Mara Jade is SHIELD's ☕ Queen (marajade) wrote in thedoorway, @ 2013-03-15 22:08:00 |
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Entry tags: | !log, mara jade, obi-wan kenobi |
RP Log; Mara Jade & Obi-Wan Kenobi
Who: Obi-Wan Kenobi & Mara Jade
What: A random meeting
Where: Potts Tower, Floor 13
When: (BACKDATED) 7 March, Thursday.
Rating: Low
Status:COMPLETE
Mara Jade made her way to the thirteenth floor thinking that she might enjoy some outside time that was not likely to be interrupted by tourists. Although most of them didn’t bother her personally - they didn’t recognize her as her - they did sometimes think she was some other person and she had been approached occasionally, and it was enough to irritate her. Not being in the mood for irritation she stepped out of the lift and onto the thirteenth floor. She made her way across it headed towards the balcony so she could enjoy the plants, and perhaps read a little bit more. Mara was beginning to wonder if she was ever going to be taken back, and beyond that if she even wanted to be. A part of her did want to be and for obvious reasons: she didn’t like being tied planet side and she missed the people that were her surrogate family, particularly Talon Karrde and others that were colleagues. She occasionally even missed Skywalker, a fact that was particularly absurd considering that he was here, but it was different and even as she was growing used to the Luke that was here she sometimes still missed the Luke that she had known much better. They were both the same person and also different, and it was those differences that always threw her a little bit. As she approached the balcony she realized that she wasn’t alone. Another man was already there, sitting as still as she could picture, and she realized with a sudden jolt, that she recognized the pose as a Jedi meditation pose, and as she drew nearer, she also recognized the man: Obi-Wan Kenobi. This younger version wasn’t the teacher that had pulled Luke Skywalker off of Tatooine, but rather a Jedi Knight (or Master? she couldn’t be certain she supposed) of the Old Republic -- before Order 66 had rendered the Jedi Order cut down to the two Jedi who had managed to escape, and a baby boy who would eventually grow into the leader of a new Jedi Order. Mara hesitated uncertain if she should disturb him or not. The reality was that she was curious about this man she’d agreed to name her son after, and about someone who was able to escape the almost complete purge Palpatine had put into effect. Add to this the fact that she was curious to talk to someone who was a Jedi... She had questions she wasn’t certain could be answered by Luke here. She didn’t know if she’d like the answers Obi-Wan had to give, but the questions could still be asked. Mara hovered uncertainly for a moment and then finally walked across to the railing to look out over the city, bypassing the meditating Jedi. If he wanted to come out of the meditation and speak with her he would. She wouldn’t be the one to interrupt him. Obi-Wan had felt her before she stepped onto the balcony. She had a strong presence in the Force and his first thought was that it might be Leia but a further searching told him that it wasn’t. He didn’t know this person and that made him curious. There were others here that he could sense, he knew that but as yet he hadn’t met them all. When she came and stood near him to look out over the city, he looked at her, studying her for a moment before he spoke. He’d seen her on the network. Mara Jade, he believed her name was and from what he’d gathered she was destined to be someone important in Luke’s life which made him all the more curious about her. Other than that fact, he knew very little about her. “Hello,” he said finally. “I see I’m not the only one who has discovered that this part of the building can be a good place to get away from the madness.” Mara turned and offered him a smile giving him a glance over. He looked exactly like a Jedi ought to look. There was a calmness about him that absolutely reminded her of Luke in her own timeline. It made sense, she supposed, as Obi-Wan had been one of the Jedi that had trained Luke and even if he had not trained Luke as much as Yoda, he had been the first Jedi Luke had ever met and she knew that Ben had made an impression on Skywalker. “No. It’s nice to have some place one can be outside without being hassled by the native occupants of the planet,” she said with a smile and an outstretched hand. “I’m Mara Jade, by the way. I don’t know that we’ve met in person yet.” “No we haven’t. It’s nice to meet you,” Obi-Wan replied and shook her hand. “You’re right. It is rather nice to have a place like this. I understand the curiosity of the people who live here but it gets rather old, doesn’t it?” Things were a bit better than they had been but Obi-Wan still hesitated to venture outside Potts Tower very often. “I have to confess to using a few Jedi mind tricks to