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siennahrobek · 3 years ago

Text

Future Past

11 BBY

Luke didn’t remember a lot of specific events after his aunt and uncle were killed. Ben once told him that it had taken him near an entire week just for him to start speaking again. Anything he did recall, was mostly feelings.

Later, Luke would dream about it. Between the vague memories, the feelings and the dreams, he could piece together what had happened. It had made him rather depressed for quite some time, upon realizing and thinking about it, but Ben had made it into a lesson about the Force and how it makes up everything and they should celebrate the time that they did have, the bonds they shared. They were in everything now; all around them and in Luke’s memories. Luke had found comfort in that.

He had dreamed about being in his room, playing blissfully with his hand made wooden ships while his guardians made dinner and worked down the hall. There had been nothing specifically special about that day. It was warm and sunny; Uncle Owen had just come in from working on the farm to eat. Luke had played, blissfully unaware.

It had all been very unexpected and abrupt.

There had been no screams, nothing to warn Luke what was coming. Just a pounding on the door which resulted in the horrible rip that tore it off its hinges, a series of blaster shots and a shout of “NO!” that was followed by a horrible gurgle that died in the throat.

It was fast.

And it had caught Luke’s attention as his curiosity got the best of him, despite the painfearpanic that had been momentarily filling his senses. After that moment there had been nothing. Just nothing. He pushed himself up off the ground to see what was going on, only able to peek through the crack between the door and the wall. It wasn’t much, but he had caught the sight of some shiny white plastoid armor and blood pooling over the carpet in the other room – oh was Aunt Beru going to be so upset –

Luke’s tangent trail of thoughts had screeched to a halt as his eyes landed on a body that was sprawled over the floor, skin already paled and eyes glazed over, glossy and lifeless. An arm reached out towards his room; fingers nearly pointed.

It was Aunt Beru.

Luke wanted to reach back.

There was a sharp hiss, and a brilliant blue light illuminated the space. As shouts and screams filled the air this time, all Luke felt was painpainpain and no thoughts accompanied it, which was extremely odd. Even when his guardians got hurt – for whatever reason – there had always been other feelings accompanying that pain. He threw himself to the other side of the room, hiding in the corner under a blanket.

The noises had died down by that time in the world but in his head, they continued to echo.

Blamblamblam. Swishshrrr. Screamscreamscream

He ended up on the floor with his knees pulled up to his chest as tightly as he could get them and his hands covering his ears, as if that would stop the sounds in his mind with his eyes squished closed as if that would stop anything.

“Stop, please. Stop. Stop. Stop.”

Concernfearanxiety. Wherewherewhere?

Those were new ones.

“Luke,” a voice greeted, softly, quietly. Luke knew that voice, he knew it like his own hand, but his mind could not place it. He has always known that voice.

Peacecalmsafe

Peacecalmsafe.

“I can’t feel Uncle Owen,” Luke cried in a whimper. “I can’t feel Aunt Beru.”

“I know, Luke,” the voice whispered, smooth and kind and sorrowful. Blindly, Luke reached out both physically and within himself for the voice.

Peacecalmsafe.

Safe. Safe. Safe.

The voice found him first and quickly wrapped him in a set of arms, bundling him up in a cloak? Blanket? Something both a bit soft and a bit scratchy but warm and well used. It ached of love and loneliness and grief. He still cried.

“We are going to leave, Luke,” the voice assured, subdued. Luke was moving then, tucked in someone’s embrace and under the fabric. “I need you to do something for me. I need you to stay under my robe and do not open your eyes. Can you do that?”

He wanted to look and he wasn’t sure why, but he knew that voice and he knew better than to not listen to it – the presence. He knew that presence. The one that hummed lullabies when he was young and in his dreams. The only thing he vaguely even could recall from his earliest year.

Luke nodded.

The voice moved and Luke reached out again. “My ship,” he whined.

“I have your ship, Luke,” the voice replied, kindly. There was a lot more moving and more sounds that Luke tried to ignore but Luke finally, eventually, got a hold of his little wooden ship. He cradled it tightly, rougher edges poking into him. It took a moment for him to understand the feeling. The carved toys he found felt like something. Something Luke knew – had always known. It felt of horrible grief and sadness, only rivalled by such warmth and undying love. Luke could barely fathom.

But he understood.

His carved toys and the voice felt the same.

Luke remembered mostly more feelings than real, tangible memories for some time after that. Ben was the same of the voice and he wasn’t just a voice or just a feeling. He was a person. A person Luke had often asked Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru about for years. He knew he existed, and he wanted him. It was that feeling he knew since forever and he had wanted that feeling bad. Luke remembered the pity from Aunt Beru and the near disgust and fury from Uncle Owen, which always left a little hurting throb in his mind. Luke had stopped asking for a while but kept wishing for him. The boy knew that presence, that person, was like Luke. And Luke loved him.

Ben was almost always soft and kind, but especially in that first couple of months after they left the homestead. Luke remembered burning and fire but little else. He remembered sitting in front of Ben on his Blurg, wrapped in his robe with bags and things jangling around as the animal had walked across the desert and into the city. He remembered the city, dusty and bustling and being kept wrapped up. They had been there for a bit and Ben often kept his eyes closed. There was little from that time, just a bit of a numb and sad feeling. Ben felt of grief too; Luke had never felt such sadness before. It was enough to choke on, but Ben kept it away, later he found out they were called shields, so Ben’s grief wouldn’t leak into Luke’s.

Luke wished he could take Ben’s sadness away.

