[for greyorder] the Force works in mysterious ways

[morally_cryptic]

Anakin has had plenty of time to come to understand that there are things to the Force he just doesn't understand and will never. It doesn't matter how much power he's held in it, how much of both the Light and the Dark that he's seen, or that he had just spent about thirty years living after death as some sort of energy ghost.

Emphasis on had.

One moment, he was floating the vast span of the Force's energy field, just keeping an eye on the family since actually trying to more directly intervene had proven itself to be an unsuccessful strategy.

The next moment he's lying on the floor, somewhere, groaning and aching.

And naked.

None of these things add up, Anakin thinks as he tries to sit up and take in his surroundings. The only good thing about feeling the heavy weight of his body surrounding him is at least it's not made mostly of metal. That's a plus.

Comments

[morally_cryptic]

"You'd have to ask your mother or uncle about that one," Anakin says with a wry tilt to his mouth. "They're the only children I ever fathered."

Then he shakes his head slightly, "you're headed in the right direction. But I'm going to suggest you try something else: forget about 'Light' and 'Dark' for a while."

Annnnnd he's just going to wait and watch the reaction to that one.

[greyorder]

"Thank the Force for that. We're dramatic enough as it is without adding to our numbers." He's certainly not planning on having any children himself. Ben does not trust himself not to mess up the process of raising another human being. He can't even get his own life on track.

Case in point: he responds to that question by staring at Anakin, really looking at him, as if attempting to find the trick in it, the flaw he can point out to be told he's a good padawan. The idea is so outrageous even his very non-Jedi, non-Sith mind rejects it outright.

"I can't. If I allow my behaviors or training to become lax, I could slip back into my old ways. I owe my family and the galaxy as a whole better than that."

[morally_cryptic]

Anakin laughs and reaches out to clap him on the shoulder.

"I'm going to tell you a story, grandson. But before I start that...apparently the Force gave me a new body without feeding it first. Is there someplace we can eat something?"

Of course, considering that they're on a small resistance base where everyone knows everyone probably Anakin just walking around openly isn't the best of ideas.

[greyorder]

Ben wonders for a moment if his mother got her propensity for touching his shoulder from her father. Then the realization hits that he will have to either try to hide Anakin or tell people what has occurred. Both options are absolutely terrible and involve a lot of work, but for now, he'll just have to stall. Telling people will need to be a careful act, starting with his mother and possibly his uncle.

In the meantime, he cringes, runs a hand through his hair and sighs. "I can get us something from the makeshift mess hall we've got set up, but I would rather not have the entire base descend upon my room just yet. Would you mind staying here while I get something?"

What even is this day.

[morally_cryptic]

He's got a point.

Anakin doesn't really want to deal with the base (or his daughter) yet either.

"That's fine, I'll wait."

Probably he won't snoop while Ben is gone. Mostly because there's not much to snoop into.

"Don't worry, I'm not picky."

[greyorder]

Ben will never cease to be intimidated by his mother. Under all that softness is something sharp he doesn't dare cross, not unless he's out of options.

Anakin could go through the small collection of holo-photos Ben had, most of which were of his family, the rest being comprised various people he had started to come to call friends. None were terribly personal, and there was a definite lack of personal touch to his quarters, as if he hadn't even made a token effort to try to make it homey.

When he goes out to get food, he's too waylaid by other people just getting off shift to sneak two meals back to his room. Then again, the Force only just now gave Anakin a body. He probably needs the nutrition more than Ben, so Ben simply takes enough food to convince everyone he's having a decent dinner for once and makes his way back to his quarters, thankfully quickly all things considered.

"I hope you meant what you said about not being picky. The food here is... well, they're trying their best."

back from Christmas!

[morally_cryptic]

Anakin snorts, "it'll be the first proper meal I've had in about fifty years." He'd had nutrient tubes as Darth Vader. "And I spent the first ten or so years of my life never entirely certain when my next meal would be. I think I'll manage."

That's a thought. How much does Ben really know about his grandfather's history?

Well, they've definitely got a good opportunity for story time.

Same, belatedly!

[greyorder]

Ben cringed at the mental image of not eating for that long. Had he ditched the mess hall in order to avoid talking to people once or twice? Absolutely. He was terrible at confronting his mistakes and general social interaction. But he was also capable of having one of the droids sneak him something.

"I cannot say I know what that's like. Mother always kept me well-fed, though despite her efforts I remain in possession of what Uncle Luke used to call 'porg legs'."

Awkwardly, he leaned against the door, trying to figure out what to even ask a Force Ghost given human form. He settled on, "Is this something they knew the Force could do in your day? Resurrecting the dead, I mean."

:)

[morally_cryptic]

Anakin pauses a moment in the act of raising some food to his mouth to look curiously at Ben's legs. "I'd probably have picked something taller and skinner than a porg..."

Then he smirks up at his grandson and actually takes a bite. Which also gives him ample opportunity to not answer Ben's question right away as his expression goes pensive.

He works his way through a couple more bites before actually answering. "Not like," he waves a hand at himself, "this, no. I don't think so. There were some Jedi who'd managed to learn how to retain their consciousness after death instead of fading back into the Force." A few of which Ben ought to be aware of and of course there's a living example sitting in front of him.

"There was at least one who believed it possible to defeat death through the Force." Anakin smirks again but there's no humor in it this time, "funnily enough, he died."