WELCOME TO MY BRAND NEW STAR WARS FANFICTION STATTING MY MAIN MAN OBI-WAN

I will be following the main storylines of the films but it will diverge from the Star Wars you know in one key place ;). There'll still be all the familiar moments but with one important difference.

To those who prefer or also want to read my other fanfiction It Started On Themiscyra, don't worry it's still continuing. I'm just taking the opportunity to get started on my next story since my Batman/Wonder Woman one is about to end.

Anyway I don't have much more to add here expect comment, favorite and follow. Love it or hate it let me know so I can imrove.

Enjoy chepter 1 of NEVER TOO OLD WHEN YOU HAVE THE HIGH GROUND

Chapter 1: The Master Awakens

Obi-Wan felt tired.

Not so much due to his age. While he looked like an old man, he was only fifty-eight and the people of his home planet had much longer life spans compared to ordinary humans. He was past his prime but far from obsolete, defenceless or harmless.

Obi-Wan was tired because he'd just finished an intensive, two-hour long lightsaber training. After much digging around in the markets and junkyards of Mos Eisley he was able to salvage an old droid combat remote. It was badly damaged, but he knew capable hands who could fix it. Those of the one he was protecting on this desert planet: Luke Skywalker.

He'd left him the droid and made a whole deal about how he was curious to know what it was and if it would ever work again. Obi-Wan was impressed when Luke instantly labeled it as a combat remote. It only took him a couple hours to fix it and Obi-Wan could not tell the difference between this one and the ones he'd used many times at the Jedi Temple all those years ago.

The memory brought a slight sadness to his eyes as he rinsed the sweat off his bruised and aged body. Decades of living amidst the most retched hive of scum and villainy was bound to leave one's body worst for wear.

As he dried himself off and put his old Jedi robes back on he felt the slightest of twitches through the Force which told him that Luke had strayed away from the surroundings of his uncle's farm. He followed his Force signature closely as it progressed further and further into the mountain ranges: the Sand People's territory; whose Force signatures he could sense moving towards Luke's.

With a sharp whistle, Obi-Wan called his Eopie from its stables and quickly mounted up before taking off into a gallop towards the mountains.

"It would appear the time has come." Obi-Wan reflected as he rubbed his beard thoughtfully.

Luke opened his eyes with a blazing headache.

He remembered spotting two of the Sand People's Banthas after finding the little blue R2 unit. Then he'd been attacked from behind by one of them, and after that he must have been knocked out.

As his eyes focused, he noticed the hooded figure standing over him. He was saying something but Luke couldn't hear him with his ears still ringing. Once all his senses were back in equilibrium, he finally recognized the man:

"Ben? Ben Kenobi!" he exclaimed with a smile. "Boy am I glad to see you!"

Obi-Wan smiled at the young man's enthusiasm.

"The Jundland Wastes are not to be travelled lightly," the old man admonished with a smile. He helped the boy off his feet and guided him to sit. "Tell me young Luke, what brings you out this far?"

"This little droid," the boy groaned, pointing at R2-D2 who beeped in acknowledgement. "I think he's searching for his former master but I've never seen such devotion in a droid before."

Obi-Wan smiled at the remark. He had no idea how R2-D2, his fallen apprentice's old astromech, had wound up on Tatooine but the fact it had ended up with the son of that same apprentice made him happy. Especially considering who had likely been its previous owner.

Obi-Wan decided to keep quiet about having known R2-D2. The droid hadn't recognized him, perhaps due to a memory wipe, and there was no need to confuse Luke at this point.

"He claims to be the property of an Obi-Wan Kenobi," Luke continued to explain. "Is he a relative of yours? Do you know who he's talking about?"

So the time truly is now, Obi-Wan reflected. He sat down slowly on a rock. How long has it been since someone called me by that name?

"Obi-Wan Kenobi," he stated, both as a question and a realization. "Obi-Wan… Now that's a name I've not heard in a long time… a long time."

Luke stared up at Ben's whimsical, almost nostalgic tone.

"I think my uncle knows him. He said he was dead."

