Back to the Past

by TomatoSoupful

For 10 years, the bond between Old Ben and Vader has been as silent as the gravesite that is the ruined Jedi Temple. Then one day, without warning, the two can feel each other in the Force again. Meanwhile, three 11-year-old kids awaken in an alleyway on Coruscant. Their names are Anakin, Obi-Wan and Padmé.

3. Chapter 3

PLEASE READ FIRST: Realised I made a mistake. Changes now say that this story is set ten years after the Emperor came to power. Not seven.

Don't own Star Wars. Etc.

Apologies for grammar and spelling. ENJOY!

~o0o~

Rumours never take long to spread.

With Darth Vader at the helm of the Empire's organised efforts to eliminate remaining Jedi, reports came in early to him confirming the story. With the reappearance of his old master, Vader concluded that this was no coincidence. Kenobi was on Coruscant to rescue Jedi younglings.

Foolish. Vader would kill all of them.

.

.

.

.

Anakin awoke with a headache.

Shifting slightly, he felt his muscles groan after being rolled up for so long. Desperate to stretch his limbs, Anakin shredded his drowsiness and sat up. Padmé and Obi-Wan were still fast asleep. He wouldn't say Padmé was sleeping soundly with her forehead wrinkled with worry, but she appeared to be faring better than Obi-Wan. Anakin considered shaking the boy awake for he was curled up in a quivering ball. The words murmured under his breath were indistinguishable but judging by his hitching breaths, his dreams were disturbing. Anakin reached out to touch Obi-Wan's shoulder but recalled the snap in the boy's tone and every eyeroll sent Anakin's way whenever he talked. The last thing Anakin wanted was to be shamed again so he ignored the guilt clawing at his heart and left the tent.

The surrounding alleyway was as dark as ever. Anakin felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise. He was used to Tatooine's honest natural landscape. By day, the sun was relentless and scorching. At night, the sky was black and bodies had to bundle together to preserve warmth. On Coruscant, its landscape was far more secretive. Anakin recalled his master claiming Coruscant to be the perfect planet for politicians. Anakin's smile fell when the memory of his master was burnt out by a flash of hot fury. It disappeared as quickly as it came. However, it left behind a grim reminder of the dream he awoke from…

Anakin's stomach grumbled. As he searched through scattered rubbish, he pondered on the swarm of intense emotions and fuzzy images residing in his dream. Nightmares weren't a new experience for Anakin. His previous owner had been the centre of many dark dreams, however something about the latest one felt simultaneously foreign and familiar.

These thoughts took a backseat when he found a tiny plant with red berries growing out a crack. He counted four berries. One for each of them with the last a secret just between him and the bush. It reminded Anakin of Tatooine's own rare and nutritional red berried plants. Then a memory of his mother's disappointment catching him red-handed, both figurately and literally from the berries' juices, made him pause and think. As she had wiped her son's hands she explained the one strength slaves had against their owners was their sense of community. When profits were low and disgruntled slavers grew bitter, help from fellow slaves could mean the difference between life and death. The community thrived on sharing resources and wise information. Anakin picked the berries before him, hoping perhaps a thin stick could cut the fourth one into thirds.

Anakin's stomach moaned again. Just as Anakin opened his mouth to consume his share something behind him crunched. Swivelling around, Anakin laid eyes upon a lone figure standing before a cloud of steam flowing from a pipe. "Don't eat those kids," the stranger said, her voice distorted by a helmet. "You'll be watching Ewoks dance the cha-cha if you take even one bite –"

Anakin screamed.

And the Force lurched. As though a small bomb detonated, the Force sprang out from Anakin and barrelled into the stranger. The stranger, as she was flung back, briefly thought to herself that she had clearly seen better days. Meanwhile, the Force tore apart the tent in a flurry. Anakin jumped from one emotion to the next. First, he felt immense pride for his abilities and driving off the stranger. Then, Obi-Wan's lectures on control came back to haunt him. Lastly, a prickle of guilt when he heard gasping and coughing to his left. In the mess that had once been a tent Padmé and Obi-Wan stared gobsmacked.

"Oh, sorry," Anakin mumbled. "I didn't mean to wake you up."

Obi-Wan huffed. "'Waking up'? Bit of an understatement."

