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Hindsight Is Not Perfect


Obi-quiet

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Title: Hindsight Is Not Perfect

Rating: PG

Rated for: Some violent descriptions

Critique level: [CRITIQUE ENCOURAGED]

Summary: The road to Hell is paved with good intentions, but the road back is far harder to conquer. And somewhere in there, he STILL has to find balance too! Anakin--time travel

 

Author's Note: Okay so I've been on a time travel kick lately. ^^; This one seems to be going even faster than my other Leia-centric fic. I will say, I'm not an Anakin Skywalker fan. I didn't much care for the characterization they portrayed in the sequels. That being said, I'm still really trying to stay in character and keep things as close to canon as I can. Please let me know if I'm successful or not.

 

Thanks!

 

And thanks to my awesome beta reader Amidala Skywalker! *hug*

 

Onto the story!

 

xXx

 

CHAPTER 1

 

Everything shook wildly, jarring and bending, crashing and tearing. People ran panicking in various directions, trying to abandon the doomed structure of the second Death Star. The whole world was collapsing around him, and for the first time, he felt he could die in peace. He smiled up at the worried blue eyes—so similar to his own—that gazed down at him, pleading with him to live. Ah, but he couldn't fulfill that plea.

 

"Now go, my son," he managed to get out somehow. "Leave me!"

 

Luke shook his head, mentioning something about saving him. Had it always been this difficult to hear?

 

"You already have, Luke" he said, ignoring the fact that it was getting harder and harder to speak. "You were right." He forced himself to focus, but his eyes refused to obey. "You were right about me," he continued. "Tell your sister...you were right..."

 

Unable to hold on any longer, he allowed himself to do something he'd never been able to do before: he let go, and slipped into the waiting arms of the Force.

 

He'd never given much thought to peace. Well, true peace. He had claimed to try and bring about safety and peace through the Imperial reign, but while there hadn't been as much conflict, that wasn't peace. He had also tried to fight for peace in the Republic, with less than spectacular results, no matter what the holovids said. In his own life, he'd resented the idea of personal peace, fought and rejected it, and then as a Sith, thoroughly abandoned it.

 

Now that he'd turned his back on all of those darker tendencies, he realized just why Jedi sought peace. He felt warmth, and courage, and a stillness that called him home. A place where he could rest; where everything he'd done didn't matter. All of his childhood insecurities, teenage frustration and adult life in general had subconsciously plagued and haunted him, dragging him down and keeping him in darkness. The roots of many of those problems that had been so important before somehow now seemed...insignificant. He felt so...light.

 

The Sith Code said that the Force would set them free. He couldn't help but feel that anyone who really believed that had not experienced true peace. He certainly didn't feel like he'd been set free.

 

There is no death, there is the Force.

 

He needed to add a little thought onto the back of that: The Force is freedom.

 

He found his consciousness set adrift in calming waves that he found he could trust. It felt good to trust again. Floating in the warmth of the Living Force several thoughts meandered across his mind. The first was how grateful he felt towards his son...the son who had believed in him, who had loved him enough to look past the monster he had become. The second thought whispered that he did not belong here; he did not deserve this. At the moment, he didn't care. A third thought wondered when his consciousness would fade into the light; into the portion of the energy that he had not touched in years. He reveled in the silence and warmth, having long ago given up any thought of any sort of peaceful afterlife.

 

A forest, full of life in a way he'd never begun to consider before, slowly faded into view around him, and he found himself moving towards some lights, the closest one flickering through the deep shadows. Someone had lit a fire.

 

As the flames burned, he began to feel as if a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders. It took him a moment to recognize the mask on top of the pile of burning wood. It was Darth Vader's. So his body had been laid to rest on the pier, honored with a Jedi's funeral. The thought warmed his heart as the fire slowly severed any connection he had with the material universe.

 

A figure moved on the opposite side of the fire; the lone mourner...Luke. The boy—no, young man—gave one final nod in farewell, and turned to rejoin to the obvious festivities as everyone cheered and celebrated. Of course they would, a reign of terror had ended.

 

A reign of terror he had helped to create.

 

A reign of terror he had helped to destroy.

 

He followed Luke as he neared his friends, dancing and laughing as they dodged the little furballs native to the planet. Luke sat on the outskirts, watching the dances and listening to the music with a smile. Then, as if sensing something, Luke turned and focused on his father and the other two presences beside him.

 

That thought brought the first real smile to his mouth in years. Both Yoda and Obi-wan had appeared next to him, each grinning right back at him. He could tell in their smiles that they'd forgiven him, and that brought even more relief to his once heavily-burdened heart.

 

Looking back at Luke, his own grin widened, as the boy had a smile himself. A cheek-to-cheek grin of pure happiness.

 

He'd gotten that smile from his mother.

 

For a moment, everything was right with the universe. How he reveled in it. So this peace and belonging was what he'd sought all along? He wanted to say so many things, but before he got the chance, the scene began to fade. For a moment, he wanted to fight it, he wanted to talk to his son, but then Luke turned away with his friends, and he let the world disappear from his senses, willing to just be happy for them and their victory. He felt a swell of contentment as he went back to his aimless floating in the light.

 

He would have been happy to stay that way. It hadn't been difficult to get used to the idea for sure, but not long after his return to the Force, a voice interrupted the endless stillness.

 

"Anakin, if you could change anything in your life, would you?" That sounded like Obi-wan.

 

He paused, thinking. Faces of countless Jedi flashed across his mind; people cowering in fear of him; people dying as he choked the life out of them. Padme...

 

"Yes," he responded simply.

 

"Then consider this my gift to make up for leaving you behind."

 

"Leaving me..." he paused, feeling the presence withdraw, and reached out to pull it closer. "Wait...Obi-wan! Master!"

 

The light faded quickly, feeling abrupt and leaving a gaping hole in his soul.

 

xXx

 

Consciousness came back to him slowly. He regretted leaving the dream—he so rarely had good ones—but he felt he had to wake up. The world seemed to spin around him, but he refused to let go of his growing awareness.

 

It didn't feel right.

 

His lethargic mind took a moment to run down and address what exactly had gone wrong. Systematic check started with his respirator. Hence, the first thing he noticed: He could breathe. Truly breathe, without any respirator sounds to aid his strangely painless chest from expanding and contracting in the dry, harsh air.

 

Then he realized he could feel his hands, and his legs.

 

Any thought for remaining asleep was shoved hurriedly aside as he fought his way into the world. His eyes flew open, and he struggled to sit up, hand moving to his face. No mask. He looked down at his chest. No black panel with blinking lights signaling life support. He wasn't wearing his suit.

 

He did, however, recognize the worn, tan and brown outfit now covering his considerably smaller frame. He hadn't seen it in almost 40 years.

 

Eyes widening, he whipped his head around, taking in his surroundings. An old room in an old house, small but homey and comfortable. It had a feeling of poverty, from the threadbare rugs to the mis-matched curtains by the flaking, transparasteel window, but he recognized every single inch. This was his home...on Tatooine.

 

For the first time in over 20 years, his breathing sped up, and he felt the familiar sensation of not being able to retain enough air.

 

"Ani?" A voice came from the other room, and his heart nearly stopped.

 

He had to be dreaming. Hadto be. Involuntarily, his eyes drew towards the door where the sound had come from. He could hear someone approaching, but he didn't dare believe...couldn't believe.

 

And then there she was, walking through the doorway with a towel over her shoulder as she tied her hair up behind her.

 

"I thought I heard you awake," she said with that familiar, kind smile that still haunted his dreams. He couldn't answer her. For the first time in what felt like decades, he had nothing obscuring his vocal chords, but he physically could not speak. She must have noticed his hesitation, because she focused on him more readily, her face tightening worriedly.

 

"Ani? Are you alright?"

 

He still couldn't answer vocally, but he managed to nod.

 

"Are you sure?"

 

Another nod.

 

She continued to study him, ignoring his reassurances. In that instant, he really was a child again, not just physically, but mentally. In all his years at the Jedi Temple, no one had approached him when he'd lied through his teeth and said he was fine. Everyone was so bent on themselves; so bent on letting the person work through it alone. No one seemed to want to work through anything together...not like he always had with her.

 

Shmi walked up to his bedside, kneeling before him. "Oh, Ani," she said softly, "please tell me what's wrong."

 

In the days and months to come later, he would reprimand himself for his lack of control over and over again, but in that moment, nothing else mattered. He threw his arms around her neck, clutching tightly to her rough tunic as he buried his head in her shoulders.

 

"Mom," he whispered, barely able to make his throat work at all. "Mom..."

 

"Did you have a bad dream?" she asked.

 

He nodded, not daring to let go, fearing she might disappear or die on him again. His last memory of her had been of a weakened, tortured person, barely able to lift her hand and tell him she loved him. This was the mother his heart remembered; a strong, dedicated woman with an iron will and an all-encompassing love for everyone she met.

 

"Shhh," she whispered, lifting him up and turning around to sit on his bed while cradling him in her arms. She rocked back and forth on the worn bed, and even began to hum. The long forgotten tune immediately sprung back to mind as her deep voice lightly brushed the notes.

 

They sat like that for a long time.

 

xXx

 

Anakin hadn't forgotten his experiences as a slave. How could he? He'd never truly been free after all. Either he'd been slave to some stupid prophesy and an Order that didn't care or the Dark Side and his Sith Master. The Dark Side hadn't set him free as its teachings claimed. The Light Side had never openly given him delusions of freedom, although he had originally thought he'd been set free. So it didn't surprise him that somehow, being "property" again didn't seem to be too much of a change from his most recent lifestyle.

 

He went to Watto's shop in a sort of stunned haze that day. He worked on what he needed to work on, and that seemed to be about all he found himself capable of doing as his mind worked and reworked his situation.

 

Now, as he calmly made his way around the workrooms and the pile of junk the toydarian called goods, he couldn't help but feel a sense of contentment. No, that wasn't the word. Resignation. Yes, that fit his state of mind. Even to him it seemed rather sad that this child's body, usually so full of hope and dreams, would simply stroll calmly around like...well, like a man at least thirty years older. Instead of naïve hope of a child, he'd become a man who had seen too much in his life, and had had his dreams thoroughly shattered before his very eyes. Now those dreams had come back, and he had no idea what to do with them. Sometimes at night when he had little else he wanted to think about, he wondered if anyone else noticed.

 

He was still so distracted later that day that the door of the shop opening followed by the angry stamps of feet didn't really register to him. He'd already felt their presence coming towards the shop anyway. Instead, he simply went about his work, marveling at the idea of having all four limbs back again. He could feel the texture of the surface he was carrying, the dirt and grit on the counter that he tried to constantly clean, the slick, slimy feel of the grease he used to fix the machines.

 

"...Slave boy got the order wrong! I'll be back tomorrow, and if you don't have what I need, I'll take it to the Hutts!" This time Anakin couldn't help but look up and watch as the humanoid (probably a bounty hunter) yelled into the back as he stormed out of the shop.

 

A feeling of unease crept over him. He remembered this day now...

 

Watto didn't beat them often, that didn't mean they weren't punished.

 

"No rations for a week," he hissed at Anakin, hovering just inside the doorway. His eyes only stared after the figure walking out. He knew very well that it probably wasn't Anakin's fault, that the bounty hunter had lied through his teeth, but apparently there was enough proof against Watto that he couldn't take that chance. Anakin knew what would come next. Now his master had lost money, and their "punishment" would help to make up for some of the money he'd lost.

 

Sadly, slaves weren't paid. Not conventionally in any case. They relied on their masters for food and other sustenance. Anakin could handle going without food. Having to be intravenously fed for decades did that to a person, even if his current body was unused to the situation. His mother on the other hand...

 

The anger came all too quickly for him. How dare he try to make them pay for something out of their control? ! How dare he hurt Shmi? ! It would be so easy to choke the life out of this creature and then see what they could-

 

He cut his thought process off immediately, bringing a hand up to his head to try and ward off a headache. That process wouldn't get him anywhere. If he killed Watto, even if no one else realized what happened, they'd either be claimed by someone related to the toydarian, or the local slave guild would claim them and sell them off again, probably separately. He didn't even want to think what that kind of fight would do to his mother.

 

Besides, they had some storage at home. They'd made it through instances like this before. It wouldn't be too difficult.

 

He had no choice but to accept for now, but his tolerance for actually following orders was wearing dangerously thin.

 

He glared up at the toydarian, who seemed surprised at his silence. Watto raised an eyebrow in his direction, studying him for a moment before the blue creature turned and floated back outside.

 

Taking a deep breath, Anakin figured he probably should try and make himself scarce the next day when the humanoid came back. He didn't know if he could maintain the tenuous calm he'd only just achieved if he saw that scum again.

 

He'd told Luke that there was good in him. He'd turned back to the light, and he would not fall again. He. Would. Not!

 

Somehow, he found himself even more absorbed in his work that day.

Edited by Guest

You know the closer you get to something

The tougher it is to see it,

And I'll Never take it for granted,

Let's go!

 

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Very nicely written! I'm not getting that sense of falling into Star Wars from this one, like some of your other works, but I'm suspecting that's because you're not a big fan of the characterization of Anakin.

 

It's very nice; quite emotional in places and a bit chilling. I think this'll be a great fic.

spsig.jpg

Just when I thought it was over, I watched Tiana kick Almira in the head, effectively putting her out of her misery. I did not expect that.
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I do think that might be a lot of it, but I also think some of the "not completely SW" can come from the fact that the prequels didn't feel like Star Wars to me. *shrug* I really am trying to stay with the character of it though, and I really hope that you like my future chapters.

You know the closer you get to something

The tougher it is to see it,

And I'll Never take it for granted,

Let's go!

 

Every_Super_Villain_should_have_a_g.jpg

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That's true... except for Obi-Wan. His was the only character throughout the prequels that I really felt worked with what I saw in the OT. Obi-Wan. <333

 

I'm sure I'll like the future chapters.

spsig.jpg

Just when I thought it was over, I watched Tiana kick Almira in the head, effectively putting her out of her misery. I did not expect that.
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I could not agree more! Obi-wan was AMAZING and Ewan McGreggor...a PERFECT choice.

 

Hoping to get more up soon!

You know the closer you get to something

The tougher it is to see it,

And I'll Never take it for granted,

Let's go!

 

Every_Super_Villain_should_have_a_g.jpg

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Wow! You're just rolling out the fics!

 

Interesting - even knowing from your header that this would be another time-traveling fic, for some reason I didn't expect you to take it back all the way back to Tatooine! I'm not sure why or when I expected Anakin to pop back up, but I like the fact that it wasn't what I initially expected...and, it seems you have a lot more freedom to change things - or have them end up similarly - from this starting point.

 

I'll echo Tiana's comment - for some reason it's a little bit harder for me to fall into this fic as easily. I was trying to figure out why, and I think she hit it on the nose - the characterization of Anakin doesn't feel quite as spot on as your other stuff, probably because it is not a characterization you approve of nor written with quite as much. I suspect that as the story continues and we see you develop Anakin into more of what you expected then that will smooth out a little more as well.

 

I think something that I would enjoy seeing is a little more dialogue. Your writing is smooth, descriptive, and helps to keep us straight with Anakin's thoughts (or confusion ), but the lack of seeing versus telling makes it a little harder to jump in as well. It wouldn't need to be too much more in the first section - maybe just a few sentences of his interaction with Watto, for example, that show how much more difficult it is for him to adjust. Did he remember where to look for certain parts? Did it take him longer to fix the first item? Does he have trouble sounding his age when he responds to Watto?

 

It's really quite interesting the way that you've gone about this, OBQ. Rather than a fresh, clean start, Anakin has the weight of memories that will help guide his decisions - perhaps sometimes to only take the opposite action at times - which may not be the best choice! I liked how you described it in these paragraphs:

 

Even to him it seemed rather sad that this child's body, usually so full of hope and dreams, would simply stroll calmly around like...well, like a man at least thirty years older. Instead of naïve hope of a child, he'd become a man who had seen too much in his life, and had had his dreams thoroughly shattered before his very eyes.

 

...

 

The anger came all too quickly for him. How dare he try to make them pay for something out of their control?! How dare he hurt Shmi?! It would be so easy to choke the life out of this creature and then see what they could--

 

The fact is, despite starting over and knowing the dangers, Anakin is almost going to have more trouble fighting the dark side of the Force from the start... because the anger and habits of the dark side are so much closer to him now!

 

I like the depth that you've added to the story with that twist - we have a new, much more complex Anakin, who will never be free of the memories and burden of his "first chance" even at such a young age, and that promises to add a lot more depth to all that follows.

"It's always these little worlds that get you in trouble. Like Tatooine. I'm still living that one down." - Han Solo

Your barnacle has carnivorous salamanders the size of whales.

"Let us hold unswervingly to the faith we profess, for he who promised is faithful." -Heb. 10:23

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*sigh * Well, I really did try to keep Anakin in character. I mean, this isn't the arrogant "I can do anything" Anakin from the Prequels, this is what's left of him after Vader ravaged his mind for 23 years. He's going to be much more cynical, act a lot older, be far more patient (well...for Anakin), and what little sense of humor he still has will be sarcastic and probably pretty harsh.

 

Luke taught him how to smile again. He knows this, but doesn't consciously realize it, and still thinks of himself as a very angry, not-in-control person. He also has almost no real confidence in himself with the exception of racing/piloting and mechanic skills. When it comes to moral grounds, he's going to be second guessing himself right, left, upside down and backwards.

 

It's going to take a lot before he feels he can trust himself again.

 

Now shove all of that into a 9-year-old body that hasn't even gone through puberty yet, and you've got what I'm basing my Anakin off.

 

Oh, and about that childish body...the first time he picks up a lightsaber, he's going to realize just how unused to his body he is. Naturally, one will adapt to the body they have, but he won't have the muscle memory to go with the knowledge he has, plus he'll be trying to pull off stunts when he's used to much longer limbs and far greater endurance.

 

Let's just say, this isn't going to be pretty. ^^;

 

I'm glad you like the set-up though. I have a slight...um...obsession *ahem* with alternate personalities. This isn't going to be so pronounced as I would like (because it doesn't fit the story), but there are going to be definite places where we're seeing what's left of Anakin, and then some actions/spoken phrases are going to be all Vader.

 

I'm hoping that I'll be a good enough writer to actually portray that.

 

Anyway, Chapter 2 is with my beta reader! Hoping to put more up soon! Thanks for the reviews!

You know the closer you get to something

The tougher it is to see it,

And I'll Never take it for granted,

Let's go!

 

Every_Super_Villain_should_have_a_g.jpg

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  • 2 weeks later...

I wouldn't worry Anakin's character too much. For one thing, you're recreating something in an almost-from-scratch way (even though it does encompass everything which did happen! ).

 

Honestly, I think my problem is that I think cannon should stick to what I've already deemed characters should do. Which is, of course, not at all how it works! While Vader has had a couple interactions with Luke to think prior to his death in RotJ, I always imagine him as almost as surprised as Luke or the Emperor that he steps forward to save his son. So it's harder for me to grasp him catching up on some of those revelations as quickly as he does here, is all, not that I wouldn't think he would get there eventually. Also, time passage is sort of in question for some of that passage - he might have had tons of time to float in the Force and think about it! Past that - when he "wakes up" in his younger body, I thought your "new" (return to old Anakin, but new inside) characterization was quite good.

 

Although my comment still stands that I want to see more doing and less internal monologue. I'm looking forward to some of those scenes you've hinted out, OBQ.

"It's always these little worlds that get you in trouble. Like Tatooine. I'm still living that one down." - Han Solo

Your barnacle has carnivorous salamanders the size of whales.

"Let us hold unswervingly to the faith we profess, for he who promised is faithful." -Heb. 10:23

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Chapter 2

 

He'd forgotten how much he liked just working on machines. It brought a sense of calm that he couldn't seem to achieve any other way. It also brought frustration he couldn't find any other way, but it was worth it. He found it interesting that he'd been back in the past (for lack of a better definition of his situation) for barely a standard week, and already he seemed to be rediscovering so many little things about himself that he'd forgotten in his time as a Sith. Sometimes he wondered if it all hadn't just been a dream--through the Force maybe? Somehow, he knew that wasn't the case, though. He still knew far more than a rim-world slave should about Jedi and Sith teachings for him to believe that it hadn't been real.

 

Letting out a sigh (and feeling grateful that he could do so, as the life-support mask wouldn't have allowed it), he picked up a hydrospanner and went back to work on his current salvage project. At times like this, he found himself wishing for just a few moments that he could be someone else; someone who could work as a mechanic for the rest of his life. He wouldn't have to worry about any stupid prophecy, the Jedi or Palpatine. For a few moments, he indulged that train of thought. What would it be like to have such a non-assuming life? He'd just need to find a way to free himself and his mother, then he could move to some rim-world planet and start up a business. They could live there and just avoid...

 

No, he shook his head regretfully. He could never just sit aside and do nothing. Doing so would go against every instinct he ever had. It would drive him insane. Not that interfering before had helped him keep his sanity. Could he call his choice to follow the Dark Side one of insanity? Could one still be considered insane if they knew they'd lost possession of their mental facilities?

 

He was forcibly avoiding that particular line of thinking when a twinge in the Force caused him to drop his tools and shoot to his feet. Two bright presences had suddenly come near to the planet, and he recognized them. Well one of them. There was no way he could ever forget it, after all.

 

"Obi-wan," he muttered, more out of shock than anything. That would mean the other Force presence was Qui-gon Jinn, the man who had originally found him.

 

For the first time since he'd learned he had a son, he almost panicked.

 

Of course, neither Jedi nor Sith panic. He'd gone through 40 years of training and living as either one or the other, so he kept that particular feeling in check. Barely. Ironic that his Obi-wan would have been proud.

 

So he forcibly took a calming breath and through a mental checklist.

 

What to do first? Check your mental shields. Make sure they can't sense you. He did so, relieved to find them firmly in place. He nodded in nervous satisfaction. Second thing to do...

 

He didn't know. Oh Force, he didn't know!

 

Funny how quickly panic can be turned into anger.

 

Calm down, Skywalker, he told himself firmly. Think it through logically.

 

Unfortunately, logic had never really been his strongest suit. Using several breathing exercises, he forced himself to calm down and began running through the different possible scenarios all while berating himself for not being more prepared. He'd known they'd be coming sometime, why hadn't it crossed his mind?

 

He forced his thoughts onto the task at hand.

 

Option number 1: Avoid them at all costs and hope he could outwit the Jedi Master. Pros: He wouldn't have to worry about the Jedi Order again, at least for a little while. Cons: He and his mother would both remain slaves for many more years at least, or until someone ticked Anakin off enough to make him use the Force...

