A/N: Yay! Two chapters in two days! Anyway, as you've probably guessed, Obi-Wan's dignified swan song is soon to come. However, shed no tears OBK-Fanatics, for we all know that he is not gone! Now we shall see what being reunited with his Master does for the intrepid little Ani. What's more, we get an answer to the long-asked question: Why the Hell didn't Vader pick up on Leah's resemblence to Padme? Here it is, along with Anakin's own fake scenario of life after lava.
:Star Wars:
:TFB, Chapter II:
Anakin had been delighted to see Princess Leah Organa on the Rebel Ship. Ever since Vader's first encounter with the feisty, powerful young woman, Anakin had received his best ammunition yet.
Oh, look Vader! His thoughts were cheery and almost giddy. My, my, she grows more beautiful by the day, doesn't she? How lovely, her hair looks so beautiful like that. You know, now that I think of it, didn't Padme wear her hair sort of like that once? I remember the buns were farther away from her head, though.
In truth, Anakin himself had been stunned by the Princess's resemblance to his late wife. It had led him down a train of thought that both saddened and heartened him. He allowed Darth Vader to see his musings as he constructed a possible explanation. He figured that the Emperor had lied, and Padme had actually survived. His mind showed him images of a glowing Padme on her wedding day, as she pledged her life to Bail Organa, whose own wife must have died in the crossfire. He tormented Vader with the image of his own blow on the lava planet causing his child to be miscarried. The thought tore through Anakin like a knife, but he hid that from his foe, jealously guarding his own emotions and plans through manipulations of the Force.
It seemed then to Anakin that the brief encounter with Leah would be his final advance. Vader's hatred for the Alderaanian Princess was beginning to overcome his longing for Padme, and Anakin was loosing their resemblance as a weapon. He figured that Princess Leah's execution would be his own.
Anakin had resigned himself to his fate and was settling into a fresh round of apologies and regrets. He was just in the middle of composing his final words to Obi-Wan and the Jedi Order when the impossible happened. He felt a disturbance in the Force. Anakin hardly dared to believe it, but there it was, plain as the suns of Tatooine. There was a Jedi nearby. Anakin tentatively explored the Force for more detail, and in an instant his mind went blank. He was barely able to maintain his mental fortifications through his disbelief, for there it was, the unmistakable signature he had felt so many times in the past. He Felt the Force signature of his Master, Obi-Wan. It rippled serenely through the metachlorians all around him; gentle, wise, and sad.
Obi-Wan.
Anakin desperately tried to gain control of himself once more but it was too late. Darth Vader had picked up on his recognition, and now he, too felt the distinctly calm energy that was Obi-Wan Kenobi. He was stunned, and it took all of two seconds for Anakin to seize it as an opportunity.
He's alive! Anakin thundered into Vader's thoughts. Obi-Wan lives and you are a mere shadow of existence! You see? You could not defeat him all those years ago, and you cannot now! You tried to fight him and he left you a burning torso on the ash! This is the end for you Darth Vader!
It pleased Anakin in some way to use Vader's own words to Obi-Wan from that battle so long ago. He felt that the tables had truly turned, and Vader roared in fury and beat relentlessly against Anakin's shields. His assault continued for many hours, but Anakin only responded blow for blow by replaying the memory of losing his limbs and flesh in the magma river, highlighting the thrumming of Obi-Wan's lightsaber and the image of his face. The internal battle raged continuously, even as Vader calmly reported his "suspicions" of Obi-Wan's existence to the Empire.
Anakin was down to his last bit of strength. The strain of holding off Vader's attacks was taking a toll on him, and even the knowledge that his Master was not dead was beginning to slip away from him. Anakin accepted his defeat and thought, I'm sorry Obi-Wan. I failed again.
Then, all Hell broke loose on the Death Star.
Anakin was mildly intrigued, it seemed there were intruders onboard. For a moment he entertained the thought of using the intrusion to his advantage, but decided against it. After all, rebels had been giving Vader a headache for years. By now he wouldn't even really pay attention, and it would not be worth the waste of his dwindling strength.
So weak was Anakin that he never thought to watch Vader's mind and track his movements. It wasn't until a strange, powerful, nearly forgotten sensation washed over him that Anakin snapped back to attention, and his metaphorical heart stopped.
Obi-Wan.
There he was, flesh and blood on the Death Star. He was strong, he was calm, and he was old!
Anakin was stunned. He knew that a great many years had passed since he had last seen his Master, but he doubted that Obi-Wan could be older than Qui-Gon had been before he died. He wondered what could have possibly ravaged Obi-Wan's strong physical body so dramatically in such a short time.
Obi-Wan and Vader were talking, but Anakin didn't listen. He studied Obi-Wan's face through Vader's eyes and saw it all. The sun-whitened hair, the sand-etched lines in his skin, the hooded eyes and darkened, nearly charred skin. He took it all in, and he knew. As surely as he knew Huttese he knew. Obi-Wan had been living on Tatooine all these years. Why? He wondered. Had it been out of necessity, to avoid the Empire? Had it been out of tribute to his fallen Padawan? Whatever the reason, no former slave of the Huts could ever mistake the telltale signs of a life on Tatooine.
But Anakin did not have time to dwell on it, for both Vader and Obi-Wan had now drawn their lightsabers and the battle had commenced. Anakin's heart sank as he watched his Master fight. While still powerful and fierce, the Jedi's body was old now, and lacked the agility and prowess of his youth. Had Obi-Wan been in his former youthful body, the crippled Sith in Anakin's body would have been no match for him.
Anakin did all he could to help, tripping up Vader's concentration by playing him scenes from Obi-Wan's former battles, particularly with Vader himself. The images unsettled Vader and confused him, causing him to block blows that were not coming at him and strike at openings that were never presented. Anakin's efforts prolonged the battle, but he knew an end had to come at some point.
After quite some time had passed and both sides were fading, something happened that Anakin could not understand. Obi-Wan, while still on guard, had turned his head to look elsewhere, as if something had happened. Darth Vader did not turn his head, so Anakin could not see what it was. Then, to Anakin's shock and horror, Obi-Wan dropped his stance. He stood tall and pulling the humming lightsaber close to his face, he gazed briefly into the eye-sockets of Darth Vader's helm. Anakin's mind shook as he felt, but hardly dared to believe, that Obi-Wan's gaze was meant for him. Indeed, it was compassionate, soothing, and even loving. Anakin knew that such a gaze would never be squandered on a Sith.
It had been mere seconds, then Obi-Wan closed his eyes and his face fell into a serene look of meditation that reminded Anakin of the peaceful features of Qui-Gon Jinn, and Vader's red lightsaber sliced through the venerable Jedi's midsection with a sickening thrum. Anakin gave a choking sob, and watched in disbelief as his best friend, his brother, his Master, simply vanished into thin air!
As the body that had been Obi-Wan faded from existence, a single word flowed like water through the mind that resisted Darth Vader. It contained all the warmth, calm and camaraderie of his years as a Padawan, and was hidden from the Sith's mind entirely. It seemed that it resounded through the small sanctuary like a tolling bell.
Anakin…
:Star Wars:
Heh, yeah I know it's not Shakespeare (way less drama), but it scratches an itch, does it not? Anyway, next chapter features: A towheaded youth from Tatooine, long periods of introspection, and a whole new war between two minds! And in the third and-possibly-final chapter we shall see the one and only Anakin triumph over his greatest enemy: His darker self.
(Don't I just have a flair for the dramatic?)