Saga The Last of the Old (Dear Diary Challenge 2010 - Completed 1/2/2011)

You've really captured how well Obi-wan can put up a strong front. Hearing about Anakin again must be painful, it would be for anyone. Great story!

 

good chapter! Please keep going!

 

And now Obi-Wan knows all about Anakin's visit to the Tusken to get his mother back. WHEW. And he must keep secrets from Kitster.

Great update

 

So now Ben knows.
I wonder what he will make with the knowledge. And - was that a mind trick my weary bleary eyes spotted there?

 

Another fine update - and congratulations/good luck regarding your noms!

 

Jade_eyes: Thanks so much. I never figured Anakin found the time to tell Obi-Wan and the Jedi during the Clone Wars (although accoring to RotS, he told Palps), but it's a story Obi-Wan needed to hear.

Valiowk: Thanks, Owen and Beru can't be the only figures in Anakin's life that Obi-Wan ever interacted with.

Takianna: Thank-you, out of all the canon characters, I always thought Obi-Wan was the easiest to capture (for me anyway )

JediKaren: I will! Thanks!

earlybird-obi-wan: Yeah, I know he had to stay quiet. But why tarnish Kitster's memories of Anakin?

MsLanna: A mind trick? Couldn't let people know that he was Obi-Wan Kenobi, the guy who was scene all over the Holonews with Skywalker as the Republic's face of the Clone Wars, now could he? *waves hand across screen* And no, you didn't see anything.

Valairy_Scot: Thanks so much!!!

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[b]ENTRY 243:[/b]
 
 
 
It?s been several weeks since my happening upon Kitster Bandai among the [i]Valley of Spirits[/i], and I have been much in thought. There are so many things the man had said that I either hadn?t known, or had never given thought to. Perhaps I?m even guilty of turning a blind eye.
 
While I don?t believe that Anakin was capable of stopping the war, there are so many variables to consider. What if Anakin?s head had been clear and we destroyed Dooku and the budding Confederacy on Geonosis?
 
But then that leads me to the thought of how Kitster had said it was too coincidental that Anakin?s poor mother had been kidnapped and tortured when she had. Master Yoda and I had discussed prior to our farewells at length regarding Palpatine?s orchestration of the war to bring himself to power, but what if he had done much more than create a subservient clone army and public threat to oppose as he solidified his hold on the government?
 
What if Palpatine had somehow been involved in the death of Anakin?s mother? What if he had a hand in her torture? Anakin had been having nightmares involving his mother for weeks prior to her death, and foolishly, I had dismissed them as dreams.
 
What was I thinking? Perhaps the most powerful Jedi in recorded history and instead of acknowledging them for the premonitions they were, I was offhandedly callous, if only to further the drive between Anakin and his mother as per decree by the Jedi Order.
 
That is why I agree with Kitster, I feel it was more than mere coincidence that Anakin was drawn to his home world, only to watch his mother die. It gave him his first taste of revenge and hatred and loss, and all those other desperate emotions that the Darkside uses to beckon and corrupt.
 
It also hasn?t gone unnoted by me that during the times Anakin felt at his lowest, was his most emotionally susceptible, I was not around. Everything I taught him about being a Jedi was undermined by a Sith Lord in my absence.
 
Does that dismiss his actions, and serve for a pardon? Of course not, but the happenstance is not lost upon me. I must seek to stop punishing myself for Anakin?s fall. Yes, I could have been there from him when he needed me most, but that is not how events unfolded. Palpatine is the perpetrator of Anakin?s decent, and Anakin allowed it. Am I my brother?s keeper? Indeed, but I am not his hand and could not have stayed his actions if that is what he so chose.
 

I?ll always love Anakin like a brother, as son and a friend; but I?m still a long way from forgiving him.

 

excellent update with Obi-Wan's thoughts about Anakin. Showing the great compassion of Obi-Wan

 

Eloquent and poignant musings. Very compelling insights.

 

I'd never considered this possibility before, but now that you mention it, it actually seems possible.

Lovely entry showing Obi-Wan's thoughts on how Palpatine could have turned Anakin to the Dark side. Indeed, it's difficult to forgive somebody after discovering that they've committed such deeds - hopefully, time will help Obi-Wan understand that what's past is past, and one should focus on the future.

Well done!

 

First off, thanks to YOU guys for the awards for Best Challenge Response and Best Male Canon... It was awesome.

earlybird-obi-wan: Thank you!

Jade-eyes: Thank-you as well!

Valiowk: It's funny, when I saw AOTC, it's the first thing that popped in my head!

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[b]ENTRY 295:[/b]
[i](Part 1)[/i]

Today marks the seventh birthday of Luke and Leia. Moreover, as hard as it may be, this will be the first year I don?t precede that sentiment with the anniversary of Padmé and Anakin?s death. As taught to me by Master Qui-Gon, a Jedi must learn to keep their minds focused and not allow for the distractions that result from emotions left unchecked.

