Title: Anakin's Paradox, Part 4
Author: Jonathan Evans
Author email: noggins_evans@hotmail.com
Summary: Contains Episode II spoilers! During a fierce battle, Anakin
Skywalker finds himself in a future that he never expected in which
the galaxy is in a state of civil war and his teacher is now an old man
Disclaimer: George Lucas owns everything and I'm not making any
money off of thi nor do I intend to (I'd like to but that's not the
point). You can distribute this freely provided that it's
complete with this disclaimer.
Anakin's Paradox
Part 4 - Unnerving Relationships
by Noggins
Obi-Wan entered the control centre of the Rebel base on Yavin where General Dodonna and Leia were waiting in preparation for the attack on the Death Star to begin. The old Jedi master noticed a computer screen that displayed how close the huge battle station was as various officers ran around issuing orders to anyone who got in their way. Leia looked up to see Kenobi walk in and motioned for him to join her in a quiet corner. He nodded and followed.
"What's wrong with Qui-Gon?" she asked. "I heard from one of the techs that he got into a fight with Luke. Can you tell me why? What's wrong with him. I... I don't understand him... but I want to."
"I recommend that you not concern yourself with my apprentice and his actions," Kenobi told her sternly. "He has an important task to play and..."
"Not concern myself with him?" Leia exclaimed. "With all due respect, General Kenobi, but I what do you mean? I know you Jedi have special powers but I'd rather you didn't pry into my feelings for Qui-Gon."
"Ah," Obi-Wan mused. "So you do have feelings for him..."
"As a matter of fact yes I do. I can't explain it but we... we have some kind of connection... I barely know him but... I think I love him." She looked bravely into Obi-Wan's eyes. "Maybe you Jedi have some code against it but I care for him."
Kenobi replied almost coldly. "Then maybe you can tell him that if and when he returns from the battle out there. I believe he may have a completely different point of view now."
Obi-Wan turned to join the general at the control panels when Leia grabbed him and turned him around angrily. "What do you mean by that? Have you turned him against me? Why? What have I done to you?" Until this point he had his doubts about stopping this relationship developing. Maybe it was wrong, immoral... but technically the Anakin currently piloting an X-wing towards the Death Star *wasn't* Leia's father. Her father was Darth Vader - the man about to attempt to destroy the Rebellion's hopes of returning peace. The more he thought about it the more logical it seemed to let them do what they wanted but then he saw the fire in her eyes. She really was Anakin's child and it had to come to an end.
"What I mean, princess, is that there is more of a 'connection' between you two than you think," he tried to leave again but for the second time she yanked him around. His back couldn't put up with this much longer. When he looked at Leia she seemed more distressed than angry this time. Now she was just like Padmé. Obi-Wan started to feel faint. "I... I'm sorry... I've got to go."
Running out into the corridor, Obi-Wan began to remember everything that led up to this point. He'd failed to train Anakin... to instruct him properly. When he should have told him that his relationship with the Senator Amidala was wrong he just let it happen. And how did that end? With Anakin falling to the Dark Side of the Force. If he'd been stronger, maybe things would have been different. Now he'd been given a second chance and he was making the same mistakes all over again. He began to doubt whether true insight came with old age. He realised someone else was with him. It was Leia.
"What's wrong?" she asked. "It must be serious. My father told me all about you but he never said you were like this..."
"Like what? Guilt-stricken?" Kenobi nodded. "Believe me, Bail didn't know everything. Only a few people did. When the Jedi were still powerful I had a most important task... it was my duty to train the Chosen One... the one who was prophesised to bring balance to the living Force."
Leia watched the grief drain away as he confessed what appeared to be everything. "You failed?" she asked.
Kenobi nodded. "He was lost to the Dark Side. He was filled with anger and emotion... emotion that was made stronger by his feelings for the woman who would become his wife." He sighed and then continued. "The Jedi Council felt that this should be stopped - it was written in the Code that a Jedi should not be wed for a reason. Emotion makes one susceptible to the Dark Side, but the more they tried to show him this the more rebellious he became... until the evil enveloped him completely."
The young princess seemed to understand what he meant. "And you don't want the same to happen to Qui-Gon?" She could tell from the Jedi's reaction that she was right. "You think that I could cause him to... 'fall' as you put it? I... I really don't know how that could be possible. Love is such a positive feeling I can't see how it could lead to evil."
"You will discover that many things are not as they appear to be, young lady," Obi-Wan informed her as he made his way back towards the control centre. "And I do not wish to lose him again... that is, I don't wish to lose him as I lost Vader." He turned away from Leia in the hopes she would not notice his error. Thankfully she didn't but she remained persistent in her argument.
"If he doesn't want to be with me I think it should be his decision to make, not yours," she replied somewhat calmly. "If his Jedi training is important... and I have no doubt that it is, given that your Order has been reduced to just the two of you... then I will leave him be. However..."
"...if he wishes to continue this affair it is his choice?" the old Jedi master completed her sentence. "I agree. But if the consequences are as I fear then you would do best not to force him into making that decision." Leia grimaced but knew what he was saying made sense. She couldn't coerce her new lover into choosing her just as Kenobi couldn't force him into choosing the Force. It was up to him but she feared from Obi-Wan's words previously that he already had. He began to guide her forward. "I think we should return to the command centre. The attack run is about to take place..."
