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Feedback: Is most welcome.
Author's Note: Happy New Year everyone! May 2018 rock for all of you. And May the Force be with you.
Well, here's the update. I hope you like it.
Chapter III
They land on the outskirts of the town of Mon Espa. Obi-Wan is hoisting the hyperdrive of the floor panel when Jar-Jar comes running to him.
"Obi-Wan, sire, pleeease, no mesa go!"
Obi-Wan chuckles inwardly. "Sorry, you will help the group blend in. You will be helping us greatly."
"Mesa will?"
"Yep." Years of negotiation have taught him to make the other party feel important and like they are making all the decisions while harnessing the reins the entire time yourself. Or wait a minute… is it called manipulation?
Really does not matter right now.
Jar-Jar walks back to R2 in the hallway as his Master, dressed as a farmer, enters the main area. As he walks over to him, Obi-Wan takes in his disguise with a critical eye.
Yep, he will blend in as a farmer.
What am I doing? I have more important stuff to do than check whether Qui-Gon's clothes match that of the natives.
"The hyperdrive generator is gone. We don't need to repair it but we need a new one."
Qui-Gon nods and speaks quietly, "Don't let them send any transmissions. Be wary…I sense a disturbance in the Force."
"Yes Master. I feel it too."
"Well then Obi-Wan, I will get going." Qui Gon glances at R2 and Jar-Jar in the hallway.
He walks over to them. Obi-Wan, though, is seized with a wave of anxiety. Should I go this time around rather than Qui-Gon? Will that change anything important? Maybe I should tag along? He rubs his temples. He could feel a headache forming.
Trust the Force.
A fleeting thought enters his mind. Trust the Force. Yes, that is what he would do. Trust the Force. He takes a deep breath and releases it.
Breathe in. Breathe out. Repeat.
Everything will be alright. He walks up to the ramp and glances out into the heat of the twin suns of Tatooine. Captain Panaka and Padme dressed in coarse clothes pass by out into the desert. Padme offers him a small smile which he gladly returns.
"Wait!" Captain Panaka calls out. Obi-wan has a small smile sensing the waves of frustration from the Captain.
Qui-Gon stops to let them catch up. "Her Highness commands you to take her handmaiden with you. She wishes for her to observe the local…"
"No more commands from Her Highness today, Captain. This spaceport is not going to be pleasant…"
Oh, you have no idea, Master.
"I've been trained in self-defense. I can take care of myself."
"Don't make me go back and tell her you refuse." Captain Panaka argues although Obi-wan can sense he wishes that his Master refuses it.
"I have no time to argue. But this is not a good idea. Stay close to me." Qui-Gon says giving Padme a stern look.
Hmm. No one could ever argue with her anyways.
Obi-wan thinks and heads back inside.
-x—x—
He feels it so suddenly that he loses his balance and trips over a few droid parts.
Normally, it would have rattled him. Now, he just gets up, absentmindedly pushes the parts to a corner and completely oblivious to Watto's grumblings, heads out in the backyard.
He sits heavily on a rock and mentally berates himself again.
He wonders what has happened to him since he travelled to the past. He has lost his concentration and forgotten his future.
Anakin sighs and rests his head in his hands. Right now, he thinks, a Nubian starship is landing on the outskirts of Mon Espa. A Jedi Master accompanied by a Queen, a Gungan, and an astromech droid are making their way here to search for a hyperdrive.
And of course, on the star ship, they leave behind a certain auburn haired Jedi Padawan.
Just thinking about them makes his heart ache.
"I believe he is the Chosen One!"
"I love you, Ani!"
"Mesa so happy to see yousa again, Ani!"
"You were my brother Anakin! I loved you!"
Memories, unbidden enter his mind and before he realizes he is sobbing softly.
He had failed them all. All of them had placed their trust in him and he had spectacularly failed them.
You can change that now.
It comes as a whisper. And a very tempting one at that.
But the question beside hundred others plaguing his mind is whether he wishes to or not?
His life here on Tatooine may be cruel but it is peaceful. Well, from a certain point of view anyways.
