Saga Master and Padawan OT AU - Repost Updated 04/02

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, they all belong to that wonderful man George Lucas. ?
Authors Note: Long term members of this board- very long term members- might remember when I first posted this story here, a long, long time ago before Darth Real Life defeated me. It was abandoned not even half way through, and not a squeak has been heard from me since. Would you accept my grovelling and please give it another go? I?ve re-read my original story and tidied it up a bit, so hopefully returning readers will find it improved. New readers, please enjoy it! Keep the faith, this time I will complete it. May the Force be with me!


Master and Padawan


"Luke!" Obi-Wan Kenobi, known as 'Crazy Old Ben' to the various inhabitants of Tatooine, General, Hero of the Clone Wars and one of the last remaining Jedi Masters called out in exasperation. A giggle was the only answer he received. Obi-Wan groaned softly and closed his eyes. He should, he thought despairingly, have an edge not normally available to the parents/guardians/keepers across space and time whose charges had played this age-old game-'Hide from your parents/guardians/keepers until they go mad.' Namely, the Force. But his charge, son of the Chosen One with a midichlorian count nearly as high as his Father's, had mastered shielding his presence in the force very early on in life. A talent which would, he was sure, be very useful when the time came for Luke to confront Vader and the Emperor, but right now was preventing Obi-Wan from 'finding' him.

"Luke, if you don't come out right this minute, you won't get any Kalla fruit with dinner," he called. Resorting, as so many handlers had, to blackmail. And the key to any four year-olds obedience- his stomach.

There was silence for a moment as Luke considered his masters ultimatum, then he came crawling out from under the speeder, covered in engine oil and grinning. Obi-Wan stared down at him in shock for a moment, then shook his head and sighed.

"Padawan, what in the Force am I going to do with you?" Luke grinned up at him,

"Don't know Ben," he said. Then instantly his face transformed from grinning devil to angelic angel, "Did you say something about Kalla fruits?" He inquired innocently. Ben smiled down at him, heart melting once again.

"They're on the table, Luke," he told him. "When you have cleaned yourself up we'll eat."

"Thanks Master!" Luke called and scampered inside the hut they had made their home.

Obi-Wan looked after him, a soft smile gracing his timeworn features. Luke's speech patterns were more adult then were normal for a human four year-old, a side affect of his high midichlorian count, perhaps. But inside he was still a young boy. I should have spent more time with the initiates at the temple, Obi-Wan thought. He was often left floundering by something Luke did or said, unsure whether it was just normal precociousness or something to do with who this child was. But who would have guessed I'd be taking a Padawan before he was one year-old? The Jedi Master?s mood darkened as his train of thought inevitably led to the circumstances that had required that he did. To the Empire that was spreading its dark grip across the stars. To the deaths of his fellow Jedi Knights, hunted down and killed in the purge. And to Anakin. Anakin his Padawan, his friend, who he had failed so completely

A burst of impatience along the Master-Padawan bond alerted Obi-Wan to the fact that he had a hungry Padawan waiting in the kitchen, and affectively pulling him out of his dark thoughts. He smiled wryly and made his way into the kitchen where Luke was waiting impatiently at the table for his meal. Obi-Wan paused for a moment and studied the boy attentively.

"Luke," he began

"Yes Ben?" Luke asked, staring up at him, angelically innocent. The corner of Ben's mouth twitched in spite of himself.

"I believe, Luke," he said, trying to sound stern, "That I said we would eat 'after' you had cleaned yourself up." Luke looked down at his filthy tunic, arms and legs. He looked back up, g

 

This is interesting! I hope you do finish it, because you have a devoted reader! Obi-Wan seems to always crawl back into dark thoughts which is quite well written! And ... the death of Padmé ... that was truly sad. There is no death. There is only the Force. Poor Luke. Let's hope he doesn't turn out to be another failed padawan like Xanatos or Anakin.

I won't be leaving this story!

 

I have a feeling I read this story in the old fan fic section a while back... but I can't remember what happens. So I think I'll decide to follow along as you repost it. It's excellent so far.

One slight thing I noticed... you referred to Owen as being Obi Wan's half brother. I suppose you wrote the fic before AOTC came out. Are you planning on keeping him as Obi's brother...or changing it? ?

~*Senoj*~

 

I was one of your original readers. I'm glad your working on this again. I love Little Luke stories.

