Wicked Dreams
by epithree


Chapter 12: The River

'Is this a dream?' Obi-Wan Kenobi realized that at this particular moment, he just didn't care. Although he felt like he didn't deserve it, the force had given Obi-Wan yet another opportunity to interact with an Anakin from the past. A pure and innocent Anakin.

Real or not, Obi-Wan was thrilled at the way the boy had taken to him. Their previous encounter had left Obi-Wan quite disappointed. He had scared the boy off with his talk about Palpatine and the boy's fall from grace. However, this time things were different. Even though their talk upon the rocky shore was brief and concise, the Jedi pair had bonded significantly.

Obi-Wan was granted a surge of joy each time he messed the boy's hair and got a smile in response. Thinking about what this boy was destined to become forced Obi-Wan to cringe. Perhaps the Jedi master had taken such a shine to the child out of feelings of guilt. Whatever the reason, Obi-Wan would never overlook the boy's accomplishments again. Never again would he give Anakin harsh criticism.

Now aboard the makeshift canoe, the Jedi pushed themselves away from the rocky shoreline. They sat at opposite ends of the tiny boat, facing each other. Anakin manned the crude oars while Obi-Wan held the torch.

Obi-Wan had thought about wedging the torch between a pair of rocks before they pushed off from shore, but he ultimately decided to take the item with them. The Jedi master doubted that the northern passage they were headed for contained adequate light. Judging by the looks of it from their spot upon the river, Obi-Wan surmised that there would be no crystals or creatures to illuminate their path.

Once they were away, Obi-Wan offered to row the craft. "Here's the torch Anakin. Let me take those off your hands."

The boy made no attempt to take the dimming torch. Instead, he used the oars to row even harder, with a determined look across his face. "It's okay Ben. I was sent here to help you. This is my test." Anakin's matter of fact tone gave Obi-Wan the message clearly. The boy was resolute, taking his mission quite seriously.

Obi-Wan returned to his seating plank and shot a warm smile towards Anakin. "Tell me Anakin. Did this... Qui-Gon... tell you anything else?" The Jedi continued to pretend that he had never met his master.

"No Ben." Anakin's rowing was steady and even. Obi-Wan thought it looked graceful.

"And so this Qui-Gon told you that your true test was to lead me to a friend?" Obi-Wan had his free hand at his chin.

"Yes sir." Anakin was fighting off the current produced by the nearby waterfall. The Jedi duo had now made it halfway across the river. It would not take much longer to reach the northern shore.

The Jedi smiled at each other, and the soothing sound of the waterfall drew their attention away from the nearby splashes being caused by a surfacing creature.

Obi-Wan had sensed unfriendly creatures earlier, but they were all amongst the depths of the calm and misleading river, safely away from the surface.

Anakin was first to sense the nearby creature. He quickly locked his gaze upon Obi-Wan, who saw the urgency in Anakin's eyes. The boy didn't need to speak, and Obi-Wan's face lit up with an urgent look of his own. "I sense it too!"

The pair of Jedi turned to look over the starboard side of the vessel simultaneously. They had done so just in time to witness the left oar snap like a fragile twig due to the might of a large green-gray tentacle.

There wasn't much time to react constructively, for during the next second, a loud thump of tentacle against wood knocked both Jedi to the hard planked floor.

Anakin had pulled the broken half of oar on board as he fell. Both Jedi could sense that the beast was trying to capsize the canoe by thrashing its many limbs against the craft's base.

Another thunderous wallop from below caused young Anakin to lose his grip upon the good oar, and it fell into the river.

To prevent his head from smashing against the inner wall of the bow, Obi-Wan dropped the torch and wrapped his arms tight around his scalp. The defensive feat worked well to shield the Jedi, but the next strike made it impossible for Obi-Wan to maintain that position. He had to grab the sides of the craft in order to steady himself, for the third blast was far more severe than the prior blows.

The wood began to crack and splinter all around. Water trickled into the vessel from all sides. Obi-Wan lunged towards Anakin, legs wobbling, due to the creature's new tactic of vehement shaking. The Jedi failed to notice that the torch was now wedged between the floorboard and seating plank.

Obi-Wan wanted to protect Anakin at all costs. His brave lunge had placed him next to the young boy, at the back of the craft. Distracted by the water situation, Obi-Wan had yet to wield his lightsaber. Instead, his eyes quickly scanned both sides of the crude vessel. Large greenish-gray tentacles emerged from the river upon both sides of the canoe. They caused waves to crash against Obi-Wan, who was now standing above a squatting Anakin. The waves added water to the already sinking craft.

