"Masters." I greeted, bowing before the High Council.
"We have an assignment for both you and Master Kenobi. A transmission from the Sith home world of Moraband has been sent to us." Master Windu explained, beginning the recording. Two cloaked figures came into view, their faces covered by black hoods.
"Masters of the Council, we reach out to you in hopes you will obey our following commands." Said the slightly shorter one, a female.
"You are to send Obi-Wan Kenobi and Kate Lyons to us immediately. If they are not here within one planetary cycle, we will kill the hostages we have gathered. They must come alone to these coordinates." Continued the other. The message ended, leaving me to ponder who was living on that desert planet.
"You will leave now. There is no time to waste." Master Windu ordered, motioning for us to exit. We were halfway to the hangar when I started questioning.
"How is there a hostage situation there? Barely anything lives in that forsaken place. Does the Republic have any research parties?" Obi-Wan cut me off, looking at me blandly.
"As long as it's not another Mortis situation, I'm fine with it." He shrugged.
"I couldn't agree more." We entered the hangar, going to our ships. Mine was a royal blue color, with black covering the rest. My R2 unit was sitting ready in the port, giving an excited chirp as I opened the cockpit.
"Hey, little guy." I greeted, rubbing his dome. I got in and buckled up, putting in the coordinates for the rendezvous. I hit the ignition and lifted off, following Obi-Wan out through the hangar doors and up. Other than the slight shudder when we hit the atmosphere, the flight was smooth.
"These ships can't handle light speed. Link up with one of the docking rings." There were many orbiting the city planet, one of them going with my interceptor. I docked and rocketed into the swirling blue tunnel, watching it go by with fascination. I could have sworn I saw a figure at one point, but just shrugged it off. I took hold of the controls when I got out of the vortex, the planet sitting before us.
"I can feel the evil from here." I muttered, disengaging and zooming to the surface.
"The coordinates lead into that sandstorm. Be careful." He warned, taking lead.
"The Force will guide me. I know where I'm going." I argued confidently, going at top speed inti the sand cloud.
"Kate, you need to slow down! There are ruins all around us!" He said a bit louder.
"We need to make it to the coordinates. If we're late they'll die." That was when a building sized statue broke through the sand, too close to avoid. I slammed the controls to the side, hitting my left wing.
"Kate!" Obi-Wan shouted. My ship began spinning in circles, the left engine going out.
"Obi-Wan!" My body flew forward as I crashed, slamming my forehead against the controls and the cockpit glass cracking. I shook my head, trying to clear the dizziness. I couldn't stop the sobbing gasp I let out, finding the sand already piling up and sprinkling through the cracks. There was fire outside from the damage, as well as my droid being destroyed.
"Kate!" Obi-Wan called somewhere to my left.
"Obi-Wan!" I hollered back, sitting up to try and see him. The sand was almost covering the cockpit now, beginning to pour inside. I was crying now, hyperventilating as the last bit of the outside was covered.
"Kate! Where are you?!"
"Obi-Wan!" I screamed. "Please." I sobbed. I slumped back in my seat, knowing he couldn't hear me. If he didn't find me, I would meet the same end as the clone on Geonosis. I curled up, gathering the Force inside of me to try and blow the hatch off. What I sent out was more of an explosion, tearing apart the ship and throwing debris and sand in every direction. I bundled up in my cloak and stumbled out, falling face first to the ground.
"No!" He shouted, allowing me to pinpoint him. I found him on his knees, head bowed and fists clenched.
"Don't have to get all worked up over little old me." I joked, placing a hand to my chest.
"What was that explosion?" He asked getting to his feet and hugging me.
"I tried to use the force to send the hatch off, but I got that instead." I explained, pulling back.
"A repulse. It's been heard of throughout history, though I've never seen it for myself." He put a hand to his beard in thought.
"We have to hurry. It's this way." I pointed towards the large silhouette in the distance, taking his hand and dragging him with me. As we drew nearer, I realized we were going into a Sith temple. Rows of statues lined the path to the entrance, which was half hurried by sand. Inside was dark and cold, though it opened up and howled with the wind.
"So, where do you think they are?" He asked.
"Over here." Answered the woman from the hologram, both figures stepping out from behind a pillar.
"If you'd be so kind to introduce yourselves. You already know who we are." I started us off, placing an idle hand on my lightsaber.
"That's the joke, isn't it?" The man asked, sounding familiar in person.
