Kenobi's Guard (Short between triologies story - starring Obi-Wan Kenobi)

This is a story set three or four years after Episode III.


From space the sands of Tatooine reflected eerily. Casted by the intense solar flames of two suns, Tatoo 1 and Tatoo 2. Some might say that the glare made the planet appear to be a large golden nugget encased in its ecliptic rotation around the two suns. Others, however, and more likely those who had frequented the planet would seriously doubt the mental health of those who dreamed of rich deposits on the planets surface. A suspended dirtclog more than a suspended precious mineral.

The planet was dangerous. Sandstorms that carried winds so terrible that even the nomadic Tusken Raiders sought shelter in the caves of Beggars Canyon. These same Tusken Raiders, Sand People as they were also known, their faces and bodies swathed in homespun cloth in protection against the harsh elements were far more a severe trouble for the moisture farmers then the torrent-like winds.

However, this night moisture farmer, tusken, sandstorm alike lay dormant. There was only one who would lay awake and trouble in one of Tatooine's rare peaceful nights, only one who could not find peace of mind. This one who had once travelled the farthest reaches in the galaxy, who had once resided in the capital city of the Old Republic. This one was once a Jedi Knight named Obi-Wan Kenobi. This one was the strange hermit Ben Kenobi.

Ben Kenobi awoke from a fitful sleep, panic weighing his chest like an anvil. Almost instinctively he reached out for the young mind that was under his protection. He touched the sleeping presence of the boy Luke now three years old and was relieved to feel that the boy was fine. However, his apprehension and panic did not leave him. He took several settling breaths and tried to relax his mind and listen to the will of the Force. Although he rarely slept well he was not inclined to wake up so abruptly in the middle of the night.

Swallowing the panic he reached out again to Luke Skywalker. A vision of the boy sitting in the drivers seat of the landspeeder twisting the steering rod and making driving noises came into Ben's mind. The boy was dreaming of adventure just as Anakin had so long ago.

Don't think of him, Ben chided himself sternly. Unbidden the image of a smoothed face nine-year-old boy, with hair the color of sand and eyes that rivaled the blue of Naboo skies.

He had failed him, just as surely as he had failed Qui-Gon. Both lost to the Sith. As the pain of these two losses flooded over Obi-Wan he withdrew his touch from Luke. He knew that if he lingered too long the boy would wake up and that would make Owen Lars and his wife Beru very suspicious.

Stepping out of bed and crossing over to the window he looked out and viewed the Jundland waste by the light of the moons.

He had had dream. A dream of that fateful night where he and Vader had done battle, leaving his combantant encased in a black heart and a black suit to survive. Vader had destroyed Anakin just as surely as the Sith Apprentice had killed Qui-Gon. They had both left him alone to fight these demons. To feel the light of the galaxy flicker and dim. Each day he felt it. The deaths of the Jedi, his kin, and brethern. Would it one day be true that he would be the only one left. The only one to pass on to Luke what he had learned. He hoped not.

And what if his darkest nightmare came true? What if Darth Vader learned of the son of Skywalker? Then the new hope of the galaxy would be destroyed. He would not allow that to happen.

 

What happens next?

 

"The Jedi are falling quicker then we expected my Master. Only a few pockets of resistance remain," Darth Vader reported.

The Emperor, slowly decaying from the ravages of the dark side, perched upon his throne up a flight of elongated stairs. Vader knealt at the foot of the staircase looking through the mechanical sight enhancing apparatus that was inset into the black breath mask. Painstakingly the Emperor rose and descended, his black robes trailing behind him like a demonic apparition. Vader did not rise to stand next to his Master, he knew better then to do so before the Emperor instructed him.

"Rise Lord Vader," the Emperor allowed. "Walk with me, my apprentice."

Bringing his hands behind his back and his cascading ebony cape he followed the Emperor a pace back, careful to maintain a respectful distance away. The Emperor's anger sparked like nitrogen with disobediance. Vader wore the scar from the burns left by the Emperors wave of lightening bolts that sprung from his fingertips on his left arm. He'd spoken out of turn that time.

