Tatooine's twin suns bore down on him with what felt like the severity of one thousand stars, or at least that's what it felt like. The truth illustrated an incredibly mundane affair he thought he had grown familiar with. Work three days a week, buy supplies the next, and then watch over Luke with any time he had left. This pattern had persisted over the past ten years with little variation. He hadn't complained, the routine gave him the chance to keep busy instead of dwelling on the past. However, today of all days Obi-Wan thought it was just too hot to keep working. And if that was his experience as a former Jedi Master, with the luxury of the force as his ally, he couldn't possibly begin to imagine everyone else's opinion on the matter. Unfortunately, he already knew Overseer Kraytus wouldn't agree to a pause in what they were doing under any circumstances.

The local branch of Czerka Corporation provided food and other supplies to the locals at Mos Eisley so that Jabba the Hutt could focus his attention on other parts of his criminal empire. What Czerka didn't tell the local residents was that the food was so cheap because it was harvested on the planet rather than shipped from elsewhere. People like Obi-Wan and his team would swarm over the carcasses of dead Krayt Dragons to carve its meat for selling no matter the condition. A part of Obi-Wan yearned to report the business for its health and safety violations yet that would open himself to scrutiny that he could not afford. Crossing Jabba was a sure-fire way to guarantee he would be forbidden in Hutt Space and unable to watch over Luke. All he could do was treat the meat he received with care as well as tell the Lars family to avoid Czerka products in the future.

Jan, a female Human was wiping her forehead with sweat before looking at the Krayt Dragon's corpse, "How much more meat do you think we have left?"

Obi-Wan took the opportunity to look over at the rotting corpse not that far from them, "Two more days give or take."

"At least we won't have to be the ones to finish. I am practically dying here from this heat.." Jan chuckled pushing another chunk of meat in his direction to cut and package, "Do you have any plans for the rest of the weekend Ben?"

He hesitated to cut the boney edges of this piece of meat to think about what she was really asking. It didn't take someone with force sensitivity to understand Jan was interested in him in a non-professional manner. The problem however was that it did take a Jedi Masters intellect for her to realize the feelings weren't mutual. She was a lovely woman but, not only did the Jedi Code admonish such attachments, it also wasn't fair to get her involved in his mission. Luke's security mattered more to the future of the galaxy than any one being's personal happiness. He just had to come up with a way to turn her down that wouldn't cause any drama on the job. Obi-Wan relied on the credits from this job to be able to buy supplies to protect Luke. Galaxy knows Owen wasn't going to let him stay on the homestead no matter the circumstances.

Obi-Wan slammed his cleaver against the bone as hard as possible to get rid of it, "Nothing all that exciting, merely watching the suns rise and fall as always."

Jan let out a harsh laugh waiting for the next hunk of meat to arrive at her table to salt it, "Ha, I think you should come out with a few of us heading to the Boonta Eve happening this weekend. It's a celebration for a slave that actually won the race yeeaarsss ago. Lots of alcohol, sports, women..."

Obi-Wan closed his eyes for a moment feeling a flood of memories coming at him all at once. Shaking Anakin's hand for the first time while fleeing Tatooine. Hearing the Jedi Council's concerns over training a boy abnormally old for training. Arguing with Master Yoda himself after Qui Gon died to train Anakin. Watching his Padawan complete the Jedi trials to become a knight over ten years. Seeing Anakin struggle to train a Padawan himself and finding it immediately amusing. To finally seeing Anakin's burning body screaming at him with a hatred that Obi-Wan didn't know he could possess until that moment. All of it cementing his failure as a Jedi, a mentor, and a friend. Yet the people of Tatooine were about to celebrate Anakin not knowing how much that race doomed the galaxy to generations of tyranny and death.

"I'm not one to focus on sports." Obi-Wan declared not wishing to say anything else on the subject.

Jan shook her head in apparent amusement, "Don't say I didn't try to... try to... I am feeling very dizzy."

