New Fic: Luminous Dust 1/?
Here goes nothing . . .
Title: Luminous Dust
Author: Dolly (darthdolly)
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Anakin/Obi-Wan
Timeframe: post RotS AU
Summary: coming soon. ^^;;
Spoilers: possibly for RotS
Warnings: Contains slash and mentions of mature themes, but nothing explicit.
Notes: This is the sequel to my story What Comes of It, which can be found HERE. (yes, I finally gave it a page!) So you'll probably want to read that story before you read this one, but you could probably figure this one out even if you don't read it.
~*~
Thirty-four days.
It had been thirty-four days since Obi-Wan had been freed, by his reckoning, but it still wasn't as long as his captivity had been.
Anakin, as Darth Vader, had kept Obi-Wan as his prisoner and Consort for more than three months, but had apparently released him after a dispute with Emperor Palpatine. Or rather, former Emperor Palpatine. Palpatine, Obi-Wan had been shocked to discover, was dead. Anakin had killed him for what he had done to Obi-Wan, and had taken the title of Emperor for himself. Obi-Wan had little memory of the events that preceeded this, though, and after going to Palpatine his memories were vague impressions of pain and darkness. But there had been more than that. Anakin had been there, in the end.
But was it truly Anakin, still, who ruled as Emperor? Obi-Wan could only hope, but it seemed likely, even though he hadn't actually seen Anakin since he had woken in the med bay on Palpatine's ship for the first time. There, he had sensed only worry and regret in Anakin, rather than the all-encompassing darkness that had clouded the young man's mind for so long before that.
But the next time Obi-Wan had woken, nearly a week later, he had found himself in a suite in a private hospital, alone. Picking up on his initial confusion as he woke in the strange surroundings, a nurse had informed him, quite respectfully, that Emperor Vader had arranged for his continued care here, and that he had left him with a short personal message.
My Dear Obi-Wan,
As you read this, you will probably find yourself in a private hospital. Be assured that I have matters under control, so please rest and recover from your injuries. Words cannot express my regret for all that has happened between us. You have my sincere apology, though I can not ask that you accept it. I have left you with all the resources you may need to live your life comfortably, and I ask that you please accept this small gesture from me. If you must, think of it not as a gift, and certainly not as payment, but rather as reparation.
You are free, now, and I do not expect nor desire any further contact with you. But if you should ever need anything, please do contact me right away, and I will do anything in my power for you.
I wish you a swift recovery and continued health. Take care.
Love,
Anakin
Obi-Wan had frowned at the brief note, not knowing what to make of the contradictions in Anakin's distant yet caring words, and somewhat miffed that Anakin hadn't even sent his message as a holo. Looking over the attached files, however, he had nearly dropped the data pad in surprise as he saw the 'resources' that Anakin had given him. What did Anakin think he was going to do, buy a planet to live on? But it didn't matter; it wasn't as though he would actually use them. Obi-Wan was still a member of the Rebellion, and planned to rejoin his fellows as soon as he was well enough to leave.
“Good morning, Master Kenobi.”
Obi-Wan was brought out of his thoughts by the pleasant, modulated voice of one of the nurses. Looking up from his position in bed, he gave the petite woman a nod in greeting as she wheeled a cart into his hospital room. “Good morning, Nurse Alltia.”
“And how are we this morning?” she asked, giving him a sweet smile as she checked his IV and took his vitals. Obi-Wan was not impressed. In his experience, the more smiles he got from the nurses the worse off he was.
“I am quite well, thank you,” he replied airily. “And very much looking forward to my discharge this afternoon.”
This earned him a small frown. “Now, Master Kenobi, that was only a tentative date. Given your progress, the doctors would like to keep you at least two more nights to ensure that you are sufficiently recovered.”
More likely, they were being overly cautious for fear of upsetting their new Emperor. “I'm not going to get any better, you know,” he reminded her. “Just stronger.” The doctors had told him that he had massive calcification of his skeletal structure, due to prolonged exposure to energy fields. Energy fields, Obi-Wan knew, in the form of Force lightening from his encounter with Palpatine. The continuous aches that he felt, they'd said, were due to microseizures throughout his musculoskeletal structure. Rest was the only cure for the condition, but in severe cases, such as his, it would become chronic (1). And so far, despite continuous rest and time in the bacta tank, as well as Force-aided healing trances, the subtle aches remained.
