Star Wars Fic and Meta - From All The Spaces Between Times - Chapter 4

[elrhiarhodan]

Title: From All The Spaces Between Times
Chapter: Chapter Four - We Lay Exposed and Equal
Author: elrhiarhodan / elrhiarhodan / elrhiarhodan
Fandom: Star Wars, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars - Obi Wan Kenobi (TV), Star Wars - Jedi Apprentice Books
Characters Obi-Wan Kenobi, Qui-Gon Jinn, Shmi Skywalker, Anakin Skywalker, Watto, Quinlan Vos, Padmé Amidala, Sabé, Darth Maul, Yoda, Mace Windu, Quinlan Vos, Original Characters, Other Characters To Be Added
Pairings: Obi-Wan Kenobi & Shmi Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Qui-Gon Jinn, eventual Obi-Wan/Qui-Gon Jinn (but not for a long while)
Word Count: ~3100 this chapter
Spoilers: None
Warnings/Enticements/Triggers: Author Chooses Not To Use Warning/Ratings
Summary: Obi-Wan Kenobi has never known it, but he has always been the Force’s Champion, destined to suffer infinite sadness in defense of the Light. On his last turn on the wheel, responsibility for The Chosen One, the false child of prophecy, had been thrust upon him with no warning, and Darkness held the upper hand.

But this time, the Force has marshaled its power and will protect its Champion until the time is right, no matter how long Obi-Wan has to wait and how much he has to suffer.

Or,

Obi-Wan is reborn as a twelve-year old.

He wakes up on a slavers’ ship, with all of his prior life’s memories intact, and he’s bound for Tatooine with a Force-inhibitor collar around his neck, a bomb implanted in his spine, and no way of knowing what state of the Galaxy is in.

Just another day in the life of the Force’s Champion.

Chapter Summary: Qui-Gon meets the Force’s Champion. Okay, he meets Obi-Wan Kenobi, who he realizes is someone very special (sound familiar?). What comes next only reinforces that perception.

And then Maul enters the scene.

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From All The Spaces Between Times - Chapter Four: We Lay Exposed and Equal (On AO3)

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Meta - Chapter Four: We Lay Exposed and Equal

Thank you for all the love you’ve given this story, early chapters are hard, but the outpouring on last week’s emotionally difficult chapter really made my writer’s heart sing.

This week’s chapter is a little shorter than usual, but it’s still packed. And of course, I have thoughts on almost everything.

Ages

I was editing a future chapter (far, far into the future, like something that won’t get posted for at least another six months) and I realized I messed up some ages (I made Anakin too young in Chapter 3). So one of the benefits of reading these metas is knowing where I screwed up and needed to retcon something.

Anyways, last week, Shmi said that Anakin would be 21 (and it is possible given how years pass differently on different planets, he could be, but let’s go with Galactic Standard), but actually, he’s 25, and was knighted when he was 24.

The ages of the Naboo are much different than the are in canon.

Padmé Naberrie, a/k/a Queen Amidala, is 23, close to the same age as Anakin. Most of her handmaidens, with one exception, are between 18 and 25. The only one who isn’t is Sabé. She’s young, far younger than in canon. About 14 or 15. Very loyal, very focused, but she has no diplomatic skills whatsoever. She has a mission and she needs to get it done. She’s not a bad person, just very inexperienced with life outside of Naboo and the privileged world of the Core and Mid-Rim.

Shmi is 42 - she was 17 when Anakin was born, but she looks much older. Tatooine has a way of aging you, badly. (Looking at you, Obi-Wan Kenobi of ANH).

The Reunion

I wrote and rewrote, and have tweaked the scene where Qui-Gon first lays eyes on Obi-Wan a couple of dozen times. I'm still not sure if it conveys the moment of magic I was trying to describe. A part of this was the Force’s doing, and part of it was Obi-Wan’s joy in seeing his Master, alive and well. His emotions might have overwhelmed the power of that damned collar.

I hope I’ve managed to get this across. Writing is hard sometimes. Okay, writing is always hard. But this damned scene had been in my head since practically the beginning and it bothers me that I don’t think I’ve gotten it right.

The Vision

This may or may not be controversial. How does Qui-Gon understand Obi-Wan when Quinlan didn’t? A couple of theories:

1. Obi-Wan's urgency. He knew that Qui-Gon might not understand him and put all of his strength into fighting the collar.

2. Skin-to-Skin contact. Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon were touching forehead to forehead, and Obi-Wan was pulling the collar away from his neck.

3. This is something new. Obi-Wan isn’t telling Qui-Gon about something from the old timeline (technically he is, but that fight was on Naboo, in the Generator complex), so the rules don’t apply (this theory is courtesy of my dear friend ell).

4. Something else entirely that will be explained in future chapters. Or never explained because the author is an asshole.

The Fight

There are things I’m good at writing: Angst. Hurt/Comfort. Snappy dialogue. Porn.

There are things I’m not good at writing: Fight scenes of any kind.

I suck at writing fight scenes. Sorry. I know this is the shortest and least satisfying fight scene in Star Wars fandom. But Maul is dead. Qui-Gon and Anakin are alive. That’s all that matters.

If you want to read a truly epic lightsaber fight scene, check out The Bravest Heart by Celedan, and go to Chapter 10 (but the whole fic is an excellent read).

I have more to say - I always have more to say, but I think I’m going to save those thoughts for next week. I hope you continue to enjoy these rambles, and of course, the story! See you next week, and for those who celebrate, enjoy the holiday weekend.