Saga Spirit Warriors of Angharad *COMPLETE* Link to MS Word version available 8/4

"Thank you for curing me . . . of my ridiculous obsession with ::sob:: duty!!"

And then Anakin lets out a lovely soprano- "Come what May". Obi-Wan stops, and slowly turns around... then rushes back to Anakin next to the lake of fire and thus THE DUEL begins! Brilliant.


Sorry . . . sorry. What I meant was: "Thhhen, teh guy s,, hdythey bloweed somsdtufff . . ."

That's much better.

Well . . . I could be smoking death sticks, after all.

No, I agree with your point about Anakin's protectiveness, definitely.


Yes, yes, back to our story indeed...




In fact, Anakin?s scrap in the Pass had proved to be a mixed blessing, since it had finally convinced the Elders that a full-scale attack was unavoidable.

Isn't it the darndest thing how that works out? On one hand, Obi-Wan has instructed Anakin that something shouldn't be done, and then when it is done, it helps. Puts Obi-Wan in a tough position to say 'Shame on you, boy, you shouldn't have done that', huh? It reminds me of in AOTC where Obi-Wan insists they aren't going to investigate, then ends up doing that very thing himself.


The thought of a crowd of beardless boys, pitchfork-waving farmers, and toothless grannies lining up against Sarpedon?s mercenaries was enough to make a seasoned warrior laugh and a compassionate man weep.

And you know what, the way you described that image was both funny and sobering at the same time.


?Honor is defending your home and family, protecting the resting place of the spirits. Revenge is . . . .? He shook his head, as if trying to rid himself of some image that troubled him. ?Well, these days . . . some of our young people think the difference is no longer important.

I loved this passage, because I think it relates very well to Anakin too, and young people in general. Anakin definitely has a strong sense of protectiveness and honor, but that can be mixed into revenge. He is more like those strange kids he's met than he realises. I recall the bit about him thinking the girl wearing bone-twigs in her hair and a young child's bracelet was a strange sight, but really, he is the same mix of a young person made to fill a very old role.


If Hoel had meant to evoke fatherly pride in Obi-Wan, he?d picked the wrong subject. "Yes, he is," Obi-Wan said, without inflection.

Ouch. I couldn't help but wince at this. Obi-Wan, that was cold, man. Just plain cold.


All hail Ophelia and her continually amazing writing!

-sj loves kevin spacey

 

solojones wrote:

And then Anakin lets out a lovely soprano- "Come what May". Obi-Wan stops, and slowly turns around... then rushes back to Anakin next to the lake of fire and thus THE DUEL begins! Brilliant.

Then Gollum, dressed as a magical sitar, runs into frame, bites off Anakin's saber hand, and leaps into the lava! This is getting better by the minute. I'm going to quit writing this "Spirit Warriors" crap and go write that.

Puts Obi-Wan in a tough position to say 'Shame on you, boy, you shouldn't have done that', huh?

This kind of thing happens with Anakin a lot. He *is* the Chosen One, after all, and different rules seem to apply to him. It's one reason why Obi-Wan hasn't been a terribly effective disciplinarian--in this universe, anyway. ("Master says 'no,' but the Force says 'yes.' So neener-neener-neener Master Obi-Wan!!")

The thought of a crowd of beardless boys, pitchfork-waving farmers, and toothless grannies lining up against Sarpedon?s mercenaries was enough to make a seasoned warrior laugh and a compassionate man weep.

And you know what, the way you described that image was both funny and sobering at the same time.

I am *so* cribbing from "Seven Samurai" here. That was the original inspiration for this story, FWIW.

really, he is the same mix of a young person made to fill a very old role.

Somewhere there's a picure of Hayden on a razor scooter with a cigarette in one hand and a lollipop in the other. It always struck me as a good metaphor for Anakin.

Ouch. I couldn't help but wince at this. Obi-Wan, that was cold, man. Just plain cold.

Hey, he's a professional. He can't let the personal stuff get in the way. It's obvious to everyone he loves the little sucker, anyhow. Notice Hoel refers to Anakin as "your boy" and not "your apprentice."

All hail Ophelia and her continually amazing writing!

All hail to solojones and her endlessly entertaining commentary! The bit about Anakin cutting in with "Come What May" made me laugh until there were tears in my eyes . . . thanks, I needed that.

It would almost be better if he did it in the deep Darth Vader voice, though: "COME WHAT MAY . . . . ::Wheeze!:: COME WHAT MAYYYYYY . . . .!" Then he flings out his arms, inviting a big, Sith Lordly hug . . .

(Oh yeah . . . can't you just *feel* the "cease and desist" letter coming on . . .?)

 

Right. That's quite enough of that.

****

Hoel must have sensed Obi-Wan?s displeasure, because his next question was, ?Will you punish him??

?Would you punish one of your children who?d nearly gotten himself killed on a fool?s errand into enemy territory?? Obi-Wan asked.

?I suppose . . . if the fright weren?t lesson enough. But it?s hard to imagine one of them doing something like that,? Hoel said. ?My children aren?t warriors, Master Jedi. They?re gentle, like their mother. I worry about what will happen to them if we are invaded. Azelie?s old enough to fight, but she can hardly stand to kill a weavole. Leb has a foolish, boy?s idea of battle. He?s a good shot for his age, but he has no idea what it?s like to fire at a man. Thank the Spirits he?s still a year too young. As for the little ones . . .? he shook his head, plainly imagining the likely effects of war on his two youngest children. ?Don?t be too harsh with Anakin. Perhaps he?s a little wild, but he meant well. Consider it a blessing that he can take care of himself.?

?Well . . . sometimes he can,? Obi-Wan said. Hoel hadn?t seen what had happened down in the river valley, and Obi-Wan wasn?t in a hurry to tell him. It certainly wouldn?t improve Hoel?s opinion of his guests in particular or of offworlders in general. Obi-Wan did his best to explain without going into detail. ?The Jedi also believe there is a difference between honor and revenge, and that?s something that Anakin still needs to learn. You?ve seen what happens when that lesson comes too late. A young warrior can become a protector, or he can become . . .? The memory of Anakin single-mindedly hunting down the remaining scout returned to him, and he decided not to describe exactly what a fallen Jedi could become. ?Anyway . . . our Codes are very strict on the matter. It?s for the best that way--we hold too much responsibility, and, frankly, too much power, for it to be otherwise. Our discipline isn?t meant to be harsh, but it is enough to keep us honest."

Hoel was quiet for a time. "Perhaps you're right,? he said at last. ?If all Jedi can fight like you two, maybe I should be glad you aren't allowed to do as you please."

"It really is the only way,? Obi-Wan said. ?An ordinary out-of-control warrior like?" he stopped himself before he said Yerik Aingeru?s name? ?. . . like the man who fired too close to Anakin is bad enough. ?If you imagine such a person with Jedi powers, you?ll get some idea of the danger. Besides, Anakin was very sorry for what he?d done. I shouldn?t have to?" As he spoke, he reached out to Anakin through the Force, hoping the poor fellow had managed to calm himself and was starting to make peace with what had happened.

Instead, he picked up a feeling of giddy hilarity.

"What *is* he doing?" Obi-Wan asked aloud. Hoel gave him a strange look. "My Padawan's up to something," Obi-Wan said apologetically. In truth, Anakin's delight was a relief from the oppressive grimness of the last several days. However, it was entirely at odds with doing penance in a doomed village in the middle of the night.