"What are your feelings on the Jedi, Lord Vader?" the Emperor broke the silence.

Vader found the question unnerving. He'd thought he had made that quite clear when he had betrayed Obi-Wan and left the Jedi. Yet there was still a little part of Anakin that revered the Jedi that Vader hadn't been able to squash. "They are the enemy my Master," Vader said, confident.

"Why?" the Emperor pursued.

Vader paused. "They stop us from doing what needs to be done. They spout rules and codes as the galaxy falls apart."

He felt the anger well inside of him. Yes the Jedi lied, just as Obi-Wan had. His old Master had made him believe that he had his best intentions towards him. Vaders gloved hand reached up to touch his face, smooth cold metal met his gloved fingertips. It was Obi-Wan's fault that he was encased in this black prision, his fault that hot molten rock has seaped over his skin, sinking into pours, and nearly killing him.

The Emperor interrupted his reverie. "I want you to go to Tatooine." The Sith Master's eyes grew opaque, not seeing the dankly lit room. "There is something there that threatens the Empire."

Vader stiffened perceptibly, his hands squeezing into fists. "Yes, my Master." He marched out of the room not caring if the Emperor blasted him for not waiting for his permission.

As soon as he made it out of the throne room and into the drastically brighter hallways of the Imperial palace on Coruscant he pulled his comlink and set the frequency.

"Skigle meet me in my office," he commanded. He shut the comlink off before the recipient could respond.

Vader stood waiting in his office when the tow headed Skigle entered. By all appearance the wide eyed man was the epitomy of innocence, but Skigle's blank stare was just a front for what really lied underneath. Wit as sharp as a vibro blade, cunning to match a vonskr and heavily entrenched in the dark side of the Force. He was as ambitious as he was clever.

"You wished to see me Lord Vader?" Skigle said.

There were many things that Vader was willing to do for the Emperor but travelling and probing through Tatooine was not one of them and Skigle wanted a chance to further his image in the eyes of the Emepror. Of course Vader wold be the only one who'd know of his excersion to Tatoooine.

"Yes Skigle. The Emperor and I are sending you to Tatooine."

"Tatooine, my Lord?" Skigle asked, as if he didn't register the importance of the desert planet. Skigle was shrewed enough but Vader did not like being played with.

"There is a threat to the Empire Skigle," Vader stated firmly.

Skigle's devilish smirk was swiped clear off his face at the sharp edge to Vader's voice. The deep and menacing sound that came from out of the black breath mask was enhanced by an actuator, and sent visible shivers through Skigle's frame. "Yes, Darth Vader."

"You will depart this evening and report to me only. The Emperor will be on an extended expedition." A thought came to Vader's mind

 

Ben Kenobi woke up the before the suns the next morning with the same sense of panic he had felt the previous night. Now he knew that it wasn't just the bad dreams that had accosted him, that brought this sense of forbodding. It was a disturbance in the Force. Taking slow deep breaths he cleared his mind with a difficulty he hadn't felt since he had been a Padawan. The years of isolation had taken their toll on him. He needed to remember his training and to focus.

There. He caught it. A tremor of significant darkness against the back drop of the encompassing darkness that had erupted in the galaxy since the Empire. It was coming here, to Tatooine, to Luke, to....him.

Quickly withdrawing from the darkness should he be sensed he cleared his mind to emptiness. Damn. Was this Vader coming to claim Skywalker's son? How had he sensed him? Obi-Wan had been so careful in shielding both him and young Luke. Even Leia recieved part of it.

Blast it Kenobi pull yourself together. You were a Jedi Knight, stop acting like an initiate.

No it wasn't Vader, Ben deduced after he had calmed his mind and revisted his memories. He knew what Vader felt like and the darkness was not that deep. However, the darkness did feel familiar.

He breathed a heavy sigh, yet again wondering why it had been him that had been chosen to take the son of Skywalker to Tatooine to be safe. He was suffering heavily from depression and he found it hard to continue on every day, alone to relive his nightmare of a life over and over again. He wasn't up to this. Hadn't it been proven that he was ill equipped to handle anything of this caliber? Or was this his punishment for his responsibility in the destruction of the Jedi Order.

