To Whom Loyalty is Owed (Obi, Qui)

heya everyone. This is a somewhat modified version from the one posted at ff.n, but it's only minor details that are not crucial to the development of the story. 'loyalty' has actually been on hiatus for a little bit, but let's see if it can't be finished up in the near future.

Title: To Whom Loyalty Is Owed
Author: Syntyche
Contact: flysolo_pnt5@hotmail.com, but it may take a few days to get a response, just fyi.
Rated: PG for now. If it should happen to spiral into a PG-13 fic, I?ll include a notice at the chapter beginning.
Archive: Ask me? Just so I know where it?s going.
Disclaimer: Not mine. I make no money off of these characters. I only play with them because I love them, especially Obi. I know the disclaimer should be longer, but I?m too tired to write one, so I?ll stick a long one at the end if I remember.
Tissue Warnings: None that I?m aware of
Obi-torture with resultant Qui-angst (or h/c or whatever!): Moderate to heavy

As always! Thanks to the members of betas_anonymous, without whom I would definitely lack the guts to post anything (except ?Just Easier ? ?)


Synopsis: Qui-Gon recovers from the duel with the Sith and spends some down time with Anakin on Tatooine. Meanwhile, Obi-Wan has yet to resolve his feelings about being Anakin?s master and dealing with Qui-Gon?s hurtful actions before the Council. At Yoda?s decision, Obi-Wan is sent to the planet Xin to mediate between warring factions, where he becomes a pawn in a deadly conspiracy. Will Qui-Gon be able to win the race against time with Obi-Wan?s life and the fate of a planet in the balance?

*g* I love a clichéd synopsis.



To Whom Loyalty Is Owed
By: Syntyche


Chapter One: Every New Beginning ?


The Temple mess was unusually boisterous this evening - due in part, he knew, to the Choosings that taken place earlier in the day. The air had been tautly strung with nervousness at morning meal, but now, with the successful Choosing of new Padawans by uncommitted Jedi Masters, the happy former Initiates were celebrating among their friends with a round of - he thought he could see - jabanana splits.

The newly Knighted Jedi in the farthest corner of the room watched them with a mixture of affection and sadness and a resentment he was trying very hard to quash. He remembered his own Choosing, how desperate he had been to attract the attention of a Jedi Master who would be willing to train him, how proud he?d been to win the training duel ? his anger and dismay at Qui-Gon?s rejection of him and the tense trip to Bandomeer that had followed.

Obi-Wan Kenobi permitted himself a bitter laugh he wouldn?t normally allow. It was really only fitting he?d been denied the chance to Choose his own Padawan: his former Master, Qui-Gon Jinn, had been denied the chance, as well. It was only right that just as Qui-Gon had been forced to take the Padawan no one had wanted, he, Obi-Wan, had been bound by a desperate promise to take and train Qui-Gon?s golden child. Well, attempt to train, anyway.

Defensively, Obi-Wan huddled deeper into the secluded corner as his swirling, unwelcome doubts played themselves out in his head as they had numerous times following Qui-Gon?s near-fatal injury.

/red/

Qui-Gon had believed in a cause. This he could see, give mental assent to, even. Could rationalize, agree with and explain away with a painfully false smile on his face. He understood that he was older, now, and should have been prepared to be knighted and on his own, and ready for the bond between he and his master to be severed. Cut off, just as neatly as his braid had been in a hasty ceremony that had taken place as soon as Qui-Gon was able to attend. He understood that he should have been ready, should have been pleased his Master thought him prepared enough to take the Trials.

But when it all came down to it, the betraying whisper of his heart told him that since Tatooine, his master had had no other consideration but the boy. Qui-Gon hadn?t thought twice about humiliat

 

Qui-Gon, old friend, you have no idea what you've done to that boy.......

Poor Obi........

But I am happy to see you post this here!!

 

I love the story but I ahve one question.
What do the /red over blue/ things mean? Or am I just missing something?

OWC

 

Poor Obi Qui did a very very hurtful jerky thing with those last words (and I say that as someone whose fav character is Qui). However, I would vote let Qui have Anakin as his apprentice . . . just my humble opinion . . .

Looking forward to the next post.

 

I started reading this story on fanfiction.net. I do hope you finish it as it's very good so far.

 

I'd like to see more! Poor Obi-Wan.

 

Definitely poor Obi. I've felt sorry for him ever since seeing that bewildered, anguished look on his face when Qui-Gon says "I take Anakin as my Padawan learner."

 

I think I'm gonna like this!!!!!

 

Wonderful! You've started posting it here! I was reading this over at ff.n (which also appears to be on hiatus) and fell completely in love with this story. Looking forward to more.

Obi_Wanna_Cracker: I *think* that the red/blue references are flashes of memory that Obi has of the battle with Darth Maul. Red saber connecting with blue saber.

 

Ooh! I too read this at FFN (Ginger Ninja is me!!!) and it's good to read it again! PLEASE say you'll post more soon! I am DYING to know what's gonna happed!

