Before - Legends Bits and Pieces (USJS-inspired, Qui/Obi/OC AU response to UDC 7 Week 20 - complete)

Title: Bits and Pieces
Author: K'Tai qel Letta-Tanku
Genre: AU
Timeline: Before to Post, but mostly Before in and around the time of the Ultra-Stressed Jedi Students
Notes: It has been over a decade since I have posted on the Boards, but my daughter found the USJS threads and asked for more. Therefore I'm playing catch up and joining the fun (reminiscent of USJS back in the day...). The OC's are mine with the exception of Rani Veko Kern who belongs to Rani Veko and Alex Arieh who is the creation of JediKnight-Obi-Wan.

Week 1:

Baby
K’Tai looked down at the bundles in the crib. She glanced over at Obi-Wan. He looked pensive. Through their bond she could feel his unease about her assignment.

“I’ll be in no more danger than you. Leia needs a protector as much as Luke does,” she said, trying to reason with him.

Obi-Wan moved to put a hand on her shoulder. “I know. Just be careful. Please.”

T’lor scoffed. “K’Tai isn’t the one who had a wing of the Halls of Healing named after her.”

A pillow sailed across the room, aimed at her head. T’lor halted its progress.

“Brat!”

Child
“T’lor, you will be late for class. Get moving!”

“Yes, Master.”

A streak of brown and pink raced out the door. Gi’den just shook his head and returned to his meditation. He was disturbed again only minutes later.

“Padawan, why are you back?” he asked. He then took a good look at T’lor. In her haste she had put her robe on over her pajamas. Gi’den had to stifle a chuckle. Except for fabric, the pajamas were cut like her standard padawan garb.

As she walked to her room, T’lor responded desolately, “Apparently pink bunnies are unbecoming of a Jedi.”

Teenager
Rani giggled softly.

Shush! You’ll wake him up.

I will not. Hand me the eye shadow.

T’lor handed Rani the eye shadow. She watched as Rani carefully painted their victim’s eyes.

Now for a little blush and some lipstick. There. All done.

Rani stepped back, admiring her handiwork. “Where is the camera?”

T’lor handed it to her. Rani quickly took the picture. The two girls left and returned to the game. “Here is the proof. OK Alex, truth or dare?”

Meanwhile, Gi’den awoke and went to the ‘fresher. Looking in the mirror he groaned. The Disorderly Duo had struck again.

Adult
Gi’den caught T’lor before she hit the floor. Without thinking, he reached out across the echo of their bond to touch her unconscious mind. Confusion, pain, remorse, fear, and anger flooded his senses. T’lor had not escaped the witch’s touch entirely. He found the memory of the encounter. T’lor had tracked the witch through the fear of her last victim. T’lor had become increasingly angry and had instinctively drawn on her anger, using it to augment her abilities in the Force. He sighed. Leave it to his padawan to inadvertently discover the basis of Vaapad in the heat of battle.

Elderly
K’Tai held the data cube in her hand. Obi-Wan had passed into the Force decades earlier, and yet she kept it. It was most certainly a sign of an attachment unbecoming of a Jedi. Luckily, she was Tal’shari.

An image of Obi-Wan appeared when she pressed the button. Even worn and battle-weary, he was handsome. She could almost feel his presence.

“Hello love,” said Obi-Wan’s voice. K’Tai blinked back tears that sprung to her eyes. She paused the recording. She remembered the last thing he had said to her after he had been cut down: I’ll be waiting for you.

 

Week 2

Healthy

K’Tai looked at the holocube. “What’s this?” she asked Obi-Wan.

“It’s for us to exchange messages. You said yourself that I’m healthy enough to travel back to the Temple.” Obi-Wan said. He shifted uncomfortably on his crutches. “I’d rather stay here until I am completely well, but at least this way we can stay in touch.” He looked at her, his face a mix of emotions.

K’Tai felt like she had been hit in the stomach. It had never occurred to her that a healthy Obi-Wan would mean an absent Obi-Wan. “Sure, that would be great,” she replied, smiling wanly.

Injured

Obi-Wan writhed in pain.

“Be still, Padawan, and let me see,” Qui-Gon said. Obi-Wan did his best to obey, but the breaks in both his arm and his leg were too much for him. He let out a loud groan. Neither master nor padawan heard the girl approach until she was beside them.

“Here, let me,” K’Tai said. She pushed Qui-Gon aside and touched Obi-Wan’s chest. He quit moaning and stilled. She worked quickly, using the Force to ease his pain and gently set bones. As K’Tai finished, her eyes met Obi-Wan’s. A spark flashed between them. She looked away.

Sick

T’lor retched into the toilet. She was convinced that she was going to die. “Just kill me now, Master,” she pleaded. Her body shook uncontrollably with chills. “Stupid, kriffing mission! I just want to be in my own bed, with my own face and voice and blissfully unaware of what that THING does.” Her mind replayed the horrors they had encountered during their last raid. She retched again in response.

Gi’den rubbed her back. “This too will pass. Take a deep breath and center yourself.”

“I don’t want to center myself. I want oblivion. I’ll settle for killing the Na’rath.”

Stressed

“I can’t talk about it, so don’t ask,” T’lor said, seeing the look in Rani’s eyes.

Rani caught the strain in T’lor’s voice. “You may not be able to talk about it with me, but you need to talk about it with someone,” she said, stepping into T’lor’s quarters. “You are wound tighter than a Twi'lek on a dance pole.” Rani’s face softened. “Welcome back,” she added, giving her friend a hug. “How long are you here for?”

T’lor embraced Rani, and sighed. “I don’t know and even if I did…”

“I know, you can’t talk about it,” she said.

Frustrated

K’Tai could feel Obi-Wan’s resistance to the idea that this was inevitable.

“I love you. But I’m not going to act on it. Period. I can’t. I’m…”

“I know, I know. You are Jedi.”

Obi-Wan felt K’Tai’s frustration through their bond.

“You admit you love me, but you aren’t going to do anything about it because you aren’t supposed to love me? Of all the stupid, half-brained… I’m not asking you to give up being Jedi. I’m asking you to solve a problem, namely that WE share a bond that has become an issue. This isn’t simply a love affair.”

 

Week 3:

Attraction

K’Tai in battle was a sight to behold. As they came around the corner, Obi-Wan stopped in his tracks. She fairly glowed with energy, and the Force was almost a physical presence in the corridor. He noticed that her lightsaber was still clipped to her belt. Not that it mattered. He stood, transfixed as he watched her deflect blaster shots with what looked like an intricate dance. He found himself contemplating a new dimension to the term battle lust.

“The sooner you give me some help here, the sooner we can get to what you are daydreaming about,” K’Tai shouted.

