Beyond - Legends The Noble Dead (Anakin Skywalker, Anakin Solo, 27 ABY, vignette)

Title: The Noble Dead
Author: ViariSkywalker
Timeframe: 27 ABY, during the mission to Myrkr
Characters: Anakin Skywalker, Anakin Solo, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Jaina and Jacen Solo
Genre: drama, angst, vignette
Summary: While watching his grandson and namesake battle the Yuuzhan Vong over Myrkr, Anakin Skywalker decides to give the young Jedi a helping hand.
A/N: This is my response to the Vignette Challenge for March
Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars, and no profit is being made from this vignette.

March Vignette Challenge Rules:
MAIN CHARACTOR: Anakin Skywalker
1) You must focus your fic around the main character given. (Any character or relationship is acceptable as long as the focus remains on the main character.)
2) You must include at least one flashback.
3) The main genre(s) can include angst, drama and/or mush. Your vig should be focused on one of these genres, but you can still have elements of other genres such as humor.
4) You must include (in bold) the words battered, relentless and disorienting. (I know...sooo tragic!)

***

That was what the imposter had, a cargo pod full of voxyn tissue, enough to clone a million. Anakin's aura flashed and dimmed, flashed again and dimmed more, his cells rupturing in chain reactions, the cycles coming faster and faster as less of him remained to contain the energy. He felt himself not exactly departing, but melting back into the Force. He pulled his last thermal detonator off his harnass and thumbed the timer three clicks.

Go now.

“Anakin, I can't!” Jaina commed.

Anakin raised the detonator so his brother and sister could see. Thirty seconds. He released the trigger. Take her, Jacen. Kiss Tahiri for me.

With the charging warriors almost on him again, Anakin threw the detonator across the grashal. He wasn’t conscious of using the Force to guide it, but he must have, because it hit the imposter in the head...

– Star by Star, p. 478

***

The Noble Dead


Anakin Skywalker has never given much consideration to limitations, from his podracing days on Tatooine to his time as a Jedi Knight during the Clone Wars. Even when he was trapped in the hell that was Darth Vader’s armor, he refused to be bound by its technology. Here, in the netherworld of the Force, there is no real deck to stand on, no real viewport to peer through; but that does not stop Anakin from acting as though he is back in command of his own starship. He stands with his feet firmly planted in a wide stance, his hands clasped tightly behind his back as he watches his grandson vomit up blood.

It’s like looking through the wrong end of a pair of faulty binocs. The scene is out of focus, and Anakin longs to go to the boy, to help him fend off his foes. The Force shimmers around the dead Jedi as he attempts to make his presence manifest alongside the strike team. It has been many years since he’s tried this, and it’s still taking far too long. As he struggles to transport himself to the physical realm, he feels a hand on his shoulder. He doesn’t have to look to know who it is, but he does anyway.

“Let me go to him, Master.”

Obi-Wan Kenobi has taken on his middle-aged body, but the sadness in his eyes is still that of a weary, old man. “There’s nothing you can do, Anakin.”

“There has to be something!”

He feels a surge as his grandson stands up and fires his blaster at the Yuuzhan Vong warriors. The boy is dying, but before he does he’s going to make those blasted aliens regret ever hunting down the Jedi.

“I’m going, Obi-Wan. He won’t see me, but I am going to help him.”

He pulls away from his old friend and runs toward the hazy void that separates the living from the dead. At first he loses sight of the battle; the space around him goes black, and he can hear the other Masters whispering in disbelief. None of them ever thought things could turn out this way. He is thankful that they aren’t trying to stop him.

The air grows hot and oppressive as the sounds of combat come rushing back to his ears. The sudden explosion of color and noise and smell is disorienting, but Anakin absorbs it all into his being, becoming invisible to the world. He finds himself much closer to his grandson, and he feels the boy drawing on his love and his faith to fuel his connection to the Force. That love isn’t directed at the Skywalker patriarch, but it fills him nonetheless.

The Force pours into the youngest Solo, merging with him in a way that the elder Anakin had to die to experience. Despite his grief, Anakin is overwhelmed by an intense sense of pride. He reaches out to touch his grandson, to lend him all of the strength and power of the Chosen One. As he moves, he feels another presence brush against his.

