Chapter Text
Knight Far-kai Alifar had his eyes on an initiate. The boy was small for his age with coppery hair, pale freckled skin, and large blue-green eyes. He was, in a word- adorable.
It was lucky for him that Knights Eniker and Dalkos weren’t interested in adopting padawans any time soon or he was certain he’d have had to fight them for the boy. Tan-lee saw the look on his face when he spied the boy in the refectory and had laughed at him, much to his annoyance.
“Getting the urge to adopt already? I suppose you are at that age now.” She’d chuckled as he glared at her over his spiced caf. Glancing at those nearby he switched to Sonja, knowing that only Tan-lee would be able to understand him.
“I’ve looked into his classwork and he’s a right little scholar. Works hard, always sticks up for others, but he’s a bit hard on himself.” He looked across at the boy, who was bickering playfully with an older padawan, a Kiffar. “It says in his file that he ‘has a temper’ and is ‘too aggressive’ but from what I’ve observed I can’t see it.” Tan-lee frowned slightly.
“He’s close to his Blooming isn’t he? So his emotions are going to be a bit hard to control and he’s probably irritable.” Her frown deepened. “I’ll talk to the other healers, see who is overseeing his health and ask them if I can take a look at him. Make sure he’s getting all the proper care he needs.” Far-kai nodded, grateful that someone in his generation had become a healer.
“I’ve already put in the paperwork with the head of the initiates and gone through the interview. Now all I have to do is ask him and, if he says yes, get it approved by the Council. I was planning on approaching him tomorrow mor-” Grabbing his comm from his belt he looked over the message and scowled. “Again?” He asked. Tan-lee frowned at him in concern.
“What is it?” Taking a deep breath and letting it out he pushed his anger to the back of his mind to meditate on later and showed his friend the message.
“What the hell? Didn’t you just get back from a mission yesterday?” He nodded sharply and her expression turned worried.
“I know we can go longer than most near-humans without rest but this is getting ridiculous.” He let out a sigh and nodded. “Just let me know if you need a note on your file. I can add a strongly worded suggestion for a longer break from missions.” He waved her off.
“It’s alright, this looks to be important. I know I’m one of the bodyguards who are in higher demand. I guess they want to get as much out of me as they can before I stop missions for a while to take on a padawan.” She didn’t look convinced but she nodded.
“I’ll try to keep an eye on him for you, but I’ve been swamped lately after one of the kids got sick and spread it to his clan.” Far-kai nodded in sympathy. No Stewjonian could stand to see children sick or in pain. Children were integral to their culture, their species.
“Stars watch over the little ones.” She smiled at him.
“Stars watch over you on your mission. May your enemies quail at your shadow.” He laughed at the look of mischief in her eyes. It wasn’t a very jedi-like sentiment but then, Stewjonians made very unconventional jedi.
Coming back after the absolute nightmare that was his last mission he headed to the Halls of Healing for a quick check-up before searching out his brethren. The mission was supposed to be two weeks long but it had ended up being six.
He found it odd when he realized that none of them were in the temple. Tan-lee had been called to help on a Search, Ker-ald was on an archaeological dig due to his specialty in dead languages, and Kos-ine had been sent as part of a team for a diplomatic mission. There were eight adult Stewjonians who called the Coruscant Temple home and all of them had been sent on missions at the same time.
Something about that didn’t feel right. The force was practically vibrating with it.
Sure enough he learned that initiate Kenobi had been sent to the AgriCorps, of all places.
Before his thirteenth birthday.
Before his Blooming.
It took Far-kai far longer than he wanted to admit to work through his anger so he was calm enough to approach the head of the initiates. Apparently his paper work had been set aside on the orders of a council member for some unspecified reason. The poor woman looked so confused and apologetic that he couldn’t bring himself to blame her.
He knew that if he approached the Council as just himself there was a real possibility that he would be rejected outright. So he waited. It was only three days later when Tan-lee returned with four children, all Stewjonian of course, and Ker-ald was on his way back.
Sitting the two of them down in his quarters he told them what had happened and that he believed someone had meddled in his affairs. Both of them were just as appalled as he was.
Then Master Jinn returned with Kenobi in tow two days later and everyone was whispering about how the two were going to be a Master and Padawan pair.
Not on his life!
It was considered disrespectful for someone to barge into a council meeting in progress so he was sure to be waiting when Jinn and the boy appeared for their debriefing. Tan-lee saw the boy staring at their reddish hair and gave him a friendly smile that he nervously returned.
Meanwhile Jinn was looking at them in confusion, clearly uncertain why they were there in the first place.
The doors opened and Far-kai strode in with a purpose.
“Knight Alifar, Knight Oritan, neither of you were invited to this debriefing.” Turning to regard Master Windu, who had only recently been appointed to the Council, he gave the man a slight bow.
“No, Councilor, we were not.” He confirmed.
Kenobi was watching them curiously and Far-kai softened. “I came out of concern for Initiate Kenobi.” The boy’s eyes widened in confusion and there was an almost brittle look about him that Far-kai didn’t like at all.
“What connection do you have to the initiate?” He blinked at the council members and realized that they had no idea. He grit his teeth.
“Before I was sent on my previous mission I was going to ask Initiate Kenobi to be my Padawan. I had already completed all of the required paperwork and submitted it to the head of the initates. I was waiting for confirmation in order to ask him if it was something he would wish for.” The boy gasped but Far-kai didn’t look at him, too focused on the council members. “I also wished to bring up concerns about sending an underage boy to a Corps before he was medically cleared as safe to leave the Temple.” There was a wave of confusion and he heard Tan-lee sigh behind him. There was just so much they couldn’t share about Stewjon, it made it nearly impossible to convince the council of anything.
