Chapter 7

Obi-Wan never felt the urge to run on this planet as much as he did so now as Anakin was storming off to the homestead. It was times like this he had wished Cody was here as Cody always stun Anakin or Ahsoka whenever they were about to do something unintelligent and reckless.

Although his former apprentice didn't tell him what he was going to do, Obi-Wan had seen that look of determination and resolve in his eyes before, and he could feel his intentions through the Force.

"How could you lie to me, Obi-Wan?! I was trusting you, and yet you kept so much from me! Why didn't you reveal to me the fate of Padmé one year earlier?!" Anakin snapped at Obi-Wan.

"Anakin, you and I both know you would have taken the news worse!" Kenobi countered, having always resenting himself for deceiving Anakin. "Let's be honest, Anakin, you were more Darth Vader than you were Anakin Skywalker just a year ago! At times, I was afraid you would have cut me down whenever something didn't go your way!"

Anakin glared at the Jedi Master. It was then Obi-Wan noticed his former apprentice activating his blade with a snap-hiss and stood before him, blocking the Jedi Master from going further, angling his lightsaber in front of him, his eyes still blue but unrecognizable and calm, poised to strike.

"Don't do this," Obi-Wan declares in a half-pleading and half-sadden tone, not wanting to fight him again as his hand begins brushing his thumb over the ignition button on his own blade, ready to fight if he has to, but he had a sinking feeling Anakin would win regardless. "Anakin, you are better than this! Look at yourself! Although your training is near completion, there is still a vast majority of Darth Vader within you!"

Although the Jedi Knight nearly formed a fighting position, Anakin thought about his words and closed his eyes. Despite the fact that he had lied to him as he had done when he had deceived him for what is at least 20 years ago in this timeline, Anakin knew he was correct.

Vader failed because he had wanted everything to be given to him, yet Anakin had learned life wasn't that way; if he attacks the old man, he would just become Vader again.

He deactivated his lightsaber, clipped it to his belt, and begins walking again, resolved to continue his former task which was to get off of this dustball that still carried too many memories for his liking, and to travel to Coruscant and cut Vader and Palpatine's heads off, along with anyone who may still serve them such as Tarkin.

Their precious Empire shall burn when Anakin is finish with them!

"Anakin, I know you are enraged but-"

Anakin turned to Obi-Wan, startling the Jedi Master and causing him to nearly stagger and almost made him running into his former apprentice, who didn't even flinch. "Palpatine lied to me, Obi-Wan! He had caused me to turn to the darkness, likely wanted Tarkin to convict Ahsoka so she wouldn't be able to stand in my way of falling to darkness, making a good friend appear crazy, forced me to annihilate my friends and all of the Jedi in the Jedi Temple, caused me to go mad with power and choke my own wife, attacked you with the intentions of eliminating you! I shall kill him and avenge all of us! I'm tired of all of this deception from everyone; the Jedi, Palpatine, you, and Padmé!"

"And then what, Anakin?! We both are aware of Palpatine's treachery! He managed to turn Vader... hell, even turned Dooku! Dooku used to be a Jedi himself, who believed that the Jedi were all blinded by their narrow-minded dogma, and he was well-respected and wise..." Obi-Wan's face surprisingly became sadden as he had remembered always wanting to meet Qui-Gon Jinn's Master as a Jedi because he had looked up to him.

"I won't fall for his temptations as Dooku and Vader have, Obi-Wan," Anakin declares, walking inside and grabbing his Jedi Robes, along with his cloak.

He stormed into his room and placed them on, coming out seconds later with his black robes on.

"Anakin, if you meet Vader or Palpatine, I cannot stop you. But know this, Anakin, if you encounter them, you would not best them. You do have greater ability and power than other people, including Sidious, but it is potential power, and your training in terms of the Force and lightsaber combat is far from completion."

Deep down, Anakin knew Obi-Wan was correct, but he was too blinded by anger and resentment to see reality anymore.

His pride and overconfidence was his downfall. Anakin was very arrogant, and rightfully so. In the Clone Wars, he is this free-wheeling incredible Jedi General with so many victories to his name. He thinks he can do anything, and rightfully so. He defeated Count Dooku one-on-one. Count Dooku was one of the most respected swordsmen in the galaxy, the Master of Form II, the very man who trained Qui-Gon Jinn, the man who stalemated Yoda in the hanger, the man who was taught by Yoda himself.

