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Nine year-old Anakin Skywalker was dissimilar to a young Obi-Wan Kenobi in almost every way. Where Obi-Wan had been excited to attend medication classes and patiently practice his lightsaber katas, Anakin was a ball of eternal energy that rarely wanted to be still for anything.
When Master Qui-Gon Jinn, finally woke up after weeks of being unconscious from his near fatal duel on Naboo, he had not expected to return and find his shared quarters with Obi-Wan in such disarray. The couch in the sitting room had a haphazard sheet strewn across it and had clearly been slept on. A small pile of clothes sat under a low table in a poor attempt to hide them. Qui-Gon had been looking forward to checking in on his Pada- on Obi-Wan, who was a knight now. Stars above Qui-Gon felt old, and it wasn’t just from the presence of the cane the Healers had insisted he use for the time being. He felt considerably old when the main door to his apartments slid open and a wall of two-sided bickering pushed into the room.
“All Jedi have to meditate Anakin. It keeps us centered.”
“Well, I don’t like it, it’s-” The boy’s words stopped the moment he noticed Qui-Gon. Obi-Wan’s subsequent smile was tired at best despite the happiness Qui-Gon could feel bleeding across their still intact bond.
“Master, I didn’t know you were up and about.” Obi-Wan said, even as Qui-Gon noticed Anakin flinch at the word Master.
“Neither do the Head Healers, so we best keep the news to ourselves.” The look of relief that passed over Anakin’s face brought far more comfort to Qui-Gon’s soul than his time in the Halls of Healing, even though he’d spent three weeks of that time unconscious. The other weeks he’d spent arguing with the Healers and trying to wrap his mind around Obi-Wan not only being given the rank of Knight but being assigned Anakin as a Padawan as well. At first Qui-Gon had meant to protest, he’d even planned an imaginary argument to have with Yoda and Mace but then he’d actually reached out through the Force. And the Force was thrumming happily around the pair of boys (Obi-Wan might have been almost twenty-five standard but the term still felt right). Qui-Gon was never one to ignore the whims of the Force and he’d make no exceptions, especially where Anakin was concerned.
The boy might have by now looked like any other Initiate in the Temple but Qui-Gon could plainly sense that Obi-Wan was going to have his work cut out for him.
“Perhaps, Anakin we could mediate together this evening. Obi-Wan if you recall, you often mediated with Master Yoda when we first started together. Working together as a Master and a Padawn does not always mean you will learn the same way.”
Obi-Wan nodded in relief and Anakin’s face brightened.
---
“Qui-Gon?” Anakin’s voice outside his door was becoming something of a daily occurrence and the aging Jedi Master could only smile. It had been nearly six months since Anakin and Obi-Wan had moved into their own set of Master and Padawan apartments and had left Qui-Gon to feel lonely in his quieter quarters. A lively Padawan to brighten his spirits however, was not what awaited Qui-Gon when he padded the door release. It wasn’t that anything looked wrong with Anakin, it was that… well his presence in the Force was utterly a mess.
“You seem a little worse for wear young one.” Qui-Gon said. Anakin’s eyes fell to the floor.
“Sorry Mast-”
“Now what did I saw about that word?”
“That, I don’t have to use it when other people aren’t around.” Anakin said, a little happier.
“Yes.” Qui-Gon placed a broad hand on Anakin’s too skinny shoulder. “You are not like the other initiates or padawans Anakin.” The boy’s face fell and Qui-Gon shook his head. “I don’t mean that in a bad way.”
“Well the other kids seem to think so.” Anakin said sheepishly, kicking the floor absently with his booted foot.
“The other younglings have lived their entire lives in this temple and have not and likely will never suffer the hardships you have already endured.” Qui-Gon placed a careful finger on Anakin’s chin and rised his head so thier eyes met. “We Jedi are not perfect beings, we make mistakes, our young and even some of our elders can be as judgemental as children.”
Anakin laughed a little at that.
“We use the word Master as a term of respect.” Qui-Gon said carefully. “It’s meant to mean teacher or respected one more than anything. But that word means something very different to you, and that is perfectly alright. It is alright to feel bothered.”
“But,” Anakin said, a flare of frustration overcoming his small form, “ Obi-Wan and all my teachers say I have to release my feelings. I don- I don’t know how to do that!” The boy was shaking now. “I feel angry about the word master, I feel frustrated at the other kids, I feel, I-”
“You feel everything.” Qui-Gon provided. Anakin took a deep breath and appeared on the verge of tears. Qui-Gon pulled him into an embrace and the boy clung to him desperately, tears finally flowing freely.
“The Force is a part of everything in the universe and your connection to it is strong, stronger than any Jedi I have every known.”
“That’s why you think I’m this Chosen One person?” Anakin said skeptically, pulling away slightly.
“It is. But that title doesn’t define you Annie. I think perhaps I was wrong to saddle you with it.” Anakin’s head turned a little at that and his nose scrunched up. “What?”
“I didn’t know grown ups could admit when they were wrong.”
Qui-Gon laughed heartily at that and Anakin smiled.
