Thread : Darth Plagueis, part one : How Obi-Wan Kenobi mainly accidentally became rich and how the Jedi damned themselves
Truthfully, Obi-Wan was midway through the plan before he realized he needed a plan. As a former Initiate, currently smuggler apprentice, in an unprecedented padawanship, acquiring an illegal fortune was not something he had given any thought about. Money did not have much meaning for a Jedi whose needs was taken care by the Temple administration. As an Initiate, Obi-Wan never had to complete an acquisition form, his creche-master then the overseer of the Initiate dormitory did it for him. If he had been a regular padawan, his master would have dealt with the paperwork until the last years of his padawanship when the student started furnishing for himself.
However, Obi-Wan wasn't the padawan of a Jedi, and his master was keenly interested in keeping track of money spent and acquired. Han had not been totally ready to take a thirteen years old as his ward, so they were a bit tight on cash at the beginning. His master had quickly explained money through examples of good deals, bad deals, bad deals made good by ferrying merchandise where you could sold it for a good deal, and imponderable expenses. Unlike Han former ship, the Millenium Falcon I, his current ship wasn't in need of constant repairs, so these expenses weren't as problematic as they could have been. They must have been, if Han had once needed to borrow from a Hutt to keep his ship flying. Obi-Wan shuddered at the thought, having since encountered a Hutt.
Taking responsibility of a teenager wasn't as costly as replacing the wrap core, but still not on the budget plan, and once Han finished explaining the expense and benefits of the Millenium Falcon II, Obi-Wan quickly understood it was a really tight fit, indeed. After some moral debate, his desire to not be a free-loader won over his reluctance to steal. Once he had met a few of the regular characters in smugglers den, Obi-Wan readily agreed some people were in need to lose a bit of their blood money. Besides, Han had managed to frame it as an exercise of stealth and Force manipulation, and Obi-Wan was still an obedient padawan at the time.
Now, some responsibility was on Han, because his master never told him to stop pickpocketing once the ledgers had a comfortable marge. Then again, Han was a smuggler and would never spit on good money unless it hurt his moral compass. Some responsibility was on Obi-Wan, because he was on the high of not getting caught until he got caught – which was the third possibility explaining the Force-sensitive hunters, Obi-Wan never knew which one flagged them, exactly – and then was determined to become good enough to not get caught again. His success contributed to diminish the occurrences of hurried flights from previously welcoming systems. These experiences quickly taught Obi-Wan you could never know when you needed to make yourself scarce for a while, so it was best to have a large supply fund. Accounting the decrease of instances when the Millenium Falcon II crew needed to make themselves forgotten, and Obi-Wan maintaining a stable load of income, he did acquire quite a bit of money.
Obi-Wan still did not have much idea of money value at the time, so he simply surreptitiously took possession of creditships and gave them R2. Han talents as a slicer were modest and vastly surpassed by the Millenium Falcon II which, while having a large processing power, wasn't not programmed as a slicer either. Between them, they managed to crack a creditship for two Obi-Wan acquired, so once they had sufficient funds buying R2 was an evidence. The strangely named droid was not an R2 unit – too costly – but a talented slicer who could interpret the most common languages of the galaxy and as such boosted their trade opportunities and the receipts of Obi-Wan hobby. The backlog of creditships alone was enough to finish paying R2 lease and pay off the last repairs of the Falcon following a scrap with pirates. R2 soon became one of Obi-Wan teachers in slicing, languages and binary, with various success.
When the amount of cash accumulated started to become too dangerous to travel with, Han introduced the concept of bolt hole to Obi-Wan. In Han words, it was a backwater planet where nobody would steal your money because it was largely devoid of sentient life and ideally not on any map, and it was safe to have a few of them in every quadrant of the galaxy, so if you were ever short on cash you just had to swing by. Obi-Wan, with his upper-class education found another possibility fitting his master words: a bank. A short debate later they divided the extra cash in two, carefully chose two bolt holes and the most cutthroat bank that wasn't owned by Hutts. Hutts had horrendous interest rates which were not constructive to the preservation of funds. The Inter Galactic Banking Clan was just as dangerous, but its interest rates were much more reasonable and even offered an opportunity to make profit if you invested wisely.
