Kenobi (novel)

Kenobi is a Star Wars Legends novel that tells the story of Obi-Wan Kenobi's first weeks of self-exile on the desert planet Tatooine following the events of Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith. It was written by John Jackson Miller and first published by Del Rey in hardcover on August 27, 2013. The first paperback edition was released on July 29, 2014 and includes the short tie-in story "Incognito" by Miller.
==Publisher's summary==
===Hardcover===
Back cover
The Republic has fallen. Sith Lords rule the Galaxy. Obi-Wan Kenobi has lost everything. Everything but hope.
Internal flap
Tatooine—a harsh desert world where farmers toil in the heat of two suns while trying to protect themselves and their loved ones from the marauding Tusken Raiders. A backwater planet on the edge of civilized space. And an unlikely place to find a Jedi Master in hiding, or an orphaned infant boy on whose tiny shoulders rests the future of a galaxy.
Known to locals only as "Ben," the bearded and robed offworlder is an enigmatic stranger who keeps to himself, shares nothing of his past, and goes to great pains to remain an outsider. But as tensions escalate between the farmers and a tribe of Sand People led by a ruthless war chief, Ben finds himself drawn into the fight, endangering the very mission that brought him to Tatooine.
Ben—Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, hero of the Clone Wars, traitor to the Empire, and protector of the galaxy's last hope—can no more turn his back on evil than he can reject his Jedi training. And when blood is unjustly spilled, innocent lives threatened, and a ruthless opponent unmasked, Ben has no choice but to call on the wisdom of the Jedi—and the formidable power of the Force—in his never-ending fight for justice.
==Plot summary==
===Prologue===
Following an argument with his wife Magda, the elderly moisture farmer Wyle Ulbreck spends several hours drinking at Junix's Joint in Anchorhead. After almost falling, Ulbreck is helped to his feet by a hooded stranger, who turns out to be the fugitive Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi. Several young troublemakers led by the siblings Mullen and Veeka Gault terrorise the bartender, his wife Yoona and other customers including several Rodian henchmen of Jabba the Hutt.
Their presence provokes a brawl, which descends into a gunfight. The stranger passes a bundle which turns out to be the infant Luke Skywalker before intervening in the fight. After shooting out the lightglobe, the stranger uses his lightsaber to wound and kill several of the belligerents including Jabba's henchmen. Following the fight, Kenobi retrieves Skywalker and departs for the Lars homestead.
Later, Kenobi reflects on his mission to deliver Luke Skywalker into the care of his uncle Owen Lars and aunt Beru Whitesun Lars . Kenobi is also haunted by the events of the Great Jedi Purge and the fall of his former Padawan Anakin Skywalker. Following the "mischief" in Anchorhead, Kenobi decides that he needs to find a place to lay low on the planet Tatooine.
===Gault's posse===
The Tusken Raider A'Yark ("Plug-eye") leads a raid on Tellico and Tyla Bezzard's moisture farm, regarding their moisture vaporators as sacrilegious. The eight Tusken Raiders kill an elderly human settler named Lotho Pelhane, a Bith farm hand, and destroy several droids. The Tuskens are unnerved by the farm's alarm system, which emits the recorded howl of a krayt dragon. Before they can harm the Bezzards and their infant son, they are attacked by two landspeeders carrying a party of armed settlers led by businessman Orrin Gault. Gault's forces gun down several Tusken Raiders except A'Yark, who manages to escape.
After eliminating the Tuskens, Orrin and his son Mullen speak with the farmers. Tyla is distraught by the death of her father Pelhane. Orrin comforts her, thanking Tyla for installing the alarm and activator that Orrin had supplied through his Settlers' Call Fund. Due to the Tusken attacks, the Bezzards want to leave their farm. Orrin has made arrangements for a local business owner named Annileen Calwell to look after them.
While Mullen looks after Tyla, Orrin goes to find her husband Telico. He also speaks with his 21-year old daughter Veeka and her teenaged friend Jabe Calwell, who have been drinking alcohol. After ordering them to assist the farm inhabitants, Orrin questions Telico about the Tusken raiding party's leader, whom he dubs "Plug-eye" due to his cybernetic right eye. After confirming "Plug-eye" presence, the Gaults part for drinks at Dannar's Claim.
===Juggling work and motherhood===
Annileen is the owner of Dannar's Claim, the general store at Pika Oasis, which had been previously owned and operated by her late husband Dannar Calwell. Dannar was a business partner of Orrin, who owns a successful vaporator building business and manages the Settler's Call Fund. In addition to managing her store, Annileen also breeds several reptilian dewbacks for a living. Anileen is also the mother to two teenagers: a 17 year old daughter named Kallie Calwell and her 16 year old son Jabe. While dreaming of a better life on Alderaan, Annileen has come to accept life on Tatooine.
After repelling the Tusken attack on the Bezzard farm, Orrin returns to Pika Oasis where he receives a hero's welcome. Orrin takes the opportunity to promote his Settler's Call Fund, which provides security to local settlers and farmers in return for a subscription fee. While Jabe was excited about taking part in Orrin's posse, Annileen is upset that her son sneaked out on his chores and endangered himself.
She threatens to withhold parking, catering, and weapons services to Orrin if he takes her son on another one of his posses. During the confrontation, Annileen wields a gaderffii. Orrin tugs at the weapon but Annileen lets go, causing him to accidentally swing the gaderffii into the windshield of his landspeeder. The two quickly make amends with Anileen agreeing to host the frightened Bezzards and Orrin agreeing to cover the costs of his damaged landspeeder and drinks for the posse.
===Crossing paths===
In the Jundland Wastes, A'Yark treats a young warrior who was wounded during the raid on the Bezzards' farm. She is unable to remove deeply embedded shrapnel from the warrior's body and gives him a mercy killing. Shortly later, she receives word of a single hooded human riding an eopie through Tusken territory. Still bitter over the earlier setback, A'Yark resolves to kill the setter for intruding in Tusken territory.
