Chapter 11 : Generals
Although the Battle of Geonosis was a victory for the Republic, the prospect of a war between the Republic and the Confederacy was now inevitable. Millions of clone trooper units departed from Coruscant on missions to find and defeat the Confederacy .The clones were led in these missions by the Jedi Knights, the first time that the Jedi Order had taken up arms en masse since the Seventh Battle of Ruusan a thousand years prior and Obi-wan knew this conflict would be remembered for decades. Recently, Jedi Master Tholme, with Master Jedi Sorra Bulq, went into a hasty pursuit of Dooku to Bakura, where Dooku had a base. Of course, they won't come back : Kenobi remembered that Thulme would die against Dooku and Bulq would fall to the dark side … He felt so helpless to not be able to prevent such events but he was only a Jedi, he couldn't prevent everything.
"Master ? Are you alright ?" asked Anakin Skywalker who was sitting in front of him, in the yellow couch of Padmé's apartment.
"Mmmh ? Oh yes, I'm alright, I was just thinking about the war, and the Jedi who left Coruscant," replied the auburn Jedi.
" Oh ! Such sad thoughts Master. How is Master Tachi ?"
"I told you to call us Obi-wan and Siri, Ani. She's very fine, and today, she's sparring with Master Windu because she thinks if I could beat him, perhaps she could too" laughed Obi-wan.
Anakin laughed with his master too, "Well I hope she won't. Because right now, you are the second most powerful Jedi in the Order, could you image Windu's reaction if he becomes the fourth one ?"
"I'm not more powerful Anakin. I just took advantage of the only mistake of Mace : he could have beat me too," said the Council Member.
"You're too modest Obi-wan," said Padmé joining them. She was wearing the silver ring on her left hand as well as Anakin when they were in privacy : Obi-wan had told them he would marry Siri after the war. "But I must correct my husband : you are the most powerful Jedi of your time. Yoda is 800 years old so it doesn't count".
"Yes, my wife is right Mas- Obi-wan !" added happily Anakin. "The Chosen-One and the best Jedi Master, together. Brace yourself Separatist, we are coming !"
Obi-wan rolled his eyes in amusement, "You know there are many heroes in both sides my friend. Don't worry; you won't be bored at all". And Anakin smiled showing excitement.
"Have you an idea about our next mission Master ? I'd like to accomplish it quickly so we can come back to Padmé and Siri."
"I heard Master Yoda speaking about Rhen Var. The Republic outpost is clearly no match for a Separatist attack… I hope not because I truly dislike being cold during a fight", explained Obi-wan.
"I prefer snow to sand Master ", said honestly Skywalker as Padmé took his hand.
"I know Anakin", Obi-wan rose from the couch and added, "Well, I'll be going now. I have a Council meeting in an hour. See you soon Padmé; Anakin, I'll keep you inform about our potential next mission. Goodbye then."
And the Jedi Master left the 500 Republica building in a red speeder. He had to avoided the traffic but managed to arrive in time for the meeting. He took his seat next to Ki-Adi Mundi and waited for Yoda to start speaking.
"This Council Meeting starting, is. But first, congratulations are in order, I think. Surprised me every day you are Obi-wan : able to defeat Dooku and Master Windu, two we are now."
"Thank you Master" said the Master, bowing his head. "Thank you too Mace, our fight was incredible, I thought I'd fall exhausted before seeing a mistake."
"I really enjoyed our fight too Obi-wan. Your Soresu is so perfect I could do nothing to break through. And your Ataru is good too although not perfect as your Soresu. I'm warning you Master Yoda, if Obi-wan increase his skills in Ataru… He will beat you." Said Mace grinning.
Yoda laughed lightly, "Too young for defeat me, you still are Obi-wan."
And everyone in the room laughed. Since Obi-wan's promotion, the meeting were much lighter than before : he had brought youth and happiness between those old Masters and during a war, Obi-wan's humor was most welcome by the members of the Jedi Council. Some things seemed to never change, and that pleased Kenobi.
