6. In Waking Hell

It was their third night on Devaron when Obi-Wan abruptly woke up in the middle of the sleep cycle.

A miasma of fear and dread coiled inside his chest, cleaving its sharp ends through the thin wall of his lungs. Obi-Wan gasped, breathing around what felt like jagged bone, instinctively relinquishing the waves of utter despair into the Force. But for the first time in his life, he found no relief from the action; it was as though the Force had forsaken him, abandoning him to the seizing agony that threaten to splinter and suffocate―

Obi-Wan inhaled another strangled breath and distantly realized―the pain was not his own.

Shooting up, Obi-Wan scrambled out of bed and bolted out of his room, rushing to the neighboring chamber where his master resided. Frantically palming open the blast door, Obi-Wan flew to his master's bedside and seized his shoulders. "Master!"

"No!" Master Skywalker shot up, the Force a whipping maelstrom around them that dislodged Obi-Wan's grip and sent him crashing to the floor.

For a moment, Obi-Wan laid on cold permacrete, numb with shock. But finally, he could breathe. Upon his master's waking, the disturbance in the Force had begun to cease its convulsive frenzy, withdrawing its tightening noose from around Obi-Wan's chest and allowing him to freely gulp lungfuls of air.

Suddenly, Master Skywalker appeared at his side, pulling him to sit upright. "Obi-Wan! Obi-Wan, are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Obi-Wan said distractedly around another gratifying breath, observing as the currents of the Force slowed and ebbed, before they were at ease once again, settling upon them in its infinite stillness. "What was that?"

The light of Master Skywalker's eyes abruptly dimmed, color graying at the edges. "A nightmare. A vision," he said grimly. "I know what I must do."

"Wait, the Force showed you something?" Obi-Wan asked, struggling to keep up with his master's sudden proclamation.

"Yes, of someone important. She's in danger and I must save her," he said hoarsely, voice layered with a tired grief. The old wound throbbed around him, festered and decayed, washing through him with a familiar darkness Obi-Wan was beginning to associate with his master's shadowed past.

Obi-Wan frowned. "But seeking to know the future…that's a path that can lead to darkness, Master."

"I am not seeking anything," his master said sharply, an unexpected fury disfiguring his face. "The Force has shown me this. I will not ignore its warning again."

With a cautious air, Obi-Wan asked, "Then…where will you go?"

The question pulled Master Skywalker out of his defensive anger and his brow furrowed, mouth pinching with aggravation. "I'm not sure," he admitted. "I saw her, but I could not see where she was."

"Then how do you know it's the will of the Force that you go to her?"

Master Skywalker's eyes snapped back to him, flaming in their intensity. "You don't understand, Obi-Wan. You never did. And now, it's happening again."

Obi-Wan cast aside the bizarre accusation, knowing it wasn't truly meant for him. Instead, he eyed Master Skywalker's fearful expression. His curls were mussed and his sleeping tunic laid askew across his shoulders, and under the faint light of ocean moon rays filtered through windowpane glass, he appeared so unbearably young that Obi-Wan couldn't help but wonder, "…Master, how old are you?"

The non sequitur distracted his master long enough for his pained features to twist into a puzzled expression. "I'm twenty-one."

"Oh," Obi-Wan said hoarsely, gripped by the sudden horror of an unforeseen truth. "And how long have you been a Jedi Knight?"

"A little over two years now, I think. Time is weird," his master muttered before shooting him a strange look. "Why? What's wrong?"

Obi-Wan's only response was a strangled laugh. His master had been knighted at nineteen (maybe eighteen?) cycles old, and he was asking what was wrong?

Obi-Wan had never been in a position to be choosy of who he'd be apprenticed to, whether that was a Jedi Master or Jedi Knight. But Master Skywalker? He barely qualified as that.

It was no wonder his master struggled with things no knight should; Obi-Wan was basically being trained by what equated to a senior padawan. Most weren't even considered ready for the trials until they were the human equivalent of twenty-two or twenty-three, and even then, most didn't attempt them until their mid-twenties. And yes, Obi-Wan had known his master had lead a different kind of knighthood stationed so far from the Jedi Temple, and had been patient with his master's unorthodox ways. But he'd never imagined that any of it was a result of his master's own padawan training gone unfinished.

Worst of all, Obi-Wan scarcely qualified as a padawan himself. How was he meant to help his master, when he could barely help himself? Master Skywalker needed the kind of help only a Jedi Master could hope to offer, but Obi-Wan feared that his master would be unreceptive to any of it. Just being sent out here by Master Yoda had put his master on edge. He didn't imagine a full-on intervention would be well received, and even if it was, where would that leave Obi-Wan?

"Obi-Wan," Master Skywalker called, brusquely clasping his shoulder, mechno-fingers digging firmly against flesh and anchoring him to the present. "You're panicking. Talk to me."

With shaky breaths, Obi-Wan gradually emptied his fear into the awaiting embrace of the Force. And the more his head cleared of the fog, the more evident his path became, until it was no longer a question. Because from the beginning, Master Skywalker had claimed that their partnership was the will of the Force, but it wasn't until their arrival on Devaron that Obi-Wan had begun to uncover the layers of hidden meaning behind such words. Master Skywalker had been right, and for whatever that was worth, it would be Obi-Wan's duty to make sure his master didn't make any foolhardy decisions.