Thought you might want some help, old friend. Obi-Wan’s spirit flows through the Force, entering Anakin’s grandson and radiating outward as an aura of light. Your wife suggested that my skills might be needed.

As Anakin’s essence swirls around the dying Jedi, imbuing him with the strength to press on, other spirits begin to fuel the Force. Anakin recognizes the presence of Yoda and Qui-Gon Jinn, as well as the presence of several newly dead members of the Myrkr strike team. The last spirit to join is Mace Windu; there is no mistaking his approval as he adds his power to the rest.

As the Jedi Knights, both old and new, dissolve into the Force, Anakin still retains enough consciousness to hear voices crying out. He recognizes his granddaughter’s voice, and he strains to listen.

“Anakin!” The girl’s scream rips through him like a vibroblade, and though he can’t feel physical pain, the turmoil in the Force is enough to bring back the memory of it.

“Anakin, help me!” Her anguish filling his soul, killing him slowly, over and over again until he wakes up and realizes that it’s only a dream. But the fear still eats away at his heart, clawing frantically for purchase, telling him that no matter what he does, no matter how strong he becomes, she will die.

And then later, he fights desperately to breathe, to move, to touch the Force and feel her presence… the world seems to be bathed in blood, everything filtered through red lenses. He remembers where the power was, but he can’t reach it. The words, uttered so plainly, without any real remorse: “You killed her.”

Anakin, he hears Obi-Wan whisper across their bond, stay with us. Your grandson needs you. It’s almost time.

Fresh groups of Yuuzhan Vong attack the boy with a relentless barrage of razor and thud bugs. As the alien warriors pull out their amphistaffs, Anakin’s grandson drops his blaster and thumbs his lightsaber to life, vaulting through the air. The enemy falls dead around him as he continues to slash left and right, ignoring the new wounds they are inflicting on him.

Anakin senses some commotion across the grashal; Jaina is firing a longblaster while Jacen tries to pull her away. The boy warns them off, his violet blade flashing as he somersaults in the air and slices through the necks of several warriors. Anakin experiences another powerful surge of pride as he and the other Jedi spirits continue to channel their power into the battered young Knight.

The boy calls through the Force, Go now.

“Anakin, I can’t!” Jaina’s plea blasts through her brother’s comlink.

The cells in his grandson’s body are breaking down, bursting with energy as the Force rushes through him like a raging river. The boy holds up a thermal detonator, and through the Force he tells Jacen to take Jaina and run.

Kiss Tahiri for me.

The Yuuzhan Vong warriors are almost upon the boy. As his grandson throws the detonator, Anakin reaches out to guide the device toward its target. It cracks a fleeing man in the head, and Anakin feels his grandson straining for control over the weapon.

The other spirits are pulling back, ready to welcome the boy into their ranks. With his last breath, the young Jedi Knight moves the detonator toward a cargo pod, and then he releases himself to the netherworld of the Force. Anakin separates himself from the rushing current and catches his grandson in his arms.

The Force ghosts pull away from the world of the living, some of them watching the explosion that is consuming the pod full of voxyn tissue, others gazing at the boy in Anakin’s arms. Across the vastness of space, Anakin feels Leia react to her son’s death, and he longs to go to her, to be the father he should always have been. But he has to usher her child safely through the void, to give him the chance to retain his identity so that some day she might see him again. At the same moment, he feels Luke’s sudden shock, then his efforts to pull the grief inside himself. Anakin tries to reach out to his son, but the distance is already growing too great.

The spirits pass through the darkness, returning to their own world.

***

The last thing Anakin Solo remembers is reaching out to nudge the thermal detonator with the Force, knowing that he is about to die. As he struggles to move, he realizes he is being carried in someone’s arms. He cracks his eyelids open and looks up into the face of a young man who is staring down at him with a pair of intense blue eyes. Recognition slowly dawns on him, and without meaning to, Anakin’s mouth forms a word that is both alien and familiar.

“Grandfather?”

A sob rips from the man’s throat as he crushes Anakin to his chest. “Yes, Anakin,” he cries softly. “It’s me.”

“I think… I think I felt you.”

His grandfather pulls back so that he can look into Anakin’s eyes. His lips part in a half-exhausted, half-sheepish grin. “Well, I had a little help.” He brings Anakin to his feet and turns to indicate several figures floating in the void.

