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

Eee! Nooo! Ben can't die like that! More soon!

 

wow. great post. Dont leave us in anticipation for long.

 

Noooooooo! I've already read ONE fic with Obi dead in it, not another please! Force no! Give poor Obi a break!

~ The Lady

 

Ben Kenobi closed his eyes and reached into the Force to prepare for death. Time stretched out until Ben felt as if it had been sunk into Dagobah mud. The rising hum of Skigle's blade was slow in coming and it felt like minutes before he heard it change in pitch.

Don't let him hurt you., the mind voice was so small and tiny that for a moment Ben didn't quite believe what he'd felt.

Then realization dawned. LUKE! They boy was watching this, he couldn't let a three year old watch him die. And who would take care of him if Obi-Wan were to die? Who would return him to Owen and Beru?

Time, in Force mire, was irrelevant.
Ben opened his eyes and registered the position of Skigle's red blade, the distance of his own thrown lightsaber, and chorographed an escape route in the time it took to take a sharp breath.

As time came back to its normal sequentiality Ben's body became a blur as he rolled away from Skigle's arching blade, whipped out his hand in a controlled gesture to recieve his lightsaber and ignited it in time to meet the red hue of his antagonist. He was still shaken by the mention of Anakin but he refused to let the son of Skywalker get in the hands of this dark Force-user.

Still memories of Anakin were over flooding his senses and although he had gained some control he was far from what he should be. Don't let him hurt you., Luke's mind-voice said again, and this time Ben caught the double meaning. It wasn't only Skigle that Luke had been speaking of, but of Anakin. The boy had sensed his pain and anguish that Ben felt over his old apprentice and had told him, with the wisdom of a man other than a child, not to let it happen.

I will try not too, young one. Thank you, Ben sent back to the child.

Purging his memories from his mind, he sought the golden light of the Force. He felt it tingle around him and strengthen him. Again he felt the supernatural strength that was his in the Force and he pushed up on his feet, Skigle's blade was forced back, and Ben came to his full standing form.

"So there is still some fight in you," Skigle said between clenched teeth. "Qui-Gon wasn't such a failure after all."

In his present state of mind the mention of Qui-Gon only centered him further into the light of the Force. He would not dishonor Qui-Gon's name by acting out in hatred, nor would he dishonor the goodness that had once embodied Anakin. What would the sacrafice of thousands be for if he gave in to temptation now? If he gave into fear, anger, and hatred? Or if he just gave in?

"No I guess he wasn't," Ben muttered to himself.

Skigle fell into a serious of quick thrusts and jabs, which Obi-Wan parried with increasing ease. He was beginning to feel like himself. He hadn't been by far the greatest swordsman in the Order, but he had been trained by Qui-Gon who had had a running for the title.

Ben's body was no longer his own, it was an extension of the Force. His feet, shoulders, hips, arms, and lightsaber all moved to a dance that only the Force knew. He moved to intercept Skigle's blade even before the dark Force-user would twitch to move. His body was tired and battered, from the Force-push Luke had given him and from the long battle with Skigle. However, he didn't let his body rest, he relied on the Force to keep him up right and moving.

The red blade made brief contact with his shoulder, Ben did not feel it. He was too entranced in the Force.

Skigle thrusted his blade at Ben's stomach. Ben dodged out of the way causing the Dark Force-user to fall forward abruptly. Skigle was good enough that he could have recovered if not for the fact that Ben had manuevered right behind him, placing a well positioned kick to the Dark Force-users back.

The blonde haired man fell face first into the sand. Ben took the opportunity to Force-yank the other man's lightsaber from his hand, sending it spinning perfectly into Obi-Wan's awaiting hand.

"Give it up Skigle. Turn away from this path, it's not too late," Ben called to t

 

oohhh... [face_shocked] Atleast Ben didn't die... err... more soon, right?

 

wow. for some reason i just found this i normally don't like obi stories, but there's enough vader in it to keep me happy and angst is always good

 

Great post.

I love seeing Ben prove that he still has it.

I also like the obvious compassion he has towards Luke. Very father-like.

I still wonder why he didn't opt to raise Luke himself. That way he could protect him better and start him on his training from a much earlier age. I hope that will explained in the films at some point.

 

WOO-WHO! Go Obi-Wan you still have some kick in you yet! LOL

Great post! I love the relationship between Luke and Obi-wam/Ben! It is perfectly written!

UP!

 

ZaraValinor, good this is, post more you will. 7

 

More soon please. Hopefully.