He thought Hoel was trying not to look amused. "I suppose we'd better go investigate, then," he said.

****
End 20/?

 

There didn't seem to be a real reason to hurry; Obi-Wan wasn't picking up any sense of danger or alarm. Still, he felt some trepidation as they trudged up the bend in the steep path and the Oya farm came into view. A number of oil lamps rested on the lift platform outside the second-story barn door. Childish squeals of glee came from the loft, intermixed with the thumping of small feet running across the boards of the floor.

Now and again Anakin's voice could be heard: "No--not water! I'm afraid of the water. Stop it--you're scaring me." This was followed by an audible splash.

//"I'm afraid of the water?"// Obi-Wan and Hoel looked at each other.

"He's good with children. They all like him very much," Hoel pointed out.

"I know. Almost everyone likes him," Obi-Wan said wearily. //It's a pity I'm going to have to strangle him.//

The two men crossed the farmyard and climbed up into the loft, where the scene was one of joyous chaos. Anakin was on his knees in the middle of a riotous crowd of children, most of whom where trying to whack him over the head with plasform tubes. One of the boys had discovered the water barrel in the corner, and had obviously been busy dousing his companions.

Hoel's two older children had joined the fray alongside the young ones. Azelie was nearly a young woman, but she was laughing as hard as the rest of them, her hair and clothing full of water and swinging heavily. Leb was busy rubbing hay into his younger brother's hair. Hoel moved in swiftly to intervene.

A sodden and barefoot girl ducked around Obi-Wan as he reached upto steady an oil lamp that swung wildly from the rafters. The change in the light made Anakin glance up, and his look of surprise quickly turned to chagrin. He stood up despite the continued assaults of his small adversaries, his feet slipping a bit on the wet floor. Watching him try to compose himself was almost comical--he dropped his plasform tube and folded his hands, allowing the wet sleeves of his mantle to fall over his fingers. His gaze instantly dropped to the floor, as if to say: //"I'm a good, penitent Padawan."//

//And I'm a Zabrak,// Obi-Wan thought.

"Hello, Master," Anakin said, glancing up at him briefly.

"Hello, Anakin," Obi-Wan said, his tone bright and dripping faintly with acid.

Anakin's look was appropriately guilty. "Uh, guys . . .?" he said, looking around at his companions.

Obi-Wan spared him the trouble of reining in the riotous group of young people. "The meeting's over," he announced. "Time for you lot to go home."

There were cries of dismay, but most of the children did slow down their gleeful assault on one another. Obi-Wan gently steered a few of the more persistent ones away from his student. "Come on now . . . I'm sure your parents are wondering where you are. And you," he added to the very small girl who could not seem to stop hitting Anakin on the kneecap with a fistful of hay. The hunt for lost shoes and misplaced lanterns began in earnest, amidst a few complaints, but without any serious arguing. Apparently the people of Nidawi had done a better job of disciplining their children than Obi-Wan had done with Anakin.

It took some time to herd all the young ones down the ladder, but this task was eventually completed. The Oya family went last. Uyek still had a tremendous amount of hay in his hair, and Leb still looked rather pleased with himself, despite the fact that he'd been reprimanded. "Good night," Hoel told the Jedi. He turned to Anakin and seemed about to say something, but then appeared to change his mind. Instead he just said, "Listen to your Master, eh?"

"Yessir," Anakin said quietly.

Hoel nodded to Obi-Wan and said, "We'll see you in the morning." His manner toward the young Knight was respectful but a little less warm, and Obi-Wan thought he detected a mild reproach there. As far as Hoel knew, Anakin had done nothing but make a group of frightened children happy, and here was Obi-Wan being so stern about it. Obi-Wan supposed he mu

 

?Hmm. Well, I can?t say I?m not disappointed,? Obi-Wan said. He folded his arms and walked over to Anakin?s side. His footsteps seemed to ring loudly in the empty barn. ?I thought you?d taken what happened today seriously.?

?I did,? Anakin protested. ?It?s only that . . .?

Obi-Wan gave him a moment and then prompted, ?Yes??

?Well, Itai Wikvaya came out to tell me she didn?t trust us, and the rest of the kids wanted to know the truth about what's going to happen to them. I didn't know anything either, and Itai got angry . . . and then, I don't know. Uyek wanted to see my lightsaber . . . and it kind of went from there,? Anakin said.

?I see,? Obi-Wan said. "Ordinarily I'd say it was an act of compassion to play with them, but this wasn't the time."

"No, Master," Anakin said softly.

"Not very respectful to play when I asked you to spend the time in meditation, was it?" Obi-Wan asked.

"No, Master," Anakin said again, even more quietly.

"Did you do any meditation at all?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Yes, Master," the boy said, sounding a little wounded. ?Or at least I tried.? For some reason, Anakin?s mental shields went up against their psychic bond. His motivation for trying to shut his Master out did not seem to be defiance--it was something else, something that felt more like pain or dread.

Obi-Wan turned toward him, searching his face. "What is it?" Anakin's distress was obvious from his expression, but all Obi-Wan picked up psychically was tremendous resistance. "Anakin," Obi-Wan said, his tone a gentle reminder of a Padawan's duty to answer his Master. "I'm trying to help you. In order to do that I need to know what's happened," Obi-Wan said.

Anakin seemed to think about that, and Obi-Wan sensed the barrier around the boy's spirit slowly beginning to drop. There was dread behind that wall, and a profound feeling of shame. "I saw the chains again, Master," Anakin said.

"Ah," Obi-Wan said. This was unwelcome news. Intrusive images during meditation could be a sign of serious spiritual illness--something Obi-Wan had attempted to have the healers treat Anakin for, but with little success. "You understand those images aren't real."

"They feel real," Anakin replied.

?Only as real as you make them,? Obi-Wan countered. Anakin didn?t reply. ?When we return to Coruscant, I want you to see the healers again. This time they may be able to??

?They said there was nothing they could do,? Anakin interrupted.

?They said there was nothing they could do *at the moment,*? Obi-Wan said. ?You were frightened the last time you saw them. I don?t think you trusted Rey-Baba. Perhaps someone else??

?It wouldn?t make any difference,? Anakin said. He shrugged his shoulders more squarely into his mantle and then pulled its folds protectively around himself, as if to ward off the evening chill. ?I just don?t like the idea of mind healing. That?s all.?

?You had it done when you were a child,? Obi-Wan said.

?Sort of. Not the way they?d want to do it now,? Anakin said. Years ago, the mind healers had helped Anakin end a string of nightmares by teaching him some meditations and doing some very basic work on the outer layers of his mind. By contrast, outbursts of rage and frightening images during meditation required a deeper, more complex healing process. There were no secrets from the healers during such deep mind healing. Although they were sworn never to reveal what they saw in the depths of a suffering mind, the fact remained that by the end of the treatment, the mind healers would know their patient better than any intimate friend or lover ever would. Thus far, Anakin had been unwilling to have anyone look that deeply into his soul, and the mind healers refused to perform any treatment on someone reluctant to have it done.

?Well, you?ve got to do something. If you won?t see the healers, how do you plan to prevent something like this from happening again?? Obi-Wan asked.

****
End 22/?

 

Although they were sworn never to reveal what they saw in the depths of a suffering mind, the fact remained that by the end of the treatment, the mind healers would know their patient better than any intimate friend or lover ever would.

