Posted originally on the Archive_of_Our_Own at https://archiveofourown.org/
works/11476581.
  Rating:
      Explicit
  Archive Warning:
      Rape/Non-Con, Underage
  Category:
      F/F, F/M, M/M
  Fandom:
      Star_Wars_-_All_Media_Types, Star_Wars:_The_Clone_Wars_(2008)_-_All_Media
      Types
  Relationship:
      Obi-Wan_Kenobi/Anakin_Skywalker
  Character:
      Obi-Wan_Kenobi, Anakin_Skywalker, Shmi_Skywalker, Mace_Windu
  Additional Tags:
      obikin, Mentions_of_Rape, Past_Rape/Non-con, Slavery, Childhood_Sexual
      Abuse
  Stats:
      Published: 2017-07-12 Updated: 2017-08-26 Chapters: 3/? Words: 17694
****** Revolutions ******
by avarand
Summary
     At eighteen Anakin feels like a failure. Unable to confront his past
     or see a future with himself in the Order, he leaves his only friend
     and Master. He only planned to stay on Tatooine long enough to free
     his mother, but the horrors of slavery require an answer. A
     revolutionary on the Outer-Rim planet he swore he hated, he's about
     to find that the Force has another meeting in store for him with Obi-
     Wan Kenobi.
Notes
     TW: So there are mentions of childhood sexual assault in this.
     Nothing graphically described but also mentions of the long term
     effects that has and a mention of suicide. So if that might be
     triggering for you please don't read.
     Also RAINN is the National Sexual Assault Hotline and you can call
     for free 24/7 at 800-656-HOPE if you or someone you care about are
     having a hard time.
See the end of the work for more notes
***** Chapter 1 *****
Anakin couldn’t take it. The pressure, constantly being a disappointment to the
Council. Being so alone at the Temple. Wanting the one person he shouldn’t
want. Obi-Wan cared for him but even his Master was frustrated with him too
often. Anakin was eighteen. He’d thought so foolishly that leaving Tatooine to
be a Jedi would change his life for the better. But then Qui-Gon had been
killed and he and Obi-Wan were stuck together, neither of them suited to
working with the other to meet the demands of Jedi life.
And stars, he couldn't believe that Obi-Wan had even taken him on, given the
amount of grief he still suffered in the wake of his own Master’s loss. The
other padawans at the Temple wanted nothing to do with him. He was powerful and
it scared many of them, plus he hadn’t grown up in the Temple and much of its
culture was difficult for him. It wasn’t his fault he was strong though. He
excelled at ‘saber technique but that seemed to be about the only thing he was
good for, and Force did he ever hate being the ‘Chosen One’. He couldn’t even
be a normal irresponsible padawan and go to some seedy bar for drinks without
having a holocamera stuck in his face.
He ran a hand through his hair absently. They’d just come back from Naboo and
he’d seen Padme again for the first time in nearly ten years. He’d put her on
such a pedestal in his mind and drove Obi-Wan mad with how eager he was to see
her again. And then...she’d been another politician. A pretty one full of
compassion and impressively fearless, but certainly not the angel he’d created
in his boyhood imagination.
Falling back on his bed, he didn’t know what he would do. Worse than not
feeling much for Padme, he’d felt far too much for Obi-Wan. Which of course was
the dumbest thing he could do. Obi-Wan was polished and sophisticated. If he
ever suspected Anakin’s feelings he’d have a gentle “you’re going through your
teenage years and such infatuations are perfectly normal” for Anakin. And that
would be so much worse than just saying that it was inappropriate and not the
Jedi way. He may not know much but he knew himself and he knew when he loved
someone. Every time the older Jedi stood near him he wanted to lean in, brush
his hand or press his lips to his temple. He’d been holding out against hope
that it would go away but the mission to Naboo had only further confirmed it.
It made him even more miserable than usual. Not even spending hours on ‘saber
forms distracted him from such thoughts.
Kriff. The Jedi way. Where you ignored your emotions and let them fester.
Theoretically they were supposed to “give them to the Force”, but Anakin had
never had that ability and was skeptical that anyone did. When he was at
Padme’s home on Naboo he’d pulled a book off the shelf. He couldn’t remember
the title but there had been a phrase that stuck with him. “There are no
handsome prisons.” And the Temple felt like one. He knew of the Dark Side and
the hedonism with which Sith used their emotions. It called to him sometimes,
though he’d never told anyone. Not in a way that demanded he succumb, but as a
reminder that it was there, a tool just like the Light.
In his nightmares though he often pulled the Dark around him subconsciously.
His early life on Tatooine had been so full of trauma. He’d been a thing. A
moderately useful thing but only worth what he could make for his owner. Obi-
Wan knew he did it, could feel him doing it through their Bond, and would
admonish him the next morning. But he couldn’t tell him what the nightmares
were about. What he’d been through had made him something less somehow and the
Dark was there to remind him of that. Before he’d been of use as a mechanic
he’d been treated the way so many children in slavery were. Rented out to
people willing to pay their owners. His mother had protected him as long as she
could, trying to put herself in that position instead to spare her child. But
there were people that didn’t simply want sex, they wanted to use children.
She’d wept furiously when he’d been led off somewhere by one of Watto’s
clients. The first time it happened he was maybe five or six. He’d had no idea
what was happening, which he supposed was part of the appeal for the client.
Every time it happened Watto would beat her for her wailing and that night
they’d both sit silently, nursing wounds they weren’t sure how to treat.
He couldn’t tell Obi-Wan. Couldn’t bear the look of pity from the person he
loved. Sometimes he still wept. The anger and confusion and the fucking
unfairness of such a life too much to bear at moments. He’d rather be
considered moody and angry than deserving of pity though. He forced himself to
stop thinking about it, at least for this moment, if he was really planning
what he thought he was planning.
Obi-Wan was at another Council meeting, so he was alone in their rooms. He used
the Force to take his lightsaber apart for the thousandth time. He pulled the
tiny kyber crystal out, letting the rest of the parts fall onto his bed. He
hadn’t found his crystal like most padawans. Instead he’d been on a mission
with Obi-Wan on some gods forsaken frozen moon. They were sent to help Republic
scientists whose base had lost heating and proper air circulation. The base had
been underground as nothing could survive the temperatures and winds on the
surface. After repairing the engines and boilers Anakin had become bored of the
small talk his Master was so fond of and had wandered off. He’d taken a lift
down into the planet where the geological excavations had been going on. He’d
gotten lost in the caverns but hadn’t particularly cared, knowing that Obi-Wan
would find him if he couldn’t make his own way back.
Then he’d heard something. It was a voice but more than a voice. It called out
to him and he’d followed, only a little scared thinking of Tatooine legends of
mythical beings in the desert who lured people to their deaths. Eventually he’d
found the source, the crystal currently in his hand. When he touched it it had
shown him things. He saw himself as older, eyes turned yellow and fighting
against Obi-Wan to the death. He saw his mother, dying in the desert. But he
saw other versions of events as well. Visiting his mother in her old age, her
demanding to see her grandchild. Himself happy, lifting a small child up,
having a home and family of his own. An uprising, his own righteous fury
burning bright. Someone destroying the Jedi Temple, slaughtering younglings and
Council Members alike. It had all been so confusing and fast, too many voices
at once. The crystal had swirled with dark and light currents inside it but
when he showed it to his Master it was only bluish and plain. But looking at it
now, it was in flux again, almost alive. That had to mean something. Obi-Wan
had said it did when he’d first found it.
And he was back to his Master. He hated himself just a little bit for loving
the man. It was awful to feel that way and constantly keep it from their
Training Bond. Watch him look at women like Knight Tachi and The Duchess Satine
and know he’d always be a slave from a backwater planet, rough around the edges
and with a bad temper. Tall and broad and impatient and not anything like the
petite and cultured types Obi-Wan went for. The worst part was that he knew it
was love. Lust he could handle, idealization he had experience with, but love?
It was the fact that drove home all his other failings as a Jedi. Too attached,
too old, too damaged, too reckless. The Council didn’t trust him and neither
did most of the Temple. If he couldn’t trust the Order how was he supposed to
fight for them? Master Windu certainly made his dislike of Anakin clear, which
was a shame as Anakin thought he’d like to learn from the man. And when he
wasn’t on a mission, the loneliness of Temple life ate at him. Obi-Wan was
always busy with the Council or his peers, or he was sitting silently near the
resting place of his Master’s lightsaber, still mourning.
Sighing again he reassembled his ‘saber. When Obi-Wan came back he’d want to
meditate and Anakin had been very skillfully dodging performing that activity
together. He’d rather lose a limb than let his Master feel his petty jealousy
and insecurities, not to mention his more authentic emotions regarding the man.
He remembered another phrase, one his mother had said to him when she’d been
treating a nasty wound that Watto had given her. “I never saw a wild thing feel
sorry for itself.” And well, the Council was always bemoaning their half-wild,
half-civilized ‘Chosen One.’
The Temple didn’t have any locked doors. Leaving would be easy. He had his
freedom and he could get his mother’s too. He was a pilot now and a damned good
mechanic. It wasn’t like he couldn’t find work. He stood, smiling at his own
rash planning. He’d leave a note for Obi-Wan. He owed the man at least that
much. Especially since he’d be siphoning some of his credits. It was late so
not many people would be out and about in the Temple. He changed into his
favorite pair of civilian clothes, stuffing the few belongings he had into his
rucksack. He looked in the ‘fresher mirror and grinned. He’d always hated the
frankly unattractive padawan hair cut. Then his grin faltered. Was he really
doing this? Just leaving the life he’d known for almost ten years?
He had to, he realized. He didn’t leave Tatooine to be a different kind of
slave. There was something in him that had always demanded he find his own way
and when he thought of stuffing that part of himself down, he saw yellow eyes
and fire in the back of his mind. The person he loved didn’t love him and that
pain was acute, but there was still a galaxy out there.
He grabbed the scissors that Obi-Wan used to trim his beard and cut his small
pony tail off, followed by his padawan braid. He left the braid with a note on
the common room couch. His heart ached but this was right. He couldn’t stay for
one person. Ultimately he couldn’t stay for anyone except himself and he no
longer wanted to be there. Couldn’t be there. He felt guilty for leaving Obi-
Wan since Qui-Gon’s last wish was that he be trained. But he wasn’t a nine year
old boy in awe of men with swords of light anymore. The idea of staying felt
soul-crushing.