"A destruction you did not cause Obi-Wan, but one you will stop," a voice said from behind him, one that he could almost imagine sounded like a ghost.

He spun around ready to berate the person who had come into his isolated hut without invitation and without welcome. Completing his turn he nearly retreated back to facing the window. But his eyes held him locked into place, his feet had become undeniably cemented to the ground of his small hut, and his mind had, after the initial thought of retreat, fallen into shock.

Tall with long dark hair, leonine features, and the build of a gundark Qui-Gon Jinn stood in front of his one time apprentice in hazy corporal form. The Jedi Master seemed to be lit in an eternal aura of blue flame and Obi-Wan had to swallow the pain of the memory when the flame had been real and it had taken the body of his Master away.

"Leave!" the word flew out of Ben's mouth before he even had the time to fully process it.

Qui-Gon frowned and folded his arms, as he had so many times in Obi-Wan's youth when his Padawan had said something that displeased him. "What?"

"You heard me. I don't want you here. I don't need you here," the last word cracked as it pulled away from Obi-Wan's mouth. Why was he saying this after he had asked so many times why Qui-Gon wasn't here? Perhaps it was because of his Master's previous absence that the sudden appearance made the hurt all the more real and his anger all the more justified.

Qui-Gon's features softened, sensing Obi-Wan's internal conflict. His job was to buoy the boy up not to cause him any more pain. No matter how long he had been dead or the years that had separated him from Obi-Wan, he couldn't help but fall into the pattern of Master to Apprentice. But Obi-Wan was hardly a boy now and had seen and done more things then Qui-Gon possibly imagined. Obi-Wan was close to doom. Each day the brightness that had once been Obi-Wan Kenobi had fallen into deep dark despair. The light that had been Obi-Wan was hidden deep within Ben and if it was not brought out then the galaxy was doomed to the destiny that the younger Jedi had already deemed it to be.

"You do not wish me to leave," Qui-Gon said in a level tone, hoping to both irritate and sooth the younger man.

Ben's scowl morphed into rage.

 

Good start, I'll be watching this one.

 

Luke Skywalker woke up with the overabundant energy that only three year olds could possess. He hopped out of his sleep couch and pumped his pudgy childs legs, still clad in his pajamas into the kitchen where he knew Aunt Beru would be making breakfast. Today was going to be an exciting day. For the first time his aunt and uncle were going to take him into town for supplies. Usually one of them stayed behind to watch after him. But the crop this year was going to be larger and Uncle Owen couldn't gather all the supplies himself. Solution: Luke got to go to town and see something other than the confines of the farm.

Crawling into his chair next to Uncle Owen's, which at the moment was unoccupied. He smiled at the scent of eggs cooking. It wasn't very often that they got hot food. Who would want it on Tatooine? But Luke loved eggs and had determined in his child like mind that today would be heaven.

"Good morning Lukie, how did you sleep?" Aunt Beru said placing a plate full of eggs in front of the three year old. Luke was not big for his age, actually he was quite compact but he ate like there were two of him.

Luke grabbed his fork and started in on his breakfast. Between mouthfuls he managed to garble out semblances of sentences. "I dreamt that I was racing through Beggars Canyon in our T-16. I was going really fast." Chewing. "Then I was a smuggler fighting of the Imperial boarding party." The boy then frowned between his narration. "Then my Guard visited me, but he felt sad so he didn't stay long."

Beru stiffened at this. She knew who it was that Luke referred to as his 'Guard'. Only she knew about Luke registering Obi-Wan Kenobi's presence. If Owen knew he would be furious and would go and demand that Kenobi keep out of the boy's mind. Beru had already suggested something like this to Ben, but shortly after Luke had been melancholy and almost ill so she had told Ben to reinstitute the mental contact. It had taken Beru some quick manuevering to keep Owen from knowing. Luke was a bright, talkative boy and could often jabber to his uncle until all hours of the day. Owen could be gruff but he loved Luke and Beru knew it. She just didn't think that it was right keeping Ben and Luke apart. So if the final truce was that Ben and Luke kept their link then she would let it be.