Anakin’s mouth falls open as he looks upon two rows of old and new Jedi Knights. One of them, a middle-aged man with graying hair, steps forward and bows his head. “Welcome, Anakin Solo,” Obi-Wan Kenobi says gently. “Welcome home.”

Anakin looks up at his grandfather, a strange mixture of gratitude and sadness filling him. “The others are still in danger,” he says, wishing he could see what had happened to Jacen and Jaina.

His grandfather’s eyebrows furrow deeply, and he squeezes Anakin’s shoulder. “There is a great evil stirring out there, an ancient and more sinister force than the Yuuzhan Vong. Even now I feel something shifting, something that will shape the future of the galaxy. I fear the dark times will return again.”

“How can we stop it?”

His grandfather smiles sadly. “We can’t. We can only hope that those who remain will learn from your example and resist the darkness. I promise you, Anakin, that the galaxy will see the light again.”

They are interrupted by a gentle tapping sound, and when Anakin looks for the source of the noise he realizes it is coming from a small, pale green alien.

“Learn, you must, how to maintain your identity, young Solo,” Master Yoda begins without preamble. “Go with Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon, you will.”

A tall man with noble, leonine features joins Master Kenobi, and they both extend their arms, indicating that he should follow. Anakin looks to his grandfather for approval.

“Go. I’ll be along shortly.”

Anakin nods and turns to follow the Jedi Masters into the shimmering blue mist.

***

Anakin Skywalker watches as Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan lead the boy further into the mist, toward the realm where all of the noble dead reside. After they have disappeared from sight, Anakin draws closer to the physical world to see what has befallen his other grandchildren.

It is as I feared.

Jacen is now in the hands of the enemy. In the hands of Vergere.

I’m not omniscient; I can’t see into Vergere’s heart. But I feel the dark side closing in.

You must stand firm, Jacen. And when you’re ready to face your destiny, I’ll be there with you.

***


The End

 

*sniffles for Anakin*

That was wonderful, Viari! I loved every moment of it; I loved how Obi-Wan came along with Anakin as he tried to help his grandson. Perfect touch.

 

Woah! So good! So sad though. Definitely took me back to Star By Star... I almost cried!

I really like how you took this challenge in a completely different way then most people did. Very original.

Great characterizations too!

 

You have truely Mastered Anakin Solo here, Viari. Only he would worry about other people so soon after he died.

Beautiful...powerful..perfect.

I loved Anakin Skywalkers concern for the twins here.

Got that right!

Awe, and he was.


Nice job with characterizations here, for both Anakins. I liked it...good, solid 'fic, and it has a great sense of family.

Good Job!

 

Idrelle_Miocovani - That was wonderful, Viari! I loved every moment of it

--Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it!

I loved how Obi-Wan came along with Anakin as he tried to help his grandson. Perfect touch.

--True brothers

Jaina_and_Jag - Woah! So good! So sad though. Definitely took me back to Star By Star... I almost cried!

--That's one of the best kinds of compliments, to know that something I wrote evoked such strong emotions... thank you!

I really like how you took this challenge in a completely different way then most people did. Very original.

--I was mulling over the possibilities for the challenge, and this just kind of popped in my head. Weird, huh? I'm very happy that you enjoyed it!

THE_PIED_PIPER -

--

You have truely Mastered Anakin Solo here, Viari. Only he would worry about other people so soon after he died.

--Yes, I thought it would be a little out of character for him to just be like "hey gramps, nice place you've got here." He definitely cared more his family and friends than he did for himself.

Beautiful...powerful..perfect.

-- Thanks!

I loved Anakin Skywalkers concern for the twins here.

--I kind of feel like Anakin would always have his eye out on his family, even though he's now part of the greater Force and everything. I can imagnie him keeping vigil while his children and grandchildren live their lives unaware.

Got that right!

--Stupid dark side

Awe, and he was.

--I loved that part of TUF, it was probably one of my favorite NJO moments. I'm a sucker for Anakin ghost moments. Okay, so I'm a sucker for any mention of Anakin/Vader. I couldn't help alluding to that part.

Nice job with characterizations here, for both Anakins. I liked it...good, solid 'fic, and it has a great sense of family.

