main
side
curve
  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

Before - Legends Gaeia (AU/OCs)

Discussion in 'Fan Fiction- Before, Saga, and Beyond' started by K'Tai qel Letta-Tanku, Jan 22, 2020.

  1. K'Tai qel Letta-Tanku

    K'Tai qel Letta-Tanku Jedi Grand Master star 3

    Registered:
    Apr 18, 2000
    Title: Gaeia
    Author: K’Tai qel Letta-Tanku
    Time period: Before Legends (AU with OCs)
    Characters: Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon, Garen Muln, T’lor Kaden, Madame Nu, Taria Damsin, Bant Eerin, K'Tai qel Letta-Tanku (in absentia), Master Sunchaser
    Genre: Romance
    Summary: A Tal'shari Trial of the Spirit has Obi-Wan confronting what it means to be sesench'ain and Jedi.
    Disclaimer: Disney owns the GFFA. I just play here.

    Author’s notes: While I missed the deadline (by many, many months), this was written in response to the Distant Beloved challenge on the OTP thread to write a story focusing on a pairing where one member of the pair is only referred to, but not actually present actively, in the story for a variety of reasons. In my case, it is because one member of the pairing is on a religious pilgrimage. Many thanks to @Charity Rose for beta-reading.



    He watched the shuttle disappear into the sky, wishing for the umpteenth time that he could go with her. Waves of frustration and anxiety echoed in their bond. How much was due to the nature of the journey she embarked on and how much was a result of yesterday’s flashback were up for grabs. Either way, she was disgruntled, and there was little he could do about it. A hand on his shoulder brought him back to himself. T’lor gave his shoulder a squeeze.

    “Come on. We need to get back to the Temple.”

    Obi-Wan turned and followed her back to the speeder. He sat in silence as they flew through the crowded skies of Coruscant, his mind focused on his bond with K’Tai and what her recall to Kress might mean for them. He sighed.

    “She’s still out of sorts, isn’t she?”

    He turned to look at T’lor. “Yes. She wasn’t looking forward to this, and yesterday did not help matters any.” He was silent a moment, and then added, “If K’Tai’s experience with her mother is any indication, I think I’m glad Jedi do not maintain familial contacts.”

    “Bus’cai does have a way of getting under her skin. Is it getting any easier to ignore the further away she gets?”

    “Not really.” Obi-Wan turned back to looking out at the traffic. “We’ve been apart before, but this feels different. It doesn’t help that Qui-Gon and I have been assigned to the Temple for the next 6 weeks. Six weeks! As a precaution…”

    T’lor glanced over at him. “It’s a reasonable one.”

    Obi-Wan sighed. “I know it is. Doesn’t mean I like it.”

    “I thought you and Qui-Gon have been tasked with teaching Soresu to the advanced lightsaber class. You LIKE sparing.”

    “We have, and I do. But that isn’t going to occupy all of my time, not by a long shot. Which means lots of meditation because, well…you know Qui-Gon. And we have already established that meditation leads to me feeling the bond even more.” He paused briefly. “Did K’Tai tell you anything about this whole process, what is involved? When I asked, she dodged the question. Every time. Either she doesn’t know or…”

    “She can’t tell you.” T’lor smiled a little. “She didn’t say anything, and all I heard her muttering under her breath was ‘Gaeia.’ I hope you had the good sense to drop it after a few times of asking.” She saw his cheeks flush. “Brat, you didn’t badger her about it, did you?”

    “I wouldn’t call it badgering exactly. I was…persistent in my questioning.”

    “No wonder she’s frustrated. Bound or not, you do know that you are going to lose every time you force her to choose between you and her people, right?”

    Obi-Wan scowled and then sighed. “Yes. I was trying to get enough information that I could go to the archives without having to involve Madame Nu.”

    “And you can’t involve Madame Nu why?”

    “Umm…because asking about this is going to make her ask me why I want to know.”

    “So you tell her. What’s the big deal?”

    Obi-Wan looked over at T’lor. “I don’t really want to have it common knowledge, you know? The less people who know, the less likely it is K’Tai can be used as leverage against me or the Order. Or vice-versa. She is your padawan…”

    T’lor kept her focus straight ahead, but nodded. “I get that. But Madame Nu good at keeping secrets. I know that from experience. You can trust her with this.”

    Obi-Wan didn’t respond. He had a duty to make the life-bond just one aspect of his being, but for the past 5 months, whenever he wasn’t actively focused elsewhere, it seemed like it was his entire being. He was still discovering just what being sesench’ain meant, both in the day to day and in the grand scheme of things. It was much harder than he ever thought it would be to simply let the situation be what it was. Telling people inevitably led to questions that he didn’t have the answers to. His discussion with Taria had made that very clear. And the truth was, the longer he waited to say anything, the harder it was to say it. He’d just managed to screw up the courage to talk to Taria a couple of weeks ago. He still hadn’t figured out how to bring it up with either Garen or Bant, two of his best friends.

    “Have you told anyone else yet?” T’lor asked as she parked the speeder.

    “Yes.” Obi-Wan didn’t feel like telling her who.

    “Does that include Garen and Bant?”

    “No.”

    T’lor just shook her head. “You are going to have to tell them eventually, if for no other reason than I’m going to slip up and say something that will lead to them asking you questions.” She hopped out of the speeder and headed off toward the part of the Temple that housed the Shadows. “I’ll be around for the next few weeks if you need to talk,” she called as she walked off.

    “T’lor?”

    She turned back to him.

    “Thanks.”

    “Any time, Brat.”

    Obi-Wan turned as he heard footsteps approaching. His master called out to him. “Is she away?”

    Obi-Wan nodded. “Yes, although not happy about it.”

    Qui-Gon studied his padawan. “I don’t think she’s the only one.”

    Obi-Wan replied, “She isn’t.” He didn’t volunteer anything else.

    “The next question is can you focus?”

    “Yes, master.”

    “Well then, it’s time for us to impart our knowledge of Soresu to a group of eager padawans.”
     
    Last edited: Jan 28, 2020
  2. Findswoman

    Findswoman Fanfic and Pancakes and Waffles Mod (in Pink) star 5 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Feb 27, 2014
    HOORAY, K’TAI’S BACK! [face_dancing] [face_dancing] [face_dancing] Well, K’Tai the AUTHOR is; it looks like K’Tai the CHARACTER is heading off somewhere unknown! I’m not surprised to see the separation affecting Obi-Wan so much—that’s just how strong the sesench’ain bond is—and I have to say I’m just as curious as he is as to what he’ll find out about this mysterious “Gaeia.” He’s got the perfect friend and ally in T’lor (good old T’lor!), and it doesn’t hurt that her Jedi Shadow skills will likely stand him in good stead as he investigates further. I’m so thrilled you ended up doing this for the OTP Distant Beloved challenge—I was very, very intrigued to see you get the “religious pilgrimage” prompt, which seemed like a great fit for you and this couple—and I’ll definitely add your story to the index. Thanks so much for sharing, looking forward to more—and again, what a joy to see you back! =D=
     
    Last edited: Jan 25, 2020
  3. WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

    WarmNyota_SweetAyesha Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Aug 31, 2004
    HAPPY WRIGGLES! I am very very happy to read more of T'lor. She is warm and supportive, a true friend to both K'Tai and Obi-Wan.

    Oh, the sesench’ain. I do love life-bonds in all their complexities and pervasiveness!!

    Eager to read more as Obi-Wan struggles to adjust to all the ramifications.

    On a side note, I can believe it's frustrating not to tell his best friends but he doesn't want to put anyone in a potentially awkward position. [face_thinking]
     
    Last edited: Jan 27, 2020
  4. K'Tai qel Letta-Tanku

    K'Tai qel Letta-Tanku Jedi Grand Master star 3

    Registered:
    Apr 18, 2000
    [face_blush] [:D] It's good to be back.

    Thanks! It definitely sparked a plot bunny who then patiently sat on the sidelines while DRL got in the way. I'm glad I finally got it done!

    I caused happy wriggles??[face_hypnotized][face_blush][:D]

    Yeah, I think he figures him being the only awkward one is preferable. Practical is another matter entirely.



    It turned out that he was spending more time teaching than he expected, Obi-Wan reflected as he made his way through the Archives about a week after K’Tai’s departure. He had been the instructor of choice for students to approach for extra help which he willingly gave. He remembered just how intimidating Qui-Gon could be as an instructor. It was a welcome relief from K’Tai’s continued uneasiness, but it had left him with little time for research.

    He found a research station and sat down. He typed in the name T’lor had given him, “Gaeia.” The computer took a moment and returned a list of three possibilities. One he ruled out as it referred to a city on a planet on the opposite side of the galaxy from Kress. The next one was a creation myth from one of the cultures that composed the Je’daii. That merited a further look. The last one was a brief mention from a knight after a trip to Kress almost 500 years ago. He started there.