That's a little scary, isn't it? Having an almost complete stranger, who you never have contact with unless you're wounded or in any type of fatal danger, delving into your mind and ripping it apart, so to speak? I would be terrified!!! Awesome post, though! I like how Obi is handling this in a calm manner!

 

diamond_pony2002 wrote:

That's a little scary, isn't it? Having an almost complete stranger, who you never have contact with unless you're wounded or in any type of fatal danger, delving into your mind and ripping it apart, so to speak? I would be terrified!!!

Yeah . . . I figure that's why they don't work on anyone who doesn't want them to. I'm not quite sure why the Jedi don't offer standard talk therapy . . . I guess I just can't imagine them sitting around emoting and talking about how unfulfilling their lives are. They seem to be very against such things.

Awesome post, though! I like how Obi is handling this in a calm manner!

Thank you! And yes, Obi-Wan's not very happy at the moment, but he's not going to spazz out about it. One of them has to be the adult here, and it's pretty clear it's not going to be Anakin.

. . . and back to our story, already.

****

Anakin gazed down at some indeterminate point in the farmyard and said bitterly, ?I did something wrong. I should be punished.?

?There will be consequences for your actions, yes, but punishment?s not a long-term solution,? Obi-Wan said. ?You can?t spend your life relying on me to *make* you keep your emotions under control. You?re going to have to learn to do that yourself.?

?Yes, Master,? Anakin said, although he sounded unconvinced. Obi-Wan could hear Anakin's anger at himself and his sense of defeat in his voice.

Remorse was appropriate in this situation, but despair was not. Anakin needed to believe in his ability to bring something good out of his mistakes before he could learn from his actions in the river valley. When Obi-Wan continued it was more gently: ?Besides . . . you?re a brave young man. You?re loyal. You?re compassionate. You?re generous toward those who could never hope to repay you."

Anakin looked away, as if it was easier to shut out his Master's words than to accept them. "Ani . . ." Obi-Wan said, his tone mildly reproving. When Anakin didn't respond, Obi-Wan put his hand on the boy's shoulder, making himself that much harder to ignore. "You *can* learn to control yourself," he assured his student. "No one else has to drive you into it.?

When Anakin still didn't answer, Obi-Wan clapped him on the back and asked encouragingly, ?Am I right??

?I guess so,? Anakin said softly.

?A Jedi doesn?t say ?I guess so,?? Obi-Wan said.

?Then . . . yes, Master,? Anakin said.

??Yes, Master? what?? Obi-Wan asked, unwilling to accept such a dim, pale agreement. An unrealistic lack of self-confidence was just as unacceptable as wild overconfidence, since both led a person away from the truth.

?Yes, Master, I can learn to control myself,? Anakin said. His answer wasn?t exactly enthusiastic, but he spoke with a certain amount of resolve.

?That?s good,? Obi-Wan said, truly pleased with even this modest amount of progress. "That's very good." Whether or not Anakin believed him, the warmth in his voice coaxed a rueful smile out of the boy.

?So," Obi-Wan continued, "How are we going to keep you out of trouble for the next few days??

Anakin sighed, and some of the tension seemed to leave his shoulders. "I suppose . . . I suppose I'd better stick close to you for a while," he said.

Obi-Wan nodded. "I think that would be a good idea."

"I know I lost your trust, and I deserve to be in a lot of trouble, but . . . do I have to stay *right* here?" Anakin asked. He pointed to the floor immediately next to Obi-Wan.

"I'd like you to remain as close as is reasonably possible," Obi-Wan said. Referring to this situation as keeping a student at "smacking distance" did not do it justice. The point behind asking a student to stay close to his Master was to re-set his spiritual equilibrium, to bring it into alignment with that of a mature Jedi. The measure was meant to heal as much as it was meant to correct.

?All right . . .? Anakin said dispiritedly. ?I guess I have no right to complain, do I?? Obi-Wan picked up a flicker of

 

Sorry it?s taken me a while to get to reading and replying. Honestly, I?m sorry to myself as well because I love this story so much, things have just been kind of hectic lately. But I wanted to offer a big congrats on your SFFA nominations!

I am *so* cribbing from "Seven Samurai" here. That was the original inspiration for this story, FWIW.

Really? I haven?t seen that yet and I?ve been meaning to lately, as in really recently lately, which is what lately means. I should rent it.


Somewhere there's a picure of Hayden on a razor scooter with a cigarette in one hand and a lollipop in the other. It always struck me as a good metaphor for Anakin.

I think I?ve seen that one. Ooooh, you?re right, that?s a great visual metaphor. And the picture of Ewan with the youngling?s helmet on his head? not such a great metaphor for Obi-Wan, but still a fun picture


Hey, he's a professional. He can't let the personal stuff get in the way. It's obvious to everyone he loves the little sucker, anyhow. Notice Hoel refers to Anakin as "your boy" and not "your apprentice."

Yeah, I know he is. I just like to make fun of him, still. It?s such a difficult balance because he is a professional and they do have a job to do, but they?re still people. And, as Hoel shows, other people probably don?t grasp the ?job? side of it as much and just assume it?s a father/son outing kind of thing or something

It would almost be better if he did it in the deep Darth Vader voice, though: "COME WHAT MAY . . . . ::Wheeze!:: COME WHAT MAYYYYYY . . . .!" Then he flings out his arms, inviting a big, Sith Lordly hug . . .

Wow. Just?wow

----
I absolutely loved Hoel?s worrying about his children and how they would deal with the war. It gave a cultural as well as personal insight. What?s more, it was just so filled with the wisdom of a father of several kids. I think Obi-Wan would do well to hear some of that mixed in with what he usually reads about in ?The Idiot?s Guide to Being a Jedi? or whatever text they use in the Temple.


The memory of Anakin single-mindedly hunting down the remaining scout returned to him, and he decided not to describe exactly what a fallen Jedi could become.
Ahhh Very eerie and foreshadowing and whatnot. But Obi-Wan has some very good points about why the Jedi need to have codes to restrict them using their powers aimlessly.

I love the fact that Obi-Wan is perturbed by finding out that Anakin is *gasp* having fun Yes, that certainly warrants an investigation. *pats Obi on the head*


"I know. Almost everyone likes him," Obi-Wan said wearily. //It's a pity I'm going to have to strangle him.//
It?s a good thing I?m not a big out-loud laugher, because I had just taken a sip of Coke when I read this. But it did spark a large, wry grin (oh yes, so very Han/Obi-Wan of me. How dashing.)


He stood up despite the continued assaults of his small adversaries, his feet slipping a bit on the wet floor. Watching him try to compose himself was almost comical--he dropped his plasform tube and folded his hands, allowing the wet sleeves of his mantle to fall over his fingers. His gaze instantly dropped to the floor, as if to say: //"I'm a good, penitent Padawan."//
//And I'm a Zabrak,// Obi-Wan thought.

This was such a great little section. I could completely picture how Anakin would be playing around with these kids, and then how he?d react when Obi-Wan entered the scene, darkening the doorway like a scary door-darkening man I love that you added the little detail of Anakin slipping a little. The beautiful realism of that moment was just awesome. And then, well, the little thought exchange was the icing on the proverbial cake. The ?Zabrak? reference lent it just enough GFFA feel to make it all SWsy. And then the girl hitting Anakin with hay? and just everything about that bit was wonderful! I know, I know, I?m gushing. I?ll stop


Apparently the people of Nidawi had done a better job of disciplining their

 

things have just been kind of hectic lately.

