Old Man and the Desert

Chapter 29

Location: Tatooine

"Uh, yeah…congratulations," stuttered Luke to Ben.

The auburn-Jedi Master was not pleased. He did not expect Luke and Ahsoka to follow Thrice and him into the desert. They were out here to have a romantic wedding, not to get interrupted by a couple of younglings. It was most unexpected. Though, Obi-Wan was in no mood to scold Luke and the Togruta-beauty.

"Yes, well, what are you two doing here?"

Luke smiled and said, "We came out here to see what you two were doing. I thought you were still angry at Master Yoda and took off without us. I didn't know you two were getting married." Then, apprehensively he added, "That is what you two were doing, right?"

Obi-Wan rolled his eyes. He didn't even want to think about what Luke was suggesting. He wasn't the sort of man who had secret rendezvous out in the desert. Though, looking back he did make love while on board an Imperial battleship just days before. Yet, Obi-Wan couldn't muster up any guilt over defiling the Emperor's dungeon.

Though, it amused him to see the worry in the young man's eyes. Luke looked awfully distressed that he'd caught him in the act. Obi-Wan reassuringly said, "Yes, Luke. Thrice and I were getting married. It was a Clan ceremony."

Luke narrowed his brow. "Oh, then don't you need a holy man? Or a priest?

The she-warrior stepped forward and said, "No, Luke. A wedding is a promise. It's a promise between two people. The only ones who really matter are the two who make their bond."

In response, Luke was surprised. He had never thought of a wedding like that before, but Thrice's words made an awful lot of sense. He had gotten to know her since he and Ben arrived at Yavin 4. He knew she was took things like love as seriously as she did the sword. He just wasn't used to her being so mushy.

Thrice smiled and reached out to kiss Luke on the cheek and with a teasing glint in her eye, said, "Oh, don't worry, little warrior. You'll find your true love someday, but for now on you'll just have to be content with baby-sitting."

"Baby-sitting!" exclaimed Luke unexpectedly.

Thrice laughed at the teen's response and Obi-Wan couldn't help but smile. "Come now, darling. You mustn't be such a minx. Let the boy alone."

She playfully replied, "Oh my, you're right, Sir Knight. Why be a minx to Luke when I have you. My horrible Jedi."

Obi-Wan laughed. He was looking forward to spending time alone with his new wife. He was planning on showing her just how horrible a Jedi he could really be, but he was willing to wait until they reached Yavin 4. There wasn't exactly much privacy at the Lars' farm and he didn't want to push his luck as Owen Lars' guest. And also things were even more awkward with Master Yoda around, but suddenly the laughter stopped and Ahsoka noticed something in the distance with her keen eyes.

"Look!" she shouted. "Over there! At the farm there's a fire!"

"Hurry! We have to go back!" shouted Luke.

XXX

Location: Lars farm

Obi-Wan, Thrice, Ashoka and Luke ran as fast as they could back to the Lars farm and discovered that it was being attacked by Imperial troops. Ahsoka quickly spotted Rex in the middle of the battle and joined in to help.

"Rex!" called the Togruta-beauty.

Ahsoka activated her green lightsaber and swiftly slain several clones with her laser blade. Obi-Wan and Luke also joined in. They made quick work of the enemy and Obi-Wan noticed that Master Yoda was with Owen and Beru. The little master was defending them with the power of the Force, but he was still weak from loosing a limb.

"Thrice, go help Master Yoda!" shouted the auburn-Jedi. "Quickly, save the Lars."

Annoyed, the she-warrior did as her new husband ordered and defended the little master and their hosts. Obi-Wan was relieved that Thrice obeyed him. He realized that since learning of her pregnancy he had grown more concerned for her safety then ever before. Though, his distraction on his bride was short lived. Out of the smoke and bodies, he saw Darth Vader approach like a phantom out of the mist.

In a cold mechanical tone, the Sith drew closer and said, "So, you thought you had escaped me, old man, but you were wrong. Not even the painfully memories of the past could stop me from hunting you down. You have slipped throw my fingers for the last time. Now, you die."

"No!" shouted Luke.

The teen unexpectedly lunged out and tackled the Sith from the side. The strange attack stunned the Sith momentarily, but his body was more machine than man and he was too heavy for Luke to bring down.

"Foolish, boy!" roared the Sith.

Vader then backhanded Luke across the head and knocked him down. Vader was then about to slay him, but he hesitated for a moment when their eyes met. There was something odd about the boy, but Vader could not understand why. Though, his brief pause gave Obi-Wan and Ahsoka enough time to surprise the Sith with a team strike. With their blades they sliced through Vader's thick armor and sliced through his arm and leg.

Vader roared out in agonizing pain. He dropped to his knees and gasped for breath. He threw out his remaining arm for balance and fisted the sands in venomous defeat. He figured it was fitting that his life should end were he had his first beginnings.

He staggered to look up at his former-master. He gazed up into his familiar gray-blue eyes and saw the ageless face of the man he once thought of as both father and brother and sneered. In a voice filled with cold hatred he said, "Go ahead…end it…I'll hate you till my last breath…"

Meanwhile, Obi-Wan felt nothing in his heart, but grief and pity. Yet again, he could not bring himself to kill the man who was once thought of as his brother and son. He knew that Vader deserved to die, but the ghostly memory of the person he once was still haunted him.

"It's ok, Master. I'll do it," said Ahsoka Tano unexpectedly from behind him.

Shocked, Obi-Wan turned to her and said, "No, Ahsoka. Don't. Vader is my responsibility and not yours."

The Togruta-beauty narrowed her brow and her long montrals flared with colorful rage. "Not my responsibility! Obi-Wan, are you kidding me? He was my Master! He betrayed me! I've been fighting with the Rebels for years to put a stop to his evil rein."

Firmly, Obi-Wan stated, "Yes, but it should not be in cold blood!"

"Give him to me," said Thrice.

The two Jedi turned to face the she-warrior and watched as she approached. She had a cunning grin on her youthful face, yet her confidence did nothing to ease her husband's mind. In a fit of confusion, he asked, "What do you mean, give him to you? What are you planning?"

"Don't worry, my love. There is no death if you belong to the Clan."

XXX

Location: Imperial battleship

Darth Sidious was not pleased that Lord Vader had taken off with his personal troopers to go find Obi-Wan Kenobi, but it was not unexpected. Vader was a like a bloodhound when it came to hunting down his prey. He knew how personal it was for him to kill his former-master and personally it would only rather strengthened his place within the Darkness. Though, in truth Darth Sidious had no time to discipline his apprentice. He had other plans he needed to attend to first. The most important was salvaging his new body.

He was still enraged by what Lord Blackswan did to sabotage him. The clever cloner had gotten his last laugh by creating weaknesses in his DNA. He had deliberately made him into a ticking time bomb of rotting flesh. The Kamino scientist was of no help. He could only stall the inevitable when what Darth Sidious really needed was a solution. He needed more power. He needed power enough to transcend his mere physical existence. What he needed was the awesome power of the Force. What he needed was Mortis.

Gleefully, Sidious had finally obtained the last missing piece to a century's old mystery. He had learned of Mortis from Vader when he was fighting in the Clone Wars, but it was during Lady Thrice's drug induced interrogation that he finally learned the secret to opening a door. Soon, he would have the raw power of the Darkness and then nothing—not even rotting flesh-would be able to stop him from ruling the universe as a god.

XXX

TBC

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Author's Note: I know that this chapter is kind of short, but I hope you like the new plot direction. The muse has come back to me. I hope you enjoy.

Please read and review. Thank you.