    Obi-Wan skimmed the mission report. The knight in question had been sent to Kress at the request of the Tal’shari to serve as an arbiter for a clan dispute with the Royal Family that the Tal’Shari had been unable to resolve. She had arrived to find that the dispute boiled down to whether or not the Princess was sesench’ain to a pirate captain who was infamous for raiding Kress. The Royal Family wanted to transfer her betrothal to the first son of the head of Clan Asla to her younger sister. The Tal’Shari could neither confirm nor deny the existence of the bond without examining the Princess, something the Royal Family was unwilling to allow for reasons that were not explained in the report. Clans Asla, Thren, and Letta had accused the Royal Family essentially lying about the bond, which was tantamount to blasphemy. The remaining clans, while not enthused with the idea of their princess aligning with a pirate, weren’t completely opposed to it if it meant the raids on Kress would stop. The knight talked with Council of Elders and the Council of Clans before recommending the Trial of Gaeia as the resolution of the issue. All parties had agreed to the proposal. There was no further mention of what the trial entailed or the outcome.

    Obi-Wan cross-referenced the date on the report with a volume on M’Ban history. A brief note, that the life-bond between the Princess and the captain failed to produce progeny, was all he could find. Succession had passed to her younger sister who had taken the betrothal with Clan Asla in her place. There was no mention of the Trial of Gaeia. He typed in Trial of Gaeia as a search term. The system returned the mission report, nothing more. He scowled and sat back, closing his eyes. He was going to have to dig further.

    “Can I help you find something?” Madame Nu’s voice interrupted his thoughts. He looked up to see that Temple’s head archivist was already looking at his search history.

    “Um, maybe? I’m trying to find a reference to the Trial of Gaeia on the planet Kress. K’Tai mentioned it in passing. I’d ask her but she’s currently back on Kress, so I thought I’d check the Archives.”

    Madame Nu pursed her lips. “You know, K’Tai herself came looking for information about that. Let me find what I was able to give her.” Her fingers flew over the keys on the station next to him. “As I recall, it wasn’t much.” More typing. “Ah yes, here it is. The Trial of Gaeia.” She pushed one final button and the information popped up on his screen.

    “I hope you find this helpful. K’Tai seemed to be both pleased and disappointed in it.”

    “Thank you master.” Obi-Wan could feel Madame Nu’s eyes on him. He turned to look at her.

    “You don’t have to answer, of course, but I wonder if you wouldn’t mind answering a question for me,” she asked him.

    Obi-Wan tensed, but managed to answer calmly, “Of course, master.”

    Madame Nu inclined her head slightly, “Would you be willing to talk to me about your experience with the life-bond for the Archives?”

    The color drained out of Obi-Wan’s face. She knew?? How? Did K’Tai tell her? Before he could say anything, Madame Nu spoke.

    “K’Tai only confirmed my suspicion. You have spent much of your time in the Archives during the past 5 months looking up information on Kress and the Tal’shari. When she came asking about information that dealt with life-bonds, both among the Jedi and the Tal’shari, I suspected it was because of a relationship within the Temple. Given your recent searches in the Archive, I deduced it was likely you were involved, so I asked. Don’t worry. I can appreciate how you would want to keep this quiet. I will keep the record under our strictest access restrictions. Only the High Council and I would have access.”

    Obi-Wan found his voice. “Can I think about it and get back to you?”

    “Of course.” She patted his shoulder. “For what it is worth, I’m happy for you. Life-bonds are manifestations of the Will of the Force that very few of us are blessed to experience…or witness.”

    Obi-Wan just nodded his head. He wasn’t always so sure it was a blessing.

    “I’ll let you get back to your reading.”

    “Thank you, master.”

    Obi-Wan took a breath and waited until Madame Nu had returned to her duties elsewhere in the Archives. He looked around. Although he was alone, the Archives were a public part of the Temple. He grabbed the datapad he had brought with him and downloaded the material Madame Nu had provided along with his search history. He logged out of the research station and went back to his quarters and his small room. Letting his cloak drop unceremoniously to the floor, Obi-Wan propped his pillow up as a back cushion and sat down on his bed to read.

    Gaeia, the name of the deity worshiped by the M’Ban, was known as the Creative Force and Mother of All. She was considered to be the personification of the Will of Unity. As such, the Tal’shari were her emissaries. Their job was restoring harmony and balance to the people. He hadn’t really thought about what that might mean for K’Tai. If the Tal’shari were the emissaries of Gaeia, what did that mean for someone who was part of the House Guard? Were they Gaeia’s soldiers? Enforcers? Defenders? Given the unrest between the clans on Kress, he now understood why Donal targeted K’Tai for betrothal and not her sister, even though Dev’ona was first daughter to the head of the Council of Elders and the one he loved. Being betrothed to a Tal’shari guard would be seen as a validation of the Royal Family by Gaeia herself. It would give Donal a legitimacy with clans like Asla and Thren that he would not otherwise have, allowing him a better chance of gently nudging them down the path of progress that the less conservative clans had already embarked on. No wonder the news of the life-bond had been met with mixed responses, particularly from Bus’cai. If Donal couldn’t end the unrest, violent conflict was a likely outcome, and as a Guard, K’Tai would be part of it in some form. He could appreciate Bus’cai’s desire to protect her daughter from that. He wanted to protect K’Tai from that.

    Of course there was the other issue – that fact that the life-bond involved an outsider, and not only an outsider, but a Jedi. If Gaeia had seen fit to join K’Tai to someone who had forsaken family and clan in service to Unity, what did it say about the Royal Family and the current path that the M’Ban walked as a people? Donal wanted to transfer the betrothal to Dev’ona. If Obi-Wan’s life-bond with K’Tai was a bad portent, then Bus’cai would want to distance Clan Letta and the Council of Elders from the Royal Family. But if it wasn’t, then the match between Donal and Dev’ona was the next best option to keeping the peace. Obi-Wan whistled under his breath. He knew there were political implications to the bond he shared with K’Tai, but he hadn’t realized how big they were.

    Obi-Wan ran his hand through his hair. Given all of the politics surrounding her betrothal to the Crown Prince, it was likely that K’Tai had been summoned back to Kress because of some question about the validity of the life-bond. What that had to do with a deity, particularly one thought to be synonymous with the will of the Force…Obi-Wan looked at the information on life-bonds as it related to Gaeia. He didn’t find much, only that they were seen as Gaeia’s will. As such the Tal’shari were the ones who usually determined whether such a bond existed between individuals. If there was some question about the conclusions of the Tal’shari, then the Trial of Gaeia was performed.

    The Council of Elders, the guiding body of the Tal’shari, was almost unanimous in the determination that there was a life-bond. Looking back on encounters with the Tal’shari leading up to K’Tai coming to the Temple, Obi-Wan suspected that the Council had recognized the bond before either K’Tai or Obi-Wan had. The only member that seemed to doubt it was Bus’cai. Because of the life-bond, the Council had given Bus’cai a year to figure out how to end the betrothal between K’Tai and Donal. He thought back to the communication he had received from K’Tai right after that decision. It had strained K’Tai’s relationship with her mother almost to the breaking point. The saving grace had been the decision by the Council to send K’Tai to the Jedi for training.

    While Bus’cai could have broken the engagement by claiming either K’Tai’s status House Guard or her protracted training with the Jedi would preclude her from her royal duties, it would have been a hard sell in either case. A life-bond was a more straightforward rationale for it. So why the need for the Trial of Gaeia?

    He knew Bus’cai was not fond of being wrong, but he also knew she was not stupid either. The life-bond would allow Bus’cai to both obey the Council’s wishes and transfer the betrothal to Dev’ona. He thought some more. While the Trial wasn’t necessary, having it would remove any lingering doubt about the life-bond. There could be no argument from either the Royal Family or any of the Clans about breaking the betrothal. That in and of itself made sense. It might also clarify whether the betrothal should be transferred to Dev’ona, but without knowing anything about what the Trial entailed, that was just supposition.

    Obi-Wan put the datapad down and got up. While he wasn’t sure that K’Tai had been summoned to Kress for the Trial, it made the most sense. It also shed a different light on his restriction to the Temple for the duration of her trip. He wondered if the Council knew what was likely to happen, and that’s why they had put him on restriction. Then again, maybe it was because no one, not even the Council of Elders, knew how the Trial of Gaeia would affect him. He frowned. Either way, it implied that there was likely to be some effect. Given what he had been experiencing the past 5 months, it could either be a transcendent experience, one that brought him to his knees, or a combo. He only hoped that if and when it happened, it would be while he was meditating and not in the middle of sparing.
     
