FIC: Haat'Mand'alor be Yaim'ol ~ Star Wars ~ Obi-Wan/Jaster ~ Mature ~ Chapter 10/10 ~ COMPLETE
Title: Haat'Mand'alor be Yaim'ol
Fandom: Star Wars
Author: Batsutousai
Rating: Mature
Pairing: Obi-Wan Kenobi/Jaster Mereel
Warnings: Time travel, canon-typical violence, fix-it (apparently), not everyone dies/some live, the Kaminoans are the worst, Jaster is the Mand'alor we deserve, character death, the clones deserve better, Jaster has 3 million grandkids, mental manipulation, Mandalorian culture, Mandalorian morality, an excessive amount of murder (of Kaminoans), Jedi culture respected, Jango needs a hug, Rex needs a hug, Fox needs a hug, EVERYONE GETS A HUG (except the Kaminoans), asexual Jango, nonbinary clones, trans clones, polyamory mention, disabled characters, happy ending
Summary: Jaster Mereel doesn't die on Korda VI, but is instead thrust forward thirty years to Kamino.
Part 1/2
Obi-Wan had had to return to the Jet'yaim with his Ori'alore-apparently, the contact they were expecting that night was related to the Jet'alore meeting that had forced Obi-Wan to miss that one day-so Jaster didn't get to spend the night with his riduur. Unfortunately.
In keeping with the fiction that they weren't more than friends, Jaster didn't try to find an excuse to visit the Jet'yaim when Rao would be there to collect Obi-Wan's beskar'gam. Instead, he took the free week they had while waiting on the Senate, to explore Coruscanta. At the end of the week, B'arin passed on an invitation from Rao, and they spent the next day at the Manda'tsad.
Rao had-proving their loyalty-kept all mention of working on a jedi's beskra'gam and Jaster's potential marriage to one to themself, but they had, apparently, asked B'arin questions about Obi-Wan, and then let it get out in the Manda'tsad that three jedi had given their lives to protect Jaster's bu'ade from a dar'jetii who had intended to enslave them all. Jaster and his party of Mando'ade got questions about the event, and the topic must have already made the rounds sufficiently-or members of the community had sought sources of their own-because none of the questioners came across as hostile.
Perhaps it was due to their closeness to the Jet'yaim, but Jaster was warmed to discover a community of Mando'ade who did not seem to despise the Jet'tsad on principle.
Another day passed before they were called back to the Senate, with the good news that the bill to remove the restrictions from the Jet'tsad had been passed. It had, in fact, apparently had overwhelming support, and Jaster couldn't say if that had been a sign of support for the Jet'tsad, or the product of his own threats, potentially with some use of blackmail from the Jet'tsad's supporters.
The announcement that Jaster and Obi-Wan had agreed to be the ones wed, seemed to be met with approval throughout the room, even by the factions of senators that Jaster would have expected to make a fuss, no matter what.
"Maybe it's something to do with him being a Jet'alor?" Rav murmured, her gaze just as suspicious as Jaster felt. "They have shown a degree of respect for him, which they did not for his temporary stand-in."
Jaster hummed. "I doubt we'll ever truly know."
"I doubt I want to know," Rav muttered back. "If jetiise really can read minds, I feel bad for them, being stuck in a room with these demagolkase."
Jaster grimaced and couldn't argue.
Finally, at the beginning of their fifth week on Coruscanta, they managed to reach a consensus on a treaty. It would take another day-or more, but Organa had sounded positive when he'd told Jaster-to get it properly ratified in the full Senate.
"And then," Organa added, "you and Master Kenobi will have your wedding and the treaty will be signed. And I expect we'll start seeing a great many of the same faces swarming around the Jedi Temple."
Jaster, who had received word three days before that a ship and some of his bu'ade had gone missing, just put on his best attempt at his riduur's bland smile and agreed, "Yes, I expect you will."
The day the Senate met for their vote, Jaster stumbled across a ratty-looking diner in one of the lower levels of the Senate District about the time he was thinking to stop for lunch. Within, he was surprised to find a familiar Besalisk, and even more surprised when, about twenty minutes after he and Jettster had started catching up at a table, the door chimed with a new arrival and Jettster's face lit up. "Sorry, Jaster," he said and got up, calling a delighted, "Ben!"
Jaster twisted to look and found his riduur, dressed in a light shirt under a dark vest, and smiling warmly at the old weapons smuggler as Jettster stepped up to him and drew him into a hug. "Hello, Dex," Obi-Wan said, and then he looked past the Besalisk, his warm smile focussing on Jaster. "Hello, Jaster. I see you've discovered the best place in the core to get a nerf steak."
