Deception, Truths, and Nightmares

Chapter One
Duel Gone Wrong

A/N: I don't own Star Wars. And this is an AU fic. Enjoy! Apparently, Anakin is in for a hell of a ride.

Anakin Skywalker swung his lightsaber up high and prepared to strike Obi-Wan Kenobi down. His old Master seemed to doubt his abilities very confidently. I'll show you, Anakin thought crudely. I'll show you my power has increased tremendously. You have taken away enough of my life from me. I am no longer your student. From the floating machinery in the lava, Anakin Skywalker leaped into the air towards Obi-Wan, and swung his lightsaber downwards towards Obi-Wan's face. The Jedi Master parried his attack and used the Force to push Anakin onto the far side of the small piece of rock.

"Anakin, give up! Padme needs you!" Obi-Wan pleaded. Anakin glared intensely at his former Master. He would not use Padme against him!

"Shut up!" roared Anakin. "You've taken Padme away from me and my child too! How can I give up now?! I won't let her die, Obi-Wan!" Obi-Wan, frustrated at his former apprentice's stubborn attitude, shook his head. Why didn't he just understand?

"She'll die if you're not there, Anakin! Can't you see how corrupted the Chancellor had made you?!" rebutted Obi-Wan, not ready to kill his apprentice – not when they had worked together for so many years…

"Don't lie to me, Obi-Wan. I already told you – I see through the lies of the Jedi. I can't believe you're not on my side," said Anakin, with obvious contempt and disgust in his voice. The Jedi would not harm anyone again. The little voice in the back of his head, however, said otherwise. You are afraid to turn back to Obi-Wan because you killed a Jedi Master… you are afraid you would be taken away from Padme…

SHUT UP!

"I am not prepared to kill you, Anakin!"

"Like you weren't prepared to train me, Master? I would have been more than happy to be taught under Qui-Gon Jinn!" Anakin snarled angrily. He knew he had hit Obi-Wan's weakness – that he wasn't the Jedi Master Anakin had wanted, and instead, had preferred Qui-Gon, his late Master.

"He was killed by a Sith!" shouted Obi-Wan. Without hesitation, and anger boiling inside of him, Obi-Wan leaped forward and struck Anakin, but his move was parried almost too easily. He was weak with sadness, anger and disappointment. He had once promised Qui-Gon that he wouldn't fail Anakin… because he was the Chosen One. But now, Obi-Wan was facing his failure – the failure to keep his promise, and the failure to train Anakin well.

"Stop this," Obi-Wan said, "Padme needs you!"

"Don't you dare use her against me! The Jedi only lie!" shouted Anakin, determined to anger his former Master. It worked. Without hesitation, and anger boiling inside of him, Obi-Wan leaped forward and struck Anakin, but his move was parried almost too easily. He was weak with sadness, anger and disappointment. He had once promised Qui-Gon that he wouldn't fail Anakin… because he was the Chosen One. But now, Obi-Wan was facing his failure – the failure to keep his promise, and the failure to train Anakin well.

"I admit I haven't been the best Master yet," Obi-Wan said, "But I tried, Anakin! I tried to live to your expectations!"

"By wanting me to live to yours?" said Anakin, still glaring at Obi-Wan, "You were never fair to me, Obi-Wan! You were holding me back!"

"That isn't true! I was afraid I'd lose you to the dark side!"

"WELL YOU'RE TOO LATE!" Anakin bellowed, and charged towards Obi-Wan with his lightsaber in hand. Nothing mattered anymore; not even when Anakin knew that he himself had fallen to the dark side. All that mattered right now was saving Padme.

The next thing that happened sent Anakin into a terrible headache. Everything around him faded into black, and then suddenly his surroundings turned white. Anakin was lying on a flat surface, still clutching his lightsaber. Had Obi-Wan killed him before he even had the chance to attack?

"Wake up," said a gentle voice. It did not belong to Obi-Wan. Was he dead?

"Wake up," it urged again. "I am Kyle Katarn. Can you hear me, kid?" Kyle Katarn? Who was Kyle Katarn?

