Incognito12 – Qui-Gon has a way of being obstinate with the Council.
Lillafiore – My favorite characters to write are those that are deeply conflicted.
Jedi Master Misty Sman-Esay – This is all Xanatos knows is to research and find out everything he needs to know before he undertakes something.
LianneZ4 – I am going off of this quote from JA, "Though he was very young when he left Telos, he remembered that he had come from a powerful family on a powerful planet." If an exact age was given, I was not aware. I chose nine for this AU. I believe that the comic series that came out about Xanatos did have a younger age than nine. I think I tend to view Xanatos as a bit older than 4 coming to the Temple because he still had strong ties to his father.
tyger cub – Thanks for reading.
Furionknight – Thanks
sterling5842 – Xan isn't done "hearing" Qui-Gon. It will be unnerving to him.
Chapter 8
It was sometime during the night when Xanatos heard the door slowly opening. He kept the back of his head turned towards the entrance, watching the shadow of the intruder dance against the far wall. As he listened to the intruder quietly rustling through his travel bag and sorting through the few items left on the dresser, he clenched his fist more tightly around the saber resting under the pillow. He still didn't feel a threat through the Force, but one could never be too careful.
"I'm afraid I don't have much to steal," he said shifting so he could face the door. The limited light seeping into the room reflected against the intruder's large, glossy black orbs. Keeping eye contact, Xanatos slowly sat up.
"Don't move." The being's elongated snout flapped with the words, wrinkling scaly green skin. "I will shoot."
Having had blasters in his face many times in the past, Xanatos didn't react. Instead he leaned his head to the side, stretching his neck with little worry. "I doubt it." He could sense slight panic at being caught, but no ill intentions. There was willingness to fire, but it would take a lot to push the intruder to that end.
"I will," the alien said steadying the blaster.
"Fine." Xanatos sighed as he rolled the hilt of his saber in his fingers; it was apparently not recognized as a weapon by the Rodian. "But before you shoot me, perhaps you could tell me why you are here."
"What's your business with Shmi Skywalker … are you trying to steal her?"
The Jedi rolled his eyes. "Ah, so Watto sent you then," he said in a pleasant, polite voice.
"He was recently swindled out of one slave …"
"My understanding was that it was a fair bet. Perhaps your employer is just a sore loser." Taking a few steps forward, the intruder shoved the muzzle of the blaster closer to the Jedi's face. Xanatos smiled, aware that his composure was grating on the Rodian.
"Who are you working for?"
Apparently cold, hard currency didn't speak like it used to. Surely he had paid the pudgy imp enough to avoid trouble. "My business is my own. You can rest assured my interests here are purely legitimate and legal, which is more than I can say for you or that winged pest you work for."
"What sort of guarantees does he have?"
Tired of the game, Xanatos reached up snatching the blaster into his hand with the invisible grip of the Force. "You'll just have to take my word for it."
The Rodian seemed ready to lunge, but stopped short at seeing a gleaming blue blade spring to life and pierce the darkness of the room.
"You're … you're Jedi."
"So it would seem," Xanatos said dryly as he stood, beginning to back the unwanted guest through the door into the corridor. "Please inform your employer that I don't appreciate being awakened in the middle of the night." Before closing the door, he smiled casually. "In the future … I wouldn't recommend pulling a blaster on a Jedi. You're fortunate you didn't lose an arm."
Small feet that didn't quite reach the ground kicked against the padded booth as they swung under the table top. Anakin looked across the table at the hefty Besalisk crammed into the other side of the booth. Dex was gesturing with one set of hands as he talked while the fingers of the other set drummed on the tabletop, and Anakin imagined how wonderful it would be to have two sets of hands. It would come in real handy fixing things.
"So, you just quit then?" Anakin said, cramming a spoonful of gooey ice cream into his mouth.
"Yes, I came to Coruscant. Bought this establishment from the previous owners."
"But don't you miss space?" Anakin looked around the diner before leaning forward. "I mean isn't it boring here as a cook?"
"I've had enough excitement to last several lifetimes. It was time to take what I had and go. Besides, I still meet interesting folks." The bulky alien shifted in his seat, leaning it closer to the boy. "Doesn't it bother you that I was a smuggler?"
"No. Most the pilots I met were smugglers, and they always told the best stories."
Dex heard the door open and looked up in time to see a very distraught Jedi knight stumble into the diner. The young man looked around and seemed to visibly relax at seeing the young boy sitting in the booth.
"Obi-Wan!" Dex bellowed out in a deep voice.
Anakin turned and a bright smile played across his face. "Hi, Obi-Wan!"
Obi-Wan wondered why he didn't think to look here first. After a panic-filled afternoon and images in his mind of meeting Xanatos' fighter without Anakin in tow, he wasn't sure whether he should pick the boy up and shake some sense into him or to engulf him in a tight embrace. He opted for the middle ground and schooled his features, straightening his posture. "Anakin, I've been terribly worried. I've spent the entire afternoon searching the Temple for you," he said calmly.
