Saga - Legends Cloak and Shadow (Obi, Qui, Anakin plus many more.) Updated 010416

Im really interested in where this story is going. How long will padame stay with them? Are they going to tatooine? I tried to catch up on past posts and those that are posted even this year are cut short. I thought that was only happening to stories posted before the change in server. guess not . They need to get that fixed. Keep up the good storytelling!

 

I'm back! Sorry for the long wait but my own original writing has been taking precedence. Here's the next update!


Getting off Naboo was the easy part. Once I’ve told you all that occurred there, you will understand what the coming years brought to me and my Padawan. The Sith announced his presence with death.

It wasn’t long into their trek through the Lianorm Swamps that Obi-Wan and Anakin saw their first Gungans. There were signs of a battle, scorch marks that weren’t just from blaster fire. Gungans littered all the marsh.

Carefully, the Jedi and the secret Queen tip-toed through the bodies, checking if any survived. None had. And it only took a brief glance at the cauterized wounds, to know what had torn through their ranks. They’d sensed the Sith coming and now they had the proof of his arrival.

“I can feel them,” Anakin whispered, his voice choked by restrained tears. “They were so afraid. And he just cut them down. Why?”

“They would have fought,” Padme said. “The Gungans have an army. They would not have taken the Federation Army lightly. They would have sent patrols.” She gave a humorless laugh. “They would have fought.”

Obi-Wan squeezed Anakin’s shoulder. “Quiet your mind, build up your shields. I will keep alert.”

For a moment, he was sure that Anakin would argue, but eventually he felt Anakin comply. The last thing he needed was an emotionally compromised Padawan. He stretched out with his feelings, catching the echo of fear and despair that must have overridden Anakin’s senses. Obi-Wan blocked it out, turned his thoughts to danger.

Of course, danger lay all around them.

He caught the whir of an engine and gestured towards his two wards, dunking behind the twisted swamp trees. Two Trade Federation speeders zoomed past, surveying the devastation the Sith had left in his wake.

He glanced at Anakin. “Can you rewire one of those speeders for us?”

The boy grinned widely, the shadow of death lifting from his features. “Easy.”

“Then let’s test out that new saber.”

He took off, feeling Anakin trailing behind him. It was several sharp slashes later that the battle droids were less a head and Anakin was furiously working with his multi-toll. Anakin quickly had the front panel off and had disconnected the main transponder, instantly the speeder’s engine cut off. Before Obi-Wan could comment, Anakin had shredded the covering off two wires and had them twisted around each other, the engine spurting back to life as he pushed the ignition button.

“Have a seat, Master. Let’s go pick up, Padme.”

Obi-Wan slumped into the bench seating next to Anakin. He cocked an eyebrow at his new Padawan. “Do you think you can get us into the city without raising an alarm?”

Anakin nodded. “I can rig the transponder to ping a signal to all the other battle droids, but not to the main hub. But we’ll have to monitor what the hub is signaling, so we don’t do anything too…wonky.”

Wonky - as in tipping off the other Trade Federation vehicles and droids that they weren’t one of the members of their coordinated hive. “What instructions are being broadcasted?”

Anakin examined the display, his throat worked as he swallowed. “The Gungan’s have been subdued. Everyone is being recalled to the capitol. There’s an underground. The Federation is trying to subdue them, too.”

“Anything about Qui-Gon or Xanatos?”

A moment later, Anakin answered, “Nothing. Either they haven’t been found or they aren’t causing any problems.”

Obi-Wan nodded. He didn’t believe either, but right now it didn’t matter. “Well, we’d better adhere to the commands. We want to be back in the city, maybe your little trick can help us find a ship.”

“I’m skimming behind the scenes, nothing so far.”

---

“Master, this plan of yours is working out so well,” Xanatos murmured, moving back and forth throughout their cell.

The Neimodian faction really didn’t know what to do with them and Xan and Qui-Gon had no viable reason for being on Naboo then concern. The Trade Federation didn’t need to know the last part and until they figured out what to do with first, Xanatos and Qui-Gon were forced to sit and wait.

“You never were one for patience, my old friend.” Xanatos scoffed, his eyes turning upwards in a search for a solution. “It won’t be long now, Xan.”

He blew out a puff of air. “Obi-Wan doesn’t want to be found.”

Qui-Gon gave a knowing smile. “That’s never stopped me before.”

Before Xan could retort, the laser-bars cycled off with a snap of energy. The Neimodian Rune Haako entered. “Master Jedi.”

Qui-Gon stood and bowed. “Viceroy, how may we be of assistance?” Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Xan cover a laugh behind a hand and a cough.

Haako was startled, but anger quickly morphed his amphibious features. “You Jedi have already done enough,” he snapped. “It is well enough you were captured before you could kill another one of us.”

“That is not our intention for being here,” Qui-Gon assured him. “In fact, we’re here to investigate, to bring the murderer to justice.”

“How could I possibly trust you?”

“We surrendered to you peacefully,” Xan reminded him. “We only seek your permission to conduct our investigation.”

The Neigmodian’s jowls sagged as he frowned at the younger Jedi. Abruptly, he turned away. “I will return shortly with my verdict.”

As quickly as he had arrived he was gone again. The two Jedi waited in silence when the vents kicked on and an insidious hiss filled the air. Together the Jedi moved to inspect the vent.

“Dioxis,” Qui-Gon said.

[hr]

They were nearly to the city when they felt it, a change in the Force that caused Obi-Wan’s heart to catch in a vice.

“Not good,” he whispered. His hands shook and it was more than from withdrawal from the gesiburic.

“They’re in trouble,” Anakin agreed.

“What is it?” Padme asked, regarding them with sullen eyes. Her home world, the world she was meant to protect, was under occupation and there wasn’t anything she could do about it. And yet again, she was trusting him, following him into the unknown when she had every right to turn him over to the Trade Federation as a bargaining piece.

“Punch it, Anakin,” he ordered. The speeder lurched forward, Anakin now ignoring all signals from the battle droids and using up the fuel cells. He turned to Padme. “There are at least two more Jedi here. They are unaware of the Sith’s presence and are walking into a trap. We need to warn them of their presence.”