Love

The young man looked at his mentor. He took a deep breath. “I’ve fallen in love with K’Tai.”

T’lor looked at him incredulously. “Obi-Wan, if what I sense is what I think it is, ‘falling in love’ doesn’t even begin to cover it.”

Obi-Wan looked straight ahead. He was silent for a moment and then spoke. “T’lor is right. It is much more than having fallen in love. K’Tai said we were sesenche’ain. I tried, Master. We both did. But nothing we did helped.” He looked at Qui-Gon.

“I’m not surprised. Life-bonds are the will of the Force,” Qui-Gon replied.

Commitment

“Life-bonded you are. Council is certain.” Yoda looked at Obi-Wan with half-closed eyes. “Want this do you?”

Obi-Wan looked at the venerable master before him and considered his answer. “I don’t think it is a matter of want or desire, Master. It is. So the question is not do I want it, but what do I do with it?”

Yoda nodded. “Commitment to the Jedi you made. Commitment to K’Tai, the Force made.” Yoda chuckled a little, and continued. “Let all attachments go, Jedi do. Do this you still must. Tethered and free at the same time you must be.”

Marriage

T’lor heaved a sigh of relief. “Master Kenobi,” she said, giving a small bow. “You have no idea how glad I am to see you.”

“I suspect I might, but now is not the time to debate the matter. Call your padawan, and let’s go inside.”

T’lor signaled to Daffyd. He trotted over to her. “Daffyd Brindell, Master K’Tai qel Letta-Tanku abn Kenobi.”

Daffyd’s eyes widened. “You’re related to Master Kenobi?” he asked incredulously.

“I am. I’m his wife,” K’Tai answered, smiling.

“But...Jedi don’t…Yoda said…” Daffyd sputtered.

K’Tai laughed and said with a wink, “I’m a secret.”

“Does Yoda know?”

Anniversary

K’Tai found Obi-Wan on a balcony staring out of the city. Anakin was away on a class field trip, and for once she had her husband to herself. She came up behind him and put her arms around his waist. She leaned against him. He didn’t move. She could feel that his thoughts were centered on that day, years ago when he became a Knight and a master all at once. She remembered the pain that had flooded their bond as he held Qui-Gon in his arms.

“I miss him, K’Tai. Terribly.”

“So do I, love,” she replied, hugging him.

 

A little background since I'm not sure how much survived the truncation in the USJS threads. T'lor is part of the intelligence division of the Temple. Her first mission after defeating the Sith-witch, saying good-bye to Rani, and generally getting over the exchange program involves the kidnapping and torture of Force-sensitive individuals. I was stuck until I realized these prompts could be either nouns or verbs.

Happy reading!
-K'Tai

Week 4

Snow
Dax replied, “T’lor, I need you to go on a mission that requires deep cover.”

“How deep?” her former master asked before T’lor could respond. “She doesn’t have much experience in undercover ops.”

“Deep.” Looking at Dax, T’lor saw something, experience perhaps, in his gray eyes. He was not asking her to do this lightly or without thought. “I need you to become another person so thoroughly that even a Jedi would not recognize you as Jedi.”

T’lor sat perfectly still. “Do you anticipate that I may be running across many Jedi in the course of this mission?” she asked.

Sand
“Laren, I’m sorry.”

T’lor ignored the voice and kept sanding the surface of the board. It was therapeutic, and she needed a little therapy after today’s near disaster.

“I didn’t know that they were part of the deal…” she stammered.

T’lor sighed and stopped her work. She turned to Elise, cutting the young woman off. “No, why would you? A deal this sensitive is not something I usually discuss with anyone.” She turned back to the surf board. “That is why I asked you to let me do the talking, and why you need to follow my directions without question.”

Water

The garden looked thirsty. T’lor grabbed a watering can and filled it up at the spigot. She walked slowly among the raised beds, letting the water in her can gently moisten the soil. She breathed deeply and let the Living Force surround her. Her wandering led her to the small pond at the center of her little retreat. She set the can down and sat beside the water, catching her reflection in its still depths. The brown eyes staring back at her were the only bit of her true self visible. The rest – hair, nose, chin - belonged to Laren.

Heat
T’lor was always amazed that the temperature underground was never cold. She associated dark with cold. Underground was dark, but with the possible exception of Hoth, it was very rarely cold. She wiped sweat away from her eyes as she picked her way through the mine. She sensed several life forms below her.

“The mined product is over here, Ms. Deboisdescu. To get it out, we have to know how to heat the rock just so. It’s an art form droids just can’t master. It takes a special kind of talent,” her guide said.

Talent like being Force-sensitive, she thought.

Clouds
T’lor followed her guide deeper into the earth. The inky darkness swallowed everything beyond her the light cast by her head lamp. The life forms she had sensed above were ahead and scared. They entered the cavern.

“As you can see, our miners are diligent and careful,” her guide said as one lady near them extracted the delicate crystal from the smoldering rock.

T’lor was about to reply when a warning in the Force caught her. Taking a chance, T’lor reached out with the Force and clouded the mind of her guide. “Quickly, head to the surface,” she called out.

 

You've caught my interest - nice snippets that leave one (me) wanting more.

 

@Valairy Scot: Thank you. I know I have readers, but it's really nice when they say hi every once and awhile. Hope you enjoy this next batch.


-K'Tai

Week 5

Seek

T'lor's eyes roamed the crowd while she mentally cataloged the exits and amount of muscle in the club. Casually, she reached down to where her lightsaber, disguised as a blaster, was strapped to her hip. She had learned early on that small displays of strength went a long way to establishing credibility with those with whom she wished to do business. She caught sight of the man she was seeking. He nodded slightly and beckoned her over to his table.

"Laren, darling. What a pleasure to see you!"

T'lor's eyebrow went up. "You need to learn to lie better, Kaellen."


Sneak

"Pay attention, padawan."

"Only you could sneak up on me, master," T'lor replied. She gave her master a hug.

Gi'den Dway's eyes turned serious. "How are you, T'lor?"

"I'm not sure," she replied honestly. "I can't get the feel of that thing out of my mind."

Gi'den raised an eyebrow. "I didn't think that creature had breached your defenses."

"She didn't, thanks to Rani," T'lor said. "It reminds me of how dipping something into greasy water makes it greasy. Just being in contact with that thing has left residue that hasn't gone away yet. And yes, I have been meditating."

Steal

T'lor noticed the ysalamari when there was a void in the Force ahead of her. Nothing like going into a situation blind, she thought to herself. She worked her way closer to the corner and peaked around the wall. There, standing on either side of the doorway, were two frames, each with a ysalamir. The Force bubble they generated blocked her ability to sense what was on the other side of the door. If it weren't for the fact that the list she was there to steal was vital to her mission, she would have left the way she came.

