Primitive
by Jane Sehrn-Ta
Title -- Primitive.
Author -- Jane Sehrn-Ta (jane.sehrnta at googlemail dot com).
Archive -- Master-Apprentice archive eventually, but for now, just at my livejournal.
Category -- Alternate-Universe, Qui/Obi.
Summary -- Obi-Wan Kenobi learns about the pitfalls of communicating with primitives early in his Jedi career.
Rating -- Adult.
Disclaimer -- If I had created these sexy guys, this would be the kind of movie I would make. Alas, they belong to Lucas, so I gain no profit other than the satisfaction of playing with them :).
Dedication -- For my dear comrade-in-arms, Little Owl, on the occasion of your birthday. Thank you for the gift of your constant friendship. I hope you enjoy this!
Notes -- This fic was loosely inspired by the following on-list challenge from Jessi -- "I was remembering Tarzan, and ... the scene where he sees Jane for the first time, and out of curiosity he starts pawing her. Something she accepts, until he starts to lift her skirt, and she kicks him away. And I had the thought, of course, otherwise it wouldn't be a family movie. That led me to the thought, hmm, I wonder what would happen if it had been a guy, and it hadn't been a family movie."
// // indicates telepathy.
Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi sat on the floor, his gaze fixed loosely on the grey sky through the high windows of the apartment. It had been raining since he had set foot on Meriba a day ago. The Prime Minister's aide, Sair Alai, had given him all but a cursory introduction to Meribai culture whilst escorting him to the apartment, whereupon, a small group of children had given a poetry recital for Obi-Wan before being herded out by Sair Alai to let him rest for the night.
Sair Alai had promised to introduce Obi-Wan to a "man of great knowledge" the following afternoon, but hadn't given him any sense that his negotiations would be more successful than those of the last Jedi envoy to Meriba over two years ago -- who had been unable to learn anything of their technological development.
The Meribai were no doubt a culturally advanced species, as evidenced by the art Obi-Wan had seen on their journey to the apartment, and the presentation given to him by the children. They were also quite technologically evolved, although this aspect of their society was almost concealed. He had little idea of how evolved their sciences were, although had been rather startled by the appearance of the morning's breakfast on a side table, apparently out of thin air. Upon close inspection, he concluded it was either a very advanced teleporting system, or the work of a very quiet pair of hands.
However, he had seen no evidence of a servant caste. From the few interactions he had experienced, there seemed nothing the Meribai seemed unwilling to do for themselves. Even Sair Alai had asked if Obi-Wan would wait while he prepared a snack for the children. He had seen no sign of robotic helpers. As it was, he had been startled by the appearance of an ancient droid only minutes ago -- again, apparently out of thin air -- that had announced that it was available to help with anything he required for the afternoon's tour.
Indeed, he felt more like a tourist than a representative of the Republic. If the Meribai were to be admitted to the Republic, it would clearly be on their terms, and likely dependent on whether they decided the Republic was worthy of their admission.
Obi-Wan broke from his reflection as the droid announced that Sair Alai had arrived and was waiting outside. He followed it to the doorstep of the apartment, and tried not to look askance at the sky. As soon as he stepped outside -- sure evidence of advanced air filtering systems -- he felt the oppressive humidity. If the promised tour went ahead under these conditions, he would likely be wet and weary -- his robes soaked -- by the end of the day. He stepped down toward the waiting Meribai aide in the speeder, and swept into a bow of greeting.
"I trust you slept well, Knight Kenobi," Sair Alai said politely, "and that breakfast was to your liking."
"Indeed, Sair Alai, I rested well and the meal was most delicious."
"Please, climb in then and we'll be away."
Obi-Wan slid into the passenger seat. He was momentarily taken aback as a complex series of spokes radiated over the landspeeder -- such he had taken to thinking of it, although the means of its locomotion was unknown to him -- it seemed to operate on the selective containment of frictional forces. A transparent energy shield deployed between the spokes overhead and suddenly a cabin appeared -- defined only by the spokes, a lack of rain, and a dry rush of air. He felt the rain evaporating off his skin, and was sure that in moments his clothes would be drier too. Sair Alai began to steer the speeder away.
"Might I ask about the field generation that is keeping us dry?" Obi-Wan began, with what he hoped was an innocuous enough question to get the aide talking about Meribai technology.
"We shall have plenty of time to talk about that, Knight Kenobi. We do hope your visit will extend at least another breggan."
At this point, the universal translator attached to his belt rendered the word literally, and he had no idea if the time period was another day, another tenday, or another ten years. He smiled graciously and nodded, and decided to respect the implicit delay in discussions.
As they drove through the civic centre, he felt rather humbled by the scale of the art they passed. Meribai people passed through the wide streets in their colourful robes, despite the rain, some carrying what looked like a personal equivalent of the shield that was protecting the speeder. At one point he observed a group of children playing amidst what a hologram of a giant forest.
"That's beautiful," he remarked, turning to Sair Alai, whose placid features had bloomed into a smile. From the attitudes of the children last night, he had seen ample evidence that the Meribai were a happy people, but this was the first sign of approval he had seen from his host.
"I'm glad you like it, Knight Kenobi," Sair Alai replied. "The Grand Forests are this afternoon's destination."
"Oh... wonderful," Obi-Wan said, puzzling over this revelation as he looked away again. The view had been replaced by a projection of a colourful hologram of Meriba's solar system --the central star, seven planets and their attendant moons were all in their place -- the scale looked correct too, but he couldn't confirm that from a quick glance.
Looking ahead down the broad boulevard, he could see the canopy of the forest above the city skyline: as imposing as it had been on his descent to the vast empty space they called a spaceport. He had seen no other craft but his own flyer, and his airborne view of the city engulfed by the forest did little to challenge his initial view of a more primitive society. Indeed, the only thing that his brief exchange with Sair Alai the night before had done was to confirm the last envoy's report that the Meribai were reticent to talk about their technology.
The city gave way to the forest almost instantaneously. Groups of people wandered between the trees, as though the trunks were as august a civic landscape as the buildings he had seen previously. There appeared to be gathering activities underway -- he saw Meribai with baskets and thin, curved metallic swords, which they used to harvest mushrooms growing at the base of the trees. As for the trees themselves, he estimated that it was several hundred metres to the underside of the dull green canopy.
They travelled in silence, and he had the sense that his host was almost daring him not to speak, so he bit down on his questions and complied. He was sure that in whatever time span a breggan was, he would be able to determine if they would agree to become part of the Republic, and trade in whatever knowledge and technology they possessed.
He had finished reassuring himself, when Sair Alai brought the landspeeder to a halt. Indeed, it had happened so abruptly and without any sense of inertia that he blinked and looked around them. They were still amidst the trees, but had stopped outside a primitive hut. It was totally unlike any of the structures he had seen thus far.