Anakin's face scrunched in confusion. "Why? I was here." He shoveled another bite into his mouth.
Obi-Wan inhaled deeply, breathing in calmness and serenity. "Yes, but I didn't know you were here."
"I left you a message," Anakin mumbled, mouth half full.
"What message? I didn't see a message," Obi-Wan said pulling his comlink from his belt. He began to search for any messages he might have missed.
"No, I wrote a note and left it on the table."
"That explains it." Obi-Wan vaguely remembered throwing something into the rubbish bin, frustrated that Anakin would just leave garbage on the table. But that seemed like an eternity ago before his quest began. "Anakin, you can't just inform someone when you leave. You have to ask permission. Coruscant is not a safe place for a young boy to wander."
"I'm sorry Obi-Wan." He bowed his head. "Are you going to have to tell Master?"
"I'm just glad you're okay. We need to get back. Xanatos should be arriving soon."
"Is it really that late?"
"Yes."
"Yippee!" Anakin yelled as he jumped from the booth and ran out to the waiting speeder. Dex scooted his massive body out as Obi-Wan started to draw some credits out of a pouch on his belt to pay for Anakin's dessert.
"Keep your credits, Obi-Wan. It's my treat," the Besalisk said, slapping him on the back. Obi-Wan staggered slightly smiling as they watched Anakin from the window.
"That one's going to put more gray hairs on Xan than you two put on Qui-Gon combined."
"Truer words were never spoken, my friend." Obi-Wan smiled slightly. "Thanks for keeping an eye on him for me."
"That's what friends are for."
Anakin chattered non-stop on the trip back to the Temple, telling Obi-Wan tales of Dex's adventures. Most of them Obi-Wan had heard before having spent many meals in the diner with Qui-Gon and other friends, but it was nice to see another hearing them for the first time.
"And Dex told me where all these wizard junk shops are on Coruscant. He said it's where the best deals are."
"Well, I am sure Xanatos will want to thank him for his thoughtfulness," he replied making a point to ask Dex where the shops were. He had a feeling the information would be invaluable to Xanatos one day … the next time Anakin went missing … there would be a next time.
They were waiting in the hangar with time to spare when Xanatos arrived.
"How was your trip Master?" Anakin said, running to greet him.
"It went very well and I learned a lot," he said, shooting Obi-Wan a meaningful glance. Stooping down, he looked Anakin over, perhaps through eyes of new understanding. "I think you've grown even in a few days. And what's this?" he said motioning to a chocolaty smudge on Anakin's face.
"We just came from seeing Dex," Obi-Wan said.
"I had ice cream."
"Spoiling him already, I see. Well, I hope you both are still hungry because I'm starving."
They shared a small meal in Xanatos and Anakin's quarters, almost as though they were a family sitting around the dinner table. Xanatos evaded detailed questions of his time away and asked many questions. Anakin drifted off to sleep on the sofa as they talked and after a while, Xanatos carried him to his room, returning to sit down.
"So, did you hit any snags?" Obi-Wan asked.
"I only had one blaster shoved in my face, if that's what you are asking."
Obi-Wan shook his head. "Trouble just seems to follow you."
"Oh, and you have room to talk?" Xanatos countered teasingly.
Obi-Wan chuckled peacefully, looking around the common room where he and Qui-Gon, and Xanatos had shared so many similar late evening chats.
"You lost him, didn't you?" Xanatos asked.
"What?"
"Anakin got away from you."
Resigning himself to the fact that Xanatos seemed to know everything, Obi-Wan mumbled, "How did you know?"
Xanatos laughed out loud. "You weren't wearing your robe when you met me in the hangar, but had just come from Dex's. It seemed to suggest you weren't thinking clearly when you left the Temple, because you never leave without wearing your robe."
Obi-Wan blushed slightly. He blinked a couple of times, for the first time realizing how heavy his eyelids seemed."
"You should go get some sleep," Xanatos said yawning. "And so should I." He got to his feet and walked Obi-Wan to the door.
"I didn't want to ruin the evening," Obi-Wan began, "but you will probably be called to the Council tomorrow."
"Oh … I'm expecting that." Xanatos held onto the lovely thought for a moment … that was going to be fun.
"Do you think you'll be in trouble?" The younger man's concern was very evident.
"No more than usual. But, don't worry about it. Please try to get some rest." Xanatos rested his hand on Obi-Wan's shoulder giving it a gentle squeeze.
"Good night."
Xanatos watched Obi-Wan walk away, feeling the perfection of the moment. Soon he would be in the middle of training Anakin and Obi-Wan would be sent on his first mission as a knight. So, it was nice to enjoy these times as they came.