No one batted an eye as he left through a side entrance after making a stop in
the hangar. He wasn’t going anywhere without Artoo, after all. He made his way
to the the shuttle system and the interstellar transit hangar that was only a
half hour away.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------
Obi-Wan came back from another arduous Council meeting with a headache. He was
suspicious when he opened the door and couldn’t hear any dubious mechanical
projects or terrible music from Anakin’s room. He knocked and entered, but the
room was empty. So help him if his apprentice had run off for the lower levels
again he wouldn’t give a damn about punishment not being the Jedi way. Anakin
was becoming impossible to predict lately. He noticed that the room looked off
though. Jedi didn’t have material possessions but Anakin had kept one or two
things as many did in their youth. A drawing of his mother that had been quite
good usually rested on his nightstand, and there was a small carving that
Senator Amidala had given him just recently of a tree native to her planet. And
his prized tool kit for working on smaller projects like Artoo. All three were
gone and Obi-Wan felt panic in his chest.
He flung the closet open and it was bare except for the crumpled standard-issue
robes at the bottom. All of Anakin’s civilian clothes were gone as well. Had
his padawan just left? There had to be an explanation. He wouldn’t abandon the
Order. Would he?
Obi-Wan went back to the common room with no idea what to do. And that’s when
he saw it. The severed braid lying on a datapad. He wanted to throw up. He knew
if he read that data pad it would make it final. But he couldn’t simply not
know. With a shaking hand he picked it up, the braid falling to the couch.
“Obi-Wan,
I’m sorry to leave this way without a real goodbye because you deserve one. But
I had to do this. I don’t belong at the Temple. The Council was probably right
that I was too old to be trained. But thank you for trying anyway. I’ve felt
love and I won’t give it up for a life of isolation and frustration at the
Temple. Please don’t look for me as this is my decision. I’m sorry for
disappointing you and hope you can forgive me for that. I don’t feel at peace
with the Force the way a Jedi should and I can’t stay. I’ll never forget the
kindness you showed me.
-Anakin”
Obi-Wan sat down heavily and picked up the braid. He fingered the beads in it,
remembering how Anakin had hated the haircut but had smiled brightly every time
he earned a bead. Putting his hand to his mouth he realized he was crying. He
hadn’t raised the boy but he’d guided him for the past almost ten years and now
he was simply gone. He felt hurt, angry that someone would find his care so
lacking and angry at himself for not being enough.
He knew Anakin had felt alone often and Obi-Wan had been too wrapped up in his
own feelings to properly pay attention to his padawan. The boy had no friends
at the Temple and was frequently angry or depressed. Outside of combat training
he flinched at touch. He’d done what he could but not really, not enough. He
hadn’t cried since Qui-Gon had passed and now here he was, feeling that both
ends of his life as a Jedi were missing. And it was his fault.
Love. Anakin had spoken of love. Did he mean romantic love? He’d been
incredibly taken with Senator Amidala as a child but he hadn’t seemed overly
amorous on Naboo. Or perhaps Obi-Wan just hadn’t noticed. Anakin asked him not
to look but could he just live his life not knowing what became of him? He’d
have to tell the Council in the morning. Jedi and Padawans could leave. They
certainly didn’t keep their ranks against their will. He couldn’t bear the
thought of waking up tomorrow and not hearing Anakin’s grumbling reluctance to
get out of bed or his sarcastic quips. He had failed so spectacularly. He
realized he was still holding the braid. The only thing he had left of Anakin,
the young man whose Force signature shone like a sun. Who sometimes sat with
him at Qui-Gon’s symbolic place in the crypts and had been so desperate to
prove himself.
Obi-Wan didn’t sleep at all that night. His mind was frantic with thoughts of
tracking Anakin down, talking sense into him and making him come back. But then
he thought of how lonely he knew his charge was, how unhappy. There was nothing
he could do to make things better for him, not really. He’d mistaken those
emotions for teenage hormones and the pressure put on him by the Council, but
it was clearly much worse than that. He’d felt Anakin’s pull to the Dark during
his nightmares. He refused to discuss them and maybe Obi-Wan should have
pressed the matter. But he hadn’t wanted Anakin to think of him as an
overbearing older brother. He didn’t think he’d process this loss if he spent
the rest of his life meditating.
In the morning he saw the Council, showed them the note and the severed braid.
“Very disturbing this is,” Yoda said. “But unexpected, it is not. More vigilant
we all should have been.”
Mace proposed bringing him back. “If he’s the Chosen One than he needs to be
here! Force knows the boy gets under my skin but he needs our guidance or he’ll
Fall! And this won’t sit well with the media.”
Obi-Wan was a man who controlled his emotions, but he saw red at that. “He’s
not a commodity for the holocameras! We failed him. I especially failed him! He
was miserable here. He had no friends, no time to adjust to Temple life. And I-
I wasn’t prepared to have a padawan. He felt resented by the Order and likely
by me as well.” He hung his head after his outburst, thankful that at least he
didn’t feel physically capable of crying again.
“Correct, Jedi Kenobi is,” Yoda said. “But lost Skywalker may not be. Balance
can be found in many ways. His path perhaps, is not with us. But less important
it makes him not.” The old Master had his head down and was radiating sorrow.
It made Obi-Wan feel better. So it was settled. They wouldn’t go after Anakin.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------
Months passed, Obi-Wan had missions but time seemed to slide without him paying
attention to what he was doing, though he hadn’t failed a deadline or objective
yet.
At the six month mark he’d contacted Senator Amidala and asked her if she’d
heard from Anakin. Her brown eyes were filled with sadness as she reported that
she hadn’t heard anything. Obi-Wan sighed. “I know he was fond of you. In his
note he made mention of love. I thought perhaps he’d sought you out. I wouldn’t
try and bring him back of course, I only wish to know he’s alright.”
“I consider Anakin a friend. But he didn’t care for me that way. He was in love
with someone, but it’s not up to me to tell you who. And it doesn’t matter as I
know he’s not been in touch with that person, either.”
“Thank you, anyway. If you ever do hear from him, I’d be grateful for a call
just to know he’s alright.”
“Of course, Knight Kenobi.” The call ended. So Anakin had been in love. He knew
first hand what passion could do but he hadn’t gone to whoever he cared for.
He’d eventually have to stop looking for signs of someone who didn’t want to be
found, but that day wasn’t coming anytime soon.
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-------------------------------------------
It had been a year since his padawan had left. Obi-Wan was on Mandalore for a
political mission, trying to stave off a war. Chancellor Valorum was so far
performing admirably with the help of Bail Organa and Padme Amidala. Padme
didn’t trust her counterpart from Naboo, a man of great wealth named Sheev
Palpatine who’d spent his life cloying for power. Obi-Wan couldn’t blame her.
Satine was saying something to him but his thoughts were on Anakin. How they’d
come here on missions a few times and Anakin had loved the history of the old
warriors, their myths and battles blending seamlessly in the records.
“Obi-Wan,” she put her hand on his chest.
“I apologize. My thoughts have been scattered lately.” A year ago he may have
appreciated the close physical contact but now, knowing Satine would stand by
her people and not take up with a Jedi who only half meant it when he said he’d
leave for her, it felt too intimate.
“You miss your padawan.” It was a statement, and of course Satine would know.
“I remember the two of you seemed very close.”
“Yes. Well, not as close as I should have been.”
“It’s not your fault. You can love someone deeply and still have to watch them
walk away if their path diverges from yours.”
“You speak wisely, as always,” he told her. “I suppose I should go talk to some
of these bureaucrats about a shipping lane.” He sighed and walked off to
complete his mission.
That night, lying in bed, he thought about what Satine had said. About ‘loving
someone deeply’. He had loved Anakin. Still did, he supposed, or he wouldn’t be
wondering about him a year later. He loved the way he smiled when he got to
pilot a speeder, loved his unbridled joy at mastering a ‘saber form. His drive
to do the right thing in a galaxy full of dubious decisions, even if his temper
got in his way sometimes. Was he- had he been in love with Anakin? Was that why
he was always searching in his peripheral vision for a tall frame and a
sarcastic smirk? He’d never been attracted to men but gender was hardly an
issue. Was that why he kept Anakin’s padawan braid on him at all times as
though it were more important than his lightsaber? Force, was that why Anakin
ran? To get away from a Master who was fourteen years older and in love with
his charge? The thought made him feel sick.
But it was true. He’d been in love with Anakin. He had no idea when or how or
why it had happened, only that the thought was there, uncovered and undeniable.
He was still-he had to find him. He had to at least know that he wasn’t some
lecherous cretin who’d chased a padawan away. But Padme said he’d loved
someone. Perhaps she would tell him who. Though what if he had been the reason
Anakin left? If that were true, he had no business ever contacting him again.
He couldn’t inflict that kind of fear or pain on someone. He wanted to cry but
the effort felt futile. He had to let Anakin go. He couldn’t keep living a half
life because someone- someone he loved was gone. He to be a better Jedi, a
better person. He’d never take a padawan ever again, but he could at least
serve the Order as best he could.
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----------------------------------
It had been nearly three years since Anakin left. Obi-Wan still thought of him
far too often but he’d stopped looking. There had nearly been a war, and it was
evaded only because Senator Amidala and Senator Organa had brought their
suspicions of Palpatine to the Temple. Three Council Members had lost their
lives fighting the Sith Lord, but his death had brought peace.
Well, peace to the Core Planets. Not every Outer Rim planet was as stable as
Naboo. Padme had married just after the death of Palpatine. And of all people
she had married Satine. They were now expecting their first child. Having spent
time together while chasing rumors of Sith, he now considered them both close
friends. Padme would quite likely become the youngest Chancellor in history.
Obi-Wan frequently wondered about where Anakin was. If he was happy, if he had
a family of his own perhaps. The media had long ago stopped giving theories on
where the ‘Chosen One’ was.
Obi-Wan sighed and looked at the file for his next mission. Of course it would
be Tatooine. There was a revolution of sorts happening in Anchorhead, one of
the largest cities on the dusty planet. Activists had been making shows of
force, blowing buildings up and using an improvised technology to remove the
tracker chips in slaves. They were making deals with pirates for weapons in the
name of arming former slaves. Obi-Wan was supposed to go and broker a deal with
the leader of the largest Hutt clan and the leaders of the abolitionist
movement to ensure a free Tatooine. He couldn’t help the painful clenching in
his chest when he thought about Anakin and how no one had fought for his
freedom until Qui-Gon.
He hoped to use this mission as a way to shake the ghost of his former padawan.
If he could complete a mission on Tatooine and leave, it would be like proving
he no longer agonized over the young man.
He returned his attention to the dossier. Heeto was the hutt’s name. A
notorious slaver with a reputation for making his enemies disappear. The
leadership of the abolitionist movement, who called themselves only The
Resistance, was three pronged. They were all human and all used aliases. Their
faces were similarly unknown. The names they went by were Allecto, Tisiophone,
and Megaera. He had to smile at that. The three furies of Mandalorian myth.