Anakin defeated him like he was a sitting bantha, but Darth Vader and Darth Sidious are far more dangerous than Count Dooku.

At the time of Order 66 and the rise of the Empire, Anakin was close to the peak of his physical prime, and he knew is why Palpatine wanted him as his apprentice.

The only reason Obi-Wan has proven victorious on Mustafar was that he knew Anakin's moves better than any other living person and he was a master of the Soresu form, which was all about defense. Anakin, being immensely conflicted during that battle, wasn't able to properly draw on either the light or the dark side. If Obi-Wan had pursued Vader after his rebirth on Mustafar then Obi-Wan would die, or worse, be held captive and tortured until he revealed whatever he knew about Yoda or, inadvertently, perhaps even the twins.

Obi-Wan and Anakin were two of the most powerful Jedi of their era. Both had their strengths, their weaknesses, and their combat mentality differed.

Anakin Skywalker was the foremost practitioner of form V, Djem So. Djem So focused on a strong defense followed by a swift and powerful counterstrike. Anakin focused more on the offensive application of the style. He supplemented this form with Ataru and Soresu, the Acrobatic and Defensive forms. The result was a well-rounded style that could be used well for offense or defense. Anakin emphasized heavy blows to break through the guard of his opponent, and speed to overwhelm them. That being said he was deceptively subtle at times and did work his way around the guard of those he could not defeat otherwise. Anakin tired out his opponents quickly with this flashy form, but with time it could also be tiring to him…

Obi-Wan on the other hand was the best defensive duelist the galaxy had ever seen. He was the master of Soresu, the defensive dueling form. It was said by the ancient Jedi that a true master of the form was unbeatable, but the ancient sith disliked it stating that it only delayed the inevitable. Recognizing this Obi-Wan also mastered Ataru and almost Djem So. Additionally, he was well versed in the Jar Kaii variants of these forms. Fittingly, Obi-Wan and Anakin were masters of the same forms but used them in extremely different ways.

Additionally, while Anakin is single-minded and impulsive in his pursuit of a goal, Obi-Wan is practical and calculating. In fighting a war this leads to Anakin being a better leader at a small scale, but Obi-Wan being a better politician and large scale leader. In combat, however, this leads to Anakin rushing in to get quick results. On the other hand, Obi-Wan thinks through his approach to combat very thoroughly, and while there are other, slightly better lightsaber duelists, Obi-Wan is the smartest of them. He always tries to control a fight, and outsmart his opponents.

"Anakin, if you go, you might be captured by the Emperor and he might twist you over to the darkness."

Anakin growled. "Over my dead body. I would never fall for that old fool's manipulations."

"Anakin, you are not strong enough in the Force to combat both Vader and Sidious. They are extremely dangerous. Knowing Sidious, he would draw you over to the dark side of the Force as he had done to Vader and many other Jedi who survived Order 66." Obi-Wan replied, his voice a warning, though he could tell Anakin was determined to bring an end to the Galactic Empire.

Despite Anakin hating the former Chancellor, he could still fall to the temptations of the dark side and become his own Sith; an individual far stronger than Maul, Dooku, and Vader.

"Anakin, I can sense that I will not be able to stop you, but you will need to go to the system of Alderaan. Find Bail Organa. He is aware of the Rebellion and would give you assistance in tracking it down." Obi-Wan replied, hoping that he was making the right choice, but through the Force, he could tell that Anakin still requires great importance elsewhere and that he is needed across this galaxy.

Anakin needed to learn to be on his own and not having to have someone restrain him. This is perhaps one of Anakin's trials so he could rise to become a greater person.

"Organa is still alive?" Anakin asked with raised eyebrows, staring at the old man with shock. How could one of the Senators besides Padmé be one who managed to survive Palpatine's wrath?

"Yes. Soon after the rise of the Empire, a group of Galactic Senators distressed at the suspension of civil liberties and the authoritarian, violent direction the Empire was taking, created a petition of redress asking Palpatine to stop his tyranny. Everyone that signed it mysteriously disappeared. Bail Organa and Mon Mothma were smarter than other Senators and correctly perceived Palpatine's reaction. They refused to sign it and were perceived by Imperial Security as loyal. They did nothing to change this perception and continued creating and supporting the Rebel Alliance wherever they could." Obi-Wan replied, walking up to Anakin and grasping his shoulder in a comforting manner, sending calming waves to his former apprentice through the Force. "Just be careful, Anakin, and keep yourself in the shadows. What you go and do is not for me to determine." Obi-Wan pleaded.