"Why do you think he was sad?" Beru asked softly. Owen wasn't around but she didn't want to tempt fate.

Luke shrugged and paused from his food. "I think he is very lonely. He misses his daddy," Luke said softly.

This didn't make any sense to Beru, since she knew that Obi-Wan Kenobi had never known his father. Perhaps Luke was transferring his own desire to have known his father onto Ben. Something she would have to think about.

"Are you excited about going to town this morning?" Beru asked, swift to draw Luke's attention away from his Guard.

The boy nodded enthusiastically, the smile returning to his face. "Where is Uncle Owen?"

"He's prepping the speeder for you. So that you'll be extra secure when we go into town," Beru explained. "Now hurry and finish your breakfast and change into your clothes so that we can go."

Luke definitely didn't need any encouragement. He shoved the last couple of forkfulls into his mouth, gave Beru a eggy kiss, and ran for his room.

 

Just found this. Its great. Keep it up.

 

Wow! This story is great! I love the idea of Luke's "guard," and I can't wait to find out who this mysterious Dark Sider is that Vader is sending. Please post more soon!

 

This is a great story.

I love the angst in Obi-Wan. As well, I can see how Vader is feeling the presence of Anakin trying to reassert itself.

Do you think we might get an explanation as to why Obi-Wan didn't decide to raise Luke himself? It seems that would have made it easier to guard him, as well he could have started training him in the traditional Jedi way -i.e. from the start of their lives.

Do you think he sent Luke to live with Owen and Beru to protect him, or maybe did he and Yoda decide that they had to rewrite the rules of the Jedi Order? (i.e. start training later in life...not live a monastic existence..etc)

I can't wait to read more.

 

Suns light woke Ben for the second time that morning. His mind felt groggy, sleep-induced, and he guessed that Qui-Gon's departing spirit had Force-pushed him into sleep. Qui-Gon! Ben shot up into a sitting position and quickly gave his hut a once over. But there was no sight of his departed Master. Pain clenched his heart as he realized that he was on his cot and not on the floor. It had all been a dream. Qui-Gon hadn't come to him at all. The words of absolution that his Master had offered to him freely had been nothing more than his mind giving him some sort of will to survive. He clutched his hands as he fought tears that begged to well up in his eyes. In doing so he felt that he was gripping something hard and smooth beneath his fingers. He opened his right hand cautiously and nearly gasped at the ebony stone, with shots of scarlet glistening in the rays of twin suns.

It was the river rock Qui-Gon had given him for his thriteenth birthday so many years ago. He clutched the stone to his heart, hope glimmering. This was a sign. It hadn't been a dream. Leave it to Qui-Gon to predict him enough to know that he would need this small token to believe in the unbelievable.

But where had Qui-Gon found it. He had given the stone to Anakin as a present on the same birthday Qui-Gon had given it to him. Anakin had kept it while he had been his apprentice, but surely Vader would have destroyed it.

Ben sat in silence for several long seconds, thinking, replaying all that he and Qui-Gon had said. Qui-Gon's words had soothed his torn heart and raging mind but he still carried the pain and the guilt, probably always would, but now he could bear it. Or at least it wasn't as painful as it had been yesterday and the knowledge that it wouldn't be as painful tomorrow and the next day gave the beaten Jedi a clearer sense of purpose.

Stretching out to the Force he sent a tentative tendril in a searching probe. Yes, Qui-Gon was right, the darkness was on the horizon and there was time to prepare for it. Despite that he was far out beyond the dune sea and that the only likelihood of any sort of setient seeing him were Jawas and Tusken Raider, he doubted that even they would come as far out to see Crazy Old Ben, (He was stilled baffled that the locals referred to him as old. After all he was only 43.), he was relunctant to practice with his lightsaber.

Still he had managed to craft himself a passable training rod out of some japor wood he had found on one of his jaunts across the desert, and was actually looking forward to running through some of his old exercises. It had been far to long since he had felt like a Jedi and it was about time that he started acting like one. Amazing what a morning full of revelation could do to a person.