"Oh stop it," Padmé shoved Obi-Wan down to push herself up. She inspected Anakin's ashy face and was about to demand an explanation when someone spoke.

"Wait, don't panic!"

The children panicked.

One moment the stranger was desperately attempting to get a hundred words out in a second. The next she was unconscious. Padmé was breathing heavily, still holding onto one of the many items she had been tossing at the intruder. Anakin was on the ground, his legs a little sore but that was the price one paid to knock someone's balance over. Obi-Wan lowered his make-shift weapon. The tall wooden pole used to prop up the tent had stubbornly wanted to remain in the ground but Obi-Wan had found the strength to uproot it and apply it like it was a training sabre. Padmé frowned at Obi-Wan, then the fallen individual, then back at Obi-Wan. "What? Did you kill her?"

Padmé doubted she would ever see Obi-Wan look so offended again. "Excuse me?" he gaped. "Jedi don't kill unless we absolutely have to."

Anakin hummed thoughtfully, standing up. "Did you absolutely have to there?"

"No! She's not –" Obi-Wan sighed in frustration, dropped his weapon and moved over to the stranger. "See? She's breathing."

Padmé and Anakin drew closer. Hands on her knees, Padmé peered at the armour their attacker was wearing. It was almost completely hidden under a long brown cloak. But enough was visible for its origin to dawn on Padmé. "She's Mandalorian!"

Anakin snorted at her like she was being silly. "Yeah, of course! That's why I kicked her extra hard."

Looking mildly embarrassed Padmé muttered. "I didn't… realise it. I was distracted by what she was saying."

Obi-Wan's expression matched Anakin's and Padmé couldn't help but think they were teasing her. "You should be more focused," the redheaded boy lectured. "That's what the masters always say. If you let your mind wander then you allow it to be deceived."

"Whatever," Padmé said crossing her arms.

Anakin tapped the stranger's helmet. "What did she say?"

"Something about working for someone," Padmé answered thinking hard. "Madalorians are bounty hunters. I bet she works for this so-called Empire." She gave the helmet an experimental nudge as well.

Obi-Wan swatted their hands away. "Stop it, you could wake her," he reprimanded. "… How much could we possibly be worth though?"

"Probably a lot," Padmé said.

Anakin grumbled, "Can we stop talking about this?"

Obi-Wan narrowed his eyes. "Pardon us if we're concerned with the amount of bounty hunters after us. If we're worth a lot then –"

"–Then we just need to run, big deal, I could have told you that," Anakin interrupted. He could almost hear the steam billowing off Obi-Wan as he checked the Mandalorian again. Something glimmered and captured his attention. Attached to a belt was thread tied to a metal plate the size of his palm. Engraved on it was a symbol. It was pretty. And Anakin wanted it. He pulled and the thread snapped off the belt.

Turning back, he saw Padmé holding the stolen holopad. "Another souvenir?" she asked.

"Yep." To Anakin's delight Padmé smiled. Thinking of another idea to impress her, Anakin began to untie the cloak from the Mandalorian. He showed off an inside pocket. "We can put the holopad in here, and I can wear this to hide my braid."

Padmé laughed softly. "It's so long though. You'll trip."

"Catch me then," Anakin said. The seriousness in his face and tone caught Padmé off-guard.

Loud clattering ended their moment. Obi-Wan pulled from the rubble the material used on the tent. He wrapped it around himself, feeling it slip down his right shoulder in a way he knew would annoy him after a few minutes. However, Obi-Wan called upon Master Yoda's lessons of priority verses personal grievances. The life of a Jedi was not a comfortable one so he best get used to it now. Much to his utter humiliation his stomach informed everyone in close proximity that it was hungry.

"I don't need food, I'll be fine," Obi-Wan said quickly.

The three began to walk down the alleyway further away from the Mandalorian and into the shadows. Padmé replied, "Really? Cause I'm certainly hungry." She patted her nightgown's pocket and something inside jingled. "We still got credits left over from my hairpins."

"Will that even be enough for all of us?"

Anakin shrugged. "If we get desperate enough I'm sure we'll find some bugs to eat."

"Ew what? No!"

"Absolutely not! I would never! How could you even suggest –!?"

"Okay! Okay! I'm sorry! I won't mention it again!"

