The Heart of Destiny

Author: Laura Kenobi

Disclaimer: Unfortunately for me, I don't own Star Wars. I do, however, own any original characters, planets, etcetera that I created for this story.

Archive: Please contact me first!

Comments/Reviews: You can email me through my profile, and you can always leave a review!

Author's Notes: ((italics)) represents thoughts and / italics / represents communication through the Force.

This story was first published in its original version beginning on June 21, 2001. In July 2005, I decided that since four years had passed and my skills as a writer had undoubtedly improved since this story was first written and posted, it might be refreshing to return to this story and give it a fresh look and an update. For the most part the overall story remains the same - my goal has been to improve on and expand on the original, so I hope the result will prove enjoyable to all of you who are wonderful enough to read and review. The version of this story below is the updated version. Call it the "Special Edition" version of this story.

Many thanks to all of you who have reviewed my previous stories! It's the best feeling in the world to know that you feel my work is worth commenting on. I appreciate it! I hope you will feel that this story is worth reviewing.

Please note that I wrote this long before either Attack of the Clones or Revenge of the Sith, so none of this story is written to correspond with those films. All I had to go one was The Phantom Menace. Thanks!

Summary: Obi-Wan Kenobi and Qui-Gon Jinn start out on a mission, and a lifetime of memories follow.

Chapter One

Obi-Wan Kenobi shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He was growing restless.

((Shouldn't we be there by now? How long does it take to get to Athonia anyway?))

The seventeen-year-old Padawan and his Master, Qui-Gon Jinn, were on their way to the planet Athonia aboard the ship called the Axon II, on a mission to help negotiate peace between the two main civilizations of the planet: the Zinca and the Athians. The two groups had been arguing over a sacred section of the planet for years; both sides claimed it for their own purposes. Recently the arguing had taken a violent turn, and the planet was dangerously close to civil war. The Jedi had been called upon to help settle the dispute. In theory, the mission would be simple.

((But many times the simple missions are the ones that end the worst.))

/ Growing restless, Padawan? /

Obi-Wan nearly fell out of his chair. His master had disappeared hours ago to do some research on Athonia and the situation. He had instructed Obi-Wan to do the same.

((And I did... for a while anyway.))

"Yes, Master. I apologize if I disturbed you."

Qui-Gon smiled. "It won't be much longer, Obi-Wan. We should be arriving within the hour. I just finished reading over those data pads. The situation on Athonia is very serious."

Obi-Wan nodded in agreement. If a civil war were to break out... he sighed. The repercussions for the planet could be irreversible. He glanced up at Qui-Gon.

"I have a bad feeling about this, Master. The situation is so unstable."

"Yes, it is. But don't center on your anxieties, Obi-Wan. Keep your concentration here and now where it belongs."

Obi-Wan resisted the urge to sigh again. He had heard that line a thousand times...

"Yes, Master. I think I should go get ready." He stood up and started for the door.

"Padawan?"

Obi-Wan stopped and turned to look at Qui-Gon, "Yes?"

"Don't worry about the mission. We'll be fine. We've handled much worse than this." Qui-Gon gave him an encouraging smile. Obi-Wan smiled briefly back, then turned and hurried to gather his mind, and his things.

((He's right. Nothing will happen. The best thing to do is to stay calm.))

He shook his head, but the feeling of dread wouldn't go away. He would have to work around it.

/ We're about to pull out of hyperspace, Padawan. /

/ Okay, I'll be right there. /

Obi-Wan snatched his robe and lightsaber off his small bed and hurried back to the cockpit. Qui-Gon did not turn as he entered; he knew the younger man was there. He reached for the hyperspace lever.

"Strap yourself in, Obi-Wan. You know how rough this can be." A small chuckle escaped from his Master's lips, and Obi-Wan smiled as he strapped himself into a seat by the wall. As his master's large hand pushed the lever towards the ceiling, however, the Force screamed a warning, and as the Axon II pulled out of hyperspace blaster fire exploded all around them.

Obi-Wan stiffened in surprise, and then knew no more as his head slammed against the wall and darkness claimed him.

/ ...-Wan? Padawan? Wake up... Obi-Wan... /

As he drifted slowly back to consciousness, Obi-Wan was aware of two things. His Master was calling him and his head throbbed as if he had been run over by a herd of banthas. He slowly opened his eyes, and was greeted by his Master's face hovering over him. Qui-Gon's eyes shone with worry, and, Obi-Wan noticed, he had a burn mark running across his right cheek from his ear to his chin.

"Padawan, how do you feel?"

"Like my head was run over by a herd of banthas. What happened?"

"We crashed, but we're on Athonia. You were strapped into a seat next to the wall, and you hit your head and knocked yourself unconscious," Qui-Gon's eyes betrayed his serious tone for a moment, teasing the younger Jedi.

"The situation here is less than ideal." Obi-Wan surmised sarcasticly.

He could sense terror, pain, and death. It was, in truth, frightening to the young Jedi. So much death...

"What are we going to do?"

Qui-Gon looked more upset than usual. "I'm not sure. You need to see a healer, but I'm afraid that cannot be arranged. Do you think you can stand?"

"I can... yes." ((Do or do not. There is no try.))

As he struggled to his feet, Obi-Wan had to grasp his Master's arm to keep from falling. The world spun around him for a moment, and then came into focus. He blinked a few times, and then looked up at Qui-Gon.

"I'm ready."