“The boy is perfectly healthy for his age.” Jinn stated. Tan-lee turned to him, eyeing the man critically.
“I will be the judge of that, Master Jinn.” The man looked completely unaffected by her tone, even as the council tensed slightly in response.
“Primary healer for the initiates, you are not.” Commented Master Yoda.
Far-kai rounded on him but was beaten to the punch by Tan-lee.
“I am the primary healer for all Stewjonians in Temple, Grandmaster. There are secondary characteristics that appear around the age of puberty that can put an initiate in danger. It should also be noted in his file that Initiate Kenobi is exempt from being sent away to the corps, unless it is his own choice to go. Whatever happened to send him away was clearly a mistake. He belongs here.”
Seeing the boy temble as he tried to hide his silent panic Far-kai moved without a thought. Striding past Jinn he pulled the boy into a hug, using his body to shield him from the prying eyes of the councilors. “Shh, aldi, nin aldi, na’triorja. I’m here.” As he comforted the boy he sensed Jinn shift away from him and could practically feel the man’s inner turmoil.
“I suppose now would be a poor time to mention that I wish to take the boy as my padawan-learner?” Far-kai stiffened and some of his earlier anger leaked past his shields. Tan-lee started slightly, giving him a look of concern. Stewjonians were naturally gifted with shields, the fact that anyone could feel his anger meant he was beyond rage.
He should probably try to deal with that some point soon.
“Agree, the force does, that a good pair Jinn and Kenobi will be.” Master Yoda said in response.
“Grandmaster Yoda.” Tan-lee said in an even tone, unbothered by the weight of the councilors focus.
Stars, but he loved the woman like a sister.
“Someone ordered the head of the initiates to set aside Knight Alifar’s paperwork, even after he had been approved, and sent every Stewjonian who might raise an objection about Initiate Kenobi’s status away from the temple all at once.” Her eyes were piercing, like glaciers. “I would like to remind the Council that the Stewjonians in Temple have their own section of the Charter that allows for Cultural Traditions to be observed.” Kenobi looked up at him and he gave the boy a reassuring smile.
“To what Tradition do you refer?” Asked the newly appointed Master Windu, tone curious.
“The Gre’dal Aliif, Masters. The Red Lineage. Stewjonian knights taking Stewjonian initiates as padawans. We take care of our own and if Knight Alifar had not chosen to take him I am certain Knights Eniker, Dalkos, or I would have.” The silence that followed was only broken by a small hiccup and a sniffle.
“That hardly seems-” Master Koth said with a frown.
“Stewjon is a closed culture, Councilors. There are many reasons why we are banned from speaking about their practices. Although as the primary healer I can tell you that part of it is our unique biology. Only a Stewjonian would be able to teach Initiate Kenobi about his own physical needs and stresses. A Nikto cannot teach a Clawdite how to shapeshift.” There was a moment of complete silence as the council took in this new information.
“Are you saying that Stewjoians are shapeshifters?” Far-kai looked over at Tan-lee and saw her swallow hard, her face twisted slightly in pain.
“In a… certain point of view, Councilors. I… am not at liberty to say what exactly our abilities are. However, I can refer you to documents Senth-Trill-Wesk five-eight-point-one-five-seven. They are medical reports filed by a Non-Stewjonian Jedi that contain an outsider’s perspective on our unique biology.”
“Understand, we do, that limited your ability to speak about Stewjon is.” Master Yaddle spoke with a smile of understanding. “But believe, I do, that we are ignoring the most important thing here.” With everyone’s attention on the female councilor she turned and looked right at Far-kai.
No… she was trying to look past him. With a small sigh he released the poor boy who was struggling to calm himself down.
“Initiate Kenobi, your choice it is who you wish to have as your master. This Council has made a mistake in how it handled your case. Apologize, I do, for how you have been treated.” The boy’s blue eyes widened in surprise and Far-kai had to hold himself back from gathering the child up and just walking out of the council chambers altogether.
The instinct to protect children was very strong in Stewjonians.
“Knight Alifar has made his intentions known, has gone through the proper channels in order to ask you to be his padawan. Worked hard he has, even going so far as to stand before this Council he has.” Master Yaddle nodded at him and he could feel her approval in the force, it almost made him blush in embarrassment.
“Will of the force, it is, that Jinn and Kenobi be master and student.” Master Yoda interrupted. “A good team they will be in time.”
Far-kai had to take a moment to release his anger into the force, which was noticed by all present.
“We should give the initiate time to think things over. For now I believe we should hear the mission report.” Master Tyvvoka stated bluntly, looking between Master Jinn and Far-kai.
“I agree. We will shelve this discussion and allow Initiate Kenobi to make the final decision.” Master Gallia said, not unkindly.
“I would like to give Initiate Kenobi a health check when you are finished here, Masters.” The council shared a couple of looks before Master Allie nodded.
“I believe that would be a good idea, considering the circumstances. I will escort the initiate to the Halls when we are finished the debriefing.” Something passed between Master Allie and Tan-lee. His friend bowed in acceptance and he followed suit.
Once they were outside the council room he let out a large sigh. A hand on his shoulder made him look over and his friend smiled.
“It’ll be okay. I’ll make sure his needs are seen to in the Halls.” Her words were reassuring and he felt himself slowly relaxing as she sent pulses of affection-calm to him.
“Bon’e nin burc’ya.” She smiled at him.
“Any time, vod.”