Obi-Wan smiled at that comment. Owen Lars had always been distrusting of him. He was convinced the old master would bring catastrophe to him and his family, which Obi-Wan didn't entirely disagree with.

"Oh he's not dead," the old man replied. Then looking to the heavens in self-surprise, he added: "not yet".

"Oh you know him?" Luke leaned forward curiously.

"Well of course I know him," Obi-Wan exclaimed with a small smirk. "He's me."

About time you remembered, R2 beeped sarcastically at the old man.

Luke looked from one to the other, confusion clear in his blue eyes. This random little astromech knew this recluse old hermit who was mentioned by a princess on a holomessage claiming he was her only hope? If only you'd let me pick up those power convertors Uncle Owen, Luke mused.

"I haven't gone by the name of Obi-Wan since… oh before you were born" the old man reflected solemnly, snapping Luke out of his thoughts.

Suddenly, a loud growl reverberated through the canyon. Luke looked around nervously, unable to determine where it had come from. Ben quickly got to his feet and started marching towards the young man's speeder.

"I think we'd better get indoors," he warned. "The Sand People are easily startled but they'll soon be back. And in greater numbers."

Wait what about 3PO? He's still on my scanners, R2 beeped and whirred in alarm.

"3PO!" Luke gasped in realization as he followed the little droid.

Not just R2-D2 but C3-PO as well? Obi-Wan thought humorously. I hope that's the last surprise I'll be having today.

Once safely back at Obi-Wan's hut, Luke was finally able to relax. The young man was impressed by the state of the old hermit's home. It was well cleaned and seemed to belong to someone who liked staying active. Can he even bend over to touch his toes? Luke wondered with a small smile.

"I may be old Luke but do not mistake me as being crippled." Obi-Wan warned with his back turned.

Luke looked down with a mix of embarrassment and confusion. He'd kept that thought in his head but the way Ben spoke it was like he'd said it out loud. Luke felt it better to keep his mind focused on reattaching C3-PO's arm.

Obi-Wan walked over and sat down on the hard couch. He watched the boy's hands move quickly and effectively between tools and parts, placing them all in the right place and adjusting them accordingly. Just like his father, Obi-Wan noted.

Speaking of which, he felt it was perhaps time he started to broach that topic with him.

"Out of curiosity Luke," Obi-Wan asked distractedly. "I was quite close with your father and I wondered if you knew anything about him. Who he was? His part in the Clone Wars?"

Luke looked up briefly before turning back to his work. "No my father didn't fight in the Wars; he was a navigator on a spice freighter."

"That's what your uncle told you," the old man replied with a smirk. "He didn't hold with your father's ideals; thought he should have stayed here and not gotten involved."

Luke put down his tools and looked curiously at Ben. His tone was both questioning and suspicious. "You fought in the Clone Wars?"

"Yes," Obi-Wan replied with a chuckle. "I was once a Jedi knight, the same as your father."

He leaned back against the wall and watched as Luke took this new information with impressive stoicism.

"I wish I'd known him." Luke lamented, sadness falling into his eyes.

Ben watched the boy closely and felt a swell of pride at how strong the boy's connection to his father was.

"He was the best star pilot in the galaxy," Obi-Wan said with a smile. "And a cunning warrior," he added with a glint in his eye. "I understand you've become quite a good pilot yourself?"

Luke smiled bashfully at the compliment. He was happy to hear all these things about his father. He'd never bought his uncle's explanations about who his father was but Ben talked about him like someone who'd actually known him and worked, or fought, beside him.

"And he was a good friend." Obi-Wan added with a hint of nostalgia and regret in his voice.

The day he'd last seen the man he called a good friend was still scarred in his mind even after so many decades. He'd failed that day. He'd failed him and he'd failed the rest of the galaxy. He' been unable to turn him away from the Dark Side and in the end he'd been too cowardly to end his suffering.

He'd just watched on in sorrow and shock as his dearest friend and brother burned alive with three severed limbs. If he'd had the focus and clarity to deliver one final blow, there was no telling how differently everything would have turned out.