“Very few grown ups do Annie. Now, I think that I have taken us off track somewhat. I assume you came here with a question for me.”
“Oh, yeah. I um, needed to ask you about… dreams.” Anakin said, his timidityreturning.
“What sort of dreams?” Qui-Gon said.
“Well, I’ve always had them, sometimes, and I think sometimes my dreams happen. The night…” a sorrowful look fell voer the boy’s features, “the night before mom and I got sold I dreamed about it a bit, I saw pieces and then it happened. Is that a thing the Force does?”
It was not entirely unheard of for Jedi to dream of the future. Master Yoda himself could sometimes see visions that helped inform his decisions in leading the Order. It wasn’t Qui-Gon’s style, as a philosophical adherent to the concept of the Living Force, to dwell on the future but he felt a rightness in guiding Anakin’s steps.
“What dreams are you having now?” The Jedi Master asked tentatively.
“Well there’s this one about a girl and me, but I’m bigger. I think we were working together or something. I didn’t think about it much but then I saw her!”
“In the Temple?” Qui-Gon questioned.
“Yes!” Anakin said excitedly. “She’s a little Togruta girl in the creche. She smiled at me too when Obi-Wan was showing me around.”
“Then we should give you two a proper introduction, it’s never bad to have more friends here. Perhaps that will also help you understand these dreams better.” Qui-Gon said. Anakin’s face fell a little.
“Well, that’s not the only dream. That’s just the good one.”
“So there’s a bad one then?” Qui-Gon motioned for Anakin to continue when the boy hesitated.
The boy spoke slowly, “There’s this man, and I think he knows you, I think the Force is telling me that he knows you. But he’s not very nice, maybe he used to be if he knows you. And then I get this feeling that there are all these kids, who feel like my friends, who are in danger. And there’s a lot of them and I think they’re.. that someone owns them like I was. I think we need to help them or else something bad is going to happen.”
---
“Clones?” It had been a long time since Qui-Gon had experienced the pleasure of hearing Mace Windu sound so shocked. He sensed Obi-Wan’s own attempts to hide a smile creeping into his features. It was late in the evening, especially for a meeting of the whole High Council and it seemed that Mace was not the only Master who was a little taken aback. The entire council seemed to bristle after hearing Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan’s report of their most recent mission. Not that Qui-Gon was surprised, it certainly was an insane story and if he had not seen his findings with his own eyes, he might not have believed it either.
“I simply cannot understand why Master Sifo-Dias would have been involved in something like this before he died.” Master Mundi said in his clipped Coruscanti accent.
“Strange it is that go so far as to order the creation of an army Sifo-Dias would. Plagued though he was by his so-called visions of the future.”
“That’s what you’re worried about?” Anakin’s cry of frustration brought all eyes on the chamber to bear and the boy shrunk back towards his masters. It had been his first official mision with Obi-Wan as Master and Padawan and it had all been carried out because of his dreams. He felt quite a bit of ownership over the whole affair. The boy, perhaps emboldened by a very subtle mental encouragement from Qui-Gon, stepped forward.
“We should be more concerned about the all the kids! That army is a bunch of babies that they’re gonna force to become soldiers!”
“Knight Kenobi, perhaps you and your padawan need to have a conversation about respect in these chambers.” This time, Qui-Gon was unable to stop his head from shaking disapprovingly. However, Obi-Wan seemed unmoved.
“But Anakin is right Master Windu. These clones have been bred for combat. The Kaminoians weren’t shy about their process of genetic modifications. These children have been forced to grow at an accellerated rate much father than normal humans and have been-” Obi-Wan had to keep himself from shuddering at the word, “manufactured to be docile and loyal only to the Republic.”
“Yeah, they can’t make any choices.” Anakin added, folding his arms over his chest. “How is that fair?”
The Council was silent for a long moment and all eyes eventually settled on Grandmaster Yoda who thoughtfully rubbed the top of his walking stick.
“Up to the Senate, the clone’s fate may be. Ordered for them they were. Master Qui-Gon, Knight Kenobi, advocate for a just fate for them you shall.”
----
As it turned out, the Senate was soon preoccupied with multiple attacks across the Core and Mid-Rim Worlds from an unknown source. Though Qui-Gon Jinn suspected the Sith master of the Zabrak who had nearly run him through might have been involved. Exiting a session of the Senate alongside Obi-Wan and Anakin, who had insisted to tag along, Qui-Gon had to marvel at the young man’s spirit.
“I can’t believe they voted to keep the army! Those clones are kids and they want to use them as soldiers and they don’t even get a say.”
“The Senate is worried about safety after all these attacks. Sometimes being a Jedi is frustrating Anakin,” Obi-Wan explained. “We serve the Senate and democracy, but that doesn’t mean we always get our way.”
“Obi-Wan is right young one, we should be thankful that the Senate is allowing some of the clones to grow up on Coruscant,” said Qui-Gon. Anakin still looked displeased.