 

Result: Difficult to accomplish, many potentially undesirable side effects, an extreme amount of unknown variables.

 

Option number 2: Let things play out as they had before, get off planet and then refuse to be a Jedi. Pros: He'd be free and while being brought to the attention of the Jedi, he wouldn't have to worry about becoming one. He could also begin on working to free his mother. Cons: If his presence was brought to Jedi attention, it would probably be brought to the attention of a certain Sith Lord...and he couldn't have that. In his current body there was no way he'd ever be able to stand up to Sidious--or any of his apprentices. Without Jedi protection, he'd have to outrun the darksiders and lightsiders that came after him. He could probably do so for a little while at least as he had a good knowledge of many outer-rim star systems after searching them for rebel bases, but how would his mother react to that?

 

Result: Plausible but only slightly less difficult with even more unknown variables.

 

Option number 3: Let things play out as they had before and join the Jedi order...again. Pros: It would provide the most control as he would know many events before they would happen, and he would be in a position to do something about said events. Cons: Could he convince the Jedi and everyone else that he was just an innocent ex-slave? The Jedi had been oblivious to the world around them, but strangely focused when it came to the details. Could he keep Sith training secret? If he wanted to gain their trust, he would have to keep it from them.

 

On top of that, he would be forced confront face-to-face people he'd slaughtered in a past life. As far as he was concerned, his little hands still had the blood of all those innocents dripping off of them. He would also be subjecting himself to the rules and regulations of the Jedi Order again, and he didn't know if he had the patience for that.

 

Scratch that, he was positive he didn't have the patience for that.

 

He'd also have to take on the mantra of "the Chosen One" again, and he knew he did not want to deal with that.

 

His biggest argument about option 3 though, was the fact that he'd be following the path that he'd failed at last time. Would he just be setting himself up to lose everything again? He hadn't even realized at the time that he'd destroyed anything he'd ever worked for. Sometimes it amazed him that he went on for how long he had with no real goal. Indeed hate and anger were powerful, but was that power worth it? Perhaps only if power was an ultimate goal. When had his goal turned from protecting those he loved to gaining and holding more power?

 

Focus, Skywalker, he told himself, forcing his thoughts back to the problem at hand once again.

 

Result for this option: Emotionally difficult, but with the least amount of unknown variables.

 

Didn't look like he had much of a choice. All three options would be difficult to pull off and live with when it came to the aftermath.

 

Out of habit, he began pacing, looking at the floor without really seeing it, hands behind his back.

 

He couldn't decide. What should he choose? Maybe he really should just ignore their ever approaching presences. His eyes wandered over to the opening leading into the front of the shop warily. It would help if he could remember exactly how the situation had proceeded the first time. He could only vaguely recall. Was he losing his memories? Or was this normal? Then again, what about his situation could be considered normal?

 

"What are youa doing? Geta back to work!" Watto grouched at him as he passed through the part of the shop Anakin had been working in.

 

He shot the Toydarian a glare, and was a little surprised when the annoyance on the other's face turned into an expression of uncertain fear. Anakin looked away first, wondering just how he'd been able to scare Watto. Had he projected something through the Force? If so, then his control had slipped too far. Either that or he'd just gotten too used to intimidating people.

 

Watto seemed to recover and shook his head as if to clear it. Then, without another word, he flew into the front of the shop, leaving Anakin to pick up his tools and start working again. Maybe as he worked, he'd come up with another plan.

 

Somehow, he doubted it.

 

xXx

 

It took them almost two hours to land on the planet and come into town. He could feel them walking now, coming slowly closer and closer. Right about then, he thought about who he would see in the small group, and immediately froze. She'd be with Qui-gon.

 

Padme. How could he have forgotten?

 

No, not forgotten; forcibly pushed from his mind...for so long...

 

What was he going to do now? How should he confront her? How could he face her after what he'd done to her? How could he do anything?

 

For the first time in his life, he considered the merits of simply bolting. By the time Watto realized anything and set off the transmitter, Qui-gon and his little misfit group would be long gone. It took every ounce of control he had to not just drop his tools and run. After all, anything would be better than to face her again.

 

Problem was, as much as he didn't want to see her again, he longed to. How long had it been since he'd been able to view her beautiful face, flowing hair, and soft, brown eyes that always managed to steal his breath away? Oh, how he longed to just catch a glimpse of her....but he did not deserve it. Deep within his heart, he knew that.

 

He tracked the more unfamiliar signature as it approached, only slightly relieved that Obi-wan didn't come with them. By the time Qui-gon had entered town, Anakin had worked himself up into a rather nasty state.

 

His distraction made fixing the parts Watto had dumped in front of him that day particularly difficult. He'd had to reverse the polarity on the power couplings of this particular project five times due to mistakes and miscalculations. Every time he did so, his frustration went up a notch, and he'd begun to lose his patience rather quickly. Every single breathing exercise he could remember didn't seem to help much, even the second time around. He'd just started on the third round when he felt them enter the shop.

 

Stay calm, Skywalker, he told himself firmly. One way or another, you have to stay calm.

 

Then he heard Watto call him.

 

His somewhat calmed stomach suddenly took to doing flip-flops, and it took every single ounce of willpower that he had to not leave right then and there. Instead, he walked calmly into the front of the shop, not meeting anyone's eyes.

 

"What took you so long?" Watto asked in Huttese. Anakin didn't bother responding as he walked over to the counter and pushed himself up onto it. There wasn't a walk-space to behind the counter as the Toydarian didn't need it, but Anakin couldn't help but feel short and awkward despite the familiar actions. That was the last thing he wanted to be in front of her. Groaning inwardly, he clamped down on his nervousness even more. "Just mind the shop," Watto growled, then turned a smile back to Qui-gon.

 

"So, leta me take you outa back, huh. We'll find whata you need, eh?"

 

Anakin swallowed, forcing himself to watch them go. Just before they left, Qui-gon reached out and took something from Jar-Jar.

 

"Don't touch anything," he warned, just a touch of annoyance in his voice. Anakin almost smiled. Almost. Especially when Jar-Jar stuck his rather impressive tongue out at the retreating Jedi Master's back. He had no doubt Qui-gon knew about the rude gesture, but he didn't acknowledge it. Instead, he simply followed the Toydarian up the stairs and into the back. Typical Jedi. He could already see where Obi-wan got a lot of his mannerisms. His eyes turned to R2 as the astromech followed Qui-gon awkwardly up the stairs.

 

He'd missed the droid too.

 

As he and the other two beings were left alone in quiet, Anakin felt his heartbeat grow and his stomach drop to his ankles. He needed something to do to keep his mind off of her, so he kept his eyes on Jar-Jar, allowing him to get far too close to some of the goods than he probably should.

 

Finally, he couldn't stand it anymore, and stole a glance out of the corner of his eye. She wasn't looking at him--thank the Force, because he almost stopped breathing. She looked every bit as beautiful as he remembered.

 

"My Angel..." he whispered, feeling that deep, stabbing pain in his heart that came back whenever he thought of her.

 

"Excuse me?" she asked turning to him.

 

For the second time that day, he almost panicked. Her brown eyes focused on his and he suddenly found it very difficult to talk. The dreary atmosphere of the front shop did nothing to distract from her beauty. Not to his eyes in any case. "Are you an angel?" he finally blurted, knowing he had to say something. That had been the first question he'd asked her anyway, hadn't it?

 

"A what?"

 

He just wanted to get lost in those eyes and stay there forever. "An Angel," he heard himself say, then struggled for an explanation. All he could remember was that they were beautiful because he'd always equated them with his wife. Where had he heard about them originally? Probably from some bar somewhere. "The most beautiful creatures in the universe."

 

He could tell she was flattered, and it gave him just a little more courage.

 

"I've never heard of them," she said, walking forward, amusement on her face.

 

Guiltily, he looked down. "Oh."

 

"You're a funny little boy," she said. Ugh. He most certainly did not want to hear those words from her. "How do you know about them?"

 

Thankfully, his hands had found something to work on and he began to twist some knobs of the device he'd picked up. "I listen," he said softly.

 

"Listen?"

 

He shrugged. "Traders and deep space pilots come through here on a regular basis. They discuss many things." It took him a moment to realize what he'd just said, and he almost slapped himself. No nine-year-old would say that!

 

"I see," she nodded. Even that little movement captivated him. "So what do you do around here?" she asked, looking around. He swallowed hard. Why had she looked away? Had he made her uncomfortable?

 

"Mainly I fix stuff up." Oh how he loathed reverting to such a childish way of speaking. "Sometimes I mind the shop. Sometimes I race."

 

"Race?" she asked, turning to look back at him. "Race what?"

 

"Pods."

 

"You can pilot?"

 

He nodded. Those had been his three main duties as a 'gifted' child slave. "For as long as I can remember," he said softly.

 

"How long have you been here?" she asked, her voice even more kind. She'd apparently sensed a touch of pain from his words. He'd need to work on that. Despite the disastrous side effects, he almost wanted to blurt everything out to her right now. He needed to hide his emotions better, but he never had been able to around her. Should he even be chancing talking to her? What had he said the first time? He couldn't remember much apart from the 'angel' comment, and that she'd found out he was a slave.

 

"Since I was three," he replied, mentally debating whether he should tell her of his slave status. He couldn't even recall her reaction, except that she'd accepted him as a human being instead of property. That was one of many reasons why he'd been drawn to her to begin with.

 

"You've worked here since you were three?"

 

He shrugged. "My mother and I were sold to Gradulla the Hutt, but she lost us betting." Well, he remembered that much. Not that he wanted to. Even into his Jedi Knight years, he'd had scars across his back from his time under that...thing's ownership.

 

And there was the anger again. He quickly squashed it down, unwilling to even tolerate the idea of letting such emotions loose in front of Padme again.

 

"You're a slave?" she asked, carefully schooling her expression. He knew her too well, though. She couldn't disguise the disgust in her voice. A stab of pain wrenched through his heart again. Had that been her reaction the first time? Or had he just not known her well enough to see?

 

"Yes," he said, looking up to meet her eyes. The disgust changed to pity. He didn't know which one was worse. "I do not need your pity," he heard himself say. "One day, we will be free."

 

She smiled, looking impressed, and a touch of his heart that had almost died at her reaction suddenly came alive again. "I'm sure you will," she said softly. "I'm sorry I don't fully understand. This is a strange place to me."

 

A clanging drew both of their attention to Jar-Jar, who had tripped over who knew what as he chased a droid he'd accidentally activated. He saw Padme smile out of the corner of his eye, and decided to let the spectacle continue for just a moment until Jar-Jar had it by the neck, suspended above the ground.

 

"The nose," he said finally. Jar-Jar turned to look at him in confusion. "Tap the nose." He'd forgotten how utterly trying the Gungan could be.

 

"Oh," Jar-Jar said, following instructions, and studying the droid as it deactivated. It didn't take him long to get mixed up in something else.

 

"So you live with your mother?" Padme asked, still watching Jar-Jar with amusement.

 

"Yes," Anakin replied.

 

"What's she like?"

 

Had she asked this many questions the first time around? Politicians. "She's amazing. The most incredible person ever. She always looks after me, and she always puts my needs ahead of hers. I love her more than almost anything."

 

"Almost?" She asked with a smile.

 

Anakin had to force his own smile to match. It had been a very long time since he'd had much need for something so frivolous as laughter, and it had been a long time since he'd had to worry about expressions at all. That was why he'd been having such a problem.

 

"So why are you here?" he decided to turn the tables and start asking the questions. He already knew the answer, of course, but it would be a much more comfortable (and probably safer) subject.

 

"Our ship was damaged and we had to come here to find parts to replace some parts."

 

"Did you come to this shop first?"

 

She shrugged slightly, looking over at Jar-Jar who had begun to inadvertently juggle several parts that had somehow fallen on him. It would be a mess Anakin had to clean up, but Padme still seemed to find it funny, so he was willing to let the Gungan be for now.

 

"Yes. Master Qui-gon is in charge of finding parts," she said, nodding towards the door where the Jedi and shop owner had disappeared. "He just came here first and I followed. Why do you ask?"

 

"Because I doubt any other shop around here has parts for a Nubian cruiser."

 

Her face became slightly confused again as she regarded him. "How did you know we had a Nubian cruiser?" she asked.

 

He froze. Oh great, how was he supposed to answer that. He looked around the dingy room for a moment, and was just about to open his mouth and explain that he'd simply overheard them talking earlier, when Qui-gon walked through the door. He didn't hide his irritation very well. Nowhere nearly as well as Obi-wan had in Anakin's opinion.

 

The thought surprised him, but he didn't have much time to contemplate as the Jedi announced that they were leaving, then looked behind him at the Gungan, specifically calling his name to get his attention. In response, Jar-Jar promptly lost what little concentration he had, and fell over, parts and casings scattering everywhere.

 

Padme backed away, flashing the brilliant smile that made him go weak in the knees. "I'm glad to have met you...what's your name?"

 

Oh, he hadn't told her yet.

 

"Anakin," he said, and for the first time in years, he smiled. Not just a forced, mask-like smile, but a deep, real one.

 

"Anakin," she repeated, and walked out, Jar-Jar on her heels. He felt so relieved that he hadn't botched his first meeting with her that he'd forgotten to reciprocate her farewell.

 

xXx

 

Watto let him go early that day. It had been one of the reasons Anakin had been glad the Toydarian had won them instead of another slave master. After a particularly trying day, Watto just wanted to forget everything, usually by grabbing a few drinks after he closed up the shop. On those days, he let Anakin go early with only one last task or two, just as he did that afternoon.

 

His mind still ran in swirling steps as he scrubbed the racks, moving objects, wiping and polishing the too-old metal and duraplast before replacing them and moving on. It was a mind-numbing task, but one that he felt particularly grateful for that night.

 

Before he realized it, he'd finished and let Watto know he was leaving. It had all passed by in a sort of daze, and he was struck again by how surreal the world seemed. That sensation had come to him more than once since he'd woken up in the past.

 

That was why when he came across a certain Dug he only vaguely remembered disliking in the process of pulverizing Jar-Jar, he actually paused. Should he intervene? That had been how Qui-gon had come to his house before after all, now that he recalled.

 

The rest of the little group faced the proceedings a few meters away. Padme's expression tugged at him, hard. She looked worried, and nervous...and how else would they be able to get their ship fixed? He knew how much her planet meant to her, and that was what tipped the scale of his decision.

 

"You're going pick a fight an outlander?" he asked calmly, amazed at how much Huttese he remembered. In the week he'd been back, he hadn't done much more than hear Watto and the store's customers shout swear words and harsh phrases at him.

 

the Dug looked up at Anakin, his face suddenly gaining an expression that said 'fresh-meat', and dropped (threw) the Gungan.

 

"Ready for the race, slave boy?" he sneered. "Or should I simply kill you now so you won't have to worry about it?"

 

Ah yes, the race.

 

"Are you sure you'd want to pay for me?" he asked, trying to sound calm.

 

The dug's face suddenly dropped into a scowl. "Then I'll wait until the race, but your head will be mine" he growled, and walked away.

 

It took Anakin almost thirty seconds to calm down enough that he trusted himself to talk without exploding on anyone.

 

The words of Master Yoda rang unbidden through his mind. Once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny. It was certainly proving difficult now.

 

When he finally looked up, he found himself looking into the face of a rather concerned Qui-gon, who didn't seem to know quite what to say. Neither did Anakin. 'Oh hi there, I'm just calming myself down so I don't crush everything within a hundred meters to dust with the Dark Side,' probably wouldn't go over very well.

 

Interesting. He seemed to have rekindled some sarcastic sense of humor.

 

"Are you alright, young one?" the Jedi asked sincerely.

 

Anakin plastered a smile on his face. "Yes," he replied. "It isn't intelligent to approach a Dug," he shot an annoyed look at Jar-Jar. "They tend to be rather dangerous and easily provoked."

 

"But mesa hating' crunching'," the Gungan protested. "That's the last thing meens wantin'."

 

Qui-gon's eyes lingered on Anakin warily for several seconds before turning his attention to Jar-Jar. "Never the less, the boy is right. You are heading into trouble."

 

Padme had come to stand beside them, and it took all of his control to keep his eyes on the Jedi Master.

 

"But--but..." the Gungan started.

 

"Thanks, my young friend," Qui-gon said with a smile and a nod before turning to head back down the street.

 

"But mesa doin' not'in'!"

 

They began to walk away, and Anakin hesitated. This was it. Either he backed out now, or continued on. Once again, it was Padme's smile that made up his mind.

 

"So, where are you headed?" he asked, hoping he didn't sound too awkward. It wasn't often that he found himself playing host (or trying to do so and failing miserably).

 

"We're looking to get some food," Qui-gon answered. "Would you know where to find some?"

 

Anakin nodded. "This way," he said, turning and striding down an adjoining street. The seemingly misfit group followed.

 

xXx

 

Qui-gon didn't know what to think of the boy (Anakin, if he remembered correctly) who led them confidently through town. All he could tell was this small child seemed to have an extremely high intellect along with an inner conflict he'd never seen in a person under the age of 30. Even many Jedi Masters didn't have those kinds of inner battles. Between the hesitations and almost fearful looks he'd shoot at everyone in the vicinity before speaking in a careful, almost paranoid manner, he reminded Qui-gon more of a war veteran than of a young child. Even a slave. What must his past have been like? He couldn't be older than 10 standard years.

 

On top of that, Qui-gon could get no reading on the boy. He didn't just run into mental shields, it seemed more like he wasn't even there. That kind of shielding required a Force presence. A strong Force presence. He had also never heard of those kinds of shields used by an untrained being. He could only draw the conclusion that Anakin either had prior training, or he was some sort of genius. A genius with an extremely traumatic and possibly painful background. He wasn't sure if he should be wary or sympathetic.

 

Eventually they stopped at a run-down fruit stand set up in the shade of a building. An old woman who seemed to have more wrinkles than skin on her tanned face grinned down at the boy.

 

"Ani! Welcome," she said in a well-used, jolly voice. "Haven't seen you around much lately."

 

"I apologize for not coming by," he replied.

 

"So serious, Ani?" she joked. "Want to make a good face in front of your new friends?"

 

The boy glanced uneasily up at Qui-gon. "Yes," he replied.

 

"And so formal? What's gotten into you?"

 

"Nothing," he insisted, his words just slightly harsh, almost as if he were giving a warning. She seemed a bit taken aback by his comment. "Sorry, Jira," he said in a softer tone. "It's been a long day."

 

"That's alright, Ani," she said, the grin easily back in place. "Now what'll you have?"

 

He looked over the fruits for a few seconds before he pointed to a few of one particularly wrinkled fruit. "Four...pallies," he said, pausing before speaking the word, as if he'd forgotten it. Qui-gon continued to watch their interaction, now thoroughly fascinated.

 

So he'd gone through a sort of character change recently? Perhaps trauma? What kind of trauma? He didn't rule out beatings, but he did doubt it. If Anakin had gone through a change, then it was unlikely, as abuse didn't often simply start up suddenly enough to cause such a fast character change.

 

The Jedi observed the child's precise movements. He almost seemed uncomfortable in his own body. He also moved quickly, probably expectant of punishment if he didn't move fast enough.

 

If Qui-gon had to venture a guess, he'd say the boy was a slave. It would be the only reason for keeping a child like him around a shop like Watto's, no matter how good at mechanics.

 

Had he been sold recently? That could certainly be a change that might cause trauma. Or was it something else? He didn't know enough about the boy to make an educated guess, and would have to look deeper into it to gage the child's situation correctly.

 

A slight tug through the Force brought his thoughts to Obi-wan. Something had come up. He didn't often feel this kind of irritation from his padawan through their bond. He turned, looking around at the settlement, trying to get a better sense of what had happened.

 

"Master Qui-gon?" Padme's voice brought him out of reverie and he looked down at the young woman standing next to Anakin.

 

"Yes?" he asked, noticing the fruit being held out to him and taking it casually. "Thank you."

 

"Is something the matter?" she asked.

 

He smiled. Did she really think that she could fool him with a paltry disguise? "Nothing you need to concern yourself over," he said, making sure to keep his tone light as he put the fruit into the bag he carried at his waist. He didn't miss the boy's eyes land and linger on his lightsaber. Did he know what it was? He wouldn't be the first, but few people on the outer rim knew an unlit lightsaber on first glance.

 

"Oh, my bones are aching," the woman said suddenly, looking around. "Storm's coming, Ani. You'd better get home, quick."

 

Was it just Qui-gon, or did Anakin's smile seem forced? The boy nodded and bowed slightly, which seemed to surprise the old woman even more, and he turned to walk away.

 

"Follow me," he said shortly. A very terse little boy too, apparently.

 

"Where?" Qui-gon asked.

 

Ani turned around, fixing him with a neutral face. "Do you have shelter?"

 

"We'll head back to our ship," the Jedi replied, unsure of whether Anakin really wanted to help or was just being polite.

 

There it was again, the pause before he spoke, as if he had to carefully calculate something before he said anything. "Where is your ship?" he asked.

 

"On the outskirts," Padme replied.

 

"I doubt you'll make it in time," Ani said. "And the storm could be dangerous." He spoke that last line as if it should be obvious. "Come. You w--can stay with me."

 

The Jedi Master couldn't help but stare at the child. He'd known senators that didn't have that kind of a commanding presence. He'd said "can", but Qui-gon felt sure he would have originally said "will". Used to giving commands, then.

 

This boy was becoming more and more of a puzzle.

 

"Very well," he replied easily. "Please, lead on."

 

xXx

 

Qui-gon suspected something. Anakin was sure of it, and he didn't know what to do about it. What did the Jedi suspect? He'd been so careful. Of course, Padme's presence had caused him to slip up a few times, but would that be enough?

 

Of course, then there was the old woman, saying he was acting differently. A comment like that would make any Jedi take a closer look. Anakin didn't know what Qui-gon would find on closer inspection.

 

Perhaps this had not been the wisest course of action after all.

 

Too late. And he was not accustomed to dwelling on the past. Perhaps that had been his problem. He was now living in it after all.

 

The sandstorm had already started in full-force by the time they reached his home. He keyed in the code quickly and led them inside, out of the tan-colored, smothering fog created from eddies of wind near the buildings.

 

As he entered, he reached out for the calm, soothing presence of his mother, and felt himself relax for the first time all day.

 

"Mom?" he asked, brushing what he could get of the sand (oh how he hated the substance) off of his shirt. "Mom, I'm home."

