Chapter 3 - Escaping the Bomb
Author's Note: Everyone's terrorizing Anakin, whether intentionally or not. :)
~ Tirana Sorki
Obi-Wan can feel Anakin's fear when they come out of hyperspace over the place his master, Plagueis, lives and keeps his secret... lab.
Working with Anakin on the ship had been strange, and he's still confused about why the boy came to help him instead of running when he had a very good chance, even if he didn't have anywhere to go. It doesn't really make sense. It's not as if he has a reason to... show any loyalty to him.
Obi-Wan hasn't worked with anyone that closely – the way they were on the ship repairs – in a long time either. He did when his parents taught him to fight back on Mandalore, but that was different. And it's been years since he was there.
He'd left, so Plagueis could train him as a Sith. He was Force sensitive, and obviously, he had zero intention of learning the Force from a Jedi. He's been back to Mandalore little in years, only working alongside Plagueis and there is no companionship with them. There never has been, for all that Plagueis preaches about how one day they'll be equals. He has no sense of honor, not the way they do on Mandalore, at least.
Anakin's been completely quiet for the past hours they were in hyperspace, sitting as though he's trying to be invisible and disappear.
Obi-Wan can't say why he almost wishes he didn't have to leave him here. Plagueis always repeats that he is to see all life as nothing but a tool for the Sith to achieve their plans, and besides that, what he's doing might someday help Mandalore's rule spread beyond their planet. And the boy is hardly important, except as a threat.
He could be an asset though, if Plagueis wanted something other than his stupid experiments. That,more than anything else, is... disgraceful.
Obi-Wan finally reaches the landing dock, and they head off the ship, into the private hangar. Anakin's glances around almost nervously, before fixing his gaze on the ground again. Perhaps looking for some last opportunity to run, only to realize there's none. (He doesn't know why that's bothering him so much.)
"Don't try anything," Obi-Wan warns, when he senses Plagueis approaching. That'll only make things worse.
Anakin says nothing, unsurprisingly.
Obi-Wan steps forwards, kneeling on the floor when his master enters, ignoring the way the boy's surprise and confusion and... something else flare into the Force around him. It responds so loudly to him. "He is here, as you asked, Master."
"So he is," Plagueis replies, "Rise, Iiglu."
He stands immediately, less than happy that it was necessary in front of someone else.
"You are here late." He does not sound very pleased.
"I was delayed," Obi-Wan replies, tone clipped. "There were unexpected complications."
Plagueis nods, eyeing the boy like he's some kind of... specimen. "How well trained is he?"
"Minimal, but it may be a risk," Obi-Wan replies. He tries to ignore Anakin's panic bleeding into the Force.
The Muun nods again, motioning for them to follow. Obi-Wan keeps a close eye on Anakin, as they head through the mansion's halls, to the lab.
The Force always feels of darkness and misery down here, which only fuels the Dark Side, but something about leaving Anakin down here feels...
He doesn't have time to consider it, because one of Plagueis' medical assistant droids approaches. It shoves Anakin towards a door leading to where Obi-Wan knows Plagueis keeps his... experiments confined.
Anakin hesitates for just a moment, throwing a quick glance back at Obi-Wan before he looks away, letting the droid lead him from the room.
Obi-Wan pretends he didn't notice, especially not the look of panic in Anakin's eyes, and turns to his master instead. "What do you intend to do with him?" he asks, casually.
Plagueis eyes him. "If he was truly conceived by the Force, his midi-chlorians may be... different. Even if not, he is still the strongest Force sensitive I have seen thus far. His midi-chlorians will prove to be of great value to observe."
"You'll need him alive for that?"
"For now. How does it concern you?"
"He... could be a threat if he were fully trained," Obi-Wan replies which is hardly why he's asking, but his master doesn't need to know that. Truthfully, he thinks killing Anakin would have been better than what's in store for him here.
