Chapter One
Obi-Wan Kenobi spit coppery blood onto the plush carpet of the darkened bedroom, shaking the hair from his eyes as he studied the man who towered over him. The Jedi was unperturbed by his bleeding lip, his panging ribs, even his throbbing knee (he was fairly sure he had a torn ligament). His only concern was the trouble in front of him, and the barrel of a LL-30 blaster now pressed against the center of his forehead.
Obi-Wan's smoldering glare was fixed on the oval, crimson eyes that blazed with an all-consuming hatred he had seen before, not so long ago on the planet of Naboo. It was after that fateful encounter that things had begun to fall apart for Obi-Wan, and this seemed to be the inevitable culmination of that event.
"What are you waiting for, bounty hunter?" the Jedi prodded, slightly shifting in the cushioned chair, his bound wrists clinking behind his back. "Here I am, face-to-face. If I remember correctly, that is your preferred method of murder."
The pressure against his forehead increased, and Obi-Wan wondered (not for the first time) just what in the hell he was doing. Why was he taunting the mercenary who had every incentive to plant a bolt between his eyes? Had things fallen so far that he had acquired a death wish?
And yet, apart from his ragged breathing, the Duros remained silent. There was no blaster-fire, no more vicious blows to Obi-Wan's face or body, and the expression on his captor's face was… odd.
Plunging headlong into the recklessness that was more characteristic of his former Padawan, Obi-Wan lifted his chin and snapped, "Kill me or release me. Either way, get on with it, Bane."
20 Minutes Earlier
"-And that is why we are expressly grateful for the aid offered to us by the Galactic Republic. Takobian ore can produce some of the hardest metalloids in the Mid Rim, and we are certain our continued trade with the Core Worlds will be-"
Obi-Wan Kenobi stared at his third glass of fuchsia wine as the Ithorian senator praised the trade agreement ad nauseam, wishing at that moment that it was a Corellian brandy. Or that he was several hundred parsecs away.
It wasn't that he was ungrateful to the Council for the distraction, even though simple diplomatic missions such as this were usually reserved for ambassadors and senators. Takobo was a peaceful planet, his aim was a simple one – renew the trade treaty to provide military protection for Takobo against Separatist ships in exchange for their unique ore which could create nearly-impenetrable metal. It gave Obi-wan a rare opportunity to relax and recharge after he had gone behind enemy lines to thwart the conspiracy against Chancellor Palpatine.
Only he couldn't relax, even though his time as cold-blooded killer had not been so unpleasant. Replicating his own death and masquerading as a mercenary had actually been enjoyable, in an odd sort of way. For a time, he had been able to step out of his own shoes as Obi-Wan Kenobi and fill the role of lethal sniper, Rako Hardeen. He had shaken off the responsibility of Jedi Master and had donned the mantle of lawless, selfish, hedonistic gun-for-hire.
The problems began when he stepped back into his old life as Obi-Wan Kenobi. When he had to face the consequences of what he and the Council had done, and how it had affected those close to him.
Of all of his companions, Ahsoka had taken the news of his deceit rather well. It was a testament to her strength and maturity, and her master would do well to learn from his Padawan.
Anakin, of course, had taken his "death" the worst, as Obi-Wan knew he would. It was to be expected. What hadn't been expected was the way Anakin refused to look at him. He would barely speak to Obi-Wan, only out of necessity, and always with a tone of cold indifference. It was such a startling difference from the passionate, hot-headed man he had mentored from childhood that Obi-Wan was genuinely unnerved.
When Obi-Wan had spoken to Satine for the first time since his fictitious death, the Duchess had held herself with absolute poise – head high with shoulders straight and proud. She acted every inch the ruler she was, stating that she understood the need for secrecy in order to protect the Republic, and he had absolutely loved and respected her for it. It wasn't until they were in private that she had angrily beat her small fists against his chest, her shouts against his recklessness eventually devolving into hiccupping sobs. All he could do was hold her as she expressed all of the grief and horror she had experienced from his deception.
