AN: Be prepared for some rather crude and rudimentary medical technique. I am quite limited in my knowledge of the medical field, especially in a galaxy far, far away.
Enjoy :)
Luke tried to reassure himself that he had made the right decision as he sat next to Vader on the transport ship, his eyes neatly fixed straight ahead as he listened to the sound of his father's mechanical breathing. It was the only thing that could be heard throughout the entire ship as neither one of them spoke a word. Not even the Stormtroopers that sat opposite of them spoke a word but Luke could feel their gazes fixated upon him from behind their void masks.
He looked down at the blasters that sat in their laps before looking over at Vader's belt, which contained both the Sith's red lightsaber along with his blue one that had been carefully placed on the utility belt. With a simple swipe of his hand, he could call his weapon to his hands and even Vader knew this.
Luke could not decide if Vader was displaying trust in him or if he was trying to goad Luke on by placing his lightsaber in such an accessible place. It was almost as if Vader was daring Luke to take it, to see if the Jedi was true to his word.
Luke had no idea and Vader gave him no hints as he stared straight ahead, his thoughts concealed as well as his feelings to the point where he was nothing more than a black, impenetrable wall. It disturbed Luke just how his father was able to hide himself in such a way, but at the same time, it made him curious.
Just what was his father trying to hide?
"Your thoughts are restless," commented Vader in his usual baritone voice, "are you scared, my son?"
"Hardly," said Luke as he reinforced his barriers and drew his gaze away from the lightsaber that hung on Vader's belt.
"Good," said Vader as the Executor drew closer and closer, "there is nothing to fear, my son. You are safe with me."
"Am I?" questioned Luke, doubt lacing his tone as he stared at Vader with challenging eyes.
"Yes, you are," reaffirmed Vader as he turned his head to stare at Luke through those soulless black eyes that hid so much from Luke, "and in time you will know this to be true. There is nowhere better in the galaxy for you to be than here by my side."
"I was perfectly fine with Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru on Tatooine," commented Luke idly as the ship entered into the hangar, "until your Empire murdered them in their own home. Had I been there I would be laying in the grave next to them as well. But then, there would have been no one to bury us."
"Those Stormtroopers did what they did on their own volition. Their deaths were not by my direct orders, Luke," said Vader simply, his tone almost suggestive.
"But you gave the order to find those droids," argued Luke as he too rose to his feet, "you gave the order to do whatever was necessary for getting those plans back. You knew what those Stormtroopers would do to anybody who was unknowingly in possession of those plans and you did nothing to stop them."
"Casualties of war," said Vader as tilted his head down to look at Luke through those black eye sockets, "if anyone is to blame for your Aunt and Uncle's death, it would be that incorrigible Princess who sent them down to the surface in the first place."
"What was she supposed to do? Hand over the plans and get executed anyway?" asked Luke angrily. Vader was in absolutely no position to be laying any sort of blame on Leia and what she had done was heroic. It was because of her actions that the Rebellion even kept hold of those plans.
"It would have been much simpler if she had," said Vader matter of fact and without an ounce of compassion as he pointed a finger down at Luke, "and the galaxy would've been better for it as well. That Princess has been nothing but a nuisance and you would do well to forget about her."
If only he knew.
"It doesn't matter anyway," said Luke as he followed Vader, "we have a deal. She and An- the Jedi, are untouchable. You promised."
Blast he had almost given away Anakin's name. Thank the Force he had caught himself in time.
"And I intend to keep my word. Do you?" asked Vader as he tilted his head to stare down at Luke as the ship's ramp began to lower.
Luke said nothing as he looked down over the ordered rows of officers and Stormtroopers that stood waiting for Vader's entrance. There was no denying that he was in enemy territory now as he stared down at the perfectly coiffed and pristine grey and black uniforms that he had once fantasized about wearing himself. They all stood at attention and all were so still that Luke thought they could pass off as statues.
Vader tilted his helmet up to stare down at them as well, neither of them speaking a word to each other. Vader knew the answer to his question and so did Luke. There was nothing further to say on the matter, they were both in agreement.
"Come, my son," said Vader, "there is nothing to fear. We are together and that is all that matters now. We will be invincible, you and I and there will be no one to stop us. Your destiny lies with me now. Do not fight it."