Yes, so many people seem to have one of these "life" things. I find it quite puzzling.

But I wanted to offer a big congrats on your SFFA nominations!

Congratulations to you, too! I think instead of voting on stories, we should have a big gladiator showdown. A *singing* gladiator showdown. Imagine how many copies we'd sell of the "making of" DVD alone.

I am *so* cribbing from "Seven Samurai" here. That was the original inspiration for this story, FWIW.

Really? I haven?t seen that yet and I?ve been meaning to lately, as in really recently lately, which is what lately means. I should rent it.

Yes, you should. It's one of my all-time favorites. It's pretty much "Spirit Warriors," only I cut the seven samurai down to two and replaced the bandits with corporate mercenaries. You know how it is.

And the picture of Ewan with the youngling?s helmet on his head? not such a great metaphor for Obi-Wan, but still a fun picture

Hey, where'd you see that? That's a new one for me.

I think Obi-Wan would do well to hear some of that mixed in with what he usually reads about in ?The Idiot?s Guide to Being a Jedi? or whatever text they use in the Temple.

Yeah . . . Hoel's there partly to be a foil for Obi-Wan's character. Obi-Wan does have a touch of "first-time parent" syndrome.

I love the fact that Obi-Wan is perturbed by finding out that Anakin is *gasp* having fun Yes, that certainly warrants an investigation. *pats Obi on the head*

:: The poor fellow tries.

Apparently the people of Nidawi had done a better job of disciplining their children than Obi-Wan had done with Anakin.

Hmm, possibly not the greatest feat in the world to accomplish

Well, let's think . . . number of children in the GFFA: seveal zillion. Number of children who grow up to be a Jedi-slaughtering, son-maiming Sith Lord: one. You may be onto something there, solojones.

Ok, in the beginning of this part, I was thinking Obi-Wan had once again been burned and sympathized with Hoel?s feelings. But then when you gave Obi-Wan?s side of things, I had to agree with him as well. Arg! Stop doing this to me. I feel like a dancing puppet

I guess the point is that Obi-Wan's really got no good choices. He has to raise Anakin a certain way (or he feels he has to), but it doesn't seem to be working very well. What's a stable center to do?

The way you describe Obi-Wan?s tone as a ?gentle reminder of a Padawan?s duty to answer his Master? shows the balance in this relationship between being professional and being personal.

Wow! I inspired someone to commit literary analysis! I student taught in an English class all last term, and never managed to get this to happen! ::weeps with joy::

You get an A.

However, I do think that Obi-Wan knows he can?t make all the decision for Anakin, and I?m pretty sure he doesn?t want to.

I prefer to think of him as a tough-love type, instead of say, a crabby, emotionally constipated jerk.

When Obi-Wan reached the quiet, centered state that was the goal of meditation, he thought Anakin was with him.

He *thought* he was? but is he?

Anakin's never quite where Obi-Wan thinks he is.

Well, if I?m cluttering your thread up ophelia, you only have yourself to blame!

Yes, certainly never, ever feed this author's ego by providing long, thoughtful, intelligent feedback. That would be terrible.

-Ophelia loves solojones

 

I must be off to bed right now, no time to reply, except to say:

[image=http://www.cswu.cz/obiwan/obi/ep2nat/obin225.jpg]




-sj loves kevin spacey

 

Awwwww . . . he's so cute.

::visualizing::

Younglings: Hello Master Obi-Wan!

Obi-Wan: Hey--nice hat.

Hatless Youngling: Gimme that back!!

Incidentally, I clicked on the image above and visited the site it came from, which is so amazing in so many ways. It has lots of great pictures of Ewan, it has random Star Wars promo shots, it's done in two different shades of lavender, and it's translated very strangely from an Eastern European language.

Exhibit A: In this dialogue we can also see one of another Obi-Wans casts. Young man honours Kodex and authorities of his Order.

I'm not entirely sure *what* Obi-Wan has in his cast here, and I'm *really* not sure why.

Exhibit B: As precious I rate scene when Obi-Wan handles dealer in bar with Force

Clearly, he was ignoring the large sign above the bar which read, "Warning: Do Not Handle Dealer In Bar With Force."

Exhibit C: In our universe it's sign of exogenous depression, bordering on manic-depressive states, but in the Star Wars universe it is greatest sign of wisdom and noble-mindedness.

Now that's just great in any language.

Thank you for posting that, solojones. That just made my day.

 

**Skrike alert. Skrike alert. Ugly animals annoying Obi-Wan, commencing in 5 . . . 4 . . . 3 . . .**



****
It would have felt good to spend a long time like that, joined in silent contemplation, but unfortunately duty called as it always did.

At last Obi-Wan gave Anakin a pat on the shoulder and said, ?We ought to feed the sherqas. We're very late as it is."

This process involved opening a trap door in the floor and throwing down armfuls of now-sodden and trampled hay into the lower level of the barn. Then the Jedi had to climb down the ladder and toss the dried grass into each animal's pen. Obi-Wan balanced their power lamp on one of the pen posts, and it threw bright light and deep shadows throughout the barn. Anakin remained obediently at his Master's side, and they soon fell into a parallel rhythm of bending to pick up hay and throwing it over the pen walls to the hungry sherqas.

The animals were about hip height on a man, and these were obviously used to being well-fed, since many of them appeared almost as wide as they were tall. They were horned, cloven-hoofed beasts whose long, silken hair ranged in color from pale gold to almost green. Several of them were friendly things, and they pushed their triangular muzzles through the rails of their pens to nuzzle the Jedis' hands.

Anakin seemed to find some peace in feeding the creatures, sometimes coaxing them to eat out of his hand. Caring for others could have healing effects--a lesson worth learning, or worth re-learning, in Obi-Wan's case. He had thought he had little more to give anyone as he left the meeting lodge that night, but in the face of Anakin's need for guidance and attention he'd found reserves of energy he hadn't known he had.

Once the sherqas were all fed, both the Jedi stepped back, watching the creatures chew contentedly. After a moment Anakin asked, "Master?"

"Hmm?" Obi-Wan responded, meeting his gaze.

"Do we have to go back up right away?" Anakin asked. "I?ve been up there a while, and I sort of wanted to go for a walk, but I?ll understand if . . . you know." He shrugged and glanced away.

"I'll go with you," Obi-Wan said, and Anakin flashed him a grateful smile.

The two Jedi walked out into the farmyard, where they were met almost at once by a riotous flock of skrikes. The vaguely lizard-like creatures were a little shorter than knee height, and they ran along with frightening speed on their muscular hind legs. Sharp-toothed jaws and curving claws on their small forelegs enabled them to snatch garden-destroying moths out of the air, which was why they were set loose from their pen at night. They were also unnervingly fond of Obi-Wan, and a group of them stood directly in his path, gazing adoringly up at him with their red, unblinking eyes. The creatures cocked their heads to the side, their mouths open.

"Go away," he told them.

They responded with a jubilant cacophony of their harsh cries: "Skrike! Skrike!!"