  5. Findswoman

    Findswoman Fanfic and Pancakes and Waffles Mod (in Pink) star 5 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Feb 27, 2014
    Well, now, this is some very fascinating and intriguing new information (and of course it's always amazing to see more wonderful, detailed M'Ban and Tal'shari lore from you!). And given the connection to life bonds, K'Tai's sudden and secretive departure begins to take on a much deeper dimension. My guess is the same as Obi-Wan's: K'Tai's bond with Obi-Wan has been called into question somehow, perhaps because of something related to the Donal issue—though, too, there could be much more to this whole thing than meets the eye. Color me very, very eager for more—you're taking the "religious pilgrimage" prompt in a really interesting and creative direction! :)
     
    Last edited: Jan 31, 2020
  6. K'Tai qel Letta-Tanku

    K'Tai qel Letta-Tanku Jedi Grand Master star 3

    Registered:
    Apr 18, 2000
    This makes me very happy! :) I hope you enjoy the next installment. Things are about to get very interesting for our padawan.



    Two weeks after Obi-Wan’s visit to the Archives, the afternoon light spilled into the dojo painting the scared floors in a golden tone. Obi-Wan stood opposite Garen. His friend grinned back at him.


    “Are you ready to get your arse handed to you on a platter?” Garen asked.


    “You are certainly welcome to try. But remember that’s a lightsaber, not a joystick,” Obi-Wan responded. “We don’t want you to deactivate your weapon because you tried to shoot me.”


    “That would be the only way you’d beat me.”


    “In your dreams maybe.”


    Qui-Gon’s voice interrupted their banter. “Ahem.” Obi-Wan and Garen fell silent. Nodding, Qui-Gon turned to the class. “Today’s demonstration is to highlight the defensive to offensive switching capabilities of Soresu. Padawan Kenobi will fight with Soresu. Padawan Muln is free to use whatever style or styles he would like, including Soresu.”


    He turned back to the two senior padawans, who while still silent, were making faces at each other. Qui-Gon rolled his eyes. “If you two are ready?”


    Obi-Wan nodded, ignited his training saber, and took his opening stance, left leg forward, right leg back, with his left arm forward, parallel to the ground, his right arm and saber pulled back and also parallel to the ground. He watched as Garen ignited his saber, spun it with a flourish, and took an aggressive opening stance. Obi-Wan took a breath and centered himself, opening up to the Force. He was going to enjoy this.


    Garen’s attack came quickly. Obi-Wan moved to defend, weaving his blade such that he stood as the eye of the storm, repelling each of Garen’s attempts to close rank. Their blades sang as they rushed through the air, crackling as they engaged and bound, pulling apart to sing again. Obi-Wan sank deeper into the Force, feeling himself become the shield of light that kept Garen at bay. He watched as Garen attacked again, this time flipping over Obi-Wan to come at him from behind. Obi-Wan spun to meet him. In that moment, Garen disappeared, as did the entire dojo. Obi-Wan spun around, confused. He could see nothing beyond a circle of about 3 meters in radius. He dropped into a classic defensive stance.


    “Hello?”


    There was no answer, but he could feel a presence in the dark, like someone was watching him, studying him. He reached out into the Force for K’Tai. Their bond was intact, but inaccessible, as if he were watching a stream where the top few inches of water had frozen over but continued to flow beneath. That rattled him. He reached out more generally into the Force, and felt it all around him, pulsing with restrained power. It was unlike anything he had ever felt before. He didn’t feel any danger, so he lowered his blade and waited. Slowly, he saw a figure dimly, kneeling in a classic meditation pose. He started to move forward when the figure’s head turned slightly, and he could see that it was a woman. For a moment he thought it might be K’Tai, so he called out to her.


    “K’Tai?”


    There was a change in the Force, ripples of both pleasure and annoyance coming to him. He stopped. The woman turned her head away from him. He was about to call out again, when there was a blinding flash. He shielded his eyes. When he opened them again, he was lying on the ground, Qui-Gon bent over him. He could see Garen standing behind his master looking concerned.


    “The bond?” he asked, his voice pitched softly so only Obi-Wan could hear it.


    Obi-Wan nodded. “I think so.” He moved to sit up then thought better of it as a wave of vertigo swept over him. “Give me a minute.” He closed his eyes and went through one of the exercises Master Tanku-Beden had taught him when the bond was first recognized. The vertigo disappeared, replaced by a weird sense of double awareness. It wasn’t K’Tai in their bond, or at least it wasn’t only K’Tai in their bond. K’Tai he had learned to dim out. This other was a different story.


    “Something has changed. I can’t shield against it, not completely. It isn’t as bad as it was right after the Na’rath’s attack, but I don’t think I can spar right now.”


    Qui-Gon pursed his lips. “How good is Garen at Soresu?”


    “Decent. I enjoy sparing against him when we have the time.”


    Qui-Gon nodded and turned to Garen. “I need to get Padawan Kenobi to the healers. Padawan Muln, you are now in charge.” Garen’s eyes widened, but he bowed his head in acknowledgement.


    “Yes, master.”


    Qui-Gon then stood and addressed the class, most of whom were looking at Obi-Wan with concern.


    “In light of Obi-Wan’s episode, we will postpone the demonstration. Before his collapse, you saw a text-book example of the Soresu defensive bubble. Padawan Muln will oversee your efforts to duplicate it. Line up.”


    The class moved into place as Garen squared his shoulders and began to instruct them in the proper technique. Qui-Gon reached a hand out to Obi-Wan and pulled him to standing. “Ready when you are.”


    Obi-Wan carefully walked out of the dojo towards the Halls of Healing. He stopped every so often as the sensation of double awareness briefly overwhelmed his ability to do do more than just lean against Qui-Gon. After about the third time, he sighed.


    “I sure hope the healers know how to handle this. I think Kur-Cot is on Kress with K’Tai.”


    “Master Sunchaser is around. She can help.”


    Obi-Wan grimaced. While he liked the MindHealer as a person, he really wished he didn’t need her services. “I was really hoping I could avoid the MindHealers this time around.”


    Qui-Gon shrugged. “So was I, but we knew this might be a possibility. I’m glad we are in the Temple.”


    “Oh, me too.” Obi-Wan paused again, leaning into Qui-Gon as a wave of vertigo passed over him. “This is for the mynoks.”


    Qui-Gon chuckled. “You survived the full blossoming of the bond the first time. You will survive this too.”


    Obi-Wan went to reply and instead fell to his knees as the Temple around him disappeared again. He was in the same place as before, with the same woman kneeling in the distance. This time he didn’t say anything at first, just moved toward her. Only while he had the sensation of walking, he wasn’t covering any distance. He stopped and reached out into the Force. The presence that he had felt before was there, strong and he thought, expectant, waiting for him to figure something out. Maybe that something was the identity of the woman ahead. He started with the obvious.


    “K’Tai?”


    There was no response but he got a sense of consternation, as if while the answer wasn’t unexpected, there had been a desire for something more. He thought a moment and called out again.


    “Gaeia?”


    The figure turned to him. Eyes that reflected the universe, a multitude of stars and galaxies, stared at him from her face. He could feel the power behind her gaze and recognized the Unifying Force. He felt, rather than heard, an acknowledgement of his guess. He stood there, mesmerized. Her eyes morphed, now reflecting a meadow at last light, the sparks of tiny insects briefly flaring as they signaled to one another. He could feel the Living Force, teeming with energy even as he felt the life of one small rodent end as it was caught by a predator. Eventually, she turned away from him again. But this time there was no blinding flash. He wasn’t quite sure what to do. She turned back, and this time her eyes were replaced by fires or raging stars. He couldn’t say which it was for sure, but it was a manifestation of the Light that could consume just as easily as it could illuminate. Obi-Wan watched the flames, a healthy respect for the power and the danger they represented foremost in his mind. He bowed his head in supplication and kneeled.
     
  7. WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

    WarmNyota_SweetAyesha Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Aug 31, 2004
    Fascinating. Like our amazing Findswoman you have a true gift for the lyrical +mystical mix in a romantic context. :D I too am glad Obi-Wan is at the Temple and there is a mind healer present. [face_relieved]
     
  8. Findswoman

    Findswoman Fanfic and Pancakes and Waffles Mod (in Pink) star 5 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Feb 27, 2014
    WOW! Yes, I'd say things have gotten VERY interesting for Obi-Wan, very fast! :eek: I had to reread a few times to make sure I got all the nuances and details down, because there are indeed quite a few here—as indeed is no surprise from a K'Tai story. ;) @};- (And thank you so much for that compliment, too, @WarmNyota_SweetAyesha ! I definitely try. @};- )

    Hmm. What to make of this... this connection that Obi seems to have forged with Gaeia (as we now know that distant figure is) is kind of an enhanced version of the one he has with K'Tai, and Gaeia seems to want to make sure he is aware of that fact, in a way (which seems consistent with the fact that Gaeia is kind of a manifestation of Unity/the Force). It's as if Gaeia is trying to let on to Obi-Wan that there's more than meets the eye to the bond he thought he knew. Or perhaps he, too, is being given some kind of test or trial here. Much to think about, indeed, and while I could be here making guesses till the bovids come home, I'm sure what you've got in store for us is much more interesting than anything I could guess about! Do keep it coming; so great to have you and this amazing universe of yours back among us. :)
     
  9. K'Tai qel Letta-Tanku

    K'Tai qel Letta-Tanku Jedi Grand Master star 3

    Registered:
    Apr 18, 2000
    Thank you for the lovely compliment! @};-@};-

    :D

    Spot on. I think Gaeia is both testing Obi-Wan as well as trying to get him to expand his horizons. Whether or not he will do that willingly and with any sort of grace is up for grabs. He doesn't have the best record in that regard with the bond at this point.