“But won’t that initiate the war that Master Yoda spoke of?” Padme said.

“Perhaps. But perhaps bringing this out in the light now will only help us. And it could very well help your people. If the Jedi as a collective learn of the Sith’s presence and that they were at least partially responsible for the invasion, they may take steps to retake Naboo.”

“Under a dummy government?” she snapped waspishly.

“Better that than the brutal tyranny of the Sith. At least for the time being.” He couldn’t say if or when the Jedi would join their counterparts in turning the free galaxy into worlds dictated by Jedi rule.

[hr]

Thankfully, the Trade Federation had only taken their lightsabers. They took out their small breathers and bit down on the mouth piece. They were designed for underwater excavations, but they would take the necessary oxygen from the air until the dioxis became too overpowering. Xan shot his old master a look that said ‘what now?’

Qui-Gon was running his hands over the walls, looking for any break or vulnerability. Xan turned to the door panel and pried open the cover plate with his multitool. He’d always been good with tech, he should be able to rewire the door to open. He was disappointed when he found all the wires molted to slag. Someone had fired a blaster bolt from the other side.

The room was hazy now, his eyes straining to see Qui-Gon. He was about to despair when he felt the rush of a familiar presence. Not a heartbeat later, a lightsaber cut through the main door, red-orange melting metal dropping onto the floor as it cut a door out for them.

Xanatos backed away as the lightsaber finished its arch and the door was kicked in. The sound of blaster fire pinged in on the outside. A figure peeked its head into the room, but it wasn’t Obi-Wan. A young girl, her brown hair held back in an elaborate braid, waved them forward.

Without a better option, Xanatos and Qui-Gon came forward and into the clearer air of the hallway. “Are either of you armed?” the girl asked, pulling a blaster from her orange robes.

Xanatos shook his head. Qui-Gon only had eyes for his former apprentice currently protecting them from destroyer droids. “They were confiscated when we were taken.”

“Then stay behind us,” she ordered.

“Obi-Wan?” Qui-Gon asked, stepping behind his old apprentice. Xanatos was right behind him.

“Not now, Master,” Obi-Wan answered.

They’d finally found his Padawan brother, but there was no time for answers.

 

Good they escaped with the help of Obi-Wan, now Qui-Gon will want answers.

 

Oh, goodie, an update. And the main players are now together.

 

They've all come together! That's great, I really like seeing Xan and Obi especially working together. Very nice, looking forward to more

 

This is where the fun begins.


Sometimes you must tell the truth to lie.

The destroyer droids were the biggest problem. Their shields made it impossible to just ricochet blaster fire back into them. But once they were on the move, Padme’s blaster, with a little help from his and Anakin’s lightsabers, had them quickly scattered in pieces. But there was always more.

Right now, Obi-Wans was grateful for that fact.

He had successfully dodged several attempts from both his Master and his brother at getting answers Obi-Wan wasn’t sure he wanted to give. Did he continue the ruse? Did he tell them the truth? Or did he just disappear with Anakin and Padme? He felt a stab of heartsickness. No matter what he chose, he knew that his path would now carry him on a different road from those he cared about. Only Anakin would remain at his side.

Padme gestured toward a small alcove as they finished off another round of destroyer and battle droids. They needed to get the Trade Federation hanger bays and use Anakin’s little trick to get them away from Naboo without the Federations interference. They’d been able to sneak into the Trade Federation ground base and rescue Qui-Gon and Xanatos, but they were blind to the layout of the building.

Obi-Wan followed behind, keeping alert for more battle droids. Once he was in the cover of the alcove, Xanatos predictably pounced.

“Obi-Wan we need answers,” Xan snapped, pulling his brother into the alcove further. It wasn’t as if he was going to run away. He’d make sure that Xan and Qui-Gon were safe than make his escape. But not until then.

Doing his best to remain cool and collected, he cocked a ruddy eyebrow at his Padawan brother. “You haven’t asked me any questions.”

“You’ve done a remarkable job of avoiding them, Obi-Wan,” Qui-Gon pointed out softly.

“We’re a little busy right now, Master Qui-Gon,” Anakin said. He gestured to prefab walls of the enemy territory. Obi-Wan knew he was only trying to protect him.

“What is the pipsqueak doing here?” Xanatos demanded.

“Hey,” Anakin protested. He would have said more, but Padme put a hand on his shoulder, silencing him.

Obi-Wan clasped his hands hard around his lightsaber to keep them from trembling. His Gesiburic addiction had been foolish, it was costing him now. Of course, he had known this all along, as he’d known there was something wrong with his secret work. He’d known the answers so he’d never questioned. “It’s complicated,” he said.

“Tell us,” Qui-Gon said sadly. He continued to speak softly, but his eyes spoke loudly. Qui-Gon knew. Maybe not all of it, not the whole version of the truth. But he knew.

Xanatos was a different story entirely. He stepped toe to toe with Obi-Wan, linked their gazes. “Please, Obi-Wan.”

“Master,” Anakin tried again.

“Shush,” he quieted him. “It’s alright, Anakin.” He faced his Padawan brother, never wavering from looking Xan in the eye. “I know what you suspect. I know what you fear. “ What had been so easy to admit to Padme stuck in his throat now. “It’s all true, plus so much more.”

He watched as Xan paled and took a step backward. Obi-Wan might as well have struck him with his lightsaber for the raw pain on his face. On Qui-Gon’s features he saw the same, if somewhat better controlled. He knew it would hurt them, had always wanted to spare them this pain as Anakin had so desperately sought to spare his own.

“Why?” Qui-Gon finally breathed.

“It was my duty, Master.”

Xanatos shook his head. “You cannot be saying this. This isn’t you at all. Something is wrong.”

Obi-Wan so very much wanted to agree with his brother. There was something wrong – and it just wasn’t the Council’s dangerous judgment, but the Sith who was quickly approaching. There were far too many things that were wrong.

It was time to make something right.