--Thank you very much for all of the kind praises. I always want to get the characterizations as close as possible, so I'm glad to know you think I've succeeded.



Thanks to everyone for reading!

 

tis good

 

The Force ghosts pull away from the world of the living, some of them watching the explosion that is consuming the pod full of voxyn tissue, others gazing at the boy in Anakin?s arms. Across the vastness of space, Anakin feels Leia react to her son?s death, and he longs to go to her, to be the father he should always have been. But he has to usher her child safely through the void, to give him the chance to retain his identity so that some day she might see him again. At the same moment, he feels Luke?s sudden shock, then his efforts to pull the grief inside himself. Anakin tries to reach out to his son, but the distance is already growing too great.

The spirits pass through the darkness, returning to their own world.

Beautifully written.

 

JediKaren - Glad you liked it! Thank you for reading!

VaderLVR64 - Beautifully written.

--Thanks! I'm not sure why, but that part was a little tricky for me, so I'm happy that you liked the way it turned out!

 

Wonderful! Right down to the last detail. Loved that mention of Anakin standing as Vader stood, as though he's before a ship's bridge. Love all the other Jedi lending their strength to help in that final effort. Love that Anakin feels the reaction of Leia and Luke, and longs to reach out to them, but instead concentrates on seeing his grandson safely into death.

And that last mention of the darkness coming, and Jacen's future... *shivers* Creepy. But if anyone understands what's to come for Jacen, it would be Anakin Skywalker. And Jacen facing his destiny could mean a range of things.

Great fic, really enjoyed reading it.

 

That was brutal but I loved Anakin being there for his grandson.

You must stand firm, Jacen. And when you?re ready to face your destiny, I?ll be there with you

That was a great ending.

I can see Anakin not giving up on Jacen.

Great response to the challenge

 

Freaking Awesome!!!

***
Anakin Skywalker watches as Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan lead the boy further into the mist, toward the realm where all of the noble dead reside. After they have disappeared from sight, Anakin draws closer to the physical world to see what has befallen his other grandchildren.

It is as I feared.

Jacen is now in the hands of the enemy. In the hands of Vergere.

I?m not omniscient; I can?t see into Vergere?s heart. But I feel the dark side closing in.

You must stand firm, Jacen. And when you?re ready to face your destiny, I?ll be there with you.

***

I loved the whole piece, but the end, was just freaking awesome!


Anakin Skywalker has never given much consideration to limitations, from his podracing days on Tatooine to his time as a Jedi Knight during the Clone Wars. Even when he was trapped in the hell that was Darth Vader?s armor, he refused to be bound by its technology. Here, in the netherworld of the Force, there is no real deck to stand on, no real viewport to peer through; but that does not stop Anakin from acting as though he is back in command of his own starship. He stands with his feet firmly planted in a wide stance, his hands clasped tightly behind his back as he watches his grandson vomit up blood.

I love this image. Anakin may be redeemed but he was Vader for half his life. It stands to reason he'd at least keep some of the same mannerisms he'd acquired during his time in the suit. Love it. Love, love, love it!

Wonderful, Wonderful job. I really enjoyed reading this. Thank you.

bran

 

WOW! That was amazing!
Great job.

 

Knight_Aragorn - Hey girl! Thanks for reading!

Loved that mention of Anakin standing as Vader stood, as though he's before a ship's bridge.

--I don't know why I love the thought of Anakin retaining that type of stance, but I do, and I'm glad you love it too!

Love all the other Jedi lending their strength to help in that final effort.

--Is it bad to admit that I started to get a little emotional when I wrote that? I was able to contain myself, but just thinking about all those Jedi coming to help Anakin's grandson, the shining star of the New Jedi Order... it just seemed right.

Love that Anakin feels the reaction of Leia and Luke, and longs to reach out to them, but instead concentrates on seeing his grandson safely into death.

--It's that impulsiveness we see when he was young, but by now he's able to control it. He'd be desperate to comfort his children, but he knows where his duty lies. We rarely get to see a wise, mature Anakin Skywalker, and I think that's why I wanted to write about him at this point in his "life".

And that last mention of the darkness coming, and Jacen's future... *shivers* Creepy. But if anyone understands what's to come for Jacen, it would be Anakin Skywalker. And Jacen facing his destiny could mean a range of things.

