Old Man and the Desert

Chapter 36

Location: Rebel Base, Yavin 4

Obi-Wan contacted his wife after his meeting and he was told to meet with her at the hanger bay. He had no idea why. He assumed she'd plan another one of her lessons out in the Yavin woods, but apparently he was wrong. He obviously wanted to go off world. He knew she had planned on giving Anakin his final trial, but he had no clue as to what it involved. All he did know was that Anakin was going to get his memories back though he didn't know how. He wondered how he'd react. Would he return to the Dark Side? Or will Thrice's teachings somehow save him? Obi-Wan didn't what the outcome would be or if anyone did.

Though, oddly he noticed a procession at the hanger bay. He watched as a group of Thrice's Clan-sisters appeared and carried a large unmarked box on board a ship. Puzzled, he watched as they loaded it up onto the ramp. He sensed something unusual about the box, but he couldn't know why.

"Do you know where we're going?" asked Anakin.

The reborn-Jedi had strode into the hanger bay a second later and stood beside his former-master. He noticed that Obi-Wan seemed troubled and was rubbing his beard. It was a sign that he was upset.

"No, Anakin. I do not. I'm merely here to keep an eye on Thrice."

"Why? Don't you trust me?"

The auburn-Jedi turned to glance at his former-apprentice and said, "No, you are just as reckless as she is. However, it is my responsibly to keep an eye on my wife."

Thrice marched up to the two men and smiled. She didn't hear Obi-Wan's comments. She didn't share in his concerns and was completely unfazed. Obi-Wan noticed that she was wearing her trademark black Clan battle-suit and sword. She hair was pin up in a Naboo style and she looked surprisingly radiant. Obi-Wan couldn't help returning her smile.

"Don't just stand there. Get on board, Sir Knight. We're going on a trip. It's Anakin's last trial."

The reborn-Jedi narrowed his brow and asked, "Where are we going? I thought you said you wanted me to remember my past?"

Thrice marched up the ramp and paused at the top before stating, "Yes…you will."

XXX

It was an uneventful trip and it reminded Obi-Wan of the many missions he had with Anakin during the Clone Wars. It had been many years since he had spent time with his former wayward Padawan, though things were different now. He had a wife now and an unusual one at that. He watched as she plotted the course on the ship's navigational system and allowed Anakin to take the helm.

The reborn-Jedi seemed eager for the distraction. Anakin always did love to fly. Obi-Wan didn't understand the appeal. If space travel weren't so necessary he would avoid it. Though, a sudden wave of overprotectiveness washed over him as he thought of his unborn child. He didn't like the idea of his wife travel while pregnant. There were too many things that could go wrong. It was no wonder she hadn't told him about their little space trip.

"Stop worrying or I'll have to distract you," warned the war-maiden.

Innocently, Obi-Wan said, "Worried? Who's worried? I'm not worried."

Anakin laughed. "Oh please, you always get nervous when we fly."

"And with good reason. You always manage to crash."

"I don't do it on purpose, Obi-Wan. And besides, I'm a fantastic pilot. You'll be fine."

The elder man rubbed his beard and then moved to help fasten the safety harness on Thrice's seat. The she-warrior smirked and waited patiently until he was done strapping her in. She gave him an amused glance until he blushed and turned away.

"Yes—well, uh it's not me I'm worried about, Ani."

Thrice giggled at her husband's embarrassment and rewarded him with a kiss on the cheek. "Oh my, thank you, my gallant Knight."

Obi-Wan smiled and decided to play along and said, "Anytime, Milady. I'm at your service." He then reached out to take her hand and gave the back of it a chaste kiss.

Thrice felt like she could drown in his lovely gray-blue eyes. Her face began to flush and she turned away shyly like a young handmaiden. Obi-Wan was pleased to see her act so coy. He had learned from Lord Blackswan that her people valued good etiquette and simple things like an innocent kiss on the hand were down right scandalous.

Meanwhile, Anakin felt like hurling. He didn't like watching former-master make eyes at his wife. He suddenly felt like a third wheel. He decided to get their attention and remind them that he was still here. Anakin loudly cleared his throat.

"Ahem! Well, aren't you going to tell us where we're going now, Master?"

Thrice noted Anakin's sarcasm, but gave him a knowing smile. She said, "Mustafar."

Anakn was confused. He didn't know why Thrice would want to go there. There was nothing on Mustafar but geo-plants. What could she possible want to go there? Though, Obi-Wan had a completely different reaction. He was shocked.

