Author's Note: The character of Ben came from a challenge I wrote for the old Obi-Wan forum at tfn about how Obi-Wan came up with the name Ben. When I was looking for an OC for this story, I kept coming back to this character and wanted to keep the name Ben.
Incognito12 – Like master, like padawan …
Valairy Scot – yes, a new pairing … unless Obi-Wan is too stubborn to see it.
Lillafiore – Yes, Obi-Wan is returning to family, complete with an older brother to fuss over him and interfere in his life
Jedi Master Misty Sman-Esay – Master Yoda is sneaky.
Geri K – I am glad I am getting to write a light-side Xan in this.
Thot84 – I think part of Xanatos' trip to see Shmi was to gauge what sort of threat she might be. He remarked that she "was no Crion" meaning he thinks she won't lead her son astray. We might catch some of Xan's thoughts early on with Anakin in flashbacks, and that will fill in some. As far as Palpy, he has ideas and is still very much interested in the Chosen One.
Kaylen Cooper – Thanks
sterling5842 – I also love Anakin's counter to Xan's parenting. He knows he's toast. He knows that he crossed a line.
Skedaddle-San - There will be more deviations from canon-verse. Hopefully they will flow smoothly with the canon parts.
Chapter 11
"You asked to see me, Master?"
"Yes, take a seat you may."
Xanatos settled down cross-legged on a plush cushion across from Master Yoda and waited for him to speak. Shades covering the windows partially blocked the outside light causing shadows to fall across an aged, lined face, making him somehow seem sadder.
"Progress have you made?"
Xanatos bowed his head, an odd smile crossing his face. "No. Unfortunately my former master only seems to have grown more stubborn with age. He's not listening, and that little display at the sparring session didn't help much I'm afraid."
Yoda shook his head, squeezing his eyes shut. "Desperate to capture your master's attention the boy is. Only tried to show his strength he did."
"I know that and you know that. But, Master Qui-Gon took it as further evidence of misplaced aggression and anger." Sadness surfaced from the depths of deep blue eyes. "That boy shouldn't have to suffer for my mistakes, but he is."
"Asked Qui-Gon to take your mission I have …" Yoda said, catching Xanatos off guard with the abrupt change of subjects.
He began to shake his head in protest. "Master, if this 'Offworld' does have a connection to my father's former dealings …"
"Escort Young Obi-Wan to Agricorps on Bandomeer your master will." Cat-like green eyes looked up to Xanatos expectantly.
Xanatos paused, dumbstruck. "Bandomeer?!" he blurted out. "Obi-Wan hasn't even turned thirteen yet, and if Qui-Gon refuses to see what is right in front of his face, I will take the boy as my padawan learner. But don't send him to some hellhole like Bandomeer." The younger Jedi's expression had settled into a sneer, and it was obvious he was in a struggle with emotions.
"Control your frustrations you must." Yoda regarded him with calm and control. "If pull them together this mission does not, allow you to take him I will. But faith I have that ignore the Force for long Qui-Gon Jinn cannot."
"That transport will be crawling with the scum of the galaxy," Xanatos murmured. "It will be dangerous."
"A capable Jedi master Qui-Gon is," Yoda chided gently, attempting to hide a slight smile at the young man's over protectiveness. "Handle opposition he has before."
"But, I have more experience dealing with that type, and I have prepared more for this mission." He met the old master's eyes with determination. "I should trail them."
"Interfere you should not," Yoda bit back firmly and deliberately, leaving no room for challenge.
"Don't worry. They'll never know I'm there." Xanatos's eyes twinkled with mischief and resolve causing Yoda to shake his head. He could only hope Obi-Wan would be spared the stubbornness that Qui-Gon seemed to have passed onto his first padawan.
Obi-Wan's cloaked form emerged hesitantly from the starfighter, stopping to throw a travel bag over his shoulder with effort before approaching. He looked older to Xanatos. Reddish-gold locks that were no longer cut into short padawan spikes now fell in waves that brushed the tops of his shoulders. He walked slowly, obviously trying to hide the exhaustion that clung to him more tightly than the cloak wrapped around his body. As he neared, Xanatos smirked at the smudges of dirt on his face and general disarray of his clothing.