"I'm sorry?" Obi-Wan asked, the realization clicking into place. Both removed their hoods, yellow eyes sunken into our own pale faces.
"What is this?" I asked, holding my lightsaber tighter.
"This is a replacement." The other me answered, igniting a crimson blade. The other Obi-Wan did the same, charging at his counterpart. I brought my own up just in time to meet my doppelganger, crossing blades and sending out sparks.
"You and I both know this is for the best. After all, you're too scared to change a horrible fate!" Other me snarled, taking a swing at me. I jumped up onto a fallen pillar, taking note of the reflections behind me.
"High ground, bitch!" I mocked, flipping over her and swiping in a downward arch. I touched down, turning in time to see her fall to the floor with a thud.
"A little help?" Obi-Wan requested, barely holding the red blade from his neck. I dashed over, swinging my lightsaber to the right. Other him jumped back, throwing me up high and against one of the pillars. Obi-Wan took his opportunity and drove his blade to the hilt through the black robes. Unfortunately, with the guy dead, he let go of me. I yelped as I fell, coming closer and closer to the ground. Right before I hit the stone, I was stopped by two arms. I blinked before looking up and finding Obi-Wan looking back at me.
"Are you alright?" He asked, not letting go.
"Never better." I chuckled.
"We find ourselves in these awkward situations fairly often, don't we?"
"I kinda like it." I shrugged, smiling at him.
"And why's that?"
"Oh, come on. You and I both know there's tension between us. Even if it's light." I rolled my eyes, standing on my own feet. "And don't play coy with me, either. Don't forget I can feel emotions like you can."
"Very well, I suppose there's been some feelings I shouldn't have." He relented. I cut him off with a finger to his lips, hearing something further inside.
"Something's back there." I whispered. Footsteps grew closer, shuffling and awkward.
"They said they had hostages." He supplied. Someone stepped into the light of our sabers. A clone trooper, barely standing and with his blaster lazily aimed at us.
"Stand down, trooper." I ordered. He opened fire, more blaster bolts coming from behind him. Obi-Wan and I dove behind the fallen pillar for cover, the drones not letting up. I stood and deflected some back towards them, as well as counting the attackers.
"I count ten clustered together." I reported.
"Split them?" He suggested.
"Why not?" I peeled to the right and out of cover, defending myself while Obi-Wan went left. I managed to hit a few, leaving six still shooting. Obi-Wan let out a pained shout, falling out of sight and clutching his shoulder. "Obi-Wan!"
When I got no answer I realized my mistake, all six now turning to me. I was missing some shots, some grazing the fabric of my cloak. I desperately threw out my hand, trying to push them away. What I got was confusing and disturbing. They were all frozen in place, shaking as if they were trying to break free. Even more was the laser fire coming for me, which was suspended in mid air.
"Holy shit." I gasped, walking past the enemies and ducking under lasers to get to Obi-Wan. I found him resting against the stone of a pillar, holding a burn on his shoulder.
"Did you kill them?" He asked, allowing me to help him to his feet.
"Not quite." I hesitantly answered, letting him see my handiwork.
"I've never heard of anything like this in the archives. You used the Force to do this?" I turned us around and towards the entrance, helping Obi-Wan hobble along.
"Yeah." I answered simply.
"Good job." He praised, not making eye contact with me. Back into the storm we went, going blindly in the direction of his ship.
"So, are we gonna talk about what we said back there?" I asked, breaking the unbearable silence.
"What's there to say? I broke the Jedi Code."
"But it didn't turn you evil. If anything, it made you care more." I argued.
"But having these emotions is forbidden."
"But why is it? If the Jedi are meant to be emotionless drones, how are we supposed to help everyone?"
"I've never thought of that." He sighed.
"Exactly." I nodded, opening the cockpit and helping Obi-Wan inside. I climbed in after him, almost sitting in his lap.
"This does not help my argument." He chuckled, trying to adjust.
"It certainly helps mine." I smiled, leaning back against him for the ride back. We took off, finally escaping the sandstorm and the dark presence.
"Would you suggest having a secret affair?" He asked after a moment.
"If that's what works." I agreed.
"If we're caught, we will be expelled." He warned.
"That's a risk I'm willing to take. Are you?" I looked up at him.
"Well, it's much better than losing you." He shrugged, taking off into the void.
"Agreed." I nodded, placing my head on his shoulder.