Wise was not a fair descriptor of the reasons of Obi-Wan wealth. Han had decided that, as it was Obi-Wan idea, his padawan should make the arrangements himself. His only implication was signing a few documents, as Obi-Wan legal status was unknown, despite Master Nu assurance she would magic up the paperwork on Coruscant Temple. Under Muun law, funds was the head of clan possession unless documentation on the origin of the wealth accredited it to a clan member. Having read a bit on the subject, Obi-Wan guessed his clan head was most probably Master Yoda, but as he had not his emancipation certificate and no wish to explain his past unless necessary for fear of Force-sensitive hunters. Rather than deal with this mess, it was easier to use Han name and give Obi-Wan full access. It implied registering Obi-Wan, Coruscanti citizen – which Obi-Wan had proof, unlike the certificate probably sent on Bandomeer weeks after he left –, as ward of Han Solo, Corellian citizen, and adding Skywalker after Kenobi, but convenience partial adoption were common amongst Muuns due to their extensive fostering practice and a quick process. Between the Muun counselor eager for his commission exploiting Muun law and Han easy compliance as it was not the first time his family name was overlooked, it was just a matter of determining which clan they belonged to.
Han had suggested Skywalker, and explained he had once took his wife name and the son they had had born his mother family name. The Muun counselor had listened, asked a few questions such as which Skywalker was the eldest and remaining relatives. "We believed Luke was the eldest but not by much. Both parents died and they were raised apart so physical comparison gave nothing. Leia did the actual ruling and Luke pursued ventures on the side but according to family tradition. He helped raised Leia only child, Ben, as well as Rey, which he brought into the family. They are all gone now. As for others relatives there is Shmi, maybe, but I never actually met her" answered Han. "What is the relation between Shmi and the main branch?" asked the counselor, noting down information as Han gave them. "She is kin to both Luke and Leia. Two generation off from each of them. Luke is the only one to have spoken of her". The Muun paused then slowly asked "What was the relation between Ben and Rey ?" Han appeared uncomfortable when he answered "Very close when they were not attempting to kill each other. None was married." The Muun nodded and Obi-Wan understood the assumption he must have made. "Could you precise the gender of the individuals?" he enquired. "Ben and Luke male, Leia, Rey and Shmi female" Han answered.
Obi-Wan wasn't very surprised when Han validated the assumption the next day. The Muun counselor hummed, then swamped down that Han Solo had joined Skywalker clan through wedding Leia Skywalker, clan head after the death of her father Anakin Skywalker. He listed that all relatives were deceased, excepted a human female named Shmi, daughter of Rey, fosterling of Luke Skywalker, brother of Leia Skywalker. The presumed link between Ben Skywalker and Shmi was not indicated, which made Han Solo the best choice as a clan head to Skywalker clan. Obi-Wan Kenobi-Skywalker was listed as Han Skywalker-Solo fosterling. That the Skywalker were not a Muun clan was overlooked for convenience purpose. Han left to deal with a contractor and Obi-Wan broached the subject of investment.
For the Muun, a sixteen years old human male investing seemed like a disaster waiting to happen. Especially considering both humans had worn clothing that did not scream of financial ease, but they had deposited an important sum that contradicted that first assumption. It was possible they belonged to one of those cultures where the head of fortune invested their time in the running of their business and preferred an hand-on education. In that case, the sum was probably a pittance destined to teach the youngest wealth-management, explaining the eldest disinterest. Maybe he should try something similar with his own son? The boy didn't seemed to totally grasp the reality, sometimes.
As economy specialists across the galaxy could have summarized if they were not busy gushing on the meteoric rise of the IGBC and the cunning of its Magistrate, the Force was a handy tool when investing. This piece of news was as true as it was largely unknown. Most trained Force-sensitive were Jedi, and Jedi did not care much for wealth, excepted for a few individuals who filled to the brim the Order coffers in their lifetime. As such practice would not be kindly seen by the Order, they kept their talent secret and subsequently forgotten at their death. A few generation later, a curious Jedi would rediscover the practice and continue the cycle.
