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Author Topic: Parenthood (JA) Obi-Wan gets his first taste of fatherhood... with a Jedi twist. Epilogue added
Ginger_Jedi 
Registered: Jun '01
43743_Mara Jade
Date Posted: 1/16/08 10:22am Subject: Parenthood (JA) Obi-Wan gets his first taste of fatherhood... with a Jedi twist. Epilogue added - Date Edited: 1/19/08 11:09am (2 edits total) Edited By: Ginger_Jedi
Hello everyone, I am Ginger_Jedi. I wrote Star Wars fan fiction back between 2001-2003 (spare yourselves, it's not the best writing) and as of late, I’ve been feeling somewhat nostalgic and BOOM! This story suddenly existed. I don’t know if I’ll write anything else ever again in this fandom but I did enjoy myself a lot with this story.

I haven't posted at the JC in over 3 years so if the editing is a bit messed up, sorry ^^;

This is also to celebrate my seven year anniversary at Fanfiction.net. 2001 was a very important year in my life, and this is how I'm celebrating grin

Forgive me if I get some terminology wrong. As I’ve said, it’s been many years since I indulged in this fandom. I’m also using British terminology because I am British and Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan both have British accents :P Yes, that is my reasoning! Bwahahaha!

Disclaimer: Star Wars is property of George Lucas. I’m just here for the nostalgia grin

Dedicated to Jess and Laura, for being wonderfully dear friends who I never would’ve gone on a roadtrip with had we not all met here in 2001. Crazy thought huh? CALIFORNIA OR BUST!!!!

***

Summary: Obi-Wan Kenobi is left to defend a tiny baby when the ship he and Qui-Gon Jinn are travelling on is boarded by angry protestors.

Parenthood

“Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon said with an amused smile, "you are the picture of fatherhood.”

“I thought the galaxy tended to frown on single, teenaged fathers,” the fifteen-year-old shot back, adjusting the sling that held the tiny baby girl against his chest

“Well, that’s really only among certain species. There are some peoples of this galaxy who have several children before they turn ten-standard-years-old.”

"Regardless of that, I don't think taking care of children is something I'm ready for just yet."

"Oh I don't know Padawan. You've been doing a very good job thus far."

"I assume you're ignoring the fact that I smell like baby vomit..." Obi-Wan wrinkled his nose, "...among other things."

"Absolutely."

Obi-Wan grinned and couldn't help laughing but the baby, human and barely a month old, stirred and released a soft whimper. From the unhappy expression on her tiny face, she was about to unleash an almighty storm of crying. Running over the various probabilities in his mind, Obi-Wan settled on the one thing he decided had to be the cause of the tiny being's discomfort. “She must be hungry,” Obi-Wan said, running a hand over the soft hair. He stuck his other hand into the bag he had strapped around his waist. “Hm, I know it’s in here somewhere…”

Qui-Gon watched in amusement as his apprentice produced a small bottle, removed the cap that covered the teat before gently lifting the baby out of her sling and into a more comfortable feeding position. It seemed, somehow, that even a young, inexperienced boy knew how to comfort and take care of an infant. Qui-Gon felt increasingly happy that he and Obi-Wan had taken this simple mission of travelling to pick up this new, soon-to-be Initiate. There were many lessons to be learned from taking care of another’s well-being. Qui-Gon felt a smile touch his lips. Parenthood suited Obi-Wan well.

“Does that taste good?” Obi-Wan asked the baby as she took her milk with gusto. He rocked her back and forth as he slowly paced around. “Just don’t vomit any of it over me when I burp you because that would be unpleasant for me and could perhaps damage our chances of a good friendship. Okay baby girl?” She looked at him and Obi-Wan grinned. “Great. Wonderful to know we have reached an understanding little one.”

Shaking his head at his Padawan‘s apparent attempt at negotiation, Qui-Gon commented “She needs a name, don’t you think? We can hardly refer to her as ‘baby girl’ until we reach the Temple.”

“Master,” Obi-Wan said slowly as he pulled a muslin cloth out of his bag, placed it over his shoulder and then manoeuvred the baby there so that he could burp her. “Are you…. Are you asking me to name this child?”

“Why not?”

Obi-Wan didn’t respond. He could feel the baby’s warmth against his shoulder and neck, and again marvelled at the fact that she had survived the outbreak of civil war when her parents had not. The orphanage the Jedi pair had taken her from had been heaving with lost children and the nuns who ran it seemed only too grateful to pass on at least one of their charges. They had not had a name for the child, as it was a religious custom on the world of Jikai for parents to name their children when they were six months old.

“Well, Obi-Wan?”

“I’m thinking,” the boy responded. “I’ve never named anything before.”

“Any “thing” Padawan?”

Obi-Wan sighed and corrected himself. “Anyone.”

“Think about it for a while. Meditate if you feel it will help. I’ll go and find out our ETA on Coruscant.”

Left alone with his tiny charge, Obi-Wan finished burping her and cradled her instead. She looked around with wide blue eyes and he could feel her curious mind reaching out with the Force, albeit weakly. He let out a breath and rocked her gently. “Whatever am I to name you?” He murmured.

The baby didn’t offer any clues and Obi-Wan discounted numerous possibilities as he changed the girl‘s nappy and settled her to sleep in her sling, ensuring that it was tight enough to support her fully. Constantly Obi-Wan had to run through everything he had rapidly been told about ensuring the baby’s safety - including that her spine was properly supported to avoid hurting her back. The nun who had given him a rapid rundown of basic baby-care had, at the culmination of her lesson, whispered a prayer to one of the convent's patron saints. He had asked her why she offered such a prayer for the baby, and the nun had told him it was to bless the little girl with warmth and happiness throughout her life.

The saint had been Aebii.

“Aebii,” he suddenly said, looking down at the baby. “Aebii suits you too.”

And thus, ‘The Baby’ became Aebii. Obi-Wan grinned. “It even rhymes with baby. Baby Aebii.” He tickled one of her dangling feet. “Perfect.”

