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Feedback: Is most welcome.
Author's Note: Well, well, well. Look here! Two chapters posted so soon! I actually count it as a personal achievement. Bless holidays for that!
Well, I hope you enjoy.
Chapter V
The symphony of falling water helps him think about his next course of action.
The buzz of his comm-link distracts him out of his reverie.
He picks it up. "Kenobi."
"Padawan, meet me at our quarters. We have to get ready for our mission. We leave tonight."
"Yes, Master."
Obi-Wan stands and moves out of the Room of Thousand Fountains. This had always been his favourite place until Vader burned it down.
Well then, let's get going. Time to meet old friends… and a future enemy. Hopefully I will be able to change that. He thinks.
Suddenly he feels a pull and he stops in front of a room. He realizes that this is the area where Jedi who are leaving for missions take their necessary supplies from.
When had he taken this route?
Still, feeling the Force urging him to go inside he obliges. Inside there were various shelves and the room was huge much like the Archives.
"Padawan Kenobi, how may I help you?" A voice asks him sounding almost bored.
Obi-Wan looks in front of him to see a young Padawan perhaps of fifteen to sixteen years and cannot help but smile. He has been most likely assigned to his duty by his Master as a punishment.
He remembers how often he had been assigned to help in the crèche or in the Archives when he was young and got into trouble. Ah, those were the days…
Realizing that the Padawan was still waiting for a reply he answered, "Could you direct me to the supplies for the system in which Tatooine is located? I believe it is in the Arkanis system."
The young teenager's eyebrows go up inquisitively no doubt wondering what mission someone would have in the outer reaches of the Outer Rim. Nevertheless he replies, "Please follow me. This way."
Obi-Wan follows him to a corner where there were fewer supplies than the rest of the shelves. He glances at the Padawan who just shrugs in response.
It figures, Obi-Wan thinks, they probably did not think Tatooine would be a place for a mission. This shelf had the supplies for the planets in the same system as Tatooine.
"Thanks." The Padawan then leaves him alone. There weren't a lot of things belonging to Tatooine but there were truguts kept in a box. The Force seemed to draw him to them.
Truguts were Tatooine's local currency but he did not understand why he would need them.
The face of a warm, friendly woman of about forty suddenly greets his mind's eye. Then her faces changes and is filled with bruises. She is chained to a rack and looks extremely dehydrated. It is clear she has been tortured. He hears the hiss of a lightsabre and a shadow approaches the woman. It lowers the woman. It feels like that shadow is speaking something to comfort the woman.
However, the condition of the woman is beyond saving now and Obi-Wan knows she will soon join the Force. In the end, he hears one sentence whispered by her, "Ani…I love…"
She passes on to the Force. The shadow seems to be in agony although he cannot hear it. The shadow gets up and moves outside and again his ears are greeted with the distinct snap hiss of a lightsabre.
Who was she? He wonders.
Then he remembers what she said in the end. Ani.
So that woman must be…Shmi Skywalker.
Anakin's mom.
Qui-Gon's Force apparition had told him what had happened on Tatooine all those years ago. The aftermath of Shmi Skywalker's death was the first step towards the Dark Side by her son.
Obi-Wan opens his eyes breathing hard and clutching the shelf unaware of when he had closed them. He did not know what should concern him more- the fact that he had been unaware of such a brutal fate meeting his former Padawan's mother in the previous timeline or that in this timeline his mind refused to picture Anakin as anything more than a shadow.
He looks at the box of truguts again. Maybe if he took them he could free Shmi. He knew Anakin would win his freedom but the fact that he had to leave his mother behind in slavery had weighed on his conscience throughout his apprenticeship.
He could save Qui-Gon from that pain. The pain of telling Anakin that the Jedi did nothing unless commanded by the Force and watching the boy realize that his Master was refusing him to save his mother and feel crestfallen. That pain had weighed on him for years.
How much did it take to free a slave? Knowing the mentality of the junk dealers there, it would probably take a few thousands to finally convince Watto to let go of both his slaves.
His decision made, Obi-Wan takes a pouch and fills it with the coins. He ties it to his utility belt and then turns to leave.