 

Up

 

Great story

 

Ben Kenobi rose from his crouch at Skigle's side and half-stumbled to Luke's side. He felt drained both emotionally and physically. Now that the battle was over his touch with the Force was weak. He felt as if he had just relived every terrible moment in his life, in that one battle.

As he drew near, Luke cringed away from him. His tears still falling down his boyish chubby cheeks. He's afraid of you., Obi-Wan thought saddly. Wouldn't you be if you had seen what he has just?.

Sending reassurance throught the Force, despite the pain he caused his head, he crouched next to Luke. "I won't hurt you young Luke, I'm here to help you."

Luke turned tear filled eyes on him, but at least looked as though he were willing to listen. "Where am I?"

"Your a good deal in the boundaries of the Dune Sea. I wish you hadn't had to see that Luke, but he was planning on hurting you. I couldn't let that happen," Ben tried to explain to the young boy.

"Why? I thought he was nice," the boy asked between chocking sobs.

Luke put his arm around the boy, happy that Luke didn't pull away, and lifted him into a hug. "He was once Luke. Are you alright?"

"My feet hurt," the boy answered. "You almost gave up. Why?"

The sheer innocence of the question, the great resemblance the boy held to his father, and the continuation of swirling emotions final caused a tear to course down Ben's cheek. "It is quite hard to explain young Luke," Ben said through tightened vocal chords.

Luke's eyes filled up again. "I'm sorry if I made you sad," he said in a tiny voice.

"It is alright Luke. You saved me. I should be thanking you," Ben assured, crushing the boy in a quick hug. Suprised to find that more drops of salty water were slidding down his cheeks to catch in his beard.

What are you crying for Kenobi? You saved him. But he knew that the tears were a strange mix of joyous relief and remembered sorrow. He let the tear fall for Luke, for Skigle, for Qui-Gon, but mostly they fell for Anakin. For the bright innocent boy that he saw in Luke, for the boy he had cared so deeply for, and even for the Dark Lord he had become.

The flow of emotion and the tight chubby arms that ringed his neck, healed Ben more than he could have possibly imagined. Hope. That's what he felt. Somehow he felt that in saving the son he had saved the father, and that was like sunshine to his cloudy soul.

"I will help you with your feet young Luke," he said grabbing one of the childs dangling bare and sore feet and using the Force to sooth it.

Luke cries had ended and his face though sticky with weatness looked rather relieved. "What's your name? How did you find me? And where are you taking me?"

Obi-Wan chuckled at the authoratative tone in the young boy's voice. It made him sound slightly like the boy's guardian, Owen Lars.

"My name is Ben. How I found you will be quite difficult to explain, and I'm taking you to the Lars homestead, there is much I want to discuss with your aunt and uncle."

Processing these statements, Luke nodded with a distinct grown-up formality. Oh, Anakin, if you could only see him. He is so much like you.

"Your my guard aren't you?" Luke asked softly, as they continued to walk through the desert in the direction of the Lars Homestead.

"What?" Ben asked startled.

"Your the man who comes to me when I'm asleep. You watch over me. You're always so sad," Luke explained.

Ben smiled. "Yes that is me." He saw the smile boy's smile of trust and then the yawn that followed quickly after it. "Sleep Luke. We'll be at the Homestead in the morning."

 

Wow. That was really good. I'm so relieved that Obi-Wan didn't die. And even more so that he managed to find some comfort from Luke.

What you said, about Obi-Wan thinking he felt as though he had saved the father by saving the son, that was very profound, and very prophetic as it turns out.

Your characterizations are very well written. Obi-Wan comes off as such a tragic figure. And Luke has a distinct personality, even as a three-year-old. I can't wait to see how you do Owen and Beru.

 

Great post.

In a way, Ben did save Anakin by saving Luke. Luke was the one who was able to turn Anakin back to the Light Side. But, he wouldn't have been able to if Ben hadn't been able to save him then.

 

This is probably the last post for this story. I hope you guys enjoy it. I appreciate all my readers comments. I love writing.

---

Vader felt the tremors in the Force when Skigle died. If the man wasn't already dead Vader would have taken great pleasure in strangling his scarwny neck with the Force. Or perhaps he would have done it physically. His vein imaginations, however, were not going to conjur Skigle back to the living.

He had known the man to be incompetent at times, but he had never imagined he would be killed. What would Vader say to the Emperor know? How would he get out of this life threatening mess?

He felt his anger at the Emperor rise. Why did the man doubt his allegiance? Hadn't he shown that Anakin Skywalker had melted in the fire and Vader had emerged. He cursed Kenobi daily and had more reason to hate the Jedi then the Emperor himself.

