The inspiration to write the last and final part of this story came today at whim. Please, ignore the errors and such for it was written quickly and I'm far too lazy to check for errors. Reviews are welcome but please, no flames for what happens in this story. I saw no other way to work it out.
Disclaimer: Obi-Wan, Luminara, the Jedi, Vader, so on and so forth belong to Lucas. Jakil Dule, though, belongs to me. Hmm… my own Jedi…
For as Long as I Can
Epilogue
Spazoid
He stood alone in the barren wasteland, brown robe flapping around him in the lonely wind.
Tears streaked down Obi-Wan's rugged, prematurely aged face. This was it. It was over, done; there was nothing else he could do now. The Jedi were gone and defeated, wiped out by the Empire's and Anak- no, Vader's Obi-wan thought- ruthless tactics.
Pain twisted in his heart again, remembering the last front the Jedi had held. At the temple, ironically. He closed his eyes, sucking in a breath, forcing himself to remember.
+~+
"All Jedi! Hold your ground! They may be able to take out lives but they will never take our home!" Jedi Master Jakil Dule yelled over the whine of blasters and hum of lightsabers.
Obi-Wan, face in a grim line, fought besides his compatriots, his friends. The blue blade in his hands was a blur of movement as were so many others.
Stormtroopers fired ineffectively into the masses, their bolts being hit right back into them.
Damn that armor though… It still protected them from many of the bolts hit back at them. Jedi began to fall as sheer numbers overwhelmed them.
"Just a walk in the park, right Master Kenobi?" Obi-Wan spared a quick, small smile at Luminara next to him. He had come to rely on her humor over the years. Eventually, they had told the council. With the lack of Jedi, the remaining members had concurred with a bonding.
Anakin had been livid. It had begun.
Palpatine had corrupted him; they realized too late and the Empire had begun its extermination of all the Jedi. The people, blinded by greed and forgetting all the Jedi had done for them, had turned against them. They refused to hide them, killing them and would hand them over to the empire. Those that did help were quickly and brutally executed.
Obi-Wan was brought back to the harsh reality around him with a sudden lull, a sudden hush, in battle.
High above the others, the dark figure stood, black cloak billowing out behind him. Obi-Wan felt himself shudder as Darth Vader's gaze landed on him. He had helped to create this monster. The fighting increased tenfold, the last remaining Jedi giving it all they had.
Not enough… it's not enough! Obi-Wan thought in despair as more and more were cut down. Vader was a dangerous presence, killing any Jedi that got close.
Obi-Wan, a cry springing from his lips, leapt towards the stormtroopers, cutting them down, showing just how good a swordsman he was. A sudden flash of warning made him jerk his head around to look at Vader. His gut clenched at what he saw.
Vader had Luminara in his sights. Her small body was dwarfed by his, her face determined even though the woman must have known she would never win.
Feel the pain I did when you took my love away from me, denied what I loved and ground it in my face by taking your own. The words echoing in his head were familiar but not.
"NO!" Obi-Wan cried in despair, running towards the one thing left he truly cared about. But he was too far… too far away. That cruel laugh echoed in his head and it was over with a sweep, a parry, and a thrust. Luminara crumpled.
"Retreat! Re-" Dule's words were cut off by Vader's red blade. Obi-Wan raced forward and scooped Luminara up in his arms, holding her close.
"No! Luminara no! Please, Force, don't go!" His words were choked with tears. It was a repeat of Qui-Gon, just as painful.
A small smile graced her tattooed lips, ignoring the blood seeping between them. Her hand weakly caressed his face. "Don't cry… we knew Obi-Wan. You said it yourself. 'For as long as I can'. Please love. Don't cry."
"No…no…" His shoulders shook with sobs as he held her close. He could feel her life force fading…
"Run." She gasped, fighting the tug of the Force. "Go. Padme's twins, Obi-Wan. Keep them safe." She drew in a strangled breath, blood bubbling in her mouth and whispered. "I love you…"
And then she was gone.
The mournful cry escaped his lips as he set her body down and watched it fade into the Force. Stumbling up, feeling numb all over, he ran. Fulfilling her last request.
+~+
It was the soft cry of a baby that shook Obi-Wan from his painful memories. Wiping his tears away roughly, he walked back into the small hut that would now be his home.
Nestled amongst blankets, a tiny little baby boy cried for attention. Obi-Wan softly brushed away errant gold locks, soothing the child with the Force. "Hush Luke… all will be well."
Picking up the babe, Obi-Wan sheltered him in folds of blankets and his robe and readied him for the long trip to the Lars homestead. Luke would grow up with no knowledge of his father until the time was right. And then… Obi-Wan looked out once and the now star filled sky.
And then, Obi-Wan would see his love and his master once more.
And that was enough.