convince people that I’m not who they think I am.” He smiled at Mara. “Some might find that a bit...unethical...but no one comes to any harm and I can actually leave the building without being harassed..” While he spoke he was studying Mara. He could understand what Luke saw in her or would see in her. She had an air of confidence about her and he could sense that the Force was strong with her. “How are you adjusting to being here? It’s all very different from our time, isn’t it? And you are from farther in the future than I.” “You’ll get no complaints from me,” Mara said easily, a grin coming to her lips at the admission. She hadn’t been entirely certain what to expect from him. She’d seen the films and she’d had a heart-to-heart with Anakin Skywalker. She knew that Obi-Wan was a member of the old Order and Mara had qualms enough with Luke’s new Order, much less the Order that had been the heart of the Old Republic, but she found that she already liked Obi-Wan at this comment. It might or might not be entirely ethical, but it was incredibly practical - particularly in this place - and she liked that he was practical. “I’m adjusting,” she said, leaning against the balcony rail and looking out across the city. It still startled her to have no force fields to keep speeders and traffic out, and that all of the traffic was ground based, and thus far removed from the thirteenth floor. “It is different. I think I still miss the ships the most,” she shrugged. “I’ve been here almost four months now, and this is the longest I’ve been planet-side in years... “But I am adjusting. I finally have begun to get used to their communicators, and the oddity of,” she hesitated for a moment. “All of the different timelines here, which, yes, I am further in the future than you. Further than basically everyone except Jaina and Myri, I think.” “I believe we all miss the ships. Anakin and I have talked about that. It seems strange not seeing them everywhere.” He joined her at the rail and followed her gaze. “The different timelines are difficult to deal with I must admit. Luke remembers me as an old man, so does Leia. And Han Solo called me ancient.” Obi-Wan chuckled. “Yet I’m none of those things. At least not yet. Then there is the fact that you and others from your time only know Anakin as Darth Vader. I knew him before and seeing him as he was has been an unexpected surprise of being here.” As surprised as he had been to find himself in the 21st century, Obi-Wan was grateful that he had the chance to see Anakin again, the man who had been his best friend and in many ways his brother. “I’m enjoying getting to know Luke as well. The last thing I remember before the Tesseract took me was holding him as a baby and showing him the twin sunset on Tatooine. Beru had just come to take him from me so that she could feed him when I was taken. So meeting him as a grown man was quite a surprise but also a relief. It was good to know that he and Leia were safe. Now that I’ve seen the films as I believe they’re called, I know more of the story although I don’t know your story. Only bits and pieces that I’ve learned from the network.” “I suspect the oddest part of this place is the timeline discrepancies,” Mara said quietly. “About a month after I arrived my son showed up briefly. The Tesseract took him back again almost as quickly as he arrived, but it was long enough to startle me completely. I never saw myself as a mother, and at the moment I never saw myself getting married, or being a Jedi Master either,” she shook her head. “Eventually I apparently do all of those things, and it’s a bit odd having your future handed to you without any context - but then you probably know a bit about that,” she glanced over at him. He’d seen the films so he had a little bit of context, but of course there was that question of what he did during those eighteen years between handing Luke off to his ‘Aunt’ and ‘Uncle’ and Luke seeking out old Ben Kenobi. The films hadn’t answered those and she wondered if Obi-Wan had any questions about it himself. “Anyway, let’s start with the parts that aren’t likely to make you want to draw a lightsaber,” she said wryly. “I’m Mara Jade. If you’ve seen the films, then the timeline I’m from is about five....” she wrinkled up her nose. “Or six? Anyway, around there, years after the Battle at Endor and the Emperor’s destruction. Currently, as in directly before the Tesseract pulled me here I’m working for a man named Talon Karrde who is a smuggler, although he has a pretty strong ethical core you don’t always find in that profession. Luke Skywalker and I are friends when I’m from. He’s a lot different than the Luke who is here... actually you remind me a bit of the Luke I know. Probably something about that calm Jedi aura,” she glanced over at him and smiled. She wondered a bit just how much he’d actually heard across the network. The bit she’d given him touched nothing on her past and she wasn’t certain how much to