    Thank you![:D]@};-



    When he looked up again, he was kneeling in the corridor of the Temple, Master Sunchaser in a mirror pose in front of him.

    “Welcome back, padawan.”

    Obi-Wan breathed out, confused. “I…where was I? That wasn’t a vision.”

    Master Sunchaser gave a little snort. “No, it was definitely not your garden variety vision, that’s for sure. As for where you were?” She shrugged. “Not here is all I can say for certain. Well, at least not your mind. Your body stayed put.”

    “That’s not particularly comforting.” Obi-Wan stood slowly, Qui-Gon supporting him until he got his feet underneath him. He looked into the MindHealer’s eyes. “She’s undergoing the Trial of Gaeia, isn’t she? ”

    Master Sunchaser nodded. “Yes.”

    He turned to Qui-Gon. “Did you know?”

    Qui-Gon shook his head. “No. I knew as much as you did, that K’Tai had been summoned back to Kress to undergo a Tal’shari ritual.”

    Obi-Wan turned back to Master Sunchaser. “Why didn’t anyone tell me that was why she had been recalled? I had to put it together on my own. I might have been more prepared…”

    Master Sunchaser raised an eyebrow. “Really? You think you could have prepared for this?”

    Obi-Wan started to open his mouth and then shut it. Master Sunchaser was right. There was no way he could have prepared for what he was currently experiencing. “Was this sort of thing expected? Is that why I’m on restriction?”

    Master Sunchaser patted his shoulder. “We didn’t know what to expect. We couldn’t risk having you in the field and that,” she gestured to the spot where he had been kneeling, “happening during an inopportune moment.”

    “I wouldn’t call sparing a particularly good moment for it to happen.”

    “Well, no, but it is at least a controlled environment.” Master Sunchaser peered at Obi-Wan. “How are you right now?”

    Obi-Wan closed his eyes and did a quick assessment. He could barely feel K’Tai. The sensation of the other was overwhelming. “Honestly, weird. I can feel my bond with K’Tai, but it isn’t her presence but something else…something that feels both like and unlike the Force.” He paused a moment. “It’s unnerving.”

    “Hmmmm. May I?” the MindHealer asked, reaching for Obi-Wan’s forehead.

    He nodded and felt the odd sensation of her entering his mind. He closed his eyes and focused on relaxing. The more he could just simply be, the less intrusive her examination would feel. She said nothing for a few moments and then withdrew.

    “I find nothing that suggests you are in danger from the experience itself. Can you tell me about it?”

    “Both times, here just disappeared and I am somewhere else. I can’t see much and the Force…it feels like a confluence but not? There is a woman…at first I thought it might be K’Tai, but now I think it is Gaeia. At least this last time she responded to that name. And then I’m back here, on the ground.” Obi-Wan shook his head. “I feel like the Force, Gaeia, wants something from me, but I don’t know what.” He turned to Qui-Gon. “I kind of wish I were back on Kress at the Focusing stones in the west healing garden. I think this might make more sense there.”

    Master Sunchaser looked at him questioningly. “Focusing stones?”

    Qui-Gon spoke. “That’s what the Tal’shari call them. They are large granite boulders that either create or mark strong currents in the Force. The healing garden was like a confluence in the Force in some ways, and not in others. The Focusing stones…”

    “…are an experience.” Obi-Wan interrupted his master. “I’ve never encountered anything like it. I could feel both the Unifying and Living Force at the same time, with the same intensity.”

    Master Sunchaser pursed her lips and then smiled. “I think maybe Kur-Cot’s project in the small garden might be similar. Let’s take you there. If what you are feeling called to is a deep connection with the Force, this just might do the trick.”

    They walked slowly to the garden, Obi-Wan flanked by Master Sunchaser on the left and Qui-Gon on the right. As they entered the garden, both Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon paused.

    “This feels more like Kress than the Temple,” Qui-Gon said.

    Obi-Wan nodded. “It does.” He closed his eyes, reaching into the Force. There, over the hill. He opened his eyes and walked toward two large boulders. His sense of the Force intensified, and he felt both the raging flow of the Living Force and the slower, deeper procession of the Unifying Force. “This definitely feels more like Kress.” He came to a stop in front of the rocks and sank to his knees. The world disappeared, and he was kneeling in the dark again. He looked up and came face to face with the woman.

    Her eyes were the same as they had been before, flames that could both create and destroy. These were seated in a face that was indescribable, as if were one species and then another in such quick succession that it was none of them or perhaps all of them. Obi-Wan wasn’t sure. Her skin was the universe, stars and galaxies scattered across darkness. She was clothed, drapes of living, teeming life cascading over and around her. It was almost too much. Obi-Wan bowed in kowtow, laying himself prostrate before the embodiment of the Force before him.

    “Gaeia,” he whispered.

    He felt laughter, the gentle indulgence one might have with a young child, and looked up. Gaeia’s face had settled into humanoid form, her eyes still burning flames. She smiled at him and extended her hands, palms up to him. It was both the greeting of the Tal’shari as well as the pose that masters used with padawans to help them meditate. A prick of fear blossomed in his stomach. Obi-Wan swallowed and then placed his hand on top of hers, closing his eyes.

    At first, nothing happened. Then a surge of Light coursed through him, the current stronger than anything he had ever experienced. He was suddenly so much more and so much less than himself, lost in the power the flowed through him. He felt himself slipping away, and he panicked, flailing for an anchor, something to tether him to himself as the currents of the Force tore at him, threatening to overwhelm and consume him. Obi-Wan reached for K’Tai and their bond. It was there but inaccessible to him. His breath came in short gasps and his heart pounded in his ears as he struggled for control.

    Peace. Be.

    He felt the words as much as he heard them. He clung to them, a lifeline in the chaos of creation he felt caught in. Obi-Wan tried to narrow his focus to the moment, letting the current wash over him, but it was hard. The knot of fear had grown, and with it the sense that something horrible could happen. He tried to let it go.

    Be.

    He opened his eyes, gasping, and looked at her. She smiled a little and nodded.

    Be.

    Obi-Wan took a breath and let it out, allowing his eyes to close again. He focused on the beating of his heart. T’thump, t’thump, t’thump..t’thump…t’thump… t’thump…th’thump….th’thump…..th’thump……th’thump……th’thump…Gradually it slowed and with it so did his breathing. The knot of fear loosened. He breathed deeply and continued to focus on his heartbeat. Slowly, the fear dissipated, melting into the currents of the Force. The Light still flowed strongly around and through him, but he no longer felt like he was being swept away. He felt for his bond with K’Tai. The frozen river feeling still held. He could sense it, but he could not access it. He sighed and opened his eyes.

    One. She looked at him, her expression suggesting that she was waiting to see if he understood something.

    “One?” he asked.

    She nodded. One. Unified.

    “The Force?”

    She nodded but frowned a little.

    “I’m sorry. I’m not trying to be obtuse.”

    The entity before Obi-Wan gave him a smile and nodded understanding. She repeated herself, her words sounding in Obi-Wan’s bones. One. Unified.

    Obi-Wan repeated the words to himself. He looked back to Gaeia.

    “I think I understand.”

    He sensed she wasn’t entirely convinced.

    One. Unified.

    He bowed his head. “Yes, I know. But…” He looked up. The fires in Gaeia’s eyes flared. “I do know," he said softly. "She’s part of me, and I am part of her.”

    Gaeia shook her head. More. Unified. You are. She is. One.

    Obi-Wan closed his eyes. Gaeia was both making sense and confusing him in the process. “We are somehow one being?”

    Gaeia shrugged. Yes. No. Bound. Free. All one. You are. She is. Unified. One. She gestured, moving her hands from the top of her head to the pool of living cloth at her feet. One. She then pointed to Obi-Wan and then to the distance. He looked to where she was pointing to see K’Tai in the far distance sitting in meditation. One.

    Obi-Wan shook his head. He should be able to get what Gaeia was saying and yet, he felt like he was missing something vital. He knew it had something to do with the bond he had with K’Tai, but he had no idea what. He sighed, defeated. “I understand but I don’t understand.”

    Gaeia smiled this time, not one of indulgence but genuine pride. In time. Remember. She reached out and touched his head. He felt the Light lift him up and surround him. He closed his eyes.
     