Luke looked up at his father before he looked down once again at the ordered line of crewmen, a distinct feeling of discomfort and unease filling him until it was all that he could feel. He followed his father down the ramp and wondered if he had made a mistake after all.
Anakin Skywalker knew he should've paid more attention during his first aid training at the Temple. His Master had told him that one day he would regret not paying as much attention to what the healers had tried to teach him, but he had always just shrugged his Master's words off. He never intended to be a member of the medical corps, his eyes set on being a Jedi Guardian instead.
But now, staring down at Leia, he wished that he had paid more attention to what he was taught. He knew some of the rudimentary concepts of healing from a few missions he had taken as a Padawan, but he was nowhere near trained enough-
He had no idea what he was doing, but he had to do something. He could feel her pain, her suffering through the Force and her weakening presence.
He was at a loss, but he decided that the best course of action at that point would be to remove the shrapnel and cauterize the wound before she bled out. Once that was done, then he could put her into a healing trance and work on getting the smaller bits of shrapnel out.
He ran over to where the first aid kit was and opened it only to find a few strips of bacta and some mild pain relievers. A little bit of gauze, but nothing that would be of real use at the moment.
He threw the kit down in anger as he tried to think of anything he could use to cauterize her wound, anything at all-
Well… There was his lightsaber…
He didn't like the prospect at all, but his options were severely limited at that point.
He grabbed the cylindrical weapon off his utility belt and stared down at it for a few hard seconds before he knelt down beside Leia, not minding the blood that seeped into his robes as he pulled her uniform off as gently as he could until he could see the exposed skin.
He examined the shrapnel that had embedded itself into the right portion of her abdomen before he reached out his hands to use the Force, but he stopped when he noticed her eyelids begin to flutter.
"Leia?" he asked gently. He didn't want her to be conscious for what he was about to do because of the pain. He wanted her to fall back into unconsciousness, but her eyelids continued to flutter as a soft groan escaped her lips.
"Leia?" he tilted his head as she finally opened her glassy eyes.
"A-Anakin?" she asked, her eyes not quite focusing on him as she fought to stay alert enough to converse with him. He could tell that it was a struggle and he could tell that she was in pain as another small groan escaped her lips, her eyebrows and nose scrunched together in obvious pain.
"I'm here, Leia," he said softly as he grasped her wandering hand in his own, concern flooding him at the weakness of her grip.
"W-what's going on?" she asked through pale lips as she stared up at him with unfocused eyes.
"There was an explosion," he began, "the Empire found us."
"The Empire?" she asked in confusion before she finally understood the implication of what Anakin had just said, her eyes widening as they came to rest on Anakin's own blue ones. She looked vexed and horrified at the same time as she stared up at Anakin for a few heavy seconds.
"Luke?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper as the question hung in the air like a foul stench. She wasn't interested in anything else at that moment but her brother, not even about her own injuries, which were far too severe for her not to notice.
It amazed Anakin how even when she was in the throes of death, her love and concern for Luke was unwavering.
Anakin had no idea what to tell her or how he would even explain it. He felt as though it was his fault that Luke had been left behind with Vader and it made him feel so powerless, perhaps more powerless than he had felt in a long time. This was not something that he could've controlled even if he wanted too, and it made him feel-
He shook his head, "I'm sorry, Leia. He was determined-"
"Where is he?" she asked, her voice stern and her stance firm. She bore into like a lightsaber cutting through flesh and searing through bone. It made him pause- freeze really at the sheer force behind her words.
"Vader came. Luke decided to buy us time and stay with him. He promised me that Vader wouldn't hurt him and I had no other choice."
He didn't beg as he explained the situation at hand to her. He felt guilty about leaving Luke behind, but it was a choice that needed to be made. He needed to get Leia medical care and if he didn't do that soon, then there was no doubt that she would die from her injuries, which was why Anakin was starting to lose patience.
"He did what?" she asked as she began to sit up, but a sudden cry of agonizing pain along with a new stream of fresh blood seeping out of her abdomen hindered her movements. The shrapnel had shifted inside of her when she had moved and it sunk down even further into her flesh, cutting away at the already raw and delicate skin.