Sometimes, even in the present, Luke would look at Ben and knew he wished the same.

Hyperspace was a horrible feeling the first time. It hadn’t been really his first time, as Luke would learn later, but it was the first Luke could really remember, but the chillness in his bones felt familiar. The child hadn’t left the confines of Ben’s robe, even though the cockpit seat wasn’t exactly big enough for both of them. The older man had just whispered to him, running his hands through Luke’s hair and projecting as many positive feelings as he could to get Luke through this. The first time was pretty bad but afterwards, he could deal with hyperspace a little better. It took some work.

It had taken weeks for him to push down the cold. They had been travelling constantly, with varying stops in between to gather their bearings and stock up on supplies. Luke, at the time, hadn’t known where they were going or even how they got the money or the ship.

Hyperspace hadn’t gotten any warmer.

Later, Luke would know that it would have been a lot worse if it wasn’t for Ben’s shields and in time, he would learn to make his own so that the cold didn’t bother him so much anymore. And since he had more control over his emotions than the first time, that had helped as well. He just wasn’t used to this type of cold. Nights on Tatooine had been brutal with the chill but that was always just skin deep. This cold was something else. It was the kind of cold that buried into your bones and burrowed deep into your chest. The kind of cold no blanket or heater could ever fix, despite how much Luke tried.

“Are you still quite cold?” Ben asked tenderly, as Luke tried to move around their tiny ship, wrapped tightly in several blankets. There wasn’t much room on the ship, it was probably made more for one, but Ben and Luke made do. It helped with getting past unwanted visitors.

“Y-y-es-s-s,” Luke chattered.

“Come with me, I will get you some tea.”

Luke didn’t know how tea could help, even when a multitude of blankets and a blasting heater didn’t but the boy followed anyways. Ben usually knew what he was talking about.

He had to do something of a toddle to get to the tiny kitchenette at the other end of the ship, since his balance was still unused to travelling in space. A closed pot of some kind was on the burner and heating. Luke watched with a sort of hypnotized rapt attention as Ben slowly prepared the drink in a small glass. He quietly set two cups down in front of him on their makeshift table near where Luke had sat, bundled up.

Ben set his own down on the other side and took a seat. Luke watched as he took a sip and then, after the boy had situated himself, he mimicked the older man near perfectly, taking his own sip.

It was very warm. He had only taken a bit but that he had drank laid over the cold in his bones, washing over the hurt in his chest. Luke didn’t really have the right words to describe it.

He licked his lips and stared at the cup in wonder. What came out of his mouth had not been what he had intended. “Its… a little bitter,” he admitted.

Luke felt something from Ben, but he wasn’t sure what it was, as it had passed much too quickly for him to identify.

“I think I may have a bit of sweetener,” Ben hummed. Luke didn’t watch him rummage through their little belongings but instead stared at the tea, trying to figure out what he was missing.

Ben gave him a packet. Luke barely put any in, it probably wouldn’t have even changed the taste, but he didn’t want to taint the warm feeling. When he took another sip, slightly more this time, he reached and reached and reached.

Warmth bloomed in his chest, tingling down all the way to his toes.

“Oh,” Luke whispered. He knew that feeling, that was the first feeling. The first thing he could grasp and remember. “So that is what that is,” his voice was nearly inaudible.

From Ben, he felt a wave of pleasedcontentjoyrelief and Luke smiled up at him, brightly.

“I like this!”

Ben’s smile was soft and genuine. Luke’s just grew.

“I will endeavor to get my hands on others of more quality, if you would like.”

Luke’s eyes widened. “There are more???”

Did they taste of the deep feelings and warmth that this one did?

Ben nodded.

“Yes please!” Luke bobbed his head with a bout of enthusiasm. “Are there many?”

“Quite,” Ben replied. “I have not even tasted them all. They all taste different but have the same base.”

“I want to try them all!” Luke grinned.

Ben’s smile twisted into something sad and happy at the same time.

“Can I sit by you while I drink my tea?”

Ben nodded. “Of course, dear one. I’m sure we can make it fit.”

Luke abandoned his blankets and hopped from the seat. He had only taken two sips of the tea and he already felt better and warmer; he doubted he would need those while drinking this. Setting his tea next to Ben’s, Luke crawled up next to him and lifted his large cloak, tucking himself securely underneath it and into Ben’s side.

The older man watched in a mix of mild bewilderment and amusement as Luke settled under his arm and shifted as close as he could. Then Luke grasped his cup and took another, rather loud, slurp of his tea.

Ben chuckled, making Luke brighten. Ben didn’t laugh a lot. He was warming up and the child knew what was making the tea so warm and special. Something that smothered and chased the cold away.

It’s so warm and steeped in love.

Luke loves it.

10 BBY

One of Luke’s earliest, tangible memories about his time with Ben, at least, something exciting,was still a little fuzzy, as he wasn’t always paying attention to what was happening and, well, it was still early. They had a little ship that was good for sneaking out of places where they were not welcome – which was alive, as Luke found – and to avoid Imperials. Luke learned about the Empire early on and to keep away from it. Luke didn’t remember exactly where they were, but he knew they were running out of fuel – they couldn’t use the heater anymore – when they had come across a massive ship that was just floating in the middle of nowhere.

Ben had told him it was a droid ship. Luke had a hard time saying the other name, so he just called them droids. Luckily, they didn’t have any with them to offend. Ben told him that he used to fight them, back in a war. He wanted to ask so many questions about that because it was a war; old crazy hermit Ben Kenobi was a warrior. Months ago, that would have never been believable. Ben had been a wizard in the wastes, but Luke knew better now. Ben could fight and he was good at it. Luke hadn’t exactly been sure why they were there, going to look at this massive ship from the past war, but he had stayed on the ship while Ben went out in search of something.

