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Author	Topic: Never Look Back. Obi, young Ani. Drama. More author's thanks
Valairy_Scot Title: PT Rewrite Winner Registered: Sep '05	Date Posted: 12/10/06 1:03pm Subject: Never Look Back. Obi, young Ani. Drama. More author's thanks - Date Edited: 7/31 12:32pm (19 edits total) Edited By: Valairy_Scot
	Title: Never Look Back Author(s): Valairy_Scot Timeframe: less than 1 yr post-Naboo Characters: Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker Genre: Drama Keywords: Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker. Summary: Obi-Wan Kenobi doesn't believe in luck. It's one choices and training, not luck, that determines one fate. When he and his padawan are stranded in the mountains, he faces a life or death decision and Anakin Skywalker faces a lesson he never wished to learn. Notes: Watching too many climbing movies and documentaries gave me this plot bunny. Never Look Back Don’t look down. Down was death. Up was life. Up wasn’t that far above them, but down was infinitely further. Obi-Wan looked down below him at Anakin’s upturned and white face, and the hand clasped securely in his own. Too close…it had been far too close. He had almost lost him to the depths. He tightened his grip. “Anakin, climb over me! I need you to get above me.” Qui-Gon would be proud of him, if he were there to hear his former padawan. He was focused and calm, while in imminent danger. There was something about long falls and Obi-Wan Kenobi: they seemed drawn to each other. Nearly a year ago, he had been in two mere minutes apart. Qui-Gon had seen the first, and battled on without him, trusting him to save himself. Qui-Gon had been a witness to the second, though he probably had not seen his padawan’s fall into the pit, or so Obi-Wan thought. He would never know: Qui-Gon had died just a few minutes later. He really didn’t need to be thinking of death as he dangled above another potentially deadly fall. Up was life, down was death. And Anakin was below him. “Anakin! You must get above me.” “No!” his padawan whimpered. “You – you’re hurt, I’ll hurt you.” He couldn’t hurt any more than he did already, Obi-Wan thought grimly, and Anakin didn’t know just how bad his master’s injuries were. Nor did he, for that matter. How much worse could the pain get? Far above him he could sense the anchor pulling free, and with the pain clouding his mind and the bone numbing chill, he couldn’t do much about reinforcing it. Even a Force push was beyond him at the moment. It was taking all his strength just to think of how to get them out of there, or failing that, getting Anakin out of there. He glanced down again, into the crevasse stretching deep into the mountain. They were hanging on a utility line quite a number of feet below the lip and it seemed infinity stretched below his boots. His anchor had caught and held him, allowing him to reach out and grab Anakin as he hurtled past him. He was left holding onto the cable with his bad arm, Anakin hanging from the other, and the strain was wrenching that shoulder from its socket. Anakin had managed to wrap the line around his legs, but that did little for Obi-Wan’s arm, and the shock of catching a falling body had put even more stress on the anchor. Something was going to give, soon, if Obi-Wan interpreted the Force’s warning correctly. They dropped a few inches. The Force was warning him all right. They didn’t have much time before the anchor gave way and both Jedi discovered just how deep the crevasse was. He really had no wish to make this discovery. His concern was getting up and out. Pouring all the reassurance he could into his voice, he spoke lightly. “No, you won’t hurt me. Padawan, I’m making that an order: climb above me and keep climbing…whatever you do, just keep climbing. Focus only on that.” “And…and the anchor?” Anakin’s voice quavered, but was otherwise strong. “It’ll hold long enough,” he said firmly. The Force didn’t disagree. He had never believed in luck. A Jedi made his own choices and his own chances. If he was smart enough, trained enough, and in tune with the Force enough, a Jedi could make his own luck. He had never thought about bad luck when he bothered to think about luck at all, and bad luck had trapped the two of them on this isolated planet, in a blizzard, in the mountains, on foot after their small ship had lost power and all but crashed on this mountain. Anything the passengers survived didn’t count as a crash by his way of thinking, but that ship most definitely would not fly again. Maybe it was a crash, he had conceded, privately. He was known for having a fear of flying, but he knew better – it was not fear of flying, but the fear of crashing that made him uneasy. He didn’t know if the emergency beacon had reached anyone or just how soon it would take rescuers to arrive, but the ship was in a precarious position and not likely to remain on its perch for long. In this case, safety came by leaving