So intent was he on naming her, that it hit him rather late that the Force was whispering uneasily. All too suddenly, Obi-Wan became aware of a pervasive chill. Aebii stirred and uttered a cry. Obi-Wan hurried to soothe her, using the Force to calm her overtaxed senses. She knew there was danger on an instinctive level, but it was impossible for her to have any understanding of what that danger was. Obi-Wan reassured her as best he was able, shoving his own concern aside as he tended to her.

//Master?// He called over their training bond. //Is something wrong?//

//Obi-Wan, be careful. The Force is…//

Qui-Gon’s voice fell suddenly silent, shock and pain slamming into Obi-Wan as their bond was forcefully silenced. Obi-Wan knew only two things could make such an impact on the bond: Force inhibitors or death. Obi-Wan begged the Force that it was the former.

But the sudden silence was not the end of the danger.

Aebii gave a shriek of terror and set up a formidable wail as the ship slammed to one side and the electrics dimmed and flickered worryingly. Obi-Wan took cover under a small desk, surrounding himself and the child with a barrier of energy to protect them from debris as the ship continued to shake and shudder violently. Stroking Aebii's head and whispering to her softly, Obi-Wan clamped down on any wayward emotion of his own.

The ship was undoubtedly being boarded.

“Okay Aebii, it's okay,” he whispered, not knowing if he was attempting to reassure Aebii or himself. “It’s okay.”

He reached out to the Force, sensing the ever-growing disturbance. Who had boarded them? Why? What kind of weapon had been used to silence Qui-Gon? What of the ship's crew? All of his questions could be neatly surmised under a single umbrella issue:

What in all the hells was happening?

Obi-Wan got his answer before he even had to formulate a plan. The ship’s internal communication network buzzed and crackled into life before a rasping voice began issuing demands.

“Bring us the infant and there will be no further bloodshed.” Obi-Wan felt his stomach plummet at the words but willed his mind to focus on what was being said rather than the could-be’s. “The Jedi have no right to take our children and we will stop you at any cost.”

Obi-Wan instantly thought back to the small yet loud faction of people who had angrily protested his and his Master’s removal of Aebii from the orphanage and the planet. It wasn’t uncommon for protestors to mount demonstrations like that one. Many didn’t understand Jedi methods, seeing religious fundamentalism where there was only a deep respect for an energy far greater than a single being. Culture clashes were inevitable, despite the work the Jedi dedicated themselves to. People were often only too willing to succumb to conspiracy theories, and an organisation steeped in as much mysticism as the Jedi was certain to get a few overly imaginative minds going.

"You have one standard hour before we start killing everyone in our path between us and the child."

It was going to be dangerous, Obi-Wan harboured no allusions that suggested otherwise. He would have to protect himself and the baby to the utmost of his ability. The boy held the baby a little tighter, urging her mind into a deeper sleep. Aebii would have to stay still and quiet if they were to avoid detection. And Obi-Wan would have to keep her safe, especially if Qui-Gon was incapacitated. The best plan was to call for back-up, and there was a second trans-galactic com unit on the ship’s engineering level two decks below. That would be Obi-Wan’s goal.

"Barely a month old and already on your first Jedi mission," Obi-Wan whispered to Aebii. "I imagine that's a record."

***

There was nothing worse than being suddenly, painfully and unexpectedly ripped away from the Force. Qui-Gon had suffered such attacks a few times in his life, but each time was uniquely agonising. He didn't know if Obi-Wan and the baby had been similarly affected but he could hope that they hadn't. The charge that had been let off on the flight deck essentially created a bubble where the Force could no longer touch. It also shocked the system, meaning that even when Qui-Gon left the affected area, he would still be temporarily blind to the Force. It was a messy and unpleasant way of cutting a Jedi off from the Force, but it was effective and would silence the Force for hours, possibly even days. Qui-Gon suspected that he and Obi-Wan had been under constant surveillance while they had picked up the baby. How else could the boarding party have known to carry anti-Force weapons? Jedi didn’t always pick up candidates; sometimes they were brought to the Temple by their parents or by adoption agencies. But no, this group had known that Jedi were present.

It didn’t bode well.

From his position on the floor, where both he and the pilot had had their hands bound and then cuffed to the backs of the pilot's and co-pilot's chairs, Qui-Gon looked up at the protestors who had remained on the flight deck. A varied band from numerous planets, they were all young and, shockingly, well-dressed in smart military-style uniforms. Something about them seemed familiar to Qui-Gon, but he could not place the memory. The protestors were not the usual types of pirates one might find attacking vessels. Two humans guarded Qui-Gon with small but deadly blasters while a Wookie, looking ridiculously stuffed into the uniform she wore, stood by the ship's pilot. A fourth individual, and apparently the group's leader, was on a comlink checking up on the progress of the rest of the boarding party - a team of three, if Qui-Gon's estimates were right. The leader, with his bizarre rasping voice that belied his youth, had switched his attention back to his team straight after making his demands concerning the baby. Again, Qui-Gon's suspicions of being spied on grew deeper. How else could they know so much? But his apprentice was far from helpless, and it seemed as though the ship's tiny crew of four were putting up a good fight. There had been no news of Obi-Wan or the baby across the comlink and that gave Qui-Gon hope. His apprentice would be certain to do everything in his power to ensure the well-being of the little girl.

Signing off the comlink, the leader turned to Qui-Gon. He was a brash-looking young man, barely in his twenties and full of raging ideals. "We will take the child back to her planet."

"A planet torn by warfare?" Qui-Gon coolly observed. "What do you hope to achieve with such a decision?"

The young man smirked. "How could one as brainwashed as you possibly understand?"

Cocking an eyebrow, Qui-Gon responded, "How indeed."

The aloof response angered the young man but for all the emotions that tore across his face, none of them made it out in words. His control impressed Qui-Gon and once again set the Jedi Master's mind wondering about the uniform the protestors wore. The knowledge was somewhere in his mind...

"You had better pray your little stooge gives himself up soon. We are not afraid to kill."

The pilot turned to Qui-Gon with a determined control of her fear. "Better stay quiet," the Bothan said in a voice that managed to hold a note of confidence. "There's no point upsetting a madman."

The Wookie guarding the pilot gave her a sharp nudge and uttered a low, warning growl. The pilot's fur briefly reflected her anger but she reigned in her emotions with control worthy of a Jedi.