"Master," he said, releasing the last residue of trepidation with his next exhale, reaching up to hold the hand on his shoulder and easing off his master's rigid grip. "If you don't know where…this person―"

"Shmi," his master revealed, voice catching on the name. "Her name is Shmi."

"If you don't know where Shmi is," Obi-Wan continued, "then I suggest we meditate. This place is incredibly strong in the Force. And if it is as the Force wills, then I believe we can find the answers that you're looking for."

His master smiled and the tremor of fear curling around him abruptly calmed, the shining blue Kyber of his eyes glimmering with hope. "Thank you, Obi-Wan. You are indeed wise…for a padawan."

Obi-Wan snorted an incredulous laugh, the tense line of his shoulders relaxing. "And you are indeed competent…for a knight."

Obi-Wan yelped as Master Skywalker finally released his shoulder to tug sharply at his padawan braid. "Mind your disrespectful tongue, my young apprentice."

"Everything I know, I learned from you, Master," was Obi-Wan's cheeky reply, an echo of something long ago spoken.

"That's rich," Master Skywalker grumbled and pushed himself to stand from the frigid stone floors of the chamber. "Come on, then."

Obi-Wan frowned, but reluctantly stood to follow his master. He hadn't intended for them to go and meditate now, in the middle of the sleep cycle, but he supposed Master Skywalker would hardly get any rest as he was.

They padded barefoot, still in their sleeping robes, out of the residency hall and down the winding stairs of the second spire, until they reached the looming archway leading out into the courtyard. The vast ocean moon of Devaron hung high amidst black skies and smatterings of diamond-bright stars, bathing the planet below with its rippling blue hues. The slabs of stone were cool under their feet as they made their way across, a soothing contrast against the too-warm air. And as they had come to do so in the last few days, they moved to kneel beneath the familiar branches of the Weeping Maya.

In the silence of night, backed by the murmuring sounds of the vast jungle life, Obi-Wan easily fell into a meditative state. His master, in all his determination, was not far behind.

Obi-Wan opened himself up to the guidance of the Force as the name of Shmi looped through his mind. Though he had never met her, knew nothing of her, the mere knowledge that she was of importance to his master kept him focused. The expanse of the universe laid at his fingertips and, if the Force allowed it, it would only be a matter of time before they were lead to her.

The Light flowed through him in all its eternal breadth. And as he sunk deeper and deeper into its embrace, his mind began to flood with images―a sprawling spaceport, dark and grimy, but rich with trade; a city, a gloomy labyrinth of duracrete, crowded with every alien species imaginable; the shimmering eyes of a Rodian; the long, intricate braids of a human woman.

When Obi-Wan came into awareness again, it was to the unexpected feeling of lying on his side, stone unforgiving beneath his limbs, cheek squished against familiar-scented fabric and foreign fingers casually interlaced with his mess of hair.

Obi-Wan blinked open groggy eyes, distantly grateful that the leafy branches above shielded his retinas from the stabbing rays of early morning sunlight. Gradually, his mind caught up to the present as he blearily recalled the Force vision his master had suffered last night, and the consequent meditation session out in the courtyard.

As Obi-Wan pushed himself to sit up, he realized with a lurch of embarrassment that his head had been resting on Master Skywalker's lap. But, par for the course, his master was unbothered by any antics Obi-Wan would've deemed himself childish for, merely greeting him with a warm smile.

"Sorry for falling asleep, Master," Obi-Wan mumbled, voice hoarse with disuse.

Master Skywalker patted his head one last time before withdrawing his hand. "No worries. I should be the one apologizing for dragging you out here. I tend to get ahead of myself at times."

"I hadn't noticed," Obi-Wan said around a yawn, straightening up as he began to recall what the Force had shown him last night. "Master, I saw her. Or, at least I think it was her. She's in the Hollastin System."

Master Skywalker nodded, expression darkening with a fierce edge. "I know. We depart at once."

Obi-Wan obediently stood to his feet alongside his master and followed determinedly after him. They returned to the residency hall long enough to change into their proper robes and grab their packs, before making the journey down to the hangar. As though anticipating their departure, the master of the temple awaited them, standing at the foot of the boarding ramp to their ship.

"Knight Skywalker, you are leaving so soon?" Master Halsey inquired, a slip of concern creeping into his serene expression.

"Yes, Master Halsey," his master said briskly. "The Force has shown us where we are to journey next."

"It has revealed this to you both?" Master Halsey said, turning to Obi-Wan with an inquiring gaze.

"Yes. The Force has shown me as well," Obi-Wan assured him.

"Then, I wish you both a safe and prosperous journey," Master Halsey said with a bow. "And may the Force be with you."

"And with you," Master Skywalker said as they both bowed in turn.

Once the master of the temple stepped aside, Obi-Wan followed his master aboard the ship. When they reached the cockpit, Master Skywalker did not offer to let him pilot, too focused on starting up the flight sequence without a moment to spare. Nonetheless, Obi-Wan slipped into the co-pilot seat and began programming the navi-computer.

"Master," Obi-Wan finally broke the silence as they quickly ascended through the upper layers of atmo. "Did the Force show you anything else?"

"Yes," his master said, expression grim. "But we can't be sure of anything yet. Is the navi-comp ready?"

"Yes, Master."

No sooner had they escaped that gravitational pull of Devaron, that they made the jump, on course for Hutt Space.


A/N: Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Please review if you can :)