Please don't hate me for what I did in it.
Chapter 9
The settlement they reached was tiny, even for local standards. Around twenty-thousand inhabitants would have been nothing more than a small town even in planets that had yet to discover space travel.
Even so, to Obi Wan it was a bustling little settlement and judging by the construction activity going on around it, it would not remain small for long. It was probably because of the mining activity he could see as they came in.
As Anakin brought the speeder in to insert them into the local traffic, such as it was, Obi Wan checked thehardcopy map of the town R2 had printed out on the way over, with their meeting point clearly marked. The town lay in a low, north-south, and narrow valley, even now filling out the space between the two rows of peaks, with the biggest mining operation to the north of the town in easy walking distance. Apparently a big deposit of one of the primary durasteel ingredients was being exploited here, feeding the shipyards in orbit.
The co-ordinates for the meeting point turned out to be at the edge, on the opposite end of the town from the small intra-system spaceport. Unfortunately the resolution for the map was too wide to make out more than the address, so they would have to look at the location before going in.
Obi Wan only glanced at Anakin who nodded in reply before guiding the speeder over the town to the street where they would meet their elusive contact. The building itself turned out to be unfinished, probably a victim of the war's economic upheval. It seemed abandoned and when asked, R2 confirmed that it was. Clearly, their contact wasn't risking drawing attention to their meet ahead of time. Obi Wan registered this with approval, but couldn't help but wonder who it was that had taught their contact all that.
"Where to?"
Obi Wan checked the map again and found that the city was arrayed around a central square almost large enough to land a Jedi Cruiser. According to his map it was surrounded by rows of shops, cantinas and other establishments that catered to the mine workers, their droids and the few tourists that found their way here, as most of the bigger winter sport resorts where on the other side of the mountain range.
"Set us down near the square, we should be able to find something to eat there."
"Yes, my Master." replied Anakin. "We should have a look at it on foot some this afternoon before we take up position."
Without talking about it they had decided to spend the night nearby in the hope to get the drop on their contact, but Obi Wan strongly suspected that it wouldn't work.
In the meantime they would wait.
But first they explored the city, mostly scouting out escape routes from their meeting point before eating lunch at one of the places around the square. Both wore cloaks to disguise their identities, but what they picked up of the conversations of the people around them indicated that before the war, the town had experienced a something of a building boom. That had stopped when the war began as most of Corellia's industrial strength was fed into the shipyards that gave the system most of it's economy.
The mining operations were for the most part in the hands of two or three major conglomerates who had swallowed up all the smaller ones and who had no interest in expanding office and other types of infrastructure they didn't need. Especially since almost all the actual mining work was done by droids.
So for all intents and purposes the building Obi Wan and Anakin entered was as much a victim of the war as was the one they intended to survey. They had taken R2 and their possessions along but left the droid with the speeder two streets away, so they had to rely on the Force and their training to prevent them from triggering any potential alarm systems. As it turned out, there was little to fear. Apart from a few easily circumvented motion detectors that didn't even cover half the grounds there were no systems there, and by the state of the building, the owner didn't really care about it either way.
The two Jedi climbed up to the fourth level and settled in to wait.
By then it was getting dark, and Obi Wan reflected on how similar, yet different this was to the way they'd spent days upon days all over the galaxy, even before the war.
When he remarked on this to Anakin, the first reply was a bale of laughter, much to his own surprise.
"Master," answered Anakin when he had calmed down, "this is nothing like what it was during the war. And even before the war someone would have shot at us by now. This have been the most peaceful few days I've... we've had in years. Don't jinx it."
Obi Wan grinned. "I don't intend to, Anakin. But you must admit, we've done this sort of thing a lot."
"That we have... that we have."
With a deep sigh, Anakin half-turned to look directly at Obi Wan.
"Obi Wan... right now my biggest wish is to take Padmé, hide somewhere on the outer rim and come back when the twins are around twenty."
"An understandable and very, very normal wish, Anakin." Obi Wan padded Anakin's shoulder to reassure him. "And I suspect you will have ample opportunity to do so eventually."
"When they expel me from the order, you mean."
"No."
Obi Wan shook his head.
"They might expel you, they might not. Whatever happens my brother, this war will not last forever. And when it is over, I will see to it personally. If someone has deserved it, it's you."
Anakin displayed a thin, somewhat uncertain smile, but his genuine gratitude was evident when he spoke. "Thank you, Obi Wan. Force knows what I would end up as without you by my side."