Another cool fic by Syntyche!!!

 

Thanks everyone, for your kind comments, especially those of you who have already read and reviewed this over at ff.n. I truly appreciate it, and I do apologize because I know that many of you have wonderful stories that I am dying to read but the School Year From Hell isn't quite over yet; GN, special thanks to you for being so faithful at FB.

New chapters soon, I promise. Midterms end next week (though I don't understand why they're called midterms so late in the school year ... ??)


To Whom Loyalty is Owed
Chapter Two: ? Comes From Some Other Beginning's End


Obi-Wan sat cross-legged on the sofa in his and Anakin's apartment. At least, he assumed the rooms were the ones that belonged to him and Anakin - he hadn't really been here enough to know, spending, he admitted tiredly, far too much time in the Healer's Wing during Qui-Gon's recovery. But the new plate affixed by the door read 'Kenobi/Skywalker,' so he imagined he was in the right place.

Obi-Wan studied the datapad on which he'd been attempting to compose a letter to Qui-Gon that would explain his absence and apologize to Anakin. "Qui-Gon - " was as far as he'd gotten. Frustrated, Obi-Wan tossed the datapad further down the sofa and slumped backwards until his head rested on the back of the divan. It was no use. His emotions were too out of sorts for him to concentrate on anything. Master Yoda had struck a cruel blow. It was one thing to think those things, another matter entirely to hear them spoken aloud so casually. Hehad stayed with Qui-Gon minute after agonizing minute while the older man healed, first in a bacta tank, then in a recovery room. Though their bond had been broken, he had done his best to shunt healing energies to his former Master. Through the long nights when Qui-Gon had wrestled with a pain that was nearly unbearable, he had been there to calm and soothe and comfort as best as he was able. He had abandoned his own responsibility - Anakin - to care for his friend and former teacher.
And despite all that, young, bright Anakin would do more for Qui-Gon than Obi-Wan had managed to. Even Master Yoda knew it.

Obi-Wan thudded his head against the back of the sofa a few times. This was one time the bitterness and pain was very, very difficult to push aside. He closed his eyes and did his best not to remember, not to think, not to feel at all, but the doubts that had been plaguing him all morning certainly weren't going to relinquish their hold on the young Knight now.

The comm unit at the far wall bleeped for his attention, and Obi-Wan was severely tempted to ignore it. The thought that it could be Qui-Gon only increased his hesitation, but his brow furrowed as he realized that he'd actually wanted to avoid his former Master. Few times in his life had he every actually desired that. This startled realization galvanized Obi-Wan, and he pushed himself off the couch and stumbled to the comm.

It was Master Yoda, his gravelly voice sounding almost comical over the unit's tiny speaker. "Knight Kenobi. Ready, your transport is. Prepared, are you?"

Prepared? Obi-Wan wanted to laugh. It was easy to be confident in his own abilities with his Master standing by his side. Could he be so confident alone? He would have to be. A tiny part of his heart died as he realized he was leaving another bit of his old life behind.

He glanced at the datapad lying forlornly on his sofa. He would try to send Qui-Gon a message once he was in hyperspace.

"Yes, Master Yoda. I am ready."

~*~*~

Anakin hugged his mother tightly, burying his face in her shoulder as he tried not to weep. He had grown accustomed to the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, loved Qui-Gon and come to care for Obi-Wan, but in his mother he found a comfort and strength he knew he needed.

"I love you, Mom," he whispered.

Shmi Skywalker held her son close, running callused fingers over his newly shorn hair, cut into typical Padawan style. She had been confused at first to see the small braid running from behind Anakin's right ear,

 

And what exactly is wrong with Obi-Wan?!?

About the midterms.....I really don't know either.

 

Ah midterms, I'm always glad to see the end of them. I'm even more glad you're posting this here since I haven't been able to get into ff.n in ages. Now now Apprentice M , remember Shmi has never met Obi and doesn't know him from a Hutt. All she knows is her son is unhappy and, speaking as a mother myself, she wants him to be happy and more she wants to be reassured that she made the right decision in sending him away. Looking forward to the next part.

 

Oh, Shmi can go kiss my big, white.... sas.

Rearrange the letters and you'll see my point.
Or should I say my circle.
Unless you've already gotten it.

 

Shemi is a bloody ideot. As is you don't trust one of the best knights around.

 

Yeah, I read this on ff.n too. This is so good!

 

Aaaaaaaahhhhhhh! Don't stop now POST POST POST POST POST!

This story looks REALLY good, I just LOVE angst!

 

Hey don't be too hard on Shmi. She never even met Obi and all she knows is her son is unhappy.

Again . . . poor Obi.

Hmmmmm, I wonder exactly what Qui is thinking . . .

looking forward to another post soon!

 

Where'd ya go!?

COME BACK! YOU MUST POOOOOOOOOOOOOST!

 

upwards

 

Oh wow. This is really good story. You have to post more.

NOW!

~Swede