"Calm yourself, this is not an interrogation"
- Obi-Wan Kenobi -
…Ana, relax…
Obi-Wan's soothing tones echoed gently through the force
…Your mind is racing, concentrate on my voice…
Ana shuddered in response, overwhelmed by just how intense and powerful the Jedi Master's presence was within the force, all most as if his very existence were a lit firework exploding brightly against the backdrop of a crushed velvet night sky.
Breathing deeply, she pondered the thought, wondering for the briefest of moments, how she herself looked to him within the force.
She felt him brush against her mind gently; an experience unlike anything she had ever felt before; terrifying and exhilarating, she felt her heart begin to pound within her chest…
…Relax…
Ana heard him repeat once again, more loudly this time as he stretched out his senses, nudging against her unguarded mind with a distinct lightness.
In response, Ana attempted to reciprocate his actions by timidly touching along the outer edges of the Jedi's awareness but found herself unceremoniously blocked.
How did he do that?
She found herself wondering, brow furrowed though her eyes still firmly lidded.
…Years of Jedi training, now please, concentrate…
Obi-Wan's slightly humoured voice soothed, forcing her to straighten her back and breathe deeply in response.
Focusing more acutely on her thoughts, she began to unconsciously relax, settling into herself as a strange warmth gradually washed over her…
It was the summer sun on her face, glorious and radiant, as she walked soft footed through a field of golden grass, her outstretched palm danced delicately over the top of each 'head of wheat' as she walked, the ever so faint sound of a river flowing peacefully nearby…. but that was when she heard it, a noise…
…No, a scream…
She whispered, feeling it's high pitched shrill as it pierced through her peaceful reverie
It was distant at first, repeating itself loudly before drawing closer, intensifying before being suddenly silenced by a slurry of what sounded like
…blaster fire? …
Confused, Ana turned, a concerned frown adorning her features, but before she could truly comprehend what she was seeing before her, she found herself being fast forwarded to a dark place, a cold place…a place that was large but grand.
She blinked, realising that what she was seeing was in fact the Jedi Temple, but not as she envisioned her Jedi companion as knowing it.
Its halls echoed with the sound of hundreds of boots, stomping as if on a death march then the sudden deafening sound of weapons was unleashed, her eyes witnessing what had assaulted her ears first, the blue and green blaster bolts darting furiously in all directions.
This was a sanctuary, a safe haven
Ana squinted, confused, she padded along cautiously, fearfully.
This was a place of meditation and gentle reflection
She reached out with slender fingers and touched the cold wall she now found herself stood next to, her eyes dancing over what was now a battlefield, bursts of particle beam energy sizzled past her as if she were nothing but a ghost, unseen to the chaos surrounding her, lightsabers were now ignited and were blazing furiously before her, flurrying and parrying blaster bolts.
…The Jedi Purge…
She whispered, but the ripples she felt through the force quickly reminded her of Obi-Wan's presence, her quiet admission causing him to bristle stiffly in response.
Ana squeezed her emerald-green eyes painfully closed in an effort to screen out the rapidly falling bodies and the acrid sting of ionised air.
Oh, but if only there were a way to rid herself of the muffled sounds of shouts and cries…
Without thinking she reached out with her mind, and the agony that rose up to receive her made the young woman all most buckle at the knees, the bewilderment, the pain and even the anger becoming too much for her to bear.
Ana tried to withdraw herself from her dream, dream? Vision…whatever it was, she tried in vain to pull away but callously, she felt Obi-Wan press against her mind with a powerfully contained resolve, encouraging her to press on, encouraging her to witness the Jedi's destructions.
…Obi-Wan, I can't…
She cried, her voice all most breaking, tears sprang from her heavily lidded eyes
…You must…
Obi-Wan replied, the determination in his voice doing little to conceal his anguish.
She pressed on, tearfully, and felt the force cry out, as under the cover of night, Kenobi's brothers, sisters, friends, and mentors were cruelly slain.