Other Force-sensitives would constate a good luck in cards or hazard game, and sometimes try their hand on the market stock. As they were not trained, their success was limited but made them very happy, and sometimes established a rich family. In time, those families would intermarry and often an offspring would find its way in the Jedi Order ranks. The Damask were one of such families, in which low awareness of the Force lead to the successful creation and rise of the IGBC. Sadly for the Jedi Order, the introduction of Jashleen Damask in their ranks took a tragic turn. The Muuns had long chicaned on financial opportunities before joining the Republic, finally driving the galactic government to make an exceptionally good offer to Muunilist. A Jedi was dispatched to ease the process, and identified young Jashleen Damask potential in the Force. Her father, the main diplomate from Muunilist, one Hego Damask, mistook the offer of taking his youngest daughter off his hands for a fostering offer. The Jedi similarly did not understood Hego Damask expected to see his daughter return home in eight to ten years.
A decade later, Hego Damask contacted the Jedi Temple on the subject of his daughter, after having accepted for years that the Jedi were a monastic Order which did not allow communication with the family during the training period. He was first surprised then furious to learn the Jedi estimated he had given over every right on his daughter and did not intend to give her back. The Jedi were outraged the, in their eyes, disinterested father wanted back one of them, and absolutely refused to separate fourteen years-old Padawan Damask from her master. Hego Damask first attacked the Jedi Order in the courts for kidnapping and sequestration, but lawyers quickly changed his mind on the chance of success of such a procedure. He then raised a stink in the press, reigniting the rumor of child-stealing the Jedi were often confronted with. The Jedi put a suit for false declarations and scrupulously shielded Padawan Damask from any rumors, as the poor child did not need to suffer from her father inconstance.
The wording of the counter-suit inflamed the Muuns, whose culture treasured children enough than an offer of fostering was considered a great diplomatic gesture. Muunilist opinion was that the Republic had scorned their ways, Hego Damask was as excellent a father as Muuns often were, and he was paying the price of his dedication for the diplomatic mission he was put in charge a decade back. Persuaded to have been spited upon, Muunilist ceased the entrance process in the Republic with great fracas and gained a rather low opinion of Jedi. The judicial battle between Hego Damask and the Jedi Order, which would have finished to the detriment of the Muun, was overshadowed by the decision of Muunilist. Without a citizenship status, Hego Damask had no hope to win in the courts and retired his plea. The Jedi retired their own as a diplomatic gesture under the pressure of the Republic which was trying to mend bridge with Muunilist.
The sole benefits of this wholesome debacle was for Darth Tenebrous, who followed with growing amusement the scorned father attacks against the Jedi Order. Aware that Force-sensitivity often run into family, he took contact with Hego Damask to ascertain him as either an Apprentice or another thorn on the Jedi side. As Hego Damask early rise amongst the Muuns indicated, he was a powerful Force-sensitive and ready to fraternize with another enemy of the Jedi. But Hego Damask was first and foremost a Muun and a banker, which would cost his master dearly. Nearly two decades after the stink he pulled against the Jedi, Muunilist received so alluring an offer from the Republic that they opened anew the diplomatic process. They sent the same ambassador. The Jedi sent the precedent negotiation had known recently a Sith-related disappearance, so the Jedi Order needed at last moment to send another Jedi and one high-ranking enough to not be an insult, following the recommendations of the Senate, most eager for Muunilist wealth. They sent Yan Dooku, the former padawan of Master Yoda.
Both the Senate and the Order would have preferred to send a more experimented Jedi, but missions had dispatched away all other padawans from the grandmaster and most of the diplomatic Councilors, leaving only those that would scorn back the expected ambassador and those too important to be dispatched. Besides, the Order did not like that much being ordered around by the Senate and asked to make nice to the being who crucified them twenty years ago. Most diplomates had to deal with Damask accusation for years afterwards and were in no hurry to personally meet the Muun, so it fell to a Knight of a year herding his first padawan to deal with this important diplomatic process. Hego Damask, by then also known as Darth Plagueis, openly disparaged the Jedi and sought a fitting revenge in destroying every Jedi he came across. While he could not cut all of them down personally, making them doubts their very beliefs was quite easy. Yan Dooku was a young Knight and while he did not believe the Jashleen situation happened quite the way the Muun told it, he had a weakness, festering for twelve years.
