Will of The Force (Star Wars / Worm)

Alright, this is part of my snippets thread in SB and, later, QQ. Since I decided to continue writing it, I'll be posting this as a new Fanfic here and in the other sites I use.

Anyways, Will of The Force is a story I wanted to write for a very long time. It started as a SI, eventually, it turned into an OC born in the setting.

Now, it's a crossover and I think it's probably better this way.

The concept is simple, I wanted to write someone with Force powers in WORM.

Basically, the setting is canon Worm, the incert is a "redeemed" Darth Vader.

I'm sure he's just gonna love sharing the city with an "Empire", a gang of slavers and in a planet where the government is corrupt and being manipulated by Cauldron in secret, with Heroes only following the law instead of being effective.

It won't bring back memories, not at all.

Synopsis:
Darth Vader dies in the arms of his son, having killed his master and gone back to the light side of the Force.

And then he wakes up, finding himself into a little primitive planet that hasn't even achieved interstellar travel, where the government is corrupt and the heroes are ineffective, in a city that could almost be called a hive of scum and villainy, dominated by a gang that calls itself the Empire 88 and another that practices slavery.

He wants to be better, he wants to overcome his past, but damn, the city REALLY isn't making it easy for him.​

I hope you guys enjoy the chapter!​

_________________________________________________________________________

“Tell your sister… you were right,” he told his son, his pride.

He couldn’t deny it was nice to die feeling such emotion, even if it wasn’t exactly the satisfaction he sought… or the regret he expected.

His old master would probably still scold him, always preaching about finding peace. Well, peace would be nice, but he had struggled his entire life trying to find it, did he really think he’d find it now, when he was dying? No, pride tinted by regret was good enough. In fact, it was far more than he deserved.

Closing his eyes, he felt the life leaving him and accepted his fate, letting the darkness consume him.

Unexpectedly, he felt his eyes snapping open after what felt like a lifetime. The first thing he noticed was how easy it was to breath, the second was the lack of pain.

Pushing himself up, he touched his face and felt the lack of scars. Looking down, he couldn’t help widening his eyes at the two perfectly healthy hands. In a hurry, he threw the blanket away from his body revealing it whole.

He was whole, how? Why?

Stepping on the floor with his bare feet for the first time in years, he could barely believe when he took his first unassisted steps.

“Ah, sir, you really shouldn’t be up right now!” A nurse rushed inside the room, a small, slightly overweight blonde woman, she wrapped an arm around his waist and guided him back into a sitting position. Still confused, he let her.

“What happened? Is the Empire…?” he asked, feeling the air hitting his skin without pain and not knowing what to do.

“Empire? Sir, you were caught by Lung’s last rampage, the empire wasn’t involved,” the nurse said, using some primitive equipment to measure his pulse. “You’re lucky Panacea volunteered to heal anyone hurt that day, she even managed to replace your missing limbs.”

“I… what?” he didn’t recognize the names spoken. Centering himself, he felt the Force flowing around him in strange patterns, completely alien to anything he had ever felt before. “Do you have a mirror?”

“Yes, sure.”

Soon, the nurse handed him a small mirror and he looked at his own, perfectly healthy face, he even had hair again, how… nostalgic. “I look younger,” he commented, he looked at least ten years younger than expected.

“Ah, well, with your burns, Panacea didn’t exactly know what you looked like sir, she did her best, but there can be some differences,” the nurse fidgeted, taking away the mirror and stepping away from him. “How old are you?”

“45,” he commented, considering his extremely odd situation.

“Well, you’re a very young looking 45 now.”

“Do you have access to the Holonet?” He asked, trying his best not to make it an order, it was hard, he really wasn’t used to asking for things.

“Ah, sir… do you mean the internet?” The woman asked, giving him an odd look and checking her clipboard for information.

“…Yes,” he lied. He understood that people on the Outer Rim didn’t exactly have access to the Holonet, but to not even know of its existence? There was something very wrong here.

“Sir, I’m just gonna call your doctor and we… wait, what are you doing?” she asked as he got back to his feet, nobody had ever accused him of being a patient man. “Sir, I’m gonna…”

“You will give me access to this… internet,” he waved a hand over her face, causing the woman’s aggression to vanish and her eyes to grow dull.

Yes, he seemed to have gotten a second chance in life, and he no longer wished to be the same monster he had been for the last few years, for many reasons. He still hated himself and what he had done, but he didn’t want to wallow in that hate and use it to justify his every action.

The woman pulled some device and handed it to him. The touch commands took some time to get used to, but he had always been gifted with technology and soon started browsing the internet and gathering information.

Handing the ‘phone’ back to the woman, he got up and left the room feeling… conflicted. It seems like he was on a planet called ‘Earth’, how unimaginative. It was a planet that hadn’t even achieved space flight yet.

The only Empire they had was a pathetic supremacist organization with a few Force adepts to its name. He shook his head in confusion, being a human supremacist he could understand, even if he never agreed with it, but judging yourself superior just because of skin color…

Well, perhaps if they were like the Twi’leks and some colors were much rarer than others, but nothing on the ‘internet’ indicated that, they seemed just like the humans he knew about, and humans weren’t really like that.

“Sir, I’m gonna have to ask you to return to your room,” what he assumed was a doctor approached him.

“Take me somewhere I can find some clothes,” he ordered with a wave of his hand. He never really liked this particular use of the Force, and it didn’t come as easy for him as it did his former master, but it was very convenient.

Ten minutes later, he walked through the streets wearing a pair of jeans and white shirt, his mind considering things as he allowed himself to enjoy the feel of the wind on his skin.

The city wasn’t quite a hive of scum and villainy, but it was close, with gang markings everywhere and almost nobody daring to walk alone, moving with hurried steps and keeping a watch around. Things just kept getting more and more nostalgic.

Was this how the Sith of old felt when they first met the race that would give them their name? A primitive planet filled with Force adepts that barely knew anything about the Force itself, attributing much of its power to mysticism and keeping whatever secrets they discovered in families?

In reality, he wasn’t entirely certain that those… ‘parahumans’ were really Force adepts, some of their powers he had never heard about even in legends but, well, while he knew a lot about the Force, he couldn’t claim to know everything.

Finding himself in a small park, he sat down at one of the benches and considered what he would do. He had so many options, he just didn’t know which he should take.

While being stuck on a planet without space capabilities would be the end for most, he had always had a hand with technology, and had quite a lot of experience with building things from subpar materials.

So, he’d build himself a ship, leave this planet and try to reconnect with his son… and his daughter, to apologize, to try and make up for what he did, but then what? Perhaps his death had been for the best.

While he wanted to think of himself as… redeemed, he couldn’t lie, one act of good borne out of love wasn’t enough to fully drive him away from the dark side. He still felt the hate, the regret, the self-loathing that had driven so many of his actions.

It would be so easy to fall again, so tempting.

More than that, he knew even his son hadn’t really forgiven him. He had loved him, yes, but he hadn’t forgiven. Much of what he had done was unforgivable, to just… go back would probably only cause more trouble.

Changing position, he found a good spot under a tree and closed his eyes, centering himself in the Force, feeling its flow all around him. At first, he attempted to keep the Jedi code in mind, but quickly found that he couldn’t.

He couldn’t deny emotion, he couldn’t deny passion, he most certainly couldn’t deny ignorance or chaos, not after his life.

Slowly, he let the Force guide his thoughts, attempting to avoid the same mistakes that had first driven him to the dark. Eventually, he found his thoughts returning to the old Jedi code and feeling that it resonated far more with him.

Emotion, yet peace. Ignorance, yet knowledge. Passion, yet serenity. Chaos, yet harmony. Death, yet the Force.

He let his emotions flow through him, he acknowledged them, and their importance, yet they didn’t guide his actions, he sought a balance… It almost caused him to smile.

His entire life, he had been told that he needed to seek balance, but he never did. None of the Jedi had. By throwing away their own emotions they had been as out of balance as the Dark Side users, only on the other side of the scale.

He wouldn’t claim to have achieved any drastic revelation while meditating, but he felt better, more centered, less aggressive.

Opening his eyes again, he noticed several people giving him odd looks as he lay under the wide tree, but he didn’t mind. Now he just needed to decide what to do.

He had several options, but he wasn’t sure of any of them. He could always try to leave the planet, seeking to reunite with his family once again. Perhaps he owed it to the Galaxy to let them judge him, but what would his son do? Would he be able to do what the Galaxy wanted him to, or would he try to protect him out of love? Should he stay away, forgotten, defeated? What would be best for his family?

On any occasion, he had to live here for at least some time, and he needed some way of sustaining himself. Joining this… ‘protectorate’ felt like the wrong move, not only did he dislike the very thought of being under someone he didn’t trust, the force itself warned him of that path.

Plus, he’d have to fight, to act as law enforcement for a larger organization whose goals and values he didn’t share once again, following orders and not his own morals. It hadn’t ended well for anybody the last two times he took that path, and even the Force didn’t seem to think it would go any better the third time.

His knowledge would let him pass as one of those… ‘Tinkers’, so he could probably get support from almost any group, even if he didn’t wish to fight himself, not risking losing himself in his anger. And he had no doubt that he could find a way of sustaining himself alone if it was needed.

Yes, perhaps he should avoid even using the Force for some time, focus on fully regaining his balance without risking getting into any confrontations. Find a more mundane job for a while , letting such worries fade into the background for a time.

