Ch4

Elsewhere on the shuttle en route to Alderaan. "Can I see him?" There was a short sigh. "Please? He doesn't feel right."

Soontir shook his head, leaning against the wall as he studied the child before him. "Sorry kid, the medic's orders were rather clear, I can't let you in the Commander's gotta rest." The large eyes looked at him beseechingly, reminding him of how his own children tried to get their way with that same look.

"I know you wanna talk with him, believe me these reports that I have here for him aren't gonna read themselves, but medics orders are medics orders." The child looked dejectedly away and Soontir gave him points for persistence. He was mildly surprised that the boy had taken to the Chiss Commander as some children found his red eyes and skin coloring somewhat unsettling if not downright frightening. But then again his own children had been mostly fascinated by the man who could get their father beet red from embarrassment in ten seconds flat and give him a good beating too when they want at it for some hand to hand demonstrations. Then again his kids had never really had the chance to see him flying. He wanted to see Thrawn do a triple reverse engine thrust and then immediately bank up for a clean landing. Smiling at the fond memories of beating the living daylights out of each other his attention returned to the sulking human boy before him.

"Tell you what kid, why don't we go play some Dejarick or something." He would've thought of teaching the kid some sabacc instead, but his wife's angered face when he tried teaching that to his own children was enough to have him suggest the more respected of games.

"Ok I guess."

"Great!" He clapped the child on the back steering him towards the low table in the corner of the shuttles small main lounge before settling in and powering up the board.

"Ever play this before kid?" The child was frowning at the board as he tried to settle in the leather seat comfortably, but finding not such way chose instead to perch on the edge feet dangling over and kicking the semi expensive leather. "No, but I've seen it played before by a bunch of sleemo bounty hunters in the Cantina."

"Well then I suppose I'll just have to teach you how to play then." He studied the scrawny underfed boy before him as he went through the pieces slowly wondering what was so special about this boy. Whatever the case he supposed it did not really matter so long as the higher ups were happy.

The game began but it was clear the child wasn't very interested. He moved the pieces but remained sitting in a deflated and dejected pose almost shrinking in on himself.

"Do you miss your mother?" Years training cadets sent away from their own homes made the topic familiar, and though most of the pilots in training were slightly older than Anakin the general ache of homesickness was present in almost all of them those first few weeks.

"I know she's free and all, but I guess I kind of wish she could've came with me."

"Well maybe one day you can visit."

"You keep saying that but you're just trying to make me feel better." Soontir sighed. "You know when I taught at the Corellian flight academy the students there were just a wee bit older than you. Some of them came from as far out as the mid rims and couldn't see their families for several years at a time."

"What happened after that?" Seeing that he now had the boy's full attention he continued. "The students became some of the best pilots out there; some are even the ones that are escorting this shuttle right now. They all had a rough first year, getting adjusted to not seeing their families and all, but eventually they got used to it. When they finished their respective academy years they went back to see their families. Some of them were even assigned as guard patrols for their own planets and are now able to visit their families regularly. I know you miss your mother, when I left for the academy I was much older than you are now and I still missed my parents. I know it's not going to be easy, and it's going to be very lonely and maybe even a bit frightening, but it will get better. And you may just see your mother again. I may be just saying this to make you feel better but heck, at the end of the day many times we don't know for sure what's gonna happen, we just prepare ourselves for the worst but then we hope for the best."

The child nodded and he could see that Anakin was thinking about what he'd said. "If it makes you feel better you can tell me about her." The child was about to respond before his comlinked pinged and he clicked it opening a transmission. "Fel here."

"Lieutenant, sorry to bother you sir, but as the Commander is out of commission at the moment I thought it prudent to inform you that we're coming out of hyperspace for a refueling."

"I see, how long will it take you think? My orders were to get to Alderaan asap."

"Not long sir, we don't need a full fueling after all."

"All right sound good keep me posted."

"Yes sir." He rubbed the stubble on his chin in thought before powering down the dejarick board before him with his free hand. The ship jolted gently as it eased out of hyperspace. "Give me a sec kid, I just need to go give the standard access codes and all that boring official stuff."

"Can I come with you?" The child perked up at the notion of something to do. He shrugged about to make for the front of the ship when his com pinged again. "Sir! You have to come see this." The urgent voice of the officer had alarms going off in his mind as he made a running beeline to the ships communication center. "What's going on?"