The Council had already proven they were willing to poison his master to keep Qui-Gon distracted. What would they do if he were to learn the truth? How quickly would they send another Atonee Cyell to destroy his family? He needed Qui-Gon to be well, for Xanatos to be safe.

“Obi-Wan, I don’t care what you’ve done,” Xan said. “You’re confused, but you’re still my brother. Come back with us. We’ll fix it.”

“I cannot do that, Xanatos. I no longer believe in the Jedi way.” He heard Qui-Gon gasp, then wheeze, emotion furthering upsetting the delicate state of his lungs. “This is where we part ways. I will see you to safety, but then you must leave.”

“Obi-Wan,” Anakin warned him.

“Go, get a ship ready. Take them with you,” he ordered. “And perform your specialty. Separate ships, Padawan.”

“Yes, Master.”

****

“What is happening, Obi-Wan?” Qui-Gon asked, grabbing his former apprentice’s arm to stop his escape. “The truth.”

“There is a Sith Lord on Naboo. I believe that is why you were about to be executed, Master. The Trade Federation’s actions are not their own.”

“Did you kill the Queen and the Viceroy?”

Anakin saw his master hesitate, his gaze quickly flicking to Padme. To keep her safe, her true identity would have to remain hidden. “That was not my intention here.”

“That’s not an answer, Obi-Wan,” Qui-Gon growled.

Not good. The swirl of darkness that marked the Sith was drawing closer and they needed to leave. “Master Qui-Gon, we must go. Trust him.”

“Can I do that, Anakin, after what he has admitted?”

The young Jedi blew out a long breath and thought about stomping his foot. “Listen, he didn’t have to come all the way out here to rescue you and Xanatos. The least you can do is do as he says.”

“That’s a lot of faith for someone who has been lying to us for the last year,” Xan said, his midnight-blue eyes burrowing into Obi-Wan.

“I cannot force you to do anything other than what you will do. Anakin, take Padme and get that ship. I’ll deal with this.”

“Not alone,” the boy argued.

“Do as I say, Anakin.” They heard the familiar pop and vibrating hum of a lightsaber, quickly followed by another. “Now!”

This time Anakin took Padme’s hand and followed Obi-Wan out of the alcove. He obeyed his master and left his side to find them a ship, catching only a glimpse of the demonic figure that waited to face Obi-Wan and the older Jedi.

******

“Master, you can’t fight this thing,” Xanatos argued, placing a hand on Qui-Gon’s shoulder to stop the Jedi Master. “You’re already ill. If Obi-Wan is right, and this is a Sith, you’ll die.”

Qui-Gon felt like he was back in his dream. The dark thing that was stocking Obi-Wan had already taken him and now the physical manifestation of that darkness was going to kill him. It was a vision…a warning.

“If he faces it alone, he’ll die.”

Xanatos winked at him. “He maybe stubborn and mixed up right now, but he’s still my brother. I’ll help him destroy the Sith and then I’ll drag him back to the Temple and we can rewire his brain right. I will not abandon him.”

 

Its hard to say whether Obi-Wan should tell them or not they are stubborn too and if they go back what will the result be. the council can't be trusted'

 

I am so sorry that I missed an update; I beg for mercy.

This is a fine mess and the question is SHOULD Obi-Wan tell Xan and Qui-Gon the truth.

 

This is a hard path Obi-Wan and Anakin are on.

 

Yikes - what a fine mess. Anxiously awaiting more.

 

Wow intense! I want brothers to be brothers again! What a complicated mess I hope Obi can find something good in all this. Really looking forward to more! Thanks for sharing!

 

Thank you all so much for continuing to read this. I know I'm slow on updating, but I really love you all.

The only way to survive was to kill Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Xanatos reached his hand out, drawing on the Force, and called the pipsqueak’s lightsaber toward him. Anakin’s blue gaze shot at him and something passed between them. Xanatos didn’t need the silent plea to keep Obi-Wan Kenobi safe, but he gave the kid a nod of agreement.

He felt Obi-Wan sigh as he came up behind him, snapping the lightsaber on. “You never listen to me,” the younger Jedi chastised.

“Good thing too,” he bantered back. “I think you’ve finally snapped. I kept telling you being so uptight would finally make you break.”

“Yes, you did. I should have listened more, Xan. If anything, I should have questioned more.” Obi-Wan turned to face him for a heartbeat. “No matter what happens, you will always be my brother, Xan.”

Before Xanatos could reply, Obi-Wan attacked the demon. As before, Xanatos noticed the change in Obi-Wan’s fighting style. Gone were the familiar acrobatics, the diversion, everything was sharp and instinctual and Obi-Wan’s best offense was his incredible defense. Xan could believe that this creature was a Sith. The waves rippling from him, full of hate and anger and death, made Xan’s stomach turn. The creature couldn’t get an upper hand on Obi-Wan, but the other Jedi wasn’t getting a break either.

And that’s where he came in.

Obi-Wan side-stepped and dunked just in time as Xanatos entered the melee, bringing the borrowed lightsaber down in a high arch.

***

Anakin didn’t like being unarmed. He’d really enjoyed using his lightsaber for the first time, but he much rather preferred Xanatos watching Obi-Wan’s back. Still, he didn’t know how they were going to get through this with only Padme’s blaster. Battle droids were everywhere, but maybe he could use that to their advantage.

“Master Qui-Gon, do you have a comlink with you?”

The Jedi Master actually startled, before focusing his gaze on Anakin. No doubt his mind was on the battle raging in the corridors outside the conference rooms. It took him a moment to process what Anakin had said, then he cocked a curious eyebrow. Or it could have been suspicious. “What do you need it for?”

“We need weapons and maybe I can get these tin cans to shut down long enough for us to take their blasters.”

This time he caught the suspicion in the Force. If it caused his heart to ache, he could only guess what Obi-Wan was feeling right now. Not too long ago, Qui-Gon had been championing him as Obi-Wan’s apprentice. Now that it had actually occurred, he realized what he would have to leave behind. Master Yoda had prepared him – where Obi-Wan would go, Anakin would have to follow. Still, he would miss his conversations with Qui-Gon, his friends in the Temple, running through the halls and being reprimanded by Obi-Wan.

