[AU RP for Obi] old friends

[morally_cryptic]

[ooc: takes place in the same future!AU as this thread with fulcra.]

He'd been here on Lothal far longer than he'd been hoping. Certainly far longer than the battle he'd been supposed to get here for would have taken. Had taken. He tries not to think about how the verb tenses should work too much.

They'd done their best to recreate the original conditions that had brought Anakin here in the first place, though making sure to avoid the Imperials as he flew out and back in several times on the same hyperspace route had been interesting. And completely fruitless. Well almost recreated. Sabine had provided his starfighter with a new paint job to disguise it and make it look at least a little less noticeable. Though she'd made sure to tell him that her usual method involved far more color than what he'd ended up with. He'd told her if this worked, he'd remember to track her down in fifteen years and let her paint the thing anything she pleased.

It didn't work and none of them had any explanation why.

He'd been halfway through suggesting they could check the Temple Archives before he saw Ahsoka's expression shutter. Of course they couldn't check the Temple Archives. They couldn't even get near Coruscant. Or-- Imperial Center. They called it Imperial Center now.

So he was stuck here and more or less also stuck being expected to stay out of the way. Not that they said as much but he was still essentially an outsider to their little close-knit group and most of the time Ahsoka looked like she had no idea what to say to him.

Then again, he still wasn't sure what he was supposed to say to her. This was not the way he'd envisioned them meeting again, after all.

And apparently until they can figure out a way to make him look a little less like himself--apparently in this case being a former hero of the Republic is a bad thing--he can't even move around too much lest someone get too curious.

Everyone knows that enforced idleness does wonders for Anakin's temper.

He's not in Jedi robes, his lightsaber is hidden, he's wearing long sleeves and gloves on both hands to disguise the fact that only one of them is mechanical, and he even let them cut his hair though he hadn't taken up Sabine on her offer to dye it! How much less like himself could he look without surgery?

Surgery is a definite no-go. But taking a speeder bike in to the city is apparently on the agenda. If nothing else, he wants to get a better look at exactly what they're up against and it's not like he hasn't been undercover before...

Comments

Wall O'Text; I think he's *really* wanted to tell this story....

[master_obiwan]

How much to tell him? How should he be told? Best to tell the story from his own perspective, and go from there.

"Three years after the war began, we finally got wind of where General Grievous was hiding. The Council sent me to Utapau to deal with him once and for all. You and I parted company as we always had, as friends and brothers, looking forward to meeting again to share our tales.

"The battle on Utapau was fierce, but I managed to destroy Grievous. Shortly after reuniting with Cody and the rest of the troops, I went off to help in another part of the battle. That was when, inexplicably, Cody and the others turned on me. The creature I was using as transport is the only reason that I survived. She interjected herself between me and the sniper shot. We fell into the water and I managed to escape in Grievous' starfighter."

He sighs, trying to marshal his thoughts. "Bail Organa was the one who came to my rescue. He'd picked up Master Yoda from Kashyyyk, where the story was much the same: the battle was going well, the clones received some sort of transmission, and then tried to kill him. The Wookiees helped Yoda to escape.

"We tried to contact the Temple, but all we found was a recall beacon had been activated, calling Jedi back from the front lines. Yoda and I had to fight our way into the Temple, which was patrolled by troops and littered with the bodies of fallen Jedi."

Obi-Wan leans against Anakin's ship, partly because he needs the support while he drudges up the painful memories. His voice breaks a bit as he continues, "They were all dead. The Masters, the Knights....the younglings. No one was left alive. Master Yoda was the one to point out that they didn't die from blaster fire; it had been a lightsabre that cut them all down. I had to know who had done this terrible thing, and after I reset the beacon to warn the Jedi to stay away, I went to the security archives.

"Master Yoda advised me not to, that my curiosity would only bring more pain. Part of me wishes I'd listened to him..."

He falls silent and rubs a hand over his face as if trying to erase the images conjured by his words.

here it comes...unless Obi just tells him a _new_ sith named vader did it. /face. desk. forever.