Anakin forced his eyes open and found himself not on Mustafar, but in a dense jungle, lying on the ground, facing a man named Kyle Katarn.

"Thank God," the man said, "I thought you were a goner. Can you stand up?" He reached out his hand to hold onto Anakin's, and pulled him up. Kyle had never seen this man before, and yet, this guy was holding a lightsaber. Anakin deactivated his weapon and replaced it in his empty holster.

"Thank you," he said. This place was definitely not Mustafar. "Where am I? I thought I was in Mustafar…"

Kyle shot Anakin a questioning look. Was this guy crazy?

"Mustafar is off-limits to anyone now. It's highly unstable – it's been like that for decades now. We're in Yavin IV," Kyle explained. Anakin furrowed his brow. He clearly remembered himself on the volcanic planet battling Obi-Wan, when suddenly all had turned to nothing, and then he reappeared in Yavin IV. Was this Obi-Wan's doing? Anakin could not remember, nor bear to think about it.

"I've never seen you before," said Kyle, "What's your name?"

To be on the safe side, Anakin created himself a fake identity. "Jaden Korr," he replied.

Obi-Wan Kenobi did not believe what he had just seen. After Anakin had landed on behind Obi-Wan, he had been sucked into a strange portal in the middle of their battle. He knew it was neither of their doing, but through the will of the Force. He sighed, and shook his head. He had to get back to Padme immediately. She would be heartbroken and devastated to hear that her husband had been sucked into another world – or worse, the future.

He quickly made his way back to the ship, where Padme was still motionless on the ground. C-3PO was attending to her quietly. Upon seeing the Jedi Master, the protocol droid exclaimed, "Master Kenobi! Where is Master Anakin? Padme is in deep pain – she just passed out."

Obi-Wan frowned. "Tell Artoo to get the ship ready," he commanded, as he took Padme in his arms. She would not like the bad news at all. But she had to hold on, if Anakin were to come back with the same vengeance. She was the only key to Anakin's heart.

"Artoo," Obi-Wan commanded, "Fly us to Polis Massa immediately. I'm afraid Padme won't hold out any longer." Artoo beeped in agreement and quickly followed Obi-Wan into the control room.

"Take care of her," he said to C-3PO. The droid nodded and returned to nursing Padme and cleaning her up. It took the ship to reach Polis Massa within twenty minutes – which Obi-Wan hoped that it was the shortest time possible to reach the asteroid. Once they entered the medical facility, Obi-Wan was led into the delivery room immediately by Bail Organa. Inside, Master Yoda sat on a nearby chair and meditated.

"She's about to give birth," Organa informed the medical droid. "Do your best."

They waited for a long time outside the delivery room, watching only through a transparent wall. Obi-Wan soon grew worried as Padme began to cry out for Anakin.

"Anakin… Anakin!" she cried, but her husband did not come in running for her. Where was he at her time of need?

Obi-Wan walked into the room without a word and stood beside Padme, her hand reaching towards his for support. Blind with pain, Padme could only think that it was Anakin's hand she was clutching.

"Save your energy." It was Obi-Wan's voice. She was devastated. Where was Anakin? Was he dead?

"Where's… where's Anakin?" she breathed, barely making a sound. Obi-Wan frowned and decided it was best to leave the question hanging for now. Suddenly, a cry could be heard – belonging to that of an infant's.

"It's a boy," the droid confirmed, and Obi-Wan took the little baby into his arms. He couldn't help but to smile a little, admiring the child, and then lowered him to his mother. Padme held her son in her arms and smiled weakly and whispered, "Luke," but there was still one more baby waiting to be born. After a few more minutes of pain, Padme had given birth to a girl.

"Leia," she whispered again. Obi-Wan was cradling Leia in his arms. She looked up at him and asked again, "Where's Anakin?" Obi-Wan suppressed his frown.

"Be strong, Padme. He needs you," said the Jedi Master.

"What's wrong? What happened to him?" Padme demanded weakly.

Obi-Wan shook his head.