"So, " started the Korun Master, "we must talk about the Rhen Var's situation. As you know, Rhen Var is home to a small Republic outpost known as Bravo Base, located not far from where the Separatist army have made planetfall. They are unfortunately unequipped to repel an invasion of that size and magnitude. We must go there and protect them during their evacuation. Obi-wan and Padawan Skywalker will deal with this mission. Obi-wan, the Council is granting your request about knighting Skywalker but only after your return. Padawan Secura and Master Quinlan Vos will be sent tomorrow on Corellia to find the Techno Union scientist Ratri Tane, who possessed very valuable information. He must be present before our Council. Master Shaak Ti ?"
"Yes Master ?" asked the female Togruta.
"As a Council Member, you are tasked with the oversight of clone trooper training on the ocean world Kamino." Replied Windu.
"A Jedi's teachings, Jango Fett is asking. " said Yoda, "agree with the bounty hunter, I am."
"I will work with Fett ?" asked astonished Shaak Ti.
"He had agreed to our terms. He continued to train the clones, raise his son and live forever on Kamino." Replied Plo Koon. "His fighting skills are exceptional, we won't find someone like him and he had a great sense of honor. He will do his job I promise you but, you are also send there to arrest him if you have to."
"I understand Masters. I will do as the Council ask."
"It is settled then, Obi-wan and Anakin on Rhen Var, Master Vos on Correlia and Shaak ti on Kamino. May the force be with us all" said seriously Mace Windu and then, everyone except Obi-wan, Mace and Yoda left respectfully the chamber.
"I sense you want to tell me something Masters," announced Obi-wan with a gentle smile.
Yoda burst out laughing, "Such a wonderful mind, you have Obi-wan Kenobi. Yes, we do."
"Rhen Var is not an important post to capture, Obi-wan. I don't understand the reason of this potential attack…" said gravely Windu.
"The Dark side I sense on Rhen Var." confirmed Yoda as Mace nodded.
"If I remember well, Rhen Var is the tomb of Ulic-Quel Droma. Perhaps Dooku wants something." Suggested the young Jedi Master. "He is searching the Dark Reaper, as I remember."
"Keeping the Council inform of the Separatist's moves, you must Obi-wan !"
"Yes Master," replied respectfully Obi-wan.
And then, the three last people in the Council Chamber left, each in different destination: Yoda was returning to his quarters, Windu went to see her previous Padawan Depa Billaba and Obi-wan headed to Siri and Ferus' apartment. Kenobi smiled as, in front of the door, he heard Siri yelled at Ferus about something he had done earlier. She tried to lesson him but in fact, Obi-wan could hear the laugh in her voice : a laugh that could warm his heart even on the cold planet of Hott or Rhen Var …. He cast his worried about the mission out of his mind and stepped forward as the door slid.
"Are you listening to me Fer- Obi-wan !" said Siri and she ran to him, hugged him like he was gone for years, it was only several hours, and kissed him passionately.
"Master I'm still here. Can't you just wait ?" asked Ferus.
"So why are you still here ?" replied grinning the blonde woman. "You are free to sleep where you want to."
"Perhaps you can go see Aayla, Ferus. She'll be leaving soon because she has a new mission." Suggested Kenobi.
"Great idea Master Kenobi." Said the apprentice before quickly leaving.
"So Master Kenobi, how was your third Council meeting ?" asked the female Jedi.
"Actually, I've done so much more meeting" thought Obi-wan. "Very well, Siri. I'm here to spent the night with you because, tomorrow, we're going to Rhen Var with Anakin. We must evacuate a Republic Outpost."