“Oh! And I have good news for you,” Nurse Alltia continued blithely, changing the subject as she straightened his bedcovers. “You have a visitor!”
Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow in inquiry, mildly surprised. “Oh?”
“Yes, I'll show her in right away.” She then pulled a tray out of the cart and deposited it on the table at Obi-Wan's bedside. “After you've eaten your breakfast, of course.”
She was good. Obi-Wan looked down at the unappetizing bowl of mush-like cereal, and reluctantly picked up his spoon under the nurse's stern gaze.
------
After having waited for a good twenty minutes, Padmé nodded her thanks as the nurse waved her into the room. Quietly, she walked in, and peeked around the curtains drawn around the bed to see its occupant.
“Padmé, what a pleasant surprise,” Obi-Wan greeted her warmly.
Padmé smiled in reply, and deposited a tastefully selected bundle of flowers on the small table beside his bed. “I'm so glad to see you're awake,” she told him as she sat at his bedside and grasped his outstretched hand. “I came to visit you before, but you were still unconcious. And things have been so busy lately. How are you feeling?” she inquired, looking him over critically. His cheekbones and collarbones jutted sharply, and his hand felt insubstantial in her own petite one. But despite his thinness and pallor, he radiated a sense of peace and there was a vibrant spark in his jewel-toned eyes.
“Very well, thank you. I'm actually planning to leave today,” Obi-Wan replied with a grin.
“How wonderful! I'll just take you with me, then.” Her pleased look gave way to one of suspicion. “Assuming, of course, that you're actually supposed to be released,” she teased.
“My release was scheduled for today, or thereabouts,” Obi-Wan said, looking slightly sheepish. “I've been here far too long for my liking.”
“Hmph.” Padmé snorted disapprovingly. “A likely story. But you are looking well, and you have been here far too long,” she agreed. “We've missed you,” she added softly. And she supposed that the Rebellion had missed him, though they had managed without him. But she had missed him more. She had been elated when her friend had escaped from Vader, only to nearly lose him again to Palpatine's wrath. But somehow, against all reason, Obi-Wan had been saved; and by Anakin, not Vader. The man who had been her husband seemed to have come out of the darkness that has possessed him for so many years, and she had no doubt that Obi-Wan had been the cause. But whether it would last or not now that they were apart, Padmé had her doubts.
Perhaps having noticed her downturned expression, Obi-Wan inquired quietly, “Padmé, how are things? Really. I haven't gotten much news, here,” he added lightly.
Hearing the implicit inquiry as well as the obvious one, Padmé replied, “Honestly? I don't know.” She paused for a moment. “But I suppose things are looking promising for the Rebellion. Since he's become Emperor, Anakin has declared that he will be converting the Empire into a New Republic over time.”
Obi-Wan looked startled. “Really? That's wonderful news. But what is the Rebellion's stance on all this?”
“He wants to negotiate with us,” Padmé said faintly, still having trouble believing it even as she relayed the news to Obi-Wan. “Anakin does, I mean.”
“Oh my . . .” Obi-Wan breathed. “Have you seen him?” he asked, a slight urgency to his tone.
“Anakin?” Padmé repeated, surprised. “No, I haven't. I'll be attending the negotiations, though, when they begin, and will be in the initial envoy.”
Obi-Wan looked at her questioningly, then, and Padmé knew right away what he wanted to ask. “Unfortunately, you won't be attending. You weren't on the Emperor's requested list. And besides . . . Mon Mothma and the others have agreed that it might not be such a good idea to send you, after all that you've been through.” she trailed off, aware of how her explanation must have sounded. “It's for your own good, Obi-Wan, please understand,” she rushed out. She hadn't seen Anakin yet, and had no way of knowing if she could trust him with Obi-Wan.
“I do,” he said with a sad smile. “In a way.”
“Good.” She squeezed his hand as relief coursed through her. She'd been worried that he might fight their decision, and the last thing she wanted was for Anakin to get near him again, reformed or not. “When you're ready, let's go. I have your new assignment.”
~*~
(1) See the SW EU novel The Truce at Bakura, where it is mentioned that Luke Skywalker aquired this condition as a result of his brief exposure to Palpatine's Force-lightening.
~*~
Hopefully this will come out okay, I'm not used to posting stories on LJ. ^^;; Currently, I'm working on chapter 13 of this story, and I expect there to be around 15-16 chapters in total.