"I don't know, Padme. But you need to get some rest," he urged. "You are terribly weak. I don't want to worsen your condition. Please, Padme." The pleading in his voice was unmistakable. Padme breathed in and out slowly, taking in all of Obi-Wan's words.

"He isn't dead," Obi-Wan could only say. "Now get some rest."

She smiled faintly and nodded. If her husband wasn't dead, then there was still some hope.

"There's still good in him," she whispered, before drifting off to sleep. Obi-Wan smiled and carried both twins out towards Organa and Yoda.

"I almost thought she was going to die," said Organa, relieved.

"Almost, she did," Master Yoda agreed. He turned to Obi-Wan and frowned. "To Anakin Skywalker, what happened?"

Obi-Wan's eyes followed the two medical droids as they carried Padme to another ward to rest. He looked back at Yoda and sighed.

"I don't know how it happened."

Anakin Skywalker followed Kyle into the supposed Jedi Academy on Yavin IV. It was surprisingly big, but it had only held a few dozen over Jedi.

"These are only the Masters. The new students are coming in shortly," Kyle said. He eyed Anakin's attire and commented lightly, "You look like you have been in Mustafar, Jaden." Anakin forced a grin, but did not reply.

"Where are we heading?" he asked. Kyle pointed upwards.

"We're gonna see Luke," answered Kyle. Anakin frowned. Sometimes, he could swear that there was a trace of Obi-Wan Kenobi in Kyle's personality, but he knew that Obi-Wan wouldn't defy the Jedi Code like he did. The anger boiled in him again. The thought of Obi-Wan merely created overwhelming feelings inside of him, something he didn't like very much.

They entered the elevator and Kyle pressed the top button. The highest level, Anakin thought, No doubt about it. This Luke must be the Grand Master or perhaps just working for the Grand Master.

Once they arrived, Kyle led Anakin into a large office, with no decorations, but two open windows at each side and a rather large desk filled with files and a computer. Behind it, sat Luke Skywalker.

"Hey, Luke," Kyle greeted, "Look what I found outside while taking a walk."

Luke looked up at Anakin and raised his eyebrows. There was something familiar about this man…

"Jaden Korr," Kyle said, "Meet Luke Skywalker, the Jedi Grand Master that runs this Academy." Anakin was taken aback. Did he just say Skywalker? Another Skywalker? The look of shock on his face was completely obvious. Anakin was suddenly curious… he would find out more about this Luke once he had the chance.

"What are you his fan, kid?" Kyle joked. Anakin shook his head.

"Just… heard of him, in a way, I guess."

"Right," Kyle said, "I found Jaden lying outside holding his lightsaber. I thought he might have been a spy or something."

There was a long, awkward silence.

"I'm kidding!" Kyle exclaimed. No one seemed to get his jokes anymore. "It was peculiar of Jaden to have a lightsaber of his own. And I thought he was Force-sensitive. What do you think, Luke?"

"Well, he does seem to be a Force-sensitive Jedi. Where are you from?" Luke asked.

"Coruscant," Anakin replied. He did not want to acknowledge the dust ball Tatooine as his home anymore. It held painful memories of loss and separation, something which he never wanted to go back to.

"I sense your fear and pain, Jaden. What troubles you?"

Anakin nearly rolled his eyes. Everything.

"Nothing, sir," he added. "I'm just not where I'm supposed to be now. I need to go back to Coruscant immediately."

"Why?" asked Kyle. "Do you have a family?"

"You can put it that way," Anakin replied. "Besides, I haven't seen a Jedi Academy or heard of one here before. Are you rebels?"

The two Masters exchanged looks.

"Rebels, you say?" Luke asked, "Against what?"

Anakin frowned. "The Emperor, of course!" he replied. Didn't they know about Palpatine and his vicious rule over the Empire?

"You mean the dead Emperor," said Kyle, "who is dead, Jaden."

Palpatine is dead? Impossible! I must have been thrown into the future…

"My father killed him," Luke said. Anakin seized his chance.

"Who was your father, if you don't mind me asking?" he asked curiously. Luke's eyes seemed to reflect sadness for a moment before he answered.

"My father was a great Jedi. His name was Anakin Skywalker."

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