Chapter Text
Run. That was the last thing his aunt told him when the Tusken Raiders came. And so he ran faster than he ever had. He knew the desert. He knew how to survive; his aunt and uncle had made sure of that -- Tatooine was a planet of survival. If they never retrieved him from his hiding place... he would know what to do.
He hid in a small alcove that his uncle had shown him once -- it was in the side of a canyon and low to the ground, just small enough that he could fit through -- and curled into a ball as he shivered. Desert nights were usually cold, but it almost felt like he was freezing... not to mention that familiar presence...
He waited for his uncle to come get him. He kept telling himself that his aunt and uncle could take on an entire tribe of Sandpeople with a blaster; that they would be alright. But the twin suns rose... and no one came for him.
Tatooine was probably the worst planet he ever had to visit. There were criminals everywhere, slavery was apparently acceptable, the planet was ran by a mob boss, the heat was unbearable -- he didn't think a planet could get this hot, but Tatooine just had to have two suns. Worst of all was the sand; it was coarse and rough and got everywhere. If he never had to return to this blasted planet, he would be glad.
Kanan watched Hera haggle with a merchant in Huttese, his arms crossed and his face showing his misery. They had to stop in Mos Eisley to refuel and get some repair parts for the Ghost; unfortunately, generosity and honor was not a thing on Tatooine and the merchant they were buying from tried to cheat them out of money. But unfortunately for the merchant, he had never met Hera and was going to regret doing that.
He suddenly felt a surge of tingling from the Force; the sensation flowing through his whole body. His head whipped around to look for the source, his eyes falling to a young boy with a bright Force presence standing in an alleyway -- he wore a hat over his blond hair and a brown poncho over his clothes, his hands tightly gripped the straps of the bag on his back; his eyes were wide with fear. Kanan saw himself when he was younger... when the Purge happened.
Kanan started towards the boy who noticed him and looked even more scared as his eyes darted around as if he was looking for an escape route; Kanan frowned as he remembered Hera saying slavers would snatch kids from the street. He slowed down and put on a friendly smile to let the kid know he wasn't a threat, but that didn't seem to convince him.
"I'm not going to hurt you," he said with a soft voice when he got close enough for the boy to hear; the boy seemed to relax, but not completely.
"Are you lost?" Kanan asked, now standing a few feet away from the boy. Not enough to corner him, but enough to protect him if anyone tried to snatch him.
The boy shook his head.
"Where are your parents?"
The boy looked down and mumbled something. Kanan couldn't hear what he said, but decided not to push it any further since he didn't want to scare off the boy. He opened his mouth to say something else, but heard a voice behind him.
"Kanan, what are you doing?"
Kanan turned to see Hera approaching him. Her eyes fell to the boy and her face softened as she stepped closer and leaned down to the boy.
"Hey there," she said with a smile. "Are you lost?"
The boy seemed to relax in Hera's presence -- Kanan wasn't offended; she was better with kids than he was. Despite him being relaxed, he still shook his head, refusing to talk. Hera frowned and bit her lip as she thought for a moment before speaking in Huttese.
The boy's eyes widened and he replied in Huttese. She smiled again and kneeled down in front of him as the two had a conversation in the foreign language. Kanan watched in confusion since he had no idea what they were saying.
"Luke Skywalker," the boy said, replying to one of Hera's questions.
Kanan's eyes widened. "Skywalker!?" Luke flinched and Kanan closed his mouth that was hanging open. "Sorry."
There's no way that was a coincidence. Kanan felt the Force surge right before seeing this boy that shared a last name with one of the greatest Jedi to ever live.
"Do you... happen to know of an Anakin Skywalker?" Kanan asked. Hera gave him a quizzical look.
Luke perked up. "You knew my father!?"
Father!?
He was expecting the boy to be like a brother or a cousin of Master Skywalker, not his son!
"Not personally but-"
"Can you help me?" Luke asked. "I'm trying to get off Tatooine."
Kanan knit his eyebrows. "Why?"
"Because... well..." he looked down at his feet. "My aunt and uncle are dead, and they told me to get off Tatooine if anything ever happened to them. I found a box in their room and a note that said to go to Naboo."
