From the Collected Journals of
General Obi-Wan Kenobi
By Moriah Organa
Category: Alternate Universe
Rating: G
Disclaimers: Characters and setting belong exclusively to George
Lucas, (aka The Maker). I swear on the Code I'm *not* making any
money off of this.
I'm not handling this at all well. When I'm not giddy with joy over Qui-Gon's
survival I'm
shaking in terror over *how* he survived! I wish I had my Master's faith,
yet I think even he's a
little rattled. It must be as unnerving to be the subject of a miracle
as it is to work one.
And now I'm shaking again. Calm, be calm. Write it out, maybe it'll help,
it certainly can't
hurt. There's nothing miraculous about standard Jedi
Healing techniques, the Force simply
strengthens and accelerates the body's natural processes. In all modesty
I'm quite good at it.
Good enough for Master Koth to express some regret when I chose the Knighthood
rather
than Healing as my service. Sometimes I think that was a mistake,
like now.
My Master was past the reach of normal healing methods by the time I got
to him and we
both knew it. Nothing but his will and the Force had kept him alive that
long.
"Too late." he gasped as I lifted his head.
"No!" I answered, desperate, I wasn't ready to let him go, not yet.
He struggled to tell me something about the boy, Anakin, and suddenly I
*knew* this must not
be. Knew if Qui-Gon died now the consequences would be terrible for me,
for Anakin, for the
Galaxy, he *had* to live!
I could feel the Force gathering around us, reached for it. I don't know
what I was thinking
or even if I was thinking. It was as if the Force Itself were acting *through*
me deciding what
to do and doing it.
It - I? - reached into Qui-Gon's body, explored the terrible damage inflicted
by the Sithlord's
lightsabre and undid it, erased it as though it had never been. His presence,
faint, flickering,
close to extinction suddenly flared back full strength dazed, almost frightened
before sinking
into unconsciousness then the Force let me go and I tumbled after him into
the dark.
I woke to the sound of Anakin's voice telling an incredible story. It seems
not only did he fly
his fighter into battle but he single handedly took out the droid control
ship saving the Gungan
army from annihilation.
Queen Amidala was there too, trying to hide her giggles as she watched
Qui-Gon's face. I
enjoyed it too, my Master's constant serenity can be *very* trying at times.
It was good to see
it shattered, or at least badly dented, for once.
It wasn't until the conversation turned to the Sith warrior that I began
to remember; the fight
itself and after. I pushed it away, it had to be a dream or a delusion.
Such things just don't
happen to real people not in this day and age!
The idea a Sith had been using the Trade Federation to take over Naboo
frightened the
Queen badly, not that I blame her! it worries me too. Naboo seems such
an odd target, a nice
little planet but not rich nor of any stategic importance I can see. Sith
don't have a reputation
for whimsy, there must be a reason, it bothers me I can't find it...
Eventually her Majesty took Anakin away. I turned, a little nervously,
to Qui-Gon. "Master," I
said hesitantly, "I seem to remember you were wounded -"
"I was dying." he corrected quietly, eyes steady on mine. "You saved me, healed me."
I stared at him. Not a dream then or a delusion. There are stories, legends
from before the
Sith Wars, that tell of miraculous healings worked by ancient Jedi Hero-Saints
but nobody
takes them seriously, except perhaps Qui-Gon. He would, he believes in
prophecies why not
miracles too?
Looks like he's right on both counts.
"I don't understand." I managed to get out through a tightening throat.
I'm about as far from a
Hero-Saint as it is possible to be!
"Neither do I," my Master answered gently, "It's the doing of the Force,
we should accept it
and be grateful."
I'm trying. Gratitude is easy, acceptance comes harder. I'm scared, I *never*
expected
anything like this to happen to me. I've killed a Sith and healed a mortal
wound, things no other
Jedi's done for at least a thousand years, and I think I know why - which
scares me even
more.
What will the Council say, and what will they do?
I'll find out soon. They arrived this morning from Coruscant on the Supreme
Chancellor's
transport.
"Better late then never." I murmured to her Majesty as we watched it land.
She gave a ladylike, or should I say Queenly? little snort then stepped
forward to say a few
final chilly words to a pair of miserable Neimoidians.
"Now, Viceroy, you are going to have to go back to the Senate and explain all this."
"I think you can kiss your trade franchise good-bye." Panaka added with
pardonable
satisfaction as he started his prisoners towards the transport.
Master Qui-Gon, Anakin and I followed. Bowed to the ebuillant new Supreme
Chancellor, the
former Senator Palpatine, who paused to say a complimentary word to Qui-Gon
and me, and
pat Ani on the head before continuing on to greet the Queen.
Bowed again as the Councillors filed down the ramp, grave and silent troubled
by the
reappearance of the
Sith. They don't know the rest of it yet.
Qui-Gon's going to press for them to reconsider their decision on Ani's
training, I hope they
listen.
The boy is the key. The Force helped me save Qui-Gon because Ani needs
him. He *is* the
Chosen One he will defeat the Sith and restore the Balance, if anybody
can. He *must* be
trained even if we have to defy the Council and leave the Order to do it.
I hope it won't come to that, but if it does I go with Qui-Gon and Anakin.
I see my destiny lies
along the same path as theirs. Now the Chosen One needs Qui-Gon but someday
he's going
to need me too.
"There is a great disturbance in the Force. Events are moving." Qui-Gon
warned. My
hermitage is quite small and seemed even smaller with my old Master standing
in the middle of
the cluttered single room, dominating it.
"Yes, Master." I agreed, laddling stew into a bowl. "I feel it also." Frowned,
trying to bring
those feelings into clearer focus. "But I can't quite sense what they're
moving towards."
That earned me a reproving look. "Focus on the present, Obi-Wan, let the
future take care of
itself. Be patient."
"Yes, Master." I said resignedly. To my Teacher I will always be his impatient
Padawan.
Though I do like to think patience is one lesson I've mastered over these
last twenty years.
He smiled. "Are you humoring me, Obi-Wan?"
"Yes, Master." I set the bowl on the stone table. "Would you care to join me?"
A laugh. "No thank you." he settled himself in the alcove. "I'm sorry,
Obi-Wan. I sometimes
forget you've grown beyond my tutelage."
"Never that, Master." I disagreed quickly and sincerely. "I still have much to learn."
Qui-Gon looked at the contents of my bowl, grimaced. "Cooking for one."
I woke in the pre-dawn darkness to a prickling presentiment of approaching
danger. I hadn't
forgotten my conversation with Qui-Gon but the Sand People had become alarmingly
bold of
late and it seemed likely the feeling related to them.
At first light I set out to scout the Wastes. Quickly ran across the trail
of a small raiding party
tracking them to an arroyo not far from my hermitage. I found them busy
looting a speeder until
I scattered the lot with a Krayt dragon call.
I didn't realize it was young Luke Skywalker they'd caught until I saw
him sprawled inert
where the raiders had dropped him. Knelt and quickly felt for a pulse,
sighing in relief when I
found it. I put a hand to his forehead reaching out to investigate the
damage. Fortunately
nothing I couldn't easily put right.
Finished I sank back on my heels, heard a tiny sound and turned sharply
towards it. Not a life
form, a small droid trying to hide in a nearby crevice. I put back my hood
to show I was
human.
"Hello there!" smiled reassuringly and beckoned. "Come here, my little friend, don't be afraid."
He emerged. An Artoo unit with blue markings, not unlike Anakin's R2D2.
Emitted a series of
concerned whistles.
"Don't worry, he'll be all right." I answered. Luke chose that moment to
stir. He started to sit
up, I steadied him. "Rest easy, son, you've had a busy day. You're fortunate
to be all in one
piece."
He blinked at me in momentary confusion. "Ben? Ben Kenobi?" we'd known
each other well
once, before Owen put his foot down. But it'd been several years since
I'd seen him except
from a distance. He hadn't seen me at all until this moment. "Boy am I
glad to see you!"
"The Jundland Wastes are not to be travelled lightly." I scolded, getting
to my feet and helping
Luke to his. "Tell me, young Luke, what brings you out this far?" I was
begining to suspect my
presentiment had nothing to do with Tusken Raiders.
"This little droid," he gestured towards the R2 unit. "I think he's searching
for his former
master, but I've never seen such devotion in a droid before."
I had. Surely it couldn't be...
"Ah, he claims to be the property of an Obi-Wan Kenobi." that name, coming
unexpectedly out
of nowhere, hit me with almost physical force. I couldn't conceal my reaction.
Sank back
half-stunned onto a convenient boulder.
Luke's eyes narrowed. "Is he a relative of yours? Do you know who he's talking about?"
"Obi-Wan...Obi-Wan..." Coming from Luke the name sounded alien, unfamiliar
like it belonged to
somebody else. I've been Old Ben the crazy desert hermit a good many years
now, perhaps
too many. I pulled myself together with an effort. "Now that's a name I've
not heard in a long
time, a long time." Not counting last night of course.
Luke's eyes were fixed on me like a targeting beam on an objective. "I
think my uncle knows
him. He said he was dead."
I couldn't help a snort of amusement. It sounded like something Owen would
say, and there
may have been more truth in it than he realized. "Oh he's not dead," I
told Luke, "not yet." Not
quite.
"You know him?" he pressed.
I couldn't help laughing. Obviously the boy'd realized the truth but wanted
to hear it from me. I
obliged. "Of course I know him. He's me!" more or less. "I haven't gone
by the name Obi-Wan
since oh before you were born." Twenty years, twenty years.
"Then the droid does belong to you?" Luke continued.
"I don't seem to remember ever owning a droid." I mused, eyeing the R2
unit thoughtfully.
"Very interesting."
A bantha cry interupted my introspection. "I think we better get indoors.
The Sand People are
easily startled but they will soon be back. And in greater numbers."
We started for the speeder only to be stopped in our tracks by a cacophany
of agitated
whistles and beeps from the R2 unit.
"Threepio!" Luke gasped and darted off up the arroyo.
I recovered myself, looked at the little droid. "So it is you, Artoo Detoo."
He whistled a cheerful
affirmation. "Well let's go see what trouble your counterpart's gotten
himself into this time."
Judging by the results See Threepio had gone over the edge of a short drop.
He was badly
dented and his left arm had broken off at the shoulder. Luke and I helped
him to sit up.
"Where am I?" he said with stunning unoriginality."I'm sorry, sir, I must have taken a bad step."
"Can you stand?" Luke asked anxiously, "We've got to get out of here before
the Sand People
return."
"I don't think I can make it. You go on, Master Luke. There's no sense
in you risking yourself on
my account. I'm done for."
Artoo bleeped a disgusted comment from the shelf above. Obviously Threepio
hadn't changed
a bit.
"No you're not. What kind of talk is that." Luke protested, much moved.
Rather more accustomed to protocol droid histrionics I contented myself
with hauling him to his
feet. "Quickly....they're on the move."
I'd learned to love the Tatooine backcountry over the years but my affection
certainly didn't
extend to the Hutt controlled port towns. Luke however was starry eyed
at his first glimpse of
a 'city'.
"Mos Eisley Spaceport." I half warned, half chided. "You will never find
a more wretched hive
of scum and villainy. We must be cautious."
I wasn't at all happy about taking Anakin's son into an open port controlled
by Jabba the Hutt
and doubtless crawling with Imperial stormtroopers but had no viable alternative.
Mos Espa or
Mos Eol would be no safer. We'd just have to trust in the Force.
I directed Luke away from the relatively respectable part of town to the
rundown port district.
We were soon stopped by a squad of stormtroopers.
My new student paled visibly as the Imperials crowded around us but piped
right up when
asked "How long have you had these droids?"
"Three or four seasons."
"They're for sale if you want them." I put in falling back into my desert scavenger persona.
"Let me see your identification." the Trooper demanded.
I exerted the Force. "You don't need to see his identification."
"We don't need to see his identification." The Trooper agreed.
"These aren't the droids you're looking for." I continued.
Luke's eyes flashed from me to the Stormtrooper as the man obediently repeated,
"These
aren't the droids we're looking for."
"He can go about his business." I suggested.
"You can go about your business." said my echo.
"Move along." I advised Luke.
"Move along, move along." the Trooper chimed in waving us on our way.
"Turn in here." I directed and got another uncertain look from my student
as he obeyed, pulling
up in front of a tumbedown blockhouse.
A Jawa scurried up as we parked, fondled the speeder longingly. Luke shooed
it away. "Go
on, go on."
"I can't abide those Jawas." Threepio sniffed haughtily. "Disgusting creatures."
I'd thought so too once. I'd learned better but there's no point in arguing with a droid.
"I can't understand how we got by those troops."
Luke rattled on. "I thought we were dead."
"The Force can have a strong influence on the weak minded." I replied,
answering the
question he hadn't quite asked.
No doubt about it his new awarness of my powers was making Luke very uneasy.
He
changed the subject looking dubiously at the cantina. "Do you really think
we'll find a pilot
*here* to take us to Alderaan?"
"Most of the best freighter pilots can be found here." I explained. "Only
watch your step, this
place can be rough."
I admit I underestimated the impact of the cantina's millieu on young Luke.
His father, at age
ten, hadn't turned a hair when Qui-Gon and I'd taken him into a similar
place on Corellia. But
then Anakin had spent his early years in the roughest part of Mos Espa.
His son had led a
considerably more sheltered life.
I approached a Corellian in a shipsuit and announced I was looking for
a charter. He directed
me to a seven foot tall Wookie. I managed a greeting in my rusty Kashhyk'ka.
My accent had
always been atrocious and twenty years disuse hadn't improved it. Still
it got us off on the
right foot. Chewbacca was delighted by my courtesy and warmed to me at
once.
He readily admitted he and his partner were available for charter, hinted
that they were in fact
badly in need of one. Naturally I didn't pry. He offered to introduce me
to his captain. I
accepted, then realized my student was in trouble.
Fear attracts the fearful as Ani used to say and poor Luke was definitely
fearful in these
strange surroundings. An alien and a human, even less savory than the usual
run of
customers, had him cornered against the bar.
I tried to sooth the waters. "This little one's not worth the trouble."
I told the human, putting a
steadying hand on Luke's shoulder. "Come let me get you something." Nine
times out of ten an
offer of a drink will defuse any barroom confrontation. Unfortunately this
was one of those
tenth times. The human, apparently fastening on me as a more worthy opponent,
hurled Luke
out of the way and pulled a blaster.
My lightsabre had ignited and sliced through blaster and human before I'd
I chance to think.
