Qui-Gon awoke to music. Not soft chimes, which was his alarm's sound, but music. It was upbeat with an edgy sound to it. Qui-Gon was confused. He was used to waking up to almost complete silence. Then he remembered:
Obi-Wan.
The two had moved into their shared dorm just yesterday. The dorm consisted of two bedrooms, a fresher and a common space, meant for mediation and training. Obi-Wan was immediately drawn to the smaller of the two rooms, which had an entire wall of shelving. He spent most of the day moving in his model space crafts and data pads. By dinner time, Qui-Gon had realized he hadn't heard from the boy in a couple of hours. He peered into the room to see the fourteen year old had fallen asleep reading.
This morning was a different story. Qui-Gon dressed and opened his door to see Obi-Wan's door was closed, which meant the music had to be fairly loud for him to hear it from his bed. Qui-Gon shook his head. It had been a long time since he roomed with a teenager. He had forgotten that despite Obi-Wan's mature nature, he was still a boy.
Qui-Gon decided to spy on Obi-Wan. He opened the door but the boy was distracted. He bobbed his head up and down to the music, his hands matched the beat. Qui-Gon marveled at his apprentice's relaxed state. Then Qui-Gon's jaw dropped at a sight he had never seen before:
Lights. Dancing lights.
Around Obi-Wan's hands were little orbs of light. They seemed to change color with the timing of the music. Obi-Wan seemed to be controlling them with no effort. He smiled and watched them as they danced in his hands. He then closed his eyes, sending the orbs around the room, creating streaks of colorful lights around the room. Obi-Wan turned once again but this time, he noticed Qui-Gon at the entry. Startled, Obi-Wan stopped and lost concentration. the orbs of lights disappeared. Obi-Wan tightened his hands into fists and looked embarrassed.
"Good morning, master. I'm sorry if I woke you." He offered an apology for the very loud music. Qui-Gon smiled but was still in awe over what he had just witnessed.
"You know how to control light?" He asked.
"I don't control them. It's more like asking them to join me." Obi-Wan shrugged. "I thought you knew." Qui-Gon certainly did not. He had never read the boy's file. Their relationship started off rocky and very busy. He hadn't really thought about it until now.
"The living force is something we all are connected to. Being able to move things, such as solid objects, or liquids, is common. But to control the elements. That's quite rare. The only other Jedi who is living, who can do it, is master Yoda." Qui-Gon explained. Obi-Wan nodded in agreement.
"That's why master Yoda trained me separately from the others in my creche. It scared the others." Obi-Wan explained. He shifted uncomfortably.
"It is a skill to be proud of. Perhaps you can teach me one day." Qui-Gon said, offering a smile. Obi-Wan smiled in return and they headed to breakfast.
Obi-Wan sat down at the table with Qui-Gon. The two sat in silence as they ate. Obi-Wan always hated the silence between them. It made him anxious. Thankfully, the awkward moment was broken by master Windu asking to join them. Mace Windu was the Jedi who found Obi-Wan and brought him to the temple when he was three years old. Usually, three was considered too old but the council made an exception for Obi-Wan.
"What in the world is that?" Mace asked, looking at Qui-Gon's morning meal. It consisted of oats and a variety of 'healthy' syrups. Obi-Wan nearly gagged when he tried it.
"It's quite good. Would you like some?" Qui-Gon offered. Obi-Wan immediately looked to Mace with a warning glare.
"I'd like to keep my food down. No thank you." Mace replied firmly. Obi-Wan smirked and hid his laughter. Qui-Gon shrugged. Mace continued: "We received a transmission today. It's a language I've heard but my Stewjon's a little rusty. The council has asked for your help."
Obi-Wan's head spun to look at master Windu. "Stewjon?" Mace nodded.
"Yes. I get the feeling it's a distress call." He stated, with a slight hint of humor in his voice.
"What makes you so sure?" Qui-Gon asked. Mace smiled as he replied:
"There's never a dull moment with a Kenobi."
High in the tower of the council's chamber, the room was warmly lit by the morning sun. The sky was colored pink and orange with purplish blue clouds far off in the distance. The entire council was assembled. This seemed a bit much to Qui-Gon. Why would the entire council be in attendance for a distress signal? Normally, only a few masters would convene and that would be for an extremely important system.
As far as Qui-Gon knew, Stewjon was an isolated planet. The most neutral planet in the known galaxy. Nearly twenty years earlier, they had closed their planet off completely. No one goes in, no one goes out. They were not a part of the republic or any political affiliation and lived off of their own means. Qui-Gon was even more confused as to how in the force Obi-Wan was at the temple, since he was from Stewjon. None of this made sense to him.
Mace Windu played the hologram. Qui-Gon was taken aback by the image: it was a boy, maybe two years younger than Obi-Wan and besides the haircut and red eyes, he could have been Obi-Wan's twin. The boy spoke quickly in a language Qui-Gon had never heard before. He glanced at Obi-Wan, who was taking in everything he had to say. When the message was done, Obi-Wan nodded.