Share

Obi-Wan watched K'Tai from across the garden. She was sitting with her eyes closed. At that moment, he had no desire to disturb her. He was content to simply watch and memorize the details of the moment - the way the sun played off her copper locks, the movement of her robes as she gently exhaled, the tilt of her head as a bird called out. He felt the peace that permeated their bond as K'Tai meditated, mixing with the deep love that was ever present. It was in these moments that he realized how rare what they shared was.

Sell

"So how many plasma cannons do you want? 10? 20?" Kaellen asked.

Laren looked at him, a smirk playing at her lips. "I was thinking more a long the lines of 2000," she replied.

To his credit, he merely choked a little on his drink rather than spit it across the table. "2000? Good moons woman! What are you doing, arming a fleet?"

Laren responded, "No, it's for extensive quality control. My product needs to be able to take out multiple threats reliably. Do we have a sale?"

Kaellen said, "If you have the cash, sweetheart, we have a deal."

 

"Quality control" hah!

 

@Valairy Scot: Glad you liked it.


Week 6
Serious
"Bail, we can't just send Leia with you without some protection. It isn't wise," Obi-Wan said wearily, his hands folded into his robes in front of him.

Bail Organa looked at him with a calculating glare. Although they had become close friends, every once in awhile Kenobi just rubbed him the wrong way. "It isn't like Alderaan is without defenses," he said defensively. "And she will be a member of the royal family."

A soft voice broke in, startling him. "All the more reason to have a personal guard for you daughter," K'Tai stated as she came into the room.

Silly
K’Tai studied Bail from the door. This was the man who was responsible for Obi-Wan’s survival on Zigoola. That thought reminded of her first visit with Obi-Wan after he had returned from that Force-foresaken place. It was raining. Obi-Wan, her stoic reserved bond-mate, played in the rain like a little boy, splashing in puddles and taking pure joy in his ability to direct exactly where the water went. When they were both soaked, he took her under the waterfall, and they dried off while the water cascaded over them. It was the silliest thing she had seen him do, ever.

Charming
Bail rose to his feet as K'Tai approached them. K'Tai smiled inwardly as she noticed Obi-Wan follow suit.

"I beg your pardon, m'lady. I don't think we have been introduced," Bail said, extending his hand. K'Tai reached out and he took hers, giving it a light kiss. K'Tai felt a flash of jealously followed by amusement in her bond with Obi-Wan. She inclined her head to Bail. He dropped K'Tai's hand, gesturing to the chair between him and Obi-Wan. He pulled it back for her and waited to her to sit before taking his seat. Obi-Wan sat as well.

"You are?"

Rude
"K'Tai qel Letta-Tanku..." K'Tai began.

"...my colleague," Obi-Wan said, cutting her off.

K'Tai glared at him. Really?! I thought he was your friend, she communicated along their bond.

He is, but he is also a politician and in close proximity to Palpatine on a regular basis, Obi-Wan responded.

K'Tai replied, The man is plotting a resistance movement under the nose of the Emperor. I think he can be trusted with our relationship status.

Bail looked from K'Tai to Obi-Wan, bemused.

K'Tai spoke, "Forgive Obi-Wan's rudeness. What he meant to say," shooting Obi-Wan a look, "was that I am his wife."

Funny

Bail did not become a successful politician by having his gut reactions cross his face. However, he couldn’t stop this one. He broke into a great smile that was followed by a loud laugh.

“His wife? You…” and he paused to draw a breath, “…the great Jedi Master, hero of the Repbulic, Obi-Wan Kenobi, are married?” Bail chuckled some more. “Many women across the galaxy would be very disappointed to learn this.”

Obi-Wan turned red, and it was K’Tai’s turn to laugh.

“What’s so funny?” he asked her.

“It just occurred to me that I’m married to a holo-vid star.”

 

Week 7

Stormy

T’lor watched as Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon walked out of the room ahead of her. Gi’den noticed that the flash of lightening that skittered across the sky coincided with the storm brewing in his former padawan’s eyes.

“T’lor, let it go. You need to focus on finding K’Tai.”

She shot him a deadly look. “If he weren’t such a stubborn nerf herder I wouldn’t have to look for her.”

“T’lor…”

She took a deep breath. Her anger subsided to a smoldering fire instead of a raging blaze. “Let’s go before I change my mind,” she said, robes billowing ominously behind her.


Trapped

K’Tai’s consciousness returned abruptly. She noted that her arms were pinned above her head, and she was unable to move her legs. She winced as she tried to twist her hand and received a shock. Electrobinders, she thought. She opened her eyes. She was in a room lacking windows. Her captors scurried around the room, checking equipment. Off to the side, she saw a large imposing reptilian. He was easily over 2 meters tall with strong musculature evolved to hunt pray that was quite capable of fighting back. She felt a malicious caress across her mental shields and shuddered involuntarily.

Escape

A blaster bolt whizzed over her head and slammed into the wall to her side. Debris showered her. She felt the warning of the Force and turned in time to deflect the next bolt back into the frame of the man who shot it. His ysalamir fell to the ground and scurried away to join its friends. K’Tai could now feel him. Using the Force, she threw him into the guard behind him. She turned to run, only to be confronted with more guards blocking her exit out of the hall. There was not going to be an easy escape.

Rescue

“K’Tai is being held on the third level,” T’lor said.

The five Jedi split up to make their way to K’Tai. Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon went one way, while T’lor, Gi’den and Dax went another. Obi-Wan felt K’Tai’s wariness change to resolve.

“Master, we need to get to her, now,” he said.

Qui-Gon replied, “Just a little further, Padawan.”

His blade snapped to life. Obi-Wan’s followed suit. They came off the turbo-lift and entered the common room. Across the room, they could see a commotion that involved several guards. One went flying into the wall.

“That must be K’Tai,” Qui-Gon said.

Recover

K’Tai stood in the doorway and leaned against the door jam, propping herself up. She was a week into her recovery. The walls of the Hall of Healing had started to close in. So she followed their bond to him. It led her to the salle.

She watched, entranced, as Obi-Wan sparred with Qui-Gon. This was not some advanced lesson. This was a test of skill, and neither was holding back. The thud of her crashing to the floor changed that. Obi-Wan was by her side almost immediately.

“Healer Che is going to be very cross with you,” he said.

 

Week 8

Mistakes

Obi-Wan could feel T'lor's displeasure as they walked toward the outer door of the Temple. She had delved into his memories of the morning with a ferocity that surprised him. His mistake, the unwillingness to seek help when the bond had obviously become a dangerous distraction, had put HER padawan in danger. T'lor let him know she was not pleased. From what K'Tai had said, she and T'lor only had a rudimentary training bond. He had assumed, wrongly, that meant their training relationship was not as intense. He wondered just how many more missteps he would make before night fell.

