Will of the Force: Necessary Background
So my mom wanted to read my new fic, The Will of the Force. She's never read any EU books, and only knows who Siri and Xanatos are because I've told her about them. So I thought I'd type something up not just for her, but for anyone whose knowledge of Jedi Apprentice (the series where Siri is introduced, and where Xanatos appears) and/or Jedi Quest: Path to Truth is hazy, spotty, or nonexistent.
Needless to say, here there be SPOILERS. All links go to Wookiepedia, the Star Wars wiki. Don't click, though, unless you're prepared to be thoroughly spoiled.
I'm also going to assume that everyone reading this has seen all six movies.
Ok, first things first. Jedi Apprentice is a series of books by Jude Watson (all except for number one, which was written by Dave Wolverton) chronicling Obi-Wan's apprenticeship to Qui-Gon. The series begins when Obi-Wan is nearly thirteen, and ends when he's eighteen or so, I believe.
Siri Tachi is introduced in JA #7. She's two years younger than Obi (he's 13, she's 11 at this point), but he knows her because her lightsaber skills are good enough for her to have been in his 'saber classes when he was an initiate (i.e. before he was apprenticed to Qui-Gon, which occurred right before his 13th birthday). They aren't exactly friends- in fact, she gets ticked off at him because he has recently left the Jedi. Now he's back, but she's angry, believing that he's cast doubts on the commitment of all students.
By book #9, Siri has been apprenticed to Jedi Council member Adi Gallia, a friend of Qui-Gon's. Adi and Siri are sent on a mission with Qui and Obi. During the course of this mission, the Padawans (i.e. apprentices) learn to work together, and even enjoy each other's company. Siri and Obi-Wan go on at least one other mission together (that we know of) before they and their masters are sent to the planet Cirrus.
While on this mission (told in the novel Secrets of the Jedi, also by Watson), Siri and Obi realize that they are in love with each other. At first they dream that they will be able to have a relationship despite the fact that Jedi are forbidden to form attachments, but once they return to the Temple they realize that this will not be possible. Obi-Wan is the first to voice that sentiment- in response, Siri replies that they must forget that they had ever been more than friends. Over the course of the years that follow, though, their friendship grows distant.
Xanatos... is not a nice guy in canon. He first appears in JA #2. He was Qui-Gon's previous Padawan, who left the Order and turned to the Dark Side after Qui-Gon was forced to kill his father, Crion, who had become a corrupt dictator. Xanatos had chosen his father over his Jedi training early on in their mission to his homeworld, and swore revenge on his former master for his actions.
Xanatos made a number of attempts to kill Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan. He also tried to kill Yoda, and sabotaged the Jedi Temple a number of times with the help of Obi-Wan's childhood rival Bruck Chun. Xanatos also held Obi-Wan's best friend Bant Eerin hostage, eventually intending to kill her. Xanatos was almost successful in blowing up the Temple, but Qui-Gon realized his plans and was able to prevent the explosion. Bruck was killed accidently, when he fell into a waterfall during a duel with Obi-Wan, who was attempting to save Bant's life. Obi-Wan blamed himself for Bruck's death for many years. Bant was successfully rescued.
Xanatos fled to his homeworld, Telos, where he became a revered public figure. Qui and Obi discovered that Xanatos was actually intending to strip the planet of its resources- a process that had already begun. They confronted Xanatos, and ended up dueling with him amidst the ruined landscape. Finally, they backed him up against a pool of deadly acid. Xanatos refused to surrender. "I am your biggest failure, Qui-Gon Jinn. Live with that. And live with this," he proclaimed, leaping backwards into the pool. Moments later, his cloak floated to the surface before dissolving. Xanatos was presumed dead.
...And, yes, canonically he is dead. But Xanatos was incredibly quick-witted and intelligent, and he always made sure to have a back door. It is, in my opinion, very likely that he could have survived. In my fic, he did.
Offworld Mining Corporation is Xanatos' company. Its also run by a group of Hutts. Remember Jabba? He's a perfect representative of the species. Offworld uses slave labor, intimidation, sabotage... pretty much anything they need to in order to turn a profit. Wookiepedia is a bit unclear as to whether or not Xanatos actually founded the company or not, and the JA books aren't too clear on the point either. But Xan is definitely the CEO.
Granta Omega is Xanatos' son. He was born when Xanatos was sixteen and still in the Order. He was raised by his mother, Tura, on an- in the words of Wookiepedia- "impoverished backwater moon". He got up to a lot of mischief in canon, but due to the fact that his father did not die when he was eleven in my AU, I've taken the liberty of redefining his character. Xanatos plays a much bigger role in his son's life in my AU than he does in canon, so I think it's not that much of a stretch that Granta becomes very different from the person he is in canon.
Now, Jedi Quest is basically the Obi-Wan and Anakin version of JA. There are eleven novels- not ten as it may seem. Jedi Quest: Path to Truth is set before book one of the series.
The book is told through Obi-Wan and Anakin's POV, but it's more relevant for me to tell you Siri's role. One or two years (the book says it was one except in one place- for my AU it's two) before the novel, Siri began an undercover mission: she was to infiltrate the operation of the slave raider/spice miner Krayn and gather information. The mission was so top-secret that Siri appeared to leave the Order and become a pirate working for Krayn- only the Jedi Coulcil knew of her true purpose.
