Waking Dream

Waking Dream is the first chapter in the Re-Entry series. Published October 1st 2002, it contains 48,539 words. The anniversary edit was completed in 2012.

#### **Taro Tre**

Qui-Gon Jinn and his padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi are sent on a diplomatic mission to the city of Sienca on Taro Tre to help meditate the negotiations between the native population. Negotiations collapse and riots break out; the two Jedi try to reach the spaceport. Obi-Wan is shot in the head by a slugthrower, and collapses. Qui-Gon decides to return to Coruscant immediately rather than seek closer medical aid.

#### **Coruscant**

Obi-Wan is left in the care of the Healers—particularly Terza. They are unable to wake him up, though many Jedi try, including Master Yoda. While he sleeps, the scars of a lifetime appear on Obi-Wan's body, a little at a time and with no obvious cause. On the sixth day of unconsciousness, the training bond between Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon snaps.

Qui-Gon is the only Jedi able to make any connection with the unconscious Obi-Wan. Shortly after the bond snaps, he makes fleeting contact and receives violent impressions of a battle, grief, and someone's pyre. On a second occasion, he is drawn into Obi-Wan's mind and encounters an older Obi-Wan on a planet he does not recognize. The two are able to converse for some time, Qui-Gon providing comfort and advice.

Upon awakening, Obi-Wan seems shocked by his surroundings. He tells Mace Windu and Qui-Gon that he remembers being dead, and after seeing his reflection for the first time, faints. When released from the healing ward, he asks to speak with the Jedi Council. He reveals to them that he experienced more than forty years of an alternate life. Obi-Wan is adamant that it was real, not simply a collection of warning visions, and provides some verifiable information to the Council in order to support his claim.

Recuperating in the quarters he shares with Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan demonstrates advanced skills, including self-healing and lightsaber construction. He splits his lightsaber crystal using only the Force, an ability Qui-Gon had never seen before. Obi-Wan's combat abilities have also improved dramatically. In recognition of the immense changes wrought by his experience, the Council Knights Obi-Wan.

Knight Kenobi's first action is to request permission to travel to Tatooine and purchase Anakin Skywalker and his mother Shmi Skywalker. The Council is not entirely convinced the boy exists, but agree to allow Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon to investigate. During the journey, Obi-Wan is plagued by violent nightmares, the contents of which he cannot remember.

#### **Tatooine**

Anakin recognizes Obi-Wan immediately, and is overjoyed to see him. Shmi reveals that Anakin experienced nearly the same thing Obi-Wan had: prolonged unconsciousness and new memories on waking. In Anakin's case, many of the memories are blurred or blunted, something which Obi-Wan considers a blessing given Anakin's young age.

Anakin's midichlorian count tests off the scales, at twenty-three thousand. Between that and Shmi's remarks about his conception, Qui-Gon suspects that Anakin might be the focus of the Prophecy of the Chosen One. Obi-Wan admits it, but asks that Qui-Gon not mention it to anyone else, so as not to prejudice the Council regarding Anakin.

Watto is persuaded to sell both Skywalkers, and the family travels to Coruscant with the Jedi.

#### **Coruscant II**

Shmi and Anakin receive a clean bill of health from the Temple healers and quarters in the Temple. Anakin is brought to the Council for testing, and accepted as an Initiate. He joins the Falcon clan under the care of Master Terrilanar and Knight Zulis Faar.

During Anakin's physical, Healer Terza accidentally discovers that Obi-Wan's midichlorian count has changed, rising to twenty-two thousand. Obi-Wan himself was unaware of the change. Qui-Gon informs the Council, but decides not to burden Obi-Wan with the information immediately.

Drawing on his new memories, Anakin encourages Obi-Wan to introduce their respective parents, Shmi Skywalker and Cliegg Lars, sooner than they had met in the OtherWhen timeline.

Obi-Wan meets with his age-mates Abella and Bant, giving them a summary of the changes in his life but withholding the full extent of his experiences. Their discussion is interrupted by the insults of Padawan Davrin, another of their age-mates. Obi-Wan takes the opportunity to create an audience for a planned spar with Qui-Gon, thus revealing both his Knighting and his increased skills to the Temple at large. Dooku is present in the audience, and afterwards congratulates both Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon, although Obi-Wan appears uncomfortable around him.

Qui-Gon asks Tahl to research the Prophecy of the Chosen One, and raises the possibility that it might apply to Obi-Wan either as well as or instead of Anakin. As a preliminary step in this research, Tahl decides to observe the changes in Obi-Wan for herself. While visiting with him, she reads two poems he had prepared for class evaluations, feeling strongly that one of them was a Force-driven warning.

Bant and Abella bring their other friends Garen and Reeft to celebrate Obi-Wan's Knighting and new quarters. Bant lingers after the party, noticing that Obi-Wan seemed quieter than normal. She coaxes him into opening up a little and purging some of the grief left by his experiences.

The Council sends Qui-Gon on a new mission. He is pleased to discover that Obi-Wan has also been assigned as his partner, as he had been reluctant to part with his Padawan so early.

## Series Arcs

### Qui-Gon & Obi-Wan

Obi-Wan develops forty years of new memories and is Knighted. Qui-Gon realizes he is reluctant to let go of Obi-Wan so soon. Obi-Wan moves into his own quarters, although he would have preferred to stay with Qui-Gon, and admits to Yoda that he is in love with Qui-Gon, and has been for many years. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan begin working together as partners rather than Master and Padawan.

### Obi-Wan & Anakin

Obi-Wan rescues Anakin and Shmi from Tatooine. Anakin develops forty years of new memories, but many of them are blocked or fuzzy. Anakin is accepted as a standard Initiate in the Jedi Creche.

### Prophecy of the Chosen One

Anakin's midichlorian count tests off the scale at twenty-three thousand, leading Qui-Gon to suspect he may be the fulfilment of the prophecy. Obi-Wan's midichlorian count has also jumped to twenty-two thousand; he may be the focus of the prophecy instead. Neither possibility is mentioned directly to the Council.

### Obi-Wan's Nightmares/Memory Block

Obi-Wan begins having a series of nightmares he cannot remember on waking. He claims to have suffered from them much of his other life, in a two-week cycle repeating three times a year. He believes the source is behind a block placed on his memories by Jedi at some point in that life.

## Characters Appearing

* Qui-Gon Jinn
* Obi-Wan Kenobi
* Jale Terza
* Master Yoda
* Mace Windu
* Bant Eerin
* Garen Muln
* Reeft
* Abella
* Davrin
* Aalto de’Ya
* Micah Giett
* Master Dooku
* Anakin Skywalker
* Shmi Skywalker