Each of your reviews is very appreciated! I'm happy to see some new readers, as well as some of my old favorites. ;)
Corculum glad you've enjoyed my stories, thanks for leaving reviews! To answer your question: This story is actually a sequel of sorts to (or rather, it is set in the same AU as) A Simple Change, so yes, Obi-Wan is Auren in this story too. Auren age very slowly; the older they get, the slower they age. So, he's not much different than he was in the last story, as Anakin noticed in the earlier chapters of this story. Hope this helped!
Onto the next part. . .
Chapter 12
Padmé slumped down minutely in her seat, disenheartened by the discussion going on around her.
"So are you saying that we should return him to that monster, General?" The icy tones of Mon Mothma echoed throughout the cavernous meeting room of the Yavin base.
At this point it seemed that returning Obi-Wan to Vader was the only way to stop the Imperial attacks on seemingly random locations, supposedly because they were suspected Rebel bases. But no one wanted to do that, knowing what the poor Jedi had been subjected to as Vader's captive.
"Of course not, Ma'am," General Radiin bristled. "But we must consider all of our options . . ."
The top ranking officials of the Rebellion been going at it for hours, but kept ending up at the same place. Everyone had something to say, but it was all more of the same. Padmé, of course, had already said her piece, and had vehemently defended that Obi-Wan should not be handed over to Vader. When she had finished, Obi-Wan had graced her with a small smile, looking both grateful and sad. He had since been sitting quietly at her side, seemingly disinterested in the goings on around him that would decide his fate.
As absorbed in her thoughts as she was, Padmé didn't notice that Obi-Wan had moved until he had already stood and stepped forward to address the group. Someone who didn't know Obi-Wan as well as she would have been reassured by expression on his face, but Padmé recognized it for what it was and regarded her friend with mounting apprehension.
"My fellow members of the Rebellion," Obi-Wan began in his usual lilting, melodious tone. "Please, there is no need to continue this discussion. Clearly, there is no satisfactory solution to this dilemma. But I cannot in good conscience allow these attacks to go on . . ."
As Obi-Wan spoke, Padmé's eyes widened slightly in disbelief. Trust a Jedi to come up with a plan like that, though she would hardly call it one at all.
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"This, Obi-Wan Kenobi, is entirely too familiar." Padmé sniffed quietly, raising her tear-filled eyes to meet his. Obi-Wan met her gaze fondly, and placed a hand gently but firmly on her shoulder. She had insisted on seeing him off as he departed the Yavin base, and they now stood in the hanger bay before the small Starfighter that he would be taking.
"It is the will of the Force," he said simply. "And I must follow it." Though he had finally been freed from Anakin's grasp, the price of his freedom was far too high. He had desperately not wanted to return, and had meditated on the matter for some time before the solution came to him. It had seemed so wrong, at first, but he had accepted and come to understand it.
"Of course you must," Padmé replied with a hint of bitterness. "You're a Jedi, despite it all. Though don't you ever feel that your Force has betrayed you?" She asked heatedly.
Obi-Wan slowly shook his head. "How can I? There is too much that I do not know," he said gently.
"But why? You're a good Jedi, and a good person, and look what happens to you! You're being taken away from me, probably to die. How can the Force be so . . . cruel, as to do this to you?" Padmé burst out agitatedly.
" Padmé --" Obi-Wan tried to cut her off, but she wasn't finished.
"The Force took my husband from me years ago. I didn't understand it at first, but I learned what the dark side can do to a person." Padmé took a deep breath. "But you are so different than him, so light. I don't understand why the Force would take you too." She looked away from him. "The dark side took my husband, and you allow yourself to be taken by the light. I don't think I like the Force, much," she said distantly, the bitterness gone from her voice. A single tear slipped down her cheek, unbidden.