[morally_cryptic]

Anakin listens with mounting horror. He knew the Jedi had been turned on by the clones. He knew they could no longer go back to the Temple. But neither Ahsoka nor Kanan had been able to tell him this. Another Sith? A Jedi???

He forces himself to stand up straight, but his gaze is on the rock wall behind his ship and over Obi-Wan's head. This...slaughter...he blames Anakin? No, surely not, even if Anakin had blamed himself only moments before. Either way, Obi-Wan's actions suggest whatever it is, Anakin will find it worse than what he's already heard.

But he needs to know.

"But you didn't," he prompts quietly.

It's tempting, isn't it? Test out the "Certain Point of View" (tm) to see if it'll work...

[master_obiwan]

"No, I didn't," he admits. He regards Anakin for a long moment before saying, "I wish with all my heart that you could tell me what happened between the moment I left and the moment I returned; what could make you turn from us...I can only suspect that desperation had something to do with it. And that...your family...was involved somehow."

[morally_cryptic]

Anakin's gaze snaps away from the rock wall and down to Obi-Wan's face, searching, hoping he didn't mean what Anakin just heard.

It has him taking a step back, shaking his head. "No, Obi-Wan...I wouldn't-...that's crazy. You've got to be wro-..."

But isn't that what he said to Ahsoka about Palpatine?

And then the word family sinks in. Padme he thinks, he knows about Padme! Something like a boulder made of ice settles in Anakin's stomach. Padme. He'd do anything for her. Which Palpatine certainly could have guessed at. Could have used against him. He still can't imagine exactly what must have happened for Anakin to do something like this but he can imagine that, yes, he might have done it. For her.

He closes his right hand into a tight fist, "what happened to Padme, Obi-Wan?"

[master_obiwan]

"Master Yoda charged me with tracking you down; and if I couldn't talk you out of whatever insanity you'd fallen into I would have to use lethal force. I figured Padme would know where you'd gone, so I paid her a visit. She couldn't believe me, but I knew she'd find you all the same, if only to ask for herself. I waited after I left, and then snuck onto her ship and stowed away.

"We ended up on Mustafar; she confronted you, and it was going well until you saw me step off the ship. You accused her of betraying you and tried to kill her. I managed to distract you and we fought.

"After our duel, I took Padme to a medic." His face is filled with sorrow as he regards Anakin. "The medics couldn't explain her rapid deterioration, save that she'd given up the will to live. She passed away shortly thereafter, and the children along with her."

He doesn't care what timeline Anakin is from, he won't betray the children's secret. So don't mind him if he indulges in a little bit of omission.

And he'll let Anakin read between the lines on how that duel ended.

figured i could crib a little from the scene in RotS when he finds out

[morally_cryptic]

The allusion to Anakin dead or worse at the end of their duel doesn't even register. Though the funny thing is, Obi-Wan didn't need to mention the twins at all to keep their secret, this Anakin hadn't known yet he was to be a father.

There are no words, really, all he can do for the moment is mouth Padme's name as he staggers a little and drops to his knees. He'd known, somehow, that she was no longer in the galaxy, but he hadn't wanted to believe it. He still didn't, but Obi-Wan wouldn't lie to him about something like this. Even if he did, wouldn't he be more likely to try to soften the blow?

Certainly, Obi-Wan would likely have preferred to avoid the sensation of grief and loss flooding his former padawan. It's not the sort of thing that ends well. "Padme, she-...children? She was-...I-..." Words failing him, all he can do is let out an incoherent cry of loss.

It may be a little concerning that some of the pebbles around them are starting to vibrate.

Crib away. Not like that scene is doing anyone else any good ;p

[master_obiwan]

As much as softening the blow would be preferable, when has subtlety ever worked on Anakin? No, Obi-Wan knew that ripping off the bacta patch as quickly as possible was sometimes the best way.

He knew the news would have an adverse affect on his former Padawan, but he knows better than to physically approach him at his point. He lets the grief happen, as holding it in would be infinitely worse. The vibrating pebbles don't concern Obi-Wan yet, but before they reach a worrying level, he's very tentatively reaching out through the Force with an extraordinary amount of empathy, compassion and what little comfort he can offer.