**w**
Being back at the Temple without Anakin feels so empty. Maul doesn't know how he would have managed Qui-Gon's death without the boy – yes, he knows he shouldn't have been so attached to either of them – but now, all he can fixate on is that Anakin is gone. He's missing, taken by the Sith, and they have absolutely no lead on what happened to him.
The Council was, of course, decidedly displeased with Anakin's disappearance, but they aren't reacting the way Maul would have expected. They don't share the same sense of urgency... but then again, he wouldn't really know, because they're respected leaders of the Order. Of course, they won't show it if they're worried over what the Sith will do with the Chosen One.
There's a message out to all Republic authorities to report if they catch sight of Anakin, but Maul already knows it's not going to go anywhere. The Sith aren't that stupid, or they would have been found already. Wherever they've been hiding – somewhere in plain sight – they'll do the same with Anakin, likely as they forcibly turn him and raise him as a Sith.
And Maul promised Qui-Gon he was going to train Anakin, and he's failing in the worst way he ever could have. How did this happen?
"Maul?" a voice asks, and he looks up to see his friend Eldra Kaitis approaching. They've known each other most of their lives and gone on occasional missions in the past. He hasn't seen her since shortly after Qui-Gon died.
"Eldra," he greets. "It's been... a while."
"Yes," the blue skinned, Twi'lek agrees, "I heard about what happened to your padawan."
As if there's anyone who hasn't at this point. "I must find him," Maul replies firmly.
"There's already an alert out," she offers, "If someone sees anything, they will report it."
"You know how likely that will be," he replies grimly, "I cannot just... wait." But he doesn't know what else he can do, and – He should never have taken Anakin with him, not when he was already questioning if the boy was ready in the first place.
"There is little else you can do," Eldra points out, though there's an obvious note of sympathy in her voice, "But I know this isn't easy."
"I'm worried about him," Maul admits. More like terrified for him. The Sith don't want Anakin dead – they want him as though he's their property, and he can't imagine what that would mean, not when Anakin's the most powerful Force sensitive. What if they don't find him until it's too late?
"If you can find a trace, I'll be happy to help you look for him," she replies, giving him a grim smile. "I know you've been training him well. I can't imagine he would give in to the Dark Side."
"They're probably hurting him," Maul replies, tightly. The Dark Side isn't the only concern here. He can't imagine what they could be doing to Anakin, but he hates feeling so helpless. He should've been able to do something to keep him safe, and now, there isn't even anything he can do to find him.
"It's likely," Eldra agrees, subdued. "If I am available, I will do whatever I can to help you. For now, we can only trust in the Force."
He nods, though it's little comfort. Not that there's much that can be said in a situation like this, anyway. If he gets even the slightest clue as to where Anakin may have been taken, he is going to check it out immediately.
But for now, all he can do is wait.
And he hates waiting, especially in situations like this. He tries to remind himself to breathe and be patient, the way he always explained to Anakin. It doesn't much help.
**w**
It's so hot here, so hot he can scarcely stand it, and he has no idea how his master seems so unaffected by it. He's also never been so exhausted in his life, but his master is expecting more as always – waiting to call him out on being weak, and he won't let him do that. He will not.
He lets his fury and hatred of him – and everything really – fuel the Dark Side, letting it burn through him. It's not as if he's eaten in... probably days. He has no recollection of time, except he can't go on much longer before dropping to his knees from exhaustion. It's only through sheer stubbornness that he hasn't yet. He will not humiliate himself like that.
His master has always been far more powerful than him. Far more powerful than he even has a way of understanding, and the next thing he knows, he's standing in his master's lab, watching as he experiments on killing a being, before dragging it back to life, healing it's injuries again with midi-chlorians. Obi-Wan's been present rarely, but he's seen enough.
His master claims they'll be equals but he's a fool. There are no equals among the Sith. He will have to die when the time comes, but how Obi-Wan will ever be powerful enough to not end up like that being in front of him, he has no idea.
