After many months and some disappearance on my part, here is the next installation of From On Galaxy to the Next. I apologize ahead of time that for the time I have been gone the length of the chapter does not justify my absence. Either way, hope you enjoy it!
One last thing and I never would have dreamed this would happen... more than 100 followers, never in my wildest dreams would I have ever expected for this story to catch so much attention. Thank you all and I hope that you keep being patient with me.
No one commented on the pad that was still in Obi-wan's possession, it was time they learned some more of this new galaxy and after letting his Padawan go. He sat down and started reading. The pad was simple enough to handle and browse through. They even had something that was similar to the Holonet, though they seemed to call it the Internet.
It was some time later that the Doctor returned to the Med-ward, muttering about crazed Vulcans and stupid stubborn personalities. Obi-wan was sure that he had said more, but chose to ignore the man's distaste and calmly asked him what was wrong.
Bones blinked a few times, not expecting for someone to be down here. He just couldn't take being with that damn Vulcan any longer. He had marooned his best friend on a godforsaken planet, just because he didn't like Jim's idea. He walked over to the other man and sat heavily on the chair on the other side of Kenobi.
"Many things actually, while you have been down here, a lot occurred up on the bridge."
Obi-wan frowned and lowered the tablet. "Forgive me, but I was researching."
Bones saw the tablet in his hand and shook his head. That had been foolish of them, but then these men did have the right to know what mess they had just gotten into. Damn federation regulation. "Find anything to your interest?" he asked distractedly.
"Your Federation is quite impressive, Doctor, however I've noticed that galactic travel is fairly recent to Earth. You have much to learn of your galaxy and the universe as a whole." Obi-wan stated.
"Great another poet," Bones murmured, "add to all that time-traveling Romulans and this day has gone directly to hell. And what of your Republic, how is your home any different to all of this madness?" he asked clearer, though his companion had heard all of it.
Obi-wan chuckled, "not by much, Doctor, however galactic travel has existed for the good part of 20 millennia and the Republic has been in power for the last five."
McCoy whistled in surprise and an idea popped into head, though immediately dismissed it as impossible.
"Now tell me Doctor, what did Mr. Spock do to warrant such a merry of curses?" Obi-wan asked.
Bones mode instantly soured, he was already hating himself enough for siding with the green goblin, he did not feel like retelling the matter. Though he knew it would be for the better, maybe Obi-wan could get through that thick Vulcan head. "Jim wasn't agreeing with Spock and tried to reason that the commander was emotionally compromised. As you can expect Spock didn't take that so well and ordered Jim to be marooned to a nearby planet, claiming that he was too dangerous to keep on board the Enterprise."
Kenobi arched his eyebrow in shock. "Star's end, that is disturbing."
Bones nodded, wishing for nothing more than a bottle of scotch at the moment. "That's an understatement, if I've ever heard one. I've been checking on my patients, but decided to come down here for a moment of quiet. How can a being so set on logic, be so blind?!" he asked in frustration.
Obi-wan stayed quiet for a moment. Mr. Spock may deny it, but his decisions aren't based solely on logic. He is in pain and worried for the well-being of his mother. If anything he isn't thinking logically and hiding his emotions behind a perfectly constructed mask. The Jedi thought, realizing the similarities between himself and the Vulcan, though deep down he also saw the parallels between the Order and Vulcans.
-o-o-o-
Back in Delta Vega, Kirk walked through the snowy wonderland with his time-traveling companion. They were heading towards a Starfleet outpost, hopefully once they got there, older Spock would feel like telling him the rest of the plan.
Nonetheless, one question kept plaguing his mind and he didn't want an audience for what he was about to discuss.
"Ummm, Spock, I do have a question regarding your timeline." Kirk stated hesitantly unsure how to phrase it.
Spock turned and raised an eyebrow, it wasn't common to see his old friend so uncertain of himself. "You can ask Jim, but I don't guaranty that I will answer."
Jim sighed, "well I've been wondering, in your timeline did you ever have contact with beings from another galaxy."
Spock stopped short, that was one he hadn't been expecting, beings from another galaxy… it was an incredulous thought. Was that perhaps the true final frontier, the borders between the galaxies… yet to do that they would have to discover all of the systems within the Milky Way and even in his time they had only charted an estimate of 12% of the galactic map.