its shelter and trying to make it to the forested environs below where they could make a fire and take stock of their injuries. Anakin had escaped the crash with a mere cut on his arm. Obi-Wan had not been so lucky. He was groggy from hitting his head on the instrument panel, and his arm hung nearly useless at his side, badly wrenched or worse when his safety harness failed and he was thrown into a bulkhead. He had come to, staring out a shattered transparisteel panel at empty air and realized that just another few feet and the ship and its passengers would have slid right off the ledge they were on. And dropped a long, long ways down. And stopped, abruptly and painfully. Shock and dismay had kept him immobile, afraid any movement might send them forward. He tried instead to focus into the Force for answers, but the Force seemed to elude him. Concussion could do that to a Jedi. Only the sound of Anakin coming to him after the ship finally stopped skidding had turned his eyes from the space beyond. The boy reached a shaking hand to his master’s head and it came away sticky with blood; fear shone in his eyes. “I’ll be okay, Padawan,” he lied, though it would be truth once they reached safety. Anakin had not been his padawan that long – less than a year and Obi-Wan was still trying to teach him how to release his emotions and focus. Anakin would focus much better if he believed his master was okay. Taking that worry away increased both their chances to survive. Survival trumped truth any day. Gathering the limited survival equipment and clothing aboard, he had jammed a hypo into his arm and added the rest to his belt. He was grateful that this was not Anakin’s first trip on snow and ice – the boy had at least some training in snow travel and survival. He had made that a fairly high priority, that as well as swimming lessons, for Anakin had experience with neither. “Ideally, we should remain with the ship and inside,” he reminded Anakin as he tethered them together. “However one wrong move or a strong gust of wind will blow it over the edge, taking us with it. We need to aim for the tree line down there; if we can’t make it before dark at least we should be on that snowfield where we can dig a snow cave as we did before, remember?” “Good;” he grinned at Anakin’s nod. “It’s not far; you see the route we’ll take? Remember to listen to the snow – both it and the Force will tell you if we are hitting a hollow spot or dangerous ice that we need to detour around.” “The Force will tell you, too,” Anakin said confidently. “You hear it differently than me; it doesn’t speak as well to me as to you.” Anakin’s innate abilities and lack of training when young had made Anakin’s use of the Force less one of listening to it as opposed to using it. However it was more than a tool, it was a guide: a lesson Obi-Wan was still trying to teach his padawan. “My connection is – weak – at the moment,” Obi-Wan finally said, gazing intently at his padawan. Obi-Wan sighed. He really didn’t want to burden Anakin with the knowledge, but it was necessary for the safety of them both. “I took quite a knock on the head and, well, it’s disrupted my ability to feel the Force. I have to rely on you.” He gazed steadily at Anakin and was pleased with the reaction: determination. He could rely on him now that he was not able to rely on himself. The boy was a Jedi. “I’ll save us, Master.” “I don’t doubt it. As I will save you, Padawan. We will always be there to save each other during the many years ahead of us – now, let’s get moving.” ** Focus on the here and now. Yes, Master. He had heard that very admonishment many times; it automatically sprang to mind in such situations. Qui-Gon would be proud. I’ll try. There is no try – there is – I know. Do or do not, he finished the thought, and found a second to chuckle. Jedi masters instilled their lessons well. Focus. Focus only on the next few minutes that would give them a future or deny it. Obi-Wan felt Anakin reach for his belt, felt the pull as it cut into his stomach. “Keep… going,” he gritted. One hand reached his shoulder and he nearly passed out with the pain. “Now the other one.” He nearly shrieked when Anakin’s weight was fully upon his shattered shoulder. “Clip in, Anakin…good…now climb.” He wrapped his good arm around the cable and leaned his forehead against it, trying to release the pain, white faced and sweaty. He really needed another hypo. He would rest a minute before trying to get one from his belt. The effort seemed beyond him at the moment. He looked up, trying to gauge how much time they had. Anakin was making good progress, he wasn’t far now. A good Force push would jam the anchor in, giving them more than enough time. He closed his eyes and reached – but the Force danced at his fingertips rather than flowing through him. The anchor was too far out – it wouldn’t hold more than another minute or so with their combined weights dangling from it. There was really only one thing he