Obi-Wan jolts awake with a start, quickly reorienting himself to his surroundings. He's at his room in Plagueis' secret mansion and being here is often enough to bring back too many memories of when he was actually... in his grueling training.
It was even worse than his training as a Mandalorian warrior, something he's been trained for since he was a child. Likely because the Sith Master's method of training often bordered much on torture, instead of instruction.
Something feels wrong, though, and... Reaching into the Force, it traces right to his newly forming bond with Anakin. Their bond was very weak with how long they were with each other, and likely the only reason they already were bonding is because of how strong the boy is. Something's wrong though, and...
His master is planning to leave for some business meeting in the morning. Obi-Wan will leave after that. What happens to Anakin here really doesn't matter.
The faintest twinge on the end of his bond begs to differ. It's just...
"You were hurt."
The boy could have run, but he didn't. Why didn't he?
Is Plagueis treating him the same way he was Venamis, the other apprentice of his master?
Obi-Wan tries to shake the image of Anakin's face from mind, rolling over in bed. What happens to him is not his concern.
**w**
Plagueis leaves first thing in the morning, and Obi-Wan stands on the landing platform watching, with no small measure of... relief. He has little desire to be around him if he doesn't need to be. It's just aggravating. He's so busy with his business and studying the Force, and he always acts as though he's above him, even if it's not always outwardly apparent.
But it's time for Obi-Wan to leave, too, on his next mission. He lingers in the entrance of his ship – he can still feel Anakin's presence here. Not that it matters.
He can still remember that panicked look in the boy's eyes as the droid shoved him out of the room. Just going to check on him wouldn't hurt anything, would it? He doesn't have to leave any records behind that he did.
Obi-Wan stands there considering for a few moments longer, before turning away, heading back into the mansion. He doesn't have clearance to go into Plagueis'... libraries and study area without permission but breaking through that is simple enough for a Sith. Obi-Wan can't deny his fear – for as angry as it makes him – as he goes. If, or more likely when, Plagueis finds out about this, he will not be happy. He'll demand an explanation, one that Obi-Wan isn't sure he can even give himself. He has no idea why he's doing this.
He forces the door open to where Plagueis keeps his live... specimens, stepping into the hall. Misery is radiating clearly into the Force here. A dim light turns on, revealing the rows of... what are little more than cages, and he can distinctly feel Anakin on the far end.
Some of the... people – are they people? He doesn't know what is or isn't sentient – look up as he walks past, but he ignores them, looking for only one.
There's a sudden twinge of something in the Force, though, and the door behind him abruptly slides open again. Obi-Wan spins around, hand on his lightsaber as a security droid steps into the hall. He thought he'd taken care of making sure those wouldn't activate. Apparently, there's a failsafe – unsurprisingly.
"You are not to be here," it intones, "Leave immediately."
"I have explicit permission from my master," he replies sharply.
"Leave immediately," it repeats firmly, "Or I am to report –"
Obi-Wan reacts immediately, lashing out with the Force, crushing the droid in an instant, letting its metal form fall to the floor with a much too loud clang. He ignites his lightsaber, tossing it down the hall and cutting cleanly through it to make sure it can't transmit anything, before calling the blade back to his hand.
Obi-Wan turns away sharply, approaching Anakin's cell. He's sitting in the far corner – not much of a 'far' seeing as the cells are so tiny – about as curled in on himself as he could get, head down. Like he's trying to make himself disappear into the wall, terror radiating into the Force.
And – okay, maybe he shouldn't have outright destroyed the droid with his lightsaber, because this is too obvious. He can't stay with Plagueis. Not unless he's willing to be subjected to whatever... punishments his master might want, which he will not. Not anymore. He's had enough of that. The boy's potential is being thoroughly wasted like this anyway.
Obi-Wan stabs his lightsaber through the Force-null lock on the door, slashing it open.