"All right, so I guess I can take all your strength away during the night if you want to be operational on this messy planet." Said Siri with an evilly smile. "Sorry, I'm Jedi : I can't lie. You'll be exhausted next morning, I promise." And she kissed him again. They talked a lot the afternoon, then they ate together at Dexter's restaurant, like any other ordinary couple: they could at least pretend to be ordinary. When they came back, Siri held tightly her lover because she was, honestly, worried for him. Rhen Var was a dangerous planet, she knew Obi-wan was an amazing Jedi and Anakin won't let anyone touch his master except her, but she was worried. When they reached her bed, Obi-wan kept to tell her that he would come back as always like they promised to each other, and her worries disappeared as she felt her lover unite with her : she could not imagine her live without him, without this sensation of being a whole body, and she was sad that the other Jedi could not know all of this because of the Jedi Code. After the war, she and Obi-wan would change this rule and showed that love was not to be feared and that it would not lead to the dark side.
The next day, Siri had to wake Obi-wan up because as she promised him, he was exhausted. She smiled to him as she touched his hair, slowly and gently awaking him. He opened his sapphire eyes, touched her cheek and then leaned her to his mouth.
"The best morning of my life," whispered Obi-wan in her ear. She answered to him by kissing him again more ferociously: she didn't want him to go, she wanted to keep him all for herself, he was hers and she was his.
"Please Siri, I must go. I'll be lat-". He couldn't finish his sentence because she was pressing his head between her nude breasts.
"No you won't be late, you never are," said quietly the female Jedi Master.
He looked in her blue eyes and added slowly, trying not to tickle her with his beard, "Don't worry, I'll be back very soon. And I'll get my revenge for this night Master Tachi."
"I look forward to it Master Kenobi." She let him go and took a box under her bed. She opened it and showed the inside to Obi-wan : there was a pure blue crystal, the same blue as her eyes. "I've kept it many years, but it is the crystal for your new lightsaber. And with it, I'm sure I'll keep an eye on you, my love."
"Siri … It's so beautiful. Thank you, my dear love. I love you so much" replied Kenobi as he placed the crystal in his new hilt: the same he had use during the clone wars, the same who had defeated Vader and the 501st clonetroopers. It was his weapon, his life like he always told Anakin. Then he hugged the woman he loved and kissed her gently, tears were beginning to form in his eyes : he didn't want to leave her now.
"I don't want you to leave me too. But like you always say : duty above everything. And we both know you'll come back, successful or not," said gently Master Tachi. "Now, let's go !"
And the two Jedi Master dressed, Obi-wan with his traditional robe and Siri with her red flying suit, then exited their "home" and headed towards the hangar where a gunship would take them to the Military Airport of Coruscant. In the gunship, Anakin had said nothing because he was sad to leave Padmé as Siri and Obi-wan were, Quinlan Vos was talking to Kenobi and Aayla was speaking in the back of the ship with Ferus. Master Jedi Vos was an old friend of Obi-wan since they were padawans but with their own apprentices, they spent more and more times in the Galaxy than in the Temple so they couldn't see each other and talk like friends did. As the group arrived, they could all see the four Acclamator ships ready for depart as well as the entire battalion of clones and Republic vehicles.
"They look so old to me… In a year, everything will change with the Venator, the phase II armor … Everything is going so fast" thought Obi-wan Kenobi as they landed.
The group separated in two : Anakin, Obi-wan and Siri were the first to exited the ship, followed by Quinlan, the blue twi-lek and Siri's apprentice.
"General Kenobi, our forces are ready to leave immediately. We are waiting for your orders, sir," said the clone commander with yellow marks on his white armor. "We have to our disposal three Acclamators to counter any Separatist attack."
"Very well Commander. Then, let's go evacuate the outpost." Replied the Jedi Master as Anakin followed the clone inside the cruiser. Siri was silently observing the padawan leaving and waited for Obi-wan to say goodbye.
"See you soon Siri" said happily Obi-wan.
"May the Force be with you Master Kenobi" Siri grinned but added slowly, "I love you Obi-wan."
"And with you my love" replied the auburn Jedi before disappearing in the enormous ship.
And then, she felt Ferus coming back to her as the armada took off the airport. She was glad to have him, she didn't feel as alone as she had thought. But Ferus was worried as his master too, something they could not erase as the loneliness.
"Is Aayla excited ?" asked Siri after a long minutes of silence.
"Not really, but she's proud to do her duty."