"The fueling station is under attack, I repeat sir the fueling station is being targeted by two dreadnaughts!"

"What!" Adrenaline spiked through his bloodstream as he skidded to a halt before the doors to the shuttles piloting station, throwing open the door he eyed the viewport. "Kark it!" Several other curses flew out from under his breath as he made his way over and leaned over the pilot's seat to get a better view of the two old but highly modified Dreadnaught size cruisers, exchanging fire with an Imperial class Star Destroyer, swarming it with a good twelve medium sized and highly maneuverable and armed crafts against the eighteen Tie fighters that were banking up and around to get better shots at their attackers.

"Helmsmen get me a transmission to that Destroyer asap!" He yelled out the door before making his way to the holo in the room just outside and to the right of the helm.

"Yes sir, just give me a moment, their trying to jam us but their signal is weak." Soontir pursed his lips as he turned to look at an officer at the transmission terminal. "Their!" The officer announced in satisfaction. As Soontir looked on, the figure of an aging imperial officer came into view. The most noticeable thing about him was the mustache he sported and the hat he wore smartly, one which many imperial officers opted to forego.

"This is Lieutenant Soontir Fel, on escort duty for Commander Thrawn en route to the Alderaan system, how may our ships be of assistance?"

"A Commander?" The older man suddenly looked relieved. "This is Lieutenant Gilad Pellaeon of the Breaker." The man saluted smartly before resuming an at rest stance.

"What's the situation sir?"

"Not good I'm afraid. Our commanding officer went aboard the fueling station for an inspection. Several minutes later these dreadnaughts jumped out of hyperspace and the station went dark. I contacted Central Command but the closest reinforcements are light years away."

"I understand sir," The ship jolted and Fel was forced to grab onto the holotable for support. "Sir we're being targeted by one of the unidentified starships." An officer by the holotable grimaced as he pulled up a holomap of the battle being waged about.

"Get the shields on to maximum." He gritted his teeth. "Lieutenant Pellaeon, I'll give you Command of my shuttle and grab a Tie and take command of the fighter squadrons."

"Understood Baron, my bridge is at your Commanders disposal, can you land that wingspan in a moving Star Destroyer?"

"Sure can." Leaving orders for the pilot to get the ship to the Stardestroyer he ran to the medward pounding on the door before letting himself in. "What's going on? Pirates?" Thrawn was already half dressed, hair still in immaculate order, though his haggard face told a different story.

"Dreadnaughts. I'm not sure myself but the fueling station went radio silent." The Chiss was pensive, a blue black eyebrow raised even as the ship shook from another heavy laser blast. "And you decided not to jump to light speed because?"

"We've got a Star Destroyer out there, come we need to get you to the bridge so you can do your thing."

They made their way to the ships helm as fast as a jolting ship would allow only to find the small child sitting in the copilots seat.

"Up, let's go." Soontir motioned as the pilot relinquished the controls. The child pouted but hopped out of the seat letting the pilot take his place. "Anakin, you're coming with me."

"Yes, sir." Fel settles at the controls and he was back in his element. Veering the ship to bank sharply up he pushed the thrusters to maximum.

"Wizard now that's flying!" The child exclaimed eyes wide. Soontir shook his head at the offhand comment grinning ear to ear as he took a chunk of one of the enemy vessels with his turbolasers.

"Have our Tiefighters split and bank around to cover our approach." Thrawn said crimson eyes focused on the viewort.

"Way ahead of you," punching in the orders he spun the ship around as they neared the Imperial Dreadnaught allowing the Tie's to cover him as he folded the overlarge wings. A creak of metal on metal resounded as the Imperial Star Destroyer shifted position. He cursed under his breath before remembering that a child was present, but decided it was all fine and good as another jolt this time from his own ship on the receiving end of the blaster fire shifted and jolted, the high whine of the metal grated on his ears as he spun the shuttle around easing it down. The ray shield went down soon after.

"So, time to split." Wiping his clammy hands on his pants Soontir was loath to admit that decorated pilot that he was, that had been a little too close for comfort.

"It appears so. Have the crew remain on board we'll be departing the moment we secure the station." Seemingly unfazed by the landing Thrawn turned to go and much to his chagrin, turned back a blue black eyebrow raised and lips quirked. "Cutting it close are we?"