The alien tried to draw and I cut away both arm and gun with a backhanded
strike. Then
paused - engard - searching for further threats. Happily nobody seemed
interested in
avenging the pair. Eyes veered uneasily away from my gaze as nearby patrons
self-consciously resumed their drinks and conversations. I extinguished
my sabre realizing
two things; first my Jedi reflexes were in rather better order than I'd
thought. Second I'd just
made a serious, if unavoidable, mistake. This would be talked about and
when the Imperials
heard they'd know what it meant. We had to move fast. I helped a dazed
Luke out of the ruins
of the table he'd been flung into.
"I'm all right." he mumbled, staring at me in disbelief.
"Chewbacca here is first mate on a ship that might suit us." I told him,
ignoring what had just
happened.
Luke Skywalker: I'd just lost the only home, the only family I'd ever known
but I was doing my
best not to think about it just then. Ben obliged by giving me a lot else
to think about. I'd known
him most of my life, though I hadn't seen much of him in the last few years,
but now I was
realizing I didn't know him at all. I think I'd always sensed there was
more to him than the
crazy hermit act he put on in front of most people, but he'd never let
me see much of the real
Ben. Until now. It was quite a revelation.
The moment I laid eyes on Chewbacca's partner I knew this man was going
to be important to
Luke's destiny. I didn't know then how important. his Force presence was
unusually strong.
"Han Solo. I'm Captain of the Millenium Falcon." He introduced himself.
"Chewie here tells me
you're looking for passage to the Alderaan system."
"Yes indeed." I replied, "If it's a fast ship."
He gave me a disbelieving glare. "Fast ship? You've never heard of the Millenium Falcon?"
Restraining a smile I widened my eyes innocently. "Should I have?"
"It's the ship that made the Kessel run in less than twelve parsecs!" he
snapped back,
annoyed.
I sensed he was telling the truth but knew better than to let him see I was impressed.
"I've outrun Imperial starships," he continued with some heat, "not the
local bulk cruisers, mind
you. I'm talking about the big Corellian ships now. She's fast enough for
you, old man." rubbed
thumb against forefinger. "What's the cargo?"
"Only passengers." I responded. "Myself, the boy, two droids," leaned forward
letting my
voice drop for emphasis. "and no questions asked."
Han grinned. "What is it? Some kind of local trouble?"
Would that it were. "Let's just say we'd like to avoid any Imperial entanglements."
I said settling
back in my chair.
"Well that's the real trick isn't it? And it's going to cost you something
extra." a pause then -
"Ten thousand, all in advance."
Luke, predictably, failed to recognize a bargaining gambit when he heard
it and was appalled.
"Ten thousand? We could almost buy our own ship for that!"
"But who's going to fly it, kid? You?" Han mocked.
"You bet I could." Luke snapped back. "I'm not such a bad pilot myself!"
True but I wasn't about to trust him with a hyper-jump. For that matter
I had more thousands of
hours of flight time than either of them had been alive but that was beside
the point.
"We don't have to sit here and listen to this -" Luke told me, starting to rise.
I hauled him back down. "We can pay you two thousand now," I was sure I
could scrape that
much together - "plus fifteen when we reach Alderaan."
"Seventeen, huh!" he pretended to pounder it but I knew I had him. "Okay.
You guys got
yourselves a ship. We'll leave as soon as you're ready. Docking bay ninety-four."
"Ninety-four." I repeated.
His eyes slid past me. "Looks like somebody's begining to take an interest in your handiwork."
I glanced over my shoulder. Four stormtroopers were talking to the bartender.
I touched
Luke's shoulder and he gave me a look of near panic. "We'll be there within
the hour." I told
Han, rising unhurriedly. Quick movement would only call attention to us.
Took Luke by the arm
and steered him through the crowd to the back door.
"You'll have to sell your speeder." I told him as we emerged into the street,
pulling up my hood
against the blazing double sunlight.
I'd half expected an argument but - "That's okay. I'm never coming back to this planet again."
Oh yes you are, I found myself thinking, someday.
We stashed the droids in a rented room before seeking out one of Mos Eisley's
innumberable
used speeder lots. I let Luke do the bargaining dispite his lack of experience.
The only way to
learn is to do and it was his speeder.
"Look at this." He complained displaying a handful a coins and credit chips.
"Ever since the
XP-thirty-eight came out, they just aren't in demand."
"It will be enough." I replied, hurrying him through the dusty back alleys.
My feelings told me
we were being followed, watched. Nothing to do about it but keep moving
and hope to stay a
step ahead of our pursuers.
We collected the droids and headed for docking bay Ninety-four. Found Chewbacca
waiting
impatiently just outside it. It seemed our crew had their own reasons for
being in a hurry.
I admit I was more than a little taken aback by my first view of the Millenium
Falcon. I reminded
myself of the numerous Jedi aphorisms on the deceptive nature of appearances
and that I
was looking a bit old and battered myself these days.
Luke's reaction was forthright. "What a piece of junk!"
Han emerged from beneath the ship glaring defensively. "She'll make point
five past
lightspeed.
She may not look like much but she's got it where it counts, kid. I've
made a lot of special
modifications myself."
I sensed his sincerity. Of course self-deception couldn't be entirely ruled out.
"But we're a little rushed, so if you'll get on board we'll get out of here."
I wondered what Han and Chewbacca were running from. Hutt trouble most likely.
We boarded seconds before a detachment of Imperial troops stormed the docking
bay. We
heard the whistle of blaster fire then Han was hurtling past us on his
way to the cockpit
shouting, "Chewie, get us out of here!"
I have experienced smoother take offs but none faster. We'd cleared the
atmosphere by the
time Luke and I'd unstrapped and joined our pilots in the cockpit.
Unfortunately our troubles weren't over yet. A glance at the scanners showed
no less than
two Imperial Star Destroyers in hot pursuit. I would have been flattered
if I hadn't known it
was the droids, or rather the plans in Artoo they were after. Then the
situation took a turn for
the worse.
"Look sharp." Han snapped to his co-pilot, "There are two more coming in;
they're going to try
to cut us off."
"Why don't you outrun them?" Luke demanded. "I thought you said this thing
was fast." The
boy has a lot to learn about diplomacy.
"Watch your mouth, kid, or you're going to find yourself floating home!"
Han snarled. I couldn't
blame him, Luke should know better than to insult a man's ship. "We'll
be safe enough once
we make the jump to hyperspace. Besides I know a few maneuvers. We'll lose
them."
I certainly hoped so. A warning shot whitened the space outside the ports, rattling the cockpit.
"Here's where the fun begins." Han grinned sardonically.
"How long before you can make the jump to lightspeed?" I asked. I wasn't
worried about being
blasted into particles, they'd want the droids intact, but if we were boarded...Well,
even in my
prime I couldn't have stood off an entire destroyer crew.
"It'll take a few moments to get the co-ordinates from the nav. computer."
Han answered. His
words punctuated by another shot, this time a hit at half power.
"Are you kidding? At the rate they're gaining...!" Luke shrilled.
I gave him a reproving look. Han was more vocal. "Travelling through hyperspace
isn't like
dusting crops, boy! Without precise calculations we could fly right through
a star or bounce to
close to a supernova and that'd end your trip real quick, wouldn't it?"
The firing was continuous now, rocking the ship. A light winked red on the control board.
"What's that flashing?" Luke demanded, near panic.
Han knocked his frantically pointing hand out of the way. "We're losing
deflector shield. Go
strap yourselves in. I'm going to make the jump to lightspeed."
Of course we were right back in the cockpit the second the shift was complete.
Luke gaped
fascinated at the whiteness outside the ports as I slid into the seat at
the scanner station and
recalibrated for hyperspace.
"Two of the Imperials are still with us." I reported.
"Don't worry," Han replied, lounging in his pilot's chair. "We'll lose
'em." swivled round to give
me a calculating look. "So what'd you guys do anyway? Steal the Imperial
Treasury?"
I couldn't resist a mischievious grin. "Much worse."
"Killed an Imperial Governor?" he guessed. "Not recently." I admitted.
"Then what?"
I beckoned and as he leaned forward whispered in a conspiratorial undertone.
"Would you
believe I'm a Jedi Knight carrying vital information to the Rebel leadership?"
"No" he whispered back. I laughed. The answer I'd expected. Sometimes the
truth is much
more unbelievable than any lie. "Come along, Luke, let's get started."
My new apprentice blinked, jarred out of his day dreams. "Started?"
"You said you wanted to learn the ways of the Force." I reminded him.
Han Solo: So I asked the old man what he and the kid had done to make themselves
so
interesting to the Imps. He got this twinkle in his eye, beckoned me closer
and asked if I'd
believe he was a Jedi Knight carrying secret information for the Rebels.
That's when I started
to like the old guy. He might be a crazy old desert rat but he had a sense
of humor. And one a
lot like mine. That was just the kind of smart aleck answer I'd give if
somebody got snoopy.
Of course the real joke was the old man'd just told me the exact truth.
Confident I wouldn't
believe a word of it. He was right.
I steered Luke back to the main cabin trying to decide where to start.
Since we were plunging
right into the middle of a war combat skills had best come first. Besides
the sabre discipline is
a good basic exercise.
I set my student in the middle of the floor, stepped back a pace or so facing him. "Watch me."
I demonstrated a simple draw and the basic grip. "Hold it *so* so the blade
will be at ready
position when ignited."
"Is that how you did that quick draw in the cantina?" Luke wanted to know.
"Basics first, Luke," I chided mildly. "You must be patient." I swear I
heard Qui-Gon chuckle.
Remembering a certain young padawan who'd gotten very tired of those words
I had trouble
keeping my own face straight.
"Yes, sir" my student said reluctantly. Awkwardly imitated my movements.
"Now stance." I demonstrated. Right foot forward, left back and at an angle, both well apart.
Luke rearranged his feet, frowning in concentration. "Like this?"
"That's fine. Now watch *carefully*." I activated my lightsabre. "from
this stance you can
attack - defend - advance - or withdraw." I moved through strike, block,
thrust and disingage.
Deactivated and watched Luke imitate the movements with fair accuracy.
I had him repeat the exercise until he was comfortable with draw, grip and stance.
"Now let me show you the basic drill." I reignited my sabre and ran through
the first four
figures at about half speed. Finishing with a full turn strike. "You see?"
Luke stared at me round eyed. He swallowed. "Uh - could you do that again, a little slower?"
"I thought that was slow." I repeated the routine at what felt like a crawl. "Got it?"
"I think so." he said doubtfully.
"Now you try."
"Uh -"
I reminded myself Luke didn't have the years of training and conditioning
behind him that a
normal padawan had, and whose fault was that? "Here, mirror me."
We went through the drill in unison several times until Luke's movements
smoothed out. Then I
started adding further figures and working on his speed. "Time for a rest."
I said at last.
"I'm not tired." Luke protested, eyes shining. "But I am," I laughed, "have
mercy on your elders,
son!"
He was instantly apologetic. "I'm sorry, Ben, I wasn't thinking." taking
my arm he guided me to
a seat, all solicitude for his aged instructor. "Can I get you something?
A glass of water?"
"That won't be necessary." I assured him, amused but a little annoyed as
well. I may be old
but I'm not quite decrepit! Still it was a pity to waste all that youthful
energy....
"Chewbacca," the Wookiee looked up from the holo chess game he was playing
against
Artoo. "Do you have any seeker remotes on board?"
He growled a response.
Which I interpreted for my student. "That upper left compartment, Luke.
Yes, one of those
globes. Bring it here." I adjusted the settings then tossed the remote
into the air. It hovered
waiting.
"I want you to block the stinger beams with your lightsabre blade." I instructed.
Luke stared at me in disbelief. "That's impossible!"
I shook my head. Anakin's son had much to unlearn. Got up and moved back
onto the floor
activating my sabre. The remote oriented itself on me, fired a quick triple
burst. My blade
flickered through the air blocking all three bolts. I deactivated and turned
back to my astounded
pupil.
"All things are possible with the Force, Luke." He closed his mouth and
blinked his eyes back
into their sockets but still looked uncertain.
"If I tired old man can do it," I continued teasingly, "so can you."
"I'll try." he said doubtfully.
"Do or do not!" I snapped, quoting Yoda, "There is no 'try'."
He took a deep breath. "Okay then, I'll do it."
"That's the spirit." I approved, moved off the floor.
Luke ignited his lightsabre, settled rather self consciously into ready
stance eyeing the remote
warily as it maneuvered around him.
I stood off to the side watching. Then it hit me. A disturbance of the
Force more powerful than
any I'd ever felt before. Darkness swam before my eyes. I groped shakily
back to my seat.
"Are you all right?" Luke's voice, concerned even alarmed, reached me from
a great distance.
"What's wrong?"
He hadn't felt it then. Just as well, the boy'd had enough shocks for one
day. "I felt a great
disturbance in the Force..." I answered. Struggling to put what I'd experienced
into words.
"..as if millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly
silenced." I'd sensed
death before, too many times. But never on this scale. "I fear something
terrible has
happened."
Luke touched my shoulder tentatively, wanting to help but not knowing how.
I made an effort
to pull myself together for the boy's sake. "You'd better get on with your
exercises."
Reluctantly he moved back to the floor, shooting me a worried look over
his shoulder. I leaned
my head on my hand, pushed away my fears. I would know what had happened
soon
enough. Forget the past and future, I told myself quoting Qui-Gon, focus
on the moment. Be
mindful of the Living Force. Han entered smugly pleased with himself for
finally losing the last
of our pursuers, and more than a little disgruntled by our lack of appreciation.
"Don't everybody thank me at once." he grumbled. "Anyway we should be at
Alderaan at
about oh-two hundred hours."
Luke successfully deflected two stinger bolts and shot me a triumphant
look. Then
Chewbacca let out a roar drawing all eyes to the gaming table. Apparently
he'd just lost a
piece to Artoo and wasn't at all happy about it. Wookiees as a rule are
not good losers. As
Han was quick to point out.
"Let him have it. It's not wise to upset a Wookiee."
"But sir," Threepio protested. "Nobody worries about upsetting a droid."
"That's because a droid don't pull people's arms out of their sockets when
they lose.
Wookiees are known to do that."
Threepio flinched. "I see your point, sir." Turned to his counterpart.
"I suggest a new strategy,
Artoo. Let the Wookiee win."
The astrodroid vented a loud protest while Chewbacca preened himself in
satisfaction. I
pulled my attention back to my pupil where it belonged.
Luke caught another bolt but he was tense, overcontrolling. "Remember,"
I told him, "a Jedi
can feel the Force flowing through him."
