"Anakin?"
Asked Obi Wan, as he walked into the small room that contained the Jedi Knight.
Anakin looked up at his former master then went back to tinkering with some broken
speeder parts
Obi Wan leant against the door frame.
"I have some news", Obi Wan told.
"Good or bad?" replied Anakin still not looking at Obi Wan.
"Depends. You like children don't you Anakin?" Obi Wan said, pleadingly.
"Depends" he replied mockingly.
"Good, because my sister has asked me to look after her 14 year old daughter and
her friend for a month, or so, just until things settle down at home".
Anakin swivelled around to face Obi Wan.
"You've got to be kidding me".
"What did the Council say?" asked Anakin, annoyed.
"Oh they seemed quite okay with the idea".
Anakin laughed.
"That'll be a first".
"I'm surprised they didn't recommend you for the job Anakin, what with your
obvious tolerance and warmness" Obi Wan said sarcastically.
"Hey I can be friendly".
"Really?" Obi Wan questioned in mock surprise, "Fine, prove it".
"What?" replied Anakin.
"You look after one of them for just a week and I'll…I'll…shout you dinner at
Dex's Diner!"
"…And?" Anakin questioned, hopefully.
"And, I'll invite Senator Amidala" Obi Wan replied with a grin.
"Deal!" said Anakin, a little to enthusiastically, before setting things straight,
"And not just because Padmé's coming".
Obi Wan smirked and they shook hands.
Obi Wan and Anakin climbed into a large ship, not the usual Jedi transport.
"Are you ready Anakin?"
"Ready as I'll ever be" Anakin sighed.
"Oh come on, Anakin, they're 14! How dangerous can they be!? Besides it'll give
you a glimpse into something you won't experience as a Jedi. Parenthood."
I know more about the family unit than you will ever know, Obi Wan. Anakin thought.
As the ship flew off into the atmosphere of Coruscant, across the city a
senator weeps in her room, for she has just learnt news that will change her life
and possibly the fate of the galaxy itself.
Obi Wan was fast asleep. In his dreams he was terrified and distressed. The
war had scarred him and left him with terrible nightmares. Of course, he would
never tell anyone of these dreams. Not even to Anakin. His dreams would always
replay the same event. Maul and the Duchess. But most frightening of all was a
dark figure clutching the neck of a pregnant women. The dark figure was burning,
covered in lava and yet he didn't die. Every dream he had ended like that.
"Obi Wan" He awoke to see Anakin shaking him.
"Obi Wan are you awake?"
"Well I am now aren't I!" replied Kenobi in a drowsy, grumpy way.
He began to look around the ship his eyes eventually fell on Anakin and it dawned
on him
"Anakin, who's flying the ship"!?
Suddenly the colour in Anakin's face was immediately drained. With his face pale
with distress he turned around and began running. Then he turned back to Obi Wan,
who by now was looking quite pale and grave. Then Anakin burst out laughing.
"You should've seen your face!" he chortled
"Oh very funny Anakin, you know I don't like it when you do that. Now really,
who's flying the ship?"
"Don't worry, Artoo's flying", he replied still chuckling
"Now what's so urgent, that you needed to interrupt this Jedi's beauty sleep" Obi
Wan joked.
Anakin suddenly became solemn.
"I came to talk to you about the war" Anakin said looking at the wall of the
cabin. "Do you think it will ever end?"
"I hope so Anakin, I hope so."
It then occurred to Anakin that Obi wan truly served the Republic. He saw his face
drain and his voice whisper, when even the mention of the war came out in
conversation. Obi Wan knew, possibly more than any other Jedi, what the fall of
the republic would mean. Sure Master Yoda could see the future for the Jedi, but
Obi Wan saw what would happen to ordinary people. Obi Wan didn't get the name
"Negotiator" for nothing. This title came with Obi Wan knowing the ins and outs of
human behaviour. That's why Anakin believed that Obi Wan would never leave the
order. Obi Wan Kenobi was in love with democracy.
"Something's not right about this war" Obi Wan said after a while, interrupting
Anakin's train of thought.
"Yoda's right" Obi Wan sighed, talking more to himself than to Anakin "the dark
side clouds everything".
Anakin and Obi Wan sat there meditating for the rest of the journey. Then
suddenly a green light came on in the room, signalling them to come in the control
centre.
"Good job Buddy" Anakin said approvingly to the droid. "We'll take it from here,
go plug yourself in". A series of whirls, whistles and bleeps occurred.
"Anakin, we're out of hyperspace"
Anakin grabbed the controls and gracefully drifted through Alderaan's atmosphere
and into its snow-capped surroundings.
"There, Anakin, there's Senator Organa."
The ship cruised gently onto the platform.
"General Skywalker, Master Kenobi, welcome to Alderaan", greeted the cheerful
senator.
"It's beautiful" Skywalker replied genuinely.
The Senator beamed with pride.
"I can't thank you enough for looking after Liesel, and her friend, until we got
here".
"Oh it was no trouble, my wife loves kids, always doing something for them". The
senator said merrily, although both Obi Wan and Anakin could see the emptiness in
his eyes. The couple had as wanted children, but the Queen was unable to have any.
Pity, Anakin thought, they would make great parents.
Back on Coruscant the Senator from Naboo consults her private doctor. She's
with child alright. The doctor, one of the few people to know of her marriage lays
a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"Don't worry; I'm sure you'll make great parents."
Anakin and Obi Wan enter into an ornate room with an incredibly high roof. In
the middle if the room is a sitting area. Obi Wan coughs to notify the people in
the room of their arrival. A young looking girl turns her head.
"That's her" Obi Wan whispers to Anakin, nervously.
She has medium length, blonde hair and brown eyes. She's wearing an ordinary
dress, plain and homemade.
She's grown, Obi wan notices, a lot.
As soon as she sees her uncle she's out of her seat.
"Uncle Obi!" She runs up to him and embraces him in a tight hug. Obi Wan blushes
and then Smiles before returning the hug.
"It's a great pleasure to see you again, Milady" he jokes and performs a much
exaggerated bow.
Liesel laughs.
Wow, Obi Wan is so….relaxed. He would never act like this to anyone else, Anakin
muses.
"Hello Liesel, I'm Anakin Skywalker" putting out his arm for Liesel to shake it.
She gasps.
"Rudy, Rudy! Rudy come here it's the 'Hero Without Fear'!"
Rudy, unusual name for a girl, Obi Wan remarks to himself.