Obi-Wan stepped closer to her, resting his forehead against hers as she put her arms on his shoulders. "The Force is not finished with either Anakin nor I yet," he said softly, looking into the sad brown eyes just centimeters from his own. Straightening, he moved away from her and went to board his ship. "Remember that, my friend." Obi-Wan gave her a serene smile, and Padmé returned it with a small wave.
"May the Force be with you, Obi-Wan. Since that's what you want," she said sincerely, though Obi-Wan could read the doubt in her eyes even as he piloted the ship out of the hanger. He only hoped that his own doubt had not been so apparent.
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The Force had been quiet as of late. Vader was far away, and there was still, vexingly enough, not a trace of Kenobi. Sidious was highly displeased that things had gotten so out of hand with the Jedi; Kenobi had clearly become a bad influence on his foolish apprentice. And this ridiculous kidnapping attempt would provide him with the perfect opportunity. He could kill Kenobi and make the Rebels appear responsible for his death, which would only strengthen his hold on Vader.
All he needed was Kenobi. How the Jedi had managed to vanish from the sight of the Force, Sidious had no idea. But there would be time enough to find out about that, as well as to partake in other amusements, when he captured the Jedi. Not if.
Abandoning his attempts to focus on Kenobi's seemingly absent presence in the Force, Sidious rose with a low growl and paced over to his expansive, sleek black desk to contact whatever underling he had assigned to head the search. As his shriveled finger hovered over the com button, he paused. There was something there that he could sense, just now, that hadn't been there before. Or rather, someone. Gradually, like a masterfully engineered explosion, a presence seemed to grow brighter and brighter on the vast plane of the Force, until Sidious could see it clearly. Blindingly bright, Sidious recognized the presense right away as Kenobi. For whatever reason, the Jedi had become visible to him again; unfortunately, that meant that Vader could sense him now as well. Undoubtedly, he would come rushing across the galaxy to reclaim his little Jedi pet, but it was of no matter. He would be finished with the Jedi long before his apprentice returned to claim him. But even if Vader did somehow manage to get back before he was finished with the Jedi, it would be of little consequence. Vader was nothing if not loyal.
He pressed his finger to the com button, and gave the orders that would be remembered for some time to come.
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"Unidentified Starfighter, you have illegally entered Imperial space and will be detained. Stand down for tractor beam."
"Understood," Obi-Wan replied calmly over the com unit. Since he has 'reappeared' in the Force in the Coruscant system, it had actually taken some time for the Imperial forces to come after him since. And he knew that these Imperials were not under Anakin's command, but the Emperor's.
His ship jolted slightly as the tractor beam latched on, and Obi-Wan released the controls. Sitting back in his seat, he closed his eyes and cleared his mind, allowing the calm clarity of the Force to penetrate his mind. The ship lurched, signaling that it had been docked in the hanger of the Imperial warship. His ship's hatch slowly raised, and Obi-Wan opened his eyes to see the blasters of several Storm Troopers pointing down at him. Unfazed, he simply raised his hands and climbed out of his ship. They immediately slapped a pair of cuffs on his wrists, much to Obi-Wan's chagrin.
"Move, you," one of them ordered, giving him a shove. Obi-Wan did not reply, but allowed them to lead him into the bowels of the ship until they eventually came to a stop at the end of a darkened corridor.
"The Emperor wants to see you," one of the Troopers informed him, and the door in front of him opened with a swish.
Pausing only for an instant, Obi-Wan crossed the threshold, and the door closed swiftly behind him. The room was dark and expansive, and a view of space blanketed the back.
"We meet again, Jedi," came an oozing voice from the black, throne-like chair that was silhouetted by the window.
"Sidious," Obi-Wan acknowledged calmly. There was no escape now; he was the prisoner of Darth Sidious.
And that was exactly what he had planned.
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One more chapter to go! I'm still working on the next story that will be set after this one, but it's been coming along pretty slowly with the back-to-school rush. Things are settling down, though, so it shouldn't be too long coming. And as always, let me know what you think of the story andthe direction I take the characters-- your imput helps me decide how to write what I'm currently working on. ;)
