The Edge of the Universe

XLV

Obi-wan's POV

One night as the sun was setting I walked across the grass and long fields towards the ship where Anakin, Ahsoka and Rex were working. Rex was up in the cockpit and Anakin and Ahsoka were working in the hanger, well, Anakin was working and Ahsoka was kind of daydreaming. 

I had tried to talk to my younger brother, Owen, and tried everything I could to make a connection or conversation with him but he seemed uninterested and only gave short answers and I could sense that something had happened to Owen in his past but I didn't know what. I wanted some sort of connection with my brother but no matter what I tried we didn't connect, I leant against one of the empty boxes in the hanger of the ship stroked my beard.

"You seem troubled Master Kenobi," Ahsoka stated reaching out with the force slightly.

"It's nothing, just thinking about some things," I lied giving Ahsoka a warm smile.

"I'm sure Owen will open up to you eventually, I can sense he sort of has a grudge against Jedi and isn't comfortable around us," Anakin said tightening a bolt in one of the ship's panels.

He and Ahsoka were both sitting facing each wall of the hanger on the floor with tools, wires and bolts surrounding them. Anakin's back was towards me while Ahsoka was to my left on the floor fixing one of the panels.

"I wish I could just help him or connect with him somehow but I don't know how," I admitted knowing it was pointless trying to hide something from Anakin.

"Well, you and Anakin are brothers, how did you two become close?" Ahsoka asked.

"That's different," I argued.

"Obi-wan's known me since I was nine and practically raised me, so naturally we became closer," Anakin explained, "There wasn't much to say to form a connection in the first place,"

"Well, I think Anakin is right, Owen will open up to you eventually and he might even tell you what's bothering him," I reassured.

I sent Ahsoka a grateful smile but on the inside, I knew there was a small chance of that happening but before the ship was repaired I wanted to at least have a long, proper conversation with him because it would probably be the last time I see them. Anakin sensed my uneasiness but he decided not the comment on it out loud right now, I frowned and sighed, I didn't want to push my boundaries but I also wanted to help him but I just didn't know-how. 

"How's the ship coming along?" I asked changing the subject.

"Pretty good, it should be ready to go in a few days," Anakin replied picking up a tool from the ground.

"I haven't been much help these past few days, I can help now if you would like," I offered.

"If we want the ship repaired then I think it's best if you just stay away," Anakin joked.

I threw a bolt at it and it bounced harmlessly off the back of his head and clattered to the ground, Ahsoka snorted and I rolled my eyes.

"I see you two have teamed up on me again," 

"It's better than you and Ahsoka teaming up on me," Anakin responded.

"Well, usually Ahsoka and I have a point to prove, you and Ahsoka only team up against me for the fun of it," 

"Well someone has to point out how old you're getting,"

I rolled my eyes again and threw a tool in Anakin's direction which he easily ducked to avoid as it hit the wall with a loud clang. I grinned at him even though I was pretending to be annoyed at him and he turned back to fixing some part of the ship. 

"Compared to the other Jedi Masters Master Kenobi is in the lower range," Ahsoka pointed out.

"Thank you, Ahsoka," I replied.

"But when we're just on missions alone then you do feel pretty old,"

I shot a fake glare in her direction and she grinned and picked up a tool off the ground, her and Anakin were so similar that I sometimes wondered if Anakin and I had any similarities and if he picked up any of my habits that I would do. As a Padawan, I was told that I was kind of like my Master, Qui Gon Jinn, and my great-grandmaster, Yoda, which was surprising. Windu said I was more like Yoda than Qui-Gon, I was more thoughtful and almost never disobeyed the Council, but since training Anakin he seemed to rub off on me a bit. Plo Koon says that Anakin was a lot like Qui-Gon, I never really saw it until he was in his mid-teenage years which strengthened our connection even more. When I compared Anakin to myself I didn't see any similarities what so ever but maybe other people saw something that I couldn't. I could even see similarities between Ahsoka and I but not my former Padawan, I found it odd. I had basically raised Anakin since he was 10 and yet I didn't think we had anything in common, we were complete opposites and it made me question if I was a good mentor to Anakin. But, I didn't have time to dwell on that right now.

I sat in the ship as Rex, Anakin and Ahsoka fixed it until night had fallen and the moon had risen high into the sky bathing the planet in its moonlight glow. After a while, I had finally managed to convince Anakin, Ahsoka and Rex to head inside and get some sleep. Everyone was already in their rooms so we all crept up the stairs and slipped into the large guest room, Ahsoka and Rex collapsed onto the two beds in the corners of the room while I flopped onto one of the mattresses on the floor and yawned. Anakin flopped down on the one next to mine and placed his lightsaber on the floor beside him, Anakin was always restless and on high alert when he was in an unfamiliar place, I picked up on it after a few missions when he first became my padawan, it was a habit that he never got rid of. It was small things like making sure he can see the door in whatever room he enters and constantly having the force on-hand in case he needed to use it in an emergency. The force never seemed to rest within him and I tried to teach him to calm his mind but it was no use, it always seemed to be with him and I had grown used to it, Anakin was a powerful Jedi so when he was my Padawan the first thing I taught him was how to stop projecting his emotions out into the force because it would completely change the mood in the room, under stressful situations Anakin would completely change the mood in the room and wouldn't even know he was doing it. 

I rolled onto my side and took a deep breath before closing my eyes, I let my mind go blank and I meditated for a while until sleep finally took over.