"I leave you here, Knight Kenobi," Sair Alai said, smiling, and -- were Obi-Wan more familiar with their enigmatic expressions, he would have said -- looking almost smug.
"Oh... okay." Obi-Wan hesitated.
"You will be quite safe," Sair Alai said, interpreting his unease. "Sair Jinnwai will be your guide for the next breggan. He is a man of great knowledge. He will teach you what you need to know."
"Okay. Thank you," Obi-Wan nodded and stepped out of the landspeeder. He turned to acknowledge Sair Alai, but the speeder was gone. He drew a steadying breath and rapidly scanned his environment. Worst come to worst, he could expect an ambush, but he had his 'saber and could retrace his steps to his flyer, and get off planet if needed. Even if that took time, there were food sources available in the forest, judging from the efforts of the gatherers he had seen earlier.
He stepped forward tentatively and stopped outside the hut's door. It appeared to be constructed of several large pieces of bark, with one piece forming the door. He looked for a signalling device, but found none.
"Hello?" he called out. He reached out with the Force, but sensed nothing. If there was someone inside, he was well shielded -- or indeed, the hut was empty. He called again. "Hello -- it's Obi-Wan Kenobi... you are expecting me? Sair Jinnwai?"
There was no response. He tentatively pulled the bark door open on its crude rope-like hinges, and went in. The hut was indeed deserted, and apart from a piece of colourful Meribai fabric hanging to one side of the hut, it was as drab as the dark bark it was built from. A group of openings high under the sloped roof served as windows to light the interior.
"Sair Jinnwai?" He called again. He went to the colourful drape and cautiously peered around it. Inside was a broad, long pallet, draped with a blanket of the same colourful fabric, but it was otherwise deserted.
He turned around and scanned the hut. There was a table, a chair -- also formed from crudely fashioned branches and bark roped together -- ledges housing some wooden bowls and cups, and a few books.
He examined them. They were also primitive, rendered on some kind of synth parchment with colourful inks, illustrating different kinds of trees, plants, mushrooms, and creatures too. Some of these creatures looked quite intimidating, with teeth that seemed almost as sharp and curved as the swords he had seen the gatherers wielding. He would obviously need to remain alert. Perhaps this was a test. It was best to demonstrate patience, and remain where Sair Alai had deposited him. He slipped off his robe and draped it over the back of the chair, and settled down with the book to wait.
The illustrations were exquisite, and appeared to be hand drawn, presumably with locally sourced ink -- the same kind that was used to dye the fabrics the Meribai wore. There were also notes written in an unfamiliar language, and he took out his datapad and scanned some of the text, trying to decipher the writing. Whoever had written it used a long and loping hand, and it was almost messy, quite at odds with the carefully crafted diagrams. Perhaps the "man of great knowledge" that Sair Alai had brought him to see was a botanist.
He laboured over the diary for several hours, but made no real progress. He checked outside from time to time, but the forest was getting darker as night approached. He found a tallow candle and phosphorous matches on one of the shelves, and lit the candle. Pulling back the curtain, he settled down on the pallet into a meditative position and sank into the Force, hoping for direction. He hadn't counted on the energy field produced by the giant trees. They somehow muddied his vision and he gave up on the meditation, frustrated. He performed a few katas in the limited space, and laid down on the pallet to rest.
Whoever Sair Jinnwai was, hopefully he would make himself known in the morning.
Obi-Wan came to a start the next day as a high-pitched screech sounded in the distance. It reminded him of the vocal but docile varactyl he and Master Windu had once ridden on Utapau. He paused to settle his breath, but then swiftly jumped to his feet as he realized his 'saber was missing. He looked immediately for a source of threat, but the only other evidence that he had been visited was a plate of fruit sitting on the table. He closed his eyes and, despite the energy field of the trees, felt no threat or sense of foreboding.
Light streamed through a few chinks in the bark, and the high openings overhead. He stepped outside, and scanned the trees around him.
"Sair Jinnwai?" he called, but received no reply. As he stood there, a large delicate winged insect settled on his hand. He felt a pin prick of pain, and brushed the insect away. He returned inside, seating himself at the table. There was a stinger imbedded in his hand.
At least he now had something to occupy him while he decided what to do. He took a sample for poisons, sterilized the area, and then gently tweezed the stinger out. There was already a red weal developing, but apart from feeling a bit itchy, it seemed okay.
He turned his attention to the fruit. Perhaps it had materialized in the same way as his breakfast had the previous day. It looked more primitively prepared, but the thick slices were colourful and enticing, and were set beside a small pot of smooth, yellow paste. He tested both fruit and paste with a test strip, but there were no apparent sedatives or other poisons. He tried some of the fruit. It was delicious. Dipped in the paste, it was divine.
Despite his misgivings, he turned to the repast, determined to eat slowly and appreciatively. If this were a test, he was going to pass it. By the end of his meal, however, most of the paste was left as it was too sweet to consume entirely.
His hand was itchier now. He smeared some topical cream on it, before settling onto the hard-packed floor of the hut and crossing his legs. He took several deep breaths, and tried once more to submerse himself within the Force. The field of the surrounding forest continued to be a distraction, but was nothing compared to the burst of bright green energy that blossomed suddenly within his mind's eye.
His eyes shot open and he was on his feet at once, reaching automatically for his missing 'saber.
A primitive man, wearing shabby brown robes -- quite unlike the colours favoured by the other Meribai he had met -- stood in front of him. Force, he was tall. Obi-Wan's gaze swept up. His gaze locked with two piercing cerulean eyes staring back from a slightly grubby face. The man's hair was tied back, and he had a long beard, woven through with coloured bits of ribbon. His forehead was broad, and it appeared his nose had been broken in the past.
"Sair Jinnwai?" he finally managed to ask.
The man said nothing and remained unsmiling.
"I beg your pardon... you weren't here when I arrived yesterday... I made myself comfortable." Obi-Wan bowed slightly.
The man hesitated, before moving into a slighter bow.
"I hope I didn't offend you..." Obi-Wan said, and then started as the man lunged toward him and grabbed his hand. He stifled the desire to push the man away as his hand was wrested into the air. He suddenly realized that the man was showing him the bite on the back of his hand. It was now a pronounced and pustular lump. "Oh... yes... something bit me."
The man released him with a grunt, went to the shelf, and took one of the books. He looked through it, and then showed Obi-Wan an illustration of an insect.
"That's it."
The man looked around, and his eyes settled on the paste sitting on the table. Reaching two broad fingers into the dish, he scooped some up and grabbed Obi-Wan's hand again, smearing the paste thickly over the lump.