Meanwhile, Kallie mounts a mountain dewback named Snit. However, the unruly dewback breaks out of the corral at Dannar's Claim and takes its unwilling rider on a ride into the desert. Annileen pursues Snit on another dewback named Vilas. The chase leads towards a field of sarlaccs near the Great Pit of Carkoon. During the pursuit, Annileen leaps onto Snit's back in an attempt to rescue her daughter and regain control of the runaway creature.
The two are joined by a stranger riding an eopie, which is able to keep up with the dewback. Coming to their aid, the stranger convinces Annileen to pass Kallie over to him. Snit trips over a hole and falls with Annileen. Before the dewback can fall on Annilee, Kenobi uses the Force to temporarily suspend the creature in mid-air, saving Annileen's life. When Annileen awakes, she meets her rescuer who introduces himself as "Ben" Kenobi and his eopie Rooh. After exchanging pleasantries, the three attend to the dewback Snit, who has fallen into a catatonic state. The trio escape before a sarlacc claims Snit.
From the distance, A'Yark watches the trio. She is fascinated with Kenobi's Force powers, which she regards as "magic." While meditating, Kenobi tells his late master Qui-Gon Jinn about his intention to visit the Lars homestead discreetly to keep an eye on young Skywalker while avoiding the attention of the Tusken Raiders and the Empire. Kenobi has also taken residence in a dilapidated house. He also confides about his encounter with Annileen and her daughter Kallie.
===The Jawa caravan===
While the Phindian Gloamer repairs Orrin's damaged speeder, he reflects on his first offworld trip as a teenager to Rodia to obtain a second-hand vaporator. Orrin is disappointed that his adult children Mullen and Veeka have not matured with the former aggravating people rather than leading them. Orrin takes an interest in Jabe, who resents doing chores for his mother Annileen and looks up to Orrin as a father figure. Orrin also takes an interest in the mysterious "Ben" who rescued the Calwell women. Orrin also tasks Mullen with "taking care" of the Tusken bandoliers, gaffi sticks, and pouches they had acquired from the fallen raiders. Later, Orrin and Annileen receive news of an approaching Jawa sandcrawler.
Following the arrival of the Jawa caravan, Annileen warns the other Pika Oasis residents that she will handle all trade with the Jawas. Jabe and Kallie compete to take part in the auction with Jabe winning the competition. Jabe quickly grows bored and joins Veeka and several of the Gault farmhands in tossing a Jawa. Annileen objects to their behavior, causing Jabe to drop the Jawa. Shortly later, they are visited by Kenobi, who had hitched a ride with the Jawas and is seeking feed for his eopie Rooh. Since she is preoccupied with Kenobi, Annileen decides to lift the embargo on trading with the Jawas for today.
Using Republic credits, Kenobi purchases several goods from Dannar's Claim including a portable washbasin, a curtain rod, tools, and tins of food paste. Kallie also works on creating an improvised saddle pannier for Kenobi's eopie. Mullen, Veeka, and the farmhand Zedd Grobbo harry Kenobi, regarding him as an outsider. When Kenobi rebuffs Veeka's flirtation attempt, Zedd attempts to assault Kenobi. Kallie charges at Veeka with a bantha prod, prompting Annileen to restrain her. Though the bantha prod missed Veeka and avoided Kenobi's torso, the object instead fell into Kenobi's metal shopping tub which is being held by Mullen. Mullen is electrocuted but survives. Zedd charges at Kenobi but the older man dodges out of his way. Kenobi's actions arouse Annileen's curiosity in the newcomer.
After learning about the altercation with Kenobi from Veeka, Orrin is furious with his children and Gault employees for misbehaving. To maintain good relations with Annileen, he orders them to clean up the store, apologize to Annie, and finish their shift. While driving with Wayne Ulbreck in his USV-5 Modified Landspeeder, he attempts to convince the moisture farmer to subscribe to his Settler's Call. Ulbreck is content with his own security arrangements and declines Orrin's offer.
After dropping Ulbreck back at his farm, Orrin encounters Kenobi and gives him a ride. During the journey, Orrin takes the opportunity to show Kenobi several Pretormin Environmental moisture vaporators, an investment that he believes will bring weather and wealth to his community. Orrin also explains that Annileen's late husband Dannar was killed by a Tusken Raider eight years ago while attempting to aid a rider in the desert. Orrin also tells Kenobi about the death of Cliegg Lars' wife Shmi Skywalker Lars and the settlers sent to rescue her at the hands of the Tuskens. He uses the Tusken threat to promote his Settlers' Call system, which he describes as a defense against Tusken incursions.
After dropping Kenobi at his home, Orrin invites Kenobi to sign up for his Settlers' Call. Kenobi decides to consider his offer and Orrin leaves with his children, who have arrived in their Selanikio Sportster landspeeder. While meditating, Kenobi recounts his visit to Dannar's Claim to Master Jinn. He thinks that Orrin's Settlers' Call system could help him keep an eye on the Lars family and Luke. Kenobi thinks that Orrin is a salesman pretending to be humble. He also expresses regret at not doing more to prevent his former Padawan Anakin Skywalker from going down the path of the dark side.
===Calm before the storm===
A'Yark spies on the Dannar's Claim compound from the outside. She is fascinated with Annileen, believing the woman to be a Force-sensitive Airshaper or Ena'grosh who needs to be eliminated as a threat to the Sandpeople. She also takes an interest in Kenobi, whom she describes as the "Hairy Face." Meanwhile, Annileen serves several customers including Ulbreck and Orrin. Seeking to escape Orrin's ramblings and Orrin's fliterations, she gets her daughter Kallie to watch the counter for the next two hours while she visits Kenobi in the Jundland Wastes.
Annileen socializes with Ben at his hut. Kenobi tells Annileen that it is easier to repurpose an abandoned house than to build a new one. Annileen also tells Kenobi about a holovid actor named Broon who visited the Jundland Wastes as a tourist but became lost. While Kenobi warms up to Annileen, he remains tight-lipped about his past due to his status as a fugitive. After returning to Dannar's Claim, Annileen receives news from her daughter that Kenobi sent a message thanking her for the groceries.