Anakin reached out with steady hands to grasp her hands and pull them away from her abdomen, which she had previously been cradling. He needed to ensure that her movements would not cause any further damage to herself as he gently restrained her.
"You're injured," he said in a soothing manner as she whimpered, "you have shrapnel in your abdomen and I have to take it out, but I need you to relax and not fight me."
It was critical that she not fight him when he entered into her mind and he wanted her to be aware that he had no ill intentions. He knew what had happened to her in the past and he wanted to assure her that he was not going to hurt her.
He wasn't like Vader.
"Leia, I'm going to need you to trust me," he pressed, his voice conveying the urgency in his tone. The blood flow did not seem to be clotting like it should've and at that moment, she was slowly bleeding to death.
She was dying right in front of him.
"What are- what are you going to do?"
"I'm going to put you into a trance. You won't feel anything but I'm gonna need you to relax and trust me. I'm going to enter into your mind, but it is imperative that you don't fight me, okay?"
"I won't," she said, her voice soft and quiet as she scrunched her eyebrows together in pain, "just do it."
Anakin said nothing as he slipped into the Force and entered into her mind, the both of their consciousness slowly merging together as he gently breezed through her barriers. He delved deeper into her mind as he searched for something in which to calm her subconscious so that he could go about his work unperturbed.
His eyebrows scrunched as he browsed through her memories before he found one that he could tell she was quite fond of. He tried to respect her privacy as best he could as he tethered the memory onto her subconscious as a way of putting her at ease. He could've sworn he could hear the innocent laughter of a child along with the faint smell of pine wood and salty air, like that of an ocean nearby.
It typically wasn't customary to place a patient's mind into a memory relapse during a healing trance, but there were benefits to doing it. He remembered one of the Temple Healers telling him as a Padawan that tethering a memory onto one's consciousness during a healing trance produced internal stimuli that accelerated the natural process.
Once Anakin was certain that her subconscious was subdued, he delved even further into her mind. He was adamant in preserving her privacy so he treaded lightly as he breezed through the chambers of her consciousness until he came upon what he had been searching for.
"Remember, young Skywalker. The brain is fragile, yet durable at the same time. It is malleable and is ready to learn just as fast as it ready to unlearn and with the right suggestion- with the right push, one can convince the brain to do far more than once thought possible."
"Convince the brain to do what?"
"Heal, Padawan Skywalker. It can heal."
With the right instruction and the right distraction, of course. Leia was strong in the Force, yet she was untrained and that made things harder. Her subconscious had naturally erected shields to protect her and hide her if need be, but because she lacked the training she held no control over them.
These natural barriers in the depths of her mind had shielded her and protected her for years. It was no wonder that she had been able to thrive in the very heart of the Empire and remain undetected from both Vader and the Emperor. It made Anakin realize just how strong her raw potential was and it also made him realize her need for some sort of training in the Force.
He reached out and began his work of suggestion as he used the Force to place her mind into a healing trance before he gently pulled his presence out of her mind and allowed her brain a respite to begin its healing process. He could feel that she was temporarily in a state of limbo as the Force sustained all of her metabolic needs, but still, that was not enough. He would still need to remove the shrapnel from her stomach if she was to live.
The healing trance was only slowing down the inevitable at that point.
Anakin concentrated all of his energy onto the shrapnel in her abdomen as he began the painstakingly slow process of removing it completely. He closed his eyes as he drowned everything else around him until he was confident enough to slowly begin to lift it out from its embedded position.
He was exceedingly careful, so careful that Obi-Wan would've been proud of him as he lifted it up until it was finally free from the skin. As soon as it was free, he tossed the bloodied jagged material to the side before he drew his attention back to the gaping wound.
In all reality, the wound was not large but the loss of blood was what was most concerning. He could sense that other than that, there were no other major injuries except for a few scrapes and bruises and that was somewhat of a relief.
He pulled out his lightsaber and ignited it, the hue casting a blue light over Leia's peaceful face. He had never before seen a lightsaber used specifically to cauterize a wound. Sure, lightsabers instantly cauterized wounds that it inflicted, but this was no lightsaber wound.
The pure superheated plasma would be enough to cauterize the wound to prevent any more blood loss and also prevent any infections from occurring, but he would have to be careful.
Extremely careful.