The Force drew his attention towards a group of… ‘Asians’? Was that what they were called? And he could feel them preparing to approach him. Wanting to avoid any confrontation, he got up and dusted his new pair of jeans.

He lost sight of the young Asians as soon as he turned the corner, then continued walking calmly through the city, letting the Force guide his steps.

All around the city, he sensed an overtone of fear and helplessness, and every person he saw on the street had a small air of apathy, as if they would continue to live, but were resigned to it only getting worse.

The comparison with the citizens of the Empire was immediate, and he couldn’t help noticing –Now that he was no longer lying to himself– how much damage he had done to the Galaxy, how much suffering he had created in the name of his Emperor, of control, of order.

Suddenly, his eyes were drawn to a young girl desperately turning a corner, she fell on her hands, scratching her palms on the floor, turning to look at the mostly empty street, she saw him.

Her eyes went wide and she gathered herself, running straight at him as fast as her small legs could, she almost ran past him, but froze in place and grabbed his hand. “It’s you! You make the numbers break.”

Looking at the straight, dark-brown haired kid holding on to his arm, he was momentarily distracted by the force as it seemed to gather itself with anticipation.

Looking at the girl's desperate eyes, Anakin thought that, if he could sense shatterpoints, this would be a pretty big one.

“Ah, friend, thank you for stopping the girl,” a man said, walking calmly towards their position.

Anakin glanced towards him and saw the signs of military training, and the hidden weapons at his back, his eyes flickered around the street and he saw several others trying to encircle them.

Opening himself to the Force, he didn’t sense anyone behind him yet, but there were over eleven men in front of him and at his side.

He could recognize mercenaries and bounty hunters when he saw them, and ones that probably didn’t care about any laws. After all, he had met far too many of their lot in his life, as both allies and enemies.

The power of the Force gathered around him, as if waiting for his decision with glee. Anakin had almost forgotten how it felt to have the Force so willing to move for him, so eager even without being gripped with his iron control.

“The kid likes to run away, thank you for stopping her,” the mercenary said, giving them a huge, fake smile. “Come on Dinah, it’s time to stop playing.”

Almost giving an amused smile at the man’s lies, Anakin turned to look at the girl's eyes and considered his decision. He didn’t want to fight, no, he did, he just feared what would happen later.

“Please, please, please, please,” the girl kept repeating herself and hugged his arm with as much strength as she could. “I don’t want them to take me away, I… don’t want to!”

“Come on friend, step away from the girl and we can all go our separate ways,” the mercenary said, his smile vanishing as he grabbed at his back and showed him a large blaster.

“No, I don’t think I will,” Anakin's eyes never left the girl’s, Dinah.

He felt no small amount of satisfaction as he squeezed the kid’s hand back and gave her some security. What he had done at the Jedi Temple a lifetime ago was one of his worst regrets in life, and what truly marked his fall to the dark side.

At the time, he had thought it a necessary step. He had thought it essential to fully eliminate the taint of the Jedi from the Galaxy, justified to himself that he needed to eliminate them if he wanted there to be order in the Galaxy, and that death by his hand was better than to be handed over to his then new master.

It was perhaps the single act that drove him forward for most of his life. He could have come back from much of what he did, but that single act was more brutal, and more terrible than almost any other before or after. After that, his path needed to be the correct one, it just needed to.

“Possible parahuman interference,” Anakin heard one of the mercenaries talking on a comm unit. “Understood, engaging.”

The Force shouted a warning on his mind, but he didn’t even turn back towards them, only lazily lifting a hand while continuing to stare at the girl's eye, almost lost in memory.

The laser stopped in front of his head, frozen in place and almost shaking in the air, then the others opened fire. A second later, Anakin finally turned towards the men, dozens of shafts of yellow light shaking in the air in front of him, looking like a forest of spears pointed his way.

They weren’t quite like blaster bolds, but it was close enough as to not matter. Picking the child up on his arm, Anakin held her against his chest and stepped aside, letting the bolts fly by his former position to strike the ground at the same time.

The resulting explosion lifted a wave of dust into the air, obscuring his position. Anakin knew he should disengage, rescue the girl and leave, preventing any further aggressive action. He just couldn’t.

He sighed, his temper always had been a problem, even when he was aware of it.

With a flick of his wrist, a car flew from the sidewalk, blocking a few more shots that would have hit him, some of the mercenaries tried to lob concussion grenades to disable him, but a Force Push sent them right back, and the noise and light barely bothered him when it was so far away.

Finally extending his arm forward, he sent the car flying, smashing into the first mercenary with so much strength he was completely crushed. Slowly, he closed his fist, squeezing it tightly.

The force almost shouted with glee, jumping to follow his request. A metal street lamp went flying, impaling a second mercenary trying to flank him, then the pavement broke, peeling away from the ground and lifting in the air before breaking into huge blocks of asphalt that flew towards his attackers.

The blocks smashed into the mercenaries, exploding against their protections. Around him, pieces of debris and cars floated as if he was the center of a hurricane, picking up speed before flashing towards his attackers.

The Force screamed at him again and he turned to the right, seeing two men aiming at him from inside the building. A blast bolt flew right at his face.

With a wave of his hand, he used tutaminis to slap the bolt back towards one of his attackers, burning a hole through his head, a second later, a car smashed through the building, killing the other.

Anakin felt the kid grabbing his shirt and burying her face on his chest, her entire body shaking. Realizing that there were no longer any enemies alive, he dropped his arm, then laid it against the back of her head, offering comfort.

Around him, the field of debris dropped to the ground with a deafening impact, almost causing the entire street to shake. Looking at the utterly collapsed street, with cables of energy and water leaking from dug up pipes, Anakin sighed, he really should have tried to be more diplomatic.

He was trying to be better, he really was, but old habits die hard, and smashing criminals was so much easier, and far more cathartic, than talking with them.

Turning towards the little girl, he put a smile on his face and tried to be gentle. “Now, let us get you back to your family.”

“Eighty nine point forty three percent chances that my family dies if I go back,” the girl whispered against his chest.

Well, that complicated things.


___________________________$$$_____________________________

Thanks for my patrons : Xhaustedhero, Iori Daemona Angel, AlliterativeArts (Eric Faust), Lynx of Chaos, Comics, Davvy chappie, Ian Michael, WanderingDaemon, GrumpyJustGrumpy, Travis cox, Rootbeerguy, High Priest of Torga, Michael Neal, Felrook, NotableRonin, Josh Orton, stanley seymour and AjiTae for supporting my work!

If you like my work, take a look at my other novels or my patreon and Ko-Fi. You can support me for a single dollar.

 

Hey, nice to see such great reception for this fic! As I said, I'll be posting the first five chapters one every day, after that, it will be only once a week.

Also, I really don't have a beta for this story, so I apologize for any mistakes I didn't catch. I do my best to correct them before posting but, sometimes, I just miss things. (If anyone is interested in being a Beta, plz PM me.)


Yeah, right now Anakin is in a very strange place, he want's to be better and he's actively trying to not use the dark side of the force, the only problem is, he has been Darth Vader for so long that he doesn't even realisse when he's crossing the line.

To him, breaking someone's mind with the force would be using the dark side, but he has been so entrenched in it that he doesn't register the difference when it's subtle. Killing the Emperor and showing his love for Luke was a step away from the Dark Side, but it wasn't the whole path, far from it.

He has been killing for so long, has slain so many that he finds it hard to value the life of strangers, even when he knows he should. He also has been Darth Vader for so long that he just doesn't know how to be subtle, how to hide. At this point, the idea that he has to fear someone, to wear a mask or hide his identity just doesn't occur to him.

For a few chapters, he will be trying to stay away from killing but, for him, that means using more Mind Tricks / Domination. He knows it's ilegal, but really, he doesn't actually care. He has been using it his entire life, both as a Jedi and Sith and it's such minor part of his power he just doesn't register how feared masters are.

___________________________________________________________

Still holding on to the kid, Anakin felt oddly protective as he considered the destroyed street.

Turning his head, he saw a white and blue vehicle approaching them, making an incredibly aggravating amount of noise. The vehicle stopped a little away from their location and two men stepped out, but it didn't seem to be with the bounty hunters, so he dismissed them from his mind.

Starting to walk away, he considered what to do with the kid. Apparently, she couldn't return home… Was it some kind of Force vision or something completely different?

"Sir, are you alright? What about the girl?" Yelled the newcomer making Anakin turn towards them.

The two men were holding some kind of primitive weapons in front of them with a little more practice than the usual stormtrooper, probably the local law enforcement.

"We are well, I have already eliminated the danger," he told them in a serious voice, only for both uniformed officers to freeze and trade glances.

Reacting fast, they retreated behind their vehicle, pointing their weapons at him with very steady arms while hiding behind the vehicle's doors.

For a second, Anakin thought they were gonna try to arrest him and wondered what to do, it has been so long since he had to worry about repercussions from the law.

Then the officers looked at the destroyed street, some of the dead mercenaries still bleeding all around it. "Yeah, nope, get in the fucking car, Walinsky."

"Oh, thank God!" The second office breathed out, scrambling inside the vehicle.

Anakin watched with some amusement as the vehicle retreated, smashing its way back from where it came. Who would have guessed, sensible law enforcement?

