CHAPTER 5
For only the second time in his life, Obi Wan struck first. Anakin defended with ease. The only other time Kenobi had been the first to attack was during his battle with Darth Maul on Naboo. Both times he had struck out of anger. Suppressing his anger was usually fairly easy for him but this time the years of anguish Anakin had caused him were being released in a fury of swings. Anakin was overwhelmed. He thought his battle would be relatively easy, he knew all of his old master's tricks and his power was greater, but Obi Wan came at him relentlessly. Soon Obi wan caught a hold of himself and took his old defensive stance. Anakin saw this predictability as a week point, and started his onslaught.
Within a matter of seconds, Anakin cut Obi Wan's saber in half and had him on the floor staring up at a pair of lightsabers. "All too easy." Anakin said, smugly. While Anakin was celebrating his early victory, Obi Wan was able to deliver a blow with his foot to Anakin's stomach. Anakin groaned and fell flat on his back. His sabers switched off and fell out of his hands. Anakin was down hill from the red-bladed one and it rolled to a stop against his body. The blue-bladed one cascaded down the mountain. Obi Wan pulled it into his hand and ignited it to defend himself.
Anakin leapt to his feet and ignited his own saber. Obi Wan held the weapon which was so sought after, he felt a surge of power. His attacks and counterattacks were flawless, he had his old apprentice backing up hill. Not a word was spoken between the two, their eyes blazed with intensity. The villagers below saw flashes of red and blue through the billowing smoke. The two Jedis fought the most intense battle of their lives. Obi Wan was growing weary he could feel the sweat upon his brow beginning to trickle down toward his eyes, he looked at his opponent who looked calm, cool and collected. If only Obi Wan knew that it was merely a façade. His blade worked furiously. I must end it. He thought. The power of the saber took hold of him. With a blinding surge of energy he knocked Anakin back into the pit of lava.
The young man clung to the edge of the pit and looked up at his old master. His eyes were filled with sincerity and tears. "Throw it in," he said, "throw it in and be done with it." At that, Obi Wan watched as his dear friend fell to his certain destruction. He went to throw the weapon in afterwards only to be ensnared by it's power yet again. Why destroy it? He thought. Out of Anakin's hands, it can do no harm. With that he headed down the mountain and the saber survived yet again.
Genreal Kenobi held the saber all the way home. He felt nothing of the death of his old padawan. Finally he reached Courascant. He spoke to no one in the Jedi temple, yet went straight to his quarters. He flung the saber in a box and went out the door yet again. Master Yoda was waiting for him in the hall. "Master Obi Wan," he said, "A disturbance in the force I have felt. What of Master Skywalker?" Obi Wan said nothing. Suddenly, a wave of emotion flooded over him and without offering an explanation to his master, he fell to his knees and began to sob, uncontrollably.
************************************************************************
The silence of the night was broken by the cries of a child. It had been broken previously by the cries of a new mother. Soon after the birth of the first child, the mother began to scream, yet again. Ben Kenobi sat impatiently in the hall, wishing there was more he could do. Another scream shot straight to his heart, he was very sympathetic for the poor girl inside. He noticed a man he didn't recognize, coming toward him. "Stop right there!" He commanded. "State your business!" "I'm the cleaning droid maintenance man." The man replied, flashing his security card. "Oh." Ben said sheepishly, ".carry on then." The man gave him an odd look and continued down the hall.
He felt a little foolish, but then he rationalized that in such a situation, one could not be too careful. While it was not such a difficult job, security was the one he was assigned to, for the moment. While he knew that in actuality, his job brought no immediate comfort to the woman in pain, he hoped that perhaps it gave her peace of mind, knowing she and her new born children were safe. All children were special to their mothers, but these children would be special to an entire galaxy. They would determine the fate of said galaxy. Ben kept his guard up and grew suspicious of a character who's presence had evaded him until they were upon him.
Yoda looked upward with shame and terror in his eyes. "Just as we thought. The last are we." He said. "There is nothing we can do, master, not by ourselves." Ben said in a defeated voice. "Something we can do there is, Ben." Yoda added optimistically, "Live, the ways of the force must. Teach the children we will." "Yes master." Ben responded. He knew that much patience would be required, he must be patient waiting for the children to grow, and even more patient for the force to be brought back into balance. "We're not retaliating, then?" Ben asked, both disappointed and relived. "Not the wise thing to do retaliation is. Two Jedi masters against the entire Empire. Strong are we with the force. but not that strong." "And I suppose patience over revenge is the way of the Jedi." Ben added. "Learned your lessons well you have. Teach them well too you must." "Vader only knows of the boy. The girl will be staying with her Mother and King Organa on Alderan." "Nearby on Dagobagh will I be. and what of the boy, extra mindful of him, must we be. "I'm taking him to live with his Aunt and Uncle on Tatooine. Anakin vowed never to return to that planet; with any luck, Vader will keep the vow of Anakin." "And you?" "I've found a home on Tatooine which should be suitable. It's just beyond the Dune Sea. It's close enough to train the boy, if his Uncle will allow it." "And if he won't?" "We'll have to wait until the boy can decide for himself if he wishes to be trained or not." "And a weapon. construct one for him, will you?" "I can give him his Father's." "Danger I sense in that weapon." "I know, I sense it as well. If it were dangerous wouldn't Anakin ceased his behavior once he had lost it? Vader destroyed the Jedi and the Temple, and had never even held the weapon." "Truth there is in what you say Obi Wan, and while an ill feeling I have of this, it seems an ill feeling of everything have I nowadays. His Father's weapon give the boy." "That's it then, all the arraignments are made. We can do nothing more for these children. May the force be with them."