“But they’re only doing that so they can study them. It’s weird and I feel like I’m supposed to help them.” The boy was stubborn, Qui-Gon had to give him that. The trio made their way through the massive Senate building, passing beings of all kinds. The Jedi continued to head towards the exit until they heard a voice call out Master Jinn’s name.
“Chancellor Palpatine,” Qui-Gon said in greeting. The three Jedi bowed as the man walked over.
“It is good to see you up and about Master Jinn.” Palpatine said cheerfully. “Knight Kenobi and young Skywalker, a pleasure as always. “I assume the Senate’s decision was not quite what the Jedi had in mind when they brought this matter to our attention.”
“We are servants of the Republic, Chancellor.” Obi-Wan said.
“Of course.” Palpatine agreed. He turned to face Anakin directly. “I hope you are adjusting to our lovely planet young one. My home planet owes a great debt to your heroics.”
“Th-thank you Chancellor Sir. I like it here.”
“Good, good. Well you are always welcome to visit when your studies allow. Master Jinn, I thought I would discuss your request in person, if you have a moment.”
“Request?” Obi-Wan questioned.
“Yes,” the Chancellor said in a way that seemed to Anakin far less than enthused. “Master Jinn has requested than some of the young clones that come to Coruscant live at the Jedi Temple.”
“Really, Master?” Anakin asked, his eyes practically bulging out of his head.
“Yes, I did. The army may have been commissioned for the Republic but it was Jedi Master Sifo-Dias who made the order. The Council members, and I as well, think having a few under Jedi observation may be helpful in their development. I do hope your office has considered our request Chancellor.”
“That’s so wizard!” Anakin said out of turn, earning him a nudge from Obi-Wan. “Um, I mean, that’s great. Chancellor?”
“Well, I think I agree with Master Jinn’s logic. Moving forward it would be a fine idea to have a contingent of these troops integrated so closely with the Jedi at the Temple .”
Anakin could barely hold himself back from cheering in excitement.
-----
Obi-Wan Kenobi had always known his Master was considered something of a maverick Jedi. In his early years as a Padawan, his Qui-Gon’s way of doing things had always seemed strange to him. The young man had always tried to be a model Jedi, follow the rules and such. He’d spend many of his years as initiate learning directly from Master Yoda himself. But then Qui-Gon had come along and messed all of that order and protocol up.
So Obi-Wan was unsurprised when his Master offered to spend much of his time in the creche caring for the clone children who come to live in the Temple. He practically became a creche Master in all but name, doting on both clone and Jedi younglings alike in a way that felt far too familial for Obi-Wan’s tastes. There were even children who started secretly calling Master Jinn ‘grandfather’ in their various native tongues. And of course Qui-Gon’s presence, as well as that of a particular Torgruta youngling, meant Anakin was almost always somewhere about the creche when he wasn’t in his training classes. It also meant that Obi-Wan spent a similar amount of time searching said creche for his errant Padawan. After a while and a great deal of incidents, Obi-Wan started telling himself to prepare for anything when he got near the creche.
“Forward younglings!”
“Annie, I don’t think he can walk yet!!” Anakin stopped marginally and turned to face little Ahsoka who was being pulled haphazardly between holding Anakin’s hand and keeping a grip on the ankle of one of the clone younglings. The little blonde looked no worse for wear, save a mildly surprised stare on his face.
“Whoops, sorry Snips.” Anakin moved to pick up the clone and carefully cradle him in one arm before reaching back out for Ahsoka.
“Why do you call me that?” Ahsoka asked, planting her hands on her hips.
“Cause you’re snippy.” Anakin said smiling.
“I don’t know what that means Skyguy.”
It’s then that Obi-Wan decided to interject in the little scene.
“Anakin, you were supposed to meet me for lightsaber training after you left your civics class.” Obi-Wan admonished. The boy’s face sank a little.
“Sorry Master.” His dolorous expressed didn’t last long, however. “It’s just that Ahsoka wanted to come watch us, so I had to come get her. But she said we had to bring Rex.”
“Mhmm.” Ahsoka said with an assured smile.
“Rex?” Obi-Wan asked. Anakin held up the clone youngling and the baby looked owlishly up at the young knight.
“I had another dream with Soka in it and Rex was there too.” Anakin explained.
“But he was bigger ‘en me.” Ahsoka added.
“Yeah, cause the clones grow double. But he was in my dream so he has to be our friend when we’re all older. Might as well start being friends now.” Anakin explained. Ahsoka nodded definitively, in the way that only a four year old can. Obi-Wan pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed.
“Do you have permission to leave the creche little one?” He asked of Ahsoka.
“Mister Jinn says I can always leave if Annie takes me.” Ahsoka explained. Obi-Wan mentally wondered if he should keep a tally of how many times he sighed in one day.
“Come on then… all of you.”
The sight of the four of them all together brought a smile to Qui-Gon’s face. He turned when he felt a small tug on his robes.
“Youngling Dume.” Qui-Gon said warmly.
“Master, why are you hiding in the dororway?” Qui-Gon laughed warmly and reached down to pick the boy up.
“Because, young one, it is far more entertaining this way.”