Slipping the river stone into his tunic, next to his heart where it had always been warm, he grabbed his makeshift lightsaber and headed out into the open expanse of sand upon sand upon sand. He didn't need to worry about his exercises being restricted but he started off with several easy exercises, things that initiates at the Temple would have thought were long gone for a Jedi Knight, before moving into anything with any real difficulty. It had been far to long since he had used his lightsaber or even had taken it into his hands. His rod he had crafted to have the feel and the weight of the Jedi's chosen weapon but he missed the hum of the blade, the cold metal grip.

He practiced for hours, swinging and swaying. His feet danced to the rhythm of the Force. A music he had tried to avoid for the past three years but for no longer. He had a job to do and he would no longer allow himself to abide in his personal hell.

After unknown hours, his body aching after so long of inactivity, dripping with sweat, his hair clinging to his neck and his beard matted to his chin, Ben dropped to his knees in the sand. Physically, emotionally, spiritually, he was drained, but there was one place that he could find assuagement from all these ills. For the first tim

 

Luke couldn't believe how lucky he was. After the initial trip to town some of the supplies the farm needed had not been readily available and the market had put them on Order. Three days later the market manager had commed Uncle Owen saying that the shipment had arrived.

Out of Uncle Owen's customary gruffness, Luke's uncle had invited him to come along. Luke's joy almost couldn't be contained. His first sight of town and he had loved Anchorhead. He couldn't remember seeing so many different kinds of people. It was clearly an adventure the young boy couldn't wait to have again. The speeder ride had been fun, even though he had wished that Uncle Owen would have let him steer. He had ever so often around the farm but this trip had been much longer and Owen had insisted on doing all the driving.

Luke smiled, perhaps he could convince Uncle Owen to let him do a little on the way back to the farm.

He was sitting on the counter, where the manager of the market had hefted him, swinging his legs over the edge while Uncle Owen bartered the price of the supplies. At first the haggling had interested Luke but it had soon grown beyond his comprehension to understand. So instead he watched out the open windows, seeing if he could place some of the sentients to which planet they originated from.

The sound of a door indicator jarred Luke from his mussings and a young man walked in. To Luke he looked extremely tall, his eyes were blue, and his hair the same sandy color as the young boys. The young man also looked friendly, maybe Luke could talk to him since Uncle Owen had seemed to have forgotten his presence.

Leaping off the counter he ran up to the man and gave him a big smile.

"Hi," he said, in his best welcoming voice.

The man at first was annoyed by his presence but at a glance from Uncle Owen seemed to warm up. "Hello."

This man's accent was a lot different from anything he had heard on Tatooine before. "Where are you from?"

"Far away from here," the man replied with a sly smile of his own. "What's your name kid?"

"Luke, what's yours," the boy answered.

"They call me Skigle," Skigle said. "He hunched close to Luke. "I'm new here and I need a place to stay do you know of any place."

Luke scrunched up his face in thought. He would love to have Skigle come to stay with them but he knew that Uncle Owen didn't let anybody in the house except them. When that old Ben Kenobi came by, Uncle Owen had sure sent him packing and in a sandstorm nonetheless.

"Luke Skywalker are you bugging this young man," Uncle Owen was suddenly behind him, his arms crossed in a very disapproving fashion.

Luke looked to Skigle in the hopes that the older boy would save him, but Skigle's face had gone into the mode of a droid on shut down. He was staring at Luke, his mouth slightly agape, and his head swagged back and forth as if it were only losely attached to his neck.



However, Skigle snapped out of it at the sound of Luke's nervous shuffling feet. "I'm sorry if I disturbed your son sir, I was just asking him if he knew of a place I could stay."

Skigle laced his voice with extra charm and a push from the Force. He had been in Anchorhead for a couple of days wondering the streets, listening to the gossip, searching for the one thing that could destroy the Empire. He had been drawn to this market by a vergence in the Force. When the little boy had instantly assaulted him, he hadn't recognized the vergence being him.