~o0o~

Old Ben leaned against the wall and breathed deeply.

Whoever was controlling the ship was either incompetent or buzzed with alcohol. Either option did nothing to quell the nausea bubbling away. Already, the strenuous meditation had left Ben with a blistering headache. The bumpy ride was not helping but a smooth sail would have done little to ease the pain. The cogs in his head were running full speed as he debated with himself.

Anakin had always been stronger than him.

If the Jedi were blindfolded and trained to learn the Force through other senses, then Anakin was born with his eyesight undisturbed. The battle on Mustafar had proven sheer raw strength in the Force did not guarantee success and holding such a belief ignored Anakin's other qualities. However, in times such as now Old Ben found that being on the receiving end of such power was trying. He simply could not compare.

When the bond had brightened Ben had immediately closed his end off. Although Vader was unable to pinpoint his exact location, his immense Force sensitivity could still gather a vague understanding of Ben's whereabouts. Unfortunately, Ben's lacking powers had no clue where Vader was and he was not willing to risk revealing his end of the bond to find out.

The ship shook again. Slipping down to the floor Ben rubbed his temples. The Force helped to sooth the pain but Ben found a small part of him rejecting it. He bitterly wondered why the Force behaved in such a way to favour others based on a midichlorian count. It felt eerily similar to his old master performing the same stunt before the Council many, many years ago. Ashamed with the ease such shameful thoughts crossed his mind, Ben berated his immaturity. Opinions like that had never helped him.

All that mattered now was staying as far as possible from every remaining Skywalker in the galaxy.

~o0o~

Padmé carefully considered her order from the menu. Delicious smells wafted from the kitchen behind the front counter and made Padmé's mouth water. Calculating the amount of money and the prices, she chose her meal and asked the boys what they wanted.

Before Anakin could answer, Obi-Wan said, "We're really eating here?"

"What's wrong with the Biscuit Baron?" Anakin asked, perplexed.

Obi-Wan rolled his eyes. "Beyond this establishment's lack of basic hygiene –I mean, really, look at these tables! –the piles of moosh I would scarcely call 'food' is crammed with unhealthy sugars."

"…So?" Anakin said.

Padmé admittedly understood where Obi-Wan was coming from. Her grand life on Naboo always provided her with the healthiest options prepared by either her parents or a trained chef. Resorting to a fast-food chain had Padmé realise that she was scraping the bottom of the barrel. Her hunger however dismissed this.

Obi-Wan was not yet willing to accept the gravity of their dismal situation and stoop so low. "What do you mean 'so'? Think of the creche masters or your master. Would they ever let us eat such revolting food and destroy our health?"

Anakin perked up. "My master lets us eat food like this sometimes. He said he's going to bring me to a place called Dex's Diner for my birthday."

"I don't believe you."

"Well start believing."

"Boys," Padmé groaned. "Just pick a meal or I'm picking for you."

"You can pick a meal for me then!" Obi-Wan snapped.

In a few minutes, Obi-Wan scowled at his miserable looking salad. Padmé and Anakin snacked on their crispy, greasy but tasty meals. Padmé gave Obi-Wan a mischievous grin. "Enjoying your meal, Obi-Wan?"

Obi-Wan's glare intensified and Anakin laughed, choking on his soft drink.

When tempers simmered, the trio snacked on their food in silence. Chattering customers competed with the galaxy's top 100 songs blasting from the speakers. It was an assault on the ears but each of the children were used to ruckus in some way –from dinner time in the creche, to cramped sleeping slave quarters and to boisterous political meetings. The floor was coated with a layer of hardened grease and sugar, then decorated with another layer of fallen rubbish. Many feet were foiled and every time someone fell the restaurant burst into a chorus of exclamations as though it had become a tradition. It made all three of the children flinch the first time it happened.

"So," Padmé began, scratching the itchy but healing scab on her knee. "I don't think Coruscant is the safest place for us to be, especially you two. We should go to Naboo where we'll be safe."

Obi-Wan placed his plastic fork down, his face scrunched up in concentration. Anakin nodded and said, "That's sounds good but –"

"–Ew, Anakin."

"–Don't talk with your mouth full!"