Both Jedi had been too shocked to speak until Anakin finally pushed out some words to warn his friend. "Ben! Behind you!" It was the first thing Anakin had said since the onset of this nautical assault.

Obi-Wan swung around quickly and discovered that the seating plank next to his legs had gone ablaze due to the wedged torch. There was nowhere else left to stand. As another tentacle bashed in the bow of the canoe, the momentum forced Obi-Wan to jump through the flames.

"Ben!" Anakin sprang upwards out of his crouched position only to have the flooring sink faster as he stood. The water was up to the boy's waist.

Obi-Wan had landed hard against what was left of the cracked planks. Dizziness was threatening to take over due to the hard shots his head had endured. The fumes from the burning seat added to the wooziness.

The Jedi were cut off from each other due to the burning wreckage that was floating between them. "Ben! I'm coming!" Anakin grabbed as many planks as he could in order to keep himself afloat. He started to tread water and made his way around the smoky pile of smoldering wood.

As he mustered up and called upon all his strength, Obi-Wan allowed the force to wrap itself around him. He would not allow consciousness to escape. The Jedi master would continue to protect Anakin at all costs.

Through the force, Obi-Wan suddenly became completely alert. And the icy sting of the cold river water against his face would make sure he stayed that way. He immediately noticed that the dry, upper half of his tunic was on fire from the leap he had made. Ironically, the water was frigid.

'It figures,' Obi-Wan thought with a bit of cynicism. 'The only dry section of the boat is burning.'

Anakin had just made it around the flaming wreckage, allowing him to see Obi-Wan once again. "Ben! Your tunic!" The boy was still kicking up the water as he floated closer to his fellow Jedi.

Obi-Wan made quick work of the flames threatening to singe him. He rolled off of the debris that was supporting him and the water level shot up to his neck. "Not to worry, Anakin." The fire upon Obi-Wan's tunic was now out.

Both Jedi noticed that the aquatic creature had mysteriously disappeared. The relief from that realization only lasted a moment, for the waters around Obi-Wan began to churn and bubble.

Anakin and Obi-Wan didn't need the force to tell them that the creature was about to rise for another round.

Obi-Wan shouted at the boy. "Anakin! Just stay where you are!" The Jedi master grabbed the broken oar floating next to him as the creature's body pushed upwards against his boots. He had to wave his arms to steady himself as the beast ascended.

"No way!" the boy yelled back. He had abandoned the wreckage and was swimming towards the large mass that appeared to be the creature's body.

The many tentacles now surfaced and began thrashing about. Using the force to assist himself, Anakin grabbed the closest tentacle and climbed it spryly. Obi-Wan was amazed at the quickness with which Anakin had achieved his goal.

Both Jedi now stood upon what they thought was the creature's back, until they noticed the gaping maw threatening to consume them.

Obi-Wan was ready with the broken oar when he saw the creature's eyestalk arise from the choppy water. However, he sensed Anakin running towards him. Through the force, Obi-Wan could detect that the boy's mind was enveloped by feelings of discomfort.

Anakin had quickly deduced that Obi-Wan was going to throw the broken oar, sharpened end first, much like a harpoon. He immediately blocked Obi-Wan's path towards the eyestalk, raised his arms, and yelled. "No Ben! Don't do it!"

The next moment surprised Obi-Wan to the core. Boosting his speed with the force, young Anakin had disarmed the Jedi master before he could throw. The boy threw the broken oar back into the river. Instinctively, Obi-Wan ignited his lightsaber. With a snap-hiss, the blue blade blazed into existence.

Ready to hack at the tentacle rushing towards him, Obi-Wan drew upon the force.

"Please Ben! Don't!" Anakin ran in front of Obi-Wan again, this time taking the brunt of the blow from the large tentacle.

"Anakin!" Obi-Wan deactivated his lightsaber and quickly helped the boy to his feet. The Jedi master was baffled by the boy's behavior. 'What just happened?' Obi-Wan asked himself. 'How in the blazes did he disarm me like that?'

The Jedi had just regained their footing upon the scaly beast when its body went vertical.

Hanging from separate tentacles, both Jedi swayed through the air due to the creature's writhing appendages.

Now seeing the creature as a whole, Obi-Wan recognized it as a giant noga. He had faced one with Qui-Gon amongst the sludge of Ord Mantell.