 

She walked out of the back room, wiping her hands on a towel. Did she ever stop working? Why did she have to live like that when she deserved so much more? She looked upon the visitors with surprise, then looked curiously at Anakin.

 

"Ani?" she asked.

 

He put on his best childlike face, and added a touch of whine to his voice. "They needed a place to stay. Can they stay? Please?" Funny, he always found it easier to act like a child around her.

 

"Hello," she said to the strangers, her smile welcoming and large, despite the sudden surprise.

 

"I'm Qui-gon Jinn," the older Jedi introduced himself. "Your son was kind enough to offer us shelter."

 

She looked over them for a moment before breaking down into a smile. "Of course you can stay. I'll just need a little help with supper."

 

"Allow me," Qui-gon offered, holding out a bag. "We brought some food."

 

His mother's smile gained more than a touch of relief. She'd been worrying about their supplies then.

 

"Thank you," she said, accepting the bag graciously, then turned and walked into the kitchen. The Jedi followed her out of the room Anakin watched them go, unsure of what to do now. He wasn't exactly good at making polite conversation, and the atmosphere felt thick enough to him to cut with a lightsaber.

 

"Don't touch that," he said to Jar-Jar, who was looking at a pile of boxes and parts piled to the wall on one side. The Gungan jumped back, snapping his hands behind him innocently. Really, who did he think he was fooling?

 

"Anakin, why don't you show them the droid you've been working on?" Shmi called from the kitchen.

 

Anakin could have kissed her. "Good idea. This way," he said, leading them into the back.

 

xXx

 

"Your son is quite the host," Qui-gon commented, unable to keep the amusement from his voice as he began to set the table to Shmi's instructions.

 

The mother glanced over at her guest. "He has a large heart," she said softly, more than a hint of pride evident in her words. Yet he sensed something else too.

 

"You sound unsure," he said.

 

She looked up at him from where she'd been cutting a root of some kind. "No," she said firmly. "No, he's a good boy, kind and welcoming."

 

"But he's changed recently," he said it as more of a statement than a question.

 

She looked surprised at his words, then slowly looked down again, continuing to chop as she nodded.

 

"About a week ago, he woke up from a nightmare. I've never seen him act so...lost and alone. Now he seems...older. I don't know why."

 

Qui-gon suddenly understood. Perhaps it had been a vision of some sort. He'd heard of visions that had changed Jedi. Visions of the future, or harsh battles, or horrible acts. It would certainly explain a lot.

 

He'd have to test the boy to see measure his Force potential.

 

Just as he finished setting up, Jar-Jar walked into the room, looking around. Qui-gon raised an eyebrow. A wandering Jar-Jar didn't strike him as being the most ideal situation.

 

"Jar-Jar," he said with a smile, folding his hands in front of him in what Obi-wan called his 'Master Stance'. "I'm glad you came. We have some preparation we'd like you to help with." Shmi raised an eyebrow at him, but said nothing as the Gungan agreed and walked over to her.

 

"Could you clean these off for me?" she asked with a smile, handing him an old bowl full of fruit and a towel. "Just wipe them down."

 

"'O course, mesa happy to help!"

 

Qui-gon was about to ask if she needed anything else done when his comm went off. Excusing himself politely, he flipped the switch to 'receive' as he walked into the hall.

 

"Qui-gon," he said.

 

"Master," Obi-wan's voice came over the receiver. "We just received an urgent message from Naboo. The Queen's councilor, Sio Bibble, just contacted us. He says they've cut off supplies and food from the cities, and have started to move people to camps until the Queen returns. He asked her to contact him with instructions."

 

"It sounds like bait," Qui-gon replied, "to establish a connection trace." He felt a sense of confirmation over their bond, and felt just a touch of pride. His padawn had grown up. Obi-wan had seen the ruse and told them not to send a reply, but he sensed something else from his padawan as well.

 

"What if it is true and the people are dying?" Obi-wan asked, sounding uncertain.

 

Qui-gon repressed a sigh. He didn't want to think about it either. "Either way, we're running out of time," he responded. Then he waited a moment before hanging up and turned around to finish helping with supper.

 

---------------------

 

Okay, so after getting some problems worked out with my new Beta reader (Amidala Skywalker, everyone praise her! *ahem* ) actually getting the chapters I'm sending her, I return with the second chapter! Hope you like! Let me know what you think please!

Edited by Guest

You know the closer you get to something

The tougher it is to see it,

And I'll Never take it for granted,

Let's go!

 

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Nice update! And whew- LONG update! Not that I'm complaining. So, normally as I review I keep a text doc open on the side and, every time I see a sentence or paragraph that stands out I just immediately paste it over. I know that I will remember the general comments but, especially if I get interrupted (which happens often), I will not remember any of the specifics which authors often like hearing about. In this case it got me into trouble - I had sooo many comments that trying to include them all would make a gigantic, long post. So I'm really trying my best to summarize, and use less specific quotes.

 

You have a lot of great snippets which add detail to Anakin's character -- whether it's the contrast of an old Anakin in a new body, a thought, or something noticed by something else that help create this new opportunity to do it all again. Some of these which particularly stood out to me were:...

 

Anakin "rediscovering" the simple things which he enjoys, like working on machines; recognizing Obi-Wan in the Force now but Qui-Gon being more of a hazy memory (and obviously never having sensed him when he had as much Force control); the still-present pride in not wanting to set himself up for failure or following Jedi rules; calling himself "Skywalker" mentally (I pictured him using "Ani" in the original); pacing the floor in a very grown-up style; having more insight into Padme's tone or expressions; and Jira's slight uncomfortableness. Great job!

 

As far as he was concerned, his little hands still had the blood of all those innocents dripping off of them.

I really liked this sentence, even if the connotations behind it are pretty grim! The word choice is a stark contrast betwen his "fresh" youth and bloody past: "little," "blood," "innocents," "dripping."

 

I also liked Anakin's first thoughts about Padme - you described a great contrast between never wanting to see her again (after what he's done, what will come, having to face her), and wanting nothing more but to see one last glimpse, which he never got a chance to do.

 

Oh - and what you did with Qui-Gon! I found it terribly ironic that Ankain's hesitation, attempts to control himself, and grown-up wording actually draw MORE of Qui-Gon's attention than in the original! Go figure!

 

Even your changes to the conversation between Qui-Gon and Shmi reflected this, as Shmi has also noticed the change and is no longer as sure about Anakin's good heart, even though she hesitates to accept it. Great detail to add to the story, while keeping them in character!

 

And, of course, there's always those few nitpicks. A few sentences, which I'll leave to you to find, with minor grammar fixes needed:

"You're going pick a fight an outlander?"

"the Dug looked up at Anakin, his face suddenly gaining an expression that said 'fresh-meat', and dropped (threw) the Gungan."

"He didn't miss the boy's eyes land and linger on his lightsaber."

"The Jedi followed her out of the room Anakin watched them go, unsure of what to do now."

 

The only thing outside of grammar that I thought could use a tiny bit of work is Anakin's confrontation with Sebulba. You have a mention of Anakin trying to sound calm, but outside of that there is no true indication of his anger up until it takes him a full 30 seconds to face Padme, Anakin and Jar Jar. I think a little more indication of him getting angry or trying to keep his temper in check before that would make it a little less of a sudden transition to needing that much time to get himself in check - even with Anakin's very volatile nature.

 

Overall -- excellent job. I think one of the great balances you were able to capture here was a depth into Anakin's character while still making a good amount of progress through the storyline. This is an important balance, because with so much of the storyline known (to an certain extent) you can't slow down as much without readers losing a little bit of interest. At the same time, there is so much depth to Anakin's changes which interest the reader - it's as interesting as the similarities still there - and you did a great job providing a lot of that.

 

Great work, OBQ! And nice job to Ami for her beta work as well.

"It's always these little worlds that get you in trouble. Like Tatooine. I'm still living that one down." - Han Solo

Your barnacle has carnivorous salamanders the size of whales.

"Let us hold unswervingly to the faith we profess, for he who promised is faithful." -Heb. 10:23

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Aaaa! I read your post forever ago, Gimpy, but couldn't respond and then I forgot to! I'm so sorry! Thank you SO Much for that feedback. It helps immensely, and I love posts like that, so THANK YOU! *hug*

 

And thanks to Amidala Skywalker again! She's amazing!

 

Chapter 3

 

The storm continued to rage outside, sand grains scraping loudly against the sides of the homes and buildings, wearing them down as best they could. Anakin focused on the sound, purposefully distracting himself from the dinner table conversation. He wished they could get off their current subject, but Padme had asked why they didn't just leave the planet to escape slavery.

 

"All slaves have a transmitter placed inside their body somewhere," his mother said as she poured more milk into Qui-gon's cup. He'd insisted that once they left, all of the left-over food would remain with Shmi. After a week of no rations from Watto, it had eased Shmi's worries a great deal.

 

Anakin didn't say anything.

 

"Any attempt to escape," she continued, pausing for just a moment. "And the transmitter will activate explosives." Anakin remained quiet. He knew where his transmitter was; his left leg. Transmitters in appendages were the most common. Activating one would stop a slave from running, allowing them to be caught again while minimizing damage and profit loss.

 

Padme looked down at her plate of food, a slightly green hue to her skin.

 

"I can't believe there's still slavery in the galaxy," she said, looking up as his mother sat down. "The Republic's anti-slavery laws—"

 

"The Republic doesn't exist out here," Shmi said, cutting her off kindly, but firmly. "We must survive on our own.

 

SLURP. Jar-Jar's tongue disappeared inside his mouth, along with one of the fruits from the bowl in the middle of the table. Everyone turned to look at him. Anakin was not amused. Had the native Nubian really been this...irritating?

 

Of course, just about everything seemed to irritate him at the moment.

 

"'Scuse me," the Gungan mumbled sounding only slightly sheepish.

 

An awkward silence fell over the table. Anakin didn't bother to attempt to break it. He'd sat through far worse silences. A picture of Luke turning away from him to look out over the Endor moon came to his thoughts. 'That is why you won't take me to your Emperor now.' Yes, that had probably been the most awkward conversation he'd ever had.

 

The memory also brought something else to mind.

 

"I saw your l...laser sword," he said slowly. He hadn't known the name of a lightsaber before he'd gone to the Jedi Temple, and was secretly rather proud of himself for catching the mistake.

 

"Anakin," Shmi rebuked.

 

Anakin looked down and a short silence returned before Jar-Jar whipped his tongue out again. This time Qui-gon caught it.

 

"Don't do that again," he said before releasing the tongue, then glanced over at Anakin, his expression challenging. "You did?"

 

"Are you a Jedi?" How many times had he asked that, mocking his prey before striking them down with his own 'laser sword'? He tried not to remember.

 

"Perhaps I killed a Jedi and stole it from him."

 

He actually snorted at that. "Not likely."

 

Qui-gon raised an eyebrow. "Why do you say that?"

 

Anakin fought down a triumphant smile. Right into his hands. "You're too nice to kill anyone," he said matter-of-factly.

 

The Jedi eyed him for a few moments, and Anakin could see the gears turning in his head. Then he smiled sadly. "I wish that were true," he said.

 

The entire table turned and looked at him, askance. "You kill people?"

 

He sighed and shook his head. "Not if there is any other way. I fight for peace in the Republic."

 

This time, Anakin almost couldn't hide the snort. He may have abandoned the Sith ways, but that did not mean he didn't think the Jedi weren't conceited snobs that distanced themselves from the universe to make themselves seem better. That would be an opinion from his years as Vader that would not change. He'd known quite a few Jedi that did not fight for anything but themselves. Of course, those Jedi seemed to be the easiest to either turn or kill...or both.

 

Fortunately, he'd been in the process of putting a piece of food in his mouth. He covered the scoff with a semi-real coughing fit.

 

"Are you alright?" Padme asked, placing a hand on his arm.

 

Anakin nodded, trying to ignore her touch. It didn't work very well. He'd come to the conclusion that her safety came before his feelings. He would just have to be content to watch her from a distance as he was unwilling to put her in danger again.

 

He swallowed the food and steeled his expression, looking back up at the older man. "You are a Jedi," he insisted after a moment.

 

Qui-gon leaned into the back of the chair, studying at Anakin thoughtfully. "I can see there's no fooling you," he said, then leaned forward again, as if to tell a secret. "You mustn't let anyone know about us. We're on our way to Coruscant, the central system in the Republic, on a very important mission, and it must be kept secret."

 

"Then why are you out here?" he asked, grateful he'd gone over this scenario in his mind several times before coming to dinner. "Did you crash? You said your ship needs repairing," he looked over at Padme. "May I have a look at it? I'm good with mechanics, perhaps I can repair it." He felt like he'd given an entire speech. After so many years as a Sith, he'd gotten used to the idea that actions spoke louder than words, and had gotten to the point where he only spoke if he had to. That had been the case here, but it still seemed like a lot to him.

 

"I don't doubt it," Qui-gon said with a smile. "But first we must acquire the parts we need."

 

"Wid no-nuttin mulah to trade," Jar-Jar added, looking over at Anakin with a slightly depressed shrug.

 

"These junk dealers must have a weakness," Padme commented. He couldn't help but admire her tenacity and optimistic approach. Of course, he always had.

 

"Gambling," his mother said immediately. "Everything around here revolves around betting on those awful races."

 

"Races?" Padme asked. "What races?"

 

He couldn't have asked for a better opening. "Podracing," Anakin spoke up, then looked to Qui-gon. "You've seen them?"

 

"They have podracing on Malastare," he replied as he put a fruit slice in his mouth. "Very fast, very dangerous."

 

"I can do it," Anakin said with more bravado than he'd intended. Well, it was true. He could still hear Obi-wan's voice in the back of his mind telling him to stop being so arrogant. He almost rolled his eyes. And here he thought he'd shut that voice up long ago.

 

"Really?" Qui-gon asked.

 

"Anakin!" Shmi said again, her voice raised.

 

"Podracing," the Jedi said thoughtfully, watching Padme. "Greed can be a powerful ally," he continued.

 

Yes, he sounded exactly like a guardian of the galaxy there.

 

Seriously, where had he picked up this sarcastic line of thinking?

 

"I built a racer," he said, half to distract himself, half to push the conversation where it needed to go. "It's fast enough to win. There's a big race tomorrow on Boonta Eve. I cannot enter my pod as a slave..." he let the comment hang, knowing the Jedi would pick up on it.

 

"Anakin," Shmi leaned forward, "Watto won't let you!"

 

He hated going against his mother like this. "He doesn't know I built it."

 

"You're suggesting that I enter your pod as mine," Qui-gon said, eyes calculating.

 

"I don't want you to race! It's awful! I die every time Watto makes you do it." Shmi certainly didn't look happy.

 

"They need the prize money."

 

"Anakin..." she said again, almost pleading. Force, it hurt to do this to her!

 

"Your mother's right," Qui-gon conceded, but Anakin caught the gleam in his eye. He'd already decided. Some Jedi. Had he actually wanted to be trained by this man? The Jedi turned to Shmi. "Is there anyone friendly to the Republic that could help us?"

 

Shmi shook her head and looked down. "No."

 

Another heavy atmosphere fell over the table. "I'm sure Qui-gon doesn't want to put your son in danger," Padme said. "We'll find some other way."

 

"Mom," Anakin said, putting all of the feeling and emotion he could behind the words, "Please? I want to help." That much was true. He did want to help, if only for Padme.

 

She sighed. "I know, Anakin. And you're right, there is no other way. I may not like it, but he can help you." She looked at her son with that soft smile that always told him she was proud of him, and for the second time that day, he smiled. Not a half-smile, or a forced smile, but a real, deep grin. He hadn't realized how good that felt. Then she glanced for just a moment at Qui-gon. "He was meant to help you."

 

The Jedi still looked unsure, and Anakin wondered if he'd read the man correctly for just a moment.

 

"Very well," he said. Anakin noted Padme's shocked (and rather horrified) expression, but she didn't say anything. He looked back up at his mother again. He could feel her fear for him, and she did little to hide her nervousness about the race, but he could also tell she was very proud of him.

 

He came to the conclusion in that moment that he would give up all of his Force abilities for her smile any day.

 

xXx

 

It didn't take long to convince Watto to let Anakin race. He did want to beat Qui-gon within an inch of his life when he sweetened the deal for the Toydarian. Watto had suggested a 50-50 split, for goodness sake! It took a moment for Anakin to see his reasoning (only take what they need and leave on somewhat decent terms, make sure that Watto didn't want to back out of the deal and/or give them a hard time so people wouldn't start asking questions, etc.), but he still felt like the Jedi was building himself into a corner.

 

Not that they'd have to worry. Anakin would win, but still.

 

The only question that remained to be seen was if Qui-gon would release him or not. Undoubtedly he wouldn't find out about that until after he actually won. That's how it had been the first time. No doubt the Jedi wouldn't tell him either way so as not to get Anakin's hopes up. Unfortunately, Anakin's little trip back in time had already changed several events in minor ways, and he was smart enough to realize that little things changed big things. Would Qui-gon see him as too dangerous this time? Or would he become convinced Anakin had to be a Jedi like the first time? Would winning free him as it had before?

 

For a moment, he considered asking Qui-gon, but ultimately decided against it. If Qui-gon freed him, then so be it. If not, then he'd just figure something out when it happened. He wouldn't know until the time came, so he focused on the race, ignoring the pressure like the experienced pilot he was. It wasn't difficult until he realized just what kind of shape his pod was in. For a nine-year-old, it had been a masterpiece. For Anakin with his current mental age and knowledge of mechanics...he wondered how he could have ever even gotten the thing to fly at all. He'd built it for speed over maneuverability, and ignored the fact that it tended stall (oh, how he remembered that). More than half of the parts looked like they'd been stuck together with some sort of adhesive instead of welded, although he knew that to not be true as he remembered doing all of the welding himself.

 

The fact that he'd won the first time had been nothing short of a miracle. Not the miracle that one works towards, but the kind of miracle brought about by the Force itself. He couldn't explain it any other way. Well, his driving undoubtedly had something to do with it.

 

He spent most of the evening trying to fix it up and undo the damage his younger self had done to the piece of junk he'd managed to clabber together somehow. It reminded him of the ship the Princess and the smuggler insisted on flying around.

 

That thought caused him to shudder.

 

"Hi Ani!" several voices behind him intoned. He blinked, slightly annoyed at the interruption and turned to meet the faces of his fellow slaves. For a moment, his own face remained blank as he tried to place names to each of them. These had been his playmates before he'd left. They were also the people he had vowed to free...and hadn't. How could he have forgotten them? A stab of guilt shot through his chest, but he ignored it.

 

"Hello," he responded. He got a few strange looks, but the children seemed to be more interested in the pod.

 

Noticing Padme's interest, he straightened up. He'd been trying to ignore her all day with only marginal success. He didn't want to scare her away or have her think he had a stupid crush. No, his feelings went far deeper than that, which was why he became even more determined to ignore her. However, to do so at the expense of manners would draw unwelcome attention to him, and possibly point out uncharacteristic traits. He'd already done enough of that.

 

"Padme," he said, forcing his voice to remain calm and unwavering, "Jar-Jar, these are my friends." He couldn't remember their names, and wasn't going to try. It was painful enough to remember their faces.

 

Artoo chattered at him, upset at being left out.

 

"And Artoo," he said, relaxing just a hint.

 

"A real astrodroid?" one child practically yelled. This had been his best friend, hadn't it? How sad was it that he couldn't remember? "How do you get so lucky?"

 

It's not luck, he wanted to say, but kept his mouth shut and shrugged.

 

"Are you ever going to get this done?" the older girl asked, gesturing to the pod.

 

"I have to have it done before the race tomorrow," he replied, grateful for a reason to return to his work again.

 

The children fell into a shocked silence. "You're going to be in the Boonta Eve race tomorrow?"

 

"With this?" the dark haired boy asked, motioning to the gray and blue painted pod and scattering of parts.

 

"Unfortunately," Anakin muttered. That also earned him some strange looks. He swore mentally. Was he really that out of character that even these oblivious children could see it?

 

"You're such a joker, Ani," the Rodian boy said in Huttese with a chuckle.

 

"You've been working on it for years," the older girl said disdainfully.

 

"It's never going to run," the younger one put in.

 

Slightly offended, Anakin opened his mouth to defend his skills, but the older boy beat him to it. "Come on, guys. Let's go play ball. Keep it up, Ani, you're going to be bug squash."

 

He resisted the urge to roll his eyes. This was why he didn't get involved in arguments with children. Was that honestly the best the boy could do?

 

Deciding it wasn't worth it, he returned to his work, only to see Jar-Jar ahead, near the energy couplings.

 

"Jar-Jar," he said, only loud enough to be heard. "Get away from there. You'll damage the pod," he paused a moment. "And you'll get hurt." He added the afterthought once he realized that that was what his younger self would do.

 

The Gungan ended up getting his head stuck between the beams, and came away with a limp tongue. He was lucky he hadn't been killed. If that beam had gone through his brain...

 

How had he survived for as long as he had?

 

He was still fiddling around with something near the engines with Padme when the dark-haired boy who had decided to stick around spoke up again.

 

"But you don't even know if this thing will run."

 

"It will," Anakin said nonchalantly as he climbed into the seat.

 

"I think it's about time we found out for sure," Qui-gon said, coming up behind him, small, black device in hand. "Use this power charge."

 

Anakin nodded his thanks, and inserted the charge into the correct slot, waiting a few moments for everyone to clear away before he pressed the start switch. He had to push it up a few times before the engines caught, but once they did he couldn't help but shoot a smirk at his friend, who looked rather impressed.

 

A nudge through the Force had him glancing back at his mother, who seemed to be forcing a smile. Her feelings broadcast through the force, telling of her conflict of hope battling with loss. Had she known this early that the Jedi would take him away? Had she really wanted him to leave this life behind that badly?

 

He almost berated himself for the stupid question. Of course she did.

 

It hit him just how much she really loved him. It wasn't difficult to see that she did not want to let him go.

 

The realization gave him a lot to think about.

 

xXx

 

Somehow, Qui-gon cornered him that night to supposedly 'clean his wound'. While working on the pod, Jar-Jar had knocked into him, causing him to slip and injure himself. He'd taken care of it earlier, but the Jedi insisted on looking at it.

 

Anakin knew what the man really wanted; to test his midichlorian level.

 

After a night of ducking and dodging, he finally gave in and let the man check the wound just before he crawled into bed. Anakin watched with a wary eye as the Jedi removed the primitive bandage most slaves used and recleaned the wound with a bacta swab.

 

Qui-gon noticed his displeased scowl.

 

"You don't trust me," he stated calmly.

 

Anakin didn't meet the other man's eyes. "I...don't know."