"Naboo?"
Hera stood. "Kanan, we have to help him. We can't let him get taken by some scoundrel."
Luke frowned. "I can take care of myself." He lifted his poncho to reveal a blaster tucked in his belt. "I know how to fight, and I know about twenty different ways to kill someone. I'm not helpless."
"Why do you need to go to Naboo?" Kanan asked.
Luke shrugged. "I don't know. The note said to go to Ben Kenobi, but Tusken Raiders are that way and... they were the ones that... I was too scared to go that way."
Ben Kenobi... Kanan wondered if he was related to Obi-Wan Kenobi.
"I'll go with you to Ben Kenobi," Kanan said. He felt through the Force that this was the right course of action.
Luke grinned. "Really!? Thank you, Mister Kanan!"
Hera gave him a questioning look. "Kanan?"
Kanan took her arm and pulled her to the side. "I think we stopped here for a reason other than the Ghost needing repairs," he said in a low voice so no one else would hear. "There's something about this kid... I feel it in the Force."
"And you think it has something to do with the fact that his father was Anakin Skywalker?" She asked.
He nodded and Hera sighed. "Okay. I will go back to the ship to finish repairs with Chopper while you take Luke to see this Ben Kenobi."
Kanan followed Luke as he led him to the Landspeeder outside of Mos Eisley; the young boy said he had hidden it outside the town so it wouldn't get stolen -- it was a smart move considering the amount of criminals roaming around. The speeder was hidden in a dark cave, deep in the nearby canyon. Kanan was impressed. Whoever this kid's aunt and uncle were taught him well.
The speeder wasn't much. It looked old and in need of repairs. But it seemed to get Luke around just fine, so Kanan figured it was alright.
"Here she is!" Luke said with a grin as he ran up to the speeder.
Kanan felt cooler as he walked into the shade of the cave and wished he could stay there longer.
"Whoa, what are you doing?" Kanan asked as Luke started climbing in the driver's side.
Luke stopped and looked at him. "Uh, getting in my speeder," he replied in a duh tone.
Kanan approached him. "No. I'm driving."
"But I obviously know how to drive!" Luke protested. "And you don't know where Ben lives!"
"I'll figure it out."
Kanan motioned for Luke to get in the passenger's side. The boy groaned and slid off the speeder, and trudged to the passenger's side. Kanan climbed into the speeder and turned it on. He looked at Luke who had settled into his seat, hugging his backpack.
"Do you really know how to kill people in twenty different ways?" Kanan asked. It seemed impossible a kid his age would know that. Luke could've just been saying that to either impress them or scare them.
Luke smiled sheepishly. "Maybe not twenty... but I do know some ways." His smile dropped and his eyes widened as he quickly said, "But only in self-defense! I would never kill anyone on purpose!"
Kanan chuckled. "I believe you."
He silently prayed to the Force to guide him to Ben Kenobi's home as he drove out of the cave. The twin suns immediately beat down on them and Kanan scowled as the ungodly heat returned. He heard Luke laugh and looked at him quizzically.
"You don't like this planet very much, do you?" Luke asked with an amused smile.
"I'm going to be honest with you; I absolutely despise this planet."
Luke laughed again. "Don't worry. I do too."
Kanan smiled lightly and looked back at the terrain in front of him so he could navigate out of the canyon. The Force started leading him once they were out, the barren desert zooming past them. Luke was quiet during the whole ride, and Kanan knew he was still trying to process what happened to his aunt and uncle. He knew because he went through it when someone helped him after his Master got shot down by their clones. Kanan shook his head to get the thoughts out. She was gone and he couldn't change that. It's been seven years. He needed to get over it.
After a long and quiet ride through the hot desert, a small hut on top of a hill came into view. Kanan parked the speeder under the hill, turning it off and looking up at the hut. He couldn't tell if Kenobi was home so he reached out with the Force to try and find his presence. He frowned when sensing no one.
"How did you know the way to Ben's hut?" Luke asked curiously.
Kanan looked at him as his mind raced to come up with an answer a seven year old would believe. "Because... I have... enhanced senses."
