During the rough coarse sand on Tatoinee, Obi-wan Kenobi on his eopie travels to the town of Mos Espa like he has been doing for the past ten years. Wearing his Tatooine attire like everyone else on the planet with his poncho over his clothing to maintain his cover like he has been doing in his exile. Once a proud Jedi Master, now just a simple man that nobody on the planet knows about. Walking through the sands takes his mind back to memory lane where he first arrived on the planet decades ago with his Master Qui-gon Jinn, while on a mission and meeting him, but Obi-wan tries not to think about that. Finally he arrives at the town of Mos Espa. Kenobi gets off of his eopie to hand over to the locals until he is done doing his business.
Obi-wan puts on the hood of the poncho over his long hair, exposing part of his grown beard to avoid anyone who could detect his identity upon entering the area. Once getting inside, he goes looking for supplies for his hut. The former Jedi walks around exploring the areas of the town as always, almost like he is monitoring it. He knows he doesn't have to, but it must be an old Jedi habit. He has to make sure there is no one on the planet to threaten his objective. Traveling the markets, he noticed a couple of Weequays, attacking an old Toydrain at his shop. They are taking parts from the shop, but the Toydrain tries to fight back, with one of the Weequays hitting his hat off, then knocking him down on the ground and starting to beat on him. Obi-wan knows that he shouldn't interfere. He is a Jedi in hiding, and cannot expose his identity, but he knows it is the right thing. Must be another bad habit. Kenobi approaches the Weequays with credits in his hands. "These are yours if you leave him alone" he stretches his hand out more offering them to take it and leave the old Toydrain alone.
The Weequays look at each other then slaps the credits away from the man, "Get lost old man"
Kenobi picks up the credits. He sees them continuing to harass the Toydrain, so he decided to try one last resort without trying to attract attention. After picking up his credits, he looks around his surroundings before walking up again, when the Toydrains head turned around that is when he stretched out his arm.
"You will leave this poor man alone and apologize." Kenobi says with his arm still stretching out.
"We will leave this poor man alone and apologize" the Weequays say. They do just that, but Obi-wan is not done yet.
"You will put these parts down and leave this planet and never come back"
"We will put these parts down and leave this planet and never come back" the three say these words before walking off.
Obi-wan walks over to help. "Are you alright" offering his hand, but the Toydrain has wings, so he used them to pick himself up. Obi-wan help, put the parts to the Toydrain's shop back.
The Toydrain stares into Obi-wan's eyes. Obi-wan remembers hearing about a Toydrain on this planet from his Master. He wonders if this is the same one. An old Toydrain in his workshop clothes with a small scruffy beard. The same one that negotiated Qui-gon. The one that sold a couple of slaves. One that would end up being his Padawan. Thankfully the Toydrain didn't see what he did.
"Thank you for trying to help. Not sure where those fools went"
This relieved Obi-wan as he took a deep breath.
"You know no one has worked here in quite some time" the Toydrain days in a grumpy voice.
Obi-wan walks inside, seeing it to be a shop for parts of what could be almost anything. The Toydrain stood behind him. Obi-wan looked on the vest to see what his name was, but wasn't there. He sits down, removing his hood.
The Toydrain went over to grab his drink, "Last time I had people working for me they were slaves. A woman and her child"
This caught Obi-wan off guard. This was the same owner who he had heard about. Obi-wans face behind his hood grew to an angry expression, making his right hand into a fist. It took him a minute, but he just took a breath. As much as he wanted a guy, he was raised not to give into his emotion. Lost in his thoughts, the Toydrain keeps poking at his arm, "Hello I am talking to you"
Obi-wan then decided to try something. He sticked his arm up again and did a wave, "You will sell this shop and never return to this town"
"I will leave this shop and never return to this town"
"And you will rethink your life"
"And I will rethink my life"
This gave Obi-wan some satisfaction, he tried on his hood again before walking out. He then stumbles upon a little girl, about around the age of eight, maybe below, who looked like she witnessed what was going on. Deep inside, Obiwan quickly before he panicked, he took a piece of fruit from the market next door and gave it to the girl along with some credits, since she looked like she was hungry. The girl looked at Kenobi who just bent down towards her and winked, putting his finger across from his nose, almost like he was telling her not to say a word. The girl smiles and nods before leaving. The former Jedi then dropped a credit to the shop he took the fruit from before going his own way.