 

"You've come across people like me before, haven't you?"

 

The pause turned into a long silence as Anakin contemplated the different responses. He would like to say 'no', as it would be the simplest answer and he would prefer to avoid uncomfortable questions, but the Jedi would know that was a lie. So what should he tell him? That he ran into a Sith? Somehow, he doubted that would end well. Besides, if he had run into a Sith and gotten training, he wouldn't be here now. The darksider most likely would have taken him by force. They'd been known to do that. He'd done so himself.

 

"How did you know?" he asked finally.

 

Qui-gon's attitude remained infuriatingly calm. Honestly, Obi-wan had nothing on this guy when it came to just being irritating. "I can tell you have a Force presence because I don't sense one there at all. That requires training with mental shields. A piece of advice for the future, if you want to shield yourself from a Jedi, at least give yourself a Force presence."

 

Anakin stared at the older man, finding himself impressed with the other for the first time. Mace Windu had a hard time finding or sensing him when he was trying to hide his presence. Of course, Palpatine and Yoda had always seemed to know where to find him. He'd never figured out exactly how.

 

"Oh," he said, this time watching as Qui-gon slipped the small disk across his cut, taking that ever so important sample of blood. He didn't so much as wince at the slight prick.

 

At least he knew that within the next day he'd be freed and on his way to Courscant. There would be no way the Jedi would leave him behind once he confirmed Anakin's midichlorian level. He found it ironic that the thought depressed him. He'd always hated Courscant.

 

"Who was it?"

 

The words had more weight than Anakin should realize at his age, genius or not, but he caught it just the same. If he refused to answer, Qui-gon would immediately suspect a dark-side user, and he'd just be under that much more scrutiny from the Jedi Council. After all, he had no doubts Qui-gon would tell them everything. Would that help or hurt his chances of getting into the temple though?

 

Knowing the Jedi, it would hurt. Better stay safe.

 

"I met an old man," he said, trying to ignore the irony. "He came through town and stayed for a few months a while back. Always came around the shop asking questions, buying parts. I think he was stranded here too."

 

"What was his name?"

 

"He wouldn't tell me."

 

"What did he look like?"

 

These questions were getting old fast. "He wore robes like you, but darker. He had gray hair and a laser sword like you. He said he couldn't do anything to help me then, but he could teach me to protect myself, so other people wouldn't find me."

 

Qui-gon raised an eyebrow, apparently finding that information interesting. "Why wouldn't he want people to find you?"

 

Anakin shrugged. "He said there were bad people out there who could find me and hurt me."

 

"So he taught you how to shield your mind?"

 

"Yes," Anakin responded, looking out the window, hoping he seemed wistful. "He told me about the Force, and that he could feel me through it. He showed me how to touch it and use it to block my mind."

 

"Really?" Anakin tried not to wince at Qui-gon's blank tone of voice. He wasn't buying it. "How long did he stay?"

 

"Several months. He'd only teach me when I was in the shop, though. Said he didn't want to worry my mother."

 

A slight silence fell over the room. "If you don't trust me, is it because you think I'm a Dark Jedi?" Qui-gon finally asked.

 

Anakin looked up at him for a few moments debating the answers once again in his mind, then shrugged and looked down. "No."

 

"Is that why you're willing to put your life on the line to help me?"

 

This was really starting to get uncomfortable. "You needed help," he said simply, hoping it would be enough.

 

Qui-gon watched him for several more seconds, finishing up the bandage. "You did a good job taking care of this," he said.

 

What was he supposed to say to that? Thanks? "My mom taught me," he replied.

 

"She must be very skilled."

 

Anakin smiled slightly. "She is." It felt so good to say that in present tense.

 

"Well, you should get some sleep. You'll need your rest tomorrow," Qui-gon grinned down at Anakin and stood up.

 

"Yes," Anakin nodded in agreement. "But first, why did you take a blood sample?"

 

Qui-gon looked impressed. "It's to check for infections. Now get some sleep."

 

Anakin's expression darkened. More Jedi lies. He shouldn't be surprised. Really. For people who claimed to be on the 'light side', they did an awful lot of 'shady' dealings.

 

"Good night, Anakin," the Jedi said as he shut the door.

 

"Good night," he replied crisply.

 

He sat in the dark for a long time, thinking. Did the Jedi really think they were any better than the Sith just because they killed, lied, and dealt under the table in the name of justice and peace? He felt the familiar pull of the Dark Side stir in the back of his mind, almost as if it had been waiting for these negative thoughts from him. It whispered and wound its way around his soul, taunting, teasing and promising power, and for the first time since he'd come back in time, he considered giving in.

 

The Jedi were a corrupt, stagnant order that insisted on getting things done their way. Take out the 'stagnant' part, and you have the Sith. Were they that different? Really?

 

The Old Jedi Order was not.

 

Then his thoughts drifted back to Luke, so insistent and straight forward; so blindingly light in the Force. Almost like a balm on a wound, those very memories soothed his soul and the dark pull lessened again.

 

Even after all this time, and after everything he had done, he still had a great deal of anger to direct at the Jedi Order. He wondered if he would be able to fix that. His feelings were not unjustified.

 

Then a new thought occurred to him. Maybe he was going about this all wrong.

 

For as long as he could remember, it had been Jedi vs. Sith, or Good vs. Evil, supposedly. But was it?

 

He'd embraced both sides of the Force, and been embraced by each in return at one point or another in his life. Dark Side vs. Light Side. Bogan vs. Ashla. Power vs. Peace.

 

That's what it really came down to, wasn't it? The Dark Side held power, fast and easy, willing to obey your every command and far more addicting than spice or death sticks could ever dream of being. The Light Side held peace, harmony and the promise of something more if one had the patience and brains to look for it.

 

So why had the Jedi acted like they had? Had they just grown complacent in their position? Perhaps they really had been planning to overthrow the Republic.

 

Stop it, Skywalker, he almost hissed to himself. If he had sat down and thought about it rationally even back when the Empire had begun, he might have realized that there was no possible way the Jedi would have tried to overthrow the Republic. Control it from the background? Maybe. Completely take over? No. And he'd been too blinded by hate and rage to see it.

 

So what else had he missed?

 

Had Obi-wan really betrayed him?

 

Had Padme?

 

Oh, the thoughts that had run through his head when he'd seen Obi-wan on that ramp. Everything from the Jedi Master threatening Padme, to them having an affair behind his back, and he hadn't known which one to believe. Funny how quickly confusion could be turned into anger.

 

So what had really happened on the most painful day of his former life? His mind seemed to shy away from the very thought. Did he even want to know? Really?

 

No, he didn't. But he also needed to.

 

He had no doubt the Emperor had played him like a puppet. He'd even grown to expect it from the man. So why did it hurt so much more with Obi-wan and Padme? Why had it been so much easier to conjure anger from their memories?

 

Obi-wan had sneaked aboard her ship. He could see that now. It was the only explanation for her reaction. He'd needed to find Anakin, and knew of "a" relationship with Padme, so he'd confronted her, found out about her pregnancy, put two and two together, and tricked her into coming.

 

A flare of anger surged through him at the thought of Obi-wan doing that to Padme, but he refused to acknowledge it and the darkness that came with it. He also felt an immense relief with the thought that Padme had most likely not betrayed him at all.

 

So Obi-wan had tricked his wife, stowed away, and gone to kill him.

 

So why hadn't he ended it there? He could have. As a Jedi, he should have.

 

You were my brother Anakin, I loved you! Those words Anakin had dismissed for so long as a vain attempt to break his will now rang through his head.

 

Obi-wan had left him to burn...but he hadn't killed Anakin. He could always remember that pained face, the sheer agony he'd felt at the time seared it into his brain, even as he'd screamed out how much he hated his former master; his best friend.

 

"He couldn't do it..." Anakin muttered out loud, the revelation robbing him of every single trace of anger. He just sat there, feeling exposed and empty without the familiar emotion.

 

For the first time, he found he could put himself in Obi-wan's shoes.

 

What if Obi-wan had been the one to turn instead of him? What would he have done had he walked into the temple and seen even the children slaughtered mercilessly? Anakin would have flown into a rage bent on revenge...until he found it had been Obi-wan.

 

The very idea seemed so ludicrous even now he had a hard time picturing it. Which means he undoubtedly would have gone into shock in that kind of a situation. Had Obi-wan gone into shock when he'd learned? Had he denied it, or accepted the revelation immediately?

 

In his master's position, Anakin's first thought would have been to hear Obi-wan's side. And hadn't that been one of Obi-wan's most desperate questions? 'Why?' 'How could you?'

 

In Obi-wan's place, he would have desperately tried to meet up with anyone else. What if he'd come across Yoda as, undoubtedly, Obi-wan had. What would he have thought then? Yoda would have ordered the rogue's death...and could Anakin have done it? Could Anakin have killed Obi-wan? He'd hunted down other Dark Jedi, but they weren't Obi-wan.

 

Obi-wan was family.

 

Or he had been until that fight. Anakin felt nauseous. Who had been the real betrayer?

 

Logic had never been his strong suit, but he wasn't half bad with it either. He found himself wishing he wasn't at that moment.

 

It took him a long time to finally sleep that night.

Edited by Guest

You know the closer you get to something

The tougher it is to see it,

And I'll Never take it for granted,

Let's go!

 

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Sorry it's taken me so long to look at this, it's been a really crazy couple of weeks. First off, nice job - like always. I am still thoroughly enjoying the read, both the interesting plot and smooth prose. Even though the first "jump" is a long ways off yet, I am already curious as to how you will handle the big gaps of time between movies here...

 

Anywho, onto a more specifcic review, again being a little more generic to save space:

 

The known-but-changing future:

”œI built a racer,”

"It's always these little worlds that get you in trouble. Like Tatooine. I'm still living that one down." - Han Solo

Your barnacle has carnivorous salamanders the size of whales.

"Let us hold unswervingly to the faith we profess, for he who promised is faithful." -Heb. 10:23

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Obi-quiet wrote:

For a moment, he considered asking Qui-gon, but ultimately decided against it. If Qui-gon freed him, then so be it. If not, then he'd just figure something out when it happened.

 

I want to check that I am following this right. In the posts prior to this (although, I didn't go back to check specifically) Anakin still seems unsure of precisely what he is going to do. As I recall, he decided that it would be impossible not to draw attention to himself, so most likely he would end up going off planet anyway and have to figure out a way for the Jedi to decide not to train him, but if possible he might try to stay on Tatooine, free him and his mother, and stay with her. I'm guessing it's sort of vague here since Anakin still isn't sure exactly what he will do, especially not until each option actually comes, but are those still the two alternatives here? Go with Qui-Gon, or ir not, trying to find a way to get him and/or Shmi freed himself?

 

I don't know about everyone else, but at times I just get so tired of what's happening, I just kind of shut down and say "meh, whatever". Now it's not an extreme shut down, it's just an "I don't want to deal with this right now, and I can't help it anyway, so why bother". That's kind of what this is. Is he still worried? Yes. Is he wondering what's going to happen? Yes. But he doesn't know what he's going to do if the second one happens, and he already knows what will happen in the first situation, so he just figures he'll worry about it when it comes because he can't really help it one way or another. He's also thinking that everything will probably play out similarly to what it did before. He's going to start falling into a kind of lull, and that's going to pop out later when something happens this time that didn't the first time, and he's going to panic, because that hasn't happened yet (although he knew it could, actually having it happen is a different story). ^^;

 

Does that make sense? I'm doped up on drugs right now so my migrane doesn't kill me, so yeah. ^^; If it doesn't let me know.

 

Actually, Anakin never really hated Courscant until he became Vader. Before that, he missed his mother, and after that it was the home of the Emperor. All of that negative emotion and connotation is magnifying the slight discomfort he felt earlier (that, and he remembers hating the Jedi Temple and the negative connotations there too, he's repressed all of the good feelings because he tends to be a glass-half-empty person, at least that was the imppression I got). So right now he THINKS he always hated Courscant. Does that make sense too?

 

Seriously, they won't filter out swear words, but they will filter out words like "j e r k"? That's just wrong. I know that I should probably change the second one, but right now I'm in no condition to think of anything, and I also kind of like what it portrays. I will consider it once I"m back up to 100 percent.

 

As for the honesty part, that's a good point. I might add that in...

 

Last but not least: The reason why I put his "realization" so early is that despite what I think of the character, he really isn't stupid. He's not the brightest candle on the cake, but he's not horribly dumb. He has a lot of experience in looking at things from different angles, and a lot of it came about because he doesn't want to think like a Sith anymore. He's really trying not to. A lot of this is really because of Luke. I'm going to mention later how he see's Luke's pained face as the Emperor tortured him, and Luke's face when he brushed the Dark Side and actually tried to kill Vader. Thing is, he also doesn't really believe all of that yet, so the basic idea is coming to him, but the only one he's really clinging to is that Padme didn't betray him. It's still going to take some time with Obi-wan, and the only reason he's clinging to Padme is because she's right in front of him right now. He's going to be switching back and forth a lot on Obi-wan and confusing the daylights out of him (lol, one of my favorite parts ).

 

It just seemed appropriate here because he was considering giving into the darkness, so he needs some sort of revelation and/or light to balance it out. (and I'm gonna ask again) Does that make sense?

You know the closer you get to something

The tougher it is to see it,

And I'll Never take it for granted,

Let's go!

 

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Oh, no! Sounds like yesterday was pretty rough for you! Hopefully the meds were able to help and your migraine said sayonara and left quickly.

 

Wow, that was a long response! Really, outside of the lie bit none of the things I mentioned struck me as wrong or questionable, it all fit well in the story, but a) since reading a story online in parts leaves plenty of room to speculate and b)some details brought up some interesting character analysis which might give me more insight into those characters as well, I thought I would mention them. Everything you said did make sense, even with the meds.

 

He's also thinking that everything will probably play out similarly to what it did before. He's going to start falling into a kind of lull, and that's going to pop out later when something happens this time that didn't the first time, and he's going to panic, because that hasn't happened yet (although he knew it could, actually having it happen is a different story). ^^;

That should be interesting to see! The way he already anticipates and leads things towards conversations definitely sets it up for that surprise later!

 

Seriously, they won't filter out swear words, but they will filter out words like "j e r k"? That's just wrong. I know that I should probably change the second one, but right now I'm in no condition to think of anything, and I also kind of like what it portrays. I will consider it once I"m back up to 100 percent.

I know, right?? Lol, I couldn't believe that when it took the "j e r k e d" out of my story either. The second one works as is, and I like the word choice a lot, especially the "seared." It's nothing that has to be changed, it just stood out to me because I did have to go back and re-read it a couple of times to make sure I understood what it was saying.

 

Thing is, he also doesn't really believe all of that yet, so the basic idea is coming to him, but the only one he's really clinging to is that Padme didn't betray him. It's still going to take some time with Obi-wan, and the only reason he's clinging to Padme is because she's right in front of him right now. He's going to be switching back and forth a lot on Obi-wan and confusing the daylights out of him (lol, one of my favorite parts ).

Yes, as I said originally, you led up to it well. It was completely believable and completely made sense, I just didn't expect it that early more as a plot device. I completely agree with you, though - Anakin would need to know that Padme didn't betray him as soon as he realized the possibility she hadn't was there. I am glad that you have Anakin continuing to struggle with Obi-Wan for a while, although - LOL! Poor Obi-Wan!!

"It's always these little worlds that get you in trouble. Like Tatooine. I'm still living that one down." - Han Solo

Your barnacle has carnivorous salamanders the size of whales.

"Let us hold unswervingly to the faith we profess, for he who promised is faithful." -Heb. 10:23

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Gone over this chapter so many times, I think my eyes are about to pop out...^^;

 

Chapter 4

 

Padme couldn't help but grin as the slow animals—eeopies, if she recalled right—sauntered from the slave district to the main hanger of the Raceway. The eeopies had an even gait that seemed both bumpy and smooth at the same time. She thoroughly enjoyed the ride and felt just a touch of disappointment when the short trip ended. She'd always loved animals, but had never had time for them, not even a pet.

 

Once they entered the dingy space, she couldn't hold another smile back as Anakin directed it to kneel down. She wondered if this boy was really as knowledgeable as he seemed about everything so strange to her. Had he been born handling animals like this too? She didn't envy his life. On the contrary, the very idea tended to twist her stomach in knots, but she did feel just the slightest tinge of jealousy of the idea of being able to be around animals like that.

 

"Bonapa keesa pateeso, o wanna meetee chobodd," a harsh voice drew her attention, and she looked up to see the blue slave owner with his gaze directed at Anakin. He then turned and flew out towards the stands with a chuckle, leaving them to stare after him. The boy, who had already rather stiff as he had been all morning (whenever she came near he seemed to do that, now that she thought about it) straightened even more and shot a pointed look at the figure standing a few meters away.

 

Qui-gon had apparently gotten there early, probably to ensure their place in the race. It struck Padme for a moment just how out of place he seemed in the greasy, work-shop environment, even dressed as a poor local. Something about him and his padawan just radiated serenity. If she didn't know any better, she'd think Anakin had a similar presence. Similar, but very different too. It puzzled her.

 

"I'll tell you later," Qui-gon said to their unspoken question as he helped Anakin's mother down from her own mount and the others made to slide down from the saddles. Anakin immediately went over to the engines and began to work on them. She found herself surprised (and more than a little grateful) at his dedication. It made him seem a little cold, and kind of stand-offish, but she could tell that he genuinely wanted to help them.

 

Kitster, Anakin's dark-haired friend, followed him to the engines and watched him work for a few moments, bouncing in excitement.

 

"This is so wizard, Ani! I'm sure you'll do it this time!"

 

Padme blinked. "Do what?"

 

The dark-haired boy looked up at her as if the answer should be obvious. "Finish the race, of course."

 

The floor dropped out from under her, and the slight flutter in her stomach turned into a hurricane. She turned an incredulous face to the sandy-haired boy. "You've never won a race?" she asked, unable to keep the accusation out of her tone.

 

Anakin flinched. "No."

 

"Not even finished?"

 

"No."

 

"But-"

 

"I'll win, Padme," he said softly. His words held such certainty, that she had to stop and think for a minute. And there was something about how he said her name...

 

"Of course you will," Qui-gon said as he came over and put his hands on Anakin's shoulders. The boy looked slightly uncomfortable at the touch. Maybe it wasn't just her then.

 

She couldn't help but stare incredulously at both of them, gaze switching from one to the other as she processed the implications. Her people's lives were at risk, and here they were betting on a racer who hadn't even finished a race, let alone won?

 

She would be having words with Qui-gon later, and they would not be pleasant for the Jedi. Weren't they supposed to be serene guardians? Why did she have to end up with the reckless gambler?

 

xXx

 

It was customary for a racer to wave once the Announcer introduced them. Anakin didn't even bother to pay attention, too focused on setting up his pod and checking it over for anything that might have gotten damaged in the transfer from his home to the arena.

 

He sensed his mother coming up to him before she spoke and turned to face her as she knelt before him, sunlight glinting off of her hair. "Be safe," she said softly.

 

"I will. I promise," he responded, allowing her to hug him.

 

She looked at him one final time, as if to beg him to back out just once more, but didn't say anything and stood to walk away.

 

"Mom," he said. She turned around. "I love you, and I'll see you soon." Anakin felt a touch of shock at just how much he meant those words. He really would do almost anything for her. She blinked at him for several seconds before the large grin split on her tanned face.

 

"I love you too, Anakin."

 

He smiled back and went back to prepping his pod. After that, just about everyone from the ship came up and wished him luck. Padme even kissed him on the cheek. That simple act made him feel like he could take on the entire Imperial army alone, like it always did.

 

"You won't walk away from this one, scum," a new voice spoke in Huttese and he turned to see the Dug he'd saved Jar Jar from the day before. "You're bantha poodoo."

 

Anakin stared at him for a moment. So this was what he'd had to put up with as a child? The rest of his life made this seem like a calm, Nubian afternoon.

 

"We'll see," he said back in Basic, a confident smirk finding his lips.

 

He got the slightest twinge of warning from the Force as Sebulba walked away, but before he could do anything about it, the announcer told the racers to get ready. Glancing uneasily around, he tried to ignore the feeling, hoping he could deal with it when the time came. He had the first time, after all. That is, if nothing had changed already, although he couldn't see what could have.

 

Qui-gon lifted him into his pod and Anakin tried not to glare up at him. He was fully capable of entering the pod on his own.

 

"Are you all set, Ani?" the Jedi asked, squatting beside the vehicle.

 

Anakin nodded.

 

"Remember, concentrate on the moment. Feel. Don't think. Trust your instincts." He had to fight another smirk. If only Qui-gon knew. "May the Force be with you."

 

He nodded again, not trusting himself to speak. Qui-gon accepted this, and stepped back and away as Anakin slipped his helmet on.

 

Then he did something he hadn't done in a long time. He closed his eyes and consciously reached for the Force.

 

xXx

 

To say that Qui-gon was surprised at Anakin's Force presence would be an understatement akin to calling a Hutt big-boned. The boy did not lower his shields once, but reached for the Force like a professional. A rusty professional, but a professional none the less.

 

He could not keep the surprise off of his face as he watched Anakin mentally prepare for the race. A lump of carbonite began to churn in his stomach, seeming to seep cold into the rest of his body. Just how much training did this random stranger give Anakin? And had he been a Jedi, or a Dark Jedi? Or worse yet, someone not affiliated or associated with the Jedi Order at all? There were rumors of other organizations that touched the Force in the Unknown Regions.

 

Yes, this would definitely be something he would have to take before the Council. He doubted they would be pleased to hear the news.

 

xXx

 

He'd forgotten how much he absolutely loved racing. As Vader, he'd often flown an advanced TIE-fighter on a semi-regular basis, but rarely did he actually do so for fun. Sith didn't do fun.

 

Yet another piece of his life that he'd traded away for power. Was he that attracted to the idea of control? He knew the answer, and it almost sickened him. Almost. Nothing so unpleasant could touch him when he raced.

 

He would concede that this wasn't supposed to be 'fun' either, but that didn't stop him from grinning from ear to ear as he dodged yet another stone obstacle. The only one who was putting up any resistance was, of course, the Dug (whose name he still couldn't remember). They'd both almost immediately left the others behind.

 

The Tuskan Raiders' shots were the first real problems he encountered.

 

It took him a moment in his light Force trance to realize what was going on, and he had to smash down the pure rage that boiled up inside him. He still utterly loathed them, but he couldn't allow those thoughts at the moment for two very good reasons. One: He'd had his fill of the Dark Side. Two: He really needed to focus.