Satine would approve. It was fitting for a slave rebellion to be furious, he
thought. He would leave at first light. Surely negotiating between a slaver and
former slaves would be a simple mission, he thought sarcastically.
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----------------------------------
Anakin took his black mask off once he was inside the building they were
currently using as headquarters. No one had followed him but you couldn’t be
too sure. When he’d left the Jedi years ago he hadn’t planned on becoming a
revolutionary. He’d simply wanted to buy his mom’s freedom and then take off,
just the two of them to start over somewhere.
But he couldn’t turn a blind eye to how bad Tatooine had become for all but a
wealthy few. Watto was long dead but the hutt who owned his mother had been
unwilling to sell her, no matter what Anakin had offered. So he’d stayed, and
done one of the few things he was good at. He built something. It was crude and
painful, but in the end he’d extracted the chip from his mother’s shoulder.
Then he told the hutt in no uncertain terms that his mother was free. Then the
goons had come at him. After cutting down half of the hutt’s private security
team, he’d relented.
It was his mother who told him she had to stay. That if she could help others
then it was her duty. So Anakin had stayed, knowing it was his as well. The
Force rarely spoke to him but he knew he needed to stay and fight. He’d spent
late nights in empty warehouses, teaching slaves to use blasters and other
weapons. How to engage in hand to hand combat. His mother ran a secret day care
of sorts for enslaved children, providing care, literacy, and safety when their
parents were at work. She also kept a blaster for anyone who came looking to
“borrow” a child. For months they’d maintained that balance with the hutt, but
he’d been training his own force to squash their attempts at even slight
sovereignty and make an example of them. But they’d fought back, Anakin killing
the slaver in the end.
It had been a victory but one that made them unsafe as well. No one in power on
Tatooine wanted a free population. Another former slave, a man about Anakin’s
age by the name of Kast had approached him about starting a real revolt. There
was a power vacuum now and they needed their own kind to be the ones to fill
it. Kast was analytical and cunning, and reminded Anakin very much of Obi-Wan.
He was dark haired but had the same look when he was solving his favorite kind
of puzzle. He’d been the one to set up a Twi’lek freedom fighter named Avka as
the new Chief of their little outpost so near Mos Espa. Avka was fierce and
dedicated to the cause. More former slaves stayed on as her Council. She
inspired people, had a gift of igniting fire in their bellies and she could
take nearly anyone out with her staff.
After a few months, scarred shoulders became badges of freedom and the tiny
village thrived under Avka’s leadership. He and Kast decided to part ways, so
that if an organized force came for them they wouldn’t squash the entire effort
in one battle. Anakin would go to Mos Espa and Kast would go to Mos Doba.
They’d each take people with them, but enough would stay so that their village,
now called Freetown, had a population and solid leadership and defenders.
Anakin had even reprogrammed some old battle droids to watch the borders. Their
aim wasn’t fantastic but they served their purpose.
Mos Espa had been hard. It had taken months for Anakin to gain people’s trust.
But once he did more and more people flocked to him. A simple take over
wouldn’t work for a city like Mos Espa. So they’d built a rebellion. They used
explosives to destroy the homes of prominent slavers, left graffiti marks on
walls, and kept their faces covered. A former slave with some healing
experience refined Anakin’s design and some metal workers mass produced it. The
chips which tracked and could explode, killing a slave if they left their
approved zones, were obsolete.
In Mos Espa Anakin met Kanna. Younger than him but eager, he’d taught her
nearly everything he knew and she proved to be a fast learner. Where Kast
excelled at big picture thinking, Kanna was on details that no one else even
thought of. She was essential to keeping their identities secret and their
intel a step ahead of the slavers. Her dark hair, smooth brown skin, and bright
eyes made people think her young and naive, and she relied on that frequently
to her advantage.
Anakin’s mother had come with him and said she was proud of what he’d built. He
told her he’d only built it because of her.
After nearly a year of training, recruiting, and preparing, they’d taken the
city. It had been bloody and drawn out but they’d done it. For a larger city
Mos Espa had only a handful of real slavers. Once they’d been taken out of the
picture the smaller player, the ones who used slaves to clean their homes or
warm their beds, either fled or fought. And they were greatly outnumbered.
There were less than twenty five thousand people in Mos Espa and over half were
slaves. It had taken a week of fighting, bloodshed, tactical strikes, and
bombings on both sides but they’d done it. Half the city seemed in ruins but
they were free. People had lined up for weeks to have their chips removed
afterwards. They’d buried the enslaved dead in a mass grave, with a memorial
stone for the battle. The slavers were taken further out and burned.
Watching the city rebuild under free will had been beautiful. People came
together, kept the moisture farms going so everyone would have water, organized
and passed out food and medicine like he and Kanna had trained them to in the
weeks following combat. His mother began working with a man who’d lost his son
in the battle. He was determined to keep Mos Espa free in his memory. He worked
with Shmi teaching adults basic literacy and farming skills and before long
they’d fallen in love. They made a home together in Mos Espa and younglings
seemed to constantly be coming and going for lessons or just for some of his
mom’s famous cooking. His mother was so happy and it made a part of him he
thought was dead light up with joy to see it.
When word of Mos Doba also being free had reached them, they’d rejoiced. A few
weeks later Kast joined him in Mos Espa. Well, he dropped in with no warning on
a class Anakin was teaching on combat. But they’d embraced as only brothers in
arms could. Over drinks that night Kast told him about the losses they’d taken
and the government they’d set up. Kast helped him ensure a similar foundation
for Mos Espa. The collectives forming were good but they needed leadership that
would last.
He worked closely with Kast and Kanna, traveling back and forth to cities when
needed and working closely with Avka and the democratically elected bodies of
Mos Espa and Mos Doba. Between them and Freetown, trade was thriving under a
free populace. There was more water than ever and schools were being built.
Municipal buildings to store food for whoever needed it, educational programs
in mechanics and medicine. Would be slavers who landed in their ports were
chased out and a court system for grievances was even shaping up under Kanna.
Two of the largest cities on the tiny planet were free now. His mother had
found her home with Cliegg and the kids they’d unofficially adopted, but Anakin
knew their fight wasn’t over. Both Kanna and Kast agreed that they wouldn’t
stop until it was a planet-wide revolution.
So with Shmi set to run the first school on Mos Espa, Anakin, Kast, and Kanna
agreed they needed their next target to be the biggest yet. If they could take
Anchorhead, the smaller cities would be much easier.
Kanna scouted ahead to make contacts while Anakin and Kast waited in Mos Espa,
planning out possible strategies and talking to folks who might want to follow
them.
One night he and Kast had been gifted a bottle of moonshine by a bartender with
a scarred shoulder. They’d taken it back to where Kast was staying in a former
brothel turned hotel. Anakin told him about being found by the Jedi and trained
there, but how he’d lost faith and left. How the wounds of his past couldn’t
heal on Coruscant and how he’d been stupid enough to fall in love with someone
who wasn’t allowed to ever love him back.
Kast could relate. He’d been born into slavery not too far from Anakin, as it
turned out. He’d even heard of the human boy who could pod race. He worked on a
moisture farm with his father and older sister until his sister was sold. He’d
tried to find her but never had. His father had committed suicide after Kast
had been rented out to the farm owner’s friend for a few hours.
They were about halfway through the alcohol at the time and leaning heavily
against each other. Anakin had never been able to talk about the horrors of his
childhood with someone else who got it before. It was like a weight had been
lifted. He’d pressed his forehead to Kast’s. It felt right, a symbol of drunken
solidarity. Then he’d felt Kast’s hand come around the back of his neck and his
friend looked at him. Anakin knew the other man wanted to kiss him and
honestly, the thought was a pleasant one. So they’d kissed, and touched. And it
wasn’t love but it was a kind of healing with someone else who understood
flinching from an unexpected touch and rage crawling up the base of your brain
for no reason. They were gentle with each other, frequently asking permission
and not making sudden movements.
Afterwards, with Kast in his arms and knowing his mother was free and happy,
Anakin felt like more of a full human being than ever. He had been more at home
in a war zone with explosions going off and his ‘saber in his hand than he
thought he’d ever be sharing intimacy with another person. He felt less broken
and knew that leaving the Jedi had been right. He still thought of Obi-Wan in a
way that made something in him ache, but he wasn’t a lost, angry boy anymore.
He was a freedom fighter with friends, a family, and a purpose. He smiled to
himself. He was ‘Allecto’ and Kast was ‘Tisiphone’, more often called ‘Ti’ by
The Resistance. Kanna was like his sister, who loved her alias of ‘Megaera’.
And they’d spend the next year or longer in Anchorhead, organizing and fighting
and taking down more hutt slavers and making sure fewer people grew up like
they did. It was a life worth having.
***** Chapter 2 *****
Chapter Notes
See the end of the chapter for notes
Anchorhead was more work than Mos Espa had been, but they’d expected that.
However with two cities freed, attracting interested slaves was easier. Even
with their identities being more at risk than ever, it was worth not having to
talk to people in back alleys and brothels as the only way to start
communication.
They were using fake names that only they knew just in case, but they had to
establish themselves in the city in order to have enough time to really build a
force to take take it from the slavers. So they’d acquired a small house in the
city. Anakin took mechanic jobs and Kanna and Kast got jobs in bars which put
them in a position to have contact with slaves and slavers. They might move
Anakin into the position of being a possible slave buyer later but for now they
were working class people keeping their heads down like everyone else.
They already had a some interest from certain areas. Enough to warrant finding
a new headquarters. Anakin had found a building on the outskirts of the city
that would work well. It wasn’t too big, was neutral and accessible for a lot
of slaves.
They’d only bombed two slavers so far but the idea was to go slow. To see if
their trademark methods attracted more slaves at a rate that didn’t make them
vulnerable to attack before they were ready. With any luck he could start
organizing combat classes soon.
Anakin was currently home, getting ready for bed. Kast and Kanna would be at
work for a few more hours. He and Kast had had sex a few more times since that
first drunken night but decided it would be better to be friends sans benefits.
There was work to be done and it would be a complication. He was relieved that
it had ended before anyone had gotten their emotions involved. He loved cast in
a platonic way and couldn’t see himself falling for his friend. And he wanted
that. He’d gotten something important and needed from Kast and he’d always love
his friend for it. But if he slept with someone again he would want it to be
because they were both invested emotionally in each other beyond platonic
camaraderie. Or as an act celebrating the fact that they weren't dead. Assuming
he survived past the end of any given week. But for now he had his own room, a
revolution to continue, and two very good friends.
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Obi-Wan already had a headache and he’d only been on Tatooine for three hours.