Corrections

T'lor stood with her nose pointed into the corner of the room.

"Not one word, Padawan," Gi'den growled.

Fine, she thought to him along her training bond.

Gi'den sighed deeply, releasing his frustration to the Force. "What in the Force made you think that stunt was even close to a good idea? This is a delicate situation. Humiliating the crown prince does not help."

But he grabbed my butt!

"There are less public ways to teach him manners than flipping him unceremoniously to the ground. You will apologize to him for your behavior tonight in front of the royal court."

Prank

T'lor crept out of the tent to attend to the call of nature. At least this immersion trip with the senior Padawans included a campsite within a short distance of a permanent latrine. The moon was nearly full. She made her way, zombie-like, to the facilities. T'lor didn't notice the shadow behind her.

The shadow imerged from the dark. He quietly elevated a bucket filled with water on the ledge of the bathroom door that hadn't closed completely. Then Obi-Wan moved back into the shadows and waited. "Brat!" T'lor yelled. Obi-Wan grinned as he quickly returned to his own tent.


Sabotage

The shadow moved quickly under the ship. A gloved hand skimmed lightly over the hull, stopping when it felt the edges of the concealed hatch. The hatch popped open. Quickly, T'lor reached in, using the Force to find what the darkness prevented her from seeing with her eyes. Her fingers rapidly found the correct wires. She loosened them just enough that they would short out only after the ship landed the next time. It would strand them long enough for her to catch up. T'lor replaced the hatch and attached a tracking beacon under the tail, melting into the darkness.

Revenge

T'lor turned away from the carnage. It took all of her control not to wretch right there. The girls...she hadn't been fast enough to save them from the Na'rath's playtime. T'lor could still feel the echos of fear and terror in the Force. She could also feel his pleasure in their response. T'lor dropped into Vaapad, letting it channel her anger into a reserve of strength to draw upon later.

Revenge was not something T'lor, Jedi Knight, could exact. Laren, however, had no such limits. I will stop you, she thought grimly. And when I do, you will pay.

 

Week 9

Enemy

K'Tai looked at Obi-Wan with a calculating stare. "I am not the enemy here," she said. "You asked for my opinion, which by the way, you knew before hand. Why are you angry that I actually voiced what you knew I would?"

Obi-Wan returned her stare with a glare that brought most Jedi up short. "K'Tai, you really think that I should turn my back on the precepts of the Order to train him? Are you out of your ever-living mind?" he growled, his voice low as he struggled to control his emotions. "What kind of example would that be?"

Attack

"A good one? An example of not following doctrine blindly over your own experience and wisdom?" K'Tai's words stung, in part because Obi-Wan knew on some level she was right.

K'Tai continued. "I'm not attacking the Order as a whole. But when it comes to attachment and love, I have a bone to pick with the Jedi. The goal is not to be unattached. It is to not fear the loss and the grief that you know will come. Quit telling the boy that he has to let go. Show him how to love deeply and not fear the inevitable."

Negotiate

Obi-Wan looked at his wife. "K'Tai, what you are suggesting...how can I go against the Code?"

K'Tai shooked her head in disbelief. "Obi-Wan, you were Qui-Gon's apprentice. I'm pretty sure that this would not be the first time you would be acting outside of the Code to some degree." She reached out and took his hand. "We are sesenche'ain...how can you ask Anakin to do something you cannot?"

Obi-Wan replied, "Because he has a choice. We don't."

"What don't we have a choice about? Our actions? Our decisions? We have exactly the same choices he does," K'Tai responded.

Truce

Obi-Wan looked into K'Tai's eyes. "You are wrong. He is not life-bonded. He can choose to let go. I know. I've done it before. And I could no more choose to not love you than I could choose not to breathe. There is a difference."

K'Tai put a hand on Obi-Wan's cheek. "Then show him that it is possible to love and let go. Right now, all you are doing is telling him. Tell him about us. Let him see first hand how to put attachment and love aside and do what is required."

Obi-Wan sighed. "I'll think about it."

Friend

"The problem is he sort of already knows about us," Obi-Wan continued. "I had to tell him something after the Candive IV incident. He thinks we are particularly good friends."

K'Tai looked at her bond-mate with a new appreciation for his ability to tell the truth, from a certain point of view. "And just exactly what did you say about what happened? None of your other friends can bring you to your knees in pain from across the galaxy."

"He didn't question it, so I let it be," Obi-Wan said.

"Be careful. A lie of omission is still a lie."

 

Week 10

Sky

T'lor looked out of the office over the cityscape of Urna Minor. The sunset painted the sky in radiant hues of pink, orange, and purple. Light sparked off the windows of buildings, as if the city had become one large, multi-faceted glittering jewel. It was reminiscent of Coruscant from the arial gardens of the Jedi Temple. T'lor sank into the peace of the moment, letting the beauty before her deepen her connection to the Force. The beeping of the intercom on her desk brought her out of her brief mediation.

"Laren? There is a Mr. Peter Singh to see you."

Sun(s)

T'lor looked quizzically at her master. "How do people survive on a planet in a binary star system? Wouldn't they have two suns? Wouldn't that make it very hot? What would that do to water? Wouldn't you have to drill for water? Would there be any plants? I don't think I could live without plants. What would the..."

Gi'den held up his hand. "One question at a time. You have heard of Tatooine?"

T'lor nodded her head.

"I suggest that you go to the Archives and look up everything you can about it. That should answer all of your questions."

Moon(s)

The moon rose over the shore, its light reflecting off the waves as they crashed into the beach where they were camped.

What has you troubled, young one? Gi'den asked.

How attached is too attached, Master? she asked. The laughter of the other father-daughter pairs in their group carried over the sound of the surf.

When compassion becomes obsession or a desire to control, then one is too attached.

We aren't too attached are we?

Gi'den put his arm around her. No Padawan, we are not.

Good, she answered. She shivered a little and snuggled closer to him for warmth.

Stars

T'lor looked up at the stars overhead. Even though it was night time, the nebula nearby lit up the sky with a dusk-like glow. Dark enough to make the world indistinct but not dark enough to hide it. It was going to make the getting from where she landed to the mine that she needed to investigate difficult to say the least. As she contemplated her path across the desolate plain before her, she was overcome with a sensation of falling. Oh Force, not again. Rani!

What? What's wrong? came the voice in her head. T'lor?

He's here, she said.

Lightning

The moan brought T'lor out of her mediation. "It's ok, Padawan. I'm here. Help is on the way." A flash of lightning briefly lit the small cave where they had taken shelter from the elements. K'Tai's eyes were glassy with fever.

"I'm sorry, Master," K'Tai whispered. "I should have ducked."