This was definitely a subject he was anxious about broaching with Luke but he could feel the young man's burning curiosity. Obi-Wan quickly stood up and started pushing some buttons on R2's side panel. He wanted to distract Luke as long as possible to avoid discussing the subject of his father's death just now.

"R2 here was telling me about a message that was apparently meant for me," the old master explained. "He's going to play it for us now."

Luke finished tightening the last bolt on 3PO's arm before the latter self-powered down. He had a lot more questions he wanted to add but he got the sense that Obi-Wan didn't want to discuss those things at the moment and he was considerate enough not to pry.

Instead, he turned his attention to the familiar blue hologram of the mysterious princess projected on the table and that was now delivering her full message:

"General Kenobi. Years ago, you served my father in the Clone Wars. Now he begs you to help him in his struggle against the Empire. I regret that I am unable to present my father's request to you in person, but my ship has fallen under attack and I'm afraid my mission to bring you to Alderaan has failed. I have placed information vital to the survival of the Rebellion into the memory systems of this R2 unit. My father will know how to retrieve it. You must see this droid safely delivered to him on Alderaan. This is our most desperate hour. Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi. You're my only hope."

Obi-Wan reflexively stroked his beard as he pondered this new information. His instincts had been right, things were starting to be put into motion. Now he had to make sure that the person central to all of this was willing to accept his teachings. For now, he just needed him to accept to call.

"You must come with me to Alderaan Luke." Obi-Wan said in a conspiring tone.

"Alderaan?" the boy asked with a disbelieving smirk. "I'm not going to Alderaan. I've got to get home. It's late, I'm in for it as it is."

"I need your help Luke," Obi-Wan insisted. "She needs your help. I'm getting too old for this sort of thing."

Luke looked back towards Ben. He never liked to say no to someone in need, but this was different. Alderaan was worlds away, he'd never even been off planet. This was something that involved the Rebellion and the Empire. He couldn't get caught up in something like this.

He was about to give his response when Obi-Wan suddenly got up and closed his eyes like he was focusing on something.

Obi-Wan could sense it: a disturbance in the Force. Something terrible was about to happen. He quickly opened the chest near him and removed something that he stashed under his robes. He then turned to Luke and spoke in an urgent tone:

"Luke listen to me very carefully. I want you to get your things and start preparing your speeder for departure. I'll get the droids and meet you out in front of stables. I need you to trust me. Please."

Luke looked into the old man's grey-blue eyes. Their brightness and intensity ended any indecisions he had about trusting Ben. From his physical presence to his aura, Luke could not feel anything deceitful about this kind old man. He nodded quickly, gathered his tools and ran out the front door.

Once Obi-Wan was sure he was gone, he went and switched C3-PO back on who gasped in surprise but quickly got moving when Ben explained the situation.

Finally, Obi-Wan knelt next to R2-D2 and placed a comforting hand on the little droid's dome.

"It's good to see you again R2. I'm also going to need you to trust me here. I want you to give me the information. The Empire is closing in on us and they're looking for two droids. They'd never suspect an old decrepit hermit like myself to have them."

You were always generally trustworthy, the little droid mused with bleeps and whirs. But you have to know that the way this information is configured makes it impossible for me to copy it to my memory banks. If I give you the information, you'll have the only copy.

"I understand old friend," the wise Jedi master nodded. "Thank you."

They did say to only deliver the information when I was on Alderaan but I seem to have this problem with following authority. Must be my programming, the droid joked.

With that, a little card with a distinctive gold disk on it slid out of a slot on R2's front panel. Obi-Wan removed it carefully, admiring it for a few seconds and taking in the importance of what he was holding before stashing it in one of his belt compartments.

"It feels good to be back R2," the old Jedi said with a smirk before heading towards the front door. The little droid let out an affirmative beep and followed him to Luke's waiting speeder.

Luke pushed the engines as far as they could go. By the end, they were sputtering and smoking dangerously but they were able to get back to his uncle's farm in record time. As he pulled up outside the main hut, he spotted a group of Stormtroopers approaching from a distance. Ben dismounted and Luke followed, rifle in hand.

Hearing the sound of Luke's speeder, Owen Lars came running out into the open, followed by his wife Beru.