For only the second time in his life, Obi Wan struck first. Anakin defended with ease. The only other time Kenobi had been the first to attack was during his battle with Darth Maul on Naboo. Both times he had struck out of anger. Suppressing his anger was usually fairly easy for him but this time the years of anguish Anakin had caused him were being released in a fury of swings. Anakin was overwhelmed. He thought his battle would be relatively easy, he knew all of his old master's tricks and his power was greater, but Obi Wan came at him relentlessly. Soon Obi wan caught a hold of himself and took his old defensive stance. Anakin saw this predictability as a week point, and started his onslaught.
Within a matter of seconds, Anakin cut Obi Wan's saber in half and had him on the floor staring up at a pair of lightsabers. "All too easy." Anakin said, smugly. While Anakin was celebrating his early victory, Obi Wan was able to deliver a blow with his foot to Anakin's stomach. Anakin groaned and fell flat on his back. His sabers switched off and fell out of his hands. Anakin was down hill from the red-bladed one and it rolled to a stop against his body. The blue-bladed one cascaded down the mountain. Obi Wan pulled it into his hand and ignited it to defend himself.
Anakin leapt to his feet and ignited his own saber. Obi Wan held the weapon which was so sought after, he felt a surge of power. His attacks and counterattacks were flawless, he had his old apprentice backing up hill. Not a word was spoken between the two, their eyes blazed with intensity. The villagers below saw flashes of red and blue through the billowing smoke. The two Jedis fought the most intense battle of their lives. Obi Wan was growing weary he could feel the sweat upon his brow beginning to trickle down toward his eyes, he looked at his opponent who looked calm, cool and collected. If only Obi Wan knew that it was merely a façade. His blade worked furiously. I must end it. He thought. The power of the saber took hold of him. With a blinding surge of energy he knocked Anakin back into the pit of lava.
The young man clung to the edge of the pit and looked up at his old master. His eyes were filled with sincerity and tears. "Throw it in," he said, "throw it in and be done with it." At that, Obi Wan watched as his dear friend fell to his certain destruction. He went to throw the weapon in afterwards only to be ensnared by it's power yet again. Why destroy it? He thought. Out of Anakin's hands, it can do no harm. With that he headed down the mountain and the saber survived yet again.
Genreal Kenobi held the saber all the way home. He felt nothing of the death of his old padawan. Finally he reached Courascant. He spoke to no one in the Jedi temple, yet went straight to his quarters. He flung the saber in a box and went out the door yet again. Master Yoda was waiting for him in the hall. "Master Obi Wan," he said, "A disturbance in the force I have felt. What of Master Skywalker?" Obi Wan said nothing. Suddenly, a wave of emotion flooded over him and without offering an explanation to his master, he fell to his knees and began to sob, uncontrollably.
************************************************************************
The silence of the night was broken by the cries of a child. It had been broken previously by the cries of a new mother. Soon after the birth of the first child, the mother began to scream, yet again. Ben Kenobi sat impatiently in the hall, wishing there was more he could do. Another scream shot straight to his heart, he was very sympathetic for the poor girl inside. He noticed a man he didn't recognize, coming toward him. "Stop right there!" He commanded. "State your business!" "I'm the cleaning droid maintenance man." The man replied, flashing his security card. "Oh." Ben said sheepishly, ".carry on then." The man gave him an odd look and continued down the hall.
He felt a little foolish, but then he rationalized that in such a situation, one could not be too careful. While it was not such a difficult job, security was the one he was assigned to, for the moment. While he knew that in actuality, his job brought no immediate comfort to the woman in pain, he hoped that perhaps it gave her peace of mind, knowing she and her new born children were safe. All children were special to their mothers, but these children would be special to an entire galaxy. They would determine the fate of said galaxy. Ben kept his guard up and grew suspicious of a character who's presence had evaded him until they were upon him.
Yoda looked upward with shame and terror in his eyes. "Just as we thought. The last are we." He said. "There is nothing we can do, master, not by ourselves." Ben said in a defeated voice. "Something we can do there is, Ben." Yoda added optimistically, "Live, the ways of the force must. Teach the children we will." "Yes master." Ben responded. He knew that much patience would be required, he must be patient waiting for the children to grow, and even more patient for the force to be brought back into balance. "We're not retaliating, then?" Ben asked, both disappointed and relived. "Not the wise thing to do retaliation is. Two Jedi masters against the entire Empire. Strong are we with the force. but not that strong." "And I suppose patience over revenge is the way of the Jedi." Ben added. "Learned your lessons well you have. Teach them well too you must." "Vader only knows of the boy. The girl will be staying with her Mother and King Organa on Alderan." "Nearby on Dagobagh will I be. and what of the boy, extra mindful of him, must we be. "I'm taking him to live with his Aunt and Uncle on Tatooine. Anakin vowed never to return to that planet; with any luck, Vader will keep the vow of Anakin." "And you?" "I've found a home on Tatooine which should be suitable. It's just beyond the Dune Sea. It's close enough to train the boy, if his Uncle will allow it." "And if he won't?" "We'll have to wait until the boy can decide for himself if he wishes to be trained or not." "And a weapon. construct one for him, will you?" "I can give him his Father's." "Danger I sense in that weapon." "I know, I sense it as well. If it were dangerous wouldn't Anakin ceased his behavior once he had lost it? Vader destroyed the Jedi and the Temple, and had never even held the weapon." "Truth there is in what you say Obi Wan, and while an ill feeling I have of this, it seems an ill feeling of everything have I nowadays. His Father's weapon give the boy." "That's it then, all the arraignments are made. We can do nothing more for these children. May the force be with them."