When he was young, he had always wondered why people were so stupid as to shoot at Jedi with blasters… and then he had grown, he had fallen, and he had no longer wondered, just accepted that the majority of people, be they bandits, slavers or rebels were just that dumb, why else would they shot blasters at Darth Vader.

Shaking his head, Anakin watched the car drive away for a second longer before turning away. With a force blast, he moved some rubble out of the way, cleaning a path away from the street.

Just as he was about to leave, he thought about his situation, he no longer had the support of the empire, or the Jedi temple, he no longer had a way to get anything he needed, and the planet seemed to be really primitive.

What were the chances that he’d get access to blasters again anytime soon? Anakin didn’t exactly like blasters, but he didn’t disdain them like his former teacher either, and they could have a lot of useful materials.

Lifting a hand, he used the force to gather every weapon in the street, ripping them out of hands or from below the rubble until he was left with a huge pile of equipment at his side.

It was probably also filled with trackers, but he could get rid of them later, and it wasn’t like he even had a place to hide. Feeling the kid’s arm gripping his shirt, Anakin looked down at her again, seeing her wide eyes as he kept the devices suspended in the air with the force.

“Ah, yes, it does attract attention doesn’t it?” He wondered out loud, and the girl nodded slowly.

After a quick look around, he found a more or less intact vehicle his power had only overturned, extending a hand; he settled it back in the street and, with barely an effort, unlocked the back door, pushing his newly acquired weapons there.

A second later, the girl was in the passage seat and Anakin himself was sitting behind the steering wheel, he had no experience driving something like this, but pedals were pedals everywhere in the galaxy, he’d figure it out.

Laying a hand against the ignition, he felt for the opening in the force before turning on the car using telekinesis. He started driving slowly, testing the car’s capabilities. Once he was certain of how things worked, he pushed down on the pedal and turned the wheel.

The car’s tires screamed on the road as it did a 180 turn, the noise oddly satisfying to his ears. At his side, the girl pressed herself against the seat, but he wasn’t worried, he had always had a talent for driving.

The car could only move at very slow speeds, Anakin didn’t even have to use the force to drive between the other vehicles and cars, his natural reflexes more than enough with the slow speed.

Having to drive with the tires on the ground was a novel experience, but he got used to it with only a few close calls. The girl’s screams and desperate scrambling to put on a belt was entirely unnecessary.

Driving through the city, Anakin quickly made his way away from the center and towards the almost abandoned docks. He’d need at least some time to establish himself, to think about his options and build the necessary hardware, which means he’d have to be left alone at least for a week or so.

Thinking about it, it was his experience that there were two ways of making sure people left you alone. As Vader, people simply didn’t dare bother, question or even follow his movements.

Even here, in this backwards planet, he had already read about it in his quick search. S class threats were left alone as long as they didn’t cause too much trouble. From weak things like Nilbog and the machine army, to mysterious beings like this Sleeper, the governments simply choose to leave them alone.

Unfortunately, he really didn’t want to go with that option, no matter how tempting it was, it really was far too close to the way he acted as Vader and he was trying to avoid simply going back to the dark side.

So, the second way it was, as a poor slave, he too had been left alone… mostly, and it was for the simple reason that he was unimportant, beneath notice, even if people saw him, they’d just ignore it.

He really didn’t like to think about his time on Tatooine, to the point that he had seriously considered using it as target practice instead of Alderaan, but it had taught him how to survive without attracting attention, and that there was an entire caste of people others simply dismissed from their mind.

Faster than he expected, the city turned into slums and abandoned buildings, filled with the usual homeless of such industrial cities. In Tatooine, such people wouldn't survive either dying from thirst or killed by bandits, but they weren't uncommon in places where the basics were really accessible.

Letting the force guide him, he eventually found a storage building without anyone inside. Smashing the breaks, his car slid to a stop in front of the wide entrance and Anakin used the force to lift the IP opening before driving inside and letting it drop back down.

"I don't wanna die, please, I don't wanna die, I don't wanna die!" The kid quietly repeated, her eyes shut tightly and her hands clutching desperately at the car.

Anakin was… mildly offended, did she actually think he'd crash the car? At that speed? By the Force, even if he did crash, he was more than capable of protecting them both.

"We've already stopped," he finally sighed and informed the girl, causing her to release another sequel of surprise, Anakin just gave her a strange look. "I find your lack of faith disturbing."

Shaking his head, he got out of the vehicle and looked at the place, it was dirty, filled with spider webs and discard yeah, several places were stained with things he'd rather not think about, but he couldn't sense anyone in the nearby buildings and, considering everything, it was better than expected.

At the other side of the car, the girl opened the door and almost threw herself out, breathing hard and nearly collapsing to her knees, but she gathered herself at the last minute and potted at him.

"Disturbing? You're disturbing! Your entire family is disturbing!" Red faced, she stomped away from him to sit on top of an empty crate left behind.

For a second, Anakin just stared at the girl's outburst without knowing what to do. With a sigh, he approached her and stopped only a few steps away. "... You were never in any danger, I wouldn't hit anything under such slow speed and, even if I did, I'm easily capable of protecting the both of us."

"... I couldn't see the numbers, I tried asking and it was just… broken," the girl almost whispered, drawing her feet closer to her chest in an attempt of finding comfort.

Anakin didn't know what to do, he didn't know how to offer comfort, perhaps once he had, but not now.

Awkwardly looking around, he eventually took a step close to the girl, offering her a hand; she just looked at it and then turned to his face. "I'm thirsty."

Closing his hand into a fist, he let his arm fall down and looked around the building for any signs of water, he didn't find any.

Damn, he really was a failure at this, he should really have spent some time thanking the force that Luke was raised by his brother, and Leia in Alderaan, he'd probably have killed them if they remained with him.

Stepping away, he looked at the car and the broken door. "Will you remain safe here for an hour?"

"Eighty-two point three eight six four percent chance that I'll stay safe here," the girl answered almost automatically and then jumped out of her crate and grabbed his arm. "Don't leave me alone!"

“...Very well. We’ll walk then,” Anakin said after a short pause, he could use the car, making sure to drive slower, but the thing was heavily damaged from the fight, and it would attract a lot of attention. Since the girl would come with him, he didn’t need to be fast.

Turning around, he started walking out, only to briefly stop as the kid grabbed his hand. With a quick glance down, he saw her eyes staring up at him with determination, as if challenging him to let go. It actually drew a smile out of him, a very small one.

They had to walk at least five blocks before finding anything open, but then the city started getting more active, with more and more people walking in the streets, most of them with the same general characteristics.

It made him and Dinah stand out, but nobody bothered them.

“Thank you, thank you for saving me,” the girl finally spoke, getting a nod out of him before continuing. “What’s your name?”

“… Anakin, I’m called Anakin Skywalker,” he answered, the words still feeling very strange coming out of his mouth. Seeing a building filled with various foods and other products, he pointed. “Can you sense if there will be any trouble in that store?”

“Ah… I- no, I can’t see anything if you’re involved, it just… says nothing right now,” She shook her head, the movement letting him see a smear on her cheek.

“Interesting,” bending down, he wiped a thumb over it, getting rid of the dirt. “You really cannot see anything about me. Will this extend to other… thinkers?”

“Don’t know,” Dinah shrugged, seeming strangely happy about things. “Probably? I’m just glad I don’t have to answer things around you.”

Together, they entered the store and Anakin started gathering things he thought he’d need, extra food and water, some cleaning supplies, it was strange to have to care about someone else, and he’d probably have to get a lot more things for comfort.

Comfort, now that was a strange thing to think about, when was the last time he had to worry about it? When he was with the Jedi? Before? No, it had probably been with Padme.

He started to feel the old pain of loss and nearly drowned it in anger and hate on instinct, only Dinah waving at him with some kind of can kept him from retreating into bad habits.

Perhaps this was why the force had guided him to her. Alone, he’d probably end up right where he left. Getting lost on the Dark Side was far too easy, much easier than facing his mistakes.

“Can I take it? Mom never lets me drink, says it’s unhealthy,” Dinah pleaded and Anakin let her. “Please?”

“Very well, are you done shopping?” he asked, considering his full cart.

“Yeah, I guess.”

Anakin started pushing the cart towards the door, only to be stopped by a young boy grabbing the cart and trying to push it back. “Hey, you can’t just leave like that! Insane asshole, if you can’t pay, you’re putting it all back or I’m calling someone.”

“I have already paid, including for the cart, remember?” Anakin told the boy, gently using force persuasion to change his mind.

“Ah, right, sorry about that sir, I guess I didn’t…” The boy said in a muddled state of mind. Releasing the cart, he stepped back and shook his head, with one last odd look at Anakin; he stepped back and returned inside. “What the… I could have sworn…?”

“What? You’re a Master too?” Dinah hurried to his side and asked.

“I’m a master of many things, child,” Anakin said, putting a hand protectively over her shoulder. “You’ll have to be more specific.”

“No, I mean, that!” She pointed back to the store. “I thought you’re going to pay, not just wave your hand! And master is a power classification.”

“Ah, yes,” he said, remembering reading about something in the portable device. “The power of the Force is limitless, but I must confess, I’m not the best at Force Persuasion, my power always allowed me to be… blunter.”

“Is that what you call your power?” Dinah asked, making sure to keep close to him as some men started following them. “Should I name my power? Is that something capes do?”

“The Force isn’t MY power,” he explained, briefly glancing behind him before turning the corner. “The Force is ever present, it is everywhere there’s life and it’s what binds us together. I’m merely capable of manipulating it.”