It was at that moment when the seed of self-loathing, which Anakin's cold distance had first planted, began to sprout.
Master Yoda had evidently sensed the difference in Obi-Wan. The strain within was slowly building with each day, sustained and encouraged by the Jedi Master's inner contempt. Between Anakin's growing alienation from Obi-Wan and the Council, and Ahsoka's silent but constant anxiety for her master, Obi-Wan wondered for the first time (in a long time) if he was going to snap.
And now here he was – on the peaceful, beautiful planet of Takobo, listening to Senator Munbu drone on and on about trade agreements, alliance pacts, and the sublime weather of his planet. Obi-Wan found himself desperately needing something more than simple alcohol, though he couldn't name what he wanted precisely. Which was just as well – his head was pleasantly buzzing and his stomach was almost hot from the potency of whatever wine he had been imbibing.
At that moment, he supposed what he wanted most was to get away. Retreat somewhere dark and quiet, where he could shut out the world and just stop thinking. But it was too early to leave the stately dinner – which was being held in his honor and attended by the city's most substantial politicians and socialites – and still maintain social graces.
Thankfully, the Ithorian senator saved him the dilemma of choosing between boredom and bad manners. The weariness must have been plain even for Senator Munbu to recognize, because the Ithorian leaned his massive head forward and remarked, "Master Kenobi, you appear exhausted. We can discuss these issues on the morrow, if it pleases you."
Obi-Wan fixed his most convincing smile on his face and replied, "Thank you, Senator Munbu. It has been a long journey, and I'm afraid it's left me quite drained. I apologize for being such a terrible houseguest."
"Do not trouble yourself, Master Kenobi! The servants already have your quarters readied – the droid will show you the way."
Obi-Wan bowed his head to the Senator, an undercurrent of Guilt running through him at the unflattering way he had viewed the Senator's discourse moments before. Feelings of shame seemed to be a recurring theme with the Jedi Master as of late, and they showed no signs of dissipating.
"Thank you again, Senator Munbu. Have a pleasant evening. Ladies, gentlemen," Obi-Wan added, graciously bowing his head to the remaining party members as he took his leave, relief slowly loosening his shoulders as he followed the lavender protocol droid from the banquet hall.
The respite did not last. As soon as he entered the darkened bedroom, one of many in the Senator's city estate (and from what he could tell, he had an entire wing to himself), Obi-Wan began to feel the tension slowly creep back into his muscles. His back was stiff, his calves sore, and even his arms ached in a fashion unfamiliar to the physically fit Jedi.
Ever since the plot on Naboo and his contrived death, Obi-Wan had felt as though he had aged thirty years. He needed sleep, real sleep, not the inadequate snippets of rest he could catch on whatever Republic ship he had boarded, or the fitful bouts of sleep at the Temple punctuated by emergency Council meetings.
Obi-Wan did not bother to turn on the lights as he made his way to the oversized, lavish bed that dominated the raised portion of the room. Even in the dim light, the Jedi could discern the elaborate and expensive qualities of the bed, far more luxurious than anything he had slept in before.
The Guilt stirred in his chest and he actually scoffed at himself. It's just a damned bed – no need to crucify yourself over it.
Obi-Wan crawled onto the plush covers without removing any of his attire, simply wanting to rest on his back while staring up into the darkness, feeling the weight of gravity settle on his aching bones and twinging muscles. He let out a long, weary sigh, his arms held out across the bed, his boots dangling over the bottom edge as he waited for the darkness to swallow up his consciousness.
He waited. And waited. And waited some more.
Another long breath was expelled, this one of frustration rather than fatigue. It seemed sleep was going to escape him despite his bone-deep exhaustion.
Obi-Wan was beginning to pull himself into a sitting position, deciding that meditation would be a wiser method of relaxation, when he felt a shift in the room. He didn't know if it was a change in air pressure, or if it had been a noise, or if it had been his senses forewarning him, but he realized he was not alone.