"I stumbled across it by chance," Jaster admitted. "Wouldn't quite have expected to find you here."
Obi-Wan's pale eyes glinted. "Oh, Dex and I are old friends."
"Ben here helped me get this dump," Jettster agreed cheerfully, and a couple of beings in other booths jeered. "Like any of you would dare show your face if it wasn't a dump!" he yelled back good-naturedly, before giving Obi-Wan a gentle shove forward. "Take a seat while I whip you up something special."
"Just a nerfburger!" Obi-Wan insisted, and limped his way over to Jaster's booth while the Besalisk chortled on his way back into the kitchen.
Jaster shifted over, so Obi-Wan could join him on his side, leaving space for Jettster to return to his original spot on the other side of the table. Obi-Wan smiled and slid in close-much closer than Jaster expected-and it struck him all at once that, with Obi-Wan dressed down in spacer's garb-even his cane was chipped and stained-and Jaster out of beskar'gam for the day, the only being who was likely to recognise them, was Jettster. Who Jaster had known for long enough to trust he would keep the matter to himself, at least until someone offered enough money for the information.
So he leant in close, and was pleased when Obi-Wan took the hint and closed the rest of the distance to kiss him, letting out a happy hum.
They were interrupted by a glass being set on the table, and Obi-Wan's cheeks pinked at the knowing look the pale-skinned, human or near server was giving him. "Don't say anything, Hermione," he warned.
"Wouldn't ever say nothing about the boss' favourite," Hermione replied, and then blew out a bubble with the gum in their mouth and popped it loudly. "Don't have to."
Obi-Wan groaned and turned to hide his face against Jaster's collarbone. "Thank you for the Jawa juice," he muttered.
"Anytime, sugar," they replied, and left them with a gleeful little twirl.
Jaster hummed and combed his fingers through Obi-Wan's hair, delighting in the way his riduur melted against him. "You would be more concerned if they might be a problem," he murmured, half-checking, half-certain he'd read the teasing as friendly.
"Hermione?" Obi-Wan asked and shook his head. "No, she's completely loyal to Dex, and he's got some shady history, but the only time I suggested he sell me out for his own sake, he got insulted."
"Of course I did!" Jettster snapped, setting a plate heaping with protato wedges and what was probably the largest nerfburger Jaster had ever seen. "Eat that, you're too skinny," he added as he slid back into the other side of their booth.
"Dex," Obi-Wan complained, even as he obediently picked up the burger.
Jettster raised his eyebrows at them. "When did this happen?"
"About a year ago," Jaster admitted.
"I was following that lead you gave me," Obi-Wan added around his burger.
"Keep eating," Jettster ordered, and Obi-Wan huffed, but took another bite. "So," he said to Jaster, "you're the one he's been pining over."
"Quin is going to be pinning for my fist if he doesn't stop trading you updates on me for information," Obi-Wan grumbled.
Jettster chortled.
"I'm sure Seventeen would be happy to do the honours," Jaster commented drily.
Obi-Wan raised a questioning eyebrow at him.
"A ship is missing."
Obi-Wan let out a quiet cough and set his burger down, picking up his Jawa juice for a quick swallow. "Gamma?" he guessed.
Jaster sighed and nodded. "And Theta and Iota," he admitted. He hadn't been particularly surprised to hear that Fox had taken the chance to sneak into Republic space, or that the rest of Theta Squad had followed along, but Iota had surprised him; Ponds, Colt, and Fil were usually sensible enough to manage Bly's more madcap ideas, but it was always possible that they'd got mixed up in the escape and been dragged along so none of them set off the alarms too early.
Obi-Wan's mouth twitched. "They're your grandchildren," he pointed out.
Jaster rolled his eyes. "They're our grandchildren, cyare," he reminded his riduur.
Obi-Wan flushed again, while Jettster let out a delighted, "Oh-ho!"
"And Seventeen is your fault," Jaster added.
"Ah." Obi-Wan coughed. "Okay, yes, Seventeen is my fault."
Jaster snorted and set about telling Jettster about their most troublesome bu'ade, which resulted in a great deal of laughter and gave Obi-Wan time to finish off about half of his nerfburger and pick at his wedges.
Jettster finally grunted and leant forward against the table, eyes sharpening on Obi-Wan. "All right, what do you need?"
Obi-Wan cast an uncertain look at Jaster, and he took the hint and kissed his riduur's cheek. "Let me out?" he requested. "I think I need to check the cleanliness of our host's toilets."
