Inheritance

Crash Duty

Some limited spoilers from Jedi Apprentice.
No betas, therefore the mistakes are all mine.
See chapter one for disclaimers.

Obi-Wan is uncomfortable. He cannot see anything. He is totally surrounded by darkness and something is hurting... something on him. His head. Yes, that's it. Obi-Wan's head is definitely hurting, but why he doesn't know. The pain won't let him focus and it is so dark. There is something hard beneath him. He feels bent at an awkward angle, his back against something not hard, but not soft either. It isn't comfortable. Now there is noise. Someone is talking... loudly. Obi-Wan is annoyed. He is annoyed and uncomfortable. Something else is happening. The darkness is being replaced by a painful, blinding light... and why is that person still yelling...

* * * * *

"Obi-Wan? Obi-Wan!" Anakin says first in concern then he repeats it in panic. As soon as Obi-Wan leaned over the box Anakin had sensed... something... a shift in the Force. When Obi-Wan started to tilt backwards, Anakin was already rushing to catch him. Now he sat on his knees holding his former master in his arms screaming his name.

"Master, please!" Anakin begs. Slowly, a frown begins to crease Obi-Wan's face making him look remarkably grumpy for an unconscious man.

"Master!" Anakin yells his relief growing as Obi-Wan continues to stir beneath his gaze. After what seems like an agonizingly long time, he opens his eyes, blinking rapidly against the harsh light.

"Wha... what...," he half groans, half questions.

"Careful, Master," Anakin says as Obi-Wan begins to pull away from his embrace. Obi-Wan pulls gently at first, but once he senses Anakin's hesitation he snatches himself away more violently. Anakin doesn't try to stop him, but he can't help himself from staring at Obi-Wan in surprise.

"Obi-Wan," he starts, but he is immediately cutoff.

"Stop coddling me, Anakin. I'm not a youngling!" he snaps. Obi-Wan regrets his words before they even tumble out of his mouth, yet he is unable to stop or even slow them. Anakin stands, his expression no longer registering surprise, but instead worry and confusion. Obi-Wan's expression suddenly softens, his eyes wide and apologetic.

"I'm sorry, Anakin. That was..."

"Not like you," Anakin supplies. Obi-Wan wants to argue, but he is forced to quickly concede.

"Indeed," he says as he glances back at the open box. "I suspect that our little mystery b..." he begins, but Obi-Wan is unable to complete the thought as the small shuttle violently attempts to throw its meager crew into the wall. Both Jedi stumble, but both are able to remain upright. Anakin is the first to reach the cockpit. He slides into the pilot seat, his eyes quickly scanning various readouts, his fingers deftly flitting over the ship's consoles. Obi-Wan falls into the seat beside him.

"There was an explosion on the port side wing," he says as he glances at Obi-Wan. "Imagine that," he adds snidely. Obi-Wan has the decency to look a little abashed. Anakin doesn't push the issue, he has more pressing matters demanding his attention. He allows the small craft to tumble out of hyperspace. Obi-Wan begins scanning around the vessel as Anakin desperately attempts to hold it together.

"There!" Obi-Wan starts as he shows Anakin the coordinates of a medium size, non-descript moon. "Can you get us there?"

"I don't suppose I have a choice," Anakin answers through clenched teeth. Lights blink frantically all over the cockpit. A warning alarm wails noisily in the background as Anakin plunges the ship into the moon's atmosphere. The cabin trembles and shakes. A red glow can be seen just outside the window.