Qui-Gon remained silent. For now, all his hopes had to rely on Obi-Wan.

***

Obi-Wan had managed to get to a lower deck but the sounds of fighting were growing louder with each step he took. He had planned on taking the regular corridors down to engineering, but he was starting to realise that his only option, other than fighting his way through, would be to take the narrow service shafts that ran the entirety of the ship.

He considered fighting for all of five seconds before sense knocked bravado down. One look at Aebii was all he needed. This would be a mission of stealth, not brawn.

The Force told Obi-Wan that there was an entrance to the service shafts just up ahead. He went cautiously, because there was also a deep sense of awaiting danger. Obi-Wan reached for his lightsaber, knowing that he had to avoid battle at all costs, but not entirely prepared to go on undefended either. Without a conscious decision to do so, he tightened the sling around Aebii, ensuring that she was free enough to breathe but could not slip free. She had to be protected.

Obi-Wan edged up to the turn in the corridor. He could hear weapon-fire and yelling and a quick peek told him that two of the ship's crew were holding back a team of two protestors. They had set up a barricade by blasting a door down and using it to block the pathway. Fortunately, Obi-Wan was on the same side as the service shaft entrance. Unfortunately, so were the protestors. There were three bodies on the ground too, but Obi-Wan didn't have the time to see which side had lost people. He had to use his time, short and growing ever shorter, to figure out the best course of action. What he settled on was nothing short of risky, but there was no other option and from the cries ringing out, the crew wouldn't hold out any longer.

Obi-Wan moved, reaching out with the Force to rip the hatch open. At only fifteen, the Jedi Apprentice didn't have the control to do that and shield his and Aebii's presence but Obi-Wan managed to move rapidly and silently. He skidded into the hatch, landing on hands and knees. A shout went out as he slammed the hatch closed and Obi-Wan moved into the dark shaft as fast as he could, knowing his entrance hadn't gone unnoticed. He cursed softly, a thrill of terror and anticipation flushing through him before he quashed it mercilessly. He had to move, had to get lost in the ship's innards quickly, because the protestors would be following and he had little time to get ahead.

"We know you're in there, Jedi!" A voice echoed out from behind. "Give us the child and there will be no further loss of life today."

The words echoed around Obi-Wan's mind and again the silence of his Master ignited a fierce fear within him. But there was no time to waste on mulling over what might be. Obi-Wan had to believe Qui-Gon still lived.

And if not...

If not, Obi-Wan was determined to live up to all he had been taught. If he too were to die here, it would not be a coward's death.

Obi-Wan moved as fast as he could. He was still small enough to fit comfortably into the shafts, but Aebii's position made it harder. The service shafts must have been made for a race whose adults never reached the heights of humans. If Obi-Wan were any older, chances were he wouldn't be able to fit. That gave him the hope that his pursuers wouldn't be able to squeeze in behind him. The Force told him he had indeed left people behind him, but their life signs were on the move - both up and down to different decks. They were probably hoping to flush him out and catch him in the process. Obi-Wan coaxed a little more speed out of his hands and knees. He had to get to engineering and send out that distress call. As to what would follow that... well, for once in his Apprenticeship, and maybe his whole life, Obi-Wan was devoting himself wholly to the moment.

He found a ladder and carefully reached out for it, taking it down quickly. Aebii twitched in her sleep, one tiny foot repeatedly kicking Obi-Wan. She wanted to change position, her arms wiggling in a bid for freedom. She was young but she liked to move and Obi-Wan was loathe to push her back to sleep in fear that he would permanently damage her mind. So for now, while there was no sneaking to be done, he loosened the sling slightly and allowed her more room to move. He could sense the baby’s raw emotion and could easily understand her mounting need to cry and feel free.

“Soon Aebii,” he whispered. “We’ll send out the message and find a place to hide. It’ll be okay. Just hold on a little longer.”

They reached the engineering deck and once again, Obi-Wan relied on the Force to tell him which turns to take and which exit to slip through. His back popped and cracked as he stood on his feet once again.

“Boy.” That rasping voice hit the airways again. “Boy, it seems like you’re up to something.”

The Force was growing increasingly uneasy, throwing out warnings and alerting Obi-Wan to an approaching danger. He slid into the engineering bay and, with an expert’s eyes, located the com device he needed. Lightsaber ready, Obi-Wan began edging towards it. The Force was growing ever more uneasy. Obi-Wan reached out but he could sense no specific life-forms. There was just an overpowering sense of danger, but he could not specify its location.

“I will kill your Master if you do not give us the child.”

Obi-Wan’s focus faltered and he stopped moving. He didn’t know if he should rejoice or cry out. His Master was alive! But someone was now threatening to kill him... No, no. He released a breath and reached for the Force to release his fear and apprehension. Calmed, Obi-Wan moved forward again, stepping closer to the com unit. Emotional detachment was allowing him to free himself from emotional constraints. He couldn’t allow his actions to be governed by fear. He had to stick with what he knew, what he felt. Obi-Wan could not feel through the Force if his Master still lived. Their bond remained silent and the Force had nothing else to say on the matter. If Qui-Gon was already dead, how could the protestor kill him once more? There was even a chance it was simply a ruse, the man relying on another’s fear and desperation to gain the upper hand.

“He’ll have to try better to fool a Jedi, won’t he Aebii?”

“I have your Master here but he refuses to speak. Perhaps...” There was a loud report of a blaster bolt firing. “Impressive. Jedi Masters deserve their inhuman reputation. Despite the pain, he refuses to cry out.”

Obi-Wan gritted his teeth, and stopped dead. The Force was positively screaming and Aebii was growing increasingly restless. There were still no life-forms but something...

Of course. How could he be so foolish? He crouched down and there it was, nestled under the com-unit’s control panel: another anti-Force weapon. This one was attached to a proximity trigger. One, maybe two more steps, and Obi-Wan would trigger the device.

“I see even a threat such as this is not enough to stop you. I’m watching your every movement on the scanners but apparently, you will not yield. How about I threaten your life instead? I will begin shutting down life-support on every level of this ship, starting with where you are, if you don’t surrender the baby to us. And yes, I’m quite aware the child will die along with you. But it is an option we have considered and deemed acceptable. Death is better than life with a group of fanatics.”

