Chapter Text
Chapter 1: Freedom
Like a Modern Day Bonnie and Clyde
Obi-Wan leaned against the crate, wary eyes watching as their fellow Freed celebrated the removal of slave collars and chips. Jango grunted as he dropped down, blaster still in hand.
"Well, where do you want to go next?" the former initiate asked.
The older teen scowled, "I need to warn Jaster about Montross, and get my armor back. Then I need to get back to Mandalore. Do you have a home or anyone to go back to Ob'ika?"
Obi-Wan paused, canteen half-raised, and thought about it. Was the temple still home? Was the Order still family? Obi-wan turned thirteen in the slave mines, with only Jango for company. No, not any longer. They'd shown him time and again they had no faith in him. Over and over, he'd been told he was too angry, too emotional to be wanted as a padawan.
With his grades he could and should have had the option to join any of the other corps but instead was sent to a division that he had no talent of love for. He hadn't even been sent to a training center, but an active and dangerous posting. Jango had made several very good points about abandonment and neglect he'd endured.
Both were exhausted by the revolt, and Obi-Wan's mind ached after being overwhelmed by the force even hours after the suppression and explosive were removed. He knew the release of his own force signature should have caught the attention of any trained force user on Bandomeer. It was no surprise when he saw familiar brown robes wandering among the survivors of the revolt. Pain twisted in his chest, Xanatos had happily shared that no one from the order had reported him missing. Most gossip leaned to Obi-Wan having 'run away', as though he had anywhere to go at that point.
"Can I stay with you Jango?"
The young Mandalorian followed his line of sight and scowled, before tucking the smaller teen close, "Yeah Ob'ika. You can come with me."
"Thank you, Jango. I'm tired of staying where I'm not wanted."
"Let's find a ship and get off this miserable rock."
**Jedi Temple**
Jedi Master Yan Dooku gave his former padawan a thunderous look, "Do you mean to tell me that you did not escort Initiate Kenobi to his posting? "
"He was not a part of my mission mandate."
"He was a child of this order, and you were the only adult Jedi on the ship. If nothing else, compassion for a child should have prompted you to ensure his safe arrival."
"He chose to run away rather than accept that he will never be a jedi."
"He was kidnapped and enslaved by Your Fallen Padawan!" the master roared. Silence filled the room and Dooku scowled at Qui-Gon and Yoda.
"What do you mean he was enslaved?" Jocasta's voice icy.
Yan took a slow breath, "Reports from Bandomeer revealed that Off World mining was using slaves in the deep-sea mines. A slave revolt lead by, and I quote, 'a tiny red headed child from the core and an older teen'. Both left Bandomeer on a confiscated ship. The agricorpsman that first arrived onsite was told by the spokes-being of the Freed that 'The little one has chosen to not remain where he is not wanted' and left with the boy he'd befriended."
Sifo-Dyas spoke, "This Order failed young Kenobi. We have failed a child so badly they do not feel they have a place among any of us. I call for formal censure of Jedi Knight Qui-Gon Jin, and Grand Master Yoda, as we know you had your hands in this."
Master Tyvokka rumbled, "Agreed. Meanwhile the lost cub must be found. Young Kenobi should not be left on his own in the galaxy."
Master Yaddle stood, "The Shadows will search for initiate Kenobi. We cannot draw attention to a lost force trained child traveling alone."
Madame Jocasta Nu shared a private look with Yaddle. Yan was already making plans to search for the lost child, incensed that his own padawan could fail a member of their order so badly. Sifo-Dyas, having learned that Kenobi was subject to force visions, was horrified that he'd had no support other than to 'stay in the moment.'
Sifo-Dyas stood and joined his friend, "I foresee a meditative retreat in my immediate future. Jo?"
The stern-faced archivist nodded, "I'll be unavailable for a time, there is a research site that needs my attention." The trio's unspoken meaning was clear; they would have nothing to do with the High Council until the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Master Tyvokka nodded, "We understand."
"Perhaps it is time for me to join the Wandering Jedi, if this how the order is willing to treat our younglings." The Makashi Master's statement set a ripple loose in the force. No one had joined the wandering jedi since Jon Antilles was taken in by the Dark Woman and reached the rank of knight. For a master of Dooku's stature to declare intent to wander was unheard of.
The trio swept from the room, silently communicating just as they had in their early years. Yan would procure a ship, while Sifo-Dyas source their supplies from the Quartermaster. Jocasta would gather the reports from Bandomeer, any needed medical records for Kenobi, and turn her beloved Archives over to her second before joining them.
"You know, the Code and rules say a master can only take one padawan, it doesn't say anything about a padawan having multiple masters..." Sifo-Dyas' voice was nonchalant.
"We need to find the youngling before we can collectively claim them."
Mandalorian Space
Jaster Mereel, Mand'Alor the Reformer, read the report with a mix of horror and joy. Jango was alive. The holo of his child, leaning against a crate with a smaller child, smiling and ALIVE. Silas leaned forward and blinked, "Bandomeer? We can be there in two weeks."
"The informant, Clat’Ha, reported that Jan'ika was in a deep sea mine. Apparently, he bonded with another slave in the mine, a twelve-year-old jett'ika. They instigated a slave revolt, overthrew Off World Mining, and then stole a ship and vanished."
"The Jett'ika went with him?"
"Holding hands the whole way. And avoiding the adult Jetti that arrived after the revolt ended."
Jaster groaned, "Do we have any information on the ship?"
Silas pulled up a holo, "Firespray-31-class patrol and attack craft. Brand new and the Ident Codes have already been updated."
"Updated?" Jaster asked.
Silas sighed, "The original name of the ship was wiped, by a slicer I'd wager, and renamed Slave Won."
Jaster rubbed a hand over his face, "Jan'ika why?"
"We can ask once we catch up with him."
"Do we have any idea where they might be headed?"
"Nothing confirmed, theories include Jedha, Corellia, and the outer rim in general."
Jaster lifted his head, "Why not here?"
Silas gripped the edge of the table, "His armor was taken. He won't return without it."
"Kark."
"We've sent word to all Verd from here to the Outer Rim to watch for Jango and the Jett'ika."
Jaster refilled his shig, "Do we have any information on Jan'ika's companion?"
"Jetti normally only let their ade out with a cabuir. We've been advised that the little one does not have a Baji or Cabuir."
"If you want the padawan, be sure the master is dead." Jaster intoned. "So how did this one end up in a slave mine with no one looking for them?"
"A question we can ask once they are found." Silas answered.