Part VI
Dexter Jettster, like most everyone else on Coruscant, watched the latest report on the HoloNet with a great sense of unease. Normally he didn't pay much attention to it, but kept it on for the sake of his customers who liked to gripe and argue about politics. That afternoon he was ignoring the lunchtime customers in favour of watching the speech the Supreme Chancellor was giving.
"That it should come to this," Palpatine sighed, his shoulders slumped and his head bowed as though he carried the weight of the galaxy. "Like the rest of you, for many long years I have kept abreast of the exploits of the Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker. They are a team, united in the cause of peace like no others I have had the pleasure to know. And I can say without fear of contradiction that they are stronger when they fight together.... Unfortunately the Jedi Council did not agree.
"Yesterday, while we all slept soundly in our beds, Master Kenobi was sent out alone on a mission to the Ranth'fer system. It is my grave misfortune to announce that he will not be returning from this mission."
In the pause that followed, Palpatine turned to his aide in order to receive a covered object. Removing the cloth he revealed to all watching what it had covered. A lightsaber.
"This lightsaber was sent to me with a message from the traders and slavers of the Ranth'fer system for the Republic to stay out of their affairs," Palpatine announced as he held the Jedi weapon before him. "The separatists rule that system and they spit in the face of all that we hold dear. They have murdered one of our own: a Jedi Master and a diplomat who had gone to them in search of peace.
"Our thoughts must now turn to young Anakin Skywalker. Driven beyond reason by his master's senseless death, young Anakin has himself gone to the Ranth'fer system to avenge this foul deed. And it is now up to us. At this very moment, there is in the Senate a bill being discussed that will allow the Republic to form its own army. With this army we can properly defend ourselves against the separatists who grow more daring with each passing day. How soon before we are at open war?
"Against such a force, can we truly hope to survive?" Palpatine's gaze once again returned solemnly to the lightsaber. He then looked back to the camera as though to hold the eye of the public and the transmission ended.
When the HoloNet broadcast ended, Dexter found himself unable to look away from the screen. It was incomprehensible that Obi-Wan could be dead. The man had more lives than a Vintruvian cat. Having heard the complaint often enough from the Jedi, Dexter knew that a lost lightsaber did not a dead Jedi make.
"Hey, Dex, I want my food!"
Tatooine. Anakin had always thought that when he returned to the desert planet it would be to free his mother. And while he still had every intention of doing just that, at the moment Obi-Wan was his primary concern. Once he had ensured his master's safety, Anakin meant to find her. His fate with as a Jedi was now uncertain and the Council could no longer keep him from his mother.
Setting his starfighter down at the edge of Mos Eisley, Anakin went off in search of a speeding, leaving R2-D2 to his own devices. He could only hope that the droid wouldn't get into any trouble. With any luck Artoo would be able to track down C-3PO and his mother while he was searching for Obi-Wan. Shmi and Obi-Wan had never met and Anakin wanted the two most important people in his life to finally be in the same room.
The starfighter Anakin used as collateral for the speeder he was loaned to search the near endless deserts of Tatooine for his master. He packed all of the supplies necessary for and extended stay in the desert should it become necessary. Lots of water and blankets, food as well, and the medikit from the starfighter. The kit was not fully supplied and having run out of things to barter with, Anakin hoped that Obi-Wan was not seriously injured as he only had supplies to treat the worst of his injuries.
After riding out beyond sight of Mos Eisley, Anakin brought the speeder to a stop. He cut the engine and climbed off, taking several deep breaths before lowering himself to the ground. Tatooine was simply too big for him to merely choose a random direction and begin his search there. Whatever had silenced his master's presence to the Force would also hinder his tracking of Obi-Wan. So, settling himself cross-legged on the sand, Anakin cleared his mind of all things except the task before him. Patience and meditation had never been his strengths. Had he the time Anakin would have driven out into the desert and begun his search at random. With Obi-Wan in the hands of Tusken raiders that was not an option.
Anakin was not certain how long he sat under the two harsh suns of Tatooine, but eventually the Force began to whisper to him. He could feel it pulsating around him, sharing in his concern for Obi-Wan. When he opened his eyes Anakin knew where he was going. Unfortunately, by that time, the second of the two suns was setting and Anakin knew that he could go no further that day. It was not safe to travel the desert alone at night, not even for a Jedi. The shifting sands could be deceptive in the moonlight and, Jedi powers or no, he would still be in danger. Being still for so long also alerted Anakin to the fact that he could not remember the last time he had slept. And if he were to free Obi-Wan from the Tusken raiders he would need to be rested.
Still, rational as these thoughts were, Anakin did not want to sleep. Every minute that he hesitated was another that Obi-Wan was in danger.
"Be safe," Anakin murmured as he curled up against the side of the speeder. "I will come for you soon."
"Clouded, his future is," Yoda mused as the shuttle entered hyperspace on the return trip to Coruscant. "But twined with Obi-Wan's it most certainly is."
Mace frowned, leaning back in his seat. "We never should have allowed him to train Skywalker. We were too sentimental after Qui-Gon's death."
"Leave Skywalker vulnerable to the Sith such an act would have. Better to have trained him and risk what follows it is," Yoda insisted, stomping his walking stick on the ground for emphasis.
"I hope you're right," Mace sighed, scrubbing a hand over his face.
