The armor felt both uncomfortably close, and... safe. Cody walked down the halls, his heart beating quickly inside his chest. He needed to get to the council. What was he to tell them? He would tell them the truth. Parts of it. He felt light headed, and tried to shake it away. He pulled the helmet on. He couldn't even stand the eyes briefly glancing at him, and his bruised face.
He struggled to swallow.
He struggled to breathe.
He was going to come before the most gifted Jedi, and only tell them the half truth. It was never something he should do – yet he couldn't think of it as wrong. They didn't need to know everything. Not everything was relevant. He would tell them what was relevant; he was a good soldier. Nothing else would matter to the safety of the Jedi, or his own men. It wouldn't effect him in battle.
He kept walking, his footsteps echoing down the halls. They would probably be in for a meeting.
His heart felt sick. He'd finally reached the room. He took a deep breath; it sounded wounded, even to himself. All inside, the Jedi were seated – Yoda, Mace Windu, Kit Fisto, Plo Koon, Obi-Wan. He couldn't look at Obi-Wan. His gut twisted. He found a fixed place in the wall to stare at, though it seemed he was respectfully looking towards Mace Windu.
Let it be over soon.
He worked his helmet off – ignoring the shaking of his own hands. His face was battered enough that they probably wouldn't ask why they could sense… Pain.
"Something to report, have you, Commander?" Yoda asked, green eyes staring at the clone.
Obi-Wan, on the other hand, could sense his commander's stress... as though he'd just walked into a room of enemies. The Jedi was puzzled, but stayed silent.
"Former Sergeant Slick captured me last night on my way back to the barracks - I managed to escape. I believe he wishes to send a blow to the Republic, but he didn't tell me of his plans." Cody could feel bile creeping up his throat, pain twisting in his head. They wouldn't try to Sense too much, or to dig too far into his thoughts, would they?
The Jedi exchanged glances. Obi-Wan saw Master Windu's expression of doubt. Obi-Wan knew that the masters could all sense the slight apprehension in the clone's words. Obi-Wan didn't leave the room in silence long. "Do you know where he is?"
"Yes, General. He's here on Coruscant. At the Folyster Inn." Cody gagged. He bit his tongue.
"Why do you believe he is a threat?" Windu asked.
Obi-Wan's gaze slowly turned to the older Master. "If Cody says he is a threat, then he is, Master Windu," Obi-Wan spoke, folding his arms in front of himself until they disappeared in the sleeves of his robes.
"He threatened the Jedi, and all of the Republic." Cody's hands twitched, waiting till he could put the helmet back on.
Obi-Wan nodded. Mace Windu gave the other Jedi a long stare, then turned his attention back to Cody. "Very well. Have your division prepare to apprehend him."
"Yes, sir." Cody turned on a heel after a half nod, half bow of acknowledgement. He made his way out of the door, and he couldn't go quickly enough. Bile burned his throat, and he kept it there. Better than retching. He still had a job to do.
Obi-Wan nodded to the other masters. "I will accompany them."
"May the Force be with you," Plo called after him.
Obi-Wan saw the concerned look in the other Jedi's eyes. He bowed to the council, then headed out of the room, all but speed-walking after Cody. (It never really hit him how fast the clones walked sometimes... that is, until he needed to catch up to them.) The council doors slid shut behind him, and Obi-Wan strode through the halls after Cody.
The Commander tried to catch his breath. The whole hallway seemed to spin - he put his helmet back on, his strained breathing echoing back to himself. He hadn't had time to tell his men, they had no idea he had even been captured. He had come straight to the Council. Well, nearly. He knew his focus was slipping.
"Cody..." Obi-Wan called, stopping where he was to stare at the crackling grey force signature around the clone.
Cody flinched and came to a halt. He hadn't noticed his approach. He tried to loosen the knots that his muscles had become. He turned, straightening up, his arms by his sides. "Yes, sir?" His heart was thundering; his skin crawled.
"I'm resending the Council's order. Anakin is taking the 501st to handle it." Obi-Wan had not yet discussed this with his former padawan, but the young Jedi would be more than willing... this he already knew. "You look like you could use rest."
"Thank you, General." Cody raised a hand to his neck, touching the black material of the suit beneath his armor. "If you..." He laughed uncomfortably; a foreign sound. His throat threatened to close. He needed to get it out, because it was the truth, and if he didn't speak now, he feared he wouldn't be able to again. "If you wouldn't mind, sir - I would appreciate the company."
