Anakin Skywalker (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
chainsarebroken) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
sojournerdeep2017-01-08 08:01 pm
chainsarebroken) wrote in sojournerdeep2017-01-08 08:01 pm
[closed] far from home
Some time later--a few days, after gravity and day-night are restored and some plants set along the path of rehabilitation and everybody starts getting a good night's sleep again--some time after that, Anakin Skywalker sits cross-legged in the rooftop garden where this all began and ended and says into the air, "Ship's Services?"
In response he receives a shimmering and expected, "Hello, Anakin Skywalker. May I help you?"
"Hello, Ship's Services," he repeats back duly; then, "I'd like to talk to the ship. I'd like to talk to Sojourner."
A pause. "I'm afraid I don't know what you mean.""
"I know it's possible," he says with a measure of impatience; "I know it's possible here. I'd like to talk to the ship without tampering with the clock again. I'd rather not do that. But I will if I have to. Can I talk to the ship?"
Ship's Services repeats, with all the exact same cadences, "I'm afraid I don't know what you mean" until Anakin gets up and walks into the fountain. Then when prompted it shifts to playing strange, whalesong music, then a brusque tone--familiar to anyone who's seen the broadcast from the initial fountain 'expedition'--and, "You are not authorized."
"That's better," says Anakin with a mote of brightness in his voice: not much, though. He's still tired, still set back from weeks of sleeping in short unpredictable bursts and during the daylight, and he still hasn't gotten any answers. This is his only lead, and it's not going anywhere. "Ship? Are you still there?"
But he gets nothing this time. He tries again. And again.
Eventually he goes home, no wiser for his efforts, though a bit damper; he walks down the stairs, over the tiled square, down the path that leads to the waterfall, and behind it. He takes off his boots; he unclips his lightsaber and sits down, again, on the floor, and closes his eyes. But he is not meditating. He is thinking about home.
They flicker open again when he becomes aware of his master's presence nearing. He doesn't stand up. Neither does he feign meditation for Obi-Wan's benefit: there would be no point. Instead he remains still until Obi-Wan walks into the room, and looks up at him--damp hair loose around his forehead.
"Hello, Master," he says. There is a pause before Anakin's words this time, something that takes him longer to greet him, as he settles his gaze on him.
In response he receives a shimmering and expected, "Hello, Anakin Skywalker. May I help you?"
"Hello, Ship's Services," he repeats back duly; then, "I'd like to talk to the ship. I'd like to talk to Sojourner."
A pause. "I'm afraid I don't know what you mean.""
"I know it's possible," he says with a measure of impatience; "I know it's possible here. I'd like to talk to the ship without tampering with the clock again. I'd rather not do that. But I will if I have to. Can I talk to the ship?"
Ship's Services repeats, with all the exact same cadences, "I'm afraid I don't know what you mean" until Anakin gets up and walks into the fountain. Then when prompted it shifts to playing strange, whalesong music, then a brusque tone--familiar to anyone who's seen the broadcast from the initial fountain 'expedition'--and, "You are not authorized."
"That's better," says Anakin with a mote of brightness in his voice: not much, though. He's still tired, still set back from weeks of sleeping in short unpredictable bursts and during the daylight, and he still hasn't gotten any answers. This is his only lead, and it's not going anywhere. "Ship? Are you still there?"
But he gets nothing this time. He tries again. And again.
Eventually he goes home, no wiser for his efforts, though a bit damper; he walks down the stairs, over the tiled square, down the path that leads to the waterfall, and behind it. He takes off his boots; he unclips his lightsaber and sits down, again, on the floor, and closes his eyes. But he is not meditating. He is thinking about home.
They flicker open again when he becomes aware of his master's presence nearing. He doesn't stand up. Neither does he feign meditation for Obi-Wan's benefit: there would be no point. Instead he remains still until Obi-Wan walks into the room, and looks up at him--damp hair loose around his forehead.
"Hello, Master," he says. There is a pause before Anakin's words this time, something that takes him longer to greet him, as he settles his gaze on him.