He shot me a quick, nervous glance. "You mean it controls your actions?"
"Partially." I admitted. "But it also obeys your commands." It's difficult
to describe a Jedi's
relationship to the Force in a few words, or any words for that matter.
In time Luke would
learn for himself what it meant to be at one with It.
Suddenly the seeker remote feinted then lunged, zapping Luke on the thigh.
Han laughed. "Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good
blaster at your
side, kid."
Luke deactivated his sabre. "You don't believe in the Force do you?" he challenged.
"Kid, I've been from one side of this Galaxy to the other," Han drawled.
"I've seen a lot of
strange stuff, but I've never seen anything to make me believe there's
one all-powerful force
controlling everything."
He glared at me, sensing my amusement through the very Force he was denying.
"There's no
mystical energy field that controls *my* destiny!" he concluded defiantly.
"It's all a lot of simple
tricks and nonsense."
Poor Han. He was already caught fast in the Force's toils. Struggle as
he might there'd be no
avoiding his destiny now.
I took a helmet down from the bulkhead. "I suggest you try it again, Luke."
carried it over to him
and popped it on his head. "This time let go your conscious self and act
on instinct."
His hand went automatically to the lowered visor. "But with the blast shield
down I can't even
see." He protested. "How am I supposed to fight?"
"Your eyes can decieve you." I told him. "Don't trust them."
He reactivated his sabre, doubt hanging around him in an almost tangible
cloud. The remote
maneuvered, fired caught him on the arm.
"Owww!"
"Stretch out with your feelings!" I counselled.
And he did. I felt the Force stir, then Luke's blade flashed up to catch
the first stinger bolt a
split second before the remote fired, then a second and third. He deactivated
and pulled off
the helmet to stare at me with a mixture of disbelief and delight.
I smiled at him. "You see, you can do it."
"I call it luck." Han grumbled, impressed but determined not to show it.
"In my experience there's no such thing as luck." I fired back over my shoulder.
"Look," he argued, "good against remotes is one thing. Good against the
living? That's
something else."
He was quite right. It's much easier against a living opponent with a Force
presence to read.
But of course that's not what he'd meant.
A warning light flashed. "Looks like we're coming up on Alderaan." Han
and Chewbacca
headed for the cockpit.
Luke came up to me. "You know I did feel something." he confided. "I could
almost see the
remote."
"That's good." I congratulated, clapping him on the shoulder. "You've taken
your first step into
a larger world."
The ship juddered under our feet. "They're shooting at us again!" Luke cried.
"No," I corrected, listening carefully. "sounds like asteroids."
I'm not sure Luke heard, he was already charging up the passage to the
cockpit. I followed at
a more measured pace. There weren't any asteroid fields or other navigational
hazards in the
Alderaan system. I had a very bad feeling about this.
"Our position is correct," Han was telling Luke as I arrived. "except...no Alderaan."
I closed my eyes. No. Oh, no.
"What do you mean?" my student demanded, "Where is it?"
"That's what I'm trying to tell you, kid. It isn't there. It's been totally blown away."
Death on a scale I'd never experienced before. An entire planet. A beautiful,
peaceful world
with millions of inhabitants. All gone.
"What? How?" Luke couldn't grasp it.
"Destroyed, by the Empire." I answered. Anakin...Leia.....
Han disagreed. "The entire starfleet couldn't destroy the whole planet."
he argued. "It'd take a
thousand ships with more firepower than I've -" he was interupted by the
proximity alarm.
"There's another ship coming in."
"Maybe they know what happened." Luke suggested hopefully.
But I'd seen enough of the scanner readout to say with certainty. "It's an Imperial fighter."
An explosion of laser fire rocked the cockpit as the finned, globular shape
of a TIE fighter
flashed past.
"It followed us!" Luke exclaimed.
"No." I said, glancing again at the scanners. "It's a short range fighter."
"There aren't any bases around here." Han pointed out. "Where'd it come from?"
He was right. I made an effort to pull myself together, to think.
"Sure is leaving in a big hurry." Luke observed. "If they identify us we're in big trouble."
"Not if I can help it!" Han snapped. "Chewie, jam it's transmissions."
"It would be as well to let it go." I told him, "It's too far out of range."
"Not for long." he answered, intent on his target. I shook my head. No
point in arguing with
him. Still...the little ship's presence troubled me. "A fighter that size
couldn't get this deep into
space on it's own."
"It must have gotten lost, been part of a convoy or something." Luke suggested.
Well he ain't going to be around long enough to tell anybody about us."
said Han. I had to give
him full points for focus.
I was feeling decidedly blurry myself, from shock and barely controlled
grief. Aldera, the
grasslands, the university...all gone. It was unbelievable.
"He's heading for that small moon." Luke said pointing.
Moon? Alderaan had no moons.
"I think I can get him before he get's there." Han was saying, "He's almost in range."
There is nothing like imminent danger for concentrating the mind. Suddenly
I *knew*. "That's no
moon! It's a space station." the station that had destroyed Alderaan.
Han, of course, had to argue. "It's too big to be a space station."
"I have a very bad feeling about this." Luke said suddenly, perhaps picking
up the same
darkness I sensed eminating from the thing.
"Turn the ship around!" I ordered.
"Yeah," maybe Han was feeling it too. "I think you're right. Full reverse!
Chewie, lock in the
auxillary power."
Too late. The ship shuddered as a tractor beam took hold. The Wookiee moaned in distress.
"Chewie, lock in the auxillary power!" Han shouted, then reached over and
did it himself as his
partner stared transfixed at the station inexorably growing in our ports.
It wasn't going to work. No matter how many 'special modifications' Han
had made to her the
Falcon couldn't possibly be a match for that colossus.
"Why are we still moving towards it?" Luke shrilled.
I was going to have to work on that boy's emotional control. Not that he
didn't have every right
to be concerned.
"We're locked in a tractor beam." Han explained impatiently. "They're pulling us in."
"There's got to be something you can do!"
Fortunately the full implications of Alderaan's destruction hadn't registered
on Luke yet. I only
hoped I'd be able to cope when it finally did. To lose his father so soon
after learning of his
existence and without ever seeing him....
"There's nothing I can do about it, kid. I'm at full power. I'm going to
have to shut down." Han
reached across to snap off a series of controls. Set his jaw. "They're
not getting me without a
fight!"
I approved of his spirit but felt it could be put to more practical use.
"You can't win." I told him,
"but there are alternatives to fighting."
He turned to me, asked grudgingly, "What do you have in mind?"
"Luke get the droids." I told my student. As he left I continued to Han.
"You are a smuggler
aren't you, Captain Solo? I presume you have shielded holds." He nodded
slowly. "Yeah, that
could work." turned to his co-pilot. "Set the helm on automatic, Chewie."
swung back to me
and frowned. "What d'you think you're doing?"
"Making a few alterations to your log." I replied, tapping away at the
auxillary board. "I hope
you don't have a full compliment of escape pods, Captain."
"The two I got don't work." He snorted. "We lose the Falcon there's not
much point in me and
Chewie outliving her."
"I understand." I finished my modifications and switched them to a monitor
on the captain's
console. He arched an appreciative eyebrow. "Abandoned ship right after
launch eh? They
might buy it."
"At least until they hear from Tatooine." I agreed. And found myself exchanging
a
conspiratorial grin with our captain.
I like the fellow. He reminds me of Ani, and perhaps a little of myself
back when I was young
and reckless.
We found Luke waiting with the droids in the main corridor.
"Please, sir, what's happening?" Threepio all but wailed at me.
"A great deal, as usual." I answered.
Han and Chewbacca lifted a floorplate revealing a cramped cargo space.
"Okay, Goldenrod,
in you go." "Sir?" the droid echoed blankly.
Han didn't bother to explain. "Chewie!"
The Wookiee picked Threepio up off his feet and dropped him unceremoniously into the hold.
"Ahhhh! Master Luke, help!" he wailed as he swung up, followed by the crash
as he landed
and a low moaned, "Oh dear, oh dear!"
"Now the little one." Han directed.
Artoo bleeped a bit as he was lowered into the cargo space but characteristically
made
nothing like the fuss his counterpart had.
"You next." Han said with a look that added, 'You deal with the neurotic droid!'
I climbed in, smiling faintly. It wasn't as if I hadn't had plenty of practice doing exactly that.
Threepio moaned again as Han and Chewbacca lowered the floorplate into
place, plunging us
in darkness.
"Threepio."
"Sir?" he whimpered.
"Quiet." I ordered.
"Yes, sir."
"In fact," I continued on a sudden inspiration. "It would be best if you both shut down."
"Yes, sir." Threepio said, with some relief. His yellow eye-glow went out.
Artoo bleeped assent and his sensors dimmed. I closed my own eyes, tried
to relax. Either it
would work or it wouldn't. Either way worrying about it wouldn't change
a thing.
The ship jolted as we passed through the retaining field and into the docking
bay, settled
heavily to the deck. The hatch opened and armoured feet sounded overhead
as
stormtroopers conducted a cursory search. I reached out with the Force
to try and read their
reactions and touched the Dark, chill presence of a Sith. I recoiled into
myself, went passive
trying to fade into the flow of the Living Force. Felt the dark one pass
by, groping for but not
finding me.
Not Palpatine, I would have known him at once, and he me. Another, doubtless
his latest
apprentice. Yet there was something elusively familiar about him...
I heard the last of the troopers tramp overhead to the hatch, waited a
moment then stood up.
The floorplate lifted easily from below.
I looked over to see Luke and Han had also emerged. The latter gave me
a harried look. "This
is ridiculous. Even if I could take off I'd never get past the tractor
beam."
I smiled. "Leave that to me."
"Damn fool." he said without heat, hoisting himself out of the hold. "I knew you'd say that."
"Who's the more foolish," I teased, "the fool, or the fool who follows him?"
Chewbacca gave his opinion in an unhappy yowl. Apparently he'd had previous
experience
of Imperial hospitality. So had I, and more than shared his apprehension.
Still, there was a
certain excitement, something I hadn't felt for a long time...a long time.
Han patted his partner's
head reassuringly. "It'll be okay, pal."
I climbed out of the hold, with a little help from Luke, moved towards
the hatch in time to catch
a drift of conversation from below, warned, "A scanner crew's coming aboard."
Han grinned ferally. "Leave that to me, old timer."
Or rather up to Chewbacca. The Wookiee simply picked the two men up, knocked
their heads
together and dropped them unconscious to the deck as the scanner box fell
from their grasp
with a reverberating crash that made Luke jump.
"Hey down there!" Han called through the hatch. "Could you give us a hand with this?"
The stormtroopers guarding the companionway obediently marched in and were
briskly
downed by two shots of Han's blaster. He was a fine marksman, doubtless
had had plenty of
practice.
"Now what?" A wide-eyed Luke wanted to know. "Now you two boys join the
Imperial
forces." I answered. "Get into that armor."
"Hold on a minute," Han interupted, "That wasn't part of the deal!"
I gave him a look. "You'd rather stay here?"
He took my point. Bent to strip the armor off the nearest stormtrooper
grumbling, "The things I
do for money."
Standard issue fit Han well enough but was a bit to large for Luke. I helped
him adjust the
helmet. "There. Can you see now?"
"Kinda." He said dubiously.
It would have to do. "Chewbacca, lift the droids out please."
"Aww, couldn't we leave them here?" Han complained as his partner complied.
"No." I answered briefly, bending to rap on
Threepio's bronzed skull and Artoo's dome. Best to stay together, with
a Sith aboard anything
could happen. We might have to abandon the Falcon and steal an Imperial
transport.
"Are we safe?" Threepio asked upon resuming consciousness.
"For the moment." I told him. "We're aboard the Imperial station."
"Oh no!"
The usually phlegmatic Artoo emitted a stream of agitated bleeps and whistles.
I don't
understand him as well as Ani does, but I got the gist.
"Yes I know, Artoo, I'm working on it."
"What do we do now?" Luke asked.
"Head for the gantry office." I replied. "We should be able to get the
technical information we
need there."
"Right." Han agreed. "Chewie and me'll handle the Imps. Kid, stay here
and play sentry. We
don't want them getting suspicious."
Luke looked to me and I nodded confirmation. "Let's go." Han headed down
the ramp with his
partner at his heels. I followed with the droids. An open lift took us
up to gantry level.
"Threepio, stay close to Artoo." I instructed. "Try and keep him out of
trouble."
The protocol droid sniffed. "That, sir, is beyond the power of mere gears
and circuits! But I will
do my best."
I supressed a grin as Artoo whistled an indignant retort.
The second the gate opened Han and Chewbacca were charging down the passage
to the
office. By the time the droids and I caught up they'd disposed of both
gantry officers.
Luke arrived a few seconds later, pressed the door control, pulled off
his helmet and
snapped, "You know, between his howling and your blasting everything in
sight, it's a
wonder the whole station doesn't know we're here!"
"Bring 'em on!" Han flared back, "I prefer a straight fight to all this sneaking around."
I understood his point of view, I'd preferred action to stealth myself
at his age, but a 'straight
fight' under these circumstances was to say the least inadvisable.
"We found the computer outlet, sir,." Threepio piped.
"Plug in." I ordered. "He should be able to interpret the entire Imperial
network." Artoo is *not*
your average astro-droid.
He obeyed and in a few moments found the information I needed and put it
on monitor. "The
tractor beam is coupled to the main reactor in seven locations." Threepio
said, interpreting for
Artoo, "A power loss at any one of the terminals will allow the ship to
leave."
I located the nearest terminal, memorized the route to it, and came to
a decision. "I don't think
you boys can help, I must go alone."
"Whatever you say." Han replied, sprawling into a chair. "I've done more
than I bargained for
on this trip already."
So he had. And I was going to have to think of some way to pay his fee.
Maybe we could raid
the Imperial treasury...If nothing else I would enjoy watching his face
when I suggested it.
Luke trailed me to the door. "I want to go with you."
"Be patient, Luke" I soothed, sounding more than ever like Qui-Gon. "Stay
here and watch
over the droids."
"But he can -" the boy began.
I cut him off. "They must be delivered safely or other star systems will suffer Alderaan's fate."
Though how we were going to get in touch with the Rebels now our only contact
was
gone...I dismissed the thought. Focus on the moment.
I sensed the possibility this parting might be for good. If that happened
I prayed the Force
would guide and protect him for he'd have no other ally. I put a hand on
his shoulder. "Your
destiny lies along a different path from mine." and as I said it, I knew
it for truth. Luke must not
come with me.