He’d gotten a room at an inn in Anchorhead and made his way to seediest bar he
could find. Before he could try and help free the city, he had to find the
revolutionaries. The petite bartender didn’t appreciate his line of questioning
though.
“Why does some posh guy come to my bar and start asking questions like that?”
She’d shot right back at him after he’d inquired about the recent bombing of a
well known slaver.
He was thrown. He’d rarely been so fiercely and bluntly responded to. Though
the girl’s midriff was bare her shoulders were covered by long sleeves. It was
possible she was a former slave if the stories about chip removal scars were
true. “I’m not a slaver. People are not things to be bought and sold.” He said
honestly, sensing her distrust.
“So what? Off worlders like you only come to bars like this for a few reasons.
To buy sentients, to rent sentients, or to sell sentients.”
“I’m not here for any of that. I ran into trouble and I’m laying low.”
“Laying low means asking about dead slavers?”
The girl’s flawless dark skin and large eyes may have been misleading him about
her age. She was far more calculating than the teenager he assumed her to be.
“I was curious.” He took a leap. “I used to know someone from Tatooine. Not
here but near Mos Espa. He was born into slavery and even though he escaped, it
left a mark on him. Seeing the city freed was...heartening. It made me hope
that fewer children would have to spend their childhoods as he did.”
“What happened to him?”
“I don’t know. I cared for him very much but I let him down. He left and I
don’t blame him.”
He downed the rest of his drink. There was hardly anyone else in the pub this
time of day.
“Look, say I believe you. If you hate slavery so much you should have gone to
Mos Espa or Mos Doba. It’s still alive and well here.”
“More anonymity here. Plus maybe the chance to help if I can. I can’t go back
to where I’m from but there’s always the chance to do something good somewhere
else. Maybe feel like I’ve done right by him finally.”
He thought to play up his backstory but he found himself meaning every word.
“And how would you want to ‘help’?”
“However I can. I have combat training and I can work a few software
languages.”
The girl looked at him seriously. “I might know someone who can help you. And
that’s a big maybe. You’re still an off worlder and people who try and lie
about their allegiances around here end up dead.”
“I wouldn’t expect anyone to trust me without reason.” Obi-Wan replied evenly.
Had he really been fortunate enough to already find a possible lead?
“What’s your name?”
“Ben.”
“And where are you staying?”
“At an inn in the eastern block of the city. The Shepherd’s Way.”
“Come back here in three days and not sooner. 0100 hours standard time.”
Obi-Wan nodded. “And can I get your name?”
“Tara. Now get going before my clientele get off work and wonder why I’m
talking to some posh off worlder.” Another nod and Obi-Wan was gone.
He walked back to his hotel, even though it was a long walk. He’d still keep
looking around of course but he was exhausted and had established at least one
potential connection already. He figured this mission would be a long one. The
council had estimated four months to find The Resistance, gain their trust, and
help bring about a free Anchorhead. He was hoping to accomplish it sooner and
put the planet and Anakin behind him for good. Tara had seemed genuine. And if
it was a set up, well, he easily hid his ‘saber in his civilian robes.
He slept for a few hours and comm’d the Council when he woke up, telling Mace
that he’d made a possible contact and would go out again tonight to find
possible leads.
Sighing he considered that he may need to find more permanent lodgings. The inn
was hardly luxurious but it might look suspicious if he stayed in it for more
than a few weeks. For as long as it took, he was Ben Sonder. A man running from
a shady former employer who had framed him for embezzlement. There was even a
record in the Coruscant law archives detailing the case if anyone went looking
and an emptied bank account in the name. The file included his name, a false
history of his time in the Republic’s armed forces, and his honorable
discharge. He hoped it would make The Resistance look upon him more favorably.
He set out into Anchorhead again, hoping to find more information.
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Anakin had been informed by Kanna that evening that some high class sounding
off worlder had come in asking about anti-slavery efforts. He had a job to
finish on a speeder but Kast would stake out the Shepherd’s Way tomorrow and
follow the guy for a bit. Kast wasn’t as stealthy as Anakin but he could blend
into the background when he had to. Anakin wasn’t sure why but he felt like he
should be the one to go. However work was work and after the speeder job he had
their first combat class to teach. He eyed the panel in the floor which
concealed his ‘saber. To keep a lower profile he used a staff with ends that
could electrify opponents when he fought in the streets. And staffs were useful
as slaves could use multiple common objects as stand-ins in a pinch.
He wasn’t sure why this was bothering him. He couldn’t remember the last time
he meditated. Maybe he should. He’d hated severing his Training Bond and
meditating without Obi-Wan had felt so empty afterwards. Like being in an
abandoned house. But it had been three years. Maybe it was time to get back on
the bantha.
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Obi-Wan was being followed. He’d been aware of having a tail for the past
twenty minutes. But he had been expecting as much. The man following him had
been waiting outside his hotel so he figured it was someone Tara had contacted.
He let the man follow him from bar to bar and got a look at his face when he’d
been trying to act like he wasn’t a tail. He was a young man, dark brown hair,
olive skin, not giving off any malicious energy but curious. So likely an
associate of Tara and not a slaver following a nosy off worlder.
He talked with a few patrons and bartenders but didn’t get far. After declining
the second sexual advance in the same bar he left. It was dark and time to head
back for the night. His tail was still there and it was time to confront him.
He used the Force to find an empty alley nearby and turned down it, slowing a
bit to make sure the man followed. When he did Obi-Wan pressed him against the
wall, blaster in the man’s side before he could move.
“Why are you following me?” He kept his face neutral and his voice flat. The
other man didn’t flinch.
“Ben Sonder of Coruscant. Heard you were asking questions about dead slavers.”
Apparently they’d also accessed the hotel’s data system. Good.
“I have been,” he relaxed his grip on the man’s neck.
“To what end?”
“I want to help if I can.”
“And if you can’t?”
“If my interest is unappreciated I’ll go on with my life. It’s not like I don’t
have problems of my own.”
“Yeah. Embezzlement.” Hm. Impressive that they’d found that so quickly.
“I was framed. But it doesn’t matter now. Even if I could clear my name I
wouldn’t go back.”
“And why’s that?”
“There’s nothing to go back to.” He holstered his blaster and stepped back from
the man. The faint street lights played off the walls, casting blue and black
shadows. “If you don’t want my help that’s fine. But I’m no slaver and I
respond poorly to intimidation.” The man smiled a bit at that.
“Okay then. You’re still good to meet Tara. But you won’t be meeting any higher
ups for awhile. And stop asking around. You’ll draw too much attention. Keep a
lower profile.”
Obi-Wan nodded and the man left. Obi-Wan waited for a few minutes and left as
well. They must be organized and have talent on their side if they’d already
gone looking for his information and hacked his hotel. That meant it was likely
the Resistance and not a separate faction. He walked back to the inn and spent
the next day meditating.
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“So we think this guy checks out?” Anakin asked. Tonight was when the
mysterious off worlder was supposed to meet Kanna at closing time. She’d talk
to him with one of their other members waiting in case things got out of hand.
“Seems so,” Kast said. “He definitely has combat training.”
“And no visitors to or from his rooms,” Kanna added, pushing her braided hair
behind her ear and looking at her datapad. “Which suggests he’s not here to
rent slaves. Though he’s only been here for a few days.”
“We could use someone with formal military training,” Anakin said. “And another
strategic thinker for strikes. But we’re at an important stage of recruiting.
If he turns out to be working with slavers it could be a disaster.”
“So you do some of your Jedi mind stuff to him,” Kanna said.
“Jedi mind stuff?” Anakin smirked and she rolled her eyes.
“Use the Force to see if he’s lying or whatever.”
“We really want to risk this guy seeing all three of our faces?”
“Wait for him in the back of the bar with Lorn and a get a reading on him.”
“So you trust him too?” Anakin knew she wouldn’t risk that unless she thought
he’d turn out to be on their side.
“I’d put my money on him. You learn a lot about people tending a bar. His sob
story about an ex from Tatooine seemed legit. And he’s been keeping his head
down like Kast told him to.” They really would need all the combat training
possible for such a large city. And having an ally outside of the working class
could be beneficial.
“Okay. I’ll wait with Lorn then.” Lorn was a big guy with a huge beard and a
gruff demeanor. He was also excellent in a fight and Anakin suspected, halfway
in love with Kanna. He’d been with Anakin in the Mos Espa revolt and Anakin
trusted him fully. He stood to stretch, knowing he’d need some sleep if he was
going on a late night interrogation. Kast would be at work so he and Kanna,
along with Lorn, would handle the new guy.
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Anakin got to the bar with Lorn an hour early. His hair was tied back
haphazardly and no one batted an eye as they took a seat in the back. This time
of night was mostly drunks intent on getting drunker. He and Lorn talked about
speeders and drank crap beer. As the meeting time got closer and Kanna started
pushing people out, Anakin focused on hiding his Force signature, just in case.
He’d had a close call with a Sensitive on Mos Espa who worked for the hutts and
wasn’t looking to repeat the experience. It took a lot of effort to
simultaneously hide his presence and reach out through the Force but he could
do it if he had to. He sunk into the corner and pulled his hood up, obscuring
his eyes and nose and rested his head against his clasped hands. He didn’t need
a visual if he was focusing on someone’s intent and Lorn had moved to face the
bar more directly, using his height and build to look intimidating.
Eventually the bar patrons were all gone and the man came in just as Kanna was
about to lock the door. Anakin settled in further to the shadows and focused
his mind.
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-----------------------------------
Obi-Wan entered the bar as Kanna was locking up. He noticed two other people in
the bar. A large man making a show of his heavily muscled crossed arms (with a
heavily scarred shoulder) and another in the back corner who was concealing his
face.
“They’re with me,” Kanna said, locking the door behind him. “Sit.” She gestured
to a table near the bar and Obi-Wan sat as she pulled the shutters down so no
one could see into the establishment. Then she took the seat opposite him.
“So we did some digging on you. Your story checks out well enough. Your service
with the Republic Armed Forces is impressive. And we honestly don’t care if you
stole money from Core World bankers or not. So here’s what’s gonna happen.
We’re gonna have a talk, I’ll ask you some more questions, and my friends back
there will help me consider your answers. Then you leave. And we contact you in
a few days with a burner comm.” She tossed said comm onto the table and Obi-Wan
pocketed it. “If we accept your help, you should know that this revolt is going
to be bloody. We lost people in Mos Espa and Mos Doba. So if you’re doing this
out of some misplaced sense of justice for an ex then you’re gonna need a
better reason to stick with it. We’ll require you to help provide combat
training and plan strikes with improvised bombs. This is not some Republic-
friendly march for our rights. We don’t have the luxury of rallies and
petitions. No one cares about us but us. Everyone else in this is a slave, so
start trying to direct how we do things and it’ll go badly for you. We all
survived trauma, rape, beatings, seeing loved ones sold off or blown to bits
for trying to stand up for themselves. It's our skin in the game and we run
this. Understood?”
