Chapter Fourteen: Thirty-Six Hours on Coruscant
Anakin shifts from foot to foot, rolling the shoulder that connected to his mechanical arm. It had been acting up lately, shorting out during battle. The fingers flexed now - without his will - and he grits his teeth together.
The field medics have warned him about the dangers - the electricity could eventually travel to his heart, potentially causing a heart attack. He is twenty, damn it.
He is too young for this bantha shit.
Beside him in the Senate pod, Obi-Wan murmurs, "I told you to take pain-meds, Anakin."
Anakin rolls his eyes. "My apologies for not listening to your sage advice, Master Kenobi."
"Oh, when do you ever?"
"Very funny."
Half of Obi-Wan's mouth turns up in a smirk, and he refocuses his attentions on the Senate floor. The Representatives from Kalevala and Cato Neimoidia were arguing, largely ignoring Amedda's attempts to calm them while their voices rose.
"You need a standing army to defend - "
"Our people are plenty capable of defending against any Separatist - "
"With what weapons? Didn't your dear Duchess - "
"Senators, please - "
One of the pods shoots forward, revealing a blonde woman with an elaborate headdress and blue robes.
She speaks quietly, but her voice commands the attentions of everyone in the chamber. "Enough. I did not travel here to discuss weaponry - our trade is dwindling. My people have no medical supplies and are fearing a food shortage."
Beside him, Obi-Wan suddenly stiffens.
"What's wrong?" Anakin asks, looking at the fidgeting Jedi master. "Do you sense something?"
"Only my impending doom." Obi-Wan glances into the hallway, then back at the blonde currently speaking to the Senate. "I should do a security check - "
Anakin feels his lips curl into a grin while he studies the blonde speaking quite passionately about her planet's neutrality and the lack of supplies coming into the planet. "Captain Typho took R2 a few minutes ago. We're fine, Master."
"Fine," Obi-Wan mutters sarcastically. He taps the controls of the pod.
"Have you spoken to the Duchess since the last time she was on Coruscant?"
Obi-Wan grinds his teeth together before saying, "I will be a moment, Anakin."
Anakin opens his mouth to speak, but the master was already gone. He runs a his fingers through his lengthening hair, still grateful that his padawan braid is no longer there (it's been nearing what? A year and a half since he received his knightship?) It was getting rather obnoxious in battle, always hitting him in the face and making Captain Rex swallow back snickers every time it happened.
The Senate session doesn't last much longer - roughly two hours. His master has yet to come back.
Padmé is scowling when her pod docks, taking the hand he offers and stepping down. The scowls immediately turns into a small smile when she catches sight of his expression. "That face - what are you planning, Ani?"
"I have no idea what you mean, Angel."
She rolls her eyes, squeezing his hand before dropping it and walking into the halls of the Senate. Bodies and voices surround them, making conversation hard to manage. They walk side by side, enjoying each other's company. It would not be long before he left for the Outer Rim again, so any time spent together was much welcomed.
"Padmé!"
They turn, spotting Duchess Kryze move through the crowd. Well - the crowd was moving for her.
"Satine!" Padmé smiles, embracing the elder woman warmly. "Enjoy the Senate meeting?"
"Hardly," Satine draws away, and glances to him. "Knight Skywalker - it's good to see you."
Anakin bows his head while the three began to walk towards the elevators, which were just around the corner. He suppresses a small smile at the particular Force Signature coming towards them, and looks to the Duchess. "You as well, Satine. How's Korkie?"
"Oh that topic is a pleasant change from politics." Satine smiles, a rare smile of joy that seems all too rare on most people's faces nowadays. "He's well - he's second in his class."
"Only second? What, did he fail intergalactic politics?" Anakin teases, and grins at the women when they roll their eyes. He glances at the nearing bend, searching through the crowd of people around them.
Come on, Kenobes.
"Some of the professors aren't terribly fond of him," Satine admits. "He believes it's because - "
Crash!