Having faced countless enemies, what is a scorching heat, few years of slavery as he would most certainly free himself and his mom, and having to deal with Hutts and Tusken Raiders now and then? He may even get off planet. Besides, wouldn't he be doing the galaxy a favour by remaining in obscurity?
But on the other hand, he yearns to correct the wrongs he did. He wishes to meet Padme again. Bask in the light of his mentor. Prove Qui-Gon correct.
Well, he did fulfil the prophecy, technically speaking. But if there is a way to complete it without annihilating the Jedi, and subjugating the galaxy for two decades of darkness, he would like to take that.
Force, all this is giving me a headache.
He dwells on it for perhaps a few moments longer until he is sure that if he continues any longer, his head will feel like a group of banthas have walked over it.
So to take his mind of all of this he starts repairing a broken down patch-up droid. Working with machines soothes him unlike meditation ever had.
However, in the back of his mind he keeps questioning his next move.
-x—x—
Obi-Wan Kenobi had lived on Tatooine for approximately two decades.
As such, he knows when a sand storm is arriving. It will hit the town in about two hours, he deducts, from the wind speed.
An added benefit of his exile was also that the heat doesn't bother him anymore. He has grown pretty used to it.
After his Master had left, he had gone inside and given instructions related to security to Captain Panaka and the handmaidens. He had retreated to his room after that. However, just a few moments later, a sense of claustrophobia had attacked his senses.
Tatooine never did give me a peaceful rest.
That had resulted in him wandering out of the ship and kneeling in a meditative posture on one of the rocks nearby.
With a sigh, he closes his eyes and basks in the rejuvenating energy of the Force.
For few moments, his mind peacefully drifts in the calm vastness. Then he stretches his senses out, more out of reflex than anything, and feels the Living Force surrounding him. It is present in the lizards scurrying about, the reptiles beneath the rocks hiding away from the heat and the people present on the star ship.
His attention, seconds later, is focused on a beacon of light in the Force. As gravity pulls everything towards itself, his mind subconsciously is pulled towards the strongest Force signature in history.
Anakin Skywalker.
An image of the flowing rivers of lava enters his mind.
He sees his brother severed of his three limbs by none other than him lying on the black soil as his body slips closer to the flames.
An inhuman scream escapes his lips. "I hate—"
Nope!
No.
He will not go into those memories now. He will change the fate of the galaxy this time around. He will not let his brother be trapped into a mechanical suit that stroke fear in the hearts of the people.
Harnessing little of the self-control he currently possesses, he pulls away from the force signature of the nine-year old boy and brushes against that of his Master's.
And I will not let you die this time around Master.
Obi-wan strengthens his resolve to make the galaxy a better place.
Next, he dwells on his course of actions. How should he confront Sidious? This is the mission that made him the Supreme Chancellor of the Republic. It is of vital importance. There are very less chances that he can defeat Sidious. He is aware of that. Because no matter how skilled he is, Sidious is the incarnation of the Dark Side.
Ah, speak of the devil…
A Force signature imbued in the Darkness radiating raw and brute strength but lacking finesse fills his senses. The creature is hiding his signature impressively but to his trained senses, it is easily detected.
Welcome back, my old enemy.
With that, he opens his eyes and heads inside.
-x—x—
The second time he feels a strong presence, he manages to not trip. Barely.
It was not as intense as Darth Sidious'. It did not possess the finesse Darth Tyranus had. It was not a maelstrom of emotions like of Darth Vader.
Anakin closes his eyes and lets out a long suffering sigh at the last name while trying not to spit in disgust on the first.
That did leave only one. A signature like that burning with raw strength means…
Darth Maul.
The Zabrak Sith apprentice who had killed Qui-Gon. The Sith who had been bested by Obi-Wan. The Sith due to whom he had been apprenticed to Obi-wan instead of Qui-Gon.
I won't let you die this time, Master Qui-Gon.
But with his resolve, came along the familiar touch of the Dark Side. Brushing gently against him as if re-acquainting with a lost follower.
It whispered lovingly in his mind. You can fulfil all your desires through me.
Anakin smiled sadly.