After finishing his errands, Obi-wan goes back to the locals to pick up his eopie. Hopping on his eopie, he heads into the hot desert. Removing his hood traveling, now that no one is around to see his face, he has nothing to worry about.
Before heading home he thinks about what had occurred in that shop, and brings his mind towards something, so he decides to make a stop first, so he turns around in the other direction to go to a homestead near his own home. Trying to avoid the farmers, he gets off quickly to walk towards the grave stone. Reading the gravestone it says, "Shmi Skywalker, beloved mother, and wife."
Obi-wan kneels down to acknowledge the grave of his former padawan's mother.
"Shmi I know the first time Owen Lars showed me your grave I apologized for the loss of your son. The past ten years since I brought your grandson here I have tried coming every chance I can to pay my respects. Owen doesn't like me very much. Can't really blame him. Your son was entrusted to me and I failed him. I knew for many years he was in love with Senator Padme from Naboo, but I looked the other way. I should have helped him. Instead I just failed him. I hope you can forgive me" brushing his beard he notices a presence behind him. It is Owen Lars having his arms folded, not looking happy to see former Jedi.
Obi-wan standing up decides to talk to him, "Owen hopes all is well" trying to be as polite as he can be.
Owen just takes a breath, "Thought I told you not to come back here. I don't want Luke being wrapped up in your business"
"I assure you I was only paying my respects," Obi-wan says.
"I can see that, but nothing you can say will change what happened. I can't stop you from paying your respects, but I can stop you from training Luke. You entrusted me with him. That is what I am doing. Protecting him from you" Owen says in a harsh tone, but Obi-wan just looks down.
"I know, you have made that very clear"
Owen took a deep breath before letting go, "Look you can pay your respects, but I don't want you when Luke is around"
The two hear a speeder incoming. Owen then turns to Obi-wan who just left the grave with a flower by the headstone. The former Jedi hopes on his eopie to head home.
Taking off into the desert, Obi-wan thinks about Owen's words and the things he has said. The whole point in taking Luke in hiding was for him to be safe. That is something the two agree on, but the farmer doesn't want his nephew to be trained as a Jedi, which is something Obi-wan had planned on doing to help bring down the Empire, so that complicates things. Obi-wan now questions himself why he is still here when he could be out in the galaxy, helping Senator Organa with the Rebel cells that were slowly forming in the galaxy.
Luke is safe, so he doesn't really need to be on the planet anymore. He could leave any time, but he was asked specifically to watch over the boy at all times, which is what he is doing.
Obi-wan is finally back inside his hut. Once he gets inside he puts everything away and then turns his attention towards his chest. When he walks towards it, he opens it to reveal a journal and his lightsaber that hasn't been touched for many years. He takes out his journal, but when he does, he sees the other lightsaber that is next to him on the counter. It belonged to his former Padawan and friend, Anakin who has become the Sith Lord Darth Vader. Obi-wan takes it out and observes it for a moment, which is where he takes a trip down memory lane to where he had a heated discussion with Anakin about Ahsoka.
The memory takes place at night on Utapau where the two are alone.
"Anakin, dwelling on Ahsoka's decision, won't bring her back" the wise Jedi Master says on the log.
"I miss her ok. Is that what you wanted me to say!" Anakin raises his voice.
"I still can't understand how she could have left the order"
Obi-wan tries to comfort him, "It was a surprise decision to all of us"
Anakin then shouted again, "It was wrong. She is a Jedi. She belongs with us" standing up only to turn around, "She is one of us"
"It was her decision Anakin" Obi-wan says to ease his friend's frustration, but only triggers the young Jedi Knight.
Anakin protests, "What choice did we give her. The moment there were any suspensions about her loyalty, the Council turned their back on her!"
Obi-wan turns his head down looking at the ground, then picks his head back up as he continues to speak, "I will grant you mistakes were made, but she chose to leave. Part of the Jedi way is not letting your emotions cloud your better judgment and that is what precisely Ahsoka did Even his her most critical moment"
"Why don't you get some rest, '' Obi-wan says.
"I am not tired. You can rest, Master. I will take the first watch" Anakin says with his head down.
"I will accept your kind offer" Obi-wan then lays on the ground getting ready to sleep.
