[FIC]
Title: Confessions
Prompt: FF100 #030. Death
Character(s): Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker
Fandom: Star Wars
Word Count: 1,069
Rating: PG
Warnings Uh, spoilers for AOTC? Which, at this late date, means you must be new.
Disclaimer George Lucas owns Star Wars. Lucas is King. If he doesn't like me pilfering his characters, he can have his merchandise back.
Summary: Obi-Wan ends up on Tatooine before the Clone Wars begin, rather than getting captured on Geonosis.
Author's Notes: I needed something to write for Camp NaNo April 2015. I had the FF100 table staring at me. This strange AU hit me and I'm curious to see where it goes.
-----
The torrent of rain cascaded down over Obi-Wan Kenobi in relentless sheets as he ran back onto the platform. Slave I was lifting off as Jango Fett disappeared inside the hold and the ramp closed. Obi-Wan retrieved his lightsabre and ignited it, but the bounty hunter had no more interest in the Jedi today. So, in one swift movement, Obi-Wan drew a tracking beacon from his pocket and threw it at the departing ship. It adhered to the hull just as the engines began to glow and the ship rocketed up into Kamino's atmosphere. Knowing that his time on this planet was at an end, Obi-Wan hurried back to the landing platform that housed his starfighter.
The Jedi's attempts at raising his astromech, R4-P17, were futile, and as he emerged into the rain once again it became clearly evident why: a quick inspection determined that someone, possibly young Boba Fett, had sabotaged the Delta-7 starfighter, preventing the Jedi from leaving Kamino. Working as quickly as he could, Obi-Wan had R4 rewired so that he could at least send a coded transmission back to Coruscant. After informing the Jedi Council on the status of his mission and providing the tracking beacon frequencies, Master Windu assured the soggy Jedi Master that they would contact Master Stass Allie - currently deployed on Rodia - to continue the pursuit of the bounty hunter. Obi-Wan could do nothing but wait until his ship was repaired before he could go anywhere.
Moments before Lama Su returned to tell Obi-Wan that repairs were complete, the Jedi - deep in meditation - felt a disturbance in the Force. It had the distinct flavour of Anakin attached to it, causing Obi-Wan to snap out of his meditation far more quickly than he would have liked. The seconds of disorientation resolved into the Kaminoan's chime at the door, and once the pleasantries were observed, Obi-Wan was guiding his starfighter off of Kamino and into the blackness of space. Thinking to send a message to Anakin, Obi-Wan frowned as he couldn't get a lock on his Padawan's comlink on Naboo. A brief inquiry relocated the younger Jedi on...Tatooine? What the blazes is he doing on Tatooine? Setting a course for the desert planet, Obi-Wan sighed and settled in for the trip.
It wasn't difficult to locate the Naboo ship several miles outside of Mos Eisley spaceport. Foregoing the formalities of officially docking, Obi-Wan brought his fighter down near the sleek silver craft parked outside the Lars' homestead. The Jedi was met by Senator Amidala, and two young adults who were rapidly introduced to Obi-Wan as Owen Lars and his girlfriend Beru. Cliegg, Owen's father, was resting and unable to greet the Jedi personally. Padme, with her usual blunt and succinct manner, informed Obi-Wan with the basics: Anakin had had a premonition about his mother, only to arrive to find her dead, killed by a tribe of Tusken raiders in the north. Anakin was currently holed up in the garage, according to his step-brother, and had been ever since the funeral they'd held for Shmi Skywalker.
--
The cool shadows of the garage were a welcome change from the heat of the planet's twin suns, and Obi-Wan had to blink a few times to adjust to the softer light afforded by the enclosed space. Anakin stood at a work bench idly repairing some bits of junk. His scowl matched the grief, anger, and shame that rolled off the boy in palpable waves. Obi-Wan paused at the bottom of the steps, not wanting to force his presence on his Padawan's ruminations. He stood quietly, arms across his chest and tucked in his sleeves as he waited for Anakin to make the first move. As the Padawan's awareness of Obi-Wan's identity finally permeated the fog around him, whatever doors that Anakin used to conceal his feelings began to shut.
"Don't," Obi-Wan said quietly, reaching out to his Padawan through the Force. "Don't shut me out, Anakin. Not here, not now."