"I know there is still good in you."
Never again. He whispers back to the approaching darkness. Never again will you take me away from the people I love.
And with that, the darkness retreats.
Anakin opens his eyes and stares ahead. He will not fall into the tentacles of the Dark Side this time. He will honour the mental promise he gave his son before his death of remaining in the Light.
Anakin Skywalker will not fall.
Darth Vader will not rise.
Determined, he gets back to the patch up droid to clear his head. Watto's voice, however, cuts through his thoughts before he could begin.
"Boy! Get in here! Now." Watto shouts in Huttese.
They are here.
He senses them. Three people cradled by the Light. Reluctantly, he walks to the front.
He hardly notices when Watto raises a hand as if to punish him for taking a long time. He looks at him smoothly and with an indifferent tone asks, "What is it?"
Watto looks a little surprised but recovers fairly quickly. "Watch the store. I have got some selling to do here."
Artoo and Qui-Gon follow Watto to the junk yard. Meanwhile, Jar-Jar picks up a gizmo and tries to figure out its purpose. The Jedi Master, however, takes it out of his hand and puts it back.
"Don't touch anything."
Anakin tries not to flinch when Qui-Gon and his to-be droid passes by him.
He wills himself to remain rooted at his position. But just before they can disappear, he swirls around and catches a glimpse of the retreating back of the Jedi Master.
Qui-Gon Jinn. His grand-master.
He turns around again after they leave his sight. With his head low, he walks over to the counter and sits on it, determined not to look at the other occupants of the room.
But their presence is so painfully obvious especially when the Gungan gets into one trouble or the other. The droid he just touched extends arms and legs and marches around knocking everything. Jar-Jar holds on but cannot get it to stop.
Realizing he cannot just let this droid create chaos in the shop he instructs, "Hit the nose!"
Jar-Jar complies and the droid is instantly switched off.
Anakin sighs and keeps an eye on the Gungan. That is when he hears it.
The laughter of an angel. His Angel.
Against his better judgement, he glances in the direction of the source and his greeted by the amused image of Padme Naberrie Amidala Skywalker.
Well, maybe not yet. Maybe never now. Not after what he had put her through in the previous timeline.
But his stance weakens as he is drawn in by her brown orbs and the radiance of her smile.
Before he can stop it, he whispers, "Angel…"
"What?"
Blast.
Tbc…
Read and Review!
Enleia: I love time travel fanfics too! Thanks!
NinjaGirl1117: Thank You! I had worked hard on the detail on the previous chapter. Now, I can't seem to leave it out. Here was the next chapter. I hope you liked it.
yiggdrasill: Thanks a lot! Thanks for your advice, btw. Now, that I have started putting details, I just cannot seem to leave them out. I hope the pace is okay.
MMM73181: I will admit, I have been thinking about all those scenarios as well. And I can assure so will the two time-travellers as well. But will they act on it? Well, that's for the future chapters to tell.
Syliphen Zora Riddle: Sorry for the delay on this update too. Thank you! You are right. You will have to read to find out. But it gives me guidelines to work on. So I appreciate the questions. :) Thanks. How did your exams go?
Gaetan 23: Thank You! So am I. I hope I do a good job of that scene. Thanks for taking out the time to check out my fic. Need any clarification? Feel free to ask.
Spider-man fanboi: Thanks!
Guest: Thank You. I hope this chapter was good. I am doing a little research now for the mechanics part. Not really an expert on that. Well, I am sorry for the confusion. I am writing in the present tense for the first time, so, there may be mistakes. I will try my best to follow your advice.
Guest: Well, two of the most powerful Jedi have just vowed to keep him alive. Will that be sufficient? It's for the future chapters to tell!
Nightshade's sydneylover150: Looks like he wouldn't be afterall. I have got to thank you for giving me the guideline to put about that in the chapter as well. :)
Blue Avenue Kitten: Thank you so much! I hope you liked this chapter as well.
Well, until the next time- enjoy! I would like to thank everyone for their continued support and for the awesome feedback and guidelines all of you provide.
Oh, and Happy New Year!