The woman suddenly collapsed hitting her head against the corner of the table on the way down. The heat had been just too much for her to handle prompting him to be paralyzed with fear. He could use the force right now to center her body to rehydrate her. The head trauma might still ultimately lead to her death but, at least he would give her a fighting chance. At any other point in his life, Obi-Wan would've leapt into action to do what he could for her until proper medical professionals could arrive. Unfortunately, they were in a group of around thirty other people he didn't know. Any one of them could report his capabilities to the Hutts who would in turn hand him over to the Empire. It was an unacceptable risk to Luke's safety no matter how much his Jedi instincts were telling him to save this poor woman. That didn't mean he had to sit by and do nothing however.

"Hey, hey, hey, are you alright? Stay with me." Obi-Wan gently poured some water from his own portion against her lips, "We need some help over here!"

Overseer Kraytus eventually stormed over in their direction when he realized the production line had stopped, "What's going on here you whelps?!"

Obi-Wan repeatedly patted her cheek trying to wake her, "It's Jan! She passed out from the heat, she needs help."

Kraytus snorted apparently finding this all amusing, "It isn't that hot out here, she just couldn't handle the pressure of a full workday. I'll call in the disposal unit to feed her to some of the critters out here. Get back to work until the end of your shift."

Obi-Wan stood to confront the Overseer in righteous indignation, "With all due respect, Jan is still alive! She needs a doctor as soon as possible."

"Are you seriously questioning my authority whelp? She is dead and you are to get back to work. Are we clear?" Kraytus demanded in a tone that made it clear there was only one answer that would please him.

Every fiber of Obi-Wan's being was telling him to stand up to this Twi'Lek who believed he was superior. Obi-Wan knew he could break this man's bones in a dozen places before any order to attack could be given. He would be saving an innocent woman's life as well as probably making every other employees life on Tatooine better. What was more deserving of using his Jedi talents than to save people? Yet, the truth was he couldn't do any of that because of his duty. Making a scene now over a single woman's life could quite literally snuff out the galaxy's last chance to end tyranny forever. No matter how wrong it was to stand down, he had to. This injustice was just going to have to be added to the list of Tatooine's way of life.

"We're clear." Obi-Wan muttered turning quietly back to work while refusing to look at anyone.

0o0o_

Due to his outburst, Obi-Wan was forced to ride the last tram with Jan's body lying across from him. As Kraytus put it, the trip would serve a reminder to Ben about what happened to people who defied him. Her cold lifeless eyes were staring at him as though accusing him of murder. Once again Obi-Wan could hear Anakin screaming at him from the cliff side of Mustafar. It was irrational for him to compare the two situations, Jan very well could have died from the accident even if he had been able to get her help, however in both cases Obi-Wan felt responsible. What if he had done something about Anakin's relationship with Padmè? Perhaps if he had stuck up for Ahsoka more during her trial, Anakin wouldn't have become so disillusioned with the Jedi Council. What if he had just given Jan a little more of his water portion to keep her hydrated? All the questions in his head were building up his sense of guilt over his failures.

"I'm sorry." He practically whispered while meeting Jan's dead gaze, "You didn't deserve this, neither of you deserved this."

Thankfully, the tram eventually stopped giving him the opportunity to leave on his Dewback as soon as possible. Technically, it was early enough that Obi-Wan could have gone shopping for groceries without the risk of getting mugged but, he was in no state to do that right now. He started to make his journey through the Jundland Wastes to get to the cave he was living in. The journey was a dangerous one for most because of the Tuskan Raider settlements scattered across the hillside but, they were afraid of him. Anakin's rampage of the Sand People years ago still left scars that ran deep. Obi-Wan would have preferred to have a friendly relationship with the Tuskan's yet the alternative kept them away from the Lars residence.

By the time Obi-Wan entered his cave, Beru was beckoning Luke to get back inside for dinner. The young boy was sitting atop the doorframe of the homestead pretending to be flying a ship of some sort. He had to imagine the sight was similar to Qui Gon first stumbling into Anakin before the Boonta Eve. As he started to make a fire as his signal to Beru he was home watching over them, Obi-Wan lamented the fact that Owen refused to allow him to be a part of Luke's life. He could be training Luke right now to prepare him for his inevitable confrontation with the Emperor but, Owen believed hiding the truth from him would somehow change the boy's destiny. As a result, Obi-Wan was going to have to wait until Luke was old enough to make his own decisions on the matter, he just hoped by then the galaxy was still capable of making a change. He feared the window to stop the Emperor was closing the longer he sat alone in a cave surrounded by Womp Rats.