"Do you know what time of night it is?" Obi-Wan called out. "You didn't have to wait up for me."
"What, and have you come home to an empty hangar." Obi-Wan tensed, letting out a slight whimper as Xanatos engulfed him in a tight embrace. Xanatos stood back and eyed him with concern. "Should I take you directly to the healers?"
"It's nothing - only a few bruised ribs." Xanatos crossed his arms in front of his chest, unconvinced. "I don't feel like being poked and prodded right now. I just want to sleep – maybe have a hot shower – in my own quarters, not the healers' ward … please."
There was a pleading edge to Obi-Wan's voice that twisted the corner of Xanatos's lip into a grin. "I assume you are going to get it checked out first thing tomorrow then?"
"Would you?" Obi-Wan snapped.
"Of course," Xanatos said with contrived sincerity. "But this isn't about me." Xanatos reached for Obi-Wan's travel bag, sliding it gently from his shoulder with little protest. Then, the two knights left the hangar walking side by side.
"Anakin wanted to meet you, but he has classes early. I told him we would come for the last part of his saber class tomorrow morning … provided you're awake by then. Then we could eat together." Obi-Wan nodded his head. He walked slowly, his body obviously sore. "So, how long will you be around this time – a few days as usual?" Xanatos asked, making no effort to hide the sarcasm dripping off the words.
"Apparently I am on an extended break. I was refused another assignment." Obi-Wan stopped, raising an eyebrow "I wonder if you had something to do with it."
"I only wish I had." Xanatos said absently. "You need some rest, and time to heal ... really heal this time."
"I'm not a padawan anymore, and I don't think it's as bad as you make it out to be."
Xanatos make a production of looking Obi-Wan over before starting towards the residential section again. "What happened this time? You look like someone dragged you across the ground."
"I met some resistance on the way to the hangar when I was leaving."
"Resistance … of course." Xanatos sighed deeply. "I wish you had someone to watch your back." There - he laid the first piece of bait, began the process of casting doubt.
"You worked alone for years," Obi-Wan reminded him.
"I was used to it. Master and I were never as strong of a team – you work better that way."
Obi-Wan reached up pressing his hands to the sides of his head, clearly in no mood for debate or argument. He practically swayed on his feet and Xanatos chuckled lightly. "As much as you surely could use it, I think that shower may have to wait." Xanatos keyed in entry to Obi-Wan's quarters. "I get the feeling your astrometric did its fair share of work on the way home."
Obi-Wan nodded again, blinking increasingly heavy eyelids. Xanatos helped him to his room and Obi-Wan shrugged off a dusty robe with mud-caked hems before unfastening his belt and setting it on the dresser. Layers of tunics came off, revealing deep purple bruises across the young man's side. Xanatos frowned.
"To the healers first thing in the morning or I'll have Bant make a house call," he said sternly.
Obi-Wan scowled as he sat down on the bed and began to lean forward, hissing as the action stretched bruised ribs. Xanatos stooped down and pulled off the boots, pulling covers up over him as the young knight stretched out and within minutes succumbed to his exhaustion.
Initiates were just breaking up into pairs for sparring when Obi-Wan arrived in the training rooms, looking for Xanatos. He made his way to the benches on the side of the room where masters and other knights could sit to watch practice and was surprised to see Master Yoda waiting.
"Good to see you it is Obi-Wan." The aged master didn't take his eyes off the practicing initiates.
"I wasn't expecting to see you here, Master." Obi-Wan perused the training room, his stomach clenching in dread as he still saw no sign of Xanatos. He sat down slowly, favoring his newly bandaged ribs.
"Enjoy watching our younglings I do. Few chances I have to just sit and observe."
Obi-Wan looked across the floor and caught sight of Anakin. The boy waved exuberantly and Obi-Wan tipped his hand in reply, earning a large grin.
"Anakin has grown."
"Happens when you feed them that does."