 

The Dug had used his momentary distraction to pull ahead, and tossed something back at his engines. Anakin felt a jab of warning through the Force and immediately raised his hand to change the object's course. His sudden release of the control lever knocked it down, causing him to veer off to the side. Cursing in Huttese, he slammed his hand back onto the handle, and took a deep breath, feeling for the Force again. It answered his call instantly, and he managed to avoid the giant rock-formations jutting out of the sand. If that had happened in the cave part of the race course, he wouldn't be here now.

 

Thanking the Force, he corrected his trajectory, and focused on the Dug who had taken first place. Anakin had fallen back a few places, but that didn't faze him. He'd catch up soon enough.

 

They passed their second lap with few serious obstacles. By the time the third lap came around, he'd caught up to the lead racer. The Dug was not happy. He'd tried flashing his vents, sent a few more objects back Anakin's way, and would ram into the human any time he even thought about passing.

 

Anakin still wasn't worried. There is no emotion, there is the Force, he told himself. Over their first drop in altitude, approaching Beggar's Canyon, he managed to quite literally speed over the other's head and gained the lead.

 

At that point, he knew he had the race in the bag. Or he would have, if during the last leg of the lap, his engine hadn't caughtfire. It brought back memories of the first race and a strange sense of deja-vu he'd been trying to ignore all week. Of course now he remembered having that little problem. It only took him a few moments to lock it down and transfer the fuel over, but those few moments cost him.

 

In the original timeline, the Dug had left him alone because his engine had been smoking with Anakin directly in front. The other racer had obviously written him off and gone on ahead instead of trying to sabotage Anakin's pod further. This time around, Anakin had just fixed the problem when the Dug came directly up behind him.

 

Warning flared in the Force, and Anakin swerved to the side, barely avoiding a hit that would have undoubtedly knocked him off course and most likely killed him. Still unfazed, he pulled back onto the track, catching up to the larger racing pod easily.

 

He remembered how the race had ended originally now. The Dug had tried to knock him off course again, and their pods had locked together. Anakin had pulled away, leaving the alien behind. If it happened the same way this time, the other racer should survive.

 

'Should' being the operative word.

 

A voice inside his head that sounded suspiciously like Obi-wan told him that he shouldn't take the chance with the other's life. All life was precious, after all. Even a bullying Dug.

 

Anakin gave him a fairly wide berth as he pulled up next to the other racer and began to pass. The Dug would have none of it, and swerved over towards Anakin. He'd been expecting that. At the last moment he pulled back on his controls just slightly, and watched as the surprised alien blew past ahead of him, and far out of the course range.

 

Unable to help his grin, he punched both controls forward and shot towards the finish line, taking first place for the second time.

 

Will of the Force or not, he still loved winning.

 

He'd made quite a few people happy that day. Others...not so much. Many people of all species came down to congratulate and think him. Qui-gon even picked him up and carried him on his shoulders to the hangar. Despite his newly found mild disdain for the man, he realizedhe didn't mind, waving reservedly at the cheering crowd.

 

How long had it been since so many people had been grateful to him?

 

As good as winning felt, seeing so many grinning faces felt better.

 

xXx

 

All the pods had been returned to the hangar, awaiting their owners arrangements for transportation back to wherever they'd come from. Qui-gon had set him down for only a few seconds before Jar Jar picked him up and twirled him around.

 

"Good goin', Ani!"

 

He would never admit that he smiled at the Gungan's antics, even if it were just that once. No sooner had he been set on his feet again, than Padme grabbed him in a hug. He hoped she didn't notice as he stiffened, but after a few moments, he relaxed into what may very well be the only seriously close contact he had with her in this timeline.

 

"We owe you everything," she beamed at him and backed away as his mother knelt down, planting a kiss on his still very dirty cheek.

 

"It's so wonderful, Ani," she said through a giant grin. "You have brought hope to those who had none. I'm so very proud of you!" Her calloused fingers brushed through his hair and she kissed him again. He was sure any actual child in the universe would have backed away out of embarrassment, but he didn't. He only continued smiling as he hugged her back.

 

It had been a long time since he'd felt like this. Just...content to be. Somehow, he didn't think that had as much to do with winning as it did with being able to help those who had counted on him.

 

Of course, the racing part helped too.

 

xXx

 

Anakin's slave friends had wanted to celebrate. He took the time to memorize their names as they walked to the nearest store, vowing silently to come back for them this time. They all pitched in to get him his supposedly favorite drink as Qui-gon took the hyperdrive to the ship.

 

Of course then Greedo, a friend of Wald's, had to accuse him of cheating. He'd punched the other boy in his previous life and gotten into a rather nasty fight. Now he just looked over at the green-skinned child with a neutral expression. Subconsciously, he placed his hands behind his back and walked up to him.

 

"You say I cheated?"

 

"Yes," Greedo accused.

 

"How?"

 

"I don't know, but there's no way a human, let alone a boy, could ever win without cheating..." As Anakin approached, the boy backed down, deflating.

 

"I did nothing of the sort," he said calmly. "And unless you have proof, I suggest you keep your comments to yourself."

 

Greedo blinked for a moment. Then Anakin saw him ball his fists. "You don't scare me!" he yelled and went to throw a punch.

 

His fist got stopped by a much larger one.

 

"What is going on here?" Qui-gon asked, eyeing the two boys disapprovingly.

 

"He accused me of cheating," Anakin said in a cool voice.

 

"Did you?"

 

Anakin saw what he was doing, and had to stop himself from rolling his eyes. Obi-wan would have handled it differently and—dare he think it?—better.

 

"No."

 

Qui-gon turned to the Rodian."Do you think he did?"

 

"Yes!"

 

Before Qui-gon could open his mouth, Anakin cut in. "I know the truth, and you have no proof. Good day."

 

Surprisingly, the situation hadn't angered him as much as he thought it should, but he had felt rather hurt by Greedo's words. Hadn't they all been friends?

 

He passed Kitster on the way past and paused, turning to look at him. He hadn't done that before, and had regretted not saying goodbye to his best friend. Not knowing exactly what to say, he stood there for several seconds before smiling.

 

"You always supported me, even when you didn't believe. Thank you."

 

"Y-you're welcome," Kitster said, taken back with Anakin's words.

 

Without another word, Anakin turned and strode off, Qui-gon at his side.

 

xXx

 

The suns had reached half-way through their descent as Anakin and Qui-gon walked back towards the Skywalker residence. They'd stopped at Watto's shop for the last time before they left so Qui-gon could pick up the controller to Anakin's slave transmitter. He overheard them discussing releasing Shmi for the price the pod had been sold for (apparently Qui-gon had sold it earlier). Watto would have none of it, naming an insanely high price and then telling the Jedi to leave and never come back.

 

Anakin felt a little of the animosity towards the older man die down a little. He really had tried to free them both. He greatly appreciated the effort.

 

As they walked back to the house, Qui-gon gave Anakin the money. "This is yours."

 

They walked along in silence for another few seconds.

 

"Thank you," Anakin said softly.

 

"For what?" Qui-gon asked, feigning innocence.

 

Anakin shook his head. "For trying to free my mother."

 

Qui-gon looked up thoughtfully. Anakin got the feeling that he'd be seeing that expression on the other's face often.

 

"You're more than welcome, my young friend."

 

Palming the door open, he walked inside and up to his mother's desk where he placed the currency on the table. His mother looked over at him, and then down at the pile, and her eyes widened.

 

"Where did you get this?" she asked.

 

"Qui-gon sold the pod," Anakin said softly. "It's...not enough to free you, but it could go towards it one day."

 

"Free me?" she looked back up at him questioningly.

 

Qui-gon chuckled. "It seems you've discovered my surprise."

 

Shmi turned her gaze on him. "Surprise?"

 

"Anakin is free."

 

He tried to ignore the bitter taste in his mouth at those words, he really did. The truth was he'd never really been free. He'd always had a "master". Maybe that's why he'd rebelled against Obi-wan so much. The Emperor wouldn't put up with it, or he probably would have been just as defiant.

 

Shmi gasped and put her hands to her mouth. It took her a few seconds to get her bearings before she looked down sadly. Anakin dropped his own head, not looking up.

 

"Will you take him with you? Is he to become a Jedi?"

 

And he had to hide a wince.

 

"Yes," Qui-gon said softly, folding his hands in front of him. "Our meeting was not a coincidence. Nothing happens by accident."

 

That little war he'd sensed inside his mother the previous day suddenly exploded. She did not want him to go, but she desperately did not want him to stay. Both emotions battled inside her, and a touch of depression laced it all.

 

She'd already made the decision to let him go if he wanted.

 

Problem was, at the moment, he wanted nothing more than to just stay there and live out his days in peace. But he knew he'd regret that choice in the future. That didn't exactly encourage him to hurry his decision along. He remained silent, staring at the desktop.

 

"Anakin," Qui-gon said finally. "I know you've had some training before, and I know you don't trust Jedi, but I do feel that the Jedi could help you." Anakin had to swallow a scoff. "I know you don't want to leave your mother, and I won't lie and tell you that training to become a Jedi will be easy. It requires dedication and sacrifice. It's a hard life."

 

Didn't he know it.

 

Finally he managed to drag his eyes to his mother's sad face. "Mom?"

 

"Anakin," she said softly. "This path has been placed before you. The choice is yours alone."

 

"You don't want me to go."

 

She blinked and looked down again, afraid to meet his eyes. "I don't want you to be a slave. You were meant for so much more...and that is my wish for you: To have a better life than I could."

 

He nodded.

 

"What is your decision?" Qui-gon said it in a kind tone that wasn't meant to be judgmental, but Anakin still resented it. He'd only just gotten his mother back, and now they were asking him to give her up. Typical Jedi.

 

Looking up at her pleading eyes one final time, he let out a breath.

 

"Very well," he said. "I will come with you."

 

He wished his heart didn't feel like it had broken all over again.

 

It didn't take him long to pack. He didn't have much to bring after all. As they left, he stopped in front of his mother one last time. She knelt down and gave him another hug, holding him as if she wished to never let go.

 

"I will miss you, Ani," she whispered.

 

He stepped back, looking at her intently. "No matter where I am, I will always be thinking of you, every day. When you miss me, know I'm missing you too. I will never forget. Ever. I promise."

 

That brought tears to her eyes and she hugged him one more time, planting a kiss on his cheek. "Oh, my Ani. I love you so much!"

 

"I love you too, mom," he said back. "I will see you again." He stayed there, holding onto her for several minutes. To his credit, Qui-gon did not interrupt, but seemed content to watch from a distance.

 

Finally, Anakin let go, turned and ran after Qui-gon. He didn't look back. He couldn't stand to see her standing there watching him leave.

 

Qui-gon said nothing.

 

xXx

 

The fact that he was having a hard time keeping up with the Jedi bothered him. Deeply. He could do better than this! Confound this pathetic, weak, non-mechanical and untrained body!

 

He wouldn't complain aloud. He wouldn't. The Jedi had already slowed down slightly for him, but once he realized that, it only made him more frustrated, and he'd redouble his efforts.

 

They'd almost reached the ship when the Force screamed at him, and he dove to the side, breathing heavily even as he yelled out to Qui-gon. At his warning, the Jedi whipped around. Hadn't the older man felt it? The dark presence?

 

Anakin knew this presence. He'd had to fight the clone often enough.

 

Darth Maul.

 

It was in a Sith's nature to hate other Sith, and in this particular case, Anakin had no problem allowing that hatred for this man to flow. Of all of Sidious' apprentices, Maul had been the most physically advanced. Dooku had had the most skill in the Force, and Vader had had the most raw power in the Force.

 

As Vader, he couldn't push his mechanical body to further limits. He'd had to spend hours and hours getting lengthy upgrades that would last for a year or so before something better came along. As such, Maul's clone and fighting style had always given him the hardest battles as compared to the other Jedi he'd fought and hunted down.

 

"Qui-gon!" He yelled, racing forward and cursing his body once again. He may not hold the man on the pedestal he had as a young boy and teenager, but that didn't mean he wanted to see him die.

 

That and it would tear Obi-wan apart again. Not that Anakin cared.

 

"Get to the ship!" Qui-gon yelled, just barely meeting the Sith's blade in time. Anakin hesitated for only a moment before shooting a glare at the man and racing towards the ship. He would, after all, be of little help in this body. He hadn't fought with real arms and legs in how long? He wasn't used to it, and would only get in the way.

 

So he rushed onto the ship, yelling loudly for people to move. Padme and Panaka met him just inside.

 

"Anakin?" Padme asked, looking surprised. "What's wrong?"

 

"Qui-gon..." he gasped. "A guy came and attacked him with a lightsaber!"

 

Padme's face paled and she turned to follow Panaka to the cockpit with Anakin racing along just in front of them.

 

"Qui-gon's in trouble," Panaka said to Obi-wan.

 

Anakin stopped, staring openly.

 

There he was. His old master looking younger and...well, happier than Anakin had ever seen him. It sent a pang of sadness, followed by a black streak filled with an abundance of negative feelings through his heart, but he pushed it aside as Obi-wan turned to the front window, barely acknowledging Anakin's presence at all.

 

"Take off," he told the pilot and took one of the co-pilot seats, scanning the horizon. "Over there. Fly low."

 

Anakin could barely see over the dashboard, but the green and red lights striking at one another really was not an easily missed light-show, even in the bright, desert sunlight.

 

Maul was better than Qui-gon. That thought caused Anakin's heart to sink just a little. It was obvious to anyone trained worth their salt in swordsmanship. He was using form IV against Maul's form VI. This was a test. That form was by far the easiest form for Maul to employ. It gave away no secrets, but forced the Jedi to bring his own strengths to light.

 

Anakin found himself begrudgingly impressed. He hadn't thought the Zabrak to be capable of many higher thoughts. The being he'd met had lived for the fight, reveling in the pure power of the Dark Side of the Force like an alcoholic in a cantina at happy hour.

 

No sooner had the ship lifted from the ground, than Obi-wan turned in the swivel-chair and sprang for the door. Anakin followed, hot on his heels.

 

Their feet thumped across the dark, hard floor of the room where Qui-gon collapsed as the outside door closed, his harsh breathing from the run from the city and fight under the sun just beginning to take its toll. Neither Anakin nor Obi-wan said anything as they reached the Jedi-master's side.

 

"Master!" Obi-wan said, eyes wide with worry. Anakin watched him with just a little wonder. The Obi-wan he knew would be far more guarded than that.

 

"I'm alright," Qui-gon assured them, sitting back on his hands, body beginning to shake slightly as the adrenaline wore off.

 

"What was it?" Obi-wan asked, never taking his stormy eyes off of his master.

 

Qui-gon shook his head. "I don't know, but it was well trained in the Jedi arts." He swallowed, still breathing heavily. "My guess is it was after the queen."

 

"What if he's not?" Anakin asked quietly.

 

Both men turned to stare at him. Qui-gon answered first. "Then we will meet that challenge when the time comes." He held out his hand, pointing at Anakin. "In the meanwhile, Anakin Skywalker, meet Obi-wan Kenobi."

 

The world froze. He'd known it was Obi-wan. The familiar Force presence confirmed that to him when they'd landed on the planet, and again just minutes before in the cockpit, but somehow hearing the introduction from Qui-gon made it...real.

 

He didn't know what to think and his own emotional battle began with a vengeance inside of him.

 

Here was the man who had trained him. His father-figure, brother and best friend all rolled into one; the man who he trusted more than anyone in the universe, and the man who he had hated the most for a betrayal that might not have ever really happened. At least none of his memories pointed to that.

 

He reached out his hand, shaking the other's firmly in greeting, but still found himself unable to say anything.

 

Looking into those blue-green eyes, he couldn't help but recall incident after incident involving this Jedi in a matter of moments. Once upon a time, Anakin would have given his life if it meant saving Obi-wan's, but he could also remember the thrill of finally cornering him on the Death Star; the last Jedi Master—his own master—dying by his hand.

 

This man had saved his life countless times, but had also taken an arm and both legs. This man had let Anakin live in pain and taken his children, but he had also saved those children from a dark fate far worse than death.

 

And this was the man who had trained Luke.

 

"It is an honor to meet you," he said finally, his voice sincere.

 

Obi-wan's eyes widened in surprise, but it was Qui-gon who seemed really taken aback.

 

"You as well," Obi-wan stated, glancing over to his master uncertainly.

 

Just then, the door opened to reveal Padme. "We're about to make the jump to hyperspace."

 

Qui-gon nodded, pushing his feet under him and standing up, only slightly wobbly. "Well, shall we go watch?"

 

Anakin and Obi-wan nodded.

 

"Let's just hope that the hyperdrive works and that Watto didn't get the last laugh." From the cockpit, they watched as the stars swirled into the mottled, twisting tunnel of hyperspace, and everyone heaved a sigh of relief, even if most of them would never admit it.

Edited by Guest

You know the closer you get to something

The tougher it is to see it,

And I'll Never take it for granted,

Let's go!

 

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I'm lurking. I really enjoy time-travel fics, but my schedule is pretty tight and extensive reviews are not my strong suit and "Great job! Please update!" seems a bit... inadequate.

 

I can say that this is probably the best time-travel story I've seen where Anakin does the traveling. I think you've done an excellent job of balancing his inner struggle with what's going on around him! I'm looking forward to reading more!

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"Freedom is not the right to do what we want, but what we ought." --- Abraham Lincoln

"We must all hang together, or most assuredly we shall all hang seperately." --- Benjamin Franklin in the movie, 1776

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Chapter 5

 

Anakin found his half-carved japor snippit that he hadn't finished in one of the pockets of his bag a few hours before the ship would mimic night cycle of Coruscant. He blinked at the little, off-white piece of material for several moments before a smile drifted onto his face. He'd forgotten about that too. If it hadn't already been in his bag he would have forgotten to bring it. It hadn't exactly been high priority when he'd packed.

 

Padme had told him once that she always wore it and held it close to her heart, even before they'd met up again during her term as Senator.

 

His smile turned sad, but he reached over to the pack and rummaged around the bottom until he found the carving implement he'd used previously and began to scratch away at the smooth surface.

 

xXx

 

She walked in later that night, dressed in the handmaiden outfit that reminded him of a Tatooine sunset. The darkened common room where Anakin and Jar-Jar were forced to rest did not hide her troubled expression. He didn't move as she walked over to the communication counter and watched the recorded transmission they'd received on the planet.

 

Death tolls are catastrophic? As he recalled, less than one percent of the population had been hurt, and only about thirty percent needed to see medics due to the lack of supplies and food.

 

Anakin wished those kinds of numbers would stay catastrophic in this universe. In his war-hardened mind, those kinds of numbers would symbolize a good day. Entire civilizations had died while he watched both as General Skywalker and as Vader (many of the latter, regrettably, by his own hand).

 

He didn't need the Force to read her sadness.

 

Once the message ended, she stared blankly at the space where the hologram of the councilor had occupied, probably thinking and running scenarios through her mind. Obviously she desperately wanted to contact him and give him at least some reassurance, but she saw how foolhardy that would be.

 

It wasn't hard to tell how much it still tore her up inside.

 

It amazed Anakin just how deeply she cared for her people; this had been her first year of her first term as Queen, and was already prepared to place her life on the line for them.

 

He wished he had that kind of conviction that easily.

 

She turned to leave, and noticed him watching her.

 

"Are you alright?" she asked.

 

He'd long since gotten a blanket to cover himself, and had tried to curl up and sleep, but he'd forgotten how cold space could be. Especially for a body used to Tatooine.

 

"Yes. How about you?" he responded in a tone stating that he knew her unhappiness.

 

She looked down and slowly walked toward him, not wanting to wake Jar-Jar (as he would probably wake everyone else). She didn't have to worry. From what Anakin could see, the Gungan could sleep through a simultaneous Kaminoan thunderstorm and Star Destroyer air raid. "The Queen is worried. Her people are suffering—dying. She has to convince the Senate to intervene or...I'm not sure what will happen."

 

He couldn't stand to see her like that. "You and the Queen will go back and do everything you can to save them. That's what will happen."

 

It worked. She smiled. "You're probably right about that."

 

"I don't know about the Senate or what goes on, but don't they usually take a long time to make decisions?" he asked, trying to voice his thoughts in a more childish way.

 

She sighed, sitting down next to him in that graceful way that always had him mesmerized. "Yes. They do."

 

"What would you need to do to make them decide faster?" he asked.

 

"I'm not sure," Padme sat back for a moment, considering. "But support isn't that extreme of a request for a loyal Republic system, so it shouldn't be that difficult to decide. The Queen would probably ask the Senate to allow a few war ships to go to Naboo. The show of force would probably make the Trade Federation back down."

 

He couldn't help a small smile himself as she demonstrated yet again her ever optimistic, hopeful nature. Then he looked up, trying to seem as innocent as he could. "Will they do that? It sounds like a war to me."

 

She sighed. "It could very well turn into a battle."

 

"The Senate won't like that, will they." He said it as more of a statement.

 

"No," she said sadly. "No one likes war, and people are slow to condone it for good reason."

 

"Because people die?"

 

She nodded. "That's right."

 

"So the Queen is going to ask the Senate to send war ships to help Naboo, but because of that it might turn into a war."

 

"Yes," she nodded again, looking rather pleased with herself at being able to explain the situation to a child who knew nothing of the goings on of politics.

 

Anakin made a show of thinking. "What's a 'vote of non-confidence'?" he asked.

 

She seemed taken aback. "It...it means that someone will ask for a vote of a group of people who don't believe their president, ruler or chancellor is unfit to hold office. Why?" she cocked her head. "Where did you hear that?"

 

He considered his next words carefully. He was taking a large risk here, but he had to stop Palpatine from gaining office. If he came out and said anything directly, he doubted anyone would listen to him, and it would only make convincing anyone in the future more difficult. So he had to be subtle.

 

Unfortunately, that had always been Obi-wan and Palpatine's strengths. Not his.

 

"I...I had a dream," he started, having gone over the general idea in his mind several times already. "There was a room so big, it could have fit all of Mos Espa inside!" He made a show with his hands, as he'd seen children do before he became Vader and had stopped coming across children that weren't cowering in fear from him.

 

He hoped it looked convincing.

 

"And it went so high, that I almost couldn't see the ceiling! It looked like the sky because it was so far away!"

 

She blinked at him, undoubtedly having seen the Senate chamber at least in holorecordings for her studies in politics.

 

"And you were there...but you were dressed up like the queen. You looked really pretty," he looked down, fighting a blush. "And you said that you wanted to ask for a vote of non-confidence, and everyone agreed with you! But then, a shadow started to take over everything. Then I couldn't see the top of the ceiling anymore. And then all the planets started going dark too! It even reached Tatooine!"