Today however, I?m going to let myself experience the euphoria of joy, if even for a moment.

I had scheduled my weekly trip into Anchorhead to coincide with the twins? birthday so I could send well wishes via our usual methods to Bail on Alderaan for Leia. There was also the chance that perhaps one of his encoded messages, sent painstakingly though many channels regarding updates of the budding rebellions against Palpatine?s Empire would be awaiting me in return. I thank the Force he has stopped imploring me to mobilize a cell here on Tatooine. Despite my successes during the Clone Wars, I deplore myself in a military role ? as I?m sure most Jedi did at the time.

Besides, despite the many decent souls here on Tatooine, there are that many more seedy individuals, none to be trusted enough to not line their pockets with money received from selling out to the Empire.

But I digress. After my tedious dealings with the communications broker at the Weary Traveler, I happened upon one of the many street merchants peddling an odd assortment of wares. While most merchants trade in a single type of commodity, such as food or clothing, this being displayed a wide variety of unrelated items. I have seen what the locals refer to as ?odds and ends? dealers who barter used goods for items needed, but this was not one of them.

None of his wares looked used in the least; in fact, he seemed to have whole crates of brand new, unrelated merchandise. One crate displayed brand new, uncharged blaster batteries, while another held at least two dozen pair of imitation shimmersilk slippers ? all the same size.

As I perused through a dusty case of what was obviously at one time to be a case of brown robes meant for the Jedi Order, I casually asked the Ortolan, whose blue skin had become blotchy under the twin suns about his wide array of items. The fellow immediately became defensive, reinforcing my suspicions that his collection of goods were not obtained through purchase of factory overstock.

He slammed the case of robes shut, and demanded I leave unless I planned to purchase something. I asked if he might have anything I purchase for a small boy, a question that seemed to lighten his demeanor. As I watched the blue skinned creature shuffle among his strewn about cartons, I suddenly felt an oddly strong and distinct presence in the Force. And it was close by!

I tried to concentrate on the peddler as he pulled a still sealed wooden crate from beneath a pile of others, letting several crash to the ground; all the while letting my mind track the shinning presence I had felt.

Using a crowbar, the Ortolan wedged open the still sealed crate that read: INCOM CORPORATION. Once opened, he invited me to search among the packing material for something that ?struck my fancy? while he attended to another potential mark.

Inside I found a vast array of toy models, most likely sold in one of Incom?s corporate gifts shops to class field trips. I dismissed the miniature versions of Z-95 Headhunters and ARC-170?s simply because I abhor space travel, and eventually settled a non assuming model T-16 Skyhopper.

The dealer complimented me on my choice and priced the T-16 to what in my estimation would have been far above a traditional retail price. I tried to barter with him, if for nothing other than to keep up appearances of bein

 

Hm, an "oddly strong and distinct presence in the Force" on Luke's seventh birthday? I can't imagine what that may be...

Obi-Wan is healing, even if slowly. Which brings us one step closer to the events that will happen in slightly over a decade...

Looking forward to the next part of this entry! And congratulations on the wins in the Saga FanFiction Awards!

 

Hmm Luke near? and loved his purchase of the toy.

Waiting for the next part and congrats

 

Great update.


Luke will really like the T16.

 

"Jedi discount" indeed.

Yes, Obi-Wan is indeed healing and settling in.

 

lol Next time I buy something, I'll have to try the Jedi discount. I wonder if mind tricks are illegal....

 

JediKaren: It doesn't work, trust me. If you've you bought the "How To" books alraedy, demand a refund.

Valairy_Scot: Yup, Obi-Wan is almost there. Not too long now before we see the guy from Ep.IV...

Jade_eyes: Thank-you, and I believe we still see Luke playing with that T-16 in ANH...

earlybird-obi-wan: Luke?!? I don't know... might want to check out this update to see if you're right.

Valiowk: Another wild guess? thank-you!

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[b]ENTRY 295:[/b]
[i](Part 2)[/i]

Among the bustle of mostly street shops and moisture farmers I felt myself getting closer to the presence I had felt. It was bright, so much so that I was concerned. To someone familiar with the Force, it had felt like the Twins Suns of Tatooine had suddenly become triplets.

Rounding a corner into one of Anchorhead?s many courtyards, I came across a very irate Owen Lars arguing with one of the vendors of parts for moisture vaporators. He was so engrossed in his declaration of the fiscal destruction of the modern day moisture farmer, that he didn?t notice me at all. In an effort to not further raise Owen?s blood pressure, I blended into the cast characters about their business while I visually scanned the courtyard for what I assumed to be Luke?s presence in the Force. Had it been that long since I had been near the boy?