“We aren’t what we seem, Master Qui-Gon,” Anakin assured the older Jedi. “Especially, him.”

Reluctantly, the Jedi Master passed the comlink to him. Anakin snatched it and began playing with the frequency tuner. This was going to be difficult, he’d have to listen to reverberation as a squad of battle droids passed through then use their frequency to jam orders from the main hub. He listened half with his ears and half with the Force, drowning out the rhythmic and simultaneous footfalls of the battle droids.

He sensed it before he heard it and switched the frequency to neutralize the battle commands. Instantly the battle droids froze. They wouldn’t have long, the hub was designed to have counter frequencies in case of jamming, but they could gather some weaponry while they had the chance.

Quickly, they gathered the blasters, prying them from metallic fingers and stuffing them into pockets and into waistbands. Anakin was sure he’d gained another twenty pounds before they shot the squad cleanly.

Anakin reset Qui-Gon’s comlink and passed it back to the Jedi. “See, we’re on the same side.”

Qui-Gon gripped Anakin’s shoulder. “Come back with us.”

“I can’t, he needs me,” Anakin said, shrugging out of the hold. “Please, just trust me and him a little bit longer.”

Anakin could only hope that Master Yoda could work a miracle, that they would not be away from the Jedi forever.

***

Obi-Wan was exhausted. He’d been going without sleep the last two days. And very little sleep for the last year. His battle with Cyell had been more tumultuous with the palace falling apart around them, but the Sith was well rested, trained and hungry for a Jedi kill. He was rapacious and Obi-Wan found that his Gesiburic-weakened arms, shook more and more. He and Xan would have to end this contest soon or one of them was dead.

He drew on the Force, feeling it cleans and refresh him. If only he could connect to Xan as fully as he’d done in the past. But he couldn’t risk Xan knowing the truth, diverting from the Jedi and possibly putting himself in the same sort of danger as Qui-Gon.

Master Yoda hadn’t specified what he was supposed to do. It seemed the venerable Jedi had expected Obi-Wan to make it up as he went along. He’d have to determine whether that involved Qui-Gon and Xanatos in the future, but for right now, he needed them with the Jedi. He could feel it in the Force.

The Sith kicked Xan sending him sprawling down the hall. Obi-Wan attacked with the speed and stealth he’d garnered from being an assassin, causing the Sith to backpedal. The amber eyes glowed with unrestrained hatred. The Sith had expected them to die easily. He’d underestimated them and that was to Obi-Wan’s advantage.

Xanatos quickly recovered and they were fighting once again, ribbons of blue lights against twin red. They moved backwards, the Sith pushing them towards an end, but Obi-Wan wasn’t sure where until they were in the docking bay.

Right where he didn’t want to be. He’d been too focused on the fight, he hadn’t been paying attention to their location. It didn’t take a moment for him to reach out and feel his apprentice and his master. Anakin, he thought desperately. If you can hear me, Padawan, hide!

He felt a stirring in reply and then Anakin was less noticeable than he’d been before. It would have to be enough.

***

Qui-Gon was stopped by a hand as Anakin grabbed his tunic sleeve. He looked down and down at the boy, noticing how small he looked. Anakin’s young face was lined with concentration. “We’ve got to…I can’t get it exactly…but we’ve got to be safe. We need to be hide, be small.”

Qui-Gon grabbed the boy and led them behind a crate of Trade Federation foodstuff. The stranger girl followed them, keeping close to Anakin. “It’s the Sith,” Qui-Gon explained as he felt the dark wave that emanated from the red and black tattooed creature.

“Not good,” Anakin whispered. He shared a glance with the girl. “Master Qui-Gon can you keep Padme safe.”

“Who is she exactly?”

“The Queen’s handmaiden,” Anakin answered in a way that Qui-Gon could tell the boy was lying. Subterfuge really wasn’t Anakin’s strong suit and was one of the reasons Qui-Gon had been willing to go alone with him this far.

If Anakin was lying about this but not everything else, than there was more here than meet the eye. He seemed to know what Obi-Wan had claimed to have done, but he also appeared to think it justified. His loyalty to Obi-Wan had also seemed to increase a hundred fold. They were truly master and apprentice. Under any other circumstances, Qui-Gon would have been proud. Now, he wasn’t sure what to feel.

Obi-Wan wasn’t quite Obi-Wan still, but he was more the man he’d trained than he’d been in the last year. There was no anger in him, no fear, just frustration and determination. Anakin was right, nothing was as it seemed.

***

Obi-Wan’s determination to destroy the Sith doubled as he felt Anakin closing in on himself and Qui-Gon work to dampen their senses. Padme nearly became invisible to his feelings. He fought violently, not letting the Sith breath before striking again. He’d grown more aggressive over the last year, but he would always fall back on the defensive.

He took advantage of every distraction that Xanatos afforded him. He’d already severed the double bladed ligthsaber into two. Leaving the Sith with only one blade. Worry, had begun to creep in those red-shot amber colored eyes.

When abruptly, the Sith sent Xanatos flying backwards under a ship and then spun on his heal, severing the landing gear and causing the ship to pitch forward on top of his Padawan brother.

He tried to fight down the anger and hatred that seethed inside of him. He couldn’t lose his clean connection to the Force or he was as good as dead along with Xan. Still his attack became more offensive. He swung where he would have blocked, kicked where he would have dodged.

And then he was dead, he felt the Sith take advantage of his unfamiliarity with the more aggressive lightsaber technique, twist his wrist and his lightsaber went flying. He dropped to his knees as the Sith swung his lightsaber for the kill mark and swung out with a fist, catching the Sith’s knee. He stumbled backward.

“Obi-Wan!” a cherished voice called out. In a breath Anakin’s lightsaber was arching towards him. He caught it with ease, ignited it, forgot himself, forgot about his worry that the Sith might learn of Anakin, his loved ones and reacted.

The Sith charged right into Anakin’s ignited blade, impaling himself in his haste. Obi-Wan grunted and slide the lightsaber down. He caught the Sith’s wrist as the red blade would have cleaved him in two and tossed the creature to the ground. He took the red lightsaber and switched it off.