Thanks for reading, if anyone is there!
Title: Luminous Dust
Author: Dolly (darthdolly)
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Anakin/Obi-Wan
Timeframe: post RotS AU
Summary: coming soon. ^^;;
Spoilers: possibly for RotS
Warnings: Contains slash and mentions of mature themes, but nothing explicit.
Notes: This is the sequel to my story What Comes of It, which can be found HERE. (yes, I finally gave it a page!) So you'll probably want to read that story before you read this one, but you could probably figure this one out even if you don't read it.
~*~
Thirty-four days.
It had been thirty-four days since Obi-Wan had been freed, by his reckoning, but it still wasn't as long as his captivity had been.
Anakin, as Darth Vader, had kept Obi-Wan as his prisoner and Consort for more than three months, but had apparently released him after a dispute with Emperor Palpatine. Or rather, former Emperor Palpatine. Palpatine, Obi-Wan had been shocked to discover, was dead. Anakin had killed him for what he had done to Obi-Wan, and had taken the title of Emperor for himself. Obi-Wan had little memory of the events that preceeded this, though, and after going to Palpatine his memories were vague impressions of pain and darkness. But there had been more than that. Anakin had been there, in the end.
But was it truly Anakin, still, who ruled as Emperor? Obi-Wan could only hope, but it seemed likely, even though he hadn't actually seen Anakin since he had woken in the med bay on Palpatine's ship for the first time. There, he had sensed only worry and regret in Anakin, rather than the all-encompassing darkness that had clouded the young man's mind for so long before that.
But the next time Obi-Wan had woken, nearly a week later, he had found himself in a suite in a private hospital, alone. Picking up on his initial confusion as he woke in the strange surroundings, a nurse had informed him, quite respectfully, that Emperor Vader had arranged for his continued care here, and that he had left him with a short personal message.
My Dear Obi-Wan,
As you read this, you will probably find yourself in a private hospital. Be assured that I have matters under control, so please rest and recover from your injuries. Words cannot express my regret for all that has happened between us. You have my sincere apology, though I can not ask that you accept it. I have left you with all the resources you may need to live your life comfortably, and I ask that you please accept this small gesture from me. If you must, think of it not as a gift, and certainly not as payment, but rather as reparation.
You are free, now, and I do not expect nor desire any further contact with you. But if you should ever need anything, please do contact me right away, and I will do anything in my power for you.
I wish you a swift recovery and continued health. Take care.
Love,
Anakin
Obi-Wan had frowned at the brief note, not knowing what to make of the contradictions in Anakin's distant yet caring words, and somewhat miffed that Anakin hadn't even sent his message as a holo. Looking over the attached files, however, he had nearly dropped the data pad in surprise as he saw the 'resources' that Anakin had given him. What did Anakin think he was going to do, buy a planet to live on? But it didn't matter; it wasn't as though he would actually use them. Obi-Wan was still a member of the Rebellion, and planned to rejoin his fellows as soon as he was well enough to leave.
“Good morning, Master Kenobi.”
Obi-Wan was brought out of his thoughts by the pleasant, modulated voice of one of the nurses. Looking up from his position in bed, he gave the petite woman a nod in greeting as she wheeled a cart into his hospital room. “Good morning, Nurse Alltia.”
“And how are we this morning?” she asked, giving him a sweet smile as she checked his IV and took his vitals. Obi-Wan was not impressed. In his experience, the more smiles he got from the nurses the worse off he was.
“I am quite well, thank you,” he replied airily. “And very much looking forward to my discharge this afternoon.”
This earned him a small frown. “Now, Master Kenobi, that was only a tentative date. Given your progress, the doctors would like to keep you at least two more nights to ensure that you are sufficiently recovered.”
More likely, they were being overly cautious for fear of upsetting their new Emperor. “I'm not going to get any better, you know,” he reminded her. “Just stronger.” The doctors had told him that he had massive calcification of his skeletal structure, due to prolonged exposure to energy fields. Energy fields, Obi-Wan knew, in the form of Force lightening from his encounter with Palpatine. The continuous aches that he felt, they'd said, were due to microseizures throughout his musculoskeletal structure. Rest was the only cure for the condition, but in severe cases, such as his, it would become chronic (1). And so far, despite continuous rest and time in the bacta tank, as well as Force-aided healing trances, the subtle aches remained.