Now, with the young boy's full name revealed, he wondered how he had missed it. Could the son of Skywalker be the destruction that the Emperor and Vader had sent him to find. If so Vader would take great pleasure in learning that Skywalker had a son.

How greatly he would be rewarded when he brought this to Vader's attention.

"He can be a handful, I know. However, I believe I can answer your question. The Darklighters often take in borders. I can give you directions if you'd like," the boy's guardian said quickly.

Skigle nodded in feigned appr

 

*cue ominous music* Oh my!

I'm curious as to whether this story is going to be AU, or this thing with Skigle is just something that could have happened between Episodes II and III.....?

 

Great post. Want some soon, please.

 

Skigle passed the same length of floor he had the last past hour. He had to make this communication to Lord Vader right. He didn't just want to come out and say that Anakin Skywalker had a son and he is living on Tatooine with moisture farmers. The Dark Force user knew that Vader was just waiting for an opportunity to be rid of him. With a son by his side it wouldn't take long for the deed to be done. He now had leverage, something to hold over the Sith Apprentice's head.

He had to intrigue but not give to much away. He believed he had found the cause of what might be the Empire's destruction. The son of the Chosen One could carry the hopes of what was left of the Jedi remnant. Three years hand dwindle the Order imensely but had not yet made it extinct. Luckily, Skigle had found the boy before any of the Jedi or the Empire.

He was not so foolish to bind himself to either the cause of the Jedi or the Empire. His cause was what he really cared for and worked towards. He was as amoral as a mercenary. Sides matter nothing to him. His Master had made sure to drive any sort of loyalty out of him.

Settling on what to say to the Dark Lord, Skigle keyed his comm unit and patched himself to Vader's personal frequency.

"Skigle Klor to Lord Vader please respond," Skigle said into the open speaker.

Without preamble Vader demanded, "Have you found the disturbance?"

"Yes, Lord Vader and it may be of some shock to you when I bring it to you," Skigle insinuated.

"Why is that?" Vader said, and Skigle was sure that behind the mask Vader's eyebrow was arched.

"It's too dangerous to give such information over an insecure line, but let's just say it will be well worth the wait." He didn't say this slyly, but with his best innocent face. The one he knew that Vader would see right through but would think that Skigle was convinced had fooled him.

Vader's voice wasn't changed but their was something a little more anticipatory to it. "Gather it and bring it to me."

"As you wish my Lord."

---

For the past three days Ben Kenobi had set himself on a rigorous set of exercises and meditation. He was actually feeling a little bit like his oldself, self-assured maybe. But he knew he was a long way from being healed and that such a healing may never take place. Each day would be a struggle but it was a struggle he no longer bore alone.

Deep in the Force he felt the energies of each of the Jedi who had passed on, some of them in keeping him and Luke safe. Although he still felt the immense guilt and shame flood over him, there was also a knowing that those who had died for him had not felt the way he felt for himself. They had not blamed him, and there had been no need to forgive.

So when he felt that the Darkness had reached its point and that the time was almost at hand to act, he believed that he was ready.

Sitting in his hut he starred at the small chest that resided just before the foot of his bed. It was not a large box but it carried some of the most precious things in his life. His Padawan braid that had been shorn when he had become a Knight. Simple gifts he and Qui-Gon had exchanged for birthdays and special occassions. The blanket he had been wrapped in when he had been brought to the Temple as a baby. Now wrapped in the blanket, with just as much care and reverence as the baby Obi-Wan had been, were three lightsabers. Anakin's, Qui-Gon's, and his.

Slowly he stood up and walked over to the chest. Here it was, the last step. The lightsaber, an elegant weapon for a more civilized age, but most importantly one of the greatest representations of a Jedi. For a Padawan to pass on to Knighthood he or she had to craft their own lightsaber. As keepers of the peace Jedi were negotiators. As guardians of justice they could be warriors. The lightsaber was an extension of not only body but of mind. The design and sculpt of the handle, the hue of the lightbeam, the tenseness of the energy hum, could speak volumes on the Jedi who brandished their weapon. To once

 

More soon.