Obi-Wan was impressed by the speech. It made his own mission difficult but once
he’d gained their trust perhaps he could sway them that losing fewer people
would be worth trying to sit down. Or he could help dispatch the hutts faster
if the situation called for it. The woman was indeed right that the people with
the most to lose should set their own goals.
“Of course. I understand I come from a privileged position and that I’m an
outsider. While I don’t follow orders blindly I wouldn’t assume any kind of
leadership or command and won’t give opinions on things that don’t apply to me.
That’s not my place.”
He thought his answer was a good one going by Tara’s body language. But behind
them he heard a table screech against the floor and turn over and before he
could move the petite girl had a blaster on him. The man with the muscles was
up, looking to Kanna for direction and Obi-Wan had his hands in the air, still
seated.
“Ben,” she said in a voice that promised violence. “We don’t like liars.” Her
finger was on the trigger. Well, he thought calmly, this had gone bad rather
fast.
He was about to explain that he wasn’t a liar but another voice, the hooded man
from the corner spoke up.
“He wasn’t lying. Not about that.” And suddenly Obi-Wan couldn’t breathe. That
voice was so familiar. He’d heard it laugh and cry out from nightmares and make
sarcastic quips while piloting at insane speeds. But there was no-and then he
felt it. The Force signature that had once been as familiar to him as his own.
“You can put the blaster down.” Tara did so though somewhat reluctantly.
Then Obi-Wan stood and turned and the world’s axis shifted. Anakin was standing
there in dark robes, hair grown out long and with a few new scars on his face
but his eyes were the same. Bright blue and looking just as confused as Obi-Wan
felt.
Neither of them knew what to say but they kept staring.
“You need to tell me who this is now,” Kanna said, cutting through the silence.
“Obi-Wan,” Anakin said in a strained tone. “Obi-Wan Kenobi. It’s really you.”
“Anakin,” Obi-Wan smiled softly. He wanted to hug the other man but didn’t know
if that would be welcomed. He didn’t know if Anakin had possibly wanted to
never see him again. But before he could think of what else to say he had his
arms full of former padawan.
He embraced Anakin tightly, burying his face in the taller man’s chest. When he
pulled back he was shocked that he didn’t have to wipe his eyes.
“I’m so sorry,” he said quickly. “I’m so sorry I failed you.”
“What? Obi-Wan, you didn’t fail me.”
“I did. I didn’t pay enough attention to how unhappy you were and how poorly
the Council treated you. It should have been my primary duty to care for you
and guide you and I failed in that. When you left I-I thought you never wanted
to see me again.”
“No! It wasn’t that. I, you were the one good thing I had at the Temple. But
there were things the Temple isn’t equipped to handle. Things that no one
raised there would ever think about and it was too much. I’ve missed you.”
And stars, if that wasn’t like feeling he could breath again. “I missed you
too. Very much.”
“I’m sorry I left you like that. I didn’t want to but I had to.”
“You had every right.”
“Um, sorry to break this up but why does he know your name?” Kanna asked, brow
arched and hand still on her holstered blaster.
“Obi-Wan was my Jedi Master,” Anakin said and Obi-Wan noticed Kanna’s eyes go
wide at that.
“Seriously? The Republic sent a Jedi to infiltrate us?”
“I was sent to help, not infiltrate.” Obi-Wan said.
“Why would the Order care about Tatooine?” Anakin asked.
“The Order didn’t want to send me but Padme insisted. I believe she remembers
you fondly.”
“I haven’t thought of her since word about the Chancellor got out. At least one
Senator cares about us I guess.”
“Two. Do you remember the Duchess of Mandalore?” Anakin nodded. “Well, she and
Padme married not long ago. They both insisted.”
Anakin smiled at that. “Padme married and throwing her weight around in the
Senate. I can see that happening pretty easily.”
Obi-Wan grinned. “Quite.”
“So you’re really here to help us?” Anakin asked.
“Yes. I had to lie about the fake identity but I had planned on using it the
whole time I was here. I do want to help, though.”
“Can we trust that he doesn’t have some other agenda?” Lorn asked.
“The Council probably asked you to do this peacefully, didn’t they?” Anakin
asked.
“They did. But missions get complicated. Things happen.” Obi-Wan smiled. While
not risking lives was one of his goals, it was a long mission and long meant
the potential for more things to ‘come up’. And Tara had spoken truly. Peaceful
resistance was a luxury that not every situation or person had. Going after
Palpatine had taught him that.
“I remember when you roughed up that arms dealer who was helping people kill
locals for the planet’s resources.” Anakin grinned. “When Master Windu asked
about his black eye and broken wrist you just shrugged and told him it had been
a bumpy ride back and not everyone saw the sense in seat belts.”
“Safety protocols really are there for a reason,” he replied evenly, grinning
only slightly at his former apprentice.
“Anakin. As fun as this is, do you trust this guy to not report back
information that could be intercepted and to actually work with us?”
Anakin gave him a long, appraising look. “I do. Obi-Wan never lied to me. If he
says he’s safe then he his.” Obi-Wan was a bit surprised. Three years ago his
padawan had been more suspicious of people. Though he was a man now. One who’d
apparently been a revolutionary for some time.
“Okay. If you trust him then for now I'll buy it. I’m leaving with Lorn. We
have places to be. Then the three of us need to talk tomorrow.”
“Right,” Anakin said. He hesitated before his next words. “Obi-Wan would it,
would you want to catch up?”
Obi-Wan swallowed. He logically knew he shouldn’t get close to Anakin again but
he didn’t have it in him to say no to that. “Of course. We could go back to my
room if you like.” Anakin nodded and Kanna saw them all out.
Anakin pointed out his speeder in parked nearby and they rode back to the hotel
in silence, Obi-Wan holding onto Anakin’s waist as he piloted. His head was
spinning. What were the odds of ever finding Anakin again without meaning to?
He was relieved to know that Anakin wasn’t aware of his affections and that he
hadn’t driven the young man out. But still, there was so much left unsaid. He
supposed he was unbelievably lucky that he might have the chance to say it.
When they parked outside the inn he led the way to his room, though he was
fairly certain that Anakin knew which one it was. When he’d closed the door he
found himself being hugged again. Hugging back, they both held on for a long
time. He offered Anakin some tea and they sat down in the small front room that
had a couch and a holocomm station.
“I thought about trying to find you,” Obi-Wan found himself saying as he sat
down on the brown sofa. “But I knew if you had left then it was because you
made the right decision for yourself.”
“Thank you. I wasn’t sure if it was at first. I didn’t plan on becoming...well.
What I am. I only wanted to stay long enough to get mom out and find a place
for us to start over. But she showed me that I didn’t have it in me to just
abandon the village to slavers. So we started fighting back. We took the
village, then split up and took Mos Espa and Mos Doba. Now we’re here. Mom’s
still in Mos Espa, running the first school there.” The way Anakin smiled
proudly at that was worth so much.
“I’m glad to hear it.” He smiled back. “Your signature is more at peace now.
I’m glad you’ve found that for yourself. And sorry again that the Temple
couldn’t offer you the peace or belonging it should have.”
“It’s not your fault. I left because like I said, growing up like this, there
are certain experiences that no one else can really understand. At least not
most people. Things that I could push down for so long but they were coming up
and I didn’t want anyone to pity me. I figured I’d rather be angry than pitied.
And I was scared of having to encounter some of the things that slavery entails
again. But fighting for this has let me heal a lot of old wounds. Three years
ago I didn’t think I’d ever be able to be happy or not hate myself. But this
has been worth everything.”
Obi-Wan had never heard Anakin say so much at once and look so content at the
same time. He’d heard him have angry rants or discuss things in a way that
spoke of depression and cynicism. He really had found himself.
“Being a revolutionary certainly seems to suit you. And I’m so proud to see you
fighting for others. Not that you need my approval, but you have it along with
my respect and gratitude.”
Anakin’s cheeks flushed at that and Obi-Wan tried not to find it endearing.
“Why in the Sith Hells would I have your gratitude?”
“I learned much from you in our time together. In fact I still have your braid.
I could never bring myself to get rid of it. I know the Council and I should
have done better by you, but I’m grateful for the time you did spend with me.
Some of my fondest memories are of those times.”
“Thank you,” Anakin said softly. “I’m sure your next padawan will be able to
cause explosions and throw tantrums too, though.”
Obi-Wan barked out laugh at that. “I’ve informed the Order I’m never taking on
another padawan, but some of the explosions were appreciated, even if I didn’t
feel it proper to tell you so at the time.”
Anakin laughed as well. “I was surprised to hear that Satine married. I thought
that you and she were...close.”
Obi-Wan ducked his head at that. “We had known each other a long time and while
we flirted, it never really went beyond a mutually beneficial and temporary
arrangement. Certainly nothing like the real love she has for Padme. We worked
together as friends to out Palpatine as a Sith and we’re much better suited to
that dynamic than anything else.”
“That’s good-I mean it’s good when you can realize that you’re better off as
friends and have it be mutual.” Anakin was blushing again. “I mean I had an
experience like that. It was more the excitement of still being alive after
taking Mos Doba and knowing what it was like to almost not come out of a long
and bloody battle that made us anything more than friends. Wartime comfort, I
guess. Even though we’re not gonna have the love of the century he and I helped
each other through some things at a time when we both needed it. And at the
Temple I always struggled with attachment. And thinking no one would ever
really want me.”
“I seem to remember you having a few admirers among the other padawans,” Obi-
Wan said gently.
“Yeah, but it was just...physical or because I was the ‘Chosen One’. I didn’t
think anyone would ever really know who I was and still find anything there
worth having.”
Obi-Wan’s heart broke at hearing that. He was about to apologize again when
Anakin stopped him.
“It’s not your fault. Really. I was a kid who’d had a traumatic early life and
didn’t know how to cope. You were still grieving for Qui-Gon when you took me
on and the Council shouldn’t have done that to you. You were barely older than
I am now. And maybe you weren’t Master of the Year, but you did the best you
could. You never pried and you always made me feel safe. That was a feeling I
didn’t have for the first nine years of my life. Are you-are you okay?”
