The Water's Edge by obaona, vader_incarnate, and Happy_Hobbit_Padawan (PG)

[rynne.livejournal.com]

Hi again, crack_van! Just having finished reccing one fandom here, I immediately start another--I'll be your Star Wars driver for April. I've got a fairly wide variety here for you, all the way from pre-Phantom Menace to the post-Return of the Jedi Extended Universe, as well as a mix of het, slash, and gen. And with that, here we go!

Fandom: STAR WARS: PREQUELS
Pairing: Anakin/Padme
Author on LJ: obaona and vader_incarnate
Author Website: obaona has a site, but dunno about the other two
Why this must be read: I've always rather liked stories where a character from the canon universe is dropped into an alternate one, and this is a wonderful example of the genre. In this case, Obi-Wan, damaged and despairing in the aftermath of Revenge of the Sith, wakes up to find himself in a galaxy where the Sith are long gone, the Jedi have not recently fought a war...and where his own counterpart turned to the Dark Side and was subsequently killed by Jedi Knight Xanatos.

This is a very long story focusing on Obi-Wan, who begins to heal in this peaceful galaxy so like and unlike his own, and on Anakin, who confronts his destiny in a universe where the Sith have long since been defeated, yet he still has choices to make. There's moments of humor, of pain, of catharsis and healing, of love, romantic and familial, of truth, of teaching and learning. There's just so much to this story, and it's so well-crafted, even with three different co-writers, that I always get something out of re-reading it.


It took a few moments for Obi-Wan to regain any appearance of sanity. Deep breaths, Kenobi, he chided himself. Just think of Vader’s respirator: in-- out-- in-- out... Odd, but the thought of that sound usually calmed him more than anything else. Kept him from hyperventilating, at any rate. "I’m fine," he finally managed. Xanatos nodded curtly and quickly let go, dropping him as if he were a hot iron. Obi-Wan drew in a sharp breath as his bound hands hit the floor but tried to keep his eyes on Xanatos. Strange, but it almost seemed as if the former Jedi feared him. "Thank you," he attempted hesitantly, inbred good manners coming to fore even with this person.

Xanatos nodded curtly. "You’re welcome," he responded shortly.

Silence as the two looked at each other, each contemplating their private pasts. Finally, Obi-Wan broke the silence. "You’re dead," he told the other simply. "I watched you die."

"As I watched you die," Xanatos responded softly.

"This is insane!" Obi-Wan finally exploded. "You shouldn’t be here! I shouldn’t be here! You’re dead! Any moment now I’m going to wake up, or find out what in heck the ‘afterlife’ is like. Maybe I’ll meet Qui-Gon there - maybe I’ll see you there, too," he added derisively. He laughed a bit at his private joke, but it quickly subsided. Xanatos had stiffened suddenly. "What is it?" Obi-Wan asked, gazing quizzically at the other man. There was something new here – something important.


The Water's Edge