by either the master or the padawan. It is, no doubt, why Master Yoda is so influential when he does get involved.

The good news was Obi-Wan stopped having nightmares after the vacation in Alderaan, a fact that was definitely to be celebrated, if only in private. After meditating, Qui-Gon began discerning the different kinds of threats to his padawan, and his over-protectiveness lessened considerably after that. This, of course, also helped with the murmurs of disapproval. "Sane, you have become," Mace once joked, "That took you long enough."

As expected of any youngster, Obi-Wan had a hard time getting back to the routine of classes and homework, though as a nine-year-old this was an easier transition than if he were older. Qui-Gon quickly took the boy to Dexter's where the little one gawked openly at the thoroughly amused chef. He did not hesitate to wrap Dexter around his finger like he did with anyone worth talking to, and Qui-Gon was fairly certain that the discount they got was entirely because of Obi-Wan. "You got yourself a good youngling," Dexter slapped Qui-Gon heavily on the shoulder, "You be sure you train him good! You mess him up, Qui-Gon, I'll kick your butt, and none of your training's going to spare you from how much your butt's going to hurt! Ho ho!"

Obi-Wan naturally appreciated that gesture much more than Qui-Gon did.

It was not long before, as Mace warned, Qui-Gon was sent away on a mission, with the boy thankfully left under Authsola's care. To prevent any incident like that of Xanatos, he warned the little one not to talk to any strangers while he was away. The boy was smart enough to be skeptical about just how plausible this was, but Qui-Gon told him that he was to obey this order over any inclination to be polite and civil. It was possible that the little rascal agreed partially because his master was giving him permission to be rude. Obi-Wan did have an insightfully playful perspective on things, as he had demonstrated before.

"You are to come right back to Authsola after classes," Qui-Gon instructed him, "If you want to play with your friends, report to her first, and if possible, bring her along. You're a very young padawan, my child, so you have to be much more diligent than either other initiates or padawans, understand? If something happens to you, I'll be too far away to help, so we have to make sure nothing happens to you."

Thankfully his neurotic instructions only served to annoy the boy, not scare him, but like all Jedi younglings, Obi-Wan was trained to be obedient, and Authsola, understanding her master was especially worried about the child, even if not the exact reasons, promised to watch out for him with extra care. "It would be like practice, for when I have my own padawan," She announced brightly, and Qui-Gon allowed her to think that.

OoO

Things settled down.

Qui-Gon went on missions, many of them diplomatic, while Obi-Wan stayed either with Authsola or with Feemor, or at the créche if neither of the knights were available. Whenever he went away, he would comm. the child twice, once in the morning and once in the evening to check on the boy. When he was at the temple, he would take the little one to the training salles for some private tutoring, meditate with him in the gardens, and help him with his homework. There were a few more incidents with Bruck Chun, some involving his friend Aalto, but with a few pointed recommendations from Qui-Gon, most of the time Obi-Wan was able to avoid them. As promised, he requested frequent leaves to take Obi-Wan to visit various core systems in the name of educating his padawan without stressing the boy out, an act that inspired a bit of resentment from the other Jedi, but a surprising amount of support from Yoda. Since the Grand Master himself often argued in Qui-Gon's favor, no one else could say anything, and Obi-Wan's situation was, indeed, unique, in that he was so young and had so much growing to do before he reached his adolescent years.

Before he knew it, Obi-Wan was turning ten.

"When did this happen?" Qui-Gon complained to Tahl, "I thought he wasn't going to turn ten for another eight months."

"That was when you first claimed him as your padawan, Qui."

"Where did all those months go?"

Tahl did not seem to understand that he was much more distressed this time around than before, with Feemor and Authsola. "Time does not wait, and neither does the Force. Do you have any spare sewing needles?"

Obi-Wan wound up with a lot of gifts from all the friends he made on Alderaan and the corresponding planets he visited since the banquet, most of them more practical for a normal ten-year-old rather than a Jedi-in-training. Qui-Gon and Mace expected the boy to be overly delighted over all the presents, but the child was actually more bewildered and intimidated than anything else.

"What am I supposed to do with all this, Master?" He asked as he sifted through shirts he would never wear, toys he would never play with, funny figurines and an occasional book. Qui-Gon managed to hide some of the candy someone sent his apprentice before the child could get to it, but Obi-Wan found the rest and gleefully announced he was going to share it with his friends. Knowing the group as he did by this time, Qui-Gon hoped Reeft would end up with most of them. "Will I have to give them presents on their birthdays?"