Unknown to Kenobi and Annileen, the two are being watched by A'Yark. A'Yark convenes a war council with the other Tusken tribal leaders. While the Tuskens regard Kenobi and Orrin (whom they call the "Smiling One") threats, they are open to recruiting Annileen into their clan due to her bond with animals. A'Yark proposes testing Annileen's suitability by leaving out a bantha for her mount. H'Raak opposes the idea, citing the perceived failure of the "Outlander" Sharad Hett. Shortly later, A'Yark's son A'Deen returns, having completed his rite of passage. To prove his worthiness, he kills H'Raak with A'Yrk's approval and claims his bantha.
Later while visiting Dannar's Claim, Kenobi finds Annileen reading her acceptance letter from the University of Alderaan dating back twenty years ago. Annileen had successfully applied for a program that included a zoological expedition that involved travelling ten worlds in a two-year exobiology program. Annileen ultimately turned down the program to focus on helping her late husband Dannar's moisture vaporator business. Due to her knowledge of the flora and fauna of Tatooine, Kenobi invites her to chat over a meal of rations at her place.
After socializing, Annileen prepares to give Kenobi a ride back to his place in her old X-31 speeder. However, a drunken Veeka crashes her Sportster speeder into Annileen's speeder. Annileen is further incensed that Veeka was giving her son Jabe a ride back from the Comet Run race. Shortly later Zedd, Mullen, Orrin and Kallie arrive in two speeders, having returned from a race at Mos Espa. While Annileen is upset with Orrin for endangering her son again, Orrin defends the trip as an adolescent rite of passage. The group are joined by Kenobi and several Devaronian business proprietors who own the Lucky Despot accommodation business in Mos Eisley. Before Annileen can entertain the guests, Tusken Raiders attack and stab the Rodian Bohmer in the back.
===The killing ground===
A'Yark and her Tusken warriors raid Dannar's Claim with the goal of capturing Annileen, whom they believe to be the Airshaper. The Tuskens and settlers engage in a gunfight. Zedd is wounded by a Tusken gaderffii stick while a Devaronian executive named Jervett is killed. Orrin and Ulbreck gun down several Tuskens with the former recognizing the Tusken leader "Plug-eye." Kenobi helps Annileen and Orrin defend the store. Before the Tuskens can capture her, Annileen manages to press the remote activator that activates the Settlers' Call. The recorded krayt dragon roar throws the Tuskens into panic. A'Yark attempts to calm her warriors including her son A'Deen but to no avail. She decides to call a retreat but enlists A'Deen's help in warning the other survivors that they are heading the wrong way.
Following the Tusken retreat, the Mon Calamari doctor Mell attends to the wounded Bohmer and arranges to take him to Bestine for treatment. Meanwhile, Orrin tries to reassure the Devaronian investors and Ulbreck that his Settlers' Call system works. However, the Devaronians believe the Gault farms are unsafe and are outraged by Jervett's death. After receiving intelligence from a Skyhopper that the fleeing Tusken Raiders are heading towards Hanter's Gorge, Orrin decides to assemble his posse including Jabe in order to eliminate the Tuskens. After learning that Orrin has taken Jabe for the pursuit, Annileen and Kenobi follow them on a speeder bike.
A'Yark leads the survivors of her raiding party into the "False Mouth," the Tusken name for Hunter's Gorge, with the hope of reaching the Pillars. However, they are unable to scale the canyon. Orrin and his companions seal the Tuskens' escape route from behind while other settlers including Jabe and Veeka fire at the Tuskens from an escarpment above the gorge. Kenobi and Annileen watch the massacre from the western side of the gorge. Despite losing her husband Dannar to the Tuskens and the damage to her store, Annileen is horrified by the one-sided massacre and her son's involvement in it. From a distance, Orrin spots Annilee and Kenobi.
Before Annileen and Kenobi can leave, they are attacked by A'Deen. Before Annileen can shoot A'Deen, the Tusken is taken out by a long-distance blaster shot. While the two approach the fallen Tusken, Annileen realizes that the fallen warrior is Jabe's age. With their path blocked by A'Yark and seven surviving Tusken warriors, Kenobi proposes diplomacy. As a gesture of peace, Ben lays the fallen A'Deen's gaderffii stick on the ground. When A'Yark grieves over her late son, Annileen and Kenobi realize that she is the boy's mother.
While conversing with A'Yark, Kenobi learns that she knew Sharad Hett, a Jedi Master who had joined a Tusken clan. A'Yark learns that Annileen is not the Force-sensitive Airshaper but that Kenobi had used his Force powers to save her from being crushed by the dewback in the desert. Kenobi convinces A'Yark that both sides have spilled enough blood today and to escape while they still can. Meanwhile, Orrin and his posse celebrates the killing of 48 Tuskens, regarding today's victory during the Comet Run Day Battle as payback for earlier Tusken attacks that claimed the lives of his son Varan Gault, Dannar Calwell, and Shmi.
===A time for grieving===
While laying her son A'Deen to rest on a bed-atar in the Pillars, A'Yark reflects on her life. Thirteen cycles earlier, A'Yark's clan had sustained heavy casualties including its leader Sharad Hett during a battle with the Hutts. As the sixth and youngest child in her family, A'Yark had experienced the loss of three of her siblings from a plague. To repopulate his household, her father Yark had kidnapped an adolescent human woman named K'Sheek, who had been a slave of her human masters. A'Yark was tasked with instructing her in the ways of the Tuskens including combat.
Later, another human named Sharad had joined A'Yark's Tusken clan voluntarily. He married K'Sheek and the couple produced a son named A'Sharad Hett. K'Sheek subsequently disappeared into the desert during a sandstorm. Following the death of her father, A'Yark took a spouse named Deen and bore children. Meanwhile, Sharad became the leader of their clan and established an alliance with the different clans. Fearing Sharad's influence among the Tuskens, Jabba had manipulated the Tuskens of the Jundland Wastes into a war with the settlers. This conflict claimed the lives of A'Yark's oldest son, her spouse Deen, and Sharad himself. Sharad's son also vanished during the conflict.