Luke didn’t know what Ben was looking for when he came back but he certainly came back with something neither of them were expecting.

He hadn’t known exactly what it was, but it was big, and it barely fit on their ship. Luke didn’t like it much; they barely had enough room as it was!

“It is a stasis pod,” Ben explained, quietly, as if reading Luke’s mind. He liked that sometimes, when he didn’t have to try to put together words for Ben to understand what he wanted or meant. “People are put in there.”

“There is a person in there?” Luke yelped, jumping back.

Ben wiped some condensation off of the viewing glass. A face appeared, with darker skin than either of them and curly black hair cropped close to his head. Luke stared at him before sparing Ben a glance. Ben’s brows were deeply furrowed, and he looked rather worried.

“Can we get him out?”

“Not here,” Ben shook his head, his voice low and apprehensive. He leaked out paranoiafearworry. “It’s not safe. We will land and then let him out.”

Luke didn’t really understand, but Ben walked away towards the cockpit, so he didn’t get a chance to ask again. He just got up on his tip toes to look at their new, sleeping passenger, as the ship jumped back into hyperspace. The move to the nearest planet side wasn’t that long but Luke had spent a lot of his time watching the new person sleeping soundly in the pod. His curiosity was peaked, and he had so many questions!

Unfortunately, Luke’s excitement had a downfall as he seemed to forget to strap in as they left hyperspace and began to breach the atmosphere. Unable to keep his balance, Luke tripped and flew into the side of the pod and into the panel of buttons, pressing several.

“Kark,” Luke whispered, wide eyed. The pod shifted and let out a hiss, with condensation and fog being released from the inside. The viewing panel and door creaked as it opened up.

“What was that?” Ben called from the cockpit.

Luke frowned and glanced around. “Uhm…nothing?”

“That didn’t sound like nothing,” Ben muttered so low Luke could barely hear him. The shaking got worse as they made their way through the most difficult part of the atmosphere. It would smooth out soon, enough for Ben to land, but the body hadn’t awoken yet, although Luke could see him shift. He was quickly stirring. Luke just tried to keep him steady.

And, as of course, things only got worse.

“We have company!” Ben called again as he turned the ship sharply. Luke threw himself to the window to look outside; it was easy to move with the turn. It was hard to see anything, but he could make out a few ships and they were shooting at them. “Pirates,” Ben growled.

“What is happening?” a new voice muttered.

Luke turned around. The man inside had sat up, holding his head before looking around. Oh, oh, he was in so much trouble.

The man’s dark eyes met Luke’s bright blue ones. “Who are you? What is happening? Where am I?”

“SHHHH!” Luke practically screeched as he shoved his hand over the man’s mouth. The man just stared at him, completely shocked before carefully moving away from him the best he could.

“…Luke,” Ben’s voice drawled out his name making the boy wince. The man didn’t respond so quickly to cause any pain, but he caught sight of Ben when the man had shifted his head in an effort to look back at the child. The man’s eyes practically bulged.

“General Kenobi?” he echoed.

Something shuttered from Ben. Panicworryfearpanicpanicnonono. “Luke, get away, right now!” he barked.

He tried but the man in the pod hopped out of the casin. Or at least he tried. The man had practically fell out, not quite having his space legs. He scrambled to the cockpit where Ben tensed so much Luke feared he would fall apart into pieces.

“General!” the man called as he got closer.

“Kix,” Ben replied, warily.

Luke didn’t remember a lot after that. He hadn’t been strapped in and therefore had been tossed around the room of the ship a lot, causing several bruises and a couple of small gashes on his person by the time they had escaped the pirates and landed. The two adults had talked a while and Luke waited away from them. He felt a lot of their feelings, mostly the man’s – Kix – due to his lesser shields. They weren’t bad, Luke was just strong.

There was a lot of feelings.

Pain, concern, betrayal, disbelief, panic, heartbreak.

Just a few Luke could identify.

Eventually they had parted briefly, and Ben explained there were some things he had to do, and that Luke should stay in or right around the ship. He had left him with Kix and when the man came to introduce himself, he had seen Luke’s state. There wasn’t a lot that he could do; as nothing was serious, but Kix looked around the ship for any medical supplies and came back with a small kit. He cleaned the small wounds, and then brought out the band aids to cover them. They were colorful with cute little green twi’leks on them.

“He’s got cute band aids,” Kix chuckled. “Where did he get these?”

“They came with the ship,” Luke shrugged. Kix seemed to find that amusing. He tried to ask a little about the state of the galaxy, but Luke was young and didn’t have a lot of answers. All he knew was there was a lot of bad people and they had taken away his aunt and uncle.

It had been hours later when Kix asked out of the blue. “Are you a jedi?”

Luke didn’t have an answer for him.

Ben came back fairly quickly after that with a few supplies and some paperwork. Luke was around when they started to talk again but he wasn’t really listening, rather his interest being taken by the outside nature and curious small animals that dared to venture around the ship. There was some more heartbreak and sadness and grief coming from Kix as they talked. Luke heard a few things that caught his interest including new life, Organa, and rebellion, but they didn’t make a lot of sense to Luke himself.

By the end of the day, Kix was leaving with a small pack and a bunch of paperwork. As they said their goodbyes, Luke walked up to him and pressed one of Ben’s gifted hand carved ships into his hand. Kix stared at it and then the both of them, but few words were exchanged.