The door opened. I glanced aside checking the corridor then turned back
to my student. "The
Force will be with you," I promised, "always."
And with Its help so would I.
The station's corridors were lit by grilled wall panels creating useful
areas of shadow. I
melted into one as a detachment of stormtroopers marched past. Emerged
to continue on my
way and caught a sense of the Sith's presence nearby. Drew my lightsabre
before moving on
down the passage. I would have to face him eventually I knew, but I'd deactivate
the tractor
beam first. Whatever happened to me Luke *must* escape. Gradually the dark
presence faded
behind me.
Apparently he was in no hurry for our confrontation either. I returned my sabre to my belt.
The corridors were practically deserted, connecting little used technical
installations near the
outer hull. Living quarters and control centers would be located deep inside
the station,
protected by layers of outer decks.
Yet I was all but overwhelmed by a presentiment of incipient disaster.
A warning from the
Force, or just nerves? I wasn't used to this kind of thing anymore. Perhaps
I was growing
timorous in my old age.
I drew my sabre again, before entering the power trench, convinced I would
meet with some
last minute obstacle. But the walkway was empty and silent except for the
hum of power
conduits.
I stepped off onto the narrow ledge encircling power terminal. Edged carefully
around it, trying
to ignore the yawning gulf below. I've never been fond of heights.
I found the power switch and closed it. Then edged on to the next panel
to make the
necessary adjustments. I finished them just in time. The sound of marching
armored feet broke
the stillness, I just had time to restore the power beam before a trio
of stormtroopers entered.
"Give me regular reports." the officer told the other two and left.
The troopers turned to each other. I sensed confusion, some irritation
- and a buried
apprehension.
"Do you know what's going on?"
A shrug. "Maybe it's another drill."
So far I'd had the terminal between me and the guards but I'd be in plain
view the moment I
stepped onto the walkway. They were facing away from me as they gossiped
about some
new model fighter but I insured their continued inattention by projecting
an illusion of sound
and movement into the corridor behind them as I made my escape in the opposite
direction.
The corridors were no longer deserted. I found myself dodging detachment
after detachment
of stormtroopers apparently in hot pursuit of a group of fugitives. Comlink
conversations said
something about a prisoner escaping from the detention cells. I didn't
need the Force to tell me
Han and Luke were somehow involved.
I had counted on the captain's pragmatic sense of self-preservation to
keep both him and Luke
out of trouble. It seemed I had overestimated, or perhaps underestimated
him. What had those
boys gotten themselves into? And what was I going to do about it? Nothing
it seemed. I
slowed, sensing the Sith ahead blocking the way to the Falcon's hanger.
Came into sight of
him and stopped.
This one favored black armor topped by a grotesque breath mask. Mechanical
breathing was
clearly audible in the otherwise silent corridor, blending with the hum
of his activated
lightsabre.
"So you are still alive, Obi-Wan." he said. "It would seem so." I agreed,
igniting my own
weapon. There was something familiar about this Dark Lord but I hadn't
the time or the
inclination to track the likeness down.
"But not for long!" he continued.
I raised an eyebrow. Chatty type for a Sith. "We'll see."
I had to insure Luke escaped, had to see what was happening back at the
Falcon. I lunged at
the Sith. Our blades locked and relocked, humming and sparking. Perhaps
I haven't mastered
patience quite as well as I'd thought.
I tried a spinning stike to cut through that armor, he blocked me. Too
old and too slow, much
too slow. Happily my opponent was no master either. The armor limited both
his speed and his
movements. I wondered why he bothered with it, effect perhaps?
His attacks were conservative, treating me with a respect I feared I no
longer deserved.
Still...I had killed two of his predecessors, perhaps that alone justified
a certain caution on his
part.
I worked my way around him, began backing towards the hanger knocking his
blade out of
line as he followed, lunging, trying to re-engage.
Finally I reached the hanger's cargo port, holding the Sith at bay as I
tried to assess the
situation. I saw no sign of Luke, Han and Chewbacca but sensed them lurking
nearby.
Stymied perhaps by the presence of several stormtroopers in the hanger.
Then the Sith launched an attack that required my full attention to counter.
Our blades locked. I
wrestled mine free exchanging places with him. I had my opponent's measure
now. Old and
slow as I was I could hold this fellow off all day. Unfortunately I didn't
have that kind of time.
I glanced quickly aside, saw the five stormtroopers who'd been guarding
the Falcon running
towards us cutting me off from the ship.
Wonderful. Looked back at my opponent. *Better think of something fast,
General, Ani'll never
forgive you if you get yourself killed and leave Luke all alone.*
Behind the guards I saw Han, Chewbacca, Luke and somebody small and slender
in flowing
white making for the ship. Only to falter to an uncertain halt as they
spotted me, locked in
combat with the Sithlord and surrounded by stormtroopers.
Luke started towards us, ready to take them all on in my defense. I'd have
to do something
fast before the boy got himself killed.
Then it hit me. Sixty years and I'm still making the same mistake, so much
for age bringing
wisdom! What had I just been telling Luke? What had Qui-Gon told me time
and again? I could
hear him now: 'Let go your conscious self and act on instinct!'
I lowered my sabre and stood passive. Not thinking - feeling, waiting.
I sensed the Sith's uncertainty, his fear and anger. Saw his decision,
his move seconds
before he made it. Turned aside the powerful horizontal strike and countered
wth an uppercut
that sliced through his armored forearm. Hand and sabre both clattered
to the deck as he fell
back roaring in pain or rage, sparks rather than blood spitting from the
wound.
I swirled through the hanger portal, striking at the control panel. Blast
doors closed, cutting off
the Sith and an approaching squad of reinforcements. Of course there were
still the five
stormtroopers to be dealt with. After a stunned moment they opened fire.
Luke screamed my name and started shooting too, then Han in support.
I deflected the blaster bolts back on the troopers felled three as the
boys shot down the other
two. I'm fairly sure it was a wild shot from Luke that winged me. Burning
up my right forearm.
My lightsabre dropped from suddenly nerveless fingers, extinguishing itself
as it fell. I very
nearly followed it, barely catching myself against the bulkhead with my
good hand.
"Ben!" Luke had covered the distance between us in record time. "Are you all right?"
"Real dumb question, kid." Han of course. "I'll say this for you, old man,
you can really use that
antique of yours."
"Thank you." I managed. Trying to regain my focus enough to apply Jedi
pain control
techniques. "Chewie." Han ordered.
The Wookiee picked me up, easily as a child, accidently jarring my wounded
arm. I couldn't
quite restrain a gasp of pain.
"Careful!" Luke snapped.
Chewbacca growled an apology.
I concentrated on breathing, on controlling the pain and rather lost track
of things for a few
moments.
"You got some kind of med-kit on this tub?" a woman's voice demanded. "General
Kenobi, can
you hear me?"
I forced heavy lids open and found myself looking into a pair of lovely,
concerned, oddly
familiar brown eyes at very close range. It took my scattered wits several
seconds to realize
who this girl with Amidala's eyes had to be.
"I am very glad to see your Royal Highness alive." I heard myself say formally
and with some
understatement. At least we still had both twins. If Anakin had died with
Alderaan they were
our only hope to defeat the Emperor.
I discovered I was slumped in a chair in the Falcon's main cabin with both
twins hovering over
me. "I owe you my life, General." Leia said, rolling up the loose oversleeves
of robe and tunic
and cutting carefully through the shirt sleeve beneath. "And Luke too,
of course."
I noticed she didn't include Han.
The blaster burn was long and narrow, scoring my forearm past the elbow.
"Not bad." Leia
said judiciously, spraying on a dressing.
Her brother, less experienced with wounds, looked decidedly green.
"It's just a surface burn." I reassured him, "Ugly and painful but not dangerous."
Leia held up a hypo, looked at me uncertainly. "Would you like something
for the pain?" I
smiled. "No."
She put it away a little reluctantly. "I thought you'd say that."
"But -" Luke began, "It's not necessary." I told him. "Pain is of the mind,
Luke, I have it under
control now."
He looked unconvinced.
Han chose that moment to burst into the cabin. "C'mon, buddy, we're not out of this yet!"
The twins looked at me and I nodded. "Go."
Luke headed for the gunports with Han while Leia ran to the cockpit to join Chewbacca.
"Oh dear, oh my." Threepio jittered.
"You might want to strap in." I suggested gently. "Oh dear!" he moaned
again. "I don't mean to
be a problem, Master Obi-Wan, but I just wasn't designed for adventures!"
Nor had he been. Poor Threepio. I must be mellowing in my old age, now
I'm empathizing with
Ani's neurotic droid!
Leia's voice over the com: "Here they come!"
The ship vibrated under the first salvo, lights dimming briefly as power
was channeled to the
shields. I got up and headed for the cockpit steadying myself against the
corridor wall.
Ignoring Threepio's plaintive cry.
"Sir! Master Obi-Wan, where are you going?"
"How many are out there?" I demanded, falling into the auxiliary seat behind Leia.
"I count four." she replied, eyes glued to the ports.
Only four fighters out of how many hundreds or even thousands to pursue
a pair of prizes
like the Princess and myself? Luke was even more valuable but they didn't
know about him
yet. I was insulted. How stupid did Palpatine's latest apprentice think
I was? Another hit.
"We've lost lateral controls." Leia warned.
"Don't worry, she'll hold together." Han replied over the com.
She did, barely.
Luke and Han eliminated a fighter apiece in short order.
Leia cut into their celebration. "There's still two more of them out there!"
Chewbacca growled at her. She looked back helplessly. Obviously Kashyyk'ka
hadn't been
part of her curriculum.
"He wants the co-ordinates for our destination." I translated.
"Oh." she swiveled around and entered them in the computer. "Calculating course."
I had caught the first few sets of digits. "Yavin system?"
She nodded. "Our current base in on Yavin four." another hit drew our attention
back to the
dogfight outside just in time to see the third and fourth TIEs turn into
fireballs.
Han and Luke's hoots and cheers filled the cockpit. Leia jumped from her
seat to hug
Chewbacca and plant a resounding kiss on my cheek. It's been a while since
I was kissed by
a princess, twenty years.
Chewbacca punched the button and we jumped to the temporary safety of hyperspace.
Making my way back to the main cabin I all but fell over Threepio, entangled
in sparking wires
and blaming Artoo for his predicament as usual.
"This is all your fault! Master Obi-Wan, help me!" I found the cut off
switch just as Han and
Luke arrived on the scene.
"What happened to Goldenrod?" the Captain wanted to know.
"I thought I told you to strap in." I scolded.
"I was endeavoring to assist Artoo in extinguishing a small fire." Threepio
replied with a
forlorn attempt at dignity as Luke hauled him to his feet.
Han looked at the damaged circuitry, raised a brow. "Hmph, good work. Guess
you two are
some use after all." he frowned at me. "Better sit down before you fall
down, old timer." and
brushed past to the cockpit.
I smiled after him. "Captain Solo will never win prizes for his tact."
but there was a good heart
there, better than even he knew.
Luke studied me in concern. "You okay?"
"It's been a long day." I told him. "And I'm not as young as I used to be."
Chewbacca appeared behind us, growled a remark. "He wants you to assist
Captain Solo in
the cockpit while he checks the ship for damage." I interpreted for Luke's
benefit.
"Sure. Let me help Ben back to the cabin first."
Leia stormed in a few minutes after Luke left. "Oh, that man!"
"Captain Solo?" I guessed.
"All he thinks about is himself and his reward!" she fumed.
I studied Anakin's daughter. No Master would ever have to remind her to
keep her focus. If
anything she was a little *too* focused on her mission to the exclusion
of all else. She
reminded me of myself at her age.
"Captain Solo has problems of his own," I told her quietly. "that only
money can solve. I assure
you, Princess, a debt to the Hutts is quite literally a matter of life
and death."
She bit her lip, sighed. "Okay, maybe I wasn't fair to the man. But he's
still insufferable." gave
me a worried look. "He won't believe we're being tracked." So she'd seen
it too. "Our aim is to
destroy the Death Star." I reminded her. "It will be - convenient - to
have it come to us."
Leia gave a little snort of not quite laughter. "Convenient!"
"That station can't be very maneuverable." I continued reassuringly. "We'll
have plenty of time
to prepare."
"I just hope it has a weakness we can exploit." she worried.
"It will. There's always a weakness, Princess." At last a smile. "You sound
just like General
Skywalker."
"No doubt. We were taught by the same Master." I didn't want to ask but
I had to know. "Was
he on Alderaan?"
She looked at me startled, then appalled. "Oh no, General! he left for
Yavin four the same day I
did." My relief must have showed for she continued contritely, "I'm sorry,
I should have
realized you'd be worried about him." hesitated. "Is Luke -?"
"His son." I finished quietly.
Her eyes widened. "I didn't know he had a son!" "It's been a closely guarded
secret." I
explained. "If the Emperor had found out..." I didn't have to finish the
sentence.
"I understand. he's not a Jedi is he?"
"Not yet. His training's been delayed by circumstances beyond my control."
My own brother
for one.
The subject of our conversation entered along with Han. "You know your
worshipfullness,
you could at least say thank you before biting my head off." the latter
jibed.
Leia elevated her chin. "I've already thanked General Kenobi." she replied
haughtily. "As for
you, you'll get the payment you've been promised."
He didn't seem to hear the last, he was too busy staring at me. "*General*
Kenobi? Obi-Wan
Kenobi?"
I looked back mildly surprised. I wouldn't have expected my name to mean
anything to a man
his age. "You're supposed to be dead." he continued with his usual tact.
"Not quite yet." I replied. "Though not for lack of trying on the Empire's part."
Han Solo: I just gaped at him. Of course I'd heard of Obi-Wan Kenobi, they
still teach his
Mandalore campaign at the Academy. Though I didn't believe the stories
about mystical
powers, not then, he'd been one hell of a fighting general and his performance
back on the
Death Star made it clear he was still a force to be reckoned with.
But the old man looked like hell, exhausted, wounded. Living legend or
no he was just to old
for this kind of nonsense. Not to mention having a price on his head that
made the bounty
Jabba'd threatened to pin on me look like chump change. And no, I never
even thought about
trying to collect it. I don't touch blood money. Ever.
"What the hell's the matter with you?" Han turned furiously on Leia. "Dragging
him into your
stupid rebellion, look at him! Are you trying to get him killed?"
She flushed, angry as he was but guilty too. I must have been looking fairly
pathetic at that.
Still Han's outrage caught me by surprise.