Everyone's heads turn at the sound, eyes widening while they watch Obi-Wan Kenobi come around the bend and stumble straight into Duchess Kryze. Or maybe she stumbles into him. It's was hard to tell what is happening - only that they are apologizing profusely, trying to smooth their clothes, not realizing who the other was.
Yet.
Anakin steps neatly away, tugging his wife's wrist discreetly so she wouldn't be caught in the tangle of limbs. He smirks when the Duchess' headdress rolls to his feet, and calls Kenobi's now smashed datapad to his hands.
"Bummer - I gave this to him for his Lifeday," Anakin mutters, and grins over at his wife, who was pinching the bridge of her nose and sighing.
Meanwhile, Obi-Wan is beginning to realize who the blonde stranger is. "Satine," he mutters lamely, straightening up and staring. "Hi."
"Well that's not the first time you've fallen for me," Satine murmurs back, raising her eyebrows at him.
Obi-Wan smiles, surveying the watching crowd. He focuses on his sniggering former padawan, wondering what he had to do with it. "Yes well - I'll….see you around. Anakin - we need to head to the Temple. Emergency meeting."
She nods, accepting the headdress from Anakin. "May the Force be with you on your mission."
"Of course - may your gods be with you."
Satine smiles, watching the two Jedi leave - for now.
Korkie: I heard you ran into mom - quite literally
Pops: how?...
Korkie: someone posted the footage on the holonet
Pops: of course they did
Korkie: when does your next mission begin?
Pops: two days from now. Can't tell you where i'll be. security - why?
Korkie: was hoping to comm you. Wanted to wish you well.
Pops: now sound good?
Korkie: sure. Love you.
Pops: love you too son.
Tina: you crushed part of my headdress
Ben: oh no, what a nightmare.
Tina: why was I even wondering if you'd be apologetic?
Ben: I have 36hrs before I leave - dinner and cinema tonight? 19:00?
Tina: you're paying. you need to make up for that headdress
Ben: how will i ever do that, my dear? ;)
Tina: you're sleeping on the couch
Ben: ...i deserve that
Obi-Wan doesn't know what wakes him. He believes it's the shifting of the blonde beauty in his arms, and lightning storm occurring outside - New Mandalorians are known for their love of window decorations and stained glass, and that's how Satine's apartment on Coruscant is decorated.
How she convinced an apartment owner to renovate to such an extreme was beyond him.
But then again - she probably owned the apartment building.
Shaking his head, Obi-Wan gently untangles himself and steps out of bed. The air is cool on his skin, a welcome distraction from the nightmares from the previous night.
"What is the Force telling me?" Obi-Wan murmurs, staring out at the Coruscanti skyline. He watches the speeders and shuttles fly by, their passengers completely unawares of the turmoil inside of him.
Tucking his hand behind his back, he studies a familiar apartment building in the distance. He wonders about Anakin, how much of a strain the young man was under, what sort of secrets that must be kept in a dual life.
But here I am, doing the same thing, Obi-Wan realizes when he glances over to a snoring Duchess wrapped in blankets. Trying to make this work.
He remembers the years before the Trade Federation blockade, where he spent every leave on Mandalore.
Where they fought and bickered and apologized long enough to fuck.
But neither of them were fumbling youths now. They'd both moved on - ha! - had relationships, loved and lost, found their pleasures outside of each other. They'd grown, matured, been thrown trials, raised children to somewhat functioning maturity.
He shook his head, and wanders into the kitchenette. Satine had dismissed the guards the previous night, narrowing her eyes until they left. Only a probe into the Force made him aware that the guards were just outside the apartment, ready to protect their Duchess at a moment's notice.
Protect their Duchess from the likes of Obi-Wan Kenobi.
He brews water for tea - caf for Satine - because that's what couples did right? She comes in while the kettle is screeching, blearily-eyed and muttering, "That's why I like instant. There's none of that awful sound."
"Well aren't you a delight," he counters, pouring the water into mugs, over their respective packets of tea and caf.
Satine hops up on the table, rubbing at her eyes and not bothering to adjust her - his - tunic when it dips a bit too low on her chest and reveals a bit too much of her legs. Not that he really minds, either. "When do you have to be at the Temple?"