That was the last Luke had saw of him.

Ben and Luke left the planet quickly after that, knowing a few pirates were stilling hanging around. Once they had gotten safely into hyperspace, Ben had sat down in the area near Luke. It was quiet until Luke thought of a question.

“Kix asked me if I was a jedi,” Luke noted, pushing around one of the toys had made for him. It was a hand carved land vehicle, with a bunch of legs. Ben told him that he used them in the war. He helped Luke paint it partially gold. Ben frowned and looked at him, a bit surprised. “Ben, what is a jedi?”

His smile was nearly sadder than any Luke had seen from him. He almost didn’t want Ben to answer if it caused him so much pain. “I think it is best if I tell you about the Jedi when you are a bit older.”

“Are you a jedi?” Luke asked, fiddling with his toy and picking up another.

Ben hesitated but he spoke the truth. Luke could feel it. “I am.”

Luke didn’t look up. “Then I want to be one too.”

The chuckle that came from the older man was hoarse and with little humor. He was trying. “You don’t even know what they are.”

“I know you are one,” Luke started. He sounded so sure of himself, like he actually knew what he was talking about. His determination and persistence pressed into the Force. He kept going, his words flowing into one another with unexpected grace. “And I know you are strong and brave and kind. You help people even when they probably don’t deserve it. And you protect people and me, no matter what. You feel things differently, like me, but better. You are calm and gentle and resilient. You love like no one else. I want to be just like that,” Luke’s explanation sounded reasonable to him, and he could feel something, something from Ben but the older man just tightened his shield.

“Perhaps but perhaps not,” Ben replied, calmly but he couldn’t help as his voice cracked. “You can be all those things and not be a jedi.”

“Was my father a jedi too?”

That certainly got Ben’s attention. “Why would you ask that?”

Luke shrugged, still not quite looking at him, his eyes and hands attentive with his task, messing with some parts on one of the toys he was working on. Or, at least, what Ben suspected was a toy. It was hard to tell. “I just feel like he would be.”

“Your feelings do you credit, young Luke,” Ben admitted, hesitant and quiet. He didn’t seem to want to answer this, like it would be dangerous. “Your father was a jedi-,” Luke’s head snapped up as he gasped, eyes widening and his fingers clutching the parts. He had thought so but hearing it admitted out loud was completely different. “And he was one of my closest and dearest friends.”

“You knew him?”

“Yes,” Ben nodded. “Quite well.”

Luke’s eyes had never shone brighter.

Present Past

“I’m sorry, sir, I don’t know how to explain it. He’s in a coma.”

General Anakin Skywalker had been driven to a few meters from the bed where his former master lay, now hooked to a few tubes and an oxygen mask for good measure. There wasn’t that much wrong with him as far as Kix could tell, aside from a nasty gash on the back of his head – he had probably fallen onto some rocks – and perhaps a concussion but there was nothing else. Luke stayed close to the bed, practically in it himself, watching the other troops carefully and warily. He didn’t relax much, although one could tell at least some tension did release from his shoulders when Kix was the only one around. No one was certain why.

“A coma?” General Skywalker’s brow furrowed. “He didn’t look that bad when he was found, even though we didn’t get a very close look at him,” he added, shooting a pointed glance at Luke.

Kix shrugged helplessly. “I am not sure, sir. There is no real reason he shouldn’t wake up. The wound on his head isn’t terrible. My guess is that it might be...you know, Force things.”

Luke frowned, looking back at Obi-Wan. He seemed to consider this for a moment, as if taking it seriously. Apparently, he was. “I suppose that may be possible,” the boy murmured. “Perhaps he just needs some rest.”

“Rest?” Anakin grumbled, crossly.

“Perhaps we should call the Council; they might have some insights,” Ahsoka suggested as she bounced on the balls of her feet, linking her hands together. She seemed a bit proud of her answer, even though her master didn’t appear to think so.

“Or come up with some bold-faced lie,” Anakin’s lip curled, a bit cynically.

“We can at least call Commander Cody,” Rex added, his tone careful. It was hard to miss the way Luke perked at the sound of the name, despite trying to subdue the motion but it was hard not to notice. Everyone had. Or, at least, he was sure everyone had. It was hard to miss. “He would want to know and if nothing else, he can organize the fleet temporarily in General Kenobi’s absence.”

The grumble under Anakin’s breath was one no one could quite interpret but the Captain and Ahsoka soon pried him away, very well near dragging him out of the medical bay. Anakin caught Luke’s eyes right before he left. “I will be right back,” he promised, although it sounded more like a threat.

Kix just sighed.

Even after Anakin and the others had left, Kix kept moving and working around Obi-Wan, checking and rechecking the General’s vitals and signs, trying to figure out what may be wrong and how to fix it. Luke sat quietly just out of the way, content with just watching. Kix did not like the silence. His med bay was rarely this quiet. “So, what’s your name, kid?” he asked, shooting a glance at the blonde-haired teenager.

The boy opened his eyes and looked up at him, evenly. “Ah, Luke.”

“Last name?”

“Depends. Ben and I take a lot of last names.”

Kix had been briefed but just barely. A few of the troopers that had brought General Kenobi’s body in had given him a few facts but not nearly enough for him to know what was going on. He wished he knew more. “You’re safe here,” he assured the boy.

Luke shrugged, crossing his legs. “That remains to be seen.”