"Oh," Obi-Wan felt his face heating with embarrassment. "It's a salve? Not edible?"
The man didn't respond to the question, as though he hadn't heard, but licked the excess from his fingers.
Well, at least Obi-Wan hadn't totally messed up. However, the situation was a little ridiculous. He knew he was prejudiced towards the cultured settings that Master Windu sneered at, but he felt distinctly out of his element. "Look, I'm sorry... Are you Sair Jinnwai?"
The man bowed again slightly, although from the vague expression on his face, it was not apparent he understood the question.
Obi-Wan checked his universal translator. The settings appeared correct -- and Sair Alai and the children had been able to understand him.
Sair Jinnwai's hand suddenly shot out for the device.
Obi-Wan hesitated. Remembering the lack of progress of the last envoy, he took a deep breath and handed it over.
Sair Jinnwai looked at the item for a minute or so, prodding it as if wondering at how the stream of words accompanying Obi-Wan's voice had been produced, but then frowned and put it on the table. He yawned and took what looked like a chunk of bark from a ledge, broke off a piece, and started chewing. He offered a piece to Obi-Wan, who took it and gingerly tasted it. It was a little dry, but soft and surprisingly flavourful -- perhaps it was a piece of the mushroom he had seen the gatherers collecting. Sair Jinnwai then took a cup, poured some water from a bag hanging nearby, and handed it to Obi-Wan. He yawned again, prodigiously, and scratched at his beard a little, then his crotch.
Sair Jinnwai now seemed to be totally comfortable in his presence. He went over to the pallet and lay down. He turned from one side to the other, and then settled down facing away from Obi-Wan. Not long after, his breathing settled into a deep, restful rhythm.
Obi-Wan sat down on the chair and stared across the room, his mind boggling. Judging from the energy radiating across the room, Sair Jinnwai was one of the most powerful Force adepts he had ever encountered. He also seemed pre-verbal, and fairly primitive. Sair Alai had presented him as a man of great knowledge, but it was quite likely, for not the first time in his short but varied career as a Jedi, that Obi-Wan was the brunt of a practical joke.
He laughed a little, out loud. Sair Jinnwai stirred, but then settled back to sleep. Obi-Wan got up and went outside, looking around. There was a bowl of something smouldering near the door, and judging from the smell, it was related to the compound that Sair Jinnwai had smeared on his bite. He found a small satchel next to it, and was startled to look inside and find his 'saber.
Thank the Force! He returned it immediately to his belt. He looked thoughtfully at the door. Somehow, Sair Jinnwai had crept into the room while he was asleep -- no mean feat for someone as apparently large and lumbering as he was --considering the way he had snatched Obi-Wan's hand up --left the fruit and removed the 'saber from him while he was asleep. For a primitive, that would take some doing. Could it really be a joke?
Obi-Wan went back in, and attached the translator to his belt again. He cleared his throat loudly. "Look, Sair Jinnwai, I'm sorry to disturb you, but..."
There was no response from the sleeping man. Obi-Wan ventured forward, and leaned closer to investigate. The man was snoring softly. Obi-Wan knelt on the edge of the bed with one knee, and reached out tentatively to shake a shoulder.
The next thing he knew, he was pinned on his back underneath the other man, who was growling ferally.
"I'm sorry," he gasped. "I didn't mean to startle you..."
Sair Jinnwai didn't relax his hold.
Obi-Wan's nostrils filled with the slightly sour smell of the man pressed against him. "Look, I..." Obi-Wan began, but fell silent as he realized that the man was sniffing him. Like an animal would, Sair Jinnwai leaned close and sniffed at his hair, his face, his throat, his chest... "No, don't..." Obi-Wan stuttered, halting the inevitable downward progress.
He pulled the man's head up, and Sair Jinnwai returned to look into his face. Being the subject of that intent gaze was almost as affecting as the primal response of his body to the large one pressing down upon his.
"Please," Obi-Wan pushed him away as politely but firmly as he could.
The man slowly rolled aside and Obi-Wan sprang up, retreating out of reach.
"Look, did you take this?" Obi-Wan showed him the 'saber.
Sair Jinnwai looked at it blankly, before looking back at the door, puzzled, as if surprised that it wasn't outside where he had left it.
Obi-Wan resorted to gestures. He pointed at the 'saber, then at Sair Jinnwai, then outside. He nodded.
The man copied the charade rather ineptly.
Obi-Wan sighed. He sat down on the chair and looked at Sair Jinnwai. "Do you mind if I talk?" he asked.
The man hesitated, then bowed again, which seemed to be his response to anything he didn't understand.
"This is really awkward," Obi-Wan said. "You know... I've not been in the field long. They teach us how to deal with primitives, but you're not a primitive are you? I mean, you took a 'saber away from a Jedi. Force," he laughed a little, "if Master Windu knew that, he'd have my head."
"You..." he pointed at Sair Jinnwai, "you are Sair Jinnwai, right?" He nodded and smiled a little.
The man also pointed at him, nodded, then smiled.
Obi-Wan sighed. Now he knew why he hated studying primitive cultures. He pointed at himself. "I'm Obi-Wan Kenobi. I'm a Jedi. I've come a long way to visit Meriba. And I've apparently come to visit you."
Sair Jinnwai pointed at himself.
"You're Sair Jinnwai."
The man nodded.
He pointed at himself. "I'm Obi-Wan Kenobi."
The man nodded again, apparently having adopted that as a suitable response.
Obi-Wan got up and paced, then took up the book that Sair Jinnwai had left on the table. "This book -- is this yours?" He pointed at the book, and then at Sair Jinnwai.
The man nodded again.
"It's very beautiful. Do you know who did the illustrations?"
The man nodded again.
"Who?"
Another nod. He might as well have been speaking Huttese to the Chancellor of the Republic. He sighed and shook his head. The man copied him.
Sair Jinnwai yawned at last, apparently bored with their charades. He began to settle back down on the pallet again, pawing at the blanket. He gave a small contented snort and turned over, pulling the blanket over his head. That was the end of the conversation.
Obi-Wan sat down. Well, he had his 'saber -- and apparently the best local insect repellent around. If Sair Jinnwai was determined to sleep, he could at least explore their surroundings further. He grabbed the paste, and smeared a little over his cheeks, neck and hands. Saving the rest in a vial in his pocket, he slipped on his robe and went outside.
Several hours later, he found himself back at the bark hut. He hesitated. He didn't want to be pinned by the man again -- not that it had been entirely unpleasant. Sair Jinnwai had smelled a little, but it was not like there were bathing facilities in the forest. And one thing he had figured out during his walk that he was probably in the geocentric middle of nowhere. He had considered letting go of his pride and sending a comm to Sair Alai, but the man had conveniently left without giving Obi-Wan any contact frequencies.