"No, you should have yelled duck and let me get clobbered. You ARE the healer."

A wave of pain wracked K'Tai's body. She let it pass and replied, "You have a point. I shall endeavor to let you get beaten to a pulp by the next sea monster we encounter."

 

This set has an appearance by Kithera who is the creation of Kit'. Enjoy!

-K'Tai

Week 11

Fun

"Come on. It will be fun."

T'lor looked at Kithera. "Kit, I've known you long enough to be very scared when you utter those words."

The knight in question bounced on her feet. "We won't get in trouble...well at least no more than usual."

T'lor sighed. "So I will be explaining to Master Get-In-The-Way why I have to scrub the common 'fresher's...again." T'lor's words bespoke dread but her eyes twinkled with mischief. She looked over at Rani.

"So what do you think? Is it worthy of the Disorderly Duo?" she asked.

Rani flashed a smile. "Oh, most definitely!"

Play

"I have to do what?" T'lor asked her master.

"Learn lines. You, my padawan, have the lead in the play." Gi'den watched as T'lor's eyes narrowed.

"Just exactly how did I get this honor, Master?"

Gi'den chuckled. "Youth, my dear." He turned more serious. "Being a member of the cast will go a long way towards helping you establish credibility among the powers-that-be here. Something we need if we are going to discover how this little smuggling ring works."

"Can't I run sound or something? I'm better behind the scenes."

"Not if you are to be bait in the future."

Laugh

"Master?"

"Trust the Force, I do. Bound you to a healer it did," Yoda turned back toward Obi-Wan, a smile playing across his wrinkled face. "Suitably punished you are in this, I think."

Qui-Gon stifled a snort of laughter as he felt the realization of what Yoda had just pointed out sink into his padawan's consciousness. A crease appeared in Obi-Wan's brow. He hadn't really thought about it before. Not only was he violating one of the Order's fundamental principles, he was doing it with a healer. A sound that could only be described as a snerk issued from T'lor.

Games

T'lor put her cards on the table and sighed in frustration. "That is the eighth hand I've lost."

Obi-Wan grinned. It was rare that he actually bested T'lor at something so thoroughly. "Let's try another."

T'lor handed him her cards to shuffle. "Do I even want to know how you became so good at this game?"

"Being Qui-Gon's padawan has its perks," Obi-Wan replied, dealing the cards. He looked at his hand. "Why the sudden interest in learning to play Sabacc?"

T'lor looked at him. "Mission prep." Seeing Obi-Wan's expression she added, "And no, I can't tell you about it."

Vacation(holiday ect)

T'lor hefted the heavy pack onto her back and looked out from the ship. "Master, have you been talking to Master Jinn again about what constitutes a vacation?" Mountains loomed in the distance as the grass of the plains where they had landed gently swayed in the wind. "I was hoping for a more leisurely get away."

Gi'den chuckled. "Oh, there will be leisure, even in the work to getting there." He saw T'lor's skeptical expression. "Think of it as a moving meditation."

T'lor started walking. "I would rather meditate on a beach somewhere with a fru-fru drink," she said.

 

Week 12

See

K'Tai stood and stretched. She re-dressed herself, conscious of Obi-Wan's gaze on her. "What? Do I have it on backwards?"

"No. I..." Obi-Wan's voice faltered. He kept bumping up against the raw and empty places in his soul when he least expected it, resulting a disturbing lapse in his usual eloquence. It was a less than pleasant experience that left him annoyed in the extreme. "I wasn't sure I would ever get to see this again. I'm savoring the moment."

"Sesench'ai, I plan on several more of them over the next few weeks," K'Tai said. "Provided you behave and heal."

Hear

No! You can't. Obi-Wan, there has to be another way.

I have to buy them time, and this is the only way I can continue to instruct Luke and not have Vader on our heals. It will be all right. I won't be gone...

From a certain point of view. That's a bunch of bantha poodoo and you know it! Tears streamed down K'Tai's face.

Obi-Wan could hear the distress in her mental voice as heart ache and fear poured across their bond. Heart of my heart, soul of my soul. It's the only way. I'll be waiting for you.


Touch

“K’Tai,” he whispered. It was all he could manage.

K’Tai got up and put her hand on his head. “Obi-Wan.” She gently kissed his forehead. With that touch, their bond shifted and she was below his shields. Emptiness and shattered serenity, raw, gaping wounds and soul deep rents in his psyche met her. Oh sesench'ai, she thought to him. It will be ok, she said. Gently, she pulled the Force into the empty places, like cool water over a burn, letting it soothe the hurt. She knew that returning to normal was going to be a long process.

Sense

T'lor shut her eyes and felt for her padawan in the Force. K'Tai was agitated, and it centered on Kenobi. There had been a fight...but it was more than that. Stretching a bit further, T'lor sensed a curiously strong connection between the two. The fight had something to do with the connection, something that had caused Obi-Wan to exert his famous stubborn streak.

"What is Obi-Wan being stubborn about now?" T'lor asked.

K'Tai bit her lip. Her master was very perceptive, almost scarily so. "We had a disagreement about when to be open about one's feelings and their consequences."

Smell

Obi-Wan stood slowly, his eyes lingering on K'Tai's still form. He walked to the other end of the bed, bent, and gently kissed her forehead. "I'll be back soon," he whispered. He turned to follow his master.

Take a shower, was the sleepy thought across their bond. You are a bit ripe.

Obi-Wan snorted and walked out the door. His master looked at him quizzically.

"K'Tai says I stink."

"I'd trust her judgment if it woke her enough to comment on it," his master replied, a hint of laughter in his voice.

Obi-Wan rolled his eyes at the good-natured ribbing.

 

Week 13

Past

Taria stood in the circle of friends that surrounded Obi-Wan and K'Tai during their ceremony. She smiled to herself. Obi-Wan had been nervous when he told her about the life-bond. Their past, their love for each other...he had been afraid it would change things. And it might have, if K'Tai hadn't searched her out and spoken with her directly.

"We both love him," K'Tai said simply. "And I wouldn't have it any other way." She then laid a hand on Taria's arm. "When it is time, I will be there for both of you."

"Thanks," was all Taria said.

Present

Elise's voice brought her back to the present. "Come on Laren. We have to go. We do not want to be here when the authorities show up."

T'lor looked at the lump of quivering flesh on the floor. Guyan sniveled, his mind just barely intact after her interrogation. She drew in a deep breath and centered herself in the Force. I am going to pay for this one, she thought, feeling the darkside curl around her, begging to be let in, to finish off the criminal lying on the floor.

"Let's go see if this was worth it."

Future

K'Tai felt for Leia's presence in the Force. The baby was drifting off to sleep, her young mind slowly succumbing to Breh's rocking. K'Tai's breath caught a bit as Leia reached out for her, Letta?

