Chapter 1
"No, of course not, Artoo!" Young Anakin Skywalker replied to the droid's comment. "Master Qui-gon told me to stay in this cockpit." Anakin took off the oversized pilot's helmet and tossed it towards his feet. "And I did." Artoo-Deetwo chortled another round of beeps and whistles. Anakin pressed the hatch button and it hissed backwards. "Do you think it's safe now, Artoo?" he asked the droid as it was already lowering itself from the sleek yellow starcraft.
As Anakin hopped down to the polished hangar bay floor, he noticed the dismantled battle droid parts littering the floor. As well as Master Qui-gon and Obi-wan's brown cloaks. None of the other pilot's had returned from the space battle yet. "It's a good thing we blew up that droid control ship." Anakin remarked. "I just hope it helped the gungans in time… and Padme." I hope she's alright, he thought to himself.
Artoo beeped and started to roll towards a wall terminal. "What are you doing?" Anakin followed closely behind. Artoo let out a series of beeps as he connected to the terminal. "Wait, what do you mean?" Anakin wanted to know. Artoo whistled urgently. "Master Qui-gon and Obi-wan are in the palace power generator?" Anakin asked. Worry was starting to grow in his chest. He remembered, right before taking off to join the space battle, Master Qui-gon and Obi-wan were confronted by a frightening dark figure with a red laser sword. It must have been the same one from Tatooine, he wondered to himself. Their red laser sword clashing with Qui-gon's green one and Obi-wan's blue one came back to his mind. "We need to hurry and find them! They could be in trouble, Artoo!" Anakin motioned for the astromech droid to follow. Artoo rolled forwards to keep up with Anakin.
After a few corridor turns, Artoo took the lead because he knew where the power generator was located. After they passed through a set of heavy blast doors Anakin took in the sight. "Wow." He breathed. Beyond the main platform, the glassy black walkways were lined with incredible humming columns of white energy that gave off an almost violet hue. They were surrounded by rings of platforms every couple meters above them and below them.
Artoo rolled into Anakin, nudging him forwards. "I know, Artoo." Anakin responded. "Let's go!" Dashing across the platform they continued along the rail-less walkway until they reached a tall and wide corridor lined with red ray shields. Anakin halted in his steps when watched the shields break with a hiss, one after another. Then a split second later they were reactivated one after the other.
"This is some high security stuff, Artoo." Anakin mentioned. "Do you think you can deactivate it?" He cupped his hands around his eyes as if to see further past the buzzing red rays. It was quiet, too quiet. Something felt wrong. Horribly wrong. Anakin knew that he had seen and experienced things that no 9 year old normally would, but what he imagined he would find at the end of this corridor still sent a chill down his spine. He shuddered. "Artoo, are you sure-" He paused when he looked up to see Artoo had deactivated the ray shields. He beeped back at Anakin and began to roll down the corridor. I'm coming, master Qui-gon, Anakin thought bravely.
As they crept down the corridor Artoo beeped again. Anakin put a finger to his lips. "Shh, we don't know if that scary guy is down here." He said in a whisper. He fought the urge to sprint. Anakin kept a hand on the top of Artoo's domed head for comfort as the corridor opened up into a wide circular chamber.
Padawan Obi-wan Kenobi blotted his uncontrollably watering eyes on the sleeve of his pale beige tunic. One tear after another kept coming against his will. Fighting to control his uncooperative emotions he struggled to compose himself. How could he though, with his deceased master still resting against his lap? Only minutes before had he defeated the wretched Sith that impaled his master. It had also only been minutes since his master had joined the Force.
The daze in Qui-gon's eyes after the deadly blow before he crumpled over, flashed through Obi-wan's mind over and over again.
Grabbing the bridge of his nose he sniffled and inhaled deeply. Obi-wan didn't even want to think of what would happen next. He didn't feel like he should even be allowed to have a 'next'. He kept thinking it should have been him that was killed by the darksider, not his dear master. Not Qui-gon. Obi-wan felt his chest constrict as he fought off the oncoming sob. Pressing a hand to his mouth he squeezed his eyes shut waiting for it to pass.
