Disclaimer: Mine, Star Wars still is not.
Yes, I know it's short. But I have lots of homework that takes priority over this, and morning classes tomorrow!
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Later than morning, Obi-wan watched his former Padawan with a smile. The young man never failed to captivate the attention of small children, even today when Obi-wan he was dead tired. Obi-wan almost didn't want to ask Anakin for the favor the Jedi needed, but knew he should anyway.
When the class was over, Obi-wan pulled Anakin aside. "Knight Injam and her Padawan need transportation to Makisto –today. The situation there has worsened. It's not far away; you'd be dropping them off and coming back yourself, and you'd only be home about an hour later than usual. I know you're tired, but" –
"Hey, I can do that!" Anakin cut in, perking up at the chance to fly. "No problem! It's an easy route – I could probably fly it in my sleep! Besides, if tonight is anything like last night with the kids, it'll be much more relaxing than going home would be! I just hate to leave poor Padmé to handle them all by herself."
"She can probably manage it," said Obi-wan, smiling gently. "She does take care of them every day while you're here."
"But she's not recovering from the flu on most days, and the twins aren't normally quite this active and troublesome. Still, I suppose you're right. She's mostly better now; surely they'll stay out of trouble for an extra hour. I'll send her a message to tell her that I'll be home later. If I don't, she gets all worried and upset. Imagine that!" he chuckled at a joke he and Obi-wan had shared back during the clone Wars. "I've finally found someone else to worry about me!"
Anakin seemed to get a new burst of energy from the prospect of getting to walk the skies in a ship once again. Obi-wan started to feel better. Maybe Anakin was up to this after all. After a night like is former Padawan had had, Obi-wan hadn't been sure, but it now seemed everything would turn out all right.
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It was several hours later, nearing the time when Anakin should be arriving back when Obi-wan's holoreceiver signaled that there was an incoming transmission. It was Knight Injam. She was indignant.
"Kenobi, if you ever pull something like that on me again, I will have you before the Council for intentional endangerment and attempted murder!"
"What?" asked Obi-wan in astonishment. "What did I do?"
"You let your former Padawan pilot us! You know, Skywalker? Well, Skydiver's more like it! You should have seen some of the stunts he pulled! Twisting a flipping the ship all over the galaxy! We begged him to stop, but he kept it up until we reached our hyperspace jump point. And then, he had the nerve to sulk the whole rest of the trip. When we came out of hyperspace, he flew us right over the spot where we were supposed to land and set us down kilometers from where we're supposed to be! He even tried to land the ship with his eyes shut!"
Obi-wan cringed. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean for him to do that. I apologize for him; he's had a fairly difficult couple of days"—
"Not as difficult as the one he's going to have when I get back!" She chuckled wryly. "Anyway, I'm never flying with him again!" she concluded. The hologram faded.
Obi-wan suddenly had a horrible thought. He rushed out to the landing pad to wait for his friend.
It was another hour and a half before the transport returned. It settled slowly and gently onto the landing pad, then its various systems disengaged. No one exited the craft however, and Obi-wan wondered what Anakin was doing. Why wasn't he coming out? Finally, Obi-wan went up to the entrance hatch and Forced his way in. When he reached the cockpit, there was Anakin, slumped over the controls, his eyes shut and his breathing deep and even. Obi-wan stood astounded for a minute, then shook Anakin a little roughly.
"Whaaa – agghhh!' Anakin jumped from the pilot's chair and rolled to the floor, arms flailing, startled. There was a thump and an "Ow!", then Anakin came crawling out from under the console. He saw Obi-wan, then turned and looked out the window.
"Uhhhh…" he said. "I'm here."
Obi-wan nodded. "Yes. Now I'd like you to tell me how you got here in one piece."
Anakin looked sheepish. "Ummm… I don't remember the trip here," he admitted, turning red.
Obi-wan sighed. "Anakin, just because you can fly this ship on that route in your sleep doesn't mean you should!"
"I didn't mean to!" Anakin was quick to defend himself. "On the way there, I even did some fancy maneuvers to try to keep myself awake!"
Obi-wan looked toward the stars for patience. "Why didn't you try that on the way back?"
Anakin's face turned even redder. "I did," he confessed. "Didn't work."
"Obviously," said Obi-wan dryly. "Let me tell you what's going to happen: you will get out of this ship and get into a speeder, and I will drive you home, where you will get a good night's sleep if I have to Force you to sleep myself!"
"No, really, I'm okay now. I can get home by myself."
Obi-wan would have none of it. "I'm not trusting you in the sky again until you've rested!"
In the end, though Anakin protested, Obi-wan had his way.
"Fine," said Anakin as he climbed in to the passenger side. "Even though I'm not really tired anymore," he groused.
Within two minutes, he was dozing in the seat. He slept through the entire ride to his and Padmé's apartments. Obi-wan woke him and walked him to the door. "This time, promise me you'll actually rest!" he called after Anakin, then returned to the temple.