"And I will do it. For myself as much as for you. I'll take the first watch."
Both Jedi spent the next hours alternating between meditation and keeping a lookout so that one of them would always have his eyes on the other building. Anakin found it easier than usual of late to centre himself as he had to when using Obi Wan's favourite technique. By the time he was supposed to relieve him, he slowly returned himself from the state of mind this technique always brought on.
Suddenly though he felt... something.
There, just at the edge of even his Force-enhanced perception something hovered. He knew he had felt it before, and he knew it was familiar. But even has be probed deeper into the Force towards... whatever it was, it faded, as if trying to hide itself. That made it someone's force presence. He could clearly feel Obi Wan's presence beside him, because of their bond and because of the close proximity but that other person...
Outwardly the only sign of all this was a habitual frown that he always wore when something bugged him that he couldn't figure out, even with his closed eyes. Obi Wan noticed that something was going on, but he knew better than to say anything and break Anakin's concentration. Instead he kept his eyes on the street below, looking for anyone or anything that could penetrate Anakin's concentration like this.
It continued in this manner for some time.
Until Anakin's eyes snapped open and turned towards Obi Wan.
"I sense something." he said, "A presence I haven't felt since..."
"What is it?"
Anakin jumped to his feet and ran down the staircase without another word. Obi Wan sighed and followed.
They quickly dashed over the street and into the other building.
Obi Wan was tempted to call on Anakin to stop, but he knew better than to try, because he knew that he would be ignored. Luckily the street was dark and empty so no one saw them, or saw Anakin as he kicked in the metal gate on the other side and rushed into the building. The door of the building was no great hindrance, but it allowed Obi Wan to catch up.
"Anakin, let's do this properly, shall we?"
Closing his eyes, Anakin took a deep breath and agreed. "Yes, Obi Wan. Our... contact is probably entering from the back, I didn't see anyone on the street." he whispered.
"Agreed." replied Obi Wan, and decided against asking just what Anakin had felt. Over the bond he sensed a mixture of trepidation and joy, and the way it felt to himself gave him a strong suspicion about it. He would see and find out.
The two Jedi slowly and silently made their way into the building. It wasn't any more secure than where they'd spent the afternoon, if anything it was even less cared for if the constant sound of dripping water was anything to go by. In some ways Obi Wan felt as if they were in a bad horror vid, but there were always things that seemed clichéd.
It was obvious that the building had once been intended as a corporate headquarters of a small-sized company looking to expand, as evidenced by the open ground though now overgrown ground in the middle of the complex. He and Anakin stood at one end, in a place half-hidden by overgrown bushes that had once been mere ornaments, but there was enough moonlight for them to see a solitary figure about a head shorter than Anakin slowly make it's way towards them.
Before he could stop him, Anakin stepped out into the moonlight, clearly visible, and said: "Long time no see, Snips."
Everyone present seemed to freeze for an eternity, though they all knew later that it was no more than a minute or two. Anakin just stood there, looking at his former Padawan with a fond smile on his face, while Obi Wan glanced back and forth between him and Ahsoka Tano.
The still young Togruta was visibly uncomfortable. She had drawn back the hood of her cloak, and defiantly stood in place, daring either of the Jedi to say anything, though he knew her well enough to be able to tell that much of it was a front.
Hardly surprising to Obi Wan, considering how she and the order had parted, and he felt a pang of guilt for his own part in it. Oddly enough the one who had suffered the most from the aftermath of that whole unfortunate affair had been the one who least deserved it. He didn't know what it would be worth or how it would be received, but he resolved to apologize to her if he had an opportunity to do so.
"I should have known that you would find me sooner than I expected... Master."
Anakin ignored the pointed hesitation on the last word and took a few steps towards her. When Ahsoka didn't withdraw, he grinned at her.
"Oh, I suspected for a while that you had something to do with it. I thought I taught you better than to use your own handwriting to send clandestine messages, my still very young Padawan."
"I'm not a Padawan, remember?" she spat, but Anakin knew not to take it personally. 'You'll always be my Padawan' he didn't say to her, as he sensed that she wouldn't be receptive to his own brand of humour right now. Instead he closed the distance between them and just offered his hand in greeting.
"It's great to see you anyway. We missed you."
Ahsoka threw a quick glance over at Obi Wan who only smiled and nodded. "Ahsoka."
She didn't reply, and instead turned back to her old Master.