"I will be careful, I promise," Anakin replied before turning and walking off, feeling immense hesitation boiling up in his soul, but there was a murderous intend inside the young former Jedi Knight. "Contact me whenever you finally decide to leave this planet."

"I will, I promise," his former Master's voice called out for him, his Force Aura ringing truth as he spoke.

As much as he hated it and had wanted to murder the Emperor, he was going to go after Bail Organa and rely on him so he could find the Rebellion. It was harsh to not go after Palpatine on Coruscant and chopped off his head, but he knew he'd needed assistance. Who knows? He might run into that Bridger boy and his Master once again.

It harmed him that Ahsoka and Padmé were both dead, yet he shall avenge all of them, the Jedi, clone troopers, especially Rex and Fives, the Galactic Republic, and the entire galaxy.

Anakin could sense his former Master's eyes on him, the pain and sadness surrounding the old man, yet there was another feeling.

Acceptance.

He felt anger and depression at his former Master not coming with him, but he knew the old man had an assignment here and this is where he is needed.

As Anakin walked into the town, he made sure to disguise himself behind people and to ensure they don't spot him which was successful.

He had remembered asking Obi-Wan how didn't the Sith of this time hadn't track him down yet, and Obi-Wan told him that Mos Eisley had a strong contingent of Dark Force elements. This was a perfect counterbalance for his Force footprint - the strength of the Dark Force there, though significant, was dispersed amongst a wide number of relatively weak characters who would not pose a serious threat against anyone as strong as Obi-Wan and himself.

Despite how senile the old man became, Anakin had to admit he was smart. This had to be the last place Vader would want to go to. Anakin saw his mother die after she was brutally beaten and raped by Sand People, and he also began his path to the dark side with murder, including women and children. It's safe to say that any of the Anakin left in Vader would never want to see this place again.

Deciding to walk inside of the cantina fairly quickly so the stormtroopers don't recognize him, Anakin scanned the place and searched for a pilot.

As he surveyed the cantina, he'd noted there were white armored men who Obi-Wan told him were called Stormtroopers.

Stormtroopers were the elite soldiers of what the Galactic Republic is now. They are faceless troopers, troopers who Obi-Wan tries desperately to avoid for reasons that are clearer to Anakin now. In the period of whatever the Galactic Republic... Empire is now, stormtroopers are infantry that is organizationally separate from the Army. ...In this period of the Galactic Empire, stormtroopers are infantry that is organizationally separate from the Imperial Army. Stormtroopers are the enforcers for what the Republic has become, a well as the faceless symbol of fear.

It made him wince to know that there are clone troopers under some of those helmets. Those good and loyal men who had fought for the safety of a corrupt Republic and a corrupt Order were nothing but mindless drones or shadows of their former selves if the inhibitor chips wore off. It also made him disgusted with how Palpatine had to terrorize innocent people throughout the galaxy and had made the urge of Anakin wanting to kill him intensify.

Anakin sneaked closer and decided to read into them. Perhaps if one is a former clone trooper, he could convince them as all of the clones in the Galactic Republic had respect for Anakin Skywalker.

But as he neared, Anakin could sense nothing. Shamefully, these were not former clones, and it had saddened him, but he had accepted with a grim resolve that clones were harder to find these days. It's been 17 years. Sadly, they are all probably dead by now or scattered across the galaxy.

His thoughts went back to Rex and the men of the 332nd who he had left in command of Ahsoka. It was even more saddening that they were likely the ones who gunned down Ahsoka; that or Maul killed her. He doesn't know. Maul could've been lying.

Then again, he certainly wasn't lying when he'd asked Anakin to join him so they could defeat his former Master.

'Why not just steal a shuttle?'

The thought crosses his mind. After all, it's not like half of these scoundrels and smugglers can't just purchase another shuttle. Besides, their assignments aren't just as relevant as his. Otherwise, they wouldn't have been on this insignificant planet.

'Why not steal an imperial shuttle and just disable the homing beacon?'

After all, the Stormtroopers got here by the means of transport, and the Jedi Knight could just evacuate from their reinforcements.