Several meters away, I spotted Luke sitting at a tiny outdoor café, sipping a green looking juice and shining up a good sized melon with his tunic. His aunt Beru was only a handful of meters away chatting it up, with who I had learned some time ago, was a childhood friend of Beru.

Luke looked content sipping his juice, watching older boys running around the courtyard, pretending to podrace as they used merchant stands and pedestrians - much to the crowds? chagrin - as obstacles on their course.

Not as interested in the [i]faux[/i]-podrace, I watched Luke as he absentmindedly placed his melon on the table next to him while cheering on a boy he referred to as ?Fixer? racing around with the others around the courtyard. Beru just as distractedly insisted Luke lower his voice. It was then I noticed a gangly-looking Rodain youth; younger than Luke, but not by much; lurking between an alley and the café.

My right hand instinctively fell to my waist as if I still carried my lightsaber, although the Rodian radiated malice, he gave me no indication he was dangerous. Keeping myself from the Lars? couple, I circled around the courtyard, closing the distance between Luke and myself. With pickpocket?s skill and speed, the youngling crept up and snatched Luke?s melon fruit, before ducking back into the alleyway.

What astonished me the most was that in a flash, Luke was out of his seat, pursuing the thief without any thought. As Anakin would have.

I hated it when he did things like that. [i]*chuckle*[/i]

 

Great update and loved that Obi is keeping a watchful eye -- just like Anakin would --

Hmmmm.

Rushes in headlong LOL

Liked the everyday feel of this encounter

 

Loved that and Luke behawing like Anakin would. And the ruckus the children were causing

Great update

 

Ah, I'd assumed that Obi-Wan was familiar with Luke's Force presence. But seeing as Luke is probably "growing" greatly in the Force by the month just as he is physically, it's comprehensible that Obi-Wan hasn't become entirely familiar with it yet.

Love the vivid imagery here!

Lovely "detective Obi-Wan" feel to the post. The faux-podrace sounds fun - at least to children who've grown up on Tatooine!

 

Obi-Wan's musings are interesting and I wonder if Luke would have survived without Ben watching over him while Beru and Owan were distracted.

Especially as he grew and did more things like Anakin.

 

I love the way you read in between the lines and extract more than I actually put into it?

You're supposed to hint that I'm just beginning to peel back the layers!

Or do what I do?be cryptic and pretend it was all intentional while quietly altering the ending.

(on to something you might be)

Now you're doing it right!

And the results of the lie detector test show that you've had intimate contact with senators? over 15 times!!!! LMAO

That's why they call it 'special interests', folks. I hear they're still using the prequel trilogy in the post-Endor GFFA timeline as an abstinence education tool (the "Anti-Notebook" by Nicholas Sparks).


Thanks for all the good stuff Ex, or should I say Gene Shallit?

Yes! With the Schwinn handlebars on my upper lip and everything. And after every attempt at being witty, I twirl each side. That's more Snidely Whiplash's thing, though.

Yeah, but at least it gets written here. I can't even finish my existing stories (just ask ale). I'd post 3/4 of the spoof and leave everybody hanging in the final act, like when your cable cuts out in those last five minutes where they reveal whodunit (Everyone. Everyone on the train killed Keyser Soze. Because he saw dead people, the ones they ground up and made into addicting food. Like "boxed Gwyneth Paltrow's head". Which doesn't really explain that half of the Statue of Liberty on the alien planet, but rest assured it has something to do with clones of a nineteenth century magician.)



On to the story:

240

It has been several weeks, or should I say months since my last entry.

You and me both, Obi-Wan.

I had long ago thought no image could haunt me as deeply as those of Palpatine?s apprentice slaughtering defenseless younglings that marked the commencement of Order 66. While the visions in the cave do not surpass the holographic videos of that fateful night in terms of revulsion, they have taken its? place in prominence.

He's living proof you can get desensitized to just about anything. By the time Alderaan gets blown up in ANH, he's just like "Meh. Beneath the Planet of the Apes already did it."

It's even worse for kids like Luke & Leia, who grew up in the era of oneupmanship evil the Empire specialized in. In fact, it's so bad that they actually celebrate after wiping out a million souls when he pew-pew's the Death Star. Apparently that didn't cause a "great disturbance in the force". Apparently that wasn't as if a million voices "suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced." Because they got medals for that one. Even Palpatine wasn't twisted enough to give Tarkin a medal for nuking Alderaan (though to be fair, there might have been a quiet posthumous ceremony with all of the Grand Moff's friends, like...um...you know...that one guy he tells Vader to stop telekinetically choking. I bet he'd show up. If he wasn't dead!