He enters his name and purpose in the log provided by the Padawan, smiles and thanks him and then leaves.
The pull from the Force finally fulfilled, he proceeds to his quarters.
But on the way he is greeted with a doubt. Cliegg Lars meets Shmi on Tatooine. If he frees Shmi, Anakin will no doubt request her to come off planet with them. Knowing Qui-Gon, he would probably agree.
But can he take that happiness of meeting Cliegg from her? He knows, for sure, that Shmi had been happy with her new family. And if Anakin falls again, who will Obi-Wan give Luke to?
But Anakin will not fall again, he reasons. Besides, having his mother by his side would probably help reduce Palpatine's influence on him. And Qui-Gon can provide him better comfort and guidance than a grieving Padawan could. Will that be of any help or not? Palpatine is cunning so maybe he could turn the situation in his favour yet again. But this time I will be there as a guardian to Anakin.
Before he realizes it, he is back at his quarters. All of these thoughts have just made him realize: This time travelling business is far more confusing than he had initially thought it to be.
Obi-Wan comes out of his meditation and the memory that had come up. The pouch of truguts was kept on the bed. He knew Qui-Gon would contact him tonight to check Anakin's blood sample. The next day, Anakin would win his freedom leaving his mother behind only to be briefly reunited ten years later.
But he can change that now. And, he reasons, if the Force wants Shmi and Cliegg to meet then they will meet no matter what.
So, he can carry his plan out without any trouble. He needs to prepare for Maul's attack.
-x—x—
Anakin looks at C-3PO along with Padme.
"He's wonderful!"
"Thanks." Anakin had actually forgotten that he had C3PO which spoke volumes of his inattentiveness to his surroundings because the droid was in his own bedroom.
His mother had broken the awkward silence that had enveloped the group after the initial introductions and their reason to be here by suggesting Anakin to show Padme the droid he has been working on.
He had looked at her with confusion when she had pointedly said, "You know, C3PO."
After that he rushed with Padme at his side to show her C3PO a little embarrassed that he had forgotten about the protocol droid that had been more or less a part of his family passing on from him to Padme to Leia and then Luke.
He was concentrating on the voice box now and wondering whether he should install a filter of sorts so that the droid would not speak as much as he usually did. Or will. Whatever.
He quickly decides against it, however, thinking that C3PO's incessant talking though at times irritating gave the droid his unique personality. If droids can have a personality.
Huh? Since when did he start thinking droids as non-sentient beings? He was one of the few that actually treated droids as friends and not just servants.
Okay, that thought was something Obi-Wan would say.
Obi-Wan never treated droids as servants but he also did not go on treating them as his best friends.
No Anakin liked to believe that the role of Obi-Wan's best friend was his. Or was his role of a brother?
Padme saves him once again from following that line of thought. "Can you switch it on?"
"Oh…of course."
One of C3PO's eyes is missing. Anakin searches for it. He grabs it from a workbench and puts it in one of the sockets. The droid powers up and sits up.
"How do you do? I am See-Threepio, Human Cyborg Relations. How might I serve you?" The unmistakable voice of his droid fills the room.
Padme smiles obviously in awe that a nine year boy has built it. "He's perfect."
"Ani! Wash up and bring your friends to the table. Dinner's almost ready." His mother's voice is heard from the living room.
"Okay, Mom!" He replies.
While the human occupants leave the room, Anakin hears Artoo beep something at which C3PO gives a flabbergasted reply no doubt starting their infamous bickering.
Like his and Obi-Wan's. He closes his eyes for a brief moment.
Recently more and more of his thoughts have been drifting towards an auburn haired Jedi Master. Before he knows it they reach the table.
At his mother's request, he goes on about helping her, happy for any distraction he can get.
-x—x—
Obi-Wan thinks it best to contact Qui-Gon and inform him about the transmission. As a Jedi Master, he was sure that it was the correct course of action. But as a Jedi Padawan he was supposed to tell Qui-Gon everything that happens on his end.
Yeah, great work you are doing at that Kenobi.
Obi-Wan sighs. Sometimes he thinks his mind is entirely an independent entity on his own. A sarcastic entity at that.