"Well?" Ki Adi Mundi stated flatly.
"There's been an invasion. The hutts have taken many of the people as slaves and are making them work in the old mines for Kyber crystals. My father is missing and no one has stepped up to lead the armies. My mother tried but no one would follow her without my father. It doesn't make sense. Women are highly regarded in my culture. Something must be very wrong." Obi-Wan explained.
"We must help them." Master Windu implored. Yoda nodded as the others silently agreed.
"Stewjon has Kyber crystals? Why is that not noted in the archives?" Qui-Gon asked. Past history lessons as a Padawan had taught Qui-Gon that Kyber crystals were extremely rare and usually heavily protected by the Jedi. The masters all looked at one another but before any of them spoke, Obi-Wan explained:
"The Kyber is at the center of the planet. The mines have never made it to the center because of the intense pressure of the planet's inner layers. But there are pockets of crystals in the mountains of the Northern tribe. It's said that the Kyber has created a sort of concentration of the force on the entire planet."
Qui-Gon now understood why the entire council was in attendance. There was a legend of an entire population of force sensitive beings all living on one planet. They never formally studied the Jedi arts but they did use their abilities throughout their daily lives. If someone has invaded this planet, they could cause a lot of harm to these uniquely force sensitive beings. But it was just a myth, right?
"There's a problem. Qui-Gon can't come." Obi-Wan stated.
"Why not?" Qui-Gon asked, his voice almost thundering. If Obi-Wan thought he was going to do this mission on his own, he was dead wrong. Obi-Wan was not shaken by his tone and was quick to answer:
"Besides being a foot taller than the average Stewjon?" He joked.
"Your eyes won't glow." Mace added. "There is an element called Malennite that mixes with the air. Over generations, it has altered the DNA just slightly so that their eyes glow when it is inhaled. Also, the people of Stewjon don't like outsiders. 100 years ago, the hutts invaded Stewjon and decemated the lands. They enslaved nearly everyone on the planet. Their goal was to mine the Kyber and sell it to the highest bidder."
"When the hutts realized that the majority of the Kyber was unreachable, they decided to commit mass genocides across the entire planet. My father formed a small group of rebels that disabled the weapons that caused the genocide. Eventually, he confronted Gelda the hutt and made a deal that allowed the people of Stewjon their freedom and the hutts were content with leaving." Obi-Wan explained further.
"That's some negotiations." Qui-Gon stated in disbelief.
"Go to Stewjon, you must. Resolve the dispute with the hutts, we must. Fail, we must not." Yoda said.
It was a four day journey to Stewjon. It wasn't near any major spaceport or large planetary system. Qui-Gon tried to study the history of Stewjon as much as he could before they arrived. Their history was amazing:
The entire planet was agricultural. There were no cities. There were 3 tribes on the planet: Northern, Southern and the Wanderers. After centuries of fighting between the tribes, they declared peace about a thousand years before the hutt invasion. After the hutts left, the tribes formed a small congress to mainly discuss issues that they were having or to organize supply and demand around the entire planet. There was no commerce. Everyone just gave away and took what they needed. There had been hoarding at first, of course but that had subsided over time. After the genocide, the population had dropped down to 250,000 people world-wide.
Their language was made up of metaphors and their words were fluid. For example, the word "yes" and "father" were the same. "Mother", "respect" and "honor" were also, all the same word. Qui-Gon was baffled when Obi-Wan tried to explain it.
The Kenobis' were an old family. Going back thousands of years. But due to the genocide, they were down to just the four of them. They had an orchard of muja fruit. According to Obi-Wan, it was the juiciest and sweetest fruit he'd ever tasted. They hunted Jadir - wooly beasts that were quick to anger and would charge and try to gore their attacker. They used every piece of the animal too. The wooly hides were made into heavy blankets.
The planet had a peculiar weather pattern. In the daytime, the temperature never reached 75 degrees. It was extremely pleasant weather and the winds were gentle. But at night, the temperature drops dramatically. There would be massive thunderstorms that only came after sunset. By morning, the nice weather returned.
The planet itself was completely unknown to others until Obi-Wan's father sent a signal to a nearby ship. That ship happened to have been piloted by Mace Windu.
"If my ship hadn't been damaged, I would never have drifted by and the signal would have been lost." Mace told Qui-Gon. "When I realized where I had landed, I immediately contacted the council."
"The force leads us to many things but even I think that's sheer luck." Qui-Gon replied.
"There's no such thing as luck." Obi-Wan said seriously.
"Apparently, there is when it comes to Kenobis'." Qui-Gon said with a big smile on his face.
"We're here." Mace announced. They all settled into their seats.
"If they don't welcome outsiders, how are we going to get through their planetary shield?" Qui-Gon asked.
"They gave me a password of sorts." Obi-Wan said. And with that, they were contacted.
"Ian ecooli muah?" The male guard stated. Obi-Wan responded in Stewjon. The guard replied and Obi-Wan furrowed his brow. He attempted his password again. The guard didn't believe him.