With a sigh of relief, he ran over to Xan and found his Padawan brother pinned but otherwise safe. “Together?” he asked.

Drawing on the Force, the ship was raised enough for Xanatos to crawl out. He flipped over to his back as Obi-Wan let the ship crash to the ground. Obi-Wan wanted to grin, wanted to embrace his brother and go home. Instead, he offered Xanatos a hand up.

“This is where we part ways, my brother. Be careful, Xan, and may the Force be with you.”

“Obi-Wan, wait, come on you just killed a Sith. You can’t have done what you say you’ve done.”

“I wish that were so.” And to make matters worse, Qui-Gon was suddenly in front of him. “Master, I must go. Anakin isn’t safe.”

“You’re alive,” his Master breathed.

“Yeah, but not for long.”

***

Atonee Cyell watched as Obi-Wan Kenobi relaxed his guard. With his last bit of strength, he rushed forward and stabbed Kenboi in the back. He heard the gasp of the other man, as darkness took him and Force welcomed him into his embrace. He died happy, knowing he’d had his revenge on the other assassin.

 

Oh everything was running as smoothly as possible having them fight together as brothers , and Anakin , Qui-Gon seemingly joining forces...and then you have me on the edge of that cliff wondering if Obi-Wan has been killed or slightly injured, or OMG, he stabbed Obi-Wan in the back.

I hope we don't have long to wait until I can breath again, You won't kill Obi, now will you.

 

Yikes! Eagerly awaiting the next update!

 

Yikes again! Ohhh... I hope.

This is going to call for some comfort!

Great action scenes, intense and exciting. Obi has a hard path, if he is alive... I liked his wish he could go home with his brother though we know he still has more work to do. I can't wait for more!

 

Found this story again...took awhile to remember the first part...but I'm catching up now.

Will say more when I'm more caught up...but wow...

 

Yikes again!!

OK, Obi-Wan is not really dead, he just thinks he is, right?

But will this cause Qui-Gon and Xan to take him back to the temple? Or will they take him elsewhere and take care of him until they get answers.

It appears they will be bound together, despite Obi-Wan's concerns....but I'm only speculating.

Can't wait for an update....edge of my seat, biting my nails...the whole routine.

 

Thanks Gkilkenny, jacen200015, serendipityaey and obimom. I always enjoy your comments. I hope you keep reading.



There is something about death that helps you understand life. As I lay dying, hearing my Padawan explode with a denial and with the Force, I knew exactly what I must do. The Force had a plan and I listened.

“I am sorry, Qui-Gon. I thought very highly of the boy. He was a great asset to the Jedi Order. His death is a loss we will be slow to recover from.”
Qui-Gon regarded his former Master with a grim smile. “I wasn’t aware you knew Obi-Wan so well, Master.”

“Not as well as you, of course, but in the last year, I’ve had the privilege to get to know him better. He was an exceptional Jedi. I’m proud to have known him.”

Qui-Gon felt that his Master’s words were true, but they did little to relieve his grief. The truth was, he could only guess that Obi-Wan was dead, could feel that the final strings between them had been cut. There had been no body, only Obi-Wan’s outer tunic when he’d finally come to.

He’d known that Anakin was exceptionally strong in the Force, but when he’d felt the boy erupt – he hadn’t been prepare for the backlash. When consciousness returned to him and Xanatos, he’d found Obi-Wan, Anakin and the queen’s handmaiden gone and a ship’s engines whining loudly next to him.

Atonee Cyell had lain still and slacked on the ground where he’d plunged his lightsaber into Obi-Wan. He couldn’t imagine how Obi-Wan could have survived the attack, he’d felt his former apprentice’s pain for just a heartbeat before Anakin had bloomed, but it had been considerable.

Now, the council and Obi-Wan’s friends were gathered together offering their respects. He was being reported as a hero, the first Jedi to defeat a Sith Lord in a millennium. Several robes found in his quarters were being burned in place of a body. And Qui-Gon was forced to reflect upon a handful of broken information and decide who his former apprentice had actually been.

And if the hole in his heart was worth the pain.

Regardless of whom Obi-Wan had been at his death, Qui-Gon had known him as his apprentice and could not let his Padawan go without feeling the loss and then finding comfort in the Force. Once he was on surer ground, he would go in search of Anakin and bring the boy that had briefly been Obi-Wan’s apprentice home.

He glanced across the room, over the flaming robes, and to his other apprentice, still here but suffering in a way that Qui-Gon could only partly understand. Xan and Obi-Wan had grown close over Obi-Wan’s apprenticeship, probably closer than Qui-Gon should have allowed them. They’d become brothers, bound in something stronger than blood. In something, Xan had been as much Obi-Wan’s Master as he had. Where a Padawan was always duty bound, Obi-Wan could learn from Xan without the constant worry of judgment, of performing well. Xan had taught a young Obi-Wan, who was often time far too serious, how to be free.

***

Yoda had played his hand, he’d turned his Jedi sanctioned assassin, into the future of the Jedi. He only hoped that Obi-Wan would find some way of letting him know that he still lived. The Council had taken the death of the Sith as a victory and had regretted their previous decision to have Kenobi terminated. He was being touted as their greatest warrior now, the one that could have helped them destroy the Sith entirely.

They had finally noted the Skywalker boy’s disappearance. The fact that Anakin had not returned was good news to Yoda. If the boy was still out there, then perhaps Kenobi was too.

They were the Jedi’s only hope.

***

Obi-Wan sat in the cockpit of the second ship they had stolen in as many days, with blankets piled high around him. The chill of death still lingered, but he was getting better every day. The wound Cyell had given him was healing. Once they reached Alderaan, he would be well enough to go with Anakin to the Banking Clan office and pull their needed funds.

He watched the starlines go by, as the ship traveled through hyperspace.

“Are you all right, Master?” Anakin asked, appearing at his elbow.

“Fine. Just thinking. We have much work ahead of us.”

“You need a chance to heal,” Anakin said with a shake of his head. “Perhaps we could take refuge with Bail Organa. I know the two of you are friends.”