"You are in big trouble young man!" he shouted at Luke. The boy looked worriedly over to Ben who simply raised the hood on his cape and linked his hands under his sleeves.

"And you," Owen growled as he turned towards the old Jedi. "I thought I told you if you ever came near my nephew again…"

"Owen!" Beru interrupted with a worried tone. She pointed her husband towards the approaching Stormtroopers. Obi-Wan took the opportunity and stepped towards the couple.

"Owen, Beru, it's good to see you again; though I wish it were under different circumstances," he began with a soft and calm tone. "Owen, you've never liked me and I accept that. You thought I would only bring trouble to your home and while not directly my fault, these Stormtroopers are partly here because of me. I will get straight to the point about what I want you to do and you can choose to agree or not."

Obi-Wan's eyes pierced Owen's with a serenity and seriousness that made the old farmer flinch. He knew who this guy really was but he didn't expect to find that same confidence and resolve he'd observed when Ben had delivered Luke as a baby to them several decades ago. With a slight nod, he allowed Ben to continue.

"I want you to arm yourselves with whatever you have at hand. A blaster or a shovel, it doesn't matter as long as you can use it effectively if it comes to it. After which I want you to barricade yourselves inside the house. Do not come out until I tell you so. Take these two droids with you, if worse comes to worst, you may be able to exchange them for your lives, though I can't guarantee that."

Luke stared at Obi-Wan in disbelief as he laid out his plan. This is insane! he thought. Even if Ben is a former Jedi, he's still an old man and those are Imperial Stormtroopers!

"All right Kenobi," Owen responded begrudgingly. "We'll do it your way. Beru, get my rifle."

She ran back to house as Owen helped Luke get C3-PO and R2 off the speeder. Once they were unloaded and Owen was guiding them towards the house, Obi-Wan started walking towards the approaching Stormtroopers.

"Ben wait!" Luke called out. "You can't hope to take them all on by yourself!?"

Obi-Wan turned back and smiled. "I am never alone Luke. I am one with the Force and the Force is with me."

Luke looked on confused as Obi-Wan walked towards the Stormtroopers that were only a hundred meters from the house now. Finally, Luke relented and jogged back to the house before he bolted the door behind him.

I am one with the Force and the Force is with me, Obi-Wan repeated as he cleared his mind and relaxed his body.

After a couple seconds, the squad of Stormtroopers and Obi-Wan had met up in the middle of the plain. The old man eyed up his enemies: two flamethrowers, ten regular infantrymen, two elite shock troopers and one squad captain. The hard desert wind made Obi-Wan's cape billow but the top of his face remained covered by his hood.

"Hello there," he greeted in a pleasant tone. "Can I help you gentlemen? You seem lost?"

"It is of no concern to you what we are sodbuster," the captain replied with a prissy, aristocratic tone. "We know you are harboring two droids who possess classified stolen information. If you hand them over immediately, we will make sure your punishment is less severe."

Obi-Wan smiled at the man's textbook diplomacy. Clearly he was used to getting what he wanted when he wanted. He also picked up the uncertainty and nervousness from three of the regular infantrymen along with the clear loathing and bloodlust coming from all the others. Time to test the waters, Obi-Wan mused.

"We do not have any droids here. You are mistaken." Obi-Wan enunciated clearly and doing a small wave with his hand.

He noticed the effects of the Jedi mind trick immediately. The less-willing Stormtroopers starting looking at each other as if expecting to be able to leave. The others just became more irritated as they tried to clear their mind of the offending suggestion.

"We now they are here old man.," the captain growled. "Produce them now or suffer the consequences."

"Yes, I suppose the same consequences you inflicted upon those innocent Jawas you massacred," Obi-Wan stated calmly. "They gave you your information but you slaughtered them anyway."

The uncertainty and anger among the troops was slowly turning into worry and fear. Who is this guy?.

"They deserved their faith," the captain sputtered, his voice higher than before. He un-holstered his blaster and held it loosely at his side. "And you will meet theirs if you do not produce the droids NOW!"

So uncivilized, Obi-Wan thought with a smile. Now, time to start getting serious.