Nevertheless, he picks up his comlink and contacts Qui-Gon.
"Jinn."
"Master, it is Obi-Wan. How are things looking at your end? Any solution?"
"Not good Obi-Wan. We have been caught in the sandstorm but a local boy was happy to provide us shelter. He actually works at Watto's shop."
"The local junk dealer?"
"That's the one. What is going on there? Any news?"
"Actually yes, that is why I contacted you. We received a transmission from Governor Bibble stating that the conditions at Naboo are very poor. The people are dying and the food supplies have been cut off. He asked us to surrender and send him a reply. The Queen is upset about it but absolutely no reply was sent."
"It sounds like a bait to establish a connection trace."
"Exactly. We need to hurry up Master. I was researching a bit about Tatooine and came to know that there is a big race being held tomorrow. If no other civilised plan comes up, I had suggest that we gamble something to get the required truguts."
There was silence for a moment.
"Do my ears deceive me or did the ever rule abiding Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi just suggest that we gamble?"
Obi-Wan just rolls his eyes and send its mental equivalent to his Master through the bond where his Master's amusement and surprise are clearly felt.
"Dire situations call for dire means, Master."
"They do indeed, Padawan. It is nice to know some of my wisdom has finally rubbed off on you."
"Have a good day Master."
With that Obi-Wan closes the connection but smiles despite himself. It feels nice to share such moments with Qui-Gon.
But soon his mood sombres. Onto the matter of Darth Maul.
Should he kill him now only on Tatooine so that the situation on Naboo never happens? But that will change the timeline drastically. There were too many variables in that plan. No he needs to stick with history.
Qui-Gon suffers no harm from Darth Maul's attack here except perhaps being a little worse for wear. And moreover, his confrontation will help Qui-Gon tell the Council about his assumption of it to be a Sith.
Yes, he reasons, he will take on the Sith on Naboo only. After all, killing the Sith was what granted him Knighthood in the first place. He cannot jeopardise that. Otherwise, he does not know what will happen to Anakin and his future.
Now that that was out of the way, he proceeds to inform Ric Olie to take off at once when he orders him to.
-x—x—
Qui-Gon, Anakin, Shmi, Jar-Jar and Padme are seated around a makeshift table, having dinner as the wind howls outside.
"All slaves have transmitters placed inside their bodies somewhere." His mother tells the rest of the group. Anakin eats his food quietly wondering how the topic of discussion had turned to one of slaves.
"Can you do nothing about it? Is there no device or something to locate and remove them?" Padme asks still horrified that an uncivilised thing like slavery still exists.
"Anakin had tried to work on a scanner to locate them but it had not worked. The other devices are too costly for anyone to consider. Besides…"
His mother continued to tell them about something else but Anakin had stopped listening after the first line of what his mom said registered in his mind.
He had built a scanner!
It had not worked then but now his mechanical prowess far surpasses that of his nine year old self. He had no doubt if he could find it, he could easily fix it and get it to work.
Where had he kept it? He racked his mind to think about it. Ah! He remembered. Once, it had failed to work, Anakin had discarded it in frustration. It must be lying somewhere outside near the trash bin.
Once the sandstorm clears, he can work on it. He can free himself and his mother and they can actually go somewhere off planet by renting a ship with the money that he will get after Qui-Gon sells the Pod.
Wait a minute…Pod? Of course his Podracer! The Boonta Eve Classic was going to be held tomorrow.
How in the worlds had he forgotten about that?
"Is that so, Anakin? Anakin?"
"Huh?"
"Anakin, are you alright?" His mother asks.
"Yeah…" From the corner of his eye he sees Padme frown. Padme was smart. She would soon figure out something was wrong with him because he has already zoned out like this before in front of her. Thankfully, she did not say anything.
He also risks a glance towards the Jedi Master hoping that he had not picked up any of his thoughts. Qui-Gon was fixing him with a curious look so Anakin once checks his shields.
He had taken care after a prompting from the Force to raise his mental shields to an extent where his Force signature would seem like an untrained Force sensitive but still none of his thoughts could leak.
"Padme tells me that you offered to have a look at our ship and see the hyperdrive stating that you could fix it?"