"Princess Leia is the daughter of an old friend." I said firmly. "She is
welcome to whatever
help I can give her."
"Thank you, General," she said stiffly. "The Rebel cause -"
"Is worth his life?" Han interrupted. "Well pardon me your Princessness
but that really stinks!"
he stalked past a gaping Luke back to the cockpit leaving a slightly stunned
silence behind him.
I looked at Anakin's daughter, staring tight faced at the hands folded
in her lap. I recognized
the expression, I'd seen it on her mother when she was trying not to cry.
Leaned forward to
take her chin and turn her to me.
"Leia, you haven't dragged me into anything. I chose this path long before
you were born."
She blinked back the tears filming her eyes. "Captain Solo is the most
impossible man I've ever
met in my life."
*And you're quite taken with him.* I thought. Unsurprising really, she
was young and he was
handsome, dashing and completely unlike the men she usually associated
with.
I smiled. "Not if you know Anakin Skywalker he isn't!"
That made her laugh. "General Skywalker is difficult in a completely different way."
"You know my father?" Luke finally joined the conversation.
His sister nodded. "Only since I became involved in the Rebellion." smiled
at her brother. "You
look like him a bit, the same coloring."
"I've never seen him." Luke said flatly.
Leia picked up the emotion behind the words. It seemed there was already
a rapport between
them despite all the years of seperation. "You'll love him. He's -" paused
searching for words.
"He's like a sun, warm and shining. He - draws people."
I nodded to myself. Yes, that was Ani.
"I'm kind of nervous." Luke confessed.
"I don't blame you." his sister answered. "It must be strange never to
have known your own
father." her voice cracked a little on the word. I knew she was thinking
of Bail.
Luke proved the rapport worked both ways. "I lost my family and home today
too." he told her
quietly. "But at least my world is still there, my friends...I wish there
was something I could do
to help, Princess."
This time she let the tears fall. "You already have, Luke. You've given
me the chance to se it
never happens again. To anybody."
"Ben? We've landed." I opened my eyes to see Luke bending over me. "Are
you feeling
better?" He wanted to know.
"Yes, thank you." and looking a little better too I hoped. But the concern
in his eyes suggested
otherwise.
We joined Leia, Han, Chewbacca and the droids in the Falcon's airlock.
The atmosphere was
still somewhat fraught. I could have cut the tension between princess and
pirate with my
lightsabre.
Luke was nervous, so was I a little. I'd have some explaining to do to his father.
"At last a place of refuge!" Threepio exclaimed as the hatch opened on
the junglescape of
Yavin Four. "You want to break it to him, or should I?" Han snickered to
the Princess.
She ignored him, leading our rag-tag little band down the companionway
to a Rebel welcoming
committee A personnel scooter deposited us in the middle of a bustling
hanger full of fighters,
pilots and ground crew.
"Leia!" my heart skipped a beat at the sound of that voice.
"General Skywalker!" Leia ran to the arms of a tall fair haired man in Jedi robes.
Luke gulped. "Is that -?"
"That's him." I confirmed.
"When we heard about Alderaan I feared I'd lost you too." Anakin was telling his daughter.
She drew away from him, visibly gathering her composure. "I wasn't on Alderaan.
I'd been
captured by the Empire. General Kenobi rescued me." Ani looked past her,
eyes widening as
they found me. He's never been any good at hiding his feelings; shock,
disbelief and, oddly,
guilt passed all too clearly across his face before he swept me into the
familiar bear hug. Do I
really look that bad?
Anakin Skywalker: I never would have known him if not for those eyes eyes
and his smile.
Obi-Wan, my old friend, what have I done to you?
When I could breath again I introduced father to son. "This is Luke. Luke,
your father, Anakin
Skywalker."
Ani read his son's tension and knew to go slow.
"Welcome to Yavin Four," he said almost formally, "I'm sorry this meeting's
been delayed so
long. Obi-Wan will have explained why it was necessary."
"I understand." Luke managed, half stifled by confused emotions.
"I hate to break up this little reunion," Han interupted, "but according
to her Worship the Death
Star's right behind us."
Anakin cocked a mildly interested brow. "Indeed? That's convenient." turned
to his daughter.
"Leia?" "I hid the plans in Artoo."
The little droid whistled triumphantly. Ani smiled at them both. "Good
thinking, Princess. All
right, Artoo, let's see what you've got."
In the briefing room Anakin introduced us to the Rebel command staff while
Artoo communed
with the tactical computer.
There were two Jedi, both to young to have been Temple trained and one
still wearing the
braid. The tradition was being carried on dispite all obstacles. And General
Jan Dodonna, a
man about my age, who stammered like a boy as he said how honored he was
to meet me.
"But I thought you were dead?"
I wish people would stop saying that. I'm begining to run out of good comebacks.
I settled for
"Maybe I was." then quickly introduced my companions. "Captain Solo and
his first mate
Chewbacca."
"And this is my son Luke." Ani finished for me. Dodonna's eyes went even
wider. "I didn't
know you had - that is I'm pleased to meet you young man." "What I don't
understand is how
you all come to be together." Anakin continued.
"My father had asked me to find General Kenobi and try to persuade him
to join us." Leia
explained. "But my ship was intercepted as we entered the Tatooine system.
I had just
enough time to hide the plans in Artoo and record a message to the General
asking him to see
the droids safely to Alderaan -" her voice shook on the name and Luke quickly
took up the
story. "Somehow they made it down to the surface but were picked up by
Jawas before they
could reach Ben." looked uncertainly at his father. "You remember about
Jawas?"
Anakin nodded, smiling. "Native scavengers," he explained for the others'
benefit. "with a
tendency to pick up anything that's not nailed down."
"It was a terrible experience, Master Anakin," Threepio told him. "I thought
we were lost for
sure. Thank goodness they took us to Master Luke!"
"We needed some new droids on the farm, so Uncle Owen bought them."
"What an incredible coincidence." a Rebel officer exclaimed. "There is
no coincidence." Ani
and I responded in chorus, quoting our Master. We exchanged smiles and
I continued. "It was
the Force that brought the droids to Luke, and Luke to me."
Dodonna and his staff had obviously heard this kind of thing before and
learned to accept it.
Han had not. I heard him snort his disbelief, turned to him. "We hired
Captain Solo here to take
us to Alderaan but arrived too late, after the planet's destruction."
"Fortunately." Leia said quietly. "Or you would have died too. Tarkin said
it would be an
example to the other worlds....he made me watch."
Anakin put an arm around his daughter and she leaned against him for comfort.
Continued
steadily. "I was to be executed afterwards but Luke got to me first."
"We'd been pulled in by the Death Star." her brother explained. "We hid
from the Imperials in
Han - Captain Solo's - shielded cargo bays, then Ben went off alone to
disconnect the tractor
beam so we could escape. While we were waiting Artoo found out the Princess
was aboard
so we went to get her."
"Just like that?" Dodonna asked, with a hint of a twinkle in his eye.
Luke blushed. "We had to do something, they were going to kill her. Han
and I were in
stormtrooper armor, we put some binders on Chewie and marched into the
detention block
pretending to be a prisoner transfer.
Dodonna grinned directly at Ani. "He's a Skywalker all right!"
Luke went even redder. "I couldn't have done it without Han and Chewie."
"Yes, Captain Solo, we owe you a great deal -" Dodonna began.
"Fifteen hundred credits to be exact." Han interupted crisply.
The general blinked. His officers looked shocked, Luke and Leia dismayed.
Ani lifted a questioning eyebrow at me. I nodded.
"That was the fee we agreed on. I would say Captain Solo has more than earned it."
"He certainly has." Anakin concurred. Han Solo: I know these idealistic
types. They'll do you
dirt without a quiver in the name of their precious cause. Skywalker and
the old man were
different, they knew a deal was a deal. General Kenobi would see I got
my money if he had to
go out and raid the Imperial Treasury for it.
I don't know why that made me feel like such a heel.
"Yeah, well thanks." Han seemed slightly off balance for some reason. "If
you don't mind I'd
like to be paid and outta here before that planet-killer arrives."
"Of course." Ani said calmly. "We're short on credits, will precious metals do?"
"Sure." Han looked even more uncomfortable.
"General -" Dodonna began and was silenced by a sharp look from Anakin.
"If you're smart you'll be out of here too." Han burst out. "You got plenty
of time to evacuate."
Anakin shook his head. "That would just delay the inevitable, Captain."
"Yeah, well, death is inevitable but I never heard that was any reason
not to try and avoid it
as long as you can."
It was a good argument. Ani grinned, I could see he was taking a shine
to our Captain Solo.
"The odds will never be better than they are now, we might as well get
it over with." sobered.
"We've hidden long enough. Time to make a stand."
"You're crazy." Han said flatly, proving yet again diplomacy was not his long suit.
Dodonna, his officers and the two young Jedi bristled. But Anakin just
laughed. "So I've been
told."
Perhaps fortunately Artoo finished downloading just then and the Death
Star plans appeared
on monitor. Murmurs of dismay came from the Rebel officers Han looked smugly
vindicated,
garnering glares from both twins.
Anakin folded his arms and watched the schematics flow past. "Defenses
are geared
towards a large scale assault." he observed after a moment. "A fighter
could get through."
"And do what?" Han demanded.
"That's what we have to establish." I replied, adding to Ani. "The exhaust
system is our best
bet."
After several hours intensive study we found the weak spot. A torpedo fired
up a particular
thermal exhaust port would start a chain reaction that would destroy the
station. But it would
take an expert marksman to do it.
By now the group around the monitor was down to Anakin, his two students,
myself,
Dodonna and a couple of his aids. The other officers had been sent about
their duties. Han'd
gone off to inspect his payment, and the twins to get some much needed
rest.
"I could do it." Ani decided.
No doubt he could. But the expressions on the two young knights' faces
made it clear he
wouldn't be doing it alone.
"No." Dodonna's tone brooked no argument. "You are not taking that behemoth
on single
handed." Ani's padawan made to speak, was silenced by a stern glance. "Or
with just your
wingmen for back up. You may be the hottest starpilot in the Galaxy, Skywalker,
but the more
fighters the better the odds of somebody getting through."
And the more would die trying. But Dodonna was right. No even Anakin could
simultaneously
fight off a few hundred TIEs and make the torpedo run. It would have to
be an attack in force.
"Let me see that arm." Ani said suddenly as we walked away from the tactical
room trailed by
his two wingmen.
"It's all right." I answered. "Just a surface burn. Her Highness dressed it for me."
Anakin pivoted to block my path and stopped me in my tracks with two heavy
hands on my
shoulders. "Let me see."
I could have put up a fight of course, but that wouldn't have been very
dignified - or edifying
for the two young Jedi watching. "Very well."
He removed the sling Leia had insisted I wear and rolled back two thicknesses
of sleeve. The
burn itself was of course invisible beneath the hardened med-dressing.
"You see? Princess Leia is very competent." Like her mother.
Ani didn't answer. Placed one large hand over the wound and closed his eyes.
"Anakin!" my protest was seconds too late. A quick surge of the Force and
he was peeling
the dressing off my newly healed arm. "That was completely unnecessary."
I scolded. Ani'd
*always* been a little too prodigal with his powers.
"At least I can do that much." he returned briefly.
Then I saw it. Stupid of me, I should have realized he'd find the difference
between the
Obi-Wan Kenobi he'd known twenty years ago and my present self - disturbing.
"I'm old, Ani," I told him gently, "that's all. As old as Master was."
Exactly the wrong thing to
say. Damn Yoda's prophecies! "The Emperor killed Qui-Gon." I reminded him
sharply as his
face tightened. "And I'm just as much to blame as you for putting our Master
at risk."
continued. "And unless your sabrework has improved spectacularly, you're
no threat to me!"
That wrung a smile out of him. His swordmanship, like my piloting, was
an old joke between
us.
I veered quickly to the subject that had been troubling me. "I apologize
for Luke's lack of
training. I put off beginning it far too long."
Ani seemed a little startled. Either he hadn't noticed, or hadn't cared.
"I'm sure you had a good
reason." he said as we resumed walking.
I sighed. "I don't know how good it was. Owen was amenable enough at first
but as he
became attached to the boy he started resisting the idea. Then after your
mother died he
ordered me in so many words to never come near Luke again."
"Or he'd sell you to the Hutts."
We turned as one to see Luke standing in a doorway.
"I heard you fighting." he explained to me. "I didn't think anything of
it then - people say stuff
like that all the time at home; 'I'd sell you to the Hutts if they'd give
me more than a crummy
dekicredit.' that kind of thing. But he was serious wasn't he?"
"I don't know." I said quietly. To Anakin. "I couldn't take the chance
- Jabba would have given
me to the Emperor and the first thing Palpatine'd ask himself was why Tatooine
and start
digging for the answer."
"After he killed you - if you were lucky." Anakin was visibly shaken. "I
can't believe Owen
would do something like that."
"I'm not sure he would have." I said. "He had the Kenobi temper you know
- would say all
kinds of things he didn't mean if he were angry enough." turned back to
Luke. "But he loved
you like you were his own son - he'd have done anything to protect you.
Maybe even betray
me."
"Why'd he hate you so?" Luke asked bewildered.
"He didn't hate me." I answered automatically - and recognized it as the
truth. Not me but what
I'd become, and the Jedi for doing it.
"Owen was my brother, Luke." his eyes widened in shock. I continued explaining
my new, if
belated, insight. "Years ago the Jedi took me away, turned me into a man
he couldn't
understand with priorities that made no sense to him. He was afraid of
losing you the same
way. And terribly afraid of what could happen to you if you joined your
father's war against
the Emperor."
"But I want to help." he protested. "That's why I'm here. They were saying
in quarters that
they've got more ships than pilots, I want to volunteer."
Ani folded his arms into the sleeves of his robe and looked thoughtfully
down at his son.
"Why?"
Luke blinked at the unexpected response - struggled to find an answer.
"For Leia." he said at
last. "The Empire destroyed her world, tortured her, were going to kill
her -"
"For revenge then?" Anakin cut in sharply.
"Maybe a little." Luke gulped, then firmly. "But mostly so nothing like
Alderaan can ever happen
again."
After a long, searching look Anakin nodded. "Good enough." turned to the
young Jedi at his
shoulder. "Jazpar, I want you to run Luke through the combat simulator."
"I can do it." his son said confidently. "Ben'll tell you how good I am
in a T-16 and these
snubfighters of yours aren't much different."
Ani visibly fought back a grin. "I don't doubt you but Dodonna will want
proof you won't just
cost us a ship."