Sharad's defeat ushered the collapse of his makeshift Tusken alliance. A'Yark took over leadership of her clan while raising two children. As leader, A'Yark survived several crises including the loss of her second son and one of her eyes. Her clan's morale had also been affected by the mysterious disappearance of a stronger clan. Following the events of the Comet Run Battle, her clan only has seven males of warrior age. Seeking to replenish her clan's numbers and strength, A'Yark considers recruiting the human man "Ben," regarding him as another Sharad.
===Unravelling Ben===
Annileen drops Kenobi back at his home. Annileen invites him to stay at Dannar's Claim for the night but he declines her offer and says that he will return to fetch Rooh the following day. Kenobi describes the wounded Bohmer as a contented individual who regarded the bar as his home. As a gesture of friendship, Annileen allows Kenobi to keep her datapad as a souvenir. After returning to her store, Annileen is relieved to learn that her staff and customers including Leelee Pace and Waller Pace have cleaned and repaired the store. Orrin and his posse including Jabe celebrate their victory with drinks. However, Annileen is horrified and disgusted that her son killed trapped Tuskens. Jabe defends his actions, deeming the Tuskens uncivilized and saying that he is avenging his father.
Exhausted by the events of the day, Annileen retires to her quarters to sleep. Meanwhile, Kenobi reflects on the Tusken raid on Dannar's Claim. While recognizing Orrin's right to self-defense, he is concerned about his power over the people and opines that responsibility comes with power. Kenobi is also interested in the Tusken clan's connection with Sharad. Kenobi regards Annileen as an intrepid individual who takes challenges in stride because she cares for the people in her life. Kenobi decides that he must lock away something that he has been holding on to. His meditation is interrupted by the presence of another individual.
The following day, Kallie tells her mother that she visited Ben's home after disposing of the remains of the fallen Tusken Raiders; explaining that she followed Annileen's speeder bike in her LiteVan IV. Kallie recounts that she spend two hours listening to Kenobi meditate outside his home's curtain. She learnt that his surname is Kenobi and that he is holding onto something special. While Annileen is angry that her daughter eavesdropped on Kenobi, she realizes that Kenobi sensed Kallie's presence. When Annileen describes Jabe as a sadist and Annilee as a voyeur, Jabe responds that his mother took off with a "crazy man." Annileen says that Kenobi is not crazy but just talks to himself.
===Orrin's rising troubles===
That morning, Kenobi visits to pick up Rooh. He encounters Orrin who has used the successful repulsion of the Tusken raid on Dannar's Claim to recruit eight new subscribers for his Settler's Call Fund. Beneath his jubilant facade, Orrin is dealing with poor test results from his Pretormin Environmental vaporators. When Orrin attempts to convince Kenobi to subscribe to his fund, Kenobi asks if his network could protect the Lars homestead, which lies more than a 100 km from Pika Oasis beyond Motesta Oasis and Jawa Heights. Orrin estimates that it would cost 1,900 credits a year to protect the Lars homestead including setting up weapons caches and patrols.
Before Kenobi can respond, the settlement is visited by the Gossam gang enforcer Bojo Boopa and his two Gamorrean guards. Boopa speaks with Orrin in his office while the Gamorreans help themselves to items from Annileen's store. Following the meeting, Orrin puts up a strong front and tells the criminals to leave the oasis. Boopa warns Orrin that his "little kingdom" is a dust mote in the eyes of his crime lord boss. Orrin tells Annileen and the others that the criminals were attempting to extort protection money but were deterred by his militia.
Orrin also attempts to win Annileen by lending her one of his USV-5 Modified Landspeeders. After Kenobi declines to subscribe to the Settler's Call, Orrin gives him the "cold shoulder," prompting Kenobi to take his leave. Annileen is indignant with Orrin's treatment of her new-found friend but is unable to stop Kenobi from leaving the settlement.
Over a period of several days, A'Yark spies on Kenobi's movements. Later, several members of her clan return with a vaporator tower and landspeeder that they had stolen from the farmer Wyles Ulbreck. A'Yark decides they should find out how to use the settler's technology and orders her band to store it inside a cave beneath the Pillars.
Meanwhile, Orrin, Veeka, and Mullen discover that their Pretormin vaporators have been producing unsatisfactory results with the Gault sweetwater formula. Orrin also encounters Ulbreck as he is driving his repulsortruck out of the Pika Oasis. Orrin attempts to convince the stubborn farmer to sign up for his Settler's Call Fund but the fiercely independent farmer rejects Orrin's offer. After conferring with his children, Orrin decides to proceed with his "backup plan."
===Trip to Mos Eisley===
Later, Annileen and Leelee wash and renovate her shop. Leelee thinks that "Ben" is a better suitor for Annileen than Orrin but Annileen tries to conceal her feelings for Kenobi. Orrin visits the store and tells Annileen that he has arranged a one-day holiday trip for Annileen and her children to visit Mos Eisley as a birthday treat for Annileen. He also tells Annileen that he has a gift for her. Orrin's gift turns out to be a certificate for a new SoroSuub JG-8 luxury landspeeder at Mos Eisley's Delroix Speeders. Meanwhile, Kenobi mediates in the Force and confides with Qui-Gon about Kallie eavesdropping on his earlier meditation.
The following day Annileen, Jabe, and Kallie drive to Mos Eisley in a LiteVan II vehicle. Jabe admires Orrin while Kallie briefly reconsiders her distrust of the farmer. On the way, they encounter Kenobi with his eopie Rooh, who has stopped and lain down in the desert. Annileen tends to Rooh and discovers that the eopie is pregnant after inspecting her abdomen. Kenobi also tells the Calwells that he was traveling to the Geelers' repair shop in Bestine to fix his ancient coolant unit. Since the Geelers are attending a wedding in Naboo, Annileen and Kallie allow Kenobi to hitch a ride with them to Mos Eisley. Meanwhile, Orrin meets with the Shistavanen Tar Lup at Dannar's Claim. He takes advantage of Annileen's absence to put his plans into action.