Had this child been raised by General Kenobi? He had some similar mannerisms. Then again, General Skywalker had also been raised by General Kenobi and the two couldn’t be more different. “Skywalker?” Kix questioned. His general did have a habit of freaking others out sometimes, as he tended to be forceful and passionate. A force to be reckoned with. “Don’t worry too much about him, he’s just worried about General Kenobi. Usually is, considering how much trouble the High General tends to get in. How do you know General Kenobi anyways?”

“Pretty sure we are time travelers.”

Kix stopped everything at once and spun around to stare at the new teenager. “Pardon?” he sputtered.

“Time travelers,” Luke repeated with a cavalier shrug. “Unless, like I mentioned, I’m hallucinating. But the time traveling seems to be what I think is going on currently. It makes just a bit more sense than hallucinating people I haven’t met ever. And I haven’t been born yet.”

Kix did not know what to do with that. He racked his brain for any response. He wasn’t particularly proud of what he came up with. “I heard you requested me by name.”

“We met, briefly. Or we do, in the future. When I was young,” Luke shrugged again, setting his hands on his crossed knees. “I would have preferred the 212th but Ben’s ship wasn’t available, and I didn’t know how bad his wound was, so I had to settle. Not that you aren’t a great medic.”

The medic chuckled but he wasn’t entirely sure how to respond to that. This was just so entirely bizarre, even with General Skywalker and General Kenobi in the middle of it. And they were in the middle of nearly all the bizarre happenings. “Thanks,” he replied, a bit dryly. He went back to work, figuring it would get more uncomfortable if he just stood and stared. “Why do you prefer the 212th?”

There didn’t seem to be an easy or sure answer to that, as Luke just shifted, a bit uncomfortably. “It’s a long story,” he confessed after a moment. “I don’t know a lot of it. It would probably be better for Ben to explain the future.”

As if he didn’t have a bad feeling already, Kix felt something in his stomach flip over. That did not sound good on multiple different levels. He changed the subject, perhaps he could get some different answers. Surely General Skywalker would want to know more. “You live in the Temple with General Kenobi?” It was rather a shot in the dark, as Kix didn’t really know what would happen, especially after the war.

“No. I’ve never been to the Temple.”

That was surprising, more than most things. General Kenobi did not make it a secret that he loved the Jedi Temple. Most Jedi did. A lot of clones even did. His face twisted as he frowned at the prospect. “What? Where do you live?”

“Lots of places. We were on the run. We are all each other has. It’s just us.”

“What about Skywalker?” Kix swallowed, he didn’t like where this was heading. He didn’t like any of this, really. There was virtually nothing in this conversation that he had enjoyed or found any good in. “I can’t imagine he would just sit back,” he added, cautiously.

“It’s just us,” Luke repeated.

He seemed unwilling to give up anything else. Kix just left it alone.

***

“He’s pretty mad at me huh?” Luke’s voice made Ahsoka jump a little. She had not expected that he had felt her presence. Quickly, she calmed herself and sat next to him. Obi-Wan’s breathing was steady, like he was asleep rather than in some unexplainable coma. She had followed Anakin and Captain Rex to the bridge and called Commander Cody. Even through the wavering blue holocall, Ahsoka could see his expression darken with everything that was listed off. It was a short call, and he ordered a rendezvous, suggesting a call to the Council. Anakin didn’t like that, even though he promised he would. Commander Cody didn’t particularly look like he believed him. Ahsoka didn’t really believe him either.

After the call, Kix had walked up, having left the medical bay, probably to give Anakin an update. Ahsoka had slipped away as Kix just said he didn’t have anything new and worked her way back towards the medical hall. Maybe she should talk to Luke. She was more his age, perhaps he would be more willing to open up to her.

She hadn’t been expecting being unable to sneak up on him. Usually, she was good at that. Either she was losing her touch, or he was just good. Luke had called her out, sitting cross legged next to Master Obi-Wan’s cot. Perhaps he had been mediating, he kind of looked like he was beforehand.

“Skyguy is just protective,” she assured.

Luke glanced at her with his brows furrowed in confusion. “I was talking about Master Skywalker?”

Ahsoka let out a chuckle, trying to lighten the mood a little. Everyone was so dour. She supposed it made sense, none of the events or information they did know wasn’t exactly uplifting or positive. “Same. I just call him that. He calls me Snips.”

Although he was smirking, a bit amused, Luke’s nose wrinkled, unsure of that idea. Perhaps it was more the nickname itself that he didn’t care for rather than the concept of them. “If you like that I guess,” he snickered quietly. Ahsoka smiled, she was right.

“Does Master Obi-Wan have any nicknames for you?”

Luke caught on quick and took a moment to think about it. “Not many but a few. He used to call me Beacon a lot when I was a kid,” he admitted, touching his chin. “His beacon of hope.”

Ahsoka couldn’t help the dread that grew in her chest. It was a cute nickname, aside from the underlying implications.

“That’s really sweet,” she forced out with a strict smile. Keep going, keep going. “How long as Master Obi-Wan been with you?”

Pausing for a long time, he appeared to do some math in his head, his gaze flitting around the room with the thought. “I’m not entirely sure. Since I was eight or nine, I think. The time was a bit blurry. My aunt and uncle that were raising me had been…they were killed. Ben took me in.”

“That’s terrible. I’m so sorry,” Ahsoka replied, genuinely, that was followed with a frown. There were a lot of orphans in the war and although Master Obi-Wan liked and was pretty good with children, it didn’t seem very likely for him to just…adopt one. It was likely that he was force sensitive; she hadn’t really checked or looked but even if he was, it made even more sense for Master Obi-Wan to take him to the Jedi Temple to petition him to be put in the creche like other younglings. Something wasn’t adding up. “Did you ever know your parents?”