"Is something wrong with her ?"
"No Master. It's just … Nah forget about it, it's nothing." Replied the dark haired padawan.
"Please Ferus tell me. If it's bother you, it is not nothing."
"Alright Siri… Before she left, Aayla told me that if she came back alive, she'd have to tell something important."
"I understand. You two had always share secrets and thoughts that you don't understand why she's waiting." Ferus nodded so the blonde woman continued her explanation: "Perhaps it is because of the war. You know, she is aware that she can die tomorrow as well as all of us so it might change her mind."
"I haven't thought that way but it can explain her sudden change."
"And why haven't you change too ?" asked Siri motherly.
"What ?"
"You think I'm blind Ferus ? You always flirt with Twi-lek girls my dear padawan. If you have discovered about Obi-wan and I, I discovered your feelings for your "best friend" years ago. Aayla is a beautiful woman, Ferus."
Ferus blushed but sternly replied :" Master. Aayla deserves a better man, should I say Jedi, than me. And we respect too much our vow to the Jedi."
"Because Obi-wan doesn't respect the Code ?" asked truly amused Siri Tachi.
"Obi-wan loves you in a way that he still respects the Code. He's much smarter than all of us, he is just greater than any of us: only he can find such solution to the love he had for you Master. I'm not like him, I fear to cross the line if I try to do as him."
"You're wrong Ferus. You and Obi-wan are much alike in truth. You share the same patient, the same respect and sense of honor. And yes he's smarter than you, but like you said he's probably the smartest man of the Jedi Order. I trust you Ferus, you never disappointed me so I'm telling you this Ferus Ollin : you can't fall to the dark side because of the love you have for the life, the peace and the light. Please, think about it. To be with the one you love is so amazing, I just can describe it."
"I know Master" Ferus paused because of Siri's confusion, "Yes, Obi-wan gave me a brief view of the love he had for everything and for you. Don't worry; I never felt the private part of his feelings. But everything was so … so …"
"So pure," finished Siri.
"Yes, exactly Master. Obi-wan is just … pure"
During the landing on Rhen Var, an Acclamator-class assault ship carrying the experimental AT-XT walkers was shot down, crashing in a wide, snow-covered canyon that quickly came under attack from Separatist forces determined to ensure nothing could be salvaged. Kenobi and Skywalker gathered their forces and moved with haste toward the crash site, joining up with the already operational AT-XTs in defending the downed transport, buying time for the surviving walkers to mobilize and escape the wreckage. But the CIS had a greater army than the Republic on the snowy planet and Obi-wan knew trick was their only solution.
"Commander, secure the area around the transport quickly!" ordered Obi-wan.
"Yes sir!" replied the clone.
Even if Rhen Var was a very, very cold planet, the so many explosions was increasing dangerously the temperature, it was like fighting on Mustafar. When the area around the transport was secure, Skywalker took command of a squadron of the bipedal walkers from the cockpit of an AT-XT himself and moved on the enemy's fueling station as Kenobi told him. The walkers were equipped with powerful mortar cannons and after several volleys, and then after half an hour, the depot was destroyed and the Separatist's refueling capabilities crippled. Obi-wan then tasked the squadrons of LAAT/i gunships rid the Separatist command center. Yes, his strategy was working like last time but sooner : in the past, they had failed to protect the outpost but managed to evacuate every one; this time, the outpost had not been destroyed so the Republic had already won a battle.
Once on the ground, clone troopers rapidly disembarked from the gunships' crew bays and stormed the battlefield but they had to reached the CIS command center in the ancient citadel. Anakin had already command the AT-TE to break through the Citadel's defense and to destroy it once inside the Separatist camp.
But then, Obi-wan felt a presence that had not showed up in his past : the future was already changing for sure, but such change surprised him. The bounty hunter wasn't supposed to lead the battle of Rhen Var, and Obi-wan fought him the first time on Naboo. It was too early…
"Commander ! I'm going to deal with their general. Contact Anakin and tell him to pursue the attack on the Citadel." Commanded General Kenobi as the clone nodded.
