Saga So Different ? So Alike. One post. Vader/Obi-Wan.

The usual disclaimer applies.

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Living without hope ?
An art, available
Only to chosen.
And I am among them?
And he? What does he feel?
~ Written by Old diplomat, translation by me


The steel deck of the battle ship clanked dully under the hard steps of black boots. Clang? clang. The frightened echo rushed in the silence of night. The ship slept, drowned in murky twilight. Muffled light, soldiers frozen on their posts. Dead silence.

Dead.

He was the only one alive here ? but was he truly alive? Clang? clang. Steps. They could be stopped, they could be sped up. He could run, but he could not escape. He could never escape himself.

His eyes caught an imperceptible movement. The dark shadow flickered, then dissolved in gloom. There again. He was not afraid ? he was the one to be afraid of here. Sharp turn. Who?s there? Nobody, only a shadow ? his own reflection in the wall, polished up to mirror shine. Black reflection of the Dark Lord.

It had been absolutely different reflection once. Then, in a small mirror in poor frame, which Shmi had held on the bureau in their pitiful hovel. At home. It had been warm there. No, not from the suns of Tatooine. There had been warm from love. From love of the mother to her son. From love of the son to his mother.

And now there were only stones left. Ruins.

Black mask and black cloak ? this was his reflection now. But reflection was blind, it did not see the essence. It was deceitful. Or was it? Was there still a human being somewhere under this mask, was there that Anakin? Or had he disappeared forever? Had he died to never be revived? Where was that boy, who had dreamed to be strong?

The black glove balled into a fist. He looked at his hand. This hand could take a life away in jest, this hand ruled the galaxy. But it was artificial. No flesh, no blood, only a handful of wires. He wanted to dig his teeth into these wires, to pull them out! But no? He unclenched his hand.

When he took a life it seemed as if it was the hand that brought death, so it seemed to everyone. But he knew that the hand was merely a conductor, only a visible symbol of that power, which he owned, of that force, inspiring superstitious fear. And so was he ? just the hand of the Force, just its conductor. He simply had much more power than everyone else. Only no one ever asked him if he wanted this power.

Yes, he had everything in his hands now. But did he actually have anything? Was there someone to give him warmth? Or was there only the cold metal of his armor?

There was no one anymore. And never would be. Never.

Because he was the one.

The Chosen One.

Darth Vader made a step forward, then another. Tears might have been of some help, but there were no tears anymore. As there was nobody. Not even him

There was only loneliness ?



? There was only loneliness. Complete and hopeless, oppressive, gloomy, as clouds before a thunderstorm. But there were no thunderstorms here. No, there could not be thunderstorms on Tatooine, only sandstorms. There was no rain, there was only sand. Sand replacing water ? but never capable to be the replacement. Just like the life here could never replace life. The real life.

Heavy dream, the terrible nightmare, and there was no waking up, the only way out was death. Die ? Follow them, follow those, who had left earlier. Follow them into the Force and cease to think, cease to exist.

The calloused hands were covered with wrinkles. The time is relentless. Time and sand. He had lived not too many a year yet he was already an old man. The tired old man. Tired in body and tired in spirit.

The spirit, could it bear one more another?s death? There were too many deaths ? and he had felt them all. One after another they had ripped the Force with agony, tore lives as thin silver strings, and the silent moan had echoed in his soul. Each time.

And he simply sat. Sat and waited. He was still waiting. The most difficult thing was to wait. And this was the fate that befell him: to st

 

Oh my, that is absolutely wonderful. And heartbreaking. They really are equals -- alike in more ways than either would like to admit.

"Only no one ever asked him if he wanted this power." That line is very touching -- who would really want to be the Chosen One?

This is very good -- a beautiful comparison of their characters.

 

That was like poetry in motion. Truly beautiful and heartbreaking at the same time. They really were not so different, both placed on paths not of their own chosing.

 

Thank you, Dally. If you look closer they really aren't all that different. Yet one chose the Light while the other - the Darkness. At least for some time.

red_rose_knight, thank you. A compliment from you means a lot

 

Up, then

 

What about reviews? Oh well, never mind. I've already got more than enough and more than I thought possible Though the more the better

 

This story is so beautiful it deserves another boost.

 

Wow! That was haunting and beautiful. You did an amazing job with the descriptions. I loved Vader loathing his metal hands, and in his dreams he is still whole and complete.

I also loved the simplest things such as Anakin the boy wouldn't wake in the cold, because he hated cold.

How wonderful. Poor Vader was without hope, and all that Obi-Wan was lonely and half-insane- Luke was his one link to not allow himself to perish or succumb to madness.

Great job!

 

Thank you for upping, Dally

And thank you for the compliments, PadmeLeiaJaina

 

Let it be an up in case someone wants to read

 

Wow...that was a fantastic tale. It's striking how both, as Jedi once upon a time, shared so many similarities, yet despite those similarities, the paths they stepped upon were not the same. All the more it emphasises the importance of choice in a person's life, much more over the physical and mental characteristics that make us.

Thank you for a beautiful post.

 

Wonderfully written Nifet. Vader is possibly my third favorite character after Obi-Wan and Luke, and he and Obi-Wan really are more alike than they're different (which should give you some idea as to why Vader's a favorite of mine ). The prose was lyrical and haunting, and I absolutely loved it.

Very nicely done.

Aunecah

 

Thank you, Valiowk both for your review and for your nice words. It seemed to me that they are similar in some ways while completely different in others.

Glad you found this, Aunecah and thank you About Vader I can say that I respect him (only him and not Anakin Skywalker who is... the rating here doesn't let me say what I really think about him ) And Obi-Wan is my #1 favourite character in both OT and PT.

 

Forewarning: At this juncture, whatever I write will probably sound cliché.

Your portrayal of the innumberable emotions ravaging both characters was excellent. The parallels are strikingly fluid, and so are the contrasts.

Personally, I think you've done a fantabulous job in giving a new slant to the despair experienced by the two. (Unless, of course, I've not been reading enough.)

The ending was wonderful, in a way, but I fail to see the significance of the statement, "They stood beside each other, and there was no place for emptiness." Sorry.

 

Thank you, bluebereft. The last line was implies that mutual forgiveness filled the emptiness inside them, basicly.