Truth Hurts
By Mellaithwen
Rating: K
Genre: General
Disclaimer: Star Wars and it's characters belong to George Lucas, and not myself, annoyingly.
Time Frame: Towards the end of Revenge Of The Sith, and memories from before ATOC
A/N: I haven't finished reading the JA books, and I doubt I will, and I'm sure this goes against some kind of evidence of what happens to Bant in the future, but it's just a harmless ficlet so please don't flame.
Summary: Another Jedi survivor spurs on some memories for General Kenobi. Return of a Jedi Apprentice character. Some spoilers but none that aren't fairly obvious...
Obi Wan sat on his own, staring at the cup of java that was slowly going cold. Watching as the dark liquid swirled as he twisted the spoon. He was alone, again.
"Master," Anakin had began, elongating the title, showing that he wanted something "If we have nothing planned today," he began as they made their way towards Dexx's diner "Could I be excused?"
The boy said no more, obviously not entirely willing to have to explain himself to his Master. Obi Wan looked up at him and found it incredibly hard to hide his crest fallen face. Obi Wan was disappointed.
He knew the boy was going to that snake of a supreme chancellor. He had warned Anakin countless times that Palpatine could not be trusted, but the boys eyes were so unbelieving that it was no use.
He finally thought he could get some time to sit with Anakin, to talk to the boy who had become increasingly more distant.
Even this day, though the Jedi were not known to celebrate birthdays, Obi Wan had still made the effort to at least be nicer to Anakin on his birthday, he wouldn't lecture, he would let the boy win their spars, treat him with meditation in the gardens instead of their rooms. Little things. The Master thought his apprentice might have done the same.
There was a clang as the door of the diner opened and the bell atop the door chimed. He took no notice, staring still at the dark liquid. Footsteps echoed and neared to where he sat. He waited.
When you daydream, more than often, you're eyes are closed.
There are cracks in the darkness as your lids begin to open, like a curtain opening on the world. Like night leaving to make way for morning. You open your eyes not to dawn, but to harsh lights, stinging your un-prepared eyes, enough to bring tears forth.
At least that was the excuse Master Kenobi gave if anyone looked at him with concern. He would never tell them the truth, that his dream was not happy, at the time of the memory the dream held, there had been smiles, and laughter, and the sun had shone, but being reminded of such things at a time very different from then was far from pleasant. Enough to fill his eyes with unshed tears, glistening in the lights of the room.
Ever since being left alone in the chambers on Bail Organa's ship, one of the last Jedi, he had had his eyes closed. His entire being thrust into whatever group of images awaited for him in his mind. Whatever little something that had triggered this next one, before now it had been places, reference in a conversation, sometimes a look, or a thought but this time it was a familiar scent that came to his nose, and he took it in greedily. The smell of sea salt.
"Well if it isn't Obi Wan Kenobi." A female voice called down to him in a happy tone.
Obi Wan practically jumped up as he looked at the Calamarian. She smiled broadly and shuffled into the seat opposite him.
"How long has it been?" Obi Wan breathed
"Too long." Bant sighed regretfully.
"I thought you were on a long term mission on the moon's of Arafwe," Obi Wan said, curious to her arrival.
"Communication is down there, it takes an incredible amount of effort to get the slightest signal. I only heard about the Trade Federation's dealings through passing. I should have been here, I should have helped" She sighed again. "I got on a ship and made my way back as soon as I could."
Bant reached across and took hold of Obi Wan's hand that was still subconsciously turning the spoon in his cup. She clutched it tightly and looked straight into his eyes. "It's so good to see you." She whispered, concern etching her features. She knew Obi Wan was still dealing with his Master's death, and she knew how he felt, but to her relief Obi Wan smiled, thinking the same thing about her.
There was a comfortable silence as they clutched each others hands, broken by another customer entering the diner, the bell chiming once more.
"So, you never mentioned how your mission went."
Bant grinned sheepishly and explained all that she had done.
She had been sent to the third moon of Arafwe to inspect the climate there. It was well known that the soil seemed to be more fertile there, and could increase the growth of plant life by billions, but the air was not clean, and the Jedi were worried about how this could affect any medicinal plants that could be used on other planets in the future. Bant had collected samples, and inspected the land.
She had met with the one doctor there and discussed the positive sides and the negative. She also had to review how the climate changed year after year. This had lasted for over four years before she had received word of the Clone Wars and returned to Coruscant.
She did not mind being sent away on Council business, but the mission had been a trifle bit boring. As she had grown she had found that the rush of fighting an opponent more exciting, but on the third moon of Arafwe the only "opponents" were the odd thief she had been asked to investigate, and despite the fact that it had nothing to do with her reason for being there, she had complied. But the law breaking citizens would get one glance of the lightsabre and confess everything.
"One boy even turned in his own brother, who was a trifle lot bigger than him, so long as I wouldn't slice him in half!"
Obi Wan couldn't help but laugh "You didn't threaten to do that did you?"
"Of course not, he just assumed, but I explained that it was not me he had to worry about, his brother was not at all happy."
Obi Wan laughed again. Bant smiled all the while, glad she could still get the odd laugh from what seemed like now a very different man. Bant had then asked Obi Wan how things had been, but the man didn't seem to want to talk about it. The War's had taken their toll on the man and he wasn't too thrilled to re-tell it all.
"How is Anakin?" Bant asked, eager to move on. Obi Wan looked shocked, after all, it was no secret that Bant was not fond of Obi Wan's apprentice, and her asking about him in such a neutral tone was very different for the Calamarian.
"He's..." Obi Wan paused, not entirely sure how to respond. How was Anakin? He didn't know anymore, he hadn't known for a long time. "...distant."
Bant could not help it as her eyebrow lifted. "Oh?"