Blonde hair shifted as Luke shook his head. “No. My mother died in childbirth.”

“And your dad?”

Luke did not respond right away, biting his lip. “…complicated,” he ended up with, trying to shrug it off. A touchy subject, she guessed. “But Ben is great. I’d be somewhere terrible or dead if not for him. He is my guardian.”

“You care about him.”

“I love him,” Luke corrected with a lopsided smile. “He does his best.” The teenager looked over where Obi-Wan was laying as he twitched, but just barely. It was the first real movement the body had made since he had been found. Luke took his hand, wrapping his fingers around the older man’s and squeezed gently. “We have each other. It might not be much, but he makes the best of it.”

Ahsoka wanted to ask him about the future. She had so many questions. Why was Obi-Wan, of all people, on the run, where were Skyguy and her? Where were the clones or the jedi? But it seemed fairly clear Luke wouldn’t give her those answers.

She tried a different approach.

“Was Master Obi-Wan teaching you to be a jedi?”

Luke smiled brightly and Ahsoka nearly felt blinded by the light in the Force. His nickname hadn’t been just a symbol, Luke’s force presence was so bright. And boy, was he force sensitive; powerful and brilliant, like Anakin. They weren’t the same but how much power they seemed to exude was on similar levels. “Yes! He is raising me as a Jedi. I wanted it.”

The repetition and change of her phrase niggled in the back of her mind.

“Do you have a saber?”

“Not yet,” his shoulders sunk a little in disappointment. “Illum has been…unreachable as of late. Ben has been trying to find a way or other crystals, but we are waiting until one calls to me. He has another saber, but the crystal doesn’t really resonate with me well. It has a history.”

Ahsoka nodded. She understood most of that, many crystals can be notoriously picky with their users. They were even known to fight sometimes. “Perhaps when Master Obi-Wan wakes up, you can borrow his and we can spar.”

Luke visibly brightened again. “I would love that. I haven’t really been able to spar with anyone,” he confessed, beaming clearer than Ahsoka had seen him. Her heart felt like it was melting a little; he was kind of adorable with his little dimples and enthusiasm. She had little doubt that Master Obi-Wan was teaching him, that look could probably placate entire planet governments.

Ahsoka grinned back, baring her teeth, as her stomach growled. It had been quite some time since she and her master had gone to the planet surface to find Obi-Wan’s ship as well as the man from the planet. “Are you hungry?”

Luke nodded. His grin had diminished but he still looked rather pleased, instead of the reserved protective and schooled nature he had been sporting previously. Ahsoka exhaled silently; it appeared as if she had gained some kind of rapport and trust with this mysterious kid. “Famished,” he answered.

“We can go to the mess for some grub,” she shrugged, hopping up to her feet from her seat. She swung her arms to stretch them out a little bit. It felt nice on her muscles, but it also bought her a few casual moments for him to answer.

Hesitating, Luke glanced over at Obi-Wan, his brow furrowing in concern. “I don’t think I should leave Ben,” he replied finally. His gaze flitted over to her in a bit of a silent apology.

She tried not to let it bother her. Perhaps Skyguy would have liked to be alone with his former master for a bit, but then again, he was probably knee deep in talks with the Council, or at the very least, Master Windu. “I’ll bring you back something,” she replied slowly.

His smile was softer and quieter but no less sincere. “I would appreciate that.”

“Anything specific?”

He chuckled slightly, as if he was remembering something. She wished she knew what it was, to be in on the joke. Luke was interesting and she wanted to know him better. “No. I can eat just about anything,” he replied instead. Ahsoka stepped out, ready to move and come back quickly so they could talk some more.

When she had come back barely ten minutes later, she almost got the drop on him. She had been in the doorway, peering inside. Luke had settled near Master Obi-Wan’s head, messing with the master’s hair a little bit. He appeared a bit amused. “Got some nice color in it at this time, huh?” he murmured with a smile. “Guess you aren’t under the twin suns of the desert for ten years, so it isn’t so bleached,” he added with a chuckle. “I really hope you came back with me; I hope this is real. I want to meet everyone you love but I can’t imagine doing it without you. But even if you don’t, I’ll choose you anyways, if you’ll have me.”

Ahsoka’s feet walked with her mind too far behind, which let Luke know that she was coming in. Disappointing, she would have liked to know more about Luke what was talking about. “I got some grub!” she declared as Luke looked up at her and smiled, cordially.

“Thank you,” he included, shifting a bit away from Obi-Wan. She proffered the container with his food in it, and they sat down on the floor next to the bed, the machines steadily beeping as they quickly dug in.

“So, if you’re from the future and you’re around Master Obi-Wan all the time, I’m guessing you know a bit about us,” Ahsoka pointed out, twirling her fork in the food. It was a guess, but she hoped that Master Obi-Wan would at least talk about her and Anakin, if nothing else. If they weren’t around. “You knew who Anakin was when we found you and you asked for Kix by name.”

Luke nodded, slurping up some of his. He glanced up at her, but his gaze was watchful, as if he had to be vigilant on what he said. Ahsoka wished he didn’t feel like that; they should be friends, especially with their connections to Master Obi-Wan. She wondered how Anakin would feel about a brother padawan. “Yeah. Ben told a lot of stories about pretty much everyone he knew well,” he conceded. “He liked telling them and I liked hearing them. I asked all the time.”

“Hope they were all good!” Ahsoka cheered, artfully trying to compel him to elaborate.