He felt a bit of a mess himself. He had at one point managed to stumble into something akin to Altairian quicksand. He had cleaned up pretty well, although in the process, he had managed to abrade his hands. Luckily the salve Jinnwai had given him had soothed it. He had nearly emptied his canteen, and was pretty hungry. Right now, the dry mushroom they'd eaten earlier seemed appetizing.
As though sensing his indecision, the door opened. Sair Jinnwai stood there and looked him over. He must have looked a sight, but the primitive seemed unaffected and turned and went back inside.
Obi-Wan followed him, closing the door. He noticed that a grate had been moved aside to reveal a fire pit set into the floor, and it was filled with glowing embers.
Sair Jinnwai knelt beside it, and poked at the embers. Moments later, he pulled a dark green parcel out of the coals, handling it gingerly, before putting it on the table in front of the vacant chair. As Sair Jinnwai unwrapped the bundle of large leaves, a delicious smell assailed Obi-Wan's nose.
Sair Jinnwai grunted again, and pushed Obi-Wan down into the chair.
A baked fish lay inside the leaves. Obi-Wan studied it. It looked like a freshwater fish, and had a blunt snout. Sair Jinnwai set another dish of paste on the table -- this one a different colour and texture to the first. As if to demonstrate its purpose, the primitive stuck a finger in the paste, tasted it, and then repeated the procedure, pushing a finger between Obi-Wan's lips.
"Um, good," Obi-Wan said, pulling back from the intimate gesture. He looked again at the food, not quite sure what the right etiquette would be in this situation. As though anticipating his thoughts, Sair Jinnwai scraped his fingers over the skin of the fish, peeling it back to reveal a slightly pink flesh. He picked a little out from between the bones and tasted it. Then he picked out another piece, and pushed it into Obi-Wan's mouth.
"Uh, thanks." Obi-Wan took the lead and began to eat with his fingers, not sure he could take being hand-fed anything else. It was bad enough that Sair Jinnwai stood with arms folded, looking at him intently the whole time. He ate enough to sate his hunger, but left more than half of it for the other man, who surely had a much heartier appetite. However, when he pushed back from the meal, Sair Jinnwai stepped forward and pushed the fish closer, and moved as if to resume feeding him. Obi-Wan gently pushed his hand away and obeyed the implicit direction by finishing the meal himself. "Thank you," he said.
Sair Jinnwai looked pleased and, wiping his hands on his robe, took one of the books over to the pallet and sat down, looking at it. He handled the book with respect, but the way he flicked through it suggested that he was merely looking at the pictures.
Obi-Wan sat beside him and watched from a respectful distance. One of the pictures appeared to be of a fish. He pointed at it. "The fish -- is it like that one?" He pointed at the table.
Sair Jinnwai stared at him this time, as though taking time to think out the gestures. That was surely progress. Patiently, Obi-Wan drew him over to the table. He pointed at the picture again, and at the fish. Sair Jinnwai grunted and put the book down, going to get another book. He rifled through it and held it open, showing another picture of a fish: this time, with the same kind of blunt snout as the one on the plate.
"That's it," Obi-Wan said. "May I?" He held out his hands for the book.
Jinnwai pushed it towards him.
Obi-Wan studied the picture, looking at the notes and the diagram of the skeleton on the adjacent page. "If only I could read this writing," he said. "We might be able to communicate..." He sighed.
Jinnwai copied the sound. He scratched his crotch again and turned away, returning to the pallet. He was apparently going to lie down again.
Obi-Wan looked at the book, and flicked through the pages. He found another illustration -- undoubtedly by the same artist, but less scientific in nature -- which showed a sketch of an expanse of water, shrouded by rock formations on one side, and giant trees beyond that.
"Wait -- this picture..." Obi-Wan hurried after him.
Sair Jinnwai turned around and stared at the book held in front of him.
"This place, is this where the fish comes from?"
Sair Jinnwai bowed automatically.
Obi-Wan pointed at the water in the picture, and then the fish on the preceding page. He looked at Sair Jinnwai and nodded for confirmation.
The man nodded.
He might be getting somewhere. Sair Jinnwai leaned in closer. He appeared to be sniffing Obi-Wan again. Obi-Wan tried to disregard the gesture, but jerked away as he felt a tongue swipe at his cheek.
He stepped back, tried to clear his throat assertively, but then smelled the wet paste on his cheek -- it smelled slightly sour, like the smell he had noticed on the other man earlier. The man must have likewise used the paste on his skin as a repellent. Like anything without preservatives, it began to smell after a while. That being the case, the man must bathe at times, or he would reek worse than a scowlrat in a Bantha's den.
Obi-Wan pointed at the picture again, and then outside. Sair Jinnwai watched him repeat the gesture a couple of times, again this time not mimicking, but taking time to consider. He looked puzzled. Obi-Wan gently took his arm, pulling him to the door. Once outside, he pointed at the picture again and gestured toward one of the paths winding between the trees.
Sair Jinnwai grunted in apparent understanding, but then took the book and went back inside. Obi-Wan was about to groan with frustration, when the primitive reappeared, holding a piece of the mushroom and the waterbag. He put the mushroom in the satchel and put it over his shoulder with the waterbag, and began to walk. Understanding that he was meant to follow, Obi-Wan hurried to catch up with him.
Sair Jinnwai moved with uncanny ease through the trees, although they had left the established path long ago. He seemed a patient guide, making occasional grunting sounds and gently steering Obi-Wan to keep him on track. They continued on the same meandering route for some time, until they emerged into a clearing, the other side of which was terminated by a steep rock face. It wasn't an impossible climb with the Force to aid him, but he was going to feel it in every muscle afterwards.
At that moment, Sair Jinnwai tipped his head back and made the most unearthly squealing noise in the back of his throat --not unlike the cry he had heard that morning. Almost at once, there was a sound of rock scraping on rock, and he suddenly realized that a lizard roughly five or six times their size was scaling down the rock face towards them.
It was not unlike the Utapau varactyl, and he found himself hoping as his heart pounded in his chest that it would be as friendly. The creature came to a halt in front of Sair Jinnwai and for a charged moment, Obi-Wan wondered what would happen. The lizard suddenly licked Sair Jinnwai's face affectionately. More surprisingly, Sair Jinnwai licked the creature's snout in return.
The lizard flattened itself to the ground, and Sair Jinnwai pulled Obi-Wan up to straddle the creature in front of him. Whether the gesture was made with pure physical strength, or augmented by the Force, Obi-Wan didn't have time to consider. Sair Jinnwai's arms hooked under his, grabbed two scales on either side of the creature's neck, and the lizard took off up the rock face, carrying them on its back.