"Right." Chuckling off the adrenaline, Soontir made his way to a Tie fighter as Thrawn made his way to the Breaker's bridge leaving Anakin in the care of one of the ensign's aboard the shuttle.

-0-0-0-

3 years ago or 1 year after the destruction of the Jedi order and end of the clone wars…

Heavy footsteps paced the halls of the Jedi temple. A cloak billowed by a man's armored feet as the dark figure paused in the unlit corridors. The masked face tilted to the side as if to get a bearing or perhaps remember which way it was he wished to go.

Heavy mechanical breathing filled the halls as the man walked over half clean rugs some stains too deep for even a droid to wash out. At length Darth Vader pressed his hand hovering over the door to a chamber beyond steeling himself before pushing the ornately carved door open. The room he entered was vast though not bare. A single and intricate looking table graced the room's center though any denizen of the temple would have known that this was no table but a pyre upon which many Jedi had burned, their essence having already parted back into the force, the field that bound all living things together.

Behind the mask impassive blue grey eyes observed. Light filtered in through the half open windows and Obi Wan Kenobi made his way to the pyre. Another one lay further from it. This one lower and one that descended into the floor below. The pyre that had been used to burn the Jedi during the clone wars. It was not as ritualistic as the burning of the bodies had one been, but war had made the corpses many and the time few. Qui Gon would not have settled for less. Qui Gon, the master that had died all too quickly. But who had imparted his teachings of the living force upon him.

The fire flickered as the body of the man lay on the bier, long hair splayed out, the once powerful body limp and helpless as the flames licked at the gross flesh.

Pain, confusion, sorrow and the question, "What happens to me now?" A warm solid hand came down on his shoulder, the eyes of his much younger self unable to suppress the tears that fell. The solid presence of Master Windu as he too looked upon the flames, reassuring hand on his shoulder. "You will resume your training Obi Wan. I will accept you as my padawan learner, if you are willing."

He hesitated, but the words of ritual tumbled out of his mouth before he could stop them. "I would be honored Master."A nod from Master Yoda whose ears drooped in sadness but who gave a nod of approval at the exchange.

"Qui Gon would have wanted it this way."Mace Windu's relieved tone as he observed the boy he no older than fifteen struggling to accept the death of his Master and the questioning of the force and how it had allowed such a thing to come to pass.

The memories were as clear as they had been of that day. The room itself assisting in the commemoration. At length the figure turned not looking back at the place where his apprenticeship had been reborn. Heavy strides retreating and making their way to the crèche.

"Obi Wan come here!" The laughter of another youngling as they built their small tower of blocks.

"Boom." Another block imagined to be a starship cutting down the pile. The youngling in question making whooshing sound effects as the pile fell and the other began rebuilding it once again for his turn at crashing the pile of blocks.

But the memory of carefree happiness was smothered by the heavy stench of pain, confusion and fear in the force.

Blood stained the halls and walls, blood and lightsaber markings of many battles. Darkness sharp and agonizing. Darkness deep and sticky, like Alderaanian nectar saturated with so much power you could almost choke on it.

He fled from the crèche the memories of pain and death so thick he could not bear it. Habit brought him to his room. It was bare save what were once his belongings. The wings of the temple that saw no battle left alone by the automated droids that still operated though the Jedi temple was all but devoid of life. The silence was near frightening. He swallowed as he sat on his bed. One that he'd tossed and turned in from many nightmares. Behind the mask blue grey eyes closed in meditation as he tried to remember how he once was, what he once was.

The presence in the room was one of a collected and calm young man. Intelligent even, though perhaps too witty for his own good. He did not recognize this man now; it may as well have been another. The door to his Masters room was unlocked, he entered hesitantly, it had been so long since he'd been here.

Darkness and light, light and darkness. Two lightsabers, blue on violet a whirlwind of fire in the senate."Fight it Obi Wan!"

"I can't Master! It's too powerful! There's darkness in me! I can't stop it!" They battled for the upper hand as the sabers clashed gritting their teeth in exertion.

"There is darkness in us all! Remember Vapaad! Light can harness the darkness! Use the light in you! Obi Wan!"

"He's mine Jedi!" The cackling of an old and hooded man. Sickly yellow eyes looking at the exchange the world filled with a nexus of light and darkness. "Let me go!" Blue on violet the humming of the sabers as they tore down the room and he struggled to push out the darkness threatening to overwhelm his mind.