"I have already told you, there ARE. NO. DROIDS. HERE!" he spoke, each word layered with high amounts of Force suggestion.

This did the trick. The stronger willed ones gripped their heads fiercely as they tried to ignore the deeply planted suggestion. The reluctant Stormtroopers on the other hand dropped to their knees and started crying as they were torn between their intimate desire to leave the Empire and the fear at how the latter would punish them for deserting their post.

The captain pulled on his hair furiously as he tried to refocus his thoughts. As his mind cleared, he growled: "kill him."

In one swift movement, Obi-Wan brought his hands out from between his sleeves. He held a lightsaber in each fist which he ignited to reveal two majestic blue blades.

The three Stormtroopers who didn't want to be here simply cowered down in fear at the sight of the elegant Jedi weapons. The other members of the squad also recognized the ancient swords and opened fire on the old man.

With four graceful swings from the twin sabers, Obi-Wan easily reflected the blaster bolts back at the Stormtroopers and just like that, five of the infantrymen were already dispatched. Before the others could recover from the shock, Obi-Wan used the Force to speed up his movements and cut down the two remaining Stormtroopers. This only left the captain, the two flame troopers and shock troopers as well as the remaining soldiers still cowering in the sand.

"You are outmatched," Obi-Wan announced solemnly, crossing the two sabers in front of him. "Surrender now and I promise you your lives will be spared."

The captain's gaze was completely haggard. He'd just had most of his men defeated in less than three seconds by an old man who turned out to be a Jedi. Hid odds were beyond grim, he knew it, but he also knew that if he presented a Jedi corpse to Lord Vader, it would undoubtedly lead to a promotion.

"Flame unit, forward!" he shouted.

The two flame troopers came to the front of the group and angled their weapons squarely towards Obi-Wan before unleashing two massive jets of flame. Obi-Wan sighed and focused on the Force. He redirected the oncoming bursts of fire and send them flying back to their owners. Two carbonized bodies hit the ground, their flamethrowers dully sputtering out.

The captain was sweating and on the verge of tears. He starred dumbly at the charred remains of his two flame-troopers and back to Obi-Wan who had sheathed his fallen apprentice's saber.

"Surrender," Obi-Wan spoke with finality. "Last chance."

Overcome with a crazed rage, the captain rushed towards Obi-Wan, firing random shots in his direction. The shock troopers followed his lead and opened fire as well.

Obi-Wan deflected the blaster bolts easily and with one decisive swing, killed the captain who crumbled to the ground in a smoking heap. He dispatched the two shock troopers similarly. They were slightly tougher compared to the regular Stormtroopers, but only slightly.

Breathing a small sigh of relief, Obi-Wan put away his lightsaber and turned to the three Stormtroopers who hadn't engaged him. They looked up at him from the ground, their visors caked in a layer of sand.

"Take off your helmets," Obi-Wan said. "Let me see your faces."

With trembling hands, the three men complied. What Obi-Wan saw broke his heart. Their eyes were filled with tears and their minds were clouded with fear. They were barely adults and certainly not men who could kill innocents in cold blood.

"We…surrender!" one of them stuttered out, to which the others gave quivering nods.

"Good," Obi-Wan nodded solemnly. "Listen well! I want you to remove your armor and hide it along with these other bodies. Clean up any sign of a fight. Just leave those two flame troopers and when you're done use their weapons to burn them till they're only skeletons and place them in front of that hut over there. Once you've done all this you may do what you please. By the time the Empire figures out everything that happened here, you will have a decent head start on them if you're not lucky and they declare you dead. Use this money to get off world and as far away from here as possible."

With that, he threw a handful of credits on the ground and walked back towards the hut. One of the men pressed his head against the ground which the other two imitated.

"Thank you master Jedi!" he exclaimed tearfully. "You've saved us. Thank you!"

Obi-Wan smiled to himself and gave them a final wave.

A Jedi master being thanked… How long has it been since the galaxy heard that…

Obi-Wan knocked on the front door of the hut and called out that the Stormtroopers were no longer a problem. Seconds later Luke opened the door, his expression a mix of wonder and disbelief.