 

Wow! You're continuing this? I thought it had been abandoned for good!

Can't wait to read.

 

Oooooh - very cool! I adore stories where Obi-Wan raises Luke - don't ask me why, its just a weird thing. Very nicely written and about Padme.

More, please?

 

Oh, brilliantly written. Absolutely great! More! More! More!

 

wow I like this very interesting and poor Luke will never get to know who his mother was that is so sad.

more please

 

Thank you for all your kind comments! Yes this was written back before AOTC, but I'm not going to change Owen being Ben's half brother. That fact is not reall significant to the story, but the back story provided by Lucas would, I think, mess it up. But hey, It's already an AU!

********

Obi-Wan stumbled wearily towards the com-centre, sank into the chair, and buried his face in his hands. Luke had finally fallen asleep just a few minutes ago and was lying on his sleeping couch, face tearstained, small body exhausted by his intense grief. Ben dropped his hands to the desk top and straightened himself so he was sitting upright, staring at the high-tech com-centre, complete with high level encoding equipment. Incongruous, in a poor hermits hut on distant Tatooine. He hesitated a second, then punched in a direct line to Alderaan.

After a few minutes while the encoding programs went to work, the weary face of Bail Organa, Viceroy of Alderaan, appeared.

"Obi-Wan." Neither his voice nor his face held any surprise at the contact.

"Bail," Obi-Wan greeted his friend and comrade-in-arms. "How?" Bail didn't need to ask how what. He replied wearily.

"The medics have spewed out a long stream of medical jargon, but we both know that's not really what she died of."

"A broken heart," Obi-Wan said softly. Bail sighed.

"Honestly, Obi-Wan, I think she just hung on this long for the twins. For Luke and Leia. As soon as she knew they were safe, happy and loved... she just didn't have any reason to hang onto life and all its pains." Obi-Wan nodded quietly.

"How is Leia taking it?"

"She only knew Padme as her nursemaid but... I think on some level she always knew who she was. She burst into tears the moment Amidala passed away, she's only just now cried herself to sleep."

"Luke, too," Obi-Wan said sadly. "We felt her passing." Bail's face betrayed his astonishment

"Luke felt it? At that distance?"

"Size matters not," Obi-Wan said, quoting Master Yoda's oft repeated chide. "And distance matters not, too. Especially for these two, I think."

"They are Anakin's children," Bail whispered. "It is to be expected."

"Everything is alright with Leia?" Obi-Wan asked. "No flukes that might raise questions?" Bail shook his head.

"Nothing," he said. "I think you were right when you said Leia has more passive abilities." Obi-Wan smiled fondly, glad to be moving on to more pleasant topics.

"Well, Luke's abilities are defiantly more active," he smiled. "I keep finding certain essential items in the strangest places, places that no four year old should be able to access." Bail chuckled.

"I don't envy you that," he said. "Leia gets into enough trouble without Force assistance, and drags Winter into it, too."

"Winter?" Ben asked

"Her friend," Bail said. "Visitors are always mistaking Winter for the Princess, Leia is such a little tomboy, always coming in covered in mud and foliage." Obi-Wan grinned.

"That's quite common with Force-sensitive children," he said. "It's showing a connection to the Living Force. Luckily, I don't have to worry about that."

"I envy you," Bail smiled.

"Don't," Obi-Wan said, dismally. "I get sand instead. You'd be amazed at the places sand can get!" Bail's mouth twitched.

"Sand?" he asked,

"Sand." Obi-Wan confirmed. "Lots and lots of sand." Sadness crept back into Bail's eyes.

"Amidala said that she used to get filthy as a child," he said quietly. Obi-Wan nodded sympathetically, his own sadness returning.

"She lives on in her children," he said softly. Bail nodded.

"We'd better end this transmission? he said, reaching for the off-switch on his side. He hesitated. "Good luck."

"We'll need it," Obi-wan said. "We're raising Skywalkers after all," Bail's laughter was cut off as the screen went blank.

Obi-Wan stood and stretched. Talking with Bail had helped him to find some peace. He walked softly over to his Padawan's room and peered inside. Luke was sleeping more peacefully now, his face angelic in repose. Ben knelt by his head and gently pushed the fai

 

I think sand would be worse than dirt. Dirt washes off much more easily. *random Mom comment*

 

I like. Interesting that you show Bail and Obi-Wan still in contact . . . one tends to assume Obi-Wan never spoke to anyone on Tatooine. I especially liked how you ended the post.