touch on at first. After a moment’s hesitation she added simply with the certainty she suspected he, being a Jedi, could pick up on, that she would answer questions if they were asked: “My past is a good deal more checkered than that.” Obi-Wan listened to her story, curious to know more about her checkered past although he could sense that it was very interesting. “I can imagine meeting your son was quite the shock,” he said. “and yes I do know a bit about having your past show up in front of you. I saw myself as a very old man which was comforting in a way, at least I know I survived but I also watched myself surrender my life to the Force which was a bit jarring to say the least. The strange thing is that while I was watching I knew exactly what I was going to do so apparently I don’t change all that much.” He gave her a dry smile. “Except for the fact that apparently I became a hermit and wasn’t allowed to see Luke even though I had promised his mother that I would make sure the children were taken care of. I’m not sure why Owen was so dead set on keeping me from Luke other than the obvious reason.” He had found himself wondering exactly what had happened during that time. Had he indeed tried to visit Luke, tried to tell him of his parents? Obi-Wan knew that had been his intention and he found it hard to believe that he wouldn’t have tried to keep the promise that he’d made to Padme’. The blank spot in his history bothered him but there didn’t seem to be a way to fill it in. “You know the story about how I eventually did meet Luke of course. I’m sure you’ve seen the films or Luke himself told you...’ his voice trailed off as he glanced at her and noted the light saber hanging on her belt. “Anakin’s lightsaber,” he said, a note of surprise in his voice. “I kept it after all that happened on Mustafar. I wanted to give it to Luke which according to the film I did but he gave it to you.” Obi-Wan looked up and met her eyes. “You must be special to him then. I can’t imagine him giving that to just anyone.” Mara tended to forget about the fact that the lightsaber she wore used to be Anakin Skywalker’s until she was confronted with the fact as she had been by Anakin, and now by Obi-Wan, but of course Obi-Wan would have recognized it. She glanced down at it, running a finger over the hilt. She supposed that Obi-Wan was right, actually she supposed she now knew that he was although she admitted to wondering a bit after he’d originally given it to her, and she supposed she would have been kept wondering as long as it apparently took the two of them to come together. “He’s my husband - or rather will be.” Mara said finally. She had come to peace with that part of her future surprisingly easily. It was just the awkwardness it left in the present time that she’d had a difficult time coming to a calm point around. “So, yes, I suppose you could say that. But at the time he gave it to me, just friends,” she smiled at the memory. “With possibly a bit of ‘please become a Jedi’ attached to it. “Obviously in the future the Order changes its standing on marriage and family,” Obi-Wan observed. “I can’t help but think that is a good thing.” Perhaps if the Order of his time had not been so dead set on Jedi turning everything over to the Force, renouncing their emotions, allowed them to be themselves, things might have turned out differently for Anakin and Padme’. “Luke obviously sensed something in you that made him believe you would make a good Jedi. I can see that he was right.” He could sense it too, Mara was strong in the Force and Obi-Wan could tell that she was a person who would fight for what she believed in. Much like the older Luke that he’d seen in the movies. “It must feel strange to you, seeing Luke here and knowing that you’re going to marry him in your future. I find myself wondering what I did during the years after I left Luke with Owen and Beru until we met again.” There appeared to be no documentation of those intervening years, nothing in the films he had seen or in the few books he’d looked through. There were so many and he had no idea of where to start. “I’d be quite surprised if someone appeared here one day and told me that they had been my wife. I’m not sure what I would do if that happened.” He smiled at Mara. “The Order in my time didn’t approve of a Jedi having a family as you no doubt are aware. However when Luke was young, the Order was simply myself and Master Yoda who was on Dagobah. Maybe I did have a wife.” Mara nodded. It had been obvious from the films that the Jedi of old had not looked favorably upon attachment, but then Luke had never known that, at least not that she knew of. She considered for a moment. “When I know him - and I know that eventually he learns more, finds data sources that managed to escape Palpatine’s rather thorough purge, that sort of thing - but when I know him the only thing he really knows about the Jedi Order he’s learned from you and Master Yoda,” she said