Anakin looks at Padme. He allows himself a mental smile at this revelation. Had it been anyone else, they would have dismissed his claims of being able to fix anything as a child's bragging. But not Padme. She took everything seriously and valued what others said no matter whether it came from an adult or a nine year old slave.
"Yeah." He knew that the fact that he had won a pod race and having been the only human to be able to do it was an argument used by Qui-Gon to show his Force abilities in front of the Council.
So should he forgo it or not?
This decision is made soon enough when Qui-Gon shows him a hologram of the damaged hyperdrive.
The damage was too extensive. They will need to replace it. He can 'patch it up' but fixing it properly for it to go all the way to Coruscant was perhaps unlikely.
So he will have to participate in the Boonta Eve Classic. That was the only option left.
"No, I am sorry. It is really way too damaged. You will need to replace it."
He feels sad when he sees the forlorn expression if only for a moment settle on Padme's features.
Qui-Gon nods and proceeds to lean back in his chair when suddenly the datapad he held gets pushed out of his hand by Jar Jar. Or rather his tongue.
Qui-Gon shoots him a glare. "Mesa was justen takin the fruit."
"Don't do that again."
He bends to pick up the datapad. However while doing so, his lightsabre is revealed.
Anakin frowns. That is not really smart of you Master. You need to be more careful.
Remembering that last time, he had called Qui-Gon on it, he goes on to do just the same.
"Are you a Jedi?"
The Gungan, Padme and Qui Gon all stop momentarily in their place.
"What makes you think so?"
"I just saw your lightsabre…that is what it is called, right?" Anakin asks trying to keep an innocent face and hoping to not fail miserably at it. I need to be more careful. A slave would not know what a weapon of the Jedi is called.
But, he reasons, subtlety had always been Obi-Wan's forte not his. Even the political meetings that Palpatine made him attend as Darth Vader did nothing to improve his subtlety skills or of negotiation.
"Yes, it is called that." Qui Gon answers and ignoring the pointed glares that Padme was sending his way, he continues, "Just because I have a lightsabre does not mean I am a Jedi. Perhaps I killed a Jedi and took it from him?"
That's not possible. No one can kill a Jedi. That had been his response the first time. Sometimes he wonders whether the Force just possesses a cruel sense of humour and irony or does it have anything against his son.
You know, if you ignore the fact, that his 'son' killed all its other children, then.
"You do not seem like a killer."
"Looks can be deceptive."
"I just sort of 'know' that you are not one. You would not be so nice to us if you killed the peacekeepers of the galaxy. Moreover, one who can kill a Jedi would not hesitate to kill a local junk dealer to get the parts he needs rather than work out a solution diplomatically to his problem."
Even if Qui-Gon hadn't raised one of his eyebrows, he had realized he had spoken too much.
And seriously, 'diplomatically'? Which nine year old actually knows that word in such a planet?
But Qui-Gon already suspects him to be Force Sensitive, so why not just relieve him of his dilemma.
"I see there is no fooling you Anakin. You must not let anyone know about us. We are on our way to Couruscant, on a very important mission and it must be kept a secret." Anakin nods.
"Wesa still need a way to geten out here." Jar Jar speaks and the occupants return to the original problem.
"There is a pod race being held here tomorrow. I have got a pod. It's the fastest ever built. You can actually enter it as your own. Besides, I am the only human who can do it."
"You must have Jedi reflexes if you can raise pods." Anakin simply nods.
"I can do it. You can gamble on me…"
He wonders briefly why Qui-Gon's eyes widened slightly as if in recognition before his mother interrupts him.
"I do not want you to race, Ani. It's awful. I die everytime Watto makes you do it."
Seeing the depth of pain in her eyes Anakin is hit with a pang of guilt for making her suffer like this. Was this worth it?
"Your mother is right. Is there anyone friendly to the Republic who might be able to help us?"
Shmi shakes her head to indicate no.
There is silence for a moment as they eat.
Padme comforts the older woman, "I am sure Qui-Gon does not want to put your son in danger. We will find another way…"
"There is no other way. I may not like it but Anakin can help you. He was meant to help you. Besides, I have been teaching him this forever that the biggest problem in the universe is that no one helps each other. I cannot back out from my own teaching now."