Images flashed before them both now, in a quick succession.
Younglings lying small and lifeless upon the polished marble floor of the Jedi Council chambers, each small life cut down mercilessly, murdered within their once peaceful refuge.
She felt Obi-Wan brush against her mind encouragingly, as her vision of the halls was lost, giving way to the sun as it rose gracefully within the Coruscanti sky, the once magnificent Temple now bearing the scars of a battle lost, it's singed and scorched duracrete walls now engulfed in thick, black smoke.
Flames licked at the Ziggurat base, burning furiously as if it were a funeral pyre but in reality, it was in fact a sarcophagus, not only for the dead lying within its walls, but for the Republic and the democracy it once coveted.
She watched in horror, as bodies of the slain Jedi, both young and old, were unceremoniously dragged out onto the steps of the Temple's grand entrance, piled up high for all the denizens of Coruscant to witness.
At this, Ana felt Obi-Wan's resurging anguish, his carefully constructed Jedi mask slipping, the habitual guard that shielded his mind from her falling, and now unintentionally exposing her to his rage, confusion and grief.
All most immediately, she felt it, somewhere along the outer edges a quietly building darkness that the Jedi was now fighting to contain.
Contorting her face in pain, untrained and unskilled, she had nothing to defend herself with, so with extreme effort, she tried to free herself from their connection, but it was fruitless, she felt the Jedi Master press more keenly against her mind in response, adamant to know more, to witness more…it hurt, yet before she could even consider herself, her vision changed rapidly once again…
Now, there was an intense heat, a sensation so incredible it seared against her skin…
Mustafar
Ana grimaced, the entire planet was an unbalanced and hellish place, its volcanic surface serving as the staging ground for Anakin and Obi-Wan's final battle, their fateful duel…she fisted at her chest, watching helplessly as ash and smoke billowed around the Jedi brothers, blue and green lightsabers clashing furiously…
In a single herculean effort, Ana finally found her voice
"Obi-Wan, enough!"
Painfully hauling herself free both physically and mentally from their connection, wrenching herself out of her meditation, a bright and brilliant lancing pain shot angrily through her head as she finally managed to sever their force attuned link
Panting, Ana began to reorientate herself.
Opening her eyes to be met with the bright dazzling lights and tranquil sounds of the Room of a Thousand Fountains, she found to her relief that she was fully conscious and, on all fours, breathing harshly.
Her body quivered and her ears rang, steadying her breathing, she stretched out her fingers, pushing them into the luscious, cool grass beneath her outstretched palms, and grasped at it thankfully.
"I'm-I'm sorry, Obi-Wan but- "
She began, her quiet voice a breathless whisper
"But I am not doing that again"
She glanced up to him, her eyes meeting his, his gaze both saddened and deeply remorseful
"Anakin…he is the downfall, isn't he?"
The Jedi's voice cracked with emotion, forcing him to look down at his hands nestled within his lap
"I've failed him"
Ana watched him solemnly
"No Obi-Wan, you haven't. You can save him"
Her voice was quiet and gentle, encouraging
"…that…that was just the future, well a possible future, you cannot speak as if he has already fallen"
"Hasn't he?"
Shocked at his response, Ana continued cautiously
"Of course not, he's Anakin. The same boy you helped raised. This is simply your chance, the Jedi's chance to ensure his future. This is an opportunity- "
"For what exactly?"
Obi-Wan stared at her intently, his eyes enflamed with a tempered rage, gone was his anguish and pain, replaced with another darker emotion.
Ana furrowed her brow, concerned
"Obi-Wan?"
She crawled to where he was sat cross-legged and sat back on her heels, her eyes imploring him
"He can be saved."
Obi-Wan straighten, unnerved at her closeness
"He turns to the darkside, Luciana. He chooses darkness… he murders younglings– "
The Jedi's voice broke, his emotions now betraying him
In an attempt to console him, Ana lifted her hand to his face, but pre-empting this, Obi-Wan simply grasped it before moving it back to rest on her thigh with a gentle firmness.