“I thoroughly enjoyed them,” he countered as a substitute. “Do you know where we are going?”

Ahsoka tried not to feel too disheartened at the shortage of information she was getting but then again, she didn’t want to push Luke away. She really liked him, he was sweet and charismatic, although a bit protective, at least as far as she had seen. Ahsoka could certainly see why Master Obi-Wan would like him. She knew he was training him to be a jedi, but Luke hadn’t used to the word padawan. Perhaps he was training him without the Council’s permission? That seemed improbable. Shaking off the questions in her head, she answered his as best she could. “Pretty sure we will head to Coruscant,” she started and barely caught a hint of Luke’s faint shudder. “But that will be after we meet back up with the 212th.”

This made Luke perk up, his shoulders rolling to make him look a bit taller. “The 212th? Ben’s old attack battalion? We are going to meet up with them?”

“You know them?”

“Of course,” Luke’s grin was back, and he was just about the most excited she had seen him yet, even more so than the suggestion of a spar. “Ben told me about them all the time. I’ve always wanted to meet them. Is Commander Cody going to be there?”

Ahsoka smirked at him, amused. “Yeah. Cody usually keeps with the 212th, alongside Master Obi-Wan, but he is the Marshall Commander.”

Luke nodded, his torso shifting in anticipation. “Yes, he and Ben led the entire Third Systems Army,” he prattled enthusiastically.

The Togruta padawan nodded a bit entertained by this turn of events. “Yes.”

Biting his lip, a bit Luke tried to hold back a grin. “Do you know when he will be here?”

“A couple hours I’d say,” Ahsoka shrugged, rotating her dish. “Shouldn’t be too long.”

Luke just looked peculiarly ecstatic about that, beaming strangely at his food and dug in with a bit more gusto.

“How is he?” Anakin demanded, although he kept his voice rather low. Kix had come up to him as Ahsoka had slipped away. Perhaps she was going to try and gather intel. He felt a twinge of satisfaction at the thought. The more they knew about this mysterious child, the better off they would be. Turns out, Kix had the same idea and Anakin wasn’t disappointed.

“Physically, he is fine,” Kix answered, a bit helplessly. He didn’t have any more answers about General Kenobi’s condition than before, which everyone knew would irritate the medic. Perhaps the 212th would have better luck finding those answers. They knew General Kenobi better than most and Luke seemed to prefer them. “I’m pretty sure this is probably Force-related.”

“Did you talk to him?” Captain Rex inquired. “The boy? Luke?”

The medic just nodded. “Yes. Said he met me briefly in the future, and that’s why he knew my name. He wouldn’t give me a last name, mentioning that he and General Kenobi were on the run. I don’t know from who.”

Anakin scowled with his brow heavily creasing.

“From what?” Rex asked as his brows seemed to mirror his General’s. It probably would have been an humorous sight, if not for the reason and contexts.

“He wouldn’t say,” Kix replied with a small shake of his head.

“Where am I?” Anakin griped, mostly to himself. He mused about this, not appearing to happy because no one could imagine the answer would be one they would want to hear, much less be true. But Kix answered, as he seemed to have some semblance of a response. He didn’t look thrilled about it either.

“Sir, from the way he was talking, I’m pretty sure you are dead.”

The silence hung in the air like fog, suffocating everything with a looming presence and a horrible line of thought. No one could imagine what that would entail. Although the troopers had come to understand, better than almost anyone, that the Jedi were not invincible, that they were flesh and bone and blood like everyone else; that they could die, General Kenobi and General Skywalker always seemed to come out on top. Even with all the odds and problems stacked up against them, they always came through. If not with a victory, then at least with a survival. The notion that one of them did not and that the remaining one was on the run seemed impossible and unfeasible.

“We contacted Commander Cody,” Rex broke the silence, desperately trying to change the subject. No one wanted to think further about the implications of what Kix had learned. General Skywalker’s face had softened just a bit, like he had realized something that he hadn’t before, something about the repercussions of his possible death and the affect that it would have on the other General. No trooper could tell exactly what it was.

“I’m not happy,” Skywalker muttered. His voice sounded a little annoyed, which was no surprise to anyone, but his gaze was apprehensive and fleeting, almost deep in thought.

“We really should contact the Jedi Council,” Kix added, uncomfortably, as he watched General Skywalker’s expression go through a multitude of different phases he couldn’t pinpoint. Rarely did the medic really want to know what was going on in General Skywalker’s head. “They might know something.”

It took a long moment before Skywalker realized they had been talking to him and he jumped out of his thoughts. “Oh right, yeah, whatever. Let’s call them.

They had connected to General Windu. It was a bit of a busy time for the Council specifically which was probably why the Korun general looked a bit more irritated and tired than usual with Skywalker’s appearance. “Skywalker, did you retrieve Kenobi?”

“Is it just you?” General Skywalker replied, carefully. “Something happened, the Council should probably here about it.” It was fairly apparent that Skywalker didn’t really believe his own words, but they all just went along with it.

“This isn’t a great time,” General Windu replied with a frown. “Most Counselors are currently out of touch or in active battles. Master Yoda is briefing the Chancellor on the latest Ryloth campaign,” he explained, unequivocally. “I’m the only one with a momentary reprieve. Did something happen?”

General Skywalker frowned but explained the situation, from finding General Kenobi on the planet surface they had just come from to the person who was suddenly there out of nowhere, protecting him and his unexplainable coma. Kix had offered his two cents in with possible Force-related reasons. Windu seemed to take these seriously and into account.