"Mustafar! Why in blazes are we going there?"

Thrice turned to her husband and said, "It's poetic. It's a place where a great evil was born and there is shall die."

In a rush, Obi-Wan said, "Is that your reasoning? Are you planning on jogging his memory through shock? Is that your plan?"

"No. It is only part of the trial. The rest will be determined by fate."

XXX

Location: Mustafar

Anakin didn't know what Thrice and Obi-Wan were talking about. There wasn't anything special about Mustafar, at least as far as he could remember. He didn't understand how the hot world could jog his memory if he couldn't remember his past in the first place. Yet, he believed in Thrice's skills. She had already proven to him that she knew more than he thought.

The trip to Mustafar was uneventful. They made a smooth landing on a relatively cool space on an abandoned geo-pant and disembarked. The air was stifling and hot. It was just what you'd expect from a volcano planet, but Thrice didn't waste anytime. She immediately set out to unload her mysterious cargo on the ship. She used a hover-cart to float it out and began unlocking the seal by punching in a code. A hiss of cool air escaped from the seam when she opened the seal, but she kept the lid closed.

"Anakin, it's going to be a shock, but I'm going to say a key phrase to unlock your memories. I want you to be prepared. Are you ready?"

Bewildered, the reborn-Jedi said, "Whoa, wait! You could have unlocked my memories this whole time? Why didn't you tell me? Why did you drag us out here?"

Obi-Wan interrupted and said, "Ani, I'm sure Thrice had her reasons."

Enraged, Anakin stated, "I don't care about your reasons! Why did you keep this from me?"

Thrice looked at him and said, "Because you weren't ready."

Anakin flew into a fit. He sick of people telling him that he wasn't ready. He felt like it was what people had been telling him his whole life. Who were they to judge if he was ready? He had the power. He had the skill. He could handle anything. He was the Chosen One for Force sake.

However, Thrice was undeterred and shouted the key phrase, "Second Chances!"

Then, in a flash of pain, Anakin dropped down on the hot earth onto his knees and grabbed his head in agony. He screamed so loudly that his ears began to ring. Images rushed by in lightening speed across his mind. It was like a floodgate of memories. Years of loneliness came back to him.

Anakin remembered everything. He remembered losing his mother and revenging her death. He remembered slaying the Sand people. He remembered killing the women and the children—the children—he remembered killing all the younglings at the Jedi Temple. He saw them dying one by one under his hand. He remembered Padme and Mustafar. He remembered nearly choking her to death in a fit of rage. He remembered battling Obi-Wan cross the river of fire. He knew now that this was the place where everything changed. This was the place where Anakin Skywalker died and Darth Vader took his place.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" shouted Anakin.

"Anakin!" cried Obi-Wan in concern. The auburn-Jedi moved to rush to his side, but Thrice stopped him and grabbed his arm.

"No, Obi-Wan. He must remember."

Obi-Wan was conflicted. He understood what Thrice meant. He had to let Anakin worked through the memories alone, but it still grieved him to see his former-apprentice in pain. Anakin was like a brother and son. It pained him to see him in such misery. However, his red-eyed beauty was in charge. She was Anakin's mentor. She had brought him down this path and he had to trust that she knew what she was doing.

Meanwhile, Anakin continued to battle his inner demons. He felt the full weight of his dark deeds as if his soul had been burnt alive. Suddenly, Anakin hated everyone and everything. They had abandoned him. They had lied. They had betrayed him. He had been left with nothing. Nobody understood and nobody cared. The universe was a dark place and deserved to be butchered and controlled by the strong. Anakin remember now the price of weakness.

Slowly, he rose to his feet and was filled with venomous hate. He gazed up at the she-warrior with sickly yellow eyes. "You—you did this to me. You brought me back—back to this place! Why!"

Obi-Wan moved to stand between them. He was afraid he'd try to hurt her. Pleadingly, he said, "Anakin, please. Thrice saved you. She brought you back. She gave you a second chance. Please, don't throw it away."

"Lies!" shouted the reborn-Jedi. "It's all a lie! You don't want to save me! You just want to use me like you did last time. Well, it won't work. There isn't anything left for you to take!"

Anakin then turned to march away, but Thrice tried to stop him and said, "Anakin. Wait—ah!"

"NO!"