It wasn't a complete lie; the Force did enhance your senses. Luke looked at him like he knew he was lying, so Kanan climbed out of the speeder as he said, "I don't think he's home right now, but we can wait for him outside the hut."
Luke nodded and climbed out before following Kanan up the hill; they stopped beside the hut and Luke set his bag down on the ground. Kanan looked at the vast desert the hut overlooked -- it was a good place to live to see anyone coming and prepare for an attack. He glanced at Luke to see him staring at a drawing of a beautiful woman, and wondered if that was Luke's mother.
Kanan leaned back against the side of the hut and used his arm to wipe away the sweat on his forehead; he hoped Kenobi would return soon so he didn't have to stand out in the heat much longer. Luke eventually got tired of standing and laid down on the desert floor with his hat covering his eyes, the drawing folded and placed back in his pocket.
"So... where did you live before your aunt and uncle... died?" Kanan asked. He needed to learn more about this boy; the Force alerted him to him for a reason. Not to mention who his father was.
"Not far from here," Luke replied. "Well, actually it is pretty far; but I lived on a moisture farm so Ben was our closest neighbor." He lifted his hat a little to look at him. "How do you know my dad?"
"Well, I didn't know him personally, but I saw him around during the Clone Wars; he was a General."
Luke knit his eyebrows in confusion. "Uncle Owen said he was a navigator on a spice freighter."
Now Kanan was confused. Did he get it wrong? Did this kid's father happen to have the exact same name as The Hero With No Fear? But Anakin Skywalker was a very uncommon name. Kanan opened his mouth to say something, but felt a presence approaching. His hand immediately went to his blaster as he got into rebel mode. Luke noticed his sudden change and quickly stood up as he took out his blaster.
The two watched the curve of the hill anxiously, prepared for whatever or whoever may appear; Kanan prayed it wasn't one of these Tusken Raiders Luke talked about. A figure slowly staggered up the hill and Kanan's eyes widened; the man was seven years older, but he would recognize The Negotiator anywhere. Ben Kenobi wasn't related to Obi-Wan Kenobi -- he was Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Luke grinned. "Ben!"
He dropped his blaster and ran up to the older man, tackling him in a hug. Kanan noticed Obi-Wan wince, but he also looked relieved as he hugged Luke.
"Luke, I'm so glad you're okay," Obi-Wan said. "I'm sorry I wasn't there; I've been looking for you everywhere."
Luke pulled away as he looked up at Obi-Wan. "My aunt and uncle left me a box and a note telling me to come here; but I was too scared to come by myself because of the Tusken Raiders so Mister Kanan brought me here."
Obi-Wan looked at Kanan, who was gaping at the old Jedi Master. "Master Kenobi, you're alive!" Kanan stated in surprise.
Obi-Wan chuckled. "Yes, very much so. Good to see you survived too, Caleb."
Caleb... he hadn't been called that in years.
Luke looked between the two in confusion. "What are you talking about? Do you know each other?"
"Let's go inside," Obi-Wan said. "We have much to discuss."
He began walking to the front door of his hut, a small limp in his steps.
"Are you hurt?" Luke asked in concern.
Obi-Wan smiled at him. "I'll be fine."
Luke nodded and picked up his blaster and backpack as he and Kanan followed Obi-Wan into his hut where they entered a cozy living area.
To the right, when you first walk in, the wall jutted out into a display table with various artifacts, possibly from Tatooine; the wall curved into a small alcove were a couch that doubled as a bed sat. Next to the couch was a chair, and in the middle, sitting on a Jerba-skin rug, sat a circular table. To the left was a dining table and chair sitting behind a vacuum-sealed chest.
Obi-Wan motioned to the couch and told the two to sit down before disappearing up the stairs at the back. Kanan sat down as Luke looked around at everything in the hut curiously. Obi-Wan returned with two cups and approached Kanan to hand him one; Kanan thanked him as he took it and looked to see that it was water. He drank it, grateful to have some water after a long day in the desert.
Obi-Wan softly called out to Luke and the little boy looked at him before walking up and taking the cup held out to him; he set his blaster and backpack on the table and removed his hat to put it with his stuff.