Jettster snorted.
"Vor'e," Obi-Wan whispered and brushed a quick kiss over his lips, then slid out so Jaster could make his escape and leave the pair to discuss business without him; he was hardly going to be bothered by his riduur needing to converse with an informant privately, especially when it probably involved a jedi matter.
When he returned to the table, Obi-Wan was alone with a rather large slice of cake and two forks, one of which he handed to Jaster when he slid back into their booth. "A 'happy nuptials' gift, apparently," Obi-Wan murmured, tone dry and eyes sparkling. "Same with our bill; one of these years, I will actually get Dex to take my credits."
"I doubt it," Jaster replied, because if Obi-Wan hadn't managed to talk the Besalisk into letting him pay for his food yet, he wasn't likely to ever manage to do so.
"So do I," Obi-Wan admitted, and leant against Jaster as he took a bite of the cake, letting out an appreciative hum.
It was very good cake, and they had it polished off in no time.
"When's your curfew?" Jaster asked teasingly as he helped his riduur out of the booth.
Obi-Wan hummed. "Well, my ride is supposed to be swinging by in about twenty minutes, but since I'm currently finding his face more punchable than usual, I might just stand him up. In which case..." He paused, looking thoughtful, and then decided, "About an hour, but I can probably stretch it to four if I comm Uncle Mace and let him know I'll be late."
"I'd prefer the four," Jaster admitted.
"So would I," Obi-Wan agreed. "I'd also prefer that unfairly comfortable bed of yours."
Jaster laughed and kissed him. "That can be arranged," he promised against his riduur's mouth.
Obi-Wan pressed a quick kiss to his mouth, then motioned that they should head out, waving to Jettster as they passed the kitchen window and both ignoring the catcalling from the other patrons.
Obi-Wan cut an imposing figure, with his almost completely black beskar'gam-save for the green of his kom'rke, ka'rta beskar, and lining the visor of his buy'ce; and the Jet'tsad and Clan Tervho symbols painted on his bes'marbure in white, which Jaster suspected were fresh-and dark brown kute and cape, so Jaster wasn't surprised by the way certain senators were eyeing him like they expected him to start slaughtering them without any warning.
As he walked closer, Jaster eyed the rather unusual joining of the bes'lovik, tadun'bur, and cetar'bur on his bad leg. It didn't look like he would be able to make any quick moves in it, but it definitely looked like it was supportive enough that he could continue standing for a while, even without his cane. Which was nowhere in immediate view-nor was his chair-but there were enough jedi in attendance, that one of them could have easily been holding it for him, just in case.
Jaster's gaze caught on the glint of silver on his belt-his kad'au-before being drawn to the unusual, pale blue glow at the centre of his ka'rta beskar. Something about it plucked at his memory, but he lost the thought when Organa called for order; evidently, Jaster and his Mando'ade had been the last to arrive.
They were not, however, the only Mando'ade there; Rao had requested and been granted permission to bring some of their community with, since it seemed only fair that they have a number of Mando'ade present that closer matched the jedi and senators. (Honestly, Jaster only really cared that, between the jedi and Mando'ade, they outnumbered the senators; if it came to it, he knew which Republic group he would trust more at his back, if someone attacked the gathering.)
To draw out the ceremony, Organa said some words about lasting friendships and the healing of old wounds. Pretty words that Jaster could only assume would speak to their Republic audience, because Mando'ade wouldn't care about that. They would care that Jaster was doing this for the 'right' reasons, and that the jedi he was marrying could prove themself worthy to be counted as Mando'ad. (That Obi-Wan was wearing beskar'gam clearly fitted to him, and openly wore the symbol of a clan that was both loyal to Jaster, and represented in the room by the clan head, would ease many of those concerns, and the story that he didn't doubt was circulating about Obi-Wan being one of the jedi who had fought against the dar'jetii threatening Jaster's bu'ade, would soothe the rest.)
Since this was being recorded, they had agreed not to say their vows in tandem, as was custom, but for Jaster to speak them first in Mando'a-hand-signing the words, as was common practise when making public speeches or you knew there was someone with a hearing impairment who was watching and might wish to be part of the conversation-with Obi-Wan repeating them in Basic-while also hand-signing using the Republic signs. Keeping their hands busy gave the moment something of an impersonal touch, Jaster found, which suited the political nature of the event, and also kept him from reaching for his riduur to pull him into a mirshmure'cya that would likely give their true relationship away to everyone, Mando'ade and Republic alike.