And it's here that The Will of the Force begins. Siri has been working for Krayn for one year, but has not fully earned his trust. One night she finds herself on Tatooine, where she meets a handsome stranger...
Hope this helps! :)
Needless to say, here there be SPOILERS. All links go to Wookiepedia, the Star Wars wiki. Don't click, though, unless you're prepared to be thoroughly spoiled.
I'm also going to assume that everyone reading this has seen all six movies.
Ok, first things first. Jedi Apprentice is a series of books by Jude Watson (all except for number one, which was written by Dave Wolverton) chronicling Obi-Wan's apprenticeship to Qui-Gon. The series begins when Obi-Wan is nearly thirteen, and ends when he's eighteen or so, I believe.
Siri Tachi is introduced in JA #7. She's two years younger than Obi (he's 13, she's 11 at this point), but he knows her because her lightsaber skills are good enough for her to have been in his 'saber classes when he was an initiate (i.e. before he was apprenticed to Qui-Gon, which occurred right before his 13th birthday). They aren't exactly friends- in fact, she gets ticked off at him because he has recently left the Jedi. Now he's back, but she's angry, believing that he's cast doubts on the commitment of all students.
By book #9, Siri has been apprenticed to Jedi Council member Adi Gallia, a friend of Qui-Gon's. Adi and Siri are sent on a mission with Qui and Obi. During the course of this mission, the Padawans (i.e. apprentices) learn to work together, and even enjoy each other's company. Siri and Obi-Wan go on at least one other mission together (that we know of) before they and their masters are sent to the planet Cirrus.
While on this mission (told in the novel Secrets of the Jedi, also by Watson), Siri and Obi realize that they are in love with each other. At first they dream that they will be able to have a relationship despite the fact that Jedi are forbidden to form attachments, but once they return to the Temple they realize that this will not be possible. Obi-Wan is the first to voice that sentiment- in response, Siri replies that they must forget that they had ever been more than friends. Over the course of the years that follow, though, their friendship grows distant.
Xanatos... is not a nice guy in canon. He first appears in JA #2. He was Qui-Gon's previous Padawan, who left the Order and turned to the Dark Side after Qui-Gon was forced to kill his father, Crion, who had become a corrupt dictator. Xanatos had chosen his father over his Jedi training early on in their mission to his homeworld, and swore revenge on his former master for his actions.
Xanatos made a number of attempts to kill Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan. He also tried to kill Yoda, and sabotaged the Jedi Temple a number of times with the help of Obi-Wan's childhood rival Bruck Chun. Xanatos also held Obi-Wan's best friend Bant Eerin hostage, eventually intending to kill her. Xanatos was almost successful in blowing up the Temple, but Qui-Gon realized his plans and was able to prevent the explosion. Bruck was killed accidently, when he fell into a waterfall during a duel with Obi-Wan, who was attempting to save Bant's life. Obi-Wan blamed himself for Bruck's death for many years. Bant was successfully rescued.
Xanatos fled to his homeworld, Telos, where he became a revered public figure. Qui and Obi discovered that Xanatos was actually intending to strip the planet of its resources- a process that had already begun. They confronted Xanatos, and ended up dueling with him amidst the ruined landscape. Finally, they backed him up against a pool of deadly acid. Xanatos refused to surrender. "I am your biggest failure, Qui-Gon Jinn. Live with that. And live with this," he proclaimed, leaping backwards into the pool. Moments later, his cloak floated to the surface before dissolving. Xanatos was presumed dead.
...And, yes, canonically he is dead. But Xanatos was incredibly quick-witted and intelligent, and he always made sure to have a back door. It is, in my opinion, very likely that he could have survived. In my fic, he did.
Offworld Mining Corporation is Xanatos' company. Its also run by a group of Hutts. Remember Jabba? He's a perfect representative of the species. Offworld uses slave labor, intimidation, sabotage... pretty much anything they need to in order to turn a profit. Wookiepedia is a bit unclear as to whether or not Xanatos actually founded the company or not, and the JA books aren't too clear on the point either. But Xan is definitely the CEO.
Granta Omega is Xanatos' son. He was born when Xanatos was sixteen and still in the Order. He was raised by his mother, Tura, on an- in the words of Wookiepedia- "impoverished backwater moon". He got up to a lot of mischief in canon, but due to the fact that his father did not die when he was eleven in my AU, I've taken the liberty of redefining his character. Xanatos plays a much bigger role in his son's life in my AU than he does in canon, so I think it's not that much of a stretch that Granta becomes very different from the person he is in canon.
Now, Jedi Quest is basically the Obi-Wan and Anakin version of JA. There are eleven novels- not ten as it may seem. Jedi Quest: Path to Truth is set before book one of the series.
The book is told through Obi-Wan and Anakin's POV, but it's more relevant for me to tell you Siri's role. One or two years (the book says it was one except in one place- for my AU it's two) before the novel, Siri began an undercover mission: she was to infiltrate the operation of the slave raider/spice miner Krayn and gather information. The mission was so top-secret that Siri appeared to leave the Order and become a pirate working for Krayn- only the Jedi Coulcil knew of her true purpose.
And it's here that The Will of the Force begins. Siri has been working for Krayn for one year, but has not fully earned his trust. One night she finds herself on Tatooine, where she meets a handsome stranger...
Hope this helps! :)