“Riiiight,” Dinah gave him an odd look, but Anakin didn’t mind, too busy flicking a trash can towards their followers fast enough to break a few bones, he aimed for their heads out of habit, but the men could have survived, maybe. “Kinda like God then?”

“Some have worshiped the Force, yes,” Anakin answered thinking about some Force cults he had destroyed.

“Really, you think you’re… a saint?” Finally, Dinah gave him a VERY dubious look.

There was a time such a thing would have irritated him more, it would have disturbed him. Anakin never understood how people could NOT feel the force when it was so clear to him. He almost smiled when he realized that time was long past.

“I suppose I can see how someone would doubt. I never did, the Force was always present, and my connection was so strong I could feel it in my every action. But, no, the Force is not a God and I’m not a saint for using it, everyone can use it, with enough training and the right mindset.”

“Could I use it then?” she asked, her voice filled with a fair amount of skepticism, but also some hope. “I don’t really like my power, and it would be nice to be able to defend myself, I could even go back home.”

“Perhaps you are using the force, but I’m not as certain anymore,” kneeling in front of the girl, Anakin put a hand on her shoulders and closed his eyes, trying to sense the force inside the girl, to learn how strong her connection was. “You have a slightly stronger connection than most sentients. Unfortunately, it’s probably not enough to truly sense it beyond unusual hunches or moments of stress.”

“I- alright, I guess I should have expected that,” Dinah said, lowering her head in disappointment.

Getting up, Anakin finally pushed the cart inside their abandoned building, using the force to lock the door behind them. Staring at the girl, he couldn’t help feeling something inside his chest.

Should he… his experience with the Dark Side was one guided by a madman, and fuelled by his grief, self-hate and anger, but, while all of its abilities were incredibly dangerous, not all of them were truly evil.

“There are ways to increase one’s sensitivity to the Force,” Anakin finally said, the words escaping his mouth before he could stop. Seeing the girl turn his way with hope in her eyes, he sighed, knowing he’d do it. “It will take time and preparation, and you’ll require training, but I’ll do it.”

The small missile that hit his legs and embraced him was entirely unexpected, even the force didn’t warn him. Slowly, he put a hand on top of her hair and offered what comfort he could.

Finally, when Dinah released him, he started organizing the place, using the force to push all the dust and trash into a corner before crushing it into a ball, then he started setting their things, Dinah would have to sleep in the car for now, but he had brought two blankets she could use.

Hopefully, they’d be better established in a few days and he could start looking for a home. In truth, Anakin wouldn’t have cared if he stayed in the building, he had spent weeks in far worse places and any time without his armor while not feeling pain was a luxury he didn’t think he’d ever get, but the girl would need a better place.

Eventually, they had the entire building in a semblance of organization, exhausted; Dinah ate some kind of packed ration and crawled inside the car’s backseat, snacking on the thing while watching him attentively.

Motioning towards the pile of weapons, Anakin used the force to make them float in front of it, closing his eyes in concentration; he felt all their pieces, the things keeping them in place.

Extending his hand, he slowly rotated it, unscrewing every bolt on the entire supply of blasters before, squeezing tightly; they seemed to explode in the air, separating into their components.

Behind him, he heard Dinah gasping in surprise, but he didn’t look back, just started analyzing what he had available, and thinking about what he’d be able to build. Slowly, he separated the parts into piles, with the ones closer to him being the most useful.

“What’re you doing?” Dinah asked from the car.

“An inventory, I wish to see what I need to acquire in order to build a geological compressor,” he explained, nodding in satisfaction as he found almost everything he’d need.

“What do you need Geology for?” Dinah got out of the car, her naked feet hitting the cold floor before she stepped on top of her shoes and walked closer, wrapped almost head to toe in a blue blanket. “Do you have enough?”

“You should be asleep,” Anakin frowned at her.

“Can’t, I-I never slept out before,” She confessed, blushing.

Anakin sighed, but motioned for her to come closer and sit in front of him. “A geological compressor is a device originally used to study geological conditions in a laboratory, conditions like pressure and heat.”

“Why do you need something like that?” Dinah said, taking advantage to sit against his legs and cover them with the blanket, her head lying against his body.

“It’s necessary to make a certain kind of synthetic crystal,” he explained, briefly looking down at her position before continuing to manipulate the equipment. “I do not NEED it, it is merely a tool, but I do feel somewhat vulnerable without it.”

“So, it’s a weapon? Is it cool?”

Anakin only paused for a second while remembering the first time he had seen one igniting, and the first time he had seen a fight between lightsabers.

Maul had not been a very powerful Sith, not by his or his Master’s standards at least, more a blunt instrument than a master, but it had been impressive to watch at the time.

Finally, he sat down, crossing his legs into a meditating position and letting the girl rest her head on them. “I certainly thought so in my youth.”

The girl didn’t ask any more questions, so Anakin just continued separating things. When he was done, he started using the force to mold the metal available in the correct shape, only to hear a grumble from under him, Dinah had fallen asleep.

Slowly, he lowered the equipment to the ground, deciding to continue his work in the morning. Instead, he lifted the girl from the cold floor and used his own hands to wrap the blanket around her before putting her gently into the soft seating of the car.

He stared at her for a second, feeling… strange, was he starting to bond with the girl? It was rare, but such things could happen fast if the force facilitated it, but the girl shouldn’t really be sensitive enough for that, not yet.

Sitting down, he closed his eyes and almost immediately fell into a trance, using the time available to meditate and try to balance himself. Tomorrow, he’d start building his equipment; it shouldn’t take more than a few days.


___________________________$$$_____________________________

Thanks for my patrons : Xhaustedhero, Iori Daemona Angel, AlliterativeArts (Eric Faust), Lynx of Chaos, Comics, Davvy chappie, Ian Michael, WanderingDaemon, GrumpyJustGrumpy, Travis cox, Rootbeerguy, High Priest of Torga, Michael Neal, Felrook, NotableRonin, Josh Orton, stanley seymour, AjiTae and danxzn for supporting my work!

If you like my work, take a look at my other novels or my patreon and Ko-Fi. You can support me for a single dollar.

 

Hey, new chapter, I have to say, I'm really loving the reception to this fic. I hoppe you guys continue to enjoy it!

_____________________________________________________

“Do not lower your arm, stay in position and slowly transition to the third stance,” Anakin ordered, gently using the Force to correct Dinah’s stance.

Together, the two of them moved their feet, contracting their muscles in the same way for a few seconds before relaxing again and returning to the beginning stance.

Dinah was soaked with sweat, her shirt clinging to her body and her limbs were trembling. Anakin was doing much better; the beginning levels of the training really weren’t strenuous to him, especially as he could feel the Force already filling his body.

Suddenly, Dinah collapsed on her back, her limbs no longer able to support her as she desperately tried to catch a breath. Kneeling by her side; he laid a hand on her and channeled the Force, using Force healing to accelerate the recovery of her muscles.

It was not very effective, Anakin had only attempted to learn the skill later in life and, while consumed by the dark side, he had never been able to execute it. Now, with a calm mind, he could do it, but he was far from mastery.

“Ugh, will this really let me be as powerful as you?” She asked when she was finally able to draw enough air to speak.

“No,” Anakin immediately denied, with such weak connection and having started even later than him, it was unlikely she’d ever reach even the level of a Jedi Knight, not unless he took drastic measures and he didn’t have the right materials at hand.

“What! Awww, cramp, cramp!” Suddenly pushing herself up before she was ready, Dinah cradled her leg as the muscles visibly twitched under her pants.

Anakin quickly focused his attention there and dispelled the pain, only earning himself a new glare from his youngling. “You’re evil you know that?”

“Many have called me that, yes,” he nodded again. Sitting down beside her, he continued to heal her body from micro-tears, accelerating her development and recovery.

“Fine, why are we doing this, then?” She pouted at him, but Anakin just messed her hair like Obi-Wan used to do before he outgrew him.

“Matukai training is a form of meditative martial arts,” Anakin explained, finally taking his hand away from her, he hadn’t healed her completely, but they were done training for the morning and she’d be able to finish it by herself until next day. “It uses the physical body to channel the Force and can increase all of your attributes; the routine will give you several advantages and, unlike the Jedi training, can increase one’s Force sensitivity, especially in those not inherently gifted… eventually.”

In truth, only a small part of being strong in the Force consisted of being Force sensitive. Training, skill, experience, it all affected one’s powers, but, perhaps the most important part was belief, faith, a fundamental trust that the Force could achieve what you were attempting.

To the Force, doubt was more crippling than lack of talent or sensitivity. As grandmaster Yoda liked to say, ‘do or do not, there is no try.’ If one doubted they could achieve something, they had already failed.

There were several ways to build trust, and physical training was a good way of doing that, a youngling believed, and it was easily proved, that one grew strong with physical training; it wasn’t as big of a stretch to extend that belief to the Force.

“Can’t you just… wave your hand at me like you did that guy in the shop and make me stronger?” The little girl begged, attempting to sway him with watery eyes.

“The Force is not just some Parahuman power, it can’t just be handed out,” Anakin shook his head, flicking her forehead and pushed himself up. “You require training, understanding… faith.”

“But, you said The Force can do anything?” Dinah accused, her voice as if she had caught him lying.