One of Obi-Wan's failings where Master Windu was concerned was his inability to embrace adventure, and this was one of those times. He closed his eyes, as they jogged up the rough terrain. In doing so, he became more aware of the calm aura emanating from the other man and felt reassured that this was something that Sair Jinnwai had done many times before, and had obviously come to no harm. Their upward progress levelled out abruptly and they came to a shuddering halt. Sair Jinnwai pulled him down onto solid ground again.
He opened his eyes, feeling a little sheepish, but Sair Jinnwai was once again nuzzling his face against the lizard's. With a mutual vocal squawk they parted, and the varactyl disappeared off through the trees. Obi-Wan took a moment to look around.
They stood on a broad plateau, covered by a sparser population of trees. They were just above the level of the immense forest canopy. Looking through the trees upon the plateau, he could see the body of water suggested by Sair Jinnwai's book. He saw the varactyl racing across the rocky surface, weaving and disappearing amongst the trees along the shore.
Sair Jinnwai began down the slight slope, moving towards the lake -- Obi-Wan presumed -- although it could prove to be saltwater after all. Obi-Wan hurried to keep up as Sair Jinnwai turned to see if he was following. At last they stood on the pale, sandy shore of the lake itself. The plateau's forest skirted the broad lake, which he estimated was at least several kilometres across.
In the distance, trees and another rock escarpment rose up behind the closer outcroppings that had appeared in Sair Jinnwai's book. Sair Jinnwai began moving along the shore towards them, but Obi-Wan paused to take a sample of the water: freshwater, and quite pristine at that. Before he could scoop up another handful, he became aware that Sair Jinnwai had reached the outcroppings, and was stripping off his robes. In moments, he was naked and diving into the lake. He came up a moment later, holding aloft one of the fish he had served Obi-Wan for dinner. He flourished it with a grunt of triumph. He then let the fish go as quickly and pushed back into the water, clearly revelling in his swim.
Obi-Wan drifted a little closer, thinking furiously, although protocol wasn't exactly his friend in deciding what to do. He leant over and took up the waterbag, drinking his fill before putting it back and sitting well removed from the pile of clothes on the beach.
Sair Jinnwai sat down in the shallows and scrubbed at his face and his arms, his decorated hair and beard grizzly and beaded with moisture. If Obi-Wan wasn't mistaken, he was using handfuls of the fine sand as a kind of soft abrasive. Certainly, he was no longer looking grubby, in fact...
Obi-Wan looked away. He had asked to come up here, for want of something better to do than sit in the hut watching Sair Jinnwai sleep or scratch his crotch, and now he wondered at the wisdom of that decision. He looked up and swallowed as he realized that Sair Jinnwai was emerging from the water and coming straight towards him. He was on his feet at once, his heart pounding.
Sair Jinnwai strode up to him and leaned close again, sniffing him. Without preamble, a hand shot out and began to divest him of his robe.
"Umm wait," Obi-Wan stammered. He stepped back, and began to take his own robe off.
Sair Jinnwai watched him intently, and Obi-Wan averted his gaze, rather than see those eyes focussed on him.
"It's... well, difficult not being able to talk..." he went on, dropping the robe. As Sair Jinnwai moved towards him again, he backed off, quickly setting to work on his sash and belt. "I never realized how difficult it would be."
Sair Jinnwai seemed to be considering him, his head tilted slightly.
"Force, I can only hope I am not going to embarrass the Order," Obi-Wan continued quickly, dropping the tunics into a pile with his weapon tucked beneath them. He sat down long enough to pull off his boots, before stepping out of his leggings. He was down to his small pants, and that was as far as he could go, with the older man staring at him so curiously.
He immediately headed for the water and was glad that Sair Jinnwai seemed to accept the disparity in their state of undress. Moments later, Sair Jinnwai was back in the water, floating on his back in almost child-like enjoyment, as Obi-Wan waded in and submerged himself long enough to begin rinsing the sticky paste off his skin. Sair Jinnwai seemed oblivious to his presence at first, then started edging closer, watching as Obi-Wan bathed. Obi-Wan emulated Sair Jinnwai's example and rubbed some sand on his arms, quickly discovering that it would likely abrade his skin nearly as bad as the Altarian quicksand had. Sair Jinnwai grunted as if in disapproval and moved forward, beginning to roll a handful of sand over Obi-Wan's arm.
"Oh, that's better," Obi-Wan said. He moved to take over the job, but Sair Jinnwai's grip remained quite firm, even as he scooped up another handful of sand and began to roll it down Obi-Wan's arm.
"I can see why you like it here," Obi-Wan began, but fell quiet as the man pressed a finger to his mouth, as though that would stuff the words back in where they came from.
He could see the inherent unfairness of the situation, but silence was making him nervous. He decided to treat it as a torturous test and sunk into the Force, focussing on his breathing, as the man gave him a thorough sand bath. He was grateful that he had worn his small pants, as Sair Jinnwai seemed to understand that part of his anatomy was off limits. As such, he was unprepared when he was dunked unceremoniously under the water.
He came up spluttering and found Sair Jinnwai laughing for the first time. The sound was contagious and he joined in.
As though satisfied by his reaction, Sair Jinnwai moved forward and began to stroke his face. The intent blue eyes focussed on him, but almost looked through him. It felt unnerving and exciting all at once. However, passiveness did not appear to be the reaction that Sair Jinnwai was expecting.
He suddenly grabbed one of Obi-Wan's hands and guided it up to touch his own face.
"Umm..." Obi-Wan began to draw away, but his hand was pulled back more savagely.
"I know -- you don't want me to talk," Obi-Wan whispered as another finger settled on his lips. He began to return the gentle exploration of the other man's face. He stopped to trace the misshapen nose and Sair Jinnwai laughed again softly. He made a muted version of the varactyl's cry in the back of his throat, and pointed at his nose.
"Oh, I see, you weren't always able to stay on." Obi-Wan laughed a little too. It was pleasant and comfortable, merely standing there, tracing his fingers over the man's brow, cheeks, nose, and even lips. He found himself wondering what it would be like to kiss those full lips, slightly parted with the intensity of Sair Jinnwai's exploration.
Sair Jinnwai's eyes closed and he tilted his head back, pressing into Obi-Wan's hand, which was now splayed across his neck. The gesture was strangely primal, like an animal presenting its neck to a dominant mate. And for a moment he found himself wanting to claim that neck, as well as the rest of Sair Jinnwai. But the moment passed -- he had to get away, he had to think.
However, as he pulled his hand back and turned to leave, Sair Jinnwai growled. Suddenly he was being pulled back hard against the other man's body, his arms locked inside Sair Jinnwai's.
He was ready to call on the Force to augment his escape, when a soft hushing sound came from the man's throat, as though calming a skittish animal.