"Dan-a Obi-Wan Kenobi. Yaol tina gee. Me heata oli mi mum." Obi-Wan shouted. The ship shook violently, knocking Obi-Wan to the floor, cutting the bridge of his nose and an eyebrow. Obi-Wan repeated himself again. Once again, the ship took a hit.
"One more hit like that and we'll lose life support." Mace announced from looking at the screens.
Another hit. This one sends them all flying. Mace is knocked unconscious as Obi-Wan tries desperately to announce who they are. Qui-Gon takes the controls and attempts to land. Another shot directly at the ship's hull and the ship lost all power.
They were falling out of the sky.
Obi-Wan woke up to the sounds of his master calling his name.
"Obi-Wan!" Qui-Gon shouted. He saw the boy was pinned by a large piece of metal that was once a part of the control panel. Obi-Wan's face was pale from pain. Qui-Gon carefully removed the control panel from his apprentice's torso. Obi-Wan cried out in pain.
Qui-Gon climbed down and assessed his padawan. His ribs were broken and there was possibly internal bleeding. Qui-Gon scooped Obi-Wan up in his arms. Obi-Wan whimpered. Mace joined the two. The Jedi master cupped his head to stop the blood from coming down from a minor head wound.
"We need to get to a med center." Qui-Gon announced. Mace nodded in agreement.
"I know one nearby." Mace explained and led the way. The three traveled through woods and followed the stream until they came upon a small market center. It was nearly deserted. Only a few stray animals and elders remain in the center. Mace pointed to a small facility that had been heavily shelled. The white exterior was darkened from burns of a recent fire. Qui-Gon hurried into the med center.
There, he saw no less than a hundred people, huddled up together with their injured loved ones. Nurses and doctors rushed to provide aid and comfort to their patients. They were far outnumbered. One woman took notice of the Jedi at the entrance. She was tall, dark skinned, with wild orange hair and glowing purple eyes. They widened at the sight of the Jedi.
"Mace Windu!" She announced and hurried across the way. As she met them, her eyes immediately rested on Obi-Wan. "Here." She motioned to a nearby gurney. Qui-Gon carefully placed Obi-Wan down. It took only a moment for her to assess him.
"The security system worked. We crashed about a mile outside of the village." Mace explained. The woman placed her hands on Obi-Wan's torso. A warm light glowed from the palms of her hands. Obi-Wan winced but he began to breathe easier. The woman spoke to him in her native tongue. Obi-Wan nodded and she tapped him on the center of his forehead.
"Sleep." She commanded. And Obi-Wan went out instantly. The woman then turned to Mace and healed his head wound with the same glowing light. Qui-Gon stood there in awe.
"You, big one. You have a large cut on your leg that needs healing. I will not harm you." She stated. She pushed Qui-Gon into a seat and began to remove his boot. Once again, she used her strange powers to heal a large gash on his right leg. It was warm but it did not hurt as she healed him.
"My name is Qui-Gon Jinn—"
"Mijara Kenobi. I know who you are. The temple kept us aware of Obi-Wan's progress." Mijara explained.
"How do you—" Qui-Gon was interrupted once again.
"The same way your healers do." She stopped and looked up at him. "Except I am better."
"You use the force?" Qui-Gon asked. Mijara nodded.
"Obi will be fine in a couple of hours. You and Master Windu are cleared for now." Mijara explained.
"What happened?" Mace asked.
"We still do not know entirely. The hutts got through the security system and began killing and capturing anyone they could. We were in the fields when the attack began. Rem and I came as soon as we heard. There was a huge explosion and we were separated. I don't know what happened to Rem but I'd guess he was taken hostage to get to me." Mijara said.
"Gilda still mad you won't save her son?" Master Windu asked.
"You know as well I do, she was going to release the bioweapon on our people either way. I have no regrets in my choices." Mijara replied.
"What does the congress say?" Mace pushed for more answers,
"They believe we brought them back. Some even think we let them in. Utter nonsense." Mijara shook her head. Mace placed a hand on her tired shoulder.
"Then we will plead your case with you. Certainly the word of the Jedi is good enough." Mace reassured her.
Two hours passed before Obi-Wan began to stir. He woke up to his master meditating beside him. Obi-Wan took a deep breath of relief. He looked around the examination room. He saw his mother– just as beautiful as he remembered her— taking inventory of the shelves. There wasn't much left, Obi-Wan noted. Recent attacks must have devastated their supplies. He watched her turn to him. Time seemed to slow down. Obi-Wan wanted to say something but words couldn't leave his lips.
His mother smiled and sat on the other side of Obi-Wan.
"Mi Obi." My light. Mijara wiped his tears away. "Shay nu ma." I love you.
Tears began to run down Obi-Wan's cheeks. A lump formed in his throat. If he could only speak! After a few moments, Obi-Wan managed to form his words.
"Shay nu ma Mum." He said. Qui-Gon quickly opened his eyes and looked at his padawan.
"Obi-Wan. How do you feel?" He asked. Obi-Wan smiled and nodded. All his pain was gone. He felt good as new. Mijara nodded.