Anakin's jaw got cracking and soon enough his mouth was empty. "How are we supposed to get off planet when we're being hunted after?"

"Good point," Obi-Wan murmured.

Padmé swirled a chip in Biscuit Baron's famous blue sauce. "I don't know yet. I just don't think we should remain on Coruscant any longer."

"Maybe we should though," Obi-Wan challenged, his tone respectful. "Coruscant is huge. It has thousands of levels we can hide in."

"Hide and then what though?" said Anakin.

Padmé and Obi-Wan struggled to answer. Returning home felt so far away.

Later found the children traversing through the dark streets of underground Corsucant. Buildings on top of buildings on top of more buildings replaced the sky. The streetlights were hazy and ineffective against the oppressive darkness. To Padmé's concern, some were not only out of electricity but dusty as well. It had been some time since this place saw any attention. Even the residents gave it little thought. The three children were the only ones around on the long stretch of road. Their breathing and footsteps sounded too loud as it echoed across the large chamber. Noticing a distance between herself and the boys, Padmé caught up to them, running on her tiptoes to soften the noise.

Anakin stopped. "Wait."

"What?" Obi-Wan said.

"…I can feel something in the Force," Anakin explained. "Up there."

Without asking, the three lowered their volume further. They hugged up against the buildings and crept along. Just as they were nearing a corner, male voices sounded. Padmé jumped at their sudden introduction. She tugged at the boys' cloaks to move back but Obi-Wan shook his head and Anakin only drew closer to listen. Hearing 'Jedi younglings' 'bounty' and 'find them' was enough for Padmé to insist harder, sending the boys a furious expression at their dangerous antics. Relenting, Obi-Wan and Anakin moved away following Padmé's direction. They scouted out a corridor narrow enough to provide a sense of security and –

The Force blared. Anakin dropped to the ground and a blaster bullet exploded against a wall. In a storm of fear and panic the children bolted down the corridor shoving garbage bins to the ground in hopes of increasing the gap between them and their shouting pursuers. Up ahead Padmé spotted fluorescent lights and faint music tempted her eardrums. The empty alleyway turned onto a main street busy with bars and restaurants. While not overcrowded like the high-end streets on the planet's top level, there was enough room for the children to hide in and slither through. Their chasers refused to let them off the hook. Hearing their bellowing voices, Obi-Wan made a panic-ridden decision and herded his companions into a popular bar.

"What are you –?"

"Finding a staff room to hide in," Obi-Wan snapped over Anakin. "Now help me!"

Padmé bumped into a woman wrapped a dress made from rose petals. Its pink hue looked beautiful until a blue cocktail was drenched all over it. Having an eye and deep appreciation for fashion Padmé blurted out many apologies as Anakin dragged her away. The decorated woman was stuck between bewilderment and disdain.

Obi-Wan excused himself as he swam through the human tide. Desperation found the front bar and stools but curiosity had Obi-Wan note the numerous pretty coloured drinks as he moved to the hiding spot. With all the adults focused on the jazz music, their company, the drinks or all three at once, the children bent down and shuffled behind the bar without anyone noticing. Just as Anakin tucked his foot in, the door to the establishment was slammed open in such an aggressive fashion it made the occupants pause. Before getting back to the party.

At the end of the bar Obi-Wan saw the mixologist, a Besalisk. Its four meaty arms danced in an entertaining flurry as he prepared and poured up to eight drinks in one go. The crowd gasped and awed in delight and the Besalisk gave a jolly laugh. Obi-Wan knew the creche masters would be unimpressed with him, but his curiosity for this party and drinking culture only grew.

"Hey," Anakin whispered urgently. "Move further down. They're heading this way."

Padmé shuddered. Uncertain of the Besalisk's reactions if they were spotted, Obi-Wan begrudgingly moved along centimetre by centimetre. Until Padmé and Anakin joined forces and collided into him. Obi-Wan was about to return the favour but was hauled back against the bar by the other two. A hand smacked the counter above them. "Oi! Can I get some service around here!?"

The children froze. Anakin shut his eyes, Padmé's hand covered her mouth, and Obi-Wan helplessly made eye contact with the Besalisk when he turned around. Half a second ticked, and the Besalisk addressed the bounty hunter wiping his hands. "What can I do for you? Want to hear our special cocktail for tonight and tonight only? It's called the Bloody Vader. Let me tell you what's in it –"

"–Seen a bunch of kids around?"