Obi-Wan was wiping a tear from his eye. “Yes. I-I thought for a long time that
it was me that drove you out and not the Council or the pressures of Temple
life and being the Chosen One. With Qui-Gon dead and you gone, I considered
leaving the Order, but I had nothing outside of it. Then there was a Sith in
the Senate and eventually I found small reasons to stay. Feeling that I’d
helped avert a war and seeing Padme and Satine married, then excited about
expecting their first child. Teaching a class of younglings here and there and
knowing they wouldn’t have to grow up in the chaos of war. Things that made the
work I was doing seem more important than a stuffy Council and a lifetime of
bland robes.”
“You were the only reason I stayed as long as I did,” Anakin said sincerely.
“When I wasn’t angry I was busy wanting someone I knew I couldn’t be with and
that- I think that maybe we weren’t destined to be Master and padawan.”
“I concur. I remember in your note you said you’d felt love. I reached out to
Padme to see if it was her you felt that for but she said that it wasn’t. It’s
not my business but I am glad that you have found parts of yourself here that
you couldn’t with the Order. I’ve seen first hand that love can help people
against great odds and through hard times. You of all people deserve to find
it.”
“I-thank you. It’s so good to see you again. I mean, ideally we wouldn’t be
organizing a rebellion, but I think we both left ideal a long time ago. If it
were up to me I’d tell you everything about The Resistance that I know, but we
don’t work like that.”
“I wouldn’t expect you to. I’ll respect whatever distance I’m asked to keep.”
And he meant it. He’d deal with the fact that he felt his mission was secondary
to Anakin later.
“It’s getting late. I should head home. People to talk to tomorrow. Oh, you
should know that I don’t go by Anakin here. It’s Li. No last name.” Obi-Wan
nodded and stood to take their cups to the sink.
He embraced Anakin again as the young man stood in front of the door and felt
luckier than had any right to be.
“I’ll see you soon,” Anakin said and he could only nod as the door closed
behind him. Afterwards he considered his great fortune and his options. The
Council was expecting him to check in with Mace tomorrow. He absolutely
wouldn’t tell them about finding Anakin. Not only did they not deserve to know,
but that information could be intercepted, like Tara had said. It was unlikely
that any slavers were looking at him this early but he refused to chance it. He
also wasn’t sure he wanted them to know how fast he’d found The Resistance.
Tara and Anakin knew this fight much better than the Council or Republic did.
It sounded as though Anakin had played a crucial role. If he cared about their
cause at all he wouldn’t suggest they take some Core World approved route while
slaves were being taken advantage of. He’d have to play this carefully.
He realized he was in trouble. He’d risk lying to the Council if it meant
protecting Anakin and the cause he was sacrificing everything for. Was he still
in love with the man? Did he really know him the same way after three years
apart? He wasn’t sure, but regardless, Anakin was his priority in this. He’d
tell the Council the lead was a false start. It wasn’t as though they were
invested in the mission. They’d rather he be catering to the whims of some
politician in the name of Republic solidarity.
Finally settling into bed, he felt good about his decision. It took him a long
time to fall asleep as for the first time in three years, he was turning to
memories of Anakin and feeling joy instead of sorrow.
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Anakin couldn’t wipe the smile off his face. Obi-Wan was here. He was going to
fight with them. Last night in the man’s room felt unreal. Kanna was still
suspicious of having a Republic agent in the mix and he didn’t blame her. Kast
would be home soon and then the three of them would discuss it. He knew now why
he’d felt he should've be the one to follow their mystery off worlder.
He finished tossing together some spices for hard bread and curry he was
making. The three of them shared domestic duties and it was his night to cook.
He heard the front door open and knew it was Kast. Kanna was sleeping in until
dinner was ready. He heard Kast enter the ‘fresher got the stove heated as he
coated root vegetables and the small amount of bantha meat they had to the pot.
By the time it was almost ready Kast entered the kitchen.
“What are you so happy about?” He asked with an amused tone.
“Turns out our mystery man is a friend of his,” Kanna said, entering the
kitchen and yawning.
“What?”
“It’s true,” Anakin said, depositing the food on the small table they shared
and pouring water for himself. They all sat down and Anakin smirked, knowing
that thanks to his mom, he was the best cook in the house. “He was using a fake
name but he was my Jedi Master for ten years.”
“Wait, the off worlder with the fancy accent is the man who trained you?”
Kast’s eyebrows were raised in disbelief.
“I know it’s crazy, but it’s true. I felt his Force signature and it’s him.” He
smiled again around his forkful of curry.
“Shit. But what’s a Republic agent doing here? The Core doesn’t give a kark
about us.”
“A Senator I was friends with heard about The Resistance and demanded that the
Jedi Council help. They didn’t want to, but they sent Obi-Wan when she and her
wife insisted.”
“And he’s not gonna try and tell us how to run things?”
“He wouldn’t do that. I spent ten years with him and he always worked with
people. He didn’t go in and start telling them how to live their lives.”
“Did he ask you for information last night?” Kanna asked.
“No. He said he’d respect whatever boundaries we gave him. And I didn’t
volunteer anything. All he knows for sure right now is my real name.”
Kast gave him a concerned look but Kanna spoke next.
“Okay. And ten years isn’t nothing, I’ll admit that much. But if we bring him
in, you’re responsible for him. You gotta make sure he isn’t leaking or telling
the Republic about us. I can trace his comms but if he works with us, you gotta
keep an eye on him.”
“I would.” Anakin said solemnly.
“So we’re doing this?” Kast asked.
“What do you think?” Anakin knew without all three of them agreeing that it
wouldn’t happen. He wasn’t sure what he’d do in that scenario.
Kast took a minute to respond. “If you both still trust him, then I trust that.
Republic ties aside, if Anakin says he spent ten years with the man and his
priorities are straight, then we could benefit from having another Force user
trained in combat around. Gods know your kill count is higher than anyone
else’s and you’ve saved more lives during a fight than I could. And he’s
clearly capable of undercover work if we need someone to talk to slavers for
intel.”
“Okay, looks like your guy is in,” Kanna said, finishing her food. “I’m off for
my shift. Anakin, you know the burner comm frequency. Contact him when you’re
ready.”
“Got it. Are we still planning on bringing him in for combat training?”
“Makes the most sense,” Kast said. “And that way you’ll be the one to show him
how we organize it.”
Anakin agreed happily. After Kanna left Kast helped him clean up.
“Are you sure this is a good idea?” The dark haired man asked him.
“You said you trust him if we do.”
“And I do. But...it’s pretty easy for me to tell that this is the person you
were hung up on. You’ve hardly ever smile like that.”
“I-Yeah. I was. But I’m not the same person anymore. And neither is he. We
talked last night and it’s good.”
“Okay. I mean it’s not my place and if he’s good for you then I’m happy. I just
don’t want to see you get hurt.”
“We’re putting our lives at risk. There are worse things that could happen to
any of us than getting our feelings hurt.”
“I know. But we take care of each other where we can. If Kanna came home all
smiley over someone I’d wanna check in with her, too.”
“True. And thanks. But I have a good feeling about this. If that changes,
you’ll be the first to know.” And Anakin was thankful for his friends. They
were more like family at this point. They’d all seen each other fight, cry,
lose it over a threat or fallen friend. They trained together and watched out
for each other.
Kast’s dark eyes looked relieved at that. “Okay. I’m off on recruitment. See
you in the morning.”
Anakin nodded and prepared himself for the second combat session in their new
headquarters. They always started small, with no more than five or so people at
a time and himself and someone like Lorn to co-train and provide backup in case
anyone was hiding their motives. He’d already smuggled makeshift staffs in and
he’d have his blaster in case. It was going to be a long night with an early
morning of showing up for a patch job on someone’s comm system. But they had to
keep their covers and build a force willing and able to take on slavers. Their
shifts never really ended.
Chapter End Notes
     I know I need to finish my Omegaverse fic and SAM, but this was
     speaking to me today.
***** Chapter 3 *****
Chapter Notes
See the end of the chapter for notes
Obi-Wan still couldn’t quite believe that he’d found Anakin again. In
Anchorhead of all places and well entrenched in a rebellion. It was probably
unbecoming of a Jedi Master to smile so much to himself but he couldn’t really
care at the moment. He’d just finished informing the Council that he’d been off
on a false lead and now he’d wait until he was contacted on the burner comm.
It had been almost too easy to lie to the Council. They were so preoccupied
with the Senate that it was painfully obvious how little they cared about some
fool’s errand of a mission to Tatooine. He considered contacting Padme or
Satine but decided it was better to wait on that front as well. He couldn’t
trust anyone with Anakin’s whereabouts. Not until Anakin himself consented to
that information getting out.
He distracted himself with busy work for several hours. Catching up on old
reports and and using the holonet to look for a more permanent living situation
than the hotel. After a couple of weeks it would become suspicious for someone
to stay in Anchorhead without either having a reason to stay or finishing their
business and leaving.
Sometime after midday his burner comm went off. “This is Ben,” he said coolly.
“Ben, it’s Li. Mind if I come by soon? We can talk about those speeders you
were interested in.”
“Of course. See you shortly.”
It made sense that Anakin would come to his room. Though it was one more reason
he’d likely need an actual flat of some kind soon. In less than an hour he was
ushering the young man in and using the Force to double check that he hadn’t
been followed. He hadn’t but the dark rings under Anakin’s eyes were almost as
alarming.
“Did you sleep at all last night?” He bolted the door behind the younger man.
Anakin yawned widely. “No. Haven’t slept in a couple of days. Between work
and...other work there hasn’t been much time. Don’t worry. We used to go a
couple of days without sleep while on missions all the time.”
“Yes, but this isn’t a mission for you. It’s your life. At least have some tea.
Running on the cheap caf here can’t be good for you.” Anakin smiled at that at
least and accepted a cup of tea. Before he took a second sip he was extracting
a data pad from his bag and settling in on the couch.
“Look. This is a building where I’m training new recruits. There’s not a
session tonight but I’m going to take you there so you can get a feel for it.
I’ll run you through some of the combat drills we teach. After a few sessions
of co-teaching with me you’ll be given your own cohort. I don’t think I need to
tell you that slavers and their allies are on the lookout for us here. They’ll
do whatever they can to prevent Anchorhead from turning into another Mos Espa
or Mos Doba. Slaves here are already seeing their owners take more interest in
their whereabouts so it’s imperative that no suspicions be raised and no one is
followed. We might ask you to go undercover as a slaver at some point but we
haven’t decided yet.”
“Understood. Am I to take it that you hold a position of some influence in the
organization?”
“I do. But like I said, I can’t just tell you everything. It’s not just up to
me.” Anakin’s vivid blue eyes held a bit of remorse.
“And again, I wouldn’t ask you to. I contacted the Council this morning and
told them I had gotten a false lead. As far as they know I haven’t found The
Resistance or anyone connected to it. I won’t give them anything on your
activities unless you want me to.”