Of course, once the vows were said, Jaster turned to their audience, and the recording, and-in Basic, while signing in Mando'a, since he wasn't comfortable with the Republic sign language-said, "It is a common practice, in Mandalorian culture, for spouses to trade pieces of their beskar'gam, their armour, so they will truly be with each other, even while apart. Master Kenobi and I have agreed to trade our ka'rta beskare, the hexagons at the centre of our chest plates."
Someone-Rao, most likely-must have warned the members of the Coruscanta Manda'tsad of their intentions, because none of them made any reactions to give the game away as Jaster turned back to Obi-Wan and they both carefully removed their ka'rta beskare and handed them over.
Jaster eyed Obi-Wan's ka'rta beskar, his HUD taking a quick reading of the blue glow, but he realised what it was before the HUD returned the information, and he breathed, "Ka'rta kad'au." Because Obi-Wan had somehow managed to attach a thin piece of kyber into the centre of his ka'rta beskar, and Jaster knew his riduur well enough to know it must have come from the kyber in his kad'au; Obi-Wan had found a way to share a piece of his soul with Jaster, as according to his own culture, without doing anything other than what they had agreed on.
He looked up at his riduur and found that Obi-Wan had tilted his head in that particular way that Mando'ade who were used to wearing their buy'ce as their face showed they were smiling. "Elek," he murmured.
Jaster carefully slotted the ka'rta beskar with its kyber centre into the slot for it, and nodded to his riduur, who nodded back, before turning to join Organa by the treaty they were to sign.
Almost the moment the last of the necessary signatures were finished, a familiar voice wailed, "Ba'buir!" and a Mando'ad in red beskar'gam raced towards Obi-Wan.
Obi-Wan caught Fox in a hug, murmuring in a low, soothing tone that Jaster couldn't make out.
He turned towards the door of the room and sighed at where ten of his bu'ade, all in their beskar'gam, with buy'cese on-likely the only reason no one had caught them-were hiding behind Seventeen, who had crossed their arms over their chest, and Jaster didn't need to see their face to know exactly which stubborn glower they would be levelling at him. "You're grounded," he told them. "Where's Rex'ika?"
"Here?" Rex called from where he'd clearly found Anakin in the crowd of jedi, and had attached himself to his jedi's side exactly like Jaster had known he would. "Can I be grounded with An'ika?"
"I don't want to be grounded!" Anakin snapped. "Master, Rex is trying to get me in trouble!"
"Imagine that," Obi-Wan muttered, shaking his head. "Helmets off, bu'ade."
Jaster wasn't certain if it was because it was Obi-Wan asking, or because he'd called them 'bu'ade', but all thirteen of the clones obediently removed their buy'cese. Most of the CCs looked at least a little ashamed of themselves-save Rex, who just looked stubborn-but Seventeen looked like they were ready to fight anyone, even Obi-Wan, and Fox, unsurprisingly, looked like they'd just been sobbing their heart out, and would probably be hesitant to leave Obi-Wan's side for a while. Not that Jaster blamed them; they'd gone into bacta knowing only that Obi-Wan had survived Palpatine, and come out to discover that he was gone, and none of them had had any idea how he was doing for an entire year.
"Clones," one of the senators hissed.
Seventeen snarled in their direction, but Obi-Wan called, "Alpha," in a firm tone, and they somehow managed to look like they were slinking proudly over to hover behind Obi-Wan's left shoulder. Obi-Wan sighed, and then said, "You're grounded."
"Yes, Alor," Seventeen replied evenly, and Jaster knew that they, like Rex, were intending to serve their grounding by remaining plastered to their chosen jedi's side.
Organa let out a quiet snort and eyed Jaster. "I see we'll be getting those similar faces sooner than expected. Just for the sake of my curiosity, Mand'alor," they added as the rest of the clones decided to mob Obi-Wan, who had apparently given up trying to act stern, "when did you know they were on their way?"
Jaster hummed, smiling behind the cover of his buy'ce. "I was warned that a ship had gone missing about a week ago."
Organa let out another quiet snort. "At least they timed it well."
"They are, to my grief, all exceptionally clever; they would have found a way to keep themselves hidden if they'd arrived too early."
"They also seem to have stolen your spouse," Organa pointed out cheerfully.
"It has been a very long year for them," Jaster admitted quietly. "He found them, and helped to free them and teach them how to have lives outside of the structure they'd been raised in. And then he was stolen away while still fighting for his life." He glanced over at the chancellor, whose expression had fallen. "Do you blame them?"