    Kahara and Findswoman like this.
  10. WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

    WarmNyota_SweetAyesha Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Aug 31, 2004
    Wonderful!! Obi-Wan held his mental and emotional self together better than he probably expected. Admitting what you don't understand leaves you open to ultimately understanding or grasping the deeper meaning. [face_thinking]
     
  11. K'Tai qel Letta-Tanku

    K'Tai qel Letta-Tanku Jedi Grand Master star 3

    Registered:
    Apr 18, 2000
    Thank you @WarmNyota_SweetAyesha!! [:D]@};- I think our padawan will be learning from this experience for years to come.


    When he opened his eyes again, he was sitting by the rocks. Qui-Gon sat next to him.

    “Padawan.”

    “Master.” Obi-Wan stretched and his stomach growled, loudly. “How long?”

    “The better part of three days.”

    “Three days? I’ve been…out for three days? It did not feel like three days.” He stretched again noticing how stiff he was. “Although now, it feels like three days.”

    Qui-Gon chuckled and stood, reaching out a hand to Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan took it. Qui-Gon pulled him to his feet, his hand steadying his padawan until Obi-Wan had his balance. “Let’s get you cleaned up and fed.”

    As they walked back to their quarters, Obi-Wan reached out through his bond to K’Tai. It was there, intact but still inaccessible. He sighed. Qui-Gon glanced at him.

    “Is everything ok?”

    “I don’t know. My bond with K’Tai still feels off, but at least Gaeia isn’t hovering in the background.”

    “Gaeia?”

    “Gaeia is the personification of the Will of the Force, or at least that is how the Tal’shari see her. I would say it is a fitting description.”

    “How so?”

    Obi-Wan paused as they came to the door of their quarters. “I met her, interacted with her. She is the Force. Powerful and enigmatic, both solidly real and ephemeral. I was with and in the presence of the Mystery. I can’t describe it any better than that.” They walked into their quarters.

    “Get cleaned up. We can talk more over a meal.”

    After Obi-Wan had showered and changed, he and Qui-Gon walked to the refectory. They took their food to a table off to the side of the dining hall and sat down. Obi-Wan was starving after three days without eating, so they ate in silence. Qui-Gon leaned back as Obi-Wan finished his meal. “I have to admit that I did not consider that this trial would result in you meeting the incarnation of the Will of the Force.”

    Obi-Wan swallowed and put down his utensils, his hunger satisfied for now. “Neither did I. I’m still not sure what to make of it.”

    “That’s ok. Experiences like this take time to process. You will likely learn from it for years to come.”

    Obi-Wan nodded in agreement. “Gaeia told me that K’Tai and I are one and unified. I kind of understand what she means, but not really. The bond means that I am part of K’Tai and she is part of me, but it feels like there is more to it than that.”

    Qui-Gon stroked his chin. “One and unified? Hmmm…I don’t know, padawan. My first instinct is yours. I’d recommend periodically meditating on it. You might gain understanding that way. Was there anything else?”

    “No. Gaeia didn’t seem terribly upset that I didn’t really get what she meant, so I think your advice is probably what I should do. She did say it would become clearer in time.”

    Qui-Gon nodded. “So, does Garen know about the bond?”

    Obi-Wan shook his head. “No, but I think given what happened, I need to tell him.”

    “That seems like a wise course of action.”

    Just then Obi-Wan saw Garen come in, get food and sit down at another table. He got up.

    “Speaking of Garen, I think I should probably get this over with sooner rather than later. If you’ll excuse me, Master…”

    Qui-Gon looked over to where Garen was sitting. “Of course. I’ll see you this evening.”

    Obi-Wan cleared his place and walked over to Garen. He had no clue how to begin the conversation. He sat down across from him.

    “Hey,” Obi-Wan said.

    “Hey yourself,” Garen responded, his tone friendly but guarded. He gave Obi-Wan the once over. “Are you ok?”

    “I’m fine.” Obi-Wan didn’t elaborate.

    “Obi-Wan, what in the nine hells is going on?”

    “Nothing to worry about.”

    Garen snorted. “Don’t give me that. You didn’t just drop to the ground like a stone when we were sparing and then spend three days in mediation for the fun of it. What is going on?”

    Obi-Wan looked at his friend and sighed. “I don’t even know where to begin.”

    “How about at the beginning?”

    “That would be the fall on Kress.”

    “This has to do with K’Tai?”

    Obi-Wan shook his head a little, “You don’t know the half of it.” Taking a deep breath, he blurted out, “We share a life-bond.”

    Garen stopped eating and contemplated his friend. “Life-bond? Is that what I think it is?”

    “If you are thinking it is a permanent attachment in the Force, then yes.”

    Garen was silent again, and then he exploded, “I knew she was more than just a friend! I knew it!” He scowled. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

    Obi-Wan saw the hurt in Garen’s eyes. He shrugged apologetically. “I don’t know. Partly because the fewer people who know, the less likely we can be used against each other. Partly because I still haven’t figured out what it means. Mostly because I couldn’t figure out how to bring it up.” He paused. “I am sorry, Garen.”

    Garen looked down at his food and then back at Obi-Wan. “Apology accepted. But now, you have to spill all.”

    Obi-Wan sighed. “Fire away. Just know that I might not have any answers to something you ask. When I say I don’t know, I’m being truthful. Also, I reserve the right to tell you it’s none of your business.” He looked pointedly at his friend.

    Garen smiled. “Fair enough. So when did this happen?”

    “Do you mean when did the bond start or when did we figure it out?”

    “Both.”

    “The best we can figure out, we’ve been bonded since I fell on Kress.”

    “You don’t know?”

    “Well, it isn’t like I was meditating and one day heard the Force say ‘you will be sesench’ain with a healer’, so no, I don’t know for sure.”

    “Wait. What is sesench’ain?” Garen asked.

    Obi-Wan replied, “It’s the Tal’shari term for having a life-bond.”

    “Oh, okay. Carry on. Then what was your first clue?”

    “Mine?” Obi-Wan thought for a moment. “K’Tai would probably tell you I didn’t have one until about 5 months ago, but I suspected something was different between us when I was on that mission guarding Satine. I knew something was up after our mission to Unagin. By the time she arrived at the Temple, I was starting to admit to myself that she was more than just a good friend, but I tried to ignore it as long as I could.

    “As for when we both figured it out, that would be 5 months ago.” Obi-Wan shook his head. “I almost got her killed because I wasn’t willing to admit that we had this bond.”

    Garen stared at his friend. “You what?”

    Obi-Wan looked down at the table. “Her entire stint in the Halls of Healing was because of what happened after we had a fight about the bond. By then, it was starting to interfere with our duties because neither of us really knew how to control what came through it. She wanted to tell T’lor and Qui-Gon about our connection and get help. I didn’t. I mean, I’d already chosen the Order over a relationship. I wasn’t revisiting that type of decision again. That really angered her because she knew that what we have was not in any way, shape, or form what I had with Satine. For that matter, so did I even though I didn’t want to admit it. She left the Temple to cool off, and that’s how she ended up kidnapped by the Na’rath. That gundark almost killed her.”

    Garen whistled softly. “What happened?” Obi-Wan didn’t respond right away. “It’s ok. This is one of those things you can tell me is none of my business.”

    “It’s not that. It’s that I don’t really know. I mean, I know some of what happened because I was there. But between the time she left the Temple and when we found her? He tortured her both physically and mentally. I felt the physical stuff because she couldn’t shield me from it, but I didn’t learn about the mental stuff until later. I know the mental stuff tore her psyche to shreds, but not how.”

    “That sounds bad. Is she ok? Is that what was going on in the dojo?”

    “She’s still recovering, so no she isn’t ok yet, but there is no reason to believe she won’t get there. She’s having a lot of flashbacks.”

    A light went on in Garen’s eyes. “Kriff! She’s the source of those disturbances?”

    Obi-Wan nodded. “Yeah, that’s her. She’s taken to doing katas and meditations in the one healing garden that blunts her empathic projections, but when it’s a bad one, we all feel it.”

    Garen looked at Obi-Wan. “I’m guessing for you there is no such thing as a good one.”

    “You’re not wrong.”

    “That’s got to be tough. If you need to talk…”

    Obi-Wan smiled a little. “Thanks. When we found her, the Na’rath used me against her. I watched him ransack her mind. She had managed to hide that we were sesench’ain until that point. So he attacked me, and she couldn’t do anything about it. I only survived because he couldn’t hold all of us at bay at once. When he switched his attention to dealing with the others, K’Tai was able to break free of his hold on her, and she attacked. You should see her fight when she’s not holding back. I’ve never seen anything like it.” There was admiration in Obi-Wan’s voice.

    “Anyway, he turned all of his focus to her, letting me go, and that was what gave us the opening to take him out. She sacrificed herself for us. When she did it, she asked me to forgive her...I was the reason she was there in the first place, and she asked me to forgive her. I’m the one who needed to ask for forgiveness.” He paused and the added quietly, “Every time she has a flashback, it brings all that guilt back up too. We’re working through it but…” Obi-Wan shrugged.