"Reminds me of a cocky young Padawan I used to know." I murmured as the
two youngsters
trotted away.
Anakin laughed out loud. "Me too. He *is* as good as he says he is?"
"Oh yes, he's his father's son."
"I've noticed." his face clouded over. "I'm going to want a word with Owen
though. From what
you've said he might do anything when he realizes Luke's gone -"
"Owen's dead, Ani." I interrupted. "And Beru. Murdered by stormtroopers
looking for the
droids."
His eyes closed - tightly. "I'm sorry. I wish I'd known him better."
"So do I." I said sadly. Got myself back in hand. No time for grief, not
yet. "Another thing, Ani,
Palpatine's latest Apprentice is aboard the Death Star."
A Sith lord is never good news but his reaction was stronger than I'd expected.
"You saw him?"
"We fought." I made a face, "I'm rusty. Too old and too slow. Fortunately he was worse."
Another tight smile. "He had a poor swordmaster. You didn't recognize him?"
I shook my head. "No, I thought I sensed something familiar but -"
"It's Seig." he interrupted bluntly.
No. Oh no, poor Ani. I had trained two apprentices, and seen both die.
But they were not lost.
They'd become one with the Force, when I touched it I touched them. Anakin
had suffered a
true loss - the worst that can befall a Master - to the Dark Side.
"I was a fool," he was saying savagely, "if anybody should have known the signs it's me -"
"Are you so much wiser than our Master?" I snapped. That stopped him. "Being
the Chosen
One doesn't make you omniscient, Ani." I continued more temperately. "The
Dark Side is hard
to see - for all of us." even more gently. "I'm sorry, I know how hard
it must be." only too well.
I'd never forget the terrible moment when Qui-Gon and I thought we'd lost
Anakin.
"I hope you don't." he said. Took a breath, "I need to talk to Willard."
turned to his Padawan.
"Try to see he gets some rest, Ken-Jin." And then he was off, striding
down the hall to the
hangers, leaving me alone with my son.
I stood looking at him, unable to think of a thing to say.
It had seemed right to leave him behind twenty years ago. Luke had to be
my main concern
which was scarcely fair to my son. And I'd hoped Ken-Jin would be able
to comfort Amidala
for the loss of her own children - and Sabe.
He was the image of her. The same slim oval face and fine features and
her dark eyes looking
gravely back at me.
"You're very like your mother." I managed at last.
He smiled. "That's funny. Master's always saying I'm exactly like you."
Master. He meant Ani. "Exactly how does he mean that?"
The smile broadened into a grin. "It's not always a compliment." he admitted.
I'd bet it wasn't - and felt a smile tug at my own mouth.
Gently. "Father, I do understand. Taking me to Tatooine would have been
dangerous, a
distraction for you."
I relaxed a little. Comforted by his acceptance. Unlike Owen my son was
a Jedi too, he knew
for us duty must come before family - and why.
"It was not an easy decision, I promise you." I replied. The hardest of
all the hard things I've
had to do in my life.
Suddenly I realized I had yet to hear Luke call Ani 'father'. Ken-Jin could
forgive me for leaving
him. But would Luke forgive his father for sending him away?
I told Ken-Jin I'd slept on the Falcon and didn't need further rest. My
son gave me his mother's
gentle, disbelieving smile but didn't argue. He showed me the way to the
training room. We
were waiting outside when Luke and Jazpar emerged.
"I got killed twice." my student admitted ruefully. "But Jazpar says that's not bad."
"It's extraordinarily good." the young Jedi corrected. "Considering I was
throwing the entire
Star Fleet at you. I doubt even Master could do better. The final decision
is General Dodonna's
but I'd say you're in."
Luke grinned relieved. A warning note echoed down the hallway.
"Flight briefing." Ken-Jin said.
We entered a long, low ceilinged room crowded with orange suited pilots,
white uniformed
ground crewmen and numerous astro-droids, including our own Artoo Detoo
with Threepio
beside him as usual. Luke and I found seats on the benches while Jazpar
and Ken-Jin
continued forward to join Anakin, standing off to the side with Leia.
Dodonna took his place on a small stage up front, backdropped by the all
to familiar Death Star
schematics. I saw Han and Chewbacca slip in quietly just as the general
began.
"We have analyzed our new information and with the help of General Kenobi
formulated an
attack strategy." he bowed in my direction.
All eyes turned the same way and every face registered disbelief. I did
my best to look grave
and dignified as illusions shattered audibly around me.
"Please direct your attention to the screen." Dodonna ordered. And proceeded
to briskly
outline the problem. "The battle station is heavily shielded and carries
a firepower greater than
that of half the Star Fleet."
Uneasy murmurs from the audience.
"Its defenses are designed around a direct large-scale assault. A small
one-man fighter
should be able to penetrate the outer defense."
"Begging your pardon, sir," a huge man, fully Anakin's size, in flight
gear rose from the
benches, "but what good are snubfighters going to be against *that*?"
"The Empire doesn't consider a small one-man fighter to be any threat or
they'd have a tighter
defense." Dodonna responded.
Judging by the faces around me there was general agreement with the Imperial
strategists on
this
"An analysis of the plans provided by Princess Leia has demonstrated a
weakness in the
battle station. But the approach will not be easy.
Now there was an understatement and a half!
The schematic behind the old general changed, illustrating his words as
he continued. "You
are required to maneuver straight down this trench and skim the surface
to this point." tapped
the screen with his pointer. "The target area is only two meter wide."
More murmurs, this time with an undercurrent of incredulity.
"It's a small thermal exhaust port, right below the main port. The shaft
leads directly to the
reactor system. A precise hit will start a chain reaction that should destroy
the station." the
schematic blew itself up. "Only a precise hit will set up a chain reaction.
The shaft is
ray-shielded so you'll have to use proton torpedoes."
Polite pandemonium from the pilots.
"That's impossible!" the youngster next to Luke blurted. "even for a computer."
"It's not impossible." my student countered. "I used to bulls-eye womp
rats in my T-sixteen
back home. They're not much bigger than two meters."
"Maybe not for a Jedi." the other conceded dryly. "But us regular types
have to depend on
computers, not the Force."
"Only because you think you do." I put in quietly and garnered and uncertain look in return.
"Then man your ships, and may the Force be with you." Dodonna concluded.
A support tech caught Luke at the door. "Sir? you got yourself a bird.
Let's find you some
gear."
My student threw me a look a bedazzled excitement and allowed himself to
be led away.
Seconds later Han materialized out of the thinning crowd.
"Of all the damnfool stunts." he grumbled, gave me a defensive glare. "Me
and Chewie are
outta here!"
"May the Force be with you, Han." I told him. "and thank you for all you've done."
I didn't need the Force to sense the conflict in him. It was perfectly
visible on his face. He
started to turn away, turned back. "Look, you've delivered the kid to his
Dad and rescued her
Royal Worshipfulness. You've done your bit. We're headed for Tatooine,
why not deadhead
back with us?"
I was tempted. I missed the Jundland wastes, I'd never put down roots before.
Jedi are
wanderers. The Temple hadn't been a home, just a place to stay between
missions. I'd
regretted its loss but never longed for it as I now did for my cluttered
little hermitage. But it
couldn't be. My destiny was out here - as it always had been. I smiled
and shook my head.
******************************************
Han Solo: He wanted to say yes, I could feel it. Not because he was afraid
of the Death Star
but because he was homesick. Missing that miserable desert. Hard to believe
but I guess you
can get attached to a place in twenty years. Even Tatooine.
*******************************************
Han sighed. "Just thought I'd offer."
"You've been very kind." I told him.
"Yeah, that's me 'kind'." stuck out his hand, said almost formally; "It's
been an honor to meet
you, sir."
"And a pleasure to meet you, Captain."
Han and Chewbacca headed hangerward. Ani, Leia, Jazpar and my son joined
me looking
after them.
"He's really going then." Leia said with a bitter combination of disappointment
and disapproval
in her voice.
"Captain Solo must follow his own path." her father chided gently. "No
one can choose it for
him."
"We already owe him our lives." I pointed out.
She squared her shoulders. "You're right, General, he deserves a civil
good-bye at least." and
hurried down the passage after him.
"Is that what I said?" I asked Anakin.
"Apparently. Do I sense a more than friendly interest in our Captain?"
"I think so."
He shook his head. "I wouldn't have thought he was her type."
I fought back a grin. "I don't know, kind of reminds me of the brash pilot
type her mother fell
for."
Ani laughed. "If Master hadn't found me I'd have probably ended up a smuggler too."
Leia rejoined us by Anakin's ship, color burning high in her cheeks. Naturally
we all pretended
not to notice.
"Good luck, General." she told Ani then, as he smiled down at her, corrected
herself. "I mean
may the Force be with you."
"Better." he laughed. "You're learning, Princess." dropped a kiss on the
top of his daughter's
head, as he had once done with her mother. Then turned to embrace me. "Look
after her."
spoken quietly, for my ear alone.
I would have liked to hug my son, but we were still to much strangers.
I settled for the
standard blessing. "May the Force be with you."
"Don't worry about Ken-Jin," Ani teased. "He's a much better pilot than
his father. Got it from
Sabe's side of the family no doubt."
"No doubt." I agreed dryly.
Leia, Commander Willard and I made our way back through the hanger, encountered
a
disconsolate looking Luke.
"What's wrong?" she asked.
"Oh it's Han!" her brother answered. "I don't know, I really thought he'd change his mind."
I knew he would. But Han's self image would force him to fight his nature a little longer.
"He's got to follow his own path." Leia consoled. "Nobody can chose it
for him." Gave her
brother a quick kiss on the cheek then hurried on, Willard in attendance.
I followed Luke as he continued towards his ship. "I'm in Red Squadron,
Red Five." he was
telling me when a voice shouted "Luke!"
I didn't at first recognize the dark, moustached young man who ran up to
grab Luke's arm. "I
don't believe it!" he continued excitedly. "How'd you get here? Are you
going out with us?"
"Biggs! Of course I'll be up there with you! Ben, you remember Biggs don't you?"
I smiled, nodded. I had never spoken to the boy as far as I could recall
but I'd often seen him
with Luke. He knew me of course. 'Old Ben' was a widely known local character.
His slightly
bewildered expression reflected his confusion. What was I doing on Yavin?
Then a rugged, confident man, my student's Squadron leader by his insignia,
approached us.
Nodded politely to me. "Pardon me, general." to Luke. "You young Skywalker?
Have you been
checked out on the Incom T-sixty-five?"
"Sir, Luke is the best bush pilot in the outer rim territories." Biggs assured him.
"He's been simultested." I put in. "A point oh two rating."
Red Leader's eyebrows shot up. He grinned, "Guess I should have expected
that from a
Skywalker." to Luke. "You'll do all right. If you've got even half your
father's skill you'll do
better than all right."
"Thank you sir, I'll try."
Yoda's aphorism knocked at my lips but I restrained myself. This wasn't the time.
Red Leader bowed to me. "General Kenobi." headed off to his own ship.
Biggs stared round eyed at the both of us. "General Kenobi? You're General
Skywalker's
son?"
"It's a long story." Luke admitted. And no time to tell it.
"I've got to get aboard." Biggs said. "Listen, you tell me your story when
we come back, all
right?"
One of the worst parts of being a Jedi General is looking at a youngster
and *knowing* he
won't be coming back. I felt it now, not just for Biggs but most of the
pilots around us. This
was going to be very bad. Win or lose a lot of good men were going to die
today. For the first
time I was grateful for Luke's lack of training. Glad he was spared this
knowledge.
"I told you I'd make it someday, Biggs." he called cheerfully after his friend.
"You did all right." the other shouted back. "It'll be just like old times,
Luke. We're a couple of
shooting stars that'll never be stopped!"
I turned away quickly, to hide my reaction. Saw Threepio standing by a
nearby X-Wing and
headed for it.
A ground crew was hoisting Artoo Detoo into place. "General Skywalker lent
you his personal
R2 unit." the Chief called down, "Said you two had worked together before."
"You could say that." Luke agreed. "That little droid and I've been through
a lot together." to
Artoo as he settled into his socket. "You okay, Artoo?"
The astro-droid burbled a cheeful confirmation.
Luke tuned to me, a mingling of excitement, nerves, gratitude and fear
shaping his expression
and charging his voice. "Ben -"
I put both hands on his shoulders, tried to project calm and confidence.
"Remember, stretch
out with your feelings. Don't think, act on instinct." my hands tightened
involuntarily. I made
myself let go, step back. "May the Force be with you."
He managed a nod. Climbed the ladder to the cockpit.
I noticed Threepio was all but wringing his hands with anxiety. "Hang on
tight, Artoo," he
called up to his counterpart. "you've got to come back - you wouldn't want
my life to get
boring would you?"
Small chance of that as long as he belonged to Anakin Skywalker. Artoo
bleeped down
reassurances.
Red Five levitated a meter or so above the ground and skimmed for the hanger
opening.
Heading not to certain death, as all to many of his comrades were, but
into a future so
clouded with possibilities as to be opaque to my sight.
I joined Leia and Dodonna in the War room. Threepio followed me in and
went to stand beside
Leia at the table-like tactical display. Nobody seemed to notice, apparently
he was an
accepted part of the equipment.
Dodonna was explaining the plan of attack to Leia. "Gold Flight will make
the first attack runs
while Red Flight flies high cover and tries to draw enemy fire."
"And General Skywalker?" I asked.
"Will do as he damn well pleases, as usual." the General grimaced.
I hid a smile of my own. Some things never change.
"Standby alert. Death Star approaching. Estimated time to firing range,
fifteen minutes." I have
never understood the military's fascination with countdowns - they only
increase tension and
anxiety.
I closed my eyes and stretched out with my feelings. Located Anakin and
his two wingmen at
once by their strength in the Force, a dazzlingly bright trio almost eclipsing
the dimmer
presences of the other pilots. I sifted through them in search of my student.
There he was,
almost as bright as his father but flickering, uncertain, untrained. A
combination of fear and
excitement clogging the smooth flow of the Force.
Silencing my own anxieties I projected calm into his Force presence and
felt him respond,
steadying.
Red Leader's voice came over the comlink, in war room and Luke's cockpit,
"Accelerate to
attack speed. This is it, boys."
"Red Leader, this is Gold Leader."
"I copy, Gold Leader."
"We're starting for the target shaft now."
"We're in position. I'm going to cut across the axis and try and draw their fire."
Red Three, the boy who'd been sitting next to Luke at the briefing, followed
his leader in. Then
it was Luke's turn. He got his target, and the the resultant fireball nearly
got him! Reckless -
just like his father. And, if I was honest, his Teacher.