“Obi-Wan. I know you were never the biggest fan of the Council, but couldn’t
you be in serious trouble for blatantly lying to them?”
“I’m using my best judgment and discretion to keep a movement safe. The Council
will understand that even if they don’t like it.” Anakin grinned at that.
“It’s good to work with you again. Hopefully things will go more smoothly for
us with two trained Force Users around. No one was expecting us to take Mos
Espa or Mos Doba so quickly but we won’t have the advantage of being
underestimated here. We also need to get you set up with a weapon that isn’t a
‘saber. Staffs have come to represent the movement but it’s your call.” Anakin
yawned widely again.
“Do you need to show me this training building anytime soon?”
“No. It would be better if we waited until after dark.”
“Take the couch or the bed, your call. I’m not the cook you are but I can
scrape something together.”
“You’re not my Master anymore. You can’t force me to take a nap.” Anakin smiled
widely as he said it.
“I wouldn’t dream of it. But I can insist that a young man who’s clearly
exhausted get a few hours of sleep while he can.”
“Fair enough. And I’m totally taking your bed.”
Obi-Wan huffed fondly as Anakin headed into the back room.
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--------------------------------
Anakin usually had a hard time sleeping in places that were new to him. But
having Obi-Wan’s scent on the bedding put him at ease immediately. It reminded
him of all the times they’d taken turns sharing a small small bed or slept back
to back on missions. How he’d always felt safe then no matter how dangerous
things got.
He slept peacefully for a solid three hours. When he stretched out and checked
his comm he couldn’t believe how comfortable he was. Nor could he remember the
last time he slept so well. Rubbing at his eyes he wandered back into the
primary room.
“You were right. I definitely needed that.” He shook his head and sat on the
couch as Obi-Wan finished putting something that looked like blue rice and and
yucca root into bowls.
“I thought you might. Here. I regret I never developed the talent for seasoning
that you did but it’s edible.” Anakin took the bowl he was offered.
“It’s not bad,” he said after chewing the first bite. “Though I blame all the
years of bland Temple food you suffered. I know Jedi are supposed to live
simply but it’s like they want you to be allergic to flavor.”
“Ha! You may have a point. The first time I had Togruti fare on Shilli was
incredibly unpleasant. Qui-Gon found it amusing that my stomach rejected spices
so vehemently but I most definitely did not.”
“I missed my mom’s cooking so much at the Temple. It’s a miracle I got so tall
after forcing myself through every meal there.”
“You never said anything,” Obi-Wan said, sounding concerned.
“I didn’t want to be a problem. It wasn’t a terrible hardship or anything.”
“Still, there’s much the Temple wasn’t prepared for in terms of an older
charge, as you pointed out.”
“It worked out,” Anakin shrugged. “Mom is as happy as I’ve ever seen her and I
did get to have her cooking again. And see you which I didn’t think I’d ever
get. Can’t really ask for more than that. If I get taken out by a slaver
tomorrow then I can say it was all worth it.”
Obi-Wan frowned at that. “Don’t say such things. I very much object to you
being ‘taken out’.”
“Just saying. We’ve had some close calls out here and this line of work gets
dangerous.”
“I understand danger. I suppose I just dislike the idea of you in mortal peril
after spending three years hoping that you were alive and safe.”
Anakin felt guilty at that and ducked his head. “I’m sorry about that. I never
meant to make you worry.”
“I know. But as you said, we did find each other. And I consider that a gift.”
Anakin felt his face heat up at that. He didn’t know if he was still in love
with his Master but he wasn’t about to admit to it if he was. “It’s not nice to
make your former Padawan blush. But we should get going now that the suns are
down.”
“Am I to assume we’re taking that deathtrap you call a speeder?”
“What happened to this being a gift?” They were both grinning ear to ear on
their way down to said speeder.
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If Obi-Wan didn’t have any actual protests to make at holding onto Anakin’s
waist on the ride to the outskirts of Anchorhead then well, he was keeping that
to himself.
The warehouse itself wasn’t overly large but was fine for training some smaller
groups. It also had a stable second level which Anakin mentioned using for
blaster practice.
“So, I’ve already cleared most of the debris out and we’ve had two sessions
here. I’ve been leading with Lorn spotting and helping out. Most slaves have
seen a few fights by the time they’re thirteen but some haven’t. Others have
been beaten so are reluctant to throw hits. Typically people warm up to using
combat as a tool after a few sessions but if they don’t we let them know that
while defending themselves is important, there are other ways to help.”
“Does that happen often? People being totally adverse to combat training?”
Anakin twirled a staff idly. “Not too often, no. But having high stakes in this
game means some might be more afraid than usual. If you notice anyone have a
hard time or showing high levels of anxiety let me know and we can decide how
to handle it from there.”
“Right. So what kinds of drills are you starting with?”
Anakin grinned at that. “We start with hand to hand. Once a group has mastered
those techniques we move to staff and blaster training. Hand to hand focuses on
three areas. Disarming an armed opponent, ground fighting, and efficient
strikes to that tend to be sensitive on humanoids. Major nerve clusters,
pressure points, that kind of thing. Kanna teaches a class just for women but
that doesn’t usually get going until later in the process. We teach everyone
from children to old folks so a lot of the teaching is about presenting it in a
way that the person can grasp. I’ll show you the first set of hand to hand.
Ready?”
Obi-Wan could only grin as Anakin leaned his staff against the wall and assumed
a solid fighting stance. Anakin showed him the basic maneuvers they used to
train new recruits. Most were easy enough. Obi-Wan was the armed opponent in
the scenarios. Some of the drills were taken straight from the Temple but
others were more direct and brutal. There was no focus on the art of combat,
simply the straight forward need to end a threat.
After a solid half hour of working through the basic drills again and again,
Obi-Wan easily memorized the set. Another half hour and he felt comfortable
teaching said techniques. They were both panting a bit but far from exhausted.
“I have to admit,” Obi-Wan said, standing from having been thrown onto his
back, “I do miss our sparring sessions.”
Anakin smiled in response. “Me too. We used to draw decent crowds at the
Temple. You were all precision and power. I usually got my ass handed to me
until I was seventeen.”
“Yes, and then I had to really be on my toes. You were a fast learner. Despite
not holding a ‘saber until you were eleven you quickly outstripped many other
Padawans at the Temple.”
“I used to practice until I couldn’t move when you were stuck in meetings. I
was never much good at meditating but wearing myself out until I could barely
think straight was almost as good.”
Obi-Wan looked around the dusty warehouse. “Don’t suppose you have your ‘saber
on you?”
“Is my former Master suggesting that a non-Jedi spar with him?”
“Just asking if a friend is up for some competition. After all, how would it
reflect on me if I trained a revolutionary who doesn’t keep up with his
training?” Obi-Wan wasn’t sure what it meant that he couldn’t remember the last
time he’d smiled so much. But it felt too good to question.
“I’d be happy to lay your fears to rest, but it’ll have to be some other time.
I keep my ‘saber hidden these days. Can’t afford drawing attention too early.”
Anakin looked honestly disappointed. “Plus it was...difficult for me to use it
and not think of you. I almost left it behind. But then I remembered finding my
crystal and how you believed me when I said it showed me things.”
“I remember that trip. I hope now you can attribute better associations with
your weapon.”
“You don’t think I don’t deserve to have it?” Anakin asked shyly, looking at
the floor.
“Of course not. You deserve it just as much as any other Knight. You may have
left the Order but no one can take your training or the Force from you. I joked
about my legacy in training you, and while I can’t speak for anyone else, you
will only ever make me proud in using your lightsaber.”
Anakin sat down against the wall heavily. In the dimly lit room he looked very
small, so Obi-Wan sat next to him. “Thank you. I-things here have gotten so
dark sometimes. Every time I think I’m a little more used to losing people in a
fight or hearing about something a slaver did because they suspected someone
might be with our cause, I witness something even worse. I used to feel like I
didn’t deserve to be a Jedi because of how I grew up. Even after I left I
sometimes felt like I didn’t deserve my ‘saber.”
Obi-Wan put his arm around Anakin’s shoulders even though the younger man’s
height made it a bit awkward. “Your crystal called to you. With or without the
Order, that makes it yours for however you choose to use it.” Obi-Wan had felt
anger with the Council many times, but perhaps never as much as he did then.
When Anakin left he’d blamed himself as well. But here was a young man who was
risking everything to fight for people who needed his help. The idea that he
was somehow undeserving of a weapon he’d forged with his own hands was
outrageous.
Later that night after Anakin had dropped him off at his hotel, insisting with
a small smile that he couldn’t stay because he had responsibilities to attend
to, Obi-Wan found himself lost in thought. While Anakin had never been a model
Padawan, he’d been driven and eager to prove himself. He’d been so insecure in
the strange world of the Temple and Obi-Wan was only just now really seeing
that. Here on a planet he’d hated as a child, Anakin was more at home than
ever. He was calm, aware of his place and his duties in a way he’d never been
in the Order.
Tomorrow night he’d co-teach a class with Anakin. And truth be told he couldn’t
wait. Even when they’d been angry with each other they’d always worked well
together. He knew he was attached but honestly, sod the Council. If Anakin
could see them now he’d be disgusted at how they were fawning over the Senate
in the wake of Palpatine’s death. Hell, they’d wanted Obi-Wan to start making
speeches to further cement the Order’s place in the Republic. It was the first
time he’d really understood the pressure put on Anakin from a young age. And it
was terrible.
But tomorrow he’d have a chance to work side by side with Anakin again. He’d do
everything he could to help ensure a free Tatooine.
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Anakin knew he was likely unreasonably happy about seeing Obi-Wan. After three
years it was like nothing had changed. Well, that wasn’t true. The man was no
longer his mentor, though they’d always been friends first and Master/Padawan
second. But now there was no odd power
dynamic where Obi-Wan could pull rank. Not that he did that often so much as he
would sit Anakin down with a lengthy story of his own training. But now they
were just friends.
“Oh god, you’re smiling again,” Kanna said with a wary look as she went about
emptying the current pot of caf and making a new one.
“My only good memories of being a Jedi were with Obi-Wan. It’s good to be
working with him again.” He sipped his own caf, wondering if he could find the
tea Obi-Wan had given him nearby.
Kanna sat next to him on their bare sofa and pulled her knees against her
chest. “And when Anchorhead is over?” Her dark eyes were concerned but not
judgemental. Well, only slightly judgemental.
Anakin shrugged. “I don’t know. But whether he takes off and I never see him
again or not, I think it was good that we got closure. He knows that I didn’t
leave because of him and I..know that I wasn’t broken or crazy for not being
able to cope with living like a monk.”