Obi-wan took a speeder bike and quickly and discretely reached the interior of Rhen Var's Citadel. There, Durge, the Gen'Dai who could regenerate as he wanted, was waiting for him. Obi-wan remembered that Durge was killed by Anakin during their fight on Naboo : Durge burnt to death when his escape pod hit the sun of Naboo. But on Rhen Var, the sun was too far away so Kenobi would have to improvise with the very cold temperature of the planet : if he could separate Durge's body in different places, perhaps his body would freeze.
"Hello there!" said Obi-wan.
The bounty hunter laughed evilly, "Obi-wan Kenobi. The Jedi who defeated Count Dooku, came to die !" and surprisingly fast for his heavy armor, Durge attacked the Jedi. The Gen'Dai was using all his arsenal to kill Obi-wan but the defense of the man was so perfect that it was like he was in another world and of course, it was angering Durge. When Durge had no more munitions, he had to switch his fighting style and took his laser whip to attack Obi-wan lightsaber but once again, he missed the Jedi every time. After a few seconds, Kenobi cut the whip and switched his fighting style for Ataru, attacking the Gen'Dai who could only defend himself with laser shields. Obi-wan was truly dancing around Durge and in an elegant move, the Jedi cut an arm of the bounty hunter who had to stepped back. Then Durge fired all of his rockets to Obi-wan who avoided them easily.
"Stop moving damn Jedi !" yelled infuriated the armored alien.
But it was his mistake, because of his anger, Obi-wan quickly jumped over him and when the Jedi fell to the ground, Durge's head was rolling on the cold floor of the citadel. General Kenobi was quickly joined by Anakin and the clonetroopers who immediately fired at Durge body and burning it whith grenades. Obi-wan, then, took the head of the defeated alien and threw it in a crevasse, hoping it was cold enough to freeze the head when it'd reach the end of the hole.
"Why did you do this Master ? It's not really respectful," asked Anakin behind his Master.
"It was a Gen'Dai, my friend. We had to separate his body in order to prevent him to regenerate," explained Obi-wan.
"Oh that's why I saw tentacles coming from his neck. Very clever Master, as always. Anyway, the Citadel is ours, the Separatist are leaving the planet, it was a quick victory!"
"Quick? We're on this blasted cold planet since three days. Yes quick but too painful for my body. Everything is frozen; we have lost an Acclamator and many clones. But you have done very well Anakin, I'm proud of you. I'm sure you'll pass your trials without problem my friend" replied Obi-wan, laying a hand on Anakin's shoulder.
"Of course I'll pass. I had the best teacher." Said Anakin smiling.
"Alright, I think the cold is twisting your judgment Anakin. Let's go back inside, right ?"
"Go ahead; I want to stay here a moment. I like to watch snow falling."
And as Obi-wan left his padawan, the young boy stared at the large hills covered with snow in front of him : the view was so beautiful that he could only think about Padmé, and the chance he had to have Obi-wan with him. After all, he was the victorious General today; he was the one who offered him a chance to see Padmé again and that was the best gift he could hope for. Yes Obi-wan was a great mentor… and a great friend. After ten minutes looking at Rhen Var, Anakin decided he was cold and headed to the Republic camp, where the clones were yelling Kenobi and Skywalker's name to congratulate them for the brilliant victory. Yes, Kenobi and Skywalker … A team that would become legendary and inspired many for decades… And Anakin smiled and left his position, the mind full of hope and excitement…
Author note : There it is ! The Clone wars ! I tried to keep the canon chronology because the TV show "The Clone wars" is only about the Second and Last year of the Clone Wars. I don't really like the first year so I'll skip many battle to quickly write about Ashoka Tano. Don't worry, Assajj and Grievous will appear soon, well Ventress before Grievous of course.
Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter and if you don't know what is the Dark Reaper, go to search info ;). Rhen Var was not a major battle but it's the first for Obi-wan and Anakin so I thought it was important to start with this fight.
Thanks to all you for you reviews and please continue !