"Obi Wan fight it! We can end this war right now together!"

"Master please kill me!" But though he tried his arm wouldn't stop. It moved against his will against his senses. It moved faster than he thought possible and with more skill than he remembered.

"Obi Wan!"

"Master! No!" The lightsaber hesitated but only briefly as it plunged into the unarmed Council Member.

"Good Obi Wan good! Now finish him!" No! His body roared in protest and he did the only thing he knew to do to give his master at least some chance at living though slim it was. And with a crash the body of Master Windu was thrown out through the glass of Senator Palpatine's office, the glass shattering into a million pieces at the shocked face of Master Windu his eyes still on Obi Wan even as he fell down into the city below.

The darkness intensified and he was left swimming in the dark nectar of power that was the dark side of the force.

Blinking out of the memories that had all but consumed him Obi Wan found himself covered in a sheen of sweat under the suit he wore. He turned on his heel unsteadily gripping onto the wall in support as he righted himself his heavy breathing intensified as he made his way to the room of Master Yoda.

It was peaceful here and no memories sought to overwhelm him. He sat the room being far lower than he was used to as he inspected it. The kettle was still on the stove, as he remembered it. The floors immaculate, and several meditating cushions scattered around the place. He closed his eyes sinking into the force, but there was nothing for him here. The sense of peace however helped him find his center though for how long he could maintain it he was not sure. He sat his breathing evening until at length he rose to continue the journey that he had wished to make.

The room of a thousand fountains was still as breathtaking as he remembered. The living force still powerful even here. He could almost feel the cool breeze at the nape of his neck every time he had entered this room. A warm sensation permeated his being. If he closed his eyes. If he meditated deeply enough. Perhaps he would find himself back in time, the room filled with Jedi. Low voices mingling with the rushing of waters the smell of foliage and leaves in bloom. But though powerful the living force even here was mired in darkness. Here and their chunks of a fountain were missing. Clear lightsaber markings evident, cauterizing elaborate designs. The droids had removed the debris. But had not replaced the gauges of pain that were inflicted on the once majestic room. He turned once more making his way to the archives. The room was near empty. The once blinking terminals now dull from disuse and wiping's. Imperial Intelligence had been thorough. Or as thorough as it could be. So had the Emperor, wiping all memory and knowledge of Jedi teachings. He paused before a metal door. Punching in the code he fervently hoped that his room at least was not bare. The room was large. But the built in and ornate shelves once filled with rows upon rows of endless holocrons of Jedi Masters of old were now bare. He could still feel their presence. Even now when little over a year had passed. The room was thick with power, with light. The darkness in him jolted as he suddenly felt sick.

He knelt as was custom on one knee in the circular room's mosaic center. His hands coming up hesitantly before he unclasped the top half of his mask, it gave way with a hiss, reverently placing it on the floor before him. Blue grey eyes blinked at the sudden draft of cool air though his rebreather remained. "Masters, please, if you hear me through the force. If you are still here somehow. Please help me!"

But there was nothing. Only whispers of holocrons that were not there but once had been. The whispers remembered through the force and sounding out even as he centered himself in meditation. But try as he might in the end there had been nothing, only whispers.

"Please, Masters! I can't fight him! The Emperors is too strong! His mind is more powerful than any Jedi Master I have ever known. Please help me!" He thought the whispers had suddenly ceased. A cold shiver went up his spine. But then he heard them once more and he realized he must have imagined it. He rose sharply as his comm chimed cursing under his breath. He'd wasted too much time here.

"What is it my Master?"

"Ah apprentice, it is good that you answered my call. I feared that the memories of Obi Wan Kenobi would prove too much for you."

He was silent as was best when the Emperor spoke in such a manner. "No matter." The emperor continued having realized he would get no rise from him. His tone changed from mocking to bored. "Come to the Imperial Palace at once, I have a mission for you."

"Yes my Lord." The transmission ended and he reattached the top half of his helmet. Turning from the last hope that he had had. Towards the darkness that awaited. He struggled against the darkness that creeped at the edges of his vision as he boarded his shuttle and made for the Imperial palace. Yellow eyes focused as Obi Wan Kenobi was put to sleep once more.


Didn't really proofread part 2 so forgive any errors etc. And of course as always tell me what you think! Reviews are much loved! Till the next time!