“Okay, good. Something tells me thing here are gonna get rough. So I’m glad you
have that.” Kanna pushed her locs behind her ear in a futile gesture.
“And what about you?”
“What about me?” She sat up straighter at that and Anakin smiled.
“You spend more time with Lorn than strictly necessary. He’s not just your
muscle.”
“I-I can’t let myself think about that until Anchorhead is free. It wouldn’t be
right to have people depend on me and then make a stupid mistake because I was
distracted.”
Anakin sobered at the thought, realizing that Kanna had a point. They were
asking slaves to trust them with their lives. They always had been, but he
couldn’t afford to let anyone, not Kast or Kanna or Obi-Wan, come before the
mission of a free Tatooine.
“Besides,” Kanna continued more lightly, “it’s nice to just...be what we are
right now without the pressure to be more. You should stop chugging caf and get
some sleep if you’re gonna teach tonight.”
“Says the woman who’s recruiting two nights in a row. But I might check out an
opening at a the hangar for a mechanic. It would be better money and I could
get an idea about who’s coming and going here.”
“That might complicate things if we needed to use you as a slaver.” Kanna kanna
sipped out of her tin mug and Anakin contemplated the cheap stone and durasteel
walls.
“True. But Obi-Wan would be far better suited for that, if it turns out we need
to do so at all.”
“Alright. Now shoo. I’m claiming the couch as a nap spot.” Anakin smiled and
headed out to the hangar.
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At an hour after midnight standard time, Obi-Wan was waiting outside the
warehouse as he felt Anakin’s familiar presence approaching. The feel of the
younger man in the Force made him want to re-establish their Training Bond,
though he wouldn’t bring that up with Anakin. He wasn’t expecting the five
gallons of water and satchel of ration bars that Anakin had strapped to his
transportation.
“Good hosts provide for their guests,” the younger man shrugged.
Then in total silence he helped Anakin get his speeder and supplies inside.
Just as they did, two slaves showed up. They were both human men wearing ratty
linen trousers and shirts with close cropped hair. Their skin was darker than
his or Anakin’s but some of that could have been dirt.
“I’m Li, thanks for coming,” Anakin said evenly. "We’re gonna get food and
water set up but feel free to have some before or after. Or both.”
“I’m Jai, this is Cutter,” the shorter of the two said. Once An-Li, Obi-Wan
reminded himself. Once Li had the water set up both men drank deeply. As they
did a Twi’lek woman and a boy who might be her son showed up, followed by a
handful of others. Some of them nodded to Li with a bit of familiarity. The boy
finished off an entire ration bar even though it might cause him to cramp up
during training. But he looked like he very much needed it so no one said
anything. By a quarter after the hour they had about fifteen recruits. The
Twi’lek boy with the light blue skin looked to be the youngest at around twelve
and the oldest was a woman in her fifties.
Li set everyone up with partner who roughly matched each other’s size as best
he could. He used Obi-Wan to demonstrate the drills and worked with people who
had been there before on improving technique. The class was off to a relatively
smooth start. Until Obi-Wan noticed that the Twi’lek boy was clearly
uncomfortable with being separated from his mother. He was working with another
boy who looked to be in his teens but every time the human teenager made the
lunge, the Twi’lek boy flinched.
“Hello,” Obi-Wan said kindly, approaching the pair. “You two alright?” He did
his best to present a rougher accent, more like Li’s.
“Of course, sir,” the boy said immediately.
“No titles here. I’m Ben. What’s your name?”
“Di’ca.” Obi-Wan looked up to see Li approaching.
“I got this one, Ben,” he said, standing near the boy.
“Di’ca, is it okay if I put my hands on your shoulders so I can help your
stance?”
The boy’s eyes went a bit wide for a moment but he nodded tersely. At this
point Di’ca’s mother was watching carefully. Anakin helped the boy position
himself and told his partner to announce when he was moving in for an attack by
saying where he was going for. The other young man caught on immediately and
soon the pair were working well together. Obi-Wan made himself useful elsewhere
but something about the boy’s apprehension to touch pulled at his mind. As
class wrapped up after an hour and a half of drilling he realized what it was.
Anakin had responded the same way to almost anyone else touching him. Sometimes
he even flinched when Obi-Wan would put an arm around his shoulders if he
didn’t see it coming. Clearly Anakin could recognize those signs in someone
else. The knowledge brought both pride in his former student and sadness.
After class they took posts on either side of the warehouse with their comms
and sent pairs and small groups back into the city in spaced out increments and
along different paths. Most people didn’t begrudge slaves being out to buy a
pint on their down time but caution in the early stages of training meant fewer
problems down the line. Once everyone was cleared Anakin drank a bit from the
little that was left in the water drum. The ration bars were gone as they’d
sent people home with what was left.
“You did great for your first class,” Anakin smiled after most of the lights
had been extinguished. “I can tell a few of the people who came back
appreciated having you here. Lorn is good too, he’s just not particularly
approachable.”
“You have a way of connecting with people. I’d never seen you reach out to
others like that. It suits you. Especially how you worked with Di’ca.”
Anakin frowned a bit at that. “Yeah. I hate seeing kids in that situation. The
kind of fear you grow up with as a slave. His sister came last time without
him. I think she’s his only family now. I hope we can find a place for him
before he’s too old to pass for a boy without people asking questions.”
That startled Obi-Wan a bit. “Di’ca’s not a boy?”
Anakin huffed at that. “I mean possibly. But if he wants to continue passing
he’ll need medical treatment before long. If he’s only feigning because Twi’lek
girls get sent off to worse fates than being house slaves then...like I said.
It’s pretty common on Tatooine. If I had appeared female at birth then my mom
would have chopped my hair and dressed me as a boy, too. Not that that always
stops certain kinds of attention.” Anakin’s signature had a dark presence now.
Not the malevolent darkness he started developing after he turned fifteen. More
like the dark grey of things not pleasant to dwell on. Obi-Wan realized just
how woefully unprepared the Temple was for younglings not raised there.
“Is that why he…”
“Flinched at touch? Yeah. You’ll see it a lot. Beatings, sexual assault. They
manifest in odd ways sometimes. Aversion to touch or sometimes a need to
constantly be touching and earning praise. Some kids can’t stand touch, others
can’t stand anything that might look like disapproval because they’ve come to
associate that with something bad happening to them. Working with them and
letting them know that you respect the boundaries they set usually goes a long
way in putting them at ease. If they really don’t do well with physical
training then we’ll set them up with something they’re more comfortable with
like running errands or digging up history on people. We try not to involve
anyone under twelve if we can help it though. Ready to head back?”
Obi-Wan could only nod. The ride back to his hotel his head was spinning. He
barely realized that Anakin let himself in until he was making them both tea.
“I shouldn’t come here so often,” Anakin said. “If someone notices I’ve been to
a nice hotel they might get curious. But I do miss your tea.”
Obi-Wan smiled a bit at that and sat next to his former Padawan.
“Why so quiet?” Anakin nudged Obi-Wan’s knee with his own.
“I suppose I’ve always had the luxury of being a complete outsider in missions
that got anywhere close to this level of the atrocities of certain
institutions. I’m realizing that all the times you and I were on a mission and
how strongly you’d react to seeing someone suffer..I thought I understood but I
didn’t. Not really.”
“You didn’t have to. I knew even if it wasn’t always personal for you that you
cared. About the people and about me. You were never just about the mission
objective and the report that you showed the Council. Hell, I might be the only
one who knows how much was left out of some of those reports.”
“Hah. You are at that. You always kept me from being a mindless agent of the
Order.”
“Oh, please. You were the one who taught me how to break rules without getting
caught. My first Life Day as your Padawan involved you taking me to some diner
halfway across the planet because I mentioned wanting to try Mon Calamari style
seafood. Then you told Master Windu that we’d spent the day training on active
meditation.”
Gods, he’d nearly forgotten. “We were both stuffed. I do remember that. We
never did have the traditional Master/Padawan dynamic.”
“Nah. But we were better than that.”
The quiet way in which Anakin said it made Obi-Wan feel pleasantly warm. He
leaned back against the sofa, remembering the restaurant they’d gone to. Bant
had loved the place and he’d known that Anakin would, too.
“But seriously, Obi-Wan. You’ll see things that are hard to stomach here. But
you’re helping and that’s what matters. If it starts weighing on you and you
can’t just...give it to the Force or whatever, talk to me. Gods know I wouldn’t
have made it through in one piece without friends. I wasn’t so different from
Di’ca when Qui-Gon found me.”
“Mm. You were quite taken with Padme then if I recall.”
“Hah. I wasn’t ‘taken’ so much as I understood that Padme was safe. She was
closest to my age and well, not a strange man I didn’t know. Besides, for
better or worse everyone I’ve ever been...attracted to has been a man. Which
was maybe harder to get used to.”
“How do you mean?”
Anakin raised his head from where he’d been lying back on the sofa as well.
“Just..being assaulted as a youngling by men and then realizing you might have
to learn how to love one. It wasn’t easy.”
Obi-Wan felt whatever might be in his stomach turn to lead. His own Padawan and
he’d never known?
“Hey, don’t look like that. It was way before I ever met you.”
“It doesn’t change the fact that I-”
“Obi-Wan.” He’d rarely heard his name as a full sentence like that since Qui-
Gon’s passing. “Look at me. In the eye.” And of course he met that blue gaze
head on. “I didn’t tell you that so that you’d feel bad about something that
you can never change. I told you because it was part of why I left and it was
something that I only...got back for myself a year or so ago. And I found it
because I came back and started doing something about how slaves on Tatooine
grow up. Please don’t look at me like I’m to be pitied. I couldn’t handle that
from you.”
Swallowing the lump in his throat, Obi-Wan took a deep breath and closed his
eyes. When he opened them that sky blue gaze still had him. “Anakin. I have
known you for years and the last thing I would ever presume to saddle you with
is pity. I do thank you for trusting me with that though. And while I might
have to work on the urge to murder anyone who hurt you as a child, that’s
because you’re my friend.” The look on Anakin’s face was such a relief that
Obi-Wan knew he’d been given a test of sorts and passed.
“Hey, I’ll totally beat people up for you, too.” Anakin grinned. And just like
that everything felt right again. “I should be going though.”
“You can stay if you prefer. Though I understand if you have other
commitments.”
“This sofa is definitely nicer than my pallet. You drive a hard bargain but I
accept.”
As Obi-Wan drifted off that night, sensing Anakin already asleep on the couch,
he wondered not for the first time what exactly he’d gotten himself into.
Chapter End Notes
     Short-ish chapter but they needed to clear the air a bit more before
     other events progress. Thanks as always for reading!
End Notes
     Someday I'll write something besides Obikin. Honest.
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