darkforcerising | (no subject)

(no subject)

Who: Canon Obi-Wan, AU Earth Anakin
What: Cross universe shenanigans continue - Aunakin talks to his former master
When: now
Where: aboard the Resolute
Rating/Warnings: Probably low

Anakin had many things to talk to his former master, friend, and enemy about. Many he knew he could also not bring up, even if he wanted to. This would be a tricky conversation.

But one thing was for sure. He’d decided to assume he was here for the foreseeable future (or past, depending on point of view) and he needed something more than exactly one pair of clothing. But he wasn’t going to grab one of his twin’s spare set of robes. He wasn’t about that scene anymore, wearing them would give everyone the wrong message.

So Anakin wanted to know when this flying weapon could make a stop at the closest space freighter’s fueling depot, and he could buy this universe’s equivalent of trucker clothes.

He found the meditation room Obi-Wan was using and then hit the notification button. While he waited for Obi-Wan to grant him permission to enter, he grabbed a gummy worm from the bag of candy in his hand - one the bags he’d been carrying on him when he’d crossed over into this adventure.

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"Come in," Obi-Wan called. He hadn't opened his eyes; he could sense an Anakin Skywalker a mile away and he was starting to discern the subtle differences between the two, underneath the searing Force presence with the power of a sun.

"I'd suggest that you're feeling troubled," he said when Anakin entered, still not opening his eyes or shifting from his meditation position, seated calmly on the floor. "But I sense that's not quite the right word. Not in the way that the Anakin of my acquaintance often feels troubled."

Well, if Obi-Wan was going to go there, Anakin figures he wouldn’t hold back. “‘Troubled’ is an over simplification of what I’m feeling.”

And for the briefest second he let Obi-Wan sense all of it, everything he was feeling all at once: the frustration of reality displacement and the despairing feeling of helplessness; concern, but care and joy, for his friends left behind; love for one person in particular, but he kept the full details back for his twin’s sake; there was a tremendous amount of sorrow, guilt, regret, and even anger, which he again, he kept the details back; and yet through it all there was also resignation and even some amusement. He let all that shine, and as quickly as it sparked, he pulled back again.

That wasn’t his point for coming.

“I need clothes,” he said, a request seemingly incongruous with all that emotion. It was down right practical. “Looks like I’ll be here a while and one pair of underwear is just not fair to anyone here.”

Edited 2019-12-19 04:52 (UTC)

Anakin's emotions were always overwhelming to some degree. It was one of the reasons that Obi-Wan sought so vociferously to help him control them. Maybe it wasn't the right approach, but with the training and experience Obi-Wan had, it was the only solution that made any sense. Jedi didn't work through their feelings; they suppressed them.

Still, at the onslaught - which was unusually controlled, underneath it all - he couldn't help sucking in a breath. When it ended, he opened his eyes, looking up at the familiar stranger standing over him.

His request made the Jedi raise his eyebrows.

"I'm not sure we have much onboard that would be to your... tastes," he admitted, his gaze sweeping over the ensemble Anakin was currently wearing. "But we'll be at spaceport early tomorrow morning." He got to his feet in one seamless motion. "You'll need credits, of course, but at least we can help you with that." A beat. "That seems like a trifle of a discussion, though. What are you going to do here? Once you've got your credits at the spaceport, do you even want to get back on this ship? We're at war. We're not going anywhere... fun."

The jeans and double layered t-shirts and hoodie didn’t have counterparts in this universe. He was going to miss his graphic t-shirts. This one had Animal from the Muppets on it playing drums. He would treasure it.

He nodded, accepting the plan and then held out the bag of candy to Obi-Wan. “Gummy worm?”

He thought about the question. “About that... I did... something you should know about,” ominous, but he already had so many things to keep to himself, he wanted to be open as much as he could. “I mean, I’ve already fought this war and Personally, I’m not interested in fighting it again. But,” he nodded and then confessed, “I told Anakin who Darth Sidious is. So I guess I need to stick around.”

He only looked at the bag of 'gummy worms' with vague suspicion, but soon Anakin was causing bigger problems, so there was little doubt that he was, in fact, Anakin.

"You told... Why would you tell him before you told me? Is he even still on board, or has he already taken a shuttle?" Obi-Wan grumbled, moving to the computer console to check. One Anakin standing right next to him made it too difficult to untangle quickly whether the other was still around. Obi-Wan relaxed very slightly when the computer confirmed the other Anakin was still on the ship. He turned and looked at New Anakin. "So? Who is he, then?"