 

Luke had been deeply engrossed in his dream, him flying in starfighter barreling down in a trench at inexplicable speed. He was quite enjoying it and was disturbed when the dream abruptly cut out. The boy shifted in him sleep. Subconsciously he wondered if his Guard was going to pay him a visit and that was why his dream had cut out. But the boy settled in his sleep and even his subconscious went dormant as a heavy dark presence filled the young boys mind.

Slowly, and at the command of another thought that was no his own, Luke crawled out of his bed. His bare feet padded along the hall way silently, with a grace that no three year old could possess. Outside of Owen and Beru Lars' bedroom, the tiny boy peaks in, the light of three moons reflects off of his eyes but they are not the innocent eyes of Luke Skywalker. These eyes have a hateful,haunted look. The boy pears at his guardians for a moment and then, having come to a decision, continues his way through the house and out until he is far from the farm proper.

It was quite a peculiar sight seeing a three year old wondering the sands of Tatooine in his pajamas, in the middle of the night. If anybody had passed the boy they would have said that he walked as if he were in a trance, seeing but not identifying. he avoided the little divits in the sand, he negotiated the big hills. He continued to walk and walk, the destination only known by the person who was in control. And that was certainly not the boy.

The course rough sand, scrubbed harshly at the boys feet, rubbing them raw. He continued to walk. A Krayt Dragon flew over head screeching loudly, it's beak quickly tugging at the boys hair. Without looking the boy thrusted his hand out and a gust of Force-strength sent the Dragon flying away. The boy continued to walk.

Inside Luke's mind a quite voice, low and menacing continued to chant. "Yes, young Skywalker, come to me, come."

---

Booted feet pounded puffs of sand as Ben Kenobi ran with all of his might. He had to make it to the Lars' homestead. He had reached out to Luke only to feel that the boy's mind was being cutoff from his own by something dark and powerful.

Why did I choose the middle of the desert to build my hut?, a part of Ben's mind asked, the part that wasn't scared stiff that he wouldn't make it in time. That he would fail yet again. That the only hope for the galaxy would become the certain doom if he fell to the Dark Side.

I can't let that happen. I won't let that happen. Ben chanted it in his head over and over again, until he caught with the rhythm of his feet. Fast and ragged.

He felt a surge in the Force and headed in its direction. He had to get to Luke that was his top priority, after Luke was safe then he would deal with however had blocked his mental contact with the boy.

Ben stopped short as he drew closer to the darkness and saw a tiny figure in pajamas walking as if dazed.

Picking up his speed, Ben approached the boy and was nearly knocked flat at Luke's close resemblance to a young Anakin. He slowed just shy of the boy.

"Luke, stop," the one time Jedi Knight commanded.

Young Luke turned his head to face him and a torrent of Force energy hit Ben sending him flying meters before he crashed with the sand, the landing knocking his breath from him.

Pushing his feelings of failure aside he concentrated on Luke. The boy's power was being drawn from but he wasn't the one directing it. With a relief that was undefinable and unexcusable Ben picked himself up from the ground. He had feared that once again an innocent Force-strong boy had been lured to the Dark Side. But Luke was just a child, innocent in the Force and he was being sorely manipulated.

Delving deeper into the Force then he had ever dared to in the last three years he reached out for Luke's mind and blasted the darkness with every bit of the lightside of the Force he possessed. Something cried out and Luke's blanked eyed expression suddenly showed awareness. It was only a matt

 

great post.

 

Wow, this is a great story.

I always wondered what went on between Episode III and ANH. It's good that Ben has learned not to dwell too much on what's happened and that light will prevail again.

I also wondered exactly what he did to pass the time out in his hut. I mean, he had to have had quite a bit of free time on his hands. LOL I do wonder, again, why he didn't try to stay closer -physically- to Luke. I would have thought he would have wanted to be close-by in case he was needed to protect him.

When is the next post due?

 

That's so evil, making a three-year-old walk all the way across the Tatooinian deserts in the middle of the night! So glad Ben could overcome his own fears and save Lukie just in time. More soon, please!