I'm here youngling. You are safe. Go to sleep, K'Tai thought. Leia burbled happily from the other room and then quieted, sleep finally claiming her. K'Tai sighed a little and let her mind drift in the Force. She silently kept watch, fiercely guarding her charge. The future of the galaxy lay in the dreams of the little girl in the other room.

Memories

K'Tai stared at T'lor, eyes wide in surprise. "The Jedi had a dance? And you did what?"

T'lor chuckled a little. "Yes, the Jedi had a dance, and I was not as adept at thinking things through as I am now," she said. "It never occurred to me that Sentinels learned things that the rest of the Temple did not, such as how to manage alcohol. Force knows that many of our diplomatic missions involved drinking the stuff." She paused, playing the memories in her mind. "It was worth it to see Yoda and Mace more relaxed. We had fun."

Expectations

T'lor looked at the wall and then back at her master. "Let me guess. What we are after is up there," she said pointing to a balcony three floors up. "It is never as easy as just taking a lift," she muttered under her breath.

"Were you expecting something else?" Gi'den asked. He threw the sides of his cloak back over his shoulders, preparing to climb. T'lor did the same, and then leapt, sticking to the wall as if she were part arachnid.

"Expecting, no," she said as she climbed. "Hoping? Yes. A ground-floor target would be a pleasant surprise."

 

Week 14

Castle
T'lor took a long look at the impressive chateau as they approached in their air speeder. She noted the reinforced ramparts and watch towers. "It looks more like a castle than a summer villa," she remarked to Gi'den.

Gi'den replied, "That's because once upon a time it was a castle. If you look carefully, you can make out the ruins of the outer wall. All that survives now is the innermost structure." He glanced over at his padawan. "Please do not gawk. You are supposed to be royalty. Remember the Jedi Temple is equally impressive, so this is nothing new."

House
T'lor extended her senses as they approached the front of the nondescript house. A warning in the Force stirred, and she felt a caress across her mental shields. She turned to Elise.

"Keep your mental defenses tight. I get the feeling that these people are not above employing telepaths or others to gain...a business advantage."

Elise glanced at Laren. "Not a problem," she replied.

Another probe of T'lor's mental shields turned her attention back to the present. That's enough. It is polite to ask to be let into someone's mind, she thought as she deflected the incursion with force.

Hut
The shelter ahead was little more than a hut, but it would do. "Run, K'Tai! Get to the hut!" T'lor yelled, the words torn from her throat as she sprinted ahead of the pack of vornskrs hot on their heels.

K'Tai didn't hesitate. Drawing on the Force, she put on a burst of speed, pushing the door open ahead of her. She pounded over the threshold, T'lor just a few steps behind. They slammed the door shut. T'lor held it closed with the Force as beasts snarled outside. K'Tai took a breath and focused. The angry snarls turn to whines.

Tent
T'lor crawled into the tent, her every muscle protesting with the day's excursion. "Explain to me again how hiking 20 clicks and then climbing a mountain is meditation," she said to Gi'den.

Gi'den chuckled. "Open your senses, T'lor. How does the Force feel here?"

T'lor could barely keep her eyes open, but she obeyed. An overwhelming sense of peace flooded through her. "Oh," was all she could manage as the Light filled her and overflowed, carrying away the aches of the day. She let out a deep sigh.

Gi'den laughed again. "I'm not the old fool you thought, am I?"

Cave
"Love what you have done with the place," T'lor said as she brought a load of firewood back to the cave. She set it on the ledge at the mouth, and looked around. K'Tai had managed to find enough conifer bows and needles to create a pallet on which Obi-Wan lay. T'lor walked over to her. K'Tai sat next to Obi-Wan, her eyes closed in concentration.

"He was complaining about the sleeping accommodations."

"He always complains about the sleeping accommodations when camping, or when he's injured. Speaking of which how is he?"

K'Tai opened her eyes. "He could be better."

 

Week 15

Wife
"I thought the Jedi did not marry," Bail said, focusing his attention on the drink in his hand and not the man sitting across from him.

"We don't," Obi-Wan replied.

"But you said..." Bail began.

"Wife is the closest term in Basic for what K'Tai is to me, but...it is much more than that. We are sesenche'ain, literally bond-mates. We share a connection created by the Force itself." Obi-Wan sighed and looked at his friend. "When the Force forges a bond, there isn't much you can do about it. Trust me, we tried. Jedi remain unmarried for good reasons."

Mother
Obi-Wan shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other.

"Stop fidgeting. Bus'cai is the head of the Council of Elders, not a Hutt warlord or high priestess of some ancient fertility rite. She isn't going to eat you."

Obi-Wan gave K'Tai a sideways glance. "She's your mother."

"So?"

"Jedi don't have families. I wouldn't even know what to say to my own mother, much less yours." Obi-Wan thrust his arms into his sleeves and tried to stand still.

K'Tai said, "Start with hello and go from there. It's not like you are inexperienced at talking with people you don't know."

Daughter
Obi-Wan looked back at the babies in the crib. "Do you ever regret not having children?" he asked K'Tai.

K'Tai looked down at Leia. "Sometimes." She turned and looked into her husband's face. She brushed his cheek briefly and pushed a piece of hair back from his forehead. "I would have very much liked to have children with you, a son and a daughter, both with your eyes. But that would have been selfish. A life-bond the Order could ignore. Children would have been a different story. The Order would have made you leave. I couldn't ask that of you."

Sister
"Laren? Do you have..." Elise's voice trailed off as she entered the darkened room. She saw Laren sitting on the couch staring out the window at the evening traffic. "Laren, are you ok?" she asked quietly.

T'lor didn't move. "It has been more than 10 years, and I still miss her."

Elise crossed the room to sit by her. "Miss who?"

"My sister. She was killed in an accident," T'lor replied.

Elise had never seen this side of Laren. She wasn't quite sure what to do, so she put a hand on Laren's shoulder and sat with her in silence.

Aunt
"Oh, there's my aunt," K'Tai said, grabbing Obi-Wan's hand and pulling him down the hall toward a woman in Healer's robes.

Obi-Wan blanched. "Aunt?" he asked, weakly. "Are you related to everyone in the House of Healing?"

K'Tai stopped and turned to him, extending her senses in the Force. "What bothers you more, that I know my family or that I'm related to a bunch of healers?"

"Do I have to pick?" he replied.

"No, but you owe it to me to try to understand and appreciate my traditions. I have been living as a Jedi for the past year."

 

Week 16

Assume

T'lor looked at the woman before her. Ten years had passed and she hadn't aged a bit. T'lor on the other hand...even as Laren, she would no longer be mistaken for young. K'Tai smiled at her.