could do, if the anchor slipped much further. He had to prepare to take that action and hope he didn’t have to do so. He barely managed to get what he wanted out of his belt to float upwards – careful – don’t drop it – careful – it was in his good hand now. Just that little use of the Force had exhausted him. “You’ll be fine, Padawan, just fine, just remember you must move on. Don’t look back, just keep moving forward.” It was, perhaps, the last lesson he would give. “Don’t let go, Master – don’t let go.” “I won’t let go,” he promised, closing his eyes against the knowledge of what he must do. Time was running out. He would lie to Anakin, to save him, but this was not a lie. He would not let go. The anchor slid a bit more. “Hold on, Master.” “I will hold on, Padawan.” It was a long way down; too far to survive a fall, even for a Jedi. If he fell, he would be dead when he landed – no lingering death from exposure. He preferred a quick death to a long one, preferably occurring sometime in the far future. One can only rarely choose the timing or manner of one’s own death. He remembered saying that to Anakin, once not too long ago. One rarely sees it coming; one rarely chooses to go to it. “Don’t fall, Master – don’t die.” A Jedi does not fear death. “I…do only what I must,” he whispered, too low for Anakin to hear as he slithered up the cable. “Consider this – your lesson in letting go – and moving forward.” The pressure on the anchor increased; the rope dropped. Obi-Wan looked down and flinched, and up at Anakin, scrabbling to get over the lip of the crevasse. He felt the Force urging Anakin on: hurry, but there was not enough time… … only time enough to save Anakin. Do or do not. One second to decide. One second to hesitate. One second to take Anakin with him if he didn’t act. One second to live – and one second to die. A Jedi knows not fear. He brought the knife to the rope and with one savage stroke, cut it. -----signature----- http://boards.theforce.net/fan_fiction_resource/b10304/25405090/p3/?52 Prolific Author thread: list & links there. Muse fueled by coffee. Often AWOL despite frequent sipping. Writes on inspiration, not a schedule. Proud master of several padawans
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VaderLVR64 Title: Fan Fic Manager in Combat Boots Registered: Feb '04	Date Posted: 12/10/06 1:24pm Subject: RE: Never Look Back. Obi, young Ani. Drama.
	Wow! What an opening chapter! PLEASE put me on your PM list! Don’t look down. Down was death. Up was life. Up wasn’t that far above them, but down was infinitely further below. Obi-Wan looked down at Anakin’s upturned and white face, and the hand clasped securely in his own. Too close…it had been far too close. He had almost lost him to the depths. He tightened his grip. “Anakin, climb over me! I need you to get above me.” I was hooked from the opening lines. Superbly done! -----signature----- If you have to choose between tears and laughter, remember that laughter burns more calories. Proud New Army Mom - off to bootcamp!
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Luminara_Kenobi Registered: Sep '06	Date Posted: 12/10/06 2:35pm Subject: RE: Never Look Back. Obi, young Ani. Drama.
	Wow, um...what MamaVader said. I'd definitely like to be added to the pm list! -----signature----- Oafie & Lulu Long Live the original JA series-- why did it go out of print?! Long Live Freedom of Speech!!! Constantly thinking of new and innovative ways to shave Obi-Wan I miss you, too.
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dianethx Registered: Mar '02	Date Posted: 12/10/06 2:59pm Subject: RE: Never Look Back. Obi, young Ani. Drama.
	Holy smokes, that was intense. I loved the way you built the tension, making sure that Anakin would be okay and knowing that Obi-Wan was determined to do what he must for the kid. Great job. Put me on the pm list. -----signature----- Betrayal - http://boards.theforce.net/s/b1/10935143 updated 9/22/08 Fragments of Illusion- http://boards.theforce.net/bts/b10475/28456473 updated 8/16/08 Freeze frame - http://boards.theforce.net/s/b10476/27820434 Master to jedidas3 Impeach Bush!
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Healer_Leona Registered: Jul '00	Date Posted: 12/10/06 3:46pm Subject: RE: Never Look Back. Obi, young Ani. Drama.
	Brilliant start. Actually, those first couple lines had me hooked. Might I also be added to the PM list? -----signature----- Still crazy after all these years.
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dralksakrak Registered: Mar '06	Date Posted: 12/10/06 4:50pm Subject: RE: Never Look Back. Obi, young Ani. Drama.
	Master that was great. It was a cool cliffy and everything. please put me on the PM list and update soon. -----signature----- Fan of GreviousxShaak Ti!!! PM me if you are one too!
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Cael-Fenton Registered: Jun '06	Date Posted: 12/10/06 7:11pm Subject: RE: Never Look Back. Obi, young Ani. Drama.