The cell itself isn't Force-null, but there's cuffs on the boy's wrists that are.
"Anakin?" Obi-Wan calls, quietly.
He flinches, pressing back against the wall.
"Anakin," he repeats, louder, more firmly. He has no idea how to deal with children. Actually, he has no idea what he's doing at all, or why seeing the boy like this is making him so angry. "Come with me," he orders.
Anakin stands, a little unsteadily, nearly falling.
Obi-Wan frowns. He doesn't look visibly injured, so he doesn't know what's wrong. Force-null cuffs will negatively affect any Force sensitive if left on for long, so obviously, Plagueis is planning on returning shortly unless he's experimenting to see what Anakin's midi-chlorians will be like in this state, but it shouldn't be affecting him this badly.
Anakin shuffles over to him, gaze on the floor. He was... shy and scared before, but it's far worse now. He's obviously expecting to be hurt, from the way he's holding himself. Obi-Wan cuts the restraints off his wrists, before deactivating his lightsaber.
Anakin nearly stumbles, a quiet, near gasp escaping him, likely as the full intensity of the Force floods him again. Seeing him like this is only filling Obi-Wan with a growing, furious, icy rage, and – "Can you walk?" he asks, trying to keep his voice... soft.
Gentleness is not something he's ever had to be concerned with before. It's hardly the way his Mandalorian family was, and they never needed to be, as warriors. But they also would never take a child and experiment on them, either.
"Yes, sir," he says, quietly.
"Come then. I am... getting you out of here."
Anakin doesn't react to that – likely he doesn't believe him – but he silently follows as they hurry through the mansion, back to the landing platform. No one stops to question them – why would they, after all? Other than those extra security measures, no one has a reason to think Obi-Wan isn't doing what he's supposed to be.
"Wait for me here," he instructs, leaving Anakin in the hold, before hurrying to the cockpit to take off. He hasn't had time to think about it much, but if he's not his master's apprentice anymore, then he could go back to Mandalore.
He'd left willingly to receive training from Plagueis, because his parents agreed putting his Force sensitivity to good use would be helpful, but obviously, he would never learn from the Jedi. He never truly intended to give all his loyalty to Plagueis.
Mandalorians don't do that.
Obi-Wan doesn't know where things will go from here, because his sudden disappearance is going to cause serious problems with the entire Grand Plan, but if his master is as good as he pretends to be, he should be able to find a way around it.
In the meantime, Obi-Wan will scheme himself, to take the Empire when the time is right. He'll find a way to kill Plagueis at the right time with his own apprentice. So first, he needs to find somewhere safe to low lay and plan.
Well, that isn't hard.
He returns to the hold as soon as he's made the jump to hyperspace. Anakin's looking around when he steps in, though he hastily averts his gaze.
Now what?
Anakin tenses as he approaches.
"I won't hurt you," he promises, though he doesn't think Anakin really believes him.
And Obi-Wan has no idea how to treat a skittish child. "Are you alright?" he finally settles for asking, slowly approaching, and sitting on the other end of the bench in the hold.
"Yes, sir," he says, quietly.
"Call me Obi-Wan," he instructs.
Anakin looks up at that, an obviously questioning look on his face.
"It's my name. Iiglu is... my Sith name."
The boy doesn't reply again.
Apparently, Obi-Wan will have to do the talking. "Did he harm you? What did he want with you?"
"He... took some of my blood. I don't... know what he wanted," Anakin replies, haltingly, "Something about – midichlorians. Then he put me in those... things."
"That was a Force suppressant, suppressing your connection to the Force. It can have serious consequences long-term." He's just surprised that it happened so quickly. But Anakin is powerful. If he's really half-Force, it's probably not a shock. And he needs to know if it's caused anything more serious. "How are you feeling?" he asks again, "How did it... hurt you?"
Anakin shifts, clearly uncomfortable. "It just... hurts," he says finally.