"You're alive!" the boy exclaimed. "What happened to the Stormtroopers?"

"They were... unwilling to surrender," Obi-Wan replied slowly. "At least, most of them were."

Luke nodded slowly and led Ben inside the house to a table where his aunt and uncle were seated, one holding a rifle, the other a blaster. C3-PO and R2-D2 watched from a corner as Obi-Wan and Luke pulled up chairs and sat at the table.

Before anyone could speak, Luke caught everyone off guard.

"How did my father die?"

While he was looking at Ben, it was clear the question was also directed to his uncle. Both men exchanged a glance and Owen nodded to Obi-Wan. The old man thought carefully about what to say. Telling him the truth was out of the question; not at this stage. But Ben didn't want to lie to Luke; the boy trusted him. To tell the truth without having to tell the truth, Obi-Wan pondered, I could real use your wisdom Master Yoda.

Finally, he reached a decision and began his explanation:

"A young Jedi named Darth Vader, who was a pupil of mine until he turned to evil, helped the Empire hunt down and destroy the Jedi knights. He betrayed and murdered your father."

Luke nodded slowly. Owen didn't say anything; he was intelligent enough to share Obi-Wan's concerns about not telling the whole truth to the young man just yet.

Suddenly, Obi-Wan felt again a twitch through the Force. Someone with a strong link to the Force, but also something else… something evil… the Dark Side. Ben's eyes darkened. He recognized that presence. It had been decades but he recognized that Force signature like it was yesterday.

Obi-Wan got up from the table and pulled out Anakin Skywalker's lightsaber. He handed it to Luke who looked admired the mystical weapon, clear fascination in his eyes.

"Your father's lightsaber," Obi-Wan explained. "It is the weapon of a Jedi Knight. Not as random or clumsy as a blaster."

Luke ignited the blade and its soft blue light illuminated the dark room. It lit everyone faces with marvel, like a shining light in an eternal night.

"An elegant weapon, for a more civilised age," Obi-Wan noted whimsically. "I want you to think about my earlier proposition Luke. There is something I need to attend to. I will return in the morning and will hear your answer then."

Luke wanted to ask so many questions but he realized none of them would make his decision any easier. The choice was clear for him and he had to make the final decision.

With that, Obi-Wan turned around and walked outside. The three former soldiers were still toiling hard to erase all signs of a battle and dress the carbonized corpses convincingly. He had to remember to tell Owen and Beru to hide up at his house for some time until the Empire's investigation concluded.

Obi-Wan spotted one of Owen's Dewbacks, hitched up on it and rode towards the distinct two Force signatures.

After finding Ezra Bridger passed out from exhaustion and heat stroke, Obi-Wan had waited several hours into the night for him to wake up. The fire kept them both warm in the cold night of Tatooine.

Ezra opened his eyes slowly as he looked around him. Chopper and a Dewback each beeped and grinned at him. He was surprised that the little robot wasn't a bit more animated as per his usual demeanour. Seeing Chopper so calm brought Ezra's thoughts back to the figure he'd seen before passing out and his gaze finally fell on the man sitting across from him pocking the fire with a stick, his eyes obscured by his hood.

"You're in the wrong place Ezra Bridger." Obi-Wan said as he raised his face into the light.

"Master?" Ezra asked with a confused look until he finally realized who he was speaking to. "Master Kenobi?"

"I am," Obi-Wan replied. "And when you have your strength, I will help you on your way."

"On my way?" Ezra asked. "No I came here to find you! To warn you."

"About Maul?" Ben asked calmly.

"Yes! You… know?"

"One doesn't survive as long as I have by being foolish," Obi-Wan noted with a smirk. "Or unprepared. Maul is an old adversary; and a persistent one at that."

"We can fight him together!"

"I had no intention of fighting him. Though that seems inevitable now."

"You don't understand. You're the answer! The holocrons told me. They said you would be the one to help us destroy the Sith."

"Hmmm," Obi-Wan mused. "It's the first I've heard of it."

"The Rebellion needs you! We need you to defeat the Empire."

"What you need you already have," Obi-Wan remarked. "Unfortunately, you seem to be letting it all go."