"If you feel ready, we will leave for the congressional hall immediately." She recommended.
The congressional hall was a large, circular building made of white stone columns and a domed roof.. There was one singular room. Only a few men and women met inside the center of the room. They were arguing over what to do about the invasion.
"Perhaps we should call on the republic." One said.
"Never! I'd rather die than chance any more strange beings coming to our world." Another shouted.
"Now is not the time! What about the slave trackers?" A small woman asked over the men.
Mace cleared his throat. The congress looked at him.
"Jedi!" The small woman announced gleefully. "What a pleasant surprise." Mace nodded neutrally to her.
"Nera. Where is your husband?" Mijara asked dryly.
"He's scared you'll kill him if I tell." Nera replied.
"And why shouldn't I? His sole job is to ensure our security field is functioning." Mijara replied.
"You took Rem from me, I will not let you take Tuuki. Wanderer." Nera hissed back. Mijara was not impressed.
"Nera, arranged marriages ended when our parents died. And our tribes have been at peace for centuries! Now, first we should—" Mijara was cut off.
"Who put you in charge? Should this not be a decision of the entire congress? Or all three tribes?" Nera attacked. Mijara didn't bat an eye.
"Where are you going with this Nera? We don't have time for this." Mijara asked.
"I am the wife of the head of security." Nera stuttered for a moment. "I-I challenge you. If I win, you will back down and return to your hospital."
"Then if I win, you reveal where your husband is." Mijara sighed.
Obi-Wan glanced at Qui-Gon. We don't have time for this. Qui-Gon nodded and replied: Perhaps. Or perhaps it will reveal what is really going on here and who is behind this. Obi-Wan looked down in self-disappointment. His impatience has caused him to miss something again. Suddenly, he felt his mother's hand on his chin.
"Guy upp e gee Kenobi." Head up, you're a Kenobi. She said quietly. Obi-Wan smiled.
The arena was a huge oval with a fabric roof, to let the sun brighten the fighting area. The remaining members of all tribes gathered to see the fight. The rules were simple: No killing. Losers must submit. Weapons must be lightsabers.
"Is the council aware of this? Non-Jedi force users with lightsabers!?" Qui-Gon protested. "Someone could get hurt."
"The council is aware of this but they have been using lightsabers since before the Jedi order was fully formed." Mace explained.
"Then why bother sending their son to the Temple?" Qui-Gon asked. Obi-Wan was about to speak when a small boy with red eyes interrupted him.
"Because he's made for something greater than farming." The boy said proudly. "As am I."
"Owen!" Obi-Wan jumped up and hugged his little brother. They sat down together.
"And what are you made for, young one?" Qui-Gon asked with a half amused face on.
"I'm going to be a Limmie star lineman." Owen declared with a smile. Obi-Wan chuckled but patted Owen on the back.
"I can't beat that." Obi-Wan said.
Mijara chose a double sided staff saber as tall as her. Nera chose a traditional lightsaber. There was no referee. The fight began with the first strike. Which in this case, hadn't happened just yet.
The two circled one another for a moment, then Nera jabbed at Mijara. Mijara dodged it and barely moved. The crowd cheered. The two exchanged blows and strikes back and forth for nearly twenty minutes.
Nera lined up for another strike, this time, with a jump and twist to it. Mijara blocked her attack with a simple swipe of her staff saber. Mijara then twisted her staff around Nera and placed her in a headlock.
"Yield." Mijara said. "Or I'll take your head off."
"Never." Nera hissed. Mijara tightened her grip.
"I do not repeat myself." Mijara said. She moved her blade down towards Nera's neck.
"I yield!" Nera yelled as best as she could. Mijara immediately released her and Nera fell to the ground.
"Are you through wasting time? I have a planet to save." Mijara asked. She then turned to the people of the arena. "Follow me if you want your family and friends back." The crowd went silent for a moment. Then people began to stand. One man howled. Another roared. The people were ready.
The plan was clear. Mace and Owen would wait outside of Gilda the Hutt's lair, with most of the men from the tribes. She resided in a cave, in the kyber mountains. It was there where she held nearly 100,000 people. All now enslaved to Gilda.
Qui-Gon, Mijara and Obi-Wan would enter the cave silently and rescue Obi-Wan's father. What waited inside the cave was unknown. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan would look for Rem, while Mijara looked for the slave transmitters.
Mijara knew her way around very well. She had been enslaved at birth to work in the mines. After her mother passed, her grandmother kept her safe.
"One day, I tried to run. I got as far as the market when they caught me. That's when I met your father." Mijara said quietly. "He helped me escape their grasp and I've been free ever since. I never got to rescue my grandmother. She died when Gilda released the plague on the miners. They never stood a chance." Mijara's facade broke slightly. She let the sadness show in her eyes for just a moment.
Qui-Gon now understood how she could be so tough. A life of servitude in a mine was not easy. And possessing the power to heal people, surely caught the eye of Gilda the hutt.
"She called me her pet. I could heal anyone she wanted me to." Mijara said, disgusted. The three remained quiet for the rest of the time in the mines. Mijara split off from the group at a junction close to the jail.
