Chapter 2

The stars zipped past the spaceship in a blur as Anakin, and the unconscious, helpless tiny younger version of Obi-Wan Kenobi raced towards their destination, Coruscant. At first, Anakin wondered if it was a good idea to head in that direction, but who else could help him but the Jedi of this time? But with a million thoughts racing through his head, Anakin had a startling thought run across that now was persisting above all else. 'Who could he run into if Obi-Wan was so young? Would he run into Qui-Gon Jinn, what would he be like?'

Anakin Skywalker had idolized the man who had freed him from slavery for so long that he almost didn't want to meet Qui-Gon now. What if Qui-Gon didn't like him? Anakin was not entirely sure he could stomach such a situation. To have the man he has hero-worshipped for so long not liking or tolerating him made him not even want to think about it. Then Anakin realized something dreadful. If Obi-Wan is so young in this reality, Mace Windu would be just a Jedi Knight and possibly more annoying and self-righteous if that was even conceivable. Yoda, well, Yoda would probably look like his usual self because Anakin was never convinced they, as in Yoda's species, ever changed or aged, and they just came out of the ground looking like Yoda. Master Obi-Wan always said he was ridiculous with that theory, but who couldn't get a laugh or a smile at the idea of Yoda popping out of the ground like some freaky Alderaanian flame-lily.

"Hungry I am, feed me now."

Anakin smiled at this thought and imagery passing through his mind's eye. In the future, he could get one of his fellow Jedi knights to draw such imagery when he needed a hearty laugh.

Then his thoughts raced to the very idea of running into himself. How would that mess everything up if he did? Would it change everything in this reality? Though how much was detoured by his kidnapping of Obi-Wan? Anakin knew Obi-Wan kept a lot of his past secrete from him, but Obi-Wan had made it very clear and stuck to his story about only having met the Count the first time in Geonosis. Anakin did not doubt that Obi-Wan would have told him an account if Dooku had kidnapped and kept him against his will. Just not something you bypass or fail to mention, even for the evasive Obi-Wan.

Then Anakin thought, what about himself in this reality? What if he ran into the baby version of himself and his Mother? He would not allow his beloved Mother to stay in slavery. Mess this reality up be damned. He would protect her. But if he ran into himself, would this timeline collapse in on itself? Would he be dooming his timeline or reality? 'Oh, karking hell.' This new thought made Anakin's head hurt even more so now. Besides, this was more Obi-Wan's lane. Anakin knew Obi-Wan's reaction. Obi-Wan would no doubt be convinced that moving a single hair on his ridiculous, well-kept head would alter everything and doom all realities and make entire worlds disappear. He loved Obi-Wan like a Brother and Father figure, but sometimes that man was overly dramatic for no logical reason. If Obi-Wan had been in Anakin's shoes instead, Obi-Wan would have stayed in the cave and not moved a muscle, and if he did, he would desperately try not to alter any events. Not Anakin. No, that just wasn't his way. Anakin blew everything off its hinges and decided why not start everything with a bang! Also, why not add kidnapping to the mix by stealing a weak Force-sensitive child, and not just any child, the younger version of his Master? Yep, great idea. Then again. He had no choice. Anakin couldn't leave Obi-Wan in the clutches of Dooku. But, he wondered what the conversation would end up like once young Obi-Wan awoke from his state of unconsciousness and how Obi-Wan would react to him having stolen him away from Count Dooku. Would Obi-Wan be thrilled to be with a Jedi? How long had Obi-Wan been with the Count? How many lies had Obi-Wan been told? No telling what kind of torture, if not mental, psychological abuse Dooku had done to his future Master.

Anakin found himself wearing out the metal as he paced back and forth, allowing his thoughts to flow freely and quickly. If anyone knew what to do, the Jedi would. Anakin reassured himself with this final thought. He realized Obi-Wan should be put in a more secure location and not currently in the cockpit of a speeding spaceship, not until he realized Obi-Wan's mindset.

As he waved at the door signal to let him in and move into the front of the ship, he found a startling realization. The co-pilot seat was empty, with no sleeping young Obi-Wan Kenobi in the vicinity.

'Don't panic; this would not be the first time he misplaced a youngling.' Anakin thought quickly. He wondered what the Jedi Council would think of their "Chosen One" if they realized how many times he had no idea where his Padawan was during the first year of her Apprenticeship. His entire job in the universe at that moment was to teach her the Jedi ways, and he couldn't even remember where she was half the time. When someone would ask, and Anakin fiddled around the answer for far too long, Obi-Wan would finally mutter her location. Honestly, it had become a rather lousy joke between them until Obi-Wan exploded on him about losing his Padwan once again and not bothering to know she was in a saber class after he had yelled at her in front of everyone for not showing up to one of their many briefs of that day for a future mission. It was a tongue lashing that Anakin at first was very angry about until he realized how wrong he had been and how right Obi-Wan had been. It had taken a lot for him to admit he was wrong and apologize to his Padawan and Master.

'Relax Anakin. If you were in Obi-Wan's shoes what is the first thing you would do.'

Anakin glanced around quickly, scanning his surroundings, and realized an access hatch was slightly loose, as though someone had gone through and was in a hurry to put it back in place. 'Okay, how did I not feel him when he awakened?' Because earlier, his thoughts had clouded everything with the worry about himself, this reality/timeline, and what he was doing to it. That explains that, but where would Obi-Wan go? As a child, Anakin knew what he would do: mess with the hyperdrive to stop the ship.