"Travel between galaxies should be impossible, the time needed for the trip would be too great. No engine has been invented that could travel such a distance at a reasonable time." Spock answered.
Kirk smirked, "time-travel is also said to be impossible." The younger man countered. He couldn't help it, arguing with any Spock is too much fun and winning said argument is even better.
Spock inclined his head in agreement. "To answer your question, no we never did… why?"
Jim's smirk fell and he once again fell silent. He could see the outpost on the horizon, if he wanted to talk of this it had to be now. "We have some guests that have been staying on Starbase 1 and they say that they aren't from around here. From what I have seen, I'm actually inclined to agree with them."
"Most fascinating indeed," Spock murmured, "this timeline is absolutely full of surprises."
"You have no idea," Kirk mumbled as they continued on their trek.
-o-o-o-
The hours passed, the Doctor came and went, and when Obi-wan final felt his Padawan was in a more stable condition he lifted the Trance. He stood behind his Padawan and placed both his hands at the side of Anakin's head. He ignored his audience, Bones was watching carefully, keeping a constant eye on the younger man's vitals.
Obi-wan closed his eyes, diving into the Force and holding tightly to his bond with Anakin. He had never gone as deep as he was planning on going now, and was dubious on what was going to happen. He began to travel down the bond, it was surreal, to say the least, Anakin's shields were some of the best… though there were none to be found and neither was Anakin. Obi-wan grimace, realizing that he was going to have to go deeper.
He could feel the strain on the bond, a training bond was never meant to be used in such a way, but as he passed Anakin's conscious mind and dropped into his subconscious. Obi-wan stopped dead in his tracks. Screams were coming from everybody, pain, loneliness, fear, anger… hatred, despair… an all-consuming rage surrounded Obi-wan. He could tell that this wasn't from the destruction of the planet.
No the event only triggered the memories of these emotions. Obi-wan could easily recognize the planet he was on and as he bravely headed forward. The scene cleared and he saw Anakin holding onto a female body tightly in his arms. He was crying and by what he was murmuring, Obi-wan concluded that it was Anakin's mother. He sighed, so they hadn't been just dreams. The screams of the dead were still hunting the Master, but the transformation of his Padawan's expression was what truly worried Obi-wan.
He staggered back and watched helpless as the memory played out. He witnessed the slaughter of all the sand people of that village and how his Padawan let the rage devour him, and fell into the grasp of the Dark-side. He couldn't move… was this what was holding his Padawan here and what was worse why didn't he tell him about.
"Ma… Master…?" a hesitant voice asked from behind him. Yet no matter where he was, Obi-wan will always be able to distinguish it.
He turned and the sight that greeted him wasn't one he wanted to see. His Padawan was bruised and battered. His mental form appeared to not have any energy to spare and seemed ready to collapse. "Padawan," he acknowledged.
Anakin took a careful step forward, afraid that this may be another hallucination. He couldn't escape, his memories kept hunting him and the memory of his mother was the worst and freshest of them all. Yet, if his Master had really just witness his darkest moment, he didn't want to see the disappointment on the man's face.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Obi-wan asked, walking towards the man that he had raised from a frightened youngling.
Anakin didn't answer, but his posture said it all.
"You blame me, don't you?" his Master answered, not taking another step closer. Anakin slowly nodded, his eyes never leaving the floor. "If I've had known they were more than dreams… I would've…."
"Well they weren't! Ok?!" Anakin screamed, the pain was still too recent. He shoulder's slumped and his knees lost all their strength. He was now on his knees staring in disgust at his hands. "I killed them all… the children, even the women and elderly. I slaughtered them all!"
Obi-wan was now next to his Padawan, kneeling down and placing what he hoped was a comforting hand on his shoulder. "But you regret it, don't you?"
Anakin was surprised to not hear any disgust in his voice, nor condemnation. "I… I regret giving into my rage. Now I just find it harder and harder to control my anger. There is a darkness in me Master and I'm afraid that someday I might fall."
There you have it... I know... cliffhanger, aren't I the worse.
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