Anakin stared at the girl and sighed heavily. “It can, but I cannot… I knew of a Sith who probably could do just that, but he died before I ever became a Jedi Knight and my Master never managed to replicate his feat.”

“Alright, just how long will it take?” Dinah let herself fall back on the ground.

“That will depend on a lot of factors, but the training will be beneficial even if you never learn to use the Force,” Anakin said and put his shirt back on. “My best guess is that, in about half a year, you’ll be reaching what your PRT calls a 1 in brute, mover and combat thinker. With meditation, you may continue to grow from there.”

“I guess I won’t be juggling tons of metal anytime soon, huh?” Dinah sighed and turned towards the back of the building watching as Anakin finished shaping the last parts of the geological compressor.

Turning with her, he focused back on his work. Anakin had enough concentration to go through the earlier stages of Matukai training while using Force Telekinesis to build most of the components, but some things required a little more attention.

Geological compressors were not, in general, bantha sized devices, but he had to use VERY subpar materials and adapt things to get the device to work. It had been a very frustrating project.

It was not like Anakin hadn’t had to build things with scrap before, but it had been a very long time, and he had never had to do it with such primitive tools and materials.

Really, he had to actually use the Force for nearly half of the procedure because this planet just didn’t have the tools to build the tools.

Lifting his arm, he concentrated into the floating pieces and closed his fist, causing all parts of the device to snap into place, the wires connecting with a hiss as it was powered on.

Gently lowering the equipment to the floor, he opened the central chamber and deposited the last necessary piece, a block of raw mineral with a high carbon concentration, now he’d have to wait four days for the synthetic to bake.

Usually, it wouldn’t take more than a single day but, again, the entire device was far from perfect.

Stepping back, Anakin considered his new charge, they had acquired everything that she needed earlier this morning and, while he did sense danger in the Force, it was an ever present thing in the city.

“I will need to meditate on the crystal formation; do you require help before I start?”

“Nope, I’m used to being alone,” Dinah answered, dragging herself to her new, makeshift bed and pulling out a simile of a data pad to start tipping away. “Hey, can I make you a mask?”

“Will it be necessary?” he asked, sitting down with his legs crossed in front of the large device. It wasn’t an absolute requirement, but meditating and helping in the crystal formation made for a far stronger lightsaber. “I have no desire to play with your heroes and villains and I… would prefer not to wear a mask.”

“Awww… I mean, it’s great that you don’t act like everyone else!” Dinah said, smiling widely at him while pulling her knees closer to her body, her back resting against the wall. “But everyone wears masks; it would be strange if you didn’t.”

He supposed she was right, Anakin had yet to truly study his new planet, preferring to prioritize the youngling’s well being and building his tools first, but fitting in could be useful until he was better established.

He didn’t want to wear a mask, but he could bear with it. Looking down at her eager face, he sighed. “Very well, find a design you like and I’ll help you craft it later.”

“Thanks!” taping furiously on the device.

Closing his eyes, Anakin focused his attention inside the machine, guiding his crystal formation, attuning it for his own use. He briefly considered what color to give the crystal.

Left by itself, it would become red, but that was far too close to his time as a Sith and the color was easily influenced if he so desired. Creating a blue or Green blade would remind him too much of his time in the Jedi Order and, while he no longer considered that a terrible thing, he wasn’t a Jedi.

Really, the tradition was to choose a crystal that most fitted his temperament, but Anakin already knew that would be red. Perhaps it was best to manipulate the crystal into a color that represented what he was aiming for, not what he wanted to surpass. If only he knew what that was.

Hmm, something to consider later, now it was time to focus on consolidating the crystal and giving it stability.

Focused as he was in the Force, Anakin felt better than he had in decades, for a moment, he released all his anger, his hate, and reached for the Force simply with the peace of mind, receiving only acceptance back, as if the Force was welcoming him after a long time away.

Suddenly, a scream in the Force snapped him out of meditation and he fell to the floor on his feet. Looking out towards the city, he concentrated for a second, feeling a new wave of fear filling the city and spreading. Something new was coming.

The deaths, when they came, barely fazed him, he had felt far too many die to be affected by a couple dozen, but they were violent, terrified and desperate.

The windows on the top of the building exploded, raining down shards of glass that were stopped by a Force push and swept aside even as Dinah screamed in fear and fell to the floor. It seems like some kind of exotic bomb exploded far too close for comfort, sending a wave of energy that shook the ground around them.

A smaller explosion in the distance caused the girl to release another cry and run towards him. Putting a hand over her shoulder, Anakin gathered the girl to himself and focused on the Force again, but he didn’t sense any danger towards them.

“Do not fear, we are safe here,” he reassured the girl, but he still felt her fear, she thought it was another attack on her. “Chances that you’re going to be attacked here?”

“Seven point one, two, three, seven percent. Ugh, don’t do that!” Dinah punched his leg, but he could already see her calming down. “It always feels odd to see the numbers when I’m not expecting it.”

“Hmmm, have you ever tried to sense the past?” he asked, channeling Force healing towards her head again. “Those capable of Force visions sometimes focus too hard in the wrong direction.”

“It doesn’t work,” she breathed out, finally stepping away from him when there were no further explosions. “It doesn’t hurt, but I can’t see anything too.”

Glancing at the Geological compressor, Anakin briefly considered going back into meditation. With a sigh, he turned away and led her back towards the bed, sitting down with her.

It wasn’t like he couldn’t make a new synthetic kyber crystal later; he didn’t need the first one to be perfect. In fact, the makeshift device wouldn’t be able to make a satisfactory crystal no matter how much he used the Force to guide its formation and he’d have to build another when he had better materials.

He had been tempted to leave and see what exactly was going on, but he had very little information about the city and he didn’t want to leave the girl alone. While he was safe here, he sensed that it wouldn’t remain like that if he was away for more than an hour or two.

Looking around, he found his own data pad --no, it was cell phone here—he found his phone sitting on top of the car and, with a flick of his hand, drew it towards the bed. It was about time he learned more about this city.

“I am so jealous right now,” Dinah commented, staring at his phone with narrowed eyes.

Sensing her reason, Anakin snorted. “Laziness will not make using the Force easier.”

“Hmph!”

Dinah flinched as another bomb went off into the city, but she didn’t yell again and, soon, they both grew quiet as they continued to use the phones.

Anakin did a more in-depth search of the planet’s political situation and powers, but he mostly focused on the city. Brockton Bay was divided into 5 main Forces, but there were dozens of smaller powers around.

The first power was the local government, most importantly, the PRT department ENE, consisting of several ‘heroes’ and ‘wards’ that worked as law enforcement, not entirely unlike the Jedi Knights and Padawans. Anakin had no interest in joining them, but he didn’t have anything against them either.

The second was the ‘New Wave’, a family group that, while having enough ‘parahumans’ to be significant, did not seem to achieve anything in the city, not even holding on to too much territory.

Anakin was much better disposed towards them than the PRT for the simple reason that one of their members was the one to heal him. In actual fact, he had no doubt that, if the Force saw fit to send him here, it would have found a way to keep him alive, but Panacea’s healing probably made that far more comfortable than otherwise.

The third was the Empire 88. Anakin wanted to laugh just by saying that, to think that such a small organization dared to call itself an ‘Empire’, he actually had the urge to get up and destroy them right now, but he managed to stop himself.

A supremacist organization that preached the supposed superiority of a specific ethnicity of the human race above all others, a concept both ridiculous and so very small in Anakin’s view. The most numerous, they attempted to seem more civilized than the other sides and so, were restricted to less overt actions.

The forth, the ‘merchants’, a group of addicts, smugglers and the proverbial nest of scum and villainy that existed in every city he had ever been through. They were numerous for the simple reason that they were beneath notice most of the time.

Last, but certainly not least, the ‘ABB’. Anakin didn’t really understand the significance of the name, but it sounded incredibly stupid to him, and the internet seemed to agree.

Held together by a powerful figure, it was not much different from this ‘Empire’, the only real divergence was that they did not need the pretence of civility and so, they indulged in the worst: violence, slavery, rape, forced prostitution.

There were several other smaller powers here, a so-called ‘Coil’ being the biggest of them, but they didn’t seem too important.

Anakin adjusted his position, letting Dinah’s head rest on top of his thigh as she nearly drifted off to sleep. The sun had fully gone down, so he just made sure she was comfortable and started meditating again.

Should he get involved in the city? He wouldn’t be working for any government, especially one that seemed so close to the Republic before the war. But did that mean he should stay away from everything?

No, the Jedi’s mistake was that they had distanced themselves fully, lost touch with what was right; Anakin didn’t want to fall into the same trap.

In truth, he still had the urge to just… kill them all, to take the city and use its resources to build himself a ship, it would be so much easier and, considering Nilbog and other such examples, it would probably work long enough.

It wasn’t like they didn’t deserve it, scum, slavers, criminals; Anakin could even see the corruption in the government and the so called PRT and protectorate.

He had been there for the end of the Republic, he had missed the signs then because Sidious was too great a master and he was too distracted by his own troubles, but he had learned.

Really, the similarities were glaring even with just a cursory glance. A corrupt government, a placid Protectorate content to obey orders and not act even when they clearly saw what the correct path was… He’d have to look deeper, but the Force warned him of someone’s claw’s working from the shadows.

Or maybe he was just projecting; Force Visions were notoriously known to be affected by the person’s own views… to some of the most disastrous mistakes in the Galaxy’s history.