They entered the jail. It was a dark hallway with only one way in and out. The last door to the right was locked.
"There." Qui-Gon whispered. The two went to the door and opened it. Inside, it smelled of waste, blood and death. It took effort from both of them not to gag. In the center of the far wall, was a man shackled at the wrist onto the wall. He lay there, lifeless. Obi-Wan ran to his father and checked for a pulse.
"He's alive."
Qui-Gon nodded and cut the shackles. The man dropped to the ground as Obi-Wan tried to catch him. The man moaned. There was blood smattered in his hair and filth covering his tunic and pants. His eyes rolled back into his head and he looked up at Obi-Wan.
"Obi-Wan? Am I dead again?" He asked. Obi-Wan shook his head.
"No. We've come to rescue you." Obi-Wan said softly. The man looked at Quo-Gon.
"Who's this big pooka?" He asked. "You know what? Doesn't matter. Remalg Kenobi. Call me Rem." He extended a hand. Qui-Gon shook it and helped Rem off the ground. As they neared the exit, they could hear blaster fire coming towards them.
"You didn't kill the bad guys yet? What kind of Jedi are you?" Rem joked.
Qui-Gon saw Mace and Owen were overwhelmed. Suddenly, slaves and their family poured out from the mines and began fighting the guards back. They attacked from all directions. Each gracefully using their own lightsabers. Light danced around the cave walls. Out from a crevice in the ceiling, Mijara slid down a rope, right in front of Gilda.
"Hello there." Mijara said gleefully. She shot Gilda between the eyes and the hutt slumped dead in her seat. She turned and threw smoke bombs into the crowd. "Let's go!" She ordered and everyone headed for the cave entrance.
Most of those who could fight stayed behind to finish off Gilda's guards. But with Rem's injuries, the Jedi and Kenobi family returned to their homestead. As they walked through the high grass. The air smelled sweet. A gentle breeze blew across Qui-Gon's face and for a moment, he had to admire his surroundings. Off in the distance, lay an orchard of tall, ancient trees. There must had been hundreds of little birds in them. The chirping was the only other sound besides the wind. Qui-Gon glanced at Obi-Wan and noted how striking his now glowing blue eyes were.
Beyond the orchard was a small farmhouse made of thick clay and old pieces of durasheet metal. There was a garden in front with a variety of vegetables, fruit and flowers. On the porch, a simple bench with pillows.
Qui-Gon and Mace helped Rem to the couch. He winced from pain but smiled when he noticed Mace Windu.
"Ya hair never did grow back." He said.
"Don't think I've forgiven you for that." Mace said, pointing a finger at him. Rem laughed.
Through the dirt and blood, Qui-Gon noticed, Obi-Wan looked much like his father. The dimples when he smiled, the striking blue eyes. Qui-Gon could just make out the ginger red hair. Rem was a slight man but clearly well built. His hands had old scars on them, it looked like burns from electroshock rifles.
Mijara began to check Rem's condition.
"My love." She stated sweetly.
"My life." Rem replied just as sweetly. She began working on healing the multiple rib fractures, gashes, infections and bruises. Rem stayed perfectly still. He just lay there, admiring his wife. He said something to her in Stewjon.
"Rem!" Mijara called out and smacked his hand. "The boys are right here."
"They're old enough to know." Rem replied and turned to look at Qui-Gon. "So, what is your giant's name?"
"I'm Qui-Gon Jinn. Obi-Wan is my apprentice." Qui-Gon answered. Rem nodded and tried to say something but his words began to slur.
"Sleep." Mijara said and lightly touched the center of his forehead. Rem instantly fell into a deep sleep. Mijara sighed. Her shoulders slouched as she let relief fill her. "He is such a silly man."
"He hasn't changed a bit." Mace said flatly. Mijara smiled down at her now sleeping husband.
"That's why I still love him." She said, Qui-Gon refocused the conversation to the mission at hand:
"How did Rem convince Gilda to leave the planet the last time?"
"After Burra was killed, he offered Gilda himself, as a prize. He sacrificed himself as payment. She left the planet two days later. So we had to wait to dig him back up and revive him." Mijara explained.
"Two days?!" Qui-Gon said, flabbergasted. "He was dead for two days?"
"I told you, my healing powers are much stronger than your temple healers. It takes a lot of concentration and energy but..." Mijara trailed off as she continued to watch Rem. Make no mistake, they were truly in love. The two of them put everything on the line to save their homeworld and each other.
Obi-Wan finished putting on his new, dark blue tunic as walked down the stairs to the breakfast table. His mother refused to let him stay in his Jedi robes and made him shower. Obi-Wan sat down and watched his mother work. She cooked all his favorites and placed large plates in front of each person.
"In your travels around the slave quarters, did you see Tuuki?" Rem asked as he studied his muja fruit.
"No. But I found his wife, Nera. She said he was hiding in their cellar when she was taken." Mijara said. Rem hummed in a 'why I am not surprised' fashion.
