'ello, peoples of the earth!
Well, I've had the chapter ready for a while. I just kept forgetting to post it! It seems I will need to change my updating schedule, since I have school on Mondays and other things on Thursdays.
And, to tell you the truth, it's probably going to get worse. I actually just got hired for my first job, which I'm really ecstatic about! It just means the minimal writing time I have now has decreased even more. So - I'm sorry about that.
Thanks to Lux's Sister, Solstix, DrOvertime, and katierosefun for their reviews, which continue to make my day!
And now, without further ado, I now present Chapter 7 of Clean! Hope y'all enjoy!
The project was a painstakingly slow process, and by the time it was done, Kira and Jim were covered in sand and grease, but at long last the vaporator was fixed a few evenings after Kira came home from the raid at the Versos'. Kira sighed in relief when Jim handed her a cup of water from the newly repaired contraption, for she had more than one reason to be grateful the thing was functioning properly again.
"Hopefully we won't be needing this again," Jim said as he brushed the sand off the broken-screw remover before placing it in the toolbox.
"Hopefully," Kira agreed, sipping the water. "Did you accidentally hit a setting while you were fixing that? This water tastes sweeter than normal."
Jim shrugged. "I have no idea. Maybe it's old Ben's special formula." He winked.
Kira took another drink of the water to hide her grimace. The name "Ben," at least for her Master, still sounded harsh to her ears.
Jim slipped the spanner into the toolbox and wiped the sweat off his forehead with the back of his wrist. "What do you say we head to Anchorhead tonight to celebrate?"
"I wouldn't exactly call watching the Imperial Holonet a celebration," Kira said, "but you have yourself a deal." Their trips had become routine to Kira, and she did like consistency. "Just let me check with Obi – Ben, I mean – to make sure he doesn't mind watching Anakin."
Jim picked up the toolbox on their way back to the hut. "I don't think he'll mind." He glanced at Kira with concern. "You've taken a lot of the responsibility for Anakin lately, but leave some for me, alright? I am his father, after all."
Kira shrugged. "I just don't want anything to happen to him. I promised – I promised Cadena I would take care of him."
"Oh." Jim's joking manner became solemn. "You two were best friends, and you want to honor your promise to Cadena. I get that. But I'm still Anakin's father, and trust me when I say no one in the galaxy loves him as much as I do." He turned to face Kira. "I'm serious. You're not his mother. Leave his upbringing to me."
That stung, and Kira's eyes narrowed. "I know I'm not his mother," she spat, venom lacing her words. "No one could ever be. But at least I'm trying, which is more than I can say for you." With that, she spun on her heel and stalked into the dwelling, kicking up sand behind her. She hoped some of it had hit Jim in the eye.
Inside, Obi-Wan looked up from Anakin and the tooka doll. "What is it?" he asked as Kira sauntered past him.
"Nothing a good meditation session can't fix," Kira volleyed back, knowing full well it was going to take several meditation sessions to clear her mind after this incident.
Jim did not change his plans to head to Anchorhead that evening, and he made sure to let Kira know she was still invited to come along. She decided to go with him, the only reason being that she wanted to know what was happening in the galaxy outside their little corner of the Outer Rim. Obi-Wan observed Kira curiously as she and Jim got ready to leave, but he made no comment and asked no questions.
Kira couldn't decide if she was grateful for or frustrated by Obi-Wan's indifference.
"I just put Anakin to bed," Jim was saying to Obi-Wan. "He shouldn't be any trouble. If he wakes up, just tell him a short story to get him back to sleep."
Kira cleared her throat, and Jim shot her a pointed glare. "What?"
With one eye marking raised, Kira replied, "A warm glass of blue milk would help, too."
Jim chose to ignore her reminder. "Anyway. We should be back shortly, sometime between 2100 and 2200 at the latest."
"That's a rather wide time window," Obi-Wan remarked, eyes sliding from Kira to Jim and back again.
"We just don't want you to worry about us, that's all," Kira said, stepping toward the door. "I have my comm should our plans change."