He used the tip of his blade to slowly prod at the wound, the sizzling sound enough to tell him that the wound was sealed up. He made sure not to excessively burn away at the skin, only enough to ensure that she would not bleed to death.
The wound was not large and only a few light touches on the skin were all it took to seal the wound up completely. All that was left now was a darkened portion of flesh that had previously been raw and bloodied.
The smell of burnt flesh permeated the air as Anakin took out the few strips of bacta that had been in the first aid kit and began to apply them onto the wound. He knew that the supply on board the ship would not be enough and that she would need more in the near future. The very near future from the looks of it.
Once her wound had been bandaged up, Anakin allowed himself to slump against the wall as he watched the almost nonexistent rise and fall of her chest as the healing trance did its job. She looked peaceful like she was just sleeping but Anakin knew that she was in something much deeper than just mere sleep.
He stared at her for a few more moments before he looked down at his hands, which were caked with blood that had already begun to dry. Most of it was Leia's, but he noted that some of it was his as he examined the cuts and bruises that littered his hands and his arms as well as the rest of his body.
He knew that he should probably take a few moments to take care of his own wounds, but he felt drained and exhausted as he stared down at his red hands, his thoughts entirely on what had just taken place not even twenty minutes ago.
He had left Luke behind and Leia had almost died and a part of him felt as though it was his fault even though rationally, he knew it wasn't. However, that feeling of responsibility never seemed to go away or quiet down.
If only there had been some way-
If only he could've listened more carefully to the Force-
If he had acted faster-
If only.
"You're injured," declared a rather observant Kenobi as his blue shadow materialized next to Anakin, his face concentrated and alert as he stared at Anakin with worry shining in his eyes.
Anakin reached up without thought and winced when his fingers came in contact with the laceration that ran down his right eyebrow and over his eyelid. He had completely forgotten about it and the blood had already dried to his skin. It had stopped bleeding by then and now that he thought about it, he could feel the stinging sensation that had previously gone unnoticed.
There was no doubt that there were more lacerations that decorated his skin, but that one was the most noticeable one. A bacta strip would suffice for the time being.
"That'll leave a scar," commented Kenobi as Anakin withdrew his hand, a somewhat despondent scowl on his face as he turned to face his former Master.
"I'm fine," he mumbled, his tone a bit agitated and terse, "besides, it's not me you should be worried about."
"I can see that," said Kenobi as he down next to Anakin, his eyes wondering over Leia's form before he looked back at Anakin, understanding in his eyes.
"You shouldn't blame yourself, Anakin. The situation was out of your control and you made the right decision."
"You knew this was going to happen, didn't you?" asked Anakin, his voice tight. He always had a way of knowing when people were keeping things from him, especially his Master.
Kenobi stared at him for a few moments before a long sigh escaped his lips.
"I had an inkling that something else would happen, but nothing concrete," said Kenobi truthfully, "however, I had no idea that Luke would give himself up to Vader like that. If I had known-"
"I'm not blaming you, Master," said Anakin with a sigh, "I just want to know that Luke will be alright with- him. I just want assurance that he won't be harmed."
"I don't believe that Vader would do something like that to Luke, Anakin."
"We are talking about the same Vader that cut off his hand, right?" asked Anakin sardonically.
He remembered what he had seen in the cave and he knew that he never would forget the sight of a devastated Luke with nothing more than a stump for a hand. He had felt his son's devastation and disbelief as well as his fear in that very small moment and he knew that it was Vader who had made him feel that way.
If Vader was willing to take away Luke's hand, then what else was he capable of taking?
Kenobi mulled over the statement for what seemed like an eternity before he addressed Anakin, his voice soft yet quizzical at the same time.
"I went to visit Vader not too long ago, Anakin. And do you know what I discovered?" asked Kenobi after a few heavy moments of silence.
Anakin lifted his head and turned to stare at Kenobi, curiosity written all over his face as he stared at the older man.
"What?"
"He is remorseful, more remorseful than I ever thought possible of a Sith. He feels guilt and shame for what he has done although he tries to deny it," said Kenobi thoughtfully, "but even I could see it. He is still very much in love with Padme and he regrets choosing the path that he did."