With a renewed strength, his face relaxed impassively but thanks to their meditative connection, she could still feel his anger bubbling just beneath the surface, that and his uncertainty, broiling away under his now apparent cool and aloof exterior
"The seed of the darkside is already there, it's just a matter of time"
"No, it isn't!"
Dismayed, Ana tempered her own building anger
"I did this to give you an opportunity to make right what is going wrong. The Council are playing straight into Palpatine's hands, it is he who turns Anakin. The Council and their dogma, their short sightedness…Anakin loses faith and trust, but it can all be changed, and yet you sit here now as if your former apprentice has already been judged, as if he were right now, as we speak, a Sith"
Contemplating her words, Obi-Wan's expression continued to remain impassive as he began to rise to his booted feet in one single fluid movement.
"I believe it is time for you to return to the Halls of Healing, Luciana"
Ana watched as he offered her his hand, furious she slapped it away and climbed to her own feet
"Don't you dare! Do not send me away, you know I'm right! Anakin. Can. Be. Saved."
The Jedi did not respond, Obi-Wan simply activated his comlink
"Someone will be here to escort you safely back to the Halls of Healing"
Frustrated by his lack of response, Ana glared at him
"I did this to help. To help Anakin. The Jedi. I did this for a galaxy I don't even belong in!"
Stoic, he remained silent
"Obi-Wan, you have to at least try"
She could feel her words feeding his uncertainty
"This can be fixed"
She whispered
"And I can help you, you know deep down he can be saved…and you know I can help you save him"
Her words finally struck a nerve, his Jedi mask slipped for the briefest of moments
"You know it's the truth"
She continued quietly
Noting the now approaching Togruta Padawan, Obi-Wan focused his stare on Ana
"It's time for you to go"
His voice sounded foreign, as if without emotion.
Sadly, she returned his gaze, suddenly regretful that she had even come to him.
"Qui-Gon Jinn would have given Anakin Skywalker a chance, he saw something in him that even the grand Jedi Council could not see themselves. I know, if he were here today, he would have certainly accepted my help"
She refused to look at him, feeling through the force that she had finally done it, struck the chink in his armour, and turning swiftly on her heels, Ana walked towards the now waiting Padawan.
By the time Ana had neared the Halls of Healing, sunrise had already broken out across the black Coruscant skyline, and was gloriously spilling its vibrant hues of pinks, yellows and oranges out across what was once a swirling void of deep, dark blues and soulless black.
Suddenly, she found herself saddened at the thought of being back within her windowless room.
Sighing, her thoughts turned to what had transpired within the Room of a Thousand Fountains...
"Ana, wait!"
Startled from her pondering, Ana paused mid step, and turned to find to find Obi-Wan striding over to her and her Padawan escort
"Master Kenobi?"
Startled, the young Jedi learner stepped in front of Ana
"I am sorry youngling, but I will escort Ana from here"
Without even looking back to the woman she had ferried back and forth through the Temple, she bowed elegantly before Kenobi
"Of course, Master"
Turning briskly on her booted heels, she hurried off as if she were still on an errand.
Bemused, Ana looked at her new Jedi escort
"What is her name?"
"Kira Aawut"
Satisfied, Ana stared after her
"She isn't much of a talker"
She mused, before turning her gaze back to Kenobi
"But then again, I'm starting to believe that is a Jedi trait"
Flashing her a look of indignance, Obi-Wan opened his mouth to speak before thinking better of it.
Pausing, he sighed heavily
"Alright, that I believe was deserved"
Cocking an eyebrow in his direction, Ana folded her arms
"Hmmm…so what do you want Master Jedi"
Suddenly he appeared apprehensive, glancing around them, he moved in closer and lowered his voice
"Help me, help me save him…"
A very short chapter I know, but I promise will update soon!