"We need to set up a meeting with congress to see what is to be done about the slave trackers. They're still active." Owen mentioned.
"First, we talk with Nera and Tuuki. We need to make sure that the security field is no longer compromised. Our safety is our priority." Rem corrected. "Congress will meet at noon to discuss our options for the trackers."
"Each Stewjon that had been enslaved had a tracker placed in them. If a traitor is amongst us, they could set off the trackers and kill everyone." Mijara stated. Rem immediately looked at her, his face solemn and his eyes filled with fear.
"Mij-" He started but Mijara interrupted.
"We have to find that controller. My bet is on Tuuki. Who else had the access?" Mijara asked, frustrated. Rem stood up and went to Mijara to comfort her.
"I will not let that happen to you." He said softly. Mijara looked up with tears in her eyes. Rem gently kissed her on the lips. Rem continued:
"We will go to Tuuki and Nera's. With any luck, that will reveal who is really behind this."
They decided to split up to cover more ground. Qui-Gon, Mace and Rem went to speak with Tuuki while Obi-Wan, Mijara, Nera and Owen searched Gilda's lair for the slave transmitter.
"Are you sure it was a good idea leaving Mijara and boys alone?" Mace mentioned as they headed down the main road.
"Don't worry. Mij can handle herself." Rem replied with a smirk. "Besides, I'm sure if she needs 'your' help, she would have asked."
"You're never going to get past that kiss, are you?" Mace rolled his eyes.
"Past it? Past it?! If I -" Rem was cut off.
"I was young. I got excited." Mace retorted gleefully.
"Well keep your excitement to yourself, this time 'round." Rem said. Mace couldn't help but chuckle. Rem joined in with him.
"It's good to be back, old friend." Mace said.
"Likewise." Rem replied. "But I thought you were going to be Obi-Wan's mentor. No offense." Looking at Qui-Gon.
"None taken." Qui-Gon said.
"The council felt Obi-Wan and I were too close to be a good match as master and padawan." Mace explained. "Truth be told, they were right. I would have let my emotions get in the way of his training. Qui-Gon has a good balance between friend and teacher with Obi-Wan."
"Tell me, master Qui-Gon, who does my son resemble more? Me or my wife?" Rem asked.
"In appearance, you. In wit, your wife. In appetite, you." Qui-Gon said with a smile. Rem roared with laughter.
"That is a great compliment on this world! Perhaps his smart mouth will keep him out of the type of trouble that found me, in my youth." Rem answered.
"Unfortunately, no. He definitely has your run of luck." Qui-Gon could help but chuckle. "On his first mission, literally moments after he left the temple, Obi-Wan got into a scuffle with a hutt and was hospitalized."
"Oh dear. I suppose the fruit doesn't fall far from the tree." Rem said.
"In Obi-Wan's case, it didn't even bounce." Mace replied. Rem laughed once again.
Obi-Wan ignited his lightsaber to see into the dark halls of the cave. They had searched for nearly an hour without luck. He was frustrated. They had hoped Gilda had kept it somewhere simple, like a safe in her quarters. But they had found nothing.
Obi-Wan sat down and quieted his mind. He reached out to the living force. In what could have been a vision, the lights appeared. They danced around Obi-Wan's figure and made the sound of distant bells. Gentle jingling. Every time they moved, a wind blew.
"Not here." They whispered. "The damage is done."
'What damage?' Obi-Wan thought.
"We cannot do it alone." They continued. "Watch out!"
Obi-Wan rolled to the right just in time to avoid a very large wrench coming down from behind. Obi-Wan got up and was ready for another attack. A hooded figure swung at him again. Obi-Wan easily avoided the blow and cut the wrench in half. The figure then tried to turn and run but Obi-Wan moved a large rock, making her trip. He removed the hood to reveal his attacker:
Nera.
Nera struggled against her restraints. Mijara slapped her upside her head.
"Meradee!" Nera cursed. Mijara was unphased.
"Now I know your mother and she never talked like that." Mijara replied.
"You are not worthy of any other title." Nera sneered.
"Why Nera? What in force could they have offered you, that could justify genocide and slavery?" Mijara asked angrily.
"My husband." Nera said.
"Tuuki? I don't follow." Mijara replied confused but still confident.
"Not that bumbling old fool. My true husband!" She shouted. Mijara's demeanor changed instantly.
"Betrovement died with our parents, Nera. Rem never loved you. His father wanted your family's land. It was a business contract." Mijara tried to sound calm but there was still anger behind her words.
"You placed the entire planet at risk, because my father married another woman?" Obi-Wan asked.
"Not a woman. A SLAVE! Nothing more disgusting than marrying a slave girl. Gelda would have done anything to get Burra back. She would have freed you and our people. But you refused. And why? Because you wanted to take Rem away from me!" Nera shouted.
"I refused because Gilda would have killed us anyway. It was Rem's idea to turn himself in, to be tortured to death, for his people." Mijara explained calmly. There was no anger in her words anymore. She realized that Nera was blinded by her obsession with Rem.