    “I’m starting to understand why you haven’t said anything,” Garen said earnestly. “So was the dojo a flashback related thing?”

    Obi-Wan replied, “No. What happened in the dojo is related to the bond, but not to that incident or at least I don’t think it has to do with the Na’rath. She’s on Kress undergoing the Tal’shari version of a Trial of the Spirit. What happened in the dojo is related to that.”

    “And what happened exactly?”

    “Beats me. All I know is she is undergoing something called the Trial of Gaeia. I can’t find anything about what it entails, and she didn’t even tell me that was what she’d been called back to Kress for. I had to figure it out by doing some research in the Archives. The best Master Sunchaser can tell, the dojo is a result of K’Tai’s trial. I was in the dojo and then I wasn’t and then I was again. In between I met an embodiment of the Will of the Force.”

    Garen shook his head. “You met the Will of the Force?”

    Obi-Wan nodded. “I know it sounds strange, but that’s the only way I can explain it. The Tal’shari call her Gaeia, Creative Force and Mother of All. It’s actually not a bad description. I was in the presence of the Mystery.”

    “Lucky.”

    “I guess. I’m not quite sure how I feel about it yet.”

    Garen took another bite of his food and thought for a moment. “Ok, so you have a life-bond with K’Tai. I assume that means you care about her a great deal…”

    “If you are asking whether I have romantic feelings for her, the answer is yes, but it goes way beyond that.”

    “Does it change how you feel about Taria?”

    “No but I haven’t worked out how to reconcile my feelings for Taria and my feelings for K’Tai and the bond.”

    “Have you told Taria?”

    Obi-Wan nodded. “Yes, a couple of weeks before K’Tai left for Kress.”

    “And?”

    Obi-Wan shrugged. “She didn’t throw me out of her quarters, so I consider that a good sign. She doesn’t know how this will change things any more than I do.”

    “What about Siri?”

    “What about her?”

    “Does she know?”

    “No, but I also haven’t seen her since before K’Tai arrived to train at the Temple. When I do see her again, this will be just one of many things we have to catch up about.”

    “Does Bant know?”

    “No. Among my friends, you, T’lor, and Taria are it.”

    “Are you going to tell Bant?”

    “When I figure out how to bring it up, yes.”

    Garen snorted. “Just tell her. If you wait until you ‘figure it out’ it won’t happen. I’m pretty sure the only reason we’re having this talk now is because you dropped to the floor in the dojo. It forced your hand.”

    Obi-Wan looked at his friend. “You’re probably right.”

    “I know I’m right.”

    “But how exactly am I supposed to bring it up? ‘Hey Bant, I need to tell you something’ and then just burt it out?”

    “Why not? She heard about the dojo. Just bring it up in that context.”

    Obi-Wan thought about it. He was going to say something else when Bant sat down next to Garen.

    “Hello boys. Whatcha talking about?”
     
  12. WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

    WarmNyota_SweetAyesha Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Aug 31, 2004
    @K'Tai qel Letta-Tanku

    I enjoyed the talks with Qui-Gon and Garen. Obi-Wan is right--not sharing had a lot to do with absolutely not knowing how to explain it to himself or how to bring it up.

    Whew, they sure went through a lot with the Na'rath. Is that written up already in a fanfic? I certainly would love to read it; sounds like literally both Obi-Wan and K'Tai are adjusting to the consequences of all that happened.
     
  13. K'Tai qel Letta-Tanku

    K'Tai qel Letta-Tanku Jedi Grand Master star 3

    Registered:
    Apr 18, 2000
    Um...sort of. "Recall" gives a sliver about what happened, and there are also glimpses in "The Spaces Between" and "Bits and Pieces." I am writing the whole thing up. It is a novella in length (so far) that @Findswoman has been beta-ing for me, but it is not ready for the light of day yet. I don't want to start posting until it is finished because I don't want to leave readers hanging. [face_whistling]
     
  14. Findswoman

    Findswoman Fanfic and Pancakes and Waffles Mod (in Pink) star 5 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Feb 27, 2014
    Caught up finally—sorry for the tardiness! Especially since WOW (which I say a lot while reviewing this, but really and truly mean)! Your description of Obi-Wan’s climactic and important meeting with Gaeia—the Will of the Force herself!—was ABSOLUTELY AMAZING, from the flow of the Unifying and Living Forces around her to her appearance that encompasses all life and space (I especially love that her skin is the stars and galaxies and that her garments are life!) to the way Obi can feel her moods and expressions within himself, to her enigmatic answers that seem to very much confirm my thoughts from the previous chapter. I think I too both understand and don’t quite understand! :D But seriously, that sort of immersive, beautiful world building and description is one of the things I adore about your stories, and one of the things that makes me so glad you’re back. @};-

    And wow, to think that experience ended up taking three whole days! :eek: Though part of me is not surprised it did, either, and it’s a blessing that Obi has a good Master and good friends looking out for him. I really enjoyed his frank, open conversation with Garen; sharing what’s on his mind, rather than keeping it all to himself, will be good for him, and even with his slightly hotheaded streak I can tell Garen is being understanding about it all. Though I didn’t expect Bant to show up so soon! D’oh... is the whole Temple going to know? How will this pan out? (I have to admit this was my first time realizing that Obi and K’Tai’s bond wasn’t common knowledge among his fellow Jedi. That definitely puts things in an all new light!)

    And oh, that Na’rath! :eek: :mad: I remember what a number he did on K’Tai, and there too I didn’t realize quite how far-reaching the implications were! That really does add a level of complication to the whole issue. (By the way, if you need me to look over that story again, or have questions, just say the word; I was stoked to see it pop up again in my Google Docs the other day.)

    On the edge of my seat for more—keep up the amazing and wonderful work! =D=
     
    Last edited: Feb 29, 2020
  15. Oddly_Salacious

    Oddly_Salacious Jedi Grand Master star 1

    Registered:
    Dec 5, 2005
    @K'Tai qel Letta-Tanku: I fell onto this thread and was hooked by the plot. —Entwined souls always get a look from me #myProfileImage. Would you steer me in the right direction for ages and physical appearances? Are the stories in your signature line chronological? I did not find an entry in The Prolific Writers' Index.

    From my perspective, Obi-wan appears to be in his early teens. And K'Tai qel Letta-Tanku makes me think of Ulic and Cay Qel-Droma of Alderaan, and thus K'Tai became human or near-human in my mind. Joyously, I fashioned Gaeia like Plavalaguna in the Fifth Element to bring together our couple through her giving deeper awareness to the Everyman. The following set the plaster, so to speak...
    I am watching this thread now!
    -Oddly
     
    Kahara and Findswoman like this.
  16. Kit'

    Kit' Manager Emeritus star 5 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Oct 30, 1999
    It's nice to see T'Lor (well sort of) and Obi-wan again and the concept of Gaeia is really cool. Glad I've all caught up now.
     
  17. K'Tai qel Letta-Tanku

    K'Tai qel Letta-Tanku Jedi Grand Master star 3

    Registered:
    Apr 18, 2000
    [face_blush] Thank you! That means a lot to me. I was trying very hard to describe the picture I was seeing in my head, a being that represented both how the Jedi view the Force and how the Tal'shari view Unity.

    The whole Temple will not know if Obi-Wan has anything to say about it. It is an ongoing sore point between Obi-Wan and K'Tai.

    If you have time to look over the story again, please do. I've added something to the beginning based on your suggestion, as well as tweaked several other things, and I'd love feedback. :)

    Welcome! I'm glad you are hooked. :) I suppose I finally qualify as a prolific writer and should put an entry in the index. There are brief descriptions of characters in the OC Index Thread | Index updated 03 Feb 2017, but not really physical appearance. K'Tai is M'Ban. You can read about them in The Fanon Thread | Announcing the GAMIEL GAMES Bonus Round! (noncompetitive; Dec. 7, p. 60, #1490) as well as about the Tal'shari. Physically, K'Tai is a little over 1.5 m tall, with curly dark auburn hair and freckles. At this point Obi-Wan is 21 and K'Tai is 19. The stories in my signature aren't in chronological order. "Getting to Know You" and "Interludes" take place at the same time and detail how Obi-Wan and K'Tai meet, with "Getting to Know You" covering about 4 years. "Recall" takes place sometime between the aforementioned encounter with the Na'rath and this story. The other two are drabble challenge responses and hop all over the timelines of both T'lor and K'Tai.

    I'm glad you are here and back on the boards.[:D] :D FYI, this takes place roughly 6 or 7 years after the Sith witch incident in the USJS.

    Now for the next installment.


    Garen looked pointedly at Obi-Wan. “Now’s your chance.”

    “Obi’s chance for what?”

    Obi-Wan took a deep breath. “My chance to tell you that K’Tai and I have a life-bond.”

    “You have a what?!”