"Excuse me, Commander," Anakin begins as calmly as he could, causing the stormtroopers to turn around and to face him. "I require transport..." Anakin raised his hand, "you will take me to one."

"You require transport, I will take you to one," the stormtrooper commander said before turning to his men, "men, get this civilian a transport."

"You have done your job well, commander," Anakin continued, having to resist the urge to smirk victoriously as he turned around and walked off with a few of the stormtroopers.

As Anakin followed the stormtroopers, he had received odd looks but no one gave a second glance as they hadn't wanted to get in the way of the Empire and had continued to do their own things.

Soon, the Stormtroopers came to a stop across a Lambda-class T-4a shuttle in Docking Bay 76.

Hangars, also known as docking bays or landing pads, were areas for launching, landing, repairing, and refueling vehicles. They were located on planetary surfaces, space stations and starships large enough to carry smaller ships, such as shuttles, freighters, and starfighters.

According to Obi-Wan, some ships like Imperial Star Destroyers had a tractor beam that could catch ships and pull them into their hangar bays.

Anakin can sense that no one was on board and that meant his escape will be easier, and he wouldn't have to deal with any complications.

Anakin grins, "You have done your job well, commander." He said. "You will give me your blaster and then you will return to your post."

The stormtrooper didn't hesitate and gave Anakin his E-11 blaster rifle which the Jedi Knight took before sending the stormtroopers back to their positions which left Anakin with a ship.

"That could have gone worse."

"Hey, you, civilian, stop right there!" A stormtrooper from another platoon shouted, causing the stormtroopers who he had previously manipulated with the Force to snap out of it and turn their attention to him, immediately aiming their blasters as well.

"Oh great," Anakin continued, rolling his eyes as the stormtroopers begins approaching him, cuffs brandished.

Without hesitation, the Jedi Knight opened fire on the stormtroopers, shooting one in the middle down, causing them to return fire, but luckily, his Jedi instincts are still sharper than ever as he fired, dodging the few shots from the stormtroopers. Besides, these stormtroopers are horrible aims, making the battle droids Anakin had faced for three years look like they came from a masterpiece droid facility.

Immediately, Anakin dash onboard and powered up the engines and setting it on co-pilot with his expertise in ships before quickly running back out, firing at the stormtroopers who were approaching the shuttle closely as the shuttle ascended up and the stormtroopers could only fire at the shuttle in a vain attempt to bring it down but he ran into the cockpit and pressed the button that close the shuttle doors.

Seconds later, the Jedi Knight was greeted by the black abyss of space. For a moment, he had missed Artoo, the little astromech who always was of assistance to him, but hopefully, he could find that droid if he's fully functional or repair him if he has to if he isn't among the scrap piles among the battle droids of the Separatists apparently nowadays. Hopefully, that is not the case, but it is highly likely if Vader truly did fall that far.

Anakin knew that the likelihood of him encountering reinforcements was high, and so he prepared himself, loading up the turrets and firing on the shuttles, spinning the shuttle around to evade blaster fire before resuming his original goal. His excellent flying left the imperial shuttles dazed and confused, but he hadn't shown any mercy and shot them all down without a second thought.

More fighters were appearing on Anakin's temporary shuttle's sensors. He set the coordinates on Kessel, knowing that even after he disables the tracking beacon he will have to travel in several hyperspace lanes before finally traveling to Alderaan.

With a last stare at the planet that was his homeworld, the Jedi Knight sighed lowly, realizing how much he had missed the old man despite the fact that he had lied to him, but vowing to see him again, and once they reunite, they shall destroy the Emperor and crumble the Empire, clenching his hand up into a fist at the thought of Obi-Wan before pulling the controls of the shuttle that made the blue streaks of lightspeed appeared.

And the time traveler Jedi Knight disappeared in the void of space.

Arthur's note: Thus ends the first arc. I was going to have Anakin use a lightsaber against the stormtroopers but do remember that this is a different time period from Anakin's and the Jedi are all but extinct or so the galaxy believes they are. If Anakin uses his lightsaber, he would be hunted down by the Empire. Right now, he's just a smuggler who managed to disarm a commander but don't believe Anakin is going to have that gratitude for long.

Now, Anakin is off of Tatooine and is going to meet with Bail Organa. Think that would end well, especially with a certain someone who looks exactly like his wife being at Organa's side?

May the Force be with you all always.