"Then why does he not walk away?" asked Anakin after a few moments of penetrable silence. "What's keeping him from returning to the light?"
"Because he does not believe that he can be saved," said Kenobi mournfully as he thought of his brother whom he had failed.
"Luke believes that Vader can be saved," said Anakin softly, "and it is because of him that I believe as well."
"And perhaps, through Luke, Vader may believe as well," said Kenobi with hope shining in his eyes. It made Anakin look at the situation a bit differently and see the opportunity that Luke had been given.
Sometimes it was hard to understand the ways of the Force, but sometimes one had to look at the outcome to see the path that had been laid down. Perhaps Kenobi was right. Perhaps this was what Luke was meant to do.
It gave him hope, however small that hope was, it was still something.
"But what about the Emperor? What if he tries to corrupt Luke like he corrupted-"
He breathed.
"-like he corrupted me?"
"Have faith in Luke. He's strong in the Force, perhaps stronger than you," said Kenobi truthfully as he gave Anakin a pointed stare. He meant no offense and even Anakin knew it was true.
Anakin could not help but be amazed at the strength of both Luke and Leia and he knew that in some ways, they were stronger than he ever was or could ever hope to be. Luke was strong in the Force and he was grounded in such a way that Anakin knew he would not waver in his conviction to remain in the light. Leia was strong in the Force too, but it was her emotional strength that left Anakin in awe. It was the ability to wake up every day and go on with her life despite all that she had lost that left Anakin feeling shameful.
"I do have faith, Master," said Anakin as he dipped his head, "and I don't doubt Luke. He'll do what needs to be done."
"As I suppose you will," said Kenobi as he nodded towards the sleeping Princess before he looked back at Anakin.
"There's not enough bacta and she will need more- and soon," he sighed as he ran an agitated hand through his hair.
"Which means you will have to stop at a trading post-"
"-which means I'll need to be extra careful," he said as he rehearsed everything he had been taught as a young Padawan with a light tease to his tone. How could he forget Kenobi's stern voice telling him to be careful on a daily basis with just about everything that he did.
But this was serious. There would undoubtedly be an Imperial presence at the trading post and he needed to ensure that neither he nor Leia were detected, which meant he would have to take extra precautions.
"It isn't just the Empire you need worry about," said Kenobi sternly. "This is Hutt space."
"I'll watch my back, Master. Besides, you don't need to tell me to be careful. I grew up in Hutt space. I know how to survive here," said Anakin pointedly. He didn't need a lecture from Kenobi about the dangers of Hutt space.
All he needed to do was watch his back and trust no one.
"I suppose if anyone would know about living in such a region it would be you," agreed Kenobi, "I'm just asking you to be careful, Anakin. The future is clouded, and I am afraid I will not be of any help in the future."
Anakin's eyes drifted over to Leia before he looked back up at Kenobi, his face stern yet full of reassurance. He was too stubborn to accept anything less than success, for both Luke and Leia's sake.
"I'm a Jedi Knight now, Master. I can take care of myself and I won't let anything happen to Leia."
"I know," said Kenobi simply as he began to rise from his spot on the floor, "I never had any doubt."
"Obi-Wan, I thought I'd never hear you say that," said Anakin, his tone teasing.
"I've surprised myself as well," rebutted Kenobi with a small smile before he looked back towards Leia, his face softening at the sight of her.
"You'll need to train her," he muttered after a few silent moments, "she is too strong to remain untrained."
"I know," said Anakin in agreement, "I just have no idea where to start. Not too long ago I was a student myself and I never expected I would be teaching someone else so soon after I passed my own Trials-"
He trailed off before he scratched the back of his neck awkwardly.
Kenobi laughed, "you said the same thing when Ahsoka was assigned to you. You were so doubtful about having a Padawan, but it was worth it in the end."
"Rex told me about her- Ahsoka, I mean," said Anakin as he pursed his lips.
"What did he tell you?" asked Kenobi, curiosity lacing his tone.
"Not much. Just that she was my Padawan and that we were close, I guess. I don't know a lot," said Anakin truthfully.
"You two were close," said Kenobi with a nod, "extremely close, perhaps closer than you and I ever were."