He was just about to call out a warning to the intruder when he felt something speeding toward him through the darkness. Obi-Wan threw himself to the side and rolled off the bed, hitting the padded floor as whatever missed him slammed into the light fixture next to the bed, shattered glass pelting his shoulders and head.
Hearing a whistling sound through the air, Obi-Wan realized it was a retractable weapon. Leaping to his feet while ignoring the glass falling from his robes, Obi-Wan readied the lightsaber hilt in his hands, igniting the blade to illuminate his quarters in a furtive glow of cobalt.
The projectile whistled across the space once more, and the Jedi reflected the tapered end with his lightsaber, knocking it past to embed itself into the rococo-styled wall. The rush of adrenaline had temporarily overridden the exhaustion in his body and the alcohol in his blood, his skin tingling as his senses became fully battle-alert.
There was a long, thin cord attached to the weapon which led back into the darkness, and Obi-Wan waited with his humming blade in a defensive position for his attacker to reveal themselves.
The first shape to enter the circle of blue cast by the laser sword was the black yawning void of a hood. A scuffed, black boot entered next, followed by the long, lanky form of a cloth-clad figure. He was nearly covered head to foot, but Obi-Wan recognized the oval, crimson eyes that glittered from within the hood.
"Hello, Bane," Obi-Wan greeted evenly, as if he had been waiting for the bounty hunter. And perhaps he had been. He had known this encounter was inevitable, didn't he? Cad Bane had sworn revenge with more hatred than he had ever seen from the man, and Obi-Wan had fought him on several occasions. In each of those encounters, Bane had been ruthless and violent, but always seemed to enjoy his battles with the Jedi, a continual sneer formed by his cracked, blue lips.
All of the mocking glee was gone from his face now – there was only the smoldering hatred that burned from his scarlet eyes. The corner of his upper lip was curled back, revealing the tip of a fanged tooth beneath.
"I'm afraid you have the wrong room. This one is already occupied," Obi-Wan commented, waiting for a snide reply from the wiry Duros. None came. The man simply glared at him, the intensity of his hostility obvious even to those without the ability to use the Force to sense emotions in others.
"All right, Bane. If that's how you're going to play it, I have no choice but to-"
-demand your surrender was what Obi-Wan was going to say, but he never finished the statement as Bane jerked his arm, pulling the cable connected to his left gauntlet. The cable sprang from the wall and retracted towards its owner, but instead of receding in a straight line, it curved like a whip, ensnaring the Jedi around the torso.
Obi-Wan had seen Bane use this exact tactic against Anakin while he was disguised as Rako Hardeen, and yet he was completely unprepared for it. He was forced to extinguish his lightsaber in order to keep from decapitating himself with it, plunging them both into the darkness. The Jedi was yanked forward off of his feet, and before he could catch himself, a hard kick connected with his stomach, forcing the air from his lungs as he tumbled to the carpeted floor.
Ignoring the cramping agony from his diaphragm, Obi-Wan lashed out where he sensed Bane was hovering over him, catching the Duros in the ankles as he kicked his legs out from under him. Bane let out a startled yelp as he fell to the ground, and Obi-Wan aimed his lightsaber hilt away from his face, igniting the blade and severing the cable binding his arms to his chest.
The Jedi Master sprang to his feet from where he lay on his back, twirling his blade around to aim its tip at the bounty hunter, but Bane had already moved from the spot where he had fallen. Obi-Wan sensed the attack from behind but was too slow to avoid it as the blow struck him on the back of the head.
Obi-Wan grunted and stumbled forward, spinning around to catch the bounty hunter with his blade, but Bane leapt smoothly beyond the length of his lightsaber. Instead of teasing or taunting the Jedi, Bane seethed at him, his lips pulled back to fully reveal his sharp fangs. In the blue glow of the lightsaber, he appeared absolutely ghastly, especially with the dark hood shadowing his features.
As Obi-Wan rubbed the back of his throbbing head, he realized there was a slight problem. His reflexes were muddled and dampened by the alcohol and fatigue, and the Force could only do so much to compensate. It was only a matter of time before the adrenaline wore off as well, and when that happened, Obi-Wan might actually be in some danger. Bane was not an opponent to take lightly in the best of circumstances, and right now, the bounty hunter was clearly out for blood.