The Besalisk snorted. "Unfortunately, yeah. Stupid kids and their underage drinking."

A second bounty hunter sighed. His deeper voice growled, "Then surely you don't have a problem with us inspecting your …respectable establishment?"

The short time the Besalisk thought it over was the longest and most agonising wait the children. When the Besalisk finally answered the trio visibly relaxed as he said "Sure," and the bounty hunters moved away. Anakin flashed the alien a wide smile in gratitude. The Besalisk did not offer them an answer. Instead he called out for a replacement. Then he opened a nearby door.

"In here," the Besalisk muttered.

Frantic to escape, the children bumped and bashed into each other along the way. Obi-Wan hit the floor and Anakin climbed over him. Padmé was the first through but her journey reopened the scab on her bruised knee. Hissing at the pain and the trickling blood, Padmé sat on soft chair to take the weight off her injury. The door closed with the children and Besalisk inside. The music and chatter outside was still obnoxiously loud as though the walls were made from paper. Padmé hardly saw the point in the beds provided. Anakin looked ready to adopt the top spot on the bunkbed when the Besalisk laid a large hand on his head and pulled the cloak off.

Anakin's braid swayed like a pendulum.

"I don't know how or why Jedi younglings such as yourselves are here on Coruscant," the Besalisk said gruffly. "But you need to get away as soon as possible."

The children tensed. Padmé gritted her teeth. "We know. Any idea how though?"

"Yes, I …" the Besalisk stopped and stared at Padmé, flesh rolling on his forehead to indicate a frown. Unease and confusion rose as Padmé realised neither of the boys could see what the Besalisk could. Their worry increased when the Besalisk saw the same invisible thing on the boys as well.

"What?" Padmé demanded.

The Besalisk blinked. "Uh, sorry, you …remind me of someone. All of you…" he cleared his throat to clear away the awkwardness. "Anyway, the name's Dex." Recalling the name, Anakin's mouth fell but he and the others kept their lips sealed. Dex did not press them but added with a quiet and reassuring tone, "I'm with the Rebellion. They'll help you. They'll do anything to stop the Empire."

Anakin and Obi-Wan shared their surprise while Padmé's eyes gleamed, her mind conjuring romantic images of revolutions inspired by her political history books. She acted on behalf of the boys and gave Dex a firm nod and relieved smile. "May we stay here then? For safety?" she asked harping back to her negotiation lessons.

"Course you can," Dex said, three of his limbs relaxing and the fourth scratching his neck. "I got to get back to work though. Busy out there. I'll order you some food and bring it to you. And I'll contact the Rebel Alliance. They'll know what to do."

"Thank you, sir," said Padmé.

Only once Dex left was Padmé's decision challenged. "How do you know we can trust him?" Obi-Wan asked twisting and untwisting the bottom of his nightshirt.

Anakin breezily trotted over to the bunkbed. "The Force didn't have a problem with Dex. So, I trust him. Didn't you hear the Force too?"

Obi-Wan's ears heated under Anakin and Padmé's stare. "No, I mean –alright. Fine. Whatever."

Pleased that hurdle was done with, Padmé settled on the bed tucked in the right corner of the room as the boys' discussion on their bed choice grew louder. Anakin's grip on the ladder was loosened when Obi-Wan used his body weight to pull him down.

"Why should you have it?" Anakin moaned.

"It's right by a window," Obi-Wan justified with a level of snootiness that bothered Anakin immensely. "I can make sure no one suspicious arrives in case Dex is lying."

"He's not lying," Anakin countered.

Padmé rolled her eyes. "Just admit you want the view."

"I don't –"

"–Yeah, you do," Anakin jeered, then scrambled to the top. "It's mine! I got it!"

Suddenly, Obi-Wan was feeling too nostalgic to stay in the others' company. A logical voice in his head that sounded an awful lot like Master Yoda reasoned that Anakin and Padmé weren't in any way similar to Bruck Chun or his lackeys. However, an emotional part of him still untamed much to his frustration, pleaded to get out of the stuffy hot room. Obi-Wan's retreat to the door went unnoticed as Anakin and Padmé talked but questions sparked once he turned the knob.

