Star Wars: Balance of the Force (Anakin Skywalker Redemption)

18 - Master

'Children,' Obi-Wan fought to keep calm. 'Come back here.' He pressed his comm, sending a distress signal to Ahsoka, who was out on another one of her secret missions. She wouldn't be far away though, and he knew he could count on her and Ezac to get the twins away.

'Obi-Wan,' that mechanical voice never failed to send a chill down Obi-Wan's spine. 'No welcome home, Master?'

If ever there was a doubt in his mind that Anakin was the one behind the mask it was suddenly dashed. Yet, there was something different about Vader this time. The lack of anger and air of malice about him was jarring.

'What are you doing here?' Obi-Wan tried to keep him talking. The children hadn't yet moved, still standing before Vader, looking between him and Obi-Wan with unsure eyes. For all their abilities with the Force, they were still seven-year-olds. What had Vader told them?

'I am taking back what is mine,' Vader said, gesturing to the children before him. 'Where is Padmé?'

'I won't let you give them over to the Emperor,' Obi-Wan gasped. Not the children and not Padmé, they had worked too long to give up their rebellion now.

The twins' eyes widened and they looked back at Vader, retreating a step at the realisation.

Vader saw the movement, looking down at them, and then back to Obi-Wan. The switch was instant, the rage renewing, 'Don't you turn them away from me.'

They were still too close to Vader, and Obi-Wan could feel Vader's tension. What would he do if they ran from him?

'You have done that yourself,' Obi-Wan breathed. 'Luke, Leia...find the others.'

With that, he attacked, launching himself at Vader, igniting his lightsaber as he did so. Vader brought his up to parry as the children ran inside.

'No!' Vader flung out a hand towards the twins and they stopped in place, shrieking at the sudden inability to move.

Obi-Wan began his attack anew, fighting with everything he had to push Vader back. After a very close call where he almost lost his other hand, Vader released the twins and they raced inside. Hopefully Ezac would get them out of there.

Their lightsabers clashed, lighting up the clearing as they battled. Obi-Wan pushed Vader back further and further, away from the house, away from their ships, and most importantly, away from the twins.

Anakin... Obi-Wan could not believe it, not really. This dark creature before him couldn't be his former Padawan. Couldn't be the friend and brother he had lived and fought beside for so many years.

Obi-Wan remembered meeting Anakin for the first time. That tiny boy from Tatooine that Qui-Gon had sensed such greatness in. He remembered taking on Anakin as his apprentice, the little boy filled with potential and fear. He remembered the mornings where he woke to find the little boy sitting guard at the foot of his bed, too afraid of losing his Master. He remembered the countless battles they had fought, the missions they had led, the opponents they had faced. Anakin had been there with him, so loyal, so fierce, so brave. The General without Fear.

The helmet certainly helped him to forget, but it was in everything, the way he held his lightsaber, the way he parried, the feints and side-steps, his very walk.

Obi-Wan grunted as he was thrown backwards, landing on the ground in a heap. 'What happened to you?' he asked as he got to his feet, readying for another fight.

Vader made to walk past him, and then stopped, turning to face him, but he didn't get a chance to respond.

Ahsoka launched herself at him, leaping at the last second onto his back, and drawing a newly purified white lightsaber across the back of his helmet.