Closing his eyes, he dropped the subject from his mind; he didn’t want to walk that path himself, even if it was incredibly tempting to fall back on old habits.

Seeing that his charge had truly fallen asleep, he lifted her phone to distract himself and saw the masks she had been looking at. She had even used some programs to make some modifications and annotations.

Taking it all in, Anakin decided that they weren’t terrible, unlike his previous helmet. The masks didn’t cover the entire head and had enough space for a breathing mask and a visor to protect his eyes.

The design reminded him of a holocron of Darth Revan he had once seen, even if it wasn’t an exact analog.

With a move of his hand, he ignited the forge on the other side of the building and put a piece of metal inside, causing it to become malleable. Pausing in consideration, he divided the metal in two and started shaping it.

He crafted both masks carefully, doing his best to keep the details, as he used Force telekinesis to shape the metal into a working version of the masks in Dinah’s phone.

He spent another hour finishing the reinforced visor and breathing apparatus, before floating both masks closer, releasing them on top of their breakfast table. One of them was bigger, clearly made for him, but a second one was slightly smaller and far more detailed.

Finished with that, he attempted to lie down to sleep, but he couldn’t close his eyes. The softness that seemed to swallow him, the vulnerable position, with his chest up and only a small blanket covering him. He couldn’t stand it.

Getting up again, he sat in a meditative position and pulled his mask closer, holding it in his hand. Staring at the lens for quite a few minutes, he just didn’t know what to feel and the Force didn’t offer any insights.

Releasing the mask, he put it back in place and closed his eyes, loosing himself in the Force while gently guiding the kyber crystal formation inside the device.

The next day started with another explosion, Dinah falling off the bed and hitting her head on the ground. Slowly, she gathered herself and dragged her blanket through the floor to pick a cup of milk and cereal.

On her way back to bed, she walked by both masks once again. Milk flew out of her mouth as she nearly dropped the cereal and gasped for air. “Is that a helmet, oh my God you made it! Is that mine?”

Opening his eyes, Anakin stretched his muscles. “Finish your breakfast, we’re gonna start training again.”

“But… helmet?”

For a second, he just stared at her pouting face. eyes huge as she attempted to manipulate him. It wasn’t working. “We’re going out after training, you can wear it then,” he breathed out, starting to adjust his positioning.

“Yes!”

___________________________$$$_____________________________

Thanks for my patrons : Xhaustedhero, Iori Daemona Angel, AlliterativeArts (Eric Faust), Lynx of Chaos, Comics, Davvy chappie, Ian Michael, WanderingDaemon, GrumpyJustGrumpy, Travis cox, Rootbeerguy, High Priest of Torga, Michael Neal, Felrook, NotableRonin, Josh Orton, stanley seymour, AjiTae, danxzn, Louis Kasser and Joseph for supporting my work!

If you like my work, take a look at my other novels or my patreon and Ko-Fi. You can support me for a single dollar.

 

Hey, another chapter, only one more before we go weekly.

Initially, I imagined Anakin smashing everything with Force powers, but then I realised that he doesn't actually need to.

I mean, he's trying not to kill people, using mind tricks and domination is much easier and actually more effective for that... I'm sure the PRT won't mind a master on their city.

Things didn't go the way I expected with this chapter, but I think it's amusing enough.

I hope you guys enjoy it!

_____________________________________

“You want to reveal every crime you’ve committed to the authorities, the guilt is eating at you, it won’t stop,” Anakin told the criminal, using mind tricks to plant a suggestion into the young man’s mind.

Usually, it wouldn’t hold for too long, but the man was a drug addict and barely lucid, it was much easier to suggest things to him and have them stay for long periods of time. In fact, he hadn’t had to even threaten anyone yet, all of them too weak minded to resist even his weakest of powers.

“I thought you said you weren’t very good at that?” Dinah asked, poking at a tied up gang member placidly staring at the ceiling.

That particular effect had nothing to do with force powers; the man was just too far into his drugs.

“I am not, but strength of mind is also important,” he said with some disgust. Getting up from his kneeling position, he adjusted his clothes and sighed, he missed his cape. “Gang members and drug addicts are well known to be particularly weak-minded, those men are both.”

“Yeah, I guess you don’t even need the hand trick with Merchants.”

Those were the second group they had found. The first had been those ‘Asians’ but Anakin had made a mistake, he only captured a few, ignoring when two of them had managed to escape because they were beneath his notice and, in the middle of interrogating the captured ones, they had exploded.

The explosion hadn’t been dangerous, but it was annoying, at least the youngling wasn’t in the room when it happened, having had to go to the bathroom.

Pulling out a cell phone from another criminal’s pocket, he put it into the man’s lap and waved a hand in front of his face, simultaneously untying his arms and speaking. “You need help, shouldn’t you call the local authorities about it? They can help you, get treatment, you want treatment.”

“Yeah… I will call…”

Anakin ignored the man’s words and thought about what he had learned. Apparently, the ‘ABB’ was the one responsible for the bombings, having recruited a new ‘parahuman’ who used the attacks to rescue their leader from the authorities.

He squeezed his hands into fists, Force damn it, he had tried to ignore this, he truly had. To stay away from criminals and law enforcement alike while he gathered his thoughts and centered himself. Unfortunately, it seems like the Force had other plans for him.

He could pretend that the corrupt government wasn’t his problem, he had enough training at that from his time as a Jedi, the drug addicts were everywhere, eliminating them wouldn’t really do any good, Even the so called ‘Empire’ he could ignore, the name annoyed him, but it was nothing like his ‘Empire’.

But the ABB… having been a slave himself, he absolutely hated it, he wanted to tear them limb from limb with the Force, to hit them with Force Lightning and watch them crumble in pain.

He hadn’t found any slave pens or the so-called “farm” the internet spoke about, but the ABB was using implanted bombs. Criminals they may be, but Anakin doubted they had a choice to just leave.

He could do it too, now that he wasn’t locked into that damn armor, there was nothing stopping him from using Force Lightning. He hadn’t learned the ability while he was a Jedi, but one can only get tortured by Sidious so many times before learning it.

Hmmm, it wasn’t even a dark side ability, not really, although… he supposes that he could see why it would be so corrupting. Most of the time, there was a more effective way of achieving your goal if you didn’t also wish to cause pain.

“What now? Are you gonna try to stop them?” Dinah asked with a hint of eagerness in her voice.

Focusing on the girl, Anakin sensed she wanted him to interfere, she felt for the victims, but it was mostly because she wanted the distraction, she was doing a wonderful job of pretending, but her feelings betrayed her.

The girl was afraid, very afraid, she missed her family and, deep down, she was angry that someone had forced her in this situation. She wanted to feel like she was doing something while also helping people in similar situations.

Focusing on the Force, he tried to sense the future. The feeling he got was that he wasn’t necessary, but that his involvement would spare lives, during the event and long after.

“What are the chances that this is resolved in a week without my involvement?” He asked, already knowing the answer, but wanting to let her use her power for something.

“Seventy-four point two, three, six percent,” Dinah commented, only wincing a little. “It grows to Ninety-four point four, five, six, two, three percent in a month. I can answer another two questions today!”

Leaving the building, he walked slowly, letting the girl follow him at a comfortable pace. He sensed that she was telling the truth, but the third question would make her very uncomfortable and the fourth actually hurt.

He asked the Force if he should fight, but it remained indifferent. No, not really indifferent, it would guide him if he decided to act, but the decision was his, it wasn’t trying to influence him.

In the distance, he heard another explosion, the third one this day, he didn’t sense any deaths this time, but the simple fact that it happened was keeping the entire city on edge and filled with fear, more fear than usual that is.

“So, are we helping out?” Dinah asked, only hesitating a little when she heard the explosion, gathering her courage, she continued. “I-I want to help.”

“Yes, we will be interfering,” Anakin finally said. Now he’d just have to prevent his anger getting the better of him.

“Great! Ninety-one point three, seven, six percent chance we’ll find ABB over there!” she eagerly pointed further towards the docks area, causing Anakin to lift an eyebrow behind his mask.

“And how many questions did you waste to find out?” he asked with some amusement.

“Ah… two?” She fidgeted in place, avoiding looking into his mask’s visor. She really was quite eager to distract herself from her fear. “I got lucky.”

Looking down at the girl, he couldn’t help comparing her to himself. She didn’t hate yet, fear and anger didn’t guide her actions, but he could see the seeds there. Seeds that he could feed if he so wished.

Hmmm, habits really die hard. Perhaps he should avoid thinking like Sidious. What would Obi-Wan say to her? Yoda?

“One of my old teachers used to say, ‘Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering,” Anakin quoted. Sensing Dinah’s frown forming behind her mask, he explained before she could complain. “I’m not saying you should not feel such things. Both fear and anger are useful in the correct amounts, but do not feed them; do not let them guide your actions; do not make them your goal.

“As you’re learning about the Force, it is important that you focus both your mind and your actions into what you desire for your life, not what you are fleeing from,” looking ahead, Anakin thought about his own situation, about what he wished to have heard when he had yet to fall.

“That’s… hard,” Dinah confessed, her voice growing faint as she walked alongside him. “It’s hard not to be afraid of what I can see. Every time I try to see a good result, the numbers are so small.”

Anakin remained quiet, momentarily thinking about what he could say. Briefly, he noted that Dinah had started mimicking him, using the same large, mechanical steps he had grown used to while wearing the armor, trying to stay as still as she could to mimic his lack of movement.