thoughtfully. “I don’t think either of you ever mentioned the marriage thing to him. Perhaps that’s at least partially because the heart of the Jedi Order isn’t necessarily about marriage and family, but is about being true to the Force. Attachment can be a dangerous thing, but it can also make one stronger - and not necessarily just when one touches the Dark Side.” She shook her head. “And now I’m philosophising and I am neither a Jedi Knight, nor do I have any knowledge of what the original Order taught. I suppose I just know what I’ve seen, and Luke in particular seems to be a stronger person because of the attachments he’s made. “I haven’t run into anything that talks about those years on Tatooine,” she added, giving him a sympathetic look. She would find it frustrating to know the end of her life without having any piece of the middle picture, she thought, but then again, the entire thing could be frustrating. “I’ve not read through all the books though, and to be honest even when I was reading them I was focusing on what came after I met Skywalker, not what came before.” “Naturally,” he replied. “anyone would want to know what happens next and not necessarily what happened before.” Obi-Wan thought about what she had said about Luke’s initial knowledge of the Jedi Order. It was true that neither he nor Master Yoda had gone into details about the Jedi views of attachment, they were focusing on preparing Luke for what was to come, when they knew he would have to face his father. “I cannot speak for Master Yoda of course but I can see now that denying one’s feelings, not being attached, can only lead to more pain, not save you from it. I think perhaps I even thought that then although I can’t say for sure since I haven’t gotten there yet.” Obi-wan glanced thoughtfully out at the city below them. “I think Luke was very wise in encouraging you to be a Jedi,” he said finally. “because you understand what the old Order didn’t. Being true to the Force doesn’t necessarily mean denying yourself. It’s possible to do both. You’re right, there is a thin line when it comes to the Dark Side but if you understand that, you’re better prepared to face the trials when they come.” He turned and smiled at her. “I’m glad that the two of you eventually found each other. Luke obviously had great faith in you and your abilities.” It was high praise and Mara wasn’t entirely convinced that she deserved it or that Obi-Wan would hand it out if he’d known that she’d one time worked for Palpatine, or that she had been an assassin. She smiled a little uncomfortably. Perhaps she did understand some of these things - maybe even better than she thought she did. Certainly Luke didn’t seem to doubt her, but sometimes she wondered herself. “I suppose I’ve seen the Dark Side first hand,” she said finally, looking out across the city rather than directly at Obi-Wan. “It’s given me a perspective on it that’s different, perhaps. It seems that those who utilize the Dark Side look to manipulate attachments in one way or another. Perhaps that’s much easier to do if you don’t acknowledge the attachment in the first place. It certainly seems like it has been.” It had been for Anakin she was certain of it. If the Jedi had acknowledged his attachment to Padme and supported it Palpatine wouldn’t have been able to manipulate it. Palpatine had couched her attachment to him as loyalty to a boss, but in reality it had been something more complicated than that because he had been the only family she’d ever known. She shook her head and grinned. “At any rate, I’m pretty certain the Force had a hand in my finding Luke as he was in a Jedi trance in an X-Wing in the middle of empty space, but I’m glad I found him as well. “Have you been settling in here?” She asked, turning over to look at him. “All things considered?’ “Once you’ve encountered the Dark Side first hand, you do see things differently,” he replied. “and you’re right about those who use it manipulating attachments. I think that’s what the old Order was trying to prevent by being so strict about them but now I can see that they might not have been correct in that.” Since being here and spending time with Anakin as well as seeing the future unfold in the films, Obi-Wan could see things from a different perspective and it had given him a lot to think about. “How am I settling in here? That is a good question,” he replied with a laugh. “I’m not fond of the clothing styles in this century. I prefer my Jedi robes but if I go out in them I attract attention. That’s been rather difficult to get used to, the fact that people know who I am and aren’t hesitant to stop me and try to talk to me. At least it has gotten a little better now that they aren’t coming around the tower so much. “I suppose that’s the benefit of having not actually been shown in the films,” Mara laughed. “Technically I was at Jabba’s Palace when Skywalker was there, but it doesn’t seem that they put me in. So - since I wasn’t in it, then I am also apparently not recognizable.” She shook her head. It was something that had ticked her off initially, but when the tourists had shown up she’d realized it was a blessing in disguise. “Thankfully leggings and tunics don’t seem to draw too much attention here,” she glanced down at her own outfit and shrugged. “It’s been interesting trying to get used to all of the differences. I think more so because I usually am so knowledgeable about a culture or a planet before I go there. It was really disconcerting to suddenly be dropped on a planet I knew nothing about and into a culture that - while similar - is also different and enough so to set you just off-footed.’ “You do have an advantage there. I would like to be unrecognizable sometimes,” Obi-Wan sighed. “This culture is rather different isn’t it? The people are all humans at least. Well the ones outside this building. I believe we might have a few residents who haven’t always been human amongst us.” He’d read posts on the network from refugees who had formerly been animals, even one who had been some sort of space ship. That one especially had surprised him. “The Tesseract seems to have some interesting powers, whatever it is.” He glanced once more at Mara. “What do you do? I mean do you have a job here? I know that not everyone works but it would be nice to have something to do other than sit in my apartment all day. Unfortunately there isn’t much need for a Jedi Knight around here.” “It seems to be automatically disguising everyone,” Mara started and then amended: “Well, sort of. If it were really doing that then it would change everyone that is recognizable as well, but it seems to understand that a non-human intelligent form would not fit in on this planet, and so if it pulls something that isn’t, it recreates it into a humanoid body. It’s fascinating, even if I still have no idea what or why. I’ve heard some interesting theories: I might even think there’s a grain of truth to some of them, but none of them are likely to get me back home, so I’m getting used to the strangeness of here. Even if I still miss the stars.” Her eyes drifted upwards into the sky. The daylight masked all of the stars that were out there from view, but she knew they were there. They looked different than any of the planets she knew, but they called to her and it was frustrating to not be able to jump into a ship and just go. “I joined up with SHIELD,” she finally turned back to Obi-Wan and gave a slight wrinkle to her nose. “It seemed like a good idea at the time, and I’m not entirely sorry that I did as it’s keeping me busy, but at the same time it’s been a lot of very basic training thus far. I get it - I do. But for someone who was once a highly placed Imperial operative, and who has been pretty high up in the chain of command of a major smuggling organization, and who is essentially heading up an alliance between the New Republic and Smugglers - it chafes at times. I’m sure I’m not the only one, as a lot of us here are used to being large space slugs in small asteroids, but that doesn’t always help,” she shook her head. “I’ve - been doing some physical training with Sam Winchester - a friend I’ve met here - and Luke has been trying to talk me into training as a Jedi. I’ve done some lightsaber sparring with Jaina, but not much else at this point.” She stopped, on the tip of her tongue to ask about the Jedi, but ultimately she kept quiet. “I have no idea what I want to do,” Obi-Wan said thoughtfully. “I don’t know if I would fit in with SHIELD. I’m afraid our philosophies might differ a good deal. I might have to give it some thought though. I’m pretty fair as a negotiator, perhaps they might need someone to do that.” He was being modest because Obi-Wan was known as a brilliant negotiator in his time but this was most definitely not his time. “If you’re interested in doing more lightsaber training, I’d be willing to work with you,” he said. Although they’d only just officially met, Obi-Wan already knew that he liked the young woman and sensed that she would be an excellent Jedi. “You’d be doing me a favor as well. Give me something to do. I’ve been doing some work with Luke as well now that Anakin has started to work at Stark Industries.” “Well, considering most of the basic needs are taken care of here, it’s not as if you need to make a decision immediately,” Mara pointed out. “It was probably about two months after I got here before I considered seriously joining SHIELD. I’m still not certain whether it’s exactly the right fit, but I get bored easily and it was something to keep me busy. Additionally it seemed like a good idea to have someone who knew a bit about the Force and how Jedi fight. There’s no telling who or what might get pulled through the Tesseract and I’m not certain they’ve thought about it, but it seems like having people who are experts on certain subjects might not be all bad,” she shrugged briefly. “Not that I’m exactly an expert