Obi-Wan held his ignited lightsaber between himself and Bane, the blue light illuminating the deep hollows of the Duros' face. The Jedi's eyebrows creased in confusion. He didn't think it was possible, but Bane appeared even thinner than the last time he saw him on Naboo.
"I don't suppose there's any point in trying to convince you to turn yourself in," Obi-Wan inquired calmly, the two now circling each other as the Jedi held his laser sword before him like a ward against evil. "It would make things much simpler for the both of us."
Obi-Wan would have preferred to hear a response, any response, whether it be one of sarcasm or verbal poison. Anything to get Bane to start talking. His unusual silence did not bode well for how the situation would resolve itself. If he spoke, at the very least, Obi-Wan could gauge how the Duros would react and formulate a plan for how to deal with him.
Obi-Wan was beginning to grow concerned Bane had gone mad during his incarceration. The look in his eyes was more than a little unhinged, and his tattered appearance was extremely abnormal for the typically well-prepared bounty hunter. And from the intense look in his scarlet eyes, Obi-Wan had an inkling of who the Duros blamed for his current state.
Obi-Wan ignored the whispers of Guilt and continued to circle away from Bane. One of them was going to have to make the first move, and as much as Obi-Wan did not like to press initial attacks he saw no other option. Bane – for whatever reason – had not attempted another assault, and Obi-Wan did not know what he carried in his arsenal. Still, he did not want to lash out with his lightsaber and kill the bounty hunter. That option would be reserved as his last.
"Very well, Bane," Obi-Wan remarked, accepting the Duros' continued silence as an indication of his refusal to cooperate. The Jedi jerked his left hand forward and blasted an invisible wave toward the bounty hunter, the Force colliding with him as he was tossed across the room with a surprised yell. Bane slammed into the far wall with a grunt, sliding down its surface to rest against the floor.
As Obi-Wan approached with his lightsaber pointed forward, Bane reached down and pressed a button on his left wrist gauntlet. The Jedi paused, waiting for some ruse to spring from his wrist gauntlets.
Nothing happened for a moment, and Obi-Wan was about to descend on the bounty hunter when he sensed the danger from behind. He glanced over his shoulder and dodged out of the way of a red laser bolt, the thin energy beam burning through one of the lounge chairs instead.
Three levitating prisms made of cheap, ruby-colored glass hovered in the air. Bane must have planted them somewhere in the room before Obi-Wan had arrived, and if he didn't know better he would say they were children's toys repurposed with a deadly intent.
The Jedi was forced to pay attention to the laser crystals as they began to spray crimson bolts in his direction, managing to reflect a bolt back to one of the prisms, causing it to spark and explode immediately.
"I see you've brought friends," Obi-Wan smirked as he reflected several more bolts, crisscrossing his lightsaber across his chest as he destroyed the second prism, then rolling across the floor to avoid the barrage from the third. "You should know, I'll be returning them to you in pieces," he proclaimed with a half-grin towards the silent bounty hunter as he expertly deflected each scarlet bolt that headed his way.
As Obi-Wan destroyed the last levitating crystal, he wondered what Bane had been thinking. He had seen the Jedi personally destroy probe droids with his bare hands during the final challenge of the Box. Did the bounty hunter truly believe these machines would-
The thought was never completed as Bane seized Obi-Wan's right bicep with his long fingers, and the Jedi cried out as he felt a sharp pain pierce his muscles. A cold numbness began to creep down his arm, and he dropped his lightsaber as his fingers lost all feeling. The weapon extinguished itself before it hit the carpet.
"That's… a new trick," Obi-Wan gasped as he began to reach for the weapon with his left hand. Stars exploded before his eyes as a hard blow struck the side of his head, forcing him to stumble away as the room spun precariously. He shook his head and raised his still-functioning hand just in time to block the next assault – a vicious kick aimed at his head from the lanky Duros.