 

great post and I need more that was awesome I love the we'll need it. we're raising Skywalker's afterall, sweet need more

 

********

Obi-Wan pulled the battered old speeder up in front of the Lars's moisture farm and glanced sideways at Luke who was sitting in the passenger seat next to him. The six-year-old was pouting because Obi-Wan had refused to allow him to pilot the speeder over to the farm, even though he could barely see over the dash board. And, Obi-Wan mused, probably also because of the purpose behind this visit.

Obi-Wan stretched and swung himself out of the speeder. He glanced back at Luke who was still sulking and sighed.

"Luke, come on," he said. "Beru is waiting for us." He considered his Padawan more carefully.

"If you don't get out of that speeder right this minute, you'll have to do an extra two hours meditation when we get back home." Luke stayed silent and didn't move for a minute. Then, with a weary, put upon sigh he got up and clambered out of the speeder and made his way around to stand next to Ben. Obi-Wan looked down at his Padawan and inwardly shook his head. Threatening a six-year-old with extra meditation he thought wryly. Since when did I sink so low?

In spite of his sulk, however, Obi-Wan could sense that Luke was actually extremely curious, and eager to meet the Lars. He hadn't met many people in his short life, seeing as they lived out in the Dune Sea, one of them a hermit who the locals considered crazy.

Sighing, Ben placed a hand between Luke's shoulder blades and gently guided him to the entrance to the courtyard, and then towards the door to the house proper. Over the years on Tatooine, Beru had gained a reputation as a teacher for young children of all species. She loved children, but was barren and tried to substitute the children she could never have by playing a small part in many of the young of Anchorhead lives.

Sometimes Obi-Wan felt terribly guilty by depriving Beru of the foster son she could have had in Luke, by being selfish and not carrying through with his original plan of giving Luke into her and her husband's care. But then he would look at his Padawan, and though it might not dispel the guilt, he would find himself unable to summon any regrets.

Pulling his mind free from his ponderings on the past, Obi-Wan pressed the buzzer by the door and focused his mind, as his master had so often told him to do, on the present. Beru would have her chance to be involved in Luke's life, in teaching him, now.

********

Obi-Wan heard footsteps on the other side of the door, and straightened smiling as the door opened and Beru looked out.

Beru's eyes widened in surprise, then she smiled widely.

"Obi-Wan!" She exclaimed. "This is a pleasant surprise." Obi-Wan smiled back, genuinely glad to see her for he had always been fond of his half-brothers wife.

"Beru," he said, inclining his head slightly, "You look well." Beru laughed.

"You're too kind, Ben. Please, come in. It's hot out." She moved backwards, opening the door wider. Obi-Wan stepped inside, stamping his feet to shake the sand of his boots. He pushed Luke gently ahead of him, out of the shadow of his robes, resisting the urge to shake his head over the shyness he now felt coming over their bond.

Beru glanced down, just noticing Luke. She smiled at him.

"And who id this?" she asked kindly. Obi-Wan replied for him when it became apparent that his Padawan wasn't about to answer.

"This is Luke Skywalker," he said. "My Padawan," he added. Luke looked up at him, clearly surprised. Ben had stressed again and again that he was not to mention anything to do with the Jedi, or Obi-Wan's real name, to anyone. Ben smiled down at him, reassuring.

Shock had crossed Beru's face momentarily at Luke's name, but she had her expression back under control as she smiled at him.

"Welcome, young Luke," she said. "Why don't you come in," she added, turning back into the interior of the house. "I've got some Kalla fruits out, if you want some." Luke brightened up and followed Beru eagerly. *Maybe Beru won't be so bad after all* Ben caught his thought. Chuckling to himself, he closed the door and followed them.

Ente

 

And a friendship begins.

 

Yes! A post! *tries not to get toooo excited*

Very interesting - I like that you're having Luke and Biggs meet. It should also be interesting having Obi-Wan and Owen almost forced to know one another, since Beru will be teaching Luke. I always got the impression that Owen didn't like Obi-Wan ( ) and always wondered why.

Anywho, very good post! More, soon, please?

 

ah that was a great post and so the friendship begins, more please

 

Glad you're all enjoying it! More Biggs/Luke friendship now!