The aquatic behemoth now placed Obi-Wan above its cavernous mouth. The Jedi dangled there, not sure of how to handle the situation. Anakin clearly wanted no harm to come to this creature, for he had practically begged Obi-Wan not to take action.

Obi-Wan had noticed the boy's eyes watering up when he was pleading with him. He obviously had some sort of connection with this beast.

"Hold on tight, Ben!" Anakin hollered. "I know what to do!"

Obi-Wan gasped as he watched the padawan bravely let go of the squirming tentacle he was latched upon. The boy fell through the air with a determined look across his face. The twenty-five foot drop seemed to only last a second, and the boy hit the water with his arms fastened tightly around the creature's eyestalk.

As Obi-Wan shifted his gaze back to his own dangling legs, he realized that he was just inches away from the noga's oral cavity.

The Jedi master had promised himself that he'd do anything for Anakin this time around, so he resolutely decided that no harm would come to the beast.

Obi-Wan began to swing to and fro, his momentum pulling the tentacle away from the mouth. However, the tactic only worked momentarily, and the noga suddenly thrust its tentacle right back to the maw. The creature then introduced its beak, which protruded from its threatening chops.

The noga was hoping to snag one of Obi-Wan's flailing legs, but the tentacle suddenly went limp. Obi-Wan held on tight as the limb crashed into the water with a huge splash.

Obi-Wan had to take action if he was going to avoid being pulled through the water to the depths. He quickly let go of the appendage and surfaced.

The Jedi master started to swim towards Anakin and the eyestalk.

As Obi-Wan made his way through the choppy water of the cold river, he examined Anakin and realized what had happened. Anakin's hand was kneading the top of the noga's eyestalk. The boy had placated the animal with the power of the force and some well placed massaging.

'Astounding,' Obi-Wan thought. As he swam closer, Obi-Wan noticed that Anakin was whispering to the beast.

How young Anakin knew so much about the inner workings of a noga was beyond Obi-Wan. The Jedi master did think that the noga resembled the mighty sarlaac, with the exception of the eyestalk. Perhaps Anakin had encountered creatures like this upon Tatooine. Obi-Wan quickly shook away the thought and told himself that it didn't matter. What was important was that the boy had saved them. Obi-Wan was starting to remember just how gifted and special the boy really was.

Anakin had soothed the noga and lulled it to sleep.

'Amazing,' Obi-Wan reflected. The boy had kept his composure throughout the entire ordeal.

"That's quite a trick Anakin," Obi-Wan said as playfully as he could after such a trial. He smiled at the boy. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine Ben." The boy smiled back. "Thank you for not taking action... and trusting me." Anakin seemed slightly embarrassed about his unexpected request.

Obi-Wan understood clearly now. He had forgotten how strong Anakin was at influencing other beings. As a young boy, Anakin's connection to the force allowed him to bond with creatures almost effortlessly.

The Jedi master laughed. "I think you're the one who deserves the thanks. Your quick thinking saved us."

"You mean you're not angry with me?" Anakin was perplexed.

"Absolutely not." Water droplets were dripping from Obi-Wan's beard. "There are alternatives to fighting. And your method was flawless."

The boy's face brightened, which was impressive considering how cold he was. Both Jedi had started to shake from the chilling waters, and Obi-Wan's teeth began to chatter.

"He's going to be asleep for at least fifteen minutes," Anakin explained while he continued to massage the appropriate region upon the creature's eyestalk.

"I suggest we head for shore before more of these creatures arrive. We're more than halfway across. You think you can swim it?" Obi-Wan asked the boy. The short trip would be a challenge considering the numbing effects of the river.

"Yes! Absolutely." The padawan seemed extremely confident. "Let's do it Ben." Anakin released his hold upon the noga and it sank back into the depths as it slept.

"Then we're on our way!" Obi-Wan took his first stroke towards the northern shore.

Though the temperature of the water was brutal, both Jedi were swimming gracefully. Through the force, their midichlorians were enhancing body heat.

"Ben?" Anakin addressed his new friend.

Obi-Wan turned his head to look at the boy. "Yes, Anakin."

"Thanks again." The young padawan said this with the utmost of sincerity.

To conserve energy, Obi-Wan just nodded at the boy.

Knowing they'd resume talking once upon land, both Jedi smiled. Then they headed for the north shore.


~to be continued