He sighed, he wasn’t used to moving, mechanical limbs didn’t have the usual human habits of involuntary movements and his body had hurt every time he took a step. Slowly, he adjusted himself, letting himself relax and stop with the military precision that he was so used to. She didn’t need to copy that.

Eventually, he spoke again. “When you decided to not return to your family, I sensed both your fear for their safety and your wish to see them safe. Both feelings were interlinked, but you can decide on which to focus,” he explained, being very careful with his words. “If you focus only on your fear, it will consume you, tainting your every action until you betray yourself, your fear becomes more important than your values and, eventually, you’re left with only regrets.”

Feeling Dinah’s hand grasping his own, Anakin stopped and looked down at her.

“… Is that what happened to you?” she asked with concern in her voice.

“Yes.”

They didn’t speak any more, walking through the almost empty street. No civilians seemed to want to be out during the bombings, with those that absolutely needed to be out walking fast and avoiding looking around. They walked in the direction of downtown, quietly looking for any member of ABB.

Now that he had made the decision, the Force guided his steps and, soon, he heard the gunshots. Turning the corner, he paused and watched as members of the ABB unloaded upon another gang.

No, it wasn’t a gang; it was the same kind of blue vehicle that had tried to arrest him when he saved the girl, law enforcement.

Dinah hesitated, peeking behind the corner, but he motioned for her to come closer and walked with no concerns. With battle precognition, he was more than fast enough to divert any bullets.

“Fuck, it’s a cape!” One of the men screamed as he continued walking towards them.

Turning around, one of the Asians huddled behind a car lifted a handgun and started shooting at him, but the weapon was terribly inaccurate, the shots getting nowhere close to him or his charge.

Suddenly, the Force warned him of danger and he lifted a hand. “You don’t really want to shoot me,” Immediately, the young man started lowering his gun, a lost look on his face as Anakin continued walking towards them.

“Jin-Young, what the fuck are doing!” the first man yelled, turning a rifle towards him, but Anakin just forced him to drop the weapon to the floor before ordering the two to kneel.

He had considered using more forceful means, but Dinah warned that killing was really frowned upon in this country. A glance to the remaining gang members, Anakin frowned.

There were five others, but two were not much older than Dinah and the other three were too old. It wasn’t unusual for gangs to start young, he should know, but they don’t tend to survive to get old, not as street grunts.

“Your weapons are dangerous, you will regret if you hit anyone, it would be wise to lower them,” Anakin said and was surprised when one of the men actually resisted his Force influence.

Hands trembling, the old man slowly lifted his weapon. “Don’t come any closer or I’ll shoot!”

Suddenly, Anakin widened his eyes at the feelings he was sensing. Utter terror and despair were not uncommon reactions to his presence, so he had dismissed them, but he shouldn’t really be known here, much less without his armor.

Remembering the former gang members being killed by the bombs, he sighed. Anakin had just assumed it was a common way of maintaining loyalty and forcing recruits to obey, but maybe not, maybe it was a new form of recruitment for the civilian population. The city did seem averse to using lethal force.

Approaching the man, he grabbed the weapon and forced the aim down. Pointing at one of the already disabled criminals, clearly some kind of handler now that he thought about it, Anakin used Ionize, another technique denied to him by his former armor.

The purple stream of ionic energy hit the man’s body, causing every electronic device in his person to suddenly die, but not doing any damage to his person. Seeing as the bomb didn’t immediately explode, Anakin nodded.

“What was that?” Dinah asked, feeling far more relaxed now that nobody was shooting at her.

“Ionize was a technique designed to fight mechanical enemies. It is harmless to humans, but should have disabled the bombs and any other electronics in them,” he explained, there had been a chance the bomb would go off, but it was minimal.

Pulling the weapon away from the old man, he dropped it to the ground. Pointing his gloved hand towards the male, he was just about to cast the technique again when the man fully snapped out of his daze. “Wait, wait! I have a pacemaker!”

Pausing in his motion, Anakin focused on the man. “Your will is impressive for a civilian, how unexpected. What is a ‘pacemaker’?”

“What?”

“I dislike repeating myself,” he frowned, squeezing the man’s arm for emphasis.

“It’s a device in my heart, it helps keep me alive!”

“Hmmm, will losing this device immediately kill you?”

“N-No.”

Anakin used Ionize again, his gloved hand shining purple as the stream destroyed every device on the man and all his companions. “Then the bomb seems like a more immediate concern. Drop all your weapons and hand yourself over.”

“Drop your weapons!” Shouted one of the policemen, slowly circling the car they were hiding behind and doing his best to remain under cover.

The old man seemed to look at him as if asking for permission, so Anakin nodded.

Taking a second to glance around, he bowed at the waist. “I’m Kenzo Ito, thank you, thank you!” Anakin waved him away and the Old man took a moment to help the rest of the conscripts, leaving only the two gang members still on the floor. “I’m leaving, don’t shoot!”

“What are you gonna do with them?” Dinah asked, her heart beating hard against her chest.

Looking up, Anakin saw that the sun was about to go down. They’d only stay out for an hour or two after that before it was time for the girl to sleep and it was unlikely they’d find another group. “What are the chances one of them will reveal any important information?”

“I can’t tell if they’d talk to you,” Dinah immediately answered and then flinched as she asked herself another question. “Twenty-six point five, five, eight percent chance that they’ll reveal something to the police.”

“Not worth interrogating then,” Anakin considered the two kneeling men, still with their heads lowered. Gathering the Force, he spoke. “Go to sleep.”

Immediately, the men collapsed to the floor. Kneeling down in front of the first one, Anakin searched his body, finding the entrance wound on the base of the neck. The one doing the surgery didn’t seem that experienced, more like a half trained medic than a true doctor.

Seeing as the bomb was already disabled and, as the man was still alive and talking, probably not too far into his head. Anakin laid a hand over the scar, channeling his meager Force Healing and feeling the bruising and infection inside even as he used telekinesis to open the stitches and, carefully, pull out the device.

“Ewwww, you could have warned me!” Dinah complained as she saw the flesh moving and the device slowly being drawn out. Her entire body shivered, goosebumps raising in her skin, but she didn’t look away. “Ewwww, ewww!”

“I could, yes,” He said absentmindedly.

Only the size of a fingertip, the bomb was crudely made, with exposed wires that were already getting corroded. Even if it didn’t detonate, the device would probably kill the bearer in a few weeks just from being in contact with it.

Using the Force to flick the blood away, he put it into a pocket for later study and got up. From the side, one of the law enforcement officers pointed a gun at him, being careful to remain behind cover.

“Holy shit, fuck, what…” Anakin saw the man duck back to hide under cover at seeing both criminals on the ground. “Fuck, alright… Unknown parahuman, step away from the victims!”

Trading a glance with Dinah, Anakin focused on the man and registered some fear and apprehension. The man was very focused on the disabled criminal and, looking down; the blood that had leaked did not paint a good picture. It was only a small amount, but the scene made it look much larger.

Taking a step away from the sleeping men, Anakin moved as non-threatening as he could. “Do not worry, they were not permanently damaged,” he spoke clearly, his voice only changing a little from behind the mask. “They are merely asleep.”

Suddenly, the officer’s radio activated, Anakin couldn’t hear what was spoken, but he saw the man actively relax and lower his weapon, he didn’t holster it, but the action was enough that Anakin the danger was mostly gone.

“Sir, please step away from the criminal, a member of the Protectorate is on the way if you could wait?” the policeman asked, still feeling incredibly nervous.

Looking up at the darkening sky and then towards Dinah, Anakin decided that he had gained as much as he could today, he could wait to open a relationship with the local government before simply going back to their temporary home.

“Very well, we are willing to wait a few minutes.”

The officer gave her a very wide berth, refusing to come more than ten meters away from him and acting very alarmed every time he moved, but Anakin ignored them and waited at a corner of the street, thinking about the future.

Bringing the child with him had been necessary, according to her power, she would not have been safe away from him for more than a few hours, but it had limited his movements a lot and, if any real fight broke out, would be highly inconvenient.

He knew he was more than capable of overcoming any obstacles, but having to fight while protecting her could be frustrating and probably traumatizing for the girl.

He was also forced to admit that he was no longer used to worrying about collateral damage or the safety of others. The first had been barely a concern even when he was a Jedi and the later he hadn’t cared about in… what? 23 years?

“I thought we were going to search more?” Dinah asked, sitting down on top of a car’s trunk at his side.

“We have gotten enough,” Anakin shook his head, briefly tapping at the bomb in his pocket. “I have learned enough about this city for the day and I will be able to study the retrieved bomb.”

Hearing an engine rumbling, Anakin turned to watch as the small, two man vehicle approached, it wasn’t all that different from a speeder bike, only without the large weapon in front.

The bike slid to a stop beside the police car and the hero stepped down. She wore army fatigues that accentuated her curves, with some kind of flag tied around her waist and another around her mouth, hiding most of her face.

Observing her, Anakin saw the officers immediately change their stance, becoming more confident and showing a lot of respect to the woman, not unlike the way they’d react to a Jedi before the war.

The woman spoke with the officers for a few moments, then about a minute longer into a communication device on her ears. Anakin could have tried to hear her, but he wanted a good relationship and they may have ways to detect him.