Obi-Wan ignored the threat and turned his attention back to the bomb, working his way through the wiring with the Force. It took many painstaking minutes, but Obi-Wan eventually rendered the weapon useless and accessed the ship’s trans-galactic com-unit, sending out a distress signal to everything in earshot. He alerted the Jedi Temple too, using a special code that would inform the Council of the trouble.

“Freeze!”

Obi-Wan couldn’t believe it and cursed his failure to be mindful of his surroundings and not just the bomb. He could sense them now. Two of the protestors had entered the room and had blasters aimed at him. He turned to the side so he could see them, but shifted Aebii onto his hip so that his body shielded her.

“Boss, we found the Jedi and the baby,” one of them spoke into a com unit. He was a Shidan, a race of humanoids known for their massively muscular bodies. “Keep life-support active on the engineering level while we take him down.”

A quick glance revealed that both protestors were Shidans. Obi-Wan didn’t relish the idea of having to fight them, even if he did have the Force on his side. They could easily deliver blows that would instantly crush his bones.

The other Shidan, this one a woman, spoke up. “How should we proceed?”

The Boss responded over the ship’s coms. “Seems like today’s a good day for you to die Jedi.”

That was all the response the Shidan pair needed. They opened fire. Obi-Wan’s lightsaber burnt into bright blue light and he deflected the red laser bolts, sending them crashing into walls and nearby equipment. It was awkward to do, but he simply wouldn’t position himself in a way that would put Aebii in danger. She was already wailing, but Obi-Wan couldn’t focus on that right now. He had to escape, had to find a better hiding place until reinforcements came.

Obi-Wan moved, leaping backwards and disappearing behind a console that monitored the hyperdrive’s output. It gave him an idea. The ship was cruising - it hadn’t had a chance to make the jump - and Obi-Wan knew that one way to ensure it would never make the jump would be to disable the hyperdrive through sabotage. No hyperdrive would make rescue easier but to disable it, he needed time. And to gain time, he needed to take down the two Shidan.

“I’m sorry baby Aebii,” Obi-Wan murmured, securing the baby tightly against him once again despite her weak struggles and louder cries. “But I swear I’ll protect you.”

Obi-Wan gave himself to the Force in a way he never had before. Knowing that he had another life to protect, a life that had no way of protecting itself, gave Obi-Wan an edge he had never felt before. He moved with grace, his senses picking up even the subtlest of warnings the Force had to offer. He tried to keep his distance at first, hoping to take both the Shidan down by reflecting their own fire back at them. However, it was not to be. They were well aware of such a Jedi tactic, moving out of harm’s way each and every time. There was only one thing Obi-Wan could hope to do, and that was take them out at close range. It was ridiculously dangerous with a baby in tow, but Obi-Wan moved in anyway. The Force was with him.

He went for the woman first. She had taken up a position on the engineering level’s balcony, a perfect place for a sniper to lay down covering fire while a partner went into dangerous territory. It was a standard military practise, one Obi-Wan had seen employed before. The sniper was always the weaker target, wielding a weapon that was useless in close range combat. Of course the Shidan made up for it with her natural muscles, but surprise was hopefully on Obi-Wan’s side and as he sent another bolt back at her, he made the jump up to the balcony.

It was as Obi-Wan expected. She hadn’t expected such a move from a mere Apprentice, and by the time her thought processes did catch up, her sniping blaster was too large and wieldy to move in time to deliver a killing shot. She did the next best thing - throw a punch - but Obi-Wan evaded it. He jumped up and landed neatly on her arm, the Force aiding in his balance now that his body had several extra pounds attached to it. Despite his weight, the Shidan’s strength was such that she could easily hold him up. It was her complete and utter shock that rendered her immobile. Obi-Wan planted his hands on her arm and spun himself around, both of his booted feet crashing into the woman’s face, his strength doubled as he manipulated the Force to strengthen his attack. Bones broke and Obi-Wan neatly flipped back to his feet as the Shidan crashed to the ground, out for the count.

Obi-Wan brought up his lightsaber as the Force calmly told him another volley of bolts were coming for him. He deflected them with ease, sinking ever further into the Force’s guidance. Obi-Wan turned to face the second Shidan, trusting that the Force would enable him to keep Aebii safe.

Obi-Wan jumped back down and sliced his enemy’s blaster in half. The useless weapon was thrown away and Obi-Wan found himself dodging a punch, only to find his legs swept out from under him. On his back, Aebii horribly exposed, Obi-Wan reacted instinctively. He threw out a hand, palm open wide, and threw his opponent back with a powerful wave of the Force. The Shidan crashed into the hyperdrive console, his body jerking as it suffered massive electrocution. When it was over, Obi-Wan didn’t need the Force to tell him the man was dead. He also knew that the hyperdrive had been rendered temporarily inoperable. If the ship was to make the jump, someone would have to come here and fix the controls. Obi-Wan smirked and dug his lightsaber into it, making extra specially sure that there would be no repairs made to the hyperdrive any time soon.

He reached out once again and found, a few chambers away, the controls for the internal life-form sensors. Obi-Wan was soon in the room and had soon destroyed those sensors too. Now the protestors would have to rely on old fashioned clearing to seek him out.

Disengaging his weapon and returning it to his belt, Obi-Wan returned to the corridor. A foul smell was seeping up his nostrils and he eyed Aebii warily. She was kicking up an impressive fuss and he definitely knew why.

“Okay, okay.” Obi-Wan allowed the Force to show him the ship’s layout once again. “There’s a refresher just up ahead Aebii. We’re going. You’ll be cleaned up.”

Obi-Wan hurried through the corridor, staying on total guard at all times. He knew it wouldn’t be long before retribution was sought - he had left the female Shidan alive after all. He kept part of his senses on her at all times, even as he changed Aebii’s nappy and cleaned her up. She had just fallen silent when the Force warned Obi-Wan that his nearby enemy was regaining consciousness. Soon, she would find her fallen comrade and alert their “boss”.