"Do you still have this note your aunt and uncle left you?" Obi-Wan asked as he sat in the chair.
Luke was taking a drink as he nodded and set the cup down to take a folded piece of paper out of the pocket of his pants. He handed it to Obi-Wan then went back to his water.
Kanan watched as Obi-Wan unfolded the paper and read it silently as the older man's brow furrowed.
"They want you to go to Naboo because you have family there," Obi-Wan said as he folded the paper. "But it's too dangerous for you to be there."
Luke looked puzzled. "Why?"
"What do you know of your father?"
"Well... Uncle Owen said he was a navigator on a spice freighter, but Kanan said he was a General in the Clone Wars."
Obi-Wan looked at Kanan and the younger Jedi tensed up, afraid he had told Luke something he shouldn't have. But Obi-Wan didn't look angry.
"Kanan is correct," he said as he looked back at Luke. "Your father was a General, as was I."
Luke's eyes widened. "You fought in the Clone Wars?"
"Yes, I was once a Jedi Knight the same as your father." Obi-Wan motioned to Kanan. "And Caleb, or Kanan as he now goes by, was a Padawan during that time."
Luke looked at Kanan in awe, then back at Obi-Wan as the older man continued. "Your father was the best star-pilot in the galaxy, and a cunning warrior. I understand you're becoming an excellent pilot yourself." Luke smiled proudly at the compliment. "And he was a good friend. Which reminds me." Obi-Wan slowly stood up. "I have something here for you."
He walked to the vacuum-sealed chest and opened it to rummage around. "Your father wanted you to have this when you were old enough, but your uncle wouldn't allow it." Kanan's eyes widened when he pulled out a lightsaber. "He feared you might follow old Obi-Wan on some damned-fool idealistic crusade like your father did." He shuffled over to Luke and presented him with the saber.
"What is it?" Luke asked curiously.
"Your father's lightsaber," Obi-Wan replied before handing him the saber. "This is the weapon of a Jedi Knight. Not as clumsy or as random as a blaster."
Luke pushed the ignition button and jumped when a blue beam shot out. It was a little too long for his height, so Obi-Wan showed him how to adjust the settings and got it down to a proper length for a seven year old.
Despite his lack of training, Luke handled it like he was born to, slowly waving it around as it hummed; its blue light reflected in his matching eyes.
Kanan felt the Force weep with joy. Luke Skywalker... this little boy... was someone special. Someone with a great destiny. He could sense it.
"An elegant weapon for a more civilized time," Obi-Wan said. "For over a thousand generations the Jedi Knights were the guardians of peace and justice in the Old Republic. Before the dark times, before the Empire."
Luke shut off the lightsaber and held it in both hands as he clutched it to his chest. "How did my dad die?"
"I heard he died protecting the younglings in the Temple," Kanan said.
Obi-Wan shook his head. "Propaganda sold by the Empire."
He went back to the chest and rummaged around again before pulling out a paper. He walked back to Luke and handed it to him; Kanan caught the glimpse of a drawing of a man dressed in a black suit with a black cape and a red lightsaber.
"Hey! I drew this!" Luke said as he took the drawing, his eyebrows knit in confusion. "This was the scary man in my nightmares."
"That is Darth Vader," Obi-Wan replied. "He was the one that killed your father; and your aunt and uncle."
Luke snapped his head up. "What? They were killed by Tusken Raiders; the farm was being raided by Sandpeople."
"They told you that to protect you." Obi-Wan moved back to his chair and sat down. "Those nightmares you had weren't nightmares... they were visions; you could see what Vader was doing through the Force, and you could feel his anger which was why you were lashing out. Your uncle brought me your drawings and asked me to get rid of your 'nightmares.' I did but... it was already too late. Vader discovered you and came for you. Your aunt and uncle died protecting you."
Luke looked down, tears forming in his eyes. Kanan's heart wrenched; this was all too much for a seven year old little boy to go through.
"I'm... sorry I wasn't quick enough to make it to the farm," Obi-Wan said somberly. "By the time I got there... they were already dead."
"It's not your fault," Luke said quietly.