    “That’s what I said,” Garen interjected. Obi-Wan rolled his eyes.

    “We are what the Tal’shari call sesench’ain. The Jedi call it a life-bond.”

    Bant looked thoughtful. “It sounds like some sort of attachment.”

    “To N-th degree and made by the Force itself.”

    “So will you have to leave the Order?”

    Obi-Wan shook his head. “No. But I’m still supposed to honor the doctrine of detachment.”

    Bant made a perplexed face. “How’s that supposed to work?”

    “I have no idea. And neither does anyone else. It’s been over 600 years since the Order has dealt with a life-bond. The only one who remembers anything about it is Master Yoda, and he was only a young knight at the time and not in contact with the pair much. I’m figuring it out on a daily basis.”

    “Oh.”

    Garen looked at Bant. “Is that all? Oh? You aren’t going to ask him anything else?”

    “You hush! Knowing you, you’ve already questioned him to the Outer Rim and back.”

    Obi-Wan smiled at Bant. “You know Garen well.”

    She smiled back at him. “Besides I need a minute. I sat down thinking I’d just shoot the breeze, not interrogate a friend about his love life since well, we aren’t supposed to have them.”

    “If you weren’t such a private person…” Garen started, looked at Obi-Wan’s face, and then stopped. “I’m sorry Obi-Wan. You have very good reasons to keep this to yourself. The important thing is we know now.”

    “It will make conversations that involve T’lor easier. She’s been after me to tell you guys for awhile,” Obi-Wan responded. “This is one less secret she has to keep.”

    Bant said, “So you’ve probably already answered this for Garen, but how long have you known about the bond?”

    “Five months.”

    Bant did the math in her head. “So is that why you were spending so much time in the Halls of Healing then?”

    “Yes.” He didn’t elaborate, but Bant could tell there was more to the story.

    “There’s more to it, isn’t there?”

    Obi-Wan sighed. “Yes, but…”

    Bant smiled. “It’s ok. You can tell me some other time, perhaps when this gundark isn’t around,” she said, pointing to Garen.

    “I already know.”

    “I figured. I also figured that telling one of us is enough of reliving something that obviously isn’t a particularly pleasant memory for one day.”

    Obi-Wan reached over and squeezed Bant’s hand. “Thank you. You’re a good friend.”

    Bant smiled and responded, “You do owe me an explanation sometime.”

    “Sure. Just ask. But not today.”

    Bant thought a moment. “What’s it like?”

    “She’s always here and here,” Obi-Wan replied pointing to his head and heart. “I can’t touch the Force without it also containing her essence.” He paused, trying to find the words. “I can shield against it mostly, but it is always in the background of my perception.”

    “I thought she had to go back to Kress. You can feel her across the galaxy?”

    “I can feel the bond pretty much no matter where she is relative to me. Whether I can feel her is variable. It depends on what she is doing, what I am doing, and whether or not she’s actively hiding her presence in the Force. There is a particular Tal’shari technique for masking a Force signature that she is working on mastering. The first time she did it, she did it without giving me a heads up. I couldn’t feel her but I could feel our bond…I kind of freaked out. T’lor was not pleased when I burst into their quarters unannounced to make sure she was ok.”

    Bant raised the equivalent of her eyebrow. “I imagine not. Why didn’t you just comm her and make sure she was alright?”

    Obi-Wan looked sheepish. “Sometimes, the instinct to ‘protect my mate’ as Kur-Cot calls it, kicks in and I act before I’ve fully thought through things. In that respect, this is kind of like being thirteen all over again.”

    Garen perked up. “Wait, protect your mate? Are you…”

    Before he could say anything else, Bant hit him in the arm. “Garen! That isn’t any of your business!”

    Garen rubbed his arm and glared at Bant. “I’m just trying to understand here.”

    Obi-Wan laughed. “Bant’s right. It isn’t any of your business.”

    Bant gave Garen a warning look to leave it alone and turned back to Obi-Wan. “Does this mean you two might have a family some day?”

    Obi-Wan shrugged. “Maybe? In the Tal’shari tradition being sesench’ain almost always results in marriage and a family. I’m not sure about the Order. As far as I can tell, Jedi don’t have kids, life-bound or not. In all honesty, I haven’t really thought about what might happen years from now. Most days, I’m focused on how to handle between now and tomorrow.”

    “Qui-Gon is always telling you to keep your focus on the present. I guess this is one way to force that,” Bant said.

    Obi-Wan sighed but he didn’t add anything.

    Garen spoke, “So what does it feel like right now?”

    Obi-Wan answered, “Weird. Usually I can feel some sense of K’Tai in our bond, if I try hard enough. Right now, I can’t feel her at all, no matter how hard I try.”

    “Are you worried?” Bant asked.

    “A little maybe. She’s on Kress undergoing a Tal’shari ritual. I don’t know much about it, and I can only guess at why she has to do it.”

    “And that is?” Garen prompted.

    “How much has K’Tai told you about her position on Kress?”

    “Not much,” Bant answered. “I know she’s a healer and part of the House Guard, but that’s about it.”

    “Ditto,” said Garen.

    Obi-Wan sighed. “She is the second daughter of the leader of the Council of Elders, the ruling body for the Tal’shari. K’Tai is currently betrothed to the Crown Prince.”
     
  18. WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

    WarmNyota_SweetAyesha Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Aug 31, 2004
    Superb support from Bant and very good questions and wondering about future choices. I can well imagine Obi-Wan has to go from one day to the next; this is uncharted territory. A lovely description of the bond. As daunting as it is, it is genuinely a gift. :)
     
  19. Findswoman

    Findswoman Fanfic and Pancakes and Waffles Mod (in Pink) star 5 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Feb 27, 2014
    Wonderful conversation with Bant and Garen here. This whole life-bond business is a lot for Obi-Wan to digest, for sure, but it's good that he has understanding friends by his side, even if (especially Garen) have a tendency toward snark at times! :D Actually, that's probably a good thing, as it might help Obi not get caught up in taking himself too seriously during this stressful, transition-filled time. And I have to say, too, that this chapter was a really good explanation of just what is involved in Obi and K'Tai's life bond and how it works—and how it's a challenge as well as a blessing. I feel like I understand it now better than I ever have before! (Which isn't to say that I haven't hugely enjoyed all of your stories about these two and their bond before—just now that I "get" it more now. @};- ) As always, really looking forward to seeing what's next! :)
     
    K'Tai qel Letta-Tanku and Kahara like this.
  20. K'Tai qel Letta-Tanku

    K'Tai qel Letta-Tanku Jedi Grand Master star 3

    Registered:
    Apr 18, 2000
    Thank you both!@};- Obi-Wan once told K'Tai that even though he would not have chosen this path, he would not willingly leave it.

    This is the final installment of this story. I hope you enjoy it!


    Bant and Garen looked at Obi-Wan incredulously.

    “She’s supposed to marry the Crown Prince?” Bant asked. “You just said you guys are…what did you call it…sesench’ain. Wouldn’t that cause a problem?”

    “Yes, but it gets even better. Donal - he’s the Crown Prince - is actually in love with K’Tai’s older sister, De’vona.”

    Bant’s eyes opened wider. “You aren’t serious, are you? This is starting to sound like a holo-opera.”

    Obi-Wan responded, “Wish I could say I was joking. It has caused a considerable amount of stress for all involved.”

    “I bet,” Bant said.

    Obi-Wan continued, “The Council of Elders gave K’Tai’s mother a year to figure out how to annul the betrothal just before sending K’Tai to train with us or they would annul it. That time has come and gone. The political situation on Kress is such that if the Council annuls the betrothal, the shame it would bring on Clan Letta could very easily lead to civil war, which is the only reason I can think of for why they haven’t done it yet. That and the end of that year coincided with us discovering the bond.”

    “So what’s the big deal?” Garen asked. “Donal and K’Tai break up, and he marries her sister instead.”

    “It isn’t that easy. If the betrothal is broken off for any reason other than death of one of the betrothed, dereliction of duty for lack of a better phrase, infertility, or one of the betrothed being sesench’ain to another, the betrothal can’t be broken with honor and transferred to a close relative.”

    Bant said, “But you and K’Tai are sesench’ain. That should count.”

    Obi-Wan nodded in agreement. “It should, and it probably will, but the situation is tenuous enough that it wouldn’t surprise me if Bus’cai, K’Tai’s mother, wants to make absolutely sure that we are in fact sesench’ain, especially since I am Jedi. The Trial of Gaeia is what has been used in the past to determine whether someone is sesench’ain.”

    “What does being a Jedi have to do with anything?” Garen asked.

    “Family and clan are fundamental to M’Ban culture. The fact that K’Tai has been joined to a Jedi who has forsaken family and clan in service to the Force could have implications, particularly in the eyes of the clans who see the Tal’shari as emissaries of Gaeia,” Obi-Wan replied. “It could be viewed as the Royal Family falling out of balance with Unity.”

