Chosen: From the Ashes

A different fate

"A name that became his breath, for so long he called it out-
-and never came an answer back."

[ in short ]: it's a mess.
I might have made Anakin a god and Obi-Wan gets a free-pass to experience it too.
For the worse... and there's that dream he forgot about [ch.2 if you wonder]
oh kriff that's such a mess. wtf

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Alright. Nothing seems impossible, if you put your mind on it, and in Obi-Wan’s case his smooth tongue to work as well, but even with his formidable negotiating skills, charm and oh so many favors to return, it’s quite a stretch. He gets his mission, exchanging it with another Master, for a “small” favor and promises of meeting some of his royal acquaintances, no small matter by the way, still finally he gets it: a research mission of sorts, to study a black dwarf star in the Outer Rim. Only to find later, when he went to get it approved, from Mace Windu no less, that it was originally his mission, but with the force incident and Anakin’s condition (his own no better while on subject), it was reassigned. He would have flyed alone, for it would take quite longer than the usual, and Anakin would have his courses still, or so Mace means along the lines. Obi-Wan has to wreck his brains to bend it enough for Mace to buy it, and namely that he and his Padawan, they both needed this mission for the following (very!) important reasons: 1) to change surroundings, it’s good for mental health, Vokara’s suggestion (he will have to talk with her later about it) 2) their first mission together may take their minds off the incident and its aftermath 3) this particular mission is deemed safe and easy enough to not put them under unneeded stress or danger (ha!) 4) Anakin bested all his courses and could have this mission as a vacation or reward (his first flight in the Rim) 5) Obi-Wan could use a vacation himself. And of course, they have to go alone, to try out and work on their partnership as Master and Padawan in action. Mace Windu is almost impressed, if he wouldn’t know Obi-Wan Kenobi too blasting well. He smells trouble, and with the kid going nevertheless, but has no sound reasons to object (or can’t find any). Even the arguments about their health condition, is promptly solved with Obi-Wan’s mentioning of a medical droid on ship and direct comlink and support from healer Che.

Sigh, stars he is tired already and that was just for getting the mission. All the preparation, the cruiser set-up, rations, medical supplies, undercover garments, extra weapons (unofficial of course), technical equipment and tools, all sorts of devices and gadgets, Anakin insisted they need, and the boy got only a third of it, the rest Obi-Wan had to twirl in black markets and smelly alleys and bargain with insolent sellers to get it himself, and by the light, his to-do list is still growing longer. Vokara Che gives him some crash courses for first-aid and in force, which he insisted to have it before departing, all the deal taking hours from his already limited spare time. There are also the consultations on the force-mind therapy for Anakin, and then some more insight in handling their bond, breathing and meditation exercises, questionnaires, conversation techniques, dealing with crisis, emergency situations, mental breakdowns (for his own sake as well) and on and on. He has very little sleep those days and he hopes he’ll get more while in hyperjump. Anakin seems just as busy, as he prepares things on his own, often out to visit droid services, even medical centers as well, libraries and suspicious locals and bars, Obi-Wan, wouldn’t let him go alone in of course. His Padawan looks like gathering intel on various subjects: planets, trade routes, different persons, from public to unknown to Obi-Wan, bounty hunters, underground networks and big figures, new technologies, starships, starship-building companies, comlink corporations and other things the man has no idea about. The boy empties all of his savings and even needs extra, which Obi-Wan gives him right away without a second thought (not that he has enough jedi “allocation” to spare). These are no bad deals, looking at the amount of the information they get and if Anakin thinks, it’s essential for their mission, then it is. Obi-Wan is just still perplexed at the ease with which Anakin does the dealings, the help with the preparation as well, it’s like he did it regularly, like a developed habit, but that is a silly thought, so Obi-Wan dismisses it.