As a twelve years old, his once friend Lorian Nodd, antsy to be chosen as a padawan, stole a Sith holochron from the Archives and showed it to Yan, hoping they could study it together and be chosen. Yan, being younger by seven months, was not so anguished and wished to put the holochron back on its shelf and pretend it never left its spot. Lorian Nodd disagreed and when the bickering Initiates were found by a Knight, the holochron was in Yan hand. Both friends were promptly brought before the Council, where Lorian Nodd blamed the thieving on his former best friend. Yan Dooku, shocked and betrayed, kept silent, persuaded any word would be believed as a lie further compromising his own chance to be chosen.
Naturally, the Council felt Lorian Nodd lied and he was never selected, but instead sent to a Corp which he left to become a pirate until an untimely meeting with Yan Dooku a few decades afterwards. Soon after this trial, Master Yoda chose Yan Dooku as his padawan, but no Councilors told the young padawan they knew he had not stolen the holochron. Yan, having nearly convinced himself he was going to be sent back on Serenno in disgrace, was so surprised by the offer that he thought the Order had contacted his family, who offered a substantial amount of money to keep him within the Order, so his younger brother would remain the heir of house Dooku's possessions. Determined to prove he hadn't stolen the holochron but still unwilling to voice it, he concentrated his studies on fencing, neglecting his ability in Force manipulation, guessing it must have been the subject of the holochron.
Hego Damask words were enough Yan Dooku resolved to finally contact his family, something he had not done for fear they would repudiate him and the shame he nearly brought on them. The ambassador, for all his dislike of Jedi, did clearly care for his daughter. The Dooku similarly warmly welcomed Yan, particularly the sister born after he was sent to the Order. A few years later, knee deep in the Yalamiri-Kalee war, Yan Dooku nearly lost his padawan to the Yalamiri after Qui-Gon discovered that the Yalamiri, which had called the Senate for help against the Kalee invaders, were in fact the only side possessing shipwright technology and as such the invaders. Sadly, the Yalamiri deep pockets convinced the Senate the Kalee were brutal warmongers and not merely mounting a counter-attack after a near genocide. Following this decision, Yan Dooku lost all faith in the Senate and forwarded to Kalee first aid supplies paid by his private account on Serenno. It gained him the gratitude of the Kalee who would a day be known as Grievous.
It took another handful of years before Yan Dooku found himself in a very similar situation, heading the exact same way. Listing all acquaintances able to help him ending favorably the current strife, he remembered Hego Damask. He had not spoken a word to the Muun in nearly a decade, but he was still prowling around Coruscant regularly, acting as Muunilist ambassador. The Muun, however, had been near desperate for any information about his daughter and the Jedi Order had already refused to send him further help. As such, Yan Dooku felt vindicated in stealing Jashleen Damask file and bargaining said file against the Muun help. On Dooku side, the situation resolved itself favorably, excepted he was considered as a prospective apprentice by a Sith Lord, which his later life showed was not an enviable position. Darth Plagueis, on the other hand, discovered his daughter had been dead for fifteen years and the most probable murderer was his own master. In vengeance, he killed Darth Tenebrous, then sought an apprentice. The Jedi had been ruthless in negotiation, but it would take decades to turn him. On the other hand, the young aid of the Naboo Senator, one Sheev Palpatine, would take very little to turn to the Dark Side.
Becoming the Sith master had not been Hego Damask motivation when offing Darth Tenebrous and pursuing the plans he had created with his daughter murderer did not tempt him. Still, he could change opinion, so he formed an apprentice, absent-mindedly groomed the interesting Jedi as either a prospective apprentice or the pawn in some of his thirty-five scenario inducing the end of the Republic and the decimation of the Jedi Order, and continued to loath the holier-than-you child-stealers. But mainly, he exploited his Force training to divine the market stock and made such killings that by the time he supplanted his master, he had become the Magistrate of the IGBC.
Obi-Wan did not have the talent of Magistrate Damask, neither did he spend as much time manipulating the stock market. But he was a trained Force-sensitive well-versed in hazard games. One had to, as a smuggler, and it explained nicely his presence when he pickpocketed unsavory characters. As a theorical exercise, he had once tried to predict the future of a few actions and obtained encouraging results. His first foray into the stock market did not contradict his earlier successes.