I kept my presence passive, at the edge of his consciousness. Luke didn't
need any
distractions. Suddenly Red Six winked out, Force waves rippling out from
the sudden gap. I
flinched, sensing death never gets easier. This boy was the first, he wouldn't
be the last.
Luke flinched too, sensing Red Six's end through his link with me, his focus wavered.
I risked minspeech. *Luke, trust your feelings."
I had underestimated him. He started a little, then took my advice and
steadied down
refocusing his concentration on the problem at hand. Took out another battery
of surface
guns.
"Squad leaders, we've picked up a new group of signals. Enemy fighters
coming your way."
by now I was so centered on Luke's cockpit I heard the warning through
his ears instead of
my own.
Ani's voice came over the link, crisply businesslike. "This is Blue One,
we'll intercept but a few
are bound to get past us. Keep an eye peeled, Red Flight."
Of course. He would have been expecting this move as soon as the Imperials
realized our
fighters were small enough to elude their guns. The three Jedi pilots should
be able to keep
the bulk of the enemy ships from getting through - but not all.
"My scope's negative. I don't see anything." Luke said.
"Pick up your visual scanning." Red Leader advised. Scopes can be jammed,
eyes can't, as
every experienced pilot knows. Luke and I peered upward through his canopy.
"Here they come." said Ani.
A full squadron of TIE fighters flashed over the Death Star's horizon and
were intercepted by
a trio of blue and white V-Wings. Three enemy ships vanished in fireballs
before they could
react. The others scattered frantically and the Jedi fighters broke formation
to pursue. I tried to
locate my son's ship but Luke was riveted on Blue One.
The Imperials had learned through painful experience that single ships
stood no chance at all
against Blue Flight. But no combination of fighters lasted long against
Blue One.
"'The best star pilot in the Galaxy.'" Luke breathed, awed, as he watched
his father fly circles
around the TIES.
It was getting bad now. The multiple deaths sent shockwaves of disturbance
through the
Force. It took all my strength to hang on to Luke. I saw three TIES elude
Blue Flight and flash
down on Red Squadron.
Then - "General Kenobi?" a voice and a light touch shattered my concentration
snapping me
back to the war room. Leia was looking anxiously up at me, small hand on
my arm. "Are you
all right, General?"
I managed a tight nod, my voice wouldn't function immediately. She didn't
believe me. Looked
around and spotted a chair.
"Why don't you sit down, General."
You know you're old when beautiful young women want to nursemaid you. I
let myself be led
to the seat. Tried to give her a reassuring smile before closing my eyes
again to regather my
concentration.
I sensed her hovering over me, then a burst of com-chatter pulled her away,
back to the
battle. It was not going well. Gold Flight's final run had failed thanks
to a trio of enemy ships
that'd gotten past Ani. Blue Flight itself was now in desperate straits,
six to one are steep
odds even for Jedi. I heard Anakin refuse Red Leader's offer of assistance
and order him to
resume torpedo attacks on the target.
Again I reached out. Getting back to Luke was like trying to fight my way
through a Tatooine
sandstorm. I was buffet by the multiple disturbances roiling the Force.
Then one of the bright
Jedi presences blinked out.
Forgetting Luke I reached, almost in panic for my son. *Ken-Jin!*
*Father?*
Not my son or Ani, the other boy Jazpar. My first relief was succeeded
by a wave of
sadness, partly mine partly Ken-Jin's, quickly shunted away so it wouldn't
distract him.
I stayed with my son for a few moments. He and Anakin were fighting in
tandem now,
guarding each others backs. I was pleased to see Ken-Jin could keep pace
with his Master.
He really was a better pilot than his father. Reassured I remembered my
duty and let go of my
son to search for Luke.
I linked with him just in time to witness the end of Red Leader through
his eyes. Luke's sense
was grim, resolute, and perfectly calm. I was proud of him. Instinctively
he took command, as
his father would have.
"Bigg's, Wedge, let's close it up. We're going in full throttle. That ought
to keep those fighters
off our back."
"Right with you, boss." promptly from Wedge.
Biggs sounded worried. "Luke, at that speed will you be able to pull up in time?"
"It'll be just like Beggars Canyon back home." came the confident reply.
A barrage of fire exploded around them as they began their run. "We'll
stay far back enough
to cover you." Biggs told Luke.
But now it was Red Three's turn to worry. "My scope shows the tower, but
I can't see the
exhaust port! Are you sure the computer can hit it?"
"Watch yourself!" Luke snapped back as blaster fire buffeted the three
X-Wings. "Increase
speed full throttle!" Speed was their best chance.
Wedge was insistant. "What about that tower?"
"You worry about those fighters! I'll worry about the tower!" Luke ordered.
Red Three's concern was not unfounded, I couldn't see the exhaust port
either and I knew
exactly where to look from the plans. A chilling possibility struck me:
Could some Imperial
Engineer have spotted the weakness and corrected it during construction?
I let go of Luke and projected myself to the tower, feeling my way down
it. The port was
there, exactly where it was supposed to be. It was just too small for the
scopes. Wedge was
right, no computer would be able to make this shot.
An explosion down the trench sent me back to Luke. Red Three had just taken
a hit from the
lead ship of a trio of pursuing TIES.
"Get clear, Wedge." Luke ordered. "You can't do any more good back there."
"Sorry!" Red Three lifted out of the trench on an escape vector. The TIEs
let him go, realizing
Luke and Biggs were the real threat.
I could feel the Darkness eminating from the lead ship and knew Seig was
piloting it with all
the skill one would expect of Anakin's former apprentice. And closing fast.
Biggs couldn't hold
him. His X-Wing vanished in a shower of flaming debris.
Grappled onto Luke's mind I shared his shock and grief and flash of anger
as his friend died.
He engaged his targeting computer, if he depended on it he would miss,
as Red Leader had
done.
*Use the Force, Luke* I told him.
He started at the non-sound of my mindvoice. Looked around almost as if
expecting to see me
then uncertainly back at the eye screen of his targeting computer.
*Let go, Luke!*
Still he hesitated.
*Luke, trust me!*
That did it. Mind made up he switched off his computer. To the consternation of Base Control.
"Luke, you switched off your targeting computer. What's wrong?"
"Nothing." he answered. "I'm all right."
I felt him focus, struggling to remember what I had taught him. Then an
incoming blaster bolt
took Artoo full on the dome. The little droid's electronic death scream
snapped Luke's
concentration.
"I've lost Artoo!"
The droid hadn't been atomized. He was still there, a burnt and blackened
shell. Perhaps Ani
could repair him, if we survived.
I was afraid we wouldn't. Sieg had to get us with his next shot. I tried
to think of something,
anything, I could do to stop him - and one of his wingmen exploded in a
burst of luminous
gasses.
A familiar voice filled the cockpit, "Yahoo!" and the Millenium Falcon
came out of the sun diving
down on the two remaining TIEs.
The surviving wingman panicked, dodged into his leader sending Seig's ship
spinning into
space then ricocheting into the trench wall and immolating himself.
"You're all clear, kid. Now let's blow this thing and go home."
Luke smiled up at the Falcon then focused a final time on the exhaust port
and pressed the
firing button.
The torpedoes went right in heading for the main reactor.
We pulled away at best speed, were joined by the Falcon, Wedge, a Lone
Y-Wing, only
survivor of Gold Flight, and the two Jedi V-Wings. Then the Death Star
blew up behind us in a
dazzling display of expanding energies.
The shockwave of those tens of thousands of deaths would have knocked me
loose had
Luke not held me fast.
"Great shot, kid. That was one in a million!" Han crowed over the comlink.
"Thanks Ben." Luke said silently, only to me.
"Remeber the Force will be with you," I promised, "always."
I heard Ani's "well done, son." - and then I was back in the happy pandemonium
of the
celebrating war room.
Leia kissed Dodonna, then Willard, returned Threepio's hug, then turned
to me and the joy
went out of her face like a snuffed lamp. "General Kenobi! Are you all
right?"
I felt terrible and doubtless looked worse. The effort of reaching Luke
and staying with him
had drained me. Leia and Dodonna both hurried over, faces clearly reflecting
their alarm.
"It's nothing." I tried to assure them in a thread of a voice. "I just
need to rest a moment." since
for all they knew I'd just been sitting there all this time that made very
little sense to them. I
saw the confused look they exchanged before I closed my eyes again.
By the time the few surviving ships returned I'd recovered enough to walk
to the hanger, Leia
hovering anxiously at my elbow. But the instant she saw Luke climbing out
of his ship she
forgot me and arrowed straight through the gathering crowd of excited,
cheering ground
crew to throw herself into her brother's arms.
I decided not to risk the scrimmage on the hanger floor. Waited patiently
in the entry arch until
my trio of young friends detached themselves from the crowd and headed
towards me, ams
interlaced with Leia in the middle.
Han and Luke pulled up sharply, in visible dismay, at their first sight
of me. Luke let go of his
sister and put his arms around me, half in embrace half in support. "Ben!
are you all right?"
I was getting almost as tired of that question as I was of 'I thought you
were dead.' "It's been
a very long day." I told him. And I'm definitely not as young as I was.
"I felt you out there with me." he continued.
I made innocent eyes at him. "How could that be, Luke? I was in the war
room the whole time.
Ask Princess Leia."
He looked confused.
His sister, more knowledgable in Jedi ways, stared at me in sudden comprehension.
I transfered my attention to Han. "Thank you for your most timely intervention, Captain Solo."
He gave me a lopsided smile in return. "You're welcome. You knew I'd come
back - didn't
you?"
I smiled at him. "Knowing the man you are I expected nothing less."
Han Solo: I peeked in through the cracked door. The old man didn't stir
so I opened it a little
wider and eased through. Chewie, big clumsy oaf that he is, had the good
sense to stay in
the hall.
At least he was breathing. Out like a light though. I couldn't even guess
how he'd managed to
wear himself out like that sitting quietly in the War Room. Well, to be
honest I could guess - I
just didn't want to believe it.
'Being the man you are I expected nothing less.' He'd said. He meant it
as a compliment but it
made me kind of uncomfortable, like he knew me better than I knew me.
Maybe he did at that.
After all here I was, a hero in spite of myself. And it looked like I'd
be hanging around this
bunch of idealists for a while yet. For some reason I kind of wanted to
live up to my new
status. Besides Luke and Her Worship were so darned proud of me, I couldn't
let them down.
And there was the old man to consider too. By now I knew there was no chance
of taking
him home to Tatooine. Okay, it's a hellhole but at least he'd been safe
there.
Anybody could see General Skywalker thought the world of him - and the
kid practically
worshipped the ground he walked on. Same deal for old Dodonna and Her Royal
Heightyness,
but I didn't trust any of them to - well - take care of him.
Yeah, yeah, I know. He was General Obi-Wan Kenobi, I'd seen what he could
do. But he was
just too old for this kind of thing and I had a real bad feeling about
what might happen to him if
there wasn't somebody sensible around to - well - protect him from his
legend. If you know
what I mean.
**************
Even as I dreamed I knew it was more than a dream, that Owen was really
there with me, that
the Force was giving us a final chance to say all the things we'd left
unsaid.
We seemed to be sitting on boulders at the edge of the Jundland Waste,
neutral ground
neither his nor mine. I spoke first.
"I'm sorry, Owen."
He shook his head. "It wasn't your fault." a wry grimace. "Had nothing
to do with you, it was
those droids."
"Anakin's droids."
"Yeah, I figured out that much. Maybe if I'd taken them to you -"
"The stormtroopers would have caught us all." I interupted.
He thought about it, nodded slowly. "Yeah, they might've at that. I guess
it was for the best
then. Luke got away, that's what counts."
The one thing we'd always agreed on.
"I didn't mean it," he said suddenly, "I wouldn't really have sold you
to the Hutts. You knew that
didn't you, Obi-Wan?"
"Of course I did." My feelings had told me it was an empty threat.
"Then why did you stay away?"
Why had I? "Because it was what you wanted. I owed you that much.
Owen made another grimace. "I hate to think what Anakin must be thinking about me."
"He understands. You were trying to protect Luke, he certainly doesn't blame you for that."
"You warned me I wouldn't be able to hide him forever. So did Beru."
"The Force was bound to take a hand sooner or later. It's his destiny, Owen."
"Destiny be damned!" he snapped. "And your Force too." Caught himself.
"Sorry, I don't mean
that."
"Yes you do." I smiled. "There've been times I've felt the same."
He looked at me, astonishment giving way to a new understanding. "It was
hard for you
wasn't it?"
"Harder than you'll ever know."
"I wish I'd realized." he almost whispered. Then, earnestly. "I never blamed
you, Obi-Wan.
Even if it looked like I did. They took you away, you didn't choose to
go. I always knew that.
It's just - I missed having a brother."
"So did I." I managed, blinking back tears.
He held out his hand and I gripped it tightly.
"Take care of Luke for us."
"I will."
"And good luck." he grinned suddenly. "You're going to need it!"
*****************
Anakin Skywalker: "Ani?"
I looked up from Artoo's blasted shell to see Qui-Gon, my old Master, shimmering
softly in the
shadows of my workshop.
"Have you seen him?" I demanded, "have you seen what I've done to him?"
"What you did?" the eyebrows lifted, the soft voice gently chiding. "And
of course I've seen
Obi-Wan, many times, I'm very proud of him."
"He's old." I whispered miserably.
"He'd be old no matter where he spent the last twenty years." Master pointed out reasonably.
I threw the spanner I was holding across the room. It hit the wall with
a bang and the floor
with a clang. Qui-Gon didn't so much as blink.
"But not like that!" I fought to regain control of myself. Managed to pick
up another tool and
tried to resume work on Artoo. "The greatest Jedi Knight living and I ruined
him, Master.
Forced him to waste twenty years of his life on that desolate sandpile."
"Obi-Wan doesn't consider those years wasted." my Master replied calmly.
He came and knelt down beside me, laying a cool, transparent hand on my
arm. "He hasn't
diminished, Ani, he's grown. Let go of your memory of what he was and see
what he's
become." gave me a little shake. "And stop indulging your propensity for
guilt!
Remember,'without remorse, without regret'."
"I'll try, Master." but it wouldn't be easy.
A few final adjustments and Artoo came alive, emitting a stream of high
pitched electronic
insults impuning the sanity of the entire Skywalker family - especially
me.
I pretended to be shocked. "Artoo Detoo, such language! What kind of droids
have you been
associating with?"
