I don't own Star Wars etc.
AN: I will be updating on Thursdays from here on out. Hopefully every one, possibly every other one.
Chapter 3. The Meaning of Family
To Obi-Wan's thirteen year old eyes it was a long wait, a little over a year in fact, and once again the force decided to play tricks on him. There was one thing that Obi-Wan had not thought of that Ben most assuredly would have, and that was the fact that as a slave he could be sold at any time. Worse he could be sold to a space station, a self contained isolated system that was jer-kazey hard to escape from. Ben rather liked the word jer-kazey, he had heard one of the crewmen say it the other day. In fact his collection of swear words matched that of seasoned spacer.
He employed several of them in his mind when one of the crewmen woke him with a kick to the ribs.
"Up you dakeishii. Captain wants to see you." Ben nodded, and rose to his feet, not bothering to slip on his boots, the floor was cold, but it hurt more to walk in the too small leather. Slipping on a patched jacket that the cook had found for him when his last one had been taken by a smaller crewmember, he checked that the model fighter Bant had given him was in one pocket and his tool kit in the other. After all, the captain probably wanted him to fix one of the kaffe dispensers again.
However instead of being lead up to the Captain's quarters as he thought, Ben was led down to one of the loading bays, a place he rarely if ever had cause to go. To his shock he realized they were docked, at a space dock no less. Standing next to the Captain was a somewhat reptilian bipedal alien of unknown origin, wearing what looked like a long blue skirt and a jacket with fur trim. It looked female, although Ben wasn't sure. He checked the force for answers, but it seemed to be giggling mysteriously at him, bubbling with mirth. Annoyed he went to stand beside the Captain.
"Here he is," the captain spoke, clasping a hand on Ben's shoulder, "lucky day for me when this brat decides my ship would be a fine way to get a free ride. Best damn mechanic I've seen. Ain't that right boy?" he finished giving Ben's shoulder a shake.
"Yes, Master." Ben spoke quietly but firmly to the floor. What on earth was the force playing at? His chin was tilted up from the floor by cool scaled fingers, and he found himself looking up into the alien's face.
"What's your name little one?" it asked.
"Ben, um…" he trailed off not knowing what to call her.
"My name is Pi-Lappa, Ben, but you may call me Ma'am."
"Yes, Ma'am."
"Now Ben, what would you use to offset the biometrics of a type 2-J scanner of Jordianian make, if it was fitted into a 84 bit 8 Locking platform?"
"Well first I would hibernate the platform, so I could see exactly what needed to by nullified, then I would…" Ben continued on in that vein for some time, before she held up her hand.
"You have proven your point young Ben," then turning to his Master, "His skills are adequate, how much did you want for him."
At that Ben looked up with a startled glance. He was being sold! His first thought went to his pack, but he dismissed it immediately, everything in his pack was too small to be used anyway. He had his model fighter and his toolkit, he would be fine. But how was he supposed to find Anakin if he went to another Master? He didn't even know where here was. Although Pi-Lappa, the woman who was buying him seemed nice enough. Still he was nervous as the transmitter that held the key to the chip in his body was handed over, and Pi-Lappa beckoned him forward and over the threshold.
'I'm sorry Anakin,' Ben thought as he followed Pi-Lappa down through a tunnel, 'I will find you I promise.' Then they emerged from the tunnel into what was obviously the main promenade of a Space station. It was not large, although the place was not deserted; there were quite a few people of different species walking about, all obviously with a place to be. Cargo was being loaded and unloaded from one entry way, and there were open front rooms on the other side, that seemed to be serving food. The whole place was done in sharp gray metals. It reminded Ben of the entrance way to a rather dingy office building. Ben felt Pi-Lappa's hand descend onto his shoulder.
"Welcome to Kabray Space Station, Ben. Come along to the lower levels, you'll live and work with me there"
"Yes Master."
"Just Ma'am is fine Ben." Yes, Ben was definitely starting to like this woman. He followed her along several corridors descending ever deeper, until they emerged into a huge room, scattered with parts, over several long tables and shelves and what looked the controls, inner workings, and access ports to the entire station's systems. It was all beautifully clean, impeccable organized, and so so beepy! Buttons wires, pipes, everywhere! Ben was as thrilled as a child in a candy store.
"Shmi!" Pi-Lappa called, "come meet our new mechanic," and out of that mechanical mess descending from a ladder, came a human woman. She looked to be around thirty or so, perhaps her late twenties. She was neither pretty nor ugly, but she had a kind smile, and warm brown eyes, a strong jaw, and long dark brown hair tucked up under a kerchief.
"Shmi, this is Ben. I just bought him off the most miserable space pirate. Didn't know what he had." Pi-Lappa addressed the woman, then turned to Ben.
"Ben, that was the most brilliant answer to my question I have ever heard. You actually solved the problem, most people just assume that the two parts can't work together."
"Oh, um, Thank you Ma'am. I'll do my best."
"Don't be so nervous Ben, Pi-Lappa won't throw you out an airlock if you screw up." It was Shmi who spoke then.
"Well Shmi, I leave him in your capable hands, I have a managers meeting in ten minutes."