Anakin kept the bag open and angled in case Obi-Wan chose to have a gummy worm. Anakin took out one and munched on it while Obi-Wan berated him like his former Master's ire was no big things - mostly, because it was to this Anakin. He was so much more skilled in just letting people be emotional around him, even if it was because of him.

"He needs to rebuild more trust in... well, anyone, than you do," he explained simply. "And it was easy enough to convince him not to run off when I explained the bigger picture. Just had to reason with him." To be fair, he did have the advantage of knowing exactly what his twin wanted or needed to hear.

"I actually think it will be harder for you to hear than it was for him."

Obi-Wan would take some umbrage at being described as 'emotional', whether or not it was true. He gave Anakin a wry look.

"Why is that? Is it Master Yoda?" he said dryly.

Anakin barked a laugh at the idea of Darth Sidious being Yoda. "That poin-" he stopped himself just in time from saying 'pointy-eared space goblin." But his smile didn't wane. "No. No he's not Yoda."

After a final chuckle, he said. "Darth Sidious is Chancellor Palpatine."

"Shocking," Obi-Wan said flatly. He didn't look shocked. He had been preparing himself for a Big Twist. He already didn't trust Palpatine; it could have been worse. "So what is this big picture you told Anakin about to keep him from running off and stabbing the man who's likely been using and manipulating him all along?" he asked sharply.

Anakin stopped and considered Obi-Wan, wondering if his own unaddressed emotions about the man could be affecting their interaction. He knew he'd need to address those emotions at some point. Probably not the time.

"Right now, Palpatine has the ability to kill every Jedi currently engaged in the war." He might as well have said 'all of them.' There were some Jedi who'd chosen to stay out of conflict, but those were few and far between.

Obi-Wan was remaining wary around this Anakin, so his side of things lacked the warmth underneath any interaction - even an argument - with his actual former Padawan. But that remark had his attention. His posture became straighter, more alert, his demeanour more attentive as he turned more fully towards Anakin.

"How, exactly, would he be able to do something like that?" Obi-Wan asked evenly, his eyes fixed on Anakin's face.

Anakin was catching the deliberate distance between them. But some things you could not go back to, he had to just leave that alone, no matter what part of him ached for a reconnection with this man.

"Embedded in the passivity chip of every clone trooper is a command activated order to kill the Jedi. The order can only come from Palpatine." He tried to stay present when explaining this, but he couldn't help but recall that night that was so long ago for him, when he knelt in front of Palpatine and the Sith had issued that order. And all the accompanying regret, guilt, and sorrow that came as a packaged deal with those memories. Everyone from Earth tried to say the lives they'd lived and passed on from were over and done, but that couldn't assuage how he felt.

"Every Jedi leads a legion of hundreds of troops... Because of their passivity chip leveling their- the clones' emotions, you won't sense it coming."

"Then we need to move on him immediately," Obi-Wan concluded. "Before the order can be issued."

This cut through Anakin's fog of remorse and made him smile a bit, he couldn't help it. Who was running to that shuttle now? Like padawan like master.

"Obi-Wan, I know you like to spring the trap, which I usually go for because I like it when things explode, but this is a trap you have to disarm. Quietly." Consider that for a moment, Obi-Wan, consider what it means when Anakin is advocating the non-explosive route.

"If you try to take him by force, he'll sense you coming before you even leave the Temple hangar, and he'll just issue the order. He still has Count Dooku, General Grevious, the whole Separatist army, and the Republic's. What are the logistics of extricating the entire Order from their posts in the Republic's military without him noticing?"

"I didn't say we had to do it loudly, Anakin. I said we had to do it now," Obi-Wan corrected calmly. "What do you suggest?"

If this Anakin really was from the future, he likely had insight they lacked.

Anakin waved off Obi-Wan's concern. "As long as he doesn't catch on to what we do, we've got time. He still has things he's working on before he wants to issue the order." That was sure to elicit more questions, and Anakin wasn't adverse to answering them, but they just had a lower priority.

But onto priority.

"Remove the clones' passivity chip." That was straightforward enough. And before Obi-Wan could ask how that was even possible. "I know a clone who's already done it. And I know he's helped at least a few more do it."

Obi-Wan watched his face carefully.

"Remove their passivity chips. Anakin, do you know how many clones there are? How do you propose we de-chip enough of them to be safe?"

"Yes," Anakin said, and listed off the number as he remembered them for this period of time.

"You de-chip all of them. Not enough for your protection. All. For their peace and justice." For the first time he showed annoyance.

"A few Clones have already figured out how to remove their chip. We can talk to them."

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