"What happened to her?" asked Anakin, his voice soft as he implored the older man. Luke had told him that she had never returned after her duel with Vader, but a part of him had hoped-
Kenobi gave Anakin a coy smile, one that told Anakin that his former Master knew something that he did not.
"I wouldn't worry about Ahsoka if I were you," he said as he began to rise from his position on the floor, "you need only worry about the path before you."
"So, she didn't die?" asked a baffled Anakin as he scrambled to his feet to face his former Master, hope shining in his eyes for a woman he had never met.
"She never did," said Kenobi simply with a shrug as his eyes wandered around the room attentively before they settled back on Anakin, who looked pleased with the news.
"I'm glad to hear that," he said truthfully.
He had a feeling that he probably would not have the opportunity to meet this mysterious future Padawan of his in this time, but he had a distinct feeling that he would be seeing her in his own time if all went well. He was just strangely happy that she was indeed alive, and that Vader had not killed her.
There were a few moments of silence between the two men before Kenobi finally spoke up, his focus entirely turned on Leia, her training still very much in question.
"I wouldn't worry about training Leia too much, Anakin. If she's anything like her brother, then it'll be pure instinct that will guide her. Luke was quite a natural when it came to learning the ways of the Force, much like you were when you first started your training."
"I don't doubt that," said Anakin with a small smile, "I've felt the barriers she's subconsciously erected around herself. It's no wonder she was able to hide right under the Emperor's and Vader's noses for so long and remain undetected."
"Yes, sometimes I wondered how Vader couldn't sense his own child for all those years but then I saw him and I realized how lost he truly is. The Dark Side has truly blinded him to the point where he can no longer see the path before him much less those around him," said Kenobi with a long sigh that spoke for him.
Anakin could see just how broken Kenobi was over what had happened to Vader and it was quite obvious that the older man would always blame himself. His guilt would always be present, like a wound that never quite healed up right.
He wanted to say something further- perhaps to apologize or assure the older man that things would be different but he never had the chance to before he heard the navigation control begin to beep from the cockpit, alerting him that something was going on.
Anakin walked over and sat down in the pilot's chair so he could get a clear picture of what was happening.
"Blast," he muttered under his voice, "the hyperdrive isn't going to hold on much longer. I'll need to repair it soon."
"Looks like you'll need some new diffusers and coils from the looks of it," commented Kenobi as he stroked his beard idly, "you'll need to stop at the nearest port if you want those parts. Plus, Leia needs more bacta."
"I know," said Anakin grimly as he observed the star map in front of him on the control screen. He had originally set the course to the Fallujian Trading Center on Nar Kadja but he knew that there was no way that they would be able to make it before the hyperdrive gave out completely. He would need to change their course and he would need those parts.
"What about here?" said Kenobi as he pointed to a close star system that was nearby, but Anakin shook his head vehemently.
"That's the Aenean system," he said shaking his head. He remembered hearing talk of that system from when he was a boy and he knew that nothing good had ever come out of that place, and that was saying something compared to Tatooine.
The last he had heard, that entire system had been in complete chaos and travel there was few and sparse due to the conflicts between the different Hutt Clans that were fighting over the valuable resources there.
Of course, he had no idea how the years had changed the system or the planets there, but he would not be surprised if it was still the war-torn cesspool that he had heard about in his younger years. Either way, he knew that they would not be staying long as it was. They were on the edge of Hutt space and something told him that there would an Imperial presence there seeing as the valuable resources the system had to offer.
It wasn't a place he wanted to take Leia, but he knew that he didn't have a choice anymore. He needed those parts and Leia needed those bacta strips.
"I'm guessing that it's not the ideal stop, is it?" asked Kenobi.
Anakin shook his head, "I've heard some of the space traders on Tatooine talk about it before and they never had anything good to say about that system. Last I heard that Hutts were fighting over control of the entire system."
"How come I never heard about this?" asked Kenobi curiously as Anakin shook his head.
"It wasn't the Republic's problem, I guess. The Republic never really did much to help out those in Hutt Space," he said matter of fact.
It was no surprise that those in the wealthier, Inner Core worlds under the jurisdiction of the Republic never really knew what was going on outside of their comfy borders. No one really knew or understood the extent of what went on in Hutt Space except for those who had lived there and had seen it first hand.