“No. No one must know I’m still alive. For the time being, Obi-Wan Kenobi is dead. I’ll have to come up with a new identity.”

“And then what?”

“We go to Dathomir.”

Anakin’s brow furrowed. “What’s there?”

“A story, a legend, and hopefully a ship.” He gave a shudder, drawing the blankets around him.

“Yeah. How much are you going to be able to do, if you’re quaking like a new born bantha?”

“Anakin,” Obi-Wan began to sooth, but stopped as Padme walked in.

“I’m going to get us some food. Padme, don’t let him move. Sit on him, if you have to.”

Before Anakin could walk out, Obi-Wan grabbed his arm. “I’m still alive, Padawan. I’m not a specter, I’m flesh and bone.”

“I know,” Anakin said. He disappeared behind the sliding door. Obi-Wan watched the door, worried. Anakin was still young and he’d just performed a feat in the Force Obi-Wan hadn’t even thought possible.

“He’s worried about you,” Padme said, interrupting his reverie. “We both are.”

“It wasn’t my time. Not yet. Master Yoda isn’t the only one who has been weighting the dice. I was saved for a reason. The wound is tender, sore, but not life threatening. I will live on as long as the Force needs me.”

Padme blanched. “And after that?”

“There are some miracles that require a sacrifice and I have much to atone for.”

 

Yikes - that last bit WORRIES me. Especially because Obi-Wan is so very self-sacrificing naturally and if the Force demands his life - bam!

 

Whew! I knew Obi-Wan couldn't die and Anakin used his power to whisk them away. Exciting.!

 

I thought Obi-Wan would use this opportunity to make everyone think he's dead...the better to keep those who love him and those who want to kill him away...at least for awhile...

but Qui-Gon intends to look for and find Anakin...

Very interesting...looking forward to more...

 

So deep and intense. Obi has much to do it seems, and I'm looking forward to it, while I hope to see him have his reprieve too. Can't wait for more, would love a tag if you're able.

 

@Valairy Scot Obi-Wan is very self-sacrificing. And it can get him in trouble.

@Gkilkenny I couldn't kill my Obi-WAn. Well, not yet anyway.

@obimom Yes Obi-Wan is a smart cookie. And a good-looking cookie. And well, just an awesome cookie.

@ serendipityaey I hope this is a tag. I'm not sure. I'm still trying to learn all the new cool things on the site. Thanks for reading.

 

Ten years later....










I moved through the galaxy like a tropical storm. I was the calm in the middle and the violent winds. Everything in my path was either swept away with me or buffeted and turned away. I collected those that had been left like debris in the war between my brothers and the Sith, between the Republic and Separatists. Banded together we became something entirely different than what we’d been before – a league of shadows preparing for the light.

The lower denizen streets of Coruscant were full of tabacc smoke and perfumed and unwashed bodies. Coruscant was the eternal spring of waste and decadence and some would argue that it was a redundant description. On every street corner stood a seedy cantina and sandwiched between them were amber lit glitterstim or pleasure dens. This shady and shadowy world was where people went to disappear – whether from their disappointing lives or from those who sought to take those lives. Even Coruscant Security Service rarely ventured this far down. Only the brave and the paid off dared risk their lives.

Or the brave and the desperate, Anakin Skywalker thought.

He really didn’t care for Coruscant in the best of situations and right now they were doing their best to act like they belonged in the slums.

“I’m going to need to take a sonic shower,” Antares San muttered next to him. With a gloved hand, she pulled a lock of dark hair and sniffed at it before wrinkling her nose. “Make that three sonic showers.”

Anakin gave a chuckle, glad to see that her personality was now shining brightly through. When he and Obi-Wan had rescued her from Dooku, the torture the former Jedi and his knew Sith Master had performed on her mind had left her nearly a shell. Her talent as an empath had been out of control, the emotions all around her overriding her own and then being reverberated as her small talent in the Force released those powerful feelings, creating an endless loop of misery.

Dooku had been trying to turn her to the Dark Side, so that she could overwhelm others’ emotions and bring them to the Sith cause. He would have had a readymade army.

This was her third assignment and he’d been overjoyed to see how much she’d improved with each. She still had to be careful though, which explained the gloves. Skin to skin contact usually ignited her abilities, and in this dive where people were very free with their hands and didn’t believe in personal boundaries, taking every precaution mattered.

“It could be worse,” Anakin said. “We could still be on Nal Hutta.”

She snorted. “True.” She straightened her eyes narrowing. “There’s Jango.”

“And there’s Marek.”

“I still can’t believe he’d lend his ship,” Anakin said indignantly.

“You know Mandalorians, bonds of brotherhood and all that poodoo. Besides, if I didn’t know that you’d lost your mind to Padme, I’d say you and your cruiser would have a long happy life together.”

Anakin cast her a dark glare. A smirk slowly touched the corner of his lips and he cocked an eyebrow at her. “If you want to talk about pinning after someone, I’m all ears.”

“I’m not pinning. You have delusions,” she argued, giving him a playful push.

“Uh huh.”

“Shut up,” she snapped, though her returning grin took the sting out of the words. “We’ve got a job to do, remember?”

“How could I forget? Stay close. If I lose you, Ben will kill me,” he said with one last pointed jibe.

He felt a slap against the back of his head, but ignored it. He’d probably always feel a little protective over her. The way she’d held out her hand, her eyes shut tight and doing her best to withhold her empathic abilities, afraid of what would be done to her and what she might do when he and Obi-Wan had burst into her cell. He’d never forget it – the deprivation in her eyes, the lack of sense of self. It had taken him a very long time to come to some terms with his hatred for Dooku. Even now, if he saw the Sith apprentice, he wasn’t sure what he’d do.

With a knowing smile, she took his hand and threaded their fingers together.

It was time to put on their show. Stumbling across the debris encrusted street as though they’d already overly indulged elsewhere, Anakin and Antares entered Covair’s. They slumped against the bar, Antares, turning to her back and resting her elbows against the bar. Anakin held up two fingers. “Corellian ale on the rocks, make it tall,” he said, his voice appropriately slurred.