Finally, her shoulders seemed to sag and she sighed before looking towards him. Her gaze quickly went towards Dinah and she frowned, but she walked closer anyway.

As she approached, Anakin sensed annoyed resignation emanating from her, as well as a strong determination. “Good evening, thank you for your help with the ABB, are the two of you new to the city?”

“Good evening, indeed, I arrived in the city only a few days ago,” he answered, recognizing the woman from his previous searches about the city. “I believe you’re called Mss. Militia? You may call me Anakin.”

“Ah, you really shouldn’t use your real name,” Miss Militia warned, but Anakin just shook his head.

“It is unlikely that it would matter,” he answered calmly. “I only wear the mask to humor the child, not to hide.”

Dinah pouted, but didn’t say anything, glaring up at him for the child remark.

“Right, well, I take it you’re not averse to answering some questions?” she asked, keeping a good distance between them, enough that she’d have time to react if a normal man decided to attack her. Anakin approved.

“I am not,” he said, doing his best to form a good relationship, at least initially.

“I already got a report about the situation from the police, so your actions were cleared, but I was informed you used a master power on the ABB, could you explain it?” she asked, her muscles tensing when she finished the question, ready to react in case he tried anything.

Focusing on her, Anakin sensed a lot of attention being paid to her, from both the policeman and the people behind the listening device in her ear.

“I am capable of influencing a person’s mind, it is not my specialty, but it works well enough against the weak-minded,” he calmly explained, getting a raised eyebrow in exchange. “Do not worry; it is unlikely I’d be able to influence you for more than a brief moment without considerable time and effort.”

“I… see, and what exactly is your specialty?” she continued, not relaxing even a little bit.

Anakin thought about it, with the force, he qualified for just about every single one of their classifications, but it was his understanding that such things were extremely rare, nearly unheard of, really.

Of the classifications, Tinker was probably the most versatile, and one that could explain most of his power if one was ignorant about the Force. “I am what you’d call a ‘Tinker’, that is why I have disabled and acquired one of the bombs for later study.”

Immediately, the woman’s eyes went over his body searching for hidden weapons or devices. Not seeing any, she became even more wary.

“I have not had the time to build my usual equipment yet,” Anakin explained. He was far too used to people feeling afraid in his presence to be bothered by her reactions. “You seem really anxious Miss Militia?”

“Sorry, the bombings have everyone overworked and on edge,” she sighed. Looking at Dinah, she finally relaxed a little, doing her best to seem non-threatening to the child. “Having a master power also doesn’t help, I’m sure you understand.”

“I do not, as I said, I am not from the city.”

“She’s annoyed she’s gonna have to go into isolation after this,” Dinah intervened, her legs swinging on the car’s trunk as she pretended to be fine, but Anakin could sense the pain caused by asking the question. “Ninety-four point four, four, five percent chance that she’ll be put in isolation after talking with you.”

“I see, I suppose that is a way of dealing with mind influences when you can’t sense it. I apologize for the inconvenience then,” Anakin nodded towards Miss Militia in understanding and then turned towards the young girl, a frown on his face. “I thought you would not be using your power again today?”

“Yeah, sorry.”

“Do not apologize. I was merely concerned about your pain,” he chided, feeling a slight shift in the Force.

Ever since saving the youngling, Anakin had felt a sense of danger surrounding her; said danger had just gotten a little closer as soon as she revealed her powers. It was one more reason to avoid the current government.

Looking from him to the girl, Miss Militia frowned. “I take it you don’t have a Brute power?”

“I wish,” Dinah snorted, massaging her temple behind the mask. Anakin had the urge to heal her, but it was her fault and she wouldn’t learn her limits if he did. “Beats having those headaches.”

“I see. I’m sure you’re aware of the statistics, especially for unaffiliated Tinkers and Thinkers?” Miss Militia asked, clear concern in her voice. “The protectorate could really help you establish yourself and make an effect on this city, they have a large budget for such things and we have two local tinkers to cooperate with.”

“That will be unnecessary, I will not be joining the local authority,” Anakin immediately denied, causing Miss Militia’s frown to deepen.

“Sir, I must insist, at least consider signing your daughter for the Wards. Without at least a Brute ratting, she really shouldn’t be out on the field, much less with what’s currently happening,” Anakin saw one of her hands briefly squeezing into a fist as she spoke. “You just interfered in a shootout with the ABB, what if she had been wounded?”

“Projectiles do not concern me, Miss Militia,” Anakin shook his head, sensing that the woman had good intentions, even if her information was faulty. “I would gladly leave her to the wards. Unfortunately, she has informed me that her chances there are almost as low as her chances with her family.”

“What?”

“The girl is not my daughter. She has informed me there is a 79% chance that she will disappear from government custody. Those chances increase if she is handed back to her family,” he said calmly, sensing Dinah’s fear when the woman spoke. “Since I rescued her from a well organized kidnapping attempt just yesterday, I assume that her assailant is powerful and that there is a leak in your organization.”

There was a pregnant pause between then, Miss Militia clearly hearing some instructions over the communicators. Sensing her shifting mood, Anakin sighed.

He really should have lied. Said she was his daughter or just denied the question without giving a reason, but he was trying to be cooperative. By the Force, when was the last time he had to lie or trick someone?

He could already sense his chances of cooperation were nearly gone. He had underestimated the level of paranoia the local government had for so-called ‘master’ powers.

He could probably still salvage the relationship, but only if he handed the child over. They would not believe he wasn’t controlling her otherwise. Looking at Dinah, he didn’t have to consider his decision for too long.

“Anakin, please, step away from the girl,” Miss Militia ordered, taking a step away from him and tensing her muscles, ready to react to any movement on his part. “The protecto…”

“No, I do not desire to antagonize the local government, but I will not hand the child over,” he said with a frustrated voice.

He was trying, he really was, but damn, he was bad at it. He was far too accustomed to being obeyed immediately; to not be questioned and be known everywhere he went.

In short, he was too used to being Darth Vader and had forgotten how to be Anakin.

Receiving a warning from the Force, he saw the woman lifting her arms, a weapon forming on her hands even as she lifted them to aim at him. Her reflexes fast, almost beyond a normal human. He wasn’t a normal human.

“I said get…!”

“Stop!” he said, focusing the force on his command.

For a brief moment, he grimaced as he realized that, by habit, he had tried to dominate her mind fully, not just influence it, but it wasn’t the time to censure himself.

As he thought, her mind was strong enough to resist his influence, but it did cause her to stop for nearly a full second and, when she recovered, he had already covered the distance between them.

He could have used the Force, held her in place of Force Pushed her away in order to escape, but he had already made a mistake by acting like Darth Vader, he didn’t want to make another.

In the end, he was confident of dealing with anything they threw at him, but why make it harder? Why reveal more of his powers and force them to escalate their response.

Yes, he could deal with it, but it would take more time and effort than it was worth. Also, he was healed. He no longer had the restrictions of his suit or his burns. It was nice to be able to move as he wished again.

Grabbing her main hand, he guided it away from him, causing her to drop the weapon. The force screamed at him and he leaned back, letting a shot from a newly created weapon on her off hand fly wide.

Blocking a kick with his foot, he twisted her arm away, avoiding another two shots from the handgun on her off hand, suddenly, she released the gun and recreated a large knife.

Miss Militia fought well, clearly having a lot of training, the ability to recreate weapons nearly instantly making the struggle much harder, but his Force enhanced muscles and reflexes were too much and he manhandled her.

Holding one arm behind her back and another extended to the side, Anakin put the hero between him and the rest of the police officers, her front facing them and making them all hesitate to shoot.

“I apologize,” he said, holding her struggling body against his chest, speaking into her ear and directly to the communication device. “As I said, I will not hand the child over until I’m satisfied she will be safe.”

“You’re making a mistake. Now that we’re aware of it, we’ll be able to protect her,” Miss Militia said, her muscles straining against his hold.

Dinah was already hurting, so he didn’t ask the question, but he knew the answer. Anybody that interested in her wouldn’t give up that easily. Her chances may be higher now, but she wouldn’t be safe.

“I did not read a lot about your organization, but it is quite common for criminals you have arrested to be released back into the streets,” he commented, retreating towards the corner while keeping the officers in front of him. “It does not give me confidence in your competence.”

Dinah was feeling very conflicted, but she quickly followed after him. Turning the corner, Anakin forced Miss Militia’s arms behind her back, holding them both in one hand.

The woman tried to free herself again, but he pressed her against the wall, grabbing her neck and causing her to pass out. Carefully laying the woman on the ground, he released her and gathered Dinah into his arms.

For a second, he wanted to turn around and demolish everyone, it would be so easy.

With one last sigh, he ran, using Force Speed to put distance between himself and the officers, being forced to flee from such insignificant numbers felt really odd. Dinah buried her face on his chest and held on as they made their escape.


___________________________$$$_____________________________

Thanks for my patrons : Xhaustedhero, Iori Daemona Angel, AlliterativeArts (Eric Faust), Lynx of Chaos, Comics, Davvy chappie, Ian Michael, WanderingDaemon, GrumpyJustGrumpy, Travis cox, Rootbeerguy, High Priest of Torga, Michael Neal, Felrook, NotableRonin, Josh Orton, stanley seymour, AjiTae, danxzn, Louis Kasser and Joseph for supporting my work!

If you like my work, take a look at my other novels or my patreon and Ko-Fi. You can support me for a single dollar.