	Wow, that was intense. One of the best story openings I have ever read, everything a drama should be: gripping and gritty. The imagery here was simple but so powerful, and the intensity just keeps building. Qui-Gon would be proud of him... I liked that entire paragraph. It gives the reader a break from all the suspense [pardon the pun] without weakening the story and it's a good little look into Obi-Wan's head at this early stage of Anakin's apprenticeship, with Naboo so fresh and all. Obi-Wan is perfectly in character—I hesitate to use that adjective too often, but really, the chraracterisation was exquisite I see a lot of shades of ANH in this story so far, the paragraph that opens He had never believed in luck being the most obvious. Anakin’s innate abilities and lack of training when young had made Anakin’s use of the Force less one of listening to it as opposed to using it. However it was more than a tool, it was a guide: a lesson he was still trying to teach his padawan. I really liked that line. It makes a lot to sense to me. That's always been one of Anakin's biggest issues, to my view. That last bit where Obi-Wan decides I…do only what I must again brought the OT to mind. Decieving Anakin in order to save his life sadly reminded me of his 'point of view' lecture to poor Luke. [So I'm guessing he didn't learn from this episode? ] Survival trumped truth any day and especially there. Could I please have a PM when this is updated? I can't get enough of early Obi//Ani, and I really admire all your work. -----signature----- Let us remember our Burmese dead.
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Fifilla Registered: Mar '06	Date Posted: 12/10/06 11:37pm Subject: RE: Never Look Back. Obi, young Ani. Drama.
	Oh dear... evil cliffhanger (in the truest sense of the word!) I hope you update soon! -----signature----- "There's always a bigger fish." Fear Of Failure - young Qui-Gon (WIP) > http://boards.theforce.net/before_the_saga/b10475/27642896 Padawan to Valairy_Scot
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KELIA Title: Moderator: Fan Fiction Registered: Jul '05	Date Posted: 12/11/06 9:02am Subject: RE: Never Look Back. Obi, young Ani. Drama.
	Tell me Anakin is going to somehow save Obi......what an ending! If you have a PM list, please add me. I'm eagerly looking forward to more -----signature----- "Do or do not, there is no try." Master Yoda A Light In The Darkness: http://boards.theforce.net/the_saga/b10476/28150602/p1/?8 Undue Circumstances: http://boards.theforce.net/the_saga/b10476/28530583/p1/?10
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mari4212 Registered: Mar '06	Date Posted: 12/11/06 9:51am Subject: RE: Never Look Back. Obi, young Ani. Drama.
	Whoa. Excellent story, marvelously written, and I loved Obi-Wan's internal monologue throughout the scene. And then that cliffhanger! (Literally, this time. ) Please add me on to the PM list, I can't wait to see where you go from here. -----signature----- “The true delight is in the finding out rather than in the knowing.”~Asimov "Love is something more stern and splendid than mere kindness."~ C.S. Lewis Proud Padawan of Layren!
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earlybird-obi-wan Registered: Aug '06	Date Posted: 12/11/06 10:34am Subject: RE: Never Look Back. Obi, young Ani. Drama.
	I hope this wil be as good as A Good place to Die. That one I have just read and it was fantastic. Nice pictures by me to accompany jour stories can be found at http://galactic-voyage.com/Galactic%20Art-Fan%20Art%20Page%204.htm and http://www.heartstars.net/sw/art.html earlybird-obi-wan -----signature----- writer and Star Wars fan FANART [link=http://boards.theforce.net/fan_art/b10020/25793899]fanart[/link] stories in my bio
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VA_Parky Registered: Aug '05	Date Posted: 12/11/06 10:44am Subject: RE: Never Look Back. Obi, young Ani. Drama.
	Hooray! Another Valairy_Scot story! And wow, does this one ever have an intense opener! Between you and Anakin_Heartbreaker, I'm going to need a tranquilizer! Whew! Please put me on the PM list for this! I don't want to miss a single moment - I love your stories! -----signature----- Currently on hiatus Awash in Broken Promises (RotS AU): http://boards.theforce.net/the_saga/b10476/23913704/p1/ Our 1st - Matthew - arrived 1/1/08
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Laine_Snowtrekker Registered: Jul '03	Date Posted: 12/11/06 10:49am Subject: RE: Never Look Back. Obi, young Ani. Drama.
	This is an intriguing beginning. PM me when you post the next part. I hope he doesn't die. I Obi-Wan! -----signature----- Stealth and subtlety work well, but for making lasting impressions, a blaster does just fine. -Han Room full of gold and jewels, and Dr. Daniel Jackson finds the one book. -Cam Palso's #1 Fan JO: RS1, Admiral Fanfic link in bio (esp. 08 Diary Challenge)
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Luna_Nightshade Registered: Jan '06	Date Posted: 12/11/06 1:24pm Subject: RE: Never Look Back. Obi, young Ani. Drama.