"But… if I had what I needed, why would the holocron send me to you?"

"They didn't," Ben explained, his expression darkening. "Maul did."

The realization hit Ezra like a ton of bricks. Had he really been this foolish? All this time he'd been a pawn in Maul's hand. He thought he was accessing the will of the Force through the holocron but it had all been a trick by Maul.

Obi-Wan laid a comforting hand on the boy's shoulder and led him to sit by the fire.

"Maul used your desire to do good to deceive you," Obi-Wan explained. "And in doing so he has upset the course of many things. He knows your fears. Your heart. And he manipulated the truth which has led you here, where you should never have been."

"But the holocrons…" Ezra spoke, his voice almost a plea. "They tell the truth."

"Do they?" Obi-Wan questioned rhetorically. "The truth is often what we make of it. You heard what you wanted to hear. Believed what you wanted to believe. And now the only one who has gained anything from all of this is…"

"Me," the voice was like a low predatory growl.

Ezra and Obi-Wan both turned their eyes towards Darth Maul, standing just out of the light from the campfire. He held his double ended lightsaber, his yellow eyes like black holes against the night sky. The unmistakable horns and red and black pattern on his face brought forth a host of painful memories for Obi-Wan but he calmed his mind and focused on the here and now.

Ezra tried to get up but Obi-Wan laid a firm hand on his shoulder.

"You must go now." he declared, getting up and moving towards Maul.

"I led him to you," Ezra insisted. "Let me make it right."

"That is not your responsibility," Obi-Wan spoke with finality. "I will mend this old wound."

Maul frowned at the slight insult, his grip tightening around his saber.

"Ride north, that is your way out. Your way home" he said, pointing Ezra to the Drewback as Chopper boosted himself onto its back.

Ezra paused for a second, looking into the old man's unworried eyes. How can he remain calm in such a situation? Ezra wondered. He could detect nothing through the Force but absolute serenity and focus from the old master. How long would I have to train to be able to face a man like Maul without an ounce of fear?

Ezra climbed up on the Drewback, gave Obi-Wan a final farewell nod and rode away.

"See you soon apprentice." Maul whispered in a snake-like tone that made Ezra's skin crawl.

With a final wave and a cruel smile towards the young Jedi's retreating form, Maul turned towards the man who had been at the focus of his hatred for most of his life.

"Look what has become of you," he sighed in disbelief. "A rat in the desert."

"Look what I have risen above." Obi-Wan replied calmly.

"I have come to kill you but perhaps it's worse to leave you here? Festering in your squalor."

"If you define yourself by your power to take life. Your desire to dominate, to possess; then you have nothing."

Maul's anger intensified at the old Jedi's words. He lit one end of his saber and with a swing, kicked up a plume of sand that extinguished the fire between them. "And what do you have!?"

Seeing that the old man hadn't responded, Maul started to wonder about his true motive for being here. He started to search the old man's emotions, trying to find something that would tell him why…

"Why come to this place?" he wondered with a leer in his eye. "Not simply to hide. Oh… you have a purpose here – Perhaps you are… protecting something? – No; protecting… someone!"

With those final words, Obi-Wan ignited his lightsaber. He'd been careless. He let Maul jar his concentration slightly and had let slip his ultimate secret. If Maul got his hands on Luke and Ezra, there was no telling what terror he would wreak across the galaxy. This had to end now.

Obi-Wan shifted his saber in his hand and moved into the Soresu stance of combat.

Maul ignited his second saber and with and emphatic spin, settled into the Juyo attack stance.

Both men eyed each other coolly, waiting to see who would make the first move. They were both experienced enough to know that the adage of "whoever attacks first loses" didn't apply to a lightsaber duel to the death.

Then Obi-Wan did something Maul couldn't quite believe: he shifted into the Ataru stance.

Maul recognized it instantly of course. It was the form of the first Jedi he'd ever slain: Kenobi's old master, Qui-Gon Jinn. Maul shifted his footing slightly before cursing himself. He's trying to trick me. He is a Form III practitioner, always has been. There's no way he could have mastered an entirely new Form… There is no way…

The stare down lasted for a few more agonizing seconds as both men tensed, expecting the imminent attack. Their eyes locked in pure determination on one side and absolute hatred on the other.