Obi-Wan chuckled as he settled in to watch Anakin practice, immediately noticing that traces of Xanatos' reckless flare had already worked their way into the boy's fluid movements. He had definitely caught up to his age mates, and perhaps moved a little beyond. How much had he missed this time?
Obi-Wan also couldn't help but turn his gaze to Anakin's opponent. The Force tugged at him, drawing his attention as though it were gently grasping his chin like a crèche master focusing a child. The boy was a bundle of energy and raw power, spinning and flipping as he blocked Anakin's aggressive blows; the small green saber he wielded a blur. He was exquisite in motion. Yes, there were flaws, but he was so obviously full of potential. With the right master …
"Ah, long to be the teacher do you?" Yoda's ears stretched up, emphasizing his question.
Obi-Wan blinked a couple of times. "Not at all, Master," he said, suddenly eyeing the exit longingly.
"Have someone I would like you to meet – sparring now with Anakin he is."
Obi-Wan remained silent for a moment, releasing irritation to the Force. He had walked right into a trap. Perhaps not that different from a trap a certain Jedi master had walked into nearly fifteen years before. "Master, we have spoken about this …"
"Go to AgriCorps in one month he will if chosen by a master he is not – a great waste of potential it would be." The words cut deeply reminding Obi-Wan of his own journey of hopes and dreams. "Only meet him – this is all I ask."
"I can see he has great potential," Obi-Wan acknowledged as he turned to face Master Yoda. "But speaking with him will only raise his hopes."
"More certain I am of this than you." The small master stood and Obi-Wan followed him to the edge of the mat. It was pointless to argue. "Come … come … speak with him."
Master Yoda traveled a little further and spoke with the boy before bringing him back to Obi-Wan. "Kn … Knight Kenobi." The boy quickly executed a formal bow and looked up at the Jedi who had already been dubbed the Sith killer seemingly frozen, with wide eyes and a small hint of adoration. "I am glad to meet you."
"I believe we have met." Obi-Wan gave the boy a warm smile. "I remember you asking Anakin to spar once, but I never heard your name."
"Ben," the boy said shyly as he reached up to push chocolate curls out of his face. Obi-Wan wondered briefly if this was how he had appeared to Qui-Gon. Eager, yet terrified of running off one last opportunity.
"I noticed that you have quite an acrobatic style with your sparring."
"Yes, Sir." The boy dipped his head, suddenly unsure of himself. "Do you think it's too much?"
"Some might call it reckless, but it's not too much unlike another youngling I remember." Obi-Wan looked at Master Yoda, revealing his uncertainty and fully realizing the extent of the trap. "Some thought he was reckless also."
The call of the saber master drew Ben's attention, and he turned to see the other younglings gathering. "I should return to my class."
"Go you may, Young Ben'dek," Yoda said.
The boy hurried over to his friends, and Obi-Wan saw the whispers that would spawn a rash of rumors throughout the crèche. By nightfall, all the initiates would know that Knight Kenobi was considering a padawan. A young boy's hopes rested on him and he wasn't sure how he felt about that.
Anakin raced to join the group, and Obi-Wan saw that Xanatos was now standing in the doorway to the training rooms. The older knight seemed to nod his head apologetically, making a truce as he approached.
"Upset with Xanatos you should not be. Asked for his help I did as I asked for it years ago with another master and padawan … a good team that one was."
The small master shuffled away leaving Xanatos and Obi-Wan alone. After a few moments of uncomfortable silence, Obi-Wan spoke.
"You set me up."
"I did," Xanatos confessed without reservation. "I arranged for you to meet up with Master Yoda alone and asked the saber master to assign Anakin and Ben as sparring partners. I knew you'd notice him if he were fighting Anakin."
Obi-Wan rubbed the sides of his temples and returned to the benches to watch as the class began work on a kata, watching Ben's form as he concentrated on the exercise.
"Give the kid a chance. Meet with him – get to know him. You have time to really give him some consideration," Xanatos said.
"I'm not sure I'm ready."
"And you think I was," Xanatos countered. Obi-Wan found he didn't have an answer. "Perhaps you should meditate on it … you may not think you are ready, but maybe the Force is saying you are."