Rated: M for future mature content, sexuality and violence.
Disclaimer: I own Nothing! Everything belongs to there rightful owners (George Lucas, Lucasfilms, Lucasbooks, Disney, etc.) This is for the fanbased community only.
A/N: This story is running along the idea of "what if Anakin and Padme hadn't met as kids?" I know others have experimented with this idea, but I wanted to try my hand at it as well, as well as this is a kind of light, romantic respite from my other Anidala story, Breakaway.
Anyway, this story is set in the early days of the Empire/Rebellion, and pretty much everything that happened prior follows the original cannon-except...well, you'll see.
This story is for my very own mom, who helped with the beginnings of the plot, and who's desire not to see Anakin as a whiny prat inspired me;)
As always, constructive reviews are welcome! They help the writing/editing process a great deal!
EnJoy!
|DJw i n d|
1
"How in the world can you fly this piece of junk!" exclaimed Obi-Wan as he clutched the sides of his seat and tried not to fall onto the cockpit floor as his former apprentice, Anakin Skywalker, expertly maneuvered the relic he was flying through the asteroid field.
"I don't know," Anakin confused over the loud whirring of the straining engines. In all honesty, he actually didn't know how it was flying it—or more specifically how the ship was flying; he'd only replaced a few loose ends and shoved some escape intestines back in to the hold.
"Please, please, Anakin, for the sake of my stomach, can you slow down?" Obi-Wan pleaded as the ship lurched forward and looped up and around a particularly big asteroid, nearly colliding with it.
Nearly, but not quite.
"Anakin!" The panic in his old Master's voice was enough to concern the young man, and he reluctantly slowed the ships speed, searching for a safe place to land.
If there was any out here.
"Sorry, Obi-Wan," Anakin apologized, not sorry in the least. "I just wanted to have a bit of fun."
"At my expense," Obi-Wan mumbled, holding onto his jumping stomach contents with the power of the Force, and regretting for the millionth time agreeing to go with Anakin on his ridiculous mission. Why in Force name, did he have to be the responsible one around?
Anakin grinned satisfied as he flew the ship over a "stable" looking asteroid, "You know, after all we've been through the last three years, you should really learn how to loosen up, Master."
"And what exactly would you suggested?"
Anakin shrugged as he steered the ship towards a nice big rock, "I don't know, get drunk, have a one night stand…"
"No, thank you very much," Obi-Wan crossed his arms, un-amused with Anakin's ideas. "Please consider the fact that I still have you hanging around, and Force knows how loose you can get—especially when you've had a little too much of Master Yoda's goodness-knows-what-that-is."
"Hey! I like it!" Anakin defended his past activities.
"That's what they all say," mumbled Obi-Wan under his breath, but Anakin heard it anyway, and glared at him before returning his attention back to landing the ship.
"Artoo, check on the engines and the hyperdrive, then set the quitrents for the Chommell Sector," said Anakin as he scanned the blinking screens before him.
"So, where exactly are we going? And what exactly are we doing?" said Obi-Wan skeptically. Apparently, he hadn't been well informed of their mission prior to their departure from Dantooine.
"We're going to Naboo to escort an important shipment to Coruscant," Anakin explained without looking up from the holoscreens before him. "It pays two-hundred credits per day," he added dryly.
Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Well, we could certainly use the money," he said. "We're one step from being fugitives—"
"I thought we were fugitives?" Anakin interrupted pointedly.
Obi-Wan waved him aside with a dismissive gesture, "Well, you know… Going to back to Coruscant is extremely risky. Do you think this is a wise idea, Anakin?"
Anakin sighed; that thought had crossed his own mine multiple times since excepting the mission, but he tried not to dwell on it too much, or the doubt and unease might consume him ineffectively.
"Master Yoda seemed to think it was alright," he said slowly, "and I'll take any job that pays that well. Besides, it'll take us into the certain of enemy intelligence, maybe we could find something to finally destroy the Empire." The hope was vain in his voice.
Obi-Wan frowned, "I doubt it. We haven't found anything yet."
"There's always a first time."
Obi-Wan was silent to this, and he fell deep in thought, contemplating all that had conspired over the last years since their exile from Coruscant. Anakin sighed again, and turned away, gazing ahead out across the asteroid field, out into the space and stars that had no reason to care for the wars made between them or upon them.
It had been three years since the reveal of Darth Sidious to the Jedi. The disguised Chancellor had been expertly multiplying the war and the politics of the Senator to gain total control over the Republic. He had even gone so far as to confuse the flow of the Force around the Jedi themselves, creating such a disturbance in the Force it had nearly cast them their complete destruction. Only Anakin had virtually saved the Order from that fatal doom; he had returned from killing Count Dooku and saving the Chancellor, only to be asked to become a member of the Jedi Council to relay in unusual activities to the Chancellor himself. Anakin's loyalty to both parties had created a sifted between them, and he had withdrawn, refusing the offer on the grounds of his deep morals. Palaptine hadn't been pleased with this, and put Anakin under the watchful eye of Master Mace Windu. Anakin had spent many hours mediating and resting, awaiting his next mission to bring the Clone War closing to its end. And it was then, that he'd discovered the truth, the darkness that obscured the other Jedi's thoughts, and the deep treachery that infused the Order itself. He'd confined in Yoda and Obi-Wan, trusting them alone and seeking their wisdom. Anakin could never have imagined the look of such hopelessness and sorrow that had crossed Yoda's face. They had come to the bitter end, and would be entering dark days ahead—if they lived that long.
With what other loyal Jedi were with them, Yoda had giving one final desperate attempt to bring down the Sith Lord and the rising Empire, but to no avail. Anakin and Obi-Wan had gathered the younglings, the Padawan Learners, and whoever else, and invocated the Jedi Temple in a matter of hours, just as the Chancellor proclaimed the Jedi traitors and ordered them all to be executed. The Temple had been attacked just as the last transport broke through the blockade surrounding Coruscant, and Anakin would always remember looking through the viewport and watching the noble towers come crashing down to nothingness. That had been the very last time he'd seen Coruscant, dark and formidable, shrouded in a thick layer of the Dark Side. He wondered what it would be like, but quickly ignored that thought; some things were better left unknown to the future.
The exiled Jedi had wondered the Galaxy, splitting up for better protection, and were soon joined by Clones who had mutinied against the Chancellor's orders, Captain Rex and his platoon of the 501st among them. They had all fled into the depths of space, into the Outer Rim Territories and even onto Wild Space, and here they'd lived, surviving on their skills and trusting in the will of the Force.
Barely.
Fleeing from planet to planet, star system to star system, they set up base wherever they could, but only staying there for a few months at a time before moving on. It was too dangerous for them to stay in one sector for very long. Many systems joined their case, sharing their growing disdain for the rising Empire that crept out even into the Outer Rim. Wherever they went, they would find some sort of rebellion slowly rising up from the shadows, and they would try to help the leaders in any way they could; smuggling supplies or help ambush a local garrison for ammunition…
.Θ.
Artoo's irritated beeping brought Anakin out of his reflecting. He glanced down at the blue-and-white astromech that rolled up beside him, and asked, "What is it, Artoo?"
The droid gave a quick reply of beeps and raspberries. Anakin smiled, taking comfort in his faithful presence, and began to set the ship systems before him, prepping the ship for take off.
"What do you think has happened to Coruscant and the Republic since we have been gone?" Obi-Wan quietly wondered aloud, pulling himself out from under his thoughts.
Anakin didn't reply, he had no idea what might await them there, but he had the growing suspicion that whatever it was would forever change his life and the world around him. He wondered for a second time what exactly the important shipment was, and why it paid so much.