“Are you even old enough to drink?” Antares asked.

Anakin snorted. “I am. Besides, the reason we’re here is so that I don’t get identified.”

“Yeah, because you’re a fugitive,” she pointed out. “And that would be bad.”

“Not a fugitive, missing person.”

“Right,” she muttered. “Oh, Jango’s on the move.” She turned around and sipped at her drink. “Here’s to him not punching me.” Then she pulled a vial out of her tunic and poured it into the drink.

Before she walked off to spill the tracking isotope on Fett, Anakin stopped her with a hand on her arm. “Be careful, Tar.”

She shot him a reassuring smile than stumbled off in Jango Fett’s direction. Anakin watched as he pretended to sip at his own drink. Fett was dangerous and not above shooting a stranger. Down at these levels of corruption, there was no law save that what you could defend with a blaster.

Antares had been practicing though. She could reach out with her abilities now and take enough from the intoxicated citizens around her, to affect the systems herself. Her eyes glazed over, her pupils dilated. She swayed on her feet and when she bumped into Fett, it looked legitimate. The drink went all over him. She gasped, her hand flying to her mouth and instantly hurried to gather a cloth to wipe up the mess. All she was accomplishing was pressing the isotope further into Fett’s skin.

Jango snatched her arms and looked into her eyes. Anakin’s hand tightened over his glass. With a coy grin, Antares put a hand on Fett’s cheek. He sighed, cursing that Antares was being so bold. She was playing with fire. All Fett had to do was touch her skin and her carefully crafted control could snap.

He breathed easier, when Fett pushed her away giving her lithe body an appreciative glance as he headed out of the cantina. Anakin replaced his drink on the bar, slapping a couple credits next to it. Reaching into his own tunic, he pulled the datapad and tuned the frequency to the isotope.

It was a moment later that Antares sidled up to him. “We got him?”

“Yeah, he’s making his way to Fleet Street,” Anakin answered.

She leaned over his shoulder, looking at his display. “Well, then let’s get to your second love and track down this scoundrel.”

***

Bail Organa settled into his conforming chair behind his long Alderaanian wood desk reviewing the minutes from the last defense council meeting. He rubbed wearily at his forehead, closing his eyes. He knew what the minutes said. The arguing he was beginning to fear was falling on deaf ears. With the Jedi Order backing up the creation of an army, he knew he was fighting a losing battle.

The separatists had their armies of metal, what would the Jedi command?

And was there a way for him to stall the inevitable? If he succeeded what would it accomplish?

He was to meet with the other senators who were at least willing to discuss other options later this evening. Those who had been behind his objections had either been spooked into silence or had been the victims of unfortunate accidents. These days, there was so much darkness, so much silence, in the senate assembly it was hard to be seen or heard.

He glanced up when the door to his office opened up and a dead man walked in.

The dead man was bearded, his hair still kept short, but it was the eyes, holding mirth as he raised a finger to his mustached mouth, that told bail who this dead man was. As impossible as it seemed, Obi-Wan Kenobi stood inside his office.

Slowly, he rose from his desk, his mouth hanging open in surprise. “Obi-Wan?” he couldn’t help but whisper.

“I haven’t gone by that name in a long time, Bail,” the dead man said. “Nor is it why I’m here.”

Bail reached out and grabbed the dead man’s arm. It was firm, solid. He could feel life threading underneath his fingertips. “You’re alive.”

“Very much so,” Obi-Wan replied. “But you won’t be, if you don’t listen to me. I managed to get up here before the assassin. We only have a few minutes. When they get here, you need to already be dead.”

“What? Obi-Wan, you aren’t making any sense.”

“Trust me, my old friend, there is an advantage to being a dead man.”

***

Antares tried very hard not to whoop out every time Anakin performed a drop or a twist with their ‘borrowed’ landspeeder. After being kept prisoner by Dooku and then to a lesser extent, held prisoner on the Chu’unther, it was definitely freeing to feel the wind whip at her face and feel the adrenalin rush of Anakin’s piloting.

“You know, he isn’t that far away,” she reminded her best friend. “If you keep flying like this, you’re going to be on top of him.”

“We’ve got to be close to the port, we’ll only have a short time to put a tracker on his ship. I don’t want to lose it by lagging behind.”

“He’s got to clear Coruscant security, do a flight check. Why are you in such a hurry?”

“Something feels wrong, I can’t pinpoint it. Better to get the job done and head back to the rendezvous point.”

She felt something twist in her gut. By habit, she straightened her long gloves, even though they already perfectly covered her skin. As frightened as she was of being overwhelmed by somebody else’s emotions, there was a certain temptation in knowing how someone else felt. Her skills in the Force were limited. Being around the Jedi who seemed to see and know so much more than anyone else, made her feel blind at time. But she’d hurt enough people with her gift and she would rather be dumb, deaf, blind and dead to ever do so again.

“It isn’t Ben is it? He’s always best at circumventing these assassination attempts.”

“No. At least I don’t think so. This is why I hate Coruscant, everything is so mired in conflicting energies. I can barely even tell where he is, let alone if he’s all right.”

That wasn’t good. If there was one thing that Antares had learned in the six seasons she’d been with the League, Ben and Anakin could talk without speaking. She’d seen a whole argument take place with the rise and fall of their eyebrows.

“Maybe you better punch it.”

That earned her a grin.

***

Obi-Wan held out a pill. “It will dissolve quickly. By the time the Council’s assassin arrives, it will appear as though you have already passed on into the Force by natural causes.”

“How long do the effects last?”

“Not long. I need to get you out of here before they get suspicious. I’m afraid we’ll have to burn the office. There can’t be any evidence of your survival.”

Bail’s throat worked as he digested this information. “If I’m gone, the senate will approve the creation of an army. The voice of dissent will be silenced.”

“They will silence you regardless, Bail. Your only choice is life or death at this point.”

“Is that what happened to you?”