******

Luke followed Biggs through to the garage, annoyed with himself for needing to look to Obi-Wan for reassurance. He perched on the edge of a crate and looked around curiously while Biggs fished his models out of his pack.

The garage was big, at least to Luke's young eyes used to a tiny hut, and filled with clutter. Droids, droid parts, a lubricating bath, tools... Luke's fingers itched to fix what was so glaringly obviously, at least to him, with one of the druids. He looked back around eagerly as Biggs settled down next to him, putting his starship models on the convenient crate.

"See!" He said proudly. "I've got a TIE fighter and a Head Hunter and a Lambda Class shuttle here with me..." Luke looked down at them, relaxing now that things were on his favourite ground. He had been shy... and his Master had noticed it!

Luke shook his thoughts off and noticed a ship he didn't recognise.

"What's that one?" he asked, pointing at it.

"Which one?" Biggs looked down at it. "Oh! That one. That's a Pod, it's not really a ship."

"What is it, then?" Luke asked, interested. Biggs grinned.

"It's a racer," he said. "It's a bit like swoop racing or something, what it's raced in. There's an arena and they have huge races at Mos Espa, especially on Boonta Eve. They go so fast! The track comes down near here, through Beggars Canyon."

"Have you ever seen a race?" Luke asked excitedly. Biggs shook his head, disappointed.

"No. My mom doesn't like them, and my dad's always too busy to take me."

"Well, can't you watch when they come through Beggars canyon?" Biggs shook his head again.

"No. Tusken Raiders camp out on the trail a lot, and shoot at the Pods as they come by.

"Oh."

"But they transmit the Boonta Eve race at least over the holos. They go really fast around the turns. Humans can't do it, though."

"Why not?" Luke demanded indignantly. Biggs grinned at him.

"There's nothing xenophobic about it, Luke," he said. "Humans just don't have fast enough reflexes." I bet Jedi reflexes could handle it, Luke thought, experiencing a thrill at the idea.

"Anyway," Biggs said, changing the subject. "Where do you live? I've never seen you before." Luke pulled his mind away from dreams of Podracing to answer.

"We live out by the Dune Sea," he told him, pointing vaguely in the direction of the hut.

"The Dune Sea?" Biggs asked, puzzled. "But no-one lives out there except Old Ben."

"I know," Luke said calmly, examining the turbines on the model Podracer. "I live with him."

"Old Ben?" Biggs gaped at him. "But, he's crazy!" Luke whirled on him, suddenly furious.

"He is not crazy!" He snarled, forgetting, for the moment, that he was still mad at his Master for not letting him pilot the speeder over. He glared at Biggs who was now looking a bit nervous.

*Padawan* Obi-Wan's thought suddenly rang in his head, along with concern and a demand to know what had happened.

*He called you crazy!* Luke sent back, still glaring at Biggs. Obi-Wan's next thought was like a sigh through his mind.

*Padawan, everyone thinks that I am crazy; it's part of what keeps us safe.* The 'tone' changed to one of amusement. *Besides, you've called me crazy any number of times*

*That's different* Luke thought sulkily.

*Oh?* Ben thought and there was definitely amusement coming through the bond now, though the concern was still there. *So you mean, the Padawan can insult the Master, but anyone else who does so must die a horrible death?*

*Exactly!* Luke sent back promptly, some of his anger beginning to drain away. Obi-Wan's mental laughter was a warm tingle in the back of his mind. Suddenly, however, the sense of his master became more serious.

*While I am grateful to you for defending my honour, Padawan,* he thought trying to keep the conversation fairly light. *I sensed that you felt great anger at Biggs.*

The concern in his Master's sense had grown stronger, and Luke immediately felt ashamed, and then guilty. 'Peace over Anger

 

Great fic so far.

I love OT AU's. Ben seems to be doing a pretty good job of both being a master and a parent.

Mind you, I wonder how he'll deal when Luke reaches his teens?

I guess this was written back when Owen's connection to Luke was through Obi-Wan, instead of being Anakin's step-brother.

I liked the Obi-Wan/Bail conversation. I enjoyed them comparing notes on parenting. I know Ben kept an isolated existence, but he definitely had to talk to people some of the time. I mean, he had to go to town for supplies every so often and there's no reason why he couldn't have some type of communications set up in his hut.