It was too early in his dark training to be rid of his Master and he didn't think that he was strong enough yet.

He should have known better than to trust his fate into the hands of another former Jedi. He wish he had a Jedi in front of him now so that he could pretend it was Skigle and vent his frustrations.

Then Darth Vader, Lord of the Sith, caught his thought process. Skigle had been Jedi? Yes the memory came back as if on the wings of a bat. Steathily and darkly pleasurable.

He had his answer. He would just tell his Master that he had learned that Skigle had once been Jedi and that he had found him gathering Rebels on Tatooine. Yes. Then he would have the disturbance solved and still wouldn't have to tread his feet on that forsaken excuse for a planet.

As Vader left his office to contact the Emperor a brief thought crossed his dark mind. What had Skigle found on Tatooine?

---

The Lars Homestead didn't look much different from its appearance three years ago, when Ben had brought the infant son of Skywalker to stay with Anakin's step-family. There was one differnce, however. Ben would be returning to his hut not alone, but with young Luke alongside of him. He believed he had made a mistake in letting his fears of tainting Luke with his teaching abilities drive the son of Skywalker away from him. He had kept his distance because Owen had made it quite clear that he was not welcome. Now he would take Luke back, he would train Luke to be a Jedi. The son of the Chosen One would bring balance.

Ben walked up to the door and pressed the announcer to let the Lars' know he was here. Silently he shifted the sleeping Luke in his arms. The boy had done so much for him, he was deeply in his debt. They would teach each other, just as he and Anakin, and he and Qui-Gon. Luke would know the Force, Ben would not longer have to shield him so heavily, and Ben would learn to heal from Luke.

However, Ben's plans were all thrown from his mind when Beru Lars opened the door. Her eyes were read and puffy from crying and she looked worried, until she saw the tiny bundled clutched in Ben's protective arms.

Beru grabbed the boy from Ben's arms before the Jedi had time to react, sobs of relief instantly tearing through her slight body. The young woman's antics shook the boy awake. He blinked slightly and then flung his arms around his aunt's neck.

"Aunt Beru," Luke exclaimed.

"Oh, Luke. I was so worried," Beru whispered softly into his hair.

Luke patted her cheek reassuringly. "My guard helped me."

Beru glanced up at Ben and looked at him as though seeing him in front of her for the first time. "Thank you Obi-Wan."

Luke gave his aunt a querlous look. "His names Ben, not Obi-Wan."

Ben chuckled forcefully, he could see Beru's irate husband coming up behind her. This was not going to be pleasant.

"What are you doing here? I told you never to come near Luke again. Get out before I throw you out, Jedi?" Owen said in a gruff voice.

"I wish to speak with you about Luke," Ben said evenly to mellow the younger man's emotion. The Jedi Knight wasn't at all intimidated by Owe

 

Oh, my. That was really good. So sad, yet so touching. When Ben said that the Jedi Obi-Wan died along with his apprentice, that just broke my heart.

There is so much depth to the Obi-Wan character that is often overlooked. But you really managed to capture what makes that old desert hermit a tragic hero. The loneliness, the despair, the guilt, the fight to survive. You really got the essence of him.

I'm sad to see this story ending, but I truly hope you write more and soon. You have a lot of talent.

 

Ee! That was excellent!

But poor Obi-Wan... he seemed so sad... lonely.

I liked the last sentence, especially...

Stunning, Zara Valinor... can we hope to see more from you soon??

 

great story. I loved it. For a moment I thought you were going to turn this into a AU.

 

I'd love for there to be a sequel.

You could show Ben having adjusted to life on Tatooine. Not just adjusted to the planet itself, but having made peace with his demons. Even though he is committed to guarding Luke, I'm sure there are ways he can develop a bit of a life for himself there too.

In ANH, Ben seemed rather cheerful. He seemed to have learned to enjoy what there was in his life. Even though he still had the burden of watching and training Luke, he also appeared to have made peace with everything.

BTW, do you think it came to him at some point that perhaps he should bring Luke to Yoda to be trained?

 

I like the ending; it's really touching. I think it's really sad, the way Anakin just broke Obi-Wan's heart, yet Obi-Wan told himself that he had to live on for exactly that purpose...

 

A wonderful story, looking forward to more in the future. 7

 

up...now more people can enjoy.

 

UP! God that was great. Yes, more people should get to enjoy this ... I think these ideas about sequels are great, and you should really think about doing one. Thanks for the awesome story!

 

Thanks everybody for loving this fic. I will be writing a sequel in the near future, but for now I'm working on an AU story called Bound by Fate. Thanks.