"He's changed so much."
"Changed? He is still a member of the Order, is he not?" Bant asked cautiously, letting her own thoughts be voiced.
"Of course!" Obi Wan exclaimed, but realizing that Bant's facade was fading away. There was another silence, but it was far from comfortable. It was become unbearable when Obi Wan spoke up once more, muttering, "You never did like him..."
Bant paused, and the conflict between admitting what was true and avoiding the open question was evident on her face.
He didn't know what to say as he saw her walk into the empty room. Her mouth creased into a sad smile. Obi Wan's breath quickened. He blinked repeatedly, sure that he couldn't possibly be seeing it. She was alive? She was alive! He ran forward and took her in his arms.
"I thought," He gulped back a sob "I thought you were dead!" He said as he pulled back to look at her.
"So did I." Bant said softly her head bowed. "The Clones, they-they attacked us, all of us. They thought I was dead and left me, I took a cargo ship here, sneaked through he under passes of Coruscant. I saw the Temple Obi Wan. It was burning! Smoke rising into the air, such sorrow."
She lifted her head up to reveal the tears glistening in her eyes.
"They're all dead, aren't they?" Her voice was so innocent that Obi Wan hardly had the heart to nod his head.
She bowed her head once more, and Obi Wan pulled her forward once again.
Yoda watched with a sorrowful gaze. Bant Eerin had seen Bail's ship from her small pod. She had notified the bridge and asked permission to board. Yoda was glad to see another survivor, though a growing dread told him it would not be a common sight.
And yet, Yoda had prepared himself for he and Obi Wan to be the only remaining Jedi. She was in danger now. Something told him Obi Wan had thought the same. The green troll watched as Kenobi stroked Bant's face, wiping away her tears, whispering to her softly. Her eyes shot up suddenly, and Yoda knew what Obi Wan was asking her to do.
"It is not that I do not like him, I just don't trust him." Bant said quietly.
"When I walked out on the Jedi, did you think me untrustworthy?" Obi Wan asked suddenly.
"No!" Bant cried.
"Why not?" He pressed, knowing how she would answer.
"I knew you would never have done it if it wasn't necessary! Because I knew you!"
"And you don't know Anakin-"
"I know you Obi Wan! I trusted your judgment years ago when the boy first arrived and I trust the judgment of the Council."
"Things were different then," Obi Wan answered "I have grown to love him like a son."
"And yet, you say he is distant!" Bant hissed across the table. "I came to see my friend, Obi Wan, when you see him, tell him he is sorely missed."
He watched Bant walk away with a mixture of relief and pain. He missed her dearly, even with but a few steps between them, and he knew the feelings would only increase. He had convinced himself she had perished with the others, and having her back suddenly made it even harder to let her go. To tell her to leave, but he had to. This was not her fight anymore.
She hadn't trusted Anakin, just as he had not; once. She had known, just as he had; once. Despite it all, she didn't point this out to him, nor say I Told You So. She knew how hard this must be on Obi Wan, and she knew he was in pain. A man he had seen as a son, a brother, a friend, had massacred the Jedi, his family. He was a traitor. An enemy of the Jedi. Or what was left of the Order. A murderous Sith, the Emporer as his Master.
She knelt down in front of Yoda, the ancient Master reciting blessings as she bowed her head, still finding it hard to contemplate the galaxy's most recent tragedies.
"Meet again, we shall." Obi Wan heard as he stepped behind Bant ready to walk her to her ship. Supplies had been placed on board, more than enough for her to survive until she could go to her home planet and start again. To treasure her lightsabre, and the Jedi Code still, but to remember, that the Order, though still in their thoughts, was gone, until the force came into balance. Until it's plan is laid out before them.
It had not taken long to get to Dexx's diner. Anakin had ran to see his Master, finding himself suddenly bored now that the Chancellor had important meetings to attend to,and through the dirty windows he could just make out Obi Wan's figure sitting where he always sat, at one of the windows seats.
Anakin walked towards the door, when he saw Obi Wan's figure raise, as well as someone else's sitting opposite him. They were both standing now. Heading for the exit. Anakin panicked, if his Master was indeed with a female then he did not want to be caught spying.
He made his way to the side of the building quickly. It was far enough away for him not to be noticed, but still well within ear-shot.
"Bant, please." Obi Wan begged as he followed the Calamarian outside.
"What Obi Wan?" Bant asked shortly.
'Someone isn't happy' Anakin thought to himself.
"Bant, you're wrong about him." Obi Wan explained softly, not wanting to frustrate her any further.
"Obi Wan, if he's so perfect why isn't he spending this day with you? Why on his Masters birthday would he rather spend time with a politician!"
Anakin was stunned. That was why Obi Wan had wanted to go to Dexx's. That was why he seemed more disappointed than usual at Anakin's meetings with the Supreme Chancellor.
Anakin listened again. Obi Wan had began to explain values of a Jedi and how celebrating a birthday was not needed, but Bant wasn't listening, she had heard it all before.
"Here," She said, interrupting his ignored speech. She had thrust a small cylinder into his hands. Obi Wan looked at it with curiosity. The cylinder was no bigger than his own lightsabre when it was powered down. Its walls were made of strong glass, one that would not break easily and on the top and bottom were black bases. Inside there stood a single flower, it's petals full and large, gleaming white. It's green stem attached to the black base of the cylinder, keeping the beautiful flower in place.
This was a rare treasure, Coruscants air was polluted from the exhausts of each hover craft. The high buildings made the planet a lot hotter that it should be and no plant life could grow for more than a few days without dying.
Bant kissed Obi Wan on the cheek and said, with her sweet voice, barely above a soft whisper. "Happy Birthday Obi Wan."
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