No sooner had this run through Anakin's brain when he was thrown from his feet as they came out of hyperspace and into regular space sooner than they should have. Anakin had a distinct feeling that a certain youngling was messing with the hyperdrive components. 'Cheeky bastard.' Alarms started going off in the cockpit, and his thought process was correct. Anakin searched out in the force, searching for Obi-Wan's life force. He needed to find the youngling before somehow Obi-Wan did something to the ship that was not reparable and made them a floating target.

Obi-Wan Kenobi's world did not creep back slowly into focus. No Obi-Wan awoke with a start. 'Where in the hell was he?' Obi-Wan looked around the cockpit and realized he was in his Master's ship. 'Funny, why would he be in the cockpit?' Getting up from his position, he came to a startling realization, the heavy object around his neck for so long was gone. He glanced around desperately, looking for it. He had been relentlessly instructed to keep it on, and now it was gone. So that may be why they were on the ship. Something had happened to it, and now they were on the run? Too many questions Obi-Wan had awakened to.

Obi-Wan jumped from the co-pilot seat, opened the door, and quickly shut it. He was hoping beyond hope that the person did not hear him. Obi-Wan had caught a glimpse of not his Master but the man from the shop pacing back and forth, looking very frustrated. Why was he here? What had happened? Why couldn't Obi-Wan remember? The last thing he could remember was the man walking into the store.

This frustrated young Obi-Wan. If his Master was not here, and this man was, where was his Master? What if this man had killed him?! What if he had now kidnapped him and meant to turn him in? He had to get away; he could not be this man's prize! He had to get out of this situation now.

Obi-Wan knew this ship inside and out, ran over to a section, and opened the access hatch. He heard footsteps, and he raced to get the access hatch back on before he could distinctively hear the door open. He crawled through the many components that made up the ship. Only meant for small bodies and droids to get to. He knew he had to stop this ship. He had to get a connection out. Hopefully, to his Master, to have his Master come and rescue him. Suppose he could stall this person. If he couldn't get a connection out, maybe he could escape to a nearby planet in a escape pod.

He looked through the grate of the access panel and knew he was near the hyperdrive system. He used the power in his legs to open the access panel without getting delayed trying to open it. He winced as some metal scrapped across his arm. He saw blood starting to pool around the wound, but he paid no more attention to it after he used his hand to wipe some blood away. He immediately went to the controls of the hyperdrive, put in some data, went down below, where some of the wires were under a small access panel, and pulled on some cables. Obi-Wan felt more than saw as they came out of the hyperspace as the hyperdrive shut down.

He could hear the distinct sound of feet hitting the metal as the man who had kidnapped him ran towards the hyperdrive. Obi-Wan ran for the access panel he had come out of, making quick haste to return to the cockpit. Obi-Wan dropped into the cockpit seat and began thumping the controls trying to make a connection and make a call to any passing ships or back to his Master. But to his utter distress, he found the ship could not even make a call. There was no signal. That was absurd, not unless,' just as Obi-Wan thought what could be stopping a signal from leaving the ship did, he hear a voice behind him.

"Can't make a connection?" Anakin spoke out loud.

Obi-Wan whipped around quickly to see Anakin holding a piece of the equipment. He must have taken something with him to make sure Obi-Wan couldn't communicate with anyone outside of the ship.

"Have to hand it to you, for trying to divert my attention then race back here. But, I thought, if I was Obi-Wan, what would I do?"

Obi-Wan tried not to shiver at the man's smile. This man talked as if he knew him. Maybe he could dive for the access panel, make a break, and try his luck in an escape pod? Better than being trapped on this ship with this man.

Obi-Wan didn't move an inch just stared this man down. Waiting for some kind of retaliation, some movement so he could spring into action himself. He didn't want to show his cards yet. If he did, then the man would have the upper hand. The man's smile disappeared, and he put his hands up, realizing what was happening in a matter of seconds.

"Look, I'm not going to harm you Obi-Wan. I rescued you."

Obi-Wan's eyebrow arched. Anakin had come to a quick conclusion. He was scaring the youngling; for all case purposes, he was the enemy, and he had kidnapped him.

"Look, I don't know what that man told you but he's evil and he was keeping you controlled with that collar around your neck."

Obi-Wan subconsciously reached up for the collar that was no longer there and dropped his hand.

"You don't feel different? Can't you feel the Force running through you now? That collar was subduing it."

Anakin could see the visible confusion on Obi-Wan's face just as Obi-Wan's lips began to part as though he was finally going to muster a word or even talk back when the warning sound blared through the cockpit. It was the proximity alarm. Another ship was in the area. It was docking with them. Anakin let out a bunch of Huttese curse words.

"Karking Pirates."

TBC…

Author Note: Sorry for the very short chapter. But I wanted to get something out and not lose focus on it. So begs the question, longer chapters possibly longer wait, or shorter chapters, less wait? Not sure what most people prefer and kind of curious. Anyhew, can't wait for y'all to meet the Pirates. This timeline is funky gonna tell you right now lol. Hope you enjoyed and see you next chapter.