In some cases, the friendship of animals was a sign of advanced spiritual development. For instance, if Master Yoda went to meditate in the enclosed garden atop the Tower of Butterflies in the Jedi Temple, his head, hands and robes would soon be covered in the delicate, fluttering insects. Unfortunately, skrikes were a long way from butterflies. Obi-Wan was not sure what it meant when a Jedi attracted faintly repulsive creatures. Perhaps that fate was reserved for those who aimed at deep spirituality and missed.

"They like you, Master," Anakin said.

"I noticed," Obi-Wan said. Had he been wearing his mantle, he'd have shaken the hem at them to back them off. As it was, he had to nudge them aside with the toe of his boot. "Shoo . . . shoo! You too. Out of the way." Yet as soon as one skrike moved, another seemed to step into its place. After a few ineffectual attempts to drive them off, Obi-Wan picked up a stone and tossed it into some bushes near the barn. The creatures' arrow-shaped heads all turned in the direction of the noise. "Go on,"

 

I have decided that the skrikes are my personal Mary Sues in this story. Skrike!!

LOL!!!

 

Isn't the Czech Obi-Wan site great? They have so many great pictures of Obi-Wan, Ben, Ewan, and Alec. Nevermind those translations. Or maybe that's just part of the fun

Have you submitted your excerpts for the SFFA yet? If you hadn't, I was going to suggest using 21 becase clearly I really liked that part, though there are many great parts in the story.


Hoel does serve as a really good foil to Obi-Wan. Clever you and your clever, clever character crafting.

Well, let's think . . . number of children in the GFFA: seveal zillion. Number of children who grow up to be a Jedi-slaughtering, son-maiming Sith Lord: one. You may be onto something there, solojones.

I?m perceptive, aren?t I?

Wow! I inspired someone to commit literary analysis!

It was second degree, I swear! I didn?t pre-meditate it at all. In fact, I think I wasn?t quite in my right state of mind. I?m going with a section 8. Wait, this isn?t the army. *contemplates SW/M*A*S*H crossover* ?.. I?m really tired

I prefer to think of him as a tough-love type, instead of say, a crabby, emotionally constipated jerk.

That?s the perfect way to describe it. I?ll have to keep that one in mind whilst writing these two, yes *writes ?tough love? on the palm of her hand*

-Ophelia loves solojones

Mutually, my dear

----

"I'll go with you," Obi-Wan said, and Anakin flashed him a grateful smile.

Ahhh, what a nice little tender moment. You must teach me how to write that between Obi-Wan and Anakin, because I?m going to need it in upcoming parts of my story. I am stuck in my angst land. Help me Ophelia, you?re my only hope (did you catch the reference? You did, didn?t you? )

For instance, if Master Yoda went to meditate in the enclosed garden atop the Tower of Butterflies in the Jedi Temple, his head, hands and robes would soon be covered in the delicate, fluttering insects.

The image of Yoda covered in butterflies is very?.trippy.

Obi-Wan was not sure what it meant when a Jedi attracted faintly repulsive creatures. Perhaps that fate was reserved for those who aimed at deep spirituality and missed.

x 1138
*wipes a tear from her eye*

Ahem, sorry, I just really liked those lines. In some way it?s perhaps a little revealing of the truth, but it?s also put in such a dry ?Obi-Wan? way of thinking

I have decided that the skrikes are my personal Mary Sues in this story. Skrike!

And then Obi-Wan marries a half-woman-half-skrike mystical creature who adores him and is absolutely perfect, never getting mad at him, and always using her slightly sharp teeth and mind-control powers that she's just recently discovered to scare off big bad Sithly people who come after him.

Best. Mary Sue. Ever.


-sj loves kevin spacey

 

solojones wrote:

Have you submitted your excerpts for the SFFA yet?

Yes . . . I submitted a section from early on . . . 3 maybe? I thought that had some of the best action writing in the story. It's the part where Anakin destroys the seeker droid and runs into Perahta's scouts. (I also can't read that part without thinking of Harry Potter, what with all the flying around chasing after the seeker and all.)

The other part I submitted was the part where Anakin returns after almost killing the scout who was running from him, since I think that section has some of the best dramatic writing. I *think* I'm allowed to submit two sections, since I was nominated in two categories . . . I guess I'll find out if I wasn't.

Wait, this isn?t the army. *contemplates SW/M*A*S*H crossover*

::Visualizes Hawkeye and Honeycut wiring a drink-mixing function into Anakin's mechanical hand as a joke.::

:roceeds to go hide under the bed::

Ahhh, what a nice little tender moment. You must teach me how to write that between Obi-Wan and Anakin, because I?m going to need it in upcoming parts of my story. I am stuck in my angst land. Help me Ophelia, you?re my only hope (did you catch the reference? You did, didn?t you? )

Wait--that's the part where Neo goes to Gollum about rescuing Ron Weasley's sister, right?

Well . . . I can tell you that "Creating Character Emotions" by Ann Hood is very good. I also advocate theft. It can help to watch other films the SW actors have been in and take mental notes about their mannerisms and reactions. If you're doing father/son-angst-turns-to-warm-n-fuzzy-stuff involving Anakin, you've got a ready-made resource in "Life As A House." I'd pay a lot of attention to the emotional turning points in the story. If Hayden's character was a little creep in scene A but he's being nice in scene B, what happened in between? How could you replicate that effect? What could you change to make the scene better fit your story?

Obviously, you can also watch films which do *not* contain Star Wars actors. (Unnatural as that may sound.) Studying the interaction between Li Mu Bai and Jen in "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" might be helpful. Since you're basically working in the parent/child relationship building genre, you could even look as (apparently) far afield as "Freaky Friday" (either version) or "Monsters, Inc." <---"Aiiigh!! It's a child! Get it away from me! Get it away from me! -> Well . . . I guess she's okay . . . . -> ::sniff!:: I love that kid!!"

Cribbing from real life is always good too, but I'd mine it for details rather than scene structure, for obvious reasons. Also, people can get a little funny when they realize you're studying them for inclusion in a fic. Your sobbing friend probably won't appreciate it if you stop her and say, "Okay wait . . . is this grief you're expressing here, or just loss?"

I could PM you other notes if you were really interested.

The image of Yoda covered in butterflies is very?.trippy.

Whoa . . . I hadn't thought of it that way. I was aiming for sort of a "St. Francis with little birds perched on his hands" image. I guess now we have another reason why the story of Anakin's fall got so screwed up. Ben was snockered on "Night Train," and Yoda'd been chewing more exotic stuff than his gimer stick.

And then Obi-Wan marries a half-woman-half-skrike mystical creature who adores him and is absolutely perfect, never getting mad at him, and always using her slightly sharp teeth and mind-control powers that she's just recently discovered to scare off big bad Sithly people who come after him.

You guessed the ending!!

Best. Mary Sue. Ever.

Maybe I should make it so the skrikes have silver eyes and lavender hair, though. Also Obi-Wan should have known them early in his life and have been secretly pining for them ever since. Yes, that would be best.

 

Story post commenceth.

****
As they passed out from beneath the tree cover and entered the village proper, both of Angharad's moons were visible in the sky. The large white one was nearly full and at its zenith, while the little red one was slightly gibbous and several degrees of arc further to the west. Both moons cast wide haloes in the moisture-filled air, filling the empty village street with luminous twilight.

Anakin gazed up at them with a look of longing on his face. ?I wonder what they?re doing . . . back home, I mean,? he said.

Obi-Wan had never heard him speak of the Jedi Temple with that kind of homesickness, and he suspected Anakin was thinking of his mother. ?I?m sure all is well,? he said.