"Liar!" Nera yelled. "And then, you have the audacity to bear two monstrosities and call them children. It's a disgrace to the Kenobi bloodline."
"Hey!" Owen yelled back. "You watch your mouth."
"Or what? You'll have mum slap it off?" Nera sneered back.
"Oh no. I'm quite capable of doing that, without his request." Mijara replied. "Where is the slave transmitter Nera?"
"It's in a compartment in Gelda's chair." She gave up, easily. 'Too easily'. Obi-Wan thought.
Obi-Wan walked over to the chair and found the transmitter. He examined it but the force screamed for him to not touch any buttons on it.
"It doesn't work of course. I've linked the signals to the village's power core. And attached a few thermal detonators to it with a timer. Gilda's men may have fled but they left a parting gift to their favorite people." Nera said happily. "You're too late, Mijara. No one to save you this time."
Rem opened the cellar door to Tuuki's house. A sickening odor coming from the cellar. The men covered their noses as they proceeded into the darkness.
"Just go outside if you have to puke." Mace joked at Rem.
"Oh don't worry. I was dead for two days, remember? Took me a week to get the smell off." Rem replied dryly.
They turned on a light to reveal Tuuki- dead. He had been hit with an electro-rifle. Rem looked confused for only a moment and then turned to the two Jedi.
"Nera."
Qui-Gon immediately contacted Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan told him about the bombs. The one thing Nera would not give up is how much time they had to disarm it.
The men rushed to the village center. They could only hope they would make it in time.
Owen took Nera to the prison hold as Mijara and Obi-Wan headed to the power core. They met up with the others just as they arrived.
Rem led the group to the main control console. After a moment of examining it, Obi-Wan knew they would not be able to disable the bombs from a safe distance.
"What are we going to do?" Mijara asked Rem. There was a slight plea in her voice.
"I'm going to save the day." Rem said lightly.
"Rem. You can't -" Mijara began to protest but Rem kissed her. She seemed to give in.
"My love." She pleaded.
"My life." Rem replied.
"Rem. There has to be another way." Mace demanded. But Rem shrugged.
"I'm open to ideas." He said weakly.
"We could go in there as a team. Taking them off, slowly." Qui-Gon suggested.
"And possibly kill us all? No." Rem said firmly. He was right. There was no way of knowing if the bombs could even be disabled. If it did go off, the Jedi would be needed to help the people of Stewjon however they could. Rem nodded.
"Alright then." Rem stated plainly. He went to kiss Mijara once more, but instead, pulled out a pair of cuffs and forced her hand to be cuffed to a nearby pipe.
"Rem!" Mijara shouted. He knew her better than that. She would have followed him if he didn't stop her. Mace held her in comfort. Qui-Gon was trying to think of another way. Rem walked out into the power core main room.
And Obi-Wan ran in behind him.
The door slammed shut and locked from the other side.
"NO!" Qui-Gon shouted and banged on the door. He turned towards the others, anger clearly written on his face. What in the force possessed Obi-Wan to chase after his father, was beyond comprehension. But there was little he could do.
"Da!" Obi-Wan yelled to his father. Rem slowed down.
"I love you but you're a damn fool Obi." Rem said angrily. Obi-Wan had never heard his father upset before. But he wasn't going to let him die, if it could be avoided.
"You're the fool who decided to run in here!" Obi-Wan pointed out.
"Who's more of a fool? The fool or the fool who follows him?" Rem replied. He was right but that wasn't going to stop Obi-Wan.
The two worked quickly, trying to detach the detonators. They got to the very last one. It had the timer attached. Less than 10 seconds left.
Obi-Wan looked at his father. Rem looked back at Obi-Wan to ensure he was committed. Obi-Wan nodded.
"Shey nu ma." Rem said with tears in his eyes.
"Shey nu ma, da." Obi-Wan replied.
The entire building rocked, throwing Qui-Gon to the ground. Mijara shouted and collapsed, crying. Mace noticed something.
"They did it." He said. Mijara looked at him and sniffled.
"What?" She asked in a low voice.
"You didn't die Mij. They did it. They stopped the slave trackers from going off and killing the enslaved.
"Mijara wasn't enslaved." Qui-Gon pointed out. She had escaped capture before receiving the tracker.
"No. He's right. I was enslaved years ago. When the hutts left, they took the transmitters so I couldn't leave the planet. If they had failed-" Mjiara trailed off.
Qui-Gon freed Mijara from the cuffs and the three headed to the power core.
They pried open the door and were met with a crater, where the power core had been. There was nothing but dust and dirt.
"Obi-Wan!" Qui-Gon called out, in the hopes for an answer. Nothing.
They searched for several minutes before Owen approached them, with others from the village. Everyone joined in to find the heroes. No one expected them to be alive but it was the right thing to do. To honor them and their bravery.
Twenty minutes went by, something caught Owen's eye. Movement in the dirt. He called out to the others and ran over to the site. He dug down a few inches and pulled Rem's hand from the dirt. Rem turned over and coughed out dirt from his mouth. Before he could fully catch his breath, he shouted:
"Woo!"