The question was, what should be his next move? The distress signal had been sent out and, hopefully, rescue was coming in one form or another. Obi-Wan couldn’t yet control his ability to read the future and knew there was no chance of him quickly reading the probability of rescue within the next hour. His absolute best option, the safest one for himself and Aebii, was to hole up somewhere. But a search of the whole ship had alerted Obi-Wan’s senses to an area of the ship that he could not sense. It was as though the void of space itself had consumed that part of the ship. Could that be where his Master was?

“What do you say Aebii?” Obi-Wan asked as he rocked her in his arms, hurrying towards the stairs that would take him back up to the habitation decks. “D’you feel up to a rescue mission?”

The baby offered a wide yawn before she shoved her whole fist in her mouth.

“I like your thinking Aebii, but that is not a tactic that will lead us to success.”

Obi-Wan shook his head to himself as he began running upstairs. He wanted to get back to the crew cabins so that there were a few levels between himself and the Shidan. As he ran, he struggled to keep his thoughts on the here and now. He was desperate to find his Master and his characteristic impatience was burning away. But the lessons he had learned were keeping him from running into a deadly situation. He knew he had to serve his Master, but he knew right now that caring for Aebii had to be his top priority. To do so, to keep her absolutely safe, would be the best thing he could do for his Master. Qui-Gon was a Master after all, and quite capable of taking care of himself - Force or no Force.

“For now, we’ll just hide. Patience is a very important lesson Aebii. One of the first things you’ll be taught.”

Obi-Wan eventually chose to hide out in the small kitchen, its two exits making it a better choice than one of the cabins. He put his cloak on the ground and then laid Aebii out on it, allowing the baby to kick and wave her limbs around. She relished the freedom just as Obi-Wan relished the chance to rest his aching body. Babies, no matter how small, were rather heavy after a prolonged time in a sling. But despite his minor aches, Obi-Wan kept his senses on high alert. He couldn’t allow anyone to sneak up on them. Aebii’s safety was his first duty.

As if reading his mind, Obi-Wan felt a tiny hand grab his finger with shocking strength. He looked down at Aebii, who regarded him with massive eyes. Obi-Wan felt a wave of paternal affection swell inside of him, a feeling that left him blinking in shock. He had never felt that way about anyone before... Never in his life had he burnt with such an overwhelming desire to protect.

Aebii seemed quite happy about that.

To Be Concluded

Second part will be up soon!

 

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JC User of the past. Nostalgia can be fun sometimes.
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Valairy_Scot 
Registered: Sep '05
19543_Obi-Wan Kenobi
Date Posted: 1/16/08 10:33am Subject: RE: Parenthood (JA) Obi-Wan gets his first taste of fatherhood... with a Jedi twist. Post 1 of 2
Wow! If you PM readers, please PM this. This is totally awesome and the characters are so perfect. Love, love, love Obi with a baby, acting as Jedi even with some of the brashness of youth still in him.

 

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http://boards.theforce.net/fan_fiction_resource/b10304/25405090/p3/?52 Prolific Author thread: list & links there.
Muse fueled by coffee. Often AWOL despite frequent sipping.
Writes on inspiration, not a schedule.
Proud master of several padawans
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Ginger_Jedi 
Registered: Jun '01
43743_Mara Jade
Date Posted: 1/16/08 11:19am Subject: RE: Parenthood (JA) Obi-Wan gets his first taste of fatherhood... with a Jedi twist. Post 1 of 2
Well, if PMing will help I shall certainly drop you a line when I update grin Thanks for reading!

 

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JC User of the past. Nostalgia can be fun sometimes.
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Persephone_Kore 
Registered: Jan '06
40101_Jedi Temple
Date Posted: 1/16/08 11:44am Subject: RE: Parenthood (JA) Obi-Wan gets his first taste of fatherhood... with a Jedi twist. Post 1 of 2
Nice work!

 

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Blue_Lightsaber42 
Registered: Dec '07
6513_Obi-Wan Kenobi
Date Posted: 1/16/08 12:27pm Subject: RE: Parenthood (JA) Obi-Wan gets his first taste of fatherhood... with a Jedi twist. Post 1 of 2
Really great job, Obi-Wan with a baby... laugh
PM me too please! praying

 

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"Time is an illusion. Lunchtime doubly so." -Ford Prefect
Co-Founder of the Rebellion
Proud Master of DarthAnakin101 and Ithonya mischief
from Trika-> //hug
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Jinngerbread 
Registered: Sep '07
46561_Fan Fiction: NaNoWriMo
Date Posted: 1/16/08 12:39pm Subject: RE: Parenthood (JA) Obi-Wan gets his first taste of fatherhood... with a Jedi twist. Post 1 of 2
Ginger I think I've seen you around on ff.net grin My name over there is Layren. I lurk a lot on ff.net more than anything tongue

Excellent job here, too bad it's only two parts! Obi-Wan was awesome with his desire to protect the baby and those people did manage to get ahold of Qui-Gon so quickly that he's probably right, they were spied on for quite some time.

Looking forward to more grin

 

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XANl 
Registered: May '06
40731_Hayden Christensen
Date Posted: 1/16/08 2:47pm Subject: RE: Parenthood (JA) Obi-Wan gets his first taste of fatherhood... with a Jedi twist. Post 1 of 2
I never would have thought of Obi Wan with a baby. I like the fact that he needs to take care
of the baby and help the crew get rescued.
Can't wait for the next post
see you on ff.

 
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Gkilkenny 
Registered: Mar '04
7963_Obi-Wan Kenobi
Date Posted: 1/16/08 5:12pm Subject: RE: Parenthood (JA) Obi-Wan gets his first taste of fatherhood... with a Jedi twist. Post 1 of 2
Hi, what a wonderful story to come back with. dancing
I have read your stories, and this one sound just as good. applause

You have made Obi-Wan strong and dependable, I love this.