At Mos Eisley, the Calwells and Kenobi are caught up in an Ithorian wedding. After dancing with an Ithorian, Annileen allows her children to explore the town for an hour while she talks about her concerns with Orrin at the Café Tatoo II. While having a meal at the cafe, Annileen confides with Kenobi her suspicions that Orrin is "showering" her with gifts because he wants something from her. She is also curious about Kenobi's past but the Jedi fugitive is evasive. The two also see an Imperial officer and a stormtrooper visit the store, a foreshadowing of the new Imperial presence on Tatooine. While Kenobi is visibly nervous, Annileen thinks that the Imperials are conducting an inventory of Republic assets on Tatooine.
Meanwhile, Orrin discreetly visits the local branch of the Aargau Investment Trust. Orrin tells Veeka and Mullen that his first plan is "going according to plan." To avoid running into Annileen, he sets his USV-5 landspeeder's windshield to opaque. Orrin travels to Docking Bay 87 to meet his contact, who turns out to be the Gossam Bojo Boopa and his Gamorrean bodyguards. They commandeer his car and force Orrin to drive.
===Hive of villainy===
At the Delroix Speeders showroom, the Calwells with Kenobi pick up the JG-8 luxury speeder. While Annileen regards the speeder as ostentatious, Jabe is excited about driving the new vehicle. While driving through the streets of Mos Eisley, the four discover that the vehicle's control stick is faulty. Before Annileen can return to the Delroix dealers, she along with Jabe and Kenobi witness Orrin entering the Mos Eisley Inn with several rough looking humans and aliens including Bojo and Jorrk. Jabe thinks that Orrin is in trouble. Annileen and Jabe agree to fetch Kallie while Kenobi heads inside to help Orrin. Since Orrin was one of the first people in the Pika Oasis to welcome him, Kenobi decides to return the favor.
Inside the Inn, Orrin meets with the Nimbanel Mosep Binneed and his cousin Lhojugg, who serve as joint takers of Jabba's interests. Mosep reminds Orrin that he owes Jabba a significant sum of money and that he has not met certain obligations. Orrin responds that he is trying his best to repay his debts and claims that his new vaporators investment will help him reach that goal. Mosep tells Orrin to double his usual payment the following day in order to meet the full balance in two weeks. Since Orrin has been tardy with his last three payments, Mosep orders his henchmen to teach Orrin a lesson by electrocuting him in a metal cage.
Orrin breaks free from his captors at the same time that Kenobi breaks into the inn in an attempt to rescue Orrin. A gun battle breaks out but Kenobi and Orrin are able to doge the criminals. Kenobi uses his Force powers and combat skills to turn the tables on the gangsters, killing at least four of Jabba's henchmen including two Gamorreans. During the fighting, three winged Kayven whistlers are let loose and wreck havoc inside the hotel's storeroom.Mosep reluctantly agrees to give Orrin more time to settle his debts with Jabba.
Meanwhile, Annileen and Jabe fetch Kallie. Annileen then sends Jabe to retrieve the LiteVan. Jabe also returns with Mullen and Veeka, who have been looking for their father Orrin. Shortly later, six individuals flee the Mos Eisley Innn with the Kayven whistlers in pursuit. When Orrin emerges, he claims that a business deal went wrong and that he received several credit chips from his client as compensation for travel. They are joined by Kenobi who claims that he followed the Calwells into Mos Eisley to do some repair work.
===Romance and attachment===
Orrin takes the opportunity to propose marriage to Annileen, emphasizing that they have spent years together managing their business holdings in the Pika Oasis. Annileen is reluctant to marry Orrin and says that she needs time to reconsider. After retreating to Mullen and Veeka's townhouse, Orrin decides to proceed with "Plan Two." With Zedd experiencing painkiller addiction, Orrin decides to recruit Jabe for his plan under the pretext of giving him a ride back to the oasis. Annileen reluctantly allows Orrin to give her son a ride after Orrin promises that his cook droid will feed Jabe and drop him back home tonight.
Annileen also gives Kenobi a ride back to his home, where they are joined by the pregnant Rooh, who has found her way back. After installing Kenobi's repair cooling unit, Annileen asks Kenobi about Orrin's marriage proposal. While most people in Pika's Oasis think that Annileen and Orrin would make an ideal couple, Annileen has doubts about the idea. Ben is reluctant to give marriage advice but surmises that Annileen is lonely and needs someone who can both support and challenge her. Annileen senses that Ben is haunted by his past but is frustrated that he is unwilling to confide with her about his troubles.
Having developed feelings for Ben, Annileen embraces him. When Kenobi does not reciprocate her feelings for him, she tells him that she will wait till he is ready before leaving. While meditation in private, Kenobi reflects on his feelings for Annileen which he believes goes against the Jedi teaching against developing attachments. Kenobi ponders whether Annileen can fill the gulf left by the loss of many of his Jedi "family" including Anakin during the Great Jedi Purge. Kenobi decides to look up to past Jedi who lived without the trappings of the Jedi Order but still followed the Jedi Code such as Kerra Holt and Zayne Carrick. Ben decides to look to Annileen and her community as a substitute support system but fears wrapping himself up in the present.
===A false flag attack===
Orrin, Mullen, Veeka, and Jabe raid Wyle Ulbreck's farm while disguised as Tusken Raiders. Their plan is to scare Ulbreck into signing up for Orrin's Settlers' Fund. Veeka assaults Ulbreck with a rifle while Orrin threatens Wyle's wife Magda Ulbreck with a knife. Before the fake Tuskens can harm the Ulbrecks, they are ambushed and attacked by Kenobi. Kenobi uses his Force powers and reflexes to gain the upper hand over the raiders and unmasks Orrin. The Gaults and Jabe retreat to their speeder bikes. Though the Gaults manage to escape, Jabe is captured by real Tuskens from A'Yark but Orrin manages to escape.
