elrhiarhodan

Title: From All The Spaces Between Times
Chapter: Chapter Chapter 25 - Crates of Facile Riddles, Miracles Locked in Their Cages
Author: elrhiarhodan / elrhiarhodan / elrhiarhodan
Fandom: Star Wars, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars - Obi Wan Kenobi (TV), Star Wars - Jedi Apprentice Books
Characters Obi-Wan Kenobi, Qui-Gon Jinn, Shmi Skywalker, Anakin Skywalker, Watto, Quinlan Vos, Padmé Amidala, Sabé, Darth Maul, Yoda, Mace Windu, Adi Gallia, Quinlan Vos, Professor Huyang, The Force, Plo Koon, Vokara Che, Siri Tachi, Aayla Secura, Bant Eerin, Bruck Chun, Xanatos du Crion, Original Characters, Other Characters To Be Added
Pairings: Obi-Wan Kenobi & Shmi Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Qui-Gon Jinn, eventual Obi-Wan/Qui-Gon Jinn (but not for a long while)
Word Count: ~ 6400 this chapter
Spoilers: None
Warnings/Enticements/Triggers: Author Chooses Not To Use Warnings/Ratings

Summary: Obi-Wan Kenobi has never known it, but he has always been the Force’s Champion, destined to suffer infinite sadness in defense of the Light. On his last turn on the wheel, responsibility for The Chosen One, the false child of prophecy, had been thrust upon him with no warning, and Darkness held the upper hand.

But this time, the Force has marshaled its power and will protect its Champion until the time is right, no matter how long Obi-Wan has to wait and how much he has to suffer.

Or,

Obi-Wan is reborn as a twelve-year old.

He wakes up on a slavers’ ship, with all of his prior life’s memories intact, and he’s bound for Tatooine with a Force-inhibitor collar around his neck, a bomb implanted in his spine, and no way of knowing what state of the Galaxy is in.

Just another day in the life of the Force’s Champion.

Chapter Summary: Released from the Halls of Healing, Qui-Gon is looking forward to some quiet time with his padawan. They had only been separated for a few days, but it feels like a month.

Nothing is ordinary, though. A few hours after he and Obi-Wan get back to their quarters, Mace and Master Yoda pay a visit.

This isn’t going to be good.

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From All The Spaces Between Times - Chapter 25 - Crates of Facile Riddles, Miracles Locked in Their Cages (On AO3)

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Meta - Chapter 25 - Crates of Facile Riddles, Miracles Locked in Their Cages

As always, I am deeply grateful for all the love you’ve given this story, the outpouring of comments on the last chapter - the guessing on where the story is heading - makes me so very happy.


Even more serious progress this week - over 8k! I’m still feeling kind of crappy, but the story is singing to me. I wake up and the words are just dying to get out. I even know a huge part of the endgame now. It’s still a hundred thousand words or so in the distance, but I’ve got it in my head. Oh, the joys of being a pantser.

Please note, I am still thinking about taking a few weeks off from posting after Chapter 27, which is the end of Book II. I will keep everyone posted.

234,645 words, 44 chapters

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This story has just passed 900 kudos. That feels like a bigger milestone than 1000, for some reason (I’m weird, I know). And to celebrate, have some more lovely Obi-Wan and Anakin being best padawan bros moments from Chapter 28. (I kind of teared up writing this, tbh.):

"Anakin Skywalker, I did not expect to see you at the Temple again — not that your presence is unwelcome."

Obi-Wan watches as Anakin bows and addresses the Battlemaster warmly. "My family has some business on Coruscant, and Master Qui-Gon invited me to spend some time here — to get to know my new lineage brother."

"Who is as much a prodigy with the 'saber as you were — maybe more so."

Obi-Wan winces at the compliment.

"So I’ve heard. My master has been singing his praises for the last year, and Obi-Wan has offered me a spar — a chance to prove himself to this old man."

Master Drallig chuckles and further embarrasses Obi-Wan. "I hope you’ve been keeping your skills sharp, Skywalker, because, young Kenobi here can just about wipe the floor with everyone in the Temple, myself included. The only duelist in the Temple I haven’t seen him go up against is Master Yoda. I expect that challenge will come soon."

Obi-Wan stares at the floor, all too cognizant of Anakin’s eyes on him.

"Well, I’ll let you two get going." Before Master Drallig heads into the big teaching salle, he turns back and asks, "Would either of you mind if I brought my class in to observe after we’re done? They should see what the two best 'sabers in their prime can do. That is, Skywalker, if you’re still standing when Obi-Wan gets done with you."

Obi-Wan is ready to bang his head against the wall, but Anakin is eager to let the senior padawans observe. "We should be just getting warmed up when you’re done with your class. Unless Obi-Wan has any issues, you’re more than welcome to observe. What say you, brother?"

Obi-Wan nods at Master Drallig and heads into the changing room.