“Oh! And I have good news for you,” Nurse Alltia continued blithely, changing the subject as she straightened his bedcovers. “You have a visitor!”
Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow in inquiry, mildly surprised. “Oh?”
“Yes, I'll show her in right away.” She then pulled a tray out of the cart and deposited it on the table at Obi-Wan's bedside. “After you've eaten your breakfast, of course.”
She was good. Obi-Wan looked down at the unappetizing bowl of mush-like cereal, and reluctantly picked up his spoon under the nurse's stern gaze.
------
After having waited for a good twenty minutes, Padmé nodded her thanks as the nurse waved her into the room. Quietly, she walked in, and peeked around the curtains drawn around the bed to see its occupant.
“Padmé, what a pleasant surprise,” Obi-Wan greeted her warmly.
Padmé smiled in reply, and deposited a tastefully selected bundle of flowers on the small table beside his bed. “I'm so glad to see you're awake,” she told him as she sat at his bedside and grasped his outstretched hand. “I came to visit you before, but you were still unconcious. And things have been so busy lately. How are you feeling?” she inquired, looking him over critically. His cheekbones and collarbones jutted sharply, and his hand felt insubstantial in her own petite one. But despite his thinness and pallor, he radiated a sense of peace and there was a vibrant spark in his jewel-toned eyes.
“Very well, thank you. I'm actually planning to leave today,” Obi-Wan replied with a grin.
“How wonderful! I'll just take you with me, then.” Her pleased look gave way to one of suspicion. “Assuming, of course, that you're actually supposed to be released,” she teased.
“My release was scheduled for today, or thereabouts,” Obi-Wan said, looking slightly sheepish. “I've been here far too long for my liking.”
“Hmph.” Padmé snorted disapprovingly. “A likely story. But you are looking well, and you have been here far too long,” she agreed. “We've missed you,” she added softly. And she supposed that the Rebellion had missed him, though they had managed without him. But she had missed him more. She had been elated when her friend had escaped from Vader, only to nearly lose him again to Palpatine's wrath. But somehow, against all reason, Obi-Wan had been saved; and by Anakin, not Vader. The man who had been her husband seemed to have come out of the darkness that has possessed him for so many years, and she had no doubt that Obi-Wan had been the cause. But whether it would last or not now that they were apart, Padmé had her doubts.
Perhaps having noticed her downturned expression, Obi-Wan inquired quietly, “Padmé, how are things? Really. I haven't gotten much news, here,” he added lightly.
Hearing the implicit inquiry as well as the obvious one, Padmé replied, “Honestly? I don't know.” She paused for a moment. “But I suppose things are looking promising for the Rebellion. Since he's become Emperor, Anakin has declared that he will be converting the Empire into a New Republic over time.”
Obi-Wan looked startled. “Really? That's wonderful news. But what is the Rebellion's stance on all this?”
“He wants to negotiate with us,” Padmé said faintly, still having trouble believing it even as she relayed the news to Obi-Wan. “Anakin does, I mean.”
“Oh my . . .” Obi-Wan breathed. “Have you seen him?” he asked, a slight urgency to his tone.
“Anakin?” Padmé repeated, surprised. “No, I haven't. I'll be attending the negotiations, though, when they begin, and will be in the initial envoy.”
Obi-Wan looked at her questioningly, then, and Padmé knew right away what he wanted to ask. “Unfortunately, you won't be attending. You weren't on the Emperor's requested list. And besides . . . Mon Mothma and the others have agreed that it might not be such a good idea to send you, after all that you've been through.” she trailed off, aware of how her explanation must have sounded. “It's for your own good, Obi-Wan, please understand,” she rushed out. She hadn't seen Anakin yet, and had no way of knowing if she could trust him with Obi-Wan.
“I do,” he said with a sad smile. “In a way.”
“Good.” She squeezed his hand as relief coursed through her. She'd been worried that he might fight their decision, and the last thing she wanted was for Anakin to get near him again, reformed or not. “When you're ready, let's go. I have your new assignment.”
~*~
(1) See the SW EU novel The Truce at Bakura, where it is mentioned that Luke Skywalker aquired this condition as a result of his brief exposure to Palpatine's Force-lightening.
~*~
Hopefully this will come out okay, I'm not used to posting stories on LJ. ^^;; Currently, I'm working on chapter 13 of this story, and I expect there to be around 15-16 chapters in total.
Thanks for reading, if anyone is there!