on fighting Jedi or the more likely trouble maker’s Sith - but I’m more familiar than most of the rest of SHIELD.” She was quiet for a moment and then turned over to look at Obi-Wan carefully. She had seen the films, obviously, and she knew that he knew what had happened to Anakin. She knew that he’d at least tried to uphold the decisions of the Council, but she hadn’t been convinced that he’d always believed them one hundred percent - certainly it seemed like he’d spent most of his life partnered with people who challenged those ideas. She considered this and really it all ran together into the idea that she did want to know more - even if she wasn’t ready to become a Jedi... exactly. “Maybe I’ll do that,” she gave him a quick smile. “Lightsaber training will come in handy at any case, and who knows, might even be handy for SHIELD as well.” “I’m more than happy to help you,” he replied. “and you’d be doing me a favor as well. I spend too much time thinking as it is. While meditation is a big part of the Jedi tradition, one can only do so much of it before you start thinking about what you want to have for dinner.” Obi-Wan smiled. He knew that a lot of people believed him to be rather humorless but that was not the case at all, in fact nothing could be further from the truth. “You have a point. Anything could come through the Tesseract so it never hurts to be prepared.” Mara turned back to the city scape in front of them. “I don’t really think it’s likely anything terrible is going to come through, but you just never know.” She grinned at the comment about meditation and thinking about dinner. She nodded. “Then I shall take you up on the opportunity,” she promised. “So long as you don’t force me into too much meditation, that is,” she straightened up and gave him a thoughtful look. “When would work for you? With SHIELD training usually early mornings or later evenings are best - probably early mornings, honestly. Or just the weekends...” “Early mornings are good. I tend to be an early riser,” he said. “There is a sparring area in the garage in the basement. Anakin and I use it quite a bit. We can meet there if you like. Perhaps early on Saturday morning?” Mara nodded. “I’ve been there myself - not for lightsaber sparring, but just in general. I know where you’re speaking of. I can be there Saturday morning.” She had no idea if this was a good idea or not, but she hadn’t entirely been lying about the possibility of something darker coming through the Tesseract. It was bewildering to her that - so far as they knew - nothing with a more sinister intent had come through. But perhaps that ‘so far as they knew’ was the truly important part there. Certainly it seemed the possibility that a not so decent person might come through, and so from that perspective alone learning to fight with the Force on her own terms - and not on the Emperor’s - was worth her time. “It’s been good to meet you,” she said finally. She hesitated for a moment and then gave him a thoughtful look. “Our son’s name is Ben,” she offered. “I don’t know if you knew that or not, and I don’t think I mentioned it before. Luke wouldn’t say one way or another, but I know him well enough to know that we named him after you and I never thought I’d get the chance to meet you - so there are some good things about this place after all, aren’t there?” Obi-Wan smiled at her. He was touched that Luke had named his son for him even if that was many years in the future. “I didn’t know that,” he replied. “and I’m honored that the two of you did that. I’m not sure how I came to be called Ben though. I obviously changed my name after I left Luke with Owen and settled on Tatooine but I’d be curious to know how I chose the name. Well it doesn’t matter, it’s a nice name. I rather like it. I might even consider using it here. I have a feeling that it might be simpler to get a job if I don’t call myself Obi-Wan although the Kenobi part is bound to give me away.” He looked at her for a moment, thinking that he could easily see why Luke had married her. She reminded him of Padme’ in some ways and even though Luke had never met his mother before now, a part of him must have seen that in Mara. “It’s been good to meet you. I look forward to working with you, Mara. I’ll see you on Saturday morning then.” “I can’t answer that one for you. Luke from my time might be able to, but I doubt the Skywalker here can. So unless its hidden away in some piece of our story available to this world, it seems likely to stay a mystery. Mysteries aren’t all bad,” she grinned at him. “I’ll see you Saturday morning.” She pushed off from the edge of the rail and stepped away offering him a brief nod before she headed back into the building. It had been an interesting, if unexpected, encounter and Mara found she was looking forward to the training more than she had thought she might where Jedi training was involved. Perhaps Jedi training wasn’t so much to be feared as she had thought. |