That hardly answers anything, but thankfully, the damage must not have gone far. "Is it getting better now?"
He nods, slightly. "... Yes."
"Good." Obi-Wan wishes he didn't feel so uncertain of how to handle this. He's never had to care for a child before, but if he's going to make him his apprentice, he may as well... get on with it. "I'm going to take you somewhere my master can't find you. And somewhere we can fix my ship." He gives him a pointed look. "So try not to damage it again."
"Sorry," he breathes, barely above a whisper, body tensing.
It's not sincere – it's just an attempt at keeping himself from being hurt again. Obi-Wan can tell that much, even if he's never been able to understand why someone would... submit themselves like this.
He'd always stubbornly maintained a certain level of dignity, even with his master. Then again, he doesn't really know what the boy's been through. He was a slave. They're almost always submissive.
Well, that will make it easier in keeping him under control until he's... more willing to become his apprentice.
It's something he'll have to speak to him about later, once they're a little more settled in here. Maybe Obi-Wan should say something else to him, but he doesn't really know what. He's never had to worry about dealing with... jumpy children before.
So he'll leave dealing with that for another day, and go check on their supplies.
**w**
Anakin stays in the hold, uncertain what's expected of him now. He doesn't know what... Obi-Wan wants with him, either. He took him away from Plagueis, but Anakin doesn't really know why, especially not when his body still aches from whatever those Force blockers were doing. It felt like – like a part of him was ripped away, and it was only growing worse with each passing moment, feeling like it was smothering him.
All he can remember is being locked in that – that cage thing, and he's terrified of going back there. He can't go back there again. And – he just wants to get out of here, but he doesn't have a way right now, and he can't risk making Obi-Wan mad, or... he might take him back. Maybe. Anakin doesn't understand why he's even doing this.
It's not long later that the Sith apprentice re-enters the room, sitting on the far side of the bench again. "Here," he says, handing him a... something.
It's some type of food that he's never seen before, but the Sith starts eating, and he cautiously follows his lead. He doesn't know when he'll be fed again, so he should probably save some of it. Anakin slips some into his pocket when he doesn't think Obi-Wan's looking.
There's so much he wants to know, but he won't risk speaking out of turn.
"We will have to disguise ourselves," Obi-Wan says, after a pause, "My master will be searching for me... and you."
He... left him? Permanently? Anakin wondered, but he doesn't really get it. "...Why?" he asks.
He raises an eyebrow. "Did I not make it clear enough that I took you without his permission?"
Maybe, but he still doesn't see why. But he suddenly can't deny a tentative hope, however foolish it might be. "The Jedi could help us," he offers, quietly.
The Sith scoffs. "The Jedi only help those they stand to benefit from. They will kill all Sith, without question."
They might be enemies, but... why would they kill Obi-Wan if he needed help? He did kill Qui-Gon, but – None of this fight makes sense to him. But obviously Obi-Wan isn't going to take him back to the Jedi, but he can still try to convince him again. Maybe. "My master would... understand," Anakin objects. At least he thinks Maul would, if the Sith would actually bring him back.
Obi-Wan gives him a dubious look. "Have you already forgotten I killed his master?"
Anakin swallows hard at the words, a sharp stab of pain and anger spearing through him, as he remembers standing next to Qui-Gon's motionless body. "Why?" he asks, "Why... did you?"
Obi-Wan eyes him, oddly silent for a long moment. "Orders," he replies, finally, "The mission had to be finished. But that has little bearing on our situation right now. We will need to make ourselves less recognizable." He stands, scowling as he glances around. Anakin can't help but tense up instinctively. "Your padawan braid sticks out too much. You will not be able to keep it."
What?
No, he doesn't want to get rid of that.
It's what marks him as a Jedi, and – He remembers when Maul first helped him braid it. He can't lose that. But... it's not as if the Sith is asking. He doesn't want to make Maul mad – besides, it's already important to Anakin, too – but he's far more at risk of making Obi-Wan mad if he tries arguing.