Obi-Wan watched in horror as a red lightsaber plunged through his wife's chest from behind and withdrew from her body as clearly as a knife through butter. Her body instantly grew limp and she fell to the ground like a dead weight. Obi-Wan instantly scrambled to rush to her side. He tried to stop the blooding, but it was too late. Obi-Wan couldn't stop the bleeding no matter how hard he pressed.

"Thrice! Thrice, please. Please, stay with me."

The she-warrior gasped and blood began to trickle down from her lips. She gazed up and looked passed her husband and at the man who had stabbed her in the back. Obi-Wan saw the intensity in her ruby eyes and turned to look and to his horror he saw that it was Darth Vader. The Sith was standing beside the open cargo box and Obi-Wan finally realized that Vader had been in it this whole time.

Obi-Wan had no idea that Vader had been kept alive. He thought Lord Blackswan had disposed of Anakin's former body, but it turned out that he was wrong. He couldn't fathom why, but for some reason he had been preserved this whole time.

"So Obi-Wan, how does it feel to lose someone you love?"

Obi-Wan was too devastated to speak. Tears began to fall from his eyes. He just could not believe that Vader was still alive. It was a nightmare. Though, something inside Obi-Wan snapped. He was so full of rage that he couldn't think. How dare he hurt his love. Thrice was his savor. He'd be damned before he'd let him get away with killing his beloved. Yet, before Obi-Wan could launch his attack, the she-warrior grabbed his arm.

In a weak voice, she said, "Our son…please…."

Her words stopped Obi-Wan's anger cold. He suddenly realized that Vader didn't matter at all. All that matter now was saving Thrice and their unborn child as well. Quickly, he picked her up and began heading towards the ship. However, Vader would not allow them to escape. He quickly intercepted them and blocked Obi-Wan's path.

"Not so fast, my old friend. I have yet to repay you for your hospitality. It is fitting that we should find ourselves here. Now you too will know what it feels like to lose not just your wife, but your life as well."

Vader then ignited his red lightsaber and was about to strike Obi-Wan and Thrice down, but then out of nowhere Anakin appeared and blocked the blow his blue blade. Obi-Wan was shocked. He didn't think Anakin would save them. He thought he had fallen to the Dark Side again.

"Go!" shouted Anakin. "Save her. Vader is mine."

In response, Obi-Wan nodded in understanding. "Good luck, Anakin."

Obi-Wan then rushed back towards the ship. He had to save Thrice. He couldn't spare Anakin any help in taking on his evil-self. He just had to pray to the Force that he was not too late. Meanwhile, Vader was perplexed. He didn't understand who Anakin was or what connection he had with his former-master.

In a flash, the two broke apart. Vader was determined to kill the unknown Jedi quickly. He would not allow Obi-Wan and his wretched she-demon to escape again. Though, Vader could not get around the young man. Anakin kept him away long enough for the ship to power up and fly away. Enraged, Vader roared in frustration.

"No! I refuse to allow Obi-Wan to live another day! I'll make him pay for his betrayal."

Anakin stepped forward and said, "No. I won't let you."

Irked, Vader stated, "Out of my way, boy. I have no time for clones."

Anakin furiously lunged forward and clashed blades again with the Sith. He shouted, "I am not a clone!"

Vader laughed and deflected his attack easily. "Don't be a fool. You are a clone. I am the proof that you are not a true being. I am the real Darth Vader while are merely a pale imitation. Lord Blackswan maybe sly, but he cannot replicate a real Sith."

Anakin paused and thought about Vader's words. Was he really not real? Was he really just a poor copy? No, Anakin refused to believe that he wasn't real. He knew who he was. He knew that—suddenly he looked up and met Vader's glance with clear blue eyes. Anakin then realized what Thrice had been trying to teach him all along. There was such a thing as a second chance because she knew. She knew Vader was still alive all along. She orchestrated this whole meeting. She wanted Anakin to fight Vader. She wanted him to defeat his past with his own two hands literally.

Then, confidently Anakin stated, "I'm not a Sith. I am a Jedi. I am Anakin Skywalker."

XXX

TBC

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Thanks for reviewing: Larka, Bitching Hat, ejm12, RevantheSithLord, crimson11116 and QueenRexKenobi124.

Author's Note: I noticed several comments about stormtroopers. I'm sorry if I got some info wrong. I haven't been keeping up with Star Wars the Clone Wars cartoon lately and I haven't read any of the books. My info comes purely from speculation and the movies. And if Yoda seems a bit of a meanie, well I can't have everyone on board for clone/Jedi loving.

Please review. Thank you.