He had to admit, he was skittish because his body was responding to the man's proximity. Engulfed by Sair Jinnwai's Force aura, however, he felt becalmed and became still. All the while, Sair Jinnwai made the same reassuring hushing sound. For a long time they simply stood there, Sair Jinnwai's arms wrapped around his body. When Sair Jinnwai's broad fingers began to move, they did so slowly and played over his chest, gently exploring. They fingered and teased his nipples, which had become hard like another part of his anatomy -- a part he was trying to ignore. He allowed a small groan to escape his lips. As though that was implicit permission, the man's hands began to move in earnest. They were somewhat roughened from his primitive lifestyle, but that only made the touch more exciting. Fingers roved down Obi-Wan's stomach, across his hips and back up... close to, but avoiding what Obi-Wan now hoped Sair Jinnwai would touch. He pushed back, feeling the other man's arousal hard against his lower back.
Force, what would this do to delicate negotiations with the Meribai? Yes, I met their man of knowledge. He was a primitive living in a hut -- we rutted like animals, and I loved every minute of it. How could he put that in a report to the Council?
He groaned again, although it was a sound mixed with both arousal and pain about thoughts of that scenario. Suddenly Sair Jinnwai's hand slipped inside his small pants. Fingers wrapped around his cock, and all his thoughts became focussed on the rough but pleasant sensation engulfing him. His hips began to thrust in time with the man's movements.
Sair Jinnwai's other arm was wrapped around his chest possessively. He was now glad of his partner's silence. His past lover, Garen, would have been asking for feedback. Sair Jinnwai was just acting, moving until he instinctively found the right rhythm that drove Obi-Wan crazy and over the edge.
His release came with a groan, and he shuddered, suddenly sagging back against the other man. He was startled to realize that Sair Jinnwai's hand had moved from his flagging erection, and was now tracing over his hip inside the small pants, and dipping down to the cleft of his buttocks.
"Force... no," he whispered, making sure not to pull away as he turned around. "I think I'd like to... but I never have..." He was the top in his flings with Garen. And having seen Sair Jinnwai's prodigious size for himself, he wasn't sure if he was ready for that.
Sair Jinnwai seemed to be looking at him with a mix of curiosity and confusion. Then he moved back into the shallows, and turned away, settling down on hands and knees.
"Oh." Obi-Wan moved closer, as Sair Jinnwai looked back over his shoulder. He reached down to graze the man's hip, and the primal groan in Sair Jinnwai's throat sent renewed interest to his groin. Committing himself, he stepped out of his small pants and found there was still sufficient lubrication for him to attempt what the other man was offering.
He hunched down behind Sair Jinnwai and cautiously began to enter him. The groan in the man's throat deepened, becoming husky. It was all he could do not to thrust in there and then. Instead, he moved slowly. Sair Jinnwai sank down onto his forearms to increase the angle, his groan becoming deeper still.
Obi-Wan grasped his hips, moving just enough to repeat the stimulation. The man's sounds of pleasure were enough to make him want to take things to their logical conclusion, but before he could, Sair Jinnwai surged back up onto his hands, impaling himself completely.
"Oh Force," Obi-Wan groaned, and then reminded himself that he was not supposed to be speaking. He closed his mouth and began to thrust in earnest. He reached forward and stroked as best he could in time with the movements of their hips. Moments later, Sair Jinnwai groaned and shuddered, coming in his hand. Obi-Wan came soon after, and for a moment they knelt there, Obi-Wan resting against his back -- two men rutting on a lonely beach in the Middle Rim, tens of thousands of light years from the Temple. He sighed at the thought of that report to the Council.
As though triggered by the sound, Sair Jinnwai pulled out from underneath him and settled in the shallows on his side, leaning his head on his hand. Obi-Wan sat down beside him, not able to look up at first.
"You need to spend more time in the here and now, Obi-Wan Kenobi," Sair Jinnwai said, in nothing less than perfect Basic.
Obi-Wan goggled at him. "You speak Basic?"
"You asked if I could speak, and I nodded. I just chose not to at that time..." Sair Jinnwai smiled.
It was indeed a test, and he had made a perfect idiot of himself, jabbering away, quite sure that he could not be understood. He buried his face in his hand, not quite sure he would be able to look again at those eyes that were now blazing with amusement and intelligence. "I just presumed..." he said, "what an idiot..."
"Don't be hard on yourself," Sair Jinnwai said. "You presumed far less than your predecessor."
Obi-Wan's head shot up at once. "You were up here with him?"
"No... He didn't figure out the rudimentary communication you did using my books. He left soon after arriving, without my having said one word to him."
"And if he had come up here, you would have..."
At this, Sair Jinnwai laughed; his head fell back, exposing his throat again. "No, Obi-Wan. I don't make a habit of sharing my body with everyone seeking the great knowledge."
"Oh..." Obi-Wan was surprised at the relief he felt at that statement, coming in as it did on an equally surprising rush of jealousy. "So... you are a man of great knowledge?"
"Ahhh," Sair Jinnwai sighed and lay back, so that the water was lapping around the base of his head. "Yes, although at times I wish I wasn't."
"So, you know all about Meribai technology?"
"That, and so much more."
The sorrow in the statement made Obi-Wan curious and he edged closer, looking down into his face. "Sair Jinnwai?"
"Jinnwai will do," Jinnwai said, smiling wistfully up at him. "I need no title."
"You're very powerful in the Force... the Living Force?"
"Yes."
"It is a shame that we never had a Jedi presence here before. You should have been trained. If you had grown up closer to the Inner Rim, you likely would have been discovered."
"I did grow up on the Inner Rim," Jinnwai said quietly. "You may have heard of my birthplace -- Lithoria."
"The disappearing planet?" Obi-Wan gasped. "Yes, it's somewhat of a legend. Master Yoda was fond of telling stories about it. To be honest, we didn't believe it ever existed."
"It existed all right, and it disappeared as well."
"Wh... well, how?"
"That technology you seem so enamoured of, Obi-Wan. The Lithori were a technologically advanced race, as no doubt you have heard from your Master Yoda. As he likely told you of the Lithori refusal to join the Republic, and share that technology."
Obi-Wan nodded.
"The lives of the Lithori were very comfortable. Alas, those who have so much comfort sometimes have too much time to disagree over petty things. A civil war erupted, not that it would appear in your Jedi records. The war was very brief, and culminated with the complete destruction of the planet."
"The planet was destroyed? But there would have been debris... a cometary ring, or something."
"There was nothing," Jinnwai said, sitting up and fixing him earnestly with his gaze. "All that was left was several hundred Lithori who had the "fortune" to be off planet at the time. I was on a flyer re-entering the system. I literally saw the planet disappear with my own eyes."