Obi-Wan nodded. His expression was laced with concern... It didn't take words to know this wasn't "normal." "The halls are crowded..." Obi-Wan gestured toward the doors leading into a much larger circular room.
Cody started walking towards the room - before freezing. His joints seemed to simply... stop. He clenched his hands, making himself continue forward. His hand moved towards the holstered blaster on his belt even as he stepped through, lights automatically coming on.
Obi-Wan took a moment to hit the button on his wrist-comm. "Anakin?"
"Obi-Wan."
"I need you to take a team and apprehend Slick at the Folyster Inn. Consider him armed and dangerous."
"I thought he was in prison," Anakin's voice sank to an angry tone.
"He was. Take him back into custody-use whatever force necessary."
"Very well, my former Master."
Cody moved inside the room, habitually making sure it was empty. He let out a growl. He wanted to take the armor off - to keep it from pressing against his skin - but he needed it to stay. The thought of it gone was worse than the feeling it gave.
"Are you all right?" Obi-Wan wondered why he even asked. The answer was so plainly obvious.
Cody wasn't sure how to answer by this point. He felt like he was suffocating. He couldn't seem to make up his mind, to leave the helmet on or off - so he took it off again, setting it on the table in the midst of the large room. "I lied to the Council, sir. I'm sorry, sir." He didn't turn around, only lowered his head, pressing the palm of his hand against his forehead.
Obi-Wan stilled for a moment. "I know... And I know you wouldn't have done so without good reason," Obi-Wan stated quietly.
"I just can't stop... thinking. I can't stop remembering."
Obi-Wan stayed silent. The darkness of the Force around Cody was black as night... And Obi-Wan knew... even without knowing, he knew.
"Cody..." For the first time since he began training to be a Jedi, Obi-Wan felt his heart shatter within him.
"I did everything right. I checked in after the relief mission, I locked the door, I cleared the room..." Even his war-born paranoia hadn't been enough. What would be? Cody choked, brown eyes screwed tightly shut.
"Cody... it's not your fault." All clones received the same training, so Slick would have easily known what Cody would do... Slick. The traitor. A name that was quickly becoming a curse in Obi-Wan's mind.
"Haar'chak!" The Commander slammed a fist down on the table. Both hands against the surface, he dropped his head until his chin brushed against his chest. He wore a pained snarl.
Obi-Wan strode across the room and moved to the opposite side of the small table. "You couldn't have known."
Cody forced himself to look at the General. "I have to fight. I have to do something."
Obi-Wan nodded. The need to push away the darkness was something every living thing felt... and he understood. But at the same time, he didn't want to send Cody off to some battle field, like this-not yet. "Rest first. There will be much to do." The war wouldn't stop for any one person. (though Obi-Wan wished it would)
"I can't calm my thoughts to rest, General." Cody wouldn't disobey an order. He had to try to rest. "Is there anything you can do?" He hated to ask; it was easier to be angry. It wasn't his place to request anything. "Is there anything?" his voice fell to a whisper.
Obi-Wan's heart clenched in on itself. He nodded. The very life of the Jedi code demanded them to have compassion on the suffering; but even if it didn't, Obi-Wan would still have found a way. "Yes," Obi-Wan turned and glanced across the room. He wouldn't send Cody back to the clone barracks... it wouldn't help. In fact, he guessed that was the last place he should be at this moment in time. "You'll stay in the temple... it's less crowded," Obi-Wan mumbled, more to himself than Cody, but because he'd said it aloud, it was easily audible in the large, empty room. "That is... if it's all right. I believe I can help you."
"Yes-sir." Cody pushed away from the table, picking up the helmet with trembling hands. He clenched them tighter.
Obi-Wan led the way, trailing along at a determined-but not-fast-pace. "My room is on the far side of the east wing. I have Council meetings, and won't be there anyway-you can stay as long as you care to..." Obi-Wan focused on the Force as he walked, trying to find his center in it.
"Thank you, General." Cody's jaw muscle twitched as he clenched his teeth. He could barely stand the sound of his own breathing. The urge to scratch off his own skin was growing.
"You're welcome." Obi-Wan turned back long enough to give a quick nod. He was glad Cody asked him for help. Truly. It would never be too much... there would never be a limit to what Obi-Wan would do to help his friends. (Despite the Order's dislike of forming attachments, Obi-Wan was only human, and couldn't help it.)
They reached the east wing, and Cody continued to follow behind the General. He would survive; if he could make it through this night, and through the next. He would survive.