 

He stopped there, wanting to see her reaction to his "dream" first. She stared at him, seemingly only able to blink and looking quite stunned. He loved it when she looked so open to him.

 

"You...dreamed all of this?" she asked.

 

He looked down, nodding.

 

"What do you think it means?"

 

He shrugged. "I don't know. But I don't think you should ask for a vote of non-confidence when that happens." He smiled up at her again. "You don't have to worry about it. It won't happen for a while because you'll have to be Queen first!"

 

Well, it seemed she'd bought his show, sitting back and thinking about it. Truthfully, it was the best he could do at the moment.

 

After several long seconds of silence, he reached inside his tunic and brought out the japor snippit.

 

"Here," he said, placing it in her hands. "It's a japor snippit. That's wood that only grows on Tatooine. It's very rare, but I got this and wanted to carve you something...so you'll remember me. It will bring you good fortune."

 

She took the obviously hand-woven necklace and the little piece of ivory wood and studied it.

 

"It's beautiful," she said, accepting the gift before looking up. "But I don't need this to remember you by. My caring for you will always remain."

 

"I know," he said, looking to the side. "But I may not see you again. I don't want you to get hurt."

 

She paused. Apparently she hadn't expected that answer. "Why would I get hurt, Ani?"

 

He shrugged and turned away.

 

"Ani," she said, a little more firmly. "Why would I get hurt?"

 

"You should sleep," he said, hoping she'd take the hint.

 

She did. Standing up, she eyed him, looking troubled. "Goodnight, Ani," she said softly as the door swished open to allow her passage.

 

He couldn't bring himself to answer.

 

xXx

 

Anakin liked the pilot. He didn't remember his name, and the man hadn't introduced himself this time around, but he took the time to explain everything to Anakin. Not that he didn't know already, but while annoying, he appreciated the thought. Especially since it gave him the excuse of not having to talk himself.

 

He felt far too nervous for that.

 

Palpatine was here. Anakin could feel him, and had to clamp down on his natural instinct to raise his shields higher. However, Qui-gon's advice had been sound, and he knew if he had strong shields from the beginning, Palpatine would suspect something. Anakin had to at least try to avoid suspicion.

 

He wasn't sure he could. Hence the nervousness.

 

"Coruscant," the pilot said to Anakin as his hands moved over the streamline controls. Anakin ached to sit in the piloting chair himself. At least it would take his mind off of the situation. He struggled to remain still, somehow managing to curb all of the excess energy this young body seemed to have. "The entire planet is one big city."

 

He paused, scanning the horizon as their ship lowered into the atmosphere. "Look, there's Chancellor Valorum's shuttle," the pilot continued. "And Senator Palpatine is waiting for us."

 

His stomach dropped down to his feet, and stayed there. Nausea took a firm hold on whatever was left after the organ took leave, and Anakin felt immensely thankful that neither Obi-wan nor Qui-gon were there to see him blanch so obviously.

 

What he wouldn't give to have a mask again.

 

Not necessarily that mask, but a mask. The idea of being able to hide behind something like that felt safe and familiar.

 

Coward, he berated himself. He couldn't hide anyway, not really. No one could hide from Palpatine.

 

That thought didn't help.

 

The ship landed smoothly, and Anakin followed the crew to the back where he met Qui-gon, Obi-wan and Jar-Jar. In the back, by one of the doors, the Queen and her handmaidens stood, waiting to disembark.

 

The two Jedi noticed him enter immediately. Qui-gon studied him for several seconds, but his gaze never gave anything away. No doubt he'd noticed that Anakin had changed his shielding and wondered on the difference.

 

Anakin didn't dare ask if his presence in the Force seemed more natural or not.

 

The ramp lowered, and the lead in his stomach suddenly turned to ice. Very, very dense ice. And every single step he took towards the two figures standing at the end of the platform surrounded by guards only made it worse. He clutched his hands behind his back and refused to meet the eyes of either man, but he also refused to look down in submission.

 

After what seemed like the longest walk of his life, they bowed to the Chancellor. Anakin followed suit, although it galled him because it felt like they were bowing to both of them and he never wanted to bow to Palpatine again.

 

They moved to the side and allowed the Queen to walk up to the two older men.

 

"It is a great gift to see you alive, your majesty," Palpatine said. It took every single ounce of will power Anakin had inside of him to not flinch. Qui-gon put his hands on his shoulders and moved him to the front so he could see. It was a nice thought, but definitely the last place Anakin wanted to be. Behind his back, he clenched his hands together so tightly he'd begun to lose feeling, but he didn't dare let go. Meanwhile, Palpatine continued. "With the communication's breakdown we've been very concerned. I'm anxious to hear your report on the situation. May I present Supreme Chancellor Valorum."

 

"Welcome, Your Highness," the distinguished man said with a slight bow of his own. Anakin didn't remember much of Valorum. Studying him gave him something go focus on, so he did so. He found himself liking the Chancellor. He seemed far more open, respectful and humble than Palpatine had been.

 

As they continued talking, Anakin couldn't help but be reminded of his original feelings for Palpatine, and begrudgingly admitted to himself that he should probably watch out for Valorum as well. He'd only ever met one honest politician. "It is an honor to finally meet you in person," the Supreme Chancellor continued and turned to walk with them towards the transport. "I must relay to you how distressed everyone is over the current situation. I've called for a special session of the Senate to hear your position."

 

"I am grateful for your concern, Chancellor," she said with a nod of her head as she continued to walk with Palpatine as he escorted them to the air taxi.

 

"There is a slight question of procedure," Palpatine said with a sympathetic voice, "but I'm certain we can overcome it." And there he sounded confident. It was only because Anakin had spent years around this man in his previous life that he could catch the subtle nuances of arrogance with just a dash of smug.

 

'Overcome it' indeed. Anakin found himself glowering at the older man. At least he wasn't talking to Padme at the moment. If he had been, Anakin wasn't sure he'd be able to handle it.

 

Palpatine's eyes flickered for a moment, sending a subtle glance in Anakin's direction, and that stopped him cold. He forced himself to calm down. There is no emotion, there is peace. There is no passion, there is serenity. Repeating those two lines over and over again in his head, he followed the small entourage, only stopping as he was about to sit down, realizing the Jedi weren't with him.

 

Noticing his questioning look, Qui-gon motioned for him to go with the entourage. Anakin vaguely remembered going to the Naboo Senator's office when they'd arrived the first time, so he nodded and took a seat next to Jar-Jar.

 

"Da Queen's a bein' grossly nice, mesa thinks," he said to Anakin, who nodded tersely as the vehicle began to move. "Pitty hot."

 

He tried not to clutch his pants or his hands too tightly during the ride. He didn't succeed, and by the time they arrived, he'd gouged neat half-moon-shaped cuts into his palms to match the set he'd giving himself on his wrist when they'd walked down the ramp of the ship earlier.

 

This was a bad idea, Skywalker, he thought to himself, shuffling dejectedly out of the pod. He couldn't fool Palpatine, and he knew it. Why did he even bother to try?

 

Padme caught his eye as they walked into the turbo-lift, and sent him an encouraging smile.

 

Right. That's why.

 

xXx

 

Darth Sidious hated incompetence.

 

Incompetence should be rooted out and destroyed, such uselessness could never tolerated in the Sith Order. Unfortunately, useless is exactly what his apprentice had proved himself to be by allowing the Queen to arrive. It is difficult to make a martyr out of a living person.

 

The entire galaxy would look to him and his planet when they heard of her death, and they would all be lifted onto a pedestal. Being voted into the position of Supreme Chancellor would be practically guaranteed.

 

Now he had to completely rework his plans all due to the incompetency of his fool apprentice. His apprentice who lacked not only tact, but restraint. And he fancied himself equal to his master, did he? The very notion was laughable.

 

No, he would have to find a new apprentice very soon. Pity that he could not afford to raise another one himself. He would have any number of younglings to choose from.

 

The boy in front of him for example.

 

He turned his attention from the Queen and her 'update' for the barest moments to glance at the front of the air taxi, eying the blond haired child greedily.

 

Oh yes, that boy was an enigma. A delightful one at that. Just who was he? Why had the Jedi brought him back? Surely they could not hope that the Council would allow him to train at his age? Even Qui-gon Jinn couldn't be that idealistic.

 

The boy had a Force presence, that was for sure. He felt something slightly hidden as well, as if he were shielding something. They would be crude, rudimentary shields at best, and it took more restraint than he cared to admit to not probe. Even that use of the Force might give him away, and he could not afford that.

 

He caught a lull in the conversation and turned his attention back to the supposed Queen. He smiled and began to speak of his great relief that they had been able to escape such dire circumstances. It would soon be time to put his newly formed plans into action.

 

xXx

 

Padme sat in the Queen's finery, face newly painted and fresh clothes donned. It had been easy enough to secure an hour or so in which she and her handmaidens could 'freshen up' (that is, switch places again) so she could present a fresh face to the politicians she would meet that day.

 

Now she forced herself to listen to the Nubian Senator as he filled her in on the most recent developments in the Senate. She had to know this to play to their fullest sympathies and hopefully gain the support she needed.

 

Captain Panaka entered through the doors off to the side, causing only the barest distraction. She sighed inwardly, unwilling to let her mind stray from the task at hand. Her people depended on this.

 

The last line and conclusion of Senator Palpatine's tirade easily drew her full attention.

 

"If I may say so, your majesty, there is little hope the Senate will act on the invasion."

 

She appreciated his straight-forward answer. That didn't mean she liked what she heard. "Chancellor Valorum seemed to think there is hope."

 

He sighed, as if placating a child. She tried not to let it ruffle her. In the current affairs of the Senate, she was an inexperienced child. "If I may say so, Your Majesty, the Chancellor has little real power. He is mired down by baseless accusations of corruption. A manufactured scandal surrounds him. The bureaucrats are in charge now."

 

She would not sigh! And she would not give away the fact that the only thing she wanted to do was rub the headache beginning to form behind her eyes away. "What options have we?"

 

He began to pace again. "Our best choice would be to push for the election of a stronger Supreme Chancellor. One who will take control of the bureaucrats, enforces the laws, and give us justice. You could call for a vote of no confidence in Chancellor Valorum."

 

The words froze her cold. For several seconds, she could not help but stare in surprise, wonder and just a little bit of fear at his words. A vote of no confidence. Just like Anakin had said. But how...how could he have known?

 

"Your Majesty?" Senator Palpatine walked towards her, worry twisting his otherwise soft, if older features.

 

"Forgive me. Your words startled me. He has been our strongest supporter."

 

He nodded, but didn't look convinced. "Our only other choice would to be to submit a plea to the

courts."

 

She shook her head. "The courts take even longer to decide things than the Senate. Our people are dying senator. We must do something quickly to stop the Federation."

 

He tipped his head in a slight nod of agreement. "To be realistic, Your Highness, I'd say we're going to have to accept Federation control for the time being."

 

"That," she answered immediately, "is something I cannot do." They sat in silence for several more seconds before she rose to her feet. "Senator," she said with a nod of her head. "I would ask for some time to rest and consider our options."

 

"Of course," he replied, walking over to his desk and comming his secretary. "Please send someone in to escort the Queen to her quarters."

 

"Thank you for your appraisal of the situation," she said as the doors opened behind them, allowing several servants inside.

 

"Of course, your majesty," he said with a warm smile.

 

She'd asked Rabe to motion for Anakin and Jar-Jar to follow once they left, so she didn't need to worry about them. Thank goodness. All she needed was something else on her plate. Such was the life of a politician.

 

She ran over the situation again in her mind. It didn't add up. Why would the Supreme Chancellor ask for an emergency meeting if there would be nothing to gain from it? Perhaps just to make a show? If he really held so little power, this could be a bid to regain that power, or it could be a front to show that he still did have the power required to hold his position.

 

Perhaps that was the case and he was simply an excellent actor. But the Jedi Master, Qui-gon, had spoken highly of the Supreme Chancellor. She doubted anyone could fool a Jedi to that extent. So she should trust him? After the pure miracles the Jedi had conjured on Tatooine, she was just about ready to do so on their word alone.

 

Why was she even looking so deeply into this? If it weren't for Anakin's little warning, she wouldn't have. So all of this uncertainty came from a mere dream? From a child who had never even seen the Senate chamber before?

 

It all depended on the Chancellor. She would have to appoint a meeting and discuss everything with him before hand. It might weaken her stance later if uncovered and brought to light (she could see the headlines of scandal and secret pacts now), but she was willing to take that chance.

 

"Eirtae," she said.

 

"My Lady?" the handmaiden at her side spoke, managing to curtsy and not lose step.

 

"Contact the Supreme Chancellor. Tell him I need to meet with him before the emergency meeting. Do not take 'no' for an answer."

 

She shot a worried look at her queen, but curtsied again. "Yes, My Lady."

 

xXx

 

Padme walked into the Chancellor's receiving chamber with her head held high, despite the weight of the headdress she now wore. The Chancellor rose to greet her, bowing his head in respect. She returned the gesture.

 

"My Lady," he said, gesturing to the couch. "Please, have a seat."

 

"Thank you, Chancellor," she said.

 

"I was told that you needed to speak to me urgently."

 

"Yes, Chancellor." She took a deep, but still imperceptible breath, and began to voice her concerns. "Please forgive me for my bluntness, Chancellor, but it seems I have little time. I have been informed that despite the emergency meeting, there is little hope that the Senate will act, and I will be forced to submit a plea to the courts. Is this true?"

 

He blinked at her for a few moments before standing up and beginning his own form of slow, deliberate pacing.

 

"It is a likely outcome," he conceded.

 

She closed her eyes for a moment. "Chancellor, you have done much for my people, and I am grateful. However, if I must go to extreme measures to save my people, I will."

 

The Chancellor stopped abruptly. "Extreme measures?"

 

"It has been...proposed that I move for a vote of no confidence, because you supposedly have no real power."

 

His shocked expression did little to help her conscience at the moment, but she refused to back down.

 

"A vote of...but..." he said, sinking back into his chair slowly.

 

"That is why I asked so come and see you," she said slowly. "I have more than a little reason to think that this would prove disastrous for the rest of the galaxy in the long run, but I cannot allow for the suffering of my people."

 

He shook his head. "Even if you did move for a vote of no confidence and someone else was voted in, it would take weeks to gather the support necessary to force a move on the subject. Either way, it seems your situation will not be resolved."

 

She felt frustration bubble inside her, but kept it firmly in check. "Then what would you suggest?"

 

He shook his head. "When you appear on the floor, the Federation will undoubtedly protest. Unless you have proof that atrocities are being done, or proof that the occupation is indeed illegal, than there is little anyone can do."

 

"The communications block is not proof enough?"

 

He shook his head. "No."

 

She tried not to feel her heart sink, tried not to hear the children crying out in hunger and pain. She had a vivid imagination and could easily conjure up the atrocities being done to her people...her family.

 

"What proof would be necessary?"

 

"Well, recordings from a non-biased third party-"

 

"A Jedi?"

 

He paused, contemplating her interruption. "Yes...yes, that might work."

 

"What would the recordings need to be of?"

 

"Well, of what is being done to the people. Interviews, recordings of public displays of abuse, anything along those lines. If we could also find out their real reason behind this..."

 

"Real reason?" she asked, blinking.

 

"If they are doing as you claim," he said, rising from his seat and pacing again, "then there has to be another reason behind the blockade than a protest of taxes. Why else would they do so?"

 

She blinked, looking away as her mind worked through that. Of course! That's what she'd missed before! What was their real motivation?

 

"It seems the idea of sending in a Jedi is becoming more and more of an answer," she commented. "But there is still the problem of time. At the absolute least, this task would require a standard week so finish. I cannot subject my people to that kind of torture for an entire week."

 

He shook his head, running a hand through his hair. "The only way would be to have them do what they are trying to make you do: Somehow force them to sign a treaty on your terms."

 

"To do that I would need to return to the planet, with an army. Or at least an infiltration team." Catch 22.

 

"Forgive me, Your Majesty, but I cannot see any other way."

 

She paused, watching him for several moments, her mouth thinning into a line. "Very well," she said. "I will return with my protectors, and see what I can do on the planet."

 

"Your majesty, that is suicide!" The Chancellor protested.

 

"My place is with my people, Chancellor," she replied, standing up.

 

"Senator Palpatine will not approve," he said. It was a last-ditch attempt at best, and they both knew it.

 

"I do not answer to the Senator," she replied simply. "Thank you for your time, Chancellor."

 

"Just to make it clear, you will have to defer, but make sure you defer on your terms," he called after her as she walked out.

 

"Of course, Chancellor," she said with one final nod of her head, and walked out the door.

 

xXx

 

It had taken them hours to decide. Not that Anakin found himself surprised. The Jedi Council seemed to take almost as long to actually act on anything as the Senate did.

 

When he finally received summons to go to the temple, his stomach decided to start a Form IV spar session against his ribs and intestines. What would happen? Should he let this play out as last time? Or should he at least try to inform them of Palpatine and his role? He'd have to reveal his past though, and he doubted many of the Jedi Council would trust him after he revealed his own part in the matters.

 

He'd forgone seeing Padme one final time. It hurt, knowing he had to cut off interaction with her for her own good, but he would not take the chance of her getting hurt again if he fell. If he couldn't hold on to the light.

 

Once you begin down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny.

 

He repressed a sigh as he paced outside of the council chambers, hands firmly behind his back as he paced. Qui-gon watched him intently. Had his gaze been that intense last time? It wasn't helping.

 

Ah, if Sidious could see him now. Dark Lord of the Sith, afraid of a little meeting.

 

Could he ever succeed at anything?

 

"The Council will see you now," a Jedi he did not recognize informed them with a bow. She had dark skin with intricate patterns tattooed on her neck and ears. He couldn't see her eyes, and she had no hair, although she did have what looked almost like horns curling up and around the back of her head, stopping about an inch away from each other. He was intrigued that he couldn't recognize her race.

 

"Anakin," Qui-gon said, coming up to him, "just remember to stay calm. They're not going to hurt you. Make sure you answer truthfully and as honestly as you can. They will be able to know otherwise."

 

"Yes, sir," he said, trying not to make the comment sound sarcastic.

 

"Go on in," Qui-gon smiled, pushing him towards the doors. As he approached, he felt a tug through the force open them. Intimidation much? It might have been normal for a Jedi, but for someone not schooled in the ways of the Force, it did not help the Council seem benevolent or harmless as Qui-gon had insinuated.

 

Checking once again to see his shields firmly in place, he squared his shoulders back, and walked in; a former Sith Lord confronting the Jedi Council, half of which he'd personally slaughtered.

 

This would not be pleasant.

Edited by Guest

You know the closer you get to something

The tougher it is to see it,

And I'll Never take it for granted,

Let's go!

 

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Gone over this chapter so many times, I think my eyes are about to pop out...^^
Lol, your poor eyes! You do realize that you're doing an awesome job with this story and really don't need to damage your eyes for proof reading, right?? I'm having trouble keeping up with your prolific double-fics at the moment.... I think that all of my own writing time has turned to reviewing time!

 

How exciting to have a delurker pop out! Welcome, Galadriel, I think I remember your username vaguely from another time.

 

There was so much I loved about this chapter - you had so many awesome nuggets of character development that were new to this storyline and yet spot on!

 

First, I enjoyed Padme's POV a lot, as I believe this is the first time we've had that angle. As a politician she also has to be able to read people well, and while she might not have the Force like Qui-Gon or the knowledge of so much history/future like Anakin, she is definitely catching some things that are going on. Having this outside perspective of the new Anakin adds a whole lot to the story as well! I really like how you had Padme notice how Qui-Gon stnads out from the rest of Tatooine despite his native dress, and how Anakin is similar but different. I also liked how even she could tell that Anakin stiffened up around her - we all know why! (Btw,minor edit needed on the sentence "The boy, who had already rather stiff as he had been all morning...").

 

”œI'll win, Padme,”

"It's always these little worlds that get you in trouble. Like Tatooine. I'm still living that one down." - Han Solo

Your barnacle has carnivorous salamanders the size of whales.

"Let us hold unswervingly to the faith we profess, for he who promised is faithful." -Heb. 10:23

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I'll say it again: I LOVE LOVE LOVE Anakin's reaction to Palpatine. LOVE. So creepy, shiver-worthy...and you can really feel for him since you know the evilness that Palpatine is capable of.

 

And I know I said this to you to, but I really like how you deviate from the movies here a bit. And I love how it's due to Anakin's influence. He is already changing things, a little bit here and a little bit there. For now, it's working out to the same thing in terms of Amidala returning to Naboo, but it will be interesting to see what you do with Palpatine not being in a position to be elected right away.

 

Can't wait for the next part!

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SHE MEANS TO END US ALL!!! DOOOOOOOOMMMMMM!!!!!!!!11eleventyone!
There goes Ami's reputation of being a peaceful, nice person.
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Ahhh! You snuck a post it from where I was reading!!

 

You have way too much writing time! I think I'm going to have to really, really cut down my responses, because right now just trying to keep up between two of your stories is pretty much eating up all of my own writing time.

"It's always these little worlds that get you in trouble. Like Tatooine. I'm still living that one down." - Han Solo

Your barnacle has carnivorous salamanders the size of whales.

"Let us hold unswervingly to the faith we profess, for he who promised is faithful." -Heb. 10:23

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Well, truthfully my other one seems to be on a temporary hiatus. Very temporary. Having problems getting all the chapters to my beta reader. *sigh* They keep getting lost along the way.

 

Anywho, yeah, so this is going to be my major updating for a while...with the exception of the SSS, which is already written and finished. (Sunglasses, Screwdrivers and Swords)

 

Too much writing time she says. I stayed up until 5 in the morning last night to try and get two scenes done, and I have too much writing time. *shakes fist* I don't have anywhere near enough! I'm mainly working on this story right now and that's it! Fortunately, I can type pretty fast, and that helps a lot.

 

Gimpy, I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE your reviews. SO much. You tell me exactly what I'm doing right, exactly what I can fix, and I couldn't ask for better. I can understand you not having a whole lot of time though. ^^; Thank you for posting these.

You know the closer you get to something

The tougher it is to see it,

And I'll Never take it for granted,

Let's go!

 

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I am getting more and more excited as this story progresses... especially as there are now significant changes from the original storyline! I can't wait to see what is going to happen with this!!

 

I really liked Anakin's conversation with Padme. He oh-so-carefully directs it in such a way that will not raise her suspicions but nonetheless stick in her mind to pop up later at just the right moment. After all of Anakin's history with Force dreams - of Shmi and Padme - it's no surprise that he decides to use this method to bring the subject up! Adding the specific references to her being a Queen and the vote of no-confidence were masterful touches.