"Hahaha!" It was the first time Qui-Gon witnessed Ki-Adi Mundi lose his composure. "What a delightful youngling!"

"If you don't need these," Adi Gallia suggested to the little one, "You can donate them to Child Services. There are plenty of younglings in the galaxy who don't have toys and spare clothes, or candy."

Obi-Wan agreed to this, though he was keeping the sweets; it would be a little too much to ask the boy to give up those.

"What should we do?" Qui-Gon asked Mace and Tahl, since Obi-Wan's popularity was, while not entirely unexpected, rather unprecedented—usually Jedi Knights and Masters get a gift or two from grateful friends they had made on their missions, but these did not require reciprocation. The Jedi Order had a cumulative wealth, but individual wages were meager.

"We don't want to start some kind of trend," Mace nodded, "Writing cards is relatively inexpensive and should be well within your budget. What in the galaxy did you two do on Alderaan?"

It was worth the headache, though, because Obi-Wan had never had so many friends think of him before, and though he was not so appreciative of the material value of any particular gift, he was very happy about being remembered. If Yoda thought this would inspire self-centered egotism, the Grand Master did not say anything. It was probably hard to, given that Obi-Wan offered some of his precious sweets to the old Jedi and all the masters he saw—when he remembered, anyway. Qui-Gon wondered if this kind of generosity was in fact something a person was born with. He certainly did not teach Obi-Wan this, and Feemor and Authsola never demonstrated the same tendency, despite being raised by the same Créche Masters.

Even with the presents and the well-wishes, Obi-Wan's birthday was like any other day when Qui-Gon was not sent on a mission. He went to classes, trained in the training salles with Qui-Gon, and did his homework. The two went to the meditation gardens together, though instead of meditating Qui-Gon ended up playing with Obi-Wan. and they headed back to their apartments rather sweaty and spent.

"You should request some time, my friend. Men like us have to slow down a little, allow the young ones to do the legwork. There comes a time when warriors must sit down and simply offer what advice they can."

Qui-Gon froze, pulling Obi-Wan close to him. The child had grown over the months, but was still small enough for him to tuck against him. The child looked up at him silently, sensing his unease.

I never told Sifo-Dyas what he said to Dooku, Qui-Gon thought, as he approached the intersection of the hall much more carefully.

"Ah, well, I keep thinking that the more we do the less they have to. You know me. Besides, I see you haven't slowed down at all."

"No, you are quite right. Well, I am glad to see you here. How was your mission?"

"Quite dull, actually. You know my temperament. I suppose given how things could have gone, I should be thankful for the sheer lack of excitement."

"You know it, my friend."

Qui-Gon drew the Force around him and around his little one and pulled them against the wall.

"Master?" Obi-Wan whispered. Qui-Gon softly hushed him.

"How is my former padawan doing? Do you know?"

"Quite well, last I saw. His little one is the talk of the temple, as I'm sure you know by now."

"Indeed? What was the child's name, Obi-Wan? I should like to meet him, see what has everyone in such a fuss."

"I'm sure you'll get your chance. Are you looking for Master Yoda?"

There was a brief hesitation.

"Not right this instant, but he's certainly on my list of agendas. Will you walk with me, my old friend?"

"Of course. We have a lot to catch up on…"

Qui-Gon listened to the footsteps drift away. When the voices faded, he released a slow breath and looked down at the young one. Obi-Wan was frightened by his admittedly poor handling of the situation.

"I'm sorry little one," He told the child, wondering at his actions. It was not as if he could protect Obi-Wan from Dooku's scrutiny should the master seek him out, as he seemed to be doing. Besides, that shadow he saw around Dooku in the dream was not present in real life, even if Sifo-Dyas' remarks had been word-for-word.

He could just get in the way, Qui-Gon thought, rubbing the boy's arm soothingly, He could be that kind of danger. The one where he tries to interfere with Qui-Gon's bond with his child. Yet it did not seem so…and did not quite warrant hiding from the Jedi altogether.

We can't hide all the time. We have to face the Dark once in a while. He was use to keeping Obi-Wan away from dangerous situations, but the boy was growing and full of surprises to begin with. Here in the halls, Dooku could hardly raise a finger against a child, and Qui-Gon was not due for any mission yet. He could keep a close eye on the boy.

"Master?" Obi-Wan inquired uncomfortably.

"Let's go back to our quarters," Qui-Gon took his hand. The little one followed with no more questions.