 

Up

 

Skigle felt the presence of another strong in the Force a second before that presence foisted him out of Luke Skywalker's mind. What Force user could be so strong as to push him away from the boy? He reached out to the Force-user and felt its familiarity. Whoever it was, they were well trained and could mask their essence in the Force. A Jedi.

But who? Skigle didn't take the time to consider this. He had to stop this Jedi from snatching up the son of Skywalker before Skigle had the chance to get him to Lord Vader. He swung into his speeder and gunned the engines to full speed. He could feel that young Skywalker wasn't to far away and where Luke was the Jedi wouldn't be to distant.

It was only a matter of moments before Skigle saw the son of Skywalker's a small form set against the back drop of sand and the silver blue moonlight of three moons. He wasn't alone. Several meters back was the hunched form of the Jedi. Skigle raced over to the son of Skywalker and grabbed him before the jedi could move. The dark Force user was startled that it took a long while for the Jedi to move.

Painstakingly, the Jedi rose to his feet, almost staggering, and his profile became alit in the blue glow of Tatooine's moons.

"Obi-Wan Kenobi," Skigle stated not really surprised but feeling a hardness settle in his stomach. "I should have guessed you would be the Jedi watching over the son of Skywalker."

"Put the boy down Skigle," Obi-Wan said, his breathing strangely labored.

A sneer of a smile stretched across Skigle's thin lips, instantly turning the otherwise boyish face into a mask of devilry. "Ah, so you remember me. Strange, your pathetic attempt of a Padawan wasn't so observant."

Kenobi winced at the mention of Vader and Skigle sneered even more in pleasure as the jibe hit home. Perhaps Kenobi wouldn't be as much as a problem as he first anticipated.

"Leave him out of this," Kenobi said in a sharp whisper.

"I really can't can I Kenobi considering it's his son we're fighting over," at this Skigle tightened his grip on Luke and the boy started crying even more.

"He's only a boy Skigle. He is of no use to you," Kenobi tried to persuade.

Skigle snorted. "You don't know what your former apprentice would give for this piece of Force-raw material." Skigle lifted a brow. "Do you know I work with him now Kenobi. I help him slaughter your brethren. That we take pleasure in severing those that we once stood by."

In a quick fluid motion that belied his earlier lethargy, Kenobi swept up his lightsaber, ignited it, and brought it in a threatening position all before Skigle could breath. "I suggest that you put down that child before I take off your head."

---

Alright, Kenobi this is the moment and you're letting your feelings get the better of you. You must be calm.

But Ben felt anything but clam. In the soft moonlite he could see Luke's crying features clear as day and couldn't help but think that they resembled the crying features of a nine-year-old boy who had just learned that Master Qui-Gon had been struck down.

As he saw the resemblance it clenched his heart, as Skigle cleverly taunted him it flamed his soul. He wanted to cleave the dark Force users head right off of its shoulders, wanted to see it roll around in the sand. Make this man pay for all the murder and mayhem he had allowed and participated in.

Death is not a punishment, Obi-Wan. It is the way of things. The way of the Force., Qui-Gon's words came back to him, soothing the fire in his soul like balm to a burn.

He was tired and worn but he would keep his vow. He would not let his rage, despair, and depression win out when he had just begun to master it. He would protect Luke Skywalker with his life.

Luke, listen to me. I need you to nod slightly if you can hear me.[i/]

Just the tiniest bob of the boy's head let Ben know that he had been heard. I need you to trust me and to let me help you to be free of this bad man. Can you do that?

Again the bo

 

No! You can't kill Obi-Wan! Yes, you can torture him and give him tons of angst. But you can't kill him.

This is really, really good. There's not that much written about the time between the trilogies. Post more soon.

 

This is a great story.

Perhaps Luke might be the one to save Ben.

 

WHAT! Obi-wan kenobi can't and will not die to that stupid sith! GAH!

*sniffles* Obi don't leave me! *grabs tissue and blows nose* you can't die!

POST SOON PLEASE! Suspense is killing me!