He couldn't help but remember how surprised and how horrified Padme was when she had learned that slavery still existed in those parts of space. She had not understood the sort of life that they lived or all the awful things that went on there until she had seen it with her own eyes, and even then there was little she could've done.
Whole ethnic groups and nations had been sentenced to genocide and murdered and billions had been sold into slavery in Hutt Space without the Republic's knowledge and although Anakin knew most people in the Republic did not know, a small part of him felt as though it was a mere result of people turning a blind eye to what they did not want to confront or comprehend.
Anakin set the coordinates into the navigation control and re-directed their course for the second planet in the system. It would take a day at the least to reach their destination and he could only hope that the hyperdrive would stay functional for the journey there.
He hoped that by then Leia would be healed enough to be awakened out of her trance. He did not want to leave her onboard the ship by herself while he went out in search of supplies and he knew that there was no plausible way that he could take her to a med-center like he had previously hoped.
They needed to maintain a low profile and ensure that they were not recognized and that's why he couldn't risk it. Leia would have to make do with his medical care for now.
"Here's to hoping we make it there before the hyperdrive fails," muttered Anakin as he pushed the pilot's chair away from the console and turned to face Kenobi with a grim look on his face. "Now if you'll excuse me, I should probably go check on Leia and make sure she's holding up."
"She's fine, Anakin. She's in a healing trance, nothing is going to happen to her for the remainder of the trip. However, that nasty scratch on your face isn't going to treat itself," said Kenobi pointedly in his mother hen voice.
Anakin rolled his eyes, "at least I know you still care, Master Kenobi."
"Someone has too," countered Kenobi as Anakin kneeled down next to Leia and checked her over before checking her vitals while Kenobi watched attentively from where he stood. Once Anakin was satisfied that she was perfectly fine, he rose to his feet and turned to look back at Kenobi, who had been strangely silent.
"Anakin," said Kenobi, his tone much more serious than it had been previously before, "there is something I must tell you."
Anakin knew that tone. Kenobi always used this tone when he was about to deliver bad news. He had used this tone when he had told Anakin that he had been rejected from taking the Trials early while several of his fellow Padawans had been allowed too. He had used this tone of voice when he had told him that Master Jinn had died and later on when he informed Anakin that attachment was not allowed.
He had used that tone many times before and good news never followed, which was why Anakin's attention was immediately piqued.
"What is it?" asked Anakin slowly and carefully as he looked his former Master square in the eyes.
"I'm afraid that this will be the last time that you and I see each other. From here on out, I'm afraid I can no longer be of assistance," he said grimly.
"Why not?" asked Anakin slowly.
"I have taught you everything you need to know," said Kenobi unambiguously, "you are a Jedi Knight now and you no longer need a Master to guide you."
"So that's it? You're leaving," said Anakin plainly.
"There is nothing more than I can teach you. There comes a point when we must be our own guides, Anakin. It is the true test of a Jedi Knight, to break away from their Master and become their own teacher and with time, pass on the knowledge that they learned to their own Padawan."
Anakin nodded his head in agreement and swallowed dryly as he stared over at Kenobi, his expression mournful and his attitude melancholic. He knew that Obi-Wan was right, but it still hurt to hear those words.
He knew of course that he would see Obi-Wan again, but not this Obi-Wan and he would be lying if he said he hadn't come to appreciate the older version of his teacher and friend this past couple of months. He wasn't like the Obi-Wan that he had left on Setauri V. No, this Obi-Wan was older and more worn-out and much wiser than Anakin remembered.
His experiences had shaped him into something more than the Obi-Wan he had known and admired since he was nine and he was thankful for the time that he had been able to spend with him. He had learned much under his guidance.
And now it was time to let go.
"We are what they grow beyond. That is the true burden of all Masters, young Skywalker. In time, you will understand," echoed Master Yoda's voice in his head. He had only been at the Temple for a short while when Yoda had told him this and while he had not understood it then, he understood it now.
"I understand, Obi-Wan. You don't need to explain it to me. It's time for the both of us to move on," said Anakin as he cast his eyes downward.
"I have faith in you, Anakin. We all do," said Kenobi as he placed a transparent blue hand on the Knights shoulder, "just remember to have faith in yourself."