Author: Jonathan Evans
Author email: noggins_evans@hotmail.com
Summary: Contains Episode II spoilers! During a fierce battle, Anakin
Skywalker finds himself in a future that he never expected in which
the galaxy is in a state of civil war and his teacher is now an old man
Disclaimer: George Lucas owns everything and I'm not making any
money off of thi nor do I intend to (I'd like to but that's not the
point). You can distribute this freely provided that it's
complete with this disclaimer.
Anakin's Paradox
Part 4 - Unnerving Relationships
by Noggins
Obi-Wan entered the control centre of the Rebel base on Yavin where General Dodonna and Leia were waiting in preparation for the attack on the Death Star to begin. The old Jedi master noticed a computer screen that displayed how close the huge battle station was as various officers ran around issuing orders to anyone who got in their way. Leia looked up to see Kenobi walk in and motioned for him to join her in a quiet corner. He nodded and followed.
"What's wrong with Qui-Gon?" she asked. "I heard from one of the techs that he got into a fight with Luke. Can you tell me why? What's wrong with him. I... I don't understand him... but I want to."
"I recommend that you not concern yourself with my apprentice and his actions," Kenobi told her sternly. "He has an important task to play and..."
"Not concern myself with him?" Leia exclaimed. "With all due respect, General Kenobi, but I what do you mean? I know you Jedi have special powers but I'd rather you didn't pry into my feelings for Qui-Gon."
"Ah," Obi-Wan mused. "So you do have feelings for him..."
"As a matter of fact yes I do. I can't explain it but we... we have some kind of connection... I barely know him but... I think I love him." She looked bravely into Obi-Wan's eyes. "Maybe you Jedi have some code against it but I care for him."
Kenobi replied almost coldly. "Then maybe you can tell him that if and when he returns from the battle out there. I believe he may have a completely different point of view now."
Obi-Wan turned to join the general at the control panels when Leia grabbed him and turned him around angrily. "What do you mean by that? Have you turned him against me? Why? What have I done to you?" Until this point he had his doubts about stopping this relationship developing. Maybe it was wrong, immoral... but technically the Anakin currently piloting an X-wing towards the Death Star *wasn't* Leia's father. Her father was Darth Vader - the man about to attempt to destroy the Rebellion's hopes of returning peace. The more he thought about it the more logical it seemed to let them do what they wanted but then he saw the fire in her eyes. She really was Anakin's child and it had to come to an end.
"What I mean, princess, is that there is more of a 'connection' between you two than you think," he tried to leave again but for the second time she yanked him around. His back couldn't put up with this much longer. When he looked at Leia she seemed more distressed than angry this time. Now she was just like Padmé. Obi-Wan started to feel faint. "I... I'm sorry... I've got to go."
Running out into the corridor, Obi-Wan began to remember everything that led up to this point. He'd failed to train Anakin... to instruct him properly. When he should have told him that his relationship with the Senator Amidala was wrong he just let it happen. And how did that end? With Anakin falling to the Dark Side of the Force. If he'd been stronger, maybe things would have been different. Now he'd been given a second chance and he was making the same mistakes all over again. He began to doubt whether true insight came with old age. He realised someone else was with him. It was Leia.
"What's wrong?" she asked. "It must be serious. My father told me all about you but he never said you were like this..."
"Like what? Guilt-stricken?" Kenobi nodded. "Believe me, Bail didn't know everything. Only a few people did. When the Jedi were still powerful I had a most important task... it was my duty to train the Chosen One... the one who was prophesised to bring balance to the living Force."
Leia watched the grief drain away as he confessed what appeared to be everything. "You failed?" she asked.
Kenobi nodded. "He was lost to the Dark Side. He was filled with anger and emotion... emotion that was made stronger by his feelings for the woman who would become his wife." He sighed and then continued. "The Jedi Council felt that this should be stopped - it was written in the Code that a Jedi should not be wed for a reason. Emotion makes one susceptible to the Dark Side, but the more they tried to show him this the more rebellious he became... until the evil enveloped him completely."
The young princess seemed to understand what he meant. "And you don't want the same to happen to Qui-Gon?" She could tell from the Jedi's reaction that she was right. "You think that I could cause him to... 'fall' as you put it? I... I really don't know how that could be possible. Love is such a positive feeling I can't see how it could lead to evil."
"You will discover that many things are not as they appear to be, young lady," Obi-Wan informed her as he made his way back towards the control centre. "And I do not wish to lose him again... that is, I don't wish to lose him as I lost Vader." He turned away from Leia in the hopes she would not notice his error. Thankfully she didn't but she remained persistent in her argument.
"If he doesn't want to be with me I think it should be his decision to make, not yours," she replied somewhat calmly. "If his Jedi training is important... and I have no doubt that it is, given that your Order has been reduced to just the two of you... then I will leave him be. However..."
"...if he wishes to continue this affair it is his choice?" the old Jedi master completed her sentence. "I agree. But if the consequences are as I fear then you would do best not to force him into making that decision." Leia grimaced but knew what he was saying made sense. She couldn't coerce her new lover into choosing her just as Kenobi couldn't force him into choosing the Force. It was up to him but she feared from Obi-Wan's words previously that he already had. He began to guide her forward. "I think we should return to the command centre. The attack run is about to take place..."