"No, I can't say I do." Then Organa turned towards him and held out their forearm in the manner Mando'ade did when greeting friends, or sealing a pact. When Jaster turned and gripped their forearm, he discovered that Organa's return grip was more like a warrior's, than a politician's. "I'm not certain how much of a pain it will be to institute a draft," they said cheerfully, "so do me a favour and treat him well, so I don't have to find out."
Jaster blinked, thrown to find himself being threatened by the Chancellor of the Republic, for the sake of his riduur, and then he laughed, delighted. "You know, Chancellor Organa, I think I like you."
Organa smiled. "The feeling is mutual, Mand'alor Mereel. Now, perhaps you should go rescue our jedi from your grandchildren. Preferably before we find out how long that fancy leg armour will keep him on his feet."
"Seventeen would carry him," Jaster said with absolute certainty, but he did leave the Chancellor to go attempt to wrangle his bu'ade into some form of order.
When they finally left Coruscanta, only Fox and Seventeen, of the thirteen clones who had made the trip, returned home with them, which was about what Jaster had expected. All of the others, save Rex and Bly, had attached themselves to members of the Jet'alore. Rex had, obviously, kept fast to Anakin's side, while Obi-Wan had apparently introduced Bly to the former student of his friend Quinlan, and then stood back to watch chaos unfold. (As it turned out, Quinlan was one of those buire who got a little upset when they thought their ad might have a suitor; from what Seventeen had said, Quinlan wasn't far wrong on that assumption, because Bly had apparently taken one look at the former student and fallen immediately in love. Or lust; Seventeen insisted it was hard to tell with idiots.)
According to Jango, the rest of the clones thinking to move to the Jet'yaim were waiting for Obi-Wan to get to Manda'yaim, so they could see him with their own eyes, and probably mob him with more hugs. (Also according to Jango, Boba was beside himself that he hadn't manage to steal aboard the ship going to Coruscanta. Jango wasn't certain if the adiik was upset because he'd wanted to see Obi-Wan that badly, or because he thought the trip would have got him out of having to do classwork for a couple of weeks. It wouldn't have, of course, since Jaster was just as capable of looking up work for his bu'ad to do, but Boba seemed to forget that Jaster actually cared more than Jango did that he keep on top of his studies.)
Jaster suspected that things would be very busy for the first month or so, with clones who were on patrols with the capital ships or otherwise off-planet, finding excuses to come back to Manda'yaim and see Obi-Wan, or requesting transfers so they could see Coruscanta and meet more of the jedi they'd supposedly been made for. Jaster was probably going to have to resort to managing his own workload for a while, since Fox seemed to be planning to act as Obi-Wan's assistant, while Seventeen continued to act as his bodyguard. Which, considering how many clones there were-and how many had a healthy fear of the Alpha-class in general and Seventeen in particular-and how excited they all were to have their other ba'buir home, Obi-Wan was probably going to need a bodyguard who had absolutely no compunctions against picking one of the clones up and tossing them out a doorway. (Or a third-storey window, on one occasion that Jaster really wished he'd never been told about. The younger clone had survived-Seventeen had apparently aimed them into some bushes-but Jaster had still been forced to sit Seventeen down and explain why that was not okay; honestly, Jaster was quite glad to leave the managing of Seventeen in Obi-Wan's hands.)
"What're you thinking about so hard?" Obi-Wan asked.
Jaster glanced back at the bed, where his riduur was sprawled, wearing nothing but Jaster's ka'rta beskar on a chain around his neck, the bottom point of the hexagon touching the top of the scar in the centre of his chest. "Your bu'ad throwing their vode out windows," he admitted.
Obi-Wan huffed, clearly amused. "Should I tell Seventeen that-"
Jaster didn't let him get any further, climbing back into their bed and shutting his riduur up with a kiss.
There was little use thinking about what awaited them on Manda'yaim and in the weeks and months to come, when he finally had Obi-Wan with him again; they would face this future together, at last.
A/N: For those curious, this is what I imagine Obi-Wan's beskar'gam looks like. (Made using the Mando Maker site.)
That's all, there isn't any more. People are welcome to play in this universe-I give open permission on fanworks related to all my works, as well as translations and podfics; I only ask you let me know when you post something, so I can be properly excited, and also, of course, do not repost an exact copy of my work-but I don't intend to do anything more with it. Much rather focus on my Feemor series and the JangObi soulmate au I keep teasing on tumblr and twitter. ^^;
Chapters One Two Three Four Five Six Seven Eight Nine Ten Glossary
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