"I won't forget," said Anakin firmly as he watched Kenobi's form being to flicker away until he was standing alone, a cold empty chill on his shoulder where Kenobi's hand had once been.
Anakin stared at his reflection through the mirror for a few moments, his eyes tracing the raised and irritated skin around the laceration that ran down the length of his right eyebrow before he reached down for the washcloth and dabbed it in cold water before he raised it to his eye and began to clean away at the already dried blood. Every touch stung as the water seeped down and cleaned out the wound, leaving the previously white cloth stained red.
He winced at the pain as he wiped the last of the blood away before he rinsed the cloth in the sink, his eyes following the stream of blood as it slowly disappeared down the drain. He looked back up at his reflection and noted that he was still covered in dried blood and soot, his blond hair darker due to the residue that clung to it. He also noted the dozens of small cuts and lacerations that littered his skin as well as a few minor burns here and there.
He knew that he would need to use bacta on a few of those burns as well as the laceration that marred his face, but all of the bacta strips had gone to Leia seeing as she was in more need of it than he was. Until they made it the Aenean Trading Post, Anakin would have to make do with water and bandages.
He would also need a change of clothes seeing as there was no salvaging his Jedi robes at that point. They were shredded and ripped and bloodied beyond recognition, forcing Anakin to strip down to the simple brown tunic that he wore underneath along with his pants and boots. He had no idea how he was supposed to obtain anything at the trading post without any credits or anything to barter with, but Anakin supposed he would have to cross that bridge when he came to it.
He spent the next few minutes cleaning his wounds and making sure he wasn't covered in soot anymore before he made his way back to the lounge area where Leia continued to heal. He was pleased to discover that her wounds were starting to look better and that there was no sign of infection.
Her cheeks were starting to pinken and her hands were no longer clammy, a sure sign that she was indeed healing. Her breathing was no longer shallow and her heart rate was starting to quicken. She looked peaceful and there was even a faint smile on her lips.
He could tell she was dreaming.
Anakin sat down in the chair opposite of her and allowed himself to relax. There was still a few more hours to go before they arrived in the Aenean System and he had time to spare, time to think.
A lot had happened that day and Anakin only wanted all of it to over already. He had lost Luke and had almost lost Leia in the span of one day not to mention the fact that Kenobi had left him entirely on his own. But it wasn't Kenobi leaving him that left him torn up inside.
It was Luke.
Anakin leaned forward in his chair and rested his elbows on his knees before he allowed himself to delve into the Force, his own presence reaching out to search for the familiar brightness that he had come to associate with Luke. He needed to know that Luke was okay- he needed to reach out to him.
But when he reached out all he found was emptiness.
What-?
Anakin reached out again, this time more forcefully but again found that Luke's presence was no longer palpable, or reachable for that matter. It wasn't the sort of emptiness that occurred when one died because Anakin could still feel that Luke was alive- but he was gone at the same time.
Luke was hiding himself in the Force, his presence cloaked and almost invisible, but subtle at the same time. If one did not know what to look for then there was no way that they could find him.
There was no way that Anakin could find him now.
Anakin had no idea where he was and Luke gave him no hints. He could not even tell what Luke was feeling or what he was going through at the moment and there was no way to ascertain that. Luke had made sure of that by forcing their bond to become dormant.
Luke had severed himself from Anakin, but why?
"Kriffing hell, Luke. What in Sith hells are you thinking?" muttered Anakin under his breath.
Did he not want Anakin to find him or was there something else going on that Anakin didn't know about? Was he doing this to protect them or was he doing it to protect himself?
Anakin thought of all the possibilities and he was not particularly fond of any of them.
All Anakin could say at that point was that he had a bad feeling about this.
AN: Let me first start off by apologizing for the late update. This past month has been one crazy, hectic rollercoaster for me. I graduated and I met some of my bio family for the first time ever and now I'm tired, both physically and emotionally lol and this is what I've managed to pump out in these past few weeks. Hopefully, the next chapter will not take as long to get out, especially now that the plot is really starting to thicken and get interesting. Also, let me be the first to say that I have not watched Rebels but I do have some idea of what happens in the show, especially now that Ahsoka is alive thanks to time travel. So if I don't get all the facts straight with her character at this point, then I am sorry.
Thanks again for reading :)