"Oh..."
"And I felt the souls of a billion beings entering the Force at the same time."
Obi-Wan's stomach lurched with the pain in Jinnwai's expression. "I'm so sorry."
"So, yes, I have the great knowledge", Jinnwai said softly. "Of the technology and of the devastation it wrought. The survivors searched for a place that was as close to Lithoria in appearance as we could find, but much further out, in the Middle Rim. We called it Meriba. We didn't want to draw anyone's attention to our former identity as a people. And here, with a modicum of technology, we have found a way to be happy again."
"But then, why are you all the way out here... on your own?"
"Believe it or not, this is my reward, Obi-Wan. This is what I asked for. I hold the great knowledge. In my time, I have only had to share it a handful of times with the more ambitious of the Meribai, who then go back to enjoying their simple lives in full measure. You are the first off-worlder who has ever persisted long enough to learn the knowledge. If you want it, it is yours, but I warn you... it is not an easy knowledge to live with. Out here, I take solace in simple things and share my life with many "friends" -- the varactyl, Tillia, for one. I live in the moment, as much as I am able." He laughed a little then. "Hence you must forgive my wild appearance... I have been alone for a long time, and haven't bothered with niceties like trimming my hair."
Obi-Wan smiled a little then, and fingered one of the ribbons in his matted beard. "You could do with a trim, Jinnwai, that much is true." He stopped to reflect. "I suppose there are conditions on this knowledge... that if you share it... I can't leave."
Jinnwai's smile faded. "No, the only condition is that I share my experience of the planet's destruction first... the experience of all the Lithori entering the Force as one. It is painful, I warn you. What you do with the knowledge from then on is up to you. However, by the time the Jedi return, we will disappear."
"You would make this planet disappear too?"
"I would do no such thing... however, we would have to move it."
"Move it?"
"After the destruction of our home planet, our surviving scientists did a lot of research into what had happened. Basically, one faction had merely meant to "displace" the other into space. A miscalculation meant that the entire planet was displaced, but not in a controlled way. It simply ceased to exist. We have since perfected the technology, but it was never intended for use as a weapon... it was supposed to be used for purposes like healing -- for instance, removing a cancer by simply displacing the tumour from the body. No surgery."
"Remarkable," Obi-Wan said. "But moving an entire planet? Wouldn't that wreak havoc on the gravitational balance of the destination system?"
"Those effects are included in the calculations. We already have several sites selected in non-populated systems, should we need them."
"And you helped to perfect this knowledge?"
"A little. I'm primarily a botanist, as you've seen from my journals."
"They are yours! Then you can decipher that messy writing."
"Messy?" Jinnwai laughed then. "I suppose I could own that. Due to my strength in the Living Force, botany has always appealed to me. It was only after the destruction of our world that I had to get involved in politics. Being allowed to live out here is compensation for that."
At that moment, Jinnwai nodded up along the beach as a pair of the varactyls came down to the water's edge. "Tallia found a mate several breggani ago. I fully expect to see several little ones spawned soon."
"What is a breggan?" Obi-Wan asked.
"A little longer than one of your Republic tendays."
"Ahh -- at least Sair Alai hadn't planned to keep me here for years."
"A shame," Jinnwai said reflectively, his blue eyes turned intently on Obi-Wan. "What will it be then -- will you take the knowledge back to the Jedi?"
"I don't know." Obi-Wan said at last. In truth it wasn't his decision to make, but he didn't like the sound of entire planets disappearing at whim. "If I did, what would you do?"
"I would stay right here. Perhaps the constellations will change, but I will live out my days here, wherever in the galaxy that Meriba goes."
The words were spoken pragmatically, but Obi-Wan felt great loss at the thought of Jinnwai lying alone under some strange star field. "This place," he said, "feels like it is somehow removed in other ways. In the Core, so much goes on... here, things are simpler."
"Everyone here is a survivor or direct descendent of the event. We choose to live this way, having known the other kind of life. Anyone who shares in the knowledge I possess tends to go home and feel content with their life."
Obi-Wan lay down beside him in the shallows, longing to close the distance between them, but hesitated. There was only one way that he thought he could be sure of the right thing to do.
"Show me," he said. "Show me what happened to Lithoria."
Jinnwai sighed. "I really hoped you wouldn't ask."
"Show me," Obi-Wan repeated gently.
Jinnwai rolled onto his side, reached out a hand, and placed it on Obi-Wan's brow. He closed his eyes and Obi-Wan followed his example.
Obi-Wan became aware of Jinnwai's energy encompassing him as he sank into the Force. Despite that, there was considerable shielding around Jinnwai's mind.
"Please," Obi-Wan whispered, nuzzling closer.
Jinnwai sighed. "The shielding is a habit, I suppose," he murmured, and this time it was Obi-Wan who placed a finger on his lips.
Obi-Wan felt his awareness expanding, somehow raising them out of the bodies lying on the beach, carrying them through space and time. In a very real way, he felt like a creature of energy, a vibrant blue light that shimmered and wound around Jinnwai's green aura. Jinnwai's shields finally came down against his gentle insistence, and the memories unfolded in his mind's eye as if he were witnessing it for himself, as if it were just happening.
He saw a blue-green world, as lush as Meriba appeared from space. He then became aware of a bubble of pain, deep in the midst of the energy carrying him along -- a bubble that expanded ever so slowly -- Jinnwai was obviously taking care not to overload his mind at once. And then, the beautiful blue-green world was gone, leaving behind only the vast blackness of space.
Within the Force, however, the maelstrom was blinding. He huddled close to Jinnwai's energy as the storm flowed outwards, rolling over him in waves and encompassing him with great sorrow. He felt like he wanted to flow away with it, overcome by hopelessness, but Jinnwai's energy held him again, smothering the vision and the sensations. He gasped as if emerging from under the water, nearly drowned, and found himself being pulled back to the calm peace on the beach, into Jinnwai's arms as Jinnwai made the same hushing noise that had calmed his earlier panic.
"That wasn't all," he said at last.
"It was enough," Jinnwai said. "Believe me, it was enough."
A strange sense of protectiveness came over Obi-Wan, as he leant in and kissed Jinnwai full on the lips, and tried to wrap his energy around Jinnwai's, soothing and calming the pain he sensed in the other man's heart.
Jinnwai's lips opened beneath his, yielding to the kiss.
Obi-Wan felt a stirring in his mind, where their energies had connected so intimately. "I still feel you..." he whispered.
"Residual energy..." Jinnwai said. "It will fade with time."
"A shame," Obi-Wan said, realizing he meant it.
"So, shall we retire somewhere more civilized? Shall I give you the rest of the knowledge you desire?"
"I won't need it," Obi-Wan said.
"Oh?"