"Do I have something in my teeth?" she asked.

T'lor laughed. "No. I just assumed after 10 years you would have aged a little."

K'Tai replied, "The M'ban are a long-lived people. We tend to age gracefully." A shadow passed over her face momentarily.

"You knew you would out live him from the very beginning," T'lor said with a suddenly flash of insight.

Misunderstand

Peter Singh was not the sort of man one kept waiting. Yet, that was exactly what Laren did. By the time Elise admitted him to Laren's office, he was stammering with righteous indignation.

"How dare you keep me waiting," he said emphatically. "Do you know who I am?"

Laren glanced up from the her desk, her expression indecipherable. "I am quite aware of who you think you are." Laren put her pen down deliberately and stood. "Mr. Singh, you misunderstand your position here. This is not a negotiation. You are here as courtesy. Desist from you activities or be destroyed."

Confuse

K'Tai woke with a start. She blinked the sleep out of her eyes and sat up. She could have sworn that she heard HIM in the room. But that was impossible. He was dead.

"Reports of my demise are a bit premature...from a certain point of view."

K'Tai spun around in confusion. There...in the corner. He was sitting there in the corner. "You gundark!' she choked out in a whisper. Then she burst into tears.

"I told you I wouldn't be gone. Sesench'ai, heart of my heart, soul of my soul. I will always be with you."

Deny

The man before her stood stock still. "I have no idea what you are talking about," he said, his indignation turning to calculating calm.

Laren walked around her desk, leaned back against it, and crossed her arms at her chest. "You, Mr. Singh, have been after my secrets, inflicting pain on innocents to get my attention. Well, you have my attention. And I want to know why. Right now."

He opened his mouth to protest, but Laren held up a finger.

"Now, now. Don't deny what we both know to be true. You are a spy who has been caught."

Admit

Mr. Singh closed his mouth and regarded Laren warily. Normally, he would remain silent, but something told him that course of action would lead to a lot of discomfort, and he would ultimately give up the information a lot worse of the wear. He was not being paid enough to endure that. "Ok,I admit that I was hired to spy on you. Just what exactly do you want to know?" he asked.

"I'm pleased you decided to be reasonable," Laren purred. "Let's start with who is paying your bill and go from there. I will know if you lie."

 

Week 17

Author's note: An-Paj is not my character. He is the creation of the incomparable Jane Jinn. For longest time I thought he was EU. He was that well written, and she graciously shared him with several different authors, including those of us in the USJS. -K'Tai

Weapon

Obi-Wan looked contemplatively into the distance. T'lor sat next to him, waiting for him to discuss the incident in the Halls of Healing. Finally he spoke.

"T'lor, I don't know if I can do do this. I pulled a weapon on An-Paj and was prepared to use it."

"I don't think anyone blames you for that," she said.

"But he's another Jedi," he responded.

"So? Given your history, I'm surprised it took you this long," she said laughing, her eyes dancing.

Obi-Wan rolled his eyes, and turned serious again. "How exactly am I supposed to handle a life-bond?"

Helmet

T'lor pulled the speeder bike into a tight turn and skidded to a stop. She pulled her lightsaber from the holster on her thigh and held it as if she were pointing a blaster. She couldn't afford to break her cover, so she was going to have to time this just right. Her pursuer bore down on her, engines screaming as he raced to her. T'lor took a deep breath and centered herself in the Force. Letting herself go, she ignited the blade as the bike sped past. A helmet clattered to her feet as the bike exploded behind her.

Shield

T'lor watched K'Tai out of the corner of her eye. K'Tai was an emotional void, her feelings hidden behind tight shields, her Force presence all but absent. T'lor looked back to the ship as the ramp lowered. A disheveled Qui-Gon slowly made his way toward them. As he approached, T'lor could see the worry in his eyes. He stopped before them.

"T'lor," he said, nodding to her. He then turned to K'Tai. "K'Tai, thank you." he said.

K'Tai looked at him with a blank expression. "Qui-Gon, what did they do?" she asked in a whisper. "I can barely feel him."

Cloak

T'lor extended her senses into the Force but there was no hint of her prey. She jumped when K'Tai put her hand on her shoulder.

"Boo," K'Tai said.

T'lor whirled around. "How did you do that?"

K'Tai smiled wickedly and disappeared, vanishing right before T'lor's eyes, her presence cloaked from all of T'lor's senses. "You mean this?" her voice came from what looked for all practical purposes like empty air. "The Force and a bit of mental suggestion."

T'lor raised her mental shields as tightly as she could. K'Tai popped back into existence physically but not in the Force.

Transmitter

The receiver on the control panel beeped. K'Tai looked over at Obi-Wan. "Well at least we know that works," she said. She clicked it, and all they heard was static. "Or not."

Obi-Wan sighed. "I wish Anakin were here. He'd have both the transmitter and the receiver working. I think I might be able to get the transmitter going..." A shower of sparks exploded over the console. "Maybe." Ripples of frustration pulsed through their bond.

"How are the engines?" she asked, dreading the answer.

"Shot. The only way we are leaving is if we signal for a ride, " Obi-Wan replied.

 

Week 18

Sing

The Council was meeting when the song began to permeate the Force. As a group they paused in their discussions, focusing on this curious disturbance.

"Is that...music?" Plo Kloon asked. The others nodded.

"Music it is," Yaddle replied.

Mace commented, "It is almost as if the Force is pleased with something."

Yoda snorted. "Long have I lived. Heard the Force sing I have not."

Adi Galla said with a smile, "There is a first time for everything, Master Yoda. I, for one, find it to be quite an interesting experience. I would like to know what has caused it."

Talk

"Master, if I don't talk about this op with someone, anyone, I'm going to explode," T'lor groused. "I...I'm doing things that...I need another opinion." She held up her hand as she saw him draw a breath, "One from someone who isn't directly involved in the same op. We need...I need an outside perspective."

Gi'den sighed. "What would you have me do, T'lor?" he asked her.

"Back me up when I ask to talk to Rani. She can keep my secret. I know she can. She already knows I'm struggling. It won't be long before she starts prying."

Yell

"What the Nine Hells Obi-Wan?!" she hissed. "Get out! Now!"

He stood up. "I'm sorry."

K'Tai's anger was palpable, and the air crackled with tension. "Kriffing idiot! I asked you to leave it."

"I don't know what happened. I didn't mean to..." he began.

"You...how could you?" Tears streamed down her face. "Just leave!" she yelled. When he didn't move, she shoved him toward the door with the Force. "Go! Now! I don't want you here." She turned to the wall, her body shaking, her misery creating a greater disturbance in the Force.

Obi-Wan remained where he was, stunned.