"Okay," Anakin says quietly, instead.
"I understand you do not want to, but we have little choice right now."
We? There is no 'we' between them. Obi-Wan is the one in charge.
"You can still keep it with you, if you desire," he adds, standing and disappearing from the room, returning moments later with a blade, handing it to him. "Here."
Anakin takes it from him, hesitantly. Slowly, he reaches up, fingers closing over the braid before he cleanly cuts through it, and it falls into his hands.
This feels wrong. He wasn't supposed to lose this yet. It's supposed to mark his accomplishments as a Jedi padawan, and of course, when he finally becomes a Knight. But now, he doesn't know if he ever will be one. Not if he never gets to see his master again.
He hasn't been struck with such a strong urge to cry since... the first few weeks at night alone in his room, when all he wanted was to be with his mother. Stubbornly, he forces the tears away, though. He will not cry. At least not here and now.
The Sith looks vaguely pleased – past the frown that seems permanently etched onto his face – when Anakin finishes. "Good. And we will have to find you more suitable clothes."
Anakin glances down at the robes he's been wearing for the past... he doesn't know how long it's been. He's worn the same pair for far longer, even if, when he was at the Temple, Maul had a fit and insisted he needed to change them regularly.
And that he needed to have them washed in water. Anakin still thinks that seems like a waste of water, especially when there's no sand to get them nearly as dirty as they were on Tatooine.
But... more suitable clothes for what? "Where are you taking me?" Anakin asks, looking down.
Obi-Wan eyes him again, almost contemplatively. "I will train you."
What?
He's going to train him in the Dark Side? Fear pools inside him instantly. He doesn't understand what's 'bad' about the Dark Side, but he knows the Jedi don't accept it. And Anakin doesn't want to disappoint Maul either. "In... the Dark Side?"
"Of course." Obi-Wan moves closer, sitting on the bench across from him again. "I imagine it's been hard for you to... understand everything the Jedi are teaching, with how late you came, hasn't it?"
Anakin nods, tentatively. He doesn't want to answer, but he can't really refuse to answer either, can he? And it's not like the Sith is... wrong about that, either, even if Anakin knows he's not supposed to question these things.
"They expect you to let go of all your emotions, and anyone you once cared for." Anakin averts his gaze, staring down at the bench. That's... too true. He misses Mom so much, but he doesn't know when he'll see her again. "Until you do so, you will never be what they consider a 'good' Jedi. The way of the Dark Side is... different. You do not distance yourself from your emotions. You embrace them and let them give you power."
But... "Why is called 'dark'?" Anakin objects.
"Because the Jedi believe dwelling on any emotions will lead to only selfish motives," he replies, "But I imagine you have... seen otherwise. The Sith help people, too. We have been forced into hiding from the Jedi, but you would be even more capable of helping the people if you were a Sith. The Jedi blindly serve the Senate – they will not help anyone who it isn't convenient to assist."
Anakin could almost believe it, because he knows people are just different sometimes, except... "You killed Qui-Gon," he objects, quietly. That, he can't just forget. And they were involved in attacking Naboo. That wasn't helping.
"My master is not an ideal representation of what the Sith stand for," Obi-Wan replies, "His methods are often questionable. I will use what he had planned to better the galaxy on my own."
Anakin has so many questions right now, ones that he doesn't know if he should ask. "How?"
"I will determine that one step at a time. But we will begin with your training. I understand your reluctance, but you must know the Jedi are not the heroes people see them as. Once, they hunted down the Sith to extermination. That is why we must hide and fight to survive."
Oh.
That's... not right, even if he doesn't understand the details of their conflict. Somehow, what he's saying doesn't feel like a lie either, and Anakin doesn't know what to think of that.
It doesn't make him any more inclined to become a Sith, but... In truth, it's not as if he's being asked.
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