A moment of silence before Obi-wan speaks again, "You can't take responsibility for Ahsokas decision Anakin"
Anakin only think with a tear streaming down thinking about all the things he and Ahsoka been through, "How would you feel if I turned into a major disappointment"
"Its not the same" Obi-wan is now the one to protest.
"Its precisely the same. You took me in and practically raised me. I am your Padawan, just like Ahsoka was mine" Anakin insists.
He then asks him, "How well would you sleep knowing I failed you?"
Obi-wan just staring at the ground responds, "That isn't true luckily and never will be"
Flashing back to the present, Obi-wan then murmurs a few words, "Oh Anakin, I truly failed you" putting the lightsaber along with his in a chest. The former Jedi has nothing, but regret and sorrow on his face.
"Your to hard on yourself my old friend"
A familiar voice catches Obi-wan by surprise. It is the force ghost of his former Master, Qui-gon Jinn.
"Qui-gon?" Obi-wan says it in a low voice. He recalls seeing his old Masters force ghost before on Mortis, but that was during the Clone Wars. Since then he hasn't spoken to him. He tried many times when he first arrived on Tatooine, but he failed at that, so he decided to stop trying.
"I have been trying to reach you"
"Here I am. I am here to tell you what happened to Anakin is not your fault" Qui-gon says, having his former padawan hear his words.
Obi-wan just protests, "It is my fault. You trusted me to train him and I failed"
"That is not true. You did what I asked. It was his choice to betray you and his alone. Always remember that" Qui-gon continues to say, easing Obi-wans guilt even more.
"Master you said he was the chosen one" Obi-wan claims.
"Maybe he still is through his son" Qui-gon who is now one with the force is already aware of Lukes existence.
Obi-wan then sighs, feeling like it was yesterday he had become Qui-gons apprentice. The many adventures they have had together.
"His Uncle does not want me training him. Makes me feel like I should leave this dust ball and go help Senator Organa"
"No, be patient. I believe one day the boy will make a great Jedi. An even greater one than his father. Until then protect him. We can't let the Emperor get his hands on him"
Obi-wan knows Qui-gon is right. That brings him to the next question, but that is before the Qui-gon force ghost vanished. Obi-wan wanted to know when Qui-gon was going to teach him how to transcend into the living force. Now he has to be patient. Guess that is something he is going to have to deal with.
Obi-wan later falls asleep. He hadn't slept well in many years. Just dreams about the events that transpired during order 66. However this dream is now different. It takes Obi-wan back to after the battle of Naboo, the defeat of Darth Maul, and the death of his Master, Qui-gon. He is at the funeral of his Master. Next to him was a little boy around the age of nine. It was Anakin Skywalker next to his side. He looks at the burning body of Qui-gon Jinn. Obi-wan felt sorry for the boy. Qui-gon was the one who found the boy and promised to train him, now the responsibility falls on Obi-wan himself.
Anakin turns around and speaks to Obi-wan, "What will happen to me now?"
Obi-wan, who could see the worry on Anakins face, tries to talk to him in a soft voice, "The Council has given me permission to train you. You will be a Jedi, I promise"
Thirteen years later the two find them in a heated exchange on a lava planet where the now fallen Jedi, Anakin has lost his legs and his left arm, hanging to his life with his cybernetic arm.
"You were my brother Anakin" Obi-wan shouts
Anakin with orange eyes looks at his former Master in hate before screaming he hates him. Next finds himself burning on the lava bank below. All there is are screams as Obi-wan picks up the lightsaber before turning around, not looking back.
Obi-wan wakes up gasping in sweat. The nightmares don't stop. Maybe Qui-gon is right. It is time to accept this was Anakin's fault. Maybe he still feels a part of that guilt. Regardless he is going to do what he always did when he couldn't sleep, meditate. Perhaps he was wrong before when he was talking to Anakin on Utapau. His apprentice turned out to be a failure.
The next morning he gets out of his meditation state and starts the day getting ready. He gets his poncho on and walks outside. After defeating the Obi-wan then takes a walk outside not to far from his place with a pair of vizors and looks outside the same farmstead he was at yesterday looking at the young Luke Skywalker playing around with a toy ship before he is called inside by his Aunt. Obi-wan smiles to himself. Perhaps Luke is worth staying for. After all he is like a nephew to him.