Jim followed behind her, waving goodbye. "We'll see you soon."
"Goodbye," Obi-Wan replied. Kira felt his eyes on the back of her neck as they departed.
Both Kira and Jim were quiet on the way to the speeder that Jim had parked behind the dwelling, and they were equally silent on the ride to Anchorhead.
Kira tossed a few credits on the counter. "Another cup of muja juice, if you please," she said to the bartender, who grunted as he scooped up the credits and turned to fill her cup. Kira watched him closely to make sure he didn't put anything funny in her drink.
Jim observed as the bartender handed Kira her muja juice. "Isn't that your third cup?" he asked.
Kira swallowed the sip she'd just taken before she answered. "I feel like splurging a little," she told him. And she did. The news was rarely good news lately, but tonight's news was dragging memories and what-ifs and wishful thinking to the forefront of Kira's thoughts. An old Bergruutfa clan mate by the name of Garen Chang had been captured the year prior, tried this year, and executed on this rotation. Other Padawans and a few Knights were also mentioned on the report, and Kira thanked the Force when she didn't see Caleb or any other Padawans that she'd made friends with during her time at the Temple.
Jim patted Kira's shoulder. "You didn't get the juice spiked, did you?"
At that, Kira stared at Jim incredulously. "How stupid do you think I am?"
Jim raised his hands in surrender. "I'm just checking! Desperate people do desperate things sometimes." He looked away. "I should know."
Kira studied Jim for a moment, polished off the juice, and pushed the cup away. "Ready?"
"Have you seen all you wanted to see?" Jim asked, surprised. Typically they stayed at the cantina for about two hours. It had only been about an hour.
Kira nodded. "If I watch any more, I think I'll get sick," she said as she hopped down from her stool.
"Very well."
They were as quiet in the speeder on the way home as they had been on the way to Anchorhead, but this time the silence was more companionable than awkward. After Jim parked the speeder, he went around to the other side to stand beside Kira as she climbed out. "Listen," he said, running a hand through his sandy hair. "I'm sorry for earlier. I shouldn't have snapped at you. I mean, Anakin loves you. You're great with him, and I appreciate all you're doing. I guess I'm just worried Anakin's going to start thinking you're his mother, and that he'll forget Cadena."
Kira placed a hand on Jim's shoulder. "I never tried to replace Cadena," she said softly.
"I know."
"I'm sorry, too. I should not have lashed out at you. It's not the Jedi way."
Jim shook his head sadly. "Eva – Kira – the Jedi are gone. It's probably a good thing that you reacted. We have to blend in."
"I'm always going to be a Padawan at heart, Jim. Nothing will change that."
Kira dropped her hand and turned to head inside; Jim followed, hands in his pockets. Inside, the two went their separate ways, Kira to take off her cloak and Jim to check on Anakin. Kira allowed a small smile as she passed Anakin's room and saw Jim poking his head around the doorframe to look in on his son.
When Kira emerged from her room, she heard voices in Obi-Wan's room. Thinking it was Jim and Obi-Wan speaking about the news, she went to join them.
She was startled when she caught a glimpse of Jim in the kitchen.
Frowning, Kira decided to investigate. She remembered to raise her mental shields before she approached Obi-Wan's door so he would be unlikely to detect her presence. To her surprise and alarm, the voice that wasn't Obi-Wan's sounded just like the voice Mik had been speaking to a few days earlier!
But at least she could relax again. If Obi-Wan trusted whoever the voice belonged to, Kira could as well, and by extension she could trust Mik. She exhaled slowly, as if letting out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding.
"—we need you, Master Kenobi. And we need her, too."
"I must tell you, Senator. It unnerves me that your source has been stalking my Padawan."
"She has not been stalking your student, Master. I am not a predator. They merely happen to be in many places at the same time, and my source sees promise. If my source was stalking your Padawan, as you accuse her of doing, she would be outside your dwelling right now."
"I suppose that is true."
"This is not a coercion effort, Master Kenobi."
"Understood."
"But you have not answered my question. Will you bring this conversation up to her?"
