STAR WARS

Legacy of Time

By Jackie Sullivan

Part I

Thirty years before Episode IV - A New Hope

Chapter 1

Panting heavily, the boy leaned against the wall. "Master," the Padawan youth by the name of Anakin Skywalker gasped between breaths, "can I please rest for a minute? I'm tired!"

The one he directed his plea to offered no respite other than a lopsided grin and an arched eyebrow from where he sat. "Concentrate on the Force, Anakin. Use it to refresh your strength." The Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi smiled at his young apprentice. Currently, the Padawan was battling with a small droid that was hovering in front of him about one meter off the ground. Anakin was blindfolded and armed with a lightsaber on a low power setting. This way, if he accidentally struck a person, it would only cause a minor sting that could be easily handled by the Jedi healers.

Anakin had been dutifully studying to be a Jedi since Obi-Wan had been granted his apprenticeship after the great battle on the peaceful planet of Naboo. That had been almost two years ago. Two years since Obi-Wan, who was himself a Padawan at that time, had met the youth on the desolate planet of Tatooine. Two years since his Master Qui-Gon Jinn had died.

Would you be proud of him, Qui-Gon? Obi-Wan mused. The boy is being trained as you wished. He is an eager learner, and catches on quickly. I can't help but wonder, though, if he is really the Chosen One. Why did the Council not want you to train him? Master Yoda said his future is unclear, that there is much anger in him. I hope that I can train him as well as you and Master Yoda trained me. I want you to be proud of the boy, Qui-Gon. It was your dying wish.

I want you to be proud of me.

The relationship between Obi-Wan and his late Master had been that of a father and son, for the two of them hardly ever saw their family. True, Obi-Wan did have his parents and his brother Owen, but a visit back home was a rare occasion. When a person living in the Galactic Republic was born, their midi-chlorian count was tested. If it was found to be within Force-sensitive levels, then the child was taken from its parents and adopted by the Jedi to be trained. Some Jedi never knew their parents, and if they did they rarely visited them, much like Obi-Wan's situation. Anakin was an exception to the minimal family rule. He had been especially close to his mother Shmi Skywalker, for the captivity of slavery had caused them to form very close ties. He wasn't separated from her until he was nine years old. He missed her very much and thought of her daily. Anakin often talked of returning to Tatooine someday to free his mother and friends from the bonds of slavery.

As far as his training had been going, Anakin was doing quite well. His acute Force-awareness helped him to learn quickly. At the age of eleven, he was doing extremely well in his studies, even though he had begun learning at a much later age than most potential Jedi Padawans had. However, what he lacked in experience he made up for with enthusiasm.

Anakin had been battling with his small antagonist for almost an hour now. Visibly exhausted, he was caught on the rear by a small zap of electricity from the droid as it buzzed around him. Obi-Wan could feel the ripples in the Force caused by the boy's surprise and frustration. Anakin swung his lightsaber, connecting with nothing but air. He was rewarded with another small electrical sting.

Obi-Wan chuckled to himself as the boy let out a yelp and whirled around to bring his lightsaber crashing down on the droid, but found only air as the little tease easily slipped away. Obi-Wan could remember fighting the same small nuisances as a young boy. When he was just beginning with a lightsaber, he had to make many trips to Jedi healers himself after receiving numerous stings from the small droids. Deciding to let the boy rest, he deactivated the droid by remote.

"Alright, Anakin, that's enough for today," he said. "You can take off your blindfold."

Anakin untied his blindfold and let it fall to the ground, damp with sweat. He glared vengefully at the droid, which was now lying motionless on the ground. As he walked towards his waiting Master, he gave the droid a kick, sending it crashing into the stone wall across the room.

"Anakin! You mustn't let your anger get the better of you like that!" Obi-Wan quickly reprimanded him. "Remember what Master Yoda said to you?" He stood up, strode over to his disgruntled student and stared down at him.

"Sorry," Anakin replied with a downcast look, not quite daring to return the stony blue gaze that was turned on him. Then, lifting his head with flashing eyes, he attempted to justify his actions. "That hurt though! He deserved a good kick!"

Obi-Wan sighed and rolled his eyes to the ceiling. Qui-Gon had always been the patient one, not him. "If you concentrate on the Force, you will be able to sense where the attack is coming from. Now go clean up. It is almost time for supper. The bells should ring in a few minutes."

"Yes, sir," Anakin replied, dashing out of the room. The boy had a healthy appetite, and he did not want to miss the best dishes.

Obi-Wan looked after the boy and smiled. As he picked up the practice lightsaber and the droid though, he thought of how swiftly Anakin had turned on the source of his frustration. Outbursts such as this one did not occur often, but when they did, Anakin's whole personality changed. The mood swings usually passed as quickly as they came, but they could still be disconcerting. Obi-Wan shook his head as Master Yoda's words echoed in it.

"Much anger in him, there is."

Telling himself he'd work harder on controlling emotions with Anakin, he began walking towards the dinner hall as the bells rang in the distance. Anakin will be a Jedi, he told himself. I promised Qui-Gon that I would train him. I only hope, for Anakin's sake, and everyone else's, that I succeed.