“It is possible,” General Windu agreed. “There are several force-induced comas and reasons relating to the Force that could be applicable, although we wouldn’t know without an actual Jedi healer and probably some research. After meeting up with the 212th, come back to Coruscant so we can figure this out. I believe there is a knight nearby that can come within a day or two to assist.”

“So, you don’t trust me to lead the armies by myself,” Anakin suggested flatly, his eyes narrowing.

Kix wanted to groan. This was not the time to be creating problems and arguments. With a glance in Captain Rex and Commander Appo’s direction, it seemed the others agreed.

“This has nothing to do with you, personally,” General Windu replied, his own expression just as calm and schooled as it always was. A perfect picture of serious without condescending, although they were all pretty sure that he had to be a bit frustrated with the young knight. Most could relate, both jedi and troopers. Skywalker had a certain way of doing things that not everyone agreed with. “It is, however, protocol. As well, your specialty involves a single legion with specific missions. Obi-Wan’s is different. He creates plans, tactics and organizes an entire fleet. You will need help,” General Windu shook his head and clicked a few buttons. Commander Cody’s blurry visage appeared with a short greeting. “Commander Cody, have you been briefed on what has happened?”

“Yes sir,” Cody nodded shortly. “We believe we can meet up within the next couple of hours. It should not take long.”

General Windu nodded and Kix could have sworn he looked a little relieved. “Kenobi keeps promoting you left and right. Is it possible for you to manage temporarily, at least until you get back to Coruscant?”

The Commander nodded again and although no one could see it, most were a bit certain Cody was nearly shrinking at the underlying praise. “Yes sir. General Kenobi and I work together closely and often. All it is, at this point for now, is mainly paperwork which I can do, given the permission and authority.”

“You have it Commander. Requisite and take any help you need,” General Windu replied easily. Kix and Rex both shot Cody a smirk, which he had caught, but did not react. “We will do all we can. Meanwhile, there is a jedi who is a couple days out. He is the nearest we have that can help. Since this is your battalion, Commander, you are above him at this point. He will help you however you need. He’s not a General like Kenobi, but it will satisfy protocol for now until we can figure this out.”

“Yes sir,” Commander Cody saluted. He stayed online but stepped back, letting Skywalker to take point on the conversation as it swerved.

“What do we tell people?”

“This does not get out,” General Windu insisted, sharply. His frown deepened a little more, the thought seeming to disturb him to an extent. “Obi-Wan is one of our top Generals. No one can know he is currently indisposed.”

“What about the Chancellor?” Anakin challenged.

Windu’s expression flattened in a chilly, seriousness. The troopers shuttered faintly, unconsciously. “We have things in hand, as of currently. If Obi-Wan is more permanently indisposed, we can bother the Chancellor with this but for now, say and do nothing. Keep this within in the 501st and 212th.”

The younger knight just scowled but he nodded.

“Hopefully, he will awake, and duties can be resumed,” General Windu added. His hand had reached up a little, but he kept it down after realizing the movement. Kix frowned. He looked so tired. Every time he had seen a High General and Counselor, they always looked so exhausted. He knew they were leading most of the war effort, but he wondered what other duties they were being piled with. Kix caught Cody’s hardened gaze, which, to his surprise, looked a bit with a weird mix of furious and worried. It was faint but Kix wondered what he knew. He wasn’t angry at the General, that seemed apparent, but he knew something that Kix didn’t particularly have information on.

“What about this supposed time traveler?” Anakin pressed again.

Kix could almost see the migraine forming on General Windu’s face, even though the transmission. Everyone involved now just wished Skywalker would simply stop trying to cause problems. Whether he meant it or not, his tone grated. “He’s not causing any trouble, is he?” Mace asked with a slow blink. Oh, definitely a migraine.

“He won’t let anyone get near him except Rex and Kix,” Anakin replied with a small snarl, his lip curling. “Even then, he is jumpy and protective.”

“Sounds like someone else I know,” General Windu muttered so quietly, Kix was sure General Skywalker had not even heard it.

“He cares about the General,” Kix added in, carefully. Cody turned to stare at him intently, as if Kix could give him answers telepathically. The Jedi had told them they weren’t telepathic, but it seemed like it sometimes. Kix almost kind of wished he could do that too, whatever they did, if only to give the commander answers and get Cody’s intense gaze off of him. Kix continued easily, avoiding eye contact. “Lives with him. Certain the General is raising him.”

“Raising another padawan?” General Windu mumbled but Kix could not pick up any other tonal cues to suggest what he meant by that. Once again, it didn’t seem that General Skywalker had heard him. Louder, he continued, “leave him for now. The Jedi coming to you may be able to help with his intentions.”

General Skywalker just bristled, not pleased with this answer.

“Time travel is not out of the realm of possibility,” he added, slowly. “I don’t know any specific case of it but there are plenty of readings, documents and research that support the theory of its ability. It is entirely possible that this boy is telling the truth, but I think we will know for certain when General Kenobi wakes up. For now, just rendezvous with the 212th,” General Windu ordered. “And get back to Coruscant.”

With a faint and defeated sigh that probably would not have translated through the call, he replied with a “Yes master,” and everything turned off. General Skywalker closed his fists and tightened them for a moment before letting the pressure go. “Estimated time of arrival?”

“Three hours and forty-three minutes for rendezvous with the 212th,” a soldier relayed. “Six days, eleven hours and twelve minutes to get back to Coruscant, approximately, if there are no other issues or setbacks.”

General Skywalker nodded, accepting this. “Alright, let’s get a move on. I think it is about time I go talk to our guest.”

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