A Pm would be appreciated, please. grin

 

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Links to Stories in my Bio. Obi-Wan forever.
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Meredith_Kenobi 
Registered: Jul '05
14879_Sabé
Date Posted: 1/16/08 6:03pm Subject: RE: Parenthood (JA) Obi-Wan gets his first taste of fatherhood... with a Jedi twist. Post 1 of 2 - Date Edited: 1/16/08 6:03pm (1 edits total) Edited By: Meredith_Kenobi
That was absolutely stunning. You wrote that SO WELL, Ginger_Jedi. I find myself becoming quite jealous. blush

Fantastic, work. Fantastic.

If you'd PM me when you post the 2'nd part, I'd really appreciate it. batting

 

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Delighted to be brodiew's Master peace
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ardavenport 
Registered: Dec '04
22348_Luke Skywalker
Date Posted: 1/16/08 8:54pm Subject: RE: Parenthood (JA) Obi-Wan gets his first taste of fatherhood... with a Jedi twist. Post 1 of 2
Aaaaaaaaaaah, I was surprised when I saw the name. I haven't been on the boards that long, but your stories are all in the Qui-Gon Index (at least, the ones with Qui-Gon in them).

Those were very nice action scenes. I love it when Jedi know what they're doing. But you've left Qui-Gon possibly shot somewhere -- I sure hope Obi-Wan can get to him.

And it's nice to think that Obi-Wan has always been good with babies. After all, he has to take little Luke to Tatooine!

 

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Links to all fics -- http://boards.theforce.net/Message.aspx?topic=25405090&brd=10304&start=26223917
The Heart of the Jedi -- http://boards.theforce.net/b/b1/26013327
---- Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, JA and everything you wanted to know about lightsabers
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Ginger_Jedi 
Registered: Jun '01
43743_Mara Jade
Date Posted: 1/17/08 7:27am Subject: RE: Parenthood (JA) Obi-Wan gets his first taste of fatherhood... with a Jedi twist. Post 1 of 2
And back with part two, that nearly found itself split in two...

Valairy_Scot: Teenaged Obi-Wan has always been my favourite to write. It's even more fun to write him now that my own teenage years are behind me ^_^

Persephone_Kore: Thanks for reading grin

Blue_Lightsaber42: Thank you! Obi-Wan with a baby is too cute huh?

Jinngerbread/Layren: Hello there grin Yes, the name Layren did strike a bell ^_^ Hah, believe me this story very nearly stumbled into being longer. It still is threatening to do so! The ideas are there, it's just the time for me that isn't ^^;

XANl: Obi-Wan's secretly trying to win the award for Galaxy's Best Daddy wink Thanks for reading.

Gkilkenny: Thank you for surviving my older stories. They're pretty rough ^^; I'm glad you're enjoying this new story.

Meredith_Kenobi: Wow, thank you! blush I read your comment and just went as red as my hair ^_^

ardavenport: ^_^ I am very much a blast from the past. My old stories are shamefully bad at times so thanks for liking them! I can barely look at them myself, but I was a lot younger back then. And I'm so glad you like this story grin Thank you!

Okay everyone, here's the next part.

If anyone wants to see more *new* JA stuff from me, feel free to leave sneaky plot bunnies. I won't say I'll write them, but it doesn't take a lot to get my brain chewing over ideas.

Parenthood: Chapter Two

“He’s dead! The Jedi child killed Rashun!"

Qui-Gon watched the man his subordinates labelled ‘Boss’ pace around the flight deck with barely controlled anger. He was livid but he managed to ground out, "He died a soldier's death."

"The crew took the life of Xeygar too, but not before he took two of them down with him."

"Those who work with the Jedi are as guilty as the Jedi themselves. Xegnar did well."

"But the Jedi. Boss, I will not forgive him!”

“Find him and kill him.”

"Yes sir."

The pilot leaned towards Qui-Gon. “Are you all right Master Jedi?”

Qui-Gon gave a careful nod. The blaster burn to his leg was painful but shallow. The Boss hadn’t shot to kill. He’d barely even aimed to wound. But the young man was growing angrier and Qui-Gon was certain that the next attack he suffered would not be so light.

"I am sorry that you have had to lose some of your crew," Qui-Gon quietly said.

"So long as this thing works out best for us, their deaths won't be in vain."

The Boss ended the call and had to restrain himself from throwing the com unit across the room. He turned to his three comrades who were still guarding Qui-Gon and the pilot. “Join the others searching for the other Jedi. I want him stunned and brought back here alive.” As the three disappeared from the flight deck, the boss turned to Qui-Gon. “I thought killing you would be our greatest victory, but your little brainwashed pet gave me a far better plan.” He leaned in close to Qui-Gon, whispering his threat into the Jedi Master’s ear so only he could hear. "You'll watch him die a slow, agonising death. You'll have to live for the rest of your life with his last living moments burnt into your mind. And he will burn."

Qui-Gon’s eyes went wide as the horrible words registered in his mind. He couldn’t hold his silence. “No, you mustn’t do something so terrible, so...”

The man stood back with a smug grin. “It seems I’ve finally hit a nerve.”

Struggling to regain his composure, Qui-Gon replied with the only thing he could think of. “And it seems I have finally come to realise where you and your comrades come from.”

The Boss didn't seem impressed. “Is that supposed to have some kind of consequence for us? We never tried to hide the truth. We wear our uniforms with pride. We are all graduates of the Jikaian Anjeru Military Academy. We will show the galaxy our strength. We will show them that they don’t need stuffy, arrogant Jedi extremists to uphold justice. We can and will take your place.”

The picture was finally complete but knowing who had attacked them and why did not aid Qui-Gon in producing a satisfactory conclusion to the hijack. Instead, he was Force-blind and worried sick about Obi-Wan and the baby. All he could do (and how useless he felt when he knew his Padawan was in so much danger!) was believe that Obi-Wan would somehow bring about a peaceful resolution.

The Boss, looking smugly confident, turned away from Qui-Gon and switched the ship‘s internal com system on once again. “We’re coming for you, Jedi.”

***

Aebii had been gurgling happily when the man’s voice echoed out of speakers Obi-Wan couldn’t find. The baby noticed the subtle emotional shifts and her happy gurgles turned to whimpers. Fear groped for Obi-Wan’s heart as the Force alerted him to several approaching life-forms.