Finding the resolve to finally let go of the embrace he held on his master, he laid his master's head down gently. As much as he just wanted to curl up somewhere and forget about everything, he knew he would have to find time to grieve later. He wanted to doubt it, but there were people who needed him. Anakin, he thought remorsefully. Qui-gon's dying wish was still fresh in his mind. Promise me you will train the boy. Overwhelming inadequacy crept into Obi-wan.
"Why did you have to leave me so soon?" Obi-wan wondered quietly. Kneeling beside his master's limp body he wiped his eyes with his sleeve once more.
He is the Chosen One. Obi-wan heard his master's voice repeating his last words. "You should be the one to train him. Not me."
He will bring balance.
"What if I fail?" he bit through clenched teeth.
Train him.
Obi-wan inhaled, trying to compose himself again. "Yes, master." He whispered when he exhaled. "May the Force be with you." he added finally. He clenched his hands into fists on his knees in an effort to stop the new wave of tears.
Obi-wan didn't know how long he knelt there by Qui-gon's side. He imagined people would come looking for them soon. He heard the ray shields deactivate and didn't bother to look up. As he waited, they never reactivated according to their timing. He began to hear a soft voice and an astromech's whistle.
Obi-wan heard the boy gasp, and finally looked up. He pursed his lips together, feeling unable to greet young Anakin Skywalker so warmly like his master always did. Obi-wan admitted to himself that he never really gave the boy much thought or care since Qui-gon had brought him along. He scolded himself internally for feeling so jealous and distant before. From here on, Obi-wan realized, this boy would become the center of his life. He gave his word to his master and he wasn't about to break it so easily. No matter how daunting the task seemed.
He glanced at the boy again. "What-?" Anakin choked on what he wanted to say. Tears started to spill from his eyes and a sob bubbled in his chest. Anakin ran and fell to his knees next to Obi-wan. Anakin gasped again. He wiped his eyes furiously with the back of his hand. Obi-wan felt bad for not knowing how to comfort the boy when he himself felt so far from ever being consoled.
"What happened?" Anakin looked at Obi-wan, wanting to know. Obi-wan swallowed hard. This won't be easy, he thought.
"I wasn't fast enough." Obi-wan replied quietly after a long pause. He didn't have the courage to look Anakin in the eye when he told him.
Almost intuitively, Anakin looked back at the corridor of deactivated ray shields. Guilt started to creep over Obi-wan. Anakin's sniffling continued. He suddenly threw himself at Obi-wan in a hug. Startled by the affectionate gesture, Obi-wan hesitantly wrapped an arm around the boy's shoulders. Burying his face in Obi-wan's tunic, he cried quietly. Obi-wan had a sense of Anakin's profound admiration for Qui-gon. His master had freed Anakin from slavery afterall and promised him a chance to become a Jedi. In a matter of days, Qui-gon had changed Anakin's life forever. Consequently, Obi-wan's life was also changed forever.
"We won't forget him, Anakin." it was the most Obi-wan could offer him in that moment. He felt the boy nodding against his chest.
A moment later Anakin looked up at him. "What's going to happen to me?" he whimpered.
Obi-wan considered for a moment. He promised to train Anakin. No doubt the Council would not approve, but Obi-wan was firm in his decision to fulfill that promise. In what form that fulfillment would take, he didn't know. He just knew he had to. Obi-wan didn't see all that Qui-gon saw in him, but he was willing to try. He was willing to learn and to trust in that promise he made. If Qui-gon was convinced Anakin was special, he would choose to believe.
"I don't know." Obi-wan responded gently. "But I do know it will be alright." To Obi-wan, the response felt too hollow, but it was the best he could assure him until everything else could be sorted out. I'll do my best, master, Obi-wan silently vowed to himself.