?I just wish . . .? Anakin began, and then he shook his head and tore his gaze from the sky. ?I mean, Qui-Gon had so much hope for me, and so did . . .? his voice faltered, giving the true depth of his feelings away. It was a clue that helped Obi-Wan understand him; Anakin was often better at shielding his emotions from his Master than Obi-Wan would have liked.

? . . . so did your mother,? Obi-Wan finished for him.

Anakin nodded. ?Sometimes I think of what they would say if they could see me now. I wish they could see something better than *this,?* he said, holding his hands out in a gesture that indicated his situation in general and himself in particular.

?Ani, we all make mistakes,? Obi-Wan said. ?I?ve made them, you?ve made them, Qui-Gon made them. I?m sure even your mother made one or two in her life.?

?Not that I ever noticed,? he said. ?Nothing really big, anyway.? In Anakin?s recollection, his mother was a saint.

?Well, *I?ve* made big mistakes,? Obi-Wan said. Anakin gave him a skeptical look.

One of Obi-Wan?s education Masters had warned him never to tell this story, since it violated two cardinal rules of lecturing: never talk about yourself, and never teach by negative example. Of course, Obi-Wan didn't think this particular Master had ever been right before, so he decided to forge ahead. "I disobeyed Qui-Gon in battle once," he admitted. Anakin looked over sharply, suddenly interested. "Once," Obi-Wan repeated, holding up a finger for emphasis.

"I was about your age at the time," Obi-Wan said, glancing at Anakin. The boy looked back intently, clearly fascinated by the idea of his Master being young and fallible. "My Master and I were helping to guard the governor's palace on Emyr . . . the man who?d lost their most recent election was none too happy about it, and he'd decided to take power by force." Obi-Wan mentally revisited that walled city on a hill, recalling how its terraced fortifications followed the curves of the land like the coils of a lazy dragon.

"For reasons that are no longer important, we were going to let several of the attackers in by the north gate. I was stationed at the east gate," Obi-Wan continued. "It wasn't a difficult assignment; all I had to do was stand there and try to look intimidating. We weren't expecting a serious attack from that direction.

"However . . . before I'd been there long, someone set off a blast charge in a building not far from where I stood. This was a poorer residential district--evacuated, supposedly--but there were a number of homeless beings drifting through the streets. My first thought was that someone might be hurt. So when that building collapsed in on itself, what do you suppose I did?"

"You ran straight for it?" Anakin asked.

"Of course I did," Obi-Wan said. "Whenever there's a very dangerous situation you can do nothing about, you ought to head right for the middle of it, am I right? What else would any thinking person do?"

This was more or less exactly what Anakin had done that afternoon, and the boy looked away, apparently trying not to be amused by Obi-Wan?s story. In this case, laughing at Obi-Wan carried the price of being willing to laugh at himself.

****
End 25/?

 

That was great! I love seeing Obi-Wan relate to Anakin! And you have the comparisons done wonderfully!

 

Thank you!! I like seeing the two of them relate to each other too. Watching bickering is no fun . . . unless it's hilarious bickering, like between Han and Leia.

****

"Any guesses as to what the strategic importance of a bombed-out building in the middle of an evacuated neighborhood was?" Obi-Wan asked.

"None?" Anakin suggested.

"Or slightly less," said Obi-Wan. "It would have been far better if I'd remained at my post. But I didn't . . . I bolted, and left the palace guards in some confusion. Then the insurrectionists saw their chance, and rushed the gates." He fell silent a moment, still feeling the bite of regret some sixteen years later. "There were no serious injuries . . . or none that I know of, anyway," he said, glancing upward as he offered his thanks to the Force. "Fortunately, the palace guards were reluctant to harm their own people, and they used force pikes set on low power. Still, some people were hurt in the fight, mostly the invaders. My fault," he said, tapping his chest.

"Master . . . you can't blame yourself for what somebody else decided to do," Anakin protested. "You didn't *make* those people attack the guards."

"I placed innocent people in harm's way by my choice not to follow orders. I betrayed my Master's trust. It was a very grave error, despite the fact that I thought I was 'helping.'" Obi-Wan fell silent for a few moments, allowing that to sink in.

At last Anakin asked, "What happened? Did you get in a lot of trouble??

"Let?s just say that Qui-Gon was not happy," Obi-Wan said. "I?m not sure what he would have done if it weren't for the Jedi prohibition against anger. He reprimanded me on the spot, and ordered me back to our quarters to spend time in reflection. Still, he was milder than the captain of the guards was. *He* wanted me pilloried--literally, as a matter of fact.

"My Master ended up telling me to stay right by his side until further notice, which was just as well, really. I wasn't having much success regulating my own emotions at the time." He glanced over at Anakin and added, "I cried for days."

?You did not,? Anakin said, his eyes wide with disbelief.

?Yes, I did,? Obi-Wan said. ?I was terrified that someone had been badly hurt or killed because of what I'd done, and that I?d be expelled for it. Qui-Gon tried to explain to me that there wouldn?t be much of the Jedi Order left if they expelled every teenager who did something silly, but I couldn?t let the fear go . . . I suppose it was my way of punishing myself.? He'd actually been in much worse shape than Anakin was. Anakin?s variable moods lent him a certain resilience, while Obi-Wan's more stable personality worked against him sometimes. Depression had settled over him shortly after the battle on Emyr and refused to lift.

?Did Qui-Gon help you get over being so scared?? Anakin asked.

?Yes,? Obi-Wan said. "He regretted having placed me in a position that required such steadiness before I was ready. I could sense that every time he looked at me and saw me grieving, he felt a twinge of guilt, which he immediately offered up to the Force. He called that 'living in the moment'?-letting the past go, and not fretting about the future. I think this went on for a good half a day before I realized he wanted me to imitate him. It was hard for me to see that I had the same choices he did--what with the entire universe revolving around me and my problems and all.? Anakin smiled, apparently amused at the mental image of Obi-Wan as a self-absorbed adolescent. ?Things went a lot better for me after I finally stopped letting my negative emotions feed on themselves.?

?But . . . I need to feel bad so I won?t do it again,? Anakin said.

?Not so bad that it blocks you from improving yourself,? Obi-Wan pointed out. ?The best thing to do is to control your emotions from the beginning, so you never work yourself up into the kind of fear that drove you to act as you did today. You know what Master Yoda says about the beginnings of control.?

Anaki

 

A sense of unease followed Anakin into sleep. He tossed and turned in his damp nest of hay, often jolting out of a light doze at some imagined sound. He could not have said exactly what made him nervous. Perhaps it was the harrowing events of the day, or his vision of the chains. Maybe it was the strange, directionless sense of menace he'd picked up at the edge of the village.

At such times, his thoughts often gravitated toward his mother and lovely Padmé Naberrie--the two wisest and kindest women in the galaxy. They were the secret that he was trying to keep from the mind healers. He hid his love for them away like a precious jewel. That love was his one prize possession, the one thing he would not let the Jedi Order have. If the mind healers found out, they would tell him that he must give up the attachments of his former life before he could expect to progress spiritually as a Jedi. He would still be allowed to feel compassion, which was a sort of broad, professional love, for the women who were most important to him, but compassion was such a pale, vague feeling. What he really wanted was to remain emotionally bound to one of them as a son, and to the other, maybe someday, as a husband. That wouldn?t be good enough for the Jedi Order; they?d tell him he?d have to make a choice. But Anakin didn?t want to choose.