This is the grief that Obi-Wan has had to bear for fifteen long years, and seeing it physically manifest like this makes him a little envious of Anakin. He's had to hold it in for so long and be a Jedi, because letting it take hold of him would have meant the end of hope.

"I wish I could change what happened. You were my brother, Anakin. I loved you like a son. If I could have prevented any of it from happening, I would have."

He might be crying a little.

'bout what I figured. though I also figure if Palpy hadn't noticed...

[morally_cryptic]

[...the disturbance in the Force before, he probably totally does now. Just sayin'. I mean heck, Yoda noticed when Anakin's mother died, I'd be shocked if Palpatine couldn't feel this. Plus with so few Jedi, it seems like the ripples an individual Force user makes would become more noticeable. Hmmmm.]

It is just as well that he can let this out, to some extent. At least he doesn't have to try and pretend that it doesn't feel like a part of his soul was ripped out. And it does mean that even though some part of him wants to shut himself off from Obi-Wan's touch through the Force, he can't quite do it.

The compassion is what does it, Anakin isn't holding back tears either. At least not successfully. "You should hate me," he says roughly, "you should want to see me dead...." Implicit, of course, is that if their positions were reversed, he might feel that way. "...maybe I should be." Maybe it would fix things. If he's dead, he can't go back. If he can't go back, he can't become this...monster.

He's not exactly thinking clearly enough to consider that if he got back knowing what he does now, he wouldn't fall for Palpatine's plot and things would likely turn out quite differently.

Nooooooooo kidding >.<

[master_obiwan]

"No," Obi-Wan replies, shaking his head. "I was heartbroken, yes. I mourned your loss, and it was a blow to the very core of my being. But I don't hate you. If there is any animosity in me it is directed toward the Dark Lord of the Sith and his Master. Vader and the Emperor hold this galaxy enthralled by fear."

He moves away from the ship and takes a step closer to Anakin. "And what would your death accomplish? I told you it was your inability to see beyond yourself that led you astray. Look beyond yourself now, and tell me - truly - how dying can fix anything?"

He continues to reach out to Anakin through their bond, an offer of reconciliation and healing. "The Chosen One was supposed to bring balance to the Force; in a way, from a certain point of view, that is exactly what happened. Briefly, yes, but it did happen. And while things have swung in the opposite direction, there is still hope for the galaxy, Anakin. There are still people that matter, and need help."

yes Obi-Wan, point him at Vader and Palpatine then you don't have to wait for Luke to be old enough

[morally_cryptic]

[ooc: I see your icon. Oh hai, Siri! Also, Obi, you realize how much shit you're in for when Anakin finds out you lied about the kids, right?]

He doesn't want to hear it. It's easier, after all, to wallow in despair and self-pity. The Dark Side has many forms...

But at least Obi-Wan is offering that lifeline through their bond, a spark of light to draw him back. At least there's the reminder of people he can still help. Like Ahsoka. Like the rest of the Ghost's crew. Like everyone under the Empire's heel.

It's just another war to be fought. He's gotten used to fighting.

Slowly, he raises his head to look up at Obi-Wan, slowly he starts to stand. His features are, of course, still grim and inside there's a wound that won't stop aching for a long while, if ever. They can only hope it doesn't fester. But there's a resolve that wasn't there a few moments ago, and if it isn't precisely righteous it's at least not precisely selfish, either.

"Well...I guess you're right about that."

Oh man. I didn't even think about that.

[master_obiwan]

[ooc: If Anakin kills Vader, does that make it homicide or suicide? And if the Emperor realizes who Anakin is, dude. Trade Vader in for the original? This could go bad. As for the kids, he hopes Anakin can forgive him when he explains that he's been protecting them from, well, Vaderkin. Also, Kanan would lose it, if he ever met Obi-Wan :) [and then promptly try to foist Ezra on him.] Obi misses Siri, btw :p]



Obi-Wan offers the ghost of a smile. He can sense the change in Anakin, knows that disaster has been averted for the time being. He can only hope that whatever it is that Anakin has found here on Lothal is enough.