    Bant gave a little snort. “No pressure there.”

    Obi-Wan continued, “Part of the reason Donal sought out K’Tai for betrothal instead of De’vona, the sister with the greater status in Clan Letta, is because she is a Tal’shari guard and De’vona is not. That link would go a long way to bolstering the esteem of the Royal Family among the most conservative clans. I’m sure that has factored into Bus’cai’s decisions around the betrothal.”

    “So you think that is what K’Tai is doing, undergoing this trial to prove that you are sesench’ain?” Bant asked.

    “It makes the most sense, but she could be doing some other ritual related to Tal’Noor as far as I know. She wouldn’t tell me what it was before she left.”

    Garen asked, “Why not?”

    Obi-Wan shrugged. “She may not have known or she wasn’t allowed to tell me. I am both male and an outsider. There is a lot I’m not privy to.”

    “What does being male have to do with it?” Garen asked.

    Obi-Wan sighed. “The M’Ban are matrilineal and matriarchal. K’Tai’s clan is fairly progressive and allows men to own property and hold political power. Other clans aren’t so egalitarian. K’Tai personally doesn’t hold to most of the more traditional beliefs about men, but I wouldn’t be surprised if she attributed some of my less intelligent choices solely to my gender rather than a combination of age and inexperience.”

    “She isn’t the only one,” Bant replied. Both Garen and Obi-Wan groaned. “Hey if the boot fits…”

    “Yeah, yeah…we are aware that we tend to get ourselves into more sticky situations than our female counterparts,” Garen groused.

    "As long as you are aware…” Bant said with a smirk. She turned back to Obi-Wan. “Do you have any idea how long the trial is supposed to last?”

    “No clue. Qui-Gon and I are four weeks into a six week restriction to the Temple, so I’m hoping no more than another two weeks. I like teaching Soresu, but I’m starting to the miss the field.”

    “And a certain Tal’shari guard, I’m sure,” Garen added in a teasing tone.

    Obi-Wan rolled his eyes. Bant scowled at Garen and said, “Quit teasing him. That is why he didn’t want to tell us about it, you nerf.”

    Before Garen could respond, Obi-Wan jumped in. “Once again, you’re not wrong. I miss her, especially since our connection is…not normal at the moment. I hope we will have at least a little time together before one or both of us is on assignment, but I am trying not to count on it.”

    Bant reached out and put her hand on Obi-Wan’s. “That’s got to be hard, being away from one another.”

    “It is. But it’s part of the whole tethered and free deal that comes with being both sesench’ain and Jedi.”

    Bant was silent for a moment and then her face brightened. “So let’s assume that all goes well, the betrothal is honorably broken, and K’Tai is no longer on the hook to marry the Crown Prince. What happens next?”

    Obi-Wan shrugged. “Something called the Joining Ceremony. I know nothing about it, other than it is related to life-bonds.”

    “I wonder if it is like a marriage ceremony,” Bant commented wistfully.

    Obi-Wan shuddered. “If it is, I hope it is more sedate than the last nuptials I witnessed. That is an experience I have no desire to repeat.”

    “I remember you telling us about that. I don’t know, Obi, that sounded like fun,” Garen commented.

    “You and I have very different ideas about what constitutes fun then.”

    “Was that the time that you had to employ your negotiating skills in order to keep your clothes on?” Bant asked.

    Obi-Wan nodded, his face going red at the memory. “Like I said, not an experience I want to repeat.”

    Bant and Garen laughed good-naturedly at Obi-Wan’s discomfort. Garen looked down at his plate and the watch on his arm.

    “Sithspawn! I’m late for my squadron meeting. The captain is going to have my hide.” Gathering his utensils, he said. “I’ll catch you later,” and rushed out of the dining hall.

    Obi-Wan just shook his head as he watched his friend depart. “Do you think he will ever develop a sense of time?” he asked Bant.

    “We can always have hope, but no,” she replied. She stood up. “I also need to attend to the next part of my day. We’ll catch up soon.”

    Obi-Wan rose and bowed to her. He left the dining room, trying to decide what to do next. The stiffness in his muscles reminded him that he had been still for far too long. He headed off to the senior dojos. As he walked into one of the smaller practice arenas, he checked his bond with K’Tai once more. It was unchanged. He sighed and turned to deciding whether to do a kata that required a blade or one that did not.

    “Hey Brat,” T’lor called to him, standing at the door of the dojo. “I heard things got interesting.”

    Obi-Wan shrugged. “You could say that. What did you hear?”

    T’lor walked into the room. “That you dropped to the ground sparing with Garen and then spent three days in meditation.”

    Obi-Wan groaned. “Does everyone know about it?” he asked.

    T’lor shrugged. “With the exception of Garen, everyone has filed it under ‘guess how Obi-Wan ended up in the Halls of Healing this time’. They assumed you became ill. Garen had the sense to ask where you were after class. I don’t suppose you have told him…”

    “As a matter of fact, I told both him and Bant.”

    T’lor grinned. “Finally! How’d it go?”

    “Okay. Bant was unfazed and took it in stride. The thing that got her attention was the Joining Ceremony. If K’Tai needs help with any of the planning, I’m sure Bant would be interested. Garen was a bit hurt at first that I’d kept it to myself, but he understood why…sort of. You know Garen. I’m gonna get poodoo from him about it for awhile.” Obi-Wan stopped for a moment and gathered his thoughts. “I’m a little worried about what he’ll do when K’Tai is back. He’s gotten better over the years about thinking before he speaks, but…” Obi-Wan shrugged. “He’s him. In private, it’s not an issue. In public, it could be problematic.”

    T’lor looked at Obi-Wan thoughtfully. “That’s a valid concern. I’ll find him in the next day or so and impress upon him the need for discretion.”

    “Thanks.”

    “Do you want to spar?”

    “Sure.” Obi-Wan grinned. “With or without lightsabers?”

    “With if you are up to it.”

    Obi-Wan nodded his head in agreement. He pulled his lightsaber from his belt, turned the power into training mode, and moved away from T’lor. They faced off, Obi-Wan in the classic Soresu opening stance. T’lor chose a modified version of the same. Obi-Wan opened himself to the Force, letting the light center him. And then they engaged. Lightsabers sang and crackled as the two Jedi fought to disarm each other.

    “You’ve gotten better,” Obi-Wan said as they pulled apart after a particularly grueling bind.

    T’lor smiled and panted, “I have but so have you. I’m just glad I’ve lasted this long.” She was about to add something when her comm chimed. She turned away from Obi-Wan and answered it.

    “Kaden.”

    Obi-Wan couldn’t hear what was being said, but when T’lor turned back around, he could tell from her eyes that the call hadn’t been about something pleasant.

    “I’m sorry, Obi-Wan, but I’ve got to go.”

    Obi-Wan knew better than to ask the Shadow why. “Thanks for the match.”

    T’lor lifted her chin in response and turned toward the door.

    Obi-Wan called out, “Hey T’lor.”

    She turned back to look at him. “May the Force be with you.”

    “Thanks.” T’lor left the arena.

    Obi-Wan watched T’lor go and sighed. His thoughts returned to K’Tai and their bond. It was the same as it had been since the Soresu class. He still felt like he needed to move so he settled on doing the first mirror kata he had taught K’Tai. He walked to the center of the room, and breathing deeply, stepped into the first stance, focusing on perfecting the posture. He moved through each of the poses, keeping his attention on the form and away from his bond with K’Tai. On the last pose of the third repetition of the series, he felt the life-bond shift, and she was there.

    Sesench’ai.

    Hi love. Welcome back.

    FIN
     
    Kahara and Findswoman like this.
  21. WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

    WarmNyota_SweetAyesha Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Aug 31, 2004
    Delightful continuation with Bant and Garen, providing banter and supportiveness. Great to encounter T'lor ... she's a great friend to both Obi-Wan and K'tai. And yay, the bond is restored. That is a good indication that things went as hoped! @};-
     
  22. Findswoman

    Findswoman Fanfic and Pancakes and Waffles Mod (in Pink) star 5 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Feb 27, 2014
    A sweet conclusion! @};- And whew, what a relief: I take it that the new calm feeling of normalcy within the bond is a sign that it's been proven to be the Real Thing after all (not that I, personally, ever had the slightest doubt! :D ) So, I have to say, I was glad to get the refresher on the whole business with Donal and De'vona—I understand the complications, especially the political ones, a lot better now, and wow, yes, if it calls into question the ruling family's own connection (or not) to Unity, there's definitely a lot at stake there! I too always enjoy seeing T'lor, and I have to ask: was her being called away connected in some way to the restoration of the bond? It did seem to happen at just the right moment. ;)

    Thanks so much once again for sharing this story and being part of the "distant beloved" challenge! It was a real joy to see you and your universe back in action, and I always look forward to more of these two dears. [face_love] =D= And I look forward to being in touch with you more soon about "Bond." (Yay!) :)