He and Owen laughed slightly. Owen helped Rem up. He was perfectly fine. Not a single injury.
"Obi-Wan." Rem stated as he fully came to. He looked around and seemed to be calculating where Obi-Wan should be due to the blast. Rem ran over and began to feel around.
Suddenly, a hand shot out from the ground. Qui-Gon and Rem pulled Obi-Wan from the dirt and helped him to sit down. Mijara checked her son. He too, was without injury.
After briefing the council on the recent events, it was agreed that all three Jedi deserved some time off. They were granted three weeks reprieve.
One early morning, Qui-Gon woke up to the smell of Mijara's wonderful cooking. Before sitting down at the table, Qui-Gon glanced into the kitchen, where Mijara had tried to kill him just days before. She was placing dishes in the sink and Rem crept up behind her. They embraced and Mijara giggled. It was the first time Qui-Gon saw her truly at ease. The two lovebirds kissed and Qui-Gon decided to leave the two to enjoy their moment.
He stepped outside onto the porch to see Obi-Wan meditating. Qui-Gon joined him. After a minute or two, Obi-Wan opened his eyes and spoke:
"I deflected it. The explosion. The force was so close. I could almost breathe it in. I called on it and let it flow through me. It felt like it was suffocating me but just as I thought I couldn't take anymore, it stopped. And the explosion had gone around me and da. I can't explain it."
"Force deflection. It is a very difficult ability to master. Even harder to summon without any prior knowledge on how. You saved the planet Obi-Wan. And you have earned this." Qui-Gon said proudly. He pulled out a dark blue padawan string. It was meant for the highest of honors amongst the padawan learners. Most never received it in their apprenticeship. Qui-Gon carefully braided it in Obi-Wan's hair.
"Thank you master." Was all Obi-Wan could muster to say. He was shocked to be awarded such a string. He would definitely stand out when he walked down the halls of the temple now.
TIme passed quickly as Obi-Wan was allowed to enjoy his culture and old way of life. He took time to sit in the muja trees and read or nap. He ate his mother's cooking as well as cooked with her. He sparred with his father, who turned out to be fairly skilled with a lightsaber himself.
Three weeks came and went. It was time to return to the temple. Normally, Qui-Gon would mention that they were heading home, but he refrained this time. In the past few weeks, Qui-Gon had gotten to know the Kenobi family and to some extent, Obi-Wan. The boy was completely himself around his family. He spoke more, laughed louder and showed affection to his family. It was good to have a break from the temple but duty called.
At the newly repaired ship, the Jedi began to board. Mace hugged Rem and Mijara. She placed a soft kiss on his cheek. They offered a strong handshake for Qui-Gon.
"You take care of my boy or I'll hunt you down, crush you, grind into tiny pieces and blast you into oblivion." Mijara threatened. Qui-Gon nodded. He understood that the wrath of Obi-Wan's mother was nothing to play with.
Obi-Wan hugged his brother, Owen and began to tear up. He didn't realize how hard it was going to be to leave again. Next was his father: Rem pulled him into a large, strong hug and spoke into his ear:
"We are always here for you. You are and always will be a Kenobi."
Obi-Wan nodded and tried to hide his face. But Rem pushed his chin up, reminding him to be proud. Be proud of the pain and be proud of where he came from.
When it came time to hug his mother, he broke. He cried in his mother's arms. He couldn't speak. He wanted to say 'I love you' so badly but he just cried.
"Shey nu ma, Obi-Wan." Mijara said with tears in her eyes.
"Shey nu ma." Obi-Wan replied. 'I'll carry you always'. It was what she had told him when he first left for the temple and the second. He considered himself fortunate to hear them once more.
So many years had passed since that moment. So many had died because of Obi-Wan's failure to train Anakin. It had been three years since the fall of the Jedi and Ben Kenobi found himself staring at the stars, just before dark.
He knew he'd have to hide his identity when Obi-Wan became an enemy of the republic. But he could not shake what his parents had taught him. 'You are and always will be a Kenobi.'
It stuck with him. So much so that he decided to change only his first name. Ben had been his alias when he managed to sneak away with Satine. They would take short leaves and spend a couple of days together here and there. He loved it from the moment she came up with it.
"Why Ben?" He had asked. Satine laughed.
"Because your hair is wild, like the Ben birds on Mandalore." She replied.
Ben smiled at the old memory. And it occurred to him. He went into a trunk of his old things. Nothing much more than tools and journals he was keeping for Luke to see when he was old enough. There it was. A commlink. Ben punched in an old number, hoping it would work. It lit up.
"Obi-Wan!" Mijara exclaimed.
"Hi mum." Ben replied. They talked for hours. Ben found himself crying a few times as he explained what had happened. But Stewjon was so secluded, the empire had no reason to go there. Stewjon was safe. His family was safe. He had never told Anakin of his homeworld or his family. He felt it might be painful for Anakin, if he had shared. In the end, it saved his family.
For the first time in years, Ben was comforted by the fact he was never alone.