A familiar voice spoke from somewhere behind him, "You must trust in the force Obi-Wan."

He turned his head over his shoulder no longer surprised when the ghost of his former master appeared, "It's hard to do that when it is asking me to ignore the cries of the innocent master."

Qui Gon sighed staring out at the twin suns setting, "No one has ever claimed the path of a Jedi is easy Obi-Wan. You cannot save everyone, no one can."

"You believed Anakin could." Obi-Wan retorted before instantly regretting it, "I'm sorry master, that was uncalled for. I've just been...unsettled as of late."

Qui Gon offered a knowing smirk no longer offended by slights in the mortal realm, "Anakin is the chosen one Obi-Wan, he will restore balance to the force in time. What has you shaken in that belief?"

Obi-Wan stared up at the stars for a brief moment wondering how he should answer that question. The most obvious answer was that he couldn't see Anakin turning away from the dark side. For the past decade, Darth Vader had hunted down the Jedi driving them closer and closer to extinction. Obi-Wan could feel in the force every time Vader plunged his saber into another former friend, the pride he got out of it. His anger escalating with every kill as though he would never be satisfied. Shaak Ti, Quinlan Voss, Luminara, Cere Junda, Lorosh Tin, Rahm Kota, all of them casualties of a man fueled by rage. How could someone like that be redeemed back to the light? Why were they placing all of their hopes on a young boy to one day lead a resistance instead of doing it themselves right now?

"The boy master. I fear he is not enough to quell the darkness rising throughout the galaxy." Obi-Wan declared refusing to look at his former master, "What if I am making a mistake Qui?"

Qui Gon mimicked sitting down next to him with their backs to the fire, "Anakin and Luke have a shared destiny Obi-Wan, there is no higher calling than what you are doing right here, right now. Did you believe the road to balance would not be met with resistance? That the dark side wouldn't flail against the dawn to come?"

Obi-Wan stood up to get more wood for the fire, "I thought the Clone Wars was enough suffering for the galaxy to endure. Not...not this."

"The galaxy has been shaped by conflict since the very beginning of time Obi-Wan. Your suffering isn't a unique experience compared to the cosmos. Nor is it driven exclusively by the Sith. It is as natural as letting out a breath or feeling the need for water. The Sith view suffering as a tool for control, a means to attaining greater power. We Jedi are supposed to protect the innocent from such deeds of injustice but, we cannot prevent these things from happening. To attempt to do so makes us no different than the Sith." Qui Gon explained in the calm tones of a mentor.

Obi-Wan didn't like that answer wanting to glare at him, "So, we should do nothing? As the galaxy burns around us, we should merely surrender to respect the natural order? I don't believe that."

"No, of course we should help those around us find peaceful solutions to their problems. As individuals Jedi should mediate disputes, that does not mean it is our place to do so on a galactic scale. The institution of the Jedi Order was filled with the hubris we could mandate eternal peace. A lie we told ourselves to justify turning a blind eye to the Galactic Republic's growing corruption. Anakin's actions were the only way we could ever see the truth. I believe he will come around to the light, once he understands his path does not bring him peace." Qui Gon declared with the same certainty he had in life regarding Anakin.

Obi-Wan turned to face him slowly trying to grasp the lesson Qui Gon was trying to deliver, "With all due respect master, isn't watching the boy and training him to become a Jedi the same type of interference you are speaking out against? Following the prophecy to begin with seems wrong under your vision."

Qui Gon tilted his head back and forth to come up with an answer, "From a certain point of view I suppose you could be correct. I choose to believe it is a familial dispute worth mending. As for the prophecy, it is just the desire of the force to be in balance in written form. We all must make the choice as to whether or not we respect it."

Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow skeptically, "So you're saying Anakin could decide to not balance the force? That he could continue down this dark path forever?"

"Nothing is pre-ordained Obi-Wan. Even you will be tested to take the right path. I have faith in you though, just as I have faith Anakin will make the right decision in the end. All you must do is listen to the will of the force, nothing more." Qui Gon declared as his form began to fade into the night.

Obi-Wan wanted to ask if he hadn't been tested enough already but the ghost was gone, "I hate it when he does that..."