Anakin spun around to confront his master, the anger winning out briefly as it flashed through his eyes. Obi-Wan held his ground, his expression filled with compassion as he regarded the hurt on Anakin's face. The elder Jedi took a tentative step closer, and let his arms fall to his sides. A torrent of emotions played over Anakin's face as the youth internally struggled with the desire to shut his Master out, and the need to confide in someone, anyone, about what had happened. It was clear that Anakin had never intended for the Jedi to ever find out about whatever it was, and now that Obi-Wan was here instead of Padme, Anakin's plans seemed to be crumbling. He'd broken his mandate to protect the Senator and stay on Naboo so he could rescue his mother from his nightmares; Anakin fully expected to be reprimanded, but when nothing of the sort came from Obi-Wan, his resolve began to waver and then crumble.
Whether in need of a strong, solid presence to shore him up, or simply because he needed a hug, Anakin dropped the hydrospanner and closed the distance between the two of them and wrapped his arms around Obi-Wan. Despite not being prepared for such a response, Obi-Wan wrapped his arms around his student. When the sobs started, Obi-Wan held on a little tighter, allowing Anakin to purge his emotions.
When the sobs gave way to sodden hiccoughs and loud sniffles, words emerged from the vicinity of Obi-Wan's shoulder: "I killed them. All of them. Even the women, and the children...I slaughtered them like animals."
Obi-Wan sighed, but didn't release his Padawan. "You reacted out of anger and grief," he offered, his tone carrying a hint of empathy. He'd felt, and reacted to, those same emotions almost ten years ago, when he watched his own Master cut down by a Sith apprentice. "I don't know what to tell you, other than that."
"I want her back!"
"I know; I can't give her to you, Anakin. I'm sorry. I am so, so sorry." And with those words, Obi-Wan felt his own tears caress his cheek. He would never recall how long they stood there after that. The only thing that Obi-Wan would say is that it was first time in their ten years together as Master and Padawan in which the Master finally felt like his Padawan believed that they were on the same side.
This entry was originally posted at http://master-obiwan.dreamwidth.org/62512.html. Please comment there using OpenID.
Prompt: FF100 #030. Death
Character(s): Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker
Fandom: Star Wars
Word Count: 1,069
Rating: PG
Warnings Uh, spoilers for AOTC? Which, at this late date, means you must be new.
Disclaimer George Lucas owns Star Wars. Lucas is King. If he doesn't like me pilfering his characters, he can have his merchandise back.
Summary: Obi-Wan ends up on Tatooine before the Clone Wars begin, rather than getting captured on Geonosis.
Author's Notes: I needed something to write for Camp NaNo April 2015. I had the FF100 table staring at me. This strange AU hit me and I'm curious to see where it goes.
-----
The torrent of rain cascaded down over Obi-Wan Kenobi in relentless sheets as he ran back onto the platform. Slave I was lifting off as Jango Fett disappeared inside the hold and the ramp closed. Obi-Wan retrieved his lightsabre and ignited it, but the bounty hunter had no more interest in the Jedi today. So, in one swift movement, Obi-Wan drew a tracking beacon from his pocket and threw it at the departing ship. It adhered to the hull just as the engines began to glow and the ship rocketed up into Kamino's atmosphere. Knowing that his time on this planet was at an end, Obi-Wan hurried back to the landing platform that housed his starfighter.
The Jedi's attempts at raising his astromech, R4-P17, were futile, and as he emerged into the rain once again it became clearly evident why: a quick inspection determined that someone, possibly young Boba Fett, had sabotaged the Delta-7 starfighter, preventing the Jedi from leaving Kamino. Working as quickly as he could, Obi-Wan had R4 rewired so that he could at least send a coded transmission back to Coruscant. After informing the Jedi Council on the status of his mission and providing the tracking beacon frequencies, Master Windu assured the soggy Jedi Master that they would contact Master Stass Allie - currently deployed on Rodia - to continue the pursuit of the bounty hunter. Obi-Wan could do nothing but wait until his ship was repaired before he could go anywhere.