"Are you sure about it, Shmi?" Padme asks softly.
"Yes, I am. The prize money will be more than sufficient to get the parts you need."
When Anakin remains quiet doing his best not to tear up, Shmi tells him, "That means a yes Anakin. You can race tomorrow."
What Shmi expected her son to do was break into a big grin and jump with the excitement of being able to take part in the biggest race on Tatooine. What she did not expect was to be greeted with an emotional smile radiating gratitude.
Force, if anyone deserved to be a Jedi, it was her mom. She resembled all the qualities of a Jedi: compassion, selflessness, intelligence and serenity.
As soon as the sandstorm clears, Anakin rushes out to check on his podracer claiming to put a few 'final touches.' He also finds out the discarded scanner and puts it on the workbench deciding to work on it as soon as his work with the podracer gets over.
Qui-Gon along with Padme and Artoo have gone to Watto to enter Anakin's pod racer as his own. Anakin however refused to go with an excuse to work on the pod. He will not be any help in the dealings anyways.
By the time they arrive, Anakin's work is almost finished. He can work much faster now and with much more surety in his task than his nine year old counterpart in the previous timeline.
He even improves some parts of it so that his claim of it being the 'fastest ever built' actually stands true. Honestly, when he had looked on it after the storm had cleared, he had just shook his head and got to work grumbling "Me and my big mouth. This is nowhere near being the fastest pod."
He does not pay much attention when Padme, Artoo and Jar Jar come to help him out. If it had been just him and Artoo, he could almost imagine himself back during the Clone Wars fixing his Jedi Fighter after every battle. He smiles wistfully at those memories.
So engrossed is he in his work that he does not notice a tall Jedi Master observing him and his each and every movement even as he speaks to his Jedi Padawan on the Nubian ship.
Tbc…
Cooljoanna15: See, I wanted to get this chapter action packed but then it was getting way long. So I thought to break it in two or more chapters. I think he likes to see him as a brother now. Hmm… making Palpatine's life hell? I do not even have to think twice about that. Request granted my friend. "High ground," huh? Well, you have given me food for thought… Let me see if I can work that into it… Coz that will really be funny! Your saying that it made your day made my day!
NinjaGirl1117: Thanks! No, I am sorry it will not include Ahsoka. Perhaps her mention, but not her appearance. It is because though I have read about her in various fanfictions and I have a slight idea about her character, I do not really know a lot about her… So… Thanks again!
Enleia: I apologise for the long absence for the previous chapter. Look I updated sooner! :D I will not abandon this story I can assure you this. Updates may be slow with this year being very hectic and all but it will not be abandoned. Thanks!
MMM73181: Wow… you just surmised the majority of my idea right there… Your feeling is right. Are you sure you are not Force sensitive? Hmm…
yiggdrasill: Thanks. Your reviews always leave a smile on my face and my head full of ideas. You are right. I can actually imagine Anakin saying that to Obi wan and then Obi wan lecturing him on the importance of making plans with that other saying. After the battle, Anakin looks at him with a smug expression because they had to improvise again as their plan did not work as usual. Oh, Maul is in for it. I can tell you that much. I mean imagine his shock when suddenly a Padawan becomes a well-trained Jedi Master.
RyuuShadow: And we are getting closer! Your wait has ended! I hope you like it. I hope so.
Phillip: Yeah to me Qui Gon is better as Anakin's grandmaster than his Master. In my opinion, the role of Anakin's Master belongs only to Obi-Wan Kenobi. I hope you liked this chapter!
Syliphen Zora Riddle: Thanks so much! Did you like this chapter?
.L: The possibilities indeed! I actually have been considering a lot of them. I have finalised one of them but am still a little unsure. We will see what works out. Hope you liked the chapter.
Reader 143: Thanks. Hmmm. To be honest, I had actually not thought about that. Hehe… Nice of you to bring that to my notice. You are right, it would have given them away and Obi-Wan needed it as evidence as well in the Senate. Please keep giving pointers. It helps a lot! Hope you like the other chapters as well!
As always, my dear readers: please read and review!