So far, he?d gotten along by hedging, telling half-truths when he had to, and trying to use his growing skills to make up for the soul-deep commitment he wasn?t able to make. Most people didn?t notice. Master Obi-Wan did sometimes, and Anakin knew it troubled him. That?s why he talked about taking Anakin to the mind healers a lot. If Obi-Wan only knew the truth, he would understand why the mind healers couldn?t help his Padawan. Of course, the truth was the one thing Obi-Wan must never know.

Guiltily, like a spice-head seeking a forbidden fix, Anakin allowed his thoughts to dwell on Padmé, imagining what it would be like to meet her again, to talk with her, to kiss her. Yet even his favorite fantasy brought him little comfort that night.

His fretfulness soon disturbed his Master, and Anakin quickly raised his mental shields. If Obi-Wan had picked up anything abnormal from Anakin, he didn?t show it. Perhaps he thought he was only dealing with the well-worn erotic daydreams of a teenage insomniac. In any case, he seemed merely exasperated as he reached over and rested his hand on Anakin's head, as if he could physically halt the whirling of his apprentice's thoughts.

"Stop," Obi-Wan said. He traced a small half-circle on Anakin's forehead with his thumb, accompanying the gesture with a gentle Force-suggestion: //Go to sleep.//

That trick worked on really small kids, and Anakin wasn't impressed. ?Master, I?m almost an adult,? he pointed out. ?You don?t do that to people my age.?

?Fine then,? Obi-Wan said. He raised himself up on his elbow and leaned in toward Anakin?s face. Anakin got a realy good look at his Master's exhaustion-reddened eyes as he said: ?Go. To. Sleep.? With that Obi-Wan rolled back over and tossed a fold of his mantle over his head.

?You don?t have to be so grumpy about it,? Anakin said. That earned him a little mental flick of disapproval, the Jedi equivalent of a box on the ears. Feeling grumpy himself, Anakin lay down facing away from his Master, and tried once again to sleep.

Perhaps fatigue had left him more susceptible to Obi-Wan?s little sleep trick than he'd thought, because exhaustion seemed to fold around him like a blanket, and unconsciousness soon took him.

****
End 27/?

 

Unfortunately, he dreamed he was awake. His dream-self lay on his back in the hollow he'd worn in the hay, his shoulder blades and pelvic bones resting uncomfortably against the bare wood floor. All around him was dark, except for the sliver of bluish moonlight that shone around the edge of the loft door. Even R2 had shut off most of his status lights to conserve power. Obi-Wan lay nearby, wrapped up in his still-damp mantle. Anakin sensed that he had fallen into a dreamless sleep.

For all intents and purposes, Anakin was alone. Stabs of adrenaline kept running through him, although no immediate danger seemed present.

He tried using the Force to find the source of his fear: //What is it? What do I have to be afraid of?//

As if in answer, the loft door swung open wider with the whisper of a creak. Frozen like an insect encased in ice, he watched the bar of light on the floor grow, framing a long, cloaked shadow. A strange, half-animal hiss filled his ears. The sound soon resolved to a voice: "Vengeance."

Anakin jolted awake. He could feel his heart hammering as if he'd run for miles. For a moment he lay very still, feeling sweat run down the back of his neck. //A nightmare.//

The loft door was still closed. No menacing shadow had appeared. Yet for some reason, his sense of dread did not lessen. He shut his eyes and extended his senses through the farmyard, letting his awareness settle like tendrils of smoke into every crevice of the Oyas' property. He detected no obvious threat, but sharp jabs of a nameless fear left him increasingly certain that there was something outside the barn.

Soon Obi-Wan's deep, slow breathing shifted to the nearly-inaudible breath of wakefulness. Anakin glanced over and saw moonlight picking out faint highlights in his Master's open eyes.

"Master . . .?" Anakin whispered. "Do you sense it too?"

Obi-Wan's answer was to reach over and slowly wrap his hand around his saber belt. He rolled near-soundlessly to his feet, and Anakin picked up his own belt and did likewise. The two of them readied themselves for battle as quickly and silently as they could, but R2's lights came on at the soft clink of Anakin's belt fasteners. Obi-Wan pointed a stern finger at the droid, and R2 remained quiet.

Anakin caught his Master's glance toward the ladder leading down to the barn's darkened lower level. He knew what Obi-Wan was thinking. Their current defensive position was poor; they were on the second floor of a windowless building with no easy way to get to the ground.

Anakin could not sense anything waiting down below, but he was in no hurry to descend that ladder into the dark. Obi-Wan must have agreed with him; he turned and strode to the door that led out onto the lift platform. He pushed it partially open, and both Jedi stood in the door's shadow, peering out into the moon-washed farmyard. Anakin could see nothing moving. For some reason, the quiet bothered him. Something was missing . . .

?Master--the skrikes are silent,? Anakin whispered. He had never known the voracious animals to fall quiet before.

No danger was apparent, no sound broke the silence of the night, yet the cool pre-dawn air seemed to pulsate faintly with evil. Obi-Wan drew his saber and held it unlit at his side; Anakin did likewise.

Listening with the Force, they remained still so long that Anakin's muscles began to ache from holding the same position. At last the soft hiss returned to his mind--like the exhalation of a breath long held. The mere presence of the sensation was fearful, *wrong,* like the rustle of clothing in a room where he thought he was alone. He and Obi-Wan were presumably the only Jedi, the only trained Force-users, on Angharad. Nothing on this planet should be stalking them, breathing softly into their minds.

****
End 28/?

 

New reader here.... congratulations on your nominations!

ophelia, I have spent a very happy few days catching up on your story, and I must say I'm hooked! The level of detail is so satisfying, and the emotional resonance is so deep. Bravo, bravo!!

I particularly enjoyed one bit on page 1 about how one of the vehicles had an unfortunate tendency to explode when hit from behind.... I was cracking up at the idea of the Intergalactic Ford Pinto! (and coming up with bizarre ideas for a story about used swoop bike salesmen)

Obi-Wan was not sure what it meant when a Jedi attracted faintly repulsive creatures. Perhaps that fate was reserved for those who aimed at deep spirituality and missed.

ROFLOL! Reminds me of Douglas Adams!

P.S.--I have decided that the skrikes are my personal Mary Sues in this story. Skrike!

All over Obi-Wan like glue, and no bothersome Jedi Code to get in the way - that's pure heaven! Can't blame you!

From parts 27 & 28... I hate it when I can't sleep and then dream that I'm lying awake in bed! Poor Anakin..... if the Jedi mindhealers only could get their hands on you.... this isn't an AU, is it?

Yikes!! I'm caught up now. Did I ever make it a good time for my first post! I'm glad you're posting this so regularly... I might not be able to read / post every day but I'll be here

Thanks for the great read ophelia!

 

Domina_Tagge wrote:

New reader here.... congratulations on your nominations!

Thank you! And welllcome to my nightmare . . .

I was cracking up at the idea of the Intergalactic Ford Pinto!

Yeah . . . that's pretty much what I was thinking of. Hey, it's a low-end product . . . these people aren't rich.