“Ben Kenobi was born when Obi-Wan died,” he answered. He didn’t want to trap Bail into the League. He wanted the man to choose it of his own volition. “Now I will help you disappear, become someone else entirely who can rise and be a voice again. Or there is another option to join myself and others in maintaining some sort of civility while the galaxy crumbles around us. Right now, we don’t have the power to stop it. But first you must choose Bail. I will stop this assassin if this is your wish, but there will be another and another after that, until you are dead. I’d rather you alive.”

“Give me the pill.”

***

Anakin settled the speeder in front of the docking port just as Fett’s hover taxi came to a stop. They waited until he had used his pass code to access the port and then hurried forward. Anakin looked at the keypad. All Jedi students had their own passcode to the major landing pads and docking ports on Coruscant. It was the most efficient use as they could be getting a ride from anyone, at the most inconvenient of times. Anakin hadn’t ever used his code, as he’d been too young at the time to be a Padawan and hadn’t yet needed to leave Coruscant.

He had his and Obi-Wan’s if it became necessary. He knew that the Jedi were still looking for him. If he used either of these codes, it would only be a matter of time before half the Order would be swarming the port.

Of course, that was part of the plan.

“I hope this works,” he muttered, typing in his code.

With a hiss of released air, the door sputtered open. “Okay, we’ve got ten minutes. In and out.”

They followed the tracker as quickly and quietly as they could. While Anakin lead, Antares began to program the long range tracker. They would need something that would bounce off their system of satellites and report through sublight relays.

Fett was just walking up the gangplank when Slave I came into view. Anakin pushed Antares into the shadows, when Fett’s step hitched and he turned to look behind him. The silhouette of a boy in the light of the ship, brought Fett’s attention back to the ship and he quickened his step into the ship.

They stayed to the shadows and walked to the underside of the ship, where Anakin used the Force to levitate the beacon to the nacelle.

It was working out all too easily. The Jedi would be distracted by Anakin’s code and would be looking elsewhere, while Obi-Wan rescued Bail Organa from the Jedi assassin. They were walking away from the spaceport and were making their way to the purloined speeder, when they were surrounded. Speeder bikes painted in the red and yellow of the Coruscant Security Force swooped down from the sky, sirens now blazing and circled around the speeder.

“This is Coruscant Security Force, please get down on your knees with your hands behind your head,” a voice sounded over a loud speaker. “You will be detained until the Jedi can investigate your validity.”

Obi-Wan was going to kill him.

“Anakin?” Antares asked.

“When I tell you to, run,” he said.

“What about you? They Jedi will know who you are.”

“Do as I say, Antares. Go….now,” he drew on the Force and took hold of one of the speeder bikes racing around them. With a burst of strength through the Force, he sent it spinning. “Antares now.”

“I won’t leave you.”

“We don’t know what the Jedi Council will do if they learn what you are. Now go.”

She was torn, he could feel her shields begin to splinter under her fear for him. But eventually she nodded, turned on her heal and began to run through the clearing he had created for her. It should have been enough, but something unexpected happened. Another Force user reached out and snagged Antares foot, she fell to the ground hard, giving the rest of the security force time to intercept Antares.

Roughly, they hauled her to her feet.

Anakin dropped down to his knees and put his hands on his head. One of the security Force pulled off his helmet and came into Anakin’s line of sight.

“Anakin Skywalker?”

“Hello, Xanatos,” he answered. “I didn’t know you’d be slummin’ with CSF. If I had, I wouldn’t have been so blunt.”

“It’s standard procedure on Coruscant now. One Jedi with each patrol to keep separatist traitors from infiltrating the senate.”

Anakin snorted. There was a separatist sympathizer not even a hundred yards away. “Well, I’m not a Separatist, so you’re doing a great job.”

“What are you doing here, Anakin?”

“Well, I heard you were looking for me and thought I’d stop by. Any chance you can get me and Antares an interview with Master Jinn and not a member of the Council.”

“Antares?” Xanatos asked. His face remained stony, his eyes turned so dark they were the color of a moonless night sky.

“The woman over there,” Anakin said, indicating his friend with his head. “I’d treat her very delicately.”

Xanatos shook his head. “Are you giving me an order, pipsqueak?”

“A suggestion. She has a rare condition. You’ll want to keep the gloves on her or things could get dicey.”

“And why are you giving me all this useful information?”

“Because you were important to him and I will always remember that.”

There, a flash of pain, a glimpse of the man Anakin had known. “I’ll see what I can do. Qui-Gon will want to see you regardless, but I’m afraid there won’t be anything I can do about the Council.”

“That will be acceptable.”

“Get up pipsqueak.”

When Anakin stood, he was even eye to eye with Xanatos. “And I’m afraid you won’t be able to call me that anymore.”

***

Obi-Wan stood in the darkness of Bail’s refresher, his senses stretched out to the room ahead of him. He couldn’t feel Bail’s presence draped over his desk in a slump of supposed death. His pulse would be so slow that it would be undetectable, his breathing shallow enough that the rate of oxygen saturation would be enough to keep alive for a few minutes alone.

Obi-Wan heard the door hiss open. He clenched the hypospray in his hand and waited. He’d have to move once the assassin was facing Bail and inject the sedative. The intruder walked to the desk, he heard the sound of a lightsaber breath to life. He flung himself out of the fresher, grabbed the intruder’s lightsaber with one hand and injected the sedative into the intruder’s neck with the other.

He slumped immediately. “I’m sorry, Garen. If I had more time, I’d try to bring you to our cause. Sleep well, my friend.”

With another hypospray, Obi-Wan injected Bail with an adrenalin shot. With a gasp, the former senator of Alderaan shot up from his desk.

He put a hand to his heart. “I feel like I can’”

“Come on, I’ve got a ship waiting.” He picked up Garen under his arms and dragged him down the hall and into another senator’s office. He pressed the emergency button and ran back to Bail’s office. Now it’s time to die, Bail.”

He set the thermal detonator on Bail’s desk and set the timer.

***

Padme was sitting in Anakin’s cruiser at the rendezvous point. She’d been listening to different frequencies, monitoring the emergency channels. When Obi-Wan pulled up to the landing pad with Bail in tow, she was there to meet him with the bad news.

“Ben, we’ve got a problem.”

 

Uh oh....


Great chapter!