Obi-Wan led to a door at the end of the hall. He pressed a button on the side and the silver door slid away. His room was larger than the rooms in the Jedi cruisers, nearly three times the size. A bed sat across the room on the right side. Across from that, a desk with scrolls and books. (Yes, books. Obi-Wan liked them better than holopads) A window at the far end looked out across the city at shining lights and busy intersections. The only other thing in the room was a meditation mat beside the bed.
Obi-Wan stepped into the room and stood out of the way. "Now... I'll do what I can. The Force can be used to..." Obi-Wan paused. He'd never had to explain the Force to a non-Force user. "...The Force can be used for many things; meditation, battle, healing, and other such things..." he started. "Come, sit..." Obi-Wan led the way, and sank easily onto his meditation mat.
Cody moved forward, sitting cross-legged in front of the other man. He gracefully spun his helmet and set it on the ground, setting his still-quaking hands on his knees.
Obi-Wan nodded approvingly. "Close your eyes and open your mind. Think of only the air around you-its life, and its age... Focus on it." Obi-Wan seemed to be following his own instructions by rote.
Cody quirked a high-arched eyebrow before shutting his eyes. He did as he was told; though, it was certainly a different set of orders than he usually received.
Obi-Wan smiled slightly as he felt the twinge of cynical doubt from his commander. "Breathe, and focus... shut everything out. Listen to the air..." Obi-Wan opened his eyes and held a hand forward, channeling his Force connection toward Cody. The blue and silver light flowed toward the clone like mist, slowly circling around him. Obi-Wan focused all his attention on the darkness. He pushed it away with his light, using the Force as a shield against the residing dark.
The quiet fell, but it became louder and softer than the pain; stronger than the noise. Cody couldn't place the feeling with another. But it was pushing away the dark, like blue light against oily black tendrils.
Obi-Wan could feel the distant echoes of pain, betrayal, and anger. They seemed to fly in his face all at once, stealing away the air. He breathed through it, continuing the Force-healing... blocking the memories into little more than a distant vague shadow of what they were. They would be there... they would always be there, because nothing was ever really forgotten, but now, they would be far away.
The Commander's breathing evened out. The Force - he couldn't see it, he would never see it, he was no Jedi. But he could feel it - the presence of the Light.
Obi-Wan raised his other hand, pushing the darkness away and casting the Light toward Cody. For a moment, the clone disappeared in silver light, then it slowly faded to a soft glow. Obi-Wan shivered, only for a moment. The darkness passed over him, and disappeared, leaving only its fading echo. Finally, the Jedi let his hands fall to his side, where he ended up using them to prop himself up. It had taken more than he'd expected... He supposed it would be more difficult with a non-Force sensitive... but he knew it was right, and worth it.
"You should rest now, Cody," Obi-Wan spoke, his voice almost too quiet to hear, if not for the fact it was completely silent in the room.
"May I take the floor?" The clone's voice sounded off - wrong somehow.
"If you'd prefer the floor to a bed," Obi-Wan said with a soft smile, trying to contain a slight laugh.
"There's no bed here, Wolly." Cody seemed to 'wake up'. There was a moment of exhausted-shock as he looked at the Jedi.
Obi-Wan quirked an eyebrow at him. "You most certainly do need rest." He stood and offered a hand toward the clone, pointing the other one to the bed in the corner of the room.
"Right. Yes-sir." Cody shook his head, taking the offered hand and standing. He gasped at the touch and drew his hand back to himself. He snatched his helmet on the way up. The man moved towards the bed; there was a distant sorrow, and a quiet hum of Light, but he ignored them both. He sat on the bed, swinging his legs onto the mattress. His breathing evened out into soft, even sounds nearly the moment his head hit the pillow.
Obi-Wan carefully edged the blanket over his friend. How the man could sleep in 88 pounds of armor was nothing short of a miracle to the Jedi. "Sleep well, Cody." Obi-Wan turned, heading to the door. He had some business to take care of; to ensure that Slick wouldn't hurt anyone-or Cody-ever again.
AN: Well, there are approximately thirty chapters to this. I'll post as often as once a day. Thank you for the favorite and follows, I'm glad to see it's being enjoyed. Have an excellent day, et merci beaucoup!
Zoe: I'm very glad! Thank you for your feedback, ma cherie. Cody and Ahsoka should begin talking soon - chapter... Four, give-or-take? *Smiles*