	Oh dear. That's about all I have to say about that. What a tense opening! Obi-Wan cut the rope?!? I must find out what happens now! too shocked to say much else Beautiful language as always, but... but whoooooa. Please pm me! -----signature----- You can learn a lot about things if you just step back and look. Catching up. Please be patient.
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amidalachick Registered: Aug '03	Date Posted: 12/11/06 1:56pm Subject: RE: Never Look Back. Obi, young Ani. Drama.
	insert cliffhanger joke here In all seriousness, wow! What a beginning! Coincidentally, I've been reading about Everest lately, and this is reminding me of some of those stories. I hope this is one of the ones with a happy ending! Could you PM me when you update, please? -----signature----- "Love...always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."
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Valairy_Scot Title: PT Rewrite Winner Registered: Sep '05	Date Posted: 12/13/06 11:59am Subject: RE: Never Look Back. Obi, young Ani. Drama. - Date Edited: 1/29/07 12:59am (1 edits total) Edited By: Valairy_Scot
	Wow! I’m astounded at the response to a little something I put together in two nights, (then spent another 3 weeks polishing and expanding) and nearly 100% readership asking for PMs. I am honored and grateful. (Should I do a Sally Field here?) I’ve been watching the Everest series on Discovery Channel and recently watched Vertical Limit , and went (flat) X-C skiing for the first time this winter, so I’m in a snowy mood. VaderLVR64: I’m rather proud of that opening chapter myself…one of my best, I think. [grin]Not-so-bashful grin[/grin] Luminara_Kenobi: Of course I’ll PM you. Dianethx: Holy smokes, that was intense. It was supposed to be intense, so I'm glad it delivered. Healer_Leona: Brilliant start. Actually, those first couple lines had me hooked. Thanks – sometimes I have trouble finding an opening, and sometimes the muse is working on octane. Dralksakrak: Thanks padawan – and I’m publicly applauding your growth in the way of the Force – er – writing style. Your master is proud of you. Cael-Fenton: Wow, that was intense. One of the best story openings I have ever read, everything a drama should be: gripping and gritty. The imagery here was simple but so powerful, and the intensity just keeps building. I’m melting here – my heart is all aflutter. That’s what I call enthusiasm and encouragement. Fifilla: Oh dear... evil cliffhanger. Yup – that was the plot bunny that started it all. KELIA: Now, now, my dear – I rarely kill Obi-Wan off, but I have done so more than once and didn’t I say in the summary: “Anakin Skywalker faces a lesson he never wished to learn?” I don’t like to kill Obi-Wan, but if the story demands it, I will, and I have to do so often enough that none of my readers can know for sure if he lives or not in any one story. mari4212: can't wait to see where you go from here. Well, I can truthfully say, for Obi-Wan at least, it goes DOWN from there. It’s a long fall and I do not kid when I say he does fall, in case you think otherwise. The cable is cut and the Jedi falls, and Anakin is left to mourn. earlybird-obi-wan: You’re very talented – I can’t draw worth a darn, don’t have the eye for perspective. My creative talents are with words and photos. VA_Parky: Oops – have I missed another author’s story (it’s a busy time of year)? I love your stories! Right back at ya! Laine_Snowtrekker: I Obi-Wan! Me, too. Luna_Nightshade: What a tense opening! Obi-Wan cut the rope?!? I must find out what happens now. Oh, that’s easy. He falls…and falls…and falls some more until he goes splat. Or impaled. Dead is dead, right, (author waves hand). Problem is Anakin doesn’t want to accept his death. Amidalachick: In all seriousness, wow! What a beginning! Coincidentally, I've been reading about Everest lately, and this is reminding me of some of those stories. I hope this is one of the ones with a happy ending. Have you read Jon Krakuaer’s Into Thin Air about the big disaster years ago? I also recommend the Discovery Channel’s Everest documentaries – fantastic mountain scenery. I love mountains – just don’t hang me on a rope above nothing. I’ll stick to trails, thank you very much. -----signature----- http://boards.theforce.net/fan_fiction_resource/b10304/25405090/p3/?52 Prolific Author thread: list & links there. Muse fueled by coffee. Often AWOL despite frequent sipping. Writes on inspiration, not a schedule. Proud master of several padawans
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