Lying flat along the crest of a dune, Anakin scanned the Tusken camp for any sign of Obi-Wan. It was the third such camp he had found that day. Nearing dusk, Anakin feared that the Force had let him down and had taken him far away from his master. Lowering the scanners, Anakin sighed dejectedly, thinking that once again he had failed to find Obi-Wan. Anakin squeezed his eyes shut tightly, Anakin howled silently into the sand.
"I'm sorry," Anakin moaned, clenching and unclenching his fist in the sand. "I'm so sorry, Master. I thought I could--"
"I don't know what you want!" a very human, and very familiar voice shouted.
Every muscle in his body tensed when he heard Obi-Wan's frantic scream. He had heard many such shouts over the years, particularly when he was piloting a ship, but never before with such fear.
Keeping himself low to the ground, Anakin slid down the back of the dune. He would not wait any longer than necessary to free Obi-Wan from those vile creatures. Obi-Wan had already been at their mercy for far too long already. So, being as quiet as possible, and masking his presence with the Force, Anakin sidled up behind the last row of huts, peeking through the flaps in the hide coverings for sign of his master.
It was the shoulders that Anakin recognized first. The figure was sprawled upon the hard-packed earth, lying mostly on his front, drawing Anakin's attention to the broad shoulders that were now covered with dirt, grime and blood. So much blood. For all the breadth of the shoulders, the torso and waist tapered down far more significantly than Anakin could ever remember. With a breath he could see the outline of ribs. A bantha howled from the other side of the camp and the body flinched, curling in on itself. It was the pathetic whimper that drifted to his ears that finally forced Anakin's limbs to respond.
"Obi-Wan," he gasped, staggering the final few steps to where the older man lay before collapsing onto his knees. "Force.... Obi-Wan...."
Anakin reached a hand out to touch his master's trembling shoulders. Obi-Wan reacted as though he had been touched by a live wire. He scrambled to a crouched position, turning his body towards Anakin as he backed away as far as he was able. When he could go no further, a wall preventing his escape, Obi-Wan began to whimper again, the noise louder and more keening as he clawed at the wall. Anakin ducked his head down, trying to catch Obi-Wan's gaze in hopes of gaining some sense of his master's mindset as the collar molded to his throat like a second skin prevented Anakin from reading his Force signature.
"Obi-Wan, please," Anakin murmured, extending a hand towards the crouched figure. It pained him to see the injuries that covered Obi-Wan's body. Large gashes, skin rubbed raw, scraped by sand, angry welts.... So much pain in so little time, the thought of it created a lump in his throat that he could barely swallow past. "It's me. Anakin. I've come to take you away from here."
Obi-Wan regarded him quizzically at that. Uncertain. "You're real?"
When Obi-Wan extended a trembling hand towards him, Anakin immediately took it. A moment later he found himself with his arms full as Obi-Wan launched himself forward. Obi-Wan didn't make a sound, but clung to him, his face pressed into the crook of Anakin's shoulder.
"Force, Obi-Wan, what happened to you?" Anakin moaned, holding the older man as tightly as he dared. With feather-light touches he stroked his fingertips along Obi-Wan's spine, nuzzling his lips against his master's temple.
The only response that he received to his question were a few mucky sniffles as Obi-Wan held him still tighter.
Anakin was real. Obi-Wan had convinced himself that Anakin was a mere figment of his imagination, someone he had made up to comfort himself. That Anakin was real enough to touch. He could feel Anakin's arms around him, solid and warm. Obi-Wan clung to him, fearful that Anakin would disappear the instant he let go.
"You're real," Obi-Wan whispered into Anakin's shoulder, rubbing his cheek against the course fabric of his shirt. "Real. Real. Realrealrealrealrealrealrealreal...."
"Hush," Anakin chastised quickly, his mouth so close to Obi-Wan's that he could feel Anakin's breath that he could feel it against his lips. "We have to be quiet."
Obi-Wan squeezed his mouth and his eyes shut tight, desperate to stifle any sound he might have made. He knew what would happen if he made noise. They would come again and they would hurt him again. They would hurt Anakin.
"Senuk eh!"
Obi-wan whipped his head around at the sound, stumbling away from Anakin. The child was back and had once again caught him doing something he should not. Only this time Anakin was here and they would hurt Anakin as well.
Anakin hurried towards Obi-Wan, crouching down in front of him and holding his gaze. "Please stay here, Obi-Wan. I will be back."
Anakin's lips touched his forehead and then he was gone, disappearing from the hut. And he was alone again. Then the shouts started and Obi-Wan knew that there was fighting. Anakin was fighting back against them.
Clinging to the frame of the hut, Obi-Wan began to pull himself up to standing. He continued holding onto it as he slowly made his way towards the door, stumbling more than once. He had to protect Anakin from them. He didn't want Anakin to be hurt like he had. Obi-Wan fell to his knees when he no longer had the wall to support him. His arms gave out next, but not before he caught sight of Anakin. The weapon that he fought with was frightening. A beam of light.
Spitting out the sand in his mouth, Obi-Wan rolled onto his back. He stared up at the sky, trying to make sense of what he had just seen. At the moment there was none, just a strange throb against his temples. It soon became painful and with the sun it was better to keep his eyes shut. So he did.