“We have lost two good people today, but ours is a cause worth dying for." The harsh voice continued. "You too must feel the same about your Jedi way of life, despite all its flaws. Fear not. Before this day’s end, you will know the eternal abyss of death.”

Obi-Wan hastened to secure Aebii in her sling, constantly soothing her with quiet words and gentle strokes from the Force. She was lulled to sleep with ease and Obi-Wan was soon ready to move.

He tried both exits but quick Force probes told him he had enemies approaching from both sides. He placed both his hands over Aebii’s tiny ears before uttering the foulest word he knew. Trapped, with at least four life-forms approaching. He knew that he had to escape and hurriedly cast out with the Force in hopes of securing a good plan. There! Once again he would be able to find security in the shafts...

“Oh, one last thing Jedi. If you return to the shafts, I’ll make good on that threat of shutting off life-support. My people are not afraid to die for their cause. Give yourself up.”

Obi-Wan had very little time to think. He knew he could fight but he knew he didn’t stand much of a chance against four opponents when his overriding objective was to protect Aebii. He couldn’t allow himself to get embroiled in battle unless there was absolutely no other option.

And Obi-Wan had another option. His eyes trailed back to the shaft entrance. It was a desperate gamble but when faced with a four-on-one battle, Obi-Wan would take the gamble.

He wrapped the Force around Aebii, cocooning her to nullify harm. She would remain warm and safe even when the oxygen levels dipped due to the removal of the life-support systems. Obi-Wan tilted his head and brushed his cheek against Aebii's soft hair, so similar in colour to his own. “I’ll get there as fast as I can.”

He slid back into the shafts and crawled at his top speed. Behind him, he heard the other protestors burst into what had bee his and Aebii's hiding place. One was on the com instantly, telling the Boss of Obi-Wan's escape. His adversary, as promised, switched off life-support. Alarms shrieked, a loud voice speaking clear Basic informing which floor had suffered the shut-down. Obi-Wan kept moving, knowing that he had to get to the area a few decks above where he couldn’t sense the Force. He had to take the chance that the protestor in charge wouldn’t risk his own life, despite his fancy speeches and willingness to sacrifice the lives of others.

The only other hope was rescue, but the Force offered no concrete hope and Obi-Wan couldn’t leave his life in the hands of what was, right now, little more than a childish hope.

The air was growing thick and foul as the fans circulating it fell dead. Each breath became harder and harder, but Obi-Wan didn't dare slow down. He found the ladder that took him to the deck just below the flight deck and raced up it, feeling the effort burn through his whole body. He reached out with what little focus he could spare, sensing no life-forms on the second deck. He threw himself out of the shafts, only to find that the second deck had also had its life-support cut. His head was growing light now, but Obi-Wan kept going. He focused heavily on Aebii, ensuring that the Force was sustaining her in the increasingly unfriendly environment. His only relief was the strength of her life-sign that showed no signs of distress. As he stumbled on towards the final stairwell that would take him up to the flight deck, Obi-Wan told himself one thing over and over: the baby's life was in his hands and there was no way he could let her die.

***

Qui-Gon couldn't believe what the Boss had done. Life-support had been cut to every area of the ship aside from the flight deck. Oxygen depravation was not necessarily a horrific death, but it was still death. Could Obi-Wan survive? Would he manage to protect the baby? Despite his feelings, Qui-Gon remained silent. It was the pilot who voiced her outrage.

"You killed my crew! You murdered your own people!" Had she been able to, she would've stood. "How could you do such a despicable thing?!"

"I told you," the Boss replied without turning his attention away from the console where he manipulated the ship's life-support systems, "we are all willing to sacrifice ourselves for the greater good."

"And yet scum like you still lives and breathes," the pilot snapped in disgust. "Coward."

"There is still a chance for success."

"Success? You barely try your tactics long enough! You tell your subordinates to bring the other Jedi here but you kill them before they have the chance! I've never known so jumpy and reactive a leader."

"A leader who can react instantly is the best kind."

"A leader who murders without thought while preserving his own life is an absolute coward!"

The Boss seemed angry at the repeated suggestion. "I am no coward!"

The pilot gave a derisive snort. "So this is it huh? This is the legendary military discipline given to Anjeru's students? And you think Jedi are the monsters? Ha! Take a look in a mirror!"

The Boss ignored her, instead checking the weapons he had in various holsters strapped to his body. Clearly he was still expecting an attack.
"Your Apprentice's tactic is an obvious one," the Boss said. "But he will not reach us. The door is sealed. All we have to do is wait for him to succumb to the lack of oxygen. Then, the baby will be safe - either with me or in death." He finally turned to face Qui-Gon. "And you will have to suffer a fate worse than death."

Qui-Gon met the man's gaze. "My Apprentice will not die so easily."

"We shall see."

***

Obi-Wan made it to the flight deck and with each step he took, the Force grew weaker. The effects of the anti-Force weapon weren't as strong as they would be in the blast's epicentre, but any loss of the Force was not helpful. Obi-Wan's ability to shield Aebii was steadily lessening. He had to hurry...

He reached a deadlocked door and knew this was it, this was the thing that separated him from his Master and the one trying to kill everyone aboard the ship.

Well, the crazy fool had given it his best shot.

Obi-Wan, conentrating failing him as the oxygen depravation grew worse, managed to wrench his thoughts onto the task at hand. He ignited his lightsaber and stabbed it into the door. He began cutting himself a way in, knowing that beyond he would be entirely bereft of the Force. He knew a blaster bolt would be the first thing to greet him, so he turned his back to the door as he kicked the metal out of the way. There was just enough of the Force creeping through the fissures of the blast zone to alert Obi-Wan to move. He slid to the side and the shot slammed into a nearby bulkhead. Obi-Wan threw himself into the room, sucking in deep, refreshing gasps of oxygen. So relived was he to feel his head clearing that Obi-Wan barely noticed the final silencing of the Force.

His eyes rapidly took in the scene - Qui-Gon and the pilot on the ground and the group's sole surviving member aiming another shot.

He was going to hit Aebii!

Obi-Wan threw himself to one side, twisting so again his back faced his enemy. The shot missed him - barely. Obi-Wan wrapped his arms around Aebii, keeping her arms and legs close to him. He then ran at the protestor, only at the last moment grabbing his Lightsaber and slicing the blaster before it could fire another shot.