(and coming up with bizarre ideas for a story about used swoop bike salesmen)

You know . . . I keep thinking Anakin would be good at that . . . he could run "Uncle Ani's Used Speeders" or something. That's what he *should* have done with his life. Drop out of the Jedi Order, marry Padmé, and sell spare parts for stuff that goes really fast. Little did Qui-Gon know there was an obscure passage in the Chosen One prophecy about said One maybe not bringing balance to the Force, but giving the Jedi really good deals on "pre-owned" speeder components instead.

All over Obi-Wan like glue, and no bothersome Jedi Code to get in the way - that's pure heaven! Can't blame you!

:: Skrike!!

Pretty much all the other notable details in the story have *some* plot function or other, including the "Intergalactic Ford Pinto," but I confess that the skrikes are totally gratuitous. The fact that I *really* wanted them in there even though they serve no purpose whatsoever is what clued me in that they were lizardlike, bug-eating Mary Sues. (And who says Mary has to be gorgeous?!)

if the Jedi mindhealers only could get their hands on you.... this isn't an AU, is it?

Actually it is, but only because I included R2 in an early draft and then found I couldn't get rid of him once I found out that he was supposed to be on Naboo with Padmé. Hey, R2 and Anakin were together throughout the last part of TPM, so I figured they stayed together. (That gives you an idea of how long this damn plot bunny's been biting . . . I started toying with it back in '99, after the first prequel came out. Then I gave up on it, because I could tell it was going to be way too much work.) I was imagining this to be a 99.99% canon universe in which Anakin goes over to the dark side, but if you'd rather imagine it otherwise, go ahead.

I'm glad you're posting this so regularly...

I should be able to keep this up throughout the summer . . . when classes start again in the fall I'll just have to do the best that I can.

I might not be able to read / post every day but I'll be here

And I'll be glad to have you. Thanks for posting!

 

Begin 29/?
****
Something about that eerie hiss seemed to propel Obi-Wan into action. He pushed his way through the door, igniting his saber as he strode out onto the lift platform. Without missing a beat, he stepped off the side, catching the wooden edge with one hand as he fell. He swung himself forward and landed lightly on his feet, well away from any potential hiding places along the barn's wall. Anakin matched him move for move, hitting the ground less than a second later.

The two Jedi walked with battle-ready slowness to the center of the farmyard. From where they stood, the surrounding forest was visible to both the east and west. Various buildings obscured their vision to the north and south. Anakin took a position facing east, his back up against his Master's. They stood motionless for some time, scanning the night, their ignited blades casting bluish shadows at their feet.

Silence reigned. Just when Anakin began to hope the threat had moved on, he heard the hiss again, this time as much audibly as mentally. It had a satisfied sound to it: "Yesss."

Anakin stiffened, wondering if he and Obi-Wan had been drawn out into a trap. "Master, what is it?" he asked.

?Don't respond to it,? Obi-Wan told him.

Anakin sensed Obi-Wan was not afraid--rather he was filled with the icy battle calm that Jedi felt instead of fear. However, the strength of the mental resistance he put up against this intruder told Anakin that the danger must be serious indeed.

He had a terrifying thought. ?Is it a Sith?? he asked. He had not been present for the Sith Lord's attack on Naboo, but he could not imagine what else would give off an energy signature of such concentrated evil.

For an instant, emotion broke through Obi-Wan's usually steely self-control. "Don't think such things," he said sharply.

Anakin opened his mouth to protest the rebuke, but never found his voice. A soft hiss filled his mind instead: //Skywalker.//

He froze. A thrill of terror ran down his spine as he thought: //It knows my name.// He remembered the seeker that had shown up out of nowhere, how R2 had claimed someone set him up. Prickles of anger welled up in him as he saw he'd been deliberately targeted. "What do you want from me?" Anakin demanded. He took a step forward, intent on confronting his unseen enemy. Somewhere in this farmyard there must be a shadow out of place. He sought it, looking for a focus for his aggression.

Obi-Wan stopped him by clamping a hand on his shoulder. "Stand your ground," he ordered.

Anakin could not imagine letting the thing go skulking around among the outbuildings, waiting to attack at its pleasure. "If we force it out into the open--" he began.

"It's testing you--searching your mind for weaknesses. Your anger is giving it what it wants." When Anakin hesitated, Obi-Wan added gravely, "You've made enough mistakes for one day."

Chastened, Anakin moved back to his position, though his whole body fairly shook with the desire to go after their hidden enemy, to drag him into the light where he could be dealt with. His duty to obey his Master and his thirst to vanquish this foe pulled at him from opposite directions; inside, he felt like a thin wire drawn tight.

//Come out and fight,// the hissing voice taunted.

****
End 29/?

 

Truly, the utter joy of reading this story is the wonderful relationship you have crafted between Obi-Wan and Anakin...in how they view each other...their verbal give and take, etc.

Just for the record, I love that R2 is with our boys. After all, he is the real hero of the saga. At least, R2 would say so.

Darth Vengeance is out there lurking I see. Well, he was in the original version, so I assume it is. Great name. It makes you wonder how the Sith go about taking their Sithly names. Perhaps there is some Dark Lord thesaurus they thumb through. Let's see, shall I be Darth "Venom"? Darth "Perfidy?" I know, Darth "Maleficience!" That's pretty catchy.

Keep up the good work.

 

DarthPenguin wrote:

Just for the record, I love that R2 is with our boys. After all, he is the real hero of the saga. At least, R2 would say so.

You know . . . GL has said something similar. He's also gone on record as saying that there will be a shocking revelation in Ep III that will rival the "I am your father" thing . . .

Anakin = random yahoo

Chosen One = droid



Darth Vengeance is out there lurking I see. Well, he was in the original version, so I assume it is. Great name.

It is indeed he. I'm surprised and flattered that you remember him. FWIW, there's a user on the boards called Darth Vengeance, but the character's not named after him. I guess Star Wars-addicted minds think alike.

It makes you wonder how the Sith go about taking their Sithly names. Perhaps there is some Dark Lord thesaurus they thumb through. Let's see, shall I be Darth "Venom"? Darth "Perfidy?" I know, Darth "Maleficience!" That's pretty catchy.

I always wondered that too. Maybe they prance around a dressing room full of various black outfits singing, "I feel Sithy, oh so Sithy . . ." until inspiration strikes.

After TPM came out, some friends and I had a long (pointless) conversation about why the Sith always seemed to give themselves angry names when there are 6 other perfectly good deadly sins to name yourself after. My personal favorite was Darth Sloth, Lord of the Slack. He and his Padawan Slacker capture people in their slacktor beams, thus trapping them on the couch in front of the TV forever. I was even going to write up Darth Sloth's manifesto, but I was too lazy to finish it. (Well, duh . . .)

I have no idea how much of Darth Vengeance's backstory is going to end up making the "final cut," but I can tell you that in my original notes for him, his birth name was Marrok Arun, and that his Sith name is the key to his character (also duh):

(From notes)

Vengeance has the whole fear/anger/hate/suffering thing covered. Casual sadism comes easily -- violence is sexually attractive. Think a young Jeffrey Dahmer with wings. In fact he's so filled with rage and a sense of having been wronged that he's more unstable than Sidious would like. Pathetically, he seems to desperately crave Sidious' approval and is becoming increasingly paranoid about and jealous of Anakin Skywalker. The possibility exists that this jealousy and incipient sense of betrayal may cause him to turn against his master.

More than you wanted to know, perhaps . . . but I like the idea of a flying Dahmer.