I love how you explore some things that were never quite spelled out by the OT, like why Obi-Wan never instructed Luke considering the stakes (you allege that it was the stakes themselves that discouraged him, particularly concerning his guilt over previous failures), and why despite his pension for appearing or doing Force voiceovers at the most convenient and hijinxical moments, Obi-Wan doesn't say a word during the most trying time in Luke's life?the second duel with Vader.

Nor will I train little Leia, even if Senator Organa begs for me to.

It's hard to imagine Bail being remotely interested in sending Leia off to be trained, even though he definitely was far fonder of the Jedi than the average Senator (probably because he didn't see them in terms of a political power bloc). By the time ANH rolls around, little miss Jr. Senator is pretty much

 

Jade_eyes: Thanks! I haven't presented much in the way of adventure and excitement in this story, have I?

earlybird-obi-wan: Yes, but Obi-Wan just consider his "who's more foolish" saying this time around.

Valiowk: I don't know if it's so much that Luke's powers are growing or that Obi-Wan is toning down the use of his own to hide himself. It's likely both. And thank-you!

Gkilkenny: Is he more like Anakin? I wonder...


Exeter: I don't even know how to respond... thanks for ALL the kind words. Your musings just might divert this diary into an unforseen direction. What can I say, a moment, a throw away line, a background character; they all constantly sprout stories of their own that you seem to think is brilliant. I embarrassed with how much effort you put into your responses.

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[b]Entry 295[/b] [i](Part 3)[/i]


Surprisingly neither Beru nor Owen looked concerned when Luke dashed out of sight. To be truthful, I doubt Owen noticed, but his wife watched with misguided interest as she called out that he was only allowed a few minutes to ?play podracing?.

Realizing neither guardian was aware of the fact that Luke was not playing with other children, but actually pursuing a thief, I made my way through the crowd and down the alley the two had only just disappeared into.

Using Luke?s presence in the Force to guide me, I found myself further and further from the trader?s courtyard and Luke?s guardians. I felt no fear or anger radiating from Luke?s presence, just little more than a mild annoyance. Again, another difference in behavior I?m finding between father and son.

I had followed the two on a dangerous path for such young ones. Through restaurant kitchens, a garage widely believed to belong to an infamous speeder thief, then finally into an alley much like the one they started in, save for the dead end.

Luke was approaching the slightly taller Rodian, without any hint of anger or challenge in his body language, it was almost as if he were approaching an old friend. If Luke was speaking to him, I couldn?t hear over the string of Huttesse curses spewing from his beak-like mouth. Hopefully Luke wouldn?t repeat the phrases when he tells of the story to his Aunt Beru later at the dinner table.

I called out to the pair: ?Hallo there young ones, what seems to be the commotion??

I approached slowly, so as not to startle either boy into doing something rash. Both were out of breath, and lack of oxygen to the brain tends to contribute to poor decision making.

Luke glanced back, an image of his father when I met him. However, where Anakin had always tried to cover his fear with cockiness and arrogance, Luke?s aura radiated relief and concern. It was obvious he recognized me immediately, despite our lack of interaction over the years.

?Mister Kenobi!? The boy called out almost cheerfully, it was good to see his uncle?s negative attitude towards me had not influenced the boy at this stage. ?He stole my melon fruit.?

Luke neither insulted the Rodian, nor threatened him. He only stated fact.

?I see.? I replied before focusing on the thief. ?What is your name little one??

?[i]E chu ta[/i]!?

The green one?s response startled young Luke more than I, ?Come now, I hardly think any parent would name their child that. Would you mind telling me why you stole this young boy?s melon fruit??

The Rodian rambled on about Luke being fat faced, alluding to the likelihood of Luke being well fed as compared to himself. ?I believe our Rodian friend is just overcome with hunger Luke.?

The eyes beneath the blonde bangs softened, his emotions turning from concern to sympathy as he looked back at the defiant thief.

?If you wanted some of my melon, you could have just asked.?

The Rodain sneered back at Luke with defiance, not believing the boy?s claims.

?You can have it. Consider it a gift.?

Again the contrast between father and son has me speechless. The boy had Anakin?s potential, but his

 

Wonderful, wonderful post showing Luke's sweet nature and Owen's true protectiveness under that grizzly grump exterior LOL

Owen's fear is based on the experiences with Anakin and the real threat from the Empire; he just doesn't realize that his staunch negative attitude is eventually going to push Luke away

Liked seeing Beru's mediating role Very much in character.

 

awww that was sooo sweet. Do promise next time to update sooner? Please?

 

Lovely post showing just how big a heart Luke has!

And Owen...oh, he's truly concerned for Luke, but his negative attitude is not going to make Luke any closer to him at the moment...

Now you've really got me wondering about this question! Of course, we do see some vague similarities between Leia and young Anakin in Episode IV (especially in the encounter between Leia and Vader), but it is interesting to think about what she would have been like at a younger age.

And oh, Exeter, your responses make this thread twice as fun to read!