 

Unfortunately, [subtlety] had always been Obi-wan and Palpatine's strengths. Not his.

 

”œAnd you said that you wanted to ask for a vote of non-confidence, and everyone agreed with you! But then, a shadow started to take over everything. Then I couldn't see the top of the ceiling anymore. And then all the planets started going dark too! It even reached Tatooine!”

"It's always these little worlds that get you in trouble. Like Tatooine. I'm still living that one down." - Han Solo

Your barnacle has carnivorous salamanders the size of whales.

"Let us hold unswervingly to the faith we profess, for he who promised is faithful." -Heb. 10:23

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Chapter 6

 

Anakin bowed before the Jedi Council, and waited to be allowed to speak, all the while ignoring the butterflies in his stomach. They went around the room, introducing themselves before explaining some of the tasks they would be asking of him. He flew through the guessing portion of the test, surprising many of them (ha, they thought he would be unable to hear their thoughts with only minimal shielding?), and then they started asking questions.

 

"How feel you?" Master Yoda asked.

 

Such a simple question, but how was he supposed to answer? Frustrated? Scared? Oh yeah, that would go over well. Conflicted? Determined? Like he desperately wanted to (needed to) do what was right?

 

"I feel...many things, right now, Master," he replied. Best to start off on the best foot, which would mean Qui-gon was right; he had to tell the truth.

 

"Hmm, Master you say?" Yoda chuckled.

 

Anakin almost winced at his slip up. He was used to calling Yoda 'master'. Even as a Sith he'd done so. Of course, he'd called him things like 'the little troll' as Obi-wan had at times, as well as a few other not so nice Huttese words...

 

"Should I call you something else?" he asked, forcing his voice to remain calm and emotionless.

 

"Afraid, are you?" He never changed, did he? Always ignoring questions anyone else asked.

 

Still, he had a definite answer to Yoda's new question. Absolutely. "Yes, sir."

 

"But not of us," Yoda remarked, looking intrigued and puzzled.

 

"You have been trained before?" Ki-Adi-Mundi spoke for the first time. "We are having difficulty sensing your thoughts."

 

Moment of truth. "Yes, sir," he replied.

 

"By whom?" This one from Mace Windu, looking as suspicious as ever. He firmly clamped down on his thoughts of the man, lest they all feel his anger.

 

"I...did not know who he was," he said slowly. "He would not tell me his true identity." He knew they'd be back to dwell on that one.

 

"You must lower your mental shields if we are to ascertain if you belong in the Jedi Order," a voice behind him from yet another master who had died long before he'd turned.

 

He didn't trust them. After all this time, he still found he couldn't put any faith in this council that had failed him too many times. There were maybe two people on the entire council who he did not feel completely rejected by.

 

Palpatine had done his work well, curse him!

 

"I can't, sir," he said, hopefully with more bravado than he felt.

 

"Now you fear us," Yoda commented. "Fear is the path to the dark side."

 

"Yes, Master Yoda," Anakin said, shaking his head. "Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, and hate leads to suffering."

 

"You learned this from your former teacher?" Adi Gallia asked. He remembered her. She'd always gone out of her way to make him feel welcome before she'd died.

 

Anakin looked back at her, then turned back to face Yoda and Windu. "Yes."

 

"So some Jedi training he has."

 

"So it would seem," Windu said, eying Anakin suspiciously.

 

"May I speak, Masters?" he asked, looking down and not meeting their eyes.

 

A ruffle at his boldness went around the room. "You may," Yoda acquiesced.

 

"I don't claim to know why Jedi choose to stay Jedi. I would choose to become a Jedi," again, " because I..." he paused, knowing what he wanted to say next, but not wanting to admit it. Doing so went against every instinct his body possessed. But it was also a conclusion he'd come to, and no matter how much he hated to admit it, he had to say it. "Because I can't do this on my own," Force that hurt to admit! "I want to stay good. I want to be good. I believe the only place I can do that is here."

 

They watched him, impressed. He could feel that his words had reached them. How long had it been since he'd tried to convince someone onto his side without using excessive force? Well, Luke, but that didn't count as he hadn't succeeded.

 

"I sense much from you," Yoda commented.

 

"Yes, sir," he replied, "but that is why I want to stay, so I can learn to overcome that."

 

"Speak beyond your years, you do."

 

He nodded, not trusting himself to speak more.

 

"We will deliberate on this, and inform you of our answer," Windu said with more than a touch of finality.

 

"Yes, Master Windu," Anakin said, bowed and walked out.

 

xXx

 

The doors closed and the council stared in blank quiet at them for far too long.

 

"Unforeseen, this is," Yoda finally broke the silence.

 

"We cannot allow him to train," Ki-Adi-Mundi spoke up firmly. "He has had previous, unknown training. He could pervert the ways of the Jedi."

 

And that quickly, everyone began to voice their thoughts, following Master Mundi's example.

 

"He is an earnest child, seeking after light," Adi Gallia protested softly. "And how else will he ever learn to control his power?"

 

Plo Kloon glanced at her before shaking his head thoughtfully. "And he is powerful."

 

"We do not want to take him on simply because of that power," Ki-Adi-Mundi pointed out.

 

"What would you suggest we do with him now if we do not train him?" Adi Gallia asked, genuinely curious. "If we send him anywhere, half-trained and not knowing, he will be temped by the Dark Side and open to any fallen Jedi for training."

 

"He is too much of a wild card and far too old to be allowed," Mace said, rubbing his fingers against his chin and eyes still on the door.

 

"Mace is right," Plo Kloon nodded. "If we allow him in, then why have we turned away so many others? He only has three years before he can no longer be taken as a padawan. That is not enough time and would only give him false hope."

 

"And what if he is the child of the prophesy?" Ki-Adi-Mundi spoke again.

 

No one seemed to want to answer that question.

 

Mace turned and glanced down at Yoda. "What do you think, Grandmaster?"

 

Yoda didn't speak for several moments, instead just sitting with his gimmer stick propped up under his chin. Finally, he opened his mouth. "A powerful ally he could be. Also a powerful enemy."

 

The council took his words into consideration.

 

"Meditate on this, we should. No decision will I make tonight," he proclaimed. Several surprised expressions came over the different council members' faces.

 

"We have only just begun discussing the matter," Mace pointed out, brow furrowing as he looked at the smaller Jedi Master.

 

"Wish to meditate, I do." Plo Kloon exchanged a glance with Ki-Adi-Mundi, as did Mace. Rarely was Yoda so vocally adamant.

 

"Very well," Adi Gallia said slowly. "I move to adjourn."

 

A soft chorus of "aye"s ran through the council, and the meeting room cleared. Strangely enough, Yoda meandered out after everyone else instead of staying behind and watching the other Council members leave. He shuffled slowly, taking his time as always, but Mace Windu still found it slightly unsettling. Sitting back in his chair, he put a hand to his mouth and rubbed his chin slowly as he watched the older Council member step onto the lift and disappear from sight, slightly concerned at these new turns of events.

 

xXx

 

Senator Cos Palpatine was not happy.

 

That, as a general statement, wouldn't be out of the ordinary, as he tended to not be a very happy person, despite appearances. But today took it to an extreme. Not only did his plans not come to fruition due to his extremely incompetent apprentice, but his contingency plan had fallen through as well! He wasn't out of options yet, but he had never found himself so close to losing control.

 

"I am disappointed, your Majesty," he said as calmly as he could to the dressed-up little brat in front of him as she walked away. "I did not expect you to defer." He had pegged the girl as a rash pacifist, someone who wouldn't do anything until provoked and even then. But once something happened, she would rush into the situation, doing everything in her power to get her way. The pattern suggested intelligence and a sharp mind, but not experience.

 

So why had she acted as she had? Or not acted, in this particular case.

 

"I cannot say I am pleased with the results," she replied, fixing her eyes straight ahead. "However, now they will gain the proof necessary to stop the Trade Federation from doing this to any other system."

 

"And what of our system?" he asked.

 

She shook her head (no small feat with that headdress), "Please forgive me, Senator, but a change of power would not do our system any good now. Weak or not, the current state of affairs has brought a stability that will benefit our system most. It saddens me," she looked down, somehow managing to look contrite and proud at the same time. "It is clear to me now that the Republic no longer functions. I have come to the conclusion that we must remedy this on our own."

 

"On our own? But how, Your Majesty? Did you not say yourself that our people are dying? That we must settle this dispute as quickly as possible? How can we do this without an army?"

 

She paused, and he caught a wave of uncertainty from her. "I do not know, Senator," she said. "That is what I intend to figure out."

 

How was it that this little wench could bring him so close to losing his control? She'd gone against his decision all on a whim? Really? If Maul did not succeed in killing her this time, he would regret having been born before Palpatine finally let him die.

 

"I must admit, I am at a loss myself, Your Majesty. Why did you defer then?"

 

"To prevent this travesty from occurring again."

 

He paused, an idea beginning to form in his mind. He already had a few elements in play... "It sounds as if you have given up on Naboo," he said cautiously.

 

She turned on him faster than he thought possible in her expansive get up. "I will never give up, Senator. I will find a way to free our people!"

 

He stopped, putting on an expression of contrition. "Of course, Your Majesty," he said, ducking his head. "I will look into this situation as well. Rest assured that my aides and I will assist you in any way we can.

 

She nodded slightly before turning back to the lift that would take her to her quarters. "Thank you, Senator."

 

"I fear all of the help we can receive may not be enough," he commented.

 

"Then we will try until it is enough," she stated firmly as she and her handmaidens who had stood guard outside the Naboo Senate hoverform.

 

He bowed as the door closed. "Naturally, Your Highness."

 

Then he turned and stalked calmly down the hall, looking every inch the Senator that he was.

 

xXx

 

"And this," Qui-gon said, opening a large door, "Is The Room of A Thousand Fountains," he gestured to the large room inside the Jedi Temple. Anakin tried not to wince. The last time he'd seen this room, it had been in flames.

 

He needed a reaction to cover his...lack of reaction. What had he said about this room the first time? Probably something commenting on its size. "It's so big," he commented, trying to look wide-eyed and interested.

 

"Indeed it is," Qui-gon commented with an appreciative nod. Obi-wan just looked at Anakin with a mostly blank expression. Anakin had been around his former master often enough to recognize suspicion when he saw it. So he didn't trust Anakin. Had it been like that the first time? Or was he just been a poor actor now? The dark half of him insisted that Obi-wan had always been like that. Why else would he hold Anakin back? Other than jealousy of course. The other half of him wanted desperately to give his former mentor the benefit of the doubt. Obi-wan was a master of negotiation and could see through people (especially Anakin) so easily. Of course he could see that this was all an act. No wonder he'd be suspicious.

 

The two different views continued to war within him, and he found it difficult to ignore. So he turned his attention away from the younger Jedi and fixed his eyes back on Qui-gon, who had gone into an explanation.

 

"...Five separate levels were combined to make this room what it is today. Some of the fountains on the higher levels that still exist give the runoff necessary for many of the fountains on the lower levels as well." He paused and looked back, noticing both Obi-wan and Anakin.

 

"Would you like to see one? Or should we go to the dining hall for dinner?"

 

Anakin blinked when he realized that Qui-gon had addressed him. He glanced up at Obi-wan, and saw the barest scowl there. Why? More importantly, why wasn't he speaking his mind? Anakin certainly would have.

 

Then it hit him; padawans weren't supposed go against their master. At least not normal padawans. No wonder he insisted Anakin follow his lead (with little success). Anakin felt himself scowl as well. As ever, the perfect Jedi. The Master has the lead in everything, and it isn't a padawan's place to question.

 

"What do you think, Obi-wan?" he asked, working hard to keep sarcasm and scorn out of his voice. Mentally he sighed, berating himself. Apparently he still hadn't forgiven Obi-wan for everything. He didn't know if he ever could.

 

Obi-wan looked down at him, now surprised. He'd gotten a much better Sabacc face as he'd grown older, apparently. He blinked at Anakin, then looked uncertainly up at his master, and then back at Anakin.

 

"I believe I-"

 

"Showing him the Temple, are you?" A high-pitched, raspy voice interrupted him, and almost gratefully he turned to look at Yoda. Anakin filed Obi-wan's reaction away for later and focused on the newcomer as well.

 

"Just the main areas, Master," Qui-gon said with a bow. Obi-wan followed suit, and belatedly, Anakin did as well. Right, had to show respect if he wanted in.

 

Why did he want this again?

 

"Mmm," Yoda nodded, eyes sweeping over the Jedi and fixing on Anakin. He clamped down on the impulse to shift uncomfortably. Yoda's gaze definitely unnerved him, but he wouldn't give the other the pleasure of knowing that.

 

"That way," he said, trying to sound as childish as he could, "even if I'm not accepted, I can still say I've been inside the Jedi Temple!"

 

Yoda chuckled. "Oh, tell others, you would, of our home?"

 

Anakin's expression darkened. "Of course not, Master."

 

"Master Yoda," Qui-gon started, obviously not pleased with the comment himself, but Yoda cut him off.

 

"Why would you not? If in your shoes, I were, tell everyone, I would."

 

Anakin and Qui-gon both blinked, taken aback by the Master's words as he limped forward, laughing to himself again. He walked directly up to Anakin and looked up at the boy. Anakin resisted taking a step back. In his previous life, he never would have admitted that Yoda had intimidated him. Seeing him almost eye-to-eye made the feeling far worse.

 

"Hmm," Yoda said, studying him intently.

 

"What?" Anakin asked, glancing over to Qui-gon, hoping for a rescue. Seeing his apparent distress, the older man took a step forward to intervene. Before he'd even taken a step, Yoda spoke again.

 

"Continue with the tour, you should," he said, then turned to hobble off. The three of them watched him go for several silent seconds with varying degrees of surprise, confusion and annoyance.

 

"That was...strange," Obi-wan muttered.

 

Anakin couldn't help but agree.

 

Finally, Qui-gon turned and began to walk towards the other side of the room. "We'll show you that fountain, Anakin. Then we'll get some dinner. How does that sound."

 

Forcing a smile, Anakin nodded. "That would be acceptable." Qui-gon raised an eyebrow, but didn't say anything. Neither one noticed Obi-wan's confused expression as he brought up the rear.

 

xXx

 

Obi-wan Kenobi did not know what to make of Anakin Skywalker. The boy was a conundrum in its most obvious state.

 

First, his training. Obi-wan had a hard time even telling that he'd had training at all, but Qui-gon insisted that he had. Everyone else seemed to focus on the fact that he'd had training at all and who had trained him. Obi-wan agreed that those brought up some disturbing ideas. What if he'd been trained by an exiled Jedi? A dark Jedi? The Sith had only just arisen again. What if it had been the Sith they'd confronted on the planet? Sending a child apprentice as a spy would be an excellent way to get information about the temple (which is why Obi-wan had insisted they only show him common areas, and even felt rather uncomfortable with that). What if he'd been trainedby someone else altogether? Some unknown faction. The implications of letting someone like that into the temple at all were...unthinkable!

 

But what really bothered Obi-wan was the extent that he would have to be trained to hide his presence as well as he had. To Obi-wan, he felt like just about any other presence in the force. A little more controlled, but normal none the less.

 

Obi-wan didn't know anyone without a rank of Senior Knight that had that kind of training, and this random nine-year-old could? It didn't make any sense.

 

Then there were his reactions to people around him. He seemed to react either completely indifferently to or openly annoyed at Qui-gon. Why would he act that way towards someone who had freed him? The few Jedi they'd introduced him to in the halls gained various reactions. He tried to hide a flinch as he'd been introduced to no less than three Jedi, and Obi-wan felt a distinct emotional fluctuation during those meetings as well. Others he greeted as politely as if he had never met them before.

 

Then there had been his reaction to the Chancellor and Senator Palpatine. Obi-wan caught faint, but distinct impressions of fear and wariness. Interestingly enough, Qui-gon hadn't seemed to notice.

 

Whenever the Queen's handmaiden (also known as the real Queen, who seemed to think she could even fool Jedi when she apparently couldn't even fool a young boy) appeared, Anakin's Force presence wavered drastically. Obi-wan had been surprised that yet again, Qui-gon had declined feeling anything from the boy, and asked if Obi-wan's feelings were clear. It was almost like Obi-wan was...connected to the boy in some way.

 

It unnerved him. Slightly.

 

And that brought him to the most confusing reactions from Anakin; those towards Obi-wan himself. The former slave seemed to fluctuate between hiding an immense sense of comfortable respect and an intense, utter loathing. Obi-wan didn't know what he could have possibly done to the boy to deserve either one. Perhaps he reminded Anakin of someone? That had been the only logical explanation he'd come up with. Nothing else fit, but then why were the reactions so forceful?

 

A tug in the Force drew his attention away from his inner thoughts to the other two beings in front of him. Yet another sense that came from the boy. It took him a few moments of concentrating to recognize the emotion. Depression. That was it; a sense of sad resignation. Obi-wan's lips thinned into a hard line. Why was he getting these feelings from the boy?

 

"Anakin," Qui-gon said suddenly, "why don't you go on ahead. It's just around the corner there." He nodded to the path ahead as it rounded a grassy hill.

 

The boy glanced between the two Jedi, then shrugged his shoulders. "Very well."

 

Once the boy had disappeared around the bend, Qui-gon dropped back to walk by Obi-wan. "You seem conflicted, padawan," the Knight's voice said softly.

 

"That boy does not make sense," Obi-wan commented with a shake of his head before he turned to face his Master. "I don't know what to think of him."

 

Qui-gon smiled. "Neither do I, apprentice."

 

Obi-wan fixed him with an incredulous look. "Then why are you doing this, Master? What if he's been sent as a spy? Or worse?"

 

The older man raised an eyebrow. "Worse?"

 

"It's unlikely, but he could be an assassin. We've seen children trained to do horrible things."

 

Qui-gon nodded mutely. "You have a point, Obi-wan. But I don't get that feeling from him."

 

"He has shielding, Master. He could be hiding it," Obi-wan insisted.

 

The older Jedi shook his head. "But then why do we feel no malice or intent from him? At his age, I don't think he could master that."

 

But he's mastered mental shields, Obi-wan thought. He knew better than to say it. Once his Master had his mind set on something, an army of Sith couldn't get him to change it.

 

"You are wise to worry, Obi-wan," Qui-gon commented thoughtfully. "He very well could have been sent here under cover. But then again, what if he hasn't?"

 

"Should we take a chance? The safety of the temple for an uncertain future."

 

"That," Qui-gon said, his voice gentle but firm, "is for the Council to decide."

 

Suppressing a sigh, Obi-wan looked back at the small figure ahead of them uneasily. "Yes, Master."

 

Qui-gon walked ahead, catching up with the child and striking up a conversation about mechanics. Shaking his head, Obi-wan gave up trying to figure out the enigma that was Anakin Skywalker for now and followed.

 

xXx

 

Jedi Knight Traavis glanced over the ship's controls, double checking his course set for Naboo as the stars slurred together into the glowing, blotched, tunnel-like appearance of hyperspace. The council had just given him the mission to bring back proof of an illegal occupation of the planet that morning. When he'd asked why the Jedi Master Qui-gon Jinn and padawan Kenobi hadn't brought back proof, he'd been told that they had focused on their mission of negotiating and peace keeping, which had in turn progressed to protecting the Queen. They had both offered testimony, but their word alone didn't seem to be enough.

 

Traavis shook his head sadly. How sad that it had come to a time that the word of a Jedi--peace keepers of the galaxy--would not be trusted.

 

The Master/Padawan pair would would continue to protect the Queen as they had been doing, and Traavis would collect the information necessary to put a movement through the Senate.

 

He knew why the council had chosen him. His personal motto revolved around making sure everything was done right the first time. That, and he tended to deal with large groups of distraught people well. This wouldn't be his first undercover mission, and he doubted it would be his last.

 

Traavis felt confident enough with the assignment as long as he didn't run into any Sith. He'd only heard the rumor of a possible return of the dark order just a few hours before. The very idea of meeting such a powerful darksider sent a shiver up his spine, but he siphoned the feeling off into the Force and sat back to go over the statistics of the planet, dismissing the possibility of fighting such an entity.

 

What were the odds that he'd encounter the Sith on this planet after all?

 

-------------

 

Author's Note: A hovorform is the floating platform/room thing each planet gets in the Senate.

 

Please reply!

Edited by Guest

You know the closer you get to something

The tougher it is to see it,

And I'll Never take it for granted,

Let's go!

 

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Well, another chapter. Hope you like it. Please reply and let me know.

 

xXx

 

Chapter 7

 

He had his first prophetic dream that night. It had been years since he'd had those types of dreams.

 

He could always tell the difference between the prophetic visions and other dreams. They tended to be vague, but without question, he always knew who he'd dreamed about. This time was no different.

 

In his dream, he stood at his full, adult height. The surroundings swirled and dived in calming, soothing waves that he couldn't describe as anything other than beautiful. It was a landscape. He couldn't really see it, but it felt familiar. At first he just reveled in the comfort of it. Then, without warning, dark streaks began to shoot harshly through his surroundings. Every streak seemed painful, and he shied away from them.

 

Then he heard Padme's voice. She said his name once, then gasped and he felt her die again; just like he had with his dream of her giving birth. Her sudden lack of presence brought back far too many painful memories.

 

He gasped, shock coming over him, even in his dream state. "No…" he whispered. Before he knew it, he was screaming out the loss and pain all over again, and the world turned into a whirlwind of black, red and yellow. He knew those colors, but didn't care enough to move away from them. His mind remained in blatant denial. She couldn't die…he couldn't let her, not again.

 

That's when the dream changed.

 

"You never learn, do you?" A voice reached through the darkness surrounding him. Somehow, he managed to look up and saw a young woman in a Jedi tunic standing in the air as she glared at him. She had golden blond hair pulled back in a braid, fair skin with only a hint of freckling on her cheeks, and pale blue eyes that held no warmth for him whatsoever.

 

He knew her. "Siri Tachi?" he asked in confusion, ignoring the cracked, harsh tone of his voice.

 

"I'm surprised you remember me," she commented. "After all the Jedi you killed." So, she was from his future. He didn't know (or particularly care) how his shell-shocked mind managed to process that.

 

"I never killed you," he commented dully. His brain refused to focus on anything but the loss of Padme, only allowing inside thoughts here and there. "Why are you here?" he heard himself voice emotionlessly.