"I will not, Senator Organa. While I appreciate your efforts and what you are doing for the galaxy, my place is here. I must take care of the Skywalker boy, and I must take care of my apprentice as well. I cannot do that from across the galaxy."
There was a sigh on the other end of the call. "Very well. Perhaps when she is older, then."
"Perhaps." Obi-Wan did not sound convinced.
"Take care, Master Kenobi."
"You as well, Senator. Farewell."
Kira quickly stepped away from the door before Obi-Wan noticed she was there and headed for the kitchen. Her mind raced, making her feel slightly dizzy. She was careful not to show it; who knew what Jim would tell Obi-Wan?
The young man looked up as Kira entered the kitchen and held up the pitcher of blue milk. "Want some?" he asked. "I'd be happy to pour you a glass."
Suddenly, Kira found herself wanting a glass of blue milk. "That would be great, Jim," she said, pulling up a chair. "Thank you."
Jim handed her the glass and put the pitcher back in the cooling unit. "Have you talked to Ben yet?" he asked. "He probably wants to hear the news."
Kira shook her head. "He was talking to somebody. I haven't gotten to talk to him yet."
"I see."
The two sipped their blue milk in silence as they waited for Obi-Wan to arrive. When a few minutes had passed and Kira had finished her blue milk, she got up to wash her glass. "I'm going to bed," she murmured as she rinsed the soap out of the glass.
"Tired?"
"Yeah."
Jim nodded. "Good night, then."
"Good night, Jim."
Kira climbed into bed a few moments later with a heavy heart and a lot to think about. Some hopeful, optimistic part of her had believed that Garen would hold out until this fiasco was over, and though that part had dwindled over the course of the past year, she'd hoped and prayed he would pull through.
Now that she had become acquainted with the nature of this Empire, she realized that it had been a miracle that Garen had survived as long as he had.
The conversation she'd overheard overtook her thoughts next. Senator Bail Organa of Alderaan, the man she now knew Mik had been speaking to, had been an ally of the Jedi Order. It was a wonder he still served in the Senate, since Kira had heard he'd been opposed to the idea of an Empire.
So much, in fact, that in the darkest, dankest levels of Coruscant, there were rumors that he was planning to lead a rebellion.
He'd said he needed Obi-Wan and her, and Kira had no doubt it was to help with this rebellion.
Obi-Wan did have a mission here on Tatooine. Kira understood why he'd said no to the offer. It was why he said no for her that confused her. She was good in a fight – Obi-Wan knew this. She knew how to get information; Obi-Wan knew this, too. Most importantly, she wanted this Empire gone, and there was no possible way Obi-Wan could have missed that.
So the fact that her Master was keeping this secret from her made her absolutely livid.
Sighing as she pulled her blanket tighter around her shoulders, Kira closed her eyes, loathing the anger burning in her chest.
Ouch. That was a harsh blow.
Kira: No kidding.
Me: You know he just wants you to be safe, right?
Kira: I don't care.
Jim: If she was mad at me earlier, I don't think I want to see her when she's livid.
Me: I guess we'll see next chapter. Ehehehe.
Jim: Oh no.
Me: Oh yes.
Kira: Cut it out, you two. -_-
Jim: Geez. She really is peeved, isn't she?
Me: You said it, and because I'm afraid to see what she'd do if I made her do the review notice, you're doing it today, Jim.
Jim: But I did it last time!
Me: I don't really want to lose my life today, Jim.
Kira: *inspects fingernails casually*
Jim: Point taken. Can I at least pick the song, though?
Tablet: No one has to know, it can just be you and me alone...
Me: ...oops.
Kira: Where have I seen this before?
Me: Yeah, I'm getting some deja vu, too. Never mind that for now. Jim?
Jim: Yeah, yeah. Review if you liked it, hated it, or wanted to light it up and watch it burn. Maybe it'll get Kira to stop being mad.
Me: Worth a shot. Alright, readers. Thanks for clicking in, and may the Force be with you always! I'll try not to forget to actually post the chapter on Monday. Again, sorry about that.