Anakin follows him. "Did I make a mistake there?"

"No — no. It’s all right — I just get a little awkward with all the — ah — praise. Those senior padawans aren’t exactly my peers, and none of them are my friends." Other than the Fantastic Four and Reva, Obi-Wan hasn’t really expanded his social circle.

Anakin slaps his forehead. "Oh, Force. Sorry — should I go — " Anakin takes a step towards the door, to tell Master Drallig that it’s not okay for his senior padawan class to observe.

"No, no — it’s fine. And it’s not really a secret that I’m something of a 'saber prodigy. But I don’t like rubbing anyone’s nose in it." Obi-Wan quickly changes out of his daywear and into light tunics and leggings, but he keeps on his beloved boots, which are now perfectly broken in.

Obi-Wan smiles to himself when he sees that Anakin, underneath his fancy civilian clothing, is still wearing his well cared for Jedi-issued boots, polished, resoled and reheeled though.

When they enter the salle, Anakin closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. "Force, I’ve missed this smell. A thousand years of sweat and leather and kyber and competition. If the Jedi could bottle it, they’d never need to go to the Senate for funding. Every man in the Galaxy would want a flask of the stuff."

Obi-Wan blinks — what an odd sentiment. His Anakin had never expressed any interest in attracting masculine attention. Does he actually think women would like this odor? Aroma? Fragrance? Well, what does he know?

"Do you want to run through some open-handed katas first, to warm up?" Anakin asks?

"Of course. What’s your preference?"

Anakin looks startled. "That’s very kind of you, to let me pick."

"Well, you are my guest." And Obi-Wan can’t quite resist. "You’re also older, so I should defer to you and your aching bones."

"You really are quite a brat. And you know what?"

Obi-Wan frowns — he can’t imagine what Anakin can add to that. "No, what?"

"I adore you." Anakin gives him a melancholy smile. "I did what I had to do, and I don’t regret leaving the Order. I love Padmé with my heart and soul, but I will always miss having you as my padawan-brother, Obi-Wan Kenobi. We might have been something extraordinary."

The emotions well up and Obi-Wan just can’t bear it. He throws himself at Anakin. "You are and you will always be my brother, Anakin. No matter what." Getting a chance to say those words, here, in the sanctity and safety of the Temple, in a galaxy at peace, means everything to Obi-Wan.

Anakin sniffs and rubs his face against Obi-Wan’s shoulder.

"Did you just wipe your snot on me?"

"Maybe?"

Obi-Wan pushes him away. "And you call me a brat? Come on, let’s get warmed up."

This Anakin might be a more centered and settled and sane being, but he is not completely different from Obi-Wan’s Anakin in the other timeline. He still prefers Djem-So, and they spend a good half-hour doing the basic open-handed katas of the form, first side-by-side, then in mirror.

By the time they’re done, Obi-Wan is loose-limbed and has worked up a nice sweat, and it’s clear that although Anakin hasn’t been a Jedi for nearly four years, he’s certainly not ignored his training. "I can see that you’re definitely going to give me a run for my money."

"Care to make a wager?"

"Hmm, how about dinner at Dex’s? Best of five, loser buys?"

"You’re on."

They go through the ritual of checking 'saber settings, and step back. Anakin asks, needlessly, "Ready?" when Obi-Wan falls into the opening Soresu stance.

He nods, though, and grins when Anakin flies at him with all of the power of a Jedi in his prime. But he isn’t the chaos-machine that his once-padawan had been, flinging himself at Obi-Wan’s defenses, trying to batter his way through them by sheer power and strength. This Anakin is more disciplined in his approach, still high energy and take-no-prisoners but there’s also a touch of Makashi there, too, in how he tries to get under Obi-Wan’s defense.

Anakin asks, about ten minutes in, "You don’t use any of Master’s aerials?"

"Against you?"

"What? Am I too tall? You can’t jump that high?"

Obi-Wan shouldn’t let himself be goaded, but he sees an opening, flings himself up and over Anakin, scores a touch across his back with his off-hand 'saber, landing cleanly on the other side of the salle.

Anakin twists around, patting at the burn on his tunic. "Stars, but that was a good hit."

They reset and go at each other again. Now that Anakin has the measure of him, his attacks are more sustained and unyielding — the playfulness that had characterized the first bout is absent. But Obi-Wan isn’t the master of Soresu for nothing and his defense is impenetrable. He can wait out Anakin until the heat death of the universe, or until Anakin gets frustrated and makes a mistake.

"Damn you, bratling, aren’t you ever going to make a move?"

"Why should I when I can just wear you out with defense?"

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Over-Used "Gundark Metaphor" Counter




It seems that I missed a few gundarks. Whoops!

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I hope you’re enjoying the story and I look forward to your comments (even if it takes me a while to answer them. I spend nearly all of my free time writing, thank you for understanding.