"Of course Ma'am, I'll show him the ropes." And with that Pi-Lappa left. Then turning to Ben Shmi continued, "Don't worry Ben, Pi-Lappa's the best Master I've ever had. She runs the entire maintenance department on Kabray, as well as repairs on any ships that come in. Our job is to help her in any way she asks. Now let me show you the maintenance level." She motioned with her hand to the mess of machinery in front of them. As Shmi continued to explain, Ben noticed she had a slightly odd accent, where it was from he didn't know, but it was mildly pleasant to listen too.
Ben found that he was to share a small apartment with Shmi that was on the same level as maintenance, it was originally Pi-Lappa's but with the increasing amount of stock she owned in the station she now had a bigger place on the upper main levels. Ben found himself helping Shmi make dinner, and being gently questioned about his past.
"Do you have a last name Ben?"
"No, not for Ben any way."
"Would you like to share mine?"
"I, um, You would let me do that?" Ben spoke in surprise, "I would be honored, Milady." At the unexpected his voice picked up its previous gentle patterns of upper Courscant instead of the rougher tones it was becoming used to."
"All right, then Ben Skywalker you are." Ben almost speared himself with the knife he was using, at that name. The force was practically shrieking in joy. Shmi continued on unnoticing, "It's about time some one else had that name anyway, heaven knows if I have any family left, and I doubt I'll have children."
"It's a beautiful name. One who walks the sky. Thank you Shmi." Ben replied shakily, regaining his composure.
"You're welcome Ben, now tell me about you're last Master, Pi-Lappa said he was awful?" and slowly Shmi, kind soul that she was, dragged the whole story out of him.
Even the fact that Ben was once a Jedi.
"Please don't tell any one!" Ben begged after it had slipped out.
"Of course not, Ben. I would never betray you. I am sorry you were ever forced to leave such a life. And if you wouldn't mind, I would like to hear more about this force of yours. What you've described, I-" she trailed off unsure how to continue.
"Yes Shmi?"
"I've felt some of the things you've described, would you teach me? The dreams too, not as many as you've had only glimpses, but enough."
"Of course I'll teach you Shmi, as much as I can, although it's not much."
"Thank you, Ben, now what about you're little brother? How will you find him if you're stuck on this station?"
"This is kind of weird, but I think I already did."
"Ben?" Shmi turned almost sharply.
"That thing about you probably not having any children might not be true. I could be wrong of course. But the force practically screamed at me when you said you're name." Shmi looked dazed, but then a smile lit up her face.
"This force will grant me a child?" She spoke in almost reverence, her voice a whisper "I hate to bring a child into this life, but a child is always a blessing. I never thought to have them" her thumb reached out to stroke along Ben's cheek bone, then she planted a kiss on his forehead. "Now I think it has brought me two. Thank you Ben, for bringing me this news, thank you for taking care of my son in the last life. You have already granted me the honor of taking my name." Taking Ben's hands in hers she continued, "Would you also now call me mother?" Ben found his eyes suddenly wet, even though he had only just met this woman he felt incredibly connected to her, he wanted to say yes but…
"But Shmi I let him burn, I failed him, or I will fail him. How could I accept such an honor when I-." The scenes from his visions began to overwhelm him. Wiping the tears that now fell freely away from his cheeks Shmi spoke soothingly.
"Oh Ben, from what you've told me there was nothing you could do. The Sith destroyed everything. Who knows if you were even alive in these visions? And now you've given up everything to protect my son, even your freedom. I wish there were infinite honors I could bestow upon you."
"I-, you really think so?"
"I know so."
"Then, thank you Shmi, I mean Mother. Thank you Mother." Gathering Ben in a one armed hug, Shmi kissed the top of his thick rats' nest of red hair.
"You are very welcome my son. Now come dinner is almost ready, and then afterwards you can teach me about your force." She paused to pick at a tangled strand of hair, "And then a hair cut I think."
"Yes Mother." Ben spoke with a smile, helping his Mother up to gather plates.
The force swirled around them, so smug Ben almost felt like swatting it.
They ate a quiet dinner, and then went back to work afterwards, Ben still getting used to working with the much bigger set up of the maintenance level rather then just one engine. Shmi then told Ben about her life, she had been a slave since young childhood. When she was six pirates boarded the ship her family had often travelled on, and she had been separated from them. She had spent most of her childhood in an alien crime lord's estate on the outer rim as a house servant. After that she had moved around fairly quickly as fortunes changed. Pi-Lappa was her fourth owner, and the best of them all, more a friend or a boss then an owner. It was Pi-Lappa who had taught Shmi everything Shmi knew about mechanics.
Apparently Pi-Lappa was ancient for her race, although she didn't act like it, she was approaching three hundred years old. Pi-Lappa also owned much of the space station, which altogether had about two hundred permanent residence and along with being a way station for about a hundred travelers a day was home to some rather illegal research and salvage projects. Humans were in the minority out here. Most humans were slaves, although Pi-Lappa only owned the two of them, one of the other station managers had several slaves, human and non-human both.