Worry practically spilled out of Qui-Gon's eyes, but he nodded. "Come this way. Lean on me. This may be a long walk." As Obi-Wan nodded, the Master sighed. "Tell me at once if you need a break. I don't want you to injure yourself more than you already are. Understand?"

"Yes, of course, Master. I will let you know."

After hours walking, resting, walking, and resting again, the pair came upon a small town. What was left of it, anyway.

"Let's hope that we can find a communications device of some kind here, or maybe a transport. We need to contact the Temple. How are you holding up?" Qui-Gon looked more distraught than Obi-Wan expected.

((Am I really hurt that badly? Maybe the pain in my head is overriding everything else...))

"I'm holding, Master. I'll be fine." He flashed an impish smile to encourage the older Jedi. He didn't want to be a problem. Qui-Gon had other things to worry about. ((Like how to get us off this rock.))Obi-Wan sighed. Why couldn't this mission just go as planned?

((Keep your concentration here and now where it belongs...))

They crept around the town, searching everywhere they could for something that would be of use. Finally, Qui-Gon came across a small holo-projector half buried in the dust. He yanked it out of the ground, and tried to switch it on. It came on, but very weakly.

Qui-Gon wasted no time. He punched in the number that would get them into contact with the Temple, but before anyone answered he grasped his head in pain and fell to the ground. The sudden attack startled Obi-Wan, and he quickly moved to check Qui-Gon's status. Had his Master been injured? He wasn't sure what to do; Qui-Gon was alive, but unconscious.

The pain in Obi-Wan's head was increasingly getting stronger. He felt isolated. "Master? Master? Wake up... Master? Master!" Trying to muffle his feeling of dread, Obi-Wan grabbed the holo-projector. His head whirled.

((Please answer. Please!))

As Yoda's face appeared on the screen, Obi-Wan held back tears of relief. "Padawan Kenobi, help do you require?"

"Master Yoda, we've crashed on Athonia. I've been injured, and Master Jinn has just fallen unconscious. He just fell over a moment ago... I'm not sure what happened. He just grabbed his head and fell over!"

Obi-Wan felt like a two-year-old. He was on the verge of panicking. ((Force, I'm seventeen years old. What's wrong with me?)) He was usually calm in these situations.

"Panic you must not. Send another team of Jedi the Council will. Stay calm you must. Know your location, do you?"

"I don't know. After we crashed, we just began to walk. I think we headed east, but it was all a big blur to me... I don't know... Master Yoda..." Obi-Wan was delirious. His head roared, and his bruised and broken body screamed for medical attention. He felt like everything was out of control. He continued to ramble to the small Jedi Master.

"Master Yoda, I'm afraid. I don't want to die here... I... I... Master..."

The pain was blinding him. He gasped for air, and distantly heard Master Yoda calling his name, but he could not respond. ((Please help...))Sobs racked his body now, and the last thing he heard before again plunging into darkness was Master Yoda's voice.

"Be strong, young Kenobi. Arrive soon, help will. Obi-Wan! Obi-Wan..."

...beep...beep...beep...beep...

Obi-Wan jerked awake with a start. Without even opening his eyes, he knew he was in the Temple medi-center. He had been injured so many times...

((Master!))

It all came flooding back to him. The crash, his concussion, the holo-projector, Qui-Gon's collapse, Master Yoda calling his name...

/ Master? /

/ Obi-Wan? Padawan? /

/ Master! Are you okay? You were unconscious... I... I wasn't sure... / He felt suddenly humiliated at the way he had reacted. Jedi were supposed to be calm under stress.

/ It's all okay now, Padawan. I'm fine. We're back in the Temple now. The other team of Jedi found us a few hours after you talked to Master Yoda. They are on the planet now, trying to help the rulers come to a compromise. The healers said that I must have had an allergic reaction to something on the planet. I'm fine, I promise. I'm sorry I scared you. /

/ No, Master, don't be sorry. I'm just so glad you're alive and fine... Where are you? /

"Why don't you open your eyes and see for yourself?"

Obi-Wan's eyes flew open. Qui-Gon was sitting in a chair beside his bed. His heart filled with relief. "Master..."

"I'm right here, Obi-Wan. Everything's going to be okay."

"I'm so glad... Force, I'm so glad."

"Sleep now Obi-Wan. You have a small concussion, and a few of your ribs are severely bruised. You need your rest. I'll be here when you wake up."

Obi-Wan could barely keep his eyes open. "Yes Master." he whispered, and he fell into a deep slumber.

- A few months later -

"Master, do we have to?"

"Yes, we do. Master L'arel is a very dear friend of mine, and she has most graciously invited us to dinner while she is here between missions. Please don't make trouble out of this, Padawan."

"Yes Master. I was out of hand... I just wish I could stay here. Sitting and listening to two Masters talk and does not exactly thrill me."

"Don't worry, Obi-Wan. We'll try not to bore you too much. And, if I'm not mistaken, Master L'arel has an apprentice about your age."

"Really?" Obi-Wan liked the sound of that. Finally, a friend of Qui-Gon's with an apprentice.

"No promises, but I think so. So perhaps the two of you could go do something. Would that be better than sitting with two boring Masters?" Qui-Gon's eyes twinkled. Obi-Wan couldn't help but laugh.

"Yes sir!"

"Lets go, then. We don't want to be late."

"Yes Master."

End Chapter 1.

If you could take the time to review, I would appreciate it! This is the first of quite a few chapters, but I'm not exactly sure how many yet.

I'll try to post a new chapter every day or so – check back often for updates! Thanks again for reading, and may the Force be with you! - Laura