"Just going out."

"What? You're leaving," Anakin asked fretfully.

"No, Force," Obi-Wan rubbed his temples. "I'm just going to look around the bar."

Anakin leapt off the top bunk to chase after Obi-Wan but the door was slammed in his face.

"It's fine," Padmé insisted. "Dex won't let him past the bar."

Dejectedly, Anakin toyed with the doorknob. "I think I'll join him. Just to make sure he's safe."

"Wait, Anakin!" Padmé hopped off her bed. Her stern disposition took Anakin by surprise. "There's something I want to talk about."

"What?"

Padmé ran over the numerous speeches she had written and edited in her head throughout the afternoon. Despite finalising and preparing for this moment she felt like walking into an exam without having studied. None of her rigorous lessons had content relating to abrupt time travelling but many of her heroes took great risks in order to achieve their goals. So Padmé dived. "This morning …when we woke up. You said something. About me."

Anakin frowned. "Uh yeah, I did …what did I say?"

Padmé stepped closer. "Oh, something about crazy make-up and Coruscant. Either way, you made something very clear to me then. But I was only able to really see it after the Temple. After I had the chance to think about it."

"I don't …what do you mean?"

"Anakin. How do you know me?"

~o0o~

"I'm close by. Just take care of them until I get there."

Dex handed the required liquor to his co-worker. "Yeah," he answered into the commlink. "Already doing that."

Little did he know that one of the children had snuck past his gaze and beyond the safe zone. Further away amongst the crowd was Obi-Wan judging the cocktails by their visuals. The Kriff on the Beach cocktail was by far the most dazzling with its yellow bubbles frothing in pink liquid. It smelt like muja and Obi-Wan's mouth watered. Back at the creche, fruit was the healthy snack for younglings between major meals and Obi-Wan always chose muja. The only downside was the juice on his hands afterwards. Obi-Wan noticed the drink was ignored by the guests. He reached towards it, imagining the glass would prevent any stickiness.

With the glass touching his lips, Obi-Wan considered his creche masters and their disappointment in his silly behaviour. However, the redheaded boy bitterly remembered that they were always upset with him in some way. Shrugging and indulging in curiosity, Obi-Wan took only an experimental sip before sliding the glass away innocently. The muja flavour was enticing but a stinging slap in the face Obi-Wan figured must be the alcohol ruined the whole experience. Looking around, none of the drinks looked so appealing anymore.

Obi-Wan took a step and fumbled.

Everything in the room doubled –no, tripled. He rubbed his eyes but this only flared the nerves around his face and an uncomfortable static feeling travelled down his body. The Force sounded like it was calling for him from the other side of a long bridge. The thought of Anakin and Padmé and the relief their company brought encouraged Obi-Wan enough to shove his feet forward. But a wave of nausea hit him and all his energy was sucked dry.

He was lifted up.

And carried away.

Obi-Wan's eyelids felt like they were gluing together. He tried to struggle against the person holding him but to no avail. The bar had transformed into a splatter of mismatched colours. Obi-Wan only knew he had left it when the colours darkened and the outside breeze felt too cold against his burning skin. It wouldn't surprise Obi-Wan if someone informed him his tongue had abandoned him as he tried to utter words. The only one of his senses that had yet to give up was his hearing. To compensate, his enhanced hearing picked up every slur and sound coming from the men taking him.

It also picked up a blaster bolt.

A cry, a groan and a body hit the ground. Obi-Wan was unceremoniously dropped. He ached but his muscles refused to move. His blurred vision watched a blotch of grey slam into another. After a series of punches, the newcomer approached Obi-Wan.

"Those berries can be a killer."

A flash of panic as he recognised the voice. It was the Mandalorian.

"Hey, little guys, it's alright. I got you," she said, cradling Obi-Wan in her arms. "I'm with the Rebellion." Then to tie the knot, she leaned closer and whispered into Obi-Wan's ears. "My name is Nina. I work directly for Fulcrum."

That was the last Obi-Wan heard before he lost consciousness.

~o0o~

Why, of course Obi-Wan got into trouble. He is Obi-Wan after all. Nina is an OC that is the bridge between the kids and other more important characters. Thanks for reading guys!