 

"I'm here in Obi-wan's place," she stated, as if it should have been obvious. Anakin blinked. Obi-wan? But he'd only just been with Obi-wan earlier that day. She sighed, and he suddenly got the impression of extreme weariness from her. Could spirits get tired? "He sent you back. I don't know how he did it, but apparently he believed in you enough to give you another chance."

 

"Obi-wan...?" Anakin repeated, allowing that information to sink in. His Obi-wan…his master still believed in him, after everything… A warmth began to build in his chest, chasing away the pain and shock a little. Despite himself, and he felt a small smile through the worry. "Where is he?"

 

Siri didn't answer. The silence began to feel foreboding, and he knew she wasn't telling him something.

 

"Tell me," he said suddenly.

 

"Don't you dare try to give me an order," she hissed.

 

"Please…" It was harder to say that than he thought it would be.

 

She didn't lose the air of anger, but she seemed to deflate, words failing her, and she looked away from him again. Something had happened then…but what? What could possibly happen in the peace of the Force? He could not begin to comprehend any kind of danger from what he could remember.

 

"He's gone."

 

The finality in her tone left a gaping hole somewhere in his soul. Where he'd felt determination and desperation to save Padme before, he just felt empty now.

 

"Gone?"

 

"The price for sending you back," her voice wavered with barely controlled emotion. "His soul from the future…it no longer exists."

 

The emptiness spread. "Gone…" he whispered. "Why…why didn't he tell me?"

 

"Would you have accepted coming back?" Siri asked quietly.

 

"Of course not!"

 

She shook her head. "That's why. He wanted you to have your second chance. So he gathered as many souls of Jedi as he could, and they all sent you back here." With that she rounded on him, and he was surprised to see tears brimming in her eyes. "So don't you dare think to throw their sacrifices—his sacrifice—away, Vader."

 

He flinched at the name. "Anakin," he corrected quietly.

 

"Whatever," she snapped back, then fell into an awkward silence which she only reluctantly broke a few seconds later, voice still harsh. "I wasn't the only one who objected."

 

"You didn't want me to have a second chance," he muttered, unsure how he felt about that. On one side, he certainly deserved the reservation, but on the other side he couldn't help but feel offended at her attitude towards him. Couldn't she see he'd changed?

 

"How can you even be here? I thought…" he faded off, confusion overwhelming him.

 

"When anyone dies, they lose their sense of self and became one with the Force? It's the truth. I almost did. I died in the middle of a war," she said, voice filled with sadness and more than a little regret. Pausing for a moment, she folded her arms. "I...am ashamed to admit that I was hoping he would die shortly after I did, and we could move on together, if he wanted. I kept my personality from fading through sheer will, but it wasn't enough. By the time you..." she faded off, noting Anakin's discomfort. "By the time the two of you parted ways, I could barely touch the world at all. Then he started studying the ways of the Whills. I could only glean so much from those teachings. It was enough so that I can remain here as long as I need to, but I can only appear in your dreams. I'll never be able to appear in the corporeal world as he could."

 

He could? Anakin asked himself. Then the image of Obi-wan and Yoda on Endor at the very end came to mind. Apparently that wasn't a one-time thing. He may have to seek out the ways of these Whills.

 

"Why did you accept, if you hate me so much?" he asked, feeling suddenly weary himself.

 

"I didn't want you to screw it up again," she replied, tone just a little too easy. "But when he asked me to at least do this," her voice softened again, "I couldn't say no."

 

Realization hit Anakin like a blow to the stomach, and he reeled from it. "You loved him."

 

She shot him a hateful glare, but didn't respond. Her silence was all the confirmation he needed. He stared blankly ahead. The idea of another Jedi falling in love—with Obi-wan none the less—it boggled his mind. Everyone else had always been so…perfect. Well, in that respect at least. Of course they would never break the code.

 

But they had.

 

"I…" he started, but faded off, not knowing what to say.

 

"What? You thought you were the only one? The rule exists for a reason. You're not the first, oh Chosen One, and you won't be the last."

 

"Did he love you?" Anakin asked. The question escaped him before he realized he'd even thought it. He just suddenly had to know. "Did he?" he prompted a little harder when she didn't answer.

 

Siri contemplated him for a while, studying him hard before shrugging her shoulders as if to say 'why not?'. "He had feelings for me," she acknowledged. Anakin's mind reeled and he felt himself slowly slide into shock. "I don't know if I would call them 'love'," she continued then shot him a hard look. "And we weren't about to find out."

 

He didn't answer...couldn't answer. Obi-wan? Oh sure, he'd known his Master had been attracted to a few people, but another Jedi? It just didn't...add up. Obi-wan had been the perfect Jedi. He'd always followed the Council, always followed his orders, always followed the code...

 

Always.

 

At least, that's what Anakin remembered.

 

Exactly how well had he known Obi-wan after all?

 

"Listen," he heard Siri say and somehow made his head turn towards her. Wasn't this supposed to be a dream? Why did it feel so real? "I'm here to warn you," she continued. "This dream you've had...it's no different from last time."

 

A slice of fear shot through him. Padme dying and all associated feelings rushed back in on him.

 

"How..."

 

"I'm dead. You'd be surprised what knowledge I have access to."

 

"But-"

 

"Don't," she said shortly. "I'm here to tell you that your dream last time came about because you were so fixated on it. You did not strike the killing blow to your wife then, but by turning, you may as well have. You took away her reason to fight, and then she gave birth to two extremely powerful Force-sensitives. The sheer exhaustion for a non-Force-sensitive doing that after the emotional stress you gave her...no wonder she died." She couldn't have hurt him more if she'd turned a lightsaber on him. Those words hurt far more than any physical torture ever could. And then she turned her glare back on Anakin. "If you're not careful, you may bring about her death this time as well."

 

He read the meaning of her words, but his abused mind refused to accept it.

 

"So you're telling me to sit by and do nothing?" he asked, ignoring the anger creeping into his tone.

 

"Of course not." Her tone plainly stated the supposed obviousness of the words and robbed him of his increasing hostility. "Obi-wan wouldn't have sent you back if you were supposed to do nothing."

 

"But-"

 

"I can't tell you what to do, so don't bother asking," she waved her hand as if to casually bat away a fly. "I probably wouldn't even if I could. This has to be your decision, and I've given you as much help as I can."

 

He couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Y-you can't just leave me with that!"

 

Her glare turned icy again. "Do you think you can force me to do anything, 'Chosen One'?"

 

His lips moved up and down in disbelief, but even he saw the truth in her words. What could he do to her, kill her?

 

"How can I go about changing everything when I've only barely changed myself?" he yelled, once again feeling that horrible pressure he'd used to live with on a regular basis. Being the 'Chosen One', and then the 'Hero without Fear' and finally, Darth Vader.

 

Maybe he just wasn't cut out to be a leader. The responsibility...it killed him.

 

"That's just it," she replied, tone softening. "Keep changing."

 

"But-"

 

"I'm leaving," she interrupted, apparently having reached her limit of dealing with him.

 

He just stared at her, unable to say anything.

 

"Good luck, Skywalker," she said finally, saying his name as if it pained her. "I don't think Obi-wan was right, but I want him to be."

 

And then he found himself sitting up on the couch in Qui-gon and Obi-wan's apartment, in his nine-year-old body with sweat pouring down his face and back. He hated waking up like that. He didn't wait to calm down. Something he'd done had changed events, and it was up to him to fix them.

 

They'd locked the door to keep a better eye on him, but this wasn't the first time he'd ever picked a door lock at the Jedi temple. It took him a few minutes longer than it should have, but all in all he had little trouble getting out of the room.

 

Once outside, he looked around, making sure the hall was empty, and turned left. The Jedi Temple had its share of nocturnal species amongst its ranks, so he proceeded carefully, sneaking along and avoiding almost everyone with ease. He wasn't sure whether he should be surprised that he still remembered so much about the temple, its layout and even shortcuts. To him, this building hadn't existed for over two decades, but he had been intimately familiar with it.

 

He reached the lightsaber practice room without incident, and checked to see that it was empty before he slipped inside. Once the doors shut, he allowed himself a nod of satisfaction and relief. If he were caught sneaking around, the Jedi would automatically jump to the worst conclusion. Just coming here was an enormous risk in and of itself, but it was for Padme. He'd do anything for her.

 

Then again, that's what he'd thought the first time. He hesitated at that, hand frozen half-way between himself and the cabinet that held the extra lightsabers. The practice of making extras or keeping those blades of Jedi who had died in case of emergency wasn't always encouraged to the extent Anakin thought it should be, but there were enough that one wouldn't be missed. He just had to take one.

 

But he paused, wondering if this were the correct course to take. Siri had warned him against rushing into things, and she hadn't been the only one. And for maybe the first time in his life, he listened. Would taking a lightsaber bring about Padme's demise? Or could he stop it from happening? What had changed? Why would she die? HOW would she die? There had been a distinct sense of danger and malice. Another person then. But why?

 

The answer was there, right in front of him. He knew it. But his still shock-muddled mind refused to process any of the information. He'd just have to think on it later. For now, he needed a lightsaber. She would be walking into battle. He needed some way to protect her.

 

His hand inched ever closer, and had almost touched the handle, when a voice behind him caused him to jump and whirl around.

 

"Need to practice, do you?"

 

"Master Yoda!" he blurted out. "W-what are you doing here?"

 

The little troll actually chuckled at him. "My home this is. Come here often, I do. Ask the questions, I will." He hobbled up to the locker and Anakin, who backed away slowly. "Tell me, why you are here?"

 

Once again, Anakin debated his options, and once again the idea of a somewhat edited truth would end the best. This could really mean the difference between becoming a Jedi and being sent to the Agricorps (he tried not to shudder).

 

"I...had a dream," he said slowly.

 

"Oh ho," Yoda cocked his head questioningly, even as he reached up with his gimmer stick and closed the door to the lightsaber locker. Anakin felt his fists clench in frustration.

 

Funny how quickly frustration can be turned into anger.

 

"Scare you, it did?"

 

Anakin tried his calming techniques, reminded himself that this would only be a slight set back at worst, and focused on the smaller being.

 

"Master Yoda," he said with as much calm authority as he could muster. It wasn't much, but he hoped it would be enough. "Ever-" he paused. He'd been about to say "ever since I was young", but a child his age wouldn't say that. So he revised the words in his head. "For as long as I can remember, I've had dreams that come true."

 

Yoda raised an eyebrow. "Oh?" he said. "All dreams, you say?"

 

Anakin shook his head. "No, master. Just certain dreams...special dreams. They have a different..." he paused, trying to find the right word, "feeling," he finished lamely.

 

"And a special dream this was?"

 

Well, at least he was succeeding in sounding childish. "Yes, master."

 

The bat-eared alien watched him calmly for what felt like forever before he moved away from the locker towards the bench. "Come," he said.

 

"Master?" Anakin asked, hating how uncertain he sounded.

 

"Call me 'sir' you should. No longer a master have you." Anakin felt his lungs hitch, and his organs twist. How could he know? Had he figured it out already? Did he just mean a Sith master, a Jedi master or...

 

Anakin paused, calming down slightly at the next thought: a slave master. He felt sure that's what Yoda had really meant. Mentally he berated himself. If he had any chance of pulling this off, he'd have to stop jumping to silly conclusions. There was no way Yoda could know...was there?

 

"Stand there all night, you will?"

 

"Sorry Ma-er, sir," he said with a shake of his head, and he hurried to where the green Jedi had seated himself on an observation bench.

 

"Sit here you may," Yoda gestured with a kind expression to the seat beside him.

 

Trying not to act nervous, Anakin lowered himself into the seat next to the Jedi Master.

 

"Why sit here, sir?" he asked.

 

"A good bench, it is," Yoda responded. If Anakin didn't know any better, he would have sworn Yoda of all people had just made a joke. "Now, tell me this dream, you will."

 

Anakin found himself torn between two emotions. First came his reaction to the other's order. He'd never done well with orders, from Jedi or anyone, and he did not want to start now. At the same time, he realized that this might be his only chance to gain the trust of the Master before him, and perhaps secure the necessary equipment.

 

The second feeling won. Barely.

 

"Very well, Ma—sir," he said, and began his description.

 

It didn't take long for Anakin to explain the dream (minus Siri Tachi), and when he finished, Yoda just sat there staring out into the center of the room. As a reckless Jedi, Anakin had hated long silences. As Vader, he had come to appreciate the calmness that silence could bring, as it usually that meant he could work through just where the most recent Jedi escapees or rebels had gone.

 

Now he found himself thinking uneasily as Yoda refused to break the silence. He wanted the old Jedi to say something. After a while, he realized he'd take anything; a rejection, a confirmation, even an 'I don't know' would do.

 

Still, the small master said nothing.

 

It became increasingly hard to keep quiet, but he forced himself to, clamping down on his feelings hard before they too could be turned into anger. It would just be another path to the darkness that he only barely managed to escape now.

 

Finally, Anakin couldn't take it anymore, and stood up. He wouldn't give the little troll the pleasure of hearing him ask what the dream meant or for any insight. He already knew everything he needed to.

 

Of course, that's when the Jedi Master deigned to speak. "Hmm, disturbing this is." Anakin briefly wondered if the old creature was a closet sadist. Here he'd waited for...far too many minutes in any case, and that was all the answer he got?

 

"No offense, Master," he couldn't keep some of the sarcasm out of his voice, "and I thank you for listening," that was sincere to make up for the sarcasm (he hoped); he still needed to get into the temple to stop the future from happening, "but that particular conclusion was not difficult to draw."

 

"So impatient, are you?" Of course, that had always been Yoda's main complaint about him in his former life, well, besides the fear thing. The parallel didn't help his mood. "Trust your vision, I do. Given by the Force, it was."

 

Anakin felt mild surprise sap away the frustration that had been bubbling inside of him. "Master?"

 

"Not your master yet am I," he chuckled again and hopped—actually hopped—off of the bench to catch up with Anakin. "But escort you back to Qui-gon and Obi-wan's quarters, I will."

 

They walked at a remarkably slow pace, and Anakin couldn't help but think that this was just another form of torture from the master.

 

"Tell Qui-gon of this dream, you should," Yoda commented after they'd reached the hallway. "Take precautions, he will."

 

"That won't help," Anakin muttered. It slipped out before he could stop it.

 

"Why say that, do you?" Was it just Anakin, or did the troll actually sound surprised? Qickly, he pushed the thought from his mind, focusing on the question he'd been asked. He struggled to find an answer. 'Because a Sith Lord is there waiting to battle and kill them' probably wouldn't work too well, he thought sarcastically, only barely recognizing yet another instance of his old sense of humor making a rather miraculous return.

 

He had to come up with an answer soon, or his silence would look suspicious. "Uh...another dream I had," he said quickly.

 

"Oh?"

 

Yoda did not believe him. He sounded earnest, interested and somehow innocent all at once, but Anakin knew the bat-eared creature had figured out he'd been hiding something. He bit his lip, waiting for the confrontation nervously. It never came.

 

"Tell me of this dream too, you will?" It had been a question, but Anakin still felt himself bristle as if he'd just been given a command.

 

"Very well, Ma—sir. This particular dream occurred...earlier. It showed Ob—Padawan Kenobi and Master Jinn fighting the creature from Tatooine. The red and black one," he clarified, hoping it made him sound more like a child. Yoda didn't acknowledge anything, so he tentatively moved on. "They kept fighting him, but he had a lightsaber on each end of his hilt, and easily kept up with them. Then something happened, Obi-wan and Master Jinn became separated, and the thing killed Master Jinn. Then padawan Kenobi killed him."

 

Well, it was as close to the story as he'd read. Obi-wan had never told him. Not that he could really blame him now. Some things were just too painful to discuss.

 

"Hmm," Yoda commented, his words interrupted by the 'clipping' sound his gimmer stick made on the hard floor. "Care for padawan Kenobi, you do."

 

Anakin hid a flinch...or he tried to. Somehow, he got the feeling that he couldn't hide it from Yoda. Well, truth had gotten him this far. "I...I am still unclear regarding that," he said quietly.

 

"I see," the older Jedi turned and regarded Anakin, looking him up and down. "Hiding something from me you are," he said finally. Again, Anakin winced. Yoda continued. "But sense your intentions, I do. Want to save the Queen, you do?"

 

Anakin blinked down at the other. "Of course, Master."

 

"Feel that help you accomplish this, a lightsaber will?"

 

Not even a hint of hesitation traced his voice as he answered. "Yes, Master."

 

"Trained with a lightsaber, have you?"

 

Anakin weighed his options yet again. "A little," he responded. It was vague enough that it'd work.

 

"Life-long, lightsaber training is."

 

"Yes, Master. I know this too."

 

Yoda paused and regarded him for a minute. Anakin hated it when he did that. "Hmm, telling the truth you are."

 

They walked the rest of the way to Qui-gon's quarters in silence. Despite their slow pace, they showed up at the apartment far more quickly than Anakin thought they should. Had he been that lost in thought?

 

"Sensed you are gone, padawan Kenobi has. Master Qui-gon has not. Talk with him, I will." Again the bat-eared Master chuckled, as if to laugh at his own joke. Anakin didn't know whether he should roll his eyes or just ignore it. He chose the latter.

 

"Take this, you should," Yoda said as he knocked on the door with his gimmer stick. Anakin felt something hard and smooth come to his hands and looked down to see a cylindrical object just as Yoda let go with his other hand. His eyes widened and his jaw dropped despite himself.

 

"Y-your own lightsaber, Master? B-but I cannot accept this! I-"

 

"Give it to you, I did not. Return it to me, you will." There was the Yoda he always had known. The fierce but calmly determined grandmaster that remained in Anakin's memories.

 

For a moment, Anakin could only stare at the object as he and Yoda waited for one of the two Jedi occupying the quarters to come to the door.

 

"Why are you doing this?"

 

"Believe in you, I do."

 

He couldn't comprehend what he was hearing. "Believe in me? But you have only just met me. The entire Council can't decide what to do regarding me, and I could very well be a spy. How can you believe in me?"

 

Yoda shrugged. "Because a good person, you are."

 

"How can you think that?" The words left Anakin's mouth before he'd realized he thought them.

 

The old master raised an eyebrow in his direction. "Willing to give up your desires for another, you were. Mark of a good person, this is. Have more faith in yourself, you should."

 

Anakin shook his head. "I can't."

 

Yoda chuckled again. "You will."

 

Anakin opened his mouth to disagree again, but the door opening cut him off. On instinct, Anakin hid the lightsaber inside his tunic, away from view. Qui-gon stood, looking rather surprised, at the pair of them.

 

"Anakin?" he asked.

 

"Found him wandering, I did," Yoda said. "Keep a closer eye on him, you should."

 

"How did you get out?" Qui-gon asked Anakin, turning his confused and rather worried gaze on him. "I locked the door."

 

"Important, that is not," Yoda said. "His word, have I, that leave again, he will not."

 

Anakin bristled at the supposed command, but appreciated the cover none the less. "Forgive me, Master Jinn," he said, bowing.

 

"Bid you all good night, I will," the grand master said as he turned and walked off.

 

"Thank you for bringing him back, Master," Qui-gon said, his quiet voice carrying down the hall.

 

Yoda didn't even turn around. "Welcome, you are. Rest, you should."

 

Anakin walked inside the door, only barely catching a glimpse of Obi-wan heading back to his room with a shake of his head. He also caught the rise in wariness from the young man.

 

"Anakin," Qui-gon started once he'd closed the door, but apparently decided to change what he'd been about to say. "We'll discuss this in the morning."

 

"Yes sir," Anakin replied, going back to the couch.

 

His over-taxed brain seemed to have remained in the slight state of shock from the recent events. It didn't take long for it to shut down.

 

He had no further dreams that night.

 

xXx

 

Padme stood, looking out at the Coruscant sunset from her quarters, unable to chase away her depression. It was easy enough to say she'd go back and do something, but what could she really accomplish by going back? The Jedi had informed her that they would accompany her if she so chose to return, but what good would that do against an army? A small strike team should be able to get into the palace unguarded, but then what? It wouldn't take long for back-ups and droids to blast into whatever room the Viceroys had set themselves up in. Probably the throne room, knowing them.

 

She needed a distraction, and that could only happen with an army. There were just too many droids otherwise. And the Senate refused to lend her an army before they got word from the Jedi sent to inspect the situation.

 

It always seemed to boil down to resources. She just didn't have them.

 

She heard Jar-Jar come up behind her, seeming far more subdued than she'd ever seen him before.

 

"Yousa thinkin' yoursa people gon ta die?" he asked.

 

She held in a sigh. "I don't know."

 

"Gungans get pasted too, eh?" he said, sounding almost as depressed as she felt.

 

So that's what had been bothering him. Suddenly, she felt far closer to the clumsy Gungan than she'd ever thought she would. They were in the same situation. The only individuals who were in a position to save their people, and they couldn't do a thing. He undoubtedly felt as useless as she did at the moment.

 

"I hope not," she replied, offering what comfort she could.

 

He paused for a moment, then spoke again, sounding far more confident and determined than he had before. "Gungans not dyin' without a fight. Wesa warriors. Wesa got a grand army."

 

His words hit like a hammer to her heart. Army? The Gungans had an army? They'd always seemed so peaceful and reclusive. The thought of them having an army...it seemed ludicrous, but at the same time completely plausible. Why hadn't she thought of that before?

 

"That's why yousa no liken us, mesa thinks," he added.

 

The comment surprised her. The Gungans thought the humans didn't like them? Whatever had given them that idea? As far as she knew, they didn't approach the Gungans because the water dwellers didn't much care for them.

 

"Jar-Jar," she said, slowly turning to him after several moments of quiet. "Would your army stand and fight for the planet?"

 

"O' course!" the Gungan answered without hesitation.

 

"Would they be opposed to working next to humans?"

 

He hesitated, scratching his ear nervously. "Mesa canna say. Would be up to da big bosses."

 

Just then, the door opened and the dark-skinned captain walked in, looking extremely displeased.

 

"Ma'am, the ship is ready to leave when you are, but I must protest to this yet again."

 

"Your protest has been noted, captain," she said. "Inform Senator Palpatine and Chancellor Valorum that we are leaving."

 

His frown deepened, but Captain Panaka bowed respectfully and left. "Jar-Jar," she said, turning to the amphibian. "Will you help me convince your people to fight?"

 

He looked sheepishly down. "Mesa glad to help, but mesa probly not mucha help."

 

"Thank you. Any help is appreciated. I only hope it will be enough," she said, nodding her head in gratitude before she turned and walked out the door.

Edited by Guest

You know the closer you get to something

The tougher it is to see it,

And I'll Never take it for granted,

Let's go!

 

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