--I love the part in The Unifying Force where Jacen hears Anakin's voice and he knows it's his grandfather, so I wanted to allude to that. But I also wonder what Anakin must think of Jacen now that he's spiraled into darkness. And even though I hate what Jacen has become, I have to think that Anakin would probably still be there for him if he needed him.

Great fic, really enjoyed reading it.

--Thanks!

KELIA - That was brutal but I loved Anakin being there for his grandson.


--Thank you! For this particular fic I couldn't bring either Anakin back to life, but I wanted to finally have some interaction between the two. I totally think Anakin would have been there for his grandson if he could.

That was a great ending.

I can see Anakin not giving up on Jacen.

--Me too!

Great response to the challenge

--Gracias! I'm glad you enjoyed it!

_ThatJediScum_ - I loved the whole piece, but the end, was just freaking awesome!

--Why thank you! I'm honored that you think so!

I love this image. Anakin may be redeemed but he was Vader for half his life. It stands to reason he'd at least keep some of the same mannerisms he'd acquired during his time in the suit. Love it. Love, love, love it!

--I feel the same way. And even in AOTC we saw him standing like that, so I think it's a habit that actually preceded his days as Vader. It's definitely a part of him.

Wonderful, Wonderful job. I really enjoyed reading this. Thank you.

--And thank you for reading and replying!

star_writer24 - WOW! That was amazing!
Great job.

-- Thanks! I'm glad you liked it!

 

I can't believe I keep forgetting to leave feedback on this one. My bad.

I hate that scene. But I like that you've shifted its perspective to the eyes of the afterlife, namely Anakin Skywalker. One has to wonder sometimes what he thinks about how things have gone down post-RotJ. I don't even necessarily mean LotF (dear God ), but a more overall kind of sense. What he wishes he could prevent or change. If he wishes he were still able to make a difference or help out in any way, and I think things like this or his Stand firm! in TUF are nice inserts for that.

Speaking of the "Stand firm" line, I'll echo the sentiments about liking the tie-in at the end of this.

Invincible's going to make for an interesting read.

 

Bri - I can't believe I keep forgetting to leave feedback on this one. My bad.

--Oh it's okay, I still love you.

I hate that scene. But I like that you've shifted its perspective to the eyes of the afterlife, namely Anakin Skywalker. One has to wonder sometimes what he thinks about how things have gone down post-RotJ. I don't even necessarily mean LotF (dear God ), but a more overall kind of sense. What he wishes he could prevent or change. If he wishes he were still able to make a difference or help out in any way, and I think things like this or his Stand firm! in TUF are nice inserts for that.

--I know, that scene was even harder to read now, knowing how things have turned out in LOTF. And you know I always want to read references to Anakin (the Elder). It sucks how for so long the EU didn't mention Vader/Anakin at all, and then we get LOTF which manages to screw Jacen up into this pathetic version of his grandfather, and we can't even feel sorry for him because we just want him to die. So now we have Jacen mentioning Vader all the time, only it's a total mockery of Vader and Anakin and everything that was cool or heartbreaking about him in the movies. [/rant] So yeah, I loved the Stand Firm line in TUF. I think I read over that line at least three times because I was so surprised and happy and I didn't want that moment to end. (I'm such a fangirl, I know. I even remember where I was when I was reading that chapter. )

Speaking of the "Stand firm" line, I'll echo the sentiments about liking the tie-in at the end of this.

--It seemed appropriate.

Invincible's going to make for an interesting read.

--Ug, I'm trying to stay spoiler-free, but it's hard, it's so hard... I'm really worried that this book is going to make me hate the EU so much that I'll never read a SW book again, even if it might be good. Plus if it sucks, I'll be out 20 bucks.

Thanks for giving this story some love, Bri!

 

Even when he was trapped in the hell that was Darth Vader?s armor, he refused to be bound by its technology. Here, in the netherworld of the Force, there is no real deck to stand on, no real viewport to peer through; but that does not stop Anakin from acting as though he is back in command of his own starship.

That is definitely Anakin.

