(no subject)

[beardstrokes]

Who: Itty Bitty Obi-Wan + You
Broadcast: Y
Action: SS Huntress
When: Now

[ Video ]

[ The feed shakes for a few minutes before it centers on a young thirteen year old boy. He has the trademark padawan braid and robes as he sits on his knees in front of the camera. His expression is quiet and muted, though it seems like he hasn't had much sleep. His eyes are red-rimmed and tired. ]

Hello. If you could tell me if this ship is heading to Coruscant, I would be grateful. If not, I'd be happy to earn my way there through any duties you deem necessary.

[ He hesitates, pausing for far too long, biting on his lip. ] And if you -- you have seen Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn.

Thank you.

[ Action ]

[ Obi-Wan weaves himself through the ship, his shoulders hunched and his saber in a tight white-knuckled grip. Surely Qui-Gon wouldn't have left him here . . . not after coming back. Not after their discussion.

Then again, what rights did Obi-Wan even possess?

He tugs the hood over his face and keeps a wary eye on everyone who came close. This was a strange vessel and their responses got even more confusing. Best to keep to himself until he got to Coruscant. ]

Comments

[beardstrokes]

What's the alternative?

[nerdeology]

Anything worse, really. I've heard some stories about the kinds of places other people have been trapped, and now I have yours to add to the list, as well.

[He lacks the experiences, but he has imagination to make up for it. There's a lot he can imagine that would be worse than this.]

[beardstrokes]

My experiences weren't that bad. I'm a Jedi. I can handle them.

[nerdeology]

Handling it is one thing, but isn't it better if you don't have to?

[beardstrokes]

[ His brow creases in confusion. ]

But I'm a Jedi. It's what I'm meant to do.

[nerdeology]

Unnecessarily suffer?

[Because that sounds dumb.]

[beardstrokes]

No. Rise to the occasion. We can handle more than other people. Don't we have a duty to help when that happens?

[nerdeology]

I can't comment on that, I barely know anything about Jedi. What I do know is that you'd be foolish to seek out pain when there's no reason for it.

Endure when you must, but enjoy when you don't have to. There's nothing wrong with that.

[beardstrokes]

It's hard to . . . enjoy anything right now.

[nerdeology]

...I'm sorry to hear that. I hope that at least you don't have to suffer in this place.

[beardstrokes]

I'm not -- I wasn't the one who suffered. I just . . . [ He turns his head away. ]

[nerdeology]

[Oh dear. That sounds equal parts upsetting and likely private, but he'd be a lousy friend if he didn't ask.]

What is it?

[beardstrokes]

She . . . someone died. I was there. If I had been a better Jedi, maybe it wouldn't have happened.

[nerdeology]

I'm sorry to hear that... you shouldn't blame yourself, though. Surely you did all you could.

[By what he knows of Obi-Wan, that's pretty likely.]

[beardstrokes]

I don't know. It doesn't feel like I did. I was right there. I . . . I had her in my arms. And she died anyway.

[nerdeology]

May I ask what happened?

[beardstrokes]

We were fighting a civil war. I had managed to end it but the aftermath took time. Cerasi and I were trying to stop another outbreak from happening and someone shot her from afar.

Then I watched her die.

[nerdeology]

...I see... my condolences. But how would you have prevented that? Surely the senses of a Jedi can only predict so much.

[beardstrokes]

Jedi have instincts for the turning of the event. I'm sure Master Qui-Gon would have saved her.

I could have. I was there.

[nerdeology]

Sometimes, there are people you can't save. Part of being mortal, I believe, is learning to accept that as fact.

[He pauses, then shakes his head.]

No, that's inaccurate. It's just part of being alive, regardless of what you are.

[beardstrokes]

I don't understand. How is it a part of being alive?

[nerdeology]

No matter where you are, or what you are, it's difficult to go through life without forming connections with other living beings. To do otherwise would be too lonely for most people to stand.

Forming those connections means it's likely that some of them will die before you do. It could be old age, or some untimely event. But I'd wager there isn't a soul in the universe that hasn't felt death touch their life in some way.

Those that live have to also accept death. That's all it means.

[beardstrokes]

The Jedi have a saying . . . there is no death, there is only the Force. The idea is that . . . nobody is truly gone.

It feels like cold comfort now.

[nerdeology]

...I... can understand that. My kind are immortal in that we don't die of old age, but can still be killed. When one of us dies, it's said that they return to the world, and their mana is used to create new life, so they aren't truly gone.

But it's something of an empty sentiment when someone you care about is gone forever.

[beardstrokes]

[ He wipes his face on his sleeve. ]

She was a little younger than me. We all were.