"Damn you!" A hand reached out, grabbing Obi-Wan by the neck. The young man threw Obi-Wan against a bulkhead, pinning him there with strength borne of fury. "Foolish child!" The Boss had to yell over Aebii's increasingly loud sobs. "You have no idea how warped your mind has become!"

It was the man reaching for Aebii that spurred Obi-Wan back into action. Despite the pain, the terrified cries of the infant prompted Obi-Wan to strike back. He kicked out, catching the man's gut. Winded, the Boss' grip loosened. Obi-Wan freed himself, attacking the man's lax grip with a sharp elbow jab. His fist then smashed ruthlessly into the Boss' jaw, the uppercut producing blood and loosening teeth. Sufficiently stunned, the dazed protestor momentarily lost his ability to fight back. Obi-Wan used the brief lull to deftly pull Aebii from her sling and pass her into Qui-Gon's arms.

"Watch out for her," Obi-Wan said, entirely unaware of how commanding his voice sounded. Despite everything, Qui-Gon couldn't hide his grin, not that Obi-Wan noticed.

The Boss was ready to attack again. Clutched in his right hand was an antique blade made of a well-polished metal. "The old weapons are the best."

As a wielder of a Lightsaber, Obi-Wan couldn't disagree. But he felt certain that the Boss' dagger would be incapable of standing against the Jedi weapon. Operating under such an assumption was, however, a mistake. Obi-Wan expected his weapon to slice through the other one.

It didn't.

The Boss sneered, an ugly expression made all the worse by the mad bloodlust in his eyes. "The old weapons with a few modern tweaks are even better than the best.”

Obi-Wan’s eyes caught a small flash of energy before he was pushed backwards. He didn’t need to look to his Master to hear the words of his lessons: overconfidence would be Obi-Wan’s downfall.

Or, Obi-Wan considered, perhaps it wasn’t to be his downfall at all...

The Boss was coming at him again, his knife-strikes short, sharp and very well aimed. Obi-Wan managed to dodge the majority of the slashes, but he took one to his arm and he fell back, pain and shock written across his face. Their eyes met, Obi-Wan’s full of surprise and the Boss’ full of the joy of battle. The protestor had the upper hand and he knew it. He delivered a devastating blow to Obi-Wan’s gut, sending the winded Apprentice to his knees.

The Boss turned to Qui-Gon. “You are about to know hell.”

“Actually, I think that honour will be yours.”

Following his droll observation, Obi-Wan, who was not nearly as winded or surprised as he had pretended to be, stood tall. He moved too fast to be countered, his lightsaber sweeping out in a blurred blue arc. Two hands and one dagger went flying. Deactivating his weapon, for the battle was well and truly over, Obi-Wan returned it to his belt. The Boss collapsed, unconscious (or maybe even dead) from the shock of agony‘s onrush. A haze of blood fell with him.

“Obi-Wan, are you all right?” Qui-Gon asked.

Reaching down to reclaim Aebii from his Master’s arms, Obi-Wan nodded. “My stomach will be bruised and I’ll need to clean the knife wound but otherwise I’m fine.” He bounced the sobbing baby up and down. “Aebii, hush. What’s all this noise about?” He stroked her hair and held her tightly to his chest. “Everything’s fine now. Sh.”

“Are you certain?” The Master continued as his Padawan quickly and easily freed both Qui-Gon and the pilot before stepping over to the console so he could reinitialise the ship’s life support system, comforting Aebii all the while. “Padawan?”

“Sorry, yes, I promise I‘m fine,” Obi-Wan replied, balancing Aebii on one hip. The boy turned to the pilot. “I’m sorry but I think your crew have all perished. They would‘ve been without oxygen for too long.”

“They were good people, each and every one of them,” the pilot replied with a thick voice. She turned away from the Jedi. “Let me see what systems I can salvage. I may be able to hack into the systems of his ship,” she indicated at the limp Boss, “and use them to get us to the nearest planet. Hm... they took out the hyperdrive...”

“Uh, no, no they didn’t. Um, that was me...”

The Bothan didn’t look amused when she turned teary eyes onto the young Jedi. “I see you haven’t learned that lying isn’t always wrong...”

“It was only sort of me. One of the protestors actually fell on it and...”

“Obi-Wan, perhaps silence would be a good policy,” Qui-Gon observed.

“Actually, him taking that squalling baby somewhere else would be a good policy,” the pilot snapped. Now that the immediate danger was over, whatever control she had held over her emotions previously was gone. “I’ll see what damage has been wrought.”

"We'll return to our quarters and..."

"Master, I'll tend to your wound."

Qui-Gon blinked, surprised by both the fact that Obi-Wan had noticed and because Qui-Gon had almost forgotten the injury in the heat of his Padawan's battle. Qui-Gon opened his mouth to respond but Obi-Wan cut him off with a grin.

"Were you planning on checking the ship for other survivors when you are both Force-inhibited and injured?" Obi-Wan offered his Master a shoulder to lean on. "And I thought I was supposed to be the impulsive one."

Qui-Gon gratefully leaned on his Padawan and they slowly left the flight deck. The further they got from it, the stronger the Force became for Obi-Wan. Having never been in the proximity of an anti-Force weapon during explosion, his body's senses hadn't been shocked and therefore the Force returned easily. As soon as he could control it enough, he wrapped a soothing blanket of energy around Aebii and she finally began to settle.

"You're good with her," Qui-Gon praised.

"She's a well-behaved baby who just successfully completed her first mission as a Jedi."

They reached a small lounge area and Obi-Wan guided his Master onto a plush couch. He then slipped Aebii back into her sling and disappeared further into the ship to locate a med-kit. Aebii seemed to be quite wide awake now, wiggling and turning her head to look all around. He went back to the quarters he, his Master and Aebii had shared, gathering up the med-kit located under his Master's sleepcouch and the small wicker basket the convent had given him for Aebii to lay in. Obi-Wan quickly returned to his Master and cleaned, treated and dressed the wound with practised ease. Just as he was finishing up, the pilot's voice echoed out across the ship.