Moments before Lama Su returned to tell Obi-Wan that repairs were complete, the Jedi - deep in meditation - felt a disturbance in the Force. It had the distinct flavour of Anakin attached to it, causing Obi-Wan to snap out of his meditation far more quickly than he would have liked. The seconds of disorientation resolved into the Kaminoan's chime at the door, and once the pleasantries were observed, Obi-Wan was guiding his starfighter off of Kamino and into the blackness of space. Thinking to send a message to Anakin, Obi-Wan frowned as he couldn't get a lock on his Padawan's comlink on Naboo. A brief inquiry relocated the younger Jedi on...Tatooine? What the blazes is he doing on Tatooine? Setting a course for the desert planet, Obi-Wan sighed and settled in for the trip.
It wasn't difficult to locate the Naboo ship several miles outside of Mos Eisley spaceport. Foregoing the formalities of officially docking, Obi-Wan brought his fighter down near the sleek silver craft parked outside the Lars' homestead. The Jedi was met by Senator Amidala, and two young adults who were rapidly introduced to Obi-Wan as Owen Lars and his girlfriend Beru. Cliegg, Owen's father, was resting and unable to greet the Jedi personally. Padme, with her usual blunt and succinct manner, informed Obi-Wan with the basics: Anakin had had a premonition about his mother, only to arrive to find her dead, killed by a tribe of Tusken raiders in the north. Anakin was currently holed up in the garage, according to his step-brother, and had been ever since the funeral they'd held for Shmi Skywalker.
--
The cool shadows of the garage were a welcome change from the heat of the planet's twin suns, and Obi-Wan had to blink a few times to adjust to the softer light afforded by the enclosed space. Anakin stood at a work bench idly repairing some bits of junk. His scowl matched the grief, anger, and shame that rolled off the boy in palpable waves. Obi-Wan paused at the bottom of the steps, not wanting to force his presence on his Padawan's ruminations. He stood quietly, arms across his chest and tucked in his sleeves as he waited for Anakin to make the first move. As the Padawan's awareness of Obi-Wan's identity finally permeated the fog around him, whatever doors that Anakin used to conceal his feelings began to shut.
"Don't," Obi-Wan said quietly, reaching out to his Padawan through the Force. "Don't shut me out, Anakin. Not here, not now."
Anakin spun around to confront his master, the anger winning out briefly as it flashed through his eyes. Obi-Wan held his ground, his expression filled with compassion as he regarded the hurt on Anakin's face. The elder Jedi took a tentative step closer, and let his arms fall to his sides. A torrent of emotions played over Anakin's face as the youth internally struggled with the desire to shut his Master out, and the need to confide in someone, anyone, about what had happened. It was clear that Anakin had never intended for the Jedi to ever find out about whatever it was, and now that Obi-Wan was here instead of Padme, Anakin's plans seemed to be crumbling. He'd broken his mandate to protect the Senator and stay on Naboo so he could rescue his mother from his nightmares; Anakin fully expected to be reprimanded, but when nothing of the sort came from Obi-Wan, his resolve began to waver and then crumble.
Whether in need of a strong, solid presence to shore him up, or simply because he needed a hug, Anakin dropped the hydrospanner and closed the distance between the two of them and wrapped his arms around Obi-Wan. Despite not being prepared for such a response, Obi-Wan wrapped his arms around his student. When the sobs started, Obi-Wan held on a little tighter, allowing Anakin to purge his emotions.
When the sobs gave way to sodden hiccoughs and loud sniffles, words emerged from the vicinity of Obi-Wan's shoulder: "I killed them. All of them. Even the women, and the children...I slaughtered them like animals."
Obi-Wan sighed, but didn't release his Padawan. "You reacted out of anger and grief," he offered, his tone carrying a hint of empathy. He'd felt, and reacted to, those same emotions almost ten years ago, when he watched his own Master cut down by a Sith apprentice. "I don't know what to tell you, other than that."
"I want her back!"
"I know; I can't give her to you, Anakin. I'm sorry. I am so, so sorry." And with those words, Obi-Wan felt his own tears caress his cheek. He would never recall how long they stood there after that. The only thing that Obi-Wan would say is that it was first time in their ten years together as Master and Padawan in which the Master finally felt like his Padawan believed that they were on the same side.
This entry was originally posted at http://master-obiwan.dreamwidth.org/62512.html. Please comment there using OpenID.