He told me, and reminded me whose fault it was. Then he noticed Threepio
turned off in the
corner.
"Oh he's all right. I had to shut him down before he overloaded his circuits.
He was very
upset, you know how fond he is of you."
Artoo admitted the feeling was mutual and was I sure Threepio was all right?
"Of course I'm sure. Now I'm going to shut you down too so the new connections
can fuse. I'll
bring you both back up in the morning good as new."
He whistled assent and I switched off his power center. "Sleep well, little friend."
"You fixed him."
I looked up startled to see my son watching me from the doorway. My focus
was shot, I
hadn't sensed him at all.
"I've had a lot of practice putting this little droid back together." I
said, recovering. "Threepio too
for that matter."
"I'm glad." He moved into the room but kept his distance. "I've never met
droids like them.
They're almost like - people."
"That's because they haven't had their memory banks washed clean every
four or five
years." I told him getting to my feet, careful to let him maintain his
space. I know how
intimidating my size can be. "Most droids aren't given the chance to develop
a personality."
"You've had them a long time?" he obviously wanted to talk. A good sign,
I hadn't missed his
ambivalence towards me, the father who'd abandoned him.
"Since I was nine years old." I answered, leaning against the edge of my
workbench. The
droids were a nice, safe subject. We could move on to more delicate ground
later. "I put
Threepio together myself from salvaged parts but your mother gave me Artoo."
he blinked. "You met my mother when you were *nine*?"
"M'hm." I smiled at the memory. "Watto called me into the shop one day
and there she was, the
most beautiful girl in the entire universe. I knew right then I'd marry
her someday. Of course
*she* didn't believe it, being fourteen to my nine."
"You told her?" our son asked incredulously.
He had a point. I shrugged embarrassed. "I thought she should know. She
was travelling with
two Jedi Knights, Master Qui-Gon Jinn and his apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi."
"Ben?"
I nodded. "He wasn't much older than you at the time. Master Qui-Gon sensed
the Force was
strong in me and bought my freedom from Watto so I could be trained as
a Jedi." of course it
hadn't been anywhere near that simple but this wasn't the time to go into
all that.
"Bought!" Luke blurted. "You were a *slave*?"
It was my turn to be surprised. "We both were, my mother and me. She didn't tell you?"
"No! Gran said you'd worked for a junk dealer and raced pods when you were
a kid - but
nothing about being slaves!"
"Maybe she thought I'd rather you didn't know. I was ashamed of it as a boy."
"What did *you* have to be ashamed of?" Luke demanded indignantly.
I shrugged again. "We were looked down on, treated like chattel, not people.
That hurt my
pride. It was years before I could let go of my anger." and not before
it had cost my Master his
life.
Luke moved closer. He was little more than an armslength away now. "When
did you marry
Mother?"
"After I'd finished my training, when I was about your age. She'll be here
soon. I just hope she
got my message telling her Leia's safe." should I tell my son about his
sister?
"My mother's alive?"
Another surprise, but then Obi-Wan wouldn't have had time for much family
history. "Yes,
thank the Force."
So much to tell him, where to start? "It was Palpatine who married us."
Luke's jaw dropped.
"We considered him a friend in those days. It was quite a shock when we
finally learned the
truth. Not long before you were born." I decided not to tell him about
Leia, not til I could discuss
it with Padme.
"Your mother went home to Naboo for your birth. It's a small, out of the
way planet we
assumed she - and you - would be safe there. We were wrong. The Emperor
sent his Sith
Apprentice and a detachment of Red guards to assassinate her. A lot of
innocent people,
most of them friends of ours, were killed. Your mother's best friend, Obi-Wan's
wife, died
defending the two of you and we nearly lost him too."
Luke stared round eyed. "Ben's *wife*?"
"Her name was Sabe. Ken-Jin is their son."
*My* son was begining to look bewildered. I decided to sum up and leave the rest for later.
"After that we knew there was no safety for any of us while Palpatine lived.
But he didn't
know about you and we wanted to keep it that way. That's why we sent you
to my mother on
Tatooine, along with Owen and Beru and Obi-Wan to watch over you from a
distance."
***************
"Ben!" Luke greeeted me the next morning with evident relief. "You're looking
better, a lot
better."
"Thank you." I said, a little drily. I couldn't return the compliment.
There were circles under
Luke's eyes, I doubted he'd slept much. The accumulated shocks of the last
few days were
begining to catch up with him.
"We were really worried about you last night." he rattled on. "Leia and
me, even Han. Father
said you'd be okay after you got some sleep."
"As you can see he was right. Where is Anakin?"
"Jedi training hall. He said to join him when you were ready."
"I'm ready."
Captain Solo joined us on the way, emerging from a side corridor trailed
by his Wookiee
shadow. Han gave me an intent look then nodded, satisfied. "You look better."
"So I've been told."
"Hey, you should have seen yourself last night, General, I've seen healthier
looking corpses."
he fell into step with us. "Where're we going?"
"The Jedi training hall." I replied.
Han seemed surprised. He looked past me at Luke. "I thought you'd decided to -"
"There's Threepio and Artoo." my student interupted quickly.
The two droids were standing next to the door to the hall. "Good to see
you back in one piece,
little friend." I told Artoo.
He whistled amiably in reply.
"Artoo says he's doing nicely, thank you sir." Threepio interpreted. "And
may I say how glad
we both are to see you've fully recovered, General."
"Thank you." I said as graciously as I could manage. 'You're looking better.'
was quickly joining
'Are you all right?' and 'I thought you were dead.' on my ever lengthening
list of lines I was
tired of hearing.
Anakin gave me the by now familiar assessing look, opened his mouth -
"Don't say it." I warned.
He didn't. Instead he grinned and suggested a sparring match. "Give Ken-Jin
a chance to see
his old man in action."
I was afraid he'd be disappointed, and Anakin as well. "I'm badly out of
practice" I warned.
"Old and slow."
"Good." was the calm reply. "Maybe I can win for a change."
After the first few passes I could see Anakin was disturbed. Caution and
defensive tactics
were *not* like the Obi-Wan he remembered. But he'd have to accept I wasn't
that man any
more.
On the other hand I was pleased by the way his style had matured. He would
never be the
swordsman our Master had been but then few Jedi were.
Still he was much better than competent and I didn't doubt more than a
match for most
opponents.
***********
Ken-Jin Kenobi: I admit I was disappointed. The skill was still there,
no question of that, but this
wasn't the kind of swordplay that had made my father a legend.
He'd said it himself: he was old and twenty years out of practice. It was
unreasonable to
expect the kind of performance he'd been capable of his prime.
I saw Master give him an opening, a little too obviously.
************
Anakin Skywalker: I knew I'd made a mistake. He stepped back and gave me
that look. The
one that said he was about to teach the unspanked cub a lesson.
************
Old and slow I may have become but I'll be five days dead before I need
charity from the likes
of Anakin Skywalker!
Impulsively I went on the offensive, wiping aside his blade and aiming
a horizontal strike at his
midrif.
He sidestepped it, barely, and tried to counter with a diagonal cut which
I let slide off my blade
and returned with an overhead cut.
He retreated and I pursued wiping his guard aside for another try at an diagonal strike.
The old energy came flowing back as I let go, stopped thinking and controlling
and acted on
instinct.
Anakin continued to retreat, fighting defensively as we circled the hall.
Suddenly he
extinguished his sabre, spreading his hands in surrender.
He was grining ear to ear, so was my son. Luke and Han looked stunned and
I was a little
dazed myself. Where had *that* come from?
"Old and slow!" Anakin panted.
"I - may have overstated." I admitted. My old self seemed to be coming
back with a
vengeance. Which was good, I needed those skills. But I didn't want to
lose the gains I'd made
as Old Ben either. Somehow I was going to have to combine the two, the
man I was now with
the man I'd been.
"Ben, I've got something to tell you." Luke blurted suddenly on the walk back to our quarters.
He fairly radiated guilt. It didn't take any great insight to guess what
he was going to say. I
braced myself to take it calmly.
"I've decided to accept a commission in the Rebel Forces. So I won't be
able to continue my
lessons in the Force."
"You must chose the path that seems right to you." I had complete control
over my face and
voice - but I couldn't fool Luke that easily, not after all those hours
of rapport during the battle.
He saw right through me, continued pleadingly. "Ben, this is something
I can do *now*. The
Alliance needs pilots."
*We need Jedi too.* I thought but did not say. Struggled to get my emotions
under control. "I
admit I'm disappointed, Luke, you have the potential to be a great Jedi.
But the Path must be
freely chosen. If you've decided on another way I accept that." But it
wasn't easy.
"I'm sorry, Ben." he said miserably.
I got myself in hand. This wasn't Luke's fault it was mine. "You must do
what you feel is right."
I said firmly.
***************
"It's my fault." I told Ani, sounding as miserable as Luke. "If I hadn't
delayed his
training he wouldn't have had to chose between the Alliance and the Jedi."
A muffled voice came from under the A-wing. "Poodoo!"
I blinked. "I beg your pardon?"
Anakin slid out and sat up to give me a level look. "Poodoo!" he repeated
clearly. "I know you,
Obi-Wan, I know how determined you are. If you'd felt Luke was ready to
be trained you
wouldn't have let Owen or anything else stop you."
I started to answer, hesitated suddenly uncertain. I'd put off Luke's training
in deference to
Owen's feelings - hadn't I?
Luke's led a sheltered life," Ani continued, "he's been overprotected.
I'm not blaming Owen
and Beru for that but he's very young for his age. He needs to grow up
a bit before he can
choose the Path. You sensed that and held off."
I sat down on a nearby crate to consider. Could Ani be right? Force knew
I'd been reckless
enough in my time. Why had I contented myself with watching over Luke from
afar? Had it
been caution - or an instinct I hadn't fully recognized?
"He's already old for the training." I agrued weakly.
"Way to old." Anakin agreed. "So a few more years won't make much difference."
"A few years?"
He smiled at the hopeful note in my voice. "At most. He will chose the
Path, Obi-Wan. It is his
destiny. He will come to it in his own time."
I breathed, letting guilt and uncertainty drain away. I would be patient
and trust in the Force.
Smiled at Anakin, he had indeed grown. "Whatever you say, Master."
**************** The moment the transport landed Ani was striding across
the hanger deck
towards it. Luke stayed by me, visibly jittering. His mother had arrived.
She came down the ramp and disappeared for a moment into Anakin's embrace
but quickly
broke loose, almost running across the deck to her son. Ani could barely
keep pace with her -
the rest of her party didn't even try.
"Luke!" she reached us, putting her small hands on his shoulders and looking
up at him with
tears in those beautiful eyes and a smile on that lovely face. "Oh, my
baby son - all grown up
and handsome as his father!" standing on tiptoe she kissed his cheek.
"Mother." Luke returned the kiss awkwardly but with none of the reserve
he still showed
towards his father. Obviously his dainty little mother was far less intimidating.
******** Luke Skywalker: Father had called her the most beautiful girl
in the universe. She
wasn't a girl anymore but she surely was beautiful - and familiar somehow.
I could almost fool
myself into thinking I remembered her from when I was baby. ********
Padme managed to tear her eyes away from her son long enough to smile at
me. "Obi-Wan,
thank you."
"You are more than welcome." I returned, with a smile of my own.
By now the rest of the party had caught up with her. "That Obi-One? Yousa gotten *old*!"
Jar Jar Binks, master of tact.
"As have you, my friend" I replied pointedly.
"Old, old." he agreed, eyes widening guilessly. "Meesa got *grandchildren*!"
Now there was a thought. When I first met Jar Jar Binks he was a clumsy
adolescent no self
respecting Gungan female would look at twice. And I'd been a stiff, arrogant
young Jedi with
a pitifully narrow focus. How Master put up with me I'll never know. We'd
both changed - for
the better I hoped.
Jar Jar was a gawkily thin as ever though his orange pigmented skin was
begining to fade in
patches. The long coat he wore covered most of his scars - all but the
one ragged ear. I
smiled up at him. "It's good to see you again, old friend."
"Good to see Obi-One too." I was half smothered by a Gungan embrace, then
he released me
and turned his attention to Luke. "Yousa gotten big." rolled an eye back
at Anakin. "But not as
big as Ani!"
"Thank goodness." Padme chimed in, continued to her son. "When I first
met your father he
was so tall -" held a hand a meter or so above the deck. " - the next time
I see him, he's - that!"
waved up at her towering husband.
"It was ten years later!" he protested. "I grew up."
"And up and up." Rabe teased, throwing me a wink. Eirte grining beside her.
"There's nothing wrong with being tall." Ani huffed.
"As long as you stay out of waste pipes." I said, joining the fun.
He rolled his eyes. "You are *never* going to let me forget that are you, Obi-Wan?"
"Never." I assured him.
************* Leia and Han joined us at the hanger door. Padme hugged her daughter.
"Oh, Leia, I'm so sorry." she said into the coil of hair over one ear.
The princess blinked back tears, struggling to keep her composure. "I know.
Let's not talk
about it now, please."
There would be a later, Padme would see to that. Leia was determined to
keep up a brave
face for Luke and Han and her father and me but she'd be able to let go
and cry with her
mother for all she'd lost.
Pulling away she continued brightly. "You're just in time for the decoration ceremony."
"Decorations?" Padme queried.
"I'm awarding the Gold of Valor to Luke and Captain Solo - for their part
in the destruction of
the Death Star."
"I'm Solo." Han put in, took the hand Padme offered him. "Pleased to meet you, ma'am."
She smiled brilliantly up at him. "And I to meet you, Captain. I'm told
I owe you my son's life.
Thank you."
Han was clearly dazzled. "It was my pleasure."
************
Han Solo: Old enough to be my mother as well as the kid's but still one
of the most beautiful
women I'd ever seen. Skywalker had great taste - not to mention luck. And
the lady had class
as well as looks. I hoped her Royal Heightyness was taking notes..
*************
"What about Ben?" Luke protested. "We'd never have gotten off the Death
Star if it weren't for
him."
"Jedi never accept decorations or honors." I explained.
"One of the advantages to being a Jedi." Ani put in.
Han snorted. "Guess it's way to late for me to join."
I looked at him consideringly. He was certainly old for the training, with
a lifetime of habits and
attitudes to unlearn, but the Force was strong with him - I wondered what
his midicolorion
count might be - maybe....
He registered alarm. "Hey, General, that was a joke."
"I know." I said, in my best impenetrable manner.
He was not reassured.
To be continued ->
Feedback to: moriah_organa@yahoo.com