Obi-Wan pursed his lips and nodded, but Kanan could tell he still blamed himself. The Jedi Master looked at the Padawan and stood. "Kanan, I would like to talk to you outside; to give Luke time alone."
Kanan nodded and stood, following Obi-Wan to the door. He looked back at Luke who was now sitting on the couch staring and the floor. He frowned. Luke didn't deserve any of this; he deserved to live a normal childhood -- as normal as a Force-sensitive could live at least. Kanan squinted his eyes as he walked out of the hut and the brightness of the day hit him.
Obi-Wan turned to him once they moved to the side of the hut. "I'm sure you've noticed his presence in the Force."
Kanan nodded. "Yeah, he's really bright. Brighter than Tatooine's twin suns."
"And powerful too." He stared off. "He has no idea just how powerful he is..." He blinked as he returned to real and looked at Kanan. "You must watch over him, and teach him the ways of the Force."
Kanan's eyes widened. "Me? But I-I'm not a Master like you are; I was still a Padawan when the Order fell, I can't teach the Force. You've been watching him for all these years, can't you train him?"
Not to mention I have no idea how to take care of kids.
Obi-Wan shook his head. "I would only be putting Luke in danger. Vader is set on getting his revenge against me; he would be able to track me down." He placed his hand on Kanan's shoulder. "I believe the Force has brought you here for a reason. Vader doesn't know who you are; you have no connection to him."
"Luke's a very important kid... isn't he?"
"He is... he's the new hope."
"The new hope for what?"
"The galaxy... the Jedi... he has a great destiny."
"And you want me to train him?"
"Teach him what you know; protect him. When he's older, I'll teach him what you haven't; and then Master Yoda will teach him what we haven't."
Kanan's eyes widened again. "Master Yoda? He's alive?"
"Yes. He went into hiding when the Empire rose to power." He paused. "Caleb, Luke needs you. I don't want to fail him like I did his father."
"You didn't fail him."
Obi-Wan shook his head. "No, I did; and I can't give Luke what he needs. But you can."
Kanan glanced down at the sandy floor of the desert. He thought back to when he was all alone after the Purge and someone helped him. When Kasmir took him in -- though reluctantly -- and he learned how to survive on his own. Luke deserved better than what he went through; although he didn't know much about kids, Hera would be a big help, and he knew she would take him in without a second thought.
"I guess I wouldn't be much of a Jedi if I don't take in a kid who needs me," Kanan said with a small smile.
Obi-Wan smiled. "Thank you, Caleb. I know Master Billaba would be proud of you."
Kanan smiled wider but somberly at the mention of his Master that had given her life to save him; the same way Luke's aunt and uncle gave theirs to save their nephew.
When the two walked back into the hut, Luke was still sitting on the couch, but this time staring at his father's lightsaber. "What is the Force?" He asked.
"The Force is what gives a Jedi his power," Obi-Wan explained as he and Kanan moved further into the room. Luke looked up at them as he listened intently. "It's an energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us and penetrates us. It binds the galaxy together."
Luke bit his lip. "I want to be a Jedi like my dad."
"You will be," Obi-Wan reassured as he walked up to Luke. "Kanan will start your training."
Luke looked at Kanan, then back at Obi-Wan. "What about you? Aren't you coming with us?"
Obi-Wan knelt in front of him to get on his level. "I wish I could, but I would only put you in danger. Vader will track me down again to kill me and he'll take you."
"But he knows you're here now!"
"I know, but since Kanan will be looking after you now I can move around to keep Vader off my trail."
Luke knit his eyebrows as if he was thinking over what Obi-Wan said, then his eyes widened like he came to a realization. "You're the one that brought me to my aunt and uncle!"
Obi-Wan chuckled. "Yes, I delivered you to the Lars. Though it was not easy."
Luke looked down before sliding off the couch and hugging Obi-Wan. "I'll miss you..."
"I'll miss you too," Obi-Wan said as he hugged back. He pulled out from the hug, placing his hands on Luke's shoulders. "But I'll give my encoded frequency to Kanan so you can keep in contact."
Luke nodded and Obi-Wan stood as the little boy started gathering his things.