Tears of the Force
The hologram shimmered to life in front of Obi-wan's eyes. Yet another holonet news vid of Lord Vader leaving Coruscant on a mission, secretive, but still a chance for the reporters to pound the Imperial mantra into the people of the galaxy driving them to fall into line with what the Emperor wanted.
Coruscant, Once his home. The beautiful temple where jedi were trained and where they were slaughtered. The planet which shown like a jewel for every incoming ship to see. The spires where the jedi sat, above and unaware of the terrible repercussion of one of their own slipping into a terrible place where no one could reach and pull him out.
Sipping from his drink, strong, yet good, Obi-wan continued to watch as the reporter droids talked more thoroughly about how the great Vader would bring peace to the galaxy and crush anyone who stood in his way.
The swagger was close to the same as Obi-wan remembered it. As close as it could be inside the suit of armor now protecting Vader from the outside world. An unfeeling shell with Anakin somewhere inside possibly wishing to be released from the terrible decisions he had made. It didn't make it easier. Sometimes he just missed his padawan and friend. Someone who would understand exactly what he was feeling stuck on this ever eroding rock because of past experience. They had been the closest of friends and Obi-wan missed him although he knew how terribly twisted he was inside.
He didn't miss what he had a become, a master of hate, but he did miss the times they had together and all the times they had shared each other's company as friends. A closeness he didn't share with anyone else. Perhaps too much of an attachment for Anakin's own good. Obi-wan realized now after the fact that he had not practiced what the jedi had been teaching. He felt more for Anakin then he had for his own master and that was something he had been so blind about. Obi-wan never acknowledged that his attachment was just as unhealthy for Anakin as it was for himself.
Now as the twisted black form stalked through the galaxy searching for the final jedi to eradicate, there was nothing Obi-wan could do to help the raw hurting his soul had for the Anakin he had come to know, love and trust. The Anakin who smiled coyly when he was up to no good. The Anakin who hid Girls of the Galaxy magazines under his master's mattress in the hopes of getting him into some kind of trouble. The Anakin who always had something to say which would raise Obi-wan's spirits.
They may not have seen the galaxy the same way, but they shared the common bond of being jedi. Not that it would make a difference should they ever meet, Obi-wan would have to finish what he was not able to finish before. The one act that had unleashed the black masked menace upon so many unsuspecting people.
As the bartender switched off the holonews, Obi-wan's mind wandered too the first time he had met the child. A baby face youngling who Qui-gon had insisted they bring with them and rescue from the same planet where he now found himself. Maybe a mistake from the very beginning when he had knelt to shake the child's hand and introduce himself to the future of hate which would engulf the child later. And surely a mistake when he had agreed to train the child without knowing what he was getting into. Obi-wan knew nothing of the correct way to train a jedi, but he had been to arrogant to admit that to anyone. He had wanted to make Qui-gon so proud. It had blinded him to the fact that Anakin needed so much more than he could offer.
Yes, he'd been through it himself, but he and Anakin had ended up growing up together. Obi-wan had become a more mindful master and Anakin an even more rebellious teenager. An even hand was something the council believed Anakin needed and put their faith in Obi-wan to deliver. The tears and heartache of childhood spilled over into Anakin as he became a young man. Obi-wan tried to drive the anguish from him. He had never been successful.
Obi-wan missed the way Anakin would saunter into a room and automatically take control of the situation. It didn't matter who was in the room, Anakin commanded attention. Jedi were drawn to his bright and shining aura in the force. Obi-wan was drawn to him as a friend. There were few jedi he had ever felt as close to during his time at the temple. He counted himself lucky to have known Anakin as well as he had. It was easier to look past the machinery of Vader and into Anakin's eyes when you knew who he really was on the inside. Anakin was not bad. Now he was twisted by some lie that Obi-wan hadn't been able to protect him from.
Now Obi-wan missed Anakin more then ever. Seeing the menace he had become only saddened Obi-wan more. Did Anakin think of him? He felt his eyes grow moist with the thought of his long lost friend and shook his head to clear his mind of where those thoughts would take him.
"I'll take another," he signaled the bartender, holding up his glass.