"General, I-"
"Oh Sithspit, Ahsoka!" Anakin interrupted, "You said yourself, you're not my Padawan any more, so I wish you'd call me by my name."
She pulled back the hood of her cloak, and made the sort of face that she'd always had when she was thinking hard. It pleased Anakin to no end that the old Ahsoka wasn't completely gone. He didn't really blame Obi Wan any more for his part in what had happened to her, but now more than ever he fully intended to bring it up with the Council again.
At any rate, by the way she looked at them he knew that it would take more convincing than that.
"It is good to see you, Ahsoka." he said trying to insert himself in the conversation.
Anakin watched as she almost flinched when Obi Wan spoke to her. It took only a few seconds for her to reign in her emotions, but until she did, the old Ahsoka he'd always known, the one he'd more seen as the sister he'd never had than a 'mere' Padawan was out.
"Thank you, Master Kenobi."
The hesitation was gone, but they all knew that she still hadn't forgiven the Jedi Council or anyone who was on it. It wasn't that she hated them, of that Anakin was sure, but he had come to understand why she had left the order.
An awkward silence settled over the courtyard.
More to break it than for any other purpose Anakin crossed the distance between them and held out his hand in greeting, with an open, honest smile on his face.
With a hesitant smile on her own face, Ahsoka extended a blue-gloved hand of her own and shook his. "It is good to see you again, Skyguy."
"Insolence! Obi Wan, see what I had to deal with?"
Anakin didn't have to look to see the smirk in Obi Wan's face. "Welcome to my world for ten years, my former Padawan."
He didn't get to say anything in reply. Just as he opened his mouth, all three Jedi tensed. They all sensed the threat around them, and by the time the first blaster bolts came flying, two lightsabres and a blaster pistol were out.
Anakin and Obi Wan deflected bolts back at their attackers in the gallery one storey up, while Ahsoka ran over to join them, firing as she went.
"BACK THROUGH THE DOOR!" Anakin yelled to be heard over the din of battle. He all but shoved Ahsoka towards Obi Wan who motioned for her to go. Obi Wan was first through while Anakin covered their back. Ahsoka covered behind the door to cover him as he slowly retreated towards them.
Once he was through she slammed her free fist on the button that closed the door, following it up by a shot into the electronics.
"Follow me, I have speeder out the back."
She took off down the corridor without waiting for an answer, so Anakin and Obi Wan had no choice but to follow.
Ahsoka led them through a maze of abandoned corridors and offices towards the back of the building. After what seemed like an eternity, Anakin saw her stop. She motioned for them to wait as she pressed a button that opened it.
Behind it Anakin saw an open space landing padd on a raised platform. Parked on it and barely visible in the moonlight . He looked at her, and she shook her head. "I can't see any guards, and... I don't sense any either."
"But," Anakin replied with a glance at Obi Wan, "this is too perfect and probably a trap."
"Yes. They didn't come in the front or you would have seen them, and any half-decent mercenary or bounty hunter would have put someone to guard it."
"So, who goes out?"
"I'll go." Anakin said before either Ahsoka or Obi Wan could say anything. When both were about to protest, he waved it away. "I'll be fine. I'm not going to take too many stupid risks now that I have even more to get back to."
He glanced at Ahsoka who was puzzled, but decided to forgo asking for a more proper time, especially when Anakin shot her an apologetic glance that hinted at the promise of more.
Anakin pulled up the hood from his robes.
He dashed from cover to cover, using the abandoned boxes and bits of machinery between the building and the pad to shield his movements. Looking on, Obi Wan and Ahsoka expected a blaster bolt out of the blue every time he moved, but he managed to reach the speeder.
Anakin pulled down the hood. He never reached the speeder though.
He hesitated half-way across the map before turning and running back towards the building, though the speeder exploded before he had taken more than a half-dozen steps. Anakin fell forward with his robes smouldering and some of his hair singed away.
tbc
To the readers who I haven't sent running into the far reaches by including Ahsoka Tano, let me explain why I did it:
Not having heard/read anything in that regard, I think it likely at least that we would have heard her fate eventually on the show had it not been canned. Secondly, I always liked her as a Character, if only as a mirror Anakin could look into, because by all accounts she was a lot like him in many ways.
Thirdly, her being... well, a part of all this fits in nicely with what I have in mind for later, though I do have to say, I did not plan it like this. I was going to use an original character, but at some point I had an "Dude, whatever happened to..." moment...