Across the vastness of space, Anakin feels Leia react to her son?s death, and he longs to go to her, to be the father he should always have been. But he has to usher her child safely through the void, to give him the chance to retain his identity so that some day she might see him again. At the same moment, he feels Luke?s sudden shock, then his efforts to pull the grief inside himself. Anakin tries to reach out to his son, but the distance is already growing too great.

And that just rips my heart out.

Those are my favorite passages, but the whole thing is excellent, Vi. Beautiful imagery, and the narrative is very elegantly done. Lovely work.

 

Oh, this was fantastic.

You must stand firm, Jacen. And when you?re ready to face your destiny, I?ll be there with you.

This last part was my favorite. It helps to see that there actually might be a life of sorts after death.
Great Viggi!

 

Gabri - That is definitely Anakin.

-- It's been a while since I've posted anything from Anakin's perspective. It was nice to be able to get back into the head of my favorite character.

And that just rips my heart out.

*hands Gabri's heart back to her* And now if you ever read Star By Star again and you come to the parts where Leia and Luke are reacting to younger Anakin's death, you have to imagine Anakin Sr. up there trying to reach for them.

Those are my favorite passages, but the whole thing is excellent, Vi. Beautiful imagery, and the narrative is very elegantly done. Lovely work.

--Aw, thanks Gabri! I tried.

Ceillean - Oh, this was fantastic.

--Glad you liked it!

This last part was my favorite. It helps to see that there actually might be a life of sorts after death.
Great Viggi!

--Since Force ghosts and notions of destiny were so prominent in the movies, I wanted to touch upon them here in the EU. Plus it's my way of keeping Anakin Skywalker in the story as more than just that guy who turned to the dark side. Thanks for the comments!

 

I'm a sucker for anakin Skywalker fics specially if the writer hits the nail on the head.

I have to agree that the scene in TUF was great and made me wonder if Jacen had seen his grandfather not his uncle in BP.

Something else I wondered was after Jacen defeated what-ever-his-name-was the true Overlord was that he changed a bit and I wondered if perhaps it was because he became a vessal for the Chosen One to defeat the guy.
I hated the way Nor A-whatever died some one should have driven a lightsaber through his gut!
O.K you can either hit me for reading between the lines when there were on lines or smile and nod.

I would be intrused if you wrote a sequel to this.

 

Fantastic! Everything in that was...fantastic.

 

Fantastically powerful and beautiful. This was an amazing addition to an already heart-breaking scene.

Masterful work, well done!

 

Lady_Misty - I'm a sucker for anakin Skywalker fics specially if the writer hits the nail on the head.

--I am too, so it makes me happy to hear you think I've done him justice!

I have to agree that the scene in TUF was great and made me wonder if Jacen had seen his grandfather not his uncle in BP.

--Great scene.

Something else I wondered was after Jacen defeated what-ever-his-name-was the true Overlord was that he changed a bit and I wondered if perhaps it was because he became a vessal for the Chosen One to defeat the guy.

--It's interesting to think about. I don't know what the authors intended, but it's nice to think that Anakin and the other Jedi would do what they could to save the galaxy from Onimi and the Vong.

O.K you can either hit me for reading between the lines when there were on lines or smile and nod.

--I could never blame someone for reading between the lines. That's how the idea for this fic started in the first place!

I would be intrused if you wrote a sequel to this.

--I originally meant for it to stand alone, but maybe one day I'll write a companion piece.

Jek_Windu - Fantastic! Everything in that was...fantastic.

--Thank you. Glad you liked it!

Imperial-Hippy - Fantastically powerful and beautiful. This was an amazing addition to an already heart-breaking scene.

Masterful work, well done!

--Thank you for your kind words. I'm so happy you enjoyed it!

 

*sob* *sob*
This was so beautiful! Lots of great ideas, and fabulously well-written. Great job, please pass the tissues... *sob*
So sad, so sad...
~FallenHeart~

 

FallenHeart - *sob* *sob*
This was so beautiful! Lots of great ideas, and fabulously well-written. Great job, please pass the tissues... *sob*
So sad, so sad...

--*hands over tissues* Well, it's good to know the story touched a chord! I'm glad you enjoyed it, even if it was sad.

 

Great work here!

As much as i hate SBS and the death therein, having Anakin Sr. and the other dead jedi help in the final moments adds a completely different (and powerful) dimension to Anakin's death in a braze of force fire.

Again great work

cheers