The Jedi grabbed his leg by the ankle and spun him around, throwing him across the room. But the bounty hunter was ready this time, and he activated his rocket boots mid-flight, shooting back across the room and slamming into Obi-Wan's midsection. They flew several feet, but the additional weight dragged them towards the ground. Bane's momentum caused them to slam into the carpet, the two of them tumbling roughly across the room.
Bane was on top of him before he could react, straddling Obi-Wan's stomach and raining down brutal and constant blows along his face and neck with more strength than he thought possible for the scrawny Duros. The Jedi attempted to shield his face with his left arm – his right completely lifeless at this point.
In a move of desperation, Obi-Wan shoved his hand against Bane's chest and threw the Force from his palm, lifting the bounty hunter and slamming him against the tall, ornate ceiling. The Jedi rolled out of the way as Bane collided with the floor on his return descent, a pained snarl escaping him.
Obi-Wan regained his feet quickly, but Bane was on him almost immediately, wrapping an arm around his neck from behind and kicking him behind the left knee. Obi-Wan yelled harshly as he felt something tear within his knee, but the sound was silenced as Bane pressed his forearm against his larynx, cutting off his supply of air.
With his good arm, Obi-Wan threw his elbow back as hard as he could, dislodging the bounty hunter as the point of his elbow collided with his ribs. Bane responded to the assault with one of his own, his bony knee springing upwards to smash into Obi-Wan's spleen.
The Jedi Master did not recover from the jab as he collapsed to the floor, the numbness slowly spreading along his chest and making his head woozy. He realized, with far less concern than he should have, that he was succumbing to the poison that Bane had injected into his arm.
Obi-Wan watched as Bane slowly leaned down to retrieve the lightsaber from where it had fallen, appraising the lifeless weapon cradled in his long fingers. A blue thumbpad brushed against the ignition switch before pressing down, causing the weapon to spring to life in the bounty hunter's hands.
It was at that moment when he finally spoke, his voice raw and crackling as though it had not been used in a long time. Or that it had been used too much.
"Cruel. Deadly. Deceptively beautiful. Deh perfect weapon for deh hypocrisy of deh Jedi." The quality of his voice was unaffected, as the breathing tubes which ordinarily adorned his bounty hunter ensemble were absent. It seemed he hadn't been able to replace them since his most recent prison escape.
Bane took another moment to examine the laser sword, the azure light eerily reflecting in his cold, deadpan eyes. Then the blade was extinguished and the Duros knelt down on the carpet next to the Jedi, grabbing his face and turning it upwards so they made eye contact. Bane stared down at him with nothing but disdain on his face, his upper lip curled back in disgust.
"It's a shame ye'll never hold it in yer hands again, Kenobi," Bane snarled in a low growl, and Obi-Wan was helpless to respond as the paralysis froze the majority of his muscles, locking his jaw firmly in place. He could glare though, and glare he did, peering up at the bounty hunter with all of the defiance he could gather. If this was how he was going to die, he would not give Bane an ounce of satisfaction by showing anything less than his full contempt for the bounty hunter.
Obi-wan could do nothing but watch as the bounty hunter released his face and rose to his feet.
"Lights out, Jedi," Bane said in a growl that was almost a purr, and the last thing Obi-Wan saw was the bottom of Bane's boot.
Author's Note: Thank you for reading! This is a very short story, only three chapters, but I hope you enjoy it. I started this fic because I have a LOT of unresolved feelings regarding Obi-Wan and Bane after the "Hardeen Incident". I don't know if the writers of The Clone Wars intended to ever visit this issue again, and it's something I doubt we will ever know. I hope this story helps you as it has helped me in finding closure for this surprisingly poignant story arc.
If you feel so inclined (because I absolutely adore them) please leave a review/comment to let me know how I'm doing. Bane and Obi are some of my favorite characters, and I want to do right by them.
Thank you to CaptainMazzic on Tumblr for being my awesome beta reader, and all credit goes to him for the fan art I used as my cover.