Eventually it grew late and Ben helped Shmi prepare a bed in one of the rooms off their small kitchen, which was currently being used to house boxes, some empty some full. Shmi clicked her tongue at his lack of belongings, including shoes, and promised to find him some in the morning, along with some new proper clothing. She loaned him one of her old tunics to sleep in, and then began her first lesson in the force: Meditation.
Shmi was a natural. Her calm nature and temperament, lead her easily to something she had been using unconsciously all her life. The force seemed gleeful that one of its own had finally found it, and she found herself wrapped in an embrace that felt very much like a mother welcoming her child home. In fact it was Ben who almost seemed the novice in this instance. His day had been exhausting and stressful and his sleep schedule was rather off. When Shmi emerged from her meditation she found her newest child asleep on his side.
'He is a handsome child' she thought to herself. His hair, although matted and covered in grease was a beautiful swirling shade of light brown, with a strong red gold. His features round, making him look younger then he was. Shmi had a feeling that once he grew into his features he would look quite handsome, but that he would take longer than most. He was going to look pale and loony for a while. This effect was exasperated by the fact that he was too small for his age of fourteen, and some how despite his travels still innocent. Yet brave; brave or perhaps foolish enough to go off to protect a child he had only seen in his dreams. He was so new to her, to this life, yet she felt as if he truly were her child. Brought to her by the gods, well she supposed he was. She felt she knew him as if she had had him since he was a baby. Smiling, she gently shook him awake.
"Oh, I'm sorry Shm-, I mean Mother." Ben muttered, rubbing his face with one hand and sitting up.
"No matter, Ben. It is late. I'll wake you up in the morning."
"Thank you Mother." He replied, stumbling towards his makeshift bed.
"Good night Ben."
"Good night Mother." And with that Shmi turned off the lights.
Quickly their days fell into a pleasant pattern. Days filled with work, and evenings filled with the force and learning anything Shmi cared to teach him. Cheating at cards, funny stories about odd aliens, how to knit, embroider and weave, really anything she knew.
It truly did feel like they had been living together all their lives, although sometimes wills did clash. Ben had never had one person looking out for him before, and had been for sometime keeping his own schedule. Or rather as most fourteen-year-old boys do, not really keeping any schedule in terms of personal health or hygiene. It didn't really help matters that he had been living on a pirate ship, where everyone regardless of age acted like they were fourteen. However, Ben was also a Jedi, and politeness came to him easier then breathing, and so he often acquiesced to her way of doing things without a fuss. Shmi adapted as well, she didn't have to tell him to explicitly do every single little thing and she trusted him with a great deal more then many fourteen year old boys. Giving him the freedom of an adult, or as much freedom as one could get as an adult slave. Under her administration Ben shot up like a weed, a rather shabbily dressed but always clean and well put together weed.
There were very few other children or teenagers on the station. Of the two hundred or so people who lived on the station, three were around Ben's age. One was a female twi'lek prostitute on the upper levels, about three years older then Ben, who got very little time off. Her name was Aayakas and when she did find time to come by for a meal or two she more often then not gossiped with Shmi. Ben didn't mind, the extra company was pleasant, but he didn't seek her out. She had little use for males she wasn't getting cash from.
The second was a human female a year younger then Ben, named Che-cha. She was the daughter of one of the human managers, who did not approve of her associating with slave scum. This of course made Ben's company all the more attractive to her. Although Ben did like her he also didn't want her father coming after him, he had no protection as a slave, and so often avoided her so as to avoid trouble.
The third was a Rodian boy a year older then Ben, named Joolii who lived with his father on the space station. Ben didn't know what Joolii's father did, and didn't ask, with Rodians violent natures it was better not to know. Joolii didn't mind one wit about Ben's status, and often came down to visit. He was thrilled to find someone who spoke huttese. Although he could speak basic it was difficult for him. He also often chased Che-cha off, or warned when her father was coming. Joolii had travelled even more then Ben, and he unlike Ben often got to visit the planets he stopped at, so he always had interesting stories to tell. It was pleasant to work on something at one of the benches in the maintenance level while Joolii told stories, or sang. He had a wonderful voice, especially singing songs in Rodese, his native language.
Ben wasn't always trapped in the maintenance level with only Joolii for company either. Shmi was often around, and sometimes Pi-Lappa called Ben up to run simple errands for her or take notes, and often maintenance needed to be done on other parts of the ship. Which depending on who he ran into could be fun, or rather unpleasant. The space station was like a small town, but the fairly awful type. Everyone knew who he was but some of them hated him for being human, and some looked down on him for being a slave, but most were decent enough.
So was life for the slave Ben Skywalker; difficult yes, sometimes filled with indignity, but not cruel or impossible. Often downright enjoyable, not necessarily physically easier as he often still practiced martial arts and the mechanical work was often difficult, but certainly emotionally easier then the apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi's would have been. He had a mother who loved him and friends who he saw everyday, rather then a Master known as a maverick that he often disagreed with. His force connection grew almost daily, as did his gift for prophesy not constrained by Qui-Gon's opinions, as did Shmi's and life was agreeable in a very domestic way.
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