Whisper

"But I don't want to hurt you, and I am so mad, I just might." K'Tai lowered her gaze.

Obi-Wan took her chin in his hand gently and forced her to look him in the eye. "You have every right to be furious. And if it takes time for you to release it all to the Force, I'll cope." He released his grip and switched to hugging her close. "I'd rather feel your wrath than lose you slowly because you won't let yourself heal. Heart of my heart, soul of my soul, now and forever," he whispered into her ear.


Ignore

"Lie down. I'll lie down next to you. I promise, no kisses, no affection, just healing," Obi-Wan said.

K'Tai looked at him dubiously, then nodded her head. Obi-Wan moved her so she was lying down on the bed and lay down next to her. He snuggled her back against him, a movement that caused him to reveal that he was indeed a man. K'Tai snickered and her mood lightened a bit.

"Biology betrays you, Kenobi."

"Lucky for you, I have lots of practice ignoring biology," he answered dryly. "Unless of course you would like me to pay attention to it..."

 

Week 19

Conquer

T'lor took a deep breath and made an attempt at conquering her nerves without noticeably using the Force. It was easier said than done. She decided that Laren wouldn't be completely calm in this situation and gave up. If she was going to fight as Laren, then she needed to practice in the state she was likely to find herself in. Master Windu entered the room.

"Let's see what you've learned." His signature violet blade snapped to life. She felt him gather the Force about him like storm clouds looming on the horizon. Then the storm let loose upon her.

Dictate

K'Tai's green eyes flashed in anger. She glared at the wizened master before her. "You will not dictate what I can and cannot do as sesench'ain. I am not Jedi, and I will not be ordered around as one."

Yoda grunted, his eyes assessing her as though truly seeing her for the first time. "Trouble, you will cause if you tell him. Too ready to embrace attachment, Anakin is. Confusing your revelation would be."

"For whom? Anakin? You? Obi-Wan? The boy needs an example of how one acknowledges attachment and puts it aside to act from a place of centeredness."

Rebel

The door to the 'fresher finally opened. Gi'den looked up from his data pad. "What the...T'lor?" Before him stood his padawan, a wild cacophony of pinks, blues, and purples scattered through her normally brown tresses. This was accompanied by said tresses being spiked out at all angles so she looked as if she had stuck her finger into a power outlet. The look was capped by a skin-tight catsuit with blaster, her lightsaber in disguise, strapped to her thigh.

"I'll say this for undercover ops: they give me an excuse to rebel against the monotony of traditional Jedi aesthetics."

Aftermath

"I can't stay here anymore. I cannot be a part of this lie. You want to deny our bond to your padawan, you do it without me," K'Tai spat out. Angry tears threatened to spill over.

"K'Tai, be reasonable. It isn't the Jedi way..."

K'Tai stopped packing and turned to face Obi-Wan. "Sesench'ai, we are bound in the Force by the Force. You are Sith-bent on pretending we aren't. Eventually Anakin is going to figure that out. When that happens, he is going to feel betrayed at the deepest level. It would be better for all of us if I leave."

Rebirth

T'lor stepped out of the air taxi and crossed the docking platform. Gi'den watched her from inside the building. What he saw was not a Jedi, but an ambitious young woman, intent upon making her mark on the galaxy, who was as dangerous as she was beautiful. Her Force presence was muted, barely registering. T'lor's rebirth as Laren Deboisdescu was complete. He stepped out of the door as she approached.

"Laren, darling. Welcome to Urna Minor."

"Uncle Jordan. It is so good to see you. Thank you for making the time to talk with me. I know you are busy."

 

I love these! The whole idea of a life-bond is too awesome. K'Tai deserves a diary I think LOL

 

Thanks for the encouragement Nyota's Heart. I'll give the diary idea some thought. This is the last batch. Enjoy!

-K'Tai


Week 20

Father

"He was like a father to me," Obi-Wan whispered. K'Tai could feel the waves of pain that emanated from him.

"I know he was. And you will mourn him as such." She put her hand on his arm gently.

Obi-Wan looked at her with haunted eyes. "Jedi don't mourn."

K'Tai snorted. "Nerf-poodoo. Jedi don't mourn publicly. Jedi have feelings just like any other sentient. You will grieve, and you will release your grief to the Force, but not before you feel it first. That is mourning." She put her arms around him. "And I will mourn his loss with you."

Son

Obi-Wan sat in the garden of K’Tai’s family home, ostensibly to meditate. Obi-Wan found his focus wandering though. The sound of K’Tai’s voice as she spoke in Mabantu to her mother, Bus’cai qel Letta-Fromen abn Tanku, came from the kitchen where they were preparing tea. He couldn’t understand the language in its entirety, but the gist of the conversation came through.

“What does the Force have against me to bring me a son who won’t give me grandbabies?”

“Mother! De’vona has given you plenty of grandchildren. Clan Letta is doing fine in the heir department.”

Obi-Wan turned red.

Husband

“What do you know of his mother?”

“Very little. He’s Jedi. They don’t have families like the Tal’shari.” K’Tai carefully put tea leaves into the pot of water to steep. She looked out the kitchen window toward the garden and her future husband. “But he is a noble, strong, astute and kind man, so the Kenobi line must have a powerful matriarch somewhere in the mix.”

Bus’cai made a noise somewhere in the back of her throat. “It had better. My daughter is sesenche’ain to it. K’Tai qel Letta-Tanku abn Kenobi does have a nice sound.”

Brother

“So exactly how is Kur-Cot related to you?” Obi-Wan was trying his best to keep the family relationships straight without much success.

“He’s my father’s brother, so he’s my uncle. You know that he’s on my father’s side by their mother because their primary clan is Tanku.”

"But I thought your clan is Tanku…”

“No. If I had chosen to align with my grandmother's clan, I'd be K'Tai desa Tanku-Letta. My primary clan is Letta through my mother. It comes first. My paternal grandmother's clan comes second. When we go through the bonding ceremony, I'll add abn Kenobi."


Teacher

T'lor stepped into the room and met the gaze of Dax, Gi'den, and Yoda. "Whatever it is, I promise Kithera, Rani and I had nothing to do with it."

"In trouble for past actions you are not. Talk with you about taking a padawan we would."

T'lor was speachless. They wanted her to be a teacher? "I can give you several reasons why that is a bad idea. Let's start with the Sentinels and Shadows are no place for a child, even a Jedi child. More importantly, I'm on a long-term undercover op that does not involve a minor charge."

 

Great wrap and on persisting to the finish LOL I love the idea of life/Force bonds forming almost involuntarily.

 

Really nice to revisit the Best parts of the USJS! The snippet format is oddly effective, as my mind tries to puzzle out the larger chronology, my eyes just want to devour the next bite! Really cleverly done, K'Tai!