Chapter Text
Chapter Title: Obi-wan’s New Master
Rating: G
Word count: 1201
Summary: When Master Jinn abandons Obi-wan who will be his new master?
Warnings: Description of a panic attack, abandonment, awkward hurt/comfort (Dooku doesn’t know what he is doing, but he tries), NOT BETA READ!
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Obi-wan sat in his room, it was very different from the room he’d had as Master Jinn’s padawan learner. For one it was bigger, with impressively high ceilings making the room seem lighter even though the colours chosen to decorate the room were darker than typically seen in the temple. The bed was of better quality and the blankets thicker and softer to the touch, not the same sturdy slightly itchy blankets that the Quartermaster provides for initiates and padawans. So much more than just the quality of bed linens had changed for Obi-wan and so quickly too. Obi-wan had thought himself cut off from the Jedi Order, given Master Jinn’s ultimatum to come back with him or stay with the Young and leave the order. How Master Jinn thought that Obi-wan could ignore the calls of the force to assist the Young, Obi-wan did not know.
Obi-wan had spent 11 months on that war-ravaged planet, he had thought he could be content as long as he could bring peace to those that sought it. Unfortunately, the wounds of war ran deep and continually festered. There would be no peace between the factions unless an outside force made war on them. This had been a painful and costly lesson to learn.
The young force user had all but given up hope when he felt a strong force presence nearby and spotted the recognizable shape of one of the Order’s transport ships. He had thought for a moment that Master Jinn had changed his mind and had come back to collect him. He had been startled to see the regal form of his former Master’s Master descending the loading ramp.
In the state he had been in, he must have looked dishevelled and more than half-starved. Emotions had flitted across the normally reserved Master’s face, shock, sadness, anger, resignation, all lasting only a second or two before the familiar Jedi reserve drew across Master Dooku like a shield. It had made Obi-wan feel homesick for the temple.
“Padawan Obi-wan Kenobi.” Master Dooku greeted, pausing when Obi-wan shook his head.
“I left the Order when I stayed behind, Master Dooku. I am a padawan no more, simply Obi-wan. Master Jinn took my lightsaber back to the temple with him. Could- could you please tell me if Master Tahl is alright?” Obi-wan replied in a rush of air. Master Dooku’s face twitched almost imperceptively, and the air between them seemed to frost over. Obi-wan had been certain that the unspoken anger had been directed at him until Master Dooku spoke again.
“My former Padawan did not and does not have the authority to expel you from the Order, nor did he have the right to take your lightsaber. You, Obi-wan Kenobi are still a padawan of the Jedi Order, though you are currently Masterless.” Master Dooku informed him in a somewhat stern if politically smooth tone. Obi-wan’s eyes widened in shock and his breathing had become erratic. His vision had then greyed around the sides and his neck and shoulders went tight and hot before complete darkness descended on him.
When Obi-wan had come to, his first impressions were of softness and gentle vibrations. In his confused state, it had taken him a while to realize that he was on a ship. A ship most likely in hyperdrive. Obi-wan had forced his eyes open to survey the room and make escape plans. Before he could do more than register gun-metal grey walls, Master Dooku had been at his side helping him to sit up. Obi-wan had been shocked to see an intravenous drip expertly administered in his arm.
“You are dangerously malnourished and dehydrated Padawan, you also have a low-grade blood infection from a poorly treated wound.” Master Dooku had informed him looking tired and saddened. “We are on our way back to Coruscant. I apologize for not giving you a choice to leave or stay but without medical intervention, you will become most unwell and likely die.”
Not having a response Obi-wan had simply nodded, accepting these facts and moving on, as if being abandoned on Melida/Daan hadn’t been that be of a deal. Dooku had been diligent in spending time with him, talking to him, feeding him small meals every few hours. The journey to Coruscant both stretched out forever and few by in moments. By the time Obi-wan saw the 5 massive spires of the Temple, he was starting to feel at least a little like his former self.
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Even though Master Dooku had told him that he was Masterless upon their first meeting, Obi-wan was still shocked not to be handed back into the care of Master Jinn. It would be much later that Obi-wan would learn that Master Jinn had been censured and had his title of Master removed, he had after all only trained one of his padawan’s to knighthood but had then repudiated them, the other had failed his trails for knighthood and Obi-wan had been abandoned on a war torn planet.
More shocking was the long list of Masters willing to finish his padawan training. Going from having no Master’s willing to accept him as an initiate to having a list of more than 20 had been somewhat upsetting. What was different about him now, other than him being older and better practiced with the Living Force? The council had been kind enough to give him some time to further recover and decide, though they may not have if Master Dooku had not spoken in a biting tone that to expect a snap decision from a barely recovered Obi-wan was the height of stupidity.
Obi-wan luckily had been self-aware enough to know two things. The first being that he was in no mental space to make such an important decision. The second, mediating on and with the force would not be enough, he needed to see a mind healer.
While waiting for his decision, the council had given his guardianship to Master Dooku.
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It really shouldn’t have been a surprise to anyone when Obi-wan picked no one as his new Master. He had a sound argument and many rousing speeches when the topic was brought up by initiates and other padawans. Obi-wan would never again be in the oversight of only one being, no matter how decent that being was. In the end it had been decided between himself and the council that he would go on safer missions with Knights that did not have padawans (Obi-wan thought himself a good training aid for Knights to judge whether they were ready for the responsibility of a full-time padawan) and partner with Masters that had senior padawans for the more ‘intricate’ missions.
Still, as fiercely as Obi-wan guarded his new independence within the Order, at the end of the day he had come to view his room in Master Dooku’s apartment as home. Master Dooku may not be his Master, indeed he could not be as the Master already had a padawan. A padawan who was not yet ready for her knighthood trials. However Obi-wan could and did think of him as a Mentor, as the one person who had come to save him when everyone else had left him behind forgotten.
End