Meanwhile, Annileen waits anxiously at Dannar's Claim for her son Jabe. Annileen is worried because she has been unable to contact the Gaults. At midnight, a dishevelled Orrin arrives and tells Anileen that he owes 56,000 credits to Jabba. He explains that a Mos Eisley bank loaned him money to buy Ptertormin moisture vaporators six years ago, using his land as collateral. However, Orrin's investment proved unsuccessful because he could not figure out the formula to get the water to work. Orrin was forced to borrow more money to cover his losses. Since he was unable to make the interest payments, the bank refused to loan him more money.
Orrin ended up borrowing money from Jabba after exhausting all legal creditors. Orrin confesses that his marriage proposal to Annileen was part of a ruse to acquire Annileen's land, money, and convenience store in order to settle his debts to Jabba. Annileen is furious at Orrin for his duplicity and refuses to surrender her store as collateral. When questioned, Orrin admits to making copies of her financial records while she and her children visited Mos Eisley in the morning. When a furious Annileen orders Orrin to leave, he proposes marrying her teenage daughter Kallie. Annileen punches Orrin in the jaw, prompting him to grab her shoulders and pin her down. Before Orrin can assault her, Kallie drives him away with a rifle and chastises Orrin for taking advantage of her Mom and corrupting Jabe. Orrin then claims that Jabe is dead.
Elsewhere at A'Yark's camp, Kenobi meets with the Tusken chief in order to negotiate Jabe's release. Kenobi pleads with A'Yark to release Jabe since he is Annileen's son. Due to the tensions between the settlers and Tuskens, A'Yark refuses to release her prisoner unless Kenobi joins her clan. She believes that Kenobi would make a good clan leader who would strengthen their clan, citing a prophecy about a warrior coming from the skies to lead them to power. When Kenobi declines her offer to join her clan, A'Yark voices her intention to kill Jabe as retribution for Orrin Gault's crimes against her people. In response, Kenobi proposes a plan to defeat Orrin's forces, which A'Yark reluctantly accepts. As settlers approach the Tusken encampment, Kenobi manages to secure Jabe's release by trading him for his eopie Rooh's baby eopie. In return, A'Yark exacts a promise from Kenobi to join her clan should is plot to defeat Orrin fail.
Back at Annileen's home, Orrin lies that "Plug-eye" killed Jabe while bringing him back from his place. Annileen refuses to believe that her son is dead and demands that Orrin activate the Settlers' Call so that they can recover her son's remains. She also corrects Orrin and points out that "Plug-eye" is a female. Orrin attempts to get Annileen to sign over ownership of her store in return for activating the Settlers' Call. However, Kenobi arrives with Jabe safe and alive. After Jabe reveals that Orrin lied about the circumstances of how he was captured by the Tuskens, Annileen orders Orrin to leave. Orrin leaves but warns that he still wants her land and assets in order to settle his debts with Jabba.
Jabe also tells his mother that Kenobi told him to "turn back now" before it is too late. After locking the doors to her home and changing her passacodes, Annileen speaks with her son. Jabe tells her that Orrin exploiting his yearning for a father figure by enlisting him in a "prank" to dress up as a Tusken Raider and scare the Ulbrecks. Jabe reveals that Orrin had acquired an entire trove of Tusken gear from the Settlers' Call rescues. Jabe explains that Orrin staged a fake Tusken attack on the Ulbrecks as a means of convincing them to sign up for his Settler's Call. Jabe tells Annileen that he told Kenobi everything he had told her about Orrin.
===Orrin unmasked===
After her children go to bed, Annileen retires to her bedroom. She is visited by Ben Kenobi, who discloses more details about Orrin's troubled investments. Kenobi explains that Orrin had attempted to continue Dannar's vaporator investment by trying to develop a formula for a "magic water" that tasted better than other types six years ago. When that venture failed, Orrin took a loan from Mosep Binneed, one of Jabba's business managers. To pay off his debts, Orrin had started the Settlers' Fund under the pretext of defending settlers from Tusken incursions but secretly embezzled funds from it. Kenobi also reveals that Orrin took out loans for all the Fund's vehicles and embezzled Annileen's store revenue to pay for is weapons.
While Orrin's Settlers' Fund was initially successful, Kenobi explains that Tusken raids declined following Anakin Skywalker's attack on a Tuxken clan which frightened the other Tusken clans. Due to a decline in Tusken attacks, Orrin lost subscribers for his Settlers' Call Fund, which delayed his loan repayments to Jabba. In an attempt to reverse this decline in fortune, Orrin and his children and farm hands staged false flag attacks on settlers.
Kenobi explains that A'Yark had recorded nine settler attacks this season, which matched the Fund's recorded attacks. However, A'Yark stated that the Tuskens had only raided four homes during that period. Kenobi deduces that the five remaining attacks were perpetrated by Orrin against the holdouts. To complete the illusion, Orrin has sent his vigilantes to wage deadly punitive attacks against the Tuskens. While real Tusken attacks were deadly, Orrin's false flag attacks were intended to frighten people into subscribing to his Settlers' Call.
When Annileen expresses her dislike for the Tuskens, Kenobi counters that all life is sacred. Kenobi is also aware that Orrin's marriage proposal is ruse to acquire her assets. Since Kenobi unmasked Orrin at the Ulbreck's farm, Kenobi anticipates that he is planning to him next in order to conceal his shady activities. While knowing that exposing Orrin's crimes would hurt her family's interests due to the two families' role in the Fund's weapons trade, Ben convinces Annileen to help her put a stop to Orrin once and for all. He advises her to start packing and to join her just before sunset tomorrow.
In private, Kenobi confides with Master Jinn that he believes that there is hope for Jabe if he can get him away from Orrin's influence. He believes that Orrin will have to face the consequences of a lifetime of crimes and lies but hopes that he admits his guilt and turns back before it is too late. While Kenobi is determined to stop Orrin's machinations, he resolves that nothing will distract him from his mission to protect Luke Skywalker including his feelings for Annileen. Kenobi also confides his fears about getting lost in his new identity of Ben. Kenobi also discusses his sensitive relationship with the Tuskens. While recognizing that they are capable of unforgivable things such as the murder of Anakin's mother Shmi, he recognizes that A'Yark is a responsible leader.