Maul attacked first. Closing the distance with a leap, he connected with Kenobi's saber. He followed up with a strike to the Jedi's leg which was also blocked. Seeing an opening, Maul pushed the hilt of his saber forward to strike Kenobi's face but Obi-Wan slipped under his defenses, brought down his blade through his opponent's lightsaber handle and cut clean across his chest.

It took a couple seconds for Maul to realize what had happened. Then it hit him. He felt the warmth spreading across his chest and the energy slowly leaving his limbs. He extinguished his now separated sabers and crumbled to the ground, only to be caught by Obi-Wan who slowly lowered him onto his knee.

Maul looked up into the eyes of the man he'd been hunting for so long and found no joy in them. No satisfaction or relief at having finally felled his greatest foe. He'd killed hundreds; thousands to break this man. He'd murdered the woman he loved and beaten him to the brink yet Obi-Wan still looked at him with empathy as he slowly succumbed to his wounds.

"Tell me…" he pleaded in a shaky tone. "Is it the Chosen One?"

Obi-Wan looked back to the man who'd haunted so many of his dreams during the Clone Wars and after. He regretted that only now he saw Maul for what he truly was: a victim. Someone who'd been manipulated and used by the man who was the source of both their suffering: Darth Sidious. A man who'd abused and destroyed his first apprentice just as he had his current one.

"He is." Obi-Wan replied with a nod.

Maul vision started to blur as his body slowly went slack. His last words were like a whisper: "He… will… avenge us."

His body went limp; his essence returned to the living Force. Obi-Wan passed a hand over his eyes, closing them forever.

Obi-Wan Buried Maul under a couple feet of sand. As the various sand winds pass over the desert it will continue to build over his body. He put his two red lightsabers with him as well as a simple stele: Here lies a man, first and foremost.

Obi-Wan decided to spend the night at his makeshift campfire. After relighting the fire he eased himself against a fallen tree trunk and let fatigue overcome him. It was one of the first peaceful sleeps he'd had in a long time.

Early the next day, he opened his eyes to see that his Drewback had returned to him. He had no idea how that was possible but he didn't complain since doing the return trip on foot wasn't something he envied.

After a couple hours of slow riding, Owen' moisturiser farm finally came into view. He dismounted just outside the main hunt and a few seconds later Luke, Owen and Beru emerged from inside.

Obi-Wan smiled when he saw that Luke had his father's lightsaber hanging off his belt as well as a backpack slung over his shoulder. It reminded him a lot of how young Anakin had left Tatooine after being freed by Qui-Gon.

Luke hugged his aunt and uncle tightly before walking determinedly towards the old master.

"I want to come with you to Alderaan," he said resolutely. "I know what I'm fighting for now. I want to learn the ways of the Force and become a Jedi like my father."

Obi-Wan brimmed with pride at hearing those words. He looked back towards Owen and Beru who smiled at both of them and gave them a final good luck wave.

"Make sure you aren't here when the Empire comes to investigate," Obi-Wan called to them. "You'll need to trash your home convincingly and go hide at my house for a couple weeks until it all blows over."

They both nodded and after a couple more seconds went back inside to prepare their departure. Luke and Obi-Wan headed for the speeder where C3-PO and R2-D2 were already waiting and headed for Mos Esley Spaceport.

HOLY COW THAT WAS LONG!

Very dense chapter, lots of events from all sorts of places. If you don't like some of the events I'm describing, sorry but that's how it's gonna be, if you enjoyed, strap on your seatbelts cause we're just getting started.

Got chapters 2 and 3 already written, want to try and keep some sort of schedule but I'm not sure how it'll pan out. No promises.

Obi-Wan is among my favorite characters and I was disappointed in the lack of fanfics that look at him when he's old on Tatooine. So eventually I was like: "hold on... you're a writer. So just, write your own story." and that's how Never Too Old When You Have the High Ground was born.

Reviews, comments and favorites are all appreciated.