"Have I ever been wrong?" he asks, more as a rhetorical question, and possibly as a means to guide Anakin into a slightly better mood by getting him to rib his old Master a little.

[morally_cryptic]

[ooc: I think it's homicide if we're saying this is actually an alternate universe one tiny step removed from the one this Ani came from. :|a Maybe we need a second opinion. But yes, the Emperor needs to not get his claws on Anakin because while he might not want things to get any worse than they are and feels guilt over what happened...well. Guilt and anger are things Palpatine can use against him so....yeah.

Anakin might be able to forgive Obi eventually because you know. He can understand the protection desire. He'll just still be pissed about it.

(Aw, Obi. Do you really want more teasing about the beard? :) )]

"Do you really want me to answer that?" no smiles yet, he can tell what Obi-Wan is doing, but he can't help playing along at least a little. "At least you aren't bringing up the gundarks again."

But that doesn't mean Anakin can't.

[master_obiwan]

Obi-Wan smiles, probably the first proper smile since they met in the city. "No need to beat a dead gundark," he replies.

[morally_cryptic]

There's still a lot to process, he's still not alright, but he can be...okay for the time being. If nothing else, he can lean on the side of the starfighter and relax just a tiny bit.

"I'm sure I could come up with something else to use."

[master_obiwan]

"I'm sure you could." He gives Anakin a sidelong glance. "You know," he says at length, "I don't recall any mission to Lothal."

[morally_cryptic]

He's not entirely certain whether this is a continuation of the start of their banter just now or if Obi-Wan is serious. "What do you mean? I wasn't wasn't running another unsanctioned mission."

[master_obiwan]

"I don't doubt you," he assures the younger man. "But truly, I don't think we ever came here. I do recall a report from Master Secura, early on in the war of a small engagement over the planet, but nothing that involved us."

Isn't that funny?

[morally_cryptic]

Anakin shakes his head in confusion. The revelations of earlier aren't exactly helping but still...

"Unless the war lasted a lot longer than I've been led to believe, this isn't very early...it's been years. I'd actually started thinking I might be able to spend less time in the field and more time-..." he hesitates a bit, but then remembers that Obi-Wan already knows, "...more time with Padme."

He pushes that aside and forges on, "I was supposed to be meeting a large part of the fleet here, it wasn't going to be a small engagement. I don't know what happened."

[master_obiwan]

"The war lasted about three years. Master Secura's mission was somewhere near the end of the first year or so." Obi-Wan frowns.

"How certain are you that this is your future?"

[morally_cryptic]

He'd finally gotten his head around the idea that this was the future, Obi-Wan. And now you're telling him it isn't his future? Which might be comforting in at least one respect, since it suggests that what's happened here isn't what would happen to him and the people he cares about. But if he can't get back, isn't it a bit of a moot point, anyway?

"There hadn't been any reason to think otherwise." Until right about now. "Part of me still thinks maybe I'm just having a very vivid dream."

[master_obiwan]

"I just told you a very significant amount of information that could change the course of history; if you make it back, you could change all this. And if this is your future, and you don't make it back...in either case things would end up being vastly different."

And Obi-Wan's version of history hasn't contradicted itself yet.

[morally_cryptic]

"You aren't worried I'd get back and not change anything, are you?"

Maybe he's trying to make light, but maybe more he's worried that Obi-Wan thinks exactly that.

[master_obiwan]

"No," he admits. "But I do wonder if your knowing would really make a difference. The Emperor could always find another way to get what he wants. He took over the government, manufactured an entire war, and two armies to do his bidding, and not a single person found out about it. He is dangerous and cunning, and he is not to be underestimated."

[morally_cryptic]

"Do you think I don't know?" Something flares in Anakin's expression, "I've known him as long as I've known you! He is...was my friend! I won't let him get away with this."

Either back then or now. He's just not sure on the how, yet.

[master_obiwan]

"Calm down, Anakin," Obi-Wan says with a sigh. "I am simply stating facts, not passing judgement on your ability to understand."

He really hopes Luke isn't this moody when he gets older.