===Turning the tables on Orrin===
The following morning, a wounded and startled Wyle Ulbreck signs up for Orrin's Settlers' Call Fund in order to protect his wife and farm. With Ulbreck's subscription covering a good chunk of his debt, Orrin decides not to use Annileen's land and business as collateral for paying his debt. In response to the alleged Tusken attack on Ulbreck's farm, Orrin activates the Settlers' Call, which attracts a large crowd of farmers and farm hands. In order to prevent Kenobi from exposing his false flag attacks, Orrin delivers a rousing speech in which he accuses Ben Kenobi of colluding with the Tuskens and rallies the vigilantes for a manhunt against the so-called "traitor". After transferring ownership of her business to the Phindian mechanic Gloamer and getting her children to start packing, Annileen discretely calls Jabba's manager Mosep to come and collect Orrin's large debt to Jabba on the pretext that he is mustering a militia to resist Jabba's debt collectors.
While traveling to Kenobi's hut, Orrin and his children spot Kenobi riding his speeder bike across the desert. With Kenobi heading towards Hunter's Gorge, Orrin convinces his posse to pursue Kenobi into the Roiya Rift. Kenobi rides his speeder bike into Hanter's Gorge. Believing Kenobi is trapped, Orrin orders his posse to surround the gorge and to set up smoke charges. However, Kenobi had led them into the gorge in order to unleash a herd of banthas. Kenobi uses a fake krayt dragon's call to cause the banthas to charge down the surrounding mountains. This causes a stampede that scatters the settlers and their vehicles. Orrin and Veeka are unhurt but Mullen sustains a head wound caused by a bantha horn.
Following the stampede, Kenobi sent a speeder bike with a burlap duffel shaped like a humanoid figure down the gorge. The burlap duffle was stuffed with several Tusken clothing that Kenobi had obtained from Orrin's home. Several vigilantes shot down the speeder bike and discovered the burlap duffel upon inspecting the vehicle and its "rider." From his hiding place in the Tusken camp in the Pillars, Kenobi used Orrin's stolen loudhailer to expose Orrin's deception to the settlers. Orrin admits keeping some trophies but defends the Settlers' Call Fund. Kenobi counters by daring Orrin to deny embezzling the fund to pay his debts and exposes his role in attacking Tyla Bezzard's father and the Ulbrecks. Orrin attempts to defend himself but is interrupted by Mosep, who has come to collect Jabba's debts.
Meanwhile in the Tusken high camp, A'Yark is uneasy about Kenobi's plan to bring the settlers and criminals to her clan's domain. Kenobi reiterates his promise to deliver Orrin Gault to justice. Fearing another massacre on the same scale as Anakin's slaughter of a Tusken clan to avenge his mother's death, A'Yark decides to hide her people.
In the gorge below, the settlers are incensed about Orrin's dealings with Jabba. Believing that Orrin is reneging on his obligations to settle his debts by mustering a militia, Mosep rescinds the afternoon deadline and orders Orrin to pay immediately. Orrin accuses Kenobi of conspiring with the gangsters. However, Annileen reveals that she was the one who contacted Jabba's enforcers and led them to Orrin. Annileen reveals Orrin's unscrupulous activities to the settlers, who demand justice against Orrin. When Mosep reminds the settlers that he has a score to settler with Orrin, Wyles shoots the Klatooinian Jorrk dead. This sparks a gunfight with the settlers attacking Jabba's enforcers. The Gaults take advantage of the chaos to kidnap Annileen and escape on their JG-8 landspeeder.
===Rescue and showdown===
While Kenobi and the Tuskens flee the high camp for safety, Kenobi and A'Yark witness the Gaults driving past in their landspeeder with a captive Annileen. Kenobi realizes that the Gaults intend to flush him out of hiding but he is unwilling to endanger Annileen. A'Yark wants to go on the offensive and Kenobi reassures her that he will protect her people if Orrin attacks. A'Yark advises Kenobi to kill Orrin or he will pursue him forever, citing the legend of the skybrothers. Kenobi comes up with a plan to stop Orrin.
Upon reaching the Tusken high camp, the Gaults continue their search for Kenobi and kill a massif in the process. They attempt to throw the animal down a well but Kenobi interrupts them from his hiding place. He warns Orrin to turn back but the farmer is determined to hunt and kill Kenobi. Orrin fires his blasters randomly in an attempt to draw Kenobi out. Kenobi ambushes Orrin in the rock pillars and the two men fight, which triggers a rockfall. Orrin sustains a broken leg from the falling rocks but is determined to settle scores for Kenobi. Kenobi tries to give Orrin a chance to turn back and redeem himself but Orrin is unwilling to lose everything.
Meanwhile, Annileen fights Veeka and Mullen, who are guarding her. She is aided by A'Yark who wounds Veeka with her gaderffii stick. Mullen attempts to kill A'Yark with his blaster but the Tusken chieftain kills him by swinging her gaderffii into his abdomen, avenging the Gaults' attacks on her people. Veeka is wounded but manages to escape. Kenobi and Orrin's fight awakens a canyon krayt dragon. Annileen helps A'Yark to evacuate her children and clan to safety.
The krayt dragon charges through the stone Pillars, losing rocks and debris. Kenobi uses his Force powers to save a Tusken child from being crushed by a rock. Orrin watches as Kenobi fights the krayt dragon, which tries to use its massive barbed tail to crush him. When the creature charges at Orrin and the Tusken child, Kenobi jumps onto the dragon. He then uses his lightsaber to pierce through the krayt dragon's head and breach its brain, killing the beast. Realizing that Kenobi is a Jedi, Orrin resolves to reveal Kenobi to the Empire; this being his last card to play because of his desperate situation with the settlers, the Tuskens, and his debt to Jabba. Orrin also seeks vengeance against Kenobi after discovering his fallen son Mullen. Kenobi is undaunted by Orrin's threats and warns him that he doesn't have long to live.
