Obi-Wan Kenobi (desertexile) wrote in helladjacent, @ 2017-03-21 16:35:00 |
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Entry tags: | character: obi-wan kenobi |
Who: Obi-Wan Kenobi
What: Arrives at the Hotel
When: Wednesday Morning
Where: Hotel Lobby
Warnings: None
Status: Complete [Narrative]
The twin suns of Tatooine were beginning to set on the horizon, sending a glimmering haze of pink and orange across the sky that would soon be enveloped by a deep purple and the lingering reflection of the white and red bulbs that never ceased to inhibit the growth of new life on the desert wasteland. In the distance Obi-Wan could just barely make out the domed roof of the Lars family moisture farm, a solitary abode in the middle of a vast expanse of infertile ground on the distant outskirts of Mos Eisley. He scanned the landscape for a glimpse of Owen or his wife, Beru, hoping to catch the image of a happy two year-old in their arms, but the light of the suns was fading quickly and he imagined the members of the Lars family had long since gone indoors for the night. After all, it wasn’t safe out there in the endless waving dunes, where the Tusken Raiders roamed. Even the Hutts kept to the city limits. And they weren’t exactly known for their delicate natures.
Obi-Wan wrapped his long cloak around his midsection, turning away from the rock face to make the short journey down the side of the precipice to his own hidden sanctuary. Not that it was much of a sanctuary. His life had become even more pious since his days of traveling the galaxy as a Jedi Knight. Now all that was left was a dug out hole in the side of a canyon, close enough to keep an eye on things and far enough to not be noticed.
Crazy old hermit.
Daft old wizard.
Strange man in the hills.
Even those who had once known him had begun to forget who he was. And sometimes he even had to remind himself. It wasn’t easy remembering who you were when every day was the same, when the world had moved on to something completely unfamiliar, and monotony took on a new and terrifying meaning.
His mind wandered as he carefully slid down the rocks and sand towards the dark side of the canyon. In the distance he could hear a chorus of Sand People whooping and cheering over a successful raiding party, their campfires twinkling on the meridian beneath new-forming stars. The sound brought back difficult memories of the past, and Obi-Wan found himself reflecting on moments that he should have tucked away into the far recesses of his mind. But even the strongest had their weaknesses, and Obi-Wan was no exception. In fact, he would be the first to admit that he had more than his fair share of faults.
When he finally managed to shake away the thoughts of the days before the Empire, he found himself standing in front of a desk with an open registry. In his hand was a heavy pen, leaking a blotting drop of ink on the final line of a book where, in his own script, his name had been scrawled. It was a peculiar sensation, as though he had stepped out of one dream and into another. He turned around, half expecting to see the drifting sands of Tatooine and the paired solar giants in his wake, but instead he saw a foggy darkness, quickly hidden by the hotel’s closing door.
A device in his other hand made a trilling sound and Obi-Wan looked down at the mechanical pad. A sudden flash from the device gave him a moment of disorientation. Photo added to directory! Then a message blinked on the screen, welcoming him to Hotel Kairos. Perplexing, to say the least. And not at all how Obi-Wan thought this day would go. He gave his immediate surroundings another quick glance over. The hotel appeared to be empty. Abandoned, perhaps? He reread the message about the excursions and then glanced to the door he didn’t remember walking through.
"I have a bad feeling about this," he sighed, dropping the pen on the ledger and heading for the entrance.
But didn’t he always?