I'm looking forward to the next post.

 

Looks like they might get into a little trouble.

 

Lovely post.

I really liked how Luke defended Obi-Wan - and Obi-Wan's response. I think its true that we feel we can insult family, but when someone else does it . . .



Very good characterization, and I like how you're doing a young Luke and Biggs.

 

I get the feeling that Luke and Biggs are going to get into pod-racing.

Is that how Obi-Wan's hair turns white?

Maybe there should be a scene where Ben's checking himself in the mirror for white hairs.

 

I loved the update when will there be more?

 

*******

Lanal Darklighter pulled her speeder up in front of the Lars' farm. She noted that there was another speeder parked outside, rather more battered then her own. The Darklighter Business was still growing, but not fast enough to suit Huff, or to prevent him from saving credits where he could, like imposing on Beru Lars' kindness, and asking her to teach Biggs.

Lanal smiled slightly, stepping out of the speeder and making her way into the garage. Although Biggs wasn't her own son, she did love him and- the sound of two young voices, raised in mock anger brought her up short and she stared at the two oil covered figures, stood toe-to-toe, yelling.

"You had to go and pull on that socket, didn't you?" A young boy, just recognisable as fair-haired, was yelling.

"It wasn't my fault!" Biggs, his face just recognisable under a covering of oil, defended himself. "I told you I was no good with Droids!"

"Yeah? Well, I don't know about your mother, but Ben will-" He stopped suddenly turning to face her though she was sure she had made no noise. Biggs turned with him, glancing around, confused- until his eyes fell on his mother.

Guilt and panic, then an angelic expression she was sure young boys must practice in the mirror, crossed both their faces.

"Mum!" Biggs said, nervously. "We were just, umm..." He glanced at his new friend for help, but he just looked at him with sympathy but helplessly... until horror crossed his face and he turned to look at the entrance of the garage through to the rest of the house. A man burst through, then stopped short, staring at the two boys.

"Hi, Ben." The fair-haired boy offered weakly. He glanced between himself and Biggs, obviously looking for something to lessen whatever fate was about to fall on their heads. "We, umm... We fixed the droids?" 'Ben' closed his eyes briefly, then sent her a look, which she returned, the look of one besieged parent to another. Beru came through the door then. She stopped and just looked at the boys, who were beginning to squirm under the three-way scrutiny.

"Look at the pair of you!" Beru exclaimed. "Come on, let's get you cleaned up. Don't you dare touch anything in the house. Look at you! Hardly fit for decent company." With looks of relief at their temporary reprieve, though casting nervous glances at Beru, the two followed her, leaving Lanal and Ben alone.

Lanal shook her head as she stared after them.

"I've never known Biggs to get so filthy." She said, dazedly.

"I think Luke has a talent for it," Ben offered. She turned to face him and looked at him, puzzled.

"I don't think I've seen you before," she said, slowly.

"Probably not," Ben agreed, smiling easily. "Though you've probably heard of me."

"How so?" He looked at her a bit sheepishly.

"I'm 'Crazy Old Ben'" Lana stepped back slightly, eyeing him narrowly. She wasn't one to judge people on what other people said normally, but still...

"I assure you, Lanal." He said quietly, his smile gone. "I am quite sane."

"Forgive me," she said, still watching him. "But I fined it hard to believe that some one who would willingly become a hermit out here is in full possession of his senses." Her eyes widened as understanding dawned. "Especially one that would drag a young boy into it!" She glared at him indignantly, daring him to deny it. Ben's face had hardened during her tirade, but now, as she watched, it drained away.

"Perhaps I am not in 'full possession of my senses,'" he admitted. But few are, who are veterans of the Clone Wars."

"What?" she asked, some of her anger draining away.

"I was a pilot." He told her. ?I was in a lot of battles, I lost," he paused and swallowed then continued. "I lost a lot of friends. One was as dear to me as my own brother. Luke is his son. He has no living family, and as a last gift to my friend I promised to raise and care for him. But after all the carnage and destruction... I just wanted peace."

"I'm sorry," Lanal whispered, ashamed.

"It's alright," he told her, smiling painfully.

"I'm going to see how

 

Poor Ben. What a horrible thing to have to lie to protect Luke. It's got to be eating him up.

 

Very nice post! I like Ben being parental . . . and I loved his last thoughts. I hope Luke understands, too.