The wounded Orrin retreats to to his landspeeder in an attempt to escape. While exiting the Tusken high camp, he witnesses A'Yark. Seeking to avenge Mullen's death, Orrin attempts to ram her with his speeder. However, A'Yark smashes his windshield with her gaderffii stick, blinding him. Missing the narrow bantha path that leading down the side of the cliff, Orrin's speeder falls off a cliff into into the Tusken badlands. This is the last time Orrin is seen by Kenobi, Annileen, and A'Yark. Kenobi and Annileen help A'Yark who is clinging to a jutting rock. While disappointed that she did not get to inflict a deathblow against Orrin, A'Yark thanks Kenobi for keeping his promise. After embracing Kenobi, Annileen summons him to her place to talk.
===Aftermath===
Annileen returns to Pika Oasis where she learns that the farmers have succeeded in routing Jabba's gangsters. Mosep decides to cut his losses in the Gault affair and orders a retreat. The settlers also question Orrin's daughter Veeka and his farm hand Zedd, who confess to their role in Gault's protection racket and false flag attacks on farms. However, Veeka and Zedd also take the opportunity to incriminate the Calwells by claiming that Jabe took part in several false flag raids and that Annileen was not only aware of the raids but profited from the sales of guns and ale. Unable to hire a lawyer to clear her name, Annileen decides to sell Dannar's Claim and emigrate offworld.
Though believed by many including Annileen and Veeka to have perished, Orrin survives the speeder crash but is paralyzed from the waist down and badly burned. He wakes to find he has been taken in by the Tuskens and, due to his injuries, must wear one of their breathing masks. A'Yark reveals to Orrin that he is now a slave serving the Tusken camp and will be put to use repairing moisture vaporators. Knowing that he does not have long to live, Orrin resolves to cooperate with his Tusken captors. Unable to deal with the humiliation of becoming a Tusken, Orrin resolves not to speak again.
Annileen and her children meet Kenobi at his house in the Jundland wastes. Kenobi reveals to Annileen that he has arranged for her to travel to Bestine and leave Tatooine for good. He also gives her news that he submitted her university application, that she had been holding onto for so many years. She will study exobiology and travel to multiple systems and planets to study different species as part of the program. She is overjoyed with the news. But Kenobi reveals that he will not be joining with her and her family. He explains that he has responsibilities on the planet that require his care. He also explains how he has been withholding information from her about his past. This upsets her greatly and causes her to feel sorry for Kenobi. She is saddened to lose her new savior, but finds a way to deal with her grief.
Meanwhile, A'Yark uses the stolen moisture vaporator to rejuvenate her clan, improving the health and well-being of her people and their bantha steeds. She realizes that her clan does not need an outsider like Sharad Hett or Kenobi to leader their clan. To boost morale, A'Yark authorizes raids against Jawas in the Western Dune Sea. A'Yark and her warriors kill a group of Jawas.
After liquidating her assets and paying her debts to the former Settlers' Fund members, Anileen, Kallie and Jabe board the Lady of Bestine for a voyage to the planet Bestine. While waiting to jump into hyperspace, Annileen confides with her children that she failed to keep her promise to Dannar not to sell their store. Jabe reassures that she did fine. Annileen apologizes for forcing Jabe to help her run the store and accepts that it was not his dream. Annileen and her children conclude that Kenobi is staying on Tatooine to help fulfill someone's dream. While meditating, Kenobi reflects on his recent adventures with Annileen while resolving to watch over Luke and the Lars farmhouse.
==Development==
Kenobi is a sweeping story that is all Star Wars, part epic Western, part romance, and part high-stakes drama. Author John Jackson Miller worked on the concept of this book since 2006, around November or December. Miller was told during Celebration IV in May 2007 by his Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic editor Jeremy Barlow that they would have to shelve for his proposed "Ben Kenobi Western", which Miller had been developing as a Dark Horse Comics graphic novel, letting him focus on the comic book adaptation of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Miller felt too that Barlow didn't want to make the project as it was too long with 50 pages, leading the two to discuss on whether publishing it as a prose novel. They ultimately opted to not go ahead with the project at that time out of fear it would potentially contradict any ideas George Lucas was possibly developing for Star Wars: Underworld. After working on Lost Tribe of the Sith: Precipice, Miller felt he had sharpened his writing skills enough to do justice to Kenobi.IndyCast: Episode 265 at IndyCast
The book was originally scheduled to be released on July 27, 2013.
According to artist Chris McGrath, he created two versions of the cover artwork for his commission. His preferred piece was used for the Brazilian version, while the other became the cover art for the original release.
==Legacy==
Kenobi was republished by Del Rey on April 5, 2022 as part of The Essential Legends Collection.
On May 26, 2022, Obi-Wan Kenobi TV show star and executive producer Ewan McGregor confirmed during an interview with Screen Rant that he had read the Kenobi novel after filming the series. While the TV series did not follow the same story as the novel, McGregor praised Miller's writing style and stated that it was "very interesting to read another story set in the period between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope."
On May 27, 2022, the Kenobi TV series' showrunner Deborah Chow confirmed that she read Miller's Kenobi novel "to get a sense of what this feels like for this character at that point in his life." She also added that the novel influenced the tone rather than the story content of the Kenobi TV series.
==Media==
===Editions===
*; August 27, 2013; Del Rey; US hardcover
*; 2013; Del Rey; US hardcover; Science Fiction Book Club edition Kenobi, Science Fiction Book Club edition
*; August 27, 2013; Del Rey; US eBook
*; July 29, 2014; Del Rey; US paperback
*; April 5, 2022; Del Rey; US paperback; The Essential Legends Collection edition
===Cover gallery===
File:KenobiPromoCover.jpg|Promo cover
File:SWKenobi-coverart.jpg|Promo cover art
File:Kenobi-Hardcover.jpg|Initial US cover
File:Kenobi-Legends.png|Legends release cover
File:Kenobi BR.jpg|Brazilian cover
File:Kenobi Rus.jpg|Russian Legends cover - Звёздные войны: Кеноби
File:Kenobi Essential Legends Collection cover.jpg|The Essential Legends Collection cover
==Appearances ==
==Sources==
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==Notes and references==
==External links==
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Category:Legends novels
Category:The Essential Legends Collection