"Well, you see, I met the Meribai's man of knowledge, and he was a primitive, just as the last envoy said. It was rather a joke."
"Indeed?" Jinnwai smiled.
"Of course, I shall have to try for a breggan to get more information."
"Hmmm... in that case, you might want to move this interrogation inside."
"Back to that hut?" Obi-Wan asked plaintively.
Jinnwai laughed. "I have an alternative -- not quite the primitive decoy you've seen so far. A living compartment, built under the escarpment over yonder. I dare say you will find it quite luxurious in comparison. You might want to wash the sand off first."
Obi-Wan grinned, and together they moved back into the deeper waters and bathed. Obi-Wan was sure of two things. He would offer what Jinnwai had given him. And he would never share the Meribai's knowledge because you can't lie about something you know nothing about.
As he had so many times over the past twenty years, Master Obi-Wan Kenobi found himself walking over the familiar beach towards Jinnwai's home on the lake. Sair Alai had kindly given him a ride to the base of the plateau, in exchange for the gift of the flyer he had donated to the school's ancient technology program. Once at the base of the rock face, he had traded a welcoming lick on Tillia's snout for a ride on her back, preferring her slower stride to that of her more boisterous children -- who he remembered wryly, had become Jinnwai's favourites.
The beach had transformed a little -- the shallow dunes had shifted against the familiar landmarks of the rocks. "Planetary slosh", Jinnwai had jokingly called it in the last coded communication he had sent. It was as if a child's sandbox had been shaken and the features flattened and shifted from one area to the other. The cities and settlements were unaffected, having been built for such practicalities, but small changes reflected in the natural surface. The move had come about through a re-routing decision by the Trade Federation, which meant that Meriba lay too close to exposure by the Republic.
The sun was setting quickly, but as the stars winked on, he was glad that he hadn't accepted Sair Alai's offer to wait for first light. He sensed, before he saw, the man lying on a robe spread out on the beach, his eyes fixed on the starry sky above. He felt the man's welcoming presence blossom into his mind as well-practised shields dropped to admit him.
//Beloved.// Jinnwai's warm voice filled his mind. //Home at last? Finished your duty to Jedi, Republic, and the Galaxy?//
//All finished,// Obi-Wan responded, discarding his clothes as he proceeded. //I died a very honourable death in a blockade on the Outer Rim.// He settled down beside Jinnwai, who pulled him into a crushing embrace and kissed him.
As he had done so many times now, but with a quiet joy that it would not be punctuated by separation, Obi-Wan gave himself to his bondmate's care.
He reacquainted himself with the beloved face -- somehow younger than it had been when they had first met, twenty years ago -- rejuvenated by the bond they shared, and the knowledge that they were together at last. Jinnwai's beard and hair were trimmed short for the occasion, and the only evidence of the colourful ribbons remained in the woven circlet around his neck.
Jinnwai began tracing his face with his lips too, as if recommitting it to memory. Strong hands moved down his chest, and over his stomach and hips. As if anticipating his need, Jinnwai wrapped a hand around his cock and quickly stroked him to completion.
"Force, yes," he gasped into Jinnwai's mouth as he came. //I've missed you... Can't get close enough.//
Jinnwai smiled, moved their heads together, and closed his eyes.
Obi-Wan felt Jinnwai's energy wrapping around his, mingling in the space in their mind where they became one with the bond and each other. They were still very much attached to their bodily selves, but he entered that delicious time when he couldn't truly distinguish where his body ended and Jinnwai's began.
When Jinnwai lifted his hips and began oiling him, he felt as though it were his own fingers doing the preparation, and he felt Jinnwai's love and desire as his own. At the moment that Jinnwai entered him and his body arched in delight, he felt both the sensation of fullness as well as the exquisite friction of driving home. Jinnwai kissed him, and he returned the kiss, bodies and minds melded in perfect harmony before they began rocking together. He felt Jinnwai's completion and groaned in lazy pleasure, as Jinnwai teased the last sensation from his body.
They collapsed onto the robe, limbs tangled, breathless, together. He spooned back against Jinnwai, lying on one of Jinnwai's arms as the other slipped around his waist and pulled him in close. They looked up as they had so many times before at the sky.
"It's all so different," Obi-Wan said.
"I'll teach you the new constellations," Jinnwai murmured near his ear. "Sair Alai's latest class has been very creative."
"Hmmm," Obi-Wan murmured, nuzzling back. "How about a wild man of Meriba?"
Jinnwai laughed heartily and Obi-Wan simply lay there and soaked up the vibrations. He sighed happily.
"What of your young friend, Anakin?"
"My greatest regret is causing him grief... but my suspicions about his affection for Padme Amidala proved correct. He will find comfort with her. He is a fine Jedi."
After a few moments, Jinnwai said. "Will you miss it?"
"Huh?"
"You know -- being a Jedi, saving the galaxy."
Obi-Wan snorted softly. "I've done my share. In case you hadn't noticed, I'm getting quite grey."
Jinnwai chuckled softly. "Just as well it's dark, Love, if that's a problem."
Obi-Wan wriggled and turned over. "It looks to me like you haven't aged a day since I first saw you."
"That would be because I haven't aged biologically more than a couple of years since then."
"Really? Then that would mean..." he calculated quickly, "we're only 7 years apart, instead of 25."
"Hmmm... more or less."
"Say what you will about the dangers of technology," Obi-Wan said. "That's pretty amazing."
"So, you wouldn't love me if I was 75 in body and not just fact?"
Obi-Wan chuckled. "Of course I would... it would just take a little longer to do all the catching up I plan to get done tonight. But seeing as we don't have to deal with hypotheticals anymore..." He pressed close and the response of the flesh rising against his was his answer.
"That's true," Jinnwai said, and shifted for a moment as though reaching for something.
Obi-Wan felt a dull lurch in his chest, and the next moment they lay on the bed inside Jinnwai's cabin under the escarpment. He looked about him, dumbfounded for a moment. "I guessed, but..."
Jinnwai laughed. "That's almost as priceless a look as that first morning when I teleported your lightsaber from the hut."
Obi-Wan didn't know which crime to be more outraged about: the theft or the surveillance. He finally blurted, "You were watching?"
"Of course," Jinnwai murmured. "But then, you were an off-worlder." And he leaned in and swiped his tongue across Obi-Wan's cheek.
Obi-Wan laughed. "You nearly drove me mad that day."
"Think of how difficult it was for me to keep a straight face."
"Think of how much making up you have to do. To start, I can think of a much better use for that tongue."
Not needing any encouragement, Jinnwai smiled and began moving down Obi-Wan's body, licking, sucking, and gently nipping. By the time Jinnwai reached his destination, unlike that first day, words weren't really necessary anymore.
The End
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